He paused, as if expecting someone to call him crazy if he continued. “Well, it’s fragmenting them. Tick is doing, on a very small scale, exactly what happens to a fragmented Reality. He’s a catalyst—triggering a heightened state of entropy that dissolves the matter around him. But because it’s so out of control, the matter slams back together, the quantum forces regaining their strength and forming the monstrosities you’ve seen along your latest journeys.”

“Whoa,” Paul whispered.

Sofia tried to sort it out. “So basically, if Tick freaks out, he can destroy and reform things, trapping whatever gets in his path.”

Master George nodded. “Yes, and depending on how far along the entropy develops—how much matter is destroyed before it reforms—the objects may retain some of their old qualities and characteristics.”

“We thought it was something Chu had done,” Sofia said. “The trees by Tick’s house, the spiders, the glass tunnel exploding and melting—all of it. We thought it was all part of the test.”

Paul looked down at Tick’s sleeping face. “Remind me not to make him mad.”

Master George sighed. “I’m afraid Tick’s life will have to move in a new direction. He’ll have to stay at home, be monitored, watched over. We’ll need an extraordinary amount of help from his parents—and we’ll have to find ways of ensuring he doesn’t have another . . . episode. At least until we sort things out.”

“What about us?” Paul asked. “We can help. We can stay with him.”

Master George shook his head. “No, no, Master Paul. I need you and Sofia to return to your homes right away and pick up on the rest of the school year. With Dark Infinity destroyed, I believe things will be quiet for awhile, and I need both of you to live your normal lives for a bit.”

Paul felt his stomach squeeze into a knot. Nothing, absolutely nothing, sounded worse than going back home and living a “normal” life.

“But,” he said, searching for arguments, “we’re Realitants. Why do we—”

Master George held up a hand. “All in its appointed time, lad. For now, you must go to school, learn, experience growing up. I promise it won’t be long before we wink you in for further training or to help with whatever obstacle presents itself to deter our mission.”

“What happened to Mistress Jane?” Rutger asked.

Master George looked at him sharply, then glanced away as if trying to hide his alarm at the question. “That, I don’t know. We can only hope she’s . . .” He didn’t need to finish.

“Maybe when Sato’s well enough—” Rutger began, but was cut off by Mothball.

“Pipe it for now, little man. One worry at a time.”