Offer accepted and settled in

I paused, considering the stark offer. "That's bold. I could be a monster in here. Just pull your weight with the work—that'll be enough." The side hatch hissed open, and I stepped into the frame.

Mira’s shoulders dropped as she released a tight breath. She gave a curt, efficient nod, her eyes quickly taking in my appearance—the worn jacket, the shoulder-length hair, my shaven face, the dust on my boots.

“We can work,” she stated evenly. “I cook, clean, maintain gear, keep watch. The girls learn fast. We won’t slow you down.”

“Yeah!” Lena chirped. “We can fix things!”

Rina only nodded once. “We work.”

I motioned them inside. “Get in. We’re not staying here. You armed? Trained?”

They moved swiftly toward the hatch. Lena scrambled up eagerly, peering into the dim interior with wide eyes. Rina entered more cautiously, casting one last look at the ruins outside before stepping into shadow. Mira came last, pausing on the threshold before entering.

Her hand drifted to her hip. “Pistol and a knife. The girls know blades.”

“Stow your gear. There are blankets in the side lockers—make yourselves beds while I drive.” I turned back toward the cockpit.

Mira dipped her head. “We’ll keep clear.”

Lena giggled, hoisting a small pack. “Blankets! It’s so big in here! You think there’s food?”

Rina was already moving toward the rear, scanning the compartment with a quiet intensity before settling into a corner to unpack.

I kept driving toward the next village, hours away, listening to them rustle through the lockers. Mira pulled out thick wool blankets and laid them over a flat metal bench, smoothing the fabric with a firm hand. Lena tossed pillows into a pile, humming something off-key and nervous. Rina sat cross-legged on the floor, working a rag along the edge of her knife with slow, deliberate strokes.