Demon lives in his car until Maggot finds him and brings him back to Mrs. Peggot’s. Despite her hopes, Demon and Maggot go on a sustained binge that costs Demon his co-op job. Demon contributes little at the house beyond occasional grocery runs, yet he keeps Red Neck alive by finishing Tommy’s weekly roughs, admiring Tommy’s darker preliminary strips he calls “Neckbones.”

In June, on a suffocating storm day Demon and Maggot visit the Woodway crack house. Rose Dartell arrives delivering pizza, then tells Demon that Fast Forward is back in Lee County near Duffield and suggests he follow her there. Thinking of Emmy and his fury at Fast Forward, Demon collects Maggot and follows despite misgivings.

As rain turns roads to rivers, they detour onto Dry Creek Road and find Hammer Kelly stranded with a flat. Demon starts the repair while Maggot doses Hammer with crank. A flash flood washes away the lug nuts, forcing them to abandon Hammer’s truck; Hammer retrieves his rifle. Rose urges a stop at Fast Forward’s place to dry out, and Demon’s isolation and grief push him to continue.

At a large, sparsely furnished house, Temple—Fast Forward’s attractive housemate—welcomes them, provides towels, coffee, and a bong, and speaks in coded drug business with Rose. Temple says Fast Forward is out with Big Bear Howe and others, likely at Devil’s Bathtub, a spot they frequented.

Hearing this, Hammer—fuelled by grief over Emmy—drops his lifelong politeness and insists they leave immediately to find Fast Forward, setting the stage for a dangerous confrontation in the storm.