A/N: Sorry about Tally's personality changes - there's an explaination in this chappie. Hopefully it will clarifiy it a bit. Sorry to confused you with that. (And sorry for the disclaimer - Tally and Python both wanted to do it.)

Me: I finally managed to update!
Python: Max hit a road-block down at the author's note in the story.
Tally: I don't see how. It's not that hard, right?
Me: Wrong. Anyway, get on with your jobs.
Python: Sorry.
Tally: Yeah, sorry.
Me: Just get on with it!
Python: Max doesn't own anything from Maximum Ride. -snickers- Ha. That sounds funny.
Me: -glares-
Tally: But she does own me, Python, Eric, Flame, Taw, Flame and Eric's dad...Thrashers...and the other fourteen Thrashers in Flame's team...and the other Eraser mentioned...
Me and Python: WE GET IT!
Tally: Sorry.
Me: Anyway, on with the story.

---------- Eric's POV -----------

I sheepishly made my way towards Dad's office. He didn't know about everything, and I had to be the one to tell him. He thought it was one of the Thrashers in Noah's team, not actually Noah. And he'd kill me when he found out that him and the two experiments managed to escape. I looked behind me, actually wishing one of my team had had the spine to come with me. Of course, they didn't.

I knocked at Dad's office door. "Come in," he called. I opened the door and stepped inside, lingering by the door. Dad was looking towards the wall, his back to me, but when I closed the door he turned around. "Did you get them?" he demanded. I bit my lip. "Well?"

"Uh...no," I said. Dad looked ready to explode. "And I have some more, uh, bad news." Dad sat down behind his desk and laced his fingers, staring at me. "First off, you know that armadillo experiment who turned invisible and got free?" Dad nodded. "Well, we saw her."

"And yet you didn't manage to get her back?"

"No," I said, trying to save what little dignity I still had. "She created an ice wall before we could reach her. But guess who she was really trying to protect?"

"Who?" Dad asked, genuinely curious.

"Noah." Dad stood up angrily, suddenly red in the face.

"You're lying, Eric," he growled, glaring. I shook my head, actually timid. Let me tell you, it was rare for me to be timid over anything. "How do you know it was Noah?"

"He was the only Thrasher not in the cafeteria when the alarm was raised, and he was seen letting the two escape," I muttered. Dad finally cracked and threw something. I ducked and it hit the wall behind me.

"Bring him back, Eric," Dad roared. "Now!" I nodded and left before something else came close to beheading me. Oh, man. That idiot had gotten me and him into a whole lot of trouble.

----------- Flame's POV ----------

Tally already looked up to me. It was weird - I liked Taw and Python's reactions better. They were scared of me, hesitant, and also reluctant. I'd actually be happier if Tally acted the same way, but I'd have to put up with it. There was no where else I could go, no one else that I could stay with so that I could stay alive. Anyway, Tally seemed to have forgiven me, and she was really expecting me to lead the four of us.

"Hey, Flame? Where are we going?" she asked, swinging on my arm. I resisted the urge to knock her upside the head. My arm was not a jungle gym! "Do you know where we're going at all or are you just guessing?" We'd only been walking for about five minutes and already Tally was getting annoying. Taw and Python were trudging along behind us, trying to stay at least five feet away from me.

"Guessing," I said simply. "And it's been five minutes, you can't be complaining already." Python didn't seem to have heard me, or if he did he had just ignored me, since he started complaining.

"I'm hungry," he whined. I glanced back at saw him staring at me. He seemed to be resisting the urge to leave his sister's side. Taw rolled her eyes.

"I'm the only sane one around here," she muttered to herself. I'm assuming she meant that she was the only one that wasn't - or wasn't starting to - look up to me. From just a second ago, Python seemed to be taking Tally's side.

"Uh...okay. Tally, would you happen to know where any civilization is?" I asked, looking back at her hopefully. She looked thoughtful, still swinging my arm. I gritted my teeth to stop from doing something stupid. She suddenly let go and walked on her own. Can you say "mood swings"?

"There's a town about an hour ahead," she said matter-of-factly. I noticed that she wasn't grinning or giggly anymore. In an instant that all changed. She smiled again and grabbed my hand. I stared at her. Behind me, I heard Python laughing and Taw holding back a snort. "What?" Tally asked.

"What the heck is with your mood swings?" I asked, perplexed. It's not often that a nine-year-old girl will act younger than her age, and then older seconds later, then go back to the first. Aw, man, thinking that gave me a headache.

"Sorry," she apologized sheepishly. "It's this DNA. See, most of the time I act my age, but sometimes armadillo instincts kick in. They protect themselves, don't like help, you know? And they don't get excited easily - also, you know, they are loads better at going solo." (A/N: I don't know if all of this is true, but you get the idea. At least it explains the mood swings, right?) I nodded, though it didn't make that much sense to me. I just pretended it did.

Through the hour, Python seemed to be getting friendlier and was now kind of in the middle of listening to me and listening to his sister. Literally, actually, since he was walking between us. Taw kept grumbling about how I was brain-washing Tally and Python and how I'd move to her next. If I could have brain-washed her, I would have made it so that she would stop her annoying complaints. Now that I think about it, it is a really good idea, if I had that power. Unforunately I don't. Darn.

Like Tally said, an hour later we reached the outskirts of a town. "Flame...we can't go with you," she pointed out, motioning to their much-more-noticeable mutations. I sighed and nodded.

"Okay, then...I'll get some clothes for you guys to hide that stuff before we go to eat. I'd rather not have to carry a lot of food back, too," I said. Then a thought hit me. "What about money?" The kids all bit their lower lips. That was a bit of a drawback. You know, not much. Note the sarcasm. "Uh...if we don't have money, how are we going to get all this stuff." Tally and Taw traded confused looks, then looked back at me. Tally seemed to be thinking and Taw was subbornly silent. Python muttered something and I asked him to repeat it.

"We could...steal the money," he suggested, still quietly. I was shocked. It had never crossed my mind to steal. But then again, there was no other way. "Flame?" I sighed and rubbed my forehead. "Should we? It would be better than stealing food or clothes," he said innocently.

"Don't have any other choice. I guess. But I'm not happy about it."

"Finally, something we agree on," muttered Taw under her breath. I gave her a glare which she promptly returned. Not bothering to keep up this contest, I turned and walked off.

Now, I'm not going to say how (since it would suck if all of a sudden the number of theives increased from reading this) but I managed to aquire over three hundred dollars. It would be enough for now. With the money I bought all the kids better clothing - hoodies, gloves, baggier pants for Taw to hide her tail, and sunglasses to hide Tally's red eyes and Python's yellow. Hopefully that was all that I needed. I payed for it then went back to where the others were waiting.

Taw was up in a tree, her tail dangling from a branch and swinging back and forth. It reminded me of the clock back in my room at the lab. No, I have got to stop thinking of the lab, before I do something stupid like return. Man, would that be suicide! Tally was doodling in the dirt - she had drawn a few armadillos, some rolled up ones looked like rolley-pollies, and she was starting on a random drawing I couldn't make out yet. Python looked bored - he was sitting against a tree trunk, his tongue flicking occasionally. He was the first to notice me.

"Whatcha get?" he asked, opening his eyes and turning them to me. I tossed him a hoodie, pair of gloves, and one of the sunglasses, which he promptly pulled on. "Can we go eat now?" he asked once he looked semi-normal with his hood pulled up so that his face was in shadows.

"Hold on a second," I said, unwillingly chuckling. It couldn't do to think about the lab, or to grow attached to these guys. No. Both of those would lead to stupid moves on my part.

I gave the girls their clothes and when they had all gotten them on, they looked fairly normal. "Don't you have to hide your fangs? They stick out," Tally asked, pointing. I touched the tips, which were sticking out below my upper lip, and shrugged.

"Lots of kids have canines like this - it won't matter," I said confidentally. Taw snorted but, as usual, didn't comment. "Come on, sour-puss," I growled, turning back to the town. I got hit in the head with a small rock for my remark. I took a deep breath, really close to morphing then and there, no matter how close to people we were, and hurting Taw. I managed to control those feelings.

We stopped by McDonald's for lunch - we had half the menu each. People kept giving us funny glances and Python was complaining about how dark it was with his sunglasses, and how hot it was with his hood up and gloves on. Another customer, who had grown tired of the complaints, suggested him taking them off. He shut up after that.

I thought it odd that no one spared us a second glance - we still stood out a mile. First there was me, almost a normal fifteen-year-old to everyone's eyes until they saw the tips of my fangs, or until I talked. Then the twins. I thought most people would know there was something up since their faces were shrouded in darkness and they wore gloves, and one wore sunglasses everywhere. Then the nine-year-old, who also wore gloves and a hood, though you could see her face and sunglasses. Man, people like us wouldn't be able to blend anywhere. I just thought it weird others didn't think so.

Python and Tally managed to convince me to waste some of our money on a motel room, as well, since we were here. I got the cheapest room that would hold all of us, to make them happy. They were happy, and even Taw seemed pleased that I had given in and that we didn't have to sleep on the hard ground.

That night, all of us were lying down somewhere in the room. Python was on the couch, the girls had taken the beds, and I was sleeping on a mound of comfitors on the floor. I looked at each of the kids, sleeping. Taw had the remote by her hand, since she had fallen asleep channel surfing. Even though I tried not to, I couldn't help but feel like I belonged here, and that I actually had a real home now. I know that sounds cheesy, but oh well.

A/N: Whoot! I finally managed to get past said roadblock mentioned by Python. And remind me to never have more than one character do the disclaimer at a time. Alright, I'll update ASAP, as well as Premontions.