Simoya arrived about forty minutes later.
The helicopter landed roughly a hundred meters from the temporary workstation. She led a group carrying stretchers briskly across the grass. The lights atop the helicopter shone over the road, illuminating the area as brightly as day.
Theresa had noticed the arrival long ago. She stood not far from the exit, intending to give Simoya a brief greeting.
However, when Simoya pushed open the door and Theresa saw the fire in her face and eyes, Theresa naturally turned around and headed up the stairs, pretending she needed to find something upstairs.
As expected, Simoya went straight to Hesta. Soon afterward, the people she had brought filed out, carrying the freshly operated-on casualty back to the helicopter. Among them was the smallest reservist, shackled in heavy restraints, eyes lowered as she lay beside her sleeping companion.
Hesta personally opened the remaining two spare cages and led the women out into the wilderness. Simoya followed at Hesta's side, her expression cold.
The two reservists both looked unsettled. They walked ahead of Hesta, took a few steps, then looked back.
"You're really just letting us go?" one of them asked. "Once we leave, we leave. Don't expect us to show you any mercy if we meet again."
"Just deliver the message," Hesta said.
The two young women seemed to want to say more but hesitated. Their gazes lowered, then their brows drew together. "Give up these unrealistic fantasies while you still can. Stop doing such stupid things."
As she spoke, her gaze flicked quickly toward Simoya.
"You didn't get any information about Deep Anchor from us tonight. No matter how many of our people you capture in the future, the result will be the same." She looked at Hesta. "Maybe one day, you'll understand us after all."