Read Daniel X: Game Over for Free Online Page A

master,” said Number 7 and Number 8, like they shared voice. It was a little creepy how they did that, actually. Maybe it was a talent that came with being married a really long time…
    “Listen to me!” Number 1 barked. “I cannot afford
any more
screw-ups. I’m having to spend enough time recruiting and training replacements for Numbers 6, 5, and 3 without worrying about two
more
openings to fill.”
    “Don’t worry, master. We’re on schedule.”
    “I need you to be more than
on
schedule. You need to be
ahead
of schedule,” said Number 1, straightening up to his full height and glaring down at the human-looking couple. “We’ve had an unfortunate setback,” he said. “A Pleionid has landed here on Earth.”
    “A
Pleionid?
” asked Number 7.
    I was familiar with the name. Pleionids were a species of legendary genius and unique telepathic abilities. Unfortunately, they were also complete pacifists and had offered next to no resistance when Outer One poachers had invaded their world. Theirs was one of those legendary extinctions, much like the dodo bird or the passenger pigeon here on Earth.
    “But they’re extinct!!” blurted Number 8.
    The impatient look Number 1 gave her was enough to remove any doubt. “I don’t care whether you kill it, or him, first—but by no means may you let them make contact with each other… unless it’s as ingredients in one of your meals. Do you understand me?”
    Number 7 and Number 8’s ravenous, drooling expressionsmade it clear that there was no mission they’d have more willingly undertaken. For these two hunters of endangered species to receive a shot at one the most legendary of all interstellar creatures—
    Number 1 backed in to the open elevator, his insect eyes now glowing red.
    “Don’t even
think
of failing me.”
    “Oh, no, master. We won’t!” they yelled as the polished stainless steel doors slid closed.
    I gripped the railing of the window-cleaning gondola with both hands. My head was spinning. Number 1 here in Tokyo? The monster that had killed my parents and probably orchestrated the near genocide of my race?
    Had I really just seen him with my own eyes? Had I really just overheard his plans?
    Or was it all a trick? Had Number 7 and Number 8 known I’d be watching? Was it just a red herring to throw me off? Was I really supposed to believe there was a living Pleionid somewhere in this city? And
what
was that part about how Number 1 had seen to it that I could no longer time-travel? I’d never doubted myself this much before. I didn’t know what to believe…
    But I didn’t have any more time to ponder it right then. The elevator doors opened again and disgorged a figure far less intimidating yet in some ways more disturbing than Number 1.

Chapter 17

     

 
    I’D SEEN A lot of aliens in my day, but until that moment I’d never seen one wearing Adidas.
    The boy who’d just entered the apartment of Number 7 and Number 8 looked to be about my age, with jet-black hair and piercing dark eyes, and wearing a tattered wool sweater and blue jeans. There was something deeply sad about him, like somebody close to him had died and he didn’t want to talk about it. He looked like a decent kid. Which was bizarre considering this was apparently Number 7 and Number 8’s
son.
    “Kildare, my boy,” said Number 7, turning away from his computer screen, which right then was filled with engineering schematics of some antennas located on the second-tallest structure in Tokyo, the famed Tokyo Tower. “You’ll never guess who was just here.”
    “The Supernanny,” replied Kildare, “come to give you two some parenting pointers.”
    “What is he talking about, Colin?” asked Number 8.
    “As usual, Ellie,” said Number 7, “I have no idea.” He turned back to his son with a stern expression. “We were just called on by none other than
The Prayer.
”
    A flicker of surprise crossed Kildare’s face, quickly masked by a shrug.
    “Do you even know