act16mini

Hey, bruv! Old bloke in the slag truck.

What's with the road being chockas today?

You didn't come from Double Helmet Mine, did you?

Nah, mate. Rustdreg Town.

Double Helmet... I remember a group of guys raving about mining some new place with a ton of minerals a while back—

There was an accident.

Some unstable Originium blew the mine inside-out, and now no one can stay there anymore...

Ah... bloody hell.

So you escaped? How're the others doing?

The driver suddenly coughs violently, and Alanna notices his face is unusually pale.

*cough* Them, well... they'll have to count on their own luck... I just hope my wife and kid are lucky enough.

Most of the vehicles here are probably the same as me, no home to return to. We can only stay elsewhere until they finish cleaning up the site.

Alanna turns back for a look.

The truckjacker is gazing out the side window with a calm look on her face.

What's wrong?

...Nothing.

They're coming.

What?

The grabbers. They're gonna board the truck.

Who? Not a soul in sight headed our way.

Alanna follows the truckjacker's line of sight and finally realizes what she was referring to.

A group of security officers at the checkpoint are chatting with the driver in front, while another group enters the vehicle with protective gear and violent intent.

Soon after, they drag the driver out of the car. His sleeves are cut open, with blood flowing from the exposed Originium crystals on his arms.

Alanna suddenly feels inexplicably uneasy—

They're searching.

For Infected.

In the truck's tiny tool room, little Potlid is keeping her word.

...Hmm.

That Cautus hijacker lady is so weird.

But she and Lanns are looking pretty chummy... Did she really hijack the truck...? Oh! I get it! Lanns is so powerful, she can turn anyone into a friend!

Look! The monitor on the little terminal—

Umm...

Seems like... she doesn't want to hurt anyone.

Th-Then, are we going back to our route? Can we postpone the truck's retirement?

I don't know...

Huh—?!

What's wrong?

Just out of the blue here, but... why are you in here with me too, Mister?

This is a secret room, closed to the public!

Um... well... I got a little scared... no, not a little, I'm REALLY scared... this is my first hijacking...

I just hurried to the first door I saw...

Can you let me stay here, kiddo? Look, I'll squeeze myself into this corner and won't take up too much space, and I won't disturb your work either...

Huh? Okay, sure! But...

If you're scared, then why didn't you get off the truck before?

I... don't know why myself... Scared is one thing, but deep inside... I also felt a sudden relief.

Um... Like I might run into something even scarier if I got off the truck... I also want this truck to go as far and as long as it can—

Why didn't <i>you</i> get off?

Me? Why would I?! Lanns is still here, so there's no way I could leave her on her own!

'Lanns'... You're referring to the truck driver, right? Are you two family? Or...?

Family? Uh... I dunno, I left home so long ago.

Lanns is a little like Daddy, and also Mummy, and the miners too... If she's like everyone, then it also means she isn't like any of them at all either, right?

Lanns is Lanns. She made a bet with her friends, and I'm their chip...

So... we can't be family, right? We just live together, we've always been living together on this truck.

The exit is right before her eyes, but the gates lie shut, blocking the vehicle.

A few security officers walk to the cab and knock on the window.

Alanna hesitates for a moment, but gets out of the truck anyway.

What's up, mate?

Routine inspection.

Do you have to inspect public transport vehicles too?

Look, here's my operating license.

Special circumstances. Please cooperate.

Nah, that can't be right. There were so many trucks in front just now, but you let them all go through. Now you stop us when it's my turn?

Crikey. Bloody luck's off the charts today, what with all these 'nice things' happening to me!

(Whispering) Sir, don't bother with her... I just checked the vehicle's identification number, and they came from Big Pillar!

(Whispering) You know, they've got tons of messily managed mines over there, and they don't standardize safety procedures either. Lots of Infected!

Your vehicle ID isn't from Green Meadow, and we inspect all vehicles from out of town.

And what if I refuse?

Then our well-equipped security will 'politely' ask you out of your truck for a more in-depth investigation at our office.

We might lock you up for a few days, or months, confiscate your vehicle, revoke your license, and hit you with a nasty fine.

The specific steps we'll take will depend on how long you decide to keep messing with me.

Mate, ain't this a bit much? I've been driving for years and passed a lot of checkpoints, but this is a first...

The security officers raise their crossbows at Alanna.

...Fine.

Only the driver has to cooperate with the inspection, yeah? Everybody else here is passengers...

Passengers?

Yeah, they're all...

At this point, Alanna turns back, looking toward the passenger cabin's open door and the situation within.

(Potlid's hiding good.)

(But... what about that Zalak?)

(And the jacker... wait, why is she loading her crossbow?!)

She... she's a passenger, bought a ticket.

But the equipment you've got on hand looks like it's out of regs? All the checkpoints I've been through, this is the first time I've seen anyone checking infection status.

If the passenger isn't willing to get checked, you'll put me in a spot of trouble. If she complains to the operating company—

'Nuff with your guff.

We're coming aboard.

The party of passengers sit next to one another with an Oripathy screening device each on their hands.

Alanna is more worried about the others than herself—

Potlid dips her head down, staring blankly at the device's progress bar.

The truckjacker looks at the security officer sitting across from her, through the open door, and at every corner of the checkpoint.

The Zalak who was unwilling to get off the truck earlier is seated a short distance away from her... his legs shaking.

Now what's with these two in a hidden compartment? Did you know they were on board?

...Of course I did.

And you deliberately hid them from us?

That's... you lot gave me such a fright with your fierce mugs, I forgot to mention them.

Haha, I'm sure we can talk this out...

—Whose device was that?!

(I... What should I do? What... what will Lanns do?)

A single bead of sweat trickles down Alanna's cheek.

The security officers do not look the least bit accommodating as they surround them. Looks like things are about to get tougher.

She needs to figure out a solution to this predicament, and quick, or else...