- Shadow settles into Lakeside, but goes to a memorial for an acquaintance. Wednesday pays a visit to the dentist and goes to the same memorial.
- Ann-Marie introduces Shadow to Lakeside, but Shadow is called away to a memorial for an acquaintance In Chicago. He is soon suspected in a young local's disappearance. Meanwhile, Wednesday pays a visit to the dentist, and Bilquis takes another worshiper.—Gislef
- Wisconsin Territory, 1690
A man crawls across the ground with a hatchet in his back. Another man walks up and pulls out the hatchet, and then takes the scalps he's collected to a nearby camp. One of the dead tribesman tries to pray to his god, and one of the invading traders shoots him dead. They toss the native's totem pole into a nearby lake.
A snowstorm rolls in, and the invaders kill the survivors and call on the gods to give them shelter from the tempest.
The Present
Shadow says that Chad just dropped him off, and the key to the shed is in his left pocket. The woman behind Shadow takes the key and tells him to turn around. The woman, Marguerite, says that she was waiting when Shadow would show up. As she unlocks the door, Shadow gives his fake name and she tells him to wait there. She tells him to knock the next time when he gets locked out, rather than breaking and entering, and simply says her name is "Property Manager".
Shadow discovers that the thermostat in the house doesn't work, there's a "Do not use" sign on the fireplace, and the power flickers and the lights go out. Shadow dreams of himself as a child, in a store with his mother. He sees a woman on the cover of a magazine turn and look at him, and goes over. The woman says that they've been waiting for his arrival, and much is required of him. The buffalo with flaming eyes gallops down the hallway, and the buffalo runs after him and corners him by a freezer door. It glares at him.
In her apartment, Bilquis checks her computer but says that it' just keeps crashing. A man, William Huntington Sanders is there, and asks when the last time she did a system upgrade. Bilquis slaps him, saying that he can't touch her. When she tries to slap him again, Sanders grabs her wrist to stop her, and says that he owns the biggest IT company in the world. He says that everyone wants what he has to give, and he came there to restore the balance. Bilquis says that she's a goddess, and Sanders tells her that she's just a showgirl that he bought and paid for her.
Bilquis figures that Sanders has no idea who she is and walks away. Sanders tells her that he knows exactly who she is, and Bilquis motions to him to come to her and says that she will show him. Sanders goes with her in to her bedroom, and they have sex. Bilquis says that she is the mother of all beauty, She tells Sanders that he is nothing and absorbs him into her body. Gasping, the goddess collapses onto her bed.
The next morning, Shadow wakes up and goes through the male that has accumulated there, then tosses it in the garbage. He discovers that the refrigerator is empty, and hears a rattling from the garbage can. he goes back and finds one letter from the family of Zorya Vechernyaya, inviting him to a remembrance of her... and he should bring the coin.
Later, Shadow walks into town until Ann-Marie pulls up in her car and offers him a ride. He gets in and Ann-Marie lectures him about how he should have proper attire. A tow truck takes a clunker car past, and Ann-Marie explains that every winter they put an abandoned car on the frozen lake and bet when it will break through the ice, then split the pot with the high school
Ann-Marie drives into Lakeview and says that the people make the town special., and everyone cares about each other., and the spirit was passed down to them by the town first citizen and benefactor, Lester Hamilton. When he died, he left the town his fortune, and all he asked in the world was that they honor his traditions. Each year they honor Lester's Nordic heritage.
Taking Shadow to the general store shop, she shows him a lure to catch trout. The proprietor, Lee Hennings introduces himself and Ann-Marie says that they need to buy Shadow thicker clothing. Hennings calls in Alison McGovern, the girl from the bus station. She apologizes to her and her friend being jerks, and Shadow assures her that it's okay. As Shadow picks out a parka, Alison tells him that it's amazing.
Ann-Marie suggests that Alison sell Shadow a clunker ticket. She asks Shadow when he thinks it will go through the ice. Shadow stares at the calendar and picks just one day and a specific time, and Ann-Marie admires his instincts and wishes him luck.
A dentist, Tyrell pulls out a boy's loose tooth while his mother looks on. Wednesday is waiting outside, and the dentist, Tyr, comes out and they look at each other as Tyr holds the boy's tooth. They go into Tyr's office, and Tyr adds the tooth to his collection. They sit down and Wednesday asks if Tyr is comfortable. Tyr says that gladiator's bloodlust doesn't make for a lucrative business, and Wednesday tells Tyr that all he wants from him is a donation.
Tyr shows Wednesday a postcard from Demeter, and wonders why Wednesday is approaching him earlier in Chicago when he met Zorya. Wednesday says that an eye for an eye don't come cheap, and tells Tyr to make out a check to cash. Tyr makes out the check and hands it over, then says that they will fight together. The two men embrace and Tyr asks how Wednesday's teeth are, and leaves. Tyr notes that Wednesday took the postcard.
Ann-Marie shows Shadow around Lakeview, and he finally sneaks in a question about where he can rent a car. Chad comes out of a store and greets Shadow and Ann-Marie, and says that a local woman's lingerie went missing from her dryer, and it's a major crime in Lakeside. Ann-Marie goes to meet with someone, and has Chad take Shadow to Mabel's restaurant to set him up with a pasty.
The two men sit down in the restaurant, and Mabel gets Shadow a pasty on the house. Once she leaves, a bus boy Derek comes up and insists on bumping fists with Shadow. After Derek leaves, Shadow tells Chad that he doesn't know Derek, and Derek just wants him to know that he's "down". Chad asks about Shadow's "uncle", and Shadow says that he's in import-export. The sheriff apologizes for acting snoopish.
Mabel serves the pastry, and Shadow digs in and is impressed. When he asks about renting a car, Chad takes him to the newspaper office where Marguerite is working. Chad realizes that they know each other, and Marguerite explains that they met the previous night. When the sheriff explains that Shadow is interested in a car, Marguerite abruptly says that it isn't for sale even though it's been parked outside.
Chad leaves to take a call, and Shadow tells Marguerite that he's only looking for a car to get to Chicago. Marguerite shows him the car, and warns Shadow that he might have to wait a day or two because the highway is the mess after a storm. She quotes him a price for two days, tosses him the keys, and walks back in.
Salem is in Ibis's in Cairo praying to Mecca, and Ibis comes in. Wednesday has asked a task of the Djinn, and Salim shows Ibis the note that Wednesday sent to the Djinn about a "mission". Salim doesn't know what the mission is, and Ibis says that he hasn't seen Wednesday in months. Ibis says that he's going to Chicago and the old gods are meeting there to celebrate the ascendance of Zorya's soul. Salim says that he needs to know the truth in Djinn's heart.
Shadow drives to Chicago, and puts on a homemade CD he finds on the seat. It plays a sad song, and then Marguerite comes on and tells the singer, her son, that he promised to pick up his brother after practice. A deer jumps on the windshield, shattering it, and Shadow brakes to a halt and gets out to check the damage. He sees the deer nearby as it runs off into the forest.
In Chicago at a restaurant's private room, Czernobogkneels at Zorya's shine, complains about her cooking, and wishes her a safe journey home. He then shares a toast with the other old gods gathered there, and they drink a toast to Vechernyaya. Shadow comes in and Czernoboggrabs his hammer and demands to know why Shadow is there. When Czernobogsays that he wasn't invited, Wednesday comes in and says that he wasn't invited, either.
Shadow says that he didn't come for trouble and offers the guilt he brought, and Czernobog directs him to the gift table. Wednesday has brought a hvarti wheel as a gift, and offers his condolences for Vechernyaya. Czernobog tells Shadow that his hammer still has an appointment with Shadow's skull, and Shadow shows him the invitation he received. Czernobog's sister Vechernyaya invited him, and Czernobog tells him to go up to the roof and pay his respects with vodka. Czernobog is still angry and doesn't want Wednesday there, and accuses Wednesday of getting Vechernyaya killed. He figures Wednesday is there because of his war, and Wednesday insists that he's there to honor Vechernyaya. Wednesday reminds Czernobog that he swore an oath to him, and they drink a toast to Vechernyaya.
On the roof, Shadow finds Zorya Polunochanya there with a telescope, looking at the stars through a telescope. She confirms that he brought the coin, and says that soon he must change which way his destiny unfolds. Shadow says that all he wants is a normal life, and Polunochanya tells him that his head and heart don't agree. He says that he wants straight answers, and Polunochanya says that the night sky will guide him.
The moon flares in the night sky, and Polunochanya takes Shadow's hand.
Wednesday and Czernobog engage in a punching contest in honor of Zorya, as the other Slavic gods in attendance cheer them. Once the two men are done, Czernobog says that the New gods will pay for killing Vechernyaya. Wednesday invites anyone who will join him to seek honor to the true gods. The other gods applaud, cheer, and join in a toast with Wednesday.
Ibis arrives with Salim, and Tyr arrives and tells Wednesday that he saw the postcard. He advises Wednesday to consider if he has anything to offer Demeter before visiting her. Shadow comes in, and Salim accuses Wednesday of sending the Djinn away. He says that he needs to find the Djinn, and Wednesday tells Salim to get over it. Salim spots on the floor at Wednesday's feet, tells Shadow that he should have let Sweeney kill Wednesday, and walks out. Shadow goes with him, and Wednesday tells him that he'll be in touch.
Outside, Shadow goes to his car and Cordelia approach him. She says that she's just doing him, and says that she's on the "all-girls squad" She asks how she ended up with Wednesday, and claims that she responded to his Craiglist post. Shadow doesn't believe her, and Cordelia says that the perfect job came along when she needed money. Now Cordelia helps Wednesday with tech stuff, and suggests that Shadow shouldn't think that his father--Wednesday-isn't a total asshole. She advises Shadow to call her if she needs a sympathetic ear, and Shadow tells her the same.
Shadow heads back to Lakeside, and goes to Mabel's Restaurant. Mabel gives him the cold shoulder, and Shadow notices Marguerite outside and across the street looking at the car. She calls over Chad as he drives by, talks to him, and then Chad comes into the restaurant and tells Shadow that he has to ask him some question.
At the station, Chad has Shadow describe his travel route to and from Chicago. When Shadow asks what is up, Chad tells him that Alison has disappeared since her shift ended. Chad tells Shadow to be specific, and Shadow says where he stayed and that Vechernyaya was a friend of his mother's. When the sheriff asks about the damaged windshield, Shadows says that he hit a deer and gives the description of the shop where he had it fixed. Chad has Shadow rite down his next route and says that he'll have to hold onto the car, and Shadow gives him the keys.
Back at his home, Shadow finally goes out into the forest to get some firewood. He hears cawing, and a peacock appears to him. When he returns back to the house, Marguerite is waiting and asks if the firewood is for the fireplace he's not allowed to use. Shadow just tells her to shoot him because it's quicker than his freezing to death. Marguerite says that she talked to Chad, and he's confirmed that Shadow's story checked out. No one has heard anything else about Alison, and Marguerite tells Shadow that the thing with the shot gun wasn't cool.
Shadow agrees, and Marguerite turns on the breaker for the furnace. She admits that she had it turned off, and Shadow gives her the CD from the car. Marguerite says that her son is in Florida studying, but doesn't provide any details. She gives Shadow her card and leaves. Afterward, Shadow lies on his bed and listens to the thunder outside. A shadow passes over the window, and Shadow looks out. Meanwhile, the clunker sits on the lake as the shadow passes over it.
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