Chapter 9 - Discovering The Hidden Underground Vault Beneath The Stairs
Marcus left Lily inside the secure panic room of the penthouse suite, locking the steel door behind him with three separate deadbolts.
He armed himself with an assault rifle from his private armory, checking the tactical display on his wrist-mounted computer.
The estate-wide sensor map showed an unauthorized thermal signature moving rapidly upward from the wine cellar toward the main lobby.
Marcus moved swiftly down the grand staircase, his combat boots hitting the polished marble steps with rhythmic precision.
When he reached the main ground floor, the grand mahogany double doors leading to the front courtyard were standing wide open.
Freezing night wind swept through the foyer, blowing out the decorative candles and fluttering the framed American flag on the wall.
Marcus stepped out onto the marble veranda, scanning the sprawling front lawn where the shadows of the ancient oak trees danced.
A black helicopter hovered silently fifty feet above the north lawn, its landing lights turned off to avoid radar detection.
A heavy nylon rope ladder dropped from the helicopter's side cabin door toward the manicured green grass below.
Standing at the base of the ladder was the mysterious man in the tailored suit, holding the open black case containing the stolen tapes.
"Drop your weapon, Marcus! You've already lost the game!" the man shouted over the deafening roar of the twin turbine engines.
Marcus raised his rifle, sighting down the barrel directly at the stranger standing beneath the swirling rotor wash.
"Put the case down and surrender, or I will open fire right now!" Marcus commanded, his voice carrying clearly across the lawn.
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The stranger smiled calmly, stepping onto the rope ladder as the helicopter began to lift slowly toward the stormy night sky.
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