Chapter 13 - THE VOICES OF THE JUDAS PRIESTS AND THE KING'S DECREE
In the command center,
I watched the monitor in stunned silence as Emma fought back.
I saw Marcus stumble into the hallway,
clutching his face as blood poured between his fingers,
his screams echoing through the audio feed.
A surge of pride,
sharp and overwhelming,
hit me in the chest,
reminding me why I had chosen her.
She wasn't just a distraction;
she was the only thing in this world that was real.
I slammed my hand onto the console,
activating the house-wide intercom system,
my voice booming through every room,
every hallway,
and every hidden corner of the estate.
"Attention all units,"
I said,
the authority in my tone enough to freeze the blood of any man who still had a soul.
"This is Danny.
Marcus has betrayed the family.
The Council has betrayed the family.
Any man who continues to follow their orders will be hunted until there is nowhere left to hide."
I saw the men in the hallways pause,
looking at the speakers as if they were hearing the voice of a ghost.
"If you want to live,"
I continued,
"drop your weapons and return to your stations.
If you don't,
I will burn this fortress to the ground with all of us inside."
I wasn't bluffing.
I had my hand over the override for the natural gas lines that fueled the estate's massive heating system.
I could turn this multimillion-dollar tomb into a crematorium in a matter of seconds.
Vane,
the leader of the Council,
appeared on the main monitor,
his face red with fury.
"You're a cripple,
Danny!"
he screamed.
"You're a relic!
You can't lead a city from a wheelchair while you're babysitting a servant!"
"I'm not leading a city,"
I said,
my eyes fixed on the camera.
"I'm protecting what's mine.
And right now,
you're standing on my property,
breathing my air,
and talking to my men.
That ends now."
I hit the command to lock down the elevator,
trapping Vane and the rest of the Council in the library.
I then opened the security gates in the North wing,
the only path that led toward Emma’s room.
"Luke,"
I said into the private channel.
"Are you with me?"
A long silence followed,
the kind that makes you realize you're truly alone in the dark.
"I'm here,
Boss,"
Luke finally replied,
his voice sounding tired.
"I’m at the base of the service stairs.
I have three men who are still loyal."
"Get to Emma,"
I ordered.
"Don't worry about me.
Just get her to the garage."
"What about you,
Danny?"
"I have a meeting with the Council,"
I said,
May you like
turning my chair toward the backup elevator.
"A meeting that should have happened a long time ago."
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