Chapter 9 I. (The Clock Starts Ticking)

We were on the run again. Jannifer had given us enough supplies to last us about two weeks. She had also managed to help us take off the collars. What a relief that was.

I still wasn't sure where we were headed though and I stared at the map to get an idea. "I think we're in the south of this state on the west coast. I pointed to it.

Turns out I don't remember anything about geography at all. I questioned if I had known anything about it in the first place. Eventually, I gave the map to Angel.

"That's California we're headed east." She looked to me. "Can you read?"

"Uh… well…" I looked down. "Not… really."

"Okay, I vote I hold the map for now on," she teased.

I nodded. I wonder where she learned to read.

Angel flew on ahead. "I need to find Max," she said suddenly.

I stopped mid-flight.

Angel halted and turned around. "What's wrong?"

Max… I've heard that name before. "Who's… ugh" A sharp pain hit me and I clutched my head.

"Are you alright?" I could barely hear her.

My ears were ringing and I felt my temperature skyrocket.

"Has it become clear yet?" echoed a voice in the back of my head. That wasn't me.

"Hey!" I made out Angel's voice full of concern. It screamed in my ears and my head felt like it was about to split open.

My vision tunneled. Like they say when you're about to die before everything turned black.

Then suddenly, images flashed of needles, and tubes; experiments. Painful screams rang out, as I lay strapped to a metal table. I realized they were my own.

It was like watching a horror film in fast-forward and the memories flooded back in painful throbs.

A bright light flashed in my eyes, and the thick smell of blood was everywhere. In my line of vision were dark figures, scientists, stood all around me.

"What is it?" said a voice.

"I've never seen anything like it before."

"It looks human… but."

Angel's POV

"Are you alright?" I asked cautiously. She continued to hover in the air. Her eyes were closed and her hair covered her face. Her emotions were all mixed up. Scared, happy, confused, it's all too weird, like two different people.

"I'm fine," she said suddenly and soared past me.

I was taken back in surprise. One minute she was holding her head in pain the next she was flying ahead much faster than before. More than anything it surprised me that she hadn't fallen out of the sky. Her wings seemed to skip a few beats.

"Hey! You're headed the wrong way!" I called out to her but she didn't turn around. She continued flying and I flapped my wings to catch up with her.

"Hey," I grabbed her arm. She stopped this time and turned around. "What's wrong?" I asked her sympathetically.

She smiled slightly. "Sorry, which way was it again?" I was the one who forgot to flap this time. She acted like nothing happened.

"It's South right?" She flew in the direction and left me hovering there stricken in disbelief. Just who is she, really?

SC
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SC

"Maybe we should stop for a bit?"

"No, I'm fine I've already told you."

I heaved a sighed. We've been fighting like this for two hours now. I'm worried about her. After all that's happened there's reason too. I could still sense of wave of uneasiness and fear emanating from her, but she's as stubborn as Max.

I sighed again. I'm worrying about her just as she worries about me.

In one swift motion I moved in front of her and hovered with my hands firmly placed on my hips. "We stop now!" I demanded.

"Alright, alright," she said in annoyed tone and pulled in her wings for a landing.

We landed in a field and I walked over to sit at the base of a tree and ushered for her to join me.

"It's getting dark soon. You should probably get some sleep." I opened my backpack and took out a bottle of water. I held it out to her "Here."

She took it hesitantly, and I sensed sadness again. "What's wrong?"

"You shouldn't worry about me," she said slowly.

"Why not we're friends aren't we?" I leaned against the tree and reminisced about all that happened. "We helped each other escape from the school, and you fought off the Erasers so I can get away. If that's not friendship I don't know what is."

She was silent for some time after that before she nodded slightly. "You once said that you needed to find Max. Who is she?"

"Max is our Flock leader. She's 14."

"Your Flock?" She seemed a bit taken back by this.

"Mhmm, there are six of us Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy, and me. We're all avian hybrids like you are."

"So, did you all escape from the lab before?"

"No, we call it the school. Jeb saved us from there four years ago. I was only a baby back then so I don't remember too well."

The sky was filled with bright orange and yellow hues and there were no obstacles to block the view. You could see for miles. I remembered watching it with the flock in the mountains when we stilled lived with Jeb. They probably went to the school to save me. Oh, I hope they're all right.

The sky was filled with bright orange and yellow hues and there were no obstacles to block the view of the sunset. You could see for miles. I remembered watching it with the flock in the mountains when we stilled lived with Jeb. They probably went to the school to save me. Oh, I hope they're all right.

Then it hit me, if they came to rescue me from the school then that would mean we were headed the wrong way. We were flying away from them but the Erasers… they would find us if we went back. We can't stay in one place either.

I looked over to my friend who was going through her backpack looking for a flashlight probably.

Even after all this I still didn't know her name. I hadn't had the chance before and she seemed upset when Jannifer asked.

The last bit of light disappeared, and darkness fell over the field, all but the light from the girl's flashlight, which she seemed to hold protectively.

"Get some sleep I'm taking first watch."