‘Elle, I know I wanted you to leap this morning but . . . I think it’s best you don’t.’ Ama’s scrunching up her forehead. ‘If you pass out, there’s no one to help you.’ She stands up now and begins her pacing. If she put the energy into running she puts into pacing, she’d be talented. ‘I think Eve should do it. She’s the oldest.’

‘That’s irrelevant!’ I say. I didn’t realise it but my voice has got louder. ‘Age doesn’t matter. Not in 2048.’

‘Only old people say that, to feel good. Age might matter in 2100. It’s a glitch year. Eve’s leapt a century. Alone. Best she does it.’

‘I can leap with Eve,’ says Big Ben.

‘We can’t risk TWO going missing,’ says Ama.

‘Not logical.’ Big Ben gets up off his seat.

‘We don’t have to obey you.’ I stare at Ama. ‘You’re not a teacher.’

Ama gave us a choice, then took it away from us. Which is like lying.

‘You guys crack me up,’ says GMT. ‘MC’s on the case. Since this morning.’

Everyone looks surprised except me. I knew he was on a solo mission.

‘Meaning what, exactly?’ says Ama.

‘Leap 2100. He’s there! Well, he’s not responding to texts but that’s what he—’

Ama stops pacing. ‘Why didn’t you say so earlier?’

‘It was kinda entertaining listening to you guys work things out, but . . .’ She stretches her legs and reveals her infinity tattoo. ‘Some of us got work to do.’ She sits up and puts on her Adidas trainers, laces them up.

‘So long!’ she says and disappears into thin air.

‘Typical!’ says Ama. ‘It’s all about HER. What about Kwesi?’

‘MC2 will find him,’ I say. ‘He’s an Infinite. He’ll save Kwesi AND the planet.’

‘Thought you said he was a crim?’

‘He is, but I like him now. He’s no more a criminal than my cat.’

I enjoy the feel of other people’s words on my tongue, like Eve tried on GMT’s shoes. Eve is sprawled on the sofa like GMT was, with her shoes off, and I notice her toenails are painted with sparkly silver nail polish too. Everyone’s trying to be someone else.

But Big Ben has stood up. I know by the way he stood up that he hasn’t just gone from 0 to 10. He’s gone from 0 to 60. In less than two seconds!