Thunder: Back Through the Rain – Chapter 17
By MyNameIsCAL
---Max's POV---
It was one last desperate phone call at four in the morning when Jeb finally picked up.
"Max?" He was out of breath, voice raspy.
"Jeb!" This was probably going to be the last time I'd ever be excited to hear from him.
"I don't got a lot of time to talk," he began. "Can I come to the house tomorrow?"
"If you make sure no one's following you," I said without much thought.
"The last thing I want to do is endanger you." And then he hung up.
---Fang's POV---
I woke up to a lot of commotion. Apparently Max had finally gotten through to Jeb. They were all in the kitchen when I hobbled in, eating breakfast, waiting for Jeb to show up. I sat between Max and Gazzy, reaching for some toast to eat.
"Morning," Max said quietly.
I avoided her eyes. "Morning."
The rest of the flock was still going on and on about Jeb. I wasn't listening to them. Max wasn't listening to them either. There was something she wanted to say but she wasn't going to say it unless she had my full attention.
Right now, I just wanted to eat.
---Iggy's POV---
Fang was just sitting there, eating his toast, totally disregarding everything that was going on. The entire flock was engrossed in discussing options, their anxiousness about having Jeb around, but Fang, he just sat there quietly, silent. Everything we were trying to plan was for him and he had nothing to say. We had only accepted Jeb's help last time because it was our only option to get Max back. Had it come to the same kind of situation again?
"We can't waste any more time searching by ourselves," Max said. "Jeb is the only thing we've got to run on right now."
"Well, we certainly can't just go to Itex and demand they give us what we want," Nudge sighed.
Angel spoke up now. "It's too bad I can't mind control those clones."
"Well, if you could, we could send a whole army against Itex." I don't think my attempt to lighten the mood worked though.
Not even Gazzy seemed to be in the mood for joking. "When Jeb helped us get you, Max, Fang almost got killed. I don't think we're going to get anywhere, even with his help."
Max sounded torn now. "We have to do something."
And I wished I could hold her one more time, just to tell her everything would be ok.
---Fang's POV---
Jeb arrived, finally. Waiting for him had been torturous, listening to everyone argue and express their own views. He was disheveled, shirt ripped and stained with dry blood. The he talked sounded like he hadn't slept in days.
"I can help you," he told us.
"How so?" Max took control of the negotiation.
"I'm on the run, wanted by Itex," Jeb explained. "They said they'd spare me if I could turn Max in. But I don't want to do that. I'll turn myself in, in exchange for whatever they've got to fix Fang, and Max, you'll come with me, but you're going to escape."
Max leaned back in her chair. That still put her at risk for falling into the hands of Itex again. The time for protesting wasn't now though. She and Jeb went back and forth, trying to figure out another option, but in the end, it seemed to be the worst way was always the only and best idea that was put on the table.
"Discuss it when I go clean myself up," Jeb said
---Max's POV---
"All in favor of Jeb's plan?" I asked.
Iggy's hand went up first. "Only because it's our one and only option. Just be careful that we don't repeat what happened before."
I got the feeling Iggy was trying to say something else too, but that was something to deal with later. Nudge gave no explanation. Either she was agreeing because Iggy was or she usually just naturally agreed with me. Angel shook her head and Gazzy's hand rose hesitantly.
"Fang?" I asked.
"Absolutely not." It was the first time I had heard him speak in a while.
"What do you mean?!" I questioned.
His dark eyes met mine. "I'm not going to put you, or anyone of us, in danger again. We don't need to throw ourselves into danger. We're not invincible, Max. In the end, I'll be able to put up with the pain, and I'll be fine."
Iggy suddenly spoke up. "I'm changing my vote."
Everyone seemed to agree now, against what I wanted. But what I wanted was to help fang and make up for all the wrong I had done him. If the flock wanted to keep safe, then I couldn't go against them. I sure as hell wasn't going to pull a stunt like I did before, trying to take things into my own hands.
"Ah…." I was lost for words
---Fang's POV---
Jeb wasn't happy with our decision. He left after Mom gave him some food. It would probably be a long time before we hear from him again. But most of all, Max was highly displeased that I had turned the whole flock against her. She'd get over it, eventually.
"This may be your only chance to get the cure," Jeb said as we saw him to the door.
"I know." But I told myself I wasn't going to regret this.
"Well," Jeb opened the door. "Good luck."
My leg twinged in pain as I watched him walk off in the distance. I hoped that wasn't some kind of bad sign.
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