Full Summary: The flock is on its own again, searching the world to destroy Itex. All is going smoothly until Max receives a phone call from Fang, claiming that Maya has gone missing. At first, Max doesn't think she should care, until she's stopped in her tracks and soon discovers the truth of Maya's disappearance.
This is my second fanfiction, and I am planning it out to be 13 chapters more or less. It takes place after Angel, so of course, there are a lot of spoilers if you haven't read the original by Mr. James Patterson. DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF ANGEL OR THE CHARACTERS! I hope you like it! PLEASE REVIEW! You have no idea what it means to me!
I watched Fang's dark silhouette against the sky as he flew off into the distance, deciding that Paris would be the last place we would meet for a long time.
Dylan came and stood beside me, watching as a colorful sunset fell upon the ruined city that was once Paris, the city of lights, but was now a heap of rubble and guilt. Because it was guilt that paraded heavily through my head and around my aching heart. Because it was guilt that marched through my hollow soul, declaring victory because I had surrendered a long time ago.
And it was the guilt of letting them stay down there in what was practically death itself that ate me alive.
A mistake that I would never forgive myself for making.
Because I had lost my baby.
"What do we do now, Max?" I turned around to see Nudge – a brave soldier that suddenly looked so much younger than I remembered.
I forced the gears in my brain to start turning and tried to give her a convincing smile. "We've got to keep searching for Itex plants. But we'll need to stop somewhere to find a computer…"
"But aren't they, like, everywhere?" The Gasman rubbed his eyes with his fists, trying to keep his voice steady. "What difference would it make whether we found a place over the computer or if we just flew somewhere and looked?"
"Well, I guess," I said. I had to agree with him. Finding a computer wouldn't speed things up anyway.
Nudge gasped suddenly. "Oh! Ohohohohooohooh! Can we go to California? Pleeeeeeaase Max? I've always wanted to go to California! Pleeeaase Max?"
Because I had nothing against California, I decided, Hey, why not? "California it is!" I exclaimed, and everyone cheered.
To fly from Paris to California would take approximately ten hours, give or take. Ten hours straight for a nine year old is a really long time to fly. So at about two am of the next day, I led us all down to a nearby empty beach to eat something and rest. Iggy emptied the contents of our backpack on the sand as I left to gather firewood, hearing the other kids calling dibs on everything in the distance. When I returned, Nudge was sitting hugging her knees and munching hungrily on a granola bar; Gazzy was gnawing at an apple; Iggy ingested a Rice Krispies treat; Dylan ate a box of crackers; and I myself chewed on a PB&J sandwich.
Once we had all finished, I sighed heavily and said, "You guys should rest. I'll take first watch." No one argued and they all lay down on the spot and started snoozing. I was struggling to build the fire, and soon Dylan was there, igniting the wood. "Thanks," I mumbled, hoping he didn't hear me, but knew that I'd said something. I felt his eyes on me and shifted uncomfortably, happy that it made him look away. I lay down on my back and looked up at the sky. It was so big, and so… so empty. In most places the Flock and had visited, the sky was usually cluttered with stars. But here, at two am, it was much the opposite. I tried to count the little stars visible and began to wonder if somewhere, Fang was doing the same thing, looking up at the same sky, maybe even the same stars.
"You're thinking about him, aren't you." Dylan's voice is barely audible. My fingers start twiddling unconsciously. "You always get that look in your eye when you're thinking about him." I smiled lightly.
"How do you know that this isn't just my regular face, and the face you usually see is the face I wear when I'm thinking of Fang?" I questioned.
"I guess I don't know that," he said.
I assumed he didn't need me to answer to that. I thought about all the times the Flock had had on beaches. The first time, when Ari showed up and hurt Fang so badly. The second time, when I was so annoyed with the voice that I tried to remove the chip myself. I didn't want to think about those times, but feeling the sand on my bare feet and in my hair and between my fingers always brought those memories back.
"You should get some rest," Dylan said.
I nodded and turned on my side, sliding into a dreamless sleep.
"Max, Max wake up!" When I opened my eyes, Nudge was kneeling in my face, shaking me awake. "Let's go, Max!"
"Um, may I ask where it is we're supposed to go?" Iggy pointed out.
"To find Itex, remember?" Gazzy said.
"Yeah," I said, trying to make my brain work again. "But first, we should go around town, you know, restock on—" I had more to say, but couldn't muster the words.
Because in that moment, I froze, listening to the dull vibration that rang out clearer than the crashing waves.
My pocket vibrated.
I will update soon, I hope, whether there are any reviews or not. Review will be the only thing keeping me going, guys, so if there are no reviews, I will be : ( Most people don't enjoy being : (