Tick couldn’t have agreed more as he scanned the walls and ceiling of the small restaurant where they had stopped to eat something that was a cross between pizza and toast. Five days had passed since Sally winked back to Master George, and they’d spent every waking hour investigating the town for signs of where they were supposed to be at five o’clock the next afternoon. Though they didn’t know what they were looking for, they looked nonetheless.

And, just like this place—one of the last buildings they’d yet to explore—they’d found nothing. No signs, no clues, no Barrier Wands, no magic portals, no further riddles. A big fat zero.

And time was running out. Reginald Chu’s riddle had been clear—5:00 pm, tomorrow. Maybe they’d finally been stumped.

“Maybe it’s a good thing if we don’t figure it out,” Paul said. “Beats going off to have more adventures with a psycho mad genius of the universe.”

“He said, ‘win or die,’” Sofia said. “Dying sounds worse to me.”

Tick picked up his last piece of dinner, but then put it back down, his appetite gone. “Sally said we need to be the ones to win it—so we can put a stop to whatever Chu’s doing.”

“Yeah, and I’m sure that’ll be a piece of cake,” Paul muttered. “Hey, Chu dude! We won, but please stop that knuckleheaded horseplay you’re up to. Thanks kindly.”

“You want to give up?” Sofia asked. “Then quit. I’m sure Master George will wink you away if you cry enough.”

“No, Miss Italy, I don’t want to quit. Someone has to protect you.” Paul leaned back and rubbed his belly. “Man, that was pretty good.”

“Come on,” Sofia said as she got up from her chair. “It’s our last night—we’d better get searching.”

~

They searched until well past dark. They looked on every corner, behind every bush, under every sidewalk bench. They walked the underground pathways of the train stations again. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Even the trains seemed to avoid them; they’d yet to actually see one despite several trips to the stations.

Tick thought about quitting more than once that night, but the urgency of the dwindling time spurred him on, despite his exhaustion. Finally, a roving policeman told them they needed to get off the streets, that curfew was far past. Sofia complained, but the officer made it clear they’d get one warning and one warning only.

And so they went back to the hotel, back to their beds.

Tick set his watch alarm for 6:00, but he had no idea what he’d do when he woke up. Imagining the glowing monkeys prowling the woods outside his window, he fell asleep.

~

His alarm had just sounded when he heard someone knock at the door. It was Sofia, dragging a sleepy-eyed Paul behind her.