"Come here Max," Micah hissed. He slung open my cage door and grabbed my arm. I stood up and stood there.
"Where?" I asked. He started trying to pull me with him.
"With me," he answered. I rolled my eyes.
"You better have some kind of army to ever think I'm going anywhere alone with you!" I hissed. He grabbed the dead guard's gun and shot Fang. It hit him in the leg, right where his tibia was. I heard it shatter. He screamed out in pain and then bit his lip. Tears filled my eyes.
"You bastard." I followed him.
"Sit," he ordered. I didn't say a word. "I said sit!" I did as he said, and I sat in a chair.
"You…I hate…die and rot in hell!" I finally managed to say. He shrugged.
"Nothing you say will bother me," he said simply. He started strapping me to the chair. I spit on his face.
"How about this: You are the most horrid man on the face of the planet! You turn kids into birds, and you marry one, even though you're eighty years older than her! You're a sick freak! You're going to grow up alone, oh wait you already have! For God's sake, you still sleep with a blanket!" I shouted. The scientist in the room all looked at him. He turned blood red with embarrassment. "How about that." He slapped me.
"You will shut up and do as you are told!" he said through clenched teeth. I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Oh, and why would I do that?" I asked coldly. He snapped and the door opened. They brought a limping Fang in. I stared at him. "You…" I didn't say another word.
"That's what I thought," Micah said, smirking. I looked at Fang. He wouldn't look at me.
"I'm so sorry," I whispered. He shook his head.
"I'm fine," he muttered. I looked back at Micah.
"Get undressed," he ordered. I glared at him. Fang growled.
"No," I hissed. He nodded and the guard kicked Fang in the leg. He was silent, but I could tell by the look on his face, that really hurt.
"What was that?" I caught Fang's gaze and nodded. He grinned.
"Why here, in front of everyone?" I asked, twirling my hair. Fang was about to start laughing, but he contained himself.
"What do you mean?" Micah asked curiously.
"Why not where it's just me and you? I mean, after all, you are still my husband," I reminded him sweetly. He smiled.
"Well, that can be arranged," he said as he started un-strapping me. I stood up and shoved him into the wall. I kicked him in the side, and Fang slammed together the heads of the two guards holding him. I ran over to help him stand, and Micah stood up.
"Stop!" I yelled, shoving my hand up. Micah slammed into the wall. I hadn't even touched him. Fang blinked, meaning, he was shocked. I opened the door, dragging Fang along.
"Max, I'm fine!" he insisted. I rolled my eyes.
"So, the fact that your bone shattered means nothing," I snapped. He shook his head.
"I can walk," he muttered. I smirked.
"Fine. Walk." I took his hand off of my shoulder. He started wobbling. I put it back on. He sighed. "Fang, it's okay to get help every once in a while," I said quietly. "I did."
We opened the door where the Flock was, and I pulled Fang in.
"We were sure you were goners!" Nudge squealed. I shook my head and then sighed.
"They locked the damn cages," I whispered. Fang nodded, then grinned.
"What about trying that thing you did earlier," he suggested. I sighed.
"I only did this," I whispered shoving my hand forward. The locks fell off, and the doors slung open. I just stared. Fang smiled.
"That could come in handy," he observed. Everyone got out and stared at me.
"That is so cool!" Gazzy exclaimed. I nodded.
"Ig, do you have any bombs?" I asked, figuring out how we were going to get out of here. He sighed and shook his head.
"None." We all gawked at him.
"Gazzy?" I asked hopefully. He shook his head.
"Iggy usually keeps up with them," he said sadly.
"This sucks!" Iggy yelled. "Why did I have to be an idiot and actually listen to Max?" I shrugged.
"Maybe because it's what's best for you. And I will take full responsibility since I told you to," I said sweetly. He growled.
"I'm so stupid!" Why was he blaming this all on himself? What is it blame yourself for everything day?
"No you aren't!"
Angel squealed. "Iggy, punch the wall." We all looked at her.
"Why are you encouraging him to break his hand?" I hissed. She
ignored me.
"Trust me." I nodded and he looked confused. "Everyone, but Iggy, step back." We all did, and he punched the wall. There was a huge explosion.
"Angel, did you see that coming?" I asked. She nodded, and Iggy ran on the other side of Fang.
"Guys, I'm fine!" he insisted. I rolled my eyes, and we all walked out the big hole Iggy created.
"Freedom!" Gazzy yelled. "Dude, that was better than any other bombs we ever made!" They slapped a high five.
"Fang, you can fly, right?" He scoffed.
"Max, it's my leg, not wing." True.
"Okay. But how are you supposed to take off?" I pointed out. He opened his mouth and then closed it.
"I…don't know." I looked around.
"Any suggestions?" I asked, no, pleaded.
"Leave him here," Iggy teased. Fang shrugged.
"Works for me. Just get out of here!" he hissed. I stared at him and then laughed.
"You seriously think we're going to leave you here?" I asked, dumbfounded. He shrugged.
"You might have to. Max, we don't have long until they send people after us," he reminded me. I nodded. I had to think fast.
"Iggy, can you take off with him, and then let him go once in the air?" I asked quickly. He nodded.
"Probably." I nodded.
"This is going to be weird," Fang muttered. I nodded, and Iggy made an ick face as he picked up Fang. They both had the dumbest faces on. Iggy was carrying Fang bridal style. I couldn't help but giggle. All the girls did. Gazzy was laughing, hard. Fang glared at me.
"This is all your dumb idea," he hissed. I shrugged.
"Up and away," I said sweetly. I gave him a sweet 'innocent' smile. He rolled his eyes, and we all ran and took off. Iggy had a little trouble, but he managed.
Fang got out of Iggy's arms as soon as possible. They flew far away from each other.
"Ella's going to love this," Angel said mischievously. They both looked at her.
"Angel, no!" they yelled in unison.
"Angel, that's mean," I pointed out.
"Your point?" she asked holding her hands out.
'Do it!' I told her mentally. She sighed.
"Okay." She's a good actor. Then again, we already knew that.
"Max, now how is he going to land?" Nudge asked. Fang put up a hand.
"I will manage," he said. "I am not doing that again." I smiled.
"If you say so," I said in my tone that meant I knew he wasn't going to be able to land alone.
"We could get Max to carry him there," Iggy muttered. I frowned.
"If I could land, I would. But that would still be weird," I pointed out. Fang shrugged.
"It wouldn't be near as weird as it was with Iggy." I nodded.
"True."
"Are we going back to Valencia's house?" Angel asked hopefully. I nodded.
"We can't stay though," I said sadly.
"Why not?" Iggy asked angrily.
"Neither can Mom or Ella. Micah knows where they live, and they are in danger staying there. We are in even more. We can't stay at Mom's house." They all nodded.
"Will she be able to just leave the clinic behind?" Fang asked quietly.
"For hers and Ella's safety, yes." He nodded.
"What about Jason?" Angel asked huffily. I sighed and flew beside her.
"Sweetie, I'm sorry, but we can't stay," I said again.
"Well, we can bring him with us!" she said happily. I shook my head.
"Angel sweetie, that's kidnapping," I reminded her. She shook her head.
"Not if his parents say we can," she shot back.
"Angel, they wouldn't say that unless you made them. Which you aren't going to do," I said firmly.
"Iggy gets to take his girlfriend! You get to take your boyfriend! Nudge gets to take hers! Fang gets to take his, and Gazzy gets to take his!" she exclaimed.
"Angel, that's different. They are Flock members. You know that."
"Iggy's isn't," she muttered. I sighed.
"Ella has to come for her safety," I reminded her. She crossed her arms.
"It's not fair! What would you do if you were leaving? Would you bring Fang?" I opened my mouth. "It's not different! Pretend he's not in the Flock. You would bring him because you love him!" I took a deep breath.
"Angel, you are nine. How could you already be in love?" she shrugged.
"I don't know, but I am. Max, you were at nine. And you know it. Why is it so hard to believe I am?" I looked at Fang. He shrugged.
"What choice do we have?" he mouthed.
"There are a lot of other choices," I hissed. "Angel, I…know how you must feel, but we can't." Fang wasn't helping, so I was going to get him back.
"How do you know how I feel?" she asked venomously.
"I've been left by the person I love, remember?" She frowned. I heard Fang let out a frustrated breath.
"I guess that would be worse," she muttered. "So that would mean you know how Jason's going to feel. Fang would know how I feel." He nodded.
"Yes. I do. I agree Max. She shouldn't have to just leave him here."
"They are nine!" I shrieked. "We can't just bring an extra kid with us! His parents would miss him!"
"Max, I'm going to tell you something he made me promise not to tell anyone," Angel said quietly. "He's an orphan. He lives in an orphanage." Damn. I knew I was losing this one now.
"Why didn't you say that before?" I asked, angry. Everyone knew I was going to lose.
"Because I promised not to tell," she said simply. "And I said it now because it's necessary."
"Angel, I'm only seventeen. What do you want me to do about it? I can't do anything," I said, not looking at anyone.
"But Valencia isn't, and she loves Jason. She would gladly adopt him, no matter what you say." Damn it!
"Well, then why are we even having this argument?" I muttered. She shrugged.
"So, he can?" she asked happily.
"Why does it matter? Remember, to Mom it won't matter what I say." She squealed. Fang flew up beside me.
"Thanks Max." He was being sarcastic. "I love how you threw in the I know how you feel thing." He was glaring at me. I shrugged.
"I was just saying," I said simply. Liar! How could I lie to Fang?
Not very well. He knew I was lying, and he shook his head.
"Lying to me is pointless," he mumbled. I rolled my eyes.
"Well, it's not my fault you did, and it's not my fault you wouldn't help me out! Fang, taking Jason with us is just putting one more life in danger! We've already put Mom and Ella, but if we take Jason with us, guess what. That gives us a grand total of three lives in danger because of us!" I was silent after that. He knew I was right, but he knew, and I knew, Angel would win. She would make Fang feel bad by reminding him about the time he left.
She would remind me of how I felt when Fang left, saying that's how poor little Jason would feel. There was no point in arguing with Angel.
I was in love at nine? I didn't…oh yeah. I had always loved him, always. She had always known that, even at one. Weird, but true.
"Max!" Mom exclaimed once I walked in the door. Fang was limping still.
"We were so worried!" Ella said running up to Iggy and hugging him. He hugged her back.
"We were worried about you guys too," he whispered into her hair.
"Mom, we have to help Fang. Now. I don't know how, but somehow," I said frantically. She nodded.
"After that, we have to go adopt Jason," Angel said sweetly. Mom looked at her for a second. She must have told her mentally because she nodded.
"Okay. But, first things first, what happened?"
"Long story," I muttered. Iggy helped me with Fang again.
"Well tell me on the way to the clinic," she said as she was grabbing her keys. We all piled into her SUV.
"Well, see, Micah is a backstabber. He turned out to be the person who made us. No doubt Jeb knew." Mom sighed. "Well, Micah was taking me into another room, and I was being stupid and refusing. He shot Fang in the leg, shattering his tibia. Now, we're where we are." Fang shook his head.
"You were being smart by refusing," he corrected. I rolled my eyes.
"Whatever." He put his hand on my knee.
"Max," I looked over at him. "It's seriously okay." I took a deep breath and then nodded.
"Okay." He stared at me, knowing I wasn't convinced. He decided to let it go. We both knew he was going to bring it up later, when we were alone.
"So, you said it shattered his tibia," Mom confirmed. I nodded. "Damn."
We all blinked. We had never heard Mom curse. Never.
"What's going to happen?" I asked nervously.
"We might have to replace…no, most likely will have to replace the bone with a metal one." My hands were shaking now.
"I'm so stupid," I whispered to myself. Tears were filling my eyes. No. The old Max was back. The one who didn't cry in front of these kids. I looked at Fang. He smiled slightly.
"That could be why it hurts like hell," he said, trying to brighten the mood. It didn't work. Was he going to be able to walk normal? Was he going to be able to run fast like he used to? Was he going to be able to be normal? Was he ever going to be able to run fast enough to take off again? I didn't know the answers to all of these questions. The only thing I knew was that only time could tell.