DISCLAIMER: I do not own Maximum Ride.

Chapter Eleven – My Eye

Fang's POV

It'd been a week and Fang had had one job interview. However, it didn't turn out well. As soon as the interviewer learnt why he got fired from his old job, it was over. He knew that no one was going to hire him after he'd punched a customer. He regretted his actions against Sam, but he also couldn't help but feel a tiny bit smug.

Too bad he was already running out of money.

"What's up?" Iggy was peering at him like he was sick.

"Are we doing anything this afternoon?" Fang asked.

"Um, well…"

"You're going out with Ella, aren't you?" Fang asked, secretly disappointed. He didn't exactly want to leave school alone today. He didn't want to go through with what he thought was inevitable. But he was out of options.

"Yeah. But we can do something instead, if you want. Or maybe you can hang out with us," Iggy suggested.

"I don't want to cramp your style," Fang said with a smirk.

Iggy rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, I've got places to be. It's not like you're my only friend," Fang joked to ease Iggy's nerves.

"Yeah, you've got a whole plethora of friends. I bet they're just waiting to meet you somewhere," Iggy said, punching Fang's arm.

"Have you been studying your vocabulary? I mean, 'plethora'?" Fang teased.

"Well, I do want to get decent marks at the end of the year," Iggy admitted.

Fang grinned.

"Whatever, go tease your plethora of friends." With that, Iggy gave a wave and disappeared around the corner. Fang kept grinning for a moment, but as soon as he started towards his car, his smile slipped.

"Fang!" He looked up and caught Julia's eye.

"What's up?" he asked, feeling awkward.

"Wanna hang out with me at Burger Fervour this afternoon?" she asked, looking angelic.

"Um, I don't think I'm really allowed there anymore."

"Oh, that's right. I heard you got fired."

"Yep." He decided to keep his responses short.

"Well, we could go somewhere else." She gave him a seductive smile that was easy to understand. 'Somewhere else' meant somewhere with a bed.

He briefly considered it for a moment. Max had mentioned that Julia just wanted a casual thing, no strings attached. She was pretty and obviously experienced. It would be easy.

No, it wouldn't be easy. He shuddered at the thought of being with Julia. Just the thought of touching her was enough to make him sick. He couldn't stop picturing Max's expression if she found out. He wouldn't – couldn't – do that to her. In fact, the effect it would have on him would be irreversible. He didn't think he'd ever be able to sleep with someone other than Max ever again. At least not while she was still in his life.

"Sorry Julia, I have some more job hunting to do."

He couldn't believe he'd even considered sleeping with her.

"I could help," she offered.

"No thanks, I'd rather do this by myself."

Julia's smile fell and she gave him a hard stare. "Look Fang, I'll make this really easy for you. You have needs, right? Well, so do I. I want to have sex with you – that's it. I promise Max won't find out – or anyone else for that matter. I could even talk to my dad and see if he has a job available at his restaurant. I'm sure I could persuade him to hire you."

"Julia, I don't feel right sleeping with you when I don't care for you that way. Maybe you should find a boyfriend or something."

She was silent for a moment, considering him.

"You really love her, don't you? I think it's so obvious, but hardly anyone else has noticed," Julia said with a soft smile.

He stayed silent.

"I like Max. She has balls. So I'd appreciate it if you kept my offer just between us. I'll let you go, then," she said.

He swallowed. "Thanks for understanding," he told her.

"Thanks for being honest," she replied with a tight smile.

The alley was dark and deserted. Fang had been standing for ten minutes – just waiting. He stared at a graffiti covered wall and wondered who had taken the time and effort to spray their names on a wall. Was it worth it? Did the painter get some sense of satisfaction out of seeing their words on a wall?

Maybe he should try it.

"I spy with my little eye… well, well, well."

Fang looked up to find the end of the alleyway blocked by a group of teenagers. He glanced over his shoulder to see a similar sight behind him. They must have been totally silent to catch him off guard.

The speaker was a young man, about nineteen years old. His dark hair was long and greasy, but his face was handsome all the same.

"If memory serves me, you're Fang. You look just like your father," the greasy man said with a smirk. "He said that you might come looking for a job one day. So, run out of money already?"

Fang tensed, feeling cornered. This was his last ditch effort to get some money. As much as he hated working for people just like his father, he didn't really have a choice. No one decent was going to hire him, and the only indecent work in a town this small was crime.

He hated his father so much right then.

"I need a job," he said to the leader.

"Hmmm, you'll have to pass a test first. Then you'll have to go through initiation. If you survive that, then we'll get you a job."

Fang inclined his head.

"If you can win a fight against one of us, then you can start initiation. However, I may find it useful to make you win two fights. In that case, the second fight will be against me. Understood?"

He nodded again.

"Gasman, you're up first. First one to yield loses."

A boy, just a few years younger than Fang, stepped out into the middle of the alley. He had blonde hair and big blue eyes. Fang didn't want to fight this kid, but he wasn't about to back down either.

"Start!" the leader yelled.

The Gasman leapt into the air and went flying at Fang. Caught off guard, all Fang could do was jump out of the way.

With a speed that Fang wasn't expecting, the Gasman was steady on his feet and ready to keep fighting. With a grace that was super human, the Gasman started to throw rapid punches at Fang. He dodged each one, imagining himself to have a grace akin to the Gasman's, if not better.

Fang gritted his teeth. He wasn't going to be shown up by a punk kid. He knew that he needed to go on the offence if he was ever going to get the upper hand. With that thought, Fang clenched his fists and gave his attacker a fierce grin. He saw a brief look of concern cross the Gasman's face before he threw another punch at Fang.

Fang didn't duck this time. No, he grabbed the Gasman's fist before it could hit his face and held it there. He held it there just long enough for an expression of fear to cross the Gasman's face. Before the Gasman could blink, Fang twisted his arm behind his back, spun him around and then kicked him where the sun doesn't shine.

The Gasman went flying for the second time that night. This time he landed on his face and it wasn't a pretty sight.

Fang was impressed when the Gasman picked himself up and turned to face him again. His nose was bloody and he was covered in scratches, but he didn't seem to notice as he went into a fighting stance.

Fang moved faster than he knew he could and had the Gasman's face pressed into the ground. He tightened his grip on the Gasman's arm and twisted it. The poor guy cried out in pain. Fang felt bad, but he had a point to prove; even if it did mean beating up kids.

The Gasman struggled, but he wasn't going anywhere. The guy even farted. Fang gagged (the smell was terrible), but he held on. He needed a job and this was the only thing he could think of that he had a chance at.

"I yield," the Gasman croaked when it became apparent that Fang wasn't going to budge.

Fang released him and helped the boy up.

"You call that a fight?" the leader yelled with a forced laugh. "That was barely a scuffle. You'll have to beat me if you want to be initiated."

"My pleasure," Fang responded with a grin meant to intimidate.

He could tell by the look in the leader's eyes that it worked.

"Start!" a member shouted from the sidelines.

Fang, tensed and ready to move, leapt into action. His fist connected with the leader's face before the leader could move. He landed a kick squarely in the leader's gut and pushed him onto the ground with his momentum.

The leader wasn't inept, though, just slow. He quickly got to his feet and into a fighting position. He started firing punches at Fang, who was too fast to catch. The leader got a lucky hit to Fang's temple, but couldn't get another hit.

With a grace he didn't know he possessed, Fang slammed his foot into the leader and knocked him to the ground. Blood flew from the leader's mouth as he made contact with the cement. Fang stood over the other male and placed his foot on his chest. The leader groaned and struggled, but was no match for Fang's strength.

"I yield," the leader said, spitting bloody saliva onto the ground beside him.

The fight had barely lasted two minutes. He could tell that the leader was embarrassed. He'd underestimated Fang greatly, and now he was paying for it with a split lip and a bruised body.

"So, when's initiation?" Fang asked, feeling smug.

"We are the Flock-" the leader started.

"Fang?"

Fang turned and stared in horror. There, partially hidden in the shadows, was Max.

"Max? What the hell are you doing here?" he asked, surprised and angry at the same time.

"I could ask the same thing of you," she snapped, stepping out into the light.

There was the sound of sirens in the distance and the entire group – or Flock – stiffened. Within two seconds, the group of misfits had split up. They had disappeared within seconds, leaving Fang and Max alone in the alley.

"You called the cops?" he asked.

"I thought you were in trouble! I didn't realise that you were trying out for some stupid gang!"

"C'mon," he said, grabbing her hand and dragging her away from the alley.

"Fang," she said softly.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"I don't want to go home. I'm supposed to be grounded."

"Okay, I'll take you to the cave," he said, ignoring the feelings swirling around inside his gut.

"Thanks," she said, sounding so small and vulnerable that he couldn't help but feel protective.

With that thought, he started walking faster. No way was Max going to get caught up in anything involving the police.

It was dark on the beach. There were hardly any stars in the sky and the horizon was barely distinguishable. Fang held Max's hand as they made their way across the sandy beach. He told himself that it was because they couldn't see where they were going, but knew that wasn't the case.

Fang had been finding lots of excuses to touch Max recently. He remembered kissing her knuckles better after she'd punched Lissa. He remembered playing sport with her and touching her leg as he got up from tripping. He'd liked the way she'd looked that day; all tussled hair and sweaty skin. God, she was beautiful.

It killed him that they couldn't be together.

They finally reached their cave. Fang let go of Max's hand, even though the warmth was the only thing keeping him sane. He busied his hands by lighting a candle. The soft glow made Max look like a golden goddess, while he was sure it just cast him in shadows. That was often the way it was – Max was all light and happiness, he was all dark and silent. They were contrasts, which was perhaps why he felt so attracted to her.

"Why can't you just tell me what's wrong with you, Fang?" Max asked. She was huddling in an old rocking chair he'd brought down a few weeks ago. He silently fetched a blanket for her and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Why were you there tonight?" he asked, referring to his 'meeting' with the band of criminals known as the Flock.

"I asked you first," she said petulantly.

He sighed and tensed his muscles. He didn't know whether telling her the truth was the right thing, but he couldn't really think of any other options.

"My mum and dad left. I assume they're living it up in some mansion on the other side of the world. He left me with five hundred bucks. Five hundred! That's not going to last much longer. I can't get hired the traditional way, Max. So I resorted to the untraditional way."

"You aren't your father, Fang. I'm not going to let you get involved with a bunch of criminals. Why didn't you just come to me? I can help!"

"I still have some pride," he said, even though he felt like he didn't have anything left.

Max's eyes softened. He couldn't stand the look of pity she was giving him. He would rather her be angry with him.

"I don't want you to turn out like this, Fang. Isn't there another way?" she asked, her eyes brimming with compassion.

He shrugged, faking nonchalance.

"Will you still have pride if I get an interview for you? My father is looking for some new local talent in business. You would be a ruthless businessman, Fang."

"Your father wouldn't hire me."

"Unlike my mother, my father doesn't care about such petty things. If you could do the job well, he would hire you. It wouldn't matter if you were a one-eyed purple people eater – he would hire you. It's not like I'd be giving you the job, either. You'd have to prove to my father that you were worthy before he even considered hiring you."

Fang smiled softly, loving the hope and optimism shining in Max's eyes.

"What about your mother – doesn't she get a say?" he asked.

Max snorted in a way he found endearing. "She can't change my dad's mind about business."

"I'll think about it," he said, mainly to keep her happy.

She gave him a look that questioned his manhood.

"I'll let you know when the interview is," she said, leaving him no choice but to accept.

"What do you get in return?" he asked, allowing a bit of his usual smirk to appear.

"I get to have you as a slave for a day," she said, her own smirk playing on her lips.

"What will you have me do?" he inquired.

"I think I'll start the day off with a nice breakfast. I remember that you used to make a mean bacon and eggs," she said, grinning outright.

"Sounds like a date," he said, just to stir her up.

She grinned in a way that made him nervous.

That night, Fang took Max back to his house. She slept curled up on his mattress. He watched her for a long time, trying to memorize her every feature and expression. She frowned when she slept, but sometimes her mouth would turn up into a smile that took his breath away.

Knowing that he was going to get chewed out tomorrow, he slipped into the bed with her. She snuggled up close to him, gripping the front of his shirt in a death grip. He pulled her close and fell asleep with his arm around her.

He hadn't felt so comfortable in a long time.

A/N: This story won't be as long as I originally planned. I'm too busy now to write a really long story that will be updated quickly enough for you guys. So I'm going to make this story a total of about 20 chapters. Sorry if this disappoints you, but this way I'll be able to focus on my studies.

Also, just to keep you in suspense, the next chapter will be about Iggy and Nudge. THEN we will see some slave action from Fang. Keep reading. :D