Chapter 28
Erek smashed concrete blocks and bent reinforcing steel girders with an eerie speed. The wall was no less than a foot thick, designed to stand up to hand-held artillery. Erek was way more powerful than a rocket-propelled grenade, and he was proving it.
When the hole was big enough, I nimbly leapt through it into the building. Marco was right behind me. "Down the hall, pass two doorways on your right. Take the one on the left, and you'll be at the vault. I've locked the retina scanner open, you just need to punch in the code. 526900091621, enter," Erek called after us softly.
(Oh, is that all?) Marco asked sarcastically as he followed me down the hallway. (Just a billion numbers to remember, no big -)
(Marco, shut up,) I demanded. I was repeating the series of numbers to myself as I ran down the empty hallway, trying to remember them. Planet Earth depended on my ability to remember those twelve numbers.
To his credit, he did shut up. But another distraction was on the way – from the front of the building, I could hear gunshots and at least one bigger explosion. (They're in,) Marco said tensely as we hung the left we were supposed to. (Man, that was fast. They went through the exterior guards like butter.)
There in front of us was the biggest vault door I'd ever seen. Okay, so I haven't seen a bunch of vault doors in my life…but this thing was intimidating. I ran to the control panel and carefully lined up the claw-like nail at the end of the Hork-bajir's finger. (Five-two-six. Nine thousand. Nine-one-two-six-one.) I prayed and pressed enter.
"Incorrect entry code," a mild female voice said from hidden speakers. "You may re-try."
I said a word I won't repeat and tried again. I was sure I had the first seven numbers right. I was also convinced I'd managed to jumble the last five. I hoped I'd have enough time to switch them around and get it right before the Yeerks got there. As I was about to try again, Marco said, (Tobias, you gotta hurry. They're getting closer, and they're moving fast.)
I could hear that he was right – the gunshots were growing louder, bouncing their echoes down the cavernous hallways of the diamond exchange. (If you don't leave me alone, I'll never get it open,) I grated, and started typing numbers again. Enter.
"Incorrect entry code. You have one remaining attempt. If another incorrect code is entered, the vault will lock down for one hour and security will be summoned. Would you like to re-try?"
We could not be locked out of this vault. Couldn't have it. The whole mission, the whole world, depended on it. (Marco, run back and ask Erek for the last five numbers one more time!)
(No time,) he said anxiously, and I realized he was right. The shouts and gunshots were literally down a hall and around a corner – in seconds, they'd be on top of us. (Give it your best shot.)
I don't hesitate very often anymore, but I hesitated now. So much had never ridden on my shoulders before. (This is impossible!) I yelled.
(Chill. If we can't get in, the next best thing is to lock them out,) Marco said, sounding oddly gentle. (Give it a try, T-bone. Give it the old college try.) He even laughed a little.
Without realizing I was doing it, I laughed along with him and started punching in numbers. 'It's gonna work this time,' I thought triumphantly as I finished the code. 'It has to work.'
"Incorrect entry code. Lockdown has been initiated." The voice was emphasized by some forbidding-sounding clangs from within the vault door. "Please lie on your stomach and lace your fingers behind your head. Security is en route."
I spun to Marco. (What now? What now?)
He didn't have a chance to answer me. Six guys dressed in camo and armed to the teeth came running around the corner, looking like soldiers charging an enemy position. Which, I guess, is exactly what they were. They looked surprised to see us, but it didn't last long.
Suddenly, Marco and I found ourselves looking down the barrels of six very big, very human rifles. One of the soldiers broke rank and stepped forward, and we knew who he was by the way he spoke to us.
(Two Andalites,) he said in thought-speech as his skin started to turn blue. (Two Andalites stand between me and the conquest of your homeworld. You really should surrender, this time. Pretty soon, Andalites are going to be just as extinct as humans. What do the humans call it when they save some of a species before they die out?) His butt was extending way out behind him, tearing his pants as his rear legs and tail sprouted. (Ah, yes, conservation. Think of me as a conservationist.)