Felicia was flabbergasted. She never imagined Kayla, in her attempt to connect with her family, would lose her life—at the hands of the Carrell family, no less! Pete, her distant cousin by blood, was involved.

Felicia wanted to observe further, but the distance was too great, and a thin fog within the canyon obscured her view. Kayla's fate was now uncertain. During this pause, Stephan's men secured three ropes, preparing to descend.

Just as Felicia reached for a rope, Stephan stopped her. "Stay here. I'll get what we need and return. Wait."

"Grab what?" Before Felicia could ask, Stephan released her hand and plunged downward. In seconds, he vanished.

Felicia was startled, then furious. Was he trying to injure himself further? Despite his wounded hands, he descended at breakneck speed! A fall from that height could kill him instantly.

The wind from Stephan's descent dispersed some of the fog. Through her binoculars, she saw him land smoothly and confidently. He seemed to sense her watching, tilting his head and gesturing for her to calm down, as if patting her head from afar.

She rolled her eyes, gripping the rope. The urge to follow him was strong; she rarely obeyed orders to wait. But before she could act, Stephan's men surrounded her.

"Ma'am, Mr. Russell has descended with a team. Please don't go; it's too dangerous!"

Felicia considered her abilities and restrained herself. She sat on the cliff edge, occasionally using her binoculars. Unfortunately, the fog thickened, reducing visibility.

Frowning, she strained to hear any sounds. Without looking away, she asked the men, "Have you located Stanley and his group? They should be nearby. Regroup them with us."

"Yes, ma'am." The men nodded.

The Russells used a unique communication system—bird calls produced by a whistle—varying by location and situation. If Stanley's team was nearby, they would hear it. Indeed, a similar call echoed from across the canyon, but its hurried, tense rhythm was alarming.

Felicia asked, "Is that Stanley? What's he saying?"

One man's face tightened with worry. "It's Stanley. He found explosives on the opposite cliff. Many of them. If they detonate, the canyon will collapse. He warned us not to descend."

But the warning was too late! Stephan had already led a team into the canyon!

Felicia's expression hardened. "You go to the other side and disarm the most dangerous explosives. I'll warn them!"

"Ma'am, it's too dangerous. You can't—"

Before the man finished, Felicia grabbed a rope, flipped over the cliff edge, and slid down with surprising agility. In moments, she reached the bottom. Moments earlier, she'd scolded Stephan for his reckless descent, yet here she was, mirroring his daring feat.