Chapter 40 – The Plan

So while I was anxiously awaiting some kind of answer to finally explain what the heck was going on in my messed up life, I had to admit that even I wasn't prepared for what happened next.

My fingers dewed with sweat where they gripped the chair. I ground my teeth in anticipation. Jeb sat across from me with an annoyingly patient expression on his face. Despite his promise, I wasn't sure if he'd make good on his end of the bargain. I mean, he was the one who told me that I was created to have freaking wings. While I knew I was dealing with a deranged psychopath who experimented on children out of pleasure, I at least expected him to be a man of his word. I was his daughter. That should count for something.

And what might it be that surprised me to the point of peeing my pants you might ask? Well, let's go through the obvious options:

Jeb, being the lunatic that he was, had alerted a heard of Erasers that I was in here and was to be disposed of properly?

No, but thinking about kicking some butt sounded like fun.

Jeb suddenly passed out from… uh, not eating during his trip from Maryland to New York to find me?

As amusing as that sounds, that didn't happen either.

Fang suddenly burst in the office door, coming to my rescue…. Again for the nth time.

Even though that option would have presented me with the certainty that he was okay, I was thanking God that it wasn't what really happened.

If you're afraid of the dark, then you would have had a panic attack by this point.

At the time when Jeb was about to speak, the fluorescent lights went out in an audible shwap.

I sat there for a moment, eyes wide as saucers. I was certain Jeb had been forced into a stunned silence, too, since he didn't speak for what seemed like an eternity. Even though it had only been a couple seconds, I finally mustered, "What the hell is going on?"

Let me tell you that this was no ordinary kind of darkness. When you were locked in one of those rooms where there is absolutely no way to see what is around you, we classify the setting as "extreme darkness". I couldn't see my hands, the table, or even Jeb for that matter. It was that kind of darkness that sends chills to the bone. It was kind of unnerving.

"I'm not sure," was the whisper that came a few feet from me, in a sort of tone that seemed much too loud in the small room. Jeb's voice sounded confused. "If the power went out, then the backup generators should kick in at any moment."

I permitted myself a small shudder, rubbing Fang's jacket against the slow-rising goose bumps on my arm. The smell of him wafted from the fabric, as if the brushing had lifted a dusting of Fang into the cool air. And of course, as I know my strange mind works, just inhaling a reminder of him sent my brain into a full-fledged, gung ho course on him. It's strange how connotations brought him into my forethoughts.

Somewhere in the middle of remembering the first time I saw him, under the bleachers at the soccer field, and thinking of our last moment alone in the tree house (and how I could still feel his lips lingering on mine), a crazy plan jumped into my head. It was insane, I know, but I saw hope. And you guys know me. I'm all for impossible schemes.

"Do you think that the whole institute blacked out," I asked suddenly, leaning towards where I thought Jeb was sitting. I tapped my finger against my leg impatiently, hoping that the generator would take its grand old time.

"I'd suppose so. Why?" Jeb sounded just as confused by my excited tone as he had been by the blackout.

The sound of grating metal against linoleum floor scratched through the air. I'd shoved my chair backwards and rose to my feet, the plan already working its way into my mind. In hindsight it was stupid to even attempt such a thing, but I was a girl on a mission. And frankly they had my best friend locked away somewhere within this hell-whole, doing God knows what to him. I had to do something.

My footsteps patted against the floor when I heard Jeb's chair move backwards. "Max, what are you doing?" he shouted.

I almost felt bad for blowing off my dad, but there was someone more important to me than him that I was focusing on. This was my time. I was determined to do the immediate solution that popped into my head, no matter what logic or Jeb or the Voice had to say.

I ran toward where I thought the door was, not caring about the possibility of the searing pain I'd feel if my power failed me suddenly. I hardly thought about minor things like that. All I saw was the prize.

"Maxine Ride, get back here this instant!" He sounded furious, but he didn't see the goal. He didn't understand what I had to do.

"I have to get Fang!" I yelled as I felt my body dissolve into the wall or door or whatever I hit. I felt myself transferring into the hallway, which was just as dark as it had been before. Completely lost, I went the way I thought was the opposite of how I'd come in.

Ah, Max, the Voice intoned.

Don't you dare try to stop me! It didn't occur to me that the girl who was attempting a crazy rescue was talking to the voice in her head, but hey, that's just me. Crazy is my middle name. I was used to it.

I wouldn't think of it, it said in an pleasant monotone. You're finally taking charge like I wanted you to. This is what a leader does. I always knew you had it in you. I am so proud of you, Maximum.

Maximum? Is that a superhero name? I sniffed sourly, although the Voice's compliment was oddly flattering. Its presence in my mind was somehow soothing, too. I didn't feel as alone as I had with Jeb. It's strange how you get attached to things over time, even if the object I was referring to was also the cause of many recurring headaches.

I find it appropriate…

I didn't know what it said after that, because after those four words had entered my mind the hall lights blazed into life, momentarily blinding me. My steps faltered slightly, but I didn't want to stop running. If I thought correctly, the power outage would have stopped any operation that had been going on, which means that the pause would throw a wrench into whatever they were doing. Now that the power had returned, it was a matter of time before the operation commenced… if Jeb had been telling me the truth. Either way, I knew that I had to find Fang soon.

Or else I would risk being used as puppy chow.

I'm back!!! :) No, I didn't die, I wasn't sick at all, and, in all honesty, I did have time to write. That might not be what you wanted to hear, but in the two months since I've updated I realized something important. I think I spent too much time trying to please everyone. That might come across wrong, but I think that this has played a big reason into why I haven't updated. I'm not sure if I should be in the mindset of pleasing everyone, because no one is ever completely satisfied with a story. Hence the reason I replanned the course of this story, which will make it a lot easier going on to the end. I'll admit that this chapter isn't the greatest I've done, but I'm getting there.

So, I have to say another big motivator was you guys. Even when I wasn't going near the FF web site I would still get emails of people favoriting this story and reviews, which I think is crazy. Everyone is awesome! :D

Updating will not be frequent, especially with Nanowrimo starting Sunday. Yes, I'm doing it, mostly to get some kind of writing mojo back (because I still have no idea where he is). And it looks like a lot of fun, too. My friend and I are writing together so it should be easy to keep motivated (or competitive, hmm...)

Happy Halloweeen everyone!
--biteoutoflife--