Earl shook his head. “I’ve not given up on her yet. Heather’s a survivor. You’d like her. And now that I know more about what’s going on, when I get out of here I will find her…So yeah, that’s about it, Z. I’ve been protective because your wife is gonna have a baby. Regular cause for rejoicing. Normally I’d say ‘let’s celebrate,’ and you could fetch me a beer and a cigar, but right now I’ll settle for ‘let’s not all die.’ So now that I’ve ruined your calm…” He reached out and patted me on the shoulder. The gesture was about the most tender familial thing I’d ever seen from Earl Harbinger. “Get back to work.”

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

“Hey, Z. Are you okay?”

“Huh? Yeah, fine.” Truthfully I was in a daze. I wanted to be talking to my wife, not wandering through this ridiculous flashy casino, looking for a nightmare monster. “Sorry, just tired is all.”

Trip just shook his head and continued between the slot machines. He knew me better than almost anyone, so didn’t bother bugging me further. Cutting through this gambling area was the quickest way to get back to the nightclub. Tanya and Edward were right behind us, Edward happily pointing and grumbling at the pretty lights and video poker. Finally Tanya said, “Jeez, chill, Ed. Don’t get all tourist and make us look like hicks.” I’d seen the trailer she’d grown up in. The girl wasn’t fooling anybody.

I couldn’t wrap my brain around it. Julie and I were going to have a kid. You wouldn’t think that would be so mind-blowing—I’d fought alien gods, after all—but it really was. We had a lot to talk about, a lot to plan, a lot to get ready for. It was terrifying and exciting at the same time, but right then, mostly terrifying. Sort of like my job in that respect. Not that I wasn’t motivated to survive before, but now I really had a reason to beat this thing.

A phone began to ring.

“Oh, heck…” Trip muttered. Tanya’s pointy ears weren’t just for show, and she picked out the source first. The sound was coming from the entrance to a nearby sports bar. I found the phone under the hostess podium.

“This is Pitt.”

“This is Mitch. Are you guys okay?”

I glanced around. Everything was as normal as a deserted, haunted casino could be. “We’re fine.”

“Good. We were watching you, but then you weren’t on camera anymore. Where are you?”

I read the sign over my head. “Johnny Football Hero’s Sports Bar and Grill.”

“I’m looking right at it. That can’t be right…” Mitch’s voice faded as he gave instructions to one of his employees. “Where? Jump up and down or something.”