Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride, or anything out of the book. I do, however, own the plot, the characters, and anything else.

Chapter 1 - Welcome to the Freak Parade

Nightlife is in one of the worst parts of town. The front door opens to a dark alley and the back door dead-ends into another building. Not that I would care since I was one of the barteenders/waitresses. I've gotten used to it. I've been working here for over three years. Like anyone would notice though. Its been a beautiful three years. Jeb nor anyone else was or has been able to find us. We had ran for almost all of our lives until we finally felt safe enough to settle down. Basch, Caleb, Rose, Blade or Izzy never deserved this life. I can't say if I dont deserve it or not beacuse who knows what I did in the past life, but still this was the deck I was handed and I sure wasn't gonna fold. Not yet.

I dumped the mop in the battered bucket and swirled it around. Its amazing that the fake ID that was made for me had me cleaning up vomit than me vomiting myself. I was always amazed how long it took to clean it up. My brother , Basch, has made a career out of protecting me. Talk about a minimum-wage, no-benifit occupation, huh? Kinda like the one I had now.

"Ashe baby." I turned to direct my attention towards my co-worker Luke. His crew cut blue hair had grown out about an inch showing his real brown hair. His larger fram towered over mine.

"What do you want now?" I asked. My voice was monotone. My co-worker Luke had a real bad habit of leaving you to finish up and clock him out when you left.

"Can you do me a favor?" He walked over with his best puppy dog eyes and slid his hand up my thighs almost to my butt but not quiet. It lingered there for a moment before I shoved him off. I guess thats what I get for wearing a cute leather mini, a blood red trench coat that stopped right at the knees and above-the-knee leather boots. " Have to get to the club early because my gir...," I held my hand up and took a deep breath.

"Fine, but clock your self out and get rid of this mop." I figured it wouldn't hurt to let him go five minutes early. His eyes lite up and he flashed a awkward smile. He picked me up and swirled me around almost breaking my back because of his large beefy arms. He turned, clocked out, returned the mop back to where it belonged, and headed towards the door.

"Thank baby!" The yelled as he ran out the door. I shook my head and headed towards the the door myself. It was quiet. Very comforting. Its the silence that wraps around you like a fleece blanket while you read infront of the fire. My mind was occupied with too many things that I didn't hear the phone ring. Instead I took off my apron and took the keys off the key ring. My boots echoed and made me shiver when that annoying feeling that keeps telling you you'll never see this place again.

I looked over the bar. Scarred wood acted as a floor board and chiped plaster on the walls was the only decoration. Pleather booths were torn and the tables missing huge chuncks. I shook my head. 'I will see this place again... I hope'. My breath quavered and I opened the door. Trash cans lined the wall, their smell assulting my senses. I had to sneeze to clear my nose. I placed the key into the lock and heard a tiny click. I pulled at the door to make sure it was locked then started my way home.

My senses were on high alert. I felt like a rabbit in the middle of the forest. A wolf was watching me. I knew it. It was unnearving. The dark buildings went down the street which seemed like forever. A window or two lite up every building. I felt my gun scrap aginst my thigh conforting me a bit. So now I was a rabbit with very sharp teeth.

It was a Smith & Wesson 3913. I'd brought the gun almost three years ago. I brought it from a guy named Larry. He helped me pick out the 9-mm semiautomatic pistol, which had a grip small enough for my hands with the power to discourage anything on two leg. "Except for the ghost, ghoulies and werewolves," he'd said with a grin. " You're on your own with them." He'd also taken me to a practice range for two weeks, and got me to the point that, even if I could'nt hit the side of the barn, I wouldn't miss it by far. Now I could hit a barn. No, I could hit a big barn.

I reached my broken down apartment. The door creaked and the lobby was screwed up. I walked straight past the wreakage that I knew was most likely caused by the rock heads and into the elevator, or better know as 'the matal box of death'. I hated the elevator. It groaned and fell several feet before climbing slowly. I made it into my hallway. The hall was long and the carpet stopped before I could reach the door with the missing numbers and no lights. 'Now why in the hell dont they have the lights on?' I wondered as I stepped in and closed the door behind me. I flicked the light switch. Nothing happened. 'Damn light bulb.' I was blindly walking through the room when an iron grip grabbed my wrist and a good punch landed in my stomach. I landed on the ground with a thud.

"Any last words dead man?" A voice asked. A hand moved up to my throat and tightened.

"Yeah. Get off me asshole and turn on the lights." I choked out to my brother Basch. His hand loosened and he yanked me up. Two claps and the room lite up. I batted at his blond braided hair. I looked around and saw everyone was here. Caleb lounged on the purple couch with Izzy in his lap. Rose sat infront of the T.V. and worked on the slightly smoking machine with the help of Blade.

Basch had long blonde hair, his eyes were brown, he was strong built and was the oldest, 21. He was about 6' 2". His mucles were seen under his shirt. He was really sweet if you were on his good side but a real asshole when hes pissed. He wore blue jeans, a t-shirt, and a brown jacket.

Caleb had white hair to the tip of his ears, not dyed mind you. He had really light blue eyes, considered Albino. He was also strong built and was my age,17. He was the goth of the family since he wore all black. His poreclien skin contrasted majorly aginst the black. He liked to be more to himself. Truely dark and mysterious. All the lady's loved him at the bar. He's 5' 11".

Rose is a real sweet heart. Her copper hair down to her shoulders and vibrant green eyes are her attributes. She was skinny and barely any curves but one look would stop a man dead in his tracks. She was a tan color. It looks as if she tans every day to keep her color. Shes open and free. Oh and she loves to talk. But theres a catch. Her beauty make up for it. Shes 14, 5'6" and deaf. The whitecoats made her that way to see if the alpha males would own or disown her. We kept her anyway. She wore black capris, a red tube top and a long, black button up jacket.

Blade is... Blade. He has dirty blond hair thats spiked and blue eyes. He sticks out of the croud because hes African American but that doesn't matter to us, hell you could be pink but we'll except you. Hes 11 and 5' 1". His love for sharp, shiny, pointy things is why he got the name Blade. Its scary.

Izzy is alot like Rose in her attitude except she has curly, short, light brown hair and light brown eyes. Shes 8 and 4' 7". She is sweet and very caring. I love her like my own child. Hell she is my child. She wore black tights, a blue skirt over it, a black and blue shirt, and a black jacket.

And that leaves me. I'm 17 and 5' 9". I'm slender, and have alot of curves. Rose says the perfect 'hour glass' shape. My pitch black hair cascading to my waist and almost black eyes are contrasted to my light skin. I keep to myself for the most part and only open up to Caleb and Basch because theres no reason to worry the younger kids. Me and Basch are the only blood siblings though we don't exactly look alike.

"Look what I found." Basch said shoving a newspaper at my chest. I looked it over and my mouth nearly dropped open. It had tommorrows date and in the obituary my name. It said I died from two bullet wound to my head at 12:34 and was found in my apartment at 6:15 the next day. I threw it to the ground. All alarms that had finally started to collect dust went off. I ran over to the three seater couch. I ripped the back off and handed out four back pack. In three, a survival kit, bassicaly the works. And in the other one spar clothes.

"Basch you take this one, Caleb take that one and rose catch." I threw the clothes at her and she caught it with ease. Thank God she knew how to read lips.

"What's in this bloody thing?" Basch's voice ran through my ears.

"It weighs about the same as you." Caleb stated.

"Whatever." I glanced at the clock. It was 11:50. I grabbed Izzy and and she morfed into a fox so she would fit into the backpack. I made sure she was comfortable before securing it shut. " We have a good 50 minutes to blow this joint." I stated.

Basch forced open a window and one by one we jumped. Natrually I went last and I kneeled slightly on the window peering over my shoulder, let out a long drawn out sigh, and tossed the keys into the now empty apartment. I unfurled my large black wings and simply fell. I felt so free and alive and I wasn't about to let it stop ever. I snapped them open and the weight caught me slightly off guard but in no time I caught up with the other. I would alway be free no matter what. And I would die before I was captured again. I glannced at Basch, his face set in stone cold determination.

"I wont let you die. I swear." He said looking at me pointedly. I gave a shaky smile and looked straight ahead into the abyss of night. 'Why do they want me dead and why did they give me a fuckin' head start?' I asked myself as we kept flying until I felt like I could reach the stars.

Okay people, this is my fist Fanfic and my first chapter. So please read and reveiw. Thanks a bundle to Rebecca for proof-reading!

Nicole.