Sarah could see a black SUV through her living room window. The car was tinted a midnight black, but Adam stepped out of the car to take a moment to stretch before returning to the car. Sarah closed the curtain and returned to her desk. The blank white page on her computer screen almost seems to mock her as the computer mouse cursor blinking on the page. Sarah looked to her outline which laid on the table beside her computer. She had the story laid out for her from beginning to end, but yet weaving it into a coherent story seemed impossible. Sarah stood up knowing that a walk out into the fresh air would do her some good. So slipping on her coat Sarah walked outside and onto the Philadelphia sidewalk.
The snow fell gently onto the ground and there was a light breeze in the air. Sarah walked to a park nearby as she heard and saw children laughing and skating on the ice rink. She thought of her unborn child and their possible future. She couldn't imagine telling her child that their sibling is in heaven. However, she couldn't wait to provide her child with all the love that she could.
"Hey, Sarah?" A woman said.
Sarah stopped in her tracks and turned towards the voice. "Rose? What are you doing here?"
"I'm the protective detail for you when you leave your apartment."
"I told Chris I didn't need any protective detail. No offense to you of course."
taken."
"He was just pestering me about it since we left the precinct the other day."
"He means well. He is a great man Sarah. He's just trying to protect you and the baby. Plus I don't blame him."
"You don't?" Sarah said putting her hands into her coat pocket.
"I mean if someone followed me around everywhere I went that would be annoying and I completely understand that. But he's doing it because he loves you. David would do the same thing to me if I were in your shoes."
"Did he ask you out yet?"
"Who?" Rose questioned pulling her knitted hat down to cover her ears.
"My brother David who else? Whenever we're together you're all he ever talks about."
"You know we're just-"
"Oops..." Sarah and Rose look up to see a man has taken their picture. The brief light of the flash blinds Sarah for a moment as the man was closest to her. The man quickly pauses then running towards one of the exists in the park. Before he could leave however Jake tackles him to the ground and the man's camera lens breaks in the process.
"You're going to pay for that!" the man yells as Jake gets him into the police car. Rose and Sarah rush over to Jake who was talking on his radio to another officer. "Sarah are you okay?" Jake said looking at Sarah who shivered near the car.
"Yeah...yeah, I'm okay. Who is that?"
"He said his name is Ben."
"Just Ben?"
"That's all he's given me for now."
"So why was he taking a picture of me and Rose?"
"I don't know. But he said the next phase was something you're not going to expect. I know he's part of that AO205O group. When I get back to the station I'll see what more information I can get. Rose will take you home." Jake nodded before driving off to the precinct to book Ben.
"I just want this all to stop..." Sarah said shaking her head and wiping her eyes to prevent the tears from falling.
"We're going to catch the man who assaulted you and figure out this entire AO2050 thing. But first, we should get you home."
Sarah was silent for the rest of the way to her apartment. She thanked Rose as she shut her apartment door and checked the lock twice to make sure it was secure. She went into her bedroom and pulled the blinds shut. She laid in her bed with her coat still on wondering when this agony would end.
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