The big car skidded over the edge sideways, jumped, and began to turn over. It rolled with me trapped inside being flipped and flopped around like socks in the dryer. With a sickening crunch all motion ceased as I arrived at the drainage pipe. The car came to a halt on its roof a few yards short of the pipe’s entrance. Totaled, crushed like an accordion. Blout was going to kill me!

I was pinned, but could hear voices outside. It was Mo’Lock for sure and, from the sound of it, he’d found some backup. And there I was, the big leader, trapped in a borrowed car that I had driven into a ditch. What an entrance.

I was relieved to see that neither of the bottles had gotten smashed in the crash. The talisman, however, hadn’t been so lucky. My pants had a dark sticky wet spot seeping through the pocket.

I kicked at one of the back doors while Mo’Lock pulled from the outside. Finally I was able to crawl free into the hazy daylight.

Mo’Lock’s big pale face was right there. “Is this Mr. Blout’s car?”

“It was.”

“He’s going to kill you.”

I ignored the comment as I dusted myself off, noticing the volunteer army Mo’Lock had assembled; the Frankenteens Scott and Miriam and a large ghoul I’d never met. The unknown ghoul was huge, with wide shoulders, big hands, and a head that looked like a cement block with slits for eyes and a dark flattop.

Mo’Lock did the introductions. “Cal, this is Hank Gundy. He’s offered his services. I’m afraid all my brothers and sisters refused.”

I shook the behemoth’s hand. “You’re not a ghoul?”

Gundy shook his head. “Not ghoul,” he said. “Hank a creep.”

I shot Mo’Lock a quizzical look.

He waved me off. “I’ll explain later.”

I swear, there are more varieties of monster than there are insects. Even with all my years of dealing with the shit I still don’t know them all.

I turned my attention to the teens. “Thanks for coming,” I said. “Where’s . . . um, Windshield?”

“Randy,” they both said.

Miriam smiled. “He got a gig!”

Not really wanting to hear more, I ushered everyone to the tunnel mouth. Mo’Lock had outlined what he knew of the plan—the layout of the tunnels and the static he’d encountered—and I filled them in on the rest. The teens seemed to understand everything, but Gundy kept looking around distracted. It didn’t matter. I suspected that if and when there was trouble he’d know what to do.

“I don’t know what we’re going to find down there. All I do know is that it involves many, many forms of witchcraft and dark arts, so be ready for anything. Most important of all: if anybody’s head starts to hurt, drop back.”

Mo’Lock edged up close as I finished my instructions. “Do you see them?”

I whispered back out of the corner of my mouth, “Yup, been there for the last ten minutes.”