Hello readers,
So we got a good chapter before, now the balance of nature must be counter balanced to create a not so good chapter. But it's kind of an Important chapter.
Heart of Diamond
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Max: The War Eagle
Chapter 21: Hot Wire
Max POV
We waited three days.
Iggy was able to walk normally on the fourth day. If it hurt him at all, I wasn't able to pick it up. But we couldn't stay here any longer.
Nudge had been searching up stuff on the news. Apparently I'm highly dangerous, a cold blooded killer, a brutal psychopath and a knife stabbing mutant. If they say so.
"Well, I have to admit Max," Gazzy said shyly. "Your knife is pretty scary."
"Thanks Gazzy," I said. "I'm going to take that as a complement."
Gazzy shrugged. Nudge smiled as she continued to type on the computer. "Well, according to this, you're the only 'mutant' recorded to have killed 8 Shadows and badly injure one. You're pretty high on their list of extermination. Actually your number one. Total's number 2... Ha! It has me here too! Except I'm the '12 year old African American mutant travelling with Maximum Ride'. I'm 14 stupid's!"
We all laughed. Dragon gave a curious gurgling sound as he tucked his head under Iggy's arm to see what we were up too. Iggy put his hand gently on Dragon's head.
I was not sure if Iggy could actually read. I shrugged on the inside. I think Iggy was just happy to be seeing something.
I walked over to the tree and plucked out my knife. I walked about ten steps before I threw my knife back at the tree again. I walked back over to the tree and pulled out my knife again. I sheathed it and smiled at my creation.
I had created a perfect 'M'.
I frowned slightly. Something was missing.
I took my knife again and carved into the tree. When I stood back for the second time, I sighed sadly.
M
F
Much better.
"Iggy?" I whispered nervously. "Are you sure you know what you are doing?"
Iggy raised an eyebrow at me as he readjusted his brand new flock band. "I've practiced more than picking locks while you were gone."
I winced. Iggy sounded offended, which made me feel guilty. "Sorry."
Iggy sighed, but said nothing. Dragon was surprisingly quiet, well if you exclude his slight panting. Iggy was obviously looking around at the car park with his hand on Dragon's head.
We were hiding in the trees, looking over the wired fence at all the specially stored cars. There were a lot of them and they were all different.
Iggy opened his mouth to say something but I cut him off, "No sports cars. We're looking for a van that won't be noticeable."
Iggy grumbled. "What about that navy blue one?"
I looked at the van he was talking about. It was new, so it might not make much noise. "Hmmm. I guess that's not bad."
"Can I drive?"
"No."
"But I can see now!"
I sighed. He did have a point. "Not while we have kids in there. Maybe after we have saved the world, I'll let you drive sometime."
Iggy grinned. I rolled my eyes.
"What's going on with you and Nudge any way?"
Iggy's smiled dropped and his ears went red. "Nothing."
"Don't give me that. What were you guys talking about while I was gone on the first day?"
Iggy fidgeted. "Well... um... we just kinda..."
It was my turn to grin. "Iggy. You're talking to me as if I'm Nudge's dad."
Iggy grew redder. "But... well... I guess we sort of... confessed..."
"And...?"
Iggy glared at me. "Yes, we kissed if that's what you're getting at."
I grinned from ear to ear. "I knew it."
Iggy shrugged. "We weren't really keeping it a secret."
"So, tell me how do you feel about her?" I said simply.
Iggy sighed. "I don't know... well, I like Nudge... and um... I think she likes me too."
"Oh don't worry," I said half laughing. "She likes you alright."
Iggy straightened up. "Really?"
I laughed. "Iggy. You're so blind."
Once we had our car picked, all we had to do was wait for the sun to go down.
I cooked some rice. It was the first night in 4 days we have had something other than take away. I know it's bad to use the emergency food, but I wanted everyone as a flock tonight.
I dished out the meal. Total and Dragon had gone hunting. They were going until they were completely full, because they didn't know when they will be hunting next time. Since we only had three sets of cutlery, Nudge and Iggy shared.
Figures.
Nudge and Gazzy did the dishes, since Iggy was packing up the last of the stuff and I fed Indi a bottle. I didn't know what I was going to do with her while I was taking down the zoo. I knew I would work something out soon enough.
Indi wasn't in the mood for sleeping yet, so I held her in my arms for a bit. Nudge wanted to nurse Indi for a while. I gave Indi to her and put out the fire with the spare water.
By the time our small camp was clear, the sun was well and truly down. Total and Dragon trudged back to where we were waiting for them. Dragon had a bone in his mouth. Nudge handed Indi to me.
We were ready to leave.
"Remember," I said. "If anything happens, we'll meet here. If we can't meet here, we'll meet at Mum's place. Ok?"
They all nodded and slipped on their packs. We didn't have Iggy a pack yet, but I doubt putting a pack against his wing would do much good to him.
We all walked down through the tightly packed trees. I took lead and the others followed me.
We arrived at the car park in silence. Indi was asleep in my arms. Dragon occasionally made unsure gurgling sounds, but Gazzy just scratched his neck and he would quiet down.
Our van was still there. We jumped over the wire fence and silently crept through the row of cars until we came to the van we needed.
Iggy instantly went to work on drivers door lock. Gazzy laid on his stomach and checked for anyone's feet in the car park. Dragon thought this was some type of quiet game and lay flat on his stomach too, his tail twitching from side to side.
"Almost there..." Iggy said in a whisper. "Got it."
Iggy pressed down on the handle and opened the front door. I unlocked the side door and opened it up too. In the back was just carpet but heaps of room for everyone.
"Alright guys," I whispered. Gazzy hopped in first followed by Dragon then Total. Nudge heaved the packs into the back and Gazzy stacked them up against the wall.
Iggy set right to work on the wires. He was able to feel the colours. I didn't know how he managed to hot wire cars without knowing what colours what. But then again, there were a lot of things I didn't understand about Iggy.
When Nudge had finished with the packs, she took Indi from me and climbed into the back, closing the door behind her.
Torchlight scanned over the sea of cars.
"Is anyone there?" a voice called.
We all froze.
"Iggy..." I hissed.
"Almost there..." he whispered.
I stared at the torchlight. Its source was travelling towards us. My heart began to speed up.
"Jack? I swear if I see you graffiti-ing my cars one more time..." The voice called again.
The van revved to life.
It was a lot louder than I expected.
"Get in Iggy!" I shouted.
Iggy scrambled over to the passenger seat. I jumped into diver's seat. Thank god it was automatic.
The voice was shouting running towards us, but I already had the gearstick in reverse. I moved in my seat to look behind me. Pressing my foot on the accelerator making the car back out of the neat rows.
The torch man came into view. But when I slammed the gear stick up into drive, he jumped out the way. I pressed my foot the accelerator again.
"Hold on guys!" I shouted.
The van zoomed foreword.
I could see the gate coming into view. I switched the lights onto high beam.
A row of Shadows stood guns raised, between me and our escape. Some of them covered their eyes from the intense gaze of my high beam lights.
How on earth they knew we were here, I don't know?
Stupid feakin' losers!
"Iggy! Duck!" I shouted over the roar of the engine. I gripped the steering wheel tightly as I watched the little red stick go from 70 to 80.
The Shadows fired. I heard the bullets hitting the window screen. I ducked my head low enough that I could still see the gate.
90.
Shadows began to run out of the way. Brave ones stayed, but we all knew they were going to be killed if they stayed there much longer.
100.
"Hold on!" I screamed as the van smashed into the gate.
The chain holding the gate closed snapped open. Our front window screen smashed and glass sprayed every were.
I heard bullets hit the back of the car and Nudge screamed. Indi was crying and Dragon was giving strange calls. I swerved slightly either side slightly, trying to dodge bullets.
I turned left and the bullets stopped.
I imagined that the car was brand new. Slowly and illusion of glass appeared in front of me and the bullet holes in the car disappeared. I switched the numbers on the number plate around and changed the shape of the head lights. On second thoughts, I changed the car colour to a dark green and changed the brand name from Mitsubishi to Toyota.
I locked that image with my mind.
"Tell me you guys are ok," I said seriously.
"I'm ok," Iggy said slightly shaken.
"Ok," Gazzy said in a little voice.
Dragon made a scared cry. "Dragon's ok," Gazzy said.
"I'm ok," Nudge said. "So, is Indi."
"Thank god for that," I said sighing in relief.
Iggy looked at me. "That was too close."
I gripped the wheel and slowed the car down to 85 as we turned into a highway. I breathed out.
"Way too close."
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Yes, there is some usefulness for Max's power. PLEASE REVIEW!