I know I haven't posted as often lately, and I apologize. I've been extremely busy with getting stuff ready for school, which reminds me... When i start school back up in a week, updating will be even harder to get done with my schedule, so just hang tight! I'll do the best I can, and I won't just go and quit on you, so don't worry. ANYWAY, enough rambling, lol Chapter 24, R&R and enjoy!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

24

I didn't have time to think. In a flash, Roland was in front of me, and his hand had curled into a fist. As he swung for my face, I caught his hand, only to have him punch me in the stomach with his other hand. Breath blasted from my mouth and I thought I coughed up some blood.

Now Roland brought his right arm above me and smashed his elbow into my back, slamming me onto the floor below, inches away from the headhunter's body. I pathetically tried to crawl to my knees, but Roland was on top of me with his foot pressing down on my back, right where he had elbowed me.

"How does it feel to be the one on the bottom?" Roland laughed and leaned closer to me, pressing his foot down harder, sending waves of pain through my spine. "I told you I would create the perfect human. And I did." The madman grabbed my hair and yanked upwards, pulling my face off the floor. Blood was already drying from my nose and lip, which had split when I hit the floor. "Now I'll kill you and your pathetic flock, and then I'll be the only Type left!" Roland laughed maniacally and I thought of only one thing to say at that moment.

"Go to hell!" Pardon the language. As I said, it was the only thing on my mind.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fang sensed something was wrong. He didn't know if this was a power or not, but he knew something was wrong. One, because Max was gone, and two, because he could've sworn he heard gunshots a moment ago.

Iggy was the only other member of the flock awake right now, and Fang crawled over and sat down next to him. "We've gotta get out of here," Fang whispered, trying to keep from waking the younger kids.

"Did you hear the gun?" Iggy asked quietly, motioning towards where the sound had come from.

"Yeah, I heard it. We need to get to Max. I'm not sure, but I have this feeling something's wrong, and not just with Max. Something big is happening, and it could put us all in danger." Fang didn't quite know where that all came from, but he kept getting thoughts in his head that told him he had little time to spare. First to get out of this cage.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Roland was holding his gun to my head, and I could hear his breathing becoming shorter and his voice becoming more crazed. He was losing it, which meant he could kill me, right here, right now.

"You don't understand the grand scheme of things, dear Maximum," said Roland quietly, stroking my hair with his free hand. I could feel the sweat and grease coming off of his fingers and almost threw up. "Once you're dead, you'll have nothing left to worry about. You won't need to worry about the flock, or saving the world. Don't you see? Death is a permanent escape from everything!" Roland released the safety on the gun.

My heart began beating faster, and I tried moving away from Roland. But it was no use; the madman had me pinned down with his foot. Apparently, being a perfect human gave him just a tad more strength than me. I tried one last thing. "Roland, why are you doing this? This is crazy! Just stop now!"

Roland was silent as he pressed the gun harder into my temples. And precisely one minute later, the gun fired, sending a streak of blood onto the tiles of the dining room.