Infinity Base by Diana Peterfreund

Author:Diana Peterfreund
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2017-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

12

BREAKAWAY

“DR. UNDERBERG!” I CRIED, STRUGGLING WITH THE FASTENERS ON MY helmet. “It’s us.”

“It’s us!” added Howard. “Howard Noland.”

“And Gillian Seagret!” I yanked the helmet up, where it wedged into the molded foam headrest around my chair. “And Eric and Savannah.” I pointed out the others, who waved at the screen, though we weren’t entirely sure where the cameras were. Or if they were on. Or if he could even hear us—as he said nothing in response, just sat there.

“Dr. Underberg?” I asked, confused. “Howard. Can he hear us?”

“I have no idea,” said Howard. He pressed a button on the array in front of his seat, but nothing happened to the screens. “I don’t know what’s going on. Nothing’s working anymore.”

“All functions of the Rocketship Wisdom are now under the control of the Rocketship Knowledge,” Dr. Underberg said firmly. “And they will remain that way.”

“Dr. Underberg?” I waved my hands in the air. “Can you hear us?” I figured he’d be happy to see us. Or something. But his expression was impossible to read.

“What’s happening?” Savannah asked. “Is his ship coming for us? Are we going to him?”

“Dr. Underberg! We’ve come because the Shepherds have kidnapped my father—”

“Please refrain from broadcasting sensitive information during this transmission,” Underberg stated. On-screen, his hands never stopped moving, traveling over the dials and keys and other controls in front of him. But he wasn’t even looking while he worked, just staring straight into the camera. Straight at us. “Remain seated. Linkup will occur within the next one hundred minutes.”

The large display switched back to the view of the outside.

I slumped—well, the little bit I could still manage to slump within the foam confines of my molded seat. I longed to be able to get up and stretch—or even shift position. My helmet, still partially stuck in the foam shape around my head, poked me in the back of my braid. I struggled to get enough leverage while still fastened in my seat to yank it out of the helmet-shaped cavity in the foam. I settled back into my seat and tried to put the helmet in my lap, but the second I let go, it began to float upward. Alarmed, I snatched it out of the air and hugged it to my stomach.

“Well, at least he knows we’re here,” said Savannah. “And he’s coming for us.”

I nodded, staring down at the helmet in my lap, but it was little comfort. In my mind, I’d figured that as soon as we got in touch with Dr. Underberg, he’d be able to help us. Everything we’d done since escaping Eureka Cove was to get to Underberg—the helicopter, Omega City, hiding from the Shepherds, blasting off into space . . . But he didn’t even seem pleased to see us.

Then I lifted my eyes to the screen again, where the Earth lay spread out beneath us, white and blue and perfect, and everything else fell away. We were here. Dr. Underberg was coming for us. It would be all right.

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