Children of Mana, Part Forty-Five

{Caroline} 

The truck rattled along the rugged road, its occupants tense and alert, their senses heightened by the looming threat that lurked ahead.

[We played right into his plan,] Caroline sighed. [Hopefully, we can recover from this. The city shouldn't be lost just yet.] 

At that moment, Caroline's gaze flickered from the road to the side mirror, a frown creasing her brow as she caught sight of a dark mass emerging from the shadows.

"Stop!" Caroline's voice cut through the tension, her tone commanding as she issued the abrupt command to their driver.

The vehicle screeched to a halt, the suddenness of the motion jolting its occupants.

Mel, Desmond, and Xi exchanged uneasy glances, their apprehension mirrored in their wide eyes as they observed the ominous figures that now blocked their path.