Deadly Mission Read Online Free Page B

soft and sticky. “Eeeew!”
    That explains the smell
, he thought. His space boots glowed for an instant as they automatically burned away whatever he had stepped in. Expedition Wear rocked!
    â€œHere, Prince, Prince, Prince,” Diesel called.
    â€œHe’s royalty, not a cat,” Peri hissed.
    â€œWith the Meigwors, anything is possible,” muttered Diesel, before bellowing, “Your Royal Highness, you-hoo?”
    Yooou-hoooo-hooo-hoo.
The sound echoed through the cellar.
    Peri stumbled forward in the dark. He couldn’t even see if he was walking in a straight line. He bumped into something.
    â€œHey, lamizoid, watch it!” Diesel snapped.
    â€œI’m not Martian. I can’t see in the dark.”
    There was an awkward silence. Something wasn’t right. “Wait a minute …,” Peri muttered, staring through the blackness at where he thought Diesel was.
    â€œWhy aren’t your eyes glowing?” he asked. “Don’t Martians have illumovision? Shouldn’t you be able to see in the dark?”
    â€œUm, well …,” Diesel muttered. Peri couldn’t see Diesel’s face, but he could hear a squeak of embarrassment in the gunner’s voice. “Just because illumovision isn’t part of my half-Martian blood doesn’t mean I’m not all Martian where it counts. I could beat you any day with both eyes shut and—”
    â€œHey, space-monkeys!” Otto bellowed. “We can leave now! I’ve found the prince!”
    Peri shook his head.
It figures. Otto sent us down here for nothing.
    Diesel didn’t seem to mind. They stumbled through the darkness until they spotted the slimy rungs of the ladder. As Peri climbed out, he found Otto wrestling with a large silver blanket. It thrashed around in his arms, mumbling and cursing.

    â€œOtto,” Peri demanded. “What on Neptune is going on?”
    â€œNothing!” Otto shouted. He prodded the blanket, threatening whatever, or whoever, was inside as he did. “You can shut up, or I’ll let the Earthlings blast you.”
    Otto glanced at Peri and Diesel. “It’s for his own safety! He’s been brainwashed by the evil Xions!” Otto’s lipless mouth slid into a sheepish smile. “Just a moment!”
    Otto pulled a rope from a utility pouch and looped it around the blanket. The rope encircled the prince, tying the silver material into a bundle that Otto flung over his shoulder. “We go now!”
    But Otto didn’t even manage a single step.
Eeeerrraaaa-eeerrraaa!
Alarms blasted from every direction. Metal gates crashed between the archways in the corridor, sealing them off from the rest of the palace.

Chapter 6
    Eeeerrraaaa-eeerrrraaaa.
The palace alarms were screeching at full volume.
    One of the gates had jammed halfway down. Peri, Diesel, and Otto ducked under it and ran.
    They passed a picture of the Xion king in full battle gear. Instead of black, his shell was a brilliant gold. He held the suit’s helmet under his arm, but his hands were pincher claws and the suit’s scorpion tail curled behind him. Peri couldn’t help feeling their daring rescue was about to end badly.

    Peri urged his crew on, turning this way then that, down the twisting corridors. It was getting so hot and stuffy that even the Expedition Wear struggled to keep them cool. They raced around the next corner, and another portrait of the king of Xion greeted them. It was the same as the last one.
    â€œDon’t they have any other pictures of the king?” Diesel wondered aloud.
    â€œWait a minute,” said Peri, trying to catch his breath. “We’re running in circles.”
    â€œNonsense!” snapped Otto, adjusting the silver bundle over his shoulder. “Meigwors have a keen sense of direction!”
    â€œListen,” Peri panted, supporting himself against the corridor wall. “We’ve seen this picture twice