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Jerry steps forward, “They’re safe and in a place no one can get to them, not to mention Patrick’s parents are inside.”
Trevor shakes his head adamantly. “You don’t understand. We need to get to her now!” He tells me who’s behind everything, and I take off running, followed by Trevor and Kiernan. Before joining us, the head of Jordain’s guard snags three of the weapons we had placed in a pile on the ground.
When I reach the house, it doesn’t appear to have been breached. We split up and circle around, searching for any signs of forced entry. We don’t find anything until we get to the side door of the garage.
“Be careful and stay alert.” Pointing to my team, I tell them, “Go clear the house and check on my parents.” Pointing to Kiernan, Trevor, and the guard, “You three come with me.”
My team clears the garage, finding it empty. However, my heart sinks when I see the doors to my dad’s man cave and the house are both wide open.
I guess this isn’t over yet.
Chapter twenty-five
Ariella
Getting sequestered in the panic room is not my idea of a good time, but if it keeps Alex safe, I’ll stay here as long as I have to—even if it’s forever. At first, I was grateful that Patrick had given me a communication device so I could listen in on what was happening upstairs. But after hearing that an EMP had been deployed and knowing what my protectors were up against, I couldn’t bring myself to keep the thing in my ear. My nerves were already shot, and getting an audible play-by-play wasn’t helping matters. I thought watching the security cameras would be better. Not so much.
Most of the window blocks on the screen are dark because the camera circuits had been fried, all of them except the ones surrounding the house. Unfortunately, I lose sight of Patrick, Jessie, and Jerry once they reach the tree line. I don’t know how to use the equipment to change which feeds are up on the screen, so all I can do is sit there and pray.
“Mommy, is Daddy going to be okay?” Alex asks tiredly.
“He’s Superman. You know that no one can beat Superman.”
“What if the bad guys have Kryptonite? Then they can make him weak.” When Alex asks me that, I know that my Superman does indeed have a weakness. It isn’t some green rock from another planet, though; it’s Alex and me.
“He’ll be all right, Baby. But let’s get you tucked into bed and say our prayers. That’s the best way we can help him right now.”
“Okay.”
Alex slides his tiny hand into mine, and we head for one of the small bedrooms. We get on our knees, placing our elbows on the bed. I’m about to start praying, but Alex beats me to it.
“Dear God. It’s me. Alex. Can you please keep Daddy, Grandma, Grandpa, Jessie, Jerry, and Savannah safe? I love them lots. You’re the best! Amen.”
His prayer is short, simple, and to the point. I love it. I tuck him in and kiss him on his forehead, praying silently that God will keep us safe, too.
When I return to the office area where all the monitors are, I barely register the visual on the center of the screen. The last person I expected to see here is walking around Don’s man cave, searching for something or someone. I suspect that’s me.
I press the intercom button. “How did you get in here?”
“The door was wide open.” There are only two ways I can think of how that could have happened. Either the security system reset after the EMP and the locks disengaged, or there was a device used to break the code. If it’s the latter, then I could be in real trouble.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, trying to determine if I’m talking to a friend or foe right now.
“I came here as soon as I had learned that Jordain was after you. When Patrick saw me, he sent me to get you. It’s not safe for you here anymore. Where are you, Ariella? I need to get you and Alex out of here.”
I look at the screen to see the shadows of four men wearing all black engaged in a firefight with Don and Charlie upstairs. It’s too dark to make out much of anything else. I don’t hear anything other than the muffled sound of gunfire, and I’m not sure if that’s because the walls are soundproofed or if they’re using suppressors. Not knowing enough about guns, I couldn’t tell the difference.
“They’ve made it inside the house, Ariella. We need to leave now!” The person on the screen looks scared and has taken cover behind the bar. “Where are you hiding? It’s not safe for me out here.”
Just as panicked now as they seem to be, I do the one thing I know I shouldn’t do. I hit the yellow button, exposing the stairwell that leads directly to us.
Slowly creeping down the stairs and looking around, she asks timidly, “Are you down here?”
I don’t say anything, waiting for her to arrive at the panic room door. I hit the red button, allowing her entry, along with a button marked “speaker” next to it. Her eyes widen when she sees she’s now trapped down here with me. When the door shuts behind her, only two words leave my mouth.
“Hello, Mother.”
She schools her features into a cold mask of indifference. I should have known that her fear wasn’t real; rather all for show. One thing Gabriella Caras has never done was cower. But she’s my mother, and if she was in trouble, I wasn’t about to see her get hurt. My mistake, and now it could cost me.
