After Maria begins work on her new television project, she starts to experience extreme bleeding. She calls Carter, who urges her to go to a hospital. Maria refuses, not wanting to jeopardize the project. Carter does not seem to understand this, and says, “What do you mean, working. What in the fuck does working mean” (92).

Maria takes painkillers and uppers to stay awake. When Maria finds a large piece of tissue in the blood, she takes it to the doctor, who tells her it is part of the placenta. 

Larry tries to convince Maria to come and use his sauna. When Maria refuses, he says, “Hear you’re ready for a nuthouse, you want to know” (95). 

Maria begins to have nightmares in which “she was in touch with a member of a shadowy Syndicate” (96). They ask about the plumbing and send workmen to her house to dismantle it. When they leave, Maria knows the pipes are clogged with “hacked pieces of human flesh” (96).