HOME INVASION

The darkness of the night was pierced by the sound of crunching gravel as Charlee's car pulled into the driveway of her mansion. The four men, dressed in black and lurking in the shadows, exchanged silent nods. They had been waiting for her.

One of them, perched on the roof of the mansion, had spotted Charlee's car approaching and had swiftly alerted the others via earpiece. They had been ransacking her bedroom for what felt like hours, felt like hours, searching for the research papers that they had been ordered to get.

As Charlee stepped out of the car, the men froze, their eyes fixed on her. She seemed oblivious to the danger lurking nearby, but as she reached into her tote bag, her movements became more deliberate."Stay here," she whispered to Cilla, her voice low and urgent. Cilla's eyes widened, but she nodded.