The Host and Its Followers

In the meantime, Joe caught sight of the turned device aimed at him. With a swift motion, he delivered a forceful kick, sending it meters away. The device tumbled and careened into the corridor Brandon had just traversed.

About one second ago, Brandon had formulated a plan. Leveraging his acute hearing, he resolved to first dispatch the device menacing Joe, then ascend the nearby staircase to intercept the second device targeting another individual. Armed with this ability to swiftly intervene, Brandon was confident he could act before disaster struck.

Unexpectedly, a device suddenly emerged, halting Brandon in his tracks and causing him to stumble. With remarkable agility, he swiftly regained his footing, dropping to one knee while extending a long leg to maintain balance.

"Oh man!" Joe exclaimed, surprised by Brandon's sudden appearance. "What are you doing here?"