Chapter 10 - SILENT PENETRATION
Night fell over the massive estate of the Vance family like a dark velvet sheet.
The high concrete perimeter walls were topped with razor wire and monitored by motion-sensor floodlights.
Armed patrols walked the grounds every ten minutes, accompanied by trained attack dogs.
Jax crouched silently in the high grass outside the southern perimeter wall, completely clad in black tactical gear.
He checked his tactical watch: 10:45 PM.
He had just over an hour before Victor moved Elena to the airfield.
Jax pulled a small electronic jamming device from his pouch and attached it to the electrical junction box on the outer wall.
With a soft beep, the perimeter lights flickered once and went completely dark for three seconds—just long enough to disable the security cameras.
Jax launched a grappling hook over the top of the wall, climbing up with terrifying speed and agility.
He vaulted over the razor wire and dropped silently onto the soft grass inside the compound.
Two guards walked past his position, chatting casually about their upcoming shift change.
Jax stepped out from the shadows behind them like a ghost.
He grabbed the first guard in a tight chokehold, snapping his neck before the man could utter a sound.
Before the second guard could react, Jax drove a tactical knife cleanly through the guard's throat, catching the body before it hit the floor.
He dragged both bodies into the bushes, stripping them of their radios and security keycards.
Jax placed an earpiece in his ear, listening to the tactical communications of Victor's security team.
"Unit 3, report in," Marcus's voice crackled through the radio speaker.
Jax pressed the radio transmitter twice without speaking, simulating a quick check-in signal.
"Copy that, Unit 3," Marcus replied, completely unaware.
Jax navigated through the dark garden paths, heading directly toward the manor's subterranean basement entrance.
He reached the heavy steel door of the detention cellar and swiped the stolen keycard.
The electronic lock beeped green, and the heavy door unlocked with a loud metallic click.
Jax raised his suppressed rifle, pushing the heavy door open and stepping into the dimly lit hallway.
At the far end of the hallway stood a cell with heavy iron bars.
Inside the cell, sitting on a cold wooden bench, was Elena, still wearing her torn gold sequin dress.
"Elena," Jax whispered softly, rushing toward the cell bars.
Elena lifted her head in disbelief, her eyes widening in absolute shock.
"Jax?!" Elena gasped, running to the bars and reaching her hands out through the gap. "Are you insane?! Why did you come back?!"
Jax grabbed her hands, kissing them frantically through the cold steel bars.
"I told you I was coming back for you," Jax said, pulling out a set of lockpicks to open the cell door.
"Where is Lily? Is she safe?" Elena begged, tears streaming down her dirty face.
"She's safe with Sophia," Jax reassured her, picking at the heavy lock mechanism.
CLICK.
The cell lock disengaged, and the iron door swung open.
Elena threw her arms around Jax's neck, holding onto him with all her remaining strength.
"I thought I would never see you again," Elena sobbed against his chest.
"I'm taking you home, Elena," Jax promised, kissing her hair.
Suddenly, the blinding bright floodlights in the hallway snapped on all at once.
The heavy steel entrance door slammed shut behind them, locking them inside the cellar corridor.
A slow, sarcastic clapping echoed through the intercom speakers above their heads.
"How poetic," Victor's chilling voice broadcasted through the speakers.
"The foolish hero walks straight into the trap."
Jax pushed Elena behind him, bringing his rifle up to aim at the security camera in the corner.
"It's over, Victor!" Jax shouted into the intercom.
"Is it really over, Jax?" Marcus's mocking voice came through the speaker next.
"Take a look at the monitor under the camera."
Jax’s eyes shifted to a small security monitor mounted on the concrete wall.
The screen flickered to life, displaying a live video feed from inside the hidden cabin in the woods.
On the screen, Sophia lay unconscious on the floor, bleeding out.
Standing right behind the couch where Lily sat terrified was a mercenary holding a suppressed pistol directly against the four-year-old child's head.
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"Drop your weapons, Jax," Victor commanded over the speaker, his voice dripping with triumphant malice.
"Or my man paints the cabin walls with your daughter's brain."
