I own it not.

Fang was in front this time with the hawks following close behind. I was slightly to one side with Nudge and Angel. I was feeling pretty good about this plan. We'd just have to wait until nightfall and then…

The School was in sight. The School was right there! And guess who was in front of the School?

Well, three guards with rifles, but they didn't see us. But guess who was in the back?

Yeah, you guessed it. Iggy, Gassy, secured to the ground by chains, and Jeb, and Ari. Whoopie.

I circled around to front, signaling with my wing to go higher, above the clouds. Once we got there, I confess, I peeked out. And nearly cried.

Erasers were coming towards Iggy and the Gasman. For once, I cursed my far sight. I saw everything clearly. Iggy was slightly in front, pushing Gazzy behind him. I could pretend I heard the Gasman's voice, whispering the numbers to Iggy. I could pretend I saw Iggy's face screwed up in concentration, trying to pick up every sound. Trying to find an escape route with only his ears.

My boys were so brave.

"We attack now!" I said loudly, dropping from the clouds and out of sight, hearing my flock coming down behind me. The Erasers were getting closer. One of them took a swipe at Iggy, and I saw him pull away with flesh caught in his mouth. My rage drove me forward even faster. I cut through the air like a bullet.

The Erasers didn't know what hit them. I stomped on the chains that held my friends to the ground.

"Max!" Gazzy ran over to me. I wondered vaguely why he didn't fly, but that was the least of my worries. Behind him trotted two Erasers. Three of the beasts pulled me out of the air. Time to fight.

Secretly, I was glad to fight. It was good anger management. Next to me, Fang was directing the hawks to scratch out the Erasers eyes, still holding onto a distinctly uncomfortable-looking Total. He was holding onto Total and fighting Ari at the same time, not an easy thing to do. Not to self: Help Fang as soon as possible.

Nudge and Angel were fighting back to back against four or five Erasers, but they were doing pretty good.

The one who was worse off was definitely Iggy. Poor Iggy was getting clobbered by the new silent Erasers. He wasn't out of the fight yet, but he would be soon. I broke away from one of the Erasers and shouted "Up and Away!"

Everybody left the ground immediately- hawks, Erasers, bird kids. Basically everybody but Jeb. I wasn't scared, we could lose the Erasers easily. Except that Gassy was dragging behind, with one of his wings not working to good.

I barely had time to realize this before Iggy grabbed on to Gazzy, pulling his higher and whispering something in his ear that made my little guy smile. Then Iggy shouted up to me, "Bomb, Max!"

I was confused, until I remembered the bomb I'd taken from Iggy just two days ago. I dropped it towards the School. At least a small section of the building erupted in flames. Yes!

No!

Iggy was being pulled down by Erasers. Before he lost his wings completely, he tossed Gazzy up, out of harm's way. Then one of those monsters bit his wing, and he started falling towards the fire.

My nightmare of a vision was coming true.

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