Chapter 3

I whipped around to see eight Erasers, including Ari, flying toward us at top speed. Funny, I didn't think they could fly fast and remember to flap at the same time.

Ari (a.k.a. Dogboy) came up first. "Hello, Max. Miss me?" He growled.

"Like the plague," I said in false brightness. I was not happy to see him.

Fang, out of nowhere, charged at Ari, sucker punching him in the face. Ari responded by kicking out at Fang's chest, but Fang dodged him easily and returned the kick, hitting his target. Boys.

I looked around at the rest of the flock. Iggy and Gazzy had successfully blown up two Erasers and were working on a third. Where do they stash all these bombs? Wait-no, i may not want to know.

Nudge was holding off two Erasers while Angel used her mind control on them. "You're going to forget to flap and fall down that crevice." Wow. She was scary and, in fact, there was a crevice just blow us. That would hurt.

The two Erasers folded in their wings and dropped down to their death two hundred and eighty feet below us.

The remaining two came at me as I heard Iggy and Gazzy blow up their last attacker. Mine came at me, and I clapped one of them's ears. It screamed as its eardrums blew and held its head in agony, dropping a few feet in the process. I did not feel sorry for that sucker.

The last Eraser (besides Ari, that is) punched me in the nose. I didn't feel it break, but blood was gushing from my nostrils. I delivered a round-about kick to its head and it went tumbling backwards. It regained its composure and came back at me. Did they ever know when to give up?

Apparently not, because he was coming back for more. As it flew, I ducked down and changed positions so I was behind him. I clapped my hands too its ears. Hard. It screamed and did exactly as the last one did. I looked over and saw Ari had apparently raked his claws down Fang's arm, making him bleed. Seeing he was outnumbered, Ari flew out of hold Fang had on his neck with difficulty and said, "Next time, i'm coming back with more reinforcements than you've ever seen."

"Yeah, right, Dogboy. Daddy's not gonna let you have all his little experiments. Keep dreaming." I said. I knew he was bluffing. I could see in his eyes, he knew the same exact thing.

Ari took off and was soon out of sight, for a cloud drifted across his path.

"Report." I commanded.

"Two broken fingers," Iggy said.

Gazzy said, "Some bruises."

Angel and Nudge both said they were fine, too.

Fang didn't answer. "Fang," I prodded.

"I'm fine," He said, but the nail marks on his arm and the blood on his jack told me otherwise. Poor Fang. I'll see to him as soon as we land.

It was already almost five o' clock. We needed somewhere to sleep for the night. "We'll land down there," I said, pointing to a park area that looked pretty deserted.

Everyone nodded and we flew down to land.

We touched down behind some shrubbery.

Nudge said, "Max, I'm-"

"Hungry," Fang, Iggy and I finished for her under out breaths.

"Yeah," I said. "We'll get something as soon as I get Iggy and Fang fixed up."

I took Fang's backpack from him and commanded for him and Iggy to both sit down on a bench a couple of feet away. Fang was totally reluctant.

I turned to Iggy; there wasn't much I could do for broken fingers, so I put them in a small splint and wrapped them up as best I could. They would be healed by tomorrow.

I then turned to Fang. I made him take his jacket off and stared gaping at the bloody wound. I know I probably looked like a doofus to the rest of the flock (minus Iggy) who were sitting on the ground watching intently.

I got my wits back and brought out the antiseptic, cotton balls, and bandages. The cuts were 1/4 an inch wide and three inches in length. They were some big-insert swear word of your choice here-cuts.

I started with the cotton balls, wiping away the blood, then i poured on the antiseptic, making Fang wince slightly, and then I bandaged him up with some strips torn from old shirts. I tied it tight, satisfied. Those bandages weren't coming off until I say so. Well, okay maybe until Fang says to, but still.

After I was done, Fang, saying that I couldn't walk around with a bloody nose, fixed it and he put his wind-breaker back on.

Nudge was about to open her mouth, but I held up my hand, saying, "We'll get something to eat after we find a hotel, okay?"

She nodded, abashed.

The younger kids looked thrilled about getting a real bed for the night. I was less than thrilled. Remember last time we were at a hotel? Yeah, I was kidnapped and taken and put in an isolation tank for God knows how long. I felt a strange emotion at the thought of the kids liking the idea of a bed. Was it guilt? Maybe if the chip in my arm was gone . . . No-wait. I promised Fang that I wouldn't. And I'm determined to keep that promise.

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A/N: I know it's kind of short, but the chapter's will get longer. I'll update in a few hours (i already have like 40 chapters on my comp) lol. R&R please! Because I LOVE reviews.