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The mission notice was standard: repair, supply, and create a safe perimeter around a hunter base. The location was also standard, if one usually met with some degree of dismay: the Sahara Desert. Site 5E to be exact. Destroyed in one of the major battles of 2012, it had been thought to be lost entirely, but a recent survey had revealed the underground portion of the base to be preserved and in near-pristine condition under the sand.

A large team was being sent to get the base in good enough shape for the remainder to safely stay on and finish the more long term work until it was fully operative again. The area they were in had been quiet for nearly three years, and while some took that as a promising sign, the too quiet cliche also applied.

Cee tried to never look unprepared unless she was hungover or playing the martyr in some way for sympathy. When she sashayed into the room she was clinging on the arm of a very concerned, young looking Life tech.

"Zeeeeeke." Cee gripped the Lifer's arm tightly and it was clear the blush rising on the tech's cheeks was attributed to his arms being almost stuffed into her ample bosom. "You on this mission? Sweet a**. I met this dude on the way and turns out we was going ta the same place. This is Bob. BOB. Like A NORMAL NAME RIGHT? He's some tech whiz I think cause when I asked him what he did I din't understand a single ******** thing he said ahahahaha!" She was possibly too loud for this hour of morning and Bob was wincing a bit.

He was released as she flung herself into a chair besides Zeke. She whispered loud enough for it to not truly be a whisper at all. "What'd I miss?"

Paige stalked into the briefing room, followed by a very serious-looking brunette who was clad in a moon jacket - a basic trainee. She'd made the mistake of drunkenly putting the moves on her because when you were drunk enough and squinted just the right way, she kind of? Vaguely? Looked like Cee?

"Beth, dude, you gotta get off my d**k for like, five ******** seconds."

"I'm on the mission too, Paige. It's going to be fun. Did you set this up?"

Paige rolled her eyes - and then they almost fell out of her ******** head when she caught sight of Cee. She immediately slumped into the nearest chair - and Beth immediately took the chair nearest Paige, and jesus ******** christ this was going to be a nightmare, wasn't it?

"Beth, dude, no. I did not set this up. Jesus Christ."

Paige was trying to remember how far she'd gotten with Beth. Second base? Third? For ******** sake, they hadn't <********>, but Paige had a feeling Beth was already picking wedding colors and s**t.

Christ on a cracker.

As usual, Cee answered her prayers - but at Cee's blatant show of affection, Beth moved closer to Paige.

The brunette's voice was a little shrill when she spoke.

"Paige, who is your friend?"

Paige didn't answer, but moved closer to Cee, whispering under her breath, "******** sake, just kill me. Just ******** kill me."

Zeke sat quietly and watched the little show unfolding before him with eager attention for a few long moments before the urge to poke and prod propelled him to draw attention to himself in some way.

"I'm wounded, Gorgeous," he'd say loud enough to be heard, a hand coming up to press over his heart as he gave Paige a look that was likely meant to be reflect hurt, but the smile he was wearing no doubt ruined the effect some. "Saunter right on over to Cee, and not even a hello for me?" He arched his brows at her, before hazel eyes dipped briefly from the blonde to the brunette huddled beside her, fawning for attention. Beth, Paige had said. The girl was little better than a lost puppy.

Leaning into Cee's side, he reached past Paige to offer his hand and a wide smile. "You'll have to excuse Paige, she's awful at introductions. I'm Zeke," and regardless of if she'd take the offered hand or not, he'd soon be pointing to the other men in the room in turn. "The Sun at my back is Carl." He cocked a thumb over his shoulder before turning it sideways to indicate the uncomfortable looking Lifer. "That's bob. And this," he'd go on, grin broadening. "Lovely lady is Cee."

Vaguely he wondered where the rest of their little party was. He knew they were waiting for more, there were still seats available, but right that moment he was perfectly content watching whatever fun drama was unfolding before him. And, apparently, adding to it.

"Wounded," Paige snorted at Zeke, doing her best to ignore Beth while walking her fingers up Cee's thigh under the table.

"I didn't even ******** her, for ******** sake," Paige whispered shrilly in an aside to Cee before giving Beth an almost-disparaging look. Beth was busy looking on with quiet concern, edging closer to Paige when Ever and Jaime entered the room.

Yeah, they were all going to <******** die.

"Bob, Carl, everyone, s'nice to meet you, this is Beth and she is not my girlfriend --"

"-- you said we were --"

Paige kept talking as though Beth never said a word.

"-- and it's gonna be a great mission, I'm really excited and I hope all ya'll are too."

Awkward cough. She rose from her chair and tugged Cee up with her. Beth followed, a frown on her face.

Introductions done, Zeke sank back in his chair with a grin directed at Paige for the derisive snort. His attention, however, drifted to the door as Ever came walking through it, and brows lifted as dark eyes circled the room once unfocused before seeming to land on him with a blink. The Mist brought a hand up, two fingers touching his brow in a lazy little salute in greeting. Features seemed set in perpetual amusement, though he'd give a subtle twitch of brow that could have been utterly harmless if not directed at the blonde Lifer.

How strange. If he'd had to pick three people to be stuck in a desert base with, he really couldn't have chosen better himself. It made him wander if someone was messing with them, or maybe being kind. It was too early to tell.

He gave a curious look to Ever at the question, and flicked his eyes towards the door as another hunter wandered in after him. There was the slightest tilt of his head, a subtle widening of pale eyes, before an altogether wicked grin slid along his lips. "Nope, I have not," was the murmured reply.

They were potentially saved from a guessing game when Cee, in classic Cee fashion, just out and asked what they were no doubt all wondering.

Carl was sitting back, a smile seemingly glued to his face that seemed just a tad forced. As if he wasn't at all sure how he'd been saddled with the group of hunters that he was going to be stuck with for weeks.

After the first day of work on the desert base, the hunters figured out who would take which watch shifts and what days and settled in with relative ease. It was during the watch just before sunup that Zeke would be found sleepwalking near the ladder that led topside.

His dreams were gentle, fluttering things full of soothing whispers. It almost felt like a shame to wake up.

The morning would find a circular groove in the sand around the base, the wind already smoothing it out. From a higher vantage point, one could see that it was the shape of a spiral.