Disclaimer: I do not own Max or any of the other maximum ride characters. James Patterson does.
Chapter 2:
Previously:
"I was going to say thirsty. I haven't had a drink all day."
"Well then have one. There's a river just there." I pointed to the edge of the small clearing. Fang obediently got up and wandered over to it.
I watched him like a hawk, making sure he didn't suddenly keel over. In fact I was watching him so carefully that I didn't notice the person sneaking up behind me until they put their hand over my mouth and hauled me to my feet.
"Hello Max." I knew that voice. Struggling as hard as I could I managed to free my mouth. "FANG!" I yelled, making him turn around. I guess he must have seen wonder boy because he snapped his wings out and shot across the distance separating us.
Fang didn't stop as he reached us; instead he snapped his right foot out, connecting it with Omega's head. I hit the floor as soon as wonder boy released me, narrowly avoiding Fang's attack. I picked myself up, only to be pounced on by 10 flyboys. They grabbed my wrists and my ankles, holding me in place. I struggled but they were too strong. Instead I was forced to watch the battle between Fang and Omega.
Fang ducked a punch thrown by Omega and delivered a kick to his stomach making Omega back up slightly. But he was ready for Fang's next kick and caught his foot, twisting his leg out from under him and Fang hit the ground with a thud. Fang rolled away just as Omega's foot came down where his neck had been and was now behind Omega. But super boy wasn't done just yet and as Fang lunged forward he jumped, right over Fang's head and Fang hit nothing. But a kick from Omega sent him sprawling into a tree and Omega had his arm against his neck, holding him up against the tree.
I watched as Omega bent to whisper something in Fang's ear, and Fang hastily glanced over at me. At the same time I felt cold steel pressed against my neck. What the hell was going on? Trying to ignore the flyboys I looked back at Fang and Omega, just in time to see Fang nod. Omega released him and Fang turned around, his hands behind his back for Omega to bind.
"Fang! What the hell are you doing?" I screamed at him. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
"I'm sorry Max. He doesn't have a choice. My master wants to see him." Omega said, yanking on the rope making Fang stumble forwards.
"Watch it." Fang growled at him, but Omega just laughed. "I don't think you're in a position to be giving me orders, Fang." He pulled the rope again. When had he gotten an attitude?
Fang looked…fang looked defeated. I'd never seen him look like that.
"Fang, whatever he told you, whatever you agreed to do, you don't have to do it." I desperately tried to get free, to get through to him.
Omega laughed again. "Max, you have a knife at your throat. Do you really think that he's going to sit here and watch you die? It would kill him as surely as that knife would kill you if it cut through your precious neck."
"Shut up!" Fang lunged for Omega but stopped halfway when Omega pointed warningly at Max.
Omega smirked. "Maybe you should tell her Fang, so she knows exactly why you surrendered to me. Tell her the secret you've kept for so long. Tell her the reason you can't watch her die. It'll be your last chance." He'd dragged Fang over towards me, and we were standing feet apart.
Fang looked up from the floor and found my eyes. "Max, I'm so sorry. I…I love you too much to watch you die. I'm sorry…that I never told you. But I love you…I always have and always will."
I sucked in air as for a moment I forgot to breathe. My heart was beating at a mile a minute. He loved me. I could see it in his eyes.
"I love you too." I whispered.
"Aw, how sweet. Too bad Fang's coming with me."
My heart wrenched as I saw pain in Fang's eyes that was probably mirrored in my own. Then I heard the sound of a car. A black van pulled up.
"Looks like my ride is here." Omega said "See you around Max. Oh, one more thing, if you're seen anywhere near where we're taking Fang, he dies on the spot." Then he hauled Fang towards the van.
Once more I struggled against my captors, but they held me strong. So I screamed instead "Fang ! FANG!" He looked around once more and our eyes met. Tears silently slid down my cheeks. I was losing my best friend, my right hand man, the boy I loved. I felt like half of me had been torn away as the door shut and the van drove away.
The second the flyboys released me I went crazy. I attacked them left right and centre, kicking this one, punching that one. Only 2 managed to get away, and both were heavily damaged. Alone at last I sat down and did the only thing I could do. I cried.
3rd person POV
Minutes later, Gazzy and Nudge appeared from the trees. On seeing Max huddled on the ground sobbing, they dropped the firewood and raced to her side.
"Max! What happened? Where's Fang? Are you alright? Did flyboys attack you?" Nudge pelted questions at Max, until Gazzy put his hand over her mouth and drew her attention to the fact that their leader was on the floor crying. Max never cried.
"They…took him. Fang's…Fang's gone….Omega….was going to…kill me…Fang went…instead." Max managed to get out between sobs.
Gazzy and Nudge looked at each other in shock. Fang was gone?
"But we'll just rescue him right? Like we rescued Angel." Nudge asked
Max shook her head, trying to control her sobs now. "He said that if we were seen anywhere near Fang they'd kill him on the spot. I can't rescue him."
"Max!" a shout from behind made them all turn around. Angel landed lightly on her feet and ran to Max, hugging her round her middle when she reached her.
"I'm sorry Max. We came as quick as we could. Is Fang really…?" Angel looked up at Max, her bright blue eyes shining with unshed tears.
Max nodded "He really is gone." She added for Iggy's benefit.
"Everyone should eat something." Iggy said, holding out a plastic bag of food.
They all took their food, burgers, hot dogs, fries and chicken strips and everyone sat down each lost in their own thoughts.
"What are we going to do?" Total asked from Angel's lap. Everyone looked up at the break in the silence, then everyone looked at Max.
A look of determination came into her eyes. "We're going to disappear. We're going off the map. We'll settle down somewhere, change our names etc. No one is going to mess with this family anymore."
One by one the flock nodded at Max's plan.
"Where would you guys like to go?" She asked.
"Umm, how about New York?" Angel suggested "You loved New York."
"Yeah, I do. But the city would be too crowded." Max said
"How about further north, out of the city but still in New York. The weather there is pretty decent and it sometimes snows in the winter." Iggy put in "I think there's lots of open land in the north of the state. It would be perfect for us."
Max nodded, "Ok then, lets go find a house in New York."