Free Lost Planet 02 - The Stolen Moon by Rachel Searles Page A

him.”
    They started back down the hall toward their room. “Oh hey,” said Chase. “I just saw Parri Dietz upstairs.”
    This caught Parker’s full attention. “What? She’s on board?”
    â€œYeah, I guess she’s here covering the peace talks.”
    â€œI can’t believe she got permission to come on the ship. She’s the top news anchor in the galaxy—not to mention the best looking.” Parker waggled his eyebrows. “Did you talk to her?”
    Chase gave him an incredulous look. “What do you think? Would this face look good on the five o’clock news?”
    â€œI didn’t mean interview, geez. What would she want with a skinny thirteen-year-old like you?”
    Chase pressed his lips together and stopped speaking. Parker had decided that the best way to show Chase he didn’t care about him being a year younger than they’d thought was to make fun of Chase’s age constantly—which only made it worse. Parker nudged his arm. “Come on, buddy, I’m just joking. You know I don’t care if you’re one or two or ten years younger than me.”
    Says the guy who’s turning fifteen in a few months , thought Chase. He hit the entry button and went straight to his bunk, ignoring Parker’s apologies.
    â€œWell, maybe not ten years. I can’t really see myself hanging out with a four-year-old. But seriously, get over it. It’s not like knowing your real age means—”
    Parker went silent. After a few moments, Chase looked up at him standing in the middle of the room with a look of frozen shock on his face. “What?”
    Parker dashed to his desk, ruffling through papers and equipment, overturning files and keypads.
    Chase walked up beside him, catching a circuit board that was about to tip onto the floor. “What is it?”
    Parker turned to him, pale. “My microchip. It’s gone.”

 
    CHAPTER SEVEN
    Chase watched numbly as Parker tore apart his desk, shoving wires and equipment to the floor as he searched for the missing microchip. “How long were you out of the room?” he asked.
    â€œI just went over to the canteen for something quick to eat, but I ran into Cutty there and ended up going to the lounge with him to play cards for a while. When were you last here?”
    Chase sat on his bunk, trying to remember. “I … I don’t know. I left the room before lunch, when you were still down in the engine room.”
    â€œWas this error message scrolling?” Parker asked, pointing at the screen.
    â€œUm. Something was scrolling.”
    Parker rolled his eyes. “You’re no help. I’m going to the armory to report it stolen.” He turned and charged from the room before Chase could say another word.
    Chase started sorting through the mess that was left on the desk, sliding wires and boards into little piles. Who would have wanted Parker’s chip? Had Parker stumbled onto something chasing after this imaginary blackout hacker and made himself an enemy on the ship? Or was it someone from outside the ship who’d snuck on board with the crew preparing for the peace talks? Could it have been the reason Ksenia was down on the soldiers’ level? But what would a Federation employee want with Parker’s microchip—was he a target?
    Out of habit, Chase turned on the video screen and flipped through to the bridge. The captain wasn’t there—probably busy with the preparations on the conference level.
    The door slid open, and Parker walked in with Colonel Forquera, speaking rapid-fire as they entered. Parker looked up and froze, his eyes going wide.
    â€œWhat?” asked Chase. As soon as the word passed his lips, he knew. Parker was looking past him, at the video screen. At the bridge.
    â€œWhat is that?” asked Forquera, his voice dangerously low.
    â€œIt was like that when we moved in,” said Parker quickly.