The line was halfway up the block when I finally re opened. I even had my first set of repeat customers. How many people does Charlie know? Maybe I should have talked him into slowly introducing this instead. As I struggled with the doors again the tourists started filtering in along with someone I almost recognized. Zeke? Zach? Something. I know he works as a pit boss for one of the recycling plants near here. Scoping out the competition day one? No, it shouldn't be that, I am not really much of a competition since people are walking out with all the stuff he'd want.

"Let me help you with that Roy" Mr. Z came up to me and helped with the gate, allowing the waiting vehicles to start pouring in just a little sooner. I really wish I remembered his name. He knows mine.

Nola, does your zone let you know a delvers name?

Not as far as I can tell. Weight, stats, age and number of delves. I guess dungeons like me don't normally see people as people. Just meaty energy bags

Well that's unsettling. Don't do that here please.

I won't. Promise

"Thanks for that" I say to our new helper as I get the door into place, "Now, why would a pit boss be here?"

"Right to business then, aye Roy? Alright. Its Zion by the way. I can see you struggling. If you're gonna do business you should work on your poker face"

I thought I was doing well.

You really weren't

Shut it.

"Yeah, right to business. I know we are in different parts of the same process. I'm just wondering why you're here." The tourists had noticed me talking to Zion. They were watching closely. I need to watch my words.

"You completely change the game, and you are wondering why I am here?" He gave me a wide eyed smile before brushing some non existent hair out of his face. He was trying to stop himself from laughing. "Is it true you aren't even charging for this?"

"Yeah. Free to everyone. For now. Eventually there will be a fee." He is giving me the same look as Charlie, he doesn't believe a word of it, but he's gonna run with it anyway.

"Limits?" He said, looking at the pit where people were dumping their trash. Huh, the hippies have started directing the newcomers on what to do. That's convenient.

I think I know where Zion is going, and I think I like it.

"Pieces must be smaller than a truck, but other than that no limits. You interested in some help processing?" Of course he is. Cut down on processing, increase the profit for the metal re selling. Plus I can get it into exactly the size he needs for peak efficiency. As long as he tells me what that is.

"Only if you aren't interested in buying me out."

"I'm sorry, what now?" That took a turn I wasn't expecting.

"A buy out. I'm looking down the barrel of a brand new world, and I don't see any cover." He gestured at the nicely processed material coming out the other side of the machine. "I talked to one of the guys this morning after they were done with your place. You can pick the size of the final pieces too? How much longer till your backers vertically integrate into processing?"

He thinks I have backers. I will not correct that information error. No one believes I am smart enough to actually make Nola anyway. That's fine. I'm just the front man. With powerful and mysterious backers. Maybe from another country. What's the Chinese word for recycling again?

"Zion, as far as I know they don't have any plans about material processing for existing metal markets. Their goal is currently the unrecyclable materials."

"Well." He stuck out his hand to shake mine. I took it, even though I wasn't sure what we were shaking on. "I will have my yard bring it all here to take advantage of the free ride while it lasts. I'll bring some resumes by too. Think of some of us little guys when you are done taking over." He didn't stand on ceremony or wait for me to respond. He just started to head for the gate. As he waited for a truck full of washing machines to pass by he turned back and gave me another piece of advice. "Hire yourself a good press person. You can't lie to save your life"

----------------------------------------

Well that was a downer.

I mean, we don't have to take over the whole processing process. Just doing what we are doing is still paying huge dividends for me.

Yeah, but he's right. This is a game changer for the whole industry. The tourists are filming us, so soon a lot of people will know. And just existing we are going to change what people expect from recycling. The plan wasn't to end up un-employing all my friends.

Nola shot me an emotion rather than words as response. She understood what I was saying, even if she disagreed. She wanted to keep growing. That was obvious. It was her job not to destroy the ecosystem where she was operating, my job is now to figure out how to not destroy the garbage economy.

But some employees are probably necessary. Zion isn't wrong about my poker face. I need someone to be a better spokesperson. And I need some hands to help with moving garbage.

I have no ideas on the first one, but I know a guy that can help with the other part. And I think I can trust him to not leak anything to the press or the feds.

I pulled out my phone and made a call to my co worker. Straight to voicemail. He must be at work today.

That reminds me, I should probably tell my boss I am quitting before my shift tomorrow.

The message beeps and its time to hook him without giving anything away.

"Hey Tyler. Do you still hate the government?"

----------------------------------------

When the day came to a close and the crowd had been reduced to just one straggler junk man and a single tourist I turned on the closed sign and closed one of the doors. It moved much smoother this time.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

I reached the gate earlier today. So I fixed the hinge. It still looks the same, no one saw.

Thanks. I really appreciate this. Rather than using all my strength and both hands I could now swing the metal gate closed with one hand. How did I ever live without a dungeon.

As the last customer of the day finished dumping the last of his load I called out to the remaining tourist "Closing time, you don't have to go home, but you can't stay here folks"

The junk man gave me a wave as he drove off, but the hippy wasn't leaving that easily.

"Come on man, we gotta close up for the night." I said as I gestured to the door. I got peppered with the same questions I had been getting all day. How's it work? Who do you work for? When are you expanding? Can I buy stock? So on and so on. All answered with the same non answers. I really need to work on that press position.

I saw Tyler's truck pull in and park as I was ushering the guy out. Perfect.

I closed the other gate behind the tourist, much easier now thanks to the improvements, and locked it.

Tyler was watching me from the truck but hadn't gotten out yet.

"Hey bud, how was work"

"It was work" Ty said with a nod. He opened the door and half swung out of the truck. "Interesting message you left me"

"I figured it would get you here" He smiled and nodded at that

"Well that part worked. Now what do you have here?" He pointed at Nola's flower "You don't seem like the artsy type, so I imagine that does something?"

"It does a lot, thats actually what I called you here to talk about. I want to...." Ty jumped down from his truck and came towards me with his index finger to his lips, signaling me to be quiet. Nola and I both looked around, as far as we could see there was no one nearby. I turned in a full circle before looking back at Tyler and shrugging.

"I don't see.."

"Shhhhh" He silenced me again. He pulled out a silvery bag from his pocket and put his phone inside. Then he gestured for mine.

It's probably worth explaining why I believed that Tyler was a good person to tell about this.

He's a conspiracy nutter and doomsday prepper. And not a "has a few cans of food and a bug out bag" kind of prepper. He's the "has a secret bunker full of guns nobody knows the location of and grows 100% of his own food" kind of guy. He also makes homemade gasoline, guns, and spirits, probably without a license. Fun guy overall. But have a conversation with him and you'll find out that the press is controlled by the illuminati and the lizard people took control of the US government during the Bush Sr administration.

In short, even if he does tell someone, no one is gonna believe him. And he is probably not gonna tell anyone.

The perfect employee for my operation. Plus I know he's a hard worker.

After both our phones were tucked away in the faraday bag and locked in his truck he indicated that we could talk again.

"So, as I was starting to say, I have something here I need help with. Did anyone at work talk about this today?"

"Yeah, magic recycling plant that popped up outta nowhere. People mentioned it. I didn't know it was you till I got here."

Interesting word choice with Magic. "Yeah, it has been an interesting day. Funny that you should use the word magic." I paused for dramatic effect "Because it actually is!"

The dead eyed stare I got back was not a great sign

"You don't have to believe what I do, but I am not crazy" Debatable "I am sure whatever the machine is can be explained logically"

Seriously? I am able to convince no one except the conspiracy guy?

Nola, ever the impetuous dungeon, didn't wait for an order from me. Or even alert me to what she was about to do. She just ordered her mini graboid to pop up beside me and 'skreeeee'.

And I ended up jumping more than Tyler did. I can sense where that thing is when I am in the dungeon. How did it jumpscare me?

"O. K. So there is something going on here" Ty said, not looking away from the little monster. He also at some point when I was jumping had pulled out a gun. Gotta take back control of the situation.

"Nola, send the graboid away. Tyler, please put the gun away. I promise I will explain everything and it will start to make sense." The bug ducked back into the dirt and went back under the garbage pit. I guess that was his nest for now.

Tyler did not put the gun away, but at least he lowered it. "Who and where is Nola?"

"The flower, and I wasn't lying about magic"

Technically I am not in the flower anymore, I'm below it.

Not now

Tyler looked at the metal flower, shrugged and put the gun into the pocket of his jacket. Not back in the holster. He's still a little on edge.

"Is it alien?"

"Not sure really. It came through a wormhole not a spaceship"

"Makes sense. Faster than light travel is impossible. Wormhole travel is the way to go for large distances and parallel dimensions."

That's the thing you buy? I do not understand you.

"Anyway." I said with some emphasis. "She came with the other guy in the shed, she got passed off to me and we have been trying to grow ever since."

"Other guy? Another flower?" he said looking around

"No the other one was a dog person"

"One of the Cynocephaly? They've been visiting our world since ancient Greece and Egyptian times."

Talking to you is a real trip Ty.

"I wouldn't know. He's been in a coma. I've been calling him Buddy" I opened the door to the chemical shed and showed him Buddy's set up.

"Like your old dog? We should probably not tell him that." Tyler was smiling now. He's taking this in stride. He is also probably right about the nickname, but I already knew that.

"Not important for now. Nola is a dungeon core. That means she has some special magic abilities and we have been trying to get her to grow. Nola and I formed this dungeon to try and recycle as much as we could and get her some matter and delvers without hurting anyone. But we need help running the fake plant. It turned out to be more work than I thought."

I explained to him about Nola and I's merging, my dungeon master status, Buddy's injuries, the matter transmutation tests and our heist. Ty nodded along taking it all in.

"Can she make ammo? Nola! can you make ammo." He shouted in the general direction of the flower.

I can Tyler! Can I have one of your guns? They look neat.

Tyler was waiting for a response. He couldn't hear Nola even if she tried to talk to him. Interesting.

"Didn't hear her?" I asked

"Nope, I bet you did if you're asking"

"She says yes, if she gets a sample bullet"

Also I want a gun! Ask him for his gun. Pleeeeeease

No

Ty ejected the mag and clicked one bullet out. "Where does it go?"

"Anywhere on the ground will work at this point, but I have been throwing stuff in the pit for consistency"

The bullet barely had a second delay after sinking into the dirt before 50 more pristine copies popped up in front of Tyler. That made him light up.

"Here Nola, try this gun." He then proceeded to reach down to his ankle and throw a second weapon down towards the pit. So much for not giving Nola a gun. Also how many weapons did he bring to a friendly meetup.

"How many guns did you bring with you?' I asked incredulously

"Just 3. Nothing major"

"Did you think I was bringing you here to shoot you or something?"

"If I thought that I would have come armed."

"You are armed?!"

"Those are nothing"

"I am concerned by your definition of nothing."

He smiled at me before turning back to face Nola's flower. "Can you copy that too?"

In response two shiny pistols appeared in the dirt.

Nope

"Nope" I grabbed one of them and threw it back to the pit. Ty didn't try to stop me. "We are already on thin enough ice without gun running. Nola, No. Ty, also no."

He raised his hands in mock surrender. "I will take the job. I'll quit today and be here for you tomorrow. But I want my pay in gold, not worthless fiat currency. I can get Nola a sample if she needs some"

Tell him I know gold already!

"She knows gold already. But if you want a shape she'll need that"

"Can do"

"I think it goes without saying, but this needs to stay a secret. From everyone. Not even the conspiracy boards can know."

"All I can promise is that I won't tell; but I think they'll know soon. I watched the true believer leave. That guy is telling everyone"

I really need that press person.