Chapter 3

MAX POV

I woke up to a nasty antiseptic smell that sent involuntary shivers down my spine. Also, effectively causing Fang to wake up; who was supposed to be on watch. "What happened to 'I'll take watch'?" I asked Fang, anger and disappointment evident in my voice.

"Gazzy said he would take watch and I was tired." I slapped him, waking everyone up with a start.

"You left an injured person, on pain medication to take guard. Are you an idiot?! Just because we don't have Jeb monitoring us anymore doesn't give you the excuse to totally abandon all logical thoughts!" I also slapped him again while I was in the moment. It was quiet for a moment; it wasn't often that I would lose my cool. Nonetheless, we all stood up abruptly when there was a knock at the door.

"Excuse me, but I'm Doctor Lee and I am pleased to say that Gazzy is healing quickly. He will be able to leave in about a week." The doctor says. He looks familiar to me but I can't quite place it. I nod and thank him, eager for him to leave, I don't know where I know him from but, he is making me uncomfortable. He seems to get the massage and smiles at us before leaving, closing the door behind him.

"Alright guys we have to leave tonight it's not safe to stay here anymore. And plus, I don't know about you but, this place reminds me a little too much of the School." Everyone nodded in agreement and Gazzy stood up from his bed with some help from Iggy. While everyone was packing up their minimal belongings and getting ready to go, I sat down on the chair contemplating our next move.

"You okay?" Fang asks. I nod yes, and he starts packing up both of our things. My thoughts turn to the school, and I am trying to block out memories, when I realize something.

"Guys we need to leave now! Out the window go!" Everyone scrambles to leave; I lock the door and see Dr. Lee jiggling the door knob calling for security. Now I know where I recognized him from, he was my doctor… at the School. The last thing I saw was an eraser busting the door open before the hospital was too far away to make out anything.

~Time Skip~

"Max I'm tired" Angel said. She had been drifting a lot and now she was starting to descend at a quick pace. I swooped down to get her so we could keep flying at a good pace. We needed to get as far away from these goons as possible.

Everyone was fine for a few hours until I noticed that we all seemed a little slower. "Alright guys it's time to land, let's go to that fast food restaurant a get some chow." Everyone aimed that direction and when we landed I woke up Angel so we could plan. Some people might look down on me for what I'm about to attempt, but it's necessary. "Gazzy, Angel, Nudge and Iggy get a table in the park next this restaurant while Fang and I grab some food." After they left Fang turned to my confusion on his face; well not really but, I have always been able to read him a little better than the average person.

"Max, in case you've forgotten we can't exactly use the Max Ride card right now, or ever again." Yeah I can get Fang to talk more than any of y'all. We have always shared a special bond… excuse the hallmark moment there; I'm spending way too much time with Nudge. Anyway yeah Fang was confused and I almost didn't want to admit what I had planned on doing because I was worried about what he would think of me (again I question the amount of hormones in my body). But, I needed him to complete my plan.

"I was planning on doing something a little more dangerous than using a tracked credit card." I admitted refusing to watch as he pieced together the situation and yelled at me; as he no doubt would. He sighed and grabbed my chin forcing me to look up at him.

"Look, I'm not saying that we should make a habit of doing this but for right now, I will help you." I was beyond shocked. I swore he was going to think of something else, he would always be the one to defy me when we worked for the Agency. He stared at me, probably trying to figure out my shocked expression, when he tucked a piece of hair back behind my ear from where it had fallen from my pony tail. We were like that staring at each other until the back door of the restaurant was opened and someone stepped out. Both of our heads snapped right to the door. The trash guy let the door close behind him without a second glance, which made us both remember one thing Jeb, our old trainer back at the Agency would say, unlocked doors are the best keys you'll ever find.

As soon as the trash guy went back inside the kitchen we snuck around to the door the make a plan. "Okay I say you grab the food, while I try to keep people from seeing you." Now you might wonder why I wasn't just going to distract people. Well, Fang needs to sneak around if everyone is looking right at the place he just came from there going to see him, he's not that invisible. And I will be playing the part of his supervisor in this small but crucial mission to save our starving stomachs. Anyway, to sum it up, this isn't the movies; it takes a lot more than a dude pretending to be drunk to create an effective distraction.

Fang readied himself after a noise in the opposite direction of the door was made. Perfect opening, I nodded at Fang and he went in as stealthily as a mouse. Don't you just love how some things are just so convenient? As Fang was navigating his way to the 'ready to be served' area of the kitchen I saw a man headed for the table Fang was under, I made a slight knocking sound on one of the other tables closest to me. The man turned only for a second but, that was all Fang needed to make it to the order out station. Success! I yelled in my head, as Fang proceeded to take things from behind the serving thing and stuff them in his bag. As he moved away I was watching closely, I felt like an overprotective mother, it was… weird.

Eventually Fang made his way over to where I was standing and we left silently; leaving the restaurant to deal with its own mysterious disappearing food problems. As we were walking towards the rest of the flock I noticed that Gazzy looked kind of weirded out and, Angel looked so happy, but quickly masked it in order to not look suspicious… too late. And both Nudge and Iggy were sitting on the same side of the bench with bright blushes covering their faces.

"Bon Appetite guys" I said as Fang unloaded the food onto the table. Soon everyone was back to normal, stuffing their faces full of greasy, fattening food; except for the occasional awkward glances between Nudge and Iggy. What had happened while we were gone?

It was sort of a filler chapter (oops?). Anyway Nudge and Iggy's point of view in the next chapter of what happened while Max and Fang were away. And as always I ask you too…

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