James Patterson - Watch the Skies

“I’m way ahead of you,” he said, looking down at some weird cell-phone-type device with long, wiggling antennas. “And your mom will probably have my hide for telling you this… but I suppose you’d figure it out on your own anyhow… Um,” he said, slumping his shoulders, although I could tell he was secretly proud of me: “It looks like the signal was originating from London, England.”

“Good,” I said. “I’ll go book a flight. I can probably be there by tomorrow.”

“Or,” said Dad, “if you chose to really study the topographic data and teleport yourself, you could-in theory-be there in a few seconds.”

“Nah, I better not push my luck, right? And anyhow,” I continued as the waiter arrived and gestured for me to move my laptop out of the way, “I should probably eat some dinner first.”

“Good thinking,” he said, eyeing my French fries.

I summoned the rest of the family and my friends, and waved for the waiter. We clearly were going to need some more food.

“Who are we going after next?” asked Willy, sliding into the booth opposite me.

“I better not be hearing any single-digit List numbers from you this evening,” said Dana.

“How are the burgers here?” asked Joe, already scanning the laminated menu.

“Aren’t we supposed to take the rest of the summer off like normal kids?” asked Pork Chop. “Maybe we can go to camp!”

“Can we stop by the SPCA to thank that nice gray-haired lady again for adopting Lucky?” asked Emma.

“Next time I’m going to have to cut your hair myself,” said Mom, shaking her head sadly.

I must say, probably the best thing about being an Alien Hunter… is never having to be alone.

Stay tuned.

Beware of demons and druids.

And everyone else.

– Daniel

JAMES PATTERSON is the author of the highly praised Maximum Ride novels and of bestselling detective series featuring Alex Cross and the Women’s Murder Club. His novels have sold more than 170 million copies worldwide. He lives in Florida.

NED RUST lives in Croton, New York, with his family. His writing has appeared in Rolling Stone and McSweeney’s Internet Tendency.