A giant fishing net suddenly flew toward the group and dropped right over them. Before they could break free, another net came down. Then a third. Then a fourth. By the time the tenth net hit, the'd stopped struggling. The weight was unbelievable. Soon 40 heavy, lead-weighted nets were stacked on top of them. Even with three ability users and three mutant cats supporting them, the weight was still far too heavy. But the nets didn't stop coming. Then came 20 more, 30 ... 40 ... At that point, the nets could crush the air out of them. The people gave up. But the cats—being cats—did NOT. The huge mutant cats panicked under the nets. They kicked and twisted, claws slashing wildly as they tried to rip the nets apart. Their cries were sharp and miserable, echoing under the layers of nets. Even though it took all their strength just to push the nets up a few inches, they refused to stop. They yowled, pushed upward, clawed blindly, and fought to escape. The raiders trapped beside them tried to calm them down. Some even pulled out food to distract them, but nothing worked. More than one cat clawed the raiders by accident. They were already wearing light clothes because of the heat. Soon, the space inside the nets was full of scratches, blood, and chaos. These people were trackers. Their abilities weren't strong. The people caught under the nets were only low-level trackers. Their job was to follow Caroline, not to fight her. A few minutes later, the group inside the net were already half-beaten by their cats, covered in cuts and wounds. Some of the mutant cats finally calmed down a little. Others began attacking the raiders out of fear. Someone inside the nets couldn't take it anymore and used their ability.She was the only woman in the group. She raised her hand, and a blade formed along her palm. She stabbed at the mutant cat charging at her, teeth bared and ready to bite. She only wanted to calm the cat. But the space was tight, and a tight space means trouble. Her blade sliced the cat, but it also slipped and cut the shoulder of one of her teammates. Another cat that had calmed down by the food was startled by the sudden strike. "Don't attack!" the team leader shouted. Too late. The injured and frightened cats lunged at the group at the same time. The heavy fishing nets trapping them pushed down on their backs, making them even more frantic. Inside the layers of nets, chaos exploded. Caroline stood in the corner, watching as the group fought with their mutant animals. Blood splattered. People grew weak. The mutant cats weakened too. The nets acted like a sealed barrier, cutting them off from the outside world. Two people were killed by the mutant cats. The cats were badly hurt too. Right then, Caroline yanked the nets away. The mutant cats tried to run away, but she froze them to the ground. Only one person survived, the team's captain. Caroline needed him alive to bring him back to the shelter. She froze everything on him except his head, locking him in a solid block of ice so he couldn't move. Then she dragged him and the injured mutant cats into the back of a small truck she just pulled out from storage space. During the ride, the captain tried to talk to her. Caroline didn't answer.Finally, desperate, he shouted, "Caroline! Are you trying to go against the military?!" Caroline turned and glared at the captain with disdain. "You track innocent people, set traps, and try to grab them alive. And you call yourselves the military? You dare to pretend you're the good guys? "I let you live. That was me being kind. And you still think you can threaten me?" Yes, they were soldiers. But not from Nathaniel's side. They were under another commander from Hornvale: Andrew, the same commander the Lowlands used to follow. Caroline had already heard Alger's warning. She knew Andrew's people might target her, which was why she didn't kill the first group that tailed her. She let them walk away. In the apocalypse, even if the higher-ups fought for power, the soldiers below had once protected civilians. But when she used the "I'm your mom" ability on the two hired mutants, she learned Andrew's plans. On her way back, these soldiers still came after her. She wasn't going to hold back anymore. Andrew thought that after Nathaniel died, no one in Hornvale could stop him. He planned to swallow every bit of territory Nathaniel once controlled.