Chapter Two
Marco's white, furry face grinned as he looked around the baggage section of the plane. Thank you for using Delta Airlines. Our help line can be reached by dialing…
Shut up, Marco. Rachel growled.
In case of emergency, please us the emergency exits at the back of the plane… Marco continued.
Shut UP, Marco. Rachel glared at him. Marco, in artic fox morph, had just been sniffing out where any food might be.
Cassie laughed. Ok, you guys all remember the plan?
Marco rolled his cute little fox eyes. Yes, Cassie. We stay in fox morph for an hour and a half, then demorph and remorph, and keep on doing that for ten hours or however long it takes to get there. Ax keeps track of time, and when we land we all morph sparrows and fly away. Happy?"
Tobias wrinkled his nose. Sparrows? Do we have to do sparrows again?
Cassie shook her head. I thought we went over the sparrows idea. Bad plan… it'll be dark when we reach England. We go owl.
Prince Jake?
Jake glanced over at Ax. Yeah?
There is some very interesting food here. Do these foxes have a good sense of taste?
Marco groaned. Oh, no…
Eat nothing, Ax. Jake said. And do I have to mention that I hate being called 'prince'?
No, Prince Jake.
Jake nodded solemnly. Ok, just as long as we're clear on that.
Rachel yawned widely.
Can't we see if we can sneak up to the other part of the plane and see the in-flight movie? Marco asked. I mean, I'm not a big fan of airline food, but…
Shut up, Marco. Rachel snapped.
Marco glared at Rachel. Oooh… mighty Xena! Teach me the error of my evil ways! Can't you say anything besides 'shut up, Marco'?
Rachel raised her head slightly. The plane started picking up speed. Well, I could always say 'Shut up, stupid', which would be a bit more accurate, but I don't think that would be appreciated.
Ha, ha, and, also, ha. Marco said dryly. You're bored already?
Oh, just… never mind. Rachel snapped. Rachel snaps a lot more when she's bored.
Well… might as well get comfortable. Jake said. We're in for a long, boring ride.
Jake didn't know how right he was.
How much longer? Marco must have asked for the thousandth time.
One hour and thirty eight minutes, Ax said automatically. Of YOUR time.
Ax! Please! Drop the our time, your time thingy. We are on Earth…
Shut UP, Marco. Rachel groaned.
So… does anyone know any good blonde jokes? Marco asked.
Hey! Tobias wrinkled his little fox nose.
Tell one and die, Marco. Rachel snapped.
How do you kill a blonde? Marco asked.
Rachel started growling.
Ax laughed. That was very funny, Marco.
Marco rolled his eyes. I haven't told the punch line!
Jake shook his head and sighed. I give up. How do you kill a blonde?
How do you wish to die, Marco? Rachel glared at the fox to her left.
You put a scratch and sniff on the bottom of a pool. Ahh! No biting! Marco ran across the suitcases and luggage, trying to get away from the other fox.
Go Rachel! Tobias called.
Help! Cassie! Help! Marco dove behind another fox.
I don't get it. Ax confessed.
Jake lay back down. Marco, sensing it was safe, took a few steps away from Cassie.
Told by Marco
Three minutes, twenty seven seconds. Ax finally announced.
Cassie, Rachel, Tobias, Jake, Ax, and I started demorphing. Oh, that was boring… Cassie shook her head. "Owl time."
The plane touched down. I grinned and started speaking in a fake English accent. "Thank you for flying Delta airlines. Please do not remove your seatbelts until the plane has come to a complete stop…"
"Shut UP, Marco!" Rachel snapped, then staggered a bit as the plane shook slightly.
Let's just get this over with, Tobias, as his usual feathery self complained.
Jake nodded. "Let's go."
Five minutes later, we were six owls just hanging out in the baggage compartment of the plane.
Owl jokes, anyone? I asked.
No one answered. The baggage door had just opened. Several men started unloading the bags, the one closest to us with a long, red hair tied back in a ponytail.
Let's go. Rachel said.
What if they're controllers? Cassie whispered.
The Yeerks just relocated, I don't think we're going to have to worry about that just yet. Jake said in his 'leader' voice. Let's go one at a time, when the fellow has his back turned.
I'll go first. Rachel opened her wings and took off past the door. The man never even saw her.
So far, so good. Ax, you next. Jake glanced around.
Ax got out, then Cassie, then Tobias.
After you, oh great and fearless leader. I laughed.
Jake hooted softly, spread his wings, and flew out.
No one had been spotted yet.
Well… here goes nothing. I opened my wings and soared towards the door.
"What the…" the man unloading the baggage dropped the backpack he was holding. "An owl!"
Uh oh…
The man jumped out of my way and laughed. "Look, Charlie! Airmail! The owl's have got it figured out!"
What? Surprised, I tried to turn, and ended up crashing into the side of the plane door. I heard my wing bone snap.
The man named Charlie ran over. "Great, Bill. You just had to distract it…"
The man named Bill picked me up gingerly.
Guys! My wing's broken! I yelled.
Marco, can you get away? Cassie called.
No… but I don't think these guys are controllers… just weirdos. Hang on… I looked up at the man.
"Charlie, do you have your wand? I think his wing's broken."
Charlie winced. I noticed several burns on his arms. He looked rather like the other man, Bill, with flaming red hair and a face full of freckles. "I can't do first aid magic! Mum might be able to… not me. And unless you've gotten a lot better, neither can you."
I blinked. Magic?
The man named Bill sighed. "Let's just get the package and go. Wonder whose owl this is… a real beauty."
I decided I rather liked Bill. Charlie was still a weirdo.
Marco! As soon as you can, demorph, remorph, and get on the airport roof! Jake called.
Got it, Jake. I yelled back. Don't worry!
"Found it, Bill!" Charlie called.
Bill nodded. "Great… let's get going before they find the real luggage carriers."
Charlie nodded, taking a stick out of his back. "To the burrow?"
I blinked. What was going on? The real luggage carriers? What? Who were these men?
Bill took out a stick as well, and in seconds, he, Charlie, and I were gone.
* * *
Jake swooped into the plane. Marco?
There was no one there.
Cassie followed. How… what happened? Marco was just in here… we were watching, he never left the plane!
Jake didn't answer.
Are you sure he's gone? Rachel asked.
The plane is empty, Rach. Cassie said in a dead sort of voice.
We have a mission to attend to… Jake said, although he really didn't sound like he cared. Right now the yeerks didn't seem that important.
Marco was gone.
