When the smoke cleared, only one Freight remained. It idled on the outskirts of town, headlights glaring, but did not advance. Mara parked, lighting a cigarette with shaking hands.
"That was your first real drive," she said. "Now you know the truth. You're tied to the Road whether you want it or not."
Rook slumped in his seat. "Why me?"
Mara exhaled smoke. "The Road doesn't explain itself. It just takes. Maybe it saw something in you. Maybe you were just in the wrong lane at the wrong time. Either way, you've got a choice: fight it, or drive with it. But don't think for a second you can go back to being normal."