A/N: So this is a crossover between James Patterson's When the Wind Blows/ The Lake House and the Maximum Ride series. It's been quite a while since I read the former and since I've written this, but once I refresh myself I'm sure I'll be able to salvage an update or two. Again, what I've been doing is posting old things that I've written a long time ago, and updating them when the mood strikes me. I still consider disneydork a closed account. :D

I don't own either series, and I can't even remember if I own the plot or not.

Dedicated to Thingbe, Elle and She of Multi-Shipper for enduring the pains of these books together with me, and Phoenix Fanatic for introducing me to Maximum Ride in the first place.

This first chapter is Max (R)'s POV only. WWB is introduced in the next chapter.

Reviews and concrit very much appreciated!

Trapped.

Trapped and cold.

Trapped, cold and hungry.

We were at the school. Don't ask me how we were captured again. It had just been an ordinary day… went to Mickey D's, got some chow, was attacked by mad scientists…. The usual. Except this time, we got caught.

And we hadn't seen hide nor hair of our captors for over thirty-six hours… no food, no experiments, no nothing.

One of the things lengthy list of things-that-tick-me-off is that our room isn't as luxurious as it has been in our past few "visits". And when I say luxurious, I mean they had the courtesy to put us in our own padded white room. Nope. Not this time. Right now we are each in our own individual cage about three sizes to small. I'm presently curled up in a ball, and there isn't enough room to move a freaking inch. Our cages are also currently situated in what I believe to be the school basement. The floor and walls are nothing but cold grey cement. Not the most comfortable position I've ever been in while being held hostage. Forgive me if I'm a little testy.

"Max."

I looked over at Fang, his face half lit by the dim light hanging above us.

"What?" I asked. I was curious as to why he'd been saying my name once every few hours, just to ask me a random question, like if I would rather go to Japan or China. Perhaps he would explain his odd behavior now…

"If we were trapped on a mysterious island in the middle of nowhere, what would you do?"

Or maybe not.

What I would've liked to say is 'I would build a bonfire and make you stand in the middle of the hot burning flames until you explained your un-Fang-like behavior and then I would slap you silly for acting freaky in the first place.' But I didn't.

"Take you guys to the most expensive hotel I saw, and order as much junk food as your grimy little hands can handle. Then I'd take you guys to all the sight-seeing things there, like museums and zoos and stuff for the younger kids. Maybe go to a football game so you and Iggy can salivate over the brain dead cheerleaders-

"No, Max. What would you do for you?"

I'll admit it, I was a little miffed. I mean, what I do for the Flock is what I what I do for myself- the flock comes first. But if Fang wanted a selfish answer, a selfish answer he would receive.

"Umm… okay. I would take the hottest, longest shower known to all living things, I'd fly around the island for a while, then I would lie on the beach and sleep."

Fang grinned at me, for some reason pleased with my answer and then turned away, looking at the sleeping flock surrounding us.

"So what's that all about?" I asked Fang, staring at his back. "What's with all the questions?"

He turned around and stared at me, his dark eyes impassive. "They aren't coming back."

"What? What do you mean they're not coming back? What are you talking about?"

"They building's been abandoned, Max." He said, looking me straight in the eye. "Nobody's been here for at least 30 hours."

It's true, Max, said the voice. He's telling the truth. Nobody but you is here.

"How do you know this?" I demanded. "How do you know nobody's here?"

"I just do." He answered, eyes distant. "I'm sorry, Max, but there's nothing you can do about it. Nothing can save us now." And with that, he turned away, staring at the small window at the top of the wall.

"So, Austria or Australia?"

Okay. That was freaking it.

"STOP acting as if this is hopeless. For one, we may not be able to move, but we are KICKASS bird kids, dammit! If I say we're going to make it out of this, we ARE. Stop freaking out the rest of the Flock! We're all going to be okay, right, guys?"

A pause.

"Guys…?"

Silence.

"They've been unconscious for the past six hours," Fang said calmly. "It's just us."

"They're just SLEEPING you nimrod. Guys! Iggy! Angel! Gazzy…?"

Okay. Trying not to freak out now.

"…Nudge?"

Had this moment been slightly humorous, I would have imagined a few crickets snickering in the background. This, however, was NOT, so screw the mindless bugs to infinity and beyond.

"What about Total?" I asked furiously, glaring at his blank expression. Isn't he in the cage with you?"

"Total's dead. Has been for six hours."

Holy shit.

I felt my breathing quicken. "But… the others? They're-"

"Alive." He finished, a slight smile on his face. "If you're right about us getting out of here, they still have a chance, granted if it's in the next eight hours, or so."

So the clock was ticking.

"I'm going to rest," Fang said, attempting to stretch out his arms. "I suggest you do the same. We're not very likely to get out if you're as exhausted as you are."

I could only agree. As hopeless as it felt, I had to convince myself we still had a chance.