Once Mista was healed, the three prepared to wait for the others. As they did, Mista suddenly lifted his gun.
"That trash can just became….a person! Another enemy stand user?" He asked.
"Hold your fire, Mista," Cassie said. "That's one of the Chee. Our android friends."
Mista lowered his gun as the woman walked forward. "She doesn't look like an android."
"Well, yeah," Giorno said. "They have to pass off as people. Weren't you listening to what Cassie said earlier? We had a whole conversation about it."
"Jenny, it's good to see you. What are you doing here?" Cassie asked.
"Cassie! We've come to help," she replied.
The streetlight shimmered and suddenly in its place was another woman.
"Any more Chee I should know about? I prefer not to be surprised," Mista said.
"Just me and Lourdes," answered Jenny.
"Holograms would be useful as disguises," Giorno commented. "Thank you for coming all the way here. We're just finishing our mission for the boss and then we can focus on the Yeerks."
"Wonderful," Lourdes answered with a smile.
Narancia waved Giorno, Mista, and Cassie down from a boat. "Guys! Who are your friends there?"
"The Chee," Mista called. "They've come to help us with the Yeerks!"
Rachel, who was also on the boat, waved to Lourdes. "Hey Lourdes! Long time, no see!"
Lourdes waved back and everyone got in the boat and went into the turtle, except for Rachel and Narancia. Cassie, Mista, and Giorno reported back on the mission and introduced the Chee to everyone. Jenny and Lourdes showed the fascinated stand users what they looked like without their holograms and told of how they had helped the animorphs in the past.
The boat ride went on. The rest of the gang, minus Trish and Bucciarati, went on the boat. The animorphs stayed in the turtle. Bucciarati put the disc Cassie retrieved into the laptop and read the instructions. The boat docked.
"So the boss is in the top of that tower, huh?" Narancia said.
"Well, he certainly is detailed and careful. Given that he's the head of the entire organization it makes sense," Fugo said.
"It's strange knowing that this will be the end of our mission. But we're all alive. Couldn't ask for more than that," Abbacchio commented.
Mista brought up food, and after some talk of eating, Bucciarati, who had gotten out of the turtle, bellowed, "Have you lost it?! In case you've forgotten, we're STILL on assignment. Narancia, keep an eye on the radar."
"Sure," Narancia answered, snapping out of his thoughts about eating.
Giorno offered to be Trish's guard but Abbacchio snapped at him, pointing out that as capo Bucciarati should be the one to do it. After requesting Giorno's ladybug broach for good luck, Trish and Bucciarati left for the tower.
In the turtle, Jake turned to Jenny and Lourdes. "Can you two help me out with something? I want to go with Bucciarati. Make sure he's safe. I have a bad feeling about this."
"But the boss's orders were that no one goes in except for him and Trish," Cassie pointed out.
Jake fixed her with a hard stare. "I know. Which is why one of the Chee is going to pretend to be me while the other helps me get into the tower undetected."
"And here I thought Rachel was the crazy one. Do you really want to impress Bucciarati that bad?" Marco laughed.
Jake glowered at him. "I want to protect him, that's all."
"I'll pretend to be you," Lourdes offered.
"And I'll get us inside the tower," Jenny said.
"Perfect," Jake answered.
Be safe, Prince Jake, Ax said.
Don't do anything that Rachel would do, Tobias added.
Rachel rolled her eyes.
Jake and Jenny successfully snuck out of the turtle, off the boat, and into the tower.
"Where could they be?" Jake wondered.
Suddenly Tobias's faint thought-speak came into his head. Giorno is tracking Bucciarati with that ladybug broach. They're headed for the crypt!
"That wasn't part of the plan," Jenny noted. Her human hologram was gone from stretching a hologram around her and Jake, so she looked like her true dog-robot self.
"We have to get down there," Jake said, running to the stairs. "I knew something was wrong."
One minute he was running down the stairs with Jenny. The next they were at the bottom of the staircase.
Outside on the boat, the others were noticing weird things happening. Narancia and Mista were fighting over chocolates but suddenly Narancia had them stuffed in his mouth. Giorno got ready to hand Fugo a water bottle but it was gone from his hand and already in Fugo's. Cassie was out of the turtle and by Giorno.
"Something isn't right," Giorno said, panicked. "The world isn't working like it should be!"
Tobias, who had landed on the boat after doing a surveillance of the area, chimed in, Maybe it could be the Ellimist or Crayak?
"Somehow, I don't think so," Cassie replied. "But…...we have to do something." She stepped off the boat, Giorno following.
"Hey, you dumbasses, you need to-" Abbacchio began. All of the sudden he was on land, having grabbed Giorno and Cassie's arms. The other animorphs, who were out of the turtle, looked around in shock.
"Okay," Marco said. "Something weird is going on. We have to investigate."
"But-" Abbacchio began.
Before he could say another word, Giorno was running into the building with the animorphs following, including Lourdes disguised as Jake.
Meanwhile, the real Jake had reached the top of the stairs where Bruno lay, bleeding and holding Trish. Jake launched himself in the air, crashing to the floor beside Bruno. Jenny followed, holding the hologram up.
"Jake….what are you….." Bruno coughed.
"Time is skipping. I figured that out already," Jake answered, trying to get to his feet. He winced, glancing down at his bleeding knee. "Jenny has a hologram around us. We have to move and get away now. I knew something bad was happening in here. Zip up your wounds! We need to get out."
Using Sticky Fingers, Bruno zipped up the hole in his stomach and the gash along his shoulder. He staggered to his feet, then gasped. Jake spun around but didn't see anything.
"What?"
"It's his stand!"
"He can't see us," Jenny said. "Just like we can't see him. Bruno, use your stand to get us out of here."
Bruno made a zipper in the wall and as it closed lifted Jake, Jenny, Trish, and himself to the ceiling. They were now on the first floor. Bruno fell on the floor, coughing.
"Are you alright?" Jake demanded. The screech of a hawk made him look up.
"Over here, Tobias!" He called as Jenny lifted the hologram. "Bucciarati needs medical attention!"
Tobias spun around and flew toward the group. Giorno and the rest of the animorphs came running. Giorno immediately began to heal Bucciarati while the animorphs formed a circle around them. Giorno was healing Jake's busted knee from his fall when Bucciarati stood up, grabbing Trish.
"What's going on? Why is Trish knocked out in your arms?" Fugo asked as the rest of the gang caught up.
"I'll explain later. We need to get out of here," Bucciarati replied.
The gang and the animorphs ran out of the building. Bruno set Trish gently down in the boat.
"What is this Bucciarati? We deserve some answers so you better start talking!" Abbacchio demanded.
Bruno stepped out of the boat. "You're right. I'll cut to the chase- I saved Trish and have committed to betraying the boss. Unfortunately my friends, this is where we part ways. If you choose to join me, you'd also be choosing life on the run."
"You're….betraying the boss? But why?" Fugo asked. "Please don't go! Don't do this!"
"Bucciarati, please. At the very least, we deserve an explanation," Abbacchio said, much more calmly.
Bruno glanced back at Trish, then at his team. "Fine. The boss only had us deliver her to him so it'd be assured he could kill her himself. Once I knew the truth, I-I knew he couldn't be forgiven. I couldn't stand before you and ignore his vile depravity. I had to betray him!"
"I don't believe this," Fugo said.
"Have you lost it, Bucciarati?" Mista asked.
Bruno lifted his head higher. "I'm doing what I know is right. I'm doing what I know is just. You can either join me or not. It's your choice."
Fugo swallowed. "I need to speak my truth too. I'm surprised you're being so sentimental. Throwing your life away for some girl you don't even know. We don't even know what kind of music she likes because she won't tell us! You're all going to get killed. I owe you my life, Bucciarati, but I can't do this."
"You may have lost your mind, but even so, I'll go with you, Bucciarati," Abbacchio said. "The only time I ever feel at ease is when I'm with you."
With that being said, he stepped on the boat.
"Abbacchio!" Fugo cried out.
Cassie stepped forward, glancing shyly at Giorno. "Life is precious. Fighting the Yeerks seems impossible, so this new mission should be a breeze." She stepped into the boat as well.
Fugo glared at her. "You're all idiots," he declared.
So be it, Tobias responded, landing on the boat.
Ax stepped in, in human morph. "This complicates our Yeerk mission, but we're going to see it through to the very end."
Mista stepped up to the boat next. "Bucciarati is smart. He wouldn't pick a fight he can't lose. I'm in."
"The Yeerks are still after you. They'll probably want Trish as well. We're not cowards," Marco said, getting in the boat.
"You're idiots with a death wish," Fugo seethed. "You're insane! You'll be completely isolated! It's your funeral though."
Rachel and Jake stepped on the boat.
"This kind of danger is nothing new to us," Jake said.
"Backing out wasn't an option," Rachel added.
Narancia glanced at Rachel. "What should I do?" He panicked.
"Are you scared?" Bucciarati asked.
"Of course I am," Narancia cried. "I need an order. Tell me to do it and I won't be scared anymore!"
"I can't. It's your decision and yours alone," Bruno replied.
"I'll come with you," Lourdes said. "I can help with my hologram abilities."
"I'll make sure Fugo and Narancia get back safely," Jenny said.
Bruno nodded to the Chee. "Thank you."
The boat pulled away from the dock. "Thank you, Jake," Bruno told the leader of the animorphs. "You saved me back there."
"Of course," Jake responded. "It was nothing." He glanced back at Fugo. "I hope that he didn't leave just because of the Helmacron incident."
"I don't think he did," Bruno answered. "His choice has nothing to do with that."
"Guys, look," Rachel pointed.
It was Narancia, swimming to catch up with the boat.
"Trish and I are the same!" He was shouting. "We've both been through the same things! I want to protect her!"
The boat was stopped and Narancia climbed in.
"Good to have you, Narancia," Bruno said.
"You better not bitch and complain," Abbacchio said.
"Great to have you, buddy!" Mista said enthusiastically.
Rachel put her hand on Narancia's shoulder. "I knew you'd make the right decision."
The boat continued to drive away, the motor running. "Looks like Fugo isn't coming after all," Mista said quietly.
"It was his choice to make," Abbacchio pointed out.
At least Fugo isn't another David, Jake thought to himself. Although if I were to compare him to any of the animorphs, that's who he'd be closest to.