Read Divided Worlds Trilogy 01 - Disconnect for Free Online

bot? A bot could alert others to his trespassing status. He quickened his pace through the grass.
    The repair work hadn’t ended, and the path back to the docking-bay was clear. Zachary smiled at the motion of the Intercom bouncing in his pocket. Something good had come from the trip, though he was sorry it was not her. Because of four files, he’d thought she was different. Gentle. Considerate. Eyes rolling, he cursed under his breath how she’d brought distaste into his mouth. Zachary moistened his lips. Rosa Kade. She had a name. Part of him didn’t care. As far as Overworld was concerned, he was tired and disgusted of it.
    “ Stop ,” came a voice.
    Zachary spun, hands up.
    Nobody. He scanned across the grass. There. A grey-suited man aimed a handgun, but not at him. He fired a pinging shot in the opposite direction from where Zachary was heading. In the distance, a man in green swayed before dropping into the grass.
    “ROM member tagged on residential boundary,” said the shooter.
    What in Europa! Zachary darted with his body bent forward and his neck aching to keep up. The grass offered little cover with his jump suit. How could red against green hide him? What was ROM? Resisting the temptation to see if the grey-suited man had spotted him, Zachary charged down the slope. All the time, the walls darkened around him. His thoughts raced. Was that the person who had stolen the first Intercom?
    “Whoa – steady,” cried a man wearing shades in the docking bay that Zachary barged into. “What’s the rush?”
    Shivers ran along Zachary’s face. “I need to collect some bits from the ship.”
    “Okay, but can you do it without treating this like a race circuit?”
    Nodding, Zachary sprinted up the Muirne ’s ramp. He threw off the jumpsuit, wondering at the ease with which the grey-suited man had fired. In Underworld, when not at the mercy of a gang, anyone who committed a theft would be questioned. That man was just shot. Taking a moment to absorb his goose bumps, Zachary collapsed into his seat.
    If anyone asked, he never left the ship. He sat here staring at the buttons. But what if Rosa’s bot reported him? What about Rosa? And he had her bleeding Intercom!
    Chills crushed his limbs as he ran to the rear of the ship. He crouched to peer beyond the ramp. People everywhere. A shadow moved through a crowd. It was a man in grey. Looking at him.
    Zachary jumped up.
    A blow hammered the back of his head. Staggering for a second, a rapid blur sucked his breath away.

Chapter 5 - No Place Like Home
    As Zachary’s eyes opened he lashed out with his arms.
    He blinked at the flurry of lights streaming around him.
    “Glad you could join us,” smirked Marcus.
    Zachary rubbed the sore lump on the back of his head. He’d been knocked out long enough for the repairs and the journey home to be completed.
    Marcus shuffled in his seat. “What did I say about staying put?”
    “I did. I just … hit my head.”
    “You’re lucky you weren’t mistaken for a pirate.”
    “Yeah – lucky.”
    Ahead, IOTA’s metallic end opened. Grinning as white smoke thrust out around the Muirne ’s cockpit, Zachary realised he’d exited Overworld without anybody noticing or questioning his sneaking away. Was the man who’d been shot the one who’d stolen the Intercom? If so, that made Rosa’s home safe – didn’t it?
    He patted his chest, thinking of the rewards to come when her Intercom was handed in. Rough cotton from a vest met his fingers.
    Zachary’s tight seatbelt prevented him from jumping up. Belt unclipped, he froze at the frown from his dad. The last thing he needed was his dad following him to where the Intercom rested in the pocket of the jumpsuit he’d been wearing.
    “I want to get one last look, before we leave,” said Zachary.
    Not waiting for a reply, he rushed down the corridor, decelerating to a walk at the sight of five men who sat playing cards. None of them wore their jumpsuits.
    In the