Bail or Break

Rachel sat on her bed, legs crossed. Her gaze was fixed on her math homework but there was no way she could concentrate. She couldn't stop thinking about Tobias. She liked him but he was starting to scare her. She couldn't tell whether his advances were just because the bird instincts or something else all together. She was pretty sure he couldn't tell the difference either. She was startled from her thoughts when the phone rang.

"Rachel! It's for you," her mom yelled up the stairs.

"Thanks, Mom. I got it," she replied and picked up the phone.

"Hello?" she spoke into the receiver.

"Hey, it's Cassie. We're heading over to the school," Cassie explained.

"Oh ok. I'll be there as soon as I can," Rachel responded and hung up. She set her math book aside and checked the hallway. No one was in sight. Letting out a breath she opened her window and morphed into a cat. She agilely leapt from the window to the tree outside her window. Digging her claws into the bark she descended to the ground and took off at a run in the direction of the school. She caught up with the others behind a dumpster in the back parking lot. She demorphed and stood up, stretching.

"Everybody here?" she asked.

"Everyone except Tobias," Marco answered.

"I have called to him but he does not respond," Ax informed her.

"I'm sure we'll be fine," Rachel muttered. She wasn't sure at all and him not showing worried her. He was their eyes and ears when they were on the inside.

"Come on, let's go before we are spotted just hanging around," Jake ordered. They move towards the side entrance to the gym. Jake motioned for them to be quiet as they crept along the edge of the hallway outside the gym.

"Where exactly did you think they were hiding this?" Marco whispered.

"I think it's under the science lab rooms," Jake answered.

"Then why are we going in this way? We have to walk around the whole building," Cassie voiced.

"Because we couldn't just walk in the front door. It will be crawling with Controllers," Jake answered.

"Shh, I hear something," Rachel shushed the group. She peered around a corner to see Principal Chapman walking towards the science rooms.

"Looks like Jake was right," she breathed as she ducked out of view.

"Ok…so we know where they are hiding the new Kandrona. What do we do now?" Marco asked.

"Well we can't destroy it today. There are too many of them here. We'll come back tomorrow. They shouldn't be here then," Jake decided.

"But we don't even know how they are getting there. For all we know tomorrow's science experiment is getting Yeerked?" Marco suggested.

"We find out tomorrow. Come on before they spot us," Jake hissed.

Shortly they were all back outside, heading for Cassie's barn. Tobias hadn't shown and they could all see that Jake was angry. Rachel hoped he wouldn't do something stupid. She couldn't be sure either of them would think rationally. They would find out soon enough, however. Just as they sat down in the barn, Tobias flew in. Jake looked up.

"You bailed on us," Jake spat at the bird.

Whatever, Tobias responded.

"Man, we could have been Yeerk food," Marco added, not really sure why he felt he needed side with Jake.

Seem fine to me. Ax isn't freaking out like a pussy, the hawk commented.

"What the hell is wrong with you? I swear if you don't shut up I'm going to-" Jake began but Tobias cut him off.

You'll what? Eat me? Tobias sneered.

"Why don't' you come down here and say it to my face," Jake shot.

Please. I could take you, Tobias remarked. He still morphed into his human form, standing nose-to-nose with Jake.

"You better just back off," Jake hissed.

"I'm not scared of you Jake. Never have been. You think you can just tell people what to do like you own the fucking place," Tobias replied, his hands balling into fists. Rachel watched the exchange in fear. She didn't want either of them to get hurt.

"You're just mad because your life got a little messed up. You're just jealous of me," Jake spat. Tobias let out a laugh.

"Jealous? What the fuck do I have to be jealous of? A brother who is a Controller?" Tobias baited.

"Leave Tom out of this," Jake growled.

"I really don't see what I have to be jealous of then," Tobias remarked.

He turned his back on Jake started to walk away towards one of the horse stalls. The rest of the group watched in horror as Jake took a running step and made to punch Tobias. Tobias spun around, grabbing Jake's fist and twisting his arm. Seemingly out of nowhere, Tobias had a knife to Jake's throat.

"Tobias, stop. Please don't hurt him," Rachel begged but it was if she hadn't even opened her mouth. Tobias still had a grip on Jake's arm.

"Maybe you were right. My life is messed up. But I guarantee you that you would never win in a fight against me," he hissed. He pushed Jake away from himself and tossed the knife aside. He didn't really intend to use it. It was just to scare Jake.

"You've lost your mind," Jake rasped, massaging his sore arm.

"No. No I'm quite sane, Jake. Never been thinking clearer in my life," Tobias shouted.

"Tobias, Jake's right. You're not thinking straight," Rachel pleaded with him.

"I don't recall talking to you, Rachel," Tobias snapped.

"You need to calm down. Whatever is bothering you, you need to let it go. We need you if we're going to take down the Kandrona," Cassie said as calmly as she could. Tobias just ignored her. He took a swing a Jake, causing blood to start gushing from his nose.

"You're so dead," Jake bellowed, tackling Tobias to the ground. In one fluid motion, Tobias had switched there positions and was reigning down punches. It took Cassie and Marco to pull him off. Rachel rushed to her cousin's side. She looked up at Tobias.

"Just leave," she said softly. He pulled his arm from Marco's grip and walked out. The sound of wings flipping could be heard as the rest of the team gathered around Jake.

"I really hope that's just the mating season," Cassie sighed as she found a clean rag to stave off Jake's nose.

"I'm going to kill him," Jake spat, wiping at his nose.

"No, Jake you won't. He just…has a lot on his shoulders," Rachel murmured.

"You keep saying that. What are you talking about?" Jake asked.

"He's probably going to freak on me for this but…he's Elfangor's son," she answered.