So. Out of all the stories I gave up on, this is the one that still gets reviews, so I've basically been guilt tripped into starting it up again. :) I've been reworking it, but I first wrote this nearly two years ago, and I've sort of forgotten what the plot was supposed to be about. BUT I think I have a newly formulated workable plot, though I'd really appreciate if you let me know if something doesn't make sense or if something is inconsistent. (At one point, I had Gazzy being thirteen and fifteen at the same time, lol) I've been rewriting a lot of it but I wouldn't be surprised if I missed some things.

This story mainly takes place six years after the first three Maximum Ride books. The rest of the flock does appear at a later point.

Six years ago…

It is spring, and half-melted snow clumps are scatter around the yard of an elementary school. The wide expanse of mud and grass morphs into a parking lot, which is filled with still-running vehicles in a somewhat orderly line. Parents tiredly rub their forehead and sit back, tap their foot impatiently, or wait eagerly for their child to come and tell them how their day was.

Five minutes later, a crowd of kids exit the building, led by their teachers.

Enter Abigail Litson, a girl of nearly eight years.

Abby was talking to her friend, Michelle.

"I can't wait until your party! It's going to be so much fun!" Michelle said enthusiastically, her blond hair in two messy braids.

Abby's own hair was brown and had come out of its ponytail due to some rather intense exertion during recess. She smiled and skipped along, her tangled hair bouncing. "I know, I'm so excited! My mom said there'll be cake and ice cream, too."

"Ooh, can I come? I like cake and ice cream," said a chubby boy decked out in winter gear, though it wasn't nearly so cold as to warrant his attire. "I won't get you a present though."

Michelle frowned at him. "Go away, Michael. There's no way Abby'll want you at her party."

"Oh well, I guess I don't want to catch cooties, anyway," Michael grinned. He stuck his tongue out at them before running away to his parent's car.

"What a jerk," Michelle said.

Abby nodded in agreement, and Michelle reached her mom's white van. "Bye, Michelle!" she said, also waving at her friend's mom, who knew her well.

"See you later!" her friend responded.

Abby moved away and turned toward the east, where her house was. Her teacher, Ms. Gretchens, walked her across the street, and then waved her goodbye.

"Have a nice birthday, Abby," she called as she started back to the school. All Abby had to do was walk down to the next street and turn the corner, and then she would reach her house. Her mom would be looking out the window, watching for her. Her teacher was across the street behind her, looking to make sure she got home safely.

But Abby never reached her house.

A dark Sedan pulled up along Abby, and the young girl glanced up curiously at it. One of the doors slid open, and Abby began to walk away, fast. Her parents and teachers must have told her a thousand times to stay away from strangers.

I want you coming home safe and sound, her mother's voice echoed in her mind. Don't stop for anything. Don't talk to strangers. Come straight here.

But then a tall man climbed out of the car and grabbed her.

Abby screamed. She yelled as loud as she could, but the man simply wrestled her into the car. Terrified, she kicked and squirmed and shrieked, but nothing worked. The man who grabbed her twisted her arms so hard it hurt, and then he managed to tie her wrists together. The whole time, he was cursing, using words Abby knew she would get in trouble if a grown up ever caught her using them.

"Drive," the man commanded the woman driving. Abby twisted to look out the back window, and she Ms. Gretchens running and yelling. There was nothing that could be done. The car lurched forward and sped away.

"Let me go! Let me go!" Abby cried, until the man hit her.

"Quiet," he snapped. At first Abby couldn't get herself to quiet, until the man raised his fist again. She stifled her sobs as best as best as she could, letting the tears run down her cheeks. She was terrified and wondered what would happen to her.

Abby Litson never saw her parents again.

Now…

Gazzy stood stonily, looking darkly at the man before him. His name was Kyle. He was fairly young for the business he was in, had sandy blond hair, and good looks. He looked like an average, nice guy. But he wasn't.

He was one of them.

"We're not Itex," said Kyle. "We're something different. We support them, but we're our own little branch. We have our own rules. So kid, don't say I didn't warn you. Things may get rough around here."

Gazzy crossed his arms over his chest. He was hardly a kid anymore. He was fourteen.

And he was also captured. Alone, in a dark building that was somehow associated with Itex. What did it have to do exactly with Itex? He didn't know. All he knew was trapped by some kind of enemy, and no one knew where he was. There would be no rescue, and it was by his own doing.

Kyle smiled coldly. "You're one tough little guy, aren't you? Going off to rescue your sister, on your own. What happened to the great Maximum Ride? Maybe if you were with her, you might not be here. Helpless."

Maximum Ride was off making out with Fang, Gazzy thought bitterly. She married Fang, and suddenly the flock wasn't so important anymore. Angel was gone, and Max wasn't doing anything about it.

Kyle was watching him. "Sore subject, huh? I can see it your eyes. Maximum abandoned you."

But not just Max, Gazzy thought. Iggy and Nudge too. All they cared about was dating people and falling in love and living a life that didn't involve their old family. Angel was captured, and before the whole flock would've jumped to save her.

Now it was just Gazzy. And he wasn't strong enough to do it on his own.

"I thought Fang was the silent one," Kyle continued. "But then again, Fang might have been able to rescue Angel. You may be tough, but you're still a failure. You can't even save your own sister—"

That was it. All of Gazzy's pent up anger was released, and cold fury washed upon him. His blue eyes narrowed, and he launched himself at Kyle, intending to choke the life out of him…

…and then Gazzy ended up on the ground, twitching and jerking, his hands clawing at the silver collar that had been put around his neck. His vision flashed white for a second. All he knew was searing, electrifying pain.

Kyle stood over him, a remote controlling the collar in his right hand. Gazzy looked at him, pain glazing over the anger in his eyes.

"I'll tell Angel you said hi…" Gazzy heard faintly, before he blacked out.

I'm so sorry Angel, was the boy's last thought.

Angel's knowing gaze bothered every scientist who stopped to study her. There was so much power in that one glance. It startled every single person. They at first saw the young girl, thin and tall, with curly blonde hair.

And then they saw her deep blue eyes, the wisdom beyond her years. This was a girl who knew things, because she lived through what most kids hadn't. It aged her, made more mature than any teen.

She knew more than even Max. Could Max tell the future? Could Max just know what was going to happen? Did Max know that within a month Angel was going to die?

Angel closed her eyes once, in pain. She knew Gazzy was coming after her, and she wished he wouldn't. When she died he'd think it was his fault. He'd think he should have saved her. But he couldn't. No one, not even Maximum Ride, could change the future.

Angel looked up as Kyle walked into her cell. The heavy, reinforced door shut behind him. As if Angel could escape. She absentmindedly fingered her collar. It would send volts of electricity through her, at the touch of a button. A shock collar, like for an animal.

"Hello Angel," Kyle said, looking at her.

"I know," Angel said softly, a trace of pain in her young voice. She already knew what he was going to tell her. "My brother's here."

Angel could never read his mind, for some reason. She couldn't hear or control thoughts in this place. But she still knew things, like ages ago, when she knew Max and Fang would get gills. When that sniper was going to shoot Max.

Angel wished things were as simple as the earlier years. It was hard back then, but now everything was falling apart.

"In one month the scientist are going to be done studying you. They'll be completing all their tests, and after that you won't be needed."

"I know that too," Angel whispered.

Thanks for reading! Drop a review if you have the time. :)