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Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride. I do, however, own this plot, so paws off!

Chapter 10

Mom and I have a tradition for concert nights; we went for milkshakes. My dad used to take us out for milkshakes all the time and after he died it became a tradition for concerts only.

After I washed up and pulled my wig back on we snuck out with the deteriorating crowd. There was a Steak an' Shake nearby that mom drove us to. I ordered a mocha milkshake with extra whipped cream. Yummy! I also ordered a burger and fries. Mom got a salad. Why are moms always making the healthy choice? It's a bit annoying really….

I had just taken a big bite of my burger when my phone started buzzing. I whipped it out to see Nudge's number on the caller ID. (A/N I noticed I use Nudge a lot, especially as a conversation starter. It's not because Max is better friends with her than the rest of the Flock, it's because she's so random that I can start any convo with her.)

I swallowed painfully and answered the phone.

"Hey Nudge."

Screams immediately started reverberating through my head as they came across the phone line.

"I can't understand you guys." I sighed, wincing slightly.

"OMGOMGOMG! Max we tried to call you during the concert but you didn't answer the phone! Why not? Ugh! It was so amazing! Max, the singer not you, is great live! Her singing! I mean, wow, and guitar! But the effects were—" Someone covered her mouth.

"Thank you!" I called into the phone. I heard Fang chuckle. My heart fluttered. Wait…it fluttered? No! Bad heart! Don't do anything so girly! Bad!

"Why didn't you answer?" Ella's voice floated through the line, further away. I was probably on speaker.

"I went to my cousins soccer competition," I lied smoothly (I'd already had this lie worked out when I saw I had missed five calls from Nudge during the concert) "I forgot my phone at her house."

"Wow Max, you have really bad timing. I mean, of all the times you could forget your phone, you choose tonight."

"Lucky me." I said sarcastically. "Where are you guys now?"

"Oh, we have a few more stops to make before we go home. You know…when in Phoenix!" Iggy yelled. I winced slightly.

"Alright. Well I'm eating dinner so go away and let me eat my burger." I snapped.

More laughing on the other line. "By Max! See you Monday!" Then there was just the dial tone. I wonder what Iggy meant…when in Phoenix.

I found out later.

…..

"Max get out of the shower already!" Mom banged on the bathroom door. "I need to get in there!" I groaned and turned off the shower, immediately missing the pounding hot water on my skin. I toweled off and opened the door.

"Happy?" I snapped. It's harsh to snap at Mom, I know, but I'm always in a bad mood when someone interrupts my shower. (A/N that's totally true! I get so snarky and pissed off. Just ask my family!)

"Get over it Max." Mom pushed past me and into the bathroom.

I sighed and flopped onto the bed, using a second towel to dry my hair.

I went to go get my suite case to get my pajamas and realized that it was locked in the bathroom with Mom. I heard the shower going and sighed. I'd just have to wait.

With nothing better to do I flipped on the television and changed the channel to Bones. I loved this episode! It was the pilot episode. It had just gotten to the part where they had identified the victim when I heard a scraping noise back by the door. There was a wall separating the lounge area and the bedroom area, I was in the bedroom area and the door was in the lounge area. I muted the TV and grabbed the nearest possible weapon. There wasn't much that wasn't bolted down so I settled for one of Moms heavy vet books.

I turned off the lights and pressed myself flat against the wall, peered around the corner just as there was a clicking noise and the door swung forward. Two tall figures and two slightly shorter figures entered the room. Huh. Four against one. I could take them.

I raised the book slightly and whipped around the corner.

"Who are you?" I demanded. The intruders froze. Then….

"ZOMG! It's you again! I knew we had the right room! Oh, please don't get the wrong idea, we don't want to hurt you or anything we just wanted to say hi! I mean, we saw you earlier but we didn't get to talk nearly enough and then Lissa was behind us. Ew Lissa I can't believe what she said to you I was just like 'are you serious' and she was smirking and being her yucky self. Don't worry about her."

Nudge?

And Iggy, and Gazzy, and Ella.

Huh? Where were Fang and Angel?

Then I realized: Holy shit the Flock is in my hotel room! Then yet another holy shit: I was in a towel!

I ducked back behind the wall.

"You guys need to leave." I said seriously. Iggy flipped the lights on and three sets of eyes focused on me. One set focused on my ear, hey, Iggy was good, but not perfect.

Gazzy flushed and slapped a hand over his eyes. Well, at least he had some decency.

"Oh! Sorry, we didn't mean to catch you in a bad time like this!" Ella gasped. Well, you break into my hotel room, and you expect me to be decent at any given moment? Riiiiight.

"What? Wait! What's happening?" Iggy demanded. Ella slapped his arm. I felt a small smile tug at the corner of my lips. "Never mind." He muttered something that sounded like: "hate being blind…miss everything good…" Ella hit him again.

"Look, I don't want any trouble so please just leave." I told them. What more did they want? They'd already heard me sing and had autographs.

"Honestly? I don't know. I just wanted to see you again." Nudge said. Wow. That was the shortest sentence I'd ever heard her utter.

"Look," I sighed. "Wait here." I disappeared back into the bedroom area. I pulled out my Max Ride supply backpack and pulled out a handful of picks and other merchandise.

"I don't mean to be pushy or anything, but I really need you to leave." I said and handed over my goodies.

"Oh wow thanks!" Gazzy beamed. Then his face flushed tomato red and he once again slapped a hand over his eyes.

"You're welcome. Goodbye."

"Bye!" they chorused. They filed out of my room. Gazzy ran into a wall before making it through the door. I snorted and slammed the door behind them. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. Then I ran for my phone.

(A/N. Max is bold, Fang is underlined)

Fang? Where the hell are you?

Two seconds later.

At a diner. The Flock disappeared.

No shit! They broke into my hotel room.

Oh crap.

Um…YEAH! Just get them home already!

I'm trying, believe me.

Alright. G'night.

Night Max. And I am sorry.

I rubbed my temples where I felt a headache coming on. Mom opened the bathroom door surrounded by a rush of steam.

"Did I miss anything?" she asked.

I shook my head and went to change.

A/N: I know it's kinda boring but I wanted another close call with her identity. I don't feel like I have enough of those. Read and Review please!

Peace!