The Guide is Actually a Body-Switching Esper [BL]
Chapter 75: Forbidden Zone No. 74

Chapter 75: Forbidden Zone No. 74

Clothes? Check.

Any important documents? Check.

Laptop and phone? Check.

Weapons, equipment, and the spatial bag with the Fertilizer? Check.

Any remaining sweet snacks? Check.

Lane took one last look around the apartment, making sure that everything was packed and ready to go. Of course, he wouldn’t need most of those things, aside from the spatial bag and the phone. But, it was all necessary, if he wanted to make ’Aidan’s’ move to the Forbidden Zone believable.

Now only the last box of treats from Damien remained. There was probably one more, waiting for him at the office, but Lane skipped the work, so he didn’t get it. It would be pointless to go so far out of his way just to pick it up. And it was already late afternoon. He had to move now if he wanted to reach the Forbidden Zone and switch back to his real body on time.

So he picked the last box, stuffing it in the spatial bag to preserve freshness. He’d enjoy them later, once he came to the Forbidden Zone in person to finish things up.

He closed the doors, not bothering to lock them up - he wanted to make things easy for whoever would come to investigate Aidan’s disappearance. He walked down the stairs one last time, and got in his new car, parked on the street. He just bought it this morning. Previously he commuted by taking a cab... But there weren’t any taxi drivers who would be willing to drive him to a Forbidden Zone.

He tossed the spatial bag in the glove compartment and started the car, setting off on his way.

It was already close to midnight by the time Lane reached Forbidden Zone No. 74. It wasn’t the nearest Forbidden Zone - on his way, Lane had passed Forbidden Zones No. 35 and 184, and if he were to go in another direction, then there were even more... But, the Forbidden Zones were not all the same. They each had a different environment and population. Some were full of ’wildlife’, with hardly any traces of human civilization... While some included towns or cities, with fully developed infrastructure.

And Forbidden Zone No. 74 was of such kind.

The city lights shining in the distance looked warm and inviting. From so far away, Forbidden Zone No. 74 appeared no different from any other city at night. If someone completely ignorant, who had no knowledge of the area or up-to-date map, were to stumble upon the city, they might just keep on driving on the highway, heading straight toward it... Until they ran into the wall, surrounding the whole Forbidden Zone and separating it from the rest of the world.

Lane, however, was familiar with the place. So, he took a turn, getting off the highway. And, after driving for a few minutes or so, took yet another turn, this time to an undeveloped country road. It was a bit bumpy, going through wild fields for more than 10 miles... Until changing into a proper, well-maintained asphalt road, and entering a secure, but unlit, tunnel dug underground.

At the end of it was a massive gate, blocking the entrance.

The tunnel was dark and quiet, giving off an eerie vibe. Cool, humid air filled with the smell of wet concrete burst into the car, as Lane lowered his window. He tossed a candy in his mouth and leaned back in his seat.

And then he waited.

It took a good ten minutes or so, before the bright reflector lights mounted above the gate flashed, momentarily blinding Lane...

And nothing else happened. The tunnel was just as still and quiet as before.

But for Lane, it was a sign he was being watched. He leaned out of the window, and called out, "I’m Aidan, I’ve been sent by your boss! You should have gotten his orders last night!"

There was a moment of silence. Then, the gate at the front let out a high-pitched screech, rumbling as it parted.

Lane stepped on the gas, driving the car through the gate, before halting again. The gate behind him started moving again, and only once it was fully closed, the second gate opened, finally letting Lane into the Forbidden Zone.

Despite how high-security it might have looked, the setup was meant to prevent the monsters from escaping, rather than stopping the people who wanted to enter. Even if Lane hadn’t said that he was sent by ’the boss’, and given any other reason - for example, ’I’m a Guide who wants to improve my rank’, he would still be let in...

But of course, his treatment then would now be different.

As soon as Lane’s car passed through the second gate, entering the open space in front of it, it instantly got surrounded by a group of Espers. One of them, the leader of the group, stepped up to the front.

"Password," he said, his voice muted by the mask covering up his face.

"Caramel sundae with honeycomb crunch."

The man exchanged glances with the rest of the group, giving them a light nod.

"Alright. Please move to the passenger seat, I will take you to your assigned place now."

"Mn, alright." Lane nodded his head, getting off and moving to the back.

The leader of the group drove Lane through the city without a word. It was a pretty big city - the biggest one to turn into a Forbidden Zone so far. And, while it was nowhere as vibrant and lively as it once used to be, it was far from abandoned. Even now, so late at night, you could see some people passing around, a few bars and restaurants lit up, the smell of meat and spices wafting out, monsters skulking around and rummaging through the trash here and there... One of them wanted to jump at the car, but the Esper driving Lane just waved his hand, and the monster fell onto the ground, squeaking as it burst into flames.

They stopped by one of the best apartment buildings located in the city center.

"Get out, you’re going to stay here."

"Mn." Lane just nodded his head again, following the man inside. He wasn’t taken upstairs though, but rather led underground, to the basement area.

"Get in here." The man pushed Lane into one of the secure basement units, locking the heavy metal door. He didn’t explain anything, or ask any questions. Just showed Lane inside, as left.

Lane didn’t bother putting on a show either. The Esper wouldn’t bother to question it, even if he thought Lane’s behavior was odd. After all, he didn’t know who ’Aidan’ was, or what he might have been told or promised... He was just following his orders...

Except, he forgot something?

Lane let out a sigh, and banged on the door. "Hey! You there! Are you sure that’s all?"

All that answered him was silence though. It seemed the man had walked too far away to hear him already.

Lane clicked his tongue, checking his phone. It was five to one already... Almost the time for his meeting with Xavier.

He plopped down on the floor, looking at the numbers on the screen. Should he just switch? But if Aidan woke up before Lane got here and tried to contact anyone... Then, should he destroy the phone?

Just as he was about to do it though, the door opened again.

It was the same Esper from before. "Ah, right. I need to take that," he snatched the phone from Lane’s hands, and slammed the door shut again.

"Well, finally!" Lane let out an exasperated sigh...

And then his body dropped limply on the floor, as his consciousness left it.