"How are you? Did you gather any new information, Gerald?" He was occupied with tracking down the call that utilized Thalia's number. He smiled and looked at William, who was drinking coffee despite the hot weather.
He was in the basement with his brother; he had already put down his things, and Gerald stretched his muscles.
"Well, I have, brother." He said.
"What is it?" Zenne inquired about the location of the bullet graze he sustained earlier.
"Vince's premonition was correct; they will abduct those three." He said.
He didn't speak; he was thinking now. He knew his mother was worried about why he didn't join the escape.
Sorry, Mom, I need to avenge my younger sibling. He could only say it in his mind.
Someone ruffled his hair. "Gerald, if things get really tight here, just run away. I would rather not put my other sibling in danger." He felt the concern in his brother's voice.
"I need to help you, right? Please don't blame yourself for what happened back then." He just clenched his fist.
William looked at him intently, but he didn't say anything more.
"Please, rely on me if any problems arise." He was immediately tapped on the shoulder.
"Keep me updated on the information you gather." He added.
Gerald just nodded at what his brother said. He always blames himself for what happened to their youngest sibling.
If I had accompanied her to buy school supplies back then, the incident wouldn't have happened to you. I'm an irresponsible older brother to you. He blames himself for what happened to his sibling.
"Gerald," Vince called out to him.
He just opened his eyes, once again consumed by his regret that was difficult to escape. Gerald simply looked at the person who called him.
"Are you okay?" Vince, puzzled by Gerald's behavior, asked him if he was okay.
He just nodded. "I'm sorry." He apologized to the person he was talking to.
"Follow them, Ericka, now." He said.
"Why?" Gerald asked the person he was talking to.
"They will collect the evidence tonight."
Gerald looked at Vince and the other people who were listening.
"Why?" William asked. "Is it too risky to do that?" he heard his confused brother ask.
Vince just scratched his head.
"Gerald, make a diversion tonight; don't worry, someone will help you." Vince said to Gerald.
Gerald turned around to see who would help him. These are the young women whom William helped.
"Wait there." This was all Zenne could say as he approached Vince.
"Vince, you don't know what you're doing; you might betray us." Zenne said this while looking at the three young women present.
"We need to do it." He let out a sigh. "They're a good person, and besides, Thalia saved them." He heard Vince say.
"What are you thinking about right now, Vince?" His brother calmly asked, frowning.
"I will tell you, but not now. I don't know if this worked." Gerald only listens to the two; he patiently waits for what Vince will command of him.
"E—excuse me, w—we are ready to help with whatever it is." This is what the woman said.
They all just looked at each other.
"Whatever happens with your plan, Vince, it's up to you." His brother just sighed.
Vince just tapped William.
"Gerald, listen to my plan." Vince immediately said.
Vince immediately presented the plan, but he could only swallow hard at his troubling thoughts.
"You are the only one who knows how to divert their attention." Vince said to him seriously.
Gerald was hesitant about whether to accept what Vince was asking him to do; he was thinking that they might get caught by the staff and fail.
Vince tapped him. "You are the only one I can trust right now, Gerald. You are familiar with every aspect of this place." Vince said.
You're here now to help; don't be cowardly presently, Gerald. He scolded himself.
So, he looked at Vince and nodded. Vince smiled at him and patted him.
"Don't worry, we will be there." He said, and he nodded.
He approached the three young women who would serve as bait tonight. They listened to his plans so that things wouldn't go wrong and their lives wouldn't be in danger.
They prepared what they might need later. The darkness has already set in. He looked at the clock. They are about to leave the basement. Their lodging, Ericka, is nearby. They have already entered the forest. The cold wind caresses their entire bodies, making their hair stand on end.
Although Gerald felt nervous, he needed to complete the task that Vince had assigned to him. He put on the mini-wireless earphones, which he used to communicate with his companions.
He secretly called Ericka to inform her of his current plan; they would confuse those following Ericka to where they would gather the evidence.
He is waiting and observing. With the hut where the three are staying, the three young women who will help carry out the plan are also there. Before long, he saw three shadows emerge from the hut; he immediately signaled the three women with him, and they nodded in agreement.
A little later, two more people followed.
I hope this succeeds. He just prayed in his mind while executing the plan.
He was secretly moving without the two noticing.
"Followed the plan." He whispered to his mini wireless earphones.
He immediately followed the three women. They plan to confuse those following Ericka's group. He noticed that one of the other companions hesitated to follow, but she didn't immediately see which direction their group went, so she fell into their trap, and two followed their group.
Gerald's group followed their movements, Ericka's, so their paths wouldn't cross, and he knew where they would go. He followed them, doing what they had planned, and the three didn't give anything away at that time. However, there were times when they would stop following, and he was concerned that they might realize they were being tracked.
He was worried that it wouldn't follow, so to make the two follow, his companion devised a plan. The other stopped for a moment, seemingly confused about which way to go, and the plan worked, so the two followed.
He was just waiting; he saw that she was digging something.
"I'll give you five minutes; you need to get that immediately." He whispered to his earpiece then.