Chapter Thirteen

Marlene's P.O.V

Now, I can say that we were in the air again and not be lying. I mean, flying is awesome there is nothing compared to flying. Nothing. But (as per usual I might add) something was seriously wrong. Look, I know that October has a mind block and all but I hadn't heard anything from her in hours. She usually gave me a status update every have-hour or so. And last I heard they'd just laid out the trap for the hummer. Screw hours, that was practically last night!

October? Ooooooooctober? Yoo-hoo are you dead?

Yes, I'm dead. So this is what Hell feels like. And you are here.

So this is Hell. And there's a crucifix in it. What happened? I didn't hear you screaming with joy when you dropped the bomb on the Erasers.

Yeah, because it didn't happen.

What?

Marlene, calm down. I'm not dead . . . yet. Oh my god! No way! Not happening! Her thoughts became panicky and I nearly dropped out of the sky.

"Whoa, Violet!" Max and Nudge swooped down and helped steady me.

"Something. Is. Wrong." I ground through my teeth.

"If I had a nickel," Max muttered. "What now?" I shook my head.

"Don't know. Coral's in trouble, again. I don't know about Iggy and The Gasman. I think they're safe, but it looks like Coral got kidnapped or something."

"What?" Nudge screeched. "Kidnapped? What do you mean? By Erasers? Is that possible? How could you not tell us! You can see the future! How can you not know? What's going on with Iggy and Gazzy?! Are they safe? Is Coral at the School?! Is she with Angel? What's happening to Angel?"

"Jeezum I can't answer all those. I didn't know this would happen because it wasn't planned, alright? It wasn't supposed to happen. Dammit, what was she thinking?"

"Don't you know?" Fang asked. I craned my neck to look up at his dark shape circling overhead. "Seeing as you can read each other's minds."

"She's been blocking me out. I just got a little bit of what was going on. She's in the School, yeah. But she's okay for now. I can't imagine them doing much to her, it isn't like there's anything left to do. Unless they've come up with a tank that isn't air or water . . ." October? October seriously you need to talk to me.

I. Hate. Needles. Tell. Fang. That. I. Can. Relate.

"Oh, hey Fang," I squinted up at him again. "Coral hates needles also, so don't feel alone." I zeroed in on his face, he was glaring daggers at me. I flashed him an innocent smile and zoomed up ahead for the pure joy of it. Nudge was right behind me and we flew in sync for a while, trying some really cool synchronized-flying techniques. Yeah, I know I'm weird. But there wasn't anything I could do for Meghan so I might as well enjoy my freedom now.

Jeez, thanks Marlene.

***

Max was flying up ahead a little bit, looking down and watching as random little things blurred into focus. I knew that she was thinking, of all things, about the good things of being a mutant freak. And how she would zoom in on a group of kids and assume that they were just walking to school whilst we were here flying. Aha, she just dropped a little she's watching . . . she's watching, there we go, and now you are caught up to our current position.

"Max, take my word for it we are all going to regret it if you do not do this." Max stared at me, amazed. "I know things." I informed her, doing a happy little loop in midair.

"What?" Fang asked, following Max's gaze and focusing on the group of kids below. "No. No way Max. Do not do this. Bad idea."

"What? What?" Nudge had finally caught up, we were now all hovering in midair Max and Fang still looking down. Nudge looked to me, a little confused. I shrugged.

"Max saw something going on down there and she wants to help. I'm trying to convince her that is she doesn't we will all regret it but Fang disagrees."

"Fang can't see the future," Nudge pointed out.

"Max, it's gonna hold you up a few days," I warned. "But it's worth it. Besides, Angel needs to be at the School." Max hesitated. "It's all going to get very ugly in about . . . ten . . . nine . . . no pressure . . . seven . .. six . . . come on Max . . ."

"Fang, you are in charge. Head towards the meeting place. I gotta do this, I'll be right back." With that Max folded in her wings and dropped into a steep vertical dive. Fang looked like he wanted to fnicking kill me.

You just convinced Max to go save Ella, right?

!

You have a talent for stringing words together.

'sactuallyprettyfun.

OK, seriously, stop.

Sorry, sorry. Yeah I think I told them too much and Fang looks like he wants to kill me but other than that everything is great on my end. How about you?

I was stabbed multiple times with needles, shoved into an Olympic sized swimming pool - oh yeah I have those weird untraceable gills. And I can talk to fish.

Awesome!

Don't you have a plot line to get to?

Oh yeah, right. Nice to know you aren't dead.

Sure, sure. If I die you get Iggy. I giggled evilly, but didn't reply. Like she said, I had a plot to get back to.