The bus rumbled to a stop in the middle of nowhere.
I mean nowhere. Some dirt clearing on the side of a two-lane road, surrounded by scrub grass and the kind of trees that looked like they'd lost an argument with the sun. A chain-link fence ringed the perimeter, its posts sagging under faded FGRA warning signs that had been zip-tied at uneven heights. No shade. No water fountains. Just gravel, dust, and the absolute certainty that we were about to walk through hell for loot.
"This is it?" Jordan pressed his face against the bus window. "This looks like where serial killers bury evidence."
"That's the vibe," Belle said, already on her feet and reaching for her gear. "Very 'nothing to see here, definitely not a tear in reality behind that fence.'"
Misato stood first, adjusting her tactical suit with practiced efficiency. Her lime-green hair caught the light filtering through the grimy windows. "Everyone off. We walk from here."
