The Tantamount

"Hey Max," I peered over my shoulder to see Iggy "glancing" over at me. "I think we should land, we might not know where the next town will be." I nodded in agreement and angled my wings down towards the edge of the woods just outside of a small town in Ohio.

We had been traveling for a eight hours now and had made tremendous progress. I stretched my legs out. Half the reason I enjoyed flying was since I started, I hadn't been bothered by the Voice once.

Trying to get rid of me, come on Max. I thought you loved me.

No way are you Fang, I reasoned, No way he ever talked this much- Ever.

Whatever you chose to believe Max.

The Flock followed me out of the woods as I held myself together. No break-downs today, I informed myself. There was only a light layer of snow so I wasn't too worried about being cold but, I wasn't too focused on that. "Max, do we have any money?" Nudge asked. Angel stepped next to me and wrapped her hand in mine.

'Yep," I told her. "My mom gave us a few bills to get us enough food on our fly to Connecticut." The town we walked in on was small and slightly quiet. We found the nearest restaurant, a place called Morey's, and stepped in. "Try to blend in," I reminded them. Everyone nodded in agreement as we sat in a booth by the window.

We weren't the only ones in. The day after Christmas, so kids were eating here as well. I guess this was the local hang out possibly. How would I know though right? I'm nowhere near normal, remember? A waitress stepped in and handed us each a menu. She was our age.

"You guys aren't local, are you visiting family?" I thought a waitress's job was to order our food. Boy was I missed informed.

"Yeah, my siblings and I have relatives in the town over but we got sick of the food there." Iggy answered. "Plus, Jessica over hear wanted to give her driver's license a try." Iggy pointed his thumb at me. "I think we're all set to order," he continued.

Everyone ordered. My order reply condescended to the few amount of words that I could manage. "I'll have what he's having," with a nod towards Iggy. Nudge started up a conversation on the newest teen sensation- some boy with flipped blonde hair and an annoying voice. Gazzy and Angel started playing tic-tac-toe on one of the paper mats that were thrown out afterwards. Iggy stirred his straw in his drink. I kept my eyes on the table.

A pale hand reached over and tapped the table in front of me. I looked up to see Iggy casually watching me. "You all right?" He asked in a whispered voice. Iggy was across from me and behind him was the rest of the restaurant.

"Yeah," I replied. If by 'fine' you mean totally crazy because you're hearing the voice of your dead best friend in your head. Then I was more than fine, I was extremely 'fine'. Iggy shrugged as I took a quick scan of the restaurant. There was one group of kids across from us in the farthest corner, laughing obnoxiously loud. Another couple sat a few booths down. Then, another group of kids, one of them was standing up with his back turned to us and he was saying good-bye.

"See ya around," the voice caught my ears and I tilted my head. I thought I was just hearing it but I saw Iggy stiffen too in recognition. The boy standing up suddenly turned around and my entire body went rigid. My heart exploded and my head went dizzy. I watched as the stranger walked towards me (well not towards me but to the door which was behind me).

The boy was taller than me, with dark black hair and dark eyes. He had thin lips and tan skin. He was dressed in a dark blue shirt and black pants. He had his hands in his pocket and he was moving in a confident walk. My mouth was wide open in shock and when his eyes caught mine, he had this confident grin. But—it wasn't him. It couldn't be. But I watched as it happened—as Fang walked right by me.

"Igs," I whispered, "Watch the flock, keep them in the town, there's…something I have to do." I pulled the money out of my pocket and grabbed Iggy's hand to hand it over. Iggy's hand grasped mine and kept me where I was.

"Max," he warned. I knew what he was thinking. I knew it.

"Igs," I warned back. "Just let me figure this out." I pulled my hand away from him and looked at the flock. "Guys, I'm going to fly around and see if there's a place to spend the night." The flock thought nothing of it, except Igs. Even Angel didn't know because I kept it blocked from my mind. Quickly, I left the restaurant and followed the boy in the direction that I had seen him walking.

He was still on the street, casually walking, and I was trying my best to decide exactly what he was. Either he was a clone—like Max II. Maybe he was just a coincidence and just happened to look like Fang. Or maybe, this was Fang without his memory. None of those seemed to work but I was walking a few steps before I found that he had turned around and was staring right at me.

"I saw you checking me out before." Okay—definitely not Fang without his memory because Fang never spoke like that. The boy in front of me had this confident grin and his eyes lit up. He was happy and excited that I was following him. I crossed my arms and walked over so that I was a few feet in front of him. "My name's Lex. I've never seen you around here before and I've lived here my whole life."

Okay, coincidence still applied here. Clone too because clones could lie. "My name's Max," I held out my hand. He took it and I saw a strange look appear across his face the minute he took my hand.

"You've met someone like me before," he stated.

My eyes narrowed in confusion but I nodded my head.

"And, he meant a lot." Again, I nodded my head.

What was going on? Lex let go of my hand and I let mine uselessly drop to my side.

"I'm not him," he warned me. "You've had an interesting life Max."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"If I told you, then I'd have to kill you," he said with a grin.

"Ha—I'd like to see you try." I crossed my arms, watching this stranger carefully.

"So—you can fly." He stated simply. "I thought I was the only one."

"Ummm....what?"

The Idiosyncrasy

"Fang, wake up."

I slowly opened my eyes and groaned as a bright light flashed in my face. I lifted my hand to cover my face but my hand didn't listen. Which, slightly made me panic, but at the moment, my body wasn't even responding to me.

A figure blocked the light and stared down at me.

Jeb.

"Listen, I can't help you much right now, but I need you to know something." Of course you can't help me, I thought, you've never helped us. You're all about hurting Max, you stupid traitor.

Can you tell that I don't like betrayal?

"Fang, you've been in a medical coma for three weeks now." What? Three Weeks? But I was only on the island for three days. Max has been living for three weeks and thinks I'm dead. Oh crap, if she finds out I'm alive, she's going to kill me.

"That island was a drug induced dream created by the scientists. Right now, I've only woken up the part of your brain that can interpret reality. Your body is still in coma mode." Oh, so my hands can't reach up and strangle you? How unfortunate. "Fang, I need you to understand."

What that you're an evil scientist? Well no duh doc.

"Max is on a mission, she has to save the world, but they believe she's lost focus because of you. It took everything I had for power to let them keep you alive. I'm sorry but there's very little I can do at the moment."

Well isn't this weird, you trying to help me you traitorous bastard.

"Fang," Jeb's eyes narrowed for a moment. "You should know—Max's role is coming to an end."

I felt my heart drop. What?

Jeb's eyes looked sorrowful and a tear fell from his eye.

"I'm sorry but I have to send you back."

The blinding light came back and when it disappeared—

I was back on the island.

So-

The Tantamount means "The Same"

The Idiosyncrasy means "The Difference"

What did you think? I hope you guys all got that Fang is alive but the ones who have him captive have put him into a medically enduced coma to keep him trapped within the school. A lot more to come if you want. =)

flyerac1029