Chapter 9

"What do you mean, sweetie?" Nudge asked. "I'll explain in a second. Everyone, follow me strait to the car." What could possibly be unsafe about this hotel besides the building codes and cleanliness?

Nudge and Max picked up their bags and ran out the room as I followed. "Wait, did you tell Fang?" I asked. "Oh, right, that one… I'll tell him." Jeffery called Fang and we all ran.

In the darkness we could make out something that was running, right behind us. What was it? Was it an animal or was someone following us? Whatever it was it gave me the creeps.

"Come on!" Jeffery yelled. We ran into the rocky parking lot, if you could even call it that, and Max jumped into her Ferrari. "Hop in!" Nudge and Jeffery hopped in. "We'll fly again. It will be impossible to keep track of you in the dark, so let's arrange a meeting place." I said. "How about, the Virginia border. I need to fill up on gas." As she started off I heard Nudge; now an environmentalist, vegetarian, and humanitarian; complaining about how she should buy I hybrid car.

"Let's go!" I called to Fang. "How do we know which way Virginia is?"

"Well, I don't know. Let's see, there's the North Star so, if we head-" I figured. "Okay, okay I get it. I'll just follow you." Fang was in a bad mood and I knew why. I thought that I should take his mind off Nudge.

"What was going on?" I asked. "I don't know. Jeffery went off to the florist and then came back running and screaming. Some weird people or things are chasing us, okay. Now you know." I knew that Fang was not in the mood to talk and when Fang's in a bad mood, you don't do anything that would possibly aggravate him more.

So, Fang and I didn't talk for the rest of the journey. We finally landed about a mile away from the sign that said "Welcome to Virginia." Where were Max and the rest?

Ugh. I can't believe how stupid we were. We didn't even think of a decent plan before fleeing the lodge! And of course, we couldn't follow Max's car because it was pitch dark! Apparently, the area with dangerous mountains and roads with no guardrails didn't believe in streetlights. Great thinking on our part!

They could be anywhere on or near the border! "Where are they?" I screamed. "Let's just find a cheap place to stay and find them in the morning." Fang said. "Fang! We have to find them and I'm never staying in another cheap lodge, hotel, or motel again!"

We looked around for people to ask if they've seen them. There was hardly anyone in the streets at this hour. The ones that were in the street certainly didn't look like ones that we should talk to.

After wandering for an hour or so, we conveniently ran into a police officer. "Excuse me sir, have you seen a Ferrari speeding somewhere around here?"

"Yes, ma'am. I gave those folks a ticket. They were going 90 miles an hour. I think they stopped at the gas station down the road." I thanked the officer as Fang and I hurried to the gas station.

"There they are." Fang pointed to Nudge and Jeffery making out next to the Ferrari. "I'm going to go inside for a nice, tall ICEE."

"Fang, can I have one..." I started, but he had already was out of earshot.

"There you are." I tapped Nudge on the shoulder. "Oh, hi Angel. We lost sight of the guys who were following us. We had to go up, down, and around the mountains, but we did it."

"I think Max is asking the clerk in there for directions to the nearest and cheapest motel." Nudge said. "Goody, another cheap hotel. You know, Max is so rich, why are we staying in crappy places?" I asked. "Maybe she's trying to save money."

Max came out of the building with Fang. Fang was holding an ICEE the size of his freakishly large head. "There's a cozy inn a few blocks from here. Let's go." Max handed me a map and then Jeffery, Max, and Nudge climbed into the car and headed off.

"Let's go." Fang and I walked across the street very slowly. Fang kept annoyingly slurping his drink. "FANG!" I yelled. "What?" He was starting to turn back into his annoying self. That was a good sign.

We met Max at the inn. She led us into her room and locked the door. "Okay, Jeffery please tell us exactly what happened at that lodge in Tennessee."

"Well, I was buying my fiancée flowers." Jeffery put an emphasis on fiancée. "Then, I saw some weird thing. It was a wolf, kind of like a werewolf." An Eraser? I thought to myself. No, impossible.

"He talked, though. He said that he knew I was with you guys and that he was part of some next generation project or something like that. Then he told me, that they were surrounding the lodge and had followed us here. They said the wanted to extinguish the Flock." Nudge rubbed his back. "Honey, I'd like to say that they were Erasers, but that's not possible. And next generation?"

"Look, it's nearly one in the morning. Let's get some sleep. I bought 3 rooms. All next to this one on both sides. Now pick your rooms. Oh, here are the keys." Max tossed Jeffery the keys. Fang tapped his foot loudly while Nudge kissed Jeffery. "Hello! Some of us want to sleep!"

Nudge kissed Jeffery again, but his eyes wandered as they kissed. He didn't seem very focused. Perhaps it was all that had happened today. Or maybe... maybe he didn't love her and he would call the whole engagement off! Then Jeffery and I- come on, be real, I told myself.

"At least give me the keys Jeffery! I don't want to stay here all night watching you guys make out! Some of us want to get some freakin' sleep!" We all stared at Fang. "Okay, Nudge he's right. See you tomorrow." Jeffery and Fang left as Nudge stared dreamily at the ceiling.

Eventually, Nudge fell asleep on the pullout couch and Max and I got the 2 beds. I kept thinking of Jeffery no matter how many times I told myself to shut up.

We woke up in the morning at 7 A.M. to a knock on the door. When I opened it, there was nothing there but a note written on black paper. It read: Are you looking for Iggy? I have him sitting with me, alive right now. If you want him to remain alive meet me with The rest of the Flock in Washington, D.C. at noon Friday, June the 4th at the Washington Memorial. –Shadow.

I had to wake up Max and show her this. This was not good.

Okay, you had it easy before. Before chapter 10 is posted, I'd like at least 5 reviews. Thank you. Also, now I'm allowing anonymous reviews. So no excuse! :)