A few hours later, Lake Mead comes into view. I land near the northern point. I see no one. My breath starts to pick up. This is just fantastic. They must have left without me. I've messed up big, again. I mentally yell at myself in frustration and self-loathing. Maybe I should leave and go look for them?

Then the sun is blocked by a shadow. Erasers? Editors? I turn and roundhouse kick whoever had the bad luck to try to sneak up on me. He falls back and moans in pain. I realize who it is in a moment of relief and guilt.

"Fang! Oh wait, Fang! Sorry. I didn't realize it was you. I thought someone was sneaking up on me." He sits up and starts rubbing his back where he fell.

"I'd feel bad for any Eraser that tried to sneak up on you." Just then rest of the flock joins us. Nudge has a huge smile on her face.

"Max! Max! I can't believe it! Can I believe it?" She hugs me tight. I must say, it's nice to feel so loved. If only I could breathe. As she lets go the rest of the flock greets me. Iggy and the Gasman are smiling too and-. Wait…

"Iggy? Gasman?" I put my hands on my hips and wait for an explanation.

"There were Erasers all over the mountain. They were hunting for us. We'd be dog meat by now." The Gasman quickly spits out.

"When did they start hunting for you?" I ask.

"Was it after the oil-slick Hummer crash?" The Gasman asks Iggy tentatively.

"Oil-slick?" I ask.

"Maybe more after the bomb?" The Gasman says.

"I think it was the bomb." Iggy agrees. "That definitely seemed to tick them off."

"Bomb? Bomb? You guys set off a bomb? And you didn't invite me? I-I mean, didn't that tell the Erasers exactly where you were? You should have stayed hidden."

"They already knew where we were. They sent some spies to look for us." Something bothers me about what the Gasman just said.

"Spies?"

"Yeah."

"What kind of spies?"

"I don't know. They were really weird. One of them had this mask and a cape and the other looked like he was one of those fancy dukes or whatever, from like, a long time ago, and they both kept singing for some reason and I couldn't understand what they were saying. They were the strangest Erasers I've ever seen."

"Oh shi-"

"Oh, and I found them in your closet oddly enough."

"I knew I was forgetting something."

"What?"

"Oh, nothing." I can't believe I left them locked in a closet. I mentally face palm. At least they won't bother me anymore. Although I can't help but feel guilty about stranding them in a strange, unknown world.

"So what now Max?" Nudge asks.

"Um…To Angel?" I venture.

"To Angel!" The rest of the flock agrees. We take off and catch each other up on the adventures each of us had while we were separated on our way to the School. After a while, I start to feel a little shaky from lack of sugar, and I know I'll need food soon.

"Who's hungry!?" I ask. Everyone nods. We find a strip mall and very inconspicuously land behind the back. Just as we make it to the front, I come to the conclusion that we are broke. Before I could tell the rest of the flock, a car squeals into the drive-thru ATM. We duck behind some convenient bushes. Then a second, big black pickup truck (Erasers? That's a little bit obvious) screeches up behind it and hits the Cush mobile. The guy from the first car sticks his head out from the window and starts cursing the pickup truck out. (Now, I have a relatively colorful vocabulary from time to time, if you get what I'm saying, but there were some words this guy spouted that I didn't even know). The darkened window of the pickup rolled down and I inhaled silently. I was right. How does he always find us? Maybe the chip?

"What'd you say, dipstick?" Ari asks with a creepy smile. The jerk in the first car stomps on the gas pedal and hits the pedal to the metal (would too if I saw Ari's face). Then the pickup also drives away.

"He gets around." Fang says quietly.

"Was Ari's hair green?" I ask, confused.

"Yep." Nudge says, unusually brief. The five of us look at each other, and then the ATM. I take the lead (as usual) and walk over to it. Do you want another transaction? Flashes across the screen. I press Yes. Then the ATM asks for the access code.

"Oh no. Did anyone see what the access code was?" I ask desperate.

"I heard it." Iggy says slowly.

"Well, it's as good a bet as we got. Go for it Iggy." He hesitantly puts his hand over the keypad. He punches in five numbers and we all hold our breath. Access denied. Please check your PIN and try again. I conceal a curse.

"Try again Iggy. You've got the best ears on the planet." He does. He punches in five different numbers. Come on, this has to work, the author has to let this work. I let a squeal of excitement as twenties start shooting out of the machine. "Grab it and let's make a run for it!"

We make for the parking lot. I zoom past a red van, pause, and then backtrack.

"Max, what are you doing?" Nudge asks.

"Anyone know how to steal a car?" I ask, mischievously.

"Why do we need to steal a car?" Fang says, not answering my question.

"The element of surprise. They'll be looking for us in the sky, but they'll never expect this! Unless I really do have a tracking chip in my arm."

"Wait, what!?"

"So is that a collective yes?"

"Did you say tracking chip?"

"Not important."

"Yes. It is."

"Fine. I'll tell you if you let me steal this car. And drive."

"Fine. But when we're done with it, we're returning it." Fang gives in. He starts toward the engine.

"What are you doing?"

"Starting the car." I open the door (which was conveniently unlocked) and flipped down the visor, and out dropped the keys. I dangle them in front of Fang. He stares hard and reaches for them. I pull them back.

"Oh no you don't. I'm driving."

"Have you ever driven before?"

"Well. Not exactly, but neither have you." I say. He grumbles in annoyance. "Okay. Pile in gang!" I climb into the driver's seat. This shouldn't be too hard. Then my eyes fall over a CD lying on the cup tray.

"AHHH…You guys."

"What? What is it?!" I slowly hold up the CD.

"ABBA!" I squeal in excitement.

"Bless you?" Iggy says.

"Have you never heard of ABBA? You poor deprived souls." I push the CD in and skip to my favorite song. Then I start the engine and take off. Several seconds later…

"YOU ARE THE DANCING QUEEN! YOUNG AND SWEET ONLY SEVENTEEN!" I sing at my loudest belt. The singing talent from Phantom is really paying off.

"Make it stop!" Iggy begs. Nudge is totally digging it though.

"YOU CAN DAANCE, YOU CAN JIIIVE, HAVING THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE!"

"My ears are bleeding!" Iggy screams. Several seconds after that…

"You are the DANCING QUEEN!" Iggy and Nudge sing to each other. Nobody can resist the beauty of ABBA. Except for maybe Fang. He's been too silent this whole time.

"You're a teaser, you turn 'em on…Leave 'em burning and then your gooonne." I sing in his face.

"WATCH THE CAR!" He yells. I swerve, avoiding it. "Focus more on driving, not singing."

"What's the fun in driving if I can't sing along with my music?"

"Just stay focused."

"Oh, please. I think your hiding something."

"No…" I raise an eyebrow at him (only taking my eyes off the road for a moment).

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Reeeaaaalllyy?"

"Yes."

"REEE-"

"FINE! Yes. I like ABBA. I'm sorry that I appreciate good music."

"I KNEW it! YOU ARE THE DANCING QUEEN!"

"YOUNG AND SWEET ONLY SEVENTEEN!" The flock sings together. After we come to the end of the song, I notice the looming McDonald's sign up ahead.

"FOOD BREAK!"

"YEAHH!" We get out and head inside. After each of us orders, and sits down, we start ravaging our food. After four burgers, the hairs on the back of my neck start to tingle. I have a spidey sense now apparently. I casually gaze around. None of us had noticed the surrounding tables had become filled with male models that looked slightly wolfish. I make eye contact with Fang. And slowly, one by one, silently alerting the rest of the flock.

"Nudge. Gazzy. Don't look up. In three seconds, jump over Fang and out that exit door." I hiss under my breath. She takes a sip of her shake and then leaps out of her seat, Gazzy following, and races to the exit. They both make it. I turn and also run for it. An Eraser jumps out at me, but I jump up and use him to propel me forward. I dart out the door, and turn to say triumphantly,

"You'll never take me alive!" I've always want to say that. Then I turn, but another pole has materialize out of nowhere, and I run headfirst into it.

"N-not…Agaiiinnnn…." I mumble as the world spins away from me. Where do these damn poles come from? I swear I can hear Eraser laughter as I pass out.