‘I hope you’re not planning on attacking us,’ said the boy. ‘But I’ll just warn you.’ He jerked his head at the tall, muscular kid. ‘Him there. The big golem. He’s stronger than Arnie in his prime. He’ll rip you apart. He won’t be scared of your weapons.’

‘That’s tough talk, tiger,’ said Achilleus. ‘Seeing as how you is bare outnumbered.’

‘Oh, there are more of us,’ said the boy on the floor. ‘Hidden about the place. Watching. So … maybe we’ll accept your offer.’

‘What offer?’ said Blue.

‘To put your weapons down.’

‘Wasn’t my offer.’

‘Don’t care whose offer it was,’ said the boy. ‘Why don’t you be nice and show that you come in peace, eh?’

Ollie nudged Blue. ‘Come on,’ he said. ‘We don’t want a fight.’

Blue didn’t like being told by Ollie what they did and didn’t want. He was still trying to make sense of this weird situation. Maybe they would need to fight. What did Ollie know about these kids? Nothing. Blue stayed rock solid. Weapon in hand.

‘Blue …?’

‘Shut up, Ollie, I’m thinking.’

Ollie backed off. Apart from the Incredible Hulk, these kids didn’t look dangerous. They’d lived this long through the bad times, so they must know what they were doing, though. They must have some sharpened survival skills. The kid on the floor certainly seemed smart. Ollie kept coming back to that one thought. If they’d wanted to attack Blue’s team they could have done it before now. But Blue had lived this long as well, hadn’t he? And he’d done that by making sure he didn’t take any chances.

‘OK, here’s what we’re gonna do,’ he said at last. ‘Ollie, you take everyone else back downstairs and make sure nobody does nothing stupid. Hang on to your weapons, and keep a look-out. I don’t want no more surprises. Jackson, Einstein and Emily, you stay with me. Any weapons you got, lay them down.’

There was some muttering and complaining, but Blue didn’t budge and in a minute it was quiet. There was still tension in the air, wariness from both sides, and Blue could sense the rest of his team were as confused as he was, but the situation was less likely to kick off now. They settled down in armchairs, embarrassed, not knowing where to look. The boy on the floor walked closer to them in a crouch, using his hands. His limbs were loose and awkward; they moved in odd ways almost as if they had extra joints. His head wobbled. His back snaked from side to side.