disclaimer--see chapter2

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Chapter 11—Visser at the dance

Stay calm, I told myself, just edge casually over to Jake and calmly tell him that the current leader of the Yeerk invasion is at a high school dance for no apparent reason.

I pulled Silver close and whispered the problem in his ear. We went over to Jake and Cassie.

"Oh, my god," I said, playing the cool embarrassed teen, "Don't look now, but my parents are here. With their boss!"

Jake's eyes widened as he looked over and verified this fact.

"Shit," he whispered.

Dance over.

((Um…guys, why are there Hork-Bajir in a truck outside?)) Tobias thought-spoke, walking over in his human form. I looked pointedly at Visser 3.

((Shit! Ax, Estrid, we have a problem. Marco, Beth, Jason, Rachel, Visser 3 is at the dance,)) Tobias broadcasted to the other Animorphs.

"Act cool," Jake said.

((But Jake says to act cool. Beth! Stop that morph! You're still at the dance. RACHEL! You know better! Jake, after today, we need to reemphasize why they cannot morph large bears in public.))

Beth and Rachel reversed the morphs, and I almost smiled.

((Should we stay as we are?)) Aximili asked. He and Estrid hadn't morphed yet.

Jake shook his head no.

((Jake says no. We don't know why he's here, so let's chill.))

"I'll be right back," I whispered to Silver, then walked to my parents.

Silver tried to stop me, but Jake held him back.

"It makes the most sense," he whispered.

In the manner of an annoyed teenager, not a frightened Animorph, I turned to my parents.

"What are you doing here?" I asked in an embarrassed hiss.

"Hi, honey. We wanted to show Mr. Jones an average high school dance," the Yeerk portraying my mother said.

I nodded hi nonchalantly at Visser 3, then turned again to my parents.

"So you choose the VALENTINE'S dance? Mom, my friends are here! My boyfriend is here!"

"Where is your boyfriend, by the way?" dad asked.

"Talking to a friend. Please go away?" I pleaded.

"Just pretend we aren't here. We'll be gone soon enough," mom said, "We need to talk to your assistant principal."

I bet! Chapman was a high-ranked Yeerk.

"Why? I didn't do anything!"

"It's not about you, darling. It's a project for the Sharing."

"Sure," I said, feigning disbelief, "Just…make it quick. I don't want anyone to know my parents work with the assistant principal."

I went back to the group, grabbed Silver and began dancing. I didn't want to appear to be reporting back to anyone.

"They say they're here to talk to Chapman about a project," I whispered.

"Well, Tobias and Rachel are keeping an eye on them," he whispered back.

"Good, so it's as yet out of our hands," I said, putting my arms around his neck, "We can just have a nice valentine's day dance."

I kissed him. He looked at my parents, "Was that wise? Your parents are right there."

"It's a normal thing to do at a dance. It diverts suspicion."

"Well, if it keeps us from being suspected of plotting something," he grinned, and kissed me again.

((Michelle, Visser coming your way.)) Tobias warned.

I pretended to be surprised when he tapped me on the shoulder.

"Why don't I see you at the Sharing? It's a great place to spend time—plus, you can help your parents with their work," he said.

Translation, "you are now worth a Yeerk."

"No offense, sir, but I don't have time to spend much anywhere, I'm usually with friends. Silver, this is my parent's boss Mr. Jones. Mr. Jones, my boyfriend Silver," I introduced.

Visser 3 shook Silver's hand, then turned to me.

"I really must insist you join the Sharing," he said to me.

"I'll talk to my friends about it, Mr. Jones," I said, going back to dancing.

When Visser 3 and my parents left, I excused myself to the bathroom. I morphed just to broadcast in thoughtspeak exactly what happened.

((Jake calls a meeting at Cassie's barn in a half hour. Leave the dance in pairs. See you there,)) Tobias said.

((See you there,)) I said, demorphing back into my dancing dress. I reapplied my make up and jewelry and went back to the dance.

"We go last," I told him, watching Aximili and Estrid turn to go.

"Visser 3 wants you as a controller, that much is obvious. The question is…why?" Jake asked.

"Could he have recognized my voice?" I asked.

((Possible, though not probable,)) Aximili replied.

((Perhaps he's discovered Eslak missing and tracked you down as his friend?)) Tobias said.

"No, because he'd be after Jason and Beth, not me."

"Well, what do you plan to do? When the Visser 'insists' on something, he usually gets it," Jake said.

"Not this time. I'm not going to be a controller. If nothing else, I'll run away."

((To where?)) Estrid asked.

"To the Hork-Bajir colony—the only beings who ever successfully ran from the Yeerks," I said, "But that's plan B."

"Now we just need a plan A," Marco said, "which will likely end in a suicidal lunatic plan we'd have to be crazy to execute."

"I've got one," Jason said.

"Is it crazy, insane, or suicidal?" Marco asked hopefully.

"Of course," Jason smiled.

"Then I'm in," Beth and Rachel said, "Let's go for it!"

"Oh, great. Twice the let's do it, twice the lunacy, insanity, and craziness," Marco complained.

"Of course!" Beth said, laughing.

Rachel gave her a high-five.

I shook my head, looking at Silver. His molten Silver gaze met my own, and my heart skipped two beats.

"Come on, guys, it's Valentine's day. Not the day to be thinking up crazy, lunatic plans. I say we break and get back together tomorrow to talk crazy, lunatic, insane plans," I said, not breaking eye contact with Silver.

"I agree with Michelle. We should have stayed at the dance anyway," Marco said, "Jenni Baker was definitely looking at me."

"Sure, Marco," I said, laughing.

"Just because all of you are paired up…what kind of world is it when bird-boy and alien get girlfriends before cute, adorable Marco?"

"A good one?" Rachel countered.

"Very funny, Xena," Marco said, "Just make sure Tobias doesn't have mouse-breath before you kiss him."

((Of course I don't, Marco. Tonight was Roadkill Friday.))

"Okay. Be back here tomorrow at eight sharp," Jake said, ignoring the bantering.

"Eight am sharp," I said, taking Silver's hand into my own. I morphed bird, taking keeping my size and my right hand until I let go.

((See you tomorrow,)) Aximili and Estrid said, heading toward Aximili's scoop tail-in-tail.

((Til tomorrow," Silver said.