Courtney nodded dumbly and stared at the rock in her hand. "In the excitement, I guess I forgot I had it."

Laughter rang out again and the fiery ball they'd seen so many times before whizzed from above and smashed into the puzzle, opening up the final remaining piece.

"Is this the last test?" Courtney asked. "Do you think we can we go home soon?"
Collin smiled at his sister. "I think it'll be over soon. Hold my hand, Court. We don't want to lose you again."

She slipped the piece of pitchblende into Collin's backpack and took his offered hand. She was a little surprised when Morgan took his other hand. The new way Collin and Morgan smiled at each other made her wonder if something had changed between them since she had gone to Berlin and they were together in Paris.

"Let's get this adventure over with," she sighed.
Hand in hand, the three stepped through the final hole in the puzzle. They fell down, down, and then the vortex was engulfed by a brilliant ball of fire.