Fang glared at Kieran as he landed on the cave floor, motioning the half-dozen flyboys that were in the cave to back off against the wall.

"At ease. Wait until the rest arrive. I'll need you to hold all of them but the leader." He crossed the cave to where Fang was tied. "So, my caged bird has awoken. Good. Max, along with the rest of the…mistakes…will arrive soon. I think I'll have a bet with Max. What do you think of that?"

"I think you're going to die." Fang said calmly. "Wait, let me scratch that. I know you're going to die."

"So sure, my caged bird?" Kieran chuckled dryly. "Well, I'm afraid you'll have to get used to being wrong on such matters."

"I'm pretty sure you're the one who's wrong. Coward."

Kieran's eyes blazed as he slashed Fang across the chest. The shirt ripped as though it weren't there, and four gashes were cut deep into the muscles in Fang's chest.

"Don't call me coward, bird!"

"Then find Max yourself, track her! Ari never took captives. All in all, I'd say he was the better one out of you two!"

"Shut up, you insolent whelp!" Kieran hit him again, "You lab mistake!" Again, "You failure!" Once more the tough paw struck. Caws ripped mercilessly through skin.

"So, it seems I've hit a nerve. What, you're scared that Ari really was better? Scared that he was braver? Less of a coward, maybe?" Fang grinned, ignoring the pain that the blows had brought.

"Shut UP!" Kieran kicked Fang in the chest, causing the chair to fall backwards. Fang managed to keep his head up so that it didn't hit the unforgiving cave floor. He wanted to stay conscious until Max arrived. When Kieran jerked the chair upright again, Fang faked unconsciousness. Going totally limp, he let his head loll around on his shoulders.

"Oh, no, bird. I want you awake when Maximum gets here!" Kieran began slapping his face roughly.

Fang opened his eyes to glare at his captor once more.

"Why?"

"Excuse me, bird?"

"Why do you want me awake when she gets here?" Fang said slowly.

"I want you to watch her die."

"Let me guess, you're not going to be fair in killing her, are you? You're going to sit back and watch like a coward while your flyboys take care of her, right?"

"Wrong, whelp." Kieran flashed a predator's grin. "I'm facing her in combat myself. Hand-to-paw, bird-against-wolf."

"Then why have the flyboys?"

"Isn't it obvious? They're going to hold the rest of your…how do you put it, again? Oh, yes. They're going to hold the rest of your flock. All of you are going to watch her die."

"So if you kill her, you kill the rest of us?"

"One by one."

"And if she wins?"

"What?" Kieran's grin seemed to falter.

"Can't you hear me, you idiot dog?" Fang snarled. "I said, what are you going to do if she wins? What if Max beats you, you stupid mutt?"

"On the unlikely chance she were to beat me, you would all fly free once again."

"Then I look forward to being in the sky soon."

"You count on her too much." Kieran chuckled nastily. "You also seem to be underestimating me by quite a lot. You see, I'm stronger than any other Erasers you've ever faced. And Max is…Well, let's just say that she isn't strong enough."

"She can beat herself, so she can certainly beat you." Fang said calmly.

"Bird, I tire of you saying idiotic things that make no sense. How could she have beaten herself?"

"Oh, yeah, I can tell you did your research on Max." Fang rolled his eyes. "The School made a clone of Max, another, better Max. Max II was supposed to beat the original Max in a hand-to-hand fight. The real Max won. She beat herself. Therefore, she can beat you."

"No, I assure you. I know my strength, and you do not. I will kill Maximum Ride."

"Did the sick scientists put you up to this? Are you being their pawn, their little obedient lap dog?"

"Hardly." Kieran waved a hand as if dismissing the matter. "I escaped of my own free will, and wish to become their top creation. They had used me too often, and they had used me for the last time. Now, I'm going against all that they have made and stand for."

"Then why kill us? We could have helped you destroy them!"

"Fool. They talked of you as though you were sacred. You have been their most successful. You are the ones that have the most thought, the freest will; you are closest to the humans themselves! All the others but you five and me had defaults in their programming and other problems. We are, essentially, the perfect batch."

"So, you find yourself perfect?" Fang said. Hopefully he could get enough information on Kieran to tell Max his weaknesses when they fought.

"Yes. Now, if you would, stop these trivial questions, I tire of answering them. If you will excuse me, my caged bird, I have a fight to prepare for."

"What, my conversation didn't interest you?" Fang needed to keep him going…

"No. If you have forgotten, lab mistake, I can read your mind. I cannot afford to have a slip of the tongue and let you know if I have any weaknesses."

Shoot…There goes that plan. Fang thought.

And he settled in, waiting for Max to come and praying that she would win. Because loosing Max would be like having no soul.