Just so you know, I've uploaded 4 chapters tonight (32-35). In case you are starting on this one thinking I only posted one new chapter. So, go back and read 32, 33, and 34 if you haven't already. ;)

Enjoy!

CHAPTER 35

Max POV

I was perched on one of the highest branches on the tallest tree. The Flyboys didn't know I was there…I hoped.

"They haven't spotted you, Max," the Voice informed me.

Thanks, I thought back with a hint of frustration. Any last minute advice?

"You shouldn't have gone alone," the Voice said sternly. "That was a pretty irresponsible move, don't you think?"

Ugh. Just what I needed. I'm trying to save the people I love and the Voice is scolding me.

"I'm not scolding, Maximum," the Voice basically laughed. "But, as it turns out, your family agrees with me."

Yea? I replied angrily. Did they tell you that?

No reply. Big surprise.

I focused back on the situation at hand. This was it. My chance to finally try to save the freaking world.

I scoped the area one last time and saw two more flying creatures, too big to be regular birds, flying up from behind.

"Are they coming from behind, too?" I groaned.

"Take another look," the Voice stated.

Obeying, I looked closer at the two sets of wings, recognizing them immediately. I waved a hand to show them where I was, and they circled down quickly.

Before they even landed, I whisper-shouted, "What do you think you are doing?!"

"Helping you," Fang replied sternly.

"Yea!" Gazzy agreed. "And I have this!"

No. There's no way! He couldn't possibly have—

Of course he had a bomb. If there weren't over a hundred Flyboys heading our way, I would've yelled at him.

"Where are the others?" I asked Fang.

"Heading to the School," he stated. "We're meeting them there when we're finished here."

We watched the Flyboys coming toward us and guessed we had about ten minutes. I shot a quick glance at Fang, and he nodded. This was it.

Fang POV

They were almost here.

"In three seconds," Max informed me and the Gasman.

Silently, we all counted to three before leaping off of the branch.

"Split up!" Max called from ahead of us. "Fang, to the right. I'll go left. Gazzy, go for the middle with the bomb."

"Let me throw the bomb first," the Gasman yelled. "Don't get to close when it detonates. Wait ten seconds after the actual explosion before going in."

Max and I veered off to our respective sides while the Gasman pressed on. He chucked the bomb right to the middle of the mass. A second later, it exploded with an eardrum-shattering BANG!

We were all blown back slightly by the explosion.

"That worked better than I expected!" the Gasman cheered as a majority of the Flyboys dropped to the ground in pieces.

…4…3…2…

"GO!" the Gasman shouted.

I flew right into the still dissipating cloud of smoke. I was punching and kicking with furious accuracy, right at the weak spots Max had told us about. One chop to the base of their spine made them crumple before my eyes.

I whirled around to find another one and realized there were still around fifty of so left.

A hard, metal fist slammed into my jaw, shooting my head to the side. I followed through, smashing my foot across its face as I spun around to face it again. The force actually knocked off a chunk of metal from its jaw.

"Fair is fair," I growled, rubbing my jaw where he hit it.

The eyes began glowing with a small, bright red dot in the center that grew bigger and bigger.

"Laser eyes!" I yelled so the others could hear.

Folding my wings in, I plummeted to the ground. The laser shot just above my head, so I snapped my wings back out and shot up toward the Flyboy.

Before I reached it, another one crashed into it.

"You're welcome!" Max shouted as she moved on to another Flyboy.

After what seemed like forever, their numbers were dwindling.

Max finished off the last one and said, "Let's land."

We glided to a spot on the ground that wasn't covered in shards of metal. All of us were breathing hard and had patches of scrapes and bruises everywhere.

"We need to get to the School," Max demanded, gasping.

"Do you think the others made it?" the Gasman asked with a swollen, bloody lip. "How long has it been since they left?"

"I don't know," Max replied. "So let's hurry!"