Things had reached a stalemate. But Neil wasn't about to give up.
He contacted the intermediary and asked for a new guide, offering not just preferential treatment but even a tenfold increase in salary.
He had to find Hannah and Reina before the soldiers from Country A did.
However, the more anxious he became, the more silent the intermediary grew, eventually ceasing all communication. Neil opened his notebook and reached out to his contacts, hoping someone might have more information.
The responses were disheartening; none of his friends knew anything.
Neil's anxiety grew, and he skipped lunch altogether, opting instead to use satellite maps to study the topography of villages in Country C. He planned to search for Hannah and Reina based on the terrain.
Kendall watched from the side, her eyes flickering with concern. There wasn't much she could do to help her third brother.
