Chapter 24
We followed, four flies flying out of sight, as the celebrities and the Controller left the lounge and turned into another corridor off the right hand door of the lounge. This corridor was much more elegant than the last one; there were rows of doors which I assumed were entrances to some of the lower-cost suites. The Controller led the guests down the corridor, and stopped outside an elevator. He pressed the button, and smiled politely at the group.
--I don't know what's down there, guys,-- said Sam, her voice thick, --but I need everyone to be ready to do exactly what I say when I say it, ok? Whether it's to stay where we are, to morph battle animals, or get out, be ready, ok?--
--Sure,-- said Ferdie, a hint of childish excitement evident in his voice. --We're all ready for this.--
--Speak for yourself,-- I muttered dryly.
Just then, the door of the lift opened, and the Controller allowed the guests to step inside. The six of them crowed in, chatting quietly to one another, non the wiser as to what was about to happen to them. We flew in over the Controllers' head, keeping to the corners between the walls and ceiling at the back of the lift. The Controller entered. The lift doors closed and he tapped in the floor number. After a moment, we felt the lift started to move. To my surprise, it began to descend. I assumed we would be going to a higher floor.
"We're going down?" asked one person, a tall, dark haired man who Sam had pointed out to be the London businessman Antonio Reiner. "The conference is being held underground?" I assumed this man was used to large and spacious office, on the top floor of a building overlooking the Thames.
"That is correct," replied the Controller, not quite meeting the man's eyes.
The man shrugged, and turned to talk to Francis Hewitt-Troy.
The lift carried on downwards, for what seemed like a long time. I noticed that the guests were getting a little restless - we must have dropped down at least ten floors already. What kind of hotel has as much room below ground as it does above ground? My nervousness seemed to be effecting my fly body too. I was shifting around involuntarily, twitching my gossamer wings. My state of anxiety was leading to my fly body adopting one of the most universal and fundamental states in nature: the flight or fight response. Get ready to get out. Or get ready to fight back. One or the other was needed to survive this ordeal. And I had a sneaky suspicion we wouldn't be getting out of this one in a hurry.
At least, the lift came to a halt, and the doors pinged open. The Controller smiled at the six celebrities, and motioned for them to follow him. We followed them down a short corridor, at the end of which was a heavy duty. The Controller pushed the lever, the door opened, and the Controller and the guests went though.
Instantly, a sound I shall never forgot entered my primitive fly ears. To this day, I still hear this sound in my nightmares. The sound of terror. I heard crying. I heard screaming. Voices - human voices and non-human voices - sobbing, begging, shouting and cursing and anyone or anything that would listen. Then, as the door clicked shut, the sounds disappeared and we were enveloped in silence once more.
--The hosts,-- said Sam quietly after a minute or so. --This must be where they infest them.--
Suddenly,
--Andalites!-- cried a voice.
--What was that!-- I exclaimed, confused. I thought at first it had been Philip who had yelled, but then I realised that the voice had come from behind the closed door.
--It was thought speak,-- Sam replied. --The resistance! Do you think they might be here in morph?--
--I think the resistance are here, but I don't think that voice belonged to a human,-- said Philip urgently. --That voice belonged to something else.--
--What else has the power to thought speak? It can't be an Andalite - that's what the voice yelled!-- I cried.
--Eramas told us there was only one other creature in the galaxy with the power to morph, and thus, the power to thought speak,-- said Sam. --The one the human resistance have been fighting since the beginning. The one who is in charge of the Yeerk invasion.--
--Visser Three,-- we all said together.
--It's got to be,-- said Ferdie, who now at last sounded more scared than excited.
--And perhaps he is referring to the resistance,-- Philip said. --Perhaps the morph-capable humans really are here. Eramas told us that the Yeerks were not yet aware that any humans possessed the morphing power, and that he assumed that the resistance was a small band of renegade Andalites, stranded on Earth.--
Just then, we heard the ping of the elevator, and the second group of celebrities were being ushered down the corridor. Their guide - the female Controller - opened the door, and the celebrities stepped through. Again, the terrible voices filled my ears. And this time, I swear I heard the sound of gunshots being fired.
--This is the end of the line, guys,-- said Sam. --We have to get in there. This is going to be our biggest battle yet. I only hope that the resistance really are here. And I hope to god they believe we are on their side.--
--What about you saying this was a simple spy mission?-- demanded Philip.
--I said be ready for anything,-- said Sam quietly. --This is what we've travelled ten thousand miles for. This is the Yeerk headquarters. And this is where we are about to meet the resistance.--
--What morphs are we going to use?-- said Ferdie, who was obviously expecting a battle.
Sam buzzed down from the ceiling onto the ground. --I'm afraid you're going to have to go eagle for this one, Maggie. You don't have a particular morph, so you can be our eyes and ears instead. Philip, and Ferdie: Visser Three wants Andalites? Let's give him a few Eramas's. Maggie - you go bird. Everyone else? Let's go Andalite.--