Max (Maximum Ride 5)

We waited for a break in the line of running sailors, then threw ourselves into the passageway and started rushing forward. It seemed to take forever, with us hurrying and jumping over all the raised thresholds. Around us, sailors were sealing off compartments with their little turny-wheel things.

All of a sudden Angel stopped dead, causing the rest of us to pile into her.

"Angel, go!" I yelled.

"No, wait!" she said, holding up her hand.

"We can't wait! We need to get up front! Move it!"

"Wait," she insisted. "It's the dumb-bots."

"Whaat?"

"It's those M-Geeks, the dumb-bots," Angel said. "They're trying to get into the sub."

Lovely, just lovely. I'll fight anything on the surface or in the air, but under water? I was literally out of my element, so much more than anyone else is who says they're out of their element, like at a party. I pictured the M-Geeks drilling through the sub walls, pictured it filling up with water, with us trapped inside…

"Okay," I said firmly. "We need to stop them. I'll get the Triton."

"Does it have weapons?" Iggy asked.

"No. But it has big claw arms," I said. "Maybe I can whack them or knock them off or something."

"Here, take this," Gazzy said, pushing a small metal first-aid box into my hands. "It's waterproof, so put it in the claw. And here's a remote. Don't sit on it or anything. Push the button to watch a DVD, then use the Triton's claw to toss it at the M-Geeks. Do it fast."

"Okay. You guys go forward," I said. "I'll catch up soon."

"I'm going with you," said Fang.

I looked at him. "I need you to take care of the others," I said very quietly. After a conflicted moment, he nodded.

"I'll go with you," said Gazzy. "I know how to work the IED."

I hated to let him, but he was right. "Okay."

"I'm going too," said Angel.

"No, Angel, please," I said, trying not to beg. "Please stay with Fang."

"I want to go too." There was that face again.

"Angel, come with me," Fang said, taking her hand. "Iggy, Nudge, let's move it." He headed quickly down the hall, all but dragging Angel with him.

I watched them go down the dark narrow corridor, hoping it wasn't the last time I'd ever see them. I turned to Gazzy and handed him the metal box. "Let's go. We've got a Triton to steal and dumb-bots to kill."

56

I'VE HOT-WIRED quite a few cars and driven all kinds of weird vehicles, like a school bus and a tank. Here are a couple of tips: school buses do not corner well, and tanks smell like old gym socks. I'd never stolen a Triton, but I had watched the crewman steer it around, and I thought I could do it. No one even tried to stop Gazzy and me as we raced back down the corridor and entered the pressure chamber.

The Triton was sitting there waiting for us.

"So cool!" Gazzy said. "Did you jack a key?"

I grinned. "No key. Just a push button."

Gazzy took his metal box and put it on the floor right next to one of the Triton's arms, then we scrambled up to the dome and opened the hatch. We dropped down into the seats, and I started flicking switches, hoping I was doing it in the right order. I'd only seen it done once. Gazzy sealed the hatch, and all the panels lit up inside. He looked thrilled, but I wasn't any happier about this than I was the first time.

Then it hit me, amid all the flashing lights and alarms and the banging sounds that were getting louder: a realization that made my blood run cold and my hand freeze into a claw on the single joystick that operated the sub.