Continue towards the Grinning Valley, and I won't hurt you.
Alanna
Telling me that after hijacking my ute and pointing this toy cannon at my face? What's even in that thing?
Truckjacker
Custom bolts. Infected creatures are afraid of them.
Alanna
I was hoping you'd say 'carrots' or 'lollies' instead.
Alanna
Well, no worries. I'm no Infected creature, so I probably shouldn't find it too scary.
Alanna
But if you insist on keeping it pointed at my head—
Alanna
*sigh*
Alanna
If you pull the trigger, big IF here—if I croak, what's going to happen to the truck?
Truckjacker
I can drive it.
Alanna
Can you now? It's gonna spin out of control by the time you get your mauley on the lever.
Alanna
It'll charge straight into a cliff, or crash into one of those Originium clusters. And then—
Alanna
BOOM!!
Truckjacker
......
Alanna
Fine. Even if you can drive, and the truck doesn't go topsy-turvy...
Alanna
Kill me if you want, but what about the other passengers? They...
Alanna
Or that guy—what about that Zalak?
Truckjacker
I gave everyone the chance to hop off, but no one took it.
Truckjacker
I just need the vehicle.
Alanna
Don't you find it strange? Why he didn't leave?
Alanna
I'd be worried, if I were you.
Alanna
A hit-and-run tearaway, an unlucky fella fed up with his job...
Alanna
Or maybe, he's an undercover copper on your trail? Don't let all that trembling and shaking fool you, he might be hiding some real skills under his sleeve!
Alanna
Everyone's hiding a secret or two, yeah? Nah?
Truckjacker
...Hmm.
Alanna
And if you're wondering why I'm still here? As a company girl, I have to keep their property safe.
Alanna
This ute's been with me for an awful long time, so emotion or logic-wise, I can't just give her up to a rando blow in.
Alanna
Right, it's on its way to be reborn!
Truckjacker
You talk so much, and so fast. Real bonzer.
Alanna
......
Truckjacker
A new life? What's that about...
Truckjacker
Isn't life the same everywhere...? There's nothing new or old to it, or different.
Alanna
Fine, maybe you're right.
Alanna
Y'know, even having my head suddenly up against some stranger's weapon isn't anything new to me.
Alanna
Maybe that's something to be sad about.
Truckjacker
......
The truckjacker slowly lowers the giant crossbow.
Alanna
Why'd you respond to that, of all things...? Whatever, I guess you do have some humanity in there.
Alanna
Though, even if you want this for your own free charter, you've gotta be a bit more polite.
Alanna
That's how you'll make us, the people you've dragged into this, happier to cooperate with you.
Truckjacker
I didn't want to involve anyone else.
Truckjacker
I asked around, and there shouldn't have been any passengers this time.
Alanna
I get it. You've been planning this for a while, huh.
Alanna
But you're bound to have a surprise or two, even if your crime's nice and premeditated.
Alanna
Fine, let's just say my beat-up ute and I hit the jackpot.
Truckjacker
When we get there, everyone's free to go.
Truckjacker
I'll pay you too.
Alanna
Wow-wee. Sure hope so.
Alanna
Then, for your 'private charter', we'll first go to the Grinning Valley—but you have to make sure everyone here's safe, and enough raising your crossbow willy-nilly.
Truckjacker
Alright.
Alanna
Good then, jacker—just sit tight and enjoy the view on the way to your stop!
At some point in time, the truck gradually begins to slow down before coming to a halt.
It enters a checkpoint, joining the other vehicles waiting to clear, one after the other. The truck inches forward, bit by bit, every time the other trucks go through the gates.
Alanna used to hate this part, but now she wants the traffic jam to go on for as long as possible.
Because this way, she can be even more certain that she'll get her off-course truck back.
Hah, probably just another international entrepreneur clearing the raw materials out of the nearby mines. They must be working overtime to deliver the goods.
Alanna
They spill money like water, and make us road warriors suffer.
Truckjacker
Why not go another way? This road is so congested.
Alanna
We have to go through Green Meadow if we want to get to the Grinning Valley. No choice.
Truckjacker
......
Alanna
But they don't really check much. Just collect the toll and register a name.
Truckjacker
Alright.
Alanna
(The truck behind needs to hurry up. Good, that's it, now we've got no way out.)
The truckjacker leaves her seat, walking down the narrow corridor as if to confirm the conditions outside, and returns after a moment.
On her way back, the sound of her footsteps sends Alanna's heartbeat racing.
Alanna can only see the truckjacker's hand gripping her crossbow through the rearview mirror.
The figure draped in olive shades covers all the junk reflected in the mirror before appearing in her peripheral vision and sitting next to Alanna once more.
Her expression and body language show a sense of calm. The subtle noise of her clothes brushing the leather seat happens to bury Alanna's thumping heartbeats.
Alanna
What's up?
Truckjacker
Nothing.
Alanna
(Seems she's not onto me. Phew.)
Alanna
(Hmm... There's no way this is the only route to the Grinning Valley. This road is the shortest one, but you have to go through inspections.)
Alanna
(I'll get a chance to call for help as long as I can talk to the inspector. I reckon she and her crossbow won't match up to the well-trained security stationed here.)
Truckjacker
Looks like a Catastrophe.
Alanna
Huh?
Truckjacker
These vehicles all seem to be avoiding a Catastrophe... or maybe some other bad thing.
Alanna
Why's that? How do you figure?
Truckjacker
The scratches on their exteriors are from infected creatures. And there's some dust... it's just a little, but I can see the particles.
Truckjacker
And the expressions of the people inside the cars too.
Truckjacker
The mine workers tend to have similar looks on their faces after an accident...
Truckjacker
The same kind of impatience and unease when they don't know where to go.
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.
In the truck's tiny tool room, little Potlid is keeping her word.
Potlid
...Hmm.
Potlid
That Cautus hijacker lady is so weird.
Potlid
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!
Potlid
Look! The monitor on the little terminal—
Jittery Passenger
Umm...
Jittery Passenger
Seems like... she doesn't want to hurt anyone.
Potlid
Th-Then, are we going back to our route? Can we postpone the truck's retirement?
Jittery Passenger
I don't know...
Potlid
Huh—?!
Jittery Passenger
What's wrong?
Potlid
Just out of the blue here, but... why are you in here with me too, Mister?
Potlid
This is a secret room, closed to the public!
Jittery Passenger
Um... well... I got a little scared... no, not a little, I'm REALLY scared... this is my first hijacking...
Jittery Passenger
I just hurried to the first door I saw...
Jittery Passenger
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...
Potlid
Huh? Okay, sure! But...
Potlid
If you're scared, then why didn't you get off the truck before?
Jittery Passenger
I... don't know why myself... Scared is one thing, but deep inside... I also felt a sudden relief.
Jittery Passenger
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—
Jittery Passenger
Why didn't you get off?
Potlid
Me? Why would I?! Lanns is still here, so there's no way I could leave her on her own!
Jittery Passenger
'Lanns'... You're referring to the truck driver, right? Are you two family? Or...?
Potlid
Family? Uh... I dunno, I left home so long ago.
Potlid
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?
Potlid
Lanns is Lanns. She made a bet with her friends, and I'm their chip...
Potlid
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.
Alanna
What's up, mate?
Inspector A
Routine inspection.
Alanna
Do you have to inspect public transport vehicles too?
Alanna
Look, here's my operating license.
Inspector A
Special circumstances. Please cooperate.
Alanna
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?
Alanna
Crikey. Bloody luck's off the charts today, what with all these 'nice things' happening to me!
Inspector B
(Whispering) Sir, don't bother with her... I just checked the vehicle's identification number, and they came from Big Pillar!
Inspector B
(Whispering) You know, they've got tons of messily managed mines over there, and they don't standardize safety procedures either. Lots of Infected!
Inspector A
Your vehicle ID isn't from Green Meadow, and we inspect all vehicles from out of town.
Alanna
And what if I refuse?
Inspector A
Then our well-equipped security will 'politely' ask you out of your truck for a more in-depth investigation at our office.
Inspector A
We might lock you up for a few days, or months, confiscate your vehicle, revoke your license, and hit you with a nasty fine.
Inspector A
The specific steps we'll take will depend on how long you decide to keep messing with me.
Alanna
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.
Alanna
...Fine.
Alanna
Only the driver has to cooperate with the inspection, yeah? Everybody else here is passengers...
Inspector A
Passengers?
Alanna
Yeah, they're all...
At this point, Alanna turns back, looking toward the passenger cabin's open door and the situation within.
Alanna
......
Alanna
(Potlid's hiding good.)
Alanna
(But... what about that Zalak?)
Alanna
(And the jacker... wait, why is she loading her crossbow?!)
Alanna
She... she's a passenger, bought a ticket.
Alanna
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.
Alanna
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—
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.
Inspector A
Now what's with these two in a hidden compartment? Did you know they were on board?
Alanna
...Of course I did.
Inspector A
And you deliberately hid them from us?
Alanna
That's... you lot gave me such a fright with your fierce mugs, I forgot to mention them.
Alanna
Haha, I'm sure we can talk this out...
Inspector A
—Whose device was that?!
Potlid
...!
Potlid
(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...
Alanna
Well... Sir, dear sir...
Alanna
This passenger here, she's just a little kid. She's come here to Green Meadow... to your prefecture to look for her dad.
Alanna
I hear her father works in a smelting plant and it's been about a year since he's been home... The walls and gates at this checkpoint, and even the materials used in these testing devices might be the fruits of his labor.
Alanna
This tiny Cautus... She only gets one ride every two, maybe three months, just to see her hardworking father.
Alanna
She's a regular rider on our truck, and this has never happened before, everyone usually just breezes right through here.
Alanna
With all due respect, sir, would you make things difficult for such a poor little girl who misses her daddy so very much?
Inspector A
......
Inspector A
There's been a flood of evacuees here from the Double Helmet Mine disaster.
Inspector A
Our superiors expect us to tamp down the influx of Infected here, so this is not about making things difficult. We're just doing our job.
Can I just... Is there anything we can use to patch up these holes?
Jittery Passenger
I'm feeling... a little chilly.
Several holes dot the vehicle's exterior, funneling the wild winds from outside and messing up the Zalak's hair.
Alanna
Nowt we can do. Just bear with it.
Alanna
I'll look for a mobile platform to get some repair materials later...
Alanna
Who even are you?
Jittery Passenger
Ah, I... uh... I'm just an ordinary passenger...
Jittery Passenger
I'm a good guy! Really! Look, here's my ID...
Alanna
Jerry, huh... But I'm afraid we don't have any use for good Jerrys right now.
Jerry
Don't worry about me! I won't tell a soul what happened back there!
Alanna
......
Alanna
Well, it is what it is.
Alanna
Everyone here's an accomplice now, so no one's getting away.
Alanna
Got that, jacker? We're ALL jackers now.
Truckjacker
......
Alanna
Also, thanks for that. Thanks a lot for saving Potlid.
Truckjacker
My device went off too.
Truckjacker
They would have sent us to the Infected treatment zone if they took us away.
Truckjacker
But I still need to get to the Grinning Valley.
Alanna
......
Alanna
Alright, alright. We're off to the Grinning Valley now, the truck's final destination!
Alanna
But we might not have enough fuel for our trip, so we'd better find a mobile platform to resupply, and find a way to patch up my battered ute while we're at it.
Alanna
Otherwise, it'll be tough to explain to the company when I hand her back.
Truckjacker
Alright.
Alanna
Right. So what's your name?
Truckjacker
......
Truckjacker
The miners all call me Ray.
Alanna
Alrighty, Ray. Still feel like 'jacker' rolls off the tongue easier though.
Alanna
Say, jacker. You got me a bit curious... you hijacked this ute and beat up those officers without a care... what in Terra's name are you after in the Grinning Valley?
Alanna
That place isn't exactly car friendly, and I hear it's basically just wasteland ruins after Catastrophes wrecked it... Or do you mean, there might be some treasure to find there?
Alanna
Out with it, mate! It'll be worth all that noise if there's something good in store for us!
Ray
......
Ray
I'm looking for a huge shadow.
Alanna
...A what?
Ray
A shadow as tall as a mountain, shooting rays of light through the fog.
