A/N: Okay so I already had this saved on the computer, it just needed some more...refining. I do believe this is the longest chapter yet! This is where the action happens people! Thank you so much for your valant support, I am much better. But still in recovery (hint hint, nudge, nugde, wink, wink). Anyway, enjoy!

Fang POV

Waking up to the sound of a scream. Unpleasant? Yes. Unusual? Unfortunately no.

It pierced the night and I recognized the voice immediately – Angel. Not bothering to wake the others I jumped out of bed and ran full tilt to the girl's room.

I jarred the door, but it wouldn't open. Swearing under my breath I stepped back and sent a side kick flying. The door burst open. Yes, I could have gone and gotten the room key, but when one of the flock's in danger I don't nessicarily think clearly.

I ran in to see – Max holding a crying Angel. I let out the breath I hadn't know I was holding. A nightmare. Then again, Angel's nightmares were more cause for worry than the average eight year old.

Max looked up to see me standing in the door way. Her face was unnaturally worried. I quickly made my way over.

'She won't wake up,' whispered Max.

I frowned, what did she mean?

As if in response Angel moaned and muttered something 'No, no why. Why would you do it...' she was crying and it killed me to see it. 'Angel?' I said, hoarsely. No answer. Max looked desperately at me, but I had no idea what to do.

'Nudge! I told you not to!' sobbed Angel again and I saw Max's eyes widen further. Angel was starting to shake. I leaned over and placed an arm on her shoulder 'Angel, it's just a dream we're right here.'

As if by my touch Angels eyes shot open. As soon as she saw Max she clung to her, still crying. 'Shhh, shh it's all right. It's not real, we're all fine,' soothed Max, looking more than slightly disconcerted.

'No it's not!' cried Angel, causing Max to pale considerably. What was I missing?

Angel's tear streaked face became abruptly serious. 'They're coming!'

'Who's coming?' I asked, almost afraid of the answer.

Angel didn't answer. 'I can feel them. They don't think. But there's this buzzing.'

I locked eyes with Max.



'UP AND AT EM' !' yelled Max, shaking Nudges shoulder who, amazingly, had stayed asleep for the whole incident. I ran into our room and started yelling as well, trying to get Gazzy and Iggy moving.

'Nuh?' muttered Gazzy, head buried under his pillow.

'I think I'm coming down with something,' I said, our little inside joke, and they both shot up, pulling on clothes and grabbing bags.

We met in the hallway, just as a crash sounded from the girl's room. This was about to get interesting.

Max POV

'Back exit!' I yelled, racing for it and feeling my flock behind me. We burst through the door and I searched widely for anything that could be used for a weapon.

'Max!' Iggy called from behind me, holding up several bombs. At that moment I had never been happier to have a pyro maniac on hand.

'We can lose them in the trees!' I yelled, and took a running start, leaping into the air.

One of the downsides to being a giant metal piece of junk is that you can't zip through trees without falling to your death unlike say – us avian Americans.

I poured on the speed, twisting and turning to avoid hitting tree trunks, trusting my flock to be alright. I heard explosions on all sides and felt the branches cutting on my arms.

Suddenly I felt cold metal clamp down on my ankle – hard. I gasped and looked around to see and achoo holding on, its red eyes glinting evilly.

Before it had time to unleash one of its oh-so-witty comments I somersaulted myself in mid air, flipping myself around out of its grasp and causing it to fly head long into a tree. There was a small explosion and the sound of crunching metal.

I grinned, that had to hurt.

Bringing myself back to the moment at hand I raced farther into the forest and then slowly rose up until I was hovering over the tree tops. I saw Iggy, Gazzy and Angel in the distance and headed towards them.

'Report!' I called, once I was close enough for them to hear.

'Bruised but in tack,' commented Gazzy, and Iggy in agreement. He grinned wickedly. 'Can't say the same for them though – it was junk metal carnage.' If he sounded just a little too happy about that, I let it go.

'I cut my arm, and my head got hit pretty hard, but other than that I'm good.'



I glanced at Nudge, and then nodded shortly. Once everyone was back together we were going to have a talk.

Two dots appeared in the distance and I squinted to see two shapes –Fang and Angel. I sighed in relief. Fangs leg seemed to be at an odd angle, but Angel seemed to be fine.

They appeared, gasping. 'Lost them – back there,' said Fang, tired but triumphant.

I glanced meaningfully at his leg and he shrugged. 'Jus' a scratch.'

'He tried to kick one,' Angel supplied. Before I could unleash my full lecture capacity (quite a large one I can tell you) Iggy piped up, 'Shouldn't we be leaving?'

I nodded and we flew off. I didn't have an exact location in mind, but I figured far away was a good place to start. We could figure out about Bridgewell once everything else was sorted out.

I motioned to Fang, and he lagged back so I could fill him in. Once I was done his face was exactly the same as it had been when I started. That's the thing about Fang – he's not the most subjective audience.

'So we have to-'

'Talk to Nudge yeah,' I finished for him. He grimaced.

'I know, more than one word answers, it's going to kill you.'

His mouth twitched and I almost felt a little better. Almost.

Once we were far enough away we found a secluded cliff and landed. Iggy took out the first aid kit and attended to everyone's injuries.

I was wincing while Iggy applied disinfectant to my arm when I noticed both Nudge and Angel weren't in sight. I caught Fang's eye and was just about to say something when I heard voices around a clef in the rock.

'I told you not to!' Angels voice, unnaturally high.

'Angel, you don't understand, just leave it alone.'

'I don't understand! How do you think they found us!'

'They couldn't have...' Nudge sounded slightly doubtful. 'He would never-'

'You don't even know him!'

'Neither do you!'



I appeared around the corner. 'What's going on?' I asked, all business. Both Nudge and Angel were silent, although Angel looked like she wanted to say something.

Fang appeared at my side, and Angel spoke. What is it with him?

'Nudge has been-'

'Angel don't!'

Angel winced, but continued anyway, '-talking to the boy.'

'What boy?' I asked, non-plussed for a minute, before it dawned on me.

'You don't understand!' cried Nudge, at the same time Angel said, 'The boy from the resteraunt.

I couldn't believe it. There was no way Nudge could ever have done this, no matter how much she liked the guy-

'Where did you get the phone?' I asked, my voice sounding dull, even to me.

'It was...Jeb sent it to me for my birthday.'

Just another way he'd ruined our lives.

'Where is it?' this came from Fang, his face betraying nothing.

Nudge hesitantly held out a pink cell phone which Fang immediately snatched and hurled against the rock wall. It snapped in two and Nudge let out a small whimper.

There was silence. Nobody seemed to have anything to say. Then Nudge whispered, 'I just wanted someone to talk to.'

Before I could say anything I felt something very small prick me in the neck. I twisted, eyes searching, but all I found was darkness.