March 18, 1999 2:53 PM
"Tony, the White House protocol guy, is the man with the slash shoe." Jake revealed. "That was the whole purpose behind grabbing the helicopter. It wasn't the President they were after right then."
"They want a grand slam." I said. "They want all these guys at once. So they snagged the second helicopter, the one that always accompanies Marine One to throw off possible terrorists."
"Exactly. They needed the chief of protocol, the guy who would decide how the banquet was laid out. So Visser Three acquired him. Replaced him."
We, the Lucky Seven, were gathered back at the Fortress of Attitude aka Cassie's barn. I was double weirded out by both the flea thing and the lion thing, but I had to press on. I haven't even been in a real battle yet.
"What about the real guy? The actual chief of protocol?" Cassie asked.
"Probably still alive." Marco answered. "Visser Three has him drugged, takes his clothes and shoes, goes out and does his stuff. Then later the real Tony wakes up and doesn't realize anything even happened."
Why not make Tony a controller? Tobias asked.
Jake couldn't supply an answer, but the Andalite spoke up.
The buildings where these heads of state work and live are carefully guarded? And all the employees carefully watched?
"You know it." Jake said.
Then there may be a simple reason: Kandrona rays. If the President and the others are made into controllers, they won't be able to get away from the President's security people long enough to secretly visit a Yeerk Pool every three days for their need Kandrona rays. So we have to assume the plan will be for the President to have a Yeerk Pool and Kandrona placed within the White House itself.
"How would they keep something like that a secret?" asked Rachel
"Only the President could order something like that done in the White House." I said. "And even then, only if most or all of his Secret Service guys and a lot of his staff were Controllers, too."
"The big goal is to get the President and the others." Marco agreed. "They need to get the President under control and he'll then make it possible for them to install a Kandrona right there. They can't have well-known White House personnel secretly running around to Yeerk Pools. So they didn't make this Tony guy a controller because if the whole scheme fails, he'll be stuck in Washington without access to a Kandrona."
Cassie shook her head. "Very clever, boys, but as usual you've overlooked a much simpler explanation."
"What simple explanation?" Jake asked.
"Ego. You have to look at who we're talking about here. It's Visser Three. It's his biggest scheme ever! If it works, the battle for Earth is won. He'll be the big hero of the whole Yeerk Empire. And if it fails, he'll look like a fool. So what's he going to do? Stay aboard the Blade Ship and watch? Uh-uh. Not Visser Three. He wants to be there. He wants to be able to say, 'Look, I did it all. Me, me, me!' Typical males. All you think about is plot. You always forget it's about personality. It's about character. Visser Three has to be there, see. He's an egomaniac."
Jake, Marco, Tobias, and I, and even the Andalite passed around disgruntled looks to each other.
"I still like out explanation." I said with general agreement from my fellow three-legers (or whatever in the case of the bird and the andalite).
Have I mentioned that this is insane? Marco said, coining his catch phrase once more.
Yeah, I think you have. Jake confirmed.
Have I mentioned that all of the insane things we've ever done, this is so insane that it makes all previous insanity seem sane?
I don't think you've mentioned that more than, oh, eight billion times.
Well, as long as we're clear on the fact that this is INSANE. In. Sane.
Oh, shut up already. I said exasperated.
Yeah, before I squeeze you harder. Rachel threatened.
Oh man, Rachel and David are ganging up on me, this isn't fair! Marco whined.
We finalized our plan. That is after Jake finished his sob story about some cousin who was hit by a bus or something. I don't know I wasn't paying attention. Sue me.
Anyway, we were in our standard raptor morphs. Despite this, we lacked both of our ospreys due to the fact that Cassie had opted to go owl and Marco went snake.
More specifically, my snake Spawn. Bastard.
Anyways, it was night which bit, because even though we're the kings of the sky when it's daylight, at night we fly and see like shit. It was pretty damn frustrating. All our raptor powers were muted.
And to make things worse, we were each carrying a four to six ounce weight. Except for Rachel. She carried Marco. Destination: Marriott Hotel.
Oh wow! Cassie said suddenly. It's him! Cool!
It's who? Jake demanded.
The President! He's walking from that cottage over to another cottage. Can't you see him? He's wearing shorts.
Let's see if we can get autograph. I suggested. Everyone ignored it.
Ax-man? Tobias asked. Are we high enough to be able to penetrate this force field?
I believe so. the andalite said. Probably. Most likely.
Well, that reassuring. Marco quipped.
I will go first. If I appear to run into an invisible wall and am knocked unconscious and fall toward the ground, you'll know the force field is still too strong at this height.
After a few minutes of waiting, the andalite finally reported. I am inside! Hah! We're only two hundred feet up! An Andalite force field would be ten times this strong at this distance from the focus point.
The rest of us flew in the hologram leaving a very unsettling feeling in our feathers. It was then we spotted our targets.
Three of 'em. Rachel said. No problemo.
We had targeted three human-controllers.
Ready? Jake asked.
Let's do it! Rachel yelled, coining her catch-phrase.
I'm ready, Prince Jake. said the Andalite.
Definitely not. Marco grumbled.
Okay, I go first. Jake said. Then David, since we're the fastest in a dive. Then Tobias, Cassie, Ax, and Rachel with Marco, you come last. On the count of three. One . . . two . . . three!
Five crazy dive bombers took out three controllers easily. Marco was released in case any of them tried to wake up. We landed and demorphed three feet away from oblivious, yet powerful people eating dinner.
That familiar feeling of nausea crept up again.
"Now what?" Rachel mouthed silently.
"We wait." Jake said.
President Clinton came down looking spiffy in his tux. Wait a second . . .
"Hey, Cass, I thought you said Bubba was outside in shorts. How'd he get in a tux so fast?"
"Must have been someone else." Cassie rationalized.
"Are you sure, Cassie?" Jake asked.
"Well, obviously, he's right in front of us."
"Yeah, so's this pillar." I said.
Fearless leader decided to go ahead with the plan. While girls turned discreetly away, Jake, the Andalite, and I each acquired and morphed one of the human-controllers.
The morph was easy. A bit creepy, but easy nonetheless. Getting the tuxedos on was harder, but with fashion-witch Rachel, that problem was also quickly solved. Then, we waited.
The Brain-slugs' plan was simple. One of the world leaders would walk behind the pillar while. Then a hologram would be projected of him coming out and giving his prepared speech. Meanwhile the real leader would be getting his head shoved into a mini-Yeerk pool and getting a Yeerk in his own head. Once the speech was over, the hologram would walk behind the pillar again and the real leader, now a controller, would walk out and back to his table.
Our plan was just as simple. We grab the leader and let the hologram do its show. Meanwhile, we show him the Yeerks. The Andalite would demorph as proof.
Our plan was simple and ambitious and could have worked. Could have.
See, we knew one of them was a controller. So when the French guy came and totally ignored us as he walked behind the pillar and out again. We figured he was the one. Then, the Russian guy did the same.
"Battle morphs! Now!" Jake commanded.
And for once, I didn't hesitated or question his orders. I was almost fully lion before I realized what had happened.
Has the truth dawned on you yet? said an evil, and already too familiar voice. Visser Three! Do you realize what has happened? Come, come, surely you must know it now. Surely such brilliant fighters as yourselves must have figured it out.
A trap. It was all a fucking trap.
Turn off the outer hologram. Visser Three commanded. Instantly, the banquet dissolved and in its place stood a wall of Hork-Bajir warriors. Now, turn off the inner hologram.
We knew the marble pillar had disappeared. We stood there defiantly. An Andalite, a hawk, a wolf, a snake, a lion, a tiger, and a bear.
Oh my.
By the way. The Visser continued. The real banquet is tomorrow night.
Let's get them! Rachel said. What do we have to lose! At least we can take a few of them down with us!
No, we can't. Marco said. We'll never even lay a paw on any of them. We won't get two feet before they fry us.
It really started to sink in just then. Are we going to die? I asked feeling like a scared six-year-old.
Cassie nuzzled me. It felt very comforting. I had to resist the urge to tell her I loved her.
Demorph. The Visser ordered. Don't worry. I have no desire to kill you. After all, six Andalite host bodies? It would be a great accomplishment for me. All of my most trusted lieutenants could have morphing power. That, plus making hosts of the most powerful leaders of this planet? I'll be Visser One before the week is out! Hah-hah! I'll be sitting on the Council of Thirteen within a year!
Someone took their prozac this morning. I shared privately. This was serious. We needed a distraction. But what?????
Marco! Can the Visser see you? Jake yelled suddenly.
Probably not, but about nine thousand Hork-Bajir can!
Marco . . . are they looking at you? I mean, are any of them looking at you?
Actually, no.
The visser was pointing its weapon, called a Dracon Beam, at me. Then Cassie, then Rachel. God, I wish I never found that fucking blue box. What the fuck am I doing here???? Why am I fighting for a species I despise??? Dumb, crazy, insane, evil, murdering, assholes! All of us!!! I should just turn all six billion of us to the yeerks.
Then, I looked at Cassie. Even through her canine morph. I saw those eyes. Damn them. Damn you, Cassie. Damn you, Stephanie. Damn me, too.
I came that close to signing off the human race. I didn't because of one girl. One girl I had zero chance getting.
Don't do it for Cassie, David
. I reminded myself. Do it for Stephanie. Stephanie. That blast from the past was like a slap in the face. Wait a second.Rachel! Cassie! I called out privately to all my fellow Animorphs. I'm going to pretend to be a turncoat, then you two attack me, okay?
Um . . . ok. Rachel agreed.
I'm growing impatient. Visser Three growled. Demorph. Do it now. If you refuse, I'll kill you one by one till you comply. Who dies first?
Wait! I cried, playing my part. Don't shoot me! I'll demorph. I don't care about these—AAAAHHHHH!
Cassie bit me square on my right hind leg. It hurt like a bitch.
HHRRRRRROOOOOOOWWWWWRRRRR! I screamed in genuine pain. Cassie and I did this chasing-tail routine for a few seconds.
Stop it! Stop it or I'll shoot now!Visser Three yelled.
How the fuck did all those Hork-Bajir get in this place? Jake demanded suddenly. We can barely get a dragonfly in here!
Okay, Rachel, I said privately to her. Now slap me.
She half-rose and swung her bear claw hard across my jaw.
OW! I meant gentle-like!!!
Hah! Andalites fighting among themselves. Visser Three said, amused. But as entertaining as it is, I order you to stop!
She bit me! I yelled.
I'm going to kill you first. Visser Three said to me.
Oh shit! I yelled privately to my comrades. What do I do?
Start demorphing, David. Jake commanded. But not too much.
No! I'll demorph! I yelled to the Visser. See? I'm doing it!
Rachel, make a gesturing motion to David. David, cower toward the visser. Jake commanded as if he were directing a film.
Rachel fully rose and prepared to smack me again. I cowered like a big pussy (no pun intended) to the bastard who took my parents.
Help me, my Visser. I beseech you! I cried running to it. The Visser hesitated before putting its toward me again. Hey, I'm on your side!
"Beseech"? Marco privately wondered to me.
Oh, shut up. I privately told him.
Those Hork-Bajir didn't even flinch! Jake yelled suddenly. Ax?
Yes, my prince.
A hologram inside a hologram. That's what we had, right?
Yes, the hologram of the marble pillar was inside the hologram of the banquet.
Any reason — any technical reason, I mean — why it couldn't be a hologram inside a hologram inside a third hologram?
A third hologram? Rachel wondered.
Yeah. A hologram of a whole army of Hork-Bajir. Jake explains. A projection. A fake. I don't think they're really there. I think Visser Three is here, and maybe he's got a couple of human-controllers with him. But the army of Hork-Bajir around us? I don't think this is a live show. I think we're watching videotape.
Well, smack my ass and call me Chuckie. I said, amazed.
I'll pass. Marco quickly quiped.
You sure, Jake? Cassie asked.
Marco? You're out of Visser Three's sight. Start moving toward the Hork-Bajir.
Attack them? All on my own? Jake, buddy, you better be right.
Yeah, I'd better be.
I'm slithering.
Shit! I'm getting too human. I'm reversing the morph. I reported, hoping the Visser won't notice.
Um, Jake? Marco said. I just bit a Hork-Bajir on the leg. He tasted like air. I went right through him. Hologram, but no force field.
It is a hologram! Jake yelled triumphantly. There are no Hork-Bajir! Just us and the Visser.
I'm fully lion now, Jake. Shall I? I said courageously. About two seconds later, I wondered. What the hell am I saying????
You want to kill someone first, you filthy abomination, destroy me first! the Andalite yelled. The Visser swung its weapon at the Andalite and I summoned all my lion instincts and attacked! The visser fell over, and I tried to gut it. Suddenly, I was shot by an earthling bullet. I barely felt it, but like an idiot, I fell back. The Visser started morphing.
Don't use human guns, you idiots! the Visser yelled. You want everyone in the complex to hear?? Draw your Dracon Beams!
I tried to bring and fuse together all my human and lion instincts. If I did it before, I could do it again. You took my parents. You threatened my pride. You will die!!!
I slashed and slashed at the morphing Visser. Yet, all the damage I could do wasn't enough to destroy it.
Cassie gave a painful howl. Instinctually, I turned my head to see. She was burned on her left side. A controller now had a Dracon beam pointed at her head.
NO! Jake and I yelled simultaneously.
The Visser had pushed me off with its two new left arms, but soon found an Andalite tail blade at its throat.
Tell him not to fire! the Andalite said. If he pulls the trigger on that Dracon beam, I remove your head.
The moment was frozen. No one moved. All you could hear was panting.
A standoff???! The Visser screamed. I won't accept that!! I have you! I have you at last! You won't escape me!! More silence. Then the Visser's tone suddenly changes. Which of you is the human? it asked.
My blood ran cold, but the Andalite saved my ass.
Humans? You are losing you sense of reason, visser. Humans do not morph.
I know you found the blue box. The visser continued, demorphing. I know a human boy named David found it. And I know you Andaltie bandits have gotten to him. You either killed him or made him one of you. And killing him in cold blood wouldn't have suited the hypocritical Andalite sense of morality. One of you is the human child David. It's to you that I'm speaking, David. David? Your parents are with me. They miss you. They would like to see you again.
That asshole took my parents and now he thought he could use them against me???
David, don't say a — Jake started to say.
Too late. You took my parents! I yelled. You turned them into . . . .into Yeerks!!
Yes. But we would not do that to you, David. I give my word. You would be allowed to live free with your parents.
Liar. the Andalite accused. The word of Visser Three.
What other choice do you have? We know what you look like. You'll never be able to go out in the world again, David. Never go to one of your human entertainments. Never –
Silence! the Andalite yelled.
Are you afraid for the young human to hear the truth? You see, David? They can't allow you to learn the truth. The Andalites are a race of liars!
It was right of course. Still. Humans are worse. I said.
"Visser! Humans coming!" said a human-controller.
So, what will it be, David? the Visser asked. Come with us now. We'll take you to your parents.
Don't waste your time, Visser. the Andalite shouted.
"Visser! Humans coming, fast! US Secret Service. We're monitoring their communications. They are searching for the location of all the noises. They'll reach us in minutes."
Come over to us, David. Go to your old home. We'll watch for you there. Come over to us! We'll make you powerful! Safe!
I was starting to get very mad. I was mad at the Animorphs for putting me in this situation. I was mad at the Visser for taking my parents and using them to tempt me. I was mad at myself for being tempted.
Don't listen to him, David! Because of this fucker your parents are slaves. Because of this fucker you'll never see Stephanie again!!!
The Visser started to morph again. This time, as Tony: Chief of Protocol. A human. A frail weak human.
Turn the inner hologram back on. the Andalite directed. Just wait till we are all inside it.
We started to head toward the pillar. The Visser was almost fully human and in one of Tony's suits as it backed toward the door.
Remember, David. the Visser said privately to me. We will be there when you need us.
It wants you to betray the whole human race. Your parents. Steph. Cassie.
That did it. I lost my temper. Suck my cock, you FUCKING SLUG!!!
That's when the Visser lost its temper. Now fully human, it takes a Dracon beam and starts to rush me with it.
I pounced on him instead. FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU! AAAAHHH!
I was hit by a Dracon beam. Badly.
David! Cassie screams.
No! Leave him! We'll come back. Jake yells.
They abandoned me. I demorphed.
"So, they break their laws. A morphing human." The Visser sneers. "Get rid of him."
Two human-controllers pick me up by each arm and hold me. A third punches me in the stomach.
"The Secret Service is coming." Said a fourth. "Take him to the pillar. Blast any andalite that's left."
The one that punched me dragged me to the now empty little room that held the miniature Yeerk Pool. He held the beam to me until everybody left. The Visser and his entourage. The Secret Service. When the room was empty, my captor threw to the floor and put down the Dracon beam.
"Ah, the morphing human. Heh, heh. I think I'll take you as my host." Sneered my captor. I thought I was furious before, but lying there, helpless, brought to me a whole new feeling of rage.
"HuRAW!!!" I yelled as I kicked him in the balls. I got up he tried to reach for his Dracon Beam but I took it and threw it out of the pillar. Still hunched over, I elbowed him in the back of his head, knocking him to the ground. I straddled him, getting ready to pummel him. He rolled onto his back hoping to fend my attack. He put up a hand on my face to block me, but I punched him straight across his lip, FWAP! Bursting it, leaving him half-conscious. I could have left him there and escaped.
I punched him again. FWAP! And again. FWAP! And again. FWAP! And again.
FWAP! I wanted to crucify all the assholes who used God or whatever deity as an excuse to kill people.
FWAP! I wanted to lynch every throwback who thought they were superior just because they were white.
FWAP! I wanted to butt-fuck every shithead who persecuted gays and lesbians.
FWAP! I wanted to castrate all the bastards who thought they were superior just because they had a penis.
FWAP! I wanted to rape all the bitches who thought they were superior just because they didn't.
FWAP! I wanted to feed all the environmentalist assholes who wanted to sacrifice human lives just so some other animal can survive to some giant exotic snake.
FWAP! I wanted to breathe smoke.
David?
Steph?
No, it was Cassie. In owl morph.
David, what are you doing?
"I'm . . . . uh." For a long time, neither of us said anything. I looked down feeling owl eyes drill into me.
Let's go home, David. Cassie finally said softly.
"Ok."
I start morphing to Golden Eagle.
Whose Steph? Cassie asked me.
What?
When I called to you, you called me Steph.
Shit. I must have said it out loud. Um . . . she's no one. I said as I completed the morph.
I knew I hadn't fooled her, but at that point I didn't care. I had failed, and I was raging.
I'll kill you, Visser.
I'll kill you if it's the last thing I do.
Rage is a terrible thing. It eats you up inside. It's the acid that dissolves your stomach. No, it's the acid that dissolves your heart.
The Animorphs who "abandoned" me had actually singed a few feathers sending Cassie to get me. I said my genuine thanks and flew with them back to Fortress of Attitude.
Cassie probably told them what she saw. Everyone was quiet on the way home. I was virtually seething. I could feel my talons open and close due to wayward energy. We were over the forest before someone spoke.
You did good, David. Jake finally said.
Motherfucker. I should have killed him when I had the fucking chance! I churned.
You almost did. Marco offered.
ALMOST DOESN'T GET MY FUCKING FAMILY BACK!!!! I exploded.
Just chill out, David. Rachel said. You sound mad.
I'm angry, Rachel. I corrected. "Mad" implies dementia.
You sound mad.
What the fuck do you know?!
May I remind you. You're talking to Rachel. Marco, of course.
None of you know. None of you fucking know what it's like to lose your family to . . . . them!.
Excuse me? None of us? Marco said, suddenly defensive.
I lost my brother to the Yeerks. said Jake.
My mother. Marco said.
THAT WASN'T YOUR FAULT! I yelled. You aren't the REASON your parents are CONTROLLERS! I fucking lost it. I saw a crow flying toward a dumpster. MotherFUCK!
I pulled back my wings and rocketed toward the crow.
David, stop! Cassie yelled.
Let him go. Tobias said.
I grabbed it with my talons and flew to a tree. I dove my beak in and ripped out its still beating heart. I swallowed. I kept eating crow till I was full. There's a joke in there, but I was too angry to see it.
I wasn't angry. I was mad.
I registered two birds of prey landing in a tree next to me. I ignored them.
It wasn't your fault, David. said the red-tailed hawk. You couldn't have foreseen this.
Leave me alone.
A second raptor, one I now know as a harrier, landed and demorphed. There stood the Andalite.
Please, David. I know nothing of human psychology. But this rage and guilt you pent up cannot be healthy.
Fuck you, outsider!
The Andalite walked toward me. It held out an arm to the branch I was perched on.
I flared my wings and fluttered to the ground. My talons flattened into feet. My legs and back grew and reshaped into human shapes. Two human arms exploded from my chest. Two wings retracted into my now-human shoulder blades. I went into my karate stance before my beak softened into a nose.
It took all of fifteen seconds. Definitely my fastest morph. I felt a little light-headed afterward.
The Andalite and the hawk stood in pure shock. The hawk started to morph.
"Go away." I gritted, ready to punch out the alien who could turn me into julienne fries with its tail.
The Andalite didn't move. Instead it too started to morph. In a few minutes they were done.
They were human. The hawk was a blond boy about my height. His hair was darker than mine, however. Brown shades. The andalite was in its pretty boy morph.
"David, listen to me." said the hawk walking toward me.
"Fuck you." I said as I gave a large karate kick in his direction. I missed and Tobias dodged to his right. I recovered, pivoted, and kicked him, missing again and instead breaking off a low tree limb.
Tobias stood by the Andalite now. It now had a wide-eyed human expression of disbelief. Like how can a weak human kick off a tree limb?
"Listen David . . . " Tobias started, but the Andalite silenced him with his now human hand.
"Tobias, let me." the Andalite said as it walked toward me. "David, I realize you are frustrated."
"Stay the fuck away from me, alien!"
It continued undaunted. "You failed to kill the abomination, Visser Three."
"How perceptive."
"You want him dead. It's a sentiment you and I share."
"Yeah, I'm sure. You want it dead because it's the only yeerk to take an Andalite body. And it's an embarrassment to your people to have one of your own a controller. So now you want to kill it? Aw, what a shock! The almighty andalites. Forever the superior species. The holy blue race!"
"It's more than that!"
"Yeah, right. What are trying to do? Protect my planet? I saw how you so quickly 'removed' my father's finger. You don't give a damn about humans much less these five fucking zeros."
"How dare you make such an accusation?!" The Andalite yelled suddenly furious. Its human face was all red and its nostrils flared. "That indictment might better suit you."
"Fuck you! You don't know me!"
"You don't know me! You don't know why it is my sworn duty to murder the abomination."
"What the fuck?! WHAT THE FUCK MAKES KILLING THIS ASSHOLE SO FUCKING IMPORTANT?!"
"HE KILLED MY BROTHER!"
That finally cut through my rage. I walked to a tree and leaned my back and head against it. Tobias stayed silent throughout. Aximili was calming down. After a while I finally spoke.
"I'm sorry, Aximili. I didn't know."
"His name was Elfangor-Sirinal-Shamtul." Tobais said proudly. "In the first and so far only great battle for Earth, Elfangor fought and was mortally wounded. He landed his fighter on the planet's surface. An abandoned construction site. That's where he stumbled upon five children walking home from the mall."
"Holy shit. You guys." I said sliding down the tree and sitting.
"Yes." Tobias concurred. "He told us about the Yeerks. And he gave us the morphing power. He told us to hide when they came. We did, and we watched. We watched Visser Three come out. We watched him morph some hideous monster. We watched as he picked up a fighting Elfangor and dropped him into his mouth. We watched him bite down."
I grimaced noticeably. This was a gruesome story.
"None of us asked for this, David." Tobias continued. "But we were the only ones who could fight. So fight we did for the last year and a half."
"My brother was a great hero to my people." Aximili continued. "But to me he was still my brother. For killing my brother, he will pay. We will make him pay. He will die."
"There are worse things than death." I said as I stood up.
Aximili offered me its . . . his hand. "Comrades?"
I took it. "Comrades."