“The others must have escaped,” Clementi said to Ms. Octavia and Samheed. As Aaron returned to the group, Clementi got up and went through the shadows to the tube, then paused at the opening and glanced back at the others, who were getting up too. “Should I try it? What if they’re waiting to ambush us outside the main tubes in the mansion?”

Samheed walked over while pulling a few components from his vest. “We could just surface quickly to take a peek, and then immediately push the button to come back here,” he said.

“That’s a good idea,” said Ms. Octavia. She searched the floor for her glasses.

“I’ll go with you, Clementi,” said Samheed. “Is that all right with”—he looked over the small group he was with, and his eyes flickered when they landed on Aaron—“everyone?”

Aaron gingerly touched the lump on his head again and grimaced. “Why don’t you just go alone? If you don’t come back, we’ll have our answer.”

Samheed shot him a dirty look. “Rude. But funny,” he admitted.

“I don’t think we have a choice,” said Ms. Octavia. “We need to figure out what the status is and help if our friends are still fighting out there.”

“Yes, that’s what I was thinking—especially if they’re still fighting,” said Clementi. “They’ll need us.”

Clementi’s urgency brought Aaron to the tube as well, and he felt sheepish for being snide to Samheed when things were in such chaos. “I’ll go with you too, Clementi.”

“We’re all set, thanks,” said Samheed, who stepped into the tube with the young mage.

“You guys need to knock it off,” Clementi said. “You’re both being a distraction. This is serious.” She glanced at Samheed. “Ready?”

“Yep,” said Samheed.

Clementi pressed the button to the mansion. Everyone expected them to disappear, but nothing happened. She pressed it again. And again.

“It’s not working,” she said, peering at the control panel. “Does anybody have a magical highlighter?”

“Is there another button?” asked Samheed. “I haven’t used this library since I was trying to foil Aaron, way back when we were thirteen—I prefer the one in the Museum of Large. Where can this tube take us? Individual rooms? Or just the remote spots?”

Ms. Octavia handed Clementi a highlighter.

“There’s definitely no direct line to individual rooms from the remote places,” said Clementi. She lit the component. “I’ve only ever gone to the mansion entryway from here. There’s no other option.” She bent to study the control panel and noticed gray words flashing on the black screen. “ ‘System failure in primary tubes,’ ” she read. “ ‘All social tubes are down. Shelter in place and wait for head mage.’ ” She reread it to make sure she wasn’t hallucinating. “I’ve never seen anything like that.”

Fox stopped running and joined them. “What?” he said with a whine. “We’re doomed?”

“Let me see, please,” said Ms. Octavia, pulling Samheed out of the tube. Clementi stepped aside too and handed the octogator her highlighter. The instructor read the screen, then began pushing the button several times in a row. A light turned on, and the panel brightness increased, but nobody went anywhere.