September 16, 1999 3:08 PM

Marco

My name is Marco McCabe. Or Marco McBabe. Heh-heh. Sorry, can't help it. We Animorphs all have our parts. I'm the sexy, sarcastic one. Jake's the fearless leader. Rachel's the warrior. Tobias is the brooding, angsty hawk-boy. Ax is the smart guy. Cassie is the moralizer.

Then there's David. What is David?

David's our wild card. He's been with us for six months and he's never really fit in. We all thought he was starting to, but then we found out about Stephanie.

His girlfriend. The angry dude had a girlfriend. Yeah, I'm as surprised as the rest of you.

Well, he had a girlfriend, but being a controller will put a cramp in a relationship.

I should know.

I don't know why he never told anyone about her. He didn't even tell Cassie, who I'm convinced he had a crush on, girlfriend or not.

Oh, duh, that's why he didn't tell her. Still, I'm surprised he kept her from us for so long. I mean, he risked his life, all our lives really, to see her.

He's lucky he's free right now.

Jake, Tobias, and I were at Ax and David's Scoop. Ax was flipping through the channels.

"Hey, Ax." I said.

Hay is for Horses, Marco. I prefer grass. Ax answered.

Is that a joke? We can never tell.

"Has he come out at all in the last month?" Jake asked.

Everyday at about six o'clock at night. Ax said.

"Cassie says he hasn't been eating the food she leaves for him in the barn."

I followed David, a few times. Tobias said. He pretends he's homeless and goes to a Soap kitchen to eat. Then, he'll usually hang out at the Mall. Most of the time he just works out in the Gym or the new karate dojo. He stays in his composite morph. He goes by the name Terry Stevens.

"Terry?" I ask.

Short for Terrence. I think he took it from the new Batman.

"So that's what he does. He eats, then he works out then comes home and does whatever?" Jake asked.

Pretty much. Tobias says. He's been watching a lot of movies. He sneaks in the theater in some bug morph, then demorphs and watches it. No usher seems to notice.

"Is he getting into any trouble, Tobias?" Jake asked.

Not really. He has a reputation for being moody and grumpy, so most people leave him alone.

"All right, I suppose." Jake said. "Marco, has Erek found out where that notice came from?"

"You mean the one that showed up on the Chee-net about David being spotted in Peach Haven?" I asked.

"Yes."

"No."

"It's been almost a month, Marco."

"Yeah, I know. That whole night was just weird. Erek calls us at 9:45 and tells us that David's been spotted in Georgia. He has no idea where the notice came from. We hitch a ride on a Yeerk Truck Ship. We follow some van and free the bastard. Then he throws me out of the van when he gets pissed. That whole night was just weird."

"Well, we got lucky. We made there and back, alive." Jake said. "But why hasn't Erek and the other chee been able to trace the source of that notice? They have the most advanced technology on the planet."

"Erek said it was untraceable. They couldn't get a lock."

This is unsettling. Aximili said. Whatever sent that notice has powerful encryption capabilities.

Any species you know of, Ax? Tobias asked.

Well, the Dayangs have the best encryption technology in the galaxy. Ax answered. No Andalite could ever hope to crack it. It is the one technology they won't sell.

"Could a Dayang access the Chee-net?"

I don't think so. I believe only a chee could do that.

"Great, more unanswered questions." Jake said.

David met the Dayangs, remember? Tobias said.

"You're right, Tobias." Jake said. "We'll have to ask him about it if he ever speaks to us again."

When the next mission comes up, he'll be there. Ax said.

"You sure?"

No. One can never be sure with David. But I believe he'll be there.

I morphed osprey and flew. Jake and Tobias were debating weather to follow David or not. Ax would put in his two cents about when David would leave.

I flew home. You know, I was the first to meet David. He had found the blue box. He was an arrogant, asshole of a person.

David had this sense about himself that was different from the rest of us, but he was also a bit of all of us.

He's determined, like Jake. He's funny and sarcastic, like me. He's a loner, like Tobias. He's smart and inventive, like Ax. He's brutal, like Rachel. He's an idealist, like Cassie.

That's a dangerous mix. No wonder we acted the way we did toward him, I mean, I guess in Ax's and Tobias's and Cassie's case, to see those traits reflected back at you is a welcome blessing.

But for people like Jake, Rachel, and myself, seeing those traits reflected is not a pleasant reminder. I mean, do I really want to be reminded on how scathing I could be. Does Jake really want to be reminded of how hard-headed he is, and I know that Rachel does not want to see her own rage and anger in another person.

That's probably why, even though Rachel and David moderately dislike each other, they trust each other greatly on the battlefield.

But all of this was before. Before what happened a month ago. I've never been in love, but I can imagine what this is doing to him, and I know that he'll be the same in some way.

But he'll be different. Very different.

I better keep an eye out.