Disclaimer: Animorphs belongs to KA Applegate and not me.
A/N: A few ppl reviewed the prequel to this, After the Yeerks, and ask for a sequel so I thought, why not? Hope you enjoy it!
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I'm still here. Thank goodness. The real me. Not a Controller-me—me! Me, the actual Jake Berenson. Mind, body, and soul all in tact. And I'm grateful for that alone.
The world is in trouble. MAJOR trouble. 4 years ago, I knew the world was doomed when we had given up. But never would I have imagined that the world would be close to an end so soon! The Yeerks have captured almost all of the world now. Billions of humans, all puppets, helpless, innocent people unable to control their words, actions, or minds. The Yeerks are getting stronger…and there's absolutely nothing we can do about it. There are a handful of people still free…about a couple thousand. In another 4 years…who knows? There might not be another free soul in this world. But I estimate in about maybe 5 years, the whole world will be taken. I'm fortunate enough to be able to still control my words and actions even now…but I know it's only a matter of time before I get a slimy slug in my head too.
I had a very close call once…I used to be a corporate lawyer. But as the Yeerks got stronger, practically my whole workplace was filled with Controllers. Now I am happily self employed. It doesn't bring a lot of income, but it's better than giving my mind up to a slug before I have to. It's hard dodging every day, but I live in a paranoid world and I know that someday I'll probably get taken over. I'm just delaying it…
I wish I had never given up. I know that we would have probably lost anyway....but we could at least have delayed it a little while longer, you know? But we surrender. Just flat out gave up. Some say that I'm not the kind of guy that gives up. Never. But I didn't want my 5 best friends in the whole world to die…one of them was enough. I miss Rachel a whole lot…I don't know if I could deal with it if Marco, Tobias, and Cassie died also…or me!
I'm still free, but some of my friends don't have that luck. Marco, my former best friend, was turned into a Controller shortly after he wedded Isabel. Isabel is now a Controller too. Visser Three is taking over the world big time...as the only Andalite Controller, he has a lot of power! Marco and his wife put up a good fight, but they were no match for the visser. I hope that someday he'll be free of that evil gray slug puppeteer.
Tobias, of course, is not a Controller. Yeerks don't go for hawks…yet. He's living happily in his meadow, catching rabbits and mice and such…carefree…soaring in the sky. I visit him whenever I can.
There's one more…Cassie. She's the light of my life. We're married now, and have twins, Jake Jr. and Alexandra. We're the happiest couple that ever lived on the face of the earth.
I met her again about 4 years ago. I remember it all like it was yesterday…
~Flashback~
I decided to go grocery shopping at the new mom-and-pop drugstore down the block (I go to those, and not the large, well-known food chains, it's less of a risk of getting caught). There were no other customers but me…in fact there were no other people there at all except for the one clerk. I picked out the items I needed and walked over to the checkout.
"Hi," I said. "I like your store. It's nice and cozy."
"Thanks," replied the girl. Then she narrowed her eyes at me. "You look familiar. Do I know you from somewhere?"
I squinted. Then it dawned on me…the familiar dark skin, those deep brown eyes…the plain outfit…"Cassie??"
"Oh my gosh! Jake! Is it really you?"
"YES! Oh Cassie…I've missed you so much. But I heard you had a man now."
"Oh…Mark? Well he's history. We broke up about 3 years ago. He was a creep. After that, I moved here. I had lived in Atlanta for about 2 years. So…." She grinned. "How about dinner? Tonight…just you and me…by candlelight…"
"Sure!" I exclaimed. I was delighted! After 4 years…I finally got to see the girl of my dreams.
~Flashback end~
After the one date, we decided to get married. (After all, there was no need to delay marriage…I mean, we'd known each other for years!) We got married informally (no church or fancy ceremony, we just went to court and found an un-Controller judge to wed us.
About a year after Alexandra and Jake Jr. were born, Yeerks took over all the hospitals in the world. Almost all the doctors and nurses you see are Controllers. It's so sad…but luckily, our kids made it out okay.
I hope the best for all innocent humans in the world. I pray for Rachel, the beautiful little girl, my friend who lost her life fighting against the Yeerks, for the freedom of the humans. . I miss you Rachel….and I'll always have a special place in my heart for you…keep watching over us from up there. I pray for all the Controllers, hoping that, one day, they will be free. And I pray for Cassie, me, Alexandra and Jake Jr….for hopes that we will remain free hopefully for as long as we possibly can. And especially my lovely wife Cassie…I love her from the bottom of my heart. We all hope that the world can last at least a little longer…