Omega City Read Online Free PDF Page A

Savannah. “I think she’s trying to get something from him.”
    â€œLike what?”
    â€œShe said last night that Dad was the greatest scholar of his generation. If anyone can figure out what happened to Dr. Underberg, it’s him.”
    â€œI thought you said Dr. Underberg was dead.”
    â€œRight, but there’s still a lot we don’t know about how he died. Or where. Or what happened to his stuff.” Soon after the government fired him over the Underberg battery, he stopped filing patents, sold his house . . . and then oneday, he disappeared. Like he got bumped off by the CIA or the KGB or some other organization with a couple of letters and a lot of spies. The prototype for the hundred-year battery disappeared, too. Official sources say the battery never worked. But Dad’s book says different.
    â€œLook.” I pointed at the first page. “The things Underberg is writing in these pages, it’s all really weird, like he’s talking in code.”
    â€œ Underberg? ” Eric mocked as he battled the undead. “ Weird? You don’t say.”
    Savannah read the top page. “‘X marks the spot has been done. I far prefer IX.’ Yeah, that makes no sense.” She picked up the next one, which Fiona had given the file name of “Omega-AU-pg125.” “‘My last and lasting gift to mankind . . .’ blah blah blah ‘. . . we are not ready for the stars, though there are those who would Shepherd us there against our wills. While the Earth remains, so shall I.’” She glanced at me over the top of the page. “Your dad read this whole diary?”
    â€œAnd it all sounded just as nuts,” said Eric. He tossed the controller to the couch. “I can’t listen to this anymore. I’m going to be in my room. Come get me when the pizza’s here.” He leaped over Savannah and stomped off.
    Savannah nodded at the other papers. “So what do the rest say?”
    I handed over the spreadsheet with a shrug. “There’sthis one, which is just a bunch of numbers to me. And then this one, which I can’t even figure out why she bothered scanning.” I passed Savannah the last scan, which simply showed the edge of a torn-off sheet. The only writing visible was a few pen marks on the edge of the ragged page.
    Savannah looked at them all, then tapped the edges against the coffee table until they were in a nice, neat stack and laid them down carefully. “Gillian,” she said slowly. “Let’s say Fiona did break into this house two years ago and stole your dad’s files and caused a flood and then ruined his life. If all that’s true, then she’s already got whatever information he has about Underberg. So why is she dating him now? Why is she going to all his conspiracy theory lectures and stuff?”
    â€œYou’re siding with Eric?” Some friend!
    â€œNo.” She held up her hands in defense. “I’m just saying . . . it’s a big leap. Maybe she’s not one of . . . them or whatever. Maybe Fiona doesn’t have the diary because she stole it from your dad. Maybe she bought it off eBay or something, not realizing it was stolen. You said she met your dad in one of his classes. What if she’s just interested in this stuff, same as him? Maybe your dad even knows about the scans.”
    I narrowed my eyes. “If my dad knew that diary was still around, he would have mentioned it to me.” He’dcomplained often enough about it being gone. Fiona was fishy. Why didn’t anyone believe me?
    The doorbell rang. Savannah perked up. “He’s here! How do I look?”
    â€œGreat,” I said. Sav always looked great.
    This was the thing about Thursdays.
    â€œGirls,” came the voice on the other side of the door. “Can we not do this today? I’ve got, like, ten deliveries to make.”
    Savannah, already crawling toward the windows