The teenaged boy noticed Kaitlyn approaching, and cringed slightly. "This place is freakin' creepy, man. I'm out of here," he said, ignoring her polite greeting and heading for the exit. Kaitlyn frowned, surprised. She was about to head after him when she heard Chapman's voice booming over the speakers. "Everyone please take your seats," a woman hissed quietly.
Kaitlyn sighed and sat at the nearest table, listening to the speech she had heard hundreds of times. Illrid especially hated it. Of course, this was nothing compared to the full members meeting. There, she would actually have to pay attention.
At last, the speech was over, and everyone but the full members proceeded to the set of double-doors on the far left wall. It was impossible for Kaitlyn to tell exactly what Illrid was thinking, but she could sense ner nervousness as they left the main room and headed to the meeting.
<You're nervous, aren't you?> Kaitlyn said. It wasn't a question.
<I hate these meetings. If Iniss is in a bad mood, he takes his anger and frustration out on the rest of us. You know that. I'm already at risk of demotion. I don't need him screwing things up for me.>
She entered the meeting room and took a seat at the end of a long table, waiting patiently while everyone else made themselves comfortable. Finally, Chapman arrived. Kaitlyn and Illrid could tell by his cold expression that he was angry.
Kaitlyn began to tune out the rest of the world as the meeting began, not paying attention to a word Chapman said, the unusual Yeerk names he called off. He suddenly paused, frowning.
"That's odd," he muttered. "Where are Madat, Corliss, and Norpo?" He looked expectantly at the group, as if waiting for someone to answer. Finally, he sighed and slapped his hands firmly on the table. "Illrid, go look for them."
Kaitlyn immediately felt Illrid's embarrassment. It seemed to her that Iniss looked for whatever excuse he could to humiliate her and make her uncomfortable. Most normal hosts would have been rather pleased to know that their Yeerks were miserable. It only made Kaitlyn more afraid.
She stood and left the room quickly, heading down the hallway and passing through the double-doors back into the main room. There, she spotted Madat, who seemed to be in a hurry.
