Chapter Five; Whole lotta trouble

So, we went. Marco was going to coach Tobias, Cassie, Rachel and Ax on how to be a honey bee. They were going to go in the way Marco had the other day. Jake would be going through the front door. I however, was going in a different way. And when Jake told me…

"Have you lost your mind?" I cried when I heard. He shook his head. I looked at his hair, then back down at his eyes. They told me he hadn't lost his mind, he'd… just misplaced it somewhere.

"A hat. You want me to go in, as a hat" I said, trying to make it sound real.

"One, I need someone with me if Gafinilan goes postal. Two, you're the most powerful weapon I have right now"

"Nice to know" I muttered. He showed me one of his earlier hats, and I memorised as much as I could of it. The fabric, the size and shape… the way the brim bent slightly in the middle. And then I shifted.

It was ok. I guess. I could 'feel' in a sense, but all other senses were completely gone. Smell, sound, sight… all gone. I felt like a mute. Thankfully, Marco would be relaying the messages to me when we were in. He'd be with us.

I spent god knows how long on Jake's head, tense, before I heard Marco give the ok, and say,

(Wish us luck kids)

I waited, and waited. Finally Marco started to explain to me what was going on. We were in the concealed part of the house. Gafinilan was buzzing Jake for answers, and he was giving the guy nothing. Then, he tried to convince Jake to 'demorph', and when Jake refused… things turned bad. Gafinilan apparently had a shredder pointed at us, and guess what he decided to…

FWWWAAPPP!!!

(AHHHHH!!!)

(Jade! God are you alright?!)

(I uh… guess… I think I'm almost completely cut in half. What the heck…)

(He's trying to scare Jake. I suggest you shift to something that has eyes, now)

(Already on it!) As I shifted back to human, finding I was directly behind Jake, I heard the sounds of wild animals in the greenhouse. So, Marco had called the others too. Then…

WHAAMMMM!!

Well, let's just say Rachel gave the guy a new door with a view. They came through as I was almost complete, staying stock still directly behind Jake. I'd do what I could, but not before Jake told me so. I didn't want this guy to think it was a complete ambush. Well… I guess you could say it already was. Thankfully, I don't think he saw me.

And I learned that being short does have its advantages sometimes.

"I'm sorry we bore you, Gafinilan" Jake said calmly, "But we're bored, too. Tired of your evasions and half-truths. So if it's okay with you, this is the moment of reckoning. Time to come clean"

(Four warriors against one?) Gafinilan seemed at a loss.

"Five if I morph" Marco said, appearing from behind a weapons table, walking over to stand beside Jake "Six if Jake does"

"Make that seven. If this girl, Jade, behind me does as well" Jake pulled me out to the other side of him gently, and I faced Gafinilan directly for the first time ever. It was a terrifying experience. Good thing I'd been through lots of terrifying experiences. My face didn't change one bit, and my knees didn't buckle like they had the first time I'd faced a real alien.

"But we're not here to fight Gafinilan" Jake went on "Just to get some information"

Gafinilan looked like he was about to faint from shock, his stalk eyes swivelling around the full three-sixty (You, all of you- you are the Andalite bandits Visser Three fears. Are all of you but Aximili- human?)

"Yes" Jake shot a glance at Tobias before he went on "More or less. We were enlisted by Prince Elfangor to fight the Yeerks. And Jade" He put a hand on my shoulder "Is part Shape-shifter"

(You see) Ax said matter-of-factly (there is no adult for you to acquire so that you may escape Soola's disease)

(What?!) he turned on Ax ( How dare you make such an accusation! I am a warrior. Never in a galaxy's age would I disgrace myself by acting with such base and selfish cowardice!)

After that… after Tobias explained to him how it wasn't a crime to want to cure yourself of a disease… it all kind of spilled out of him. Yes, he did have the disease, but all he was doing… it was for his shorm. It was kind of touching… until he explained what happened. Then Rachel, being Rachel (as Marco told me later) said,

"Let's do it. Let's rescue Mertil and kick some Yeerk butt"

Marco also told me that she was just crazy and reckless.

So, we became the rescuers for Mertil. Everyone agreed. Well, Ax didn't say much, and Tobias… but I'm pretty sure he was all for it. I was still having a hard time figuring him out.

We learnt about Mertil being moved all throughout the day, and was never in the same place twice. This… this was going to be tricky to pull off.

"So Mertil's in some sort of transport vehicle" Cassie said "A truck, a horse trailer, something. How do we find it? Aerial surveillance…"

Ax interrupted (We cannot risk our lives for a vecol)

"Okay Ax-man" Marco said, looking like he could kill with his eyes "I've been cutting you slack on this handicapped thing because you're part of the team. But when you talk like that, like this guy is some sort of dirty, worthless thing, I have to say you're just not one of us"

(I do not and never pretended to be human) Ax stated.

Rachel snorted "You're so full of it, Marco. I seem to recall your calling that Hewlett Aldershot guy who was in a coma a vegetable. No, wait, a carrot, to be exact"

"Not the same thing" he shot back "That was black comedy. Gallows humour. Not an open or implied insult"

"Actions do speak louder than words" Cassie said quietly.

"Thankyou. I might not always say the right thing, but most of the times I do the right thing. Or try to, at least. My intentions" he added, smirking "are good"

(This is not about Marco) Tobias said (This is about Mertil. Mertil is Gafinilan's shorm Ax. Can't you understand…)

"Hang on a sec Tobias" I said stepping forward. I'd listened to it enough "I might have a comparison that he'll understand. Sorry for intruding" I added, looking sadly up at him. He cocked his head sideways and looked at me.

(It's ok. Go ahead)

"Okay, Ax" I turned to him "Think about the whole situation this way. What if your brother were a trapped vecol? Wouldn't you risk everything you have to save him?"

(That is not what this is about?! A vecol…)

"Ah, but don't you see? It's almost exactly the same for that matter. If Elfangor… or Tobias… were trapped somewhere, you'd do whatever it took to get him back, even risking your own life"

(You tread on unsteady soil Jade!) Ax said hotly.

"Hey, I'm only telling you the truth, ok? Sorry of the truth hurts so much"

Ax looked like he wanted to chop my head off. Could blame him. I'd hit a serious sore spot. Big ouch.

"Whether Ax understands it or not" Jake interrupted "we're doing this, is that understood? Good. Gafinilan, you've been in contact with Mertil?"

Gafinilan went on to explain how with their 'childhood' bond they could hear each others though-speak, although not perfectly, on the same planet. So I guessed he could kind of direct us there. Give us hints about where he may or may not be. At least, if he'd seen the outside of his moving prison.

God, this was going to be impossible.

Then again, impossible seemed to be my brunch these days.

--------------------------------------x------------------------------------

We took to the air, all of us, spreading out so we didn't look suspicious. Peregrine falcon, osprey, red-tailed hawk, northern harrier, bald eagle and three owls. I was a barn owl. Marco, a great-horned owl, and Gafinilan… well, he was a kind of owl I had yet to put a name to. Got it a while back, he said.

While we looked, I was thinking hard. I still didn't understand theses people, but I was getting to know them real quick. Ax had a serious problem with accepting people for who they were, Tobias was distant, Rachel was reckless (she reminded me of Robert in a lot of ways) Jake was a leader, and Cassie… well, I was still trying to figure out. She had a strength and a gentleness that not many people have. I knew that for sure. It all blended in, all… balanced in some ways.

As for Marco… the past few days, I realised I'd really underestimated him. He was a joker, but… he was also quick to get to the point, and didn't hold back at pointing out the obvious. He had… I guess you could say he had a very suspicious mind. And he knew how to use that to his advantage.

In some ways… I guess that sort of made me like him more. In spite of him giving me a word lashing every now and then.

I kind of sung in my own head a song I heard once, but I couldn't remember the name of it. A love song…

God was I gonna need to talk to Amanda after this.

If I survived the night.

(Uh, hey Jade?) It was Cassie. Talking to me privately.

(Huh? What?)

(You ok? You've been a little distant lately)

(Oh, sorry. I'll try to focus…)

(No, not that. I mean, like, at school and stuff. Is something going on that I should know about?)

(That we should know about) Rachel added.

(Cassie, what…)

(I let Rachel hear this. We're both here to help)

(Oh. Uh… it's nothing)

(Feeling a little homesick?)

(Uhhh…. a little) I felt a little squeamish as I added (And… something else too)

(Is it about Marco?) Rachel asked.

(What?! Huh?! I didn't… I mean… I'll… I'll tell you when we finish this, ok?)

Okay, I honestly didn't know if I could bring myself to talk to these girls like I did to Amanda. But… their offer was nice, and if I didn't start trusting them… well, they couldn't trust me now, could they?

(All right) Cassie said. Rachel seemed to agree. Half an hour later…

(Mertil says he is in some sort of graveyard) Gafinilan suddenly said, and if I had been human I would've jumped.

(Impossible) Rachel said (There are no graveyards out this way. That I know of, anyway)

(Warehouses, yes…)

(He said that when his Hork-Bajir guards opened the door to his current prison, he was able to glimpse several large, boxlike, rectangular vehicles, somewhat simular to the one which he is being held. They are made of metal, but rusted. Mertil assumes they have been abandoned)

(Got it) Marco (The old train yard. About a mile from here)

So, we keeled that way, all of us making sure we didn't converge as we were doing that. We reached the old train yard, and it just made me shudder inside. Reminded me of an old ghost movie, or a thriller. Urgh, creepy.

And did I mention the absolute lack of sound in the place. Nothing, not even crickets or anything. And with the sun quickly setting, it really did look like a graveyard.

(Nothing) Marco sounded disgusted (Rust, rats, and empty cars)

(Gafinilan, can you still hear Mertil?) Jake asked (Are you sure he's here?)

(Yes, yes. He is close)

(Remember, just because it's quiet, doesn't mean something's not here) I said, remembering when Ithiell told me that once. Just before another battle erupted on the Xanath planet. No kidding. That's what it was called.

(Okay then, people. We're going top have to land, morph some firepower, get our hands dirty)

(It is me) Marco began (Or does Jake sound like a deranged camp director when he talks like that?)

(It's you) Cassie replied.

(Score one for Cassie) I said privately to her.

(Three o'clock everyone!) Marco suddenly yelled. For a second I didn't understand.

Then I looked down.

The door to one of the boxcars slid open, and out piled a big bunch of Hork-Bajir. Then another one! And more Hork-Bajir!

(Uh-oh) I mumbled.

With guidance from Tobias and Jake, we landed on the east side of the yard, atop a right side up passenger car. And watched the guards. They were surrounding a U-haul truck, I think it was.

(I'm guessing Mertil's probably in that U-haul. And they're gonna be moving him pretty soon) Marco said.

(Gee, what was your first clue?) I muttered, wishing I could take it back. I think I throttled him. He shut up after that. For a little while, anyway.

Jake made a plan, and recruited Gafinilan as a fighter while he was at it. Tobias would stay up top as we went big and mean. With that, we glided down off the car and all began to change.

I went straight from owl to cheetah, wanting to try something different for once. Sure, my tiger was great, but I guessed with all the Hork-Bajir wondering around, I'd want some super speed on my side. Marco went gorilla, Rachel elephant, Jake into his own tiger morph and Cassie into the wolf I'd seen her in before. Ax and Gafinilan…well, they kind of spoke for themselves.

(You must go)

(Bah!) I yelped when I heard that voice, and my cheetah body leaped about a mile in the air. I looked around… and realised it was Mertil.

(Tobias, we're ready. Which way to the clearing?) Jake asked.

(There's a red caboose dead ahead. Circle it to the left. If I say it's clear, continue on past the next car)

So, we went. As quietly as any of us could. Tobias guided us on, until we were within a few dozen yards of the clearing the U-haul was in. From there, we could sort of count just how many guards there were. Biiiiig uh-oh.

(Gee Jake, have the odds ever been this bad?) Marco asked brightly.

(Sure) Jake answered (But this time we've got the element of surprise)

"Andalite!"

(Oh, crap)

Then we saw him. A Hork-Bajir on top of a railway car, pointing at us. Like he was a little kid blaming us for something.

(He must have scrambled up the other side!) Tobias called (It's too dark!)

All of a sudden, the place sounded up.

Well, so much for that idea.