Chapter 16

I apologize I've been busy lately so I haven't updated much. Sorry!

Also…I don't own Maximum Ride. I'm getting tired of saying this. You all get the point right? On with the story…

Max

The goosebumps on my arms and the wild, erratic beating of my heart told me who the visitor was before I saw his face.

Back in Paradise and before the War, Heaven had a prince. He was kind, beloved by all and perfect, even for an angel. The Lord looked at him with pride. The others looked up to him.

Then, he led the Battle against Heaven.

Lucifer stood before me. Satan as he called himself now.

Before the War, I remember when I was as young as the Earthborns. I wasn't a good angel and I wasn't exactly obedient either. I'd ran away to hide in the Garden. He found me and I remember being so scared. I was scared that he would punish me for running away from my lessons. Instead, he presented me with a little white rose with the thorns removed. "What a pure little rose," he said, but the way he said it made me think that he was praising me and not the flower. He made me his very first student. He taught me to fight, to think on my feet. I didn't question it at the time, but it did feel strange to me that he was training me like that when there was no evil in the world to fight. Then he offered me a place in his army.

He didn't come alone. The demon Jeb trailed after him.

I was confused at first when Lucifer offered. "What army?" I had asked. He explained that he wanted the Throne of Heaven. Shocked and a little horrified, I refused. That's when his right-hand man, Jeb, went to my brother.

Ari said yes.

Lucifer snaps his fingers and the chains slither away. I stretch uncomfortably. "How are you doing, little rose?" he smiles his reassuring smile.

"I'm just dandy," I reply, glaring defiantly at his face, "Stuck in the fiery pits of hell, every angel's dream, am I right?"

Jeb looks angry, "Show some respect!" he snaps. He took my brother from me, he tried to poison me, he hurt me more times than I can count and he has the nerve to talk to me about respect. Who's the angel here? Resentment bubbles up in my heart. Calm down.

I smirk at Jeb, "Make me."

Jeb opens his mouth to speak but Lucifer stops him. "Little rose, little pure rose, you're still the same person you were before. I've missed you, Maximum. You were my best student, my greatest pride. You can still join me. I'll forgive you for refusing before."

I opened my mouth to shout "No!" but I couldn't. The Voice stops me instead. Max, find out what he needs from you first. Don't go rushing into your decisions. Think.

"Join you for what?" I ask through gritted teeth. Happy?

Very, Max, now pay attention and listen.

Lucifer smiles, "Patience, Maximum, and I will soon return home."

Home, he's talking about Heaven. When Lucifer fell, he became bitter, heart-broken. He was not cruel, but he became cruel because he was torn from everything he had. All his respect, his fame, his home was gone.

"Why do you need me?" I ask, feeling small again, feeling young again, when Lucifer was my teacher, my confidante, my protector.

He steps closer and I fight the urge to look away. "Little rose, you don't know how important you are. Even though you are only a guardian, you are special. The other angels know you and respect you. You have become a leader of the Earthborns, a pillar of hope for the others, a hallmark of our kind. You are only a guardian now, but Maximum, join me and the angels will look at you as their queen."

He says "our kind" like he is an angel once more. But something in me wants to join him. I wanted Lucifer to be my friend again, to be there for me again. My eyes flick over to Je who looks at me like a child. I'm not a child! I am Maximum Ride and Lucifer loves me.

Lucifer follows my gaze and signals for Jeb to leave. Jeb scowls but walks out of the room. "I trust you, Max."

"Trust me?" my breath hitches. Why would he trust me? I refused him before. I ran away from his offer. I felt small and sad like the day the War broke out.

The War. I'd first met Fang during the War. Fang fought with me, but I fought against Lucifer. Lucifer didn't even try to protect me from the others. Fang was the one that could read me like a book. Do I even know Lucifer anymore? Did I ever? I take a deep shuddering breath, "What do you need from me?"

"I need fighters just like you, Maximum. The guardians, Earthborns even. Some of whom never even seen paradise. I can help them if you help me."

Help them? What was he playing at? "And then what?"

Lucifer smiles showing pristine white teeth and proving once and for all that evil hides in beauty. "Doomsday," the word and how it's spoken sends shivers down my spine.

Fang

"I'll give you time to think, my little rose," a voice I vaguely recognized spoke into my thoughts. I wake up and my sight focuses on Max, her blond hair is ragged. She looks horrible. Her skin is paler than usual, her expression is distressed. She sits on the ground, looking as if she has an inner argument with herself. What happened?

I tried to stand to go to her but I walk two steps before I hit a wall. There's nothing in front of me but thin air. Somehow, I just can't move. I found out that I stood in a seven feet by seven feet square cage that barely allowed me to stand up.

"Max!" I shout for her attention. "Max! What's going on? Max! Can you hear me?"

She turns, hesitant at first. She looks at me with a stranger's eyes. She looks sad, ashamed, confused and angry.

"Max," I whisper, "What happened to you?"

"Max," she whispers back shaking her head, "Maximum Ride. Maximum of District 21." Her voice grows bitter and mocking, "Don't I deserve better than that? Don't I deserve to be queen? I am Lucifer's only love. Don't I deserve better? In Heaven, I'm still considered a traitor not to be trusted when I've repaid my debt a million times over. I have protected all my life, I've fought on Heaven's side in the War. I've betrayed my only friend."

"Max, that's not true. I'm your friend. Whatever anyone said to you, don't believe them! This is Hell we're in; they're too capable of lying through their teeth. This isn't you!"

"He wouldn't lie, not to me," she stares back as if reciting a boring poem by memory.

"Who wouldn't lie to you?"

"Lucifer, he would never lie to me. Never ever."

"Lucifer who?" and then it hits me. Satan. Oh no, Max, "Max, he is lying to you. Listen to me."

"Why should I? Why should I listen to you? What do you mean to me? What do I mean to you? Why did you kiss me? What are we?" her tone is hurt.

I swallow hard. "Max- Max I," I look away, "Max, I-"

"Maximum, have you made your decision?"

Max

I swallow and whirl around, facing Lucifer. Fang was going to say something and judging by the beat of my heart, it would've meant something. Whether he loved me or not, whether I loved him or not, I have to decide now. "What will happen to Fang? And my Flock?"

Lucifer smiles, expecting this question, "I'll let them go free. Your Flock is lost in the Labyrinth right now. I'll let them out and back to the mortal world."

Something doesn't feel right, "Will you capture them again?"

"You're very clever, my little rose. I've taught you well," he did teach me well, he taught me everything. "The Flock and your Fang has my protection. They will never see Hell again; none of my subjects will lay a finger on them."

I nod satisfied for now.

"Max! Don't do it!" Fang calls out behind me. Lucifer's eyes flash for a second before he reverts back to his natural calm. I bite my lip, "Can you free Fang now?"

Lucifer snaps his fingers and Fang flies to my side.

"Stay away from her, Satan," he steps in front of me protectively.

"Fang," I warn.

"Maximum, stop stalling," Lucifer commands. Somehow, it ends now. Max, the Voice appears.

Got any good advice? I ask.

Max, think for once. You can agree but you don't have to pledge you allegiance unless he asks it. If he believes you are completely loyal, he won't ask it and you have your free will.

"Get the Flock and Dylan back to Rome," I say, making a decision.

"No!" Fang shouts, but he's disappearing already.

I kneel before him, hating myself for this, "I accept."

Okay, I tried to make this chapter longer and on Word, it's four pages long. Anyways, my love to my reviewers always! And like usual, I have to explain myself.

Neimad Do' Urden-I love your username. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Dylan is my enemy, therefore you're my friend. And of course, anyone else who hates Dylan with a passion, which is a lot of people actually…

BlackVenom-I won't ask about reading my story with new eyes because you asked me now to but Lissa isn't controlling him. It just takes awhile for her spell to wear off. Don't worry, he'll be okay soon.

MississippiMud-Yup, don't worry, I hate Lissa too. Thankfully, she's gone and won't bother us anymore.

Arocksprpl2-Yeah, remember the Max clone from book 2? Yep, she's back and she changed her name to Maya. Spoiler alert. I was so heartbroken over the fact the Fang was starting to like Maya. Hurry up and finish the other books. Read Angel! It's amazing but sad.

Malena727-Thanks for the advice! I tried to make this chapter longer. Better or no…?

RockerBabe414- Yeah… I really didn't get that before I started writing this. I just thought hey Romans! And my mind sort of thought about Vatican City and Roman Catholics. Let's just pretend this is after Romans became Christian… My bad, oops!

And thanks to anyone I left out, fifty-four reviews thanks a bunch! Whoops, hold on I'll do my trademark…Di ou mèsi! (Haitian Creole)