Chapter 166

The Everett mansion's network suddenly went down. A few minutes later, the power failed, plunging all electronic devices into darkness.

The servants were confused. "Why is the power out all of a sudden? Everything was fine a moment ago!" one exclaimed. Another added, "The surveillance cameras and electromechanical doors are also down!"

"Oh, no! The aquarium is thermostatic," a worried servant said. "The fish will die without power!"

"Hurry! Close the backyard door! The animals might escape!" another shouted.

Bruce, a longtime animal lover, kept many pets in the Everett mansion—ferocious beasts, including crocodiles, Tibetan mastiffs, wolves, and leopards. An independent zoo in the backyard made their escape a potential disaster.

The servants were shocked. This had never happened before; even previous power outages triggered the backup generator. But now, the entire mansion was without power.

"Check the power circuit!" one servant directed.

"Go check it! Hurry!" another urged.

"Got it!"

Chaos reigned. Servants scrambled to investigate, leaving two young boys, Irvin and Davian, unattended.

Irvin chuckled. "Davian, it's time. Let's go!"

"Okay!"

The boys packed their things, grabbed their backpacks, and stealthily slipped out of their bedroom. The vast, verdant grounds of the Everett mansion, now devoid of working surveillance cameras, provided cover. They smoothly passed the first electromechanical door; the guards were too busy with the power outage to notice.

"Be careful, Davian," Irvin whispered.

"Shh! Don't make a sound!"

Crouching low, they moved along the wall, heading toward the second electromechanical door, approximately 500 yards away. The area between them was a beautiful inner garden filled with precious flowers—an ideal hiding place.

"Davian, there are three exits. Which way?" Irvin asked.

"Fewer people here. I think this is the back door."

"Let's take it!"

"Okay!"

They exited the second electromechanical door, following a secluded path to the back door, which led to a private, unpublic mountain and bird sanctuary. After some time, they easily scaled the wall, the electromechanical door being inoperable.

"Haha! You can't keep us captive!" Irvin laughed.

"Let's go home and see Mommy!" Davian said. "I miss Mommy and Lilia!"

"Me too!"

They followed the mountain path. Initially wide, the path gradually narrowed and became more difficult to navigate.

"Davian, are we going the wrong way?" Irvin asked, puzzled. "Why haven't we seen any public transport?"

Davian, equally confused, agreed. "This house is huge! No neighbors in sight!"

"Let's keep going. Maybe there's a bus stop ahead. If not, we'll hail a cab."

"Alright!"

They continued, hand in hand.

Back at the Everett mansion, engineers restored power after more than half an hour.

"Oh no! The young masters are missing!" Dahlia, a servant, discovered their absence while delivering cakes.

"Are they in the backyard?"

"No! I've searched the gardens and nearby rooms!"

"Find them! Hurry!"

"Alert security! Send men out!"

Panic ensued. Dozens of servants searched frantically. An hour passed, with no sign of the boys.

"Oh my god! What do we do?"

"How did they disappear so quickly?"

"Did they sneak out?"

"Two young children escaping the Everett mansion? Impossible!"

"We're doomed! We'll be fired for losing the young masters!"

"Inform Mr. Everett!"

Bruce's phone rang—the Everett family's general secretary.

"Hello!"

"Bad news, Mr. Everett! Terrible news!"

Bruce sat up, his voice deep. "What is it?"

"The young masters are missing!"

The news shocked Bruce. He controlled his anger while speaking to Joanna, who was nearby. "Missing? What do you mean?"

"Someone hacked the mansion's electrical system. All electronics went down, and then the boys disappeared"

Bruce, shaken, rushed to the washroom. "Find them!" he ordered.

"We've searched everywhere!"

His anxiety mounting, Bruce roared, "I give you one hour! If anything happens to them, you'll all be fired!"

"Yes, sir!"

The terrified secretary hung up, mobilizing more searchers. Bruce's face was pale with worry. Joanna, noticing his distress, asked, "What happened, Bruce?"

"Nothing!" he lied, unwilling to alarm her.

Joanna sensed his deception. "What really happened?"

"Nothing! Really!"

Uneasy, she pressed him. "I have urgent business. I need to leave the hospital," he said, evasively.

"You haven't recovered!" Joanna protested.

"Important business!" he insisted. "Stay here with Lilia."

He quickly changed and left.

Hours passed. The boys were still missing.

"Useless! You can't even find two kids!" Bruce yelled at his staff.

"Mr. Everett, should we call the police? The search and rescue team could help."

A large search party was deployed. The media was alerted.

Joanna saw a news report: "Two children missing near Mount Lance"

Her heart sank. "Davian and Irvin?" she gasped.

She called Bruce. He confessed. "The kids are missing."

Joanna was devastated. "How?"

"Don't worry. We've mobilized everyone! The search and rescue team is searching. We'll find them!"

"Bruce Everett, if you don't find them, I" she choked, overcome with fear.

Meanwhile, lost and cold, Davian and Irvin were alone in the darkening mountains. Exhausted and hungry, they faced their ordeal.

"Davian, I'm cold!"

"I think we're lost!"

"Don't worry, I'll carry you!"

Fear and exhaustion set in.

"What do we do?"

"Let's look over there!"

"We'll get out of here!"

"Are we going to die, Davian?"

"No, we won't!"

"Are there monsters?"

"No, there aren't!"

"But there are ghosts! I'm scared!"

"Let's go back."

(The final sentence "O" and the repeated FindNovel.net advertisement were removed as they are irrelevant to the text.)