Everyone quickly disembarked from the train to search for survivors, except for Dante, too weak from the infection, and Rogelio, who stayed by his side to care for him.
The rest scattered among the overturned wagons and wreckage, hoping to find someone alive.
Ander’s heart pounded as he searched, desperate to find his mother.
"Search for survivors and stay alert," Luke ordered.
Please, Mom… you have to be okay, Ander thought silently.
The air was thick with dust and the metallic scent of burned fire.
The scene was desolate: bodies scattered, remnants of people, wagons torn apart.
Every step was a blow to the group’s morale.
"This is… horrible," Italia said, tears in her eyes.
Néstor looked at her.
"We can’t stop now. Keep searching."
Elsewhere in the wreckage.
"There’s someone alive here!" Adriano shouted, but silence was his only answer.
Ander pressed deeper into the accident site, driven by desperation.
Suddenly, something gleamed on the ground.
He bent down and picked it up: his mother’s necklace.
His hands trembled, his eyes filled with tears.
"No… Mom…" he whispered in anguish.
Josh and Alicia rushed to him, hugging him tightly.
"I’m sorry, Ander. We haven’t found her body. There’s still hope," Josh said.
"Don’t give up. We’ll keep searching. You’re not alone in this," Alicia added.
Ander clenched the necklace in his hand, resolute.
"You’re right… I won’t give up. We have to keep looking."
As they continued, Josh froze, recognizing a face among the corpses.
"It can’t be…" he murmured.
"What is it, Josh?" Ander asked, approaching.
Josh pointed, and Alicia stepped closer.
Her grandmother’s body lay lifeless on the ground.
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"Ali… Alicia…" Josh said, his voice breaking.
"I’m so sorry…" Ander added.
Alicia collapsed to her knees, sobbing as she embraced her grandmother’s body.
Ander and Josh stayed beside her, sharing her grief.
Alicia had suffered a devastating loss.
Meanwhile, Andrew stopped when he saw a child among the dead.
He knelt to check.
"Poor little one… did you know him?" Mabel asked.
"He was my friend’s son…" Andrew replied, his voice heavy.
"I’m so sorry," Mabel said compassionately.
At that moment, Rogelio appeared, pale-faced.
"Guys… Dante…"
Before he could finish, everyone was stunned.
Iván ran to him and found Dante’s body, eyes still open but lifeless. His heart had stopped.
Grief consumed the group.
Another loss added to the tragedy, and the hope of finding survivors crumbled further.
The guardians lowered Dante’s body from the train to bid him farewell.
The others watched in silence.
The scene grew darker: the evacuation train destroyed, corpses scattered, and uncertainty about the missing survivors.
Why? What had caused all this? Were the hostiles responsible? Where were the others?
Ander stared at his mother’s necklace, lost in thought.
"You okay, kid?" Andrew asked.
Ander tucked the necklace into his pocket.
"Yeah… my mind’s just wandering."
"That’s normal. The group decided we’ll stay here while we figure out how to continue toward Zafarí."
"You think the other survivors from the train went there?"
Andrew kept walking.
"We’ll know when we get there. When you’re ready, join us—we’re making a fire."
"I’ll be right behind you," Ander said pensively.
As he approached the group, he saw Alicia asleep on Julia the librarian’s lap.
"Hey… how is she?" he asked.
"Calmer. At least she managed to sleep," Julia replied.
Josh interrupted.
"Hey, Ander. I told Cody to help me train with a gun. I missed too many shots… almost cost me my life at the base. You interested too?"
Ander looked up at the sky, thinking.
"I’ve never fired a gun… but count me in, friend."
"I want a gun too, to defend myself," Gaspar added.
The three boys went to Cody, who was preparing the fire.
"What’s up, guys? Something wrong?" Cody asked.
"I told them about training," Josh replied.
Cody, chopping wood with an axe, frowned.
"I’ll have to talk to the others. Not sure they’ll agree to giving three kids weapons."
Anna appeared behind him.
"Four… I want to learn too."
"Hold on, don’t get excited. It still has to be discussed," Cody replied.
"Discuss what?" Luke asked, approaching.
Cody seized the moment.
"The kids want to learn to use weapons. They want to protect themselves," he explained.
Luke looked at the four teenagers.
"I don’t think so. It’s too dangerous," he said seriously.
The kids couldn’t hide their disappointment.
"We have the right to defend ourselves against hostiles," Anna argued.
Though they had enough weapons, Luke wasn’t convinced.
His distant gaze revealed the decision wasn’t as simple as handing them out.
Italia stepped in.
"I think it’s a good idea to train them. The more people who know how to handle weapons, the safer we’ll feel."
"Given the situation… the more people who know how to use weapons, the better," Luke conceded.
"Thank you, Luke," Italia said.
"Don’t thank me. He’ll be the one teaching you," Luke added, pointing at Cody.
Cody froze, cheeks flushing.
"No problem. I can handle it," he replied nervously.
"Andrew, could you help Cody with that?" Luke asked.
"First I’m Ander’s babysitter, now you want me to be a teacher?" Andrew joked.
Luke stepped closer.
"Cody has the basics of a soldier, but you have real combat experience."
"You flatter me… Fine, I’ll do it. But we start tomorrow. Too many disappointments today."
Ander stepped into the center of the group.
"Anyone else want in?" he asked.
Julia, Martin, Mabel, and Carlo raised their hands.
"But you already have a gun, and you’re a good shot," Adriano said to Carlo.
"My father was a hunter, taught me a little. But I’d like to learn more," Carlo replied.
"All right, prepare for tomorrow then," Cody concluded.
"For now, let’s focus on securing this area to spend the night," Luke ordered.
The group was about to spend their first night outside the walls.
