Vehicles surge across the driveway, engines roaring as Kiren’s security team intercepts them before they can reach the inner grounds. Headlights sweep across the trees while armed guards move into position along the fence line.
Gunfire cracks through the cold air again.
Lila exhales slowly through her nose. “Jesus.”
I guide her farther down the hallway toward the center of the house, where the structural walls provide better protection from the windows. The doctor in me moves into quiet assessment as we walk, watching her breathing, her balance, and any sign of strain along the wound in her side.
“You need to stay upright,” I tell her gently, guiding her toward a narrow bench along the wall. “No twisting.”
She lowers herself carefully onto the cushion, keeping pressure off the injured side.
Outside, the exchange intensifies. Short bursts of gunfire erupt again. Men shout across the grounds, their voices carried by the cold air in broken pieces. I hear the sound of Russian among them, rough syllables that roll across the distance before dissolving into more gunfire.
The estate lights illuminate the snow so brightly that every moving figure becomes visible against the white ground. Through the narrow window, I see three men pushing forwardalong the fence line with weapons raised. One of them drops suddenly when return fire cuts through the darkness.
The remaining figures attempt to rush the outer gate, moving with the reckless urgency of men who understand they are running out of time. They never reach it.
Another burst erupts from Kiren’s security team positioned along the driveway, the shots echoing sharply against the surrounding trees.
Lila grips the edge of the bench beside her.
“This is insane,” she murmurs.
I crouch beside her and rest a hand lightly against her arm, keeping my voice quiet and grounded the way I would with a frightened patient in the emergency department.
“It’ll be over soon.”
The fight outside continues for another brief stretch that feels much longer from inside the house.
Gunfire cracks through the air in uneven bursts. Engines growl across the driveway as vehicles reposition along the perimeter. Men shout commands across the snowy ground as security closes in on the attackers.
Then a final sequence of shots erupts in rapid succession before the sound fades and silence returns almost abruptly. The sudden absence of gunfire settles over the house like the quiet that follows a storm. Snow continues drifting across the estate while vehicle engines idle somewhere in the distance.
I listen instinctively for another shot, but none comes.
Lila releases a breath she has been holding and leans back slightly against the wall.
“Is it done?” she asks quietly.
“I think so.”
We remain in the hallway for several minutes, neither of us moving while distant radio chatter carries faintly across the grounds outside.
Footsteps approach from the front entrance. Heavy boots cross the marble foyer. A moment later, one of Kiren’s security men appears at the end of the corridor. Snow clings to the shoulders of his coat, and the faint metallic scent of gunpowder follows him into the hallway. He stops when he sees us.
“Doctor Hale,” he greets respectfully.
“Report,” I answer automatically before the word even passes through conscious thought. Hospital habits follow you everywhere.
“They attempted entry through the outer gate,” he explains calmly. “Four men.”
“Any injuries on your side?” I ask.
He shakes his head once. “No.”
“And them?”
The words linger quietly in the hallway. They never reached the house. I nod slowly and glance toward the window again, where security vehicles move along the driveway while armed guards continue sweeping the perimeter to confirm the grounds are clear.
