A/N: This chapter stinks and is embarassing. I am sorry. Also, I am sorry for the incredibly long wait.

With a growl, Max headed after Ella and Dr. Martinez and toward the kitchen. She snatched a piece of bacon from the heaping platter on the counter and settled in to wait for Iggy to finish making the pancakes. He, Angel, and Gazzy had formed a cooking team of sorts, with Angel flipping pancakes and turning over omelets, the Gasman buttering toast, and Iggy supervising and doing anything vaguely dangerous.

Max was nibbling on a slice of swiped toast when the phone rang. Dr. Martinez answered it with a customary "hello" in the other room.

"Fang?" Dr. M. asked, sounding surprised. "Yes, Max is here. Just a second."

Max was there before Dr. M. could call for her. She took the phone hurriedly, praying for good news.

"Fang? You there?"

"Max, we've got a problem," he said apologetically. "I lost her."

"How?" Max asked evenly, fighting the urge to shout at him.

"I'm so sorry, Max; I didn't mean to. I… I fell asleep, and when I woke up she was gone. She probably didn't even know I was there: I'd blended in to my surroundings after being still for so long."

"It's okay, Fang," Max lied. "Where are you?"

"A payphone near…" His voice trailed off.

"Near where?" Max demanded. "Fang? Where are you?"

"Near Tipisco," he breathed. "Max, that's where she must've been going: her parents are supposed to live in Tipisco!"

"Get on it," Max ordered, relieved. "We'll wait here."

"See you soon." Fang hung up, and Max followed suit.

Max went back to the kitchen and was surprised to find that the bacon had vanished. Gazzy informed her that Iggy had polished it off.

"Pig," Max accused.

"That would make me a cannibal," Iggy said unabashedly. "Speaking of which, help yourself to an omelet."

Max and Angel opted for the pancakes.

"Does this mean we feed on our own young?" Gazzy asked in fascination around a mouthful of omelet.

"Only if Angel's for lunch," Iggy remarked.

"I think I want toast," Total decided nauseously, shoving aside his own portion of the eggy food.

The phone rang again. Dropping a forkful of pancake, Max dashed for it, pressing the talk button before "The William Tell Overture" could get to its third measure.

"Fang?" she asked urgently.

"Max?" the caller questioned in return, obviously confused.

"Jeb," she responded disappointedly, recognizing his voice. "What do you want?"

"I was going to leave a message for you, actually," he answered, sounding more amused than annoyed. "It's about Itex."

"What are you waiting for? Tell me."

"Not until you tell me why Fang isn't with you."

"What? No!"

"Maximum, this is important. Where's Fang?"

Her shoulders slumped in defeat. He'd find out eventually anyways. "He's in Tipisco, looking for Nudge. She ran off."

Only static came from the receiver.

"Jeb? You there?"

"This isn't good, Max. You need to get her back."

"Thanks, I wonder why I didn't think of that," Max said sarcastically. "What's the news about Itex?"

"Omega's on the loose."

"And I care why…?"

"Yesterday he broke into the School and stole all of the documents they had on you and the Flock. We believe that he may be looking for revenge."

"Against us?"

"You sort of ruined his life," Jeb said wryly.

Something dawned on Max. "Nudge's parents' address was in those files, wasn't it?"

"Along with your mother's, yes."

"I've got to go," Max said, goosebumps rising on her arms.

"Wait –" Jeb began, but she hung up.

"Iggy, Mom," she called. "I need to talk to you."

Dr. Martinez rushed in, Iggy on her heels.

"What's up?" Iggy said.

"That was Jeb," she told them, indicating the phone. She filled them in on the situation as quickly as possible.

"So Omega'll be coming here looking for you," Iggy stated.

"Tipisco's closer to the School," Max objected, pacing.

"I don't think he'll care about Nudge as much," Iggy said.

"But what if he does?"

"There's nothing we can do about Tipisco," Dr. Martinez brought up, and they both stared at her as if she were insane.

"I could fly there to warn them," Max suggested.

"We need you here," Iggy told her, shaking his head. "I can't protect Angel, Gazzy, and the Martinezes on my own. Dr. M. is right."

"What about you?" Max requested desperately. "You could fly over there."

"I hate to break it to you, but I'm blind."

"Take Gazzy."

"I can't protect him, and, from what you've told me about this Omega guy, I don't think Gazzy could take him. He's just a kid, Max. For that matter, I'm just a kid."

"You're not 'just' anything, Iggy," Max corrected, annoyed. "Besides, I took him. Omega can't track things very well."

"That'll be help if he ends up coming here," Iggy said, "but Gazzy and I aren't you."

"Do Fang and Nudge know that Omega can't track things well?" Dr. Martinez interjected.

Max moaned.

"I'll take that as a 'no.'"

"It's too late to worry about that," Iggy said firmly. "We've got ourselves to keep safe."

"How can you say that? We're talking about Fang and Nudge!" Max exclaimed.

"We can't let ourselves be killed over something we have no control over," Dr. Martinez said softly.

"First off, we need to evacuate this house," Iggy said decisively.

"We can't. If Omega doesn't go for Tipisco, Fang and Nudge will be coming here," Max reminded him.

He nodded, conceding the point. "Dr. Martinez, Ella, Gazzy, Angel, and Total will have to get out of here, then. You and I will stay here and wait for Fang and Nudge."

"Why should you stay?" Max asked. "I can take Omega on my own."

"Better safe than sorry," Dr. Martinez quipped.

"Plus, I was thinking that I could help you booby-trap the house. I'd rather avoid a head-on confrontation, personally," Iggy said.

"I'll get a hotel room for the rest of us," Dr. Martinez volunteered.

Max gave up, deciding that they were probably right. "Don't take a cell phone and make sure you pay in cash," she said hopelessly.

Dr. Martinez gave her a quick hug. "We'll be fine."

A/N: I almost don't want reviews for this chapter, as it stinks.

I'll still take them, though, because I resist. REVIEW.