He looked at her; she was still talking. ‘—a lot of addicts did it, and probably still do. Not that that would have been any consolation to Marcus. Imagine that. Not yet a teenager, and he’s spent his whole life keeping them alive, and they exchanged him for a handful of high.’

Albert felt a cold shiver run through him. He looked at the Colby and he was pale too, as was June, it was like someone had swept over the occupants of the room with a big brush of whitewash.

There was a long silence in the tent. Albert shook his head. ‘Now I get what Father said about him not hating the world as much as he could. What happened after that?’

‘Father didn’t tell us, but does it matter? The point is, are you surprised that he became like this? What else could he become? He never had a chance, really.’ She shook her head. ‘Save your concern for Theo, Albert. Marcus is beyond saving—in every way.’

He opened his mouth to argue as Father strode back into the tent, his appearance dragging Albert away from the horrors he had just heard and back to the unhappy reality of Theo’s disappearance. Father noticed Albert looking expectantly at him, and nodded. ‘I am back Albert, and at your service.’

‘Then tell me, Father, like you promised. What’s special about Theo? And why are the Seekers after her, and this other lot Ucho was talking about? Why is everyone after her?’

‘For the sins of her family,’ he murmured.

‘What? What sins? How does that make sense?’

‘But it should make sense—to anyone from the City.’

Albert stared at him. ‘What are you talking about? Who are these Seekers? What are they seeking?’

Father looked at him and his eyes narrowed. When he spoke, it was after a long pause, and Albert could have sworn he whispered, even though his voice sounded as loud as usual. ‘The Code.’

Albert blinked, an image flashing across his mind—of a small, green-eyed man dressed in tweed, screaming at the top of his lungs while huge metal arms dragged him away. ‘The Code?’

‘Yes.’

‘Excuse me, did you say the Code?’

Father nodded.

‘You’re—you’re looking for the Code?’

‘Ah, you have heard of it. I had wondered if anyone up there had. Yes, Albert. And I do not see why you say it as if it were some sort of stigma. Quite the opposite, in fact.’

‘But—but—’

‘But what, Albert?’

‘Then you know where Theo is.’

‘No, of course not. It is not exactly a social club, you know. We all seek the same thing, which makes us Seekers. It does not mean we follow the same line of reasoning, or use the same methods.’

‘But—look, even then! What’s Theo got to do with all this, then?’

‘I wish I knew.’