We lift into the air and fly to the School. Once there, I start to regret coming. I've been literally in hell, and a science lab terrifies me. That's how you know the whitecoats are evil.
It's okay Percy Angel says in my mind. We all hate them, and at one point we terrified of them. But we're here to help, so you'll be okay.
Are you purposely reading my mind or can you just hear thoughts?I ask her.
Sorta both. I'm letting tired into your head like you would a radio station so that way if you say anything, I can tell the flock. But I'm not trying to hear your personal thoughts.
I don't even care. I just want to go back in time and stop any of this happening.
We all do.
"Now what?" Max asks.
"Now, we go save some babies," Will says.
"No plan?"
"We brought the guy who's nickname is Seaweed Brain, the guy who can sky a bow and arrow and knows a bit about heading, and the guy from world war two. We didn't bring the smart girl, or even her annoying nerdy brother. Just us three guys who do most of our fighting on instinct."
"Percy, you're going to hate me for this, but the whitecoats probably want you back. Maybe you could purposefully get caught, then tell Angel what happens. Two her what you see and we can plan from there," Max suggests. Angel relays my thoughts.
"you're right. He does hate you for that, but if it's what has to be done, he'll do it."
"Thank you Percy. Why don't you fly around the area above the School, but not too close, and they'll send an eraser up after you."
Glaring at her, I do as Max says and fly about a quarter of a mile away from the school. Within three minutes, there's an eraser there. Ari. He whacks me on the head and takes me inside, where I'm thrown into a cage. This time though, I'm completely alone. I sit in the dog cage, telling myself to breathe. I can't panic if I'm going to do this. I hear Ari cackling as well as grunts and groans.
"Good to see ya sis," Ari laughs.
"The Ari that's my brother died. You're not him, so you can't call me sis," Max's voice is dripping venom.
"Alright. Maximum. What kind of name is that anyway?" Ari scoffs, way too full of himself. A trip to the beach with me could do him good. He'd never mess with me or the flock again.
You're a part of the flock. Angel says in my mind. I roll my eyes. I'm serious. You risked yourself to help us take out the School and the whitecoats. That makes you part of the flock.
Thanks. This makes me feel warm and fuzzy despite being in a dog cage.
What do you see?
A white room full of cages.
What do you hear?
Ari and Max.
What?
Ari has Max and is literally dragging her in the room right now.
Great. Last time she was in a lab was right after someone tried to kill Phoenix. Before she was born.
Wow.
And she can't hear you think.
I have an idea. Tell her to play dead.
Why?
Just tell her. I think it might work.
Whatever.
But not til Ari leaves.
Okay. I'll tell her. Angel goes silent for a while and I can tell by the look on Max's face that the two are arguing. Ari tosses her in a cage, still laughing maniacally. He slams the door shut and leaves. I look at Max.
"Why?" She asks. I shake my head and point to my throat. "So tell Angel."
Gods I wish we were underwater.
Why? Angel asks.
Because underwater, I can still talk and the water might heal my throat and it makes me stronger and I can use it as a weapon.
How?
My dad is Poseidon. I can control water.
Oh. Cool.
Sometimes. But I wish I were at least near the ocean.
And yet you're smack dab in a desert.
I know, I groan inwardly, seeing as that is the only way I can groan. Only way I can make any noise.
Max glares at me as soon as I spot it. A sink. I pull water from the pipes, turning it to steam. I pull in so much steam that the air turns a foggy white. Now. I say to Angel. Right on cue, Max drops, her body limp. If I hadn't engineered this, I might've thought it was real. I drop, letting myself turn limp. I pull the steam lower, so it partially hides Max and I. Minutes later, Ari and a crowd of Erasers slam into the room. I know the water won't make them pass out by just inhaling it, so I push it around their necks and squeeze. They pass out from lack of oxygen. I repeat the process three times on three more waves of Erasers. When I'm confident no more are coming, I expand the steam and turn a small portion of it into a key and unlock my cage and Max's. We leapt up at the same time and leave the cages. Max points to the window but I shake my head. I then pretend to hold something and rock my arms back and forth in the universal sign for baby. Max nods.
I put a finger to my lips as I stretch the steam, creating more as necessary as we advance down the hall. It's not long before we hear a cry. I look at her and then at the door. Slowly, she turns the handle and opens the door. Three dozen babies varying from newborn to two years sit in cages in neat rows around the room. I can tell from the smell that half of them have dirty diapers. Max and I get to work. First, we change diapers. Then, I take the steam and create a large crib out of water. We put the babies in and I create a kid for it, still allowing for plenty of air. We go through the hall like this until we find a window. There, I slowly break apart the crib and fly out. I reassemble it outside and Max hands me baby after baby. Soon, we're both outside with the babies. I notice that the older ones have small wings poking from their shoulder blades. When that dawns on me, I almost drop the babies. I manage to keep them safely in the air as we fly to where we left the flock. Nudge is the only one there. Well, apart from Nico and Will.
"Where is everyone?"
"Fang went after you. Iggy went after him. Gazzy went after him. Angel went after him. I decided to stay put like a sane person."
"Good. Will, Nudge, stay here. Thirty six babies. Bird babies. Watch them. Nico, you come with Percy and I."
"Okay," Nudge looks at the babies with a motherly smile. She holds out her hands, pulling the stones around the babies like a giant play pen. "I discovered a new ability," she shrugged. Max nodded.
"That's a good one. Works the same as your metal one?"
"Yep. Only on rocks instead."
"Nice. We'll be back," Max turned. I pick up Nico and we fly back to the School.
"You know I can shadow travel, right?"
"You know I don't care, right?" Max voices my thoughts. I chuckle. Sort of. She and I have a lot in common. I wouldn't be surprised if we were sisters.
Yes you would, Angel tells me.
Get out of my head. I snap at her.
Just saying.
Well stop. I need to learn to block her.
"It won't work."
I look at Max.
"Blocking her. I can tell from the look on your face. No one can block Angel. We've all tried. Incoming," Max dives, tucking her wings in for more speed. I quickly follow suit. Only not quickly enough. A missile whacks into me. It's not a bomb missile. No. it's a knock you unconscious missile.