~Jasper~
Sitting in the driver's seat of the armored SUV, I glanced over at Mina in the passenger seat, her brow furrowed with worry. I could understand her concern—after all, we were about to retrieve Azaria for the Monster Hunters Coalition, and the success of our mission hinged on the capabilities of the men we had hired.
"They'll be back soon," I reassured Mina as I handed her the drone footage of Azaria at the cabin, my voice steady despite the nagging doubts in my mind. "They're the best in their field. Everything will go according to plan."
As if on cue, the two men returned to the car, their expressions grim as they carried Azaria's unconscious form between them. Mina's protests rang out immediately, her voice laced with indignation.
"You weren't supposed to harm her!" she exclaimed, her eyes blazing with anger.
The burly man sneered, his tone dismissive. "She's fine," he retorted, his arrogance grating on my nerves.
