Chapter 6 - Into the Cold Night
Julian took Elena by the arm, guiding her quickly down the subterranean tunnel. The air grew fresher and colder as they approached the exit, which opened out into a heavily wooded ravine near the river.
Parked beneath the thick canopy of oak trees was an unmarked, matte-black SUV—Julian’s contingency plan. He unlocked it remotely, opening the back door for Elena.
"Get in, lie low on the floor," Julian instructed, pulling a heavy tactical jacket from the trunk and throwing it over her shoulders to keep her warm. "We have to leave the estate before Marcus's men cover the perimeter roads."
"Where are we going?" Elena asked, holding the baby snug against her chest as she slid down onto the carpeted floor behind the front seats.
"Somewhere nobody knows exists," Julian said, jumping into the driver's seat and turning the key. The engine roared to life with a quiet, powerful hum. "My late father built a safehouse deep in the Upstate mountains. No digital footprint, no electronic locks. Just stone, wood, and steel."
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As the SUV slammed into drive and tore through the dirt track toward the highway, Julian glanced in the rearview mirror. In the distance, flames were beginning to lick the roof of his ancestral mansion. Marcus was burning the evidence.
Julian’s knuckles turned white on the steering wheel, his jaw setting into concrete. "Let it burn," he muttered. "The empire is just concrete. My real legacy is in the back seat."
