This time they brought flashlights. Annie had to help Mrs. Yu in the office with some paperwork, so Charlie, Ty, and Cozette returned to the fourteenth floor, to the hallway outside Dragonstone and Theopolis’s bedrooms.

After fiddling with the plaster lily a few dozen times, they were able to keep the ramp stuck in a diagonal position.

Once they stepped down to the thirteenth floor, they did the same with the sunflower and the second ramp. Now both ramps were stuck in the “down” position, and light flooded into the old, hidden hallway from above and below.

“The door’s over there, around the corner,” said Ty. “Room 1308.”

Their flashlights were able to pick out more details of the fantastic statues.

“Who’s the lady in the helmet?” asked Cozette.

Charlie joined her. “That’s Athena. Also called Minerva. The goddess of wisdom.”

“Why would a smart woman need a helmet and a shield?” asked Cozette.

“Because she was smart,” said Ty. “There were a lot of crazy, scary dudes back in the Greek days.”

“And who’s this with the wings on his feet?” she asked.

“He’s one of my favorites,” said Charlie. “He’s Hermes, the messenger of the gods. The wings helped him travel back and forth between Mount Olympus and Earth.”

“Hitchcock has a favorite Greek god?” Tyler said, smirking. “Nerd alert.”

“He looks cute,” said Cozette.

“Hitchcock?!” said Ty.

Cozette’s face flushed deep red. “No! The messenger guy.”

Charlie’s face felt hot. He quickly tried changing the subject by pointing at the statue of a tall male holding a bow. A quiver of arrows hung at his back, and a small sun beamed from his brow. “That’s Apollo. He’s supposed to be the god of the sun and beauty and —”

“And who’s this creepy guy with the frown?” asked Ty.

Charlie and Cozette walked over to the statue Ty was facing. In the small space with all the statues’ bodies jammed together, it was hard to see them all at once.

“I’m not sure,” said Charlie. “But I think he’s Hades. The god of the underworld.”

Cozette shivered. “You mean, like dead people and stuff? I’m getting out of here.”

Ty turned to her. “I thought you wanted to help us guard this place.”

“You guys guard it. I have work to do,” said Cozette. “Besides, these statues aren’t going anywhere. They weigh a ton.”

To prove her wrong, Ty bent his knees, grasped Hades, and tried straightening up. He strained and grunted, and did manage to shift the statue from its base slightly.

“See? No sweat,” said Tyler, wiping his forehead.

“Like I said, they weigh a ton,” replied Cozette.

“Wait a minute, Cozette,” said Charlie. “So, Ty, what exactly is your plan? What do you want us to do?”

Tyler stared at Charlie as if he had just arrived on the planet. “Stand. Guard. Over. The. Statues,” he said. “And catch that creep Theopolis when he comes in to steal them.”

“Stay up here?” said Cozette.

“We’ll take turns,” said Ty. “You wimps go do your work, or read more books, or talk about your favorite gods. And I’ll stay up here, with the door locked. Then you come back in an hour, and Charlie takes over. Bring plenty to eat. See if you can get my dad to make a pizza.”

Tyler hurried him out of the room. A moment later, Cozette was also rushed into the hall, the door closing behind her. She turned, as if to re-enter, but the doorknob jiggled uselessly in her hand.

Cozette sighed. “Let’s go back to the elevators and…” She hesitated. Charlie guessed she was thinking about the fourteenth floor, and how close they were to David Dragonstone’s room.

“Did you hear something?” asked Cozette. “Like a thump or something?”

Charlie tried the knob, but the door was locked. The two of them pounded on the door. “Let us in!” shouted Charlie.

Not a sound came from the room of statues.