FLAHSBACK
"There's Max!" Angel screamed. I was lying on the floor…lifeless. Well, that's what I made them think.
You're probably wondering what the heck I'm doing. Jeb found a way into my brain. Literally. He told me if I didn't make the Flock think I was dead, he would kill them. He knew how to change our expiration dates. He knew everything.
He gave me two options. Make them think I was dead, or have them killed right in front of me. I chose make them think I'm dead.
That bastard. He's going to die and rot in hell. He hacked into their brains too. He would have known if I mentally told Angel, so they all stood around me crying, even Fang.
"I never got to say…Max, I love you. As so much more than a sister. I'm madly in love with you, and I always have been. But I guess it's a little too late now." One of his tears fell on my cheek, but he wiped it away. I had made my heart stop, and I had quit breathing. I'm not sure how long this could go on.
"I swear Max, I swear, I will never be with anyone else. I could never love anyone like I love you. Never," Fang promised in my ear. He thought I couldn't hear him.
"Shouldn't we bury her?" Nudge managed to choke out. Fang sighed.
"Nudge, they're closing in. We…have to go. I'm so sorry Max. I swear I'm never going to be half the leader you were, but I'm going to take care of them." He gently kissed me on the lips. "Good bye, love. I'll miss you."
With that, they ran out, still crying.
"You did good Maximum," Jeb said after they left.
"I swear to God if you hurt them, you will die," I spat. He nodded.
"Okay. Fair enough. They won't even have Flyboys attack. We were after you every time."
"That's good. If you hurt a hair on their heads, I will hunt you down and kill you. Got it?" He shook his head.
"Maximum—"
"Max," I corrected.
"Maximum, you have a mission," he said before grabbing my hand and leading me into a room.
"Where are we?"
"Your new room. Once you complete your mission, you are free to go."
"Whatever." He walked out, shutting the door behind him. I burst into tears. Yes. Me. Maximum Ride was crying. Everyone I loved was gone.
Angel, my baby, I would never see her sweet, innocent face again. Never hear her beautiful laugh.
Nudge, my little sister. I would never have someone to talk me through the most awkward silences. Never hear her obnoxious rambling.
Gazzy, my little devil. I would never have someone to yell at for making bombs. Never learn how to make one, like he promised.
Iggy, my personal chef. I would never taste his food again. Never hear him and Gazzy blowing something up.
Fang, my right wing. My love. I would never see him again. I would never…kiss him again. I mean, I only had three times, but I'll never get to again. I'll never have anyone to comfort me when there's something wrong. No one to know my least obvious lies. I would never love again.
The worst thing is now…he loved me too. He always has. Now, everything I had been running from was nothing. I would never see him again.
None of them. They were all gone forever. I would never forget anything about them.
I shot up. Not again. I'd been having these dreams recently. Of memories of the Flock. Was it a sign? Something I'm not getting? Either way, that was my last memory. Would it just start over? I mean, no, it hadn't gone through all of them. Just the really important things.
My alarm clock went off. Shower time. I warily walked into the bathroom. As soon as I got in the shower, I would feel a little better. Not much. Nice, hot showers were always relaxing.
"Max, breakfast time!" Mom yelled. I sighed and walked downstairs.
"Another one?" Ella asked. She always took how I walked into the kitchen as whether or not I had a dream. I nodded, and sat at the table.
"Listen Max, are you still upset that some person murdered your dad?" I took a deep breath.
"No. I killed that son of a bitch. He's the reason my fucking flock is God knows where and I'm here! I killed that bastard, and I'd do it again!" I looked at my plate. Mom was staring wide-eyed at me.
"You killed him? And he what?" I nodded and stood up.
"We've got to
go," I muttered. Ella stood up and we walked out to the car. Damn
it!
"Was that a smart thing to tell her?" she asked as we
pulled out of the driveway. I shrugged.
"Probably not. But she needed to know."