Full Summary: When a cure is offered to the flock they have to decide if they should take it or not. It seems like an easy "no" for Max at first but she learns her flock isn't so sure. It would be their only chance to get a normal life. Max and the flock are forced to make a terrible decision, one that could tear them apart. Meanwhile Itex soldiers are hunting them down. They are no longer safe, no matter where they go.

Maximum Ride: The Cure

1

My favorite place to camp is a forest. Not any particular forest but just one that has trees thick enough to hide us from helicopters and big enough for us to get lost in incase someone decided to come after us. Not that we've been hunted recently, in fact ever since Gozen, two months ago, we haven't had any fight. I was worried about that, I was also worried that when the time came we would be so used to not fighting that we wouldn't be able to defend ourselves.

So for the past two months my family and I have just been flying around the world, occasionally visiting my mom and sister. And Jeb. Things were still complicated with him; I couldn't trust him at all. It hurt me that I couldn't but I wouldn't set myself up for that kind of hurt in case he decided to join up with the White Coats again. I'm guessing I don't have to describe my family to anybody reading this, you should know if you're scanning through this now. If you don't know…too bad. Read my books.

There haven't been any big changes since then, Fang and I both turned fifteen and Nudge turned twelve. We think Gazzy may be nine now there's no way to know for sure. Iggy and Angel were still their usual ages, 14 and 6. Total could now totally fly without anyone holding him which was good because we were now the proud owners of a gigantic Alaskan malamute. We had to trade in shifts to decide who would carry her. Nudge and Gazzy both had to carry her at the same time and Angel couldn't help at all. Once we made the mistake of leaving her at my mom's house. Total complained for three days and I told him we would pick her up when we saw my mom again.

I also felt selfish that we always visited my mother while the rest of the flock (besides Iggy) had no idea where their parents were. Fang reassured me that no one had any problem with it besides me. Somehow I wasn't convinced.

So we were currently in a forest, we had been staying in one for a few days, when the first firefight in a long time happened. I was taking watch even though everyone tried convincing me it wasn't necessary (Old habits die hard.)Then I heard something in the woods. No big deal, just an animal no doubt, right? But when it's just an animal the hairs on the back of my neck don't stand up, I don't feel suddenly tense. I was right to worry. I fell to the floor, pretending to sleep, sending an urgent thought into Angel's mind, hoping she was awake and would send it to the rest of the flock. Luckily surprise was on our side.

Four men dressed in all black marched into the camp, scanning. I heard one guy whisper into his microphone attached to his commando helmet thingy. He crept slowly toward me and, through squinted eyes, I saw a smile stretch across his creepy face.



"This one Jeb's kid?" He whispered to another guy. I heard the other soldiers grunt in annoyance. They were meant to be silent.

Now here I was presented with two options:

Leap up and attack

Say: "You know, if you want to sneak up on us you really shouldn't talk," followed by a punch to the face.

I decided to combine. First I leapt up and decked him. Shocked, he fell to the floor. "You know, if you want to sneak up on us you shouldn't really talk. Just for next time," I told him, winking mockingly.

Then I heard the sound of metal against a holster and turned to see three guns pointed at me. I raised my hands, glancing at the six motionless lumps on the floor. I smirked to myself, one lump was missing…

"I would not do that," I heard Fang's voice say from behind the three guys. They looked up immediately and I followed their gazes. Fang was standing casually in a tree, a smirk that made the night seem like day on his lips. His wings were completely unfolded, making a fourteen foot curtain of darkness around the soldiers. Then without warning he jumped on the center one.

Bang!

Crap that was his gun! Without even thinking I charged, arms outstretched as if giving a hug. My arms caught the other two guards dirty throats and they fell to the ground, gagging. I grabbed their guns and patted Fang's arm. "Nice job. I was glad to see the return of the Angel of Darkness. Very badass."

He flashed me another smile but it was false. I looked into his eyes with my raptor vision and saw the bleak shape of a soldier. I was guessing Soldier # 1 was right behind me. I feigned a wide yawn and stretched, then without warning my back leg shot out like an angry horses and caught his…family jewels. Not that that sentence makes any sense, I mean family jewels? Gross. Did the guys pass them down or something?

Then my flock was behind me, backpacks on their backs, a determined look in their eyes. It amazed me how fast we all got together when we had to. We were all ready to run, leaving these bodies behind. "Nice guys," I said. "I think that's a new record of how fast you got ready to go."

"Yeah we're pretty amazing," Iggy said, handing me my backpack.

"What should I do with these guns?" I asked, holding up the black weapons to Fang. I had two, having grabbed them from their bodies on the ground.

"River?" He suggested, grabbed Akila.

"Right," I said. I dumped the guns and turned again to my family. They looked exhausted. Not only because of tonight's lack of sleep but because all our adventures since we left home last may. It was 

early March, almost a year since we left. They were sick of being on the run, they were sick of being not normal. Too bad, I thought to myself, feeling guilty. It's not like I can do anything to help them with that.

Max, go to your mother's house. Voice, or Jeb, or whatever it was. I had no idea really, after being with it for nearly a year I had learned to accept it. She knows who is after you tonight.

Thanks, I said not sure if I meant it.

"Guys," I said out loud as we marched out of the woods. "Is it ok if we visit my mom? The Voice said it might be a good idea."

"When has it not been ok to live in a house for a few days?" Nudge asked. "We can rest up, and Total misses Magnolia."

"Since when?" I asked.

"So I misjudged the pooch," Total said. "Shoot me."

Eventually we stopped at a hotel and checked in to sleep for the last few hours of the night. The next morning we had a long flight ahead of us, and minds full of mysteries. Again.