Lab 6

By Peter Lerangis

Something is wrong in Lab 6—what are Sam’s parents hiding?

Sam Hughes has always been too smart for his own good. It’s in his genes—both his parents are scientists who specialize in artificial intelligence—and sometimes it gets him into trouble. Sick of the bully who always steals his computer homework, Sam gives him a disk laced with a virus as a prank. To escape the bully’s wrath, Sam runs and hides in his parents’ lab. Inside, Sam hears a voice calling to him from behind a locked door labeled “Lab 6.” His parents are in there, and though he can hear them, he doesn’t understand what they’re talking about. Are his parents hiding a body in their lab? Something strange is going on, and Sam knows the answers lie somewhere in Lab 6. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Peter Lerangis including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the author’s personal collection. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Media
• Release date: Mar 20, 2012
• ISBN: 9781453248256

Peter Lerangis

Peter Lerangis is the author of more than one hundred and sixty books, which have sold more than five and half million copies and been translated into thirty-three different languages. These include the five books in the New York Times bestselling Seven Wonders series, The Colossus Rises, Lost in Babylon, The Tomb of Shadows, The Curse of the King, and The Legend of the Rift, and two books in the 39 Clues series. He lives in New York City with his family.

Book preview

1

TELL ME WHY I shouldn’t smash your face.

Bart Richter could hardly get the words out. His teeth were clenched, like a mousetrap that had snapped just short of its prey.

Sam Hughes felt like the mouse.

Run.

He’s crazy.

Sam knew he should have given Bart the computer class homework — just handed him a copied disk, no tricks. He should have let Bart cheat, same as always. Maybe change a line here and there so it wouldn’t be too obvious.

Planting the virus was stupid.

What was I thinking? Sam asked himself.

The plan seemed foolproof at the time. It wasn’t a killer virus. It was easy to fix. Bart would insert the disk into his computer. His files would disappear. He’d call Sam in desperation. Sam would rush over, suddenly the hero. He’d agree to retrieve the files — but only if Bart agreed to stop the cheating.

But foolproof was not the same as Bart-proof.

Bart had never opened the disk. Instead, he had just handed it in.

The first person to open it had been Mr. Antonelli, the computer teacher.

And his files had been wiped out.

His class notes, his family finances, his e-mail, and the first seven chapters of his Great American Novel — all were gone in an instant.

By the end of the day, Bart was gone, too. From school, that is. Suspended. But only after Mr. Antonelli had yelled at him, flunked him, and threatened to sue him.

Which was why Sam was in the back of the Blue Mountain Mall on Friday evening, facing doom in the form of a fourteen-year-old halfback bent on vengeance.

Mr. Antonelli’s a smart guy, Sam said, backpedaling. It’s an easy virus. He — he can undelete those files, no sweat. I can tell him how, if you —

Sam’s back made contact with the brick wall. He looked to his right, toward the mall entrance, but a Dumpster blocked it from view.

Bart kept approaching. "I don’t get it. What idiot would put a virus on his own homework?"

"It wasn’t on my disk."

No.

Sam, you fool.

The realization slowly spread across Bart’s face. You did it to me on purpose — ?

I didn’t think you’d hand it in —

Bart swung. Fast.

Sam ducked, but he wasn’t quick enough.

He was jolted off the ground, following the trajectory of his flying jaw. With a resounding CLANG, he slammed against the side of the Dumpster.

Use your brain NOW, smart guy, Bart growled.

He reared his arm back again.

Sam gripped the lip of the Dumpster and pulled himself up. The smell of rotting food wafted up from inside.

He felt Bart’s hand close around his calf.

BART!

Jamie Richter’s voice.

Bart’s twin sister. The lead singer in the worst garage band Sam had ever heard, Inhuman Phenomena. The voice of a dying tomcat on a rainy night, he had said in his school newspaper review.

Maybe he’d been too harsh.

You’ve sabotaged one Richter. Insulted the other.

Great, Sam.

No way out of this one.

Hulllk— A cry for help choked in Sam’s throat. He coughed out a glob of saliva.

Bart’s grip loosened. What the — ?

Bart was stumbling backward. Wiping goo from his face. Sam’s goo.

Dead.

You are dead.

BART, YOU FATHEAD!

Jamie’s footsteps rang out. Coming closer.

Bart turned. WHAT? he snapped.

NOW.

Sam jumped back onto the blacktop. The impact sent a stab of pain through his already swelling jaw.

Bart spun around and lunged for him.

But Sam was gone. Running across the lot.

Sam? Jamie called out.

Sam darted out onto the sidewalk.

SAM, I HAVE TO TALK TO YOU!

Now they were both chasing him.

He ran down the hill. Toward Rio de Ratas, River of Rats, the brownish waterway that bordered town. The river had a real name, but no one remembered it. Pollution from Blue Mountain’s factories had ruined the water ages ago. Nowadays the factories stood empty and abandoned, but the look and stench of the river remained.

Just before the river was a cyclone fence. Sam squeezed through a hole, under a lopsided, sun-bleached sign that bore the faint words BLUE MOUNTAIN INDUSTRIAL PARK.

The setting sun made black holes of the alleyways that snaked between the old brick buildings. Sam’s footsteps tapped flatly against the cracked blacktop. Wary eyes glared at him as he passed makeshift shelters of old planks and cardboard boxes piled against the walls at the edges of the street-lamp light.

Where is it?

He hadn’t been to the Turing-Douglas Research Labs in a long time. Not since he was a kid. But it would be a perfect hiding place.

Down Front Street, then right on Second.

The memories bubbled up through his panic. Coming to this neighborhood with his parents when he was a kid, night after night.

Reviews for Lab 6

[cheryl_in_cc_nv · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a great SF series, mainly for 'tweens with short attention spans. Each book has different characters and a different 'what if' concept, and each will provoke. Read them with your child and then have some interesting conversations.

The 'frame' of the 'Watchers' unifies them and makes them 'more than the sum of their parts' as the saying goes. However, I have to admit, even after reading all six, I did not quite understand the frame. So if you don't, don't worry about it. Probably your child will if you have those conversations that I recommend. ;)

They are just a bit intense. Besides the SF issues, there are bullies, adults with mental illness, avarice, etc. If your child is under age 10, read them first. But don't censor or shelter - just be ready for questions.

(I'm copying this review for all six books.)