âDo we have any wireless headsets in the car? Maybe we can use them to contact Holden or Adrian,â Ariana said to the driver, desperately hoping to establish contact with Holden or Adrian.
âYes,â the driver replied, nodding before quickly returning to the car.
He tried to reach out for help using the wireless headsets but couldnât get through.
He shook his head at Ariana.
âI canât get a signal.
â
âWhat about a phone?â Arianaâs hope faltered, but she quickly collected herself and told the driver, âSee if you can call for assistance.
â
The driver followed her instructions, but the signals were jammed.
He couldnât make any calls.
Ariana was now feeling a sense of helplessness, but she knew giving up wasnât an option.
Going back to the manor was out of the question, especially since she didnât know what had occurred between Holden and Bennett.
The explosion was a sign that Bennett was behind this; only he was crazy enough to do this.
Ariana suspected Holden and Adrian had encountered something nearby.
Holden was not one to abandon his team, so if they were here, his vehicle had to be close.
But it was already dark; Ariana couldnât venture too far to search.
She decided to check the nearby area first.
If she found them, they could work together to figure out their next move.
If not, she would resume the search tomorrow and explore other options if needed.
Her only hope was that Holden and Adrian were still conscious and able to respond to her.
âLetâs search around while weâve still got some energy and before it gets too late,â Ariana advised the driver.
âBut first, letâs eat something.
Is there anything we can eat in the car?â 1
The driver appeared slightly surprised by Arianaâs calm demeanor.
He paused briefly before saying, âSure, there are supplies in the trunk.
Iâve got a flashlight and other items, too.
â
Hastily, he returned to the car to retrieve the items.
âMr.
Fredrick packed these, you know, just as a precaution,â he said while passing the flashlight to Ariana and demonstrating its functions.
âThis flashlight has a unique feature; itâs a bit specialâ¦â
After a brief demonstration, he handed Ariana a bag containing food and water, signaling her to eat.
âThank you,â Ariana replied, eagerly devouring some bread from the bag.
She understood the need to maintain her energy due to the challenges ahead.
âTo expedite, we can split up and search independently,â they concluded after eating and analyzing the situation.
They opted to initiate their search from the east, using the explosion site as a landmark.
Bennettâs estate was nestled deep within the forest, enveloped in a silence broken only by the chirping of insects and Arianaâs footsteps.
The cold night air cut through her like a knife, inducing shivers as she contemplated the aftermath of the explosion and feared encountering Holdenâs dead body.
She just wanted to see him alive.
During Arianaâs search, a sudden scream tore through the night, startling her to the point of dropping her flashlight.
Hastily, she picked it up and directed its beam toward the source of the sound.
The scream emanated from the area where the driver had headed.
Fearing for his safety, Ariana opted to halt her search for Holden and Adrian, hurrying back to find the driver.