[b]Day 2: Sunrise[/b]

[color=orange]"...I think I might sit this trek out..."[/color] Tyrelle told Paula. He talked about his desire to remain in the camp as opposed to spending the night in the jungle. [color=orange]"ya'll'll already have Desmond with ya."[/color]

Paula was unsure as to whether the teen's decision was more about not wanting to spend the night out in the unfamiliar and potentially dangerous island or wanting to be away from his adoptive father. She simply didn't know Tyrelle well enough to know that, too. 

[color=orange]"That's perfectly fine, Tyrelle,"[/color] she told him. [color=orange]"We need someone capable to keep an eye on the camp, too."[/color]

She hoped her compliment of him being [i]capable[/i] would help him feel more confident in his feelings that she was someone he could come to with his troubles. [color=orange]"When Ms. Kingsley ... she prefers Carol, so ... when [i]Carol[/i] returns with Desmond--"[/color]

[color=orange]"You were saying...?"[/color] a voice called out from not too far off. When Paula looked to the source of the voice, she found Carol and Desmond approaching, returning from their own little walk away from the camp. The Coordinator looked to the teen, smiled, and said with delight, [color=orange]"Good morning, Tyrelle. Nice to see you up and around and looking good. I heard you took a little tumble yesterday when you [i]happened into[/i] our fresh water source."[/color]

She offered a hand out to him; regardless of his youth, Carol saw him as a man as worthy of respect as any other on the island. She talked to him briefly about his medical check upon returning the night before; one of Biermann's subordinates had looked at Tyrelle's scraps and bruises and declared him free of broken or cracked bones.

[color=orange]"Tyrelle and I have been talking about his place on the Security Team,"[/color] Paula began, wanting to [i]establish[/i] things regarding the teen before anyone suggested something that might oppose Tyrelle's wish and her own approval of said wish. She looked directly at the teen's guardian as she continued, [color=orange]"You performed well yesterday, Desmond. I'd like you to come with me as my Second on today's trek if you're interested."[/color]

Paula glanced at Carol for any sign of disapproval, and seeing nothing continued. [color=orange]"Tyrelle also did well as we all know. I'm impressed with him, too ... enough so that I want him to watch over the camp while Desmond and I and four others return to the clearing, then head northeast to see if we can't find the north shore of the island."[/color]

She was looking at Desmond now, wondering what his reaction would be to her splitting him and Tyrelle up for a day or more. She didn't give him a chance to respond, though, before continuing, [color=orange]"Craig Wetheral will actually be in charge of Camp Security, you know, because of Tyrelle's age. Can't very well put a teen in charge of the whole camp, of course..."[/color]

Paula reached a hand to Tyrelle's shoulder, giving him a reassuring pat while smiling to him and finishing, [color=orange]"...but he'll be my [i]Number Two[/i] while I'm away."[/color]

[color=orange]"I think that's a wonderful idea,"[/color] Carol quickly agreed. She wasn't entirely sure what Paula was working at, but she had confidence and trust in the woman. Carol looked to the teen's adoptive father, asking, [color=orange]"How's that work with you, Desmond. Can you bear to be without Tyrelle's company for a day and night and day again?"[/color] 

Carol chuckled, adding, [color=orange]"I don't know about you, but most parents could stand to have a little time away from their teenagers on occasion."[/color] 

Again, before Desmond had a chance to respond, someone else spoke up. A third female voice called out from nearby, [color=orange]"[i]Carol![/i] There you are! I've been looking all over for you."[/color]

The small group conversing about security and treks through the jungle turned to find a beautiful young woman jogging through the dry sand toward them. She came to a stop near them, jumping immediately into an explanation about supplies that had only this morning been found down the beach, washed up after initially being lost in the surf. 

As she was talking to Carol, though, the young beauty had been making quick glances at Tyrelle while also trying -- but failing -- to hide a flirty smile. The Mission Coordinator caught this and -- thinking that perhaps the men didn't know the young woman -- quickly made introductions, [color=orange]"Desmond and Tyrelle D'Vaughnt ... let me introduce you to [url=https://i.imgur.com/fA6jcQz.jpeg]Penelope Jones[/url]."[/color]

Quickly, the young woman quickly corrected, [color=orange]"[i]Penny![/i] Everyone calls me Penny."[/color] She offered her hand out to the older male, and after she shared a rather [i]standard[/i] handshake, she offered her hand to the younger male and repeated with a softer, more [i]intimate[/i] tone, [color=orange]"Please ... call me Penny."[/color]

If Tyrelle took her hand as she hoped, Penny wouldn't be so quick to release her grip as she had been with his father. Oh, she wasn't openly flirting with the young man, but ... she also wasn't ripping her hand back as if she thought he might be carrying the plague. 

[color=orange]"Penny here is one of our Volunteer Interns,"[/color] Carol continued. 

[color=orange]"I just completed my BSW -- Bachelor's of Social Work -- and another in African Studies,"[/color] Penny expanded on her boss's explanation, [color=orange]"and now I'm working on two Master's [i]simultaneously[/i] ... Displaced Population Assistance and Relief Management."

Penny had mostly been looking at Tyrelle as she'd been talking, though, she also Desmond a glance or two to make him feel as though he was part of the conversation. She giggled before adding, [color=orange]"Basically, I want to be the [i]new and improved[/i] Carol Kingsley someday."[/color]

Both Carol and Paula laughed, with the former saying, [color=orange]"It'll happen soon enough, I'm sure."[/color] She looked between Desmond and Tyrelle as she said, [color=orange]"Penny is only 21, but she already knows more about serving refugees than I ever did."[/color]

[color=orange]"[i]Not[/i] true!"[/color] the younger woman said, laughing. She looked back to Carol, talking a moment more about the new supplies that had been located, then looked back to Tyrelle, smiled -- this time flirtatiously --  and very boldly said, [color=orange]"I could use a pair of strong arms to help me move them. They're still clear down at the other end of the beach."[/color]

To be honest, Penny didn't really need another pair of hands; there were already two people down at the find, poking through the four boxes to look for damage. But she'd seen Tyrelle before and had found him handsome, despite his youth -- she didn't realize that he was only 17, of course.

The other two women said nothing, only waiting to see what would come of [i]this[/i] invitation, as well as of the earlier conversation about Tyrelle remaining at the camp while his father went trekking off into the jungle.