Read Online The Atlantis World (The Origin Mystery, Book 3) by A.G. Riddle - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: A.G. Riddle
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tossing him, Mary, and the three soldiers around.
The plane banked and plunged again, throwing Paul hard against the seatbelt. He felt Mary’s hand cover his and squeeze hard. He wondered if they would make it to Morocco.
C HAPTER 11
Alpha Lander
1,200 Feet Below Sea Level
Off the Northern Coast of Morocco
Where Kate had needed time and space before, David needed it now.
He tried not to think as he trudged down the ship’s narrow corridors and up the lift to the dank, dark shaft that led to the surface. Against his will, his thoughts drifted to the looming decision. Stay or go.
It was Kate’s decision to make, and he knew that whatever she chose, he would stay with her to the end, no matter what.
He hoped that end wouldn’t be here—in this cold, dark, alien place. He imagined them sitting by the fire at his parents’ home, him reading, her falling asleep in his arms, them sleeping until late in the day, not waking for anyone or anything, living without a care in the world. They deserved it. They had paid their dues.
The faint light of stars broke the total darkness of the round shaft, and David walked out into the moonlit night. Several crates of supplies sat on pallets, some cartons opened and picked over where David and Milo had brought MREs back. The Berbers who controlled Northern Morocco had kept them well-supplied, an obligation they felt they owed David, who had helped them take control of the Immari base at Ceuta. In the distance, the massive base glittered. The lights on the guard towers twinkled and probed the perimeter. The lights from the administrative buildings and houses burned beyond.
The moonlight from above and the burning lights from the base almost made David miss Milo sitting just beyond the farthest crate.
The teenager sat cross-legged, his eyes closed. For a moment, David thought he was asleep, but he opened his eyes slowly and drew a deep breath.
“You should get some sleep, Milo.”
“I would like to. My mind refuses to cooperate.” He stood. “Dr. Kate. Will she live?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Please tell me.”
“She says she won’t recover. She says Alpha’s diagnosis is correct.”
Milo looked away. “There’s nothing you can do?”
“Sometimes there’s nothing left to do but enjoy the time you have left. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
Neither said anything after that. They simply lay on their backs, staring at the stars.
An hour passed, maybe longer. David lost track of time. He was barely awake when Milo broke the silence. “Will you stay here?”
“I hope not.”
“Where?”
“America.”
“Where you’re from?”
“Mmm hmm. North Carolina. Where I grew up. If she’ll go.”
“I want to see America.” Milo glanced over. “It’s why I learned English.”
“You should go.”
In the distance, David heard the crack of a branch snapping. He focused, listened. No further sound came.
“Milo, you still have that radio?” David whispered.
“Yes,” he said, patting his side.
“Go below. Don’t come back until I call you.”
Milo narrowed his eyes, then nodded, and snuck out of the clearing at the top of the mountain, back into the darkened shaft.
David receded behind the closest crate and gripped his sidearm. The footsteps had stopped, but someone was still there. He could feel it.
Kate was exhausted by the time she reached her and David’s bedroom. She didn’t know if the surgery had taken it out of her or if it was the days on end of experiments. Or keeping her secret from David and the release of finally telling him. She slumped onto the bed, just beside the trail of blood on the pillow and sheet.
Slowly, she pulled the sheets and pillow cases off, tossed them on the bed of the cabin across the hall and placed new sheets on the bed.
She was asleep the second her head hit the pillow.
Before she opened her eyes, Kate knew the bed was empty. The narrow crew quarter beds weren’t designed for two, and they slept a lot
The plane banked and plunged again, throwing Paul hard against the seatbelt. He felt Mary’s hand cover his and squeeze hard. He wondered if they would make it to Morocco.
C HAPTER 11
Alpha Lander
1,200 Feet Below Sea Level
Off the Northern Coast of Morocco
Where Kate had needed time and space before, David needed it now.
He tried not to think as he trudged down the ship’s narrow corridors and up the lift to the dank, dark shaft that led to the surface. Against his will, his thoughts drifted to the looming decision. Stay or go.
It was Kate’s decision to make, and he knew that whatever she chose, he would stay with her to the end, no matter what.
He hoped that end wouldn’t be here—in this cold, dark, alien place. He imagined them sitting by the fire at his parents’ home, him reading, her falling asleep in his arms, them sleeping until late in the day, not waking for anyone or anything, living without a care in the world. They deserved it. They had paid their dues.
The faint light of stars broke the total darkness of the round shaft, and David walked out into the moonlit night. Several crates of supplies sat on pallets, some cartons opened and picked over where David and Milo had brought MREs back. The Berbers who controlled Northern Morocco had kept them well-supplied, an obligation they felt they owed David, who had helped them take control of the Immari base at Ceuta. In the distance, the massive base glittered. The lights on the guard towers twinkled and probed the perimeter. The lights from the administrative buildings and houses burned beyond.
The moonlight from above and the burning lights from the base almost made David miss Milo sitting just beyond the farthest crate.
The teenager sat cross-legged, his eyes closed. For a moment, David thought he was asleep, but he opened his eyes slowly and drew a deep breath.
“You should get some sleep, Milo.”
“I would like to. My mind refuses to cooperate.” He stood. “Dr. Kate. Will she live?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Please tell me.”
“She says she won’t recover. She says Alpha’s diagnosis is correct.”
Milo looked away. “There’s nothing you can do?”
“Sometimes there’s nothing left to do but enjoy the time you have left. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
Neither said anything after that. They simply lay on their backs, staring at the stars.
An hour passed, maybe longer. David lost track of time. He was barely awake when Milo broke the silence. “Will you stay here?”
“I hope not.”
“Where?”
“America.”
“Where you’re from?”
“Mmm hmm. North Carolina. Where I grew up. If she’ll go.”
“I want to see America.” Milo glanced over. “It’s why I learned English.”
“You should go.”
In the distance, David heard the crack of a branch snapping. He focused, listened. No further sound came.
“Milo, you still have that radio?” David whispered.
“Yes,” he said, patting his side.
“Go below. Don’t come back until I call you.”
Milo narrowed his eyes, then nodded, and snuck out of the clearing at the top of the mountain, back into the darkened shaft.
David receded behind the closest crate and gripped his sidearm. The footsteps had stopped, but someone was still there. He could feel it.
Kate was exhausted by the time she reached her and David’s bedroom. She didn’t know if the surgery had taken it out of her or if it was the days on end of experiments. Or keeping her secret from David and the release of finally telling him. She slumped onto the bed, just beside the trail of blood on the pillow and sheet.
Slowly, she pulled the sheets and pillow cases off, tossed them on the bed of the cabin across the hall and placed new sheets on the bed.
She was asleep the second her head hit the pillow.
Before she opened her eyes, Kate knew the bed was empty. The narrow crew quarter beds weren’t designed for two, and they slept a lot
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