Heya guyz! I'm sorry if I took too long to update, had exams for the last 2 day :-S but I'm back now with another chapter! It's a lot sadder than the rest - I think anyway - but I PROMISE will get better eventually. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 10 - Fang and ?????

Easy.

Why was it after that bloody heartbreaking moment everything seemed so easy?

Me and the Flock made it through the underground laboratory without breaking a sweat... without breaking anything actually.

And also in complete silence. Why?

Because the place had literally been abandoned; and all that was left were the most obvious clues which led us in the right direction. They may as well as have put a fucking arrow pointing in the damn direction we needed to go. We found the main computers, unlocked with files ready to be downloaded, and override systems ready to be activated; wiping the computers and shutting this place down. It was as if they didn't care what we did, they just wanted max...

What if this was their plan all along? To use us, the Flock, as bait to lure Max back after all these years. What if we're the reason she's gone? But... then...

Does that make ME the reason she's gone? If it wasn't for me we wouldn't even be taking this mission...

I didn't realise how deep in thought I was until we found ourselves back at the closed doors we came through; and before I knew what I was doing I rain through the now open doors towards the room we left Max. I stopped; trying me hardest not to retch all over the floor at the sight before me. When we left this room was a pristine white...

It was now blood red, the whole room reeking of Max's blood.

I only realised the others had followed me when I turned to see Nudge curled in a corner; almost chocking on her own sick as she threw up, tears running down her face. Iggy gently rubbed her back, looking a pale green and as if he was holding back his own sick too. Angel came and buried her face in my chest, tears silently rolling down her face; and Gazzy soon followed her example. I could feel tears prick in my own eyes but now was not the time for crying. I had to be strong for the others... Just like Max would...

I glanced at Iggy – trying my hardest to avoid looking at the red stained room – and he looked helplessly back at me. What are we going to do Fang?

I couldn't answer him; I just shut my eyes and turned away from him, hoping he wouldn't press the matter. I just didn't know. Every second in this room was making it harder not to cry, hurl or do both; but I fought of the feelings as hard as I could.

Damn it Max. You promised.

-----??????-----

A FEW DAYS LATER

I stared absentmindedly at the frenzy below me; all the business man and Evil-Mastermind-Wannabes bidding stupidly large amounts on the latest equipment. Which actually wasn't all that new because my father has been using them for the last five years – and was their original inventor. I didn't want to be here, I was fucking exhausted and I could practically hear my bed begging for me to go back; but the bloody old man had all but physically ended my life to get me out of my bed. Now I sat in an underground club, with bright lights that hurt my eyes, stupid old men below me shouting, a throbbing migraine, and the two retards of the family sitting on either side of me. I'd call them brothers; but I would never acknowledge them as such. The kindest thing I ever could refer to them as were retards, because when it came to it that was the best compliment I could give them about their general mentality.

"Come on bro, where's you sense of fun and adventure?" Retard No.1 laughed, smacking my arm in away that really annoyed me.

"It died two decades ago; and please refrain from calling me that name or touching me in anyway"

"Aw, dude you're breaking our hearts here! Don't worry, next time we'll take you to a strip club instead." Retard No.2 chided, causing both of them to howl in laughter; worsening my migraine and making me want to completely throttle them.

"By the way, what're you gonna buy? You can't come to an auction like this and buy nothing. How can a man of our blood do such a thing?"

"The fact that I'm like that; and I'm obviously not a man of your blood truly warms me to the depths of my soul." I said coldly, pinching the bridge of my nose. Lord, let this be over soon. Please.

"Well I think you definitely inherited that icy sarcasm from dad. Why are we here again?" I sighed heavily; this was literally the 20th time in the last ten minutes.

"Father sent of us in place of Mr Chu to buy him a certain piece of equipment; it's vital for our mission. Without it his whole plan is rendered useless; making us useless and inefficient; meaning we then cease to exist." I glanced at them and both of them looked absolutely dumbfounded; I swear I was THIS close to snapping. "IF WE DON'T BUY THIS, WE DIE" I said through gritted teeth.

"...Oh! Well why didn't you say that in the first place?" I barely suppressed the urge to slam my head against our table, but stopped knowing if I did I would kill off some brain cells; and I need as many of those as I can get when it comes to these two.

"Our final piece is a one of a kind rarity that the world's best have failed to ever duplicate. This – or should I say she – is literally the make or break point of this planet. I give you—" I raised my head just in time to watch the curtains open, and be stunned into silence by what I saw. A girl was in a sitting position wearing a tank top and shorts, blond highlighted hair cascading down covering her face, and a set of beautiful multi-shaded wings stretched out behind her; all of the above wrapped in metal chains.

"The Maximum Ride!"