204: A Living Legend

"Been a while, Old Hauler."

The border checkpoint attendant lazily lifted his head and recognized the truck he had grown very familiar with at a glance. He pushed back his chair and stood, his uniform jacket hanging loosely from his shoulders as he left the checkpoint and walked toward the driver's window.

"Heard you made a run outside?" He took the inspection form and cargo manifest Old Hauler handed through the window, then casually tossed him a bottle of water, as naturally as if he were putting something into his own fridge.

"What good stuff were you hauling this time? When you left a couple days ago, some rookie was on duty outside. He didn't even think to wake me while I was sleeping in the back room—otherwise, I would've had a drink with you before letting you through."

Old Hauler grinned, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel before opening the door and climbing down. "Can't drink and drive. But when your shift's over and you're heading back into the city, give me a call. We'll meet at the Afterlife bar."

"Works for me. I'll look you up tomorrow. So what did you haul this time? I saw the Aldecaldos waiting here early in the morning. Don't tell me it was another big shipment?"

"What good stuff could there be?" Old Hauler winked at his old friend of more than a decade—the youngest officer in the NCPD traffic division back in the day, now the slickest old fox on the border, who had ridden the NCPD chief's rise through the ranks to become the checkpoint commander. "Just running errands for those Aldecaldos kids. It wasn't far. I was back before the engine even warmed up."

As he spoke, Old Hauler handed his old friend a cigarette.

"As long as