A/N Almost done with this story...only about 3-4 chapters left. This should be done by next Sunday (vacation week!) Enjoy the chap, another up tomorrow.
Ellie
MAX POV
Once again, we fell into a silence. The safe had clicked, but none of us dared to make a move to open it.
Then Iggy spoke
"Erasers. Whitecoats. Flyboys. Everything they've got left." We all looked at him strangely. He sighed. "I can hear them. The all are trying to catch us by surprise. They'll be here in…" He paused, doing some calculations in his head. "About 2 minutes and 29.765 seconds." Seeing the look on our faces, he smiled. Well, as much as a smile he had let slip since she left. "Approximately." We all shook our heads.
"They really underestimate us. No idea who they're dealing with, right?" My words were greeted by a few violent nods, and a few more "Hell yeah!"'s, the latter of which I quickly silenced, though I inwardly agreed.
Without one more second of hesitation, I reached into the safe. I braced myself for something. I don't know, an alarm, a trap, maybe even an animal launching itself into my face. Nothing.
I retrieved an innocent looking folder marked "By Half Chronicals." Okay, once again, I felt a pang of disappointment. No red stamp of "Confidential", or "Top Secret". Not even "Classified". I won't lie, I felt a bit upset that my life story wasn't at least, slightly more important that a manila folder. Sighing, I decided to accept this minorly depressing turn of events.
I looked at my Flock. There was a moment in which no words were exchanged, but somehow, we communicated more thoroughly than we had ever done so in our lives. Even sightless Iggy was able to eerily hold eye contact and communicate his feelings with the group. We all were afraid to break out. Who knew what waited for us out there? Would anyone believe us? Would we be relocated to a mental hospital? Would we find out the government knew about Itex, yet let it happen? What would happen then?
But in that moment of eye contact, we all decided it didn't matter what happened after this. All that mattered is we would be together, a Flock, even if everything else changed. In that one second of silent understanding, we all agreed to stay with each other, whatever Fate may throw at us.
With one last nod to every Flock member, my face split into a grin.
"Last U and A?" I said, only a hint of sadness in my voice. Once again, I was greeted with steely nods, and grave expressions.
As if we were one, we all charged the bay windows at the exact same instant. There was one eerie second of silence, until the ear-splitting sound of thousands of pieces of shattering glass assaulted our ears.
Once again, as if we shared some thread of consciousness, we acted in the same moment. Each of snapped out our wings, just as the office we had abandoned was charged with an army of Flyboys, Erasers, and Whitecoats. They must have quite the view. Not everyone gets to see six winged kids snapping out their wings in the same instant, and speeding out towards the horizon. Not even that many Whitecoats see us together like that.
On pure impulse, I craned my head around, to see them all with various expressions of disbelief and wonder. I did an air-bow, before catching up with my Flock and getting caught up in the feeling of pure happiness that was pulsing in the air around my family.
Each member had a grin on their face—even Fang. Our eyes locked for a second, and somehow, in that one second, I knew everything would work out. I didn't know how, when, or why. But somehow I knew, and that was enough for me.
I don't know how long we flew, but I knew it was a while. No words we needed. Not one of us thought about the closure we all knew was necessary, the meeting with the President that was imminent. We only thought of the present. We only thought about each other, and how perfect everything seemed.
And, of course, Jeb had to butt in and completely ruin it. But I suppose that what Father's are for.
Maximum, you must meet me by the pond that's few miles to the East of where you fly now.
I focused my eyes in the direction he had pointed me in, and noticed a medium sized lake exactly where he had said one would be. Suppressing a sigh, I mentally replied.
Okay. Should I bring the Flock?
Yes.
Without saying goodbye, (he never did) the connection was broken. I sighed, and spoke out loud.
"Okay guys. We have to meet Jeb by that lake."
"Why? Can't we enjoy this for an hour or two more?" Asked Nudge.
"Sorry, sweetie." I said, truly apologetic. "But Jeb did tell us where the safe was, and the code. We have to humor him." Gazzy, Angel, and Nudge all reluctantly agreed. Iggy was stony. Fang looked…well, like Fang. I flew up so I could talk to him.
"What do you think?" I asked him, quietly.
"I don't know." He said, after a brief silence. "You're right, he did help us. And I do want to thank him. But I can't help thinking there's a trap, or a catch at least. Something." He shook his head. I flew closer, and gently placed my hand on his shoulder.
"I know." I said quietly, as he turned his eyes to me. "But whatever happens, we can handle it. I mean, we just took down the international company that was trying to destroy the world. I'm sure we can handle a middle-aged man." I said, a smile creeping up on my face. "Even if he is a bastard." I added the last part in a whisper, so the younger ones wouldn't hear.
Fang laughed. Like, a real, genuine laugh. One that you might hear Iggy release after he learned something funny. Or one Nudge would let out when she had talked the ears off of someone for fun. Or when Angel had retrieved something particularly interesting in someone's mind.
And I had made him laugh.
Call me pathetic, but I couldn't help but feel content.
More Fax later--til then, leave a review xD