Breach

The lights went out.

Not a flicker.

Not a warning.

Total darkness.

Rose’s breath caught in her throat.

For a split second, the entire office went silent—like even the machines didn’t know how to respond.

Then—

Alarms.

A low, pulsing sound filled the building, sharp and disorienting.

Emergency lights kicked in, washing everything in dim red.

“What just happened?” Rose whispered.

Jason was already moving.

“Power cut,” he said quickly. “Not external. This is internal.”

Rose’s heart started pounding.

“You think it’s him?”

Jason didn’t hesitate.

“I know it is.”

Somewhere down the hall, a door slammed.

Voices rose—confused, unsettled.

But none of that mattered.

Because this wasn’t random.

This was targeted.

“Your system,” Jason said, turning back to her. “Can you access it?”

Rose rushed back to her desk, her hands moving fast despite the adrenaline shaking through her.

The screen flickered weakly under backup power.

“Come on… come on…” she muttered.

The system loaded—slow, glitching—but alive.

And then—

Her stomach dropped.

“He’s in again.”

Jason stepped beside her. “Where?”

Rose pulled up the logs, her fingers flying across the keyboard.

“Multiple entry points this time,” she said, her voice tightening. “Not just one—he’s everywhere.”

Jason’s expression darkened.

“He’s not hiding anymore.”

“No,” Rose whispered.

Her eyes widened.

“He’s taking control.”

Files started opening on their own.

One by one.

Fast.

Too fast.

Project folders.

Confidential reports.

Internal communications.

Everything.

“It’s like he’s searching for something,” Rose said.

Jason leaned closer. “Or sending a message.”

Then suddenly—

The screen froze.

A single file appeared.

Not one they created.

Not one she recognized.

The name alone made her pulse spike.

ROSE_JOHNSON

She stopped breathing.

Jason saw it too.

“Open it,” he said.

Rose hesitated.

Just for a second.

Then she clicked.

The file opened instantly.

And everything inside it—

Was her.

Photos.

Personal records.

Old emails.

Addresses.

Things she hadn’t even shared at work.

Her chest tightened.

“How does he have this?” she whispered.

Jason’s voice hardened. “He’s been watching longer than we thought.”

Rose scrolled, her hands trembling now.

This wasn’t just surveillance.

This was invasion.

And then—

She saw something that made her freeze.

A timestamp.

Today.

Jason noticed the shift in her expression. “What?”

Rose pointed at the screen slowly.

“That picture…” she said.

Her voice barely came out.

“…was taken today.”

Silence.

Heavy.

Terrifying.

Jason’s body went rigid.

“Where?” he asked.

Rose swallowed.

“Outside the building.”

Jason turned immediately, scanning the darkened office like someone could be standing right there.

“They’re not just inside the system,” he said.

Rose’s pulse skyrocketed.

“They’re here.”

As if on cue—

Her screen flickered again.

The file changed.

Everything disappeared.

Replaced by a single line.

Turn around.

Rose’s breath hitched.

Jason saw it at the same time.

“Don’t,” he said immediately.

But it was too late.

Something behind them shifted.

A sound.

Soft.

Deliberate.

Not from the hallway.

From inside the office.

Jason moved first, stepping slightly in front of Rose.

“Who’s there?” his voice cut through the dim red light.

No response.

Just silence.

And then—

A slow creak.

The door behind them… was closing.

But neither of them had touched it.

Rose’s heart slammed against her chest.

Jason took a step forward.

Careful.

Controlled.

The door clicked shut.

Locked.

The lights flickered again.

And then—

From the corner of the room—

A phone lit up.

Not theirs.

Just sitting there.

Screen glowing.

Waiting.

Rose’s voice shook slightly. “That wasn’t there before.”

Jason didn’t respond.

He moved toward it slowly.

Every step measured.

The screen brightened as he got closer.

A message appeared.

Answer it.

The phone started ringing.

Sharp.

Loud.

Echoing in the dark.

Rose grabbed Jason’s arm without thinking.

“Don’t,” she whispered.

Jason’s jaw tightened.

But he didn’t stop.

The phone kept ringing.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Then—

He picked it up.

Silence.

For one long second—

Nothing.

Then—

A voice.

Distorted.

Calm.

Too calm.

“Jason.”

Rose felt the air leave her lungs.

Jason’s grip on the phone tightened.

“Who is this?” he demanded.

A soft chuckle came through the line.

“You’re asking the wrong question.”

Jason’s eyes darkened. “Then what’s the right one?”

A pause.

Then—

“How close are you willing to let her get… before she gets hurt?”

Rose’s grip on Jason’s arm tightened.

Jason’s voice dropped dangerously low.

“Stay away from her.”

Another soft laugh.

“That’s not up to me anymore.”

The line went dead.

The phone screen went black.

Silence returned.

Heavy.

Unforgiving.

Rose slowly released his arm.

Her heart was still racing.

“That wasn’t just a threat,” she said quietly.

Jason turned to her.

“No,” he said.

His voice was colder than she’d ever heard it.

“It was a warning.”

Before she could respond—

Her computer screen came back to life.

One final message appeared.

You’re already too late.

Rose’s stomach dropped.

“Too late for what?” she whispered.

Jason didn’t answer.

Because deep down—

He already knew.

And somewhere in the building—

A shadow moved.

Watching.

Waiting.

And getting closer.

End of Chapter 18