That night we were still in the same clearing, groups sitting around many little camp fires. Isle had started most of them with Iggy's help. But the flock were staying a ways away from my army, and I was sitting there with them. I wanted to know a few things, and had left Ratchet and Ranger in charge. That way I could get some answers to all the questions swirling around in my head. I'd gotten all of their names - Angel, Nudge, Gazzy, Iggy, Fang, Max, and they normally had a dog with them named Total. I'd seen the dog when we went to attack, but apparently they left him at Max's mom's house.
"Okay...so do you know why Jeb left me and my little brother there?" I asked, blowing on a hotdog to get the tip to go out.
"No clue," Fang answered.
"Okay, next question: did you know at all that we were related when you were at the School?"
"No. I recognized you the other day when I saw you, but it was like with Ari. I'd thought Jeb had left him with his mom, and you to be taken care of there. The way I remember it, you had it pretty well off, other than living in a cage," Max said. I shrugged.
"I guess. So I had a teeny bit more freedom, big whoop. Dad had never liked me as much as you or Ari. I mean, come on, he let Ari trail behind him like the puppy he is and he let you out seven years ago," I pointed out. I frowned. "By the way, where is he? I've missed him at the School." The flock stayed silent, mainly.
"You missed him? He's mean. He tried to kill us. He almost killed Fang once," Nudge said, astonished. I snorted.
"Yeah, right," I said, rolling my eyes, before looking at the older three again. "So where is he? Dad hasn't been wondering."
"He died. Three years ago. Jeb was there. He knew about it," Max answered. My heart sank. Ari had been my brother! My little brother. And he was dead? He would be ten now. But of course, the expiration date didn't want him to hit eight. I noticed that I was crying and wiped the tears away angrily. How could Dad have allowed that expiration date to still function?! He'd disabled the flock's and mine - he'd shown me how. If I'd known Ari was in for that terrible fate, I would have gotten rid of his, too.
"Did you really like him?" Gazzy asked quietly. I looked up at him.
"He was my brother. Of course I did!" I said. "I can't believe he's really dead. But that would explain why I haven't seen him since he left when I was eleven." Max put a hand on my shoulder and I looked at her, feeling like a little kid again. Every now and again she would do the same thing at the School, when she had the chance. She gave me a small smile and I returned it. "Are you sure he's really gone this time? I remember him being brought back to life a few years ago," I said quietly.
"He's really gone this time. It was his expiration date," Iggy said. I knew it, but I had wanted to make sure. I sniffed and wiped my eyes again, nodding. I stood up and moved away from everyone and into the shadows. Jumping into a tree, I thought back to Ari. He'd been a cool little brother. Sure, a little harsh and bloodthirty at times, but that was just because he was an Eraser and couldn't help it. I laid back on a branch, a leg dangling off the edge, and drifted into an uneasy sleep.
"Master." I jolted awake and almost fell off of my branch. Instead I jumped gracefully to the ground, but it was kind of a wasted attempt when I moved my wings. Nyra had bandaged them up and gotten the bones in line again, and they still hurt like fire. So did my back, where my new scars were, for that matter.
Christan looked up at me curiously. "What are we going to do? Should we finish the mission? Or should we just go back now?" he asked. I had been thinking the same things during the night when I'd woken up in a cold sweat countless times, but still didn't have an answer.
"Let me eat first, then I'll answer," I said, trying to buy some time. Christan nodded and ran off to the others. I saw that my army was packing up the stuff we had with us, and the flock were packing their own things, ready to go their seperate ways. I stumbled over to the camp and snagged a Poptart package from a still-open pack, snacking on the pastries as I sat against a tree.
My mind was torn in two different ways. First, taking the flock to Dad. It would get me praise and probably an even better position if I succeeded, which was what I wanted. Or I could return empty handed. If that happened, I would probably be sent packing - I'd seen it happen to an army member before for not doing what they were supposed to. Dad wouldn't lighten up on that rule just because I'm his son. Either way the options stank - turn in my sister and her family, or get sent away to never return, and no doubt have a one day headstart before someone came to kill me off. I hated both options.
I groaned and put my head in my hands, unsure of what to do. Either way there will be consiquences. Just follow your heart, the Voice said. I sighed and put my hands down, staring at the ground. From the corner of my eye I saw Max looking at me, and then at her flock, as if also faced with a hard decision. Even though it wouldn't help, I pounded my head with my hand, willing the answer to come quickly, like it usually did. Don't think so long - it could get you into trouble during a fight.
Well you don't know how hard this decision is to me! Get out of my head! I shouted in my head. I only succeeded in getting another headache, with the mental shouting and the head-pounding. I groaned again. "Why me?" I muttered, my head falling onto my knees. "Ow." I sat there for a few minutes, until I heard wing beats. I looked up and saw the flock taking off into the sky. There went that option...
I stood and went over to my army, who were waiting my decision. "We're heading back," I announced. "It could take another month to find them again, now that they know we're looking for them, and we don't have enough food or money for that kind of trip. We need to turn in this assignment." Most people were shocked by my decision, and Ratchet suddenly looked angry. I braced myself for an argument.
"Oh, no! We are not turning down on this just because you suddenly have a soft heart for your sister. All of us want to get this done so that we can get another assignment and help Itex. We are not returning yet! And with the money and food, we are good enough theives to feed ourselves if we need to."
"We are not going after them all over again! One of us would get killed by the time we got there, at least one. Most people will be injured like myself, and some of our weapons might have run out. Come on! I mean, I no longer have my wings, my daggers, my bomb! All I have is my computer and my healing pads. I'm pretty sure others have used up some of their weapons against those Tyron tyrants! Do you expect us to go through this empty-handed?" I snapped, my nerves already frayed to the extreme.
"Only you were stupid enough to use every weapon you own! Most kids here have powers that surpass speed and strength. You couldn't even get out of an Eraser's grip with that 'strength' of yours! Everyone here is prepared for a fight, and a fight we want this to be," Ratchet shouted back.
"You know that powers drain our energy! What if it's us against a hundred Erasers? Our energy and weapons will be depleated quicker. What then, hot shot?"
"Then we can flee, but that won't happen! We are trained to be inconspicuous, to be able to defeat anyone. Or at least we are, though we don't know so much about you," he hissed. "I think you better stand down and let someone more capable take over this mission!" I stumbled back as if I'd been hit, and my jaw dropped. For a second, words had left me as I looked between each one of my army. They were all agreeing with this traitor! One of my best friends, the one who'd sprung me from Tyron! "I should have just left you there if this was how you were going to come back and lead. Even Christan is ready for this!"
"That may be, but my argument still stands," I finally got out. "We are going to deplete our sources quickly if we continue."
"Not if we have a better leader than a stinking bird kid! If someone like me was leading this thing, we would already be going after those other freaks and wouldn't be standing here squandering our time. If someone like me was leading this, we wouldn't have troubles like that!" Ratchet shot back. I forced my tears to stay out of sight. My own army...my friends...were betraying me.
"Fine if you think that you can do it better than me, by all means go ahead. But you'll have a hard time tracking down my sister, I can assure that," I snarled in Ratchet's face. He smirked smugly, having won the argument, and slung a backpack over his shoulder. The others took their respective packs and equipment and followed Ratchet without a word. Even Christan seemed to hate me now. I watched my army disappear into the trees with a growing dread and sat down where I was, my small pile of supplies mocking me. I let the tears fall freely now, and one question went through my head: What did I do to deserve this?