Fang was unwilling to relinquish his grasp on Max. He wanted to keep her in his own private world forever.
He nimbly encompassed his hands around each side of her hips and lifted her to meet his gaze directly. His forehead rested against hers. Max closed her eyes and prayed she wouldn't have to follow through on making peace in the Flock by staying away from Fang.
"Will you wear the barrette today?" His smile burned at 7000 degrees.
Max nodded silently.
Fang gently lowered Max. He straightened her hair and stepped back, gauging the shape of her face. Leaning to the side, he opened the desk drawer and pulled out the teddy bear barrette.
First he lifted a strand of hair up one way, then he tried a different strand. When he found a look that satisfied him, he clipped it deftly into her wild tresses.
Stepping back again, he looked her over, head to toe. He straightened the way her shirt hung from her shoulders and smoothed it over her waistline.
Max had never had anyone treat her like this. She'd never been the center of attention because she was loved. It was always cold, heartless experiments that had placed her under such an unending gaze.
Fang placed his hand on the small of Max's back and guided her through the doorway and down the stairs. They heard Ella talking excitedly.
The moment that she and Fang entered the kitchen together, Iggy faced Max, as if he was looking at her straight on. "You must have been quite thirsty, Max," he accused. "Did you get lost on the way to the kitchen?"
Nudge looked at Max and giggled, "The little bear is so cute! You look so pretty with your hair pulled away from your face." Max caught sight of Fang's subtle smile. "You should wear it that way all the time."
Max had noted that Iggy stiffened the moment Nudge mentioned the bear. She felt sorry for him and absentmindedly fingered it, almost pulling it out of her hair.
"No, leave it in Max," Angel pleaded. "You look perfect wearing it."
Max felt a blush encroaching on her face. She changed the subject to stop it from securing its victory. "So what's on the menu for lunch?"
Gazzy's mouth was stuffed to the full as he tried to say, "Eggs!"
Angel explained, "Ella showed Ig how to make egg strata."
Gazzy gulped and said excitedly, "It tastes so good! And Ella knows how to make all kinds of food."
Ella said, "I'm going to show Iggy how to make everything. Then, when you guys are away, you can still eat like you're living at home. I mean with Mom."
Max took this as an opportunity to broach the dreaded subject. She cleared her throat and said, "Guys. Everyone is rested up, right? We've all gotten enough food to eat?"
Nods went around the room. Curious eyes looked at each other.
"It's time to split. Itex will have no trouble tracking us down here."
Gazzy complained loudly, "But we just got here! And we have our own beds and everything."
Nudge agreed. "I don't want to give up taking a shower every day. And I already have a great idea for my project."
Angel said quietly, "No one wants to leave, Max."
Nudge continued, "I don't want to be on the run all the time! It's not fair. I never get to do what I want. It's always what you want, Max."
Iggy stepped forward. "This is a great place for the Flock. We're still waiting for Akila, so there's no need to leave. We don't have to go anywhere, guys. We're staying put." His voice was unyielding.
Max let her mouth gape open as she stared at Iggy. "What are you …? No. Absolutely not." Max approached Iggy. "I will not allow the Flock to be put in danger any further. It's bad enough trying to recover from last night's attack by Itex. I'm not going to draw a big circle with an X in the middle of it. We'd practically lead Itex on a trail of breadcrumbs to our front doors."
Iggy was immovable. "You're out numbered, Max."
"This is insane. Crazy! You think you're safe here? Even normal people don't willingly live in this kind of place! There is no choice in the matter. We're hitting the road."
Gazzy peeped, "I have a choice. And I'm staying here with Dr. Martinez and Jeb. At least until Total and Akila leave the lab."
Max glared at Gazzy. Then she looked to Fang. He was hanging back. His face was passive.
Some help you are! You're supposed to be backing me up, Bub.
Max finally declared, "You all have one hour to pack. Ella, I'll let you explain to Mom why we had to leave."
Iggy slouched onto a center island and said to Fang, "Tell your girlfriend to put a cork in it."
"You're not getting away with this, Ig," Max said threateningly.
"Ooh, I'm scared, Max," Iggy laughed. "You've had this delusion since we were kids, Max. You can't take me out. Get over it."
Max took a look around the kitchen. "Get out of the way, Ella. Move it!" she yelled.
Iggy taunted, "Max is out of control, Fang. Get her out of here."
Fang's face was blank. Max read his eyes. He wanted to see Max take Iggy out just for something fun to do.
"Ella, you will get hurt unless you move away now!" It was the voice of Max the Leader of the Flock.
Ella's eyes widened with fright. She remembered what Max had done to Dwayne and stepped backwards until she backed into a wall.
"I'm coming for your head, Ig. It's gonna hurt."
Iggy shifted. "I'm ready."
Max round-house kicked Iggy in the side of his head, but he blocked it with his forearm.
Ella screamed, "He's blind. You're going to kill him!" She saw Jeb standing in the corner passively. "Aren't you going to stop them?" she pleaded.
Fang said, "Ig's not helpless. He knows what moves Max is making."
Max made another approach and Iggy deflected it. Iggy tried to kick Max under her chin but she grabbed hold of his foot and threw him backwards against the refrigerator. The contents shook and something glass shattered inside.
Iggy kicked one of Max's ribs in. She fell back and gained her balance by grabbing a countertop. She snarled and punched him in the eye. When Iggy reeled backwards, she lunged at his throat. He kicked her in the middle of her chest and sent her flying back five feet. It gave him enough time to recover his balance.
Max dove at him and knocked him down. She had his arms pinned to the ground under each leg, straddling him. Then she tried to strangle him.
Fang shouted, "You're not supposed to kill him, Max!" He immediately pulled Max off, pulling her away, her arms behind her back. Iggy leapt from the floor and kicked Max in the stomach, knowing full well that she was unable to deflect the kick. Fang let go of her arms as she doubled over in pain, cursing. Fang's fist smashed Iggy's nose and blood ran down his face in streams. He cupped his hand over his nose and cursed threats at Max and Fang.
"Stop." Jeb's soft spoken voice echoed in the house as he stepped out of the corner.
Ella was cowering behind a partition. The tears in her eyes glistened as they fought against the inevitable drop to her cheeks.
Nudge and Gazzy looked at each other. Angel sat on a counter with a stern face. Nudge looked to Fang, then Iggy and finally to Max, who was standing almost upright. Gazzy said quietly, "Fang?"
Jeb answered, "Get two towels and ice from the dispenser, Gazzy. Let Iggy stop the bleeding.
"Nudge, Angel. Take Max to her mother's house. If you have to, hold her down until she is calm."
Max glared hatred at Jeb.
"Ella, stay away from Max until she is completely calm. You'd be risking your life if you tried to be near her. The same goes for Valencia, your mother."
Fang took Max's arm. "I'll take Max home."
"No." Jeb was adamant. "Nudge and Angel are completely capable of caring for Max. The rest of you boys are staying here with me."
Nudge took Max's hand. Max held out her hand for Angel and led the girls from the house. She turned back to Ella and said, "I'm not going to hurt you. Come along so you don't have to walk alone." She didn't move. Angel said, "I'll walk with her. You can go first."
They all filed out of the house silently.
Jeb had his hands on his hips, "What is wrong with you?"
Fang muttered, "Our DNA is mixed up."
Jeb roared, "That's not what I meant."
Gazzy said, "But I didn't do anything." He was afraid of Jeb.
Fang sent him a reassuring glance and tousled his hair. "It's alright, Gasman. Ig and Max were just settling a disagreement. No one is upset with you."
Jeb reprimanded Iggy, "So this is the way that you persuade people now? You've decided that your new skill wasn't good enough?"
Fang's face gave away his dawning realization of what skill Iggy had developed in his absence. Immediately the façade was back on his face.
"Max is not another boy you can just fight whenever you feel like it. She's special. She's one of a kind. Not even Max Two was like her. Do you think you can remember that next time?"
Fang smirked nearly imperceptibly. Jeb turned on him. "You. You just stood there and let Max fight with Iggy? You have shown very poor judgment, Fang."
"Put a cork in it," Fang said dryly. Iggy and Gazzy laughed uncomfortably. Jeb let it pass.
"This will never happen again." Jeb's tone was threatening. "I don't care how you work out your decisions in the Flock, or who gets the final say. But putting Max in a situation where she could be overcome with anger is dangerous for everyone."
Fang's eyes squinted at Jeb. He knew Jeb was getting at something. He tried to understand what.