The tactical monitors across the command deck vibrated with proximity alerts. Interpol Chief Marcus Cruz hadn't arrived with flashing sirens. Five unmarked, matte-black armored personnel carriers had established a silent perimeter just outside the estate's primary stone walls. Overhead, two military-grade surveillance drones hovered, scanning the structure for thermal signatures.
Inside the main hall, Arisa's fingers blurred across her terminal, throwing up dynamic firewalls to protect their remaining sub-networks.
"Abir! Marcus Cruz just initiated a localized EMP override on our primary power grid," Arisa reported, her voice tight. "He's trying to cut the atmospheric ventilation and lights to suffocate us out. In less than ten minutes, this entire fortress goes completely dark."
Abir watched the command feed, his eyes locked on Marcus Cruz. The investigator showed zero hesitation, gesturing for his breaching team to plant kinetic charges on the reinforced entry gates.
The remorseless smirk returned to Abir's jaw. He pulled the zipper of his black leather jacket tight and turned to Rider.
"They think cutting the power will blind a demon, brother," Abir whispered, his voice dangerously low. "They forget that the dark is my sanctuary. Rider, sever the main power grid manually. Let's save them the trouble. Turn the lights off ourselves."
"But Boss!" Rider questioned, caught off guard. "If we execute a total blackout, Arisa Maim's primary mainframes will brick!"
"Arisa will take her secondary decrypted drive and move into the subterranean extraction tunnel," Abir commanded without looking back. "You and I will give Marcus Cruz his welcome in the dark. Arisa, take the ignition fob for the **H2R**. The hydraulic cargo elevator at the end of the line is primed. If the perimeter breaks, you burn asphalt toward the border."
Arisa locked eyes with him, recognizing the absolute finality in his tone. She snatched the carbon-fiber key fob and nodded.
Right on cue, Rider slammed the master breaker down. The entire estate died instantly. The auxiliary lights, the hum of the servers, and the automated miniguns vanished into absolute pitch black.
Outside, Cruz's tactical comms crackled. "Sir! The targets just initiated a total manual blackout! The structure is completely dark!"
Marcus Cruz snapped his tactical night-vision visor down, racking the bolt of his rifle. "They're panicked. Blow the gates! Move in... authorization is shoot to kill."
*BOOM!*—The reinforced security gates erupted inward in a shower of sparks and tempered glass. Cruz's vanguard team breached the threshold, weapons raised, scanning the pitch-black hall through their green-tinted lenses.
But as they stepped into the mansion, an eerie, suffocating silence greeted them. Then, cutting through the void, came the heavy, unmistakable sound of a twin chrome slide racking into place. The devil was home.
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