The Interloper
By: Andalite Girl
Chapter 1
The living lay moaning among the dead. Some crying for their mothers, others sobbing for water. Men, woman and children, they were all there, it didn't matter. They were sprawled across the ground or lurching forward, trying to escape the endless pit of death.
About the only things that were having a good time were the flys. They flew in swarms from one fresh corpse to another. They crawled into half open mouths and danced on open, unseeing eyes.
Occasionally one would detach itself from the swarm and go and pester the few living, as if trying to suck all the hope away and speed up the process. One landed on a still living body and automatically came to the conclusion that this one was different. Then a hand came for it and it made haste to buzz away.
Ax idly brushed the fly away, more aware of the thousands of dead around him then anything else. He mentally gulped and stepped around some of the more twisted bodies, with limbs curving up in freakish parity.
"Water," A child gasped, lurching up to him, "Please, please... Give me some." He then fell down to all fours, racked by a series of sharp coughs. When he looked up there was a dribble of blood emanating from his mouth, "Please…"
Ax hesitated then swung his canteen around and tossed it to the child. Then he picked his way though the bodies again. So many dead... So much.
So this is war. He thought bitterly.
Without warning a hand shot out and grabbed one of his hind legs. Ax turned and looked, it was one of the formally dead corpses.
Let me go! He kicked his leg and pranced out of the way... Only to crash into another corpse who reached out and silently grabbed his arm.
"Join me," Came a soft voice in the back of his mind.
Other corpses started jerking back to life and grabbing at him.
"Come with me." The soft voice continued, "Be my friend Aximili."
No! Ax tried to bring his tail to bear but there were too many of the corpses. He was being overwhelmed and pushed down by their very weight.
NO! NO! NO!
***
NO!
Ax woke up with such a start that his tail almost crashed into the TV. He immediately jumped to his hooves and ran outside, shaking and in a cold sweat. He stopped and leaned against a tree. His knees felt like rubber and he was breathing hard as if he had just ran ten miles.
Just a dream... It was just a dream. He chanted, trying to soothe his frayed nerves. But it felt so real. He could still smell the death around him, still hear the cries of the dying...
It was just a dream.
Deep inside he knew that it was more then that. It had happened three nights in a row now. Three nights with terrible nightmares and no sleep. This was insane! Yes, that's what his human friend, Marco would have said. Insane.
I'm a cowered. Ax said bitterly. Who had ever heard of dreams such as this? It was unworthy behavior... He should really go back into the scoop and get some rest.
But rest never came. It wouldn't come after such a fright. So he spent another long, cold night in the woods, staring up at the stars.
****
"You're late," Rachel grumbled as Tobias swooped into the barn.
I know, I had to fly out of the way of a coopers hawk. Those guys are tough.
All the Animorphs were gathered in the barn behind Cassie's house. Erek, their secret informant, had called a meeting. That was usually bad news.
"So what's up?" Jake asked, playing the role of the leader and trying to get everyone to pay attention.
"It's Visser 3," Erek began, "Something is wrong with his host body."
"Isn't his host body old?" Cassie wondered.
The android nodded, "Yes, but it isn't about his age... Apparently his host is going insane and it's affecting the Visser's control over him."
What do you mean? Ax snapped.
"I mean just that. And the roumers are that it's affecting Visser 3 himself."
"Cool," Marco Laughed, "Visser 3 ditches the body and we don't have to fight his big nasty morphs anymore."
The others laughed and echoed his statement. This was a major break for them, a break that they sorely needed. Whatever hurt the Visser helped them. Only Rachel remained silent. There was something fishy about this, it sounded almost to good to be true.
"Ax, have you ever known an Andalite to go insane?" She wondered.
How am I supposed to know!? He yelled. Do I look like some sort of a doctor to you?
Everyone in the room stared at the andalite. Ax never yelled.
"Are you ok?" Jake asked, giving the others a meaningful look. Anyone who acted strangely was automatically put under suspicion. They had to learn this the hard way.
Ax relaxed, Yes Prince Jake I am feeling quite well. Perhaps I should have elaborated: It is not my area of knowledge but it might be that the Visser's andalite host finally lost his sanity in direct result of being infested for so long.
"Have you ever known that to happen before?" Cassie asked.
No, as I said it was only a hypothesis.
Jake looked at the others and gave a slight nod of his head. Now that sounded like the Ax that they knew. "Great, so what do you think we should do with this new information?"
"Assassinate him!" Rachel said, ignoring Marco's groan, "Right now he's weak so it's the perfect time to strike."
We could get him at his feeding grounds. Do you know where that is, Erek?
Erek twisted the bottom his apple computer shirt in his fingers for a moment before replying, "No but my friends and I know of several places where it would most likely be. We'll get working on that immediately."
"Thanks," Jake almost smiled, "Well I guess that's it. I have to go and finish my English essay."
Marco grimaced, "That one in Ms. Elm's class? That's got to hurt!"
So with the meeting adjourned, all the humans went to their separate homes and Ax and Tobias walked/flew to their parts of the forests.
Ax turned on his TV as soon as he got to his scoop. The sun was just setting and the good commercials were just beginning. But within minutes he found that he could barely keep any of his eyes open. Three nights without sleep were starting to take their toll on him.
So he turned off the TV and lay down to let him self sink into unconsciousness again.
****
There was nothing to see, nothing to hear. Not a speck of light got though the solid walls. The only sound was of Ax's hooves as he walked across the floor, trying to find a way to get out.
He needed out! The Animorphs needed him! They were probably fighting a battle right now and he needed to help. But no, he was trapped in this, this place. He didn't know how he got there or why and he really didn't care either. That didn't matter, all that mattered was that he needed out!
Ax stopped short as his tail hit something solid. Running his hands along it he realized that it was some sort of a wall. It was smooth and without cracks and doors.
Stranger and stranger. He muttered as he took a few steps to the right and reached out to feel the wall again. Soon Ax had determined that he was in some sort of a cell, with four walls on each side.
Ax was almost knocked off of his hooves as a sickening lurch rocked the whole cell. Then a grinding sound vibrated though the walls and floor. Ax scrambled upright again and knocked his tail against one of the walls.
That could not be correct. He thought, he reached out and pressed his hands against the wall again and realized that it was pushing back. The knowledge of what was happening hit him with a lance of terror unlike any other he had ever felt before.
The walls were coming together... They were going to trap him in...
No. He whispered, trying vainly to stop the wall from advancing. No!
Oh God, how much air was in this cell?! How long before he suffocated, before he was squeezed and smashed...
LET ME OUT! He screamed, hitting the moving wall with his fists. He was being forced backwards now, right into the opposing wall. LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT!
" Come with me Aximili." Said a soft voice in the back of his head. "I can make it all go away."
Ax groaned, No... Let me out! Please! Please! There wasn't anywhere to run too. He was trapped, trapped between the walls. It was smashing him, forcing all the air out of his lungs... Someone help me!
" I can help you Aximili." Said the voice. "All you have to do is let me..."
***
Tobias carefully wiped the last of the entrails off of his beak. Eating mice was messy work and it wouldn't do to preen himself with a bloody beak. He chuckled to himself at the thought, Oh yeah, I could tell Rachel that it was the latest craze with Red-Tails this summer.
He would have smiled at his own wit if he had a mouth. Then he realized that the sun was almost down... It must be near seven O'clock and he had promised that he would show up to watch Stargate SG-1 with Ax.
He jumped off of the branch and sailed to the ground to morph into a human. He had spotted a mob of blue jays earlier and he didn't want to run into them as a hawk. Jays could be nasty around dusk, besides Ax's scoop was only a quarter mile away.
Tobias knew that something was wrong as soon as he caught sight of the scoop. It was too silent, his alien friend usually had the TV on which could be heard clearly in the woods.
But there wasn't any sound, save for the crowing of half dozen Blue Jays in the trees above.
Tobias cursed to himself and broke into a jog. He rushed into the scoop... and stopped dead in his tracks as his shocked mind struggled to comprehend what his eyes where seeing.
Ax, his friend, was writhing on the ground. All four of his eyes were wide open but not seeing a thing. Beads of perspiration where running off of his face and down his neck.
Someone help me! He gasped, Please...
"Ax?" Tobias wondered as he kneeled down by the andalite, "Ax, come on. Snap out of it!"
Help! Someone please... AHHHH! He started to make choking sounds, like he couldn't breathe.
Tobias was getting freaked out now. He grabbed Ax by the shoulders and shook him. "Snap out of it." Still getting no response he dealt him a blow across the face. "Wake up!"
Ax's green eyes widened for a moment and then focused. He let out a startled yelp and jerked away, his tail missing Tobias's neck by mere centimeters. Then he stood up and looked around like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Eventually his eyes focused back on his human friend. Tobias, what are you doing here?
"Are you ok?" Tobias wondered shakily.
I am fine.
"You didn't look fine to me."
It was nothing but a simple nightmare. Ax said curtly, standing up and trying to conceal the tremors that were running up and down his spine. Just a nightmare...
But Tobias wasn't fooled for a second, "Bull shit." He said angrily, "People don't have nightmares with their eyes open!"
Perhaps humans do not-
"And Andalite's don't either! What's going on Ax? Something tells me that this isn't the first time. How long have you been hiding this?"
Ax suddenly felt very tired and very stressed out. He leaned against the wall of his scoop for support, This is the forth night. He said bitterly. Every time I close my eyes I... He shrugged, an expression he picked up from his human friends. I do not know what is wrong with me.
Tobias was shocked at the tone of Ax's voice. He was used to hearing pride with a touch of andalite arrogance that was so common with the species. But now he sounded drained and defeated, like everything was taken out of him to leave just a hollow shell. "Gezz," He muttered, "Do you remember what happens? Maybe Cassie could interpret them for you and find out what's wrong."
Ax shrugged again, Different scenarios... Nothing seems to make sense... He stopped and narrowed his green eyes as if he didn't trust his own memory, But at the end there is always a voice.
"A voice?"
Yes, asking me to join it... Tobias?
"Yeah Ax-man?":
Could you... Could you not tell Prince Jake or the others about this? It is most embarrassing.
Tobias shook his head, "No way. This is major stuff your dealing with right now weather you know it or not."
It is but a few nightmares...
"Have you even slept or ate at all recently?" Tobias asked but didn't get a response, "See? Even though you don't want to admit it this thing has gotten you scared. And the best way of dealing with it is to get help."
Ax wanted to argue his point but he was just too tiered to even try. He craved desperately for sleep and for food but he knew that his body would just reject both. If you say so, my friend. He said wearily.
****
"And when were you planning to tell us this?" Marco wondered as Ax finished telling the Animorphs about his dreams. It was the next day and they were all gathered in the barn again.
I assumed that it would pass but it did not. Ax replied, tiredly. He hadn't slept again though the whole night and as a result he was struggling to just stay upright and to continue normal conversation.
"That voice you mentioned," Cassie piped up as she cracked open a dream interpretation book, "What was it saying?"
Didn't he already mention that? Ax wondered, or was that last night? Memories were blurring and running together...
"Ax?" Jake asked.
Yes? I mean, yes the voice was asking for me to join it and saying that it could help me.
Cassie nodded and flipped though her book, finally she stopped on her page and read, "Voices in dreams almost always signify a person's conscience or inner desires."
Inner desires? That didn't make any sense. Why did he even come here in the first place? He wished he were home again... At least there was some decent medical technology available there not this primitive...
Suddenly his legs gave out beneath him and he fell to his knees before he could stop himself. Rachel and Jake reached him first and helped him up. I am... fine. Ax said grumpily, embarrassed that he needed help.
"Yeah, you look just great to me." Marco commented sarcastically.
Ax felt a sharp prick on his arm, he looked down to see Cassie sticking something sharp into it. "It's just a sedative." She said, seeing the look on his face. "To help you sleep." She finished injecting the contents and pulled the syringe out.
I do not wish to sleep.
"Tough." Jake said, "You're endangering yourself like this, Ax-man." He started to lead the dazed andalite to the back of the barn where the empty stalls were. "Cassie's dad is out today so you can get some sleep here."
"Yeah, it's probably just stress anyway." Cassie said, "Believe me, after tonight you'll feel much better."
I will? His friends were getting fuzzy to him now, his eyelids felt as heavy as ten-pound weights.
Yup. And I'll be in the barn in case you have another nightmare. Tobias added from the rafters.
Promise... Tobias?
Yeah, I promise.
Somewhere in the back of his mind he realized that his friends really did care about him. He wanted to thank them but his mind wouldn't form the words. So he just shut his eyes as the world went dark around him.
***
Screaming, crying... Despair... It was everywhere, soaked into everything at this place. At this Yeerk pool.
Ax was standing in line, the infestation line. He was in human morph... and he was terrified. The plan had gone all wrong, he and the other animorphs meant to infiltrate this place but instead he had been put in this line because he was mistaken for being a controller.
Wait. He thought, I... This never happened! It's a dream! It is another dream! The line moved another step, only three more people to go until it was his turn.
Ax shuttered, where was Tobias? He said that he was going to wake him up when this happened!
Only two more people left... One...
The person in front of him got their Yeerk and left, it was his turn. A Hork-Bajir controller grabbed his arm in a vice-like grip. "No!" Ax yelled in protest and kicked at the alien, trying to forestall the inevitable.
But it was no use. The forced him down and dipped his head into the pool. To his absolute horror he felt something start to push into his ear canal. No! This wasn't happening! Where was Tobias?! He said that he would wake him up! He promised!
He heard the Yeerks laughter as he made contact with his brain...
No! He would rather die! Rather cut himself with his own blade...
"I can save you Aximili." The now familiar voice said in the back of his head.
Tobias?
"I can help you if you let me... Join me..."
Suddenly Ax felt resigned, how could he fight this?
Yes... Yes... Help me...
The world dissolved around him and Ax felt his own resolve go with it. But he didn't care.
Not anymore.
****
Tobias yawned and shifted his stance on the rafter. He had been on guard for a few hours while his friend slept. Nothing had happened and Tobias was glad. Maybe Ax would get over this thing and return back to his normal self. He hoped so but a little thought in the back of his mind warned him otherwise.
It can't be that easy.
It was so weird seeing his friend like this, all stressed out an unsure of himself. The Ax he knew was very smart, supportive, strong and arrogant. He had never been like this. Even when Ax was sick he had acted indifferent, like the whole thing didn't bother him even though everyone knew that it did. Now here he was in Cassie's stall because he was having terrible nightmares brought on by stress. Since when did stress ever affect him?! Ax's own brother had died, he had been separated from everything he knew and loved and he had fought in terrible battles. But nothing had bothered him, gotten too him...
Until now.
Tobias yawned again and looked out over the barn for anything interesting to keep him awake. The hawk in him automatically noticed all the little prey animals that were stirring around in their cages. But he was full and the hawk never wanted to hunt on a full stomach.
Maybe if I take just a short nap. He said out loud, giving one more glance at Ax. The Andalite was fine now and there wasn't anything to worry about.
Besides, he would only close his eyes for a few moments...
Tobias knew he was in trouble as soon as he opened his eyes again. The light and shadows in the barn had shifted dramatically, signaling that hours had passed, not moments. He looked down at Ax's stall and gasped.
He was gone.
****
A bright light... fear...
Where was he? Why couldn't he see anything?
What was going on?
"I'm here..."
Who is? Who are you?
"I am"
Where am I?
"Here"
My friends... Tobias... Where's Tobias?!
"Not here..."
But where is he?
"Gone"
He said he would wake me up... He promised...
"He's not here.."
No! He promised...
"He doesn't matter"
No
"There is only I."
...No.... Yes
"Except it, andalite."
Yes
"Follow me"
****
Cassie! Come quick, Ax is gone!
Cassie was so surprised that she dropped her fork onto her plate with a loud clatter. Globs of tomato sauce flew up from the plate to land onto the tablecloth.
"Is something wrong?" Her dad asked.
"Yes, I um... I forgot to do something in the barn and I just remembered about it now." Cassie replied, trying not to bite her lip. She was a terrible liar and she knew it.
Fortunately her dad had no reason to believe her, "Well then you'd better take care of it, Sport."
Cassie plastered on an embarrassed smile and left the table. As soon as she left the kitchen she broke out into a full out run. Her mind was racing, what had happened to Ax?! Had she given him something that would normally be good for Earth animals but toxic to him? A shadow passed over her head, it was Tobias. "What happened?" She yelled, knowing that she really didn't need to yell with Tobias's hearing but it helped release some pressure that was sitting on her chest.
I don't know! Tobias moaned, I fell asleep and when I woke up he was gone! I should have heard him leave.
Cassie didn't stop running until she had reached the barn. Once inside she shut the door and focused on her Osprey morph. "He might have just gone back to his scoop." She said quickly while she still had a mouth and throat, "Go look there and I'll get Jake and the others."
Tobias didn't say a word, instead he focused on flapping his way out of the barn and to Ax's scoop. He needed to focus on flying, on trying to catch the best possible thermals to increase his speed. He couldn't think about how he had fallen asleep, failed his friend when he was most venerable...
No, he couldn't think about that.
Tobias half prayed half hoped to find Ax in his scoop. He would be happily watching commercials on his TV and simply explain that he felt no need to disturb Tobias on his way out.
But when Tobias actually got to the scoop he found it completely empty and lacking any sign that someone had been there recently. Ok, Ax wasn't there... So where could he be?! Why would he even leave in the first place?!
Calm down Tobias. He told himself, Get back to the barn and in touch with the others. Jake'll know what to do. So he turned back and flew in the other direction, trying to not focus on the thoughts that were tumbling in his mind.
It was all his fault.
****
" All right! Everyone calm down !" Jake said, trying to maintain order in this badly organized meeting. Everyone was on the verge of panicking, terrified that the Yeerks had gotten Ax. They all knew that if one of them was captured and infested then no one would be safe. The Yeerks would get secrets from Ax's mind and from there it was only a matter of time until they were all captured and infested themselves. Jake turned to Tobias who was standing on a bale of hay, "Ok, tell us exactly what happened."
I was sitting guard... and fell asleep.
"YOU FELL ASLEEP!?" Marco shrieked at the top of his lungs, "We're gonna die because of you! And you fell asleep!?"
"Shut up Marco!" Rachel said, jumping to Tobias's defense.
"Oh of course you're going to defend him, Rachel." Marco sneered, "Admit it! Your boyfriend is going to get us killed!"
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Jake roared and immediately everyone fell silent. When Jake yells, people listen. Jake took a deep breath and looked at everyone in the eye before continuing, "We don't know that Ax is captured by the Yeerks. He could just be out-"
"Oh like that's so much better!" Marco cut in.
Jake glared at his best friend before continuing, "We need to do a full search. Cassie and Rachel, morph into wolf's and try to see if you can pick up his scent. Marco, get to the free Hork-Bajir and tell them to be ready to move out. Tobias and I will search from the air."
"That's it?" Rachel wondered.
"Unless you can think of anything better?"
Rachel just shook her head and started the change to become a wolf. The others concentrated on different bodies too and within a few minutes they were all animals. Cassie and Rachel followed Ax's scent for a few hundred yards until they reported that he had changed into his Northern Harrier morph. Then the two quickly demorphed, remorphed and joined Jake and Tobias in the air.
After a few minutes Jake realized that it would be best if they all slit up and went in different directions. Birds of prey eyes were good, and it was just wasted time to have four pairs of eyes scanning the same ground.
Tobias peeled off and headed west, trying to keep his mind on the job at hand.
Marco's right,
he thought bitterly, I've failed Ax and probably killed everyone here. All that we have worked for, all the battles that we fought will all be for nothing... I haven't just condemned by best friend, girlfriend and the animorphs... I have condemned the entire human race!Oh God... It's all my fault...
****
Part 2
" So what do we do now Jake?" Cassie asked wearily, too tired to even go and tend the animals. It had been four days, four days since Ax disappeared. The Animorphs searched and searched but never turned up a result, not even a single hoof print. On the good side they hadn't been infested or killed yet.
Yippee.
But they could feel it. Like a noose slowly tightening around their necks... Soon the Yeerks would come, soon all hope for the human race would be lost. Marco had pointed out the sheer fact that they had not been infested yet meant that Ax wasn't with the Yeerks. Even Erek confirmed that Ax had not been captured... So where was he?
"I don't know, Cass." Jake replied, scrubbing his face with his hands. "We have been everywhere looking for him." He looked around at the others, hoping that they would have a new and brilliant idea. But no one did, the barn was silent.
"I have to get home." Rachel muttered after five minutes, "My mom will go nuts if I'm late again."
"You aren't just going to give up are you?" Marco demanded.
"Well what else are we going to do?! Search some more?" Rachel exploded, "Either he's dead or doesn't want to be found."
Ax wouldn't do that. Tobias said fiercely, He wouldn't hide out. Something has happened to him... We can't give up.
"This from the guy who fell asleep." Marco muttered, switching sides.
Everyone expected Tobias to start yelling but he stayed silent. Jake cleared his throat, "We can't stop looking," He said, raising a hand to stop Marco and Rachel's rebuttal, "But we also can't keep to this kind of schedule. Our parents are starting to get suspicious and they might decide that a trip to the local sharing would do us a world of good."
Everyone fell silent again, knowing that Jake was right but not willing to say it. Finally Cassie spoke up, "We can't ever give up." She said, "Ever."
****
Tobias watched the sun set from his favorite place in the tree. It was beautiful but he was to guilt ridden to enjoy anything. The animorphs were breaking apart at the seams because of him... If only he hadn't fallen asleep...
Suddenly he needed to get out of there! He needed to fly... just to do something, otherwise he was going to drive himself nuts with the 'what ifs'. Tobias stretched his wings and then swooped down from the trees. He turned south and headed for the middle of town. With the sun going down the thermals were going to die out but the hot asphalt in town kept them going for a little longer.
Even he knew it was stupid, Tobias looked for Ax while he flew. It was impossible! Insane to hope to still find his friend but he couldn't stop himself from looking. Then, out of the corner of his eye he caught a flash of blue.
Ax?
Tobias shrugged his shoulders and dropped to an angle where he could see more closely. No, it must have been something else... Then he finally saw what he and the other animorphs had been looking for the past four days.
It was Ax! The Andalite was standing in an old building that had been vacated years ago. But something was wrong, he was just standing there... not moving or anything.
Ax-man! Tobias called, but didn't receive a reply.
Without another thought Tobias looked for an opened window to fly though. He knew that he should call for backup from the other animorphs but he was terrified that if he left then Ax would be gone by the time he came back.
He wouldn't fail his friend this time.
Tobias finally spied and window and flew inside. From there he had to use every shred of his flying experience to avoid crashing into anything in the gutted building. He came to the largish room where Ax was in and landed in front of the andalite.
Ax? It's me. He said.
At first it looked like Ax was staring at him but taking a better look Tobias realized that he was in fact staring past him with a blank expression. Gone was the fierce intelligence in his green eyes, now they were empty and dead. His fur had dulled and had taken on an almost dusty appearance. And he was much thinner then before, like he hadn't eaten in days... Which he hadn't, Tobias realized feeling a chill go up and down his spine.
There wasn't anything he could do as a bird in a building so Tobias morphed to human, thinking that he would be able to snap Ax out of whatever daze he was in if he was spoken too out loud.
He had only just completed his morph when a voice said behind him, "So, you have come at last."
Tobias whirled around and gasped in surprise at the figure standing in the doorway, "You!... You're dead."
Taylor shook her head and giggled, "Don't be so foolish, andalite. I'm too smart to be killed."
Andalite! She didn't see me morph
, Tobias thought. "What have you done to my friend?! Why is he like this?"Taylor laughed again and walked towards Ax, stopping to run her fingers though his blue and tan fur, "Wonderful isn't it? He's under my complete control." She paused for a moment to let that sink in before continuing, "It was so easy... break into his mind, tear down the barriers using simple nightmares... Just like hacking into a primitive human computer." Her voice hardened, "But he is not the one I wanted."
Tobias gulped, figuring out where this was heading but needing to confirm it anyway. He longed to attack her outright but there was no telling what she could do as Ax as her willing hostage. He was forced to play her little game until she slipped up and he found some disadvantage that he could work on. "Who is the one you wanted?"
"You should know that, andalite." She purred, "The one I had so much fun with last time. The one I promised I would take into insanity with me."
*****
Voices.... Faraway yet so close
"Forget them. They are meaningless."
Who is that? The one standing in front of me
"No one."
But there is someone
"There is only me."
Only... you?
"The other is evil"
I am confused
"He would kill you."
Why?
"Because he hates you, hates me."
Hates me...
"We must dispose of him."
He is evil
"Kill him"
As you wish
*****
Tobias stood still for a moment, not wanting to believe what he had just heard. She wanted him! Taylor had hurt his best friend, gotten into his mind just so she could have him! That bitch. That little bitch.
"The one you are looking for is dead." He said evenly, thankful that he had forgotten to make human facial expressions in his years as a hawk, "He killed himself out of shame."
For a second something changed on Ax's now blank face. His eyes focused for a second but they quickly became hollow and blank again. Tobias felt a surge of hope. He can hear me, he thought, he's trying to fight her, I know he is.
"You are a fool, andalite." Taylor said, breaking into his hopeful thoughts, "I know the one I seek is not dead for I have heard reports of him battling along with the others."
He knew that he had slipped up, "Your reports are false." He said lamely, trying to incorporate some andalite arrogance into his voice.
The controller just smirked and switched tactics, "I know that you are not all andalite's." She said, "Or else my device would have worked on your minds as well. So I propose a deal: Give me the one I want and I will return your friend and promise never to tell Visser 3 of what I know."
So that was it. Taylor had laid out all of her cards and it turned out she has a royal flush. There was no way Tobias could let her leave with this knowledge now. He suddenly wished that he had in fact went back for the Animorphs before he stormed in here. Now it was too late, however. He was on his own. "I have a different offer," He growled, "Release my friend and I won't demorph and kill you."
Taylor raised an eyebrow, silently mocking him. "Who," She said, "Will kill who?" Then, without warning Ax rushed towards Tobias, tail blade up and ready.
*****
Tobias stared in amazement for a moment then the hawk in him, the part that still remained even when he morphed into different bodies, reacted. He threw himself sideways, rolling as he hit the ground. He came to stop right under an old conference table that hadn't been used for years.
CRACK!
The table was now two conference tables. Ax's blade had sliced though, missing Tobias by mere centimeters. The human scrambled out from under the table and looked for a place to hide and demorph.
In the corner of his mind he noticed that Taylor was laughing, laughing crazily as she sent one friend after another. Would her control over Ax weaken because of this? Was she so crazed that she had let herself slip a little?
"Ax stop it!" He cried as he ducked behind a wall of sheet rock. Again the andalite's blade came and again he escaped by mere centimeters. There was no way he could keep this up for long for Ax was both faster and deadlier then he... in any morph.
Tobias ran from his scant cover and into another room, trying to lead his friend away from Taylor. Ax followed close behind, his hooves slipping on the bits of sheet rock and broken glass.
"Don't you recognize me?" He yelled back as he continued to duck and cover. "I'm Tobias! C'mon Ax-man, think! Try to fight her." He took a hard right and pushed open a closed door and suddenly found himself on the roof of the building with no where to go.
****
"Kill him!"
I have seen him before
"Kill him!"
He is trapped. It is not right.
"He is evil. Kill him!"
But-
"You do not know him, Aximili."
I don't?
"You know only me."
You
"You will listen only to me."
He is... lying?
"Yes, kill him."
I...
"You will obey."
Yes
"Kill him now."
Yes
*****
Ax came though the door and stopped. Again, for a brief second his eyes focused and he seemed to be aware. But then his eyes clouded up once more and he strode toward Tobias.
Tobias faced him, but backed away not wanting to come within that tail range. "Remember the first time you morphed into a bird and flew?" He asked, still hoping to make contact. "Or that time you first discovered the sense of taste in human morph? That is what's real, Ax. Not this, not her."
The andalite paused in mid-step but then continued, unaffected.
Tobias was nearing the edge of the roof now, " How about all of those battles we went though? Was Taylor there then? She wasn't always in control of you. Ax fight her! You can win over her control! You just have to try." Suddenly he had reached the end, no more roof to go. And still Ax kept advancing. "I guess this is it then," Tobias said sadly, watching his friend pause again. "For what it's worth I'm sorry, Ax. You wouldn't be here if I didn't fall asleep and let you down."
Ax had reached the point where he could easily just push Tobias off the building but he did nothing.
****
I know him... But I don't
"You know nothing!"
I must kill him
"Obey me."
But I... cannot.
"You will or mark my words I will leave you with nightmares unlike any other before!"
This is wrong...
"I am in control of you. Do nothing to resist."
Where am I? Why am I here?
"Kill him."
Who is that... Specking to me...
"Kill him!"
Who are you? Why are you in my head?
"There is only I."
I recognize him! Could it be?
Tobias?
****
Tobias? It was Ax's voice, sounding weak and very far away but it was his!
Tobias grinned and stepped away from the edge of the building, "Yeah it's me."
Tob... I can't... It's in my head..
He felt a flush of alarm. It didn't look like this thing was over with yet, "What's in your head, Ax?" He didn't get a response and too his horror he noticed that Ax's eyes were glazing over again. "Answer me, what's in your head?!"
Taylor... She... Ax shook him self and tried to focus. But it was hard, the voice in his head was yelling now. Forcing him to listen... Already he could feel his resolve cracking. Get out of here! He gasped, Find Prince Jake and the others and kill her before she reveals what she knows to the Visser. Hurry!
Tobias shook his head, "You're coming too, right?"
Ax was barely listening, the voice was so loud. Though his link with Taylor he knew that she was coming up the stairs to find out what was going on. Time is running short. Go!
Tobias finally got the hint and started to demorph as quick as he could. Why aren't you morphing?! He demanded when he was able.
Now it was the andalite's turn to shake his head, I am already dead, my friend.
The door to the roof burst open and Taylor appeared with what looked like a remote control in her hands. "Kill him!" She commanded but it was already too late. Tobias was gone.
****
To be continued…
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