This chapter isn't long, but it is very, very important. Shout outs: no-name, Lottiebeck (welcome to the project), Maximum Ride is awesome98, avenging angels (ha love the name), lillypad22, girlreadsalot, AnikaandAj!

Chapter 27 Family Ties

(Dylan POV.)

Dylan gave a start and sat up straight as the door to his room swished open to reveal a balding man. Behind the man, four Erasers watched with curiously bright eyes as Dylan shifted to face them.

Maya, who had finally managed to fall asleep beside him (the bright lights were kept on constantly) stirred in her sleep but didn't wake. When she'd been tossed into the room Dylan had been shocked though he immediately knew it was Maya and not Max who was with him.

Maya had seemed disorientated and had been bleeding from a blow to the head which she hadn't noticed. After talking for a long time she'd slid down next to him and fallen asleep. Dylan remembered looking down at her sleeping face, seeing the calmness and ease that lived there in place of the mask she wore while awake.

He'd stayed there, just looking down at her, for a while before laying down slowly so as not to disturb her and falling into an uneasy sleep.

Now, his mind was clear as he got to his feet and stood braced in front of the bed with his arms and wings spread wide. The man seemed disconcerted with this show of hostility and beckoned him forward. Dylan lowered his arms and folded in his wings before casting one last glance down at Maya. She stirred but otherwise showed no signs of waking anytime soon.

Dylan stepped out onto the hall and was immediately surrounded by the four Erasers. They made no move to attack him; though they bared their fangs threateningly. Dylan glared at them then allowed himself to be ushered down the hall. The door swished shut behind them.

The balding man led the way down the hall but they didn't go far before a wooden door appeared set into the white walls. The man scanned his thumb and then his retina. "Access granted," a woman's mechanical voice droned. Dylan glanced up but saw nothing for which the voice to come from. The white walls and ceiling were empty.

The wooden doors opened up but as Dylan stepped inside he jerked to a halt in surprise earning a deep throated growl of annoyance from one of the Eraser's behind him. Dylan ignored this however and stared wide eyed around the extravagant office. It was unlike any thing he had ever seen or was used to.

The older man watched his reaction with critical eyes from behind his mahogany desk. "Sit," he said, gesturing towards one of two leather chairs before the desk. When Dylan didn't move the Eraser he had jostled gripped his shoulder with unsheathed claws that dug into the fabric of his shirt. Dylan shook the hairy paw off angrily and with a glare at the wolf man sat down.

"I trust your ride here was comfortable?" The older man asked, reaching under his desk and pulling out a glass bottle with a brown liquid inside. He half grinned as he poured some of the liquid into a shot glass and held it up to his face. "Jack would be jealous of this brew of mine," he joked, raising his glass to his lips and draining it in one gulp.

Dylan's eyes narrowed but he didn't speak. "You know my nephew tells me you were quite the innovator at Block 5." The man peered through his now drained glass at Dylan and noted the confusion there. "How do you know about Block 5?" Dylan asked cautiously. He shifted so that his hands gripped the chair tightly, tension flowing through his body as his sea blue eyes bore into the green ones of the man.

"I know about Block 5 because I created it, Dylan, just like I created you." The man paused and looked away. Remorse crossed his face but when he looked back at Dylan it was gone. "You're wrong," Dylan challenged, anger building up inside of him. "Doctor Hagan created me." He's dead now anyway, Dylan thought bitterly. Serves him right….

"Doctor Gunther Rodrick Hagan is my nephew, dear boy. I thought that part was clear? Perhaps you didn't inherit your suitors finer qualities." The man peered at Dylan over his glass. Dylan winced at the man's choice of words but anger flared up inside of him. Just because he was a clone didn't mean he was an exact replica of his donor. Max and Maya are proof of that, he thought.

Looking up at the man he added aloud, "I'm my own self."

"That's not entirely true," he reprimanded, leaning back in his chair. He twirled the ice in his drink before pouring another round. "Yes, you have different thoughts, different emotions, but you are still an advocate of the true heredity possessed by Dylan."

"I'm Dylan. The other one died a while back."

"No, he didn't."

Dylan bent forward in his chair and glared at the man who looked back at him calmly. "Your nephew told me that he died in a car accident. That's how I came to be. His DNA was donated for me."

"Not donated and not for you. It was given and it was for me."

Dylan's mouth dropped open but he snapped it up quickly. His mind whirled. "Given? For you?" Where does that leave me, then? Dylan thought, his fingers thrumming anxiously against the sides of the chair. He glanced behind him and saw that the Eraser's lined the back of the room; their eyes staring straight ahead.

A grunting sound made Dylan turn back in his chair only to see the man studying him carefully. Slowly, he placed his empty glass on his desk and leaned forward, his piercing green gaze locking with Dylan. "Dylan didn't die in that car crash," he said, pulling a picture frame from his desk and handing it to Dylan who's eyes widened as he recognized not only the man, but himself, sitting next to a blonde haired woman and girl several years older than him.

"Welcome home, son."

So, what do you think? Some of you might have seen it coming. If so congratulations. The chapter, Maestro, showed Brigid and the balding mystery man her father and in that chapter you see a photograph of them plus a mother and brother. Dylan, is the clone of that brother. And by now it should be obvious he has feelings for Maya.

So, I'm gonna start this new thing for my reviewers where I put up a few questions at the bottom just for fun and if you post an answer and I like it I'll put it up down here on the next chapter. Kinda like a shout out. If you answer and don't want your name shown I won't put it. Only the cleverest go up!

Questions:

1. Why were you caught red handed?

2. Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar?

3. Who's your favorite actor/actress?

So, not all about this story or books or writing. Just funny little questions. Also if you have any question suggestions, feel free to put those down as well.

Peace out y'all, I've got prom tomorrow night! OMG

Sincerely,

Avenging Angels