"Okay, we'll start with you, Dylan," I said, feeling like an interrogator. And liking it. We were sitting in the room I was sharing with Nudge and... Angel. We'd gotten two beds, mainly because I would feel weird sleeping in the same bed as the girl who thought I was a complete stranger. Awkward central. Initially, the doctor had finally spoke up and suggested that Dylan and I get one room together. He quickly shut up when I threatened to behead him and stick the result on a pole.

Which, now that I thought about it, was pretty gross.

Fang's earth-bound members had opted to sleep instead, since they really didn't have anything to do with any of the people I was interrogating. So my flock, Fang and Maya, sat looking at Angel, Dr. Gung Ho, and Dylan.

"I was trying to find Dr. Gunther-Hagen," Dylan said openly, "because I think he can save you. I think he can make sure you don't die."

Okaaaay... So evidently Dylan had taken an uncalled for and unexpected trip to Crazyland. I nodded like this made sense. "So how'd you find him? And Angel?"

He told me. This is what I gathered from his words: He had some sort of weird sense built into him that allowed him to find the doc. A new skill maybe? Anyway, he'd tracked him down to... the Utah Doomsday facility. Apparently, there had been a bunch of armed guards at the door, but since Dylan was a badass bird kid, he'd taken them down, along with some of those creepy kids who had been brainwashed. And he found Dr. G-H...

In a lounge. Drinking, like coffee. At the Doomsday Group place. And he'd smiled, like he'd expected him- Dylan shot Dr. Haagen Daaz a suspicious look- which was impossible, of course. Dylan asked him why in hell he was working for the DG and of course the doc wouldn't give him a straight answer. Giving up, Dylan had then told him his insane theory that maybe he could save me. The doc had agreed to come along on the Insane bandwagon, and they'd headed out, Dylan schooling all the guards that got in the way. As they were passing, Dylan had noticed a door that said AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY. So of course he kicked it in and poked around inside, while I assumed Hansey had twiddled his thumbs outside. And guess who was in the room, a million tubes coming in and out and an IV attached? Angel, of course. At that time, Dylan hadn't known she was wiped. He just carried her out and they blew that Popsicle stand. It was only when Angel woke up while they were riding in one of Dr. Guitar Hero's jets did Dylan realize that she didn't recognize him.

She did recognize the doctor, though.

"But what about my mom? And Jeb?" I asked, despairing.

Dylan's eyes were sad. "I'm sorry, Max. I didn't find them there." He gave the doc a look. "And he won't tell me anything either."

I turned toward Dr. G-H. "Okay, you weirdo, why did you disappear? What were you doing at the DG facility? Where's my mom and Jeb?"

He crossed his arms. "I don't need to answer any of these questions," he said pleasantly.

"Oh? Why? You have a death wish?" I snarled, leaning over him.

"Easy," Fang murmured. I ignored him.

"Well, for starters," said the Hanselator, "I have the... antidote, shall we say, to your affliction. Not with me, of course. But I know where it is. And if you kill me, you'll die as well, in a few days. You need me."

I didn't exactly love the idea of needing him for anything. But he was right. I turned away from him, giving an exasperated sigh. "Angel? Any info you can give us? Do you remember anything from before?"

She frowned. "I remember... him." She pointed at the doctor.

"What about him?"

"Nothing," Angel replied. "I just remember who he is, and that I like him."

Panic rose in me suddenly. "Nooo. You do not like him. Trust me on this. He tried to kill Fang." Okay, that was an exaggeration, but seriously.

She frowned. "Is that Fang?" she pointed at Iggy.

I sighed, leaning back. This was hopeless. "Let's get some sleep. Think about this in the morning."

"Wait a moment, Max," Dr. G-H said. "I want to talk to you." We all looked at him, halfway risen off our chairs. He waited a heartbeat, then said,

"And Dylan, too."

There was a pause as I tried and failed to figure out what he wanted.

"Why?" Fang asked, as suspicious as me.

The doctor smiled at him. "None of your concern, Fang. This is a matter concerning only Max and Dylan." Fang's jaw tightened, but he said nothing.

"Okay," I said slowly. "Everybody out, then." I'd figured that if the doc tried to attack us we could take him down, easy.

Everyone filed out slowly, giving the doc wary looks. Fang didn't move until Maya gently took his arm. He seemed to shake himself, then, giving me a look I couldn't really figure out, walked out.

Dylan closed the door, and I sat down at the weensy table across from Hansey. "What's the deal?"

The doctor smiled again, which infuriated me for some reason. "We all know that you're going to expire soon. I have the 'antidote'. But I'll only administer it to you on one condition."

"And how do I know that it's a real antidote?" I demanded. "Not that stuff you put in the water supply at our old house or something, that gave them all huge boils!"

"But Max," said the doctor, "that is the antidote. That's why none of your flock will never expire. Because I gave them that serum."

What?

My eyes were probably popping out of my head by now. Dylan took my hand underneath the table. "But- but what about Fang? He wasn't there when you gave the flock your little 'serum'. He was with me. So he'll die, too!"

"No, I'm afraid," the doctor said smugly. "You see, I gave him a serum to accelerate his mutation later on. Which nearly killed him," he acknowledged, to his credit. "But that's not the one I'll give you. I'll give you a safe one." Yeah, sure. "You see, being a hybrid makes your lifespan shorter- why? This is simple." I was sure it probably wasn't. "Think of each of your genes as a shoelace. At the end of the shoelaces are the endcaps. When the end caps break, the shoelace deteriorates faster. The DNA splicing done to you and your flock makes those endcaps- which are called telomerase- vulnerable. My serum will make those endcaps stronger, giving you the gift of the average human lifespan. The flock already has this." He smiled. "You'll live a long life. If you go by my condition."

I was still reeling over the fact that Dr. G-H had probably saved my flock's lives. "And what's that?" Dylan clutched my hand tighter. I squeezed his.

"Before I give you the serum... you must mate with Dylan."

Oh, Max... what are you going to do now? Please review, guys! Just a one word review, even, helps me out! Thanks!