Page 80 of Sanctuary

My blood ran cold, but I kept my expression neutral. “I came alone, as instructed.”

“Please,” Vance scoffed. “You were always more intelligent than that. I’ve been watching the property for days. I know exactly who arrived with you.” He set down his cup with deliberate care. “Don’t worry. The explosives I’ve placed are on a remote trigger, not a proximity sensor. Your friends are safe—for now.”

“What do you want, Vance?” I asked, cutting to the heart of the matter.

“To complete Matheson’s final directive,” he replied simply. “To make you suffer as he suffered, watching everything he built crumble because of your betrayal.” His eyes hardened. “But first, I want to understand why. Why throw away years of loyal service, a purpose, for these... ordinary people?”

Through my earpiece, I could hear Connor’s measured breathing as he lined up a shot. “Still no clean angle,” he whispered. “He’s staying just out of sight of the windows.”

I needed to get Vance into position. “Show me Lily,” I insisted. “Then we can talk about my reasons.”

Vance studied me for a long moment, then nodded. “Very well. A reasonable request.” He reached beneath the counter and pressed something—a button or switch I couldn’t see.

A section of the kitchen floor slid open, revealing a staircase descending into dimly lit darkness. My heart pounded as I realized this was a modification to the house—the cellar access had been internal all along, hidden beneath the kitchen floor.

“After you,” Vance said, gesturing toward the opening with exaggerated courtesy.

“He’s opened something in the floor,” I whispered into my comm. “I’m going down.”

“Mia, wait—” Connor’s voice was urgent in my ear.

“Your communication device,” Vance interrupted, extending his hand. “I’ll need that before we proceed. Unless you’d prefer I expedite matters with your sister.”

I removed the earpiece slowly, maintaining eye contact as I placed it in his palm. He smiled, dropping it into his tea where it sizzled and went dark. My connection to Connor was severed, but I knew he’d be watching, waiting for any opportunity.

The stairs creaked as I descended into the cellar. The space had been transformed since my childhood memories—the once-cluttered storage area now stark and clinical. Metal shelving lined the walls, holding an assortment of medical equipment that made my stomach turn. In the center of the room, Lily was secured to a chair, duct tape across her mouth, eyes wide with terror above it.

“Lily,” I breathed, moving toward her instinctively.

“That’s close enough,” Vance warned, following me down the stairs. He held a small remote in his hand—the trigger for the explosives, I assumed.

Lily’s gaze darted between us, confusion mingling with her fear. She was pale but appeared uninjured, though the slight tremor in her hands suggested she’d been drugged.

“You see? As promised, she’s unharmed,” Vance said, circling to stand behind her. He placed a hand on her shoulder, making her flinch. “Though I admit, the resemblance between you is remarkable. It made identifying her quite simple.”

“Let her go,” I said, keeping my voice level despite the rage building inside me. “She has nothing to do with this.”

“On the contrary,” Vance replied. “She has everything to do with this. She’s the reason you betrayed Matheson, isn’t she? The weakness he always suspected you harbored.” He stroked Lily’s hair almost tenderly, making my skin crawl. “Family. Such a liability in our line of work.”

“What do you want from me?” I demanded, calculating distances, angles, possibilities.

Vance smiled, the expression chilling in its emptiness. “I want you to make a choice, Amelia. The same choice Matheson gave you, but with higher stakes.” He withdrew a knife from his pocket, the blade catching the dim light. “Your sister’s life, or your husband’s.”

My blood ran cold. “What are you talking about?”

“It’s quite simple,” he explained, his tone conversational as if discussing dinner plans. “The explosives I’ve placed around the property are focused on the ridge where your husband is positioned. One press of this button,” he held up the remote, “and he dies. Or...” He lowered the knife to Lily’s throat. “You can watch me cut her jugular. Your choice.”

My mind raced, searching for options. Vance was too far for me to rush him before he could press the button or use the knife. Any sudden movement would trigger his response.

“You’re lying,” I said, buying time. “You don’t have explosives on the ridge. You couldn’t have known where Connor would position himself.”

Vance’s smile widened. “I’ve been watching you for weeks, Amelia. I know how you operate, how you think. I placed charges at every viable sniper position surrounding this property.” He tilted his head. “Would you like proof?”

Without waiting for my response, he pressed a button on the remote. A distant explosion shattered the night, the sound muffled by the cellar walls but unmistakable.

“That was approximately fifty meters east of your husband’s position,” Vance explained calmly. “A warning shot, if you will.”

Horror flooded through me. “Connor,” I whispered, praying he was unharmed.

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