“There!” Sam points to a giant hole leading out into a parking lot. We don’t hesitate, each one of us jumping through sparks and smoke; and before I sprint into the cold morning, I see my dagger and the tablet sitting on the desk in the office. I reach over and scoop them both up, and seconds later I’m following Six and Sam into a deep ditch that provides us plenty of cover.

“We’re not going to talk about that right now,” Six says, her arms pumping fast. She dropped the sword a mile back. I tossed the Mog tube under a bush.

“But do you have it, though?”

“John, not right now.”

“But do you—”

Six comes to an abrupt halt.

“John! You want to know where your Chest is?”

“In the trunk of the car?” I ask, my eyebrows raised in apology.

“Nope,” she says. “Try again.”

“Hidden in a Dumpster?”

Six lifts her arms above her head and a gust of wind sends me flying until I hit a massive oak tree. She marches towards me, fists at her sides. “How is she?”

“Who?” I ask.

“Your girlfriend, you asshole! Was it worth it? Was it worth leaving me surrounded by Mogs fighting to get your Chest back to see precious little Sarah? Was it worth getting arrested for? Did you get enough kisses to make up for getting your face slapped all over the news again?”

“No,” I mumble. “I think Sarah turned us in.”

“I think so, too,” Sam says.

“And you!” Six spins around to raise her finger at Sam. “You went along with it! I thought you were smarter than that, Sam. You’re supposed to be some kind of genius, and you think it’s a good idea to go to the one place in the whole world that the police would definitely be watching?”

“I’ve never called myself a genius,” Sam says, picking up the tablet I dropped, brushing dirt from it. Six keeps walking. “And, Six, I had no choice. Seriously. I tried as hard as I could to get John to go back and look for you and help.”

“He did,” I mutter, standing. “Don’t blame Sam.”

“Well, John, while you two lovebirds were hugging and kissing, I was getting my ass kicked doing you a favor. I would have died if Bernie Kosar didn’t grow into this giant elephant-bear animal and help. They have your Chest. And I’m sure by this point it’s sitting right next to mine in the cave in West Virginia.”

“Then that’s where I’m going,” I say.

“No, we’re going to Spain. Today.”

“No, we’re not!” I shout, brushing off my sleeves. “Not until I have my Chest back.”

“Well, I’m going to Spain,” she says.

“Why now?” Sam asks.