A/N: I really wanted to update on the thirteenth (I started it then!), but my readers, it wasn't meant to be. So here I am, typing this during English on Monday. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HELPING ME TO TWO HUNDRED!!!!

So, making the top five on my to-do list:

Figure out what's up with China

Find out what Fang's hiding

Come up with a plan to (somehow) stop Itex's plan

Find out if that man from the Carbon Causer institute knows who we are

Figure out this whole global warming thing

It's a lovely life.

I eyed Fang suspiciously, but I let the issue drop for now. I'd be keeping an eye on him. If he even blinks wrong, I'll know. He stared back at me, the image of calm. I rolled my eyes at him and turned to the rest of my flock.

"Okay," I said briskly, clapping my hands once. "Obviously, we can't stay in this city. We need to get as far away from here as we can, understand?" Nods from everyone. "So we're not going back to the U.S, either."

"Bummer," said Gazzy, scuffing a toe on the ground.

"Sorry, bud," I told him, and I really, really was. "But that's the way it is." He sighed regretfully, but didn't complain. That's my trooper, I thought.

I checked to make sure our area was deserted before shaking out my wings. I rolled my shoulders to lessen the tension in them. Angel followed suit; her pure white wings caught the sunlight and looked exactly like Celeste's. She looked at me with so much trust it nearly made me nervous. She'd follow me to the end of the world. Fang would be the only one to challenge me if I made a bad decision, and maybe Iggy.

I glanced at Fang, and he nodded once, as if to say, 'Let's go, already!' "Alright, guys," I sighed, "up and away." I ran down the alleyway and took off, snapping out my wings quickly. Today, flying did nothing to help my mood. It reminded me that we could never stay in one place.

I accelerated as fast as I could above the clouds before any random people could see me. Nudge followed me closely, in front of Fang. "So where are we going, Max?" Nudge asked.

"We're leaving yet another country," I said, "since we could be found out or tracked or something. Anywhere that we haven't been is fine with me."

"Can we go back to France?" asked Total from Iggy's arms. "We barely saw anything."

"We've already been there," I said patiently. "And we went up in the Eiffel Tower, for Pete's sake."

"That's not the only interesting thing in France, you know!" he said indignantly. "Do you understand French culture at all?"

"Do you understand no schooling for fourteen years?" I replied sarcastically. "Honestly, Total."

"Do we have to decide today?" Fang asked. "Couldn't we hide somewhere in Canada until we figure out where to go?"

I frowned. I wasn't sure that I liked that idea. My wing brushed his on the down stroke, and it made it harder to concentrate. "They know that we've been here, though."

"But they'll expect us to leave," he pressed. "They won't think that we'd be dumb enough to stay here."

"You said it yourself! It's dumb," I countered.

"Just trust me on this, okay?" he said. I could tell that he really meant it. Against my (ahem) superior instincts, I relented. You know, I'm just selfless.

"Fine," I grumbled. "But you better prove me wrong. Make it up to me somehow."

He smiled slowly. "I will. Don't worry."

Surprisingly, my stomach swooped in anticipation.

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"Island ahoy!" Gazzy yelled. He sounded exactly like a pirate. "Permission to camp, cap'n?"

I grinned at him and played along. "Aye, sailor. Drop anchor!"

"Aye, cap'n!" Gazzy flipped head over heels and zoomed downward. He passed Iggy, who had been flying slightly beneath him, tapped his shoulder, and cried, "Race you down! You're gonna lose!"

"You got a head start!" Iggy yelled back, following the sound of the Gasman's cackles.

"Hey! I'm still here," shouted Total. I could see his panicked head poking out from Iggy's backpack as they dove down, and couldn't hold back my laughter.

The rest of us descended like we actually had some sense. By the time we landed, Iggy and Gazzy were mock sword fighting on the beach with long branches. Iggy could hear the swish of the stick before it hit him and was able to block everything. Total raced around them, egging them on.

"Avast!" yelled Gazzy. "The enemy pirate may be a challenge!"

"May be?" asked Iggy in mock indignation, swooping in and knocking Gazzy on the ribs. "Try is a challenge! You're so dead!" I watched them, unable to wipe the smile off of my own face.

I touched down, still laughing. "Alright, guys, as much as I'm enjoying watching the two of you, keep it down, okay?"

"Gotcha," said Gazzy. "Silent as the grave."

"Not quite that quiet," I replied, rolling my eyes.

"So what's the plan?" asked Nudge immediately.

I glanced at Fang. "We'll stay here for a few days until we figure out a place to go, I guess. This was Wonder Boy's idea." Fang glared down at me, and I looked back innocently, saying, What? I didn't do anything wrong.

"I'll get firewood," said Angel, raising a small hand.

"I'll go with her," Gazzy volunteered immediately. I could tell he didn't want to leave his sister behind.

"Fang, Iggy, Nudge, scout the area, find out who's around," I ordered. "I'll go with Gazzy and Angel for firewood. Split up!" I would have gone to scout, but I hated leaving the two youngest ones by themselves. My paranoia kicked in. I glanced around us, taking in the forest of evergreens and the lake around us. If there was anyone here, I was going to kill Fang for convincing me to stay in the country.

Gathering firewood didn't take long, but it felt like forever to my heightened senses of worry and hearing. Every snap, every breath of wind made me jump until Angel finally asked if I was alright. "Fine," I replied. I surveyed the amount of wood that we had gathered and decided that it was enough. "Let's just go back to camp."

We were back before the other three were. The small part of the island that we had covered I had memorized in my head. If needed, I could retrace it at a moment's notice. I arranged the firewood a safe distance away from both the lake and the trees and waited for Iggy to come back with his lighter. I wasn't in the mood for the whole caveman rubbing two pieces of wood or hitting together two pieces of rock like an idiot.

The sad thing is, I would if I had to.

Fang, Iggy and Nudge returned ten minutes later with their report. "It's completely deserted," said Nudge, as she plopped on the sand next to Angel and propped herself up on her hands, leaning backward. "There were a few fishing boats, but it looked like they'd been there for a long time."

"There's a small wolf pack, too," Fang said. He sat next to me and drew circles in the sand. "We found tracks. It can't be more than five, though."

I nodded. We'd dealt with genetically enhanced wolves; we could deal with the real thing. "Okay. How big is it?"

"Probably about six miles around," said Iggy this time, crouching down to light the fire. In a split second, the flames jumped to life, warming the cool air. It might have been hot in the city, but next to the lake, it was considerably cooler. "It's three miles across. Not far to run."

"Okay," I said. "Great." I slung my bag off of my shoulders and unloaded the little food that I had stored in there. Nudge looked at it hungrily and gulped. Poor kid. She had the worst hunger out of all of us.

Iggy had most of the food (again), and we soon had skinny hamburger patties 'rescued' from a Wendy's sizzling over the fire. Nudge let hers cook for all of thirty seconds before she couldn't take it any more and took a bite. Her eyes closed in ecstasy.

"All this needs is ketchup, fries and a bun," said Total, who let his cook for longer than Nudge's but shorter than the rest of us. "Then it'd be perfect."

I just nodded. The thought was making my mouth water, and I took off my burger as well and took a huge bite. To the under fed bird kid, it was heaven.

I spent the rest of the day talking with Fang. We still hadn't decided where to go from here, and it was beginning to drive me nuts. We hadn't even been here for a full twenty four hours, and already I was antsy.

"England?" tried Fang in a flat tone. We'd already been over so many places.

"We were there already," I replied sadly. "We bounced around a lot while you were gone."

"Iraq?"

"Hello, there's a war there right now?"

"Oh, yeah…"

And so on.

When night fell, I was mentally exhausted. The rest of the flock was conveniently asleep except for Fang. I smirked. Fang noticed the smile creeping across my face and was immediately apprehensive.

"Oh, no. What?"

"You still have to make this up to me. Making me stay in the country against my will."

Recognition flared in his eyes. He inched closer. "Do I?"

My breathing quickened. "Yeah. You do."

His eyes never leaving mine, he ran his fingers through my hair. "How should I? Make it up to you, I mean."

I pretended to think. "I think you can come up with something. Be creative. Use that brain of yours."

His hand left my hair and trailed down my back, sending shivers down my spine. I got a strong sense of déjà vu. "I bet I have a pretty good idea," he whispered. His lips brushed against my neck, and – get this – my eyes fluttered closed. It was practically from a movie, and this was my life. Pretty freaking cool.

He kissed up my neck and to my cheek. He paused before brushing against my lips. "Like this?"

I could only nod.

He kissed me harder, and then pulled away. It was his turn to smirk. "Is the great Maximum Ride going soft?"

"Shut up," I muttered, glaring at him.

He tilted his head slightly to one side. "I don't think it bothers me much."

"Good," I replied, and kissed him again. I wished that we could just stay in this moment forever – the lake lapping at the beach, the firelight beginning to die…

It was dang near perfect.

This time I pulled away. Time for him to spill some info. "So, what was wrong earlier?"

He stiffened. "Nothing."

I raised one eyebrow. "I'm not stupid, Fang. What's wrong?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure," he relented. "Tell you later."

My eyes narrowed. "Promise?"

He held out a hand. "I'll shake on it." We shook hands and I looked at him appraisingly.

"I won't find out until you want me to, will I?"

He laughed. "Nope."

"Well, I'm going to change that."

A/N: Fang! Why won't you just tell everyone what's wrong? Oh, right. He doesn't know. And it would wreck the suspense.