Read Arrival for Free Online Page B

Embryology.
    We all opened our laptops and copied down the heading in silence.
    I glanced sideways at Peter, who was still staring daggers at the back of Michael’s head. What in the world was all that about? The whole thing reminded me of what Mum and Dad were like near the end, when conversations could go from civil to screaming in twenty-five words or less.
    Jordan turned to speak to Peter, probably looking for an explanation too, but he shot her a don’t-want-to-talk-about-it look and she let it drop.
    We spent the rest of the class making slide shows to explain how, when you get right down to it, every animal starts out as the same little orange blob. Or something.
    This gave Peter a bit of time to work on recombining the files on his computer, quickly flashing up his science work whenever Ms Benson walked past. By the time the lesson was over, he was still less than halfway done, but at least he’d calmed down a bit after his run-in with Cathryn.
    And even though Peter thought the whole coded message thing was bit of a joke, Jordan managed to convince him to take the files straight home after school and keep working on them. Then again, I reckon Jordan could probably have convinced Peter to chop out his own tongue with a butter knife if she’d wanted to.
    As soon as I got home, I made another pointless attempt at trying to get in touch with Dad, and then went upstairs, set my laptop up on my desk, and waited.
    I tried to get through some of my growing pile of homework, but I was too distracted. Peter had promised to let us know as soon as he figured anything out, and I kept stopping every two minutes to check if he’d emailed yet.
    Mum came home at 7.00 p.m. with a takeaway salad and two boxes of microwave macaroni cheese. The closest thing she could manage to her promised home-cooked meal. I ate quickly and then raced back upstairs.
    At 10.30 p.m, the reply from Peter finally came.
    hey Luke
I figured out the message. turns out it’s an audio file.
    I’ve listened to it a couple of times already … it’s gotta be a joke but I reckon you guys should probably hear it for yourselves.
    meet me at the fountain tomorrow morning – 6.30 before it gets too crowded.
    mate if this thing is legit … we are all in some SERIOUS trouble.

Chapter 7
    F RIDAY , M AY 8
97 DAYS
    â€˜About time,’ said Jordan as I pulled up next to the fountain in the morning and ditched my bike on the ground. She and Peter were already sitting on one of the wooden benches that surrounded the fountain, clutching coffee cups. ‘What took you so long?’
    â€˜What do you mean?’ I yawned, grabbing my phone to check the time. I glanced at Peter, who for some reason was looking extremely pleased with himself. ‘You said six-thirty, right?’
    â€˜Huh?’ said Jordan. ‘You told me six.’
    â€˜Did I?’ said Peter, quickly wiping the grin off his face. ‘Oh. Sorry.’
    Jordan turned her attention back to the computer sitting open on Peter’s lap.
    I shot a confused look at Peter, who winked at me behind Jordan’s back. He performed a silent fake yawn and mimed putting an arm around her shoulder.
    â€˜Are you kidding?’ I said. ‘Do you have to pull that crap right now?’
    â€˜Pull what crap?’ said Jordan, looking up again.
    â€˜Nothing, don’t worry,’ I muttered, sitting down next to Peter. ‘Have you listened to it yet?’
    â€˜No, we were waiting for you,’ said Jordan. She turned to Peter. ‘Go on. Show us.’
    â€˜Wait a sec,’ I said, glancing up and down the street, checking to make sure we wouldn’t be overheard.
    As usual, there were a dozen or more security guards patrolling the street. Across the fountain, two of them were having an argument with Crazy Bill, who they’d just found sleeping under a tattered blanket in one of the gardens that decorated the town centre. Then there was