(All right,) Jake said decisively, now that all the details had been worked out. (We have half an hour to get to The Gardens and get set up. That may seem like a lot of time, but we can't afford to waste any of it. Let's get going.)

(Don't you guys just love it when Jake's all forceful like this?) Marco asked teasingly.

(Will you put a sock in it already Marco?) Slade said impatiently. (We don't have the time for your inane comments.)

(Slade's right, we don't have the time for this,) Rachel said. (Let's get going already.)

The seven Animorphs fell into a loose formation behind Cassie, and then they started their journey to The Gardens.

The seven Animorphs were now inside The Gardens' airspace. Those in owl morph could clearly see the winding pathways that stretched all through both halves of The Gardens, wildlife park and amusement park. All that Slade could make out in his current morph, though, were the lighted parts. And even those he couldn't see very well.

(Hey, I saw people down there!) Cassie exclaimed. (There aren't supposed to be any people in The Gardens until eight o'clock!)

(If they're inside already, then you can just bet that the Yeerks are there with them,) Rachel said grimly. (What happed to the plan that they weren't coming till eight? That's what the time on the sign-up sheet was, right Cassie?)

(Well, the time on the sign-up sheet was listed as nineteen hundred hours,) Cassie said. (But that is eight o'clock, right?)