(The dim lighting of the office flickered against the cold steel walls, casting long shadows that danced across the room. Seth Lowell sat at his desk, staring blankly at the paperwork in front of him. The Criminal Investigation Special Response Team had wrapped up another high-profile case, but something about this one gnawed at him—something that wouldn't let his mind rest.)
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(Jane Doe.)
(The name itself sent a chill down his spine. She had been a ghost, a specter lurking behind countless crimes, slipping through the cracks of the justice system time and time again. No one knew her true identity or where she came from, but Seth had faced her in the field more than once. She had outwitted them, escaped their clutches. Yet, it wasn't the near misses that haunted him. It was something more personal—something darker.)
(Seth rubbed his temples, trying to shake the unease that gnawed at him. Jane had been fixated on him during their last encounter. The look in her eyes wasn't one of hatred or revenge. It was... obsession. He could still hear her voice echoing in his head, that soft, almost loving tone as she spoke to him.)
Jane: I'm not done with you, Seth. Not by a long shot.
(His hand trembled slightly as he set the pen down, leaning back in his chair. His instincts told him she was still out there, lurking in the shadows, watching. He wasn't safe. No one on the team was. But Jane had never harmed his colleagues—especially not the women. It was as though her twisted fixation was focused entirely on him, and the others were simply obstacles in her way.)
(The lights in his office flickered again, this time longer than before. A cold chill ran down his spine as he heard the softest click of a door being opened behind him. Seth froze, his heart pounding. He reached for the gun tucked beneath his jacket, but before his fingers could wrap around the grip, a familiar voice spoke from the shadows.)
????: That won't be necessary, Seth.
(His blood turned cold. He didn't need to turn around to know who it was. Jane Doe. Her presence filled the room like a creeping fog, thick and suffocating.)
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Seth: Jane. How did you get in here?
(There was no answer, only the sound of her soft footsteps as she approached, her movements unnervingly graceful. He felt her presence behind him, could sense her leaning closer. Her breath was warm against his neck.)
Jane: (whispers) You knew I'd come. You felt it, didn't you?
Seth: What do you want?
Jane: (chuckles) What I've always wanted, Seth. You.
(In a sudden motion, she moved around his chair, standing directly in front of him. Her dark eyes bore into his, her lips curling into a smile that was both playful and sinister. She was beautiful in a way that only made her more terrifying—a predator disguised behind a façade of charm.)
Seth: You've made your point. But I'm not going to play your games.
Jane: (whispers) This isn't a game. I've watched you for so long, Seth. Every case, every little detail. You're everything I've ever wanted. Strong, smart, and yet... so vulnerable.
(His pulse quickened, and he tried to lean back, putting distance between them, but Jane reached up, resting a hand on his chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart beneath her palm.)
Jane: I could have killed you a hundred times over. But I didn't. And I never will. The others... they don't matter to me. Only you.
Seth: (jaw clenches) Let them go, Jane. If this is about me, leave them out of it.
Jane: The women on your team? I have no quarrel with them. They've never stood in my way, and they won't. I don't need to hurt them. Not when I have you.
(His breath caught in his throat. Jane's touch grew firmer as she traced her fingers down his chest.)
Jane: You'll come to understand, Seth. I'll make you see that we're meant to be together. No one else can have you.
(Seth's eyes darted toward the door, calculating the distance, but Jane's hand shot up, her fingers lightly grasping his chin, forcing him to look at her. Her strength, despite her soft touch, was undeniable.)
Jane: (whispers) Don't even think about it, I'll always find you, Seth. No matter where you go, no matter how far you run.
(He was trapped. Not physically—he could fight her if it came to that—but there was something far more insidious at play. Her obsession wasn't just about control. It was about possession. And it was clear that Jane had no intention of ever letting him go.)