You guys do know that I can tell that Elfera and Ani-maniac aren't the only ones that read the last chapter, right? Anyways, this chapter is dedicated to them. Also, I'm done with the last chapter. So, I can update whenever I want now. It all depends on you, though. Review!

The countdown has begun. Three more chapters until the end.

Chapter 9

I waited until the police arrived to make sure the helicopter was gone. When two police cars stopped a couple of feet away from me, I ran under the car and demorphed. Two officers got out from each car and slammed their doors. I heard bits of their conversations.

"Some kids walking by said they heard someone screaming." That would be me.

"You think it's true?"

"With kids, who knows?"

When I was done, I almost passed out. I took a deep breath and counted. 10 seconds to rest. 1, 2, 3….

"Hey, look!" 6, 7, 8….

"Is that blood?" Time to morph.

I shrank for the umpteenth time that night. How many morphs had I done? Morphing is always unpredictable, so I was a two-foot long Tobias when anything owl-like appeared. A feathery pattern appeared on my skin and then popped out becoming three dimensional.

"It's a trail! From the water to here. But it stops here."

My mouth hardened and shot out becoming a powerful beak. My eyes grew and my vision was sharper.

"The trail is… weird. Whoever it was wasn't walking."

"Yeah, but who?"

I came out of the bottom of the car undetected. I struggled to get into the air, but I did and soon I was finally out of there. I left the police to their mystery solving and headed towards the city. Specifically, the suburbs.

Laugh while I say normally. I don't care. Normally, I love flying. It's better than any roller coaster and free of cost. It's a rush and I never feel as free as I do when I fly.

These weren't normal circumstances. I was tired and angry and scared and I just wanted my parents back so that we could go home. But I knew it wasn't going to happen even if I did manage to free my parents. The Yeerks knew who we were. We would have to go into hiding 'till who knows when.

Jake's house was closest. I noticed how there wasn't a car in the driveway. After inspecting each window, my suspicions were confirmed. Jake was the only one home. Great. Now I could do this.

((JAKE!)) I screamed.

I'll admit, watching him jump up and fall off the bed helped my mood a bit. Just a bit.

Instantly he was up and alert. He opened the window and glared when he saw me. I couldn't help it. I laughed. He rolled his eyes.

"I thought you were grounded. What will your parents say if they see you gone?" I felt like if I'd been slapped. I flinched.

((I…)) I started. I couldn't finish. I could suddenly hear my parents screaming and I knew that it was probably happening somewhere.

Jake looked concerned. "Tobias? Are you okay?" I snapped out of my thoughts. I needed to focus. There was work to be done.

((No. I'm not. Call an emergency meeting. I'll get Ax. Call Erek, too. We'll need all the help we can get. And whatever you do, don't mention my name in your conversation. It's a death sentence.)) I turned to leave, but he got hold of one of my wings.

"What's going on?" he asked.

((I'll tell you when we get there.)) I answered simply. He gave me a look.

"Fine. But don't move. Stay here. Cassie will get Ax." He grabbed the phone and dialed. Cassie answered.

"Hey, Cass. I left my English homework at your house. Can I go get it?" There was a pause. "It's in my blue backpack. Can you get it for me please?" He didn't have a blue backpack. By blue he meant Ax. "Thanks, Cassie. I'll be there in a bit."

He called Marco next. "Hi Mr.- Is Marco home?" Pause. "Marco a little birdie told us to meet at the usual place."

(('Little birdie'?)) He ignored me.

"Yes, now. Hurry up."

He called Rachel and told her the same thing. He called Erek last and told him to get to the barn. He hung up and took of his pajamas. He had his morphing suit under.

((Hurry up.)) I urged.

He muttered something about impatience and morphed. We were off. We flew in silence. I'm sure Jake thought it was awkward silence, but I was too anxious to care. I was hoping this Time Matrix was important enough to go after. If it wasn't, we probably wouldn't save my parents. They'd (Marco) would say it was too risky. Especially since they would probably use them as bait to get to me. They would all reluctantly agree.

I knew that as bait they'd be better off dead.

We got there just as Cassie and Ax were demorphing. Marco was toying with a piece of hay and Rachel was trying not to fall asleep. Erek was leaning against the wall. Marco sat up when he saw us demorphing.

"So, fearless leader. Why are we here?" Jake shrugged his still owl shoulders. It was a weird sight.

"I don't know. Ask Tobias." Marco turned to look at me.

"What's up Toby?"

But I didn't hear him. Just as the morph was complete a wave of dizziness hit me almost as hard as the wave exhaustion that followed. I swayed a bit.

"Tobias?" Cassie asked. "Are you okay?"

I fell to my knees and tried not to die. I was so tired… Too much. It was all too much. But the night wasn't over yet. I still needed to free my parents. Your parents. Think about your parents. I took a deep breath. Blackness threatened to take over me. Your parents. 1, 2, 3…

"Tobias, what's wrong?" 6, 7, 8…

"I'm calling an ambulance." Rachel said.

"No," I tried to shout. It came out as a whisper.

"Did you say something?" Jake asked me. He was kneeling down next to me.

"No," I said louder. "You can't call anybody." I shakily stood up. Marco gave a what-are-you-up-to look.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Because," I said. Slowly, the drowsiness vanished. "You'll doom us. The Yeerks know who I am." That stopped everyone.

"What?" Jake asked after a moment of shocked silence. "What?"

"Tobias, what did you do?" Marco asked. I could hear the accusation in his voice. I shot him a death glare.

"I didn't do anything. Visser Three personally visited my home today."

"What would Visser Three want from you?" Cassie asked. I shook my head.

"Not from me. From my parents. He wanted something from them. Something called the Time Matrix whatever that is. He-"

((The Time Matrix?)) Ax asked, shocked. I gave him a look.

"What do you know about it?" I demanded.

((I… It's a legend. Apparently, the machine was created by the Ellimists. I don't know why but… How did your parents get a hold of it?)) I let out a bitter laugh and sat down on one of the hay bales.

"Because. My dad isn't exactly human. Apparently he's an Andalite trapped in morph." There was another moment of silence.

"You're saying you're partly Andalite?" Rachel demanded. I shrugged.

((But that's… An Andalite would never restore to becoming a nothlit!)) I jumped.

"Ax!" Jake yelled.

"Yeah. Just like an Andalite would never be a cowardly traitor!" I hardly recognized the venom in my voice. Ax didn't reply. Marco jumped in between us.

"Girls, girls. We're all pretty here. Tobias, calm down, man. Continue." I took a breath.

"He threatened my parents. He said that he'd kill me if they didn't tell him where it was. My dad agreed. They knocked me out. When I woke up, I was in the Yeerk pool. I managed to escape with the help of a YPM member." I saw Cassie smile at this. "But I… I had to morph. The Yeerks know that."

"WHAT!?"

"The hell Tobias! What did you do?" Marco yelled.

I shouted right back. "I didn't have much of a choice! It was that or be infested and then we'd all be doomed!"

"We're already doomed, genius! Secrecy is our main weapon and you blew it!"

"Hey, back off Marco!" Rachel shouted. "I'd like to see you escape the Yeerk pool on your own!"

"Does your girlfriend fight all your battles, Tobias?"

"Shut up!" Jake screamed before I had the chance to respond. "All of you!" We shut up. When Jake screams, you listen.

"What else happened Tobias?" Cassie asked softly. I tried to calm down.

"It doesn't matter. Look, while I was in the Pool the Visser threatened to kill my parents. And my dad told me where this Time Matrix is. In the construction site."

"No." Marco shook his head. "It's too dangerous. They're either dead or infested. If they're infested, they'll know what he told you. They'll be expecting us."

He was right. I nearly attacked him. I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"No, Tobias," Erek said seeing my intentions. I'd forgotten he was there. I turned to Jake.

"So? What's your take on all of this?" He looked beaten. Uncertain. He gave me a sad look. I felt my blood freeze.

"I'm sorry. Marco's right." I sat down very suddenly and tried not to cry. "Look, I know it's hard-"

"No. You don't," I interrupted. "This isn't like Tom or even like Visser One." Marco glared at me. I ignored him. "The Yeerks know who I am. They won't just be Controllers. They'll be bait. They'll do whatever it takes to lure me in. They'll… They'll…" I couldn't finish.

"Torture. Humiliation. Manipulation. They'll make their lives a living hell because of who they are," Erek finished. "You have to get them out Jake."

Jake looked away. I buried my face in my hands. I could feel the tears threatening to fall. Rachel sat next to me and put her hand on my shoulder.

"We can't sit back while we know this is happening," Cassie said softly.

"But it's too dangerous to get them out. I know it's hard, but we can't." Marco was seriously pushing my limits. Another comment, no matter how logical it was, and I'd punch him.

((Tobias, are you sure it's the Time Matrix they were looking for?)) I gave him a look.

"Of course."

((Then we have no choice. According to legend, the Time Matrix is a time machine. It is the most powerful weapon in the universe. It can't fall in Yeerk hands.)) Rachel jumped.

"Why didn't you say so before?!"

"Don't," Jake warned. He turned to Ax. "Is this machine even real?"

((I do not know Prince Jake. I would think so, if the Visser thinks it is.)) Jake nodded and rubbed his hands. A slow grin appeared on my face. He turned to me.

"Alright. You win. We're getting your parents out."