When morning came, Lee and Kenny visited my tent. They asked me to speak with Amir and convince him to let the group stay at the camp for a few more days, since they still weren't in any condition to travel.
I nodded and headed to Amir's tent to relay their request.
At first, he refused. Keeping them longer, he said, would strain supplies and make them a burden. I insisted again, trying my best to persuade him. After a moment of thought, he finally agreed, but only for one more day.
Knowing I couldn't change his mind further, I returned to the group and told them they were allowed to stay just one more day. They were disappointed but relieved. The happiest were Omid and Christa, and I understood why. Christa was pregnant, and having a doctor nearby meant she could be checked immediately if anything went wrong. Free food, water, and, most importantly, safety, those alone were enough to make everyone grateful.
I also told them I would be staying in the camp for a few more days to train and would meet them in Savannah afterward. They were worried at first, but eventually agreed.
Now came the hard part: telling Clementine.
She was still in the medical tent, so I headed there to break the news.
As soon as I stepped inside, Clementine's eyes met mine. They widened for a second, and then she quickly pulled the blanket over her head, embarrassed, but not panicked. Yesterday she'd been bold enough to ask me on a date; now she was hiding like a shy little girl.
I sat down beside her bed.
"Hey… stop hiding. Let me see you."
"No…" she whispered. "Just… tell me why you came."
Since she wasn't planning to come out, I got straight to the point.
"Amir's letting the group stay here for one more day."
Under the blanket, her voice brightened. "Oh. That's really good."
"But… I'll be staying here for a couple more days."
The blanket lowered slowly as she peeked out, her eyes worried.
"You're… not coming with us?" She asked softly.
"Clementine, I'll meet you in Savannah. Just in a few days. I promise."
She looked down, fiddling with the blanket.
"A few days is… a long time," she murmured. "What if something happens and we don't see each other again?"
Her voice trembled small and scared.
I didn't know how to answer. So, I told her the truth.
"I'll do everything I can to meet you. I mean that."
She nodded but still didn't look convinced.
"Why can't you just come with us? Don't you want to look for your family?"
"I do," I admitted. "But I also need to learn how to protect myself. This is the perfect chance—Amir is willing to train me. I have to use this opportunity."
She swallowed and nodded quietly.
"…How will you even find us in Savannah?"
I showed her the walkie-talkie Amir had given me.
"With this."
Her eyes lit up a little. She pulled out her own radio and held it up.
"Then… we can talk. So, we won't lose each other."
She smiled small and hopeful.
But I didn't smile back. Her smile faded.
"What's wrong?" She asked.
I took a breath.
"Clementine… why did you lie to Lee about your radio being broken?"
She froze. Panic flickered in her eyes. In her excitement, she'd blurted out that her radio still worked. She tried to shove it under the blanket, but it was useless.
Her fingers twitched against the blanket. She scanned the tent, eyes wide. Then, in a whisper barely louder than her heartbeat, she said:
"I… I've been talking to someone. A man. He said he knows where my parents are. But he told me not to tell anyone, or he'd stop helping me. I didn't want Lee to stop me. I just… needed to know. If I tell him the truth, my small chance of finding my parents might disappear."
Her voice wavered, barely holding herself together.
I leaned closer.
"Clementine… everything Lee does is to keep you safe. And you don't even know who this man is. You can't trust a stranger just because you're desperate. You need to tell Lee the truth."
"But… what if he's telling the truth?" She whispered. "What if he really does know where they are?" Her eyes locked with mine, determined and stubborn.
"Clementine," I said firmly, "listen to me. If you won't tell Lee… I will."
Her brows knitted together. She clearly didn't like that.
She turned away. "Max… I just… I just want my parents," she whispered, voice cracking.
"Clementine… I know you're desperate. I get it more than anyone. But trust me on this. Tell Lee. It's for your safety."
She didn't respond at first. The tent was quiet.
Then finally… she nodded.
Relief washed through me. At least now the original timeline wouldn't repeat—where she was kidnapped, the group fell apart, and Lee… got bitten.
I needed to get back to the training ground before Amir started yelling at me.
I headed back to the training area after saying goodbye to Clementine. Amir was already waiting. The moment I arrived, he began firing off questions about jiu-jitsu techniques, positions, transitions, and counters. I answered each one without hesitation, and his eyebrows rose with every correct response. He gave my shoulder a proud pat.
Then he asked me to demonstrate what I'd learned from the manual.
So, I did.
My technique wasn't perfect, but it was solid enough to make Amir stare in surprise. After correcting a few movements, he decided we should wrestle.
That's when I learned the difference between knowing and doing.
I learned the techniques. But I had no real experience applying them. Every time I tried something, Amir countered effortlessly and shut it down. It was like memorizing instructions on how to build a chair, then failing the moment you picked up the tools.
I kept thinking: I know the move… so why can't I use it?
Sure, I could've overpowered him with raw strength. But that wasn't the point. I wanted to learn, not cheat.
After a few hours, annoyed and frustrated, I finally began to understand how to apply the techniques properly. I adapted, adjusted, and pushed back. Seeing me use the moves correctly surprised Amir even more. He praised my learning speed nonstop.
Once he realized I'd memorized nearly the entire jiu-jitsu manual, he told me to pick a striking martial art to complement it. I chose Muay Thai immediately.
He grinned widely.
He began teaching me the fundamentals, but soon he was called away. In his place, he sent a soldier who specialized in hand-to-hand combat, fast, skilled, and relentless.
We sparred, and before long, more soldiers gathered to watch. Soon they were shouting and placing bets on who would win. Even Lee and the others showed up.
I won most of my matches, though I lost a few. Still, every fight was exhilarating. And seeing Clementine on the sidelines, cheering for me with that bright smile, made me even happier.
We sparred until the sun began to set. The soldiers were finally called back to their duties, ending the betting and the matches.
I felt good, not just because the sparring was fun, but because I'd gained so much: knowledge, experience, and awareness.
That was the real reward.