disclaimer--see chapter2
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Chapter 12—a valentine's date gone bad
We flew wing-in-wing to the Gardens deserted roller coaster, then demorphed.
"If you ran away to the Hork-Bajir valley I would too," he said.
"They'd suspect something was up and check out the others. You'd have to stay and tell controller police how sorry you are that you don't know where I am."
"Until someone comes up with the idea to infest me to find out if I'm lying? No thanks. I'd rather stay with you."
"And who in the group would monitor parental Yeerk communications?" I asked, "I'm staying if I can. Plan B is only an extreme measure."
"That's good," he said, kissing me.
I experimented with the kiss as an Andalite would, exploring his mouth with my tongue, oblivious to the outer world.
Until I heard thoughtspeak.
((Yes, mouths are intriguing, aren't they? Each one different, yet the same. Used for kissing, eating, and telling Visser 3 how long humans have been fighting with the Andalite bandits.)) the Visser said, below us.
Suddenly we were surrounded by Hork-Bajir and human controllers. Only four human controllers…
Two with eyes as molten silver as their host's son.
And sub-vissers 10 and 15.
Slowly—ever so slowly—I began morphing. My feet, hidden by the roller coaster, became talons, my arms grew feather designs. I rearranged my insides to those of an owl. I saved the biggest physical changes for last, when I would fly away with a burst.
Thoughtspeak came before my mouth transformed.
((Silver, stay calm. I'm going to get the others. Looks like we both get to run away together after all. Okay, I'm gone,)) I said, kissing him goodbye and bursting into the air.
((GET HER!))
"See you, Michelle," Silver whispered as I flew swiftly to Aximili's scoop.
((AXIMILI, ESTRID, WE HAVE A PROBLEM!)) I yelled.
((WHAT!)) they asked when I told them what the problem was.
((I'll get Jake and Cassie. Estrid, get Tobias, Marco and Rachel. Aximili, please get Beth and Jason.))
((Of course,)) Aximili said, executing a slight bow.
I flew over to Cassie's barn, hoping Jake and Cassie hadn't left.
They hadn't.
((Jake, Cassie, we have a situation.))
I paced back and forth, hoping against hope that Silver wasn't a controller or dead. A million scenarios popped into my mind.
"How long does it take to get a Hork-Bajir and a chee!" I asked, looking at Cassie's clock again.
((Michelle, it has been three of your minutes since Prince Jake left. Be patient.)) Aximili said.
((Why do you pace?)) Estrid asked.
"Because Visser 3, sub-vissers 10, 15, 749 and an Efrin pool slug have my boyfriend. By now they could have him infested. Pacing is a sign of great worry."
((Oh,)) she said, ((It could be worse, you know. If you hadn't executes such a stealthy morph, we'd all be in danger with no forewarning.))
"That doesn't change the fact that Silver is in danger and I'm waiting for Jake to return with Toby and Erek!" I said, glancing again at the clock.
Rachel and Beth were saying how—if it'd been them, they'd have morphed power and gotten rid of Visser 3 and the sub-vissers. Cassie came over to comfort me, as was her way to do things.
Marco, Tobias, and Jason stood off to one side, not rude enough to join Beth or Rachel's conversation, and not even gonna try to talk to me. They were boys, they didn't know what to say to me, when my boyfriend was almost certain to suffer a fate worse than death on Valentine's day.
Finally, I stopped pacing.
"He's taking too long. I'm going to the pool. Who's with me?"
"Is a battle to ensue?" Beth asked.
I laughed maniacally.
"The Yeerks will think twice before taking my boyfriend next time. I can smell the Yeerk blood already," I said.
"I'm in," said Beth.
"Someone's gotta make sure you don't go berserk," Jason said, "we'll all make a date of it. I always wanted to be on this side of the battle."
The older Animorphs sighed. They knew the stench of battle, I guess.
"Someone with battle experience should go," Rachel said, looking at the others, "I'm in."
"Someone should wait for Jake to return," Cassie said.
In the end, only Cassie, Aximili and Estrid stayed. We were leaving just as Jake was returning.
((Sorry, Jake, I waited long enough. I'm getting Silver back,)) I said.
He didn't argue…much. He assembled the remaining Animorphs and followed, telling Erek and Toby to wait for our return.
We landed outside the Yeerk pool entrance we'd used to get Dep back. After Jason entered a code, we were in. and in out battle morphs.
I was met with a white tiger upon entering.
((Hello, my sweet,)) the tiger said. Behind him stood Visser 3 and sub-vissers 10 and 15.
((Silver, you remember when I said the first thing I was in the war to do was free my parents?)) I asked.
((About the time my host said he was in the same for his parents.))
((Well, I changed my priorities, Silver. First, I free you.))
I attacked, leaving the others for my friends. Blow-for-blow, Silver's Yeerk and I battled. We had each acquired the same tiger, and as such were equal. But I had one thing on my side.
I didn't have someone in my mind doing his damndest to escape. Silver was doing all he could to stop the Yeerk—annoying him, screaming, reaching out.
The Yeerk was fighting his host and me. I was fighting for Silver.
Still blow-for-blow, we fought until we were both bloody and panting for breath.
((You fight well, for a newbie,)) he said.
((You fight well, for a parasitic slug.)) I returned, fighting him once more.
((Altrun 4376, you have spent one hour and 40 minutes in morph. I will not tolerate a nothlit sub-visser,)) Visser 3 said.
((Michelle, an hour and a half in morph. Demorph, remorph, fight again.)) Jake ordered.
((Jake, no orders. I can take care of myself.)) I said, quickly demorphing and remorphing.
I finished remorphing before he finished his demorph.
((Hard to morph if you can't concentrate, isn't it, slug)) I asked, pouncing onto him as I had with Jason.
Suddenly an Andalite tail-blade was at my throat.
((I take great pride in my future sub-visser, human. Get off of him,)) said Visser 3.
Translation, "I haven't gotten your secrets from him yet."
Jake, Aximili and Estrid were by my side in an instant, defending me from the Visser. I wouldn't back down and they knew it.
((I take great satisfaction in taking your pride, Visser 3, because he is my boyfriend, whom you have taken from ME,)) I said, silently apologizing to Silver as I knocked him out. I grabbed his morphing suit in my mouth and dragged him slowly.
Suddenly, Toby and a few free Hork-Bajir came in and helped me drag Silver outside and defend us against the Visser's attempts to get him back inside. Beth in her Kodiak bear morph picked him up to take him away but Marco walked up.
((I have opposable thumbs. You have claws. Who do you think would be more useful where?)) he asked.
Beth didn't argue, just went back inside to the battle.
((Jake, I'm going with Marco, okay? I'm going to stay with Silver until we get rid of this…thing,)) I said.
((Do whatever you have to do. Everyone else, keep these guys too busy to follow them. Marco, to the Hork-Bajir valley,)) Jake said.
((Sure thing, Jake,)) said Marco, hoisting Silver onto his shoulder.
I did a quick demorph, remorphing to Hork-Bajir. The quickest way to the Hork-Bajir valley was through the trees.
((You're a natural-born Animorph, mic. Where are you going to go now they know where you live?)) Marco asked.
((I think I'll stay at the valley until other plans are made. Can someone survey my house? I want to get some of my stuff as soon as possible. Mostly the bugs and Raknid, my tarantula. I can live without most of my clothes and my laptop,)) I said, making sure noone followed us.
((Tobias and I will do a stakeout, but they'll expect you to return. There may not ba a chance to get your…pets,)) he told me.
((I know, but I gotta try.))
When we got to the Hork-Bajir valley, they tied Silver to a tree and posted a guard. I made sure that a cage and a small mesh net was placed over him. Precautions against any morph were taken.
Only then did I lean near the cage and sleep.