Domination (A C.H.A.O.S. Novel) - By Jon Lewis Page 0,43

castoffs from actual portals.”

“You mean randoms?”

Jonas frowned, looking at Oz as though he was surprised. “Exactly,” he said.

Oz smiled. “I’m smarter than I look,” he said as he slapped Jonas on the back with enough force that his glasses nearly fell off of his face.

“I still don’t see a pattern,” Danielle said.

“Here, I’ll zoom in.” Jonas touched the screen with his thumb and index finger pinched together, and as he spread them apart the camera zoomed in. He did it two more times until the state of West Virginia filled the entire screen, then again until they were looking at a town called Sanctuary.

All of a sudden Colt’s head started to pound. It felt as though something was trying to escape his thoughts—something alien. Something Thule.

“I see the cluster. Is that a ring or something?” Danielle said, squinting as she moved until her nose was almost touching the screen.

“Watch this.” Jonas hit the Enter key, and lines started to appear between the red dots until it formed what looked like a three-dimensional hourglass lying on its side.

“Regression analysis,” Danielle said, as though she suddenly understood. “You found a pattern inside the subset. That’s amazing!” Without warning she turned and wrapped her arms around Jonas and kissed him on the cheek.

“Yeah,” Jonas said, his shoulders scrunched and his face puckered as though getting a kiss from Danielle was something akin to being kissed by a rotting zombie corpse.

“What’s wrong?” Oz said. “You’re, like, a hero. You found the gateway, which means we can stop the Thule. And one of the hottest girls on campus just kissed you. Are you sick or something?”

“One of?” Danielle asked, a single eyebrow raised.

For the first time that Colt could remember, Oz blushed. “Um . . . you know. I’m just saying.”

“What exactly are you saying?” Danielle said with overemphasis.

“Later,” Colt said. “Did you tell anyone that the portal opens there, in a Podunk town in West Virginia?”

Jonas lowered his eyes and shook his head slowly. “I . . . I can’t.”

“Why?”

“Because that Podunk town is my home.”

: :

CHAPTER 30 : :

I’m sorry, but we have to call this in,” Colt said. He could tell something was wrong, but it didn’t make sense. Jonas was just sitting there with narrowed eyes. His neck was flushed and his fists were clenched like he was angry . . . but why? If he’d actually pinpointed the exact coordinates of the gateway, then there was a chance they could shut it down before the Thule had a chance to open it.

“Spill it,” Oz said.

“Leave him alone,” Danielle said. “Can’t you see he’s upset?”

“He’s hiding something.”

“No, he’s not.”

Jonas looked at Danielle and then Oz, his eyes brimming with tears behind his glasses. “Yes, I am.” His voice was weak, barely a whisper as the words spilled from quivering lips. “Nobody is supposed to know about it—not the military. Not even the president.”

“What are you talking about?” Colt asked.

“That was the deal,” Jonas said.

“You’re not making any sense,” Oz said.

Jonas ran his fingers through his hair and pulled until he grimaced under the pain. “Please don’t make me do this.”

“Do what?” Danielle said, her voice gentle as she placed her hand on his forearm. “Jonas, listen to me. We at least have to tell Colt’s grandfather.”

“No.”

“What deal?” Colt said. “Why wouldn’t the president know about your hometown?”

“It’s complicated.”

“That’s not good enough,” Colt said.

Jonas shook his head.

“Tell me now, or I’m calling this in.”

“No!” Jonas jumped out of his chair and took Colt by the forearm.

Colt winced. He looked up and saw Jonas snarling. Had his eyes always been gold? Wait. Were his teeth pointed? Colt blinked once and again, wondering if he was losing his mind or if the medication Dr. Roth had given him was making him hallucinate. Was Jonas a Thule? No. That was impossible. Everyone on campus had to take a daily blood test to prove that they were human.

“Sorry,” Jonas said, letting go. The contorted rage was replaced by contrition. Embarrassment. Shame. “It’s just that . . .”

“We get it,” Oz said. “Your dad is in some kind of witness protection program or something, but you know what? I don’t care, because I’m not going to sit back and do nothing while an army of angry six-armed aliens is getting ready to break through and eat our livers.”

“You don’t understand.”

“You’re right, I don’t.” Oz glared at Jonas, his chest heaving.

“Oz, please,” Danielle said, but Beauty couldn’t stave off the Beast.

“For someone with an IQ that’s off the