Chapter 71: Across the Border

By the time they crossed the state boundary, the traffic had reduced enough for the bus to move at a steady speed.

Leon noticed the sign through the window and opened the route on his phone. He had checked the location of the expedition before leaving the academy, but now that they were actually travelling there, the other places shown on the map meant a little more.

One of the junctions farther ahead connected to a highway that led towards Sun City.

"Sun City is that way?" Tessa asked as she looked through the window.

"Eventually." Seth replied. "It’s across the next state border."

"I thought it was farther away."

"From the academy, it is. We’re coming across towards that side now. But of course, it doesn’t mean turning that route will get you there in minutes."

"Ahhh, right."

Leon wasn’t listening to them, though. He moved the map beneath his thumb.

Grand-Phoenix Academy was in the state they had just left, while the dungeon was in the neighbouring state they had now entered. Sun City was in another state, but it was close to the border that state shared with this one.

That made his home much closer to the expedition city than it was to the academy.

It didn’t mean the journey between his home and school was a short drive, though, which was why he normally used the airport when travelling between the two, but from where they were heading, reaching the side of the border closest to Sun City was an ordinary road journey.

’We’re coming fairly close.’ Leon thought as he looked through the window again.

There was nothing particularly interesting about crossing into another state. Cars continued passing the bus, delivery vehicles turned towards different warehouses, and a row of roadside businesses appeared as they approached the next junction.

The bus continued towards the expedition city.

Leon took a packet of snacks from his bag and opened it. After eating a few, he returned to watching videos, occasionally looking up whenever the view outside changed.

He could hear Seth talking again, though he wasn’t paying attention to everything being said anymore. Tessa asked questions whenever she wanted him to clarify something, while Evan occasionally mentioned things he remembered from their own practical exercises and other things.

Seth seemed quite happy with the arrangement.

Several rows ahead, Lex and the professional summoner were also still talking. Their conversation had gone through several topics during the journey, from a discussion about a training schedule, followed by another about a place where the professional claimed the food had become worse, which Lex didn’t agree with him.

They then began talking about the local response teams.

"They’ve had to move people around again." The professional said. "There have been several more minor openings this week. Its getting worse."

"In the same area?" Lex asked as he turned towards him.

"Some here and others closer to the border. The local teams are spending more time driving between sites than they would like."

"That’s rough. I remember those, days, thankfully, I didn’t have to suffer this much. Anything they can’t handle?"

"Nothing major from the reports I’ve seen. The problem is the number of calls. By the time one team finishes checking a site, another place is already asking for someone. Heh, it certainly very stressful."

"Should have took the opportunity to become an instructor when you had the chance."

"Oh please. I rather die because of the stress and make more money than not."

The increase in Green gates had been going on for a while. Leon had also heard of it when he went home in the past. It had only been part of an ordinary conversation about what was happening around the area at the time, but it seemed the response teams were still dealing with it. It had been about two months already.

"Do they have enough people available?" Lex asked.

"Well we do help also, don’t we? As for them, they’re adjusting the shifts. It would be easier if they stopped using the same people for three different jobs."

"That hasn’t changed, then." Lex said with a quiet breath.

"No. Though they always find a new way to describe it." He said. "Cassandra’s advanced field placement is in the city, by the way. Gotta says, she’s doing well."

"It would be weird if that wasn’t the case. How’s she finding it?"

"She seems to be settling in well, from what I’ve heard."

"As expected..."

Their conversation returned to the people working with the local response teams, after that.

Some time after that, they made a short stop in a small town, where they got fast food, which the school paid for, water and drinks, and anyone who needed to relieve themselves in the restroom did so. Once that was done, they moved again. It was an almost 6 hour journey after all.

...

Traffic became heavier as they approached the city.

The bus passed housing developments and rows of shops with vans parked outside. They also moved through an area filled with workshops, where people were already working with the shutters raised.

The bus stopped at one junction behind a small truck carrying building materials.

Leon checked the time and closed his packet of snacks. They were close enough to the dungeon that he didn’t bother searching for another video.

The dungeon was located on the outskirts of the city.

At the next major junction, the driver left the busier road. The industrial buildings became more spread out, with fenced plots and service roads between them.

Leon noticed a government vehicle waiting close to a marked entrance, followed by another farther inside the compound, and as they got closer, the bus began slowing down.

"Check that you have everything together." Seth said as he turned towards Evan and Tessa. "Don’t leave anything in the seat pocket."

Evan looked into the pocket in front of him and found his phone charger inside. He quickly put it into his bag, while Tessa checked her things before closing the zip.

Leon removed his earbud and returned it to its case.

His side bag was still beneath the seat where he had placed it. He hooked one foot around the strap and pulled it closer.

The professional seated beside Lex stood once the bus stopped at the entrance.

A site worker approached the driver’s window, where Lex passed the required documents forward, and the two spoke briefly while another member of staff checked the outside of the bus.

The managed site was quite busy.

Several portable buildings stood beside a surfaced parking area, while workers wearing marked clothing moved cases of equipment from a van onto a trolley. Other workers were checking the items against a list.

Leon could see medical supplies, covered storage racks and a designated lane leading farther into the secured area.

Government markings were visible on the vehicles and notices around the site.

The professional summoners who had followed the bus arrived in their separate vehicles while they were still being checked. One of them got out to speak to the staff at the entrance, while the others were directed towards the parking area.

Some time later, the worker returned Lex’s documents and the entrance barrier rose.

The bus drove inside and stopped in the space indicated by one of the staff members.

Students began talking again as they looked through the windows at the facilities around them.

"Bring your things when you get off." Lex said after turning towards them. "Stay together beside the bus while I speak with the site staff."

He waited for the door to open before stepping outside.

Leon stood once the students ahead of him began moving through the aisle. He put his phone away, picked up his side bag and followed them off the bus.

The sound of engines and equipment replaced most of the conversations he had been hearing inside.

Linda was standing a short distance ahead, waiting while one of the staff members opened the luggage compartment.

Seth moved aside to let Evan retrieve his bag, then caught one of its outer pockets before it snagged against the edge of the compartment.

"Careful." Seth said.

"Got it. Thanks."

Leon moved out of the way and joined the other students waiting beside the bus.

Lex was already speaking with the site supervisor, while the professional summoners gathered nearby. The dungeon entrance was located farther inside the managed area, so they couldn’t get a view of it.

Leon adjusted the strap on his shoulder and watched a trolley filled with equipment pass along the secured route while they waited.