Read Online Nikolas and Company: The Merman and The Moon Forgotten by Kevin McGill - Free Book Online Page B

the
same expression: fear.
    Among the suburbanites was a
mother wearing a Robin’s Little
League shirt and matching hat, holding her
three-year-old daughter. She covered her mouth, crying bitterly as
a doctor spoke under hushed breath. Nick couldn’t hear what the
doctor was saying, but he could guess. The mother and child left
with the doctor, opening up two seats for the brothers.
    “What’s happening?” Tim said as he
plopped down next to an old, snoring hover-bus driver.
    “I don’t know,” Nick
shrugged.
    “So, if it’s not the Geneva virus, what
is it?” Tim said.
    “I don’t know.”
    “Where’s Grand?” Tim said.
    Nick sighed, “I don’t know.”
    They waited for what seemed like an
hour. Just when Nick was about to doze off, he heard the cautionary
tone of an inocudrone.
    “Please, Mr. Lyons. You cannot go any
farther until I take a reading.”
    “My grandsons. Where are they?” came a
Scottish accent.
    Nick stood to his feet.
    “I am collecting some very disturbing
vitals,” the inocudrone said.
    “My grandsons!” the Scottish voice
bellowed.
    Everyone’s gaze shifted to the voice on
the other side of the room.
    “Mr. Lyons!” said the inocudrone. “Not
only are you six hundred and twenty days overdue for your
inoculation shots, I am detecting fifteen viruses, four of them
predating the iron age, twelve forms of bacteria indigenous to the
south side of Moon, and a form of metal that cannot be found on the
periodic table whatsoever. I am processing the necessary vaccines
now. Wait one moment.”
    “ I would be pleased,
hubcap,” the Scottish voice said, “if you took three paces in the
opposite direction.”
    “ I will need to administer
thirteen different vaccines,” the inocudrone announced. “Five
through the arm. Seven through the nose. And one—”
    FRZEEESHHHH! came the sounds of an exploding inocudrone. The
door slid open revealing a shower of sparks revealing a swarthy
looking man.
    “Grand!” The brothers said.
    Their grandfather stood like some
Viking out of time with his white and yellow marbled beard. He wore
a green trenchcoat plastered over with dirt. After three great
steps, he pulled the brothers into a hug that smelled of sweat and
hovertruck. Nick returned the hug. Tim stiffened.
    “My boys!” Grand said.
    “Wait a second—” Tim raised his hands.
“—you never come down here. I thought an ‘evil shadow’ covered the
face of Earth or something?”
    “Nikolas—” Grand grabbed Nick by the
shoulders. “—I finally cracked Ludwig’s puzzle. It was buried in
Machu Picchu of all places. The Merrows are under attack. Huron
needs you.”
    “Huron—How do you know about the
voice?” Nick said.
    “Wait—What?” said Tim. “Whose Huron?
Back on Moon?”
    “Well.” Grand’s head tilted. “Yes. It
is moonside.”
    “Moonside?” Nick said. “Wait. What’s a
Merro—?”
    “There’s a good deal that I need to
explain—” Grand had his hand up. “—But now is not the time. First,
I’m to fetch Erik and Sonya. Where are they?”
    “Fetch?” Tim said under his
breath.
    “They’re in there.” Nick pointed to the
epidemic ward. “One moment they were talking, and the next, Dad
couldn’t breathe and turned all purple-death.”
    Grand looked to the door
with a sign clearly marked Disease and
Poison Ward: No admittance beyond this point without
clearance. He tried to pry the doors open.
They beeped a warning but wouldn’t budge. Then Nick saw something
very odd. Grand’s eyes lost their hue and turned blue while waves
of blue misted from his fingertips.
    “Grand?” Nick said.
    Their grandfather’s hands formed a
hollow circle and plunged into the crack of the door. It rolled
apart like paper.
    “Scuccas? How could it be?” Grand
mumbled to himself. He looked down to Nick, then back through the
gap. “It is time we be leaving, boys.”
    “Um,” Nick said, “why are you all blue
and misty?”
    “It’s my jynn’us. Now, let’s