Not much to say: Enjoy!
Chapter 11
"Okay, what are you going to do today?"
Ashline took a deep breath. "Go to school. Don't talk to anyone that we're moving. Be very, very careful on the field trip, and call you if anything goes wrong. Go to Miss Andrew's house after school, and then you'll pick me up, we come back home to pick up my stuff, and then we go to the airport."
"Very good." I kissed her forehead. "Have fun at school."
"I still don't see why we're leaving…"
"When you're-"
"Older! I know, I know!" She rushed out the door, slamming it shut behind her.
I fell onto the couch, hand to my head.
I got up, swallowed some aspirin to alleviate my headache, and put together my own work.
I took my car to the office, the one I hardly ever used anymore.
Early morning traffic, the slow monotony of it all, the auto-pilot way with which I drove, left my mind clear to wander over the events of yesterday.
"Because it's all they know. They were defeated by the Animorphs. To be great, they must in turn defeat them."
"We couldn't trace him," he said apologetically. "I don't know. Only he knows. The only thing I can tell about him is that he's not with the government, or we'd know what he knows. He's got to be Yeerk."
"The Yeerks know. They know where a least one is. They figure when the have one, they will find the others."
"It has to be in time for the Anniversary. It's more symbolic. More final."
"I know. That's one of the reasons I came to see you in the first place. I knew you were in danger. I wanted to help."
"If I were you," he said slowly. "I would leave. Take your daughter. Things are going to get real shitty around here."
So here was my problem:
The Yeerks were strong, and in five days or less, they were going to seize an Animorph, make a Controller out of them, then launch an attack on New York City, proving they could, that they are powerful. And then what?
And what happens in the meantime?
And why is everyone out to warn me?
My name is Taylor.
I am a journalist. It's not my job to protect the Animorphs. It's not my fight…it's not my battle…it's not my war…
"Hey Taylor," Chalise said brushing by my desk. "Boss wants to see you."
"Great," I muttered, getting up reluctantly. If he had more 'inside information'…
"Shut the door," Harry demanded tersely. I complied.
He paced, popping in another antacid.
"How did your interview go?"
"Harry, what's wrong?"
"Stress! That's all! The entire galaxy may be at risk, and no one knows anything! No one will go on the record! Unless…" he looked at me. "What did he say?"
"It wasn't him."
"What?"
"I interviewed a guy, and then another guy walks in, and says he's Jacob Hoegen. The fake ran out."
"What!"
I nodded. "Something's up."
"No shit, Sherlock…" he said sarcastically, and sat at the table. "Well, Taylor, I don't know what to tell you. I don't have any more miracle information. I'm thinking of just dropping the story altogether. Let the government handle it."
I nodded again, thoughtfully. "Sir, I need to tell you something."
"What is it?"
"I'm giving you my two weeks notice."
"WHAT!"
"Actually, it's my two hours notice. I'm leaving today."
"You're WHAT!" Harry's large face went red, then purple. "You can't do this to me!"
"I have to, sir. The man I interviewed…"
"What? What did he say?"
I sighed, and looked down. "It's not safe to stay here, Harry. I'm flying out with my daughter this afternoon."
Harry slumped in his seat, and took a deep breath. He grew calm, resigned…no pun intended.
"Alright. You'll need a letter of recommendation, won't you?"
I nodded, the stress making my voice shaky. "Yes sir, that would be nice."
He pulled out a pen and sketched a memo.
"I'll have this ready for you by the time you leave. Go, clean out your desk. And Taylor," he said, as I walked out. "It has been a pleasure working with you. Good luck."
I planned on spending the rest of the workday cleaning up and inconspicuously putting things into boxes, sorting through my computer, through my desk, and through my drawers. I planned on quietly disappearing around three thirty. I wouldn't even say good bye to Chalise. It hurt, but the fewer people who knew that I was leaving, the better.
But it wasn't so.
"EVERYONE! COME LOOK AT THIS!" Jason's voice called. "The Yeerks are at the Memorial!"
The Memorial? That's where…Ashline…
I was the first to race there, the first in the crowds of people to see the smoke, the fire…the destruction.
The Twin Towers Memorial was no more.
