Lauren used the cuff of her sleeve to wipe through a thick layer of grime that coated the front of the machine. She moved in closer and squinted in an attempt to read the fading song labels. ”Does this even work?”

”Does that?” Kenzi pointed at the mud-splashed bus, with its re-tread tires and temperamental engine. ”You found your buried treasure. This one’s mine.”

”Captain and Tenille. The Carpenters. Gilbert O’Sullivan,” Lauren read aloud. ”Do you even know any of this music?”

”I’ll have you know…” Kenzi puffed out her chest while patting the dusty machine. ”No, I don’t. But someday soon, whenever we get power restored…we shall also have songs…and, and ale! And vodka! And—”

”—Okay, Captain Hook. I get it.” Lauren closed her eyes and smirked.

Siem Reap

Bo had been as despondent as the weather, stuck in a five-star hotel without any way of finding their way out of town. No driver risked leaving his family in order to tour a bunch of tourists during the storm, near or far. The airport was closed and time had become her enemy. Plus, Bo hadn’t fully fed since Singapore—a fact she hid from Bruce, who had been too modest to actually witness an actual feeding. Bo supplanted her hunger with bottomless glasses of chateau whatever and gin. She parked herself in the dining room and soaked in the soup of her misery at a table that, along with the seats, were suspended in the air like swings by thick muscular ropes bolted into the double-height ceiling. Through her wine haze, Bo spied three familiar and water soaked figures approach her.

As they joined her, the ropes groaned beneath their weight and the table jerked and swayed until they settled in. ”So,” Bo slurred, ”Didja see animals being led down the street two by two?”

Tamsin sat next to Bo and moved Bo’s wine glass to the opposite side of the table. ”You need to sober up succu-queen.”

”What for? In case you haven’t been paying attention, we’re stuck here until the weather changes. Have a drink. On me.”

Dyson pushed an untouched glass of water toward Bo. ”Seriously, Bo. We need you alert. Sharp.”

”Fuck you!” Bo toppled the glass of water as she shoved it back towards Dyson. Then, pointing her chin to the courtyard. ”It’s been raining so long that I’m tired of saying it’s raining.”