Read Online The Vanishing Game by Kate Kae Myers - Free Book Online

thought I was joking.
    â€œDid you go inside?”
    â€œYes.”
    Noah raised his eyebrows. “It’s probably not even safe in there because of the fire.”
    He was right about that. I was still shaken by how many close calls I’d had. Most of all, I was horrified by what I’d seen happen to Georgie. Thinking about the shooter made me even more worried for Jack.
    â€œYou okay?”
    â€œYes.” I decided to ask him something I needed to know. “I’ve been wondering who told you about Jack’s accident. That he was … gone.”
    â€œOh. Well, I didn’t find out right away. Jack didn’t come online for a couple of days. He just wasn’t there, you know? At first I thought maybe he was busy working, but then ISI sent me a report about what happened.”
    The waitress dropped off a drink for Noah and he took a gulp.
    I said, “I should’ve called, but I just couldn’t.”
    â€œThat’s okay.”
    â€œAt least ISI was decent enough to tell you.”
    â€œYeah.” He stared down at his drink. “A week ago I quit working for them.”
    â€œYou did? Why?”
    â€œMainly because when Jack died, it was like letting the air out of a life raft. Without him, I didn’t want to stay. I mean, we found our love of computers together in the first place, right? Both of us were so excited about programming. And then about how ISI was interested in us. Now that he’s gone, it’s not the same.”
    Noah could be so difficult and prickly at times, but his loyalty to my brother really touched me.
    A few minutes later the waitress brought over a steaming pizza layered with sausage, ham, and glazed onions. Noah dug in, lifting a piece that trailed cheese. He glanced at me. “You want some, don’t you?”
    My pride battled my stomach and quickly lost. I grabbed a slice and ate. For a while we were too busy chewing to talk.
    There was a burst of laughter from his friends and I glanced over at them. Sasha was talking with a lot of energy, smiling at the stocky guy who seemed uninterested in her flirting. Maybe it was apparent to him she was trying to make Noah jealous.
    I reached for another slice, starting to feel better now that I’d warmed up and wasn’t so hungry. In the sane setting of the restaurant, the bizarre events at Seale House and in the alley seemed almost unreal. I considered telling Noah what had happened to Georgie. Right away I tossed the idea. He hadn’t seemed to really believe me about the Jason December letter, and I didn’t have the energy left to try and convince him of anything else. Once I was full I just sat there, ignoring the throb of a beginning headache. Distracted, I picked at a piece of shingle grit embedded in my palm.
    Noah caught hold of my hand, moving it closer to the light. “Your palms are chewed up, too? All this from just one fall?”
    I pulled away and grabbed my mug, finishing off the last of my drink. He was still studying me with uncertain eyes as I set it down. “Thanks for the pizza, Noah.”
    â€œYou need to get something on those scratches, especially the one on your face. I have a tube of antibacterial gel at home.”
    I didn’t answer and he added, “I think you’d better spend another night at my place.”
    A slow pounding in my temples grew—bad headache was on its way. I wasn’t sure what to do, because the last thing I wanted was to impose on Noah again. But if I was going to go back to Seale House in the morning, I needed a safe place to stay overnight.
    He looked into my eyes. “I can see you’re trying to think of a way to turn me down.”
    â€œAm not.”
    He dug some ones out of his wallet for a tip and slid out of the booth. “Let’s go.”
    I paused for a couple of seconds, watching him stop at the other table and say a few words to his friends. The guy in the baseball cap glanced