Chapter 2 - THE MIDNIGHT STRIKE
Julian’s hand cleared his tailored jacket, revealing the matte-black slide of a suppressed pistol. The three men at the elevator spread out, securing the perimeter with chilling precision. Jade instinctively dropped behind the thick mahogany bar, her knees hitting the rubber mat just as a suppressed gunshot spit through the air. But Julian missed. Victoria had triggered a kinetic defense plate built directly into the floorboard of her usual seat. A sleek panel of ballistic steel shot up from the counter's edge, burying the bullet. Without missing a beat, Victoria hurled the heavy crystal glass of Macallan directly at Julian’s face. The glass shattered against his jaw, staggering him backward. “Jade! The fire suppression system!” Victoria shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos with absolute authority. Jade didn't hesitate. She slammed her fist into the emergency red button hidden behind the cash registers. The penthouse plunged into darkness as the halon gas hissed from the ceiling, instantly blinding the attackers in a thick, choking fog.
