My name is Cassie.

  And you wouldn't know it to look at me but I'm in the middle of a violent war to save Earth from an alien, parasitic species called the Yeerks.

  Well, most of the time I am. Right now I was kneeling in the barn, waiting for an injured mouse's curiosity to get the better of him. And when it did, when he crept out from beneath the cage he'd scurried under, I was going to scoop him up and take a look at his crooked, back leg. I guess that's just me. It's who I am. I don't like seeing an animal in pain if there's something I can do about it. And I usually am doing something about it, because my parents are vets and I 1

  guess you could say I'm following in their footas a sleek playful dolphin, and being a horse has steps.

  certainly come in handy on occasion — but I like Except that in one way, I'm already way ahead Jake a lot — okay, maybe I feel even stronger of them.

  than "like" — and what he says makes sense, so I'm an Animorph. An animal morpher.

  I try not to do anything that would put us at risk. My friends and I were given the ability to acBut the risk isn't the worst of it. This is a war quire the DNA of other creatures and morph and people die. And using this power to destroy them. This power is the only real weapon we have others is hard to get used to. But as much as I in our fight to save humanity.

  hate inflicting pain and sometimes death on the But it's more than that. For me, at least. other Yeerk-infested species, I can't just sit back Every time I morph an animal, I experience and allow their evil to consume us, the human the world as that animal does, sensing it, sharing race, too.

  its instincts. That's knowledge my parents will The Yeerks are like a disease, except they never have. And I'm not sure not having it is such spread with malice and intent. A Yeerk will a bad thing.

  squirm into your ear canal, flatten out its blind, I mean, it's one thing knowing that a humpdeaf, sluglike body, and weave into the crannies back whale can weigh thirty tons but it's a whole of your brain. Tap into your thoughts. See through other story to actually weigh that much. To cruise your eyes, speak with your voice. You are a the ocean with the certainty that you actually hostage, trapped inside yourself. Screaming for are that animal. The only way to really underhelp but no one can hear you. stand is to become that creature, and they can't We call people infested by Yeerks Controllers, teach that in vet school.

  and there are more of them every day. Like I said, But this isn't just about becoming an animal. the Yeerks have taken over other species, too, and It isn't just about the morphing. See, we use our they're using some of them to wage this poisomorphs to fight this war. To divert and battle the nous war on Earth.

  Yeerks. That's why Jake, our leader, doesn't like We, the Animorphs, are the only active resisus using the morphs for our own purposes. I can't tance. Me. My best friend Rachel. Jake. His say I never have — there's nothing like frolicking friend Marco. Tobias, who stayed in his red-tailed 2

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  hawk morph longer than the two-hour limit and A low-flying plane?

  now lives as a bird of prey. A nothlit, as Ax would The mouse zipped out. Stopped. Nose twitchsay. ing.

  Ax is an aristh, an Andalite warrior-cadet, and

  THWOK! THWOK! THWOK!

  it was his brother Elfangor who gave us the blue The drone was deafening now.

  morphing cube before Visser Three murdered The mouse tensed.

  him, so that we could continue the battle. My hand flashed out and scooped it up.

  That's pretty much it on our side. Well, unless

  "Nobody's going to hurt you," I said, but my you count the Chee, a nonviolent race of anvoice was lost in the thundering noise. Somedroids, who help us by spying on the Yeerks and thing deep in the pit of my stomach stirred uninfiltrating their cover organization called The easily.

  Sharing. But when it comes right down to it, It didn't sound like a plane, it sounded like we're the only ones out there aggressively dea . . . fending our species.

  I stuck my head out of the open barn doors in So you can see why I need to work with

  time to see a helicopter pass and continue out wounded animals. To help heal them. And in over the woods.

  some way, I think they help heal me, too. The droning faded.

  Movement.

  I shrugged and turned to put the mouse in a A tiny, twitching nose poked out from under cage and nearly ran into Erek who was standing the cage.

  behind me. Erek is one of the Chee.

  The barn turned Wildlife Rehab Clinic was

  "Whoa!" I said, startled. "I didn't see you quiet today. We had only three patients and all come in."

  were on the mend.

  Erek nodded. "Good. You weren't supposed Their snuffling and scrabblings were familiar to. And neither were the Controllers in the helisounds. copter. We have a major problem, Cassie." , But the distant, low-level drone thrumming

  "Uh, I'm the only one here right now," I said, through the air wasn't.

  realizing I was still holding the mouse. I gently Achainsaw?

  put it in an empty cage and then waited to hear The buzzing grew louder. Sharper. Closer. the rest of Erek's news.

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  "I'll notify the others, but we have to move on move the cube, Erek? Won't the Yeerks just tarthis. The Yeerks have managed to repair the Helget it again?" macron ship and they've reactivated the sensors

  "Yes. That's why you and the others have to that locate morphing energy."

  keep it moving until the Helmacron ship can be Oh, great. The Helmacrons. Again.

  destroyed," Erek said as the helicopter's shadow The Helmacrons are an exceptionally tiny, expassed over us, blotting out the sunlight streamceptionally annoying species with delusions of ing in through the doors. "If that cube falls into grandeur and egos the size of Montana. UnfortuYeerk hands . . ." nately, they also have very advanced technology.

  "Don't even say it," I said, tucking the cube Erek continued, "The Yeerks are tracking into the waistband of my jeans and pulling my morphing energy."

  dad's huge, old, college T-shirt down over it.

  "But I haven't morphed —"

  "Okay, let's go —"

  The blue box. The Escafil Device. It was hidBut Erek had vanished. den here in the barn.

  "Cassie?" my mother said, from the doorway.

  "The ship's sensors aren't operating at full

  "I'm off to The Gardens. I have animal transports potential but the Yeerks have managed to hone in to oversee and —"

  on a weak signal from somewhere in this area.

  "I'll go with you!" I blurted, while giving the That would be the energy from the morphing barn a quick once-over for Erek. Was he that cube." Erek's voice was muted as the helicopter bucket? That bale of hay? The Chee were exdid another flyby. "They're making another pass. tremely good with holograms.

  If we don't get that cube out of here —" The sunlight behind my mother shimmered

  "I'll get it," I said, heading to the darkest secand for an instant, Erek was Erek again and not a tion of the barn. I'd hidden the cube where it hologram of a brightly lit barn door.

  wouldn't be found by anyone who happened to I looked at my mom. "Let's get going." be stumbling around, but I hadn't counted on the Yeerks being able to repair something so minuscule as the Helmacrons' damaged and abandoned ship. "But what good will it do to 6

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  "What's wrong with him?" my mother asked, scowling into her rearview mirror at the car behind us; it was crawling right up our butts. "The speed limit's forty-five on this road."

  "Yeah, but you're only doing thirty, Mom," I said, gazing pointedly at the speedometer. C'mon, Mom, hurry!

  "Thirty?" my mother asked, pressing the gas pedal. The speedometer needle was on the rise. Sort of. "There. That's better." But it wasn't better because the car behind us floored it, passed us on a double line, then cut right back in front of us and promptly slowed down.

  Have you ever had one of those horrible

  "What are you doing!" my mother shouted, dreams where something is chasing you and no braking and glaring at the back of the driver's matter how fast you try to run, you're not getting head.

  anywhere?

  "Mom, don't say anything," I warned, watchWell, that's exactly how I felt driving to The ing as the driver finally sped up.

  Gardens with my mother.

  "But he's driving erratically," my mother said, The helicopter was buzzing back and forth speeding up and then slamming on her brakes as over the woods. And we were getting nowhere he slowed down again. "What is he doing?!" fast because my mother was talking while she

  "Mom, stop! He can't hear you!" I said. "Just was driving, and when she does that, she always back off. It's either road rage or. . ." takes her foot off the gas pedal. She doesn't do it Or a Controller sent to steal the blue box. on purpose but it's still nerve-racking. I looked up at the sky. The helicopter was the Speed up. Slow down. Speed up. Slooowwww size of a horsefly in the distance. If it had pindooowwwnnnn. . . . pointed us, it wouldn't send just one Controller BEEEEEEEPP!

  for the box. No way. Stealing it would be a major 8

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  victory for the Yeerks and they'd send an army to The frantic fluttering in my stomach got worse. do it, not one bald guy in a Ford Taurus. I left my mother in the employee parking lot

  ". . . or he's a complete imbecile?" my and headed into the park. I told her I was going mother snapped, but backed off enough for him to check out a few of the new animals and then to pull ahead. "I don't know what is going on grab a bus back home. I tried to look as normal around here today."

  as I could in my baggy, dirt-stained jeans with a

  "You mean with all those helicopters?" I blue morphing cube hidden beneath my T-shirt. asked as casually as I could while keeping an eye

 

  and was pretty much history. "I thought maybe Thought-speak. Rachel was here somewhere. an animal had escaped from The Gardens or Good. Even though I wasn't in morph and something."

  couldn't answer her, I felt better.

  "No, they would have called me," my mother

  Marco said. "And I haven't heard any news bulletins smirked.

  smiled. "I guess it's just one of those days,

 
  sensors,> Jake said.
  "I guess so."

  a way to disable that ship. You have the blue box, By the time we pulled into The Gardens, my right?>

  neck was cramped and my stomach was twisted. I nodded slowly, paused by the American bufOne from watching the helicopter, the other from falo enclosure, and casually looked around —

  sheer worry. What if Erek hadn't gotten word to then up.

  everyone?

  A red-tailed hawk circled high above me. What if he had?

  Two identical seagulls landed near the buffalo Wouldn't the Helmacron sensors pick up

  wallow. A third landed on a nearby Dumpster. A three kids and an Andalite in morph? Of course fourth strutted past, eyeing up a little girl eating they would. Tobias would be okay, but was getfrench fries. ting us all together really that great an idea?

  That one had to be Ax.

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  thing!> Jake shouted, taking off.
  else, split up! We have to draw the sensors away He gobbled it down and screeched for anfrom Cassie! Tobias, you stick with her since other. And another.

  you're not in morph.>

 

  Tobias said.

  away from the kid.

  And suddenly, I saw one of the guys in the

  Jake said quietly suits.

  but firmly.

  I didn't run. I didn't want to attract attention. I scanned the crowd, following one woman's gaze into the sky. Another helicopter had joined I waited until he turned away.

  the first.

  Then bolted.

  I glanced back at the woman, who didn't look surprised or even curious. Just sort o f . . . eager. She disappeared into the crowd.

  The knot in my stomach was back with a

  vengeance.

  The helicopters were circling closer and it wouldn't be long before they pinpointed a whole lot of morphing energy in one place.

  I didn't know what to do. I couldn't communicate with anybody —

  Tobias called down.

  < Cassie, move,> Jake said tersely. I stepped backward, away from the buffalo enclosure. Where? I mouthed silently.

 
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  If only, if only!

  Deal with the realities, Cassie. Keep going. The alley finally led me to the loading area, where a couple of huge trucks were parked.

 
  They're looking around, talking into radios. They're splitting up!> Tobias yelled.

  Where was I supposed to go? I flattened myself up against a white transport truck, the only thing left between me and them.

  And if one of the helicopters buzzed over now, they'd see two Controllers not ten feet away

  < Nice,> Tobias said. phing cube poking up from beneath her grubby I did, my heart pounding in my ears. My allT-shirt. too-human ears.

  They would know it was me they were hunting I was so helpless as a human. I had brains for.

  but no brawn. No claws, no fangs, no wings. This was it. There was no escape.

  Nothing to give me even the slightest advantage No way out!

  over the Yeerk-infested human-Controllers trackI couldn't morph so I couldn't fight or fly. ing me.

  I couldn't drop the cube and run because if If only I could morph without attracting the the Yeerks got the cube, it would all be over. sensors.

  My stomach pushed into my throat.

  If only the others could distract the Con
  trollers long enough for me to get away. Wait, there's a driver getting into the cab. Your 14

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  mother's making him sign something. The ConPanicking, I yanked on the door. trollers are at the back of the truck! If they look Nothing.

  around the side —>

  The truck started up. Idled.

  He didn't have to say anymore. I already knew It was going to pull away and leave me here, what would happen. They'd see me. Grab me. My exposed.

  mother would get involved and then it was down I yanked again. Saw the pin. Pulled it out and to the Yeerk pool for both of us and total annihipulled the door open, scrambled up into the back lation for my friends.

  of the heavily fenced transport truck, and quietly Trying not to hyperventilate, I inched along closed the door behind me. Doubled over, pantthe truck toward the cab. At that moment, I ing, heart racing.

  didn't know what I was going to do, but I had to I had made it.

  get farther away from the back of the truck. That's when something very large bellowed Not that two or three feet would make that very loudly.

  much of a difference, but it was all the space I I shot up and staggered back against the wall. had.

  There, looming in front of me, with its huge, Something jabbed me in the back.

  broad head held low and its massive, curved I flinched and glanced behind me.

  horns, stood almost a ton of solid, muscled A door handle.

  African Cape buffalo.

  There was a small, side entry door in the wall Aka the widow-maker.

  of the transport truck's bed.

  "Chopper's picking up a reading from this area," one of the men behind the truck said. "If we find the Andalite bandits and the morphing technology, Visser Three will be extremely pleased. If we don't —"

  "Don't even mention what'll happen if we don't," the other Controller said nervously. "The chopper pilot says the signal's strong in our radius. Let's just keep looking." 16

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  said. "If you ask me, this is some kind of wildgoose chase."

  "Don't let the visser hear you say that," the first man said uneasily. "He just pulled up." The voices faded as the truck lurched forward, picking up speed.

  Tobias was still around. Faint but around. Silence.

  Uh-oh what? I thought. I held still and watched the Cape buffalo watch me. Not a good feeling. Trust me.

  It was hot and waves of the animal's thick, musky scent were nearly overpowering. Even for Several things happened at once.

  me. But the stench wasn't anything compared to The truck rumbled and jerked to life.

  the pure power in the broad, muscular body and The Cape buffalo stumbled backward, bound the deadly threat of its massive horns. by two ropes around its horns and two around its The buffalo snorted, blowing a rush of hot, neck. The ropes were knotted into metal loops on moist air out through its nostrils.

  the truck's walls.

  Tobias was starting to sound a little then again, most people wouldn't have to worry frantic.
 

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