Chapter three; Problems

Okay, I think I've got it… I slowly… very slowly… lifted one leg up. Balance was crucial now.

"Good Jade. Keep it up"

Uh-oh. Don't say thaaaatt… I windmilled my arms, trying to keep my balance. The teacher had almost cost me to loose it. I mean, I'd been on the balance beam before, but it had been a long time. I was still getting used to putting my weight onto one foot.

Okay, I'll back up. Gym class. Rachel's favourite sport; gymnastics. She wasn't in my class though. Cassie was, and she made me look like an expert at it. Across the hall, at the basketball court, were a few of the guys for gym class. Including Jake. He wasn't bad at the sport either.

I balanced both my legs on the beam, then went into a forward roll, almost falling off the beam as I went. I got back up, making it to the other side, and jumped onto the mat, letting the next girl try to balance on that thing. A red-haired girl named Charmaine got up, and made me look like a total klutz. She was medium height, skinny, and was more graceful than anyone I'd ever seen. I went over to another big blue mat, where other girls were taking the time to stretch. I sat next to Cassie.

"Man, she's good" I muttered to her.

"Yeah. She's one of our top gymnastics here"

"Oh. Well, that explains it"

"You were pretty good too though"

"Not nearly as good as her"

It was the same day, and it just had to be the day we had gym. I didn't mind it that much, it's just having to worry about the guys visiting that Gafinilan… guy. Knowing the Visser could be behind it, perhaps setting a trap for us, waiting…

I finished stretching and went to the rope. Already one girl had fallen off it and seriously bruised her butt bones. Another was about three feet off the ground, and was still trying to climb. She soon gave up, practically handing me the rope. I fought my way up it, getting at least ten feet higher than she had.

"All right girls. Go change. The bell's about to ring" the teacher said, indicating to the girls locker room. The boys got a simular message from their teacher. Jake dribbled the ball a little more, aimed and started to shoot…

(Guys! Trouble! Get out here as fast as you can!) Came the far away thought-speak voice. I swear, I nearly fell of that damn rope from pure shock. I held on though, and slid down it a bit. Then a little more, jumping down the last few feet and nearly spraining my ankle.

"Jade, take it easy. You don't want to hurt yourself" the teacher said as I heard a few girls snickering at me. I ignored it, watching as my teacher and the boys' teacher walked off. Jake came up to me. Cassie wasn't far behind.

"Get changed and get up to the roof as fast as you can. I'll grab Rachel when I'm done" He said in a hushed whisper. I nodded, and Cassie and I went into the girls locker rooms, acting like everything was normal. As soon as we were out though, we ran up the stairs and out onto the roof. Immediately Cassie stripped down to her morphing outfit as I shifted. Then, began to morph.

(About time you guys got out. Come on, we've got to hurry!)

(What is it? What's happened?) I asked as I completed my shift to golden eagle. I opened my wings and took off from the rooftop, circling around as Rachel and Jake burst out from the door, then quickly shutting it behind them. They started morphing as soon as they were out of their normal clothes. Cassie soon took off as well, all osprey.

(Marco's with that Gafinilan guy. I think he's in trouble! Ax is on his way there already)

(Say what?!) Rachel yelped, then took off right after Cassie. Jake was the last to get into the air. We all kept a fair distance apart, all flying towards that house.

(What?! I thought he was in school?!) I cried.

(Come to mention it, he wasn't in math class today) Cassie said.

(Great. Great. That stupid idiot! What was he thinking?!!!) Rachel yelled. If I thought I was mad last night… well, let's just say that Rachel made me sound like an angel.

(I wish I knew) Jake said in a low tone. We got there, and took positions at the front and back of the house. I flew high over the backyard, my eagle eyes watching as Marco stood, a little muddy, near Ax in a strike position. They were both facing Gafinilan.

(Marco? Ax? We're here. Front and back of the house) Jake said as he landed in a tree, practically unnoticed by the three.

"Okay" Marco began "Let's talk"

So, they were led into the greenhouse, and through into the house itself. There was a tense few moments, before Ax told us they were going into a concealed part of the house, and to be ready if we needed them.

So, Jake demorphed under a large tree, crouched, and I soon joined him, going straight to wolf before he could say anything. But he didn't, and instead morphed his tiger. It was a good thing this guy had such high fences to his property.

We waited for what seemed like forever, with my heart pounding in my wolf chest, before they came back out into the greenhouse. All three of them. Ax looked like he was drugged for a minute, and I had to stop myself from going in there and making sure Gafinilan hadn't drugged him. But he seemed fine afterwards, and the two were led back into the yard. By then Jake and I were in the air again. Ax and Marco joined us a little later.

(Well?) Rachel asked when we were all on our way again.

(Later. We'll tell you much later) Marco muttered, seemingly a little ticked, as well as off in his own world.

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We met at the mall a little later on. We sort of converged into a little group at the food court, with me arriving last.

"Sorry I'm late. Nearly got stuck babysitting again" I said as I grabbed a chair and joined them at the table.

"I hear that" Rachel muttered, but she fell silent as Marco and Ax, stuffing food in his mouth, told us what happened. Apparently this Mertil guy wasn't around. So where was he? No one knew.

"You know you took a huge- and I'll add too, stupid- risk, Marco" Jake said when he was done. He looked a little annoyed if you ask me.

"Yeah, well, we got what we wanted" Marco said "We got inside. And we got to confirm that Gafinilan is a bit of a loose cannon"

"Yes" Ax said, with frosting on his chin. I managed to wipe a bit off with a napkin before he continued "His mood does not seem perfectly sable. Bul. But he is a fine gardener. And he has created an impressive human cover"

"Yeah, down to the patterned paper towels" Marco muttered, tossing a comic book he'd been pretending to read down on the table "The place is too perfect"

"I agree. At least when Ithiell plays it human, he knows how to act like a boy. Leaving dirty dishes around and that" I said, resting my elbows on the table, and my head in my hands.

Rachel said something about him being scared. I didn't think so. Something else was wrong in this equation. Something very wrong.

Jake finished his soda with a slurp "He wants to meet Ax's prince. I say we pay him a visit"

"Not a good idea, man. Look, I'm getting a very bad feeling about this guy. This situation. I'm not reading clear motives. I say we wait before sending you in"

"For what? For the visser to grab him? For Gafinilan to tell the visser there's at least one human 'Andalite Bandit?'"

"Look, I don't mean to intrude on this, but Marco's got a point. I think… I think the guy wants something. I don't know what exactly, but that's just the feeling I'm getting" I said, looking at him for an instant. He smiled wryly at me.

"It's risky" Cassie added "Marco and Jade are right"

"We take precautions, per usual. I go in with cover" Then Jake stood up, and announced he had to go home. Cassie wanted to go with him, and soon Ax and Tobias left, since Tobias was a little edgy about being in human morph for too long. Soon, it was just me, Rachel and Marco.

"Well, I'd better get going too. The mall awaits, as Amanda would say" I got up to leave. But then, as I was walking away, my instinct took me back. I hid as I listened to the two talked. Marco puffed his chest out, a total guy thing to do, and smiled at her.

"Any particular reason you wanted to be alone with me, Rachel?"

"Yeah, so I could watch you act stupid. The usual" Rachel leaned back in her seat "I mean it Marco, I'm not in the mood"

He put his hands up in defeat "Okay, okay, so…?"

"A lot of times you're a major cynical freak, you know?"

Marco barked a laugh "Uh, thanks. I guess"

"But you're also the best at knowing when something genuinely stinks. I can block out your lame jokes but I can't ignore your paranoid instincts"

"Gee, thanks again"

Rachel frowned "I mean it. Look, you're not letting Jake meet Gafinilan before you go back there yourself. Don't bother to deny it. You have a plan. I want to know what it is"

Marco glanced around nervously, and I ducked behind a fern. I know, stupid, but I don't think he saw me. Then he said "Why? So you can tell your Bird-boyfriend and screw me up with Jake?"

"No, you moron" I heard Rachel hiss "So I can go with you. You'll need someone to cover your butt"

"See! I knew you cared"

Then he cried out, and I guess Rachel had hit him or kicked him or something. But a plan… hmmm, that sounded very interesting. And they might need someone to cover for the both of them.

Heaven help the three of us if we ever grew up.