Max and the Instruments

Chapter 16

I do not own Maximum Ride or the world of Shadowhunters. Thank you.

Alec and Iggy stood face to face, ten feet apart, while Fang set some standards.

"This is a simple, down-n-out match," he said, standing beside me. "Stay down for 3 seconds and you lose. No weapons allowed; fists, and feet only. Start when ready." He finished with a clap.

As far as fights go, it started pretty slow. They were like panthers sizing each other up before lunging. Alec launched the first punch, hoping to get the better of his blind opponent, but he was too noisy and Iggy dodged it perfectly. Iggy moved just enough to where he was able to grab the outstretched arm and twisted, making Alec fall to the ground.

He rolled and ended up behind Iggy. Alec tried to grab his waist from behind, but Iggy turned and moved away from his reach. He landed a kick in the small of Alec's back that sent him into a wall.

Iggy stood still as Alec, face hard and calculating, shook his head and watched. He watched Iggy shift from foot to foot, turning round as Alec moved in a circle. Alec stopped moving. Iggy didn't. He leapt at Alec, threw a punch to his gut, then an uppercut to the chin and sent him down.

This time, he stayed.

As Fang and I declared Iggy the winner, Iggy helped Alec back to his feet.

"Nice try, Shadowhunter," Iggy said, his cloudy blue eyes fixed above Alec's nose. Alec's eyes narrowed.

"But," he said, his voice full of disbelief. "You'r eblind."

"No way!" Iggy exclaimed, throwing his hands up to his face, waving them in front of his eyes. "I just thought Gazzy turned the lights off."

"Shadowhunters aren't fully human, right?" I interjected. "Like, superhuman strength and speed?"

Alec slowly nodded, turning his piercing, questioning eyes towared me. "Though much of that is enhanced by the runes we draw on our skin. So how did a Mundie like you beat me?"

"'Mundie,'" I echoed. "That's a new one. I don't really know what a 'mundie' is . . . but we're not fully human either."

"Sure you're not," he scoffed, but there was confusion in his eyes. "Max and Izzy may buy into your 'wandering Shadowhunter' story, mom may, too, but I don't."

"Again, not what I meant. I mean, we might be – I'm not entirely sure. But that's beside the point."

"Then what is?"

"We're only 98 percent human. That's the point." I rolled my shoulders and unfurled my wings. Alec took a few steps back, jaw dropping to the floor.

"By the Angel, what the hell are you?"

"Oh, pipe down, Alec," Jace said, jumping down from one of the wooden bars high above us. Much as he may annoy me, I have to admit: he was graceful.

"Like you saw this coming?" Alec protested.

"I told you, all they are is trouble. I am surprised you lost to the blind one though."

Alec flushed.

"Like you could do better?" I challenged.

"Of course," he said. "It's simple to see where Alec went wrong. I won't make that same mistake."

"Bring it," Iggy said.

"Now, now," Angel said. "Let's be fair and let someone else fight, Iggy."

"Someone like who?" Jace asked. "You?" he pointed at Angel. While she could easily have handled him, I had other plans.

"Like me, shadowstalker," I said. "Game on."

AN:

Well, the snow has come, three times. Three times, and each time it confuses me more. And makes me even more frustrated. I WANT TO LEARN, PEOPLE.

I don't know how many of my readers are on the Eastern Seaboard of the United States like I am, but for those of you who don't know… this past Friday (3-7-14) we had an ice storm come through and wreak havoc. Freezing temperatures (of course). But they didn't last long. In fact. The past two days it's been in the 70's.

This weather, man. This weather is crazy.

On another note. It's spring break! Which means I was able to finally type this up! ^_^

Review and tell me what you think – who will win? Jace or Max? Will things get out of wing?

Until next time,

~Jezi Raewin