“Remember, we’re guests here,” said Ollie. “They can kick us all out if they want.”

“Why go to all the trouble of sending Jester to find other kids if they’re just going to kick us out?” said Achilleus. “They want something from us. That’s for sure.”

“There’s a couple of sweet-looking girls who want my body,” said Lewis sleepily.

“Who’d want your scraggly body?” said Whitney. “There’s some buff guys here. Guys that don’t reek.”

Some of the kids had had baths last night, but there hadn’t been enough hot water for everyone, so they were using the bathroom on a rotating basis. They’d made up a schedule and the girls were going first.

“Come on,” said Achilleus. “Nothing’s happening here. Let’s go.”

“Yeah.”

Just as they were turning to leave, the doors to the next room opened a crack and a boy came through.

“I’m really sorry, guys,” he said. “Didn’t mean to leave you hanging around so long. I’m Pod, by the way.”

Pod was big and handsome with a thick thatch of fair hair streaked with blond highlights. He wore jeans with a rugby shirt, the collar turned up. He seemed like the type who went skiing and played rugby and met up with his friends in Cornwall every year to party and go surfing.

The others grumbled hellos, making sure he noticed how pissed off they all were.

“We wanted everything to be ready for you, yeah,” said Pod. “It’s taken us a smidgen longer than we thought. Our fault. Sorry, guys. Now, I didn’t get the chance to say hello last night. I was out on patrol with the lads. I’m sort of in charge of security. Though I gather from my friend Jester that you lot could show me a thing or two about fighting. I’m really looking forward to working with you.”

“What exactly are you getting ready in there?” Whitney asked. “You baking a cake or something?”

“You’ll see. We wanted it to be a surprise.”

“I don’t like surprises,” said Blue.

“It’ll be worth it,” said Pod. “Trust me.”

“Don’t know you,” said Blue. “So don’t trust you.”

“Fair enough,” said Pod. “Yeah, good philosophy, I like it. Now, listen, I know you’ve all been through a lot. But just remember—we’re the good guys, yeah?”

The door opened again. This time it was Jester.

“Do you want to come on through?” he said, standing aside to clear the way.

“Why not?” said Achilleus.

None of them had known what to expect, but it certainly wasn’t this.