Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

The following night, Clay’s oldest friend, Neel Shah, visits the store. While Neel was unpopular in high school, he has since become a very successful businessman with his own company. The two friends are still connected by their love of The Dragon-Song Chronicles and Rockets and Warlocks, a reference to Dungeons and Dragons style role-playing games. Clay tells Neel about the strange encrypted book in the Waybacklist and the two agree that Neel should attempt to buy his way into the “club” and figure out what’s going on. Clay approaches Penumbra about the matter but Penumbra tells him that “it is not a matter of purchase…but rather of intention” (37). Thinking that the “friend” Clay tells him is interested in the Waybacklist is, in fact, Clay himself, Penumbra notes that these books can be rewarding, but only to those who “read deeply” (37). At Penumbra’s prompting Clay admits that he has looked at the books and is surprised by the old man’s amused reaction. At the same time, he realizes from Penumbra’s comments that Neel is not a suitable candidate to join whatever strange club operates out of the store.