The soldier led Lexi across the grounds, his rifle bouncing against his shoulder, boots crunching against gravel. The night was alive with whispers and distant cries.
Around them, the camp breathed uneasily.
From the tents, the stench of unwashed bodies and sickness leaked into the cold air. Thin figures huddled together for warmth, mothers rocking skeletal children, old men staring blankly at the dirt. A boy with a half-bandaged arm reached out, begging quietly for food. The soldier kicked his hand away without looking back.
Lexi's eyes flicked to the other side of camp, past the floodlights and armed guards, where the real buildings stood. There were balconies there, curtains swaying from open windows. Laughter drifted faintly from one of the upper floors—real laughter, fed and warm. She caught the shimmer of glasses raised in a toast.
So that's the hierarchy Ezra had spoken of.
The bottom: the tents.
The top: luxury.
Everything in between was a ladder, slick with blood and betrayal.
Lexi smirked faintly to herself. And ladders always have weak rungs.
Inside the Big Building
The soldier shoved open a heavy steel door, ushering her inside.
The contrast was jarring. Heat washed over her face; the smell of disinfectant replaced rot. The walls were lined with maps, weapons, and shelves stocked with actual supplies. Soldiers lounged on couches, clean uniforms and full bellies, their laughter sharp as they sipped from mugs of coffee.
"Here," the soldier said, pushing her forward.
At the far end of the hall, behind a long desk piled with files, sat a man in a pressed uniform. Mid-forties, sharp jawline, hair combed with military precision. His eyes, however, were flat—measuring, dissecting.
"Lexi." He said her name like he'd been expecting her.
She didn't answer. Just tilted her head, lips twitching into that faint, dangerous smile.
He tapped a folder. "Reports say you were… efficient today. Calm. Skilled." His gaze flicked to the soldier. "Efficient enough that my men took notice."
"What I need to know is how a student who have always being bullied and outcasted suddenly becomes smart, efficient and—skilled" His eyes scanning her.
Lexi remained silent, letting the pause stretch. She wanted him to speak first, to show more than he intended.
Finally, he leaned forward, steepling his fingers.
"We need survivors who can contribute. Most… don't last long." His tone hardened. "You, however, might. But I have to know if you're truly valuable—or just another body waiting to rot in my camp."
He snapped his fingers. Two guards appeared, tossing a bound man onto the floor. His face was bruised, eyes swollen with terror.
"He stole medicine from our stores," the superior said calmly. "Punishable by death. Since you're new, consider this your test."
The man whimpered, looking at Lexi with pleading eyes. "P-please… I was just trying to save my son…"
All eyes turned to her.
Would she execute him without hesitation?
Would she refuse and risk being branded unqualified?
The superior's lips curled into the faintest smirk. He was studying her, like she was another weapon to be weighed, sharpened—or discarded.