Read Online The Fall of Five (I Am Number Four) by Lore Pittacus - Free Book Online
Authors: Lore Pittacus
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hurry.”
“Does it have nitrous?” Sarah asks.
“What do you know about nitrous, sweetheart?” Nine replies.
Sarah shrugs. “I’ve seen Fast and Furious . Show me how it works. I’ve always wanted to drive something really fast.”
“Well, all right,” says Nine, grinning at me. “Maybe your girl does have some uses, John-boy.”
While Nine shows Sarah the controls inside the Civic, I join Six at the trunk, where we load our gear. I’m still feeling blindsided that Sarah’s coming along with us, and apparently I’ve got Six to blame for that.
“You’re mad at me,” she says, before I can even start in.
“I’d appreciate a heads up the next time you invite my girlfriend along on a dangerous mission.”
Six groans, slamming the trunk closed and roundingon me. “Oh please, John. She wanted to come along. She can think for herself.”
“I know she can,” I whisper back, not wanting Sarah to overhear. “Nine wanted to come along too. We have to consider what’s best for the group.”
“You don’t want her feeling like dead weight, do you? This is a good way to show her that she’s not.”
“Wait. Dead weight?” I think back to my conversation with Sarah in the Lecture Hall. Those were the exact words she used. “Were you eavesdropping on us?”
Six looks a little guilty at being busted, but more than anything she looks increasingly angry with me, her eyes flashing. “So what? I thought you might finally grow a pair and tell her that we kissed.”
“Why would I do that?” I snap, struggling to keep my voice low.
“Because the longer you put it off the more awkward it gets, and I’m getting sick of it? Because she deserves—”
Before Six can finish, the Civic roars to life, Sarah revving the engine. Nine steps back from the driver-side window, looking pleased with the way Sarah’s gunning it. Sarah leans out the window, peering back at Six and me.
“You two coming or what?”
CHAPTER EIGHT
THE PENTHOUSE FEELS EVEN LARGER AS SOON AS John, Six and Sarah are gone. I’m still not over the size of this place; it’s almost big enough to contain the entire monastery of Santa Teresa. I know it’s silly, but I find myself tiptoeing through it, feeling like I’m constantly disturbing these riches Nine and his Cêpan amassed.
The tiles in Nine’s bathroom are heated—they actually warm and dry your feet when you get out of the shower. I think of all the times I sat on my mattress, picking splinters out of my feet after crossing the uneven wood floors of Santa Teresa. I wonder what Hectór would think of this place, and I smile. Then, I wonder what kind of person I would be if my Cêpan had been Sandor instead of Adelina; a showy but dedicated guardian, frivolous in his purchases but not one to abandon his duties. It’s pointless to think such thoughts, yet I can’t help it.
But if I hadn’t been stuck so long in Santa Teresa,I never would have crossed paths with Ella. I never would have journeyed to the mountains with Six and met Eight.
All the hardship, in the end, was worth it.
I stifle a yawn with the back of my hand. None of us got much sleep last night, not with the excitement of finding Number Five. It was supposed to be my night sleeping in Ella’s room, shaking her awake when the nightmares got too bad. Actually, I don’t think Ella slept a wink in between the meeting and tagging along with Nine during his shift watching Five’s beacon. Apparently, to her, spending time with Nine is better than getting some rest. I wish I knew how to help, but my healing Legacy doesn’t extend to the dream world.
I find Ella curled up in a chair in the penthouse living room. Nine is stretched out on the nearest couch, snoring loudly, his hands curled around the contracted metal tube that turns into the staff I’ve seen him use with such deadly efficiency. He must have gotten it from his Chest when he still thought there was a chance John would bring him along on the mission.
“Does it have nitrous?” Sarah asks.
“What do you know about nitrous, sweetheart?” Nine replies.
Sarah shrugs. “I’ve seen Fast and Furious . Show me how it works. I’ve always wanted to drive something really fast.”
“Well, all right,” says Nine, grinning at me. “Maybe your girl does have some uses, John-boy.”
While Nine shows Sarah the controls inside the Civic, I join Six at the trunk, where we load our gear. I’m still feeling blindsided that Sarah’s coming along with us, and apparently I’ve got Six to blame for that.
“You’re mad at me,” she says, before I can even start in.
“I’d appreciate a heads up the next time you invite my girlfriend along on a dangerous mission.”
Six groans, slamming the trunk closed and roundingon me. “Oh please, John. She wanted to come along. She can think for herself.”
“I know she can,” I whisper back, not wanting Sarah to overhear. “Nine wanted to come along too. We have to consider what’s best for the group.”
“You don’t want her feeling like dead weight, do you? This is a good way to show her that she’s not.”
“Wait. Dead weight?” I think back to my conversation with Sarah in the Lecture Hall. Those were the exact words she used. “Were you eavesdropping on us?”
Six looks a little guilty at being busted, but more than anything she looks increasingly angry with me, her eyes flashing. “So what? I thought you might finally grow a pair and tell her that we kissed.”
“Why would I do that?” I snap, struggling to keep my voice low.
“Because the longer you put it off the more awkward it gets, and I’m getting sick of it? Because she deserves—”
Before Six can finish, the Civic roars to life, Sarah revving the engine. Nine steps back from the driver-side window, looking pleased with the way Sarah’s gunning it. Sarah leans out the window, peering back at Six and me.
“You two coming or what?”
CHAPTER EIGHT
THE PENTHOUSE FEELS EVEN LARGER AS SOON AS John, Six and Sarah are gone. I’m still not over the size of this place; it’s almost big enough to contain the entire monastery of Santa Teresa. I know it’s silly, but I find myself tiptoeing through it, feeling like I’m constantly disturbing these riches Nine and his Cêpan amassed.
The tiles in Nine’s bathroom are heated—they actually warm and dry your feet when you get out of the shower. I think of all the times I sat on my mattress, picking splinters out of my feet after crossing the uneven wood floors of Santa Teresa. I wonder what Hectór would think of this place, and I smile. Then, I wonder what kind of person I would be if my Cêpan had been Sandor instead of Adelina; a showy but dedicated guardian, frivolous in his purchases but not one to abandon his duties. It’s pointless to think such thoughts, yet I can’t help it.
But if I hadn’t been stuck so long in Santa Teresa,I never would have crossed paths with Ella. I never would have journeyed to the mountains with Six and met Eight.
All the hardship, in the end, was worth it.
I stifle a yawn with the back of my hand. None of us got much sleep last night, not with the excitement of finding Number Five. It was supposed to be my night sleeping in Ella’s room, shaking her awake when the nightmares got too bad. Actually, I don’t think Ella slept a wink in between the meeting and tagging along with Nine during his shift watching Five’s beacon. Apparently, to her, spending time with Nine is better than getting some rest. I wish I knew how to help, but my healing Legacy doesn’t extend to the dream world.
I find Ella curled up in a chair in the penthouse living room. Nine is stretched out on the nearest couch, snoring loudly, his hands curled around the contracted metal tube that turns into the staff I’ve seen him use with such deadly efficiency. He must have gotten it from his Chest when he still thought there was a chance John would bring him along on the mission.
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