Chapter 5 - The Father’s Gambit
""No!"" Richard growled, stepping forward to grab Claire's arm. ""You're not going anywhere with these animals!""
""Dad, trust me,"" Claire whispered fiercely, her fingers pressing hard against his wrist in a pre-arranged signal they had practiced during tactical drills when she was a teenager. Distract and engage.
Before Marcus could react, Richard spun around with explosive speed, sweeping his leg in a low arc that caught Marcus’s lead operative behind the knees. The man crashed hard to the marble floor, his weapon skittering across the polished stone.
At the same time, Claire dropped flat, rolling under the central buffet table as gunfire erupted over her head.
Bang! Bang!
Bullets chewed into the wooden paneling of the bar as Marcus’s men retaliated, but Richard had already closed the distance, using the heavy marble pillars of the ballroom for cover. He drew his pistol, firing two precise shots that shattered the crystal wall sconces above the operatives' heads, plunging that section of the hall into sudden, blinding darkness.
""Secure the perimeter!"" Marcus roared, firing blindly into the shadows. ""Don't let them reach the service elevators!""
Claire scrambled on her hands and knees across broken glass and spilled appetizers, heading toward the rear kitchen exit. Her heart hammered against her ribs, but her mind was ice-cold. She knew the hotel layout better than anyone; her father had forced her to memorize every blueprint, every escape route, and every blind spot in the city's top five luxury hotels years ago.
A heavy hand suddenly grabbed her ankle, yanking her backward.
Claire suppressed a gasp, swung her heel upward with all her strength, and connected squarely with her attacker's nose. A sharp crack echoed in the dim light, followed by a muffled curse.
She scrambled to her feet, turning to see Evelyn Prescott sprawled on the floor, clutching her bleeding nose and glaring up at her with pure, unadulterated venom.
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""You little bitch!"" Evelyn hissed. ""You brought this on us! If you hadn't come to this gala—""
""Shut up, Evelyn,"" Claire said coldly, not stopping for a second as she sprinted toward the heavy steel fire exit leading down to the service loading docks.
