“Hi, Stark.” “Candy?” “You need to come home. Kasabian and I are drinking all your beer.” “Just remember to empty his bucket every bottle or two.” “I’ve missed you.” “Hobbies are a good way to forget your troubles. I’ve heard needlepoint is relaxing.” “Doc says you’re sick.” “No. I’ve been sick. Now I’m getting better. Soon I’ll be perfect.” “Please come back.” “I can’t. We’re here.” I park across from the address Johnny gave me. We’re in front of a ten-story office building shaped like a cake box sitting on top of a shoe box. The only interesting thing about the place is that it doesn’t seem to have any windows. I say, “Good-bye, Candy,” and hang up. Good-bye to everyone. Been nice knowing you. Johnny leans over and stares up at the building, as curious as I am. “Do you have a way in?” “You got us the car. I thought you could do it.” “You’re more awake than this morning.” “Yes. Almost back to my old dead self. That snack you brought hit the spot.” “You have a sweet tooth.” “I have a sweet tooth.” I look the building over, wondering about the best way in. I’ve never tried to take a dead man through the Room and this doesn’t seem like the right time to turn Einstein and run experiments. “I guess you twenty-seven Drifters really are special. How did they put your soul back in when they made you a Savant?” He shifts his gaze from the building to me. “What do you mean?” “I can see souls and you have one.” I point at the ball of light behind his ribs. “How did they put it back in after you died?” “No one put it back. It never went anywhere. I told you before. The dead live in the Jackal’s Backbone. Everyone who’s ever died in L.A. is down there.” “Right. I got that.” “If everyone is down there, where else would their souls be? What’s the use of holding on to the bodies if you don’t have the souls? The Backbone is here because L.A. is a power spot. We’re here because it needs to be fed.” “It feeds on the souls.” “That’s what I said.”
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