The next express bus leaves in four minutes.
I find that out after losing another half minute at the terminal, comparing routes that no longer work for me. The regular line would reach District 3 long after Rhayne's Reentry. The express costs more, but it uses the high-speed interdistrict corridors and skips most of the stops between districts.
I buy the ticket.
The machine debits the fare, assigns a seat, and projects the route on the screen. I check the arrival estimate against the clock one last time before heading for the platform.
It's tight.
The bus is already waiting when I get there, its silver body suspended a few inches above the boarding platform. An automated announcement greets passengers while the doors verify identification through built-in readers. I put my hand on the sensor, wait for the green light, and step in.
The cold air hits me immediately.
