Man it's been a while.

I won't stall any longer.

"I'm going to scout ahead." Jace muttered into my ear, his voice dry and emotionless. He didn't wait for my response as he flew upwards, disappearing into a cloud, his metal cuff shining before the clouds hid him from view. We'd been flying only for thirty minutes after being chased for at least twenty. They'd finally given up after realizing they couldn't catch up to us with their puny Eraser wings. But we'd kept silent, just flying straight. I caught a few glances in my direction, curiosity about what we were supposed to do, but no one had asked. They'd left me alone with my thoughts, a smart decision since I was ready to tear someone's head off.

I didn't want to be running anymore. I wanted to give the School what was coming to them, and after loosing another member of my flock, I only wanted it more.

My knuckles were still stained with blood and already bruises had formed from where I had either punched or been punched, which was basically everywhere. No one had come out of the battle unscathed.

I looked back for a moment, looking at the large group now following me. Most of them met my gaze, Iggy didn't for obvious reasons. But Harmony had refused to look at me since she'd woken up, and she flew near the back of the flock, like she could slip away when I want looking. Part of the reason I'd had Crest watching her closely.

"Guys." I spoke suddenly, my throat dry. I'd stopped flying, hovering in the air as everyone did the same behind me. I don't know why I spoke up to be honest because, when I looked at their faces, my mind went blank. Zen could be dead, Angel would be next and I didn't know if I could stop it. But no matter what, I knew what our mission was.

"We're going back. I don't know how, but we are going to break into the School, and we are going to take them do-"I was almost down speaking when I noticed Iggy's head cock slightly, his mouth thin. Fang was beside him, watching intently.

"Iggy, what do you hear?" Nudge asked and his face tensed slightly as he looked over at Fang.

"Erasers, but only two or three. They aren't far behind. No choppers, just wings." He explained, listening again. We waited patiently as he turned sideways, his left ear aimed to behind us. Suddenly his eyes went wide and he shouted. "Get out of the sky!"

I didn't even have a minute after Iggy yelled before I felt something whiz near my ear. "You heard him, drop!" I ordered and shut my wings, dropping down through the air. I watched as everyone did the same, one after the other. Until there was only one of us left up there, and he didn't look like he was planning to drop.

"Crest, I said drop!" I shouted, opening my wings and surging back upwards slightly. Everyone stopped underneath me, Caige wincing as the wind snapped against his wings. But my main focus was up in the sky where Crest's hands were raised, a dark scowl on his face. He was glaring at a faint shadow that kept getting larger, the Eraser, with a gun pointed at Crest. But Crest didn't move. Instead, I slowly started to see the wind move around his hands in a circular motion. That idiot.

There was a loud "bang" as the Eraser fired a shot, but it stopped immediately as Crest's hands vibrated so quickly they looked like they were standing still. And like it was nothing, Crest shot the bullet back the the Eraser, embedding it inside its chest. But Crest kept his hands moving and shockingly enough, the Eraser didn't drop. He just aimed his gun again, firing another shot only to have it caught in Crest's waves again.

I would've flown up and grabbed him, but unless I wanted a bullet in my brain halfway there, I couldn't to risk it.

"Max!" I heard someone call out my name from behind as the cloud and looked up. I saw Jace's bare feet first before the cuffs of his jeans dropped through the sky followed by a look of concern and panic as his face emerged from the clouds. My attention wasn't the only one Jace's shout caught. Crest was also looking up, the bullet now dropping the air in front of his hands as his waves slowed. The Eraser was dead; there was no point on keeping them around. But actually, that wasn't the case.

I don't exactly remember what happened next, it's all mostly a blur. Another Eraser rose from the trees, a gun raised. A bullet flying through the air, and Crest's hand flying backwards upon impact, leaving a stream of red to fall out of the sky and stain the ground below. There was only one more shot as Jace flew into Crest from above, ramming into him and pushing him down, out of range. The bullet didn't hit anyone but the Eraser who fired it. I bet he was surprised to find the small metal ball embedding in his own chest as Nudge looked slightly triumphant beside me.

Then there was the landing, a hand on my shoulder that I shook off. My instincts rushed back, my motherly instincts that reacted whenever the coppery smell of blood reached my senses.

I marched over to where Jace was supporting Crest. His hand was cradled to his chest while Harmony and Scholar both ran to his side, edging for a better look. I held out my own hand to him as I approached. "Let me see it." I demanded and Crest willingly held out his hand, biting his lip the whole time. Slowly he uncurled his fingers and there was the bullet, deep in his skin. I won't get into it, but it was bloody.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Scholar moaned as she backed away, her face pale. I was feeling the same way, believe me, but it wasn't time to be faint of heart, or however that saying goes.

"Harmony," I looked at her from the side seriously. "What do we do?" She was looking hard at Crest's wound, her eyebrows furled as she thought. Finally she turned back to look at me.

"I need everyone's help."

We gathered in a circle as Jace was tying a piece of his shirt around Crest's wrist. "We have a bad wound, no supplies and very little time." Harmony said, her voice tense and free of all emotion. Her dark eyes were boring into everyone's head. "Three things we're definitely going to need is a bandage, some sort of metal knife, and fire. If possible, we want some sort of alcohol, and maybe some more cloth."

"What's the alcohol for?" Jace piped in, tying the knot tightly.

"Sterilizing. We don't want to risk infection but we'll take it over blood loss." Harmony answered.

"And the cloth?"

Harmony paused, looking at the wound again. "He's going to want something to bite down on."

"There is no way this is going to work." Fang muttered as we sped walked through town. Turns out Jace's little scouting mission had purpose after all.

"We can hope it does." I snapped back, scouring the store signs. We were camped a few miles away from the town in a forest, and now we were looking for supplies. Me and Fang, since we apparently looked the oldest and actually had footwear, were on a search for alcohol. I'd rather be back there making sure Crest doesn't die but apparently that wasn't what he needed right now.

"Do you remember what kind she said?"

"Scotch, I think."

"And if they decide to call the police?"

I decided not to answer right away as I motioned to an alcohol store. "I guess we run for the nearest drugstore and find rubbing alcohol instead." I said as we entered the store. I tried to wipe the blood off my face as much as I could before we came, but I could only hope whatever remained looked like a rash.

"Well, we don't have money, so looks like a police chase is inevitable." Fang whispered as we reached the scotch section. I did my best to ignore his statement I knew was right as I scanned the bottles.

"Which kind are we supposed to get?" I snapped quietly as Fang grabbed a bottle off the shelf.

"Does it matter?" He snapped before peering over at the checkout counter. "Great, it's a guy. Go over there and distract him."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Excuse me? Distract him in what way?"

"The way you used to do with every guy that looked your way. Just freaking smile and bat your eyelashes at him."

Under any other circumstances, I would've punched Fang so hard that his cheekbone shattered, but this was Crest's life and we needed to get back fast. But it didn't stop me from gritting my teeth and muttering "sexist pig" all the way to the register.

The guy didn't look much older than twenty with his thick brown hair that sat slightly curled on his forehead. His face still had traces of acne scarring and his thick glasses covered his small, dark eyes. I guess he was a little bit cute, but that didn't change the fact that Fang had basically asked me to seduce someone so he could smuggle scotch out of a store.

I really hoped this wasn't the direction our life was going in. I'm not sure I'd have the same charms at age forty.

"Um, excuse me?" I said, trying not to to clench my teeth. The boy looked at me from behind his glasses, smiling. I couldn't tell if it was fake or not.

"How can I help you?" He asked, his voice smoother than I thought it would be.

I drummed my fingers on the counter nervously. "Well, I'm kinda new to the whole," I cocked my head sweetly, "alcohol thing. Can you help me find the liquor?" The liquor was located at the back of the store and behind three other shelves of bottles. If my plan worked right, he would show me to the back himself and leave the counter open for Fang to sneak out of the store.

"Sure, it's on you're right and all the way at the back of the store, beside the scotch." Drat!

"Beside the what?" I asked. My voice was about two octaves above it's normal pitch.

"Beside the scotch, there should be a sign above the aisle." Damn it kid, just cooperate with me!

I leaned forward and put my chin in my hands with my elbows resting on the counter. I giggled once. Only Once. "Do you think you could show me?" I cooed. He sighed a little but his smile actually looked real this time.

"Sure, please follow me." He opened the small door leading behind the cash and steeped out. He started to walk towards the aisle. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Fang waiting beside the door. I motioned rapidly for him to leave. "So, what kind of liquor are you-" The guy turned around in the middle of my motion to Fang.

"Hey!" He shouted, at least, he probably would've if I didn't grab him by the shoulder and pull him behind on of the shelves. I didn't waste even a second. I wrapped my arms around his neck and started to stand on tiptoe, my face nearing his. We were just inches away and I started to lean forwards until...

I couldn't go through with it. I was going to kiss him, keep his mouth shut, but it was just so... not me. Instead, I put my feet flat on the ground and brought my knee up, hitting him where I was sure he couldn't scream. And then I ran for the door as he started to double over, a small and pained gasp coming from his mouth. For someone who hasn't been winning in months, I'm not ashamed to say that it felt really good.

I burst through the doors and spotted Fang watching the door as he leaned up against the wall, the bottle in hand. He started to run alongside me as I passed him, but I grabbed his wrist anyway as I opened my wings. "Don't you dare let go!" I warned him and I felt him grab my wrist in confirmation as we took off and I started to speed up. The sooner we got back to Crest, the better.

I just hoped he wouldn't bleed out by the time we got back.