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“That’s part of it. But I think the chapel might have been calling to her,” says Nefesh.
“What chapel is that?” I say.
“On the other side of that wall is an adorable little chapel that was supposed to be used for weddings.”
“Wed in a shopping mall. How wonderfully American,” says Vidocq.
“It’s why I like the baths. They’re right next to the chapel. And part of the wall is missing, so I can ease out into the ocean and drift among the seaweed and fish from time to time.”
I say, “I don’t get it. There’s a fast-food wedding factory so Aelita decides to leave the most valuable object in the world?”
“No. I think what called her is the chapel inside the chapel. Some clever boots brought in stones from an ancient Angra temple and built a small shrine to one of their gods right into the chapel wall.”
“The shrine called to Aelita and the Qomrama without her knowing it,” says Vidocq. “I wonder if whoever built it also built the spiral stairs?”
I say, “Do demons come through the shrine?”
“All the time. Another reason remaining incorporeal is convenient.”
“I wonder if they collapsed the mall. The Angra might not like a Burger King on their sacred soil.”
Nefesh shrugs.
“Who knows with those things? Ancient gods. Mysterious ways. If I can’t figure it out, how could you?”
“Are you going to rot down here or pay Mr. Muninn a visit?” I say.
“Now that you busybodies have found me, I don’t suppose I have any choice.”
“Do you know where your brother Chaya is? You might tell him to go to Muninn too.”
“If I knew his whereabouts, do you think I’d tell you?”
Candy pulls on my arm.
“Forget it. Let’s go.”
I follow her for a few steps and turn back to Nefesh.
“Every time I meet one of you little Gods, it’s a ray of sunshine on a rainy day. Thanks for keeping the streak going.”
We head back to the lobby to find the broken escalator. We’re almost to the door when I hear Nefesh clear his throat.
“Thanks for the cigarette, Sandman Slim. And by the way, when I said one of you isn’t what he seems, I wasn’t talking about the mechanical man.”
“What does he mean?” says Traven.
“Forget it. He’s fucking with us because it’s all he can do. Play around in our heads. He can go to Hell or rot down there. Either is fine by me.”
NEFESH MIGHT HAVE been playing mind games when we left, but he told the truth about the way out. Up the dead escalator. A U-turn onto the stairs and we’re back in the Gothic rain forest of Kill City’s main lobby. The Christmas tree is straight and huge, a fungus-covered evergreen where there should be a giant banana palm or kapok.
“What do we do now? Nefesh said the Qomrama is all the way at the top,” says Traven.
Candy looks at me.
“You’ve used it before. Can you summon it or call it down or something?” she says.
My gut aches. I’m dizzy but I don’t want the others to know right now.
