Chapter Three

Three days later, Fang landed in the canyon, wondering where the flock was. "'lo?" he called, his voice echoing in the crevices. Maybe the flock was still flying; he didn't know where they were hiding. It could take them days, especially with Gazzy and Angel being so young.

He sat on the edge of the cliff, tossing pebbles to watch them fall a thousand feet down. Fang felt numb, wondering how the flock would react to his presence and what happened to Max. Nothing serious, he was sure. Fang would know if something happened to her; he would feel it. As it was, he felt the same so, he reasoned, she was alive.

"I think someone's there," he heard a small voice behind him.

"Go check. It could be – Fang!"

He was attacked from behind by someone small and feathery, knocking him from his seat on the cliff into the air. His wings snapped out, keeping him from falling. Two minutes later, the someone was still hugging him and squealing. Untangling himself, he saw it was a very attractive black girl, her long curls tossed by the wind. With a start, he realized it was Nudge. But – but – but it couldn't be. Nudge was a pre – teen, his little sister. This girl was a very mature sixteen.

"Oh, gosh! Fang! It's really you! Where have you been? We've missed you! How is your flock? We're all here. We got hear like, yesterday and we've been waiting for you. Iggy thought you weren't going to come. He's been a real downer lately. But, I kept telling him that you'd come 'specially 'cause it's about Max! Eeee! I'm so happy to see you!"

She punctuated this proclamation by leaping at him again. Yep. Definitely Nudge.

"Angel, Gaz, he's here."

Fang looked over Nudge's head to see Iggy walk from the cave. He pulled himself away from Nudge and flew to his friend. The two boys looked awkwardly at one another; Iggy's blind eyes narrowed. The blonde boy was taller, Fang noticed, nearly six four, which made him three inches taller than Fang. He was more muscled as well, his lanky body now lean and hard. His expression was an emotionless mask that rivaled Fang's.

From the cavern, Angel and Gazzy emerged and Fang nearly choked. Angel was now eleven, all thinly muscled arms and legs, her blond curls tucked into a tight ponytail. She was not the little girl that he had practically raised with Max. She was all grown up. Her brother was at her side, as if to be her protector. Gazzy was thirteen, and still smaller than the older boys, but it was plain to see that when he grew up, he would surpass them in size and strength.

Angel and Gazzy rushed to hug him. Fang normally became stiff and unyielding when touched, except with Max and maybe the girls in his flock when they were doing, umm, other things. With Angel there, he automatically began watching what he said and thought.

"Fang, we missed you!" cried Angel, burrowing her face into his chest. "We need you."

"Why? What happened to Max?"

He didn't miss the shadow that crossed Iggy's face. Gazzy backed away from Fang, coughing before crossing his arms over his chest. He was embarrassed by this display of affection. "She's gone."

"Who took her?" Fang addressed Iggy, but his friend refused to speak. Instead, it was Nudge who answered.

"The Dictator's Enforcers. She went out to get us food and they attacked her. I was with her and I saw it. I tried to get them, but they used tranquilizers on us and then took her. I don't know why they didn't take me, too."

The Enforcers were the Dictator's special police force, generally regulating the rebuilding of the major cities and tracking down mutants. Fang could only imagine what they were doing to her. But, she's alive, he told himself. She's alive. He knew she was.

"Where did they take her?"

Iggy once again said nothing.

"The School," said Nudge. "We're sure of it. The Dictator took over all of those facilities and made them into prisons and torture centers for the mutants. Kill 'em in the place that they were made."

Fang sighed. "Okay. Well, I guess we're going to have to go back there." After their last visit there all those years ago, he didn't ever want to set foot in it again, and yet there he was, about to do it all over. Those fuckers.

Angel looked at him. "I agree."

"All right. Let's rest up and then tomorrow morning we'll set off for California."