Randoms by David Liss Read Free Book Online Page B

head up to the ship later today, and you’ll join them once your affairs are settled.”
    â€œThen, sure,” I said. “That would be great.”
    She led me through a series of hallways and into what lookedlike a high-level meeting room. There was a long wooden table, and on one wall were multiple video screens of the sort that allow a president to keep an eye on wars as they unfold.
    Inside, I also saw the other kids from the slide show. Charles D’Ujanga and Park Mi Sun were both sitting at the table, reading through thick binders. Charles wore khaki pants, a white short-sleeved dress shirt and a tie. Tae Kwon Do Girl wore jeans and a long-sleeved patterned shirt. Her hair was cut short, and though she had seemed pretty in the picture I’d seen, her scowl made her appear a little intimidating. They both looked up when I stepped into the room. Charles grinned broadly.
    Then I saw Nayana Gehlawat. She wore dark jeans and a green and gold shirt that looked like material for a sari, with a matching scarf around her neck. Her hair was long and a little wild, falling into her eyes. I was also impressed by the fact that she was sitting in a chair, legs pulled under her, reading a paperback copy of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy .
    I wanted to go talk to her at once, but Charles was up and out of his chair, pumping my hand. “You must be Ezekiel Reynolds,” he said. His voice had a clipped and precise accent. “I am Charles D’Ujanga, and I am pleased to meet you.”
    â€œZeke,” I said. “Great to meet you too.”
    Park Mi Sun looked up from her reading and gave me a brief nod. “Hey,” she said.
    â€œHey,” I answered to show I could be unenthusiastic too if I wanted.
    Charles interrupted our brilliant exchange. “This is truly the most amazing thing, don’t you agree? There is so much to do—papers to sign and meetings and arrangements—that it iseasy to forget that we have met a being from another world, and we shall soon meet many more.”
    â€œDude,” I said. “Totally.” He was more articulate than I was, but I appreciated that he was having the same trouble I was in getting my head around it.
    â€œWhat’s in those binders you guys have?” I asked.
    â€œThey are our individual governments’ directives,” he said. “You will not need one because a member of your government travels with you. I understand you are to follow us tomorrow.”
    I nodded. “Assuming I can get my mother to agree to let me go.”
    â€œI cannot imagine she would object to you having this incredible experience!” I hadn’t met a lot of people who spoke with exclamation marks, but he was one of them.
    â€œYeah,” I said, but I knew he could probably not imagine she had ALS, either.
    â€œI hope you will excuse me.” He gestured toward his binder. “I must demonstrate my understanding of my government’s policy before I am cleared to depart.”
    â€œSure,” I said. I headed over to Nayana. Unlike the South Korean girl, she did not seem to have a do-not-disturb sign swinging from her psychic doorknob. As I approached, she held up the book and met my gaze. “Have you read this?” she asked. She had an extremely proper British accent, which I suspected was real and not the translator.
    â€œSure, like a dozen times,” I said. “It’s hilarious.”
    She tossed it onto the table. “Papa gave it to me before I left, but I find it far too silly.”
    By some miracle of self-control I kept myself from displaying disbelief. “It’s supposed to be silly. That’s why it’s fun.” Ichose to say nothing about Douglas Adams’s connection to Doctor Who , because this felt like the wrong way to get on her good side.
    She studied me for a long moment, as though she could not quite believe what I was saying. I, on the other hand, was