Chapter 315:Just a coincidence?

Chapter 315: 315:Just a coincidence?

They could complete the extermination assignment, search the deeper tunnels, find the vein, and take whatever they could before anyone realized what was there. They would then return with official mission rewards and an unofficial fortune.

Then Silver appeared with a thirty-million-point bounty attached to his head. For a while, Larry had genuinely believed the expedition might become one of the most profitable things he’d ever done.

Instead, the mountain collapsed and the queen was stronger than expected. Entire sections of the tunnels became inaccessible, and their carefully planned routes disappeared.

The diamond search became impossible.

Larry had been furious, he still was. Thirty million points was a fortune, but knowing there might be considerably more sitting beneath tons of collapsed rock left an unpleasant taste in his mouth.

Marcus apparently felt the same.

"What a waste."

Larry glanced toward him. He had returned from the automated shop carrying several packaged meals.

"We got thirty million."

"I’m talking about the diamonds."

"I know."

"If that vein was actually there..."

"It probably still is."

He snorted.

"Under half a mountain."

"For now."

Several members looked toward Larry. He noticed.

"No."

Elena frowned.

"I didn’t say anything."

"You were about to ask whether we’re going back." Larry opened the driver’s door. "We’re not it’s too unstable at the moment. We’ll die before we even walk a few steps in."

"Ever?"

Larry paused.

"Not until someone deals with that queen and the tunnel system becomes stable enough to enter."

She considered that.

"So we’re not abandoning it."

"We’re staying alive." Larry looked around the group. "There’s a difference. Now stop asking me questions and do your own thing, I want us to leave as fast as possible. I hate it here and need some beer."

Nobody argued.

They had all seen what the queen could do. Whatever greed they felt wasn’t enough to make them rush back into that mountain.

Besides, they had other money waiting.

The Association mission had been completed. The had gone to the western side of the valley and exterminated a different type of worms before going.

Once they reached Delta Two, they could submit the remaining documentation, collect their official payment, rest, repair their equipment, and decide what came next.

As far as Larry was concerned, Death Row Valley could remain someone else’s problem for a while.

A distant engine interrupted the conversation. Larry glanced toward the highway. A convoy was approaching which wasn’t unusual.

The road connected several major Green Zone routes, and this service station existed precisely because groups regularly passed through.

Larry climbed halfway into his vehicle before deciding there was no reason to rush. Their twenty minutes weren’t finished.

The approaching vehicles turned off the highway. There were several of them, travel-stained but well maintained.

The first rolled beneath the service canopy and stopped at one of the terminals farther away. The others spread across the remaining stations, their drivers choosing whichever pumps were available.

Doors opened.

Young men and women began climbing out. Larry gave them a brief glance before looking away.

Students, perhaps, or young Contractors.

It didn’t matter.

At another terminal, Dillain stepped out of the convoy’s lead vehicle and stretched.

The journey out of Delta Two had been uneventful so far, but sitting inside a vehicle for hours was still enough to make his shoulders ache. They were continuing toward Alpha Three, and with plenty of distance still ahead of them, nobody had objected when the convoy decided to stop for fuel.

Selena climbed out behind him.

"How long are we stopping?"

"Probably fifteen or twenty minutes."

Dillain walked toward the terminal.

"Fuel up, use the washroom, get something to eat if you want. We should keep moving before traffic gets worse farther along the route. I want us to get to the border as early as possible if you want the best rooms in the checkpoint."

"You’re starting to sound like an old man."

Dillain glanced back.

"I’m eighteen."

"Exactly. It’s impressive how quickly you’ve aged."

He shook his head.

"That’s not funny... Just don’t disappear for long."

She laughed and headed toward the convenience building with another member of the group.

Dillain scanned his payment card and the terminal unlocked. He removed the connector and began refuelling.

Across the station, Larry’s group continued their own preparations. Neither group paid much attention to the other.

There was no reason to since they were strangers. Just two groups of Contractors who happened to stop at the same self-service station while travelling in opposite directions.

Larry’s group was returning toward Delta Two. Dillain’s convoy had just left Delta Two and was continuing toward Alpha Three.

That was all.

Dillain finished setting the fuel amount and stepped back while the automated system handled the rest. He looked around the station, mostly out of habit, taking note of the vehicles, the road, and the people nearby.

His eyes passed over Larry, then returned. The man looked experienced.

His equipment had clearly seen recent use, and several people around him carried the particular exhaustion of Contractors returning from a difficult mission.

Larry noticed the glance. Their eyes met. Dillain gave the small nod travellers often exchanged on Green Zone roads.

Larry returned it and nothing more. The fuel continued flowing.

A few minutes later, Victor walked toward the automated shop at the same time Dillain was returning from it with two drinks. They nearly collided at the entrance.

"Sorry."

"You’re good, go on."

Dillain stepped aside and he passed. Dillain continued toward his vehicle.

Larry happened to be standing nearby checking one of his tires. As Dillain passed, Larry glanced at the drinks.

"Machine actually working today?"

Dillain looked at him.

"The coffee one? Barely. It sounds like it’s fighting for its life, but it still gives you something drinkable atleast."

Larry chuckled.

"Better than the last station. That one took my points and gave me an empty cup."

Dillain smiled.

"Then I suppose we’re lucky."

"Seems so."

There was nothing suspicious about the conversation. Just two strangers speaking because they happened to be standing near each other while their vehicles refuelled.

Dillain raised one of the drinks slightly.

"Safe travels."

Larry nodded.

"You too."

Then they went their separate ways.

Dillain returned to his convoy and Larry walked back toward his own vehicle.

Neither knew the other’s name.

Neither knew that the stranger he’d just casually spoken to was connected, however indirectly, to events that would eventually matter to him.

And neither had the slightest reason to suspect that their brief meeting at an ordinary self-service station in the Green Zones was anything more than coincidence.