(Max's POV)
"It is unlawful to climb trees in Central Park," boomed a tinny but very loud voice.
My eyes popped open and instantly met Fang's dark ones. We looked down.
A black-and-white was parked below, its lights flashing. Like in New York they didn't have any more important crimes to work on than a bunch of kids sleeping in a tree.
"How did they even know we were up here?" the Gasman muttered. "Who looks up into a tree?"
A uniformed cop was talking to us through a PA system. "It is unlawful to climb trees in Central Park," she repeated. "Please come down at once."
I groaned. Now we had to shimmy clumsily down instead of just jumping and landing like the amazing super-duper mutants we were.
"Okay, guys," I said. "Get down; try to look normal. When we're on the ground, we'll make a run for it. If we get separated, connect up at, like, Fifty-fourth Street and Fifth Avenue. Comprende?"
They nodded. Fang went down first, and Iggy followed him, carefully feeling his way. Man, for big adolescent kids, they were some awesome, squirrelly climbers.
Angel went next, then Nudge, then Gazzy, then Cookie who almost fell a few times, and I went last.
"There are signs posted everywhere clearly stating that climbing trees is forbidden," one cop began pompously. We started to back away slowly, trying to look as if we weren't really moving.
"Are you runaways?" asked the female cop. "We'll take you somewhere. You can make phone calls, call your folks."
Uh, officer, there's a little problem with that…
Another cruiser pulled up, and two more police people got out. Then a walkie-talkie buzzed, and the first cop pulled it out to answer it.
"Now!" I whispered, and the six of us scattered, tearing away from them as fast as we could.
"Celeste!" I heard Angel cry, and I whirled to see her turning back to pick up her little bear. Two cops were racing toward it.
"No!" I yelled, grabbing her hand and pulling her with me. She almost fought me, planting her feet and trying to unbend my fingers from around her wrist. I swung her up into my arms and took off, tossing her to Fang when I reached him.
With a fast glance back, I saw that the female cop had picked up the bear and was staring after us. Behind her, the others were jumping into their cruisers. Just as I sped around a corner, I saw a tall cop sliding into his car. I blinked hard, twice, and my heart seemed to freeze. It was Jeb. Or was it? I shook my head and ran on, catching up to the others.
"Celeste!" Angel cried, reaching back over Fang's shoulder. "Celeste!" She sounded heartbroken, and it killed me to make her leave her toy behind. But if I had to choose between Angel and Celeste, it was going to be Angel every time. Even if she hated me for it.
"I'll get you another one!" I promised rashly, my legs pumping as I kept up with Fang.
"I don't want another one!" she wailed, putting her arms around Fang's neck and starting to cry.
"Have we lost 'em?" the Gasman called back over his shoulder.
I looked back. Two police cars with lights and sirens were weaving through the heavy traffic toward us.
"No!" I put my head down and ran faster.
Cookie fell off of Fang's back, but I caught her just before she hit the ground.
Sometimes it felt as if we would never be free, be safe. Never, ever, as long as we lived. Which might not be that much longer, anyway.