Chapter 6 - The Infiltration
At 11:30 PM, a heavy fog rolled across the wooded hills of Westchester County, New York.
Deep off a secluded country road stood the Pinecrest Research Center—a two-story, concrete facility surrounded by an eight-foot perimeter fence, disguised as a private medical rehab clinic.
In a clearing three hundred yards away, three blacked-out Vance Security SUVs sat silently beneath the pine trees.
Inside the command vehicle, Claire sat in a tactical chair, wearing a dark fleece jacket over her surgical dressings. Her father sat beside her, while Marcus monitored four live video feeds displayed on a bank of monitors.
“Perimeter security is light,” Marcus reported, tapping a screen. “Four private guards carrying sidearms. Motion sensors along the fence. But their cyber infrastructure is outdated. We bypassed their security cameras five minutes ago. They’re currently looping footage of empty hallways.”
“Where are the infants?” Claire asked, her heart hammering against her ribs.
Marcus zoomed in on a thermal imaging map of the lower basement level. Two distinct, tiny heat signatures appeared inside an isolated, climate-controlled clean room.
“Basement Level 2,” Marcus said. “They have two neonatal incubators set up. Medical staff includes two nurses and Dr. Harold Vance.”
Arthur turned to his tactical lead, a towering former Delta Force operator named Vance’s 'Grizzly.' “No lethal force unless fired upon. Secure the children first, neutralize the staff quietly, and hold the facility.”
“Understood, sir,” Grizzly replied, checking his suppressed sidearm before stepping out into the fog.
Claire grabbed Marcus’s arm. “I’m going in with the strike team.”
“Claire, you had a C-section four days ago,” Arthur warned, placing a hand on her shoulder. “You can barely walk without pain medication.”
“Those are my children, Dad,” Claire said, looking him dead in the eye with an intensity that left no room for argument. “I am not sitting in a van while strangers pull my babies out of that basement.”
Arthur looked at his daughter, saw his own uncompromising bloodline staring back at him, and nodded slowly. “Marcus, strap her into a lightweight tactical vest and keep two men on her at all times.”
Two minutes later, the assault team breached the perimeter fence using hydraulic cutters. They moved like shadows across the damp grass, reaching the rear service door of the facility.
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Grizzly applied a tiny electronic bypass card to the door’s lock. A soft green light blinked.
The door clicked open without a sound.
