The darkness across the estate grounds turned the battle into something primal.
Gunfire flashed like brief bursts of lightning in the night. The green glow of the night-vision monitors inside the study showed figures moving through shadows—fast, careful, lethal.
Vanessa watched the screens with intense focus.
Outside, Gale's reinforcements had already begun pushing through the garden pathways. The Circle's soldiers tried to reorganize their formation, but the sudden blackout had disrupted their plan.
Marco leaned against the desk beside her, squinting at one of the monitors.
"I can barely see anything."
Vanessa pointed toward the screen.
"That's the point."
Marco chuckled.
"Right. Advantage us."
Gale stood silently near the window, listening to the distant gunfire echo across the estate.
Shots cracked from the east garden.
Then from the garage side.
Then again from the main courtyard.
Three separate engagements.
Three separate battles happening at once.
