Kai woke to the smell of smoke.
Not burning wood.
Cooked meat.
Spices.
And sand.
Lots of sand.
"..."
He blinked several times.
A rough cloth canopy stretched above him.
The blazing desert sun was mostly blocked, though the heat still seeped through.
His hands remained tied behind his back.
"So I'm not dead."
A voice replied.
"Not yet."
Kai turned.
The man wearing black sunglasses sat across from him, calmly drinking from a metal cup.
His turban shielded most of his face from the desert.
A short beard outlined his jaw.
Even sitting down, he somehow carried himself like he owned the place.
"...Morning."
Kai greeted awkwardly.
The man simply nodded.
"It is."
Before Kai could speak again—
The tent flap opened.
Three men entered.
One immediately burst into laughter.
"Boss!"
"You've got to see this idiot!"
Kai frowned.
"...Excuse me?"
The man ignored him entirely.
Instead, he grabbed Kai's sleeve.
"What is this?"
Another outlaw inspected Kai's boots.
Then another grabbed his cloak.
One looked behind him.
Another circled around.
The tent became strangely crowded.
"...What?"
Kai finally asked.
The first outlaw pointed dramatically.
"Forest clothes."
Another nodded.
"No face wrap."
A third added,
"No goggles."
Another crouched.
"No desert boots."
One of them searched Kai's backpack.