Chapter 10 - Peace Agreement
Later that night, long after the guests had departed and the estate had settled into its quiet, breathing rhythm, Vincent walked alone down the grand central corridor.
The moonlight poured through the tall arched windows, casting silver beams across the polished hardwood floors. As he passed the junction near the old utility room—now transformed into a clean, modern diagnostic storage bay—he heard a familiar sound echoing from within.
It wasn't a frustrated sigh. It wasn't the metallic clatter of a failing lock.
It was laughter.
Stepping softly to the open doorway, Vincent saw Annie working late at a workbench, tinkering with a diagnostic circuit board for the gatehouse intercom while explaining the finer points of micro-processor calibration to a young maintenance apprentice.
As she stood up to reach for a soldering iron, her steps were completely steady, perfectly balanced, and strong.
She paused, noticing Vincent standing quietly in the doorway. She didn't flinch, nor did she scramble to hide her work. Instead, she offered a warm, confident nod.
"Working late, Director Carter?" Vincent asked, crossing his arms casually against the doorframe.
"Just tying up loose ends, Mr. Graves," Annie replied, a playful spark dancing in her eyes. "My equipment and I have reached a permanent, unbreakable treaty."
Vincent smiled—a rare, genuine expression that softened the hard lines of his face.
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"Good," Vincent said softly. "Permanent treaties are the only kind worth keeping."
He turned and walked back down the quiet hallway, leaving the estate humming softly behind him—secure, unbreakable, and entirely at peace.
