Chapter Seven

By the time I made it to the Sharing's Community Center, everyone else was there already. Tobias and Ax were in human morph.

((I'm here,)) I said.

"Finally," Rachel grumbled.

((Chapman kept me after school,)) I explained, landing in the bushes near my friends and demorphing back to human. ((So what's the plan?))

"We need to get Ax inside the building and to a computer," Jake said. "Preferably the computer belonging to the activities coordinator person. That way, Ax can dig up all the information he can about this dating service."

"If I may suggest-gest something," Ax said. "Perhaps it would be more uuuuseful for me to create a virus. Vi. Vi. Virus. To delete all the informoo, moo, may-tion information on the Sharing's computer network. Kuh."

"That's not a bad idea," Tobias said. "It'd be a huge distraction."

Cassie shook her head. "That's not good enough. We need something that will get the project cancelled forever. Not just delayed."

"Yeah, but how do we do that?" Rachel asked. "It's not like we have control over what the Sharing does."

"I know what we have to do," I said. "If one of use marries Visser Three, he won't need the dating service anymore, right?"

No one laughed. Oh well. Not every joke can be a gut-buster.

"We'll just do recon for now," Jake decided. "When we know more, we can pick a better course of action, okay?"

Everyone nodded.

"Let's split up into two groups," Jake said. "Group A gets Ax to a computer. Group B causes a distraction so no one interrupts Ax once he's in position."

Group A ended up being me, Cassie and Ax.

"Let's go in fly morph," Cassie suggested.

"Why?" I asked.

"Just in case they have security cameras or something," she said.

It turned out that Cassie wanted to go in morph so she could have a private thought speech conversation with me.

((Hey, Marco. Sorry if I hurt your feelings yesterday,)) Cassie thought-spoke to me.

((It's no big deal,)) I responded.

((I understand how it feels,)) Cassie went on. ((Being an Animorph involves so much secrecy and lying that you can never really get close to anyone.))

((I'm fine. Really.)) I said. Cassie is a little oversensitive about people's feelings sometimes.

((Of course you are.)) Cassie said. She sounded disappointed. Well, not sounded because we were using thought-speak, but you know what I mean. ((But if you ever want to talk about it, let me know, okay?))

((Okay,)) I agreed. ((Let's get back to the mission. Ax, do you see that large desk over there?))

It's not exactly easy to see in fly morph. Your vision is split up in a hundred different ways because of the compound eyes. But still, seeing the main desk wasn't a problem. It must have been ten feet long. I guess the Sharing wanted to show off how much money they had when they built the place.

((That's probably the main desk,)) I thought-spoke to Ax. ((Walk up to it and ask the receptionist where the activities person is.))

((As you wish,)) Ax thought-spoke back to me. Technically, Ax was in morph, which is how he could use thought-speak.

"Hello," Ax said. "I am a young, single male looking for fun in my neighborhood. I believe your facilities offer activities designed to further my emotional well-being, physical capabilities and intellectual growth."

"What?" the receptionist asked.

((...Where did Ax come up with that?)) Cassie asked.

((Probably some commercial,)) I guessed.

"I wish to make use of your facilities," Ax said. "Could you direct me to the personage who oversees the proffered programs?"

"What?" the receptionist asked.

((Scratch that,)) I said. ((Ax has probably been watching the BBC.))

((Just ask her where the activities person is,)) Cassie told ask.

"Where is the activities person?" Ax asked. "Son. Per-son."

"Mrs. Durnam's office is in the back with the other offices," the receptionist said, pointing towards a doorway to the left. "But she's in a meeting right now. Can I take a message?"

"You certainly can," Ax said graciously. Then he walked away towards the offices the receptionist had pointed out.

((That went well,)) Ax said happily. ((I believe I have become better at passing as a normal human.))

((You still need some more work,)) I told Ax.

It didn't take Ax long to find the right office. Unfortunately, it was full of people.

((What now?)) Cassie asked.

BRIIIIIIIIING!

An alarm sounded. A loud alarm.

"Alert! Alert!" a voice over a loudspeaker blared.

((The Yeerks!)) Cassie cried. ((They know we're here!))