The phone screen was dark, but a small blue light at the top was flashing rapidly.

The flashing blue light meant it was actively transmitting data.

I remembered the small device he had attached to the security panel in the hallway earlier.

He had bypassed their firewall in seconds.

“Move!” Ryan barked, shoving my shoulder.

We walked out of the study and down the grand, winding staircase.

The mansion felt cold and empty, despite the warmth of the fire starting upstairs.

The smell of burning ink and hot paper began to drift down the hallway behind us.

Outside, the sound of helicopter blades grew louder.

The searchlights swept across the tall arched windows, painting the hallways in brilliant sweeps of white light.

The beams of light illuminated the dust motes dancing in the air.

“They are landing on the north lawn,” Marcus said, checking his wrist tablet.

“We have less than three minutes before they breach the perimeter.”

“Then hurry,” Charles snapped, sweating through his silk shirt.

We reached the heavy oak door that led to the basement.

Marcus unlocked it with a heavy brass key and pushed it open.