Page 305 of The Black Trilogy

And there we go… Stopped again.

The cheerleaders were all right, even if they weren’t a patch on Mack, but after a while, Luke got sick of watching them shake their pompoms. A quick glance around the room showed everyone else was into the game, judging by the enthusiastic way they shouted at the screen every time one of the man-mountains moved. Or maybe the lack of enjoyment was a British thing? Like him, Emmy came from England, and Luke had caught her looking bored earlier too.

But where was she now? Her seat was empty, but he hadn’t noticed her leave. That probably answered his question—she couldn’t have found the game that fascinating if she wasn’t watching it anymore.

Still, there were worse places he could be. The dull entertainment and the relative weirdness of being at his ex’s birthday celebration were far outweighed by the fact that Mack was curled up beside him and the company of the new friends he’d made over the past few weeks.

He hadn’t been sure about coming to America with Mack so soon, but he was pleased he’d taken the plunge. It already felt like home. He was staying with Mack in her apartment at the moment, but last weekend they’d discussed buying a place together. Not right away, but soon.

As Luke mused over how much his life was changing, and for the better, Mack’s phone vibrated against his thigh. She leaned back and fished it out of her trouser pocket.

“Message?” he asked.

She nodded absently, still watching the game, but as soon as she’d read it, she sat up straight and looked around the room. Luke realised everyone else was peering at their phones too. What was going on? And why didn’t he get a message?

Luke leaned across to look at Mack’s screen as the room fell silent. Only the football commentator kept talking, although Luke couldn’t fathom what was so exciting to the man.

Code: Red. Attack imminent. Go to place of safety and await further instructions. EB.

EB. Was that Emerson Black? She had to be kidding, right?

Nate turned off the TV. “What on earth is she playing at? And more to the point, where is she? She was here five minutes ago.”

“I don’t know,” Dan said, “But she’s not often wrong, so I say we do as the message says first and discuss it afterwards.”

Everyone murmured their agreement as Nate walked to the far wall. His body shielded exactly what he did, but a few seconds later, a panel in the wall slid back to reveal a hidden corridor behind.

“What on earth is that?” Luke whispered to Mack.

“That is what happens when a pair of paranoid billionaires with an obsession for security build a house together,” she answered, pulling him towards the opening.

Everyone piled through, and the wall closed silently behind them. Only Evan looked vaguely surprised at the developments. So the others all knew about the secret passage? Why was Luke always last to find out about everything? The partygoers filed along the dimly lit tunnel, past several doorways, and Luke’s feeling of unease grew with every step he took on the rough concrete floor.

Ahead, Nate pushed open a door to reveal a replica of the control room on the floor above. Monitors blinked into life as the systems woke up and came online.

Luke stood in one corner as the others milled around and talked quietly amongst themselves. They seemed calm, but an undercurrent of urgency lurked under the surface.

“Hey…” he tried, but nobody even looked in his direction. Even Bradley was totally focused on the cupboard he was fishing around in.

Mack and Nate sat side by side, and as their fingers skimmed over the keyboards, the bank of screens popped up images from cameras covering the grounds. North, south, east, west. Then Blackwood’s Richmond headquarters appeared, lit up in the darkness, followed by other Blackwood locations from around the world.

Luke was just about to try another question when gasps broke the near silence. One screen dissolved into static while another showed flames leaping into the night sky. What the…? That looked like an explosion. Surely this had to be some sort of joke?

“Well, colour me surprised. Emmy was right,” Dan muttered.

As soon as the words left her mouth, Emmy herself barrelled into the room via a staircase on the far side.

“What on earth…?” Nate echoed Luke’s thoughts.

“Black’s killer. He’s come anyway. I sincerely hope Seth and Mick got down below before that went up.”

She motioned to the monitor showing the guardhouse, now a shell of its former self with the fire still blazing. Wisps of smoke drifted across the picture, giving the scene an eerie feel. Sweat trickled down Luke’s back as he began to realise the seriousness of the situation. He hadn’t signed up for this.

“Do you know what else we’ve got?” Nate asked Emmy.

“They’re in the woods. Switch to thermal imaging.”

Mack hit the button to change the mode, and the cameras surrounding the house showed an ominous picture. A number of glowing forms crept slowly towards the house. Even with their blurred outlines, it was obvious they carried weapons.

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