Want to start off by apologising for the long wait between uploads. I was in Spain a while back and then barely a week and a half after I got home I went off to Israel to backpack around the country with my friend. It didn't leave much time for internet, but you'll be happy to know, plenty of time to get some writing down. Therefore I know have written the ending to the Second Generation and I've worked out basically everything that happens from now until then- no worries there's still quite a way to go.
So keeping that in mind here's the next chapter, enjoy and as usual, please review!

-H

Rescues and Revenge

Well after that bombshell from my pyromaniac-darlin' I found it in me to stop crying pathetically on the floor and start to pick up the pieces. I know I've said it before but nothing quite beats a long hot shower for a place to sort out the shit going on in your life. I must have been under the steaming water for over an hour before I felt collected and motivated enough to get out. The living room was empty when I emerged and Gazzy was sitting in the kitchen eating Nutella from the jar, "Hey- that's mine," I declared walking over to him.
"I didn't see your name on it," he countered.
I grabbed myself a spoon from the drawer and helped myself, "It's written into the code of life, Nutella was created for girls with boy problems and cramps."
"Iggy went to the restaurant to work the lunch shift," he said before I could ask. "And Nudge said she was taking Angel for some 'retail therapy'-" he made air quotes "and that they'd be at the Tavern for lunch."
I blew air out of my cheeks and discarded the spoon at the sink, "Chocolate isn't working! I know I'm as shocked as you are, I think I need some air." I looked at him over the counter, "You want to go for a fly?"

It felt like it had been forever since we just stretched our wings for the hell of it and we soared thousands of feet above the city, getting soaked in the low grey clouds with ridiculous smiles on our faces. If there's one thing that can top a hot shower it's a carefree flight and I glanced over expecting to see Gazzy smiling like his cheeks were about to burst but instead he was looking fixatedly at something far below us and I followed his gaze with a sinking feeling in my chest. There was a battle.
Fang, it seemed, had been true to his word and was taking the Second Generation and high-tailing it out of town- only they'd gone ahead and come face to face with a whole bunch of what looked like the newest version of meglomania-gone-wild-watching-too-many-bad-films. The whole gang was surrounded by the robots that had an oddly human appearance with the exception of their clawed hands and patchwork wings. I swallowed my disgust at their appearance and watched as Fang and Maia struggled with the influx of the creatures. We were too high to be seen or hear what was going on, but it looked like he was yelling instructions at her that she was ignoring. I hoped he knew how irritating it was- and that's when I realised that I was going to interfere.
"You should go home," I told the Gasman. "Actually- no, go to the Tavern, have lunch with-"
"If you're fighting then so am I." His determined eyes met mine and his hands had bunched into fists. "If they're here that means they know we are too, and we need to show them we're not going to hide."
I had less than a split second to decide and when I nodded we flipped around and poured on our speed towards the fight. The thing about being out of the game… you never really lose that feeling- that instant where you're ready for the rush of adrenaline and you barely have to think, you just know what to do. Of course the pain makes it harder, you get used to going months at a time without broken bones and bloody noses- but once you get past the initial shock it becomes habit again and not to pat myself on the back too much but Gazzy and I were magnificent.
The Second Generation had been cornered into a side alley that was open to two streets and converged in a tight V at the end. The bots had blocked both entrances with huge dumpsters and when I touched down in the middle of the fight you could see they were confused by how I'd managed to get into the alley in the first place. It didn't take them long when they saw the wings, but by that point I had already shut down two and was working on a third. "Max! What are you doing here?" Fang cried. He was supporting Maia who was supporting a bloody lip.
"Saving your ass," I told him. "Get them out of here!"
I dodged at attack from my left and with the momentum carried through with another punch to the next of the creatures on my other side. Gazzy was wielding a pipe like a bat and with a last snapping kick to the next of a fallen robot it was over. The Second Generation were all staring at us with round eyes, "We didn't think you guys still had it," Ratchet admitted guiltily.
"Well next time learn to get yourselves out of messes like this, we aren't always going to be around to finish a fight for you."
"Why are you here?" Fang asked quietly.
I took a moment before I answered him. I composed myself, smiled at the Gasman and ruffled his hair affectionately. "Gaz and I were going to meet the flock for lunch at the Tavern… spotted the fight a few miles up."
"Then I guess we're keeping your from something," Fang said awkwardly.
I looked at him, his eye blacking with a nasty bruise. Gaz and I had miraculously escaped any major injuries, the flock need never know what we stumbled on. I had nothing to say -unusual for me I know- so instead looked out over the rooftops in the direction of the restaurant, getting ready to make myself leave. Thick curling smoke was lingering on the skyline and I frowned just as several fire engines roared past on the street and something cold clamped around my heart. Of course, the fire could have been anywhere, in any building… but there was someone at the end of the alley looking mighty pleased with himself and I didn't have to ask any questions to know. Jack caught my eye and put a finger to his lips before rushing off. I sprinted to the end of the alley but he had run in the opposite direction of the Tavern and I gave up the chase to turn and yell at Gazzy. We only had minutes before it would be far too late.