Taker Read Online Free Page B

which had been stowed safely in his friend’s bag. Living with his mom and her new partner in D.C., he spent holidays with his dad and stepmom and her kids in Florida.
    It was a little hard for Ben to be mad at Jason. He seemed like an OK guy. There was an edge of humility to his voice, and he spoke so fondly of his new, blended family. Nicole was clearly getting to like his combination of quirky charm and caring.
    Feeling more than a little sorry for himself, Ben plugged in his headphones and resolved to tune out what was happening between Nicole and Jason a few rows back. He started watching Game of Thrones and let himself zone out. The man by the window seemed frozen in a thoughtless stare out past the airplane’s wing and into the horizon.
    Minutes later, Ben felt a sudden tingle of sharp pain on his lip, and he jolted back from his tablet, accidentally nudging the man. Ben looked back toward Nicole’s row to try to see what was happening. A tall, slender blond girl was talking to Jason. Ben couldn’t quite hear what she was saying, but she sounded a little irritated. Could this be Jason’s girlfriend? Ben could only hope so.
    The man next to Ben was now scanning the cabin with an expression that seemed to be a mixture of shock, horror, and irritation at having been awoken. Ben was used to being a source of annoyance for people, but this seemed to be a bit of an exaggerated reaction.
    “How long have we been airborne?” the man demanded, reaching down to the storage space below the seat in front of him. He unzipped a small leather case. Ben caught a glimpse of what was inside, and the contents excited him. It was a piece of computer hardware about the size of a tissue box. Its design was professional-looking, but a lack of brand markings and model numbers meant it was probably a well-made custom gadget. The upper third of the device had a see-through Plexiglas screen protecting a rotating lathe. Ben also noticed a warning label that indicated there was a laser inside and to protect your eyes when using the device.
    “How long have we been airborne?” the man repeated, with more anger in his voice this second time.
    “Only about 45 minutes,” Ben offered, feeling his lip and the surprising sensation of smooth, pain-free skin.
    Behind him, he heard the raucous laughter of his friends. Nicole and Amy were huddled together in their seats, failing to stifle their hysterical giggles. He turned the tablet’s camera on himself, and, sure enough, there it was. Or wasn’t. No cold sore. Weird.
    A moment later, Ben heard an anguished squeal from the pretty blond girl as she ran through the aisle to the bathroom.
    “Crazy kids,” the man remarked.
    “Uh, is that a 3-D printer I see in your bag? That’s a small one if it is. I’ve never seen one that size before. It’s amazing how they keep shrinking those things!” Ben was trying for small talk. Well, his version of small talk, which was tech-based. The man considered Ben for a moment and seemed to decide that he was harmless.
    “Sure. It’s a prototype.”
    “Can I see?”
    “Not a chance. It’s a one-of-a-kind prototype.”
    “No worries. I’ve got my eyes on a 3-D printer myself. Nothing as advanced as yours. But I’m saving up for it. I keep thinking of the kinds of things I’d create with my own one. I could make figures for my DragonsBlade game, futuristic vehicles, or birthday gifts for my sister and mom. I know you can print custom jewelry. They’d like that. And I was just reading about some doctors who created a replacement skull for a woman whose brain was expanding beyond her existing head.” Ben continued to babble on for a few more minutes. How much of what he was saying was actually being processed by the man wasn’t clear.
    “You know what they say, though? First thing you do when you get a 3-D printer? Print yourself a 3-D printer and then take the first one back! Right?”
    The man just wasn’t interested in Ben or his joke, though,