"Maximum Ride," a cold voice bellowed. " Your time is up, you have been used way over time." I had ordered the flock to leave without me and was now standing alone in the empty building. " So are you, butthole." I sneered, trying to sound as brave and bold as I could.

" I can sense fear, Maximum." The voice cranked, this time followed with an evil laugh that nearly knock me of my feet. " And it was coming directly from you." That's when he emerged, a man with long gray hair and a muscular body but skinny arms that were four feet long. His presence seemed to make the atmosphere cold, the only word that can explain is existing was: fear.

" Well, I can sense death," I said between clenched teeth. " And it was coming directly from you!"

That when he launched at me , his long skinny arms flapping in front of him. I sidestepped and punched his head hard with all my might. The strange thing was, the blow didn't even affect him, he just laughed simply and turned around to kick me right in the stomach.

With a large swoosh, all the breath was sucked out of me. " You can not defeat me, Maximum." He said. " My purpose of life, the reason that I was created is to defeat YOU." " Well maybe you're wrong." He simply shook his head, " No, I'm never wrong Max. I'm never wrong."

That's when he threw his arms at me, and I rolled to one side and held up my left leg. He tripped over and crashed onto the ground head first. I jumped up onto his back and held his neck, planning to strangle him.

He made gaggle sound and started jumping up and down, trying to shake me off, but I simply held on. " New lesson," I whispered into his ears. " My purpose of life is to destroy You not the other way around." " Not quite." He suddenly stopped fighting and managed to say, " Not quite." Than he started running backwards really fast and slammed me against the wall.

I lied there, unable to move while he advanced me slowly. " My purpose was to destroy you," he repeated. " and your purpose is to be destroyed by me." I tried to move, but I can't even lift a muscle. I knew my ribs were badly damaged and my visions were all swimming frantically and I had to squint my eyes to actually have a general idea of what was going on. " You're mine." He than reached out his long slimmy hand to squeeze my head when his eyes widened and he doubled over, nearly tumbling on me. " Maybe you purpose was to destroy her," Dylan said his hands balled into fists, " But maybe not me."

" So I heard you are designed to be her perfect other half," the guy said to Dylan. " I think it's time for YOU to expire since your purpose is now over." He clamped his arms on both size of my head and started to squeeze. Gently at first, but harder and harder as time passed on. I screamed and kicked and yelled but he was either simply too strong or I was simply to weak because I couldn't even move him.

" Let her go!" Dylan shouted loudly , his face roared with rage. " No, Dylan, No!" I tried to scream but no sound came out. That's when he charged; he slammed his fist onto the monster's back and started throwing hard punches at him.

The monster willed around and let go of me and I slammed onto the ground. " You can only delay plans," he roared at Dylan,. " But you can't stop them!" he reached out his arms to grab Dylan but he jumped up and kicked him right on the nose. His nose started to rain blood as he screamed with fury. He charged, full speed at Dylan and who side stepped and ducked to avoid the furious punches the monster was throwing at him.

" You…Are…A..Failere…" Dylan said as he turned around to do a full size kicked on the monster's forehead. He backed off and tried to grab me, but I was starting to feel better and ducked his attack. "snap out of it, asshole." I managed to sneer. " My life isn't over yet, not by you." "Perhaps not." He roared but just as he was about to jump on me, Dylan jumped between us and blocked him. "I told you you are only delays," the monster shouted. "I will show you how I deal with delays!" He pretended to reach out his arms for me but instead, he grabbed Dylan by his neck.

" NO!" I shouted and a new found energy rushed through my body. Shakily, I stood up but the men are having their own business since they didn't even notice my standing up. The monster held Dylan's throat tight, leaving him kicking and struggling. "Good bye darling," the monster said as he squeezed even tighter and we all heard a nice loud crack. It would have been nice if it was worked on the monster, but instead the sound came from Dylan. Dylan and his broken neck.

His eyes rolled back and he stopped struggling. His body went still.

Fury rushed through me like a bullet, my brain went white. I have never been so angry before, not even when Fang got hurt. My body seemed to now obey to my every command with a hilarious leap that could have broke the Olympics record, I jumped into the air and snap out my wings. Than before the monster could turn around, I slammed onto him and pounded my fist against his muscular oily body. He struggled, but my fists only became harder and harder. He tried to shake me off butI bit his shoulders with all my might. " AHH!" he shouted and collapsed with agony and with both landed on the ground hard.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Dylan's lifeless body lying only a few inches beside us. No, I can't let him get hurt again. I can't. That's when I totally lost it, my mind went blank and when I regained my conscious, I was standing on top of a lifeless body.

With one final breath, I crumpled next to the floor . I could hear the flock shouting for my name, but by the moment it was too late. Dylan is dead, dead forever.