Thunder: Back Through the Rain – Chapter 19
By MyNameIsCAL
---Fang's POV---
I grabbed Max by the wrist as she started to scrawl a note for Mom. "What if this is a trap?
She stared at me, uncomprehendingly.
"What if that wasn't an FBI agent or Itex found out what Jeb was doing?" I added.
Max shook me off. "This is our only chance to help you, Fang!"
The flock had assembled in the kitchen, waiting.
"So are we going?" Iggy questioned.
Max finished her note to Mom, explaining we were off to go save me, and rushed towards the door. "Let's go!"
---Iggy's POV---
It was obvious that Fang was unhappy about Max's impulsive decision to follow the directions from Jeb, especially since it wasn't long ago since we had all refused to let him help us. Ahead of the flock, Max and Fang were arguing, he wanted us to turn around and go home, but she wanted to keep going. Max really thought we were going to be able to help Fang finally.
"If one of us gets hurt…gets killed," Fang stammered. "I will never be able to live with myself knowing I could have saved you."
Max brushed him off. "No one is going to get hurt."
Fang may have lost the argument, but he still stayed next to Max. No matter what she decided, he would always stand with her, even if he disagreed. That was probably something I wouldn't be able to do.
"We should stop her," Nudge muttered.
Angel cut in. "We have to go. Whether there's anything there or not, I can't say."
---Max's POV---
I really believed this was going to work out. Jeb didn't die in vain and the FBI would shut down Itex. We would be free and happy, Fang rid of pain and suffering.
The location Jeb directed us to was in the woods, just a mile from the outskirts of town. We found ourselves at a log cabin, dilapidated and unused for what looked like years. I approached the door and touched the doorknob.
"Wait," Fang said. "Just think about this for a second."
I stared into Fang's dark eyes. There was fear and for a moment, it made me feel uneasy. But we were here already, probably inches away from the one thing that would free Fang from the pain.
Turning the knob, I pushed the door…
---Fang's POV---
Things played out like my nightmares over the next few minutes. Marian Janssen sat there, smiling cruelly at us, a vile in her hand.
"I knew Jeb would hide this here," she said. "He's too predictable. You're too late."
And like that, she threw the vile on the floor, liquid and glass splattering everywhere. I flinched, knowing that the little hope that I had, but didn't admit to having, was now gone. Max clenched her teeth, her eyes seemed to glaze over as she tried to understand what was going on.
And then Janssen pulled out a gun.
"NO!" I shouted as she pointed it at Max.
"No one move, or I'll shoot," Janssen cackled. "Now you're going to let me walk out of here or I'll shoot you."
I held up my hands and let her walk past me. But Max, always stubborn, lunged herself at Janssen and the gun went off.
Goddamnit, Max.
I caught her as Max fell back, blood began to drench her shirt.
"I'll shoot you all!" Janssen said madly, almost laughing. She ran towards the door and turned to face us again. The gun pointed at me this time. I closed my eyes, begging her to shoot me too. But she didn't. When I opened my eyes, she was gone.
Struggling, I stumbled outside. We had to get Max to a hospital. My leg pleaded for me to stop putting weight on it, but I ran, full speed, as if there was nothing inhibiting my steps, and I took off, my wings propelling me forward.
---Iggy's POV---
Fang was furious. He wouldn't talk to anyone, mumbling and talking to himself as we waited for Max to come out of surgery. For a while, Fang had disappeared to give blood to the doctors for Max. When he came back, he had fallen silent, as if the doctors taking his blood had drawn the life out of him too.
Mom came rushing into the waiting room, Ella following behind. She sat next to me as Mom got a hold of one of someone who could tell her what happened.
"What happened?" Ella asked quietly.
Fang grunted.
I shook my head. "Max got herself shot when she decided to play hero to fix Fang's leg."
"Oh…" Ella fell silent.
I'm not sure how much time passed, but finally, Max was out of surgery.
"She won't be awake 'til morning," the doctor told Mom. "Maybe you should all go home and rest."
But Fang, he refused. I really thought, for a while, that he was going to storm out of here, angry at us for not stopping Max and for not being more forceful.
"Alright, you can see her," the doctor sighed, too tired to argue. "But not all of you."
I listened to Fang's footsteps. He could barely walk, but no one had said anything, and being the blind kid, I certainly wasn't going to say anything either.
Thanks for reading!