Time was flying by.
It had already been an hour, and all I had done was listen to Angel ramble on. How could I have ever known she was so traitorous? If that's even a word. Why did she betray me? What had I done to her? I spoke that question out loud, with an accusing glare.
She didn't seem fazed at all. "That's the problem, Max. You didn't do anything. The world is ending, and you've been sitting around on your ass- I mean, butt all these days. Why couldn't you be a sufficient leader? Why did you leave? We could've helped you, Max. Really, we actually still can. You just won't let. That's the problem, Max. You're the problem."
This was getting me nowhere. "Angel, sweetheart, I-"
"Don't call me sweetheart!" She snapped, and glared at me from her pacing. "I'm not your baby. Rose is now. I'm not your 'sweetheart."
I interrupted, no caring enough to stop. "Are you jealous? That I actually have a child of my own, and I can't dedicate my life to you anymore? Is that it, Angel?"
"No!" She screamed at me. I figured out that she developed this new ability, one that's like invisible hands. She flipped on the elecrtic switch, and I screamed in pain before I could help it. Quieting myself quickly before Fang reacted, I snuck a glance at him.
Extremely pale, he looked as if he could collaspe any minute. His eyes were more sunk in than usual, and that meant he was obsessively worrying over me. I had to get him to stop before he killed himself. But it's not like Angel's force had let up any more, actually, now that I think about it, it felt like it was stronger. More suffocating than earlier. Maybe it's controlled by her temper?
"So why are we here?" I questioned her again, once I could speak. "If I'm such a terrible person and a horrible 'saviour' then what are you doing here?"
"Max, you imbecile. Can't you see my plan? Never mind, it's probably too difficult for you to understand."
"Tell me," I croaked out, desperate for anything. I didn't care that she just insulted my intelligence. I needed answers. I needed them now.
"Well, since you can't be the world's saviour, I will. I will save the world, and be crowned queen. So far, it was going smoothly until Maxis had taken an interest in you. What he was thinking, I really don't know. Because you are so-"
"Angel, sweetheart," I said. She winced at her nickname. "The world does not work that way. You won't be crowned 'queen.' You'll get a day of fame, and it'll be over. End of story."
"No, no! That's not true! You're lying!" Really, I wasn't lying, she could just peek into my mind a check. But I guess with her new power, she could only use one at a time. That could be at my advantage, I mused.
I glanced over at Fang, and it looked like he and I were on the same track. He also knew that Angel couldn't multitask. I licked my dry lips and did a short nod. His eyes darkened, if that's possible, and a hint of a smile grazed his lips.
"Really? Am I lying, Angel? Am I? Check my head, see for yourself." I goaded her, hoping she would fall for it. Please, please, work.
Suddenly I felt a presence in my head that wasn't mine. I knew it wasn't the Voice's either, because no splitting headache came before it at all.
Angel. She was in my head!
I groaned and looked down. Just because the Voice wasn't in here, didn't mean that I wasn't getting another headache. Angel's voice echoed in my mind, "Where, Max? Where are you hiding it?"
I thought of other useless things to throw her off track. What was Rose's favorite food? Does Iggy know the huge effect he has on human women? When was the last time I had eaten any cookies? When was the last time I watched Grey's Anatomy? Why in the world did I even like that show? Why doesn't Fang like peanut butter?
Angel mentally screamed in frustration and I wished I had the ability to cover my ears. Too bad I couldn't, considering that I was strapped down.
Please Fang. Do it. I couldn't think of our plan, because Angel would see.
"What plan? Max, what-?" And she was out. I glanced up, to see her crumpled figure on the floor. Fang actually grinned at me before lunging himself over and untying my body. When I was free, he pulled me in for a kiss that made me completely lightheaded. His eyes smoldered again when we broke apart, and I felt a strange tingling that bounced around in my insides. Looks like he really didn't care that the rest, Maddy, Dylan, and Iggy were shifting nervously behind us.
I broke apart from his embrace and playfully shoved him in the chest. "Fang, there will be absolutely no more of that until we save the world." He came back up to me, his eyes dark and blithe.
"And after we save the world?" He said, his mouth suddenly at my neck, his breath making goosebumps appear all over my skin. He smiled against my neck and nipped it slightly.
"You can have as much as you want," I promised him. I know it seemed a bit proactive than I usually am, but when the world is ending, trust me, you're willing to do anything.
"Mmm, sounds like a plan," Fang said. He took another breath, as if he was going to add something else, but Iggy cut him off.
"Hello? World ending in five hours. No time for dirty talk! Let's go!" He motioned towards the doorway and Maddy signaled that she agreed. Dylan stood expressionless. I sensed some rivalry between the two men. Interesting...
"Okay, but what do I do about Angel? And...my-" I started.
"I don't know what to do with Angel, she's a lost cause. Can't we just leave her?" Iggy replied easily. As if discussing the weather. This was his little sister we were talking about! Where in the world was his heart?
"Okay, what about we take Angel back to the house, and leave her with Nudge? Then we...we... god dammit, I really don't know. How am I supposed to-?" I looked away, suddenly overcome by tears. Seriously. How was I supposed to save the world, in five hours, without even a clue?
"Dont worry, Max," Dylan started. Maddy finished for him. "We have an idea." They shared a glance and devious smiles.
I was suddenly starting to worry. "What...?"
"Dont ask. We'll tell you when we get out. Now, what else did you need to find?"
"My...baby. They took him out of me when I was in those chairs, and they placed him somewhere. I just don't know where. I need to find him. I have-"
"Okay, let's go. I'll get that thing." Dylan pointed at Angel and wrinkled his nose up. He also added an unessesary statement at the end. "So does anybody know where they keep the straightjackets?"
Ig grinned now. "No, but you can use a whitecoat's labcoat, though. It'll work."
After a minute, Dylan had Angel wrapped in a cocoon of the jacket. It might've looked cute except for the fact that she was unconsious and was slung over his shoulder like a sack of flour.
I glanced at Fang. "Do you have any objections?"
"No." Was all he said, and he turned and left the room. The rest of us quickly followed him, all of us quiet. When we caught up with Fang, he was staring down a too-convienent map of the facility. Where's Lady Luck when you really needed her? I was thankful for the map, but maybe a button labeled "Do Not Press, This Button Foils All Of Dr. Maxis's Plans" was here. Ah, if only, if only.
"I think the thing-" Fang said. I winced. Why was he so hateful? Sure, it was Ari's, but that still means that it's half mine. Well, now, surely it all me. "-the thing is in that room." He pointed at a green room labeled: "Demonic wolf/bird children kep here."
Haha, not. Really, it was labeled 'confinement and testing room, for up-to-date expiriments.' If only finding my baby weas that obvious. No, god really didn't like me that much lately.
After a few minutes of walking, we approached said room. Everybody simply stood, shifting and wringing hands nervously. Am I supposed to go in?
Launching a dramatic sigh, I stepped in front of Fang and took the handle. I opened the door a tiny bit and peeked in. There were voices, and this big green tank in the center of the room.
"So, have you seen Maxis lately? He said he'd be in to check on the child."
"No. I think he left for something."
"McDonald's?"
"No, you dumbass. Why would he-? There isn't even a McDonald's in a hundred miles' radius! And plus, their food is just so-"
"So, if he's not at McDonald's, then where would he possibly go? Why would he leave the expiriments the day we let this one out?"
"Why are we letting him out again?" Another guy asked. I rolled my eyes. That must be a seriously stupid person. Fang and the rest of them were crowding around the door, getting as much of a earful as I was.
"Ugh, I don't know why Maxis even let you in here. You're just a big idiot." A pause, and then the sound of papers ruffling. Footsteps echoed in the room as the speaker stepped over to the tank.
"Look at the child. He-" I silently gasped. They were talking about my baby! And it was a boy! "-he has matured faster than anybody could've imagined. Already, miniature wings protrude from his back, and he has a head of dirty blonde hair. Impossible. Even as we speak, he is gazing at us from within the tank. Does he understand? Now, we let him out. We see how he reacts to the change. We'll see if he can morph, into his true form."
Fang gripped my arms so tightly, it actually started to hurt. But I didn't mind the pain. I was in a daze. So were they really going to let my baby out, to see what he can do? How did he mature that quickly? What did they do to him?
The problem was: what was I going to do? Right now, do I run in and stop them? Or do I just wait out here and watch the scene unfold?
As if reading my mind, Fang whispered a single word at me. "Wait."
"But-"
"No, Max. Wait." he was pressing me. I sighed and gave a small nod.
"Alright. Does everybody have their saftey suits on?" The main guy said. No response, so I guessed that everybody had nodded. "Let's open this, and let him out."
I was extremely frustrated. I haven't even seen him yet! And time was ticking away, I didn't have time to stand here and wait!
Green, thick gas emptied into the room like fog. As soon as that cleared away, there was still a layer at the bottom, covering everybody's feet. The stuff leaked out of the door, and I flinched. It smelled like...I really don't know how to describe it. But, it wasn't pleasnt at all.
A few gasps echoed from around the room, and I heard some hasty scribbles being written down.
"Do you understand me?" The guy asked. The very first one, with the nasally voice. I'll call him Guy1 for now.
Silence. Then a few more gasps from the whitecoats. What was going on?
"Do you know how to transform?" Guy1 asked.
Even more intakes of breath. This was killing me. I had to know.
"Can you show us?" Guess what? More gasps. Predictable.
"Why not?"
"What else can you do?"
Pause.
"Wait, why are you-" Then Guy1 was cut off. From my point of view, I could only make out the objects in the room. The people were behind the tank so I couldn't see them. But I saw that.
The man was cut off because he was killed. Blood now ran down the walls, and his dissassembled arm flew towards us. I held in a scream as Maddy jerked away from the door.
The arm lay a few feet from the door now, and the freakiest part was, the fingers were still twitching.
Guy1 was dead.
What the hell just happened?
A scream came from the room in front of us again, and more blood splattered onto the walls. I was frozen to the ground, ready to collaspe at any minute. Fang was the only reason for why I was standing.
Silence came from the room. The blood oozed down the walls, making a constant dripping that was sure to drive me insane. What had happened?
A small figure was pacing in front of the tank, I could see it. I glanced at Fang and his jaw was taut. He saw it too. His whole body tensed along mine, and I opened the door all the way, cautiously.
Fang pushed me behind him and took a step forward. I glued myself onto his arm and he looked down at me, shaking his head no.
"You're not going in there alone." I said through clenched teeth. He was not leaving me, not at all during a time like this. His eyes burned, the black ireses so dark I couldn't see his pupils. It was an almost menacing look, but I've been through way worse. He wasn't going to 'scare' me out of it now.
"Guys, wait." Iggy said from behind us. Fang whipped his head back and glanced at him, then looked back at me. "I see it, Max, I see your kid. He's already a foot tall, and-" Iggy stopped and blinked. That's all that I can say. The boy is just standing there."
"How did you-" I started, but was cut off. Again.
"Thermovision."
I sighed. What else did I need to know? Okay, back on task. Slowly I crept forward, now with Fang at my side. We slipped into the room, around the mangled arm, and next to the tank.
I gasped out loud. There it -he- was. My child. A small thing, only a foot high, with a mop of dirty blonde hair at the top of his head. He was dripping wet and naked, his body already covered in goosebumps.
Then he turned to look at me. I repressed a scream and gripped onto Fang harder. Oh. My. God.
His eyes were a bright red, and he held a bloody hand in his tiny arms. Smiling with knife sharp teeth, he said one word that almost made me black out.
"Mommy?"
Maxis washed his greasy hands in the sink an turned around. Yes, his plan was working alright. He was on his private jet, on the way to Nigeria. And everything was running smoothly. He still worried a bit about the bird children in the other facility, but what could they do to stop his plans? That's right.
Nothing.
"Ana, sweetheart, come here," He said. The woman approached him, with the same blank expression on her face as the rest of them had. Her wings tucked behind her, shining in the false plane light. She smiled at him automatically and he smiled back. He was glad he made these collars, they were so useful.
"Ana, get me some wine from the cabinet." He ordered. He didn't bother being polite about it either. These girls won't remember anything. It won't matter. After they bear his children, they will serve as the new mothers of the new world, not remembering their past was for the best.
Wine was set in front of him and he picked up the glass carefully, swishing the drink around a little.
Ah, the taste of sucess.
"Dr. Maxis, sir," A man said, entering the cabin. "Somebody-" He shot the front a dirty look. "-Forgot to fill up the tank of gas. We're running on empty so we're going to have to make a stop in Florida. I'm sorry about the delay." And he walked out.
Maxis growled and clutched the chair with his free hand. With this delay, he might be late. What...?
"Stella," He said, calling another beautiful woman closer. "I want you to calculate whether or not we'll be late. Give me the results in five minutes." She smiled at him and blinked her big eyes. Her impossibly long lashes brushed against her cheeks, and Maxis yearned to cup them. No, he chided himself. There will be time for that later. Alot of time.
"Yes, sir." came her reply, her voice clear and ringing like bells. Five minutes later, she came back with a small notecard, with calculations and times on it.
"We'll make it," She said. "With ten minutes to spare."
"Good, good," Maxis murmured. Telling all of his women to go ahead and retreat to their cabin, he settled into his seat.
Not much time now. There was no chance this was going to go wrong. He was positive.