American Gods

That was "The Sacrifice," the Viking metal anthem

that will live for the ages, by Blood Death,

as we mourn the loss of four of its members

found dead in a hotel room in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Some whack-job berserker named Johan

blew up the biker bar while your dad was inside.

Who are you?

I know you as you know me.

"I" is "we."

You have had this power all along.

You can reclaim it now.

With the power of the "we."

SHARD is about building a church of the mind

for 8 billion worshippers.

Could you warn me before you do that?

Uh, Laura.

Hi, kids.

Laura.

I hear we have a common enemy.

Alison McGovern didn't show up to school or work yesterday.

No one's seen or heard from her since.

Yo, yo, my G. How you livin', bro?

What's the deal with this?

Three more break-ins

since Alison went missing.

Some sicko is stealing ladies' unmentionables...

You hurt my sister, I'll know.

She's been through hell already.

So, you... you'll leave with me

when the release papers come?

Tomorrow...

Tomorrow is soon enough.

Until tomorrow, then.

No.

No, Demeter, don't go.

I'm sorry things didn't work out with your ex.

If you want to talk about it...

Well, I guess I'll just keep driving

to an unknown destination

until I run out of road...

Or you regain the power of speech.

Any idea when that might be?

What the fuck?

Oh, shit!

Where the hell did he come from? Hey!

Talk to me!

A flaming body

just fell out of the sky!

-Be quiet. -What? Aw, shit!

Just get in the car.

What? Look, I am down for a lot of shit

-but I did not sign up for whatever the fuck that is. -Enough. Just get in the car.

Can I top that up for you, hon?

Oh, just a splash.

Don't let Dr. Fallon see.

He's been all over me lately

about cutting back on caffeine.

I never serve and tell.

Good morning, Mike. Table or counter today?

Uh, neither, thanks.

I'm actually looking for Derek.

I would love to help you out,

but Derek is a no-show this morning.

Probably overslept.

Can I give him a message?

No. No, thanks. I'll catch him later.

Well, at least let me jump-start you

with a cup of joe.

Hey, Mike.

Glad I ran into you.

You know, I got those skates that you called me about.

So, is now a good time

to come by the store to pick 'em up?

Uh, yeah, sure, why not?

Okay, great.

Marguerite's gonna have you

working your inside edge in no time.

Five dollars a day, new skater discount.

And I'm gonna waive the deposit

as a thank you for getting that stubborn young woman

back into the dating pool.

Oh, no, no, no. She...

She just agreed to skating lessons.

Every journey starts with a single step.

On ice.

Whatever you say.

Um, I guess I will take it...

Yeah, I'll-I'll take 'em for the week.

Okay, 35.

I couldn't help overhearing you asking about Derek.

Uh, yeah.

Yeah, I-I just had a question for him.

Well, it's a shame he didn't show up for work today.

I really thought having a regular job would turn him around.

Turn him around?

Well, Derek's a troubled kid.

Not a bad kid, mind you.

Just...

he has a lot of difficulty fitting in.

Doesn't have a lot of friends and...

and after his dad passed,

his mom started working two jobs.

We got him the job at Mabel's

through the Lakeside Youth Initiative.

Right, yeah, someone did mention that you,

you work with a youth group or something?

Yeah. Founder and

Chairperson Emeritus five terms.

Okay, maybe... maybe you could give me some advice then.

Um, given your experience with kids.

Oh, ask away.

Well...

I may have seen Derek do something he shouldn't have.

Something serious?

Yeah.

I saw him jump out of a window last night on Gorman.

Which technically is breaking and entering.

Damn.

-Yeah. -Damn, damn.

Stupid kid.

And you decided not to go to Chad about this?

I saw you stewing outside the police station.

Right. Yeah, well, it could be just a dumb prank.

I think I know a cry for help when I see one.

So, what, you think I shouldn't call the police?

Well, I'm not the one who caught him in the act.

I think it's a tough decision.

Yeah.

Well, thanks.

You want to kill Wednesday.

We wanna help you do that.

You obviously have the resources yourself to kill Wednesday.

Why do you need Laura to do your dirty work?

This arrangement is really between

the young woman and Mr. World.

Maybe it's best you wait out in the lobby.

I'm done waiting in lobbies.

You haven't answered my question.

It's a delicate situation.

If we kill Wednesday,

we start a war that no one wants.

However, if you were to do the deed, it would be viewed as a personal matter.

An aggrieved party settling a score.

There would be no cause for the All-Father's compatriots

to take up arms against us.

It's a win-win.

See, the problem is,

I don't have a way to kill the old shitbag

even if I did know where the fuck he was.

Nothing is out of our reach.

Oh, really? So, you can get Odin's spear

out of Sweeney's hoard?

It can be done.

Well, then, sign me the fuck up.

I need to, uh, speak to my client.

Derek!

I know you saw me last night.

But believe it or not, I'm here to help.

Listen, uh...

You know, I-I never featured you for a snitch.

You know, this goes a lot better for you, Derek,

if you just tell me what happened to Alison.

Wh... Alison?

Wh...

-Alison and I were cool. -Hum...

Look, I-I-I would never fuck with her, never.

Okay? And-and the night that she disappeared,

I was working a double shift. Okay?

And then, I went home

and I watched the old tube with my mom.

So, I-I haven't done anything wrong.

All right?

Okay, uh, I-I may have went into a couple of houses.

Eleven, by my count.

You broke into where people live, Derek,

where they sleep.

I mean, God, you're stealing panties,

for Chrissake.

Terrorizing the entire town.

Terr-terrori...?

I-I like to wear female shit sometimes, okay?

What, you want me to walk into Galecki's,

buy myself a little push-up bra and a thong?

Yeah, yeah, that'd go over big in this little fuckin' town.

See, see that's what I'm talking about. Right there! Right there!

He thinks I'm a fucking fag or somethin'!

I-I... I don't care if you are a...

a boy or a girl, or...

or-or-or both, or-or neither.

Okay? I-I don't get it, but I don't have to!

What you did is a crime!

So, what, I'm-I'm just, I'm just straight-up fucked then.

Even though I had nothing to do with this Alison shit.

Chad's willing to make you a deal.

Back in my country, I was an excellent businessman.

Allow me to negotiate the terms and conditions.

Um, just out of curiosity,

were assassination attempts your speciality?

No, of course not, but in Oman,

a verbal contract is binding.