Max didn't understand what was going on. She had come out of Crash to go for a ride and get some much needed fresh air when suddenly this mouse of a man just appeared in front of her. That was the only way she knew how to describe it. Out of all the weird things she had seen, mostly on account of Manticore, she had never seen anything like that. It was like one minute she was standing there alone with no where in particular to go and then there he was. As plain as day standing right in front of her. Granted it was night at the moment but with all her heightened senses she would have seen him coming if he had come up like any regular person. Automatically she knew there was something of about his guy aside from the fact that she had just witnessed him magically appears right in front of her.

"Finally I get to meet the great Maximum Ride."

Yeah she had finally come up with an alias for her to go by with the help of Bren and Jondy. She had to admit it was a little over zealous for her liking but it had stuck. And that had been before all the shit that happened making her alone in this world.

"Who wants' to know?" She couldn't help but to go back on old defenses and just to defend herself this man had come out of nowhere.

"The names Whistler. Come here to tell you a few things before your taken to where your needed."

"Well sorry to rain down on your parade but I ain't goin' nowhere."

"Unfortunately Max you don't have a choice in the matter. When the Powers make a decision no one has a say in the matter. Trust me if I could spare you the hard ship that's 'bout to come your way I would without a second thought. Seen to much pain and suffering' in my life time and after it was done."

"Ya one of those crazy people that come to tell me some wacked out story then try and end it all for me?"

"No Max. I'm no more crazy than you are and you're a transgenic so you should be used to strange shit happening' to you all the time."

"Ya would think so but then again I got this strange little man poppin' out of nowhere tellin me somethin 'bout some Powers and me bein taken to where I'm needed. Now even in my crazy wacked out fun filled life that ain't no everyday occurrence for me."

"It's understandable for you to be hesitant to believe me Max but in all honesty you have never met me and yet I know your name. I know everything you have gone through in your life so far, the loved ones you have lost, the people that you have saved. But that unfortunately was only to prepare you for the real journey your about to embark upon."

"Really and let me guess it's only gonna get worse right. Well no thank you I'll pass on the offer."

"So even if you could changes things for the better and give back the lives that where taken, give them a second chance at something better than what they knew would you still pass up the opportunity knowing you could have made it all better. And not just for those you cared about but for the entire world."

"Ya know your putting a lot on one girls shoulders right. How would you even know I could make a difference?"

"Wouldn't be here otherwise. The Powers have seen everything that you are everything that you have become and everything that you will be. They seem to think you could make all the difference in the world. Not only for those you have cared about but for others as well."

"What's the catch?"

"The catch is that the world you know now will never come to be. No one will remember you or all the things that have come to pass. They wont know you. Manticore wont exist and everyone here will go on as if the pulse had never happened."

"Wait if Manticore doesn't come to be then isn't the Powers that you keep referring to wiping me and my brothers and sisters from existence?"

"The Powers are making you the only exception in that rule. As for you brothers and sisters they will come to be but they wont be like you anymore. Without the influence of Manticore they will have normal lives just like everybody else."

Max had to stop and think about this. It was a lot to take in at the moment. Everything that her brothers and sisters had ever wanted would come true. They would have normal lives. Her friends that she had made would be able to be happy and live normal lives. All she had to do was whatever these Powers wanted her to do. In the end how could she just say no and the way this Whistler guy was telling it she didn't have a choice in the matter anyhow. So why make it harder on him. He seemed to only be doing his job. She didn't get no evil vibe off him. Some how she honestly did believe him in when he told her if he could spare her he would have. So in the end that only left one option.

"Alright Whistler, look's like these Powers of yours have got themselves a lap dog."

"Actually they prefer a better term than lapdog. The reason they come to you is because they are in need of a new champion. It has been years since they had one and only now are they satisfied that you are ready to be theirs."

"Whatever, let's get this show on the road. Though I should warn you I haven't been in a decent fight in ages."

"It'll be like riding a bike for you Max. Of that I'm sure. Once you learn you never forget."

With that he laid his hand upon her shoulder and everything started to become a blur. She felt the ground leave her feet and something pulling at her to make her go in the direction that she was needed to go. It was the strangest sensation she could ever remember having. Though out it all she had this since of calming peace. Then as suddenly as it had begun it ended. The ground was now firmly back under her feet where it belonged. The only thing was she was no longer in front of Crash. Instead she seemed to be in a graveyard.