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Chapter 25
"Hey, I see them!" the driver, whose name had been established as Mark, called out, seeing three kids and two dogs appear in the line of his headlights.
Thankfully, Mark had not taken another sidelong glance at Iggy's wings, and due to some very persuasive threatening, he was sure not to make a big deal about the rest of the flock's wings, or the talking dog, or anything for that matter.
The two in the back, who had paused in their shuffling around of things in preparation according to Iggy's description of Nudge's injuries, wordlessly peered through the windshield to see if Iggy had truly led them to the right place without being able to see.
The sensible older one, whose voice sounded oddly similar to Sammy Davis Junior's and whose name had been established as Roy, gave a small grin, silently congratulating Iggy on getting them there.
The other one, whose name had been established as Anthony and nickname had been established as Tony, didn't say anything, being smarter than the average jerkish ambulance driver named Mark. He hadn't said anything the whole time except for his name when questioned and didn't seem like he intended on changing that trend anytime soon.
As the stray members of the flock's outlines became increasingly visible, a slightly baffled Mark said, "I can't believe it! You were spot on, kid!"
As the speeding ambulance bumped over the grass and jarred the men, Iggy thought, Why on earth did you expect anything less?
He sighed and shook his head disapprovingly. He said in a loud mutter that was obviously meant to be heard, "Assuming that all blind people can't see. How stereotypical."
Mark frowned in thought, not understanding Iggy's sarcasm.
As the ambulance slowed, Iggy threw the door open and hopped out, letting the ambulance pass him and then running over to Nudge and the others.
He asked a string of questions, gratefully finding that Nudge hadn't passed out and that Fang was sitting up and looking slightly less dead, according to Total.
Iggy said, "You're all alive and awake. Good."
"Yeah, good," Fang said under his breath, with a tug of subdued fear at remembering his dream where everyone was definitely not awake or alive. Of course irony had to show up in Iggy's words for a visit right then. Of course.
As Mark brought the ambulance to an abrupt stop, Roy and Tony jumped out of the back, carrying a stretcher between them and rushing over to Nudge. Gazzy went behind them and quietly shepherded Total and Akila up into the vehicle. It had been decided that everyone would squeeze into the ambulance rather than part of the flock flying and part of the flock riding.
Roy and Tony carefully moved Nudge onto the stretcher as Iggy whispered hasty words of comfort to her. Fang stood apart from them with his black wings slightly spread out, looking ominous and staring the two men down, making sure they were frightened to make a move that he might not approve of.
Tony looked Fang's way and quickly looked back away again, getting the message and placing his full attention on Nudge. Roy also glanced at Fang, but he took the extra second to return the hard stare in a way that told Fang he knew what he was doing.
As Nudge moaned and the men carried her to the ambulance, Fang resisted the urge to knock Tony aside and carry one side of the stretcher himself. He probably would have if he wasn't having trouble just staying standing.
Iggy motioned to Fang as they lifted Nudge up into the ambulance. Fang took Iggy's place at Nudge's side as Iggy jumped back into the passenger's seat, slammed the door, and yelled, "Hit it, Mark!"
Mark was apparently caught up in a conversation with Gazzy.
"You've had these problems with your digestive system all of your life? You should see the doctor while we're at the hospital. That was some serious haze you just made."
"I don't need to see a doctor! I just can't control it when I get nervous!" Gazzy said defensively.
Iggy slapped Mark in the back of the head. "Drive this darn thing, you imbecile! Or next time I hit you, I'll make sure your head doesn't stay attached to your body!"
Mark turned away from Gazzy and his emissions and said to Roy and Tony, "We ready, boys?"
"Go!" Fang snapped before they could answer.
Fang left the room where they had drawn his blood to be given to Nudge, pulling his sleeve down over his new bandage. The nurse had been about to give him one of the generic skin-colored band-aids, but seeing how terribly stressed he seemed to be, she opted for a band-aid covered in happy little Dalmatians, not giving him a choice on what he got.
"Izzy?" the nurse said, sticking her head out of the door.
"It's Iggy," Angel said, getting up off the couch with Iggy.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Thank you, sweetie. Iggy?"
Iggy started toward the sound of the nurse's voice, but he paused beside Fang, tapping him on the arm in a minuscule show of respect before heading into the room.
As soon as Angel was sure the nurse wasn't listening, she said, "I met up with Gazzy and Akila on the second floor outside of where they have Nudge. I left Angel II with Gazzy. Iggy II's not far from them. I found a couple of walkie-talkies. Total has the other one on the first floor. He just told me that Jeb was in the parking lot before you came out of the room."
"Do we still have time to intercept him?"
"If we hurry."
"Let's go," Fang said decidedly, taking Angel's hand and moving swiftly toward the elevator.
"Cinderella?" Total's voice crackled.
"Go, Don Juan," Angel said into her walkie-talkie, using Total's established codename.
"Doctor Crackhead is approaching the first floor elevator."
"Right, left, or middle?"
"Middle."
"Roger that, Don Juan. Sir Nicholas and I are heading toward the fifth floor elevator. Stand by."
When they arrived at the elevator, they hurried in and pushed the button to close the door.
Angel pushed the button for the first floor and Fang couldn't help but ask, "Sir Nicholas?"
"Like Nearly Headless Nick from Harry Potter," she said, as if that should have been obvious.
He would have requested a different codename if they weren't in the middle of a small situation.
"Fang, somebody is about to push the elevator button on the second floor."
"Can you hold them back?" he asked, usually not one to encourage her to use her questionable powers.
She nodded. He didn't need to ask if she'd done it because in no time, they had arrived at the first floor without stopping.
The elevator door slipped open, revealing none other than Doctor Crackhead himself. Fang, trying not to be overcome by rage, only glanced at Jeb and then looked away, formulating the next stage in the plan.
Jeb looked over them emotionlessly and then turned to press the button for the second floor.
"Hold it," Angel said.
Jeb obediently stuck a hand out to keep the door from closing, not saying anything.
Angel called, "Total!"
Total trotted into the elevator, with the walkie-talkie that was attached to a makeshift collar bobbing up and down.
Jeb put his arm down, and the door slid closed. The small, closed space seemed even smaller than it had before, nearly suffocating. No one spoke, and no one moved. The air was thick with unspoken words, with the desire to not think, but just react. There was a distinct anticipation for the reopening of the door, as if time would continue moving after they escaped the elevator's confines.
It felt like they had traveled up a thousand floors when they stepped out of the elevator, when in fact it had only been one. Fang stepped past Jeb, followed by Angel and Total, with Jeb in tow.
"I got here as soon as I could," Jeb said as they walked, breaking the silence and jarring Angel's and Fang's insides with just his voice.
Total began to growl by instinct, but Angel told him in his head to stop. Fang was leading them in the opposite direction of where the others were. Most likely, Jeb was already very much aware of that, but the fact that he wasn't questioning their direction, while raising Fang's and Angel's suspicions, did make things easier for the moment.
Fang led them down a short side hallway that had a couple of water fountains on one side and a closet door at the end. Jeb was the last one to round the corner, and just as he did, Fang grabbed him by the shirt and threw him against the closet door.
Jeb didn't make a sound or fight back as Fang grabbed him by the shirt again and pinned him to the door. Jeb's eyes widened ever-so-slightly, as if he were surprised, but just barely.
"Where's Max?" Fang asked, tightening his grip.
Jeb looked at Angel, but her expression was just as hard and unyielding, almost as if she wanted to be in Fang's place, bringing Jeb's collar just a bit more tightly around his neck.
The look on Jeb's face was torn and contemplative, something they usually couldn't pick up on from him. Fang impatiently rammed Jeb's back into the closet door again.
"Tell me where she is or I'll make you tell me," Fang said, fully prepared to hurl Jeb through the closet door. And through the back wall of the closet. And through the side of the building.
Angel used her powers to force Jeb to turn his face to her and added in a dark voice, "Or I'll make you tell me."
I'm (thankfully) not very familiar with ambulances and hospitals, so sorry if anything is inaccurate.
So, my friend, RainbowSpawn, just got an FF account not too long ago. It took some persuasion to get him to post something, but he's really a very good writer who just needs some more reviews and some encouragement. If you could look him up and read and review anything of his, it would mean a lot to me and hopefully to him, too. I guarantee it'll be worth your time, or your money back. ;) Thanks a million.
-Skye