The four men stepped forward, their movements mechanical and without hesitation, ready to carry out Jones's order.
_________
Meanwhile, back in the forest, Louise and Kato remained rooted to the spot, their gazes fixed in the direction Scarlett had walked off to. They had been standing like that for over thirty minutes, staring into the distance, waiting and hoping Scarlett would return at any moment.
"Should we keep standing here or find somewhere to take shelter?" Louise finally said, breaking the awkward silence that had settled between them. His voice carried a note of concern as he added, "Austin may have cleared his monsters out of this forest, but more could show up at any moment. And let's be honest, we're in no shape to face anything right now."
Kato let out a heavy sigh and was about to reply when a soft chime echoed from the tiny earpiece buried in his ear. A feminine voice followed, cutting through the silence.
