Chapter 16

How is it possible for a person to be around one second and gone the next? Angel used to make random disappearing acts all the time, and now fake Angel made one too.

"You're sure none of you have seen her?" I asked everyone.

"Yes" They nearly responded and unison.

"Max, Angel is not a priority right now, you know that" Jeb said from the corner.

I rolled my eyes and sunk back into the couch. Of course Angel was a priority, especially with all the stamina it instantly gave me. It's like, you heal faster if you have a mission or a goal.

"I'm going for a walk" I announced.

I made it half way down the hallway when I realized someone had been following me. I stopped but didn't turn.

"I thought you might need to talk" Maya said from behind me, now that I wasn't expecting.

"With you?" I turned over my shoulder "No not really" I said beginning to walk again.

"I wouldn't do it either" she called.

I stopped and turned.

"Do what?"

"What they're all telling you to do" she said

I sighed and shifted my weight. "Jeb and Dr. Hans pitched that whole 'mating' thing to you too huh?"

"Yep" Maya said. She stood there for a moment, glancing at the floor. "Still don't want to talk?"

Before when we weren't getting along, Fang was trying to convince me Maya was an individual. I had a hard time believing that. She was, in a way at least, meant to replace me in the Schools eyes. I wasn't sticking with their plan and they didn't like that. Maya didn't do what they told her either.

We left the hotel and just started walking, no destination in mind.

"I'm sorry about before- the whole thing with your Mom. You probably wouldn't have gone off with the Director if it weren't for me being such a jerk."

"No I still would have gone with her" I sighed

"Well I'm still sorry. I was being ignorant. I didn't realize how hard it was to except that your Mom was the founder of something you were against, even if it wasn't real"

"I accept your apology" I smiled gently.

We continued walking in silence down the sidewalk until we reached a park. We were sitting on a bench when something similar the brain attacks happened. I couldn't pin point how it was different. It hurt quite a bit less, and there were no images flashing through my head. Just a high pitched screeching and static. I covered my ears as if it would block out the noise that was filling my head. What was even weirder than this new brain attack, was how Maya just sat there- staring off into the trees like nothing strange was going on. I dropped my head and groaned.

"This was just too easy" She muttered and snapped her fingers.

The screeching and static was gone. Maya stared deep into my eyes, without blinking. I couldn't look away. Thoughts passed easily through my head but I couldn't make myself leave, I couldn't get my legs to run away, and I certainly couldn't get my wings unfolded to fly away. Maya pulled a gun from her jacket pocket and placed it in my right hand. I still couldn't get away no matter how hard I tried. She brought her left hand to her left temple, causing me to bring my right hand to my right temple- like a mirror. I had to get away somehow, this was bad. I was unable to move, unable to scream, unable to stop the horrible thing that was about to happen.

Maya had some power over me. I knew this because if she didn't, I wouldn't be holding a gun to my head. She stared deep into my eyes, her palm face up, open in front of the gun. Tears escaped from my eyes but I couldn't make a sound. Where was everyone? Why did I go off with Maya alone? She slowly began to curl her fingers, about to make a fist. As her fingers curled I tightened my finger on the trigger, knowing what was about to happen but totally unable to stop it.

"Max!" Fang screamed, I couldn't turn my head to see where he was.

Pop! A single gunshot fired.

The gun instantly fell from my hand and I slid away from Maya, who was now lying dead on the grass with a bullet nearly in her heart. Fang ran to me, throwing the gun he shot Maya with and I instantly burst into tears and began hyperventilating.

"Shh It's ok, you're fine, you're alright" He said gripping my shoulders, trying to get me to breath normally

"How…?" I was so hysterical I couldn't finish the sentence.

"Angel came back, after you left. When we told her you were with Maya she said you were in trouble"

I shook my head trying to comprehend what had just happened.

"She's not bad Max, she helped save you" He said, releasing my shoulders.

I still hadn't processed that I was alive yet, let alone that.

"Can you fly back?" he asked, lifting Maya. I may have been in a confused state at the time, but I wasn't confused enough to realize that someone finding a girl shot through the chest in a park, probably wouldn't go over so well. Especially one with wings.

I knew flying probably wasn't the best idea, all things considered. But in a way it was by only option- I was kind of a wreck. When we arrived back at the hotel Angel ran up to me and hugged me her eyes filled with tears. I seriously could not keep up with her. The kid needs to pick a side in this, whether it's my side or not.

"Oh my God" Jeb said, staring at Maya, his mouth hanging open.

"She tried to kill Max" Fang groaned laying Maya's body across the couch.

"So you killed her?" Gazzy said, his eyes not leaving Maya. He and the others were clearly grossed out and freaked.

"Yes" Fang sighed.

Everyone stared at the dead body on the couch. Angel was still clinging to me as I was trying to piece together what the next step was. I was done with people trying to kill me. Taking down the DG was no longer a long term goal. It was the next thing I was going to do.

"If anyone here is working for someone else and has plans on killing me, I either suggest you try now or leave" I gestured to Maya's body "Everyone else, we've got things to do. We're finally putting an end to this"

Once again a slightly cheesy ending but besides that I hope you enjoyed finding out was going on in the prologue! Please review…Next chapter will be up by Friday! : ) Have a lovely day!