The Neptune Project Read Online Free Page A

James or my father.
    I get out of bed and stalk to the top of the ladder.
    â€œKnock when you want to come back up,” is all I say. After she climbs down the ladder, I slam the trapdoor shut and roll the rug back into place. I drag the table over the rug, taking care to make sure it all looks normal. I even leave a dirty plate and mug on the table. The secret police can search a house at any time, looking for illegal technology like computers or radios. Gillian has all of those things and more in her lab.
    I hate it that she takes these risks. I hate it that she does the kind of research that gets people arrested and taken away.
    We’re already a family of two now. What will happen to me if the Western Collective sends her to a work camp, and there’s only me left?

THE SECRET POLICE have found out I’m a telepath. They chase me down the dusty yellow road from Santero. I pump my arms and run as fast as I can. My chest is burning. If I have a lung attack here, I know they will catch me. Suddenly, someone grabs my shoulder and yanks me to a stop. I turn. Hycault is there, a triumphant grin splitting his narrow face .…
    â€œNere, wake up, sweetling; you’re just having a bad dream.”
    I open my eyes. The light filling my little bedroom tells me it’s early morning. I’m sweating and gasping for air. I realize my mother is sitting on the edge of my bed. She must have been shaking my shoulder just now.
    â€œYou’d better get up and dress in your best skirt. We’re all being called in to Santero to hear an important government edict,” she tells me as she strokes my damp hair.
    â€œDo you have any idea what it’s about?” I ask her between taking in deep breaths and trying to push the frightening dream from my mind.
    â€œI’m not sure, but the entire fishing fleet is still at its moorings. Whatever the edict is, it’s important enough to keep fifty men from the sea.”
    I get out of bed and stumble to my window. When I see she’s right, a nasty, queasy feeling begins to build in the pit of my stomach. Government edicts never contain good news.
    Gillian is quiet over breakfast, and she seems to have as little appetite as I do. There are dark circles under her eyes from working in her lab until four in the morning.
    I want to ask her what she was doing, but a part of me doesn’t want to know. That way if they ever do take her away, they can’t torture me into admitting something about her work that could get us both killed. Instead, I resort to staring at her balefully, but she’s so preoccupied, my stare isn’t having much impact.
    After breakfast, I change into my best skirt and brush out my hair. Right now I don’t look too ugly, I think while I stare at my mirror. My nose is straight enough, and some days I think my mouth is pretty. But then I slip on my horrible big, dark glasses, and Freak Girl abruptly returns.
    I sigh and turn away. “I’m going down to see the dolphins before we leave,” I call to Gillian, who is still dressing in her own small room.
    I head down to the harbor to be with the pod. When I reach the end of the dolphin dock, I’m not surprised to find that Robry’s in the water. While I watch him being towed by Nika and Pani, two of our youngest and most playful dolphins, I can’t help smiling.
    :your breathing is good?:
Mariah asks me as she lolls by the dock.
    Sometimes I feel like I have two mothers.
    :Yes, it is fine today. You had a peaceful night?:
    :we are all safe.:
    Distracted by Mariah, I don’t notice Sokya stealing up behind me until it’s too late. Suddenly, I’m drenched with cold seawater. Sokya and her mischievous cousin, Laki, have splashed me.
    :Oh, no, Sokya, it matters what I look like today!:
    :now you look wet
—
wet is good.:
    I sigh. Dolphins don’t care about appearances, nor do they know how to apologize. But they do have a wicked sense of