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Colt raised an eyebrow. ‘You know about that, huh? How long have you been following me, anyway?’

‘Since Hector helped you and your kids escape from that underground mansion.’

‘I see.’

The reaper tilted his shadowed face at him. ‘You don’t strike me as the type of person who wants to improve society. No offense.’

‘I am not a good man,’ said Colt. ‘A good man would regret a lot of the things I’ve done, I think. But I’ve known good people. Or at least, people who deserved a lot better than what they got. And I figured that I could do things that good people can’t.’

‘Things, huh? Care to elaborate?’ said Bohwanox.

‘No.’

‘We are going to be spending a lot of time together. It would be best if we learned to get along.’

‘I think we’ll get along just fine without knowing every little thing about each other.’

‘You’re not curious about me, then?’

‘Tell me whatever you want. I’m not stopping you.’

‘Hmm. So you’d prefer a business-like relationship.’

‘Hell yes.’

Bohwanox paused. ‘I’m okay with that. As long as you don’t disobey me.’

‘Fine.’ Colt stopped, looked around the open street, and then eyed Bohwanox another time. ‘Look, I know you’re against it, but I really need to steal a car if I wanna make it all the way back to Brighton by morning. How about if I steal it from someone who deserves it?’

‘I suppose that would be okay. But can you actually find someone like that?’

An hour later, he had a car. Annoyingly, Bohwanox made him drive the drunken idiot home first.

Next, Colt found a pay phone.

‘Calling Hector?’

‘Yeah. I memorized his number in case of emergencies.’

‘Quite prepared, aren’t you?’

‘Not enough, obviously.’ He listened to it ring.

A few beats passed. ‘He’s not picking up,’ said Bohwanox.