Chapter 14

All my love to my reviewers, I feel so loved! And remember, I don't own Maximum Ride.

Max

"What are you doing here?" I growl at Dylan. He doesn't seem too hurt, but I'll fix that. He should be protecting the emperor! What is he doing here?

"I went looking for you at the mountain. You weren't there and there were a dozen or so demons instead. They… caught me by surprised," he looks embarrassed and ashamed. He should be.

"Well, are the emperor and his wife alright?" I ask, trying to find the key to his cell.

"They should be. I put a spell over the summer palace. Nothing from Hell can get in, and if any of them were already in, they're shut out." That surprised me. I've been a guardian since the dawn of time and I've never been able to do a spell that protected others for me. But of course not. I was a guardian and a guardian of the 21st District, not at all elevated and privileged like Dylan was. The archangels wouldn't allow me to be able to do that kind of magic. Especially since I'm considered a traitor.

I unlocked Dylan's cell and the door swings open. "Well, you might as well come with."

"Max!" Fang is suddenly at my side. I blink in surprise. His dark eyes are angry. He takes me by the arm and pulls me off to the side, where the Flock couldn't see us.

"What?"

"Just leave him here, Max." This isn't like him.

"No! First of all, he's a healer. He's useful and I have a feeling we couldn't get rid of him even if we wanted to. Second, he's an angel. He'll die here," I try to keep myself calm.

"Then let him die!"

He's a hypocrite. As if I couldn't see what was going on between him and Lissa. "No!" I half-shout, half-whisper, matching his intensity, "If I can save him, I will because even if it isn't my fault, he'll be dead. It'll just be more blood on my hands because I didn't save him when I could. Not even Dylan deserves this! You got to save your precious Lissa and I will save anyone I can."

Fang looks hurt but lets me go.

Take the stairs down, the Voice returns and I sigh in relief, There will be a staircase leading up but don't take it. Direction is skewed here. Take the staircase leading down.

I nod. "Let's go," I signal to the Flock and Lissa and Dylan. No, they are not part of the Flock. I wouldn't trust them with my life. Dylan is a self-centered slime and Lissa- I'll just say that if given the chance, her dead body would be in the bottom of the Atlantic.

Get to trust Dylan, he can help you. Look at him. He's been here almost as long as you have, yet you're the one still limping. He's not even hurt much because he's a good healer. He has more power than you. Maximum, you are blind. Can't you see why he's still here?

I scowl inwardly. All of us, being able to walk properly by now, begin to run. Just like the Voice said, there were two sets of stairs, one going up and one going down. I start to run down the one going down when Lissa's nasal voice rang out. "How do you know where we're going? Shouldn't we be going up?"

My eyes narrow at her. "Go ahead, take the stairs upwards, you see what happens because I don't want to find out."

The Flock looks confused. "I mean, why would we go deeper into Hell?" she continues, batting her long eyelashes at Fang.

I raise an eyebrow at her, something's very wrong with her. Doesn't she know better than to disagree with me? Or doesn't she know me well enough? Either way, there was something about her that made me think that she knew more than the naïve façade that she put up. Angel begins to walk towards me, towards the stairs leading down. Gazzy, Nudge and Iggy follow soon after. Lissa narrows her green eyes at Fang who looks contemplating at the stairs. I waited, my heart almost stopping.

Finally he moves.

It's not towards me.

Fang

Gazzy, Nudge, Angel and Iggy make their choice. Max looks at me, her brown eyes determined. Lissa looks at me too, and her green eyes are so mystifying. Some part of me tugs towards Max but my feet move before I can decide. Fang, come to me.

Max makes a disgusted sound and whirls around with her back to me. Angel goes over and touches her arm. They exchange a conversation I can't hear.

"Let him go," Max decides finally. She walks- then runs away from me.

Lissa takes my hand, her skin was cold. She smiles up at me, her thick black eyelashes blink encouragingly. Something in me is hesitant and regretful, but Lissa blinks again and I can't remember why. Tugging me forward, she walks up the stairs.

Max

"Max, are you okay?" Angel touches my arm.

"I'm good, sweetie, don't worry so much, hmm?" I try to smile but it comes out as a grimace.

I huff out my breath and square my shoulders, trying to make my breath as I fought back my tears, "Let him go," I walk, then pick up my pace, trying to put as much distance as possible between us. The Flock follows closely behind. How can he just leave? How can he just say turn away without saying a word? He kissed me, I remember, what did that mean? Why did I care? Why did I have to be so jealous? Why did being away from him hurt this much? Why? "Why?" I breath.

So it's a shortie, sorry, but next chapter will be better, promise. The Dylan in the books isn't the only Dylan I want to punch right now. Can we bump up that little review number up to 50? Your reviews warm my heart. Thanks everyone who are so supportive of my work. Haha. Takk! (Norwegian, or at least, google translate tells me)