AN: Yesterday I gave you the preview. Well, today you get the whole damn thing!

Disclaimer: I don't own Xam. I don't own Rose, Chase, Kyla, or Bailey. I do however own the rights to Tom, Abby, and Devon.

Xam POV

My pillow was firm, but comfortable. I was warm due to the blanket covering me. All was right.

Until I remembered that Ter Borcht had brought us back to the Laboratory and I shouldn't have a pillow or blanket because I was in a jail cell. I stood up from my spot on Tom's chest and stretched. Tom snorted and shifted his wings for a second in his sleep, but then relaxed and let his wings fall limp again. I smiled at his sleeping form until I noticed the smaller form on his left. A young girl, perhaps 10, was resting on Tom just as I had been. She was wearing a dirty orange sweater and jeans. Unlike the rest of us, she wasn't wearing shoes.

Her eyes snapped open when the sound of clanking Flyboys returned. She started to tug on Tom's arm.

"Wake up, wake up," She said frightened. Tom opened his eyes and blinked them, regaining his whereabouts. He stretched and yawned.

"Hmm, what's wrong, Bailey?" Tom asked mid yawn. So, Her name is Bailey, I thought. They must have brought her in sometime while I was sleeping.

"They're back!" She whispered/exclaimed. Tom stood up and looked at me.

"Hey," He said softly to me, walking past me to the cage bars. I nodded and joined him in leaning against the bars. I saw the Flyboys dragging two beings back. One was a guy. He had brown hair that was short and spiked and he had a slim build. He was dressed in jeans and a blue T-shirt, which had been cut in the back so that his wings were hanging out. His wings were brown with black tips. The other form they were carrying was a girl.

Kyla, I thought, recognizing her dusty blonde hair and her John Lennon shirt. Her shirt had been cut up the back so her wings would be out. Her wings may have been black at first glance...but they were actually purple! Who gives someone purple wings!? I glanced at Tom and he was chuckling. He looked at me and smiled.

"Kyla's favorite color," Tom said quietly. I let out a "oh" in response. We looked back at the Flyboys to see them walk past our cell to Rose's. We couldn't see Rose, but she sounded pissed.

"YOU MOTHER FU-!" She started but Tom cut her off.

"ROSE!" Tom shouted, "Just let them get Kyla in!"

We heard clanking and glared at the Flyboys as they walked past, empty handed. Rose's concerned whispers barely made it to our ears. We walked back to wall that connected to Rose's and Kyla's cell. Bailey sat on Tom's left, while I sat on his right. Tom started to chip away at some loose cement in the wall.

"What are you doing?" I asked. Tom gave me a look.

"What does it look like?" Tom replied, "I'm going to make a window."

After about ten minutes Tom had enough chipped away so we could remove the large 9x9 8 inch thick brick. It took both of us, but we got it out without to much trouble. Bailey looked in the hole and looked at the occupants.

"They don't look good, Tom," she commented. Tom tapped on her shoulder to move her aside.

"They're okay," Tom said, "I don't think that they're that hurt. More or less exhausted."

"Oh Gee, Ya think!?" Rose snapped sarcastically. Tom backed off. I was surprised by Rose's actions. She didn't seem like the short tempered type, but then again, Tom didn't seem like the Navy SEAL type.

"What's her problem?" I asked Tom. Tom looked at me and smiled.

"Nothing," He said, "She just looks out for Kyla. They're best friends, actually they're much closer to being sisters then friends. But Rose is just worried. That's all."

"Okay," I said before hearing more clanking. That must be Abby.

Tom and I returned to our spot on the cell bars. Tom had both his arms above his head and was leaning on them. I was simply holding the bars and straining to see Abby's unconscious form. But like before they brought two bodies back instead of one. And like before, one was a guy. Unlike the last guy, this one was more built like Tom. He was dark skinned and his hair was shaved off. He looked up once groggily and saw Tom.

"Tom?" He questioned. Tom squinted and then his eyes widened.

"Devon!" Tom said, "What are you doing here!? I thought you were in Chicago!"

"I was," Devon said as the Flyboys threw him and Abby's unconscious form into the cell across from us. Devon checked Abby and then walked to his bars.

"So," Devon started, "How long you been here?"

"About a month," Tom answered. Devon nodded.

"About a week longer then you, for me," he said, "On my second week, I was given the joy of these."

He spread two dark brown wings of his own. Tan feathers were scattered around his wings. Devon's right arm, I noticed, had a cast.

"How long you have that?" I asked. Devon noticed me for the first time. He looked to his arm and then back to me.

"That's none of your concern, Ma'am," He said with a flat face. I glared at him and Tom put a hand over his face.

"Demo, this is my girlfriend," Tom said, moving his hand to gesture to me, "Xam. Xam, meet Devon "The Demolition" Albert. Devon served with me in boot, he was an demolitions trainee. Bailey, come here."

Bailey slowly walked over to Tom and he put a hand on her shoulder. Tom introduced them to each other. We stopped talking when we heard a groan. Devon checked behind him and then shook his head no.

"Kyla then," Tom muttered. He walked back to where the hole he made was at and peered into it. He looked and then said, "Okay...so it wasn't Kyla."

"Who said that!?" A young man's voice said. Tom shook his head.

"Rose, will you please point out the hole that is right behind him?" Tom asked. Bailey covered her mouth and giggled.

Tom backed away when a young man's face appeared in the hole. He had green eyes and had freckles covering his face. He looked no older then 17, when in actuality he might have been my age...you know what I mean, 19.

"Who are you?" he asked. Tom sighed and repeated the introductory process. It turns out his name was Chase Andrews and he lived on the floor below Tom and Abby. He was a college grad who just moved in when he was taken with us. Apparently, Ter Borcht lied to us, shocking. Not. When the introductions were finished, Tom went back to having a conversation with Devon. I followed him and decided to talk more as we awaited Abby and Kyla to wake up.

"We need to get out of here," Tom said to Devon. Devon nodded.

"I can break out," Devon said, "If I can get the springs from a bed."

"Then DO IT!" Tom and I shouted. Devon winced at our tone. He went back to his bed in the cell that was holding him and started to tear it. He ripped two springs out and fiddled with them. We walked up to the cell door and worked on the lock. He eventually cracked it and the door slowly creaked open. Devon walked out and began working on our cell.

As soon as it was open, I helped him with Rose's Cell. Tom went over to Abby and picked her up. He carried her over to Devon and dumped her in his arms when we opened Rose's cell. Devon gave him a "what?" look and Tom returned it with a "Do it or else," look. Rose stayed close to Chase, who was carrying Kyla's unconscious form, as I led everyone down the hall to the Exit door.

Tom stayed in the back with Bailey. Whether it was to keep her safe or to cover us, I don't know. I walked through the doorway that led from the holding cells to a security room.

"Why are we here?" Chase asked, "Shouldn't we escape?"

"That's why we're here moron," Devon said, "We obviously need to stack up on supplies before we leave, Right?"

"Actually, I just guessed," I answered honestly. Both of them gave me blank looks. I heard Tom sigh.

"Demo brings up a good point, Xam," He said, "We should grab some supplies and see if we can't find anything before they notice we're gone."

I nodded and Tom and Devon went to work grabbing things. Tom grabbed a few duffle bags and started to place supplies in them. Devon put Abby's unconscious form in a chair and grabbed two duffle bags for himself. Chase set Kyla in her own chair and went over to Devon to see if he could help. They began talking themselves, trying to get to know one another better. Rose stayed close to Kyla and Abby, trying to wake them quietly.

Bailey stayed close to Tom the whole time, occasionally asking what certain things were and what they did. I was thankful her childish innocence wasn't corrupted to badly. Tom was patient and smiling whenever she asked him a question, which was every fifteen seconds. Watching them interact proved Tom's description of himself to me.

"I play the protective part to a lot of people I know. I'm a Big Brother to a lot of people." He had said. Looking back on the incident with Chelsea...OH MY GOD! What ever happened to Chelsea?

"Tom!" I said getting his attention, "What do you think happened to Chelsea!?"

Tom's head snapped up and his eyes widened, "Shit. I nearly forgot about her. Rose!"

Rose turned her head at her name's mention, "What!? I'm a litt-"

"What happened to Chelsea!?" Tom and I asked her simultaneously. Rose's eyes also widened.

"Oh god! How did we forget about her!? Do you think she's okay!?" Rose asked us. Tom covered his face with one hand, two fingers on his temple, making his palm cover his face. He shut his eyes and thought.

"They didn't take her," He said opening his eyes and looking back at us, "Rose. Think back. What is the last thing you remember before they burst in?"

Rose held her head, "Um...We were all watching Grey's Anatomy, Chelsea's choice, and then...Chelsea went to the bathroom...Then the stupid Flyboy things crashed in through the windows right after."

"You're sure?" I asked. Rose nodded. Then Kyla and Abby started waking up.

"Hmm? Wha's goin' on?" Abby asked. Kyla yawned and opened her eyes even more. She looked around at all of us, pausing on Chase for a miniscule second. She looked back at Rose.

"Rose? What happened? Who're they?" Kyla asked looking at Devon and Chase. Rose explained everything to both of them. Kyla blushed when she was told Chase carried her into this room. Tom finished packing up and introduced Bailey to Abby and Kyla. Abby started talking to Bailey and Tom grabbed his duffle bags and walked over to me.

"I smell romance," He said hushed and cheekily. I gave him a questionable look. He rolled his eyes. He put two duffle bags down and swung a third over his shoulder.

"You saw how Kyla reacted to Chase being the one that carried her," Tom said quietly, "I may be slow, but I'm not that slow. I've lived through two older sisters and having a girl for a roommate, you gotta give me props for picking up on certain things."

I chuckled and he gave me a smile. Devon finished his packing and swung a duffle bag over his shoulder.

"I'm all set," He said, "Chase, wanna carry this for me?"

"Sure," Chase replied, taking one of the duffle bags. Tom handed a duffle bag to me and Rose, seeing as we were also among the few who were conscious and able to carry them. Rose's eyebrows rose when she swung the duffle bag over her shoulder easily.

"Are these that light, or am I stronger?" She asked. Tom shrugged.

"They're fully packed with food, ammo, or essentials," he said, with a smirk, "You must have gotten the barley full one."

Rose stuck her tongue out at him and he smirked. He looked at Abby and Kyla.

"You two think you'll be able to fly? Or will our volunteer Prince Charmings have to carry you again?" Tom asked them. Abby stuck her tongue out and Kyla simply blushed. I glanced at Devon and Chase. Devon was glaring at Tom, while Chase was blushing like Kyla.

...I'm starting to think Tom knows what he's talking about when he said he smelled romance. Tom pulled a handgun from a drawer and tossed another to Devon. Devon caught it and checked the clip.

"Let's go," I said. Abby held Bailey's hand and followed me out. We opened the door and then alarms started blaring. We all started to pick up the pace.

"This is horseshit!" Devon grumbled as he began running. Abby held onto Bailey's hand tighter, so Bailey wouldn't fall behind. Tom was on my left, checking his side for possible threats. Whenever he would spot someone in white he would fire twice, and Devon would fire two more times when he passed. After passing hallway after hallway, I saw a door that was marked EXIT.

"Wings out!" Tom shouted behind us. Tom, Chase, Devon, Kyla, and Rose unfurled their wings. Abby picked Bailey up and then spread her wings. Abby's wings were a dark ocean blue. Really? Tom's are red, Kyla's purple, Rose's Black with red tips, and Abby's are Dark BLUE!?

Did Itex decide tropical birds are the next best thing or something?

Tom and I shoved the doors open and let the others pass us. After they shot past us in the sky, Tom and I followed. Once in the air, Abby let Bailey open her wings and fly. Little Bailey was quite talented at flying, if I must say so myself.

"So...Where to now!?" Devon shouted up to us. Tom looked at me and I shrugged. What? I'm no leader. I was just cloned from one.

"We're going back to the apartment," Tom decided, "That way we can see if Chelsea made it out okay."

We all nodded our agreement. Tom pulled something from his bag.

"What's that?" Devon asked. Tom held it up.

"A compass stupid," Tom said, and then he looked at me, "why is it we can talk to each other normally while we're flying?"

"I guess Ter Borcht wasn't kidding," I said back to him, "I'll explain the schematics of being a bird-kid while we fly to Cleveland, ok?"

Everyone nodded again. As I explained the inner compass thing, Tom subtly put the compass back. I snickered a little and continued my explanation of how they've changed internally. Bailey didn't know any of this, even though she was born like The Flock and not "given the gift" (as Tom and Devon put it), so she listened and asked the occasional question. When the question of how I knew it came up, I almost stopped flapping. Almost. Thank god for Tom.

"It's complicated," Tom answered for me, "She doesn't have to explain herself to anyone yet. Understood?"

"Sir, yes, Sir," Devon mumbled. Tom shot a glare his way.

"Last I checked, Demo, I do outrank you," Tom said. Devon grimaced and then started laughing.

"You haven't changed at all," Devon said. Abby looked at Tom.

"You're saying this is The Demolition!?" She asked incrediously. Devon looked at Tom.

"You been talkin' bout me behind my back, T-Bro?" Devon asked. Tom rolled his eyes and sent me a look that said 'do you see what I do for you?' I giggled softly and continued to fly.

We arrived in Cleveland at dusk. Tom led us back to the apartment in the air. Bailey occasionally asked what things were and pointed them out, which the Clevelanders (Tom and Abby were homegrown; Rose, Kyla, and Chase all were from different areas) were more then happy to point out. When we made it to the apartment, Abby, Rose, Chase, Kyla, Tom, and I gasped or paled.

The Apartment was partially destroyed...

AN: again, another cliffy. I am the CLIFFY KING! MWAHAHAHAHA!!

Keep on Keepin on

Tsparks158