“I’m going to take my chances surviving without him,” I told her. “Didn’t you read your Evil-Scientist Manual? I’m pretty sure this whole setup was mentioned on page seventy-eight.”

“You can’t joke about this, Max,” Angel said earnestly, and I refrained from pointing out that I just had. “You have your Voice, and I have mine. We have to listen to them.”

“I don’t know about your so-called Voice, Angel, but if it’s anything like mine, I can tell you this,” I said. “We can learn from them, if they don’t seem nuts, but we’re still supposed to be making our own decisions. Trust me on this.”

“Max, things are going to get bad very soon,” said Dr. Hans. “We’ll have to function in a world that we can barely imagine — a frightening and primitive one. But there’s still time to save yourself. You and the rest of the flock. It’s not too late.”

“Yeah, and all I have to do is divorce myself from any ethical standards whatsoever and jump onto the untrustworthy Control Freak bandwagon,” I said. “No, thanks.”

“All you have to do is let go of Fang,” said Dr. G-H. “Do that, and everyone else survives.”

I stared at him. “No can do, Hans. Nonnegotiable.”

“Are you saying you’d let Fang and the others die just because you’re being stubborn? Just because you won’t accept Dylan instead? Is he not a worthy suitor for our Maximum Ride? Tell me, Max: what’s wrong with him?”

Well. He had me there. “He’s too … clean?” I offered weakly.

Dr. Gunnie-Hunnie looked like a disappointed parent. “We worked very hard to make him just right for you, Max. You haven’t even let him get close enough to find out just how very … wonderful he could be for you.”

What was that supposed to mean?

I was quiet. Quiet some more. And all confused-like. “Well, it’s been swell. Gotta go.”

“Max, please,” said Angel. “Save yourself. Save the others. Please.”

“You have two seconds to get up and come with me,” I said to her. “But I’m leaving. If the world is about to come to an end, I want to spend my last days with my family.”

“I’m staying here,” Angel said sadly.

This was it? I was really losing her? Forever?

It was a strangely mucked-up feeling. It seemed like yesterday that I was cuddling her when she was upset during thunderstorms. It was also just days ago when she was holding a gun on me. I didn’t know who she was anymore. But I hoped that my old Angel was still inside there somewhere, and that she would break free of whatever forces had taken her over.

I swallowed and nodded.