Only a quick stop at Allbree, but he had time to get another coffee and eventually fell asleep with only about an hour of the trip remaining! He was still bleary-eyed when he staggered off the train at Seemor along with most of the troops. A huge army base had grown up here since the invasion had started, just to the south of the town. It appeared to be a hive of activity as far as Andrew could see as the troops off the train marched down the road from the railway station and into the camp. There were a couple of officers with some enlisted flunkies just inside the gate, and each group of men from the train was asked what their orders were and then directed to the appropriate part of the camp.

The newly minted Special Forces mentalists, using the term the enemy had for what up till now had been called magic, were sent to the far west of the camp to find a Captain Reynolds. The Captain was found in one of the simple wooden shacks that comprised most of the camp’s buildings. He heard Contos telling one of the others that the shacks were a pre-sawn kit that had been manufactured by the hundred to provide quick accommodation and office space for both the military and the thousands of refugees that had fled the invasion.

They were looking for a hut halfway along the last street on the left after being pointed down the road that headed west across the sprawling camp. Not the most precise directions, but easy enough to follow. The last street on the left ran up a slight hill, and the hut at the top had a sign that read Special Forces tacked onto the front above the doorway. Inside was a desk with a female Corporal who didn’t seem overjoyed to see them. She ran through the list to make sure they were all present and then buzzed the Captain, who told them to come in.

Captain Reynolds was a solid man in his late forties or early fifties, balding and clearly very old for his rank. He saluted them all as they squashed into his office and then sat while he contemplated them.

“Right. Hopefully, you lot will do better than the last lot.” He shook his head. “First off, you will all be assigned to an existing mentalist for evaluation and to be shown the ropes. Until that person decides that you are both capable enough and sensible enough to be allowed out on your own, you will stay glued to your assigned mentalist at all times, do you understand?”

There were reluctant nods from everyone. The Captain smiled.

“I know. It doesn’t sound real exciting. But it is the new policy, and you will all follow it to the letter, or you’ll be assigned to garrison duty in the Gulf. Do you understand?”

The vehemence inherent in the way the Captain said this had its effect, and they all nodded quickly.