Chapter Twenty-Six: The Tunnel and the Station. Scratching. The Trolley House. Red Molly. The Welcoming Party. A Mother’s Grief.
Contains spoilersOverview
Charlie’s group escapes through a tunnel to the Trolley House and reaches the city gate, where Red Molly and night soldiers intercept them. Molly kills Peterkin and Ammit before Charlie empties a .22, and she dies choking. A vast cloud of monarchs annihilates the night soldiers while Kellin flees. Outside the gate, Charlie reunites with Radar as allies close the gate and Hana howls for her dead daughter. Leah pointedly turns away from Charlie.
Summary
Charlie leads the escapees up a long, dim tunnel from the Officials’ Room, hearing ominous scratching beyond the tiled walls. With the lantern dying, they force open a final door into the vast Trolley House garage, startling a colony of bats. Passing through to the station hall, they find a marked “WAY OUT” and push outside near the main gate.
On the Gallien Road, Kellin’s night soldiers advance with his electric bus behind them and a motor-wagon driven by Red Molly in the lead. Peterkin spots Charlie and rushes into the street; Red Molly casually swats him in half. As Charlie retrieves his backpack and Polley’s .22, he orders Iota to rush the others to the gate. Ammit charges Red Molly, bites her, and is killed when she smashes his face through.
Red Molly turns on Charlie. He fires multiple rounds—head and throat shots fail to stop her—then empties five more into her open mouth, blasting out her teeth. She chokes on the shattered teeth and collapses, dying before she can crush him.
With the night soldiers closing, a massive kaleidoscope of monarch butterflies sweeps over the wall and swarms them, shorting out their deadly auras and smothering them; Kellin turns his bus and flees. Charlie sprints to the open gate and is met by Radar, who barrels into him, and he breaks down in relief.
Outside stand Claudia, Woody, and Leah on Falada, along with the escapees and scores of gray folk. As Claudia orders the gate closed, Hana arrives within Lilimar, wailing over dead Red Molly and calling for Charlie to return so she can kill him. The gate shuts on her grief. When Charlie greets Leah, she turns away in stony silence.
Who Appears
- Charlie Reade
Narrator; leads the escape, kills Red Molly with Polley’s .22, reunites with Radar at the gate.
- Red Molly
Giant enforcer; tears Peterkin apart, kills Ammit, then chokes to death after Charlie’s shots shatter her teeth.
- Iota (Eye)
Strongman ally; carries Freed, leads escapees toward the gate on Charlie’s command.
- Ammit
Brawny ally; attacks Red Molly to protect Charlie and is killed by a brutal blow.
- Radar
Charlie’s dog; races in from outside the gate for an emotional reunion.
- Freed
Wounded doctor; guides them toward the Trolley House exit, is carried during the escape.
- Lord High Kellin
Tyrant of Lilimar; arrives with night soldiers, then flees when monarchs annihilate his force.
- Peterkin
Informer in torn green britches; points out Charlie and is instantly torn in half by Red Molly.
- Leah of the Gallien
Exiled princess; arrives armed on Falada, oversees the gate, pointedly turns away from Charlie.
- Claudia
Royal ally; commands the gate be closed, part of the rescue party outside Lilimar.
- Woody
Royal ally; greets Charlie as prince and stands with Leah and Claudia at the gate.
- Dora
Gray woman; embraces Charlie and Radar among the gathered freed gray folk.
- Hana
Red Molly’s mother; arrives too late, screams grief and vows vengeance as the gate shuts.