Animorphs 29 The Reward (Cassie)
Author James the Lesser
I do not own the characters, Applegate and her many Ghost Writers do! But I do hope any who read this will enjoy, even if I change things up!
1
My name is Cassie. Just Cassie. No I'm not like Cher or Bono I do have a last name. I just can't tell you. Or what state I live in, town, or high school I go to. You know why by now. The Yeerks. Although right now I wasn't even thinking about them.
Jake and I were on an actual date date. Not a meeting for the Animorphs or a dinner with our parents. Not even a study date. An actual date date at the movies. Rachel would have teased me about it and probably made me wear some dress so I didn't tell her. And my mind had a big enough distraction. It kept thinking about the L word. Love, L word, is that what I had with Jake? I've never said it out loud to him. And he's never said it out loud to me either. But we knew that we each loved each other. How could we not after what we've been through?
But tonight was about us as teens. Normal teens worrying about getting good seats and hoping no one would sit right in front of us. That was always so annoying. I'm not really short but short enough a normal person can block my view.
And I was really nervous. Butterflies in the stomach didn't do it justice. Jake and I had held hands plenty of times and even kissed a couple times. Ah, that first time on the Dr. Seuss world of the Iskoort when I thought he had died but he made it. I had only seen kisses like that in movies and then I had one of my own!
But now what? Would we actually watch the movie? I know a lot of couples would make out at a movie but is that what Jake expected? Or what if he really did wanna see the movie and me trying too kiss him would set him off? A kiss after a near death battle came so easily but now? Why can't I be normal? Oh, Elfangor and the blue box and the invading Yeerks. That's why I can't be normal.
The movie started and he put his hand on mine on the arm rest. Holding hands was a normal thing. We do it all the time. Well, not when we're at school. Usually right before we go in to battle and he wants too reassure me every thing will turn out ok. But we weren't going in to a battle. This was much more nerve racking because I didn't know what too do and Jake wasn't giving orders.
Last night when we ended the meeting I hadn't expected this. We were planning on going east to take out another Kandrona. And before he left Jake pulled me aside and asked if I wanted too see a movie, with him. And now I was. Right? Or should we not be watching it? Is that what he expected? I look out the corner of my eye and see he was doing the same thing!
"Um, Cassie, you want a sip?"
"Um, ok." How could I be so nervous? Was he as nervous as I was? No, he was Jake our fearless leader. Only he did fear and he was only the leader because it fell on him.
"Hey you two could you keep it down?" I started too turn around when I saw a fist fly forward and hit Jake on the back of the head.
"What was that for?" I stood up and confronted the person. I recognized him. He was Jake's cousin Saddler. Except Saddler was dead. Which meant... "David."
"I knew you'd recognize me. But David is still wanted by the Yeerks so I went as this instead. I got hungry for some mall food and I saw you two. I couldn't resist following."
"But you were trapped as an owl."
"Says who? Crayak got rid of that pesky two hour limit for me. Boy I really had you guys fooled didn't I?" I watched as he morphed back in to himself. In the dark of the theater no one would have seen it.
"I, I'll," He pulled some thing out of his pocket, a gun. "A gun? Really?"
"A chimpanzee acquired it from a store. He didn't steal it because animals can't steal can they?"
"But you would never kill a human."
"Oh this is just for show. And too get you out of here quietly."
"Why me?"
"That first time you trapped me. It was you who planned it wasn't it? Rachel would have gone for the big bang. Marco? No way. But you? You're like the little psychologist of the group. You could have figured it out right? Yes the perfect way to trick me would have been your plan."
"Ok, yes. I'm sorry but it was the only way." What could I do? He had a gun. But he wouldn't use it right? But if he did... There were a lot of innocent people in here. I needed a plan. "David, please, don't do this." I needed him stunned long enough I could get the gun. There was only one really disgusting way of doing that.
"Take my hand and lead me out of here. I'll keep the gun lowered so no one can see it." He stuck his hand out.
"Ok." The second I touched his hand I began acquiring his DNA. Disgusting thinking I would have his DNA inside of me but it would put him in a trance.
I grabbed the gun and pointed it at him. I looked down and saw Jake was just coming to. "Ok David you lost this round."
"Oh I did? You won't use that on me. You struggle killing the Hork Bajir so no way you would kill me a simple human."
"You are a terrible disgusting human who wants me and my friends dead."
"Oh no I don't. I just want the blue box."
"You can't have it."
"Then I'll kill your friends until you give it over." He started leaning towards me so I pulled back.
"Don't get any closer." The weight of the gun felt incredible. I'd never really held one except for a tranquilizer gun. "I'll shoot."
"No you won't." I had a new plan.
"Yes I would." I aimed at the floor. "He's got a gun!" I pulled the trigger.
People started screaming and shouting. I glared as best as I could at David. "Get out of here while you still can."
"You missed me."
"Well next time I'll aim better." He really thought I tried shooting him. But he was right the first time I couldn't shoot him. I did struggle with killing the Hork Bajir knowing they were peaceful herbivores who were enslaved by the Yeerks.
"Next time Cassie." He turned and ran with the others.
I dropped the gun and helped Jake up. "Some one has a gun we must get out of here!" I had too act like I was scared. We must look like every one else or it would be suspicious.
I couldn't believe it. Our first real date date was ruined by David. Not David as an owl as he should be but as Saddler. We called the others as soon as we could then I went out and found Tobias who then found Ax for us. Now we were meeting in my barn.
I was angry. I wanted a normal date with a normal guy away from all the things that made us freaks and one of the things that made us freaks followed us. "David doesn't have a 2 hour rule."
"So he could go cockroach and sneak inside our house and wait for hours until we went too bed?" I saw Rachel shiver. She wasn't scared she was as disgusted as I was.
"Yes, I guess. But he still says he wants the blue box."
(He can't have it. If animal bandits gained enough human attention it would also raise Yeerk attention.)
"I know Ax. We broke it back down and scattered it again."
"What if he saw you do it? He could have been watching us this whole time."
"No way Marco. If he knew where it was he would have grabbed it already and not gone after Cassie and I on our, um, time out."
"Date? Awww! You two went on a date! Cassie you should have let me known I could have put you in some thing better then those clothes and maybe done some thing with your hair. And make up, I could have," Jake finally cleared his throat cutting Rachel off.
"That isn't important." He looked over at me. "Right now. What is important is that David is still around and still dangerous. I'm canceling the attack on the Kandrona until we deal with David."
(Is that wise? Right now the Yeerks must be struggling with shipping Controllers to and from that site and the Pool Ship and other sources for Kandrona rays. If we can keep them spread apart it would slow the invasion down.)
"Well, David wouldn't interfere. Would he Cassie?"
"He just wants the blue box. And if we don't stop the Yeerks what good will his bandits do? Money won't mean much if the Yeerks win. If any thing he should help us because in the end it would benefit him and what ever benefits him matters most." If he was in my barn he would hear this. Maybe it would change his mind. Maybe it would make him leave us alone if even only for a few days. We would be leaving our comfort zone and going on a dangerous mission.
"He may not be thinking that far ahead. Or know what the Andalite's would do if they come here and think Earth too far gone for saving."
(The Quantum Virus is only a last resort.)
"It may be the only resort if we can't slow the Yeerks down."
"Well Marco can you call the Chee?"
"What, why Rachel?"
"I need a shower in the morning and with David able too morph any animal I want a hologram protecting me."
"Yeah, I'll make sure he chooses a female Chee, I guess. But couldn't they just change the hologram? What if they choose like by flipping a coin? Oh gee died in this life now flip a coin and see what I'll be next life. Heads a man tails a woman."
"I'm not sure how that works and I don't care I just need my morning shower too wake up and I won't let David steal that from me."
2
I couldn't sleep. My perfect day had been ruined by David. I missed the movie, missed spending alone time with Jake, and what ever might have happened. I don't know, I never been on a date before. A real one any ways.
And now maybe we wouldn't attack the other Kandrona we knew of which would only help the Yeerks. David was messing things up in so many ways.
That morning I wished I had Marco call two Chee. David wasn't obsessed with me as much as he was Rachel but I couldn't know what being trapped as a rat and knowing I was the one who came up with the plan did to his mind. Maybe now he would focus on me. I took as quick a shower as possible then went downstairs for breakfast. "Honey what are you doing up so early on a Sunday?"
"Couldn't sleep. I was thinking of that deer we rescued from the fence on Thursday. If that shoulder doesn't heal properly he'll never walk normally again. And if he can't run then we can't release him back in to the wild he would be killed by the first wolf that saw him."
"Cassie dear animals die all the time."
"I know and when it is by natural causes that is ok. But he gets caught on a fence and breaks his shoulder that isn't natural. That is our fault not his. An animal shouldn't die because of our actions."
"And those eggs were grown from plants were they?"
"Eggs aren't animals. I'm mostly vegetarian not a vegan. Also it isn't like the eggs were taken from a nest of California Condors or Bald Eagles. They were taken from a farm that has chickens for the sole purpose of laying eggs."
"So is the bacon on my plate. It comes from pigs raised on a farm for the sole purpose of becoming my breakfast. But you won't have any."
"The pig was an actual animal. An egg, especially unfertilized, is not an animal. Neither is milk even though it comes from a cow. Like I said I'm a vegetarian not a vegan."
"Well honey don't worry about the deer. I looked at his shoulder this morning and it does seem too be healing pretty well. I'll keep checking but maybe in a week or two it will be fine enough we can release him safely."
"I hope so." I had too many responsibilities. Homework, animals in the barn, and of course stopping an alien invasion. Lying to my parents was just another. How many had I told before the war? Some sure all kids do it but now? Dozens a week easily. But it was needed.
I was going out to the barn when I saw Tobias. (Hey, I saw a Golden Eagle near my meadow. It acted suspiciously.)
"Are you sure it was David?"
(No but pretty sure. Any ways I can't be staying in my meadow. If I fall asleep and he attacks me at a time no normal Golden Eagle would be out I'd be dead before I knew what happened. But that also means I can't hunt my normal area so could I have a quick mouse?)
"Where are you staying?"
(Rachel's. The Chee can cover me from her little sisters and mom.)
"I gotta call Erik and get a Chee of my own. David might give up on Rachel and go after me instead."
(I don't see him now but he may have beaten me here. Any word from Jake?)
"No." I couldn't call him could I? Yesterday was a disaster. But this was about David and not our failed date. "I just need too feed some of the animals first. I'll grab you a mouse while I'm in the barn."
(Thanks. If only I had a bigger bird morph. I'm the best in the air but the greatest welterweight boxer couldn't take down a super heavyweight. Heck he probably couldn't even reach the guys chin.)
After taking care of Tobias and the animals I called Jake. "Hey, yesterday was fun, thanks."
"Yeah. But you put off taking care of the animals. Maybe I could come over and help you out?" He caught on quick.
"Yeah, sure. And maybe later we could go see what Marco's friend wanted too show you." Jake had the Chee's secure number, I didn't.
"Yeah, I'll call them before coming over." He figured out what I meant, good.
"Thanks, cool, see you soon." My first time seeing him since... But this was about David not about the disaster yesterday. Which was only a disaster because of David. "Don't cry." I jumped and turned around seeing a woman I didn't recognize.
"Um, who are you?"
"The friend you ordered." The hologram dropped for a second revealing the Chee underneath. "We thought you would prefer a female like Rachel did."
"Uh, yeah, that was fast."
"I was nearby as a tree."
"A tree? And who near here?"
"We must keep those who wiped the Howlers out as safe as we can. If we can provide you with an early warning in case the worst happens it may make all the difference in the world." The hologram of the woman smiles. It was weird thinking that underneath was an android who probably would smile if it could. That it could feel emotions. "And since I faked my own death a couple months ago I've been put on tree duty."
"Why did you fake your own death?"
"Frustration with my own work." Huh. An android could get frustrated about their job? But this was no android any human could think of. They weren't machines they were sentient just not organic. They were made too be that way so they could be friends and not appliances for the Pemalites.
"What did you do?"
"Communications on the Pool Ship."
"That doesn't sound very boring."
"When you wish you could do more it gets frustrating not boring. I could have emptied the Yeerk Pool, shot the Blade Ship as it was coming in, so much more."
"But you can't commit violence."
"I know. Just because I can't doesn't mean I don't want too. Erik says it was the right decision having Jake hide the Pemalite crystal but he never gave us a chance. He says it was horrible killing but that was his experience."
"It is. I, I hate doing it. The Hork Bajir are innocent. And being human I have a hard time fighting other humans and hoping I don't kill one on accident."
"But you have the choice. I don't. If I did it and found it deplorable I could then choose too stop. But if I did what I have planned and then stopped? I could probably turn the war. Do you have any idea how many hundreds of thousands of Yeerks are kept on the Pool Ship?"
"No, no idea."
"But it is all moot. I can't do any thing more then throw up a hologram."
"Which I think is amazing and very helpful."
"Thanks. It can be. One time when I played a teen and was in school I got bored and may have played a prank on the teacher a few times."
"You can do that?"
"As long as it doesn't hurt any one."
"Erik never talks about doing any thing like that."
"Well we're all different."
"Really?" Wow. This Chee was really open about stuff. Erik was nice but he kept a lot about the Chee a secret.
"Of course. We were all designed by a Pemalite. Why do you think I am considered female and Erik is considered a male? The Pemalite who designed me was a female. She liked practical jokes and pranks so she designed my personality too express that."
"We've always wondered about that! Like has Erik always gone as a male? And if so why? So it is because the Pemalite who designed him was male?" She nods. "Cool. Well, until Jake gets here I should make sure the wolf gets his meds."
"I can help."
"You can?"
"As long as you don't ask me too reset a bone or knock it out physically."
"Well if you could hold the mouth open that would be great, uh, name?"
"Bobby. Sorry I was just so excited I was actually doing some thing. Sitting on the Pool Ship keeping track of communications was so boring. I went from being a reporter in Vietnam running around helping save lives while taking photos from deep inside the jungle to sitting on a ship. The Pemalite who designed me hated being on a ship. Was just too stifling."
"What was her name?"
"In our language you could never understand it. The best translation of it? Maybe Basseroodle. I butchered that. It doesn't translate well. But thank you for asking."
3
When Jake showed up I had the majority of the work down. Bobby was tireless and a lot faster then any human. The stalls were mucked the meds were given and now I just had the leg brace on the deer that held the shoulder still. "So what's after this?"
"Nothing. Bobby helped me get every thing else done."
"Bobby?"
"The Chee."
"Oh, ok. Uh, I don't see,"
"Boo!"
"Aaa!" Jake turned around and swung. Thankfully Bobby was too far away and he missed. "What, the, heck," Jake's heart must have been going a hundred miles an hour.
"Sorry too easy." Bobby laughed making me laugh a little even though I felt a little bad about it. "See how easy it is too hide? I was hide and go seek champion thirty one through thirty seven."
"Uh, which thirty one and thirty seven?"
"Nineteen thirty one and thirty seven." Strange asking some one that. But with the Chee it could have been just thirty one and thirty seven.
"So uh, you're Bobby?"
"Yep. So are the others coming? Ooo I've always wanted too be in on a meeting."
"No, not until later. Um, Cassie and I need too talk about, things. Could you go stay here while we go out?"
"Of course. I'm needed so she can use the bathroom and shower with out the Animorph known as David spying on her. Same as Megan is doing for Rachel. But I can do other stuff. I love animals I've been a vet twice and worked in the stables for different kings throughout Europe during the Middle Ages."
"Looks like Erik chose the perfect Chee for Cassie."
"Yep!"
I loved flying. With Osprey vision I could see so much farther than a human. And unlike a lot of birds of prey I can see through water. So I could see at the bottom of a pool and not just the shiny reflection on top. (So um, about yesterday, sorry.)
(It wasn't your fault Jake. We all thought he was trapped again.)
(If I had recovered faster I could have protected you.)
(I didn't need protection. And if he had hit me as hard as he hit you I doubt I could have gotten back up.)
(Thanks.) He had been worried about that since yesterday? That he didn't protect me? I never thought of that. I was just thinking of the disaster.
(So what do we do?)
(That's why I wanted too talk with you. I don't know what we can do. We can't trap him and we can't let him have the blue box. How do we stop him?) I knew what he was asking.
(We can't kill him.)
(Some of us can't. I'm pretty sure Rachel would. Ax and Tobias might if I ordered. Marco is calculating enough he might also.)
(But you know I won't.)
(I know. And killing a human, even David, should be agreed upon by every member. So I'm asking you now. If we ask for a vote and some one like Rachel or Ax volunteer too do it will you vote yes?)
(As much as I hate David I can't. I'm sorry Jake but no. Killing him is wrong. He didn't ask to find the blue box. He didn't ask for the Yeerks in his parent's heads.)
(So it isn't his fault what he did?)
(No! That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying the regular David would have gone on and never made any waves. But when it was all forced on him like that? He lost his family and any chance of a normal life. If he didn't change it would have been amazing.)
(For all we know he didn't change.)
(True. But I don't know what I would have done in his shoes. I come home with the blue box and a week later find out my parents are now my enemy? And I can never go home again or be seen in public? Would I kill and take some one's place? I hope I'd say no but I don't know.)
(I know you'd say no. But you're right. If I came home and found out Tom had made my parent's Controller's and had a Yeerk ready for me? If I escaped what would I do? I'd warn you and the others but then what? They'd probably go after Marco since he is my best friend. Rachel since I do hang out with her and she is my cousin and Tom's cousin. And then you because you're uh, my uh, you know.)
Thankfully Osprey and falcons can't blush. (I know. David is a threat unlike any other because he has the same powers as us and knows us. The Yeerks? They're every where and have advanced technology but we know if we see Chapman or a Taxxon they are the enemy. A fly on the barn door? A fly or David.)
(So you'd still vote no?)
(I would. Even if some one else would do it.)
(Well then we can't do much but keep the blue box hidden and go after the Yeerks.)
(So the mission is still on?)
(Yes. When I called Erik I set up the Chee who would play us. We aren't sure how long we'll be gone but thankfully the Chee don't mind playing us.)
(But some mind what we did.)
(Huh?) I told him about what Bobby said. (Oh, well, Erik is our source for the Chee. He says do this or that and I assume he is talking for all of them. With the Chee Net aren't they in constant communication with each other?)
(But they don't each other every thing. She said she could have sucked hundreds of thousands of Yeerks in to outer space.)
(That would have slowed them down.)
(Yes but wouldn't that be wrong?)
(Cassie they are the enemy.)
(But when they're out of a host they really aren't that threatening are they?)
(So you feel bad when they're in a host but you won't kill them when they aren't in one?)
(Well, if they just left us and released the Hork Bajir and um, other races. Maybe not the Taxxon since they made a deal or some thing and they all volunteered.)
(They won't Cassie. Maybe instead of going after the Kandrona we should go for the Pemalite crystal.)
(After what happened you were horrified by what Erik did.) Was Jake really thinking we needed more of that?
(And back then I actually thought about winning. Now? I'm just hoping we hold on long enough that when the Andalite fleet gets here they don't exterminate us.)
(So you would undo what the Pemalite's did because of the Yeerks? You would make them monsters?)
(I wouldn't make them any thing. I would give them the choice. Bobby would volunteer.)
(Because she has no idea what it is like. I can't believe you Jake. The Chee help us and you would return their help like this?)
(It isn't like I would make them or give them orders. Just the ones who volunteer could redo their programming and do what they wanted.)
(You would make them monsters.)
(If the Pemalite's had done it they'd still exist.)
(But would they deserve it? Winning is great but what if we win and find ourselves like, not, not worthy of winning? Corrupting the Chee would taint our souls.)
(Is it like cheaters never win? If we do some thing so horrible so we could win would we deserve the win?) Finally it sounded like he understood where I was coming from. (It might taint the few of us but the rest of humanity would be saved. And all the animals of Earth. I couldn't force the Chee but if I could go back and stop myself from putting the crystal in the ocean I would. I would let the Chee choose. And if they found it as horrible as Erik does, as you do, as I do, and went back I wouldn't stop them.) He was a leader in a war. He would take any help I'm sure. Even if it meant corrupting the Chee.
(I'm sorry. I couldn't do that.) But I wasn't the leader and this was why. (But I wouldn't blame you for doing it. You make the hardest decisions on Earth and I'm glad I don't make them.)
(Thank you Cassie. It can be hard some times. I make decisions I don't like but know they must be made.) If only I had known what decisions he'd be making soon. I could have done some thing maybe that would have saved a life or two.
4
When I got back home I felt a lot better. Hanging out with Jake as birds was so easy even with what we were talking about. Why couldn't a regular date be so easy? No butterflies in the stomach and stuff.
I didn't see Bobby in the barn. "If you're hiding please just come out now."
"I was hiding but not from you." She came out of one of the stalls. "Your dad came in looking for you. I didn't have your permission for copying you so I hid."
"Oh crap. Uh, I need a lie."
"You could call out his name and I could show an injured animal running in to the woods. Just tell him you were chasing it."
"You're a life saver. Um, make it another deer."
"No problem." I went out of the barn and waited.
When I saw the hologram deer I shouted. "Dad get the tranquilizer gun!" He came out of the house and sees me.
"Cassie what are," He sees the deer. Bobby gave it an arrow sticking out of it's back leg. "I'll grab it don't let it get away."
"I'm trying!" The deer takes off in to the forest and I chase after it.
I waited for my dad as the deer hologram flickered out. "Never mind!" I start walking back when I see him. "It got away."
"It probably got away from the hunter as well. This isn't any kind of deer hunting season. But if he used a bow then it wouldn't make a sound. A smart poacher."
"It was really fast so maybe the arrow will just fall out."
"I hope so. If it stay in and the deer hits some thing wrong it could go in deeper and hit some thing vital. Are you ok?"
"No, not really." I had too act like I was out of breath. "I've been trying too coax it for uh, not sure how long. I didn't know where the tranquilizer gun was and if I let it out of my sight it would get away."
"You tried. Well it looked like you got every thing else done."
"Yep. Getting up this early on a Sunday helped me get a lot more work done." I yawned. "But I think I need a nap."
"You got all your chores done so go ahead."
"Yeah. And a shower. Running through the forest isn't a good way of keeping clean."
"Check for ticks."
"Yeah, I know."
I went back to the barn. "Bobby, I'm taking a shower and a nap so uh, cover me."
"Of course that is the main reason I am here."
"Main reason?"
"Well I've wanted a more active role in the war. Doing what ever I can for the Animorphs is active."
"Have you seen a battle?"
"Kind of. When you guys were on the Pool Ship months ago I made sure the shafts were kept open as best I could. If I wasn't restricted I could have done more."
"It didn't disturb you? Seeing that blood and death?"
"I've seen plenty. Some of us have worked in wars as medics of various kinds. A fellow Chee was burnt at the stake for being a witch back in England."
"Was she hurt?"
"No she made a hologram of herself burning alive then broke the rope and escaped. Science was magic back then. Healing sword cuts and bones smashed by maces is gory work. We couldn't do too much or we might give ourselves away."
"What about Erik?"
"It depends. He worked in the Vatican a couple times. He worked as a hairstyler for Shakespeare and helped Newton with a couple things. He staid around artists and scientists for the most part."
"Why?"
"How he was designed. My Pemalite liked jokes and pranks and adventure. His liked learning as much as possible. I know you think us Chee like one race one mind but we are all different. My Chee didn't like being on a ship. But when they found a new planet or moon she would be the first one too volunteer for an exploration mission. Others would stay back and wait for new things being brought in so they could study it."
"You're right I did think you were all like the exact same thing. Sorry."
"Don't be we hide so much from others it isn't a big surprise you think that. I know we can't give away too much or tell your every thing but you are a friend. You helped stop those evil Howlers. You have saved countless races in the future from being wiped out. If you could have done it thousands of years ago you would have saved our creators." I saw her near tears. The hologram was showing what the android underneath wished it could do. I felt so bad for her. Some times you just need a good cry. But an android? Totally unexpected.
"Well, um, your welcome. But now I need a shower and need too shave my legs. I didn't this morning since I got out of the shower as fast as I could."
"Take you time. I'll see how far I can get in Pi before you're done." Now that was some thing I expected from a Chee.
5
Friday, school was out, and we were still planning our attack out east. "So we all have geese. My only problem is this city is way far east. I don't think we can carry a GPS unit with us."
(Prince Jake I have been observing maps and I believe I can get us there.)
"Don't call me Prince."
(Yes Prince Jake.)
"So when do we leave?"
"We can leave tonight. I don't want the Chee going to school for us again. My Chee got me a B on a history test and the next one I got a D and my parents freaked."
"Then can I have your Chee? Mine keeps giving me a C grade."
"Can I be Cassie this time?" We all jumped. Bobby had been hiding behind a hologram again.
"How long have you been there?"
"Once Cassie was done with my use this morning I came out here and watched the animals. I saw a rattlesnake and distracted it with a hologram mouse so it would not bite any of the other animals."
"Rattlesnake?" We all knew some one with that morph.
"David was here. Maybe he was looking for the blue box."
"Like I'd keep it here. Jake you know it isn't here."
"I know Cassie. But no checking on it either. If he follows you he could find it."
(He could not put it together.)
"I still don't want him finding it. Every one get some thing to eat and meet back here at one. Get some food and some sleep. Let's just hope it has gotten warm up in the mountains or we may be very cold Animorphs." As the others left Jake came over and took my hand in his. He was nervous but couldn't show it around the others.
"Cassie um, I'm hungry, are you?"
"Well, I was gonna eat with my parents in case this is the last time I see them."
"Oh, well," Over his shoulder I saw Bobby. She was making hand puppets and making kissy actions.
"But you could stay. I mean, if you want. I'd like that."
"As long as your dad doesn't try feeding me some of that chili of his. I can't believe Ax not only ate it but liked it."
"He's eaten cigarette butts and candy off the floor of a movie theater. I'm not sure if those would be any worse." We both laughed. This was easy. This was just normal pre mission jitters but it seemed so easy compared with what happened last Saturday.
"Well if I'm not needed I'll go be a tree until Cassie leaves." Normally that would sound weird but after all the things that have happened it wasn't that weird.
Dinner with Jake and my parents was great. My parents liked him a lot so that made things easy. He always came over and helped with the animals and homework and stuff. He was nice to my parents it was hard not too like him.
But after dinner he went home. I took another shower since it may be awhile since I could take another then I went to bed.
I was up and at the barn a little early. Thankfully so was Jake. "Jake what if we get lost? And how many stops will we be making? I should have looked up how fast a goose can fly."
"Between forty and sixty miles an hour. Yeah we'll be making several stops."
"It is over a thousand miles."
"If you take roads. We can go in a straight line so it might only be nine hundred miles. I think we might stop half way in a warm place and sleep."
"What? But, this, Jake it could take time for getting in to the Yeerk Pool. And flying back would take as much time as it will take getting there."
"We'll miss school. I told the others we wouldn't so they wouldn't get down about it. Ax and Tobias probably won't mind but Rachel and Marco? And you? I'm sorry I lied earlier but I'm telling you now. This could be our longest mission ever. We'll be going outside of our comfort zone."
"Way outside. Although we've been off planet before this feels so much farther. But we won't be getting in trouble will we? The Chee are a huge help."
"Yeah, they are. Even if they are limited." I didn't like the look on his face.
"What are you thinking?"
"I kinda know the general area where we put the Pemalite Crystal. The Chee who want it could look for it."
"Let them make the choice? And hope they make the wrong one."
"I know you hate violence. I hate it too but I know it is needed. I'll use the violence needed for slowing down the Yeerks. And who knows we may need the Chee in stopping the Andalite fleet."
"You don't really think the Yeerks would be that far in the invasion? Especially if you made the Chee violent."
"Who knows what they will do. Ax told me before in secret that there may be another reason for wiping us out. We are advancing faster then any race he knows of. Marco's father was already getting close to Zero Space discovery before he fixed the program. He first thought he advanced us centuries but now thinks maybe less then a decade."
"So?"
"So look at our history. We've waged countless wars with each other. Imagine what we might do if we find a planet with a lot of gold? We committed genocide on the Aztecs for it and they were humans. What would we do if the planet was inhabited by Hork Bajir? Simple minded herbivores." He was right. Humans in the whole are kind with their own but even the slightest difference like skin color or faith led to countless wars and genocides.
"So they may wipe us out any ways? Wow that kind of sucks thinking about. And depressing. Even if we some how won they might show up and wipe us out."
"How could we win? Short of them landing the Yeerk Pool Ship on Earth and by then we'd be dead or taken by Visser Three."
"Unless we got on the ship and some how piloted here. Exposed the Yeerks so maybe the military could take them out."
"Cassie? That's actually not a bad idea."
"Whoa, no. Getting on the ship would be suicide alone and if we did get it on Earth? Visser Three would get what he wanted and start an open war."
"Unless we crashed it. Huh, I wonder if Ax could pilot it. Cassie we could win the war!" Jake in his excitement knocked over a stack of shovels and other tools.
"Hey!" Rachel was wearing her morphing outfit so she must have flown here. "What happened? Jake could you yell any louder?"
"I, well, Cassie had an amazing idea."
"No, I didn't. No it was a terrible idea."
"What? Oh please tell me we're calling this mission off."
"No not yet. But Cassie could win us the war."
"NO! Jake, forget I said it. A billion things could go wrong. What if we needed more then one pilot? Only Ax could do it. We couldn't ask the Chee because crashing the Yeerk Pool Ship would kill all kinds of people."
"Let's do it! I love that idea! Can we do it now?"
"No! I can't believe I said that. Where would we crash it? What if it started a forest fire? Or if we crashed it in the water it could dump all kinds of chemicals and destroy the ecosystem. And they could send another."
(The loss of a Pool Ship would be devastating. The Andalite fleet would find out.)
"Ax, no, bad idea. You couldn't pilot the Pool Ship alone."
(No but the responsibilities for it shouldn't be that tasking. Simple thought commands when in contract with the right control panel would be all it takes.)
"No, no, no! It was a stupid idea. Can we focus on the current mission?"
"What are we not focusing on?"
"Cassie had an idea that we crash the Pool Ship in to the planet." I saw the color drain from Marco's face.
"Cassie why? Why? No that is more then suicide. I mean, no, that is exactly suicide."
(Unless we morphed cockroach. Nothing can kill a cockroach.)
"No Tobias, Ax, Rachel, no."
"I'm with Cassie on this one. We couldn't pilot that thing."
(I could with a little help.)
"No! Every one listen we aren't doing that. We have our own mission which will take us a long time just getting there. Jake please focus." I was getting upset. It was a horrible idea. How many people would be on there? Humans and Hork Bajir and Gedd and who knows what other kind. Slaves to the Yeerks. And if we couldn't control the fall of the ship and it crashed in a major city? Millions more could be killed. I should have just kept my mouth shut.
"She's right. We must focus on the current mission. We better start flying soon."
(We won't have thermals but I don't know how much a goose relies on them. So the faster we leave the faster we learn.)
"Did you eat?" I thought he might want another mouse but he never showed up.
"I fed him some burger off a Big Mac."
"Aww bird boy and Xena on a date." Rachel glared at Marco while Tobias moved over to the rafter above him.
(Stay still Marco I have a present for you.)
"Hey it was a joke."
"You shouldn't make fun of them." Tobias's life was hard enough as it was. If he and Rachel could find time for each other I thought it was sweet. I wonder what they could do. Did he morph to human ever?
"Just because your love life consists of forty year old men on the internet. Don't be jealous Marco."
"And your love life consists of mucking stables and shoving pills down a wolf's throat big Jake. I think I'll stick with girls on the internet who won't ask me too take a talon or two while she resets a wing."
"Jake never took a talon. The bird would be tranquilized before we tried that." I got too smirk at Marco for that one. Tobias and Rachel, Jake and I, we were four strange people but we... Had certain feelings and emotions that Marco didn't understand.
"So are we leaving?"
"Yes. Tobias are we clear?"
(We're in the clear.)
"Time too go. We'll see how far we can fly before we get too tired. If we need too we'll find a place and sleep."
"Oh great sleeping in a tight shirt and shorts in the middle of nowhere."
"We'll be in leotards so we're worse off."
(And we better have a tree. I don't sleep on the ground.)
"Let's just go." I followed Jake outside and soon we morphed.
6
It took three morphs and demorphs before we left the state. Already we were getting tired. (Jake are we there yet?)
(Marco you ask me one more time and I'll have Tobias morph to red tail hawk and attack you.)
(I don't know if I could do that in mid flight. But if Marco asks that again I'll do it with out your order.) We were getting on each others nerves already and it had only been a few hours.
(As long as we're here can we go and gamble? Think about it one of us stands behind a different poker player and can thought speak what they have.)
(Marco we aren't going that far south. And we aren't old enough.)
(So we acquire some one who is old enough. Come on this could be our only chance!)
(No! No more talking.)
(For me or every one?)
(You're the only one who has been talking Marco. Shut, up. We have a long ways too go.) Marco finally went quiet. I wanted too talk with Jake but he seemed annoyed enough already. (Ax are we on the right path?)
(Judging by the stars yes.) From then on we went quiet.
Several morphs later and one more state over we were all too tired. (I'm hungry and I don't know the hunting around this area.)
"I'd say let's buy some burgers but we have no money."
(And this desert has no grass. I can't feed as well.)
"So we're gonna starve to death? Great. I call first dibs on the drumstick."
(Hey!")
"We could morph seagulls and eat out of a dumpster. I don't care how nasty that sounds I'm starving."
"I don't think that works. We must eat as a human if we want our bodies getting any nutrients. But I never tried it."
(You're right Cassie. I eat as a human it doesn't fill up my hawk stomach.)
(Yes that is correct. Or else the human food like french fries and vinegar would need too be processed by my Andalite biosystem which may not be healthy.)
"So what? We go in as animals and steal food then pay for it later?"
"And clothes. It is warm right now but a desert can get to freezing at night." I couldn't believe what we were planning. "David would call us hypocrites."
"Except we'll send the places money. We aren't starving or freezing to death. Even better we can bring the clothes back when we wake up. I want two teams."
"I call clothes!"
"Rachel regular clothes not designer. But yes you were my first choice. You, Tobias, and Ax. I don't want Ax around food."
"Then we're on food detail? I can't have meat." Being a vegetarian limited what I could eat but it was worth it.
"Why I want you on the food team. Tobias any preferences?"
(Meat is meat cooked or raw.)
"Uh, Ax, we'll look for grass. Can you eat leaves?"
(If I stepped on one it would not harm me.)
"What about buffalo?" Every one looked at me like I was crazy. "They can travel hundreds of miles during migration. And they are big enough we could have carried bags on our backs."
"Now you think of that."
"And we would have been way more noticeable. A small herd of buffalo migrating east?" He was right. But it would have made this situation a lot easier.
"And they'd be slowed down by every little thing. Through the air is fastest. I was just thinking we could have carried some thing as a buffalo." So we would go for clothes and food.
Jake, Marco, and I couldn't go around in what we were wearing so as soon as we could we morphed. A wolf, tiger, and a gorilla walked in to a grocery store. No this was not the start of a joke.
People screamed and panicked. (Marco we'll keep you safe just grab a cart and throw stuff that doesn't need cooking or a can opener.)
(Salad for the lady raw hamburger for bird boy and a bag of chips for me. What will the other lady have? The blood of innocents? What else would Xena want?)
(Stop making jokes and just grab food! And drinks we need water and soda.) A security guard was getting close with pepper spray.
(Jake roar it will scare them more then a howl from me would.) When he did I could feel the floor shake a little. The guard dropped the canister of pepper spray and ran the other way.
(Ok guys got enough for a couple of meals and snacks so let's hope that the others got enough clothes.) Jake and I took lead as we left the store.
We met the others back in the desert. "Chips? This is a basic necessity?"
"Was the Gap a necessity?"
"Hey we're taking the clothes back later so it didn't matter how much the clothes cost."
"And I wanted snacks. So we're even."
"Ax did you find some grass?"
(Yes. Tobias says he would watch for me so I can eat.
With a full stomach and warm clothes I and every one else was ready for some sleep. But I was a little concerned about the sleep arraignments. Even with warmer clothes we would still be cold at night. "Maybe we should have stopped flying earlier. The day would be warmer."
"It is only three. If we wake up before it is too late maybe we can stay apart."
(Huddling together for warmth is a common tactic when in cold weather. Or when the climate controls on a ship goes out.)
"I don't mind huddling with Jake or Cassie but Marco can go huddle alone."
"Come on it is a tactic like Ax said."
(How about every one goes to sleep now? I don't normally sleep during the day but I'm so tired right now I could sleep on the ground.)
"I'm ready for a good sleep." I kept yawning and struggled standing up.
7
It was dark and freezing when I woke up. I slide across the sand and found Jake. "Jake, Jake, please wake up." I shook him a little harder until his eyes woke up.
"Cassie? Oh, Cassie." He sat up. "Wow it is cold."
"Yeah I think that is what woke me up." He hugged me then let go.
"As long as the others are sleeping maybe we should leave them alone." We both lied back down. I held his hand and looked in his eyes. This was nice. This was easy. I felt him run a finger from my wrist to my elbow. It sent chills through me. "So um, maybe when we get back we could try another date."
"Maybe. It wasn't our fault that last one blew up. I was having a good time until David showed up."
"I'm glad one of us didn't have butterflies in their stomach."
"I'd describe mine more like a flock of birds." We both laughed quietly.
"This mission is extremely dangerous. Can I get a yes we lived kiss before we go through the actual near death battle?"
"I was looking forward to an after date kiss. One that didn't need me demorphing from a wolf or you from a Tiger before doing." I leaned towards him and he leaned towards me.
"Whoa! What is that? A radioactive deer?" We both shot up.
"No man I think it is an alien."
"Yeah but humans, what? Maybe it kidnapped them."
"No! It is an uh, college prank." Jake took the lead as Rachel and Marco woke up.
"What?"
"Yeah we kidnapped a freshman from a different fraternity and painted him blue then stuck a costume on him." Oh crap Ax woke up.
(Prince Jake?)
"Whoa what was that?"
"Ax stay down and shut up." This was bad what could we do? Ax couldn't morph. We needed a distraction.
"Yeah! We're helping our friend with it." I hoped I yelled loud enough.
(I got this.) Yes it worked.
Tseeer! Tobias came down and attacked.
"We must be too close to her nest! Run!" I took off hoping the others would follow.
When we got far enough away Tobias informed up Ax had morphed a fly and was on him. "Wow she must have just gotten back from hunting."
"What kind of bird was that?" One of the ones who stumbled on us was bleeding a little.
"A territorial kind. Um, crap he probably got away. Sorry Ja, Jay."
"I'll just grab another freshman tonight. I can't fail this test."
"Well, uh, we were hiking and we saw you. Sorry for messing up your prank or what ever it was. We're gonna get going just not that direction. We don't need that bird attacking us again." His friend checked his wound.
"Do you need a rabies shot?"
"He doesn't. Birds don't carry rabies."
"Oh, cool. Come on we better get out of here."
"Us too." Jake led us away from them.
A few minutes later we went back. "Good job Tobias."
(Cassie woke me up. Still a little tired.)
"Same here but I guess we better return these clothes and get out of here."
"After a quick breakfast." Marco opened up the chips.
"Chips for breakfast?"
"Why not Rachel? We can have what ever we want as long as it is here."
After eating and returning the clothes we morphed back to geese and took off east. I should have been thinking of the mission but was distracted. I kept thinking of Jake slowly moving a finger up and down my arm as he leaned close to me. If those hikers hadn't stumbled upon us... I better keep my focus or I might lose the others. Even if all I could think of was Jake and, (Cassie!)
(Huh?)
(You're flying away from us.)
(Oh, yeah, sorry.) I went back to formation.
After several more demorphs and morphing back we made it to the city. (Now what?)
(Erik said the entrance was in the airport.)
(Wow.)
(What Marco?)
(You guys must have read all those conspiracy theories right? Online?)
(Some of us have lives.)
(Or live in a meadow.)
(Fine maybe Xena and not her bird boy side kick but come on. Every one knows the conspiracy that the airport is the entrance to a secret alien base.)
(How did it leak? The Yeerks would not allow that.)
(Well it existed before the Yeerks got here but still. How messed up is that? I mean it is like making a fake bomb threat so you can get out of school then a real bomb goes off.)
(So we check out the airport and go in.)
(That's about it. Erik said the Kandrona is right there in the Yeerk Pool. Since no Andalite Bandits are attacking here they don't have as much security.)
(So no hunter killer robots or Gleet Bio Filters?)
(As far as Erik knew.)
(We need too eat and get some sleep first. Jake we can't do any thing like we did last time. If the Yeerks hear about animals attacking a grocery store they'll know it is us.)
(You're right Cassie. But what do we do? I was thinking maybe we could beg for money or do a performance.)
(I could do gymnastics.)
(And I could do stupid pet tricks. Or do a tic tac toe competition with my pet hawk.)
(You want me playing a game for money?)
(If they win they get the money. They lose we keep it. What do you think?)
(It might actually work. Unless I lose every game because it has been years since I last played that game.)
(Well I think we should try it. Cassie and Marco stick with Ax outside of the city. There should be plenty of coverage in the mountains.)
(Shouldn't we be on guard for you?)
(We should be fine. I'll have Rachel perform near me in case a Yeerk gets curious about my pet hawk. We'll land first and make a camp.)
(Please choose a place with grass I am hungry and can not simply eat pre processed food.)
(We'll try.)
8
I stared at the sky hoping Jake would be back soon. My stomach grumbled. I was jealous of Ax who had eaten already. Marco was sleeping. I couldn't. I was worried about the others.
I had fallen asleep with out even realizing it. But I saw Tobias as he flew farther and farther down. "Marco, wake up."
"Huh, what, why?"
"Food."
"Alright!"
(Not yet. Jake already bought a bunch of junk food. We're gonna hide it in bags then have all of us fly down, grab it, then eat it on the roof of a building.)
"Why?"
(It might look weird if a bunch of kids sat around in leotards and sleepwear eating. So we'll be out of sight then come back here and sleep.)
"I got a nice nap I can keep watch so we don't have a repeat of last time."
"Yeah, thanks Marco. Did you eat Tobias?"
(Caught a rat near a dumpster so I'm fine. I'll keep watch over Ax while you two take off. Look for the falcon circling over a McD's.)
"This should be fun. Osprey's are a good size but I don't know how well we can carry bags of food." I started morphing.
After eating and going back we all tried sleeping but the rock we were on was not comfortable. I tossed and turned as did the others. It was a nice warm day thankfully but I just couldn't fall asleep.
I finally did fall asleep and when I woke up I was sore all over. And it was dark and getting cold. Marco and Ax were already awake. "How long have you two been up?"
(I have been up for nearly an hour. Marco woke up seventeen minutes ago. Tobias woke up and went hunting and scouting.)
"Scouting? He better be careful."
(I'm sure he will.)
Once Jake and Rachel woke up Tobias was back. "Any news?"
(A lot of people go in and a lot of people come out. But more go in then the planes could be carrying out. I morphed human and went in and I think the two main bathrooms are the way in. I thought maybe going fly but I doubt they would have good enough eye sight.)
"I could try dragonfly. Hitch a ride on you and then fly in."
(Exactly what I was thinking. I'm guessing it will be a stall and you probably twist the handle a certain way or tap a certain tile.)
"That would be the Yeerk way." I raised my hand.
"I have a Dragonfly morph."
"You do?"
"Yeah. And I could figure out the woman's bathroom entrance. That way you don't need too go in there and stuff."
(I can carry two.)
"Ok. So we go in and find out how they get in then come out. Keep an eye on watches so you know how long you've been in morph. If you must demorph in a different stall."
"Got it." I started morphing in to a Dragonfly.
Tobias got as close as he could before we dropped off. (Jake please be careful.)
(You too Cassie.)
I dove through the doors like a bullet. The Dragonfly can fly around twenty to thirty miles an hour. Easily one of the fastest if not the fastest insect. And the eyes! It was a little difficult getting used too but once you did you could see every thing.
It wasn't hard finding the bathrooms. And with the eyes I could see every stall while hanging from the ceiling. Six stalls in total I just needed a Controller too come in.
I saw a watch, forty minutes had passed.
I saw a different watch, an hour has passed.
A new watch, nearly an hour and a half. I should demorph soon. The handicapped stall would be more then... There! A door opened in the third stall and the woman disappeared inside.
I demorphed and remorphed then flew in to the third stall. Now that I knew which one was the entrance I just needed too see the process.
About half an hour later one came in. She lifted the top of the tank and pressed a button inside. A panel appeared and she entered a code. Six five nine three. The door appeared and she disappeared inside. Now I could leave and hope Jake had found out the way inside through the men bathroom.
Trying too fly high enough I could find Tobias was not what a Dragonfly was built for. (Tobias please I can't fly much higher.)
(I see you I'll try and fly under you then come up and have you land on me.)
(I see you now. I'm ready.) He turned back up and I landed on his back. (Have you seen Jake?)
(He's some where back there.) I had been directing my thought speak at Tobias so Jake wouldn't have heard me.
(Jake! I found the way in.)
(So did I. Let's go back and tell the others. I think we should try and sneak in.)
(We aren't going in for killing Hork Bajir just destroying the Kandrona.)
(Exactly. I think we should sneak in and morph some thing like Hork Bajir. Grab a Dracon Beam and blast it.)
(Tobias and I have Hork Bajir morphs. I think Marco and Rachel grabbed one from the free Hork Bajir colony later but does Ax have one?)
(I doubt it. He can be a distraction outside of the air port. In case we get in trouble we can have him show up as himself. The Controller's will freak.)
(Only if we need it. Being an Andalite out here isn't exactly safe. No forest for him too hide in while he morphs.)
(He'll be a last resort.) We clung to Tobias as he flew back to the others.
9
We told every one our plan. "So it isn't exactly suicide."
"Why not kill as many as possible? If we can get our hands on Dracon Beams why not blast as many Yeerk scum as possible?"
"Rachel a lot of them are slaves. What if your little sisters were down there?"
"Well, we could blast the Yeerk Pool cause some chaos so we can escape."
"We'll see what happens. Ax stay outside as some thing small. Demorph and attack if I give you the order."
(Yes Prince Jake.)
"Every one else we go in small demorph in the bathrooms then go in. Try and get alone and morph in to Hork Bajir."
"This sounds like fun. Just one Yeerk realizes we don't belong down there and we're dead."
"So don't do or say any thing stupid. In other words don't be you Marco."
"Very funny Rachel. No holding hands with Tobias once he has them."
"Marco leave them alone." Why did he feel the need to make fun of them? It was hard enough for Tobias he didn't need Marco piling it on.
I went Dragonfly again. I went in ahead of Rachel and got to the bathroom. I demorphed and waited for her. I lifted the lid and saw the button as she demorphed. I pressed it and the panel appeared. "Get ready Rachel."
"I'm ready." I entered the code and the door appeared.
The staircase went around a middle pole several hundred steps. When we stepped out you could see the Kandrona right away. It hung over the Yeerk Pool. "Nice chandelier."
"Shh." No one else was talking. The line to the Yeerk Pool was short. I didn't see any cages. Were they all voluntary?
I saw Jake, Marco, and Tobias. (Hey, can you hear me?)
"Tobias?"
(Just nod if you can hear this.) I did. (Ha, this is a morph for me so I can thought speak. Jake noticed there are no Hork Bajir down here.)
"He's right." Oh crap our plan was going down the drain.
(He also noticed no one is resisting. No Dracon Beams either.)
This was bad. Our plan needed Hork Bajir and Dracon Beams. Now what did we do? Rachel and I tried walking over to the others as calmly as we could. We couldn't look out of place or... Wait. There was no defense. They thought they were safe. How could the Andalite Bandits know about this place? Why the security was so lax.
When we got to the others I told Jake about it. "So as long as we don't do any thing too obvious we should be safe."
"They must have weapons. Just in case we did show up. Maybe one of the shacks near the Yeerk Pool has them."
"But we can't sneak around them. No one else is near there."
"I'm thinking Dragonfly again. You guys crowd around me and I'll morph. If I find any I'll tell you." We went to a corner and checked making sure no one else was looking.
I flew well above every one in the Yeerk Pool. I couldn't see that far but I was sure I would recognize a Hork Bajir or Taxxon from this height.
The shacks had doors but I could go under them.
I went from shack to shack. Food, drinks, and some first aid but nothing like a weapon. What could we do if we didn't have any weapons?
Two shacks left and I finally found them. Six Dracon Beams. They weren't prepared for an attack. They had only volunteer Controller's here. And we were a thousand miles west with no way of knowing about this place. With out Erik and the Chee we never would have.
I flew back and told the others. "I still think Hork Bajir. It will confuse them if Hork Bajir shouldn't be here."
(I'll start. I'll fly over and morph Hork Bajir. I can break the door open and hand out the weapons. Don't draw attention as you go over there.) I took off for the shack.
I made sure no one was looking as I demorphed. As soon as I could I morphed in to a Hork Bajir.
The others had made it over before I had finished morphing. Tobias was the riskiest because he needed too demorph to his normal self before becoming a Hork Bajir. But no one was looking over here and even if they did the shacks block their view.
As soon as Tobias finished I smashed the door open. (I wanted too do that.)
(Just grab the weapons. Aim for the Kandrona and blast it first. If time we'll hit the Yeerk Pool.) I grabbed one and set the power at high.
"What's going on over there? Who ever is over there that is a restricted," He saw five Hork Bajir Warriors step out armed. "That, there, you shouldn't be here."
(Says the Yeerk Scum.) I didn't think it was smart for Tobias too communicate with a Yeerk but that did sound like some thing Ax would say.
(Fire!) I pulled the trigger as did the others.
The Kandrona shuttered as the placements holding it to the ceiling broke. The Kandrona fell in to the Yeerk Pool. Sludge and Yeerks flowed over the sides. (Shoot the Yeerk Pool I don't think they have any other weapons and it could take time before back up arrives.) We all followed Jake's orders and fired.
I was running back towards the shacks when a blast broke the wall of the Yeerk Pool. Thousands of gallons of the sludge poured out with hundreds of defenseless Yeerks. As much as I hated them in their natural state they were helpless. I crushed some under my feet as I started running backwards.
I fired at a shack and it burst in to flames. People were screaming and running for the exits. (Ok fire a couple more shots and then demorph. Run for the exits like every one else.) I fired at another shack then dropped the Dracon Beam and started demorphing.
I ran for the exits. It would look strange all of us leaving the airport bathrooms at the same time but airport security wasn't that tough until you tried getting on the plane, right?
I was the first one out and ran for the exits. I ran and ran until my feet screamed from the pain. Humans wore shoes for a reason.
I morphed to Osprey and flew for the camp site. It was where we were meeting. The others should be right behind me. Oh please be right behind me.
I landed and demorphed. I saw Ax flying slow circles above. I didn't see any other birds.
It had been what, five minutes? Ten? I didn't have a watch. Maybe I should morph back and look for the others. They must have made it back out! They should have been right behind me. (Cassie I see Prince Jake and Marco.)
I couldn't respond. Where were Tobias and Rachel?
When Jake and Marco landed they told me what happened. "These automatic doors started closing. We got out and realized we were in the wrong bathroom. But we weren't the only guys in there so we didn't stand out."
"So you didn't see Rachel or Tobias?"
"They went up the other staircase. I'm sure they'll be here soon." Jake took my hand in his and squeezed it.
We waited a few more minutes when Ax saw them. (Rachel and Tobias are coming.) He flew down and demorphed.
We had done it. We destroyed the Kandrona and the Yeerk Pool. All with out killing any one. "Glad you two could make it."
"Stop for a mouse?"
(No Marco. Police were called because of the sudden riot at the airport. We had a little trouble getting past them.)
"So now what? Do we fly back?"
"It's all we have left. Who knows we might get back home by Tuesday."
"We have an exam on Wednesday can we take a long break?"
(Marco your Chee will get you a C so you might as well take the test.)
"What ever." Now all we had left was flying back. Which of itself was a huge task.
10
Two more days of flying back but we made it. Bobby was waiting for me. "So how did it go?"
"Well, I guess. We didn't kill any one."
"Well that is good. We've been getting reports about it. They aren't sure who did it. They think it was the freed Hork Bajir."
"Really?"
"All they saw were Hork Bajir. No animals or Andalite's. So now they're looking through records of which Hork Bajir knew of the project and which ones had been freed since."
"What if none match?"
"They won't know. Apparently there were a few major glitches and they lost half their roster sheet I guess you'd call it."
"Convenient." I yawned. We slept for a couple hours but were in such a hurry too get back we didn't bother with food or any thing. We just flew, slept, then took off again.
"Need help with any thing?"
"Could you carry me to my bed?" I had been joking but a Chee was very strong and she picked me up easily.
When I woke up it was the middle of the night. I was starving. I went down to the kitchen and made a sandwich. And then another. And then I opened a can of green beans and ate that. I was still hungry but had school in the morning and should try and get more sleep before then.
The alarm went off. I smacked it and I think I broke it. I didn't care. I was still hungry and still tired.
I went through school the next few days like a zombie. I was so tired and when I got home from school I then had the animals. For once I didn't feel like dealing with them as much as I loved them.
Saturday. I slept in until near noon. I finally got enough sleep. But the animals who took care of them? My dad would have yelled at me if they hadn't been fed.
I got dressed and went outside to the barn. The animals were fine. "I thought you needed some extra sleep. You don't mind do you?" Bobby! She was a life saver.
"No of course not. Thanks."
With nothing to do I went back in the house and called Jake. "Hey, um, wanna go to the mall?"
"Sure. Give me half an hour."
"I'll meet you in front of the food court."
"Ok, cool. My treat." He hung up. Was this a date? I hadn't even thought of that. I needed better clothes then these. And a shower.
I ran back out to the barn and had Bobby follow me back so she could use her holograms for me. David was still out there some where. What he was planning... I wouldn't worry about it right now.
I got to the mall and saw Jake was waiting for me. "Sorry I couldn't fly so I went by bike."
"No problem Cassie." He took my hand in his as we walked toward the food court. We were just a regular couple getting lunch.
A regular couple getting lunch. And then a regular couple watching a movie. We held hands and ate popcorn and watched the movie. My stomach wasn't doing flip flops. I wasn't nervous.
As we left the mall we stopped at our bikes. "Well um, this was nice." Now I started getting nervous.
"Yeah, it was." He smiled, he wasn't nervous was he? "Well that last mission was actually easy. The trip there and back was the hardest part."
"Yeah that's a first."
"It wasn't that dangerous once we got inside. And we weren't nearly killed."
"For a change."
"So I didn't get a thank god I'm alive kiss." My heart started beating faster.
"Um, well, we don't need one every time. We can just have a regular couple kiss." I had to get on my toes so I could kiss him.
His lips on mine, our tongues touching, he hugged me closer. This was what normal couples did.
When we pulled apart I was breathless. "I'm gonna have a hard time peddling home."
"We're both old enough maybe one of us should get a license."
"I can just see it getting blasted by a Bug Fighter."
"That would be our luck."
"I don't know. We've lived through every battle I'd say our luck is pretty good."
A/N So.. longest one yet. Following Cassie was a lot easier then Ax. I focused more on her inner thoughts then the last two as well. Her and Jake working at being a normal couple between fighting Yeerks and David. Introduction of Bobby who explains several things about the Chee for Cassie and reveals that some still wish they could do more. And David is back! But what is he doing? Waiting for the Animorphs too make a mistake? And the Yeerks are spreading out the invasion. How big a blow was this mission? Slowing things down there by destroying the Kandrona and Yeerk Pool should help right? Or will it speed things up? We must wait and see!