Note: I have updated chapter five to include Ax's parents' names. Thank you, samuraigurl! I would also like to thank my continuous readers and reviewers: Elwing, SilverHawk 27, and LilManiac. And also Natalie, Tobias1452, animorph19, LucreziaNoin86 and Birdie num num. Thanks!

Cassie

For three days we gathered reinforcements.

On the first day, we flew straight to the rehab center in a town just a few miles from the city. We demorphed behind the building and I looked at the city. Many of the skyscrapers were gone. The Yeerks were moving fast.

"We need to get as many as possible at a time," Jake said. Only he, Marco, and I were here. We didn't want to take too many chances. "We'll try ten for the first run." He started to head in, but stopped and turned back, frustrated with himself.

"We need to get them a bird morph at least, so they can get out of here." I could tell he missed Tobias. He would have just snatched us one. Oh, wait.

"I'll just morph osprey and get us a bird." Jake looked at me. Nodded.

"Okay, but hurry. The Yeerks are everywhere."

I started morphing. The others say I have a gift, even Ax thinks so, but there isn't anything gifted about having a birds beak sprout from your face. As I started to shrink Marco smirked and whispered something to Jake. Halfway through the sentence my bird hearing kicked in.

"-making out." Jake laughed.

(What was that?) I was fully osprey now. They didn't answer.

(Guys.) I took off, spreading my wings and flapping to gain altitude. About fifty feet up, I went into a dive, preparing to snatch a pigeon snacking on some bread crumbs. Wings flared, talons outstretched, and he was mine.

(Okay, maybe it isn't the most dignified morph, but I don't think I can find another bird of prey in this area quickly.)

"It's okay, Cassie. Let's worry about getting inside." He took the pigeon from me as I started to demorph. I finished and we went in.

And almost ran over a technician. "Sorry, we're looking for the kids our age." I smiled.

She suspected something. "Why didn't you use the front door?" Good question. "And why is he holding a pigeon?" She pointed at Jake.

"This is, uh, Polly. Yeah, Polly! Polly the Wonder Pigeon! The mascot of the kids here. We didn't get to the kids our age last time we visited, and were told to use the back door so that Polly here wouldn't poop everywhere." I tried smiling again. Glanced at Marco and Jake, who were struggling to keep the laughter in.

The technician smiled back. "Try the fifth floor. Please, excuse me." She turned back to her computer.

As soon as we got in the hallway, Marco barked with laughter. Wiped tears from his eyes. "Polly the Wonder Pigeon?" He started laughing again. I gave him a dirty look.

"It worked, didn't it?"

Jake tried to stop laughing. "Okay, let's go."

After the short elevator ride, we stepped over to some girls playing cards.

Marco felt like saying, "It's Polly, the Wonder Pigeon!" He grinned wide.

The two girls looked at him. Looked at each other. Back at him. Then continued their game. One of them muttered something about us being on the wrong floor.

I sighed. Looked at Jake. He understood.

"Okay, everybody, we need ten volunteers." He looked around. Most of the kids didn't even look up. Those that did looked back to a kid, strikingly similar to Jake, who was sitting in a wheelchair. That kid shook his head and everybody went back to what they were doing.

"Bingo," Marco whispered. The kid rolled over to us. Stared with defiance at Jake, then Marco, then me. I looked away. I didn't like the idea of what we were doing to these kids.

"If you are looking to get a few cheap laughs here, I suggest you turn around and leave."

Jake drew a deep breath. "I'm sorry, what's your name?"

"James."

"Alright James, is there somewhere private we can talk? This is extremely important."

"Follow me." I guess he assumed we were okay. Or that he could handle us if we weren't. Either way, he led us to a sort of lobby. It was empty except for us.

"What do you want?" He crossed his arms.

Jake seemed at a loss. He probably didn't know where to start. It was understandable.

I started to morph wolf. James stared in awe as I finished. He managed to stutter, "How did you do that?"

I sighed. (It's a long story.) Then I went on for ten minutes, telling him about our war with the Yeerks. He nodded his head when I finished demorphing.

"Yeah, we've been listening to the radio. I didn't know anybody could fight them though. They sounded too technologically advanced."

"Don't tell that to Ax." Me and Jake laughed. James shook his head.

"I don't get it. Why are you here?"

Jake seemed pained. "We – need you to fight."

James stared angrily. "Why us? I'm sure there are hundreds of able-bodied kids just waiting for an opportunity like this. Why us?"

"We need to make sure the new fighters are Yeerk free. The Yeerks have written you off as useless, uninfestible. It would take too long to screen others. You guys we can be sure aren't infested."

I winced. That was harsh. However true, he managed to make it sound like that was how we felt. James just slumped.

"I guess you're right."

"Are you ready to fight? We need at least nine others today, and we'll be back tomorrow."

James looked at Jake, then at the door. "I'm ready. But I get to choose my team."

Jake smiled. "Okay." James left and came back five minutes later with nine other kids. This time Jake explained everything to them, with James confirming he heard the same story. While Jake briefed them, I produced the morphing cube and Marco morphed gorilla. All of them said they would fight. My eyes teared up. All of them touched the cube and afterward acquired the pigeon.

We left shortly afterwards, flying from their window, with Jake saying, (We'll be back tomorrow and take you all to the zoo for some more morphs.)

I cried.