Chapter 47

“You . . .”

Spencer and his dad actually reached the sixth floor much faster than anticipated. They came across only two Sweepers in the stairwell, one of which left a painful gash on Alan’s arm. Spencer had paused long enough to mist the wound with orange spray. Then they were kicking open the door and sprinting down an empty hallway.

The bottommost floor of the BEM laboratory had been bustling with Sweepers yesterday, when Spencer had been caged and carried to his interview with Mr. Clean. Now the level was nearly vacant. It seemed that most of the fight had been drawn to the Rebels on the fourth floor.

They took down only two more Sweepers before Spencer and his dad came to the double doors at the end of the hall. Only a day had passed since Spencer had seen the bronze nail in the wall above the round window. Spencer hoped with all his might that it hadn’t been moved since then.

Spencer shoved against the doors and was surprised to find them unlocked. The two Zumbros stepped into the room, and Spencer noted that everything was just as he remembered it. A simple desk in the center of the room, empty except for the intercom that Mr. Clean had used to communicate with them in the elevator.

On the far wall was that large sea window, taller than Spencer and perfectly round. He thought he saw a fish swim by, illuminated by an exterior deep-sea light.

And above the window, a twinkle of bronze glittered in the room’s soft lamplight.

Alan quietly shut the doors as Spencer crossed toward the nail. “Hope this doesn’t take long,” Alan said. “That portal’s only going to stay open for another ten minutes or so.”

Back in September, Spencer had used Ninfa to pull out a bronze nail in Welcher. It had been a quick and rather effortless process. And Daisy hadn’t had any trouble using Holga to draw the nail in New Forest Academy. Spencer hoped this would be the same.

Reaching into his belt pouch, Spencer used his gloved hand to withdraw Belzora. The hammer felt comfortable in his grip, but he could feel that it was much more powerful than its plain appearance would indicate.

As he stepped around Mr. Clean’s desk, Spencer realized that he wouldn’t quite be able to reach the nail above the sea window. He grabbed the desk chair as he passed, pulling it over to the wall and stepping up onto the seat.

Rising onto his tiptoes, Spencer stretched Belzora as high as he could until the blunt end of the hammer touched the small nail in the wall. A golden glow began to form between hammer and nail. Spencer felt the power surge down his arm as the magic began to extract the ancient nail.

The small piece of metal slipped from the wall and fell to the floor with a tinkle. In his excitement, Spencer leapt off the chair, scooped up the nail, and tucked it into his belt pouch.

“Got it!” Spencer said, turning to his dad. But Alan Zumbro was not wearing the same victorious expression as his son. He was standing in the center of the room, staring at the double doors, which had just flung open.

There must have been at least twenty Sweepers crowding in the hallway outside the door. Spencer couldn’t count them, but he knew it was an impossible number to withstand. They were cornered. It was over.

Alan began to take a step back toward his son, but froze as the crowd of Sweepers parted. A familiar figure slipped into view, white lab coat draped across his broad frame.

It was Mr. Clean.

Spencer tensed himself against the enemy warlock, but Alan went rigid. Spencer could tell his dad was trying to say something, but his mouth just kept opening and closing in total dismay.

“You . . .” Alan finally mustered, as Mr. Clean came toward him. “You . . .”

“Surprised to see me, old friend?” Mr. Clean asked. “The years have not been kind to you.”

“Dad?” Spencer interrupted. “What’s going on? You . . . know him?”

“Know him?” Alan said. “This man was my partner.” He swallowed hard. “This is Rod Grush.”