A/N: Yeah, sorry for the delay in updates.  See, there're these little things called final exams, designed to drive innocent students to the brink of insanity.  They're very good at it too.  But they're over, OVER!  Then there was this hatching at my Pern RPG this weekend (for anyone who knows what I'm talking about, my candidate Bryce impressed blue Indivarth,Yay!) which took some time.  But I'm back.  And yes, you guys guessed it.  This is a Smallville/Ani crossover.  It occurs pre-#54 for Ani and for Smallville it is post-Duplicity (meaning Pete knows about Clark and the ship was activated over the summer.)  Now, back to the story.

Chapter 2

Three thousand miles away, a crack of light broke the cloak of darkness in a damp cellar.  The coat of dust was raised as a pair of large work boots Thump Thump-ed their way down the rickety wooden stairs.  He was just checking, just making sure nothing had been disturbed.  And nothing had.  The ragged sheet still covered the off-shaped lump in the corner.  The metal nose of the vehicle poked through a hole in the worn fabric.  Still, he couldn't shake the feeling he'd had of late; the feeling that something…something was coming.  Something was going to happen.  Finally he sighed and turned around.  He slammed closed the solid doors and punched the massive padlock back into place.  Nothing was getting through that he assured himself.  Nothing could…

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Rachel:

So what, we just fly around Kansas until we see a giant crop circle.  Or better yet, a sign on the road that says alien spaceship, next exit?  Not that I'd ever admit it, but Marco was seriously starting to get on my nerves.  Okay…maybe I'd admit it if it would make him shut up, but it just wasn't worth the effort.  I'm Rachel, by the way, another Animorph.  And as much as I hate to say this, Marco was actually right: Cows do outnumber people in Kansas.  Believe me, I'd had way too much time to count them over the past 4 hours.  Why?  Because we had no better way of getting where we were going than to fly there from the airport.   Maybe I should back-up and explain a little first, like how we got to Kansas to begin with.

            What was Jake's brilliant idea?  To hitch a ride on an airplane of course.  But we'd tried that once already.  In fly morph.  And Jake almost died.  So, naturally we had to try it again!?!  Well no, Jake said he had a better plan this time.  So we had Tobias go and find us a mouse.  Actually, the 'us' was just me, Jake, Cassie and Tobias himself.  Ax and Marco already had mouse morphs.  They'd used it to sneak into a pool party once, but they ended up getting the girl's house destroyed.  Long story…anyway.  While Tobias was away hunting, Marco used Cassie's dad's old computer to hack into the airport database.  You see, we weren't trying to find a flight.  We'd found out that information easily and legitimacy enough as it was.  No, we were looking for the support crew schedules.  See, we had to know which one of those little luggage carts went to what plane.  Yep, we were sneaking in through the baggage check system.  Our plan was simple.  We would fly in over the airport as seagulls, they were a common sight around airports.  Then we'd find the right luggage cart and, upon locating it, we'd demorph and open up some seemingly random bags and, morphing mice, slip inside and wait to be loaded.  Why mice?  Well, it was Cassie's idea actually.  Roaches we the only other possible option and they we a little too easy to squish inside a suitcase and mice would be a more explainable sight if something happened.  Marco found our flight's corresponding  loading cart.  Simple, right?  No, very wrong!

            See, first thing we didn't consider was that the cart might be moving when we found it.

Ahhhhhhh!

Grab it!  Grab it!

Hang on!  Don't flap, DON'T flap!

Aaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!  Yeah, we'd hit our first glitch.  They cover the side of the carts with these plastic flaps to keep the luggage from falling out.  It also prevents things without hands from being able to get in, like seagulls.  Of course, that didn't stop us from trying.  I'm sure what ensued was an amusing sight for some poor travelers stuck in an airport terminal bored out of their minds.  I know watching 6 seagulls dive-bombing a luggage trolley would amuse the hell out of me!  Finally Jake got a hold of the tarp, but instead of his grip having the desired effect of pulling the tarp free, it just caught his talon and pulled him along for the ride.

             Ahhhhhhhh! he cried again, trying desperately to free himself.  Tobias was trying to help him keep pace with the cart, calling down with bits of advice.  Marco was struggling to keep in the air because he was laughing too hard.  Just then, the driver turned and Jake, suddenly flung to the side, managed to unhook the tarp.  The loose fabric simply fell off his talon as he flapped, a little harried, back up to our group.  Well, that was simple, he muttered.

            Oh yeah, real smooth, I told him sarcastically.  Let me guess, this is all according to plan?

            Hey!  I did get it open, he shot back.

            Yeah Jake, Marco called out, finally steadying himself and rejoining our little 'flock', you're a regular Harry Houdini.  Come see the amazing seagull boy open plastic sheeting!  It'll be a hit!

            Look, all that's important is that Jake's okay and we can get inside now, Cassie said, focused as usual.  We trailed the cart as it stopped momentarily.  Its driver was speaking to another crew member. 

            Prince Jake, I believe it is now or probably never, Ax informed us all. 

            Alright, one at a time.  Try to act natural.  Anyone want to go fir- he started to ask, but I was already on my way.  The opening I was aiming for was about a foot across and inside there was almost no room.  I would have to flare immediately and then circle as tight as possible.  If I didn't do it right, I was going to smack right into a really big brown suitcase and that would hurt.

            Woooooooooohhhhhhhhooooooooo! I called to the others behind me.  I was charged.  I was psyched and I liked it.

            Rachel, slow up.  Lower you tail feathers to blow off some of your speed, Tobias called down to me.  He had more experience than any of us when it came to flying.  Carefully I took his advice, timed it, and shot through the opening.  There was less room inside than I'd thought, but enough.  I spun tightly at the top of the car and dropped right onto a fat duffle bag.

            Yes!  C'mon guys, move it! I called, remembering that our driver could return at any moment.  Like fighter jets, they all pulled it off without a hitch, although Tobias with more flare than the rest.  Only after we'd resealed the tarp and decided to commence phase two of our plan, did we realize the problem.  While there might be room for 6 seagulls inside, there was certainly no room for 4 humans, a hawk, and an andalite.  So painstakingly, we began the process of demorphing and remorphing one at a time.  And that's when the real trouble started.

            Tobias, Cassie and, with some difficult shuffling, Ax had already gone mouse.  Marco was fully human, between morphs, when the cart stopped.  And the engine shut off.  And we heard the sound of a ramp being run out of the plane.  We were being loaded!  Top speed!  Now!  Morph! Jake order to Marco and me.  Jake and I managed to get to opposite ends of the car and began demorphing at warp speed.

            Not enough time.  They're one car over! Cassie cried, worried.  Jake and I were almost fully human and Marco was fully mouse.  He climbed into his chosen suitcase.  Good thing too, because Jake and I had no room.  We were like two sardines in a can, but then I focused on the mouse within me, and the space suddenly seemed much bigger.  I was shrinking, thank God.  Light brown fur spread up from my toes and across my back.  When I was about 2 feet tall I felt my ears begin growing in proportion to my head.  They seemed massive, but I've been an elephant and these ears were nothing compared to that experience.  But then, I felt the rumbling spread through the car.  Someone was coming.  And Jake and I were still lying in the open.  Twisting masses of mixed species and shifting flesh.  I saw a crack of light appear. 

Uh-oh!  This is bad.