Assassination of Memories
Chapter VII – When Has Stalking or Eavesdropping Been A Sport?

White Wing: Oh dear God!

Logan: What is it!?

White Wing: *squeals*it's Taylor Lautner

Wolf: You have got to be kidding

White Wing: Over there, he's talking to Neofreak *girly squeal*

What the hell are you doing here! If you don't like Rob cuz of his greasy hair hide somewhere else!

*Big boot kicks Taylor out*

I don't understand why people go ballistic over these guys, Rob scares me and I just want to kick Taylor in the—

Tristan: Maybe we can talk about this some other time, we really don't need an angry mob of Twihards coming after us

*Jake runs past*

Jake: Too late!!! *Big dust cloud shows oncoming Twihard mob*

Logan: RUN FOR THE HILLS! *Books it followed by transformed Wolf*

I'm just going to go now *poof*

Neofreak: Is this because Akiko doesn't own Maximum Ride or Pretender?

White Wing: Run now talk later! High ho Silver, away! *Gallops away on a tiny pony*

Tristan and Neofreak: Wait for the normal humans here! *Runs after White Wing*

Twihard mob: KKYYAAAA!!!!!!

"Whoa slow down, what do you mean she was looking up... how do you say it again?" Tranq asked moving away from the soccer game Theodore Ride had started. "Düsseldorf, I passed by her when I left the library." Shadows answered sounding paranoid if possible. "Come on just because she was looking up something about what ever this thing is how does it make it a problem?" Tranq said looking around to make sure no one was listening. "I had a flash, Düsseldorf 1939 forty-one soldiers died in a series of months." Shadows hissed. "Alright calm down it can't be that bad." Tranq assured Shadows.

Until what she told him next.

"Seriously!? Wait are you on drugs or something?" Tranq stared at his phone. "I'll choose something." Shadows said in a pissed tone. "Just forget about it, maybe she won't do any more research." Tranq said. "I have a flash about Düsseldorf and I find her researching about it, that can't be a coincidence." Shadows insisted. "You've lost a lot of blood; you're probably just over worked. Take my advice, get some rest."

"Tranq—"

Beep.

Shadows slammed the phone down on the receiver another deep growl coming from the back of her throat. He's convinced it's nothing, how human Shadows thought with another throaty growl. Ana whimpered, not happy that Shadows was in a bad mood. Kneeling down Shadows rubbed the dog's head with a sigh. What the hell am I going to do? She couldn't go back to the library that would spell disaster.

Stiffly standing up Shadows booked it to Jared's study on the third floor, the lock clicked open the instant she got in viewing distance. On went the computer with the printer, Shadows had to sit down and manually get the printer tools open on the computer as she slid the memory card into a slot on the big printer. After waiting a few moments the pictures popped up like daisies. The leader, a tall girl with long dirt blond hair and brown eyes that searched the place like a security guard; the youngest, a small girl with curly blond hair and big supposed innocent blue eyes that held a dangerous glint, she had many sides and not to be tempered with Shadows could tell. Then the Goth/emo boy, around the same age of the leader and Shadows, the one scared of cages. All their eyes held that frightened look, Shadows gazed over the others. The African American girl; the youngest boy with a blond cowlick and big blue eyes like the youngest, in all probability was the youngest girl's brother. And then there was the blind one, with glazed over blue eyes, he was tall, with pale skin like a Dead-one, his strawberry blond hair went to the bottom of his neck.

Shadows was drawn back to the dark boy, something about him looked familiar. She remembered his scent sorting through it. The smell of bird was all over him, yet there was something else, something desirable. It couldn't be; the smell of heart beating Dead-one and mixture of Lycan. Shadows printed the pictures, a pen at the ready. The minute his picture came out and dried, in capital blood red letters Shadows wrote on the corner of the dark boy's picture:

BLOOD STONE.

Max's POV

"Your still here?" For once I didn't jump when Fang silently came up behind me. I rubbed my forehead waiting for the page to come up. It took two and a half hours to plug all the computers in again and restart them again with the guy at the front desk, however with the power down the Internet was coming in very slowly. "Yeah, the Internet's working at turtle's pace here, I was looking up what the Voice had told me. I found something on Düsseldorf that happened in 1939, something about a German soldier being attacked and spreading some kind of plague around for a couple of months even after he was shot. Well that's the little Google summary, I didn't get to read anything else other than he was attacked by a dog before the computer shut down." I said looking up at Fang then back at the screen. "I can't find the page again and everything Google's giving me is random crap that doesn't seem right."

"Try the Internet history?"

"Was completely wiped when the computer unplugged or restarted I can't get it that way."

"You could use my lap top."

"I've got a feeling I won't find it there anyway." I closed the page getting up. Stretching I asked him how the barbecue was after I left. "The Gasman's soccer game cup went quite good, the Greens won." Fang reported. "That's Amberlynn's family right?" Fang nodded to my question. "I don't like Amberlynn something's up with her." I said walking out of the library with Fang. She kind of reminds me of Serenity somehow I added in my head. 'It's truer.' The Voice chimed. What's truer? I thought even more annoyed that the Voice wouldn't give me a straight answer. 'Dune feels the same way with Amberlynn.' The Voice told me. "Not even that was an answer." I muttered at myself, Fang gave me a sideways glance. "Voice." He said. It wasn't a question I knew that he knew it was the Voice. I nodded waiting for the Voice to give me some more dreadfully unhelpful Hallmark card sayings.

'Look beyond the mask Max, for Serenity.'

I frowned, what does she have anything to do with this? The Voice became quiet and I growled. "The Voice is not helping." I groaned rubbing my temples. "What did it say?" Fang asked still looking at me. "Look beyond the mask for Serenity." I grumbled. Fang's eyes went vacant as if he was thinking; he looked away from me while we walked. "Maybe she isn't dead." I looked at Fang shaking my head. "It doesn't seem right; if Serenity was alive she'd be looking for Iggy." I pointed out. "We've been moving and making sure no one finds us." Fang countered. "We can't just start putting things around, Fang I don't think she survived the time in the Organization. Serenity wasn't the strongest person; she wouldn't be able to live in those conditions."

I stopped realizing why Fang was being so persistent to say that Serenity was alive. Fang stopped his back turned to me. "Max if we lose our hopes that Serenity is alive what do you think that will do to Iggy? He's lost most of his hope, he's told me. Haven't you noticed that he goes out every night?" I blinked my mouth opened yet nothing came out. "I followed after him once, he had a necklace that he gave Serenity. When I confronted him he told me that when they were escaping Serenity told him she'd be out after him, at the same time she slipped the necklace into his hand. He left knowing that Serenity wasn't going to come out. He leaves every night and talks to her as if she's right there; if we all think she's dead he'll hate himself for not stopping her." Fang finished a look I have never seen in his eyes when he turned his head to me.

I had never known it was that bad, then that night when we all noticed he left... God what was he doing? I looked away from Fang setting my jaw. Iggy had been full of self hating for this long how could he conceal it as much as he had. Today at the school, what had he heard that was his biggest fear? I put two and two together and figured it out, 'It's your fault that I'm dead!' I could almost hear Serenity's anger and misery if that was the exact words Iggy heard, the words he was afraid of. Fang continued on with me tailing behind, hating myself for not talking to Iggy while he wallowed in self-loathing. How could I not notice this earlier!? Fang must have been on nigh guard when Iggy went out if we sleeping outside, Iggy would just fly away when we were at home. When we finally got to the house it was dark, probably around eight or so and the last of the guests were leaving. "Man that was an awesome soccer game, you should have seen this girl Rose, she was awesome." Gazzy said with a smile when we came up. "Isn't that the girly one?" I asked. Nudge nodded, "She blamed Gazzy for her broken shoe, the heal completely snapped off. Suddenly she just drops to the ground all muddy and she gets up with a scream, the little boy, Dune, told her to suck it up." Nudge giggled. "All of them were really good; probably if Amberlynn was there they would be able to go against a professional team." Angel smiled. I looked around while Ella told me how good the game was while she watched. "Uh sorry to interrupt you Ella but has anyone seen Iggy?" I asked, to my dismay everyone shook their heads.

"Great." I muttered.

Iggy's POV

This didn't seem right. I was kneeling down, my fingers skimming over the print on the green-brown ground. Okay so it's a dog's print then suddenly it's a human's? I had followed after Max and Fang when they took Akila and Total out here, keeping far enough behind so the dogs would hopefully not catch my scent. Whatever got Akila upset had been with a dog, it's smaller tracks were beside the set that at first were large dog tracks then bare human foot-prints, my fingers skimmed over both sets. Hmm, what was that about I wonder? Some of my fingers from my right hand glided across rough brown bark, a large tree. There was a large intend at a spot near the tree, probably the camera I hear Fang talking about drpped here. Sitting with my back against the tree I sighed listening for anything around me. There was a lot of rustling leaves, any small creature (it was a couple squirrels) mapped out the place for me. The trees weren't too dense, I could walk around without having to worry much, and a couple roots had pushed themselves out of the ground.

I dug into my pocket bring out the gift, holding the chain in my hand, the letters in my other hand. My thumb gently rubbed the S my mind bringing up that face, those beautiful eyes that were the wrong colour still beautiful nonetheless. At the same time I saw myself through her eyes, I could feel the crescent scar on her hand. "I miss you." I murmured, a tear rolling down my cheek. "You told me we would find your mother together; I'm still waiting for you so we can do that." I could almost feel her hand on mine squeezing it for comfort. "Where are you? Why aren't you here? Do you still love me?" I asked the air another tear fell. "I don't care if they did something to you, as long as we can still love each other I'm fine with that, I just want you here. I should havestopped you that day. How could I be so stupid?" More tears were falling now I vigorously rubbed them away with my sleeve.

"Look at me, I'm crying like you." I weakly laughed, "I want you, I really do. Would you come find me?" I heard leaves crunching in a series of fours, not a person but a dog. I raised my head trying to focus on my visitor. Maybe a big coyote or a small wolf padding up towards me stopped, I could hear a fast heart beat and the quiet breaths coming from the animal, I could feel its eyes on me. "What are you looking at?" I said fiercely. Another crunch as it stepped slightly to the side. "Great I'm going completely crazy, get out here." I said raising my voice standing up. "Get away from me, shoo!" I yelled picking up a rock and throwing it in the animal's direction. The animal side stepped, the rock thudded to the ground near where the breathing was coming from. "Leave me alone!" I roared taking a step forward surprised I heard the animal back up. "I said go!" I took another step forward and flinched when I heard only two feet step back. That can't be possible, an animal like that can't suddenly have two feet. The breathing was more human, the heart beat too fast, by the sound maybe it was a kid. My mind was spinning trying to figure out what to do. I took a step back and ran.

The leaves crunched under my feet as I ran back to the house, scrapping my arms from being too close to the trees, two feet followed after me, the light foot fall that of a girl's or maybe even a huge cat with two feet. I brushed against things I marked to show the way home, suddenly I was in the open on flat grassy ground, the footsteps stopped at where the trees ended. I slammed into the door, opening it and quickly closing it behind me panting. I could hear everyone in the living room; Max's footsteps came up to me. "You okay Ig?" She asked. "Someone or something was chasing me, at first it sounded like a dog then it suddenly was up on two feet." I said breathless. I turned around trying to look at Max's face that I couldn't see, "I followed after you guys when you went with Akila and Total trying to figure out what was bugging them." I told her.

"How about you talk in here so all of us don't have to get a replay." Total called from the living room. I followed after Max's footsteps entering the room where everyone's calm breathing made me feel left out. "So what happened? Oh Iggy your arms are all scraped up what happen?" Nudge bubbled, Max's mom told Ella to get the first-aid kit. "Something chased after me." I said. "Something that at first was a dog then it was a person." Max said sitting down beside the even calmer breathing Fang. "Maybe it was a werewolf." Gazzer said. "Ah werewolves need the full moon to transform Gazzy, remember?" I said. "Maybe it was a bear." Said Angel, I could feel her eyes on me. "Not unless it was a very tiny and light bear, either it was a really big fox or a small wolf." I said.

I put my hand in my pant pocket, then the other. "Oh damn!" I patted all around my pockets trying to find it as Max told me to mind my language. "What is it?" Ella asked coming in the room. "I lost Serenity's necklace." I horrify muttered quietly. I slumped into an empty chair close to me putting my head in my hands. "I can't believe I lost it, what would she think if I lost it..." Max's hand was placed on my shoulder. "It's okay Ig; I don't think she would really care." Max sympathetically said rubbing my shoulder. I stood quickly glaring in her direction, "Yes she would, and now I lost her necklace, she's going to hate me!" I snapped running to my room slamming the door.

Shadows' POV

Jared helped unwrap the large bandage around my torso, looking at the wound closely. "It's not going to be completely healed until tomorrow so just be careful with it, I'll put a smaller bandage on it so you don't get anything in it. Same with your shoulder." He said getting a clean bandage. I was sitting on the edge of the tub in my tank top, allowing my wings to slack a little, a hand over my arm wound to hide it from Jared. Thankfully the bullet missed my wing; I unfurled them as much as I could looking at the pitch black wings for any damage. Even if I couldn't do anything with them I loved my wings, I touched one and it shuttered at my touch. They were so beautiful yet useless; Jared gave me a look when he turned around.

"What?"

"Nothing, Shadows why don't you try to fly at least once?" Jared asked. I shook my head making Jared sigh, putting something on my shoulder wound. I hissed, muscles tightening while Jared put the folded bandage on my shoulder using some tape to keep it in place. He patted my hand that covered the dog bite I got from the Husky going over to get more bandages. I watched as his hand went down on the white bandage when he brought it back up it was spotted lightly red. Jared looked at his hand then my arm; I could feel some blood oozing between my fingers. Jared firmly pulled on my arm, my hand fell away revealing the bite. Jared sighed putting some more of the stinging liquid that smelled on my bite making me clench my jaw. "When are going to stop hiding things from me? I just want to help you." Jared said looking me in the eyes, I looked away not able to keep that hurt gaze. He finished with my arm and torso leaving without another word. Getting up I went off to my room flopping down onto my bed. I hated lying to Jared I really did, however I didn't fully trust him.

My eyes closed, I opened them to see the room was darker, the light had been turned off and someone put the blanket over me. I must have fallen asleep. 12:02 am read the clock, the room was only a little darker, the soft light from underneath the door making it possible to see everything brightly. Even if there was no moon, if there was no light I would still be able to see; swinging my legs over the bed I crept silently down the hall to the stairs where the light was on in the kitchen.

"Neo isn't back; hopefully he didn't go to the next town over." Ethan's voice floated up loud and clear from the kitchen. I heard Jared's sigh from the kitchen, "Well if he did than he won't tell us, as long as he didn't go after any people its fine." My stomach churned at the thought of Neo feeding off a human. I'veseen how vicious he is with animals, the thought of a human in the same place a deer usually was made me sick. "What about Shadows, has any progress been made?" Ethan asked, I finally figured the awful thing I smelt was probably beer. "It's still a muddle of fuzzy images and voices; she's not remembering anything about her past before the Runes." Jared said, "Here hold my beer." There was a clank of bottles, the hum of the fridge got louder as it was opened then it closed. "Made sure Shadows didn't get the lemon meringue." Jared said with a chuckle. Well it didn't sound like they were drunk, though Jared was smarter than that. Still if I was correct Ethan was under the legal drinking age. I rolled my eyes: guys. The bottles clinked again, there was a guzzle then a belch. "Nice Jared." Ethan sarcastically said, I heard an empty bottle being thrown into the garbage.

"What about you Ethan? Your living in a house with a bunch of kids, I'm surprised you haven't left yet." Said Jared, a chair scrapped the ground. "I don't exactly have a place to go." Ethan said, a cupboard opened and someone rummaged through it, plates clacking and clinking. "If you want I'll help you find a place, you could go to the city." Jared's voice had moved from where he had been, the plates were placed down. "I guess I kind of like it here, a home is a king's castle right?" Ethan answered a plate was picked up and shortly after put back down. "Hmm yes. Or do you just want to help Shadows get her memory back?" Jared poked. "Ya I guess. It's strange all the hypnotism I've tried hasn't work. It's always a blank screen for her; I think someone might have drugged her or something." Ethan said. "Well the human mind is defiantly a strange thing; someone who isn't completely human makes their mind even trickier. Anything could have happened to her Ethan, though don't start expecting radioactive spiders just yet." Jared chortled. Ethan snorted, "More like someone hit her on the head with a mallet and fried her brain at the same time, added with the radioactive spiders. That's the only way I can think that she gets little snippets yet their all out of order. "

I stood up walking back to my room finding it boring to listen. 'The mind is a curious thing, play games with it to keep those off of you.' My teacher's words echoed through my head, I gritted my teeth together. I flopped back down on the bed heaving a sigh, trying to go back to sleep. I tossed and turned yet the dreadful darkness wouldn't take me for once in my life I wanted to sleep and I couldn't. I sat up not in the least sleepy and my hand touched something in the bed. I pulled it out, letters swinging on a chain.

I S

When and how did this get here I wondered looking at the necklace as it bounced the soft light from under the door onto my face. I sighed again, something I have been doing a lot. I put the necklace onto the shelf by the clock. The instant my head hit the pillow I was out.

It was that Ride girl again, it seemed like she was looking for stuff for breakfast. 'Mornin' Max.' The young blond haired blue eyed boy said sleepily rubbing his eyes. 'Morning Gazzy' Max said turning towards him quickly, he asked what was for breakfast. A look flashed across Max's face then quickly disappeared. 'It's a surprise.' She said kissing Gazzy's head. I just so happened to spot something disgusting hiding in a bowl behind Max's back. 'I'll pour juice.' Gazzy said going to the fridge Max tossed the bowl of whatever into the garbage. There was a thud above by the stairs and an outcry as someone hit something, Max leaned over to look at the staircase. 'Who moved the table next to the stairs?!' the blind one testily said wobbling down the stairs. 'Sorry, Iggy. The staircase just looked so empty.' Max said while Iggy moved to what looked like the living room.

'Don't forget I'm blind.' Iggy said flopping down on a couch like he could see. Max made a look that said "then act like you are" going to the fridge rummaging around. Her shoulders seemed to prickle as something past by behind her, she turned her head on one then the other. Slowly she glanced over her shoulder. 'GAH!' she cried falling over. 'Fang!! Will you quit that?!' Max snapped to the emo boy as he put his long hair into a ponytail. 'Quit what? Breathing?' he asked calmly. 'Make some noise when you move! You startled me!' Max barked Iggy wobbled into the room throwing an apple to Fang. 'I'll make eggs. I don't want Max to burn our last frying pan.' Iggy said. Max's face went a little red then she stomped off, 'Fine. I'll go get Nudge and Angel.' Iggy held three eggs between his four fingers, Fang watched with a look of boredom after Max with the apple near his mouth.

Then they were all in the kitchen eating, enjoying a meal. The youngest blond girl was there and the African American was thrown into the mix. Max was sitting at one end of the table, Gazzy on the other with Iggy sitting to the right of Gazzy, the youngest girl was beside Iggy. Fang was on Gazzy's left side, the African American was sitting beside Fang. 'I want to go pick strawberries today. They're ripe now.' The girl beside Fang said. 'Okay, Angel, I'll go with you!' Gazzy said bolting up.

FFRIIIP!!

'Oh geez, Gazzy!' Angel said holding her nose. 'I'm done.' Fang said coolly standing up. 'Gas...mask!' Iggy choked out grasping his throat with both hands like he was dying. 'Sorry.' Gazzy said still eating. 'Yeah, Angel. I think the fresh air would do us all some good. I'll go too.' The one that I believed to be Nudge said. 'We'll all go.' Max said ruffling Angel's blond curls. 'How's that?' Fang and Iggy nodded, Nudge smiled. 'YAY!' Gazzy cried.

'WOO-HOO!!!' Gazzy yelled jumping in the air as the group came over a hill. Angel skipped after Gazzy with Nudge close behind along with Max, Iggy and Fang tagged behind. Angel lead the group over to a patch of strawberries were she immediately started picking strawberries and putting them in her basket. 'If you make a cake... I can make strawberry shortcakes.' Angel said to Max who was sitting beside Angel. The older girl smiled sweetly until her face became annoyed as Iggy's voice floated over. 'Yeah, that'll be the day, when Max makes a cake. I'll make it Angel.' He was standing right behind Max. 'Oh, thank you!' Max snapped jumping up, 'Okay, I'm not a fabulous cook. But I can still kick your butt and don't you forget it!' Iggy was shaking his head and hands, his walking stick swinging back and forth with a smile on his face. A little ways away Gazzy was trying to conceal his laughter. 'Was that you?' Max said in a frightening voice, a deadly look on her face over top of Gazzy. 'Kkkh!' Gazzy squeaked Max grabbed his cheek giving it a pull. 'How many times have I told you not to play jokes mimicking others?' Max said with a hint of laughter. 'But it's fun!' Gazzy laughed. Everyone was laughing now, Max had Gazzy in a loose head lock nuggieing his head. 'Better noises from that end.' Giggled Nudge. Angel laughed as shadow fell upon her, she looked up and screamed.

I gasped eyes flashing open. I laid in bed, the sheets clenched in my hands sweat dripping down my neck. Sitting up I put my head in my hands taking deep breaths. Breathe; nothing happened I thought trying to process what I had dreamed. I had been scared when Angel screamed, though I knew that this was not a memory of mine, not anyone's memory. However that couldn't be right, I heard them call the one named Gazzy, Theodore at the barbecue, Angel was called Ariel and Fang was Nick.

Or had they lied?

I racked my brain for more information and found that something was missing in my memory recently. Alright so I went to the library after I had dropped my camera, and then went back home and called Tranq. But how did I get from Jared's office on the third floor to just outside the Barn? I guess I hadn't taken any notice to it but when I woke up at the Barn everyone but Neo was home, before they hadn't been and they even asked where I had been. Man I had no idea what happened from the time between Jared's office and the Barn, what the hell happened? My head raised from my hands, could I... no it wasn't anywhere near, was it? My mind spun with explanations and I decided to just go with I'm going completely insane.

Everyone was sleeping; I could hear the even breathing of all in the house. I got up going to the room next to mine silently opening the door. Tranq turned over in his sleep not looking as peaceful as he could be. I came up shaking his shoulder. "Wha?" Tranq's sleepily said his eyes blinked open; he looked confused when he saw me. "Can I sleep here?" I asked. "What you mean... in my room?" Tranq asked yawning. I nodded Tranq moved over to let me on the bed. "Usually I do this." He muttered turning away to go back to sleep. I got on to the bed okay with sleeping over the covers tonight, thanking Tranq. "No prob Shade." Tranq yawned, "No prob."

Max's POV

"I did not get to sleep last night." I moaned my head close to falling into my fifth bowl of cereal. "That dog would not shut up; instead it thinks its fine to howl all night." Iggy agreed rubbing his closed eyes. Fang looked tired too, everyone was, Ella had tripped coming into the kitchen. "I'm sorry guys I didn't know it was going to be like this the day after our first here." Mom apologized. "It's good to know that the animal doesn't howl every night. I went into town early this morning; they've been trying to hunt that animal for maybe less than a year however all their dogs won't cooperate." Jeb said entering the kitchen. "What is it?" The Gasman sleepily asked. "Some sort of wild dog they think, the howling though, gets worse every so often but never in the same month. Sometimes it's regular for a couple months then gets worse all of a sudden, everyone I talked to suggested wearing earplugs to bed." Jeb told us.

"Of course that applies to people who aren't being chased down." Iggy muttered. "Okay everybody it's time to get our butts moving, the bus will be here soon." I said checking my watch. It wasn't some moan parade; everyone just did it, getting dressed and getting ready for school. After Anne everyone seemed to be listening to me more (of course Gazzyand Iggy still made and had bombs on them at all times). We trekked down the freakishly long drive way so we all stood at the bus stop, waiting for the over crowded bus to come. Mom wanted us to take the bus since flying was a no-no; we were too far away to walk so some people might get suspicious, that and we'd need to carry Ella even though I had no problem with that. Mom had driven us last time though decided it would be easier on the bus for us (WRONG) so that's what were taking. "I'm going to sit by JoeJoe at lunch again alright Max?" Ella asked looking at me. JoeJoe was Ella's best friend with the whitest hair I've ever seen on a girl that age, yesterday Ella made a new best friend in ten seconds flat earning her a seat with people like her and not some mutant freaks.

The bus pulled up looking too full for my pleasure, and the driver told us we had to wait for the next one, we didn't care, as long as we didn't get the third bus, one of Angel's classmates told her if you got on the third bus it meant you were late, so we patiently waited for the second bus to come. It came quickly after the first allowing us on. I stepped aboard fist coming up the steps and stopped. In the dead center of the middle bench Amberlynn raised her head; behind her glasses I could see her eyes narrow at me. She was wearing a brown half sleaved shirt today with dark pants, that leather jacket of hers framed her body. Maybe we could wait for the third bus; I was about to turn around when the driver, Mr. O Donald by his name tag, spoke to me.

"Amberlynn's always does that to everyone, she's not holding anything personal against you." He said I looked back at Amberlynn trying not to make eye contact. The look reminded me of a lot of Erasers at the School, it was creeping me out as we boarded on the bus sitting down as close as the door as possible. Iggy and the Gasman happened to get the seat three rows away from Amberlynn. Fang was sitting beside me, Angel and Nudge were the closest to the door and Ella was sitting by JoeJoe; Fang gave me a sideways glance as I tried my hardest not to look at Amberlynn. "You okay?" Fang asked I shook my head. "She's staring right at me isn't she?" I said. Fang glanced with only his eyes behind him. "Yep. Dune's there with her."

The bus ride was the longest I'd ever had, and the most torturous. As I bolted for the door, Shadows pushed me aside dragging Dune along behind her. I flinched; Dune was covered with slithering snakes from head to toe as he was dragged to the door. I shut my eyes tight giving me head a few shakes before opening my eyes again to see the snakes were gone. "I'm going crazy, just a minute ago Dune was covered with snakes." I muttered to Fang once we were off the bus watching as Amberlynn continued to drag Dune into the school. Fang shook his head to say he didn't see anything; I broke off from him going to my locker. "The first block of the day will be block C students that is all." The announcement droned for the older kids, I grabbed my history book going off to find the class I had hate the last time I went to school with of a map of the school I was in now in hand. The warning bell soon went off, kids rushed around trying to get to their classes leaving me alone in the hallway. Crap I thought looking around. Only five minutes to my class actually starts. I walked around still looking starting to freak out. Three minutes, man where is room 105? Suddenly I noticed things looked familiar and spotted my locker. I came up to it staring at the light blue metal for a moment before giving my head a hard whack on the locker leaving my forehead to miserably stay there. "I've been going in circles; my teacher is going to be so ticked." I sourly muttered. I haven't even been to history at this school before! Sighing I turned around and felt like smacking my head on my locker again.

Room 105 was across from my locker.

With a groan I walked over opening the door. Everyone was chatting to their friends, some kids were having a paper ball war, and the teacher was even passing a basketball back and forth with a kid in the first row. And Iggy and Fang were there standing near the teacher's desk. "Why didn't you tell me you were in history?" I quietly hissed coming over to them. "We didn't know we had C block. Fang said it's supposed to be A block." Iggy said leaning over slightly. "We didn't get to C or D block yesterday so we're doing it now." Fang said staring at something at the back of the class. Nope not something, someone.

That someone was Amberlynn.

She was glaring at us from her desk at the back of the class, closest to the windows that thankfully opened all the way, a shadows casting over part of her face making her look more deadly. The bell rang making everyone go to their seats; Amberlynn's gaze was removed from me to out the window. "Hold your ball José." The teacher said tossing the ball to the boy. "Well class as you can see we have three new students, Jeff, Nick and Max," Amberlynn seemed to perk up as if she knew something, "I'm Mr Shields, the grade 10 history teacher." Mr Sheilds said to us. He was an average man, with little to none red hair and sky blue eyes that had almost the same look as Jared's when he was talking to me at the party. "Blind bat!" Someone yelled throwing a paper ball at Iggy who expertly caught it chucking it at the thrower's head. The girl was surprised as the paper ball bounced off her head, some people whistled. "Jessie I'll see you after school." Mr Shields said Jessie's mouth dropped. "Nick and Jeff you'll be sitting in the two empty seats in the second row. Max the only seat left would be in front of Amberlynn." Mr Shields said looking sorry. Some people started whispering while I walked up as if I was walking to my death; I sat down feeling Amberlynn's eyes on my back. I was again tortured for the whole class some of the things Mr Shields said didn't reach my ears. The class was split in rows, Iggy's and Fang's desks were ever so slightly closer together so Fang could lean over to help Iggy, I could see Mr Shields keeping an eye on Iggy as well. By now I was ready to scream, class would be over in fifteen minutes but I wanted to leave now, I wanted to jump out the window and just take to the sky just to get rid of Amberlynn's eyes. I heard chuckling behind me, it sounded so much like an Eraser's I almost jumped up to run. Was she laughing at me? The way she was making me squirm under her gaze, did that entertain her? Now she was making me sick that she was so much like an Eraser. Was she an Eraser?! That couldn't be possible, and then I remembered Owen. He was Serenity's cousin, a fourteen old Eraser, maybe fifteen now. Erasers only lasted about six or four years but this kid had lasted for so long because Owen said he was a fluke the Whitecoats couldn't repeat, Amberlynn could be an Eraser. The last Erasers we faced off against look really human, but they still looked like beautiful actors that had perfect everything, Amberlynn looked like an authentic human not like the Erasers we fought. I risked a glance over my shoulder; Amberlynn was still snickering staring out the window now. She looked like a really white gymnast, behind those glasses her eyes were a dangerous flare from what I could see. Why was she wearing glasses, Nudge thought Amberlynn might be very sensitive to the light so she wore glasses to stop from getting a headache, but why would she have to wear them indoors? I bolted from the class the minute the bell went and Mr Shields dismissed us sprinting for my locker. I kept glancing over my shoulder, checking each face for Amberlynn. I fiddled with my lock to long, messing up on the combo until I did it like a turtle. I grabbed my books for next block slamming my locker shut.

"Looking for me?"

I jumped just about to scream at Fang not to sneak up on me but caught myself. It was Amberlynn, a smirk on her face standing where the locker door had hid her, she chuckled again. How did she do that? I was looking for her for the whole— oh, when I unlocked my combination lock. I slipped the lock back in the little slot pushing up to lock it. "Fourteen, twenty-nine, two." Amberlynn rallied off my combo leaning casually against the lockers not looking at me. "Turn faster." She said coolly as I quickly went off hoping Iggy and Fang were in my next class.

Lunch time
No sign of any of the Flock. I scanned faces for any of them, Dune and Amberlynn sat at their table from yesterday, though I could hear them so clearly because so many parents had kept their kids home. "Scared the shit outta her." Amberlynn's smug look was making me angry. "Jared wants you to be friendlier, staring at someone until the squirm has the oppositeeffect." Dune said while Amberlynn rolled her eyes. I saw Fang, Amberlynn did too, "Hey Kiba, don't sneak up on Max again." She called out making Fang to stare at her; Amberlynn looked a lot like Ari as she crossed her arms over her chest looking satisfied with a smirk plastered on her face like him. Fang raised an eyebrow at me while he sat down I shrugged popping a fry into my mouth. "What does Kiba mean?" Iggy asked sitting between us with a slightly confused look on his face. Nudge sat down on my other side followed by the Gasman and Angel, "Its Japanese... it literally, translates to Fang the way she's using it." Everyone looked at me then glanced over to Amberlynn and she snorted looking like she was going to laugh. "How does she know that?" Gazzy hissed. I was getting paranoid, it could be a slang term for something but I remember that Nudge spent some time on Fang's computer looking up Japanese words after Nudge had met the bilingual Serenity who could speak, I believe, every modern language. "More importantly how does she know Fnick scares Max by 'sneaking up' on Max?" Iggy inquired. Okay now I was over paranoid, I was terrified to tell you the truth. It couldn't be a coincidence, but how could Amberlynn know that? "We need answers." Fang stated plainly. "Who's up for stalking Amberlynn?" I suggested surprised that all hands shot up.