The Final Warning (Maximum Ride 4)

Uh, MissLolo? We’re fourteen years old. We think. Who knows how much longer we’ll be around? Who knows where we’ll end up? We don’t plan more than a day or two ahead.

— Fang

Googleblob from Holy Oak, CA, writes:

-Fangalato

r —

Dude, you are the coolest. I wanna get a tat of your wings on my back. Like, life-size.

Googleblob, unless your back is fourteen feet across, you are out of luck, my friend.

— Fang. Just Fang

S. Haarter from Johannesburg writes:

I really like hearing @ the stuff u r doin to save the planet. U r my hero. I m gonna txt u a pic of me. [pic deleted] I m reading ur blog 2 my science class as my ecology project. Keep it up!

Your #1 fan.

50

“FANG . . . ALATOR?” I snickered.

Fang shot me a glance, then continued unlacing his polar boots. I couldn’t believe he’d written a whole blog about Dr. Amazing and Her Quest to Save the World. I mean, excuse me, but who’s been saving the world for the past several months? That would be me. Do I get a blog entry? No. Who beat the Omega blockhead, back in Germany? Dr. Amazing? No.

“You’re just mad because I wrote about Brigid,” he said, tugging off a boot, and I pulled back, stung.

“I am not! I don’t even read your blog! You can write about whoever you want!”

Fang looked at me. “You can’t have it both ways, Max,” he said. “You blow me off every chance you get, but then you get mad if I talk to someone else.”

“I do n —,” I began hotly, but then realized that was exactly what I did. My face flushed, and I shut my mouth. I didn’t even know what we were fighting about.

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” I blustered, but Fang didn’t crack a smile.

“I said that we would never split up again,” Fang said, and my heart leaped in panic. “And I meant it. We have to keep the flock together to survive. But you might want to think about cutting me a break now and then.”

He gave me a last, long look that I could hardly stand, afraid of what I might see in it. Turning, he began to duck out the low doorway when Gazzy raced up, breathing hard.

“I can’t find Angel anywhere,” he panted.

“Maybe she’s just out flying,” I said.

“She would have told someone,” Gazzy said. “Total’s gone too. Maybe they went walking or something, but it’s getting bad out there — listen to that wind.” He pointed toward the window, and then I realized that the awful wailing and shrieking that I had assumed was just me, panicking inside my head, was actually outside, and weather caused.

We heard voices out in the hall, and then Michael Papa leaned through our doorway. “Is Akila in here, by any chance? Last I saw, she was outside with Total and Angel, but that was an hour ago. Have they checked in with you?”

Fang’s eyes met mine, the tension of a few moments ago completely forgotten.

“Get the others,” I told him, and he nodded. “Tell them to dress warm.”

51

“WELL, THIS SUCKS BIG-TIME,” Total said, and Angel agreed. She swallowed hard and tried to calm down. If Max were here, what would she do? Angel grimaced — Max wouldn’t have gotten herself into this situation.

“It’s okay,” Total said soothingly to Akila. He turned to Angel. “Tell her it’s going to be okay.”