Found Obsession

Chapter 130: Smarter. Stolen Bodies.

Rose stood up, her breath shaky but controlled. She turned to face the team, her eyes scanning their expressions. It was clear they all knew, at least part of the truth-at least the first lie: that she descended from Jesus.

Lucas wasted no time. "So... us arriving here without a single issue," he said, his voice sharp and direct. "Did it have something to do with what you are?"

The others turned to her, their emotions playing out in their eyes-confusion, unease, suspicion.

Before she could respond, Elijah approached the group, his presence cutting through the tension like a blade. He leaned in and whispered something low enough that Rose couldn't catch the words, but she saw the effect immediately.

Their eyes flicked to her briefly, then they stiffened, falling silent.

Teresa opened her mouth to speak, but Elijah shot her a glare, and she immediately closed it, nodding in reluctant agreement.

Rose pressed her lips into a tight line, her posture rigid as she leaned against the wall, trying to appear unaffected.

Without another word, the team began moving toward the bus. One by one, they climbed aboard, their silence heavier than words. Elijah stood by the door, his eyes fixed on Rose. She could see the storm of fury still simmering beneath his calm exterior, barely held in check.

When the others were inside, Elijah turned, walking toward her with measured steps.

"Considering nothing happened on our way here," he hissed, his voice low and mocking, "your holiness, you can find your way back the same way."

Rose met his gaze defiantly, refusing to let him see the weight of his words hitting her. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"Make sure to get the fuel on the way back," she said evenly, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside.

She stepped past him, her shoulder brushing his as she moved. Elijah didn't budge, his jaw tightening as she bumped him. Rose could hear the sharp grind of his teeth as she walked away, leaving him standing there.

She didn't look back.

Instead, she climbed the stairs to the rooftop, gripping her backpack tightly. Once there, she leaned against the railing, her eyes following the bus as it disappeared into the distance.

She knew. He was watching her. She could feel it.

"Run away as far and as fast as possible," she whispered to the air. "From me." Everyone around her turned into collateral damage.

Pulling out the pack of cigarettes Rosso had given her, she opened it absently. Her fingers froze as she noticed something unusual. Inside was a small plastic bag filled with tiny trackers-at least a hundred of them-and two cigarettes. A folded note was tucked alongside them.

Rose pulled the note out and read it.

Ma'am, we searched everything the children had, twice, scanned their bodies, and found these.

She looked down at the bag. Trackers.

She stared after the bus. Slowly, she folded the note and tore it apart until it was unreadable, she let the wind do it's job.

Carefully, she closed the cigarettes and placed them back into her pockets. If Rosso had returned them, it was because they weren't deactivated.

Then she realized-maybe, just maybe-Elijah had learned something from Jonathan.

Send them into even a little danger. Something you know you can control. Something you know they can manage.

She remembered Jonathan's words to Elijah. If he had been angry by the truth but still held obsession over her then...