So after this chapter things will move quickly and we get into the action again. Everyone keeps asking if Max is alive and all I can say is read my other story and see. ;)

Shout outs: lillypad22, fallacious, Skier (welcome to the show), scarlett mist, AnikaandAj!

Chapter 4 Fear and Hatred

Angel glanced up as the sound of wings met her ears and she raised her hand to block out the bright morning sun. Iggy, followed closely by Gazzy, landed with running stops that had them standing near her. Their faces were flushed and their hair blown back by their flights but the sorrow in their eyes stood out the most.

Angel didn't have to be a mind reader to know what that meant. Rising to her feet, she left Ella, Doctor Martinez and Jeb, who were all still unconscious, and stood beside them.

"She's not in the North," Iggy said, a deep seated frown on his face. He glanced at Gazzy who was glaring at the sand. Obviously he was upset.

Nudge landed a few feet away and walked over to them. "She's not in the East." Holden walked over to stand by her side and put his hand on her shoulder. Nudge glanced down at him but then up at the sky. "I saw Fang flying West. He won't be back for a while."

"What do you think happened? I didn't hear anything." Ratchet said, grimacing as he shifted his arm which was in a make shift sling.

"Maybe they gassed us?" Kate suggested, shrugging her shoulders. Angel listened to the varied reactions of the Flock to Kate's suggestion. Iggy, Gazzy, Nudge and Ratchet didn't by it.

Why go to the trouble of knocking us out only to take Max's body? She was dead. Iggy thought, his eyes narrowed. They could have killed us too. So why just take Max? Nudge questioned. Killing Max was one thing, then they brainwashed my sister, I think, now they take her body? But it doesn't make sense. Why would they want Max's body? Gazzy's thoughts were confused. That's bull. If they wanted Max's body so bad they would've taken it earlier. We're way out numbered for the kind of effort it takes to gas us. Besides they wouldn't have left us alive. Ratchet's thoughts were dark.

Angel had her own doubts about Max's body's disappearance but decided not to voice any of them. As it were she was on a tight leash. For the moment, the Flock seemed to have forgotten what led them to their current situation for the here and now. But Angel hoped she could one day gain their forgiveness…and Max's.

"Look." Gazzy pointed towards the South where a trail of dust whipped across the sand. Angel's eyes narrowed but as she opened her mouth to speak dust flew past her as Star skidded to a halt, not a hair out of place. After a few moments, Dylan and Maya landed in the sand side by side.

"She's not in the South, and I take it you guys didn't have any luck either." When the Flock shook their heads Star cursed. "This doesn't make sense! Bodies don't just get up and walk away. Right?" Maya asked, looking at Dylan.

"This is Max we're talking about," Dylan pointed out, raising his eyebrows. Angel had to agree with him there. But still….

"Let's get camp packed up just in case anything turns up. Fang will probably want to scout when he comes back." Iggy said, taking charge due to their second commands MIA…and leader's.

Angel turned towards camp but stopped when Iggy called her name. "Angel." Angel turned and followed Iggy as he beckoned her away from the others. He kept walking until they were about a hundred yards away and then he stopped, turning to face her.

Angel peered into his blind eyes and saw mistrust and fear there. He didn't trust her, not completely, and was afraid of her but he wasn't a coward. He had something to say and he was going to make sure it was heard. Whether he or she liked it.

"Angel," Iggy paused then took a deep breath. "I watched you do something yesterday, that I've never seen anyone do before. I watched you kill the one person who never lost faith in anyone, never let anyone down, and would have done anything to protect and save the world. I watched you kill Max."

Angel didn't say anything, Iggy wasn't done and she could sense it.

"When I heard you stab that dagger into her…uh I can still hear the sound it made." Iggy shivered and closed his eyes. "Hearing it might have been worse than seeing it. Now, all I have is my imagination to tell me what happened. But I'm not sure if my imagination is worse than the real thing. What I imagine, is Max holding you, forgiving you, and you betraying her in the ultimate way. A blind shot. Something she couldn't and maybe wouldn't defend.

"You know, I heard something when that Nino guy was talking. He said that Max had to fight you to the death. But Max wouldn't have fought you. She would have found a way to let you win. If it meant protection you and us. She would have. She'd of sacrificed herself just to save us. Because that's just the type of person Max is-…was."

Iggy opened his eyes and looked at Angel with uncanny accuracy.

"Angel, I want the God's honest truth. Did you know what you were doing, when you killed Max?"

Iggy's blind, blue eyes pierced Angel's and for a moment she couldn't speak. Iggy was simply asking, but the answer was so hard to deliver. Angel knew she had no memory of what had happened, but did that mean she was innocent? Maybe she just didn't remember. But how could she? How could she willingly hurt Max? None the less kill her. Angel loved Max, she was like a mother, leader and older sister all rolled up into one. She was Angel's guardian…or, at least had been.

Iggy waited patiently for her answer but she could sense the tension built up in his wiry body. It was time to tell the truth.

"Iggy, I didn't kill Max on purpose…and I honestly don't remember anything that has happened over the past…how long's it been?"

"Two months and two weeks. At least that's how long it's been since we thought you were dead. You know, Max didn't want to leave Paris. I bet if we hadn't been there she would have excavated every scrap of that sewer system in her search for you. But we had to go, the DG was on the move and we couldn't risk missing any leads. Nudge, Gazzy and I had to basically drag her onto the plane. She was so heart broken."

Angel nodded in understanding, the pain in her chest only growing stronger as the reality of who she had lost sank in. Up until now she'd been running on the false hope that this whole thing had just been a dream. That at any moment she'd feel a hand on her shoulder nudging her awake and she'd open her eyes to see Max smiling down at her saying, "Good morning, sweetie." Just like she had the day Angel had been kidnapped in the beginning.

Tears welled up in Angel's eyes and she let them fall freely. What had she done? Max was gone and it was all her fault.

Strong arms wrapped themselves around her small body and Angel snuggled into Iggy's shoulder as he held her close. For a while they stayed like that, Iggy holding her while Angel cried. But eventually the tears slowed and Angel was able to stop sobbing. Iggy patted her hair and wiped away a tear as Gazzy ran over, his eyes wide.

"Uh, Iggy, Angel, Fang's back." Gazzy glanced at his sister and Angel noticed that the hostility had vanished. At the moment, only sadness covered his young face.

"Fang didn't find Max and he wants an emergency Flock meeting right now." Gazzy made sure they were following before running towards the camp. When Angel and Iggy arrived the rest of the Flock was gathered around the ashes of the previous night's fire. Fang had a grim look on his face and after a nod from Iggy he began to speak.

"While I was out flying I spotted the humans we saw on the way in. Originally, they were headed for the School. Now that it's been blown to bits, they're heading off to the West."

"The West? Why West?" Holden asked, his tasseled dark brown hair lifting with the dry breeze.

"They must be being called there, like they were to the School." Maya pointed out, her eyes narrowed. Fang nodded and said, "My thoughts exactly. I think that whoever is in charge now is calling them there somehow. Which means they still plan on killing all the humans since I saw mutants headed that way too."

"It's Nino," Dylan said, his voice like ice. The Flock glanced at him and he said, "I saw them escape, he and Brigid, when I was running to rescue Maya, Max's mom, half-sister and Jeb. I'm assuming he got out alive."

"Of course he did." Kate muttered, her eyes dark.

"Well how did Max and Angel survive the blast? Well, not Max, but Angel. That explosion was huge!" Holden pointed out, his eyes narrowing as he glanced at Angel. Angel squirmed under the Flock's intense gaze but Iggy stepped to her defense. "Angel's innocent, and besides we've got more important things to deal with. What if Nino has Max's body? We can't let that S.O.B have her."

"They've cloned her once," Maya pointed out, gesturing at herself. Dylan patted her shoulder and took her hand squeezing it with his comfortingly. Maya glanced at him but wasn't able to force a smile.

"There's no telling what they'll do!" Total piped up in a wail from his position next to Doctor Martinez. "No, they won't do anything, I won't let them," Fang snarled, determination rippling in his voice. His fists clenched at his sides as he spread his wings. "Max may be gone but we've still got a world to save. I won't let her die in vain and I sure as hell won't let that lying ass have her body, not as long as I draw breath. Let's go."

Answers to Questions:

1. What song defines your life?

2. If you could rule the world for the day what would you change?

3. If you could take over someone who would it be and why?

I got three responses for each so thanks to the following people!

lillypad22:

1.) No Rain by the Blind Melon

2.)SCHOOL STARTS AT ELEVEN. At night :)

3.)A dork at my school. She's really mean, and totally destroyed my year. I would make her do the most uncool things haha.

scarlett mist:

1. Because of You Kelly Clarkson

2. I wouldn't change anything just send everyone to kill Justin Beiber

3.*sigh* Such a long list wouldn't know where to start.

AnikaandAj:

1. The Dolphin's Cry by Live or Get out Alive by Three Days Grace.

2. The fact that I could only rule the world for a day. I mean C'mon. I would never settle for anything less than for life.

3. It would be Obama because he has the most power in America besides the other two branches. I could take over the world much easier if I controlled him. Yeah, I'm just a tad bit obsessed with world domination.

New Question:

1. If I wrote a one shot about the game Just Dance 2, it would be funny, would you read it?