Sergio and I walked until we reached the module where most of the people who were sleeping here were already there. Most of them were lying down with their cell phones while others were chatting in the area where there were several chairs and a small table.
- I see it very calm here," I said.
- Now you see it calm? I think we are the quietest module of all.
- That's for sure- Sergio assured- But I'm not proud of it.
I looked at Sergio, surprised.
- Why not," I asked.
Sergio sighed, as if he was tired of repeating the same thing over and over again.
- If I'm honest with you... I'd rather have a bit of a lively night than stay up playing cards and talking about... Well, about nothing.
Sergio was partly right, we didn't use to have much conversation when playing cards, it's as if most of us played out of obligation, when clearly it wasn't like that.
- Well, you're right, it's better to have a bit of a party but, in my opinion, it's a good atmosphere.
We both continued walking until we reached the end of the module. This was just a long corridor where there were a lot of bunks on one side and the other, although most of them were empty due to the massive abandonment of soldiers at the beginning of the year.
- Good evening everyone," exclaimed Sergio in high spirits.
All those present greeted us with joy, they were playing a game of poker. It was quite close, no doubt, very interesting to watch.
- It would be good if you could get a quick scabasesis, there are people here who want to play," I said.
Outside the module is one thing but inside it is where I get to be who I really am, a person with energy and charisma that, even if I'm humble, I'm still a bastard.
- At your orders, Sergeant Lucas," said one of the soldiers, "I have nothing left to do but finish off this prick," he looked at the soldier in front of him with a hesitant look. The other didn't answer, he just looked at his cards, looking for a strategy to counterattack.
Sergio and I watched the game in an entertaining way. They were both very good, as if they had been playing the game all their lives. I was just thinking that, as usual, I would have to stand guard again for losing in the first round.
The game did not last more than 10 minutes, something that was certainly appreciated, since standing up after a hard day of physical exercise did not help at all to stand and watch without doing anything.
The soldier hit the table after throwing his last card, securing the victory.
- YES!" he exclaimed happily.
The losing soldier leaned back on the wooden round and sighed as he threw his cards on the table.
- This is bullshit... It's always the same," he said.
Several more soldiers came through the main door, waving and coming to the end of the module next to us.
- We were the only ones missing," asked the newly arrived soldier.
- Yes," nodded the winner.
- Well, that's all of us then. Come on, let's play," he said, rubbing his hands together as he was looking forward to a good game.
We all grabbed a chair from the pile in the corner of the module and sat down in a circle, leaving us space from each other so we could play more comfortably.
- I've been thinking... - muttered a soldier - Don't you think it would be better to play something different this time?
- Why do you say that? Tired of winning, Mark?
- Of course not, but, I think we should try something different so that poor Lucas isn't always the one standing guard at night- He said while his gaze was directed at me.
They all burst out laughing, something that, personally, annoyed me.
- Yes, yes, very funny or the whole thing, but.... What do you have in mind," I asked a bit annoyed.
- Let's play blackjack- Mark suggested.
My eyes lit up when I heard that proposal. Blackjack was one of my favorite card games, not only because it was so simple, but because it evoked memories of Christmas parties with my family. We used it to decide who would get the last piece of pie, and those games always ended with laughter and friendly discussions. Although I knew it was a game of chance rather than skill, it was reassuring to know its rules, unlike the complicated game of poker.
-I thought it was great! -I exclaimed, unable to contain my enthusiasm.
The reaction was immediate: everyone turned their heads towards me. Some looked at me with mocking smiles, while others had an air of surprise, as if they didn't expect me to take aim so quickly.
-So... Is it all right with you all? -Mark asked, as he calmly sorted the deck.
-It's fine with me," answered Sergio, shrugging his shoulders.
-Me too," said another soldier.
-I'm not a big fan of these games, but well? Just to pass the time, I'm in," said one more, somewhat resigned.
Mark nodded in satisfaction. He began to shuffle the cards with quick, precise movements before dealing the exact amount to each of us. However, before starting, he let out a smile that put us on alert.
-Since I'm tired of always winning.... How about if this time I'm the banker? -he proposed with an innocent air that fooled no one.
The room erupted in protests.
-Bullshit! -I replied with a mixture of mockery and defiance. The bench has to be someone neutral, not you, we already know what your game is.
The rest nodded in unison, supporting my objection. Mark sighed dramatically, feigning defeat.
-All right, all right, all right.... -he muttered, his gaze sweeping around the room until he stopped at a bunk halfway up the bunk. MARKS!
The shout resounded loudly. Marcos, who was engrossed in his cell phone, jumped so much that he dropped the device to the floor.
-What the fuck do you want? -he replied, visibly annoyed, as he picked up his cell phone.
Mark motioned for him to come closer. Resigned, Mark climbed down from the bunk and walked towards us with an annoyed expression.
-Welcome to card night, Mark," Mark announced with a triumphant smile.
-Aha, yes, of course.... What do you want? -he asked, crossing his arms.
-We want you to be the dealer in this blackjack game," Mark replied cheekily.
We all nodded in unison, like a group of children asking permission to use a toy.
Mark rolled his eyes and sighed, grabbing a chair from the corner. He dragged it over to the table with a theatrical air and plopped down heavily.
-Give me an opening, come on," he ordered, not bothering to hide his reluctance.
We moved quickly to accommodate him. In the meantime, I took the opportunity to make a scathing comment.
-This time Mark will stand guard," I said, confidently.
Mark gave me a sly grin.
-Dream on, Lucas. You might come close," he teased, making everyone laugh.
Sergio slapped me on the back.
-You'd better not challenge the king of cards. It's worse for you," he said, laughing.
-I mimicked, babbling like a child.
With the atmosphere more relaxed, Mark handed the cards to Marcos. He took his role as banker seriously and began to deal them with precision. I raised mine carefully: a nine and an eight. They totaled seventeen. It wasn't a bad start, but it left me in a dangerous position.
I glanced sideways at Sergio, who was frowning as he looked at his. The rest of the players remained expressionless, hiding their intentions well.
"I could risk asking for another card," I thought, "but that would be praying for a miracle. And luck has never been on my side."
Mark broke the silence, addressing Mark first.
-Do you stand, ask for another, or fold? -he asked, looking at him with intensity.
Mark smiled, relaxed.
-Double? -he repeated, feigning surprise.
-If you double and lose, you get two nights on watch instead of one. Does that seem fair?
-And how do you know we bet guards? You never gamble," Mark accused.
-I'll be on my cell phone, but your screams can be heard even outside the base," replied Mark, amused.
-Well, it looks like I'm not the only one who noticed that," I said, smiling a little.
-Ha-ha, very funny," Mark snorted. I order another one.
Mark took a card and passed it to him. We all held our breath as Mark picked it up and assessed its fate. Finally, he reluctantly dropped the cards.
-23. I've gone too far," he said with a sigh.
A smile spread among us. Watching Mark face his first possible night watch was something none of us wanted to miss.
The shift continued with the other players making tense decisions, until it was my time. My heart was pounding. It wasn't easy to decide between standing or asking for another card.
-Give me another," I muttered, swallowing my breath.
Marcos handed me a letter. Slowly, I picked it up: an ace. It was only worth one, but at least I didn't pass. I sighed in relief.
-I stood.
Finally, Marcos played. His movements were methodical, as if he was calculating every step. He grabbed a couple of cards and added them to his hand before looking at us with a triumphant smile.
-Blackjack! -he exclaimed, showing us the cards.
The air filled with murmurs and exclamations of disbelief. Mark snorted.
-That's what you get for being trusting," I said, smiling.
Mark was undeterred.
-You don't win here with just one round. Let's go best of five," he proposed.
We all laughed and continued playing, immersed in the competition. But the fun was interrupted by a knock on the door.....
-Did you hear that? -I asked, breaking the moment.
Everyone was silent, attentive to the noise coming from the door. Finally, Marcos, with his typical nonchalant attitude, shrugged his shoulders.
-Yes, I think we've all heard it. And since you brought it up... why don't you go? -he said, with a sly smile.
I let out a resigned sigh and got up from my chair. As I walked to the door, I tried to adjust my recruit uniform, smoothing out the wrinkles in my jacket. When I got there, I turned the knob and opened the door cautiously.
-Good evening, Lucas," a quiet voice greeted from the doorway.
-Soukaku? -I said, somewhat surprised to recognize her. What are you doing here?
Soukaku's face was partially illuminated by the dim light from the entrance, and I couldn't help but notice something strange. Her orange eyes seemed to glow with an unusual intensity, as if they were hiding a secret.
-Miyabi sent me to warn you," he said, in his usual serene tone.
-Warn me? About what? -I asked, confused.
Soukaku shrugged casually, as if the answer was irrelevant to him.
-I don't know. He just asked me to tell you that they need to see you tomorrow morning, early, before everyone else gets up.
-Before 5:00? Fuck! -I muttered, dropping my shoulders.
Soukaku let out a small chuckle, though he tried to disguise it by covering his mouth with his arms. I found the gesture both comical and curious.
-If you want to be a Division 6 soldier, you'll have to get used to it," she said, looking at me with a mixture of amusement and empathy.
I watched her closely, noticing something odd about her attire. Soukaku was not wearing the usual jacket that identified active members of the division. Her clothes seemed lighter than usual, something unusual considering the cold of the night.
-Aren't you cold? -I asked, arching an eyebrow.
Soukaku looked down, as if my question had taken her by surprise. Her reaction was somewhat nervous.
-W-well... -she hesitated, looking away. No, I'm not cold.
Something in her tone made me hesitate, but I didn't insist. I leaned against the doorframe for a moment, watching her curiously, before taking a step out of the module. I closed the door behind me, walked down the small stairs and leaned against the metal wall outside. The night breeze ruffled my skin.
-I feel like you're lying to me," I muttered, half joking, half serious.
Soukaku averted his gaze, pursing his lips, as if deciding whether or not to retort. The pause that followed was charged with something I couldn't quite identify: perhaps discomfort, perhaps something deeper.
- I'm used to the cold, don't worry," Soukaku replied, averting his gaze once again. Although he tried not to show it, his attitude made me more uncomfortable than I wanted to admit.
- Do you want to come in? -I asked, trying to sound friendly.
Soukaku's eyes widened like saucers, and his reaction was immediate.
- No, thank you. I'll go back to my place," he replied with a tone that bordered on nervousness.
- Back to your place? -I repeated, somewhat puzzled.
- Yes," he affirmed, nodding slightly. Active members of the division, such as soldiers who are no longer in training, can go home to sleep.
That was a detail of the regulation that he knew but had completely forgotten.
- Besides," Soukaku added, as if he wanted to justify his answer, "I don't want to get into a place where.... well, I don't know anyone.
- Well, you know me," I replied, trying to lighten the mood.
She let out a short, almost awkward laugh and locked her eyes on mine for a moment before looking away again.
- Know you? Not at all. I would only recognize you by your looks. Deep down I don't know anything about you.
His comment took me by surprise, but he was right. We weren't close, far from it. Still, something in her tone seemed to invite me to contradict her, though I didn't know how to respond.
The conversation continued for a few minutes. I tried to bring up the subject, but it didn't take me long to run out of words. I had always been lousy at making long conversations, and it seemed she wasn't much better at it either.
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows of the courtyard, approaching with confident steps. It was Alex.
- Soukaku, there you are. I was looking for you," he said, with that confident smile he always wore as if it were his personal trademark. He gave me a quick glance and added, "Hey, Lucas.
- What's up? -I answered dryly, almost automatically.
- Alex, what are you doing here? -asked Soukaku, visibly surprised.
- I could ask you the same question," replied Alex, arching an eyebrow.
- Miyabi sent me to tell Lucas something important," she explained, briefly nodding her head at me.
- Something important? What is it? -asked Alex, crossing his arms with interest.
- It's... secret," Soukaku muttered, as she fiddled nervously with the hems of her skirt.
I felt completely out of place at that moment, as if I was witnessing a private scene between two people who knew each other too well. Their dynamic reminded me of a couple arguing over something trivial, but with an undercurrent that neither wanted to admit.
It was obvious that they had known each other for some time. In fact, I wouldn't have been surprised if they were a couple, or if at least one of them wanted to be. But... why was I getting involved in these things? I shouldn't care, although, deep down, maybe I did.
- Well, I'd better leave you two lovebirds to your own devices," I finally said, letting out a little of my discomfort as I climbed the stairs to the module and opened the door.
- Lovebirds? -Soukaku repeated, confused.
- Yes, that's right. Come on, let's go," said Alex, holding her arm with a mixture of firmness and care, as if she were a little girl.
As they walked away, Soukaku turned to me and shouted from a distance:
- Remember the time!
His voice echoed in the cold night, before fading away along with his figure into the shadows of the courtyard outside.
- Yes... -I muttered to myself, as I closed the door behind me and let out a heavy sigh.