Scarecrow Returns

THE TINY figures of Schofield and Champion shot down the superlong cable that connected Dragon Island’s cliff-top terminal with Acid Islet’s sea-level station.

They looked infinitesimally small in front of the towering cliffs behind them and the vast horseshoe-shaped bay around them—but they didn’t care for the view now.

They slid fast, very fast, shooting down the long swooping cable, their enormous slide lasting a full twenty seconds.

Schofield gripped his belt tightly, and as he saw the yawning square doors of the station on the islet getting closer, he pulled outward on his belt, causing it to tighten around the cable.

They slowed immediately and at first he thought he had left his braking move too late, and he pulled with all his strength on the belt and it bit against the cable, trying to slow, and they entered the lower station fast and—

—swung to a lurching halt.

Zack and Emma were already on the platform and they helped Champion down.

When she was safely down, Schofield dropped to the platform and checked his watch:

3:01 . . . 3:00 . . . 2:59 . . .

“Three minutes, folks,” he said. “Run. Run as fast you can.”

They bolted out of the cable car station, down the short road and into the huge hall-sized building filled with vats and tanks.

2:00 . . . 1:59 . . . 1:58 . . .

Zack and Emma ran in front, while Schofield ran with Champion draped over his shoulder, limping along as fast as she could.

1:30 . . . 1:29 . . . 1:28 . . .

Across some catwalks, zigzagging.

1:00 . . . 0:59 . . .

“One minute!” Schofield called.

Down some ladders. Champion made it awkward, slowing them down.

0:40 . . . 0:39 . . .

Schofield landed on the bottom level and saw the door he’d seen before: the superthick metal door with the nuclear symbol on it. “There it is!”

0:30 . . . 0:29 . . .

They rushed across the floor of the hall.

0:18 . . . 0:17 . . .

Zack and Emma dashed inside the thick reinforced doorway.

0:16 . . . 0:15 . . .

Schofield, Bertie and Champion ducked in after them.

0:14 . . . 0:13 . . .

Zack and Emma swung the heavy door shut behind them. It closed with a resounding boom.

0:10 . . . 0:09 . . .

They all scampered down a concrete stairwell, down several levels.

0:05 . . . 0:04 . . .

Through two more thick doors.

0:03 . . . 0:02 . . .

Through a final door, which Schofield slammed shut behind them as they all dropped to the floor, backs pressed against the solid concrete wall.

0:01 . . . 0:00.

There was a moment of silence.

Then it came.

Impact.