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WinniethePoohcharactersbasedonthe“WinniethePooh”worksby

A.A.MilneandE.H.Shepard

Copyright©2011PageOne,Inc.

Allrightsreserved.PublishedbyDisney•HyperionBooks,animprintofDisneyBookGroup.Nopartofthisbookmaybereproducedortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeans,electronicormechanical,includingphotocopying,recording,orbyanyinformationstorageandretrievalsystem,withoutwrittenpermissionfromthepublisher.ForinformationaddressDisney•Hyperion

Books,114FifthAvenue,NewYork,NewYork10011-5690.

ISBN978-1-4231-5252-1

Visitwww.disneyhyperionbooks.comwww.thekingdomkeepers.com

www.ridleypearson.com

ALSOBYRIDLEYPEARSON

KingdomKeepers—DisneyAfterDarkKingdomKeepersII—DisneyatDawnKingdomKeepersIII—DisneyinShadow

SteelTrapp—TheChallengeSteelTrapp—TheAcademy

WRITINGWITHDAVEBARRY

PeterandtheStarcatchersPeterandtheShadowThievesPeterandtheSecretofRundoonPeterandtheSwordofMercy

EscapefromtheCarnivaleCaveoftheDarkWind

BloodTide

ScienceFair

Formydaughters,StoreyandPaige,andmywonderfulreaders—youmakeitmagical.

“LET’SGETLOST,”Finnsaidtothetwogirls.DisneyQuestwasamaze,aplacewhereitwasdifficulttoknowwhereyou

were. An electronic funhouse filled with virtual rides, video games, andinteractiveattractions,theenormousbuildinginWaltDisneyWorld’sDowntownDisneyconsistedoffivefloorssubdividedintovirtualworldsandactivities,allinterconnected in a way that seemed designed to disorient. Finn Whitmanactuallywascurrentlylost—hecouldn’tquitefigureoutwherehewasorhowtoget out of there—but his suggestion to “get lost” stemmed from his spottingGreg “Lousy” Luowski at the other end of the gaming room, over near theGuitarHeroconsoles.Luowskiwastheninth-gradebully.Roughlythesizeofakitchenappliance,thezit-faced,fingernail-chewingLuowskihaditoutforFinn,andFinnknewenoughtostayclearoftrouble.Atleast,avoidabletrouble.

Overthepastfewyears, troublehaddefinedhim,hadfollowedhimasheand his four friends—now known as the Kingdom Keepers—had gainednotorietyfortheireffortstosaveDisneyWorldfromtheOvertakers,agroupoffanatical Disney villain characters within the Parks bent on taking over and“stealingthemagic.”GuyslikeLuowskididn’tappreciatesharingthespotlightwithanyone,andatthemomentFinnwasroughlyamilliontimesmorepopularthanLuowski.

“How about the simulators in CyberSpace Mountain?” Charlene said.Charlenewas tobeautifulwhatMountEverestwas tohigh.Acheerleaderandphenomenal athlete, she was the poster child for the Kingdom Keepers. HerFacebook page hadmore friends thanAshtonKutcher’s—well, not really, butcloseenough.Boys likedher.Girls likedher.Teachers likedher.Parents likedher. It was enough to make you hate her. But no one could. She was tooridiculouslyCharlenetoeverhaveanillthoughtaimedather.

FinnconsideredthesuggestionandglancedovertoAmandatogetherread.Amanda was a different kind of pretty: mysterious, her looks often changingfromslightlyAsiantoPolynesianorCaribbean.AmandawasnotofficiallyoneofthefiveKingdomKeepers,butsheandher“sister,”Jess,haduniquequalities

andunusualabilitiesthatmadethemimportanttotheteam.Amanda and Jess hadoncebeenpart of a groupof foster kids called the

Fairlies—as in “fairlyhuman.”Kidswhocouldbend spoons justby staringatthem, or hear clearly at absurd distances, hold their breath underwater for tenminutes at a time, light fires by concentrating, dream the future, see the past.Kidslabeledfreaksandweirdos;kidsoncestudiedbythemilitarybutdismissedto a special home in Baltimore when scientists failed to duplicate or explainwhatwastermedtheir“controlledphenomena.”

Currently,AmandaandJesslivedinanOrlandofosterhomeforwaywardgirls run by the iron-handed Mrs. Nash. Despite sharing not only the sameaddress,butalsothesamebunkroom,theynowattendeddifferenthighschools;Jesshadqualified foranAPprogramandwent toEdgewaterHighalongwithtwooftheKingdomKeepers,WillaandPhilby.

Amanda had come toDisneyQuest this evening because the eventwas aschool-sanctioned function. She’d brought Jess as her one allowed guest. ToFinn,itseemedliketheentireninthgradeofWinterParkHighwasthere.

FinnlikedAmanda,whichroughlytranslatedto:hecouldn’tstopthinkingabouther,wasoftentongue-tiedwhentryingtotalktoher,andmadeafooloutof himselfwhen trying to come off as cool. Therewas a friction that existedbetweenAmandaandCharlenethatheknewhadsomethingtodowithhim,butwhichhedidn’tliketothinkabout.Ingeneral,hedidn’tliketothinkaboutgirlsallthatmuch,buthecouldn’tseemtohelphimself.

“Okay,” he said. “I guess.” Finn didn’t like roller coasters—actuallywasterrifiedofthem—butwasn’tabouttoadmitit.

TheotherthreeKeeperswerealsoinDisneyQuestsomewhere,aswasJess.EventhoughonlyFinnandAmandaattendedWinterPark, ithadbeenmonthssince the whole group had done anything fun together. Their last outing, toDisney’s Hollywood Studios’ Fantasmic!, had led to an encounter with theOvertakers thatnearlygotFinnkilled.The idea tonighthadbeen tomeethereandstick together,but they’dseparatedby rideand interest—PhilbyandWillahadgonetothegroundfloortobattlepirateships,whileMaybeckandJesshadgonetothebumpercars.Charlenehadtakenofftothebathroomafewminutesearlier, and Finn had considered ditching her in favor of being alone withAmanda; but it had only been a passing thought and one he didn’t fullyunderstand.HelikedCharlene.Alot.ButnotinthesameincomprehensiblewayhelikedAmanda.

LuowskispottedFinnandmadeafacelikeafootballplayerwho’dtakenakneeinthewrongplace.Finndidn’twanttogetdrawnintothat.

“Comeon,let’sgo,”hesaid,asCharlenereturned.

The three took the stairs to the second floor, and Charlene led them toCyberSpaceMountain.

Theridewasavirtualrollercoasterthatallowedvisitorstopickpreexistingtwistsandturnsortodesigntheirown.Therewerefivelevelsofchallenge,fromeasytoterrifying.

“I’lltakeminelite,”Finnsaid.“Me,too,”saidAmanda.“Igetsickonrollercoasters.”“We should go together,” Finn said, confessing, “because I’mbasically a

chicken.”“Oh,right,”saidCharlene.“Youachicken?Idon’tthinkso.”“Seriously!TheBarnstormerisaboutastoughasIcantake.”Both girls laughed. Then they exchanged looks that had they been Taser

shotswouldhavedroppedeachothertotheground.Bill Nye the Science Guy tutored Charlene as she scrolled through

selections to create a wildly scary roller coaster for herself. Maybe she wastrying tomakeapoint toAmanda,maybe she just loved roller coasters;but ithadenoughloopsandjumpstomakeanastronautpuke.

Sheusedherentrancetickettostoreit.ThenshequicklyworkedwithBillNyetomakeanother,verybasic,ride.ShesaveditontoFinn’sticket.

“I love it as scary as it gets,” she said looking directly at Amanda. “It’sawesome.”

Theyheadedfortheshortlineofpeoplethatwaitedforthenextsimulator.Charlenewasbumpedintobysomeone,sohardthathadshenotpossessedthegraceofadancer,shewouldhavefallentothefloor.

GregLuowski.Shedroppedthetwoticketsintheprocess.Inasurprisinglypolitegesture,

Luowski asked if shewasokay and collected the tickets and returned them toher. Finn caught this look in Luowski’s eyes—the jerk liked Charlene; hisbumpingintoherhadbeennoaccident.

“Layoff,Luowski,”Finnsaid.AmandatookFinnbythearm.“Layoffwhat,Whitless?Mybadfortheknockdown.Can’tIhelpherup?”

HefacedCharlene.“Ireallyamsorry.”“Noproblem,”shesaid.ButFinnwasstillseething.“Asin:wedon’twant

anyproblems.”Shesaidthisslowly,makingsureFinnheardeveryword.“I’llbearound,Whitless.Ifyouwantme,youcanfindme.”“Trysomedeodorant,Luowski.”Charlenecuppedhermouth,hidinghersmile.Luowski didn’t just smell like a jock, he smelled like an entire team that

hadbeenworkingoutinthesummerheatforfivehours.Hesmelledlikeaguywhohadn’tshoweredsincesixthgrade.

“OrmaybeI’llfindyou,”hegrowledatFinn.“I’mnotworried,”Finnsaid.“I’llsmellyoucoming.”Thelinemoved.Finnandthegirlswereshownupthestairs.Thesimulators

weredesignedforamaximumoftwopeople.Charlenelinedupinfrontofdoor1,FinnandAmanda,door3.

“Noholdinghands,you two, ifyouget scared,”Charlenecalleddown tothem.

Finnfakedagrin;hewasscaredalready.ACastMemberwearinganametagthatsaidmeganacceptedFinn’scard

fromhimandchosetheonlypredesignedrideitcontained.ThedooropenedandFinnandAmandawereescortedintothesimulatorchamber.Theyclimbeddownintothepaddedseatsoftheredmetalcapsule.Theseatsfacedalargeflat-panelscreen.Megandirectedthemtostowanythingloosein theirpockets.ThatwaswhenFinn started toworry. She then pointed out the two red stop emergencybuttons,oneforeachrider.

Finn’sstomachturned.Hedidn’tliketheideaoftakingaridethatneededpanicbuttons.Hepulleddowntheblackpaddedchestbraceasdirected.Amandadidthesame.Megandouble-checkedeverything.

“You’re good to go,” she said. She hit a button and the simulator’s lidclosedslowly,lockinginplace.Theonlylightcamefromtheflat-paneldisplaywheretheride’sparalleltracksstretchedoutinfrontofthem.

“Thiswasastupididea,”hemumbled.“You’retellingme,”Amandasaid.“ButdidyouseethecourseCharlenecreatedforherself?NowayIwould

goonthatthinginamillionyears.”“Shewantedtoimpressyou.”“That’sridiculous.”“Trustme.Shepicked the scariest stuff possible. Itwould terrify theguy

whodesignedit.Butshe’sgoingtocomeoutofthereandtellusshelovedit.”Hewantedtodisagree,butthoughtshewasprobablyright.Thelightsdimmed.Theridebegan.“IfIscream,”Finnsaid,“it’sjusttomakeitfeelallthemorereal.”She laughed.Butnot for long.Heramusementwascutshortas the roller

coastercarbegantomoveforwardonthetracksinfrontofthem.Alightflashedin their eyes. Sound effects roared from unseen speakers and the car bankedsharplyleft.Finnclutchedthesafetyharnessandshuthiseyes.

“Ihatethisalready,”hesaid.

Thecapsulebankedleft,didacompleteflipinthatdirection,andthenliftedintoadouble loop,dumping themupsidedown twice ina row.Amanda’shairfelllikeacurtain.Finnsquintedopenhiseyes:thetrackdroppedstraightdown,aboutathousandfeet.Theyplummeteddown,likeontheTowerofTerror.

Finnscreamedawordthatwouldhavegottenhimgroundedforaweekifhismotherhadheardit.Itjustflewoutofhim.

“This…is…not…right!”Amandacried.Theyreachedbottom,leavingFinn’sstomachsomewhereathisfeet.Here-

swallowedhisdinner.ThecarshotuplikeaNASArocketlaunch.Hescreamedthesamewordagain.“She…tricked…us!” Amanda hollered. Then she screamed at a pitch so

highitshouldhaveshatteredtheflat-paneldisplay.“Pukealert,”Finngaggedoutastheyenteredatripleloop.“Please,no!”Amandasaid.“Tryshuttingyoureyes.”“Onlymakesitworse!”hechokedout.“Tellme this thing can’t actually crash.”She released another shriek at a

volumethatmighthavebeenheardinMiami.“It can’t actually crash,” he said, though he wasn’t so sure.What if the

simulatorwasputthroughstuffitwasn’tdesignedtohandle?hewondered.Whatif its bearings froze or itsmotor overheated? The thingwas, even Charlene’sride,ascrazyasshe’dmadeit,hadn’tseemedthisbad.Hadshetrickedthem,inordertosabotageAmanda?

ThatwasthefirsttimeherealizedthatmaybeCharlenewasn’ttheonlyoneinvolved.AridethisviolentcarriedthefingerprintsoftheOvertakers.

FinnrememberedMegantellingthemaboutthepanicbuttons.Hereacheddowntopunchtheredemergencystopbutton.Justashedid,thecarlurchedleft,andheleanedsosharplyinthatdirectionthathishandmissedthebutton.

“Didyouseethat?”hehollered.“IthinkitknewIwastryingtostopit!”“You’re losingmore thanyourcookies,”Amandasaid.“So this thingcan

think?”Thecardroppedagain.Roseandfell.Leanedninetydegreesleftandstayed

there.Jerkedtotallyupsidedownanddidthreemoreupside-downloops.Amanda struggled to reach her stop button. But as she did, the track

dropped away.She andFinnwere thrown forward against their restraints.Shepuncheddownandhittheredplasticbutton.

“Gotit!”sheyelled.Theridecontinued.Shehititagain.Theywereflippedoverseventimestotheirright,likerollingdownasteep

hillinanoilbarrel.“IswearIpushedit,”sheannounced.“Butnothinghappened.”“Impressive,”hemanagedtomuttertohimselfdespiteallthecraziness,no

longer thinking itwas thework of theOvertakers, but knowing it.Wonderinghow they might have accomplished such a thing, and what, if anything,Charlene’srolehadbeeninit.Shehaddesignedtheride,afterall.IfitwastheOTs, how had they organized any kind of attack given that their two leaders,Maleficent and Chernabog, were currently locked up somewhere in a Disneyholding facility? TheKingdomKeepers’mentor and designer,WayneKresky,hadbelievedthat“Withtheheadcutoffthesnake,thebodycannotsurvive.”ButsomeonehadclearlytakenoverleadershipoftheOvertakers.Theridegoingoutofcontrolcouldnotbeconsideredcoincidence.TheKeeperswereunderattack.

Finnreacheddown,abletopresshisstopbutton.Nothing.“It’s…them…isn’tit?”Amandawasnodummy.She’dfigureditoutonher

own.“Yeah,”hesaid.“It’sthem.BynowMeganknows”—hegrittedhisteethas

the track liftedand fell sohardandsomany times ina row thathisneckhurt—“somethingiswrong.She’sworkingtofixit.”

“You’redreaming.”“Probably.Butatthispoint,she’souronlyhope.”

***Outside the simulator bay,Meganwas in fact hitting every switch and buttonpossible. The system’s mechanicals included a warning-light display used toalertCastMemberstopotentialsimulatorhardwarefailure:asinglelightthatranasolidgreen,amber,orred.Itwascurrentlyflashingred—awarninglevelneverseenbeforeandonethatattractedtheconcernandattentionofthreeotherCastMembers,includingtheridemanager.

“It’s going to come off the gyros!” the manager shouted. “Like a wheelcomingoffabike.Thethingisgoingtobasicallyexplodeifwedon’tstopit!”He, too, hit every known control trying to stop the ride. “What the heck?” heaskedMegan,asifitwereherfault.

“Thepower!”shesaid.“Calldownandtellthemtocutoffthepower.”***

“It’scomingapart!”Finnyelled.Onthescreen,theparalleltracksrushedtowardthemat impossible speeds, reflecting thevelocityof theirvirtual rollercoastercar.Finncouldbarelylookatit—anotherfiveloopscomingup,thenaseriesofleft corkscrews and what appeared to be the edge of a cliff—another of thethousand-foot drops. It was no longer the pattern of the animated tracks thatfrightened him, but the sounds of grindingmetal and theway the seats in the

simulatorwerenolongerlevel,butleaningheavilyleft.Itwasbeingmadetodothings it was not designed to do. Its parts were failing—the bushings, thebearings,servos,andgyros;itwaslikeacargoingdownthesideofamountainwithnosteeringandtwoofitswheelsloose.Itwasgoingtocrash.

“How could they knowwherewe are?”Amanda cried out. “How is thatpossible?”

Finndidn’tanswer.HeknewthatwhenitcametotheOvertakers,anythingwaspossible.

“We have to stop it,” he said, looking for options. He shoved his backagainsttheseatandtriedtoslipoutofthechestrestraint.Itwasthesamekindofrestraintusedonrealrollercoasters—apaddedpipethatpulleddownoveryourhead.Therewassomeslack in thewayit fit.Hegotabouthalfwayoutbeforegettingstuck.

“You’regoingtocrushyourself!”shesaid.Thesimulatorspunsidewaysandrotatedforwardinfullcirclesseventimes.

Finnfelthisdinnercomingupagain.Eachtimehetookhiseyesoffthescreenhefeltsick.He tried tofocuson thescreen thewayhis fatherhad toldhimtofocusonthehorizonwhenseasick.Thenauseapassed.Hewasokay.

Theyfellhundredsoffeet,facedown.Finnsqueezedbackintohisseat,unabletofreehimself.“We…have…to…do…something!”hesaid.“I’mupforsuggestions,”sheanswered.Oddly,Amandasoundedsuddenly

collected and unaffected by the flips and twirls and drops. She could actuallystringasentencetogether.

Thenitstruckhim:Amandahadauniquepower.“Push…it…open,” Finn shouted over the roar of the simulator’s

disintegrating parts. Amanda flashed him a look, her dark hair hanging fullyupsidedown,hercheeksvibratinglikeJell-O.Hereyesstrainedtofindthehatchdoor thatMeganhadclosedelectronically.Neitherof themknewexactlywhatwasupordownanylonger.

“It’stoostrong!Ihearditlock,”shesaid.Sohadhe,butwhatchoicedidtheyhave?“You…have…to…try!”Ifthesealbroke,maybeitwouldinitiateanautomaticshutdown.“Couldbedangerous!”shesaid.Forme,Amandawasthinking.Howwould

they explain the damage to the simulator?Damage thatwould come from theinside?Sofar inher lifeher“gift”—assomecalled it—hadonlygottenher introuble ormade her the object of teasing. Subjugated at the age of eight to afoster home for freaks in Baltimore—the Fairlies—she’d been studied byscientists,doctors,andsoldiersuntilshe’dhadnochoicebut torunawaywith

Jess.Shehadnourgentdesire tomakeascenewithhergiftandbringall thatdownonherselfagain.

Theyjerkedviolentlyleft,right,front,back,andleftagain.Finn’sheadfeltasifitwasgoingtocomeoffhisneck.Dangerous?hewantedtosay.Really?

Amandacouldn’t riskFinn’sgettinghurt.She releasedherbloodlessgripon thechest restraint, reaching toward the screenwithoutstretchedarms.Finnwatchedherclosehereyes,bendherelbows,andflattenherhands,palmsfacingoutlikeatrafficcop’s.Shepushedupoverherhead—allatonce,andwitheveryounceofstrengthshepossessed.

Themetalbulgedlikeithadbeenhitwithabatteringram.Redpaintflakesraineddown.Sparksflew.

“Again!”hehollered.“Toostrong!”shecomplained.“You’reallwe’vegot.”Thevibrationsclimbedtowardaclimax.Thepush

hadmade thesimulator leanevenfarther to the left; thegrindingofmetalwasnowlouderthanthesoundeffects.

Hesmelledelectricalsmoke.Theyweregoingtosuffocate.“EVERYTHINGYOU’VEGOT!”heshouted.TheactofpushingdrainedAmanda.Atlowlevelsshecouldbrieflylevitate

a person or object—cause them to float for a few seconds.Using upmore ofherself,shecouldshoveacarafewfeetinaparkingspace,orknockagroupofpeople—or Overtakers—off their feet. Or bend a simulator hatch door. Finnneededhertogiveitherall.

“O…M…G!”shescreamed.On the screen, the track ahead of them rose, fell, and tilted to the right

before…disappearing. It looked as if someonehad simply erased the track—itbroke off in space. Below the break was a rock canyon so deep that Finncouldn’tseethebottom.

The simulator shuddered. The smell of an electrical short—like the airbeforeastorm—continuedtofloodthecabin.Theirscreamswerelostamidthegroanandcomplaintofthefailingmechanics.

Thecarreachedtheendofthetrackandflewoffintospace.Amanda thrust her arms toward the overheaddoor, but this time like she

was lifting an incredibly heavy set of gym weights. Going for an Olympicrecord.

“STEADY!”Finnshouted,asthecartilteddown,nowplummetingintothedepthsoftherockcanyon.

Thehatchdoorrumbledandbent,bulgedandshuddered,thesealcrackingopen,firstafractionofaninch,thenwider.

“MORE!!!!”Finnsaid,astheground—arockbottom,likeadryriverbed—rushedtowardthematoverthreehundredmilesperhour.

The cryof themetal hatchnowoverpowered anyother sound.Amanda’sfacewas scarlet and sweaty, her armmuscles bulging as her bones seemed tobendtobreaking.

The sheet metal tore at the location of both pneumatic hook locks thatsecuredthehatch.

Twoinches…three…Thelidblewopen.Therideshutdown.Smokecoiledfrommotorsandservos.A group of Cast Members rushed inside, aiming fire extinguishers that

belchedayellowfoam.FinnandAmandahungagainstthechestrestraintsasthesimulatorrotated

forwardninetydegrees,facingtheground.Itmadeithardtoseewhatwasgoingon.Someguywasshoutingabunchoforders.

Finn heardMegan say, “Are you okay?We’re getting you out!Hang on,you’realmostout.”

Thechestrestraintsreleasedwithoutnotice.FinnandAmandafell,crashingintotheflat-paneldisplayandcrackingitssafetyglass.FinnhelpedAmandaup,andMeganofferedthemherhand.Theyclimbedout.

“Wow,”Finnsaid,“that’sincrediblylifelike.”Amandaplayedalong.“Mustbeexpensiveiftheydothateverytime.”They exited from the smoke and chaos. Charlene stood there, her full

attentionon their joinedhands.Finnhadn’t even realized thatheandAmandawereholdinghands.Heletgoalittleabruptly.

Charleneleanedintoexaminethetwistedwreckage.Smokeandsteamandthe gas from the fire extinguishers commingled. She fanned it away from herface.

“Whathappenedinthere?”sheasked.Amandasaid,“IthinknexttimeI’lldesignmyownride.”“You don’t think I had something to do with that…that…” Charlene

stammered,“…withwhateverhappenedinthere,doyou?”“Youmean justbecauseyou talkedus into cominghere in the first place

and you designed our roller coaster?Now,whywould I think that?”Amandasaid.

“Finn?”Charlenepleaded.“Yougaveusthecard,Charlie,”hesaid,usinganicknameforheronlyhe

used.“Youdesignedtheride.”AndMaleficent’slockedinajailcell,hefeltlikeadding.Useofhernicknamewasanattemptat intimacy, toremindherthathe

stillconsideredheraclosefriend,despitewhathadhappened.Butitbackfired.Amandaheardhimandclearlyresentedit.

“Really?”Amanda said to him. “You’re going to sweet-talk her after shealmostkilledus?”Shestormedoffdowntheexitstairs.

“Amanda!Wait!”Finncalledafterher.“Ipromiseyou,”Charlenesaid,“Ididn’tdoanything!Ihadnothingtodo

withthis.Itwasn’tme!”They’dbeenclosefriendsformorethantwoyears.Finnsaid,“Listen,doI

want to thinkyousabotaged thesimulator?Comeon!”Butshe’ddesigned theride,heremindedhimself.

Finn couldn’t let Amanda get away. He hurried out after her. Charlenefollowedatarun.

Thebuildingseemedmorecrowded.Herecognizednearlyeveryone—eventhoughtherewerefourhundredkidsinhisgrade.

“KKrules!”hecalledbacktoCharlene.HisteamhadlongsinceagreedthatwhenintheParksnooneflewsolo.TheOvertakerstookadvantageofKeepersoffontheirown.Inpairsorteamstheirchancesforsurvivalincreased.

Finnshovedhiswaythroughthecrowd,catchingonlyfleetingglimpsesofthebackofAmanda’shead.Shewaswastingnotimetryingtogetoutofthere.She disappeared down the staircase—much too far ahead to hear him callingafterher.

Charleneclosedinfrombehindhim.He glanced over the rail, looking down, hoping to catch a glimpse of

Amandaasshereachedthebottomofthestairs.Hisbreathcaught.Notpossible.SnowWhite’sEvilQueenstoodamidatorrentofadmirers,allbeggingfor

autographs.ButtheEvilQueenwasn’tlookingatherfans;shewaslockedontoFinnlikealaser-guidedmissile.

He jumped back from the rail, out of theway of her gaze.A shudder ofterror flooded him. If itwas a legitimateCastMember, fine.But if itwas anOvertaker—ifitwastherealEvilQueen—thenshecouldthrowspells,conjurecurses, mix potions to transfigure herself into an ugly old peddler offering apoisonedapple.Inshort,shewasnothingtomesswith.

Amanda!Heyankedhisphoneoutofhispocketandsentagrouptext:

PossibleOTsinDQ.Head2busASAP

Hopefully thatwouldget theothersmoving.Presently,his jobwas togetAmandaandCharleneoutofthere.

ThefourotherKeepershadsmartphones just likehis—gifts fromWayneandtheImagineers.AmandaandJessdidn’thavephones.Evenifthey’dhadthemoneytobuythem—andtheydidn’t—Mrs.Nashdidn’tallowhergirlstohavephones.

Charlene caught up to him and he launched himself down the crowdedstairwell, fighting through the throng. As he neared the bottom of the stairs,Amandacameintoviewagain.

TheQueenturnedtolookatFinn.Heavertedhiseyes,fearingaspell.Shewalked towardhim, thebubbleofheradmirersmovingwithher.Hestoleonemoreglanceinherdirectiononlytorealizeshewasn’tlookingathimbutoverhishead.Helookedbehindhim…

…atCharlene.Fromthestepabove,CharleneloweredhereyestoFinnandsaid,“What’s

shedoinghere?”“Youknowwhothatis?”Finnasked,surprised.“OfcourseIknowwhothatis!”“I’veneverseenherbefore.Nottherealone.”“Therealone?Isthattherealone?”“Whatdoyouthink?Youfeellikegivingherthepinchtest?”“AMANDA!”Charlenecriedoutloudly.Shewavedfuriously,tryingtoget

Amanda to turn around and join them.ButAmandawas too caught up in thereasonforherrunningoffinthefirstplace.EvenmorefuriousseeingFinnandCharleneonthestepstogether,sheheavedthroughthecrowd,everclosertotheEvilQueen.

“I texted theothers,”he tried tellingCharlene.But thenhe sawwhat shewasupto:shewastakingaphotooftheQueen.

Charlenemumbled,“What’sshedoingoutsideoftheParks?”“Technically,” he said, “we’re onDisney property.”He led her down the

stairs,fightinghiswaytowardAmanda.Charlenefollowed.“Technically,”shesaid,callingoverhisshoulder,“shebelongsintheMagic

Kingdom.Theafternoonparade.Someautographing.NotinsideDisneyQuest.”“Maybeit’spartofourschoolevent,”Finnsuggested.Hewantedaneasy

explanation; he wanted to be told this was a Cast Member, maybe a collegestudentincostume.

TheQueenwasslowedbyherfans.

Amanda had disappeared, hopefully into an elevator or down anotherstairwelltothegroundfloor,whereavarietyofridesgavewaytoalonghallwayandanexitthatpassedthroughthegiftshop.

TheEvilQueen seemed caught up in her popularity—awomanpulled intwodirections,butfavoringadmirationoverpurpose.FinnandtheKeepershadlong since learned that the by-products of fame—the adoring crowdswantingautographsandsouvenirs,thepeopleinvadingyourspaceawayfromtheParks—wasadifferent,butveryrealchallenge.

Charlene grabbed Finn’s hand. He led her through the crowd, comingincrediblyclosetotheQueen,butherfansformedawall,andtheypassedbyasquicklyas they’darrived.HeletgoofCharlene’shandandboundeddowntheless-crowdedstairway.

HeranandcaughtuptoAmanda,turningherbytheshoulder.“Waitup!”hesaid.Shespunaround,herfacestreakedwiththesnaillinesoffallentears.“Letgo!”shesaid.“I knew it was the OTs. They’re here.” His eyes refocused toward the

entranceofthehallwaythatledoutside.“There!”hesaid.CruellaDeVilwaslookingrightat them.Gaunt,pale,andwearingfur in

Florida with her trademark cigarette holder in her right hand. She, too, wassurroundedbyaknotoffanswantingautographs.Sheraisedhercigaretteholderandpointedwithherlong,glovedfinger.

“Look,kids,”shesaidinhercreamyvoice,“it’stheKingdomKeepers.”ThemassoffansturnedtowardFinnandAmanda,justasCharlenecaught

up to them. “She’s right!”…“It’s them!”…“Let’s go!” Voices echoed off theceilingandwalls.

AmassofkidsabandonedCruellaandrushedtowardthem.FinnpulledAmandatohimprotectively.Amandasaid,“Oh…no…”pointingbacktowardthestairway.TheEvilQueen.Thethreeofthemweresandwiched.Charlene’sattentionwasonthelowceilingdecoratedwithfishingnetsand

metalsculpture.“I can handle this,” she said. “Staywithme! I have an idea.” She broke

awayfromthemjustbeforethefansenvelopedFinnandAmanda.Finnhad learned that theonly thingworse thanahyperfanwasanangry

fan.Nomatterwhat,hedidn’twanttomakeanyofthekidsmadortheywouldharass and glue themselves to him, complaining and shouting and taking anattitude.

“Hey!Howyadoing?”hesaid.AmandalookedcuriouslyatFinn,wonderingwhathewasstarting.Buthe

knewwhathewasdoing;he’ddoneitplentyoftimesbefore.Offeredapen,hestartedsigning forearms,hands, thebackofshirts.Thecrowdpressed inmoretightly, everyone eager to get an autograph. This was what Charlene hadimmediatelyunderstood:theirfanswouldprotectthem.

Giventhedistraction,Charlenehadscrambledup thewall likea treefrogandwascurrentlyhangingupsidedownfromthe lightsattachedto theceiling.Asshemoved,sodidthehumanwallsurroundingFinnandAmanda—thefanswereleapingupandtryingtotouchher,applaudingher,screaminghername.Aslong as Finn and Amanda stayed below her, the protective wall of fans thatencircled them moved with her, keeping the Evil Queen and Cruella at adistance.

ThetwoOvertakers—theyhadtobeOvertakers—werealsotryingtopushthroughtoFinnandAmanda,butitwasnouse;theyweren’tgoingtobeatoutfiftywildfans.

Charlene continued on the ceiling toward the hallway. Finn andAmandaandtheirfansmovedwithher.

As thegroup reached thehallway, the roomnarrowed.Charlenedropped.Finn pushed rudely through that side of kids, dragging Amanda with him. Aglovedhandcaughthisshoulder.

Taller than theyoungfans, theEvilQueenhad reachedabove theirheadsandcaughthim.

Shesaid,“Youcannotstopus.Wewilldothiswithorwithoutyourhelp.Ifyourun,you’dbetterkeeprunning.”

Heran.Down the hall at a sprint, twenty of the screaming kids close behind.

Throughtheturnstile,thegiftshop,andintofreshair.Finnhadrarelyeverrunsohard, and yet both girlswere several paces ahead of him and increasing theirleads.

When a good distance away, he dared to look back.Cruella and theEvilQueenhadmadenoattempttorunafterthem.

Ifyourun,you’dbetterkeeprunning.…Instead,Cruellawasheadingtoa…payphone.Shereacheditandbroughtthereceivertoherear.ItwasthelastFinnsaw

ofher,butitstruckhimassooutofplace,soodd,despitethefactthatCruellausedtelephonesinhermovies.Notpayphones.NotinDowntownDisney.

Hearrivedatthebusstopoutofbreathjustasabuswasabouttopullaway.Thedriverbrakedforhimandopenedthedoor,andasheclimbedon,hesawall

sixofhisfriendsclusteredinthebackbythedoor.Maybeck,aheadtallerthananyonehisage,caughtFinn’seyeandnodded,

clearlyrelievedtoseehe’dmadeit.Atelephone,Finnwasthinking.

***Philby contained his surprise when a pop-up window appeared on his labcomputer.Abright-eyedsixteen-year-oldwithreddishhairandfreckles,Philbywasageek indisguise.He lookedperfectlynormal,buthisBritishupbringingand slight accent, alongwith having a brain like Einstein, set him apart fromotherkids.

Edgewater High’s computer lab security software blocked pop-ups,prevented cookies, and limited Web access while simultaneously recordingkeystrokes.ItwaslikeworkingintheofficesoftheCIAortheNSA.

The lab had five long countertops with chairs, and eight laptop stationseach.Currently,thirty-onestudentsallfacedforwardwheretheirinstructor,Mr.Chambers,wasstationedtotheleftofalarge,interactivewhiteboardmountedtothewallbehindhim.Thewhiteboardcouldcarryanythingfromamirrorofoneof the computers, to a PowerPoint presentation, or video. The instructormonitoredsoftwarethatshowedareal-timethumbnailofeachcomputerscreenactive in the lab.Mr. Chambers could click on any one of these at any time,seeing exactly what a particular student was doing. Chats were forbidden, aswereaimlesslybrowsingtheWeb,downloads,orentertainment.

The pop-up on Philby’s screen displayed an invitation to a video chat.Technically, because of the security software and firewall, a pop-up wasimpossible, which only made it all the more intriguing to him. Despite hiscomputerexpertise,Philbyhadneverbeenabletohacktheschool’sfirewall—butnotforwantoftrying.

Makingmattersworse,Philbyandhisfellowstudentshadallsignedethicscontracts,makingit theirresponsibilitytoreportanybreachesormisuseofthesystem.Bynotraisinghishandthemomentthepop-upappearedonhisscreen,Philbyhadalreadyviolatedthatcontract.Itdidn’tescapehimthatMr.Chamberscould easily be watching his screen, could already know about the pop-uphimself.

Ifcaughtinviolationofthecontract,Philbywouldbesuspendedfromlabfor a week, possibly expelled from the class for the semester. It called fordiversionarytactics,nothingnewtoPhilbyandhisfriends,whohadlongsinceestablished a system to distract Mr. Chambers away from his monitoringsoftware.

Philby caught the eye of Hugo Montcliff, a neighborhood friend with

droopy eyes, greasy hair, and shirts that carried unidentifiable food stains.Hugo’s fatherwas ahard-drinking formerpolicemanwhocouldn’t hold a job.Hugooccasionallysneakedoutatnightbecausehecouldn’ttakethescreamingbetweenhisparents.Somenightshe’dshowupatPhilby’shouseandsleeponthecouch.Philby’smomhadcometothinkofhimasakindofadoptedson,andPhilby considered him the closest thing he’d ever have to a brother. PhilbysignaledHugobytappingthedesktwiceandthenpointingtohisscreen.Hugonodded.

Philby then turned his attention toMr. Chambers, knowing Hugo wouldopenadrawingprogramwhenhewassupposedtobecreatingaPowerPoint.AsMr.Chambersreachedforhiscomputermouse,suggestinghe’dspottedHugo’sdivergencefromtheassignmentandwouldthereforebrieflyonlybemonitoringHugo’sactivities,Philbymadehismove.

AlreadywearingaheadsetforthesakeofhisownPowerPointassignment,Philbyacceptedtheinvitationtotheonlinevideochat.

Thepop-upwindowgrewinsizeandafuzzyvideoimageappeared.Philby brought his fist to his mouth to muffle his own gasp. Although

difficulttoseeclearly,thewhitehairandcoolblueeyesrevealedtheidentityofthecaller:Wayne.

TheKeepershadneitherseennorheardfromWayne inseveralmonths—not since his hospitalization following the Fantasmic! adventure. He wasbelievedtobeinhiding,keepinghimselfoutofthehandsoftheOvertakers,whowould use any means necessary—including torture—to obtain the top-secretlocation of their captured leaders, Maleficent and Chernabog, or possibly toobtain other secret information that the creator of the Kingdom Keeperspossessed.

“Areyou secure?”Theoldman’s voicewas steadybut troubled, even asheardoverthestatic-riddenpoorconnection.

“Notexactly,butI’mokayforacoupleminutes,”Philbywhispered.Wayneknewmoreaboutthebehind-the-scenesoperationsattheParksthan

any other Disney Imagineer. He had helped to create a new hologramtechnology,hadrecruitedFinn,Philby,andtheotherstomodelforwhatwouldbecome hologram guides in the Parks—Daylight Hologram Imaging, or DHI.Thenewhologramswerean instant success.Familiescouldbe toured throughtheParksbyatalkingteenageguidewhowasnothingbutlight,yetlookedandsoundedabsolutelyreal.Parkattendancejumped.TouriststraveledfromaroundtheworldtoseethenewDisneyphenomenon.

But Wayne and his Imagineering colleagues had advanced the DHItechnologysothefivestudentswho’dmodeledforthemcouldalso“crossover”

intotheParksashologramswhentheywenttosleepatnight.OnceintheParks,theDHIscouldspyfortheImagineersorbattletheOvertakersforcontroloftheParks.

AcallfromWaynecouldnotbetakenlightly.Philbyhadsomanyquestionshewantedtoask:HowhadWaynemanaged

tobreachtheschool’scomputersecurity?WhywouldheriskcontactingPhilbyin this manner?When hadWayne gotten out of the hospital?Where was henow?DidhiscallhaveanythingtodowithMaleficentorChernabog?Buttimewasprecious;hekepthismouthshutandlistened.

“Asyouknow,thesearedangeroustimes,”Waynesaid.“Dangeroustimesrequirerisktaking.Mydaughter,Wanda,whomyou’vemet,hasbeenmyeyesandearsoflate.Shehasbeenextremelybusycarryingonmywork—ourwork.Butsomethinghashappened.Shehasbeenjailedbythepolice.”

Philbywantedtocryout,butheheldhistongue.Wandaarrested?“IneedFinntoofferbailforherrelease.Thiswillrequireanadult,andwe

knowMrs.Whitmantobe…supportive…ofourcause.Wandaknowsthingsthatyoufivemustknow.Mustactupon.Quickly.”

TheEvilQueen,Philbywasthinking.CruellaDeVil.It’shappeningagain.“Tonight the fiveof youmust be inNorway’sStaveChurch at eight pm.

NotyourDHIs,butyourrealselves.Apictureisworthathousandwords.”“Ihavesomanyquestions.”“Prepare for remote access to the server.Youmay need it,”Wayne said.

Philbyknewthiswasacalltobattle.Since Maleficent and Chernabog were imprisoned by Disney, Wayne’s

concern suggested that the Over-takers had reorganized. But if Wayne wasrisking breaching the school’s computer security, it implied something else aswell.

“You believe they’re monitoring our home computers,” Philby said,guessing.

“YouseewhyIcontactedyou?Youunderstandthebiggerpicture.Finnisthe natural leader, but you, Philby, are the navigator. Steer Finn in the rightdirectionandhewillleadyouwell.”

The Overtakers were spying on them. It gave him the chills. He’d beenIMing withWilla on a regular basis, writing stuff he didn’t necessarily wantanyoneelseseeing.

“Neverunderestimatetheircapabilities,”Waynesaid.“Weallhavelearnedthatlessontoomanytimes.”

“Where areyou?”Philbyblurtedout. “Areyou all right?”Wayne looked

oldandtired.HemustbeworriedsickaboutWanda,Philbythought.“Unimportant.DoasIsay.DowhatIask.Goodluck.We’reallcountingon

you.”Thewindowwentblack,theconnectionlost.“Mr.Philby?”ItwasMr.Chambersfromthefrontoftheclass.Hewasnot

inacharitablemood.Philbyslippedofftheheadsetexpectingsuspensionandpossibledetention.“Novideos.Youknowtheassignment.Voiceisokay.Novideo.”Philby realized thatMr.Chambers so trusted the school’s firewall that he

couldn’t foramomentbelieve thatanyonehadmanaged tobreach it.Hemusthave assumed that the video on Philby’s screen was something Philby hadcreated.

“Sorry,Mr.Chambers.”PhilbyandHugometeyes,andPhilbythankedhimwithaquicknodofhis

head.Hugosmiledandwentbacktowork.HecouldseethecuriosityonHugo’sface—hewantedtoknowwhathadrequiredthediversion.Philbywouldhavetoinventaprettyconvincingstory:Hugowasnoteasilyfooled.

Philby’s heart raced.Wayne.Wanda. The Stave Church. The Overtakerswerereorganized,stilloutthere.

Forthepastseveralmonthsheandhisfriendshadnotworriedaboutsuchthings.They’dactuallyhadlivesagain.

Butnow,inafewshortminutes,allofthathadchanged.Again.

***Philbycompartmentalizedhis ideas.Hismindworked likea filingcabinet.Heheldideasindrawers,openingoneortwowhileclosingothers.Hedidn’tthinkaboutit;itjusthappened.OncehehadhungupfromthechatwithWayne,heputallthoseideasintoadrawerandsliditshut,markingitasurgent.He’dbeenabletogoabouthisclasswork.Butnow,whileotherkidsoccupiedthetimebetweenclasseswithhallwaychitchat,Philbyconcentratedonthecontentsofthatmentalfilingdrawer.Hemadealistofwhathadtobedoneandinwhatorder,withanemphasisonefficiency.

First,hewouldtextFinnaboutWanda.NexthewouldsendagrouptexttoalltheKeepersaboutmeetingattheStaveChurchateightpm.Then,oncehome,he would take his laptop over to Hugo’s house to get off his home network,wheretheOvertakersmightbemonitoringhim.HewouldaccesstheDHIserverremotelyand lock itdown,making sure therewasnochance that theKeepersmight crossoverunexpectedlyaftergoing to sleep.Crossingoverwasnot thedanger; itwasgettingstuckasaDHI, failing tocomeback,what theKeepers

calledtheReturn.PhilbyspottedWillaupthehallway.Inthatinstant,hebecamejustanother

ninthgraderwithacrush.Shewasstandingatherlocker,onehandonitsmetaldoor,theotherathersidewhilestaringintospace.Hesuddenlytensed.Hislegsfeltlikelead.

He recalled the exact day this change in his attitude toward her hadoccurred. They’d been sitting at a table at the Marble Slab with the otherKeeperswhenhe’dbeenovercomewithafeelingofcuriosity.Itwassomethinghestilldidn’tunderstand.Butwhatitamountedtowas:hewantedtobearoundher,toknowmoreabouther,tospendtimewithher.Shewassmart,funny,andthoughtful.Maybenotdrop-deadpretty likeCharlene,or thebroodingkindofbeautylikeAmanda,butinteresting-looking.Intriguing.Moreimportanttohimwasthattheythoughtthesameway.Oftencametothesameconclusionswithoutanykindofcommunication.Liketheywereconnected.

“Hi,there,”hesaid,reachingherlocker.“Youeverknowyou’relookingrightatsomethingbutcan’tseeit?”Atthe

moment,Willawaslookingrightathim.“Yeah,Isuppose.”“Mysheetmusicisinheresomewhere.”One thing on which they differed: she kept her locker a mess; his was

neatly ordered. He studied her locker carefully, reached in and withdrew thesheetmusic.Hereyesfilledwithappreciation.

“You’reawesome!”shesaid.Hewantedtohearhersayitagain.“Waynejustvideo-chattedmeinthelab,”hetoldher.“Yeah,right.”“I’mnotkidding.”Thelockerdoorslammedintoplaceandshelockedit.Philbycouldsense

bothWilla’sapprehensionaswellashermisgivings.Hecouldseeherthink.Shehadanintensitythathetotallygot.

“Butthat’snotpossible,”shesaid.“Iknow.Isn’titcool?”“Ithadtobesomekindoftrick.Theschool’sfirewall—”“—wasbreached.Waynebreachedit.”SpencerRandolphwasstaringatthemfromacrossthehall.Agiftedathlete

andpopulartenthgrader,SpenceralwaysseemedtobehangingaroundWilla.“Don’tlooknow,”Philbysaid,tryingtomakeitsoundlikehedidn’tcare,

“butSpencecan’ttakehiseyesoffyou.”“Healwaysdoes that.”Willablushed.Philbydidn’t like seeingherblush

overSpencerRandolph.ShelookedbackatPhilby.“Whywouldhedothat?”Philbyfeltconfused:Becauseyou’resmart?Becauseyou’reaWillakindof

pretty?“Heprobablywantstogooutwithyou,”hesaid.“Wayne,stupid!”shesaid.“NotSpence.IknowallaboutSpence.”“Youdo?”Howhadheletthatslip?“WhywouldWaynegotoallthattroublejusttogetamessagetoyou?”“That’s the thing,”hewhispered.“Hesaid ithadtobehereat theschool,

that itcouldn’tbeatmyhome,orFinn’s,oranyofoursbecausehe thinks theOTsaremonitoringourhomecomputers.”

“What!?Butwe…Imean,youandme…”Willastammered.“Yeah, Iknow.Wehave tostayoffourcomputers.Andnocrossingover.

Whoknowswhatthey’replanning?”“JustwhenIwasstartingtofeelnormalagain.”“Yeah, Iwas thinking the exact same thing.”He added, “Normal, if you

overlookthatwhenwegotosleepwewakeupintheParksasourholograms.”“We’veall beenoverlooking that for a coupleofyearsnow. I don’t even

thinkaboutit,youknow?It’sjust…apartofme.”Willaadded,“WeneedtotellAmandaandJessaswell.”TheKeepershadappliedthehologramtechnologytoAmandaandJessmonthsearlier.PhilbycouldremotelycrossthemoverasDHIsaswell.But thismeant theywerenowat riskalongwith theotherKeepers. Itdidn’tseemexactlyfair.

“Yeah.They’ll need to know.”Philby told her about theStaveChurch ateightpm.HeleftoutthepartaboutWandafornow.HewantedFinntodealwiththat, asWayne had asked. “I’m going to text the others, not IM.We have toassumethatwhateverwedoonlinefromhomecouldbemonitored.”

“That’swaycreepy,”Willasaid.“Yeah.”“Butwhatabouttexting?”“ProbablysaferthananythingontheInternet.Idon’tseetheOTshacking

Verizon.”“No.That’strue.”Thehallwaybellrang,signalinganotherclassforbothofthem.Spencerhadnotgoneaway.Thelongerhestared,themorePhilbyfeltlike

kissingWillarightthereinthehallforeveryonetosee.Notthathewouldeverdoit.

Heshookhisheadandcoughedoutdisgustathimself.“What?”sheasked.“Youwouldn’tunderstand.”Philby wounded her by saying that. Hadn’t meant to. He longed for a

rewindbutton,anotherchancetosaysomethingdifferent.ButWillawasalreadyonherwaydownthehall,herbacktohim.Spencerpeeledhimselfoffthewallandcameupalongsideofher,andWilla’sstepseemedalittlelighter.

Philbystoodtherewatching,sicktohisstomach.

“WHATAREYOUDOINGHERE?”FinnblurtedoutasheclimbedatophisBMXbike.Itwasn’tjustanybike,butatrickbikecapableofdoingstuntsandjumps.Being on the bike gave him a height advantage over Charlene, which heappreciated.

“Youdon’thavetosoundsopleased,”shesaidsarcastically.“Ididn’tmean…It’sjustthatEvansHigh—”“Happenstobeplayingyourschoolinsoccertoday,”saidCharlene.“Ididn’tthinksoccerhadcheerleaders.”“AmIdressedlikeacheerleader?”Infactsheworetightjeanshortsandan

equallytightT-shirt.“Whereareyouheaded?”Charleneasked.“I’mgoingtoseeWanda.”“Ikindoffiguredthat.MindifIhitcharide?”The bike was small. Finn had ridden with Amanda before—on the seat

behindhim,whilehestayeduponthepedals—butitfeltalittleweirdtoofferthesamethingtoCharlene.

“Idon’tbite,”shesaidwhenhehesitated.“No problem,” Finn said, glancing around in the mass of kids, hoping

Amandawasn’tamongthem.Finnclimbedoff,helpedCharleneon,andthenstraddledthebar.Herode

awayquickly.Themessage fromPhilbyhad injected a sense of panic in him.Wayne.Wanda.Thepolice.Hepedaledhard.

“We’remeetingmymom.Onlyadultscanbailsomeoneoutofjail,”Finnsaid.

“Andyourmomagreed?”“We’llsee.”“Youhaven’taskedher?”“Notexactly.”Hechangedsubjects.“YougotPhilby’stextabouttonight?”“Yes,”Charlenesaid.“Doyouknowwhatit’sabout?”“OnlythatWaynetolduswehadtobethereateight.”“Why?”

“Noidea.”“Whatdoyouthinkhewants?”“It’sgottobeimportant,”Finnanswered.“DoyouknowwhathetoldPhilby,exactly?”“Why all the questions?” Finn asked. Charlene never asked so many

questions;shewasmoreofa“tellmewhattodoandI’lldoit”person.“Idon’tknow.Curious,Iguess.AmIaskingalotofquestions?”“Yes.”“Maybe I’mnervous,” she said. “I talka lotwhen I’mnervous.”Sheput

herhandsonFinn’shipstosteadyherselfontheseat.Now he was nervous, too. He kept glancing back, worried that Amanda

wouldseethemdespitethefacthewasnowseveralblocksfromschool.“We’renotsupposedtouseourcomputersathome,”hesaid.“Yeah, I got that,” she said. “Hey, how come Wayne contacted Philby

insteadofyou?”Anotherquestion.“Idon’tknow.Idon’thavecomputer lab thewayhedoes. Isuppose that

couldbe it.”But itbotheredhimmuchmore thanhe leton.Waynereferredtohimastheleader;Wayneusuallycontactedhim,notPhilby.WashisleadershiproleoftheKeepersinjeopardy?Hadhedonesomethingwrong?

“What do you think it allmeans?” she asked. “Wayne contacting Philby.Wandagettingarrested.IthoughtwithMaleficentandChernaboglockedupthisstuffwasn’tsupposedtohappen.”

“Itwasn’t,”hesaid.“So?”“SoIguessthingsnevergoasplanned.”

***

Finn’smotherwasanactualrocketscientist.She’deventuallyleftNASAtoraiseFinn and his sister, the dual commitment proving to be too much, but sheremainedthesmartestwomanhe’devermet.Andthefairest.WhereashisfathergotangryandupsetaboutFinn’sescapadesasaKingdomKeeper,hismother,ahugefanofeverythingDisney,supportedWayne’sefforttokeepthemagicalivein theParks.Whatwas toFinn’s father a silly ambition fraughtwith physicaldangerandriskwastohismotheronthelevelofnationalimportance.Becauseof this, he had recently opened up to her more, sharing the challenges theKeepersfaced,sometimesevenaskingforherhelp.Thiswasoneofthosetimes.

Mrs.Whitman, currently a brunette, was thin, happy-faced, and athletic.Shehardlywore anymakeup.Her shoeswerewhat she called “practical” and

herearrings“artistic.”“Bailingsomeoneoutrequiresmoney,”shesaidfromtheothersideofthe

kitchencounter.FinnandCharlenewerebotheatingbowlsofbreakfastcereal.“Iknowthat.I’msureWaynewillpayyouback.”“Andabailbondsman.Youputupasmallamountandthebailbondsman

promisestherest.It’scomplicated.Ifthepersonmissesherappearanceincourt,then the bail bondsman loses his money, and in this case,we would have torepayhim.”

“Shewon’tmissanything,”Finnsaid.“Please,Mom.”“Itwouldmeantakingmoneyoutofoursavings.Yourfatherwouldnever

approveofsuchathing.”“ButifWaynerepaysyou,it’sonlygoneforadayortwo.Right?”“Ifherepaysme,yes.Butyou’venowaytoreachhim.Correct?”Finnhunghisheadshamefully.“Yeah.”“Intwoweeksthebankstatementswillarrive.Bythattimewehavetohave

themoneybackintheaccount.”“Doesthatmeanyou’regoingtodoit?”Finndidn’teventrytocontainhis

excitement.“Notawordtoyourfather,”shesaid.

***The signout front read: cityof orlando, policeheadquarters. Itwas a normal-looking office high-rise. Finn, Charlene, and Mrs. Whitman checked in at alobbyreceptiondeskandrodetheelevator.

It was not the dismal, smelly, dimly lit space that Finn anticipated fromtelevision, but instead,more a combination of post office and doctor’s office.Therewere somedecent chairs to sit in, copiesofnewspapers andmagazines.Theoverheadlightingwasbright,thesmellnotnearlyasbadashe’dexpected.

Amaninuniformsatbehindawindowofthickglass.Helookedpleasantenough.

Finn’smotherspoketohimforseveralminutes.Shehandedhimstufffromthe bail bondsman, filled out something on a clipboard. Showed her driver’slicense.ItremindedFinnofherreturningshoesatNordstrom,orpayingforanoilchange.

“Wecan’tgetherouttonight,”Mrs.WhitmanreportedtoCharleneandherson.“Someproblemwiththecourts.Icanreturntomorrowmorning.Tuesdayatthelatest.”

“Shehastostayhere?”Finnsaid.“That’sterrible.”“She’sgoingtomakebail,”hismothersaid.“It’sjustdelayedalittle.But

we’reallowedtoseeher.”

Finnfeltahugeweightlift.“YES!”hesaid,fist-pumping.“Youaretotallyawesome!”

IfMrs.Whitmancouldhavefloatedoff thefloor,shemighthave.“Comeon.Whatareyouwaitingfor?”

Thethreehadgonethroughsecuritytoenterthebuilding,buttheywereputthroughitagainbeforeenteringthejail.Theroomtheywereshowntowasplain.It looked like a very small version of their school lunchroom with six greenplastic picnic tables bolted to the floor, overhead tube lighting, and lots ofacoustictile.

Wanda lookedolder thanFinnremembered.Sheworeanorange jumpsuitwithorlandocityjailwrittenacrossthefront.Herhairwasstringy.She’dbeencrying.

Finn,hismother,andCharlenesatonthebenchfacingher.Aguardstoodjustoutsidethedoor.

“So,howareyou?”Finnasked.Wandasmirked,hertwistedsmiletellinghimmorethanhewantedtoknow.

“Beenbetter,”shesaid.“We’vepostedbail,”Mrs.Whitmansaid.“Tomorrowsometime,I’mtold.”“Thank you so much, but I wouldn’t count on it. I’ve been told by the

attorneytheyappointedthattheymaytryforHomelandSecuritycharges.That’sprobablywhythedelay.”

“Whatdidyoudo?”Charleneasked.Wandaloweredhervoice.“Myfatherhasmemonitorbandwidthusageon

theDHIserver,thesamewayPhilbysometimesdoes.”Finn nodded. If bandwidth usage surged, it meant extremely large data

packsweremovinginandoutoftheDHIservers.That,inturn,meantsomeonewas crossing over or Returning. Wayne watched for unusual or unexpectedbandwidthusageasawarningsignofpossibleOvertakerinterference.

Wandasaid,“Therehasbeensomeunusualactivity:datasurgeslate,lateatnight.AspikeatonepointfromtheAnimalKingdomserver.Othersaswell.Weknewsomethingwasgoingon,we justdidn’tknowwhat.So IhackedoneofDisney’smultiprotocolrouters.IftheInternetistheinformationsuperhighway,Ihacked amajor intersection, a truck stop. That’s probablywhy theHomelandSecuritycharges.It’skindoflikehackingGoogleorMicrosoft.”

“ButyouworkforDisney,”Finnsaid.“Thatjustmakesmattersworse.Ilooklikeadisgruntledemployee.”“Oh,my,”saidMrs.Whitman.“I came away with more questions than answers. What seemed to be

happening couldn’t possibly be happening. I neededmore data, more time to

drilldeeper.ThatwaswhenIwasarrested,inthemiddleofallthat.ItwasonlythenIrealizedthatI’dprobablybeensetup.ThatI’dwalkedintoatrap.”

She looked each of them in the eye, making sure they understood theearnestnessofwhatshewasabouttotellthem.“Ourfriends,”shesaid,meaningtheOvertakers,whoweren’ttheirfriendsatall,“knewthatiftheymadeenoughnoise on the DHI servers it would attract our interest. Mine. Philby’s.Someone’s. They could then alert the authorities, who would follow the dataminingbacktoitssourceandarrestwhoeverwasmessingaround—inthiscase,me.ThatwouldthenmeanthatI’dneedtobebailedout,andwhowouldbailmeout?”

“Wayne,”Finnanswered.“Waitasecond!AreyousayingitwasallawaytomakeWayneshowhimself?”

“Todrawhimout,”Wandasaid,nodding.“That’smyguess.Afather’sfirstinstinctistosavehischildren.Mydadnearlycamehere.Ifhehad,he’dneverhavemadeitthroughthedoors.They’dhavehadhimoutfront.I’msureofit.”

“SohecontactedPhilbyinordertonotcomehereinperson,”Finnsaid.“Imadehimpromisenottocome,”Wandasaid.“WastheInternetstuffyouturnedupforreal?”

Charleneasked.“Wewon’tknowwithoutmoretests,”sheanswered,“moreinvestigation.”

“Doyouknowwhereyourfatheris?”Charleneasked.Morequestions,Finnthought.Hesaid,“That’snoneofourbusiness!”“Itis,ifthepolicearegoingtotortureherorsomething,”Charlenesaid.“Don’t be ridiculous,Charlene,”Mrs.Whitman said. “That kind of thing

onlyhappensinmovies.”WandaandFinnexchangedaquestioninglook.“We’vegottogetyououtofhere,”Mrs.Whitmansaid.

***AsthebusfromtheTransportationCenterrolledintoEpcot,Finnspottedapairof crash-test dummies—CTDs—on Segways patrolling the parking lot andpointedthemouttoJess.Movingherdarkhairoffherfacetogetabetterview,Jess’s features reflectedoff thebuswindow.Shehada teardropchinwith fulllipsandwide-seteyes.Shechangedherhaircolor—whichhadturnedhorse-tailwhiteafteranencounterwithMaleficent—severaltimesayear.ShepointedouttheSegwaystoAmanda.

The overhead monorail line divided the enormous parking lots; the lanebeneath it was used for the parking lot shuttles and as a pedestrian walkwayleadingtothePark’sfrontgates.

A fun distraction forPark visitors, theCTDs-on-Segwayswere known to

theKeepers as possible soldiers for theOvertakers. Somewere nothingmorethan Cast Members in CTD suits, acting out a part. But others were roboticdronesarmedwithhigh-techdetectionandsurveillanceequipmentoutfittedwithBluetoothandWi-Fi.Originally,thesehadbeenintroducedtoEpcotbySecurity—aneffectiveandinexpensivewaytopatroltheParksduringregularhoursandafterclosing.TheirpopularityhadledtotheCastMembervariety—CTDsthatwould talk and interact with the visitors. But somewhere along the line, theOvertakershadmanagedtoelectronicallyhijackcontrolofatleastahalfdozenoftheroboticvariety.SeeingthemnowsocloseputFinnonguard.

“Well,ifthey’relookingforyou,they’llneverspotyou,”Amandasaid.“Notwithyoulookinglikethat,theywon’t,”saidJess.FinnworeanOrlandoMagicjerseywithaheavychainaroundhisneck,a

Yankee cap sideways on his head, and mirrored sunglasses. His shorts wentbelow his knees and he wore basketball shoes with Nike socks. There wereprobablyafewhundredboysjustlikehimintheParkatthisveryminute.

“You looksooooostupid,”Amandasaid,promptinga laughfromherandJess.

“Good,” Finn said. It was true, he looked like an idiot, but that was thepoint.IfhehappenedtoberecognizedintheParkasaKingdomKeeperhe’dbehoundedforautographs;ifhewashoundedforautographshe’dwintheattentionof Security; if Security caught him or any of theKeepers in the Parkwithoutapproval, his family could lose their Golden Mickey Pass—or worse—Operations Management could bring the hammer down. It was one thing toattendaschoolfunctioninDowntownDisney,butsomethingelseentirelytobeinEpcotwithoutaskingpermission.

OperationsManagement did not want Park visitors seeing both the DHIhologramguidesand the real-lifemodels for theDHIs in thesameParkat thesametime.Finnandthefourotherswereundercontractnot tovisitanyof theParkswithoutpriorapproval—approvaltheycurrentlylacked.

“Plus, you’re hanging out with two gorgeous girls,” said Jess, striking apose.“Soweknowwhoeveryonewillbelookingat.”

Jesswas typicallymoremodest than this.The comment fromher drewashrilllaughfromAmanda.Theyseemedtobehavingmorefunthanhewas.

“Weneedtokeepoureyesonthem,”Finnwarned.“Seriously.”“Okay.Wegetit,”Amandasaid.He’druinedthemoment.Hewantedtokickhimself.EnteringEpcot, they passed beneath SpaceshipEarth—which looked like

an elevated giant golf ball—reaching the fountain plaza where a computer-controlled water show ran. It could mesmerize visitors for hours at a time.

Pavilions rose onboth sides:TheLand,TheSeaswithNemo&Friends,TestTrack. Beyond the plaza was the fifteen-acre lake surrounded by the WorldShowcase pavilions, each representing a different country and duplicating itsmost famous architecture: the Eiffel Tower in France; a Mayan temple inMexico.

TheautumnFoodandWineFestivalwasunderway.Specialboothsofferedfood and drink. The mood was even more festive than usual. The place waspacked. At a few minutes before eight pm, the sun set. The IllumiNations:Reflections of Earth show would take over the lake—and the entire Park—beforelong.Therewasabuzzintheair.

ForFinn, thebuzzfeltmore likefear.SeeingWanda lockeduphadupsethim. The idea that theOvertakers had tried to trickWayne out into the openworried him. They were planning again. They were up to something. WithWayneinhidingandWandainjail,itfellontohimandtheKeeperstofigureoutwhatwasgoingon,andtostopwhateverwasplanned.Theonlytimetablewasrightnow.

Finn, Amanda, and Jess arrived at Norway’s Stave Church just behindPhilbyandWilla.Thesteepleonthedarkbrownwoodenchurchrosefortyfeetintheair,whiletheinteriorspacewasquitesmall,acloseted,museumlikespace.

Thewallsweredarkwood,theceiling,vaulted.Thefivedisplaysdepictedvarious scenes or famous people from Norway’s colorful history. There weredescriptiveplaquesalongsideeach.

The three girls drew together in the far corner and immediately begantalkingthewaygirlsdo.FinnandPhilbywereleftalone.

Philby reviewed everything he could recall about the video fromWayne;FinndetailedthevisitwithWanda.

“Atrick?”Philbyasked.“That’swhatshethinks.”“Makessense.”“Yes,itdoes,”Finnagreed.“Iwishshe’dtoldyoumoreaboutthedatabursts.”“Iknewyouweregoingtosaythat,”Finnsaid.“Youaresopredictable.”“It’swhatIdo,”Philbysaid,unapologetically.“Whatcoulditmean?”Philby shrugged. “All sorts of things. But it’s kind of random that she’d

hack a bank of Disney routers. That’s like hacking the streetlights at anintersection.Nowondershe’sintrouble.”Hemulleditover.“What’sinteresting,Isuppose,iswhyshe’dbotherinthefirstplace.Thosebigrouters…Isupposeifyou wanted to determine where the packets were headed…the firewall logs

mightbeallyou’dneed.”FinnlosthimforaminutewhilePhilbywasdoingthemathinhishead.“Listen,there’soneotherthingbeforeshegetshere,”Finnsaid.“Charlene,”Philbysaid,namingtheonlygirlnotthereyet.“Yeah.Iknowthisdoesn’tmakeanysense,butshedesignedourride.She

gaveusthecard.”“Doyouknowwhatyou’resaying?”“Yes.OfcourseIdo.Andlook,wasitheralone?No.Butthat’sevenmore

disturbing. And today, she justmaterialized at school. Said she’d ridden overwiththeEvanssoccerteam.She’sbeenaskingallthesecrazyquestions.”

“ThisisCharlenewe’retalkingabout!”“Iknow!”Finnsaid.“That’swhatgotme!Sincewhendoessheaskadozen

questionsinarow?”“Sincenever.”“Butshedidtoday.ShewaslikeSherlockHolmesorsomething.”“Youcan’taccuseher.Notwithoutevidence.Itisn’tfair.Wejustdon’tdo

that.”“Iknow,”Finnsaid.“Igetthat.ButIwantedyoutoknow.Onlyyou.”“SoIshouldkeepaneyeonCharlene.”“That’sallI’msaying,yeah.”Finnaddedreluctantly,“NotthatIlikeit.”“No.It’sugly.”“Speakingofugly…”HetoldPhilbyabouthisseeingCruellaDeVilonthe

phoneoutsideDisneyQuestandhowoutofplaceitseemed.“Thisisbeginningtofeellikeaparalleluniverse,”Philbysaid.“Right?”Finnsaid.Philby reached out and touchedFinn’s shoulder. “Justmaking surewe’re

notholograms,”hesaid.Bothboyslaughed.Afatherandsonentered.ThesonwascarryingaKimPossiblecellphone.

TheKimPossiblequestwas an interactivemysteryhuntwhere theparticipantjoinedapopularcartooncharacter’spursuitofbadguys.ThephonesgavecluesandcouldleadyoualloverthePark.

Theboysearchedthechurchandapparentlyfoundtheanswerinadisplaydescription thathis fatherhelpedhim to read.Theboy squealedandpushedabuttononthedevice.Thephonegavehimhisnextlocation.Thetwoleftwithouthavingpaidanyattentiontothefivekids.

Maybeck arrivedout of breath.He looked around the small area,makingsuretheywerealone.Hesaidhello,andthen,“DidanyofyouseetheCTDsoutthere?Therewasapairtryingtofollowme.Ilostthem,buttheywerezonedinonme.”

AppraisingMaybeck,Finnsaid,“NotthebestdisguiseI’veseen.”Maybeckliked the fan attention—loved it, was more accurate—and rarely changed hisappearance.Hewantedtoberecognized.Hewantedtobemobbed.

“I’mkindofhardtomiss,”hesaid.“Youreapwhatyousow,”Willatoldhim.“Where’sCharlene?”Amandaasked,lookingpasthim.PhilbyandFinnexchangedacuriouslook.Maybecksaid,“Shestoppedtogetussomefood.I’mstarving.”“It’seighto’clock,”Philbysaid.“Sowhat? I can’t be hungry at eight o’clock? I’m hungry all the time! I

haveabigappetite.”“Iwouldn’tmindsomething,”Jesssaid.“Thatdinnertonight…”shesaidto

Amanda.“Mrs. Nash’s tamale pie is basically microwaved dog food with boxed

gravyandDoritosontop,”agreedAmanda.“Gross!”Willasaid.“Youshouldbeinthesameroomwithit,”saidAmanda.Maybecksaid,“Idon’t thinkweshouldhanghere too long.Notonlyare

therecamerasalloverthisPark—right,Philby?—butIwouldn’tbesurprisedifthoseCTDs circle back and come looking forme.We’d actually be safer outtherewiththemobliningupforthefireworks.”

“Ilovethefireworks,”Amandasaid.Willasaid,“So,whyarewehere,anyway?What’sgoingon?Doweeven

knowwhyWaynewantedushere?”“Not yet,we don’t,” Finn answered. “Whatwe know is that theOTs are

activeagain.”HetoldthemaboutthejailvisitwithWanda.Philby tried to explain what Wanda might have been doing hacking the

servers.“Disneyhasanelaboratesetoffirewallsinplace.ThinkofitasoneofthoseEuropeanfortwallsaroundallofDisneyWorld’sdatalines.Oneyoucan’tclimb.Onewithgatestoostrongtobustthrough—”

On cue, the door banged open. Charlene entered, struggling to balance astackofsmallplasticplates,allholdingfood.Everyonehurriedovertohelpher.Shortlythereafter,lipsweresmackingloudly.

“So,”FinnsaidtoPhilby,“youweresaying?”“The point is, the firewalls log any ‘events’—that is, attempts to breach

them.Therearesubnetmasks,ISPnumbers,allsortsofdatathatcanbetracedandused to trackdownwhere theattackcamefromandwhowasbehind it. IfI’mWanda,that’swhatI’mlookingfor:thepersonbehindthedatabursts.”

“Andifyou’retheOTs?”Charleneasked.

“IfI’mtheOTsandI’mattackingfirewalls,”Philbysaid,“thenI’meitherlooking for a way in or a way out. Away in would giveme access to otherDisneydata—”

“LikethelocationofwhereDisneymightlockupcertainotherOvertakers,”Maybeckproposed.

“Likethat,yes.Or,yourememberhowweusedthechangesintemperatureinsidepavilionstotrytotrackMaleficent?Thatkindofrecordwouldtellthemeverythingtheywanttoknow.”

“Energyuse,”Willasaid.Philbysmiled.Helovedthewayhermindworked.“Absolutely.Disneyhas

tokeepMaleficentcold.They’renotgoingtomistreather,andsheneedscoldtosurvive. That would require more energy. That’s a number, something easyenoughtouncover.Thosekindofrecordscouldbehacked.”

“They’re going to bust Maleficent and Chernabog out,” Maybeck said,speculating.“It’sajailbreak.”

Silence.Philbybegannodding.“Nicelydone,Terry.”“Coulditbe?”Charleneasked.“Itmakestotalsense,”Willasaid.“They’retryingtogatherenoughdatato

locatewhereMaleficentandChernabogarebeingheld.Atthesametime,theyknow that’s going to attract our attention—Wayne, Philby,Wanda…someone.Whenthathappens,theyhaveabackupplantolureWayneoutintotheopenandkidnaphim.Maybetheywantinformationfromhim,maybetheywanttotradehimforMaleficentandChernabog,butit’salldirectedatthesamegoal.”

“Freeingtheboss,”Maybecksaid.“AndwithWayneinhidingandWandaoutoftheway—”Willasaid.“It’suptous,”saidFinn,promptinganotherheavysilence.The churchdoor pushedopen.Agirl andher parents entered.Theywere

also on the Kim Possible quest. The Keepers scattered, pretending to beinterestedinthevariousdisplays.

Themotherandfatherlookedonasthegirlreadaplaque,lookingforthesamecluetheboyhadearlier.Herfathercomplimentedherassheidentifiedthekinginquestion.

“ChecktheAbox,”hesaid.“Iknow,Dad,”thegirlcomplained,alittlesnotty.“Areyougoingtoletme

doit,ornot?”He stepped back and the girl worked the phone. Then she stopped and

lookedacrosstheroom,hercuriouseyesfinallysettlingonFinn.Shetentativelycrossedtowardhim,herfatherkeepinganeyeonher.

“I’veplayedthisgame,like,sixtimes,”shesaid,addressingFinnshyly,herparents now nearby. “But this is the coolest yet.” She handed Finn the KimPossible phone. He accepted it reluctantly. She hung her head slightly,embarrassed.“Irecognizedallbutthosetwo,”shesaid,pointingtoAmandaandJess,“whenwecamein.”Herparentslookedaround,nothavingacluewhothekidswere.“Ididn’twanttobugyou.”

“I…we…allofusappreciatethat,”Finnsaid.“Isthisafriendofyours,dear?”themotheraskedskeptically.“Oh,Mom…comeon!ThesearetheKingdomKeepers.Youknow…?This

is,like,themostawesomeKimPossibleever!”Philbysaid,“We’renotactuallypartof—OWW!”Finnhadelbowedhim.ThegirlpointedtothephoneinFinn’shand.“Readit!”Finnreadthemessageonthephone’ssmallscreen:

HandyourphonetothenearestKingdomKeeper!Press“OK”tocontinue.

Finnrereadthemessagetwice.Wayne’sreachinsidetheParksneverfailed

toamazehim.Maybeck cameover and read the screen. “What ifwhenyoupushOK it

sendsourlocationtoourotherfriends?”“Ikindaneedmyphoneback,”thegirlsaid.FinnpushedOK.Thescreenchanged.

GototheKPcartinNorway.Tellthemyou’remyfriend.—WPress“OK”tocontinue.

FinnpressedOK.

Handthephonebacktotheguest.Press“OK”tocontinue.

FinnpushedOK and returned the girl’s phone to her. Before leaving she

askedeveryonetosignherEpcotmap.Boundingwithexcitement,sheleftwith

herparents.When theywerealoneagain,Finnsaid,“Wehave to trust it.This iswhy

we’rehere.”“It could just as easily be a trap,”Maybeckwarned. “Wayne gave us all

phones,”he reminded. “Ifhewanted tocontactus,wouldn’the just callusortextus?AmImissingsomething?WhybotherwiththeKimPossiblething?”

Charlenesaid,“Wewon’tknowuntilwetry.”Willasaid,“HeisalwaysparanoidabouttheOTseavesdropping.Whenhe

putsusonaquest,it’stotellussomethingthatnooneelsecouldfigureout.”“Ivolunteer,”Charlenesaid,raisingherhand.“I’lldoit.”“AmandaandIcoulddo it,”Jesssaid.“Wearen’tKingdomKeepers.We

wouldn’traiseanysuspicions.”“She’sright,”Philbysaid.“Andifit’satrap,”Finnsaid,“thentheycatchthewrongpeopleandwho

knowswhatthatmeans?”Charlenesaid,“Ithoughtyouweretheonetrustingit?”Busted.“Isaid,‘Ivolunteer,’”Charlenereminded.“I’llgowithyou,”Finnsaid.“Butiftheycatchyou…Wecan’tletthemcatchyou,”Amandasaid.Somesuppressedsmirks.ItwastheAmanda-and-Finnshow.Foralltosee.

IncludingCharlene,wholookedaway.“Finn’s the only one of us that can all-clear with any consistency,” said

Charlene.“Iknow,”Amandasaid.“I’veseenhimdoit.”WithGreg Luowski, Finn recalled.He’d suckered Luowski into taking a

swingathim,whileFinnwasbrieflytransformedintohishologram.NoonehadexplainedthesciencebehindhowFinnwasabletobrieflytransformhimselfintopurelight—whatheandtheotherscalledallclear;hesupposeditmadehimpartFairlielikeJessandAmanda.

He supposed that all clear was a state where mystical, metaphysicalelementsmetthephysicalsciences.Itworkedtwoways:Finn,asamortalboy,couldonoccasionconcentrate towherehesuddenly turnedintoahologram.Itonly lasted a short amount of time—his recordwas eighteen seconds—but inthat statehecouldwalk throughwallsor takeapunch,because technicallyhedidn’texistasanythingbutlight.Thesecondwaywasmoredifficultforparentsand even Wayne to understand: a hologram was nothing but light. Whenprojected or crossed over into the Parks as DHIs, the kids were technicallynothingbutlight.Butfearremovedtheirstateofpurity.If,asaDHI,oneofthem

becameafraid,thathologramlostapercentageofdata,dependingontheleveloffear.Thatresulted inaDHIthatwaspartmortal,part teenager,parthologram,and therefore vulnerable to being wounded or captured. Finn had perfected akind of visualization—a train coming at him from down a dark tunnel—thathelpedhimachieveallclear,pushedhimintothatstateofinvulnerablelight.Itwasauseful,evennecessarytool,andonehe’dbeencoachingtheotherstolearnhowtodo.

“Andwhileyoutwoareoutplayinggames,whatarewesupposedtodo?”Maybeck asked, clearly complaining. “I’m not hanging here. I’m not big onchurches.”

“You’lldivideintogroups—splitupbetweenNorwayandMexicooneithersideofus,” saidFinn.“Youwatch forcrash-testdummies.Textme ifyouseeany.CharleneandIwilldo theKimPossiblequestand letyouknowwhatwefindout.AmandaandJess,staywithustomakeusabiggergroup.Thatwayit’slesslikelywegetspottedasKeepers.”

Maybecksaid,“Youlooksostupid,Whitman.”“SoI’veheard.”“Atleasthetriedforsomekindofdisguise,”Willasaid.Philbysaid,“It’sagoodplan.Let’sgetgoing.”PhilbyandWillaheadedforChina.Aftermorediscussion,Maybeckwent

byhimselfintoMexico.Anannouncementfilledtheloudspeakers:thefireworksweresettobegin.

***AwoodencartsattuckedintoadarkcorneroftheterracedpathbetweenNorwayandMexico, pushed against an island of trees and bushes. The CastMemberattending the unmarked cart wore a Kim Possible Adventure T-shirt. Finn,Charlene, and the sisters approached the overweightman,waiting for a smallboyandhisfathertoreturntheirKimPossiblephone.

“Wsentus,”FinntoldtheCastMember.“Okay.”Themanhadagruffvoice,unexpectedofaCastMember.“We’reheretodotheadventure,”Charlenesaid.“Iwastoldyouwouldhavetwoinitialsforme,”hesaidtoFinn.Thishad

Wayne’sDNAalloverit.“K.K.”“Can’tbetoocareful,”theguysaid.Herifledthroughsomephonesinthecart’sdrawerandhandedonetoFinn.Helaunchedintoamemorizedexplanationofthegame.Finnandtheother

threelistenedintently.Didn’tmissathing.“Anyquestions?”

“Ithinkwe’vegotit,”Finnsaid,checkingwithhisfriends.“Offyougo.Returnithere,please.I’dtellyoutoenjoyyourselves,butI’m

notsurethat’sappropriate.”Thephone’sscreentoldFinntostepawayfromthecartandtopressOK.Thecrowdsforthefireworkscloggedthepathwayencirclingthelake,forty

peopledeep.TheParkmusicchargedtheairwithexcitement.FinnpressedOK.ThecartoonimageonthescreenofKimPossiblechangedtoaphotograph

ofatree.Awrittenmessageread:

Gotothistreebythebakerycaféandpress“OK.”

“Whereisit?”Finnsaid,spinningaround.“There!” Amanda and Charlene said at the exact same moment, both

pointing.“Okay.Butlet’snotadvertise,”Finnsaid.Thegirlsloweredtheirarms.Onceatthetreebehindthecafé,FinnpushedOK.Thetreebeganspeaking.OratleastitseemedsorealthatCharlenejumped

back.Finnfeltshiversrunuphisarmsasanoldman’svoice—avoiceheknewtobeWayne’s—spoketothemfromaspeakerintheshrubsdesignedtolooklikearock.

“We all need a waiter now and then,” said the voice. “Some can get awaiter’sattentionfasterthanothers.Thiscanhavedisappointingresults.”

AsFinnslappedhispocketshoping tofindapen,henoticedJessalreadyscribblingonapieceofpaper.Jesscarriedapencilandpaperwhenevershewasinside the Parks. She had previously had daytime “dreams” or visions of thefutureherewhileawake.Shecameprepared.HeruncannyabilitytodreamaboutfutureeventshadearnedheraplaceasaFairliealongside“sister”Amanda.ThatpowerwascorruptedandnearlyharnessedbyMaleficent,who’dputJessunderthe effects of a horrible spell, which brought her together with Finn and theKeeperswhenAmandahadsoughttheirhelptofreeJessofthespell.Now,theKeepers benefited from her unique ability; on more than one occasion theKeepershadusedaJessdiarypageto“see”aneventbeforeithappened.They’dlearnedtopaystrictattentiontoanythingshesketched.

Thephone’sscreensaidtopressBACKtohearthemessageasecondtime.Finnpressedthebutton.Jesscontinuedwriting.

“Gotit,”shesaid.

“What’sthatsupposedtomean?”Charleneasked.“Wekeepgoing.Youknowwhathe’slike,”Finnsaid.Thescreenonthephonechanged.AnanimatedKimPossiblesaid,“Finda

friendaroundfront.PushOKandwatchwhathedoes.”Again,aphotoappeared.Itshowedtwogardengnomesandsomeshrubs.

They located the identical setting just inside theNorwayplaza, past theStaveChurch.

FinnpressedOK.Thegnomespunaround,hisbacksidefacingthem.FinnpressedOKandthe

gardensculpturepivotedtofacethemagain.Hetriggeredthephonetorepeattheeffect.

“Whoa!”Charleneexclaimed.“Waycool.”“Pleasewriteitdown,”FinnsaidtoJess.Charlene leaned against him from one side; Amanda the other. A Finn

sandwich.Acartoonofadorkykidappearedon-screen.HesaidthatKimPossiblehad

identifiedasignalpostandthatsheneededtheirhelpinlocatingit.Iftheenemysawthatsignal,theyweretold,badthingsmighthappen.

“Isthatsupposedtobesomekindofcode?”Charleneasked.“Don’tknow,”Finnsaid.Buthewasthinking,Somanyquestionsfromher.The camera offered another photograph. The four of them returned to

behind the bakery. Jess, with her keen artistic eye, found the scenery thatmatched. She positioned them all with their backs to the bakery patio andpointedtotheirrightwherethebuildingendedataknotofrocksandfoliage.

“Goahead,”Charlenesaid.“Tryit.”FinnpressedOK.Nothinghappened.“Tryagain,”shesaid.“Up high,” Amanda said. She knew better than to point and attract

attention.One by one the other kids saw it: a red, triangular flag popping upfrombehind awrought iron lamppost each timeFinn pushedBACK. The flagreappearedandsank.

“Betterwriteitdown,”hesaid,butJesswasalreadyonit.TheKim Possible character reappeared on the phone and told them how

welltheyweredoingandthattheyhadonelastcluetofind.Anotherpicture.Charlene spotted the location immediately: itwasa rock faceon theway

backtotheKimPossiblecartwherethey’dstarted.Thescreenread:Push“OK”tohaveyourpicturetaken.

“Idon’tknowabouthavingyourpicturetaken,”Amandasaid.“It’stellingustodoit,”Charlenepointedout.“We’vedoneeverythingso

far.”Finnsaidsoftly,“Maybeit’sawayforWaynetoseethatit’sreallyus.That

we’retheonesontheadventure.”“Thatmakessense,”Jesssaid.“ItshouldprobablybejustyouandCharlene

inthepicture.”“Agreed,” Finn said. “You andAmanda keep an eye out,whileCharlene

andIdothis.”Hispersonalphonevibratedinhispocket.Hereadthetext.ItwasfromMaybeck.

CTDsonSegwaysheadedthisway.

“Crash-testdummies,”Finnsaid.“Weneedtohurry.”Finntextedback:

Diversionneeded.

Hisphonebuzzedback.

Noprob

HeandCharlenehurriedoutinfrontoftherocksandFinnpressedOK.Thecartooncharacter’s thinvoice toldhimtoface the lakeandpressOK

againwhenhewasreadytohavehispicturetaken.He had no ideawhatmight happen.A trap door?A net falling from the

trees?Witheveryone’sattentionnowfocusedonthelake,anythingcouldhappentothemanditwouldgounnoticed.Ifitwasatrap,ithadbeencleverlyplanned.Heandtheothershadwalkedrightintoit,eyesopen.

Histhumbhoveredoverthephone’sOKbutton.HepushedOK.Abrightlightflashedquicklyfromwithinthebushes.Finn believed this to be part of the trick—to blind themwhile someone

attempted to capture them. He bumped his shoulder against Charlene andreacheddownandgrabbedherhand.

Butnoonecamechargingtowardthem.FinnspottedAmandalookingbackatthem,andimmediatelyreleasedCharlene’shand.

Returnthephonetogetyourphotos.Press“OK”

Finn pressedOK and was told what a great job he’d done for the Kim

Possibleteam.Howtheycouldn’thavedoneitwithouthim.JessandAmandajoinedthem.Amandasaid,“DidyouseeMaybeck?Hewasrunningthroughthecrowd,a

pairofcrash-testdummiesafterhim.”“Didtheycatchhim?”Finnasked,anxiously.Shepointed.TheCTDsstoodwellabovethecrowdontheirSegways.But

theywerebarelymovingbecauseofallthepeople.MaybeckhadledthempastNorway and had to beway ahead of them by now—a good job of creating adiversion.

FinnandthegirlsreachedtheKimPossiblecart.TheCastMembergreetedthem.“Haveagoodquest?”“Iguess,”saidFinn,returningthephone.“Here’syourpicture,”themansaid,pointingoutthesnapshotpinnedtoa

corkboard.Asallthreegirlssteppeduptoseeit,theCastMemberblockedFinnfrom

joining them and slipped something into Finn’s right hand. Slippery paper.Photos—Finncouldtellbythetexture.HestoleaglanceatthefirstofthephotosbutslidthemintotheonlypocketinhisabsurdgympantsastheCastMembershookhishead,suggestingFinnwasn’ttosharethese.

The image on the photo hit him hard: the Evil Queen somewhere inDisneyQuest. She was standing in front of four students: two girls, GregLuowski, and a boy wearing a striped T-shirt, whose face couldn’t be seenbecauseoftheQueen.

He’donlyseen it foran instant,but therewasnoquestion inhismindofwhathe’dseen.TheQueenwastalkingtothefourkidsand,moreimportantly,theywerelistening.

Ithithimlikeaslapintheface.Hehadtoshowittotheothers.Hesimplyhadto.ButtheCastMemberhadwarnedhimnotto.Worse,hestilldidn’tknowwhatwasonthesecondphoto.Heneededaminutebyhimself.

“I gotta go to the bathroom,” he told the girls, as they turned from thepostedphoto.

“Idon’tgetit,”Charlenesaid.“Sowhatifourpicturewastaken?What’sitmean?”

“This isyours,” theCastMembersaid.“Ihopeyouenjoyedyourmissionandwilljoinusanothertime.”

Charlene accepted the photo, though unhappily. “Can’t you wait?” sheaskedFinn.“Idon’tthinkweshouldsplitupjustnow.”

Stickingtogetherwashisrule.“Yeah,okay.I’lltexttheothers.We’llmeetattheicecreamplacebythefountain.Therearerestroomsnearthere.”

“Whymeet?Whynotjustgohome?”Charleneasked.“Themissionisover,sowe’vebeengivenall thepieces,”Finnsaid.“We

needtofigureoutwhatitmeanswhileit’sstillfreshinourheads.”“Butthoseguysareouttherebuzzingaroundlookingforus,”shesaid.Finnalreadyhadhisphoneoutandwassendingagrouptext.“Icecream,”hesaid.

***Maybeckwasthelasttoreachtheicecreamparlor.Theotherkidsstoodatthecounter.Thefireworksshowcontinued,sotheyownedtheplace.Evenso,theykepttheirvoiceslowbetweengreedybitesofmintchip,cookiedough,androyalfudge. If there was one thing the Keepers could agree on, it was eating vastamountsoficecream.

Finn wasn’t sure the others noticed Jess sketching on a napkin as thediscussion began with Maybeck’s heroic description of eluding the crash-testdummies.

“WeneedtofigureouttheKimPossiblemission,”Charlenesaid,stilledgy.Finn looked at her differently now.He’d been to the bathroom, and he’d

draggedPhilbywithhim.Therehe’dtakenoutthetwophotosand,forthefirsttime,takenagoodlookatboth.

“That’sSallyRingwald,”Finnsaid,namingagirlwhowenttoWinterPark.“Andthat’s—”

“Luowski,”saidPhilby,whoknewaboutthebully.“TalkingtotheEvilQueen.”“I don’t recognize the second girl—maybeMaybeck or Charlene knows

her.What’stheotherphoto?”Philbyasked,forFinnhadkeptittuckedbelowthefirst.

“Whoknowsifwecantrustthesepictures?”Finnsaid.“Areyougoingtoshowittomeornot?”“Ijustthinkwehavetokeepopenminds.”

“Comeon!Youknowme.”Finnpeeledawaythefirstphotorevealingthesecond.Thephotowasactuallytwoimagesdividedbyablackline.Bothblack-and-

white, they appeared to be freeze-frame photographs taken from a Securityvideo. On the left, it showed Charlene entering a rest room—time and datestampedasthenightbeforewhilethey’dbeeninDisneyQuest;totheright,wastheEvilQueenenteringthesamedoorway.

“Twentysecondslater,”Philbysaid.“Charlenewasstillinthere.”“Wedon’tknowthat,”Finnsaid.“Ofcourseshewas!Whocanpeeandwashherhandsinlessthantwenty

seconds? She obviouslymet with the Evil Queen, just like these other kids.”Philby looked back and forth between the various shots. “The question is notwhethershesawtheQueen;thequestioniswhyhaven’twebeentoldaboutit?”

“Wecan’tjumptoconclusions.”“Who’sjumping?”Philbysaid.“Numberone:she’sbeenactingweird.Do

youdenythat?”“No,”Finnsaid,unhappily.“Numbertwo:she’sbeenaskingatonofquestions,justlikeaspywould.”“Iknow.”“Number three. She volunteered to do the Kim Possible thing with you.

Now,I’mnotsayingshedoesn’tvolunteertodostuffwithus,butwhenshedoesit’s always—I mean always—something physical. Something gymnastic orathletic.That’shertalent.It’snottosolveamystery.That’sWilla’sturf.”

“Yeah,”Finnsaid.“ShewasinthebathroomwiththeEvilQueen.”“Yeah,”Finnagreed,reluctantly.“Why?”Philbysaid.“Itwasafterthatthatshegotweird.”“Yes,itwas,”Philbysaid.“You’reright.Soanotherwaytolookatthisis

thattheQueenmetwithher,nottheotherwayaround.”“Meaning?”“ShecastaspellonCharlene.”“Tospyonus.”“Maybeontheotherfour,too.Luowskiandeveryone.”“Maybe.” Finn wasn’t easily convinced that Greg Luowski could be a

victim.“SoCharlenestartsaskingallthesequestionsandactingweird.”“Itmakessense,”Finnsaid.“Sowe’vegottobreakthespell,”Philbysaid.“Tentimesoutoften,when

itcomestobreakingaspellputontoagirl,youbreakitbykissingher.”“Notme!”Finnsaid.“IfIkissCharlene…Iamnotdoingthat!”“Amanda.”“Yes.”“Yeah,wellIdon’texactlywantWillatoseemedoit.”“YouandWilla?”“Thisisnewstoyou?”saidPhilby.Finnshrugged.“ThatjustconfirmswhatWillasays:thatboysdon’tgetanyofthisstuff.”“Whatstuff?”“Yousee?”Philbysaid.Hiseyesshiftedleftandright.“Maybeck!”theybothsaidatonce.Back in the ice cream parlor, Finn saw Philby pull Maybeck aside and

whispertohim.Maybeck’sfacecrunchedlikeacrushedpaperbag.“First,”Finnsaid to thegirls, inpart tokeep themfromnoticingPhilby’s

whispering,“wasthewaiter.”Jessreadfromhernotes:“‘Weallneedawaiternowand then.Somecan

getawaiter’sattentionfasterthanothers.Thiscanhavedisappointingresults.’”“Thenthegardengnome,”Finnsaid.“Thegnome turned around,” Jess said, “then turned around again to face

us.”Atthispoint,MaybeckandPhilbyjoinedthegroupagain.Maybeckflashed

Finnalookimpossibletointerpret.WashegoingtokissCharleneornot?Finncouldn’ttell.

“Thentheflag,”Amandasaid.“Ared,triangularflag,”Jessadded.“Andthenthephotograph,”Charlenesaid.“Butwhat’sanyofitmean?”ThegirlsalllookedtoPhilby.“As to the first,” Philby said. “There aren’t any waiters at the Norway

bakery.It’sacafeteriawithoutsideseating.”“Wedidn’tlookinside,”Charleneadmitted.“Maybeweshouldhave.”“Waitersdelivermenus,food,anddrinks,”ProfessorPhilbysaid,breaking

the clue into smaller pieces. Philby was more like a college student than afreshmaninhighschool.“Whatelse?Theytakestuffawayafterwe’rethrough.”

“The bakery sells all sorts of stuff,” Maybeck said. “Meals, desserts,drinks.”

“Justdeserts,”Willasaid.AbrainiaclikePhilby,Willaunderstoodlanguagethewayheunderstoodanythingtechnical.“Whatifit’saplayonwords?Waynedoesthatkindofthing.‘Justdeserts’iswithones.Itmeans‘givingpeoplewhat

theydeserve.’Maybe thecluehas something todowithgiving theOvertakerswhattheydeserve.”

“That’swaytoorandom,evenforWayne,”saidMaybeck.Headsnoddedinagreement.“Butaplayonwordsisn’t,”Philbysaid,stickingupforWilla.“WhenIwas

washingmyhands justnow—youknowthosesigns tellingemployees towashtheir hands?—well, somewise guy had crossed out ‘CastMembers,’ and hadwritten, ‘Servers.’ It’s not ‘waiter,’ but ‘server,’ ” Philby said. “We all need aservernowandthen.It’sserver,notwaiter.‘Weallneedaservernowandthen.Somecangetaserver’sattentionfasterthanothers.’It’sacomputerserver.”

“Thatworks!”saidWilla.“WayneknowsI’vemessedwiththeDHIserverbefore,”Philbysaid.Amandasaid,“Sothefull translationwouldbe:weallneedaDHIserver

nowandthen.”“Yes,”saidPhilby.“Youguysandwhoelse?”Amandaasked.“TheOTs,”Maybecksaid.HelookedcruellyatCharlene.Finnthoughthe

wastheonlyonetopickuponit.Willasaid,“Andthegnometurningaroundlikethat?”Jessreadfromhernotes.“Theexactmissionwasto‘findafriendaround

front.’”“Afriendspinningaround?”Charleneasked.“Notspinning,”Philbysaid,“Afriend…turninghisbackonyou.”“Orhers,”Willasaidinnocently.“Afriendbetrayingyou.”“Us,”saidMaybeck,stillfixatedonCharlene.“Aredflag,”Amandasaid.“Theflagwasred.”“Aredflagmeanssomethingyouneedtonotice,”Willasaid.“Something

youshouldn’tmiss.”“Thateveryoneneedsaserver,”Philbysaid,“andthatafriendhas turned

hisorherbackonus.”“We’vebeenbetrayed?”Willagasped.CharlenesaidtoMaybeck,“Quitstaringatme.Whyareyoudoingthat?”Finncaughthimselfholdinghisbreath.Maybeckandhisbigmouthcould

ruinitallnow.FinncaughtalookfromPhilby—hewasthinkingthesamething:It’snowornever.

Maybecksaid,“I’vejustneverseenyouprettier.”Willagiggled.AmandaandJesswatchedintentlyasCharleneblushedand

said,“Seriously?Terry?What’swithyou?”Maybeck took another step toward her while maintaining constant eye

contact. This was Maybeck-the-mouth in action. The self-proclaimed chickmagnettryingtoprovehimself.

“I don’t know if it’s the lighting,”he said, “but you look like an…angel.Likeamoviestar.Likeoneof thosegirlson the frontofamagazine—the ‘it’girl,thegirleveryonewantstobe.Theprettiest,smartestgirlintheroom…”

“Terry?”Charlenesaidagain,hervoicequavering.Hewasasinglestepawayfromhernowashestopped.“Onememory,”hesaid,“isallIask.”Hereachedupandcuppedherhead

inhishand,his thumbstrokingherear.She tiltedherheadslightly towardhishand.Hereyeslookedsadandhappyatthesametime.

Charlene,hervoicestrongonceagain,said,“Imean,comeon!”ShepushedMaybeckbackwithbothhands.“Youreallythinkthatstuffwillworkonme?”

Theothergirlseruptedinnervouslaughter.Foramomentthey’dseemedsoclose toakiss.Amandawasblushing.Jessreturned tohersketching,herheaddown,giggling.

Finncouldseeitwasafaceshewasdrawing—anupsidedownface—ofaboyoraman.Shehadn’tputonthefinishingtouchesyet.Hecouldn’tbesure.Butinthebackofhismindasmallvoiceasked:Who?

***It was the Keepers’ policy to leave their phones on at night. Parents rarelyapprovedofthatpolicy,andsoeachofthekidshadcomeupwithhisorherwaytogetaroundtheobjections.Finnputhisintovibratemodeandleftitonhissidetableonapieceofaluminumfoil,sothatifitvibrated,thealuminumfoilwouldrattleenoughtowakehim.Hewasaheavysleeper.Hedidn’tknowwhattrickstheotherKeepershadcomeupwith,onlythatifcalledatnighttheyanswered.

He answered his on the fourth metallic buzz as the vibrations lifted thephoneandcarried itclose to theend table’sedgeandapossible tumble to thefloor.

“What?”Hewhisperedintothephone,havingalreadyseenPhilby’sphotoandnameonitsscreen.

“Problems.”OnlyPhilbycouldsoundlikeamalelibrarianatoneAM.Finnrubbedhiseyeswithhisfreehand,scrunchedhispillowbehindhim,

andsatupinbed.“Thishadbetterbegood.”“Iknowyouhatetechnicalexplanations,soI’mnotsurewheretostart.”“Maybestartwiththeproblems.”“Imonitorbandwidthusage,asyouknow.ThesamethingWandadid,butI

don’tgohackingInternethubs.TheDHIserver.OurDHIserver.AllittakesistheISPand—”

“You’reright:forgetasmuchofthetechnicalstuffaspossible.”

Philby cleared his throat. “Let’s put it this way: because I have the portaddresstotheDHIservernow,I’mabletodirectwhatParkwelandinwhenwegotosleep.YouandIcangototheMagicKingdom,whileWillaandMaybeckgotoAnimalKingdom.TheonlycatchistheReturn.WehavetobetogetherfortheReturn.”

“Youwokemeforahistorylesson?Iknowallthis.”“Finn, I woke you because we had a spike in traffic volume about ten

minutesago.Mylaptopwakesonnetworkusage.Ihaveitalarmed.Igotwokenupbythattrafficsurge.Itwasamajorhit.ADHIforsure.”

“Ithoughtyoucontrolledthat,”Finnsaid.“Ithoughtweonlycrossedoverwhenyouwantedusto.Idon’tgetit.”

“Exactly! I do!But ifWayneor another Imagineerwantedus over there,thenthat’swhatwouldhappen.”

“Wayne?Youthinkit’sWayne?”“I didn’t know what to think. So I called you. It’s Charlene, Finn. The

graphictag—thehologram’sID—isCharlene’s.”ForFinnitwasalmostasifhernamewasechoingoverthetelephoneline.

Infact,itwasnothingbutalittlebitofstatic.“Itwouldhavetobeher,right?”hesaidsarcastically.“TheEvilQueen?”

“Wayne’sKimPossiblethingwarnedusabouttheserver.WhatiftheOTshavecontrolofourserver?”

Finndidn’tanswer,hisheartracing.OnlyPhilbywouldunderstandif thatwaspossible.

“Iwantedtofollowherinthere.She’sinEpcot.ButIdidn’twanttopullaMaybeck and go alone and wander into a trap.” Maybeck’s DHI had oncefollowedagirl around inside theMagicKingdomonly togomissing.Hehadnevershowedupfor theReturn,and theothershadcrossedbackwithouthim.Thishadlefthishologram“stuck”inthePark,andasleepingTerryMaybeckinakindofcomainhisbedroom.UntilhishologramwasReturned, theboyhadnotawakened.Thekidsnowreferredtothiscomatosestateinseveralways:theSleeping Beauty Syndrome; SBS; or the Syndrome. Following Maybeck’smishap, they had instituted the buddy rule. Philbywas simply playing by therules.

“Canyouhelpusgetthere?”“Ofcourse.”“I’llneedtosendtheothersatextincasesomethinggoeswrong.YouandI

crossover,findher,andReturn.”“And ifwe don’tReturn, they’ll needWanda’s orWayne’s help to come

lookingforus.Putthatinthetext.”

“Okay,”Finnsaid.“SoIhangupandgetbacktosleepandI’llseeyouinEpcot?”

“Truestory.”Finnendedthecall,sentthegrouptext,andslippedquietlyoutofbed.He

hadsecretlyoiledthehingesonbothhisclosetandbathroomdoorssotheycouldbeworked in themiddle of thenightwithout screeching.Thedresser drawerswere a little more tricky, so he took his time with them. Fresh socks. Freshunderwear. He dressed quietly and quickly—black jeans, black T-shirt with apirate skull on the back. A brown hoodie. An old pair of running shoes he’dpainted black. He pocketed his phone and wallet, which held a few dollars.Sometimesthephoneworkedwhenhecrossedover,sometimesnot.Hecrawledbackintobedanddidhisbest tosettledown,knowingthatPhilbywouldhavealreadyprogrammedtheDHIservertocrossthemoverintoEpcot.

HeblamedCharlene’scrossingoverontheEvilQueen.Itseemedmoreandmorelikely thatshehadputaspellonCharlene.Maybeck’sfailingtokissherloomedlarge.

Themorehethoughtabouteverything,theharderitwastogettosleep.Heclearedhismind,picturingadarktunnelwithafaintpinprickoflightfar,farattheend—thesame techniqueheused togoallclear.Hewatched thepinprickwideneversoslowly.Focusedonthattinyspeckoflightintheseaofblackasitgrewlarger.Thetrainapproaching.

Andthen,therewasnothing.***

FinnawokenearthefountaininEpcot’scentralplaza.Thefountainswereshutoff.Infact,theentireParkwaslitbymaybehalftheavailablestreetlamps.Thelanding,orarrivalzone,fortheirDHIswasoneofthebiggestproblemswiththeprogram.PhilbycouldnowcontrolwhichParkeachofthekidslandedin,whoamongthemwouldcrossover,and,inapinch,hecouldmanuallyReturnthemfrom his home computer. But the program transmitted the DHI into a Park’scentral feature. In the Magic Kingdom, it was the central hub in front ofCinderella Castle. In Animal Kingdom, the island and the Tree of Life. InDisney’s Hollywood Studios, it was the elevated area beneath Mickey’sSorcerer’sHat.Here inEpcot, itwas thefountainplaza justbeyondSpaceshipEarth.Inallcases,inallplaces,itmeanttheirhologramslandedinopenspace.Finn’slimbstingledashescrambledacrosstheplaza,remindinghimthathewasinhisDHIstate.

Epcot after closing was not the remarkable and enchanting Park it wasduringitsopeninghours.ItwasknowntotheKeepersasahavenforOvertakers.Crash-testdummiesonSegways.Gigabyte,aginormoussnakethatwaspartof

Honey, IShrunk theAudience, slithered in searchof unwantedvisitors.TherewerecourtjestersinFrancecapableofeverykindofmartialart.Therehadbeena time when Finn had been certain theMagic Kingdom was the Overtakers’headquarters.Buthewasnolongersoconvinced.

“Over here,” came a harsh whisper. Philby. Fifteen feet toward the lakefromFinn.Sittingonthewalkwaywithhisbackagainst theinformationbooththathousedapinexchange.“ApairofCTDspassedbyheremaybefiveminutesago.”

Finnlaydownflatandkeptverystill.Theroboticcrash-testdummieswerenothingtomesswith.“Howdoyouwanttodothis?”heaskedPhilby.

“It’stoobigtojuststartsearchingaround.Itwouldtakeusdays,nothours,tolookeverywhere.”

“Then…?”“Youknowme:technology.”“Meaning?”“TheIllumiNationscontrolboothontheroofofMexico.Iknowforafact

thatsetupincludesfeedsforallofthePark’sSecuritycameras.Weclimbtothetopofthetemple.AsDHIs,weshouldbeabletowalkthroughthedoor.IfIgetfreakedoutandloseallclear,thenyougothroughandunlockitforme.WeusetheSecuritymonitorstofindCharlene.”

Fifteenminutes later,Philbywas sitting in a chairworking switches.Thetelevisionmonitordisplayedfourcameraviewsatatime.

“Heckofaview,”Finnsaid.Outsidethewindow,Finnhadaclearviewofthe lake and the surrounding pavilions. He grabbed a pair of binoculars andbegansweepingthearea.

“True story.” Philby allowed enough time to study the view from eachSecuritycamera,thenhepushedabuttonandanotherfourappeared.Therewerethirty-twocameraviewsavailable.

TwicePhilbyspottedCTDsonthemove,butnoCharlene.FinnconfirmedtheCTDsthroughthebinoculars.Theybeganworkingoutasystem.

Withthebinocularsheldtohiseyes,Finnsaid,“Whatdoyousupposetheywantwithher?”

“Adownload,”Philbyanswered.“Let’ssayshewasputunderaspelltospyon us, as we talked about. She asks questions; she looks over our shoulders.Then the Evil Queen and Cruella need a chance to download whatever she’sfoundout.”

“Butshe’snotazombie.”“Exactly.Sowhoknowswhatstateshewasinwhenshecrossedover?The

CTDs could be looking for her. TheQueenmay need a stronger spell to get

Charlenetotalk.I’mjustguessingatallthis.”“Itmakessense.”“Thankyou.”“Movement!” Finn said loudly. “In front of Morocco. A pair of CTDs

running…”Throughthebinocularshewatchedthedummies infullsprint.Theywere

tall, powerful, and surprisingly light on their feet. A trash can rolled towardthem.Thefirstvaultedit.Thesecondbentandknockeditoutofthewaylikeitwasmadeofcardboard.Eachdummyhadthestrengthandspeedofthreemen.

“Someonethrewatrashcanintheirway!”Finnannounced.Philbyworkedthecameraviews.“It’sher!It’sCharlene!”Finnhadtroublefindingherinthebinoculars.Heturnedandwatchedon-

screen asCharlene ran pastNorway. Philby pointed out another camera view.Charlene, wearing a white nightgown, ducked behind Norway, then cut backthroughthebakerypatioto—anothercameraview—theNorwaycourtyard.ShehidastheCTDsranpastlikesomethingoutofTheTerminator.Thensheturnedtoherleft,scrambledupsomerock,anddisappearedintoadarkcave.

“Maelstrom,”Philbysaid.Finnhad failed to recognize thecavebecause therewasnowatercoming

fromtheride’swaterfall.“Smart!That’sagreatplacetohide!”“Let’sgo!”Philbysaid.“I’llgo,”Finnsaid,volunteering.“YoustayandwatchfortheCTDs.”“No,”Philbysaid.“Westicktogether.”Finnwasn’tgoingtowastetimearguing.A few minutes later, the boys were climbing Maelstrom’s dry waterfall

towardtheominousblackcaveentrance.Thelipofthecavewasmoss-coveredand slimy.Therewaswater in the trough just beyond, so theykept to the leftwhereanarrowledgefollowedthewatercourse.Thedeepertheypenetratedintothe ride, the darker it became. The boys used hand signals to communicate.PhilbyindicatedforFinntokeephiseyesopen.

Finnhadnoproblemwiththat:hisheartwasabouttoburstinhischest.Astheireyesadjustedtothelimitedlight,theMaelstromworldenveloped

them: lushgreenbushes and trees, rocks, and stones.Strange thingshappenedinsidetheridesandattractionsintheParksatnight.Theonlyrulewasthattherewerenorules.Trustnothing,Finnremindedhimself.

OnPhilby’ssignal,bothboysstoppedandcrouched.Theysawapairofyellow,glowingeyes,tightlyset.Trolls?Finn pushed past Philby and continued along the ledge. Philby followed

him as they pressed deeper into the darkness, the only light coming from the

faintglowoftheirDHIs.Nottrolls,herealized,butpolarbears.Twogiantwhitebears,onestanding,onedownonallfours.“Ifthosethingscomealive…”Finnsaid,hisvoiceshaking.“We’rehamburger,”Philbysaid,finishingthethoughtforhim.“Thanksforthatimage,”Finnsaid.“Nocharge.”Morbid humor had a way of sneaking into their conversations at the

strangesttimes.Theymovedpastthepolarbears.Therewassomethinglargeandsquarish

upaheadtotheirleft.Finnknewwheretheywere.“Thecottage,”hesaid.“Thestartoftheride.”Finn’seyeshadadjustedtowherehecouldnowseealife-sizeNorwegian

standing in frontof acottage.Finnhurriedover toa rock thatwas familiar tohim fromhis last visit here as aDHI.He reacheddownand felt for the threehandlesheknewtobethere.

“There’sanaxmissing!”Finnwhispered.Philbysteppedforward.Leaningagainsttherockwasanold-fashionedax

andasword.Thereshouldhavebeentwoaxes.“It’sher,”Philbysaid.“That’swhyshecameinhere.”Finntookupthesword,knowingitwellfromapreviousvisit.Hehanded

theremainingaxtoPhilby.“Whatwouldyouhavedone?”saidCharlene’svoice.Theybothlookedupasshesteppedoutofthecottage,theaxgrippedinher

hand.Theyhurriedovertoher.“Itisyou!”Finnsaid.Theyhugged.“You’reokay!”crowedPhilby,alsohuggingher.“Notreally.Terrified’smorelikeit.”SheaddressedPhilby.“Whydidyou

sendmeherewithouttellingme?”“Itwasn’tme,”Philbysaid.“Itwasn’tlikethat.Wecanexplain—”“Wethink,”saidFinn.“Butfirstwe’vegottoReturn.We’vegottogetyououtofhere.”“ThereareCTDsoutthere…”shewarned.“Wesaw,”Finnsaid.“We’llhavetobecareful,”Philbysaid.“Andifthatfails…”Heraisedhis

ax.AwhizzingsoundsizzledpastFinn’sear.Achopsticklodgedinthepainted

Styrofoam scenery behind them. The next one flew through his shoulder, hispureDHIstatepreventingitfromwoundinghim.

“Incoming!” he said. He felt his own terror beginning to take hold—his

fingers tingling—andunderstood themortaldanger itpresented.“No fear!”hereminded.

“Easiersaidthandone,”Charlenecriedout.Yelloweyesglowedfromacrossthestream.Morearrowswhizzedpast.“Icanfeelmyhands,”Philbysaid.“Me,too!”Charlenesaid.“Andmyfeet.”Theyweren’tinastateofpureDHI,whichmadethemvulnerabletoattack.PhilbyandCharleneduckedbehindthesmallrocks.Eight trolls—knee-high oldmenwith beards, whiskers, and huge eyes—

appearedacrossthewater.Theycarriedkitchenpotlidsasshields,steakknivesas swords, carpentry hammers, and the homemade bows and arrows. Theyjumpedacrossthewaterandcharged.

Thekidsstayedbehindtherocks.Thetrollssplitup.Philby took an arrow in the arm and screamed as he pulled it out. “That

thinghurts!”hecried.A troll came at Finn, his steak knife glinting. Finn swung the sword and

knocked theknifeoutof the troll’shand.Philbystoodandpressedhisback toFinn’ssotheycoulddefendintwodirections.Charlene,onherknees,battledaxagainsthammer.

One of the oldmen surprised Finn from the right, stabbing him, but hisswordpassed right throughFinn’s hologram.Theguy fell, off-balance.Philbykickedhimacrossthewaterintothescenery.

“Soccer!”PhilbyshoutedtoCharlene.Shestoodandkickedoutatthetrolls,sendingthemflying.“Goal!” Philby cried, as one of the trolls flew though the door of the

cottage.“That’sit!”Finnsaid.“Wegetthemallintothecottageandtrapthem!”Philbykickedoneofthetrolls,passinghimtoCharlenelikeasoccerball.

Sheexpertlysenthimthroughthecottagedoor.Finnbattledwithhissword.HeheardPhilbycountingthemdown.

“Four…Five!”Finn’s blade clanked against the steak knife of a competent swordsman.

Philbycametohisaid,toe-kickingthetrolltowardthecottage,whereCharlenefinishedhimoffbysendinghiminside.

“Six!”“Isentoneacrossthewater,”Finnsaid.“Sothat’sseven.”The final troll dropped his hammer and threw up his arms in surrender.

Philby grabbed his hands, threw him into the cottage, and Charlene shut thedoor.Sheusedheraxhandletopropitshut.

Thekids,outofbreath,lookedaroundformoretrouble,butsawnone.“Thatwas…weird,”Philbysaid.“Youokay?”Charleneasked.Philbyapproachedherandkissedheronthelipsbeforesheknewwhathe

wasdoing.ThekisswentonlongerthanFinnwouldhaveexpected.CharleneandPhilbypulledthemselvesapartbreathlessly.“What…was…that?” Charlene asked, not a twinge of complaint in her

voice.“Howdoyoufeel?”Finnasked.“That’sastupidquestion,”shesaid.“Besides,that’sforPhilbytoask,not

you.”Philbylookedtranquilized.“I…thatwas…itwas…”“Hehadtodoit,”Finnsaid.“Excuseme?”Charlenesaid.Howwouldtheyknowifshe’dbeenputunderaspell?Worse,howwould

theyknowifshe’dcomeoutofit?“Doyouremembergoingintothegirls’roomatDisneyQuest?”Finnasked.“Whatkindofaquestionisthat?”“One thatneedsanswering.”HewishedPhilbywould say something,but

heremainedstunnedandunabletospeak.HewasstaringatCharlenelikehe’dgottenreligion.

“It’snoneofyourbusiness.Eww.”Philbyfinallymanagedtospeak.“Itisourbusiness.Doyourememberwho

followedyouinsidethegirls’room?”She looked frightened.Herhologram’sblueoutline faded.“Whatareyou

twotalkingabout?”Sheblinkedfuriously,asifabouttocry.“Do you remember going into the bathroom at DisneyQuest?” Philby

asked,repeatingFinn’squestion.“Yeah,Isuppose.”“Doyourememberanyoneelseintherewithyou?”“Likewho?Amanda?Willa?Who do youmean?Wewere all there that

night.”“Anyoneelse?”Philbyasked.Thetrollswerepoundingonthedoortothecottagetogetout.Finncould

barelyhearhimselfthink.“Howcouldyoupossiblyknowaboutthis?”Charleneasked.“Knowaboutwhat?”Finnsaid.“About…WhenIwasinthere,Ikindoflosttrackoftime.”“Whatdoyoumean?”Philbyasked.

“I mean I lost track of time. I spaced out or something. This girl wasstandingbehindmeaskingifIwasallright.”

“Because?”“Because,accordingtoher,Iwasjuststandingtherestaringintothemirror.

Notmovingoranything.Shesaiditwas…‘awkward,’washerexactword.Buthowcouldyoupossiblyknowthat?”

“And the girl,” Philby said, “the one in the bathroom. Had you thoughtaboutherbeforejustnow?Beforewestartedaskingquestions?”

Charleneshookherhead.“What’sgoingon?”“Wecanexplainlater,”Finnsaid.“You’llexplainnow,”shedemanded.“Later,”Finnrepeated.“I’mnotgoinganywhereuntilyou tellmewhat’sgoingon.”Shecrossed

herarmstightly.Philby was not pleased. He said, “We think the Evil Queen may have

enchantedyou…”“Tospyonus—theKeepers,”Finnsaid.“That shecrossedyouover tonight—because Idefinitelydidnot,”Philby

added.“ThattheCTDsareouttherelookingforyou,”Finnsaid.“Thatwe’vegottogettotheReturnandgetyououtofhere.”Stunned,Charlenetookamomenttoprocesseverything.“You’llexplainit

alllater.”“Yes,”Finnsaid.“Ikissedyoutobreakthespell,”Philbyexplained.“Itapparentlyworked.

Yourememberstuffyoudidn’trememberbefore.”“Why?”Charlenegasped.“Whyme?Whatdoesshewant?”“Ifwe’rerightaboutthemtryingtobreakMaleficentoutofjail,thenwho

knowswhattheywant?Whoknowswhattheythinkwehave?Butwecan’tgetcaught.We’renotgoingtolethergetyouagain.”

“Iwanttogohome,”Charlenesaid.“Makesthreeofus,”saidFinn.“Wecan’ttaketheaxeswithus,”Philbysaid.“Theywon’tReturnwithus.

And to leave them lying around the plazawould just tell somebody thatwe’dbeenhere.Wedon’tneedtoleaveclueslikethat.”

“Howaboutleavingseventrollslockedupinthecottage?”“That’stheirproblem,”Philbysaid.TheyleanedPhilby’saxandFinn’sswordagainsttherockasthey’dfound

them. Then they hurried to the cave entrance and climbed down the dry

waterfall.They stayed in shadow,using trashcans,kiosks, trees, andanythingelse available to hide behind. They passedMexico and followed a perimeterroutethattookthemnearTestTrack.Ahundredyardsfromtheplazafountain,Philbystopped.

“Slower now,” Philby said, taking a moment to catch his breath. “Extracareful.”

Theycircledaroundthefountain,finallyreachingthepin-tradingstation.Asmall, circular, one-story building, it held a large display screen that, whenoperating, informedguestsofwait times for thevariousattractions.Therewasonly oneReturn, one black fob capable ofwirelessly connecting to the serverandcancelingtheDHIprojection.FinnhadonceaskedWayneformoreof thedevices—oneforeachPark—butWaynehadsteadfastlyrefused,explainingthattheactofReturningwasthemostdangerouspartoftheprogram.IftwoReturnswere engaged within a few seconds of each other, they would theoreticallycanceleachotherout,andtheImagineershadnoideawherethatwouldleavetheDHIs—northekidswholayasleepinbed.Iftrappedbetweenthetwo“worlds,”the results could be devastating.The systemwould tolerate only one fob, oneReturn.

The Keepers were currently hiding the all-important fob in Epcot, in anintersectionofpurplepipesthatsupportedtheroofofthepin-tradingpostontheplaza. The pipes came together about head height, connecting with a singlesupportcolumnthatroseupfromtheplaza.WherethepipesjoinedwasahiddenspacejustbigenoughfortheReturn.

Finn reachedup,his fingers searchingblindly,andcamedownwith it—ablackrubberremotelikeacardooropener.

“Ready?”heasked.CharlenenoddedandreachedforFinn’shand.Philbytookherotherhand,

connectingthemall.For theReturntoworkeffectively, theyhadtostandneareachother.Physicalcontact—likeholdinghands—workedevenbetter.

“We’lltextinthemorning,”Philbysaid,“andfigureallthisstuffout.Likewhattodonext.Likeifthere’ssomewaytostopthemfromcrossingusover.”

“Like,whytheychoseme,”Charlenesaid.FinnstretchedonhistiptoesholdingtheReturnoverthejunctionofpipes.

As they crossed back, the Return would fall from his fingers, lodging in itshiding place. They would need to know where to find it the next time theycrossedover.

With the three of them all holding hands, Finn counted down, “Three…two…”

Hepushedthebutton.

BEINGBACKATSCHOOLwasamajorletdown.Aregularpartofalmosteveryday,itwasstilltheforgettablepart;histimeasaKeeperdominatedFinn’sthoughts.Theonebrightspotintheschooldaywas,ofallthings,lunch.Notthatthefoodwasedible.Itwasnot.ButlunchtimewasFinn’schancetohangwithAmanda.

Hestoppedintheboys’roomtomakesurehedidn’thavesomethingstuckinhisteeth,oraboogerlodgeduphisnose.

Whenhiseyesshiftedfocusin themirror,hesawGregLuowskistandingbehindhim.

“Hey, Greg.” Finn was mindful of the Security photograph showing theEvilQueentalkingtoLuowskiandthreeotherkids.Hewasabundleofnerves,especiallybecauseLuowskididn’tsayanything.

TherewassomethingdifferentaboutLuowski’ssneer.Maybeitwasseeinghisuglymugreversedby themirror.Maybe itwashispiggisheyes,orgreasyskin. Or maybe it was just Luowski trying so hard to look menacing. It wasworking.Ifthey’dgivengradesforimpartingterror,LuowskiwouldhavegottenanA.

Finncuppedhishandsbeneaththefaucet,filledhismouthwithwater,andswished it around in his teeth to get rid of any cereal thatmight be lingeringfrom breakfast. He did this in part to pretend that Luowski’s presence didn’tconcernhim,inpartbecausehishandswereshakingandhedidn’twantLuowskitoseetheeffecthecouldhaveoverhim.WhenFinnstoodupandlookedinthemirror,Luowskiwasgone.Thedoortotheboys’roomhissedshutandFinnletout a sigh of relief. But he also wondered why Luowski had passed up theopportunitytobullyhim.ThesilenttreatmentwasnotLousyLuowski’sstyle.

Finn looked around to see if a teacher had entered; looked for someexplanation.Asfarashecouldtell,hewasalone.Hetriedtoletitgo,toforgetabout it, but Luowski had gotten under his skin. He felt slightly sick, edgy,jumpy.Hisskinwascrawling.

Amandawassittingoffbyherselfinthelunchroom,ahopefullookinher

eyes,whichbrightenedasshespottedhim.Hertrayheldsalad,abowloffruit,andaglassofwater.Thelettucewasmostlywhite,notgreen;thefruit,canned.Eventhewaterlookedgraythroughthescratchedplasticcup.Hearrivedwithayellowish mass on his plate that had been labeled creamed chicken and rice.Withenoughsalt,itcouldbeswallowed.

“HaveyouseenGreg-the-Gross?”heasked.“Yes,youmayjoinme,”shesaid,ignoringhisquestioncompletely.“LousyLuowski,”hesaid.“I’dbehappytohaveyou.”Finn sat across from her.He stabbed at the yellowmound. “It lives,” he

said,puttinghisforkbeneaththemassandcausingittowiggle.She laughed. “In the hall earlier,” she said, finally answering him. “His

usualoafishself.”Shelookedprettytoday,likeeveryotherday.“Didhelook…different?”“Afewmorezits?”sheasked.“Afewlessbraincells?”SomecreamedchickenandricecaughtinFinn’sthroat.Hewasheditdown

withwarmmilk.She stabbedher fruit.The consistencyof rubber, it resistedher fork, like

she was trying to stab an eraser. “I’m not exactly a fan,” she said. “I don’tusuallypayattentiontohim.”

Shehadtroublechewingherfruit.Shesaid,“ButdidyouhappentonoticeSallyRingwald’snewcontacts?”

“Might have missed that.” He sat up taller and listened carefully: SallyRingwaldhadbeenoneofthekidswiththeQueeninDisneyQuest.

“Pigmented. You know? Green. You can’t believe the difference. She’smuchprettiernow.KindofIrish-looking.”

“Oneofmymom’s friendswears theblueones. It’s reallydisturbing. It’slikeI’mnotsupposedtonoticeorsomething.I’msupposedtopretendhereyesalways looked like that.As if!”Hepaused. “Don’t everdoanything like that,okay?Don’tgochangingyourselflikethat.”

Sheblushedandreturnedtostabbingherfruit.Ortryingto.“Wheredidthatcomefrom?”hesaid.“Idon’tmind.”In a desperate effort to change subjects, he blurted out, “Philby and I

crossedoverintoEpcotlastnighttorescueCharlene.”“Rescue?”“TohelpherReturn.”“Didsheaskyouto?”

“No. It’s just thatPhilby…hehadn’t arranged forher tocrossover in thefirstplace.”

“Soyou’retheDHIpolicenow?Isthatit?”“Ouch.”“Shecan’tcrossoverwithoutPhilby’spermission?WhataboutWayne?Or

maybetheImagineers?Whatiftheycrossedherover?”“It…”Hedidn’t have agreat answer for that. “As it turnedout, itwas a

good thingwewent in afterher.Weendedupbattling some trolls.TheCTDswereouteverywhere—probablylookingforher.”

“Probably,”shesaid,stinginghim.Shouldhetellher?“Youcantellme,”shesaid.Howcomegirlscouldreadhisthoughtslikethat?Heneverhadacluewhat

agirlwasthinking.“Wethinkshewasunderaspell.”Heloweredhisvoice.“TheEvilQueen.”“Seriously?”He reached into his backpocket—heonly changedhis pants about every

four days—and passed her the time-stamped photograph of Charlene and theEvilQueenenteringtheDisneyQuestwashroom.

He said, “There were two photographs last night. The one of the QueenwithLuowskiandSallyRingwald,andthisone.Noticethetimes.”

“Youkeptthisonefromus?”Shesoundedupset.“WekeptitfromCharlene,yeah.”Finn ate somemore of the yellowish mush, but bit down on gristle and

pushedhis trayaside.Hesaid,“Shehasnomemoryof theQueenbeinginthegirls’roomwithher.”

Amanda’sconcerncarvedlinesacrossherface.“Maybe the plan,”Finn said, “is to cross one of us over each night until

we’reallstuckintheSyndrome.Thatwouldgetusoutoftheway.”“If thateverhappened,” shesaid,“Jessand Iwouldcrossoverandcome

findyou.TheOTscan’tpossiblyknowthatyoumadeitsowecanbeDHIs.”HespottedSallyRingwaldacross thecafeteria.Shewas too faraway for

him toseehergreencontacts,but itpromptedhim to reconsiderhisencounterwithLuowski.

“Whatiftheyweregreen?”hesaid.“Whatifwhatweregreen?”“Luowski.”“Whatabouthim?”“Hiseyes.Contact lenses,”he said.“What ifLuowski lookeddifferent to

mebecauseeyesweregreen?”“That’s ridiculous.GregLuowskihasboringeyes,”shesaid.“Hazel.Red

hair,hazeleyes.”Finn said, “But what if his boring hazel eyes are now green like Sally

Ringwald’s?”“GregLuowskiwearingpigmentedcontacts?Notpossible.Aguylikehim

neverthinksabouthowhelooks.”“Butwe should think about it,” Finn said, persisting. “The Evil Queen

cornersSally,Luowski,andacoupleofothersatDisneyQuest.Then,adaylater,theybothshowupatschoolwearinggreencontacts.It’slikethoseGothgroups,right?Green,asinMaleficent.Getit?”

“You’resick.”“It’snotme,it’sthem!”“It’syouridea.”“We’ve got to look for others. And you have to get close enough to

LuowskitoseeifI’mright.”“Whyme?”shesaid.“BecauseifheseesmehegoesallNeanderthal.”“Hedidn’twhenyouwereinthebathroom.”“Justdoit.Please!He’srightovertherebythedrinks.”“Okay.I’llwalkbyhimonmywayout.”“Whatareyoudoingafterschool?”heasked.“JessandIweregroundedbyMrs.Nash.Shefoundoutaboutourlittletrip

toEpcot.We’re in serious trouble. It’s her three-strike rule. She threatened tosendusbacktotheFairlies,”shesaid.

“That’snotgoingtohappen.”“Nooffense,butIdon’tthinkyou’regoingtohavealotofsayinit.”Theschoolbuzzersounded.Lunchwasover.“See you.” She stood along with half the kids in the room. She walked

toward Luowski and the exit. Finn watched her every step. As she passedLuowski’stable,shesaidsomethingtohim.

Then, at the door, she turned around and found Finn. She pointed to hereyesandnodded.

Herlipsmouthed,“Green.”For a second he thought he might puke. It had nothing to do with the

creamedchickenandrice.***

Philbyfelttheprickleofhairsraisingonthebackofhisneck,andknewhewasbeingwatched.Worse,heonlyassociatedthatsamelevelofdread,ofimpending

disaster,with theOvertakers.But in school?Normally, itwouldn’t havemadeanysense,butthephotoofstudentswiththeEvilQueenhadchangedallthatforPhilby.Noonewastobetrusted.

ThehallwaysofEdgewaterHighwere jammedwith students.Somewerehurrying to class, somewere flirting, some facing their lockers. But someonewaswatchinghim.

HecrossedpastMrs.McVey’sclassroomandstoodwithhisbackagainstabulletin board filledwith thumb-tacked essays on the promise of electric cars.Hehopedthenewanglewouldmakewhoeverwaswatchinghimrevealhimself.ButtheonlypersonhesawwasHugoMontcliff,hisneighborhoodfriend.

“Checkingoutthegirls,orwhat?”“Orwhat,”Philbyanswered.Helookedhardforsomeonefocusedonhim.Noone.“We’vegotAlgebra.”“Yeah,so?”“Youokay?”Hugoasked.“Youevergetthatfeelingsomeone’swatchingyou?”“Likeagirl?Me?Notsomuch.”“Doyouthinkofanythingbutgirls,Hugo?”“Xbox.ThenewGuerrillaWarfaretwo-point-three.”Thesensationhadpassed.“Iwastryingtohavealittleprivatetimehere,”

hesaid,woundingHugo.For thefirst timehe tookhiseyesoff thekids in thehallway and looked over atHugo.Hemust have hurt him bad becauseHugodidn’tlooklikeHugoatall.

“Hey,”Philbysaid.“I’msorry.”“Enjoyyourprivatetime,”Hugosaid.Hechargedoff.“Hugo?!”Hewasabouttorunafterhimwhenhecaughtapairofeyesstaringathim

fromacrossthehall.Agirlwithdarkhair.Shelookedvaguelyfamiliar,thoughhecouldn’trememberhername.Thegirlfromthephoto?Shebrokeoffthestareandmovedon.

Philbyjoinedtheriverofstudents,tryingtocatchupwithher.Themorehepushed,thelessprogresshemade.Hepulledtothesideandtriedworkingalongthe lockers.Hemade some headway. There!He reached out and grabbed hershoulder,turningheraround.

Thewronggirl.“Sorry!”hesaid.“Loser,”thegirlsaid,brushinghishandfromhershoulder.Hedraggedhimselfoutof thewayof thecrush.Against school rules,he

pulledouthisphoneandsentagrouptext:

wehav2talk.Crzyglaze.afterskool

Philby believed in science. Empirical proof. He believed in forming a

theory,developingevidence,reachingaconclusion.Helackedallofthat.Hehadonlyafewhairsticklingthebackofhisneckandsomegirlwhomighthavebeenstaringatahallwayclockforallheknew.

Andyethehadnodoubt—none,whatsoever.TherewereOvertakersinhisschool.Theywerewatchinghim.

Itturnedhisworldupsidedown.There’snoplacesafe,hethought.***

Finn left schoolwithDillardCole,his closestnon-Keeper friendand full-timeneighborhoodpal.Dillardwasneitherathleticnorparticularlyfit,buthehadagoodimagination,ahugeappetite,andwasprobablythebestgamerFinnknew.Atonetime—whatseemedlikemanyyearsagotoFinnbutwasn’tactuallysoverylongago—thetwohadspentendlessweekendsandevenings“workingthethumbs,”asDillardcalledvideogaming.FollowingFinn’smodelingasaDHIandhis recruitment into theKingdomKeepersbyWayne, their friendshiphadfallenoff.The reason for the fallouthadbeen, in largepart, thesecrecyunderwhich the Keepers operated. But now, with newspaper stories “alleging” thatFinn was one of the five Kingdom Keepers, Dillard understood thecomplicationsofthepastandwaslettingthefriendshipcomearoundagain.

Finn foundhimselfpreoccupiedwith the ideaofLuowski’sgreencontactlenses.HeandAmandahadblamedCharlenefortheirwild,near-deathsimulatorride inDisneyQuest, but a film had been playing in Finn’smemory:Luowskibumping into Charlene and helping her to pick up the virtual roller coasterticketsoffthefloorwhenshe’ddroppedthem.WhatifLuowskihadsubstitutedthekillerridefortheoneCharlenehaddesignedforhimandAmanda?

“Butit’sover,right?”Dillardsaid,bringingFinnback.Dillardsweatedashelaboredtokeepupwiththefast-walkingFinn.“Youguysvanquishedthem.”

“‘Vanquished?’ThatissoGateCrashers,”Finnsaid,referringtoapopularvideogame.

“TheDisneyvillains…theytookcareofthewitchandthething.”“Villains?Rumors.Allrumors.”“So,youarehurryingbecause…?”“I’vegottocatchacitybus.IgotatextfromPhilby,”saidFinn.

“Philby.”“Yeah.”“Youtwoaretight.”“Isuppose.He’sagoodgamer.You’dlikePhilby.”“Who’dwin,doyouthink,atSuddenDisaster?MeorPhilby?”“We’dhavetofindout,”Finnsaid.“Whatkindofdumbansweristhat?”“Mykindofdumbanswer,Iguess.”“Hey,couldweslowdownsome?I’msoaked,”saidDillard.“Yougottakeepup.”Dillardstoppedshort,beadsofsweatflyingoffhimandsprayingFinn,who

alsostopped.“IcouldkeepupifIwanted,”Dillardsaid.“Iknowthat.I’msorry.Icanslowdownifyouwant.”“Whydon’tyougodowhateveritisyou’vegottodo.I’llcatchyoulater.”“Don’tbelikethat.”“Likewhat?”“Oh,no,”Finnsaid. “Getdown!”HepulledDillard toacrouchbehinda

parkedcar.“Luowski?”Dillardsaid, looking thatdirection.“YouandLuowski? Igot

nothingtodowiththat.”Luowskijaywalked,crossingthestreettotheotherside.Finncouldn’tbelievewhathesaw.SincewhendidLuowskigivehimafree

pass?“He’sfollowingme,”Finnsaid.“Like,spying?”“Yeah,likethat.”“Why?”Finnthoughtbacktotheconfrontationintheboys’roombeforelunch.He

thoughtbacktothephotographwiththeEvilQueen.“It’s…involved,”heanswered.“Thequestionis:DoIdaretestit?”“Test,asin…?”“I’mgoingtogooverthere,”Finnsaid.“Ifhebeatsuponme,Imayneed

youtorescueme.”“Me?AndGregLuowski?Right.”Finnhandedhimhisphone.“Threatentocallnine-one-one.”“Seriously?”“I’m not saying to do it. Just threaten it. Luowski’s stupid, but he’s not

dumb.Hewon’twanttomesswiththepolice.”

“Hemightwanttomesswithme,”Dillardsaid.“It’syourcall,”Finnsaid.“Yeah,okay,I’lldoit.”Finnpattedhimontheshoulder.“Thanks.”Finnstoodandhurriedacrossthestreet.“Greg!”hecalledout.Luowskiappearedtopanic.Hespunaround,thenreconsideredandturned

backtofaceFinn.Heseemeduncharacteristicallyperplexed.“Whitless.”Luowskihadbeenbornmean.Hewasthekindofkiddestined

to be a serial killer, the kind of kidwho burned down garages, who droppedrocksoffhighwayoverpasses.Thekindofkidwhodeserveda“GoDirectlytoJail”cardinMonopoly.

“Areyoufollowingme?”Finnsaid.“Asif.”Hewasabadliar.Luowski turned his head slightly, and Finn saw the green contact lenses.

Insteadoflookingsilly,theygavehimachill.WasitpossibleLuowskiandotherstudents(howmany,hehadnowayofknowing!)hadbeenputunderaspellbytheEvilQueen?That thegreencontactswereaway for them to identifyeachotherand to intimidate theKeepers?Howmanyhad theQueen recruited?DidthespreadoftheOvertakersextendbeyondtheirownschool?Ifso,howmanydid theOTsnowcontrol?Andwhy?ItwasenoughtomakeFinnwonderwhyhe’dsoeagerlycrossedthestreettoconfrontLuowskiinthefirstplace.

“Youdon’tgetit,doyou?”Luowskiasked.“Apparentlynot.”ButsomethingtellsmeI’maboutto,Finnthought.“The troublewith you,Whitless, is you think you’re so special.You and

yourfriends.”Therewere times thatLuowski tried to act tough.Then therewere times

when he looked like a lightbulb screwed into the socket wrong—a sparking,problem-ridden,butch-cut,ex-Marineinasixteen-year-old’sbody.

Finnwarnedhimself tosettledown.Ifhecouldmanageafewsecondsofallclear,Luowskiwouldn’tbeable tohurthim.But at themoment the spacebetweenhimandallclearwasaboutaswideastheGrandCanyon.

Luowskiwas like a force field, and Finn ametal particle nearby.Worse,Luowskiwasrelaxed.Hedidn’thaveacareintheworld.

“Whywouldyouwanttofollowme?That’swhatI’maskingmyself,”Finnsaid.

“You’reconfused.Youaresonaïve.”Finnstudiedthegreen-eyedkid.Awordlikenaïvehadnoplacecomingout

ofhismouth.

“YoumusthavehadLanguageArtstoday,”Finnsaid.“Takeoff,”Luowskisaid,“beforeyoufalldownandgethurt.”“Whatdidshepromiseyou?”“Don’tknowwhoyou’retalkingabout,”Luowskireplied.Finn decided it was worth the risk. He pulled the photo out of his back

pocket.“Her,”hesaid,showingthepictureofLuowskiandtheEvilQueen.“YouPhotoshopthatorsomething?Idon’tevenknowwhothatis.”HesoundedsoconvincingthatFinnnearlybelievedhim.“Ididn’tPhotoshopthosecontactlenses.”“Thetroublewithyou,Whitless,isyourmouthrunslikeafaucet.”“LanguageArtsmusthavebeenablockclasstoday.”“SeewhatImean?”“Don’tbelieveher.She’lleatyouupandspityouout,”Finnsaid.“Isthatright?”“Yes.That’sright.”LuowskigrabbedFinnbytheshoulders.Hishandsfeltlikemetalclamps.“Listen tomecarefully,Whitless.”Hisbreathwassour,hisvoicedryand

raspy.Thecontactlensesmadehiseyeslooklikedolleyeswhencloseup.Likedeadeyes.“Someofusdon’tbelieveinmagic.”

He pushed Finn back, lifting him off his feet and sending him to thesidewalk. Luowski was strong—maybe the strongest kid in the entire highschool,not justninthgrade—butithadbeenmorethanstrengththathadliftedFinnoffhisfeet.

“I’MGOINGTOCALLNINE-ONE-ONE!”cameagirlish-soundingthreatfromacrossthestreet.

Dillardwavedthephone.Heshoutedthewarningagain.Luowski glanced in that direction, unfazed. “You’re pathetic,” he said,

turninghisbackonFinn.Andyou’restrong,Finnwasthinking.Supernaturallystrong.

***Crazy Glaze was a paint-your-own pottery shop owned and operated byMaybeck’s aunt and legal guardian, Bess, or “Jelly,” as everyone called her.Theylivedintheapartmentabovethestore;heworkedafternoonsandSaturdayshelping out. Sometimes she paid him, sometimes not, depending on howwellbusinesswasdoing.

Finnlikedthesmelloftheglazeandwetclay.Bythetimehegotthere,theotherKeepershadalreadyarrived,thoughnot

AmandaandJess.Jellyhadgiventhemthebackroomalltothemselves,thedoor

closedtotheoutsidenoiseandchaosofkidsdoingafter-schoolartprojects.Thecollectivemoodfelthighlychargedwithanticipation.FinnsatdownandcaughtthemuponhisencounterwithLuowski.Philby

relatedhisstoryaboutfeelingwatched.WillaandMaybeckhadsimilarstoriestotell,butneitherhadconnectedtheeventsattheirschoolwiththeOvertakersuntiltheyheardFinnandPhilbyvoicetheirsuspicions.

“Whatdoesitallmean?”Charleneasked.Philbyspokeup.“ItmeanstheEvilQueenhasfoundawaytorecruitkids

inourschoolstowatchus.”“Itmeanswe’re outnumbered,”Maybeck said, “and outflanked. That we

can’ttrustanyone.”“But the contact lenses,” Charlene said. “They give themselves away as

OTsintraining,orwhatever.Right?Imean,whydothat?”“Intimidation,”Maybecksaid.“Istheresomeotherexplanation?”“Agreed.It’sthefearfactor,”Finnanswered.“Maybetheythinkwecanall

goallclear,andwantusnervousandonguardtokeepusfromdoingthat.”“Anditmakesthemfeelspecial,”Willasaid.“Itmakesthemimportantand

partofabiggergroup.”“It is unusual tomakeyour spiesknown to the enemy,”ProfessorPhilby

said.“Let’sassumethey’replanningsomekindofjailbreak.Remember,theOTsare characters. That means they’re confined to the Parks—and it’s entirelypossibleMaleficent and Chernabog aren’t being kept locked up in any of theParks.Theycouldbeinjailanywhere!ThatmightmakeitnecessaryfortheOTstohavefieldagents—peopleonthegroundtodostuffforthem.TheQueenputsspellsonafewkids—thatwouldexplainLuowski’sbizarrestrength—andteststhem out with some assignments, and thenmoves them like pawns to do herdirtywork.”

Finnspokefirst.“Ihatetosayit,butitmakessense.NooneisgoingtostopLuowskiwiththatkindofstrength.Iftherearefiveorsixofthemlikethat,theycouldeasilyoverpowerabunchofguards.”

“Orus,”Maybecksaid,ominously.“Maybe,whenthetimecomes,theirjobistokeepusfrominterferingwiththeEvilQueen’splans.We’vemessedthingsupalotfortheminthepast.”

“Goodpoint,”Willasaid.“Oh,mygosh!”Charlenesaid.“Ijustgotit!”ShewasfixedonMaybeck.

“You were trying to kiss me to bring me out of the spell! In Epcot. At icecream!”

“Canwestayontopicplease?”Philbysaid.Maybecksaid,“Youmissedyourbigchance.”

“Howlonghadyouguysknown?Aboutthespell,Imean?”Charlenesaid,ignoringPhilby’srequest.

“Wecandothislater,”Philbysaid.“Thepointis,you’reback.”“Jess showed me a sketch today,” Willa said, changing subjects, “at

school.”FinnrecalledJessdrawingonanapkinattheicecreamparlor.“And?”heasked.“ShesaidithadjustcometoherwhenwewereintheParks.”“AND?”Finnrepeatedanxiously.“It was this military guy. Like a general. Or maybe a police officer or

something.”“Whatkindofofficer?”Philbyasked.“HowwouldIknow?Theyalllookthesametome.Justaguy,agrown-up,

inauniform.”“I’d like tosee it,”Philbysaid,wondering if ithadsomething todowith

Wandabeinglockedup.AccordingtoFinn’smother,shewassupposedtohavebeenreleasedearlierthatday.

Finnnodded.“So,youcanaskJess,”Willasaid.“Whatarewesupposedtodo?”Maybeckasked.“Spyontheirspies?That

couldbeawkward.”“Sowhatcanwedoaboutit?”theever-practicalWillaasked.“Can you stop what happened to me from happening again?” Charlene

asked.“Itshouldn’thavehappenedtoyouinthefirstplace,”Philbysaid.“Thatdoesn’texactlyanswermyquestion,”shesaid.Philbysaid,“Icanmonitor the traffic.Setadataalarm. If there’sanother

surgeofdata,highbandwidthusage,Ishouldbeabletodetectit.”“Thatdoesn’texactlysoundpromising,”Maybecksaid.“I’mopentosuggestions,”saidPhilby,knowinghewastheonlyonewho

understoodanyofwhathe’djustsaid.“I’dliketogangupononeoftheseimitation-flavorOvertakersandhavea

little talkwith themaboutwhat they’reup to,”Maybeck said. “Iwonderhowstrongtheyarewhenit’sthreeagainstone.”

“Ihate to say it,” saidWilla, “but itmightbebetter—safer—to try agirlfirst.”

“SallyRingwald,” Finn said. “Shewas in the photowith LadyEvil, andAmandasaidshe’snowwearinggreencontacts.”

“CanyouorAmandagetheralonewithussomeplace?”Maybeckasked.

“Listentoyou!”Charlenesaid,chastisingthem.“You’regoingtohurtsomegirlwithoutevenbeingsureshe’spartofthis?”

“Of course you’d defend her! You were working for the Evil Queenyourself!Besides,whosaidwe’regoingtohurther?”Maybecksaid.“Scareheralittle,maybe?Sure.It’snotliketheOTsdon’tscareus.AmIright?YoubetIam.It’stimewereturnthefavor,isall.Ifthoseguysarespies,weneedtoknowitbeforeit’stoolate.”

Headsnoddedinagreement.“I was apparently a spy for them and I didn’t even know it,” Charlene

remindedinasombervoice.“We’llkeepthatinmind,”Maybecksaid.Butitdidn’tsoundasifhemeant

awordofit.

PHILBY’SCAT,ELVIS,was a plump, lazy cat.Thekindof plump thatmight gethimmistakenforapetraccoon.Thekindthatscaredoffsmalldogs.Elvis,likeallcats,enjoyedwarmplaces tosleep.On thecouch,nestledbetweenpillows.Curledupinashirtthathadbeentossedonthefloor.

Philby’slaptopcomputerranhot.Itsinternalfanemittedapleasant,catlikepurr.

Elvis jumped first to the empty office chair, then up to the desk, and layacrossthepurringkeyboard,luxuriatinginitswarmth.

At deskheight hewas nearly levelwithPhilby,who slept soundly in hisbed across the room.Elvis got up and circledonce, unable to find theperfectposition.Hisbackpawshitseveralkeysatonce.Onthescreenawindowclosed.Thenanother.Elvistooknonotice;he’dfoundtheperfectspottosleep.

He had no idea that he’d just closed the data trafficmonitoring programPhilby used to police the DHI server. No idea he’d turned off Philby’s dataalarm.

Instead,hesettledhisformidableselfoverthekeys,wigglinguntilgravityclaimedvariouspartsofhim.Heplacedhisconsiderablecatchindowngentlyontohiscrossedpawsandclosedhiseyes.

Behindhim,thelaptoptimedoutandwentintosleepmodealongwithhim.Theboyinthebedknewnodifferent.

***Willa sleptwith a bear.Not a real bear, a stuffed bear; but no normal stuffedbear,either.Asizablebear.Agargantuanbearofproportionsnearingthoseofasmallchild.Shesleptwithitalongsideofher,itsheadonapillow,orsometimesrockeduponitssidewithitsblackbuttoneyeslookingrightatherasshedriftedofftosleep.Andsometimes,atthesamemagicalmomentoffindingsleep,shewould sling an arm around it and pull it in close, subconsciously enjoying itsfuzzyfuraswellasthecomfortofhavingsomethingsowonderfullyclose.

She dozed off, dreaming of school that day, of meeting the Keepers at

Crazy Glaze, and of a particularly disturbing exchange of texts with Philby.They’dbeen textinga lot recently,whichshedidn’tmindatall.ButwhenshefoundoutthatPhilby,notMaybeck,hadkissedCharlenetobreakthespell,she’dfeltthetugofjealousy.Charlene,withherathleticability,herincrediblelooks,andherclass-Aflirting—ifsheturnedonthecharm,afirehydrantwouldagreetogotothemallwithher.WhyhadPhilbybeentheonetokissherandnotFinn?Whyhadhisrecenttextsfeltmorenormalandlesscrushy?Mr.Totemsbroughthercomfort,buthermindwouldn’tstopchurning.

Willa’sdreambecameintenselyrealistic.Suddenly,shewaslayingbesidealake,whileclutchingtightlytoMr.Totems,herbear.Acrossthelake—risingoutof the water—was a green dinosaur. A brontosaurus, she thought, though shewasnoexpert.Itwasnotdaylight,butitwasnotexactlynighteither.Therewasaneeriequalitytothecolorofthelight,everythingaroundherwasglowing.SheletgoofMr.Totems,noticingthefamiliarshimmertotheoutlineofherforearmandhand.Sheheldherhandoutinfrontofher,admiringthetranslucentqualityofherskin.Thenabreezeblewacrossherandsheshivered.Andshegasped.

Itwasn’tadreamatall:shewasahologram.ADHI.Shehadcrossedoverinhersleep.

It wasn’t supposed to have been able to happen. They had talked aboutavoidingcrossingoveruntiltheyknewmore,untiltheyknewitwassafe.Philbywould have told her if he’d planned this; otherwise it must be an extremeemergency,shethought.Somethingthatcouldn’twait.

Andhereshewas:inherpajamaswithMr.Totems,somewhereinDisneyWorld.AtleastherJusticepajamasweren’ttooembarrassing—redpants,andalong-sleevetopwithapandabearandfireworksthatglittered.Notexactlywhatshewantedtobeseenin;butbetterthananightgown,whichwaswhatCharlenetypicallyendedupin.

ButwhichParkwasit?Willawonderedasshetookherbearings.Shefacedastreet—notmuchofaclue.Somebuildingssurroundinganopenplaza—again,not enough to tell herwhichPark itwas.She sat on a raisedplatform; itwasnearly pitch-black above her, except that she could just make out a patch ofnighttimecloudsswirlingdirectlyoverheadinadoughnutofblack.

Her lackoffamiliaritywith theplace toldher twothings:one,shewasn’tanywhereintheMagicKingdomortheAnimalKingdom—sheknewbothParkstoo well; two, by process of elimination, that left only Epcot and Disney’sHollywoodStudios.

Epcot had streets in the variousWorld Showcase attractions, but none aswide, as real-looking aswhat she faced.Amoment later, she had it: shewassittingbeneathMickey’sSorcerer’sHat.Now itmade somuch sense, she felt

stupid.Disney’sHollywoodStudios.Ofcourse.She heard a rhythmic clomp, clomp, clomp, reminding her at first of the

soundofthefootballteamcrossingtherunningtrackastheyranoutontoafieldbefore a game. The sounds rang of men and equipment. She sat up, only torealizeshewasclutchingtightlytoMr.Totems.SheheldMr.Totemstothesidesoshecouldsee,andthere,comingupSunsetBoulevardwasagroup—no,shethought, a troop—of soldiers. Theywere so hard to see that she thought theymustbewearingcamouflage.Butastheydrewcloser—clomp,clomp,clomp—she saw it wasn’t camouflage. They were a solid, dark green. They were theArmyMenfromToyStory,buttheyweren’ttoysatall.Theywerelife-size,andtheywerecomingrightather.

Willa grabbedMr.Totems and scrambled to her feet, heading away fromthe Army Men, keeping in shadow until she fled down a set of steps. Shesprinted once she reached the plaza, running down Commissary Lane andputtingsomedistancebetweenherselfandthetroop.

Arrivingattheendofthestreet,sheheardmoreoftheorganizedmarchingupahead.Sheturnedleft,pastsomelandscaping,andkeptrunning,thesoundsofmarchingsoldiersallaroundher.

Forcedbythesoundstomovetoherleft,shenowfacedEchoLake.WillasqueezedMr.Totemsallthetighter.Thiswasn’tgoingwell.ToeithersideofthelakeweremoreArmyMen,enoughtoblockherway.Behindher,thetwosquadsarrived,nowmergedasonelargeunit.

“Mr.Totems,it’stimetogetoutofhere.Anysuggestions?”Mr.Totemsdidn’tanswer.Hisexpressiondidn’tchange.Willawonderedif

something like thishadhappened toCharlene thenightbefore.Wassheundersomespell shedidn’tknowabout?Whatdid theywantwithher?She recalledMaybeckwanting to scare the truth out of one of the green-contact-lens kids.Shehopedthatwasn’twhatwasintendedforher:ifso,itwasalreadyworking.

SheneededtogettoEpcot.SheneededtheReturn.“Close zee ranks!” came a heavily accented Frenchman’s voice. Willa

didn’tseehimatfirst;shewasfarmoreconcernedwiththecircleofgreenArmyMentighteningaroundher.

Thenshespottedhim:amaninaredvelvetdinner jacket,beneathwhichwas a frillywhite shirt and a bizarrely large black bow tie, the tails ofwhichdisappearedintothevelvet.Hispantswerethree-quarterlength,tightaroundthecalf,andpuffyonhisupperlegs,withhook-and-eyelacedbrownleatherbootsspit-polishedtogleaming.Hehadlongcurlyhair—awigperhaps—beneathanexaggeratedhat likethosewornbytheThreeMusketeers.JudgeClaudeFrollofromTheHunchbackofNotreDame.

IttookheranotherfewsecondstofigureoutwhathewasdoinghereintheStudios—that he was part of the Fantasmic! show. The soldiers continued toclosearoundher.

“Youhavetounderstand,mydear,”JudgeFrollosaid.“Ihavenopatiencefor young children.As a judge that is.Myverdict is a simple one: guilty!Ofhavingtoomuchfun:guilty.Misuseoftime:guilty.Irresponsible,unacceptablebehavior:guilty.Soit’snothingpersonal,youunderstand?Itcomesdowntothis:Ithasfallenuponmetodeterminewhatyourfriendshowedyouatschool.I’mtold it is a drawing, and that it was drawn upon a small, square tissue.” Hestrokedhischin,anervoushabit.“Whatisthesubjectmatterofthisdrawing,ifyouplease?”

“ButIdon’t…”shesaid.“Excusez-moi?”“Ifyouplease,”shesaid.“Idon’twishtotellyou.”Perplexed, he cocked his head, considering her. “I would be careful, my

dear. My politeness is but a formality, an inescapable part of my egalitarianFrench upbringing. So civilized, the French, don’t you think? But make nomistake—I would just as soon direct my minions here,” he said, gesturingtowardthehundredsoldiers,“totestthewater,asitwere.Tosendyoubottom-fishing.Todrown you,mydear.Did I cautionyou that I’mnot a patientmanwhenitcomestochildren?”

“Ican’ttellyouwhatIdon’tknow,”shesaid,lying,thoughlyingwell,shethought.

“Butyouwereseen.Witnessed.Itwasreported.”Herheadswooned.Whichwas it,witnessedor reported?Onewaywould

puttheeventinherschoolhallway;anotherinsidetheprivatemeetingwiththeotherKeepers.Thesourceoftheleakwasofvitalimportancetoher.ShethoughtofPhilbyandwhathe’ddoinherposition.

Gatherintelligence,shethought.Gainenoughdata,enoughinformationtoformanexitstrategy,anescapeplan.FinnwouldhaveschooledhertorelyuponherDHI status—tomaintainallclear.But shewas so scared her teethwouldhavebeenchatteringhadshenotbeenbitingdownonher tongue. If shewerefiftypercentDHIatthemomentshe’dbelucky.Thethinblueoutlinethatshouldhavebeensurroundingherarmshaddimmedtonearlynothing.Allclearwasnotanoption—notatthemoment,anyway.

JudgeFrollosmiled,asnarlofgnarlyteethandatwistoflipthatturnedherstomach.

“Ifitpleasethecourt,”hesaid,thenguffawing(sincehewasthecourt),“Iwillaskthedefendantagain:Whatdidyouseedrawnuponthetissue?”

“Itwas a napkin,YourHonor,” she said, trying to appeal to his sense ofimportance.“Atissuemeanttocatchcrumbsinyourlap.Itisnotsomethingonewritesupon.Thattaskisbetterservedbyapadofdrawingpaper,ornotepaper.Theremayhavebeenalogo,orbusinessnameIwasmeanttotakenoteof.I’msorrytosay,Idon’thappentoremember.”

“Youdo,however,recallwhatitisIintendedtodototheinfantboyintheanimated motion picture that bears, in part, the name of a certain famousParisiancathedral?”

“NotreDame.”“Thesame!”“Youweregoingtokillhim,”shesaid.“Quasimodo.”“Yourmemoryisnotsobadafterall,Isee!Excellent.Now,tryagain—one

lasttime—whatwasdrawnuponthe…napkin—thecrumb-catchingtissue?”“And again, as much as I’d like, I can’t describe something that wasn’t

there,”shesaid,tryingtospeaksomewhatlikehim,tryingtobefriendhim.“More’s thepity!Mylackofpatience issomethingImust improveupon.

Verywell.Seizeher!Intothelakewithher.Awetnap.Aswimwiththefishes.DROWNHER!” he roared,waving his hand like a ballet dancer’s toward thelake.

Strangely,shethoughtonlyofMr.Totems.Iftheydrownedher,whatwoulditmeanforMr.Totems?Wouldtheytearhimtopieces?Asmuchassheloathedthe ideaof leavingMr.Totemsbehind,aplanbegan to form inhermind.Thesoldierswereabout topickherupand throwher into the lake. If,at theexactmoment,shecouldsubstituteMr.Totemsforherself…

Shecouldn’tfeelsorryforMr.Totems.ShehadtothinkofitasMr.Totemssacrificinghimselfforher.Maybeshecouldcomebackandgethimlater.Whoknew? They’d come through a lot together: bubble gum stuck in his fur; thereplacementofoneofhisbuttoneyes;atornseamthatlefthimspewingstuffing,tinyplasticballsthatsmelledsomethinglikefish.

IfshechargedthelineofArmyMen,theywouldsimplycatchholdofher.No,theanswerwasthewateritself:givethemMr.Totemsandthendiveinandswimfortheoppositeside,hopingtobeatthecloddysoldiers.

Withaseconddismissiveflickofhiswrist,JudgeFrollosignaledthegreensoldierstoclosearoundher.Willafeltlight-headed.SheheldMr.Totemstightly.

Three…two…Asoldierreachedforher.ShestuffedMr.Totems into thesoldier’sopenarms,pushedJudgeFrollo

intotheothers,turned,andranfivestepstothelake’sedge.“SHOOTHER!”sheheard.

Shedove.White lines raced around her, bullets zooming through the water. She

couldn’tsurfacewithoutbeingshot.Down,down,sheswam,pullingagainstthewaterandtravelingdeeperanddeeper.ShehadthoughtEchoLakewasonlyafewfeetdeep,butsuddenlyitwasmuchdeeper.Thebulletsweren’treachinghernow,but—asshelookedup—theywerezoomingoverheadlikeshootingstars.

And there, in silhouette, was Mr. Totems floating on the lake’s surface.Snow was falling all around him as bullets riddled his body. Not snow, sherealized,buthisstuffing.Mr.Totemshadgivenhislifeforher.

Willascreamedunderwater,bubblesrisingaboveherlikesilverChristmasballs.Shewassmartenoughnottobreathein,toavoidinhalingafatallungfuloflakewater,butshewassinkingnow,herlungsaching.Shefeltlight-headed.

Somethingup ahead…Adark, flowing shape interrupting the light on thesurface:afishthesizeofaporpoiseorashark,yetevenmoregraceful.Itgrewlargerwithitsapproach.

Her lungs about to burst,Willa saw a flash of green, a glimpse of rust-coloredseaweed.No,sherealized,notseaweedbuthair.Itwasamermaid.

ItwasAriel.Agirl’slongfingersreachedoutforher.Willatookhold.Arielpressedher

faceclose tohersandblewbubbles inasteadystreamintoher lips,andWilladrankthemin.Thepaininherlungssubsided.Thetwoswamsidebyside,Arielstopping every few yards and blowing another stream of bubbles forWilla toinhale.

Arielledheracrossthelakeandtheysurfacedtogetheronthefarsideofalargewhiteshiptieduptoshore.Willasuckedinthefreshair,andArielheldafingertoherlips,silencingher.

TherewasmuchshoutingandyellingfromJudgeFrollo,andthesoundofthe soldiers’ feet pounding the pavement as they surrounded the lake. Arielpointeddown,signalingforthemtogounderwateragain.Willawasreluctantbutnoddedherconsent.

WherehadArielcomefrom?WeretheremoreCharacters likeherwillingtohelptheKeepers?

Theydove.Ariel ledheralong the tankwall—the lakewasnothingmorethanagiantswimmingpool—untiltheyreachedalargehole,theendofapipe.ArielfilledWilla’slungswithairandsmiledbeautifully,andWillaknewitwasgoingtobeokay.ArielswamintotheopeningfirstandWillafollowed.

Thepipe grew increasingly darker.Unable to see,Willa felt outward andcaughtAriel’shand.Suddenlythepowerfultailpropelledthem.Willahadnevermovedso fast in thewater.TwiceAriel stopped tochargeWilla’s lungs in the

dark.TwiceWilla drank in the air, only to feel herselfwhisked away into thedarknessagain.Arielpulledherupward.Willa’sheadbrokethesurface.Again,shegaspedforair,marvelingthatshewasstillalive.

Theywereinalargetankwithaladderandametalplatform.Shespottedasignonthewallthatread,voyageofTHELITTLEMERMAID—BACKSTAGEENTRANCE.Anarrowpointedtoadoor.Arielfocusedonthedoor,theneasedWillatowardthestairsinthewater.

Willashookherhead.“Ican’tthankyouenoughforsavingme.Butifthesoldierssawustheywillcomelooking.Theywillstarthere,”shesaid,pointingtothesign.“IneedtogettoEpcot…MyfriendsandI—”

“TheKeepers,”Arielsaidinabeautiful,liltingvoice.Willacoughed.“Youknowaboutus?”Arielblinkedandsmiledather.“Mydeargirl,everyoneknowsaboutyou.

Youareoursaviors.”Oursaviors?Whatdidshemeanbythat?Willawondered.Aretheremore

ofyou?“No,no,no.We’rejustkids.We’renobodies,believeme.”“I’m afraid no onewould believe such nonsense,” saidAriel. “We know

whoyouare.Wearemostgratefulforwhatyouaredoing.Weall—anyofus—willdowhateverwecantokeepthemagic.Themagiciswhatfeedsus.”

Us!Thereitwasagain!“It isn’t safe here,”Willa said. “I don’t want to leave you. Please don’t

think me rude, but I don’t want to get you in any more trouble than you’realreadyin.”

“Youareshaking,”Arielsaid.“I’mcold.”“Onelastswim,”Arielsaid.“Iknowaplace.Theperfectplace.Warm.And

Icanbewithyouwithoutconcern.”“Icouldn’taskthat.You’vedoneenough.”“It’sokay,deargirl—”“Willa.”“Ah!YouaretheWillow!”“Willa,”shecorrected.“Yes,Iknow.Ofcourse.AndShirley—”“Charlene…”“Ofcourse. Iknow.Youasknothing. It is afterhours. I cangobackand

forth,tailorlegs,asIchoose.Iamhappytohelpyou.Come,pleaseswimwithme.”

“Ashortdistance?”

“Ipromise.”Willadidn’twanttousethatbackstagedoor.Shenodded.Arieldove.Willa

followedandgrabbedherhand.Againthewaterwasdark.Ariel’spowerfultaildrove them left, right, andup—straightup.Harder andharder the tail pushed.Highertheyswam.

Willa didn’t understand how it was possible. When they’d started, theycouldn’thavebeenmorethantenorfifteenfeetunderground,yetnowitfeltasifthey’dclimbedfiftyfeetormore.

Arielhadnotfedheranyair.Herlungswereburstingastheybrokethroughthesurface.Shecoughedandgaspedforair.

They found themselves in amuchbigger tank.Again, ametal ladder randownbelowthewater’ssurface,stretchinghighabovethemtoacircularcatwalksurroundingthetank.

AsArielpulledherselfup the rungs,Willawatchedashermermaid’s tailchangedintoagirl’slong,barelegsandbarebottom.

“Ikeepthesehandyjustforthistransition,”Arielsaidoncethey’dreachedasteelcatwalkatthetop.ShehadherbacktoWillaassheslippedonapairofbikini bottoms that she’d had cleverly wrapped around the back strap of herhaltertop,hiddenbyherlonghair.

She led Willa out a heavy metal door and onto another catwalk. Willanearly screamed as she reached to steady herself. They were a hundred feetaboveground,highuponacatwalkbalconysurroundingtheParkwatertower.ButWilla, likePhilby,wasaclimber,andhadno troublewith theheightoncesherealizedwhereshewas.Ms.Cheerleader,Charlene,coulddosomeclimbingtoo,butmoreofthegymnasticvariety.WillaandPhilbyweretheKeeperswhodid the rope courses and climbingwall as after-school activities. Itwaswhereshe’dfirststartedlikinghim.

“It’s…beautiful,”Willasaid.“Yes.Iloveituphere.There’salottobesaidforbeinghuman.”“Yousavedmylife.”“Mermaids,” Ariel said, interrupting, “have a long-standing tradition of

rescuingsailorsatsea.Itwouldseemthatisaboutallwe’regoodfor.That,andexcitinghomesicksailorsinthefirstplace.”

“Inmyhouse,you’reknownforyoursinging.”“Yes,well…thatcamelater.”“Whatdowedonow?”askedWilla.“Iamnotsure.Ionlyknowthatnoonewillfindushere.Noonewillsee

us.Ioftenspendtimehere—overlookingthePark,watchingtheguests,playingthe occasional prank. Did you know that mermaids like to make practical

jokes?”“FirstI’veheardofit.”“Yes, well, how would you feel if shipbuilders were constantly carving

sculpturesofyouonthefrontoftheirshipsfromthewaistup?It’sundignified.Suchthingsdeservepracticaljoking.”

“CanIaskyousomething?”Willasaid.“Youjustdid.”Willagiggled.“YousaidyouknewoftheKeepers.”“Ofcourse.”“Arethere…otherswhowouldconsiderhelpingus?”“I told you: You have many friends here. You might be surprised to

discoverhowmanystandwithyou.HereintheWorld,andintheLandaswell,welackonlyaleader.Weassumethatiswhyyouandtheothershavecome.Toleadus.”

Willa’sheadspun.FinnhadoftentalkedaboutWaynemakingreferencetoleadership. She’d always thought of it in terms of the Keepers—never theDisneycharactersthemselves.Willahadneverconsideredthatsheandtheothersweretheretoleadamovement.ShedoubtedFinnoranyoneelsehad,either.

“Myfather,KingTriton,saysakingdomhasroomforonlyoneruler,”Arielsaid.

“Ourgroupismoreofademocracy,”Willasaid.“Butmaybewe’reheretohelpyoufindaleader.WhataboutMickey?Isn’tMickeyyourleader?”

Ariellockedintoadistantstare.She’dgonesomewherefaraway.“Wecandiscussthisanothertime,Ithink.”Herentiredemeanorhadchanged.

Willa filed the information away for later.Why had mention of MickeyclosedoffAriel?

Willa said, “Letmeaskyou this. If you’rehere…”she reachedover andtouchedthebeautifulgirl,“doesthatmeanUrsula’shere,too?”

“Ofcourse.Everyone’shere.Aren’t they?Thereare so fewyoucan trusthere,believeme.”

“Weneedaplan,”Willamumbled.“Orascript.There’salwaysascripttofollow.”“Notalways,I’mafraid,”Willasaid.“Thisisoneofthosetimes.Weneed

towriteourownscript.”Willa looked out on the empty Park. Occasionally she caughtmovement

fromaparticulardirection,butby the timeshe turned to look in thatdirectionthestreetwouldbeempty,theParkaghosttown.

WillarecalledwithsomedreadJudgeFrollo’seagernesstodrownher.Howthesoldiershadappearedsowellorganized.

They had been waiting for her to cross over. They had wanted her todescribe the sketch Jess had shown her at school. It meant only one thing:someonehadtoldthemaboutJessshowingittoher.

Thespieswerereal.“Something’sgoingonhere,”sheallowedtoslipout.“Oh,there’sagreatdealgoingon,deargirl.Wejustsoseldomseeit.”“We’reindanger.”“Yes.”ItwasasifthiswasoldnewstoAriel.“IneedtogettoEpcot.”TotheReturn,shewasthinking.“Butyoujustgothere!”Arielcomplained.“MyfriendsandIwanttohelp,”Willareminded.“Butwecanonlyhelpif

we’retogether.Likeateam.”“Friends?Ateam?Myfriendsareacrabandsomefish.I’mallalonehere,”

Arielsaid,wistfully.“Notanymoreyou’renot,”saidWilla.“You’repartoftheteamnow.”

WHILEWILLAWASSITTINGwithherfeetdrapedoverthecatwalksurroundingtheDisney’sHollywoodStudioswater tank,Finnwas awakecontemplating a textmessage he’d received from an unidentified sender. It wasn’t that he didn’treceive textmessages; of course he did—hundreds aweek,maybemore—butthisparticularmessageheldmoreinterestthanmost:

www.thekingdomkeepers.com/key

BeneaththeURLwasthetitleofthebookandapagenumber—abookFinnknewalltoowell.Abookwrittenabouthimandhisfriends.Underneaththetitleofthebook,asingleletter:

W

ItwasthatWthathadheldhisattentionforthepasthourorso.Thatletterandallitrepresented.PhilbyhadbeencontactedbyWayneatschool.He’dsentthemontheKimPossibleadventure.

Nowthis.Waynewasbecominginvolvedagain.Finn’sfirstinstincthadbeentofindthebookandgototheWebsite.That

waswhythebookwassittingopentotherightofthekeyboard,andwhyFinnwas sitting in the chair in front of his computer. But for the longest time hecouldn’tbringhimselftodoit.Hejustdidn’tcompletelybelieveWaynehadsentthe text—even thoughWayne had given him and the others their phones andthereforewould knowhow to text him.Even thoughhewas eager to connectwithWayne.Theproblemwasthis:Waynenevermadeitsimple.Finncouldn’tthinkofatimethatWaynehadgiventhemsomethingeasytosolveoreasytodo.Themethodhe’dused tocontactPhilby supported thatnotion.Whyhadn’thejusttextedPhilbyifhethoughttextingwassafe?

Wayne had a tendency to surprise: arriving uninvited in a chat room orinterruptingaSkypesession.Astraighttextseemedsounlikehim.

But thatW was like a finger drawing Finn closer to his keyboard. Thelongerhestaredatit,themoretemptedhewas.Finally,hewebbedthefingersofbothhands,crackedhisknucklesbybending thembackward,andplaced themuponthekeyboard.Hetypedtheaddressintohisbrowser.

Thepage loaded,andhewas instructed tohold theparticularpageof thebookup to thecomputer’s internalvideocamera.Hepushed the laptopbackafew inches and hoisted the book.He hit enter. The computer bonged and thescreenchangedcolor.

SUCCESS!thescreendeclared.Foramomenttherewasnochange.Itwaslate,andhewastired.All that

anticipationhadbeencoursingthroughhisveinsforthepasthourlikecaffeinefromasoda.Withnothinghappening,awaveoffatigueovercamehim.Hefeltlikeapooltoylosingitsair,aconditionthatlefthimwhollyunpreparedforwhathappenednext.

Wayneappearedontopofhisdesk, just infrontof thekeyboard.AsmallhologramofWayne,nomorethanfourinchestall,impossiblyreal-looking.Finnwavedhishandthroughtheimagejusttoconfirmitwaswhatitwas.

“Whoa!”Finnsaidaloud.“Canyouhearme?”“Hello,Finn.”It wasWayne’s voice—therewas nomistaking the scratchy quality. But,

maybe because of the projection or the transmission, the words soundedsomewhatartificial,almostgluedtogether,theintonationwrong.

“Whatexactly…?Where…?Isthatreallyyou?Whereareyou?”“Come down…lower…Finn. Look at…my face. I should see…you…

better.”Finn had heard Philby talk about augmented reality apps—AR—baseball

cardsthatcametolifeashologramsonyourdesk,mapsthatdidthesamething.TheKeepers had heard rumors thatDisneywas consideringmakingKingdomKeepersplayingcardswithanARcomponent,allowingthemtoappearas3-Dimages justasWaynewasnowappearing.Someaugmentedrealitycouldevenbeanimated—abaseballplayerswingingabat,adancerspinningonhertoes—buthehadneverheardofanARelementprojectinginrealtimethewaythisonewas.Itwaslikea3-Dvideochat,andFinnfounditcaptivating.

HebackeduphischairandloweredhisheadasinstructedinordertolookdirectlyatWayne’ssmallface.

SomewhereinthefarreachesofFinn’smind,awarninglightwentoff.ThechoppinessofWayne’svoicecouldbeatransmissionproblem,ashesuspect-ed

—butwhywould thehologrambe so clear and the audiobe so choppy?Thatdidn’t make sense. The audio sounded edited—words cut and pasted intosentences.

As he lowered himself toward Wayne’s small face, Finn simultaneouslyclearedhisthoughtsandpicturedadarktunnelwithapinprickoflightshowingfar,farinthedistance.Heallowedthatlighttogrowcloser,allowedhimselftosinknotonlytowardthedesk,butintoapeaceful,blissfulstate.Allclear.

“Thatis…better,”saidthehologram.Then,asFinnlookedatWayne,thefacetransformed,nolongeramanwith

whitehair,butsuddenlythesternfaceofabeautifulwoman.TheEvilQueen’smouthwasalreadymoving,hervoicebothhauntingandmusical.

“AssoftasawhisperNoonewilltellThecurse,reversedSeenbythesisterWhenkissingJezebel”

Finn’s fingers and toes tingled.With themention of kissing Jezebel—the

nameJesshadgonebyafewyearsearlier—hepanicked,andheslippedoutofallclear.TheEvilQueenrepeatedhermessage:

“AssoftasawhisperNoonewilltell…”

Finnwascaughtinastateofpartialallclear,adangerousplace—mentally

alert butwith tingling toes and fingers. Partmortal, hewas real enough to bewounded,yetenoughallcleartobelievehewassafe.

In this interim state, hemanaged to reach forward,move themouse, andclickthe“back”buttononhisbrowser.ThecomputerscreenshowedanAlgebra2Webpagehe’dbeenusingforhomework.

The Evil Queen hologram sparkled and vanished. Finn sat back into hischairfeeling…different.

Thepage-forwardbuttonon thebrowser flashedas ifhe’dclicked itwiththemouse,whichhehadnot.Thekingdomkeepers.compagereloaded.TheEvilQueenhologramreappeared.

Someonewascontrollinghiscomputer.TheQueenbegan reciting theverseagain.Finnpulled thepowerplugon

hiscomputer,but the laptop,beingbattery-powered,continued to run.Heshut

thelid,andthecomputerwenttosleep.HefocusedatthatspaceinfrontofhiskeyboardwheretheEvilQueenhad

stood.Nomatterhowhefoughtagainstit,hecouldhearher.

“AssoftasawhisperNoonewilltellThecurse,reversedSeenbythesisterWhenkissingJezebel”

Kissing Jess?He spat on the floorbeforeheknewwhathewasdoing. It

wasn’tthathedidn’tlikeJess,ofcoursehedid.Butnotinthatway.WhyJess?WhywouldtheEvilQueenwanthimtodothat?Wasitsimplya

matter of making Amanda jealous—dividing the “sisters”? What would thataccomplish?

Hewouldhavetoreboothiscomputerinsafemodeandrunaviruscheck.Therewasworktodobeforehecouldattemptachatsessionore-mail.Heputthemachinetowork,searchingforthebackdoororbugthathadallowedittobecontrolledremotely.HeknewheshouldhaveprobablyallowedPhilbytolookatthemachinefirst,shouldhavegivenPhilbyachancetotracetheinfectionbacktowhoever had caused it, but he had no desire to share the stupid versewithanyone. Just the mention of it could have the desired effect: anger, jealousy,confusion.Hehadtothinkthisthrough.

Herelivedtheincident,convincinghimselfhe’dbeenallclearatthetimetheversehadbeenrecited.Nothingtoworryabout.Ifitwasaspell,ithadnotreachedhim.Itdidn’toccurtohimforevenasplitsecondthatsuchdenialmightbepartofthespell,thatbynotdoinganything,hewasalreadydoingsomething.

***Stonestair-steps.Atleasttheylookedlikestonestair-stepsleadinguptoabox.Orpossiblyadoor?Jessmovedslowly,likeshewastryingtowalkthroughJell-O.

Finn was there. Practical Finn. Organized Finn. Amanda’s Finn. Jesspreferred boys likeKadenKeller,more on the unpredictable side.Morewild.ButAmandawascrushing—nodoubtaboutit.AndJesslikedFinnalot,soshewashappyforAmanda.

Sowhy,shewondered,wasshejuststandingthereasFinnwalkeduptoherwiththatlookinhiseye—alookanygirlknew.Alookthatsaidhewasgoingtokissher.Andwhy,shewondered,wasshegoingtoallowittohappenwhensheknewhowitwouldhurtAmanda?Hetookherbytheshoulders,closedhiseyes,

andpressedhislipstohers.Andhestayedtherelikethat.Arealkissthatfloodedthroughherlikeasugarrush,lipstotoes.Bythetimesheawokeandbegantosketch inherdiary, sheknewfullwell ithadbeenonlyadream.Butwithherdreamscameaconnectionbetweennowand then,betweenhereand there, thepresentandthefuture.Onlylatercouldsheevermakefullsenseofsuchadream—aday, aweek, amonth.Adults had labeled it a power;Amanda called it ablessing;Jessoftenthoughtofitasacurse.

Sheknewsomepieceofthedreamwouldhappen,butnotwhen,orwhy,orhowitmightchangethings.Uponseeinghersketches,theKeepersoftenlookedforanswersshedidn’thave.Shecouldseethefuture;shecouldn’tinterpretit.

Butthekisslingeredonherlips.Ithadfeltreal—incrediblyreal.She adjusted her pillow and continued to draw. She started with the

backgroundfirst—thefiveunevenstepsseeninprofile,risingtoalanding.Shelovedthesoundofthepencilleadscratchingthepaper;shefeltnofatigue.Sheenjoyed these visions. They no longer came as often as they once had. As achild, she’dhad several aweek.She’d seen a flood, a car crash, a fire. She’dmadethenewspaperwiththepredictionofthefire.Thatwaswhenthedoctorshad startedhookingupwires to her,when themilitarymenhadbegun askingquestions.Whenshe’dbeentakenfromheroriginalfosterparentsandmovedinwiththeFairlies.

BeforesheandAmandaranaway.Thevisionscamemuch less frequentlynow,a secretonlyAmandaknew.

Sometimes in groups—three or four in a week and then none for months.Sometimesapieceofadream,butnotenoughtostickwithher,notenoughtodraw. Being in the Parks, hangingwith theKeepers, seemed to increase theirfrequencyandintensity.

Shedrewthesceneofthekissasbestshecould,herartisticabilitieshavingimprovedovertime.Shenotonlycaughttheangleoftheirheadscorrectly,butthe profile of the boy really looked like Finn, and though the girl was lessobvious,sheknewitwasher.

Itwasonedreamshewouldneverallowtohappen,wouldneverdothistoAmanda.Hadnointerestherself.IfFinnwantedit,toobad.Notever!

SheheardAmandastirintheoverheadbunk,sosheswitchedoffthesmalllight, and covered the drawing with her hand in case Amanda leaned over,curious.ButAmandaonly rolledover. Jess switched the light on and finisheddrawingthekiss.

Shestudiedthegirl’sfacemorecarefully.Shecouldn’tbeabsolutelysureitwasher.Butsheknewwhatshe’dfelt.Sheknewwhatwasgoingtohappen.

***

“Please,”Charlenesaid,appealing tohermotherover thebreakfast table.“It’snobigsecretthatIlikehim.”Hermother’sonesoftspotwasherdaughter’slovelife.Therewere times thatCharlene felt as if hermotherwas trying tobehersameageagain,whichwassorandomitpainedhertoevenconsiderit.Butthefactwas,hermotherhadbeenahighschoolcheerleader,hadbeenpretty,and,according to her, chased by all the boys, and she seemed towant all that forCharleneaswell.

“Youdon’twanttobetheonedoingthepursuing,”hermothercautioned.SheadvisedCharleneaboutherinterestincertainboysasifshewerecoachingachessmatch.

“I’djustbevisitingWinterParkforaday.”“That’shisschool.”“Ah…yeah.”“Whichwillbeseenasyoupursuinghim.”“Ihavefriendsthere,too,Mom.DoIwanttohangwithhimatlunch?Yes.

Ofcourse.Butit’snotlikeI’mgoingtofollowhimdownthehallsorsomething.It’soneday.”SheandAmandahadplans,butshecouldn’tgothere.Hermotherunderstoodboys.Charleneknewwhichbuttonstopush.“Icanspendtimewithmy friends after school. I never get a chance to see them anymore.” Withgraduation frommiddle school, some kids had gone to different high schoolsbecause of redistricting.Hermother knew the situation; they’d talked about itoftenenough.

“Iknow,Iknow,”hermothersaid.Charleneheardthechangeintone;she’dwon.“All we have to do is have you sign me in at the office. It’ll take two

seconds.”“Andyou’llcallortextmewhenschool’sout?”“Promise.”Hermothersmiled.“Youmustlikehimalot.”“Youhavenoidea,”Charlenesaid.

***As the buzzer sounded leading into the lunch period, Charlene, wearing hervisitortag,waitedbythewaterfountainsinthewesthall,asarrangedinahastymeetingwithAmandaearlier.Shepeeledoffthetagandstuckitinsidehershirtso itwould remain stickybutnotbe seen.Shepulledout the sectionofpantyhosefromthepocketofher jeanshortsandkept itscrunchedinherhand.Herheartwasbeatingthewayitdidbeforeagymnasticscompetition.

Amanda appeared among the mass of students crowding the hallway,wearingalookoffiercedetermination.Charleneknewwhattheywereaboutto

dowentagainsteverythingAmandahelddear.KnewthatforAmandathiswasaboutfriendshipandloyaltyandherdedicationtoFinnandtheKeepers.Knewthatshewas,likeCharlene,dyinginsidewithanticipation.

“Followme,”Amandasaid,allbusiness.Charlene stepped into line behind her. Amanda made her way to the

stairway. They held close to the banister and hurried down, passing otherstudents. They reached the ground floor and continued down to the basementlevel.

“It’s all about timing,” Amanda said, over her shoulder. “You rememberyourassignment?”

“Yes.Ofcourse.”“Youhavethestockings?”Charleneheldupherballedfist.The basement level was far less crowded. Theywalked together down a

hallwayandturnedtotheright.“She’llbecomingbyhereanyminute,”Amandasaid,pullingopenadoor.

“Bandroom.Emptythisperiod.”“Okay,”saidCharlene.“We’llbeexpelledifwedothiswrong.”“Iknow.Solet’snotdoitwrong.”“I’minthehall.You’reinside,butoutofsight,”instructedAmanda.“Iremember.”“I’llcough.”“Iknow.”Charleneturnedintothedarkenedroomandtuckedaroundthecorner,her

chest ready to explode. Therewas a bass drum on ametal stand. Riserswithchairsandmusicstands.Anuprightpiano.Sheleftthelightsoff,bracingherselfforwhatwastocome.Shepulledthepieceofpantyhosedownoverherhairandhead,obscuringherface.

***Amandawore the section of rolled panty hose on her head like awinter cap,kneeling with her face to the wall, her hands in her computer bag, diggingaroundasiflookingforsomething.

Sally Ringwald came down the hall with two girlfriends. Now came thetrickypart.

Withoutturning,withoutshowingherface,Amandasaid,“Hey,Sally,gotaminute?”

“I’llcatchup,”Sallytoldherfriends.As predicted, the two girls turned up the stairs.Amanda had chosen this

spotforareason.“What’sup?”SallysaidtoAmanda’sback.Amanda coughed and pulled the stocking downover her face and turned

around,lookinglikesomethingfromaslashermovie.“Whatthe—”ButSallydidn’thavetimetocompleteherexclamation.Amanda lifted her hands and pushed. Sally lifted off her feet and flew

backwardthroughthedoorway,skiddingonherbottomacrossthefloor.AmandasteppedthroughandCharlenepulledthedoorshut.

WhenSallyjumpedoffthefloor,shewasn’tevenhuman.Shespranglikeamountain lion,crashing intoAmanda,hergreeneyesflashing in thedimlight.SheandAmandasmackedintothewallbythepiano.

Charlenecameatherfromtheside,grabbinganarm.Sally tossedherofflikeshewasastuffedanimal.Charlenelandedhard.

Amandapushedforasecondtime.Sallyliftedoffherfeetandcrashedintoamusicstand, takingitdownassheknockedsomefoldingmetalchairsoutoftheway,landinginaheap.Amandapushedagain.Sallyslidonherbottomandwaspinnedtotheriser.Amandaheldherthere,stillpushing,armsextended.

Charlene crossed the room andwas slammed to the floor as if a ninety-mile-per-hourwind had struck her.Groaning, she rose, andwithAmanda stillpushing,CharlenewrestledSally’sarmsbehindherbackandtangledtheir legstogether,keepingSallydown.

Amandareleasedherpush.Thethreegirlswerepanting,outofbreath.Charlenesaidcoarsely,“Whatdotheywant?”Sallywrestled,butcouldn’tgetfreeofCharlene’shold.“Power,”Sallysaidthroughclenchedteeth.“What’sanybodywant?”“Fromus?”Amandasaid.“You’reinsignificant.Don’tflatteryourselves.”“Soinsignificantthatyou’respyingonus,”Charlenesaid,pullingthegirl’s

armsbackhardertomakeherpoint.“What’sthatmakeyou?”“Busy,”shesaid,snickering.“Who…are…you?”Amandaasked,forthegirl’seyeswerewideandevil-

looking.Sally Ringwald laughed. But it wasn’t a girl’s laugh. It was a woman’s.

“Thefuture,”shesaid.“Notmyfuture,”Charlenesaid,gasping.Itwastakingallherconsiderable

strengthtorestrainSally’sarms.BothsheandAmandafearedwhatSallymightbecapableofifshecouldgetfree.

“Thereisnoyoursorminewherethefuture’sconcerned.It’sours.Youcaneitherbeontherightsideorthewrongside,”Sallysaid.

“Thereisnosidetothefuture,onlytothethingswedowithit,thechoiceswemake,”Amandasaid.

“Whatdoyouknow?Thefuturealwaysarrivesbeforeyoucanstopit,”saidSally.“TalktomeSaturdaymorning.”

ToAmandaitsoundedlikearecruitingline.Shefeltslightlylight-headed.Thepushinghaddrainedher.Charlenelookedasbadasshefelt.Theywereoutoftime.

“Howmany of you are there?” This had been the question Philby mostwantedasked.

“Moreeachday,”Sallyanswered.“Morethanyoucanpossiblyimagine.”“We have big imaginations,” Charlene said, increasing her hold, and

winningawinceofpainonSally’sface.“Yourkindthink‘dreamsreallydocometrue’?Thendreamon.”Charlene flashedAmanda a look—her signal she couldn’t hold onmuch

longer.Amandahadbeenexpectingit.Shenodded.“Now!”Amandacalledout.Charleneletgoandrolled.Amanda pushed, sending Sally into a back somersault and into another

musicstandandmorechairs.SheandCharleneranforthedoor.Theygotintothehall,andbothgirlsgrabbedthedoorhandletogetherandheldon.

Thedoorwasstruckfromtheothersidebywhatsoundedlikeatruck.Theentirejambdislocatedinthemasonrywall.

“Onthree,”Amandasaid.“One…two…three!”Theyletgoofthedoorhandle,strippedoffthepantyhosemasks,andran

asfastasthey’deverrunforthestairway.Theyheardanenormouscrashbehindthemastheyclimbedthestairsoutofbreath.

Reaching the mob scene of students, they slowed, hooked elbows, andwalkedcalmlyintothesurgeofbodies.Theyheardfootstepsflyingupthestairsbehindthem,butneverlookedback.Theyweredeepenoughintothemobthattheirclothescouldnotbeseentobeidentified.Theyturnedintothelunchroompackedwithotherstudents.

AmandalookedaroundforFinn.Hewasn’tthere.

FINN SAW GREG LUOWSKI down the school hallway standing at a locker, andrecalledtheirstrangeencounteronthestreet.AnagentfortheOvertakers?Wasitpossible?DidWayne’sKimPossiblemessageaboutfriendsturningtheirbacksonyouhavesomethingtodowithLuowski,oronlyCharlene’serraticbehavior?LuowskicouldneverbeconsideredafriendtoFinn,butdidWayneknowthat?

Next he spotted awoman,wearing a visitor’s sticker, down the hall. Shewasstaringathim,herfacevaguelyfamiliaryetunknowntohim.Thewayhergazelockedontohimhehadnodoubtshewastheretoseehim.Worse,shewasupset.Anykidknewthatlookonthefaceofagrown-up.

Thatwaswhenhe realizedhowa stranger could look so familiar:behindthecrinklyeyesandpuckeredlips,Willalookedbackathim.

The woman started toward him at the same time Luowski caught Finnstaring.Luowski’smenacingexpressionseemedtosay,“Youwantsomething?”

Finnlookedawayratherthanprovokethebulldog.Hedidn’tneedLuowskiinhisface.

“FinnWhitman,”thewomansaid,nowuponhim.“I’m—”“Willa’smom,”Finnsaid.“Yes.We’vemetbeforebutitwassometimeago.Ineedawordwithyou.”Perfect!Whathadhedonenow?“Youhaveaclassinfiveminutes,soitneedstobenow.Rightnow.That,or

wecandothiswithyourparentsafterschool.”His father? No way! “Next period’s my lunch period,” Finn said. “I’m

okay.”Anythingbuthisfather.“Istheresomeplacewecantalk?”Gulp.Finn checked out a classroom. Then another. He held the door for her,

hopingitmightscoresomepoints.Theyentered.Shestudiedtheclassroomasifmakingsuretheywerealone.Doublegulp.Sheranher tongueintoherupper teeth.Whenhismomdidthat itwas to

bite back her words, to keep herself from saying the first thing that came tomind.

“Idon’tknowwheretobegin,”shesaid.“Whatever’sgoingon,youngman,whateveryou’reupto,youhadbetterstopit,youhadbetterfixitrightnow.”

Finn’s heart beat so powerfully that it occupied his entire torso. Hewashavingtroublebreathing.Hecouldtellshewasjustgettingwarmedup.Heheldbackthewisecracks,wonderingwhytheyalwayscametomindwhenhefoundhimselfintrouble.

“Don’tpretendyoudon’tknowwhatI’mtalkingabout.I’minnomoodtoplaygames.”

She’dbeencrying.Heunderstoodthatnow.Redeyes.Fatigue.“Saysomething!”sheinsisted.Heshrugged.Shehadn’t lefthimmanyoptions:hehadno ideawhat she

wastalkingabout,buthadwarnedhimnottosayso.“Willa is not in school today, in case you haven’t heard.” Her eyes had

narrowedtolittlelasers.“Ididn’tknow,”hesaid.“No, of courseyoudidn’t,” she said sarcastically,makinghim feel like a

liar.Hisparentsdidthisallthetime—answeredtheirownquestionbeforegivingFinnachancetospeak.

“Shedoesn’tgohere,”heremindedher.HowwashesupposedtoknowthatWillahadskippedschool?Whywashesuddenlyresponsible?

“She’sinbed.Asleep.”Willa’smotherpuckeredherlipsasifabouttocry.“Asleep,asinunabletowakeup.LikeTerrenceMaybeckthattime.Youallhaveanameforit,Ibelieve?SleepingBeauty?Somethinglikethat.”

He felt like he’d been punched. “The Syndrome,” Finn croaked out.“SleepingBeautySyndrome.” Ithad tobesomethingelse—anythingelse.Theflu?Foodpoisoning?Thepanicstartedinhislegsasapainfulchillandrupturedthroughtherestofhim.THESYNDROME?DidWilla’smomhaveanyideaofwhat shewas suggesting? ForWilla to be in SBS, Philbywould have had tocrossherover.ForPhilbytocrossherover,hewouldhaveatleasttoldFinn,ifnotalltheKeepers.PhilbyhadnottoldFinn.SoeitherPhilbyhadturnedtraitor—herecalledWayne’sKimPossiblewarning!—orsomeoneelsehadcrossedherover. Exactly as had happened to Charlene. Both considerations were…terrifying.Whichonlydrovethecoldallthedeeperintohisbones.

“Now,youlistentome,youngman.”Finnfelthimselfgorigid.“TheImagineerssupposedlyrepairedtheDHIprogram.Theymetwithus

—the parents—and told us that this kind of thing—this crossing over, or

whatever you all call it—couldn’t happen again.Wouldn’t happen again. Butnowithas—tomydaughter—andIwantsomeanswers.”Shesniffledbacksometears.“IwantWillaback.She’salwayssaidyouweretheleader.Ihaveseveraloptions:thepolice,theImagineers,thehospital.WillamademepromisethatifanythinglikethiseverhappenedIwouldcometoyoufirst.SoIhave.Shetoldme that the Imagineers couldn’t help Terrence, and doctors onlymade thingsworseforDellPhilby.SobeforeItakethenextstep—hereIam,awaitingyourexplanation.”

Finncouldbarelybelievewhathewashearing.WhatifotherKeeperswereintheSyndromeandhedidn’tknowaboutit?WhatifhewastheonlyonenotintheSyndrome?Hehadn’tevenseenAmanda thismorningat school.Thecoldpanicownedhim.

“Well,youngman?”“I…ah…The thing is…” What was he supposed to say? He had more

questionsthanshehad.Allhewantedtodowasstarttexting—buthehadWilla’smom to contend with, and texting was illegal in school. He looked around,consideringleavingherstandingthereandskippingoutofschool.Hemuttered,“Yes,it’struethey…theImagineers…fixedtheDHIserver.”Atleasthethoughtthey had. “But there’ve been some glitches in the past couple days. Aweek,maybe.” His mouth uttered the explanations but his mind was elsewhere—Wayne’swarning,thephotooftheEvilQueenwithLuowskiandothers.Didshehave the kidsworking for her?A spellwould explain Luowski’s supernaturalstrength.

He continued, “The Imagineers—Wayne—warned Philby that stuff washappening. If you contact them—the Imagineers—they’ll back that up.As forstoppingit?Ifshe’sreallycrossedover—”

“If?Areyoucallingmealiar,youngman?”“Oh, come on!” Finn said, suddenly annoyed.Hewas half-crazedwith a

mind thatcouldn’tstop thinkingaboutamillion thingsatonce.Whywouldn’tshejustgoaway?“Listen:thesamethinghappenedtoCharlenetwonightsago.We haveno idea what’s going on.” That came out wrong. “We got Charleneback.WecangetWillaback.Butthisisnotus.Okay?”

Shecrossedherarmsdefiantly. “Ifyou think I amgoing to stand idlybywhilemydaughterisinacoma,youaregravelymistaken.”

He’d seen his own mother this way. Unpredictable, terror-ridden. PoorWilla!hethought.StuckinsomePark,notknowinghowshe’dgottenthere.DidtheOvertakershaveher?Why?Whatdidtheywant?

Justgoaway,wouldyou?hefeltlikeshouting.“Iwillcrossovertonightandfindher.I’llbringherback.Promise.”Hewas

promising somethinghecouldn’tnecessarilydeliver, andhe thought theybothknewit.Thepolice?Thathadbeenmentionedasherfirstoption.

HethoughtaboutWandabeingarrested,andnowitmadesomuchsense:ifthe Overtakers wanted to eliminate the competition, where would they start?WithWayne.WithWayne’sdaughter.Andthen,onebyone,theKeepers.

Hethoughtaboutthephoto—thegreen-eyedstudentswiththeEvilQueen.Hefeltashiverdowntohistoes.Theywereunderattack.He’dsaidthatto

her,butonlynowdidhefullygrasphisownwords.Itwasall-outwar,andtheKeeperswerelatetotheparty.

Heneededtosettledown, toprojectconfidence.Instead,hefeltparanoid.Terrified.Spooked.Buthehad tokeepher fromcomplaining to thepolice,oreventotheImagineers.TheSyndromewasnothingtomesswith—noteventheImagineersunderstooditthewaytheKeepersdid.

Hetriedtoexplain:“IfyougototheImagineers,thefirstthingthey’lldoisshutdowntheDHIserversineachPark.That’swhyshetoldyoutocometomefirst.Iftheserversareshutdownshe’sdone.”WasthatwhattheOTswanted?hewondered. To take the Keepers out of the picture by getting the entire DHIsystemshutdown?“She’s in theSyndrome.Shewantedyoutocometomesothatwe’dgogether.Letmedothat.PLEASE!It’swhatshewantstohappen.”

“Donottellmewhatmydaughterwants,”shesaid,thoughhecouldseeherprocessing everything he’d told her. She appraised him with a searching,skeptical eye. She said, “You have one night. Understand?After that, it’s thepolice,theImagineers,andthedoctors.”

“Okay,”hesaid.“Thankyou.”“Onenight.AndI’lltellyousomething:thisisgoingtobethelongestnight

ofmylife.”Tearsrandownhercheeks.Herlipstrembled.Shelookedsoafraid.“Forwhatit’sworth,she’sgonnabeokay.”Thewomansobbed.“Gotolunch,”shesaid,inhermotherlyway.Lunch?Finnthought.“Right,”hesaid,knowinghewouldheadstraightto

hislockerandstartsendingtexts.***

Wlla=SBSReturnherasap

Phones weren’t allowed in class, but you could use them outside onceschoolwasdismissed.Theworkaroundforthestudentswastokeeptheirphones

on vibrate in their lockers, where they would check them between classeswithoutbeingseen.Forthetenminutesbetweenclasses,thehallwayswerenowlesscrowded.Insteadofmassconfusion,ahundredkidshadtheirfacesplantedinsidetheirlockersastheysentandreceivedtexts.Bulliesandjockswouldtakeplastic rulers and run down the hallway slapping bottoms, an unpleasant buttoleratedpunishmentfortherighttocommunicate.Ifateacherapproached,thephone was replaced by a textbook, and the locker was closed. It was almostimpossibleforthemtobustakid.

WhenPhilby readFinn’s text,hebelieved it amistake,orworse,apranksentbyoneofthegreen-eyes.He’ddoublecheckedthenumber:itwasFinn.

Willacouldn’tbestuckintheSyndromebecause,likeCharlene,he’dnevercrossed her over. More to the point: he’d been monitoring the server’sbandwidth.Hehadanalarmset.Therehadbeennoalarmlastnight—therefore,WillahadnotcrossedintotheParksasherhologram.ButthenherememberedfindingElvisasleeponhis laptop.Late for thebus,he’dpushedElvisoffandhadshutthelaptop’slid,scoopeditoffhisdesk,andstuffeditintohisbackpackwithoutasecondthought.

Hefeltsick tohisstomach.Whenhe’dreopenedthe laptopatschoolhadtheDHImonitoringprogrambeenopen?Hecouldn’tremember.HewasthelastlineofdefenseagainsttheOvertakers.Hadhemessedup?HadhefailedWilla,ofallpeople?

HeraceddownthehalltoHugo’slocker,hisheadreadytoexplode.Willa?“I’vegottaborrowyourlaptop,”hesaid.Hewasn’tasking.“No,youdon’t,”Hugosaid.“Ineeditforscience.”Hugodidn’tevenlook

likeHugo.Somethingwasdifferentabouthim.Buteverythinglookeddifferent:The school hallway seemed about two feet wide. Philby’s world was allbackward.

“I’ll trade you.You can usemine,” he offered. “You have a data card. Idon’t.IneedInternetaccess.Ican’tbeontheschoolserver.Please!”

“What’sup?”“Keepersstuff.”“Suchas?”“Later.Igottadothisnow.I’vegotaclass.Please.”Hugoexchangedlaptops.Philby hurried into the boys’ room, locked himself in a stall, and set up

Hugo’s computer on his lap while sitting on a toilet seat. He used Hugo’swirelessdatacardtoconnecttotheInternet,enteredtheURLforthebackdoorintotheDHIserver,andtypedhislog-inpassword.

He navigated to the page where he could manually cause a Return—the

samesetof instructionsthatwereusedforthefobwheninsidetheParks—andtypedfrommemoryWilla’stwenty-six-characterIDstring.

Thewindowflashed.He’dlostthehandshake.Hedouble-checkedthedatacardconnection—allwasgood—andreentered

the URL, ready to start over. He reached the log-on page and reentered hispassword.

INCORRECTPASSWORD:ACCESSDENIED

Believinghemusthavetypedtoofast,hetriedagain.

INCORRECTPASSWORD:ACCESSDENIED

Now he had real problems: a third failure in a rowwouldmean he’d be

blockedfromtryingtoenterapasswordfortwenty-fourhours.Willadidn’thavetwenty-fourhours.Wondering if itmightbeaproblemwithHugo’sdatacard,PhilbydecidedthattheonlythingtodowastogettotheDHIserverinpersonandmakeanattemptatthepasswordfromthere.

HetextedFinn:

major problems. password not workin. callemergencymeeting

The rest of the school day dragged on impossibly slowly. Several times

Philbydebatedskipping,buthe’dneverdonethatinhislifeandhehadnodesiretobecaughtandgroundedforeternity.Thatwouldmakemattersevenworseforeveryone.Especiallyhim.HetradedbackcomputerswithHugobeforeseventhperiod,thankinghim.

He and Finn,Maybeck, and Charlene met at theMarble Slab ice creamshop. Charlene told them about the confrontationwith Sally Ringwald. She’dbeen too hyper to catch every last word, but she gave them all she couldremember. “Amanda will have the full four-one-one,” she said, “but what’simportant is thatSally isdefinitelyundersomekindofspell, there’s lotsmorewhereshecamefrom,andsomethingbigisgoingdownonSaturday.Forwhatit’sworth.”

“We’vegottomoveon,”ananxiousPhilbysaid.“Willa…”Itcameoutasamoan.“Thepointis,theserverpassword’snottaking,”heexplained.“Basically,I’mgoingtobelockedoutoftheserverifItryitremotelyagain,soI’vegotto

makeitcount.”“Whywouldn’tyourpasswordtake?”Maybeckasked.Hewasmetwiththreeblankfaces—oneofthemwithstrawberryicecream

onbothcornersofherlips.“Ifit’stheImagineers’securitykickingin,”Philbysaid,“it’snotsobad—

maybesomeonewouldhelpus.ButsomehowIdoubt itwitheverything that’sbeenhappening.I’vebeenthinkingaboutitallday.IlosttheconnectionafterIfirst logged on. I thought it was the data card—you know, like a cell phonedroppingout.Happensall thetime.Butit’spossible…maybenotprobable,butpossible…thatmy keystrokeswere captured. It’s possible that the systemwasresetrightafterI’dloggedoninordertobreakmyconnection.BythetimeIwasbackon,mypasswordhadbeenremoved,mybackdoorclosed.”

“TheOTs,”Charlenesaid.“Yeah.Theycouldhavebeenwaitingforme.”FinnquotedtheKimPossiblemission:“‘Everyoneneedsaservernowand

then.’YouthinkWaynewastryingtotellustheOTshadhackedtheserver?”“Theydidn’t likethatyoucameandgotme,”Charlenesaid.“Theyaren’t

abouttoallowthattohappenagain.”“Sotheyambushedus,”Maybecksaid.“Withoutaccess,withoutcontroloftheserver,wecan’tcrossover,”Philby

said.“TheonlywaywecanhelpWillaistoReturnher.We’vegottwochoices:wecaneitherhackbackintotheserver,orwecangointotheParks,trytofindher,andthenusethefobtoReturnher.”

“Goodluck,”Maybecksaid.“Wedon’tknowwhichPark.Wedon’tknowwheresheisinwhateverParkshe’sin.Thatcouldtakeyears.”

Maybeck’sDHI had been locked up in amaintenance cage inside SpaceMountain.Hemightneverhavebeenfoundthere.

“If I hack the server,we’ll knowwhichPark she’s in,” Philby reminded.“Theactivitylogwilltellus.”

“But,”Finnsaid,“inorder tosee theactivity logwe—you—have tohacktheserver.Sowehavetogettotheserverasus.NotDHIs.Right?Imean,wecan’t cross over because we’ve lost access to the server, which is the wholepoint.”

“Right,”Philbyconfirmed.“Wegoinasus.Hopefully,Igetusbackonline.Afterthatwecancrossover,ifthat’swhatwehavetodo.”

Maybeckcursedandpushedawayfromthetable,disgusted.“Thisrots,”hesaid. “We’ve got to get her back.What are we waiting for?We can use ouremployeepasses.WegetPhilbointotheserverroomandlethimdohisthing.IftheReturndoesn’twork from there,wego intowhateverParkandwegether

back. I’vebeen there—in theSyndrome.Sohaveyou,Philbo. It sucks.We’vegottodothis.”

WaynehadsuppliedthemwithemployeecardsthatallowedthemtoentertheParksasCastMembers.Theyrarelyusedthem,keepingthemforthiskindofemergency.

“My mother expects me home,” Charlene said. “I have an orthodontistappointmentthisafternoon.Icouldsneakoutlater,butifImissthatappointmentshemightstartcallingyourparents.”

“Jellywillcoverforus,”Maybecksaid.“Sheknowswhatit’sliketohaveakidstuckintheSyndrome.Trustme,shewouldn’twishthatonanyone.Youcanalltellyour’rentsyou’recomingtomyplacetostudyforanexam.”

“Wearen’tinexams,”Philbypointedout.“Yeah,okay. Igotyou.Butyou thinkyourparentsknowthat?”Maybeck

said.***

Arielhadcomeandgone,butbasicallystayedthroughthenightwithWillaonthewatertower.WiththesunriseshemovedWillathroughwaterpipestowhatshecalled“thegrotto.”AsaDHI,Willawasstuck inherpajamas,whichwasgoingtomakeitaproblemtoblendin.Shespentthedayinhiding,hatchingaplan.

IfsheweregoingtoReturn,sheneededtheall-importantfob.ButthefobwascurrentlyhiddeninEpcot,andshe’dbeensentintotheStudios.BetweenthetwoParkswasaseaofDHIshadow—anareathatlackedDHIprojectors.Thiswouldbetoheradvantage:DHIshadowmeantshe’dbeinvisibleformostofthepath that connectedEpcot to the Studios.As long as she could get out of theStudioswithoutbeingspotted,thiswasdoable.She’dgetovertoEpcot,findthefob,andReturn.Thenightmarewouldbeover.

“Icandothis,”Willatoldherself.She’dleavetheStudiosatsunsetwhenthe lightwas soft andherDHIqualitiesmoredifficult to spot.Theoccasionalsparkle.Theblueoutline.

Home.Herbed.Hermom.Almosttoogoodtobetrue.Shecouldn’twait.The Parks experienced a big turnover around dinnertime: kids got tired;

adultsgothungry.Epcotwasaneveningfavorite—terrificfoodandaspectacularfireworksdisplay.EnteringEpcotwouldnotbeeasy:shehadnopassorticket,nomoney,andworse,shewasahologramwearingpajamas.

“I’m leaving,” she told Ariel. “I’m going to try to get out of the gateswithoutbeingseen.”

“Icanhelpyou.”“You’vedonesomuchformealready.I’llbefine.”

“I can pose for photographs and autographs, provide a distraction. Adiversion,IthinkEriccallsit.”

Itwasthefirsttimeshe’dmentionedEric.“Sohe’s…real?Imean,asfarascharactersgo.”“Eric?”Arielblushed.“Oh,he’sveryreal.Asrealasrealcanbe.Butthey

keephimintheMagicKingdom.He’spartofthestageshowthere.Infrontofthecastle.Werarelyseeeach

other.”WillawonderediftherewasanotherArielintheMagicKingdom,orifthat

onewasonlyaCastMember.WonderedifErichadallthemermaidcompanyhewanted,whileshesatherepiningforhim.

“Adiversionmighthelp.”“Consideritdone.”“Don’t you need a handler tomake an appearance? Someone who takes

careofyou?”Willaasked.“Thehandlerscomeandgo,deargirl.Who’stheonewho’sbeendoingthis

alltheseyears?IthinkIcanmanage.”“Butwon’tyougetintrouble?”“That’stheidea,isn’tit?Themoretrouble,thebetterthediversion.”“Ican’tletyoudothatforme.”“Actually,youcan’tstopme,”saidAriel.Shewasbeaming.“Ihaven’thad

thiskindoffunin…well…probablylongerthanyou’vebeenalive.”Willalookedather—Arielwasmaybesixteenorseventeen.“Youneverget

anyolder.”Shehadn’tthoughtofwhatitwasliketobeacharacter,notaCastMember.Thecharactersdidn’tchange,whiletheImagineers,handlers,andstaffcame and went. Year after year, it was the same shows, the same posing forphotos and signing autographs. It had to drive the characters half-crazy. NowondertheOvertakerswererebelling.

Arielhungherhead,clearlysaddenedbythereminder.“No,”Arielsaid.Asshelookedup,acoygrinplayedacrossherface.“Not

older,butIdogetwiser.”***

Ariel’s appearance at the frontgatedid the trick.Excitedguests encircledher,winningtheattentionofSecurityguards.WillajoinedthemassofdepartingParkvisitorsandlefttheParkunnoticed.

Soonshewaswalking in thedirectionofEpcot.Mosteveryoneelse rodethe monorail or the buses. Only she and a few others walked. When Willanoticed her hand and arm sparkling, she stopped to let others pass. She hadreachedtheedgeoftheDHIprojectioncoverage.Afewmoreyardsandpieces

ofherimagewoulddecay,leavingholesinher,ormissinglimbs.Shewouldbehuman Swiss cheese, and would likely have guests either lining up forautographs,orcalling911.

So she moved up into the flowers and shrubs that hid a cyclone fence.Remaining amid the plants, she continued on, paralleling the sidewalk. Herelbowandpartofher shoulderdisappeared.Her left leg, from thekneedown,vanished. For a moment, she was a set of headless pajamas. Finally, shevanishedcompletely.

DHIshadowwasaweirdstate:shecouldhear,thoughnottouch.Shecouldsee, though narrowly, as if though a camera lens. Whatever this state wastechnically,itwasn’tperfect.OncewhileinDHIshadowsheandtheothershadbeen able to pick up sand from the floor of a tepee. There seemed to beexceptionstothephysicallawsofnature.Philbyexplainedtheseashavingtodowiththesurvivalinstinct,comparingthemtoamotherpickingupandmovingacarthatpinnedherchild,orafatherheavingaslabofconcreteasideasifitwereStyrofoam.

Backonthesidewalknow,infullDHIshadow,Willapickedupthepace,walkingfaster.Sheapproachedafamilycomingatherandmovedintothegrasstoavoidthem.

Oneofthetwoyoungkids,agirlnoolderthaneight,letoutayip.“Ghosts,Mommy!Ghosts!Iheardaghost!”“Oh, shush,Ginny,” thewoman said.To her husband she complained, “I

toldyouthatridewouldscarethem!”Hemumbledsomethingastheycontinuedon.Achillpassedthroughher.Howmanytimesasachildhadshefeltaghost

intheroom?Howmanytimes,whentakingthetrashoutatnight,hadshefeltsomeonewatchingthroughthedark?ForhowlonghadDHIsbeenaround?shewondered.

HerhologrambeganreappearingasshenearedtheBoardWalk.Herimagesparkledandsputtered.Somekidspointedather,makingfunofherpajamas.Acouple of girls recognized her as a Disney Host Interactive from the MagicKingdom. They approached her for her autograph. Willa explained DHIscouldn’tsignautographs,andallowedthegirlstowavetheirarmsthroughher.

FreeoffearandstillinherDHIstate,shestrayedoffcourseafewminuteslaterandwalkedthroughafence,joiningaroadwaybehindtheEiffelTower.

Itwas only amatter of reaching the fob now.Duskhad settled. Itwouldsoonbedark.Shewasperhapsaquartermilefromthefountainplaza.FromtheReturn.Fromhome.

Shesetoffinthatdirectionindeterminedstrides.

WITH ONLY AN HOUR TO GO before theMagic Kingdom closed for the night,Finn, Philby, and Maybeck used the employee passes to enter, which didn’tregister on the computer system and allowed them to avoid the front gates.Operations Management prohibited them from entering any of the Parks asthemselves without prior approval, and now they risked being spotted. Forcamouflage,allthreeworeasclosetothesameclothesastheirprojectedDHIswore.Thisway,they’dbemistakenastheirownDisneyHosts.Buttheyweren’tperfectly identical costumes:Maybeck had, for some reason, chosen a pair ofdarksocks;Finnnolongerownedtherunningshoeshe’dwornwhenmodelingforhisDHIsohewaswearingtheblackoneshe’dcoloredwithaSharpie.

Theywalked slowly, sideby side,behind thebuildingsonMainStreet inthe direction of Cinderella Castle. They appeared relaxed and self-confident,neveraproblemforMaybeck.

As theyhappenedpastotherCastMembers theyheardcomments trailingbehind them like, “Can you believe how real those things look?” The threefoughttokeepsmilesofftheirfaces.

TheMagicKingdomhadbeenbuiltatopaseriesofinterconnectingtunnelscalledtheUtilidor.ThroughthesetunnelspassedCastMembersandelectricgolfcartsthatservedassmalltrucks.ControlofthePark’stechnologywashandledfromofficesintheUtilidor,whichincludedamassivecomputerserverroom,thebrainsofthePark.ThiswastheKeepers’destination.

Multiple backstage Cast-Member-only entrances to the Utilidor existedthroughoutthePark.AsthethreeapproachedtheentrancejustbehindtheMainStreet icecreamparlor,MaybeckblockedFinnandPhilby,pushing thembackagainstthewall.

“Pirates!”FinnandPhilbyspottedthem:apairofpiratescasuallytalkinginfrontofa

doubledoorwayupahead.“That’sthedoortotheUtilidor,”ProfessorPhilbysaid.

“Overtakers?”Finnsaid.“Must be,”Maybeck agreed. “They’re guarding the entrance, just in case

wecomealongtospoilalltheirfun.”“WecouldtrytheentrancebySplashMountain,”Finnsuggested.“We’dhavetocrosstheentireParktogetthere,”Philbysaid.“Andifthese

guysareguardingthisone,othersareprobablyguardingthatone,too.”“Weneedanotherwayin,”Maybecksaid.“Howdoyouguysfeelaboutgettingfilthydirty?”Finnasked.Heledthemthroughthecrowdedparkinglot,stayingasfarawayfromthe

pirates as possible. As they neared a full-length mirror at the Cast MemberentranceintothePark,afoulsmelloverpoweredthem.AmessageonthemirrorreadMakeitamagicaldayforourguests!

***“Whatthe…?”Maybecksaid.“Stink…eee!”

“Shh!Keepyourvoicedown,”saidFinn.Buttheconstantroartotheirrightcovered their voices. He led them toward that noise: an area just before CastMembers entered the Park, tucked behind a plywood screen with emptycardboard boxes piled in a corner and a large pipe, three feet in diameter,stickingoutoftheconcrete.

“Brilliant!”saidPhilbyasherealizedwheretheywere.Maybeckfocusedonthepipe.Ithadaweightedlidandwassurroundedby

warningsigns.“Noway,”hesaid.“Youarenotgettingmedownthere.”“That’llwork,” saidFinn. “Weneedyou to standguard.Weall haveour

phones.”“Iwouldn’tcountonoursworkingdownthere,”Philbycautioned.“Macbeth,”Finnsaid,tryingtogetbackatMaybeckforallthenicknames

hecalledhim,“willstayupheretokeepaneyeonthepirates.You’lltextusifyouseeanychange in them,because itmaymean trouble forus.PhilbyandIwilltrytogettotheserverroom.”

Maybecksaid,“SoItextifIseesomethingawkwarduphere.Isthatall?”“No,”saidPhilby.“Youseethisredstopbutton?”“Kindofhard tomiss,”Maybecksaid.Theplasticemergencybuttonwas

huge.“Ifyouhearthesystemrestart,thenyouhitthatbutton.”Finn added, “We’d rather not get sucked through the systemand spit out

intothecompactor.It’suptoyoutoseethatdoesn’thappen.”“Could be bad for our health,” said Philby. “As in, fatal. The wind

generated to suck the trash out of thePark reaches sixtymiles an hour in thepipe.That’salmosthurricanespeed.”

“Gotit,”saidMaybeck.“Hittheredbutton.Killthewind.”“Seriously,”Philbysaid.“Redbutton.Easyenough.”“Okaythen,”FinnsaidtoPhilby.“Ready?”“AsI’lleverbe,”saidPhilby.Finnpunchedtheredbutton.Theroargroundtoastop.Philbyliftedtheheavylidandthesmellintensified.“Gladit’syouguysgoingdownthereandnotme,”Maybecksaid,pinching

hisnose.“We won’t have long,” Philby warned. “Engineering Base over in the

Studioswill seeawarning that the system’sdown.They’ll try a restartbeforeanythingelse.”

“So…I’ll go first.”Finn’s onlyother time in the trash systemhadbeen alongtimeago.Maleficenthadbeenchasinghim.He’dbeenterrified.

He climbed over the sticky edge into the steel pipe, while Philby andMaybeckheldopenthelid.Maybeck’sfacewaspuckeredindisgustastheputridodorsofrottingtrashwaftedup.

Finnletgoanddropped.Hefellafewfeet,landinginsomewetslopatthebottom of a similar-size steel pipe that ran parallelwith the surface.A tunnelwithinthetunnel.

“Outoftheway!”Philbysaid.Thepipewastoosmalltocrouchandstayontwofeet.Finnwasforcedto

droptohandsandkneesamidthesticky,disgustinggooofoldgarbage.Hecalledbackcoarsely,“Youmightwanttogetyourflashlightoutbefore

youputyourhandsinthisstuff.”Philbydropped inbehindhim, flashlighton.Finn’sshadowspreadbefore

him amid the garbage and debris that adhered to every inch of the pipe—wrappers,crushedcupsandcans,chewinggum,rubberbands,grotesquerottingremnants of formermeals, banana peels, turkey leg bones, and every kind ofplasticcontainerevermade,mostofthemunrecognizable.Thesmellonlygrewworsethefarthertheycrawled.Finnheldhisbreathforaslongaspossible,butaninhalewasinevitable,andwhenitcame,ittastedlikehewaseatingtrash.

“IthinkI’mgoingtopuke,”Philbysaidfrombehindhim.“Goahead.Itmightimprovethesmell.”“BynowBasehas tried toreset.That’ll takeacoupleofminutes tobe in

effect.WhenMaybeck pulls a second emergency stop they’ll send a team toinvestigate.Weneed to be out of here by then.This thing is basically awindtunnel.”

Philbycould recite the statistics,butFinnhadexperienced the trashpipe.

WhatPhilbydidn’tseemtograspwasthepowerofthatsuction.Ifthetrashbagsweremovingatsixtymilesanhour,thetwoofthemwouldbealso.Somethingswere better left unsaid. He picked up the pace, though it wasn’t exactly fastgoing.Theslimecoatingthetubewastheconsistencyoftar.Hiskneesandthepalms of his hands stuck to it like a fly to flypaper. Eachmovementmade asuckingandslurpingnoise.

“Hurryitup!”Philbysaid.“I’mtrying.”“Itsmellslikemyfather’sbeef-jerkyfarts.”“TMI.”Finn paused at the first intersection—a pipe ran off to the left. Professor

Philbyhadtotakeacloserlookhimself.Heshinedtheflashlightatthewallsoftheconnectingpipe.

“Hair,”hesaid,pointingoutclumpsofwhatlookedlikesteelwoolstucktothesurface.“Thebeautyparlor iscloseby.Theserverroomisupaheadat thenextintersection.Itshouldbearecyclingstation.”

Finnwasgoingtoaskwhyarecyclingstationwouldbeconnectedtoatrashsystem, but he knew better than to challenge Philby. For one thing, Philby’sexplanationscouldrunonthelongside.Finnsloggedahead,sodisgustedwiththeoozethathebeganwalkingonhiselbowsratherthansinkinghishandsintoit.

“We’retooslow.We’retakingtoolong,”Philbywarned.Andjustlikethat,a clunk was heard, like a grumbling in the belly of a beast. The systemwasrestarting.

“Okay,that’swhatweexpected.”Philbytriedtosoundcalm.Hishairstucktothegooonthewalls.“Now,allthatneedstohappenisforMaybecktotriptheemergencystopagain.”

Finnconsideredtryingtosendatext,butlookedatthelayeroftarlikegooonhishands—something theyhadn’t considered.Nonetheless,he reached intohispocketforhisphoneasthewindliftedthehairoffhishead.

Zerobars:noservice.“Oh,perfect,”hesaid.

***Maybeck understood his assignment: keep an eye on the two pirates; stop thesystem if it restarted.Pieceof cake.WhatPhilbyhadonlyvaguelymentionedwas thaton-site engineersmight seek immediateanswers to their trash systemshuttingdown.Despitethecasual,playful,magicalimpressiontheParkshadonvisitors,intruththeywererunmorelikeaNASAmission.Therewereteamsofexpertstotackleandinstantlysolveanykindofproblem—fromthelettuceina

restaurant going brown, to the intricacies of staging the three o’clock paradeeachday; theeveningfireworks; thestreetbands; thestageshows.Therewereenoughmaintenanceemployees to forma small army.Twoof thesemenwereradio-dispatchedbyEngineeringBasetoinvestigateanemergencystopatURS-3—UtilidorRefuseStation#3.

Luckily, Maybeck heard them coming before they saw him. They werecomplaining to each other about what kind of knucklehead would pull anemergencystoponthetrashsystem.Theywerejustontheothersideofthetrasharea’splywoodbarrier asheheard them.He turned,dropped tohishandsandknees,andburroweddeeplyintothepileofcardboardrecycling.

Hestaredoutfromhishidingplaceasthetwomaintenanceguysinspectedthedoorthatsealedthetrashdrop,aswellastheelectronicboxthathousedtheredemergencystopoverride.

“I don’t see nothing wrong,” said the shorter of the two. He was thick-bonedandheavysetandhadavoicelikeadoggrowling.

PhilbyhadsaidthesystemwouldberestartedthefirsttimeremotelyfromEngineeringBase.He’dbeenwrong—ararity.

“Nah,” said the other, a taller, leaner man. “Some wise guy’s idea of apracticaljoke.”

The short guy grabbed his radio. “Good to goURS-three. Repeat: greenlightforURS-threerestart.”

“Roger,that,”cameawoman’svoiceovertheradio.Amomentlater,Maybeckfeltathunkunderfoot.Thesystemhadrestarted.

***Willa,herDHIriddledwithstatic,movedcarefully throughthebackstageareabehindFrance,takingcaretoscreenherselfbehindtrailers,vehicles,andpiecesofstaging.Hypersensitiveabouthowshestoodoutwearingpajamas,shewantedtoavoidbeingseenasmuchaspossible.Ifkidsrecognizedher,she’dbemobbedandshe’dhavetorole-playasaDisneyHost.AnotherWillaguide—dressedinlederhosen—was currently somewhere inEpcot,which could explain her owncurrentprojectionproblems.Willa’sownhologramwould likely improveonceEpcotwas closed and the regularDHIswere turned off for the night, but shedidn’twanttowait.Shehadafewhundredyardstocoverinordertoreachthepin-tradingstationbythefountain.TheReturn.ThemostdirectroutewastojointheseaofParkvisitors,buttheideaterrifiedher.

She knew that if she looked scared and out of place, she would appearvulnerable: If she looked confident and comfortable, despite the pajamas, shewouldfitrightin.Afterall,newlywedswentaroundtheParksinmouseearsand

bridalveils.Onascaleof1to10,pajamasbarelyregistered.She briefly hid behind a Food and Wine Festival station, gathering her

courage.Thenshesteppedoutandconfidently joinedthehordes.ShewasinacourtyardinFrance,thelakestraightahead.TherewereshopstoherrightandaFrench bakery. Benches to her left. Trees and raised islands of flowers in thecenter of the oblong, cobblestoned plaza. Music filled the air—pieces of thesound track toTheHunchbackofNotreDame. It had an inviting and calmingeffect. The music surrounded her and made her feel at peace. She loved theParks when they were open and filled with families and brimming withhappiness.Hertoesandfingerstingled.Herbluelinegrewsolid—shewaspureDHI.

Inhereuphoria,shefailedtolookwhereshewasgoing,andwalkedrightthrough a raised flowerbed, comingout theother side.Somekids recognizedher immediately and approached, crowding her, asking for photographs andautographs. She had to agree or riskmaking an even bigger scene as visitorscomplained. She posed for some photographs, explained politely that as ahologramshecouldn’tsignautographs,andhopedtogetaway.Cameraflashesblindedher.Kidsbubbledwithenthusiasm.

“Overhere!”amothercalledout.Willa looked in that direction—toward the bakery. Above the woman’s

shouldershesawacourtjesterinagreenfeltcostumeandclownmakeup.Thejester stared at her, but not in admiration.More like a policeman watching asuspect.

Assheheardtheorganizedsoundsofsynchronizedmarchingapproach,sheknew she was in trouble. Epcot was not a place for goose-stepping soldiers.Twelve costumed cathedral guards appeared from around the corner. JudgeFrollo’sguards,shethought.Overtakers.Theymarchedstraightforher.

“Excuseme,” she said to agroupofkids, “but Ihave togo. Ihear thoseguardswillgiveyoucandyifyouholdontothemanddon’tletgo.”

Thekidssquealedandtookoff,shoutingattheguards.Willa walked quickly toward the bridge leading to the United Kingdom.

Therhythmicfootfallsstoppedasthekidsassaultedtheguards.Again,sheheardhername ripple through thecrowdasmorepeople identifiedher.Thingsweregoing badly.What had seemed like such a short distance now felt likemiles.SpaceshipEarthlookedsotinyanddistantallofasudden.

Behindher,aFrench-accentedguardcalledout,“Cleartheway!Clearthepath!”Apparently,notalloftheguardshadbeensidelinedbythekids.

Disneyvisitorsweretoopolite:theyclearedapathbehindher.Willaglancedback;theguardsweregainingground.

Thecrowdaheadnowgrewthickerasthewalkwaynarrowed.Shedodgedherwaythroughpedestrians,butwasn’tincreasingherlead.Behindher,Frollo’sguardscontinuedtheirrelentlesspursuit.

Only as she lost her balance and bumped into a baby carriage did sherealizethevalueofherbeingaDHI.Amomentearliershe’dwalkedthroughtheflowerisland;sheneededtogettoallclear.

Sheallowedthemusictoownher,letitcarryherawaytowhereshe’dbeenonly moments before; music was the elixir for her; music was her cure. Thetinglingofherfingerssignaledher transformation,andshebroke intoasprint,runningthroughanythinginfrontofher—people,strollers,itdidn’tmatter.Withher approach, startled guests jumped back, only to have her run right throughthem.Kidscheered.Adultsshoutedstartledcomplaints.

But she left the guards behind. No matter how they tried, they weren’tgoing to catch her. Twicemore, she settled and focused on themusic. Twicemore,shewentallclear.

Willapassed theCanadianpavilion, still a longway from theReturn,butgainingwitheachstep.Herconfidenceincreased:shewasgoingtomakeit.

Thefountainandplazacameintoview.Almostthere!Butthen,appearingfromaroundthefountain,ahalf-dozenSegways—notCTDs,butParkSecurity.

Herhologram’sblueoutlinehadfadedslightly.Shecouldn’tallowthemtoscare her, couldn’t allow her DHI to weaken—to become even fractionallymortal.Thepathsplitjustahead:directlyinfrontofher,thefountain;totheleft,apathwayleadingbehindInnoventionsWest,withaccesstoTheLandandTheSeas.Shetookthisalternateroute,hiddenfromtheSecurityteam.

From behind her came the steady tromp, tromp, tromp of the cathedralguards.

She reminded herself that she only needed to reach the Return. Willaclearedherthoughtsandwatchedherblueoutlinegrowmoresolid.IfshecouldtrustherDHIshecouldchargethepin-tradingstation,grabtheReturn,andsendherselfback.Soclosenow.

Shefollowedthepathtotheright,thepin-tradingstationstraightahead.“Youthere!”amanshouted.Arrivingtothefob’shidingplace,shejumpedtoreachintotheintersection

ofsupportpipes.Empty!Shetriedthenextsteelsupport,realizingshemusthavethewrongpost.Empty!“YOU!”anotherman’sdeepvoiceshouted.“STOP!”Shetriedathirdcolumn.Nothing!Thenext.

TheSegwaysrolledtowardher.Thecathedralguardsclosedinfrombehind.Hermindreeled.WherewastheReturn?WherehadPhilbyandFinnputit?

Howwasshesupposedtogetbackwithoutit?Shecouldn’tstaytherebummingoverit.Sheneededtohide.Sheneeded…SpaceshipEarth.Itsgeodesicconstructionrose180feetintothenightsky.

Maybeinsidethedomeshe’dfindaplacetohide,ormaybeshe’dturnouttobeinDHIshadow?

Sheturnedandran,themenbehindhercallingafterhertostop.Notlikely.

***Philby looked back into the strongwind.A Parkmap landed on his face andwrappedaroundhimlikeaveil.

Littersplatteredhim.As thewindtunnelrestarted, the lightest itemswereliftedfirst, followedbyincreasinglyheavierones.Duckingthelargerpiecesofairborne trashwas like something from a video game. Finn and Philby didn’tdare turn theirbackson theonslaught for fearofmissingsomethingreallybigand dangerous. So they faced into it, crawling backward as quickly as theirkneesandhandswouldcarrythem.

“Incoming,” Philby announced.He flattened himself as a constellation ofaluminumcanscamedownthepipe.

OnestruckFinnontheshoulder.“Oww!”“Don’t let one bean you,” Philby warned. “It could probably knock you

out.”Neither boy was amused. Now came plastic knives, forks, and spoons.

Paperplates,morecans.Thehalf-eaten turkeybonescameat them likespearsandarrows.Fruitandvegetablewasteandallmatterofwetstuff.Finally, theycouldn’ttakeit.Theyhadnochoicebuttoturntheirbackstothesteadystreamforfearofhavingtheireyespokedout.

Theforceofairgrewstronger,rufflingtheirclothingandhair.Theamountof loose garbage was overwhelming. It smashed into them, sticking to theirclothingandbareskin.Finnslappedawayaplasticforkthatadheredtohisear.Astickyrainpeltedthem—ketchup,soda,coldcoffee,andsoup.

“Hurry!”Philbyshouted,asatumblingsoundarosefromdownthepipe.Thefirstofthegarbagebags.Itsoundedlikeitwasrollingatthemoment,

but soon it would be lifted and carried by wind; soon it would be a missileheadedforthem.

“That’s it!” Philby announced, shining his flashlight ahead of them,highlightinganintersectionofpipe.

Abag crashed into Philby, careened off the pipewall, and knocked Finnsideways,flatteningbothboys.Theyclamberedtotheirhandsandkneesonlytobebowledoverbythenext.Andanotherafterthat.

AnychanceofFinngoingallclearwasout.Thesituationwasterrifying.Thebagsfeltlikerockswhentheyhit.EachtimeFinnmanagedtogethis

legsandarmsunderhim,anotherbagknockedhimover.Thepipeintersectionjustaheadseemednocloser.

“Where’sMaybeck?”Finncalledout.“WeneedMaybeck!”***

Maybeckcouldn’tbelievethatthetwoEngineeringguyswouldjuststandthere,hangingoutbythetrashdump.Hecouldfeeltherumbleunderhisfeet,knewthesystemwas engaged.He couldpictureFinn andPhilby like sodabubbles in astrawgettingsuckedtowardthetrashcompactor.

Hewatchedas theshorterguygrabbedhis radio.“Awaiting instructions,”hesaid.

“Rogerthat,”camebackavoice,thinly.“We’rewaitingonBase.”“Copy.”Thetwoguyswereobviouslyinnohurry—wereusedtowaiting.Maybeckeyedtheredemergencystopbutton,wonderingwhattodo.

***Willa ran up the long ramp leading into Spaceship Earth, out of breath. TheSegways,riddenbySecurityguards,wereonlyyardsbehindher.Sheslidlikeabaseball player under the chains blocking the entrance, scrambled to her feet,andtookoffrunningagain.Behindher,theSecurityguardshadtodismounttheSegways,costing thempreciousseconds.Behind them, thephalanxofFrollo’scathedral guards followed up the ramp. The Security men turned to face themarchingunit.“Stop!”oneofthemhollered,raisinghisoutstretchedpalm.He’dneverbeeninthissituationbefore.

Marchingguards?He had no ideawhat to do. “This attraction is closed.TheParkisclosingforthenight.ReportbacktoOperationsManagement.”

The guards stood there in formation, their eyes straight ahead like truesoldiers.Notoneofthemsaidathing.

“Didyouhearme?”theSecurityguysaid.“Fun’sover.”The lead guard signaled his group forward. They marched toward the

Securityman.“Whattheheck?”theSecuritymancomplained.Willahurried through thedark, crestfallen to lookdownand seeherown

feet.SpaceshipEarthwasnotinDHIshadow.The ridewas running, though its seatswereempty.TheParkwasclosing

downforthenight.Sheclimbedaboardthefirstcarthatpassed.First things first: shewould hide until she came upwith a plan.At their

meeting they’d discussed why Charlene had been crossed over into the Park.Philby had thought it was to debrief her as a spy. But now a second, moreinsidiousmotivepresented itself: byputtingCharlene intoEpcot andknowingshewould try to escape, theOTs could follow her to the Return and steal it.Without theReturn, andwithoutPhilby’sbackdooron the server, anyKeeperwhocrossedoverwouldhavenowayback.Crossing themoveroneat a timemadesomuchsense:whenworkingasateamtheKeepershadneverfailed,butas individuals they were far more vulnerable. They would be stuck in theSyndrome.Lockedinacomaintheirbedsathome.

Notjustovernight.Butforever.

***TheflashlightfelloutofPhilby’shandasthenextbagoftrashstruckhimdown.Intheswirlinglight,Finnwatchedabulgingtrashbagapproachatthespeedofcannon fire.Heducked,and it flewoverhead.The flashlight rolledathis feet.Finn lunged for it, butmissed.Affronted by awindstorm of sloppy trash anddeadlybags,heinchedtowardtheintersectionofpipes.

“Philby?!”hecried.Thewindinthetunnelwasatfullspeed—hurricaneforce.Finnwassliding

backward, clawing at the goop, tryingnot to lose trackofPhilby.Suddenly, ahandappeared.Finngrabbedit.HefelthimselfbrakedasheandPhilbyjoinedhands—Philby had caught on to the edge of the intersection. Together theystrainedtoholdon,Finnrepeatedlystruckbyflyingtrashbags.Thenthewindallbutstopped.HeandPhilbywereintheadjoiningpipe.

Lightshonethroughacircularcrackafewyardsahead.Philby saw it, too. “That’s the way out! The system has supplementary

pressurizationstations,”ProfessorPhilbyexplained.“Therearedozensofextrafansalongtheroute.Allconnectingpipesmustbeairtight.”

“Maybeanothertime,”Finnsaid.Philby led Finn to the end of the short section of pipe. Together they

managed to unlock andpushopen amaintenancedoor against the dragof thewind. Philby used a plastic bottle to jam the bottom of the door open. Finnclimbedoutfirst,downametalladder.Philbyfollowed.Theywerebehindheavyequipment,acardboardcompactor,inanalcoveofftheUtilidor.

The boys were disgusting—covered in a layer of stinking brown sludgefromheadtotoe.“Wecannotjustwalkouttherelikethis,”Finnsaid.“Howareweevergoingtopullthisoff?”

Philby’seyes tickedbackand forth—theprofessoratwork.Hepokedhishead through a network of smaller pipes. “Got something,” he said, crawlingthrough.Hereturnedamomentlaterwithasmall,greasyhandtowel.Theytookturnscleaningeachother’sface.

“We’re still amess,”Finn said, indicatinghis clothes. “I’m like a humanbooger.”

“Thisisacardboardrecyclingstation.”“Yeah?So?”“It’sclosingtime.Everyonewantstogethome.Youthinkanyone’sgoing

to look twice at a couple of kids coming down the hall wearing cardboardboxes?”

“Ilikeit!”The boys snuck around to the side where dozens of collapsed cardboard

boxes leaned against the wall. Philby sized up two of them, and the boysreassembledthem,overlappingtheflapstomakethemsquareandsturdyagain.Philbythentoresectionsoutoftheflaps:oneforFinn’sneck,andoneforeachofhis legson theoppositeendof thebigbox. Itwasmarkeddoritos.Philby’swassunchips.Theygotpastthemachinery,andPhilbyquicklyhelpedFinnintohisboxsothatithungonhisshouldersandendedjustabovehisknees,makingwalking awkward. Philby climbed into his box, but had trouble getting thebottomflapsclosed.Finntriedsquattingbut itdidnogood—hewasjustabigcardboardbox.Finally,Philbygaveup.Hisboxhung fromhis shoulderswithhishead stickingout,but thebottom flapshungdown,movingwithhis everystep.

WithFinnwalkingawkwardlyinthelead,thetwoboysmovedoutintothethirty-foot-wide Utilidor tunnel joining dozens of Cast Members. Philby hadbeenright:noonegaveapairofmovingboxesasecondthought.

Twenty yards later, they reached a set ofwindows on their left.Venetianblindsdrawnfromtheinside.Theywalkedpast.

“Theserverroom,”Philbyhissedfrombehind.Finndidn’tneedtobereminded.He’dbeenheremorethanonce.Thelast

time,acertaingreen-skinnedfairyhadbeenhereaswell.Philbytriedtogethiseyetothewindowattheedgeoftheblindsohecould

seethrough,buttheboxwastoobiganditblockedhimfromleaninginclose.Heturnedtotheside,butagaintheboxblockedhimfromseeingin.

Suddenly, the door swung open. Finn spun around and said to Philby,“Here, I’ll fix it foryou.”He spunPhilbyandhisboxaround,mainly tohidetheirfaces.

Three CastMembers came out of the server room, saying good-night to

eachother.Twoofthemwishedtheotheragoodvacation,andthemanthankedthem.Finn turnedbackas thedoorwasshutting.Hegota look into theroom,seeingnoone.Butthen,reflectedoffthedoor’ssafetyglass,hecaughtsightofamanatadesk.

“There’sstillatleastoneguyinthere.Atadeskoveronthefarsideoftheroom.”

“Well,wecan’tjuststandaroundhere.We’vegottodosomething.”Finnsaid,“Thesmellscomingoutofthisboxaregoingtomakemepuke.

We’dbetterkeepmoving.”Theboyscontinuedontowardanexitwherepeopledressedinstreetclothes

were leaving.Golfcarts ladenwitheverythingfrombottledwater toPiratesofthe Caribbean muskets streamed past. TheMagic Kingdom was shifting intomaintenancemode.Storesandrestaurantswouldberestocked.Therewouldbepainting and carpentry, cleaning, andpolishing carried outwithin thePark forthenextseveralhours.Theboyshadtoreachtheserver,gainaccess,determinewhichParkWillawasin,andlauncharescueattempt.Everysecondcounted.

Behind them, the server room door opened and twomen came out. Thesecondonecheckedtomakesurethedoorwaslocked,andthetwosaidgood-night.

“Canyoumanageallclear?”Philbyasked.“Maybeforafewseconds.”“Unlockthedoorandletmein.”Finn nodded. They stood in front of the door. Willa needed him, Finn

remindedhimself.He closedhis eyes andpictured the train coming.Whenheopenedthemagain,thebluelineshimmeredaroundhisfilthysleeve.Hesteppedthrough theboxand thecloseddoor into theserver room.The lightswereoff.Noonewasthere.Good.

Ten seconds later, he watched the blue line fade until it was gone. HereachedoutandunlockedthedoorforPhilby.

A fewminutes later, two cardboard boxeswere discovered by a cleaningcrewoutsidetheserverroom.Thecleanerspickeduptheboxesandcarriedthemto recycling,while on the other side of thewall two nervous boyswaited forthemtopass.

“We’rein,”Philbysaid.***

Jess sat upright in bed. While dozing over homework, she’d had the kissingdreamagain.The samesteps in thebackground.She shuddered, feelingguiltyandsomewhatcreepy.Finnwasagoodenoughguy,butshedidn’t thinkabouthim like that. She felt a little sick to her stomach. No matter how this went

down,itcouldn’tbegoodforanyone.Herreactionwasautomaticandimmediate.Onceagainshereachedunder

her pillow and came out with her diary. She switched on her book light andflippedthroughthepagestotheearliersketch.Thereweredetailsaboutthestairstoadd: theysteppeddownleft to rightand—herewas theweirdpart—weren’tequalinsize.Badperspective,shethought,oroutofscale.Shesketchedinsomeplanting that looked familiar to her, though she couldn’t place it. She addedsometexturetoFinn’sface;helookedincrediblylifelike.Filledinhisshirtwithstripes.Modifiedthetailoredshirtshewaswearinginthesketch,onlytorealizeitwasashirtshedidn’tlikeverymuch.ShelentittoAmandamoreoftenthansheworeitherself.

Well,there’sasolution,shethought.Ifsheavoidedwearingthatparticularshirt, thenshewouldn’tbewearing it in thefuture. Ifshedidn’twear it in thefuture,thenshewouldn’tkissFinn.

Relief flooded through her. So simple. It all came down to avoiding thatshirt.

***“Here’ssomethingtothinkabout,”Philbysaid,standingalongsideFinn,facingrow after row of library-like shelving that held stacked computer servers,Ethernet routers, modems, power supplies, and wireless boxes, all blinking aconstellationofcolorfullights.“IftheOTsaremessingwiththisstuff,thisisthetimetheymesswithit:aftertheParkcloses.Wemaynotbealonehereforlong.”

“Waytocheermeup.Thanks,”saidFinn.Philby reached theDHI server, the electronic brains responsible for both

generating their images and communicating those images to an array of ParkprojectorswithintheMagicKingdom.ItalsotiedtootherDHIserversthroughfiber optic lines, in the Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Disney’s HollywoodStudios.

Philby pulled out the tray holding the server’s keyboard and entered hisback-doorpassword.Thesystemrejectedthepassword.

“I thought it was a data transmission problem,” he said, half talking tohimself. “There’s no attempt limit from the hardwired keyboard, only withremoteaccess.IthoughtiftriedmypasswordfromhereI’dgetin.Butthat’snotworking.WhatIknowforsureisthatifItriedremotelyandfailedthreetimesinarow,remoteaccesswouldbedeniedfortwenty-fourhours.Analarmwouldbesentup-line.EngineeringBaseover in theStudioswouldsee thehackattemptandprobablynotifySecurity.I’vegotonemoreremote try,butIknowit’snotgoingtowork.It’stheOTs.Theywerewaitingforme.”

“Youdon’tactuallyknowthat.”

“Youthink itwas theImagineers?Waynesendsmeawarning, then locksmeoutoftheserver?Idon’tthinkso.”

“SowhataboutWilla?”Philby just stared at the screen, fuming. “The fob should stillwork for a

Return—it’s sent wirelessly over the cell-phone frequency, a whole differentsubsystemthanamanualReturn.Butit’snotgoingtobeeasyfindingher.”

“Yougottagetusintothismachine.”“Tellmeaboutit.Okay.Givemeaminute.”Helacedhisfingersoverhis

headandclosedhiseyes.“Icanhelpout,”Finnoffered.Philbysatvery still for severalminutes.Finngrew increasingly impatient

butsaidnothing.“Okay,”Philbysaid,standingandmovingdowntheaisle.“Let’sassumethe

OTsphished formypassword, stole it, and thenerased it.Thatwouldexplainresetting the server andmy losing thedata connection.Thatwouldmean theycannowaccesstheserverremotely,samewayasIdid.But,”hesaidpulling,outhisphone, “if I try toaccess itonemore time remotelyand I fail,any remoteaccesswillbeblockedfortwenty-fourhours,includingtheirs.That’llleavetheonlyaccess fromhere—thiskeyboard.But theOTsarenot theonlyoneswhocanaccessthisserver.”

“TheImagineers,”Finnsaid.“Engineering.”“Yes. SOP,” he said, meaning standard operating procedure, “for an

attempted raid on a serverwould be to send Security first and someone fromBase,second.TheSecurityguymakessuretheroom’sclear.TheguyfromBasecheckstheserver,runsvirus-scanningsoftware,studiesandprintsthelog.”

“So?”Finnsaid.Philbywasalreadyunpluggingandcollectingwiresfromthebacksofother

computerservers.Finnfollowedalonglikealostdog.“SoweneedtheguyfromBasetoaccesstheserver,”Philbycontinued.“Ithinkweestablishedthat.”“Hehastoenterapassword,”Philbysaid.“Thesystem’smasterpassword

istheonlythingthatcanoverridealockout.Lookforacamera.”“What?”“Awebcam.Usuallylittleroundballsaboutthesizeofagolfball.”“Iknowwhatawebcamlookslike,”saidFinn.“Sofindone.”“Where?”“This is a giant room devoted to computers, and only computers.

Somewhere in here are Securityweb-cams aswell as personalwebcams. Just

findone!”“You’retellingmeSecuritycanseeus?”“Probably. Could be. But there are hundreds, probably thousands of

cameras around theParks.They’re not going to focus on here unlesswe givethem reason to.Until we give them reason to. That’s why I haven’t tried thepasswordforthethirdtime.First,weneedacamera.”

Theboyssplituptosearch.“Isthatoneintheceiling?”Finncalledout.“Yeah,probably.Butit’stoohardtodealwith.”Finnkeptlooking,duckingdownanotherlongaisleofstacksofelectronic

gear.“Somewherehere,”Philbysaid,“Therehastobe…aha!I’vegotit!”He’d found a freestanding webcam alongside a keyboard at one of the

desks.HetracedtheUSBcordandunpluggedit.WhenPhilbygotonaroll,therewasnostoppinghim.Hisactionsbecame

franticashehurriedwiththewebcambacktotheDHIserver.Hedraggedachairintoplace,climbedupontoit,andplacedthewebcamonthetopshelf,wedgingitbetweenapairofspeakers.

“Runthewiredownthebackthere,”PhilbydirectedFinn.Finn did as hewas told. Together, theyworked furiously, runningwires,

changingthepositionofthecamera.Finnstilldidn’tknowwhatPhilbywasupto.

Philbydoublecheckedhisphoneandsaid,“Nocellservice,butit’sagoodWi-Fisignaldownhere.”

PhilbyhandedhistophoneFinn.“Canyouseemyhands?”hesaid,placingthemonthekeyboard.

Finnviewedthephone’sscreen.ItwasthevideoimagefromthewebcamPhilbyhadinstalled.ItshowedthekeyboardandPhilby’shands.

“Unreal,”Finnsaid.“Yeah,yourhandsandthekeyboard.”Hetookhisphoneback.“Checkthecoldroomforhidingplaces,”hesaid,

referringtoasecondserverroomwithwhichtheboyswerefamiliar.“Roomforbothofus.Ithastobegood.Wecan’tbefound.”

Finn entered a small room crowded with big, lumbering machines. Thebiggerandmoresensitiveelectronicsranmoreefficientlywhenkeptextremelycool.Hefoundspacebehindacomputerthesizeofvendingmachine.

“I’vegotsomething,”hecalledout.“Stand by!” Philby called back. He used his phone to make a remote

connection.Hethentriedhispasswordforthethirdtime.Thecomputerbumpedthe access page andwarned that accesswould nowbe denied for twenty-four

hours.Heglancedathiswatch.GiventhepasthistoryoftheDHIsandthisserver,

hegaveBasefiveminutestorespond.***

It took only three minutes. A Security woman named Joyce Brighton, who’dworked Security for eleven years, the past three in the Utilidor, entered theserverroomwithacupofcoffeeinhand.

Sheglancedaround,wellawarethatfalsealarmsoutnumberedrealones20to1.

Shesurveyedtheemptyroom,andreachedforherradio.Thenshestopped.WhatonEarthwasthatfoulodor?ItsmelledlikeaDumpster.

***PhilbyandFinnremainedhiddenbehindthetoweringrackofserverswhenthedoor to the supercooled room opened. Over the steady sound of the airconditioningandthecomputerfanscouldbeheardanosesniffing.Philbylookeddownat thebrownmuckandpiecesof foodand litteradhered tohisclothing.Unfortunately, he’d already grown accustomed to the foul odor. Clearly theguardhadpickeduponit.

Thenoseworkedtheairinshortlittlesniffs.Thesoundmovedtowardthetwoboys.

“Whatinheaven’snameisthatsmell?”saidawomansoftlytoherself.Theguardreachedthetoweringenclosuretheyhidbehind.“Ah-ha!”theguardsaid.She tried to squeezeherself between the twoenclosures.Finn andPhilby

had slipped through; judging by the sounds she was making, she was not aperfectfit.

“Joyce, what’s your twenty?” a male voice said over her radio. “Freshcoffeewhenyou’reready.”

The woman guard stood there, basically stuck between the two metalenclosures. Shewasmaybe two feet fromPhilby.Her hand shot out from thegap,andnearlytouchedhimasshetriedtogettoherradio.Afterasecondtry,shebackedoutintothemainpartoftheroom.

“Pourmea cup. I’monmyway.TellBase thatDataOperations is clear.Theycansendtheirguyover.”

***The “guy”was not a guy at all, but awoman fromMaintenancewho arrivedfrom theStudios in less than fifteenminutes. Philby hadFinn hold the phonewhilehewatchedtheimagefromthewebcam.Apairofdelicatehandsappeared

inframeandtypedinasixteen-digitstringalphanumericpassword.Philbyknewwhattowatchfor:hehadFinnstudythefirsteightfingermotions,whilehetookthesecondset.Philbyhadsketchedoutakeyboardonapieceofnotepaper;hemarkedthefingermovementswithXsandnumberedthem.

Thetechnicianspentanothertwentyminutesputtingtheserverthroughitspaces—afullvirusscanandareboot.Apparentlysatisfiedthatthere’dbeennobreach,sheslidthekeyboardbackinitstrayandlefttheserverroom.

“Whatnow?”Finnasked.“Now,”Philbyanswered,waving thepieceofnotepaper, “Idomymagic

andyouandMaybeckgettosleep.We’rebackinbusiness.”***

Maybecksneakedoutfromunderthecardboardboxes.ThetwoguyshadbeentoldBasewas“good.”Theyfinallyleft.

HishandhoveredovertheSTOPbutton.ThenhethoughttosendPhilbyatext.

wantmetostopit?

Tuckedinbehindtheplywoodwall,hewaited.Andwaited.Whennotext

cameback,hedecided thereceptionwasbad.Hehad tomakeadecision.Toomuch timehad passed since the systemhad been restarted.By now,Finn andPhilbyhadeitherbeenblownoutofthesystemorweresafe.

Buthisjobwastokeepthetrashsystemdown.Hecouldstopitagain,hideamidtheboxes,andseewhathappened.

HehitSTOP.***

As Philby and Finn left Data Operations, Philby noticed that the overheadrumblestopped.

“Maybeck,”hesaid.“Abouttime!”Finnsaid.The two boys hurried back and reentered the trash system. They moved

incrediblyquicklythistime,knowingexactlywheretheyweregoing.Reachingtheverticalpipethroughwhichthey’dentered,Philbyknockedthreetimes.ThelidopenedandMaybeckreacheddownahand.

“Hurry!”hesaidintothedark.HehelpedPhilbyup,thenFinn.“Oh,man!”Maybecksaid.“Youguysreeklikediaperpoo.”

“Nicetoseeyou,too,”Finnsaid.Minuteslater,theywereattractingunwantedattentionontheirwayout.But

thankfully,thestateoftheirsmellkeptthecuriousatbay.TheycutawideswathastheywalkedoutoftheemployeegateatthefrontofthePark.

Finncaughtsightof the timeandcalledhismother.ThearrangementhadbeenforthemtobepickedupinDowntownDisney,buttheywerealreadylate.Hewasgoingtohavetoriskthetruth,orsomethingclosetoit.

“Goodgrief!”shesaidastheypiledintothecar,Maybeckridingshotgun,FinnandPhilbyrelegatedtotheback.“Youtwolookdisgusting.”

“WewentDumpsterdiving,”Finnsaid.“Youwhat?!”“Ithrewmywalletawaybyaccident,”Philbysaid.“Itwasonthisfoodtray,

and I just dumped it in there bymistake, and by the time I realized it they’dalreadyemptiedthetrash—”

“SotheywentDumpsterdiving,”Maybecksaid.“Andwefoundit,”Finnsaid.“In the Magic Kingdom,” she said. “What happened to Downtown

Disney?”“Ourplanschanged.”“Youaren’tallowedintheMagicKingdomwithoutpermission.”Hismom

didn’tmissmuch.“Somethingcameup,”Finnsaid.An ominous silence overcame the car’s interior. His mother was clearly

consideringhowfartopushhersonwiththeotherboysinthecar.“Well,atleastithasahappyending,”shesaid,lettingFinnoffthehook.Fornow.

She rolled down the window. “Can I just say, you stink?” She burst outlaughing,asdidtheboys,thoughtheirlaughterwasfaked.

Thenshewentthroughthetypicalmomstuff:“Didyouhaveagoodtime?”“Didyouseeanyfriends?”“Howmuchmoneydidyouspend?”ItwaslikeshewasreadingfromthesamescriptanytimeFinndidanythingwithhisfriends.

“Willa’s mother called.” She dropped it like a bomb and checked therearviewmirrorforimpact.Thethingabouthismother:shecouldlaylittletrapsthathewouldfallintobeforeheknewit.

“Shesaidyouknewwhatitwasabout,”hismothercontinued.“Yeah.Okay,thanks,”Finnsaid.“So,”shesaid,addressingMaybeck,“nowyoucantellmetherealreason

youwere in theMagicKingdom.And ifyou lie, I’llknow it.And Iwon’tbehappy.”

Shemeteyes—mothereyes—withFinnintherearviewmirror.

“It’sprobablynothingyouwanttohearabout,”Maybecksaid.“Tryme.”Maybeckhesitated.“Mom,”Finnsaid.“Wehadanunderstanding,correct?”hismothersaid.Philbyknewthatofalltheparents,Mrs.Whitmanhadaloveofallthings

Disney, andwasmaybe theonlyparent to support their efforts.He said, “TheOvertakerscrossedoverWillaandshe’sstuckintheSyndrome.”

“That’swhyhermomcalled,”Finn said, joining inon theexplanation. Itwouldn’tlookgoodifPhilbywastheonlyonetellingthetruth.

“They tricked us and phished formypassword—aback door to theDHIserver—andtheygotit.TheyblockedusoutandIcouldn’tReturnWilla.”

“Oh,my…And tonight?”sheasked.Thereshewas, staringdownFinn intherearviewmirroragain.

“TheUtilidor,”Finnsaid.“Theserver room,”Philbysaid.“Wehad togainaccess to theserver.We

set up a trap and the maintenance people fell into it. I trapped the masterpassword,whichallowedmetocreateanewbackdoor.Icancontroltheserverremotelyagainnow.”

“Howdoyouknow itwasn’t the ImagineersorMaintenancewho lockedyououtinthefirstplace?”shesaid.

“Attenuatingcircumstances,”Finnsaid.“Extenuating,”hismothercorrected,thenadded,“Whichwere…?”Finnanswered.“IfsomeonefromDisneyhadlockedusout,itwouldhave

meant we were in big trouble. They’d have called you and Dad, right? Theparents?Butthatdidn’thappen.”

Mrs.Whitmannodded.Shepulledoff thehighwayand intoagasstation.Sheparkedthecarandfacedthethreeboys.“IrealizeIdon’tgetallofthis,butifyou’rebackintheserver,whynotjustbringWillabacknow?”

“I tried when we were down there,” Philby said. “A manual Return isdifferentthanusingthefob.Whenweusethefob,ourDHIsandthesignalareinthe same location—the same projection coordinates. A manual Return onlyworksforsureatthelanding—thehubinMK,thefountaininEpcot.IfherDHIisnotontheplaza,there’snoguaranteeitwilllinkup.”

“Sowe’vegottogethertotheplaza,”Finnsaid.“We’redoingeverythingwecanforWilla.Whatweneednowistogethomeandgettosleep.”

“Tocrossover,”shesaid.Shedidn’tsoundpleased.“Willa’smom,”Maybeck said, “knows she can’t take her to the hospital

becauseofwhathappenedtoPhilbywhenhisparentstookhim.”

“It’suptoustogetherback,”Philbysaid.“Tonight.”Mrs.Whitmanputherhandstohertempleslikeshehadaheadache.“Butto

get her back you have to use that button, right? It’s in one of the Parkssomewhere,isn’tit?”Shewasbasicallytalkingtoherself.“WhichPark?”

“Epcot,”bothFinnandMaybeckansweredatonce.“Youhavetofindherfirst.”“Yes,”Finnsaid.“Andthenusethebuttontobringherback.”“Thefob.Yes,”Philbysaid.“It’sthebestway.Butasabackup,Icanbring

thembackremotely.”“Whywouldyouneedabackup?”sheasked.Philby responded, though tentatively. “Because…for some reason she

hasn’tusedthefobtoReturn.Wedon’texactlyunderstandthat.Thefirstthingistofindher.”

“So,shouldn’tIbetakingyoutoEpcot?”sheasked.Finnlookeddumbstruck.“We’dnevergetin,”Philbysaid.“Andevenifwecould,itwouldbetoo—”“Dangerous,”Finnsaid.“Risky,”Maybecksaid.“Dangerous,orrisky?”sheasked.“Both,”allthreeboysanswered,simultaneously.Finnsaid,“WeneedtobeDHIs.It’swaysafer.”“Theseare justDisneyvillains,”shesaid,as if trying toconvinceherself.

“Theyarefictionalcharacters.”Theboyssaidnothing.Unlessyou’dmetMaleficentface-to-face,therewas

noexplainingit.“Ithoughttheylockedthemup,”shesaid.Philby said, “There’s no real way to know, but, yeah, we’re pretty sure

they’relockedup.”“Thenwho’sdoingthis?”sheasked.“Youwouldn’tbelieveusifwetoldyou,”Finnsaid.“Tryme.”“The two we’ve seen so far are Cruella and the Evil Queen. There are

probablymore.”“Oh, Ihate theEvilQueen,” shesaid.Thenshestarted laughing,and the

boysjoinedin.Sheclearedtearsfromhereyesastheystopped.“Whatareyougoingtodo?HowcanIhelp?”

“Seriously?”Finnsaid,wondering if theOvertakershadgottencontrolofhis mom. This was his mom, right? “For one thing, you could call Jelly and

Philby’sparentsandtellthemthey’respendingthenight.”“Icandothat.Whatelse?”sheasked.Philbyexplained:“WehavetogetFinnandMaybecktocrossoverandfind

her.As longas theycangether to the fob,we’regood. If something’swrongwiththefob—whichseemspossible—theyneedtogethertowhatwecall‘thelanding’—the center of the Park, the fountain. Then I can bring them backmanually,withoutthefob.”

“Wecoulduseaparentonourside,”Finnsaid.“Iftheparentsganguponus…itwillnotbegood.”

“Meaning, you could use a parent in case something goes wrong?” sheaskedPhilby.

“Uhh…”“What could go wrong?” she asked. “You’re saying Finn and Maybeck

mightnotReturn?LikeWilla?”“Isuppose.”Finn held his breath. Think of Willa, he was chanting to himself. “Her

mother’sreallyfreakedout,”hereminded.“Weknowwecangetherback.”Mrs.Whitmanputthecaringearandpeeledout,throwingtheboysbackin

theirseats.“Ihopeyouknowwhatyou’redoing,”shesaid.

***Philby’smotherwouldn’t lethimspend thenight.Having losther sononce totheSyndromeshedidn’tapproveofhisspendingtimewithhisKeeperfriends.Despite thenewspaperstoriesspreadingrumors that theKeepershaddefendedDisneyWorld from its villains, she had a limited view of their purpose. Shedidn’tgivetwocentsaboutDisneyWorldkeepingitsmagic.Notifitputhersonat risk. It wasn’t like he was saving the world or something. It was anentertainmentcompany.Somethemeparks.Shewasn’tabouttosacrificehersonforthesakeoflargerprofits.HerresistancetoanythingKingdomKeeperswastemperedbyanappreciation for themoneyDisneycontinued tocontribute forPhilby’s future college expenses; shewasn’t going to look a gift horse in themouth,butshehadlimits.

SoMrs.WhitmanhaddroppedPhilbyhome,takingMaybeckandFinnwithher.

Philbyhadplacedatowelatthebottomofhisdoortoblockthelightfromreachingthehallway,sowhenhismomcheckeditwouldlooklikethelightsinhisroomwereout.Hesatathiscomputer.

ready?hetextedFinnoverSkype.

yes,Finntextedback.

itsworking.i’min.good2go

Finntexted:

k,9

Philbyreturned:

cm

Finnleanedbackinhischair,hismothersittingononeside,Maybeckon

theother,Finn’sfathersnoringfromtheotherroom.“Thisworriesme,”hismothersaid.“It’sgoodnews.”“Not that,” she said. “But that I don’t understand half of what you’re

texting.”“It’slikeacode.”“Iknowthat,Finn.Don’tgetsmartwithme.”Hismothergot irritableifshestayeduplate.Thiswasgoingtobealong

night.“OnceMaybeckandmegettosleep,Philby’llcrossusover.”“Maybeck and I,” she corrected. He ignored her: way too tired. “What

aboutyougettingback?”“We’ll find the fob.Nosweat. If it’snotworking,we’vealreadysetupa

timeandPhilbycanmanuallyReturnus.”“Themanualoverridehetalkedabout,”shesaid.“Yeah,exactly,”hesaid.“Whattime?”“One.”Shesatback.“Youallhavethoughtitthrough,haven’tyou?”“It’swhatwedo,Mom.”“Yes,but…You’refifteen.”“Almostsixteen,”hesaid.“It’salottodealwith.”“Not really,” he said.He could hear her rethinking her decision to allow

himandMaybecktocrossover.

“It’sdangerous.Risky,”shesaid.“Youbothsaidso.”“Exaggerating,” Maybeck said. “You know Philby. Remember, Mrs. W.,

whenwecrossoverwe’reholograms.Stuffpassesthroughus.”“Whatkindofstuff,Terry?Areyousayingtheytrytohurtyou?”“It’sDisneyWorld.Nothingbadhappens,”Maybecksaid.Finnwonderedifthey’dusedthisexcuseonetoomanytimes.ToFinn’srelief,shenodded.Shewasdefinitelytired.“We’vegottogettosleep,”hesaid.Maybeckclimbedontoaninflatablemattressonthefloor.“Withyourshoeson?”Mrs.WhitmansaidtoMaybeck.“Mom,”Finnsaid,“weknowwhatwe’redoing.Gotosleep.We’llseeyou

inthemorning.”“Asif,”shesaid.Shewasevenbeginningtotalklikehim.

***The9FinnhadtextedhadletPhilbyknowhismotherwasintheroom.Thecmthatcamebackfromhimmeant“CallMe.”

Now,withhergone,FinnclimbedoutofbedandletMaybeckknowwhatwasgoingon.Hedouble-checkedthathisdoorwasfullyclosedandreturnedtohiscomputer.HecalledPhilby,andspokeatawhisper.

“What’sup?”Finnsaid.“There’s something weird going on,” Philby said. “Willa’s projection

coordinatesareforEpcot,butthecurrentdefaultfortheReturnisinMK.”“Howcouldthatbe?Thefob’sinEpcot.”“Itwaswhenwelastsawit.”“WhywouldtheImagineersresetthedefault?”“Itdoesn’tmakesense.NotfortheImagineers.Thepointis,we’velostthe

Returnsomehow.I’lldefinitelyhavetocrossyoubackmanuallyfromhere.”He made it sound so simple. One of Philby’s greatest qualities was his

confidence.Hewasn’tarrogantorabragger;hejusthappenedtoberightmostofthetime—aknow-it-allwhodidn’tgetallupinyourfacewithit.Tohearhimevenslightlyuncertainwasalarming.Finndidn’tsayanythingabout it.Philbylivedwithmorepressurethanmostofthem,stuckwiththeProfessorrole.

“So,we’regoodtogo,”Finnsaid.“Oneo’clock.”“Yeah, sure. I justwantedyou toknowwherewe’reat. I canReturnyou

manually.AllI’llneedisasignal.”“I’llbringmyphone.”“Yeah,” Philby said, “but they don’t always work, so we go with one

o’clockorasignalifyoufindherearlier.”Philby had a plan for everything.He providedFinnwith away to signal

himthatPhilbycouldn’tmiss.“Okay.”“Butnomatterwhat,ifyoucan’tsendasignal,youandMaybeckshouldbe

attheplazabyone—anhourandahalffromnow.”“Itisn’tmuchtime.It’sabigplace.”“Irealizethat.”“Philby,” Finn said, “if this doesn’t go right, it’s not your fault. Okay?

Forgetaboutthat.Just,whateveryoudo,don’tletanyoneelsecrossover.ThreeofusintheSyndromeisenough.”

“Donotgothere.”“I’mserious.”“SoamI,”saidPhilby.“Don’tevengothere.”“If that happens, get to Jess.Maybe she’ll have dreamed something that

willhelpus.Butdon’tfreakout.ComeintotheParkasyourrealselves.We’llfindyou.We’llfigureitouttogether.”

“Okay,nowyou’redefinitelyfreakingmeout,”Philbysaid.“Justpromise.”“Yeah,okay.Iwon’tpanic.”“Someone’sgottokeepittogether.”“Ithoughtthat’syourjob,”Philbysaid.MaybeckplacedahandonFinn’sshoulder,overhearingtheconversation.It

wasnotwhatheexpectedfromMaybeck.Finnhungup,andafewminuteslatertheboyswentbacktobed.Itwasnot

easyforeitherofthemtofallasleep.Finndidn’tknowhowmuchtimepassed,buthewokeup lyingon theconcrete at theedgeof theEpcot fountainplaza.He’dcrossedover.

“Tookyoulongenough,”camethefamiliarvoiceofMaybeck.Finn got up off the concrete, checked his hands for the shimmering blue

outline,andgrinned.Itfeltgoodtobeback.Hesatwithhisbackpressedagainsttheconcreteretainingwallthatformed

thefountain.“So?Howdowefindher?”Maybecksaid.Finnlookedaround.Epcotbeganatthegolfball–shapedSpaceshipEarth;

two huge areas ran off to both sides,with a half dozen attraction pavilions inbothdirections.Theplazafountaingavewayto thelakesurroundedbyreplicaWorld Showcase countries, with Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower, and other worldlandmarks.

“Mexico,”Finnsaid.“WestartwithPhilby’splan.”***

For close to an hour,Willa had huddled behind a rock in the PrimitiveMandisplayinsideSpaceshipEarth.Earlier,she’dheardtwomenspeakingFrench—cathedralguards—asthey’dpassedontheride.She’dmadeherselfassmallaspossible,andheldherbreathtomakenonoise.Oneoftheguardshadapparentlyjumpedoutofthecarhewasriding,butbydoingsohetrippedasensorandshutdowntheride,atwhichpointtherehadbeenaflurryofdiscussion.

Realizinghismistake,heandtheotherguardshadleftquickly.Oneoftheadvantagesofbeingahologram—Willahadnottrippedthesystem.

Assuming Disney maintenance men, and possibly Security personnel,would follow up on the ride’s emergency shutdown,Willa had relocated to adisplaythatincludedaRomanguard.

Things had been quiet for some time now, and so she ventured out,determinedtosearchfortheReturn.Determinedtogethome.

Shewould startwithLost andFound. If aCastMemberdiscoveredwhatlookedlikeagaragedooropener,heorshewouldturnitin.BecausetheKeepershadlostthefoboncebefore,Willaknewexactlywheretolook.

Shetookhertime,carefultoadvanceandpause,advanceandpause.Afterdetermininganareawasclear,shewouldmovealittlebitfarther.Thankfully,theLostandFoundwasn’t far: in thebackofficeofasmallbuilding tuckedawayneartheentrancegateturnstiles.

She reached the building, concentrating on her thin blue outline tomakesureherhologramwasallclear,andthenwalkedthroughthebackdoor.

Shearrivedintoa tinyofficewitheventposterscoveringthewalls.Thereweretwodesks,onecluttered,oneneat.Twocomputerterminals.Twophones.

The phones presented her with an opportunity she had not, until now,considered. She could call Finn or Philby and…except, she didn’t know theirnumbers.Theywereonherphoneasspeeddials,butherphonewasbackhome.She knew Charlene’s number by heart; Charlene could relay a message. ShewouldneedtoloseherDHIstateatleastslightlyinordertobematerialenoughtopickupandhandlea telephone,butat thispointbeingafraidwouldn’t takeanyeffort.

First,shecheckedthemetalcabinetmarkedLostandFound.UnlikewhenFinnhadtogointothecabinetmonthsearlier,itwasn’tlockednow.Inside,shefound over a dozen cell phones, clothing, wallets, jewelry, driver’s licenses,creditcards,andfoursetsofcarkeys—allwithblackfobs.ButnottheReturn.

HerconclusionwasthattheOTshadstolenit,asshe’dsuspected.Sheeyedthephonesandthecomputers.Didshedarestartdowntheroadoffearinordertobecomematerialenoughtoworkthedevices?Oncebegunitwashardtoturnback.Fearfedonfear.

Butwhatchoicewasthere?Shethoughtofhermother tryingtowakeherwhileintheSyndrome.Herfingers,knees,andtoestingled.Shepickedupthephoneanddialed.

Charleneanswered.“It’sme!”“Willa?”“I’mintheSyndrome.”“Weknowthat.Buthow—”“I’minEpcot.I’mprettysuretheOTshavetheReturn.Youhavetotellthe

boysnottocomeafterme.It’sobviouslyatrap!”“I…ah…I think it’s too late. The plan’s for Finn andMaybeck to cross

tonight.”“Buttheycan’t.They…we…can’tReturn.”“Philbygotbackintotheserver.It’sgoingtobeallright.”“No,it’snot.Notanywhereclose.”“FinnandMaybeckshouldbetherebynow.”“IneedPhilby’snumber,”Willasaid.“Ikeepitonspeeddial,but—”“Yeah.Okay.Hangon.”AsWillawaited, she lookeddownat thephone to see a line light lit.By

usingthephone,she’dgivenherselfaway.Shehungupimmediately.Shehadtogetoutofthere!

She triedwalking through the door, but bounced against it.Her fear hadgotten the better of her. It was a sickening, downward spiral. She tentativelyopenedthedoorandslippedoutside,pullingitshutquietlybehindher.

Whensheturnedaround,ashapeappearedaroundthecornerofabuildingandquicklyduckedback.

“Finn?”Shespokehisnamealoud,thoughonlyinawhisper.Sheglancedaroundhaltingly,ensuringshewasalone.

“Pssst!”Hereappeared.Shewaved,sohappy toseehim!Finnsteppedout into theopen,andshe

realizedhe’dcomeindisguise—hewaswearingthesamestupidcostume,shortsandaT-shirt,thathisDHIworeintheMagicKingdom.Shehurriedtowardhim,a combination of relief and anxiety overcoming her: relief they’d found eachother;anxietyoverthethoughtoftellinghimtherewasnowaytoReturn.

“Oh,mygosh,Finn!Itissogoodto—”He evaporated into awisp of smoke that reformed into somethingdarker

andlarger…untilshefoundherselffacingtheEvilQueen.Shescreamed.Herhologramoutlinedimmed.

“You…witch!”sheutteredangrily.“Youarecorrect.Thissmallgirl,impossibletolose;shenowfindsnoway

tomove.”TheEvilQueenwavedherindexfingerinatightcircle.Willa tried to run. She could hardly lift her legs. She was quickly

surroundedbycathedralguards.Behindthem,onthepointsofthecompass,fourcrash-testdummiesonSegways.

CruellaDeVilsteppedoutfrombehindtheQueen.“Well,well.Ihavetocomplimentyou,dearest,”shesaidtotheEvilQueen.

“You’requitethelittleVenusflytrap.”TheQueen ignored her. “The judge asked you a question, little girl,” the

Queensaid toWilla,hereyessquinting.“I fearyouwere rude tohim.Letmeexplainthatbeingrudetomewillhavefarmore…devastatingresults.Hmmm?Do I make myself clear?” The Evil Queen stepped forward.Willa found herbeautybewitchingandpowerful.

She nodded against herwill. The sensation in her limbs slowly returned.Herlegsnolongerfeltliketheyweighedaton.

“Then outwith it,” theQueen ordered. “Or suffer!”Another flick of herhand andWilla bent over in a convulsion, like she had been punched in thestomach.Thisdespiteherbeing inher stateofpartialDHI.Shehated to thinkhowthatwouldhurtwhenfleshandblood.

The Queenwaved her hands again and her lips trembled as she chantedsomekindofincantation.

Spiders appeared out of cracks in the pavement. Hundreds, thousands ofthem.Smallones.Redones.Blackones.HUGEones.TheyswarmedatWilla’sfeet,leavingherinthecenterofanoozingcircleofhairyspiders.Ifshemovedevenslightly…

Shewasterrified,whichdampenedherDHI,makinghermorevulnerable.Shewasoutmatched.TheQueengotwhattheQueenwanted.

“WHATDIDJEZEBELDRAW?”“Aface!Aman,”Willavolunteered,stillbentover,herstomachinaknot.

Thespidersencroached.The witch cackled with laughter that sounded like breaking ice. “Who?

Whatman?Andbecarefulyoudon’tlie,littlething.”Shebegantosing.“‘TheItsyBitsySpider…’”

TheringofspiderstightenedatWilla’sfeet.“Aman…inuniform.”

***

Finn’sDHIclimbedthestonestepsrunningupthecenteroftheMexicopavilion,

aMayantemplewithbalconiesofflowersoneithersideofthecenterstaircase.He’dtakenthissameroutewithPhilby;heknewwhathewasdoing.Maybeck’sDHIhadalreadyreachedthetop,climbingaseffortlesslyasacat.

“Waitup!”hissedahumiliatedFinn.“Moveit!”Maybecksaid.HewatchedFinnclimb.“It’sonlyasetofstairs.”Tinystairs,steepstairs,Finnfeltlikesaying,buthekepthismouthshut.“MemotoWhitman:Idon’tthinkyou’regoingtobeabletoseeWillafrom

uphere.Sowhat,inthenameofcreamcheese,arewedoinghere?”“DoingwhatPhilbytoldustodo,”Finnwhisperedback.“Intothebooth.”“TheIllumiNationsbooth?How’sthatsupposedtohelpWilla?”“RememberinTheWizardofOz,themanbehindthecurtain?”“Sure.Theoldguy.Whatabouthim?”“That’syou.You’rethemanbehindthecurtain.You’retheonecontrolling

things.”“I’mlikingthisplanmoreandmore,Whitman.”Iknewyouwould,Finnnearlysaid.“Okay,sopayattention.”

***The longer he sat there staring at his computer monitor, the more concernedPhilbygrew.ThewebcamviewwasoftheParkasawhole.Hecouldseeafewblackspecksmovefromtimetotime,buttheylookedaboutthesizeofants.Hecouldn’ttellwhoorwhattheywere,orwhattheywereupto.IfFinnisgoingtosend me a signal, he thought, it had better be something good.Otherwise, Imightmiss it. So he focused intently on themost recent development: a thickgroupofantshadcongregatedbetweenSpaceshipEarthandtheofficebuildingneartheentrance.Thatcouldn’tbegood.ItmightbeameetingofSecurity,oracleaning or maintenance team getting ready to deploy around the Park, or itcouldeasilybeOvertakers.

When Philby heard rustling in the bushes outside hiswindow, he lookedawayfromhiscomputer.

The window was unlocked. Not good. What if there was a serial killercreepingaroundtheirhouse?

Whenheheardmorebrushingofsticksagainstthesideofthehouse,goosebumpsraceduphisarms—somethingwasoutthere,anditwastoobigtobeadog.

Morelikeaperson.***

Willa was not scared of spiders; shewas terrified of them. Theymoved as amassaroundherbarefeetwithininchesoftouchingher.HerDHIwasanythingbutpure,makingherphysicallyvulnerable.

“Whatkindofuniform?”theQueenasked.She’dsaidtoomuchalready.Shehatedherselfforhavingsaidanything.“A

securityofficer,”shelied.“Likeattheairport.”Thereweretwohugevulturesfollowingbehindher.Cruellasteeredclearof

thebirdsasshewalkedaroundWilla,studyingher.Willa’seyesfollowedCruella.“Idon’t thinkso,” theEvilQueensaid.Shewavedherhand.Thespiders

swarmedoverWilla’s feet andstartedupherankles.Shecriedoutandkickedwithboth legs, like running in place, but the spiders kept coming.Screaming,she brushed them away, but therewere thousands of them, and each time herbarefeetlandedshefeltthemsquishbeneathherwhileahundredmoreclimbedontoher.

“Getthemoff!”Willa jumped out of the oozing black circle, but a vulture came at her,

flappingitslargewings,andstuckitsgrotesquebaldheadandcurvedbeakintoherface,drivingherback.Sheleapedtoherleft,andthesecondvultureblockedherthereaswell.Shefledbackintotheswarmofspiders.Somehadreachedherknees.Asfastasshecouldbrushthemoff,theygainedonher.

“STOPIT!”“Whatkindofuniform,dear?”theQueensaidinaperfectlycalmvoice.“Military,Ithink.Thosethingsonhisshoulders.”Shejumpedandhopped

andswattedatthespiders.TheQueenwavedthespidersdownandoffher.Theyformedthedoughnut

again,withWillaatthecenter.“That’sbetter,mylittleuglyduckling,”theQueensaid.“Moredetails,and

I’llkeepthemoffyou.”Willacollectedherselfandlookedup,intenttomeeteyeswiththeQueen.

Butwhat she saw just beyond theQueen nearly stopped her heart: Finn. HerfriendFinn,nottheQueen’scopyofhim.Heworeallblackandwascarryingtheshimmeringblue line that saidhe’d crossedover.Finn,who’d come to rescueher.

TheEvilQueencaughtWilla’seyemovementand,withoutlookingbehindher, made a sweeping, surprisingly graceful motion toward Finn, her lipsmoving,butmakingnosound.Whatevershehadexpectedtohappentohimdidnot.ThebluelinearoundFinn’sDHIshimmered,thoughonlyslightly—hewasonly part hologram.He rushedWilla, lowered his shoulder, and hit her like afootballtackle,throwingherontohisshoulder.Hetookoffatarun.

Spiders raceduphis back,Willa brushing themoff furiously.She lookeddown:thestreamofspidershadstretchedintolongblacklinelikea…

Snake.Gigabyte, thetwenty-footpython,wasamatterofyardsbehindFinn.The

vulturesflewoneithersideofhim.BackatGigabyte’stail,theremainingspidersturnedintorattlesnakes.“Finn…”Willagasped,layingatophisshoulder.“Snakes.”Therattlesnakesmovedfasterthanthegiantpython.“Finn?”shesaid.Hecouldfeelhimselfslowingdown—themorefrightenedshebecame,the

heaviershewastocarry.“Don’t…look!”hesaid.Hefollowedthepathpast InnoventionsWestand

aimedforthefountainplaza,nowinsight.Maybeck’stimingwasgoingtohavetobeperfect,orbetweenthesnakesandvulturestheywouldlosetheirchancetoReturn.

The fountain was now only a matter of twenty yards away. A figureappearedonthefarside,towardthelake:Maybeck,runningatafullsprint,twoCTDsonfootchasinghim.

***Maybeckcounteddowninhishead:thirty-nine…thirty-eight…thirty-seven…

Hehadapairofrobotsonhistail,pursuinghisDHIatlightningspeed.OneofthemhadgottencloseenoughtofiresomekindofTaser,butbecauseofhisDHIstate,itselectrodesandwireshadpassedrightthroughhim.

UpaheadhesawWhitmancarryingWillaonhisshoulder,andsomekindof broken shadow slithering behind him. Behind the shadow came the EvilQueen and Cruella. If this had been Philby’s plan, he was out of his skull.They’dwalkedrightintoanestofOvertakers.

“Uncool!” he shouted as he skidded to a stop, seeing the snakes—notshadowsbutsnakes!—braidingthemselvesaroundthefeetofFinn’sDHI.

“DoNOTlookdown!”Maybeckadded.Finn lookeddown.Hisbluehologramlinefadedand the tangleofsnakes

lockedaroundhispartiallymortalankles,andFinnfell,dumpingWilla,whomMaybeckcaughtinhisarms.

Maybeckhadlostcount.Eighteen?Twelve?Whitmanhadtoldhimhehadtokeepcount.

Oops…Finnrosetohiselbows,butsurroundedbyhissingrattlesnakes,hefroze.“Welcome,boys,”saidtheEvilQueen,finallycatchingup.MaybeckhelpedWillakeepherbalanceasheputherdown.Itwasaclever

move—itputherwithinanarm’slengthofFinn.Ifshedaredtoreachacrossthesnakes,theycouldholdhands.

***Philbystaredouthiswindow.Itwasnotaserialkiller; itwasHugoMontcliff,and more important, he had Elvis in his arms. Elvis, an inside cat, haddisappearedearlierthatafternoonandPhilby’smomhadbeendistraught.Hugowouldbeafamilyheroforyearstocome.

Philby threw open the window. “You found him!My mother’s going tosaintyou.”

“HewaswanderingaroundtheEvans’house.”“Need the couch tonight?” Philby knewHugo couldn’t suffer his parents

screamingfightsallnight.“Youmind?”“Climbon in,”Philbysaid,makingagesture likeahoteldoorman.Hugo

passedhimElvisandfollowedthroughthewindow.Philbyfeltashiver,butblameditonthenightair.“Sorry,I’vegottoberude,”Philbysaid,shuttingandlockingthewindow,

“butI’mjamming.”Hepointedtohisdesk.“It’slate,sobeasquietasyoucan.Wouldn’twanttowakeupmymom.Towel’sinthecloset.I’llcatchyouinthemorning.”

“MaybeIshouldn’tstay.”Hugo’svoicehaddroppedanoctave.Hespokesoftly,soundinghurt.

Philby,whowasnowa stepcloser tohisdesk, lookedbackathis friend,feelingsorryforhim.“No,Ididn’tmeanthat.I’llbedoneinacoupleminutes.”

“IsthatEpcot?”Hugosaid,steppingcloser.“That’s amazing you could recognize it,” Philby said. His screen was

nothingbutsome lights, theshimmeringwaterof the lake,and…the littleantshadmovedtothefountainplaza.

ThathastobeFinnandMaybeck.Buttherewerewaytoomanyantsonthescreen—ifitwasFinn,heandMaybeckweren’talone.

“CanIplay?”Hugoasked.“Ah…it’snotexactlyagame,and,ah…Youknow,ifyoudon’tmind,I’ma

littlebusyrightnow.”“Oh,butIdomind,”Hugosaid.“Don’ttouchthatkeyboard.”Philbyspunaround.WithHugohavingbeenoutsideinthedark,hehadn’t

gottenagoodlookathim,especiallygiventhathe’dbeenholdingElvis.Thecathad won Philby’s attention—by design, Philby thought. Because Hugo’s eyeswereavividgreen.

Hugohadbrowneyes.Philbycouldn’tbelieve it!Hugo?Ofall people!After allPhilby’s family

hadgiventotheboy!Hefeltovercomewithangeranddisbelief.

Hesawhis terryclothbathrobeandbelt lyingonhisbed.ThebeltwouldworktotieHugoup.

Philbycharged.Hugoknockedhimoutofthewayandontothebed.Wherehadthatkindof

strength come from? Philby did a somersault and sprang from his haunches,launchinghimselfattheboy.

Tohisright,aburstofcoloreruptedacrosshiscomputerscreen.Thesignal.

***The lake burst into flames, flooding the night sky and illuminating everypavilioninawashofgoldenlight.ItreflectedoffthefaceoftheEvilQueen.ItdancedinCruella’seyes.

Finnhopped tohiskneesand stood, leaning to reachacross the tangleofrattlesnakesandtouchWilla’soutstretchedhand.

Itwas not only thewater burning.Adozen towering torches surroundingthelakehadalsoburstintoflames.Butthewatereffect,partoftheIllumiNationsshow,wasaspectacularsight:giantballsoforangeflamesboilingoffthewater’ssurfaceandrisingintothedark,lookinglikethesurfaceofthesun.

The timing of the effect had been Maybeck’s job: to schedule thepyrotechnics that Professor Philby had discovered on the control booth’scomputerwhenheandFinnhadvisitedtwonightsearlier.Morethanathousanddifferentpiecesofordnanceonwaterbarges,andahalf-dozen laserprojectorsmounted on top of pavilions, were all synchronized by the IllumiNationscomputer.Following theirspottingWillaand theQueenon theSecurityvideo,Maybeckhadscheduledthefireevents,givinghimselffiveminutestoleavethecontrol room, climb down theMayan Temple, and catch up to Finn.With itnearingoneamandthescheduledmanualReturn,maybethepyrotechnicswouldofferaneededdistraction.

GiventhatitlookedlikeallofEpcotwasonfire,therewasnowayPhilbycouldmissthesignal.

NowallhehadtodowasremotelytelltheDHIservertoReturnthem.***

PhilbywitnessedthewashofflamesengulfingEpcot’slakeandstretchedforthecomputer’sReturn/Enterkey.

But Hugo held him by the shoulders, struggling to get his arms aroundPhilby’s chest and squeeze the wind out of him. Philby stumbled back, hisfingershittingthespacebarinsteadoftheReturnkey.

HethrewanelbowintoHugo’sstomach,andgroaning,Hugoletgo.Philbyregainedhisbalance…tookasteptowardhisdesk…andwastackledtothefloor.

Hewentdownhard,face-first.Philbyrolledoverandkickedout,catchingHugo in the face.ButHugoscrambledon topofPhilby,pinninghisshouldersandwindingupwithaballedfist.AsHugodrovethefisttowardhisface,Philbyjerkedhishead.Hugopunched the floor.Philby’shandfound thewicker trashcan;herakeditacrossHugo’sfaceandtheboywentoffhim.

Philby rolled and shovedhis hand intoHugo’s face—the fakegreen eyesstaringback,unflinchingandterrifying.Philbycouldn’t lookat thoseeyes.Heturnedaway.

HugograbbedbothofPhilby’swrists,pushingup,tryingtogetPhilbyoff;Philby pushed back, trying to holdHugo down. Their arms began to tremble,thentoshake.

Lightflashedfromthecomputer,thelakealivewithfire.Philby managed to pin Hugo’s left arm with his knee and reach for the

computerwith his right hand.Hugo rocked side to side attempting to free hisarm,andmakingitimpossibleforPhilbytoproperlyaimhisfingers.HemissedtheReturnkeythreetimesinarow.

HugokneedPhilby in the back, freeing his hand,which he used to palmPhilbybelowthechinandpropelhimbacktowardthebed.

Hugo jumped up and reached for theEscape key,whichwould close thecurrentwindow—Philby’slinkwiththeDHIserver.

Philbyhadbithislip;hetastedthesaltytangofbloodinhismouth.Hewasmad.

Elviswasjuststandingthereonthebedlikeaspectator.Philbygrabbedhimand held him just behind the front legs and lunged for Hugo using the sametechniquehis familymembersused to trainElvis tousehis scratchingpole. Itforced Elvis to extend his front claws—claws that now tore through Hugo’sshirt, leavingeightnarrowtracksofbloodbehindasPhilbydraggedhimdowntheboy’sback,andthentossedElvisbackonto thebedasHugoletoutagut-wrenchingscream.

Philby spunHugo around, trippedhim, anddumpedhim to the floor.HestabbedfortheReturnkey.

THISACTIONCANNOTBEUNDONE

DOYOUWISHPROCEED?Y/N

HehitY.Thebedroomdoorburstopen.Awrinkly-facedwomanwithnomakeup,an

adhesivestripacrossthebridgeofhernosestretchinghercheeks,andwearingapairofpajamascoveredwithcartoonsofMargeSimpson,shouted:“BOYS!”

BothHugoandPhilbystoppedcold.

“Whatinthedevilisgoingon,youngman?”Philby’smomsaidtohim.Thenextthingshesaidwas,“Elvis?”inalovingandkindvoiceofpureaffection.

Hugostoodup,unlockedthewindow,threwitopen,anddoveoutside.Philbywatchedthebandwidthmeterspikeinthebottomrightcornerofthe

computerscreen.TheDHIpropertiesofthehologramswerebeingsavedbacktotheDHIserver.TheReturn.Thewholeprocesscouldtakeanywherefromtentosixtyseconds.

Preciousseconds.“Dell?”hismothersaid.“Please,Mom,no!”Philbysaid,seeinghismothermarchtowardhisdesk.

“Rememberwhathappenedtome?”hesaidinabeggingtone.“Ifyoushutmycomputer, it’ll happen to all three of them—Finn,Willa, andMaybeck.Mom!Youdon’twantthattohappen.”

Shuttingthecomputer,puttingitintosleepmode,wouldsendhisfriendstosleepalongwithit.StuckintheSyndrome.

***Finncouldn’ttakehiseyesoffthetremblinghandsoftheEvilQueenheldhighaboveherhead.Sheremindedhimofamajorleaguepitcherinhiswindup.Shewas about to deliver some kind of spitball, sinker spell, that wouldmake thespidersandrattlesnakeslooklikekids’stuff.Somethingnasty.

Theflameslickedoffthelake.TearsrandownWilla’sfaceasshemouthed,“Thankyou,”toFinn.The Evil Queen threw her hands at them with a witch’s fury, her lips

spoutinganincantation.

“ChildreninperilChildreninfright—”

Butshestoppedbeforecompletingit.Willahaddisappeared.FinnwatchedasMaybecksparkled,becametransparent,andvanished.Finn sat bolt upright in bed. His own bed, at home. Maybeck blinked

furiouslyfromhisairmattress.Finnfeltsomethingonhislegandthrewbackthecovers.Arattlesnake.Hescreamedabadwordloudenoughtobeheardtwoblocksaway.He shook his leg like a maniac. The snake flew up and was caught,

danglingfromoneofthepaddlesonhisceilingfan.His father threw open his bedroom door and switched on the light, his

mothercraningoverherhusband’sshoulder.WhenFinn’sceilinglightswitchedon,sodidthefan.Thesnakebegancirclingoverhead.Thefangainedspeed.“FINNWHITMAN!”his father thundered,glaring at him.His fatherhad

run out of patience for the Kingdom Keepers after their earliest adventure.Wanting his son to focus on academics first and sports second, he had littletolerance for Finn’s claims of saving Disney from its villains. Although heappreciated the collegemoney that resulted fromhis son’s participation in theprogram,andevensecretlyenjoyedsomeoftheattentionandfamethatrubbedoff on him for being Finn’s father, this kind of nighttime interruption to hisfamilywasexactlywhatheobjectedtoandfoundsooffensive.

Hedidn’tneedamanualtounderstandwhyhissonandMaybeckwerefullyclothed in black, wearing shoes, and sweating profusely while in airconditioning.

“Ihadanightmare,”Finnsaid.“Lyingwillonlymakeitworseforyou.”The rattlesnakewascurrently rotatingatwarp speed,wrappedaround the

fanblade.“Mom?Please?”hesaid,flickinghiseyestotheceilingfan.Hismotherspottedthesnakeandwentashenwhite.“Sweetie,”shesaidtoherhusband,“comeonbacktobed.Let’sdealwith

thisinthemorning.Nothingtobedonenow.”Mr.Whitman seemedunmovable. “Terry,”he said, “do Ihaveyourword

youtwowillgobacktosleep?Noshenanigans?”The rattlesnake was losing its hold. Six inches of the snake was now

stickingofftheendofthefan’spaddle.“Yes,sir.”Mr.WhitmantrustedFinn’sfriendsmorethanhedidhisownson.Mr.Whitmanmadeagrunting soundofdisapproval, allowinghiswife to

pullhimoutof thedoorway.Shesteppedforward,madeafaceofpurehorror,andreachedforthelightswitch.Assheshutoffthelight,sheclosedthedoor.

Finnheardathump,butcouldn’tseeinthedarkness.Hisfatheropenedthedoor again andpeered inside. “Whatwas that?”he said. “Areyou testingme,son?”

“No,sir!”Finnanswered.Therattlesnakehadhit thedoor. Itwashanging inacoil fromthepairof

hooksonthebackofthedoor,itstongueflickinginthedirectionofhisfather’shead.

Finnsprangoutofbed.“Sorry,Dad.Won’thappenagain.Goodnight.”He

toedthedoorandshutitinhisfather’sface.Hisfathercalledsoftlythroughthedoor:“We’lldiscussthisinthemorning,

youngman!”ThesnaketurnedtowardFinn.“Whitman!”Maybeckhissed,havingbackeduptothewall.Finndove intohisclosetandgrabbedhis laundrybagandahanger.He’d

seenthisontheDiscoveryChannel.“Yougottahelpme!”Finnwhispered.“Oh,yeah,asifthat’sgoingtohappen.”“Ineedyoutoholdthebagopen.”“Pass.”“Ican’tdobothatonce.”“Noway!”“Maybeck!”Maybeck approached cautiously and held the bag. “This feels like the

losingendofthisdeal.”“Youwanttohandlethesnake?Bemyguest.”Thesnake’srattlewasgoingstrongly,raisingeveryhaironFinn’sbody.If

hisfatherheardit,hemightaswellletthesnakejustbitehimnow.Maybeckheldopenthelaundrybag,hisarmsextendedsupernaturally.He

wasbasicallyaZIPcodeaway.Finnhookedthesnakewiththehangerandlifteditcarefullyfromthedoor’stwinclotheshooks.ThesnakehungheavilyfromtheUofthehanger.

FinnlowereditslowlyandMaybeckcaughtthesnakeinthebag.“Window!”Finnhissed.Maybeck moved that direction. Finn opened the window and Maybeck

extendedthebagoutside.“Okay,”Finnsaid,“letgo.”“Ican’t,”Maybecksaid.“Myfingersarefrozen.”“Let…go…”Finnsaid,uncurlingMaybeck’sfingersonebyone.Thebagcrasheddownintheplants.Shuttingthewindow,Finnheavedasighofrelief.Maybeckhadn’tmoved.

Helookedlikeastatue.“It’sout,”Finnsaid.Maybeck shook his head and finally managed to step away from the

window.“We’ll have to check the bag in themorning andmake sure the snake is

gone,”Finnsaid.“Youcanifyouwant,”Maybecksaid.

FinntextedWillaandPhilby.Willatextedbackimmediately,thankingallthreeboys.Philbytextedafew

minuteslater:

troublehere.groupskypeb4skool@7:45

ReadingthetextoverFinn’sshoulder,Maybeckwhispered,“Hethinkshe

hadtroubles.Igottahearthis.”

THEKEEPERSMETONVIDEOconferencefifteenminutesbeforebusesandparentalridesdepartedforschool.

Finn:“Wehadatrickysituationlastnight.”

Willa:“Asin,MaybeckandFinnsavedme.”

Finn:“AndPhilby.”

Maybeck, lookingoverFinn’s shoulder, said, “Itwas theEvilQueen and

Cruella.”

Charlene:“SameasDowntownDisney.”

Charlene was using her own video image as a mirror while applying

mascara.

Willa:“Thefobwasmissing.”Charlene:“Didyoucheck—”Willa:“TheLostandFound?Yes.Notthere.Gone.It’sgottobewhytheycrossedyou,Charlene.FinnandPhilbycomeintotheParkandthethreeofyouleadthemtothefob.YouReturnedandtheystoleit.Noneofussawthatcoming.”Maybeck:“Whoa.”

Charlene:“Theystoleit,because…?”Maybeck:“WebecomestuckintheSyndrome,foronething.”Philby:“Firsttheserver,thenthefob.Ifwehadn’tmanaged to hack back into the server last night,Willawouldstillbestuckthere.”Finn:“IguessIcanseehowthathelpsthembreakout Maleficent—I mean, it takes us out of thepicture—but it’s sure a lot of planning, a lot ofwork,ifyouaskme.”Philby: “Which means we’re missing something.Thebiggerpicture.”

HethendescribedhisfightwithHugo.

Philby: “Obviously, they knew I would try toReturnyouthree.TheysentHugotostopme.Hugomust be the one we can’t see in the photo. I stillcan’tbelievehe’ddothistome.”Maybeck:“Tous.”Charlene:“Thisjustgetscreepierandcreepier.”

Sheappliedonelaststrokeofmascaraandtwistedthetubeshut.

Willa:“Buttherealreasontheywantedmewasforme to describe Jess’s sketch. The one she showedmeatschool.”Finn:“Weneedtoseethatupclose.”Philby:“Question—howdid theEvilQueenknowyou’dseenthesketch?”

Ageneralsilence.

Finn:“Agreen-eyes.OneofthespiessawJessshowWilla.”

InlightofHugoandLuowski,thisseemedlikethebestexplanation.

Charlene: “Sowe’re not safe at school andwe’renotsafecrossedover.Anyonefeellikeavacation?”

Shewonsomelaughter—butnotmuch.

Charlene: “Seriously, any ideas? I’ve got to getdownstairs.Thebus’llbehereanyminute.”Philby:“Stayhereasecondlonger.”

Hewaitedforeveryone’sattentionon-screen,especiallyCharlene’s.

Philby:“Whatifwemissedamajorclue?FinnsawCruellaonthetelephoneatDowntownDisney.”Maybeck:“Weallagreedthatwasbizarre.”Philby:“ButwhatifsheandtheQueenwereDHIsatthetime?”

Silence.

Philby: “What if the phone call was to request amanualReturn?It’spossibleDisneyQuestservesasDowntown’scenterpiece.Wedon’tknow.”

Maybeckcursed.

Finn:“Usingthephoneasthesignaltosendthemback.”Philby:“Exactly.”Willa:“That’swhytheywantthefobsobadly.TomakeiteasierforthemtoReturn.”Philby:“Ithinkso,yes.”

Maybeckshouted,andFinncuppedhisear.

Maybeck:“Holdon!Waitasecond.”Philby:“Weknow they tookcontrolof the server.Itwasthemwholockedmeout,nottheImagineers.Iwasneverbuying that.Wegotallhungupon itbeingaboutus,aboutcontrollingus.LockingusintheSyndrome.Andsure,that’sprobablypartofit,butitalsomaybewhattheywantustothink.”Finn: “It explains them stealing the fob. But howcould they have done it? How could they haveturnedthemselvesintoDHIs?”Philby: “The same way we turned Amanda andJessintoDHIs.”

Anotherlongsilence.

Willa:“Butthinkaboutit.IftheyneedtheReturn,if they can cross over as DHIs, then when that’shappeningthey’reasleep,right?”

Foramomentitseemedasiftheconnectionhadfailed—noonemovedin

theirrespectivevideowindows.Charlenewasnolongerconcernedwithcatchingherbus.

Philby:“Makessense.”Finn:“I’lltellyouonething;theQueenwasn’tanyDHIlastnight.Shewasthrowingspellsallovertheplace.”Charlene: “So last night shewas real.But if theystole the fob for themselves, then they must beplanningtocrossoverintooneoftheParks,andamanual Return is just too hard for them to pulloff.”Willa:“They’reafraidof Jessknowing somethingabout this. They’ve always tried to control her,from clear back at the start. If we can see thefuture,thenmaybewecanstopthem.That’sgottobewhatthey’reworriedabout.”Charlene: “And you’re right, Willa; if they’reDHIs, then they’re asleep somewhere. We knowthatmuch.”Maybeck:“IseewherethisisgoingandI’mlikingit.”Philby:“Ifwe trap theirDHIs, they’llbe stuck inSBS.Theywon’tbeabletowakeupandwe’llhavedefeatedthem.Butbeforeyoufreak,rememberwedon’t have their powers.We can’t throwup laserjailsandprobablycan’tputfearintothemthewaytheycanwithus.It’snotthesame.”Maybeck:“Backup,Philbo.ForgettrappingtheirDHIs.Whatwewant todo isdistract theirDHIs.We want to find where they’re sleeping. Long asthey’re sleeping, they are totally vulnerable.Totally.Wecanslaponthecuffs,blindfoldandgagthem so they can’t throw spells ordo anything toanyone. We turn them over to Wanda or theImagineers,andthat’stwomorebehindbars.”

Philbyconsidered thewords“behindbars”and thoughtofWandaandhis

first contact fromWayne. His thoughtsmoved pastWanda toMaleficent andChernabog and their being locked up somewhere. As so often happenedwith

him,itjuststruckhimlikealightningbolt.Theanswerstomathequationscamethissameway;scienceassignments,too.Asparkofunderstandinginhisbrain.

Philby:“Prison!Thereason theyneed tobeDHIshastodowithMaleficentandChernabog—”Finn:“Sotheycanbreakthemout.”Philby: “I think so, yes. It’s their end game. It’severythingthey’reabout.”Charlene:“Howcouldthatpossiblywork?”Philby:“Whoknows?Butthat’stheirplan.Itaddsup.”

ThementionofWandahadFinnwondering about her.They’dgotten her

outof jail,but shehadn’tbeenback incontactwith them.Didshe fearpolicesurveillance? Or someone worse? She had a hearing scheduled for Mondaymorning.

Willa: “If they’re asleep, it’s somewhere in theParks.”Maybeck: “Out of the way. Someplace no one’sgoingtobotherthem.”Finn:“Orfindthem.”Charlene:“Hello?TheParksareginormous.”Maybeck:“There can’tbe thatmanyplaces.CastMembersareallovertheplaceallthetime.Wecanfigurethisout.”

Maybeckdidn’toftenplaycheerleader.Noneoftheothersknewquitewhat

tosay.

Philby:“Don’tforget,wesurprisedthemlastnightbyhavingaccesstotheserver.Theythoughtthey’dlockedusout.ButiftheygoDHI,Ishouldbeableto detect it. Iwon’t know exactlywhere they are,but the ISP, submask, and router data will helpnarrow itdown.Thatwouldallowus tohave twoteams: one, likeMaybeck said, to challenge theirDHIs and keep thembusy,while the second teamtriestofindwherethey’resleeping.”Maybeck: “Thing is, they’ve got the fob. Theminutetheyfigureanyofthisout,theyReturn,andthenwe’reinthedeepwoods.”Finn: “We can’t rely on sending signals anymore.That was close last night. I think we should hideoneof our cell phones in eachof theParks.We’dallknowwheretofindthem.Ifweneedout,wecallPhilbyandhetakesusoutmanually.”Philby:“Makestotalsense.”Charlene: “You expect me to give up my cellphone?Seriously?”Willa:“Finn,weneedtocheckwithJessaboutthatdrawing.”Finn:“Noproblem.AndIwanttotalktoWanda.We can’t ask her to risk anything since she wasarrested.Butwhoknowshowshemighthelpus?”Philby: “If we’re dividing up teams, I vote forMaybeck, Finn, and Charlene to go after thesleepers. Amanda, Willa, and Jess can play cat-and-mousewith theEvilQueenandCruella.DHIagainstDHI.”Willa:“Idon’tmeantobeabuzzkill,butIamsogrounded. It’s likemymother’sgotmeon suicidewatch or something—she wakes me up everycouplehours.Imean,Iwantsobadlytobepartofwhateverwe’redoing,but…Ijustdon’tknow.”

AlltheKeepersspokeatonce.NooneexpectedanythingfromWilla.She’d

been throughenough.Sheapologizedprofusely; itwasclear shewanted tobeincludediftheycrossedover,butifcaughtbyhermotheritcouldthreatenthem

all.

Finn:“Well, the restofus shoulddress foractioneachnight.PhilbywillcrossusoverwhenheknowstheOvertakershavecrossed.Thefirstthingwedowhen we enter a Park is to find the hidden cellphoneinwhateverParkwe’rein.Gotthat?That’sour way out of the Park: we call Philby for aReturn.”Philby:“Onesmallproblem.WhenIhittheReturnyou’llallReturnaslongasyou’resomewherenearthe landing point in whatever Park you’re in. Sothat makes the girls’ job more complicated. Weneed to get the fob back.Whichever side has thefobhasfreedom.”Maybeck:“Easiersaidthandone.”Charlene:“Areweforgettinganything?”Willa:“Probably.”Finn:“So,westarttonight.”Willa:“Becarefulinschool.Thegreen-eyesareoutthere.”

Moments later, Finn disconnected from the conference call, a pit in his

stomachaboutprobablyforgettingsomething.

***Finnarrivedatschoolfeelinglikeanidiot:he’dforgottenitwasa“freedress”day.Thatshouldhavemeantprofessionalsportsteamjerseysforboysandshort-shorts for girls—since neither was allowed at Finn’s school—but living inOrlando,itturnedintoaDisneycostumecontestforhalfofthefifteenhundredkids.Worse,afewstudentscameasoneormoreoftheKingdomKeepers,andFinndidn’tknowwhethertofeelhonoredormocked.

But he looked tragically normal in a pair of shorts and a striped T-shirt.EvenAmandahadgottenintoit,showingupinapressedwhiteshirtandplaidskirt,whichheassumedwasconnected toHarryPotter.At least a thirdof theremaininggirlsandmoreguysthanhe’dexpectedcameasvampires.Butitwas

DisneyandMarvelComicsthatwonbyalongshot.IronMancharacters.Alicein Wonderland. Toy Story. Every witch, dwarf, princess, and mermaid innumbers that staggered the imagination. Added into the mix were girls whodressedasprincesandboysdressedaswitches,sothatthebathroomendedupaconfusingmix, which was exactly where Finn found himself as he heard thefamiliarvoice.

“Whatareyoulookingat,Whitless?”Luowski’s voice, but the body of the Russian madman in Iron Man 2,

completewiththescarsandbadteethandsomethingcomingofftheendsofhishands, which were supposed to be bolts of electricity but looked more likeChristmas-tree tinsel.Finn felt sorry for theguy: thecostumegotclose,but intheenddidn’twork.

Finnrealizedthathewaslookingathimselfinthemirror—likethelasttimehe’d run into Luowski in there. The situation was doubly strange because hedidn’tremembercomingintothebathroom.Nordidherememberturningonthefaucet,whichwascurrentlyrunning.

“Hey,Greg.”In addition to theMickey Rourke look, Luowski was wearing the green

contacts.SomethingFinntooknoteofwithaddedapprehension.Finnchancedaglanceathiswatch:eightminuteshadpassedsincetheend-

of-schoolbuzzer.Foramomenthecouldn’trememberhavingbeeninschoolatallthatday.Hecouldforcehimselftoimagine,ifnotactuallyremember,havingentered theboys’ room,buthehadabsolutelyno recollectionof thepasteightminutes.

TheEvilQueen?Hadsomeonedresseduplikeherbeenbehindhiminthemirror just a few seconds before Luowski? Was that a memory, or hisimagination?

Heclearedhisthroat.“Themoreimportantquestion,Greg,iswhyareyouhangingaroundtheboys’roomstaringatotherguysstaringatthemselvesinthemirror?”

“I…ah…WhosaidIwas?”“Picture’s worth a thousand words.” Finn pulled his phone out of his

pocket.Luowskisaid,“Yourgirlfriend’swaitingoutside.”“Idon’thaveagirlfriend.”“NotwhatIhear.”“Well,youhearwrong.”FinnturnedaroundandfacedthetallerLuowski,standingaboutchinheight

tohim.ButLuowskimightaswellhavebeensix-feet-fiveand280poundsfor

thewayFinn felt.Hedidn’twantanyone—includingGregLuowski—messingwithAmanda.

“Takealookyourself,Romeo.”Luowskimotionedtothedoor.FinnhadsomethingtosaytoLuowski,butknewitwouldearnhimapunch

intheface,sohebitbackhiswords.Hewasbackinthehallheadingforthefrontdoors,notfeelingquiteright.

Itbotheredhimthathe’dlosteightminutesofhislife.Nothinglikethathadeverhappened to him before. He and the other Keepers had often discussed “sideeffects”ofbeingaDHI:theextremefatiguemixedwiththeoccasionalinsomnia.Hewonderedifthesideeffectsincludedmemorylapse.Eightminutes.Gone.

Heswungopentheschooldoors.Amandastoodatthebottomofthesteps,turningherheadtowardhimjust

asFinnarrivedthroughthedoors.Hisgirlfriend…Washesupposedtogetusedtothat?Hefelthappytoseeher—almosttoohappy.

Light-headed.Weightless.Heseemedtofloatdownthestepstowardher.Shestoodamongagroupofgirls.Afewcoveredtheirmouths,hidingtheir

smilesas theysawFinn.Hehadno ideahowstupidhe looked.Buthisvisionblurred to where there was only Amanda. The others girls looked almostPhotoshoppedin,blurryandunidentifiable.

He didn’t know why, but he looked behind him—Luowski-the-Russian-madmanstoodat the topof thestairs,grinning.FinnwashalfwaydownwhenAmandaapproachedhim.

“Walkme home?”Amanda said. That was a first. He’dwalked his bikewithherplentyoftimes,buthecouldn’trememberheraskingforhimto.

“Ilikethatshirt,”hesaid,havingretrievedhisbike.“It’sJess’s.”“Youlookgoodinit.”Whatastupidthingtosay.Itfitherprettytightlyand

shewasgoingtothinkhimacreep.“Thanks.”Theywalkedablock.Two.Five.“You’reawfullyquiet,”shesaid.“Luowskiwasbuggingmeinthebathroom,”hesaid,wonderingwherethat

kindofhonestycamefrom.“He’soneofthem.”“Areyousure?”Finn caught her up on the recent street confrontation and Luowski’s

commentaboutnotbelievinginmagic.“That’sfairlydirect,”shesaid.“Itis.Andthere’smore.”HetoldheraboutHugoandPhilby.“Ohmigod,theyactuallyfought?Likewithfists?”

“Likewith.”“Well,Icanseewhyhe’screepingyouout.”“Yeah.”“So,yougavemethatmessage,”shesaid.Finnhadforgottencompletelyaboutthat.Itfeltlikeaweekago.Ithadbeen

thesamemorninginU.S.Governmentclass.“Oh,yeah.”“Youreallyaredistracted.”“Sorry.”“Thenotesaidyouwantedtotalktome.”Thisexplainedwhyshewaswaitingforhimoutsideschool.Hefeltlikean

evenbiggeridiot.Thiswasoneofthosedaystowipeoffthecalendar.“I…we…the Keepers, need you and Jess. To cross over, or be ready to

crossover.”Hewentontoexplainthemorningconferencecall.Shehesitated.“I toldyouaboutMrs.Nash threatening tosendusback to

theFairlies.”“Whywouldshedothat,anyway?Imean,besidesyoutwomessingup?If

theywantedyouintheFairliestheywouldhavesentyoutherewhentheyfoundyoutwo.”

“TheonethingIlearnedwhenIwasthere,”shesaid,“isthatyounevercantrust anything to dowith that place.They told us one thing, but itwas so farfromthetruthitwasn’tfunny.”

“Butiftheywantedtoobserveyou,orwhatever—”“Howdoweknow theyaren’tobservingusnow?HowcanJessand Ibe

sureMrs.Nashisn’tbeingpaidtospyonusandreportback?”Amandasaid.“That’salittleparanoid.”“Youwouldn’tthinksoifyou’dbeenthroughwhatwe’vebeenthrough.”“No,I’msurenot.”“Ididn’tmeantosoundso…bossy,”shesaid.“Ididn’ttakeitthatway,”saidFinn.Shereachedoverandfoundhishand,andforanotherblocksheheldit,and

helikedit.They stopped in front of the familiar blue house with yellow trim. The

twenty-minutewalk had feltmore like five. Timewas allmessed up for him.Manyof theotherhouseson theblockwereSpanish influencedandonestorytall.Mrs.Nash’shouselookedolder,anditwastwostories.

FinnslappedthekickstanddownandfacedAmanda.Heknewexactlywhathewantedtodo—he’djustneverdoneitexactlylikehewasabouttodoit.

Jesssteppedoutthefrontdoor,lookingpanicked.FinnsteppeduptoAmandaandgrabbedherbytheshoulders.Itwasalmost

asifhewascompelledtodothis,asifhe’dbeentoldstep-by-stepwhattodo.Muchtohissurprise,Amandamadenoefforttopullawayfromhim.He’d

expectedmaybeaslapintheface.“Myshirt!”Jesshollered,makingitsoundlikeacrime.Something was wrong. Finn knew it. He knew Jess was running to stop

them from kissing, but he didn’twant to be stopped.He sawLuowski in thelavatorymirroranditjustasquicklyslippedoutofhisthought,likeawetbarofsoapintheshower.

Jess’s shouting about her shirt turnedAmanda’s head in her direction.Aconspiracytostophimfromdoingwhathehadtodo.

Hereachedout, tookAmanda’schininhisfingers,andturnedher towardhim.

Hebroughthislipstohersand,astheirlipsmet,itwasn’tjustanykiss,buta ringing-in-your-ears, blinded-by-the-light kind of kiss that went on muchlonger than he’d expected. Amanda’s eyes opened and there was a world inthere.Aplacehe’dneverbeen.

He drew back. He saw Amanda standing there looking stunned and alldreamyaswell, but he suddenly couldn’t rememberwhat hewasdoing there.Couldn’t remember how he’d gotten there. He felt startled, dizzy. Then hespottedhisbikeandwonderedifhe’driddenhere.Orhadhewalkedthebike?

WhyamIhere?hethought.Jessskiddedtoastop.“No!”sheroared.Amanda’s knees went out from under her. She’d fainted. For amoment,

Finn remembered the kiss and he felt…proud—the kiss that knocks them offtheirfeet.ButtherewassomethingaboutJess’spanicthatpulledhimoutofit.SomethingaboutthewayAmandacollapsedsosuddenly.

WhathaveIdone?Jess’s face went ashen. She said, “That’smy shirt!” as if that explained

anything.“What’sgoingon?”Hefeltasifhehadbeenshovedoutontoastageand

didn’tknowhislines,didn’tknowtherole.Itwassomekindanightmarehe’dwalkedinto.Hetriedtowakehimselfup.

“She’swearingmyshirt!Notme.”“I…don’t…understand.” Finn shook Amanda, praying it was a practical

joke,butsensingtherewasnothingfunnyaboutit.Then Jess shookAmanda’s shoulders and itwas clear thiswasn’t a joke.

Her bodywas slack, like shewas asleep. Shewas definitely notmoving.Herbreathingwas incredibly slow and lethargic.All of Jess’s shouting and crying

wasn’tgoingtochangethings.“Wakeup!”Finnsaiddesperately,notknowingifhemeantitforhimselfor

forher.Hewentwoozy;couldbarelykeephisbalance.Amandawasunresponsive.JesslookedupatFinnandsaid,“Whathaveyoudone?”

***Finn blinked and looked around, terrified. He remembered Luowski in thelavatory,thekiss,butnothowitallconnected.Whyhadhecomehereinthefirstplace?

Jesslookedupwithtearsinhereyes,kneelingbyAmanda.“I…”Finnsaid,“don’tknowwhathappened…Ididn’tmean…”“Helpme,”shesaid,pullingAmanda’sarmstowardher.“Mrs.Nashwillbe

backatfour.Weneedtogetherinside,upstairs,ontoherbunk.”“Wakeup…”hemuttered.“Finn!Ineedyounow!”Finn’ssensesweredulled,hisheadthick.“Ididn’tmeanit,”hesaid.“WEHAVE TOGET HER INSIDE,” Jess said, tears running down her

face.“RIGHTNOW!”Finn tookAmanda’s legs, Jess her arms, but Jesswas crying too hard so

FinnscoopedAmandaupinhisarmsandcarriedher.“I’vegother.”Hestaggeredtowardthefrontsteps,stilltryingtograspwhathadhappened.The door opened as several girls hurried out to help. They got Amanda

upstairsandontothelowerbunk.He had somuch hewanted to say, but the horrified expression on Jess’s

facesaiditall.“We’lltellNash,”Jessinstructedtheothergirls,“thatAmanda’ssickandis

sleepingoffaheadache.That’llcoverheratleastfortonight.”“What’s up?” one of the girls asked. “So she fainted. So what’s the big

deal?”Jess and Finnmet eyes. Jess said, “She bumped her headwhen she fell.

She’llbeallright,butshemightsleepthroughthenight.”Finn’sheartstopped:ThesurprisehologramoftheEvilQueen;Luowski’s

suddenchangeinattitude.He’dbeensocertainhe’descapedtheQueen’sspell,butnowherwordsreturnedtohaunthim:

AssoftasawhisperNoonewilltellThecurse,reversed

SeenbythesisterWhenkissingJezebel

“You…” hemuttered, looking at Jess. It felt like a bomb going off. The

piecesofapuzzleforminginyourmindandfinallyfitting.“Itwassupposedtobeyou!”

Jesspaledconsiderably.Sheknows,Finnthought.“It’sNash!”cameavoicefromthehall.“Backdoor!”JesstoFinn.“Hurry!”Finnhesitated,lookingdownatAmanda,feelinghorriblyresponsible.“Youcan’tstay!GO!”Jesssaid.Shepushedafoldedpieceofpaperintohis

hand.Hestuffeditintohispocket.“Takethis.Ithoughtitwasme,too.”Finn moved for the stairs, but a girl waved him back. Finn stopped,

teeteringonthetopstep.“Pssst! ” Behind him, another of the girls had opened awindow leading

ontotheroof.Shemotionedoutthewindow.Finnhadthesneakingsuspicionhewasn’tthefirstboytobehurriedoutof

Mrs.Nash’shouse.Thegirlatthewindowpressedherfingertoherlips.Hewastogoquietly.

Shepointedtothefarrightoftheroof.Finnlookedback.Jesshaddriedhertears,buthercolorhadfailedtoreturn.

Shehurriedtohimandhandedhimafoldednapkin.Hepocketedthisaswell.Sheknowsitwassupposedtobeher,hethought.Heduckedoutandwasgone.

***TheymetatfivepminthebackroomofCrazyGlaze.Maybeck’sauntleftthemalone,wearingaworriedface;sheknewbetterthantoaskwhatwasgoingon.

Philby’s timewas limited.Hismotherwaswaiting in thecaroutside; sheexpectedhimoutnolaterthansix.CharlenehadWillaonspeakerphone,whichsatonthetablenexttoadozenglazed,butunfired,coffeemugs.

Thecollectivemoodwasanxious.Maybeckwasnot tossingouthisusualjokes.

Finnstartedoffbyconfessing to themabout thevideochatwhereWaynehadtransfiguredintotheEvilQueen,hisgoingallclear,andherattempttoputhim under a spell, which he recited word for word. He told them about thesecond encounter with Luowski in the boys’ room, and about his kissingAmanda,andhercollapse.

Nooneopenlycriticizedhim,buttheirdisappointmentinhimwasobvious.

TheKeeperswereateam,andbynottellingthemearlier,he’deffectivelygonesolo.Hedidn’tneedtoberemindedwherethathadnowgottenthem.

“FirstCharlene,thenWilla.NowAmanda,”hesaid.“ButitwassupposedtobeJess.”

“So the Evil Queen got you with the spell,” Willa said. “And then themirror in the bathroom. The Evil Queen is all about ‘mirror, mirror.’ MaybeLuowskireinforcedthespellorsomething.”

“The question is,” Philby said, ever the practical one, “howdowe breakthisparticularspell?Ifakissstartedit,akissisnotgoingtoendit.”HeglancedoveratCharlene,rememberingtheirkiss.

“‘Reversethecurse,’”Maybecksaid.“Maybeshetolduswithoutmeaningto.InAmanda’scase,thekissmadeherintoSleepingBeautyinsteadofwakingher up from a nap. Right? So, someone remindme how SleepingBeauty gotcursedinthefirstplace?”

“ShepricksherfingeronaspindlethatMaleficentcreates,”Willasaidoverthespeakerphone.

“Maleficent? Seriously?Now there’s a surprise! Sowe find a spindle—aDisneyspindle,aParkspindle—andwegiveAmandaasplinterfromit,andweseewhatwesee,”Maybecksaid.“What?”hesaid,whenhefoundhimselffacingskeptical looks. “Does someonehaveabetter idea?She reversed thecurse, sowhyshouldn’twe?”

“It does make sense in a weird, Maybeck kind of way,” Charlene said.“Therehavegot tobespindles in theParks.Wecouldat least try it,right?It’sbetterthandoingnothing!”

“Canwecomebacktoit?”Philbysaid.HepushedhislaptoptoCharlene,asking her to Google “Disney spindle.” “I don’t havemuch time, and there’sstuffaboutthelogIabsolutelyhavetotellyouabout.”

Charlenewenttowork,typingfuriously.“Goahead,”Finnsaid.“Butmakeitquick.”Philbycouldbeatalker,and

Finnhadnopatienceforthat.HewantedAmandaback,rightnow!Hecouldn’tremembereverfeelingthison-edge,this…guilty.

“Finn and I hacked the MK server last night, as you guys know, and Idownloadedtheactivity log.I’llskip thedetails,sincegettingAmandabackiswaymore important, but still, this could affect everything.Basically, theOTshavemade themselves intoDHIs. I have the proof. Empirical data. They firstappeared on the Animal Kingdom server, a week ago. But get this: four IDnumbers. So the EvilQueen andCruella have company—andwe don’t knowwho.OtherOTs?Ifso,they’reprobablyoneswehaven’tmetyet,whichiskindoffreaky.Let’shopeit’snotLuowskiorSallyRingwald,orsomeotherkids—

but that’smy first guess. SallywarnedAmanda andCharlene that thereweremoreof themthanwecouldimagine.MaybeshemeantDHIs.That’swhatI’ddo if Iwere looking todefeatus:createotherDHIs to takeonours.Level theplayingfield.Makeitequalground.”

“GoodGodfrey,”saidMaybeck.“What’s more important—much more important—is that after a lot of

crossing over and Returning in AK, their data tagsmake a handshakewith arouteratDisneyQuestonthenightoftheschoolthing.”

“Thenightwesawthem,”Willasaidoverthephone.“Yeah,”Philbysaid.“But that’s not possible,”Willa said.Only she andPhilbyunderstood the

technicalsideandthereforespokethesamelanguage.“Thefirewalls—”“Hadtohavebeenbreached,”hesaid.“Theyjumped?”“Theyjumped,”heconfirmed.“Furtherevidencedbydatacloningontothe

DHIserversinMK,theStudios,andEpcot.”Finnraisedhishandlikeastudentinclass.ButPhilbywasfocusedonthe

phoneandWilla.“So they cango anywherewe cango,”Willa said. “Andplaceswe can’t

go,”sheadded.“Englishisspokenhere,”Maybecksaid.Philby said, “Here’s the four-one-one: Disney’s careful—super careful—

aboutprotectingtheirdata.EachParkhasonlytwodatapipesleadinginandout.One is forbackup.Theother is theone typicallyused.Theyhavemajor—andwhen I say major, I meanmajor—firewalls to keep data in and hackers out.That’spartofwhatDHIshadowisallabout—it’snotjustprojectors.WhenwephysicallywalkoutsideoftheParksandoutsideofthosefirewalls,we’relostbythesystem.WhenwereenteranotherPark,ourIDsarepickedbackupandweproject.”

Maybecksaid,“Keepitmoving.”“Anyway, there’s aDHI server for eachPark for a reason: our data can’t

flowthroughthosefire-walls.”“Buttheirscan?”Willaasked.“TheOTshavepulled it off somehow,”Philby said. “It’s called jumping.

They jumped from Animal Kingdom to DisneyQuest and back. They thenpropagated—spread,”hesaid,directingthetranslationtoMaybeck,whomadeacruel facebackathim,“theirdatapacks toeachof theParkservers.Theonlywaytodothatwastobreachthefirewalls.It’sradicalstuff.Big-timestuff.AndI’msorry,but Idon’tsee thempulling itoffwithout thehelpofanImagineer,

and not just any Imagineer, but someone high up—someone with detailedknowledgeofthefirewalls.”

“Wayne’swarning,”Finnsaid.“Ithad todowith theservers,andaboutafriendturninghisback.”

“Thatwasme,”Charlenesaid.“Maybe not just you,” Finn said. “Maybe the Queen’s got an Imagineer

underaspell,orthere’sanall-outtraitoramongthem.”“And not to get tooConspiracy Theory, or anything,” Philby said, “but

what if that’s howWanda got caught?What if an insider sold her out to thecops? You want to know why we haven’t heard from her since your motherbailedherout?”heaskedFinn.“It’sbecauseshe’sconvinceditwillonlyputusindanger—thather everymove isbeingmonitored, that she’scontagious, anddoesn’twantuscatchinghercold.”

Youcouldhaveheardapindrop.Finn said, “Jess’s sketches.” He passed them around the table

counterclockwise, starting with Maybeck. Both were photocopies. Finndescribed them forWilla.One of amilitary guy; the other, the kiss in front amassivebuilding.

“Theydon’tdoanythingforme,”Maybecksaid,passingthemon.“But it’swhat theQueenwanted fromme,”Willa said. “Themost recent

one:themilitaryguy.”“Sojusttoclarify,”Charlenesaid,“youweresupposedtokissJesssoshe

couldn’tdrawanymoreofthese?Couldn’tseethefuture?DoIhavethatright?”“Iwishweknew,”Finnsaid.“But,yeah.Ithinkso.”“I thoughtyousaidyoukissedAmandaatMrs.Nash’s,”Philbysaid.“So

what’swiththemultiplexbehindyoutwo?”“Noclue,”saidFinn.“Youknowhowher‘visions’mixstuffup.Ithoughtit

mightbeschool.Butyou’reright—itcouldbeamovietheateroranoutletmallorsomething.”

“So,” Willa said over the phone, “we have two sketches that don’tnecessarily help us, but are apparently of huge importance and interest to theQueen. Amanda’s in a coma because of them. We think there’s a possiblejailbreakattemptbutwedon’tknowwhereorwhen,andthewomanwhomightbeabletohelpusisprobablyunderpolicesurveillance.WhatamImissing?”

“Youmakeitsoundsougly,”Charlenesaid.“Whataboutthespindletheory?”Finnasked.“Imean,seriously,isthatall

we’vegot?”“Reversethecurse,”Maybecksaid.“Asmuchas I’d like to saywemight findaDisneycharacter capableof

countering a spell by the Evil Queen, I can’t think of any,” Philby said.“Anyone?”

Noonepipedup.“No,”Philbysaid.“It’s logical that ifakissputher into this, I supposea

prickfromaspindlemightgetherout.”Maybeck said, “It’s got to beworth a try.Maleficent and theQueen are

playingforthesameteam.TheQueenthrowsaspellontoFinnaboutreversingthecurse.Imean,howcanweignorethat?”

“We’vegottotrysomething,”Finnsaid.“Wecan’tjustabandonAmanda.Mrs.Nashwillhospitalizeher.She’salreadythreatenedtosendthegirlsbacktotheFairlies.Thiswillsealthedeal.”

Charlenesaid,“DoIhavetobetheonetosaywhatwe’reallthinkingbutnoonewantstosay?”Shewasinternallyfumingoverthekiss,butsheheldhertongueaboutthat.

“ThisI’vegottohear,”Maybecksaid.“Thisisexactlywhattheywant:usfocusingonAmandainsteadofthem.”Finnsaid,“Iknow.Iknow.”Henoddedreluctantly.“Butthat’swhereIam.

UntilAmanda’sawake,Idon’tcarewhattheOTsareupto.”“How did it feel when you were crossed over without your consent?”

Maybeck said, attackingCharlene. “’Cause I can tell you, I didn’t like it.Notonebit.”

“I’m just saying:wecan’t ignoreeverythingelse that’shappening.That’sall.”

“Agreed,”Philbysaid.Finnsaid,“YouallknowwhereI’mat.”Maybecksaid.“Here’sanotheridea:Welayatrap,capturetheEvilQueen,

and waterboard her until she tells us how to get Amanda back. Spindles?Seriously,whatwasIthinking?”

“There are weaver spindles in Epcot’s Morocco,” Charlene reported,reading from Philby’s computer. “And in China the acrobats spin plates onspindles.ThosearetheonlyonesIcanfind.”

Finnsaid,“IvotewegetbothofthoseandtrythemonAmanda.Wedoitrightnow,tonight,beforeMrs.Nashfreaksoutanddoessomethingrandom.”

“But what if they want us focused on Amanda? When Amanda and IquestionedSallyRingwald,shementionedSaturdaymorning.That’s tomorrowmorning. What if tonight’s the start of the future? What if tonight is thejailbreak?”

FinnfingeredthepagetornfromJess’sdiary.Theboyandthegirlkissing.The building in the background that looked like steps, ormaybe amultiplex.

Something was bothering him about it, but he couldn’t make sense of it. Helookedup.Everyonewasstaringathim.Theyseemedtobewaitingforhimtosaysomething.

He looked around the table at his friends. He thought about Amandacollapsingtotheground—thatlookinJess’seyes.Hefeltworsethanhe’deverfelt.

“We’dbettergetstarted,”hesaid.

THATNIGHT,FOUROFTHEKEEPERS enteredEpcotprior toclosing,whilePhilbymonitoredtheDHIservertrafficfromhome,preparedtowarnthemifbandwidthusage indicated the presence ofOTholograms. Finn entrustedDillardCole toPark hop and hide three of their four phones in theMagicKingdom,AnimalKingdom,andtheStudiosintheeventtheylatercrossedover.

Finn’s mother dropped him, Maybeck, and Charlene off in the Epcotparkinglot.Sheplannedtostayinthecar,preparedtohelpthemmakeahastyretreat if needed. After much begging and promises made by Finn that bothmotherandsonknewwouldneverbekept,shehadvisitedWandaAlcottinherapartmentonhisbehalf.IftheOTswerewatchingWanda—hisreasoningwent—thearrivalofagrown-upattheapartmentwasunlikelytostirmuchinterest.Thevisitwasshort,butsignificant.Finn’smother,workingfromanotecardandpassingalongJess’stwosketches,briefedWandaontheeventsofthepastweek,culminating in theKeeper theory that they had all been betrayed by someonewithintheImagineers—whowaseitherunderthespellof,orcooperatingfreelywith, the Overtakers. From what his mother later told Finn, this news hadapparentlycomeasnogreat surprise toWanda;shehadbeenavoidingcontactwith the Keepers because she harbored the same suspicions. However, now,giventheimmediacyoftheirneed,she’dagreedtohelp.

Finn,onceagaininbaseballcapandsunglasses,hidhisphone—thefourthand last—outsideMouseGear in awall-mountedmetal fixture near theEpcotplaza.Leavingthephonebehindmadehimpainfullyawareoftheisolationthatresulted.But should they fail in their efforts and the need arose to cross overlater that same night, they gave themselves a chance to Return, and thatoverruledallotherconsiderations.

The three Keepers—Finn, Maybeck, and Charlene—used the employeepasses Wayne had provided a year earlier to enter Epcot by an employeeentranceshortlyaftereightpm.

Withinminutesof their arrival into thePark,Maybeck said, “Doyou seewhoIsee?”

NoParkvisitorwouldhaverecognizedherwithherdarkhairupinabunand a Rays baseball cap worn backward. She looked tomboyish in a loose-fitting,man-tailoredshirt,anddarkgreenCapripants.Butforthosewhoknewherwell,therewasnomistakingWilla.

Theycaughtuptoher,showeringherwithsmiles.“ButIthought—”Charlenesaid.“Yeah,well…mymotherhasalibraryboardmeetingtonight,andmyfather

tookasleepingpillbecausehe’sflyingtoEuropetomorrow,andtheycangroundmeforeternityforallIcare,butthere’snowayI’mleavingAmandaundersomestupidspell.”

Heractofcourageelevatedthespiritsoftheentiregroup.ShewouldteamupwithMaybeckinMorocco,whileFinnandCharlenetookChina,asalreadyplanned.Philbywashomemonitoringserveractivity.Willahad“borrowed”herfather’sBlackBerryandcalledPhilbytogivehimawaytoreachthem.Charlenehadbroughtapairofwalkie-talkiesthathadashortrange;herfamilyusedthemonskitrips.Itwasn’taperfectsetup,butFinnfeltconfidenttheycouldatleastcommunicateonepairtotheother.

Theysplitup.He and Charlene caught up to Dillard at an outsidemerchandise stall in

front ofMexico. Like two spies, Finn accepted the pass of a folded sheet ofpaper fromhis friend, andDillardwasgone,off to scoutChinaandMorocco.Dillard hadwritten down detailed descriptions of the locations for the phoneshe’dhiddenin theotherParks.ForFinn,desperate tofreeAmanda, it felt likethe hastily assembled plan was actually coming together. He radioed thelocationstoMaybecksothatallfourofthemnowknewhowtoexecuteaReturniflaterneeded.

OnDillard’spart,playingevenasmallroleinaKingdomKeepersmissionwasthethrillofalifetime.He’doftenbeggedFinntoturnhimintoaDHIandmakehimpartof thegroup.Finnhadtoldhimthatwasimpossible, thoughhewasnowreconsidering,beginningtowonderifexpandingtheKeepersmightbenecessary.TheOvertakerswereoutnumberingthem.Somethinghadtobedone.

Willa and Maybeck headed around the east side of the lake; Finn andCharlene, the west. Remaining alert for crash-test dummies, Security patrols,jesters,trolls,spiders,vultures,andatwenty-footsnake,theykepttothecrowds.

Theyactedasiftheywereinnohurry,justkidsoutforafuntimeinEpcot.TheWorldShowcasepavilionsslippedpast:CanadaandtheUnitedKingdom’sBigBenononeside;Mexico’sMayanTempleandNorway’sStaveChurchontheother.

They worked to blend in, keeping their heads down. Many kids would

know what they looked like. Finn felt like his face had been displayed on a“wanted”poster.TheirDHIhostcharacterswereknownfromtheParks,fromanInternetgame,andmerchandise.Despitethemallwearingsunglasses—atnight—theyhadtoprotectthemselvesfrombeingrecognizedandmobbedbyfans.

Near France, Maybeck spotted a Segway ridden by a Security guard.Forbidden fromvisiting theParkswithoutpermission,he andWillahid insidetheLondonteashopandletitpass.TheythencontinuedpastAmerica,Italy,andGermany,finallyfacingthebrownstuccobuildingsofMorocco,halfwayacrossthelakefromwherethey’dstarted.

“This ismy favorite country in all theWorldShowcase,”Willa said in ahush.NotthatMaybeckhadasked.“Iusedtogethennadrawingsonmyhandsorankles,thesebeautifuldesignsthatdidn’twashoffforweeks.”

“I haven’t spent a lot of time here,” Maybeck said. They remained justoutside the entrance to the country’s courtyard, across the main path thatencircledthelake.“Ihavethisthingaboutrobes.Priests.Witches.Doesn’tmuchmattertome.Ihatethemall.”

“Robes?Seriously?”“Idon’tknowwhere itcamefromorwhy itbugsmesomuch.Forsome

kids it’s clowns.Or sharks. I don’t love snakes or spiders, either.But guys inrobes—girls,notsomuch—givemethecreeps.”

“AndtheywearrobesinMorocco?I’venevernoticed,”Willasaid.“Sometimestheydo.Yes,sometimestheydo,”hesaiddefensively.“Well,ifIseearobeI’llwarnyou,”shesaid.“Besides,”hesaid,“Ilikehangingwithyoubetter.”Helookedawayasif

watching for Overtakers. “Charlene’s way too happy and cheerleader for memostofthetime.”

“AndI’mnothappy?”“Ididn’tsaythat.Butyouandme,we’vegotsimilarenergylevels.I’mnot

talkingaboutsmarts,I’mtalkingabout…energy.”“You…youknowIkindalikePhilby,right?”“Kinda?”Maybecksaid.Willablushed.“EveryoneknowsyoulikePhilbyexceptPhilby.”“Yeah,well,that’sPhilby.Maybethat’swhatmakeshimsoeasytolike.”“AreyousayingI’mnoteasytolike?”Maybecksaid.“Ididnotsaythat.You’reveryeasytolike.”“You’vegotthatright,”hesaid.Willa bit back a smile. “So tell me something: Do you like to be called

DonnieorTerrybetter?”

“Icouldn’tcareless,”hesaid.“Youmusthaveapreference.”“Sadly,no.Callmewhateveryoulike,justdon’tcallme—”“—latetodinner,”shesaid,interrupting.“That’saveryoldjoke,Donnie.”Heshrugged.“I’manoldsoul.”People were already positioning themselves around the lake, reserving

prime spots for the upcoming fireworks display. The Keepers planned to useIllumiNationstotheiradvantage.

“Doyou thinkwe’rewastingour timewith this spindle thing?”Maybeckasked,sinceithadbeenlargelyhisidea.

“I…ah…YouandIhavebothbeentrappedintheSyndrome,soIdon’thavetoexplaintoyouwhyI’ddoanythingtobreakthespellonAmanda.”

“Thatdoesn’texactlyanswermyquestion.”“Icanseehowitmakessense.”“Youthinkwe’rewastingourtime.”“Ihavenootherplan,”shesaid.“Noonehadanyotherplan.‘Reversethe

curse,’Donnie.Itmakessense.Itreallydoes.”“Ijustdon’twanttobetheonewastingourtime.”Hesoundedyoungerall

ofasudden,apologetic.“FinnandPhilbymakealotofthetoughdecisions,”shesaid.“Especially

Finn.”“You’re holding out on me, girl,”Maybeck said, catching an expression

passingacrossherface.“I…it’ssomethingsomeonetoldmewhenIwasinSBS.Ifyou’reniceto

me,maybeI’llshareit.OrmaybeI’lljustshareitwiththegirls.”“Icanbeverynice.”“That’sformetojudge.”“Weaverspindles,”Maybeckreminded,thecrowdinsideMoroccothinning

asthefireworksneared.“Thegiftshop.Yeah.”“There’s a gift shop in theWorldShowcase?Now there’s a surprise,” he

saidsarcastically.“Theysellsmallrugs.There’sarugloomondisplay.Spindles.I’llcreatea

diversion.Yougraboneofthespindles.Simple,”shesaid.“Whydoestheblackkidhavetobethethief?”“That’sawful.That’snotitatall,andyouknowit.Firstofall,you’rejust

Maybeck tome, ’kay? Second, you’re not a thief, but you are a boy. You’rebetteratthisstuff.”

“Boysarebetteratstealing?”

“Ifyou’rechicken,I’lldoit,”shesaid.“Okay,good.Youdoit.I’llcreatethediversion.”“You’reserious?”“Absolutely.”“Okay,”Willasaidreluctantly,clearlyunhappywiththearrangement.As the Disney voice announced the start of Reflections of Earth, Park

guestsrushedthelakeindroves,formingahumanringfiftypeopledeeparoundtheentirelake.

Maybecksaid,“Ifwegetseparated,wemeetoutsidethebathroomsbythetraindisplayatGermany.It’sjustaroundthe—”

“Iknowwhereitis.”“You’remadatme.”“Amnot,”shesaid,clearlylying.“It’sjustI’veneverstolenanythinginmy

life,andthatwasarecordIwashopingtokeep.”“AndIhave?”“Ididn’tsaythat!”“Wecanflipacoinifyoulike.”“Ilike.”“Yougotacoin?”heasked,checkinghispockets.“I’lldoit,”shesaid.“Justdon’tsayIneverdidanythingforyou.”“You won’t get caught because my job’s to make sure you don’t get

caught.”“Youneverquit,doyou?”“Hey,ifyoudon’tbelieveinyourself,thenwhowill?”

***Finn hip-checked Charlene, turning her down the wide, curving jungle pathbetweenMexico andNorway. It dead-ended into awidewooden gate, a CastMembers–onlyentrance to the right. In the soft shadowofdarknessappearedtheshapeofawoman,andCharlenestartled.

“It’s okay,” Finn said, encouraging Charlene forward. “It’sWanda. She’sexpectingus.”

Wanda Alcott greeted them both with hugs, holding on to Finn like shemightanephew.Hergratitudeforhisbailingheroutofjailwaswrittenalloverherface.

“It’s all arranged,”Wanda said. “Theyadded theextra show. It starts anyminute.Betterfromhereonifit’sjustusgirls.”

Finnnodded.Charleneknewtheplan,butnotWanda’sinvolvement.“Should anything go wrong, and Lord knows it can,”Wanda said, “I’ve

arrangedawayoutforyou;andfortheothertwo,forthatmatter.Thecharactersareallonyourside,”Wandasaid.

“TheCastMembers,”Charleneclarified.“Someofthem,too,”Wandasaid.“Butno,Charlene,Imeanthecharacters.

Theyhavebeensupportiveofallofyoufromthebeginning.”“But, that means…From the beginning?” She felt overwhelmed. Their

supportcouldchangeeverything.“My father was reluctant to organize them—quite honestly, not knowing

whomtotrust.Butthedusthassettled.Hmm?Andthere’severyindicationnowthatthey’vecometogetherasagroup.It’stremendousprogress,andit’sinlargepartbecauseof theexampleyou’veset.Forsomanyyears—decades—they’vebeenindividuals;they’veenjoyedtheflatteryofdailyattention.Likewithmoviestars, thatcreates some interestingpersonalities—just read the tabloids.But somanyofthemwantthemagictoremainintheParks.Theirveryexistenceisatstake.IftheOvertakershavetheirway,they’llallbewipedout.Gone.Hardtoimagineaworldlikethat.”

“Idon’twanttoimagineaworldlikethat,”Charlenesaid.“It’snotjusttheOvertakerswehavetoworryabout,”Finnsaid.“Thereare

Security guyswho’ve come after us before. It’s not likewe can trust just anyDisneyemployee.”

“No.Therearedefinitepocketswithinvariousgroupstowatchoutfor.Thepoisonhasspread.”

“TotheImagineers?”Finnsaid.“Ispokewithyourmother.Inanywarthereisthethreatofdoubleagents.”“Andwe’reatwar?”Charlenesaid.“Wewill be soon. Darkness descends,”Wanda said, looking up into the

nightsky.ShegrabbedCharlenebythehand,noddedtoFinn,andledthegirlthrough

theCastMemberdoorway.CharlenelookedbackatFinnthroughthegloom,herfaceamaskofworry

andconcern.Finnsuddenlyfelthorriblyalone.

***Fireworksexplodedoverthelake.

WhenMaybeckcreatedadiversion,hediditMaybeck-style:bigtime.Heknockedoveratallurncontainingtikitorches.Theresultingcacophonywaslikea stampede of wild horses, the chaos compounded by Maybeck’s intentionalfumblingashe tried to rectify thesituation.Hekicked the torchesaround inastormofrattlingbamboo,andsettheurnrollingtowardthecheckoutdesk.The

twoCastMembersremaininginthestorehurriedovertohelp.Willa, standing alongside a straw basket containing a very real-looking

cobrathatflickeditstongueather,grabbedtheweavingspindlefromtheloomondisplayandpulledhardtobreaktheyarn.Butthedisplaywasdeceptive.Theyarnwasnot reallyyarnbut somekindof unbreakablenylon string. Itwasn’tgoing to break no matter how hard she pulled. So, with the Cast MemberslaboringtohelpMaybeckwiththespilledtikitorches,Willabeganunwrappingthestringfromthespindleasfastasshecould.

Maybeck glanced inWilla’s direction several times, clearly annoyed andfrustratedbyhertakingsomuchtime.Finally,shereachedtheendofthestringand the spindlecame loose.She stuffed it intoherpocket andnodded slightlywhenshecaughtMaybecklooking.

TogetherwiththeCastMembers,Maybeckcollectedthetorchesandstoodthem back up in the urn and the urn was moved back into place. MaybeckapologizedprofuselyandslippedoutonesideofthestoreasWillaleftoppositehim.Sheturnedleft,towardthebrightlyexplodingskyandthemobsofpeoplewatchingthespectacle.

ASecurityguardonaSegwaywasheadedrightforher.ThenshespottedasecondSegwayonMaybeck’sside.Willaturnedaroundandwalkedintheotherdirection,deeperintoMorocco.Thestolenspindlefeltlikeitweighedahundredpoundsinherpocket.Shethoughtabouttossingit.ButiftheSecurityguywaswatchingher,he’dsee.

Sheglancedoverhershoulder.TheSecurityguyhadstoppedatthestore.Shefacedforwardandfoundherselflookingintotheeyesofanoldman—a

street beggar. Therewas at once something sad about this poorman, and yetsomethingelsevaguelyfamiliar.Shestoppedabruptly,bothafraidandintrigued.Maybeckappearedbehind theoldman,comingaround the farcorner.Perhapstheoldguycaughttheshiftinhervision,ormaybehehadeyesinthebackofhishead, but heknew someonewas there.Hebackedup, forming a trianglewiththem.

“Should I call the authorities?” he asked in a creaky old voice. “Do youthinktheymightbeinterestedinamissingspindle?”

“Buthow—?”Willa’sbreathcaught.Maybeckstopped.HeandWillaexchangedalookofdespair.“Goonyourway,oldman,”Maybecksaid.“Oldman?Doyouthinkso?”Ashelaughed,thesilkveilthathungacross

his chin billowed like a sail. He paused a moment, looking between them,making sure hehad their attention. “I…want…your…magic. Iwill spare yourlivesifyougiveittomenow.”

Willa felt a shortnessofbreath.Therewassomethingabout thewayhe’dsaid“magic”thatcut tohercore.She’dneverconsideredherselfaspossessingany magic, and yet here was this weird old man not only claiming that, butwantinghertohanditover.Itwaslikesomeonetryingtorobyouofsomethingyoudidn’tknowyoupossessed.

“Wait a second!Who are you?”Maybeck steppedback and indicated forWillatodothesame.

“Think you can outrunme, do you? Thatwould be a terriblemistake tomake.”

“Icanoutrunyouononeleg,oldman,”saidMaybeck.The silk veil dropped, revealing a pointed jaw. The old man’s body

stretchedandgrewtaller.Willa understood why his jaundiced eyes had seemed so familiar. The

personwhostoodbeforethemwasnotanoldmanatall.ItwasJafar.Willa’sgaspechoedoffthewalls.“Lest you forget what I’m capable of…” Jafar said, and immediately

transformedintoacobra—theclothesfallinginapileonthecobblestonestreetathisfeet.Thecobralifteditsheadanditsneckflared.

Maybeckmuttered,“Willa,Idon’tdosnakes.”Nowonderthecobrainthestorehadlookedsoreal,sherealized.“Don’t…

move!”“Notplanningonit,”Maybecksaid.ThecobraaimedfirstatWilla,thenatMaybeck.“Oneleg,huh?”shesaid.“Veryfunny.Whatnow?”Willaaddressedthecobra.“Wearewillingtolistentoyourproposal.”Thesnakemovedwithinsaneswiftnessintothelegofthefallenpants,and

suddenlyJafarstoodbeforethemoncemore.“Gooddecision,”hesaid.Each time the fireworks boomed, Willa flinched. Colors flashed on the

walls surrounding them, turning their faces blue, red, green, and white inrhythmicpulses.

“Exactlywhatmagicarewetalkingabout?”Maybeckasked.“Thewindowmagic.”“Windows?Likethesoftware?”Maybecksaid.“I don’t think we’re talking software,” Willa said. “What kind of

windows?”sheaskedJafar.“Windowmagic,”hesaid.“Iwishthisalso.Whattheevilonehas,Imust

possessaswell.”

“Windows,” Maybeck said, still confused and trying to wrap his headaround their situation.Forhim, Jafarwasoneof theworstDisneyvillainsoutthere.Hekilledpeople,ortriedto;heplacednovalueonhumanlife.Maybeckassumedhe’djustassoonturnintoacobraandbitethemdeadasletthemwalkaway.So,itcamedowntoconvincinghimhecouldgetwhathewantedwithoutknowingexactlywhathewanted.

BesideMaybeck,Willabackedupastep.Jafarseemedinoppositionto,orignorantof,Maleficent’sOvertakers.Bothpossibilitiesfascinatedher.Wastheredivisionintheranks?DidJafarcommandasplintercell?

Speculation fled as she caught sight of a display carousel in the opendoorwaytothegiftshopimmediatelybehindher.

“What’sup?”Maybecksaidsoftlyinherdirection.Jafarseemedtounderstandhewasoutnumbered.Helookedbetweenthem

likeafanatatennismatch.“Hangintherewithme,”shesaid.“Hanging,”Maybecksaid.Jafarraisedhisthin,hideoushandandsaid,“Don’tmakemedosomething

I’drathernot.”ButWillakeptmovingeversoslowlytowardthedisplaycarouselandthe

merchandise it contained: necklaces, fans, hand mirrors, Aladdin turbans,scarves,andmore.

Jafarsaid,“Youwillgivememagic.OnlythenwillIletyouleavealive.”“Youareonegenerousdude,”Maybecksaid.“AndrightnowI’mthinking

there’snoonewe’drathergiveourmagictothanyou.Troubleis,rightnow,wecan’tbegivingourmagicoutintheopen.Youknow?Webringthemagic,andnextthingyouknowallthosepeopleouttherearegoingtowantit.Andthat’snogoodforanyofus.Youwithme?”

JafartrainedhisyelloweyesontoMaybeck,stoppinghiminhistracks.“Youdon’thave it,doyou?”Jafarsoundedcrushedandangry.Extremely

angry. “I misjudged you.Magic is not something you can leave behind. Oneeitherhasitornot.Andifyoudon’thaveit,youareofnousetome.”

Willahadtohopenotonlythathercurrentlineofthinkingwascorrect,butthat she had perfect pitch. She also had to remember back to second grade—whichforherhadbeenanunpleasant time,whenher twofront teethhadbeenroughlythesizeofherthumbnails,andherclassmateshadteasedherforbeingsougly.

Shegrabbedholdofasnake-charmer’sflutefromthedisplaycarousel. Insecondgrade,ithadbeenarecorderflutefortheChristmasshow.Shedrewittohermouth, andplayed a hauntingmelody froma faraway land that she’d just

heardinsidethestore.Withinthefirstfewnotesofthesnake-charmingmelody,Jafarslappedhis

uglyhandsoverhislargeearsandbackedawayfromher,alreadybeginningtosinktotheground,shrinkingawaylikeasnakeinsideawickerbasket.

Maybecklookedoninamazement.“Howdidyou—?”“Shutup!Getreadytorun.”“Idonotneedtogetready.Iamsooutofhere.”“Comeoverbehindme.”Maybeck slid over behind Willa and, with her continuing to play the

melody,thetwobackedawayfromtherecoilingJafar.Shedroppedtheflute.Theyturnedandran.

***Finnstoodinthefrontrowofthecrowdofthehundredorsopeoplesurroundingaroped-offareadesignatedfortheChineseacrobats.Fireworkstoreholesinthesky, as a coach and a group of twelve girls and eight boys appeared ingymnasticsuniforms.Thecrowdbrokeintoapplause.

The girlsweremostly all tiny andyoung,wearing light blue leotards, allwith basically the same bob-and-straight-bangs haircut. The somewhat olderChinese boys formed a line behind, hands clasped behind their backs, flexingtheir arm muscles, and awaiting their turn. It took a moment for Finn torecognizethethird-to-lastgirlinlineasCharlene.Sheworeawigthatmatchedtheothergirls’.Withtheadditionofsomeeyemakeupandblush,sheblendedinsurprisinglywell.But just seeingher theremadeFinn thinkhowstupidaplanthiswas.Therehad tohavebeenabetterwaythan this toget thespindle.Buttherewasnoturningbacknow.

The coach—a strong looking older guy with a bald head—clapped hishandstwiceandtheshowbegan.Finnlookedaway,notwantingtoseewhatafoolCharlenewasabouttomakeofherself.Despiteherclaimthatshe’dseentheroutine“enoughtimestoknowitbyheart,”Finnknewthatseeingitandbeingabletodoitweretwodifferentthings.Withhiseyesavertedandsqueezedshut,hecoweredfromwhatheexpectedwasgoingtobeacollectivegaspasCharlenemissed amove and crashed. The show openedwith tumbling acts that defiedbelief:divingthroughhoops,twogirlsatatime.Somersaults.Humanpyramids.

Nocollectivegasp.Finnsquintedoneeyeopen,surprisedtoseeCharleneflyingthroughahoopandlandinginasomersault.Thecrowdcheered.

Not only did she know the routines, but she executed them flawlessly.Flyingbodies,camera flashes,andacheeringcrowdoccupied thenextseveralminutes.

A roar erupted celebrating a standing pyramid—four girls across on thebottomrow,Charleneoneofthem.

Allatonce,Finnfeltahandonhisrightshoulder—averyhardhand.Thenanotheronhisleftshoulder.Hewasinthegraspoftwomean-lookingwarriors—Huns—withseverebrowsandnarroweyes.Theyworeancient,decorativearmorandwereincrediblyintimidatingtolookat.

ThespectatorsaroundFinnsteppedbackandtookpictures.FinnglancedtowardCharlene,whowasnolongerinthepyramid.Thegirls

hadstoodtotheside:itwastheboys’turn.Moreapplause.ThetwoguardshauledFinnoutofthecrowd,asvideoanddigitalcameras

captureditall.There was no messing with these guys; their grip unrelenting as they

marchedhimtowardacircularbuildingthatlookedlikeagianthat.Finnsaid,“I’mactuallymoreinterestedintheacrobatsthanaprivatetour.”They said nothing.Hewasn’t even sure they spokeEnglish. They tossed

him through an open door and then turned their backs, blocking him fromleaving.

Hewas standing inavast, circular room, theair still.Chinese lutemusicplayed.Ahaze filled theair, streakedby flickering light fromprojectors.FilmfootageofChineselandscapesplayedonthe360-degreescreen.Finnlookedforanymarked exit signs, and saw only the one being guarded by the twomenbehindhim.

Heheardfootstepsinspiteoftheloudmusic.AcoldshiverpassedthroughhimasShan-YufromMulansteppedoutofthehaze.

Leaderof theHuns, abarbarianwarlord,Shan-Yu’s shoulderswerewide,hisheadlarge,andhisexpressionfierce.Heworeathin,wispymustacheonanotherwisebrutalface.

“Youareleader?”heasked,hisvoiceheavilyaccented.“Me?”Finnsaid,putting thesunglassesuponto thecap.“I’m justaPark

visitor.”“TheInvisibleOnes.Youareleader?”InvisibleOnes,Finnthought.Thatwasnew.“Yes.Thatwouldbeme.”“Tell your emperor to send his strongest armies. I’m ready,” the warrior

said.“Ihavenoemperor,”Finnsaid.“Wehavenoarmy.”“Onlyemperorhavenoemperor.Youdonotlooklikeemperor.”“Iamnotanemperor.”“Thentellyouremperortosendhisstrongestarmy.”

“Whywouldhedothat?”Finnasked.“LeaderofInvisibleOnes,Iamnotafraid.”“Ofme?Imeanyounoharm.Whatexactlydoyouwant?”“Whatdoeseverymanwant?”Shan-Yuasked.AnXbox?APS3?Finnthought.“Immortality,”heanswered.Shan-Yuappearedimpressed.“Howisimmortalityachieved?”heasked.“Bydoinggreatness.Or,”Finnadded,“greatevil.”“Bywinningwars. By commanding empires. The gods approve of those

whodotheirbidding.”FinnhadstudiedChinainfifthgrade.Heunderstoodtherehadbeenchild

emperors younger than he was, so he couldn’t play the kid card. Instead, hethoughtthebetterideawastoimpressShan-Yu.Ortryto.

“Butisnotthemanwhobuildsthebridgeforthearmymoreimportantthanthearmy?”heasked.“Themanwhomakes thebowsmore important than thearcher?Themanwhotrainsthehorsemoreimportantthantherider?”

Shan-Yuanswered,“Themanwhocommandsthearmyismoreimportantthanallofthem,forthearmydoeshisbidding.”

“Hisbidding,orthegods’bidding?”Shan-Yutookastepcloser.“Youareindeedawiseleader.Iseethatclearly

inyou.”“I am a humble servant serving the lord…Disney. My lord is great and

powerful.Hisreachiswide,hisarmyvast.”“Youand theotheroneentermykingdomwithout invitation.Thismakes

youbothspies.Inmykingdom,spiesareputtodeath.”“I…”DEATH?hewas thinking.AndwhywasShan-Yuspeakingonlyof

hisownkingdom?TherewasnomentionoftheOvertakersasagroup.“Ifyouputmetodeath,howwillItellmyemperoryouarereadyforhim?”

“Soyouhaveemperor.Thisclearlymakesyouspy.”“No…no…no! Metaphorically!” Finn tried again. “My army is but five

strong.”“Fivebattalions?Fivelegions?”“Fivewarriors,”Finn said. “Wepresent no threat toyou, great lord!Our

fightiswiththeGreenOne.”Shan-YusteppedbackatthementionofMaleficent.Itdidn’tgiveFinnthe

impressionthetwowerethebestoffriends.“Whentwoleadersshareacommonenemy,”Finnsaid,“doesthatnotmake

thembrothers?Allies?”“You are a sorcerer, InvisibleOne.A confessed spy. Spies are killed, not

negotiatedwith.Ifyoucannotdeliveryourarmy…”Hewithdrewacurved,gleamingswordfromitsscabbard,theringofsteel

echoinglikeabell.FiveofShan-Yu’swarriorsappearedseeminglyoutofnowhere.Theyhad

himsurrounded,allfivewiththeirhandsontheirswordhilts.Finncouldpicturehisheadlyingonthefloor.

“Shouldn’twetalkaboutthis?”heaskedShan-Yu.“Kill the girl,” Shan-Yu called out loudly. “I will take care of this one

myself.”Finnglancedtothedoorandthebacksofthetwoguards.Hehadtoreach

Charlenebeforethewarriorsdid.Shewouldn’tseethemcoming.Likehim,shewouldthinktheywerepartoftheshow.

WitheachstepShan-Yutooktowardhim,Finntookastepback,gladtoseethatwithall thearmorhewore, themanwasnotterriblylightonhisfeet.Thefilmmovedaheadfromancienttimestothepresent.Ahigh-speedtrainzoomedaroundthecircularwall.

Shan-YuknewofFinn’s“magic.”TheInvisibleOnes.He’dprobablyseentheir Epcot DHIs andmarveled at the holograms. If Finn could impress him,perhapshecouldintimidatehim.

Heclosedhiseyesandrelaxedtowardastateofallclear,knowingitwouldonlylastforamatterofseconds.

Lightplayedacrosshiseyelids—aglintfromShanYu’ssword,orthebullettrain’sheadlight?

Hislimbstingled.Aslightsmileplayedacrosshislips.He heard the blade slice the air and fought not to open his eyes. He

wouldn’tbeabletoholdallclearifhesawabladeaimedforhisneck.Swish.Thesoundmovedlefttoright.Heopenedhiseyes.Anoff-balanceShan-Yuglaredathim,staringindisbelief.Clearly,he’dcut

throughFinn’sneckandhadexpectedhisheadtofall.TheGenerallookedoveratthesword’sbladeandbackatFinn.

Finnsteppedforwardandwalkedthroughhim.Shan-Yucriedoutandspunaround,swinginghissword.Finnturnedimmediatelyandwalkedthroughthemanforasecondtime,his

limbstinglingashisallcleartimedout.ForShan-Yu,Finnhadvanished.Each timetheGeneralhadspunaround,

theboyhadsteppedtowardhimanddisappeared.Realmagic.NowhespottedFinnandstudiedhimmoreclosely.“Mostimpressive,”he

muttered.“Wesharethesameenemy,”Finnsaid.“Joinus.”Heheldouthishand.Shan-YustudiedFinn’shand,thenlookedhimupanddown.“Alliesshare

theirresources.Willyousharethispowerofyours?”“I…ah…Itisn’tminetoshare.”“GUARDS!”Shan-Yuthundered.“KILLHIM!”Finn sprinted for the door, splitting the warriors as they were turning

around.Heranhard.“CHARLENE!”hehollered,approachingtheaudiencehuddledaroundthe

acrobats.He spotted a stick flying end-over-end from the center of the show.The

spindle.Hejumpedupandcaughtitinmidair.Hespottedher.Charleneranacrosstheacrobats’mat,flewthroughtheair,

and hit a mini-trampoline. She flipped over the heads in the crowd, landingneatlyinstridewithFinnasthespectatorsroared.

“Youtooklongenough,”shesaid,thetworunningfullspeed.“Hadanappointmentwithroyalty,”hesaid.“Shan-Yu.”“Whatnow?”“Finn!”ItwasDillard.He’dturnedoveraplasticbarrel.Sodacansandicebelched

from itsopenendasDillard sent it rolling toward theoncomingguards likeabowlingballheadingforthepins.

Finn spotted a girl waving at them from a dugout canoe beneath a skythunderingwithfireworks.

TheguardswereforcedtodiveoutofthewayofDillard’sbarrel.“Coming through!” shouted Dillard, clearing the crowd for Finn and

Charlene by running through angry guests.Dillardwas not fat, but hewasn’tsmall.When he wanted a crowd to part, it parted. Having cut a path for hisfriend,heheldopenaspaceattherailing.FinnandCharlenejumpedtherailingandhurrieddownintothecanoe.

WaitingtherewasMulan.Sheraisedherbowandarrow.“Don’tshoot!”Dillardsaid,clamberingovertherailing.“HURRY!”Finnsaid,reachingtohelpDillardaboard.Mulanfiredanarrow.Thwack!Itstrucksomethinghard.FinnlookeduptoseeithadlandedinashieldcarriedbyoneofShan-Yu’s

warriors.Mulan’stwowarriors,twoboysolderthanhimwhomFinnhadn’tseenuntilthatmoment,pulledonpaddles.Thecanoemovedswiftlyawayfromshoreandoutintotheflashinglake.Colorrainedfromthesky.

“Youaresafenow,”Mulansaid.“Wewillpickupyourfriendsatthebridgeandwewillcarryyouhoweverfaryouneedtogo.Theriver,itislong.”

CharlenelookeddownatthespindleinFinn’shand.“Wegotit,”shesaid.“Wegotit,”Finnechoed.

MRS. WHITMAN PICKED UP FINN, Maybeck, Willa, Dillard, and Charlene fromDowntown Disney, where Mulan had dropped them. The conversation in thecanoehadgonesomethinglikethis:

“So,”Finnsaid,“areyoureallyMulan,oraCastMemberplayingMulan?”“Let me ask you something,” the beautiful warrior woman responded.

“Whowereyourunningfromjustnow?CastMembers?”“Ah…yeah…okay.Igetit,”Finnsaid.Dillard looked confused, but impressed. Maybeck and Willa remained

silent,kneelingnearthesecondthwartfromthestern.Theylookedbacktowardtheshore,bewildermentontheirfaces.

Maybecksaid,“NomatterhowmuchIthinkI’musedtowhatgoesonhere,itstillfreaksmeout.”

TheChinesewarriors navigated the lake,weaving the canoe between theexplodingbargesoffireworks,theairheavywiththetangysmellofgunpowder.

“Bynow, theReflectionsofEarth team, ledbySam,hasseenus,”Mulanexplained. “Sam is the Crew Chief. His men have powerboats, and we areforbiddenfrombeingouthere,so,unlessyouwouldliketoexplainyourselftoParkSecurity,whichIhavenointentionofdoing,Iwouldsuggestyoupickupapaddleandhelpout.”

That put all conversation on hold.Charlene,Dillard, Finn,Maybeck, andWillagrabbedpaddlesandbegandiggingintothewaterwithall theirstrength.Thecanoeracedsilentlyacrosstheblacksurfaceofthelake.

ThegiganticglobeoftheEarthwasspreadingcoloracrossthewater.“IfwecanmakeittothebridgeatFrancebeforeSamcatchesus,”Mulan

calledout,“wecanplayatrickonhim.”Everyoneput theirbacks into it.Thecanoemoved smoothlyand silently.

Theyleftthefierybargesbehind.“We’llbehardertoseeoverthere,”Maybecksaid.Mulanexplained, “The light from thebargeswillblind them. It’ll buyus

sometime.”

Finnsawapowerboatzoomingtowardthem.“ThatwouldbeSam,”Mulansaid.“Faster!”Finncriedout.Less than five minutes later, Sam’s Security boat motored beneath the

bridge leading toFrance.On thewalkway thatwasmeant to imitate the quayalongtheriverSeineinParis,thereweresomeboxes,abicycle,achest,andanupside-downcanoe.

Hidingbeneaththeinvertedcanoe,tuckedintoballsandholdingtheirshins,weretwowarriors,Mulan,andfivekids,withbarelyaninchofspaceleftover.Themotorboatturned,headingbackintothelake.

Now,ridingintheWhitmans’car,Finnneededyetanotherfavorfromhismom.

“Weneedtomakeastop.”“Finn…”“Please.”“AmInotsupposedtoaskwhy?”“Ifyouask,I’mgoingtohavetolie,andsinceIdon’tlietoyou,itmightbe

betterifyoudon’task.”Shehuffed.“Dillard,what,ifanything,doyouhavetodowithallthis?”“I’maninnocentbystander.”Thatcrackedupeveryoneinthecar.“My sense is, Dillard,” Mrs. Whitman said, “that no one in this car,

includingme,isentirelyinnocent.”Thatquietedthemdown.Shesaid,“Whereto?”

Finngaveher theaddressby intersection.Headded,“Itmightbegood ifyoustopped,like,ahalfblockaway.”

“Finn?”shescolded.“I’mjustsaying.…”“WhathaveIgottenmyselfinto?”Mrs.Whitmancomplained.“We’retryingtosavesomeone,Mrs.Whitman,”Charlenesaid.“Someone important to us,”Maybeck said, in a raremoment of genuine

concern.“Someonewhoneedsus,”Willaadded.Mrs.Whitman nodded thoughtfully. “If I were a kid again,” she said, “I

would want you all as my friends.” From then on, she didn’t ask any morequestions.

FinnandWillametJessinbackofMrs.Nash’shouse.MaybeckandDillardstakedoutthestreetincasegreen-eyesweresecretlywatchingthefosterhome.Charlene stayed by the car, having borrowed Mrs. Whitman’s phone to call

Philbytocatchhimup.Jess looked tired and unwell as they huddled in the shadow alongside a

freestandinggardenshedbehindMrs.Nash’shouse.“Howisshe?”Finnasked.“Nothing,”sheansweredinawhisper.“Shehasn’tmoved.Hasn’tchanged

onebit.”“These should help,” Finn said producing the acrobat’s spindle. Willa

passedher theweaver’s spindle. “You’llneed tocarveoffa splinterandprickherfinger.”

“Ireallydonotwanttodothis,”saidJess.Willasaid,“Thinkofitasgivingherashot.She’sgoingtowakeup.Thisis

allgoingtobeover.”Jess’ssadeyessaiditall:shedidn’tbelieveWilla.Shemayhavewantedto,

butshedidn’t.“We’regoingtowaithere,”Finnsaid,“forthegoodnews.”“Youcan’t stay,” Jess said. “Mrs.Nash is inside.Supposedly I’mputting

outthetrash,”shesaid,indicatingthebulgingplasticbagatherfeet.“Ican’tdothisuntillater.I’lle-mailyou,”shesaidtoFinn,“dependingwhatworksout.”

“You’llletusknowrightaway?”heasked.“AssoonasIcan.”“We’llbewaiting,”Finnsaid.“Yes.Iknowthat.”Shethankedthemboth.“Areyousureyou’reokay?”Willaasked,deeplyconcerned.“She’ssostill,so…”Dead-looking,Finnthought.He’dcarriedher.Heknew.“It’llbeoversoon,”Finnsaid.“She’sgoingtobefine.Reversethecurse.”“Ihopeyou’reright.”Jess disposed of the sack of garbage, slipped the two spindles down her

pantstohidethem,andreturnedinside.“She’sbadoff,”Willasaid.“Yes.Inoticed.”With everyone back in the car and Mrs. Whitman driving, she dropped

Maybeckofffirst.Onceoutsidethecar,heleanedbackinandgaveWillaahug.“Youweregreattonight.”“You,too.”Herandownthedrivewayandwasgone.Willawasnext.Shesneakedaroundthehousetoslipinside.Therewasno

carinthedrive;thankfully,she’dbeatenhermotherhome.ThencameCharlene,whosemotherwavedtoMrs.Whitmanfromthefrontdoor.

“DillardCole,”Mrs.Whitmansaid,“doesyourmotherknowwhereyou’vebeen?”

“Ah…”“He’sbeenoveratourhouse,”Finnsaid.“Kinda.”“That’swhatIthought,”saidMrs.Whitman.Finn stopped his friend with a hand on the shoulder. “Dude, you were

awesometonight.”Finnsmiled.“Justdon’teverdoitagain.”“Itwaswaycool.”Dillardsaidgoodnightandheadedinside.“It’sniceyoutwoareconnectingagain.”“Mom,don’tgetallmushyonme.”“It’sAmanda,”hismothersaidtoFinn.“YoucontactedJess,soitmustbe

Amanda.”“Itis,”Finnsaid.Longago,he’dpromisednevertolietohisparents,and

heworkeddailytokeepthatpromise.Hecould,anddid,stretchthetruthwhenneeded,butheneveroutrightlied.

“YouneededsomethingfromtheParktohelpher.”“Yes.”“Didyougetit?”“Wethinkso,yes.”“SoyoustolesomethingfromEpcot.”“Borrowed.”“Finn?”“Borrowed.Wewillreturnthem.Ipromise.”“Them,”hismothersaid.Shewaswaytoosmart.Hecouldn’tgiveherthiskindofdatatoworkwith.

“Youwouldn’tbelievemeifItoldyou,Mom.Weshouldleaveitatthat.”“Ibelievealotmorethanyourfatherbelieves.”“Iknowthat.”“Speakingofwhich,youletmehandleyourfatherwhenwegethome.Go

alongwithwhateverIsay.”“Aye,aye,”Finnsaid.“Anddon’ttryanythingwithouttellingmefirst.We’reinthistogethernow,

Finn,likeitornot.”Not,Finnthought,butdidn’tsay.“Okay,”heanswered.Hismother tried too hardwith her explanation. Shewould nevermake a

spy.Finn’sfathergavehimthecorner-of-the-eyelookthattypicallymadeFinnfeel like running straight to the bathroom. Instead, he shrank off to his roomfeelingtroubled,thesoundofthebladecomingforhisneckstillfreshinhisears.

Whatifhe’dmisjudgedhissenseofallclear?Whatiftheallclearhadexpiredmorequickly?

***ThesimplicityofJess’se-mailmessagecompoundedFinn’spain.

Itdidn’twork.Thanksfortrying.

Hestaredat thecomputerscreenasifbyjust lookingitmightchangethe

message.Neitherspindlehadworked.Whatastupidideaithadbeen!Finnhadbeen

soconvincedthatreversingthecursewoulddoit.Heconvenedanemergencyvideoconference.Philby,Willa,andMaybeck

wereable toattend.Charlene’smotherhad turnedoff the familyWi-Fi for thenight, so she followed along on the family’s landline telephone, with randomupdatesfromWilla.

Philbysaid,“Ithoughtoneofthespindleswouldwork.Ihavetotellyou,themoreIthoughtaboutit,themoreitmadesense.”

Charlenesaid,“Theywere theonly twoGooglehits thatmakeanysense.Butremember,inthemovieit’saspindlefromaspinningwheel.”

“She’sright,”Philbysaid.“I’vebeendoingsomeresearch…”Surprise,Finnthought.“…andin theoriginal fairy tale,after thecurse isputon theprincess, the

kingforbidsanyonefromowningadistafforspindle.Thedistaffholdstherawfiber; the spindle collects the spun thread. Spinning wheel,” he emphasized.“And when you Google DisneyWorld plus ‘wooden wheel’ you get a singledecentlead:thewaterwheelon—”

“TomSawyerIsland,”Finnsaid.“Yougotit.Awoodenwheel.”“I’m not liking this,”Maybeck blurted out. He and Finn had once been

attacked onTomSawyer Island byStitch and had beenmade to swim amongalligators.

“Thespindlethingwasyouridea!”Philbyprotested.“ButthisissototallyOT,”Maybecksaid.“TheyputaspellonAmandaand

theonlysolutionleadsusintoatrap.Imean,comeon!”“Relax.Wecan’tstealawaterwheel,”Finnsaid.“No,”Philbysaid,agreeing.Hisvoiceheldthatknow-it-all tonethatFinn

hadcometoresent.“ButwhatifwecouldbringAmandatoit?”“She’sdownforthecount,”Maybecksaid.“That’sright,”Philbysaid.“She’sasleep.”

Maybeckbroketheresultingsilence.“Arewedone?”Finnanswered,“Philby’ssaying that ifAmanda isasleep then technically

hecouldcrossherover.”“WHAT?”Maybeckexclaimed.“Whynot?”Philbyasked.“Whenwe’reasleepwecrossover.”“Is that possible?” Charlene asked. “You’re saying she’d awake as her

DHI?”Philbyanswered,“It’spossible.Ithinkit’sworthatry.Wecrossherover,

prickherfingerwithapieceofthewaterwheel,andwhenIReturnyouall,theAmandaatMrs.Nash’swakesup.”

“Letmespellthisoutforyou,”Maybeckgroaned.“T-R-A-P.”Charleneobjected.“TheOTscouldn’tpossibly thinkwe’dcrossherover,

Terry.Whatevertheymayhaveplanned,itcan’tbethis.”“Andremember,”Finnsaid,“theywantedJess in that spell,notAmanda.

Depending on the green-eyes, they may not even know it’s Amanda who’sdown.”

“Itdoesn’tchangeitfrombeingatrap,”Maybecksaid.“WeoweittoAmandatotryanythingwecanthinkof,”Finnproposed.“But what about the bigger picture?”Maybeck said. “The jailbreak? It’s

goingdowntonight,right?SallyRingwaldbasicallytoldusso.”“SoyouandCharlenewillgotosleepdressedtocrossoverincasePhilby

detectsnetworktraffic.Doesthatsatisfyyou?”“Idon’tlikeit,”Maybecksaid.“By tomorrowmorning,”Finnsaid,“Mrs.Nash isgoing todragAmanda

offtothehospital.Maybeevensometimetonight.Weknowhowdangerousthatisforher.Philbyknows.”

“Itonlymakesthingsworse,Maybeck,”Philbysaid.“Muchworse.”“Wecan’tjustsitaroundtalking,”Finnsaid.“Wetriedandfailed.Sowhat?

We’vegottotryeverything.Awoodenwheel.Whoknows?Thatcouldbeit.IcanletWandaknowourplans.Shemighthelp.”

“Orshecouldbethetraitor,”Maybecksaid.“We’dneversuspectsomeonewho’dbeenarrested,wouldwe?”

“Sonoted,”Finnsaid,experiencingachill.“Andif it isa trap,orshe’satraitor,thenit’sgoingtobeuptoyouandCharlenetogetusofftheisland.”HewouldsendJessane-mailkeepingherintheloop,keepingherhopesup.

“That’swhatI’mtalkingabout,”Maybecksaid.***

FinnarrivedinfrontofCinderellaCastlealone,sittingafewfeetfromtheWaltDisney–MickeyMouse statueat thecenterof thehub.Hewaited, andwaited,

knowingPhilby’snextattemptwouldbetocrossoverAmanda.He caught himself holding his breath as a shimmering image ofAmanda

lyingdownappeared,andthenfizzledandfadedashewatched.“Comeon.…”hemuttered.Thesameimagereappeared.Itgrewstrongerandmoresolid,andtheblue

lineformedaroundit.Amandablinkedandopenedhereyes.Finnswallowedawayaknotinhisthroat.“Canyouhearme?”hesaid.Sheblinked,butdidnotlookinhisdirection.Thespellseemedtostillbe

holdingher.“It’sme,”hesaid.“WecrossedyouoverintotheMagicKingdom.Ithink

wecanhelpyou.”Hereyespoppedopenagain.FinnscoutedtheareaforsignsofOTs.Hefeltvulnerablewithherapparent

inabilitytomove.“Can you sit up?” he asked,moving over to her and helping to raise her

back.Hespottedmotioninsomeshrubsbytherampuptothecastle.“Don’tmove,”hewhisperedinAmanda’sear.Hefroze.Adogcameoutoftheshrubs.Abigdog.“It’s…Pluto,”hetoldAmanda.Plutowasnovillain.Ifhe’dcometohelp,it

hadtobeWanda’sorWayne’sdoing.Amanda still hadn’t fully come around.Her eyesmovedmore freely, but

shewasn’tspeaking.“Here,boy,”Finnhissed,holdingouthishand.Plutowasbig,andstronger-

lookingthanFinnwouldhaveexpected.Thedogfacedhim,sniffingtheair.Hewaggedhistailandsatdown.

“Weareheretohelp,”Finnsaid.Plutoturnedtowardthebushes,wagginghistailviolently.“Whatisit,boy?”Plutobarked.Justonce.Butloudly,causingFinntoagainjumpback.Pluto

wastryingtowarnhimofsomethingorsomeoneinthebushes.“Amanda?”hesaidsoftly,withouttakinghiseyesoffthebushes.“I’mhere.”Heturnedtolook.Shelookedtired,butshewasworkingonsmiling.“Ifeelalittlezoned.”“Icanexplainitallatsomepoint.Butfornow:canyoumove?Weshould

getawayfromhere.”

Pluto darted over to the bushes, his tail still wagging. Finn tentativelyfollowed, crossing the street and edging closer to the bushes. Pluto’s tail wasgoinglikeawindshieldwiper.

Finn sneaked up and parted the bushes. He couldn’t believe his eyes.“Minnie?”hesaidinawhisper.

Shegavehimasweet,humble look, loweringherheadwhile lookingoutthetopsofherbigeyes.

“I’mFinn,”hesaid.“Overthere,that’sAmanda.”Minnienodded.Finnlookedaroundthearea.“Mickey?”heaskedher.Sheliftedherarmsandshrugged.Shelookedcrestfallen.“He’snothere,”Finnsaid,makingitastatement.Sheshookherhead.“Not herewith you?” he said, thinking aloud, “Or not here in theMagic

Kingdom?”Sheshruggedforasecondtime.“I…”Hecouldn’tthinkwhattosay.Hewasawestruck.MickeyandMinnie

wererockstars.HerecalledwhatWandahadtoldhim.“Aretheremoreofyou?”Minnie hesitated. Pluto nudged him from behind. He looked back to see

Amandatryingtogettoherfeet.“Thanks!”Hehurriedbacktoher.MinnieandPlutofollowed.He helped Amanda stand up and held her by the arm. “My friend’s in

trouble,”hetoldtheothertwo.“I,we,needtogetontoTomSawyerIsland.”Minniesmiledandnodded.Sheliftedafingerasiftosay,“Justaminute!”PlutocamearoundandheeledatFinn’sside.“You’restayingwithme,”Finnsaid.Thedognodded.MinniesalutedFinnandtookoffrunninginthedirectionofFrontierland.“I’m guessing,” he said, “you’re staying to protect us.” The dog yipped.

“Andshe’sgoneaheadforsomereason.”Hebarkedagain.“AreyoutalkingtoPluto?”Amandaaskedwithadryvoice.“Areyouallright?”heasked.“I’vebeenbetter.Myheadweighsathousandpounds.”“Weneedtogo,”hesaid.“Icanmanage.AreyougoingtotellmehowIgothere?”“Ikissedyou,”hesaid.“Idon’tthinkso,”shesaid.“That’snotsomethingIwouldforget.”“Ipromise.Ikissedyou.Itwasaspell, intendedforJess.”Hewalkedher

offthehubandtowardFrontierland,condensingandsummarizingherstoryinto

asbriefanexplanationaspossible.PlutonudgedbetweenthemandleanedintoAmanda.“Ithink,”Finnsaid,“hewantsyoutoholdontohiscollar.”Pluto’stailwentwildwithexcitement.Amandareacheddownandtookhold.Plutoliftedhisheadproudly.Histail

shotuplikeaflagpole.“Thisisdefinitelystrange,”Finnsaid.

***Jesswasnotamother.Shehadneverevenownedapet.LiketheotherFairlies,shehadnevermethermother,hadnoideaifshehadlivingrelatives.Theclosestthing she had to a familymemberwasAmanda,whom she thought of as hersister.Infact,sheandAmandaoftenintroducedthemselvesassisters.So,astheKingdomKeepers carriedout their plan to crossAmandaover into theMagicKingdominhopesofreversingthecurse,Jesssatbyhersister’sbedside.

Afewminutesearlier,shethoughtshe’dwitnessedthecrossover:Amandahad twitched and shuddered and, more encouragingly, her eyes had begunmovingrapidlybeneathherclosedeyelids.

TheothergirlsinMrs.Nash’shouseweresupportiveofherefforttokeepAmanda’sconditionsecret.Thisincludedtheirroommate,JeanniePucket,whountilnowhadoftenbeenarealknucklehead.ButJeanniehadcomethroughforJess, not once but a number of times—holding off the curiousMrs.Nash andbuyingherunconsciousroommateprecioustime.

Itwasn’tgoingtolastmuchlonger,Jessthought.ItseemedinevitablethatMrs. Nash would find out. That, in turn, would mean doctors, and a longdownwardspiralforpoorAmanda.

Withherdiaryopento thekiss,apageshehadphotocopiedforFinn,hereyelidsdroopedandshebrieflynoddedoff.Herdiary slipped fromherhands,landedonthebed,andfelltothefloor.Thesoundofthebooklandingshockedherawake,andshelookedaroundtheroomasifshe’dbeenasleepforhours.

“It’snothing,”Jeanniesaid.“Youdroppedyourdiary,isall.”Jeannieleaneddowntoretrieveit.AbouttohandittoJess,shehesitated.“Ifyoudon’tmind,”Jesssaid,“that’sprivate.”Jeannieknewitwasprivate—itwasherdiary—asourceofongoingtension

betweenthetwo.Jeanniecouldallowhercuriositytogetthebetterofher.“Iknow.Iknow.”Still,Jeanniewasreluctanttohanditover,herattention

fixedonthesketch.Finally,shepassedthediarybacktoJess.“Haveyoubeenthere?”sheasked.“What’sitlike?”

“School?”Jessasked.“Whatareyoutalkingabout?”

“WinterPark.WhereFinnandAmandago.”“That’snotWinterParkHigh,”Jeanniesaid.“That’stheLakeBuenaVista

powerplant.Ijustwroteapaperonitforscienceclass.”“Scienceclass?Lakewhat?”Jesssaid.Jeannietracedthestair-stepprofileofthestructureinthebackgroundofthe

kiss.“It’scalledtheLakeBuenaVistaCogenerationFacility.Hangon.I’llshow

you.” Jeannie dug through some papers on her desk, including a bunch ofprintoutsfromvariousWebsites.ShesingledoutthreeoftheseandpassedthemtoJess.

“So?”Jeannie leaned over Jess’s shoulder, selected the second of the three

printouts—a photograph taken at a great distance from the power plant—andtracedthestair-steppedrooflineof thefacility.She thenpointed toJess’sdiaryandtracedthesamepattern.

Jesswentsilent,hereyesdancingbetween the two images.Sheknewherdreamsoftencombinedlocationsoractivities.

“Whatexactlydoesitdo?”Jessasked.“Electricity.ItpowersDisneyWorldandlocalbusinesses.”“DisneyWorld.”Jessfeltlight-headed.Thiswasnotcoincidence.“Waterandsewage treatment, too.Naturalgas.Everything. IgotanAon

mypaper,”sheannouncedproudly.“AsinelectricityfortheParks?”“Exactly! Yeah. That’s the Disney part. They wanted to own their own

electricityandstuff.Youknow,soitwasmorereliableandeverything.”Jess traced the two rooflines again—from the Web site and from her

drawing.Theyweren’tsimplysimilar;theywereidentical.“Whereexactlyisthisplace?”“It’swayoutonDisneyproperty.Asin,theboonies.”“Disneyproperty?Yousureaboutthat?”“Hello?AnA?DidyouknowthatatonepointWaltDisneyhadplannedfor

Epcot tobe this futuristiccity,withhomesallaroundit?Howcoolwould thathavebeen?”

Jess barely heard her.Her brainwas stuck back onDisney generating itsownpower.She’ddrawnaDisneypowerplantinherdiarywithoutknowingit.Ithadtobehugelysignificant.

ShehadtocontactPhilby.Now!***

Philbyhadhishandsfull.Hekeptoneeyeontheclockinhiscomputer’stoolbar.

The other eye jumped between the dozen webcam views from the MagicKingdom’sSecurityserverashetrackedFinnthroughthePark.Hiscellphonerestedonhis lap invibratemode, the laptopbridginghis thighs.Hesaton thetoilet—lid closed—of what his mother called the “powder room,” a small,windowlessbathroomwithacornersinknearthefrontdoorofthehouse.Hehadthebathroom’sdoorlocked:therewouldbenounexpectedintrusionsbyHugooranyoneelsetonight.HecouldnotaffordtoleavetheKeepersstranded.

The e-mail from Jess caused him to perspire. He Googled “Lake BuenaVistaCogenerationFacility.”Hehada finememory, sowhenaphotographofthepowerplantpoppedup,heimmediatelymatchedthesimilaritieswithJess’sdiary sketch. Fromwhat he read, the power plant supplied all ofWaltDisneyWorldwithpower.IfsomethinghappenedtotheFloridaelectricgrid,Disney’sfacility promised an uninterrupted flow of electricity to all of its Parks andhotels.

Andcomputerservers,hethought.Jesshad foreseen its importance inoneofherdreams.That thekissused

thepowerplantasabackgrounddidnotnecessarilyconnectthetwo:Jess’sdiarypages oftenmixed images and time lines. But it established its importance—Jess’strackrecordwaswellproven.

With the power plant’s direct connection to the Parks, and its locationoutside the Parks but still on Disney property, the OTs jumping the Disneyfirewallssuddenlytookontremendoussignificance.

Control of the power plant meant control of the Parks—the Overtakers’ultimategoal.

HehadnowaytoreachFinntoupdatehim.ButhedidhaveMaybeckandCharleneasleepandonstandbytobecrossedover.

Hebroughtuphisrenderingoftheroutertraffiche’dmappedfromtheDHIserver’slog,alreadychastisinghimself.Therehadbeenseveralpingstoarouterout in themiddle of nowhere.OnGoogleMaps it just came up as an area ofswampland—but now he saw his error: for security reasons, power plantlocations were blocked from Internet maps. He’d been looking at the powerplantallalong,becausethosepingsrepresentedOTDHItraffic.

The OTs had been to the Lake Buena Vista Cogeneration Plant severaltimesinthepastweek.

Atthatmoment,hisDHItrafficalarmsoundedandaredmessageflashedonhisscreen:+70%BANDWIDTHUSAGE.

Philbytriedtofocus,hisbreathingrapid,hisheartbeatoutofrhythm.They’rethererightnow!

***

Plutowaswaitingforthem.“Thisway!”Finn said, gently steeringAmandawhile trying tomove her

morequickly.“Whyarewerunning?”sheasked.“Visitors,”Finnsaid,glancingback.Pluto’s hackles had been up for the past several minutes, and he kept

lookingbehindthem,hiseyesaknotofconcern.FinnhadtriedtoseewhateveritwasbacktherethatwasbotheringPluto,

butonlycaughtashadowcrossingtheemptyParkpathinFrontierland.“Youseethat?”heaskedAmanda.There itwasagain: the flashof translucenteyes from theshadows, likea

deeronthesideofahighway.Amandaskiddedtoastop,forshe’dseenthem,too,butforthefirsttime.“Anotherdog?”Finnasked.Amanda’sbluehologramlinefadedasshelostaconsiderablepercentageof

herDHI to fear.“Notadog,”shesaid.“Didyouseehowhighoff thegroundthatwas?”

They were walking backward now, still moving in the direction of theTom’s Landing raft dock, but refusing to take their eyes off the shadows byCountryBearJamboree,wherethey’dbothseenthepairofeyes.

Ananimal’srapidbreathingcouldbehearddrawingcloser.Finnwhispered,“Thathastobeadog!Listentoit.”“It’s tall.Very tall.Pluto is aGreatDane,”Amanda remindedhim. “And

there’sanotherinthemovieTheUglyDachshund.”“Neverseenit.”“Thedogorthemovie?”sheasked.Theywalkedfasternow,keepingtheireyesonthemovingshadowswhile

tryingnottofall.Theyheardawetslurpfromwhathadtobeanextremelylargetongue.Anotherflashofeyes.

“Ehh!”AmandareachedforFinnandclutchedhisarmtightly.Heactuallyappreciatedthecontact,thoughnotthereasonforit.

A sliver of light from one of the few lighted streetlamps played like aknife’s edge across the path, severing the darkness.Through the shaft of lightstrode a long, hairy creature, rail thin, malnourished and mangy, only a fewinches visible at a time, like it was being painted by a tiny flashlight. It hadenormouspawsand fourstick legs,but itwasabsurdlyoversized,hadpointedteeth,andastreamofdroolthatturnedtheirstomachs.

Finnsaidharshly,“That’snodog.”“Awolf,”Amandasaid,hervoicequavering.“That’stheBigBadWolf.”

Thethingwasastallasabicycle,andlookedtobeaboutasfast.“Whatnow?”sheasked.Thewolflumberedoutintothelight,itsbackhaunchesmovingfluidly,its

ribsshowingthroughthetangleoffilthyhair.A bone-chilling growl from behind them. Pluto, who’d been leading the

way,hadstoppedandwasturnedtowardthechallenger.“No,boy,”Finnsaid.Itwasnomatch.But Pluto stood his ground as Amanda and Finn backed up past him,

puttinghimselfbetweenthemandthewolf.“Come,Pluto!”Amandawhisperedharshly.Thedogdidnotbudge,butloweredhimselfontohisfrontpawsandtucked

histailbetweenhislegs.PlutolookedbackatFinnwithnobleeyes.“Hewantsustorun,”Finnsaid.“Youspeakdog,doyou?”“Areyoustrongenough?”“Areyoukidding?Believeme,I’mwideawake.”“Onthree,”hesaid.“Areyousureaboutthis?”“No,”Finnsaid.

***PlutohadlivedlongenoughtobetheageofanEgyptianmummyindogyears.In that time, he’d learned a few tricks.Not thekindof tricks like roll overorshakehands,butthekindoftrickstoplayonotheranimalspursuingyou.Overtheyears thesetrickshadbeenrefinedto thepoint that theyapproachedactualskills—pieintheface,tongueinthemousetrap,peanutbutterinthedogbowl.They’dbeenwell-documentedinallthecartoons.

WhenfacedwiththeBigBadWolf—emphasisonBigandBad—Plutohadtheluxuryofseeingitplayoutasacartoon.Whereotherswould’vepanicked,hesaw an opportunity for entertainment and amusement. In a cartoon, nomatterhowhardthepunishment,thedogalwaysgotuptoplayanotherday.

It never crossed his smallmind that thewolfwould actually eat him. InPluto’sworld,adogcouldfalloutofatree,orgethitbyabus,andcomeoutofitwithnothingmorethanstarsfloatingaroundhisheadandhiseyesrollingintheirsockets.Onequickshakeandeverythingwasbetter.

Soitwasn’taquestionoffear,itwasaquestionofhowtomakethisreallyfunny,andthemoreinventivethesolutionthebetter.

Hespottediteasily:oneofthoseplasticgridfencesmeanttokeeppeopleoffsidewalksoroutofgardensorawayfromconstruction.TheyusedthemallthetimeinthePark.Itwascurrentlywrappedaroundanislandofflowerswitha

signhangingfromitsayingabunchofwordshecouldn’treadbuthewasprettysureendedin“ThankYou.”PlutowasnoRhodesscholar.

Withthewolf’sconfidentstridepickinguppace,Plutoknewthetrickwastogethimrunning.Thatwaswhenhegavetheboythesignal.

Forasecond,theboyandgirljustcontinuedwalkingbackward,whichputaglitchinhisplan.Humanscouldbesoboneheaded.Sohebarked.

And thatgot thekidsmoving.They tookoff towardMinnieand thedocklike he’d fired a starting gun. That prompted el lobo to spring into action. Itbareditsteeth,squinteditseyesandcharged.ThatwaswhenPlutorealizedthismightnotbesomuchfun.He’dneverseenananimalmovesofast.Itwasasifthecreaturehadbeenshotfromacatapult.Plutohadbadlymisjudgedthetimenecessarytopullofhisstunt.Wolfsecondsweredifferentthandogseconds.

Withnothingbutfour-leggedteethcomingathim,Plutofoundtheendofthemeshfencewithhisownmouthandbitdownhard.Hewrestledastakefromthesoftdirtandthenbackedupasfastashecoulddragit,dislodgingonestakeafteranother.Thefencestretchedacrossthepath—halfway,threequarters.

Thewolf’sconfidenceorhungerhadhimrunningmuchtoofasttocometoanykindofgraceful stop. Instead,asPluto stretched the fenceandwrapped itaroundasmall tree, thewolf’spawsscratchedandclawedat theconcretepathbutfoundnotraction.Helosthisfooting,tucked,androlled,collidingwiththefence,which aimed himon an angle toward thewater across fromPecosBillCafé.Thewolfbackpedaledbutfailedtostophismomentum.Hetumbledheadoverheelsintothewater.

Pluto turnedand ran, seeingclearly therewasonlyone thing scarier thantheBigBadWolf,andthatwasabig,MADwolf.

***Minniewaved Finn toward the raft that serviced Tom Sawyer Island.He andAmandahadjustheardaviolentsplash,turningintimetoseeaviolentlyangrywolfswimmingviolentlyforshore.Plutoboundedtowardthematfullspeed,thepanickedlookinhiseyesneedingnotranslation.

The two kids wound through the empty waiting line for the raft ride.Amandashriekedandslidtoanabruptstop;Finncrashedintoherfrombehind.

Anunconsciouspiratelayathisfeet.Hewasgnarlylooking,withascrubbeard,apockmarkedface,andbentnose.Abandanawornasaskullcaphidmostofaparticularlynastybump.FinnlookedbetweenthefallenpirateandMinnie,who stood on the edge of the raft, a shore line in one hand, the other tuckedbehindherback.

“Minnie?”Finnsaid.Shehungherheadandpulledherhandfrombehindherback,revealinga

largewoodenpin,partoftheraft.“Shedidthis?”AmandaaskedFinn.“I’dsayshecharmedhim.”“Thankyou,Minnie,”Amandasaid.Minnie blushed, and slowly a smile overtook her. She looked devilish as

shewavedthemontotheraftinvitingly.FinnreachedtocatchAmandabythearm.“Wait!”Amandaturned.“Thequestionthatneedstobeasked,”Finnsaidrushinghiswords,oneeye

on thewolf swimming for shore perhaps fifty yards away, “iswhy is a pirateguarding the raft toTomSawyer Island?He’s a longway fromhome,over inAdventureland,andwhat’ssoimportantaboutthisraft?”

Minniewavedatthemmorefrantically—theBigBadWolfwasclimbinguptheshore.Nowshakingthewateroff.

“Overtakers?”Amandasaid.“Weknowthepiratesbelong.There’snoquestionaboutthat.Sowhyguard

the island?ThesameislandwhereStitchattackedMaybeckandme.Itdoesn’tmake sense. This island’s of no importance. It isn’t even that popular anattraction.”

“Because the Queen knew you might figure out the waterwheel’simportance?”shesaid.

Finnnodded.“Makessensetome.He’sheretostopus,or tocatchus,orboth.Andtheonlyproblemwiththatis—”

“Hewon’tbetheonlyone.”“Bingo,”hesaid.Minniewasjumpingupanddownandpointingtothewolf,whowasnow

back on the path in the distance, lumbering toward them, his pink tongueswayingfromhisteeth.

“Sowe’llneedtobecareful,”Amandasaid.Plutojumpedontotheraftastheyclimbedaboard.Minnietossedthelineto

shore, stepped behind the wheel, and skippered the raft across the smallwaterway.Thewolfreachedtheloadingdock,buttoolate,stretchingtowardtheraftnowjustoutofreach.Minnie,behindthewheel,remindedFinnofMickeyin a very old black-and-white cartoon he couldn’t remember the name of. ItmighthavebeenthefirstanimatedcartoonWaltDisneyhadeverdrawn.

“WhereisMickey,Iwonder,”hesaidtoAmanda.“Idon’tthinkshewantstohearit,”Amandasaid.“No.Butit’stroubling.”“Everythingaboutthisplaceistroubling.”

ShereacheddownandplacedherfaintlyoutlinedDHIhandatophis,andhefeltit,hisownoutlinedulledsomewhatbythesenseofexcitementandterrorherreachingouttohimrepresented.

“Ilikeyoualot,Finn.”“Samehere.”“Youlikeyoualot,too?”shesaid.Andtheybothlaughed.“Thankyoufor

everythingyou’redoingforme.”“Igotyouintothisinthefirstplace,”hesaid,guiltily.“I’mabiggirl,”shesaid.“Nocomplaints.”Sherubbedthebackofhishand

withherfingers.Theraftbumpedtoshore.Plutojumpedoff.Minniehoppedontothedock

andexpertlysecured theraft to itwitha line.SheextendedahandandhelpedAmandaofftheraft.Finnjumpeddown.

“We shouldn’t be long,” he said, eyeing the waterwheel that was only amatterofyardsaway.

Minniesaluted.“Wemightneedaquickescape,somaybeyoucouldwaitforushere?”he

proposed.Hedidn’twanttogetMinnieinanymoretrouble.Her big black eyes tracked across the water to the Big Bad Wolf, still

lurchingfromthedockandlookingtobeconsideringtheswim.“Onethingatatime,”Finnsaid.Minnienodded.Finn, Amanda, and Pluto headed up the path, turning toward the

waterwheelatHarper’sMill.“Thisfeelstooeasy,”Finnsaid,fearingatrap.Amandasqueezedhishand,andhelookeddowntorealizehewasnotpure

DHI.Buthewasnotabouttoletgotofixit.

MAYBECKWOKEUPinanofficewithgraycarpeting,threegraydesks,chairsonwheelsandtrashbasketslinedwithclearplasticbags.Hecaughtsightofapairof running shoes with gold-and-silver sparkles thrown into the covering likesequinsandknewitcouldonlybeoneperson.

“Charlene?”hewhispereddryly.Shecreptaroundtohimonhandsandknees.Foronce,shewasnotwearing

her nightgown but instead a black leotard top and black jeans. And thosecheerleadershoes.

“Wherearewe?”She’ddressedandgonetosleep,asPhilbyhadrequested.Maybeck,ontheotherhand,hadheardfromPhilby.

“It’s an electrical power plant onDisney property.We’re about tenmilesfromtheParks.PhilbytrackedtheOTs’DHIshere.We’resupposedtoobserveandreport.”

“Observewhat?”sheasked.“We’llknowwhenweseeit.”Theycametotheirfeetandapproachedtheofficedoor.Maybeckopenedit

acrack.Thefacilityemanatedaconstant low-levelhum,arumblingthatcameupthroughthefloor.Thetwowerelookingdownablandcorridor,officedoorson either side. At the end of the corridor in both directionswere lighted exitsigns.

“Ifyou’rewonderingwhichwaytogo,”Charlenesaidinawhisper,“checkoutthewearofthecarpet.I’dsay,right.”

The hallway carpet was discolored and worn to the right; it grewprogressivelylighterandless-usedtotheirleft.

“Goodcatch,”hesaid.“Thethingis,”shesaid,“ifsomethingshouldgowrong,wedon’twantto

bothgetcaught,andtobehonest,I’dratheryoutrytorescuemethanmetrytorescueyou.Sowhydon’tyouletmegofirst?Youkeepwatch,buthangback.”

“Idon’tknowaboutthat.”“Why?Becauseyou’reaguy?Who’sthemoreathletic?”

“Who’sthetougher?”hecountered.“I’llgototheendof thehallandstoptolisten.I’llsignalyou,”Charlene

said.“Sincewhenareyoutheleader?”heasked.“Haveyougotabetterplan?”“Justbecareful,”hesaid.“Ifit’sthem,if it’stheEvilQueenandCruella,

andwhoknowswhoelseasDHIs…well…”“Igetit.”Charlenemoveddownthehalldoorbydoor,pausingtolisten,givinghima

thumbs-up at each. She displayed the grace of a gymnast, raised on tiptoe,almostdancing.Atlastshereachedthedoorbeneaththeexitsign.

Maybeckfollowed.Thedroninghumbotheredhim.Itwaslikeabadsoundtrack to a scarymovie. Itmade it hard to hear anything, harder still to think.Powerplantswerehugefacilities.Howweretheysupposedtofindacoupleofholograms in a place this size?Andwhatwould happen to them if theywerefound first? More importantly, a power plant ran 24/7, so there had to beemployeesonthejob.

He glanced back down the hall, his toes and fingers tingling as he sawsomething bolted to the wall near the ceiling. The Lake Buena VistaCogenerationFacilityhadsecuritycameras.HeandCharlenehadlikelyalreadybeenspottedasintruders.

***Thefifteen-footdiameterwoodenwaterwheelspunlazilyatthesideofHarper’sMill.WhenFinnlookedbackacrossthewaterthewolfwasgone.Itmighthavemadehimfeelbetter,but itdidnot.Itmadehimrealizethatnoneof theParkswere magical for him anymore—not at night. They were mysterious, oftendangerous, andalways surprising.Hekepthis senseson full alert,worried forAmandaandgratefultohavePlutobyhisside.

“Weneedasplinter fromthewheel,”Finnsaid.“Thenwehopeforsomemagic.”

“Yes.”“We’llhave tobreakapieceofforsomething. I’mnotsurehowwe’lldo

that.”“Idon’tloveithere,”shesaid.“No.IwasjustthinkinghowmyopinionoftheParkshaschanged.”“Nodoubt,”shesaid.“Pluto!”Finncalled,winningthedog’sattention.“Defend!”PlutolickedFinn’shand,lookingdog-dumb.“Patrol!”hetried.Thedogsatandofferedmooneyes.

“Guard!”Amandasaidharshly.Plutobarkedoncesharplyandwentrigid.“Goodboy,”Amandasaid.SheruffledhisearsandPlutopawedather.Plutoputhisnosetothegroundandheadedoff.“Youcharmalltheboys,”hesaid.“Shutup.”Finnledherover to themovingwaterwheel. Itwasfedfromthe topbya

waterspout.Watercascadeddownitspaddles,turningit.“IfIhadaknife,orrazorblade,orsomething…”“How’boutarock?”Amandasaid,bendingdowntopickoneup.Hefeltlikeamoron.“Yes.Likearock.Thatmightwork,”heconceded.He

smashedtheinsideedgeofthehugewheelbutthewoodwasoldandhard,andpressure-treatedagainstthewater.Itwaslikehittingrockagainstrock.

Shesaid,“Itshouldbeoneofthespindles,oneofthespokes,right?”“Yeah.”Again,shemadehimfeelstupid.Thespokeswereconstantlymoving.“Icanclimbon,”Amandasaid.“Youknow,likeJohnnyDeppandOrlando

BloominPirates.”“I’mprettysurethatwasspecialeffects,”Finnsaid.“I can do this,” Amanda said, judging the wheel’s rotation. She jumped

between the outside slats to inside themoving wheel and ran like a hamster,adjustingherstridetomatchthewheel’srevolutions.Asshegotthehangofit,sheturnedtoFinnandsaid,“Noproblem!It’skindoflikeatreadmill.”

Everyfewsteps,shewouldhavethespeedwrongandstartclimbingwiththemovingwheel,thenhavetoadjust.

“It’snotlikeIcanstayonhereforever,”shesaid.“Saysomething.”“Runyourhandontheslats,”Finnsaid.“Trytocatchasplinter.”“Eww!”Amandasaid.“Itfeelslikedogsnot.Disgusting!”Sheyankedher

handaway,joggingtokeeppace.“Badidea.”Finn knew what had to be done, just not how to do it. He studied the

movingmechanism,tryingtothinkhowPhilbywouldseeit.“Ineedyouoffofthere,”hetoldAmanda.“Please.Jumpoff.”Amanda timed her dismount, but slipping between themoving slats was

hardergettingoff thanon.Stuckbetweenslats,shegotcarriedupandaround,andFinnpulledheroffbeforeshewentaroundagain.The two tumbled to theground.

“Theonlywaytodothis,”Finnsaid,“istobreakit.”***

At the samemoment,Philbywas comparinghimself to a sponge left too long

underthekitchenfaucet; therecameapointwherethespongecouldabsorbnomorewater.HewascurrentlymonitoringadozenSecuritywebcamsinsidetheMagic Kingdom, the DHI bandwidth, and was attempting to determine thedirectionoftheunexpecteddatatraffictoseeifhecouldpinpointwheretheEvilQueenandCruellaweresleepingduringtheirDHIactivity.Itwastoomuch.Hisbrainwasreadytoburst.

Thecloset-sizedbathroomwasgettingwarmandtheairstale.Thelaptop’sbatterywasburninguphis thighs.IfhisparentscaughthiminhereheandtheKeepersweredoomed.

Jugglingalltheopenwindowsonhiscomputerandcomputinghundredths-of-a-seconddifferencesintransmissiontimesonthelog,hisfingerstoppedonaparticularlineofdata.Hereviewedthetimesagain,hisfingerslidingdownthetransmission column. Using the router data, he could trace the source of theoriginaltransmissiontoalocation,andthelocationtoaGooglemap.Itwaslikeajugglertryingtohandlesevenitemsatonce.

Hisfingercrossedfromtherouterdata to themap,andbackagain just tomakesure.

“Oh,no,”hesaidaloud,quicklydouble-checkinghisfindings.***

“Thecotter,”Finnsaid.“It’sapinthatholdsawheel’saxleinplace.”Amandawas listening tohim,butwithherback turned.Shewas focused

instead on the change in Pluto’s stance, and a crunching coming from thebushes.

“Ithinksomething’soutthere,”Amandawhispered.“Apparently,sodoesPluto,”Finnsaid,equallysoftly.“Ifyouhaveplansforthewheel,Isuggestyougettoit,”shesaid.Finn hurried around the mill house and found the door. The inside was

smallanddark,theairstaleandmoldysmelling.Hishologramglowedslightly,castingapalelightinfrontofhim.Thewheelaxlesatinaclosedyokerestingatopashoulder-highpost.Itdidnotconnecttoanykindofmillstone;itwasallforshow.Acurvedbandofsteelwrappedoverthespinningaxle,securingitintheyoke,withawoodenpinbisectingtheaxletokeepitfromslippingout.Finncouldfeelhisfingersandtoes,knewhisDHIwasfarfrompuregiventheeventsofthepastseveralminutes.Heusedasectionofpipefromthefloortopoundthewoodencotterfromtheaxle,whichbegantocreepslowlyoutoftheyoke,likeascrewunscrewing.

Hehurriedbackoutsideand,roundingthecornerofthemillhouse,stoppeddeadinhistracks.

Alligators.

Threeofthem.ThebiggestlookedalotlikeLouisinPrincessandtheFrog—but amean Louis. Standing between the alligators andAmandawas a verynervous-lookingPluto,lowonhishaunches,growling.

“Finn?”Amandacalledout,nottakinghereyesoffthebeasts.“Yeah,Iseethem.”“Help?”“Yeah,”hesaid.Thewaterwheel’slooseaxlecausedittospinoff-center;thewheelandits

external post vibrated and shook. It seemed like the whole mill house mightcomedown.

Finn sped up the process. He raised the pipe high over his head andsmasheditfull-forcedownontotheoutsidepostandyoke.

The alligators slithered back, away from the sound. Pluto crept forward,expandinghisprotectionofAmanda.

Finnstruckthepostagain.Thewoodsplit.Hestruckyetagain.Itbroke.Thewaterwheelrockedviolentlyside-to-side,causingthewatertospray.“Get…away!”Finnhollered.HegrabbedAmanda.“Slowly!”hesaid.With each step backward, Louis and the two other alligators ventured

forward,forcingPlutobackaswell.“Pluto!Come!”Finncommanded.Butthedogheldhisground.Hebarkedonce,sharply.Withathunderousexplosion,thewaterwheelbrokelooseofthemillhouse.

Ithit thegroundspinning, throwingwaterout infrontof itas it rolledstraightfor thealligators.Theclosestof thegiant lizards lostasectionof its tailasallthreeturnedandfledintothewoods.Thehugewheelsmashedintosometrees,teetered, and fell, crashing down onto a section of stonewall along the path,woodflying.

“That’s it!”Finn said.He reached forAmandaand tookholdofher arm,snaggingalargesplinteredpiecefromoneofthestruts.

Amandaturnedherhead,knowingwhathadtobedone.Finnstabbedthetipofherindexfinger,drawingblood.“Oww!” she cried out, immediately sucking on her bleeding finger.

“Nowwwwhawt?”sheasked,herwordsdifficulttounderstandwithafingerinhermouth.

Finnconsideredthisamoment.“Idon’tthinkwe’llknowuntilyouReturn.Although they might know on the other end—at Mrs. Nash’s.” He glanced

around,believingtherewasatleastanhourtogobeforethemanualReturn.Plutomovedtothebushesandwasbarking.FinnandAmandasatdownonthestonewall,outofbreath.“Sowhere’dthosealligatorscomefrom?”sheasked.Helookedoverathergravely.“That’sthequestion,isn’tit?”“Itwasmyquestion,”shesaid.“AndthepiratethatMinnietookout,andStitch,backwhenMaybeckandI

were here last year. I mean: it just doesn’t add up. All that for Tom SawyerIsland?Why?”

Amandasuckedherfinger,andshrugged.“That’swhatI’msaying.”“IfallthissecuritywasforCinderellaCastleorSpaceMountainorSplash

Mountain, I think we would think that the OTs were protecting somethingvaluabletothem.Idon’tknowwhat.Butthisisland?Offbyitself.Hardtogetto.Nothinghereonceyoudogethere…”

“Isolated,” she said. “Andwith a fort on one end.” Her eyesmet Finn’srelaying a fierce intensity. “You told me that you guys talked about the OTsneeding somewhere to sleepwhile they’reDHIs—thewaywe all sleep in ourbeds.Whatbetterplacethansomeplacelikethis?”

“Wehaveatleastanhourtogetbacktothehub,”Finnsaid.“Wemightaswell…try.”

“Wemightwanttospeeditup,”shesaid,pointing.Plutohadpulledback.Thealligatorshadreturned.

***“Thisplaceisverybig,”MaybecksaidtoCharlene.

They had made their way down the facility’s main floor, passing moreoffices,conferencerooms,andacoffeelounge.They’dalsopassedahalf-dozensecuritycameras.Theunderlyingroaroftheplacegrewprogressivelylouder.

“YouthinkSecurityhasspottedusbynow?”sheasked.“Honestly?I’mwonderingwhynoone’scomeafterus. Inaweirdway, I

don’tthinkthat’sthebestsign.”“TheOTsgotthem?”“Itmightexplainwhynoonehasbotheredwithus.”“That’sdepressing.”Maybeckstoppedattheendofthehall.“Youdorealize,”Charlenesaid,studyingherDHI’ssomewhatshakyblue

outline,“thatourbestdefenseisbeingone-hundred-percenthologram?”“Asifthat’sgoingtohappen.”“Soyou’rescared,too?”“Idon’tgetscared,”heclaimed.“Iget…aware.ButI’mveryawareatthe

moment.Yes.”Hepaused,hishandonthedoor.“Herewego.”Heopenedthedoorandwavedherthrough.Theysteppedoutontoasteel

catwalkthatsurroundedacentralspace.Threestoriesbelowtwohugeturbineswhined. From the turbines ran a tangle of pipes and wires. The walls weredecoratedwith signswarningof highvoltage!deathon contact!Nice calmingstuff.

Justbarelyaudiblewasawoman’scomplainingvoice.TheQueen?theybothwondered.Maybeckraisedhisvoicejustloudenoughtobeheard.“Checkitout!”Ablueuniformhung from the railing.Perchedalongsideof itwasablue

jay frantically flapping itswings.Charlene looked first to theuniform, then tothebluejay,thenbacktotheuniform.

Maybecksaid,“Ithinkweknowwhathappenedtothesecurityguards.”Heindicatedthebluejay.“I’dsaysomeonespelledthem.”

“TheEvilQueendidthat?”Charlenesaid.“Well,itwasn’tBambi.”“Whosesidearetheyon?”sheasked.“Ifsomeonedidthattome,IknowwhosesideI’dbeon.Butwithatwisted

sisterlikeher,whoknows?”“So,whatnow?”shesaid.“Wesplitup,andweheaddowntowardthosevoices.Ifoneofusiscaught,

maybetheothercandosomethingaboutit.”“And?”“We listen towhatever’sbeing said.”He studied their surroundings. “I’m

takingthestairsonthisside,”hedeclared.Charlenetookintheinterconnectedpipes,therailing,andthecatwalkson

eachlevel.“Icanclimbdownthere,”shesaid.“FYI:Therearestairsontheotherside.Mightbeeasier.”“Andmoreobvious.Theycouldbewatchingthem.I’mgoingtoclimbit,”

shedeclared.“Whatever,”Maybecksaid.“Justdon’tmakemehavetorescueyou.”“Otherwayaround,”shesaid.“Notlikely.”“We’llsee.”Thebluejaycawedloudly,startlingthemboth.Thefaintvoicesbelowpausedwiththecryofthebird.Maybeckwhispered:“Seeyoudownthere.”Hetiptoedoff towardanexit

sign.

Charlenestayedwellclearofthebluejayandclimbedoverthemetalrail,onefootplacedcarefullyaftertheother.Shepossessedaclimber’seye,abletolook up at a climbing wall and quickly plot and remember an exact route.Descendingwasaltogetherdifferent;itwasmuchmoredifficulttoclimbdownthanup.Forher,plottingadescendingroutewastwicethechallenge.

Shehesitatedamoment,seeingapossiblerouteplayoutinhermind’seye—eachtoehold,handandfingergripshewouldtake.Onepipetothenext;oneclampatatime.

Shedrewinadeepbreathandmadeherfirstmove.***

PhilbyheardElvismeowingontheothersideofthebathroomdoor.“Tssst!”Hetriedtodiscouragehimusingthefamilytongue-between-the-

teethsound.“MEEEEOWWWW!”Elviswailed,soundinglikeapolicesiren.“Tssssssssst!”Bang!Bang!Hewasjoltedbackagainstthewellofthetoilet.“Dell?”Hismother.“Busy,”hesaid.“Youopenthisdoorthisminute!”Philbysaid,“Berightout,”whilelookingforsomewhereinthisshoebox

roomtohidehisgear.“OPENTHISDOOR!”Whenhismothershoutedlikethat,helackedresistance.Heobeyed,turning

theknob.Seen fromhismother’sperspective,her son, fullydressed,was sittingon

theclosed toilet,hiscomputeropen inhis lap,aphone,alsoon, restingonhisthigh.Her face burning a new shadeof crimson, she said nothing; she simplyextendedherhandsexpectingdeliveryofthegoods.

“Mom,Ican’t.”“Idon’twanttohearit,youngman.”Herhands,nowshakingwithrage,remainedextended.“Mom.”“It’snearlyoneo’clock.We’lldiscussitinthemorning.”Heglancedatthetime.Howhadthetimepassedsoquickly?Oneam?Finn

wouldbeexpectingtheReturn.“Mom!Please!Justlisten.”“I’lllisteninthemorning.”Sheadded,“Maybe.”Philby had never seen her in this particular state before—like a teakettle

boilingover.Waynehadsaidthatafriendwouldturnhisbackandbetraythem.Hehadn’tmentionedmothers.

Heclosedthelaptopandhandedittoher,feelinglikeatraitor.Maybethatwasit,hethought:MaybeIamthetraitorWaynewarnedusabout.

***“Guard!”FinnhatedtoputPlutoatrisk,butthedogseemedtheirbestchancetogetoutofthiswithalltheirlimbsintact.

“Higherground,”Amandasaid.“It’sthebestdefensiveposition.”“Moveslowly,”Finnsaid.They backed up, taking small steps, never taking their eyes off the

alligators.Plutosawthem,butheldhisground.“Gooddog!”Finncalledout.Theyslowlyworkedupthehill,reachingapath.Amanda said, “Didyouknow that alligators can run thirty-fivemiles per

hour?”“TMI,”Finnsaid.“Ifweturnandrun—”Amandaproposed.“—they’ll have us for breakfast,” Finn said, completing her sentence for

her.“I’mthinking:Scratch’sMine.”“Youcan’tbeserious!”“Itwillforcethemintosinglefile.They’llhavetoswitchdirections,which

slowsthemdown.Ifwehurry,wegetout theotherendof thetunnelaheadofthem, at which point we head uphill, which is not what they’ll instinctivelythink.Bythetimetheyfigureitout—iftheyfigureitout—we’regone.”

“Whatifwejustmadearunforit?ForMinnie?Theraft?”“Yeah,okay.I’llputyouontotheraft.Thatworks,”Finnsaid.“Me?Whataboutyou?”shesaid.“I…The thing is, after everything we’ve figured out…Philby, me, the

others.YouandJess.Ineedtocheckthisplaceout,”hesaid.“Thepirate,Stitch,thealligators.Itjustdoesn’taddup.”

“ThenI’mnotgoing.”“Youshould.”“Well,I’mnot.”“Icandothisalone,”hesaid.“Keepersworkinpairs,”shesaid.Technically, shewas not aKeeper. But it seemed like thewrong time to

remindher.Hethoughtmaybethatwasherpoint.Shesaid,“WhatifI,youknow,usedmy…WhatifIpushed?”“You’remostlyDHIatthemoment.”

“Actually, I’m barely DHI. Trust me, I feel much more human thanhologram.Whatif,oncewe’reinsidethemine,Icouldpushthegators,andwecould run for Minnie? Being inside the mine will concentrate the push. Iwouldn’t needmuch for it towork.Wecould tellMinnie to leavewithoutus.Thegatorsmightbefooled,andthinkwe’dleft.”

“We’dbetrappedhere,”hereminded.“Sowe’dtellhertohangontheothersideandwaitforoursignal.”It seemed like thebestway toget thegatorsoff their trail,butaplannot

withoutrisk.IfMinniehadtoabandontheraft…Hesaid,“Iguessifthepushworks,wegoforit.Ifnot,we’llrethink.”“Onthree?”“No.Let’s justkeepbackingup.When they reach thepath,wemakeour

move,”hesaid.“WhataboutPluto?”sheasked.“He’sadog.He’llfigureitout.”Thetwobackedupslowly.Thealligatorsslitheredforward.Plutoretreated.

Stepbystep,theyallmovedinachoreographedmanner.“Ready…”Finnwhispered.“Set…”shesaid.Thefirstalligator—Louis—placedhispawonthepath.FinnandAmandaturnedandran.

***Withherarmsandlegswrappedaroundthepipelikeakoalabearhuggingatree,Charlenesliddownanotherthreefeet,finallystoppedbyajunctionclamp.Thetemperature in the main building was warm, as were some of the pipes shetouched.The turbines screamed in a high-pitchedwhine.Half-deaf, shedidn’thearthesoundofflappingwings,didn’tsensetheattackuntilitwasuponher:ashadowsweepingacrossherface.

Charleneducked,andswungoutwithherleftarm,catchingabird’swing.Itstruckapipeandfell,feathersfluttering.

Asecondjaydive-bombedandsankitssmalltalonsintoherscalp,tearingloosetwolargeclumpsofhair.Charlenecriedout.Herscalpwasbleeding.Shesoughtatoeholdbutmissed,catchingherselfatthelastsecond.Nowathirdjay,wingstucked,cameatherlikeamissile.Sheswungherarmlikeabaseballbatand sent it into the outfield. The bird struck the wall and was knockedunconscious.

Ittumbledandlandedatoponeoftheturbineswithathunk.Thevoicesstopped.Onlythewhineoftheturbinespersisted.Thejaythat

hadtornherhairoutcawedanddoveoncemore.Charlenedeftlyswitchedpipes,

droppedlower,andswitchedback,usingtheelbowinthebiggerpipetoshieldher.

A glowing image appeared on the floor below.Maybeck? shewondered.Fearing it might not be, she adjusted to the far side of the pipe, putting anintersectionofsteelandPVCbetweenherandtheglow.

Charlenewaslookingdownonaheadofdarkhairsurroundedbyacrown.TheEvilQueen.CharlenerearedbackastheQueenlookedup.AdivingbluejaysuddenlyalteredcourseandflewpastCharlene—theQueenhadredirectedit.Itlanded on an electrical conduit below. The wounded jay atop the turbinemanagedtoflyoff.

Thejayscawedfuriously.Over the roar of the turbines, a woman’s low voice shouted, “Hurry up!

There’snotimetowaste!”Charlenemovedquicklylower,downthepipes,usingclampsandvalvesas

toeholds.Withspeedandagilityshedescended,desperate tooverhearmoreofwhatwasbeingsaid.

HowsheregrettedhavingseparatedfromMaybeck.Theycouldbeworkingtogether;worse,Maybeckwassomethingofawildhorsewithoutabitorbridlewhenleftonhisown.

Shesliddownthefinal fewfeetofpipe,arrivingonto thefacilityfloor—concretewithathicklayerofgrayepoxypaint.Shesettledherselfanddaredtolookpastthepipeshehidbehind.

Directlyinfrontofherweremorepipesandmachinery.Justpastthesewasawalkwaydesignatedbywide linesofbrightyellowpaint, one sideofwhichwas a concrete wall withwindows looking in on a control room, the door towhich was propped open, its center glass pane broken; cubes of safety glasslitteredthefloor.Inside,shesawabaldguyinachair,wholookedeitherasleepor dead. There was a redheaded woman in a similar condition next to him.CruellaDeVil,theEvilQueen.Anda…kid!Charlenecouldonlyseethebackofhishead—hewashunchedoveracomputer—buttherewasnomistakinghimforanythingbutateenager.Shecouldn’tseehisface.

Charlenewasdistractedbymovementtoherright—thejaysflyinglikejetsin formation. They banked right and disappeared behind the machinery.Somethingmovedintheshadows,escaping.

Maybeck.The Evil Queen sensed Maybeck and abruptly turned around. She and

Maybeckwereonoppositesidesofacinderblockwall.Charleneduckedbehindthepipe,herbacktoitswarmth.Shehadnowayto

warnMaybeck,nowaytomonitorwhatwashappening.Then,overhead,ablue

flash—thejaysdivingforMaybeckagain.Sheheardaseriesofcaws.Maybeckshouting.Then,theEvilQueengrowling,“Bringhimtome!”

***It tookPhilby time to settledown.He’dnever seenhismotherquite like that.She’d stayeda few feetbehindhimandhadmarchedhim tohis room likehewasaconvict.He’dwantedtoaskherforthecomputerbackbutthoughtshe’dhaveprobablyhithimwithit—definitelynotworththerisk.

Hisbedsideclockread12:51.Hecouldn’tleavehisfriendsstuckinEpcotandtheCogenerationFacility

asDHIs.HeneededWebaccess—andheneeded itnow.Hepossessedadirtysecret:a fifthDHIhadbeenaddedto theQueen’sgrowingteam.He’dspottedtheadditioninthelog—itwasstillrockinghimwithaftershocks.

Mind racing, he thought of his father’s desktop Mac in his study. Thetroublewas,hisstudywasanextrabedroom,andtogettoitPhilbywouldhavetopasshisparents’bedroom.Hedoubtedhismotherwouldactuallykillhim,butheknewthattobecaughtwasnotanoption.

Philbypacedhisroom,frustratedandguilt-ridden.Hestoppedandlookedat the lowered shade and thought about Hugo attacking him. His world wasupside down: friends were enemies; family members were enemies. His onlyfriendswereasleep in theirbedsandwouldneverwakeupuntilandunlessheReturnedthem.ThesuccessorfailureoftheirattempttofreeAmandafellontohim.Theirsurvivalfellontohim.

Washereallysupposedtojustclimbintobedandgotosleep?Asif!Hesneakeddownthehallontiptoe,ashaftofyellowlightplayingfromhis

parents’ bedroom.Hismotherwould be propped up in bed reading.He knewhowdifficultitwasforhertogetbacktosleep.Ifhemovedtooquickly,she’dspothim.Thetrickwastoslipbyincrediblyslowly,backtothewallsohecouldwatchher.Ifshemovedevenatweak,he’djumpacrossandshewouldn’tknowifshe’dseenhimornot.

Stepbystep,hisbacktotheoppositewallofthehallway,Philbyedgedintoandthroughthepatchofyellowlight.Hewasrightoutwherehismothercouldhave seen him, but she never raised her head.At last—it seemed like severalminutes—hewasbackintoshadowandoutofhersight.

Hemade it to the study door, and turned the handle incredibly gently toavoidherhearing.

Locked!Hedidn’tknowthedoorcouldbelocked.Hestaredatitindisbelief.

“Notachance,”shesaid.He startled and nearly screamed. Didn’t dare turn around, but finally

gatheredthecourage.Shewasinherpajamas,herreadingglassesperchedonthebridgeofhernose.

“That you would even try this is such a disappointment. What are youthinking?”

“I’mthinkingofmyfriends.I’mthinkingofthattimeIwascaughtintheSyndrome and how awful it was on you and Dad. The hospital. Nothingworking.Theyarecountingonme.”Hewasagrownboy,heremindedhimself,fighting back the tears. Embarrassed by them. “Do you knowwhat that feelslike?”

“IthinkImighthaveaslightidea.Doyouhaveanyideawhatit’sliketobeamother?Toloveanotherso,somuchthatyoucan’tbreathe?”

“I cannot let themdown. Iwillnot let themdown. I don’t carewhat theconsequencesare.IthasnothingtodowithDisney.Nothingtodowithmagicorentertainment. It’s about friendship, Mom. It’s about being reliable andresponsibleandallthestuffyouandDadpreachbutneverletmelive.”

Hewatchedhernostrilsflare,whichwasnotagoodsign.Mosttimes,thatwasthesignalthetimebombwasticking.Buthereyesglassedoverandherlipstrembledandshemovedtowardhim.

“You’resuchagoodboy,”shesaid,herarmsoutstretched.“Iamsoproudofyou.”

“You…what?”Sheembracedhiminawayhe’dneverfeltbefore.Morethanahug.Itfelt

likeshemightneverletgo.“You’resogrown-up.”“Mom?”“I’msosorry,”shesaid.“Iwasonlythinkingofmyself.Itmakesme…Iget

soscaredforyouandtheothers.Ineverwanttoloseyou.I’dnever,ever,forgivemyself.”

“Butthat’sexactly—”“Yes,”shesaid.“Iknow.Iunderstand.”“Youdo?Seriously?”“Iwanttohelp.Iwanttoknoweverything.Everything,youunderstand?”Henodded.“Goon.Dowhateveritisyouneedtodo.I’llbealonginaminute.Iwant

toturnoffthelightsowedon’twakeyourfather.”

***

“How’sitgoing?”JeanniePuckett’sgratingvoice.Jesshadnoddedoffwhilesittingwithher

back to thewall next to the bunk bed. She blinked repeatedlywhile orientingherself.Sheimmediatelyrealizedtheimpactofthedreamshe’djustbeenliving.Shereachedforherdiary.

“Givemeafewminutes,”shesaid,herpenalreadyatwork.Shedrewthepictureinherhead,allowingittoflowoutofherhandrather

thanforce itonto thepage.Itwasalmostas if thepenwerealiveandshewasthereonlytokeepitupright.Somethingmiraculoustranspiredbetweenherhandandthepaper,apowerfarbeyondanythingshewouldlayclaimto.

Linesappeared,likeagateormaybetheteethofacomb.Shadows.Behindthe teeth of the comb were bookshelves, or perhaps a bench. The pen keptmoving. Jess looked for what was there, what was coming. A box—no, awindow—in the center of the wall between the bookshelves. Or were thebookshelveschurchpews?Wasthewindowreallyaframehangingonthewall?Notbookshelvesatall,butacotorabunk.Apriest layingonthebunk.No,awoman.Abenchonthefloorbetweenthebunks.Theywerebunks.Notacomb,butprisonbars.

Herpenstopped.Thewomansatupfromthebunkandstoodandcrossedthefarcornerofthejailcellstandinginthecorner.

Jess triedtoquicklysketchthewomaninfourpostures—sitting,standing,crossingtheroom,standinginthefarcorner.

Awomaninrobes.Maleficent. Smirking, but quickly losing it so that her emotions were

unreadable.The smirk lingered in Jess’smind. She tried to sketch it. Couldn’t get it

right.Something else…something bothering her. Something about the way

Maleficenthadcrossedthecell.Whatwasit?“Lookatthat!”ItwasJeannieagain.Itbrokethemoment.Theimagesonthediarypagewerestaticagain.Fixed.

Unmoving.Jessworkedtofinishwhatlittleshecouldenvision.Shewouldhavetogetit toPhilbybye-mail—ande-mailwasariskinMrs.Nash’shouse, likeeverythingelsethatcouldpossiblybefun.

JeannierushedtoAmanda’sside.“LOOKATTHAT!What’sitmean?”Jesscollectedherselfandlookedup.Amanda’s arms were still by her side but her hands had moved, palms

toward the foot of the bed.Theywere jerking ever so slightly like a crossingguardsignalingastoponthecorner.

“Shehasn’tdoneanythinglikethis.Right?Thisisliketotallynew.Right?Sowhat’sitmean?”Jeannieasked.

Jessshookherhead.“Ihaveno idea,” she said.But in fact, shehadaprettygood idea.She’d

seen Amanda do that before. She’d even worked with Amanda so she couldlearnhowtocontrolit.

***Standingtwentyfeetdowninthemine,palmsoutstretched,Amandascoopedtheairas ifcuppingwater,andthenthrewherarmsforwardandpushedthewateroutinfrontofherasthealligatorsentered.

Theyliftedofftheground,theirfeetpaddlingtheair.Shepushedagain,andthealreadylevitatedalligatorssailedoutoftheminetunnel.

“Come,boy!”sheheardFinncryout.Plutohadbeencaughtinthepushaswell.He’dtraveledabouttenfeetand

hadfallen,sprawledonallfours.“Run!”Finncried.Themine shaft angled sharply left. The alligators had recovered quickly,

nowonlyafewfeetbehindPluto,whotrailedAmanda.“Go!Go!Go!”Finnshouted.Thetunnelstraightenedoutbutthefloortippedleft,offlevel.Amandatripped.Finnstoppedandturnedtohelpherup.SNAP!Analligator’sjawnearlycaughthisfoot.Amandaspunandpushed.The alligator lifted and flew like it had been caught by a hurricane. It

collidedwiththeothers.Threewhitebelliesflashedinthedark,rocketingawayfromthetwokids.

Withonefinal turn, theyreachedthemouthof themineshaftandpoppedoutside.

“Yougouphill,”Finnsaid.“Hideup there. I’llmeetyou.”He turnedandran.Lookingback,seeingherhesitate,hesaid,“Up!”

Amandaturnedaroundandstartedclimbinguparockyincline.Finn,withPlutobrieflybyhisside,hurriedalongthepath,onlyamatterof

yardsfromHuck’sLanding.Pluto,seemingtounderstandtheirrole,heldback,waitingforthealligators.

FinnreachedMinnieandtheraft,alreadypushingheroffasheexplained,“Head across to the other side and wait for our signal.We need to trick thealligators!”

Minnienoddedandthrewaleverforward.Theraftbegantopullaway.Finnduckedbackup thepathpastPotter’sMill, lookingdown in time to

seePluto flying through the air and just catching the raftwithhis front paws.Minnielungedandpulledhimonboard.

The three alligators didn’t hesitate for a second. With the raft motoringaway,theyslitheredintothedarkwatersandweregone,lostinswirlingflashesofgreen,scalytails.

***Theboyinthechairofthepowerplantcontrolroomspunaround,andCharlenenearlyshriekedwithwhatshesaw.ThiswasnoDisneyvillain.Itwasjustaboy.A regular teenage boy, if you discounted the shimmering green outline thatcontainedhim.By the lookofhim,basedonPhilby’sdescription, she alreadyknewhisname:HugoMontcliff.

Thescopeandramificationsofwhatshesawsooverwhelmedherthatsheintentionallyavoidedthinkingaboutit.Ontheonehand,thisfeltliketheendoftheworld;on theother,Maybeckhadbeencapturedand therewasno time tocontemplatewhatitallmeantfortheKeepers.

Hugowas in the control room, throwing switches and spinning dials.Hebarkedoutanorder,soundinglikeagrown-up.

“Notyet, sonny!Holdoff aminute!”Witha sweepofherhand, theEvilQueen, outside the control room, transfigured the three blue jays into gorillas.Theystoodwelloverfivefeettallandwerepuremuscleandteeth.Theyobeyedher command—“Bring him to me!”—springing into action and surroundingMaybeck.

Charlene searched for something—anything—resembling a weapon: ahose;asteamvalve?TherehadtobesomewaytohelpMaybeck.

Hugocalledoutagain.Thesoundgeneratedbythemachineryalteredpitch,groaninglower.Charlenefeltitinherteeth.

The holograms, including her own, sputtered and dimmed. Red lightsflashedonthewalllikethosefromapolicecar.

Charlenemovedcloser,nownearenoughtoseethroughtheQueen,almostlike an X-ray. In the Queen’s translucent right hand, she held the fob—theReturn.Thedeviceappearedsolid,seeminglyunaffectedbythelossofelectricpower.

“Isaidnotyet!”TheQueenappearedreadytothrowaspellatHugo,ifhewasn’talreadyundertheeffectofone.

Hugomadeadjustments,andthepitchintheroomclimbedhigher.Theredlightsstoppedflashing.Thehologramsandtheiroutlinesreturned.

ButbythetimetheDHIsstrengthened,twothingsoccurred:first,Maybeckusedthemomentofhisfadedimagetoslippastthegorillas,whonolongerhadholdofhim;second,Charlenesteppedoutfrombehindthepipeandpickedupa

shiningstainlesssteelsheet,partofametalboxconnectedto the turbines.ShehelditbehindherlikeasurprisegiftandmovedbravelytowardtheQueen,whoturnedinherdirectionatthelastsecond.

Maybeckvanishedintothemachinery.Thegorillasappeareddumbfounded;tothemitwaslikehewassuddenlyinvisible.

JustastheQueenraisedherhandtothrowaspellwhilesaying,“Well,whatdowehavehere?”CharlenepulledthestainlesssteelpanelfrombehindherbackandheldituplikeamirrorinfrontoftheQueen’sface.

“Oh…my…whatabeautiful,beautifulfacethatis.”TheQueenreachedouttovainlytakethemirrorand,asshedid,loosenedherholdonthefob.

Likeamagicianorpickpocket,CharlenesweptthefoboutoftheQueen’shand,replacingitwiththeedgeofthemirror,andpocketedthefob.

Maybeckappearedfrombehindher,grabbedherarm,draggingherintothecontrolroom.Heclosedandlockedthedoor.

“We can’t allow them to kill the power,” he said. “I just realized whatthey’retryingtodo.”

***Just asFinn caught up toAmanda, he lost her: she shimmered, sputtered, anddisappeared.Asquicklyasshe’dvanished,shereappeared.

“Thatwassoweird,”shesaid.“Youjustkindofbrokeupanddisappeared.”“You,too,”hesaid,holdinghishandsinfrontofhisface.“Theylookokay

now.”“Verystrange.”Shereachedoutandpulledhimdownhard,behindarock.

“Careful,”shesaid,pointing.“Anotherpirate.ThissideofSuperstitionBridge.”“Whatwasthatabout?”Finnsaid.“Whatjusthappened?”“Theprojectors?”Amandasaid.“Iguess.OrmaybePhilbytriedtoReturnus,butwe’retoofarfromthehub

soitdidn’twork.”“Mightbe.”“Neverseenanythinglikeit.“Thepirate’ssignificant,”hesaid, turningbackto the issueathand.“Too

manyoftheseguys,toomuchgoingonforitnottomeansomething.”“Iagree.”“Thefort,”hesaid.Shenodded.“Youdon’thavetogowithme.”“Iwantto,”Amandasaid.“Itcouldbe…it’sprobablydangerous.”“Iknowthat.”Shepaused.“Twoisbetterthanone.”

“Isn’tthatasong?”“Shutup.”“Wedon’tknowwhatwe’llfind.Itcouldbenothing,”hesaid.“Youdon’tbelievethat.”“No.”“Thendon’tsayit.”“Aye,aye,”saidFinn.“It’sjust…”Shesoundedfrustrated.“Webothknowthisisit.Afort?How

perfect is that?A remote fortat that, andonan island?Givemeabreak!Youguysshouldhavefiguredthisoutalongtimeago.”

“Wewereclose.Wejustdidn’tknowit.Wedidn’tfigureitout.”“Stitch,”shesaid,rememberingthestory.“Yes.”Heconsideredthisamoment.“Thethingis…IlikeStitch.Stitchis

cute.Mischievous, but cute. I couldneverquite seehim looking somean andchasingmeandMaybecklikethat.Butnow,I’mthinking:spell.I’mthinkingtheEvilQueencanmakeusdojustaboutanythingshewants.Cuteornot.Lookatwhat’s happened to Luowski and the others! She feeds off people’s ambitionsanddesires.”

“Makessensetome.”Amandasneakedapeekaroundtherock.“Howarewegoingtodothis?Alligator-infestedwater.ApiratethesizeofthefrontdoorofMrs.Nash’shouse.”

“How are you and your arms doing?” he asked, knowing that each pushweakenedandtiredher.

“It’spretty lamewhen I’maDHI.Notmuchpush to thepush.But I cantry.”

“Thereare rocksdownthere,”hesaid.“Ifhehithisheadon therocks, itwouldn’tbothermeonebit.Betterthanintothewaterwherehe’dmakealotofnoise.”

“Sowewanttocomeathimfromoverthere,”shesaid,pointingtotherightofthebridge.

“Wewantyouto,”Finnsaid.“Me,maybenotsomuch.”Theyquicklyworkedoutthedetailsoftheirattack.AmandawaitedasFinn

creptdownthehillandcameatthepiratefromstraightaway.“You there!” thepirate calledout.He snatchedanancientpistol fromhis

belt.Guns?Finn thought,wondering if itwas fromagift shopor for real,and

havingnogreatdesiretofindout.“Youtakeanotherstep,”thepiratesaid,“andyou’lleatlead,palsy-walsy.”Only thendid thepirate’s head swivel as he caughtmovementout of the

corner of his eye. Before he ever saw Amanda, he was airborne. The piratecrashedintoanoutcroppingofrockanddidnotmove.Forabouttenseconds.

Before Amanda could ask, “Is he…dead?” the pirate was twitching andreachingforhishead.

“Run!”Finnsaid,grabbingAmanda’shandandscurryingacrossthericketySuperstitionBridge.

***Philby,entrenchedathiscomputer,accessedtheserverremotelyandtypedinhisbackdoorpassword,waitingfortheremoteconnection.AprintoutofJess’slatestsketchsatalongsidehiskeyboard.Hedidn’tunderstandwhereitwas,buttherewasnomistakingwho:Maleficent!

Excitement welled within him. His mother’s cooperation stunned him;secretlyhe still thought that at anymoment shemight come storming intohisroom,shoutingathim toshutdowneverythingandgoback tobed, that she’dsufferedamomentofweaknessandhadcometohersenses.

So he worked fast, frustrated by a slow Ethernet connection that was asunpredictableastheweather.

In the background, he registered a sound, an unmistakable sound, frominsidethehouse:thesliding-glassdooropening.TheonetotheFloridaroom—alargescreened-inporchatthebackofthehouse.Whywashismothergoingoutin the middle of night? Maybe she was sleepwalking. Maybe the entireconversationhe’dhadwithherhadbeenwithawomansleep-talking.

Hetypedfaster,urgingtheconnectiontospeedup.Elvismeowed from the living room.Therewasone thingaboutElvis:he

onlymadethatparticularsoundwhenhewantedtobepickeduporpetted.Whenhemadeitforasecondtime,Philbyactuallylookedouthisbedroomdoorasifhecouldseethroughwalls.(Hecouldnot.)Becausetherewasonethingabouthismother:shecouldnotresistElvis.Shespoiledthecatlikeitwasarichunclewhomightbequesthisentireestatesomeday.

Itwasafamily joke: ifElvismeowedtwice,Momwasn’thome.Hadshereallyfallenasleepsoquickly?She’dseemedprettyworkedup—

Thescreenchanged,andPhilbypulledhisattentionbacktohiscomputer.Hewasin.

***Thankfully,gorillasknewnothingaboutbrokenglass.As the firstof the threeexploredthebrokenholethroughthecontrolroom’sglassdoor,hecuthishand.Jumpingback,hestuckhishandinhisgapingmouthandwhimperedlikeababy.The injuredgorilla then showed theother twohisblood, andall three steppedawayfromthedoorasifitpossessedpowers.

Behindthem,theEvilQueencouldnotstopadoringherselfinthestainlesssteelmirror.Sheseemedoblivioustoeverythinggoingonaroundher.

“Youmight be wondering what a dame likeme is doing in a place likethis,”CruellaDeVilsaidtoCharlene.“Andtotellyouthetruth,Ihardlyknow!”The way she laughed made Charlene wonder if that hadn’t been what hadshattered theglass.“It’sbecauseIknowthewayof theworld—ourworld, themodernworld.Thinkaboutit:Queenyoutthereisfromaworldlitonlybyfire.Shecanhardlybeconsideredworldly,likesomeofus.Eh,girly?”

“You’llnevergetawaywiththis,”Charlenesaid,holdinguptheReturnfob.“Oneclickofthisbutton…”

Hugospunaroundinhischair,hishandonalever.“Iwouldn’tbesosure.Ifyourfriendtheretakesonemoresteptowardme,it’slightsout,everyone.Ifyoupushthatbuttonasthepowerfails,there’snotellingwhatwillhappentous—toallofus.Wemightbegoneforever.”

“Isthattrue?”sheaskedMaybeck,wholookedreadytopounce.Helookedoveratherwithaterror-ridden,perplexedexpression,hisusual

confidencesapped.“Now,now,littlegirl,don’tbefoolish,”Cruellasaid.“Handthatovertome

this instant.” She flicked the ash off the burning cigarette at the end of herebony-and-ivory holder, aiming the ember at Charlene’s face. “You wouldn’twanttoseemewhenI’mmad.”

Maybeck scooped up an office chair, holding it above his headthreateningly.“Whoeveryouare,”hesaidtoHugo,“you’renewatthis.LetmetellyousomethingaboutbeingaDHI:theslightestbitoffearandyou’repartlyhuman,partlyhologram.It’saglitchinthesystemthat’sneverbeenworkedout.Soifyouthinkthischairisgoingtopassthroughyou,you’remistaken.Now,letgoofthatswitch.”

Charlenematched each advancing step Cruella took, backing away fromher.

“Dropthechair!”Hugoshouted,hishandstillontheswitch.“Doit,orweall go poof! And if Goldilocks there pushes that button, we might just…evaporate.”

Maybeck’s eyes darted. Cruella’s burning cigarette was closing in onCharlene’sface.

“Doit,”Maybecksaid.HewantedhertopushtheReturn.If I push thebutton, I drop the fob andwe’ll lose it again,Charlenewas

thinking.Shebangedintothecounterbehindher.Herhandfeltadrawerhandle.Shehookedafingerintothehandleandpulledthedraweropenslightly.IfsheknewwheretofindtheReturn,theycouldcomebacktogetit.Shehelditinher

handovertheopendrawer.Cruella eyed the Queen through the office windows, clearly wanting her

powerstothrowspells.ButtheQueenwasstillstruckbyherownreflection.HugoMontcliff’shandremainedontheoversizedswitch.“Youhitmewith

thatchair,pal,andyou’regoingtobetheonewhothrowsthisswitch.”“I suggest we all calm down,” said Cruella. “This is what we call a

stalemate.”***

As they crossedSuperstitionBridge, Finn andAmanda heard the voices fromwithinFortLanghorn.Theyhurriedtothelefttoavoidbeingseen.

“Ican’tbelieveit!”Finnsaid.“Itsoundslikeaconventionorsomething.”“OfOvertakers.”“Youthink?”“Ipromise.”Eagertogetalookinside,Finnmovedtowardthefort’sopen

gate.He sneaked apeek, his heart beatingpainfully inhis chestwithwhathesaw. The Horned King from The Black Cauldron. Gaston. Prince John fromRobinHood.He’dseenallthreeinasingleglance.Millingthroughoutthecentercourtyardwere pirates and a dozen other characters Finn had seen before butcouldn’tname.

He slipped back next to Amanda, breathing hard. “This is it,” he said,windedbynerves.“Theirhideout.”

“Whatnow?”“If the Queen and Cruella are asleep, there’s a good chance they’re in

there,”hesaid.“We’regoinginthere?”Inthedistance,acrossthebridge,thepiratewasstirring.He’dbeonhisfeet

anyminute.He’dsoundthealarm.Thebridgewastheonlywayofftheisland.“We’vegotseriousproblems,”Finnsaid.“Followme.”He ledheraround the sideof the fort so thewakingpiratewouldn’t spot

them.“They’reallinthere,”hetoldher.“Youcan’tbelievehowmany.”Thenhesaidsomewhatdesperately,“Thereareonlyfiveofus.Seven,countingyouandJess.”

“Ariel toldWilla there aremany,manymore. That they’rewaiting for aleader.”

Finnskiddedtoastop.“What?”hegasped.“Whydidn’tIhearaboutthis?”Sheshrugged.“Girl talk,” shesaid.“Sheknows…weallknowhowhung

upyouareonlivinguptoWayne’sexpectations.”

“That’snottrue.”“Isn’tit?”saidAmanda.“WhosaidI’mtheleader?”“Yousee?”shesaid.“That’swhatI’mtalkingabout.”They continued along the fort wall, sneaking past the door leading to

Pappy’sFishingPierandkeptfollowingthewallasitturnedagain.“Don’tbemad.”“I’mnotmad,”saidFinn.“You’restewing.”“What’sthat?”“That’swhatMrs.Nashcalls itwhenyougetsomadyouwon’t talk.She

doesn’tletusstew.Everythinggetsoutintheopen.”“I’mnotstewing,”hesaid.“Ifyousayso.”Then he stewed somemore, not knowingwhat to say. They rounded the

thirdcorner.“Arewejustgoingtogoaroundinafullcircle,orwhat?”sheasked.“Iremembercomingherewithmyfamilyyearsago,”hesaid.“Andmaybe

I’mmixingitupwiththetunnelsontheotherisland,butI’mprettysurethere’sasecretescapetunnelrunningfromthefort.”

“That’swhatwe’relookingfor?”“That’swhatI’mlookingfor,yes.”“Andifwefindit?”“I’mgoinginthere.”“Noway,Finn.”“Notyou,don’tworry.”“That’s not what I’m talking about! You can’t go in there with a zillion

Overtakersinside.”He stopped. They pressed their backs to the logs as he said, “Listen…

Look…Idon’tknowexactlyhowtoexplain this,but I’mnotevensureyou’regoing to wake up tonight. Okay? I’m freaking out here. These people, thesethingsareruiningeverything,andthey’reonlygettingstronger.We…thefiveofus…the Keepers—and you and Jess, andWayne andWanda—we either stopthemor…that’sjustthething:Idon’tknowwhat.Idon’tknowifanyofuswillbearound,orifwe’llbelyinginbedunabletowakeup,likeyouarerightnow.I’mnotplayingherohere.I’mafraid.I’mafraidtogotosleep.Afraidtogotoschool. I can’t live like this. I’m going to find those two and stop them.Obviously,they’reonlythetipoftheiceberg,”hesaid,thevoicesofOvertakersrisingoverthewall.“ButI’mnotlosingyou.I’mnotrunningaway.”

She leanedacrossandkissedhim,anddespitehimbeingaDHI, it felt tohimasamazingasithadinfrontofMrs.Nash’s.

Whenshepulledher lipsoffhis,hesaid,“See?There’sstillmagic in theParks.”

“Isthatit?”sheasked,pointing.At first he thought shewas disappointed in the kiss.Thenhe saw a rock

wallcomingoutfrombelowground.“Theescapetunnel!”hesaid,greatlyrelieved.

***Philbyfoundhis loyalties tested.Hedidn’twant to leavetheconnectionto theserver, but Elvis was still out theremeowing. Philby had definitely heard hismotheropentheslidingdoortotheFloridaroom.Sowhatwasgoingon?Whatifitwasn’thismother?WhatifHugohadreturned?

Bloodovercamephotons.Hesneakedout into the livingroomtocheck itout.Theroomwasdark,aswastheoutside.Itwaslate.Neighbors’houseswereshutteredforthenight.

Inthegreenishglowofsomeofthekitchenappliancedisplays,hespottedElvisrubbingupagainsttheopenslidingglassdoorandmeowing.ThefanintheFloridaroomspunlazily.Abreezeblewoutside,clatteringthepalmfronds.

Philbywalkedonhistoes,slinkingforward.“Hey,pal.”Alowvoice.Nothismother’s.Philbyjumpedandbangedagainsttheslidingdoor’smetaldoorjamb.Akid—agiant of akid—hadhishandoverPhilby’smother’smouthand

herarmwrenchedupbehindherback.Hereyeswerebulging,pleading tohersonthroughpalpableterror.

“You must be Luowski,” Philby said, his voice eerily calm. He’d nevertrulyhatedbefore.He’dnever had theurge to hurt someone likehehadnow.Theboy’ssizemeantnothing;whathe’dheardabouthimmeantnothing.Hewashurtinghismother,andthatwasalltherewasintheworld—theonlythingthatexisted.

“Youwilllethergorightnow,”Philbysaid.“Oh,yeah?Orelse?”“Iwill raindownaworldofhurtonyou the likesofwhichyou’venever

known.”Luowskispitoutlaughter,butPhilbysensedconcernlingeringdownunder

theboy’scalmexterior.“Idon’tthinkso,”Luowskisaid.“IthinkyouwilldoexactlyasIsay,orthe

worldofhurtwillbeonyourconscious,pal.Anditwon’tberainingdownonme, believe me.” He goosed Mrs. Philby’s arm up more tightly, and Philby

watchedherstrainunderthepain.“It’s ‘conscience,’ nimrod. You’re out of your depths…beyond your pay

scale…”Philbysaid,asheedgedcloser.“YouhavesteppedsofaroverthelinethatI’mnotgoingtoletyougoback.Youcanbeg,butIwon’thearyou.”

“Tough?You,nerdboy?Thinkso?You’regoingtoshowmeyourInternetmodem, andwe’re going to shut that puppy down.Then,we’re going to giveit…”hestoleaglanceathiswristwatch,“…fifteen,twentyminutes,andI’llbeonmyway.”

He’dtoldPhilbymuchmorethanhe’dmeantto.Whateverwasgoingdownwith theOvertakers, itwas happening this veryminute.Rightnow! In fifteenminutesitwouldallbeover.

“Gottopickongirls,bigguy?”Philbysaid.“BigMr.GregLuowskipicksonamotherbecausehe’stooafraidofaKingdomKeeper.”

“Amnot!”“Havetheytoldyouwhatwecando?Whatwe’recapableof?I’mguessing

not.I’mguessingtheQueeneitherputyouunderaspellormadeitsoundlikeareallycoolthingtotakeuson,tojoinupwithher.Butsheleftoutafewdetails,I’mwillingtobet.LikethefactthatIcanwalkthroughadoororawallwhenI’maDHI.LikeIcanwalk intoyourhomeandfindyou,oryourmother,andthere’snothingyoucandotostopme.Youmightwanttothinkaboutthatbeforeyoucontinuedowntheroadyou’reon,Greg.Youwillneverheartheendofthis.Thiswillnevergoaway.”

Luowskitriedhardtolookcomposed.“Never.Ever.You let her go right now, or you’ll have five of us in your

house and no evidence that anyonewas ever there but you and your parents.Whateverhappenswillbeputonyou.”

Thethingis,Philbywasfreakingouthisownmother.Butsometimestherewascollateraldamage.Hehadtoacceptthefallout.

“Youandme,Luowski,”Philbysaid.“Leaveheroutofthis.Orareyoutoochicken?”

“Nicetry.”“You’ve seenwhat Finn can do. I know you have. Amanda, too, I hear.

Howaboutme,Greg?WhatcanIdo?Didyouthinkaboutthatbeforeyoucameintomyhouse?Becauseyoushouldhave.”

Luowskiwassweatingnow,eitherfromtheheat,orfromeverythingPhilbywassaying.

Hismotherbentherkneeanddrovetheballofherheelupandintoaspotbetween the boy’s legs thatmadeLuowski’s eyes squint shut as he screamed.Sheelbowedhiminthechestanddovetothesideashersoncharged.

Philbyneverthoughtaboutwhathewasdoing.Hewasallaboutadrenalineandinstinct—thiscavemanurgetoprotecthismother.HeloweredhisshoulderandhitLuowskiinthechestlikeafootballtackle,knockingtheboyoffhisfeetand into a rattan chair. The chair spilled over. They blew through the screendoor,shreddingit,androlledoutontothepatio.

Luowskiwasmorebearthanhuman.Hisstrengthreturned,andPhilbyfeltit like a machine had been switched on. Finn had described the supernaturalstrength of being thrown by Luowski, but only now as he felt his shoulderscrushedbytheboy’sgripdidhefullygetthepicture.LuowskiwasanOvertaker,notjustanotherbigkid.

PhilbyfeltLuowski’smusclescontract:hewasgoingtothrowhimintothewallofthehouse;hewasgoingtocrusheveryboneinhisbody.Hewasgoingtokillhim.

“Greg!”Philby’smother’svoice.Luowskiwasasprogrammedasanyotherkid:whenanadultcalledyour

name,youlooked.AsprayhitLuowski’s face—bugspray,Philby realizedby the smell.The

boy-giantreleasedPhilbyandslappedhishandsoverhiseyes,cryinglikeawildanimal.

“Ahhhhhhh!”He staggered around the lawn,wiped someof it clean, andtook off running as Mrs. Philby charged at him, can outstretched, ready todeliveranotherdose.

Luowskiwasgone.Philby’smomstood therepanting.Buta smilecurledproudlyatherlips.

“Weshowedhim,”shesaid.“WHATISGOINGON!?”Philby’sfather.“WhattheheckhappenedtomyFloridaroom?”Hewasinapairoftighty-

whitiesandaT-shirt.Helooked…disappointed.“Dad,itwas—”Philbysaid.“—agator,”hismothersaid,interrupting.“ButDellandIhandledit,didn’t

we,sweetheart?”Philbylookedupathismother.Maybeshewasunderaspellaswell.“Yeah,wedid.”“Gobacktobed,”hismothertoldhisfather.“Wecandealwiththisinthe

morning.”His father, looking totally perplexed, knew better than to tanglewith his

wifewhenshewasholdingacanofbugspray.“You’reallright?”heaskedthetwo.

“No,”Philby’smothersaid.“We’rebetterthanjustallright.We’regood.”Definitelysomekindofspell.

***Finnblinked,allowinghiseyestoadjust.Somelightfilteredinfromthemouthof the tunnel,whereAmandastoodguard.Hewashelpedby thefaintglowofhisDHI.Butsoontheentrancewaswellbehindhim,andthedepthofthetunnelbegantochokeoutalllight.Aglowcamefrombehindhimandhespunaround,readytostrikeout.

“It’sme!”Amandahissed.“Whatareyoudoinghere?Wehadaplan!”“You had a plan. I had…reservations. Isn’t one of the rules thatKeepers

nevergoalone?”“Thereareexceptions.”“Likewhentheoddsareahundred-to-oneagainstus?”“Iexplained:Ifwe’reseparated,itgivesyouachancetocomerescueme.”“Yeah,likethat’sgoingtohappen!”“It’scalledstrategy.”“It’scalledstupid.I’mmuchmorehelpherewithyouthanbacklookingat

thestarsandgettingallfreakedoutbythewindinthebushes.”“So,you’reafraid,”hesaid.“No,no,”shesaidsarcastically.“I’mrealusedtothis.”“Hey,”hesaid,indicatingthefaintnessofhisblueoutline.“I’mscared,too,

incaseyouhadn’tnoticed. Idon’texactly lovesmallspaces…like tunnels, forinstance.Buthereweare.”

“Hereweare,”shesaid.Theycreptforward,deeperintothenarrowtunnel.Waterdrippeddownthe

walls.A sharp edge of rock appeared just ahead—the tunnel divided. But no,Finnrealized—thetunneltotherightwasblockedbyawoodendoor.

“Nowthat’sinteresting,”Finnwhispered.“Thewoodisnew,”shesaid.“Reallynew.”“Yes.Notabadplacetolockyourselfawayforalittlenap.”Thedoorwas

locked.Heunderstoodwhathadtobedone.“I’mgoinginthere,”hesaid.“Icangoallclear long enough to get through the door—I know I can.”He tried topsychhimselfupforit,asitwouldrequireacompletebrainwashtogethisfullDHIback.

“Thatwouldleaveyoualoneinthere.And,bytheway,mealoneouthere.”“Yeah,”hesaid.“Please,don’t.”His blue line grew stronger without his closing his eyes, without

concentrating.It’sher,hethought.Hewasfeedingoffherconcernforhim.“Atoneo’clock,”hesaid,“youneedtobebackatthehub.”“Please…”“Withorwithoutme.”“Don’tevengothere.”Shesizedupthedoor.“Icanpushitopen.”“Itwouldtakeeverythingleft inyou,anditmight turnout tobeabroom

closet.No.Saveyourstrength.Wemayneedit.”“Donothumorme,”shesaid.“I’m being confident. I’m feeling confident.” His blue line was

exceptionally strong. His toes and fingers tingled. He offered her a fleetingsmile,andhesteppedthroughthedoor.

***“Iwillcrushyoulikeabug,”Maybecksaid,hisarmsstillrock-solidasheheldthechairaloft.

“WhenIpullthisswitchtherewon’tbeanyyou.Sowhatthen?”saidHugo.“Enoughwiththeyaketyyak,”Cruellasaid,“Justpulltheswitch.”“Get that thing from her, and I will,” Hugo said. “We can’t risk them

happeningtogether.Dosomething!”CruellaaimedtheburningcigaretteclosertoCharlene’sface.Charleneglancedat thewall clock, trying to stall for the remaining three

minutes.Shecouldn’thelpFinnandAmandaReturn—thatwouldhavetostillbeup to Philby—but the fob offered her and Maybeck a way out. The risingconfidenceinMaybeck’seyessuggestedhemightknowwhatshewasthinking.

Click.Theminutehandmovedforward.Twominutestogo.Finnwasalwaysontimeforeverything,buthewasn’tnecessarilyearly.“Tellthemwhythey’redoingthis,Terry,”Charlenesaid.“Oh,yes,byallmeans.Please!”saidHugo.Maybeck’s eyes found the clock. “Because Maleficent’s prison cell is

controlled electronically, and this facility provides Disney World’s backuppower.”

Judging by the state of alarm on Cruella’s face, he’d hit a home run.Charlenetriedtokeepherownsurprisefromshowing.Thiswasthefirstshe’dheardhistheory.

“So, really,” Charlene said, “where do you think the rest of us are rightnow?”

“PULLTHESWITCH,YOULITTLETWIT!”CruellashoutedatHugo.Charlene’s thumbwarmedtheplasticbuttonon thefob,rubbingbackand

forth,sotemptedtosendthemallbackfromwherethey’dcome.***

Finninchedforward,atightnessgrippinghischestimmediately,hisDHI’sblueoutlinedimming.Hiseyesslowlyadjustedtohisownfaintglow.

Thecavewallssweated, theairdank, thespacenarrowandconfined.Hisheadswooned.Hemovedforward tentativelyas the tunnel turnedslightly,andhegasped.

CruellaDeVil.Asleeponsomefursatopanairmattress.Heleanedcloser;hereyeballsdancedbeneathhereyelids.Itlooked…horrific.

JustbeyondCruella,theEvilQueensleptonherback,handsfoldedacrossherbelly,hercrowninplace.Herlipsandnoseweretwitching.Sheseemedtobegrinningslightly.

Hehadthem.For a moment, the shock of the discovery proved too much; he simply

stared.Ifhecouldtiethemup,gagtheQueensoshecouldn’tthrowspells,thenwaitforsunriseandthereturnoftheCharacterstotheirvariousattractions,thenmaybe,justmaybe,theImagineershadtwomoreprisoners.Twomoregenerals,Shan-Yuwouldhavesaid.

Hehadhistwoshoelaces.AsasharoundtheQueen’srobe.Aplanformedinhishead.

The way their eyes moved behind their lids was disturbing. He couldn’tstophimselffromlooking.

HecheckedawatchthathungfromCruella’sneck:12:59. In one minute he would be Returned—that is, if he and Amanda

werecloseenoughtothehub.Hehadnodesiretotestthesystem.Butheneededmore time. He began unlacing his shoes frantically. They would never getanotherchancelikethis.

***Spinninginself-admiration, theEvilQueen’sgreen-outlinedDHI,gluedtoherownreflection,noticedthreegorillasbehindher.Gorillas? Inthedistantrealmofconsciousness,aflickerofrealityspoiledhercelebrationofherunparalleledbeauty,returninghertothemomentathand.Shedroppedthestainlesssteelsheetanditlandedloudly.

Charlene caught the changes to the Queen through the control roomwindows. TherewasMaybeck, his arms beginning to shake from holding thechair for so long; Cruella, advancing the glowing end of her cigarette atCharlene’sperfectcomplexion;HugoMontcliff,hishandonamasterswitch.

“What are you three doing standing around?” she heard the Queencomplain.“Isaid‘Getthem!’”

Thegorillaschargedthedoor,moreafraidoftheQueenthansomebrokenglass.

Charlene was no Jess—but she could see the future. The gorillas weregoingforTerry.Hewouldnothaveachance.

Maybeckheardthedoorbreakopenandunderstoodthathewasthetarget.Hehadneverhurtanotherperson—notlikehewasabouttohurtthiskid.ButhebroughtthechairdownontoHugoholdingtheswitchwithavengeance.

HugoMontcliff saw the look inMaybeck’s eyes and knew the fate thatawaited him.Hewas, in fact, going to be squished like a bug.He pulled theswitch.

Charlenepushedthebutton.Thefobfellintothedrawer.Thetwofacilityworkerstapedintothechairsscreamedthroughtheirgags

inunison;thekidsandthetwocostumedfreaksvanished.Likeamagicact.Nowyouseethem,nowyoudon’t.

***Finnwas just tying theQueen’s hands togetherwhen she sat bolt-upright.Hescreamedatthetopofhislungsandfellback.

Seeing Finn so close, the Queen screamed as well, the released terrorechoingoffthetunnel’ssheerstonewalls.

Cruella’seyesbuggedopen.Ittookamomentforhertoreorientherself.Intheuncomfortablemomentthatfollowed,theonlysoundwasthesteady

dripofcondensationcomingofftherockwalls.ForFinn, their comingawakewas like livingahorrormovie.TheQueen

beganuntyingherhandswithherteeth.Cruellarolledoveronherfurs.FinnsawtheQueen’shandscomingloose—herabilitytothrowaspellwasonlysecondsaway. He backed off, looking down at his own hands with their faint blueoutline.Inhiscurrentstatehewasn’tgoingtowalkthroughthedooranytimesoon.

“Well,whatdowehavehere?”theEvilQueensaid,knowingperfectlywellwhatshehadhere.ShehadFinn.Cornered.

Hebangedhisbackintothedoor.Hewilledhimselftoallclear,butknewitwashopeless.HewasterrifiedoftheQueen;whatchancedidhehave?

“What’shappeningtohim?”Cruellaasked.Finn looked down at his hands—sputtering and translucent. Like nothing

he’deverseen.“Where’dhego!?”shoutedCruella.“Whoturnedoutthelights?”theQueensaid.Finnstoodstill,wonderingwhyeverythinghadgonepitch-blackandwhy

theycouldn’tseehim.Ittookhimseverallongsecondstograspthesituation:hewasinDHIshadow,hisDHInolongerprovidingaglowinthetunnel.Invisible.Theprojectorshadapparentlybeenturnedoff.Bywho?Moreimportantly:why?

HisfirstguesswasPhilby.“No, no, no!” Cruella said. “It’s the power failure. We did it! We

succeeded!Bytomorrowmorningatseveno’clockwe’llbewholeaga—”“SILENCE!” theQueen erupted. “Say nothingmore.He’s still here, you

fool.FINDHIM!”“Ican’tseemyownnose!”Cruellacomplained.“AndIhaveabignose.”“Holdyourarmsout.Weshouldbeabletofeelhim.”FinnkneweverythingtheQueenhadsaidwastrue.Hemadehimselfsmall,

armsathisside,andduckeddownintoasquat,hisearsintentuponhearingthesoundoftheirshufflingfeetastheymovedtowardhim.

Hewasgoing tobecaught.The tunnelwas toonarrow to slippast them.Hisbestchancewassurprise.Hecharged.

Cruellashrieked.Hefeltherarmsspinlikeapropeller.Heavertedhisface,knowingtheQueenwasnext.

“Umph!” she said, as he hit her and went down with her onto the airmattress.Shegrabbedforhim,butherolledandclawedthewallandmovedoffher.Hegluedhisbacktothewetstone,anticipatingtheirnextmove.

“Thisway!”theQueenroared.Intheirhaste,thetwomovedpasthim.“Doyouhavehim?”“NO!Doyou?”Finnhurriedpastthetwoairmattresses,handsoutstretched,andfoundthe

woodendoor.Hefeltleft,right,up,down—there!Adead-boltlock.Heturnedit.Thedoorcameopen.Heheardfootfallsracinginfrontofhim.“Isthatyou?”hecalledtothesound.“What’s going on? I can’t see a thing!” came Amanda’s terrified voice.

“Therewerenoises.…”“Gettothebridge!”hesaid.“I’llexplainlater!”“GETHIM!”heheardtheQueen’svoiceechoingfrombehindhim.Youcan’tcatchwhatyoucan’tsee,Finnthought.Reachingthemouthoftheescapetunnel,FinnandAmandarushedoutinto

totaldarkness.“It’s a blackout!” he said, realizing there wasn’t a single light on in the

entirePark.Onlythemoonofferedanychancetoseeorbeseen.Asmanytimesashe’dbeenintheParksatnight,he’dneverseenitlikethis.

“Ifthere’snopower,howcanweexist?”shecalledout.They rounded the final corner of the fort. From inside came shouts and

cries.TheQueenmusthaveraised thealarm.Overtakersbeganpouringoutof

thefortbehindthem.“Whoknows?”heanswered.“Buthereweare.Wecan talk.Wecanhear

eachother.Whocares?We’vegottogetoutofhere.”Theyranpastthewobblypiratethey’dknockeddownafewminutesearlier.

Finn crashed into him and the guywent down again.A stream ofOvertakerscrowdedthebridge.

“MIIINNNNNNIEEE!!”Finnshouted.Theybothheardamotorstartinthedistance.FinnglancedbackattheOvertakers.“Faster!”hecalledout.

***“What’shappening?”

“Mom,”Philbysaid.“Idon’thavetimetoexplainitall.Notexactlysure,anyway.”

She’d gone from tyrannical Keepers hater to poster mom, sitting by herson’s side and watching him manipulate a dozen windows on his computerscreensimultaneously.

Theserverhadneverfaltered,butwithoutwarningtheProjectioniconhadturnedred,indicatingafullPark-widefailureofallprojectors.

“It’ssomekindofpowerfailure,Ithink,”hesaid.“Theprojectorsareout,buttheserverisstillup.It’sprobablyonabatterybackupofsomekind.Butifthat’sright, itwon’tlastlong.Fiveminutes.Ten,attheoutside.I’vegottogetthemback.”

“Ithoughtyousaidtheywereback,”shesaid.“ThatwasMaybeckandCharlene.Yeah,theyReturnedokay.It’sFinnand

Amanda.”“Thesickgirl…”“Yeah…Wehopenot.”“So,canyouhelpthem?”“I’mlate.AndI’mkindofbusyhere.”“I’ll shut up,” she said, straining to sit back, but then sticking her face

alongsidehisshoulder.PhilbyexecutedafewlinesofcodeandpushedEnter.Thescreenfilledwithdatathatthenbegantoscrollautomatically.“What’sthat?”hismotherasked.“It’sokay,”hesaid,fedupwithherquestions,buttryingtosoundpatient.

“It’sbegun.Afewminutesisall,andwe’llknow.”***

FinnandAmanda—invisible—jumpedontotheraft,joiningPlutoandMinnie.

“Go!”Finn said toMinnie,who startled, and lookedaround trying to seehiminthemoonlight.“Please!Takeusback!”

MinniethrewaleverandtheraftpulledawayfromthedockaheadoftheOvertakers’ arrival.Once to theother side, an invisibleFinnkissedMinnieonthecheekbeforeheandAmandajumpedoff.

Theyranhard,Plutoattheirside,keepingupwiththemeffortlessly.WhenPlutobarkedsharplythreetimes,Finnlookedbehindthem.Thewolf,headtotheground.Movinglikeatornadotowardthem.“We’vegotcompany,”hetoldAmanda.“Howcanhepossibly—?”“Whoknows?Smell?Maybehe’safterPluto.”ThehubandCinderellaCastlecameintoviewand,astheydid,allthelights

in the Park pulsed once and went dark again. With them, Amanda’s DHIsparkled,eerilytranslucent,andthenvanishedagainwiththelossofpower.

“Almostthere,”Finnsaid.Hecaughtupandreachedforher.Tryingtofeelher.Hebumpedherbackwithhisfist,reacheddownherarm,andtookherhand.Hetingledallover.Heknewthatfeeling.Knewitonlytoowell.

FINNAWAKENEDINHISBED,hisclothesdampwithsweatandthefetidsmellofthetunnels.Hismothersatinachairtwofeetaway.

“Mom?”“Oh,thankGod!Areyouokay?”Finntookinventoryofhiscondition.“I’mfine.”“Youcrossedover.”Duh! “Yes.” He sat up sharply. “Can I use your phone? I’ve got to text

Philby.”Shehadherphoneinherhand.Shepassedittohim.

i’mbak.others?yes.all4.amanda2.she’sgood.

Finn released a huge sigh of pent-up anxiety. He explained things to his

Mom.Sheraisedherhandforahigh-fiveandFinnlookedatherstrangely.Sheloweredherhand.“Toomuch?”“Andthensome,”hesaid.“So,it’sover?”“Iwish,”hesaid.“Ifailed.”Heagonizedforamoment.“Ihadthem.…”“Who?”“The Queen. Cruella. I had them! ” His mother’s phone rang. “That’s

Philbyforme.”Heansweredthecall.Their conversation was intense. They spoke in a Kingdom Keepers

shorthand,Finnrelatingwhathadhappenedontheisland,andthediscoveryofthe fort;Philby relayedwhatMaybeckhad toldhimabout theactivities at thepowerplant,includingHugoMontcliffbeingaDHI.Thatnewswasthehardestto take.Finn tried to swallowawayhis terror.Otherkids asDHIs.Wheredid

thatleavetheKeepers?PhilbytoldFinnaboutCharlenewinningbackthefobanddroppingitintoa

drawerinthecontrolroom.Despitesomelosses,thereweregains,herealized.Finntoldhim,“SomethinghappenedduringthepowerfailurewhenIwas

inprojectionshadow.Cruellasaidsomethingabouttomorrowmorning.Thatbysevenitwouldn’tmatter.TheQueenstoppedher.Shedidn’twantmehearingit.”

“Maybeck’stheoryisthatthepowerfailurehastodowiththeprisonbreak,whichmakessense,butwehavenowaytoknowifit’strueornot,”explainedPhilby.

“Don’twe?”Finnsaid.“I’mlistening.”“This is your stuff, notmine, but didn’t you say that countingHugo that

madefiveDHIsforthem?”“Yup.”They had yet to identify the remaining two, but Finn now had an idea.

“Haveyoucheckedtheserverlogsincethepowerfailure?”Thelinecrackled.“Areyouthere?”Finnasked.“Thinking.Checking…Standby.…”FinnheardPhilby’sfingersclackingonthekeyboardthroughthephone.Philbymumbled,“IthoughtIwassupposedtohandlethetechiestuff.”“Whatsup?”“Bandwidthbump.How’dyouknowthat?”Philbysaid.“Standby.…”Moreclickingfromhisend.“You’renotgoingtobelievethis,”Philbysaid.“Tryme.”“Theprison?”Finnnearlycameoutofhischair.“Yes?”“I think it’s in theAnimalKingdom.There’s something I’vegot to show

you.Checkyoure-mail…now.”A moment later, Finn opened the e-mail from Philby, recognizing Jess’s

artworkimmediately.“Shedrewthattonight,”Philbytoldhimoverthephone.Finn studied the diary entry. A gate? A ladder on its side? Bunk beds?

Somethinghangingonthewall.Orwasthatawindow?Andifitwasawindow,thatsmall,thathighonawall—wherewouldthat

be?Abasement.Onlybasementshadweird,tinywindowslikethat.Basementsand……prisoncells.

Finn felt physically sick to his stomach. He leaned over his trash canthinkinghewasgoingtohurl.Hismotherpattedhimontheback.

“What’swrong,dear?”Itwaslikebeingblindfoldedandspunaround,tryingtohitthepiñata,only

tohavethepiñatahitbackatyou.Smackyouinthehead.Aprisoncell.Finnsaid,“Iknowhowthey’regoingtodoit.”

***Finn’smotherwaitedatthecurb,thecarrunning.Heknockedonthedoor,rangthebell,thenknockedagain.WandaAlcottanswered,fullydressed.Finnknewtherewasnowayanyonecoulddressthatfast,muchlessanolderlady—shehadtobe at least thirty. Itmeant she’dbeen awake all night. Itwaspast four am.Doingwhat?hewondered.Monitoringthesituation,perhaps?

“Ineedtotalktohim,”Finnsaid.“Ifit’saboutthepowerfailure,we’relookingintoit,”shesaid.“Wewerethere,”hesaid.“Thecogenerationfacility.”She looked stunned.Shenodded thoughtfully. “The supervisormentioned

children.”“One was an OT. Two were us: Maybeck and Charlene. All DHIs. The

Return’sthere.Weneeditback.Now.We’renotsafeuntilwehaveitback.It’sinadrawer.Youhavetogetsomeonetogetitforus.”

“Icandothat.”“Iknowyoucan;that’swhyI’mhere.”“He’ssafe.Iappreciateyourconcern—”“It’snotconcern.Notforhim.Thepowerfailurewaspartofthejailbreak.

They’regoingtobustthemout.”“Yes.I’msurethatwastheintention.Thepowerfailedtherefornearlyten

minutes.Butit’sallundercontrol.The…Ourguestsarewheretheybelong.”“No,”Finnsaid,“they’renot.Doyouhaveclearance?Canyougetmeinto

theprison?”Shestaredathim.“Ineedtoseehim.Ineedclearance.”“That’snotgoing tohappen,” shesaid.“Nooneseeshim.You’llhave to

tellme.”“I’mnottellingyou.I’msorry,butIcan’t.I’llonlytellhim.Facetoface.

Nomorevideo.Nomoretricks.”“That’simpossible.”“Byseventhismorning,”Finnsaid,“they’llbegone.Andit’llbeonyou.

Thinkaboutthat.”

Shedidjustthat.“What’shappenedtoyou?”shesaid.“Whenwespokeearlier—”“EverythingyousaidatEpcotwastrue.You’vebeenatremendoushelp.An

amazinghelp.Ineedyoutohelpmeonemoretime.”“Whendidyougetsoallgrown-up?”sheasked.“It’sbeenadifferentsortofnight.”“Iguess.”“AndI’mtired,”hesaidapologetically.“Amanda?”“Isfine.SheReturned,withthespellbroken.”Hewaitedonlyamatterof

seconds.“I’lltryonmyown,buttheywon’tlistentome.”“Youdon’tevenknowwhereitis,”shesaid.“AndifIdo,willthatconvinceyou?”Hereyeswentwide.Sheopenedhermouthtospeak,butnothingcameout.“Good,”Finnsaid.Less thanaminute later,hemarchedbackto thecarandindicatedforhis

mother to roll the passenger window down. “I’ll be with an adult,” he said.“She’sWayne’sdaughter.”

“Iknow,remember?”“Oh,yeah.Iknowit’slate.Idon’texpectyoutounderstandbut—”“Ifyourfatherfindsout,you’llbelookingforanewmother.”“Ionlyhaveonemother.”“That may change,” she said, although she glowed from his comment.

“Yourfatherwillbeatthebreakfasttablepromptlyatseven-thirty.You’dbetterbetoo,buddyboy,orIdon’tknowwhat.”Hereyesgrewglassy.“I’mscared,”shesaid.

“Don’tbe.”“Foryou.Notforme.”“Iknow,Mom.”Sherolledupthewindow,lookedathimoncemorethroughtheglass,and

droveoff.***

Wanda drove Finn into the Animal Kingdom through the backstage vehicleSecurity entrance, where it took five minutes of phone calls to get Finnapproved.

“Istillcan’tbelieveyouknewaboutthis,”shesaidfrombehindthedriver’swheel.Thedashboardclockread5:37am.Finnfeltwideawake.

“Philbyhasadifferentkindofmagic,”hesaid.“Onesandzeros.”He’d never been to this particular part ofAnimalKingdom, awarehouse

structureneartheelephantcages.“It was originally designed as a medical quarantine for western lowland

gorillas. When a military coup denied our chance to obtain the animals, thefacility went unused for nearly a decade. Then the problem arose. Somemodificationsweremadetotransformit intoahigh-securityretentionfacility,”Wandaexplained.

“Aprison.”“It has continued to be listed as an animal housing facility.You’ll forget

youeversawit.”“Sawwhat?”heasked.“That’sthespirit.”She stood before a video camera and pushed a button. She then had to

swipeanIDcard,andplaceherindexfingeronabiosensor—thesamekindtheyusedattheParkentrances.

“MyfatherhasbeenhousedheresincetheFantasmic!threat.He’sviewedastooimportant—heknowstoomuch,sohe’skindofaprisonerhimself.”

Alightturnedgreenandthedoorunlocked.Theyentered.Thehallwaywasblockedbyadoublesetofsecuritydoorswithglasstwoinchesthick.Theywentthrough a security check as at an airport, and then down a flight of stairs.Another hallway. She pushed a doorbell, and a moment later the doorjambbuzzed,andshelettheminside.

Waynewassittingonasmallcouch.Helookedolder,remindingFinnofalamp that had been repaired—much the same, but something different. Thetwinkleinhiseyesremained,buthisvoicewasdryandsalty,likethatofamanwhodidn’tspeakmuch.

“Welcome,”hesaid.HemotionedFinnintoachairfacinghim.Finnsawthroughanopendoortoabedroom.Itwasnotanoffice,butan

apartment;Waynelivedhere.Heseemedolderandweaker.Finnfeltapangofsadness.

“Why?”Finnasked.Theman’swhiteeyebrowsarched.“Whyhere?”Finnsaid.“The funny thing about the past,”Wayne said, “is it’s behind us.There’s

nothing we can do that will change it. The future is much the same—out ofreach.Whenyouget to bemy ageyou realize youhaveonly right now.Thismoment.Youareoverthere.Iamhere.

Forhowmuchlonger,neitherofusknows.Let’snotworryaboutme.Tellmewhatyouwant.”

“WhosaidIwantanything?”

“Weallwantsomething.”“Whatdoyouwant?”Finnasked.“Tohearwhatyouwant,”theoldmananswered.Finnsighed.TherewasnoarguingwithWayne.Whyhadhetried?“I’mlistening,”Waynesaid.“Jessdrewthisplace.Ithinkshedid.…Ineedtoseeifit’swhatshedrew.”

Finn unfolded his computer printout of Jess’s diary drawing. “Something isgoingtohappenbeforemorning.”

“Ithasbeenquitetheeventfulevening,”Waynesaid.“Iwoulddoubtmuchmorewillhappenbeforemorning.Theytriedandtheyfailed.”

“Theblackout,”Finnsaid.“Yes.Ingenious.Welostpowerlikeeveryoneelse.Normally…well,there’s

a system in place, butmy understanding is that’s what they sabotaged. Quitebrilliant,actually.Butthankfully,itfailed.”

“Youknowthisbecause…?”Waynetookholdofatelevisionremoteandworkedthedevice.Aflat-panel

screen came alive, divided into four quadrants. Four jail cells. Two containedMaleficentandChernabog.Twootherswereempty.

Finngasped.Maleficent’s cellwas identical to Jess’s drawing.He tappedtheprintout.

“Youhavetotakemethere,”Finnsaid.“Haveto?”“Pleasetakemethere.”Momentslater,aguardledthemthroughanotherseriesofelectronicdoors.“They’lladmitus,Finn.Butbyrule,wewon’tbeallowedoutuntiltheshift

changeatsevenam.Youneedtounderstandthatbeforegoingin.”“Sevenam?”Finnsaid.HetoldWayneaboutCruella’smentionoftheexact

time.“It’slessthananhour.”“Evenso.Wewon’tbeleaving.”“I’mgood,”Finnsaid.Theyenteredandwerepassedofftoaburlyguardwithshouldersaswide

as a doorway, and a nose that looked like it had been flattened by somethingunnatural.Twogates later, theywerepassedoff toyetanotherguard,andnowFinnrecognizedthejailcellsfromthevideo.

He and Wayne stopped in front of Maleficent’s cell. The prisoner sleptpeacefully.

Finn whispered to Wayne, “Please ask them to turn off the securitycameras.”

Waynesaidback,“Protocoldictatestwenty-four-sevencoverage.”

“They’recountingonthat.”Wayneviewedhimcuriously.“Let me guess,” Finn said. “During the power failure, it was pitch-dark

down here. I’m guessing a fire alarm during the blackout.” Wayne lookedimpressed;Finnknewhehadscored.“Becausethatcombination—powerfailureandfire—wouldmeanthecellsopenedautomaticallyfortheprisoner’ssafety.”Most of this had come from Philby’s extensive research following Finn’sproposalofavariationtoMaybeck’stheory.

“Therearemeasuresinplace,”Waynesaid,notdisagreeing.“That’saboutallI’mallowedtotellyou.Sufficeittosay,notevenamothleftthisbuildingatthattime.”

“No,”Finnsaid.“Butifyoudon’tturnoffthecameras,you’regoingtoloseyourprisoners.”

“That’sanoxymoron,”Waynesaid.“Thecamerasshowustheprisoners.”“Howmuchdoyouknowaboutaugmentedreality?”“I’mquitefamiliarwithit.Weuseitagreatdealforinteriorprojections.”“DisneyQuest?”Finnasked.“DoIknowaboutDisneyQuest?Ofcourse,”Wayneanswered.“Is Downtown Disney wired for DHI projection?” Finn asked, already

knowingtheanswer.Philbyhadbeenknockedsidewaysbyhisearlierdiscovery.“It’sonthesheets.It’sinplanning.”“IwitnessedtwoDHIsprojectedinsideDisneyQuest.Outside,aswell.”Waynewasabouttotellhimthatwasimpossible.“ARtechnology.Securityvideocamprojection.”“I understand the technology, as I’ve said,” Wayne said, continuing to

whisper.“TURNOFFTHESECURITYCAMERAS!!!”Finnshoutedintothecell.Maleficentdidn’tstir.Didn’ttwitch.WaynelookedbackandforthbetweenthesleepingfairyandFinn.Heshuffledovertoawhitewallphone,liftedthereceiver,andspoke.The

guard wouldn’t take his eyes off Finn, punishing him for the intrusion andinconvenience.

WaynerejoinedFinnandpointedtothenearestsecuritycamera.Ithadaredlightatopit.Therewerecamerasforeachcell,andseveralmoreforthehallway.

Finndidn’twatchthecamera,buttheprisoner.“Therenow,”Waynesaid,astheredlightwentoff.Maleficentremainedvisibleinbed.“Satisfied?”Wayneasked.“Let’sgo,”saidtheguard.HereachedoutforFinn,whobrokeaway.

“Giveitamoment!”Finnsaid.“We’redonehere.Shiftchangeiscomingup.”Waynesaid,“Please,Finn.Let’snotmakeascene.”“Philby said there’s a thirty-to-forty-secondbuffer to keep theDHIvideo

smooth.”Thathithome;clearlyWayneknewthisaswell.Heglancedathiswatch:

anantiqueMickeyMousewatch.“Verywell,”hesaid.Theguard’simpatienceenvelopedthemboth.Ithadbeenalongnight.Withallthreemenwatching,Maleficentpopped,andvanished.“Whatthe—?”Theguardhurriedtounlockthecell.“No!”Waynereachedoutandstoppedtheman.HeturnedtoFinn.“Ithink

Ioweyouanapology.”“Without Jess on our side…” Finn said. “If I’d put her under that spell

insteadofAmanda,we’dhaveneverknown.”“Somebodyhadbettertellmewhat’sgoingon,”theguardsaidangrily.“Noone’sleftthiswing?”Wayneverified.“No,sir.NotsinceshiftchangeattenPM.”“Beforetheblackout,”Finnsaid.“Yes,sir,”theguardsaidtoFinn,suddenlywithdeferenceandrespect.“So,”Waynesaid.HeseemedtobewaitingforananswerfromFinn.Theguardwhispered,“Areyoutellingmethat…thing isloosesomewhere

inhere?”“Notexactly,”Finnsaid.He asked them to repeat the camera procedure with Chernabog. Five

minuteslatertheydeterminedthathe,too,wasnothingbutaDHIhologram.Theguard,sweatingprofuselydespitetheairconditioning,reachedforhis

radio.Waynestoppedhim.“Youdon’twanttodothat,”hesaid.“They’llsoundthealarm,yes?”“Ofcourse.”“We’lltakearaincheck,”Waynesaid.TurningtoFinn:“Sothey’reasleep

inhere?”“Theyhavetobe.Duringthecombinationofblackoutandfirealarm,they

escaped from their cells. They couldn’t leave the prison because of yourprecautions. They had to get somewhere and get to sleep. Quickly. I imaginethey’vebeenawakeforadayormore,toensuretheirfatigue.Onceasleep,oncethepowerwentbackon,theirDHIstooktheirplacesintheircells.”

“Howbrilliantofthem!”Waynesaid.“Theyintendtowalkoutofhereduringtheshiftchange,”Finnsaid.

Awalldevicesounded.Finnrecognized itas thesametoneusedbetweenclassesatschool.

“LOCKDOWN!”Wayneshoutedattheguard.“Youtoldmenottoradio!”themansaid,fumblingforhiswalkie-talkie.“Ididn’tlookatthetime!Lockitdown!”Theguardholleredintohisradio,buttheeyesofallthreewereonthewall

clock.Wayneshoutedfrantically,“Theguardsmustnapsomewhere.”The guard shook his head, his ear to the radio. “Shift change’s already

underway.”“Tellme!Damnit,man!Showmewheretheynap!”“I’llgetthemfired!”“NOW!”Theguard tookoff.Withsirensalarming,down thehallway,up thestairs

theyran.Waynemovedlikehewasthirtyyearsyounger.Togethertheyreachedaplaingraydoormarkedstorage.Theguardtriedhis

key,butitwouldn’tgoin.“The lock’s been jimmied. The key’s not going to work.” He leaned his

shoulderintoit.“Itcanonlybeopenedfromtheinside.We’recooked.”Finncheckedtheclock:7:05.Theshiftchangehadalreadybegun.Toolate?

Finnwondered.“It’sme,”Finnsaid.“Icandothis.”“I’mafraidso,”Waynesaid.Theguardlookedtotallyconfused.“TheguardhasaTaser.Allyouneed todo isget thedooropen,”Wayne

said.“Wehope,”Finnsaid.Waynenodded.“Whatexactlyareyoutwotalkingabout?”theguardasked.Finnclosedhiseyes,tookadeepbreath,andpicturedthedarktraintunnel.Hewalkedthroughthedoor.HeheardtheguardsaysomethingFinnwouldneverrepeat.

***Finn’sbriefallclearpassednearly instantly.Hewas through thedoor,but tootiredtoholdhisallclear.Heflippedonthelightswitch.Thestorageroomwasasmall,L-shapedcinderblock.Mattresseswerestackedalongthefarwall.Metalshelvingheldtoiletpaper,papertowels,andsoap.Hesawbroomsandbuckets,blanketsandplasticbowls.

Theguardshadfashionedthespaceintoanimprovisedbunkroomtotakeunauthorized naps. Finn stripped back the blankets. He jumped back as he

discovered a bare-chested guard. The man’s hands and feet were taped, hismouthgagged.

Finnwasabletoopenthedoorfromtheinside.Theguardoutsidehurriedin.

Finnsaid,“Twoguards.Twouniforms.Theshiftchange!”Herandownthecorridor,Waynesurprisinglycloseonhisheels.

The lockdownwas in full effect. Theywere blocked from leaving at thefirststationtheyencountered.Wayneshoutedbackandforthwithaguardontheotherside,makingdemandsthatwerenotaccepted.

“Wayne!” Finn shouted, pointing through the thick glass to a flat-paneldisplayrotatingbetweensecurityviews.

Hepointed to theframeshowingthefacility’sfinaldoor—thedoor to theoutside.Tofreedom.

“Checkoutthatguard’sneck.Thecollar.”“Greenskin…”Waynemuttered.Hesoundedsad,defeated.Maleficentina

guard’suniform.“Chernabogwastoobig,”Finnsaid.“Shemusthavetransfiguredhimintoa

man.He’stheoneatherside.”Onthevideo,thedoorshut,andthetwofiguresweregone.

***Attemptsweremadetostopthetwo.RadiocallsshutdownthePark’sSecurityexits by road. Dog teams searched the Park for scents prior to opening, butperhapsbecauseoftheabundanceofwild-animalodors,failedattheirtask.TheParkopeningwasdelayedseventyminutes,visitorsstandingatthegateswaitingintheheat.Theyweretoldacomputermalfunctionwastoblame.

At last the Park was opened, and tens of thousands of guests streamedinside.

MaleficentandChernabogwerenotseenagain.Despiterepeatedefforts to trap theOvertakersonTomSawyerIsland, the

fortwentunusedby them. If ithadoncebeenahideout, asFinnandAmandacontinuedtoclaim,itwasnolonger.

SEVENDHIs—THEKEEPERS,alongwithAmandaandJess—satalongthecatwalksurroundingthewatertowerinDisney’sHollywoodStudios.

TheirDHIsshimmeredslightlyagainstthenightsky,butevenfromseveralfeet away they looked perfectly real. The technology improved with everysoftwareupgrade.

“Whatnow?”Charleneasked.Themoodwasnotgood.DespitetheKeepers’controlofthefobandtheir

preventing a takeover of the power plant, the Evil Queen had engineeredMaleficentandChernabog’sescape.Rightundertheirnoses.

“We find them,” Finn said. “Andwe findwherever they’vemoved theirhideoutto.”

“Wecanhelp,”Arielsaid.“Butweneedaleader.”AlleyesshotdownthemetalrailingatFinn.“Wewanttohelp,”Finnsaid

toher.“ButIcan’tseethecharactersfollowingoneofus.”Ariellaughed.“Oneofyou?Oh,no!”Shecoveredherlaugh.“I’msorry!I

don’tmean it to sound like that.Butwehavea longandstoriedhistory.”Shegiggled,self-amused.“Ourleader.There’sonlyoneleader.”

FinnthoughtbacktoShan-Yu’scommentsaboutemperorsandleadership.“Mickey,”hesaid.Ariel’sfacesagged.“Yes.”“Whereishe?”Willaasked.“Minnieissosad.Nooneknowsforsure.Hemightbeinhiding.Hemight

be…We just have no way of knowing. They’ve taken down his house, youknow?Minnie’s,too.‘Updating,’theycallit.Don’tbelieveit.It’sallbecauseof‘theNight.’”

None of theKeepers had ever heard of a particular night or event. As agroup,theylookedathercuriously.

“Weheardnoisesfromhishouseonthatnight,”Arielcontinued,obliviousto their confusion. “A struggle of some kind. He’s not been seen since. Thefamilywilllistentohim.Ourfamily.Whatyoucallthecharacters.Hecanbring

ustogether.Wethought…Yousee,weunderstood…Webelievedyouweresentheretofindhimforus.”

“Us?”Philbysaid.“Butweneverknewhewasmissing!”“We’ve guarded the secret. Not even the white-hair knows.” She meant

Wayne.“Butwhy?”“He’s too important. He is the magic. The Green One knows. She

understandshispower.”“Maleficent,”Charlenemuttered.AmandasqueezedFinn’shandunseen.Hesqueezedhersback.Foravery

longtime,noonespoke.Thecricketsandnightanimalsmadeabuzzthatfilledthe air. A breeze blew. Somewhere down there was Frollo. TheGreenArmy.Therewasmuchtolearn,Finnthought.

“What frostsme,” Philby said, “is that threeweeks later and still there’sbeennokindofdisciplineorinvestigationintoLuowskiandHugo.”

“They stoppedwearing the contacts,”Amanda said. “There’s noproof ofanyofit.”

“They’rebuildinganarmy,”Maybeckwarned.“Justaswe thought.We’dbewisetodothesame.”

“Is this theirgeneral, Iwonder?”Jess reached intoherpocketandpasseddown the sketch of the uniformed officer. It reached Ariel and stopped. Shestudiedit,lookedup,andstudieditagain.

“Whatisit?”Finnasked.“Thisisnogeneral,”shesaid.“It’sCaptainPeter.”“WHO?”Philby,Finn,andMaybecksaidinnearunison.“CaptainPeterRoseman.TheDisneyMagic.Thecruiseship.I’veworked

withCaptainPeterbefore,severaltimes.”“Thecruiseship,”Philbysaid.“TheywanttostealtheMagic,”Willasaid.“Notthemagic—smallm.The

Magic—capitalM.”Finn stoodup soquickly,hisDHIkneeswent through thechainbanister.

“That’s the next Keepers installment! The cruise line! We have that openingscheduledforwhat—?”

“Two weeks,” Maybeck said. “A Saturday. Grand opening is PortCanaveral.”

TheotherKeepersclamberedtotheirfeet.OnlyArielwasslowingettingup.

“We’vegottosaygood-byefornow,”Finnsaidtothemermaid.“Ihopeyou’llcomebackandvisit?”

“Actually,wemayneedyou.”“Andyourotherfriends,”Charlenesaid.“We’llseeifWaynecanarrangesomekindofcharacterspectacularonthe

cruise,”Finnsaid.Arielnodded,notknowingexactlywhattheyweretalkingabout.“Sounds

lovely.”FinnthoughtofMinnieandPluto.Hepulledthefoboutofhispocketand

helditbeforethem.“Everyoneready?”Nodsallaround.“Howstrangethatathingsosmallpossessessomuchpower,”Finnsaid.“Butitdoes,”Philbysaid.“Thatthingisthekeytoitall.”Finnnodded.HeheldhishandoverAriel’sandsaid,“Willyouhidethisfor

us?”“Ofcourse,”shesaid.“Willaknowshowtofindme.”Finnlookedaroundat thefacesof theKingdomKeepers, thinking:We’re

notdonehere.Andthenhepushedthebutton.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The research for the Kingdom Keepers books continues to branch out andexpandwitheachnewbookintheseries.Myworldisexpandingatthesamerateas thatof theKeepers. It’s a cliché thatyoucan’tdoaprojectwithout certainpeople,butitremainsafact.I’mindebtedtohoursandhours(daysandweeksinsomecases)fromanyandallofthefollowing.Eachofthesepeoplebringswiththemtheknowledgeofcolleaguesandthehelpofassistants,eithertoomanytoname,orthosewhowishtoremainanonymous.ButittakesaKingdomtomakethese novels. So, in no particular order thank you to those at Disney: LauraSimpson, Chris Ostrander, Megan Fuchs, Alex Wright, Scott Otis, RichardFleming,SamMedina,JerryColeman,LesFrey,CindyJohnson,AlishaHuettig,andJessicaWard.

Andittakesotherstoturntheresearchandmystoriesintoactualbooksandbooktoursandresearchtravelandamillione-mailsandGooglesearches,andonand on. So, thanks to Amy Berkower and Dan Conaway at Writers House;Matthew Snyder at CAA;Wendy Lefkon, my Disney Books editor and dearfriend;JenniferLevineandDeborahBass,publicity;LisaLaird,speakingagent;my office manager of fourteen years, Nancy Litzinger Zastrow St. Louis. ToDavidandLaurelWalters,whohaveactualdayjobs,butwhomakethetimeininsanelybusylivestostillcopyeditrepeateddrafts.AndtoDaveBarry,whomaynotwantanything todowith thesebooks forall Iknow,butaffectsallofmyworknonetheless—hereallyisthesmartestmanintheroom.

Special thanks to Genevieve Gagne-Hawes for her thorough story andcharactereditingduringthemultiplerevisionsofthebook.Gen,youarearealKeeper.

ForthoseI’veforgotten,Ihaven’tactuallyforgottenyouorthehelpyou’veprovided,onlyyournames…Nolawsuitsplease.

—RidleyPearson2011

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