Bing frowned. “But why would he hate her?”
“Because all she does is talk about old China. She resisted all the modern stuff—TV, computers, the internet—until I convinced her to try it. I didn’t realize it at the time, but believe me, spending every morning dedicating myself and the movie to that stupid stone egg really opened my eyes to the crazy….” His voice trailed away.
The paranormal existed. He understood that now. And he’d dedicated himself to the Monkey King, who was now living inside his head. This had been set up by Auntie Sand from the beginning. And though part of him had understood this the moment Monkey had awoken inside his head, he hadn’t thought about how it had happened until this moment. His beloved aunt had set him up to carry an ancient demigod in his body.
“What’s the endgame here?” he asked, his voice subdued. “Does Monkey take me over and live in my body until some deity encases him in stone again?”
Bing spent a disturbing amount of time thinking about the question. “Can you kick Monkey out? Has he totally taken over?”
“No, not yet.” He was still himself, and Monkey was absolutely silent. “He’s like a secret advisor in my head. He took over fighting for me because I can’t do what he can.” Then his expression narrowed. “You think that will change? That the longer he’s in here with me—”
Bing held up his hand. “I don’t know anything about this, Walter, except for what we’ve both seen.”
“And you think Auntie Sand isn’t just my father’s relative?”
Bing sighed. “I don’t know what she is. Do you?”
God, what a fool he’d been. He’d sold his body and soul for a million-dollar movie, and now… what? Nothing had changed. Sure, he didn’t have to kowtow to a stone egg anymore. At least Auntie Sand hadn’t shown up this morning demanding he prostrate himself in her trailer. Instead she’d stepped into his shower and told him he had to fight a demon.
Oh shit. Walter groaned and fell backward on the bedroll.
“What?”
“I told her I’d help her fight a demon after filming today.”
“Did she give you any details?”
“None. I kind of blew her off.”
“I kind of found him.”
It took a moment for Walter to process Bing’s words. When he did, he jerked upright. “What? You found the demon?”
Bing rolled his eyes. “They’re not that hard to find. The last one nearly destroyed the world less than a hundred miles from here.”
“But there was a demonhere?” Walter couldn’t fathom it. What did it look like? Did it shoot lasers from its eyes? Stink like a sewer in August? And what did it want? He had so many thoughts, the words caught in his throat. All he could do was stare at Bing, hoping for answers.
Bing merely shrugged. “I know that she called him a demon and that he ran away.”
“You saw him?”
“Didn’t you? He was standing right next to me during filming. He’s the one I was trying to keep quiet.”
Walter frowned. “I don’t remember anyone but you. I was a little busy.” Stinking up the soundstage.
“He was a big guy who called himself Gator. He was drinking beer and using his cell phone.”
“That was the demon?”
Bing nodded. “That’s what Sand said. She’s out there searching for him now.”
“To do what? Share the beer? Take away his cell phone? He sounds like he was just a tourist—”
“Tourist,” Bing said at the exact same moment. “That’s what I thought. But….” He shook his head. “He was persuasive.”
A chill went down his spine. “Persuasive how? What did he want you to do?”
Bing looked distinctly uncomfortable. “Nothing important. An interview.”
