In the living room, the TV was on, but the sound was turned off. A jittery video of a city with a yellowish-green haze hanging over it was on the screen. The city squatted on a broad plain ringed by mountains. The banner under the image identified the city as Talas in Kazakhstan. The film was replaced by talking heads and Michelle turned away.

“Here are our options, Michelle,” Joey said, holding up one finger. “We can wait this thing out and see what happens. Maybe she comes out of this on her own like she did before.”

Joey went into the kitchen. Michelle followed and stood in the doorway as Joey began making coffee. “Two, we call in some help. I dunno who the fuck we call, though. Some doctor? Maybe a joker doctor who might know how to deal with this.”

“I already called a doctor to come by today, but that was before this. And what exactly could the doctor do?” Michelle asked. She opened the refrigerator, took out the cream, and set it on the dining-room table. “Tell me my daughter is encased in a cocoon? Pretty sure that’s self-evident.”

Joey lit the burner under the coffeepot, then looked at Michelle with serious eyes.

“Or we can try to go in there with her. You know, like last time. Maybe she’d be able to let us in.”

“No,” Michelle said, holding up her hands. “We talked about this. There’s too much adult stuff rattling around in our heads she doesn’t need to be exposed to. We made sure she couldn’t get to those parts last time, but now, who knows just how bad things are for her in there—and if she could control things the way she did before.”

“We could call Wally,” Michelle said, thinking out loud. “He dealt with all kinds of issues when he brought Ghost back. Maybe he’ll know someone who can help. Someone in Jokertown.”

Joey shrugged. “You know plenty of people there,” she said, turning up the burner under the coffee. “And if you thought any of them could help, you’d be on the phone to them right now.”

Michelle sat down at the table and traced the wood grain with her finger. A few minutes later, Joey set a cup of coffee in front of her. She sipped it, and though normally she loved Joey’s coffee, today it tasted like nothing at all.

She couldn’t just sit here. It wasn’t in her nature. She pulled her phone out of the pocket of her robe. One button push was all she needed.

“Hey, Wally. It’s Michelle. Can you come by my apartment after you drop Ghost off at school? There’s something I need to show you.”