The group split into two pairs—Evelyn and Caleb moving east while Carter veered west, his movements confident despite the growing tension.

“You trust him?” Caleb asked quietly as they moved through the underbrush.

“No,” Evelyn replied without hesitation.

“Then why are we working with him?”

“Because we don’t have a choice,” Evelyn said. “And because Carter doesn’t do anything without a reason.”

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Caleb frowned. “And what’s his reason this time?”

Evelyn didn’t answer.

The forest grew darker as they moved, the trees pressing closer together like a cage. Caleb’s flashlight flickered faintly, its beam catching on twisted roots and jagged rocks.

“You think he’ll come back?” Caleb asked after a while.

“He always does,” Evelyn said quietly.

Caleb glanced at her, his curiosity deepening. “You really think he’s still after the Vault?”

Evelyn’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Carter’s always been after the same thing: control. The Vault is just another way to get it.”

“And you?” Caleb asked.

“What about me?” Evelyn replied.

Caleb’s gaze was steady. “What are you after?”

Evelyn didn’t answer, her focus locked on the trail ahead.