That’s not true. Elijah knows she had two children before she turned, both of which died of the pox. In all the years they’ve been together she’s never told him more than that, not even their names, but he can tell she’s thinking of them now as she pulls on her gloves. He wishes he could say, It wasn’t your fault. Those babies were taken from you by nature, not because you were a bad mother, but they aren’t that way with each other.

Instead he says, “I hope they haven’t burned down the motel while we’ve been gone.”

Antonia listens to the traffic on the freeway, which sounds tonight like wind blowing through trees. “Are we really stuck riding herd on these shitheads forever?” she says.

“We can do whatever you want,” Elijah says.

“Let’s feed on the baby ourselves and take off,” she says. “Let’s go to Japan. Let’s go to Italy.”

Elijah knows she’s just talking. They’ve never been as safe as they’ve been since they joined with the others, never been as powerful. In addition, the only human thing the rest of the Fiends have left is their pride, and they’d never forgive an insult to it. If he and Antonia swiped the baby and ran out on them, they’d have six wild animals on their tails, animals that wouldn’t rest until they tracked them down and exacted revenge. Elijah’s not ready to die yet, and he’s pretty sure Antonia isn’t either, but he’s still trying to come up with a response when she says, “Got ya.”

“What do you mean?” he says.

“That was a test.”

“Did I pass?”

“I’m not telling.”

However she wants to wriggle out of it is fine with Elijah. She stomps her Harley to life, pops it into gear, and roars off. Elijah follows right behind her.

Bob 1 and Bob 2 are by the pool when they get back to the motel. The rest of the Fiends are playing cards in Pedro and Johnny Kickapoo’s room. There’s been tension between the Bobs and the others since the Bobs won the right to make the hit and claim the infant. In the hours since they returned from the killing, Yuma has refused to give them enough weed for a joint, and Bob 2 and Johnny almost came to blows because Johnny didn’t laugh at one of Bob’s jokes.

Elijah suggests they pay the Bobs off separately from the others, but Antonia says no, they’re adults, and they’re going to act like it. She calls a meeting in her and Elijah’s room. Everybody files in looking glum except the Bobs.

The baby is lying on the bed. She’s been crying since Elijah took her out of the sack.