Inbetween: The Works of Crayak 4

An FBI member had turned traitor and I was trying vainly to shoot him. Ryan was having better luck at least. I looked around to see where I could find cover. Finding a place, I quickly undressed myself as I very much didn’t want to ruin good clothing. Ever since joining the FBI, people had jokingly commented that I was going to use up a lot of clothing due to me morphing from time to time. Some agents even going so far as to joke that if I got Bruce Banner’s pants then at least something would be safe.

Once I was naked, except for socks and underwear, I concentrated on my tiger morph. The morph that had been my battle morph when the Animorphs were the only thing preventing the Yeerk invasion of Earth being successful.

I ignored the gunshots and felt the changes start. Morphing doesn’t hurt, but it does feel odd. It hurts in a way that isn’t pain. The first thing to change were my hands and feet into paws. Then the colors of a tiger appeared to be like paint on my skin. As my size grew, actual fur appeared. Finally, once the morph was done, I felt the tiger mind beside my own.

I had missed using it. Well...at least using it as much as I had during the war. During the war I had killed Hork-Bajir and tried to attack a Howler. Now I was using it to take down a rogue FBI agent.

The rogue FBI agent was too focused on Ryan to pay attention to me. When he did notice me it was too late. I roared loudly and pounced on the man. The man was knocked on the floor and vainly tried to reach his gun that was only a foot or two out of reach.

Roaring directly into his face shut him up. I waited a minute before releasing the majority of my grip on him.

Ryan, I said. Check on the other FBI agent.

I heard and saw Ryan run to check. Everyone in the room was quiet. The lead’s breath was very heavy since she was probably scared. The cult member beneath me was trying to act brave. He tried to appear like the thought of me killing him with one bite didn’t frighten him at all. But by the smell in his pants I knew he was more than a little terrified.

“The other agent is dead.” Ryan said angrily and I growled at the rogue agent.

Okay, we’ll take him in for questioning. I told him.

“No, this piece of filth needs to die.” Ryan said and pointed his gun at the man beneath me. “He’s a pawn of a Yeerk now. He’s better off dead.”

I was slightly taken aback by Ryan’s sudden rise of anger. But maybe the fact was that he hid all this loathing and rage underneath a calm demeanor so it didn’t take control of him. Like it was doing now.

Ryan, just relax and we can go out drinking or something to calm you down. I said.

“This...man just tried to kill you.” Ryan said, defending himself. “This man might’ve told Esplin important information. This man could’ve killed people.”

But we won’t know exactly what he’s done unless we question him.

“Why do we need to? We have clear evidence he’s a traitor, there doesn’t need to be any questioning.”

What if he has leaked information? Don’t you think we could possibly find a bunch of cultists because of him? Don’t you think that would be better than some momentary happiness?

Ryan held the gun to the cultist and then put it away. He then tied the cultist up as I guarded him in my tiger morph. I growled whenever the cultist even thought of moving an inch in the wrong direction. Once things were safe I demorphed, changed back into my uniform, and met Ryan out front.

“Is there anything I should know about?” I asked him, figuring he’d say something about missing fighting the Yeerks.

“I ran away.” He replied.

“It got boring because the war with the Yeerks is over. I understand.”

“No, I ran away. During the war I got frightened and ran.” He explained and leaned against the garage. “I was a Prince of the Andalite military and I got scared. I saw Earth wasn’t being invaded or attacked, so I decided to become a human nothlit. I’m a coward and a disgrace.”

I didn’t know how to react. So that’s why he was probably assigned to the case and had reacted violently mere moments before. I had been a leader and I knew the tolls that had to be paid. I wanted to yell at him for running away, but hadn’t I done the same thing near the end?

True I hadn’t gone to a different planet, but who said I wouldn’t if given the chance?

“You’re not a disgrace,” I told him but didn’t know if I was talking to him or myself. “You made a mistake and you’re paying for it. You didn’t have to join the FBI. You could’ve lived out your days working in a coffee shop.”

Ryan looked at me for a moment. Suddenly he was hugging me and I hugged back as he cried.

“Thank you.” Ryan said. “Thank you, Prince Jake.”

I was too caught up in the moment to say, “Don’t call me Prince.”

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