“Where are you?” Ryker demanded.

“North wing… barricaded,” Marco gasped. “Get them out. They have local backup arriving.”

The radio went dead.

Ryker stared at the small device for a second before shoving it back into his pocket.

“The security codes were changed yesterday,” Ryker said, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.

“What does that mean?” I asked, shivering in the cold.

“It means someone gave them the new ones,” Ryker said.

He grabbed Owen’s hand and looked at me.

“We can’t use the main vehicles,” Ryker said. “They will be watching the driveway.”

“How do we leave?” I asked, looking at the dark woods surrounding the estate.

“We walk,” Ryker said. “There is a utility truck parked near the old pump house.”

We began to move through the thick underbrush, the pine needles muffling our footsteps.

The cold air stung my lungs, but the adrenaline kept the freeze at bay.

Behind us, the sound of shouting men echoed from the estate.

Flashlights swept through the gardens, the beams cutting through the dark trees like searchlights.

“They’re searching the grounds,” I whispered, pulling Lily closer to my side.