Chapter 2 - The Tactical Eclipse
The abrupt blackout paralyzed the kitchen. For a brief second, the ambient mockery of Trent’s family faltered, replaced by sudden confusion. Helen cursed at the darkness, while Richard stumbled backward against the marble island, dropping his coffee cup into the void. Trent stood frozen over Elena, his boot hovering inches from her hand, his expression shifting from arrogant fury to sudden, creeping unease.
“What kind of cheap wiring job did you pull, you useless—” Trent snarled, kicking blindly at the floor where Elena had just been lying.
May you like
But Elena had already rolled herself into the tight safety of the pantry alcove, her breath shallow and silent. She knew the blackout wasn’t a coincidence. It was a calculated, systemic neutralization of the house's infrastructure. Outside, the security floodlights died one by one, plunging the expansive estate into an isolated shadow.
Alex was already moving. Less than eight minutes had passed since the distress signal pulsed through the encrypted satellite network. In the pitch-black hallway, Trent finally recovered his composure, barking orders for someone to find a flashlight. But as the heavy front deadbolts clicked and groaned under a sudden, overwhelming pressure, the family realized that the darkness wasn't hiding them—it was hiding their hunter.
