Felix awoke, his gaze settling on a nurse in pink scrubs and a mask, clipboard clutched in her hand, standing beside his cot. The infirmary's white walls glared back, stark as blank paper, broken only by lime-green curtains encircling the room.
"Where am I?" he asked, voice hoarse.
"You're in the infirmary," the nurse replied. "You'll stay a few days to ensure no virus spreads to the recruits. Sgt. Seth's orders—masks for anyone who interacts with you, to avoid catching your cold."
Felix nodded, his feelings about Sgt. Seth tangled. The nurse gestured to a tray of food on the table. "Eat. This is your only chance to rest." She left without another word.
Felix picked at the meal, a bowl of tepid French onion soup, bland and unseasoned. He grabbed the remote from the bedside table and flicked on the television, sinking into the distraction.
Hours later, Nova, Kip, and Fox burst into the room. "Felix!" Nova called. "We came to visit. What're you watching?"
Felix turned his head, a faint smile breaking through. "Quilter's Revenge. It's about a quilter seeking vengeance after losing a knitting contest."
Fox snorted. "Sounds stupid."
"It's a comedy," Felix said, defensive. "One of my favorites."
"Ever seen Evil Technations?" Fox raised an eyebrow.
"No," Felix snapped. "I don't like violent movies."
Fox smirked. "You can't skip the war, Felix. And it's not a movie—you don't get to press pause."
Felix swallowed hard, unease coiling in his gut.
Kip cut in, "They say Evil Technations is based on a true story."
"It's real," Fox said, his voice darkening. "No actors. Just footage. The worst part? They forced Intermariams into a pit. Gunned them down like cattle. I'd never live in Technate—not with how much they hate our kind."
Felix shifted uncomfortably. "Let's change the subject. I can't wait to go home, see my mom and sister. You guys excited to get back?"
Fox shrugged. "Home? Just a cramped one-bedroom house. Not much to go back to."
Kip shook his head. "It's just our mother now. Our father died in the war, mauled by a cave wolf."
"A cave wolf?" Felix bit his lip, a memory surfacing. "My father once said he lost a comrade to wolves in an ambush. Was his name Tobias?"
"Yes!" Kip's eyes widened.
Felix's throat tightened, tears pricking his eyes. "My father always talked about introducing me to his friend's triplets, but he didn't know where Tobias lived."
"It was fate we'd meet," Nova said softly.
"We've got drills," Kip said. "We'll visit again, Felix."
They left, and Felix lay back, dread pooling in his chest. The cave wolf haunted him now—forty miles an hour of muscle and teeth, death wrapped in fur. War was waiting for him, one he doubted he could outrun.