Chapter 20

Fang rushed ahead, feeling the wind passing through each individual feather if he focused on that, which he was because thinking of Max was starting to hurt. She had been trapped for five days since the M-Geeks and the Red Haired Traitor took her over him. Now, he wasn't waiting anymore.

Patience, Fang. You'll get there soon enough. Fang rolled his eyes in frustration. The Voice had helped by giving him directions on where to go but some of its lines were too annoying and Buddha like for him to actually listen too.

Angel was up front leading the way. Her blonde curls flowing back and her tiny little hands in fists. Her white wings flapped to keep her flying as she and the entire flock headed east to where they would find Max.

Max II slugged behind, she didn't know exactly how she was going to play in all of this. The plan hadn't really been discussed with her. Even Gazzy knew what was going on before her.

"Max will be okay right?" Nudge asked to Iggy flying a few feet away from the edge of her wingspan so their wings didn't collide. Iggy nodded his head, staring blindly ahead, his blonde hair pushed back showing his large forehead and pale blue eyes. Nudge was supporting her own weight now after flying for an hour or possibly two.

But the flock wasn't stopping, not until they had Max back.

Daylight was shining down on them, the afternoon just beginning now. After all the food they had eaten, they had enough energy to carry them to where they needed to go. Even Total was keeping up well with the flock with a set face of determination. He didn't even spill out words of theatric prose.

Below them hovered the opened fields that had almost gotten them killed but for some reason, today, there were no M-Geeks in sight. Eventually they reached the flying safety of hovering over dense woods. Each tree blurred in with the next as the flock sped up their pace. They could feel they were going close.

And there it was.

Just like in Fang's mind, from the Voice. It was large with many levels. The writing Global Safety Production was written ironically across the side of the gray stones. They pulled up to the top of the roof, seeing now that it was clear and free of surveillance. It felt as if they wanted the flock to just enter.

"Hey, premo spot for the King." Gazzy called over to Iggy. Fang tried to ignore the strange, wide smiles that appeared on both of the boys' faces. The two of them disappeared around the wall that had a door that led inside. Fang noted the wires that detected the door was wired.

Suddenly, Iggy and Gazzy ran back around. "Move," Iggy motioned with his hands away from where the two boys had went. The flock, Max II included, knew to move fast.

BOOM!

All of them were flying forward away from the explosion as a large red flash of flames went off into the air. They felt the heat of the bomb that the two had obviously planted just then. "What were you thinking?" Max II yelled, sounding exactly like the original for a moment, Fang flinched at the slight connection.

"Made the entrance," Gazzy noted with triumph as an alarm began to sound. They stood up, having falling on the ground. Fang brushed the dust of the explosion off his jeans.

"Way to go genius," Nudge humped as they ran to where Iggy and Gazzy had placed the bomb. They looked down into a gray room that was almost completely empty expect for a nervous Mr. Chu staring up while barking orders to lines of M-Geeks.

"No turning back now," Angel yelled as she jumped down into the hole. Fang, panicking, fell in after her, using his wings to slow his fall. The hole was large enough that the rest of the flock just fell in together at the same time.

Fang shot Max II a glare when they hit the ground, it was up to her now to save the real Max. Knowing what to do, Max II stepped forward in the front of the M-Geeks, who were waiting for a command, and Mr. Chu behind her patiently. "Funny that you even fail at getting the wrong Max, I never thought you would fall for it."

Max II placed her hands on her hips, the large alarm still blaring in her ears. Mr. Chu glared her, "No, you aren't the real Max. If not, than I'm afraid we killed the wrong one." The M-Geeks raised their arms at the sound of the word 'killed' but yelled, "Fall back." The robots lowered their arms again and waited for another command.

Fang's hand clenched waiting to attack the right robot at the right time. Max II laughed with an obvious fake confidence, "Release Max II and you can have me, the real Max." Fang wished to search the entire place to find her but the loud sirens dragged in more M-Geeks by the seconds.

Minutes of silence passed, longer than Angel or the rest of the flock liked. Mr. Chu gave a wicked smile as Brigid stepped into the room. All eyes shot evil glares at the Red Headed Traitor as she stood next to Mr. Chu with a victorious smile. "Maximum Ride is dead," she said with a matter of fact tone. Fang's heart dropped into his stomach.

Suddenly, a voice announced on a loud intercom over the siren, "Mr. Chu, the projects have all escaped." Shock drenched the others faces. Nudge watched as Max II, Iggy, Angel, and Gazzy all smiled and crossed their arms in confidence. Fang was still lost to what Brigid had said before, and even though she was a traitor, there was still a part of him that trusted that she was speaking the truth. Max was gone.

Then, just as the siren cut off, a door slid open to Fang's right as M-Geeks completely surrounded them. He could still see over the masses to see brunette hair that fell over perfect, strong shoulders, tawny wings spread out, and a small boy held in comforting arms. Brown eyes that were wide with the excitement of running and pale, pink lips partially opened from raspy breathing. "Max," Fang whispered.

She had fought for them after all. She had fought to stay alive.