Chapter 9

"Where are we going?" Nudge asked with an impatient moan. The flock had been traveling north for about an hour following Angel, who had refused to tell them anything. "Seriously, Angel if you don't tell me soon I'm going to turn back around. I left an unfinished shirt at the Martinez's home." But Angel just shrugged, ignoring Nudge completely. She had been saying that for as long as they had been flying.

Iggy was titling his wings so that he could angle down. He listened intently on the beating hearts and wings of everyone else to follow. Total was keeping pace with Angel looking occasionally back at Gazzy who wasn't focusing on flying but something in his hands.

"We need to go this way," Angel told Nudge as she pushed back one of her blonde curls. "Max's plan will work," she said reassuringly. For the past hour, the flock had managed not to bring up Max out loud. Angel felt a slight twinge in Fang's mind as he hovered below the rest of them, silent.

Angel sighed as she read the directions in her thoughts. Jeb had been helpful when she told him about Max's plan. Apparently, the person they were looking for had a chip and could be followed. Jeb gave her the name of the location of place where they would find her. The flock didn't need to know as they flew over flat planes edging closer to Nevada.

So far no one had complained farther than Nudge's constant questions. Angel sighed heavily planning ahead. Above the sun was high and bright shining down on them. She tried her best not to be distracted by the clouds or the birds like she often did when Max was leader. Her eyes went to check around the flock with the same worried gaze that she had seen Max do but it didn't feel right. Angel kept feeling like she was stealing something that clearly didn't belong to her.

Fang hovered closer about forty feet from the ground staring down on it. He felt the presence of the two bags on his back. Even when he returned to Dr. Martinez's, he refused to let it go. Max would need it once they saved her. He kept his hands in fists frustrated that he had to wait for so long. He knew well that Max wasn't necessarily getting the best treatment wherever she was.

"Hey man," Iggy flew down so he was a few feet to Fang's side. Iggy's blonde hair had grown down and was shaggier than before. He had his bright eyes directed towards Fang's wings based off of where he heard the sounds. Everyone above couldn't hear them unless Angel started reading their minds.

Fang didn't say anything. Instead, he just stared up at Iggy with his dark eyes knowing that it was pointless. Iggy's mouth formed in a frown and his eyes narrowed, "She wouldn't want you doing that- moping around like some idiot. Max doesn't go for that stuff, so cut it out." Iggy crossed his arms as he turned his head away from Fang. "You'd think someone Max was with wouldn't be some wimp."

"Shut up!" Fang's voice raised into a shout as Iggy's head turned back to stare at him. "You don't know what you're talking about!" Fang let out a breathe of frustration hoping he didn't yell out again. He just couldn't help it. This was worse than when he and Max had split up the flock.

Iggy smirked, "Dude, seriously, you're a wreck. I thought it was bad when Max was obliviously to you liking her. Now I'm thinking you were better off. You could keep your head straight then." Fang would've hit him if some part of him didn't say that Iggy was right.

"You saying that it's my fault Max offered to get captured?" Fang whispered, feeling the weight of truth in his question. He couldn't help blame himself. Max wouldn't have done that if it had been someone else trapped. Or maybe she would've because he honestly couldn't really be sure with Max.

"No," Iggy said impatiently. "Just saying, your head would be more in the game if you weren't in love with her." Then, Iggy took a large push of his wings and jolted ahead and up towards the flock.

Leave it to Iggy to be honest with him. Fang knew that his friend was right. Fang would've handled the situation well if it weren't for the factor of what was going on between Max and him. But it was worth it, he admitted to himself. He knew if somehow, he could have her back then everything would be okay.

Fang went to fly forward when something down below caught his eye. It was just a glint of the sun reflecting to his left. When Fang turned his head he had only moments to react. "Scatter," he called out to the flock as he did an instant drop and turn just as he heard a bullet whizzed by.

Nudge and Angel went past him in a dip of their flight before shooting straight up. Fang searched for anywhere to take cover. He couldn't have them out in the open. He knew he should've told Angel to take a more populated path. Wind rushed past him as the sounds of more bullets came.

Suddenly, he heard a large yell, "THIS WAY!" Iggy was waving his hands over his shoulder directly thirty feet above Fang. The flock turned and rushed towards him. When Iggy heard them coming he did a dive down towards the ground. Everyone followed taking a V formation as best as they could without Max.

"Where are we going?" Nudge asked impatiently over the sounds of stronger bullets. She shut her mouth when Fang shot her a look just like Max's. He understood her need to talk but for the moment she just had to be quiet. Reassured that someone was watching out for them she nodded her head before focusing on following Iggy a few feet ahead.

They turned left and right across the open field only a few feet above the tall grass. Gazzy and Angel holding up the back with Total in between searched the grounds for any enemies as Iggy and Nudge checked the sides.

Everything went silent as Iggy dived closer to the grass. They all followed in fast, perfect time. Their wings slightly arched and flapped to keep their speed. "Found it," Iggy said with triumph as within an instant, they began to fly towards a house in the middle of nowhere.

Fang felt odd as they ran onto the ground with their wings pulling back in. He stared at the broken windows and cracked wood. The roof sagged and the fireplace was emitting thick black smog. He narrowed his eyes to try and see anyone inside. Suddenly, Angel was jumping up and down in excitement.

"How did you find it Iggy?" She yelped with excitement as she stood only feet from the door. Panicking Fang rushed over her and grabbed her arm. As he held her back she sensed his discomfort, "Don't worry, we're supposed to go here. This is where Part 1 begins." Her wide innocent smile didn't ease Fang's tension.

"I don't think anyone lives her Angel. I thought we were supposed to find someone," Gazzy walked up beside them staring among the shards of glass blown across the short cut grass of the home. His sneaker dug into the dirt for a moment as he shoved his hands into his sweater pockets. A light breeze blew his blonde hair into more of a mess.

Nudge stood beside him with her head tilted. Her dark eyes squinted as she observed it more, "It's disgusting. Do we really have to go in?" She ran a hand through her hair and sighed knowing that they probably would if Angel said to.

"I heard someone or something," Iggy whispered, "Like sonar on the submarine." He was playing with his hands nervously wondering exactly how he had come to lead them there. The sound was gone now but he was sure he had heard it.

Then, as the door knob twisted, Fang released Angel's hand to hold up his fists. A wave of dizziness came at him and just as the door swung open Fang was falling on to the ground. As he fought between darkness and day, he swore he saw a familiar face in front of him. When he closed his eyes he heard one voice he had never heard before.

Are you sure you aren't holding Max back?