On this day, an intense argument broke out in the family leader's lodge.
"I don't agree! Do you even realize what you're doing, Charey?!" McCoy paced back and forth, his expression charged with anger.
"Not only do I realize it, I'm perfectly clear on it. The one who doesn't get it, I'd say, is *you*, McCoy."
Compared to the furious McCoy, Charey stood with his hands on his hips, unnervingly calm.
"We're talking about the Snake Nation, not the Raffen Shiv."
"So what?"
"What do you mean, *so what?!*" McCoy let out a sharp laugh, staring at Charey as though he was seeing the family leader for the very first time. He drew a deep breath and held his hands up.
"No offense intended—let me just say that first. If my next words make you uncomfortable, too bad."
Then he stabbed a finger in Charey's direction.
"Seriously, screw you, Charey. Has that scorching sun fried your brain? We're talking about the Snake Nation—one of the seven major nomad nations! Sure, nomad groups might butt heads, but at worst it's trash talk. Nobody actually starts a firefight. And now you want to rob a Snake Nation convoy?"
"If we do that, how are we any different from the Raffen Shiv?!"
Charey waited until McCoy finished venting before replying in a measured tone.
"The difference is that the family will survive. You know what shape our camp is in. If we don't make a move, the Bakker family is done for."
Another senior nomad chimed in, backing Charey.
"McCoy, calm down. He's not wrong. As long as we're careful and kill every last one of them, the Snake Nation won't know it was us."
"But *I'll* know!"
With that parting shot, McCoy stormed out, leaving everyone else to stare at each other.
After a long pause, someone asked, "He won't spill the plan, will he?"
Charey shook his head.
"He'll come around. Forget him. Let's go over the plan again."
---
In his tent, Leo was repairing a nomad's gun when McCoy walked in.
"McCoy, what's with that face? You look awful."
McCoy said nothing to Leo; instead, he nodded at the nomad seated in front of him.
"You, out. I need a word with Leo."
"All right, I'll come back later," the nomad replied, standing up and leaving the tent.
When they were alone, McCoy's demeanor turned grave.
"Leo, for the next little while, do *not* leave this camp."
Leo chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.
"From the way you say that… I mean, I don't have a car. Even if I wanted to leave, I couldn't."
But McCoy wasn't smiling.
"I'm not joking."
Seeing how serious he was, Leo also grew solemn.
"What happened?"
"Damn it, don't ask. Just promise me you'll stay put!"
"All right All right, I promise."
"Good." McCoy breathed a sigh of relief, as though a heavy load had been lifted off his shoulders. He patted Leo on the shoulder and headed for the exit.
He had already stepped outside when he suddenly turned back.
"One more thing, Leo." He paused, looking uncertain, as though he wasn't sure whether to continue.
In the end, he decided to give Leo the heads-up.
"If—*and I do mean if*—something really does go down, head for the leader's lodge, Charey's place. There's a tunnel there that leads straight outside. Near the spot where I usually train you, there's a cave. Inside, you'll find a car hidden away."
"That cave's not hard to find. If you search carefully, you won't miss it. The gas tank's full, and there's emergency food, water, and all the survival essentials… plus a little personal gift from me."
"If it all goes to hell, you floor it and get as far away as possible."
Leo blinked in surprise.
"What exactly is going on, McCoy? Can you just say it outright? I hate cryptic talk."
"Don't ask. And don't try to snoop around. If the time comes, *just run.* Got it?"
Before Leo could answer, someone called out from the tent entrance.
A nomad was leaning against a crate.
"There you are, McCoy. Charey wants you. It's about that… you know."
McCoy nodded and left with the other nomad.
"Leo, remember what I said. Don't forget."
Watching McCoy go, Leo wore a complicated expression.
Originally, he'd planned to use the Bakker family as a stepping stone. He had never intended to stay long anyway. Though…
He gazed at the stormy sky outside. Dark clouds loomed overhead, hinting at a coming tempest.
"This can't be good."
He brought up his status panel, and data scrolled across his vision:
---
**Name:** Leo
**Potential Points:** 0
**Skills:**
- Gun Repair LV5
- Sword Mastery LV3
- Shooting Mastery LV2
- Fitness LV3
- Dodge LV3
- Block LV3
- Throwing LV2
- Vehicle Driving LV2
- Eureka LV???
---
He closed the panel and pulled out a small trunk from under his cot.
Inside lay grenades and anti-personnel mines of various types—more than a dozen in total. At the bottom of the box rested a bastard sword, and a breach device.
He'd traded for these items with other nomads.
Though working for the camp offered no direct pay, he could accept small favors on the side—like bumping someone's place in line in exchange for gear.
He figured he needed something to protect himself once he left the Bakker family. After all, Charey never gave him a gun or any wages.
He'd worked for free these past six months, so was it really wrong to gather a little personal stash?
Outside, the roar of engines suddenly erupted. Leo quickly shoved the box back under the cot and stepped out of his tent, noticing a convoy of vehicles leaving the camp.
In nomad society, a family was the smallest unit, anywhere from two people to a hundred. The Bakker family was pretty average: about fifty people and eleven vehicles in total.
Now eight vehicles headed out, kicking up clouds of dust as they rumbled into the distance—Charey's rig at the front.
Once they were gone, Leo put on the look of a mildly curious bystander and went to ask one of the nomads left behind.
"Where are they off to?"
"Beats me," the guy answered. "Charey didn't say. But judging by that big show, I'm guessing they're after some kind of *big job*."
His tone and expression were tinged with regret—clearly, he wished he'd been invited.
Hearing those words, "big job," and recalling McCoy's anxious warnings, Leo felt even more uneasy.
---
That day passed without incident and the next day was approaching quickly.
The nomads who had stayed behind lit a bonfire in the center of the camp. Leo collected his share of rations, then found a spot with a decent view, eating while gazing into the distance.
In the Badlands, there wasn't much worry about wolves or wild animals—most species had long since gone extinct.