Author's Notes: Gah I forgot how much I miss these kids. I might have to write something else with them, even though right now I'm all into my Supernatural story. We'll see. Please R&R :)

"Harvey! You need to hit it with a little bit more oomph! Just use your wrist!"

My tennis coach was trying to get me to focus. I had to admit, as of late I had been really, really distracted. Wanna know why?

Well, I'd have to go back three or four days, right after the meeting in the barn.

I had been heading home, contemplating all the things that were discussed and considered. It was a lot to take in, the waiting. I know it kind of seems weird, but I have to admit, I've been waiting for a fight for some time now, and I thought the last mission might have had some. Too bad it didn't.

The four of us, us being me, Marco, Jake, and Rachel, decided to go home together. We all lived in about the same vicinity, so it wasn't bizarre or anything. Since it was a nice, warm evening, and the sun was still partially hovering in the sky, we decided to just skip taking the bus and walked.

"So how's life been for everyone?" Jake asked. He was trying to lighten the mood, I suspected.

"I did terrible on that stupid science test," Rachel said. "Barely got a B-plus on it."

I felt it was best I didn't mention my acing of that test at the moment.

"I think it's weird going partially back to our normal lives," Marco said. "Especially now that school seems less overwhelming with the lack of...extracurricular activity."

"Maybe for you," Jake said.

"Coming from Mr. Honors," I said jokingly, "we'll ignore that comment."

We all shared a light laugh over at.

Most of the walk back to our neighborhood was filled with idle chit-chat about students that we didn't like and teachers that needed to retire. Rachel and Jake talked a little about their family picnic that was coming up, which meant their families' involvement together. At least they'd have each other and wouldn't have to worry about it too much.

We'd just turned down my street corner and were about to head to my house when I noticed Tom knocking on our door. From this distance, anyway, it looked like Tom. I stopped everyone and we took to hiding behind a large oak tree on the left side of the sidewalk.

"What's he doing coming back to our house?" I asked in a venomous tone.

"He's probably taking your brother somewhere," Jake replied quietly. "Even if we don't have Cassie, Ax or Tobias, I think we should morph and follow them. If it's anything important..." He glanced at us before watching Tom go inside. "They may lead us to whatever it is they're doing."

"Is there anywhere nearby here good for hiding four hideous freaks?" Marco asked, clearing his throat.

"I've never really inspected my neighborhood," I answered. I looked around the housing structures and then at the cul-de-sac nearby before snapping my fingers in its direction. "There's a grove of trees over there. Right between those two houses!"

We casually (or by casually, you could say hastily walked) in the cul-de-sac's direction and toward the grove. It was an especially good thing that it was nearing summer...the leaves on the trees and the evening sky provided perfect shade to hide in. But what I didn't know is that the darkness was going to make it even more difficult to find our way to a black car in the ever-fading night.

We stripped down to our morphing suits and packed them into my tennis bag. They just barely fit, but it was okay. We hid it up in one of the trees.

I focused on the fly and I felt the changes begin.

Pop! Pop!

The first thing that happened to me was the changing of my vision. Through what I could see, it appeared as if something took a hammer to my retina and smashed it. Nearly one hundred little TV like eyes that formed a picture, or at least what could pass for a picture. I was kind of happy my eyes changed first, because then I didn't have to worry about seeing all the others' changes.

"Dude! Harvey's got giant bug eyesssssbbbbpth," Marco said, his lips melting together and elongating to form a proboscis.

"If only mine would do that," Rachel said. Through my compound vision I saw her shrinking at a rapid rate. And so did I.

The whole process is hard to explain. Almost like you're falling through the floor, because everything rises up around you. But you know you're not because you can feel your feet firmly planted on the ground.

I was about seven or eight inches tall, if I was measuring correctly. I used the tree's branch as sort of a guide to know my size. I let out a surprised sound when I felt an uncomfortable feeling in my sides.

CREEEEEK. SNAP!

Two giant, hair legs grew right beneath my arms. They went out to about a regular arm's length and then snapped into sort of an arrow-like shape. All the while I continued shrinking, my many eyes showing distorted images of my friends around me.

SPLOOT! SPLOOT!

The last thing to change on my body was the pair of gossamer wings that flies are ever-so famous for. I was just about the size of half a guy's thumbnail and I was wired for just about anything.

Then the fly brain came into play. It was screaming about the poop that it smelled just a few yards away in one of my neighbors' front lawns. It even managed to notice the balled up garbage nearby that I had kicked into the middle of the street.

((So are we all ready here?)) Jake asked.

((Jeez!)) I said. ((This thing is like...a flying crack dosage!))

((They certainly got a lot of energy,)) Rachel said. ((But just wait until you fly with 'em.)) I caught movement to my right and noticed Rachel shooting into the air--directly off the ground. She didn't have to run, didn't have to pick up momentum, she just...up and flew. WHOO!

((Got control, Harvey?)) Jake asked.

((If he didn't, I think he'd be off swarming that nice, warm pile of inviting dog doo nearby,)) Marco said. Then in a disgusted tone he added, ((Ew...Did I just say that? Somebody shoot me now or something.))

I watched as Jake did the same thing Rachel did right in front of me. And to my right, Marco did as well. ((Come on,)) Jake called out, ((we're off to find that car.))

I let the fly brain have partial control so it could do the flying for me. And needless to say, the whole thing brought riding in planes and jets to a new perspective.

I shot up like no tomorrow! In less than a millisecond I was ten, fifteen feet in the air! And on the turn of a dime I was flying straight out of the grove toward the car to my east.

((Go right over the house to our left,)) I ordered. ((It'll cut off the extra time so we can navigate our way to the car faster.))

((When we get to the car, are we just gonna hang out outside or something?)) Marco asked. ((We very well can't hang around inside. They probably have a can of Raid or something just to be on the safe side.))

((Dummy here's right,)) Rachel said. ((Jake, I saw we hide on the tailgate. We may not exactly have the best view of everything, but at least we won't get killed or anything.))

((Okay,)) Jake said. ((So if I'm right in my judgment, that large, dark thing to our right should be the car, right? These eyes can't see worth anything...))

((If it isn't, then there's a huge dog in this neighborhood that needs to be on the Enquirer,)) Marco stated.

I saw two partially blurry figures come out of the corner of my right eye. One had dark hair and the other had a lighter shade. I knew it had to be Derrick and Tom.

((Let's do it!)) Rachel said.

((Ahhh...Xena's blessing.))

((Shut up, Marco.))

((Yes, Xena.))

((I'm on the car,)) I announced. ((I think the tailgate. I went where that overwhelming stench was, which also gave off a lot of heat. Figured it to be the exhaust pipe.))

((Good job,)) Jake said. ((I'm also on the car now. Rachel? Marco?))

((Landed.))

((Butt's planted.))

((Then let's hope this ride'll take us directly to where we needs to,)) Marco said to me privately. ((Otherwise, this could be the perfect destruction to our somewhat momentary normal lives.))

((Yeah,)) I agreed.

The ride felt so much longer than it actually was. But then, I kept having the fly brain popping in every now and then, screaming frantically about the odors on the concrete. Really annoying.

When the car finally came to a stop, the others and I took flight. My brother has got some of the wildest, thickest black hair you'll ever see, so it was the perfect spot for us to hide, and he didn't even feel a thing when we landed.

Where are we? Rachel asked.

Who knows, Jake replied. All I can see is a building.

Doesn't look familiar, I commented.

Suddenly, vibrations! Booming through my fly body!

Gah! I yelled out. Is that what we sound like to flies when we talk?

If we can ever get a hold of a fly and ask them, we should, Marco said.

Funny.

That's what I live for, my friend.

We waited anxiously while Derrick and Tom walked to wherever it was they were going. When they reached the doorway, I felt new vibrations. Deeper ones. I heard all of the others making sounds.

It's Chapman! Rachel said.

And with Tom, too. Oh-kay. Now we know this is the big mission, Jake said.

No wonder they had us going of chasing the Yeerk resistance people, Rachel sighed. Marco started to comment on what she said but Rachel hastily cut him off. Wait. Shh! I hear something.

I tried to let the fly brain translate what I was hearing, and I understood the vibrations alright. With my human brain I managed to turn the booming voices into English. Whose voice it was, though, I wasn't sure.

"...Everything went exactly like we'd planned it to."

"That's good, then. So the infiltration went perfect?"

"The owner is one-hundred percent Yeerk, now. Soon there will be pamphlets for The Sharing all over the place. The previous members of the YMCA will see that The Sharing, and we'll bring even more people into our control. It's so easy I can't believe we're getting away with it."

Ooh...I can't believe they'd do something like that! Rachel.

I never would have thought of it, Jake muttered. At all.

What I wonder, Marco said in a contemplative tone, is how Erik didn't hear any of this.

I don't know. It seems like something they'd need a lot of Yeerks to do. But so far we've only heard Chapman, Tom and Derrick.

"It was smart of Visser Three to cut out all the other goons and leave this to the smart Yeerks."

Guess Chapman just answered the soon to be asked question, I said.

Little conceited, isn't he? Rachel said.

How long do you think we've been in morph, you guys? Jake asked.

I don't know, Big Jake, but we should get going. It's probably not long before we're human flies for life.

We got all the info we need, Rachel stated. There's only one YMCA here in the city and we know that the guy who owns the branch is a Controller.

But how are we gonna stop him? I asked.

That's to be determined, Jake said. Now let's go. We might have a lot of ground to cover and there may not be many places to morph.

Good. Let's get going. Harvey? No offense, dude, but your brother reeks. When was the last time he showered?

Now that you know the basic gist of what happened, I can get back to the task at hand here. After another meeting with the other Animorphs, Jake told us that our next mission was to try and mash up the YMCA (even though some of us had to do extra practice there) so the Yeerks couldn't get out those Sharing pamphlet things. We figured that if we did enough damage, the Yeerks would have to postpone that plan. Because...If they got into the YMCA, they'd be getting a hefty load of people.

And we couldn't let that happen.

"Harvey! Jeez. That's enough. Come on, you're finished."

We were supposed to go tonight. It was a Friday and my practice had just ended. Not on account of the time and all, but because I'd made maybe one right move in two hours. It was nearing five and I was getting tired anyway.

"Yeah, all right Coach."

So I went off to the locker rooms, showered, got my stuff and left. When I got home, I was pleasantly (faked it, of course) surprised to see Tom over again. He and Derrick were watching TV in the living room.

"Hey, Harvey!" Derrick called out to me.

"Yeah, hey," I said, tossing my tennis bag onto the bench beside the staircase. "What's up?"

"Ah, nothing," he replied. "Just watching some TV. Hey, are you busy tonight?"

Crap. Crap crap crap. Was I busy? Yes, of course I was. What was he gonna ask me though? He just continued on, though, without my response.

"I'm going with The Sharing on a camping outing. Do you think you could take care of my chores for me?"

"Do mom and dad know?"

"Yeah. They said I'd have to get my stuff done first, though. But you owe me for that time when I let you watch TV and get on the internet when you were grounded, so..."

In my head I muttered, 'Dirty Yeerk. You know only that because you're wrapped around my brother's brain and you're scanning his memories for blackmail. I wish you would die.'

"Yeah, I guess I can do them," I said. "Since I owe you and all."

What I was really wondering was if there actually -was- an outing, or if they were planning on working more with the YMCA stuff. If they were...I didn't even want to think about it.

"Great. Thanks a lot." Tom nudged my brother in the side, then whispered something in his ear while pointing to me. A few seconds later Derrick asked, "Do you want to come with, maybe? We could get the chores done fast together. And I think it'd be pretty cool if you came along. We don't hang around as much as we used to."

"No, we don't," I said flatly. I didn't really want to hang around with Derrick anymore. At least not this Derrick. "But that's okay. I've got a ton of homework to do over the weekend. Big project in my English class."

"Ah, too bad. Well, I'll let you get started then."

"Yeah." Under my breath I added, "whatever."

I was just about to ascend the stairs when the doorbell rang. I naturally turned around and answered it, blinking some in surprise at who it was.

"T-Tom!" I called out. "Your brother's here."

I gave Jake a strange look before turning around, just in time to catch Tom racing to the door.

"Hey squirt," Tom said. "What're you doing here?"

"Mom told me to come get you. Something was wrong with our phone lines and--"

"Ah, whatever. If this has anything to do with her disagreeing that my room is clean, I'll..."

"Who knows," Jake cut him off. "She just wants you home."

"I'll have to talk to you tomorrow morning, Derrick. Remember, be in front of The Sharing building around six. We'll be leaving then." Tom turned his attention to me for a brief second, then looked at Jake. "Let's go, then."

I told my mom and dad that I was spending the weekend with Marco. They didn't object. I took some extra clothes just in case something happened. Don't ask me what I was thinking, but I guess it was something that involved more clothes. Maybe I wanted to look more believable.

Who knows, really. As for my destination...

Do I even need to tell you?

Marco answered the door, of course. He told me his dad was going away for the weekend with Ms. Robinette. The details were given to him but he chose not to listen. I went upstairs and tossed my stuff in his room and then came back downstairs. Jake was going to meet us here soon, and the three of us were going to wait until night had fallen to take flight. Rachel and Cassie were leaving together, as were Ax and Tobias.

"While we wait for Jake," Marco said slyly, looking in my direction, "why don't we make ourselves more comfortable?"

I chuckled. "Hitting on me? Marco, jeez. I thought you were more polite than that."

"Not when I know I can't help myself," he replied.

Marco moved in toward me, gently grasped my hand and pulled me toward the couch. My heart started beating slightly faster than it was, which made the adrenaline in my system seem to think that it needed to run. So, when I was brought atop Marco, I was pretty wired on a natural hype.

I kind of wish I knew what would have happened if Jake hadn't ran the doorbell. Marco called out "Just a minute!" while hustling as fast as he could to the door. He stumbled and nearly tripped over his own backpack. I thought it was cute.

I realized that it would probably seem a little weird to see me lying down on the couch, so I sat up and grabbed the thing nearest to me: the TV guide. I started flipping through it casually.

Jake wandered on in a few seconds later, backpack in hand. Apparently he told his mom and dad that he was going to Marco's for the weekend and that they were gonna work on some big project. Whatever the case, we were there, and night was falling. We didn't have too much longer to wait before we could leave.

"I'm gonna go open my window," Marco said, excusing himself.

Now it was just me and Jake. He took a seat on the couch beside me and eyed the book in my hand.

"TV guide, huh?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

"Anything interesting?"

"Nothing all that good."

He didn't say anything next. Just sort of looked around, as if passing time with me was something he wanted to have hurried. So I thought I might make it go faster by brushing up some kind of conversation.

"So anything new with you?"

"Nothing much," he said. "I..."

"Hmm?"

"Oh nothing. Just thinking about what I'm going to do tomorrow."

"And what's that?"

"Go on a date with Cassie."

"Oh, that's cool."

"Do you and Marco want to come with us?"

My eyes widened. The first thing that struck me was that he knew about me and Marco. But then I tried to throw that idea away by assuming that it was one of those group hang out things. I didn't know for sure, but—

"It could be like some kind of double dating thing."

Okay. He knew. Either he knew or he was insanely perceptive. Whatever the case, I tried to make some kind of joke out of it.

"What in the world are you talking about?"

"Oh. Well. Never mind."

I was worried, I will admit. Jake more than likely knew. But I was too afraid to ask just how it was he knew. There was a slight chance that he was assuming we were together and was trying to get me to admit to it. God, was I paranoid.

It was a good thing Marco came back downstairs. Jake and I looked at one another, then outside. It was time to go. Marco went around and shut all the blinds, turned on a couple of lights and darted back upstairs. Jake and I followed.

"Just toss your clothes on my bed," Marco said. "We can get 'em when we get back."

Before I even had a chance to think of the owl in my head, I noticed Marco morphing his osprey and Jake morphing his peregrine falcon.

"Oh this is so great," Marco said. "One giant freak bird convenshooooo..." his lips were hardening into a beak.

I decided to close my eyes. However, not being able to see the morphing didn't mean I couldn't hear it. Terribly sickening, the sound of bones crunching and innards sloshing around, disappearing all together, even.

When the three of us were finished, we took flight. One by one out the window, on the way to the YMCA.