First, he accessed the exterior electrical circuits. With a single tap, he cut the power to all the outdoor outlets. The thumping pop music from the Bluetooth speaker died instantly, plunging the backyard into an awkward, sudden silence, broken only by the splashing of water.
Next, he accessed the pool maintenance system. He bypassed the heating elements and activated the high-powered, industrial-grade cleaning jets. Suddenly, massive streams of cold water shot up from the bottom of the pool, churning the water into a chaotic, bubbling mess that made swimming impossible.
But Marcus wasn't finished. He accessed the landscaping irrigation system. He had recently installed high-pressure, commercial-grade rotating sprinklers to keep his tropical plants alive in the Texas heat.
He didn't just turn them on; he overrode the system to run at maximum pressure.
Marcus stood by the sliding glass door, a grim, satisfied smile touching his lips. He raised his hand, pressed his finger against the master execute button on his phone app, and watched the chaos unfold.
A loud, mechanical thump echoed from the utility box outside, followed by the violent hissing of highly pressurized water.
Six massive sprinkler heads erupted simultaneously around the perimeter of the pool deck. Thick, heavy arcs of cold water shot twenty feet into the air, raining down mercilessly on the trespassing partygoers. The blast of water hit the patio furniture, soaking the women lounging on the chairs, drenching the food on the outdoor kitchen counter, and completely swamping the massive cooler of beer.
Screams of shock and outrage filled the air. The people in the pool, terrified by the violently churning water jets, scrambled for the ladders. The people on the deck slipped and slid on the wet travertine, grabbing their soggy towels and ruined cell phones.
And right in the middle of the deluge stood Brenda.
A heavy, rotating sprinkler blasted her directly in the chest. The force of the water knocked her backward. Her pristine white blazer and trousers were instantly soaked through, clinging transparently to her skin. Her heavily hair-sprayed blonde bob collapsed into a wet, matted mess against her face. The teal clipboard flew out of her hands, the "official" HOA papers scattering and disintegrating into mush on the wet deck.
"What is happening?!" Brenda shrieked, wiping mascara-stained water from her eyes.