A/N: Okay I'm posting this super fast right now... cause I have to leave for dance like in 2 min.

Random Fact: I'm 5' 7"

Hope you enjoy this nice LONG chapter :)

~Harmony

REVIEW!

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Chapter 17:

Okay, think Max.

I looked around the room. The room was just beginning to light up with the first rays of the sun. The light was shining on the last memento I had of the flock. Iggy's handkerchief.

Of course! There has to be a clue on it.

I slowly moved Phoenix's head off of my chest and gently lay her down on the bed. I put pillows all around her so she didn't roll off. I silently sprinted to the cloth.

Hmm. What's this?

I assumed Jeb stained the 'J' on the cloth but maybe Iggy did as a clue of where to find them. When we were living in the L-shaped house, Iggy was obsessed with scavenger hunts. He would always put clues in the strangest places.

Of course… Iggy's smart!

The school had a tendency to put less security on Iggy because they underestimated his capabilities because he was blind. They did it all the time. I had a cage with a secure lock. He had a slightly less secure one. Whenever they captured us, they tied us with wire. They tied him with plastic. The only reason he never busted out was because he could never leave us. I looked back at the cloth. I flipped it over.

There was a small black arrow.

"Ah your first clue!"

Oh. You're back. Can't believe I'm saying this but I actually need you.

"I feel so loved."

Yeah yeah… so what am I supposed to do with this arrow? From where am I supposed to start?

"I suggest going to the scene of the crime... Duh." I could almost hear the Voice scoff.

I need to find my Flock. Don't sass me.

I started to fill my backpack with food and supplies that I stole from another room. They'll never know anyway. I grabbed Phoenix and strapped her to my chest. I pulled out a wad of cash and slapped it on the check out desk as I was running out.

"Good luck with the baby!" The clerk shouted after me.

"Thanks!" I sprinted out the door. "God knows I'll need it..." I murmured under my breath.

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I arrived at the restaurant where they went missing and sat where Iggy was sitting when I left. I opened the cloth and displayed it on the table. I moved the cloth so the 'J' was up right. The arrow was pointing to the left. I followed the line of sight and looked to the left.

A waitress's butt? Ugh! Come on... move, move, move!

A newsstand. The arrow was pointing to a newsstand. I practically jumped over the table and grabbed the newspaper.

Crap! It's today's date.

"Excuse me, do you think you have yesterday's newspaper?" I smiled sweetly at the waitress.

She looked at the baby on my chest and raised her eyebrows.

"We don't keep old newspapers honey, I'm sorry." She tucked the pen behind her ears. "But I think there might still be some in the dumpster out back."

"Thank you!" I ran past her to the dumpster. I reached in and pulled out some papers.

Bills, bills, and ew… a wet bill! Finally! A newspaper! What am I supposed to be looking for? Voice?

"Why don't you use your brain for once?"

You're in my brain! I shook my head. The voice was useless.

The front page said something about a play in dedication to Thomas Jefferson… the second page had something about Steve Harvey announcing a wrong winner… wait a second… Jefferson?

There was a city close by… Jeffersonville! Yes!

Just then, Phoenix started to move and soon she opened her eyes. Then, all of a sudden, she started wailing.

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Finally, Phoenix had started to slow her breathing down and stop crying. I gave her a couple glasses of milk and now she was hiccupping quietly. Her ice blue eyes were peering out at the clouds below. I was on my way to Jeffersonville.

I began to descend.

Flock, I'm coming for you! Angel can you hear me?

'Yes.'

I gasped and almost forgot to flap my wings for a second.

Angel! Where are you guys? Tell me where you are.

'I don't know Max… but I'm really scared.'

Okay that's okay Angel. What do you hear?

'I hear a lot of people. It's not a lab though. It's pitch dark and I'm inside some sort of box. I can't move and…and…'

Angel it's okay! Don't cry okay? I'm going to find you... don't worry!

'Max, I don't know where anyone else is.'

Angel, calm down. I'm going to find you and the rest of the flock okay? Don't worry. Can you hear me?

I didn't hear anything from Angel.

Angel? Angel?

Crap. I had to find them now. I put my hands around Phoenix's head to protect her from the wind and used my super speed to jet it all the way to Jeffersonville.

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Okay… where could they be? I looked around the area. I was in an outdoor mall type area. There was a festival going on and it was super crowded. Jeffersonville was probably the smallest town I've ever been in. I could walk around circumference in about 30 min. Apparently, a lot of festivals and concerts come out here because it's such an open space… plus it's cheap. Luckily, that narrows down my search a little.

I kept my eyes peeled for any dark, closed in spots where Angel could be.

Angel can you here me? I'm here.

'Max I'm going to die.'

Don't say that. I'm here. I just need to find you. I looked around.

'They're going to kill me. There's a saw!'

A saw! There was a poster for a magic show at 3 pm. I spotted a watch on someone. 2:50 pm… that's where Angel is.

I bobbed and weaved through the crowd of people looking for the magic show. Ah ha!

I slipped through the curtain and gasped. Jeb.

"Why hello Max." He stepped closer to me. "I'd thought you'd get here quicker."

I sneered at him. "If Angel is that box, I swear to god I will rip you apart."

"Why that's no way to talk to someone who took care of you for so long!" He smiled at me.

"Give me my Flock back." I grabbed an iron rod that was near me and threw it at him. "NOW."

Jeb jumped to the left. "My, my, you have certainly gotten weaker. I guess pregnancy can do that to you."

I gritted my teeth. How dare he.

Angel, are you in there?

'Yes.'

I took a breath in and stepped forward. "Jeb, give me my flock back. You can take me but not my Flock"

"Oh I'm sorry Max… but it's not you we want." He eyed Phoenix. "We want her."

"Well, you'll never get her."

"We'll see about that." He mentioned for the erasers behind him to come charging at me.

I kicked one eraser in the chest and did a roundhouse kick in the face of the other one. I covered Phoenix's face with one hand and punched the erasers with the other.

Come on Phoenix. Work your magic!

Phoenix giggled, thinking this was some sort of game. She looked at the erasers and put her arms out. Then suddenly, I had an idea.

"Okay, okay! I quit!" I looked at Jeb. "You can have her… but I'm coming too."

'Max! What are you doing?' I ignored Angel.

"I knew you come around." He mentioned for the erasers to stop fighting. "Hand over the baby."

I pretended to cry and hug Phoenix. "Here" I slowly reached out with Phoenix in my hands. "Promise me she'll be safe?"

"Don't worry, we'll take care of her just fine." Jeb flashed a toothy smile at me. "Glad to know you're cooperating with me. I knew you had a good heart."

Come on Phoenix… I looked at Phoenix straight in the eyes. Her eyes were slowly turning to pink… then red. She looked at Jeb and giggled. I handed Phoenix to Jeb. The moment she touched Jeb, he erupted into flames… and Phoenix was in the center of the fire.

"Phoenix!" I lunged to grab her but then I realized she wasn't getting burned. I walked towards the fire, mesmerized by it. I reached out to the fire to Phoenix and immediately, the fire died down.

"You… you did this!" Jeb pointed a burnt finger at me.

"You clearly don't know me very well if you think I cry." I held Phoenix on my hip as tight as I could.

Jeb gasped for air. He was lying on the ground. There were burn marks all over him and his entire skin was brown. The erasers looked terrified of Phoenix. They grabbed Jeb and ran away.

I ran to the black box and undid the lock. Angel!

"Oh Angel…angel!" I broke the handcuffs and helped her get out.

"You came for me!" She hugged me.

"Of course I came for you!" I hugged her back. "I missed you so much… Jeb is definitely hurt but he won't back down. We need to find another way to-"

"Max. Listen to me. The others are in danger. I heard Nudge's thoughts. They weren't clear but I think I know where they are."

"Lead the way." I followed Angel as she navigated artfully through the crowd. It was becoming dark and a little hard to see with all the neon lights. We pushed past a family and she ran to the food court and stopped. She rubbed her temples. She kept running straight when she abruptly stopped.

"There!" I looked at a secluded table near a tent. The entire flock was at the table.

"Oh my gosh! Guys! What happened?" I ran to them and was about to hug them when I noticed the atmosphere had changed. Gazzy and Iggy were sitting on one bench and Fang and Gazzy on the other. They all had their hands under their legs and we're sitting up straight. Nudge and Gazzy had tears running down her face and their lips were pursed. Gazzy noticed me and opened his eyes wide. Everyone was very stiff and wasn't moving an inch Gazzy looked at me and shook his head ever so slightly.

That's when I noticed the red lights under the table. Motion detector bombs.

I gathered up all my courage and tried to put on a brave face. "Angel. Ask Gazzy and Iggy."

She furrowed her brow and I could see sweat breaking on her forehead. Her eyes started to well up with tears and she looked at me.

"They can't." Tears started rolling down her face. "They can't disarm the bomb without killing everyone."

I took a shaky breath in. I looked at Fang and could almost see his eyes getting wet. I think the tiny morsel of hope that I had just shattered into a million tiny pieces.

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Hope I didn't disappoint with the plot!

~Harmony

REVIEW :)