CHAPTER 9

Marco

I CAN BARELY REMEMBER THE REST OF THE NIGHT. Jake decided that we wouldn't attack her, or question her. After all, she could have a rebel Yeerk inside her or she was dying. But she hadn't turned us in yet, so he decided just to wait and see what would happen. Rachel nearly beat him up for his approach, claiming that we would be too late and the Yeerks would get to us first.

Sometimes I wonder about Rachel. I wonder which side she's on. Not between the Yeerks and anti-Yeerks, but between good and evil.

As I walked to my apartment, I thought about just barging in the door and running to Allie's side as she was helplessly dying. She looked so incredibly sick, so fragile and fatal.

But I'm not stupid. There's a word for that. Suicide.

I know that Allie is not a Yeerk. I know it. I'm not so sure about her brother, but something inside me tells me that she's not my enemy. I've never been more sure about anything else I've ever known. If only I could make the others feel what I feel, make them see what I see. I don't care that I saw the slug crawl out of her ear, she's not a mindless alien trying to take over the world. No one can convince me otherwise.

I stumbled into bed, refusing a late dinner of leftovers with my father. I was exhausted, but I was restless. All I could do was picture Allie lying in her bed, alone and dying. Part of me was sure she was dying. Or else something inside her was.

Another part of me was asking what happened to my old personality. The suave, stylish, arrogant Marco that cracked bad jokes left and right and argued with his best buddy Jake over who the best superhero was. But when I saw Allie, I couldn't get my mind off her. I care about her so much and I've given up on everything else.

What happened to the old Marco?

Maybe he'll be back. Someday.

I woke up that morning, my joints stiff and eyes with dark circles underneath. I jumped in the shower and got ready for school, curiosity reaching its peak after breakfast about whether or not Allie would be in school today. I was suppose to act like I didn't know she went to the Yeerk Pool last night, right? So what would it hurt if I called her asked if she wanted to walk to school together? Before I could convince myself otherwise I picked up the phone and dialed her number.

"Hello?" a small voice answered.

"Hi," I replied, relieved to hear she had made it through the night. "Do you want to walk to school today?"

"Sure," she said. "I'll meet you in the hall in about five minutes, okay?"

"Okay. See you."

"Bye."

I heard a click from the other end. She sounded perfectly normal. Not sick or defenseless. Not like an evil Yeerk. I grabbed my backpack from my room and said goodbye to my dad before I headed out the door.

Allie was already outside waiting. She greeted me with a sensational smile that made me want to run over to her and...well, make me run over to her and kiss her. The old Marco would never feel that way.

"Allie," I breathed. "I haven't seen you in ages."

She raised an eyebrow and approached me. I could smell her perfume as she inched closer. "Marco, I saw you at lunch yesterday. It's been less than twenty-four hours."

It was almost a complete transformation since last night. But it wasn't flawless. Her eyes were glassy, her face pale and tired.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked, lifting a hand to her cheek. Her skin was smooth and warm to the touch. "You look sick. You feel kinda warm."

She turned away. "No, I'm fine."

I took advantage of the opportunity. I could tell she wanted to be honest with me. She wanted desperately to tell me something but she couldn't find the words to do it.

"Is there something going on, Allie?" I coaxed. "Is there something I should know?"

Her eyes pleaded with mine. She want to tell me so desperately, and yet she couldn't. Her stare was so concentrated I began to think that maybe there was a Yeerk inside her head, willing her to keep her mouth shut.

"No." She began to walk down the stairs and out the door. I ran to catch up with her.

"So what do you do for fun?" I asked. The morning air was fresh and crisp outside and seemed to brighten her entire face. "When you're not watching wrestling and trying to save the world, of course."

She laughed. "Well, I like to watch TV, surf the web, cook. And I know this may sound kinda stupid, but I like to work jigsaw puzzles."

"You're kidding?" I replied.

"Hey, don't laugh. It involves a lot of concentration."

"And frustration," I muttered. "So what do you like to bake? Cookies?"

"I don't bake, I cook. There's a difference, you know. Baking is for wimps, like brownies and stuff. I cook some Tai food and I can make a mean chili."

"Oh really? Maybe I'll have to try it some time."

She smiled. "I'd like that."

Before I knew it we were at the school. I wouldn't see her until third period. I didn't want to let her out of my sight. I was so close to losing her before and now we had to be in separate rooms...

"Marco."

His voice was stern. Firm. Angry. Unchallenged. It was Chapman.

"Can I talk to you for a moment in my office." It wasn't a question. It was a demand, a statement. An order.

"See you later," Allie whispered, walking away. A line formed across her forehead as she bit her lower lip. She knew who Chapman was. She knew his history. She knew I could be in deep trouble.

I sighed and walked into his office, fighting the urge to tell him that I knew what he really was. I knew all about his stupid invasion and that I was a member of the so-called "band of Andalites" that were trying to stop the earth invasion.

Again, suicide.

I sat in the chair across from his desk, twiddling my thumbs. I knew he would be patrolling the hallways until after the tardy bell, which meant I was going to be tardy. I couldn't help but peek around his office a bit.

On his desk was a picture of Melissa, one of Rachel's friends, holding her cat Mr. McKitty. Little did she know, most of us had actually been that cat when we were spying on her father. There was a desk lamp, a metal plate with his name and title on it, and a stained coffee cup. Disgusting.

But there was a letter that caught my eye. It typed on a plain piece of white paper. No heading, no closing name. An anonymous letter. I began to read it.

You are encouraged to attend the inauguration of Visser Three's promotion

to Visser Two on Friday night at location 71p at 21:00 hours.

Oh no...ever since my mother had been demoted from Visser One, Visser Three, the most evil of the Yeerks with the host of an Andalite body, had been trying to take her place. Being promoted to Visser Two was the first step to becoming the new leader of the Yeerk race.

I had to see Jake. He was in my first hour class but I was stuck in Chapman's office. The tardy bell rang and Mr. Chapman came inside, shutting the door behind him. I couldn't help but be a little nervous. I didn't know why I was here. There was always the chance that he could have found out something. A chance that he knew what we were up to.

"Mr. O'Bannon tells me you are only two points away from failing biology, Marco," he said.

I exhaled the air I had been holding. "I'm sorry, sir -"

"I'm going to warn you. I've already called your father about this. He told me that if you do lose those two points that I should have one of the student tutor you after school at least once a week. I don't know if he's talked this over with you or not, but I will be forced to comply with his wishes. This is your warning." He waved his hand in dismissal.

A tutor? That was it? I was expecting some big blowout and all he lectured me about was my biology grade?

A huge smile spread across my face as I walked out of his office and asked one of the secretaries for a pass to class. Jake gave me an odd look as I plopped down next to him in first hour. I leaned over and whispered as quietly I could in his ear.

"You're not going to believe what I found out."

By & © 1999-2002 kel@twilightlost.net