Chapter 27 - Cornered Beasts
The financial strangulation of New York worked faster than Clara had even anticipated.
Without money, Dominic’s captains began to defect, refusing to fight a war for a boss who could not pay them.
But a cornered beast is the most dangerous kind, and Dominic was not going to die quietly.
Instead of surrendering, Dominic used his last remaining millions to hire a team of elite, international mercenaries.
He didn't want Arthur’s territory anymore; he simply wanted revenge for the humiliation.
It was a quiet Tuesday evening at the estate, the rain pouring heavily against the reinforced glass windows.
Clara was in the library, reading a classic novel by the fireplace while Arthur reviewed security logs.
Suddenly, the power to the entire estate was cut, plunging the massive mansion into total darkness.
Arthur moved instantly, drawing his sidearm and pulling Clara behind the heavy oak desk.
“That is not a blown fuse,” Arthur whispered, his senses operating at maximum capacity.
The backup generators failed to kick in, meaning someone had physically destroyed the main power grid.
“They bypassed the outer perimeter sensors,” Clara noted, her heart pounding but her mind perfectly clear.
“Only professionals move that quietly.”
The heavy oak doors of the library burst open, and three men wearing night-vision goggles and tactical gear stormed in.
Arthur did not hesitate.
He fired three rapid shots into the darkness, his lethal muscle memory guiding his aim perfectly.
Two of the mercenaries dropped dead, but the third returned fire with a silenced submachine gun.
Wood splinters rained down on Clara as the heavy desk took the brunt of the assault.
Arthur rolled out from cover, closing the gap in the dark and driving his combat knife through the third man’s throat.
The library went silent again, except for the sound of the rain hitting the glass.
Arthur pulled Clara to her feet, his hands checking her quickly for any injuries.
“Dominic sent a hit squad,” Arthur growled, handing her the silver revolver from his ankle holster.
“They are here to kill us, not talk.”
Clara gripped the cold metal of the gun, her pragmatic survival instincts taking over completely.
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“Then we will have to make sure none of them leave this house alive,” Clara said evenly.
They moved out of the library and into the dark hallways, ready to defend their castle side by side.
