[ 55 ]
I THINK SOMETHING BAD IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME
I whisk my tail back and forth like I always do when I’m trying to control my freaking emotions.
I hiss and spray sparks.
“Help me, Gork! Please help me!”
I gnash my fangs.
You better get control of yourself.
If you don’t keep your wits about you, this could end very badly.
“Help me, Gork! Please help me!”
So I cup a talon to my earhole and cock my scaly green head to try and get a bead on where the robot’s haunted voice is coming from.
“Help me, Gork! Please help me!”
Then I put it together. Fribby’s voice is being broadcast over the intercom and her spooky moan is echoing throughout the spaceship.
“Fribby?! Is that you?” I bellow. “Where are you?!”
And my voice echoes in the cavern of the spaceship, getting a little quieter each time.
“Where are you?!”
“Where are you?!”
“Where are you?!”
“I already told you where the robot is, sir,” says ATHENOS II. “She’s in the Fitness Suite. Are you accusing me of being a liar?”
I jump at the sound of ATHENOS II’s voice. Then I glare at the panel of flashing colored lights where her voice is coming from, and I hiss at it.
Fribby’s voice comes on over the intercom. “Oh thank goodness you can hear me, Gork!” she says. “I was afraid you were dead! Hurry, Gork! ATHENOS II is about to do something terrible to me!”
Then over the loudspeaker you can suddenly hear a chainsaw roaring to life: Buuuuzzzzzzz!
“Oh God! Please, Gork! Hurry! I’m in the Fitness Suite on Level 2!”
The roar of the chainsaw blasting over the intercom is even louder now.
“See, sir,” says ATHENOS II. “You could’ve already been to the Fitness Suite by now. If only you would’ve listened to me.”
Then my powerstaff vibrates. I whip the staff off my utility belt and see that it’s a message from Fribby:
It’s a trap.
That’s not my voice.
ATHENOS II is using a recording of my voice.
I’m not in the Fitness Suite.
Just then Fribby’s voice comes back on the intercom.
“Gork! Where are you? Hurry! I think something bad is going to happen to me!”