Big Nose was falling asleep. His head kept nodding forward and jerking him back awake. He could hear people moving around in the palace below and wished he could join them. It was very quiet up here. No sound came from behind the door. The murmur of voices from the sick bay had died away. He was utterly, utterly fed up.

He closed his eyes for a moment. The sound of hurrying footsteps died away. He was drifting off again. Dark fizzy milk filled his head. Bubbles swam and burst. He had a brief flash of a memory. Being on vacation in Florida. A giant Mickey Mouse.

Mickey called out his name. His head jerked forward; he opened his eyes with a grunt.

There were two boys standing there.

Two of the newcomers.

He recognized one. It was Achilleus, the one who’d been in the fight with the squatter. He’d missed that as well. The other one was tall and skinny with a messy Afro.

“What are you doing up here?” he said, struggling to look like he was on top of things.

“The royals have gotten out,” said Achilleus.

“I know.”

“They need your help. It’s wild down there, man.”

“I’m not allowed to leave my post.”

“We’ll take over,” said Achilleus. He and his friend were casually edging closer as they talked. But casually enough for Big Nose not to notice.

“You can’t,” he said, standing up and leveling his gun. “You’re newcomers, you might try to—”

The boy had been concentrating on Achilleus; he knew his reputation. The other boy looked too laid back to be much of a threat. Suddenly, though, he moved. And with startling strength and speed. Before the guard knew it, the newcomer had him pinned to the wall his rifle trapped, uselessly, between their bodies.

“Don’t make a sound, cowboy,” said Lewis, and he grinned at him. “Or I’ll bust your face.”

Big Nose nodded.

“We’re not very good at this sneaking-up business,” said Achilleus. “We should have just rushed him.”

“Take his gun,” said Lewis, “before he shoots me in the foot.”

Inside the room, Maxie and Blue had silently forced the window open and were seeing if there was any way they could remove the bars that blocked it.

They turned together as the door swung open.

One of the guards from outside, the one with the big nose, stumbled into the room. Behind him came Lewis and Achilleus, who was carrying the guard’s rifle.

Maxie set her face into a cold mask. “What do you want?”

“It’s like that scene in Star Wars,” said Lewis. “We’ve come to rescue you.”

Maxie laughed without much humor.

“Straight up,” said Achilleus. “And you’d better hurry, we ain’t got much time before David realizes what’s going on.”

“I don’t get it,” said Maxie. “I thought you were on his side.”