They ran back towards the injured man. As they approached, everyone around him got to their feet.

Theo was the first to speak. ‘What’s goin on? What’s happenin’?

‘Time to go,’ Ollie said easily. He turned to the man on the floor. ‘All right, steady now, son. We’re just going to pick you up and set you on your way.’

Albert noticed that he wasn’t looking at Zain as he said it, but at Marcus, who held his eye for a moment, and then shrugged.

Gently, Ollie and Colby raised the man to his feet, and stood there, supporting him. The whirring was getting louder and louder.

Ollie grimaced. ‘They’re almost through. All right, folks! Down the tunnel you go!’

Marcus shook his head. ‘No. They will be through any moment. We can’t have them following us.’

‘Aye,’ agreed the fat man. ‘That’s why we end this performance by playing an encore. Time to bring the roof down again.’

Colby looked at him sharply. ‘If that tunnel roof comes down while we’re in there, we’ll all be killed!’

‘That’s why we don’t blow up the tunnel roof. We blow this one. After we make sure they’re all in here, though.’

Colby looked up at the rocky ceiling. ‘And how will you do that from inside the tunnel?’

‘Well, aren’t you full of questions, now?’ grinned Ollie. ‘’Course I can’t do it from in there. I’ll do it from here.’

June swung upon him, anguish etched across her face. ‘No, Ollie! You can’t!’

‘I can and I will,’ he said. ‘General Oliver’s last stand, what?’

‘No! No!’

‘It’s the only way now.’

‘He’s right,’ said Marcus.

June swivelled to face him, anger burning in her eyes. ‘Oh, we all know you’re incapable of feeling anything! Why don’t you stay behind!’

‘Because I won’t let him,’ said Ollie. ‘This is my job, not his.’

‘I cannot stay,’ said Marcus. ‘I gave my—’

‘No, of course you’re not staying, lad. I’d be a lot happier knowing one of us was with them and you know these tunnels better than I do. But get them back all right, all right?’

The man nodded. ‘I will.’

‘And before you go, Marcus, got any vinegar?’

Marcus shook his head, his face expressionless. ‘Not today,’ he said quietly.

‘Aw,’ said Ollie. ‘Don’t be like that, now!’ He paused, winking at Marcus—whose face still revealed nothing—and went on. ‘Although it would have been fun, eh? Just like old times.’ He sounded almost wistful.

The wounded Outlier—the one called Zain—spluttered, spewing blood everywhere. Then he spoke in a low, wheezing voice. ‘I’ll stay, sir.’

‘Nonsense, boy!’ said Ollie. ‘Off you go with the rest of them!’

The man shook his head slowly. ‘No, sir. I’m done for.’