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“You think you can double-cross me?” The Coin Man loomed over the other man. He was speaking so quietly that Marco had to strain to hear him. Marco shivered. Yelling would have been easier to take, somehow. “You have made a mistake, my friend. You realize that? A very big mistake.”

“I understand,” Number Two said. His eyes were on the floor.

“When I left an hour ago, I had one problem and no coins. Now my coins are back, and I have two problems. So you know what that means?” The Coin Man carefully put the coin he’d been flipping on the coffee table and started to roll up his sleeves.

“What?” Number Two whispered.

“Soon I will have no problems. Because I’m going to make those problems go away.”

“No, please…” the second man whispered again. “Please.”

Marco stood up. He was already going to have nightmares for a month, and he didn’t see how watching this was going to help Polo. He wasn’t even sure how she was going to get out. It didn’t look like Walt’s plan was going to work after all.

“Can you watch the living room for a minute?” Marco asked. “I want to check on Polo.” Even if he couldn’t help her, he could be there for moral support.

“I can’t watch! You KNOW that!” Wallace said. “I never should’ve agreed to this.” Wallace didn’t know why he’d gotten mixed up with those weird apartment rats. He didn’t need new friends. He had plenty of friends on the loading docks. Sure, they didn’t have sunflower seeds, but who cared about that? He’d been meaning to give up sunflower seeds anyway.

Marco glared at the back of Wallace’s head. He felt like punching something. “Come on, Wallace, I just need—”

With a loud crash, the door to the apartment burst open. Marco gasped.

“What? What is it?” Wallace called, twisting around to look.

“WHOOHOOO!” Marco climbed up onto the grate to get a better view. “Wallace, LOOK! It worked!”

“What worked?” Wallace hopped to his feet and took a few steps toward the grate before stopping. He didn’t want to go back. But he really didn’t want to miss out. “What is it?”

“It’s the police!” Marco stuck his face through one of the holes in the grate and cheered. Not that anyone inside noticed him, but he thought it was appropriate anyway.

Wallace rushed to stand beside him. The apartment was crawling with police officers. The Coin Man and the Number Two Man were both handcuffed. Number Two was sobbing, with what Marco secretly suspected was relief. (Because if those police hadn’t shown up, he would’ve been totally dead.)

Wallace pointed toward the bathroom door.“Marco, look!”

A police officer moved the chair away from the door and pushed it open. A very dazed-looking Madison stepped tentatively into the room. Two more officers rushed forward and helped her to the couch.

“Do you see her?” Marco said, craning his neck to get a better view. She had to be okay. “Can you see Polo?”

“There!” Wallace pointed again. “Look at the pocket!”

Polo’s head had popped up out of Madison’s pocket. She was grinning from ear to ear, and when she saw Marco and Wallace in the grate, she gave them a thumbs-up.

Marco gave her a thumbs-up too, then leaned down to put his head between his knees. He needed to take some deep, cleansing breaths.

“I’d get you a paper bag to breathe into,” Wallace said. “But it would be too big.”

“I’ll be okay,” Marco said. “I just need a minute.”

Wallace patted him on the back.“I understand. Hey, what’s Polo doing?”

Marco stood up and looked into the room again. Polo was hanging out of the jacket pocket and clutching the material of Madison’s sweater.

Madison didn’t notice, and neither did the police officer taking her statement.

In just a few seconds, Polo withdrew back into the pocket. Looking up at the vent grate, she held up her hand triumphantly.

She had a new button.

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19

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“WE DID IT! IT WORKED!” Marco raced out from the vent behind the couch. “The police arrested them and everything.”

“Is Polo okay?” Butterbean asked, rushing up to sniff him. He smelled pretty much like he usually did, but she liked to check, just in case.

Marco raised his arms to give Butterbean full sniff access.“She looked fine. Wallace said he’d keep watching. She’ll probably be back soon.” Marco pumped his fist. “WHOOHOO!”

“Whew! Finally some good news.” Walt hopped off the window ledge, where she’d been sitting with Oscar. “We’ve been watching the police cars drive up. I’m glad they got there in time.”

“Wow, two successful heists in one day!” Butterbean said, sitting down and scratching her ear. “We’re awesome!”

“We’re the best heisters ever!” Marco cheered.

“And now we’re poor!” Butterbean cheered.

“Yes, about that—” Oscar started, hopping down from the ledge.