So I just had to sign in, and it asked me to fill in one of those boxes that makes sure you're not a robot or whatever, and the two words I had to type in were: cruel school. Sound familiar? I burst out laughing.

Fang

Max POV

"Max! Nudge!"

Total shot into my arms, licking my face enthusiastically. I gagged.

"Total," I said, wiping my face clean with my sleeve. "Ew."

He laughed. "So, where's Fang?"

I faltered. "We – uh – don't know."

"Well," said Anastasia brightly, "We've got seven down – including Fitz – and one to go. If we have all of us looking for him, we'll find him real quick."

Nudge nodded. "Yep. So shall we split up?"

"Let's just all check this room first," suggested the Gasman.

Split up, countered the Voice.

"No," I said. "Splitting up will mean we find him quicker. Anastasia can make sure we can pass messages from half of us to the other, so we're safe."

She smiled. "I'd love to."

You should go with Anastasia, the Voice went on. Look around in here. The others can search somewhere else.

I scowled. I'm the one giving instructions.

Fine, if you want me to go?

Okay, okay, I snapped. Stay.

If that's what you really want.

I didn't appreciate the Voice's tone of sarcasm, but took his advice anyway.

"Anastasia," I said. "You and me will look around in here. Gazzy, Nudge and Total, you go look in other rooms, okay?"

Total licked my chin. "I'm staying with you, Max."

The Gasman's mouth dropped open. "You traitor."

"Nope," said Total, grinning. "I'm just looking after my rear end."

"Rear end?" spluttered the Gasman.

"Yes," said Total firmly, waggling his butt at him. "My black, fluffy, hygienic rear end. Unlike your white, unhygienic one."

Nudge smiled, trying to be helpful. "Don't worry, Gaz, Iggy's rear end is much–"

We all burst out at the same time.

"Don't want to hear it," I said desperately. "Please, Nudge."

"GOOD GOD, NO!" yelled Total, trying to cover his ears with his front paws.

"Ewwwwwwwwwww!" shouted the Gasman.

Anastasia went pale as she saw what Nudge was thinking about Iggy's – (cough) – rear end, and let out a huge groan. "You just scarred me for life, Nudge!"

Nudge looked confused. "I don't know what's wrong with it. I think it's a perfectly great–"

"I think I'm about to faint," mumbled Total.

Maximum, said the Voice. Hurry up.

"Fine, Total, you can come with us," I said, remembering Fang. "But let's just hurry up, all right?"

The Gasman and Nudge left, with Nudge chatting incessantly about the pertness of Iggy's – ahem – and the Gasman covering his ears and bellowing the Postman Pat theme song at the top of his voice. Total, still in my arms, was also belting out the same tune, but with different lyrics.

"Maximum Ride, Maximum Ride, Maximum Ride and her awesome black dog," he sang. "Early in the morning, Off to kill Erasers, She punches all the living daylights out of them…"

I zoned out. Total's voice was worse than the Gasman's, and that was saying something.

"Total, shut up," said Anastasia, at which Total burst out that he was majorly offended and she had no right to shut him up, it was a free world. "I'M TRYING TO GET TO FANG!"

At that, he shut up.

So much for a free world.

Anastasia POV

I listened harder than I had ever listened before, casting my mind even further than I ever had before, testing its limits. I lost all awareness of Total and Max beside me, focusing only on Fang's mind. I had only tasted it once or twice before, when I was living with the flock for that ridiculously short amount of time, before I – er – betrayed them, but the feel of his mind stayed etched in mine, since it was so different from most. Where most minds were near to constantly thinking, his was silent, only occasionally thinking of Max and food or whatever.

That's what made him easy to find. It was also what made him extremely difficult to find.

On the plus side, if I found his mind, I would instantly know it was him. On the negative, staying silent for long periods of time would mean that I could easily skip over him, miss his mind.

But I did it. It took me nearly half an hour, much longer than it had ever taken me to find someone, but I found him.

Where the hell am I? Open your eyes, Fang. Shit. Why can't I do it? I wonder how much time has passed. Probably hours, maybe days. Is Max okay? Max. God, Max. I gotta move, I gotta find her.

Suddenly, I felt myself sucked back into reality as Total screamed (like a little girl) and Max let out a surprised yell. Around a metre away from us, Fang appeared out of nowhere, his eyes opening slowly.

"Hey, guys," he said. "Max. I was just going to find you."

She dropped Total, who quickly opened his wings, then let out a string of grumbles, and ran to him, before kissing him hard on the mouth.

It was obvious what had happened. What with his ability to fade into the background when he stayed still, he had become invisible when he became unconscious and stopped moving. Now, after moving his eyes, he was visible again.

I just found it a little annoying that I spent so much time looking for him when he was so close to me.

Just a little.

But Max looked happy, Total looked happy and Fang looked… content, so I just smiled and looked happy myself. Then I thought of the Gasman, and sent him the message.

Come back. Right now. We gottem. Everyone's here. Now let's go kill the evil dragon lady.

He came straight back with, Sure thang, lil' sis. Let's go kill that ball of poop that came out of Iggy's ass. Sorry. Nudge's been telling me about it for pretty much thirty minutes. It's the kind of thing that just – unfortunately – sticks in your mind.

I winced. Thanks, Gaz.

Hey, he thought. It's what big brothers are for.


YAY! The flock are nearly back together! Thoughts?