DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MAXIMUM RIDE!

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Chapter 2.

"What is it? Tell me, I can't see!" Iggy asked. None of us had spoken for minutes, and Gazzy was still knocked out on the ground.

"It's a date. On the back of Gazzy's neck," I said grimly, "Like Ari's."

Nudge turned to Dylan and explained, because I couldn't. "We all have programmed expiration date. It shows up on the back of our necks a few weeks before we are supposed to "expire", which is really just a nice way of saying die." I turned away. "Ari, an eraser that we found out was really Max's half brother, had an expiration date and he expired right in front of Max. We keep checking each other's necks for dates", she glanced around at the rest of the flock, and "I guess it's been awhile."

Dylan just frowned and nodded, but he didn't say anything.

Angel didn't have to read our minds to know what we were thinking. "Check now", she whispered. Everyone else's necks were clear.

The Gasman started to wake up. When he looked at all our faces he smiled and laughed he said "Hey guys! That was so cool! What did the explosion look like?" We hadn't stopped staring at him. "Hey guys? What's the matter? I'm fine I just kind of bumped my head."

I was just barely able to speak, but how are you supposed to tell a little boy you had looked after your whole life that he might die in a few weeks? "Gazzy, you aren't fine. There is an expiration date on the back of your neck". I fought tears, he just looked so scared. We had fought together, split up, and reunited again, and now we might lose a flock member. NO! I made up my mind right there that I wouldn't let that happen.

I couldn't tell if Angel had had the same thought I did, or if she just read my mind. "Max! There has got to be a way to stop it! I mean, if they can program it into us, they can program it out right?" Tears were streaming from her face. After all this was her brother we were talking about.

"I don't know sweetie, but we have to try and help him, no matter what." I said that firmly, to make it clear that we weren't going to give up on him.

Then from behind me: Fang. For once in my life I had forgotten about him. "I'll bet I know who could tell us how to stop it."

We all realized it at the same moment. "Jeb."

I walked up to the Gasman to get a closer look. "The date says March 9th. That's a little over 3 weeks from now."

"Am…..am I going to expire, Max?" Even Fang had lost his frozen look and now had painful expression on his face.

"No Gazzy, we are going to ask Jeb how to stop it, and we are going to do whatever it takes. Everything is gonna be okay." Actually I wasn't sure. Have you ever noticed how grown ups say it will be okay, no matter what the situation is? Well here is my moment. All of a sudden Nudge asked, "Hey? Where's Dylan?"

That got my attention. Everyone looked around the clearing and up at the sky. Dylan was gone.

A/N I'm baaacckk! But just for a week! I will try to update as much as possible but after that I won't be able to until we can fix the computer! Thanks for reading and please review!