James Patterson - Two Schools Out - Forever

"Cute uniform." Ari sneered, showing his sharp canines. "It's a good look for you."

"Where'd you get those wings?" I countered. "Wal-Mart?" I kept my weight centered as we circled each other like tigers.

The other Erasers were staggering back to the van, piling into it like circus clowns. Ari saw them.

"Guess it won't be today, guys," Ari called to his team. "Next time I'll let you eat the little one. I hear they taste like chicken."

Angel.

Growling, I lunged for Ari. He stepped aside and swung at me. I easily ducked. Rage fueled my fight, and I did a quick running start, then hit him with a flying side kick, both feet ramming hard against his ribs. He fell over heavily, banging his head on the road.

I jammed my foot against his neck and leaned over him. "How many times do I have to kill you?" I snarled. "Rough estimate."

I saw fiery hatred in his eyes, and it really hit me: This wasn't even Ari any longer, the little kid who'd watched us from a distance when we were at the School. His own father had turned him into a monster, and any Ari that was left was being burned away from the inside. The idea made me feel sick, and I took my foot off his neck and stepped back.

Ari sat up quickly, gagging. "Point to you this time," he said, his voice raspy as he rubbed his neck. "But you have no hope of winning." He jumped to his feet. "I'm just playing with you, like a cat with a mouse."

I was already backing toward the woods, unfolding my wings, ready to leap into the air. "Yeah," I said, my voice dripping with hostility. "An awkward Frankenstein puddy-tat against a fierce, bloodthirsty, undefeated, well-designed mouse."

His lip curled and he lunged at me again, but I'd already done an up-and-away and was hovering about fifteen feet off the ground. I rose higher and watched Ari stomp heavily to the van and throw himself in through the back doors. Inside the van, I caught the barest flash of blond-streaked hair.

None of the Erasers had long streaked hair.

"What happened to you?" Anne cried.

We trailed into the house and automatically hung up our jackets, most of which were blood-spattered. Total trotted around our feet, sniffing and growling. Angel reached down and hugged him, talking gently, and I just barely heard Total say, "Those wankers."

"Erasers," said the Gasman. "I'm hungry. Is there a snack?"

"What are Erasers?" Anne asked, sounding genuinely confused.

Could she possibly not know? Or maybe she just didn't know the hip insider's slang for them. "We're human-avian hybrids," I said, walking down the hall to the kitchen. I could smell popcorn. "Erasers are human-lupine hybrids."

"Rabbits?" Anne asked, still sounding confused. She followed me.

I giggled. "That's lapin. Or, more correctly, leporid. Not lupine."

"Oh. Wolves," Anne said, getting it.

"Give the lady a prize," I said, entering the kitchen.

"Popcorn! And hot apple cider!" Gazzy said happily.

"Wash your hands," Anne said, then took a good look at him. Gazzy had a couple bruises but looked okay. Angel and Nudge were fine. Iggy had a split lip. Fang's nose was bleeding. I had a sudden flash of him kissing that girl and shut it down hard.

"Get cleaned up," Anne said. "I'll get some bandages. Is anyone hurt seriously?"

"No," said Nudge, digging into the popcorn. "But an Eraser tore my sweater. Jerk."

"There's milk too," said Anne, taking a glass bottle out of the fridge. She put it on the table and went to get the first-aid kit.

I helped Angel pour herself a glass of milk, and then I noticed: This was a different brand of milk than before. The other had been in cartons. Cartons with missing-kid pictures on them. This bottle had a smiling cow but no missing kids. Hmm.

Later I sat at the table doing my homework, which is just another term for "grown-up-imposed yet self-inflicted torture," IMHO. Anne sat down next to me.

"So Erasers are human-wolf hybrids," she said. "And they attacked you? Have they ever attacked you before? Where did they come from? How did they know where you were?"

I looked at her. "Isn't all this in your reports?" I asked. "Your files? Yeah, of course the Erasers attacked us. They always do. They're everywhere. They were created to be... weapons, kind of. Back at the School, they were the guards, the security. The punishers. Since we escaped, Erasers have been tracking us. I was wondering when they'd show up. This is the longest we've gone without them finding us."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Anne asked, concern on her face.

I shook my head. "I really thought you knew. You knew a bunch of other stuff about us. I mean, I wasn't keeping Erasers a secret or anything."

Anne let out a heavy breath. "We'd heard only vague rumors. They seemed so far-fetched that we didn't believe them. You say these Erasers track you? How?"

Probably my chip. The one somebody put in my arm.

I shrugged and looked back at my world studies textbook.

At least, I feared it was my chip. I wasn't positive, but it made the most sense. This was my chance to tell Anne about my chip. Maybe with her FBI resources, she could find a way to take it out. But something held me back. I just couldn't bring myself to trust her. Maybe in about five years, if we were still here. God, what a depressing thought.

Also, these days, I was wondering if it might not be my chip, might be something else. Like, if Total was chipped. Or even one of the flock. Angel? We just didn't know.

Anne stood up. "Well, I'm going to make some phone calls," she said firmly. "Those were the last Erasers you'll see."

I almost chuckled at her naivete.

"Night, Tiffany-Krystal," I said, grinning, and Nudge grinned back. We stacked our fists on top of each other and tapped the backs with our other hands.

"Night," said Nudge, lying back on her comfy pillows. "Max? We are going to stay for a while, aren't we? We're not leaving, like, tomorrow, right?"

"No," I said quietly. "Not tomorrow. Just-be on your toes, and try to blend, okay?"

"Okay. I do blend pretty good, I think," Nudge said. "I have three friends I sit with at lunch. My teacher seems to like me."

"Of course she likes you. How could she not?" I kissed Nudge's forehead and left, heading down the hall to tuck in Angel.

Pushing open her door, I saw that Anne was already there, pulling the covers up to Angel's chin.

"You had a long day, sweetie," said Anne, stroking Angel's hair off her face. "Get some good sleep now."

"Okay," said Angel.

"And Ariel? Don't let Total up on the bed," Anne said. "He has his own bed."

"Uh-huh," said Angel agreeably. I rolled my eyes. Total would be on the bed before Anne was five steps down the hall.

"Good night, sleep tight," Anne said, standing up.

"Don't let the bedbugs bite," Angel answered cheerfully.

Anne smiled at us and went out.

Total hopped up on the bed. Angel held up the covers for him and he wriggled underneath them, resting his head on a corner of Angel's pillow. I tucked them both in.

"Would it kill her to turn up the heat?" Total grumbled sleepily. "This place is an icebox. You could practically hang meat in here."

Angel and I grinned at each other.

"You all right?" I asked.

She nodded. "I hated seeing the Erasers today."

"You and me both. Ari really creeps me out. Do you pick up anything from him?"

Angel thought. "Dark. Red. Angry. Torn. Confused. He hates us."

I frowned at this grim picture of what was happening inside Ari's head.

"And he loves you," Angel added. "He loves you a lot."

I backed out of Angel's room, trying not to look shocked. Jeez. Ari loved me? Like a little kid? Like a big Eraser? Was that why he kept trying to kill me? He needed to read an article about how to send clearer signals.