CHAPTER 10
Jake
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I THINK THAT SOMETHING IS LOOKING OUT FOR US. Marco stumbled onto the invitation on Chapman's desk by pure luck.
We met in Cassie's barn after school, along with Allie. She had no idea we knew she was a Yeerk or that we knew how sick she was last night. Everyone was on edge, not believing a word she said. Marco told me that he almost got her to tell the truth to him this morning, but it was as if something - or someone - was holding her back. He had come to the conclusion that she had a rebel Yeerk in her head. I was beginning to agree. If she had been working with the Yeerk Empire we would be dead or infested by now.
I invited Erek to our meeting because we had to figure out where 71p was located. We had no idea where the site was.
"What did you say the location was called again?" he asked. He made his hologram raise an eyebrow, a questioning expression on his face. It was hard to imagine a lean, mean, invincible killing machine under there.
"71p," Marco replied.
"The Yeerks don't really have some big secret code, as far as we can tell," Erek said. "I'm guessing the location would be the Gap store in the mall."
"You mean the other entrance to the Yeerk Pool?" Rachel questioned. "How do you figure that?"
"I believe I know how," Ax said. He was in his human form, eating a candy bar that Cassie had promised him. "It's very simple, really. Think of your human alphabet. The seventh letter is the letter G, the first letter is A. G - A - P. Gap." He continued to repeat the word.
"That's it?" Marco asked. "Wow. So much for super-secretive locations."
"Some of our people will be there, also," Erek declared.
"And when were you planning on telling us about this meeting?" I asked. Usually the androids never left us in the dark. We were allies.
"We weren't planning on informing you about the meeting because we didn't want there to be a battle. We just wanted to find out as much information as possible."
"So you only call us in when you want physical strength?" Cassie asked.
Erek shrugged. "I guess so. We were going to tell you all the information we learned, of course. It will prove to be a very important night. It will be the first time a member of the Council of Thirteen will be on earth."
Council of thirteen? Tobias asked. Aren't they the guys who are more important than the vissers? Like, the Yeerk congress or something?
Erek nodded. "Visser Three will no doubt want to be promoted to Visser One. The council will have to investigate all of his progress with the invasion of earth. Visser One is a very important position and after what happened with the last Visser One the council will be on guard."
"But doesn't Visser Two move up to Visser One?" I asked.
"He would if you hadn't killed him in a battle."
"So he won't be Visser One yet?" Rachel questioned. "Not until after they investigate?"
"Right."
"That buys us some time," I said. "Erek, what would happen if we were to crash their little party tonight?"
"I don't think I would recommend it. Because the council member will be there the place will be heavily guarded. It will be hard for our people to even get inside. But I do think you should attend first hand. Just don't start a battle with them."
"So we're just suppose to go there and listen to what they say? Without even letting them know we're there?" Rachel asked.
"What Erek is suggesting makes sense," Cassie said. "They'll think we're in the dark."
But shouldn't we strike against them now? Tobias asked. Like Erek said, this is the first time the council member has been on earth. We might not get a second chance.
"I wouldn't advise it. The most powerful of all the Yeerk empire is going to be inside that building. You may not all get out alive." Erek checked his watch, a human custom he had clearly picked up in the last century or so. "I have to go. I hope I will see all of you tonight."
"Bye, Erek," Cassie said, watching him leave.
The barn grew quiet, everyone turned to stare at me. That's one of the reasons why I hate be the leader of the group. I had to make decisions that meddled with people's lives.
"Well?" Marco asked. "What should we do, fearless leader?"
"I think we should attack," Rachel said. "We're never going to get an opportunity like this again, Jake. It's a one time thing."
Rachel's right, Tobias agreed.
"But what about Erek's warning?" Cassie asked. "He specifically told us not to attack because it would be too dangerous. In fact, he wasn't even going to tell us about this meeting because he was afraid we would get ourselves killed."
"Maybe he was just underestimating us," Ax said. "Es-tim-mating."
"I don't know," Marco shook his head. "He's knows what we're capable of. Maybe we should just sit this one out."
There was only one thing to do. It was a toss up. Rachel, Tobias, and Ax had already made up their minds. They wanted to attack. Cassie and Marco weren't so sure, and neither was I. Then there was Allie.
She was sitting next to Marco on a haystack, watching us intently. I wondered if she realized before how every decision she made was going to effect her life. Whether she realized that whatever decision she made would mean death or life.
"Allie," I asked, "what do you think?"
Rachel snapped her head towards me. "You're asking her?"
If looks could kill, Marco would have murdered Rachel at that moment.
"I mean..." Rachel stammered. "She's new...maybe she does understand."
"I understand," Allie said quietly. The decision clearly affected her. She knew that whatever her vote was we would have to abide by it.
It looked as though the question tore her up inside, almost as though she wanted to say something but couldn't, like another part of her was making her say something else. Like there was a Yeerk controlling her and the real Allie was fighting his decision.
I realized I knew exactly what her decision would be.
She closed her eyes and swallowed. "I think we should attack."
I took a long hard stare at her, searching for a clue as to whether or not she was a traitor. There was none. She was a Yeerk.
"It's decided then," I said. "Meet at the dumpster behind the mall at eight-thirty."
The others stood up to leave. Tobias and Ax stayed behind with Cassie and me. I waited utnil Allie was out of earshot before I spoke.
"It's a trap."
Ax nodded. "Yes, I agree with Prince Jake."
"What are we going to do?" Cassie asked.
I shrugged.
I have an idea, Tobias spoke from his perch in the rafters. It's pretty harsh though.
"But it's the only plan of attack we have," I said. "What is it?"
Well, when we're about to morph and attack, we would morph into flies or something and bail. She'll morph into some big animal and be stuck out in the open and alone - or maybe she won't even morph at all. Maybe she wasn't going to go into battle with us. We'd miss our chance to take down the head cheese but at least we'd survive.
"I don't know," Cassie shook her head. "That's almost as bad as killing her ourselves. How do we know she's really against us?"
You saw her at the Yeerk pool, Cassie. You saw the slug crawl out of her ear? Tobias questioned.
"Well...yeah, but -"
What more proof do we need? The more time we waste, the more we put ourselves in danger.
"But Marco thinks that there's a rebel Yeerk inside of her head," I declared. "I kinda think the same thing. I guess. Maybe she's part of the resistance."
We can't take that chance, Tobias answered. When the Crayak contacted Rachel, he said that she may be "the key to the end of the Animorphs." Maybe he's right. We can't let that happen.
"But we don't know for sure!" Cassie threw up her hands. "If only she would be honest with us. If only we could trust her."
"I would agree with Tobias," Ax said. "But why would the Ellimist bring her here? He said she would prove to be a very important asset to our team. I wish I knew what he meant by this."
Screw the Ellimist, Tobias snapped. We've got to deal with her. This is crazy.
"But we don't know that she's a Yeerk. We don't know for sure that this is the chance. What if we're wrong?" Cassie asked.
Then we're wrong. But who's it going to be Cassie? If we're gone, there's no one else out there to fight the Yeerks. It's either the entire human race or this one girl.
"I hate to say it," I said, "but Tobias is right. We can't choose her over an entire race, Cassie. You know it."
Cassie sighed. "But I'm still against it. Marco's never gonna go for this. He'll probably tell her about it."
"You talk to Rachel, Cassie," I declared. "I'll take care of Marco."
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