The Rose He Killed novel Chapter 206

Chapter 185: The Trace

Caleb POV

The drone footage arrived at 5:40 AM, grainy and grey in the early morning light.

Lena showed us the video frame by frame. The building was a large, dark rectangle in the industrial district. It had metal walls and a rusty entrance. The second-floor windows were covered with cardboard. The heat scan showed someone in the corner room on the second floor-likely Tom and a guard-and another heat signature near the stairs.

“A guard on the stairs,” Reyes said. “And at least one person in the room with Tom.”

“That’s at least two people,” L’ena added. “Maybe three if there is a guard on the ground floor watching the doors.”

I studied the building layout again. The guard at the stairs was a problem because he could see anyone coming from the elevator or the main entrance. Coming in through the front would be too slow and loud. If we used the back freight entrance, we would still have to get up those stairs without being seen.

“There is a fire escape on the west wall,” Diana said. She had been quiet for an hour, working with her contacts from the phone, but now she leaned over the map. “It wasn’t on the original plans. It was added in 2019. It leads straight to the second floor, bypassing the main stairs.”

Reyes looked up. “How did you get those updated plans?”

Diana didn’t answer.

“That gives us another way in,” I said. “We can use the freight entrance as a distraction to draw the guard’s attention. At the same time, a small team goes up the fire escape and reaches the second floor before they even know we’re there.”

“Tom’s room is in the northeast corner,” Bella noted. “The fire escape is on the west side. We would have to walk the entire length of the hallway.”

“It’s not perfect,” Reyes said.

“But it’s faster than fighting our way up guarded stairs,” I replied. “If we move down the hall before they can

react”

“We only get one shot at this,” Lena warned. She sounded even colder now. “If they hear us and use Tom as a shield, everything changes.”

The room went quiet.

I picked up the floor plan and turned it slowly. I was looking for something the others might have missed. “The windows,” I said. “On the second floor. How thick is that plastic covering them?”

Lena zoomed in on a photo from the drone. “It looks like heavy construction plastic. Why?”

“Sound absorption,” Bella said. “They’re muffling the room because they’re worried Tom’s voice will carry outside. That means he is right against the outer wall. But it also means the people inside that room won’t be able to hear us on the fire escape.”

3

Chapter 185-The Trace

Claim

Lunderstood exactly where she was going. “The fire escape team hits the second floor. At the same time, The main team makes noise at the freight entrance. While the guard is distracted by the noise, the fire

escape team moves down the hallway to Tom’s room.”

“It would take some seconds to cross that hall,” Reyes said. “As long as it’s clear.”

“That’s the risk,” Diana added. “If there’s a second guard in the hallway, we walk right into them.”

“There isn’t,” I said. “A small team wouldn’t waste a person in the middle of a hallway. The guard on the stairs is watching their only exit. A third person in the hall doesn’t help them.”

Reyes looked at me. “You’ve done this kind of planning before.”

“I’ve taken apart entire companies,” I said. “It’s the same logic”

Reyes almost smiled. Then she turned back to the table. “Here is what I can allow. My team goes through the freight entrance, we have the gear and the training for this, but I cannot allow civilians inside during a rescue.”

“Then don’t call us civilians,” Bella said.

Reyes turned to her.

“I’m going up that fire escape,” she told her. “Tom is going to hear my voice before he hears a gun. He needs to know he’s safe. That is not negotiable.” She looked her right in the eye. “You can arrest me after.”

Reyes looked at me.

“I’m going with her,” I said.

There was another long silence. Reyes turned away, ran a hand over her face, and then turned back. “You both wear vests. You stay behind my team member until the room is safe. The moment I tell you to get back, you get back. Both of you agree to that now, out loud.”

“Agreed,” Bella said.

“Agreed,” I said.

“The sun comes up at 6:15,” Reyes said, checking her watch. “That gives us twenty minutes to brief the team and move. We get one shot at this. Just one. Is everyone clear?”

Everyone was clear. Maya appeared at Bella’s shoulder before we could move.

She had Grace in the carrier. The baby was awake now, looking around the room with focused curiosity.

“I’m taking her back to the penthouse,” Maya said. “Nadia is there.”

Bella turned and looked at Grace as Grace reached out immediately, her small fingers spreading as she made an impatient sound.

Bella caught her hand and pressed it briefly against her cheek, it only lasted a second. Then she let go.

“Keep her close,” Bella told Maya.

“She won’t leave my sight.” Maya adjusted the strap and looked at Bella. “This has to work,” she said

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Chapter 185 the Hare

quictly.

“It’s going to work,” Bella said.

Maya nodded once. Then she looked at me over Bella’s shoulder.

Clam

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