"Max?"The Gasman asked as he and Fang towered over Max's body. She let a low moan escape from her lips."I'm okay,"she croaked out, trying to sit up."Where's Angel?"The very question made my throat burn from trying to keep from crying. And believe me, it hurts much more when you've been keeping it in for a few minutes.

Angel was like my little sister-my own kid. She was all of ours; we all grew up together. I just wonder how Gazzy's taking this.I glance over at him. He's such a brave little soldier. I walk over and put my hand on his shoulder, making him look up at me with the same blue eyes that he shared with Angel.

"She's gone. They took her."Fang got to her feet quickly, leaning against Fang for support. "We've got to get her."She said, trying to stay upright."We've got to get her before they-" she shut up, but we all knew what she was thinking. We were all thinking the same thing."Check in guys- are you up for a chase?"she asked

"For Angel?Hell yeah,"I said, removing my hand from Gazzy's shoulder."Yes,"Nudge said, close to tears."I'm up."Iggy responded, but his split lip made his voice thicker-more adult. The Gasman nodded solemnly. I watched Max as she wiped away tears. I closed my eyes, letting out a breath. They knew what I was doing.

Echolocation was a handy-dandy thing when you're looking for someone. I sucked in, a sharp whistling sound came as a result. Everything sprouted out in a whole array of colours. I could hear everything- from the wind hitting the blades of grass to a chopper. "There!"I exclaimed, pointing west. We all bolted stiffly and clumsily(I tripped at least twice) to the sound.

A hundred or so yards through the woods brought us to a sharp drop-off abovr an old, unused logging road. I then saw the black Humvee as it drove over the unpaved road."Let's get her!"Max cried, backing up ten feet. We hurried out of the way as she jumped over the ledge and unfurled her large winds. We all copied her.

I unfurled my wings, banking them so I could land on top of the Humvee. Fang snatched two dead branches and handed on top next to me. On the count of one, we smashed it against the front windshield. We bolted up and the Humvee swerved, its tinted windows rolling down.A gun barrel pocked out, and the trees behind us began to pop with bullets.

Fang smashed the windshield again. I threw my branch down."Angel!"Max screamed."We're here! We're coming for you!"

"Up ahead,"called Fang. I looked; I saw the chopper, or at least the outline of one. The Humvee zoomed on, bouncing heavily over the old,unpaved roads. I tried to fly faster, making my wings and shoulder blades hurt like Hell. I flew next to Nudge and Iggy just as an Eraser threw a grenade.

My eyes widened as it came closer and closer. Nudge grabbed Iggy's hand, and in return her grabbed my forearm, bringing me closer to him as it explodes in front of us, spewing shards of metal and tree bark everywhere.

More importantly- in our direction. I felt some hot metal press onto my skin, making a sizzling sound. I yelped in pain as I tore them off quickly."Snow, you okay?"Iggy yelled, clutching onto me harder. He must've been hit, too."Peachy keen."I hissed. I hate being burned! He sighed; I knew he meant well, but I wasn't in a very good mood.

"Sorry Igs. Any get you?"I asked. Iggy lets me go but keeps me at arms length, his hands hovering inches away from my wrists."No, luckily."

"You lucky bitch."I replied. Iggy shook his head as he looked off into the distance. Man, I sometimes forget that Iggy's blind. I turn, wondering what he would be seeing. I gasp. Max falls off the chopper, but before she hits the ground, she lets her wings go and they save her.

~~~

The way home was eerily silent. Everyone was feeling heartbroken, and I felt really,really numb.I glance down at my wounds, trying to keep myself occupied. But then Iggy howled out, throwing a mug across the room. It hit Fang in the side of the head."Watch it, idiot!" He yelled. Realizing what he just said, he clenched his jaw, and then rolled his eyes at Max.

I sighed, grabbing one of the first aid kits and starting to clean up Iggy as Max moved to clean up Gazzy."You watch it!" Iggy shouted at Fang, ignoring me."What happened?I mean, you guys can see,can't you? Why couldn't you get Angel?"

Just for that remark, I put a lot of alcohol on his wound."Ouch, Snow!"He yelped, flinching. I rolled my eyes."They had a chopper!"Gazzy yelled, slamming his hands down on the table."And guns! We're not bulletproof!" He yelled again."Guys!Guys!" Max said, looking exhausted."We're all upset. But we're not the enemy!They're the enemy."She said, sticking a band-aid on Gazzy.

I put more alcohol on Iggy's wound, mostly because it was a little odd looking. I the wiped it off and put on a frilly pink Hello Kitty like he'll be able to tell, right?"Just- b quiet for a minute so I can think."Max muttered and started pacing the kitchen.

I took Iggy by the wrist and brought him over to the couch. Nudge scooted over and he sat down. I began to fix her up as well. Nudge remained quiet as silent tears fell down her dark cheeks. Nudge then began to talk. I sat down on the coffee table, not really listening. It was as if I felt deaf.

I felt really numb. I couldn't feel any pain at all. Emotional nor physical. But I had to make it look like I'm keeping myself together, even under this mask I'm falling apart, yet held together by an invisible line that's called hope. This wasn't about me, nor did I want it to be about me. This was about finding Angel, who was heading to Hell on Earth. The place that was the main domain of everyone's nightmares.

"The school,"me, Fang, and Max said at the exact same time. Nudge gasped, clasping her hands over her mouth, her chocolate eyes going wide. The Gasman looked scared. Iggy tightened up, his face going paler. He hated it there more than any of us. They had tried to enhance his night vision, but now he was blind forever.

"They took Angel to the School?"Gazzy asked, shocked. I zoned out again,thinking hard. I shoved the first-aid kit to the ground and left the room, leaving everyone staring at me. I then tripped. Oops. I headed to Jeb's old office. The room smelled like dust and mice droppings. Lovely. We, me and Fang, haven't been in here in a while- not since we packed up all of his things and shoved it in here.

What the Gang didn't know was that whenever my nightmares became so bad, I used to sneak into Jeb's bed and he'd coddle me until my tears washed away. Since he 'left', I'd sometimes come in here and just sit around, staring at old pictures and documents. But once I found some files that were convenient.

I returned with the folder, all eyes on me. I shook off some mouse poop and put it in front of Max on the table"Eew,"Nudge said, wiping her nose on her sleeve."Eew, was that-"

"Here,"I got up and walked over, inspecting the papers. They were Jeb's old printed-out files. We spread them out over the table. Fang opened a manila envelope."What is that?"Asked the Gasman."Map,"Fang replied blatantly."Map of what?"Nudge asked.

"Map of a secret facility,"I said, suddenly obaining the ability to feel again. And it hurt. A lot.

"In California. The School."