My breath came in shallow bursts.
They were going to break through.
It wasn’t a question anymore.
It was inevitable.
My mind raced.
Where were the perimeter teams?
Why weren’t sniper positions responding?
The silence from my internal comms terrified me more than the violence outside.
Someone had disabled access.
Or compromised it.
My stomach twisted violently.
I glanced toward the staircase.
If they searched room by room —
They might find the hidden alcove.
And once they found Daphne...
No.
My jaw tightened.
They would never touch her.
Not over my dead body.
The final strike came like a thunderclap.
The doors emitted a tortured metallic scream — high pitched, unbearable.
The hinges finally gave.
Explosive force ripped them from the frame.
Titanium bars snapped.
Wood shattered.
The entire structure collapsed inward in a violent crash.
Dust and debris filled the foyer.
The doors skidded across the marble like defeated shields.
Then —
They entered.
