Title: Special

Summery: Escaped, on the run, trying to survive. What else must a bird-kid do?

A/N: Okay, I'm basing this as my own version of the third book. I wasn't very happy with how James Patterson wrote his, but I'm also adding some little quirks of my own. If anyone's aware of the Uglies trilogy and are a fan of them, then you may like my story.

Also, please be nice. This is my first story ever put out online and I'm only eight, so it may not be very good. All proof-reading was done by my older sister.

Please enjoy! Read and review please! Pretty please!

I'm sorry. I don't own Maximum Ride.

I did not want to be back here. I never wanted to step back into this place. I never wanted to even see this place in my dreams, better yet in real life. We, my family and I, were walking back in the tunnels of the subway in New York. The six of us were heading back to a place we used to stay for a while. A little home away from home, so they say.

But did I want to be here? No. Did I even want to be back in New York? Heck no. Why were we here? Because we had nowhere else to go and Florida had already lost its appeal and anything else seemed just too weird. We had already been here, so why not? Too bad it was pissing me off anyway.

Again, there are six of us if you are new here. There is Fang, age fourteen (as am I, Max); Iggy, blind and fourteen also; Nudge, eleven; Gazzy, eight; and my baby Angel, age six and Gazzy's actual blood sibling. Oh, and I guess I can't forget the little pest of the group, Total. Our talking dog. I wish not to explain that one.

We were on the run, again. We were injured, again. And we had no idea what to do about it, again! Things had gotten out of hand back at Itex. Actually, things had gone horribly, horribly wrong. There was the fact that Itex was supposedly a diabolical place bent on destroying the world, or something like that.

Then there was the annoying tidbit with me being captured from under my flock's noses and a second Max had taken my place for a little while. Of all the nerve, right? To make things worse, Jeb was there to make things hard for us, maybe even harder for the second Max. She seemed so confused and lost.

Those jerks.

"Watch your step Ig," Fang said. He edged closer to Iggy and guided him easier. We were trying to hurry so we didn't get stuck against the wall again because of another train. "We're almost there."

We were almost there. I could smell it. Actually, since the escape from Itex my sense of smell had increased. I could smell how many people were ahead of us. It was kind of on the very edge of creepy and cool. Well, except for the fact that everyone ahead of us probably hasn't visited a shower for more than a week, or a month even!

"Can we get something to eat?" Nudge asked, half-asleep already. She was usually the chatterbox of the group, but she had been really quiet lately. As much as I enjoyed the silence, I was a little saddened at the fact that she was so exhausted. And that it was my fault.

It was because of me we were always moving. It was because of me we were all hurt. It was probably even because of me we were always found, no matter where we were. Maybe if I had just let them keep me in that tank. Maybe if I had agreed to Fang's notion to run away to a deserted island somewhere. Maybe, just maybe, none of this would be happening if I had never been made in the first place.

No need for a pity party Max, the Voice said. Feeling sorry for yourself is so childish. Try growing up.

And how about you shut up. I was in no mood. We had traveled a great, long distance in such a short time and an argument was something I did not need. If I want a lecture, I'll piss Fang off. But for now. Leave me alone. I hated the voice in my head. I hated it for the fact that it was always there telling me I had to "save the world"! When I couldn't even save us from the people we were running from. What good was I to the world?

By just being you, Max. By living and fighting. I wanted to hurt the voice. It was beginning to repeat itself. Always praising me then scolding me. It just couldn't make up its mind.

Fang stopped in front of us suddenly then turned to face me. He gave me the slightest nod and announced to the half-dead flock, "Welcome home guys."

Gazzy looked up with unfocused eyes at the large area in front of us. "I don't see my room." I pulled him close to me and let him rest his head against me as we all walked in. His hair was dirty and matted with sweat, blood, and dirt. Even his face was camouflaged in such a way. We all looked that way, I suppose.

People turned and regarded us without even the slightest of interest. That was good. We didn't need any trouble. Life continued around us in this city just below the city above. Burning garbage cans, people living in cardboard boxes on ledges, and other assortment of things going on. There were always some kids like us in here. Runaways. I'd like to think we relate, but then I'd remember the huge major obvious reason we didn't. They probably didn't have genetically altered avian DNA in them. In other words, I doubted they had wings.

"Can we get something to eat?" Nudge asked again as we reached the ledge. We had slept here before. I recognized the scents on it. Slowly, she climbed up and curled up on her side with one eye open staring at me.

Gazzy crawled up and I followed. I reached over and rubbed Nudge's back. "Tomorrow. We need to sleep now. I promise we'll get food tomorrow."

She didn't nod or even blink. Her face was emotionless as her eyes were eerily listless. The fires burning ahead of us were reflecting in her eyes. She looked so…sad. "All right." With those mumbled words, she covered her face with her arms and huddled into herself. Ever so quietly, I could hear her muffled cry. My heart ached for her. She had finally found something on her parents only to find that they had been terminated. So sad.

"Time for bed, Total." Turning, I saw Angel huddled against the wall with Total in her arms. Her once vibrant blond curls were now dingy with dirt and almost matched Total's black fur. The injury on her arm from Ari, the jerk, was almost fully healed. I nearly had a heart attack and a half when I saw it.

Total wiggled and pressed himself closer to her. "It smells down here. Why are we even here? Can't we sleep above ground? Like, in a park?" He wouldn't stop whining.

"Shut it, dog," Fang hissed through clenched teeth. "You aren't supposed to be able to talk. It's not exactly normal and ifanyone heard you we'd be in trouble." Out of all of us, I think Fang was the crankiest. He hadn't slept a wink since our getaway and even he had his breaking point. Nothing more came from the Scottish looking dog, but Angel did give Fang a reproachful look.

We took a few minutes to get settled in our spots. Gazzy and Angel slept in a small huddle close to Nudge. Angel had her small hand grasped onto one of Nudge's sleeves while Gazzy slept behind her. They knew how bad she must have been hurting. They were there for her, supporting her, even in her sleep. My little guys. My babies. It nearly brought tears to my eyes.

Fang was at my right and Iggy my left. I couldn't tell if Iggy was sleeping, but I knew Fang wasn't. He was just thinking very deeply. "What are we going to do?" His voice surprised me.

"I'm not sure." My head was throbbing a little, but nothing too major. "I guess we're just winging it again, aren't we?" Fang didn't reply. He didn't even open his eyes. Maybe he had fallen asleep?

"Will you stop staring at me?" He titled his head then opened one eye a slit.

Looking at my toes, I wiggled them and sighed. "I'm not staring at you. I'm just…thinking."

"Don't hurt yourself," came Iggy's groggy voice. He cracked a small grin. "We all know that's your fault."

"Shut it Figgy," I joked back. Ever since Anne's house we've teased him about that constantly.

He just chuckled lightly. "Yeah yeah."

"What do you propose we do about the second Max?" Fang asked, his eyes finally open now.

Wiping my face tiredly, I shrugged my shoulders. "You mean depending if she survived the sonic blast?"

"That was awesome," Iggy said triumphantly.

"Yeah, you and Gazzy did good," I replied. Iggy's grin widened. Oh god. "That doesn't mean you can do it again."

He nodded. "Sure."

"I mean it."

"Uh huh."

I sighed and let my head tilt back against the wall. "Fang, I don't know what we should do about her. If she survived then I'll have to take care of her."

"You mean kill her?" Fang asked bluntly.

Pausing for a second, a sort of heavy feeling filled my gut. "Yeah, kill her. If she tries to kill us first, though."

You must fight and kill to survive Max, said the Voice. Survive, no matter the costs. That's what makes you special, Max.

Pulling my knees close to my body, I hugged them. Special? I'm not special. Don't ever call me that. I let my head rest on my arms. Not ever.

"I'm sleeping now." Fang crossed his arms and slouched a little. "Night."

I nodded. "Night."

"Same here guys." Iggy held out his fist. We stacked them then tapped the backs. "See ya tomorrow. Oh wait, no I won't." Last joke of the night. The goof.

Before nodding off to sleep I spoke to the voice. I'm nowhere near special.

Would you want to be special? the Voice asked. Would you give anything to be special?

I was too tired to reply. And that night, I dreamt things I had never before experienced in my life. I dreamt that I was beautiful. No, not beautiful. I was absolutely stunning. Fang was there, but he wasn't beautiful. He wasn't pretty like me and I despised him for the fact. I turned away from everyone and went with others like me. Other pretties. No, we were special.

What would you give, Maximum?