Disclaimer: Once again, I do not own the rights to this book.

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Chapter 6

Back at the lake house the family was sitting down for dinner. Family at this time meant Frannie, Kit, Wendy and Peter. Max and Matt still hadn't returned yet. As a matter of fact they were just entering the clearing before the house. Matt and his sister had talked, a lot. They talked about things Max used to only be able to tell Oz. Matthew was glad, he thought a rift had come between them recently.

They came into the house, clothes torn and mud caked. Frannie was the first to reach and embrace them as if she hadn't seen either Max or Matt in years. Kit, however, was the first to ask about Icarus. Matt told most of the story while Max held his hand, intent on concentrating solely on the wooden floor and the rug she was ruining with her muddy shoes.

Kit brought Matt, Peter and Wendy upstairs while Frannie took Max into the living room.

"I just want to know what you were thinking; we've never had this problem before. And you've always been the best." Max was forced to break the concentration she had on her shoes. "You do realize that Icarus is your responsibility." Max still had nothing to say but large tears welled up in her eyes.

Frannie tried to sit next to Max and offer some form of comfort but Max wouldn't have it.

"I know alright! I know it's my fault. I let you down, let Ic down, and Matt and Kit and everyone!" Max flew up to her room where she stormed out into the night sky despite Frannie's protests. The three other children soon followed, Kit tailing helplessly behind.

Max sat on top of the house sobbing and didn't notice the others until they were right next to her.

"Nothing's going to happen to you, is it Max?" Peter asked.

"Ic's still alive, I know it!" Wendy chimed in.

"We all love you Max. We'll always be together and we'll get Icarus back together." Matt and she understood each other better now and he knew exactly what to say to make her feel better.

In the darkness Wendy saw him first. Daedalus had come back. "It's the man from before!" She shouted out.

"Wendy's right, it is that man who took Ic, but how does she know that, she's never seen him before." Matt said

"This is the man that took Icarus?" Wendy asked with a puzzled look.

Matt took Wendy and looked straight into her eyes "Where did you see this man before, this is very important Wendy."

"From before, well, you know, when Oz died." Wendy said this as if it were the most obvious thing.

"I do not mean you harm." This man with the large leather wings was faster than he looked. "Icarus is not dead, I would not kill family. My name is Daedalus." Daedalus spoke clearly, slowly and in short sentences on purpose to help them understand.

Matt and Max had gotten in front of the smaller children ready to defend. They were in their element in the air so they felt confident; but so, Max thought, was he apparently.

"Family, did you say family? We're the only family he wants or needs right now you freak!" Max was angry now.

"I should think you would treat me with a little more respect than that, Maximum. I remember when you were only a baby, you used to be so independent and I guess you still are. You were only three when I left, don't you remember me?" Daedalus was really pushing Max's buttons now. "Of course you don't. Harold probably made sure you didn't. I never got to see these two little ones born though. Hello there." The last comment was directed at Peter and Wendy.

"Children go back to the house...NOW!" Max had never yelled at the young ones and hoped she didn't have to again.

Matt and she had decided that they couldn't run so they would defend Frannie and Kit and Peter and Wendy. Daedalus repeated over and over that he did not want a fight but changed his mind when the siblings rushed him.

Daedalus was fast, in every meaning of the term. He used his giant wings to confuse them and his long limbs to keep them from striking a blow. Daedalus was in total control of the fight and it was evident that he could have killed them many times by now if he so wished.

Daedalus slowly led the fight back to the ground and when they were about five feet off he took one arm from each of them and flung them to the ground. Kit came running out yelling and brandishing a large stick. Daedalus took away the stick and sat him down forcefully with minimal exertion from himself.

"I don't want to fight but I will if I have to, I believe I am quite adept." Matt and Max realized they had lost and lay on the ground fuming. "You will all follow me now; I will take you to your friend. It is quite far so come prepared. I will take you along the road so you can take a car. I will be waiting here."

Back in the house Kit was set against not going. "We cannot trust him, he almost killed you two."

"But he barely laid a bruise, we hurt him much worse. I think he did that on purpose." Matt argued and Max agreed.

"Wendy, what did you say about seeing this man before?" Max was curious about this man who seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

"He was at the place when, you know..." Wendy looked up to Max as if for permission.

"It's alright Wendy" Max assured her

"The place where Oz died" Despite Max's assurance this still got a grimace from everyone. "He was

hanging from a tree a little ways into the woods."

"But how did you know it was him?" Frannie asked

"His wings, he stretched out his wings in the forest, they were the same big leather wings." Wendy explained

"Was he following us? See what I mean, I don't know if we can trust this 'Daedalus'." Kit was still very skeptical.

"He told me about my childhood, told me he knew me before, knew doctor Hauer." Max had a feeling he wasn't lying. "Anyways he has Icarus, and he could attack at any time. We should go...for Icarus."

Everyone except Kit agreed that this was in Ic's best interest. So they left, Peter and Wendy went with Frannie and Kit in their SUV while Max and Matt flew above them. When they first came out of the house they found Daedalus sitting cross-legged in the grass, nursing a large gash on his forearm, courtesy of Max.

"Sorry about that, does it hurt?" Max apologized.

"I think I'll live." Daedalus smiled up at Max. "All Ready? Good" He asked while they all nodded their heads in agreement.

While flying a few minutes later Matt asked Max if she thought they should really trust Daedalus.

"I don't know" is all she had to say.