Page 157 of Forged in Betrayal

They both nod and then file back out of the room.

“Gracie. Status.”

My hand grips the gun tighter. Fuck.

“We’re making our way to the control room now.”

“Did you have resistance?”

“Kind of, and some prisoners here. A young girl and boy, Felix and Kellan are escorting them out.”

“Good, we had some resistance in the emergency entrance and the front. Glad to hear the staff entrance is clear. Keep going. Keep the line open.”

“Copy.”

The stairwell echoes with every step we take. The air here is just dust. No one has used these stairs in years. We finally reach the top and step inside.

The hallway is narrower, more administrative. Low ceiling, old carpet matted down. At the far end, a metal door with light cutting through underneath.

“That it?” Luca murmurs.

Noah nods. “Control room.”

My jaw tightens. The cameras have been looping, thanks to Preston and Noah. So he shouldn’t know we’re here.

This is where Gideon said Daniel watches.

We make our way down.

“All is quiet upstairs,” I whisper.

“Copy,” Lucian replies.

There’s no signage. No windows. Most of the office doors are open, with forgotten furniture and papers scattered everywhere.

We stop in front of the door, guns raised and ready.

I raise a hand as Jace prepares to breach.

Three.

Two.

One.

We burst into the room, the door slamming against the wall. Multiple screens are mounted. The camera feed live images of the annex. Hallways, rooms, stairwells. Everywhere.

But the chair in front of the screens is empty.

The hum of the monitors fills the air.

“It was a setup,” I say, my voice low, laced with anger.

Jace’s expression turns thunderous. Luca’s mouth curls in a snarl. Noah steps closer to the screens, eyes scanning.

“It was too easy.” Jace voices my thoughts, “little resistance our way. Gideon must’ve worked it out with Daniel before.”

He slams his fist against a cabinet.

“Let me see if I can check the cameras and see when he left.” Noah moves forward.

Before he can touch the keyboard, the screens flicker and go black. Then Daniel’s face fills the screens. The amused glint in his eyes and that smug smile.

“Took you long enough,” he drawls.