Author's Notes:

Hello everyone! I know that everybody and their mother and brother have posted a Book 55. I have toyed with the idea of writing my own continuation for many years but have never really had any ideas that I felt were good enough for it. I have been planning some ideas for the past few weeks and I feel like I've finally put together some ideas that I believe are worthy of a continuation. I really hope you will all give this a chance and I hope you will enjoy it. This is going to be a bit different than the previous Animorphs books that we all know and love, but it will still have some very familiar feelings to it. Anyway, enough of my babbling.

Disclaimer:

I do not own Animorphs. I'm just borrowing them for fun.

Now on with the story...

ANIMORPHS

Book 55: The Search
Narrator: Cassie
Cover Morph: Cassie to Blue Whale
Tagline: "The war isn't over yet…"

Chapter One

My name is Cassie.

You know who I am. By now, everyone around the world knows my story. I am universally known as Cassie the Animorph. Marco always joked about us being like superheroes, and the truth is, according to the world at large, we sort of were now. Everywhere I go, people want to talk to me, take my picture, get an autograph. Talk shows call me all the time wanting me to come on and talk about my experiences fighting the Yeerks.

But the truth is, I have moved on.

I don't want to be Cassie the Animorph anymore. I left that all behind for good the day Jake came to me and told me he was taking Marco and Tobias on what would likely be a suicide mission to try and find Ax in a far-flung galaxy. Instead, I've been focusing on my life here on Earth.

I've been busy.

"You have a meeting with the parks director at two," Erin, my assistant, informed me as we marched down the corridor of our headquarters at Yellowstone National Park. We've been converting it into a sanctuary for all of the free Hork-Bajir that are no longer enslaved by the Yeerks. I checked my Blackberry and confirmed on my schedule what Erin had already told me. I also saw a text message from Ronnie.

He wanted to meet me for dinner. Tonight.

I paused for a moment, biting my lip. I'd been dating Ronnie Chambers for almost three years now. Things had been going extremely well. Tonight could be the night our relationship would reach the next level. Ronnie had been dropping hints like crazy about our future. I was starting to think he was ready for the next step.

"Is everything okay, Cassie?" Erin asked, stopping a couple paces ahead of me.

I looked up, still slightly distracted. I smiled.

"I think everything's going to be great," I gushed. I felt a flood of emotions rush over me. I had to sift through them to figure it all out. I was excited about the prospect of my boyfriend potentially proposing to me. I was nervous about said proposal and what it would mean for me and my future. I was sad that I couldn't share this elated moment with my best friend, Rachel. I was nostalgic about the fact that years ago, when I was nothing but a naïve teenager, I had hoped this day might come with Jake.

Like I said, a lot of emotions.

"The Secretary of Environmental Safety wants to have a conference call with you and your team at four," Erin continued, reciting from her schedule. I nodded absentmindedly, not really paying attention to her anymore. We headed towards my office and all I could think about was what my wedding dress might look like.

Rachel would be so proud.

Chapter Two

I drifted through my meetings and calls that day without really paying much attention. I signed forms and contracts without reading all of the fine print like I normally do. I nodded and smiled and made small talk with various government officials. I shook hands and took pictures and read my e-mails.

I was putting some files away and getting ready to clear my desk for the day and head home when I glanced at a photo shoved to the side that had become partially hidden behind stacks of paperwork and file folders.

The photo showed me, Jake and Rachel, our arms around each others shoulders, smiling and laughing. We were probably about sixteen in the photo. It was taken in the valley the Ellimist had created to hide the free Hork-Bajir we were protecting from Visser Three's forces. We looked so different back then.

I could hardly believe I was the same person.

I gently touched the glass holding the picture in place. I hadn't thought about the two of them too much lately. In fact, my giddy rush of wedding dreams and thoughts of proposals had brought about my first thoughts of Rachel in months.

I just couldn't think about her. It was too hard.

And Jake…

I sighed softly, pulling my hand away from the photo. It was hard to think about him too. I had felt so incredibly insignificant the day Jake told me to stay behind on Earth and do the work I was passionate about. Working with animals and the Hork-Bajir and helping the human civilization accept the fact that aliens really do exist.

But at the same time, I had been relieved.

I was tired of fighting. Tired of the battles, the bloodshed, and the hard choices. I was ready to be done.

And yet…

Yet there were times when I felt like there was unfinished business I should be attending to. Like I wasn't exactly where I was supposed to be, even though I told myself everyday that I was living my dream.

Ronnie had been a big help with that.

I glanced out my window, taking in the incredible view of the park. I got up and opened the window, allowing a fresh breeze to wash across my face.

I was struck with a sudden idea.

How long had it been since I had morphed? I would occasionally do it if I needed to get to a really tough spot in the forest or if an animal needed help and I wasn't able to reach them in my own human body.

But when was the last time I just grew some wings and flew? For fun?

I decided then and there that I was going to do just that. I went over to my closet and shoved some jackets and blazers aside, searching for what I knew lay discarded at the back. There it was, where I'd left it months ago. A small black leotard, like what a gymnast or a dancer would wear. Perfect for morphing. You see, when you morph, it's impossible to make the change with big, bulky clothing. For some reason, it just doesn't work, so your clothing ends up being destroyed or discarded and you end up being a totally naked human when you change back. To protect my dignity, I slipped out of the pant suit I was currently wearing and slid into the leotard.

Then, for the first time in a long time, I started to morph.

Within seconds, the change was complete, and I had become an osprey, a bird of prey. I flitted up to the windowsill and looked out at the miles and miles of forests and mountains, my osprey eyes seeing every little detail splayed out before me in magnificent high-def vision.

I spread my wings and took flight.

Chapter Three

After my flight, I was feeling more nostalgic than ever.

As I drove home my thoughts returned once again to Jake, Rachel and the other Animorphs. It had been six months since Jake told me about his mission to steal a experimental Yeerk craft and head off into space to find Ax. Most of the world had accepted the fact that the famous Jake the Yeerk Killer was gone forever.

I was starting to wonder if it was really true.

Part of me thought that if they were really all dead, I would somehow know. That I would have a feeling deep in my gut, or that maybe even the Ellimist would show up out of the blue like he always did and tell me the news.

But nothing like that ever happened.

And so I lived my life.

I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel and hummed along to some Top 40 hit that was playing on the radio, not even really paying attention to what it was but simply going along with it out of habit.

My cell phone began to vibrate in the center console. I glanced at the screen and saw that it was Ronnie calling. I activated the phone sync option in the car and answered the call on speaker phone.

"Hey there, Wonder Woman," Ronnie said.

That was his nickname for me. Funny, huh? I told you about the superhero thing. Ronnie practically worshipped me as a hero. I knew that he would do anything for me. He really loved me. And I loved him.

"I'm on my way home, now," I told him, turning the radio off. "I can't wait for our dinner tonight."

"Me neither," Ronnie said, sounding excited. "I'll pick you up at seven. You should wear that blue dress you bought last year for that gala we went to."

"The blue dress?" I asked, scoffing. "You know how I feel about wearing fancy clothes like that. It's not my thing. It was hard enough switching from flannel shirts and coveralls to pant suits and blazers."

Ronnie laughed. "But you look so beautiful in it."

I felt my cheeks go warm.

"Okay, flattery will get you just about anywhere," I murmured, caving in. How was it that Ronnie was the only person on this planet that could get me to be a girly girl? Rachel used to be able to convince me now and then to do something special with my hair or wear something besides dirty jeans.

"I'll see you at seven, Wonder Woman," Ronnie replied, ending the call.

I disconnected the phone, still smiling. I glanced at myself in the rear view mirror. I couldn't believe I was actually smiling like this. I was happy. I hadn't been truly happy in years.

Maybe this was a good sign. It was a new beginning.

As I turned into my driveway, Yeerks and Andalites and morphing and wars were the farthest thing from my mind. I was one step closer from leaving Cassie the Animorph behind forever and just being me. Just Cassie.

But then I saw the black SUV sitting in front of my house.

And the two men in dark suits and sunglasses leaning against it.

Waiting for me.

I felt a cold lump begin to form in my stomach. Like a lead ball had suddenly been dropped down my gullet.

I had a bad feeling about this. Something told me this wasn't going to go well.

Chapter Four

I exited my car and clicked the key lock, hearing the familiar BEEP as all of the doors locked. I stuffed the keys in my purse as I approached the SUV. The two men in suits shifted on their feet, taking notice of my arrival.

"Cassie?" one of the men asked, tipping his sunglasses down the bridge of his nose. He had deep brown eyes that looked hardened and jaded. As if he'd seen quite a bit in his time. The other man watched impassively next to him, arms folded across his barrel chest. He was practically bursting from his suit, his muscles were so large.

"We both know you already know who I am," I replied.

The smaller man with the dark eyes nodded succinctly.

"I'm Agent Weathers, this is Agent Stine," the man said, jerking a thumb at the hulking mass of a man next to him.

"What do you want?" I asked guardedly. I didn't mean to sound so rude. I'm normally quite pleasant and friendly. But something about these two just struck me as strange and off-putting. I decided to re-phrase. "I mean, what brings you here?"

"We've been sent to collect you," Agent Weathers replied.

"Collect?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. "What does that mean?"

"You'll get all of the answers you need after you come with us," Agent Stine spoke up, his voice unsurprisingly rough and gravelly.

"Why don't you just tell me now?" I challenged. "Besides, I can't go anywhere with you right now. I have plans this evening."

"You'll have to cancel," Weathers said stiffly.

"Pardon me if this sounds rude, but I have absolutely no intention of going anywhere with you," I said as bravely as I could. I'm not really one for a confrontation. I've always been more of a pacifist. But that doesn't mean I won't come out swinging when backed into a corner. I was an Animorph, after all.

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice," Weathers replied, shrugging. "Your presence has been requested at a top secret meeting concerning matters of intergalactic security."

"Intergalactic security?" I echoed, completely confused.

"We need you to come with us," Stine intoned, moving towards me. "There isn't any time to waste. Please cooperate."

"If you know who I am, you know what I can do," I said to the two agents. "I could just morph into a bird and fly away from you before you could even think about catching up with me."

"You could," Agent Weathers said, tilting his head in agreement. "But then you'd never get the chance to hear about what your old friends have been up to."
Old friends?

He was talking about Jake, and the others. Marco. Tobias.

"Where are they? Are they alive?" I asked hurriedly.

"Come with us," Stine repeated. "You'll be given all of the necessary information. I promise you."

I wavered. What could I do? If there was something going on with Jake and the others, I had to know about it. I was given my chance six months ago to join Jake's crazy mission, but I was sidelined.

Maybe this was my chance to do something.

I suddenly realized I had been right. I had been missing out on what I was always meant to be doing. Like I said, I am an Animorph, after all.

"Fine," I relented. "I'll come with you. But I have to make a call first."

I hoped Ronnie would forgive me for this.

Chapter Five

For reasons I'm still not quite sure about to this day, I lied to Ronnie.

I told him there was an emergency meeting at the park and that I was needed and that it was going to be a long night. I told him I was going to have to miss dinner. He was disappointed, but understood. He was good about those sorts of things. He understood that I had an important job and that a lot of people relied on me.

I felt terrible.

I sat in the backseat of the SUV as Agents Weathers and Stine rode in the front, maneuvering the vehicle through the city towards parts unknown. It was mostly silent. I kept to my own thoughts, running over hundreds of scenarios in my head. I wondered what I was going to find out.

I couldn't contain the swell of hope that had begun to grow within my heart.

If I was being taken somewhere to be debriefed about the other Animorphs and possibly even their whereabouts, that meant it was likely they were still alive. I tried to curb the feeling, tried to stay grounded in reality. I had to prepare myself for the potential reality that they could be dead.

Jake had said the mission would be incredibly risky and potentially deadly.

That's why he had so vehemently wanted me to stay behind.

"Where are we going?" I finally asked, breaking the silence. Agent Weathers looked at me in the rear view mirror from the drivers seat. He had removed his sunglasses while driving and I could see directly into his eyes. They say the eyes are the windows of the soul. If so, Agent Weathers most certainly had the curtains drawn, because I couldn't see a thing within his eyes. He was completely and utterly guarded, his emotions carefully concealed.

"That information is need-to-know only," he replied.

"Well, I need to know," I insisted. "I don't think I need to remind you, but technically I outrank any government agent within this country."

I'm not the type to throw my weight around. That was usually more Jake and Rachel's territory. But I was feeling on edge.

"No, you don't need to remind us," Stine said gruffly, sounding very upset with this fact. "But I think you should just see this for yourself."

I didn't respond. I simply stared out the window next to me, watching the city melt away and turn into wide open countryside. We were heading out into the middle of nowhere. Soon, we'd be in the desert.

Perhaps it was some sort of military base?

Three hours later, we approached a fence that seemed to stretch for miles in all directions. A gate with a security booth was built into it. Weathers drove up to the security checkpoint and flashed his credentials. Within seconds, we were admitted, and he began to drive down a bumpy service road.

Up ahead I saw a cluster of nondescript buildings all clumped together forming some sort of compound. We were driving straight towards it. I noticed other SUVs and government vehicles parked outside the buildings.

Weathers brought the SUV to a stop in front of the closest building, the largest of them all. It was the size of an airport hangar with huge rolling service doors big enough for a semi or a plane to drive through.

We exited the vehicle and began to approach the building.

I began to feel a familiar feeling inside. My senses twitched and tingled. I wondered if this was some sort of trap. Maybe I was walking into a really messed up situation. What if I was being kidnapped or captured?

I forced myself to calm down.

I wasn't in danger anymore. The Yeerks were gone, defeated. Visser Three was rotting away in an Andalite created prison. There were no more enemies left. I was safe now. But then why couldn't I shake the feeling that I was about to walk into a terrible maelstrom of danger and darkness?

Weathers and Stine lead the way towards one of the massive entrances into the building and I followed along behind, feeling exposed and helpless. I felt the sudden urge to morph into something dangerous, like a wolf or a polar bear. Something that could really do some damage if needed.

I really had learned a thing or two from Rachel, after all.

"Welcome to DIODE," Agent Weathers said, motioning towards the inside of the building. I walked inside and gasped.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing.