THE HUNTED




Chapter 25 Tobias

He had that look of superiority, as usual.

Who? The Visser. He didn't even glance at our cage this time. But Marco shouted a well-put insult after him. Visser Three ignored it. He had more important things to do, I guess, for without stopping for anything else he stepped into a room in the farthest end of the area. His Hork-Bajir guard followed him.

After about two minutes he came out again, and Ax was with him. We could hear their thought-speak, which was just blurted out as Visser Three always lets it be. He has obviously never heard of "secrecy".

There has been a change of plans, the Visser was telling Ax's Yeerk. Your schedule has been changed.

It shall be as you wish, Visser, but… My host cannot be trusted with the other bandits, Ax objected.

Do not worry. We will take care of it. As soon as you have fed, you will be sent in charge of a fleet to defeat the Andalites.

Andalites?

"You heard that, didn't you?" Marco hissed. "Andalites? They're attacking the A N D A L I T E S?"

Cassie nodded slowly. "Ax maybe knows something the Yeerks find useful."

"Let's hope the Yeerks get their butts kicked."

"Don't be too sure," Jake whispered back. "They have numbers on their side. The invasion here has been speeding up, you know. Enough Yeerks and human-Controllers can overpower even the Andalites."

Cassie shuddered. I was sitting in her lap, so I noticed it very well.

I focused my eyes on the two Andalite-Controllers in the other end of the pool. There were a lot of people in the way, but I saw them well enough. And when I saw them, I mean I could see every single little blue hair on their bodies.

They were walking towards the pool.

I bent down to pull another feather. Cassie gave me a slap.

"Don't you dare," she told me.

Yes, Cassie, I said. At least you haven't changed. Still trying to nurse animals, are you?

"I wouldn't nurse you if you didn't need it." Cassie said. "But you are an animal. Even if you'll be needing a shrink, and not a vet, to cure you from this one."

"Do as she says," Jake suggested. "otherwise she might get angry with you."

"Hey!" Marco muttered. "That was my line."

Neither of the two half-hearted attempts managed to light up the mood in the cage.

I fluffed up my feathers - those I had, that is to say. Cassie was right. I needed the feathers in place. But I wanted to pull them…

I will see you soon, Visser Three's voice boomed in our heads. Your fleet should arrive within a short time. Remember to use it well.

Ax's Yeerk replied by going on and on about the greatness of the glorious Visser. I'll give the Yeerks one compliment; can they kiss butt, or what? Then Visser Three left the pool area, and Ax stood in the line at the pier.

What a pleasant surprise, I said. It seems that we'll get some company today after all.

"Don't bet on it," Marco warned glumly. "As Visser Three said the last time; we won't be all bunched up again. Visser Three doesn't want us to throw any more parties."

Ax's tail and hands got tied up. The shackles were placed on his back hooves. Why not his front hooves? I don't know. Someone messed up.

The Yeerk slithered out of his ear and into the gooey, yucky water of the stinking Yeerk pool.

NOOOOOOOO! Ax roared in our heads. NO! NO! NO! NO!

Ax! I asked him. What is it? What's up?

Even though I could very well guess. It was obvious.

Ax didn't listen. He kept roaring, rearing up on his hind legs, making life very difficult for the Hork-Bajir who had forgotten to shackle his front hooves.

I WILL NOT GO! I AM NOT BETRAYING…

Suddenly his tail was loose. I don't know how. Another careless Hork-Bajir, probably.

FWAP!

FWAP!

Ax's tail snapped around madly, and as he kept missing it was obvious that he wasn't aiming.

FWAP!

"AAAH!" A human-Controller screamed and fell down. Ax's front hooves smashed down on him. Then he reared up again, thrashing through the air with tail and hooves.

FWAP!

"Ax!" Marco cried. "Go, Ax! GO!"

FWAP!

Ax's tail snapped at the shackles that held his hind hooves.

FWAP!

And again.

FWAP!

A Hork-Bajir fell.

FWAP!

His hooves were free!

"RUN, AX!" Cassie shouted - very urgently.

At first I didn't realise why Cassie sounded so desperate to be heard. Then I heard a very familiar sound.

TWZZIIP!

Tranquillizer guns!

Ax! RUN! I agreed.

Ax turned around and bolted. Through a group of human-Controllers.

"Haul butt!" Jake shouted.

Ax ran!

TWZZIIP!

FWAP!

Ax's tail snapped, his tail-blade neatly dividing a Controller head in halves. The dracon beam the Controller had been holding fell out of his hand. Then Ax continued speeding towards an exit.

"Shut all exits!" someone shouted.

"Shoot it!" someone else roared. "Don't let it get away!"

They called the Ax-man "it"? That wasn't very nice of them. But at the time, I didn't worry to much about that, for…

TWZZZIIIP!

Ax stumbled. He fell down hard.

"No," Cassie moaned. "Not again…"

Ax's tail twisted. He tried to stand up. The Hork-Bajir guards swarmed around him and cut of our line of sight. They carried him of to some room in another end of the pool area, close to the room he had been in with the Visser.

"That proves it," Marco said. "We're stuck in this place for good. No way we are getting out of here. If Ax can't…"

Oh, shut up, I told him. There's a way out. Has to be.

Marco muttered something that definitely shouldn't be repeated on paper.

The next time we saw Ax he had been heavily drugged down. They carried him to the cage. He had no shackles on his hooves, and not even on his tail. They clearly expected him to stay drugged for some time. Cassie claimed that he probably was partly aware, you know - like someone in a coma can hear voices - but his eyes didn't track and he didn't move or speak. I was glad he was still breathing, for otherwise he seemed dead.

We sat silently in the cage, ignoring the teasing and insulting of the Controllers that passed our cage. And about half an hour after Ax's show, was when I heard the triumphant thought-speak voice.

Yes! I did it! I'm in!

Rachel? I blurted, baffled.





Chapter 26 Jake

"Did you hear that?" I hissed.

They all nodded discreetly.

Hey, guys? You in here? Rachel's voice said.

I nodded at Tobias. He was the only one with thought-speech that could answer at the moment.

Rach? Where are you? he asked. We're all here, but…

Shhh… Rachel said. Don't let the Yeerks get suspicious.

Where are you? Tobias repeated. His fierce gaze swept over the area.

Then Marco spoke. "Ask one thing; has she got a plan to get us out?"

Tobias asked Rachel. Rachel answered; Plan? No. I'm making this up as I go along…

Cassie tugged suddenly at my arm. "Visser Three!"

I turned my head to look in the direction she pointed.

And there was Visser Three. Alone, but walking cockily as if the world belonged to him. He was bad news.

"Tobias," I said, keeping my voice as low as possible. "Tell Rachel to leave. The Visser is here."

As soon as Tobias had delivered the message, Rachel started laughing.

The Visser's thought-speak boomed in our heads; Attention!

There were some startled cries, but every single Controller - human, Hork-Bajir and Taxxon - snapped to attention.

I want ALL BioFilters on EVERY single exit set to let only Andalites pass! Visser Three roared.

"But, Visser…" someone said.

Defy me and die, fools! I want my orders carried out NOW!

"Visser, the…"

FWAP!

There went the left hand of the protesting human-Controller. He screamed.

Anybody else who sees fit to see problems with MY orders?

Nobody did.

Relax, bandits, Rachel's voice laughed. I've got it all under control. Oooooh, I could SO get used to this...

The Visser stepped in closer to the cage. His stalk eyes swivelled around, but he pretended that we didn't exist.

Oh - and you better acquire Ax, Rachel added. Quickly. But discreetly. We are busting out!

What? Tobias demanded. What's going on?

Don't argue. Now. I'm busy.

"Do as she says," I whispered. "Ax won't mind. I'm positive."

Cassie snuck past me and placed a hand on Ax's head, seemingly to check his temperature or something. But I could see her concentrating as she acquired him.

As soon as Cassie had snuck back, millimetre by millimetre, it was Marco's turn. He was sitting close enough just to reach out a hand and let it rest on Ax's tail.

Tobias had already acquired Ax on a previous mission, so I hurried after that.

Visser Three kept shouting out orders. He wanted the power in the entire pool area except for in the BioFilters shut down.

There were a lot of protests. And a lot of humans and Taxxons and Hork-Bajir lost various body-parts - such as hands, ears, feet, noses, heads and similar - to the Visser's tail-blade.

I whispered an order to Tobias.

One more question, Tobias told Rachel, according to my request. How do you intend to do this with the Visser here?

Oh, he'll cooperate, Rachel promised with a short giggle.

WHAT? Tobias blurted. For my part, I managed to keep my mouth shut - but it was close.

Guess who I morphed?

"She morphed Visser Three!" Marco mouthed, wide-eyed.

"Hush!" I ordered. I glanced around. Nobody could be allowed to suspect anything. Nobody. Then this was doomed to fail. I had to help Rachel keep this together.

One of Visser Three's stalk eyes turned towards us, and blinked. Then he cockily walked away from the cage.

But I'm sure I heard the Visser! Tobias said.

You did. I've got normal Andalite-chat - thought-speech with Alloran's voice - and my own thought-speech here. It's a great morph. And, oh, love this tail.

Then again, the Visser's voice shouted; Termination of energy in five seconds!

Hey, bandits, Rachel's voice said in a dead-serious tone. In five seconds, the force field on your cage will be shut down. Morph Ax. Andalites are better for a fight than humans. But one of you, get some good night-eyes. We'll need a guide in the dark.

Five! Visser Three's voice bellowed.

"Get ready," Cassie whispered almost soundlessly. She squeezed my hand. "I'll go wolf for the eyes. I can morph back the fastest."

"Tobias," Marco said - slowly and again almost soundlessly. "Tell Rachel two words; cage door."

Rach? The cage door. How do we fix that?

Ehm… flies! The force field will be out of the way so you can morph flies to get out!

Can't! Ax is out, he can't morph! We need the door opened!

Four! Visser Three's voice - which now belonged to Rachel - shouted.

Eh… I don't know!

Find out! And hurry!

"Someone morph small and exit thought the bars…" I said softly. "I then get the door open from the outside."

A human looked suspiciously at me. I grinned back innocently.

Who? Tobias asked.

"You, Tobias. You start small." Marco said, just barely moving his lips.

Three!

Tobias looked at me. I gave a slight nod.

Tobias looked around the cage. Taxxons, Hork-Bajir and humans were everywhere. How were we supposed to find our way out? Rachel was nuts. But we all knew that already.

Two!

Get ready, bandits, Rachel said. This is it.

A Taxxon outside looked at us. He started to say something in Galard, the "universal" language, but none of us understood him.

One! CUT THE ENERGY! the Visser's voice roared.

Things went black. The lights went out. Cassie's hand was shrinking.

I didn't pay attention to anything unimportant - as the shouting and confusion outside the cage - but only concentrated on morphing. One Ax copy coming right up.

I felt itchy as fur grew all over me. Two front legs sprout out of my chest. My spine grew longer. Much, much longer.

I felt a cold nose touching my side.

I'm done, Cassie informed me.

I kept morphing. Stalk eyes sprout out of my head. I grew extra fingers. My feet hardened to hooves. A tail began to grow behind me.

I heard a crunching sound. The sound of an Andalite tail striking something of metal.

"What was that?" a human voice called.

Tobias? Was that you? Cassie asked. Did you crack the door?

Not yet, Tobias replied. I can't see much, you know, and that makes it hard to aim.

You finished morphing that fast? Marco wondered.

Nope. I just got lucky and my tail popped out first, that's all.

Then I just realised something. Something kind of important.

How are we supposed to get Ax out? I asked.

I was met by silence.

We couldn't carry him. Andalite arms are weak, and almost as good as useless.

Tails? Ax's very familiar voice said.

Ax? Cassie blurted.

No, Tobias said. Sorry. Wrong voice. But, anyway, tails? They're pretty strong, right? So what if we just use tails to kind of hold him up?

Can we do that? Rachel asked.

None of us knew.

I tried to sigh - only to notice that my mouth was gone. Okay, Tobias, quickly, get the door open. That's priority one. Cassie, check how Ax is doing. If he can't get up, Marco and can I try to lift him up - by tails.

We've got nothing to lose, Marco said. There was a clottery-clottery sound as our hooves walked over the floor.

The hosts in the other cages kept screaming. The Hork-Bajir and Taxxons were trying to talk to "Visser Three" for instructions, but Rachel ignored them.

How are you doing in there? Rachel asked.

Better and better, I muttered. These tails are strong, but they aren't made for lifting stuff. Specially not something large and heavy as our Andalite friend here.

Try heaving him up on someone's back.

Hey, Rachel, think; we're the same size. Exactly the same size. How am I supposed to carry something my own size - when I don't even have hands to carry him with?

I'm larger, Rachel said. I'm coming over.

FWAP!

CRA-AEEEEEEK!

Yes! Tobias exclaimed. Door's done for! Come on out, bandits!

Cassie leaped out. Marco and I followed, doing our best to drag Ax with us. Tobias helped. What we did was basically just winding our tails around legs or arms and pulling. It worked - not well, but it worked.

I'm here, Rachel said. Then she added, I think. Can't see a thing. So. How are we doing this?

I don't know.

Whatever you're planning, guys, you better hurry, Cassie said.The Hork-Bajir are turning their very good ears this way…

Cassie, how does this look? Tobias asked.

One word; bad. You've got Ax halfway through the cage door - as you've probably noticed - and your trying to pull him down the steps. Wouldn't it be better for Rachel to stand right there and you can pull Ax up on her back?

Genius. Well, not exactly, but close enough.

We managed to pull Ax halfway up on Rachel's/the Visser's back, and Rachel tried to hold him in place with her weak arms and tail. Tobias and I helped, one walking on each side of Rachel.

Let's get outta here, I said. Move, move, move.





Chapter 27 Marco

We walked. Trying to walk soundlessly isn't easy when you've got hooves. But Cassie led us through the least crowded areas towards an exit. And she and I took care of anybody who came too close.

Rachel was stumbling forwards under her load, and Jake and Tobias hadn't got it much easier. Carrying an Andalite is harder than it looks.

Okay, I said. I couldn't thought-speak before, but now I can, so I might as well get this over with. HAVE I MENTIONED THAT THIS IS TOTALLY INSANE??!!

Yes, Marco, now you have, Rachel replied. So. Shut. Up. Then she turned to glance at me, giving an Andalite smile - something to do with only the eyes. But just for the record, I've missed hearing that.

You have?

Don't push it, she warned.

We continued. Cassie leading us through the dark area, trying to avoid Controllers and most especially crowds. I removed anybody who noticed us before they alerted anyone else.

But everything was going too well. Nothing ever went 100% according to plan. Somewhere, things always messed up. I was just about to "open my mouth" to comment that when…

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?

Visser Three.

Eh, Rachel? Tobias said anxiously. Please tell me that was you.

No, Rachel said. Sorry.

Haul butt! Jake snapped.

15 meters to the exit, Cassie informed us. Once we get there we should have a clear route outside.

Well, why are we standing around here? I demanded. Shuffle hooves!

We ran. Actually, we didn't run. But we hurried, as fast as we could.

For the Visser was blasting everybody's head with orders to turn on the lights.

And discover our empty cage, and all us six Animorphs trying to escape.

I'm dropping Ax! Rachel warned. We need to slow down!

The lights flicked. I mean, they flashed on, and then off again.

"ANDALITES!" someone roared.

Marco! Give us a hand here!

I turned around and took the few steps back to Rachel and the others. I grabbed one of Ax's legs - I couldn't see which - in my weak hands and wrapped my tail around another.

The procedure of moving was slow.

Just a bit more… Cassie said. Yes! There's no stairs! Stairs would have made things harder.

We struggled into the tunnel leading up.

Up into freedom.

I didn't care about anything else. Freedom was right up ahead. This time, nobody was going to stop us. Nobody.

I wanted FREE.

The lights turned on down in the pool area.

THEY HAVE ESCAPED! the real Visser Three blasted. FIND THEM! FIND THEM! FIND THEM! FIND THEM! FIND THEM! FIND THEM! FIND THEM! FIND THEM!

Talk about obsession. That guy needs a hobby. Or maybe he has one - trapping Animorphs.

"Visser, six Andalites are going up here!" someone shouted. I turned one stalk eye. A boy of maybe six or seven was standing down there, triumphantly pointing at us.

GET THEM! GET THEM! GET THEM! GET THEM!

TSEEEW!

Dracon beams! Jake told us.

Yeah, I noticed, I said. Would anybody mind speeding up?

We broke a record running up the tunnel, burdened by an unconscious and very heavy Andalite as we were.

Dracon beams followed us. And the angry cries of Hork-Bajir guards being sent up after us.

TSEEEW!

TSEEEW!

Hurry! Cassie urged. Then she turned. Get Ax out. I can run faster alone than you can with him. I'll keep them busy down there.

She ran back down the tunnel.

Marco, go with her, Jake ordered, glancing at me. A glance which was more in the direction of "please don't let anything happen to her".

I dropped my share of Andalite burden and sped back after Cassie.

The tunnel had just turned, and Cassie and I stopped just beyond that turn. They couldn't shoot us, and if they tried to get past us, well…

The others hurried on.

A Hork-Bajir came around the corner.

FWAP!

My tail snapped before I had time to think. The dracon-beam - and hand - flew out of his arm. Cassie charged his throat. A Hork-Bajir blade slashed after her. My tail automatically snapped after the blade.

The Hork-Bajir fell as soon as Cassie's teeth ripped his throat. But then two of his friends showed up.

One I took by surprise and made a neat gash from his throat down to his shoulder. The other raised his gun and shot after us. The first shot missed.

He shouted something in the Hork-Bajir language. Four more Hork-Bajir came around the corner.

Move! Cassie suggested.

We turned and ran. The Hork-Bajir shot after us.

TSEEEW!

TSEEEW!

"Aaaaoul!"

Cassie stumbled. I had my stalk eyes turned backwards anyway, so I saw what had happened.

It was just too horrible. I stopped dead in my tracks.

She was cut cleanly of just below the "waist". Her tail and back legs had been burnt away!

Oh, god! Demorph! I snapped.

She was working on that already. Human legs were growing out of the horrible wound. But not quickly enough. The Hork-Bajir would shoot us, or even reach us, before she could run again.

I lowered my tail in front of her.

Grab my tail! I said.

Teeth closed around it. I started running, pulling Cassie behind me.

TSEEEW!

The teeth were replaced by hands. I raised my tail more, pulling her up to her feet.

TSEEEW!

"We need to move faster," Cassie panted. "They'll shoot us. It's only a matter of time."

I think I can run faster, I informed her. But you can't…

"Then go, idiot!"

Ooh-no. Leave you behind? I don't think so. Jake would come up with a nasty way to kill me. I'd take Visser Three before that any time.

Cassie managed a smile.

"The BioFilter is coming up," she said. "I better morph, anyway."

She did. We had to slow down a bit. She fell when her knees reversed direction, but just when she struggled back up, her front legs shot out of her chest. That gave her four Andalite legs perfectly good for hauling some serious butt.

TSEEEW!

A dracon beam missed my head by millimetres. I had another very good reason to speed up.

TSEEEW!

TSEEEW!

We ran. Cassie finished morphing along the way. Her tail and stalk eyes grew out at the exact same time. Her little fingers split into two. Her mouth closed and disappeared like a zipper.

We stormed through the BioFilter.

That will stop the Hork-Bajir, Cassie said. It's still set to Andalite. Good that the Visser didn't…

He must have noticed it on his way in, I reminded her. His bodyguards, you know.

Yes, but he didn't change it back.

We'll send him a thank-you card. Now let's leave.

We rushed out through McDonalds. At first, dracon beams followed us. But then we came out of reach from the Hork-Bajir on the other side of the BioFilter.

Surprised costumers jumped out of our way. Some screamed. Mothers hid their children under the tables. Others hid themselves under tables.

We stormed quickly through the rest of the mall. Two blue blurs flew by shoppers and shops.

And when we came to the exit, despite the darkness of the night, we found the others easily.

In front of a long, black limo with the words "The Sharing" on it.

Visser Three's personal limo.

"I thought we'd steal this," Jake laughed. "You okay?"

I nodded. I started demorphing. Cassie did too.

Wasn't it guarded?

"Oh, yes. Was. Rachel still looked like Visser Three, you know. They didn't expect us to turn against them. They didn't even pull their guns. One learnt the hard way, and the other ran."

Cassie finished demorphing. "Who's driving?"

I am, I laughed, still not half-morphed. Get on in.

For some reason all my friends looked terrified.




_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Author's Note;

And so, once again, the Animorphs are subjected to the inhuman treatment of Marco's driving.

More of that next time. Until then, review!