Chapter 1
A facility somewhere
Jeb Batchelder walked into the lab through the automatic door and looked around. He was standing in what looked like a control room of sorts. A armed guard sat at a control panel watching what would have been multiple cameras but only one screen was one. A solitary figure was lying on a cot, whether or not the figure was asleep, Jeb couldn't tell. Jeb's eyes where pulled away from the screen as a scientist with an armed escort came in the room through a door on the opposite side.
"Mr. Batchelder I presume?" asked the scientist
"Yes, You asked me to come here, don't you think you should know who I am?" asked Jeb
"I know you by word and works only, we have never had the pleasure of meeting in person." replied the scientist.
"And that pleasure remains to be seen" thought Jeb
"My name is Dr. Connelly and I am the head of the research and development project here. I called you here because I have something that you will be most interested in," Connelly motioned for Jeb to follow him "As you well know your Maximum and her family as they are called, are the only success story of the Avian project that we started so many years ago."
"And?" asked Jeb as they walked through empty hallways.
"Well that legacy has a new name to add to the list. Osiris. A god in his own right" said Dr. Connelly pointing at the clear box next to them.
Jeb immediately recognized the box, it was the one from the security camera. As the video had depicted the figure was still lying on the cot but from the distance the figure was obviously male.
"You've created a successful Avian Hybrid?" Asked Jeb with a hint of doubt in his voice.
"I know that tone, the Director was doubtful as well but there, " said the Doctor pointing fiercely "is the proof of my words. He will be one to usher in the new age in the Genetics program, Max would have been but she seems to be beyond help."
Jeb continued to listen but smiled.
"As you well know the Director has ordered Max and her family terminated, and Osiris is to the one to do it." Said Connelly
"You created him to be Max's assassin?" asked Jeb peering closer into the room.
"Precisely. Out with old, in with the new. Isn't that how it goes Mr. Batchelder?"
"So it would seem." said Jeb flatly
"You sound unconvinced of his superiority, Let me enlighten you on a few of his more notable abilities." said Connelly taking a clipboard from the ever so silent guard.
"Notable?" asked Jeb "What exactly are you saying? He can do things that you don't know about?"
"Can't everyone? Hasn't Max herself evolved? Hasn't everyone of Angel experiment changed from the norm that we set?" asked Dr. Connelly
Jeb just sighed and continued to watch the unmoving Osiris
"His wings are white with streaks of gray and a wingspan of 14 ½ feet." the Doctor shortly
"Almost like Angel." muttered Jeb, thinking of her snow white wings.
Dr. Connelly misinterpreted Jeb's words and laughed. "Hardly." he said "He is anything but an angel. His wings are more of a weapon than anything. His wings have a more advanced bone and muscle structure, which allows him to move objects, pick things up off of the floor, well puncture things on the floor anyway." said Dr. Connelly in a humorous manner.
Jeb looked at Connelly over this statement. "Puncture things?"
"The muscle and bone structure allow for more of a advanced movement and with that came something else. Osiris can harden his wings to the point of indestructibility. He can puncture up to six inches of steel or concrete, then changing the density of his feathers back to just that, a feather, you now have a six inch gaping hole in something. The change is instantaneous and that also goes for the wing as a whole, he can make the change as well. He can take up to .50 cal assault on his wings though the .50 knocks him on his ass but besides that he was good. Though there is a catch. " said Connelly looking up from the clipboard.
"Catch?" said Jeb staring at Connelly and then back to Osiris. "What have they done to you?" he thought
"All it takes is one feather out of place, one bent, ruffled, or missing feather and the invincibility is lost. We were doing 9mm testing and Osiris had lost a feather the day before in a fight-"
Jeb interrupted "Fight? What kind of fight?"
"Let me finish Mr. Batchelder, he lost a feather and was shot. It was one in a million that we hit that one spot but it happened. Training was shut down until he was repaired two days later." finished Connelly
"Now answer my question, what was he fighting?" said Jeb curiously
"Just some Eraser specimens of the winged type, that we had made here. If he is indeed going to kill Maximum and have a chance against her alone, or backed by her family, he needs to be combat hardened."
"How does he fair?" said Jeb
"He slaughters them, but then again they compare nothing to him or Maximum. So we will just have to wait and see."
"So invincibility huh?" said Jeb
"Yes." Dr Connelly said simply
"His sight and hearing?"
"Enhanced."
"Speed and strength?"
"As strong as Maximum on her best day."
"How is his metabolism?"
"Just like the rest of your precious flock, he would eat all the time if we let him."
"Which I assume you don't."
"Was that a hint of pity in your voice, Mr. Batchelder? Sorry but he eats three meals a day, just like the rest of us."
"Yes, because he is just like the rest of us." Thought Jeb to himself annoyed
"Lets see where this goes." said Jeb finally
"Not that we needed your permission," Dr. Connelly quietly "Would you like to meet him?"
"No, thank you though Doctor. I have to-"
"Meet him Mr. Batchelder. I insist, it would be an honor for us here that the Father of Maximum Ride met our Maximum."
"If you insist." Jeb gave a sweep of his hand. "Lead the way."
"We are already there." said Dr. Connelly and pulled a small device from his pocket. He pressed a button and the glass wall in front of them lifted up into the ceiling. Jeb tensed up for a moment and Dr. Connelly saw this.
"What? Expecting a valiant escape attempt? A fight maybe?" said Dr. Connelly
"Something like that, yes." Said Jeb calming down.
"He knows better than that. Don't you Osiris?" said Dr. Connelly
All that came from the cot was a bird (little flock humor there)
"Attitude problems doctor?" said Jeb amused.
"You have no idea. Osiris come out here and meet Mr. Batchelder. I don't want to have to press the red button."
Osiris rolled his eyes and sat up.
"The red button?" said Jeb questionably
"It seals his room then fills it with gas rendering him unconscious. But after he found that out he would harass the staff till the gassed his so he could sleep. We switched to tear gas promptly." said Dr. Connelly
Osiris got to his feet and began to walk over. Jeb took the clipboard and looked at his vitals, 5'10, 110 pounds, eyes green and hair blond. Jeb look up from the board to find Osiris right in front. There eyes locked and Osiris tilted his head.
"What? Do I have something on my face?" he asked
"Osiris, this is Mr. Batchelder."
"And what has that got to do with me? I was busy." replied Osiris
"You were sleeping." said Connelly
"I like watching DVDs on the back of my eyelids." said Osiris
Jeb looked Osiris over one more time and then spoke "May I?" Jeb motioned towards his wings.
Dr. Connelly nodded "Of course."
"Keep it above the waist." remarked Osiris
The guard finally showing he was human snickered and Dr. Connelly gave him his a look that sent him back into stone mode. Jeb kept his composure and ran his hand along the top of Osiris' wings. He could feel the muscle and bone underneath and wondered what kind of reaction they went through to make his wings invincible.
"I know what your thinking Mr. Batchelder, how does he do it? Head and shoulders, keeps them soft and smelling great all the time." said Osiris watching Jeb
"Osiris show him your Grey wing." said Dr. Connelly
"Grey wing?" said Jeb
"Just watch." said Connelly
"Sure Doc, happy to accommodate all of your wants and needs." murmured Osiris
Osiris shook his wings and they turned a dark shade of gray.
"See? Now his wings are in their hardened state, and we call it the Grey wing." said Dr. Connelly
"Pretty original don't you think?" said Osiris
"So you can pretty much stab anything?" said Jeb standing back
Osiris nodded "Sure watch this." He then jabbed the corner of the wall and the concrete gave way almost immediately.
"What the hell!?" shouted Dr. Connelly
"What?" said Osiris raising his eyebrow "Isn't that covered in your homeowners insurance? Like wing damage?"
Jeb looked at the chipped corner with approval.
"Back into your cell." said Dr. Connelly
"Do I have to?" said Osiris
The guard immediate pulled his club which seemed to be humming and Osiris held up his hands.
"Ok, I'll go quietly. Just remember this moment though, because it won't happen again." said Osiris as he backed up into the cell.
"Those clubs are electrified?" asked Jeb
"Tell me something Mr. Batchelder, if you hit your Maximum with an ordinary club what would happen?" said Dr. Connelly
"I know this one! I have does this like tons of times." said Osiris
"She would probably put you through a wall correct?" said Dr. Connelly
Jeb nodded. "Yes she doesn't take kindly to people just hitting her."
"They range from 10,000 to 32,000 volts depending of the toggle switch." said Connelly
"Yeah but then again you have to factor in the fact that all of the guards keep them on high and there about four of them hitting you at once so in reality its like 100,000 volts at any one time. It's like watching an extreme episode of Cops but your living it you know?" said Osiris smiling
Dr. Connelly clicked the switch, the glass door closed and Osiris threw up his hands in mock disbelief.
"I can't believe the director has given approval to this." said Jeb as he walked away
"I can't believe your against this." said Dr. Connelly following him back down the hallway
"And I can't believe its not butter! " called Osiris after them
Jeb turned and looked at Dr. Connelly "I want updates on his every interaction with Maximum."
"Sure Mr. Batchelder, I will be here tomorrow 6am sharp to begin the process." said Dr. Connelly as they walked back out the into the control room.
Osiris looked at the chipped corner and smiled. "See you tomorrow."