Chapter 2 - The Silent Estate"Mr. Roman!"
Maisie scrambled up from the grass, throwing her arms around Roman’s waist before he could even catch his breath. Roman looked down at the three-year-old girl, his hardened expression softening entirely as he placed a soot-stained hand gently on her head.
"You're a very brave girl, Maisie," Roman murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "You saved my life."
Nora pulled her daughter close, checking her over for any sign of injury while her own heart hammered wildly against her ribs. But as the adrenaline began to fade, a cold, terrifying realization settled over her.
The estate was entirely silent.
No sirens. No security guards rushing out with weapons drawn. No emergency response team.
Roman stood up slowly, brushing ash from his trousers. His eyes scanned the sprawling lawn, the perimeter fence, and the dark windows of the main mansion. The anger that flashed across his face was far more dangerous than the fire they had just escaped.
"Where is the patrol?" Roman asked quietly, though the question was directed entirely at himself.
"I looked toward the house while I was coming back for you," Nora said, standing beside him and shielding Maisie with her body. "There was nobody. The gates were closed, the perimeter posts were empty, and the security monitors inside the service wing were completely dark."
Roman’s jaw tightened. "Someone didn't just sabotage the shed. Someone disabled the master security grid from the inside."
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He reached into his pocket, but his jacket was ruined, the internal holster melted to his side. His encrypted satellite phone was gone, destroyed in the flames.
"They thought I would burn to death inside that shed," Roman said, his voice dropping to a low, glacial register. "And they made sure nobody would hear me scream."
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