A single line of white text appeared across the monitors.

*System compromise detected in Master Suite Wing.*

Then, a familiar sound echoed through the ceiling speakers.

It was the soft, chime-like hum that always preceded Claire’s custom software updates.

“She’s overriding him,” Nathan whispered, his eyes locked on the wall screen.

The blue screens turned a deep, warning red.

A mechanical clanging sound vibrated through the floorboards, deep within the walls of the mansion.

It was the sound of heavy, reinforced steel security shutters moving into place.

“The atrium,” I said, pointing to the small security monitor near the nursery door.

The screen showed the main gallery of the house, a massive room with three-story glass walls and a stone fireplace.

Vanessa was there, standing near the grand staircase with her coat half-fastened.

Julian came sprinting down the stairs from the master suite, his face flushed and his boots slipping on the polished marble.

“The doors won’t open!” Vanessa screamed, her voice muffled through the audio feed.

Julian reached the massive front entrance, a custom-built slab of reinforced oak and steel.