Chapter 39 – The Waiting Game

Before I was fully conscious, I knew that I wasn't rolling around in a field of cotton candy or curled up in dozens of fluffy blankets on a comfy bed. The lump in my back told me otherwise. It wasn't as cold here — wherever here was — as it was outside in the limb-numbing weather, but a slight chill crept its way through the goose bumps on my skin. I shivered once before remembering what had happened right before I woke up.

Mr. Darnell, who I hadn't seen in a couple weeks, had been in my tree house, in full Eraser form. There was no mistaking the smooth, calm way he spoke, even if it was slightly marred by large fangs. He'd been there, and he placed me under some kind of drug that had knocked me out. I didn't know how long I'd been out for, and the omniscient darkness I sensed around me gave no light as to what time it was or my location.

Right before then another Eraser had knocked out Fang. That whole scene replayed itself through my closed eyelids. Despite the dark, I could clearly see the trail of blood trickling from his nose and mouth. It was so strange, having all these mixed up feelings about him, and it was driving me insane. First I was glad that he was confiding his secrets to me, then I was confused when we'd kissed, and finally I felt like my stomach had been twisted into a giant ball when he'd been injured. I didn't get what any of it meant but I wanted to forget it all.

Of all the things I'd thought I would have to worry about as a freshman in high school, getting kidnapped and having confused feelings about my foster brother were not what I'd expected.

I wondered if the Voice would pop in any time soon; it usually barged into my head at moments like these when I was considering embarrassing thoughts. I wasn't sure if I should be glad that I had my mind to myself or worried about how alone I might be. There was no sound, no light, and no nothing that I could detect. It was all very stressful.

I forced myself into a sitting position. The first thing I noticed was the cool concrete my hands were pressed against. I couldn't see a thing; the lighting was even worse than it had been outside. This was extreme darkness. I could hear my heartbeat pulsing in my ears. Before I'd mentioned that being hung over the edge of a thirty foot drop was the scariest thing I'd ever faced. This was a close second.

Rising to my feet, I skimmed my hand along the edge of what felt to be a concrete wall, three walls long with the final being metal bars. It reminded me of a prison. I guess that was plausible, as much as I didn't want to admit to it. For all I knew I could be on the other side of the globe by now. The thought made me suppress a shudder.

I slumped to the floor in exasperation. To me, it felt like the past couple days have been about the firsts in my life: first time I ran away, first kiss, first near-death experience, and now the first time I felt truly alone. My stomach was sinking to the cold floor. I felt very alone.

A crazy idea flitted through my head what felt like ages later. I had no idea how much time had really passed, but it seemed like months. While I was sitting there, flipping the zipper on Fang's jacket — which I was still wearing — I remembered that I have a way of escaping this hell hole. I couldn't believe I didn't think of this sooner. I scrambled up to my feet and centered myself, taking a huge breath. You can do this, I thought. I lifted my hand and placed it against the metal bars that separated me from whatever kind of freedom lay on the other side. My hand brushed against it for a second before it was warped through to the other side. I grinned in victory. Now all I had to do was—

Max, stop.

I nearly groaned out loud. Voice, don't you dare stop me. I need to get out so I can find Fang and get us out of here.

First of all, you have no idea where you are. If you leave now you'll just get recaptured. Or lost. The building you're in is like a maze, one that only the people who know it best can navigate. You'd have no idea where to begin.

Thanks for the encouraging words, I spat sarcastically at it.

I'm being logical, Max, it said in that know-it-all way that it had. Now sit down because you'll have a visitor soon. Just be prepared.

A visitor? So is this an actual prison? Where's the ward? I want to give him a piece of my mind.

Apparently the Voice didn't have a sense of humor. I was alone again, waiting for whoever this visitor was. Why would I need to be prepared? Is it Fang? Maybe Mr. Darnell was stopping by for a chat, to call this a hardcore detention? One thing I knew for sure was that if someone didn't come by to get me soon I'd either die from the cold or from extreme boredom.

After a while, when I was pacing back and forth, a blinding light pierced my line of sight. It was so bright I had to turn away from it at first. Footsteps padded along a walkway, getting closer to where I was. Once my eyes were better adjusted I could make out the shape of a man, but I still couldn't tell who it was. I braced myself for a fight, expecting the worst. Hey, the Voice never said if it was an enemy or an ally. I had to be prepared for all situations.

The familiar voice spoke before I could see him completely and my body froze, not a result of the cold. I hadn't expected him at all. My eyes widened in disbelief.

"This wasn't exactly how I planned meeting you again, Max," a voice that made my blood run cold said. No. It couldn't be. How could he be here? "But we need to talk, and I'm afraid this isn't the greatest place for a conversation."

"Why?" I asked cautiously. I was reduced to one word responses out of sheer shock. It just didn't seem possible that he could be here.

He stepped into the light, illuminating himself perfectly. And there it was, folks, my heart constricted painfully looking at him. Everything was a little too much, even if I didn't like the guy. The sand-and-gray streaked hair, the wire glasses, the slim body, that voice. There was only one person in the world that could produce so much terror within me in such a little time.

Jeb.

He didn't respond to my question, but instead came up to the confining bars with a set of jingling keys. In a swift movement he unlocked the cell and swung the door open for me to pass through. I eyed him carefully but didn't move.

"Come on, I'd like take you to a place where we can talk privately."

"What if I don't want to go with you?" My reply was somewhat respectful, trying to keep the rage that was rushing through my veins. I wasn't sure why, but I felt a little betrayed. This wasn't as bad as earlier when Mom had told me about her involvement with Itex, but he was my dad. I guess I expected more of the evil plotting from him.

"I can't make you go, but it'll be a lot easier to find Fang if you do."

Okay, that was a low blow, but since I was such a sucker for my foster brother I knew I had no other option. I sighed and stepped out into the hallway. Jeb offered an encouraging smile that I returned with a scowl. I didn't like that he was practically blackmailing me into submission. Once I found out where Fang was I was bolting.

Jeb closed the cell door silently and started walking the way he'd entered. I stayed close behind him, noticing with some surprise that I was the only one occupying a cell. Where was Fang?

I memorized every exit we took, any other passageways I saw. The halls we walked through were lit by powerful fluorescent lights, stinging my eyes at first. Once we really got into the heart of the building I began smelling something made my stomach clench. It was antiseptic, bleach, the smells of doctors and medicine. Where were we?

Eventually, after passing a line of people walking in white lab coats, we came to a set of closed doors. After all the walking we had done I felt totally lost. My mapping skills were only slightly lacking. Jeb pushed on the handle and held it open for me. I scrutinized his eyes carefully. I still wasn't completely sure if I should trust him, but I had no other choice if I wanted to find Fang. At least I hoped that was the case. If he was pulling my leg I would snap his head off in a heartbeat.

I brushed past him into what looked like a small conference room. There was a small table at one end, along with chairs set up in a classroom-like fashion facing a Smart Board. I stood along the wall, not sure where I was supposed to go. Once Jeb had closed the door he walked to the table, taking a seat at the one head. He gestured for me to join him so I sat on the other side.

"Well, you wanted me here so badly," I began. "Where's Fang?"

"Ah, Max," he sighed, not taking his eyes from mine. "I'm glad to see your leadership skills kicking in. Your concern is what makes you perfect for the role; don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

"What the hell are you talking about?" My hands clenched on the plastic chair, holding me in place. I hated it when people talked like there was some secret they knew about me that I wasn't aware of. "Just tell me what I want to know so I can get this over with. Where am I?"

He paused for a moment, as if thinking over his answer. Finally his shoulders lowered in defeat. "We're in New York," he said slowly. My eyes widened. Was he joking? "This is a place we refer to as the Institute for Higher Living, hidden underground through several office buildings."

"Why are you telling me this?" I groaned, getting really frustrated. I mean, I wanted answers, but I didn't expect to get them. "You're obviously one of them by being here. Why does the bad guy always reveal their plans before right before they induce painful torture on their victims? What do you want from me?"

He chuckled. "As much as it seems like I may be the villain, I'm on your side. I received a call from your mom last night saying that she saw a helicopter flying around your home. She was afraid that something bad was about to happen. I still have connections in several labs, including this one and the one in Washington D.C. I called around and found you were taken to New York, so I took the first flight out from Maryland."

I studied him, making sure I could believe what he was telling me. None of it was adding up, but from his expression he seemed honest. I had so many questions to ask him but I didn't want to waste time when I could be looking for Fang. "So is this a branch of Itex?" I was going for the heart of the matter.

"I shouldn't be surprised you figured out so much on your own," he mumbled to himself. "You're very smart. And yes, this is a branch of Itex."

I nodded, not about ready to give some of the glory to Fang for figuring out some of this. But then my thoughts ran back to him and I had to ask, "Where is Fang? Why wasn't he in a cell, too?"

His eyes seemed somber for a second, breaking his staring match with me for a moment to look at the table. When he met my eyes again the sadness from before was replaced by a determination. "He's in surgery, which was why he was taken to New York instead of the other Itex branches. This is the only one that can perform what they want to do with him."

The whole time he'd talked my heart shriveled up to the size on a peanut. Fang was in surgery? What for? The injuries they'd inflicted before wasn't nearly enough to have landed him in a crisis situation. At least it didn't seem that way. My reply was slightly panicked. "Well, why can't you stop it? What are they doing that's so important? He's not dying, is he?"

He sighed again. "He's perfectly fine. And I couldn't stop the surgery no matter how long or hard I protested. They've been waiting for this opportunity for nine years and there is no chance they'll let it escape again."

"What do you mean?"

Instead of answering my question, he backtracked. "I'm sure you've noticed that both you and Fang are different, and when I say that I mean in a way separate from your average teenage problems. I know that you two have abilities that you can't even comprehend, and more that have yet to come. There's a reason for it, one that no matter how much we try to keep you from it will always come back to try and claim you." It reminded me of what Mom had said, and I felt very guilty at this moment for getting us in this situation. If I hadn't chased after Fang he might not have been captured.

"You see, it's not just your powers that make you different. From the moment you were born you were made for something greater. Your mom didn't want that life for you, but I knew it was unavoidable. You're genetic makeup isn't like that of Ella or Valencia or mine. There are subtle but important differences, put into you from a young age that made you different. Special. And it hasn't been completed yet."

I clung to every word he was saying, hoping they were lies, but knowing that the truth was there. He'd never lied to me; he was always watching for the signs. The signs of what made me special, as he put it. Or rather, what had been the cause of several months of uncertainty and pain. Jerk.

"Max, this may sound strange to you but…" he took a deep breath, "Fang is in surgery to have wings grafted on his back."

At that point I had severed all ties with reality and knew that this was definitely a dream. Wings?!

He had finally lost it.

"It is your duty, as the ultimate specimen of human creation, to be just that. The ultimate. Maximum. Your were born for that purpose, to save the world through your abilities."

Was it just me, or were there many flaws in the last few statements he'd made? That made absolutely no sense. It was just… wrong, inhuman, and sick. Who in their right minds would do that to innocent people? I was so stunned I couldn't speak for a moment.

Jeb broke the long silence. "Will you accept your calling?"

There was a lot I needed answered before I could go all willy-nilly, gung-ho on his crazy scheme. I mean, there has to be a lot of planning before you decide to implant freaking wings on someone's back. "Tell me something first," I whispered.

The side of his mouth quirked into a smile. "Anything."

I took a deep breath, steadying myself in preparation for what I knew I was going to hear. "Explain to me everything you know about Itex and the involvement you and my mother had in it, and also how Fang and I fit in."

His brown eyes, much like my own, examined me for a long moment before he released a breath I hadn't noticed him holding. "You deserve to know the truth," was all he said.

As you can see, the next chapter is gonna be mostly about answering any questions I've left open. Because I'm not sure what you all want to know, I think it's very important that you put any questions you want answered in your review. I have a certain list of things I want discussed, so let me know if you want to see something added. Also, I have a very important poll question that I need answered. It's kind of confusing, so please read carefully. The quesion is "What should Max's answer be?", and that is in regards to Jeb asking her if she will 'accept her calling'. Basically, should Max get wings now or wait until later? Maybe I shouldn't have worded the question that way, but I originally planned to leave the chapter ending with a question. So please answer the poll immediately or else I won't know how to write the next chapter.

Off to write two papers for AP English due Monday (that class sucks, don't take it!)
--biteoutoflife--