HAT THE HECK—everyone had already seen the wings, so there was no point waiting for the tram to take us back to Navy Central. Instead, the six of us hit the skies, the warm breeze sticking our sodden clothes to our bodies. Total flew alongside me, still awkward with the whole flapping thing. He was getting better, though. Iggy and Fang took turns carrying Akila, who was eighty pounds of hot fur. Total talked to her reassuringly, but she was not thrilled to be this high up.

It took about two minutes to get back to the base, and we came down on the training field, landing smoothly and lightly in front of about a hundred stunned ensigns. The next thing we knew, John Abate, Brigid Dwyer, and Lieutenant Colonel Palmer were hurrying toward us.

“You’re heroes!” John said, waving. “We just heard about your daring sea rescue.”

I stared. “How did you hear so quickly?”

“We have you under surveillance. For safety reasons,” said the lieutenant colonel stiffly. Actually, he seemed incapable of speaking in any other way, so from now on, if he talks, assume it’s “stiffly” and I’ll quit putting that in, okay?

“Oh, for Pete’s sake,” I muttered, heading off to our hut to change.

“Fang!” said Brigid, pushing past me. “I can’t believe you risked your life for that little boy! You’re wonderful!”

I gazed openmouthed as Brigid gave Fang a big bear hug, wrapping her arms around him. I was about to say, “I riskedmy life too,” but then realized I didn’t want her to hug me. And I didn’t want to look petty. And the truth was, the rescue had been a snap, compared to other situations, like when Angel and the dogs had been trapped in an ice crevasse in Antarctica. Or when we’d all been in a huge cage, and my half brother, Ari, had literally chewed his way through its metal bars to set us free. For example.

Today we hadn’t risked anything except the possibility of our new jeans shrinking up on us. My jaw set in disgust as I stalked past them, my stomach clenching at the sight of Brigid pressed against Fang like ugly on an ape.

“You must come have dinner with us at the Officer’s Mess,” Brigid gushed.

“Uh, I’m busy,” Fang muttered.

My eyes widened, but I kept walking and refused to turn around. That’s me: suave Max.

“Hey,” Fang said, falling into step with me. I looked at him. “We have to eat. Let’s you and me go into town. I’ll treat you to the best artery-clogging Hawaiian food we can find.”

My heart began thudding painfully inside my chest. I wondered if Fang could hear it. “You mean the whole flock?” I asked casually, trying not to shriek with tension.

“Nah. They can eat at the Officer’s Mess with Brigid and John,” he said.

I stopped and looked into his eyes, seeing nothing but my own reflection, as usual. “Just you and me?” I repeated, barely hanging on to my suavity by my fingernails.

His eyes were unreadable. “Yeah.”

“Hawaiian food?”

“Yeah.”

I was still grossed out by the Brigid display and wanted to coolly brush past him with a mild, “I’ll think about it.” But the combination of having Fang all to myself, plus fun food, was rapidly pummeling my self-respect into the dust. Then I remembered something.

“The last time we… left the flock, all heck broke loose,” I reminded him.

He grinned, one of those rare Fang grins that lights up his face and makes the sun stop in its tracks.

“This time they’re protected by the U.S. Navy,” he pointed out.

I laughed, relief flooding through me. “Well, okay. You got me there.” Oh, boy, did he have me.