Protect All Monsters Read Online Free PDF

seemed like the entire sophomore-class football team was in cahoots with Mario.” She smiled darkly. “He paid for it, though.”
    He cleared his throat. “Yeah, he did. Deke broke his arm, blacked both his eyes and slashed the guy’s tires.”
    “He deserved it. That’s the only time Deke did something destructive that I supported.”
    “Is Mario the reason you don’t date?”
    “You’re getting personal, aren’t you?” She pointed at his clipboard. “Can’t you check your notes? They should tell you.”
    “Actually,” he pointed at the paper, “no—they don’t. Fill in the juicy details, would you?”
    She tossed the blanket aside. “Men can go shove their sticks into a wood chipper. That’s my stance on dating.”
    She looked at the Band-Aid and the cotton ball on her left arm. When her foot touched the floor, she realized her right ankle was strapped with a metal box. The steel was two inches thick, firm but not circulation cutting. A blinking red dot flashed on the side of the box. “Is this a tracking piece?”
    “A lot of money and time has been put into procuring your services. It’s ugly and intrusive, but I assure you, it’s for your safety as well.” He lowered his eyes. “Your job isn’t exactly safe.”
    The vagueness accompanying her new job, the contract Mr. Quinn had urged her to sign without properly reading the fine print, the sedative that had delivered her from a plane to what she could safely bet was a boat—commercial-size too—increased her aggravation. “Will you tell me what my job exactly is? Am I drilling oil? Standing in tanks of piranha? How about a government spy? Do I get disguises and a voice modulator?”
    Richard burst out laughing. “You, you’re funny. You have more chutzpah than the average sucker. Oh, you’re going to be good at your job. You might even survive your contract.”
    That ripped the humor from the moment. He continued to yuk it up, unstrapping his backpack and digging into it. He produced a manila folder, a sticker holding the flaps together. “My job is to disseminate this information to you. You are required to read it. It’s about eight thirty in the morning. We’ll be floating along for another twelve or so hours. Would you like me to bring you something to eat? The government provides awesome rations. You want steak and eggs, perhaps an omelet? Or maybe you like Belgian waffles or blueberry pancakes? We have an open bar. Some like to drink up. Understandably so, because this is quite a harrowing experience.”
    He said when she didn’t reply, “My condolences for your brother. I’m very sorry.”
    She lowered her head and kept silent, but then she asked him, “Can I be alone? I’m not hungry right now, thank you.”
    Richard understood. “Yes, of course. Read the packet. For your safety, read it. Oh, and you’re required to read it, so please read it.”

Chapter Five
    She didn’t read the packet.
    Addey peeked out the porthole window. Dark blue ocean extended for miles—eternity for all it mattered—in every direction. She was a good swimmer. Richard had failed to mention she enjoyed the Olympic-size pool at the YMCA on the weekends during high school. She could hold her breath for nearly four minutes and swim two miles without serious exertion.
    Two miles won’t cut it now. Two hundred miles wouldn’t cut it.
    She had no way of knowing if she was sailing on the Pacific or the Atlantic Ocean—or perhaps they were traveling along the Gulf of Mexico? The sky and the water were a miserable compass.
    Addey walked up to the door of her room and turned the knob. It opened, to her surprise. Nobody was waiting in the hallway to intercept her, so she skulked down the corridor. Every room was empty, though she caught a sleeping man in one chamber. He looked familiar. He had been on the plane beside her. Would Richard visit this man as well?
    She didn’t wait to find out.
    The hallway ended with a set of stairs. She walked out onto