Chapter 242:Antony.
"How did we forget?"
"I don’t know."
"You invited him."
"I know."
"You agreed to let him join us, and then we forgot him."
Silver grimaced.
"Apparently."
The convoy had already stopped at the final checkpoint near the gate.
Larry was speaking with one of the guards when he noticed the commotion. He looked over, then his eyes narrowed.
"Is that one of yours?"
Silver opened his mouth.
Before he could answer, Antony reached them. He stopped beside the car, breathing heavily. For several seconds, he simply stood there, then he looked at Silver, then Ravenna, and then back at Silver.
His eyes narrowed.
"Really guys. This is how we’re doing this?"
Silver said nothing and Ravenna looked away. Antony stared at them.
"You forgot me, how could you?" He sounded more dramatic that he should have been.
Silver cleared his throat.
"Technically... "
"You forgot me."
"Yes."
Antony placed both hands on his hips.
"I woke up early."
Silver nodded.
"That’s good."
"I went to the training room."
"Also good."
"You weren’t there."
Silver’s face tightened.
"That is unfortunate."
Antony stared at him.
"Then I saw your vehicle backing out of the hotel. Seriously guys, how could you do this to me? I’m a sweet and kind person."
Ravenna finally looked at him.
"You followed us?"
"Of course." Antony opened the rear passenger door. "God, this is soo frustrating. I want to kill you both at the same time."
Silver blinked.
"What?"
"Since we’re already here, I’m coming with you guys weather you like it or not. I’ll send my mom a message"
Before either of them could respond, Antony climbed into the back seat and shut the door. Then he leaned back comfortably.
"There." He sighed. "Much better."
Silver and Ravenna stared at each other. Neither knew what to say.
Antony crossed his arms.
"You two really are something."
Ravenna looked toward the windshield.
"We were busy."
"Doing what?"
"Preparing."
Antony raised an eyebrow.
"Forgetting me? That’s a really shitty thing to do with someone, what if I hadn’t spotted you guys. Was everything going to a lie."
Silver sighed.
"Sorry."
Antony’s expression immediately softened.
"Apology accepted, just because we’re a team."
Silver blinked.
"That easily?"
"Yes." Antony shrugged. "I’ve been forgotten before."
Ravenna looked back.
"That doesn’t sound reassuring."
"It isn’t." He smiled. "Besides, I was entertained."
Silver started the engine again.
"How?"
"I watched you two."
Silver frowned.
"Watched us? Were you stalking us."
"Eew, no. I was keeping an eyes on my teammates, you know, just in case both of you needed a shining knight. I saw you from the Association."
Ravenna turned around.
"It’s still stalking, which isn’t good. Anyway you were there,"
"Yes."
"From when?"
"When you were standing in front of the mission board."
Silver’s expression changed. Antony leaned forward between the seats.
"You two were so focused on that mission that I knew immediately you’d forgotten I existed."
Ravenna frowned.
"You didn’t say anything?"
"I thought it would be funnier to see how long it took."
Silver shook his head.
"Why didn’t you come close?"
Antony grinned.
"Because I was curious."
"About what?"
"Whether either of you would remember."
Silver sighed, while Ravenna looked embarrassed.
"Sorry."
Antony waved his hand.
"It’s fine." Then his smile became mischievous. "You two are kind of boring, though."
Silver raised an eyebrow.
"Boring you say?"
"Yes." Antony leaned back. "I expected some dramatic reaction."
"What kind?"
"I don’t know." He shrugged, "Maybe one of you would realize you had forgotten me and start panicking."
Ravenna looked at him.
"We don’t panic."
"I noticed." Antony laughed. "That’s what makes you boring."
Silver shook his head.
"You’re something else. You never cease to amaze me."
"Thank you."
"That wasn’t a compliment."
"I accepted it as one."
Ravenna couldn’t help laughing. Antony looked pleased.
"See? You’re already more fun."
Silver glanced at him through the rearview mirror.
"How exactly did you follow us?"
"I waited until you checked out,and followed from a distance."
Silver’s eyes narrowed.
"You followed us without saying anything?"
"I didn’t want to interrupt your romantic little morning."
Ravenna’s face immediately reddened.
"Antony."
"What?"
"We weren’t doing anything."
Antony grinned.
"Sure."
Silver decided not to argue, as the convoy began moving again. The final gate was only a short distance away. The vehicle was already approaching the checkpoint.
The guard raised a hand. Silver slowed down. The guard checked their mission documents one final time before waving them forward.
The massive gate opened. Beyond it stretched the road toward the Green Zone.
Silver accelerated slowly.
As they crossed the boundary, the atmosphere changed. The buildings began disappearing behind them. The road became wider and rougher. Natural vegetation began replacing the carefully maintained greenery of the sanctuary.
Within several minutes, the last structures of Delta Two disappeared from view.
The Yellow Zone stretched ahead.
Antony looked through the window.
"Finally."
Ravenna glanced back at him.
"Have you never been outside before?"
"I have."
"Then why are you excited?"
"Because I like traveling but I couldn’t just stand going out with some random contractors groups."
Silver looked at him through the mirror.
"You certainly talk enough."
Antony smiled.
"That’s because I’m interesting."
"Debatable."
Ravenna laughed. Antony pointed at Silver.
"You see? He keeps insulting me."
"I haven’t."
"You called me strange once, to my face."
"Because you are."
"See?"
Ravenna smiled.
The tension that had surrounded the morning disappeared. For the first time since leaving Delta Two, the three of them felt like an actual team.
Silver kept his eyes on the road. The terrain ahead was beginning to change. Grasslands stretched toward the horizon, and scattered rocks broke up the landscape.
Farther away, small hills rose from the plains. The same savanna environment they had traveled through before. They were slowly approaching the Yellow zones.
Antony leaned forward.
"So."
Silver glanced at him.
"So?"
"What are we looking for?"
Ravenna looked at Silver. She knew exactly what he meant. Silver remained silent for a moment.
"Materials."
Antony stared at him.
"That’s vague."
"It’s supposed to be."
Antony narrowed his eyes.
"You two are hiding something."
Ravenna shrugged.
"Maybe."
Antony smiled.
"I like you."
"I know."
Silver shook his head.
"Both of you are trouble."
Antony leaned back.
"You invited me so you’ve got to deal with it."
Silver sighed.
"Unfortunately."
Antony laughed.
The convoy continued deeper into the green zones closer to the Yellow zones without encountering any attacks. Which was weird in on itself.
Silver tightened his grip on the steering wheel. This time, they wouldn’t be traveling alone, and whether that made things safer or far more complicated remained to be seen.