"I saved him yet he didn't say a single word of gratitude? What's wrong with him!?"
Liliana walked in quick steps, paying no attention to her surroundings. She was fuming, literally. Though she didn't intend for her abilities to activate, Anger was far too powerful of a fuel. The air around her quickly heated up leading to a layer of haze spreading to her surroundings.
"I can't believe it!" She yelled at the clouded sky. "How can someone be this ungrateful!!?"
A few strands of her crimson hair came within view. They floated weightlessly, carried by the gentle upward current generated by her power. Coming back to her senses, she noticed that she had stopped walking at some point. People were looking at her as well, which made her realize she hadn't been as quiet as she thought.
Embarrassment overwhelmed her in an instant causing her surroundings to heat up even more. Desperate, she looked around for a place to hide so she could regain her composure. That was when it hit her, driving her temperature below the average.
She had walked for who knows how long without keeping track of where she was going, and because of that, the location she ended up in looked nothing like where she had started.
"Where... Where am I?"
"Here is your double wcdouble triple cheeseburger with extra mustard and no pickles."
A potbellied man placed a tray on the counter of a food truck. On it was a greasy-looking four-inch monstrosity made of two thick patties and six slices of cheese and onion. Dante scanned the QR on the tablet next to it and watched 04G disappear from his account. Once the transaction was done, he grabbed the burger and bit into it without hesitation.
He had approached the truck intending to ask for information, but when the scent from the grill reached his nose he knew he had to try something from the menu. The cricket meat and the synthetic cheese would have discouraged him back in the day, but after three years of living in Hollowgrid, he learned to ignore the questionable source of the ingredients and just enjoy the taste.
'Not that it matters anymore.' He thought while chewing.
The cook kept staring at him, the frown on his face exposing his bad mood.
"You visiting somebody?" He asked.
"Something like that," Dante said before biting into the burger once more. "Man, this stuff is good." He chewed some more, swallowed then looked up at the cook again. "A buddy of mine came hear a couple days ago. He's a little thin and has this massive bald spot on his head. Oh, and he's got this ace of spades tattooed on the back of his right hand. Have you seen anyone like that?"
"Who knows." The cook shrugged. "There's only three motels around here, and one of them went out of business years ago. That should narrow it down for you."
Dante took another bite and closed his eyes making a show of enjoying his meal.
"Man, this is nothing like what they serve at my usual place." He said. "Guess at the end of the day, the cook's skills make all the difference."
"Of course it does." The cook scoffed. "I make the best whoppers in Factory Town."
"I bet you do." Dante nodded. "Tell you what, I will take another one to go. Bet my guy is starving right now."
"Alright, it'll be done in no time."
A few minutes later, the fat man returned with a paper bag. Dante grabbed it then turned to the QR code to pay. Once done, he glanced at the cook and watched his eyes go wide.
"Alright then, I will be on my way."
"Wait, kid," The cook spoke up. "I think I might have seen your friend before..."
"Yeah, I think he stopped by for a takeout the other day. He struck me as someone who likes to try his luck so... you might find him in The Den down at Fifth Street. You'll know it when you see it."
Nodding, Dante turned around and walked away.
"Thanks, man. That was a great help!"
[Was that what humans call a bribe?] Volcan asked.
'Just a tip to make him talk.' Dante replied. 'If you want something from someone, you gotta make it worth their while.'
[I think giving out 50x the price of the meal is a little too far for a tip.]
The sun was already diving toward the west and soon darkness would come out to rule. The streets had more traffic compared to a couple of hours ago, mainly because the day shift at the factories was over.
Over the past few hours, Dante managed to gather a number of leads that led him deeper and deeper into the residential areas of Factory Town. Just when it started feeling like he was getting close, the cook provided him with one more clue, this one including the name of a place a gambling addict like Michael Jason would frequent.
Following the map till he reached Fifth Street, it took Dante only a few seconds to locate the so-called Den. Apparently, someone had turned an entire apartment complex into a fun house. The first floor was clearly a nightclub, as for everything above, Dante didn't even want to guess what happened there.
There was a long line at the entrance with massive bouncers standing guard. That goes to show the popularity of this place, and with that in mind, it became clear that entering was going to be difficult.
[I can overheat their NIMs and-]
'And cause a big scene?' Dante sighed. 'I have a better idea.'
Why go through the crowded front door when there is one easily accessible in the back?
Making a tour around the block, Dante arrived at a side alley connected to the intended building. There was a high metal fence blocking the entrance, but climbing it wasn't much of a challenge. As expected, no guards were stationed there. The door itself was blastproof and seemed to be locked from the inside, which would have been a problem before, but things were different now.
'Volcan,' Dante said internally. 'See if you can access the surveillance cameras from here.'
In no more than five seconds, multiple screens appeared on Dante's OAM. He had to quickly close some that showed things that shouldn't be filmed, but after that, he was free to look through the rest.
And just like that, the target was located.
[I have created a simplified map of the interior.] Volcan said. [Follow this route and you should reach him shortly.]
Without needing Dante to give him an order, Volcan hacked into the back door's electronic lock. With that done, the only obstacle left in their way was the chance that someone would notice their intrusion before they reached the roulette table down in the first basement floor.