Assassination of Memories
Chapter XI- Pointless Journey
You all know very well I don't own Maximum Ride and Pretender so why do I have to keep putting this here!?
Shadows' POV
I clutched my head rolling into an agonized ball of pain trying desperately to cut off my scream. I was dying, attached to a chair with pain drilling in through my head; my chest tightened, for one crucial second my heart stopped. In between breaths, pain. In between heart beats, flashes of millions of files at once. The pain continued yet its source stopped, the door slammed open Father shrieked, "Stop it!" I stared at the ceiling though I could see Father being brought over by a Copy. It unstrapped me and placed me in Father's lap, he pushed some bangs out of my face as I stared unblinkingly at him. I had stopped breathing, I wanted yet couldn't. My heart beat so softly I could barely feel it in my chest. Father gazed down at me most of his face blacked out someone called on him. "Take her down to the crypt." He said dropping me to the floor clearly grief stricken as the Copy took him away. Everyone ran around someone yelled at Ethan to take me down. Ethan stood with his arms out as if to say 'what the hell!?' then reluctantly taking my wrists he dragged me away. Down the hall, to an elevator and to a dark area that was impossible to see. He threw me while I rag doll-like crimpled by a desk as he quickly walked back to the elevator.
"Shade? Shade! Shade can you hear me!?" I moaned, eyes blinking open and bolted upright making Tranq jump back. "Thank God your okay, I thought something bad happened to you." He sighed. I could see Max in the back of the truck still staring at me curiously. Tranq must have moved me outside when I started screaming. I put a hand to my face; thankfully my glasses were still on my clammy sweat-drenched face. "What happened?" Tranq asked a hand on my bandaged arm. It didn't hurt if I swung it around but it was still broken. It would be until the next day. I remember the first bit before I screamed, Iggy saying not to call him Jeff that his name was Iggy, then the painful scene where I die. I shook my head since there was no way I was going to tell him. "You kept going to Cain's." I observed by smell and the fact that I could see the Volkswagen from here. "Yeah, well I didn't want Nick to follow us so I kinda kept going, but he heard you scream." Tranq said looking at me. "All of China did." Max snorted. I glared at her, "I don't need your two cents Ride. " I hissed angrily. Max glared back at me her face one that told me to take Iggy back to the hospital. "You do know that anyone that lies about their names will most likely have all of Branklin's police over them, do you not?" I coldly said to Max. "I know you lied about Iggy's, Fang's and most of the other kids' names Max, though why not lie about your name too?"
"Stay out of my life." Max spat. "Then stay out of mine Ride." I shot back. "Guys right now is not the time to fight. We've ran out of gas so there's no way we can get back to Branklin. We need to work together to get back unless we want a repeat of last time." Tranq directed the last part to me. Rolling my eyes I stood up on my now healed left ankle adjusting my glasses so they were on properly. "Get Iggy out of the truck, we're going to Cain." I ordered stalking strongly on.
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"He smells." Giles complained the instant Iggy was rolled into the tavern, "I could smell him even before you got down here." "Giles mind your manners, we have guests." Cain said turning towards me. Max did not like it down here; I was satisfied to see her squirming like the walls were closing in on her. Willow was looking over Iggy with horror in her eyes; those piercing eyes glanced up to me. "What happen to him?" She said her voice shaking. She was like that for humans; she respected how delicate they were. "A car." I answered in a 'no duh' tone. She ripped the bed out of Tranq's grip and wheeled Iggy quickly away. "Willow—" Katrina called after her as if to stop the motherly Lycan from taking him away. "Damnit, why the hell doesn't anyone listen to me?" Katrina growled making Max jump. "Whaddya say?" Giles said like he didn't hear the ranting Katrina. A bark escaped Katrina's lips, as Max watched her mouth dropped. "She's as close to a dog that you can get. Any weird exact animals sounds coming out of her mouth, just tell yourself you're going crazy." I suggested to Max. She stared at me with wide eyes and slack mouth reminding me of Tranq. "What are you doing here bitch and why did you bring these two stenches along with you?" Katrina snarled I rolled my eyes. Max didn't look very pleased with Katrina's words I went with just smirking at Max to annoy her. "You got us into this mess so don't look so happy!" She snapped. "You just want everyone miserably, don't you?" I stated Max growled though it didn't sound as dog-like when I growled. "Jared did say trying to dig out my history won't do you any good didn't he? You should really listen to others Max." I told her. "How could you do that to Jared, he doesn't know where you are and you were watching him... Unless he did know where you were." Max accused. "Brilliant deduction, Ride. You're absolutely correct." I said haughtily. "Why would you—!" "Why do you lie Max? Why is your whole family submersed in one that you try to fool the world with? It's about the same question though very different answers." I told her.
"You make no sense."
"I make excellent sense you're just making it problematical for yourself and thinking too hard."
Max clenched her teeth, I win. "Is that what you try to do for a living? You're never going to make friends that way Shade." Giles said tsk-ing. "Do I give a rat's ass? No." I said. "Will you stop it with the tough act we all know your just a depressing weakling." Katrina sneered. "Don't push me." I hissed. "I'd be saying the same thing." Max muttered. I spun around and punched her with my good left hand. Max fell to the ground, her hand flying up to her bleeding nose shock written on her face. My knuckles cracked as I clenched my fingers, "I told you not to push me Ride." I hissed hauntingly. Max's leg flew up in attempts to kick me in the gut, I turned to the side and she disappointingly missed. Jumping up Max threw out a round house kick; I twirled to the right side of her right leg and kicked her back sending her back to the ground. I rolled one shoulder than the other, tilting my head side to side to make it crack. Max stood slowly back up standing there for a moment. I saw her next attacks; a kick to the head, another kick to the gut then pulling my bad arm behind my back. I leapt sideway before she even moved screwing her up. The kick fell short, so she launched to punch me back in the face. I simply tilted to the left so she missed, using my body weight and force to ram my knee into her stomach ploughing her down. Sputtering Max rolled over to get back on all fours, I was about to bring a downward kick onto her back when Cain yelled at me to stop.
"Enough, I don't know what has gone on between you but if you continue this I will take you both down to stop you." Cain threatened angrily, glaring at me until I dropped my fighting mode. I stopped standing as tall as I could, making my shoulders slack so they weren't square, losing the intimidating face. Max coughed trying to regain her breath; Cain nodded for Tranq to help her up. Max jerked her arm away from Tranq as she stood glaring at him blood running down her face. She looked at him as if asking why he didn't interven.
"You, get out of here and cool off." Cain barked trusting his hand in the direction of the exit. I stomped off and broke into a run, listening to the wind roar in my ears with my heart in my mouth. I went past the lake, past the pack's territory and the Bachelor ski village. I ran on all threes (yes I can run without one arm) my hair whipping in my face cooling off like Cain had told me. Up to where the trees thinned, where the grass turned to rock and the smell of brimstone heavy in the air. I ran to the top if the cliff, poising there crouched down. In the faint eerie light of the moon the gold scales looked as if they were glowing. A magnificent head rose up, yellow-green eyes as large as monster truck wheels narrow at me, a angry snort blew smoke into my face making my eyes water. I did something you should never do.
Make and maintain eye contact with a dragon.
The billowing roar was enough to deafen anyone, Shadows was pushed back a little by the force of Flare's roar. She knew well enough the dragon hated her looking him in the eyes, with a huge scaly hand he swept at her and the earth beneath her, breaking up the cliff side yet missed Shadows as she leapt to his snout and up the back of his head down his neck. With another angered roar Flare snapped his jaws at Shadows though carefully minded his own body as she had tried the trick many times. The exotic language Howling was beautiful to anyone yet in the tone Flare shouted at it sounded more frighteningly foreign.
Shadows smiled jumping off the dragon to the ground. "Okay I never say things like that to you so why do you say it to me?" Shadows said boldly, the dragon roared in Howling again. "Now that is not nice, I'm not the goblin king's daughter and you know that Flare." Shadows answered back. Flare ducked down glaring at eye level at Shadows silently daring her to look him in the eyes again. Shadows eyes darted around Flare's face yet not once did her eyes meet his. Flare snorted more smoke blowing in Shadows face making her cough. His words were a little softer this time, Shadows nodded. "Yeah I know I shouldn't annoy you, don't push you." Shadows smiled. Flare smiled speaking again, "Yeah I do use you're saying now, but hey it works." Shadows answered. Flare snorted, more in a laughing matter this time, the large dragon darted towards the top of the mountain. Almost like a child, with her face lit up with an actual smile Shadows followed after him, ready for some fun.
Max glanced around unsure of what to do. Dune had told her that all the people she just saw were looking for Willow who took Iggy away and they were supposed to wait for them to come back. Feeling uneasy Max followed Dune as they didn't listen to Cain, walking around trying to find Willow too. Max had convinced the boy to lead her around though now he was talking to himself. "We are going to be in so much trouble I don't know why I agreed to this." He muttered wildly looking around. "We need to find I— Jeff. I don't trust him being with that woman." Max defensibly said to Dune. "Hey is what Shade said true? Did you guys lie about your names? I won't tell if you did." Dune added glancing up at Max. Why would she tell him, Max looked quickly away. "And Willow won't do anything bad to Iggy, or Jeff or whatever his name is; she'll try to fix him." Dune said continuing on. "You poor thing you, being hit by a car..." Max perked up at Willow's voice just down the passage way. "If only I could do better, but you'll be fine." The pair peeked around the corner as Willow sat Iggy up his eyes still closed. "Poor thing I hope you're not in a coma after that experience." Willow said gently patting his head down they smiled at the two. "He's alright, though I thought you were supposed to stay at the entrance." Willow said smiling. Max gawked however quickly shut her mouth. How could this woman know that, she wasn't even anywhere near them when Cain said to stay put? Iggy moaned, Willow's hands clapped together her face lighting up, "Oh good you're awake." Iggy's eyes blinked open until his teeth clenched; his good right hand touched his bandages on his left shoulder. "What happened?" He groaned. "A truck landed on top of you. You have a broken knee, shoulder and rib." Max said. "Is that why I feel like crap?" Iggy whinged quietly. "Yeah kinda." Max said her voice dropping. Willow put a hand on Iggy's good shoulder, he jumping painfully wincing. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you. I'm just glad you're up." Willow smiled. She didn't notice he was blind. "Who are you?" Iggy demanded. "I'm Willow, Dune's friend."
Tranq couldn't believe how fast the pack caught onto the fake names and how naturally it flowed out of their mouths. They never sounded like they were questioning or would almost say Tranq and Shadows' actual names. "Where are we?" Iggy said looking a little closed in. "At some caves. We had to stop here after Amberlynn decided all of us had to leave the hospital." Max answered. "Thank god." Iggy muttered quietly. "You don't like hospitals?" Willow questioned. Slowly Iggy shook his head. Willow smiled, "I don't either, doctors freak me out." She said truthfully.
"Wait where's Amberlynn?" Iggy asked. "She almost beat Max up, Cain told her to cool off." Dune answered. "Cain?" Iggy repeated confused. Max, Dune and Willow explained to Iggy what he needed to know, though Tranq kept what only he knew to himself. Where is Shadows, usually she would come back by now Tranq thought glancing back the way we came. "Hey does anyone smell brimstone?" Iggy asked Willow nodded. A roar made Max jump, Dune collapsed putting his hands over his head. Iggy winced as the earth started to rumble Willow was thrown off balance knocking Max over. "What the—" Max yelled some rocks tumbling from the walls above their heads. "FLARE!" Cain's bellow echoed off the crumbling walls that instantly stopped. "Oh, he's in trouble now." Willow said glancing to the roof above.
Sorry the last bit (like everything else in this story) was confusing!