SECOND EXODUS
Josh grasped the two sections of the broken trident and turned toward the spectators, holding the pieces high over his head. A wild cheer rose around him—from the Ghoulies in the field, from Matt and Kyle’s Defenders, from scattered pockets of Islanders around the stadium.
The rest of the crowd remained silent, watching. Then, heads down, they began creeping from their seats, moving in dazed confusion toward the exits. They kept their faces turned away from those who were still in the field, too ashamed to look at them.
Josh looked once more at the Core. Moira was staring at Milo—her expression a mix of horror and disgust. Evan and Eli were backing away from both of them, and Toad had already left the box—Josh saw him scurrying toward one of the exits.
Josh no longer cared about them. He threw down the broken trident, jumped the wall of the box, and began scrambling across the stands, sprinting toward Zoe, who was leaping down the stadium tiers like a two-legged gazelle. They slammed into each other, Josh almost knocking her over. He grabbed her, kissed her, squeezed her so hard she gasped for breath.
“So this is the better idea you came up with?” he asked her finally.
“Yeah,” she said. “What do you think?”
“Not bad.”
“Josh! Zoe!” Sam, Maddie, and Devon were catapulting toward them. Devon was struggling to carry Shana, and Maddie was dragging Giz, who was running so fast his limp was almost invisible. A moment later, Josh and Zoe were buried in a tangle of arms and legs.
Josh hugged his sister tightly. “I’m so proud of you, Bratty. You stayed strong.”
“So did you,” she said. “You’re a hero!”
“Zoe is, too,” yelled Sam. “And she’s MY SISTER!”
Giz looked at Zoe and Josh solemnly. “I knew you weren’t bad guys!” he confided. “No matter what the stupid King said.”
Josh laughed, then turned to look down at the stadium floor. The missing Scouts were already there, hurtling toward the center of the field. Tish and Miguel grabbed Kim and Paravi. The four of them spun around, screaming, and then melted into a tight knot, arms around each other.
Matt and Kyle barreled toward Ryan like football tackles. The three of them crashed to the ground, yelling and punching and yanking each other’s hair. And then, finally, they were hugging. A few seconds of that, though, and Ryan started pounding both brothers on the head.
Josh smiled.
Shadow appeared next to him, noiseless as always. He nodded at Zoe and the rest of their family, then looked at Josh. They clasped each other’s arms, unable to speak.
Shana looked at Shadow hesitantly. “Is he the bogeyman?”
Shadow smiled and crouched down next to her. “No, I’m not the bogeyman. I’m Seth. Nice to meet you.”
Shana reserved judgment.
It was Amina, with a few of her companions. Josh nodded.
“I’ve heard a lot about you.” She glanced at Shadow. “You, too.”
Shadow looked at Zoe, one eyebrow raised. She shrugged, smiling.
“Thanks for what you did,” said Josh. “For coming with Zoe, and bringing the others. Another minute or two …”
“I know,” said Amina. “We saw.”
Josh took a deep breath.
“So,” he said. “What do we do next?”
Zoe nodded at Amina and her companions. “Amina said some of the Islanders can go with them, to their colony.”
“Some?”
“Our village can’t hold everyone from your Islands,” said Amina. “It’s big, but not big enough. We’ll take in who we can, though, and give the rest food and as many weapons as we can spare.”
“But—”
“Don’t worry. We’ve sent messengers to some of the other colonies, telling them that more settlers are on the way.”
“Wait,” said Josh. “What other colonies?”
Zoe looked triumphant. “There are a lot of them, Amina said. Set up anyplace people can feel safe—gated neighborhoods, malls, anyplace with walls.”
“We need the walls to protect ourselves,” said Amina, answering Josh’s question before he could ask it. “From the thieves and wolf packs and crazies.”
Now Shadow looked surprised. “I didn’t know there were wolves around here.”
“Just human ones,” said Amina. “Gangs that go around attacking the smaller colonies. They live in one for a while, use up all the supplies, and then move on to the next.”
So Outside has its monsters, too, thought Josh. He thought about Maddie and the other kidlets, wondering what kind of a world he’d be taking them into. Then he looked back at Amina.
“Who decides?” he asked finally. “I mean, who decides which people go to Tumaini?”
Amina looked at him, and then at Zoe and Shadow. “I think you do. You and your friends.”
Before another week passed, the second exodus began. Amina’s group led the way, having stayed on the Islands to help organize the departure. Everyone who was leaving wore an overstuffed backpack and carried several bags of blankets and clothes, or pushed strollers full of essential supplies.
In one group were those chosen to go to Tumaini. Although Josh and the O’Bannions had been tempted to reward only those who had supported the resistance, Tish argued that they had to think beyond that, to consider those who’d be less likely to survive on their own. They also needed to choose kids who had skills to offer, and who could contribute to their new home.
Several other groups would stop briefly at Tumaini, then continue on to other colonies. These groups, too, were carefully selected to include a mix of kids from all the Islands, and a diverse set of talents and abilities. It was a little odd to see Timescapers and Brainiacs walking alongside pierced, tatooed Ghoulies, but the combination would make for stronger communities.
A final group, more ambitious and adventurous, had decided to head out on their own to establish a new colony. Not surprisingly, the O’Bannion Boys were the ones behind the idea, and Greg had immediately signed on. The four of them invited some of their pals from Timescape, as well as a few of the geniuses from Inspiration Island.
Paravi joined up, too, which surprised no one—she and Ryan O’Bannion had returned from the Outside as more than fellow Scouts. Then Miguel volunteered, his experience as a hero making him eager for new adventures, new adversaries to overcome. And since Miguel was going, Kim figured she might as well go, too. A new colony would need someone good at inventing.
The last to approach them was Aiko, who asked the brothers if they would please take her with them. She could show them how to bring along some of the movable hydroponic systems, she said, and teach them how to maintain them.
The O’Bannions looked at one another.
“Why not?” said Ryan. “Everyone deserves a second chance.”
“Not everyone,” said Matt.
“Well, most people, anyhow.”
Kyle shook his head. “Yeah? Well, what about—”
“Shut up,” said Ryan, “and keep loading the tools.” He looked at Aiko. “You’re in.” She smiled gratefully.
Zoe, Josh, and Tish stood with their kidlets on the beach, watching the first of the Islanders file toward the monorail tracks.
“You guys really okay with Tumaini?” Josh asked. “There’s still time to change our minds, go with one of the other groups.”
“Amina said they don’t have teachers,” said Tish. “And with Ari and Lana bringing all the Little Wizards there, I think they’re going to need some. So I’m good.”
“Me, too,” said Zoe. “Besides, what I really want to do is find where the glow came from. It wasn’t from any of the colonies Amina knows about, and that’s where I want to end up. So wherever we stay now is probably just temporary.”
Josh shook his head. Zoe was never going to take the easy route to anything.
Now Shadow and Cassandra arrived. Cassandra was wearing jeans and a windbreaker—the only thing unusual about her now was her long white hair. Shadow, though, still looked every bit the Ghoulie leader, solemn and somewhat sinister. Josh was surprised.
“I thought you were going to be Seth again.”
“Changed my mind.”
“Why?”
Cassandra smiled. “I prefer him this way.”
Josh returned the smile. “So what did you two decide? Where you headed?”
“Nowhere,” said Shadow.
“And everywhere,” added Cassandra.
Zoe shook her head. “Why can’t you guys ever talk like normal people?”
Shadow actually laughed. “Habit. But what we mean is, the two of us decided we weren’t comfortable choosing one place. So we’ll move from colony to colony, watching and listening. Seeing what people have done. It should be very interesting.”
“So maybe we’ll still see you?” asked Josh.
“You will. I’ll make sure of it.”
Josh nodded. And then, suddenly, he felt the old, prickling sensation that told him he was being watched.
He looked back at the Coral Palace, now faded and pockmarked, its fragile spires crumbled and revealing the wirework beneath. It was the one structure that wasn’t empty. Josh saw flickers of movement inside and peered at the Palace more closely. And then he saw them.
Silhouetted in the windows, peering from behind doorways and turrets, were the ones who weren’t leaving, who had not been invited to join any of the new colonies. They had wanted the Islands to be their world, and now they would be. Or they could venture Outside alone, with no help from anyone else.
A single figure emerged from the inner rooms. Milo walked out onto Neptune’s balcony, the top of the broken trident grasped tightly in one hand. He moved to the edge of the platform, gazing out over the ruined buildings, the dead gardens, the broken streets. And then he looked down at the empty courtyard, raised his scepter, and began to speak.
Watching him, Josh realized that, at least in his mind, Milo was still who he wanted to be. Who perhaps now he always would be.