Read Online Randoms by David Liss - Free Book Online Page A

said, “but it’s been in the family for a long time. When your great-great-grandfather went off to World War One, his mother gave it to him, with her picture and a lock of her hair. And then when your great-grandfather went to fightin the Second World War, his mother gave it to him, with her own picture and her own lock of hair. When your granddad went to Vietnam, he got it, with your great-grandmother’s picture and hair. They all came home safe, so maybe the locket is good luck.”
    I opened it up. Inside was a little picture of my mom, and a little clasp of her brown hair, with a single gray hair snaking through.
    â€œI’m not going to war,” I told her.
    â€œAnd thank God for that, but you are going far away. A little extra luck can’t hurt.”
    I nodded again. We stood and I hugged her as tightly as I could.
    â€œThanks, Mom,” I said.
    She smiled. “For what?”
    â€œFor letting me go,” I said. “For being cool about it. For raising me to be the kind of kid who could be randomly selected by aliens to spend a year on a space station.”
    She shook her head and then said what we had both been thinking. “Your father would be so insanely jealous of you.”
    I laughed. “Yeah.”
    â€œHe’d be proud, too. But also jealous. I’m just proud.”
    â€œI haven’t done anything yet.”
    â€œYou will. I know you will.” And then she went over to the table where the release form had been left. She picked up the pen and signed with a trembling hand. I tried to think about what this trip might do for her, not what it would do to her.
    â€¢Â Â Â â€¢Â Â Â â€¢
    After we’d said our last good-byes, Agent Jiminez drove me, Ms. Price, and Dr. Roop across Camp David. Of the difficultiesDr. Roop had in getting comfortable in the back of the car, the less said the better. We passed several checkpoints but were waved through each one. The windows of the car were tinted, and the soldiers never once glanced at the car’s interior. I guess they’d been told to see nothing. At last we drove into a hangar, and that was where I saw my first real spaceship.
    It was dull gray, with no markings, and sort of rectangular and boxy in the way of TV sci-fi shuttles, but it had two protruding engines toward the back and some truncated shuttle-type wings on the side, no doubt for in-atmosphere flight. The whole thing was about as large as a school bus and, to be honest, about as sleek. I understood it was designed to be functional, not impressive, simply a practical tool for getting from here to there. To me, it was unimaginably beautiful.
    Dr. Roop boarded up a ramp and through an opening of double doors as soon as we arrived, but Ms. Price asked me to remain outside for a moment. She then proceeded to ignore me, sending out some last minute e-mails from her phone while I stood there like an idiot, moving my duffel bag from hand to hand for something to do.
    After about three tedious minutes, a black car pulled up, and the president emerged. He walked over to me and shook my hand.
    â€œZeke, I can’t thank you enough for representing our nation and our world. I know you will do your very best for us.”
    â€œThank you, Mr. President,” I said, suddenly feeling like I was heading off on a suicide mission. I reminded myself I was not. Hopefully.
    â€œThis is one of the most important moments in the history of the planet and the country,” the president said. “I wish youdidn’t have to make this journey in secret, but if you succeed, you will be a hero to billions.”
    â€œI just don’t want to blow it for everyone,” I said, then winced at my words. It was probably not how you spoke to the president.
    He laughed. “That was how I felt my first day in office. Actually, it’s how I feel every day in office. I think the people who worry about blowing it end up getting the job