Way Back When
Chapter Twenty-One: Spreken Sie Deutsch?
A/N: Omigosh people 184 reviews, this is fantastic! I think we'll hit 200 this time around! I'm so excited! :D Oh. VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION AT THE END OF THIS A/N EVERYONE SHOULD READ IT SO THAT THEY CAN PARTICIPATE SINCE I'M TOTALLY CLUELESS AND DON'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE A POLL. ITalkALot: review: Of course! Raz: review: Well I'm a sheltered American, LOL. Thanks for filling me in! Aleria: review: You're welcome, and again, I'm sorry I'm so out of it! Silver: review: It's ok if you don't review, I don't mind. However, if you're going to force your friend, I won't complain! xAnon: review: Maybe you could explain to your sister that Nudge kicks butt, then she'll be flattered! Santa: review: Nudge! Yes! Haha. I'm confused by the whole 'I got mentioned and you didn't', so can you please explain it to me?! YourMoosyFate: review: I'm not sure why it changed. That's a good question, oopsie. It works thought, right? It's ok you didn't say happy birthday, I forgive you. R4UL: review: Of COURSE I'm going to throw a wrench into things, that's what I do best! No love triangle and certainly no Niggy. It grosses me out cuz of the age difference. Sorry! AutumnNicole: Story Alert: thanks! SOC: review: LOL, yes I will consider FAX. xXxNames: review: Me too! And here's your update! HGW: review: Sorry, not happening. Max isn't that stupid and they wouldn't believe her anyways. Nice try. BellaRide: Fav Story, review: I hope Fang's ok too! He's such a brave, brainless idiot. EC: Ha, thanks! Zeze: review: Yeah, he would. Just a bit later, LOL. MC: review: I'm sure she would love to borrow it. Don't worry; everything will turn out alright in the end. Fuzzy: review: Yeah, she should have lost patience a long time ago. Yes, I am JP's illegitimate child. Just had the DNA testing yesterday. Of course they'll get into trouble; I mean that's what they do! Glad everything makes sense, and I still love your reviews! Ivy: review: Perfectly alright to bark, they deserved it. Thank-you! Idon'tknow742: Story Alert: thanks! Kioshi: Fav Story: Thank-you! Rmlcullenjacksonpotter: Fav Story: Yay, thank-you! DemiVampGodessofHogwarts: Fav Story: Thanks!! AND NOW THE QUESTION: I have received requests not to scar Fangy-poo. So I'm putting it to a vote: To scar, or not to scar?
No! You cannot harm Fang's perfect, streamlined physique!
Yeah, battle wounds and being realistic!
Well it's your story so you should choose, really, and I'll submit to you because you have an idea where you want it to go…
Please note this is a Rayocracy and I may just override the winner, but this will give you the illusion of power, so let me know in your reviews! K thanks.
Disclaimer: If I'm JP's illegitimate child, does that mean I can publish this? We share DNA…
Onward!
"Ok," I whispered, peering in the window of the lab room, "There's only one whitecoat. We can take him easily and get her out of there before the guy hits the floor."
"Yeah, and then what do we do with this girl?" Iggy demanded loudly. I motioned for him to lower his voice, and then rolled my eyes because of course he couldn't see that. "Is she like us?"
"Yes," I answered firmly. "She's got wings." In fact, I was staring at Nudge's russet-colored wings poking out through slits in her shirt as we spoke.
"Yeah, but what do we do with her?" He asked again.
"Would you keep it down?!"
"They're going to notice us toting around a new friend, Max. How old is she, anyway?"
"I think around four," I hedged.
"You want us to take care of a four-year old?!"
"Shhh!"
"This is ridiculous. I'm going back to the lab, this was a bad idea-"
"You're going back all by yourself?" I admit I did a not-so-nice thing here. I reached out, grabbed Iggy by the shoulders, and spun him around. By the time he stopped himself, he had no clue which way to go. He stared furiously at the wall.
"I hate you."
"Just get her out of here and we'll take her back, no harm done." I pleaded.
"And put her where?!"
"She can share my cage."
"Yeah, cuz she's sure not sharing mine!"
I took a deep breath. "Just pick the lock."
Grumbling, Iggy pulled out his bobby pin. "So where's the door?"
I guided him over as the whitecoat inside yelled, "You stupid kid, you run till I tell you to stop!" Then the awful zap of the cattle prod and Nudge's scream.
"He sounds as nice as you, Max," Iggy whispered conversationally.
"Shut up and unlock the door."
"No need."
"Whaddaya mean, 'no need'-"
"I mean," Iggy turned to face me, his hand on the knob, "It's unlocked already." He turned the handle and swung the door open.
The entrance to the lab room was in front of the treadmill, and therefore behind the whitecoat, who stood powerfully in front of Nudge, on the treadmill herself. The door slid open silently, and we crept in. My toes curled in their sneakers.
Nudge was staring blankly ahead of her. It took her a moment to register us. When she did, I held a finger to my lips and hoped she knew the universal shush motion.
She seemed to, because she went back to running with the blank stare on her face. Sweat slid in rivers down her dark cheeks, and her eyes were full of tears.
I pressed my hand on Iggy's shoulder, commanding him to stay. He nodded, and I leapt across the room and grabbed the whitecoat around the knees. He went down with a cry, slamming his head against the treadmill belt, cattle prod flying to the end of the room. Easy peasy. Too easy.
I crawled off him and stood. "Come on," I said kindly to Nudge. I held out my hand. "Let's get out of here-what are you doing-no!"
As soon as the whitecoat had gone down, Nudge had tumbled off the treadmill and onto the floor. As I'd been speaking, she'd scrambled to the cattle prod and picked it up. Now she raised it above her head with shaking arms, wild eyes focused on her unconscious torturer's skull. She brought it down.
"No!" I yelled again, and grabbed the bar. It shocked me so badly I dropped like a bowling pin.
"Max!" Iggy ran forward, arms outstretched. He tripped over me and rammed into the girl, knocking her down. I stumbled to my feet and kicked the cattle prod away. My arms were numb.
"What were you thinking?" I demanded, staring furiously at Nudge. She glared back defiantly. "You want to kill him or something?"
She said nothing. I felt like I'd been thrown for a loop. Let me repeat that: she said nothing.
Nada.
Zip.
Zilch.
"Um," I asked awkwardly, "Are you deaf?" I was rewarded with thirty pounds of bird-girl to my stomach.
"I-I'll take that as a 'no'," I panted. "So, can you talk?" I shoved Nudge off me. This was very weird.
Maybe she is too scarred to speak.
Scarred? Or scared?
Both, perhaps. You saw what she has been going through, Maximum. Maybe she learned the hard way that not making a sound is the safer course of action.
Oh jeez.
"Hey," I knelt in front of the Nudge I didn't know, searching for the motormouth I hoped lurked inside, "We're not going to hurt you."
"Yeah, this whole rescue thing wasn't my idea, but we're not gonna eat you or anything," Iggy said oh-so reassuringly.
"Nice," I
snorted, "Like that's helpful-"
She cracked a smile.
Is there no justice in this world?
Does everything have to be about you, Maximum?
Oh, God, shut UP.
Let Iggy work his magic. Cue the smooth jazz music. Let him play big brother.
Fine. What-ever.
"Ok," I said briskly, standing up. I clapped my hands together, and glared when I couldn't feel them. Still. Stupid cattle prod. "Let's get a move on, people, we need to find Fang and then get back to the lab without getting caught. Iggy, you're in charge of the girl." It hurt to say that. The 'you're in charge' bit, and the 'girl' bit. It's not like I could say Nudge's name, could I?
"What?" He squeaked, "Me?"
"No, the Easter
Bunny."
"The who?"
"Never mind. Let's go." I stalked out the door and turned the corner, waiting.
"You wanna come? We can't promise safety, but you won't be alone, and Max is much nicer once you get to know her," Iggy offered. I stifled my snort. "Of course," he added thoughtfully, "Sticking her with the cattle prod wasn't a great way to start, but I liked it."
That did it. I was so gonna pound him.
"Oh, so you do want to come? Well, can you uh, lead me out the door? I'm blind…"
A moment later they came around the corner, little Nudge leading Iggy by the hand. She wasn't smiling, and her eyes looked rather dead. But she was coming with us, and that was all that mattered.
For the moment, you mean.
Yes, Omnipresent Voice Box, for the moment. I'm going to find Fang now, make sure he's alright, and then bring Nudge and Iggy back to the lab. Sound good to you?
Finding Fang is not really necessary; you know he is safe-
Do I? He fainted. For my peace of mind, I am going to find him.
Your peace of mind? Maximum, you are not allowed peace of mind.
You know what? I'm done talking to you.
But I am not done with you.
I can't hear you…it's a small world after all; it's a small world after all…
Ignoring the Voice, I led my group back to the hallway we'd started in, after making sure the whitecoat was securely locked in the lab. This time, I took the left-hand turn, and we jogged down it quietly.
"Erasers," Iggy hissed a minute later. I looked around and pulled him under a stand of medical supplies nearby. After a moment's hesitation, Nudge followed, squeezing in next to Iggy. We all held our breath. I was seriously not liking the tiny space.
The goonies stomped past, laughing about some sort of stunt they'd pulled in the training yard revolving around several chimpanzees and a bobcat. I tried not to listen.
When they were gone, we slid back out, brushing off dustbunnies.
"Those jerks," Iggy said furiously, "What'd those animals ever do to them?"
"Breathe their air?" I suggested, shaking my hair out of my face. It was drying in long, loose waves. Stupid hair.
"Hey, where are you going?" Iggy fumbled after Nudge, arms waving. She was stalking down the hall after the Erasers, who'd turned the corner.
"Whoa," I said, grabbing her wrist. "You would get completely killed, kid. Leave it. Pick your battles." I couldn't believe I was saying this.
"Yeah, the ones you can definitely win," Iggy snickered.
"Or the ones where you don't have a choice," I countered. "Don't go picking a fight, ok?" I held her eyes. She stared down the hall longingly, and then nodded, sidling over to Iggy.
I turned and started down the hall again. We reached a set of white swinging doors with little round windows set in them. I paused, then pushed through-and stopped short as the medicinal smell hit my nostrils.
We were in the hospital ward.
Iggy stiffened, and swayed. I lurched forward, but he caught himself. His eyes were closed tight, and he was breathing shallowly through his mouth.
I got myself under control, fighting the nausea from the antiseptic, and the burning white walls. Iggy was in way worse shape than I was. This must have been where they took him for-for the surgery.
"Just-give me a minute," he panted. His hands curled into fists, shaking at his sides. Nudge looked up at him, open-mouthed. She reached out and wrapped slim fingers around his wrist, but he shook her off. She frowned, and took a step back.
I watched, gritting my teeth, as a single crimson tear streaked down Iggy's cheek and dripped onto the floor. I quickly scuffed it away with my shoe, hiding it under the muddy footprint.
Muddy footprint?!
I whirled and flung open the swinging doors, looking back the way we'd come. There was a blindingly obvious trail of muddy prints all along the hallway. It was a miracle the Erasers hadn't noticed.
But our luck had just run out.
Bending over the muddy footprints were three whitecoats, one of which was Jeb. Even as I registered the nasty problem, Jeb looked up, and his eyes met mine.
"There!" He yelled, standing.
Crap.
"Run!" I
shrieked, slamming the doors shut and grabbing Iggy's hand.
"Max,
what-?"
"They've seen our footprints-and us!"
"Oh-"
"Watch your language in front of her!" I snarled, yanking him down the hallway at top speed. Nudge followed wordlessly, running hard to keep pace. But I could see she was tired.
At every viewing window I jumped up to peer inside, searching for a familiar dark form. Nothing. We turned the corner, pounding on as alarms suddenly blared above our heads.
"I told you this was a bad idea!" Iggy gasped out. I glanced back, and saw Nudge was fading fast.
I heard shouts from behind us.
"Hey, what's the noise?" Iggy asked suddenly.
"That would be the whitecoats probably coming after us with tasers," I answered. My eyes flicked this way and that, searching for a place to hide. But our prints were a dead giveaway, no matter what.
Crap, crap, crap, crap…
"No, I mean, what's that noise up ahead?"
We turned another corner, and I stopped short. Nudge doubled over, wheezing. Absentmindedly, I rubbed her back between her wings, and she shuddered and stepped away. What had they done to her? No time to find out, now.
We'd hit a dead end. In front of us was an operating room with a pair of swinging doors. Over the rasp of our breathing, I heard cries and thuds coming from inside. I smiled, starting towards the doors.
"That would be our friendly neighborhood-"
The doors burst open, a black streak tearing out and slamming into me, knocking me to the floor.
"Fang," I groaned.
"Max?"
"Fang?" Iggy sounded delighted.
"Who's she?"
"Max went on a saving mission-"
"Nevermind, we need to go-"
Once more the doors flew open and spit out several bloodied surgeons. "We're not done injecting you!" One yelled, brandishing a syringe. I scrambled to my feet again as Fang flinched away.
"I take it they're playing poke-the-mutant, now that they're done fixing you?" I asked casually. He nodded. "Ah," I said, "Let's play kick-some-butt, then!" And I launched myself towards the nearest guy in blue scrubs.
It was over in a matter of seconds. Surgeons were not designed to be fighters. Most of these guys were fifty years old at least, and carried a sizeable beer paunch. Iggy went through their pockets, holding up objects. I called out, "Surgical tape, Band-Aids, handkerchief, Aspirin bottle, reading glasses…" Some of these items he'd keep; others he'd toss away.
"Hey!" I said suddenly, "Lemme see that!"
Iggy was holding a sizeable knife he'd found strapped to one doctor's argyle sock. It was sheathed. He tossed it towards me and I caught it in one hand, pulling the leather covering off with the other.
It was sharp.
"Yesss, finally!" I grabbed my hair in my fist.
Fang looked alarmed as I raised the blade. He stepped forward. I chopped, and my hair fell away, the strands floating to the floor. I shook my head, loving the freedom as it settled around my ears, just brushing my shoulders. Nice.
We'd been so engrossed in helping Iggy with his search for bomb items, and me cutting my hair, however, that we'd completely forgotten we were being chased.
It wasn't until they were thudding down the hall towards us that I turned and saw the group of whitecoats and Erasers. Behind us, the surgeons were getting up. We were trapped.
I ordered Nudge not to put up a fight, and allowed Jeb to grab my arm and yank me back towards the lab. An Eraser snatched up Iggy, and another took our newest addition. Several whitecoats surrounded Fang, who didn't move.
"This way," growled an Eraser. Fang looked up and past him, catching my gaze. I nodded, and then looked away as he submitted to his captors. I knew it took a lot of control not to lash out at the dogs jeering at him, their faces getting wolfier by the moment.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a flash of gold, and looked up in time to spot something I wasn't supposed to see.
As Fang followed the Erasers down the hallway, he bent quickly and scooped up a curl of my hair.
Yeah, so this was a crappy filler chapter because I had some issues on what the heck to do with it. Oh hold the phone-I said Fang wasn't coming back this chapter, didn't I? I'm hopeless. The scar question still stands, because of course Max is going to insist on making sure he's ok, to check how he's healing, if not that day, then the next.
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