As they entered the canteen, the clatter of trays and the murmur of conversations filled the air. The five of them walked to an empty table at the far end of the room. The group settled into their seats, focusing on the task ahead.
Patrick seemed more composed now, but Aiden could still sense a simmering tension beneath the surface. He couldn't quite place it, but something about Patrick had definitely changed since their earlier encounter.
The two new team members; Jaxon, a tall, wiry guy with messy black hair and Clara, a petite girl with sharp, hawk-like eyes, sat down with casual ease, ready to discuss their upcoming challenge.
"So, what's the plan?" Jaxon asked, breaking the silence as he took a large bite out of his sandwich. His nonchalant tone was in stark contrast to the gravity of the situation.
"Yeah, we need to strategize if we want to make it out of this alive," Clara added, her sharp eyes scanning the group.