Back at the house, they all sat around the bed that had previously held Silas Charnon. It had taken them several hours to get back, since the Albatross aircraft had been totaled and they had to walk. They were miserable when they'd finally returned. Wet, cold and tired have never gone well together. Navin and Emily were shivering, sniffling frequently and wiping running noses. The instant they entered the foyer, Miskit had barked orders for Navin and Emily to be given dry clothes and blankets, and their mother to be placed in Master Silas' bed. The orders had been carried out to the letter, and soon the children were beside their mother, freshly clothed and wrapped in warm blankets.

The electrocardiogram beeped steadily with her heartbeat, and her breathing was normal. "Her vital signs are stable," Morrie said. "The poison won't kill her, but she needs an antidote. Otherwise, she may never wake again."

Emily watched her mother for any signs of life other than the steady movement of her chest as she breathed. Her eyes were closed and still, without so much as the twitch of REM sleep. Then Emily looked down at the stone in her hand and felt something very like hatred well up inside her. Her hand began to shake as her face twisted in an angry scowl. Hot tears welling in her eyes, she clasped it in both hands and started to lift it up and off her neck.

The stone sensed this and came to life, tightening the string that it hung from. Emily let out a surprised noise that sounded like a choked gag. Just relax, the stone said. I promised we'd get her back, didn't I?

But not like this! Emily still struggled to get it off her neck. You didn't say she'd be poisoned! How do we find a cure?

That, my dear, will be up to you. The string loosened, and the stone fell silent.

After a moment, when the stone said nothing else, Emily fell back into her depression. Stuck in an unfamiliar world with intelligent robots, giant creatures, energies that seemed like magic and not a clue about any of it was enough to leave anyone in such a state. That was how Emily felt now. Utterly overwhelmed. Trapped in a place she knew next to nothing about, with only the help of her great-grandfather's robotic friends and gut instinct to guide her. She looked at her mom, lying all but dead on the bed, and felt a wave of sadness and failure come crashing over her. "I'm so sorry, Mom," she whispered in a small voice. "I'm so sorry."

"Em? You okay?" Navin asked.

The startled gasp was almost undetectable in the choked sobs. "Yeah." Emily sniffed. "I'm fine."

In the background, the robots were still discussing their position. "The nearest city is Kanalis," Morrie said. "We can probably find what we need there."

"But that's three hundred miles away!" Miskit exclaimed. "Without the Albatross, that trip might take weeks."

"Hey," interrupted Cogsley's gruff voice, "did you jokers already forget? We still have one more vehicle."

Next to the bed, Navin asked, "Do you think she can hear us?"

Emily shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe."

Whether she could or not, Navin planted a kiss on his mother's cheek. "Don't worry, Mom. Everything's going to be okay." He looked at his sister. "Right, Em?"

Emily looked down at the stone in her palm, an expression of new determination spreading across her face. "Yeah, I think so."

"Navin. Emily." They turned to see Miskit looking at them. "It's time to move." With one last glance at their mother, they followed her out into the hall. "Ruby! Theodore!" Miskit called, and the two summoned robots appeared. "Secured all loose items and furniture. And don't forget any passengers."

"Yes, Ma'am," Theodore whirred.

Miskit nodded, then ascended a short staircase. "Hey, Miskit," Emily asked, "where are you going? That's the attic."

Miskit turned around and said, "Come on up. We have to get this house back on its feet."

Navin and Emily looked at each other. "Feet?" Navin asked, and Emily shrugged cluelessly. They followed the pink rabbit up and Navin peeked over the top step and gasped in amazement. This top room wasn't an attic, but a control center. Monitors, panels, keys, buttons, switches and levers covered three walls, and the general din of command chatter pervaded the space. On one side, Cogsley and a boxy robot about twice his size were doing something, while Miskit was reading off a checklist on the other. Navin climbed up and Emily followed on his heels. Both were wide-eyed with wonder.

"Hey, kids," Cogsley said. "Take a seat. We'll be leaving soon."

Both children took a seat in the indicated row lining one wall near the back corner. A moment later, Miskit joined them. "Hey Miskit, what's going on?" Emily asked.

"We need to get to the nearest city to find an antidote for your mother," Miskit answered. "And there's only one way we can get there." She reached up and pulled down a roller coaster-type seat brace in front of them. "Masters secured, Cogsley. Let's go."

"Copy that." Cogsley looked up at the big robot beside him. "You ready, Bottle?" The robot, Bottle, gave a deep meep in reply. "Then let's do this thing." He began slipping switches. "Main power, check. Steam valves, check. Joint motors, check. Hydraulics, check. Navigation, check. Communications, check. Backup generators, check." He nodded. "Everything checks out. Alright, everyone, let's blow this joint!" He shoved one of the two control levers forward and stomped on the opposite pedal.

The house shuddered more violently than any earthquake, and Navin and Emily yelped. The hiss of steam could be heard as pressure valves opened up. The building continued to shake, and suddenly they felt the vertigo that often accompanies an upward ride in an elevator. Emily closed her eyes tight while Navin watched in wide-eyed disbelief as the scene outside shifted and the house stood. Then came a crashing thud as the first truly mobile home they'd ever seen took its first step in who knew how long. They all waited in half-excited suspense as Cogsley guided the house into the lake and toward the cliff, then up the sheer face.

"We're almost out!" Cogsley called a few minutes later.

Emily and Navin watched the light grow brighter as they neared the rim of the deep, dark hole, then blinked as the sun shined its full brilliance on them. Finally, they were out of the hole and on their way, following the river south away from Gondoa Mountain and toward the city of Kanalis.