Road to Arcadia: the Path East

Chapter Eighteen: Raid

Progress was a word that, if you had used it to describe the day, would have been a generous offer. Only about a handful of people approached the team asking questions of Arcadia. Those who thought it was a joke asked with amused grins and embellished inflections. Those that knew nothing about it only furrowed their brows with each detail explained. It was a better use of their time to get more information about the status of the town and its surrounding area.

It wasn't much different than other places nearby, most of them would start off by saying. The years of drought had cleared out their agriculture and with the destruction of houses to the south, the increasing populations only frayed an already thin food supply. The mayor and town council had struck a deal with an outside supplier, a nongovernmental organization tasked with filling in the gaps left emptied by their unfortunate circumstances. But when their sources ran low as well, they had to make some compromises at the expense of the ones they served.

Even with their dire situation laid bare, they couldn't be convinced to come aboard. They were going to get through it, they claimed, a resilience almost as admirable as their optimism. Though, Kai couldn't help but wonder, at what point did optimism progress into denial until it reverted back to disillusionment?

The words coming out of the mouths of these residents were all too familiar to him.

Deon asked for names, to see if there was anyone the locals knew for fact would be willing to join the Arcadian crew, but they were met with a mix of head shakes and I'll have to get back to you on that's. The day lingered. As the sun climbed higher, hitting more area with its inescapable heat, the crowd diminished. Some remained, proclaiming their disgust, demanding care for those the city leadership left behind. Kai noted one who indignantly declared they would not leave until they had answers.

When the heat became too much, the B-side of the Baz squad retreated to their bus. They drove around town, searching for anyone in need, hoping to fill in blanks left by unclear messengers.

It was quiet.

For a place full of life, Kai did not like how quiet it was.

He had to do something. Doing nothing was an old way of thinking. Doing nothing was a choice he abandoned when he joined the R&R.

He made his way to the back of the bus where the most introverted squad member sat.

"Hey," he started, voice low enough so only the two of them could hear.

Jey glanced up from reorganizing his bag, attention now fully severed from the task in his hands. "What?" he hissed.

"What do you make of this whole thing?"

He narrowed his eyes. "What whole thing?"

Kai's chin bobbed as he talked. "You know, rolling around in a town full of hungry people who don't have access to food even though it's waiting for them inside another building."

Jey was catching on, but didn't want to humor him just yet. "I think this is just another day in the R&R. This place ain't special."

"You don't feel bad for them?"

He didn't appreciate the response. "If I felt bad for them then I'd have to feel bad for every person on the planet."

"And?"

Jey glared at him. "What do you really want?"

Kai leaned in closer. "I have reason to believe that you have experience in the redistribution of wealth."

"Loose lips sink ships, you know."

"Good thing this is a bus."

Jey rolled his eyes.