Author's Note: As you guys will see in this chapter, I am trying to answer questions that JP left unanswered in his books. In this chapter, it's, "Why, in book 3, did the robots find the guys but not the girls?" If you guys have any 'unanswered questions' like that, please leave them in a review or PM (Private Message) me! :D

Disclaimer: I'm gonna go for a boring disclaimer this time: Maximum Ride does not belong to me.

"I'm sorry, guys, but I really don't know what to do."

We were up in my room, having our 'meeting'. I was slumped against the door, my acute raptor hearing listening for any eavesdroppers—we're all notorious eavesdroppers, in case you wanted to know. "It just doesn't make any sense. And I don't get how to save the world. I'm just one person, you know?"

I would've never admitted not knowing to the younger kids, which was why they were downstairs, and we were holed up in my room. I would've sent them to the lake or something, but a) it was cold, and b) I was nervous after the attack. Truth be told, I didn't really like admitting it to Ella and Iggy either—they thought I knew what I was doing. The only person who I could really open up to was Fang. But that wasn't an option at the moment.

Iggy shrugged, serious for once. "I guess the best we can do is fight them off if they come after us."

"Or hide," he added as an afterthought.

"How'd they even find us here?" Ella asked. "I mean, Max, you don't have your chip anymore, right?"

Of course I chose that moment to look at Fang. And of course, that made me remember what had gone down at the surgery. I started blushing (So what else is new? I think something's wrong with my cheeks), Ella caught on immediately—she'd been there too—and giggled, and Fang smiled at me, pantomiming carving our initials into a tree. He drew a heart around the 'initials', which made me blush even harder. Iggy was the only one in the dark.

"What?" he asked, hearing Ella giggle.

"Nothing," I growled firmly.

"Okay, so now I know something is up," he said. "Don't you worry, Max, I'll either get it out of Ella or Fang. I have good connections." I almost snorted. He had especially good connections with Ella…tee-hee. Connected at the lips, the two of them.

"Anyways," I pressed, "No, I do not have the chip." I sent a death glare at both Fang and Ella, who responded by smiling at me. I mouthed, "You are so dead," at them, but they disregarded it.

"Hey, I have something interesting you might wanna think over," Iggy said. "You know how at one point, you and Fang split the Flock in half over Ari?" God, yeah, I know. "Did you guys happen to see any robots? 'Cuz we got hunted a lot, and I don't remember you guys saying anything about the 'bots."

He punched Fang's arm. "Remember the Hollywood sign?"

"You know I do," Fang answered.

"So, you're saying that somehow they tracked either you, Fang, or Gazzy?" I asked Iggy, trying to get him back on subject.

"I dunno, man. You're the leader. You make the decisions about stuff like that," he replied.

"There's really no way to find out, unless you guys want to visit my mom and get x-rays," I said.

"Could be smart," Fang considered. I shot him a look.

"When I got an x-ray, you chewed me out about how stupid it was," I reminded him.

"Well, then we didn't know Val was your mom," he said.

I rolled my eyes at him. "You're just telling yourself that to make yourself feel better about your poor judgment."

"Believe that if you want to," he said with a 'Whatever' face. But he was smiling at me.

"I'm gagging," Iggy said, making choking noises. "You guys are so stupid."

"Says the guy who took two years to get with Ella," I retorted. I smiled to see that I wasn't the only one with a blushing problem.

"I think it's safe to say that the meeting is over," Fang said, rather smugly. (Did I really just say the word 'rather'? Ugh, so… British!)

"I'll call my mom," I volunteered.

"I'll talk to her after you," Ella said, still trying to cover up her blush.

We'd gotten something out of the meeting, at least. It was a small lead, but if we got rid of all of the chips in the family, we might finally be safe. And then, as Fang had suggested, we could remove ourselves from the equation.

Briefly, I imagined that it was Fang strapped to the table, loaded up on Valium, and that I was the one sitting in the chair next to him, holding his hand. I shook my head; this fantasy was stopping right there. But it made me chuckle anyways.

Ella and I practically ran down the stairs to the kitchen, where we had the phone. "D'you think she'll be home?" I asked. I didn't think I could bear getting the answering machine.

Ella looked at the kitchen clock. "It's Sunday, so if there haven't been any emergencies, I'd say so."

I dialed the number. I had it memorized. My mom picked up after two rings. "Hello?"

"Hey, mom, it's Max," I said.

"Oh, Max, it's good to hear from you!" she exclaimed. "How are you?"

I cut to the chase and told her about the weird bionic people and Iggy's theory. I wrapped it up with, "You think we could come down for tomorrow? I'll pull Gazzy out of school, me and Fang don't go anyways, and Ella and Iggy were naughty, so I'm afraid they can't go either…"

"Max!" Ella punched my arm. "Whaddya tell her that for?"

I ignored Ella and listened for my mom's answer.

"Sure, honey, but I won't be free until the afternoon…I end at five, and there might be some emergency work to take care of. Can I speak to that daughter of mine? What did she do?"

I chuckled. "I'll let her tell you herself." Ella gave me a terrified look and squeaked, "Ma-ax!"

"So I'll pull the kids out an hour or so early and we'll be there around six. That okay?"

"Of course, sweetheart."

"Thanks, mom," I said happily. "I'll give you Ella now."

I forced the phone into Ella's hands and ran out of the kitchen before things could get graphic. I went into the living room and explained the plan to Nudge, Angel and Gazzy.

"Be ready at two-ish, okay? I'll drop a note to your teachers," I finished.

"Yay!" Nudge and Angel squealed. They loved my mom. Tell me, how can you not? Gazzy looked less than thrilled.

"It'll be okay," I told him, ruffling his already-messy hair. "All of us will be there, and it's just my mom. No one else."

"Will it hurt?" he asked, eyeing my raised, red scar.

"Not at all."

"Okay…" he said, but he looked slightly less apprehensive. I went upstairs to tell Iggy and Fang the news, already excited at the prospect of seeing my mom.

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