Chapter Thirty Eight: Set Up

Jonah's heart pounded with a mix of hope and trepidation as he followed the directions to the meeting point. The message had been their first real lead since the disappearance of the baby, but it also felt too convenient. He knew it could be a trap, but the chance to find the baby and the elderly woman was worth the risk. He didn't know why but he was concerned about the baby, really concerned.

When he arrived at the meeting point, the place was eerily silent. He checked his phone: 11:55 PM. Five minutes until the appointed time. He stayed hidden in the shadows, his senses on high alert. He didn't want to be caught off guard, mostly because he had a bad feeling about the whole thing.

At midnight, a figure stepped out from behind one of the old pillars. "Jonah?" the person called out, their voice echoing in the empty space.

Jonah stepped forward cautiously. "Who are you?"

Before the figure could respond, the sound of footsteps surrounded Jonah. Shadows moved in the darkness, and he realized too late that he was being surrounded. Fear flickered in his eyes and all he could think of was how to make it out of whatever the situation was.

"Oh, this is a setup," he muttered to himself, his heart sinking.

A group of men emerged from the shadows, their intentions clear. Jonah knew he had to act fast. Summoning his powers, he felt the familiar surge of energy coursing through him. He focused, extending his hands toward the men, and a powerful wave of force knocked them back.

He gasped in shock because he had no idea he had such powers. All he knew was his healing powers and now, he sort of used protective powers.
In shock, he stared at his hands and then at them. His eyes kept darting from his hands to them as he watched them cautiously to know their next move.

Jonah didn't waste a second. He sprinted towards the exit, but more men appeared, blocking his path. He used his powers again, sending another wave of energy to clear his way. The effort drained him, and he felt his strength waning.

He stumbled out of the place barely managing to keep his balance. His vision blurred, and he could feel himself blacking out. Summoning the last of his strength, he made it to a nearby alley and collapsed.he had nonidea what and how he was going to make it home but he wanted to remain optimistic.

A short while later, Amelia found him, having grown worried when he didn't respond to her calls. She helped him to his feet, her face etched with concern.

"Jonah, what happened?" she asked, her voice trembling.in so much fear. She didn't know what to think but the first thing on her mind was to sage him and help him back to his feet.

"It was a setup," he muttered weakly. "They were waiting for me."

"Let's get you home," Amelia said, wrapping her arm around him to support his weight. She saw a familiar look of exhaustion on his face and she hoped he would not pass out before they got home.

She hastily helped him to the taxi that had brought her there and carefully, She helped Jonah into the cab.

"Take it easy," She said to Jonah.

Back at their house, Amelia helped Jonah onto the couch. He was visibly shaken and exhausted. His anger simmered, and as the reality of their failed attempt settled in, he felt his frustration boil over. He didn't want to feel too angry about the situation but he could barely control the anger.

"Damn it!" he shouted, slamming his fist onto the coffee table. "We were so close!" He ranted

Amelia flinched at the sudden outburst, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and understanding. She knew Jonah was frustrated, but seeing him like this was unsettling. He had always kept his anger in check. Maxwell was the only one capable enough to get him to a boiling point but something about the baby really got to him.

"I'm sorry," Jonah said, his voice hoarse. "I didn't mean to scare you." He apologized upon realizing how much his outburst startled Amelia.

Amelia placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I know you're upset, Jonah. But we can't let this defeat us. We'll find another way."

Jonah nodded, his anger giving way to a deep exhaustion. He sank back into the couch, closing his eyes.

After a few moments of silence, Amelia spoke softly. "I need to tell you something. I'll be returning to work soon."

Jonah opened his eyes, looking at her with concern. "Will you be okay? I mean, with everything that's going on?"

Amelia nodded. "I'll be fine. But I'm more worried about you. You've been using your powers a lot, and it's taking a toll on you. Are you sure you'll be okay on your own?"

Jonah took a deep breath. He knew she was right; the strain of using his powers had been getting worse. But he couldn't let her see how much it worried him. "I'll be fine, Amelia. You need to get back to your life. I'll manage." He said to her,

Amelia searched his face for any sign of doubt but found none. She gave a small nod, trusting his words. "Alright. But promise me you'll be careful. If you need anything, call me."

"I promise," Jonah said, forcing a reassuring smile.

With a click of Amelia's tongue, she turned to talk to Jonah. "I don't want you to overthink it. I'm meant to resume on Monday, that is why i am actually going back to work."

Jonah left out a gentle smile, "It's okay Amelia, I totally understand. You have your life to live and I have mine to live too. You shouldn't feel bad at all." Jonah replied, hoping she would understand that he wasn't offended by her return to work.

He was only worried that she would be with Maxwell but he couldn't tell her that.