They weren’t pointing them at the door.

They were pointing them at me.

“Step away from the desk, Captain,” the lead sergeant said.

His voice was completely devoid of emotion.

“What is the meaning of this, Sergeant?” I demanded, my hand slowly drifting toward my holster.

“General’s orders,” he replied.

“Hand over the ledger.”

“I don’t think so,” I said.

Before he could pull the trigger, the power grid in the house failed.

The room plunged into pitch blackness.

The hum of the ventilators stopped instantly.

The only light came from the lightning outside, flashing through the large windows.

I threw myself to the left, hitting the cold floor as a gunshot shattered the air.

The muzzle flash illuminated the sergeant’s face for a fraction of a second.

I rolled behind the heavy leather sofa, my heart hammering against my ribs.

Another shot punched a hole through the drywall above my head.

“Madison! Mom! Get down!” I shouted.

In the darkness, I heard the sound of a struggle near the balcony door.

“Natalie!” Madison screamed.

A flashlight beam sliced through the darkness, sweeping across the room.