CHAPTER FIVE

Several days later, the Animorphs once again gathered at the barn. Cassie and Jake were talking quietly as Cassie was administering meds to the animals. Marco was sitting against a hay bale next to Erek in the far corner, carefully remaining out of view of the door. A red-tailed hawk and a harrier, carrying what looked like a folded sheet of paper in its beak, flew in through the upper window. The red-tailed hawk landed in the rafters, while the harrier landed on the ground and began to demorph into Ax.

Jake turned to them. "Good," he said. "Now we just have to wait for Rachel."

As Ax continued to demorph, his beak melted into his face and the paper began to fall. Ax attempted to snatch the paper with his still-forming hands, but missed. Jake walked over and picked up the paper. "What's this?" he asked, holding the paper up.

That is our flight plan, Ax answered. I shall explain it once Rachel arrives.

Here she comes now, Tobias said from his perch above. Several seconds later Rachel walked through the door.

"Okay," Jake said as he turned to the group. "Let's get started." He turned toward the corner where Marco and Erek were sitting. "Marco, Erek, what have you two come up with?"

"I can get my people to fill in for you for as long as you need," Erek said. "But we'll need details about how you plan to get the bug fighter before we can cover an attack."

"I've been working on that," Cassie said. "But it looks like it might be a little more complicated than we thought."

Jake frowned. "How did your visit with Tidwell go?" he asked.

"He wants to help us," Cassie explained. "But he's being watched. Apparently some other Yeerks suspect he's part of the peace movement. He has to avoid doing anything suspicious. And he doesn't have access to bug fighters anyway."

Marco groaned. "Well, I guess it's over then. Let's go home. I still have time to watch X-Files tonight."

Maybe we could find another contact in the peace movement, Tobias said.

"Yes, we can," Cassie said. "I wasn't quite finished. Illim knows another Yeerk in the peace movement. The Yeerk's name is Akled 192. Her host's name is Debbie Beck. She's on the city council. But more importantly, Akled is in charge of assigning missions for bug fighters."

"We'd better meet this woman," Rachel said. "She'd definitely be helpful with this mission."

"Illim's already arranged it," Cassie said. "Debbie doesn't want to meet us at city hall. That would just look suspicious. She wants to meet us at the Olive Garden downtown tomorrow at noon."

"Well, that's one problem solved," Marco said. "But how should we deal with her? Does she know we're human, or does she think we're Andalites?"

"She thinks we're Andalites," Cassie answered. "Illim said that even in the peace movement, very few know our secret. Aftran only told a few Yeerks that she trusted with her life. Illim was one of them. Akled didn't join the peace movement until after we rescued Aftran."

How do we know she can be trusted? Tobias asked. Taylor pretended to be part of the peace movement, and look what happened with her.

"Illim trusts her," Cassie said. "Look, I went through all this with Illim. He said she's a trusted member of the peace movement."

"That may be true," Jake said. "But I don't think this would be the best time to reveal to her that we're human. We'll meet her in morph." Jake smiled slyly. "In human morph."

"What do you mean?" Rachel asked.

Jake continued to grin. "Marco, maybe you'd care to demonstrate." Marco grinned as he began to change. The change was subtle, but noticeable to his friends. He first grew about three inches. Then his eyes became a lighter shade of brown and his shoulders broadened. The next change was his nose, which became more pronounced, and then his lips, which grew larger. And finally his hair lightened slightly as he completed the morph. Rachel, Cassie, and Tobias gasped in surprise. Ax watched intently, while Jake, Marco, and Erek laughed.

I see you have learned to control the age of the Frolis Maneuver, Ax stated. This does not come without much practice.

Frolis Maneuver, Tobias said. What exactly is a Frolis Maneuver, Ax-man?

A Frolis Maneuver is a morph that combines the DNA of several members of the same species, Ax answered. Such as the human morph that I often use. It is a combination of DNA from Jake, Rachel, Marco, and Cassie. The Frolis Maneuver that Marco has performed includes the DNA of his mother, his father, and Prince Jake.

"Whoa, Ax," Rachel said excitedly. "Does that mean any of us could do one of these whatever maneuvers?"

Ax turned and looked at Rachel with his main eyes. Yes. Provided you have a sufficient number of morphs, any of you could perform a Frolis Maneuver.

"We need to decide who's going to meet Debbie tomorrow," Jake said. "I don't want all of us there. Probably just three or so. I also want someone to be keeping a lookout in case we get trouble."

That would be my job, Tobias said. I'll watch from the sky.

"Good," Jake said. "One of us will watch from the street, while another will come along in insect morph. Ax, I want you in the meeting. You'll sound like an Andalite, and you have plenty of morphs to mix from all those navy officers you acquired on the aircraft carrier. Your morph will be good too Marco. Could you make it turn out about your parents' age?"

Marco nodded. "That's how it turned out the first time I tried it."

"Okay," Jake said. "So Marco will go too. Anyone else want to volunteer to go."

"I'll go," Rachel said quickly. "I want to try out that mixed morph. But I've only acquired one human. I'd need some more human morphs."

"You could acquire me," Cassie said. "I've acquired you, so it's no big deal if you acquire me."

"All right then," Jake said. "Ax, Marco, and Rachel will meet with Debbie. Cassie can go along in flea morph. I'll keep an eye out from outside the restaurant, and Tobias will watch from the sky." Jake turned to Ax. "Okay, now could you tell us about the flight plan?"

Certainly, Prince Jake, Ax answered, and began explaining the loop.

Vegas should be great, Tobias said. Maybe we could spend a few extra days there.

"Yeah," Marco said with a smirk. "I could introduce Ax to the art of gambling, while you elope with Rachel and Jake elopes with Cassie."

Tobias turned away looking as embarrassed as a red-tailed hawk is capable of looking. Jake, Cassie, and Rachel all turned red as Erek smiled and Ax looked on with confusion.

"Well," Jake said, starting to recover. "Maybe we won't spend too much time in Vegas. Ax, make sure you talk about the flight plan with Debbie, as well as arranging for a good trusted pilot." Jake turned to the others who were also recovering else. "Let's make sure everyone's in place by a quarter to twelve."

Tobias quickly flew out while Marco and Erek started for the door, still laughing. Ax turned to Jake and asked, "Prince Jake, what does it mean to elope?"

Jake managed a small smile and said, "Trust me Ax, you're better off not knowing."

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Author's Notes: I'm starting to have some fun with this one :-) Don't forget to review! I should have the next chapter up before the end of the month.