Found Obsession

Chapter 98: Being Sincere, Sasha's idea and The Found Bug.

December 13, 2005

Levi left in one of the cars, heading back to Wyatt.

Rose gathered her belongings—her papers, the coins, and her laptop—and placed them carefully into her bag. Slinging it over her shoulder, she retraced her steps back to the elite room.

Her path took her through the janitor's room, where the soldiers found themselves already there as part of the plan. They nodded silently in acknowledgment. Everything had gone according to plan.

Rose was utterly exhausted, her body aching from the night's events. She adjusted the sling on her arm and made her way to the bathroom, splashing cold water on her face.

When she finally reached the elite room, she collapsed onto the couch, setting her alarm for two hours. Sleep overtook her almost instantly, but it was anything but restful.

The haunting images of the children from Eldridge Hollow and the ones from the night before swirled through her dreams, pulling her into a dark, restless place. She jolted awake, gasping for breath.

She glanced at her watch. 30 minutes. That was all she'd managed to sleep.

Rose sat up, her hands pressed against her face. Be strong for the rest, she thought. Pulling on her baggy sweater, she adjusted the sling on her arm and decided to make use of the time.

Her next task was the hour helping the detectives with their cases. She checked her phone, but there were no messages from Jonathan.

Rose sighed.

Soon, the detectives arrived, and Rose began explaining and assisting with their cases. She pushed aside her exhaustion and focused, doing what she could to help.

Once they were gone, she shifted her attention to her social media. She uploaded a few photos from her marriage with Jonathan, to keep the page alive.

After finishing her work, Rose made her way back to the elite room. She entered quietly, her body still heavy with exhaustion.

As soon as she accessed the room, her phone buzzed with an incoming call.

"Hey," Jonathan's voice greeted her, sounding tired and strained.

"Are you guys alright?" Rose asked, her tone immediately filled with concern.

There was silence on the other end. Rose's heart sank. She could feel something was wrong.

"What happened?" she pressed, her voice sharper now.

She heard Jonathan swallow hard before he finally spoke.

"We managed to set up the scene," he said slowly. "We disguised everyone so it wouldn't look like they'd worked at a church. We planted the drugs and reported everything anonymously. Then we left."

Rose's grip on the phone tightened. "And?"

"On our way back to the house to clean up, Mr. Delaney called me. He wanted me to cover up for the orphanage we raided last night. So... I'm here now. Sasha went ahead to clear the house, and Mark..." He trailed off.

"Mark?" Rose prompted, her voice laced with dread.

"Mark went to check on the scene we left to, make sure the police got there," Jonathan admitted. "I... I just saw the news, Rose. Mark hasn't answered my calls."

Rose froze. "What news?"

Jonathan's voice lowered, heavy with tension. "The people we left, Rose. All of them. Their throats were cut."

The words hit her like a punch to the gut. Rose sat down heavily, her entire body tensing.

"I can't reach Mark." Jonathan whispered, his voice cracking slightly.