Dead Water Zone by Kenneth Oppel Read Free Book Online Page A

it?”
    “Can’t tell.”
    The figure leaped and cleared the gate, disappearing into the maze of alleyways on the other side. Gooseflesh broke out over Paul’s arms and legs.
    “That gate must be over ten feet high!”
    “Twelve and a half.”
    “Have you ever seen anything like that before?”
    She seemed to hesitate, then shook her head. “You think it’s your brother, don’t you?”
    “Maybe,” he replied guardedly.
    She rubbed sleep from her eyes. She’d dressed quickly, in only a single sweatshirt and trousers. She was very tiny. Paul was suddenly aware that he wore nothing but his underpants.He half turned away from her, his arms automatically folding across his chest, as if trying to conceal as much of his body as possible. But when he realized she wasn’t taking the slightest notice of him, he felt slightly put out, then ridiculous.
    “We could ask Decks tomorrow,” she said. “He used to work on a tug in the harbor. He’s been around Watertown for ages. He might have seen your brother.”
    “Thanks,” he said gratefully, trying to stand up straight.
    “Get some sleep, Muscles.”

6
    “Y OU AREN’T THE first person to ask me about this boy.” Decks handed the photograph back to Paul. “Two men came around over a week ago with a picture and asked if I’d seen him. I told them no, which is what I would have told any stranger spooking for somebody. In this case, it’s also the truth. I haven’t seen him.”
    Paul’s heart raced. He glanced at Monica, sitting across from him in the narrow galley of Decks’s houseboat.
    “Cops,” she said tersely. “I knew it. Those damn helicopters. Why would the police be looking for your brother, Paul? Who sent them? Your parents?”
    “They don’t know he’s down here.” Unlessthey had somehow found out. Had the university gotten in touch with them? But Sam said he’d quit his research job, so the university wouldn’t have known where he was either.
    “I don’t think it was the police,” said Decks, scratching at the stubble on his chin. He had broad, heavily callused hands and a gruff voice that made Paul feel small and uncertain.
    “The police don’t come down here for runaways or missing persons. Watertown’s like a maze to them. These two weren’t wearing uniforms, didn’t show any identification. Whoever they are, they didn’t come because someone’s parents called. They had holsters under their jackets.”
    Monica’s gaze settled hard on Paul. “Your brother’s not really a runaway, is he?”
    It was pointless to try to hide it now. Armed men—looking for Sam.
    “He was doing research for the university, studying samples from the dead water zone. He told me he’d found something strange, something he didn’t understand. No one knew he was coming down, and he asked me not to tell anyone either.”
    He saw Monica’s eyes flicker over to Decks.
    “Why didn’t you tell us that right away?” she demanded.
    “I didn’t think it was important.”
    “You lied to me, Paul.”
    He thought he caught a look of genuine hurt in her face, but it was quickly blocked out by anger.
    “What about all that other stuff you told me yesterday, huh? About you and your brother. Was all that bullshit, too?”
    “No.”
    “Just thought you could use us, right?”
    “I promised him,” he blurted.
    “I should make you swim back to shore. You had no idea your brother was being hunted?”
    Hunted. The loft at the old boathouse. A pile of clothes, glasses in the dust, shattered glassware, a dropped diskette. Maybe they’d surprised him; maybe he was asleep when they came. Paul played it out in his mind: they had crept noiselessly up the stairs, Sam not even waking until they’d seized him, his shouts muffled by a hand clamped across his mouth. He hadn’t even had time to grab for his glasses.
    “Maybe they’re ahead of me,” he said, sick. “Maybe they found him at the boathouse.”
    “I don’t think so,” said Monica. “Why would