A/N: I keep forgetting to say this, so... thank you so much to all my reviewers! I've never had to many reviews so quickly... maybe I should write in the Animorphs fandom more often! (grins)

Right. You asked for it... you got it. Enjoy!

(Note: I've edited this chapter. Nothing major, just grammar and stuff.)

(Another note: That was stupid of me. I only went and uploaded five chapters at the same time. Thanks to the people who pointed that out. It was embarrassing. I've fixed it now, though... third time lucky, eh?)

The Mistake

Chapter 3

To be polite, we asked if Chapman wanted some help with his box, but he said he was okay. So we ran off and explored the school instead – it was so different after dark. So many shadows and spiders and unfamiliar shapes.

"I wish Tobias could have come," I said to Erika a little later. "He would really enjoy this."

"Oh, no." Erika stood in front of me with her arms crossed. "You are not going to be miserable tonight. You are going to have the time of your life, and if you think about Tobias, it will be about how his life's going to improve after he's found. Savvy?"

I smiled and pulled off a mock salute. "Yes, sir!"

It wasn't long before other people started to arrive, in ones and twos at first, and then in a steady stream from the front gate to the quadrangle. The ground had been swept and lamps scattered all about. In the centre of the courtyard was a group of trestle tables, pushed together and loaded with snacks.

"It's a beautiful night," announced Chapman, gesturing up at the sky. It was a deep purplish-black, the stars looked like diamonds, and the round moon was a deep, warm gold. "We decided it would be fun to sleep under the stars."

People started talking at once, and Erika started to say that it would be fun, but Chapman held up his arms for silence. He had been joined by the other Sharing leaders, all holding yellow plastic buckets. "And as well as all the other activities planned, there will be a very special kind of raffle going on. Everyone will need one ticket. No more, no less." He gestured at the buckets. "And people will be called in five at a time to receive their secret special prizes…"

The whispering started up again as the leaders arranged everyone into a queue and handed out tickets. Tom, one of them, grinned at us as he passed us the numbered pieces of paper. "The girls from last week, right? I'm glad you came, it's going to be fantastic."

Erika giggled. She thinks Tom is cute.

Once everyone had their tickets, the party began. Party was the best word for it, really. There was music, junk food, people spontaneously dancing the cancan; really, everything that makes a great night.

All through it, the leaders were calling out numbers, and groups of people extricated themselves from the merrymaking and entered the school. When they finally came out, they were very cagey about what had happened.

"It's a secret," they'd say conspiratorially, grinning all over their faces. "You'll have to wait and see."

"It's a secret," said Erika, smiling mysteriously.

"Oh, come on," I pleaded. "Just a hint?"

"Nothing doing."

"Please?"

"You'll have to wait and see."

Tom's voice floated across the quad. "Forty-one through forty-five!"

"Excellent!" I exclaimed. I was number forty-one; Erika had been forty. "I'll see you in a bit."

Erika waved me off. "See you!"

"Just so long as there are no killer vampires lying in wait!" I called back, and walked into the school.

I and four others were led down a dark corridor and paused by a door. Tom hustled the four – three boys and a girl whose names I couldn't remember – through one door into another hallway, but Chapman opened a door to our left and led me into a brightly-lit classroom. The desks and chairs had been stacked against one wall, leaving a large empty space in the middle of the floor. In this space were two unstacked chairs and the box Chapman had been carrying earlier. It sat on a big towel, still covered in its dark cloth. One of the janitor's cleaning rags was folded on the floor, damp and brownish.

The door clicked shut.

"Take a seat," Chapman smiled at me, gesturing to one of the plastic chairs. I sat in it, and he in the other. I pressed my knees together and twiddled my fingers, suddenly nervous.

"Oh, there's nothing to be afraid of," said Chapman with a laugh, seeing my expression. "I just want to talk."

"About what?"

He steepled his fingers and looked me in the eye. "You were very upset today," he said. It was a statement, not a question. "And this evening you still seemed a little out of sorts."

"It's nothing," I interrupted. What a weird raffle. Win a session with a shrink? "I'm fine."

"Don't worry," Chapman said soothingly. "It's okay, you can talk to me. I'm not just a big, bad assistant principal – I want to help."

I nodded and sighed. "Yeah, I know… I just… well, you know. It's sort of a personal thing."

"Your friend going missing?"

"Tobias?" I looked up at him, surprised. "How did you know?"

"I heard you talking to your friend Jake. Well, to be honest, most of the school did." I went beetroot and hung my head, but Chapman patted my arm gently. "Don't worry. We know Jake: his brother is one of our best members."

"Yeah, I know. Tom."

"Yes. And we're not like him – we're not going to hide anything. Will you let us help you find your friend?"

"Really?" I gasped eagerly. "You can do that?"

"I do have my uses," Chapman smiled easily. "We can and will help you get your Tobias back. All we ask in return is your help."

I was ecstatic. I could find Tobias! Everything could happen as Erika had said! "What do you need me for? Anything. I'll clean the lunch hall for a year. I'll do all your filing. I'll clean all the pen off the toilet walls. Anything."

"Oh, nothing like that," Chapman said. "We will help you find Tobias. If you will allow us to make you a full member of the Sharing."

"Yes! Of course! Whatever you want to do… Whatever initiation rites, I'll do them twice. I'll do them three times!"

"Good."

Chapman lifted the cloth from the box, and I saw that it wasn't a box at all – it was a tank. But it wasn't that which made my eyes widen, my throat tighten, my hands grip the sides of my chair in shock.

It was what was inside that did that.