I know everyone's gonna try and kill me, but I have another short chapter for ya, lol Sorry, don't strangle me! Anyway, here's chapter 21, R&R and enjoy!

FYI: I just re-read the 1st and 2nd books of Max Ride and realized something, i've been spelling it "ter Bocht." Woops! lol Anyway i'll get that changed in the future, and to those who noticed, good job, cos i didn't! lol

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21

It must have been a whole day later when Roland finally spoke to me again. He had yet to reveal himself to the rest of the flock, and we had slept most of the day in our cage anyway. When we were awake we just sat there, not even bothering to speak with each other. I had already explained to the flock long ago about Ella and her mom, and they understood enough of what I had been speaking with Roland about the day before to know the trouble I was having. It was too much to bear right now, so I slept the day away.

Good morning, dear Maximum. Are you awake?

I almost cursed out loud, but left it to myself instead. I wanted to say it to his face sometime soon.

Some of my Erasers will be by your 'house' to escort you soon. You'll be meeting me in the dining room.

"Whatever, crazy." I grinned, thinking of how annoyed he must be with me at this point. Unfortunately he wasn't.

I'm not the crazy one, Max. I've already told you, it's that sick wife of mine. Well, ex-wife.

I still couldn't believe that Dr. Martinez was the "sick and twisted" wife he claimed she was. But something in me was still curious. I mean, it DID make a bit of sense if he wasn't lying. Dr. Martinez doesn't have a husband anymore, and Roland didn't have a wife anymore. But that was just one thing. Not even important. Right?

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"He told us Max would be there, so we better hurry," Anne said to William Pruitt, knowing it would motivate him to move faster. "The train only goes so fast, and Roland wants us back at the School in twenty minutes."

"I know, I know!" Pruitt yelled, typing in a combination of buttons on the keypad of the train's console. "It's the ice of December, it's frozen the tracks up being this far underground. That's what Roland gets for trying to stay secretive."

"But he has arrangements with the president, right?" Anne knew the president himself approved Roland's secret tunnels under the States not too long ago. For a fee, of course.

"He does, but it'll only be so long before that idiot gives in and tells someone or falls out of office. We've got to be finished with everything before he gets replaced or we'll all be in jeopardy!" Pruitt flicked a few switches on the train's navigation system now. In a matter of seconds, he and Anne were flying under the United States at three hundred miles an hour. But they didn't feel a thing.

Funny thing about flying fast, thought Anne. You always get where you need to go right on time. And if everything goes as it should, as Roland told us, " today's the day."