So after a day or two of Marlene and I freaking out about 'OhmygodwehavenoreviewsTHEYHATEUS*cry*', Hideout Writer pointed out to us that the previous Chapter 20 had been the Q&A, and people couldn't review twice.

We felt stupid. Very, very stupid.

But on with the chapter!

-October

Chapter Twenty One

Marlene's POV

By the time I came around we were already in the School, and the rest of the Flock was awake. I watched the pretty colors swirling behind my eyelids for a couple of seconds before opening them. I swear it was like trying to lift lead but I managed eventually. I sat up and cracked my already incredibly sore head on the top of the cage. With a yelp I slumped back against the side of the cage.

Marlene! Marlene, are you okay!

Ow... I moaned, be quiet...

Oh, sorry. Are you okay? She asked again in a fake whisper, I rolled my eyes.

Got a Max-sized headache, and I think I lost a couple teeth...

They'll grow back, you've got three more rows, October assured cheerily. Scowling I stretched out to see how big the cage was. I guessed medium... About. I could touch both sides with my arms outstretched and I couldn't sit up without hitting my head, which I'd already found out. I heard a door opening and stiffened. All eyes turned to me, though Angel and October already knew what was happening.

"Max," Angel said in a hurried whisper, "Max, it's really important!" She looked at Max with huge, terrified eyes and Max went all mother bear. I could almost see her fantasies of ripping apart Erasers... That girl had some serious anger management issues, I mean really...

Heeelllloooo? Marlene! Ding! Ding!

Shut up, I begged, clutching my head. October grinned evilly from her cage beside me.

That's only slightly against my nature, she informed me... Not for the first time. I would've made some sort of smart reply if there wasn't a Whitecoat standing in front of my cage. Max was already gone, I must've missed that whole exchange. The Whitecoat unlatched my crate and I was this close to kicking his pants and making a run for it, but when I saw the huge needle in his hand I figured it best to stay. Yeah, yeah, I know... Bad idea. But you should've seen the sucker! That needle could've sedated a whale... Which I was not. I was a shark thank you very much. I climbed out of the crate and stretched my back, instantly the Whitecoat had that huge needle at my chest.

"Dude...Personal space," I said, taking a step back and pushing the needle away slightly. My head pounded painfully but I ignored it. The Whitecoat glared at me before turning and unlocking October's crate as well.

You know, October said as she stood up and also stretched, you have to feel bad for these guys sometimes...

Give 'em hell? I guessed, trying to hide my smirk. October turned to me and gave me a full-blown smile.

You betcha.

The Whitecoat looked from me to her and I grinned toothily at him. His eyes widened when he saw my teeth and he jumped back into Iggy's crate, almost dropping his clipboard.

"Hey!" Iggy said, slamming himself against the front of the crate and sending the Whitecoat flying into Keegan's crate.

"Watch it!" Keegan snarled, showing his own pointy teeth to the poor traumatized Whitecoat. October elbowed me and raised her eyebrows, I smiled and nodded. October dropped to a crouch, the Whitecoat stared at her, looking a bit terrified. She tackled him to the ground and I jumped up, grabbing the keys from his belt and running to Gazzy's cage.

"Get out!" I ordered, flinging open the door and yanking him out.

"But what about-"

"Go!" I growled, glaring at him. "There's a window just down that hallway. Go to the hawks!" Gazzy nodded quickly and ran towards the doors. There was a groan off to my side and I turned to see October being pinned down by the Whitecoat who was trying to plunge that giant needle into her arm. Mind, he was having a pretty difficult time doing this due to October thrashing around like a fish out of water...

A little help here! October yelled in my head.

What happened? I demanded, taking advantage of the moment and spinning around to literally kick the Whitecoat in the ass.

"Does it matter!" She screeched as the Whitecoat tumbled over her head. I grabbed her hand and she jumped up. Get Ig and Angel out!

"Where're the keys!" I asked after a minute of frantic searching.

"You dropped them?" October asked, her eyes wide. "You-you dropped the keys!"

"Well sorry for helping you," I muttered rolling my eyes.

"Here!" Keegan called and we turned to him. He was lying on his stomach in his crate, one of his thin arms sticking through the bars trying to reach something just a little too far away.

"Oh my god, Keegan! I love you!" October announced loudly, dropping to her stomach and grabbing the keys. I noticed for the first time that the back of her shirt was dark red... Blood. Crap. October stood up and saw my face.

"What?" She asked, quickly unlocking Iggy's cage and then moving on to Angel's. Iggy jumped to the ground and I tapped his shoulder.

"Go straight, through the doors, take a right, there'll be a broken window right in front of you," I said, "go to the hawks, Gaz should be waiting." Iggy nodded and darted down the hall. That was when the alarms went off... A little late on that one boys? I'd think so. Either way, I was startled into dropping the keys. And this time they slid... Under Fang's cage. Fang swore rather badly and dove for them but they slipped through his fingers.

"OK, you go, and we'll see you tomorrow," I told October, pushing her towards the door for emphasis.

"Yup, sounds good. See ya! Bye!" And she was through the doors just as Erasers started swarming into the hallway... I've said it before, I'll say it again.

Crap.

"Fang!" Keegan hissed, "get that paperclip on the front of your cage!" He was already fumbling with the lock and in a couple of seconds it sprung open. Fang's long fingers easily found the paperclip and fitted it into the low-tech lock. I kicked the nearest Eraser between the legs and he dropped like a sack of lead. The only problem: two more replaced him.

"Hey! Catboy! A little backup!" I growled, whipping around and chopping an Eraser's neck.

"I've got my own problems, Sharky!" Keegan called back, punching one Eraser in the gut before turning on his heel and kicking another in the face. Ouch.

"Vi! Duck!" I hit the deck and Fang jumped over me, punching an Eraser in mid-air. Show off.

"Thanks Fangles," I said standing up, brushing off the front of my shirt, and landing a kidney punch to an Eraser who was closing in on a pre-occupied Keegan.

"Fangles?" I turned and grinned at Fang.

"Yes! Fangles!" Fang's eyes widened and for a second I thought he was going to hit me. But, it ends up, he was looking at something behind me. Yes kids, there was a Whitecoat standing behind me. Who's surprised? Anyone? Didn't think so. There was a sting in my back and I didn't need to turn and widen my eyes in horror (though, y'know, I did anyway...) to know it was a huge needle... That one probably meant to tranquilize a whale. I dropped, rather dramatically I might add, to the ground. A second later Keegan fell next to me and next, yeah you guessed it, Fang was on his back a needle sticking out of his arm. Poor bird-kid...

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