Oh, wow. I was going to post this, like, five days ago, wrote it up, then forgot to actually publish it. I'm so sorry! Please forgive me and accept my offering of this chapter and the other one I forgot to publish. Sorry, sorry sorry!

Chapter Four

Fang

It was about two hours before I got a reply from Allison. She told me to meet me at an intersection on her way home from school; an intersection which is remaining a secret for personal preservation reasons. She seemed elated that I had actually replied to her. I told her I would explain everything to her when we met, just because it's a long story and I didn't feel like typing it out.

I took off for the intersection around two o'clock. She got out of school, a cruel and inhumane for of torture which I hoped she survived through, at two forty-five. I would meet her there around five minutes after that. My main goal: Look inconspicuous. Not easy, but doable.

At my not-as-fast-as-Max speed, I got there in a predictable half-hour. I spent the next fifteen minutes wandering aimlessly, like another citizen would. I slipped in and out of different shops, not buying anything with the money I didn't have. When it was quarter to three, I went back to the intersection and waited for Allison.

I wasn't long waiting. Allison was there in about three minutes. I recognized her by the necklace she was wearing. It had a black rose and was surrounded by red, black, and silver beads. She smiled when she saw me waiting there, but didn't do anything irrational. I deemed her cleaver. Maybe, by some miracle, she knew that would draw attention and that was bad.

"Hey," she said when she was about ten feet from me. I waved. "How long have you been waiting here?"

"Not long," I told her, shrugging. I could see that she was desperately trying to swallow giddy delight.

She led me through the streets, babbling useless nonsense to pass the time. Things about clubs she was in at school, music she was listening to, books she'd read lately. She finally asked where the rest of the flock was.

It got quiet very fast.

"They're…uh, back in Colorado," I finally said. "I had to…go away for a while."

Allison's jaw dropped. "You left the flock?" she demanded. I cringed at the accusation in her voice. "I thought you weren't supposed to do that anymore! How can you just leave them behind?"

"I did what was best for them!" I retorted. Allison collected herself and waited patiently for me to continue. "Look, there's someone after me. If any of the flock got caught in the crossfire and died because of me, I…"

"I get it. Doing what's best for the flock, being Mr. Hero again," Allison said, laughing quietly. "Oh! We're home!"

Allison's sudden exclamation made me jump. I looked up to see that we were standing on a porch in front of large house. Allison stepped through the door and I reluctantly followed.

"Hey, Ally!" a woman's voice came from down the hall. She popped her head out of the doorway, smiled at her daughter, and looked sceptically at me. She walked down the hall toward us, drying her hands with a dish towel. "Who's you're friend?"

"Oh! This is F—" Allison broke off and glanced over at me for help.

"Nick," I completed.

"Yeah. Nick…Alders...brooke. He's from school," she explained.

"Oh? And why is he here?" I'd never heard that question asked so innocently.

Allison took a deep breath. I turned to look at her, eager to hear this as well. "Nick's family is pretty messed up. His brother was just caught dealing drugs, his sister was secretly a prostitute and is in rehab right now, and his dad just got out of jail for sexual assault." She paused, counting things off on her fingers. "Oh, and his mom ran off to Vegas with her boss."

I stared at her, wide-eyed, but also trying to memorize each fact about my made-up-on-the-spot family.

"He was hoping he could stay here for a little while he searches for a better way of life," Allison concluded finally.

"Oh, my goodness! Well, I suppose that would be fine for the time being," Allison's mom decided, fiddling with the dish towel in her hands. "I'll go make up the guest room."

Allison's mother hurried out of the room and up the stairs. I turned back to Allison, raising my eyebrows. She grinned.

"Where did you come up with that?" I asked. She shrugged modestly.

"Dunno," she said. "I guess I just thought of it. I sort of planned it through the day. In case my mom asked, you know?"

"Anything else I should know?" I asked.