Thanks so much for your R&R, everybody! Keep it up! The romance part is mainly over, and we are onto the ACTION!
Chapter 3
"Hey, everyone! Get ready! One... two...three!" I threw the bouquet over my head into the small cluster of girls. Whipping around to watch the scene unfold, I caught a glimpse of someone catching the flying flowers. A few moans and screeches filled the air as Ella shook the lilies above her head in triumph. She slapped my hand in a high-five.
After many goodbyes and good lucks, Fang and I were on our way to our honeymoon on Miami Beach, in a private beach house where we could stretch our wings and fly around a bit. Together, we strode down the walkway into our limo(our very own limo!) and waved as our family and friends faded away into the horizon, until they were nothing more than specks. Now that was what every little girl imagined.
A while later, I was stretched out across one of the limo's long seats, attempting to rest as Fang watched me silently. The sun had almost gone down, and the driver announced that we were approaching our destination. I blinked calmly back at Fang, wondering what he was thinking. He caught my eye and smiled. Man, did I love that smile!
The beach house had come into view, the sun setting low across the waves. We walked hand in hand across the sugar white sand to the front porch, carrying our duffel bags. Wow, we actually had stuff to bring. Back when we were on the run, did we ever have even a pillow or supplies to carry? Hardly. Only heavy Total weighed us down. It was a huge adjustment, I assure you.
Just then I remembered that I left my veil in the limo. "Fang, hold on a sec! I'll be right back." I ran to the car, hiking my gown up over my ankles. Reaching for the handle, I frowned slightly. Wasn't the veil on my seat, right where I left it? Great. Mom paid a ton for that. I inwardly slapped myself. Since when do I care about paying for things? We used to steal money off of jerks who were stupid enough to leave their credit cards in the slot.
It wasn't on the seat. I crawled into the limo to look around a bit, when I heard a voice call from behind the lowered privacy glass. "Looking for something?" The driver's dark face grinned back at me, grasping my veil. The ominous sound of the door slamming shut and rough hands pulling a grimy rag into my mouth was the last thing I remembered. I think the last thing I managed to mutter before a sickly sweet smell filled my nostrils was, "Fang..."
A dim light shone upon the inside of my eyelids when I awoke. Groaning, I tried to turn over. My attempt was met by a cold, hard wall against my side. I tried to open my eyes, but to no avail. It hurt too much. Arms and legs were bound tightly against my body, my gag still choking me. I longed for a glass of water to soothe my parched throat. For a split second, I worried about what my wedding dress looked like. Who am I kidding? I am Maximum Ride, the fearless, tough as nails, evil-megalomaniac-fighting flying woman, who does not worry about a tear in her dress. And I'd taken worse beatings before. So why did it feel like I was on the brink of death, toeing the thin line between suffering and nothing? It was probably only a few bruises after all. Summoning the last of my strength, I bent my head slowly toward my wrists to bite through the ropes.
But then, a voice. Cold, hard, cruel. I stopped struggling and lay still, hoping the person wouldn't think I was awake. "Maximum, there's no point in pretending. You're being watched by our cameras. You can't escape us." The voice chuckled. "I am more cautious now than before, so nothing you do will come as a surprise to me." He spoke slowly, full of malice. "Think about that for a while, until you can join us peacefully for a civil conversation, Maximum."
The voice fell silent. Creepy much. Wasn't he going to say something helpful? Damn. Okay, what did I know? There was more than one person, because he said 'us' and 'our'. At least one is a man. He seems like he thinks he's in charge, and that he tried to get me before. Like half the world hasn't tried. A few succeeded, but not for long. The flock always escapes. But the man said he was 'more cautious now'. Did that make a difference? Of course not. I smiled grimly to myself. I would always find a way out of everything. In Itex, when I was kidnapped and put in an isolation tank, and they wanted Max II to take my place, I pretended to be dead and bust out. When the flock was scheduled for elimination and I had to fight to the death with a supposedly super smart and strong Omega boy, I waved my hand in front of his face. But none of that would work now. They were watching me, and I had no clue who they were, where I was, or how to even find an exit! And it wasn't like I never had help before. The flock always came to my rescue, and I always came to theirs. We were a team, inseparable. Though we split at one point, we promised never to do it again. Would they come to my rescue now?
My thoughts drifted unwillingly to my husband. Missing him this much was too painful to think about. I wanted to be with him, just for him to hold me close and tell me I would be alright. Man, you'd think I was pampered all my life! Max, the fluffy poodle. Eww. Bad picture in my mind. Hey, voice, want to give me a few images to replace that one? Nope, I wasn't a poodle, I just fell in love. Now I knew how anyone else who was kidnapped felt- alone and helpless. But I felt even more so when the unspeakable happened.
Suddenly, light came pouring into my eyes, blinding me. I was swung into muscular arms, my limp body sagging, head hanging over his wrist. I could feel my gown against my legs, torn and tattered. Heavy footsteps echoed down the hallway, my head spinning. Soon my captor turned into a small room and hit the switch. Temporarily useless, my eyes burned. With a loud thud I was dropped onto what I could only suppose was a chair. Blinking, I tried to move my stiff joints while the man was rummaging with something behind me. The room slowly came into focus. And what I saw next was what made me wish I still couldn't see.
In a tiny, white room, walls utterly blank, I sat on a hard metal chair. It was freezing, but nothing I hadn't dealt with at altitudes of thousands of feet in the air. Sitting upright, as if superior, with no emotion on his face, was him.
I sat rigid. What fresh hell was this? How could he have found me? Did he work with them? This couldn't be possible! Can't be true! But of course, my inner Voice decided to give me a little boost of energy from pissing me off. Max, always expect the unexpected. Joy. Decided to break your vow of silence now, have you? I thought, mentally rolling my eyes. You are out of touch with your reckless days, Maximum. It's time for a flashback. I sighed. It was never going to get any better, was it?
All within a short stint of time in the cold chair with him sitting across from me, the Voice spewed my memories of my life before saving the world. I saved Angel from the School again, ate chocolate chip cookies with Mom, slept in trees in New York, battled Ari and killed him, kissed Fang on the beach, battled Omega and watched my brother die, yelled at the government, and was blown in a scale five hurricane. All in a moment of my mind's eye. Blinking back into focus, I saw Sam, my first ever date, smiling grimly at my shock. Gaining my old snide self back, I sneered in his direction. It probably looked like I had a twitch in my nose.
"Ah, Maximum. We meet again." He reached across the table and held out his hand. I merely stared at it. From that moment on, I knew I was back to six years ago, fighting my way through the idiocy of the world, trying to use me to save their sorry little butts. From that moment on, I found my old spunk and clever cunning.
"Hello, Sam. Looking evil and malicious as ever, I see. Why was it we broke up again? Oh yes, you tried to turn me over to the Devil! Wonderful. Have you gotten back on pleasant terms with him since you let me escape?" Welcome back, Max. I twitched my mouth up in a small smile. At least someone was on my side.
Sam didn't react. It was as if he was solid stone, unmoving. What was his problem? What did he want from me? I stared back, defiant. Well, as best I could. My eyes could barely focus. He drummed his fingers quietly on the table, soon looking impatient. Hmm. Maybe this is my cue. "So, Sammy, how've you been? Find any more flying girls to screw over? Or is it just me?"
My captor chuckled softly. "Always so self-centered, Maximum." He leaned across the table toward me. I tried to grin, just to piss him off. Ouch. "I've been waiting a long time for this moment. And what a perfect day to plan it on! So sorry about that, by the way." Sam leaned forward in his chair and stared me in the eyes. I wonder if his mother knows what her darling son became. My energy slowly restoring, I rested my elbows on the table and stared back at him, reproachful. But in the back of my mind, I was scouting escape routes. My Voice had decided to be of use, and I now saw a vague layout of the building I was in. Four rooms. Door at the end of the hall. Stairs... oh, crap. There were no windows, which meant I was underground. I couldn't bust out of a window and spread my wings. I needed more information.
Breaking up our little staring contest, my eyes darted quickly to the sides, checking out my peripheral vision. Sam spoke again, as if expecting to have to say it. "There is no way out. We've put an eye scanner and fingerprint security passwords on the stairs, and filled the doorway to the parking garage with cement. You can't escape us this time." Looking satisfied, he leaned back. Confident. Mistake number one. I pretended to look discouraged and let my hair fall into my face. He turned to his hired goon. "Tom, you can leave us for the moment. Max won't be going anywhere, now will she?" The bodyguard's gaze flickered between me and Sam, and reluctantly closed the door behind him. Mistake number two. Sam shifted, giving me a full view of the room behind our table. I pushed my hair out of my eyes and slowly looked back to my captor.
"What happened, Sam? Back at school. Were you trying to help me? Or were you on the dark side then, too?"
Sam smiled. "I'd like to say I was always working for the world's most intelligent people, but I'd be lying." And that's all he said. Oh, come on! No juicy details?
"Are you with Itex? I thought they all died or were arrested or something. And why do you need me now? Why not six years ago? And-"
"Maximum," he cut me off, "now is not the time for questions." With that, he stood and walked toward the door, his back to me. I made my way toward him silently, preparing for a roundhouse kick to the spine...
Mistake number three.