Chapter 14 - 13: Gods and Quests
The city streets were quiet, save for the distant hum of streetlights and the low growl of Franz’s motorcycle engine. The night air was cool against his face, a stark contrast to the warmth of the cigarette resting between his lips.
His right hand, still slick with half-dried blood, held the throttle steady, while his left flicked open his phone. The glow of the screen illuminated his face—navigation app was leading him straight into another goddamn dead end.
He exhaled, the cherry of his cigarette burning red as he muttered,
"Fuck G-Maps. That’s the third blocked route."
Orion, still trailing behind him on his own bike, watched with a mix of apprehension and bewilderment. Franz had been talking to himself more than usual, and it was starting to unsettle him.
"System," Franz spoke, his tone laced with irritation. "You got anything better than this junk?"
[Affirmative.]
"Then why the hell didn’t you say something when I’ve been wasting my time running into walls?"
[You didn’t ask.]
Franz inhaled sharply, closing his eyes for a brief moment before responding.
"Are you actually fucking stupid?"