Chapter Twenty-Six: The Tunnel and the Station. Scratching. The Trolley House. Red Molly. The Welcoming Party. A Mother’s Grief.

Summary

• The group traverses a tunnel, led by a single lantern. A member of their group, Freed, has considerable injuries, but he guides them as he has familiarity with the tunnel from his past.
• Freed reveals that the tunnel leads to a nearby location known as the Trolley House. The group decides they must continue their journey despite the uncertainty and risks of what lies ahead.
• The tunnel's pathway expands into a large garage filled with trolleys, which appear to be out of commission. They spot an exit sign and decide to follow it.
• After emerging from the tunnel, they find themselves under attack from Red Molly, a giant woman who quickly kills one of their group. The protagonist, now armed with a small gun, manages to shoot Red Molly multiple times and she collapses to the ground.
• Despite the gunfire attracting the attention of night soldiers, they are quickly overwhelmed by a wave of monarch butterflies. The protagonist and his dog, Radar, make it through the outer gate to safety, joined by Woody, Claudia, and Leah - a group of royal exiles believed to be the last of the Gallien line.
• As the gate closes, the group is confronted by Hana, the mother of Red Molly, who screams for them to come back for retribution for the death of her child. The gate closes fully, cutting off her screams and leaving the group out of immediate danger.
• The protagonist meets Leah, who is armed and seems cold or perhaps deaf to his greeting.