EVE

Chapter Forty-Nine

(Am I fighting on the losing side?) 

~Alberto~

The moon cast a silvery glow over the forest as Team Delta and I plunged into the dense underbrush. The forest was alive with nocturnal sounds, the crunch of leaves underfoot, the distant hoot of an owl, and the rustle of unseen creatures. My mind, however, was focused solely on finding her.

"Keep your eyes peeled, and stay close," I ordered my team. 

"We'll sweep this area and then regroup at the old oak tree."

As we moved deeper into the forest, my thoughts wandered back to Eve, her laughter, her jokes, and the memories came one after the other. Hours passed, and the forest grew darker. The undergrowth became thicker, making our progress slow and arduous. Finally, Angelo caught up to me, his flashlight illuminating the path ahead.

"Alberto," he called out, his voice tinged with exhaustion, "we can't go further. It's late, and the team is worn out."

I turned to face him, my face set in a grim mask. 

"We can't stop now, Angelo. She's out there. We need to find her."

Angelo placed a hand on my shoulder, his expression softening. 

"I understand, but we need to be smart about this. We won't be any help to her if we're too tired to see straight. We need to regroup and come back with fresh eyes."

Reluctantly, I nodded, knowing he was right. 

"Alright. Let's head back. We'll pick up the search first thing in the morning."

As we made our way back to the command center, the weight of the situation settled heavily on my shoulders. Once inside, I sank into a chair, running a hand through my hair. Angelo sat across from me, his face etched with concern.

"Alberto," he began, his tone careful, "we need to talk about Eve."

I met his gaze, a mixture of anger and pain flashing in my eyes. 

"What about her?"

Angelo sighed, leaning forward. 

"You know how I feel. I've always thought Eve wasn't good enough for you. She's uneducated, unpredictable, and now she's dragging you into more trouble with this search."

I clenched my fists, struggling to keep my emotions in check. 

"You don't know her like I do, Angelo. She's more than what you see on the surface. She's strong, brave, and she's always had my back."

Angelo shook his head. 

"I just worry about you, brother. I want you to be safe, to be happy. And I don't think Eve can give you that."

Before I could respond, my phone buzzed loudly on the table. I grabbed it, seeing an unknown number flashing on the screen. I answered it, my voice tense.

"Hello?"

"Mr Don, it's Lucas," came the voice on the other end. 

"I've got a lead on Eve. She's been spotted in the nearby village. You need to get here, now."

My heart raced as I ended the call. I looked at Angelo, determination in my eyes. 

"She's been seen in the village. We need to go."

Angelo nodded, understanding the urgency.

We gathered our gear quickly, the fatigue from the search momentarily forgotten. As we drove towards the village, the silence between us was heavy with unspoken thoughts. Angelo broke it first.