A/N: Nineteen reviews. That's about two per chapter, averaged. That's okay, but not great. =( Okay, I'm going to stop whining about the lack of reviews and get on with the chapter now. Enjoy!
Chapter 9: To Washington!
Max's POV
"You're leaving?" my mom asked. "I take it you're going to Washington?"
"Yeah," I replied. "We need to find out what Angel's up to. I think she's messing with the president again."
"Again? What do you mean 'again'? When has she ever met the president before?"
I sighed. "When we were in Virginia. We went on a field trip to the Capitol, and Angel wandered off. She met the president, and I think she may have done something."
"Why?"
"That's what we need to find out. I don't know if she was just trying to help, or if she's got some sort of plan to take over the president's will."
My mom gave me a strange look. "Max, she's only six. Why would she be trying to take over the country?"
"How should I know?" I rubbed my forehead. "There was a point where she seemed to be campaigning to be leader of the Flock, but I really have no idea what that was about. Maybe it was just some phase she was going through. But whatever is going on, we need to find out."
"I understand. I'll get some food together."
"Thanks, but don't pack too much. It's a hassle to carry a lot when we're flying. Just some snacks would be great."
"All right."
I turned and headed out of the kitchen. I was about to run up the stairs when Fang stepped out of the shadows and I nearly jumped out of my skin.
"Fang, will you please stop doing that?"
He grinned at me. "Doing what? Breathing?"
"Ha ha. Haven't I heard that before?"
He shrugged. "Maybe. A while ago."
"Yeah…" I thought about our old E-shaped house in the mountains of Colorado. I kind of missed it there. We hadn't had to worry about anything chasing us, and we'd been happy. And we'd had Angel. I sighed wistfully.
Fang noticed. "Max, everything's going to be fine. I promise."
"I've heard that before too."
"I guess I'm repeating myself today, aren't I?"
"Yup. So, what'd you want?"
He shrugged again. "I'm honestly not really sure. I guess I just felt like scaring you out of your wits."
"Gee, thanks," I said sarcastically. "If that's the case, I think I'll continue what I was doing." I started for the stairs again, but before I even got to the first step, Fang grabbed my arm.
"Max, did you mean what you told Gazzy in the living room? Do you really think that Angel might just have been wanting to help, and she'll be ready to come back now?"
"So you did want something." I turned around to look at him.
He glared at me. "Just answer the question."
"What do you think? You know me well enough to answer that question for yourself, don't you?" I realized that he was still holding onto my arm, and felt my face start to heat up. "You can let go now."
He released my arm. "Sorry. But yeah, I think I do. You don't believe it."
"Unfortunately, you're right. I don't know what Angel's doing, but she's not just some temperamental little kid who feels like rebelling. If she wanted to come back, she'd come back."
"Hm," was Fang's only response.
I headed for the stairs again, and this time I actually made it. I went to Ella's room to get my backpack. I turned around to go back downstairs and came face to face with Fang.
"Fang!" I exclaimed. "Stop it!"
He just smirked and moved aside to let me through. I scowled and stalked past him.
"Slightly grumpy today, are we?" he asked, and I could hear the laughter in his voice.
"And since when are you in such a good mood?" I retorted. "You certainly weren't this morning."
"I decided there's no point to being in a bad mood," he said, grinning.
"And that put you in a good mood?"
He shrugged. "Sure."
I shook my head. "Whatever. I'm going to bed."
"Weren't you on your way downstairs?" he asked.
My face flushed. "Oh, yeah." Why was I so mixed up? It wasn't like me to forget what I was doing.
It's because of Fang, Max. You're becoming flustered because he's so close to you.
Imagine that. The Voice. And with utterly useless information too. Figures. But then, I was standing rather close to Fang…no, that couldn't be it.
I have no idea what you're implying, I replied irritably. Now either give me some useful news, or get out of my head.
There was no reply. Typical.
"Voice back?" Fang asked, probably reading my blank expression.
"Yeah."
"Anything interesting?"
"No," I replied, feeling my cheeks get slightly warm. "Just…stuff."
Fang raised an eyebrow. "Alright then. So, are you going downstairs, or are you going to bed?"
"Bed, so get out."
"Okay, okay," he said, backing out of the room, hands held up in front of him. "No need to get grouchy."
"I'll get grouchy if I want to get grouchy," I said, but I couldn't stop myself from smiling, which completely ruined my protest.
He chuckled slightly. "Good night Max."
"Good night Fang."
"Good bye!" my mom called from the front step of the house. "Come back as soon as it's safe!"
"Okay!" I called back. "Bye!"
I ran across the lawn, whipping my wings open and taking off into the wild blue yonder (ha ha). I looked back to see my mom and Ella waving at us. I waved back briefly, then turned my gaze forward. The rest of the Flock was hovering there, flapping their wings slowly to stay aloft. I flew up to join them, and we all turned and pointed ourselves East, using our wonderful internal compasses to figure out which way that was.
I glanced back at the house, watching it grow smaller as we flew away from it. I wished we could stay there; live with them and enjoy a normal life, for once. But that would probably never be feasible. We belonged to different worlds, and while those worlds could run side-by-side every now and then, they could never merge. I sighed sadly.
"It's okay Max," Fang's voice said from directly above me. I flipped over to look at him. "They'll always be there, even if you can't always be."
How did he always know exactly what I was thinking? "I know." I smiled at him, but it was a sad smile. "Win some, lose some."
"Now who's repeating lines?"
"Hey, I'm repeating your lines. That doesn't count."
"No, that's plagiarism." He swooped closer and tapped me on the nose.
My eyes widened. Fang was acting so…un-Fang-ish lately. How odd…I managed to regain my voice and said, "It's only plagiarism if I don't give you credit."
His eyes sparkled. "Fine, you win. It's not plagiarism." He flapped his wings a couple times and rose up to regain his earlier altitude about ten feet above me.
I didn't have time to ponder his recent behavior, because Nudge fell back to fly next to me. I knew what she was going to say even before she said anything.
"Max, I'm hungry."
Well, at least some things never change.
A/N: As usual, review! =) Though only a couple people seem to be listening...
