The drawer doesn’t pull out, but the whole front of the machine falls off, twenty-dollar bills billowing outward.
“Whoops.” I rush to the front and start grabbing stacks of hundreds from the now-open compartments. “This is kind of awesome.” I know it’s wrong, but is it more wrong than lots of people dying? I kind of can’t help the giddy glee that bubbles up inside me as I look at the huge stacks of money. “This is—well, it’s really cool.”
We knock over two more ATMs, and I buy a nice bag on the way to the second one. Before the third, I buy a nice men’s bag so Xolotl can carry it. It turns out, huge stacks of cash are really heavy. But within an hour and a half, I’m able to answer the question of whether a dealership will sell you a car without any identification.
Yes.
Yes, they will.
It just takes a small bribe.
Also, city ATMs do carry quite a bit of cash.
And now, so do I.
“You’re in a good mood,” Xolotl says. “If I knew all it took was some paper, we could have done this before.” He taps the center console of the Tahoe we just bought. “I still say we should’ve gotten the black one.”
I roll my eyes. “You have no idea how hot black cars get.” My stomach growls then. I suppose powdered sugar donuts only get you so far. “Hey, tell me this.”
He turns toward me, his eyes the exact same color of blue as the Tahoe I just picked for him. “What?”
“Can you eat?”
“Consume carbon?” He blinks. “Why would I?”
I laugh. “You’re so weird.”
“I am?” He shakes his head. “Your body’s demanding sustenance, and you’re the one acting strangely as a result.” He turns the key and starts the engine. “Now let’s go get you fed.”
“What about you?” I frown. “This is part of our deal. You have to eat with me.”
“Why?” he asks as he pulls out of the dealership, clipping the curb as he does.
I wince.
“What?”
“You’re a terrible driver,” I say. “And you’re going to break our brand-new car.”
“You used my powers to get this car, so it’s not ours. It’s mine to ruin as I’d like.” He’s glaring as he tears down the road. “Now look around for food you want to eat, and we’ll go take some.”
“We’ll pay for it,” I correct him. “With money we stole.”
He laughs. “Exactly.”
“Ooh.” I point. “What about that?”
“Inclined Burgers?” He’s peering at the place like it’s unworthy.
“I really want a burger. Let’s go there.” Plus, if I’m going to win someone like him over with food, it feels like the right kind to start with. Dead animals paired with French fries? What could be more death-god than that?
He nearly hits two different cars while parking, finally straddling a line on the back row. I can barely peel my hands off the grab strap over the passenger door. Perhaps I should’ve bought a compact car. A Tahoe’s hard to park.
“What?” He’s peering at me as we walk inside the restaurant.
I shrug. “It’s weird,” I say. “Two days ago, you were bursting out of a mountain, and then we rode through the night, basically.” I cough. “With you murdering people all the way.” I lower my voice. “And now we’re walking into a burger place, and I’m wearing a dress you made me out of nothing, carrying money we yoinked from an ATM.” I shake my head. “It’s just been a really weird few days, and now, thanks to you, I’m a criminal.”
“You’re learning to use your own abilities.” He glares at the teenage boy behind the counter. “Though I’m not sure what purpose coming here serves.”
