Title: The Created
Author: A.S.Amalon
Rating: PG
Chapter: Eleven
Spoilers: If you haven't read the last book by now…
Disclaimer: All characters, sans Serenity and Kym, belong to the wonderful, glorious, awesome K.A. Applegate
A/N: Sorry for the delay in chappies! I didn't forget about this fic. And thanks for the reviews! As per your request, D.H. L'Orange, I'm putting up a quick recap of the story. Enjoy!
-[]-RECAP-[]-
It's 2050, and the Yeerks are back. Serenity, once known as project Four-Six-Three, is a genetically created human designed especially to fight the Yeerks. Due to the odd mixture of DNA strands from the living Animorphs, she has acquired superhuman powers, such as levitation, the ability to melt things with a single touch, and a whole other form to change into. And, somehow, from the mixture of DNA, she's become very Rachel-like (she thinks it's from Jake's DNA, since they were cousins, but I believe that Rachel's attitude was a combination of all of the Animorphs' personalities, so that's my new theory on where her Rachel-ness came from). So she now lives with Jake as his "daughter", met Erek, went for her first day at school, hung out with Marco, met a blind girl named Kym, made Kym an Animorph, fought Taylor, ran off, returned, and went to the mall…well, the three went as identical triplets, with Jake feeling horribly uncomfortable the entire time. Then Visser One shows up with his cronies, and all hell breaks loose. After a mild display of her abilities is caught on camera, Serenity is faced with a hard decision: go with the Yeerks to talk to Visser Four, or risk the world knowing that she's…different.
"The eleven o'clock news?" I repeated. I had no idea of what importance that was to human culture; I'd never seen such a thing.
"Yes. The eleven o'clock news," the Yeerk repeated. "I'll destroy the tape if you come with me."
Serenity, the eleven o'clock news is pretty important, Kym said. Even I know that, and I've never seen it. People all over a certain area watch the exact same broadcast, which means hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of people will be watching your little escapade out there.
That certainly wasn't what I wanted.
"Can I see the tape for myself?" I asked.
He handed it over with a smirk to the cameraman. "See? It's just an ordinary tape. Nothing special. Well, nothing except for some excellent footage of a freak. Do you want to be feared worldwide? Revered as a menace to society?"
I studied the tape. It was black, very plain, and gave off a very strong odor of plastic. I smiled wryly. Plastic was something I could do some damage to.
"So if this tape happened to…I don't know…melt, what would you do?"
He grabbed the tape, but I had already started to melt it. The bubbling plastic took hold of his hand and he cried out in pain.
"I guess that's the end of that," I said. "Sorry boys; looks like I won."
The cameraman laughed. "I think not, little human. This camera is different from most regular human ones. Besides making a hard copy of the footage, it makes a digital one, which is stored safely away on a computer as a time-release file so that as soon as ten o'clock hits, it gets sent straight to the station, where one of our people will put it on the air during the eleven o'clock broadcast. Maybe even as a Special Report, if I'm lucky enough. Backup plans always come in handy, especially when dealing with little freaks like you."
I didn't like being called a freak, and both men knew it. They were trying to get me angry, and it was working. The other man had his hand coated in melted black plastic, and I wasn't stopping until the tape was completely liquefied. I wanted him to feel the pain.
Serenity, do not get mad at these creeps, Jake said. Don't let them get the satisfaction of knowing that they made you angry.
I was faced with a tough decision. Should I go home and risk being exposed to the world as a genetic nightmare, or should I go with them and face Visser Four, whoever she is?
I didn't know what to do, and nobody was offering any advice or words of wisdom to guide me. This was a decision I'd have to make on my own.
It's your call, Jake said. You're the leader now. Whatever you choose, I'll back you up.
So will I, Kym chimed in.
They were behind me in whatever decision I made. I was glad for that. Now all that was left was to make the actual choice.
I saw Visser One awaken and climb up off the floor. He glared at me, but made no move. He calmly brushed himself off and headed out the broken glass doors of the now very deserted mall.
Judging from that, he was not one I could work with. I didn't know who Visser Four was, or at least I believed I didn't. Visser Four was definitely a female, as the Controllers in front of me referred to her as a "she" more than once. I could deal with another female.
Just like you tried to deal with Taylor? my mind reminded me. A failed attempt, to say the least.
I could deal with another female. I wasn't sure about Visser One, but Visser Four should be a piece of cake.
"I'll come with you. But no tricky stuff. I don't want to be blindfolded or gagged, or tied to a chair. That's my deal. I'll come peacefully if you treat me decently."
Good call, Serenity, Jake said. We'll follow closely, attempt to see where they're taking you. He turned to the Controllers. If you harm one hair on this girl's head, I'll… He held up one of his huge paws for effect.
"I get it," the man with the plastic-covered hand said.
Jake must have said something to Kym at that moment, because she wished me good luck and walked off. Jake started to follow, only to nuzzle my hand with his large tiger head. Then he bounded off, and I was alone with the men.
"Shall we go?" the cameraman asked.
"Yes we shall," his partner agreed.
I kept myself in my other form, just in case.
What had I gotten myself into?