Max POV

'He was my son. He was your brother. You killed your own brother.' Jeb's cries still echoed through my head even after we'd escaped that maze of pipes, the sewers. The brightness and freshness of the air did nothing to my mood. We just had to get as far away as possible.

"Up and away," I yelled to the flock. Gazzy and Iggy shot up first closely followed by Nudge and Angel. Fang and I followed, soaring up, all of us loving the feeling of our wings pushing us ever higher.

"Where are the others?" Fang knew I meant the other mutants who we had freed.

"The girl with wings took them, wouldn't take no for an answer." His face was closed off. I knew he was thinking about the possibility of knowing who our parents were very soon. When we landed in one of New York's few parks I noticed Angel was holding something other than Celeste in her arms.

"What's that?" I questioned her. She stuck her chin out stubbornly. The dark thing in her arms moved.

"He's my dog. From the Institute," she said, gathering the canine closer in her arms.

"Angel, we sometimes can't feed ourselves let alone a dog as well. Besides, you have Celeste," I countered.

"Don't get me wrong, I love Celeste, but I couldn't leave Total behind."

"Total?" Iggy asked.

"That's what the card said." I looked at Fang for support. He looked at Angel.

"The first time you don't take care of him, boom, he's out," Fang said. "Understand?"

Angel smiled and did a little victory dance. I continued to stare at Fang.

"She made Bambi eyes at me," he said, trying to defend himself. I understood. I'd lost countless arguments to Nudge and Angel because of their ability to pull Bambi at eyes at me.

Suddenly I remembered why we'd just been to that Hell-hole. I pulled the files we'd printed out my bag and handed them out to the Flock.

"Yell out if you find something," I commanded the Flock. We each read a sheet each except Iggy who had Gazzy reading to him. We sat quietly reading the jumble of letters and numbers, or as silent as New York can be, when Nudge yelled out.

"Look, it's Iggy. It says, aw, your dad's deceased but your mum looks neat. She looks just like you."

Iggy walked over to her and ran his hand over the paper, as if he could see her if he touched the photo. His jaw was clenched and I felt a deeper sorrow than normal for Iggy and his disability. She started describing the picture to Iggy when Gazzy jumped up.

"Angel. Angel! I found our parents. This is..." Tears started to form in his eyes. "I... I think they live in Virginia somewhere." He was so excited and overwhelmed he could barely get the words out. Angel's lank curls were bobbing up and down in happiness.

The Gasman jumped up and rushed to Angel. "Look, it's them," he exclaimed pointing at a photo of a young couple. Angel looked at the picture and also started to tear up a bit while hugging Celeste closer to her.

"I've got some names and addresses. And it's my name. And, oh man, there are pictures." That was probably the most emotion Fang had shown in a long time. He was trying not to show his feelings but he was shaking; we all were.

I was now the only one with no info on my parents and Nudge still wasn't sure if her parents were out west or not. I was trying not to show I destroyed I felt on the inside. I oohed and aahed and re-read files, being happy for my family. They hadn't had much happiness in their short, weird lives.

"But why scramble all this other information?" I wondered aloud, mainly too distracted by my miserable train of painful thoughts.

"Maybe it's information the Whitecoats never wanted anyone to find out," Fang answered in a hollow voice.

"Like what?" I wondered again. Fang and I shared a look that spoke a thousand words. He knew how I felt about not knowing about my parents and I was happy there was someone I could confide in, even if the words were silent.

After a silence I interrupted the Flock's happy chatter. "We need a new plan guys. Angel, Gazzy. I saw we look for your parents first. We'll stay here for now but we're leaving New York tomorrow. Any objections?"

The younger members of the Flock looked at me and shook their heads while Fang and Iggy stayed silent.

"Great, that's sorted. I'll go grab us some food than."

I got up and walked into the crowds of New York, looking for a food stand on the street so I wouldn't have to go inside a building where it would be harder to get away with theft.

I was able to grab some hotdogs when the owner was serving somebody else; it was almost too easy now.

I returned to the Flock where they were happily discussing the hope of finding their parents.

"Max, where were you? You took, like, forever. OMG, are those hotdogs? I love hotdogs. I mean I know they're meat and it's icky and..."

"I get it Nudge. I'm sure we still have some energy bars if you want those."

"Ok that sounds cool."

We ate and then talked, something the Flock never did. I knew everybody was enjoying themselves but I still felt paranoid. Maybe it was because I knew nothing about my parents, maybe it was because I had killed Ari or maybe it was because I'm the leader.

'It's OK Max. You'll know about your parents soon enough. You should be happy for us.'

"Thanks Angel, I'll try.'

I was still freaked out but I tried not to think about it so a certain six year old mind reader would stay out of my head.

'I can't help it Max, your thoughts are LOUD.'

I stopped some 'colourful' words from entering my mind.

'Angel sweetie, just stay out."

She looked over and frowned at me then turned back to Total.

Evening came fast and I was almost glad for this eerie calm day to be over. The Flock all flew up into a large tree and settled themselves into the forks of branches like it was second nature.

I watched Fang just sitting lazily in the tree we were in a branch next to mine. The setting sun made the purple flecks in his hair stand out. There was also a light breeze flowing through the leaves so his hair was blowing slowly his right. The image was so perfect. If he wasn't my brother I'm sure I would've started falling in love.

Maybe you are Max.

The Voice. Perfect.

Or maybe I'm not. I don't have to be in love with Fang and I'm not.

You'll discover that you are and upcoming events will make you realize it sooner rather than later.

Wait, what? What 'upcoming events'? Of course the Voice decided now to leave my head.

My attention was drawn back to Fang but now for a totally different reason. The breeze was blowing his hair away from his neck like before but now I saw something new. I thought I saw a date on his neck, like the ones the Erasers got just before they expired. Maybe it was a trick of the light or maybe not.

Maybe this was the upcoming event the Voice had warned me of.

I think I skimmed over that but this is where things get different and we stray away from the events of The Angel Experiment.

Criticism is welcome, flames no thank you.

And this will be continued. Eventually