The Visitor by K. A. Applegate Page B

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 likehe 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.
    â€œAhhhhh!” Chapman howled. He backed away.
    â€œGet it!” Visser Three shouted.
     Jake wondered.
    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.
    â€œA magnificent animal!” Visser Three commented. “Twist it around. Hold it with your forearm. 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 wasjust 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.
    â€œBring it to me,” Visser Three said enthusiastically. “Bring it to me. I will come to collect it at the nearest landing site.”
    â€œVisser, what if it … Owww! … What if it resumes its Andalite shape?”
    â€œYou have weapons. If it tries to remorph, kill it.”
    â€œYes … Ahhhh! … Rotten little beast! Yes, Visser. I will go directly.”
    â€œWe will deal with this Andalite bandit. And bring the girl, too.”
    â€œThe girl … Melissa?” Chapman asked.
    â€œI 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.
     Jake demanded.
     I said.
     Jake asked.
    
    
    
    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