Part 4 (1/2)

Thus began the diversion. Suddenly doors opened. Heads stuck out and looked and screamed.

People came running down the hall. Most turned around when they saw me and ran the other way.

”Oh, no! Did you see it? Did you see it?”

”It's a monster!”

”I knew they were doing genetic experiments down in the labs! It's some kind of freak!”

It would almost have been insulting, if I were sensitive.

But then the door to the right of Aldershot's room opened. Out stepped a human. He gaped at me for a second, then yelled, ”Andalite!”

He gaped one second too long. He yanked out a gun. I snapped my tail forward and he quickly dropped the gun.

”Andalite!” he screamed again, but with extra hatred this time.

Now the guards came boiling out of all three rooms. They jammed into the hallway, too many to move freely. Human guns were being drawn.

And I saw a couple of handheld Yeerk Dracon beam weapons, too.

In a split second they would all start shooting. The lead slugs from the human weapons would be most dangerous. Not just to me, but because they would rip through the walls and might hit innocent people.

”Shoot! Shoot him, you fools, or Visser Three will have us for lunch!” one of the humans roared.

FWAPP!.

I whipped my tail, left to right, a millimeter from slicing open the front row. They backed up, stumbling back into their fellows.

FWAPP!.

I whipped again, but now they were ready to start fighting. And I was seriously outnumbered and worried about innocent humans being hurt.

Obviously, I had not planned the diversion very well.

And that's when it occurred to me. The one way to keep from getting shot.

8I surrender!”; I cried. 8I want to defect.”;

CHAPTER 9.

”What?”

8I wish to defect. I am interested in joining the Yeerks. I would like to become a Controller. Do you have any information on members.h.i.+p? Is there a fee?”; A dozen weapons were leveled at me. From behind me, at that end of the hall I heard other human voices.

”What is going on around this place?”

”Is that a horse?”

”Look at the eyes on its head!”

”Where's security?”

The leader of the Controllers made a snap decision. He hustled me out of the hallway and into the room where Hewlett Aldershot the Third was sleeping his comatose sleep.

The room was small. Too small for all the guards. There were only five of them now. Much better odds.

”You want to join us?” one of the Controllers asked dubiously.

8Actually, no,”; I said regretfully.

FWAPP!.

I struck and the nearest guard leaped back, plowing into his men. I had about half a second before they'd recover and shoot.

FWAPP! CRAs.h.!.+.

I shattered the window with my tail blade.

8Here's a trick I learned from Visser Three!”; I yelled. I ran three steps, ducked my upper body, flattened my stalk eyes, tucked my legs, and flew through the shattered window.

Down I fell!

8allyaaahhhh!”; Too far, way too far, but better than getting shot.

8The window's open, Prince Jake!”; I cried. 8And the Controllers are--”; WHAM!.

CRUNCH!.

?--distracted.”; I landed in a bush that cus.h.i.+oned some of my fall but also tripped me. I rolled and tried to scramble up, but then realized, as ridiculous as it seemed, that I was trapped inside the p.r.i.c.kly, clawing branches of the bush.

Blam! Blam! BlamBlamBlam!

The guards were firing from the window. Bullets tore the branches and slammed into the damp soil all around me.

Human weapons operate on a principle of exploding gases that drive a solid metal pellet along a tube. The tube acts to spin the bullet, thus improving accuracy. It's no Yeerk Dracon beam, or Andalite Shredder, but it does a very good job of blowing large, messy holes in you.

I needed to get small. Small enough to get away!

I began to morph the mosquito.

8We're in!”; I heard Prince Jake say. 8Ax, are you okay? We think we hear gunshots, but our hearing in these morphs is fuzzy.”; 8ally are correct: You are hearing gunfire,”; I said tersely.

8Are you okay?”; Tobias asked.