POV: Zhou Chenghai
The sound cut through everything else—low, guttural, and wrong in a way that made Zhou Chenghai's training kick in before conscious thought could catch up.
He moved immediately, crossing the living room in three strides and hitting the panel beside the front door.
Locks engaged with heavy metallic clicks throughout the house as the security system responded to manual override. It sealed every entrance point in the sequence he'd programmed two days ago.
Having friends in low places was beneficial when he'd started making calls to people who owed him favors. They had come through for him in a short time, and now he was thankful for true friends.
"Windows," he said, not looking at Xu Zhenlan or Jian Yuche, just moved toward the control panel mounted near the hallway entrance.
His fingers moved across the touchscreen with practiced efficiency, bringing up the security grid and activating the reinforced shutters on the ground floor.
