Chapter One

Fang lifted the two thirty packs into the air and grinned. "Who's ready to celebrate? Here we are, living another week!"

Maya, Ratchet, Holden, Star and Kate let out whoops of excitement. It was their Sunday ritual; scrounge for food and avoid the Enforcers who plagued the streets of New York City, searching for mutants, and then celebrate another week of survival by guzzling back as many cans of bad beer that they could manage. Kate jumped up to make pizzas – popping five in the oven at once. It was amazing how much food they needed. Holden flipped the television on, and knocked back two cans in ten minutes.

"I love this movie!" squealed Star. Alcohol went straight to her head every time. Ratchet smiled and put an arm around her.

It was a life far different than the one that Fang had led with Max and their flock. He and his flock spent their days having fun and their nights partying and going to clubs. Saving the world was the last thing on Fang's mind; it was a lot of stress and lose ends that he did not want to figure out. That was Max's job, not his. After their failed attempts to "save the world" four years ago, Itex had taken over, destroyed the majority of the United States, and cracked down on the surviving people and killing mutants. Now, they were attempting to rebuild a world structured by Itex. If Max wanted Itex to fall, she would take care of it. Fang and his flock were free to have fun so long as they weren't targeted as mutants. YOLO and all that shit.

Maya lifted a can to his lips and he drank, finishing his fifth beer. Because of their animal DNA, it took little to make him wavy. His mind was pleasantly empty of all thoughts, he was free from his memories from the past. Maya was pressed against his side, rubbing her nose against his neck. He felt himself slowly harden; it would be a good time to fuck.

He stood up and took her hands, pulling her to his room. Frantically, they began to kiss, his hands sliding over Maya's body to the hem of her shirt. He lifted it up, jerked it over her head. Fang dropped his head to her breasts, kissing the tops as her mouth attacked his neck.

Fang was about to pull off her bra when Holden pounded on the door. "Fang! Stop messing around! Someone's calling for you!"

Ignoring Maya's protests to not worry about the call, he stumbled out the door. "'lo?"

"Nick! Nick? It's Ariel."

"Ariel? I don't know any Ariels."

"Yes, you know me. Ariel! I live with our siblings: Jeff and Tiffany – Crystal and … and…."

"Oh. But Ariel is a little girl. You don't sound like a little girl," he drunkenly. Fang's head whirled and couldn't think. Ariel was Angel, but it didn't sound like Angel. She was just a six or seven year old, a little kid.

"I'm not a little girl, Nick." She sounded worried and annoyed. "Are you okay? You sound weird."

"I'm not a little kid, Ariel. Why are you calling?"

"Because, we need to talk to you. Can we meet you somewhere?"

"Where?"

"At the canyon," Angel said. "As soon as possible. F – Nick, it's important."

"Okay. Yeah. We'll be there."

"Please hurry. Max's needs our help."