Which word is closest in meaning to belated as it is used in this excerpt?

...one by one the noises in the street subsided, until the hurrying footsteps of the last belated straggler died away in the distance and left no sound behind.

Which detail from "the city without us" most clearly shows us that nature is more powerful than it appears this is for apex 2019 a. the great size of the trees that grow in the new york botonical garden b. the worthlessness of the money left in the bank vaults that remain intact c. the hurricanes that frequently pummel us soil coastal cities d. the size of the japanese insect that can kill hemlock trees