Hey all! So sorry it took so long to update but I have an excellent excuse. I was in America for three months and have only just recently come home. So not being in the country is a good excuse I think. :D Anyways, loved the US and can't wait to return! And the story? You may not even remember what has happened... I guess that's why they allow the previous chapters to stay up! So just re-read if you're a little confused. I missed everyone and your awesome reviews!

MAX POV –

We stayed in the Black Ridge Hills that night. It was quiet and far away from society – an excellent place to hide out overnight until we had a plan.

I couldn't sleep. After tossing and turning for over an hour, I decided that I would just give up. Everyone else had spread out around me but Fang had curled his long body around mine, one of his arms draped over me. His hand rested on my stomach, creating comforting warmth that spread through me. I watched in silence for a couple of seconds as his hand rose and fell with each breath I took. I lifted my hand and gently ran it over his tanned arm, slowly making my way to his hand. I traced the bones of his fingers as lightly as I could before linking my fingers through his. A smile touched my lips.

His fingers tightened briefly before I felt his warm breath on my cheek.

"He'll be ok Max," Fang whispered.

A shiver ran through me as his warmth dispelled the coldness within me.

"How do you know?" I replied. My voice was barely above a whisper, afraid that I would wake the others.

A feather light kiss burned my neck, just behind my ear.

"Because he's Iggy."

He said it as though that would solve the world's problems. I didn't have the same faith. How did we know that they weren't torturing him? What if they were doing to Iggy what they did to Fang all those years ago? Would we be able to save him?

I sighed and lifted Fang's hand away. Then I rolled over to face him and gently kissed his lips. Just a thanks, nothing romantic. I couldn't think of that when Iggy was out there somewhere... I stood and walked away. Behind me, I heard Fang sigh softly. He didn't follow me.

I moved away from our little encampment, needing some space to clear my head. I sat down at the base of a tree and dropped my head into my hands. I knew this was my fault but Fang was also right. I couldn't keep blaming myself. I had to be proactive, come up with a plan. You know leader-type stuff. If I could get myself together after losing Fang then I could do this.

Taking a deep breath, I began to sort my thoughts out. How were we going to find Iggy when we had no idea where to start? And when we found him, how were we going to save him? Well I guess that second one could wait until we had an idea of the facility he was being held in. That's one problem postponed.

I rubbed my face furiously. I just wanted to scream. Why couldn't everyone just leave us alone! We weren't hurting anybody – unnecessarily. We were still people. We had the same rights as everyone else. It should be the Whitecoats and Jeb who were the ones on the run and in constant fear of capture. They were the ones that had performed illegal experiments on us. Made us who we were today.

But no. Instead of doing the right thing and arresting everyone, the Government chose to employ them all, turn a blind eye to their past deeds and then proceed to publically slander me and my Flock. They turned the whole world against us, revealed our secret and our identities and then slapped a hefty reward price on each of our heads so that every Average Joe out there would turn us in if they ran into us. All simply because the Government saw potential in our being used as military weapons.

That was why I fought so hard to keep us hidden. There was no way that I was letting any of us be turned into a weapon. These people were my family and I loved them more than anything.

I stood suddenly and walked back to where we'd set up camp for the night. Everyone was still sleeping soundly. As I watched them, a deep sense of protection surged through me and I knew that I had to do whatever it took to keep us together. The beginnings of a plan were forming and I smiled to myself.

Quietly, I made my way back to Fang. Tomorrow we would drop into Mum's house quickly to see if she knew anything about where Iggy could be and then if that didn't work then we would go straight to the highest governmental power I knew existed in this country.

I was the first awake. Now that I had a plan I was eager to jump to it. I woke everyone up and told them to pack their stuff. Once packed, we ate a quick breakfast and I explained to them what I had come up with. They didn't seem to think it was a horrible plan although Fang pointed out that it probably wasn't a good idea to visit my Mum as they might be watching her.

I ignored him and threw my bag on my back. I didn't care for the risks. I was determined to have Iggy back with us by the end of the day. And if not that, then at least have an idea as to his whereabouts.

I was about to take flight when a shrill ringing filled the forest. Instantly alert, I spun around. Everyone looked as confused as I felt except for Nudge. She was fumbling furiously with the zipper of her bag.

"Is that a cell phone?" I asked incredulously.

Nudge pulled the little device from her bag and flipped it open. Then her eyes widened.

"Nudge, why on Earth did you bring your..." I began. Her next words cut me off straight away.

"It's Iggy!"

Quickly she pressed the talk button and held it to her ear.

"Ig?" she answered.

I was at her side in an instant. I pulled the phone from her hand and pressed it to the side of my face.

"...Help me please! Nudge, you guys have to... They know your..."

I could barely hear half of his words as there were explosions going off in the background. His breathing was laboured as though he was running and I could hear a lot of shouting.

"Iggy where are you?" I shouted into the mouthpiece.

"Max?" he sounded surprised. "Thank God! Get... your Mum's house now! They don't... where it is."

Suddenly he grunted and the connection was lost.

I pulled the cell phone away from my ear slowly and closed it with a snap.

"We're going to my Mum's house."

Nobody argued and Fang even nodded in agreement, as though he'd heard the whole conversation.

Angel and Gazzy took flight minutes later and I grabbed Nudge's sleeve before she could follow.

"You and I will be talking about this later," I dangled the phone in front of her before throwing it as far as I could into the bushes. They could be using it to track us. What had Nudge been thinking?

Two hours later, we were walking up the drive of Mum's house. All of my senses were alert for any sign that someone was watching us but nothing out of the ordinary caught my eye.

Fang slid his hand into mine and gave it a squeeze. I threw him an encouraging smile. He had been right. Iggy would be fine. He was Iggy after all.

Before Mum could open the door, I heard a soft whistling sound and then felt something hit the back of my neck. It stung and I cried out in surprise. My hand dropped Fang's and flew up to pull the dart out of my skin.

As I looked at it my vision started to blur and I glanced frantically at the Flock. Angel was already down and Gazzy was dropping to the ground. Nudge looked woozy as though she'd go next. I could feel myself swaying as I reached out for Fang, who was right next to me. My hand caught his arm but my clumsy fingers found no purchase.

As darkness overtook me and I began to fall, I heard Fang call out to me. It might have been the drugs but I thought I felt his hands catch me and hold me tight to his chest.

But then the darkness won and I never found out.