The Disbanded: Divided We Stand – Chapter 56

By MyNameIsCAL

---Nudge's POV---

They moved us outside the city, letting us actually watch the buildings go by. Angel looked out the window of the car sadly. Before we got into the car, Angel told me to enjoy watching.

This might be the end, she had said. Enjoy the ride.

I stared out the window. All the people we passed. How long had it been since we had seen an actual person that wasn't trying to kill us?

Are we ever going to see Max and the others again? I asked.

It took a long time for Angel to respond. I really don't know, Nudge.

There was something she wasn't telling me, but I wasn't going to push it.


---Iggy's POV---

We were driving through the city now, after spending the night sleeping on the plane after it had landed. Gazzy was telling me how Ramirez had crossed the line, accusing Fang of being abusive. Apparently Ted had come to the rescue though and Fang had slept through the whole thing.

"When Max told him later, he only shrugged it off," Gazzy sighed. "And you, with your loud music, missed everything. You're going to go deaf."

"Hah, me deaf?" I laughed. "I have better hearing than all of you."

"Gazzy's rolling his eyes, just so you know," Fang muttered, sounding somewhat amused. He seemed like he was in a better mood than I thought he would be, considering he had just been insulted.

"No I'm not." But Gazzy was sniggering.

Max joined in with laughter. A moment of comic relief. I had to smile.


---Fang's POV---

The warehouse looked like every other one I had been too. There was nothing here, nothing. Ramirez took the lead, taking us down some stairs. I let out a sigh as I took each step, one by one.

"You alright?" Max asked, steadying me by gripping my arm.

"Yeah, once we get on solid ground I will be."

We continued down the stairs and Ramirez opened the door, letting us all in first.

"Someone find a light," Ramirez muttered.

But when the light was turned on, I came face to face with a person I thought I would never see again. Marian Janssen. Behind her stood Angel and Nudge, handcuffed.

"No one move, or I'll shoot him!" Someone grabbed me from behind. I tried to fight them off, but they jabbed their knee into the back of my bad leg, pushing a gun to the side of my head.

"Well, hello there, Max," Janssen gave us a cruel smile. "It's so good to see you all, finally back together."

"Can we get this over with already?" Ramirez growled. And that's when I realized he was the one pushing the gun to my head.

"Now, now, Ramirez," Janssen frowned. "I think we owe them an explanation, what do you think?"

Mike spoke, almost like a child. "How could you do this to us?"

Ramirez laughed in my ear. "I killed your father. You think I don't live with guilt every day? He was my best friend! But he had to go so things could happen. And things didn't always go the way we wanted."

"Especially with you all getting away from us," Janssen sighed. She had a gun too, but it was pointed at the floor. My heart rate was rising. This wasn't going to end well.

Mike started to shout. "YOU SON OF A BITCH! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT?!"

"It was supposed to be your future," Ramirez snarled. "I was supposed to put you into helping me!! But then things changed and Ted made things complicated. The whole reason I got Max to work with me was to keep an eye on her. I hoped she would attract her other friends, but it was taking too long."

"You betrayed us!" Eli chimed in.

"Oh, shut up and stop whining!" Janssen fired a shot and Eli jumped. The bullet wasn't meant to hit him though.

"Let's kill them now!" Ramirez hissed.

I sucked in a deep breath, trying to calm myself. Max stood next to me, glancing sideways at me. She knew it would be long before I started having a problem.

Fang, I'm sorry. Angel's voice suddenly entered my head. I looked up at her. She was crying. Nudge just looked terrified.

Sorry? I'm seeing you for the first time in years. It's not your fault, I thought back.

Gazzy's going to do something. There was an urgency in the way she said this to me. And it'll distract everyone, but you need to grab that man's gun that's holding you. Trust me, okay?

Alright.

"I say we get rid of the crippled first," Janssen pointed her gun at me. "Tell me something, Fang. Why didn't you look for Max sooner? She risked everything to save you. She only wanted to save you."

"That's not true," I said through gritted teeth.

And that's when Gazzy threw himself at Janssen. Ramirez loosened his grip as a reaction and I elbowed him in the chest, gripping the gun. Gazzy and Janssen were fighting for the gun. Max was now fighting Ramirez. Gazzy needed saving first.


---Max's POV---

Things had happened so fast. I couldn't keep track of what was going on. Ramirez, for someone who hadn't had their genetics messed with, was a strong guy. He got a couple punches, but I kept him pinned down.

"If only you had cooperated from the beginning!" Ramirez spat. How had I not seen that he was trying to get to me all this time? What was a guy like him doing working for someone like Janssen?

As I hammered one last punch on Ramirez, a series of gunshots went off. That's when things felt like they were going in slow motion.


Cliffhanger there for you! Ah, I couldn't help but it leave it like that.

If you are looking for something else to read, I've got three new stories up over the past week or so: "Lie Tonight", "Cheating Death", and "Silence". Check it out if you got the chance.

But as always, thank you for reading!!