The Abominations: Part 11

Warren

We were fortunate enough for the area to be bathed under the unobstructed light of the full moon as we gathered around the lab. Though it meant that we did have to be more careful about the quality of our hiding places, it made it more than easy to find, well everything. Particularly everything moving.

We were confident that every guard this place had scouting around the forest had been found, all of them quickly and effectively knocked out before they were dragged away by the elder and disabled members of Toby's people. Due to the importance of this mission, Toby had found basically every single one of her people volunteering to help. Other than a couple of mothers and the children they were watching for everyone else, the valley was completely deserted. A number of them were in no condition to fight, physically or mentally, but they were determined to help and quite happy to constrain and carry back the captives, leaving the real fighters free to press forward. Already, more than thirty Hork-Bajir Controllers had been caught, more were to be snatched and that was only the ones I knew of. Toby's people were going to thrive in about three days.

/Everyone, get ready!/ Cassie called down from the sky. Her horned owl morph had worked wonders for us, making setting up each surprise attack a breeze as she silently flew through the forest, having us set up at the best moments and positions, usually attacking at the moment different groups crossed paths. Ax and Rachel had done the same, allowing the Hork-Bajir to take their own themselves. Now that we were all positioned at the lab however, Cassie was the only one still in the sky and had her eyes set for the ship. /Here it comes. It should land within five minutes./

/We're as ready as we'll ever be./ Rachel replied from her place about twenty yards to my right. Sparing her a glance as best I could through the thick branches, I found her flaring her enormous wings, ready for takeoff while her talons tightened around a bar Allen had connected to a metal sphere, one talon resting just half an inch from a small button. She was guaranteed to hit it when she released it. I just hoped that that didn't happen prematurely. Though she'd practiced flying with it during the day and did just fine, eagles weren't really meant for flying at night. Without the thermals, it was going to be a lot more difficult for her, especially when you took in the small size of the gap she had to squeeze her massive form through. One wrong move and she, and maybe a good few of us, were dead and the plan was ruined.

/Let's just hope the others found a safe place to demorph./ I muttered, watching the ship nervously. I didn't know how, but Erek had actually figured out where the ship's last loading sight was before coming here and fortunately for us, it was just outside of town. It was a lucky break that we really needed, it made infiltrating the ship much easier and safer. Morphing bugs, Jake, Marco, Tobias and David had slipped in while they were loading the captured animals without any trouble. Now, assuming that all was still going to plan, they were only waiting until the ship finished with its call to the lab and landed before they'd spring out and take down the crew on the bridge before opening the ship up to us. Assuming no distress calls made it through the ship, taking it would be easy.

The whole forest seemed to completely freeze as the ship moved into my sight and hovered before slowly coming to the ground. I had to admit, I was surprised. The ship was absolutely huge! According to Erek, it was a truck ship with a modified storage bay. It wasn't really equipped for battle, only carrying one cannon right at the front, but it was fully supplied with every type of stealth equipment that the Yeerks had, as well as shield generators and very thick armour. It was no doubt the slowest ship the Yeerks had, but it could take heavy a hit. Which was why Allen had convinced us to try and take it for ourselves.

'Come on...come on...' My muscles ached at tension I'd put on them, desperate to run, but I held firm. It wasn't time yet, the ship had done nothing. Without any way to see the forcefield, my only way of knowing I was safe was through the ship, which had yet to do anything visibly. Still, it had to happen soon. My body was designed for immediate sprints, not held preparation. If it knew it needed to run, then there was no waiting about it.

I doubt I waited more than three minutes after the ship landed, but it still felt enough like an eternity that I was ready to cry with joy when it finally happened. A low creaking of metal disconnecting was like a siren to my straining ears while the quickly growing light coming from near the back of the ship, quickly growing bigger as the ship's rear entrance was opened, might has well have been an explosion in the dark night. A sure sign that everything was going as planned and exactly what I was waiting for.

/Hork-Bajir, get in fast! There's more than we thought!/ Toby sprung into action immediately from beside me while Rachel did the same above. The lowered door meant the gap in the forcefield was in place and she had to motor. It would only be moments before the Yeerks within the facility figured out something was wrong. But before any of them, I exploded out of the vegetation and left more than one Hork stunned at the streak of dust I left behind. It really was amazing just how fast a pronghorn could accelerate.

The door was barely finished descending when I reached it and leapt in, barely even touching the ramp, to find myself in a warzone. David appeared to be the only one in the main storage hanger, but he had been clever. Rather than going in blazing with his terrifying lion morph, he'd opted for the dexterous chimpanzee and swiped a Dracon Beam. Not only that, but while he kept the surplus of human and frequent Hork-Bajir away with the laser and the chimp's acrobatic skills, he was letting himself be led to the bigger cages and blasting or ripping them open, releasing angry bears, frenzied deer and couple of hissing bobcats. The resulting chaos had screams, both angry and terrified, echoing thunderously all around the hanger as fur covered hides surged in all directions until even David and I were well hidden amongst the crowd. Though, that only lasted a moment before the deer all turned and ran for the exit I'd just crossed, the bobcats doing the same with greater stealth. Still, with them being replaced with the next wave of freed animals, birds of prey and raccoons, and Allen and free Hork-Bajir charging in, the chaos only increased. For a few moments anyway. I did nothing but run from my hiding place to the other open door on the far side of the ship, the front/main entrance, shooting through like a blur even as I carelessly leapt over cages, trolleys and the occasional fallen body. At the pronghorn's full speed, only the fastest big cats could hope to catch me, even with uneven terrain.

/Dropping now!/ I almost didn't even hear Rachel as she called, the cries, screams and 'Get the Rebels!' around me actually being loud enough to drown out even mental communication, but it still had the desired effect. The Hork-Bajir were making quick work of the unprepared, scattered humans, some of them staying to round up the unconscious while the rest followed Jara Hamee into the upper levels to assist Jake, Tobias and Marco. The bears had targeted Controller Horks and had them backed into as corner, leaving them as easy prey when our Hork-Bajir grabbed some Dracon Beams and set them to stun mode, effectively knocking all their infested brethren down before doing the same to the bears. They were too furious to just leave on their own like the other animals did and we couldn't have them running amuck with us.

David and Allen however, were following quickly behind me, the Dracon Beam and the sniper rifle from David's weapons cache held at the ready in their respective hands. They reached me at the main door just in time to see Rachel drop her cargo right over the base before hightailing it.

The ball seemed to drop in slow motion, but once it hit, right on target, the explosion immediately lit up the night, concealing half the roof. Dust and rocks cluttered their way down the hole as a wave of heat smacked right into my body, the area shaking at the force of the blast, its power enhanced as the forcefield combusted, its energy becoming visible and flashing through the air like lightning as it dissipated.

It was amazing just how much damage a small, crude, human designed explosive could inflict on even the most advanced technology. You just needed to know how to use it.

"SSCCRREEEEAAAA!"

/Oh MAN, that's hot!/ It was only when Rachel screeched that my attention was finally pulled away from the display. Unfortunately, though she was alive and still airborne, Rachel had definitely taken a hit from the blast. Even in the low light, I could still see, and easily smelt, the burned feathers all over her body. She even had embers glowing on her back, threatening to enflame her. I didn't worry too much though. Toby would take care of the risk of fire and keep her safe long enough to carry out her morph cycle all the way to grizzly bear. /Just so you know, the 'National Guard' has already been scrambled and is pooling by the door./

/Well then, it's a good thing we're in position./ David retorted smugly, upping the power of his Dracon Beam, all the better for long ranged attacks, right as the entire forest surrounding the base came alive. Within seconds, Hork-Bajir had surrounded the edge of the pit, every one of them holding a Dracon Beam pointing down, most of them presents from the hosts we'd captured around the perimeter and presented to Toby's best shooters. Within and instant, every one of them, David and Allen unleashed a barrage so great that it was blinding even without the explosions of their targets. The mounted weapons were quickly and effectively annihilated in just the first wave, few surviving and none completely undamaged.

/Warren, you're up./ Cassie called, circling the pit once over before swooping a meter over my head, heading back into the forest. /But be careful. I couldn't see the whole area by the door, but they were ready for an attack. There is a lot of them already./

/And more inside for sure./ I continued as casually as I could as I bolted straight down the incline. /I know./ I really didn't need the reminder. I was scared enough as it was.

I'd put up a lot of bravado during the planning stage, but to be honest, I was terrified. I'd charged into these kinds of numbers before of course and I know that I had sharpshooters watching my back, but every other time, I was a hyena, wolf or giraffe. Something with the power needed to protect itself. This time, I was going in with a much more delicate form and with no one beside me. The horns on my head, when combined with my speed, were dangerous, but nothing a Hork–Bajir couldn't handle.

The pronghorn's instincts were telling me that I had a death wish. It normally wasn't worried about predators once it started running, but normally it was running away from the danger, not right to it. It wanted to head back up the incline and disappear. Considering my human mind wanted to do the same thing, that wasn't really helpful right now.

TSEEWW, TSEEWW!

'Whoa!' Laser fire was NOT what I needed! Apparently our shooters had missed a few targets, because I wasn't supposed to be worrying about enemy weapons yet. Though all the same, in the end, it didn't matter. The heat flaring through my fur was intense as the deadly beams passed by, but with the pronghorn's speed and agility, dodging the shots was breeze.

It took no time at all to reach my target, even as the few Dracon Beams still to be destroyed shot my way. Everything around me was little more than a blur. I barely even noticed when the path started curving around the building. It wasn't until I found the Hork-Bajir right in front of me that the knowledge fully registered.

It was a scene from the most terrifying of nightmares under normal circumstances. I couldn't even count how many Controllers were before me. We knew that there were a total of seventy four within the facility alongside fifty human Controllers, a security measure in case the mutants got loose, a first line of defence while backup was called from those patrolling. I'd say that that I was looking at about half that, give or take five or six. To make it even better, all of them were holding Dracon Beams and lining them up for me. I'd be dead in moments.

"ANDALITE! FIRE!" I swear four voices screamed the exact same line, instantly bringing about seven lethal beams heading right for me. A guaranteed death.

However, in this case, I only had to live for seconds before their shield became my advantage. My legs were starting to show the first signs of the strain running at full speed caused, but I pressed on any way, ducking and swerving to the right before leaping right over another beam and onto a flat platform of solid rock.

The holograms of the area had revealed that the outcropping of stone covering the entrance of the building had been developed in a way that was easily climbable for even the large feet of multiple Hork-Bajir, probably to allow them some high ground if a runaway experiment got this far and make it all the easier to safely stun them. They were more than big enough for my sprinting feet and within seconds, I was coming to quick, albeit clumsy, stop right on top. Taking a moment to relax my legs, I turned my head back and forth from either side of the rock barrier's open ends and waited.

I knew I wouldn't have to wait long. They had to get me and without reinforcements, which even the Yeerks in those dull minds had to know wasn't coming by this point, they were the only ones who could get me. The only question was how long were they going to take to risk it?

Normally, they could just wait me out. After all, they were guarding one of the only two ways in into the building and even the blueprints don't tell you where the second, emergency exit comes out. No one but the Taxxons that made it do apparently. Together, their strategy was unstoppable, nothing that could hurt them, could ever get close. They were protected from above by thick, solid stone and destroying it would make it impossible to enter lab. The entrance was untouchable.

However, this scenario made one thing clear: we had captured a truck ship. The ship was barely armed, but its gun could do a lot of damage and the ship itself could be used to ram the place. They had to get a victory. If this place was destroyed then killing multiple rebels, particularly 'Andalites', was the only way that anyone here had a single chance of survival. Otherwise, Visser Three would kill them all. So, it was only a matter of time before that fear and desperation mixed with their hosts' simpler thought patterns and had them charging after me.

And even if that didn't work, the more expected plan was already in place. After all, my job, at the end of the day, was just to gain their attention in the direction we wanted it.

/Ket's team's in position./ Cassie called, loud and clear as she came to rest beside me. /The truck ship is almost completely clear too. Ax and Mr King are already at the bridge, making sure the Yeerks can't track it./

/And the boys beneath us?/

/Ready to wet themselves./ Cassie answered instantly. /The instant they see movement, they are going to go nuts. That's why we have a few shooters above us. Wait for them to cause a dust cloud before making your move. Stay away from this block's edge until they're done firing./

/Got it./ Nodding, I took a look up just in time to spot a few black blotches grow out from the cliff edge. /You better get out of here before the lightshow starts./

/Will do. Good luck./ Opening her wings, Cassie took a running start before shooting into the air with a great flap of her wings. It only took a moment to disappear from my sight as she whisked silently into the night.

It was only moments after that that the blasts began. They weren't overly powerful, but they were still more than enough to make my mind go into a frenzy as the bright beams lit up the dark and crashed into the earth, blowing entire chunks of the Yeerks' overhead defence right off the edge, sending dust and stone shards cascading down like a waterfall.

"AARRGHHH!"

"MMOOOVVEEE!"

"GEERRRAAAGFFFF!"

TSEWW, TSEWW, STEWW!

Screams and panicked firing flooded my ears almost as painfully as the explosions as the Controllers were struck, panicking as the dust filled their lungs and scratched at their eyes, or chunks of rock poured down on their heads. Those closest were already following the basic urges of escape, fleeing into the open space beyond the outcropping. Just what I'd been waiting for.

It was amazing just how fast I was, only a diving eagle compared to my new form's speed. Something I was reminded of once again as I shot right back down the way I came. The only difference was that instead of that first step, I leapt at a pair of Hork-Bajir's backs.

/Hi there!/ I called cheerfully, a split second before my delicate, but powerful legs struck down and propelled me away again, leaving both kissing the dirt. /I certainly hope that you boys didn't forget about me./

The effect was instant. Once again, all the Controllers were looking my way, raising their Dracon Beams like before, but now a lot of them were running after me too. Be it fear, anger or just blind panic, they were desperate to take me out now, before I could cause any more grief. At my speed, dodging their laser fire was easy, most of them weren't properly aiming to begin with and the charging Horks were getting in the line of fire of their more in control allies.

Curve left, lower myself, spring forward, swerve right. Red flashes shot all around me, but not one of them touched. Every pursuer fell far behind in only moments and with them, all of my fear. The pronghorn was fine now, it was in its element. Running from the threat at near full pelt, there was nothing that could touch me now.

And then it began.

TSEEW, TSEEW, TSEEW TSEWW!

"ARGH!"

"AHHH!"

Dracon fire rained down the cliff, immediately cutting my chasers off from their safe ground and effectively taking them all down. Echoing thumps met my ears as heavy body after heavy body hit the ground before they were consumed by screams and a whole new set of Dracon fire.

"Turn! Fi-ARGH!" With nothing coming near me any longer, I slowed down and looked back just in time to see an entire wave of Controllers blown off their feet. Ket and her team had made their move and were already shooting their next wave, taking advantage of the chaos and confusion the first attack and falling, unconscious bodies were causing, just as Allen and Toby had taught them. I took a bit of pride in that. Hork-Bajir weren't the brightest, but they learn and adapt just fine. A great breed, possibly the best still living.

Of course, the Yeerks caught on to the plan soon enough and did manage to organise enough to have Ket's team pressed back around the corner, shooting wildly around it, but by then, our combined efforts had taken out more than half of their guards. And with all our people still conscious and ready for more, the next wave was all we needed to finish them.

/Keep going Warren!/ Turn back the way I came, I mentally grinned as a tiger, a bear, a wolf, a lion, an Andalite and a gorilla carrying an overly armed Allen charge right toward me. /You've done your part here. Rendezvous with Tobias and Toby./

/Sure thing, Boss./ I was quite happy with that. Guard duty beat entering that nightmare of a building, I'll tell you that right now.

Still, though I couldn't really do anything to help in my current morph, I did stick around to see this part to its end. It was a quick one anyway, I didn't lose much time. Not one of my teammates let loose with their roars. Other than the pounding of their heavy feet, which was completely blocked off by the white noise of explosions, screams and barked orders, they approached without a sound. With all their attention on the free Hork-Bajir, the Yeerks never noticed them until they ploughed right into them.

"BBAAARRHH"

"GGGRRRAAOOOHH!

"BANDITS!"

TSEEW!

They never stood a chance. The Animorphs' attack broke the Yeerks' ranks with ease and had them desperately trying to avoid the whirlwind of teeth, claws, fists, tail blades and Dracon fire, giving Ket's team the opening they needed to spring out and attack again, careful to aim for the outer members of the enemy and work their way in to ensure there was no cases of friendly fire. In less than two minutes, their combined efforts dropped every single one of them without getting a scratch. An amazing feat, normally a force that size would have left every Animorph well and heavily battered, probably even causing a number of us to demorph.

/Everyone ready?/ Jake called, already moving gracefully through the throng of fall Controllers toward the door. /This is where it really begins./

/Oh, so taking the ship was a walk in the park?/ Marco asked, light and sarcastic, though he was still knuckle walking purposefully behind him. /We're ready Jake, so do us a favour avoid the speeches that will only unnerve us./

/Wimp!/ Rachel laughed, bringing up the rear as they all moved in. /Let's do it!/

/Ax?/

/At once, Prince Jake./ There was a quick flash and a powerful explosion as he fired two Dracon Beams, annihilating the door. A mere moment after that, they were all through and gone, before even the dust could settle, leaving only the Hork-Bajir gathering and taking away our captives.

/Good luck guys./ I muttered lowly, taking my leave. They were going to need it.

...

We were lucky that Allen had convinced us to steal the ship. It made it far easier to transport and hold our captives for the time it took for Yeerk starvation. Mr King was happy to fly it away for us, with Jara Hamee's team taking care of the prisoners. This meant that Ket's team could stick around with us, melding in with Toby's team surrounding the hole and watching out for any Yeerk backup that might come simply due to the lack of the ability to communicate with the lab or the late truck ship.

Still, I was on edge. Nothing could be seen or heard from the despicable facility below us. we had absolutely no way of knowing how things were going in there. That was the greatest flaw of this plan, the two teams we'd dissolved into had no way of communicating with each other. If one was caught, we'd never know it until it was far too late. In fact, the only signal we were going to get was whether or not the building went boom before we had to evacuate.

/No signs of anything wrong yet./ Tobias called down as he flew overhead, as silently as Cassie had before. Though he didn't like it much, he had taken an owl morph of his own and was using it to circle the entire area. Hawks just weren't built for night flying after all, the owl could handle the near constant circling with much more ease. /Though, of course, I don't see any signs of anything going right either./ He added, just as frustrated as I was as he curved around and landed on a branch nearby, in need of a rest.

"You'd think we'd have gotten the Chee to help us with safe, long range communication by now." I muttered, glaring at the hole. "Or that Erek could have cleared his schedule and come with us or convinced another Chee to. This is kind of high in the area of importance and with Mr King gone, we can't even get any information from Brad."

"Mr King will return soon enough." Toby replied serenely. As usual, she was the epitome of calm and control, completely unwavering. "It will not take him long to run back. In the meantime, we must trust that our friends are capable of handling their task. I do not believe that we need much fear for them. They are very resourceful."

/True, but this is incredibly dangerous, even by our standards./ Tobias sighed, preening himself, despite not being in his true form. A nervous habit. /We've never done an all out assault on a Yeerk Stronghold like this before, not since the Yeerk Pool, which was always just a hit and run scenario. Considering what we know is housed in that place, are we sure this direct assault was survivable with such low numbers?/

"You know, you're really not helping with the faith in our comrades pitch." I grunted, fiddling with the pair of Dracon Beams in my hands. It was funny really, I had the power to morph and two deadly weapons in my hands, yet I felt completely helpless. I absolutely hated that feeling, it was a major part of why I was so messed up after getting the defibrillator implanted in the first place. That desperate urge to do something, to help your friends, but knowing that there's nothing you can do. It eats at you, consumes you, until you're left in a self-made pit of doubt, fear and despair. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

"It is always impossibly difficult to stand back and let others take the forefront of battle. My people and I know it all too well." Toby said calmly, but sadly, staring up at the moon. "It is even harder when you know what they are doing and that they are close by. It is the nature of all who care and love to rush in after them, to help in any way we can. However, in doing so, we might only hurt them or get caught in what may come. In this case, our entering the base only risks us being caught in the destruction that will befall it no matter who is the victor within and allowing reinforcements to enter and make their difficult journey impossible. For their sake and our own, we must remain here. Though we wish we could have gone in with them, there is a reason, a great need, for our forces to stand strong around the base. Protection is just as important as aggression."

/All true. It just doesn't mean we have to, or even can like it./ Tobias sighed as I flopped against a tree trunk. Our job was important, we all knew it. It was our job to scout out and stop any Controllers from escaping the communication dead zone and contacting their reinforcements and to eliminate any small groups that may come either from the base or nearby. The others would be exhausted once they finished and escaped, if they walked into the enemy, they wouldn't stand a chance, assuming such reinforcement didn't make it inside and assist in stopping them in the first place. But even that knowledge, that responsibility, did nothing to make the waiting any easier.

/I'm going to start my next sweep now./ Tobias was lucky in that concern. At least he had something to do, something that could distract him at least a little. Flying around and scanning every speck of land within you vision, it required focus. As for me, I was just looking over the trees. As the strongest and fastest fighter in our group, minus maybe Tobias, who'd have to demorph before he could morph anything useful at night, I was advised to stay in human form until we knew what was coming, to ensure that I picked the sufficient form for the job, assuming that the Hork-Bajir couldn't handle it. That was all well and good for the plan, but it basically meant that I was stuck in one place until I was needed. I was seriously tempted to ignore it and morph wolf, patrol with my nose. At least that would be something.

However, before either of us could go through with our desires...

BOOOMMM!

"MMRRAAAHHHHH!"

/Don't tell me.../

"Oh crap!" My blood went cold as a symphony of the dreadfully familiar growls and moos surged through the air, just seconds after a tree crashed to the ground. They were a little ways off, but I remembered one of those sounds all too well. It still made frequent returns to my nightmares. Only this time, there was more than one.

/Two mutant bulls just appeared out of a hole in the ground that wasn't there five minutes ago./ Tobias called, his voice shaking like crazy. He'd taken off toward the disturbance the moment it started and now he sounded like he wanted nothing more than to fly far, far away. Not that anyone could blame him, one mutant bull was enough to lay waste the area. Adding a second one... /And they brought their daddy./

I swear my heart stopped as those words met my mind. Beside me, Toby's seemed to have done the same. She almost fell right out of the tree, only spared the fall thanks to her worried mother's arms.

I had hoped that I would never meet that creature. I had hoped with all my being that it would never escape the lab.

Now, the ice that had poured through my veins was settling in my stomach. The minotaur was out and with friends.

Numbers, lasers, none of that reassured me in the slightest at this point. We were almost guaranteed to lose our lives.

AN: And so the battle begins and it's finally a well coordinated one. I hope you enjoyed it.