They Came From Planet Q Read Free Page B

little fear in his voice.
    I knew Damon was ready to run. I was literally holding him back. I hooked my arms through his.
    But it was all for nothing. Because leaving now was definitely not an option.
    â€œI think we should go up and investigate,” I said. “There are all sorts of secret passages and places inside this mall. If there’s a big magnet out there, it must have left some clues on the roof, right?”
    â€œThat hole is waaaaaay up high,” Damon said. “How do we get all the way up there?”
    â€œWell,” Jesse said thoughtfully. “We could all get dressed in metal suits and then the giant magnet will pull us up . . .”
    â€œJESSE!” Stella yelped. “Would you get serious?”
    â€œLook, there are all sorts of secret passages in the mall,” I said. “My dad has maps of the entire mall complex in his office. We could check out the maps and see what’s marked on the different levels. Maybe we’ll be able to locate our B-Monster that way.”
    As we stood there, the Toy Mania alarm finally stopped ringing and the fountain stopped running water. Everything stopped, actually . . . except the pounding of my chest.
    And then, like a cannon, a voice boomed behind me and I nearly fell over onto the ground.
    â€œLindsey Monica Gomez! What are YOU doing here?!”

CHAPTER 4
    TREMORS!
    I turned and saw Dad. I could tell he was mad because his neck was cherry Popsicle red.
    â€œAnswer me. What are you doing here?”
    â€œDad!” I said. “We were up at the food court when we heard noises and we—”
    â€œG-g-got scared,” Damon interrupted.
    â€œCorrection. You got scared, Damon,” Stella said.
    â€œScared?” Dad said, tugging on his shirt collar. “Well, I should say so! The entire mall is being evacuated. My guys are rounding up people in the mall. The fire and rescue team is coming in. Just look at this place! This is dangerous and intense . . .”
    Dad’s walkie-talkie crackled.
    â€œWhoa,” Damon said. “Your dad is the one that’s intense.”
    â€œLindsey, I need you and your crew to vamoose . . . NOW!” Dad barked, checking his walkie-talkie again. “Evacuation orders mean everyone , young lady, even the daughter of the head of security.”
    Dad asked Big Wally, the biggest security guard on the team, to escort us all the way out of the mall.
    â€œGreat,” Stella whispered to me as we moved toward the door. “We are just about to ID the B-Monster—and this happens.”
    â€œWait! Dad!” I said, turning back. “I know we’re just kids, Dad, but I think you should know there’s something else going on . . . something magnetic is . . .”
    â€œLINDSEY!”

    The boys glared. I knew I shouldn’t have hinted at our mission, but I had to say something! We couldn’t just leave! We couldn’t just let ourselves be escorted from the scene of the B-Monster!
    â€œGo home, Lindsey,” Dad said sternly. Big Wally took me and the others by the arms.
    I wanted to tug myself loose and run back to make one final plea to Dad, but just then the building shuddered.
    Lights flickered.
    And the whole place went dark with a loud hisssssssss .
    â€œPOWER! OUT!” someone yelled. I heard Dad yell, too. We were in a cave with voices shouting out in the darkness.
    Damon found me first. “W-w-what’s going on?” he squealed, clinging to my side like a vine. “Is this it? Is this the end of the world?”
    â€œWHERE IS EVERYONE?” Stella yelped. She was close by, but where?
    â€œI’m over here,” Big Wally boomed.
    â€œMe too,” Stella said.
    â€œDid the floor just move?” Jesse cried. “Because I felt the floor move.”
    â€œOh noooooooo!” Damon wailed. I think he wanted to run away, but he couldn’t even see a foot in front of him.
    Once again, the building shimmied and