AN HOUR LATER I’m moving things over to Max Overdrive by hand through the Room. I do it all myself. It would be too strange to have Candy and Kasabian marching through and seeing Father Traven every few minutes. I apologize to him every time I come through. I bring him some pillows and a blanket. It’s not like he’s going to get cold in the room. The temperature never changes. But they’re normal things. Things that will let him feel human in a pretty inhuman situation. I look around for a book I can give him, but all I can find is a month-old issue of Entertainment Weekly.

“I’ll get some of your stuff from Vidocq soon. I promise.”

“I know,” he says. He’s so fucking sincere it can just break your heart.

Downstairs in Max Overdrive, it’s still a maze of drop cloths and empty paint cans from when repairs on the place stopped after the zombie riots. At least the upstairs living quarters are in decent shape. Almost like a person lived there. There’s a not too small bed-sit area complete with actual windows that get sun, and an adjoining bathroom. Of course a couple of video monitors for movies. They seem small and pathetic after the drive-in-theater-size flat-screen at the Chateau. First thing we need around here is a bigger refrigerator. The second is bigger monitors.

Candy and I outvote Kasabian, so we get the upstairs room and he gets the sales floor area to himself. He can camp out on the mattress we stole from his bedroom at the Chateau. It’s better for him downstairs anyway, with his hinky leg. We’re just thinking of his welfare.

“We’re going to have to be careful of the furniture in here, you know,” I tell Candy. “It’s not like we can call down to the front desk every time we break an end table or bureau anymore.”

“That will just make things more challenging.”

“We could cover the whole room in bubble wrap.”

“And you’ll finally have the padded cell you’ve always wanted.”

Allegra knocks on Max Overdrive’s front door around noon. Candy lets her in.

“I went by the hotel but they said you weren’t there anymore. They asked if I knew a forwarding address. I guess some linens and furniture are missing from the penthouse.”

“Come upstairs and I’ll show you our almost new sofa,” says Candy.

Allegra sighs.

“The penthouse was nice but I guess nothing lasts forever.”

“Just scars and library fines,” I say, carrying a pretty little Tiffany lamp over to Kasabian’s bed. Allegra gives me a tense little wave when she sees me.

“Hey, Stark. Can I talk to you in private?”

Candy raises her eyebrows at me.

“Sure. Let’s go out on the lanai.”

I take her out the back door to the overflowing Dumpster.

She gets a good whiff of the thing and makes a face.

“I guess you need to get some services turned back on.”

“There’s still water and electricity. That’ll do for now.”

“I wanted to talk to you about Matthew.”

“He’s the boyfriend.”

“Ex-boyfriend.”

“Right. Sorry.”

She takes a deep breath.

“He’s at my old apartment. He’s moved in like it’s his.”

“Is there anything there that would tell him where you are now? I don’t mean the apartment with Vidocq. That’s still invisible to civilians, right?”

“Yes.”

Tags: Richard Kadrey Sandman Slim Fantasy
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