Disclaimer: I do not own Ari, Anne, Jeb, Nudge, Max, Fang, Iggy, Angel, Total, or Gazzy.
Note: The first few chapters ain't all that good, they get better, I promise, from chapter four on up! (save one certain chapter I despise) But please read on, review, chapters get better as they go!
Chapter One
What the heck is that thing?
The first thought of Nudge as she gazed into the black and white screen in the control room of Itex. Her fingers had paused on the keyboard, previously punching in codes and passwords as she had been searching through files. Then a video file came up, and now she was frozen, as she recognized the being through the screen and to see that it was stronger, larger, and sharper, than the others before it were. However, it made no movement except the gentle bounce as it lay in the green liquid. It was in a tank, enough to put the whole flock in and still have plenty of room. The being inside the tank was around seven feet tall and fit the tank with about a five-inch gap on each side. Its fur swayed in the water but was undoubtedly a dark gray color; its legs were bowed and were built for running and jumping great lengths. It was thin, yes, but was definitely strong even though its lanky arms did not show it; there was something other than bone, muscle. Its black claws reflected the light that shone through the liquid and its jaw was partly open, revealing teeth, sharp teeth, teeth made to tear into the flesh of the flock.
"Nudge…?" Nudge jumped at the familiar voice. The eleven-year-old turned her head to the side to see Max, the caring leader.
Max had been peering over Nudge's shoulder since she had stopped typing and had yet to see the new and improved Eraser.
"What is it?" She asked, glancing at the screen, and then made a double take at the screen before staring at it, her eyes wide. The Gasman came up behind her and ducked under her arm to stand next to Nudge "C'mon" he said, turning to the screen with both his hands on Nudge's shoulder causing her to turn with him.
"The bomb won't-" he broke off when he saw the Eraser in the tank. Angel was standing on the table behind the computer with Fang off to the side who gave a dark look in the flock's direction. He rolled his eyes before pushing off from the wall to see what was taking so long. When he saw the Eraser he gave no notion of terror or curiosity, expect him to bottle up his fright if he had any at all.
The room had gone completely silent; ten eyes were on the screen, watching the enhanced Eraser bob up and down in the greenish liquid. Gazzy was muttering words to Iggy that explained what was on the screen but his words, and the flock's staring trance, was broken by the sound of an alarm. The lights faded and a single red light flashed as it twirled above the door. Frantic footsteps were heard outside the door, none of which were heading towards the door to the control room, but past it. As the alarm droned on, the footsteps faded and stomps were heard as people, whitecoats and Erasers' alike were heading down stairs. Angel opened the door slightly, to peer outside. She opened it more to stick her head through and to look up and down the hall. She ducked back into the room to the expecting flock.
"Clear!" she shouted above the alarm.
"Move out!" Max shouted, the flock obeyed. They all rushed out of the room, towards the luminous exit sign, but once they reached the stairwell, Max headed upwards. At first Nudge, Gazzy, and Iggy hesitated, Fang and Angel simply followed Max, as so did the rest of them once they figured that following would be the best thing to do.
The six of them broke out through the door to see that they were on the roof.
"Ready?" Max asked, slamming the door behind her. The flock nodded, before spreading their wings and jumping in the air. Nudge gave a hard push with her wings to become airborne, and continued to push to gain altitude, as so did the others. The flight after take off was easy, till Gazzy's voice erupted in the air, "We're not alone!"