Ax has a secret....

Clouds covered t h e m o o n . I t o o k advantage of t h e a l m o s t t o t a l darkness and quickly m o r p h e d a r a c c o o n . I was able to leave t h e camp w i t h o u t any Hork-Bajir or human s p o t t i n g me. An adult female raccoon w i t h a piece of alien technology wedged in her m o u t h . . . .

As soon as I reached w h a t I considered to be a safe distance, I removed t h e Z-space t r a n s p o n d e r f r o m my m o u t h and activated it. . . . A f t e r a s h o r t delay, t h e r e was a response. . . .

<Aximilli-Esgarrouth-lsthill?>

<Yes.> I gave t h e p a s s w o r d to clear t h e channel f o r communication.

<Report,> came t h e c u r t c o m m a n d .

<lt is just as you predicted,> I t o l d Jaham-Estalan-Forlan, a w a r prince and chief of t h e Andalite military. <The human resistance is rapidly-losing its effectiveness. There is infighting. Tensions. Discipline is breaking down.>

<They know nothing of o u r previous communications?>

<They know nothing,> I c o n f i r m e d . . . .

<Heads up. Something's definitely going down.> Rachel, in bald eagle morph, braked and swooped and circled.

James, in peregrine falcon morph, followed, circling almost in tandem with Rachel.

That kind of close formation flying was a misOCR by Nihtelek

take.

Different species of birds of prey do not typically fly together, especially in synchronized motion. I was in northern harrier morph, several feet above my companions and hanging back. Trying to keep a reasonable distance between us in case we were being observed from the ground.

1

I wondered if Rachel would rebuke James. He on a reconnaissance mission. We were to make was new and sometimes made minor mistakes. note of what was happening in the city and report But Rachel was too eager to pursue her invesback to our base of operations. The secret Horktigation into what was taking place on the ground Bajir camp.

below to correct James.

I doubt that Jake had anticipated anything as I, too, said nothing to James. Of all the Anidramatic as what I saw below me. It appeared morphs, I had been most opposed to our recruitthat the city was under military occupation. ing handicapped young humans to be warriors Police, uniformed military men and women, alongside us in our fight against the Yeerks. So and official trucks and cars blocked off many far, the overall performance of James and the streets.

others had set my mind somewhat at ease. Drivers were being stopped and asked to exit Still, I was uncomfortable treating James and their cars. Then they were taken to join the his team as a true part of the resistance. crowds of people being diverted into train staAnd even after all this time on my adopted tions at gunpoint.

planet, Earth, I was acutely aware of being an

<What's going on?> James asked. <Are those outsider. The only Andalite, the only alien in our people being protected, or persecuted? Evacuband of guerrillas. Though on several occasions I ated for their own protection? Or being taken had spoken my mind, on many others I had hesiprisoner?> tated to do so.

<l can't tell,> Rachel answered. <That's the I had no real authority over James or Rachel. problem when the good guys and the bad guys all They were likely to reject any instructions or dilook alike. It's hard to know who's an uninfested rectives from me.

human and who's a Controller. This war gets Rachel, because she listened to no one but more complicated every day.>

Jake, and then, often with barely concealed reI agreed with Rachel's statement. sentment. And James, because he acted as My name is Aximili-Esgarrouth-lsthill. It is my leader and to some degree protector, of the sevenreal name. The others do not use their real names, teen new recruits. James was Jake's lieutenant. though at this point, they could do so without inJake is our leader. He had sent the three of us creasing the danger of discovery.

2

3

Our identities are known now to our enemies. The Yeerks have already enslaved other

We have been exposed. The danger could not get species to use as hosts. For example, the Horkany nearer, clearer, or greater. Bajirand the Taxxons.

Furthermore, our best weapon, the blue box, Hork-Bajir have excellent bodies for purhas fallen into the hands of the enemy. They now poses of combat. They are seven feet tall with have the same Andalite morphing technology as blades on their elbows and knees, foreheads we do.

and wrists. They somewhat resemble the long It has always been difficult to distinguish huextinct reptilian creatures humans call dimans from human-Controllers. At least at a nosaurs.

glance. Now it is also difficult to distinguish real Taxxon bodies are large and unwieldy, like a massive sack of guts. They possess hundreds of animals from morphed human-Controllers.

centipedelike arms and legs. Their mouths are I don't think I'm doing a very good job of exrimmed with razor-sharp teeth. Their eyes are red plaining our situation.

and gelatinous.

Jake is very good at explaining.

Because of their voracious hunger, Taxxons I will try again.

are excellent at instilling terror. Once they sense A race of aliens that resemble large slugs has blood, they cannot be turned back, even if it invaded Earth. The aliens are called Yeerks. means their own deaths. They are driven by a ravSince the Yeerks have no useful bodies of enous hunger that never, ever abates.

their own — no means of movement, virtually no It is difficult sometimes not to pity them. sensory abilities —they search out host bodies. Of course, the bodies the Yeerks covet the They are parasites.

most are bodies like mine. Andalite bodies. The human and the Yeerk coexist. But the reAndalites have four legs. This gives us the lationship is far from symbiotic. The Yeerk is in speed of horses. We have two pairs of eyes, one total control.

pair on stalks. This enables us to see in all direcThe Yeerks' plan is to use Earth as a hub tions at once.

planet. Here they can potentially acquire milWe have the ability to speak without using our lions of host bodies. A massive force of humanmouths. This is very fortunate considering AnControllers will enable them to effectively push dalites have no mouths.

out into other galaxies.

4

5

r

For purposes of combat, our tails are

equipped with a deadly sharp blade.

But it is our ability to morph, to transform into other creatures, that makes our species the envy of the galaxy.

Only one Yeerk has ever succeeded in acquiring an Andalite body. Visser One. The leader of the Yeerk invasion.

For that desecration of my species, I hate him.

And for killing my brother, Elfangor.

<Okay. No doubt about what's going on,> Rachel said angrily. <l see a pair of Hork-Bajir directing people into a subway station. And the people don't want to go. This is a Yeerk operation.>

<Oh, yeah. That roundup is definitely not for the citizens' protection.> James said. James was new. He was still learning. But he was smart and learning fast.

<Human-Controllers, too,> Rachel noted.

<Guns and Dracons.>

James circled, maintaining his altitude.

<Question is, why are the Yeerks herding people into a subway station?>

6

7

<Trains are a good way of transporting a lot of pool has always been the one sure place we have people at the same time. And fast,> Rachel been able to cause serious disruption.> replied grimly.

We, the resistance, the Animorphs, have lo<The Yeerk pool,> I said. <l would assume cated, damaged, or destroyed more than one that is their destination.>

Yeerk pool and Kandrona source.

<Where Yeerks live when they don't have a Animorphs. Marco coined the term back behost body.> James. <Where they feed, too, right?

fore I was rescued and joined the team. The origIf the Yeerks are taking humans to the pool in big inal members of the Animorphs are Jake, Rachel, groups, it means they're mass-producing new Cassie, Tobias, Marco. And me. The only Anhuman-Controllers.> dalite.

<A Controller factory. Assembly line and all. None of us are adults. The others are now of It's sick.>

the age to be attending what humans call "high Rachel and James were discussing the Yeerk school."

pools. It's a pretty basic concept. Yeerks must We have no "high school" on the Andalite feed every three days. The majority of Conhome planet. But we do have the Academy. I was trollers, not important enough to be in possesan aristh in the Academy. What humans would sion of private, portable pools, must journey to a call a "cadet."

central place to absorb the life-sustaining KanMy brother, Elfangor, was a great Andalite drona rays.

military hero. He was killed here on Earth by If the Yeerk is deprived of Kandrona rays, a Visser One, then known as Visser Three, leader of painful process of starvation ensues.

the Yeerk invasion.

<The Yeerk pool is only a train ride away,> Before he died, Elfangor gave the morphing James said wryly. <Very convenient. The Yeerks cube to this group of human young people. The have solved the problem of commuting. Provide ones who call themselves the Animorphs.

your employees with free transportation.> For a long time, we were the only ones with

<Feeding a large number of Controllers is the the ability to morph. Us and, of course, Visser one difficulty the Yeerks have not yet successOne, who only had the ability because his host fully mastered,> I said thoughtfully. <The Yeerk body was an Andalite.

8

9

In our last major battle, the Yeerks were able three, James and Craig and Erica. Their healthy to steal the blue morphing cube that transfers DNA was restored although they have sworn to the morphing technology. Thus, we have lost our continue life as handicapped people. For secuone true advantage. rity reasons. At least until the war is over. But while we still had the cube, Jake realized James is a good soldier. They all are. But inthat in order to continue the fight against the experienced.

Yeerks we needed to increase our ranks. As I I felt we should proceed no further on our mentioned, I was wary of the decision to enlist own. <We should report this to Jake immedihandicapped children, mostly due to their lack of ately,> I said.

combat experience.

<No time,> Rachel replied tersely. <Ax, look However, I could not deny that because the at all those people being forced into the subway!

Yeerks would never consider handicapped huIn just a few hours, the Yeerks could produce anman bodies suitable hosts, these children were other thousand human-Controllers.>

likely to be uninfested.

<So, what do we do?> James asked.

There are seventeen new recruits, including I could hear the eagerness in his voice. The James, the boy called Tuan, and the girls called eagerness of a new soldier. One not yet exKelly and Collette. hausted and sickened by war.

On my planet we call such individuals vecols.

<Let's see if we can either close that tunnel Andalite custom ordains these disabled live in down or slow up production.> Rachel answered. isolation. It is largely for their own sake, as they It was a foolish course of action. There were would feel great shame as part of society. So it is only three of us. Yes, we had been clever and proout of respect for vecols that they are kept from ductive in the past. But that was before the full participation in the world.

Yeerks had forced us to become refugees. My experiences on Earth, however, have led

<Ax?> Rachel prompted. <Are you in or are me to question the wisdom of the Andalite cusyou out?> tom. Not that human custom regarding the dis<l think we should talk to Jake,> I repeated. abled or handicapped is not also flawed.

<Look, those are innocent people down As we suspected, a few of the new recruits there.> James's voice was getting angry. <Don't were healed by the morphing process. Only you care?>

10

11

Innocent people.

The other group headed for Rachel.

Humans.

It was interesting that none of them pursued Did James mean that he did not consider me James. They must have thought he was a real falpart of their team because I am not human?

con. Or maybe they thought he was already dead. I am not an adult, but I am not a child, either.

<Still want to report back?> Rachel asked. My feelings are not easily hurt.

<l do not think it is an option now,> I replied. But still, I could not help but think it odd that James would seem to feel the need to instruct me as to what emotions were appropriate in this situation. And to question my loyalty.

I was still trying to decide what to say, when we heard the bloodcurdling cry.

Something swooped past me, clipped my

wings, and sent me spinning.

I heard cries of surprise from James and Rachel, too.

I righted myself in the air. Felt talons rake my back! I shot forward, out of my attacker's clutches. I poured on a burst of speed and wheeled to see what had attacked.

A group of peregrine falcons, reforming to strike again. Yeerks in morph.

I saw James bleeding and circling downward with a broken wing.

Rachel flew, talons extended, beak open, rushing the falcons.

The Yeerk-falcons scattered with cries of alarm and then divided into two groups of three. One group headed for me.

12

13

surged back, away from the subway station entrance. Several people were being trampled. But the Hork-Bajir guards ignored the injured humans. They quickly formed a barricade behind the crowd and continued to herd their prisoners down the station's stairs.

<Here we go!>

Whoosh!

Rachel tucked her massive wings back

against her body and zoomed down into the subway station. I followed into the relative dark. My feathers skimmed the heads of the taller humans. And every instinct of the bird and the Andalite recoiled at entering a confined and Rachel and I streaked down toward the

relatively airless space headfirst.

crowd of people being hustled into the subway Near the bottom of the stairs, first Rachel, station.

then I thrust our feet and swept our wings forSeveral of the uninfested humans saw us and ward to help slow us down. When we reached the screamed. Others ducked and covered their heads platform we righted ourselves, flapped hard to with their arms.

maintain stable, even flight.

We must have been an odd and frightening Rachel and I were inside the tunnel now. sight. A screeching eagle. A northern harrier. And And we could hear the cries of the pursuing six peregrine falcons giving chase.

falcons.

Tseew! Tseew!

<Ax, Rachel? Can you guys hear me? If you Dracon fire! But the beams went wide and hit can, I demorphed, remorphed, and followed you the concrete overhang of the subway station. in. I'm on your tails, behind these Yeerk jerks. Shattered the tile sign that announced the staAnd they're even worse at flying in this place tion's name.

than I am.>

The Dracon fire created a panic. The crowd The fact is that peregrine falcons are incredi14

15

bly fast flyers. But the Yeerks' inexperience with pulling ahead. At my estimation it was traveling their morphs and their own arrogant characters at approximately forty to forty-five miles per hour, would work to our advantage now. At least I creating the interesting optical illusion that there hoped so.

was no separation between cars. And that we Beneath us, humans continued to stream

were no longer moving at all.

down onto the subway platform.

In short, the train was traveling far, far faster A train sped by. The noise was disconcerting than any of us could fly.

to both my Andalite brain and the harrier brain. To land would be incredibly dangerous. But it Through the dirty windows of the train cars I saw was the only way we could possibly outfly the far too many scared human faces.

Yeerks.

This train was obviously Yeerk-controlled. I kept my eyes focused for something, anyAnd there was no choice but to follow it into the thing, to grip and hold on to. After a moment or ever-darkening tunnel. The falcons would be on two my eyes adjusted to the darkness. I could us in moments.

make out individual components of what had Through the tunnel we flew. We tried to fly been just a long, blurred strip of metal. Now I above the rushing train, not directly behind it. saw that along the right and left side of each

<What a ride!> Rachel screamed.

car's roof was a raised'lip. <Rachel. There. On I agreed. Even flying above the train we were the left and right edge. A ridge.>

pulled along by its draft. Exciting, in one way.

<l see it,> Rachel responded. <James? You Terrifying in another.

still with the Yeerks?>

But it was no use. Even with this advantage,

<Right behind you.>

the six Yeerk-infested falcons were closing in.

<Okay, Ax. Go!>

Their desire to reach us was clearly overriding their inexperience and the difficulties of underground flight.

<Land on the roof of the train!> I called.

<We'll let the train lose them for us!> Imagine it.

The train whizzed beneath us but always

16

17

A moment later, Rachel landed on the car behind me. <l SO love doing that,> she laughed.

<I'm on,> James called a moment after that.

<And I do NOT love doing that.>

Further along the dark tunnel we raced. Carefully, without letting go and using my wings for balance, I glanced behind me.

We seemed to have lost our pursuers. It was time to abandon the train before it brought us into the Yeerk pool complex unprepared.

It was definitely time to morph.

One by one we opened our wings to catch the current and . . .

WHOOOSH!

The train roared beneath me. I swept my

Were torn off the roof of the train, tossed wings forward to kill air speed. It didn't slow me backward like tumbleweeds in a tornado, tumdown much. The drag was too great. bling, whirling, spinning!

I hit the top of the train hard. But my talons

<Woo hoo!> Rachel, of course.

managed to catch the lip. Barely. I kept my wings One by one we fought to get control of our forward and the rest of me strained back to slow bodies, land without serious injury on the tunmy body's momentum. If I pitched forward and nel's narrow walkway.

fell, I would have great difficulty righting myself

<This falcon is nauseous,> James said. <ls that without letting go of the lip. And without flying possible? Please tell me I'm not going to hurl.> off the train and shooting headfirst into the wall

<l personally have never known a falcon to of the tunnel.

throw up,> I said. <But you might want to deThe effort was great but it was not the first morph just in case.>

time I had landed on a moving vehicle. I man<Yeah,> Rachel said. <And then morph aged to stay upright by hunkering down as close something big and mean. Something that will to the roof as I could.

help us fight our way out.>

18

19

As we've mentioned in the past, morphing Hurriedly I completed the morph. Rachel was isn't graceful or pretty. And it is quite unprebehind me. She had reversed her morph and was dictable.

in her eagle morph again. But a bald eagle on the SPLOOOT. SPLOOOT.

ground is not as deadly as one in the air. And it Fortunately, my legs were the first part of my would be difficult for her to lift off in the stifling Andalite body to emerge. I felt a strange tingling tunnel.

as my tail began to sprout from the harrier's tail James, the least experienced of us, had not feathers.

begun his remorph. He crouched against the

<There they are!> The Yeerk-falcons were tunnel's grimy wall, reluctant to let the Yeerks back.

identify a new human resistor. One who was supAnd none of us was entirely finished with our posed to be paralyzed and in a wheelchair. morphs.

It was up to me. Only four Yeerk-falcons reBut my Andalite tail was now fully emerged. mained but they were angry.

The blade was in place. Along with one stalk That's when I saw it.

eye bursting from my still-feathered head. A low-hanging electrical conduit. Live.

<Don't let them get away!!> The angry voice

<Rachel, James,> I said in private thoughtof a Yeerk-falcon. speak. <l am going to cut the lights. Be prepared.>

<l'll take the Andalite!> another shouted.

<Go for it, Ax-man.>

I saw the falcon hurtle toward me in the dark. I lifted my tail and aimed. Fortunately, the I lifted my tail, and WHAP! Sent him flying like a blade on my tail is not metal and my hooves tennis ball.

would ground me. I felt nothing but a slight flutTHUMP!

ter through my body as my tail blade sliced Five Yeerk-falcons left.

through the electrical conduit that powered the Peregrine falcons in a pack might be a danger tunnel's lighting system.

to a lone northern harrier, but they are a minor nuiThe dim lights in the tunnel went dark. sance to an Andalite. A second falcon screamed I waited the few seconds it would take my and zoomed in toward me. I lifted my tail and the eyes to adjust to the gloom. When they did, I still bird was no longer a problem.

could see no more than dark and darker shapes. 20

21

<Whoa,> James whispered. <l'm almost all lion now. The lion's eyes are seeing more than the falcons' in this light.>

The unexpected turn of events had momentarily confused the Yeerk-falcons. I heard low muttering from them but no screams of attack. And Rachel had begun to morph again.

It took her only moments. And then she was a great horned owl.

The four remaining falcons had re-formed and were coming at me. Even in the darkness they would provide relatively easy targets. I lifted my tail blade in preparation.

When they were only two feet away . . .

WHOOOOSH!

I did not hear Rachel fly past me. I felt Rachel fly past me.

Owl feathers are the softest feathers imaginable. The result is that owls can fly making no sound at all.

The falcons never even heard her coming. Rachel took down the first falcon with her 22

23

talons neatly and dropping it to the tracks below. If Rachel were an Andalite . . .

The remaining three falcons wheeled away. But, she is not. And I am not a human.

Rachel followed them. <lt's not so easy, is it, Only one Yeerk-falcon remained. Perhaps it Yeerks?> she taunted. <You don't just turn into had escaped Rachel.

animals and everything is fine. It's harder than it But we had bigger problems now. Out of the looks, isn't it?>

dark three Hork-Bajir came trotting toward us The falcons crowded at a turn in the tunnel. like commandos with a very serious purpose. One of them collided into a wall. He let out a cry The lights had been cut. Members of the

of alarm and fell to the ground.

resistance had been spotted entering the subThe Yeerk-falcons were disoriented. Confused way station. They were coming to investigate. and panicking.

But in the near-total blackness the Hork-Bajir I watched as the fallen falcon demorphed and could not see me or James directly in their path. then began to morph to Hork-Bajir.

They could not hear Rachel coming up from beBefore he could complete the morph, there hind.

was a terrifying scream and a lion leaped out of We were ready.

the dark. James.

Rachel buzzed the guards. One of the HorkI heard the Yeerk's last words. <No! No! Don't Bajir reeled back and fell onto the train tracks. want to . . . die . . . please . . . aaagh . . .> On the way his elbow blades accidentally sliced I did not like it. I am a soldier. But there was into the stomach of the second Hork-Bajir. There something unseemly about dying in a dark and was a horrible moaning as both were electrofilthy tunnel in midmorph. cuted by the live third rail.

I heard a sound that was even worse. Cries of James took care of the third Hork-Bajir. victory and satisfaction from Rachel as she And then with one stalk eye I spotted the redowned another of the falcons. maining Yeerk-falcon streaking toward me. It was The other Animorphs and I truly worry about a bold and brave move but he was the enemy. Rachel.

I lifted my tail and struck with the flat of my On the Andalite home planet, when a warrior blade. The blow brought him down but did not becomes too fond of war he is shunned. A warrior kill him.

should love only the cause not the killing. I bent quickly and picked him up.

24

25

<Let me go!> he begged. <Please let me go. I for this gift, Aftran had promised never to reveal am so close. Only minutes away.>

our identities to the Yeerks.

<Minutes away from what?> I asked. I said nothing but I released him. Gently I

<lt only takes two hours. Right? I've been a tossed him into the air.

falcon for one hour and fifty-five minutes. In five

<Thank you!> he cried gratefully. I watched minutes I'll be free!>

as the falcon flew off down the tunnel and disapSo. This creature wanted to be a nothlit. peared into the dark.

Wanted to be trapped in his morph.

I did not notice Rachel zooming after him.

<You will not be free. You will still be a Yeerk inside,> I pointed out.

<l will be free,> the falcon insisted. <l will fly. I will see. No more need for Kandrona. No more orders, no more of this horrible war. I'll just fly away.>

I understood. This creature was like Tobias, my true shorm. What a human would call my

"best friend."

Tobias was once a human boy. A very unhappy human boy. He stayed in red-tailed hawk morph for longer than two hours. I suspect he did it on purpose. It was his way of escaping the complexities of human life. Although he exchanged them for a new set of complexities.

It was logical that among the Yeerks there might also be those who felt overwhelmed by the demands of war. I knew of the Yeerk resistance. With Cassie's encouragement we had allowed one of its freedom fighters to morph a humpback whale and escape life as a parasite. In exchange 26

27

Rachel came flapping toward me out of the darkness.

James appeared not far behind her, big paws stepping slowly and cautiously along the narrow walkway, shaggy lion's head watching. Observing. There was blood on his jowls and paws.

<The Hork-Bajir took off down tunnel,> he said. <Limping, actually. I didn't stop him but I managed to slow him down.>

Rachel landed on the ground with a flourish of her soft-feathered wings. <Good job, James. You, too, Ax.>

<l think we have done what we came in to accomplish.> I said.

<Aaaaaahhhh!>

<Are you kidding?> Rachel argued. <We've Suddenly, there was an eruption of screams got the Yeerks on the run! We're right here in the and screeches from down the tunnel. A human tunnel! Let's do some serious damage!> voice. The cries of a peregrine falcon.

I tried to keep my voice from showing my imRachel. patience. And I resolved to tell Jake that Rachel Had she caught the Yeerk-falcon?

was unfit for missions without him. Her eagerI did not know. ness to fight was getting to be too much. I did not want to know.

<Rachel, there are only three of us,> I said But our ill-conceived, spur-of-the-moment reasonably. <And I think we would do better to mission had not succeeded. Had any of us really learn more about this operation before we strike thought we would be able to stop the train full of again with a larger and more prepared force.> prisoners and thereby slow the Yeerk infestation Rachel's large owl eyes blinked. I could not of new hosts?

tell if her response was hostile or thoughtful. Our next step was clear.

<Okay,> she said after a long silence. <You're We needed to get out. Quickly.

right. I'm going Hork-Bajir. Follow the group that 28

29

went down the tunnel and see what I can find who better understood when to fight and when to out. I'll just see what I can see. I won't fight. Give watch.

me half an hour.>

Someone who understood tactics.

I said nothing.

Someone who understood me.

<That okay with you, Ax?> she asked. Now I I watched silently as Rachel morphed. As she trotted awkwardly along the tunnel's narrow heard definite antagonism in her voice.

walkway into the darkness beyond.

<l am not in charge,> I said shortly. <lf you And I sincerely hoped for her safe return. choose to investigate further, that is your decision.> There was a long pause.

James finally spoke. <Ax is right. We need to be careful. You go Hork-Bajir, Rachel. See what you can find out. But we'll wait here. Just in case.>

<lf I don't come back, don't come after me,> Rachel said unnecessarily.

We would not.

The resistance could not afford to lose even one member now. And certainly not three. We shouldn't have been in the subway station in the first place.

We had not even managed to stop one trainload of prisoners. And undoubtedly there were many tunnels and many trains.

We had done nothing but put the enemy on high alert. And endangered our own lives. I wished now not for Jake, but for an Andalite commander. An experienced soldier. Someone 30

31

Now the muddy and primitive camp is full, crowded, and contentious.

There are the free Hork-Bajir.

But there are also humans.

There is Marco, his father, and his mother, Eva, who was once host body of the former Visser One. That Yeerk is now dead and Eva is free. Reunited with her husband and her son. Living with Marco's parents is a young girl named Elena who is blind when not in morph. Rachel gave her the morphing technology and allowed Elena to acquire her. Our mission to recruit several children from a school for the blind failed. Elena managed to escape the Yeerks in Three hours later we were back at camp.

her Rachel morph. Now she lives as a refugee and cannot, for security reasons, return to the All of us.

school or her parents. She is sad for her losses It was late afternoon and the sun was setting but slowly adjusting to her new life.

behind the canopy of trees that kept our camp Also in the camp are Cassie and her parents, from being seen from above.

Michelle and Walter, both veterinarians. Tobias Camp consisted of a muddy, wooded, and

and his mother, Loren, too. Loren has no memory heavily guarded compound built by a colony of of Tobias's father, Elfangor. My brother. free Hork-Bajir. Rebel Hork-Bajir who had esAnd there is Rachel's mother, Naomi, and caped the tyranny of the Yeerks and had gone Rachel's two younger sisters, Sara and Jordan. into hiding.

Rachel's mother is quite quarrelsome. I am Their leader was Toby.

told that is because she is something called a When the Yeerks discovered the true identity

"lawyer." A lawyer seems to be an odd type of of the resistance we, the Animorphs, evacuated human. Intelligent but in a way that is not terriour homes immediately. 32

33

spotted some Taxxons at work on what looked bly useful. At least to my Andalite sensibilities. like another new line."

All they seem to use their intellect for is argu"When you think how fast the Yeerks can ment. Not philosophical contemplation or artismove hundreds, maybe thousands of people in tic pursuit.

and out of the central pool . . ."

I am told that although people often find James did not need to finish his sentence. We themselves in need of a lawyer, lawyers are not all understood the implications of the Yeerks'

very popular. After the last few days, I undernewest scheme. stand why.

With that kind of rapid expansion system in Lastly, there is Jake.

place in cities throughout the world, the Yeerks Jake's family is not in our camp. Jake's could rule Earth in what would seem like no time brother, Tom, has been a Controller from the at all.

early days of the invasion. Recently, Jake's par"They're probably bringing in transports of ents were captured by the Yeerks — with Tom's unhosted Yeerks," Marco said grimly. "Why should help — and made into human-Controllers.

the Yeerks stay on their own planet when they This has made Jake very withdrawn. For a can take over this one, have an unlimited supply time he said he did not want to lead us anymore. of hosts, and pretty much unimpeded access to a Our morale suffered.

feeding pool?"

Now, after our last confrontation with Tom,

<So, we're dead?> Tobias said.

during which we lost the morphing cube to the Toby, who was sitting in with us, shook her Yeerks, Jake is beginning to take charge again. head. "Not necessarily. If the Yeerks are concenHe is still somewhat depressed and often angry. trating here, on this planet, around this pool, But as he listened to Rachel's report his face then . . ."

showed interest.

Marco grinned. "Right. They can move Yeerks

"The Yeerks used what they had. They exin in big numbers. But we can take them out in tended the existing subway tunnels using Taxxon big numbers."

labor," Rachel was telling him. "We know what

"How?" Rachel asked eagerly.

effective diggers Taxxons are. Now the trains run

"A subway train loaded with explosives," all the way to the main pool. My estimate is that Marco said. "A small nuke if we could get our there are at least six lines leading to it. And I 35

34

hands on one. Run that puppy at full speed, detRachel stood and looked angrily around the onate it in the Yeerk pool, big BOOM! 'Bye-'bye circle of faces. "You're kidding, right? I mean, Yeerks."

you think saving the earth really demands a Cassie took a deep breath before she spoke. vote?"

"You can't be serious."

"The ends simply don't justify the means,"

"Why not?" Rachel.

Cassie said softly.

Cassie looked at Jake. Jake looked away. Rachel glared angrily at her. "You weren't

"Think! Those trains are full of people being there," she said. "You didn't see what we saw. It taken to the Yeerk pool for infestation. We'd be was like some old World War Two newsreel or killing thousands of Yeerks, yes. But we'd also be something. People being rounded up and forced killing thousands of people who want nothing at gunpoint onto trains. Men, women, old people, more than to go home and forget any of this ever and kids. It's like the Yeerks don't even care anyhappened." more about finding the healthiest and strongest

<We've been down this path before,> Tobias to infest. They're taking everyone. Quantity over quality."

agreed. <Cassie's right. We're supposed to be saving humanity. Not slaughtering people who Cassie waved her hands in frustration. "Exactly. And those are the people you would kill have the bad luck to get in the way.> He looked while you're trying to stop the Yeerks. Little kids. pointedly at Marco. <Think about it. Your mom Retirees. Someone's grandparents."

could still be down there.>

"You know, we won't actually be using a Marco lowered his eyes. But only for a monuke," Marco said quietly. "Not that that changes ment. Then he lifted them and looked at Jake. things much," he admitted.

We all looked at Jake.

There was a long, long silence. I could see His brother. His mother. His father. Any of each one of them grappling with his or her conthem. All of them. Tom could be stationed at that science.

Yeerk pool. Jake's parents, low-level, unwilling Toby stared stolidly into space. Her home Controllers, could be trapped down there in planet had been through a devastating war with cages while their Yeerks fed on Kandrona. the Yeerks. Most of her people had not survived. Jake's face turned pale. "I'm not making this The majority of the ones who had were now Horkdecision. It has to be a vote." 36

37

Bajir-Controllers. A smaller number of survivors or children of survivors were here in the camp. Frankly, I did not know what her vote would be. I could not read her inscrutable expression. But I knew that, like me, Toby understood that she was an outsider here on Earth. That her ideas and experiences were her own. And that she often did not understand human thought processes or emotions.

I was surprised when she spoke. "This is a war," she said quietly. "There is no question that people will die. The only question is, who?" There was another long pause.

<Okay,> Tobias said finally. <l guess that sort of sums it up.> He was trying to sound unconTwo hours later we were still strategizing. cerned but his voice quivered.

Marco was correct in stating that nuclear weapRachel's voice, on the other hand, was firm ons, fairly primitive explosives by Andalite stanand unhesitating. "I don't know about you guys, dards, are very difficult for the average citizen to but I'm thinking it's time to explode a big 'ole procure.

bomb."

This is a good thing.

It wasn't that long ago when we had just

"And you couldn't be happier," Cassie said barely succeeded in averting a Yeerk-instigated bitterly to Rachel. "Could you?" World War III. There was a fierce battle on board a United States Navy aircraft carrier. Many, many innocent American men and women were killed. And it was likely that the few survivors were traumatized by the brutal attack of Yeerk-infested humans and battalions of Hork-Bajir-and

Taxxon-Controllers.

38

39

Near the end of that horrible battle I had not just days from the governor's televised warning, listened to Jake. I had even gone so far as to knock once again discussing the total destruction of the him unconscious so that I could carry out a desYeerks' main feeding operation. perate plan without interference. A plan that We sat by a low campfire, studying a map of seemed to me the only way to a possible victory. the county spread out on an old picnic table. My actions were in some ways traitorous. But We were minus James, who had gone back to in other ways, they were necessary.

the hospital where he lived. It was essential for Against express orders I kidnapped Visser Two the new recruits to remain undercover for as long and commandeered an F-14D Tomcat. The Yeerks as possible. We were also minus Toby. She had had fitted out the plane with a nuclear weapon. been asked to help settle a dispute between one Once in the air with my captive I threatened to of the older Hork-Bajir and Rachel's mother. drop the nuclear weapon directly over the Yeerk Marco pointed to a military base on the map. pool. The result of such an action would have

"This place might be storing nuclear weapons. been not only the utter destruction of the pool But like I said before, even if we managed to get complex itself, but also severe damage to my in past security and steal a nuke, we wouldn't be friends' community and the inevitable loss of able to use it. It would take us too long to figure thousands of human lives.

out its security codes. Way elaborate. By the time It was a calculated risk, a terrible gamble. we knew what we were doing, the military would Threaten to kill thousands to save millions, know what we were doing, too."

maybe billions. Thankfully, my plan worked. Vis"What if we had help from the Chee?" Jake ser Two agreed to call off the planned nuclear asked.

strike against China if I would promise not to Tobias blinked fiercely. <The Chee won't help drop a bomb on the Yeerk pool.

us. Not with something like this. Something Would I have followed through on my threat if overtly aggressive.>

Visser Two had not complied? Could I have?

The Chee are a race of androids who live here To this day I have no answer to either of those on Earth. They are incredibly brilliant. And their questions.

technical capabilities are more advanced even Now, here we were, not long after the very than those of the Andalites.

public incident on the USS George Washington, However, the Chee are hard-wired pacifists. 40

41

They will help us defend ourselves. But they sure that Lieutenant Colonel Larsen is still with would never help us with an assault.

the governor. I mean, where is he while all of this

"Tobias is right. The Chee won't help us," Yeerk movement is going down? Where's the govJake mused. "Everything about this idea is ernor? For that matter, where's our buddy Collins?

against who they are and what they're all about." Guy took a Dracon to the shoulder and still re"Back to the problem," Marco continued. "We fused to go off duty. I wouldn't mind him on our don't really even need a nuke. We'll go with team right about now.>

garden-variety explosives."

<Yeah.> Jake nodded. <Good guys. But I'm Jake lifted an eyebrow. "Such as?" not sure we can count on our old allies anymore. Marco shrugged. "Such as dynamite. Okay. Something tells me they've probably been taken. Look." Marco pointed to a red circle on the map. Let's face it. The governor seriously ticked off

"This is a National Guard installation. They do a Visser One.>

lot of roadwork, forestry, and fire fighting in the

<So who can we count on? Okay, maybe we'll national parks. Other public works. That means run into an uninfested National Guard commanthey've probably got some sort of armory, stores der, but maybe not. Who do we have for sure?> of dynamite, maybe other explosives." Tobias mused.

"I'm sure potentially dangerous materials like

"Us. And I mean all of us," Rachel said excitdynamite and bombs are under pretty heavy lock edly. "The six of us. James and the new guys. and key," Cassie pointed out. "We're still going Parents. Toby and what Hork-Bajir soldiers she to have to get past all sorts of security." can spare. It'll be the most major operation we've Marco shrugged. "Hey. I never said it was golaunched so far." ing to be easy. All I'm saying is that if we can get

"That's the entire resistance," Jake said. hold of enough dynamite, we could pack a train

"Risking the whole team on one mission." with it and ram the pool. Put some major hurt on Cassie.

theYeerks."

There was a long pause.

Jake nodded. "Yeah. The question is how."

<You know, maybe we should rethink this,>

"We've got some friends in the National Tobias said.

Guard, don't we?" Cassie asked.

"Yeah, we should," Cassie agreed. "This misMarco frowned. <Do we? We don't know for sion is way too heavy with bad karma." 42

43

Jake turned on her angrily. "Look, Cassie, it would be nice if we had more choices. But now that the Yeerks have morphing technology, we've lost our major edge. Which means that now we have to take some major unpleasant risks." His voice was angry. Sarcastic. Accusatory. I had never heard Jake speak that way to anyone. And since his friendship with Cassie is quite special, his tone was even more surprising. Cassie looked stricken. I wondered if she would answer him with equal passion. But she did not. Instead, she looked as if she might cry. The others looked at one another, bewildered. Late that night I took the Z-space transponIt was almost as if Jake were blaming Cassie for der.

the Yeerk acquisition of morphing technology. It was necessary to avoid detection by any of I shifted my weight from one leg to the other the camp's inhabitants.

and observed the humans around me.

It was also necessary to avoid detection by Relationships were changing.

any Yeerk spies.

Loyalties were shifting.

Since the Yeerks had taken the morphing

There were unspoken animosities and hidden technology, any animal spotted in the camp or its agendas.

environs was suspect. Every singing bird a potenThe decisions were becoming more about tial enemy. Any scurrying vole a possible traitor emotions than tactics. The resistance was jeopto our cause. ardizing its ability to be effective.

Therefore, each of us had acquired several I had been told this might happen.

additional morphs native to the camp's wooded mountain environment. We routinely used these common, largely innocuous morphs to get about 44

45

at night or when we had to leave the camp's

<Aximili-Esgarrouth-lsthill?>

perimeters. At night, a lone Animorph was more

<Yes.> I gave the password to clear the chanvulnerable to attack. But just as we could not atnel for communication. tack and kill every living creature that passed

<Report,> came the curt command.

through the camp, neither could a Yeerk in

<lt is just as you predicted,> I told Jahammorph attack and kill every waddling woodchuck Estalan-Forlan, a war prince and chief of the Andalite military. <The human resistance is rapidly or slithering snake.

losing its effectiveness. There is infighting. TenClouds covered the moon. I took advantage of sions. Discipline is breaking down.>

the almost total darkness and quickly morphed a

<They know nothing of our previous commuraccoon. I was able to leave the camp without nications?>

any Hork-Bajir or human lookout spotting me. An

<They know nothings I confirmed.

adult female raccoon with a piece of alien tech<Good.> nology wedged in her mouth.

<The Yeerk concentration here is escalating. I scurried off into the night. I would not have They are forcibly transporting thousands of humuch time and I did not want to bring the Yeerks mans to the central Yeerk pool via the subway too close to the camp.

system. In retaliation, the resistance is planning As soon as I reached what I considered to be the destruction of that central pool.> a safe distance, I removed the Z-space transponJaham-Estalan-Forlan made a sound of impader from my mouth and activated it. The raccoon's tience. <Do they truly believe they can defeat the small and dexterous "hands" were strangely simiYeerks by destroying only one central pool?> lar to those of an Andalite and were perfectly I felt a need to defend my friends. <lt is suited to the task. The morph had become a new all they can do — for now.> Then I realized my favorite of mine.

defense would only increase Jaham-EstalanI listened as the waves warped and wove Forlan's contempt for the human race. He would through galaxies, finding their way to the Anthink that if the resistance could muster no betdalite home planet. ter defense than my excuse-making, they would After a short delay, there was a response. not be worth saving.

Coded, yes. But a code that had been carefully

<The high command has met and made their worked out. Numeric but thoughtspoken.

46

47

decision. If the Yeerks are indeed concentrating The high command might disdain the huon the planet Earth, we must allow their plan to mans, but they knew from my reports that hucontinue. Once the bulk of the Yeerk race has mans were very ingenious. Very determined. Very been transported, the planet can be quarantenacious. tined^

Millions of Yeerks with human hosts would Quarantined.

constitute an intolerable threat.

A polite word for consigning the human race A quarantine would never hold. Not even if to a life of slavery under the Yeerks.

every ship in the Andalite fleet were assigned to police the perimeters of Earth's atmosphere. I thought about Jake. The others. Tobias. AfThe Yeerk-human axis would push out. And it ter all our time together, I felt affection for them. would conquer everything in its path.

<Aximili? Did you hear me?>

<Has there been any change in technology Yes, I felt affection. But I was still an Anacquisition?> Jaham-Estalan-Forlan asked. dalite. I was still a soldier. And this was still a I knew I should tell him that the Yeerks were war.

now in posession of morphing technology. But I

<l heard,> I responded.

did not. <No,> I said.

<Do nothing to hamper the Yeerk concentraPerhaps I would tell the truth later. I wanted tion on Earth. Stop the resistance's attack on the time to consider. To think how such a revelation pool. We must let the Yeerks believe they have would affect the Andalite high command's plans won. Do you uhderstand?>

for the planet.

I did.

It was an undisciplined decision, my decision Would Jake?

to withhold the truth. It was not my place to Would the others?

second-guess the decisions of my superiors. PerNever. haps I had been on Earth too long.

<Once the planet is quarantined,> War Prince Suddenly I could hear Bug fighters in the disJaham continued, <we will be in a position to netance, drawn to the signals they had picked up gotiate. We will mediate a peaceful symbiosis befrom the Z-space transponder. tween humans and Yeerks.>

Quickly I severed the connection and began I wondered if this was an accurate description to demorph and remorph to horned owl, an excelof the Andalite high command's intention. 48

49

lent form of night transport. The Zero-space just keep going. Perhaps become a nothlit. Be transponder was small enough to carry in my free of the terrible burdens of secrecy and betrayal. talons.

I remembered the Yeerk falcon. Five minutes By the time the Bug fighters were hovering away from freedom.

over my previous position, I was winging my way But the price of that freedom was high.

unseen back to camp.

Maybe too high.

Quarantine.

Quarantine.

Quarantine.

It was just a way of saying what could not be said over any channel of communication, no matter how secure. Because it was something that could not even be said in the chambers of the high command.

The stated goal would be to quarantine.

The orders would say to quarantine.

But what everyone would understand is that a quarantine would be impossible to sustain. To enforce a quarantine, the Andalite fleet would be forced to engage.

And once they engaged, they would annihilate the planet and every living thing on it. Yeerk and human.

Quarantine was the first step toward genocide. The high command had made its decision.

The Yeerk conquest of the galaxy would stop here on Earth.

The camp came into view. I wished I could 50

51

"We could kill them all with ten or twelve thousand-pound bombs," Marco's dad amended.

"In an enclosed space an explosion of even one thousand-pound bomb would have incredible magnitude. The devastation would be close to that of an atomic explosion."

Rachel nodded with satisfaction. "We'd be going seriously medieval on Yeerk butt."

"The big question is: How?" Jake asked. "We talked about this before. We'd have to commit everything. Everybody. Animorphs, all of us. Hork-Bajir. Parents."

"I'm out," Cassie said hotly. "I thought that maybe . . . But I can't. And I can tell you my parThe next morning, Jake gathered us together ents are out, too."

to finalize our plans.

Rachel glared at her. "Okay, Cassie," she said The Animorphs were there, Tobias in human in a sarcastic-sweet tone. "So, what do you think form. Toby was there. James was there on behalf we should do instead? Just sit here and wait for of the new recruits. And Marco's parents were the Yeerks to find us? Or maybe we should make it real easy on them and all go hop on the train present.

for a little swim in the pool."

"I've been on the computer all night," Marco

"Why do you have to be so horrible?" Cassie said. "All of us. Me, Mom, and Dad. We hacked exploded. "You are, you know. And you get worse into nearly every file on the National Guard base. every day. Your own mother can't even stand Bottom line? They've got a big warehouse full of you."

thousand-pound bombs."

Cassie turned to walk away, but Jake grabbed

"Yes!" Rachel grinned. "Major firepower." her sleeve. "Cassie! Come on." Marco's mother looked exhausted. "We could

"Come on what!" Cassie spit. "You don't kill a lot of slugs with one thousand-pound knowingly take innocent life. Not if you're a debomb." 52

53

cent person. Not if you're not a murderer. The

"Oh, Cassie," Eva murmured.

goal is irrelevant. I thought you knew that, Jake,

"You did what?!" Marco said, his voice hoarse.

"Tom had it. He had the cube. The only way but apparently . . ."

Jake was going to get it from him was to kill him.

"Apparently you decided to start making deI couldn't let Jake do that. I couldn't. I was trying cisions for me!" Jake shouted back. "Somewhere to protect him."

along the line you decided that you knew what

"You were trying to protect Jake so you basiwas best. For me. For everybody. Well, guess cally sold out the rest of the human race?" what?"

Rachel said. Her voice was tight. The voice of Cassie put her hands in front of her as if she controlled ferocity. Violence just barely conwere going to shove Jake away. "Don't. Stop! Just tained.

don't. Please."

"I'm sure she didn't think of it in those The rest of the assembled group was silent. I terms," Tobias said softly.

believe it is safe to say that none of us under"I didn't think at all," Cassie said, her voice stood what was causing Jake and Cassie to argue exhausted and full of grief. "It was more of an so furiously.

impulse. An instinct. Something inside just told Tears began to roll down Cassie's cheeks. me to let Tom take the cube. I knew . . . I knew I

"I'm sorry," she said. "I shouldn't have done it. I was making a sacrifice. That I was sacrificing so don't even really know why I did it. I . . . At that much . . . maybe now it seems stupid. But at moment it seemed the right thing to do. The only that moment I thought I was doing the right thing. Now, I'm just sorry. I'm sorry." thing. I really did."

"What is she talking about?" Marco whisRachel lifted her hand. Began to make a fist. pered.

Tobias grabbed her wrist.

"It was me!" Cassie shouted. "I gave the And surprisingly, Jake pulled Cassie to him Yeerks the morphing cube. I let Tom run away and embraced her.

with it. I stopped Jake from chasing him. From Cassie leaned her head on his shoulder.

killing him. Me!"

Jake pressed his cheek against her hair. "It's I felt my back legs weaken slightly.

okay, Cassie," he said, his voice ragged. "I'm Cassie? A traitor?

sorry. It's okay."

It did not seem possible.

55

54

Embarrassed, I averted my eyes.

After several moments Cassie withdrew from Jake's arms and faced the rest of us. "I am so sorry. I made a mistake. A terrible mistake. I won't do it again. I won't try to decide what's right for everyone. It was arrogant and dangerous. I didn't mean it to be but it was." Jake ran his hands through his hair. "Look. This is hard stuff. But we've got to work as a team. We don't have room for individual agendas. We go or we don't go. But either way . . ." Jake's voice droned on. But I was no longer listening.

I could not stop looking at Cassie.

I was not exactly sure what I was feeling. Toby spoke in her guttural voice. "My people But I was sure it was very close to hatred. are tired of hiding. We are a peaceful species. But we will fight. It is better than always living in fear."

"I'm with Toby," Marco said. "Dad? Mom?" Marco's mother nodded grimly. "I've had the worst of the Yeerk high command living in my head. I know there's no appeasement. My advice is to fight. Go in. Clean house. Do as much damage as we can. Visser One does not cope well with setbacks. If we do enough damage, we could possibly chase the Yeerks off Earth."

"What do you mean?" Jake asked.

"The former Visser One didn't advocate allout war because she knew Earth was too volatile. 56

57

The inhabitants too resistant. The Yeerks are we can at least move them off Earth," Marco used to tractable host bodies. Humans are a said.

fighting race. They fight invaders. They fight each

"And inflict them on another species?" other. They don't give up easily. The current Cassie.

Visser One has never really understood that." Toby's eyes narrowed. "Perhaps not. With

"So?" Jake pressed.

help from the Andalite fleet, perhaps we could

"So, knowing something about the Yeerk High keep the Yeerks from settling anywhere." Council, I'm thinking it's likely Visser One's been

"What do you mean?" Rachel asked. warned that one more major attack on a site of

"We chase them into Zero-space and the Anconcentration, or one more major disaster like dalite fleet ambushes them there. Effectively what happened on the aircraft carrier, or one wipes them out."

more public announcement by the governor callJake's eyes narrowed as he considered the ing for resistance, just might mean the end of his possibility. "We don't know what we can count on domination here. It might mean the Yeerks would from the Andalite fleet, as long as the Yeerks are decide to move their base of operations to some Earth's problem. But maybe Toby's right. If we other planet. Let's face it. With the ability to can chase the Yeerks off Earth and make them morph, the Yeerks don't really need humans. the Andalites' problem, the Andalites would be They could make do with another species on anforced to act. Ax?" other planet, a species less aggressive than huMy hearts thundered. I felt ill with anger. And mans."

something close to guilt. <lt is hard to know what There was a long silence.

the Andalite high command would order,> I said,

"I'm not sure that's good news for the rest of my voice cold.

the world," Jake commented.

"Fair enough," Jake said. But he gave me an

"But it's good news for us. Earth is Visser odd look. "In any event, step one is to blow the One's personal fiefdom," Marco's father said. "If Yeerk pool."

the Yeerks are forced to leave Earth, Visser One's I said nothing.

back to being a subvisser somewhere." Should I have told the high command every"We may not be able to defeat the Yeerks, but thing?

58

59

Yes. I should have. Without doubt.

Perhaps I should contact War Prince JahamThey needed to know that the entire situation Estalan-Forlan and tell him I had been interon Earth was changing. rupted by Bug fighters before making a full Because of one human.

report. I could tell him that the Yeerks had acBecause of Cassie. quired Andalite morphing technology.

Of course, it has always been a possibility And I could tell him that if the Andalite high that the enemy might somehow acquire morphcommand was going to quarantine the planet, ing technology, either through conquest or guile. they needed to do it quickly.

War is about losses as well as victories.

"Let's go back to the attack," Marco said. But to surrender without struggle your most im"Cassie may have been a major idiot for about portant piece of technology .. . strategy . . . dehalf a second, but she's right now. If there are infense . . . It was simply incomprehensible to me. nocent people trapped down in the tunnel, how It was also incomprehensible to me that Cassie can we justify blowing it up?"

was allowed to participate in this discussion.

"What if we gave them time to escape," ToOn my own planet, she would have been tried bias suggested. "I mean, what if somehow, just for treason and executed immediately.

before the explosion, we told everyone on site And yet, the others continued to consult her. that the pool was about to blow. The humans and My hatred for Cassie began to extend to them the human-Controllers would probably run for all. They were fools. They would never prevail. their lives. The Yeerks in their heads will starve They were too soft. Too sentimental. Too childish. without the pool, but the humans would live. Too stupid and ignorant.

See? We save the humans, kill the Yeerks, and Stupidity and ignorance within one's own wipe out a major infestation center." ranks are more dangerous opponents than an Marco nodded. "That works for me. I mean, outside enemy could ever be. I had been taught at least it gives people a chance. Some of them, that lesson in the military academy. Now I had anyway."

been given an object lesson that proved the One by one, each of the group nodded. Each principle.

signaled his or her approval of the plan. As the humans continued to plan and plot, Each person but Cassie. She stared at the my mind raced. I did not know what to do. ground. Her cheeks were stained with tears. 60

61

For a long time, I have regarded Rachel as No one seemed to know what to say to her. representing one end of the continuum of human Finally, Jake spoke. "Cassie?" nature. What all humans would become if the Cassie shook her head. "I'll do whatever you war went on long enough.

guys say."

That perception has guided many of my deci"That's not good enough, Cassie," Jake said. sions.

"You've always had definite ideas about what we An entire human race of Rachels — angry, should or shouldn't do. Don't weasel now." merciless, aggressive, and equipped with Yeerk Cassie lifted her face. "Okay. Then it's wrong. and Andalite technology. It was a terrifying specter. But let's do it anyway. I'll learn to live with my But perhaps . ... perhaps I had been wrong. conscience. We all will. I don't have a better Perhaps the real menace lay at the other end plan. I guess this is as close as we'll get to deof the continuum — represented by Cassie. Hufeating the Yeerks without being the Yeerks." mans who were softer. Kinder. Well-meaning. Jake's face relaxed. I saw the faintest hint of And, ironically, infinitely more dangerous. a smile. Almost of relief.

He addressed the group. "Look. Cassie did what she did. She had her reasons. I don't understand them so I can't say if they were right or wrong. But her decision to let Tom get away with the morphing cube changed the equation. Still, I trust Cassie's instincts. Even more than my own. Especially my own these days. So let's just readopt this phrase as our guideline. Defeat the Yeerks. Don't become them."

He did not look directly at Rachel, but I knew he was telling her to restrain her violent impulses. I remembered again the desperate falcon. The one who yearned for freedom. Had he found it in the sky, or in death?

63

62

But I've already made my apologies. Why do I have to go through this again with you?" I was angry. So angry the blade on my tail was quivering. <Because my brother, Elfangor, gave the cube to you. To you and your friends. He compromised everything he stood for by giving it to you. He betrayed the laws of his own people. He placed his trust in five humans. I am trying to understand why you would betray him in return. Why you would betray your friends. And why you would betray your people.>

They were harsh words.

But I had a right to say those harsh words. Because it was my brother, my people, and my That night, I asked Cassie if I might speak planet's technology that had been abused. with her privately.

According to Cassie, she had sacrificed them She was subdued. Still shaken after our meetall on no more than an instinct. An impulse. ing. "Let's go sit somewhere quiet and dark," she I had to think there was a better reason. said.

If not, then I could not help but believe that We walked together to the far perimeter of the the high command had every right to annihilate camp. A free Hork-Bajir sat high up in a tree this planet. And I would tell them so tonight. Humans were a retrograde species — debranch keeping watch. But he paid little attenstructive, violent, and at the mercy of their emotion to us. tions. Unable to make personal sacrifices or set Cassie folded her arms across her chest and aside personal agendas on behalf of a larger sighed.

<Tell me about the morphing cube,> I said. cause.

<Why did you keep Jake from chasing Tom?> Cassie's head dropped. She put her hands

"Look, Ax. I already feel like a criminal. Okay?

over her face. "Oh, Ax, you're right." Her voice 64

65

broke. "I did betray Elfangor. I never thought now, in retrospect, maybe letting the Yeerks have about how you would feel."

the morphing technology is the way to peace."

<No,> I agreed coldly. <l am still trying to unMy back legs felt as if they might collapse. derstand what it was you did think.> For one person to make a decision so momentous Cassie rubbed her temples, as if she were and act on it without first talking to anyone . . . It struggling with memories she would prefer to was unthinkable.

suppress. "I suppose . . . I suppose . . ." And yet my conscience nagged uncomfortShe stared at me, almost fearfully. "It wasn't ably. Hadn't I acted similarly? Hadn't I acted just about Tom. It wasn't just about Jake." without the permission of my prince? Hadn't I as<Then what was it about? What did you think sumed the right to take an enormous risk with human lives when I commandeered the plane fityou were doing?> ted out with a nuclear weapon, kidnapped Visser

"Ax," she whispered, as one about to voice a Two, and threatened to explode the bomb diterrible secret. "I just know there are so many rectly over the Yeerk pool? Such an explosion Yeerks who would defect if they could. Aftran would have destroyed most if not all of my wasn't the only one, we know that. There's always friends' hometown and most if not all of its citibeen a group of Yeerks who can't stand the nozens. tion of infestation. Who don't want to be paraThe memory was too troubling. I chased it sites. Who don't want to be slavish followers of away and reached wildly for a way to continue to the vissers! Remember the first battle with the separate myself from Cassie.

new recruits, when Visser One was in that horriPerhaps Jake had known what Cassie was goble morph and choking Jake to death? Rememing to do. Suspicion grew in my hearts. <Does ber how that Hork-Bajir cut off one of the visser's Jake agree with this assessment?> I asked coldly. tentacles and freed Jake? Some of the Yeerks just want to be free! Now, with the ability to Cassie shook her head. "No. No. I haven't morph, maybe they can be. We can't fight on fortold anyone any of this. I can't. Can you imagine ever. Not just us. And it's beginning to look as if what the others would say? Can't you just hear we can't win by conquering. We may just have to Rachel?

learn to coexist. I don't know what was in my

"My god. She lives for the war. And Marco's head at that moment, when I let Tom go. But mom? She hates the Yeerks so much that the 66

67

idea of sharing the planet with them makes her

<ln the tunnel, I caught a falcon,> I told her.

<A Yeerk falcon. He begged to be let go. He physically ill."

wanted to stay in morph. To live to escape.>

<She knows the enemy,> I pointed out. <She Cassie nodded slowly. "You see? I'm right." knows them in a way we never will. If we conI shook my head. "No. You are wrong. Visser tinue to be lucky.>

One will learn to control whoever acquires mor"Of course she feels that way," Cassie said phing technology. He will give it only to the most impatiently. "Marco's mother was host to the forloyal Yeerks." mer Visser One. It must have been horrible. But

"But the falcon you caught..." the former Visser One was one Yeerk. The current

"The falcon I caught might have been lying," Visser One is one Yeerk."

I said simply. "Or he may truthfully have been

<He is the Yeerks' leader on this planet,> I seeking escape. Yes, one or two Yeerks may be replied.

seduced by the possibility of escape. But not

"It still doesn't mean he represents each and enough."

every Yeerk," Cassie insisted. "Humans have had

"Do you think you can forgive me for this?" some pretty evil leaders, too. Thousands, someshe said quietly. times millions of people have followed those

<l do not know, Cassie.>

leaders, sometimes willingly, sometimes not.

"What are you going to do?"

Sometimes because they were just too afraid to

<l do not know,> I answered again. say no. What if some other species decided to

"I think this attack on the Yeerk pool will be wipe out the human race based on the existence our last stand. And if the Yeerks get any idea of of a few powerful people? What if that species our plan, any warning at all, chances are none of decided all humans were cruel, based on the us will make it out alive," Cassie said. actions of a handful of sociopaths?" I shook my head. <l am an Andalite. I will In spite of myself, I stumbled over my thoughts. never run away.>

Cassie gave me a sharp look.

"You think I'm a traitor, don't you?" she Was she expecting an answer? Or was it a asked.

rhetorical question? Either way, it had come too I nodded. <Yes.>

close for comfort.

"But did I do the wrong thing?" We stared at each other for a long moment. 68

69

<l do not know.>

"How do you think Elfangor would answer that question?"

<l do not know that, either. I wish I did.> I turned and walked away through the darkness to an area thick with tree trunks and shrubs. I needed to be alone.

No matter what happened, I knew I would

never feel quite the same about Cassie.

Or any other human.

I stared upward, trying to glimpse the stars through the thick canopy of trees.

My birthplace was somewhere out there. I had come to believe I would never see it again. I closed my main eyes, trying to remember it in detail. Trying to remember the faces of my family and friends.

But their faces kept fading away and changing into other faces. Jake. Rachel. Tobias. Cassie. Marco.

The humans amazed me with their resilience, their ingenuity, and their bravery.

They delighted me with their humor, their passions, and their capacity for play. Their food. 70

71

But they truly sickened me with their selfhigh command knew that. Their plans might be indulgence and their childishness.

unspoken. But they were clear. Annihilation of But then, I reminded myself, they are chilthe planet. It would be clean. It would be final. It would be over.

dren. And so am I.

B u t . . . but Elfangor had broken the most If I were at home, I would still be a cadet in fundamental law of our planet. He had broken the Andalite Military Academy. I would spend the Law of Seerow's Kindness. He had given mormost of my time in my parents' scoop. phing technology to another species.

But I had been thrust into the midst of this To humans.

raging war on Earth.

Why?

I had seen more battles, death, and destrucTo give them a chance?

tion than many seasoned soldiers in our Andalite No. The Elfangor I knew was not sentimental. fleet.

He would not compromise the safety of the home I felt my throat tighten and constrict. My planet and the galaxy to save one species. hearts ached with a pain I could not describe. I Elfangor knew what every other Andalite

wondered if I were dying.

knew. That the Yeerk menace had started with an I felt not sadness. I felt pity. For myself. For old fool's sentimental impulse. His inability to us all. We were children no longer. And we never understand that his enemy's goals and aspirawould be again. tions were not his own.

"What do you think Elfangor would say?" It Seerow had let loose a plague of Yeerks upon was if Cassie had looked into my mind and read the galaxy. The rest is history. A sad, violent, dethe question there. structive history of conquest and war.

Elfangor! Why did you have to die and leave Planets ravaged and ruined.

me here? I do not know what to do.

One species after another enslaved.

Either path led me to betrayal.

Countless dead.

Elfangor was a great hero. A war prince. A All triggered by an act of kindness.

member of the Andalite military. Brave. When Yes. The Cassies of the world were infinitely necessary, ruthless.

more dangerous than the Rachels.

The Yeerks had to be stopped. The Andalite 72

73

My brother had known this. So what had possessed him to give these human youths the power to change the future of the galaxy?

What would he tell me to do now?

I heard a flutter of wings. Then, the long quiet sound of studied stillness.

Tobias.

He had settled on a branch. He said nothing for a long time. Then, finally, <Well?>

<Well, what?> I asked.

<What did you decide?>

I was startled. But I tried to pretend I was not.

<About what?>

Tobias ruffled his feathers placidly. <l folMy eye stalks waved in spite of my determilowed you last night. I don't know who you were nation to stay calm. <What makes you think talking to. Or what you were saying. But I'm that?>

guessing you were talking to the Andalite home

<lt's what makes sense for them to do now planet. Am I right?>

that the Yeerks are concentrated on Earth. I I could not lie to my true shorm. <Yes.> guess the question is, are you going to help them

<They're going to fry us, aren't they?> do it?>

<l do not know. I do not know what is the right thing to do.>

<There's a lot of that going around,> Tobias said.

<Do you hate Cassie?> I asked suddenly.

<l don't hate anybody,> Tobias said calmly.

<lt's strange, but right now, I don't even hate the Yeerks. It's like, they're trying to survive. And 74

75

we're trying to survive. I'm not really sure why it

<Too hard to explain right now,> Tobias said. has to be an either-or thing.>

<l just mean that we don't really have any time<You would consider a symbiotic truce?> tested rules for dealing with these issues. Like

<No. But we probably wouldn't have to do the morality of acquiring someone's DNA. So that. Don't you see? What do the Yeerks need?

we have to see what works and what doesn't. We Bodies. If they can morph bodies from their slug can't afford to get so locked into one idea that state then . . . they don't have to keep taking we defend it to the death, without really knowing other people's bodies as hosts. See? They'd have if that idea works — in the real world.> to deal with the two-hour time limit still. And Tobias was silent for a moment, then flapped they'd still have to feed on Kandrona. But. . .> away.

So. Tobias and Cassie had been thinking simMy hearts raced. New possibilities were unilar thoughts. folding. New solutions.

<But the Yeerks would want to acquire huMaybe Elfangor had seen something. A possimans. Other sentient creatures, as well. Not just bility that had seemed impossible because we cats and dogs.>

Andalites had been so indoctrinated by our own

<Yeah?>

military thinking. Us versus the enemy. No com<But we have always said it is wrong. Espepromise. cially without first receiving the person's permisWe had decided long ago that morphing was sion. I cannot imagine a Yeerk asking permission proprietary. Too dangerous to share. But maybe to acquire a human's DNA. And I cannot imagine Cassie had been right after all. Maybe the way many humans who would freely give their DNA to to real peace was in giving choices to other a Yeerk.>

species.

Tobias adjusted his wings and appeared to On the other hand, maybe it depended on the tighten his talons on the branch. <Maybe you're species.

right. I don't know. Look, Ax, it's a whole new Humans.

world. We're having to make all this up as we go Yeerks.

along. There aren't any rules falling out of the sky If each were freed from the fight for survival, telling us what and what not to do.>

would they use the morphing technology for good

<What exactly do you mean?>

or for evil?

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77

The high command had ordered me to stop

the attack on the Yeerk pool. It would be simple to do. Just tip off the Yeerks and the mission would abort before it could begin.

But if I assisted the mission, it would delay the ability of the high command to begin quarantine measures. What would Elfangor do?

I no longer needed to wonder.

He had done it already.

He had given the morphing cube to the humans. And then he had died. I, too, would place my faith in the humans. My faith, if not my trust.

The following night, I led six human adults And if I died . . .

through the woods. Loren, Tobias's mother, had reWell, then, I hoped I would die as nobly as my ceived the ability to morph, but chose not to use brother.

it unless we expressly asked for her help in a batI knew that I should check in with high comtle situation. mand. But now that my decision had been made, It was a wise decision.

I did not.

Tobias flew overhead thought-speaking direcI was willing to disobey a direct order. And I tions to me. The adults made as little noise as was willing to die.

possible considering they were carrying a collecBut I was not willing to deceive the Andalites. tion of battered metal camping equipment. To tell them I was going to do one thing, and then Jake, Rachel, Marco, and Cassie were in varido another. ous bird of prey morphs, flying overhead at differI know it's a fine distinction, but I was learnent levels. ing to rationalize. To defend what was indefensiThe auxiliary Animorphs were with us, too. ble.

James and his two lieutenants, Craig and Erica, It was a very human course of action.

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78

were in charge of leading the group of seventeen. I ordered the others to stop as well. "Hope for the I did not know who was on the ground and who best?" she repeated. "That's all you have to ofwas in the air. fer? Am I the only one of you people worried If the mission went wrong, their instructions about our kids?"

were to melt away and save themselves. In this I could not help myself from retorting. <You do not need to be afraid on behalf of Rachel,> I way at least some members of the resistance told her. <Rachel is the one who frightens othwould live to fight another day. ers^

Toby and several free Hork-Bajir traveled

"And that's supposed to make me feel betsilently and gracefully through the trees. ter?" her mother demanded shrilly. "To know that We were a small, motley army stealing

my oldest, my first child, my little girl, has bethrough the night on our way to a work site of Nacome some kind of monster? Some kind of bloodtional Guardsmen. thirsty freak?"

According to Tobias, four large covered trucks

<Don't let her suck you into an argument, were parked along the highway where a group of Ax,> Tobias said privately. <You'll never win. what he estimated to be approximately ten NaYou're about one-fourth of a mile away from the tional Guardsmen were repairing a broken water work site. Keep heading east toward the road.> line. They worked at night, of course, so as not to

<l am afraid I must respectfully ask you to redisrupt the heavier daytime traffic. main silent,> I said to Naomi. Her mouth We wanted the trucks.

dropped open in surprise but she spoke no more.

"How much further?" Rachel's mother de<Please follow me.> I turned and pressed on, manded angrily.

leading the small group of human adults east

"Shhhh!" Eva cautioned.

through the thick woods.

"I can't believe we're doing this," Naomi Finally, we reached the road.

went on. She had been complaining incessantly Several yards away, we saw a work crew of Nasince we left base camp. tional Guardsmen. Flares and barricades lined

"We all agreed to be part of this mission," the road for about a mile in either direction. And Loren pointed out reasonably. "Let's just keep best of all, there were the four covered trucks. going and hope for the best."

<Okay, Dad,> Marco said. <Show time.> Rachel's mother came to a stop. Reluctantly, 80

81

Marco's father stumbled forward onto the Rachel's mother looked angry and tired. Very road. The others followed several feet behind, much like a woman who was unaccustomed to canteens clanking against flashlights and tin eatdoing without a morning shower and other ing utensils.

amenities of what Rachel called "the yuppie Startled, the National Guard commander

lifestyle."

looked up at the group of bedraggled adults. Cassie's parents were also dressed in appro"Hello! Hello!" Peter called. "Thank god. We priately worn clothing. Each wore a small backthought we'd never find anybody." pack.

The commander cautiously approached MarAnd Tobias's mother hung in the rear, eyes co's father. Two other Guardsmen stopped their lowered, trying to appear frail and timid. Loren work and stood protectively at the ready. "Sir? Is was rather delicate in size and stature. But she there a problem?"

had successfully survived far too many ordeals Marco's father gestured toward the other ever to be called timid. In my opinion, my brother adults. "We've been lost in the woods for two Elfangor had married a very brave woman. days. Night before last, a bear came into our I stayed back in the woods, watching, comcampsite in the middle of the night. We grabbed municating with the other Animorphs. <The apwhat we could and ran. And, er, we got lost." proach has been made,> I said. <l do not think Marco's father did indeed look as if he had these particular Guardsmen are Yeerks. They are been lost in the woods for several days. He was surprised at the sudden appearance of a group of gaunt. His clothes were filthy and torn. His face lost campers. But they do not seem afraid or suswas dirty and unshaven. picious.>

Marco's mother looked even worse than her The commander in charge signaled for some husband. She wore an old cap pulled low over of his men to stop work and come forward. "Is her forehead. Her face and hands were smudged anybody sick?" he asked Marco's father. "Any with the charcoal from a burnt stick. A humansigns of dehydration? When was the last time any Controller would have had difficulty recognizing of you ate?"

the host body of the former Visser One, but it Marco's father put his hand to his chest. "I'm was always possible that some of the National having some pains here."

Guardsmen could be Yeerks.

Immediately, Peter was escorted by three Na82

83

tional Guardsmen to the truck at the front of the Guardsmen had no idea that in addition to six convoy. There they made him sit on the ground. human adults they were also transporting four One took his pulse. Another offered him water. other creatures. And being followed through the Moments later, the third Guardsman had

roadside treetops by seven-foot-tall aliens. found places in the three trucks for the five other I morphed to harrier and followed the convoy. adults. The commander of the group got on the

<So far so good.> Tobias. <James, are you radio and reported back to the base that he and guys still with us?>

three of his crew would be bringing in six lost

<AII seventeen of us. I just took another campers, one of whom was having chest pains. count.>

And while this was taking place, Hork-Bajir,

<Good,> I said. <l am in harrier morph about under the supervision of Jolphimee-Celpik, were half a mile below you, Tobias. Rachel, Jake, and quietly dropping from the trees. When the convoy Cassie are traveling as fleas on Marco.> headed off for the base, the Hork-Bajir would

<Where is Marco, anyway?>

silently disable the remaining seven National I could see him, but just barely.

Guardsmen at work on the water main. Just in He was the gorilla hitching a ride on the back case one was a Yeerk determined to get word to of the last truck.

his superiors about a suspicious group of lost campers. Jolphimee-Celpik would see that the Guardsmen came to no harm and were safely released when our mission was completed. Rachel, Jake, Cassie, and Marco landed unseen and quietly demorphed then remorphed.

<lt is all going according to plan,> I told Tobias and the others.

"As soon as we get back to base, we'll get you to a doctor," the commander told Marco's father.

"Let's move out!"

Moments later, three trucks were rumbling back to the base. The commander and his three 84

85

full of other military and civilian vehicles. The driver of the second truck got out and walked around to the back.

I could not see his face, but I heard his muffled gasp of surprise as a huge bladed creature grabbed him and pulled him away from the truck. Another muffled gasp, followed by a soft thud as the Guardsman was knocked out, lowered to the ground, and dragged off. The same scenario was played out behind the other truck. The Hork-Bajir had indeed arrived. The commander and one soldier were with

Marco's father. The other two soldiers from the work site were safely out of the way.

J u s t as we had hoped. The commander had Then Naomi and Walter calmly walked around called ahead to explain the emergency situation to the driver's side of each of the two trucks and so the small convoy was not required to stop at got behind the wheel.

the base entrance.

<Okay,> I heard Marco say. <lt's a big base. If The guards waved the trucks right through you were a thousand-pound bomb, where would without a search.

you be?>

Now we had to hope the Hork-Bajir had been

<There are twelve warehouses along the able to drop onto the base from the surrounding southern perimeter of the base,> Tobias said. trees. We had to hope that James and his team

<Just like on the map Marco downloaded. And I were close by.

see four more trucks in a motor pool along the The first truck, the one carrying Marco's fawestern perimeter.> ther, veered to the right toward the medical sta<We'll check out the motor pool.> James. tion.

<Disable any guards. And be ready for you guys The other two trucks pulled into a small yard to pick up more transports if you need them.> 86

87

<Be careful and try not to hurt anybody,>

<We start the search at A, work our way to L,> Jake said. <A lot of these Guardsmen are probaJake called. <But I want all guards incapacitated bly innocent.>

at the same time, before we start. Does every<Got it,> James said. body hear me?>

<Okay.> Marco. <l personally am ready to

<FII send Tuan and a few others to help,> knock down a few doors.>

James replied.

The two trucks rumbled toward the ware<Good. Ax, you, Rachel, and Marco take houses.

Warehouse A. Tuan, you back them up. As soon There was surprisingly little activity on the as you've knocked out the guards, every team do base. One man and two women coming out of the same, knock out their guards.>

what might have been the mess hall glanced cuJake proceeded to assign teams to Wareriously at us but made no move to investigate. houses C through L.

But then, it was late. Most of the Guardsmen,

<Let'sgo, Ax-man.> Rachel.

those who had not been part of the road crew, I landed in the shadows and began to dewere probably in their barracks. morph. <l will make the approach. It will be a

<We're demorphing,> Rachel said. <l have to good way of finding out if the guards are unintell you, Marco. You stink. Even to the flea you're fested humans or human-Controllers.>

stinky.>

When I was fully Andalite, I walked from the

<You know, Rachel,> he replied, <you —> narrow alley between Warehouse A and a smaller

<Come on, you two,> I heard Jake say. <Just building.

remorph to firepower as fast as you can. You, too, The two guards posted in front of the wareAx. I'm going tiger.> house did not look as if they were expecting trouThe two trucks pulled around behind the last ble. One was noisily chewing gum and cleaning warehouse. From my vantage point, it seemed his nails with a toothpick. The other was glancing the guards in front of Warehouse L took no parthrough a newspaper. ticular notice.

I walked forward. <Excuse me. Is this ware<Two guards in front of Warehouse A,> Tobias house locked?>

said. <Looks like two guards in front of each of the twelve warehouses.>

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89

backed up into the first guard. The first guard struggled to keep his balance and reached for his radio.

Now I knew they were not Yeerks.

By now, a Yeerk would have identified me as

"Andalite scum" and tried to kill me. The soldier with the radio pressed a button. But before he could proceed any further, a hairy hand snatched the radio from him. The guard found himself face-to-face with a huge gorilla. He froze.

The second guard dove for his gun. But a large owl swooped down, grabbed the gun in its talons, and flew off.

The two soldiers looked up.

<We mean you no harm. Now, would you open One of them gasped and gaped. The gum fell this warehouse, please?> I asked.

from his mouth.

The two guards glanced at each other. The The second one stepped back. "What in next second they attempted to run. Marco the . . ." But as he studied me, his face lit up grabbed the first guard and neatly brought him with delight. He held out his hand, palm up, as if down.

I were a dog or horse. "I've never seen anything A bobcat jumped gracefully from the roof of like this." His voice was low and coaxing. "Hey the warehouse. It landed on the back of the secthere, fella. Hey!" ond guard. The guard fell forward onto his stom<Hay is for horses,> I retorted. <l am not a ach. Tuan stepped calmly from the guard's back. horse, though in some aspects I closely resemble

<Thanks, dude,> Marco said.

one.>

<No problem.>

I heard Marco roar with laughter. I did not Tuan si inked away.

think the situation particularly humorous. With my tail blade I severed the chain that The second guard dropped his gun and

locked the doors of Warehouse A.

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Marco and I entered the warehouse.

Suddenly I began to feel nervous. There were Marco snorted in disgust.

so many of us. So many different species. So The warehouse was filled with boxes stacked many different levels of experience.

all the way to the ceiling. On the side of each box The original Animorphs were used to a small was written the word "SPAM" in large black letteam and tightly controlled missions. Unless the ters.

missions got out of control, which they had an

<What is SPAM?> I asked.

unnerving tendency to do.

Marco shrugged. <That's what a lot of people Still, I was worried. So many things could go would like to know. Come on. This place is just wrong. . . .

full of provisions. Let's move to the next ware<Here! Here they are! Warehouse J,> James houses

shouted.

We left Warehouse A and carefully apWithin moments those members of our larger proached Warehouse B, our next assignment. team not on lookout duty had assembled at We did not have to speak to the guards. Toby Warehouse J.

and another Hork-Bajir had captured and reThe munitions were packed in approximately strained them along with the guards from several twenty-five, six-foot-long crates. On each crate other warehouses.

were printed warnings and admonishments such It was dark inside the warehouses. But we did as "Handle With Care" and "Do Not Open Withnot want to turn on the lights for fear of arousing out Authorization."

even more suspicion among the conscious Guards<How many crates can we load in two or three men on the base. So the adults used flashlights, trucks and still have room for us?> Cassie asked. carefully avoiding shining them near the small Jake spoke. <l don't know. Probably ten, towindows. Rachel used the owl's night vision to tal? All the new Animorphs will have to travel as assist the searches. Cassie relied upon the wolf's birds or fleas on birds. The core group needs to superior sense of smell to guide her steps. be with the trucks. And the Hork-Bajir will have Our entire retinue was now spread out over to squeeze in somehow. It'll be tight. But we the twelve warehouses, hurriedly searching for have to do this. Come on. Let's load.> the munitions that Marco and his father had asJake called to Tobias to have the two trucks sured us were stored on the base.

brought around to Warehouse J.

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When the trucks arrived, Toby signaled to two Hork-Bajir. They took up positions on each end of the first crate and grabbed the edges with their large, clawlike hands.

Then they hoisted the crate off the floor. And a shrieking alarm pierced the night.

<Come on, come on, come on!> Jake called.

<l'm demorphing in case I have to talk us out of trouble. Ax, go human. Marco, Rachel, and Cassie, stay in your morphs for now. But hang back. Don't get nasty unless you absolutely have to. James, you guys stay in morph and stay out of sight.> I began to morph.

Toby's Hork-Bajir stepped up the pace of their loading.

CLUMPclumpclumpclump.

The steady thud of military boots somewhere on base. Twenty, thirty, maybe more National Guardsmen gathering for a showdown.

Shouts.

More alarms.

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"The Guardsmen are heading for the gates,

"For god's sake, Marco," Rachel's mother Prince Jake," I said. "They will attempt to stop shouted. "Let's get loaded and get out of here. and engage us there."

Your dad will be fine. Come on!"

"Hurry! Hurry!" Rachel's mother, from the For once, a bossy and impatient adult was exdriver's seat of one of the trucks. actly what was needed.

<Yeah, we get it, Mom!> Rachel snapped Marco loped back toward the trucks.

back.

At the gate to the base a battalion of soldiers

"Where are you going?" Jake yelled. Marco, and vehicles was continuing to gather.

still in gorilla morph, stopped and turned to face We would have to outrun them. And we would Jake.

have to outrun them with trucks that were loaded

<Toget my dad!>

with explosives.

"Stop right now or I'll get Toby to stop you!" The last of the crates had been loaded. We Marco laughed disbelievingly. <You'll do were ready.

what? >

"Rachel, Cassie, Marco, demorph!" Jake orJake stared stonily. "Get back here. Now!" he dered now. "Get in the trucks. Tobias, stay in the ordered.

air, okay?"

<l'm going to get my dad,> Marco repeated.

<You got it, Jake.>

Jake shook his head. "Nobody leaves this

"Good," Jake said. "Remember. We're not gofight now. This is it! The real deal. Maybe the last ing to fight if we can at all help it. We're going to one. We came in together. We're going out torun our butts off." gether. I'm not risking having to leave one of my The Hork-Bajir jumped into the trucks on top team behind. Get it?"

of the crates.

Marco stood, hesitant. Uncertain.

Rachel climbed in next to her mother. I

I watched, holding my breath. Jake was

squeezed in next to Rachel and slammed the Marco's best friend. But it was Marco's father door shut. In the cargo area, Loren and Eva who would be stranded on base, possibly at the perched precariously.

mercy of the Yeerks. Would Marco acknowledge Marco, Cassie, and Jake jammed themselves Jake's authority? Would this mission hold tointo the second truck with Michelle. Cassie's dad gether?

took the wheel.

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"GO!" Jake shouted.

"Rachel!" I shouted. "I am ordering you to The small convoy drove slowly but steadily stop! You must obey my command!"

toward the front gate. We did not want to have to

"Shut up, Ax!" Rachel grabbed the steering knock through a fence. To do so might cause an wheel with her left hand.

explosion.

Naomi shoved Rachel toward me, grabbed

And we had to hope we could get through the her daughter's hand on the wheel, desperately open gate without killing innocent National tried to regain control of the truck.

Guardsmen.

But Rachel was too strong. Too determined. But the soldiers were waiting. Of course. We were going to crash right into the National Three rows of soldiers. Armed. Rifles at the Guard officer. We were going to kill him. ready.

So I used my strong human arms and grabbed Our truck was in the lead. When Rachel's Rachel's hands pulling them from the wheel. It mother saw the barricade of soldiers she autocertainly took her by surprise. Her hand slipped matically slowed down. "What now?" she said. from the steering wheel. Her foot from the gas

"What now!"

pedal.

"Ram them," Rachel instructed coldly. With a dreadful screech the truck came to a

"No!"

stop. Not ten feet from the captain.

"Ram them!" Rachel placed her foot over her mother's on the gas pedal. The truck accelerated.

"Stop it! Rachel! Stop it!" Naomi screamed.

"We'll kill them!"

A soldier, obviously a captain, stepped out in front of the troops and held up his hand. It was a simple gesture. No gun. No threat. Just a request to stop.

Rachel pressed her foot down even harder on her mother's. Naomi yelped.

It was up to me to take control.

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99

This told me that the captain was not a Yeerk. He saw a young human. Not a threat.

If he were a Yeerk he would have a detailed description of Jake and be on the lookout for him.

Jake signaled to the humans to step out of the trucks. They did, and so did I.

"Son! What is going on?" the captain demanded.

"Sir, do you believe in sentient life on other planets?" Jake asked. "Aliens?"

"Is this some kind of a joke?" the captain demanded. "You're in a lot of trouble, young man."

"Sir. Please answer the question. I have two Rachel turned on me furiously. "What do trucks loaded with bombs. It's important that you you think you're doing?"

answer my question."

"Jake gave you an order," I lied. The captain signaled to his men. They began

"What order?" she demanded.

to fan out and surrounded our convoy. Their

"An order to stop," Naomi said, glancing at weapons were held at the ready.

me. "I heard it, too."

"Son, I don't believe in flying saucers. I don't believe in little green men. And I don't know For a split second Rachel looked stricken. what this is all about. But I do know that kids Then the look of fury returned to her face and she and bombs are not a good combination. If this is slammed her palm on the dashboard.

a school prank, it's a doozy, but. . ." I turned and looked behind me. The other

"Ax," Jake said. "Would you come here, truck behind us had also been forced to stop. please."

Jake climbed out of the second truck and I got out of the truck and walked forward to walked past us, toward the captain.

take my place at his side.

The captain, seeing only a boy, visibly re"Sir, did you see the governor on television relaxed. 100

101

cently?" Jake asked the captain. "Did you hear Human shoulders, chest, and arms shrunk

her speech about the Yeerk invasion?" and remolded into the narrower, more delicate

"Of course. But I received word from my maAndalite shoulders, chest, and arms. jor that it was hoax. A very sophisticated hoax. Strong Andalite hindquarters erupted in one The governor was sent away to a rehab center. smooth motion. My admirable Andalite tail and Something about drugs or losing her mind. Lieutail blade followed. tenant Colonel Larsen is being court-martialed With an audible tinkling sound, my skin was for his association with the governor. Several covered with attractive blue-and-tan fur. troops from area bases have been deployed into Though my eyes were neither fully human nor the city to prevent panic from breaking out." Andalite, I could see the expression on the cap"Captain, I'm asking you to tell your people tain's face. He looked appalled. I heard him call not to shoot. You're about to see something disfor a doctor. turbing but not dangerous."

"No! No doctors. He's fine," Jake said. The captain considered for a moment before

"He's dying," the captain cried hoarsely. answering. "Okay, son," he said finally. "I'm not

"No, sir, he's not," Jake replied. "He's only sure why I'm giving you my word but I am." The demorphing."

captain turned to his troops and gave the order to hold fire.

"Ax?" Jake said.

I began to demorph.

As I have said, morphing is not pretty and it is not graceful. To the uninitiated it is undoubtedly frightening.

SCHLUUP!

I felt my human face began to tighten. My human lips turned inward and began to seal over. My human nose receded and was replaced by the distinctive slitted Andalite nose.

CREEEEEEK!

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"Remember, sir!" Jake said loudly. "You are not in any danger."

"Hold your fire!" the captain shouted. But his voice shook. He turned to Jake. "I thought it had to be a hoax," he said. "I mean, in a million years . . . "

"Captain, let me explain that just as not all humans are bad, not all aliens are bad, either. The Yeerks are the ones infesting Earth. The Andalites and the Hork-Bajir are our allies." Jake motioned toward me.

"Captain, may I introduce Aximili-EsgarrouthIsthill. He's an Andalite. And he's been part of the Earth resistance since the start. His brother, I finished demorphing and saw myself surWar Prince Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul, died fightrounded by faces that displayed a range of human ing to protect Earth from the Yeerks." emotion. Fascination. Horror. Exaltation. Terror. The captain nodded. When I held out my

Even joy.

hand he hesitated. Then we each stepped for"They're here!" one soldier cried. "They really ward and shook. Briefly. His hand was much are here!"

stronger than mine. I resisted the impulse to

"Martians?" another guy asked. cringe.

"That stuff that's been on the Internet lately.

"Toby?" Jake called. With as much grace as a Do you suppose it's true?" a woman whispered. Hork-Bajir can muster, Toby stepped forward from At that point, Jake gave the signal and the the shadows. Involuntarily, the captain stepped Hork-Bajir came clumping out of the trucks. back.

The soldiers fell back. I heard clicking and

"Toby is the leader of a group of free Horkclattering as they shot the bolts of their guns and Bajir, also valuable members of the resistance. took aim.

Together we've been fighting the Yeerks. When 104

105

we're lucky, freeing more of Toby's people. And seven lines of tracks. We figure they did some maybe someday her home planet."

simple construction that now leads the tracks

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," right into the pool complex. We've seen them Toby said.

herding people at gunpoint down into various The captain nodded. Murmured something

subway stations and onto trains. From there, the about aliens speaking more perfect English than people are shipped off for infestation." Jake most of his troops.

paused and looked intently at the captain. "We need your explosives to blow up the pool com"There's one more thing." Jake proceeded to plex."

tell the captain the Animorphs' story, beginning with Elfangor. "But now the Yeerks have gotten

"But I have no orders," the captain protested.

"I can't allow you to leave this base with those hold of the morphing techology," he finished. explosives."

"We've lost our major advantage. It's a bad situaThat's when Rachel's mother stepped fortion." ward. "Captain Olston!"

The captain's face expressed several contra"Naomi. What in the world are you doing dictory emotions in rapid succession. Disbelief here?" the captain said.

followed by belief. Horror followed by fascinaRachel's mother and the captain shook tion. Finally, he spoke.

hands. "How are you, sir?"

"What's the current problem?" he asked. The captain smiled weakly. "Under the cirJake allowed a small smile to flit across his cumstances, uh, fine. And still a soldier. Thanks face. The captain was at least willing to listen to you."

further.

Rachel's mom turned to the rest of us. "I rep"There's a Yeerk pool complex under our resented Captain Olston's oldest son when he town," he explained. "It extends for miles, into was wrongfully accused of car theft." every surrounding neighborhood. It's where the The captain smiled warmly. "You'll never Yeerks have to go every three days to feed. There know how grateful my family is. If Robert had are entrances in every place from fast food been convicted, I probably would have resigned restaurants to the mail. It's the largest enemy in order to keep pressing his case. You saved my concentration on the planet. Recently the Yeerks son's future and my career."

have gotten control of subway trains and six or 106

107

He cleared his throat and frowned. "But Three soldiers wrestled a fourth soldier to the what's your role in all of this? Why didn't you ground.

come forward before?"

"Sir," a soldier reported. "Private Grigsby took

"I know it sounds insane, Captain Olston, but aim at the boy. He was about to kill him." the Yeerk invasion is real. No matter what you've Jake turned to the captain. "Grigsby's a humanheard about the governor lying or being ill. She Controller. That means he's got a Yeerk in his was telling the truth and now, obviously, she's head. There may be more of them in your ranks." being punished for it."

Captain Olston shook his head. "I'm having a

"I'm glad to hear the governor's name hard time taking this all in. As I said, I received cleared," the captain said. "She's the best perorders the other day that the Yeerk invasion story son this state's ever had in that office." was a huge and elaborate multimedia hoax. I was

"We're the resistance, Captain," Naomi went told that certain troops were needed in the city to on. "And this . . . this kid," she said, gesturing prevent panic. The major said that under no cirtoward Jake, "my nephew, Jake, is in charge. So cumstances was I to interfere."

the person to speak to is him. I just thought I'd

"Then your major is a Yeerk," Jake said. back him up a little."

Captain Olston's face turned ashen. "That The captain frowned and turned back to Jake. means . . ."

"Son, no offense, but you're younger than my

"It means you have to act on your own authorown youngest boy. He's a fine young man, but I ity," Rachel's mother said.

could never in good conscience send him off to I watched Captain Olston's face and thought I the city with a couple of trucks full of bombs. understood his feelings. It is the willingness to take orders from your superiors and then to obey You don't actually expect me to allow this, do them that keeps an army from becoming a mob. you?"

"Sir," Jake urged. "We don't have a lot of Jake spoke firmly but with respect. "We'll time. There are Yeerks everywhere. We may have fight our way out of here if we have to, sir. And if been spotted. There may be Yeerks among your we fight, we'll win. But we don't want to have to own men who have already managed to get word do that. What we really want is your help." to the city. We must move forward." Suddenly, there was a scuffle and a shout. A Rachel's mother, long Jake's biggest critic, shot went wild and barely missed Jake's head. 108

109

put her hand on Jake's shoulder. "Listen to him, Captain Olston. He's probably the one who's going to wind up saving our lives. Maybe even the life of the planet."

The captain stared at Jake, and then at me, for what seemed like a long time. Then he cleared his throat.

"What do you need, son?"

Marco's father was summoned from the medical unit to confer. Captain Olston offered men, material, and trucks.

Marco's father first apologized to Captain Olston for having to resort to subterfuge. Then he explained what he considered to be the optimum freight per truck.

"But won't that increase volatility?" Captain Olston asked.

"Yes. But I don't think we have a choice. We're going to have one shot at this. So we want to pack as many explosives onto one train as we can. That means we're going to have to haul a lot of explosives."

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111

"But why not take ten or twenty trucks? We've That was a big "if."

got them."

I looked over to where Rachel's mother leaned

"Too many trucks would attract too much atagainst the side of her truck, sipping water from tention," Jake said. "Especially if your unit has a bottle.

orders to stay out of the city. But we'll take you I found it interesting that Captain Olston had up on a few more trucks, if you can spare them. A been grateful to Rachel's mother. Rachel had total of five. And you and some of your people." seemed so sure that her mother was of very little We were back at Warehouse J.

use at all. So had we. But clearly, the captain reThe Hork-Bajir and the captain's men had ungarded Naomi the lawyer as very useful. loaded the explosives and were reloading them Because of Rachel's mother, the captain had so they were packed more stably.

retained his post. And because he was a smart

"What about the timers and fuses?" the capand honest leader, we were receiving the help we tain asked.

needed.

"I'll set the fuses and the timers," Marco's I began to think Rachel had been unfairly contemptuous of her mother. I think Rachel dad said. "I'm an engineer. Explosives weren't might have been reaching the same conclusion. my specialty back before this war but you learn I watched her approach her mother. She did what you have to."

not swagger as she usually did.

"Please, let my sergeant help you," Captain Although I do not approve of what humans Olston said. "Explosives are her specialty." He call eavesdropping, I could not help but overhear spoke to an assistant who ran off and returned a some of their conversation.

few minutes later with a small blonde woman.

"Mom," Rachel said softly. "I . . . I'm sorry. Sergeant Tara Weston.

I . . ."

While she and Marco's father conferred, I

"Rachel, it's okay "

hung back and thought.

The rest I could not hear. Suddenly, Rachel's Though the explosives technology was primishoulders began to shake. tive by Andalite standards, I was fairly confident She was crying. It was an odd and disturbing that it would do the job. If we could get the exthing to see. But still, I was glad to see her cry. plosives down into one of the subway stations Rachel is one human for whom I had never and onto an empty train.

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felt pity. But now, I felt an odd sense of kinship. Jake had not had such a chance with his famPerhaps Rachel, like me, suddenly realized that ily, either.

the gulf between the present and her childhood Jake, my prince, stood alone and apart.

was an abyss of loss.

This might be our last night alive.

The loading was finished. There were shouted I knew he felt keenly the absence of his own orders as we prepared to depart the base. Nafamily. I could not be his family. He could not be tional Guardsmen and Hork-Bajir scrambled to mine. But I could be his friend.

take their places on five trucks. We planned to I walked over to him. "You are my prince," I morph birds and follow in the air. James and his said. "And whatever happens next, know that I group had been told to follow us closely. am proud to have served you."

The parents were thanked and asked to return Jake smiled wistfully and put his hand on my immediately to camp. There they would wait for shoulder. "Ax, for the last time . . ." news of the mission's success. Or failure.

"Yes?"

They did not argue.

"Don't call me 'prince.'"

Rachel's mother kissed her daughter on the cheek and then stepped back into the shadows. Marco shook his father's hand and hugged his mother. Proud. But protective.

Tobias had morphed to human to say goodbye to his mother. He held her hand, reassuring her that all would be well.

Cassie and her parents put their arms around each other and touched their foreheads together for a moment before parting.

I knew what was happening. Everyone was

saying whatever it is that one says to friends and family when they realize they might be parted forever. I had not had such a chance with either my parents or my brother, Elfangor.

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It was clear that the Yeerk roundup was no longer confined to passersby and motorists. The Yeerks were on the attack. Going from house to house. Rousting people out of their beds and forcing them at gunpoint to the subway stations and then onto the trains.

Our convoy headed up to the Shawmut Street station and pulled to a stop.

Captain Olston jumped out of the first truck and signaled his troops to follow. A small but dedicated and hand-selected group of men and women.

The captain and his troops, guns at the ready, walked briskly toward the small detachment of We reached the city.

National Guard soldiers guarding the entrance.

<Okay,> Tobias reported. <There's a subway The detachment, ten strong, wordlessly closed station on Shawmut Street that's not being used ranks and put their hands on their weapons. to load people. Yet. But it is under guard.>

"Step aside, soldiers," Captain Olston com<Probably our best bet,> Jake agreed. <Can manded loudly. "We're unloading some equipyou get us there?> ment."

Under Tobias's direction, our five-truck con"Sir," one of the detachment answered. "We voy rolled through the streets of the city. We Anihave no orders to receive equipment." morphs followed, spread out in the air.

"Where is your commanding officer?" the It was early morning, before rush hour. There captain boomed.

was little usual commuter traffic. But the sideImmediately, there was the sound of ringing walks were packed with people being herded footsteps on metal plated stairs.

toward subway entrances.

The soldiers parted.

Some wore pajamas and nightgowns and

A major emerged from the station below and bathrobes.

smiled benignly. "Captain Olston! I am surprised 116

117

to see you. I believe you had orders to stay on I watched as the first few cars passed before your base."

us. Each car was packed with terrified people.

"I did," Captain Olston said icily. "But those Some pressed their faces against the windows. orders have been rescinded."

Some pounded and screamed for help. Others

"On whose authority?" the major asked, his just looked stunned and hopeless.

smile looking quite a bit tighter.

We stood on the platform, waiting to be spot"On his." Captain Olston nodded at someted. And just as we had hoped, the Yeerks comthing behind the major. The major turned and let manding the train pulled to an abrupt and out a shout of surprise.

screeching stop.

Marco, in gorilla morph, took him down.

The doors opened. People surged out and

It all happened too fast for the Yeerk soldiers pelted for the subway stairs. Those from the to react.

first cars, already in the dark tunnel, tore back A grizzly, a tiger, a wolf, and an Andalite apthrough the train toward the open platform. All peared as if from nowhere and quietly knocked were so terrified, all were so desperate for esthe ten men unconscious. cape, that they paid no attention to the strange Toby and several Hork-Bajir swarmed from group that stood lined up on the platform. the trucks, gathered the Yeerk major and his solA grizzly. Rachel. diers, and hefted them down the subway stairs. A gorilla. Marco.

In the station they locked the eleven in the toll A tiger. Jake.

booth.

A wolf. Cassie.

Tobias gave the all-clear and assured us he A lion. James.

saw no other Yeerk force running to the scene of A crocodile. Collette.

the ambush. We joined the Hork-Bajir on the A bobcat. Tuan.

subway platform. James and his original team A bull. Kelly.

completed our force.

And an Andalite.

Just as a train came rumbling into the station. When the train had emptied of uninfested hu<Here's our train,> Jake said grimly. <Get mans, a group of ten human-Controllers in various military uniforms stepped onto the platform. ready. >

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119

One of the human-Controllers came forward. "So," he said, laughing, "it looks like the circus is in town." He turned to his companions. "How about we join them in the center ring?"

Immediately, the human-Controllers began to morph.

<Jake!> Rachel's voice was shrill. <Let's get them before they're in battle morphs!>

<No! We give them a fair fight. We fight the Yeerks. We don't become them.>

The first human-Controller morphed to rhino. Another morphed to polar bear. Another to cheetah. The remaining seven morphed to wolf.

Suddenly, the rhino lowered his head,

snorted, and charged!

<Go!> Jake commanded.

Rachel rushed the rhino with the grizzly's surprising speed. They collided!

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121

Rachel's amazing bulk absorbed the majority The bleeding wolf yelped but did not back off. of the blow, but the rhino's horn caught her in He bared his teeth and snarled more ferociously. the leg and opened a huge gash.

The fur along his back bristled. Then, they both It was the signal everyone was waiting for. jumped at me.

Battle was joined. Every animal leaped into

FWAP!

the fray.

FWAP!

Tuan's bobcat rushed the cheetah. It flipped They fell heavily to the platform and lay bleedeasily away . . . but Collette was waiting. ing. I leaped over their prone bodies. But before I

SNAAAAAP!

could seek out another opponent. . .

With a crack of the crocodile's deadly jaws,

WHUMPF!

she caught the cheetah's back leg and dragged Something massive collapsed on top of me!

the cat to the ground. Brutally the crocodile Something huge and smothering.

shook the cat from side to side. The cheetah's It was the polar bear.

head slammed against the side of the train. ColI struggled to whip my tail, but in vain. The lette released the still body.

massive weight of the polar bear prevented any

<Marco, behind you!> I warned.

part of me from moving at all. I could not

<Got it.>

breathe. I could not see.

With a nimble roll, Marco ducked out of the I was blacking out.

way of the rhino. And gave it a good punch on the Then, I heard rifle shots.

head as it passed.

The weight became even heavier. Then sudOne stalk eye swiveled . . . denly, several Guardsmen were pulling the dead

FWAP!

bear off me.

One wolf down. But. . .

Captain Olston's men had joined us on the

"Grrrrrrrr, grrrrr, grrOWWWWRR!" platform and opened fire on our attackers. I Two other snarling, snapping, growling wolves struggled to my feet. Saw a dead polar bear, a leaped at me. Attempted to back me against the dead rhino, a dead cheetah. And many dead wall.

wolves.

FWAP!

Many dead wolves!

My tail blade nicked one across the ear. My hearts stopped.

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I looked in every direction at once.

Where was Cassie?

All about me there was bustle and activity. Our team and Captain Olston's men hurried to unload the trucks waiting outside the station and then to pack the now empty train with bombs. I galloped from one wolf body to the next. Captain Olston's men would not be able to distinguish one wolf from another. In the heat of battle, neither would I, unless they were directly attacking me.

Cassie!

I had thought I hated Cassie.

But I did not. I felt for her as I felt for the others. And now she was dead. The train was packed with explosives set to I regretted my harsh words. I regretted so blow five minutes after the detonator was keyed. much.

That five minutes would give uninfested hu"Ax! Come on! We have work to do." mans, human-Controllers, and Hork-Bajirtime to I turned, unable to believe my ears. The voice run for their lives. I must admit I don't think any belonged to Cassie.

of us cared much about the Taxxons' safety. She stood beside Jake at the foot of the subMore than five minutes might give the Yeerks way stairs. Both of them had demorphed.

time to figure out how to deactivate the bombs.

"Come on, Ax," Jake said. "I need you. We've

"Okay," Jake said. "We're all set. We'll need got some decisions to make."

three people to ride the train. I'll go. That means I ran to join them.

I need two volunteers to go with me." I looked at Cassie and she looked at me.

"Since this is basically all my fault," Cassie I did not have to tell her that I did not really said, "I'm going.

hate her.

"Noway," Rachel argued. "I'm going." I think she already knew.

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Marco stepped forward. "Jake, I'm sorry, as well as Elfangor. To strike a blow against the man, but you can't be one of the three." Yeerks. To do what I could to bring an end to this

"Why not?" Jake shrugged. "I'm the only one war.

with no family."

Jake asked me no further questions. And I

"Maybe. For now," Marco said firmly. "But my wondered if he knew more than I realized. In a point is that the rest of us do have families, right way I hoped so.

now. Families we care about. You're the one we Maybe one day, we would have a chance to trust the most. You're the one who's kept us totalk. gether, kept us alive, and kept us sane. You're One day.

the one we trust most to get every one of us out

"I'm going," Marco said.

of here and back to camp."

"I'm going," Cassie repeated.

Cassie and Rachel nodded.

"No way," Rachel argued. "What about me!"

<You're the one irreplaceable person in this

"Cassie's going," Jake said. "If there are tough operations Tobias said.

decisions to be made along the way, I want Cassie Jake took a deep breath. "Okay. Okay. I'm not to make them. She's as close as I can get to gosaying you guys are right. But we don't have time ing myself. And Marco's going because . . . I to argue. You win. But who is going? Remember, don't know. I guess because he'll enjoy the ride. whoever goes probably doesn't come back." Rachel, I need you here with me."

I stepped forward. <l will go.>

Cassie smiled at Jake and he smiled back. Jake looked at me for a long time. "Why?" Even Rachel looked somewhat appeased.

<For reasons I cannot discuss,> I answered. I In spite of the fact that we were all facing alwas now officially a traitor to my own planet and most certain death, somehow it began to feel like people. And if the other Animorphs knew that I old times. Before the war had gotten so terribly had been privy to the high command plans of ugly.

quarantine, they would regard me as a traitor to Somehow, the rifts were beginning to mend. Earth, as well.

The Animorphs were a team again.

If I did not come back from this mission, perDown the line, we heard the scream of an enhaps it was best. All I wanted was a chance to die gine and a whistle.

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"Go!" Jake said urgently. "Go. There's anto remain erect so I could glimpse through the other train coming in behind this one. If they see bottom sliver of window.

this one stopped, they'll get suspicious." Hork-Bajir and human-Controllers were guardNo one embraced or said good-bye. There was ing a large group of people on the platform. They no time. Marco, Cassie, and I ran onto the train stepped forward, as if expecting the train to stop. and toward the engineer's booth. Marco pressed But the train sped through the station.

the lever that powered the train.

And the Yeerks began to fire.

The train jerked and began to move forward.

"Come on," Cassie said to me. "Let's do another check. Make sure everything's in place." The detonators had been set up in the car just behind the engineer's booth. Cassie and I doublechecked that everything Marco's father and Sergeant Weston had set in place was indeed in order.

The train picked up speed. We raced deeper into the tunnel. Closer all the time to the Yeerk pool.

The noise of the train's wheels on the tracks grew louder. We rounded a bend.

WHUMPF!

Cassie and I were thrown to the opposite side of the train car.

"We're approaching a station," Marco yelled.

"Get down. The Yeerks see an empty train go speeding by, they're going to shoot." The lights of the station were visible ahead. Cassie and I ducked. I allowed my stalk eyes 128

129

~i

Cassie dove under a seat. The cable missed her by inches. "If that thing hits the fuse, it'll blow this train before we get to the pool!" she yelled.

The cable whipped past my head!

I ducked.

"Can't you guys do something?" Marco yelled.

"I'm on it." Cassie rolled out from under the seat, struggled to her feet, and grabbed the overhead passenger bar that ran the length of the car.

<Cassie! No!>

The live cable hit the metal bar! Blue-andwhite sparks raced right for Cassie!

Tseeew! Tseeew!

Cassie released her grip on the passenger bar Dracon fire shattered the windows of several a nanosecond before the blue-and-white streak cars.

sizzled past her.

All along the train the lights flickered off, The train hurled around a corner. Cassie was then on again. And I smelled smoke.

thrown roughly to the other side of the car. Shouting! It was Marco. But I could not unSo was I. My hooves skidded out from bederstand what he was saying. neath me and I fell heavily on my side.

The acrid burning smell grew sharper.

"Can't we slow down?" Cassie shouted. I heard the problem before I saw it. A crack"No!" Marco yelled. "I haven't figured out ling, sizzling, snapping, live cable had detached how to work the brake."

from the ceiling. It flew madly around the inside Just then, I heard the doors at the back of the of the car like an electrified whip. Blue-andcar slide open. white sparks shot in every direction.

And looked up to see a squadron of three The cable swung toward us!

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131

must have been hiding on the train all along. No

ZZZZZAAAAATTT!!!!

other explanation. How could we have missed The lights in the car flickered off and on. The them?

metal bar turned blue and white. Sparks flew I scrambled to my feet. Tried desperately to wildly through the air.

keep my balance.

I watched the three Blue Band Hork-Bajir Cassie was not in morph. Neither was Marco. turn momentarily translucent as volts of electricIt was up to me. ity surged through them.

I would have to keep the Hork-Bajir from Then, it was over.

killing us before the train reached its destinaThe electrical current, overloaded, went tion.

dead. And the Hork-Bajir fell to the floor. I readied myself for battle. Curved my tail Cassie rolled out from beneath the seat. over my head.

It was almost pitch-dark. The only light came The live cable snapped and sizzled around me. from the dim lamps set in the tunnel walls. The Hork-Bajir moved steadily forward, eyes

<Tobias!> I shouted. <Where are you?> on me, the blades on their knees and elbows Tobias didn't answer. But I saw the red-tailed whisking.

hawk dart out a broken window and disappear. Then . . .

<l do not understands I said to Cassie.

WHOOOSH!

But Cassie had run to the window. "Thank Something came whizzing through the car

you, James," she shouted.

door the Hork-Bajir had left open.

But her voice could barely be heard over the clattering of the racing train.

A red-tailed hawk!

"Tseeer!"

It buzzed the Blue Bands' heads, raked their heads with its ripping talons!

The train rounded a corner at shocking speed. And in their startled surprise, the Hork-Bajir reached for the metal passenger bar to steady themselves.

Just as the live cable whipped against it. 132

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only gives the people at the pool three minutes to escape. That's not enough time."

"Cassie!" Marco sighed. "We increase the risk . . . "

<Cassie is right,> I said abruptly. <We agreed to give a full five minutes to those who wish to escape. To give them less would be dishonorable and inhumane.>

Cassie looked at me and smiled.

"Okay. It's two against one. You guys win." Marco paused. "So, who's going to key the detonator?"

"Coin toss," Cassie said quickly.

<What?>

On and on through the dark tunnel we raced.

"It's the way we make most major decisions," The train was now traveling on newly laid track. Marco said dryly. "First, you choose heads or tails. At intervals we raced past teams of Taxxons and Then you toss a coin. Whatever side is faceup Hork-Bajir, digging at work sites by the light of when the coin lands is winner."

burning flares.

The procedure was simple enough. But I

Some looked curiously at the dark, empty train could not help but think if this was the methodhurtling past, but then continued with their work. ology by which humans made most of their major Marco came out of the engineer's booth.

decisions . . . Well, it explained much.

"We're almost there, kids. We're about two min<l see. However, a coin has only two sides. utes from impact. I suggest we start morphing And there are three of us.>

now into survivable forms. Roach or flea. Either

"Oh." Cassie. "Right." one can tolerate all sorts of abuse."

"No offense, Cassie," Marco said. "But I

"What about the detonator?" Cassie said. think it should be me or Ax."

"I'm going to key it now," Marco said.

"Why? You don't trust me to give the people

"No!" she cried. "You can't key it now. That only five minutes to escape?"

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"I don't trust you not to sacrifice yourself A dim light. The station at the Yeerk pool complex.

somehow in the process. No unnecessary heroOne minute had passed. ics. They give me gas."

Cassie looked embarrassed but did not argue The train hurtled closer to its destination. The final station. Where the train was supfurther with Marco. posed to stop and unload its passengers. I entered into the decision-making process But this train was not going to stop. This train called the coin toss. I declared "heads" and I was not going to slow down.

"won."

Hork-Bajir and human-Controllers lingered on

"You know how to key the detonator?" Marco the station platform. Several watched the speedasked, beginning his morph to flea. ing train approach with alarm.

<Of course.>

The Hork-Bajir and human-Controllers sudMarco was morphing quickly. <Good luck, Axdenly scattered. man. See you later.>

They knew something was wrong.

I watched as his head shrank to the size of a Thirty seconds.

pin. His arms retracted and disappeared. His Twenty-nine seconds.

body shortened until it was almost flat. And then, The detonator. I pressed in the first three digzip! He was no larger than a grain of rice. its of the four-digit code. Then I began my Dark, scaly material began to cover Cassie's morph.

face.

Fortunately, the morph began in my hind end. Her arms melted against her sides and wings With any luck, the last thing to go would be a finflared from her shoulders. Her legs shriveled unger. til they appeared to be wires and she fell forward.

/ am the servant of the people . . . In less than thirty seconds, she was a roach. I Fifteen seconds.

watched her scurry underneath a seat.

/ am the servant of my prince . . .

The train zoomed on. We were deep, deep inFourteen seconds. side the tunnel. All around us was blackness. I I felt my tail curl. Experienced an odd, dry, poked my head out one of the broken windows shriveling sensation. My hooves felt papery and and saw the end of the line.

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crunchy. My chest cleaved, forming a thorax and belly.

Nine seconds.

Eight seconds.

/ am the servant of honor . . .

I could hear shouts and screams now above the clatter of the train. It was clear that a collision was imminent. Dark, crusty exoskeletal material crept over the backs of my hands. My fingers shortened. Three seconds.

Two seconds.

I pressed the fourth digit just as my finger disappeared.

The train hit the end of the track and I felt it The impact was incredible. Even the roach go airborne.

felt it. It was as if the Earth itself had exploded. It arced through the air.

I was thrown through the air and hit a surface And jackknifed over the Yeerk pool.

which could have been anything — a wall, a floor, a ceiling. Thankfully, my lightweight roach body kept me from being injured. Though for a moment or two I felt quite disoriented.

As soon as the motion stabilized, I realized I was floating. The train had landed in the Yeerk pool. The car was filling up with liquid. I began to demorph. I hoped that Cassie and Marco had also survived.

Fortunately, the car was not completely filled with liquid by the time I had regained my An138

139

dalite form. My head and shoulders were still Marco! He stood atop the wreckage. He was above the sludgy water.

already morphing.

Every one of the car's windows had been shatCassie climbed up next to him. "Listen to me!

tered. Getting out of the wrecked train did not Listen!" she cried.

present a problem.

No one paid any attention to her.

When I emerged it was into a scene of dark

"Ax! They can't hear me! Too many of them and hideous tragedy.

can't hear me!"

Humans, Hork-Bajir, and Taxxons swarmed

<Keep trying, Cassie!>

toward the crash site.

She did. And finally people noticed the young It occurred to me that the Yeerks had not yet girl standing on top of the wrecked train in the realized that what they had just witnessed was midst of the pool. Finally, hundreds of frightened not an accident, but rather, an attack.

and bewildered creatures listened.

Dead slugs were everywhere. Floating on the

"There are ten one-thousand-pound bombs surface of the pool. Pasted to the sides of the on this train," Cassie shouted. "They're going to buckled and destroyed train. Scattered all over go off in four minutes from now. You have four the docks.

minutes to evacuate. Anyone still here in four Humans and Hork-Bajir in cages screamed

minutes is dead."

and struggled and begged to be released. If there had been panic before, Cassie's anI looked around and saw a familiar head pop nouncement produced utter pandemonium.

up through the gray sludge.

Now the Yeerks knew for sure the crash was Cassie!

no accident.

She leaned her head to the side and pounded Hork-Bajir stormed for the exits. Knocked it with the heel of her hand. Her expression was over human-Controllers and even Taxxons in their one of utter disgust. Then I saw her pull a slug efforts to escape.

from her ear.

Those Controllers with morphing ability began She flung it at the side of the train. It made a to morph birds, cheetahs, rats. Anything fast. heavy, wet sound on impact.

Anything that could fight its way free.

"Hey! If you're finished your swim, don't you Marco and I raced to the cages where humans have an announcement to make?"

and Hork-Bajir were held prior to infestation. 140

141

FWAP!

FWAP!

FWAP!

I used my tail to sever bars, locks, chains, and head harnesses. Marco helped the freed people to stand, to take off.

Cassie stood strong in the midst of the

streaming mass of creatures. "Get out! Get out!" she yelled. "All of you!"

Several human-Controllers did not run immediately for the exits or the tunnels. Instead, they joined our efforts to free the imprisoned. Perhaps they were unwilling hosts whose Yeerks were currently feeding in the pool. Perhaps they were human-Controllers who worked with their Yeerks The people backed up, and began to run.

as members of the freedom movement.

I did not wonder at their actions.

Quickly these helpers gathered tools and The head of the creature in the pool resemstray pieces of metal wreckage. And began to bled that of an octopus. Twenty bloodshot eyes break open the locks of the cages. Cage by cage dotted the bulbous face. Twenty tentacles grew they worked to free the prisoners.

out from the bottom of the head, as large around I turned back toward the pool. And saw Marco as eels.

as gorilla struggling with one of the cage. A feVisser One. Not his most horrifying morph, male human-Controller ran over with a key. She but certainly bad enough.

turned it quickly and helped him release the

<Andalite scum! Vile human resistors! I will trapped people.

tear the heads from your bodies before I let you Just as something monstrous rose from the escape again!>

surface of the pool.

Marco stood his ground. <You want to fight?

We can fight. But it'll be a short fight. About one 142

143

and a half minutes. Two minutes, tops. And no and a northern harrier. And we took off after the escaping horde.

winners.>

The visser's bloodshot eyes glared. Slowly he Wings working madly we raced along one of the tunnels through which crowds of escaping began to move through the thick, viscous layer of Hork-Bajir, Taxxons, human-Controllers, and undead slugs toward the edge of the pool. Still, infested humans were frantically scrambling Marco stood unmoving. The visser lifted one tentheir way to the surface. To freedom. tacle, as if to strike Marco. Then swiveled several Birds of every kind screeched and smashed of his eyes to look once again at the ruined and into walls in their panic to get out. People were smoldering train.

knocked on the floor, stepped on by humans too

<That's right,> Marco said calmly. <Ten onepanicked to think. thousand-pound bombs right behind you. No All around us was chaos and madness and

lie.>

fear. It was the saddest thing I had ever seen in For a moment I thought Visser One would

this horrible war. Desperation brought on by the spontaneously combust. Rage emanated from knowledge of imminent death.

his morphed body. Rage and frustration. He tried We had just cleared the first major loop up to speak but his voice came out as a choked gurand away from the pool complex when the first gle.

bomb exploded.

And then the octopuslike creature sank below BA-BOOOOOM!

the surface of the sludgy pool.

There was a short delay and then it was as if a No doubt the visser was already morphing to hurricane fueled by a blast furnace had come something that would allow him to escape. Visser raging through the tunnel.

One always looked after his own interests. Large areas of the roof fell in. The floor buckBy now the cages were empty of humans and led and collapsed. My ears were bombarded by Hork-Bajir alike. The pool complex was largely screams and cries and shrieks.

deserted.

I had lost track of Cassie and Marco. I did not The pool itself remained, stocked with those know what to do except keep flying. The air was Yeerks that had not died when the train crashed. almost solid with dust and debris. The heat was

"Time for us to get gone!" Marco ordered. overwhelming. But still I flew.

Rapidly, we morphed to birds. Two ospreys 144

145

1

BABOOOOM!BABOOOOM!BABOOOOM!

Explosions reverberated through one cavernous tunnel after the other. Finally, miraculously, where the ceiling had caved in up ahead, I saw light. Just a pinpoint. But it was enough.

I flew toward it, rising out of the hideous underground into the open sky. L a t e that day, we perched on the roof of one of the few skyscrapers left in the area. The destruction was breathtaking. Below us, there was a sinkhole where much of downtown had been.

Everything had just caved in. Half the mall, several office buildings, train stations, stores —

all were gone.

Most of downtown had simply collapsed,

swallowed up by an explosion the size of a small nuclear blast.

The buildings still standing were cracked. Some listed to the side.

The entire area was ringed with fire engines, ambulances, military vehicles, and onlookers. 146

147

<Well,> Marco said thickly, <we did some sesaid. <Captain Olston and his troops got out of rious damage. Just like we hoped to do. I'll bet the area in time.> Jake paused. Then said,

<Good job.>

we killed a million Yeerks.>

<l don't know,> Rachel said slowly. <There's

<Yeah,> Cassie agreed, no note of satisfacno telling how many human-Controllers the tion or joy in her voice.

Yeerks created down there in the past week. I felt no sense of satisfaction or joy, either. Thousands maybe. No telling how many esThere were many bodies down there. Human caped^

bodies. Taxxon bodies. Hork-Bajir bodies.

<Yes,> Jake agreed. <But without the pool, And perhaps three of the dead or mortally the Yeerks have no way to feed. It'll be a pretty wounded were Jake's parents and brother. I knew horrible three days, but at the end, we're going to we were all wondering if they had been at the have a lot more dead Yeerks. And a lot of humans pool when the explosion occurred. I also knew who have no illusions about what we're fighting none of us would talk about it. Not to Jake and against. Not to mention the Hork-Bajir who'll be not to each other.

freed, t o o

What could we possibly say?

<Well, that's something,> Marco pointed out. Also, I could not forget that many human<But you know what the saddest thing about this Controllers had lingered in order to save other whole situation is?>

humans who were not Controllers.

<l wouldn't even know where to begin,> I suppose I had always known that Cassie was Cassie answered.

right. Always known but had been reluctant to

<The saddest thing is that this is our greatest admit that Aftran had not been the sole member victory. And I've never felt more depressed in my of a Yeerk resistance movement. That there were entire life.>

many Yeerks who, given a choice, would choose

<Well, just when you think you can't get any not to conquer. Would choose not to kill. If they more depressed,> Tobias said, <look who's dropever were lucky enough to be given such a choice. ping in.>

Yes. Cassie was right.

A large gray shadow fell over the city. We We heard the heavy flap of wings and Jake in looked up and saw Visser One's Blade ship hoverperegrine falcon morph settled beside us. ing, a swarm of Bug fighters surrounding it. Everybody's back at camp and safe,> Jake 148

149

<l guess it was too much to hope that he Perhaps the only hope.

wouldn't survive,> Marco said gloomily.

<Ax.> Jake, addressing me in private

<No telling what kind of morph got him thought-speak.

through,> Tobias commented. <But we've hurt

<Yes?>

him. And he'll have some explaining to do to the

<Thankyou,> he said.

Yeerk High Council.>

<You are welcome,> I answered. Then to my<Come on,> Jake directed. <We're of no use self, I mentally added, <Prince Jake.> here anymore. Let's get back to camp.> One by one we took off and winged our way back home.

Visser One wasn't the only one who would have some explaining to do.

I, too, would have to justify my actions to an angry Andalite high command. If I chose ever to speak to the Andalites again.

They would never understand and I would

never be able to explain.

But for good or ill, I had thrown in my lot with the humans.

Humans.

Violent but peace-loving.

Passionate but cerebral.

Humane but cruel.

Impulsive but calculating.

Generous but selfish.

Humans. Altogether a contradictory and

deeply flawed species.

And yet. . . And yet, somehow I knew that they represented the best hope of the galaxy. 150

151