«They won't be,» I said. «They're going to be free.»
"Free or dead!" Jara Hamee yelled.
"Okay, I definitely like these guys," Rachel said. She kind of cocked her head and looked up at Jara Hamee. "Free or dead!" she yelled, just as loudly as the Hork-Bajir had.
Cassie and Jake and I yelled it, too. With slightly less enthusiasm. In my case, I'd been too close to being dead just a few minutes earlier.
"I'll give you two-to-one odds on 'dead,'" Marco said grimly. "And if we all keep yelling with a bunch of Taxxons half a mile away, I'll make it ten-to-one."
Rachel ran over, grabbed Marco by the shoul-
110 ders and gave him a good hard shake. "Come on, you big baby, say it - free or dead!"
"Yeah, yeah, free or dead," Marco said. Then he laughed. "Rachel, you do know you're insane, right?"
"Yes, but she's a Packard Foundation Outstanding Student who's insane," Cassie chimed in.
"I'm sure the Yeerks will be impressed," Marco said.
Jake smiled a curious smile at me. "Well? Let's get going."
111 o where exactly are we going?" Marco asked.
«We're going to wherever this valley is. The valley the Ellimist showed me,» I said.
"Should we be singing that valderee, valdera, valderee, valdera-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah song?" Marco asked. "I mean, we are 'a-wandering.'"
"Marco, you should never be singing anything," Rachel said. "I've heard you sing."
We were a strange little parade. After an hour we had reached the lower foothills of the mountains. And for the last two hours we'd been climbing up those hills. Up and up.
Jake, Rachel, Cassie, and Marco were all in
112 their own human bodies. They were walking single file with the two Hork-Bajir behind.
Ax was way out in front, scouting ahead. He was far faster than any of the humans, and faster even than the Hork-Bajir. And Ax would be able to handle it if he happened to bump into some enemy Hork-Bajir.
I flew cover. I did a slow circle that carried me all the way out to where Ax was, then all around the area. That part was hard because there was a steady headwind rolling down from the mountains. On the back side of the circle I would drift around till I could see the first edge of the pursuing Taxxons.
Between Ax and me, we figured we wouldn't be surprised by anything leaping out at us.
But the more we climbed, the higher up the foothill paths we went, the more worried I became. What was the point of leading Jara Hamee and Ket Halpak to some secluded valley if we brought a whole Yeerk army with us?
Did the Ellimist have some clever plan? Probably not. The Eliimist seemed to think he had to do the absolute minimum. He didn't mind sticking his little finger into the time stream, but he didn't exactly jump in all the way. I had the feeling we were on our own.
I drifted above my friends in time to hear Marco complain.
113 "I'm just saying, hey, is there some reason the Ellimist can't just transport us wherever we're going? This hill-climbing is killing my legs. Up and up and up."
"Are you going to whine the whole way?" Rachel asked.
"Yes," Marco confirmed. "That's the plan. Whine the whole way."
"I think it's nice," Cassie said. "I mean, we're out in nature. Breathing fresh air. No noise or distractions. No TV or stereo blaring. No cars. Just nature. Trees and animals."
"Yeah, I guess you're right, Cassie," Marco said. "What could be more relaxing than going on a hike with a couple of fugitive space goblins while being hunted by giant worms and probably Visser Three himself? And all the time knowing we're following the plan of an all-powerful galactic pain-in-the-butt who gets us to do all his dirty work?"
Cassie grinned. "Yeah, but while we're running from giant worms we're breathing nice, fresh mountain air. Come on, Marco, you could use the exercise." She got behind Marco and started to push him up the hill. "Just keep telling yourself - we're having fun with nature, we're having fun with nature."
"How about this - I'm hungry," Marco said just as I glided out of hearing range.
114 He was hungry, I was hungry. Everyone was hungry, even the Hork-Bajir, because we couldn't let them strip bark. That would have made it even easier for the Yeerks to follow us.
Then I saw breakfast. Even though it was more like lunchtime. A mouse, sitting right out in the open. It was digging seeds out of a fallen pinecone.
I hesitated only for a moment. Then down I went.
It was a perfect strike.
I felt great. The hawk part of my mind has a pretty simple outlook on life - when it eats, it's happy. And there is a very satisfying sensation that comes from doing a job well. Even when the job is hunting mice.
I was just back above the trees when I saw the disaster looming. And heard that characteristic sound.
FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP -
«Helicopters!» I yelled. But the others were all too far away to hear me. I cursed myself. Idiot! Idiot! While you were hunting, the Yeerks brought in helicopters!
There were three of them, spread out over a mile or so. And they were coming up fast.
I flew. But the wind coming down off the mountains was against me, and ! could barely
115 make progress. If those choppers flew over my friends, they'd spot them in an instant. They'd see four humans, two big Hork-Bajir and an An-dalite. And then everything would be over.
FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP -
The helicopters were getting near.
I used every flying trick I knew to get speed. I raced forward every time the breeze slackened. I dropped down below the trees to avoid the stronger gusts. And slowly I advanced.
«Jake! Rachel! If you can hear me, get off the trail and morph!»
They couldn't answer, of course, because they weren't in morph. I had no way of knowing if they'd heard me.
«Jake! Rachel! Cassie! Marco! Helicopters coming!»
And just then, the first helicopter swept over me, roaring and ripping up the air. It was like being caught in a tornado. The rotor wash grabbed me and threw me sideways through the air.
F WO M P- F WO M P- F WO M P- F WO M P- F WO M P-FWOMP-FWOMP -
I hit a branch.
SNAP!
I felt a jolt of pain.
I flapped my wings, but only my right wing worked.
117 Then it hit me. The snap I'd heard had been my own bone.
I fell through the branches. WHAP! WHAP! WHAP!
I hit the ground and lay there, fluttering weakly, helpless. Helpless, as only a flightless bird can be helpless.
Panic caught me up and carried me along. No! No! My friends needed me. No! I couldn't just lie there on the leaves. No!
And then I saw the end coming for me. Not a bobcat. Not a Taxxon or a Hork-Bajir or a Yeerk of any kind.
Just a humble, ordinary, everyday raccoon.
116
I he raccoon watched me from masked black eyes. I flared my one good wing and snapped with my beak. But the raccoon was too smart and too experienced to fall for my tricks.
It knew I was helpless.
FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP -
A second helicopter passed overhead, indifferent to the plight of a crippled hawk.
The raccoon grabbed me by my broken wing and began to drag me. I was on my back, being dragged by an animal not much bigger than a large tabby cat. I snapped again and again, but I couldn't reach the raccoon with my beak. I couldn't turn well enough to bring my talons to bear. And the raccoon knew it.
118 I heard the gurgling sound of water rushing over stones. Horror filled me. The fear was so terrible I almost fainted. You see, I knew what was coming next.
People say raccoons wash their food. Actually, that's not true. Raccoons do sometimes run water over their food, but it is not about cleanliness.
Raccoons are careful eaters. With their sensitive paws they dig through the meat, feeling for anything they don't want. The water rushing over their paws helps th
em feel.
The raccoon was going to eat me. And it didn't really care if I was still alive.
«No! No! No!» I screamed to a deaf forest.
I felt ice-cold water flow through my feathers. And ! felt the busy fingers of the raccoon.
«No! N00000!»
YOU ASKED ME FOR PAYMENT IN EXCHANGE FOR USING YOU. WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR REWARD NOW?
The Ellimist!
«Now! Now! Yes, now would be a really good time!» I screamed.
IT IS DONE.
«What's done? Nothing is done, you lunatic! I'm still a bird!»
OF COURSE.
«Help me!»
The raccoon was literally looking down at me
119 like you might look at a steak. He was deciding where to bite first.
THE ANDALITE GAVE YOU POWER. USE IT.
I was too insane with terror to figure out what he was saying at first. Then it dawned on me. «What? What? That's my reward? That's all? You're giving me back my morphing power?»
IT'S WHAT YOU WANTED.
«l wanted to be human again!» I screamed. «You liar! You cheat! I want to be human!»
But the Ellimist said nothing more. And my problem right then was the raccoon. His tiny, razor-sharp teeth were descending toward me. So with my last ounce of self-control, ignoring the searing pain in my wing, I turned just enough to grab one of his hind legs in my weakened talon.
Focus, Tobias, I told myself. Focus or get eaten.
I focused. I concentrated with all my will. And to my utter amazement, I saw the raccoon's eyes cloud over. I felt his grip weaken.
And like a miracle, I felt myself begin to "acquire" the raccoon. I felt it become a part of me.
I had morphed only two animals. A cat. And a red-tailed hawk. I had never escaped the red-tailed morph. I didn't have much experience morphing. Not like the others.
And as I concentrated on the raccoon DNA inside me, I felt my beak begin to soften ... my
120 talons begin to fatten . . . and my wings ... my glorious wings began to shrink.
The raccoon - I mean the real raccoon - recoiled in surprise. He stepped back and stared as I morphed into him.
It wasn't much of a change of size. Raccoons aren't much larger than hawks. But everything else was different. My eyes were growing dim. And suddenly I could smell as well as I could hear.
Feathers were melting into gray and black fur. I was morphing.
I was morphing!
The real raccoon had had enough. He was a smart, wily old scrapper, and he knew better than to hang around in a place where birds turn into raccoons. He waddled away.
I was safe. For now. Safe and becoming something I had never been before. The sharp edge of terror started to recede and I could almost enjoy what was happening.
I was morphing! I had the power again. I wouldn't have to sit on the bench when the others went into danger.
I was back!
But not human.
It's what you wanted. That's what the Ellimist said. But he was a liar. He was a cheat. He had tricked me. I wanted to be human. I wanted to be
121 human again, with my own hands and feet and eyes and mouth.
No time for that now, I told myself. Get to the others. Hurry!
I took off at a run. Amazing! It was amazing to be running. To be down at ground level with things rushing past.
The ground was so close below me. It was scary, in a way. I kept thinking, pull up, pull up! In my guts I felt this need for altitude. It's dangerous, flying too close to the ground.
And no matter how I tried to hurry, the raccoon body was not built for speed. It lumbered along. It seemed to need to stop constantly to sniff at this or that.
It wasn't that I couldn't control the body. I could. That part had been fairly easy. I mean, the instincts of the raccoon, the urgent need for food, the fear of predators, all that was normal to me.
I just couldn't get the stubby legs to move fast enough. My friends were half a mile away! I'd never reach them in time to help.
I stopped. I was panting heavily. The raccoon heart was racing. What could I do? What could I do? I'd ended up in a useless morph!
I craned my raccoon head upward. I couldn't see very well, but I knew the sky was up there. I could see a faded sort of blue through the trees.
122 Wait . . . was it possible? Could I remorph back into my own body? My red-tailed body? DNA isn't affected by injuries. If I morphed back to red-tail, I wouldn't have the broken wing.
Would I?
The others had done it. They had morphed out of injured bodies. Then when they re-morphed, the bodies were whole again.
I had to try. It was so stupid! I'd been left out of so many missions because I couldn't morph. Now I could morph and I was totally useless.
I focused. I closed my weak raccoon eyes and focused on a different body. A body with feathers and wings. And slowly I became myself again.
123 I flew.
I'd only been without my wings for a few minutes, but still I felt weirded out. I mean, I know the others are used to being in different bodies. But I'm not.
I peered ahead with my hawk sight. I saw no helicopters. I did see a few shaking treetops. Large beasts were moving beneath those trees. Taxxons and Hork-Bajir.
I flew on and soon saw the tail end of the Yeerk search army. Human-Controllers, their human bodies wearing out, staggered up the hill.
Ahead of them, Hork-Bajir warriors. They were stronger and faster than the humans. Their
124 sergeants had to keep holding them back so they wouldn't leave the human-Controllers behind.
And out in front of them all, the Taxxon trackers continued their search.
I flew hard and fast. And then, at last, I saw the helicopters. They were low to the ground. They were spread out in a line abreast. And unless I was totally mistaken, they were past where my friends would be.
I felt a chill of fear. I knew what they were going to do. This time it wasn't the Ellimist telling me what would happen. It was my own predator's instincts. I knew my friends were being hunted. And I knew how the Yeerks would do it.
The helicopters were a mile away, maybe a little more. So I heard nothing of them. But as I watched, I saw the sudden red spear that shot down to the ground.
Again and again and again the helicopters fired their blazing Dracon beams down at dry trees and even dryer underbrush.
They were starting a forest fire!
Within minutes, a wall of smoke was advancing through the trees. The wall of smoke had to be a mile long, end to end. It would block Jake and Rachel and the others. It would stop them and turn them back. Back toward the waiting Taxxonsand Hork-Bajir warriors.
125 As I watched, a flutter of pale brown. Some bird escaping the flames.
A stab of red! The bird flamed and burned in midair!
Had it been one of my friends in morph?
«What am I supposed to do?!» I yelled at the Ellimist. «This is impossible! I can't stop those helicopters. Are you just going to stand by now and do nothing?»
There was no answer. I was not surprised. As Ax had said, the Ellimist was playing his own games. He didn't care if I thought it was fair.
I dropped down, down below treetop level to avoid getting Draconed myself. The wind wasn't as strong down in the trees, but I had the worse problem of having to dodge branches.
And then, just a glimpse below me! A pale blue deer with a scorpion's tail.
«Ax! Ax, it's me, Tobias!»
«Hello, Tobias,» Ax said as calmly as if nothing were happening.
«Where is everyone?»
«They are nearby. We seem to be in a trap.»
«No kidding,» I said. Then, aiming my thought-speak at all my friends, I said, Everyone keep your heads down. Don't try and fly or anything. The Yeerks are shooting anything that rises above the trees.»
126 I came to rest on a rotting log. I was so exhausted I almost missed my landing and crashed.
A huge brown be
ar about the size of a mini-van came lumbering up.
«Rachel, I really hope that's you, because I've had all the close calls I can stand for one day.»
«lt's me, Tobias. Chill. Take a rest. We figure we have maybe five minutes before this whole thing closes on us.»
The two Hork-Bajir appeared, accompanied by Jake in his tiger morph. Cassie and Marco came running from the direction of the helicopters. Cassie's thick gray fur was singed. I could smell the reek of burned hair.
«More helicopters coming up to join those three!» Marco reported. «0h, hi, Tobias. There you are. I figured you'd flown off to somewhere safe.»
I decided not to take offense. I was just too tired to care what Marco said.
«Jake, there's no way around that wall of fire,» Cassie said breathlessly.
"No Yeerks!" Jara Hamee said fearfully. "Jara Hamee and Ket Halpak free!"
«We'll have to fight!» Rachel said. «We go straight at those Taxxons, blow past them, catch the Hork-Bajir by surprise, no problem. We can . . .»
127 She stopped. Even she didn't believe what she was saying.
«They won't stop till Jara and Ket are dead,» Jake said flatly. «The Yeerks are not going to give up. They are flat-out never going to allow two Hork-Bajir to escape.»
«l guess it would set a bad example,» Marco said. But he wasn't making a joke. «lf two get away, who knows? Maybe others will try. The Yeerks can't allow that. They need the Hork-Bajir to be without hope. They need them to be convinced there's no way out»
«Marco is right,» Cassie said. «Look at the risks the Yeerks are taking! I mean, geez, they've started a forest fire. They have Taxxons and Hork-Bajir all over this forest. They've gone nuts.»
"Jara Hamee and Ket Halpak free!" Jara Hamee said again. It was as if he was trying to convince himself.
«Wait a minute,» I said. «Wait a minute. What you said, Jake! What you said - they won't give up till Jara and Ket are dead.»
«Yeah? So?» Jake asked. Then I guess he realized what I was thinking. «Hey! Rachel has already morphed Jara. Hey, are you thinking what I'm thinking?»
«Yeah,» I said. «At least I think I am. When I was flying I saw a deep ravine. We should still be
129 able to reach it! It should be perfect. But we'll need Marco in gorilla morph.»