6-The First Night as a Team

After the team assignments were finalized, the six of them were directed to their new living quarters—a separate barracks designated for each newly formed team.

The DPW facility was practical, built for endurance rather than comfort. The barracks were clean but minimal: metal-framed beds, shared storage spaces, and a common area with a table and a few chairs. A cooling system kept the worst of the jungle heat at bay, but the scent of sunbaked earth and tropical humidity still lingered.

As they entered, the reality of their situation began to sink in. This was their home for the foreseeable future.

Adán dropped his bag onto the nearest bed, stretching his arms. “So, who snores?”

Ren snorted as she tossed her own bag onto a top bunk. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

Franz surveyed the room with his usual, unreadable expression before setting his things down with quiet efficiency. “We should establish a system. Rotating night shifts, organization of shared spaces—”

Sophia, already sitting on one of the lower bunks, groaned. “We literally just got here.”

Emma adjusted her belongings neatly beside her bed, glancing around. “It’s a fair point. We’ll be working in unpredictable conditions. Structure helps.”

Helena, leaning against the doorframe, gave a small smirk. “That sounds like something we can argue about tomorrow.”

Adán flopped onto his mattress, hands behind his head. “Agreed. We survived the first day. I say we call that a win.”

The barracks settled into a comfortable quiet as each of them began unpacking—some with methodical precision, others with the bare minimum of effort.

—

Later that night, the cafeteria was packed with teams grabbing their first meal together. The space was well-lit, with long tables and the unmistakable hum of overhead fans. The menu was practical—high-protein meals, fresh fruit, rice, and vegetables, meant to keep them fueled for the demanding schedule ahead.

As they found a table, Adán wasted no time loading his plate with a shocking amount of food.

Ren, watching him, raised a brow. “That’s… a lot.”

Sophia tilted her head, skeptical. “How do you even eat that much?”

Adán, completely unfazed, took a bite of his food and grinned. “Fast metabolism.”

Franz, who had already finished half his plate with military precision, nodded in approval. “Better to eat while you can. You don’t know when the next opportunity will come.”

Helena smirked. “So we have an overeater, an overthinker, a rules negotiator—” she gestured at Ren, who pointedly ignored her—“and a tech expert who looks like she’s regretting all her life choices.”

Sophia sighed. “I’m already exhausted.”

Emma, eating at a steady pace, smiled slightly. “It’s going to be an interesting team.”

The conversation drifted between casual remarks and observations about the facility. Some teams seemed to be bonding quickly, others remained stiff, their interactions more guarded. The DPW had thrown them all together, but it was up to them to make it work.

As the night wore on, the initial tension slowly faded. They weren’t friends yet—but they were beginning to understand each other.

Tomorrow, the real work would begin.