Alrighty! It's finally here! I'm back on my laptop and ready to rock. So let's do this thing.

CHAPTER 42

Max POV

Before Iggy started the timer, alarms were screeching from every corner of the building. He paused, unsure if he should still try it since we were about to have to fight.

"Do it, Ig," I called over the alarms. "We have to try!"

He nodded once and hit the switch.

The chase was on!

We were darting down the hall at incredible speed with no obstacles…yet.

"You six!" a white coat yelled, stepping in our path a few feet away. "Stop!"

"I've got him," I shouted to the others, taking the lead.

Since he was just a regular old human, I basically just bowled him over and kept going.

A few more white coats jumped out, along with a handful of outdated Flyboys. Nudge, Iggy, Angel, and I fought them off easily while Fang held onto Gazzy. A white coat ran to attack them, but Fang simply jumped up, giving him a hard kick to the head. Some of the white coats held needles full of some odd substance threateningly, but they were obviously nervous.

The battle ended a few minutes later, and I checked out the Flock. Everyone was good, but I had no idea how much time we had left.

"Ig?" I asked. "How much time?"

He thought for a second and said, "Probably no more than four minutes."

"Alright," I replied. "We have to move! No time to waste!"

"MAX!"

I turned on my heel and saw my evil aunt running towards us.

"You can't leave me here!" she cried. "I saw what you all set up back there. No one can get it to stop. You can't let me die like this!"

"Go!" I told the Flock, giving Iggy the bomb, and turned back to Marian. "I already gave you a second chance back in Germany. You'll have to fend for yourself this time."

"But Max," she pleaded. "We're family! You can't do this to your own family!"

I shook my head and rolled my eyes. Was she seriously pulling the family card on me after everything she did?

"Family doesn't kidnap, threaten, and torture each other, either. But guess who already did that," I countered.

"I'm sorry, Max," she continued with annoying persistence. "I'm truly sorry! Please! I'm begging you!"

"Not this time," I said calmly. "It's not my problem this time."

She gave me a horrified look before I turned to join my Flock. They were already climbing out the hole the bomb created. Fang watched me run to them, waiting for me before he took off himself.

Anything to add to this, Voice? I asked, not really expecting, or caring for, an answer.

"Do what you feel needs to be done, Maximum," the voice replied.

Well, that was different. It didn't lecture me, and it was letting me make my own decisions without giving me a guilt trip.

Finally, I reached the end of the hall, and Fang nodded to the hole in the wall for me to escape. He was right on my heels as we took to the sky. Less than a minute later, the building collapsed in one of the loudest explosions I had ever heard. Iggy and Gazzy, who was still in Fang's arms, were cheering wildly while Angel and Nudge laughed.

Once we were far enough away to avoid the falling debris and smoke, but still close enough to see, we landed in some trees, watching Itex finally fall.

I just hoped this was really the last time we'd see them. Knowing our luck, they'd be back soon.

"Not this time, Max," the voice said with pride. "You did it. You saved the world."

I couldn't help myself. I let tears of joy stream down my face.

"You ok?" Fang asked, landing on the branch next to me.

"Yea," I smiled. "We saved the world, Fang. We actually did it."

He gave me a genuine smile and wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"So, it's finally over," he said quietly.

I rested my head on his shoulder and took in my first true breath of freedom. He put his other arm around me, giving me a comforting hug. The rest of the Flock ran over and made it into a group hug, and Fang gave an uncomfortable face, making the rest of us laugh more.

I wiped my arm across my eyes and smiled to the others.

"It's over, guys," I said. "We saved the world."

After reading back over this, I feel like this ending was kind of a let down. I'm sorry. I fail. :(

Well, there is an epilogue that kind of lets you know where it leaves everyone. Hopefully that's not a let down, too.