They are strolling outside now; she slipped away early this morning and quickly returned to their hut. She refused to succumb to deception once more today.
Suddenly, her phone vibrated, causing her to lose her composure, as she detested being outwitted. Isabel was fuming now, so she first checked who was calling.
Her eyebrows immediately met when she saw who was calling her.
Why did he have to call now? Does my brother need something? Isabel couldn't help but wonder in her mind.
"Ah, just a moment, I'll answer the call." She said goodbye and smiled.
"Go on, we will wait for you." Ericka replied with a smile.
She signaled Tricia to find a way, and her companion immediately understood.
"Ah, let's leave her for now; she might take a while to finish the call." Tricia said.
Isabel only nodded in agreement. Her phone vibrated again; she needed to answer the call from her brother.
"Ah, okay, we'll go ahead first." Thalia's farewell.
She nodded. She looked at the group moving away from her, signaling Tricia not to let them come closer.
The group was moving away, and she could now answer the call.
"Hello, brother." Isabel said softly then.
"What do you need? You know I'm with Thalia right now, right?" Isabel asked her brother, and she was losing her patience.
"You've already won over three of them, haven't you?" He suddenly asked on the other line.
"Y---Yes, but I haven't fully won Thalia over yet." She glanced at the other group, who were happily chatting while waiting for her.
"Even if you don't fully get Thalia's, just do your mission." This is his command to her.
Her eldest brother's command left her speechless. "Brother, give me a chance---" Her brother didn't let him finish speaking.
"You need to do it; there's no time left. Giovane needs them caught." Alexander's command to her was clear; the authority in his voice made it evident that she needed to follow his orders.
So, she just sighed. "Fine, fine, I'll find a way." She said.
"Okay, please let me know when you're going to take action so I can send someone."
"Yes, bye." They might figure out who I'm talking to.
Isabel immediately hung up the call, put her phone back in her pocket, and walked around as if nothing had happened toward her friends.
Well, I'll find a way. I will let Tricia explain the plan. We also need to determine what show she is currently watching. She thought to herself.
"Sorry if it took too long." She apologized when she finally reached her companions.
Chesca simply shook her head at Isabel. "Take time, Isa," she said to her.
Don't call me by my nickname; we're not that close. Her mind snapped to reality.
Isabel didn't have to say that, as it would have taken her by surprise. She simply responded with a smile.
"Shall we go?" Tricia asked them.
They nodded, the three of them went ahead while chatting, and Tricia and Isabel followed Thalia.
Tricia was trying to see what they were talking about; she retaliated by suggesting they talk more intimately at the hut.
"Let's go back to the hut first to rest." Tricia said.
The three of them exchanged glances then. "F--- fine, if that's what you want." Ericka said to them.
"We visited quite a distance; I know everyone is tired."
They nodded in agreement. What other areas might she highlight for us here? She won't stay long in the forest where she is now.
"Ah, I know a shortcut so we can easily get to the hut." Ericka suggested.
Shortcut? Does she know a shortcut? She wondered in her mind.
"Ah, yes, my childhood friend taught me this, because occasionally we used to hang out here when we were kids." This made her laugh.
Isabel just nodded; she and Tricia exchanged glances, and she secretly smiled at her. She needs to remember where they went; they can use it.
So there's a shortcut, huh? So you know a shortcut; that's why we couldn't catch up with you. Let's see. She thought to herself, raising an eyebrow at the trio who were happily chatting.
It was indeed a literal shortcut, as they easily reached their destination through the shortcut they took.
"You saved us, Ericka; I had assumed we would have to take the longer route." She recalled her cousin saying that back then.
"We were so exhausted; good thing I remembered a shortcut from when we were kids."
Isabel even tapped Ericka back then.
"Do you also know that shortcut, Thalia?" she asked. She wouldn't really let it go unless she caught it in its trap.
"Thalia?" Ericka asked innocently…
"No, Thalia doesn't know this, and besides, she just visited here for the first time." Ericka replied.
"Isabel, are you upset again about what happened earlier when I didn't say goodbye?" Thalia asked her directly.
She just stared at the one who asked her. "No, I'm not upset, but I'm more worried, Thalia."
Thalia just nodded at what she said.
"Well, I just found out now that Ericka knows some shortcuts. I'm sure we will use that shortcut that Ericka taught us now." Thalia innocently said to her.
"Yeah, that's great." Isabel smiled at her companions.
They will proceed to the hut where they are staying; her brother also knows where they are now.
"We're going to our room now; we'll get dressed first." Isabel said goodbye, and Tricia simply followed her lead.
She immediately locked it.
"Upset? I'm really upset!" she said angrily once they were inside the room.
"Well, cheer up! We already know a shortcut that we can use, and we can use it on them." Her cousin just smiled at her.
Isabel just shook her head at what she heard.
"So? What did your brother say?" Tricia immediately asked her.
"In due time, we need to complete our mission to capture the three." Isabel said to her companion.
"Oh, that's why your face was restless earlier." Tricia sat down beside her.
"So? What's the plan?" Isabel immediately heard from her cousin, who was ready to listen to what she had to say.