Chapter 9 - Into the Dark
The mansion descended into shadows as the emergency generator kicked in with a low, rhythmic hum, casting long, eerie amber lights across the walls. Arthur grabbed a heavy iron poker from the fireplace, motioning for Clara and Leo to stay behind him as the heavy oak door of the study began to rattle. Someone was trying to pick the lock from the outside. With a sudden, explosive kick, the door splintered inward. Two burly men in tactical black gear rushed into the room, their faces hidden behind dark balaclavas. Arthur moved with lethal precision, sidestepping the first attacker and bringing the iron poker down hard across his shoulder, sending him crashing into the bookshelf. The second man lunged at Arthur with a combat knife, grazing his forearm. Clara, acting on pure adrenaline, grabbed a heavy brass paperweight from the desk and struck the second assailant across the back of the head, causing him to stumble. Arthur capitalized on the opening, sweeping the man's legs out from under him and pinning him to the floor. As the dust settled, Arthur ripped the mask off the first attacker, revealing a corporate security contractor hired directly by Julian’s faction. They weren't just dealing with family drama anymore; it was an outright corporate coup disguised as a violent cover-up.
