The voice that had been guiding him didn't seem to think that was in need of any kind of reply, or that's what Jake took his silence to mean. Walking past the first two pods on his right, he found that the third was almost identical to the others. The only difference that Jake could see was that this pod was only glowing about half as brightly as the others.

It's as if it's been shut down or something, Jake thought.

That is exactly what has happened.

Jake blinked. You turned this thing off?

Partially deactivated, yes. It would have been far too obvious if it had deactivated completely, the voice was starting to sound a bit strained now, as if whoever was talking was starting to get tired.

What do you want me to do? Jake thought back, still staring at the armored figure in the pod.

I need you to morph, Jake. To destroy the pod before anyone can discover that it is inactive.

How do you know my name? Jake asked, starting his tiger morph before he had finished his thought.

I… do not have time to tell that story… but you will know… all that you desire to… once I have had time to regain my strength.

It sounded now like the person was shouting from a long distance, or that the speaker was on the verge of collapse. Jake's morph was half completed by now, and the entire underground base was getting brighter and brighter as his tiger vision asserted itself. Once he was fully morphed, Jake extended his claws and ripped open the glowing pod.

The pod burst, its contents gushing out all over the vine-covered floor. The figure was mostly white, but the joints were all pitch black, and the front of the chest was red. The armor was still covered in the goo that had been inside the pod, but it seemed to be evaporating quickly.

Now, how do I get you out of here?

That was when the answer, in the form of an unmorphed Marco, rather abruptly fell into his proverbial lap. He had fallen almost on top of the white armored guy, in fact. Jake could see Marco opening his mouth to either ask where he was or to call out to Jake, neither of them found out what Marco would have said, though.

Jake clamped his paw over Marco's mouth before he could make a sound, remembering the warning he had been given.

Don't say anything Marco, just start morphing. I need your gorilla morph for this.

Marco was confused, but figured that he wouldn't get anything from Jake unless he was morphed. And then there was the fact that this whole place had a deeply creepy feeling all about it, hell he'd feel safer as a gorilla. So he started to morph, feeling the familiar reassurance as his body gained more muscle than he would have gotten from even a lifetime of exercise.

Once his morph was complete he turned to Jake, wanting to know what had caused the sudden, sharp pain in his thigh.

Jake, what exactly did I just land on?

I'll tell you once we get him out of here.

Him?

Jake was about to tell Marco what he'd landed on, when he saw two more of those vine/tentacle things slithering toward the spot where Marco still stood. But then they seemed to change their mind, rearing up like a pair of startled snakes, and then slinking off to somewhere else.

Jake, what was that weird sound?

We have to get out of here, Jake said, getting the feeling that more of those vine things would be coming for them if they stayed.

Well, whatever you say Big Jake, Marco said, also eager to get out of this dark, utterly creepy place.

Marco's eyes had just begun adjusting to the blackness, but at the moment all that he could make out were the blurred edges of objects. He also got the impression of a vast expanse. Marco knuckle-walked over to where he could just perceive a four-legged form standing by something that seemed to glow faintly in the darkness.

That was when his hand encountered something other then the usual soft squishiness of the floor. It was hard, it was cold, and it was… metallic? Marco sat back on his haunches, touching the thing that he had almost stepped on. As he probed it with his sensitive fingers, Marco found that it was shaped like a human calf and foot.

Jake saw that Marco had found the white armored guy.

C'mon Marco, we need to get him out of here.

This is who you were talking about?

There…isn't time!

That caused both of them to jerk in surprise, but Marco swept up the armored creature in his arms and both of them made for the nearest exit.

Are there any exits in this place? Jake wondered.

There…will be…

As they raced past the rows of pods on both sides of them, Jake decided not to question the reappearance of the voice that had been guiding him. It sounded a little bit stronger than when it had cut out earlier, but still weak and strained.

Once they had reached the edge of the pit, they found that there was indeed an exit. There were vines dangling from the edges of the hole, moving slightly back and forth. Vines that, Jake now saw, were the only thing that kept the other Animorphs – and anyone else who had the bad luck to stumble on this part of the forest – from falling right on top of all those pods.

…Climb… quickly… can't hold forever…

Without a look back, Jake raced up the barely moving vines, all the while worried that they would somehow regain their unnatural mobility and drag him back down into that dark pit. Marco, having less experience with the vines, was just glad to be out of there. With the metal guy slung over his right shoulder, he made quick progress up the vines.

The other Animorphs, still in their wolf morphs, all came racing up to them.

We saw you fall, Prince Jake, Ax said, the first of the Animorphs to speak.

What happened down there? Cassie asked, sounding very worried.

Jake didn't blame her, since they had been gone for more than a few minutes. And the last anyone had seen was the two of them falling through what appeared to be solid ground. But, Jake also had another concern.

Ax, how long have the others been in morph? Jake asked, knowing that if they were to stay morphed for more then two hours, they would all be trapped as whatever they currently were.

We have been in morph for one of your hours and eighteen minutes, Prince Jake. But you and Marco have only been morphed for twenty-one of your minutes.

Ax, if I've told you once, I've told you a million times, Marco said, in the tone of one who would never tire of reciting a certain piece of information. They're not just our minutes, they're everyone's minutes.

Ax ignored him, and Marco took the opportunity to dump the armored guy off his back.

Come on, guys, Jake said, seeing the other Animorphs turn to look at the creature Marco had just dropped. We need to get back to the barn.