The Lion of Mars

Albie, Flossy, Vera, and Trey have all joined Bell at the French settlement. Their hosts are very friendly, but the children are suspicious and wonder about their intentions. Bell meets one of the French men who chased him and his friends when they were in the rover. He learns that what they assumed were weapons were in fact harmless golf clubs.

Bell also realizes that the others all know about Sai and the Americans, whom they remember fondly because they had parties together before they ceased contact altogether. Over the next few days, the American children get to know the people from the other countries and form relationships with them. Albie develops a crush on a French girl, Vera meets her former nanny, and Bell has a conversation with Commander Laurent about their common friend Phinneus. They also learn that the reason the US surveillance camera was broken was because some of the French children borrowed a rover and accidentally drove into it, which the latter apologize for.

After spending a month at the French settlement, Bell and the American children prepare to go home. Trey offers to switch rooms back with Albie, cementing his friendship with Bell once again. The children all exchange tearful goodbyes with their new friends, who offer them parting gifts and make them promise to come back soon. Commander Laurent gives Bell a bouquet of flowers for Sai, adding that he will know what they mean.

When the children return to the American settlement, the adults embrace them, and the children happily recount their adventures. Later that day, Bell approaches Sai to ask what the flowers meant, but Sai blushes and tells him that they symbolize friendship. The Commander also evades Vera’s question when she asks why they were told that the other countries were dangerous, and the children go to bed worrying about whether they will be able to see their new friends again.

After Chapter 24, a Secure Communication transcript sent by Sai to Earth explains that the settlers have been in contact with the other countries due to exceptional circumstances, and asks whether the children may be sent a kitten—which Bell jokingly asked for—as a reward.

The children are still excitedly talking about their new friends, and Bell suggests they send them thank you notes. Most of the adults are on board, but Sai is still reluctant about being in touch with the other countries. They exchange notes and packages through the tunnel for a few days, longing to meet again, and even decide to build a new ping-pong table. When Albie sets out to make paper flowers for Layla as a gift because he is in love with her, Bell understands that Sai and Commander Laurent’s relationship is not merely friendship either. However, Sai receives a message from Earth command that orders them to cease contact with the other nations and denies the request for a kitten.

The dust storm finally ends, but morale is low in the American settlement and dissent is in the air. Trey even refuses an opportunity to become Sai’s apprentice. Bell comes to the realization that they are all feeling like mice in a cage—they now know that there is more to life than their small, isolated group.

While cleaning out Phinneus’s room with Meems, Bell finds the old man’s diary. In it, Bell reads about Phinneus’s affection for him, as well as his certainty that Lissa was not left behind to die and there must have been more to the situation. The next day, Bell asks Meems about what he read, and she explains that Lissa was like a daughter to Sai, who took it hard when she died, and that no one is certain about what happened that day. Lissa, Commander Laurent, and Petyr, a Russian man, were out in a rover and had an accident that led to Sai discovering Lissa’s body. He then cut communications with the other countries. Bell realizes that those bad feelings have festered like weeds over the years.

After Chapter 26, a Secure Communication transcript sent by Sai to Earth briefly states that morale is low in the settlement and asks for advice.

While on dust duty, Bell finds a note from Amélie taped to the train tunnel door asking for urgent help. The children all want to go help their friends, but Sai refuses, claiming that Bell must have written the note himself.

The next day, inspired by Phinneus’s memory, Bell sets out to remind the adults about their affection for their former friends to convince them to make contact again. He prompts Meems, Salty Bill, Eliana, and Darby to tell them about the parties they used to have. Bell argues that they need the others to survive, just like lions take care of their pride, and the adults agree.

Sai begins to protest, but Salty Bill says that he will not cook another meal until they check on their friends, and the Commander reluctantly gives in. The American settlers all take the train to the French settlement, where they are greeted by Layla, who leads them to the recreation room. There, they walk into a surprise party for Vera’s birthday. Everyone mingles together, except Sai, who stays aside, and Commander Laurent, who is helping at the Chinese settlement.

After Vera’s birthday party, the Americans are back in contact with the other nations, helping and going back and forth between the settlements. Even though Bell and the others try to convince Sai that this is for the best, he is still inexplicably reluctant to join them.

Bell and Amélie organize a sleepover at the American settlement, during which Petyr and Commander Laurent stop by to meet with Sai. Bell and Amélie eavesdrop on their conversation and learn that Petyr never wanted to leave Lissa behind. Commander Laurent was seriously injured, and Lissa had a broken leg, so Petyr carried the Commander back to the base. He intended to come back for Lissa with help, but she had unexpectedly died of a blood clot in the meantime and Sai had already found her. Petyr sent messages to Sai to explain, but Sai cut off all communications and refused to read them.

Petyr and Commander Laurent apologize to Sai for Lissa’s death, and Sai apologizes for thinking the worst of them. Petyr leaves, and Bell and Amélie witness Sai and Commander Laurent, who he calls “Larry,” embrace and kiss.

The Americans are joining the French settlers to place flowers on Lissa and Phinneus’s graves. In the rover, Commander Laurent shows Bell the place where the meteorite he saw at the beginning of the book crashed. In the end, the settlers from all the nations have a joyful celebration during which they organize a ping-pong tournament between the adults and the children. Bell concludes the story by calling them all “the pride of Mars” (251).