Chapter Ten

< Are you sure this is a good idea? > Marco asked. He was a fly. In my

hair. I felt like swatting him.

< Marco, I don't care how insane or crazy it is,> I told him.

< That's Tom down there. Jake's brother. And if at all humanly, or non-humanly, possible, we are going to free him. Get it?> I may have snapped at him. I didn't much care.

< Yes, ma'am! > he said. <But I still think it's insane!>

<Shoo, fly, don't bother me,> I said with a slight shake of my head.

<Are we ready?> Jake asked. There were various sounds of agreement. Then

silence. Marco coughed.

<Rachel, your line!> I frowned. Line?

<Oh, sorry, forgot. Let's do it!> she said. Oh. I had only really met

Rachel an hour ago. Already, I liked her.

All of them were in fly morph, nestled under my hair. I was shifted to a

plain, non-descript human. We were headed down. Back to my worst

nightmare. Back to the place that haunted my dreams and waking hours.

The Yeerk Pool.

Chapter Eleven

You want to know what it's like down there? Like a living Hell. And

Visser Three is Satan. You say it can't be that bad. Uh-huh. And I

married Groucho Marx.

As I walked down the stairs to the Yeerk Pool, I began to hear the

screams. The yells of fury. As I came out into the open, I glanced

around. There!

<I see him,> I said. <He's in the third cage down.>

<Okay, find some shadowed area for us to demorph in.> Jake instructed. I

followed the edge to one of the buildings.

<Check.> I said once I was in its shadow. Then I closed my eyes, as much

to avoid looking as they demorphed as to concentrate on shifting back.

Cassie touched my arm when they were done. I opened my eyes.

Tobias and Rachel had morphed out and then morphed Hork-Bajir. That was

part of the plan. I arranged my shirt and ran fingers through my hair.

Then I nodded to Rachel and Tobias.

"Let's get this over with before I realize what I'm doing," I said softly.

Jake touched my arm.

"Good luck," he whispered. I nodded.

"Let's do it."

Chapter Twelve

This is how it looked. Two Hork-Bajir dragging a limp form to a cage.

The Hork-Bajir guard opens the cage, the other two toss the figure in.

<Good luck,> Rachel said in my mind. As I struggled up, while my hair hid

my face from the guard and the others, I winked at her.

<I'll be fine. Get out of here and get ready to go Comando,> I said in my

mind. Then I caught Tobias's eyes on me. <See ya 'round, Nareiko.> I hope.

"Ahdri?" a voice hissed. I turned. And there he was.

"Tom!" I whispered. He inched over, then embraced me.

"I'm sorry," he said over and over. "I'm sorry they caught you again." I

held him tightly. Then, very, very softly, I said, "They didn't." He

jerked back.

"What?" I shook my head. With one part of my mind, I heard Jake say,

<We're ready.> "Tom, just promise me something. Promise that when all

hell breaks loose, you'll run. Don't worry about me, don't worry about

anything, just this time… stay with the tiger." He gave me a questioning

look.

"Ahdri… I just got you back… I don't …want…to loose you…again.…" I read

what he meant. But I had to save at least him.

"Promise me," I said again. He hesitated, then reluctantly nodded.

"I promise." <Okay, he's promised. Do it!> I heard the roar. Jake. I

smiled grimly at Tom's shock and slid the dagger out of my boot.

"But…how…?" he asked me as Marco sidled up in gorilla morph. The

Hork-Bajir guard leapt at him, but Marco just slammed him with one powerful

fist. "No time to talk. My dear gorilla? This door seams to be stuck.

Perhaps it just needs your delicate touch?" I added, turning to Marco.

<It would be my pleasure,> he said, then, with those 'delicate' fingers,

he gripped the bars and gave them a hard yank. The door to the cage came

off. I shook my head, grinning. <They just don't make cages like they

used to.> he said.

"Okay, Tom, go!" I said. "But- " I kissed him tearfully, just that

once. I hoped with all my heart it wouldn't be the last time.

"Go!" He gave me one last look, and I saw the pain tearing in his eyes.

Then I pushed him towards Marco and he went. I watched until he was out of

site, then shifted into him.

"Okay, kids," I whispered. "Now the fun begins."

Chapter Thirteen

I had thought he was out of danger. That was when I ran out of the cage,

heading for the other cages to open them. I cut down the Hork-Bajir

guards, then shot the locks off with his Dracon beam. The humans streamed

out of the cage. I moved down the row, opening the cages as I went. Into

the minds of the Hork-Bajir I freed, I put an image of the valley and the

way there. I hoped they'd find it.

<What is going on here?> a thought-speak voice roared in my head.

Perfect. Visser Three. Just who I wanted to see.

I shifted my eyes back to normal. I could see better with these eyes

anyway. I glared at him, dropping into a fighter's stance.

"It looks like I'm freeing the hosts, Visser," I said coldly. I felt like

spitting in his face. But that was childish. And irrelevant, since Visser

Three was already morphing. I gave the changes a look. It was the

fireball creature he'd used before. I felt glad I was in such great shape.

<Oh, no, what's Tom doing?!> Jake's voice.

<Jake! It's Ahdri! Nigero! Run!> I yelled, just as the Visser fired at

me. I dodged and fired the Dracon beam at him. "Shi ne!" I couldn't

resist shouting.

<Get him!> the Visser yelled. Get him? I thought smugly. Him? I'll give

you 'him'! I shifted to a female Tom. The Hork-Bajir that had been racing

at me stopped, suddenly confused. Visser three shot a fireball at me. I

barely dodged in time and rewarded him with a shot from the Dragon beam.

<Marco, is Tom out?> I called in mid roll. I felt his hesitation. <What

happened?!>

<He turned around.> I nearly forgot to duck. Damn! Suddenly, a rock

whizzed by my head. It struck Visser Three hard in one eye. He snarled

angrily and turned to look, forgetting about me. I looked too.

It was Tom.

Chapter Fourteen: Tom

Ahdrianna. That was her name. She was the girl of my dreams, I'd

thought. Then she became the girl of my nightmares. I'd joined the

Sharing for her. And she had been a Controller.

Hi. My name is Tom. That's all I'm going to tell you. I won't tell you

my last name. If I ever get free, anonymity is my best chance of survival.

At the moment, I was in a cage in the Yeerk Pool, waiting for the guards

to open the cage and force the yeerk back into my head. Just waiting there.…

There was a scuffle near the entrance to my cage. Another poor soul was

being put in. I looked up, an my breath caught in my throat.

It was Ahdri!

She was hanging limply between two Hork-Bajir. There were a few words

exchanged with the guard, then Ahdri was shoved in. The two Hork-Bajir

moved on and Ahdri stirred. I moved toward her.

"Ahdri?" I whispered. She looked up and turned toward me.

"Tom!" she whispered back. I went to her and embraced her. She returned

the hug, clinging to me as if she thought she were dreaming. I held her,

still amazed that it was her, and all I could think of to say was, "I'm

sorry. I'm sorry they took you again."

"They didn't," she whispered. Shocked, I pulled back to look at her. She

was smiling. Not a cruel, arrogant smile of a yeerk, but a kind, almost

sad smile.

"What?" I asked, to stunned to say anything else. She shook her head, as

if to say it wasn't that important.

"Tom, just promise me one thing. Promise that when all hell breaks loose,

you'll run. Don't worry about me, don't worry about anything, just this

time…stay with the tiger." I gave her this questioning look.

"Ahdri… I just got you back… I don't…want…to loose you…again.…" She

sighed. I think she knew what I meant. But she persisted.

"Promise me." I felt torn. Part of me wanted to stay with her, part of

me wanted to go. I finally gave in.

"I promise."

Chapter Fifteen: Tom

As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I heard a roar. What…? Ahdri

smiled at me and slid a dagger out of her boot.

"But…how…?" I gave up and just stared. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw

a gorilla walk up and dispatch the guard.

"No time to talk," Ahdri said to me, then turned to the gorilla. "My dear

gorilla? This door seems to be stuck perhaps it just needs your delicate

touch?" Oh, of course. Andalites.

<It would be my pleasure,> the Andalite said, gripping the bars. Then he

ripped the cage door off. <They just don't make cages like they used to.>

he said. I frowned. That voice sounded familiar.…

"Okay, Tom, go!" Ahdri said. I stared, trying to make sense of all this.

My thoughts were in such turmoil.

"But-" I began. Ahdri kissed me tearfully and my thoughts went numb. It

was the first time she'd ever.… Then she broke the kiss and the moment was

over.

"Go!" she told me. I gave her one last, pained look. My heart felt like

it would tear itself apart. Then she pushed me toward the gorilla and I

went. Soon she was out of site.

The gorilla and I ran through the crowd, Gorilla Boy knocking Hork-Bajir

and Taxxons out of the way as we went. Then we met with the tiger and I

realized what Ahdri had meant. She'd known the tiger was here.

<What is going on here?> an enraged thought-speak voice roared. I knew

who it was. I knew who had come.

Visser Three.

In a break in the crowd, I saw the visser standing there. Not far from

him was-

Me. I saw what looked like my body defying Visser Three! Then the other

me spoke. "It looks like I'm freeing the hosts, Visser."

The voice was as cold as dry wind. And it wasn't my voice. Not entirely.

Then, through the impossibility of the situation, came a thought. And I

knew who it was. "Ahdri!"

I ran back toward Ahdri. Visser Three was morphing his weird fireball

creature. I heard a voice say, <Oh, no, what's Tom doing?!> but I ignored

it. The Visser fired at Ahdri. She dodged, then fired a Dracon beam at

him. "Shi ne!" she yelled.

<Get him!> the Visser yelled. Ahdri smirked. Suddenly, she was a female

me. The sight was kind of disturbing.

The Hork-Bajir who had been racing toward her stopped, confused. But the

visser wasn't confused. He shot a fireball toward her and she barely

dodged in time and returned the fire with a blast of Dracon beam particles.

I began casting around for a weapon, something I could throw…there! I

picked up a large rock and hurled it at Visser Three. It struck him in the

eye and I caught up a discarded Dracon beam. I fell into a crouch beside

Ahdri.

<Tom, get out of here,> she said. I shook my head.

"I'm not leaving you here," I said, breathing hard. I didn't bother to

ask how she could use thought-speak.

<I told you to stay with the tiger! You promised!> she yelled as she

pulled me out of the path of a fireball. I followed the motion and caught

her around the waist, kissing her fiercely.

"I did," I panted, staring deep into her golden eyes. We stood there, our

arms wrapped around each other, our eyes locked. Then I heard it.

<Prepare to die, humans!>

Chapter Fourteen: Ahdri

For a moment, I just stood there, staring. Why had he come back? A roar

from Visser Three and the answering roar from Jake brought me back to

reality and I turned back. Tom had snatched up a discarded Dracon beam and

fell into a crouch beside me.

<Tom, get out of here,> I said, while the Visser was getting ready to fire

again.

"I'm not…leaving…you here," he said heavily, not bothering to ask how I'd

been able to use in thought-speak, or change forms, for that matter.

<I told you to stay with the tiger! You promised!> I yelled, pulling him

out of the path of a fireball. My balance must have been off, because he

fell into me. He kissed me fiercely.

"I did," he panted. Maybe my balance hadn't been off. We stood together,

wrapped in each other's arms. Then I heard it.

<Prepare to die, humans!>

Chapter Fifteen

A fireball headed straight for us. For a moment, the world around me

became like a movie in slow motion. Then Tom leapt over, carrying me with

him. We landed in the dust, tangled in each other's arms.

<We've gotta help them!> That was Jake's voice.

<Jake, you idiot, get out of here!> I roared. <I'll get Tom out, now hurry!>

<Man, it always happens this way.> Marco complained. <We make a plan, we

get the votes, we go down to the Yeerk Pool, implement the plan, all hell

breaks loose!> I felt like laughing.

<That's the idea, monkey-boy. Now get out while you still can! All of

you!> I fired my Dracon beam at Visser Three's open mouth, then shifted to

tiger form. <On my back. Now!> I yelled to Tom.

"I had dreams about this," he said as he scrambled on. "However, you were

human in them…." I didn't answer. I couldn't think of anything to say.

Instead, I made a leap for the opening between Hork-Bajir.

<Fools! Don't let them get away!> I heard the Visser yell. It didn't

matter. I was pumped. I was energy! I was sheer power and I was outta

there! Suddenly, pain!

<AAARRGH!!!> A Dracon beam blast at my flank. Another on my left hind

leg. It hurt! I wanted to whirl around, teach them to mess with me! But

Tom's weight on my back kept me heading for the exit.

I bounded left, dodged right, leapt, ran, hugged the ground, all the while

heading for the dropshaft. I saw the others just going up it. I was

almost there. I leapt-

Made it! <Up fast!> I yelled in thoughtspeak and Tom and I shot upward.

We were out! All of us heard Visser Three's angered screaming recede

behind us. We'd won.

Chapter Sixteen

We came out in a cave in the woods near the free Hork-Bajir. Toby met us

at the entrance. Tom got off my back as the others demorphed. He stared

in shock.

"J-J-Jake?!" he said as Jake emerged from his tiger morph. "Rachel?

Marco?" he added as they demorphed from grizzly and gorilla. "Cassie?"

Cassie had finished demorphing first, but I guess the shock of seeing his

brother morph had distracted him.

<Don't forget the amazing Bird-Boy!> Tobias said, circling down to land on

a branch. I laughed. It hurt to laugh, oddly, but I didn't pay it any

attention.

<Okay, Nareiko, whatever!> I said as I shifted back. Tom frowned.

"Nareiko?" he asked, puzzled.

<Actually, the name's Tobias. Nice to meet you, Tom.> Tom just looked

more bewildered.

"Um, does anyone mind telling what's going on?" he asked. So we told him.

I let the Animorphs tell how they'd met Elfangor and gotten the morphing

powers and about most of the adventures they'd had. I was feeling rather

weak, which might have alarmed me, but I wasn't paying attention. Then

Tobias told of how he met me and I told how I'd gotten away and received my

shape-shifting powers. By the end I felt really drained. It hurt to talk.

Hurt to move. Hurt to breath. Hurt….

I collapsed to the ground.

"Oh, my god! She's hurt!" I heard Cassie say. Then Tom was supporting me

and the Animorphs were looking down with worry on their faces. They were

so young….

"Tobias, go get Erek." Jake said. "Maybe he can-"

"No need." I turned my head a bit and saw a kid I'd seen in the yeerk

pool many times. I tried to protest, but then remembered something. Blade

had told me of a race of androids that existed along side us. That some

had infiltrated the yeerk forces. "I'll see what I can do," he said,

coming forward.

"Please hold on, Ahdri," Tom said, concern, fear, and worry threaded

through his voice. I looked up at him. I smiled.

"I'm all right," I said softly. "I'm free." I saw wetness in Tom's eyes.

In all the time I'd known him, I've only seen Tom cry twice. Once was

when he spoke of Jake. The other was right now.

"Please, Ahdri. Don't leave me. Not after I just got you back. Please,

Ahdri. I love you." I raised one hand and caressed his cheek.

"Ai shiteru," I whispered. I love you. It was the first time I had said

that to him. The most emotional of three ways to say it. He looked

shocked, then bent to kiss me.

Our lips touched, and I felt something well up inside me. I wished I

could make it so that no one would remember my being a Controller. That

they'd forget he'd been one, too. That he could live in relative safety

even if I couldn't-

My body shook and shuddered with an effort I could not perceive. "She's

going into shock!" I heard faintly as everything went black before my eyes

and I lost conciousness.

Chapter Seventeen: Tom

Ahdri died in my arms. It still hurts to remember. I loved her so much.

But it hurts even more to know that in her last words, she told me she

loved me too.

We didn't bury her body. I just couldn't bring myself to lay her in the

ground. Oddly enough, Toby supported me. She said it wasn't a good idea

to bury Ahdri. I don't think any of us understood why.

The Hork-Bajir laid her in a cave and walled off part of the entrance,

leaving a small door in one side. I didn't see the purpose of this, but

Toby was directing. She said it would be useful in a few days. We had a

memorial service out there, too.

As I was standing there, listening to each of the Animorphs say a few

words, I thought about killing myself. It was stupid, but I didn't feel

like my life was worth living. Then Cassie said something that brought me

up short.

"She went through a lot of trouble. For all of us. She didn't have to do

anything, but she did. She was a fighter. A surviver. I don't really

know what she was like, but I think she wouldn't want us moping, wasting

our lives. She'd want us to live. To be free. She died for us. Her

efforts should not be in vain."

Oddly enough, even though she hardly knew Ahdri, Cassie was right. She

would want us to keep fighting. She'd want us to be free. The realization

hurt, but it helped me go on. It helped me face each day after.

Later, after I'd gotten the morphing power, we all flew out to a pay

phone. I called home collect and told Mom Jake and I were going camping.

"Camping, Tom? Why didn't you tell us sooner?" she asked. Oh, boy.

"It was kind of a spur of the moment thing. You know, I'd been so busy

that I hardly spent time with Jake at all, so we decided to go camping." I

was lucky it was summer. "We'll be back in four to six days, depending on

how soon we get sick of each other and hike back." I heard her sigh.

"All right, it's okay with me. Is Jake there? Can I speak to him,

please?" I handed the phone over to Jake, who assured Mom that yes, we

were okay, no, I hadn't kidnapped him, and yes, we'd phone if we ran into

trouble. After he hung up the phone, we all cracked up. It felt good to

laugh.

Rachel and Cassie called their parents to let them know they were camping

out in the woods. Yes, they had adult supervision (the adult Hork-Bajir,

maybe) and everything was fine. Then Marco called his dad. He was camping

with Jake. He'd be back by Sunday. It was Tuesday already.

We stayed in the Hork-Bajir valley. It was pleasant there, but I hardly

noticed. I spent much of my time sitting beside Ahdri in the cave. It was

funny. Even in death, she was beautiful.

On the fourth day we were out there, us Animorphs were sitting around,

talking. They were telling me some of the more ridiculous adventures.

Imagine! Zone91, the most secret place on earth, was housing an alien

toilet! All of a sudden, we heard a crash from the cave. We all jumped up

and ran to the entrance. I was leading.

I stopped short as we came upon it. The mouth of the cave was clear and

there was a good deal of rubble around the entrance. We looked at each

other in bewilderment. What had happened. Then I heard footsteps and

turned to look.

What I saw next took my breath away.

Chapter Eighteen: Ahdri

I was on a path made of moonlight and stardust. Around me, the web of

space turned slowly around on it's axis. Before me was an open doorway,

glowing with warm, inviting light. I felt drawn into the light. It was

calling me. It was welcoming me. It promised peace. Slowly, floating on

the path, I stepped into the light.

I found myself in a bright world full of light and life. There was such

joy! It was so peaceful. And in the distance, coming toward me was-

"Mom?" I whispered. Surprised, I heard my voice sounded more chime-like

than it had. Well, of course. I was dead, wasn't I?

My mother came forward and embraced me. I returned the embrace, holding

her happily. I wasn't crying. I was to happy to cry. For what seemed

like eons, we held each other. Then I became conscious of the one standing

next to her. I pulled away and faced my father. My father who'd

disappeared two years after I was born. And then a voice, a powerful, kind

voice, spoke to me and into my soul.

HELLO, MY DAUGHTER.

"Father?" I asked, still unable to believe it was really him. He nodded.

AHDRI, I MUST TELL YOU SOMETHING. I AM AN ELLIMIST, COME TO EARTH FOR THE

SOLE PURPOSE OF BEING YOUR FATHER, JUST AS ELFANGOR'S TIMELINE BRUSHED

LOREN'S TO MAKE TOBIAS. Something clicked.

"Is Loren alive? Is she here, or…" I trailed off.

SHE IS ALIVE, BUT IN HIDING. I FELT OBLIGATED TO PROTECT HER. I nodded.

That made sense. But then, everything he'd said so far made sense. COME,

MY CHILD. I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING.

I followed him to the edge of the cloud we floated on. Before us lay the

vast emptiness of space. My father gestured and suddenly, space was no

longer empty, but criss-crossed with a network of lines. Timelines, I

realized. I saw Elfangor's timeline. Where it joined with Loren's and

Tobias's began. I saw it intersect with Tobias's and the other Animorphs

at its end. I saw mine and Tom's join, then part. Mine went on to

intersect that of the Animorphs. I saw my death.

YOU CAUSED SOME INTERESTING THINGS TO HAPPEN WHEN YOU DIED, AHDRI. NOW,

NONE OF THE CONTROLLERS REMEMBER YOU OR TOM EVER BEING LIKE THEY ARE.

That was nice. Tom had a chance. But then I saw something else. A hazy

line continuing from my own. Like that wasn't the end. I looked toward my

father questioningly.

YOU HAVE THE OPTION, he said gently. YOU CAN STAY HERE AND NEVER HAVE TO

FIGHT AGAIN. The grey line disappeared. OR YOU CAN RETURN AND CONTINUE

THE FIGHT. The grey line reappeared, but remained hazy, as if waiting for

my decision. I looked down and saw Tom's face in the cloud. And then I

knew my answer.

"I'm going back," I said, and the continuing line solidified and blazed,

taking shape under my will to return. I felt myself being pulled back.

Back out of the light, toward the path. Back to Earth. Back into my body.

Back to life.

Chapter Nineteen

I sat up in my tomb. It was dark, but I saw faint light coming through a

hole in the wall. The wall built by the Hork-Bajir.

For a moment, I just sat there, recovering my strength. I was guessing

I'd been 'dead' for about four or five days. My injuries seemed to have

healed very nicely. I didn't doubt that my father had had something to do

with that.

I glanced at the hole. It was big enough for someone to slide through on

their belly, thus providing sufficient air. In the distance, I heard

laughter. Marco must be telling jokes. Now came the question: how was I

to get out of there?

YOU HAVE THE POWER. I heard my father say in my mind. YOU ARE HALF

ELLIMIST. YOU CAN MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. YOU ALWAYS COULD.

Yes, I thought, and knew he heard. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath,

and pushed outward.

That's really the only way to describe it. Something condensed inside me,

like raw power, then burst outward. The wall shattered under the blow. I

waited for the dust to clear, then stepped over the rubble and walked to

the entrance. The Animorphs were there waiting for me, there jaws hanging

open. But the only one I really saw was Tom.

In a moment, he was running toward me. I met him halfway and we kissed.

I felt like I was floating. This was what I came back for! I loved Tom.

I'd come back from the dead for him.

Tom was crying. I realized I was, too. But these were tears of joy, not

pain. We'd beaten the odds. We were together again. We were free.

We composed ourselves, then turned to face the Animorphs. They stared at

me with wide eyes. I cleared my throat.

"Hi, guys!" I said with a smile. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Chapter Twenty

"Marco, heads up!" I yelled, throwing the ball to him. It was three

months after and the start of a new school year. Tom, Jake, Marco, and I

were all outside Tom's house shooting some hoops.

I had told the others about my powers and my father. Tobias was glad to

know his mother was alive and safe. Ax tended to be wary of me now that he

knew I was half Ellimist. Marco had made a joke about Tom liking me only

because I was 'out of this world'. I'd promptly materialized a bucket on

his head.

There was a draw-back to my power. Since I was half human, the exertion

of my powers tired me out considerably. Which is one reason I didn't make

Tobias human again. The other reason, as he had confessed to me privately,

was that he was too used to being a hawk. It would be difficult and long

to get used to being human.

True to what my father had told me, the yeerks no longer remembered that

Tom or I had ever been controllers. Tom was trying out for the basketball

team again. I had bought an apartment. It was quite comfortable. I had

enrolled in Tom's level and we shared most of the same classes. I had

nothing to do with that, though.

Marco caught the ball and launched it at the hoop. It bounced off the rim

and Jake caught it. Marco and Jake wrestled for it before Jake threw it to

Tom. I intercepted it and Tom was on me in a flash. We stood very close,

kissing, which gave Marco time to sneak up and grab the ball, shooting it

into the basket.

<Guys, heads up! Yeerk activity on the rampage! Meet me in the woods,

quick!> For appearances sake, I looked at my watch. We looked at each

other, then dashed into the house. A moment later, four birds of prey shot

out of Jake's open bedroom window.

<We're coming, Nareiko,> I called to him. Tom caught up to me in his male

peregrine falcon morph. Mine was female. I glanced at him. He cocked his

head a bit. <Eventually.> I amended with a mental grin. Tobias laughed.

<Just don't take too long,> he called, then soared off. I chuckled as Tom

and I soared higher and higher up into the clouds. What did time matter?

We were together. We'd make the meeting on time.

But right now, right here, we were free.

WATCH FOR THE NEXT STORY, ANIMORPHS: The Fire COMING SOON TO A WEBSITE NEAR

YOU. -Ahdrianna