Albert stared, the frown, in the manner of a proper, good frown, covering his entire forehead. ‘Vanished? You mean he didn’t—’ He shook his head. He was doing that a lot today. Mentally he made a note to stop. It still hurt every time. ‘I thought he died.’

‘Died? Oh, no, he disappeared. Vanished clean into the tunnels one night, and nobody saw him go.’

‘If nobody saw him go, how do you know he vanished into the tunnels?’ asked Albert reasonably.

‘Because he’d tried it twice before, only Marcus brought him back both times.’

‘Then what happened this time?’

‘How should I know? I wasn’t there.’

‘Either way, I still think there’s something more to Theo that we don’t know. For instance, what I heard.’

‘So what did you hear?’

‘Well, it was earlier, you know, after I’d had that medicine. Father and Ucho were talking in my tent. I was half asleep, but I could hear some of what they were saying.’

‘Which was?’

‘Something about the City and Theo and last line of or something.’

Colby made a face. ‘Last line of? That’s not even a sentence.’

‘Yes, I know. But it might mean something.’

‘What? Maybe that she’s the last of her line. You know. Being the doc’s granddaughter and all.’

‘Yes, but what an odd phrase. I mean, it’s not like she’s a princess or something. No, that doesn’t make sense.’

‘Well, I’ll tell you why it doesn’t make sense. Because you were dazed and doped. Maybe you dreamed the whole thing.’

‘No, Colby. I heard it and it may not make sense, but—’

‘Look Albert, let’s not waste time on this. I don’t have a lot anyway now, what with the reckoning coming up.’

‘Meaning?’

‘Meaning, this takes care of my day off, doesn’t it? The commander’s going to be cancelling all leaves now.’

‘Really?’

‘Oh, yes! It’s a reckoning, man! Big deal in these parts. The whole force will be on alert. The ones who aren’t in the Square. But anyway. Enough time spent on that. I don’t have a lot of time before a message comes for me to report to the barracks with the boys, so listen up. There was a reason I came looking for you in the first place.’

‘Which was?’

‘Well, there’s something that struck me.’

‘What is it?’

‘I remembered something back at the tent, when you were arguing with them but then the commander shut me up, so I went and asked a few questions, and I think I may know who took her.’

‘What?’ The charged particles of excitement were back, but this time it was a whole stream of them, rushing through him, almost lifting him off the ground. ‘Who is it, Colby? Who?’

‘Just hold on a second, will you? And let go!’