The next morning, we all got up relatively early. I shot right up, and Amanda did too. Everybody flew over to the School without a problem, so the next step was to find the room with the cages.
Fang walked alongside Max the whole time. She looked so determined, you didn't want to interrupt her. I wondered why she was, though, because she was my daughter, not to imply that she didn't care or anything. Just that she was our daughter. She was our flesh and blood, and I loved her more than anything in the world.
We found the cage room without a problem (shockingly) but there were around 500 cages. We figured out they were organized in type of hybrid. There were only about 100 avian hybrids, because we were one of the hardest to make and have them succeed. As we skimmed the cages, we saw some mutants that were dead, dying, or just terrible. In the end, we had the younger guys stay down at the bottom with Amanda while we looked.
Finally, at around the 6th row, I found my baby. Gabi was huddled in a corner, sleeping. She looked peaceful, almost happy. I didn't want to wake her up because she would probably scream and our cover would be blown, but I almost did just to see her smile.
I sent a message to Angel telling her Gabi was okay. She sent it to Amanda, who was crying with happiness. I had Fang attempt the lock on the cage. Amanda had given him one of her hairclips. After what seemed like an eternity, the lock clicked, and the door swung open.
Of course, it couldn't be that easy. An alarm sounded, and everybody woke up. Gabi saw me. "Daddy!" she squealed, but it was partially drowned out by the siren that was going off in the room. We spun around when we heard the big door to the lab swing open.
In a second, hordes of Erasers and Anne entered the room. The Flyboys were "still charging", so these were the mutant Erasers. Anne had an evil smile on her face. I grabbed Gabi and hugged her tightly. She was crying with all the noise. I tried bouncing her up and down, trying to calm her down, but it didn't work. It used to always work. What have they done to her?
"Get down here now… or Gabi will pay," Anne said. She had turned the siren off.
"Too late. We have her and there's nothing you can do," I said.
" 'Nothing I can do?' Why don't you check her ankle?" Anne said.
I lifted Gabi's pant leg up and saw a big-beeper-thing, and I knew what it was: a shocker. They were going lower and lower. This level of evil was almost inconceivable.
"Now, you understand. Get down here and we can settle this the right way."
"Iggy, come down. We… have to go with them," Amanda said, crying. "Please… I don't want them to hurt her."
I took one look at my daughter, kissing her forehead. She ran her tiny hand over my face, and I grabbed it gently and kissed the palm. "I'm sorry, my angel," I whispered.
All three of us flew down. Max was already on the floor, eyeing all the Erasers and making sure that they wouldn't try anything.
Of course, the moment we touched the floor, we were cuffed, bound, and gagged. I noticed Mr. Snap Your Neck was nowhere to be seen, so that meant that he hadn't survived the last fight. After much protest, Anne took Gabi away from me, and she put her on her hip. Gabi was screaming loudly, trying to grip away at me or Amanda, and I struggled with everything I had to get free, but I ended up crying as I saw her jolt slightly, and she was quiet. I hoped to God that they hadn't shocked her. Anne walked infront of us while the Erasers dragged us to the dungeon. On the way, though, she struck the worst conversation.
"You know, getting your daughter was easier than I thought," Anne said.
We couldn't say anything, but Amanda turned her head towards Anne in a questioning manner. I was confused, too.
Anne looked at her with the same wicked smile on her face. "What do I mean? Well, let's have the genius himself tell you."
And Ari walked out of the shadows. What's going on…?
He had another apple in his hand, and he took one bite before smiling at us, "Hey guys, long time no see." I glared at him, but the smile never withered.
Ari continued, "Max here was so busy watching you guys, she forgot about the little girl, my niece, so I decided that if she had no time to pay attention to her, then I could just spend some time with her."
It can't be. It can't be. Max had been watching her. She had her in her arms! How could he just waltz up and take her away?!
Ari smiled wickedly and turned towards Max, "Well at least you'll have less people to worry about, Maxie, since one more had been that much more of hassle for you…" and he left. There was silence. Nobody could believe it.
We were dumped in another cold chamber with just six hard mattresses and three sinks. Nobody had spoken on the way here. This silence was shock-induced.
I, however, had no trouble speaking. I hugged Amanda close to me, trying to stop her from shaking. Her hyperventilated breaths were frightening me, and I thought she would faint. I looked at Max straight in the eyes and asked, "You have no excuse to lie to us. Was all of that true?"
Tears actually falling from her eyes, she whimpered, "Yes. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to!"
Amanda was crying, too. She spoke heavily, and walked up to Max, "How could you? Why can't you trust us? How can we trust you now?" she stopped herself. We couldn't bear to watch so many tears. Nudge was trying to comfort Angel and Gazzy, only to end up in tears herself. Max was bawling, and after struggling to untie himself, Fang walked over and tried to look into her eyes.
She wouldn't look at me or even Fang. I couldn't handle even looking at her. How could she have done this?! I looked at Fang and wondered how he could still look at her with so much love, but I understood after a while that maybe he loved her more than I thought. I just continued trying to soothe Amanda. She was in so much shock, and I could tell she was debating on what she was feeling and how she would react.
Max tried composing herself to say what she wanted to, but she couldn't so she started to say it while the tears continued rolling down her cheeks.
"You have no idea how sorry I am. I… have been watching over you guys since birth, practically. I can't look away without worrying. I just… only trust myself for that job. But… that was a mistake."
"I can't believe you. You said you trusted me. That's what you said! Were you lying? Was that just a way to get me off your back? Have I always been a burden for you?" Amanda said.
"I… guess I just wanted us to be on good terms. But I mean it now more than ever…" Max said.
Amanda's eyes were full of hurt, but hate and anger filled them as well.
"Well then I can't trust you. I don't live with people I don't trust. I won't burden you anymore," she said before escaping my grasp and sitting down against the wall, staring at the adjacent wall.
Max said nothing.
REVIEW! Sorri it took so long! I have been thinking about it so much. SORRY, but PLEASE REVIEW!!!