Zoe chewed away on her nail. “Are you sure there’s not a married couple up here? Our parents are supposed to meet us at one o’clock.”

Reynold shook his head. “Haven’t seen ‘em yet. And I see everyone who makes it up here to the top.”

“Hmmm. I wonder if we should wait here for them.” Zoe looked around and took her pink and purple tie-dyed backpack off her shoulders.

Reynold led us toward the enclosed, circular observatory. “Not necessary. Go ahead and enjoy the view. When they arrive, I’ll let them know you’re here.”

“First one who finds the Times Square ball wins!” I yelled, and we both charged in opposite directions.

Zoe headed to the left side of the building, and I went right. No surprise there. I scanned the horizon filled with skyscrapers, water, ferries, and bridges below. I found the Statue of Liberty. It looked like the size of a chess piece!

“Whoa.”

“There’s the Brooklyn Bridge!” Zoe pointed out. I’d been over it in a taxi only once, but there was no mistaking it.

I wanted to keep staring out, but I had a game to win, and from all my study of the geography of Manhattan, I knew I was looking south. Times Square was north from here. I turned and made my way toward the other side of the building so I could beat my sister to the ball.

I raced alongside the windows, focused on the New York City skyline, but before I reached the north end of the observatory, I ran right into a little old woman wearing white sweats and a . . . Triple T ball cap! My mouth hung open. I had seen her only a few times before. And the first time I would never forget. It was at the Ivy Park library right after our move to New York City. That day she gave me the Triple T Token and told me, “Happy travels.”

She sat there, knocked to the ground, her ball cap glowing with gold and silver glitter. “Arcade, you’re getting big.”

I reached out a hand to help her up. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t see you there.”

She stood, brushed herself off, and stared at me.

I looked around. Reynold was nowhere in sight. “How’d you get up here?”

“Elevator,” she said, raising an eyebrow. “Just like the subway.”

I laughed. “I like how you think.”

“I like how you think. That’s why you have the token.”

“Yeeeeaaaahhhhh. About that. I have a LOT of questions for you, like—”

She put her hand on my chest. “Sorry, no time. But I do have to tell you one thing. Things are about to heat up. In all areas. To test your mettle.”

My metal?

“It’s all part of the process.”

Process?

“Trust the tester . . .”

Tester?