“But that doesn’t fit with whatever you saw.”
“No. I’m sorry.” She passed it back. Finn returned it to his back pocket.
“We’re scheduled to guide the zip line group tomorrow,” Maybeck said. “It’s the perfect place for more blue-sky lightning.”
“Do you want to stay behind,” Charlene said, “after what happened to you? We’ve got no problem with that.”
The Keepers all mumbled agreement.
“I didn’t say that. What I meant was—”
“We know what you meant,” Philby interrupted.
Finn said, “Charlene, it’s you who should stay behind.”
“Safety in numbers,” Charlene said. “And besides, I’m probably safer off the ship than on.”
“If I signed up for the zip line,” Mattie said, “if I could move through the passengers on the excursion, I might sense something.”
“You have no documentation,” the Professor pointed out. “Besides, those excursions were fully booked a long time ago.”
“The gathering spots,” Finn said. “All excursions meet as a group on the ship and leave from there. Mattie could cruise among the passengers, passing out pencils or something so she has the excuse to touch them.”
Philby nodded. “Could work.”
“But the problem is, we don’t know if Luowski’s orders have anything to do with the zip lines. He could be planning to toss one of us overboard, for all we know.” Finn moved to stand next to Philby, addressing the others. “Our rule has always been to pair up. That’s kept us safe so far. So we’ll pair up, but everyone keeps an eye on Charlene. Anything weird, and we get her to the bus, or whatever. We keep her safe.”
All the Keepers nodded.
“Okay,” Finn said, “so we’ll pair up where possible. Mattie, you’ll let us know whatever you find out.”
“Where do we find you, anyway?” Charlene asked. “Where are you sleeping?”
“If you need me, just stay after one of the movies in the Buena Vista. When you’re sure the theater is empty and the Cast Members have left the projection booth, call out, ‘Mad Hatter.’ I’ll meet you in Shutters Photo Studio a few minutes later.”
“And if you don’t show up?” Philby asked.
“Then I’m either out trying to make contact with other people like Luowski, or…” She hesitated. “Or something’s happened.”
THE SHIP’S D LOUNGE, the gathering place for the Costa Rican zip line excursion, was known for its nightclub decor, dim lighting, and dance floor. But under full light at seven in the morning, it was home to a large group of guests wanting to hang in a harness and fly across steel wires in the mountains of a foreign country.
“Something’s different about Finn,” Charlene said to Willa. “And Philby, for that matter.”
“It’s seven in the morning. We said we’d pair up, and they’re paired up. We also said we’d stay away from each other, and they’re staying away from us.”
“Does Philby look taller to you?”
“He’s across a room filled with a hundred people. How should I know?”
“He looks taller to me,” Charlene said. “And Finn looks…heavier.” She paused, then said, “I don’t get why you and Philby aren’t going out.”
“It might be because we’re barely speaking.”
“‘This, too, shall pass.’ You need perspective. We could ask Maybeck about perspective. He’s the artist.” Charlene scanned the room.
Charlene was looking forward to the excursion. She loved a good adrenaline rush. Like the others, she’d seen Jess’s drawing, but unlike the others, she didn’t think it looked anything like her. She knew she was a cute—some might say adorable—older teen who would make for a terrific sacrifice; she just didn’t happen to believe even someone as cruel as Maleficent would resort to murder. Everyone was taking this thing way too far.
“We stay in pairs,” Willa reminded her, ever the one to go by the rules. “And the pairs stay apart.”
“You ever notice the boys make the rules?”
“Not always.”
“Just about.”
“I hadn’t thought about it.”
“You should,” Charlene said. “Because they listen to Amanda and Jess, but not so much to you and me.”
“You think?”
“I know. Come on, Willa, when do they ever actually ask us for our opinions?”
“Why are you doing this? We’re a good team, the five of us.”