I'm sure you're just so anxious to find out what the deal is with Tamara. And you're going to stay that way for another chapter or so. Mwah!

The pilot was very confused in the morning. He had so many questions and no good reason to take two unsupervised kids across the Atlantic. But there was money promised to him.

"Where to?" he asked after receiving answers to all of his questions. He didn't need to know that all their answers were false.

Evan and Tamara shared a look before Evan answered, "London?"

The pilot shrugged. "And you're sure your parents will meet you there?"

The kids nodded. "We always travel alone," Tamara fibbed. "This is the only time we got lost."

"Thanks so much for helping," added Evan.

The pilot raised an eyebrow, but the promise of money kept him quiet. "You're in luck, kids, but I hope you never get lost again."

They just smiled and nodded, and in minutes were comfortably seated inside the luxury private jet.

After the standard procedures for takeoff, Tamara chanced to talk to Evan.

"We're going to make it to the loop before the Wights, right?" she whispered.

"Shh!" Evan hissed. Glancing around to make sure the pilot couldn't hear from inside the cockpit, he continued in a monotone, "And I don't know. We'll have to just see when we get there."

Tamara twisted one of the plush pillows on her seat nervously. What was the point of finding one of the last remaining loops, anyway? It wasn't like they would locate the Hollow there. Speaking of it, Tamara had been having the strangest feeling about that Hollowgast….

"I really don't want to repeat our last encounter with the Wights," Evan said unexpectedly.

Tamara sat up. "Huh?"

"I don't," he said. "So we have to be extra careful, okay?"

Tamara nodded.

Suddenly, the intercom crackled to life. "We're landing, kids. Buckle up and stay in your seats."

Tamara and Evan did as he said, and soon the plane had landed in one of London's private airports.

"Should we leave?" Evan asked once the pilot came into the back to check on them.

The pilot frowned. "I think you should wait for your parents. Also, they need to compensate me."

"Uh, about that…" Tamara said, taking off in the opposite direction, Evan in tow.

"HEY!" the pilot shouted from behind them, but they didn't look back.

Dodging and weaving between various obstacles on the airfield, Tamara and Evan ran like they'd never run before. It was not long before both of them were puffing hard and running out of steam.

"Where – should – we – go?" Evan panted, his face red.

Tamara didn't waste words. She pointed to the exit of the airport. Guards were on their way. "Hurry!"

Evan put on a burst of speed, even as his vision dimmed and his lungs felt as though they would explode. They were almost there… almost….

And then they were through the gate. Tamara kept going, pulling Evan along. Come on….

Guards were chasing them. Evan couldn't hold on much longer.

"Evan!" Tamara screamed, wasting her last breath.

Evan couldn't do it. His knees buckled and he sank down onto the pavement.

They were goners. Tamara glanced back, collapsing next to him, waiting for the police to come….

Only they didn't. Evan and Tamara had outrun them.

Tamara felt a rush of giddy excitement. "We – did it!" she gasped, laughing.

Evan was too busy sucking in air to answer. But after a moment, he stood up shakily.

"Yeah," he wheezed, "and guess what? We're here."

He pointed to the crowded stairs leading down, looking practically just like a New York subway entrance.

Tamara got to her feet as well. "You're right," she said. "It's the London Underground."

His POV

There were sudden noises. Screaming. Shouting.

I couldn't tell what was happening. But somehow, from the sinking feeling in my stomach, I could tell that the leaders had broken through the ice building.

Something was happening. More sounds.

Then I felt a burning, tingling sensation. I looked down.

It took my sluggish brain a moment to process what was happening.

The ice was thawing.

It wasn't just melting on me; it was dripping down from the ceiling and walls, faster and faster, until I was flailing in a pool of freezing liquid that slowly seeped out through the cracks in the room. What on earth?

I struggled as the feeling came back into my numb limbs. Something had just happened. Was the peculiar named Jacob safe? Somehow I felt that he was important. I needed him to help me.

In seconds, the ice had completely melted. I lay on the floor, too weak to move.

Pain. The pain amplified from unfreezing until I went wild.

I had to get out of here. The leaders would try and find me. They would be angry.

I had to leave. As soon as I recovered.

Immediately.