MARCO

The house is definitely nicer than anything I've ever seen up close. Two stories, well-maintained, set back off the road like it's trying to show off. The yard's huge—way too perfect, like it was sculpted by a professional. There's a pool out back, big enough to make you think you're at a resort, and behind that, a golf course stretches out like it's mocking the rest of us. This place screams money. It's the kind of house you see in movies, the ones where everything's easy and everyone's happy. Part of me can't help but feel a little envious. Not that I'd want to live here, of course. But it's hard not to think about how different my life looks from this, and how much smoother things probably are for people who live in houses like this.

Dark clouds hang low in the sky, casting a gray pall over everything. The air feels heavy, charged, like the storm brewing above is just waiting for the right moment to break. A light drizzle starts to fall, cold and sharp, soaking into the grass, leaving slick streaks on the windows. It's subtle, but enough to make everything feel colder, more urgent.

And then there's David. Damn, the guy's got it all. The nice house, the good looks, the charm he throws around like it's no big deal. Hell, he even caught Rachel's attention today, which, frankly, annoys the hell out of me. I know it's stupid, but I can't help it. Watching him walk around like it's his world and we're just passing through—yeah, it gets to me. But right now, I've got to focus. No time for jealousy.

We've been flying around, scouting the place. The windows are all shut tight, but we can still see inside. The house looks as perfect as the outside—clean, neat, and almost too quiet. No sign of the blue box anywhere. No backpack either. I circle one of the upstairs windows again, trying to make out the details through the curtains.

[No sign of anything unusual] Tobias says, his hawk eyes scanning the yard.

I catch a glimpse of movement in the upstairs bathroom window. David steps inside with a towel in hand. [Looks like he's heading for the shower] I say, trying not to feel too weird about it.

[No one else is home] Rachel responds, her voice tight. [It's just him.]

Jake's circling in midair, his falcon wings cutting through the thickening drizzle with purpose. [Okay, here's the plan. We demorph and go in the back door while he's in the shower. We don't have time to mess around.]

I don't like it, but I know we don't have much of a choice. [And if the Yeerks show up?] I think, trying not to let my sarcasm get the best of me.

Jake's voice is steady. [We'll deal with it. Marco, Rachel, Cassie, and I will go in and search. Tobias and Ax, keep watch.]

Tobias flaps his wings overhead, droplets of water flicking off his feathers as his sharp eyes dart around. [You got it. Just hurry.]

Jake, Rachel, Cassie, and I land in the backyard, hidden by some trees, and start to demorph. The drizzle's steady now, chilling and miserable. It clings to our skin as we shift, the cool air biting as we revert to human form. There's no time to waste. The plan's in motion, and we're committed.

We head for the house, moving silently across the slick grass, my bare feet brushing the wet blades. We really need to figure out how to morph shoes. Rachel looks tense, her hair plastered to her face from the rain, but she's keeping it together. I'm doing my best to stay sharp, to not let my mind wander.

We're at the back door now. Cassie quietly reaches for the handle, her hands steady despite everything. It's unlocked, thankfully. A quiet click later, and the door swings open just enough for us to slip inside. I stay alert, scanning the hallway as we move through the house. The faint sound of water running from upstairs mingles with the quiet patter of rain on the roof, grounding me.

We split up and move quickly but cautiously. The house feels too perfect. Too still. I can't shake the feeling that something's off, but there's no time to question it. We've got to find that box.

I head upstairs, Rachel not far behind me. Cassie and Jake search the main floor.

I step into a room and guess it's David's. There are boxes everywhere—it's clear David just moved in. A big, dark wood bed dominates the center of the room, with a thick, puffy comforter that looks expensive, deep blue, and perfectly folded—the kind of thing you'd see in a high-end catalog. On the wall opposite, there's a big, bulky stereo system with speakers that probably cost a few hundred bucks each. On the other side, a large computer monitor sits on a sturdy wooden desk. The desk has a matching wooden chair with a high back, the type that's probably meant for hours of gaming or surfing the web.

I can see why Rachel might be drawn to him. The place, the look, the attitude—all of it's so effortlessly cool. But right now, none of that matters. I've got a job to do, and my stomach's twisted just thinking about what could be happening outside these walls.

I take a breath and try to shake it off, scanning the room again. Boxes are everywhere, but I still don't see the blue box or any sign of a backpack. I head over to the closet, my heart beating faster. Maybe it's in there? I pull open the door and glance inside. A walk-in, of course. Just clothes, designer shoes, a few random things thrown inside. No blue box.

That's when I hear it—footsteps, muffled and slow, coming from the bathroom. My stomach lurches. He's out of the shower. The timing couldn't be worse.

[Marco, you need to move!] Tobias's voice is frantic now. [He's coming.]

I don't have much time to think. I dart toward the closet in a panic. I slide into the darkness. The air is thick, the clothes surrounding me like a suffocating barrier.

But then my mind races. Idiot. This is David's closet. He's probably coming in here after his shower to grab some clothes.

The panic starts to bubble over, but I force myself to think. I close my eyes for a second and concentrate, pushing the fear aside. I can do this. I just need to focus.

I quickly start to morph, feeling the familiar changes as my body shrinks and shifts. The first thing to go are my arms. Then, my legs, shortening and pulling in as my exoskeleton emerges. The world around me grows larger as I morph into a cockroach. The process is quick, but my mind is racing as I feel my body crawl, my tiny legs skittering across the floor. I almost forget where I am as I scurry further into the shadows, hoping David doesn't see me.

Just then, the closet door creaks open.

I freeze, every antenna on alert. I hear David grab clothes from the shelf. He doesn't even know I'm here. The door clicks shut again, and my tiny body relaxes, but the relief is short-lived.

Ax's voice suddenly breaks through my thoughts, sharp and urgent. [A large rectangular vehicle is pulling into the driveway. It contains Visser Three's human morph and Hork-Bajir.]

My heart skips a beat. Visser Three is here. We're out of time.