Rogue Read Online Free PDF

the last of his glass of lemonade until it leaked out the sides of his mouth before holding out the empty plate and glass toward Clegg.
    “Thans agan fuh suth’a dewicious wepast.”
    Clegg took the plate and headed for the stairs.
    That was it, then. Old Sourpuss just didn’t want to make another trip all the way back up here for the crockery.
    The pager in Ajay’s pocket chirped. He blanched, and his hand instinctively reached to switch it off.
    Clegg stopped at the door and turned back to him. “What was that?”
    Still chewing, Ajay took out the pager and looked at the message display. “Juth one of my annoying woommates I imagine—yes, it’s that knucklehead Nick. Wondering where I am.”
    “That’s not the sound those pagers usually make,” said Clegg.
    Ajay took a few steps toward him and swallowed hard, forcing down the rest of the sandwich. “If I may take you into my confidence, Mr. Clegg. I took the liberty of adding a specialized ring tone for when my closest friends are trying to reach me.”
    He waited to see if Clegg was buying it. Unclear.
    “I know that moderating school-issued equipment is not specifically allowed, of course, but I examined the Code of Conduct and couldn’t find anything that specifically forbids it either.”
    “Let me see it.”
    Clegg held out his hand. Ajay gave it to him, holding his breath, hoping that Nick didn’t page him back while he was looking at the screen. If he confiscated it now, a lot more than their whole mission would be compromised.
    After a few moments of turning it around in his hands, Clegg gave it back. “Check in with security when you’re finished here. They’ll escort you to the landing for your ride back to the mainland.”
    Clegg turned abruptly on his heel and walked out. Ajay waited until he heard the man’s footsteps clang all the way down the circular stairs to the bottom; then he turned on the pager to check Nick’s message.
    On my way.
    Ajay checked his watch, sucked in a deep breath, grabbed his knapsack, and headed for the back elevator. When he reached the foyer, he caught a glimpse of himself in a mirror hanging on the wall and stopped.
    “Ajay Janikowski,” said Ajay softly to his image. “I hope you are fully prepared to stare death in the face and, if necessary, spit in its eye.”
    The answer to that, Ajay sadly noted, was far from conclusive.
    —
    Will slowly took out the dark glasses and put them on after he closed his eyes. When he opened his eyes, he was looking directly at the astrolabe.
    The device had appeared inert without the benefit of his lenses, its orbit of overlapping brass loops and rings locked in static positions. Through the glasses, he saw that they were all revolving and rotating independently from one another, but in complex, synchronized patterns. Then a metallic stalk rose up from its center, one of the rings transitioning from a hoop of silver steel into the neck and lethal head of an enormous, metallic serpent. Hooded, like a cobra, with cold, jeweled ruby eyes.
    Staring at him. He felt it instantly:
    This thing is alive. It’s not just a machine; it’s one of them, a living device infused with some kind of consciousness from the Other Team.
    Will met the thing’s eye. He instantly heard thoughts filter into his mind—but not words; rather they were whispers of images, dim and silvery at first, glowing out of the dark, then growing in strength and resolution. He closed his eyes and tried to tune in to what it was sending to him.
    Images of the city they’d found, but not the crumbling ruins he’d seen below—this was a thriving community, full of foot traffic and trade; shops, businesses, even a glimpse of the huge cathedral-like building where they’d found the entrance to the passages below. Softly glowing white globes of light suspended in the air above illuminated the scenes like streetlamps.
    The creatures inhabiting the city in the vision were all distinctly alien forms, corresponding