>>6339670Hassan's noncommital commitment, however flakey, gives you a sense of closure. No use feeling bad over this anymore. You've got to, as he says, keep on truckin'.
After a bit of stretching, counting your supplies, and checking the time (12:25), you propose moving deeper into the Zone; the other hunters must be doing the same, after all. Hassan agrees with a shrug, but warns you that it'll take about half an hour to get back to the gate from your current position. Well, you're a bit strapped for time, but there's no reason to not look around a bit more...
Walking past the station, you come upon what may have been a roundabout or parking lot. A crater-sized sinkhole has revealed multiple tiers of construction below the ground level, and here the runoff has turned into a shimmering waterfall where local fauna seem to have gathered, attracted by the verdurous fields. It's quite beautiful, actually. From the correct angle, you can see a small rainbow forming around the end of the stream. You are once again surrounded by the sounds of nature, and the city feels like it's a thousand miles away.
Hassan cautiously approaches the edge of the sinkhole and peers below. By your estimations, this is the dead center of the Zone, the farthest point from the perimeter.
