Read Lost Planet 01 - The Lost Planet for Free Online Page B

dome.”
    Chase squinted as a bright shaft of light hit his eyes. Sunlight streamed in from a gap as the ceiling rolled away, slowly expanding until all they could see was the pale yellow of an early morning sky. Without Parker touching anything, the vehicle rose up, gliding out of the chamber and above the gray structures of the compound. Beyond it, the grass forest spread out in green waves. A single Zinnjerha leapt out and ricocheted off the defense dome. As they flew farther away, the vegetation tapered off into a rocky desert that stretched on as far as he could see.
    Chase squinted at the horizon, wondering when the city would come into view, when the cruiser accelerated upward, pulling away from the terrain. He gripped the edge of the console and held his breath. It was still better than teleporting.
    â€œExtraplanetary launch point in thirty seconds,” said the console voice.
    â€œLaunch point?” A spike of adrenaline shot through Chase as he looked at the jumble of information on the console. “Where are we going? I thought you said we were going to the city?”
    Parker’s mouth curled up in a sly grin. “It’s … a city.”
    â€œIn five, four, three, two…”
    With a sharp turn, the Starjumper rocketed straight up away from the ground. Through half-closed eyes, Chase could see only ochre-hued sky in front of them. His stomach flattened against his spine.
    â€œI’m gonna be sick,” he groaned.
    â€œNo way!” said Parker. “This is the best part.” He looked down at the console. “About twenty more seconds until we leave the macrosphere.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œJust watch.”
    Chase tried to lean forward, but the force of their flight pushed him back into his seat.
    â€œInitializing gravity generator,” the neutral voice informed them. A moment later, although they were still flying straight up, the gravity inside the vehicle shifted to the floor. Chase lifted his arm, amazed—it felt no different from when they’d been sitting inside the vehicle at Parker’s home. Outside the windows, the sky darkened quickly into black space.
    â€œAwesome,” breathed Parker. “We’ve got about fifteen minutes to go, so you can chill out for a while.”
    â€œFifteen minutes until what?” Chase asked. It irritated him that Parker had lied about their destination, but this was nothing compared with the anxiety that had begun to gnaw at his stomach. He had no idea how far from Trucon they were going—or if Mina could follow Parker’s microchip this far, in case something happened. “Where are you taking me?”
    Parker leaned back in his seat and smiled, saying nothing.

 
    CHAPTER FIVE
    Chase glared out the front window as they traveled toward Parker’s secret destination. Outside their cruiser, the dark expanse of space wasn’t really dark at all. Peppered with millions of the tiny white speckles of distant stars and streaked with pale smears of far-off galaxies, it made him realize how incredibly tiny he was, and underscored how lost he felt.
    â€œYou’re a jerk, you know that? Tell me where you’re taking me.”
    For a split second, a hurt expression crossed Parker’s face. Annoyance quickly replaced it. “Would you relax? I just want to go somewhere without her looking over my shoulder the whole time.”
    â€œYou mean Mina?”
    â€œStupid machine,” said Parker, stabbing at the console with one finger. “She runs my entire stupid life.”
    â€œSo you thought it’d be a good idea to kidnap me?”
    â€œI’m not kidnapping you. Calm down. I told you, we’re on a mission to figure out who you are.”
    â€œRight, because that’s what you were thinking when you lied to me about where we were going. Are you at least going to tell me now?”
    Parker hesitated. “Mircona.”
    Chase shook his head.