When we made it back to his tent, I was able to get a good look at it. I hadn't managed the first time I was taken there, as I had a sack over my head, and I didn't bother when leaving for the chow line. The tent was set up on a clear and level patch of ground, half on a paved area and half on the dirt.

The roof's center part was sticking higher than the rest, and I recalled the wooden pole erected in the center. The tent was an olive green canvas fading from years of use. As I looked closer, I could see multiple rips and holes lining the walls, some with small patches on them and others that didn't.

"How old is this tent?" I asked.

"This isn't just a tent," Enzo admonished. "This is a GP-Medium, one of the finest pieces of equipment to come out of the military, and it's..." He let out a long breath, "maybe older than me, I'm not really sure. But it's done me right these past few years. I'm surprised you don't know what it is. I thought they were giving you all a military education in that camp?"

He opened the flap and gestured for me to enter. I thought carefully about how I wanted to answer as I entered the tent. When the flap closed, I was surprised at how dark it had become. I waited a moment for my eyes to adjust. While I did, Enzo started to roll up a flap on the side that let some light into the small space.

"We didn't have a whole lot of opportunities to go outside and camp," I said. I wasn't giving away anything he didn't already know.

"But didn't they teach you about this stuff?" he asked.

He was busy tying up some other flaps while he asked, so I couldn't tell if it was an innocent question or if he was gauging the amount of training we received. Not knowing how much information to give, I stayed silent. It didn't bother Enzo; he only glanced at me for a moment before finishing with the flaps and sitting back down in his camp chair.

Enzo looked pensive for a moment before continuing. "Each camp is different, you seem to be fairly educated in military customs and courtesy, so I didn't know what else they taught you. Sit down."

I sat as instructed.

Enzo let out a long growling sigh, "You're killing me with all this formality. But don't worry, it's not your fault. It's that damn camp." He slammed his fist on the armrest of his chair. "So, they taught you how to behave around them but didn't teach anything else?"

"They taught some people more than others," I said vaguely. "I taught myself a lot about the military and tactics since we have a small library."

"So, you weren't just treated like slaves?"

"I don't think so," I replied, but I had no basis for comparison.

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"That's good," Enzo said before nodding his head. "I told you earlier that I don't like to play games, so I'll be straightforward with you. The truth is that this is a hellish camp to assault. We've been here for a few weeks, but we haven't been able to get much information on it.

"Coordinated guards and patrols force us to keep our distance. And, as you mentioned before, the only scout that managed to get close has most likely been compromised. In order to liberate this camp, I need all the information you can provide. Come here." He got up and walked to a table on the far side of the tent.

I followed him to the table. When I got to the table, I saw a map laid over it, with rocks on the corners to keep it in place. Enzo placed a meaty finger to the top right at what looked like the side of a mountain.

"This is where we are right now," he said. He slid his finger down to the left, where a small cluster of rectangles was drawn. The shapes also appeared to be on the side of the mountain. "This is where your camp is."

He reached under the table, brought up a sheet of paper, and placed it down. The sheet was filled with hand-drawn rectangles and squares and seemed to be in a similar pattern to the smaller ones on the map.

"This is a rough sketch of what our scout could observe these past few weeks. As you might have noticed, it's not much different from the drawing on the map, which is good, but we have no idea what any of these buildings are. Our scout said he rarely noticed anyone walking around, and if it wasn't for the guards and patrols, he would have thought it was abandoned. We weren't even sure kids were here until you showed up."

I looked at the map and drawing, and I was just as lost as Enzo with everything. They always kept us underground; there wasn't a map to look at before we left on the mission. Enzo must have confused my lack of knowledge with not wanting to give away information.

"You don't have to tell me anything right now," he said. "I understand that this is all new. We're still a while off from conducting an operation too. But with your information, we can hopefully make it safer for the other kids in the camp when we go in." He paused and put his hand on my shoulder. "I don't want to push or force you to do this, though. For now, we'll let you get situated here; if you decide to stay, that is."

I decided that it would be best, for now, to let him continue to think that. It was partially true; I wasn't sure I wanted to give him the information. But from what he showed me, I didn't have any answers to give him. I nodded in agreement, and he nodded back.

"Melody," he yelled toward the tent flap. "Victor," he yelled after he didn't receive a response. Victor's head popped into the opening of the tent flap and looked at Enzo. "Go get Melody for me."

Victor nodded, and his head popped back out. After a few moments, Melody's head popped in the flap with a long and languid, "Yeeeeeeesssssss?"

"Why are you so weird?" Enzo dejectedly asked but didn't wait for a response. "Get Aidren situated with a tent and some supplies. Then show him around the rest of the camp and how we do things."

"I already got him some things. They're right out here whenever you're done," Melody said and slowly pulled her head out with a wicked smile.

Enzo took a deep, nasally breath. "Well, good luck," he said, then patted me on the back and pushed me to the exit. I suddenly felt reluctant to leave, but I couldn't do anything to counter being ejected from the tent. "We really do need your help Aidren. We'll talk tomorrow, but if you think of anything you want to tell me before that, my door is always open."

I was pushed out of his tent, and the flap was closed. I could see as he fastened the buttons from the inside to secure it from flapping in the wind.

"Ready?" Melody asked with a smile. "I know the perfect place to set up your tent."

"Lead the way," I said.