In a movement so fast it blurred, the older woman shifted her weight, dropping her shoulder and twisting her arm with absolute precision. She broke his grip effortlessly, her hand snapping up to block his forearm with bone-jarring force. Julian stumbled back, entirely shocked by the physical strength of the woman.
She stood up to her full height, towering over him not in stature, but in sheer, overwhelming presence. From the deep pocket of her cashmere coat, she retrieved a heavy, encrypted black walkie-talkie. She pressed the side button, the device emitting a sharp, electronic chirp that cut through the silence. She stared Julian dead in the eyes, her gaze colder than the winter Atlantic.
"Bring everyone inside. Now."
Julian scoffed, trying to mask the sudden, icy spike of dread in his chest. "Who the hell do you think you're calling? The local police? The chief plays golf with my father every Sunday."