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“Lunch.”

I noticed he was reading a newspaper, while chowing down on a thick, juicy cheeseburger. It was a good one too, from one of the better fast-food restaurants. I wrinkled my nose.

“What the hell time is it?”

“Afternoon time,” said Maddox. He pointed upward as he sank back into his chair.

The plastic wall clock read one-thirty.

Holy shit!

“You gonna eat those?” Kane asked, indicating the rest of Maddox’s fries.

“Nah.”

“More for me then.”

It was incredible, that I’d slept this late. That I’d slept this well, because I already felt alive and awake and refreshed. Even with only a few sips of coffee.

You’ve got Kane to thank for that.

That part was undoubtedly true. After what we’d shared together, both at the window and in my bed, I’d slept like a baby wrapped in his arms.

“So… you kids have fun last night?” Maddox chuckled, kicking his feet up.

I poked my tongue out at him and worked on my coffee. I had no interest in whatever was in the white bag. Yet.

A thought suddenly occurred to me. “Austin check in?”

“Not yet,” said Maddox. “He was out by O-five hundred. Should be there by now.

Then again, LA traffic.” He shook his head disgustedly. “The freeway’s gotta be one of the seven levels of hell. I can’t fucking imagine how anyone could ever live there.”

“Nine levels,” said Kane.

“Nine?” Maddox squinted. “You sure about that?”

Kane kept chewing without looking up from his newspaper. “Yup.”

“Circles,” I said eventually, adding to the meaningless conversation.

“What?”

“They’re circles of hell, not levels. According to Dante at least.”

Maddox looked at me strangely. “Who the hell is Dant—”

“You guys wanna go out to the desert tonight?”

It was the strangest question, especially coming from Kane. Maddox and I glanced at each other quizzically, then back at him.

“The desert? Why?”

“Because I did some digging around while the three of you were gone,” he said. “And I found out some stuff.”

“You did?” asked Maddox incredulously.

Kane nodded, stuffing fries into his mouth.