Authors Note: Read and review. Please and thanks, dolls!
And, yeah, this is a prologue sort-of thing. Just, read.
Have you ever had a serious case of déjà vu? Yeah, well, I have. His name is Ari. Except this particular case of déjà vu gets worse every time I see it.
The current situation? Angel- being held down by three Erasers and bleeding from a deep gash on her arm.
Gazzy- unconscious on the floor.
Nudge and Iggy- trying to fight but mostly giving up, knowing its uselessness.
And Fang- at gunpoint thanks to Ari.
What about me, you may ask. Well, credit to my new "power", I was untouched. Force fields come in handy, just a note. I haven't quite got the hang of it yet, though, so I can only protect myself.
"So, what'll it be, Max? Come with us and give the others a normal life, or let them die one by one, starting with Lover Boy here." Ari said, pushing the barrel of the gun harshly against Fang's temple. Fang's jaw twitched but he stayed still, knowing Ari would kill him if he so much as yawned.
I squeezed my eyes shut, permitting only a single tear to roll down my cheek before composing myself and facing Ari again.
"I… I…" I started, trying to gather enough courage to leave the Flock for possibly and probably forever. Ari scowled and cocked the gun.
"Time's up." Ari growled coldly, his clawed finger slowly lowering onto the trigger.
"NO!" I cried, flinging my arm out to Fang and dropping the force field from around me. I focused on Fang as hard as I could and put the force field around him, leaving myself vulnerable but managing to keep Fang alive. The bullet was a split second too late and it ricocheted off of the invisible wall around Fang, burrowing itself in a wall.
"I'll go." I said quietly, avoiding Fang's stare.
"No!" Fang and Iggy cried in sync. Nudge looked at me like I was finally crossing over to the insane side. Angel started sobbing loudly and that woke Gazzy up. Angel must have sent him a telepathic message about the situation because he sat up and looked at me in horror. I kept my face ice cold and stepped towards Ari. He grinned wolfishly and I flinched in spite of my 'show no emotion' plan.
"Ari, can I at least say goodbye before I return to Hell?" I asked, the sarcastic remark lost in my tear-choked voice. Ari shrugged and retreated outside with the other Erasers.
"Max, please don't go." Angel whispered as she wrapped her arms around me. I knelt down to her level when she let me go and took her by the shoulders.
"I have to go, baby. It's to protect you, and all the Flock. You guys are my world, and I couldn't live with myself if you died because I refused to give myself up. I love you so, so much, though. Always, no matter what, remember that." I said, feeling my heart break apart at her tears. I kissed her forehead and moved over to Gazzy.
"Max, stay! Please. It isn't fair!" Gazzy cried, hugging me tightly. I sighed and held back a sob.
"No, Gaz. I'm leaving. I have to. I know it isn't fair, but, then again, none of this is fair. It's not fair that we were made into birdkids, not fair that we were tested on and kept in cages, and definitely not fair that we have to be terrorized by Erasers and whitecoats. I love you, Gazzy, and you'll always be my little trooper." I whispered into his hair, then gave a final squeeze and detached myself from him.
I turned to Nudge, but she glared at me and went to quietly sob in the far corner, away from me. That finally made tears run down my cheeks, but I bravely turned to Iggy and wrapped my arms around him, relieved that, for once, the hug wasn't awkward.
"Iggy, please help Fang take care of the kids. Oh, and watch after Fang for me, too." I said, leaning up to whisper it in his ear.
"Hate to break it to ya, Max, but I won't be watching after anyone anytime soon." Iggy smiled sadly at me and I made a sort of choky laughing sound. He squeezed me hard, then let me go. I turned to my best friend/ right hand man/ love of my life and started to hug him, only to be shocked by my own force field. I smiled sadly and lowered the shield, feeling the power being drained from such a prolonged use of it.
"Fang," I whispered before being silenced by his lips on mine. I was shocked, to say the least, but before I could react, he pulled back.
"Don't go. I love you, Max. I need you. Please, stay." Fang said pain in his eyes. I bit my lip to keep from sobbing again and just pulled his lips to mine. I conveyed everything through that kiss: how much I loved him, that I would be ok, how sorry I was, the list goes on. Finally, I pulled back.
"I'm so sorry." I whispered, then turned and ran to Ari, who was waiting for me in a van outside. I jumped in and made the driver step on it, refusing to look back. I almost welcomed the darkness that enveloped me when Ari took out a needle and jabbed it into me.
Almost.
Author's Note: This is a sort of prologue, and this has almost nothing to do with the rest of the story, but you need it so as not to be confused.
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