Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride. Don't look now but there's an ERASER BEHIND YOU!!!

I woke up to the sound of the pitter-pattering of rain on the outside. I got up to find that Nudge and Angel were already out of bed. Now that was a change. I went into the bathroom and took a shower.

Afterwards I got dressed and went upstairs. I saw on a clock that it was almost 10:00 a.m. That explained why the sleepyheads were up before me. I guess I was more tired than I realized.

"She's alive," said Sebastian.

"Hey, good afternoon, Sleeping Beauty," said Asch.

"Ha ha," I said.

"We saved you some crepes Max," said Angel, "we had to make sure some were Asch's and some were Iggy's."

"Thanks guys."

I went to the dining room and found two plates that were waiting for me with crepes on them. Once again, they were both really good. I couldn't decide which batch was better. Asch and Iggy were going to be really mad at me for not being able to decide.

After I ate, I found Asch looking out the window in the kitchen.

"Hey, Asch," I said.

"Hey," he answered.

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

"I mean about… us."

"Oh. Oh yeah, I'm fine. In fact, after thinking about it, I'm actually kind of… relieved."

"Relieved?"

"Yeah, all this time I've been wondering if these feelings I had for you were love. It turns out they are. But it's like a sister kind of love, y'know."

"Don't say that. I used to think of Fang as my brother."

"Well, that's how I feel Max. I can't help it. I love you, and because I do and because I'm your best friend, I have to accept your choice. Or, like I said, then I'd be the bad guy."

"No, you wouldn't. It'd be normal for you to feel that way, even though you're good at being the bad guy."

He must have known what I meant because he started to chuckle.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Even I have to admit, there was just a… little bit of malice behind what I did back there in Roland City."

"Malice from me choosing Fang over you?"

He nodded his head yes. This must have been hard for him to admit. "Every heart has darkness in it Max. Even mine, even yours."

"Oh, I know mine does."

"Yeah, but you always choose to be the decent person and let your enemy live with their miserable lives."

"So we're cool?"

"We're cool."

"And let's just keep this between us, okay? Especially the kiss part."

"What kiss part?" Asch smiled. He was just so cool. I was really lucky to have such good friends, especially ones like Asch.

Asch left the room and then I heard a sound coming from below me. I looked down and realized that it was Total who was at my feet, panting.

"You guys kissed? Eww," he said.

I quickly knelt down and covered his mouth. "Look, it was just a little spontaneous thing that happened that we both agree was a mistake. You got that?"

Total nodded his head.

"Don't go blabbing it to anybody, especially Angel, or I send you to where they make hot dogs."

"All right, all right, I promise," he said, "But, uhh, I'm gonna need something to insure my silence."

"I'll give you extra food when we eat, okay."

"Deal." Total walked out of the kitchen. As he did, he said, "You know, Asch was right. There is darkness in everyone's heart."

I couldn't believe this. I just made a deal with a devil dog.

I looked out the window and watched the rain run down the window. It wasn't a good day to go out for a fly, not that it wasn't possible.

And I was still being dragged down by the fact that we had no clues as to where to get the scoop on Re-evolution.

Suddenly Sebastian called out, "Hey guys, we've got company."

We all came over to the computers where Sebastian was and looked at the monitors.

"Who is it?" asked Asch.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you. See for yourself."

We all looked at the monitor that watched the front door. At first I thought I was looking at a mirror. But then I realized it wasn't me I was looking at. It was a copy of me. It was Max II. She was here.

She was looking into the camera and making a 'come here' sign with her hand.

"What the hell is she doing here?" cried Calypso.

"I don't know," I said, "but it can't be good, one way or another. Look, I'll go down there and confront her."

"You sure that's a good idea?" asked Iggy, "She isn't exactly the most trustworthy person we know."

"Yeah, but she helped us in Germany," said Nudge.

"Only because she didn't want to be disposed of like everyone else," said Angel, "I don't think she was really on our side."

"Well, I'll go down there and see what she wants," I said.

"Be careful Max," said Asch.

"I will."

I went down the stairs and to the front door of the building. I opened it and came face to face with my evil twin, wet from the rain, making sure to keep the door open so it didn't close and lock behind me.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"I'm here to extend an invitation, courtesy of Jeb Batchelder."

"Jeb? I thought he was done with you."

"He decided to give me a second chance, and I'm making the most of it. I'm not gonna get disposed of because of someone like you."

"So, where am I invited?"

She managed to maintain a smug look despite her standing in the rain like an idiot. "You and your friend with the red hair and tattoo are invited to the Itex building you so rudely broke into a few days ago."

"Oh, really. Well, no offense but we already saw the place and we don't want to go back."

"You know, Jeb knows that you're here. If you don't come, he's got a whole bunch of Erasers just waiting to tear you and this place apart."

At first I thought it was a bluff, but then again, how could Max II have found us if Jeb didn't know where we were?

"When does he want to see us?" I decided to ask.

"Thirty minutes, meet him at the front of the building," she said.

"This better not be a trick."

"No promises. I'm just the messenger." She spread her wings and got ready to take off when I stopped her and asked her one more question.

"How come you're out here in the rain without an umbrella?"

"Jeb has been in a real bad mood lately, thanks to you. He made me come out here and ruin my perfectly good clothes just to give you this message as part of one of my 'tests'."

"I know all about those."

"Shut up. Just be there in a half-an-hour." And with that, she took off.

I went back inside and closed the door. I headed upstairs and into the computer room, where everyone was waiting.

"We heard everything," said Sebastian.

"So what do you think we should do Asch?" I asked, "The invitation is for us."

Asch just stood against the wall for a minute. He seemed to be thinking for a minute. Afterwards he said, "I say we just be grateful for the invitation and go."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" asked Calypso, "This has got to be a trap."

"You're probably right. But still, we're being given an opportunity to go face-to-face with one of the head honchos. This could bear more fruit than problems. It's a risk, but I think we should take it."

"So how do we go about it?" I asked.

"Well, there are ten of us. I'd feel better if more than just the two of us went down there. So I think we should take three more with us and leave the other five here to hold down the fort."

"So who goes with us?"

"Hmmm, I know. WHO WANTS TO GET INTO THE FACE OF ITEX AND BEAT 'EM UP?!"

Everybody raised their hands, but not at the same time. Some were a little faster. "Okay, Nudge, Iggy, and Gasman were the first to raise their hands, so they're going."

"Aww man," said Angel, "I wanted to go."

I went over to Angel and knelt down and said quietly, "Its okay Angel. You should stay here anyway and protect Lily."

"Okay Max."

Before I knew it, it was time to go. I couldn't believe it. I was about to willingly walk into a trap. I must have been crazy.

Did I get you with my Eraser joke? Oh, well. Keep sending those reviews, thank you.