1 Chapter 2-Rachel



After Santa's elves managed to pull Ax away from the sack, we began to walk home. We saw Santa muttering incomprehensible words as he started up an old Chevrolet. I guess he stepped on the gas too hard, because next thing we knew, the car had crashed into a light pole.

Santa jumped out and began bellowing inappropriate words.

We rushed over, feeling slightly guilty.

"That's the last straw! No more Santa!" he yelled, jerking off his hat and throwing it upon the ground. "No believers, no presents!"

"Um, sir, we're sorry," Cassie began. "But you shouldn't just quit your job because of a few bad experiences. I mean, all the little kids look forward to seeing you, and it's hard to hire a replacement Santa so late into the season."

Santa glared at her. "You try delivering all those presents," he growled. "Presents for all the world's children in one night. You try doing it for 300 years and see if you don't get cranky."

Marco laughed. "You're not the real Santa, so why would you care?"

"Oh, but I am. Let's see, when you were four you wished for a tricycle, but because you broke the basement window, you received the second item on your list, a magic set."

Marco's mouth hung open. "No way," he declared, quickly closing it.

"And you, Rachel," he said, turning towards me, "wanted Birthday Barbie that same year, but for beating up the kid Joe in your preschool class, you received a set of ponytail holders."

My jaw dropped open.

"And Cassie, you wished for the shovel and spade set to start your own garden, but you were extra good that year, so you received the set of flowerpots, too. Jake, you got the Junior-sized basketball you wished for, and Tobias, you got that dinosaur assembly set."

Now adrenaline began to race through my system. How did he know Tobias? It was one thing for him to maybe be an old neighbor who knew us as kids, but how could he possibly know Tobias?

"What about our friend Philip?" Marco asked casually.

Santa smiled. "I limit delivery to this planet only. Otherwise I'd never finish in one night."

Our jaws all dropped open. This guy had to be a Controller. A Controller who knew just a bit too much.

"And let's see, you six have been fighting the Yeerk invasion for the past year. That puts you on my nice list, but all the lives you took lands you on the naughty list. So I'm having an especially hard time deciding what to get you this year."