Emotionless

Chapter six: use somebody

-Max's point of view-

Ryan and I caught a taxi to the address on one of the papers in the packet. I could feel a cold sweat break out on my forehead. Ryan silently slid his hand around both of my mine. I marveled at how large his hand was compared to mine. He gently rubbed his thumb across my left hand. I looked up to look in his eyes; his jaw was set straight ahead very seriously and professionally. I laid my head on his shoulder, seeing how his jaw loosened and a slight smile played on his pale lips. The silent car ride ended quickly as the taxi pulled of to the curb of a large brown stone building. Ryan and I slid out of the taxi.

"How much do I own you sir?" Ryan leaned down to eye level with the driver.

"Ryan," I listened to my tone, sounding nothing like a love struck girl. I quickly tried to remember how it felt to be in love how to react. "Sweetheart, I'm tired, I'll meet you in the house." I leaned up and kissed him briefly on the cheek. I almost vomited at how gushy I sounded but the taxi driver was convinced, now I just have to convince my friends.

I walked around the very spacious modern apartment. After I was done marveling at the kitchen I walked down a curving hallway and came face to face with two doors. I opened the first one and saw a small nursery fully equipped for a baby. The next room was another small bathroom. The last door that was a little bit more hidden and secluded led to the bedroom. I marveled at the large cherry wood bed, accented by the dark tan carpet. I walked over to the bed and felt the tan comforter. Of course in a place like this the bed cover is real silk, and all the dark brown pillows on the bed almost made me laugh. Why would you need so many freaking pillows?
The next thing that caught my attention in the overly large room was the two doors. One led to an outrageous bathroom the other led to the closet that is about the size of the nursery.

"This place is monstrous." Ryan said as he walked into the closet. I turned around from the extravagant evening dresses I was looking at.

"I know I can't believe it's free……… well I guess it's not free though." I said my voice cracking. I walked out of the closet and went to sit on the bed. I cradled my head in my hand as the tears started to fall. As soon as one fell the sobs started to ripple through me. I felt the shift in weight on the bed before I felt the strong arms around me. I let my head lay against Ryan's chest soaking his shirt. As my sobs started to become less violent I listened to Ryan's uneven breathing, I then felt the moisture on my hair. I looked up at Ryan and he had his eyes clenched shut. Hypnotized I set my hand on his cheek in curiosity as some things clicked in my mind.

"Who is she?" I asked my voice dry from crying. I watched as the tears increased and his hands started to shake. He knew what I meant, there was someone for him like Fang is for me. He's already fallen in love.

"Her name was Alice." He opened his eyes and the tears he was holding back started to poor out. "I'm sorry I usually don't cry like this." I shook my head and gave him a small smile. "I knew her since I was really young. We went to school together. She was there when I discovered my "power", I was five. I'm part chameleon if you didn't catch that earlier. She didn't look at me strange or anything she smiled at me and disappeared also. A few years later her "father" tried to add another gene of something into her; we were fourteen at the time, and madly in love. We ran from home. To make a really long story shorter when we were sixteen I asked her to marry me, she replied yes. A few days later when we were in southern California we got cornered, by the weird guys that run this place, and she was shot badly in the chest. The guys that brought me here threw her into the van, and I fallowed. The men left us alone in the back. I held her small fragile body as she slipped in and out of continuous. She bled to death in that van and those criminals didn't do a thing. I swore to myself that I would never think of her again, I would try to move on." Ryan's tears had slowed. He sucked in a quick breathe. The awkwardness was almost unbearable. I don't like mushy feelings.

"What did she look like?" He almost smiled as he remembered her.

"She was short only about five two super thin and fragile looking, with short blonde curly kind of wavy hair. She had had freckles that sprinkled across her strait long nose. She had green eyes, and a smile to die for." I looked at his smile. He was really in love, he still is. I let out my own involuntary smile.

"She sounds beautiful." I tried to rub away the dried tear marks.

"She was." We sat on the bed in silence for a moment.

"Ryan what is you real name?" We sat in silence for a moment.

"Aaron… Aaron Green." I smiled at how well the name fit him. "Now it's your turn Anna, what is your real name?" My silence was even longer this time I haven't heard or said my name since the day I got my new identity. I knew the words so well but I couldn't say them. They wouldn't come out. As Aaron started to speak I sputtered it out.

"Maximum Ride… my name is Maximum Ride." I said it so quietly but I knew he heard.

"Well Max, the name fits you well. Actually perfectly, but I know you have already fallen in love. I have known it since the day I ran into you in the elevator……. Who is the lucky guy? The one you were crying over?" I sucked in a deep breathe as memories that were locked up flushed back into my mind. I spilled the entire story, from when we were little to the day I was captured.

"Max, your story is movie worthy." We both laughed at that. "This Fang, he's the one your in love with. He's the one you have contact with on the internet." I looked up shocked at Aaron. I hadn't said anything romantic about Fang and me.

"How did you know?" He smirked at me.

"The way you said his name, yours eyes sparkled and your face glowed. You didn't have to say anything it was obvious."

"Too bad he doesn't know I exist. He would get me out of this mess…"

"You didn't tell him you were max did you?" I shook my head no. "Well tell him now." Aaron held out his I phone. "It's secure, the job I work has to have completely secure internet. Nobody can access it besides me." I shook my head and pushed it back at him. "Max, tell him, get yourself out of here." He slid the phone into my hand. I just stared at it for a moment. Aaron gently lifted up my chin and kissed me. At first I wanted to pull away, and then I felt how inviting his lips were. I turned my head and deepened the kiss. Our lips moved in synch, we gasped for air at times. I felt my self rise to my knees and push him down flat on the bed without breaking the kiss. I straddled him for a moment until he rolled over so he was on top. He pulled away quickly.

"Wow Max, you know what you're doing." He chuckled and looked down at my shocked face. "But save it for Fang, he'll love it." Aaron then kissed my quickly and set the phone in my hand. He got off the bed and walked out of the room. I entered onto the chat room. My breath quickened as I logged on. I read the log on list. The name that stood out was.

Fangster

Butterfly: Fang? Are you still on?

Fangster: Yeah I am… what's up?

Butterfly: Fang… I'm sorry I lied to you earlier. You may be mad at me but I have to tell you. I really need your help; it's a matter of life and death.

Fangster: Anna, I don't even know you in person, how can I help you?

Butterfly: Fang you know me, you know me really well in person, I'll tell you who I really am if you promise not to be mad.

Fangster: I'm not the type to hold grudges…. You can tell me Anna.

My fingers shook as I wrote the reply.

Butterfly: Okay…. I'm Max.