He's Not From Here
Prologue
Maximum Ride sat in her side office, typing away on her laptop as she tried to find some new work for her and her boyfriend. The lioness they had spent the past six months bringing back to health had been shipped off to some African zoo that specialized in genetically mutated or changed animals. It was best for Raja, but Max still felt lonely.
When they didn't have something to take care of at her Rehabilitation Center for Unknown or Changed Creatures, Dylan would work part time for the Isle Aze Police Department. The new educational capital of the world had become quite a large area full of businesses and new schools, but the fact that the population was mostly made up of insanely smart individuals didn't mean there wasn't a high crime rate.
In fact, Max figured it just made it worse.
The twenty four year old pulled her light brown hair back up into a ponytail, turning her chocolate brown eyes over to the large caged in area that made up half of her office. Some of Raja's toys were still in there, including her scratching post and the tug rope that people usually bought for dogs. Max sighed, standing and grabbing the keys that sat on her desk.
She started pulling out the big cat's old items, putting them in a box to go to storage. Max hated getting rid of anything that they had given to the creatures they had taken care of, so she usually kept them in the storage area at the back of the building.
Just as Max was coming back from the storage area, something on her laptop dinged. She walked over, sitting down and opening the new email.
From: Father (JebRide)
To: Maximum (DifferentRehab)
Sudden sightings- Possible meteorite hit down in Africa. This isn't about Raja. I checked, it was nowhere near the zoo. It's what people are saying the meteorite really is. No one has checked it yet, and I'm trying to keep it that way until you and Dyl-wipe (I know, he's not a bad guy, but I still don't like him) can catch a plane here. The ones that have seen it from a distance are suspecting it's an alien ship that has crashed. Movement was spotted, but whatever it is must be hurt.
Just, get here as soon as you can. You can bring it back to your rehab for the messed up animals that seem to be showing up nowadays and find out what it is.
Sincerely, Your father
/Two Days Later/
"Good, you two made it!" Max's dad called to the couple as they stepped off the private plane. "We can't waste any time. Get in the jeep and I'll take you to the location."
The drive was bumpy and fast, for Jeb Ride didn't want whatever it was to get away if it was still there. Max let out a laugh as she watched her boyfriend. He and her father had only ever met once, and it didn't involve a car ride with the latter driving. Dylan's hands were gripping her own in one and the door handle in the other and his teeth were clenched together tightly.
It didn't take much longer, to Dylan's excitement, for the three to reach the outline of the perimeter that had been set up. It was a very wide area, the perimeter not even coming within two miles of the large form in the distance. Jeb pulled out three cantinas, squinting up at the burning sun above them, before they all started on their trek to their future.
/They Don't Know How Long Later/
Whatever the big metal contraption had been, it wasn't anymore. But Max couldn't pay attention to trying to figure out what it was, for the groans of pain coming from behind it had her rushing to see what was making the noise.
For the most part, the male did look human. But the small patches of midnight scales near his joints said differently. Dylan and Jeb both averted their eyes. Though the ripped clothing spared just enough of the male's modesty, he was still a bit awkward to look at for the men.
Max knelt down next to him, opening her box of equipment and taking out a small flashlight. She shone the light in his eyes before pulling out the small voice recorder she had in her pocket, "A male humanoid, looks about a year or two older than me, was wearing some type of odd clothing, though most seems to be ripped apart by the wreck he was more than likely involved in, and is still conscious but extremely dehydrated.
"Male has olive toned skin, apart from black scales at joints, obsidian eyes, short black hair, seems to stand maybe six feet tall, though no exact measurements yet. Physical strength a bit over better than average, but seems to be starved of food or nutrients for approximately three or four days." A noise snapped Max out of her observations.
The male's eyes had slightly focused on her now, his mouth opening to show a forked tongue. He let out a few of what sounded like words, but a different language. He seemed to be asking a question, but when he realized the woman in front of him didn't understand a word he was saying, he moved his hand weekly to her leg.
He began tapping with his finger. Three taps, a pause, three taps, another pause, and three more taps.
"What is it doing?" Dylan asked.
Max rolled her eyes at the way he snarled 'it', but answered his question anyway. "He's asking for help."