Blacktop Wasteland

Back in Reggie’s mobile home, Ronnie wakes up to mobsters standing on either side of his bed. Ronnie is under the impression he is free and clear on the robbery since Lou Ellen was found dead and Jenny has disappeared, with the police assuming the two were accomplices on the holdup. When he asks the men why they are there, they tell him to get up and put on his clothes. Ronnie pretends not to understand what’s happening, trying to buy time, but the men respond by shooting him in the foot. They tell Ronnie they found his cereal box full of money. Ronnie knows he is in deep trouble. 

The point of view shifts to Bug, who has spent a lot of money on Kia. The two of them, along with Kelvin and his latest girlfriend, are dancing at Danny’s, a favorite tavern and dancehall. When Bug goes to the bar and orders drinks, a scarred stranger—Burning Man—strikes up a conversation with him about poker, but the man turns it into a discussion about murder methods. Bug knows something is off. He goes back to his table, scanning the saloon. He sees two other strangers, Carl and Jim Bob, who are armed.