DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything.

MAX POV –

I don't know where they came from. One minute we were minding our own business, coasting on the air currents and then the next they were there, coming at us from all angles.

"Surprise!" someone shouted.

I spun around and briefly saw Ari grinning wildly at me before his foot connected with my stomach and I shot backwards in the air, struggling for breath. I'm pretty strong thanks to my favourite crazy scientists but so was Ari. His kick winded me and even hurt but there was no way I was going to admit that.

I recovered quickly and shot towards the Eraser. He met me halfway, his clumsy wings beating awkwardly. I threw a quick punch, catching him in the kidney. He let out a small "oof" as he bent over to protect his organs. They just didn't make evil villains the way they used to.

Quickly, in order to press my advantage, I moved closer, swinging my leg in an aerial roundhouse kick that impressed even me. I caught Ari on the side of his head and he dropped a few feet. I was about to follow him to finish him off when a half dozen Flyboys decided I looked pretty threatening and needed to be taken out. They hovered out of my reach for a few moments and I took the chance to check on my Flock.

Angel and Gazzy were fighting back to back – as much as a kid with wings can whilst fighting in the air. They seemed to be doing okay; I mean neither of them was injured yet. I glanced around and saw Nudge grab one of the Flyboys from behind and rip its mechanical head from its body. She wore a determined snarl on her face as she spun to attack another.

Before I could find Iggy or Fang a few of the Flyboys came at me. I reacted instantly, my fist flying towards the first Flyboy that got close enough. It dropped a few feet as it tried to remember to flap its wings. More moved to fill the gap I'd created and I was forced to think with more than my fists.

The Flyboys were fast and strong but they weren't as aerodynamic as us. I could also use their speed to my advantage. I smiled as they ganged up on me. Taking an original tactic of attacking me all at once, the Flyboys shot forward, little ol' me caught in the middle.

Just as I was about to pour on the speed and shoot upwards I thought I heard someone grunt in pain. It was impossible for me to mistake that sound. As few times as I'd heard it, I would know it anywhere.

I didn't hang around and wait for the Flyboys to come close enough, like I had originally planned too. Instead, with one powerful sweep of my wings, I moved above them and searched frantically for Fang.

I found him to my left, fighting three Flyboys and Ari at the same time. Ari had him from behind, his dark wings pinned awkwardly between them. The only thing keeping them in the air was Ari's clumsy wings. As I stared dumbfound at Fang's struggling form, I saw Iggy out of the corner of my eye. He kicked a Flyboy in the back and before it could recover he crippled one of its wings.

Then without warning, he spun and flies straight at Ari and Fang, who both had their backs to him. I have no idea how the kid knew where they were and didn't particularly care. I snapped into action, determined to help Iggy and save Fang. But suddenly the Flyboys were everywhere again and I couldn't get to them.

Thinking about it, if you were suddenly passing by in an aeroplane it would be quite a spectacular scene. Flyboys everywhere, their robotic drone filling the air making it hard to yell to one another; a half dozen bird kids fighting furiously for their lives, two of them struggling against one butt-ugly flying half-human, half-wolf… I'm just saying. Not something you'd be expecting to see on your express route home – if you went the scenic route maybe, but definitely not the express. Your flight would have cost more if that was the case.

I fought gallantly, viciously attacking everything that stood between me and my Flock. But for every one that fell, another would appear. I was getting quite annoyed. And then the worst thing happened.

I only caught the movement out the corner of my eye as I fought off two Flyboys but it sent a jolt of paralysing fear through me.

Fang's limp body was falling – fast. I could see dark patches of blood all over his body and even some on his wings.

"Iggy!" I shouted desperately. "South-west and straight down! Pour on the speed!"

I saw Iggy turn and follow my directions. I focused my anger, fear and frustration into my attacks and soon the flow of Flyboys began to slow. Nudge suddenly appeared beside me and helped me finish off the last of them. When I was sure no more of the robots were coming and Angel and Gazzy had rejoined us, I began searching desperately for any sign of Iggy and Fang. And Ari for that matter. Where had he disappeared to?

I pushed that thought away, choosing instead to centre on a more pressing problem. I could see no sign of either boys and I had an uneasy feeling building in my stomach. And it was not the tacos we ate for lunch.

"Angel, can you hear them?" I asked.

I did my best to keep the anxiety out of my voice for their sakes; they were only kids after all.

We dropped down lower until we were skimming the tops of the trees.

"There's nothing down there except a few animals," Angel replied.

She looked close to tears. I quickly motioned for them to land and I rushed to hold Angel. She clutched me close as her tears began to soak my shirt. It wasn't long before Gazzy and Nudge had joined the hug.

None of us are particularly emotional people. It takes a lot to make any of us cry but losing two of the Flock would just about do it. We're quite a close family – having grown up as test subjects together, escaping together, fighting for our lives together… heck, we did everything together! So separating us was the best way to torture us – that, or maybe locking us in cages and then separating us. Yeah I think that might be worse.

I tried to stay strong for my remaining Flock. After all, just because Angel couldn't hear their thoughts, didn't mean the worst had happened. I mean Iggy could have landed anywhere in this forest, he was blind after all. Or Iggy could have been knocked out by a protruding branch or something… there was a dozen reasons I could think of that would explain their absence. Admittedly a few were a bit farfetched, but for the most part they were plausible.

"Max what are we going to do?" Nudge asked timidly.

Her dark brown eyes were wide and teary. I smiled confidently at her.

"Don't worry. They'll be fine," I assured them.

Gazzy nodded, wiping his nose on his sleeve. I can proudly say I did not teach him that.

"Of course they will," he agreed as though he'd thought as much the whole time.

I grinned at him, a sudden and overwhelming surge of love spreading through me. He was only eight but the kid had some gumption. I grabbed him around the waist and messed up his already wild hair. He laughed as he tried to duck out of my hold. A smile broke out on Nudge and Angel's faces as the tension lessened a bit.

Eventually I released the Gasman and stood up. I peered carefully around me into the forest, unsure what I was looking for. I was no tracker and neither was anyone else in the Flock so I had no idea how I was going to find Fang and Iggy. I had no idea where to start.

You don't find it strange that Ari and the Flyboys just suddenly disappear at the same time as Fang and Iggy?

Well hello, I thought. Look what the cat dragged in. Have you come to join the party?

The Voice stayed silent. Inwardly I rolled my eyes. It comes, imparts some amazing piece of wisdom and goes without as much as a pleasant greeting. You'd think we'd be the best of friends after all our deep and meaningful's, but then neither of us has ever been good at the small talk.

I sighed when it became evident that the Voice would be saying no more. I didn't want to be the one to tell them the worst had probably happened but that's the kind of leader I am.

"It looks like we might be going back to school," I muttered as I turned back to my remaining Flock.

So what do you think? Any suggestions for plot lines would be most welcome because I have about half of it planned out… the other half I'm a bit stuck on. But anyways… let me know what you think!