Accidental Surrogate, Chapter 366: Assault on Sinclair
We moved quickly through the sewers, reaching our launch point faster than anticipated. I checked my phone, not expecting messages from base, but still feeling disappointed.
Our men positioned themselves on either side of the sewer exit, which opened directly onto Xander's property. Roger turned to me.
"Ready for this?" he asked, his face grim.
I nodded, fighting the anxiety churning within me. My brother and I moved to the front of the line. If there was any unexpected firefight, we would absorb it, not our men.
Our men stood tense behind us in two lines as Roger silently opened the door. With a final glance at him, I emerged.
I found myself in a well-covered garden—a bonus. We'd sent a drone to scout, but hadn't accurately assessed plant heights. I crouched immediately, scanning for anything suspicious, but heard only the quiet sounds of a large suburban garden at night.
I turned toward the Tudor house to my left—Xander's home since his brother abdicated. It seemed almost too innocent, too idyllic to house such a maniacal man—one who plots to impregnate unsuspecting women and steal their babies. I shook my head, renewing my hatred for him, then gestured to my brother and the men to follow.
As they emerged, I moved toward the house. Father's work in recent days paid off; we had city plans updated only ten years ago when Xander, apparently needing more space for his schemes, added an extension. These plans revealed a basement entrance through the garden, perfectly suited to our needs.
Approaching the house, I was relieved to find the entrance exactly where we expected. Nodding to Roger to wait, I crossed a garden path and inspected the double doors leading to a steep basement staircase. My eyes scanned the wooden doors, noting the rusty hinges and chipped paint. To my surprise, the doors were secured only by a rusty chain.
Frowning, I grabbed the chain and yanked. It fell apart.
I turned to my brother, aware of his scrutiny. He frowned at the chain in my hand, mirroring my thoughts. Was this all...
Too easy! My wolf howled internally, his panting and stress palpable. Can't be—too easy—no, no—turn around—try again—
I took a deep breath, studying the door. It did feel too easy.
But should we refuse this opportunity? Should we walk away from infiltrating this man's house with a full complement of healthy men simply because it was too easy? After twenty-odd years of remaining undetected, hadn't Xander perhaps grown complacent and dropped his guard?
I sighed, signaling Roger forward. He was at my side instantly.
"What do you think?" I murmured, looking between him and the doors.
"I'm suspicious," he sighed, then shook his head. "But Dominic, we may not get a better chance. If we can get inside… shouldn't we take it?"
I nodded, though my wolf snarled. I mentally soothed him, but he resisted. Determined, I shook my head.
"Okay," I said, opening one door and peering into the basement. "Let's go."
I then opened the second door and descended the narrow stone stairs, using my keen vision to search the darkness for any sign of ambush. Seeing nothing, I signaled Roger to join me.
The basement was dusty and cluttered, but otherwise unremarkable. We swept the room quickly, using our hearing and sense of smell. "I don't think anyone's been down here for months," Roger murmured. "I think… we keep going."
I nodded and signaled our men to follow.
Once half the men were inside, Roger and I ascended to the first floor, listening carefully for any sounds from the house. From our position behind the door, we heard nothing.
I looked down at our men. The lead man nodded, confirming everyone was in, except for the two guards in the garden. Understanding, I activated the radio on my shoulder to maintain contact, knowing that once we passed through the final door…
…secrecy would no longer be necessary. Glancing at Roger for any reason to hesitate—he met my gaze steadily—I opened the door to the main house and slipped inside.
The house was eerily quiet, as if it were the middle of the night and everyone was asleep upstairs. Or… the thought occurred to me…as if nobody was here at all.
Roger joined me, scanning the kitchen for threats.
But there was nothing. No one.
Our men began to ascend the stairs, so Roger and I moved through the kitchen toward the living room, looking for the staircase to the bedrooms. But as we moved, my hesitation grew.
Because Xander was not careless. He might be a recluse, skilled at anonymity, but he'd also been in league with priests of a dark god for decades, priests who'd followed my mate and her sister their entire lives…
So why were there no guards?
Not even one?
My head snapped toward the kitchen as I heard a door slam. One of my soldiers flinched, looking back at the basement door in surprise, his eyes wide.
The door was shut, but I knew he hadn't shut it. It had closed itself.
My eyes met Roger's, and we both instantly assumed defensive stances. "Shit," Roger said, looking around. "I think—"
But before he could finish, light flared in the room. Priests materialized from thin air, their hands glowing with spells, their faces twisted into wicked grins.