"What was that?" Sara's face had paled.

"I don't know," our mom said.

Jake's dad walked toward the stairs. He'd have no chance to stop Tom. We had to make a call, and we had to make it right then.

All of us, by instinct, turned to Jake first, then looked around at each other. Ax's mouth was hanging open; I don't think he really understood what was going on.

>Tom had just left the house.>

So he had. Um…yeah. Marco looked almost disappointed, like he'd come "so" close to something and lost it, which in a way he had. Cassie had closed her eyes, resigned. I can't even remember what I looked like. Jake's face, however, was hardened. He was ready. "Sorry, Dad, you can't…take care of this."

"Excuse me?"

"There's no time to explain." He took off, up the stairs. We probably bowled over his poor dad in the race to follow…too bad. Tom's window was broken, shot through and the shards pushed down onto the snow. It was just starting to melt. "Bird morphs," he said tersely.

"Are you-"

Jake cut Marco off. "Yes. We can't let this slip through, you know it."

"Yeah."

Jake's dad caught up to us. "What's going on-oh my…" He stared at the window.

"We don't have time to explain."

"Should I-" Ax wondered something but didn't get to finish.

"Jake, do you want me to try to explain while you guys go?" Cassie suggested.

"Uh…yeah. If you don't mind." I still don't know how she knew how to do that: knowing Jake would be able to concentrate that much better with her out of danger.

"Okay, showtime," Jake nodded curtly. Marco had already started. He squeezed through the window, followed by me; Ax, who had had to go through Andalite; and Jake bringing up the rear.

>There he is,> Marco let us know. >Heading towards the school?>

>I can't tell.> I flew up beside him. >Nope.>

>Is this unusually cold for you?> Ax queried.

>Unusual? As opposed to what?> Marco retorted.

>It's gonna be McDonald's,> Jake refocused us.

We were able to gain a lot of time on him, although the bedroom delay meant we weren't able to catch him. We demorphed at the door, and shivering, went inside. The restaurant hadn't yet reopened.

"Down?" Ax, who had morphed human, searched for direction.

"Uh-huh." Jake's teeth chattered as he opened the door to the refrigerator.

"Couldn't they have put the secret passage through the oven?" Marco tried to liven things up but none of us were paying attention.

We emerged into the Yeerk pool. It was more crowded than I had ever seen it: Controllers holed up by the storm were pushing each other out of the way in the quest to feed.

"We've lost him!" Marco slammed his palm against his leg in anger.

"What now, Pr-"

I swear Jake was hearing Ax before he even said it. "We shove through."

I was about to muscle my way in when Marco stopped me. "Not a good plan."

"Do you have a better one?" Jake's eyes shimmered in the dark cavern.

"One, don't turn into Rachel. One is enough."

"Really?" I tilted my head at him.

"Two, think. Would Tom's Yeerk be swimming with the low-ranks?"

"Are there smaller pools in this facility, P-"

Man is he fast. "I'm not sure. Should we look around?"

"Sure," Marco shrugged, his eyes (and mind) clearly elsewhere, roaming around the pool.

We kept to the border, testing most of the doors. They led to empty conference rooms, all except the last one we tried.

Well…if it had been empty, it wouldn't have been the last one.

It was locked, which got our attention. "May I do the honor?" I nodded towards the bolt.

"We don't need to attract attention," Jake looked around worriedly. "There are so many here."

"Okay," Marco rolled his eyes. "When I said not to become Rachel, I didn't mean to become me. Crack that sucker open."

"Ax, cover for her."

"Yes, my-"

"You know," Marco put his hand to his chin. "Sometimes I get the feeling that that really ticks him off."

"What? Who?"

"Just demorph before we get into Abbott and Costello."

I quickly morphed to grizzly and ravaged the door. Jake was able to see what was inside first, but didn't say anything. Marco peered in as well. "Uh…"

"Go to human, guys," Jake whispered, in awe of what he had seen.

We wouldn't be that lucky. The Controllers were on us. "Uh, never mind," he amended sheepishly.

But without Cassie and Tobias, we were…I'm not even sure there's a word to describe it. Not exactly beaten, or I wouldn't be writing this, but not exactly victorious, as they…totally had the upper hand, and probably could have wiped us out. Do you have a word for it, Ax?

>I can think it, like this…but no word.>

Yeah, that's how it was. But…lack of word here.

So I was trying to take out a Taxxon when a Hork-Bajir stunned me with a Dracon. Unable to help the fight, I fell to the ground as some more Hork-Bajir started to drag me off.

>Stop!> Marco's voice, but I couldn't see him. Jake and Ax were engaged, but he just…wasn't around.

"Now see the honorable Andalites!" something laughed.

>You touch her, your boss gets it.>

"Boss?"

>I'm holding your Visser hostage.>

>Marco, what are you doing?> I privately pled.

>The Visser has to leave his host to feed, and there's one unconscious Andalite right here.>

>Wha…>

One of the Hork-Bajir tentatively turned back, trying to find out if Marco was telling the truth.

>Stay calm, Rachel,> Jake tried to comfort me. >We figure Alloran can't be out for long: whatever the Visser does to stop him from morphing wouldn't last a lot longer than he needs to feed for, otherwise it would be pointless.>

Calm. Right.

"Kinlatt arnost!" a Hork-Bajir declared. Reluctantly, the others released me, although it didn't do much good as I was still paralyzed. "Now you give back Visser."

>And if we don't?> Marco threatened.

"Your friend is still ours."

>Rachel, can you demorph? > he privately worried.

>Can I? I think. Should I? To human? Please tell me even you aren't that dumb.>

Ax had backed up to be by Alloran, who was just regaining consciousness. >War-Prince, can you help us?>

Blearily, he opened his stalk eyes. >Aristh?>

>Morph something that will overpower the Yeerks.>

>But I cannot. I am a…>

Jake took over and tried to get Alloran to snap into it. One of the Hork-Bajir reapproached me, wrist blade annoyingly close to my neck. All of a sudden I saw something that managed to be evil and terrifying while also brought hope. The Antarean Bogg-the morph that had eaten Elfangor-loomed in the small pool room Alloran had been inhabiting. >Would you Yeerk scum care to remain here? > Alloran taunted.

Apparently they did, as all of them froze.

>Leave your hosts now. I understand Kandrona starvation is less preferable.>

A mass of Hork-Bajir, human, and Taxxon, and even a few Gedd-Controllers rushed for the pool.

>That was almost too easy,> Marco laughed in thought-speech.> How are you, Rachel? I don't think anyone will mind if you demorph now.>

>I do not think anyone will see if you demorph now,> Ax added.

That I was able to do. I walked over to the tiny room, where Jake had demorphed and Ax was standing with Alloran. >Where's Marco?>

>Hold on a sec.> A Yeerk emerged from Alloran's ear, fell into the tiny pool, and demorphed. "He's still in a daze."

>Daze?> said a voice familiar and yet brand-new. An understatement. For the first time, Alloran surveyed us. >After everything I've been through…humans and an aristh. Four of you? No, five…an estreen…> Marco must have dumped a lot into his memory.

But not enough. "Six", I replied almost defiantly.

"Time to go home, I think," Jake exhaled.

Alloran and Ax started leaving. I followed, with Jake.

"Forgetting something?"

We turned around to see Marco, sludge dripping from his arm, holding Visser Three triumphantly in the air.

Sharing the Yeerk's weight between our talons, we flew home. Everyone was outside despite the cold, waiting impatiently. Cassie would later tell me that she was worried she'd have to physically stop them from trying to follow us (!).

We clamored in. Alloran put the Yeerk in the sink-we'd decide what to do with him later. "We won," Cassie gave way to her emotions. "It's over."

>Not yet.>

We switched our attention over to Ax. >Is there something you need to do, Aximili?> Alloran asked gently.

He nodded gravely.

"We'll come with you," Cassie eagerly leaned forward.

>No. > He shook his head, looking at me. >This is for us alone.>