Meanwhile in London, a man stepped from a busy train carriage onto the crowded platform. He strode towards the exit, his gaze facing straight ahead even as he did his best to take in his surroundings. From what he could remember, nothing much had changed – which was strangely comforting and a little surprising.

He thought about whether the suit was too much, though it had felt good to wear something other than trackpants and sweatshirts. Besides, he was here on business – and blending in with the scores of other men and women wearing business attire was perfect.

His destination was a short walk from Victoria Station, though it would have been much quicker from Pimlico. He had planned to alight there, but had found he couldn’t bear any more time below ground. He needed the air. And light. After all those years without sun, he craved it, and for once London was obliging with barely a cloud in the sky.

He’d been surprised by how easily old habits and skills had returned. Finding money, transport and a passport had proved much simpler than he’d imagined. Fortunately he’d once been a master of disguise, so it hadn’t been too hard to make himself look like the fellow he’d robbed.

As he approached the building, his eyes were drawn upwards to the windows on the thirteenth floor. He hadn’t imagined he’d ever be this close to her again and wondered how she’d aged. One of the benefits of his incarceration had been the opportunity to stay fit and, without the daily effects of UV light, his skin was actually in far better shape than most men of his years. He couldn’t wait to see the look on her face when she realised who she was really meeting with today.

He walked through the double doors, past the security officer and strode towards the reception desk. This was all a bit fancier than the last time he was here, but then again it had been thirty-odd years.

‘Good afternoon,’ he said to the blonde receptionist. She was pretty and reminded him of someone he’d known a long time ago. But that was ancient history.

The woman looked up from the computer screen in front of her.

‘Hello, sir, may I help you?’ she replied with a dimpled smile.

‘I have an appointment with Cordelia Spencer,’ he replied. ‘Terence Connolly.’

The woman scanned a paper list to her left.

‘I’m very sorry, sir, I did try to call and reschedule. Dame Spencer is not available today,’ the young woman explained.

The man frowned. Of course she hadn’t got through on the number he’d provided – it didn’t exist.

His pulse began to quicken. This wasn’t something he planned to do twice.

‘I’m sure that she’s a very busy woman, but we have a confirmed meeting. I must see her today,’ he said, taking a deep breath. He wouldn’t get angry.

‘I do understand, sir, it’s just that Dame Spencer is not actually here. I’m unsure of when she’ll be returning to London,’ the woman said. This time, her gaze was as steely as his own.

‘So she’s away?’ he said. ‘Any idea where?’

The woman shook her head. ‘That’s not information I have, nor would I be able to share it if I did. I’m sorry, Mr Connolly, but Dame Spencer is often called away. As you can imagine, she’s a very busy woman. Is there anyone else I could direct your enquiry to?’

‘No,’ he spat, and turned on his heel, striding towards the exit. He was trying to stay calm, but could feel the heat rising up his neck like a rash. He clawed at his tie and pulled it off, throwing it in the nearest garbage bin.

What now? Where was he supposed to go? He hadn’t really thought of anything beyond what was meant to happen today. Never mind that he now had to find somewhere to stay and delay his leaving the country for good.

He had to take a breath and think about what came next. For the first time all day, he realised that he was ravenously hungry. He had a craving for steak and beer. There was a place he knew. He made a left turn into John Islip Street – the Morpeth Arms was just a couple of blocks away.

Max bit down on his thumbnail. He was worried about his sister and Curtis. He hadn’t been able to get through to either of them since they’d cut him off. Something was wrong, and there was nothing he could do about it from London.

The end of the school day had seen him return, with Autumn, to his grandmother’s office via the secret passages at Pharos HQ. It felt like the safest place to be at the moment, but they couldn’t stay there forever. Wellie and Mac were home alone.

He was a little surprised too that Magoo hadn’t been in touch. Surely the man knew that Tippie had gone with Kensy and Curtis, leaving Max on his own – the principal wasn’t aware yet that Autumn had been brought into the fold.

Max was sitting at his grandmother’s desk. Among her papers were the original copies of Romilly’s resignation letters.

‘Autumn, can you take a look at something for me?’ the boy asked. Autumn had been busy writing notes about all the possible scenarios that could have happened to not only her missing parents, but everyone else who’d been abducted. At this stage there were many more questions than answers.

She hopped up from the couch and walked over to the desk.

‘These are Mrs Vanden Boom’s resignation letters to Magoo and Tippie,’ Max explained. ‘Kensy raised the idea that maybe she’s added a code inside them telling us what’s happened. She works so closely with Tippie on the Inventions Team – maybe she noticed things. Perhaps she’s left us some clues.’

Autumn nodded. ‘What have you tried so far?’

‘Nothing yet. If we’re right, and this is Tippie’s takeover bid, then maybe she’s planning that no one ever comes back. I’d say Kensy and me and anyone else closely associated with us are targets too,’ the boy said. He grimaced. The thought of it was almost too terrible to contemplate, and yet they had to keep going. He, Kensy, Autumn and Curtis were possibly the last hope to bring everyone home.

Max looked at Autumn, who was doing her best to hold back tears. The thought of losing her parents forever was the worst thing she could imagine.

‘I guess that means you’re in danger too,’ Max said. He gazed into her dark eyes. ‘I’m sorry. It’s not the simplest life, is it?’ He wrapped his arms around the girl.

Autumn clung to him before they both took a small step back.

Max leaned towards her and Autumn towards him. Their lips were just millimetres apart when there was a loud thump on the door.

The pair jumped.

‘Sorry,’ Max said, but Autumn wasn’t – not about their almost kiss. She was just cross that someone had rudely interrupted them.

Max charged towards the door and opened it to Magoo, who looked more dishevelled than ever. His blond hair was sticking up all over the place and his tie was askew. Even his jacket was rumpled.

‘What have you been doing, sir?’ Max asked.

‘Just the usual,’ he replied. ‘Why?’

‘I thought you might have been in a fight or something,’ the boy said with a frown.

‘Why on earth would you think that?’ Magoo said as he strode through the door.

‘You look a bit of a mess, sir,’ Max said.

‘Good heavens, Max, some of us simply can’t help it. Take your sister. She’s always in a state of disarray, while you’re just like Autumn here – immaculate. I wish I had those genes but I don’t,’ Magoo explained.

‘Hadn’t we better get to work and find out where everyone’s gone?’ he asked as he plonked himself down in one of the guest chairs at Cordelia’s desk. He looked at Autumn. ‘I thought you were keeping this inner circle small.’

‘Autumn’s parents are missing too,’ Max said.

‘Oh – well, that’s a pity,’ the man replied, sounding rather offhand.

Max and Autumn glanced at one another, taken aback by Magoo’s tone.

‘So does she know everything you told Tippie and me?’ Magoo asked.

Max nodded. He wasn’t going to tell the man that she knew a lot more.

‘Good then. Tippie told me she’s at Alexandria. Poor Mrs Thornthwaite’s been attacked. I don’t understand who’d want to hurt her. We’ll visit her this evening at the clinic. Hopefully she’ll have woken up and can tell us who did it,’ Magoo said.

Max and Autumn feigned shock, not wanting to let Magoo know they were already well aware of what had happened.

Magoo’s decisiveness came as a bit of a surprise. It wasn’t his usual way. ‘Tippie, Kensy and Curtis will fly home tonight once the helicopter returns for them,’ the man continued. ‘No point being up there if they can’t find anyone.’

Max had been thinking about something else.

‘Sir, you’re good at codes aren’t you?’ the boy said.

‘Good? I’d say I’m much better than good,’ Magoo replied, without a hint of irony. ‘Why? Do you have something?’

Max chewed the inside of his lip. This would be a test. If Magoo fobbed them off, then it was likely he was as involved as his wife.

‘We’ve been thinking about Mrs Vanden Boom’s resignation letters. There’s a chance she could have embedded a code in one of them,’ Max said.

‘I’m not sure why she would. The more I think about it, the more I believe that she’s the one behind it all – she’s always been a bit odd,’ Magoo said, peering across at the papers.

Max had a sinking feeling.

‘Though I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to look. Can we take them with us?’ Magoo asked. ‘We need to get home to Mr Pippin, or the little minx will be tearing the place apart, searching for his dinner.’

Autumn was one step ahead of him and had already made three copies of each. The digital version were only on Kensy’s computer, and the girl had taken that with her.

‘We have to go home too, sir,’ Max said, ‘to Ponsonby Terrace. Wellie and Mac are there. They’ll need a walk.’

Magoo stared at the ceiling for a moment as if deep in thought. ‘Then what if I head to Chelsea and feed puss and meet you back at your place? Your grandmother would never forgive me if I left you on your own tonight. I’d offer to drive, but you know I always ride my bike.’

‘That sounds good,’ Max replied. ‘And we can walk. It’s only a few minutes and it’s broad daylight. I don’t think they’ll try anything again quite so soon.’

‘Who?’ Magoo asked. ‘Did something happen to you?’

Max remembered that he and Kensy hadn’t told Magoo and Tippie about their brush with Lawrence MacGregor that morning.

‘No – I just mean that with any luck they won’t,’ Max said. ‘The kidnappers. Try anything on us.’

‘Don’t be too sure about that – you need to be on your guard. I know I am. Everyone critical to Pharos is going missing, and I’d say I’m among that number,’ Magoo said. ‘And Tippie. I trust she’s being extra careful up at Alexandria. Especially after what happened to poor old Ida. It wouldn’t be hard to snatch someone from there.’

Max frowned. Magoo seemed genuinely worried that he and Tippie could be in danger. Surely he wasn’t that good an actor.

The three left the office at the same time. Max and Autumn headed for the exit closest to home, while Magoo had to navigate the underground labyrinth to get back to school and collect his bike.

As Max and Autumn walked down John Islip Street, the boy reached for the girl’s hand. Autumn felt tingly from her head to her toes. Now wasn’t the time for romance, but how could she resist? She’d fallen for Max the minute she’d first clapped eyes on him.

The pair was just about to round the last corner for home when Max suddenly let go.

‘Is something the matter?’ Autumn asked, wondering if he regretted allowing himself to get too close. That would be very disappointing.

‘Do you see that man up there?’ he said quietly. ‘The one in the suit?’

Autumn could see at least half a dozen men in suits.

‘Which one?’ she whispered.

‘Grey suit, white shirt, no tie,’ Max replied. He was walking towards them, his gaze facing directly ahead.

‘Yes,’ Autumn replied.

Max pulled Autumn into the doorway of Derek’s shop, out of sight.

‘Who is it?’ Autumn asked.

Max took a deep breath. The man looked much better than he had the last time Max had seen him, but there was no way the boy would forget that face.

‘Turns out Mum was right about the human body. It really can withstand a lot,’ Max said.

Autumn looked at him, horrified by the thought. ‘Percy MacGregor?’ she breathed.

Max nodded. ‘One and the same. Come on – he’s not getting away again.’