Solace: Chapter Twenty-Five – Rivals Return

"Max!"

That was the last thing I heard before I realized I was gaining speed. Well… 'plummeting towards the earth below' was more like it.

As the roar of the last gunshot filled the air around us, it felt like an explosion had pierced the insides of my head, splitting my skull apart at every angle. As is my body's usual response, I curled into myself, squeezing my eyes shut, trying to numb myself from the painful sensation.

That creep had shot me in the head…

…or had he?

Shouldn't I be dead if I was shot in the head? But then came another round of throbbing pain and I barely registered Fang's presence as my freefall came to an abrupt halt.

My mind filled again with images and sounds. There were dogs – hounds – barking violently. It was clearer than both previous rounds. It was also quite obvious now that they were chasing something, or someone.

I seriously prayed this wasn't some new kind of ability I was developing via help from the Voice. I did not want any part of it. Wasn't I already enough of a freak? Nope. Let's add cryptic visions to the list of things that could get me placed into a nice padded cell… or a sideshow circus ring. I could just imagine the sign they'd put in front of me: The Incredible Maximum Ride – Feed her a cookie and get your fortune!

Another faint image flashed by and was accompanied by a voice frantically calling out Angel's name, causing my chest to tighten…

But as quickly as it had arrived, the piercing pain, or most of it anyway, had ceased. I was suddenly aware of myself again. Alarmingly aware. My eyelids shot open when I realized I wasn't falling, or flying. I was on the ground. Fang was crouching next to me, signs of worry scantily etched across his features.

Assuming he had caught me, since my body didn't feel like it had been shattered from some intense impact upon crashing into the ground, I didn't bother to ask questions. My mind raced right to the fact that there were shooters, including Mr. Speed, that were still tracking us. I leapt to my feet in one swift movement and whipped my wings out, ready to take flight immediately, but Fang stepped in front of me.

"I'm fine. We're outta here," I commanded.

Well, okay, in theory, I commanded. But Fang was back to his usual self, ignoring the simplest of orders, regardless of whether his life depended on it… So he just stood there.

I moved to push past him, but he caught my arm. The calm, though a bit stiff, expression on his face made me wary…

I started to speak, but Fang made a nearly unnoticeable gesture that told me turn around and look.

So after shooting him a sharp glare, I turned…

And I gasped when I saw it – the body, that is.

A body cloaked in a dark, hooded sweatshirt was lying before us, unmoving. Undoubtedly, it was the man who had been chasing us at Olympic-worthy speeds and shooting at us like Quick Draw McGraw.

But when my eyes connected with his face, all of the facts I had convinced myself to be truths loosened from their foundation, leaving me both shocked and utterly confused.

I thought that Axis was a new company…

I thought that Itex was gone…

I thought I'd saved the world from this freaking madness time and time again…

So then why… why, why, why was Omega – yes, the Omega I'd fought in Germany – lying in a shallow crimson puddle in front of me?

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