The Disbanded: Divided We Stand
By MyNameIsCAB
There was a time when the flock and I were all together, happily a somewhat dysfunctional family. But things changed, and we split apart.
But you remember me, don't you? I'm Maximum Ride. Max for short, as you remember.
But I still have a story to be told, and like my other stories, it has to with saving the world, so it's in your best interest to sit back and listen to what I have to say.
But I guess I have to start from the beginning, or at least where the flock all went its separate ways.
Two years ago, I had let my guard down. I had fallen asleep when I was on guard as we slept in some trees. The erasers took that chance and nabbed Angel and Nudge before any of the others could wake up and get their bearings in the dark. It was tragic and the rest of us were angry at ourselves, and maybe perhaps each other.
And we had a chance to get Angel and Nudge back. So we snuck into Itex's new facility and found Angel and Nudge. We were about to get out of there when we were spotted. I don't know how because Fang and I worked everything out so damn perfectly.
Erasers grabbed all of us. They had guns, and now we were powerless as they held them to Angel and Nudge's heads. I watched in pain as Fang tried to get away and they shot him. It was horrible. Those goddamn erasers shot Fang in the knee. And they did it two more times to other parts in the leg. He fell to the floor limp and his eraser stepped over him and in front of me.
"Well, Max. You have two options," the eraser growled. "You can leave without Angel and Nudge or we can make you leave by force."
With that, the eraser cocked his gun and pointed it at Fang. "We'll kill him if you don't leave."
Max, just go. Nudge and I will be A-Okay. That was Angel, getting into my head, trying to tell me to just leave her there, but I wasn't and the eraser kept his word, he shot Fang again in the chest.
Fang needs help. Max, please go and just forget about us. I wasn't leaving Angel and Nudge behind, but their eyes pleaded with me and Fang was bleeding all over the floor. I was being ripped in half.
"Make a choice!" the eraser growled, his gun still pointed at Fang. "I'll shoot him again."
I grabbed Fang with Iggy's help and I gave one last look at Angel and Nudge before the eraser led us outside and closed the door behind us. That was the last time I saw Angel and Nudge. Whether they're alive or not, I wish I knew.
So we brought Fang to a hospital. He went into surgery for five long hours and the damage was heavy. It was most likely he would never regain use of his right leg. The bullet to his chest had hit his lung, but at least that looked like it would heal eventually.
I sat in the hotel room, watching Fang, a mask over his mouth and nose to assist his breathing. He was sedated so he wouldn't have to deal with the pain. It hurt me a lot more to watch him. But it was also going to hurt a lot more to walk away.
"Max, we have to go get my sister!" Gazzy protested, walking into the room with Iggy.
"Going back to that place is suicide," I told him.
Gazzy glared at me. "You're just going to let them keep Angel and Nudge!?"
No, I wasn't, but I no longer had a plan.
"Forget it Max, I'm going to find them," Gazzy started towards the door. "And don't bother to come after me. I don't want or need your help."
"Gazzy!" I stood up and walked over to him but he pushed me away and ran down the halls, barely missing a nurse, and he burst through the doors and I'm pretty sure he took off right there, into the sky. So that was the last time I saw Gazzy. Some goodbye that was.
Iggy stood there, looking helpless. His pale blue eyes looked more unfocused than they have in years. He felt his way to the couch and sat down. "Max, we're going after him, right?"
"Yea…but Fang…" It was time to think of a plan, but I came up short and Iggy left in anger like Gazzy. He was tired of being told what to do and so where he went I don't know. Maybe he went after Gazzy. I guess I wouldn't know because it seemed like all the people I cared about managed to vanish all in one day.
But that left Fang. My poor little Fang. He was in so much pain when he finally woke up and even morphine was helping.
"Where is every one?" Fang asked, taking the mask off.
I sat on the edge of his hospital bed. "They left. Gone. Abandoned us."
Fang put the mask back on and closed his eyes. After a moment, he pulled it back off and spoke to me. "Gone?"
"They stormed off mad. Gazzy went back to go after his sister and I guess Iggy followed him," I explained.
"Why didn't you go after them?" Fang asked hoarsely.
"Because I wasn't leaving you. We can't protect Nudge and Angel because the erasers already have them. Gazzy and Iggy don't understand that. You're the next target for Itex because you're weak. You need to be protected." That was the truth.
Fang looked up at me, our eyes meeting for one final time. "Go after them."
And I did. I looked for Gazzy and Iggy and when I returned, Fang was gone and none of the nurses or doctors would give me where he had left to. Fang had covered his path by telling them to tell no one. Not even me.
And after months of searching, it was time to let go. I couldn't find any of them. Not even the news had a story about a flying kid anymore. Everyone was worked up over the presidential candidates. And that left me nowhere.
But today. No, these days, I've still be searching. But you know, the government also found me and made me a deal to protect me if I helped them. They wanted me to go into a special government unit that specialized in busting drug dealers and organized crime.
And I guess loneliness got the best of me because here I sit in the base for this government operation, still hoping I might find the others.
And maybe I will because the captain just granted me access to the government computers and maybe I could find them.
Just maybe.