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He grabbed his pants and pulled them on.
“Shower,” he said with a nod.
Loving him more for his consideration and the space he was allowing me, I took a quick shower and discovered things were almost back to normal. Sounds from the kitchen drifted into my room as I dressed.
By the time I opened the door, I could hear Steve begging for the first plate since he’d been the first one up.
“Okay. But you do clean up,” Molev said.
“Fine by me.”
Everyone was in a good mood as we quickly ate and discussed what Molev had planned for the day. Roni and Steve were willing to do the initial demonstrations, and Sid agreed to pair up with Molev again to do more advanced training after the midday break.
A pickup truck was waiting for us when we left.
“This is all we have today,” the soldier said. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Roland said. “Riding in the back beats walking any day.”
They gave us a lift to the training grounds where personnel were unloading coolers.
“We have water in these,” one woman said, “and food in the ones we’ll stack off to the side. If you need more of anything, just radio it in.”
“Thank you,” Molev said.
They’d no sooner left than the first wave of vehicles appeared with the volunteers. I took in the wild array of people, mentally categorizing. We had a fairly even split of men and women, ranging in age from sixteen to seventy. Some of them looked like they hadn’t slept or eaten well in weeks, which wasn’t a surprise. Desperation radiated from each one of them.
I glanced at the rest of my team and saw they were all watching as well. Molev caught my eye and nodded as the last group left their vehicle.
“Good morning!” I called loudly. “And welcome to Camp Irwin. You’re here because you showed interest in starting a new life away from the camps. If you feel you’re in the wrong place, please return to the vehicles.”
No one moved toward the vehicles, but several people were moving closer to the coolers.
“If I can have your undivided attention for five minutes, I’ll give you a quick rundown of what to expect today.” Everyone but one man focused on me. “This is Molev. He is one of the many men who emerged from the crater in Irving, Texas. He is not responsible for the hounds or the disease that the hounds have spread. However, he is immune. He’s working with our doctors, who hope to create a cure. While they work, he has volunteered to teach some skills that will help keep us alive out there.
“Yes, out there…beyond the barrier where the rest of his people are. They know how to fight and kill the hounds. We”—I gestured to my team and myself—“are alive because of Molev. Since joining us, he has killed six hounds and thousands of infected. And he’s only one man.
“It is possible to live outside the barrier with their help. That is why you are here. They are looking for human volunteers to help create a community where his people and our people can peacefully co-exist. We will not sugarcoat what you will face out there. If you have questions at any point, ask. You’re probably not the only one with the question you have.”
Roni stepped forward and took over speaking, as we’d discussed.
“As you know, volunteering doesn’t mean you’ll be selected. We are looking for people who are willing to work hard as individuals, together as a team, and resolve conflict peacefully. Today and tomorrow, we will ask you to participate in different activities. We do not expect perfection. But we are watching for the three things I mentioned.
“When your name is called, please come forward.”
Steve unfolded his piece of paper and started calling off his fourteen names. “You are Team Steve for the first half of the day.” He moved to the side with his people and started a quiet conversation with them. Just random stuff to break the ice and get to know them.
Katie went next. The volunteers started to relax a little. The guy who was eyeing the coolers was edging closer to them. He was underweight and probably still hungry despite the breakfast I knew he’d been given. Yet, I already knew he wouldn’t be going with us to Whiteman. Rather than asking what was in the cooler, stating he was still hungry, or any other honest approach, he was simply hyper-focused on the coolers.
I caught the eye of one of the soldiers standing off to the side. He nodded and went to speak to the man, quietly leading him back to a truck. Likely, he would be fed another meal and sent to rest in the housing until the transport back.
After Roland finished calling his group, I went last and called off my names.
“You are Team Andie,” I said. “We’ll work together in this group until lunch. If you have any problems or questions before then, please ask me. That’s why I’m here.”
“Where did that guy by the coolers go?” a younger woman asked.
“Probably back to the mess hall for more food,” I said. “He’ll be fed and housed until it’s time to return with the rest of the volunteers who are not selected.”
