(eng) K. A. Applegate - Animorphs 27 by The Exposed

Author:The Exposed [Exposed, The]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

It wasn't a long flight in a straight line. But we couldn't fly in a straight line. We'd have been a whole sky full of raptors flying in formation. Slightly conspicuous.

So we stayed far apart at different altitudes, never seeming to go in the same direction at all.

It took a while to reach the beach. It was empty of sunbathers. The sun was weak and watery and heading down. Besides, what people were still at the beach were gathered around to gape at the spectacle.

It lay below us, improbable, out of place. Huge. It dwarfed the small army of humans who clustered around it like busy ants around roadkill.

The whale looked dead. But I knew it wasn't. Whoever or whatever was directing this little play wouldn't allow it to be dead.

<Erek didn't believe us when we said we couldn't find a way to get to his ship,> Jake said. <He said, "You will. We have faith in you.">

<Wow. And I thought the Chee were so smart,> Marco said. <I mean, Erek's spent time with us. You think he'd know better than to trust us.>

That got a laugh from everyone. The time Erek had spent with us had involved a trip to the planet of the Iskoort, and a deadly confrontation with a creature of infinite power and malice: the monster called Crayak.

<I think it's inspiring,> Cassie said.

<Well, then, you'll love what else Erek told us,> Marco called. <Since the Pemalites considered everyone a friend, their ship's adapted to accommodate different life-forms. You touch one of the interface panels throughout the ship, your life-form is analyzed, and the ship provides you with the correct environments.>

<How do we get in and shut off the signal?> I said, heading for a deserted dune far away from the crowd around the whale.

<Mr. King gave us an access code that'll get us into the main computer,> Jake said, his tone sardonic. <Everybody memorize it: Six.>

<Six?> I said.

<Six,> he confirmed.

I sighed. <You know, I'm sure the Pemalites were wonderful people and all, but using a single-digit security code? I mean, good grief. What a bunch of idiots.>

<They trusted,> Cassie said simply.

<They're dead,> I said, just as simply.

We landed behind a dune in an area of tall scruffy grass. Tobias stayed airborne, always on alert.

This was going to be a little hairy. If anybody came over that dune and saw us, they'd run screaming all the way to the next county.

We were mutants. A group of bulging, stretching, pulsating blobs of feathers and flesh, fingers and wings. Stubby little people with beaks and talons, legs and hair.

The first thing I noticed when I was fully human again was the smell. The fresh smell of salt and sand. Birds of prey have hearing and sight that is far superior to humans. But they are not into smell or taste.

"It's occurred to everyone that this is all a trap, right?" I said.

"What?" Marco mocked. "You suspect treachery? Now, why didn't I think of that?"

I ignored him. "Okay, so look, we don't expose anyone we don't have to here.

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