Tobias was ahead of me, and as I flew, I watched him. I watched the incredibly subtle movements of his wings. He almost seemed to be able to move individual feathers. For him, the wind was not invisible. It was a road, as clear as if it was blacktop.

As I followed him, I sensed the osprey brain beneath my own, adjusting and reacting to the wind. My eyes saw every small detail. They marked each animal, each hole where an animal might be hiding. I saw a bright stream, and saw the shadows of fish flitting through the rocks.

My osprey had been designed by nature for this-, flying high and finding prey. Just like Tobias. We flew up and up. The tops of trees were like some bumpy lawn beneath us. I could see all of the Yeerk logging camp. And I could see the massive yellow machines that were slicing through the trees like hot knives through butter. Already there was an ugly scar of stumps. A scar that spread like some terrible disease, eating the forest away.

Tobias veered right, toward the long, winding road through the trees. I banked my wings and went after him.

The stream joined a small river, rushing and bubbling alongside the road. Through the water, through the foam and bubbles, I saw the schools of fish darting. And I could feel the osprey's brain considering the situation. Measuring the distances. Calculating the angles. Planning the way it would skim low over the surface of the water, then lower its ripping talons at just the perfect moment to strike. To snatch a fish right out of the water.

I knew that Tobias was making the same calculations as he flew over mice and rats and rabbits . . . and skunks.

Tobias and I were two superb, beautiful killers, riding the wind, while our prey cowered beneath us.

But he was right. We had as much of a right to live as any of our prey. And we had been designed by millions of years of evolution to be predators.

"There," Tobias said. "A Jeep. "

I looked and saw the vehicle coming down the road. Then, with my amazingly acute hawk vision, I saw right through the windows, as though the glass were the surface of a stream.

"Three guys. One driving, and one beside him. There's one guy in the backseat, and he looks older. "

"Yep. And on the side of the Jeep it says Dapsen Lumber. My guess is the driver and the other guy are Controllers. The guy in the backseat is looking all around like he's very interested in what's going on. "

"They'll reach the camp in a few minutes. As soon as we see how this Farrand guy reacts, we'll know if he's already been made into a Controller," I said.

"How's that?"

73 "The Yeerks have gone ahead with logging," I explained. "If Farrand is still a true human, he'll be massively upset. If he's calm, he's already one of them. "

"Good point," Tobias said.

"What do we do? I mean, if he's a Controller already?" I asked.

"I don't know. I guess we focus on attacking the logging operation itself. "

"Really? You know what we'd do if he were a nonhuman Controller?" I asked. "We'd go after him and whatever happened, happened. Right?"

"You mean, like a termite?" Tobias asked dryly.

"Yeah. That's exactly what I mean," I said.

"Look, Cassie, you're human. Homo sapien. Your job is to keep yourself and your species alive. That's all nature wants from you. That's the whole point of evolution -- to survive. " He sounded angry.

We were following the Jeep now, heading back toward the logging camp. It would happen in just a few minutes. In just a few minutes Farrand would see what was going on, and we would know what he truly was.

One of us, or one of them.

"Survive," I said flatly.

"That's the law of nature. The number one law. And humans are part of nature."

"Then so are the Yeerks, and we're no better than them. "

"I guess we'll have to worry about that one later," Tobias said. "Look. " The Jeep pulled to a stop in front of the Yeerk fortress.

Farrand flung open his door and jumped out. I could easily see him waving his arms. Even from where I was I could see the anger on his face.

Then from the building there came a man.

And yet... this man felt wrong. Even from up in the air, I felt a chill that seemed to emanate from him.

"Him," Tobias said.

I knew instantly what Tobias meant.

"I only saw him once in a human morph, but it's him," Tobias said.

74 Visser Three.

Visser Three.

The leader of the Yeerk invasion of Earth. The only Yeerk in all the universe to have taken control of an Andalite body. The only Yeerk in all the universe with the power to morph.

It shouldn't have surprised me that he would use his human morph. It made sense.

And yet I felt a cold rage deep inside me at the sight. It wasn't logical, but I felt it just the same. He was a fake human. He was using human DNA and human form as part of his plan to enslave all of humanity.

"Visser Three," I said to Tobias.

"Yeah," he agreed. "He looks so normal. Except for the fact that he gives you the creeps. "

"I have a bad feeling about this," I said. "I don't think they're going to wait long. I think they're going to take Farrand right away. "

Farrand was walking toward Visser Three, still waving his hands wildly toward the heavy machinery that was chewing through the trees. Visser Three was smiling. It was not a nice smile.

"Where are Jake and the others?" Tobias wondered.

"Oh, man," I said. "This is going to happen real -"

All of a sudden, Visser Three lashed out and slapped Farrand across the face. The commissioner staggered back. He held a hand to his cheek.

The two men from the Jeep rushed to grab Farrand's arms. Farrand was an older man. He was helpless.

"Cassie. Look. That's either Jake, or there is some other tiger loose in these woods!" I looked toward the clearing. Now I could see it -- a huge, orange-striped tiger was racing toward Farrand. But he was too far away. It had all happened too suddenly. Jake wasn't in position. I didn't even know where the others were. Probably still morphing.

"It's up to you," I said.

I adjusted my wings, aimed for Visser Three, and dove. Down, down, down. Faster and faster, till my wings were vibrating and my bones were rattling from the speed.

The target, Visser Three's human head, grew larger. Larger. Larger!

I raked my talons forward, I flared my wings just enough to keep from overshooting, and I struck. I could feel my talons bite into his scalp. And then I was out of there, carried away by my own momentum.

75 "Aaarrrgghh!" the Visser yelled.

At the same instant, Tobias hit one of the guys from the Jeep. Tobias has more experience than I do. His aim is better. The guy he hit would be wearing an eyepatch for the rest of his life.

"Yeee hah!" Tobias cried.

Farrand broke free of his remaining captor and ran.

"Get him!" Visser Three yelled. "Full alert!"

The uninjured guard went after Farrand. He caught him easily and knocked him facedown in the dirt. I saw Jake closing in fast, a black-and-orange streak.

Looking past him, I saw that there was a second battle out by the edge of the forest. Two wolves -- Rachel and Marco -- were on the Controllers operating the machines. The perimeter guards had come running, automatic weapons ready.

Suddenly, fast as a gazelle, Ax ran to help Rachel. The nearest guard turned to take a shot.

Ax's tail flashed, and the Controller no longer had a way to pull a trigger.