Watching Victor and his men go down the corridor, Aidan braced himself against the chilly concrete wall, breathing steadily. The soldiers' footsteps pounded heavily on the floor while their muffled, low whispers reverberated throughout the hallway. As he considered his alternatives, Aidan's thoughts were racing. The stakes had never been higher, and Victor had obviously foreseen his action.
The life of his mother was at stake. He had to adapt because the idea they had brought in was no longer workable. However, he couldn't afford to make mistakes. If he made a single mistake, he might not only fall into Victor's trap but also fail to save his mother.
He made himself ponder while clenching his fists. Nothing could have prepared him for the emotional weight bearing down on him now, even though he had spent years training for situations like this. Even though he was very close to his mother, it seemed like there were a dozen new challenges with every step he took.
From his position, Aidan saw Victor halt at a door that was watched by two of his top enforcers. Aidan knew his uncle well enough to see the strain in his posture and the subtle change in his behavior that revealed his increasing desperation, even though Victor's expression was unreadable.
The guards positioned themselves in front of the entrance, hands hovering over their weapons, and nodded as Victor spoke to his troops. Aidan felt certain that whatever was beyond that door was significant. He had a visceral feeling that his mother was present in that room. All he needed to do was figure out how to get past Victor's protection without warning everyone in the property.
Aidan approached silently and precisely as Victor left, his security detail at his sides. Victor's guys vanished around the corner as he arrived at the doorway. He listened for a bit while leaning his back against the wall. The other guards' voices were muted, but Aidan could still make out important words in their hushed speech.
"...make security better. Nobody enters or exits.
Aidan was almost unable to get to his mother as Victor tightened his hold. Direct conflict would be too dangerous. The guards needed to be distracted long enough for him to make his move, therefore he needed a strategy.
Taking out his phone, Aidan launched the secure communication app that he used to get in touch with his colleagues. Claire's voice came through the earpiece with a crack. "What's your status, Aidan?"
Victor has boosted the security, but he just departed. I need a diversion to get the guards to leave, but I believe my mother is in the room up ahead.
Claire responded right away. In the west wing, I am able to activate an alarm. That ought to extract a portion of the security information from your location.
Aidan gave a nod. "Take action. And be prepared for anything.
He looked about, appraising the situation while he waited. The gloomy lighting along the hallway increased the tension while offering cover. Every sound was amplified in the quiet, and his senses were alert.
A few seconds later, the loud, piercing alarm rang out throughout the building. The corridor was filled with an unsettling radiance as red lights flashed. The guards at the door responded immediately, reaching for their earpieces to hear the commands that were pouring in.
One of them gestured to his companion with a nod. "West wing." Let's get going.
The entrance was left unattended for the time being while the guards ran down the hallway. With his heart racing, Aidan hurried forward, blending into the darkness and taking up position next to the entrance. He needed to move quickly because he only had a few minutes before the guards returned.
With deft finger movements, he removed a small toolbox and turned off the electronic lock. The door silently slid open as the mechanism clicked. With his senses sharpened, Aidan entered.
It was a pristine, frigid room, more like a hospital than a holding cell. The air had a little antiseptic odor, and the monitors beeped softly. He glanced around the room before focusing on the person on the bed.
His mom.
Emotions rushed through him, but he made himself maintain his composure. Although she was still alive, it was obvious from the tubes and cables that she had been kept under control. His voice was urgent and low as he walked toward her. "It's me, Aidan, Mom."
For an instant, there was a flicker of recognition as Evelyn's eyes opened. "Aidan..." Even though her voice was feeble, it gave him a sense of direction.
"I'm present. I'll get you out.
Time was pressing down on him as he struggled to unhook the apparatus. Although the alarms continued to sound, he was aware that the guards would soon return. Moving swiftly, he helped his mother sit up by supporting her.
"Are you able to walk?" he said in an urgent tone.
Evelyn gave a feeble nod. "I'll give it a shot."
Aidan supported her with his arm as they proceeded gently. Despite her weakness, her resolve was evident. They walked together to the door, but as they got to the threshold, Claire's voice crackled in Aidan's earpiece.
"You've got company, Aidan. Victor's men are on their way to you.
He clamped down harder on his mother's arm. "We must move—right away."
He guided her along the corridor while keeping an eye out for a different path. The sound of the guards' footsteps reverberated behind them, growing louder by the moment. As he took his mother down a service stairwell that led to the lower levels, Aidan's heart was pounding.
They went down fast, but Aidan knew it would be difficult to get out. Victor's men were unrelenting, and the net appeared to shut in on them more tightly the farther they went.
When they reached the bottom of the stairwell, they found themselves in a vast underground passageway. It was a large area with several paths leading off in various directions. Aidan hesitated, attempting to orient himself.
"This way," he continued, selecting the route that would take them to the vehicle bay of the property. They could steal a car and get away if they could get there.
The sound of approaching footfall increased in volume as they moved. As the guards went by, Aidan's senses became keener and he dragged his mother into a small alcove while leaning his back against the wall. He held his breath, waiting for the ideal opportunity, even though his hand automatically went to the revolver holstered at his side.
The guards passed by, looking around but failing to spot Aidan and his mother. When they were gone, Aidan sighed and went on, his steps accelerating. They were near; just ahead he could make out the car bay door.
But then the silence was broken by the sound of gunfire.
As gunshots bounced off the walls, Aidan ducked and pulled his mother down. He retaliated, hiding behind a metal container as his instincts took over. They had been located by Victor's men, and they were rapidly approaching.
He returned fire as he surveyed their position and said, "Stay down!" to his mother. The car bay door was the only way out, and the guards had them pinned. They were forced to move onward.
Pulling the pin from his vest, he grabbed a smoke grenade and tossed it into the hallway. The guards' gaze was obscured by the dense smoke that pervaded the hallway. Aidan yanked his mother to her feet with the cover and ran for the door.
They managed to elude detection by using the smoke as a slight diversion. Rows of cars lined the vehicle bay, and Aidan looked about, his thoughts racing. He had to locate a car that would provide them enough speed and cover to make their getaway.
He pointed to an armored SUV and said, "There." It was the ideal choice because it was quick and bulletproof. He stepped behind the wheel after helping his mother into the passenger seat.
They were trapped inside when the garage door slammed shut as he was starting the engine.
"Fuck it!" With a curse, Aidan glanced at the controls. The exits were sealed after Victor's men turned on the security system.
His earpiece came alive with a crack. "This is Claire, Aidan. They have closed down the exits, so we are no longer in control of the system.
"Is there a different route out?" Aidan gripped the wheel more tightly as he asked.
"You'll need to buy time, but the control room has an emergency override switch. I'll help you get there.
Aidan's eyes were fixed as he nodded. "Take a copy of that. Don't close the line.
The SUV roared ahead as he revved the engine, reverberating across the car bay. With their weapons aimed on the vehicle, Victor's men were drawing near. As he swerved to escape the guards and navigated the convoluted traffic, Aidan maintained his foot on the throttle while bullets pounded off the armored exterior.
Ahead he could see the control room, its windows black and ominous. In a strained voice, he said to his mother, "Hold on."
Before sliding to a stop in front of the control room, he turned suddenly and crashed through a line of parked cars. As the guards approached, Aidan moved quickly. With a barrage of gunfire to keep the guards at bay, he jumped out of the car and ran to the door.
The little space was crammed with control panels and monitors. Before he noticed the emergency override switch, Aidan's gaze swept across the controls. The garage door started to raise as he slapped his fist down.
His mother heard him yell, "Get in the car!" as he hurried back to the SUV. Aidan assisted her into the passenger seat, and she walked as fast as her weakness permitted.
Aidan didn't have time to wait, but the door wasn't completely open. The SUV sped toward the exit as he slammed the throttle. Bullets broke the rear window as they ducked, but Aidan didn't slow down. The SUV exploded into the darkness, the sound of shredding metal filling the air as it crashed through the partially open door.
With the compound's alarms blasting behind them, Aidan sped down the access road. As they sped off, the SUV's headlights pierced the night, and he could still feel the rush of adrenaline in his veins. He looked at his mother, who had a determined yet pale expression.
Despite the confusion, he replied in a firm voice, "We're not safe yet." "Victor's men are going to pursue us."
Evelyn nodded, power and dread mingling in her gaze. "I have faith in you, Aidan."
Aidan's thoughts were racing as they vanished into the night. Despite their escape, he knew Victor would not tolerate this. He required more assistance than he had ever required. It was time to summon all of his remaining allies and favors.