Then there were voices. Men's voices. They were coming closer, but couldn't be understood from the classroom. The sound of one almost made Meggie's heart stop. "No!," she whispered. "Basta!" In the dead silent classroom her voice was heard by everyone. Everyone stared at her but she barely noticed. She was to afraid and shocked to do anything. Finally she found her voice. "We all have to get out--," she started, but was cut off when the door burst open. Five men walked into the classroom, all with guns. Meggie recognized two of them. Basta and Flatnose. While the other men pointed their guns around the room, Basta and Flatnose scanned the room and Meggie was sure she knew why. Her idea was confirmed when Flatnose's eyes stopped on her. "There she is!," he said to Basta as he pointed in her was paralyzed by fear as Basta walked to where she was sitting. The rest of the class just watched in silent horror as the armed man came towards their friend. Meggie was glad they were sensible enough not to do anything. Then she realized they were probably just too scared. Why is Basta here? Do they have Mo, Resa and Elinor too? How did they get into the school? Why is the teacher just letting this all happen?, Meggie just answered the last two questions by herself: Basta had blackmailed people to get what he wanted. Just like Capricorn used to do."Well Miss Silvertongue, you don't seem too excited to see us again!," Basta sneered as he stood in front of Meggie's desk. He looked at her for a moment and widened his wicked smile. "The girl's grown. She's prettier than her mother now, and that's saying something! Isn't it Flatnose?""Yes it is! Resa sure is pretty!," Flatnose laughed. Meggie felt hatred spread through her and block out some of her straight into Basta's eyes and, with as much contempt and the dirtiest look she could muster, Meggie said, "What are you doing here?""Well, we're here to get you. And I think you should be a little nicer, seeing as we came from so far away to see you!," Basta replied. "Now come on and you can see the dirty fire-eater and your little boyfriend." Meggie turned pale and Basta and the other men laughed. Meggie looked at Hailey, Andrew, and Ryan as Basta pulled her out of the seat by her arm. She just saw shocked, confused, and scared expressions on their faces to match the ones of the rest of the class."What did you do to Dustfinger and Farid?," Meggie demanded as Basta pulled her towards the door. The men laughed again as Basta replied, "They were treated to our hospitality, just as you are about to be." Fear and hatred bubbled inside Meggie's stomach as she and the five men went to the door. As hard as Meggie struggled, she couldn't break free of Basta's the lights went out even though nobody touched the switch, and it was dark because the window was covered. And as suddenly as the darkness came it was gone. In its place, fire appeared. It blocked the door just as they were about to walk out of it. People yelled and screamed as Meggie was filled with hope. She knew who must be here when something like this happened. Dustfinger! And that must mean Farid is here too!"You idiots!," Basta screamed at his men. "Put that fire out! I knew it! You fools let the stupid fire eater escape! Find him!" None of the men followed his orders. They were surrounded by fire. The students were all running over and exiting the room through the windows. Basta jumped away from the fire as it leaped out near where he was."What's the matter Basta? Not still afraid of fire are you?," Meggie questioned. She couldn't get away yet because she was with the five men in the ring of fire. Basta glared at her, but as he started towards her, two figures came through the fire. Once he saw the look on her face as she looked past him, Basta spun around. He found himself looking at Dustfinger as he spoke to the flames surrounding Farid was by Meggie. He had been helping Dustfinger speak to the flames, but was now focusing on Meggie. Meggie took his hand and he cleared a path in the ring of flames and led her over to the window. "Jump out Meggie!," he told her. When he saw how reluctant she looked to leave him there he added, "It's okay Meggie! I'll be right out!" Meggie was the last student inside the classroom. Her friends outside were calling her to come out. Some of them were at the window holding their hands to her to help her out. She took one last look at Farid and then took the hands extended towards her. They helped her out of the window and she turned to see Farid running back to help Dustfinger. She didn't take her eyes off of him until he ran back to the window with Dustfinger. They jumped out of the window, which still had most of the class surrounding it. Some had run off hugged Farid as tight as she could as Dustfinger spoke to Meggie's classmates. He told them to go back into the school and tell the adults in charge that there was a fire inside the room. They ran to do as they were instructed after Meggie nodded assuringly to them. Basta and his men could be heard yelling inside the classroom. Dustfinger closed the window and then turned to Meggie. "Are you alright?," he smiled and then responded, "Yes. Thank you." Then she remembered something she had feared just a few minutes ago. The smile slid off her face as she asked, "Are Resa and Mo and Elinor alright?"Dustfinger looked back at the window where there was a lot of flickering light, heat, and yells. Now there seemed to be a lot more people inside. "Let's get out of here. Then we can explain what's been happening."Meggie agreed and they all went quickly away. They soon left the hectic school behind them.