A groan rumbles through the crowd. Justice beams. Scout rolls his eyes, turns, and walks away, adjusting his weapon at his hip as he travels down a darkened tunnel.
Jack faces Pete, eyeing him sternly. “What’s this about, Pete? You can’t just take off with our best Scavengers. Do you know how long that will set us back? We’re already running low on supplies.”
Pete steps toward Jack so that they’re nearly nose to nose. “We’re going to Everland.”
A collective gasp echoes through the cavern.
“You’re kidding me,” Jack says, folding his arms. “This is a joke, right?”
Pete stares him down. “Do I look like I’m joking?”
Jack shifts uncomfortably. “You’re scavenging in Everland? That’s against the bylaws. Do you know how dangerous that is? No one ever makes it back from Everland.”
Pete doesn’t break his stare. “We will make it back.”
“You’re a fool!” Jack says, stabbing a finger toward Pete.
“Some things are worth risking everything for,” Pete replies, unflinching.
Jack throws his hands in the air and takes two steps back. “Whatever. You’re the leader. Completely mad, but still the leader.” Jack spins on his heels and starts back to the stock room, cursing under his breath.
“I’m going after Hook,” Pete announces.
A hush falls over the boys.
Jack abruptly stops. Slowly he turns. “Hook?”
Pete’s grin grows wide. “Hook has Gwen’s sister. We’re breaking into Buckingham Palace to get her back.”
The corner of Jack’s mouth twitches into a lopsided smirk. He pushes either side of his coat back, revealing a belt with an array of tools, buttons, and switches on it. “You’re right, Pete. Some things are worth risking everything for. I’m coming with you. I’ve got my own bone to pick with Hook.”
Pete nods, gesturing at Jack’s tool belt. “And that is why we call you the Jack of All Trades. Every great adventure could use a Lost Boy like you. Glad to have you along.”
Jack clasps Pete’s hand and gives it a firm shake. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ll go check and see how the boys are getting on with Blade.”
“Thanks!” Pete says, and pats him on the shoulder as Jack heads toward the weaponeer building.
Pete faces the rest of the Lost Boys. “Justice will be your interim leader while we’re away. I know you boys will show him the respect you show me.”
The boys cheer and slap Justice on the back.
“I won’t let you down, Pete,” Justice says, adjusting his goggles.
“I can’t think of a better suited Lost Boy than you,” Pete says. He leans in close to Justice’s ear. “Try to go with your gut, kid. Not by the rules.” Pete snatches the spiral notebook from Justice’s shirt pocket and stuffs it inside his own coat. Justice’s mouth gapes open, but he says nothing.
“Gabs, take Justice to the map room and give him a rundown on his duties. Everyone else, clear out! The party is over. Get back to work,” shouts Pete. The boys scatter, taking up their work posts.
“Sure thing, Pete,” Gabs says, tugging on Justice’s arm. “Come on, Justice. You’re gonna like the map room. It’s got this ginormous map that sort of looks like a treasure map only not really. Instead of where a treasure might be, X marks the spot where the Scavengers have been. He’s got a fan that spins when you pedal the footplates, but you have to pedal really fast or otherwise it doesn’t cool you off. And there’s an inkwell, which holds three different color inks, if you had ink to put in it. I like to squeeze my beets in there since I don’t like beets all that much. There’s also a …” Gabs stops and twists back toward my brother. “Well, aren’t you coming, Mikey?”
Mikey tugs at my shirtsleeve. “Can I go with Gabs and Justice? I want to see the map room, too.”
“Go ahead,” I tell Mikey, giving him a reassuring nudge.
Pete pulls something out of his coat pocket and hands it to my brother. “Here, take this.”
Mikey takes the object: a red hard candy. “Wow, thanks a lot. I can’t remember when I had candy last.”
“The Lost City is your home now. We are your new family,” Pete says, kneeling to Mikey’s eye level. He juts a hand out and shakes Mikey’s tiny one.
Mikey drops Pete’s hand and throws both of his arms around his neck. “Thanks, Pete!”
My chest swells at the exchange, and for the first time in a year, I really believe my brother will be safe. Perhaps safer than when he was in my care.
Pete hands a candy to the other two boys. Justice unwraps his with enthusiasm and pops the green ball in his mouth. Gabs sniffs his own yellow candy and holds it out to Mikey.
“Trade?” Gabs asks.
“Sure!” Mikey says, swapping treats with him.