Using the worktable for leverage, Nate stood up. “You are a lucky little girl,” he said, his age adding a certain dignity to his voice. “Not everyone gets an opportunity to start over with a Clean Slate!”

There was a moment of utter silence. Then John Dart threw his head back and laughed.

Wyatt approached the young girl. “Belinda?”

“Is that my name?” the girl asked. She reached up a hand, touched her vacant eye socket, and jerked it away. “What happened to me? Who are you people?”

Wyatt glared fiercely at Nate. “You put a Clean Slate into the goblet?”

“I still had the one Mrs. White intended for us to use on Mr. Stott,” Nate said. “Before the spider wrapped me up, I tucked it into the waistband of my underpants. It was my last resort. You didn’t even search me for candy.”

Wyatt shook his head. He rubbed a hand against the worktable. A rueful grin crept onto his face. “This probably ranks as the best sucker punch I’ve ever seen,” he murmured to himself.

Wyatt cracked his knuckles. He fixed Nate with a steady gaze. “I’m not glad you did it,” he growled. “But it’s done. There’s no going back. I’ve seen the Clean Slate in action before. This is over. Her mind is irretrievable.”

“What are you talking about?” the little girl asked.

Wyatt crouched. “You lost your memory,” he explained. “You have no family. Maybe some of these people can help you find a foster home.”

John Dart stood up, hands bound behind his back. He walked toward the Fuse. “What’s your move, Wyatt?”

“Not a step closer, John,” the Fuse said. “Far as I’m concerned, this whole endeavor is a bust. If I didn’t think you’d hunt me down, I might take my leave quietly.”

“From the look of things, you’re running out of unmarked skin,” John said. “My guess is Belinda promised to restore you with her augmented powers.”

“I’ve got enough juice left to take all of you with me,” Wyatt spat.

“Maybe,” John said. “But why perish? Let me take you in.”

“Not a chance,” Wyatt said, backing away. “Never underestimate a Fuse. You’d do well to give me your word you won’t pursue me, and let me depart in peace.”

John looked around the room, making eye contact with Nate and the kids. “You realize I can’t speak for my employers,” John said.

“I’m more worried about you than them,” the Fuse said. “I’ve made it personal with you. I’m going to trust that your employers have bigger fish to fry than a Fuse who bet on the wrong horse and has almost burned out.”

John looked wretched. “All right, for the sake of the kids, I pledge I won’t chase you if you leave immediately.”

The Fuse smirked, dipping his head. “That’s all I needed to hear. Look after little Linda, would you?”

Wyatt ambled out the back door. Nate heard him thumping up the stairs.

John turned to face Nate, a warm smile spreading across his lips. “Nate, I can’t believe it, you’re one in a million.”

Nate grinned as Pigeon, Summer, and Gary shouted words of approval. It was sort of pathetic to watch people tied up on the floor trying to cheer. But he appreciated the sentiment.

“What about me?” Kyle said, standing feebly. “What about Eric?”

“She wasn’t going to change you back,” Nate said. “I used magic to visit the future. She was going to enslave all of us, including you, Denny. Where is Eric, anyway?”

“Upstairs with the dwarf,” Denny said. “They’re both in bed. They’re too injured to be on their feet.”

“We’ll have to go pick up Mr. Stott,” Nate said. “He’s stranded as a coyote in his ice cream truck. Without his help, we wouldn’t have stopped her.”

“What about Trevor?” Summer asked.

“I got him out of the mirror,” Nate said. “I’ll tell you all about it later. Right now I feel really tired.”

Denny pounded a fist into his palm. “Dirt Face, I’ve got to say, I didn’t know you had it in you.”

“Nate,” John said, “I’ve never been so thoroughly defeated. We were all helpless. I have to agree with Denny, I didn’t see a way out of this. You have my eternal respect and admiration.”

“Thanks,” Nate said, sitting down. “I’d do it all again if I had to, but ideally, I’d rather not spend the rest of my life as an old man.”

“Don’t worry,” John said with a wink. “I know a guy.”

µ

Epilogue

New Jobs for John

“You guys need any more bean dip?” the coyote inquired.

“I’m stuffed,” Trevor said, rubbing the side of the brace encasing his ribs.

“You sure?” the coyote version of Mr. Stott persisted. “I have several more cans in the pantry.” They were all seated in Mr. Stott’s living room. Half-empty bags of chips littered the coffee table, along with a platter of bagels, several tubs of cream cheese, a bowl with remnants of onion dip, an empty bean-dip container, and a dozen paper cups.

“How about you, Gramps?” Summer asked Nate. “Still hungry?”

Leaning forward on the couch, Nate poked Summer in the thigh with his cane. “I warned you,” he growled. “If you get to call me Gramps, I get to jab you.” Elderly Kyle, sitting beside him, chuckled and coughed.

“We won’t get to call you Gramps much longer,” Pigeon said. “What time is John getting here, anyhow?”

Kyle checked his watch. “Any minute.”

“How about Old Timer?” Trevor tried.

Nate tried to prod him, but Trevor was out of reach.

“Or Old Man Sutter,” Summer said, moving away from Nate. “Or Geezer. Or Fossil. Or Dinosaur.”

“Nathanosaurus,” Pigeon proposed.

“Laugh it up,” Nate grumbled.

“Up until a few days ago, I would have been hesitant to let John Dart set a foot in this house,” the coyote interjected. “He has a sinister reputation in our circles. But if he hadn’t arranged to have my truck towed here, I’d probably be roaming the hills chasing rabbits by now. He seems to be genuinely trying to set everything right.”

“Is John bringing Linda?” Pigeon asked.

“I believe so,” the coyote said.