(A/N: Hey, here's chapter Seven... Am I the only one thinking this story sucks? Sorry, I didn't say that... Did I ever mention blackmail sucks? It's an insider's tihng, but it's the whole reason for this story... People, I'm repeating myself, GIVE ME IDEAS! And please review... Reviews are good. They make me feel all bubbly inside... Maybe I'll just stop writing this thing and end it with this chapter. I'm mean, people have told me that. So if the review counter get up to at least 20, then I'll review again. I feel like I'm writing for nothing... an no one. That's not cool.)
Disclaimer: Angel is here to read the disclaimer for me.
Angel: I can't read...
Me: Oh, well then... Iggy, come here.
Iggy: Where am I? It's quiet, I like it here... Where am I?
Me: Iggy, do the disclaimer for me. Please.
Iggy: What's a disclaimer?
Me: It says I don't own you guys, that James Patterson does. and that U2 owns the song called "Bad." Oh crap, you caught me.
Iggy: Fang warned me about you.
Did I say we were too comfortable for my liking? We were. I woke up bound and gagged once again. The whole Flock was tied up and we were sitting around the fire. How did they get us without anyone waking up? I didn't get this one bit.
I tried to get myself out of the ropes, but they were tied so tightly that whenever I moved, they cut into my skin and made it bleed.
I caught Angel's sad eyes and motioned to the sky. She looked up and caught it too, a shooting star. Her eyes seemed to dance when she saw it. Make a wish, I thought, and by her expression, I knew she had. Fang noticed too. That's when Ari kicked me in the side; his black boot connecting right where my ribcage ended. I fell over in pain, tear actually coming to my eyes, but I didn't let them spill over. If it is possible for someone to lunge while tied up so tight they can't move; Fang did it then. Ari grinned and kicked me again, only this time in the back.
"Your little leader has two options," Ari announced. I saw Erasers standing by; all of them had morphed and were literally drooling at the feast before them. "She either comes with me, or you all can go back to the School." He leaned over and pulled me up to a sitting position, removing my gag. Quickly, I spat in his face. He made a wild cry and hit me again.
"Rot in hell Ari," I hissed.
"To the School it is. We're all going home for a little family reunion then," he said grinning evilly.
If you twist and turn away
if you tear yourself in two again
if I could, yes I would
if I could, I would
let it go
Surrender
Dislocate
The ride to the School was so long, even in the stupid helicopter. The whole ride there, I avoid eye contact with everyone, feeling like an imbecile. Right then I wanted to die. I'd rather go with Ari than have the whole Flock set back to the School.
At least if Ari had me, they could try and save me. But this way we were… Now we were all doomed to whatever the School had in mind. I was thinking torture, tests, and a little lesson called "Saving the World 101." Oh, and a big family reunion with Jeb.
If I could throw this
Lifeless lifeline to the wind
Leave this heart of clay
See you walk, walk away
into the night
and through the rain
into the half-light
and through the flame
I finally gave up with the sulking and resorted with trying to get us out of here. That would prove to be a definite challenge; Erasers were practically surrounding the insides of the helicopter. I began scooting over cross the ground, and seeing they didn't lunge at me or anything, I figure it was okay. I ended up next to Fang and buried my face in his shoulder, crying silently.
If I could through myself
set your spirit free
I'd lead your heart away
see you break, break away
into the light
and to the day
I felt the helicopter start to descend and sat up straight. Ari appeared and smiled evilly. In his hand was a needle; in fact, there were five other Erasers holding needles. I tensed up, needles always freaked us all out; this was definitely not the exception.
"Don't worry birdie freaks, this won't hurt a bit," he said stepping towards us. I could move much, just squirm, but it didn't do anything. As soon as the needle was in my arm muscle, I felt everything go fuzzy. And then it all faded to black.
To let it go
And so to fade away
to let it go
And so fade away
I woke up to bright fluorescent lights and that smell; the chemically smell. We were home. Immediately all my nerves tensed up, and I felt sick; what a wake-up call. We were no longer tied up, but had been thrown into dog crates once again. The place was quiet, except for the occasional sniffle from some cages and the scrapping of experiments moving around. Directly across from me was Fang, he'd been awake long before me. To my right was Iggy, across from him was Angel; to my left was a shaky looking Nudge, across from her was Gazzy. All of them were pale and motionless most of the time; it was so quiet in here.
I'm wide awake
I'm wide awake
Wide awake
I'm not sleeping
Oh, no, no, no
Then Jeb came in. I felt my skin crawl when I saw him wearing the white lab coat; his true colors showing. He stopped in front of my cage looking tired and worn, like he'd been having a rough time.
"Hello Maximum," he said softly. I didn't say anything to him, just stared into his red eyes. He looked overworked. "Come with me please." He unlatched the door and helped pull me out. My muscles groaned in protest from not moving in so long. He walked down the hall slowly and I followed like he expected me to. We entered a small, empty room; the same one where he'd told me I'd save the world.
"I'm disappointed in you Max," he said sitting down and rubbing his temples. "I'm very disappointed in you."
"Why now?" I asked lazily. I didn't feel up to listening to all my failures.
If you should ask then maybe they'd
Tell you what I would say
True colors fly in blue and black
Bruised silken sky and burning flag
Colors crash, collide in blood shot eyes
"You're ignoring the rest of the world. We were going to let you do this your way, but now… We may need to guide you a little better." He looked angry.
"No," I said defiantly. "I want to do this myself. If I needed help, I'd ask. The rest of the Flock is my help; we don't need you or your stupid goons. To us, ITEX isn't a big threat."
"I thought I taught you better," Jeb said softly, holding his head in his hands. "Maximum, you can't underestimate your enemies like this. See what I mean? You need better guidance. If I had the power, I'd let you do this on your own; but 'the guys upstairs,' so to speak, won't let me do that."
If I could, you know I would
if I could, I would
let it go…
"Then let my Flock go and keep me here. I don't care about me. Just let them go; they deserve to be free." For the first time since I'd seen him today, Jeb smiled.
"That is just the response I wanted to hear Max. Well done." He stood and held the door open for me.
This desperation
Dislocation
Separation
Condemnation
Revelation
In temptation
Isolation
Desolation
let it go
I'm not sure what happened, but suddenly the Flock and I were led to this large door.
"Save the world Max," Jeb said and let us go outside. And we ran… I wasn't sure whether this was some sort of cruel joke or not, so we took off and didn't stop flying until Angel, Nudge, and Gazzy admitted to being drop-dead tired. We landed and quickly set up our camp. I fell asleep quickly; my nerves had tired me out.
I woke up when Fang lovingly kicked me in the shins.
"What the heck is your problem?" I asked rubbing my shin.
"You sleep like a rock!" he said almost smiling. "What did Jeb say before?"
"That I wasn't doing my job right! He said that I needed to learn how to save a world properly because I was going about it wrong. It's not like I've saved a world before! How the heck would I know what to do in a situation like this!"
And so fade away
to let it go
and so fade away
to let it go
and so to fade away
The two of us talked about what Jeb had said, and analyzed every single world he said. We had to figure out why they took us back to the School just to say I wasn't saving the world right. In the end, it still didn't make any sense.
We stayed up until dawn talking about saving the world, and even about my Voice, but stopped when Angel woke up. I decided now we'd go save the world. There'd be no more stalling, it was now or never…
I preferred never but I have no say in this whole thing…
I'm wide awake
I'm wide awake
Wide awake
I'm not sleeping
Oh, no, no, no
(A/N: This is actually Angel, not The Original VC, and I've got a message for you... REVIEW! I'm telling you in your mind now to review... That little nagging voice telling you to hit the "Review" button is me. And I won't let you go until you review! So review!)
