Chapter 24

The minute Fang saw Nudge, he knew something was wrong.

She hedged up the ramp, shaking her head, peering up around the corner. Flicked glances behind her. Before she climbed the stairs to their location in the back of the theater, she scanned the mass of people, examining each one with dire scrutiny.

Fang sprung out of his chair, but he couldn't seem to get his legs working. Angel latched his hand and dragged him down the aisle.

"Let's go," he said to Iggy and Gazzy.

"What?" they exclaimed together, inviting immediate shushes from several rows in front of them.

"This is the best part!" Gazzy said.

Fang ignored him and continued a slow trudge down the stairs.

"Fang!" Nudge tried to whisper as Fang pulled her by the arm out of the theater. "Have you seen Max? I went to the bathroom and when I came out, she wasn't there. I thought maybe she had to go so I went back in and then I thought maybe I took too long and she came back here, but—"

Crap. Fang's heart sunk to his stomach.

"We'll find her, Fang," Angel said. "I'm sure she's fine…. No, I know she's fine."

The hesitant smile on Angel's face told a different story.

He whipped his face to Nudge. "Did she say anything? Anything?"

Nudge sucked in her chest, shook her head. Fang didn't mean to scare her. He just… how could she be gone?

"Dude! What's the deal?" Iggy cried out as he and Gazzy burst through the theater doors. "Me and Candace were just getting cozy. I was about to make my move." Iggy clasped his hands in front of him and cracked his knuckles.

"Yeah!" Gazzy yelled. "They were about to blow the evil dudes out of their submarine. Did you see that bomb they made? Man, I really wanted to see what kind of firepower that thing had." His head snapped to Iggy. "Wait – what was that about Candy?"

"Cool it," Fang said and everyone stopped. Fang's eyes darted left, right, then he took off down the hall and back into the lobby.

"What's with—"

"Max," Fang heard Angel say. Nudge didn't say anything, for once. Probably feeling guilty, as though Max's disappearance was all her fault.

Max wasn't in the lobby. She wasn't in any of the other theaters, down any halls. She wasn't outside anywhere either. Fang's gut stirred, Max's absence telling him what he already sensed to be true.

Someone was here. Following them. And Max must've discovered whoever it was and followed him. Or them.

And not told him where she was going.

Or maybe she couldn't. Maybe they got her. Maybe…

Maybe Nudge was going to get that pink cell phone she always whined about.

Fang stared blankly at the cloudless night, wondering what to do next.

WWMD?

What would Max do?

"Fang?" Angel whispered, baby-stepping toward him.

"Iggy. You're in charge. Take everyone back to Nellis. Fast."

Fang took a running start, leapt up into the air and unfurled his mammoth black wings. The cool night wind felt good on his face as he rose higher and higher. He swiped a large circle around the theater, then around the city. He didn't know where Max was or where she was heading.

But Fang did know this.

He was going to find her.

And when he did, he was going to wring some sense into her big stubborn head.

Fang's swallowed the massive lump that formed at the back of his throat.

He just hoped there'd be someone to wring some sense into.