Chapter 13 - The Fortress Strikes
Before the operative could shout a warning, blinding, five-thousand-lumen stadium floodlights snapped on throughout the entire second floor, flooding the hallway and bedroom in an agonizing, daylight-level glare that completely overwhelmed their night-vision goggles.
“Drop your weapons!” a booming voice commanded over the estate’s internal audio system.
From the concealed wall panels along the hallway, eight heavily armed Sterling Global tactical operators stepped into view, their assault carbines locked onto the four intruders with laser sights painting crimson dots across their chests.
Ross’s operatives scrambled to raise their weapons, but they were completely outmatched and outmaneuvered.
Pop-pop-pop.
Non-lethal flashbang and beanbag rounds discharged with concussive force, knocking the four men to the floor in a flurry of sparks, smoke, and groans of pain. Within ten seconds, all four intruders were pinned face-down against the hardwood floor, their weapons kicked away and heavy steel zip-ties securing their wrists behind their backs.
Lucas Sterling stepped out from the master study down the corridor, completely unharmed, wearing a crisp charcoal suit, followed closely by Marcus Vance and two federal tactical agents.
Lucas walked slowly into Maya’s bedroom, looking down at Victor Ross, who was struggling against the zip-ties with blood dripping from a split lip.
"Victor Ross," Lucas said smoothly, crouching down to be eye-level with the mercenary. "Did you honestly believe that the man who built the infrastructure for half the ports on the eastern seaboard wouldn't know how to secure his own home?"
Ross glared up at him, breathing heavily. "You set us up... the London trip was a fake..."
"Of course it was a fake," Lucas replied, standing up and dusting off his lapels. "Maya has been safely in Florida with my sister Clara since Tuesday morning, swimming in the sun three hundred miles away from your pathetic games."
May you like
Detective Miller stepped into the room, holding out a signed federal arrest warrant. "Victor Ross, you and your team are under arrest for conspiracy to commit kidnapping, domestic terrorism, and armed home invasion. Federal prosecutors have already frozen your offshore accounts in Zurich."
As the federal agents dragged the four mercenaries down the grand staircase in heavy chains, Lucas stood on the landing, watching them leave with the absolute, cold satisfaction of a commander whose fortress had held the line without a single scratch.
