School's Out- Forever (Maximum Ride 2)

Fang met my eyes, and I let one side of my mouth droop.

“Whatever Max says,” he said evenly. “She’s in charge.”

I grinned. I’ll never get tired of hearing that.

Anne turned to look at me.

“I can’t leave Nick,” I said, sounding regretful.

“If you all stay, maybe I could examine—,” the doctor began, and Anne turned to him as if she’d forgotten he was there.

“Thank you, Doctor,” she said. “I appreciate all your help.”

It was a dismissal, and the doctor didn’t look happy. But he left.

“We heal really quickly,” I told Anne. Last night Fang had still looked bad. And I had too, I thought, remembering the horrible Eraser reflection. But this morning I looked like me, and Fang looked much more like himself again.

Fang sat up. “What do I have to do to get some food in this joint?”

“You still have an IV,” Anne said. “The doctors don’t want you eating solid . . .” Her voice trailed off as Fang’s eyes narrowed.

“We saved a tray for you,” I said. An orderly had brought us breakfast, and we’d saved some of everything for Fang.

Anne looked as though she wanted to say something but held it back. A good move on her part, I must say.

I gave the tray to Fang, and he dug into the food with quick precision.

“I need to get out of here,” he said between bites. “The hospital smells alone are making me crawl the walls.”

I knew what he meant. We all had the same reaction: Anything antiseptic-smelling, hospitally, science labby, brought back years’ worth of bad memories.

I looked at Anne. “I think F—Nick is ready to come with us.”

She looked at me, clearly thinking things through.

“Okay,” she said finally, and I kept the surprise off my face. “Let me go clear up the paperwork. It’ll take about an hour and a half to drive to my home. I live in northern Virginia. Okay?”

“Yeah,” I said.

Anne left, and I looked around at the flock. “I don’t know what’s coming, guys, but keep your eyes open and heads up.” I glanced at Fang. “You sure you can move?”

He shrugged, looking tired again, and pushed away the food tray. “Sure.” He lay back down and shut his eyes.

“After all, Fnick is Superman,” said Iggy.

“Shut up, Jeff,” I said, but I was smiling. I lifted Iggy’s fingers to my face so that he knew.

20

“Gol, Virginia is shore purty,” I said to the Gasman, and he grinned.

But it really was. There were many hills of the “gently rolling” type, miles of trees that had been dipped in fiery, autumny paint, and swelling waves of green pastures, some even dotted with actual horses. It was gorgeous here.

Anne’s huge Suburban held us all, and Fang got to recline most of the way. I kept an eye on him, noting the way his jaw tightened when we hit bumps, but he didn’t complain.

Another fly in the ointment: I was having the same waves of heat and racing heart I’d had last night. My breath came in little pants, and I was so jumpy it felt as if bugs were crawling all over me.

Total had been sitting on my lap, looking out the window, and now he glanced at me with his shiny black eyes. Deliberately he got up and picked his way over Fang’s lap and onto Angel’s, as if to say, If you’re going to be that hot, forget it.