Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride. The only thing I say I could actually own is the organization and their plans. That's all.

Max POV:

"How much farther do we have before we get to the base?"

"Wow, Max. Are you actually complaining?" I give Dimitri my dagger glare. You know, the one that miserably fails when I try to do it on Iggy? Yeah, I did that. And it seemed to work. "I was just asking a question. You didn't have to give that ugly look."

"Wha-!" Maybe not.

"Well, I guess females can't be beautiful ALL the time."

"Why you-" I close my mouth because I was about to say something I was going to regret. We had been going down this tunnel for a while and my patience with how this guy was sarcastic at my thoughts was really biting at me. Not only that, who knows what'll happen to the Flock while I'm in here? Dimitri really wasn't helping. God, we've been in here for hours.

"It's only been fifteen minutes." I look to him again.

"It's taking too long. How much further?"

"Why are you so worried?" Why am I so WORRIED? "Yes. Why are you so worried? You're starting to annoy me." I stopped. When he finally realized that I did, he looked back. "Max?"

"Because my family is in trouble. Why else? I'm sorry it annoys you, but until we get there I'm not going to stop." For some reason, Dimitri smiles at me.

"Alright then. Let's go."

"Wha-?" I look at him, confused. Although my heart was beating. It was that Fang smile again! Ohhhhhhhh! Oh, uh, he heard that. Crap.

"Yes, I did. But that was cute there, Max. Let's go get your family." Dimitri starts to walk off. Soon, I follow him, but now I was walking like a robot. Like one...two...one...two. What was wrong with me?

"Are you finally falling for me, Max? Has my Fangalicious looks finally taken you under, my dear?"

"Uh, no." I push past him and just make myself walk normally. Oh, Fang. I can't wait to just see you again. You, and the Flock. Just you wait.

"Uh, Max-" I look to the idiot that just started to lag behind. "what is that?" When Dimitri points forward, I start to turn around slowly. Why? Because that look he had had me a little scared.

"What is wha-" My voice was just whisked away. There was a GIANT snake right in front of us. That one that was in Harry Potter. "OH MY GOD!" Yeah, my voice didn't leave. That was a figure of speech. "Oh my god!" I started to run backwards, but ended up running into Dimitri.

"Max, what's wrong?" I pushed him back and started running away. Maximum Ride running away. Yup. Did I ever mention that I have a major fear of snakes? Big ones, little ones, green ones, red ones, anyones. Anything that has no arms and legs, slithers, makes a hissing sound, and has fangs, I'm afraid of it.

"Agggghhhhh!"

"Maaaax!"

"Aggggghhhhhhhhhh!" Suddenly, the air is gone from my chest. Like I just got punched. I was pulled back and then there was heat all around me. "Aggggghhhhhhh!" And I was still screaming. Of course.

"Max, hush! He'll hear us!" I guess it was Dimitri that grabbed me and held me. I was still in my "post snake trauma" so that was really not working out for me. I mean, don't snakes wrap themselves around your waist and squeeze. And, wait! Dimitri was holding me! Like holding me!

"Max, calm down." I was breathing into his shirt. I was laying on his chest and he was holding me like, like, like Fang would. "Max?" Like Fang would. He would hold me like this. "Max, are you okay?" Why would I even be thinking this? We have to go. "Max?"

"Hmm?" I get up just in time to see Fa- I mean, Dimitri looking at me. "What? Is it gone?" He nodded, but that look was not I wanted to see. He was scared. Worried. Not a look I would ever want to see on Fang. I mean, Dimitri. I mean, Fang. No, no, Dimitri. Oh, forget it.

"Max, let's go. I don't want to wait for that thing to come back." As Dimitri looks around to be sure that snake was gone, I just sat there like a lump on a log. "Okay. It's really gone. Let's go." I followed him out of the small hole and we started down the path again. At first, I was always peering over my shoulder or listening real hard in case that snake decided to come back. But somehow, Dimitri convinced me that it wasn't coming back and that we were safe. For now at least.

"Well, if anyithing that snake isn't normal. There's no way a snake can grow that big. It had to have been made or, like me, been genetically altered." Dimitri stayed locked on the path.

"You're right. Something like that couldn't have came just from eating the rats of stuff from down here. Maybe someone was trying to ambush us. So we wouldn't get to the base."

"Hmph. Scratch maybe from that." Dimitri actually smiled again.

"Yeah. You're right." Out of nowhere, I felt that strange heat on my hand. Dimitri was holding my hand. Okay, does anyone else agree that this could be the WORST time to try to put the moves on me! And it being Fang's clone has it be even worse. I'm in love with Fang and this guy is much like him. In looks and in personality. Well, sort of. But, still, it was like I was with Fang again. Like we were on one of our crazy dates. And, I guess this would count as crazy. But like on our dates we would be together, and somehow the Flock would get in trouble. And, look. That's what is happening now.

"And now let's enjoy it." I look up to Dimitri.

"What're you talking about?"

"Come on, Max. Let's just enjoy this little moment. I can tell you right now that we're almost to the base. And I mean it this time. And until then, let's just hang on to this because once we get there it'll be really hectic." The look Dimitri has was serious. I mean, he looked happy, but he looked serious about what he said. And now I was getting convinced.

"Alright then." He squeezed my hand. "Let's go."

Just then, a loud screech came from behind us. We both looked back. And then I died. This time I really, REALLY wished that wasn't figurative. That snake was back! And he didn't seem all to happy about losing us the last time.

"Come on!" Dimitri was practically at first, but after realzing how big and ugly that thing was I was leading him. As we ran like chickens through the path, it hit me. We were running from an unknown freak of nature. And why? Wait, never mind. But how were we supposed to get to the base with a 300 foot snake following us. Unless we could somehow tame the thing and ride it there.

"Max-" Dimitri said as he caught up with me. Now we right beside each other. "that has got to be the dumbest idea you've ever came up with." Whatever. "But you're right. We have to get rid of this thing. And fast."

I try looking around, trying to find something that could probably be used as a way to get out, but found nothing because somehow I ended looking back at the snake. If only we had that sword Harry had, or that phoenix. This would be a whole lot easier.

"Max! Look!" I looked straight ahead. "It's the way out!" A ladder was up ahead. And you know what that means! We're almost out of here! "Come on!" Dimitri and I just went into high speed. The snake was still following ud, but now that we were almost there we seemed to find an extra bit of energy somewhere.

"There it is!" I yelled. I was the first to grab on.

"Go Max!" I started climbing. It wasn't until I got to the third step did that little bulb over my head finally came to life. I have WINGS! Duh! I look down at Dimitri and spread my wings out fully. This was a big trail.

"Dimitri, come on!" I reach out to him, but he only pushes my hand away. "Dimitri, wha-?"

"Go! Get out of here!" I was lost. Was he crazy?

" Dimitri, I'm not leaving you!" He looked back at the snake which was catching up and then looked at me.

"Yes you are! Go! I can take him!"

"But-"

"Go Max! I can take him! I'm Fang's clone, remember?" But even Fang has his limits. "It doesn't matter! Go!" When that snke finally gets close enough to where I can see those yellow eyes I snap back to exit and leave. I wanted to look down and see Dimitri before I finally pushed through the small of dirt, but I didn't. Why did I leave him? Why did I let him take on that snake? God, what's wrong with me? He's going to die and it'll be my fault because I left him.

I stop and begin to go back, but somehow a creepy image of the Flock and what they must look like stops me. They're all bloodied and layin gout on top of each other like they were just tossed down like garbage. That's why I came here. I came to save them. Dimitri stayed because he wanted to help them. I can't let that be for nothing.

I backtrack myself and head forward. Something was telling that was the way. And whatever that was was right. A castle looking place stood before me. That's the base. I don't even hesitate to approach it. My family is there and I'm going to save them.

I'm coming, everyone! Just wait for me!

That's all for now! I hope all of you liked the chapter. Max is at the base now! Great! Now she can finally save the Flock and they can live together in peace for a while. But, not until they stop the organization that I can not find a freakin' name for. Well, please reveiw. And, you don't have to, but if you'd like to give me ideas on a great name for the organization, please reveiw that or message me. Either way is fine. That'd be great. But I'm not going to stop updating because I don't have a name, it would just feel, realistic. I guess. Or more...something. If I had a name. Till then.