Chapter 26

I stood on a mountaintop. Below me lay a seemingly endless canyon… it was gorgeous. I could imagine that the thermals were totally bitchin'… I spread my wings to give it a go.

Max.

I froze.

Maximum Ride.

"Voice," I said. "You've come back to me… you're finally back… but why does my head still hurt?"

Turn and look at me, Maximum.

I frowned. "How?"

Just turn.

I turned around. And there it was… a shrouded figure, in a black cloak that shrouded every inch of his or her body… except for a single hand, which held a scythe in its long, bearlike claws.

"Who are you?" I said.

It's me, Maximum. The one you've been searching for. The one who loves you, nurtures you, guides you…

"Why did you go?" I demanded.

Why, I didn't, Max. I never could. I love you…

"If you're not gone, why does my head still hurt?" I whimpered.

A temporary complication. But if you touch me, I will return. I will live inside your head forever. I will be there for you on the ride…

"I'm so down with that," I said. "I need you, Voice. Right down to the core of my soul, I flippin' need you."

I know that you do.

I started forward tentatively.

Tentatively? Why the hell was I moving tentatively? I was trying with all my might to run, to run, to run towards my salvation… to recover from this torment… but it was like running through mud.

I lowered my hand. "This is a dream," I said. "I'm… I'm not gonna get the Voice back."

Yes, you will. Step forward, and it will be back forever, in the waking world itself.

"That can't be," I said.

What have you to lose? If this is a dream, you awake, disappointed, life goes on. If not…

"If it's not a dream then the Voice is there for me again," I said. "Okay. I'll do it. I'll take the step…"

DON'T, MAX! DON'T, MAX! DON'T!

The second voice shrieked in my head frantically. "Angel?" I muttered. "What's going down, Angel?"

LOOK AT ME, MAX, PLEASE! Angel begged.

I turned to her. She was standing several feet away from the cloaked figure. "What is this, Angel?" I said. "I… oh my God. This is not a dream, is it?"

"Well, it's not reality, but it sure as hell isn't a dream either," Angel said. She pointed accusatorily at the person who was making the Voice. "This person is the leader of the Survivors. I know you always wondered if the Voice was friend or foe… and I… and I… and I can't answer that for you, not really. But I can tell you one thing! This person is your enemy!"

I took another step.

"Don't touch him, Max!" Angel pleaded. "If you touch him…"

"If I touch him I get the Voice back," I said methodically.

"Why?" Angel demanded. "Why would you want the Voice back?"

"I need it," I said. "I just do."

"That's not an answer," Angel said. "Please, please, think! Think hard!"

"I just need it," I said.

"Don't you get it? The Voice was nothing but a drug, Max! You're experiencing withdrawal symptoms, and this evil person, the person who guides the hand of everyone we hate, is taking advantage of that! Don't give in to the temptation! You're strong, Max. You're the strongest person on Earth. Just pull away." Angel began sobbing. "Max, I'm begging you. Please be strong. If you weaken, then everybody knows that the world is doomed."

"Why should I listen to you?" I asked. "You killed Total."

"I didn't!" Angel shrieked, tears flowing. "I love Total, you know I do!"

I sighed. "Angel… you've done nothing but get us in trouble your entire life."

"I know! I know that! And… and that won't happen anymore! If it's what you want, I'll die! I'll make myself die and you won't have to deal with me anymore… just trust me one last time, Max, then I'm gone! Just trust me one—last—time! Don't touch him! Don't touch him! DON'T TOUCH HIM!"

Angel vanished in a puff of golden smoke, as golden as her hair.

"Where is she?" I said.

The cloaky-dude chuckled. Gone from here. Now then… on to the matter of touching me…

I looked, and I realized that our extended hands were nearly touching. I withdrew mine.

"Where is Angel?" I demanded.

He extended his fingers as far as they would go. I tried pulling away, but couldn't. If I lost my balance even slightly, my chest would touch his fingers.

Angel lost the energy to maintain her connection, the person finally said. As you see, I have no such problems.

"Why would you want to overpower Angel?" I asked. "That's a terrible thing to do."

Touch me, and I shall return to my rightful place, as your most trusted companion, the Voice.

"I will not," I said. "I don't want or need the Voice back. I have more companions than your sorry cloaked ass ever will."

Angel flickered in and out of my line of vision.

"Angel, I don't want you to die," I said. "Please don't think that. Please live. Will you do that for me, please?"

Angel didn't answer.

"Please live," I said. "Please stay alive and don't die."

The cloaked figure held his hands in fists at his sides. He stomped like a little kid having a tantrum. Touch me, he snarled.

"The Voice didn't snarl, you jackass," I said.

I turned and pitched myself over the edge into the canyon. I didn't open my wings.

A few dream-like things floated by me as I fell. A coconut, a salad bowl, a pinecone.

Then I was on a blanket, in Fang's arms.

He chuckled. "Love watching you wake up, babe," he said.

I looked up at the blue sky. "Fang," I said. "Oh, Fang… two people were just battling to control my psyche…"

"Really?" he said. "Who won?"

"Well, I did of course. You think somebody else was going to?"

"Nah," he said. "Who were they?"

"One was Angel," I said. "And she said that the other person was the leader of the Survivors."

"The leader of the Survivors?" Fang said. "Oh… I met him once."

"You did?"

"Yeah. Never shows up in person, just sends a projection of a dude in a black cloak… with a voice that you could never possibly describe."

My eyes widened. I kissed Fang with fiery passion.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"Just happy to be alive," I said. "The person you described was exactly who was in my dream. And his voice was… the Voice."

Fang gaped. "Oh…"

"If he had won…" I said. "But he didn't." I pressed my face into Fang's chest, then looked up at him. "I don't suppose you think I'm a crazy girl, do you?"

"Nah," he said. "Stranger things have happened." He kissed me. "You defeated him and Angel?"

"No, I didn't defeat Angel," I said. "We defeated the bad guy together…"

I sat upright, feeling my head. The emptiness was gone. But I knew, so was the Voice. Gone were the visions, the troubled dreams. I was just me now.

And "me" was gonna have a real great day.

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

Nine days passed. My heart was at ease, my sleep untroubled.

On that ninth night, Angel joined me in my dream once again. But it was only her. No enemies, no fabricated landscape. Just blackness and me and her.

"Hey, Max," she whispered.

"Hi, Angel," I said. I knew, as before, that this was something besides a dream. "What's going down this time?"

"I've just… been trying to find you again," she said. "Your mind, I mean. I'm glad that I finally have… I can't stay long."

"That's cool, Angel," I said.

"I… I decided… not to take my own life."

"I can see that. Thank you."

"You really don't want me gone?"

"I wouldn't be able to stand it if you were gone."

She didn't answer. She looked remorseful.

"Where are you, Angel? Come back to the flock."

"I can't," she said.

"Angel, I know they'll all forgive you."

"I can't return, Max."

"Are you being held prisoner somewhere?" I said sharply. "Where are you? We'll come rescue you!"

"Max, I'll be fine."

"Where are you?" I demanded. "Are they torturing you?"

She took a breath. "I'm in the Survivors' tower. But you can't find me, it—"

"Travels," I muttered. "I know it does. We'll get you out of there, Angel!"

"It's okay, Max," she said. "Goodnight. I'm going to make sure you have a restful sleep."

"Whoa, whoa, hey, Angel, if you make me forget this, I swear to God…" I let the threat go, realizing how empty it was.

"Just don't concern yourself," she said. "Please? I'll manage."

"Bullshit," I said. "Have they been holding you for this entire nine days? I won't leave you to—"

"I have to go now, Max," she said. "You can't imagine how much effort this takes. So, again, goodnight. Trust me, I'm fine."

"Angel, we'll—"

She vanished. A second later, I drifted off into normal sleep.

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

I woke to someone tapping my shoulder.

The sun was just rising. Fang was still asleep. Imogen was crouched over me, her hand on my shoulder.

"Hey," she said.

"What's this?" I asked, instantly alert. I gently slipped out of Fang's grasp. My thoughts flickered briefly to Angel… but whether I listened to her request to leave her alone or not (which I wasn't going to) there wasn't much I could do for her at this moment.

"What's going on?" I said. "Is something wrong?"

I stood up, and she did as well.

"Nothin' wrong," she said. "Will ye fly with me?"

I scanned her face. I read an eagerness, a true desire for what she was asking for.

"Sure, Immy," I said. "Let's fly."