Five's Betrayal by Pittacus Lore Read Free Book Online Page B

his calm, smooth voice. “Pictures and stories and strange symbols. The tide always washed them away, but I got to see some of them from the house.”
    Of course. He was probably always keeping an eye on me.
    “The only symbol I could ever make out was the numeral five.”
    I feel stupid. How easily I gave myself away. I’d gotten into the habit of drawing in the sand back on the island with Rey, but I’d always watched as the water destroyed anything I created. I thought I’d been so careful, so clever.
    So they didn’t know what number I was when they first recruited me.
    I must look unhappy, because he places a hand on my shoulder.
    “Is everything okay, Five?”
    I shrug.
    “I guess I’m just wondering if the Mogs were bummed I was a low-ranking number and not, like, Number Eight.”
    Ethan’s face scrunches up.
    “Five, we wanted you for you , regardless of what number you were. I saw your potential the moment we first met on the beach. I could see the hunger for this in your eyes.”
    I smile a little. “Thanks, Ethan.”
    “Is this about Nine? Are you worried that you’re not ready to take the next step?”
    A couple of Mog soldiers run by us. There must be a fire somewhere that needs to be put out, some prisoner who needs to be taught a lesson or a high-ranking commander who needs an entourage.
    “Of course I’m ready,” I say.
    “Five, listen to me. You have to do this. You have to do whatever it is the Mogs ask of you as long as it means you’ll ascend to the highest levels of their ranks on Earth. You’re not just doing this for yourself, you know. I’m counting on you to let me live in the beach house again once you’re running the planet.”
    “You should follow your own rules,” I say with a smirk. “The way you argued with Deltoch—”
    “Was stupid.” He grins that grin, ear to ear.
    “Let’s go then.” I say. “I’m ready to do this.”
    More Mogs run by, and then suddenly the hallways are teeming with soldiers. Some of them are yelling, but I can’t make out what they’re saying—the noise echoing off the stone walls and floor turns everything into a roar of sound.
    “What the hell is going on?” Ethan shouts.
    And then there’s an explosion somewhere inside the base, and everything goes insane.

CHAPTER SIX
    AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL, A WALL OF FIRE blows past, and I instinctively push against it with my telekinesis to try to keep the flames from engulfing me, Ethan and the Mogs rushing through the hallway. Either I’m successful or the fire was already going to pass us by—whatever the case, we remain unscathed.
    The same can’t be said for the people in the adjoining hallway.
    Has there been a prisoner uprising? Did our Beloved Leader’s ship crash into the mountain? Or could this just be some sort of horrific accident?
    The steady sound of gunfire from somewhere in the compound counts these last two possibilities out.
    We’re under attack.
    “We should take cover,” Ethan says. “We can retreat deeper into the mountain.”
    I pause. My ceremony has been ruined. Everything I’ve been working towards has been crapped on by whatever’s happening in the compound right now.
    I won’t let that happen. This is my chance to show the Mogs what I’m made of. That I really am worthy to lead them. Screw killing a single Garde—I’ll take out whatever army is attacking us with a wave of telekinetic power. Setrákus Ra might even see me in action. Hell, I might be able to fight alongside him.
    “No,” I shout to Ethan over the noise of weapons and yelling and boots hitting the ground. “I’ll fight. You take cover.”
    Ethan starts to argue, but I’m already tossing my ceremonial uniform to the ground and running down the corridor, my hand reaching into my right pocket to touch the steel ball bearing. My skin takes on a metallic sheen, and my footfalls get heavier—I could fly, but I don’t want to be a floating target for whoever it is that’s managed to