Page 69 of The Explorer
“Old.” Banni tied up the end of the rope he was holding and jumped down from the back end. “When Isaac stopped by this morning, he informed us that he wants two members from our team to join Sifan on the Northern team.”
“Why can’t they get some new recruits?” I asked.
“Sifan can’t train four new recruits alone. Especially not if they’re unmotivated and hesitant.”
“Why would they take on unmotivated recruits?” Indiana asked and worked quickly tidying up the ropes.
“Because this isn’t a job that normal people want, Indy. Being an Explorer is hard and dangerous work. With another four of us dead, quality recruits aren’t going to be lining up. Isaac told us that management is bringing the new Explorers later today and we’re apprehensive about the standard. You can expect that they’ll need intense training.”
“But why does the loss on the Northern team have to split upourteam? Can’t they pick someone from another team? The five of us work well together.”
“They know we’re the strongest group of Explorers. After you two joined us, we’re twice as fast as any of the other groups.”
His comment made me feel proud, but then guilt hit me. “But does that mean management will move Alex and Val then? I mean, Indiana and I specifically made it a condition that we would be on your team, so they can’t move us, can they?”
“No, they can’t.”
Indiana frowned. “We don’t want to be the reason you’re losing your favorite colleagues.”
“It’s not your fault. Alex and I argued with Isaac before you got here this morning and we reached a compromise for now. Alex will team up with Sifan in the Northern group and train three new recruits. Val is staying with us and our team is taking on a new recruit too. As soon as that person is experienced enough to know what they’re doing, we’ll send them to Sifan’s team and get Alex back.”
I looked over to Alex and Val, who were talking in a corner of the hangar. “Was Alex onboard with that solution?”
“It was his suggestion, but keeping Val comes with a price. We’ve had to take over the lowest part of the Northern territory.” The way Banni was throwing off a weird vibe made me look to Indiana.
“If we’re so much faster, that shouldn’t be a problem, should it?” Indiana asked.
Banni answered in a solemn tone. “The area includes the worst place of them all. Paris used to be the capital of France and now it’s the place with the highest mortality rate among Explorers. I think that’s the reason that the Northern group has neglected the place for the past eight months. The testing is long overdue, and we’re ordered to go there next.”
“What’s different about Paris compared to the other ruined cities we’ve been to?”
“It’s cursed, Aubri.” Banni stacked the rolled-up ropes and placed a hand on the drone. “I don’t blame the Northern team for being scared of that city. It’s a massive place with old ruins everywhere and lots of hiding spaces for predators.”
“Can’t we do the testing from the sky or send in robots? Indiana asked.
“In some places,oui, but they’ve asked that we do ground samples. It’s been years since I was last there and since then I’ve heard stories. It’s not a place I want to go back to.”
“People exaggerate. I’m sure it’ll be fine,” I said in an attempt to be positive.
Both men looked at me with their foreheads full of frown lines.
“Well, I’m up for it,” I declared and received mumbled words in French from Banni, who moved around the drone with us following him. Looking back over his shoulder, he spoke to Indiana. “I’ve already canceled your fight on Thursday night. We’re leaving as soon as the new recruit arrives.” He stopped and faced us. “It’s a refuser.”
“A what?”
“A refuser is a woman refusing to do her duty and carry children. It’s a rare thing, but when it happens, they’re given the choice between prison and this work.”
“A woman is joining us?”
Banni nodded. “I’d rather take a male convict. At least they appreciate the freedom. Refusers are miserable company from beginning to end. Most times, it takes no more than one expedition to make them change their minds and have the children they’re supposed to have. It’s a waste of our time to train a person like that because they never stay long, but we have to do it.”
After we were done packing the drone, we helped Alex and his new teammate Sifan pack their drone in another hangar at the headquarters.
“Why is he even working?” I whispered to Banni with a nod in Sifan’s direction. “If he just lost four of his friends, shouldn’t he be home grieving?”
Banni and I were securing a raft to the drone and he spoke without slowing down. “People deal with grief differently. I’ve never taken time off to grieve and trust me, I’ve lost at least nine team members.”
I stopped working for a moment and stared at him. “How are you even functioning when you’ve lost that many?”
