Sera's recovery line came from the rear fog in a tight formation, denser then the previous squads and already oriented for capture rather than probe.
Tohu's agent did not check back at them, he maintained his focus on Zeus and the others as if only the second pressure was confirmation of his expectations. The lane felt smaller to his awareness with both pressures at his sides and no soft edge, no side cut that he could trust, no more room for buying distance with clever routing.
Athena kept her voice low and firm, "If we split focus we lose both sides. We will break one line completely and survive the other to the best of our ability."
Zeus already knew she was right. He could sense the recovery team sealing intervals of the rear while the current agent in front held the only visible way through like a willed gate of will and armor. The pressure of chaos under his skin threatened to rise. He swallowed it and made a clean choice.
