Chapter Four: The Toad That Ate Money

reserve. The toad pressed a forefoot to his palm. A copper rim formed around his door-mark. At once, Lu Chen heard all the money in the airport whispering. The change in vending machines sounded innocent. Beneath the floor of an administrative office, something sang with nauseating hunger. He pried up a panel and found a case filled with black coins. The top coin carried directions to the Lampless Auction: INSERT AT OVERSIZE BAGGAGE NINE, 00:13. Beneath it lay an internal airport payment order. The purpose read ANOMALOUS CREATURE ATTRITION. Someone had scratched away the authorizing name, leaving half of the character Qin. Blackbean bit the lie in the document, then spat it out. “That isn't a lie,” he said. “It's a menu.”