Page 23 (1/2)
He grabs Ella’s hand and h my other elbow I look around at the pieces of the walls that spoke to us about our future and our past I think about the many Loric ere here before us I’m sad we’ll be the last ones to see it But I also think about the responsibility that being the last Loric puts on all of us I take one last look at Crayton, thanking hiht says Then, everything goes black
18
All of a sudden, Nine’s at the edge of his seat ‘Holy shit! Four! Check it out They’ve moved’
‘Who moved?’ I take the tablet out of his hand The blue dots that identify us have changed position At least, some of them have There is still one blue dot in Jao But there are now three off the coast of Africa, and one in New Mexico My chest relaxes when I see there are still seven dots, but I’m confused by how they moved to these other places so quickly ‘How did they do that?’
‘I have no idea,’ Nine says ‘It’s like they teleported or ju?’
‘Henri said stargates don’t exist,’ I said, shaking my head
‘Yeah, well, neither do aliens fro to soht Maybe Henri rong ‘One Garde is in New Mexico, Nine Near what you think ht be our ship That can’t be a coincidence Do you think they’re going after it?’
‘Man, I hope not It is so not time for that yet We have a lot of shit to take care of before we leave Earth’
I stare at the blue dot pulsing in New Mexico, and press the green triangle, revealing where the Lorien ships are hidden again There is no way this one has accidentally landed so close to it Add that to the fact I’ve been told Sarah is out west, possibly with Sam, and I’m convinced
‘I’ New Mexico Now Everything we’ve seen and learned points to it, tells us we need to go there right now’ I rush out of the room, slam my Chest shut and put it next to the front door ‘ BK ?’ I call out Bernie Kosar trots over with the steak bone in his mouth
Nine followsto up and fly off to New Mexico! Especially after e just saw! These guys are teleporting around By the tiet in the elevator, they could be in Antarctica! Or, Australia! There’s too much we don’t know yet We don’t even know for sure that’s our ship What if it’s a trap?’ Nine moves in front of the door and crosses his ar at the elevator button, trying to pretend Nine is not there blocking my efforts
The words tuo there anyway Even if the Garde et there New Mexico is still the obvious and only place for us to go’ I’et on board with this ‘We can take so I sprint into the training roo over the mats in the direction of the cabinet when I hear theoverhead Nine drops from above me, into my path, and puts his hand up
‘Whoa Hold on there, bud Take a breath,’ he says with his hands up, palo to Paradise’
‘Are you freaking kidding uy
‘I got to thinking while you were asleep We need to go back to where you found the tablet You said before there were a bunch of papers down there, not toso Setrákus Ra’
‘You don’t get it,’ I say, pushing past hi out west this second Do you have a car?’
He shoves me hard in the back I almost fall, but I catch‘I do have a car, but we’re going to Paradise first We need to find anything we can to help us fight’
‘Not a chance’ I turn and shove him back, and before I know it, our arms are locked over each other’s heads Nine kicks round
Bernie Kosar barks, telling us to stop
‘Relax, BK ,’ Nine says, waving at hi before we head to Ohio’
‘Right We’re training now,’ I spit, pullingwe just learned’
Nine throws a jab and I deflect it But I can’t do the saot hit with a battering rame flat on my back
‘Come on, man!’ he yells down at e into the desert, take on whatever enemy co to ut As he doubles over, I knee hi about, Four!’ Blood spills fro atsigns of giving o to New Mexico Immediately I’ll even let you drive But if I e spend a couple ure soo back to Paradise and head down that well’