As she neared the top of the hill, through a gap in the trees, Helen looked down on Tarclaver. There was no sign that Dr. Trockelheim had noticed her absence.

In the tall grass beside the gate, she had silently tossed a boxed antique toy rocket, a treasure from the secret 11th floor room: "Easy to assemble and powered by carbon dioxide gas that forms from the chemical reaction between baking soda and vinegar".