Thisbe knew where some of the buttons led to, and she and Fifer had been carefully taught which of the buttons were safe to use. One would take them to Gunnar Haluki’s old house in Quill—that house was vacant now. Another button went to the jungle tube. A third would take them to the Island of Shipwrecks. The others led to places only Mr. Today knew, and no one had dared experiment with them to this day, for fear of the dangers they’d end up facing.

Thisbe eyed the button to the Island of Shipwrecks as she became fully visible. It would only take a minute to check on Kaylee and give her an update. Impulsively Thisbe pushed the button, and a second later she was there, stepping out of the tube and then running down the path to the sprawling, intricate rock structure that served as a home to the three men they called the grandfathers: Ito, Sato, and Ishibashi. All were well over one hundred years old but showed no signs of wearing out. They tended a greenhouse where Henry often visited to get herbs to make medicine. This was also where Aaron and Kaylee had lived for years, and their son, Daniel, had spent most of his life here.

“Kaylee!” Thisbe called out softly, not wanting to wake Daniel in case he was napping. She ducked into the structure, her footsteps loud enough to announce her location. She ran to the large gathering room and looked down the different hallways, wondering which one to search first. “Are you here, Kaylee?”

Ishibashi appeared from the hallway that led to the greenhouse. “Well!” he said with delight. “Thisbe! Is everything all right with Aaron?” The pleasure drained from his face, and worry filled it up.

“I think he’s okay,” Thisbe said, still panting from the run. “I just wanted to give Kaylee a quick update before I go back. Things are pretty bad. But nobody’s dead or anything. Not yet, anyway.”

“She’s working in the garden,” said Ishibashi. “I’ll get her.” He hurried as fast as his old legs could carry him. A moment later he returned with Kaylee, who was drying her hands on a towel. Her blond hair was tied back in a loose braid, and her pale skin was flushed pink from the sun. She had a streak of dirt on one cheek.

“What’s going on?” asked Kaylee. “I’ve been so worried.”

Thisbe quickly told her and Ishibashi about everything that had happened in the past couple of days, ending with the news that Aaron and everybody else were trapped. “We’re forming a small but powerful army,” she said. “Florence is assessing the new team members now while Fifer, Sky, Simber, and I are sneaking into the second floor to get some things.” She took a breath. “I saw this tube was still working, so I thought I should give you an update while I had the chance.”

As Thisbe relayed the story, Ito and Sato gathered and listened in. Now the four adults looked at one another worriedly.