Chapter 12 - The Assault on the Stone House
Inside the library, the fire crackled merrily, throwing a warm, golden glow across the Persian rug.
Lily was busy gluing a blue paper scarf onto her cotton-ball snowman, completely oblivious to the muffled pops of gunfire echoing faintly from the northern ridge half a mile away.
Sarah stood by the kitchen window, her knuckles white as she gripped the wooden frame, staring out into the blinding white squall where the beam of a security floodlight cut sharply through the falling snow.
“Sarah.“
She spun around. Vincent stood in the hallway entrance, his trench coat soaked with melted snow, holding a heavy Remington shotgun across his chest. His face was grim, devoid of the casual bravado he usually wore like armor.
“What is it, Vincent?“ she asked, her voice dropping into a steady, controlled register that masked the terror coiling tightly in her stomach.
“They bypassed the outer tripwires faster than we calculated,“ Vincent said quickly, checking the breech of his weapon with a sharp clack. “A small strike team—probably four or five pros. They're heading up the stone staircase toward the back patio. I need you and Lily to move down to the cellar pantry right now.“
Sarah didn't hesitate. She walked quickly across the room, kneeling beside the rug where Lily was still holding her glue stick.
“Hey, sweetie,“ Sarah said, keeping her voice light and cheerful despite the distant crack of gunfire. “We're going to play a game. We're going to go down to the big stone room downstairs and build a blanket fort. Won't that be fun?“
Lily looked up, her dark eyes wide and curious. “Is Daddy coming too?“
“Daddy's finishing up his work outside,“ Sarah said, her throat tightening as she helped the little girl to her feet. “He'll be right down to join us in a minute.“
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Vincent guided them quickly down the narrow, stone-walled staircase leading to the basement cellar, sealing the heavy iron-bolted door behind them with a definitive, echoing clang.
Upstairs, the heavy oak front door of the library splintered with a deafening crash.
