Heartless

A day later, M-Geeks were forcing were forcing Fang and I out of our cages. I motioned behind my back to the flock to stay calm and that we would be all right. Fang was pacing ahead of me, with an M-Geek in between. My body was sore, my wings ached, and my stomach grumbled. I was not a happy camper.

We had our hands tied behind our back as we were led through the school. I tried looking for obvious exits- you know, the doors with the bright red lights that flashed EXIT on them. That would've been convenient. Of course, no luck.

Then, the M-Geek behind me jabbed my back with his gun. "Watch it," I mumbled, the M-Geek jabbed again in response. "Since when did you have attitudes?" I asked. Probably not the right question to ask while I was being held captive.

I found we were now in a dark room. My M-Geek was leading me towards the wall and Fang was being led towards a chair in the middle of the room. I was shackled to the wall- the handcuffs were lined around the inside with spikes so I moved at all, it would jab right through the skin of my wrists. I stood slightly swaying watching as Fang was placed in the chair, a thick chain around his chest, with a spot light over him.

Suddenly, Abraham stood beside Fang. "Listen son, I tried to warn you." He lifted a long pale finger at me, "She will kill you with all the false lies she has given you." Abraham was still in a scientist coat- I wonder if he ever took it off.

"One reason I should trust you?" Fang asked. Within one quick second, Fang's head jerked to the side as he took a punch to the face from Abraham's large fist. I lurched forward only to feel the metal of the spikes sink into my skin. I bit back a scream. Fang saw and his eyes went wide with shock. Abraham punched Fang in the stomach. I heard as Fang gasped. I tried again to break free but I only hurt myself more.

"Ignorant! I created you to be great! Instead, you crumble at the sight of a mere obsolete creation. She is weak. Did you not see the way she fell apart over the loss of traitors and other failed experiments? Don't you recognize that this failure will destroy you as well?" Abraham had lost his patience. Whereas Fang, when he lost his angry went scary quiet and walked away, Abraham was violent and loud.

"We all die someday," Fang replied coolly. He grimaced when he was hit again. How could his father be so- so heartless? This was his son! Fang held his head away and I saw a glint of bruising on his cheek where he had first been struck.

Then, Abraham leaned down and whispered something in Fang's ear.

Fang lost control.

***

"What if Max's someday was today?" Abraham whispered in Fang's ear. Panicking, Fang began to fight his restraints. Abraham stood back and smiled, "Good, your reserves are starting. Survival of the fittest- be the strong one Fang." Then, Abraham placed his arms behind his back and waited.

"Fang!" Max was calling out to him. He couldn't hear her though as he felt his pulse grow faster. There was a deep burning within him that he couldn't hold back. Soon, he began to sweat and scream with rage.

"I'll kill you!" He repeated the words over and over again to the man who was by blood his father. He pulled against the chains and watched as Abraham stepped closer to Max, holding a knife in his hand. In one swift motion, he lifted the blade and struck it in Max's side.

Max slumped to the ground and bent her head down low. She didn't scream, she tried to be strong. "Max!" Fang had never been so loud in his life. Then, his chains broke. He pulled his arms out wide as if he was a kid pretending to fly. Abraham had called them reserves but Fang didn't have the time to think about that.

He ran after Abraham, just as the heat reached its final point. Caught by surprise, Abraham felt himself shoved up against the wall near Max who was gagging and holding on for life. "Fang?" Max murmured, "What- how?" Fang focused on the face though of his greatest enemy.

Dark black eyes and hair, thin lips in a crooked smile. Abraham would be the one, unafraid of Fang trapping him against the wall, that answered Max's question. "It's why Jeb was never in charge of him. I was working on being the best- having the best- experiment. 000002, the Phoenix is the title he is labeled after. He has two lives, one of which is coming to an end of rage and uncontrollable power. I told you that you were the Judas."

Fang gripped the man's shoulders as Abraham stared at Max, "How are you going to save her? The death of your first life will be catastrophic, killing her and me. I created you to kill Fang."

"Liar!" But Fang could feel the fire now, the final flight of the phoenix within him. He would literally explode and kill Max.

"Only a few moments left Fang, what are you going to do? If you let me go and you run away, maybe she will live." Abraham whispered and Fang loosened his grip a bit as he listened.

"Lies, Fang." Max coughed, blood pouring out of her wound. She wasn't healing fast enough. He was too weak to drag Abraham with him. "Let- me- die. Save-the-flock."

No, he couldn't let her die. Maybe if he held it in. Fang tightened his grip on Abraham to make sure the man didn't run and shut his eyes. The fire within him was raging and pulsing, hoping to let go and destroy everything within its grasp. Fang pulled in a breath. No, he was strong. He had Max and he had to fight for her. If there was anything that made him strong, it was himself.

Fang had fought M-Geeks, Eraser, Flyboys, traitors.

He had helped raise mutant-bird freaks and their dog.

He had taken down the normal life.

He had loved and was loved back.

If Fang wasn't strong enough to face himself

Then those things had never happened.

In one quick motion, he lifted his fist into the air and felt his fist connected with Abraham's cheek. Being stronger, Abraham's head bent back and he was instantly knocked out. Fang let his body fall to the ground. The heat was still powerful and strong, asking to be released. Beginning him to be evil and just destroy Abraham and Max. Just like a phoenix, Fang was about to burst into flames to start anew.

Fang grabbed Max's restraints. With his strength he easily broke them, the power was excited to be used. He was too much as he pulled in Max to him. The wounds on her wrists and her side were healing but slowly because she was so weak. Max wasn't even strong enough to sit up. Fang grasped her hand in his and slowly, bended his reserved powers to do as he commanded.

Survival of the fittest.

***

"Come on," a gentle voice called out to him. Iggy lifted his head. A woman, judging by the voice because she was wearing a cloak, was opening the cage. Rushing, without question, Iggy came and began opening the cages to the flock. The woman helped.

She led them outside, "Max and Fang," Iggy told her. The women stared at Angel, Gazzy, Iggy, and then the longest on Nudge.

"I will save them, now run! Don't argue with me. Especially you daughter," then, before any of them could respond, the woman ran back inside the building. Alarms started ringing as she disappeared in side.

"Up and Away!" Iggy ordered.

He knew it was his job to keep them alive.

If Fang and Max didn't make it, Iggy was in charge.

***

Geez, it hurt being stabbed and then having my wrists bleeding like crazy. I was too weak to completely heal and I was trying my best to stay awake- willing my own power to stop so I wouldn't be drained out and pass out. Fang broke my chains and then moved my head to rest on his lap. He held my hand.

Fang- a phoenix of sorts. I was experiment 000001, did that mean something too? Was there some part of me, a power waiting to awake in survival was needed? I saw the flames- more felt them than anything. Fang was warmer than usual but his touch was perfect. I tried calming my breathing as I felt the fire within him begin to release right at our touch.

Warm, deep fluent, and amazing. It was life. Is that why bodies were cold? The essence of the soul was so warm. Was he controlling his power, bending it to his own will? I believed Fang was strong enough to do that.

"I love you," I managed because even as it hit my veins- Fang's phoenix powers I knew I wouldn't make it. Too much blood, too much time, too much broken to ever fix me again. I had known it long ago- after I had saved the world, that I only had one more ride to go through and that was life. In truth, I had done just that. Mine was shorter than most.

"No Max," Fang whispered. Wet liquids hit my cheeks and my lips, tasting like salt. My eyesight wasn't blurry enough to see that Fang was crying. Never, not him, not Mr. Emotionless, he never cried. All the times that I had wept and fallen apart, he was the one who was strong. He let the tears fall as he squeezed my hand harder, forcing the power once more to go through me.

I wished I had the strength to shake my head or tell him it was pointless. I was dead, I was a goner. No amount of Phoenix healing could heal me. I shut my eyes and tried to avoid looking at him. "Max," he whispered, shock, pure absolute shock rippling through his voice. He wasn't even trying to cover it up.

At least I got to say I loved him one more time.

I was trapped in my body as the final moment came.

Minutes passed…I waited for death.

Then, I felt his tear hit my heart.

Song is "Heartless" by Kanye West

Last song was "I'll do Anything for You" by Naked Brothers Band.

Just to reinforce what happened, Abraham created a power in Fang, that if his life was threatened (Fang considers Max is his life), he would create an explosion or fire. Then, just like a Phoenix, Fang would be reborn again. But instead, Fang has found a way to let out his power, to save Max, without the whole big fire.