Okay, I finally decided to update. You better be happy, because I'm actually supposed to be working on a mini-speech for English that's due TOMORROW and I haven't even started yet. Yeah. So, good for you guys. New chapter and all that. Seeya.

Fang POV

I really didn't think I'd be out there in the middle of the forest for that long, but eventually I realized that I was awake. As in, I had just awakened from a deep and troubled sleep.

I guess my body had been more fatigued than I thought for me to fall asleep in the dirt. But still, I had, and now I was a wake.

I sat up blearily, wondering what time it was. I hope no one was worried about me. After all, we all had much worse things to worry about. Like, what if Iggy never came back?

No… that was just too horrible a concept.

Still slightly dazed from just waking, I stood unsteadily and stumbled a bit.

And then I noticed it; a manila folder, lying innocently on the ground in from of me.

But why the heck would a manila folder randomly show up there in the middle of nowhere while I was sleeping?

This meant that someone had been here while my guard was down.

I winced worriedly and bent to lift the folder; it was slightly heavy, no trouble at all for one like me with mutant strength, but still a decent couple pounds. I wondered what was inside.

But first, I glanced around me. The trees were empty, normal. The birds were singing, crickets chirping. Therefore, whoever had been here wasn't anymore.

It made me feel sick to my stomach to think that someone had been so close to me while I was so vulnerable. Ugh. I must never, ever let my guard down like that again. I could have been kidnapped, or killed.

I turned my gaze, then, to the folder clutched in my hands. Turning it over, I found the flap, slipped my fingers between the paper, and opened it, tipping the contents out into my hands.

There were stacks and stacks of large, glossy photographs. And a DVD in a plastic case.

Looking at the DVD made my head ache in remembrance of the one we received from Dr. Hans Gunther-Hagen, offering brand new eyes for our Iggy. I suppose, looking back, part of Max's and my reasoning for not showing it to Iggy was that is was 'dangerous' and too 'risky'. But really, I think we honestly, somehow, deep down, didn't want Iggy to be able to see again.

I mean, with Iggy blind it's not like he was overly enthusiastic or happy about it. But he never really complained, save a few times, and… well, and it had sort of become a part of him.

But mostly, I think we would be threatened by him if he could see again.

I hated myself for saying this, but it was true. Iggy was just as good a fighter as the rest of us, even though he was blind. Plus the benefit of being able to cook wonderfully, make bombs from scratch, and pick locks. Also, his hearing and sense of touch was better.

Therefore, if Iggy could see, he could end up better than us. And he could easily take over my place as second-in-command, or even Max's role as leader if he wanted.

Of course, it was terrible for us to think this way, but it was true. Really, we were just selfish people like all the rest. The only truly virtuous person I have ever known was Iggy, and therefore he would never try to take over or anything.

It make me want to go back in time and try to get him that surgery. Then he would be able to see in real life, rather than just in his 'dream'. And maybe, just maybe, his inferiority complex could be cured.

I stared at the DVD for just a little longer, then moved on to the photos.

And my heart stopped.

Max POV

"Max, where's Fang?" Angel asked me, looking up at me with her wide, blue eyes.

"I don't know, sweetie. You're the mind-reader. You tell me."

Angle paused, cocking her head.

"He's blocking me."

I gritted my teeth. So now Fang could block Angel as well. I guess the only one who couldn't was me and Gazzy.

"But I don't think anything's wrong. I just don't know where he is."

I reached out and ruffled Angel's hair.

"Don't worry, honey. He'll be back soon." I paused and looked up, rolling my eyes. "Or else," I added angrily.

Seriously, the guy had been gone for, like, four hours. Mom was already starting on dinner, and it would be ready in just a bit.

I knew of the argument between Angel and Fang… not exactly what it was about (Angel insisted it was private), but that that was probably why Fang had took off. But still! No matter the reason, the guy didn't have the right to disappear for so long without telling anyone where he was going. I grudgingly admitted I did that all the time, but still…

"Max!" Fang yelled, banging open the front door. I took in his rumpled, almost tired expression and rolled my eyes.

"Finally!" I said, throwing my arms in the air. "Seriously, Fang! If we didn't have so much going on right now, it wouldn't be as big of a problem, but disappearing for hours in the middle of all of this? What were you thinking?"

"Max, look at these!" Fang insisted, rushing straight up to me and placing a stack of paper in my hands. Upon closer inspection, they appeared to be photographs.

"Yeah? Where'd you get these?" I examined the first one. "Hey, isn't this..?"

"The school we went to while staying with Anne? Yeah," Fang finished my question before I had even finished asking it. "Look at the others."

I took the top photo off the stack and moved it to the bottom. The next picture was of the E-shaped house. I raised my eyebrows, then moved to the next picture. Anne's house. And the next was the base we had stayed at in Antarctica.

"What the heck? Pictures of all the places we've ever stayed?"

"Yeah," Fang answered. "And there's more." He sounded grave.

Angel reached up and took the pictures of the places from the stack, examining them herself. I looked at the next picture.

"Wait… this is our house!" I gasped. It was my mom's house, a picture taken as from the street.

"Yeah… but Max, the important ones are after that," Fang continued, pushing me hurriedly. I handed the picture of the house down to Angel.

The next was of the School.

And then mom's veterinary practice.

And then the theme park the six of us went to while we were flying to get Iggy his surgery.

And then… Iggy.

It was a picture taken from right after we got the makeovers, not long after we saved Angel from the School. He was looking towards the camera, frowning, lingering behind the rest of us, who were all looking away from him.

"Huh?" I said, frowning myself, and looking to the next photo.

It was Iggy in his school uniform from Anne's, his back pressed up against the brick wall of the school, a red mark on his cheek and an angry glint in his eyes, his face turned away. It looked like he was in the principal's office; it must have been that time he was called there after him and Gazzy set off a stink-bomb.

My frown deepened, and I looked at the next picture. It was Iggy after he punched the telephone pole, his knuckles torn up, and he was talking angrily to us while Fang and I looked on with sympathetic expressions.

The next photo was Iggy lying on his bed in his room at the old E-shaped house, his arm across his eyes, his chin set in frustration over something.

The others were similar; Iggy cooking dinner for us in the E-shaped house's kitchen, Iggy sleeping in a tree with the rest of us asleep around him; it must have been when we were in New York.

Then was one taken from Anne's house. Iggy was wearing casual clothes… and it looked like he was in Anne's room. It looked almost as if he had been thrown on her bed. His bangs were covering his right eye, but his left eye was clearly visible, looking frightened and determined at the same time. His shirt had been ripped open, clearly revealing his chest and stomach, the buttons lay scattered across the sheets. There was a bruise forming just under his collar-bone.

I gawked at this picture for a moment, wondering what was taking place. Iggy was in Anne's room, but it didn't look as if Anne was taking the picture. Looking closer, I saw her shadow hanging over him and felt sick.

Fang took the picture and looked at it, his eyes looking sad.

"Yeah, I know," he said softly. Angel tried to take the picture, but Fang held it away from her.

The picture underneath that one was of Iggy again. In this one, Iggy was in what I could recognize as his 'parents'' house. He was sleeping somewhat fitfully on a small bed, his face twisted up from some nightmare. He was sleeping without a shirt, and I could see more bruises trailing down his torso.

"But these are all from when we were supposed to be safe!" I objected. "At the E-shaped house, and mom's, and Anne's…" I winced and remembered the picture of Iggy on Anne's bed. My heart suddenly skipped a beat as I wondered, terrified, what had happened after the picture was taken.

"There are some from the School. Look…" Fang stepped forward and took a couple more pictures. And then there were, indeed some from the School.

The first was Iggy in his cage, staring out directly into the camera. He looked young enough to be three; he wasn't blind yet.

Then one of him in the room, the very same room Mr. Evil had taken him into, alone, while we were waiting for the operation room to be ready. He was sitting in the hard wooden chair, his wrists bound to the arms. The spikes on the inside of the bindings were piercing his skin, and blood trickled steadily down to drop on the floor. His head was turned down, his hair in his eyes.

I turned to the next photo and nearly dropped the entire stack.

It was still Iggy… he looked about seven. He was sitting against a cold, concrete wall, his arms chained above his head. His blind eyes seemed to look straight at me, echoing complete submission… he looked as if he'd simply given up. His eyes seemed empty. They looked hollow, haunted, sunken and dark. He was naked. And dark black and purple bruised covered his hips, his thighs, his chest, his neck.

I couldn't tare my eyes away from his face. I brought my hand up to run my fingertips across his cheek… he looked so broken, so hopeless. Like he was just waiting to die.

I finally pried my eyes away, flipping the picture over so I was just looking at the white back. Then I lifted my gaze to Fang.

"Where… where did you get these?" I asked quietly. Angel looked curiously towards the photo.

"I lost it," Fang began. "And flew out into the woods. I… sort of fell asleep. And when I woke up, these were there in a manila folder. With this." He held up a DVD in a plastic case.

I stared at the DVD in apprehension.

"Get Meagan. We'll go watch it on your laptop."

Fang nodded and turned to find Meagan.

"Max," Angel said, gazing at me. "I want to come with you."

"No, it's inappropriate," I said, then remembered that she could read minds and wondered if she hadn't seen the photos in mine.

"Max," Angel said again. "I have his memories. I need to know."

I stared at her.

"Okay."

I made my way with Angel to Fang's room, getting his laptop from his desk and opening it, turning it on. Meagan and Fang arrived shortly, shutting the door behind them. Meagan raised her eyebrow at Angel but didn't say a thing.

"Okay," Fang said quietly.

The DVD slid into the proper slot, and there was a whir as the laptop processed the information. Then a black square appeared on the screen, and a picture flickered to life.

Professor Jordan, aka Mr. Evil Scientist.

Hello there, Maximum Ride. I need to tell you something. I'm sure you've looked through the photographs I've provided you of my dear Subject 9. I thought they might look nice in frames.

He chuckled darkly.

Just to let you know, Maximum, you and your flock have never truly escaped the School. We've followed you everywhere you went. Nothing was unplanned. In fact, it was scheduled years in advance the precise date and time my Jebidiah Bacheldor would take you six from within these walls. The house had previously been equipped with security cameras in every room. That's how we got such splendid Candids of Subject 9. Jebidiah later returned to us, and we were able to determine the six of you could survive by yourselves. So we kidnapped your youngest to test your endurance. When you finally retrieved her – I must admit, Maximum, it took you far longer than I had expected – we had you delivered to my good friend Anne. She agreed to keep you six under careful supervision in exchange for nothing but a little money… and the permission to toy with your Subject 9. Anne gets a little lonely living in that big house.

The man laughed, and I was beginning to feel ever sicker, remembering the horrible photo.

Then our previous associates, none other than Subject 9's parents (though they don't know it), were hired to pose as the remorseful parents of a lost baby. Anne let you see that news broadcast for a reason, Maximum. Oh, and you might be wondering why your god friend Subject 9 never told you what was going on. Well, a good threat to kill your family never fails. Subject 9 submitted wonderfully.

There was a pause, and Mr. Evil looked at us with his piercing dark eyes. Then he grinned.

If you haven't realized it by now, we have never let you go. You are our experiments, Maximum Ride. We have followed Subject 9 wherever it goes. After all, it does have a tracking device… implanted in its heart.

My eyes widened at this statement, and Meagan put her hand over her mouth. Fang sucked in a breath. A tracking device implanted in Iggy's heart? There was no way we would ever be able to get that out without killing him!

Yes, Maximum. By the way, Subject 9 was supposed to die on its sixteenth birthday. I wasn't going to just let you ruin our plans. How do you like our friend James? Is he a good replacement?

I gritted my teeth, and Mr. Evil bared his teeth, tilted his head back and laughed. Then he turned and pulled something from his desk; a hard drive.

This, Maximum, is the hard drive that contains every last scrap of your brother's sentience, every last one of his memories. This is the only thing that could possibly restore him to himself.

Then he smiled evilly, turned, and threw the little hard drive into the fireplace that flickered behind him.

I watched as the very last hope I'd ever had of getting Iggy back melted into a twisted mass of burnt plastic and metal.

Oh my gosh. So deep. And isn't it horrible what Anne did to Iggy? I can't get over with how disgusting Dr. Evil is!

Anyway, thanks for reading, and please review.