Post by Suji on Sept 20, 2009 22:54:40 GMT -5
Rian:
Rian sat quietly in the passenger seat of the squad car and tried to look like a cop. What did cops look like? What did controller cops look like? This was all a fisking mess.
And the chinese food guy never had gotten paid.
He sighed and rubbed his temples. The action felt weird. Everything felt weird, wrong. It was all just slightly wrong and It was driving Rian just a little crazy. This body wasn't his own and the feeling had a familiar horror to it.
He better limit people's shifts as this guy. He had a feeling that everyone would be feeling whatever this was, this body creep, and he didn't want them alone with it too long.
<<So who decided to tag along with me?>> He called into the air, directing his thoughtspeak to any animorphs in the area. Because it wasn't Rian's body he didn't feel uncomfortable using the thoughtspeak and he really needed to know who was with him on this.
Stevert:
Steve allowed the squirrel to take over and it ran towards the door to escape the shadow of a hawk circling overhead. Then Steve stood up in fornt o f the vaguely familiar lady who said he was help in the form of a squirrel. <<Yo lady! I'm just a normal squirrel. I'm not help. I'm like a squirrel you see in the park. Uh, nothing unusual about me.>> Then Steve bounded through the door and heard something from Ember saying something about "hiding a body." The teen didn't even want to know what that was all about.
robert decided to step forward, figuratievely of course since Yeerks couldn't step, <<Hello Rian. Steve and I have come here under orders from Matthew with some information that also involves Ember here.>> But that was all he could say before Rian left, morphed as a police officer.
Steve heard Rian ask for back up so he automatically volunteered. hey, he'd never been to Vegas before and had decided that a little sight-seeing wouldn't hurt anything. <<I'll go!>> he cried out towards Rian in a highly energetic voice. As the car began to move, Steve ran along in a series of hops towards the car before it began to pick up speed. He bundled his hind legs underneath him and ...
Flight! For about three seconds before his tiny body landed on the bumper off the car. He curled his body up to decrease his surface area and watched the city streak by. <<Hey Rian! Stevert's joined the party!>> he said towards the Animorphs.
Drake:
After he got done tying up the police officer like Rian had asked, Drake prepared himself for the second part of that request. He was going to acquire the guy. Drake had never acquired a human before and he felt a little strange doing it, but Rian was the boss so he didn't argue. Even so, he did not relish the thought about becoming this man.
<<I'm going to try and catch up to Rian,>> he stated after he had gotten his newest morph. Supposedly this Stevert person had followed him, but Drake did not know much about him and therefore did not know if he would be able to handle the job alone. He went into his secretary bird morph, and took off towards the station.
It was probably too late to catch up with the car by this point, but Drake knew where the station was due to his previous flights around the city. Still, he would keep an eye out for Rian's squad car just in case they got stuck in traffic or something.
Rian:
<<Nice to have you with us Stevert. Sorry that you've been thrown into all this so fast, the trip across the desert must have been long. I would love to say that Vegas isn't always like this but I'd be lying.>> He stopped talking to Steve as the car pulled up to the Trump International Hotel. <<Um, well this isn't what I was expecting but I should have.>>
He stepped out of the car and craned his head up, looking at the building. Of course the police reported here instead of the police station. They were yeerk controlled now and what need did the yeerks have of human police stations?
He didn't like being surprised like this but once he had taken a step back he realized that his situation really hadn't changed that much. Except for the fact that he was now entering one of the most heavily armed yeerk facilities in the city as opposed to some out of the way police station.
<<Steve, Rob, where are you guys exactly because I'm about to go inside and it doesn't look like the type of place animals just wander free. Maybe you should catch a ride on me if you are small enough.>>
Stevert:
<<Thanks Rian! Rob and I came here to tell you something but I forgot what it was right now. Anyways, I'm used to speed. I haven't been in any major missions that could possibly risk identity exposure in weeks. I'm looking forward to this. And don't get me started on how long the trip was. Even though I used my pronghorn as much as possible and I traveled most of the night, it still took awhile since I left about two days ago. I'm thinking that I may need to visit the pool here since Robert gets so picky about not enough Kandrona rays. Go figure. By the way, did you know that rabbits actually taste pretty good raw? At least to my wild dog it did. And to my owl. Am I rambling again? I'm sorry. It's just that I haven't had any one to talk to in days and Robert ain't...>> Steve was cut off by his brother who said:
<<ENOUGH STEVE!>> in a broadcast that included Rian. <<I'm sorry about Steve, >>Robert directly addressed Rian. <<Oh yeah, I figured out how to use thought-speak as a yeerk. It's kinda weird actually.>> Robert stopped talking and released his control over Steve's thought-speak abilities as the car came to as top.
Steve stole control over his morph and said, <<Hey Rian! are we going inside? I'll go! Maybe if you empty out your ammunition case I can ride along on your belt. Okay? By the way, I'm on the bumper of the car. Not the best of views from here.>> Steve whined. Apparently, Rian agreed with Steve's earlier idea since he began to do that. Steve jumped off of the car and bolted around the vehicle and climbed up Rian's pant leg. He barely managed to fit in the case and he said, <<Ok. I'm ready. Tell your partner to hurry up! I want to see the building!>>
Drake:
Drake landed on the corner of a building's roof. He had found the police station, but it wasn't really as station per say. They had moved to the old Trump Tower.
From his perch he could see the officer Rian had morphed standing near the squad car. <<I'm here,>> he said. <<I'll try to find a way in, but I can't make any guarantees. Keep me updated on anything I should know.>> Then Drake started to examine the building for any unguarded entrances that might give him access.
Rian:
<<Drake.>> The relief in his thoughtspeak voice was evident. He was glad to have Stevert along but he was also glad to hear someone from LVA was along.
Rian followed the other officers in and was the last through the door. As he walked inside he froze for a second. All the officers were looking at him. "Um," <<Steve, Rob, I think->>
"So what was the alarm about Narup?" One officer asked. Rian had been about to tell Stevert that they should bail when he realized that they were all just looking at him for the story and Rian decided he better tell it rather than let someone else do the job.
"Oh, just some kids. Low life controllers that had staked out some hotel. We let them go, they aren't harming anyone. Shame of the empire if you ask me. They are what's wrong with this city but they're like cockroaches, too many to stomp out." He hoped he had sounded hateful enough.
"Not all of them," one of the cops who had been at the Den said. Rian looked at him sharply, wondering what he was talking about. He seemed nervous about refuting the word whoever Rian was but continued on with his addition to the story. "One of them was Essi 009. You know the one? I heard she got addicted to meal a while back so you're probably right Narup, just some low lives," he finished.
By now the whole group that didn't have a pressing duty had relocated to a break room. "Oh, yea, Essi. What happened with her again?" As long as he was here he might as well try to get some information out of them.
<<Steve, Rob, I'm going to find a place to set you down. Do you think you can find me a place to demorph, a bathroom or something, I've been in this morph for almost 45 minutes. For that matter so have you. Drake, you can't see him but there is an animorph here, or two actually named Steve and Robert and they're going to be helping us. Stevert, Drake, Drake, Stevert. Formal intros will have to wait till later I guess. Drake, can you find to find me a window in case I need a quick air escape?>>
Stevert:
Steve said in private thought-speak to Rian. <<Ooooo. I'm going to tell Ember you called her a low life.>> Steve said in a voice that first-graders used when somebody did something bad. He chuckled to himself with that. He quietly listened to the rest of the talking but it began getting boring. After all, they were talking about a person he didn't know so there was no point in eavesdropping. Then came thought-speak.
In an Animorphs only thought-speak, Steve said, <<Drake? Hi! I'm Steve! How ya doin'? I'm from LA faction. Nice to meet you!>> As soon as Steve stopped talking. Robert said to the Animorph who the brothers didn't know, <<Hello. I am Robert. Don't worry about looking for me. You won't find me. Just look for a squirrel and that will be Steve.>>
<<Okay Rian,>> the older brother said, <<We're ready. Do you think they'll really notice a squirrel in here? Never mind. They'll never look down if they're anything like LA controllers.>> Robert said with a slight chuckle. Pleasantries aside, it was time for business.
Drake:
Drake began flying around the tower to find a way in. <<Hi Steve and Robert,>> he said once they stopped talking. He would have to find out more about them when he got the chance.
<<Rian, I do not see any easy exits. All the windows look like the 'can't open' type. You could probably break one if you had to, but I do not have to tell you the risks involved with something like that.>> Drake tried flying higher. Maybe there was something on the roof.
Rian:
<<Ok, just do your best, both of you.>> Rian rubbed his nose. It was an unconscious gesture of his when he was frustrated but he was surprised how wrong it felt. Not a lot wrong, just a little. Just enough to make it a lot wrong if that made sense. He was reminded again that finding an exit wasn't his only problem. He couldn't allow himself to be stuck in this form either. He wished now that he had waited until one of the others had acquired the cop before leaving. Wait, had they?
<<Drake, did you acquire the cop before you came? If so we really need to find you a way into this building because I'm going to need a relief in about an hour.>> He could always find a bathroom and remorph, and would if it turned out it would be more risky to try to get Drake in. But being in a body that wasn't your own was psychologically wearing and he would like to switch off if he could.
Drake:
<<Yeah, I acquired him. That is part of the reason it took me so long to catch up. And I think I found a way in,>> Drake said as he landed on the roof.
He demorphed from his secretary bird and went to check the rooftop access. It was locked, but Drake had expected that. Of course it would not be that easy. That is why he had begun morphing to his tiny gray moth form. The roof was covered in all sorts of pipe and vent-type mechanisms and he was sure that at least a couple would give him access to the building.
He fluttered up to a vent that looked promising. As he got closer he could feel a gentle pull as the air got sucked inwards. It got stronger as he got closer until finally he could not resist the pull. <<Whoa-oh-oh!>> he exclaimed as he got pulled by the vortex of air leading down into the dark vent. No turning back now.
Stevert:
Run! Stop. Sniff. Wait. Look. Is that a leaf? Nope. Just old gum. the squirrel's mind thought as Steve ran along the top of the wall where the wall met the ceiling. Okay, the two brothers needed to find a place for Rian and Steve to demorph. That shouldn't be a problem. Despite all of the Controllers in the area, Steve was still a squirrel as he searched the building. After all, it had pretty good senses and it was super paranoid. Nothing could sneak up on him.
Speaking of Controllers, Steve froze in polace as a female host walked by. Tracking her with his eyes, he watched her go into...a bathroom! He crawled down the wall he was on a little and peeked his head below the doorframe of a door he was above. The label on this door had a stick figure-like picture of a guy on it. Okay. He had two places to demorph now. But he didn't think it would be a good idea for his cover to demorph in a lady's bathroom so he decided to demorph in the men's room when the time came.
<<hey Rian,>> he called to the older boy, <<I found two bathroom. Now here's a question. Do you prefers the guy's bathroom or the girl's?>>
Rian:
Rian briefly wondered if Steve's question was pointed or not. But then decided that Steve was just being Steve. <<I'll take the guy's thanks. Even though girl bathrooms tend to be cleaner for some reason. You would think, all guys have to do is stand there, it really should be cleaner but it isn't.>> He had a thoughtful look on his face.
<<Oh, and Steve, don't tell Ember I called her a low life.>> She'd kill him. Or maybe not kill but she'd do that thing where she got angry but wouldn't admit she was angry. And if he asked her what was wrong she'd say nothing but she'd be glaring at him when she said it as if he was supposed to read her mind or something. And when he of course failed to accurately divine what it was she was finding fault with him for then she would storm off and not talk to him for a while. He shook his head. It was hopeless.
Up until now he had been sitting in the break room with the other controllers and had let the conversation just flow around him. But his silence was starting to be noticed. No one had said anything yet but they were starting to give him odd looks especially because he was reacting to nothing they could see.
"Something bothering you boss?"
He looked up sharply. "Uh?" Boss? He was some type of boss. Maybe this wasn't such a fisk up after all. At the end of three days this guy would be free and maybe they could convince him to spy for them. Until then they had his run of the place. "No, nothing. I'm uh, just going to...the bathroom.
He got up and walked out of the room. <<Steve, Rob. Where are you? I'll pick you up and we'll go exploring. This guy is some type of boss. He can probably get into places that we'd never see the inside of otherwise. We shouldn't waste the opportunity to do a little spying. Drake, are you in?>>
Drake:
Drake was still a bit disoriented by his trip, but still said, <<Yeah, I'm in. I'm going to try to find a place to get into a better morph.>> He was still in the vents right now. He would have to find an empty room somewhere.
<<I think I am still on the top floor. Do you guys want to meet me up here, or should I try to get down there?>> Drake exited the ventilation system and fluttered around in a dark room. This place is probably safe, he said to himself, but he could not be certain with his terrible bug-vision.
He demorphed and looked around the room. it was sort of like a hotel room, but seemed to be designed for keeping the guests inside. "That is pretty strange, but I guess I should not expect any different from brain parasites from space."
He went to the door and tested it. It was unlocked, luckily, probably because the room was not currently in use. Drake peeked out into the hallway, but nobody was there, and the lights were off. This entire floor was probably empty. He decided to risk morphing in the hallway so that he could keep the door closed. "Lizard time."
Stevert:
<<Aww, c'mon Rian! You just ruined almost all of my fun for today. Are you sure I can't tell Ember that? I could always write it down.>> Steve said in a whining tone. Secretly, Steve made plans to tell Ember anyways. He just couldn't wait to see the reaction on her face. Actually, it would be good to just see her again. After all, it had been quite awhile before she and Rian had left.
Robert decided to answer his and Steve's temporary leader and he said, <<Okay Rian. The bathroom should be a few halls down. Take a left, then two rights, then another left, go past about two turns. Then you should see a water fountain. Turn left and look for a door with a squirrel above it. That should be the one that steve and I are at.>>
Steve snapped out of his plans when Rian asked where the Kinley brothers were at. <<Huh? Where we're at? didn't Rob tell you that? Oh well. If you don't need the bathroom, we'll find you.>> Before Rian could respond, Steve leaped into thin air. He landed on the ground and streaked down the hallways. Strangely enough, the halls were mostly empty. Was there a sale on Dracon beams or something at the local Wal-Mart? Steve dismissed the thought.
Steve rounded the corner and smashed into a huge leg. Bouncing off, the tiny mammal stepped back nearly a foot and stared up at the person.
Robert ran thorugh all of the possibilities for escape. Ok. We can turn around and run, or we can go between the legs. That was as far as he got before Steve said:
<<Hi Rian!>>
Rian:
<<Hi Steve, Rob.>> Rian looked around quickly, saw that there was no one in the hallway for the moment, and crouched down, holding his hand out to the furry rodent. As he picked Stevert up he had the passing thought that he had always wanted a squirrel for a pet but they had always been too hard to catch.
He put Stevert back in the empty belt pouch where he'd be able to see and then set off, passing the bathroom but remembering where it was for later. <<Don't write it down. And if you tell her I'll just say you're lying. I will never admit to saying any such thing.>>
Rian found some elevators and pushed the button to go up. He waited impatiently while the elevator came and then got in and pressed the button for the top floor. Top floor, that was sure to be important. Unfortunately for him it was a long ride and there was elevator music on the way.
Stevert:
<<huh? How'd you know what I was thinking, Rian? Is mind-reading some kind of skill that faction leaders get? If so, then I wanna become one!>> Steve was still puzzled over how Rian knew what he was thinking. Then his eyes roamed over the hallway from his perch on Rian's belt and he saw a familiar looking substance on the floor. <<Rian! Look down! I see chocolate!>> Steve cried triumphantly.
Too late. They were in the elevator. Music poured from speakers. Steve whined, <<Don't you think that the yeerks would've at least, um, disabled the music? Or are these creatures of infinite patience? I mean, its got to be annoying to them. Heck, I can barely stand it. And I am extremely patient. Besides, they can at least change it to rock music. Don't you think? that would be a nice change. Maybe then the yeerks would have done something good for this planet. Y' know? I mean they can't be ALL that bad if they would change the elevator music.>>
That was all Steve was able to say before Robert distrupted his thoughtspeak by messing with his thoughts. <<Jeez Steve! Now is not the time to ramble. we all need to concentrate on this "mission". Besides, you're worsde than the music!>> Robert scolded his brother.
Rian:
"Because you said it out loud Steve. Or, well, not outloud but you know what I mean." Rian himself was speaking out loud since there was no one else in the elevator with them but decided that it was probably still a bad idea.
For that matter walking around with a squirrel on his person probably was bad too. <<Next time we do this we should have bug morphs or something. Less noticeable than furry animals.>>
The elevator doors finally opened and Rian stepped out into the hallway. <<Nice digs. The controllers up here really live the high life,>> he said as he walked down the hallway. <<Drake, Drake we are by the elevators if you can see us.>>
Drake:
<<I see you,>> Drake said in response. <<I am on the floor. I morphed to horned-lizard in case anyone was walking around up here. I thought I would look pretty suspicious in my morphing suit.>> He scurried towards Rian in order to make his location known.
Drake was glad to see that Rian and the new arrivals had made it to his location without any trouble, but that did not make their situation any less risky. <<Were we going to switch roles, or something? The room I entered in was unlocked if we need somewhere to morph.>> Drake was not entirely sure what they were supposed to accomplish here, but it was always good to have a safe morph-zone.
Rian:
<<No, I'll stay this way for now. When I can't take it anymore I'll switch with you ok?>> Rian bent and picked up the horned lizard and carried him in his hand since he didn't have another convenient ammunition case to use. He walked along the hallway looking for...well he wasn't sure what they were looking for. He was just looking for anything that might help them, anything they should know.
He peeked into doorways they passed, trying not to look too suspicious but he was stopped dead when he saw the word animorphs on a white board in an abandoned conference room. <<Guys, we may have a problem.>> He let himself into the room and looked at the board.
His expression grew darker and darker the more he read. It was a loose set of plans for moving the human replication a.k.a. torture women by making them carry and give birth to children over and over, was moving to Chicago. And he thought they had gotten rid of it for good.
<<Are you guys reading this?>>
Drake:
<<Kind of. These eyes are not the best for reading, and I'm at an odd angle. Is it talking about that project they were doing at Area 51? Wait, I suppose you do not know about that mission, do you Steve... and Robert?>>
This was not a good sign. Drake did not want to have to go all the way to Chicago just to try and destroy another one of those places. They had lucked out the first time, but that probably would not happen the second time. <<This is definitely not good.>>
Rian:
<<No it is not. We'll have to call Raven about this.>> Realizing that Drake wouldn't know who Raven was though Steve had met her briefly he went on to explain, <<Raven is the Chicago faction leader and my original faction leader to boot. If I know her she won't be happy about this at all.>>
He looked around and tried to figure out who would be in charge of the project in Chicago and finally found a name. Tenaj. He didn't know who that was but hopefully the information would help the Chicago faction somehow. And when he called he might even get to speak to Tim who he hadn't seen in much too long.
<<I think we may have overstayed our welcome. I'm going to find a bathroom, then you can take my place Drake. Stevert will stay here with you, I can't I don't have a morph suitable, but I'll be back in an hour to relieve you. We'll switch off until the guy is free and can take over himself again.>>
Rian walked back out and quickly walked down a hallway looking for a bathroom. But before he got there a controller came around a corner and saw a squirrel sticking out of his ammunition case and a lizard in his hand. "Starting a zoo Chief?" Chief! This guy was chief of police? Wonderful and awful because now he had to explain away his friends.
"They are for," he took a long pause instead of saying uh. He didn't want to sound like he was making up an answer. His pause was so long that the guy began to look at him oddly. "Orran." It was the first controller name that came to mind.
The controller in front of him got a wary look on his face but not wary of Rian. No the guy was a little worried about Orran. And if the reports Rian had on him were accurate he had reason to be. "Oh, him. Yeah he's an odd one. Good luck. Are you going over to the Bellagio now?"
Rian seized on the chance of escape. "Yes, yes I am. And I'll be taking the rest of the day off in fact." The controller nodded and walked by. Rian walked down to the elevators and pushed the button. <<Looks like we all get to go home after all.>>
Stevert:
Steve just stared in disgust. Was that a scuff mark on the officer's shoes? These yeerks did not know how to run an eficient police department. After all, who ever heard of a true police officer with a scuff mark on their shoes? You just didn't because it never happened. <<These yeerks should be glas humans aren't in command.>> he said to Rian and Drake. <<If anyone had seen that guys shoes, he would've been kicked out of the force immediately.
Then, <<Home? Bellagio? That's the name of the hotel? By the way, how come you never invited LA up here? You live in a hotel so you must have plenty of room...unless you've been like MAtt and picked up a new recruit on every trip into town. Although, you guys live in town so does that mean you just get a new recruit, like, every second? Wow, you are really lucky.>>
After a moment, Robert asked Rian, <<Rian, would now be an approproate time to tell you our mission here? It also involves Ember but I can tell her later. There is a controller back in LA who has found out that Ember is in Vegas. In fact, she might even be here now, hunting her down. And she knows about the Animorphs and Steve's identity. That's why Matt sent us to tell you.>>
Rian:
Rian was feeling pretty good about himself, bad about the world, but good about himself. He and his team had successfully infiltrated the yeerk security head quarters for all intents and purposes and they might even get a new contact out of today's work in the form of the man that Rian was now morphed.
Added to that they had discovered important information that could be passed on to those who could use it. And maybe this time the operation could be shut down for good.
But all of that good feeling vanished in a heartbeat, just gone. A controller? Out for Ember? And not just all of them but Ember specifically?
His hands started to squeeze into fists as his mind filled with visions of what the controller, any controller would do if they got their hands on an animorph...and what he would do to them if they did. He only stopped when he realized he was still holding Drake and could likely crush the life out of his team mate if he wasn't careful.
He slowly relaxed his hands and took a deep breath. His voice, when he spoke back to Robert, was calm, if cold and clipped, <<No, now isn't the time. We'll get out of here first, then we'll talk, the four of us. You both can tell us everything you know about it. And I'll ask around and see if anyone knows of a new controller in Vegas.>> Even as he said it he despaired. Controllers came in and out of the city everyday. What was there to set this one apart? <<Is there anything that she could be recognized by? Is she distinctive in anyway?>>
Stevert:
<<I am sorry,>> Robert said. <<I mentioned it so, in case Steve and I forget to say it, you might remind us. And the woman you seek is pretty tall and very...er...attractive, to say the least. She is highly persuasive and is very intelligent, as proved by our...encounter.>> Robert ppruposely neglected to mention any details about what happened. He didn't really like to talk about it since he had done badly in it.
Steve, meanwhile, had been staring at the floor and around the halls as they passed. The place was ugly. The carpet clashed with the lights and it looked like nothing had been vacuume din months. Not to mention the whole feeling of possible doom that usually occirred near large groups of yeerk- infested people.
<<Are we there yet?>> Steve whined.
Drake:
<<Judging by your description, that describes half the women in Las Vegas. Well, I guess I can not be positive about the intelligence part. I am not exactly known for my social involvement, so my observations are pretty much based on sight alone.>>
Whoever this lady was that was after Ember would not be too easy to spot in Las Vegas. They would have their work cut out for them if they tried to find her. Great, more work. Now we have two problems to worry about. Ember's enemy and informing Chicago about what they had found out here.
<<We need a break,>> Drake muttered.
Rian:
"Tell me about it." He spoke it out loud since they were currently in the elevator and on their way down. Now that Rian had reason to leave he was going to do it. Even knowing that there was some controller around looking for Ember made him want to go home and make sure everything was still alright at the Den. Added to that they still had a half friend half insane enemy in their ranks to worry about.
Too many things to do and all needed to get done right now. "i think we should have a party as soon as we can swing it." He switched back to thoughtspeak as the elevator doors opened on the various inhabitants of the Trump tower. He made his way through them getting odd looks for his companions but to each one he just put a pained expression on his face and said, "Orran."
<<What do you say boys? Let's get home.>>
