Igby seems to snap out of it. He looks around and nods. “All right,” he says, “I can fix that. I think I can fix that.”

“Great, that’s great,” I say. “If you could do it in like two minutes, that would be great.”

“Sure, no problem,” he replies, and moves off toward one of the cryochambers to take a look at it.

I run over to Shion, Kina, and Dr. Ortega.

“I can’t do anything,” says the doctor. “There’s no blood in her body … It’s … it’s …”

“I know,” I say, staring down at my deceased friend.

I feel Kina’s hand in mine and raise my eyes to meet hers.

“Luka,” she says, in a casual greeting.

“Kina,” I reply, and we both smile, despite the situation.

The red sign warning us about the approaching Mosquitoes begins to flash.

“Malachai!” Pander’s voice calls as she drags the unconscious, exhausted, battered and bruised boy from behind one of the cryochambers. “Is he alive?”

Malachai stirs. “I’m alive … I think,” he mutters.

“What happened to your eyes?” Pander asks.

“Luka pulled them out … it’s a long story.”

“I’ve got it!” Igby calls from somewhere deep inside the main console. “I’ve got it!”

He appears from the darkness with a length of tubing in his hand.

“You’ve fixed the chambers?” I ask.

Doubt passes over his face. “Well … I’ve either removed the tube that feeds the drugs into the cryochambers, or I’ve removed the tube that sends our blood into storage—”

Igby is interrupted by an alarm sounding.

“Thirty seconds left!” Molly says.

“Well,” I say, “we’re dead if we don’t try.”

I lead the newcomers to the end of the row of chambers, where the empty ones are, and instruct them to step inside.

We all go together, sharing a look of concern and almost humor as we press the green buttons and wait for whatever comes next.

Day 6

“Sir, would you like a drink, sir?”

I look around. I’m back in the Purgatory Hotel.

“Nailed it!” A voice comes from across the ballroom. “Nailed it! Nailed it! Fucking nailed it as usual!”

I look over to see Igby, dressed in a yellow suit, complete with a color-coordinated fedora with a long feather sticking out.

“Igby,” I call, “over here.”

“Holy shit,” he says as he walks over to me. “This place is weird as hell!”

“I know,” I say, and turn to face Molly, who is materializing at her usual spot at the bar.

“How are you feeling?” I ask, waiting for any sign that the drug is once again infiltrating my mind.

“All right,” she replies. “I think … but the drugs are still wearing off from last time, so it’s hard to tell.”

Malachai comes in from his spawn point in the reception area with Kina, Dr. Ortega, and Pander.

Kina puts her arms around me and then backs away.