“I kicked Monkey out,” he said, his words soft. Then he looked up at Bing with sad, depressed eyes. “That means I’m officially back to being a nothing screenwriter with below-average martial arts skills and a movie self-destructing as I sleep. Have I got that right?”
“No,” Bing said sternly. “You don’t.”
Walter frowned. “The movie’s okay?”
“Um, no. Probably not.”
“Auntie Sand isn’t some bizarre demon intent on….” He frowned. “Just whatdoesshe want?”
“The usual. Power. Attention. Anaudience.”
“She should get together with Gator, then,” Walter drawled.
Nero groaned. “Don’t make suggestions we don’t want!”
Bing ignored his pack leader to focus on Walter. “How do you feel?”
“Like my insides have been carved out and flushed down a toilet somewhere.” He closed his eyes and let his head drop sideways onto the back of the seat. Then his lips curved. “At least Monkey’s gone, right? I don’t feel him inside of me.”
Bing was silent for a long, awkward moment.
Eventually Walter opened his eyes. “What?”
“Monkey is probably inside someone else.”
Walter nodded, his expression sober as he looked past Bing to the others, who weren’t being subtle about listening in. When his eyes widened, Bing had to turn around to see. “Is that…?”
“Cara is bringing out the kangaroo. Looks like she’s doing well.”
“Which means we saved the kangaroos, right? That’s something at least. At least until Auntie Sand finds something else to draw from, some other illusion to pull together.”
Nero spoke up, his voice low and grumbly. “Any ideas what that might be? What are her plans?”
Walter looked at him for a moment, then looked back at Bing. “Is he asking me? How the hell would I know?”
Bing squatted. It had taken him a long time to understand this, and now that he did, he felt stupid for not figuring it out earlier. “Walter,” he said, “you know because you’re the key to this whole thing.”
“Bullshit.”
“No, really,” he said. “Everything here, everything that’s happened… it’s all about you.”
Walter narrowed his eyes, then abruptly shook his head. “I think I maybe did get a concussion.”
“It’s all right,” Bing said. “I’m going to drive us somewhere right now, just you and me. And together we’re going to figure this out.”
Nero touched Bing’s arm. “I don’t really think that’s a good idea….” His voice faded at Bing’s hard look. Then he slowly threw up his hands. “Okay, then. You’ve got my phone number. You go on and figure this out. And when you come up empty, give me a call.”
Walter snorted. “Fuck you. Bing has never come up empty in his entire life.”
If only that were true. With a nod to Walter, Bing shut the car door and headed for the driver’s seat. Once inside, he pulled out his phone. “Siri, direct me to the nearest hotel.”
