It took more time than he'd honestly been expecting, explaining the presence of the Radam on Earth, as well as Slade, Shara, and just how the siblings fit into the Animorphs' battle against the Yeerks.

"So, what's who they are and where they came from," he said, finishing up the story of Slade, Shara, and just how the pair of them had come to join up with the Animorphs.

"It sounds like all of you have been busy while I was away," the android said, and Jake glanced back at where the siblings were standing, Slade watching as intently as Shara.

Jake supposed it made sense, since while Slade did tend to be something of a follower, this was still something that involved the Animorphs as a whole; and, whatever else could be said about Slade, he had dedicated himself to protecting the rest of the Animorphs from anything that might threaten them.

"Yeah. Still, I guess the Radam are one more of the things that we'll have to find a way to fight on our own," he said, turning his attention back to Erek once he'd finished checking on the siblings for their reaction.

Though honestly, he'd mostly been watching for Shara's reaction, since Erek wasn't enough of a threat to them for Slade to have much of a reaction to him.

"Yes," Erek said, though the android didn't seem particularly pleased about it. "Anyway, that wasn't what I came here for. We've discovered something strange going on."

"Are we clear?" he asked, looking up at Tobias, knowing that he was the best placed to make sure that no one was coming close enough to see them; or really, close enough that Slade would attack them for being a potential threat. "Sorry, I want to make sure we're safe."

"Do you think I came alone?" Erek asked, an amused grin on his holographic face. "Three of my people are spread out around us, keeping watch. Tobias will never spot them, not even with his eyes."

"Oh? You want to put money on that?" Jake asked, smirking slightly.

(All clear,) Tobias said, landing on the same branch that he'd flown off from in the first place, preening his feathers as he settled back down.

"You didn't see anything at all?" he asked, feeling more than a disappointed.

(Well, I saw two Chee protecting tree holograms, and another trying to pass himself off as a rock, but nothing to worry about,) Tobias said breezily, continuing to preen himself. (I know these woods,) Tobias said smugly, as the rest of the Animorphs – with the notable exception of Slade, of course – laughed along with Erek. (You think you can just park some big old holographic willow tree where it doesn't belong and I won't notice? Puh-leeze.)

"Remind me never to underestimate you, brother hawk," Erek said, sketching a short bow toward Tobias where he perched on his branch. Then, becoming serious again, he continued. "The second-ranking man in the Secret Service, someone by the name of Hewlett Aldershot the Third, is presently in the hospital in a coma. He was hit by a car while walking across the street. We haven't been able to find out why he was in the area, however, we do know this: no one even knows he's in the hospital to begin with."

"His family doesn't even know?" Cassie asked, sounding worried.

"No. No one knows; not his family, not his boss, Jane Carnegie, not a single person. The hospital is also heavily infiltrated by the Yeerks; half the staff are Human-Controllers, and his name isn't even in the computers. And, on top of all that, the car that hit him is a minivan belonging to our old friend Chapman."

"Well, I guess we'd better check this out," he said, nodding.

xxxxXxxxx

The meeting broke up after that, with the rest of the Animorphs heading back to their various houses, and leaving her, Slade, and Cassie to fly back to the barn for the night.

Shara was also left to wonder just what the story behind Erek truly was, since she hadn't heard a single breath from him while he'd been present, and his steps had sounded a lot heavier than someone his apparent size should have had. Still, with Cassie's parents expecting her back in their house, there wasn't going to be time for her to get those kinds of answers.

She'd have to remember to ask later, most likely when she and the other Animorphs went out to investigate that man from the Secret Service. The man who was apparently important enough to the Yeerks' efforts that they were willing to risk the secrecy that they otherwise seemed so dedicated to so that they could have uncontested access to him.

As she settled down next to Slade, in the hayloft where the pair of them had stayed ever since Jake had found her older brother, Shara couldn't help but wonder what was going to happen on their next mission.