Me: Well, (stretches) hey everyone! Hope everyone's okay! Oh, and I guess I still have to do this, I don't own Maximum Ride, I OWN MY CHARACTERS. Hugs to the reviewers! Sorry for the late update I had a bit of writer's block…meaning I stared at the screen blankly for a whole day and then started writing.

Quote of the update: "One might as well try to ride two horses moving in different directions, as to try to maintain in equal force two opposing or contradictory sets of desires." Robert Collier

Chapter 21: From One World to Another

Max's POV

I tapped my fingers nervously against the steering wheel. All this waiting was making me want to scream. Where was Fang? Why was Shadow and Hunter not waking up? How did the Eraser's find us? Who was-?

Suddenly, a scream pierced the air. I jumped from my seat and yelped in surprise. What was going on?

Another scream resonated and I looked desperately out the car window. The night was calm, and there seemed to be nothing wrong. So where was it coming from?

The banshee screamed again, and it was coming from right behind me. I whirled to look at the backseat. Shadow seemed to be stirring and Hunter moaned. The scream came again; sounding exactly like the first 3 times it pierced the air.

"Cell phone," I heard Shadow mumble. I locked onto her. Her eyes were starting to open and Hunter's were also.

"Wha-?" Hunter said, incoherently. I rolled my eyes. Shadow just HAD to choose that ringtone. Just HAD to.

I took the phone out of her pocket and opened it. "Hello?"

"Max? Is that you?" It was Cass.

"No. It's the pizza man. Can I take your order?" I snapped. Cass could be slow sometimes.

"Skittles…I could've SWORN I put Shadow as speed dial on number three…" Cass trailed off. I groaned.

"It IS Max dummy. Do you know what joking around is?" I said.

"Oh. OH. Okay, sorry Max. You know how slow I can be sometimes," Cass said sheepishly.

"Oh yes, I know," I said scratching the back of my head. Exhibit A was just presented… "So what's up?"

"Wait a sec…" Cass trailed off and I rolled my eyes. I loved Cass; I really did, but… "I called Shadow, not you Max."

"Here's the beauty of cell phones," I said drily. "Anyone can pick it up."

"I know that, but…UGH. Just forget it. You need to know anyways." I shook my head, chuckling inwardly. "Jeb wants you and Shadow to go on another mission."

I blinked twice and waited for the words to re-process through my mind. Because I could've sworn Cass just said that Shadow and I were sent on another mission.

"Max?" Hunter said blearily. I shot him a look.

"Who's that boy there?" Cass asked.

"Alright Cass, gotta go, bye!" I said quickly, shutting the phone quickly. That's when I remembered…

I needed to get the mission from her. DARN!

"Max? What's going on?" Shadow mumbled. I looked at her. She was sitting up straight, stretching out carefully as if making sure she could move first.

"Another mission," I said. Her eyes widened a bit, then one twitch ever so slightly. Translation: She was pissed.

"We're not going," she said through gritted teeth. I blinked.

"Shadow, we can't disobey an order. And anyways, I'm going. You're going back home," I said. I could hear Shadow starting to growl in protest.

"Wait…is that you or do I hear a motorcycle?" Hunter said. Shadow glared at him and sure enough, I could hear motorcycle in the distance. It came into the parking lot, and parked beside this car. The driver got off and knocked on the window of the car. I opened the window and Fang's head appeared.

"Hey," he said, oh so casually.

"Hi," I said.

"Report," Hunter said, reminding me of…me.

"Well, they stopped chasing me," Fang said. Shadow and I exchanged a look.

"What?" Hunter asked, sounding astonished. "They stopped chasing you…out of nowhere?"

Fang nodded and then there was a moment of silence.

"Well-" Hunter was cut off by a cell phone ringing. We all looked at one another to pin-point whose it was. Fang fished the phone from his pocket and flipped it open, putting it to his ear.

"Yeah? I'm somewhere with Hunter…what?!" There was a moment of silence, and then Fang cursed.

"What's going on?" Hunter asked. Fang held up his hand.

"Where…okay then, bye." Fang snapped the phone shut and looked at Hunter.

"We have to go on another mission."

"Fang, it's one in the morning." I glanced at the clock, and sure enough, it was 1 o'clock.

"Do you think J-the Head cares?" I noticed how he stumbled over the word. I could feel Shadow's eyes on the back of my neck.

"Where?" Hunter sighed.

"The government building down the block from the pizza place that Gazzy and Iggy likes," Fang answered.

"The one that always smells like grease?" Shadow asked. Fang nodded. Shadow leaned back in her seat and kicked my seat.

"Sorry Max," She said. I could hear something else in her voice.

"So what now?" Fang asked. Shadow's cell phone beeped and she casually took it out her pocket, scanning it.

"Chris has a problem," Shadow said, pressing a few buttons on her phone.

"What does that have to do with us?" I asked a bit annoyed. Right now, I needed a plan, not to hear the troubles of others.

"Here," Shadow shoved her cell phone in my face, making me flinch. I snatched it from her and glared.

"What the hell-"

"Read it stupid before Chris flips," Shadow hissed, glaring at me. I huffed and looked down at the screen.

Max, I was lyin, chris didn't snd a mesge. Wat r we goin 2 do nxt? We cant do anythin tht wil giv us awy 2 th boys.

I blinked at her use of chat speak. It was very…odd. I deleted what she wrote and typed in my own message.

I dunno yet. Why are you typing in chat speak?

"Here's your phone back," I said, handing her back the phone. Her eyes scanned the screen and I could see her eyes narrow a bit. She put it back in her pocket, and casually started playing with a ripped part of her jeans. I drifted back to the boy's conversation.

"-and that's a fact!" Hunter continued.

"Really? Or is it in the idiot's manual that was written by you?" Fang snarled.

"Funny Fang, very funny. But you-"

Ding

Everyone looked in Shadow's direction and she shifted in her seat. "It's just my cell phone, nothing special." The boys looked away and I tried to look as casual as possible.

"Chris again," Shadow said, handing it back to me.

Cause it's fastr nd we r nt in English clas. R u sur u don't hav a pln?

I sighed and looked up. I could feel Fang's eyes on the back of my neck and tensed up.

"Fang, it's rude to stare. Keep your eyes in your sockets," Shadow said mockingly, putting her hands behind her head. Fang glared at her and went back to arguing with Hunter. I looked at my surroundings. Fang was blocking my exit out the car, but he was slowly moving towards Hunter, giving me a chance to get out. But then there was Shadow…

I looked back at her, watching her slowly stretch out, trying to get into a comfortable position. That's when an idea hit me. I quickly pushed in my message to Shadow and passed it to her. She scanned the screen. A ghost of a smirk played on her face and she stretched back, and I could see her thumbs go up.

"Gosh," she said. "This car is way too cramped!"

"Fine, let's get out," Hunter said. He opened the door and sorta hopped out the car. Shadow slipped out after him.

"Can I get out too?" I said to Fang. His eyes flickered to me, and he opened the car door. I awkwardly stepped out, feeling a bit unsteady. Fang grabbed onto my elbow.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, sure," I said.

Shadow rolled her neck and shuffled her feet.

"So what are we going to do guys?" I asked. Fang shot a look at Hunter, and Hunter scratched the back of his head.

"Well…I don't know yet," he said shrugging.

"Uh-huh…I see," I said.

Ding

Shadow and I raced for the motorcycle. Shadow jumped on the driver's seat and I hopped on the back.

"HEY!" Hunter cried out. The motor rumbled, growled, and then off we were. I laughed at the amazed expressions of the boys.

"Sorry boys, but we work solo," I called out.

"Nice line. Sorta clichéd though," Shadow yelled over the motor.

I smacked her shoulder. "Shut up and let's go!"

Me: Yep. Your horrors were granted. This was a sort of a filler chapter. Readers: OH NOES! Me: Sorry…next chapter will be the mission, which will be better. There's also a poll on my profile concerning this story. Please vote and review…