They climbed out of the bus. Waiting for them in front of the motel was a woman Shadow did not recognize. She was perfectly made-up, perfectly coiffed. She reminded him of every newscaster he'd ever seen on morning television sitting in a studio that didn't really resemble a living room.

"Lovely to see you," she said. "Now, you must be Czernobog. I've heard a lot about you. And you're Anansi, always up to mischief, eh? You jolly old man. And you, you must be Shadow. You've certainly led us a merry chase, haven't you?" A hand took his, pressed it firmly, looked him straight in the eye. "I'm Media. Good to meet you. I hope we can get this evening's business done as pleasantly as possible."

The main doors opened. "Somehow, Toto," said the fat kid Shadow had last seen sitting in a limo, "I don't believe we're in Kansas anymore."

"We're in Kansas," said Mr. Nancy. "I think we must have drove through most of it today. Damn but this country is flat."

"This place has no lights, no power, and no hot water," said the fat kid. "And, no offense, you people really need the hot water. You just smell like you've been in that bus for a week."

"I don't think there's any need to go there," said the woman, smoothly. "We're all friends here. Come on in. We'll show you to your rooms. We took the first four rooms. Your late friend is in the fifth. All the ones beyond room five are empty-you can take your pick. I'm afraid it's not the Four Seasons, but then, what is?"

She opened the door to the motel lobby for them. It smelled of mildew, of damp and dust and decay.

There was a man sitting in the lobby, in the near darkness. "You people hungry?" he asked.

"Driver's gone out for a sack of hamburgers," said the man. "He'll be back soon." He looked up. It was too dark to see faces, but he said, "Big guy. You're Shadow, huh? The asshole who killed Woody and Stone?"

"No," said Shadow. "That was someone else. And I know who you are." He did. He had been inside the man's head. "You're Town. Have you slept with Wood's widow yet?"

Mr. Town fell off his chair. In a movie, it would have been funny; in real life it was simply clumsy. He stood up quickly, came toward Shadow. Shadow looked down at him and said, "Don't start anything you're not prepared to finish."

Mr. Nancy rested his hand on Shadow's upper arm. "Truce, remember?" he said. "We're at the center."

Mr. Town turned away, leaned over to the counter, and picked up three keys. "You're down at the end of the hall," he said. "Here."