Chapter Forty Three: Like Always

Two days later…

Two days later, Jonah decided to visit Amelia to discuss the ongoing situation with the missing baby. The tension from the past few days still lingered in the air, but they both knew they had to keep pressing forward. Jonah arrived at Amelia's house in the late afternoon, the sun casting long shadows across the porch.

Amelia greeted him with a weary smile, ushering him inside. "I was just making some tea. Would you like some?"

"That sounds great, thanks," Jonah replied, following her into the kitchen.

As they settled down at the kitchen table, cups of steaming tea in hand, Jonah began, "Amelia, we need to talk about the baby. We can't let this go. Sarah deserves to know what happened."

Amelia nodded, her expression somber. "I agree. But we need to be careful. Maxwell might be out of the picture, but whoever is behind this is still out there."

As if on cue, both of their phones buzzed simultaneously. Jonah and Amelia exchanged a puzzled look before reaching for their devices. They each received a video file, which they hesitantly opened. The video showed grainy, night-vision footage of Jonah healing the baby that night. Every detail was captured—the tiny figure wrapped in a blanket, Jonah's hands glowing softly as he worked his healing magic, and Amelia standing nearby, watching intently.

Their hearts raced as they watched the video, a sinking feeling of dread washing over them. As the video ended, a message followed: "Stop looking for the baby, or there will be consequences."

Amelia's hand shook slightly as she placed her phone down on the table. "Jonah, this is bad. Really bad."

Jonah's face was pale, his mind racing. "Someone's been watching us. They know everything. But who? And why?"

Amelia took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. "Whoever sent this is trying to scare us. They don't want us to find the baby or uncover the truth."

Jonah clenched his fists, frustration and anger bubbling to the surface. "We can't let them intimidate us. We have to keep going. But we need to be smart about it."

Amelia nodded in agreement. "We need to figure out who took that video and how they got it. If we can trace it back to its source, we might find out who's behind all this."

They spent the next few hours devising a plan. Jonah would reach out to a trusted friend who had expertise in digital forensics to see if they could trace the origin of the video. Amelia would continue to dig through hospital records and any other leads that might point them in the right direction.

Before Jonah left, Amelia placed a hand on his arm. "Jonah, we have to be careful. Whoever we're dealing with is dangerous. We can't afford any mistakes."

"I know," Jonah said, his voice determined. "But we can't stop now. We have to find that baby and make sure they're safe."

The following day, Jonah contacted his friend, Eric, a skilled digital forensics expert. He explained the situation, carefully omitting the supernatural elements, and sent Eric the video. Eric assured Jonah that he would do everything in his power to trace the video's origin.

Amelia continued her work at the hospital, discreetly gathering information and keeping an eye out for any suspicious activity. She felt a constant undercurrent of anxiety, knowing that they were being watched, but she was determined to find the truth.

Two days later, Eric contacted Jonah with news. "I traced the video back to an IP address, but it's registered to a shell company. Whoever's behind this knows how to cover their tracks.

Jonah waited restlessly throughout the day, the weight of the information Eric had provided gnawing at him. As evening approached, he couldn't wait any longer. He grabbed his keys and drove over to Amelia's house, his mind racing with the possibilities.

When he arrived, Amelia greeted him at the door, her face etched with concern. "Jonah, what’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost."

"Amelia, we need to talk," he said urgently, stepping inside. "Eric found something."

They moved to the kitchen, where Amelia poured them both a cup of tea. They sat at the table, the steam rising between them. Jonah leaned forward, his voice low and serious.

"Eric traced the video to a shell company. It's linked to several offshore accounts, and one of those accounts recently made a large donation to a private research facility outside the city."

Amelia's eyes widened. "A research facility? What kind of research?"

"That's the thing," Jonah replied, running a hand through his hair. "It's a medical research facility, but they don't publish their findings. It's very secretive. We think they might have the baby."

Amelia's face paled. "We have to go there. We have to find her."

Jonah nodded. "I agree. But we have to be careful. Whoever is behind this is dangerous."

Jonah sat across from Amelia, the weight of the day’s revelations pressing down on him. The idea of infiltrating the research facility seemed like their best shot at finding the baby, but Amelia had other ideas.

"I don’t think we should go to the facility," Amelia said, her voice firm but thoughtful. "It’s too risky. We don’t have the resources or the skills for something like that. But I have another plan."

Jonah raised an eyebrow, his worry evident. "What plan? Amelia, we need to act fast. The longer we wait, the more danger the baby is in."

Amelia took a deep breath, her eyes steady as she met Jonah’s gaze. "I’ll ask Maxwell on a date."

The room fell silent as Jonah processed her words. His expression shifted from confusion to anger. "Amelia, are you out of your mind? Maxwell is dangerous. You saw what he did to you. I can’t let you put yourself in harm’s way again."

"I know, Jonah. But he’s our best lead. He’s connected to this somehow, and if I can get close to him, maybe I can get him to spill something. We need information, and this might be the only way to get it."

Jonah shook his head, frustration boiling over. "No. Absolutely not. I won’t let you do it. He’s a manipulative, violent man. You can’t trust him, and I can’t trust him with you."

Amelia reached across the table, placing her hand over Jonah’s. "I know you’re worried about me, and I appreciate it. But we’re running out of options. We need to find that baby, and if this is the only way, then I’m willing to take the risk."

Jonah pulled his hand away, standing up and pacing the room. "There has to be another way. What if he hurts you again? What if he finds out what you’re really after?"

"I’ll be careful," Amelia insisted. "I won’t let him suspect anything. I’ll play along, make him think I’m interested. It’s a gamble, but it’s one I’m willing to take."

Jonah stopped pacing and turned to face her, his eyes filled with concern. "Amelia, you don’t understand. Maxwell isn’t just dangerous—he’s cunning. He’ll see right through any act. Please, let’s find another way."

Amelia stood up, her mind unchanging. "Jonah, we’re out of time. The longer we wait, the more that baby suffers. I can handle Maxwell. I need you to trust me."

Jonah’s shoulders slumped, the weight of the decision bearing down on him. He knew Amelia was right—they were running out of options. But the thought of her putting herself in danger was almost too much to bear.

"Alright," he said finally, his voice heavy with reluctance. "But we do this together. I’ll be close by, watching. If anything goes wrong, I’ll be there to get you out."

Amelia nodded, a small smile of relief crossing her face. "Thank you, Jonah. We’ll get through this. We have to."