Atherton #3: The Dark Planet (No. 3) Read Online Free PDF

the first bite!" said Edgar, who had also just taken an
    enormous chunk of black meat slathered in green pudding.
    Vincent stood and pulled out Isabel's chair. His long, thinning
    hair was pulled back in a tail. His nose had been broken and
    had healed wide and flat against his face. "An excellent hunt
    last night. Please, join us. And by all means, take as much as
    you like. There's plenty more inside if we run out."
    Isabel sat and filled her plate with fresh Cleaner from the lake. It
    wasn't much to look at, but Black and Green was everyone's
    favorite food. Better than rabbits or sheep or bread. Even better
    than figs.
    Dr. Kincaid took his walking stick and twisted its top hard and
    fast. With a click, the end of the stick popped free.
    Edgar felt a sudden pang, remembering how the sculpture of
    Mead's Head had operated in much the same way within the
    House of Power. He looked toward the lake and wondered how
    far below the surface Mead's Head now lay, and how many
    Cleaners were swarming around it.
    "Are you absolutely sure about this?" asked Vincent. His eyes
    spoke volumes as he stared at Dr. Kincaid. This is a foolish
    idea. It won't work. There is still time to change your mind.
    "Of course I'm sure," said Dr. Kincaid. "And besides, it's already
    decided."
    He stole a glance at Edgar and the boy looked up. He was
    slurping down a handful of green pudding and only nodded with
    excitement. He appeared to be trying to bulk up for a long
    journey.
    "Ahhhh, here we are then," said Dr. Kincaid.
    He had removed a piece of rolled-up paper from the inside of
    the walking stick.
    "You're full of surprises," said Edgar. "Is it a map?" asked
    Samuel. "Does it lead inside Atherton?" There had long been a
    dispute between Samuel, Edgar, and Dr. Kincaid about going
    back inside. The way was locked, though, and the boys didn't
    know the combination. Samuel was overwhelmed with curiosity
    about the inside and wanted to show it to Edgar. It was the one
    place in the world he knew better than Edgar, and he knew his
    friend would love it inside.
    "It's dangerous," Isabel said warily, "and there's nothing much
    to see, anyway." Things hadn't gone well for her on the long trip
    across the inside of Atherton. She had no interest in seeing
    firebugs and cave eels and rivers of fire. And the Nubian! "Why
    would anyone want to go back in there with those giant winged
    creatures with razor-sharp beaks ready to snap you up? No,
    thank you."
    "It's not so bad," said Samuel. He knew Isabel's fear was
    warranted, but he couldn't help wanting to go. He would do it
    against his father's wishes and those of Dr. Kincaid and
    Vincent, if only he could find the combination. "You want to go
    there, don't you, Edgar?"
    Edgar had stopped eating, and wiping his face with his hands,
    he pondered the idea before answering.
    "I'd rather go to the Dark Planet."
    "You don't want to do that, Edgar," said Vincent. He looked at
    Dr. Kincaid in disbelief. "You didn't tell him he could go there,
    did you?"
    "Of course not! Only to the docking station. That was all I said."
    And so it was that everyone at the table had conflicting ideas
    about the inside of Atherton, the bottom of Atherton, and the
    world outside of Atherton. Vincent, knowing Dr. Kincaid's
    wishes, sought to find common ground among the five.
    "All of you must understand something very important. We're
    only hoping to reconnect with the Dark Planet, not go there. If
    the docking station can be reached from the outside--and that
    has yet to be proven"--Vincent shot Dr. Kincaid a glance before
    continuing--"our hope is that it can be used to contact the Dark
    Planet. What happens after that is anyone's guess, but one
    thing is certain: No one from Atherton is going to fly off into
    space anytime soon."
    "Then why are we doing it at all?" asked Isabel. "Why risk it?"
    "Because Dr. Kincaid believes..." started Vincent. But he
    couldn't bring himself to lay the whole burden on the old
    scientist. "We both