Chapter 12-Cassie
I borrowed an earthmover and a bulldozer from a construction company nearby. I walked right in, told them I was Cassie the Animorph, and I got instant access to whatever I needed. It wasn't right to use my fame in this way, but I had to move fast. The Time Matrix was there.
The shack had to be removed. Too bad for the homeless guy who made it his home. He was sleeping on top of the most powerful weapon in the universe. I hope he was able to find another place to sleep. Marco would make a joke about it.
If he were here.
He was dead, along with the rest of the Animorphs.
Save them, the Ellimist's voice echoed in my head.
I had the police to set up a barricade around the whole area. Once I located the Time Matrix, I didn't need people all around me. It would be dangerous with others around.
I bulldozed the shack. There was nothing important inside, only a few beer bottles. Another artifact of the past was destroyed.
The earthmover was easy to operate. It had a steering wheel to move it around, and a joystick to move the digging part. In big letters, it said LEFT, RIGHT, UP, and DOWN. A little kid could have operated it.
As I dug, I thought about how I would save my friends. It wasn't as easy as I had originally thought. What was I going to do…
Originally, I had thought I could simply go back to the day of the battle, and have Jake decide not to send Rachel. But what good would that do? Then we'd all get blown up on the Pool ship.
I remembered what Ax had once told us about a phenomenon called a Sario Rip, a long time ago. If two of the same person existed at the same time, they annihilated each other and ceased to exist. That meant I couldn't go back to any time that I would be alive in. I would get myself killed.
Maybe it was an impossible situation. The Ellimist might be playing another one of his games, watching as I dug hopelessly.
Had I really imagined the Time Matrix? I strained to remember what it looked like, but I had forgotten. Maybe I had hallucinated the image. I might be going crazy. This was crazy. For all I knew, I was digging a new hole in the ground, with nothing at the bottom.
A whole lot of people watched me from outside the barricade everyday. They lined up like they were watching a movie shot. What was so interesting about watching me dig a hole? I have no idea.
For a week, I dug straight down. I found absolutely nothing. From sunup to sundown I worked, and I didn't find anything. It was discouraging. The papers said I was demented and crazy. Even the President questioned my sanity.
I ignored their comments. People could say all they want, but there was something in the ground, and I was going to find it, even if it cost me my job, my fame, everything I had ever cared for.
After another week, I still found nothing. Since I was working without extra help, I had only dug about fifteen feet.
One day was brutal. What seemed like millions of people showed up. There were chants of "Cassie is crazy". Racist groups used me as an example of how stupid black people were. That got the African-Americans mad, and suddenly, without knowing it, I had ignited a war of words. It was crazy.
I was about to give up. There was nothing. The President had presented me with an ultimatum-stop digging, or resign my position. Supposedly, I was making the President's administration looked bad. I was about to crack. The jeers, the taunts, they were all getting to me. I was an emotional wreck.
My mom visited me in the trailer where I was spending the nights. It was nice to have a friendly presence around for once.
"I'm going to stop," I told her. "I can't take this anymore."
"No, you're going to keep digging for whatever you're looking for," my mom replied. I looked up, startled by her quick reply.
My mom got in my face. "Do you realize the consequences if you stop?" she whispered. "Those racists out there will think they're right. You'll be their proof that African-Americans are lower than whites. Your fame, everything you've done, it won't matter. People think you can be broken and used to do whatever they want. You'll be a pariah."
"What am I supposed to do?" I cried. "What if I keep on digging and I find nothing? It'll be the same result. At least I can stop now and save some of my dignity."
My mom sighed. "Cassie, you're old enough to make the right decision. I'm not going to tell you what to do. But here's my advice: don't give up." She turned and opened the door. She gave me a sort of sad smile. "Good night, Cassie."
"Good night, Mom," I said back.
Don't give up.
Fine, I wouldn't. I'd give it one more day. I decided to call the President.
"Hey, Cassie," he said in what I instantly recognized as a fake-nice voice.
"Hello, Mr. President." I took a deep breath. "If I do not find anything in the next day, I will abandon this project and return to work."
"Good, Cassie," he replied. He sounded weary. "It's about time. My press conferences are filled with questions about you. I can't have this continue. My whole agenda is being overshadowed by you. That's not good."
"I understand, Mr. President. As I said, I will let you know at the end of tomorrow what happens. I keep my word." I paused. "Please don't make this phone call public knowledge," I added.
"Of course. Let me know what happens. I have a meeting now. Get some rest, Cassie."
"Thank you, Mr. President. Good night, sir." I hung up and went to sleep. I needed it.
I woke up early next morning, before any of the protestors were out. It looked like it was going to be a beautiful day. Great. The better the day, the more protestors.
Noon passed, and I still hadn't come up with anything. The racists and African-American groups, like the NAACP and Nation of Islam, were out in force. They yelled at each other the whole time. I heard ridiculous speeches, all focused on my sanity. It was completely outrageous.
I could tell the racists sensed victory. The President had talked to the press about the phone call we had. Politicians can't be trusted to keep their word. Everyone knew I had until the end of today to turn up something.
The jeers were much more personal today. I couldn't stand it. I refused to put on earmuffs, though. They would know I was weakening.
Police helicopters flew overhead to keep the peace. Hundreds of police were in riot gear, restraining the crowd. I started to fear for my personal safety.
The sun began to set, and I still found nothing. I had dug two feet today, a much faster rate than I had done before. Time was running out. There were still thousands of people there. I ate a granola bar for dinner. No time could be wasted.
Nightfall came, and still nothing. Some people left, but the majority of the people stayed. They wanted to see what happened. The racists occasionally called out how much more time until midnight. The clock was ticking down on me. I worked faster than I had done before.
I glanced at my watch. Eleven-thirty. Only half an hour until I had to give up. I wanted so badly to cry. Never had I taken so much emotional battering in my entire life. But I couldn't. I had to be strong, just for another thirty minutes.
I kept digging. Soon, I hit something solid. My heart started beating quickly. Had I found the Time Matrix? Had I actually done it?
I dug around the solid thing as fast as I could. I glanced at my watch. Five minutes until midnight. The end of my life as I would know it.
"I found something!" I yelled on the radio. I ran over to the ladder and climbed down the hole I had spent two weeks making. Never had I been so excited.
I reached the bottom. And I saw it.
It was about seven feet tall, a perfect sphere. A smooth white globe, it contained the strands of space-time, swirling around.
The Time Matrix. I had found it.
At that instant, I saw my plan. I saw the clear, straight path from point A to point B. It was horrible, cruel, ruthless. Anyone who knew me would be shocked. I was shocked at myself for even thinking of it. I didn't even know myself anymore.
I knew the Ellimist would go along. After all, he was the one who planted the idea in my head. Crayak wouldn't allow it. The Ellimist would pretend to go against me as well.
As if they had read my mind, the Ellimist and Crayak showed up. One good, one evil. I'm not sure about that.
Crayak appeared as a muscular, bionic machine. He had a single red eye, and was a dark black, blacker than the deepest depths of space. I could barely see him.
The Ellimist showed up as well. He appeared to me as he normally did, as an old, wise-looking man. Although I couldn't be sure, he actually looked scared.
This was my final stand. If it didn't work out, I would forever be known as Crazy Cassie, Cassie the Demented, and many more names. I would be a fool.
For what might have been the last time, I looked at my watch. It was frozen at 11:59:55. Five seconds.
I smiled Rachel's swaggering smile. Maybe it would bring me some luck. I tried to look brave.
Deep down, I was totally terrified.