“A beer would be great, Colonel,” said Mike, half joking.
“Well now, that’s the problem with cutting the line,” Baker replied. “You missed the sign out front with the rules of conduct. Let’s get them in front of it when we’re done here,” he said to a guard.
“We don’t drink here; nobody does. How about some lemonade?”
“Yes, sir! Thank you, Colonel,” said Max, with Mike agreeing.
“I hear you ran into some trouble on your way here. Is that right?”
“Yes, Colonel, we were headed...”
“Not you, Sergio. I want to hear from them,” Baker replied.
“We were ambushed,” said Mike, speaking up. “Some got hit, and some got killed on both sides.”
“Is that so? Lucky, Sergio, that you and Max here didn’t get shot in the gut like Mike, or in the face. Just arms, I see, but not the same side.”
Max was getting nervous and was not expecting this much scrutiny.
“And Max, I hear you hid under the truck during the what-did-you-call-it, Mike? Oh yes…ambush. Is that right?”
“Well, sir, I am a medic and we are trained to lay low. We can’t help someone else if we’re dead.”
Baker paused.
“Colonel, it’s time for your bath,” came the voices of females from the back.
“I guess the good Lord was watching out for all of you today. He knows we have much more work to be done in His name. Sergio?”
“Yes, Colonel?”
“Try to be nice to Max, will you?”
“Yes, sir. I will try.”
“I know you will because I’m putting him under your supervision,” said the Colonel. “Mike also for now, but only until he heals up. I have other plans he can help me with. Show Max around and get him introduced to the other medical staff and get Mike settled into the infirmary.
“I’ll call for you in the next few days, Mike, to go over your pledged information.”
“Any questions, Sergio?”
“No, sir. I can do that.”
* * * *
Mike had his own room, or tent suite, at least for now, and Sergio appointed Max as his primary caretaker.
“I see what you did,” Max told Sergio. “You had to make it look like you didn’t like me so he would tell you to watch me.”
“I don’t like you. Never have,” Sergio replied with a straight face, “and Mike’s the same.”
“Wait a minute. I thought... I mean, have I ever done any...”
“He’s messing with you,” said Mike, laughing.
“Wait, are you?”
“Am I?” Sergio replied.
Max looked confused.
“Yeah, I’m just messing with you, as Mike said. Now,” he added in a whisper only they could hear, “don’t trust anyone—and Max, that includes all the medical staff too. They may not be okay with everything, but they will rat you out in a cool second to save their own skin. Got it?”
“Yeah, but what about Mike?”
“He’s been around the block a few times and needs no such instructions. Here,” he said, tossing the Indian key to Mike. “It smells like sweaty boots but starts… One hell of a machine!”
Mike pretended to take a big whiff, holding the keys to his nose.
“I smell bacon,” he joked.
“Ooh,” said Max. “That’s just not right.”
* * * *
Mike and Max spent the next few days quietly observing their surroundings. Mike didn’t get around much—only twice a day to sit in the sun for a couple of hours each stint. He didn’t mind; it was enough to see the pace of the camp. Who came, who went, and the interactions between the guards, the citizens (if you could call them that) and the hardware. Keeping an eye out for the helicopters Baker had talked about, he saw none, and heard even less.
He talked to a few people casually, asking when they were moving on again. It was clear they didn’t know or care as long as they were fed, showered, protected, and preached to daily at 10 a.m. sharp. Mike wondered about the men who lost their wives and girlfriends to Baker and most of his higher-ups. So far, he hadn’t heard any rumblings about it. And after what he had witnessed at the lake, it didn’t seem too out of the ordinary, at least for these times.
“Spineless converts,” he said out loud to no one. “I should start my own community. You can keep your wives and girlfriends, keep your kids and your dog,” he continued.
“Yeah, but you can’t preach for crap,” said Max, tapping him on the shoulder and getting a rare twitch out of him.
“That doesn’t happen often,” Mike admitted, “but you’re probably right. I wouldn’t want to talk for an hour every day to a group of strangers.”
* * * *
It had only been a few days, but Mike was eating regularly and getting his strength back. Today he walked unassisted outside the infirmary tents to his usual perch on the outside of the bustling main drag through camp.
“Mike, we have to go,” said Sergio. “Baker wants to talk. I’ll get some guys to help.”
“No, I’m good. Just walk with me, and I’ll get there on my own.”
“Okay, but you know what this meeting is, right?” continued Sergio.
“Yep. It’s the one I’ve been waiting for since I left my real group.”
“One misstep is all it takes,” said Sergio.
“I know. Trust me, I have a lot more to lose than you.”
“Don’t be so sure,” Sergio replied. “I know everything you do and a lot more that would scare the hell out of most men.”
“I’m not most men,” replied Mike.
“I know. That’s why you’re here. We make our move in one week.”
* * * *
“Mike,” said Baker on introduction. “Are you clean?”
“He is,” said one of his guards, after patting him down.
“Good to hear. Situational awareness is half the battle; I’m convinced of that. Anyway, have you been enjoying the sermons?”
“Yes, Colonel,” Mike replied. “I haven’t heard that pitch before.”
“It’s no pitch, Mike.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that as it sounded. I mean, I haven’t heard…” that angle, he almost said, catching himself mid-sentence and changing to “I haven’t heard the Word spoken in such a way before.”
“So, you
