“The Game Master stole him,” Miguel finally said, his voice wavering with emotion. “I went outside to take the trash can to the curb. I swear I could have only been gone for a minute, well, maybe three minutes, since I stopped for a snack before going back upstairs . . .” He took a deep breath. “But when I got back to my room, Nacho was gone from his terrarium.”

“Maybe he escaped,” Becca suggested, but she realized as soon as she said it how unlikely that was. Nacho never hid from Miguel. He loved swirling up his arm or around his neck to hang out. “Or maybe it really was the Game Master.”

“It was,” Miguel insisted. “I know for sure because there was a note in the tank. Here, I brought it.”

The others waited in anticipation while Miguel dug through his pockets, finally producing a piece of paper that had been folded over several times. “Sorry,” Miguel mumbled as he opened the note and spread it over the floor. “It got kind of sweaty from all the running.”

Everyone leaned over the note at once, turning their heads and craning their necks in order to read it.

Nap time’s over, the note said, the handwriting hauntingly identical to the notes that had been left for them to find in the school two months ago. It’s time for more games, so keep an eye out for your first clue. Are you ready to do whatever it takes to get back what has been lost?

“This is horrible!” Miguel said, nearing tears again. “Nacho is probably so scared and wondering where I am!”

Matt put his hand on Miguel’s shoulder. “Hey,” he said gently. “Don’t you worry. We’re going to find him.”

“That’s a promise,” Becca added, her voice firm. “We’ve got this, guys. We’re going to smoke the Game Master just like we did last time.”

Everyone in the group nodded in unison, and just like that, they were back in action, working together in the wonderful way that only they could, determined to do whatever it took to rescue Elephant the hamster and Nacho the snake.

Matt

Matt watched nervously as Kylie scanned the note as though it were a puzzle. Out of the group, Kylie was the one with a knack for solving puzzles. If there was a clue hidden in the note, she’d certainly be the most likely to discover it first.

“If Nacho is being treated the same as Elephant,” Frankie said, offering Miguel an encouraging grin, “the only thing you have to worry about is that he might get his picture taken in a hat or something.”

“You’re right,” Miguel said with a nod, taking another deep breath to calm himself. “At least we know they’re being cared for well enough until we can find them.”