Space Hostages Read Online Free Page B

contingency fuel and supplies before leeeeeeaving . If you aaaaaaaaare unable to join us today, our people must hooooonor you in your aaaaabsence .”
    â€œI’m sorry, love,” croaked Dad without opening swollen eyelids. A minute later he was snoring.
    â€œPlease consider Archangel Planetary for all your future health-care needs,” said the dove, and hovered out of the room.
    Tears stung in my eyes.
    I went back to my enormous room and sat there uselessly for a few minutes before calling Gran.
    â€œOh, sweetheart,” she said when she’d finished exclaiming sympathetically over Dad. “Don’t worryabout a thing. The insurance will cover everything, and I’m sure the airline will let you fly home early.”
    â€œBut Gran!” I wailed.
    â€œI know you’re disappointed. But love, it’s for the best. You’ve had quite enough trouble for a girl your age. You don’t really want to be rushing off to the other end of the universe.”
    I said good-bye quietly. My tablet pinged with a message from Carl.
    Hey, is everything okay? Are you on the Space Elevator yet? We’ve got to leave soon. Heard your dad was sick. You’re still coming, though, right?
    It had only felt like a couple of minutes since I’d said good-bye to Gran, but the time on the tablet said 8:45.
    I clenched my fists, and I slipped back into Dad’s room, and looked at him, huddled in the blankets.
    â€œDad,” I said. “I could always go by myself.”
    I waited. There was no reply.
    â€œI’ll be perfectly fine on my own. Dr. Muldoon will be there, and Lena—you know, Josephine’s sister—they’re very responsible.” I stopped, realizing I was not sure that was completely true; Dr. Muldoon was worryingly keen on human experimentation, and Lena had taught Josephine how to build flamethrowers when she was six. But they were grown-ups,and humans; that had to count for something. “And Mum said she could catch up, so maybe you could come with her. Or you could stay behind with Gran, because I know you don’t want to go. . . .”
    And I waited again.
    â€œBut Dad, I really do. ”
    â€œMmf,” said Dad, and shifted a little on the pillows.
    He wasn’t properly awake. It wasn’t a yes.
    But it also wasn’t a no.
    He hadn’t ever said I couldn’t go by myself.
    I texted Carl back: I’M COMING.
    I did write Dad a note, on expensive hotel paper: Get well soon. See you when I get home, XXX Alice.
    Then I added ten more X’s and a couple of hearts to make up for what I was doing, and put it on the table beside the bed.
    Then I grabbed my suitcase and ran.

3
    I wish I had one of those hover suitcases. They’re really expensive. But running nearly half a mile with a suitcase that only has wheels is hard , especially when you’re quite agitated and not perfectly sure where you’re going.
    I pounded through a memorial garden, across a car park, down a wide avenue of palms, my shoulders aching as the suitcase dragged behind me. I managed not to knock over a couple of women taking photos of the Space Elevator and a veteran with a missing arm in line for a burger at a food truck.
    I hurtled my way along the waterfront. The tether rose from a round concrete platform at the end of a long pier sticking out into the waves. The complexon land was so new it wasn’t finished yet; I lurched past lots of empty buildings and colorful billboards covered with pictures of the exciting space-themed coffeehouses and gift shops that were going to be there eventually.
    It was all a lot quieter than the airport had been. There was only one place you could get to from here. Although, on the other hand, it could take you absolutely anywhere .
    I rushed across all that empty space, and crashed into a counter and waved my passport at the lady behind it. “I’m Alice Dare,” I gasped. “You have to let me on the