We were back on a shuttle to the surface, but this time we got to enjoy the experience. Well, I enjoyed it at least because I was small enough to fit comfortably. Fang and Iggy mostly were sitting with their knees tucked to their chests because of the small space. Nudge was chattering on to Captain Holly Short who was piloting the shuttle.

"Your eyes are orange today, Angel," Gazzy told me.

"Oh," I said.

"I hate this," Iggy stated. "Why are we rushing off to save an adopted brother we don't really even know?"

"Why did we decide to save the world?" I countered. "Anyways, Angeline and Arty senior already lost him for three years, who knows how they'll react to losing him again as soon as they got him back?"

"And getting to trash an Institute is a happy consequence of going after him." Gazzy said.

"So, Fang," Captain Short said from the driver's seat, obviously trying not to lose it over Nudge's blabbering. "Tell me more about these Schools. What can I expect for security?"

"They're filled with evil whitecoats, for starters," Nudge interrupted before he could reply. "They experiment on children, and most of them don't live; the ones that do have an expiration date built in so they don't could die whenever that comes around. Their security guards are what took Artemis. Man-wolf people called Erasers, they're crazy strong and super evil."

"What might they be planning to do with Artemis?" Captain asked.

"Who knows," Fang told her before Nudge could open her mouth again. "There could be something with his brain they want to do. The way I see it, there are two worst-case scenarios: one, they've already done something to him and he's dying, or, two," Fang paused for a moment. "They could be trying to recruit him."

Silence fell as we all considered the effects of this possibility.

Artemis was strapped to a table in a brightly lit room. Minerva was lying unconscious on a table nearby. Earlier they had spoken and she'd told him she'd been kidnapped by the human-lupine hybrids from her house in the middle of the night.

His mind was working feverishly for a way out, most of which would only work with fairy help. Through a window looking into the nearest hallway, he could see Jon Spiro consulting with a few lab techs. It was only a matter of time now.

Artemis glanced again at the experiment guidelines posted on the wall in front of him.

"Holly, come quickly," he whispered.