“What pays for all this?” he asked Crake, as they passed the state-of-the-art Luxuries Mall – marble everywhere, colonnades, cafés, ferns, takeout booths, roller-skating path, juice bars, a self-energizing gym where running on the treadmill kept the light bulbs going, Roman-look fountains with nymphs and sea-gods. “Grief in the face of inevitable death,” said Crake. “The wish to stop time. The human condition.” Which was not very informative, said Jimmy. “You’ll see,” said Crake.
