Chapter 7

Fang hit the counter in Dr. Martinez's kitchen. The helicopter was gone when he woke up. Everyone was dead silent taking in all that had happened. They were without Max and that had only happened once before and back then at least there was a replacement to make fun of.

There was no joking now. Mr. Chu was a mystery to Fang. So far Max had been the only one to have ever met him. What was he going to do now to get Max back? He ignored the throbbing headache and sore muscles from the latest M-Geek attack. All of the pain could wait. The enemy had Max and to him, that was the end of the world. He was going to take the world back.

"We have a plan," Angel tried to explain sitting on a chair leaning against the counter. Her gigantic eyes staring at Fang reading his mind as well as everyone else's in the room. "Max gave me orders. It will be all right." Fang tightened his jaw. Max captured didn't sound like a good plan.

"Believe me, I know exactly what to do. Brigid won't even see what hit her or that Mr. Chu." Angel said with a grin. She was being brave and positive but she was still upset that Max was gone. Angel had never been without Max long. It made Angel wish she had listened more to what Max said during all those times when she hadn't. She could tell that Fang was wondering exactly how long they would all have to go without her. The flock wouldn't exactly run right but now it was Angel's turn to step in as leader. She would be just as good as Max.

"Oh, it's so tragic! Our dear Max taken from us by the very force of those horrible creatures! Now everything is going to go wrong. We're doomed" Total burned his face into Akila's coat sobbing loud enough for everyone to stare.

Nudge was bawling with tears as well. "I can't believe we listened to her. What was she thinking just offering to go like that?" Fang placed a protective arm on her shoulders as they began to shake. She raked her hands through her caramel hair as the ponytail came undone.

"Mr. Chu needs Max alive," Jeb informed them. All the faces turned towards him in horror wondering how he knew. "There's no guarantee to what he would've done to Fang or the rest of you if in captivity. I know he wants Max." Fang narrowed his eyes at him but refused to say anything. Even if he couldn't trust Jeb one hundred percent, Fang knew he had to listen now.

"Why does he want Max?" Ella was close to crying to. She broke down on her own words. The one grasp she had on control over her tears was gone as she turned into the nearest arms. Iggy hugged her as she began to cry too.

Dr. Martinez solemnly stood up, her eyes dead with the thought of possibly losing a child, "Max will stay alive." She looked at Fang hoping for a response from him, the one that knew Max best, "We'll get her in time right? She won't ever give up on us. Now we can't let her down."

"Max doesn't know how to give up," Jeb mentioned. Everyone was looking around waiting for someone else to respond. Some turned to Angel just to see what the younger mind reader knew. All eventually turned to Fang.

He turned on his heels, not wanting to speak, almost with no reason to talk anymore. He grabbed his escape bag by the door and slung it on his back. He couldn't forget how Max had placed them there in paranoia that something was bound to go wrong. He was about to leave when his eyes landed on the backpack that didn't have anyone to carry it.

With one quick motion, he snatched Max's bag in his right hand while pushing the door open with his left. The silent day pressed down on him like a terrible weight. The sun was a few hours from setting. If he could help it, Max wasn't going to go another day as a prisoner. He knew that the flock had spent one day too many as captives. None of them deserved to go through it again, especially Max who had just given her life to protect him.

Outside Fang began to run ahead before letting his wing unfurl and catch the wind. He took flight almost instantly and within a few good strokes was soaring above the ground so high the house was below him. He never knew flying could be so unsettling for him.

"Fang, what are you doing?" Angel called out. He looked over his shoulder to see all the flock chasing after him. He turned his head to face forward to head east hoping the helicopter had gone that way. He didn't know though, he was knocked out when they took Max because he let himself get hit in the back of the head.

Angel easily read his mind. She flapped her smaller wings trying to catch up to him, "No Fang! Max has a plan! Remember Max always has a plan!" The younger girl was fully crying now. Her strong self had completely broken down. She had lost Max and she wouldn't lose Fang on the same day.

She watched as the lightest movements in the black feathers slowed down. Angel was the first to almost reach him. "We need to go north first Fang, there's someone we need to find. Max told me too. She has a plan. Fang-" Angel stopped when she caught on to the thoughts.

Angel suddenly turned around to face the other flock. Fang was still flying forward towards a forest that he had seen before. He heard Angel speak, "Guys, let's go back for the night and fully rest. Then, we'll head north tomorrow." She peered over her shoulder to watch as Fang touched the ground before disappearing in the shadows. "He doesn't want to see anyone right now," she whispered to the flock.

Iggy and Gazzy both turned hurriedly and headed back. Angel heard Iggy mumble, "Big softie, he knows Max will be okay." Gazzy nodded in agreement. Nudge remained flying staring at Angel. Total as well stayed.

"I hope everything will be okay, without Max I mean." Nudge turned her eyes from where Fang had disappeared to Angel. Both the girls had red eyes from crying. "Is it safe to leave him be or will he try to go off and save her again?"

Angel listened for a second, not too long to intrude on his thoughts before nodding her head, "Fang's just blaming himself for Max being taken." The young girl started flying back towards the house. Nudge followed suit with Total just behind. "He knows Max would've done that for him anytime. She would've done that for any of us."

"But we both know Max would've taken a bullet for Fang," Nudge replied. She felt strange now wearing the dress and flying back to safety while Max was still out there. But Nudge knew one thing, if there was a plan and Max was the one who had come up with it then they would be fine. "Angel, are you worried for Max?"

The younger nodded her head as she ducked against the wind for a moment so her eyes wouldn't get all teary again. "Max is the strongest, smartest, fastest one of us all." Angel's little hands formed in fist completely confidante with what she said because she had no other option but to believe it. "She's Maximum Ride, Nudge, and she'll be alive when we take her back." Angel eyes focused back on the view in front of her.

"If we do as Max says, we'll get her back. There's someone who owes us a favor," Angel whispered to Nudge. Hopefully, they could find whom Angel was searching for in time. Who knew how long Mr. Chu would keep Max alive…