Last regular chapter! Than an epilogue. And then You and Me Forever, which I promise is not as predictable as this story. Some definite twists and turns in that one.
If you read Becoming You and Me, then you know that my action scenes… suck. So bear with me on this one. There's a father-daughter moment, if that compensates…?
I don't remember the last time I put a disclaimer, so here it is: I do not own Maximum Ride or any of the characters in this story except for Gracie and Devin.
I growled and spread my wings, launched myself into the air, and managed to grab one of the bars of the cage. From inside it, Gracie was screaming in terror and sobbing, and it made me want to do the same. Instead, as we got closer to the ceiling and whatever lay beyond it, I murmured reassurances as I held tight to the cage with one hand and used the other to fumble with the lock.
Below me, I heard buttons beeping as Fang frantically tried to find one that would put a stop to our little round of air travel. Everything was happening at one time, all so fast, and it all got to me at one time as I drew back my fist and pounded the lock with everything I had.
It broke and fell to the floor, the cage door swinging open.
At almost the exact same moment, a chorus of beeps erupted from the control panel, and the wire snapped, sending the cage and I tumbling to the floor. I landed on my back, and the cage, with Gracie somehow still in it, landed on my leg.
"Ow," I groaned, lifting it off my leg. Fang ran over and knelt beside me as I positioned myself in front of the cage. I held out my arms, expecting Gracie to crawl right into them, but instead she shrunk back, crying even harder than before.
"Grace," I called softly, coaxing, "come on out. It's okay."
"No," she cried. "No, they'll hurt me."
My heart split apart in my chest, and then I was filled with rage-- great, uncontrollable rage, that someone had inflicted such pain and fear upon my daughter. As soon as she was safe, I was going to find Mr. Chu and finish him off, once and for all.
"Gracie," said a very soft, very gentle voice beside me, one I didn't recognize. When I turned my head, though, it was indeed Fang, and he was reaching into the cage, all the way to the back, and taking a hold of Gracie. "Come here, sweet girl."
As I watched in awe, Gracie let Fang pull her out of the cage, no protests, only some indistinct murmurings as she rubbed her eye with her fist. Fang settled her in his lap, tucking her head into his chest. I moved closer and smoothed my hand over Gracie's head, relieved when I felt her muscles relax slightly.
"Well. Isn't this touching."
There came that voice that I couldn't locate. I twisted around wildly, looking for it.
"Here's a hint, Max: I'm not there."
Four simultaneous thuds suddenly sounded on the floor, and I whirled to see four Erasers-- so they were back!-- who had appeared out of that hole in the ceiling. A second later, Mr. Chu joined them. He was standing there in a suit, looking smug, like he controlled the entire world and nobody could stop him.
"Fang," I said briskly, not even looking back at him. "I got this."
He knew better than to argue when I was this serious. I launched myself at the first Eraser and had him knocked out with a couple good roundhouse kicks to the jaw. The second was just as easy, but the third one gave me some trouble.
As I charged him, he reached out and grabbed my arm, twisting it behind my back. My breath left me, but I managed to break out of his grip and deliver a hard punch to his jaw. He kicked me, hard, in the stomach, and when I fell to the floor, he put his foot to my throat, pressing down a little but not quite enough to kill me.
I felt the life draining out of me and breathing became more and more of a task. My eyes fluttered shut a couple times, and I had to fight to keep them open. Finally I just wanted him to break my neck, get it over with--
"Mommy!"
There was no difficulty in snapping my eyes open when I heard the helpless wail. What was I doing? I couldn't give up now and abandon my family. They needed me.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the other remaining Eraser catch sight of Fang and Gracie for the first time. A look of malice came into his eyes as he started toward them, and I kicked the one holding me down, needing to defend them.
As I sprang to my feet, I saw Fang tuck Gracie into one arm and turn his other side to the Eraser, preparing to fight and protect her at the same time. I helped him by jumping on the Eraser's back and swiftly kicking the base of his spine, the flaw in his design, making him fall to the ground with a grunt.
With my fresh adrenaline pumping, it took me maybe thirty more seconds to get them both passed out, so it was just us and Chu.
Fang, still holding Gracie, backed away. A slow smile spread across my face as anger at all the threats to me and my family and my children rose up like a flame. This would be easy.
I launched myself at Mr. Chu, knocking him to the floor and closing my hands around his neck. He started gasping, the life slowly draining from his eyes. I didn't want to kill; I wasn't a killer, but my anger was too great, my family too precious to risk.
"Any last words, Chuey?" I asked, watching his face become whiter and whiter.
I waited, watching his lips start to shape a word. I figured it would be something like, "You have not won yet!", but it wasn't. Instead, he muttered, "Get. Them."
I didn't understand until I suddenly remember Fang and Gracie, forgotten as I attacked our enemy, and spun to find them. Fang was carrying Gracie, and they were near the open window we'd come through. Someone was blocking their way, though.
And that someone was Brigid Dwyer, a knife extended, just daring them to step closer.
I looked from Brigid to Mr. Chu and back again, trying to decide what to do. If I continued to strangle Chu, Brigid would hurt Fang and Gracie. And if I went to take her out, she'd do the same.
Left, Max.
I blinked as the Voice suddenly chimed in. Left? Left what?
Look to your left.
I did. And to my left, I saw a cigarette lighter, laying on the ground, just waiting for someone to pick it up. Fang looked at me, and I nodded very slightly, giving him the okay.
In the next instant, I was reaching for the lighter and Fang was swinging his leg upward, kicking Brigid in the jaw, snapping her head back hard. He managed to hold onto Gracie the whole time, and when Brigid fell to the ground, he quickly leaped out the window.
I looked down to check on Mr. Chu. He was still struggling, bleary, barely able to move. Raising my chin in satisfaction, I gave him one last stomp on his stomach and began to look for something flammable, which turned out to be a frayed cord next to one of the cages. I lit the end of it, and the flames immediately shot up, almost licking the ceiling.
Then I ran to the window, but just before I jumped out, I turned around and took one last look at Brigid and Mr. Chu, both laying on the floor, the fire spreading quickly across the room. I didn't want to do this. But I had to.
"Bye," I said softly, and then left, spreading my wings and pumping hard to reach Fang and Gracie, two winged figures about a hundred yards away. I never looked back at the School; I just kept going, racing toward my family, where I belonged.
Second-to-last review?