Ok, so here is chapter 11!!! YAAY!!! This chapter doesn't get to Dr. M's yet, so sorry. I'm bummed about it, but it wasn't working. I know a lot of you are wondering about Max's wings, but I'm not going to tell you just yet. So, sorry. Please review. I really want to reach a 100 reviews with this story. That's my goal. Of, course not in the next, like two chapters, but eventually I want to reach a hundred. So please review!!

Thanks!

--SarahBelle--

Chapter 11

"Guys!" I yelled, trying to ignore the pain in my wings. "We're going to split up! Nudge and Angel take the left side. Gaz and Iggy, right. Fang and I will be in the middle."

I heard various, "Okay's" as the Flock and I took our positions and got ready for a fight. We all were in our tense stances, had our fists ready to knock someone out, and were thinking, "There's no way I'm going back to the School this early."

Wait.

A thought made my lower my stance some.

Didn't we just bomb the School? So, who are these guys from?

I shook the thought out of my head as the Erasers approached us. I would worry about that later.

Then we attacked.

I have to say, for new fancy shmancy Erasers, they are pretty big wusses. I heard Gazzy break one's nose, and the Eraser screamed its head off. Fang had kicked one in the ribs, and it fell to the ground crying in pain. I mean seriously, for new Erasers, these guys were as bad as the firsts, maybe even worse.

I punched one in the stomach and heard the satisfied oof! of his air rushing out of him. His buddies gathered around me, about five of them, and all attacked at once. So, I was blocking one of them, while another was kicking me in the stomach, while I round-housed kicked one in the face, while another punched me in the ribs, while I punched one in the face, knocking him senseless. So, you now see my problemo? (That's Spanish for problem. Just thought I should let you know.)

One Eraser kicked me in the gut where my previous gunshot wound was, making me hiss in pain. I tucked in my wings and let myself fall as I regained my breath. I took the time to check on the Flock.

Iggy and Gazzy were throwing golf ball sized bombs at Erasers, taking out two at a time. So every now and then you'd hear a loud Boom! Gazzy's lip was bleeding a little, but other than that he looked okay. Iggy looked fine from where I was flying. I couldn't see a cut or bruise on him.

Nudge and Angel were working as a team as best as they could. Since Angel's mind control doesn't work on these Erasers, she has to do it the old fashion way, which I'm sure she was very ticked about. Nudge was bobbing-and-weaving gracefully around the Erasers, and would landing a punch or kick every couple of minutes when she saw an open target. Angel looked fine, but Nudge seemed to have a black eye. It was swelling so much that she almost couldn't see out of it.

Fang seemed to be handling himself ok, as usual. He had a nasty cut on one side of his cheek that was oozing out blood, but he didn't seem to notice. His eyes showed fury and concentration as he knocked one of the Erasers out in one lethal punch.

I turned my attention back to my own group of Erasers, and saw that I had only three left. I attacked one head on, using my super speed to head-butt him as hard as I could. I felt a rib crack, and my head spun a little, I had hit him so hard. I shook my head to try to get the dizzy feeling out.

Whoa, head rush.

Suddenly, I felt excruciating pain in my wings, as an Eraser closed them in. It was the one move I had band the Flock from doing to each other, because of this reason exactly.

"Ahh!" I couldn't help the cry of pain that burst from my mouth. Tears leaked into my eyes, but I refused to let them out.

Yea, that hurt.

The Eraser finally let go of my wings, and away I fell again. I tried to flap them, but with every down stroke a wave of pain filled my wings, feathers and all. It felt like my wings were burning from where there attached to my back. I tried to flap again, but I still couldn't move them without pain.

I looked down and saw the ground getting closer to meet me for the second time today.

This is just not my day…

I decided to leave my wings open, because for one, it hurt too much to even close them, and two, I was using them like a parachute, to ease my fall. So since I was so high up, and if I did this right, I could land gracefully like a little ballerina.

Let me tell you, Maximum Ride is no ballerina.

I fell to the ground, but not hard like I did when my wings were tied, but more like, the grounds impact was hard enough to knock me off of my feet. I ran forward to try to claim my balance. With every step I muttered to myself, "Ow."

Then of course, me being me and this being my day, I tripped over a rock. I luckily though landed on my knees and not my face.

See! I'm making progress!

"Max!" I looked up and saw the Flock rushing to meet me.

I stood up carefully, wobbling a little, and stood there to wait for my Flock. They all landed a few yards in front of me, and ran over to where I was waiting.

"Max, are you okay?" Nudge asked her eyes wide, "We heard you scream, and then we saw you fall. All the Erasers are gone too, so we came to find you."

I smiled at her in assurance, "I'm fine Nudge."

I glanced at Fang and saw him giving me that, "You are such a liar," face that drives me insane sometimes. I ignored him and turned to address the rest of my Flock.

"Okay, guys" I said, clapping my hands to get their attention, "We're almost to my mom's house. Let's U and A, so we can be there already."

They all snapped their wings back open and took a running start into the air. Well, all except for Fang. I guess he had noticed that look on my face, and stayed behind to ask.

"Max," he asked in a quiet voice, "Can you move your wings at all?"

I grimaced before I could stop myself. Crap, how am I supposed to fly? I can't flap them that's for sure, so what am I supposed to do?

Fang walked around behind me, and I felt his hands touch my back were my wings meet. He moved his hand over them, to see if everything was in place.

"Okay," he murmured, telling me they were good.

I slowly, painfully, closed my wings. I clenched my teeth and held my breath, until finally they were back in place. I let out a deep breath, and closed my eyes, trying to block the stinging pain.

Fang was slowly rubbing in between my wings, trying to get any knots out of them. His hands were moving in a slow rhythm against my back. It hurt a little whenever he found a knot or tight muscle, but then, after it was worked out, some of the pain released from my wings.

"Max? Where are you? And where's Fang?" I heard a little voice in my head ask.

"We're still down here Angel. Fang's just, uh, helping me with my wings." I didn't really know what Fang was doing, but my wings were feeling better and that's all I cared about at the moment.

"Oh, okay."

"We'll be up there in a minute, okay?"

"Kay,"

I felt her leave my head, and at the same time Fang's hands stopped.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, opening my eyes.

"That better?" Fang asked, walking around to stand in front of me.

His face was blank as usual, but his eyes were smiling in a way that meant he was saying, "I bet you liked that didn't you?"

I smiled at him, "Yeah, thanks." I slowly opened my wings, to reveal that they weren't hurting as much anymore, and I carefully flapped them. It still hurt some, but not as bad as the first time. This was pain I could deal with.

"How'd you do that?" I asked Fang

"Jeb taught me how when we were living in the E shaped house."

I had to control myself from wincing at Jeb's name. He was going to be at my moms, and I wasn't too cheery about that. Plus, I haven't told Fang or the Flock he was going to be there.

"He taught me when Gaz had done it to Iggy, the first time we were learning." Fang continued his eyes distant, like he was reliving that day, "Then he just showed me."

"Good thing too." I muttered.

I looked up at the Flock to see them chasing each other. Their laughs could be heard from even this high up.

"Let's go." I said to Fang.

He just nodded. I guess he used up his word quota for today.

We took a running leap and our wings caught the wind. Then were in the air. I flew over to my Flock and flew in front of them, so I could get their attention.

"Ok," I said in a loud voice, "We're only a few miles away from my mom's house. So, hopefully we won't run into any more trouble."

"Max?" Nudge asked, her face tilted and her expression thoughtful.

"Yeah Nudge." I said, mentally telling myself I had just let the Nudge Channel open.

"When we get there is your mom going to have any chocolate chip cookies, because hers are the best!" Nudge looked like she could taste them at that moment.

"I don't know Nudge maybe," I sighed, then bit my lip, "And, um, she's having a guest."

I tried to smile but I think it turned out to be a grimace.

"Who?" Iggy asked, his sightless eyes curious

"Is it another bird kid like us?" asked Nudge. She looked excited about the idea of having another Flock member.

"Um, no." I said, pursing my lips, "It's Jeb." I frowned at his name.

"Jeb?" Gazzy said, like he couldn't believe it.

"Yeah," I said slowly, "Him."

"Cool." Gazzy said a smile coming to his face.

"Yeah, we get to show him our latest invention." Iggy added, slapping high-fives with the Gasman.

"Wait, so you guys don't care?" I asked them, hoping they'd say yes.

"No," Angel said, looking at me with a confused expression. I could feel the prickly feeling of her trying to get into my mind to read what I was thinking. I let my mind become blocked so she couldn't tell what I was thinking.

The Flock trusted him? The Flock trusted Jeb? But, how?

"Max, he's okay." Nudge put in, "I mean, sure he betrayed us and all, but I think he's really sorry about it."

I nodded and tried to smile, and I think this time it worked.

"Okay, let's go." I said, with the fake smile on my face.

The Flock quickly started flying in the direction of my mom's house.

I let them pass me, so I was in the back, but so was Fang.

"I don't trust him." Fang muttered, so low I could barely hear him.

"Me neither." I said, staring forward, "But the Flock does, so I don't know where I stand."

I heard Fang sigh, "I stand by you." he said, and I looked over to see him staring at me with his dark, endless eyes, "No matter what."

I smiled, "Thanks."

He grinned back, before speeding up to be with the rest if the Flock. I was right behind him, with a smile on my face.

I know I can count on Fang.

No matter what.

Oooh….she can count on him, but what if he betrays her?? Oh, no!! Haha, you'll never know, because I don't know yet. So, we're basically on the same chapter, except, I know what's happening next, so yay!

I hope you like this chapter! It is my longest one yet! I promise that in the next chapter, they'll finally reach, Doctor M's. Hopefully.

PLeeeeeeeeeeeez PLEEEEEEEZ review!!!! Pretty please!!!

Oh, and I'm thinking about making a song-fic or something. I love them. So, tell me if I should do one!

Oh, and, uh, of course review.

Thanks!

--SarahBelle--