Free The Deadly Past by Christopher Pike

that work?”
    The man nodded and tried to get up. But he needed their help to stay on his feet. The bad aliens’ guns—even set to stun—must have been pretty powerful. Adam hoped the bad aliens that lay sprawled across the floor were not dead. He also hoped they didn’t wake up any time soon.
    They helped the alien over to the metal box. There Cindy pointed to her chest and said, “Cindy.” Then she gestured to the alien, and he in turn pointed to himself.
    â€œTraelle,” he said.
    â€œTraelle,” Cindy repeated. She then completed the introductions. “This is Adam, Watch, Sally, and Bryce. We are pleased to meet you, Traelle.”
    â€œAnd we hope you are not preparing to destroy our world,” Sally added.
    â€œSally!” Cindy snapped. “That’s rude.”
    â€œHow can you talk about being rude to an alien?” Sally asked. “On his planet spitting in someone’s face might be the height of etiquette.”
    â€œPlease don’t spit in his face,” Bryce muttered.
    â€œI was just going to say that,” Watch said.
    â€œTraelle,” Adam said, tapping the metal box on the top. “Will this get rid of the dinosaurs from our time?”
    Traelle just stared at him.
    â€œDinosaurs,” Sally said, and made a loud growling sound.
    Traelle first nodded, made the same growling sound—although not as well as Sally, who seemed a natural when it came to growls—and then shook his head. Adam spoke to the others.
    â€œI think he is saying that he understands what dinosaurs are,” Adam said. “And that with the metal box there will be no more dinosaurs in our time.”
    â€œOr maybe no more on the earth,” Bryce said darkly. “It is remotely possible this bomb is designed to blow up the whole planet.”
    â€œThat’s one way of solving our problem,” Watch observed.
    â€œWhy do you always have to look on the gloomy side of things?” Sally asked Bryce.
    â€œThat’s the kettle calling the pot black,” Cindy remarked.
    Adam looked up at Traelle and the alien smiled at him with such warmth that Adam found itimpossible to believe their visitor could ever intentionally harm anyone. Traelle patted his arm.
    â€œAdam,” he said.
    Adam patted his arm back. “Friend,” he said.
    Traelle nodded. “Friend.”
    â€œLooks like they’re getting along nicely,” Watch said. “Traelle may as well turn the device back on. If it blows us up or saves us—at least we’ll have a resolution to the day’s crisis.”
    â€œWait,” Bryce said. “If he does arm the device, show him with your watch that we want at least two hours to get clear of this place.”
    â€œGood idea,” Adam said. “But maybe Watch should show him.”
    â€œI am a time specialist,” Watch agreed. With a series of gestures, Watch tried to explain to Traelle that they didn’t want the bomb to go off in their faces. Traelle quickly nodded. It seemed he had already thought of the problem.
    Traelle set to work on the control board. Soon it was up and humming. A faint vibration began to fill the underground chamber. Traelle pointed to a series of fluctuating symbols, which flashed against a gray screen in a rainbow of colors. The symbols looked as if they could be numbers. ThenTraelle gestured to one of Watch’s four watches. His meaning was clear.
    The countdown was on.
    â€œThanks,” Adam said, offering Traelle his hand. The alien clasped Adam’s hand with both of his hands and once more Adam felt a wave of warmth sweep over him. He realized what it reminded him of—Ms. Ann Templeton’s touch, when she had healed him.
    As Traelle let go he gestured to the other aliens—the good ones and the bad ones—lying on the floor. To their immense surprise he turned his thumb up. Once again his meaning was clear. He would take care of the