The Rose He Killed novel Chapter 205

Chapter 184: Bella’s Breaking Point2

Bella POV

“Why won’t they use the elevator?” I asked.

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Diana glanced at me. “Positioning,” she said. “The moment those doors open, they are exposed to both sets of stairs at the same time. Plus, an elevator announces itself. Between the mechanical noise and the wait time, it’s too risky. No one trying to hold a position uses an elevator if they have stairs.”

“Agreed,” Caleb said.

“We have to go up both sets of stairs at the same time,” I said. “One team for each. If we only use one and they hear us, they will take him down the other way.”

“That takes perfect timing,” Reyes said. “My team can do it.”

“Lena’s team takes the second stairs,” Caleb said.

Reyes paused for a second then continued. “My agent will take the second stairs,” she said. “Lena’s team will stay outside and block the exits.”

Caleb thought about it and decided it was okay. “Fine,” he said.

“The rooms,” I said, looking at the map again. “There are three possible rooms on the second floor. We can’t check them one by one. If they hear us open the first door, they will move him.”

“We open all three at once,” Reyes said. “Three agents, three doors, on the same signal.”

“I’m going into the middle room,” I said.

“Mrs. Black”

“He will hear my voice through the door,” I told her. “I will say his name before we go in. He will answer me. That’s how we’ll know which room he’s in before we even open the door.” I looked at her. “That isn’t about being brave, Agent Reyes. It’s a way to get information. Use it

She looked at me for a long time. “Middle room,” she finally said. “But you stay behind Agent Torres until the room is safe. The moment it’s clear, you go in.”

“Agreed,” I said.

Caleb looked at me, and I looked at him. We had worked to trust each other again, we chose each other every single morning.

But beneath all of that was something else: we had made this child together, and we were going to bring him home together. Nothing was going to stop us.

My phone lit up with a call from an unknown number.

Everyone in the room went still as Reyes nodded to her team to start the trace.

I answered.

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Chapter 184-elle’s Breaking Point2

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It was another video, but this one was different. It wasn’t a steady shot of Tom sitting against a wall. This one was shaky, Tom was crying-not the quiet, brave crying from before, but the loud, shaking kind.

His face was buried in his knees, and between his sobs, I could hear him saying the same thing over and

over.

Mommy. Mommy. Mommy.

I ended the call and put the phone on the table. Then, something inside me gave way. I turned, and Caleb was already there, reaching for me. I hit his chest with both hands. This time it wasn’t anger; it was just pure, enormous fear.

“He’s scared, Caleb,” I whispered. My voice was broken. “Did you hear him? He was actually crying this time. He wasn’t trying to be brave. He’s only five and he’s scared and we aren’t there”

“I know,” he said. His arms wrapped around me.

“Who does this?” I pressed my face against his chest. My hands were shaking, and I hated it. “Who takes a child?”

“I know.”

“That’s our baby, Caleb.” My voice cracked. “That’s our baby on that floor, calling for me, and I can’t-” I hit his chest again, feeling helpless. “I can’t just sit here and wait. I need to go now, I need to”

“Bella.” His hand went to the back of my head, holding me still. “Listen to my voice.”

I stopped.

“He is alive,” Caleb said. He sounded absolutely certain “He is scared, but he is alive. In one hour, we are going to walk into that building. You are going to hear his voice in person, not through a screen.” His arms tightened. “You aren’t just sitting back. You are planning the mission that brings him home. That isn’t waiting. That’s fighting.”

I stayed there with my face against his chest for seconds and let myself feel the terror and the white-hot anger. His heartbeat stayed steady under my ear, even though I knew this was hurting him just as much as it was hurting me.

Then I pulled back. I wiped my face with the back of my hand. “Okay,” I said.

He looked at me. “Okay?”

I straightened up and took a breath. I picked up the map and got back to work. I only had thirty seconds to fall apart, and I had used them.

“How long until we can move?” I asked Reyes.

She looked at her team. “We need the drone to check the room with the heat signature. We can move in about ninety minutes, at sunrise.”

“We move at first light,” I said. “And I’m going with you.”

“Mrs. Black”

<Chapter 184 Bella’s Breaking Point2

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I’m going,” I said. “Tom will hear my voice and know he’s safe. You can argue or you can plan for me being There. It’s your choice.”

Reyes looked at Caleb. Whatever he saw on my face was enough. He looked at Reyes and said, “Plan for her being there.”

Reyes didn’t argue, “Adjust the plan, Mrs. Black calls his name at the middle door. Torres goes in first to clear the room, then she enters. Everyone stays on the radio.” She looked at her team. “When does the drone arrive?”

“Forty minutes. The sun comes up in about an hour.”

“We will have the meeting at dawn and move right after. Is everyone clear?”

Everyone nodded. The room felt different now-everyone was ready to move.

Diana came over to me. “I’ll be outside with Lena’s team,” she said quietly.

“You don’t have to do that.”

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