A/N - Forgive me if this chapter's bad. I mean, my 'bad' still has all the grammar and correct spelling and everything xD But I'm sooo tired because I'm up early writing JUST FOR YOU! ^^ So, enjoy! Or not, just review, haha.

My Girl

Chapter 11

Fang POV

After destroying that giant monster, we'd stopped to rest for the night. Having your spine crushed by a gigantic lizard tends to wear you out. So I was currently lounging against a tree trunk and watching the campfire slowly burn out. Dylan was somewhere behind us, exploring said giant monster.

Maybe it hadn't been a good idea for us to camp right next to it. I mean, what if the Director came to capture us while we were sleeping? I mean, it's kind of impossible to miss the monster from the air. I can't believe we really managed to kill it. What kind of a person carries a machete in their backpack? What if you sat on it the wrong way and it stabbed you?

"Get down from there," I said wearily, but he ignored me. I rolled my eyes. When I first saw the monster, I'd been the excited one. And now he was the one acting like a dork, climbing all over the monster and swishing the machete around like a retard. "Come on. Someone will hear you." Well, that was a lame excuse. There was no one around for a few miles.

He shrugged and hopped down. "Seriously, though. Do you have any idea what it takes to make one of these things? They have some serious brains in there doing their work for them. I bet they-"

"Enough," I cut him off. "I've heard enough of your psycho babble. Dr. Gunther-Hagen may seem all peachy perfect when you're in on it, but you seem to be forgetting that your creator is now trying to kill you. So shut up about what a freaking hero he is. It makes me want to barf." I rolled my eyes in disgust.

He waited patiently. "Are you done?" he asked. "Look, I know that Dr. Gunther-Hagen is a son of a bitch, alright? Don't think I have this hero worship for him just because he's my creator. I'm sure you and the flock have never exactly thought about God, have you?"

"That's different," I rolled my eyes. "The whitecoats created us, God had nothing to do with it. We were a mistake against nature, something 'God' never intended to happen. If there is a god out there, he's done a crummy job with us. So add that to your notebook," I said bitterly.

"Don't pity yourself any more," he said suddenly. "I've had it with pity, and I don't' want it from anyone. You may not have the best life, and I know I don't, but we both have the flock, a family, as much as any normal kid has a mom and dad. We'll have wings, and a freedom that no one else has, even if we have to save the world."

I rubbed my eyelids. "You're insane."

"I'm right," he insisted. "Look, lots of people go through their whole lives to become happy. It's generally a big deal. But if you're just dead set on being miserable, you'll never get there. And people think that they want comfort and someone to tell them it's not their fault, but that never helped anything."

"What are you trying to say?" I asked, annoyed.

"I'm trying to tell that for me to just agree with you and tell you that life sucks wouldn't do anything for you. It wouldn't fix your problems. So here's the deal. I'm telling you that your life isn't that bad. That maybe, if you're set on enjoying life instead of dreading it, you'll make you happier."

I scoffed. "If you didn't know, we're not saving the world because it makes us happy. We're doing it because it's the right thing to do, and we couldn't very well live as zombies under the Director's control. If we don't stop her, the world is practically dead. That's why we're saving the world. Not for some greater glory or purpose."

"Are you saving the world because if you don't, people might be unhappy?"

"Sure…"

"And if that happens and you can finally relax, won't you be happy?"

"Yeah."

"Congratulations, Fang, you figured out what the rest of the world did a long time ago. It's not all just to be depressed all the time. Most of what people try to accomplish in life is to make them happy. Working long hours just to make money so they can be happy, paying money to hospitals so they can get well and be happy, etcetera, etcetera."

"The point of life is to get stuff done, not to be happy! That's why we have so many hobos and miserable people in the world, who have totally given up on happiness. You don't have to be happy!" Dang, I was losing my cool.

"Don't you?" he asked.

3rd POV

The Director sat at her desk, going through all the records and information on the flock once again. She wanted to make sure that there was nothing she had missed, no slice of information that would give the flock the upper hand. Right now, it would appear that they had the advantage. Max and Nudge had escaped, leaving only Angel, Gazzy and Iggy.

But this was also a good thing, she decided. The flock wouldn't leave one of their own in her care, not in a thousand years. And they also wouldn't just sit by and let her destroy the world. So they would be lured back like flies to honey, and fall into her trap all over again.

Her Anti-flock was not nearly so shallow as to sacrifice all for one. She knew that they would do whatever they would ordered, even Zarra, who had been a problem lately. It was simply the way they had been trained, and they were as loyal as dogs to her, especially that Zera.

Zera was the brain of the whole operation, she knew. Dr. Gunther-Hagen should have been the real scientist, but in reality, he was a bumbling idiot, and though he had created Zera, he was certainly no genius. But she was. She was thinking up all the obstacles, and came up with the very idea of the poisonous gas that could control minds.

Unfortunately, they were now recreating the gas, and it would have to be re-distributed throughout the countries of the world. The last gas had proved to be slightly short of expectations, and the effects were only temporary.

But she would definitely win. At all costs, she would beat Max and the flock. She was sure of it. She wouldn't fail again as she had two years ago.

The door to her office opened, and one of the whitecoats that she kept around to help Zera maker her ideas realities stepped into the room. She looked up and removed her reading glasses, giving him that signature stare that would make anyone else turn and run. That just made what he had to tell her that much more painful.

"Ms. Jenssen…it would appear that subjects Fang and Dylan have succeeded in destroying the monster you sent after him." He tried to ignore the angry spark in her eye. "They are now camping relatively close to the monster. If they figure out the secret ingredient in its blood…they could figure out how to use it."

"What secret ingredient?" she asked sharply. "I specifically asked for it to be a monster made to kill Fang and Dylan. No extra powers or anything that they could turn against it and use to kill it!" she fumed. "Honestly, whose idiotic idea was it for there to be a 'secret ingredient' in the blood?"

"Zera told me that you knew!" he exclaimed. "The whole reason that we included it is because you accepted it! And you know that we don't usually ask you questions, we just go ahead and do your will because you can be scary," he noticed her glaring. "I should shut up now."

"Go after them," she hissed. "Go after them tonight. They'll be past the Panama Canal by now. Get them and bring them here. I don't want any more screw-ups. Get them. We've already lost Max and Nudge. If we don't get Fang and Dylan to compensate, we're sunk."

"Alright-"

"Oh, and bring Zera in here, right away. I have a bone to pick with her."

"But-"

"Now, before I scoop your eyeballs out with a spoon! Move out!"

Zera POV

"So Max and Nudge have escaped, too?" Gazzy's eyes brightened with hope when I told him. My Director-worshipping soul was screaming in pain, this being classified information, but to see the smile on his face, I would have stabbed her in the heart. Not that I was going to, of course, and we'd been through that.

I nodded. "I don't even know why I'm telling you this. The Director was the one that sent me to shoot them. And she wanted a gunshot. I had to put on a show, so Nudge thinks that I'm out to kill her, now." I sighed. "But they're out there in the forests now. And it's dangerous. They've never been down here. There are animals and insects alone that can kill them, plus the people the Director is sending after them."

"So what you're trying to tell me is, we're doomed. The flock knows better than to forget about us, or to run away from the Director. They're going to get themselves killed, and we're next, right?" I nodded.

"Listen, quickly. I think someone's coming. The monster we sent to kill Fang and Dylan won't work, because it looks big and scary, but it's far too easy to kill. They will, and when they discover that it's blood, when used correctly, is capable of burning flesh, that's the key to killing the Director."

"What are you talking about? The Director is a human mixed with a turtle. Can't we just stab her in the heart and be done with it?" he wondered. I almost laughed. I just wished it was that simple to set us free. But I was smarter. If I went on their side now, and they lost to her, I'd be killed, too. And I wouldn't be forced on a suicide mission.

"Are you kidding? No one, not even Galapagos turtles, can live as long as she did and not suffer some damage. The human part of her, which is most of her appearance, won't age as well as the turtle in her. So now, in addition to being Galapagos turtle, she's also more than fifty percent robot. After they pour the blood on her, they'll need to, like, destroy her with a hammer or something."

He looked at me. "If you're willing to help me this much, and give me this valuable information, then why don't you just join us? We will beat the Director, and after we do, you can be free. Isn't that what you want?" There was confusion in his voice. But of course, he wouldn't understand.

"No," I said stubbornly, with my hand on the doorknob. "I've been working for the Director for over a year now. I think I know her well enough to say that she won't lose to a few mutant bird-kids with emotional problems. You'll notice that I don't feel any pain about killing all of you. If you let go of your emotions, it's easier to accomplish your goal. And you haven't."

"What do you mean?" he asked sharply.

I turned around and glared at him. "Because Max is ping-pong-balling back and forth from Fang to Dylan like a maniac, Nudge won't let Fang go even though he's destined to be with Max, Iggy's fallen in love with my sister, whose job is to kill him, Angel has too many emotional problems with controlling others to even mention, and you're still having this conversation with me."

"So what you're saying is, if you want to win, you have to be a selfish bitch who's obsessed with herself and has no need for emotions or any human feelings, forsaking ninety-eight percent of her genetic makeup just to throw it all away working for a crazy old bat. Oh, God, I'm so sorry that I didn't take the high road like you." He glared right back.

"It's a simple question, Gazzy: Do you want to live, or do you want to die, because if you choose the first, and join the Director, you'll have safety and security. And if you choose the second and join the flock, you will die. And that's a risk I don't want to take, that no sane person will want to take. I don't know about you, but I'm not ready to die just yet."

He rolled his eyes. "Neither am I. If you want to be on separate sides of this whole thing, then we'll be enemies. And when the flock wins, I won't hesitate to kill you."

I closed my eyes and opened the door. "Fine." And I stepped outside, smiling. It was easier this way. It was better this way. Now, he'd feel no connection to me, and have no problem with killing me. And I wouldn't have to deal with this unfamiliar emotion called love.

Max POV

I made my way through the forest slowly. We couldn't fly for fear of being seen in the day, so it was a slow process on foot. I carried the unconscious Nudge on my back all the way, not having anyone to complain to. She'd fainted when she saw the blood on her arm. It wasn't bad at all, she'd just been clipped a little.

Now, it was getting later, starting to get dark, and the forest was alive with the sounds of leaves rustling and all the insects. In a few minutes, I'd be able to fly. But on the ground, I was suddenly afraid. I didn't know what of, exactly. All I knew was that the forests in America didn't have giant snakes or vines or monkeys slinking around.

Suddenly, Nudge stirred from where I was carrying her piggy-back style. She looked up and realized where she was, hopping off me. "What happened?" she mumbled, glancing at the bandage I'd put on her arm. Then her eyes widened. "We escaped. I got shot." She blinked. "But what are we doing now?"

I set her down, much to her disappointment. I didn't blame her. I couldn't tell you how much I'd like a free ride when saving the world. "We're in the forest searching for Fang and Dylan. They've probably come this way, searching for us. So all we have to do is go in a generally straight generation and we'll run into them sooner or later."

She nodded, and we kept walking. I knew what we were both thinking. When we got to them, I'd be faced with a decision, who I wanted to be with. And it wouldn't be too long before they stared to demand a decision out of me. And I just didn't think I could deal with that on top of saving the world at that moment.

Lately, life hadn't been asking if this was a good time for me. I'd taken all the crap, handled it all, excluding the whole saving the world project that I was working on. So unfortunately, I'd have to keep doing this. When I got there, I'd pretend around them both, saying that it wasn't the time or that we had to focus on saving the flock, which wasn't entirely false.

"Max!" Nudge yelled at me, and I clamped my hand over her mouth when I saw Dylan and Max right behind us. They were kneeling on the ground next to the giant monster, for whatever reason. But behind them, they didn't notice the large, black helicopter that appeared in the distance, and their little attempt at a campfire was going to give them away.

"Guys!" I yelled. "Run!"

Dylan POV

I thought Fang was asleep, though I couldn't really tell. It wasn't much different from when he was awake, personally. It wasn't like he talked any more either way. I grabbed my backpack and went over to the monster, just to explore things. If we were going to fight these people, we might as well have known what we were up against.

I climbed up the rough, scaly skin to the top, where I inspected the long spines sticking out of its back that reminded me oddly of a picture of a dinosaur I'd seen in a children's book once. I climbed down slowly, stopping right where the machete had done through the heart.

Then I did something really stupid. That'll teach me to go poking monsters. I slowly started poking it to see what it felt like. And then… "OW!" I shrieked. "Ow ouch ah holy shit crap!" Fang woke up and scrambled over to where I'd been poking it. "What the hell are you doing?" he asked, glaring down at me.

"I poked it and my finger skin burned off!" I shouted. His eyes widened. "I don't know, it's like it was the blood that burned my hand!"

He rolled his eyes. "Take it easy. It's a monster, so don't expect for poking it not to harm you! The blood probably has something in it that burns skin." He thought for a moment. "Which, come to think of it, we could use. Take that water bottle out of your backpack."

I stared at him blankly. "We're going to empty out my water bottle just so we can collect dinosaur blood? Are you insane? What are we going to do with it, anyway? Sprinkle it on the Director and she'll die instantly? That's wrong, Fang. Wrong."

"So? It can kill the Director and save Max," he taunted, and I growled. "Fine," I snarled, getting the bottle out of my backpack and drinking the contents. I gave it to Fang, who very carefully started to pour the contents into the bottle. It wasn't made out of skin, so it held the blood nicely, which was a red-ish, purple-ish color.

So suddenly that it was like it just snuck up on us, a helicopter came out of nowhere and landed in the middle of the clearing, putting out the campfire. I looked up as it got closer, and somewhere in the forest, I heard someone scream, "Guys, run!"

Out of the enormous helicopter filed the Director's servants, I was sure of it. They ran out, and as hard as it was to fight them, they were pulling us in. But before I knew it, Max and Nudge appeared, and I couldn't say how happy I was to see her again, the both of them, actually. They kicked and fought with our attackers, driving them away.

And we thought that they were all unconscious, or dead. But it turned out that they were just pretending. Just as Max knocked the last one 'unconscious', They all got up, and dragged me into the helicopter. I shouted out in protest, when I noticed that I wasn't the only one. I saw Nudge getting pulled in, too.

My thoughts right then weren't of me. I didn't care what happened to me anymore. The only thing I cared about was getting Nudge away from the Erasers, and I felt the need to protect her more than anyone I'd ever known. The feeling sparked the same thoughts I had of Max, and I was shocked at myself.

Despite Max and Fang's protests, I yelled at them to run, because it wouldn't do us any good if they were captured, too. The flock needed to be saved, and if all four of us were captured, it wouldn't do them any good. So they took off running into the night. And as depressed as I was that Fang would probably get Max back, now, I let her go.

I looked over at Nudge, who was being tied to a chair just like I was. I had failed her. I had failed Max.

Angel POV

Don't ask me what happened, okay? All I knew was that one second, I was playing Chinese checkers with Zander, and the next second, something overtook my vision. I saw Max, Fang, Nudge and Dylan in a forest, and I saw a struggle with a helicopter. It was all a blur, but Dylan and Nudge were being dragged into some structure.

And just like that, it ended. Zander gave me a curious look. "Dylan and Nudge were captured," I said faintly. I couldn't believe it. Were they really strong enough to beat us at what we'd been working so hard to accomplish?

"It was supposed to be Dylan and Fang," he admitted. I glared at him furiously.

"You knew and you didn't tell me? I don't care if we're on different sides! If we're going to be enemies, then just stop coming here! I'm sick of you acting like a jerk, liking me one second and then going behind my back another! Screw me for caring about what happens to you, you ass!" I cursed.

"Will you relax?" he asked. "I don't make the decisions, okay? I'm just as much a prisoner here as you are. And I promise that when the time comes, I'll fly out of here with you and help you destroy the Director. But not right now. The flock needs to get together first. When they do, you'll be free."

"How can you be sure?" I asked. "We're never going to get out of here. I'll be trapped here forever because every time someone escapes, they always get captured again. We can't do this forever, Zander. We're running out of time! So how can you be sure?"

"Because I've seen it," he answered. "Just like you saw Dylan and Nudge getting captured a minute ago. I've seen it. I see you free."

"Thanks," I lowered my head. "Thanks…for being on our side. For not being her little puppet. Thanks for having your own mind and your own ideas of right and wrong. I don't want to fight you. I want us to both fly out of here."

He smiled wryly. For now, he'd let himself believe that, even if he knew it wasn't true. He'd let himself believe that he could go through his whole life knowing Angel, instead of a few days. Because in the final battle, he'd seen it. The flock might be able to defeat the Director, but when it was all said and done, only one flock would survive.

It wasn't going to be his. It wasn't destined to be so. And if he'd learned one thing, you can't argue with that.

Thanks for reading! I will leave on vacation in two days, so no updates for a while, sorry! On the plus side, for those of you who have creepy monster blood obsessions, this chapter was clearly for you.

Review!

~Rachel