LOL to the person who pointed out the hoover scooter error. Indeed, it is supposed to say *hover* scooter.

Chapter 12 - Reed

I turned in mid-flight -- or rather, my Yeerk did. I pounded with invisible fists against my telepathic wall. I had no control, no control at all. All I could do was hope that Gyp had discovered who the Yeerk was. The Yeerk named Nokgon.

::One of us is a Controller!:: repeated Gyp frantically. ::And... and I know who it is!::

::Who?:: demanded Elfangor, freezing in his path. ::Tell us, Gyp! Who?::

::The Controller is... the Controller is... ack!:: Gyp suddenly plummeted from the sky, aimed straight at the concrete ground below. ::I... I can't breathe! I'm so dizzy!::

I saw Gyp try desperately to flap her wings, but to no avail. Suddenly one of us shot from the sky, at speeds so fast that they out-flew Gyp. They flew underneath her and slowed her down.

::Weird,:: she said. ::For a moment I couldn't breathe. Man, my head hurts so bad.::

::You should rest,:: Elfangor said, landing beside her. ::Demorph.::

As Elfangor demorphed, so did the bird who had rescued Gyp -- it had been Ty. Gyp looked at him gratefully.

"Who?" said Ty. "Which one of us is the Controller." Ty said it softly but firmly.

"It's... it's..." Gyp seemed to think. "Weird... I can't remember! I mean, I knew a moment ago! It's so weird!"

A wave of relief swept over my Yeerk; a wave of disappointment swept over me.

"Do you think you'll be okay?" I said as I demorphed. It sounded so fake in my ears.

Gyp nodded weakly.

"Step back," ordered Elfangor, "give her room."

Good, my Yeerk thought, nobody suspects a thing.

Someone will find out, I told him. My friends are smarter than you think...

Ty looked extremely pissed. Very, very, extremely. He was quivering... or maybe it was just a trick of the light.

Nokgon noticed that Ty was looking at me suspiciously. "What?" Nokgon made me say, "do I have something stuck between my teeth?"

Oh, man, I thought, that doesn't sound like me at all. I thought it was obvious, but Ty seemed to be having difficulty in seeing that I was a Controller.

::What,:: said Elfangor leaning over Gyp, and I saw that he was having trouble controlling his patience (I -- not Nokgon, but the real me -- was also having the same problem), ::do you remember?::

"What do you mean?" said Gyp. "What do I remember?"

::WHO IS THE CONTROLLER!:: yelled Elfangor. It hurt the inside of my head in the same way that a loud sound would hurt your ear drums.

"There's nothing there," said Gyp softly and apologetically, as if to herself.

For a moment I felt all four of Elfangor's eyes upon me, but the feeling quickly passed. I could still feel Nokgon's immense hatred towards Elfangor, though.

Elfangor settled back, finally. "Very well," he said. "We shall have to do this the hard way..."

I felt Dokgon's panic rising.

Then, in one of the stupidest moves ever made by Yeerk-kind, Dokgon made me turn and bolt. I wasn't fast, and I was bewildered when no one followed.

::Where are you taking me?:: I asked Nokgon.

::Shut up,:: said Nokgon. ::Shut up and enjoy the ride while it lasts.::

***

::Leave him,:: said Elfangor.

"Why? Have you gone mad?" Ty said. "Why are you letting him go? HE'S THE CONTROLLER?"

::Relax,:: said Elfangor, ::Your friend will be fine. Now, if you'll listen, we have more important matters to attend to.::