Prologue

After saving the world from the creepy robot brain and his disfigured henchman, we decided to break for a while, and visit my mom and Ella. The flock was all for it; well, besides Fang who stayed silent. I thought it would be like Hawaii-my family, warmth in the summer sun, and all the chocolate-chip cookies I could store in my endless stomach.

But it appears that Itex still wanted me to clean up their now-finished business.

Jeb had arrived three days after our vacation at Mom's and said that we needed to get to Washington and fast. Flyboys were raising havoc in the emerald city.

"Yay!" Angel clapped her hands together and bounced on her feet, her Shirley Temple curls jumping on her shoulders. "Back to the President!"

"Not Exactly," I began to correct her, because there was no way we were ever going back to the white house until I am well out of my cookie rehab.

"Washington State, Angel." Fang muttered as he moved from where he leaned against the living room wall. "The Evergreen State. Full of Rain. Just the way we like it." We all seemed to grimace, but Jeb ignored it and continued.

"Not just the mechanical erasers though, Maximum," Jeb meshed his fingers together. "There are experiments there that are…conspiring over a lost cause." This caught my attention. And Fang's. The rest of the flock…not so much.

"What do you mean 'experiments'" Fang questioned, straightening himself without unfolding his arms. "You mean there are still more of us out there that haven't expired yet?" There was acid in his tone; a threat to most. That bothered Jeb, I could feel the hairs on my arms prick.

"Yes, you weren't the first who escaped. There are many others out there." Jeb didn't seem phased at all by Fang's question. "The fact that you were transfused while in the womb means you are…unique, meaning you do not have an expiration date." I saw Fang relax slightly, and we caught each other's gaze quickly before looking back at Jeb.

"What are we supposed to do?" Angel asked, sitting down and hugging Total, who had succumbed to her gentle hands.

"You are to find them," Jeb stated. I knew there was more.

"And?"

"And you are going to turn them in or kill them."

We were all silent, even Mom, who had stopped busying herself by getting ready to go to the vet's office. Ella was still at school. Even Gazzy froze from his intricate bomb and looked at Jeb. It was Iggy who broke the silence.

"No." He stated clearly and stood up and walked across the room with eerie, precise movements.

"It's an order." Jeb answered; the authority back in his voice as he glared at my blind comrade. "An Ultimatum if you so well wish."

"Look Ig, we can do it without causing them pain," I was surprised to hear Fang speak. He wasn't one to agree with Jeb.

"No." Iggy turned and leaned against the table next to my Mom. "I may be a mutant freak; I may be named some retarded name in Virginia or whatever. But I know I'm not one thing. I know I'm not a killer."

I wish I could've been the same, but unfortunately, I've had multiple encounters that required death and destruction; even though one of my victims returned.

"Isn't there any other option?" I asked, trying to lower the hostility level that had boosted to maximum once Iggy had refused. "Like, can't we just find and say 'Hey, we killed Itex and saved the world. Schools have been shut down forever and we can live happily ever after, blah, blah, blah'?" I was standing now, with Nudge at my shoulder. She was shockingly silent during all this.

"No. Unless you can teach them to commit suicide, they will die one way or another." Jeb got up and brushed a freckled feather off his worn leather jacket. "I suggest you leave tomorrow. Get them, kill them. If you succeed, I'll take care of the Flyboys." He patted my shoulder –the only option I gave him- and let himself out.

"Max," Mom looked strained, worried. I knew what was on her mind-losing me and the flock again.

"We'll leave tomorrow morning." I said, ignoring my mother, and living with the heartache. "Let's get some sleep."

I ignored my mom and walked straight into my room, and shut the door. The plain room now smelled like flowers and it had my freckled feathers scattered around it. I stretched my wings until they brushed the sea-foam green walls of my room. I sighed and folded them back in. Someday, I'll be able to wear them when I go outside and nobody will care.

I threw myself on my bed and pressed my fluffy pillow to my chest. My chest was being pulled by an unknown force, and I knew I really didn't want to kill people like us. It was inhumane. But I also didn't want to face a ton of Flyboys either.

I knew my peace wouldn't last when the door clicked open and Fang walked into my room.

"Hey." I mumbled, blinking as he flicked the switch and light spilled across my room.

"Are you sure this is the right choice?" He asked. His large hands were in his pockets and his dark eyes were fixed on me. I was blank, because I didn't know.

"I…I don't know. I think we have to do this. It will solve some of our problems. Gazzy and Angel are already going crazy from the tight spaces here."

Fang nodded and came over to me. He reached out with one hand and brushed back my blonde hair so that my cheek and eye were visible. He bent down and kissed my temple, then retreated towards the door.

"I believe you, Max." He spoke quietly. He opened the door and had his hand on the light switch when he turned around. "Get some sleep. I got first watch." He turned off the light and disappeared behind a closed door.