Deadly Mission by Max Chase Read Free Book Online Page A

Specimen is self-charging. For more energy, eat fruits and vegetables and sleep.
    Peri was a bit disappointed. He’d hoped for something more high-tech, but he’d been programmed by his parents, who were always trying to get him to eat healthily.
    Diesel took a step back and looked Peri up and down. “So …”
    â€œI’ll be fine,” Peri said, with a shrug. “We’ve got bigger things to deal with.”
    Peri found a com-panel in among the medi-lasers and internal probes. He touched the screen and whispered, “Computer, show us the location of everyone on board.”

    The screen blinked as it pulled up a map of the
Phoenix
. Four flashing lights appeared.
    â€œThose two must be us,” Peri told Diesel, pointing at each in turn. “This must be Otto, and this … is the prince.”
    Diesel twitched his head from side to side. “Where is he?”
    Peri enlarged the image on the screen. “Otto’s sleeping quarters. Come on.”
    He imagined themselves outside Otto’s quarters and approached the portal.
    Hiiissssss.
The portal opened exactly opposite Otto’s sleeping chamber. Peri glanced around to make sure they were alone. He placed his hand on the scanner beside the door. A bar of blue light moved down the panel. It turned red. Sparks erupted from Peri’s fingers. The light flickered and turned green. The door to Otto’s room slid open.
    â€œNeat trick,” Diesel exclaimed. “Wish
I
was part bionic!”
    They stepped inside. Peri gasped when he saw the prince chained to Otto’s upright sleeping station and still wrapped in the silver blanket.
    â€œThis doesn’t make any sense,” he muttered. “Why would Otto treat a Meigwor prince like this?”
    â€œYou heard Selene,” Diesel said. “He’s been lying to us.” He tried to melt the chains with his laser blaster. He shook his head. “It’s no use. It’s some sort of special Meigwor metal alloy. I can’t cut through it.”
    Diesel stood on a chair and yanked the silver blanket from around the prisoner. The prince’s neck was not freakishly long or lumpy. His skin was not red, and he had no dark patches around his eyes. In fact, he looked almost human except for his webbed fingers and a strong squidlike smell.

    â€œHe’s not from Meigwor,” Peri said, feeling a numbness flow through him. “He’s from Xion!”
    The prisoner’s eyes bulged at the sight of Diesel and Peri. He spat out the gag stuffed in his mouth. “I demand you let me go,” raged the prisoner. “I am Prince Onix, firstborn son and heir to the throne ofXion! Untie me or your deaths will be even more excruciatingly painful than they will be for this treason.”
    â€œI don’t understand,” Diesel whispered, ignoring the prisoner. “Did Otto rescue the wrong person?”
    Peri wished it was true, but he knew deep down it wasn’t. Otto had been too pleased with himself. “I think this was General Rouwgim and Otto’s plan all along. The Meigwors wanted to kidnap the Xion prince, and they duped us into helping them!”
    â€œDon’t for an instant think that a Xion will be held hostage by a Meigwor any longer!” bellowed the prince. “They won’t get another drop of fuel in ransom!”
    Peri shook his head. “What do you mean ‘be held hostage by a Meigwor’?”
    â€œInsolence! Don’t talk to me unless I tellyou to!” shouted the prince. “Everyone knows the Meigwors are the greatest intergalactic bullies! Well, this is the last straw. My father, the king, will make sure that this debt is paid in the green blood of the Meigwors. And you, the stupid subspecies of humans, you will be treated harshly for aiding those galactic criminals! And, another thing,
huuumphh, aaagrahh
!”
    The prince couldn’t say anything more, because Diesel had stuffed