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such animals are rare on this part of the planet."
"Yes, Visser. I will do -"
"Yes. You will.
And we have another matter. We need six more human-Controllers, suitable for work as
guards. They will be used to increase the guard around the Kandrona."
I said.
extra guards around the Kandrona. Human-Controllers.>
The foot moved too quickly. The point of the shoe hit me in the ribs.
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"Mrrrraaaoowwww!"
Chapman pushed back from the desk. He passed right through the Visser Three hologram.
For a\second I saw them united, as if they were one horrible creature.
"What's happening?" Visser Three demanded.
Chapman stared at me, horror and fury in his eyes.
I flattened my ears back against my skull. My claws came out. My teeth were bared.
"It's the animal, Visser. The cat," Chapman said in a voice full of loathing and fear.
Visser Three seemed to make a seething, half-hissing noise.
"You should have killed it when I told you to, Iniss two two six."
"But Visser -" Chapman protested.
"And yet it all works out to my advantage," Visser Three said. "Now there can be no doubt
that this cat is one of the Andalite bandits."
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Chapter Sixteen
"We will no longer have to search for the Andalites," Visser Three said. "We have one right
here with us."
"Shall I kill it?" Chapman asked.
"No. Don't kill it. Seize it. Seize it now, be fore it can morph back into Andalite shape. By the
time I am done with this one, we will have them all! It has been a long time since I tortured a
proud Andalite warrior. But I know how to break them. Seize it and bring it to me!"
Chapman knew better than to argue.
Chapman dived. His hands were open wide, grabbing for me.
I was trapped! No way out. No way to open that door and escape.
Trapped!
No sensible choice but to surrender.
But the cat and I were in agreement on this: You never surrender.
I felt my claws extend. My pupils were wide, ready to see every tiny movement. My ears
were flattened back against my skull. My needle-sharp teeth were bared. My liquid steel
muscles were coiled.
Chapman's hand seemed to slow down. It was like he was moving in slow motion.
Everything seemed slower to my heightened cat senses. Only I was moving at normal speed.
My paw lashed out. My claws bit flesh. I saw three bright red tracks on the back of
Chapman's hand.
I could smell the blood that flowed.
"Ahhhhh!" Chapman howled. He backed away.
"Get it!" Visser Three shouted.
Chapman got a determined look on his face. He came at me again. I was cornered. No way
out.
I slashed. Chapman cried out. My claws were lacerating him, tearing furrows in
his arms and hands.
He grabbed me around the middle. The cat in me hated being grabbed that way.
Hated it a lot.
I brought my teeth into it. I was a ten-pound bundle of lightning-fast claws and teeth.
Chapman's hands looked like raw hamburger.
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"A magnificent animal!" Visser Three commented. "Twist it around. Hold it with your fore
arm. That's right."
I did a lot of damage. Believe me, Chapman got hurt.
But in the end, no matter how tough I was, I was just ten pounds of killer. Chapman was
about eighteen times bigger.
He got his forearm around my chest. He had me pressed back against his chest. My front legs
were pinned. With his other arm he managed to grab my hind legs.
All I could do was bite.
I bit. I bit again and again. But although I could hurt him, I couldn't kill him. I couldn't stop
him. His fear of Visser Three was greater than the pain I was causing.
"Bring it to me," Visser Three said enthusiastically. "Bring it to me. I will come to collect it
at the nearest landing site."
"Visser, what if it ... Owww! . . . What if it resumes its Andalite shape?"
"You have weapons. If it tries to remorph, kill it."
"Yes . . . Ahhhh! . . . Rotten little beast! Yes, Visser. I will go directly."
"We will deal with this Andalite bandit. And bring the girl, too."
"The girl . . . Melissa?" Chapman asked.
"I have been indulgent too long. This Andalite spy has penetrated your home. It is because of
the girl. I have already chosen the Yeerk for her. Bring her with the Andalite. Obey me, Iniss
two two six. Or prepare to face the Vanarx."
Visser Three's hologram disappeared.
Chapman suddenly threw me across the room. I twisted in midair and brought my legs
around for the landing. I hit the floor and skidded.
By the time I was up, Chapman had reached his desk and opened a drawer. His bloody hand
came out with a small pistol-like device I had seen before. It was a handheld Dracon beam.
Chapman leveled the weapon at me. He was shaking. His face seemed to be twitching. The
weapon jerked a little with each spasm. But I knew he would still have gotten me if I had
tried to move.
other warm body close by. And I think I'm sensing blood. >
74

Jake asked.
an Andalite. He's taking me to Visser Three. >
Chapman opened the door a crack. "Get down here! Now!" he yelled upstairs. I guess he saw
my eyes flick toward the door. He made a fierce, vicious grin. "Try it, Andalite. Go ahead
and try it. I'd love the excuse to fry you."
I decided not to head for the door.
"You've made life very difficult for me," Chapman said. "Very difficult. If I have to let Visser
Three take the girl, my host will make life annoying for me. Do you know how tiring it is to
have an uncooperative host? No, of course you don't. But trust me, Andalite: I will gladly
kill you."
Ms. Chapman appeared at the door. "What is it?"
"This cat is one of the Andalite bandits in a morph. Visser Three wants him. Get me the
cage we use to take him to the vet."
Ms. Chapman nodded and disappeared.
I said. I was feeling utterly defeated. Because of me, the
Yeerks were going to take Melissa. I had failed. I had made a mess of things.
Ms. Chapman brought the cage. She opened the little barred door.
"In," Chapman snapped.
I didn't move.
"In," he said in a cruel whisper. "In or I'll finish you right here."
He looked like he meant it. I walked into the cage. Ms. Chapman closed the door and made
sure it was locked.
Chapman snatched up the cage and carried me to the top of the stairs. "Now," he snapped at
his wife, "go get . . . ungh!"
Peering through the slats in the side of the cage, I saw him stagger. His face was twitching
like he was a crazy man. He seemed to be having a hard time getting control of his mouth.
"Go . . . get ... the ... girl," he said through gritted teeth.
Ms. Chapman started to obey, but then Chapman cried out.
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"Oh! Ungh!" He fell to his knees. "He is ... urgh ... he is ... fighting me. . ."
"Host rebellion," Ms. Chapman muttered under her breath. She seemed horrified and
fascinated all at once. Then, suddenly, her left hand slapped her own face.
"Ahhhhh! Mine . . . mine . . . too."
"Stop it, Chapman," Chapman said. "Stop it or I'll break you! I'll leave you nothing but a
shell! You cannot win. No host has ever succeeded in rebelling!"
But the Chapman host wasn't giving up.
It was terrible. Terrible in a way that made you want to watch. To anyone else it would have
just looked as if our assistant principal and his wife were nuts. Chapman was talking to
himself and
twitching and contorting, still unable to get to his feet.
I told Jake.
is out of control. Ms. Chapman is trying to choke herself with her own hand. The Yeerk is
trying to regain control. It's incredible!>
"Aaaarrrrgh!" Chapman cried. Suddenly he lurched to his feet. "I will win, Chapman. You
cannot resist!"
And it was true. The Chapman host was losing. Iniss two two six was regaining control.
The same was happening with Ms. Chapman. The Yeerk in her head was forcing the
rebellious hand away from her throat.
But neither of the Chapmans looked good.
Sweating. Pale. Still trembling and jerking.> [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]