if a slave tries to escape, he or she can be killed.
Number 2 most likely had a fleet of interstellar slaving ships orbiting Earth, waiting for his cargo. Once he rounded up as many humans as he could trap in his subterranean holding pens, he’d sell them to the land barons and mining moguls up on Cordood Three, Drangovan, Bresbilzon, and a dozen other bleak planets where the workers toil from sunup to sundown (which, on Cordood Three, can last seventy-nine hours).
“Remember,” said President McManus, “to paraphrase the poet Shakespeare, ‘Discretion is the better part of valor.’ ”
“Everybody always quotes that line,” said Mel, “but they leave out the fact that Shakespeare had a big fat coward named Falstaff say it!”
“Not to mention the fact that he’s quoting it backward,” added Emma. “It’s ‘the better part of valor is discretion.’ ”
“It is far better to be prudent,” the president continued, “than merely courageous. Caution is preferable to rash bravery. Slavery is preferable to death.”
Willy shook his head. “So much for the land of the free and the home of the brave.”
“He doesn’t speak for all of us,” said Agent Judge.
“We’re not surrendering, right, Dad?” said Mel.
“Well,” said Agent Judge, “to quote another Brit, Sir Winston Churchill: ‘Never give in, never, never, never, never.’ ”
“Too bad this Churchill guy isn’t president,” said Willy.
“He’s dead,” said Dana.
“So? Even dead, he’d be better than this white-haired yellow belly.”
Now the camera swung off President McManus to frame the hideous image of Number 2 himself, standing in the wings.
The massive beast wasn’t wearing his custom-tailored Savile Row business suit or smiling newscaster face anymore. He was back in terrifying demon mode, his red eyes burning brightly.
“Good citizens,” Number 2 said calmly, “I urge you to hurry. We don’t have room down below for everybody. When my shelters are full, we will be forced to barricade the entryways and eradicate any stragglers. Oh. One more thing. President McManus?”
The camera swung back to the politician who used to be the most powerful man on Earth.
“Yes, thank you. Our new Lord and Master has advised me that there is one resident of the United States that he is particularly interested in meeting down below. In fact, if this young man will do the right thing, well, Number 2 has given me his word that he will be more inclined to show mercy to those of us currently under his protection.”
Every eye in the van was staring at me.
The president leaned forward.
“Daniel?” he said. “If you’re out there, son, do the right thing. Turn yourself in. Surrender!”
I guess Number 2 had cut a deal with America’s ruling elite: give me Daniel X, and you guys get off easy. Maybe he promised them indoor work on Cordood Three.
Now the president’s image was replaced by my pimply yearbook mug shot, the same one Number 2 had shown to his minions down in that sweltering cavern.
According to the text scrolling across the bottom of the screen, I was an “illegal alien” and my capture would earn the captor “Special Work Condition Consideration.”
Great.
Now Number 2 had turned the entire nation into bounty hunters!
Chapter 28
I WAS USED to being a bad guy to the bad guys, but not a bad guy to the good guys. This was a little too much to absorb.
“Okay, everybody,” I said. “Answer me this: If Number 2 is an intergalactic slaver, why does he want me more than any other creature currently residing on planet Earth?”
“Easy,” said Joe. “You’d be the most awesome slave ever! You could build the pharaoh his pyramids in a heartbeat, just by thinking about them.”
“Maybe…”
Once again, all the TV screens were filled with images of citizens fleeing their homes for the so-called safety of the subway tunnels.
“Well, Dad,” said Mel, “guess you, me, and Agent Williams are the only humans not doing what our president just told us to do.”
Agent Judge shook his head. “This isn’t the America I remember.”
“These colors don’t run,” mumbled Agent Williams, sitting behind the steering wheel.
I turned to my four friends. “Guys, take five.”
“What?” said Dana. “You’re not sending us away again, are you?”
“These colors don’t run, either,” said Willy, slapping his hand over his heart.
“I know, Willy. But I need some time to focus. And to run a quick errand.”
I blinked and my four best friends in the universe disappeared.
“It’s a lot easier to concentrate,” I explained, “when I don’t have to simultaneously imagineer their existence.”
“Of course,” said Mel.
“Wait here, you guys,” I said as I yanked open