Animorphs #55: The Prologue

Epilogue // Surprise

Sorry, but I guess I lied a bit. Things haven't changed too much after all. We're still on earth, still fighting the same old Yeerks. We've even got the same guy leading them. But there are two differences, at least for me: Ax and Rachel.

I don't know how I made it though the first time. I couldn't have done it without them. Now, I've got nothing but myself. In a way, it's kind of liberating. There's no one to worry about now. No reason to hold back. I'm coming for the Yeerks like never before.

They killed my father. They killed Rachel. They abducted and twisted Ax. They took my body, mind, and soul. Now, I'll take everything from them.

I was a hawk for too long for me to ever really be human again. I'm a predator, in mind and heart. I have a new prey. Win or lose, the Yeerks will not be able to go to sleep at night without worrying if I'll come for them. I will be the monster that haunts their nightmares. I am the predator.

----------- {Preview} ----------

Jake and I arrived at the Tri-I building at 8:00 sharp. It was difficult for me since I haven't gotten up before noon in years. You don't have to obey the laws of nature when you're the amazing Marco.

The International Invasion Investigation Force was known by a couple of quirky names. Tri-I was the most common. There was also Three-F and Two-If. Those came form the abbreviation, IIIF. The "I"s looked like roman numerals. There was a joke about just what the two ifs were.

I glanced out of the corner of my eye at a red-tailed hawk sitting on a telephone poll. It opened one wing. That was Tobias telling us it was safe to enter. I looked at Jake. "About time we go in."

We were greeted like celebrities. Tri-I was largely created by the Animorphs. It was an organization dedicated to making sure that nothing like the Yeerk invasion happened again. It was an agency that spanned every country on Earth, looking for anything that might be a covert alien invasion. Naturally, they would keep files on every suspected voluntary host.

Everyone in Three-F knew who we were, of course. I smiled when I saw a life-sized poster of myself on one of the walls of the lounge. Below me, there was a caption that read, "A little paranoia never hurt anyone."

Agents swarmed us, asking for autographs, wanting to take pictures, or just touch us. It was good, but it was also a little creepy. Jake and I managed to fight our way to the reception desk.

"We need to speak to the local director," Jake told her.

"Right away, sir," she promised. She meant it, too, because a door behind her opened almost as soon as she said it. "Through there."

The director rose to greet us. He was a little over middle aged, with a receding hairline and a tightly cut black suit. "Gentlemen. It is an honor, an absolute honor, to meet our founders. And may I ask what brings you absolutely fine gentlemen to me today?"

Jake and I shared a look. This guy was way too excited to see us. He spoke quickly and loudly. His eyes were glistening. But he didn't move towards us or offer to shake our hands. He didn't want to get near us. Something wasn't right.

I tapped my left foot on the floor once. Jake's right eyebrow rose. Yeerk? my foot asked.

Maybe, his eyebrow answered.

"We need information," Jake answered.

"Anything I can do to oblige you would be my greatest pleasure," he assured us with way too much assurance.

I fought down several remarks as to what he could do to please us. "We need a list of people you suspect of being voluntary hosts," I told him.

"As I said, anything I can do would be my pleasure." There was a pause, after which he added, "But I can't do that. The International Invasion Investigation Force's files are strictly confidential."

"Even to us?" I asked, giving him my friendliest smile.

"I'm afraid so," he answered. "It would violate several international laws and I have no idea how that would affect our standing in the international community.

"There are many countries who resent our presence and the fact that we are headquartered in America. They think our branches in this country have too much power over the world. If we are seen to be abusing this power, well, that could be disastrous. It could be the end of the organization as we know it."

"Just for giving the two of us a few names?" Jake asked. "But we practically rounded Tri-I."

"I am terribly sorry," the director apologized. He didn't sound sorry at all. But that was fine. We planned for this.

We thanked him for his time and left. We walked across the street. ((Guy on your tail,)) Tobias's voice said in our heads. We didn't nod or acknowledge him at all but he knew we had heard.

We didn't want to be seen looking around for birds. That would tip off whoever was following us that we were being watched and we didn't want that.

We kept going for a couple of blocks. ((Still on you. You're almost at the spot. Should I tell him to go?))

"You hungry?" I asked Jake.

"Yeah," he answered. I don't know exactly where Tobias was but I know he heard it too.

We passed a little alley. A moment later, we heard someone behind us say, "Hand over your wallet."

We turned around to see two guys. One was wearing a dirty trench coat, ripped jeans, and a panama hat. Santorelli.

The other guy was our tail. He had a medium build. Brown hair, a day or so's worth of beard. Jeans. T-shirt. Sneakers. Nothing special about him. Not the sort of guy most people would notice following us. But then again, Tobias wasn't most people.

Jake tapped Santorelli on the shoulder. "Is there a problem?" he asked. Whiskers shot out of Jake's face. Black and orange fur started to grow on his body. His ears crawled up the sides of his head.

"No problem!" Santorelli practically screamed. He turned and ran into the alley. Jake reversed his morph. "You alright?" he asked our tail.

"Yeah. Thanks," the guy said. He turned and went back the way he came. Now that we'd seen him, his cover was blown. He didn't want to stick around.

((You're clear,)) Tobias called. Jake and I turned in to the alley. Santorelli stood by a dumpster.

Tobias flew down and landed in the alley. He started to demorph. A pair of flies flew from Santorelli and landed on the ground. In about fifteen seconds, one was Cassie. The other was slowly becoming Jeanne.

I mentioned that Jeanne is beautiful. Well, no one can make morphing from a fly to a girl beautiful. I looked away until it was safe.

"Do you have the list?" she asked in her pretty little accent.

Jake shook his head. "We go in. Everyone clear on the plan?"

"Oh, sure," I said. "We just have to break into the most heavily guarded building in town, hack into their mainframe, steal some super-secret information, and make it out undetected. What could go wrong?"

"I can think of about six things off the top of my head," Cassie answered.

"Only six?" Tobias asked. "Did you get a concussion when I wasn't looking?"

"It sounds simple enough," Jeanne said. "Why do you all seem to think something will go wrong?"

Santorelli laughed. "Read a history book. The only certain thing about Animorph missions is that something always goes wrong."

-------- {A/N ---------

MUAHAHAHAHAHHA! I PLANNED A SEEEEQUELLLLL

bai my broadheads

gonna leave ya on suspense

bai

mayhaps the speedforce'll be with you?