“No, no, no,” said Ollie, standing up and pacing the room. “David’s got a good thing going on here. I don’t like him much. But I respect him. He’s our best bet in all the chaos of London.”

“That’s your opinion,” said Maxie. “My opinion is that we’d all be a lot happier if we got out of this place.”

They watched Rose take her candle to the window and stand there looking out at the night. She blew the candle out and went over to straighten the sheets for the girl with the bandaged face, who lay there unmoving, though she appeared to be awake.

Ollie sat back down again and leaned toward Maxie and Blue, speaking more quietly now.

“Listen, Maxie,” he said. “The little kids aren’t going to want to leave. They’re happier and safer than they have been for months. This is crazy.”

“We can’t lose all we believe in. Our sense of right and wrong,” said Maxie. “Just to survive.”

“Just to survive? There’s no just about it. Survival is everything.”

“Me and Blue both want to go,” said Maxie. “So there’s nothing more to talk about. I’ll go down and tell the others. They’ll do what I say. Me and Blue are in charge. That’s what you wanted.”

Ollie sighed and sank his head in his hands. He could think of nothing more to say.

Maxie walked over to the door and opened it.

She paused.

David was standing outside. His two guards on either side of him.

“What’s this?” said Maxie.

“I can’t let you leave, I’m afraid,” said David. “I need your fighters. I was hoping Blue would talk sense into you, but it seems he’s a problem as well.”

“How do you know what we’ve been talking about? You got spies in here?”

David’s eyes flicked toward Rose. She looked down at the carpet.

The candle. At the window. It had been a signal.

Maxie laughed without any humor. “So what? You’re going to take me and Blue hostage?”

“If that’s what it takes. I reckon if we lock away the ringleaders, the others will do as they’re told.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, David. You can’t hold us here. We’re leaving.”

“You are not leaving,” said David, and the two guards leveled their rifles at her.

Blue jumped out of bed, shouting angrily, and took a couple of paces toward David, but he was still weak. He faltered, clutching his head and moaning. Maxie had to catch him before he fell.

David now looked at Ollie, challenging him.

“I’m with you,” Ollie said wearily. “I never wanted to leave in the first place.”

David looked over to Rose, and she nodded that Ollie was telling the truth.

“Maxie’s a fool,” said Ollie. “And Blue’s just ticked off that he’s not in charge.”