Chapter 11 - THE BREAK-IN
The thunder cracked directly overhead, shaking the wooden frame of the lodge.
Jax moved like a shadow around the western wing of the house.
He reached the outdoor circuit breaker box and smashed the heavy padlocks with his tactical knife.
With a hard yank, he ripped the main power cables out of the wall.
SNAP!
Instantly, the entire mountain mansion plunged into complete darkness.
Shouts rang out from the security guards on the front porch.
"What happened to the lights?!"
"Check the emergency generator!"
Inside the living room, Victoria cursed loudly.
"Julian! Get the flashlights!"
In the pitch-black darkness of the living room, Lily sat frozen on the sofa.
Suddenly, the floor-to-ceiling glass window on the side patio shattered into a million pieces.
CRASH!
Glass rained down onto the hardwood floor.
Victoria screamed in horror as a dark figure stepped through the ruined frame.
"Who's there?!" Julian yelled, waving his phone light frantically.
The beam of light caught Elena’s face.
She stood covered in blood, mud, and rain, holding the heavy steel crowbar.
She looked like a vengeful specter risen from the grave.
"Elena?!" Julian gasped, backing away in sheer terror.
"You're supposed to be locked up!"
"I came for my daughter," Elena said, her voice terrifyingly quiet.
Victoria reached into her purse on the table, pulling out a small snub-nosed revolver.
"You insane bitch!" Victoria shrieked, aiming the gun at Elena’s chest.
"I will put a bullet through your head and tell the police it was self-defense!"
Before Victoria could pull the trigger, Jax smashed through the front wooden door.
He tackled Victoria to the floor with immense force.
The gun went off with a deafening BANG!
The bullet shattered a crystal vase on the mantelpiece.
Victoria screamed as Jax pinned her wrists to the floor, disarming her in a second.
"Lily! Run to Mommy!" Elena yelled, dropping to her knees.
"MOMMY!" Lily cried out, throwing herself off the sofa and sprinting across the glass-strewn floor into Elena’s arms.
Elena wrapped her arms around her daughter, sobbing violently against her small neck.
"I've got you, baby... I've got you..."
Julian stood frozen in the corner, staring at his mother pinned to the floor by Jax.
"Julian!" Victoria spat, her face pressed against the floorboards.
"Shoot them! Grab the gun and shoot them!"
Julian’s hands shook as he looked at the revolver lying on the rug.
He stepped toward the gun.
Elena turned her head, staring up at Julian with eyes full of absolute hatred.
"Touch that gun, Julian," Elena warned, "and you prove to the world that you are just as much of a monster as she is."
Julian’s hand hovered over the cold steel of the gun.
He looked at Elena.
He looked at his crying daughter.
He looked at his mother screaming orders like a mad dictator.
For the first time in his life, Julian Vance broke.
He backed away from the gun, falling to his knees and burying his face in his hands, weeping hysterically.
"I'm sorry..." Julian sobbed.
"I'm so sorry, Elena..."
Suddenly, red and blue police lights began flashing through the rain-soaked windows outside.
Sirens echoed up the mountain road.
"They're here," Jax said, holding Victoria down tight.
Elena picked Lily up in her arms and stood tall.
May you like
"Yes," Elena said softly.
"It's finally over."
