NOVEL NEXT CHAPTER 19: Money, Money, Money
The recruit training had been going well that day. Out of the seventeen people left—sixteen not including John—any one of them could potentially make the final ten. When it came to top-performing fighters, the improvements they could make in a week would be minimal. They had already been pushing the edge of their envelopes, especially with the crazy training regimen. But to test them for the portals, Atlas needed to set up a challenge that went beyond physical endurance or skill.
“All right, dude, you ready to help me set up the first test?” Atlas asked John as they caught a breather between drills.
John shrugged, curious. “Sure. What do you need me to do?”
Atlas looked around to make sure no one was within earshot. “First, I need you to get some cash. About $8,000. Is that going to be alright?”
John’s eyes widened. “Whoa, that’s a lot of money, man. That’ll put a serious dent in my play money.”
John had just spent $20,000 on a hedonist timeshare in Jamaica, so while eight thousand wasn’t a huge figure it still wasn’t cheap.
Atlas nodded, understanding his hesitation. “Yeah, but it’s going to be worth it. Is your life worth $8,000?”
John sighed, realizing the stakes were high. “Yeah, it is. What do you want me to do?”
Atlas leaned in closer, his voice low. “Here’s what I need you to do. You’re going to have secret conversations with the other 17 members. Tell them not to tell anybody. Make up a story, like you need to send $500 to your ex-wife in Cambodia, who you have three kids with. I know it’s a weird ask, but it’s part of the test.”
John blinked, trying to wrap his head around the request. “What? I can’t tell them that. I’ve got a couple of girls I’ve been working on here.”
Atlas smirked. “That’s funny. Okay, tell those girls it’s your brother or something, who’s lost his passport in Cambodia.”
John shook his head, still confused. “Why Cambodia?”
Atlas explained, “The thing about Cambodia is it doesn’t take Interac or any kind of easy payment. The easiest way to send money there is through Western Union. Tell them that you want to send the money, but you’ve got a problem with Western Union because of past issues. You’ll give them the $500 and ask them to send the cash within the next day.”
John’s brow furrowed. “How will you know if they actually sent the money?”
Atlas smiled, already a step ahead. “Don’t worry about that part. I’ve already messaged my friend Silvia. She’s still in Cambodia. She’s a travel writer, and she’ll let me know out of those seventeen people who sent the money and who didn’t. Oh, and make sure, when you tell them about the Western Union problem, say that sometimes they have a hard time communicating. That way, those who decide to pocket the $500 might use that as an excuse.”
John nodded, finally getting it. “All right, I’ll handle it.”
That day, John went around having these awkward conversations with the recruits, trying to keep things casual. Each interaction felt more uncomfortable than the last. Sure, they were all training together, but it wasn’t like they were good friends. In fact, some of them might just want to mess with John because he was a competitor for those team slots.
That’s why the test was so insidious. It used money, which always was an issue, and also tested their ability to help out their fellow man, even when it wasn’t necessarily in their best interest. Nobody knew that John wasn’t going to be on the official team and challenge them for one of the top ten slots.
John approached Isabella during a break, trying to keep things light. “Hey, Isabella, got a weird favor to ask,” he began, rubbing the back of his neck.
*Seriously so awkward.*
Isabella raised an eyebrow, curious but slightly suspicious. “Okay… What’s up?”
“So, I’ve got this situation with my brother. He’s stuck in Cambodia, lost his passport, and I need to wire him some money. Problem is, I’ve had issues with Western Union in the past. They’re not too fond of me,” John explained, trying to keep a straight face.
Isabella stared at him for a moment, processing the bizarre request. “Wait, so you want me to send the money for you?”
“Yeah, I’ll give you the cash, and you just send it through Western Union. It’s $500, and I really need to get it to him in the day if possible,” John said, handing over the money.
Isabella’s suspicion deepened, but she didn’t press further. “Sure, I guess. Just give me the details later.”
As she walked away, John couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt. *The whole thing feels off, but it’s part of the test.*
Later that day, John cornered Wilfredo, who was busy wrapping his knuckles. “Hey, Will, got a sec?” John asked.
“Yeah, what’s up?” Wilfredo responded, glancing up from his weight bench.
John hesitated, then repeated the same story he’d given Isabella, this time with a slight twist. “It’s my ex-wife, man. We’ve got kids together, and she’s in Cambodia. I need to get her some money, but Western Union’s been a pain for me in the past. Can you help me out?”
Wilfredo looked puzzled. “Why Cambodia?”
John shrugged, playing it off. “Long story, man. You know how it is. Get drunk in Cambodia, and before you know it, you’ve shacked up with a bar girl. I’ll give you the $500, just need you to send it for me.”
Wilfredo nodded slowly. “Alright, man. I’ll take care of it.”
Each following conversation that day was equally awkward, with John feeling the strain of asking for such an unusual favor. He could tell some of the recruits were skeptical, but they all agreed to help, at least to his face.
As training continued, Atlas made sure to include plenty of breaks and ond on one sparring sessions, giving John enough time to talk to everyone. Then he messaged Silvia. “Hey, Silvia, the money should be coming in the next day or two. Let me know who sends it. And feel free to keep the cash.”
Silvia’s reply came back almost immediately. “For real, dude? You got it.”
Silvia loved two things: travel and her cat. That was partly why she and Atlas were friends—they both shared a deep love for cats. And the fact she was getting about eight thousand dollars for this was insane. Sure, it was eight thousand in Canadian cash, but that was still worth about five thousand American. *And that five thou would allow her to live like a queen for half a year. Ms. Kitty is going to be getting some fancy cat toys too!*
The next day, John reported back to Atlas. “All the conversations are done. They should be sending the money tomorrow at the latest. Everyone agreed to it.”
Atlas nodded, impressed by how well John had handled the situation. But the true test was yet to come.
The next day, Silvia messaged Atlas again. “Two didn’t send the money. They blamed Western Union, but that’s BS. The others came through, though.”
Atlas read the message, slightly surprised by who had decided to pocket the cash. He and John had expected some resistance, but it was revealing to see who would actually try to game the system.
As he relayed the news to John, the man grumbled under his breath, “I can’t believe we’re just throwing money away like this. Eight grand could have bought us a ton of hookers and blow.”
Atlas leaned against the wall, his expression calm. “I get it, man. But this isn’t about the money. In the wasteland, cash is going to be worthless. It’s all about trust and knowing who you can count on. If someone’s willing to pocket a few hundred bucks now, what do you think they’ll do when resources get really scarce?”
John’s annoyance didn’t fully fade, but he saw the logic in Atlas’s words. “Yeah, I guess. Still feels like a waste.”
Atlas clapped him on the shoulder. “Better to know now than when it’s life or death. We’re not just building a team; we’re building a unit that we can rely on, no matter what.”
John nodded, though he still muttered about how Silvia was living it up on his hard-earned cash. Atlas just smiled, knowing that the lesson they were learning was priceless.