Chapter 21

"So, Danny," Max said. "These cybernetics. Can you hook me up?"

"I suppose," he said nervously. "Obviously, I can calculate and implement these things, no problem, but are you sure it's what you want, Max?"

"You kidding?" she demanded. "Of course it's what I want. I'm not defending my flock with some lame prosthetics. I want advanced cyborg weaponry. Like the suicide sniper at the air show. You remember that, Fang?"

I shrugged. "Yeah. Whatever you're going for, Max."

"Yeah, that's what I'm going for," Max said. "Stick it right there into my nerve endings. Can you do that?"

"I…" Danny stammered. "Sure, I suppose. I'm… yes, I can see this happening, but—"

"Do both arms," she interrupted.

"What?"

"I want to match. Cut off my other arm, make 'em match. Okay?"

"Er…"

"That's an order, Dr. Brooks!" Max snapped. "But not both eyes. I want one normal eye, one cyborg eye." She turned to me suddenly. "Hey, Fang, I bet the word 'cyborg' comes from 'cybernetic organism'."

"That just occur to you, did it?" I grumbled. She was being way too jovial about this. Could she have gotten herself torn to pieces on purpose?

"Fang…" she said. "This is important to me. Here's my primary concern—I don't want these parts to look real. Okay, Fang? Okay, Danny? I don't want to be, like, freaking, Luke Skywalker, with his perfectly realistic new hand. You have to look at me and know I'm half-person, half-machine. Well, and half-bird."

"Well, okay, I…" Danny began.

"Yeah, I know, that's too many halves. Shut up. Just… just have fun with it, okay Danny?"

"I wasn't going to say…" Danny paused, then sighed. "Very well, Max. I'll put you under immediately and begin the procedure."

"Immediately?" I demanded.

Danny turned and smiled at me. I assume he did, anyway, since his mouth is between his arms. "You don't think I'm ready for this? I've been designing cyborgs since I was nine years old."

"Oh, right on," Max said. "Okay, Fang—you know what to do, right? While I'm getting this done, you're in charge, you've got everything?"

"Sure, Max," I said.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

I knew what Max's agenda was. I had everyone x-rayed, trying to locate the chip that had led the Erasers to find us. I had expirations dates removed on Imogen's flock. Jeb had no explanation for the size of Imogen's ears, but he said he knew how to deal with it. He could come up with a solution, but that'd take time.

Not enough to occupy my time while Danny turned my Max into a monstrosity.

Danny is an entire surgical team by himself. With his quick calculations, cunning aim, using six tools all at once… I had no rational reason to fear for her. But I did anyway. Because for all his brilliance, Danny was taking too long.

I paced up and down Needlenose II. I thought about contacting my mother. No answer on her Skype. What the hell is she doing? She has no obligations. She could at least be around when I've gotta talk to somebody.

So that's all there was to do. Pace.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Finally, Danny entered the main cabin of the plane. "Hey, kids," he said. "Max might wake up soon. Fang, I assume you'll be wanting to see each other."

I shoved past him, and there was Max on a comfortable bed.

Both of her arms were cut off right at the shoulder. They had been replaced by gray-black skeletal metal and bone-white ivory. Her hands were fairly normal, jointed, but the tips of her fingers were sharp-edged.

Over her right eye was a square patch of the same dark iron as the arms. And as her normal, chocolate-liqueur-brown eye opened and blinked, the patch expanded in all directions, revealing a socket filled with golden light.

"Fang," she said quietly.

"Hi, Max," I said.

"Oh, Fang… I love you," she said.

"Yeah, I know," I said.

"No, I really, really love you," Max said. "Sooooo… much."

As she said it, she spread her arms. They extended on coils, filling the room wall-to-wall.

My vision blurred. "Still you, aren't you, Max?"

She withdrew her arms. "Yeah, I suppose I am." She wiggled her fingers. "Look at these fingers, that's awesome."

"How do you feel?" I asked.

"Absolutely great," she replied. "So strong… and so happy… and so in love…"

"Really?" I said. "Is that normal for cyborgs?"

"I don't know," Max admitted. "It doesn't make a whole lot of sense. But that's how I feel."

"That's a relief," I said. "I was worried, maybe as a machine, you wouldn't… you wouldn't love me."

She raised an eyebrow. "Is that a real concern for you? Ever?"

"Every damn day, Max," I said.

She laughed, then sighed. "Yeah, for me too. But I'm on such a buzz right now, Fang. These kids—I'm gonna protect their brains off."

"That's not all you're good for," I reminded her.

She stared at me.

"It's weird," she said. "It's like with this new eye I can see you so much more clearly. It's a good look for you. You couldn't be more beautiful."

"And you're more Max-like than ever," I agreed. "Powerful and unyielding…"

"You wanna make love, Fang?" Max asked.

"Honestly? Yeah. Seeing you so happy like this…"

Max wrapped her arms around me and pulled me straight onto her face. She felt around my mouth with her tongue.

"New teeth?" she said, surprised.

"Yup," I said. I opened wide. "Marble." I'd replaced the six teeth that Lang and Shey had ripped out with perfectly-shaped replicas with swirling black-and-white patterns. I'd let Max inspire me as far as could be—I wanted everybody who looked at me to know I had fake teeth.

"That's great," she said. "So, let's… let's enjoy this. Okay?"

We must have kissed for hours, and it could have gone on for many hours more if… you know, if I wasn't a guy.

Max and I were once again whole. Physically—and the flock was whole again too. Ready for war… ready for victory.