The only thought that ran through my mind was are we supposed to find Max's body, crumpled on the ground, whimpering like a little broken puppy? That's the only thought that's been circling around inside my head as we flew in circles for hours.
"Fang? Do you remember where we left Max?" Nudge asked."Yes."He said without a moment of hesitation. "Are we going to go there?" He paused this time. "Not if we can help it."
"But why? Maybe Max got hurt and needs help. Maybe we need to save her before we save Angel." Nudge sounded worried, but who wouldn't be? We needed to save Angel, and possibly Max too?
Fang banked right, me and Nudge following in close behind him."I don't think Max would have gotten hurt by herself," Fang said slowly."She's not going to fly into a tree or crash-land. Snow, maybe," Fang shot me a small grin and I returned it while sticking my tongue out.
"So if she's late because she's hurt, it probably means that someone, a person, hurt her. Which means that someone knows about her. We don't want that someone to know about us too. Which they would if we went to where Max is."I nodded, completely agreeing with Fang.
"Right. And if Max is late on her own accord, then us going to her won't speed it up-- it's probably slow her down. "I said, then let Fang add on."But for now, we do a general look-see. But we're not going all the way back."
Nudge was being oddly quiet. After given orders, she would probably question them-- or at least talk our ears off for details. I sighed, knowing that I would probably have to be the one to keep her spirits up. "Nudge-"
"Snow! Fang!" Nudge shouted, interrupting me."It's Tipisco, down below! I'm going there!" Before I could do anything, Fang was already on her case."No way, Nudge."Fang said, flying closer to her."Don't get side tracked now. Stay with us."
"No!" Nudge said, surprising me. She then hunched her shoulders and tucked her head down, already losing altitude."I have to find my parents! If Max is gone, I'm going to need someone!" Okay, ouch.
I know that I'm no Max, but I did my damnedest for my flock. I was absolutely nothing without them, and I expected them all to feel the same way. But apparently I was totally off on that. I was more than disappointed-- I felt heartbroken. Nudge knew that she could always talk to me. She has before...
"What? Nudge, you're crazy. Come on, let's talk about this. Let's find a place, take a break." Fang said, his eyebrows furrowed in what seemed to be anger or annoyance.
"No!" Nudge said, looking like she was about to cry. "I'm going down-- and you guys can't stop me!" She then bolted, tilting her wings the way we've all been practicing, giving herself a good thirty feet ahead of me and Fang.
But I've had more practice as well, so she can't get away that easily. Fang looked over at me and shrugged. I flew closer to him, the tips of our wings touching. "It's a bad idea, but if it gives her some peace of mind, I'm all for it. When we get back and Max is here with steam coming out of her ears, I'll take the blame, okay?"
Fang just stared at me for a second. His dark eyes trailed every inch of my face, analyzing it as if I were a picture or some rare and exotic creature on display. I could feel myself flush. I turn my head and look forward, looking at the small figure that is Nudge."Agree?" I ask after a couple of moments.
Fang takes a few seconds after that to answer. "Yes."
--
"Nudge, for the last time, give this up. This is a bad idea."said Fang, still trying to persuade her to go back."A terrible idea," he says, emphasizing terrible. We had threatened to leave many a times, but she didn't budge a bit.
Not once. But she's not a little toddler, and we're not her parents who're threatening to leave her alone in a big, foreign store because she's stubborn. She'll, for one, grow up with six other stubborn kids.
But now we were at the edge of some trailer home neighbourhood. The trailer park was divided into meandering rows, marked by rickety wooden signs. "Come on," Fang said softly.
"I see Chaparral Court."I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear as we snaked our way through chokecherry bushes, gnarled junipers, random, abandoned appliances, and old car skeletons. I was really looking for the address 4625 because that was the that we were looking for.
Well, Nudge, really. We walked a couple of more feet and then I spotted it. The last mobile home at the end of the line. I looked over at Nudge, checking to make sure that she was okay. This had to be at least a little hard on her.
She pushed aside some spray paint cans and her and Fang sat down on the old, graffited car. "What if they moved?" Fang asked her. I leaned against the hood, right next to them, scouting the area. I never really let my guard down. I get really paranoid, and sometimes it's worse than Max's paranoia.
"What if you misunderstood what you read and those people aren't related to you at all?" Fang said. Then he said something sort of really mean, but brutally true. "Nudge, even if you weren't a test tube baby-- which you probably were-- what if there was a reason they gave you up? They might not want you back."
I pushed myself off of the hood of the car and walked over to them."Don't you think I haven't thought of that?" Nudge whispered, anger rising in her voice."I know that! But I have to try. I mean, if there's the slightest chance-- wouldn't you try? Either of you?"
Damn. Oh, how I hate being in the spotlight. I snuck a glance at Fang, whose black eyes were already steadily watching me as well."I don't know." he answered after a pause, not taking his eyes off of me. I guess it was my turn as well. I bit the nail of my thumb and though. Would I?
"That's because you don't need anything or anybody," Nudge said. Ouch, Nudge. I could feel the fiery sting in her words from over here. "But I'm not like that. I need people."I looked back down at her. She was staring up at the mobile home. I looked back at Fang. And again, he was staring at me so hard that he was probably staring through me. I averted my gaze again.
I hate when he does that.
A woman then came out of the mobile home. She had her hair wet and in curlers, and there was a towel around her shoulders. She sat in a cheap lawn chair and leaned back, lighting a cigarette and popping a can of soda."Coke. It's not just for breakfast anymore," Fang joked. Nudge elbowed him in the side and I cracked a smile.
The hair on the back of my neck stood up, taking a sharp breath from me. My eyes widened and I dropped my smile. I jumped to my feet, Fang following suit. "Looking for something, freaks? Guess you found it." an Eraser laughed, melodic and creepy like.
Nudge jumped to her feet as well. Three Erasers started to morph. Those male model-type bodies shifted into a monster you see from gory movies or video games. "Ari," Fang said evenly. My eyes bulged out. Ari? Jeb's son?"Ari!" Nudge exclaimed. "You were just a little kid!"
He smiled and flexed a clawed hand."And now I'm a great big grown-up Eraser," Ari said, snapping his teeth together, making strong clicking sounds. "With the enflamed ego to match," I growled. He glared at me, and for a second I could see the scared a timid little boy that I used to know so well.
"Snow. Haven't seen you since they let two Erasers loose in a maze, making you the target. Still clumsy? Oh, and you look like hell warmed over." I clenched my teeth together, trying to remain calm. I may look pissed on the outside, but on the inside I shuddered.
I hated whenever they did that. I'm a fast runner, but I'm seriously clumsy. Ari chuckled lightly, as if the memory amused him."And I still look ten times better than you, Arsewipe."
"I'm exactly who I want to be, and I have some news for you," he rolled up his sleeves to reveal heavily corded, muscled, hairy arms. "Your hideout in the mountains is nothing but ashes. Your pals keep having unfortunate accidents. You three are the last ones alive-- and now we've got you."
The Erasers then laughed, while my brain went on overdrive for the second time in less than a week. Last three alive? Nudge began to cry, weeping like a baby. I swallowed heard, trying to keep tears back as well. No. They're lying.
"Pinwheel."Fang muttered, his hands in tight fists. Ari frowned, probably wondering what 'pinwheel' meant. "Choose first." I said, Nudge nodding. "Count of three," Fang said. Which meant count of one. Ari grabbed Fang's shoulders."Shut up!"
"One," Fang said, regaining his balance. Nudge instantly lunged forward, shoving the second Eraser in the chest. I lunged forward and started attacking the third Eraser. I swung my fist, making contact with his Adam's apple. I then kneed him where the sun don't shine. He grasped it with his hands and I kicked his kneecaps, bringing him down.
But this Eraser was fast-- he swiped at my legs, and me being clumsy, I fell. He stood up, casting an enormous shadow over me. I quickly rolled over just as his foot came down, right where my head would have been.
I quickly caught a glance of Nudge launching herself into the air, Fang grabbing her arms and swinging her, following her momentum. I then did one of those karate moves where you push yourself up with all of your weight and land on your feet. To my surprise, I did land on my feet.
The Eraser in front of me gave me a huge, wolfish grin. I gulped, but charged at him. I brought my knee up again, and when he fell to his knees, I gave an upward movement with the palm of my hand. I heard a loud crack, but that didn't stop him.
He swiped again at my legs with his claws, but this time the gashes he made were bigger instead of smaller. Blood quickly began to flow. As he started to swipe for my head, I dropped to my knees. Then, out of no where, a can of paint hit him. Blue, and apparently green, paint blew through the air. The Eraser began to claw at his eyes.
I jumped up and took off to where Nudge was flying. Fang did the same. When we were high enough above the Erasers, Ari cried out,"You're dead, freaks!"
"Ob, like you're not a freak yourself!"Nudge yelled meanly."Try looking in the mirror, dog boy." I could smile, I was so proud. Who knew she would take on my remarks?
But Ari, being all adult-like and using adult-like things, pulled out a gun. "Move!" I yelled at Nudge. She abruptly moved and a bullet whistled right past her ear.
When we were safely away, Nudge started talking again."I'm sorry Fang, Snow. It's my fault that you guys got hurt."Fang spit blood out and watched it fall.
If I could look at my own injuries, I would've. But even if my legs did feel as hot as Satan's ball sack."It's not your fault," Fang said."You're just a kid."
"Let's go home," Nudge said, sounding scared. We all were. We did need a home. A place where Erasers and White Coats didn't invade. No dog cages. No needles. Just us kids again."They said it burnt down," Fang answered, wiling blood from his lip."No. I mean home with the hawks."