As Carol began her meticulous review of their interactions with Cody, Claus remained on high alert, his eyes darting between the windows and the door. The threat of the Beast's operative still loomed, and they couldn't afford to let their guard down.

Cody, unaware of the suspicions that now surrounded him, continued to offer insights and analysis on their situation. The tension in the room was palpable as Claus and others continue to look for bugs or signs of one.

After a thorough ...