Chapter 21
Following the coach was tough work, even for bunch of super-powered geese. We were flying at top speed, yet we were still barely managing to cope. Having left the city far behind, there was very little traffic on the highways to slow the coach down. Luckily, geese and swans didn't evolve as long-distance travellers to get worn out after a couple of hours, and so most of the time we let our humans minds be taken over by our geese and swan's brains, letting them do the hard work. This meant periods of long silence and so conversation was scarce. We were all anxious about what was going to happen in the next few hours. We would be meeting the human resistance. I, for one, could not help thinking that we might also be coming face to face with the most powerful Yeerk on earth, and perhaps our deadliest and most important battle yet.
--What are we going to do when we arrive?-- Ferdie asked after a while. Sam didn't answer for a moment or two - I assumed this was because she had retreated to her goose mind, and needed a second or so to regain control.
--Um, depends,-- she replied, which I guessed really meant 'I have no idea.' --See where this coach stops, I guess. I can't see the Yeerks will be wanting to hang about much after arriving, so I'm guessing they'll take them straight to wherever it is they, infest.--
She spat out this last word with contempt, making it clear to us that this mission was going to be bigger than we'd undertaken so far.
--Then what?-- I asked. --Follow them? Try and split the celebrities up, stop them from being infested?--
--There's no way four of us will be able to save twelve of them, not when their under such tight security. I can only say that we morph flies and follow them, just to see where they go. I guess we'll have to leave any rescue missions to the resistance.--
We flew on in silence for another half hour or so, until Philip interrupted the silence.
--We've been in morph for nearly two hours, guys,-- he said. --We have to demorph.--
--That coach doesn't look as if it's going to slow down soon,-- I said. --And there's no turnings off the highway for miles.--
--Well, if we don't demorph soon, we'll be stuck as geese for the rest of our lives,-- Philip replied. --We'll just have to land, and catch up later.--
--The coach will be miles away by then. We'll never get sight of it again.--
There was a moment's pause, then Ferdie joined the conversation.
--I've got an idea,-- he said animatedly. --It's going to be completely mad, and very dangerous, but it will allow us to demorph, and keep sight of the coach.--
--Don't tell me you want to demorph in mid air, Flawless,-- sighed Philip, half disbelieving, half worried.
--Nope,-- he answered. --I suggest we demorph on the roof of the coach.--
--You're right,-- Sam said. --That is totally mad.--
--Flawless - that coach is moving at over fifty miles an hour. There's no way we could land on it and keep our grip.--
--It could work,-- Ferdie insisted. --One of us lands and wedges themselves between the little groove between the two sunroofs. They demorph, and when they're human, the next person flies down and the first person holds them still while they demorph, to stop them loosing grip. We just do that four times.--
--You've actually put some thought into this?-- Philip asked incredulously.
--Of course,-- he replied. --We'd better do this before we get trapped. Who's going to go first?--
--Oh, right, so you've just decided that we're going to do this?-- retorted Philip. --Since when did anyone elect you leader?--
--Do you have a better idea?--
--We should at least make sure Sam's ok with it.--
--Fine. Sam?--
Sam sighed. --I just know this is going to go completely pear-shaped, but yeah, I say go for it.--
--Another one of Ferdie's crazy stunts!-- I chortled. --Are all polo players this mad?--
--Most of them!-- he laughed.
--Ok, guys,-- said Sam in her serious, leadership tone. --I'll go first. Then Ferdie, then Maggie. Philip, you come in last since you were the last to morph and you've got a bit more time than the rest of us. Alright?--
--Sure,-- I said. I was quite looking forward to this. A bit of Hollywood action for us.
--Ok! I'm off!-- Sam, a few feet in front of me, suddenly tucked back her wings and dived towards the ground. It looked strange coming from a goose - normally, that sort of movement is reserved for smaller and more agile birds - but luckily, there were hardly any other cars around to see us. Plus, we were flying directly above the coach, and the sunroofs were those darkened-out types, so it would be difficulty for any of the Controllers to see us.
--Whooo hoo!-- cried Sam, as she plummeted towards the coach. From our height, the coach looked like the size of a postage stamp, and I had no idea how she was going to land safely on it. However, our practice in morph had obviously reaped its' benefits, and Sam touched down on the coach and wedged her goose body in the space between the domes of the sunroof windows.
--What a rush!-- she laughed. --It's really windy here,-- she called. --And it's difficult to keep grip. Anyway, I'm about to demorph, but I won't be able to thought speak when I'm human. So I'm going to wave my arm to let you know when to come down, ok? Ferdie, you're next, so make you tell me when you've seen me wave.--
--Ok, sure,-- he replied.
Sam demorphed rather clumsily, trying to keep herself from being swept off the sides of the coach. As soon as her hands were formed, she took a tight hold on the little ventilations tubes that stuck out of the foot of the coach, and got herself comfortable. Then, she let go with both hands, and performed a clear and unmistakable wave.
--Ok, Ferdie,-- off you go,-- said Philip.
--Ok, Sam!-- Ferdie called. --Here I come! Get ready to catch me, baby!--
--Good grief,-- sighed Philip. --I don't believe those two.--
Ferdie flew down to meet her, and Sam grabbed his black and grey goose body in her arms, where he started to demorph. As soon as he was mostly human, she let go, his human weight now sufficient to hold him in place. He lay his body close to the roof, to avoid as much wind resistance. Then, he waved his hands, and it was my turn. I swept back my wings and flapped furiously downwards, never loosing sight of the coach. I had no idea how I was going to land on it - my timing had to be perfect. A second too early or too late would send me either crashing into the road behind it, or into the windscreen. However, I allowed my swan brain to take over as I performed my most difficult landing yet. Keeping my keen eyes fixed firmly on Ferdie, I glided down and flared my wings to slow down. Ferdie grabbed hold of me rather roughly, and I began to demorph.
"God, Maggie, no offence but your swan body is huge!" he laughed.
I didn't reply - I was trying to concentrate on not being blown away. Eventually, I was fully human, and adopted the same position as Ferdie and Sam. I waved to Philip, who flew down neatly and landed perfectly in front of me, demorphing quickly."
"What a rush!" shouted Ferdie above the howl of the wind.
"I'd prefer not to do that any time soon," remarked Sam.
"It's not actually that difficult to hold on," I observed, shifting my body round so I was facing Sam and Ferdie. "We could stay like this all the way to San Francisco."
"I guess we could actually," said Sam. "We won't have to do another stunt like this to reset the two hour limit."
"We'll have to morph flies before we get into the city, though," said Philip. "We can't risk morphing where there's loads of people around."
"Quite," Sam replied, getting herself comfortable. "I've just seen a road sign, by the way. Less than two-hundred miles to go."
"Three hours to go then," I said. "I dread to think what my hair will look like after that!"