I Am Number Four: The Lost Files: The Fugitive

By Pittacus Lore

In this exhilarating one-hundred-page companion novella to the New York Times bestselling I Am Number Four series, Mark James is on the run—and on the wrong side of the law—but he'll do whatever it takes to save Sarah Hart and help the Garde.

A sequel to I Am Number Four: The Lost Files: Return to Paradise, this novella picks up with Mark racing to Dulce, New Mexico, evading capture from both the Mogadorians and the FBI. On the road, his mysterious new ally—a fellow blogger from They Walk Among Us who Mark knows only by the screen name GUARD—sends him a care package to help in his quest to find Sarah. Inside is a stack of cash, high-tech equipment, and some seriously advanced weaponry, all begging Mark to once again ask the question: Just who exactly is this guy? As Mark gets closer to tracking down Sarah, he also gets closer to discovering the identity of this enigmatic figure who seems to know so much about the Loric. When the truth about GUARD is finally revealed, nothing will ever be the same.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Dec 23, 2014
• ISBN: 9780062364029

Pittacus Lore

Pittacus Lore is Lorien's ruling Elder. He has been on Earth preparing for the war that will decide Earth's fate. He finished recounting the story of the invasion of Earth in the I Am Number Four series and is now ready to tell another story. His whereabouts are unknown.

Book preview

image_1

CONTENTS

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Excerpt from The Revenge of Seven

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Back Ads

About the Author

Books by Pittacus Lore

Copyright

About the Publisher

image_1

CHAPTER ONE

YOU’RE AN IDIOT, MARK JAMES.

This is the thought that screams through my head every one hundred miles or so on the road when I have a moment of self-doubt. Or maybe it’s a moment of clarity? I don’t really know which. But when I face the facts—that I’ve stolen an FBI agent’s laptop, pissed off some evil aliens and am now driving across the country in order to try to find my missing ex-girlfriend, Sarah, who happens to be dating a good alien—I can’t help but think it’s true. I’m an idiot. Or I’m crazy. Or both.

Whatever I am, it’s too late to go back to being who I was before aliens blew up my school and took over my town. Not too long ago I was hot shit at Paradise High, with a bright future ahead of me. Now I’m the dude who’s wanted by government agencies and bad ETs from the planet Shark-Face.

I down an energy drink and crush the can in my fist, tossing it to the passenger seat floorboard, where it finds a home with a bunch of its empty brothers. I’ve been on the road for about nineteen hours, and I didn’t exactly start on a full night’s sleep. The only thing keeping me going is a mixture of adrenaline, worrying about Sarah and what are probably enough energy drinks to kill an elephant. One glance in the rearview mirror tells me I’m way overdue for sleep, my eyes all bloodshot and dark looking, but I don’t have time to take things easy. Sarah’s in Dulce—or at least, that’s what the email I read on the stolen FBI laptop said. Before I tried to access a file called MogPro, and the whole computer shut down. Now, the computer won’t even turn on. It’s just sitting on my back floorboard, wrapped in my letter jacket.

I try not to think about what the FBI or the Mogs might be doing to Sarah. I can hardly even wrap my head around the fact that the FBI—or at least the agents in Paradise—are working with the aliens. Instead, I focus on the fact that I’m on my way to bust her out . . . somehow. After a few more hours of empty roads on my fifteen-hundred-miles-in-one-day journey from Ohio to New Mexico, I’ll be there to try to save her. Me. Alone. Against a bunch of pale-ass aliens and probably the FBI, NSA and the Illuminati or whatever.

My phone dings—a burner, one I bought at a truck stop an hour outside of Paradise. The sound reminds me that I’m not technically alone on my mission to save Sarah. There’s someone helping me. He’s the only person who has this number.

I look at the text.

GUARD: Getting close to the NM border?

I glance up to see a sign on the side of the road telling me that Colorado State Highway 17 will turn into New Mexico State Highway 17 in ten miles. GUARD has been weirdly good at guessing where I’m at since I’ve been on the road.

I text him back, saying I’m about ten minutes out. Almost as soon as the message goes through, I get another ding.

GUARD: Gas station on the NM side of the border. On the right. Pull off there: I’ve got some stuff for you.

My brain basically explodes when I read this. I’m actually going to be face-to-face with GUARD: head conspiracy theorist at the They Walk Among Us website, hacker extraordinaire and kind of my only friend now that Sarah’s gone. Even though I’ve never met him. Even though I’ve never even talked to him on the phone because he’s as obsessed with his own privacy as he is with the Mogadorians and Loric.

Okay, so maybe we aren’t friends, exactly. I guess we’re more like partners in all this alien shit. He’s the computer brains, and I’m the good-looking brawn who’s going to save the girl and then figure out a way to keep what happened in Paradise from going down anywhere else.

The idea of being face-to-face with GUARD sends my thoughts into overdrive as I start imagining us pulling some badass action-movie moves while we storm the alien base in Dulce. Liberating anyone who’s been taken hostage by the Mogs in a montage of explosions. Then the pounding in my chest starts to drum faster, and I remember that this is real life, no matter how strange it all seems. I think of the huge Mog dude I saw while I was acting like a spy at the police station in Paradise. He was a black-eyed giant, built like a professional linebacker. He easily had two hundred pounds on me and was probably packing all kinds of alien weapons. Then I think back to all the gross-as-shit Mogs we faced at the school. I mean, I managed to fight my way out of that whole mess and protected Sarah in the process, but the idea of going up against those guys again makes me want to turn around and head back home.

I crank up the radio and tell myself it’ll all work out.

I’ll be okay. I’ll save Sarah. GUARD and I will do it together. He’ll know what to do.

It’s two in the morning when I cross the border from Colorado into New Mexico. Sure enough, there’s an old-looking gas station at the first exit. This time of night, the place looks deserted.

It’s only as I turn into the station that my head throbs and I wonder if I’m in danger for some reason. But that’s impossible. I’ve been supercareful, and God knows GUARD isn’t going to screw up on his end when it comes to flying under the radar. I still feel uneasy, though.

I blame the sudden paranoia on my lack of sleep.

I park at one of the pumps because it’s the only place that’s lit up, loud industrial lights buzzing overhead. Being under the light makes everything else seem that much darker, so I flash my headlights twice, half to get a better look at the area around me and half because I’ve seen enough movies about gangs and secret meetings to know this is sometimes a sign. No one appears, though, so I jump out and start to gas up since I’m already stopped, keeping my eyes on the lookout for any movement.

I’m five gallons in when a tall figure emerges from the darkness of the side of the station.

GUARD? I call out.

The figure doesn’t answer, which isn’t exactly a good sign.

I suddenly wish I had a weapon other than my throwing arm—a perfect pass isn’t going to protect me if this dude’s a Mog. My heart beats so loud I’m guessing the other person can hear it over the buzzing lights. I clutch my fingers around the gas pump. If things go bad for me, maybe I can hose the dude down and throw him off balance long enough to make a break for it.

Fortunately, I luck out. It’s obvious from the moment the person steps into the light that she’s no Mog. First off, I don’t even know if there are Mog women. Secondly, she’s dark skinned, unlike any Mog I’ve seen. She doesn’t exactly scream FBI either. She’s got on a motorcycle helmet that leaves just her face exposed. Between that and the form-fitting leather jacket, I’m guessing she’s got a bike stashed on the other side of the gas station. I can’t get too relieved, though, because she looks like she’s pissed off as she approaches. That’s when I notice there’s a box under one of her arms. I keep my hand on the gas pump.

I don’t realize she’s taller than me—by about a head—until she’s a few yards away. I don’t think I’ve ever met a girl who’s made me feel so short. Actually, she’s not really a girl. I’m guessing she’s in her midthirties, but with the crappy light and her helmet, it’s hard to tell exactly.

Uh . . . , I murmur. I don’t really know what to say. I’m not sure . . .

Jolly Roger? she asks.

It takes me a second to answer because no one’s ever called me that in real life. Hell, I don’t think I’ve ever even said the words out loud. Technically I am JOLLYROGER182, at least when I’m blogging on They Walk Among Us.

Yeah? I ask, as if it’s a question.

I’m still trying to wrap my head around what’s happening when she pushes the box into my chest.

Sign here, she says, holding a pen out to me with one hand and pointing to a sheet of paper on top of the box with another.

I do as I’m told, only halfway registering the courier service listed at the top of the page. Sure enough, the package is intended for Jolly Roger. This must be GUARD’s way of keeping my real name out of the equation, which is smart, I guess. Still, I can’t help but be bummed that he sent a courier instead of coming to the station himself.

I thought I was finally going to meet GUARD. I thought we were going to team up.

The woman keeps her eyes focused on me. Not blinking. Her intensity creeps me out a little bit, keeping me from wallowing too much in the fact that GUARD’s not here.

She takes the page back after I’ve signed for the package

Reviews for I Am Number Four

[begivens · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I'm still debating whether I like he movie or the book more. I found the first 150-200 pages of the book utterly boring, however I could not put it down no matter how hard I tried for the last 100 pages. The suspenseful points in there book were ruined by foreshadowing and common sense, even without the background of the movie you had a window into what was going to happen next in what would have otherwise been suspenseful points of the book.

If you have already seen the movie and left wanting more, definitely read the book and stay tuned for the next book (The Power of Six). I feel that Pittacus Lore is a good story teller and the next book will no doubt be good especially since you won't have the boring introduction into the characters unique lives.

[jenniferrobb · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Nine children and their guardians have been sent to Earth because their planet was destroyed by the Mogadorians. The Mogadorians have followed them, so the children and guardians must be constantly vigilant. Thanks to a charm placed on them, the Mogadorians can only kill the children in order. The first 3 are dead. Now they are coming after number 4.

[chellebearss · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

John and Henry have been living on the run since they arrived on Earth 10 years ago. Constantly watching for signs and leaving at a moments notice. Of the 9 children that were on the flight from Lorien, John is number 4.They caught Number One in Malaysia.Number Two in England.And Number Three in KenyaThe Modagorians must kill each child in their proper order and John is next. I thought this was great read and I gobbled it up and ran out to buy the second in the series. I found myself loving John and the people he ended up surrounding himself with. There was a scene when he stands up to a bully and kicks ass and I was rooting for him! 4* and recommended!

[tiffy_reads · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I really tried but I did not enjoy this book... I kept waiting for it to get good but it never did.

[sean191 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

So I'm torn on this. After I started reading the book, I learned that James Frey (yes THAT James Frey) was kind of behind this book. Now, people make mistakes, but Frey isn't making a mistake. He just seems to be a horrible person. So the backstory is that he has created essentially a writer factory, where he pays graduate students a couple hundred dollars ($250 was what I saw reported) and then they also get a smaller percentage of profits on the book - if it's made into a movie, etc. The actual writer gets 30% or so. They don't have any further rights to the work, they're on the hook for follow-up books, they may or may not be noted as the author according to Frey's whims and they can't talk about their work with the press. So...seems like there could be an interesting book about how horrible James Frey is...preferably one not written by him and one that doesn't give him any profits.Anyway, back to I Am Number Four... its a YA Novel...it's light, it's formulaic, it's fun. It's a very quick read and the characters aren't overly dumb with their decisions (most of the time). I'll probably borrow the rest of the series from my library over the next month or two.

[idlerockfarm · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I liked the story enough to quickly read to the end.

[zuzamiller · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a fun read - great adventure story with high appeal for those who like their story to move along quickly.

[krizia_lazaro_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I had low expectations from this book since I've heard it was a bit boring. It was good, better than what i expected. It was exciting and it just made me cry at the end. I did not appreciate the romantic part though. I think the book will still be as good without the romance, They are 15 year old teenagers and I don't think romantic love was that important. Still, I love all the characters! I'll definitely read the next one.

[jaimelee77 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great start to the Lorien Legacies series. Number Four is a refugee from planet Lorien living on Earth. Unfortunately the Mogadorians who destroyed Lorien are seeking the 9 children sent to Earth in attempt to save the Lorien race. Each child has a guardian who helps protect them and hide them from the Mogadorians, for Number Four it is Henri. Henri and John Smith (aka Number Four) seek sanctuary in a small rural community called Paradise, Ohio. John makes some new friends but knows he is always on the run and will ultimately have to leave so getting close to anyone is not really an option.
Fast paced and full of action, this young adult novel lends itself to my mental list of great stories being told right now. I definitely look forward to the next novel.

[didireallyreadthat · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Started off as an interesting twist on typical YA fiction (you know: special person falls into undying love) but got bogged down at the end with unending fight scenes

[libheroine · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

People reaaaalllly loved this book, but I thought it was just, eh. I was sadly surprised it didn't deliver.
Not sure what I was expecting, but it was not THAT awesome. The plot moved along okay, and I'm always up for fun Sci-Fi adventures, but I felt unmoved in general. Oh well.

[virago77 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As will always be true, the book was better than the movie. There is more character development and foraging out of the plot. If you saw the movie and enjoyed it--or even if you didn't enjoy the movie, the books is a good read. And as cute as the Pettyfer kid is, I could not picture him as John while reading. The she change between book and film is evident-- John being younger in the book than he is portrayed in the film Hero is such an awesome & moveable character and Sarah, in my opinion, is more likeable in the book than in the movie. Good book, glad I found it, can't wait to see where this series goes.

[rabbitrun_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great ending.

[ramonawray · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Good story.

[mindea_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have read this book a couple times, but haven't read the entire series so I am starting from book 1 and reading the whole series. I actually really like this book. In this first book you are introduced to Four. He is one of nine Lorian Garde that were sent to Earth the day their planet was attacked by Mogadorians. Each of the nine Lorians that were sent to Earth are being hunted by the Mogadorians on Earth.

[sasham-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I picked this up last night intending to read a few chapters.... and finished at about 1.30am.
The Superman like premise of the character's entrance to earth is familiar but the life and death struggle to prevent the destruction of Earth by the same race that destroyed Lorian adds a sense of urgency to the series. This is a very easy reading book but action packed enough that it doesn't feel to simple for an adult reader. A great book for 10 age group or reluctant older readers as well as those of us who just enjoy some escapism.

[mtlkch-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved this book!

[erie5leaver · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A wonderfully written book that will keep you up late into the night reading. Don't be put off by the fact that it is about aliens, it is written in a new way that is very good.

[mrsbakitch · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The cover of this book does not do it justice. This was a fantastic read and I couldn't put it down. This is a must read. Can't wait to read the next in the series.

[pmlyayakkers · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Pittacus Lore was one of the elders of the now-dead planet Lorian, conquered by another race and stripped of its natural resources. In this book, he tells how nine children with their guardians were sent to Earth in a last-ditch effort to save both their race and Earth, which is the Mogadorians next target. Of the nine, he is number four - the first three have already been killed.

[addictedtomorphemes · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I Am Number Fourby Pittacus Lore (James Frey & Jobie Hughes)#1 Lorien Legacies3-1/2*Two out of an original 18 aliens from the planet Lorien have been hiding on Earth for a decade. The older, Henri, is a guardian, teacher, and father figure to 14yo John Smith (they choose new identities with each sudden move as they sense danger lurking) awaiting John's latent legacies (superpowers) to show themselves in readiness for battle against their race's enemy, the Mogadorian, after which they hope to return to their brutalized home planet. For everyone's safety, the rest all scattered upon arrival hoping to meet up again down the road after the young ones had grown into their full power. Because of some charm placed on them, their enemy is only able to kill one at a time and in order of their number. When one is killed, all the rest are made aware of it by a sudden painful burning tattoo which appears on their leg. So far, the first three have been killed. John Smith is Number Four, so he knows the Mogadorian are now targeting him.Their recent move has brought them to a little town called Paradise, Ohio, where John immediately encounters the typical groups of teens: a bully and his entourage of fellow jocks, the pretty and smart cheerleader ex-girlfriend, the picked on nerdy kid who is into astronomy, etc. As his legacies begin to present themselves, usually under moments of stress or when adrenaline kicks in, he trains and learns to control them in between living life trying to fit in as a typical teenager, finding a best friend in Sam and a girlfriend in Sarah. Even as threats loom from the Mogadorian, John is desperate to stay in Paradise, resulting in everyone he cares about becoming part of the unavoidable battle.There were a couple nods to the authors themselves, one referring to the pseudonym "Pittacus Lore" as a powerful entity for the Loric people. Also the names James, Frey, Jobie, and Hughes were names used for side characters. I listened to the audio version narrated by Neil Kaplan. Please avoid this and read another version. Although Kaplan's normal voice is very pleasant, his forced falsetto for female voices was...not, the frequency of his sudden actual yelling made me jump, the nasally "nerd" voice assigned to Sam, and the use of Patrick's voice ? la Spongebob (I'm not exaggerating) for the character playing the bully was seriously laughable. I literally had tears rolling down my face when he would say things like, "What are you going to do? Run away and cryyyyyyy like a baby?" I did enjoy Henri's Jamaican-Rastafarian-sounding voice, however. It reminded me of the lovely Geoffrey Holder and his 7-up commercials from the 80s.Although the teenage angst was often sappy and melodramatic at times, I found this to be an enjoyable story in itself and am interested enough to continue on with the series.

[lchs1mrso · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Pittacus LoreI Am Number FourA young boy under the alias ?John Smith? is on the run from mogs, a form of aliens, John is part of the Garde, a species of alien that has powers and is said to bring peace on their worlds there are 10 in total and must be killed in order. With Henri, his guardian, he?s been on the run since he was a few years old, running from aliens who wish to kill him next. When John gets to Paradise Falls, a tiny town, he falls in love with Sarah, and life gets messy from there, with his form changing pet Bernie kosher, and best friend Sam, John must figure out how to save the Human race. The cover design before the movie is compelling, showing the Loric scar all Garde possess, a show of the universe, after the movie?s release, the cover is of the actor who plays john, and definitely draws a reader in. The book is good for those who love a good series and young adults, as it is a nice fantasy novel.

[dougcornelius_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Teenage alien danger action. The characters may be a bit flat, but there is just enough meat to keep you turning the pages to see what happens. It rarely slows down without leaving a sense impending doom.

[karyn_ainsworth · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

No sooner than I finished this book I had already picked up it's sequel to continue the story. No, It's not scientifically accurate, and it contains concepts I have heard of before. Did I read it in one sitting? Yes. Did I cry in the right bits? Yes, and it made me want to pick up the next book straight away. While it might not appeal to fans of true sci-fi or literature, it was certainly an enjoyable way to spend my afternoon. I don't always want to have to rack my brain thinking about how stuff fits in.

[paiger1979 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wasn't sure I would get into it because it seemed more like a guys alien story, but I could not put the book down. Soo good!!! I can't wait to read the next book!

[benuathanasia · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Many logic issues took me out of this book. Blending in and being normal is rule number one, and yet only a few days after he develops an immunity to heat, Four is already reaching into hot ovens and grabbing metal with his bare hands in front of people; Henri using being French as a cover for his accent, yet never bothering to learn any French in ten years. There were a few other such instances, but I can't think of them now.The sheer coincidence of Four's first/only real friend being an alien-obsessed conspiracy theorist was too convenient for my taste. And despite the fact that very few people will ever experience a sizable house fire, Four conveniently has to rescue the girl of his dreams and his worst-enemy's dogs from a blazing fire that ends up causing the climax. Eff this crap. There are coincidences, and then there's lazy-ass-I-couldn't-give-a-crap writing. This is the latter.The stereotypical school cliques that don't really exist in any normal school (I've gone to/taught at a few dozen middle and high schools and have yet to see evidence of the pop-culture strictness of cliques) was very obnoxious - especially the star-football player = biggest bully/antagonist is a tired trope. Lore inputs "hints" of things to come with all the subtlety and grace of getting hit by a Mack truck. I'm only halfway through and already the lizard, the dog, and what happened with the elders is blatantly obvious (edit: I was right on all counts).Overall, very "meh".Dangerous Days of Daniel X did it better.

[elliepoole · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great read. I could hardly put this book down and can't wait too start the second one!!

[mirandalg14 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I didn't want to read this one on principle, but I found I did enjoy the story. I think it will be an interesting series.

[jimmaclachlan · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

4 stars is a little too generous, but this was a fun YA adventure, so 3.4. I can see why they made it into a movie. It has a lot of adventure, mystery, tension, & a strong, clean romance thread. (Kissing & some snuggling, but they never even got to groping.) There's also a well done moral message. The only partying is done by others & winds up causing a complete catastrophe. There was also a strong environmental thread. All good stuff & it was very readable. The story flowed and covered enough time.

On the downside, the science was too magical & the magic was too opportunistic at times. IOW, it really strained my suspension of belief. There were a few specific instances that made me want to put down the book.
- The size of the planets. If they'd said 'amount of usable land' or something, I could have swallowed that Lorien was 1/3 of Earth, but to say the planet was 1/3 Earth's size doesn't make sense from the little (tiny actually) amount I know. If it's that much smaller it would have to be much denser, probably way too many heavy elements to be anything but a hell hole. Maybe I've read too much SF where that is usually the case, but Mars is more than 1/2 the size of Earth & can't keep an atmosphere & it's in the news a lot right now.
- The animal talking. He is specifically told by Henri that the hand light thing is his first legacy, but at the end he says chatting with the deer showed that animal communication was his first.
- The whole bit with huge sizes in the monsters just struck me as clunky. Even the scouts were pretty bad ass & almost had them. Why should they cart around something on a tractor trailer while still trying to keep from being noticed when a bus full of scouts would have served just as well?
- His dog's ability to change from a tiny lizard into a 30' monster & fly. It was foreshadowed so obviously that there wasn't any doubt from the time it showed up as to what it was to the reader. He should have tipped to it much sooner. That he didn't makes him just seem stupid.
- His dog's size might just be a personal pet peeve, but there needs to be some conservation of mass & energy. If he's going to go from a beagle to a monster, where did all the mass come from? The energy? One or the other should have been addressed.


OK, that's 5 things & while none were deal breakers, even YA should have a slightly higher level of logic than this showed at these times. As an adult read, I'd be hard pressed to give it even 3 stars. I won't rush to read a second book, but I do appreciate that this one didn't end on a cliff hanger the way so many do.

The author gives me a chuckle, so make sure you read the afterword. Of course, it also begs the question of why the elders left their planet for ours (at least this author did) a year or 2 earlier. Was their planet doomed? There was nothing they could do to prepare their people? Why were these few kids left until the last moment before being shipped to safety? Could they have needed the personal experience to create the emotions that would carry them through the battle? That doesn't make sense when the magic memory stones are taken into account, though. Oh well, I'm sure there is some wonderful reason they sacrificed almost the entire population of a planet not to mention the entire environment with all its animals (some obviously intelligent) & plants. That's a big price to pay. I just hope I can swallow it. Frankly, no matter what their reasoning, I really dislike their methods & it detracted from the overall mood of the story.

[jacobdb1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is about a boy who was flown of his plant with others like him before his planet was wiped out. He traveled to earth moving from plce to place with his "garde". He was living Florida at the time when the third died and the warning burned in to his ankel. his "garde" already had a place in mind to move. A place less sunny and more remote. a town called paradise Ohio.