Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride. James Patterson owns it.

Emily's POV

I pressed my back against the moist earth, still tense from the moments before.

I glanced at Zero. He looked pleased. I smiled.

We had escaped.

"Guys?" I whispered.

"Yeah?" Three voices came back.

"We should get out of here."

They nodded.

"Let's head north."

Again, they nodded.

Slowly, I pushed myself from my back to my knees and then to my feet. I glanced around and motioned to the others.

One by one, they popped up to stand next to me.

"Alright, so, we'll have to travel on foot." My voice sounded firm and I could tell. Two of them had wings because of their 2% avian. I had enhanced leg muscles and fear sensors because of my 2% Gazelle. And Otto had some kick-butt hand-to-hand battle moves because of his 2% Kangaroo.

So as you can tell, flying is a touchy subject for me.

They all, once again, nodded eagerly.

I looked around again and began to walk north.

"Um, Em?" Tulip spoke up. "North is the other way."

I swallowed, "Well, this way seems better." I said. "I can just tell. The fear sensors are kicking in."

Tulip didn't look so sure, but she nodded.

So we walked south. And boy, we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into.

Fang's POV

Okay, look, I didn't want to meet a beautiful Gazelle hybrid, but that's just how things happen.

I whirled around, hearing footsteps. God, did I ever get a break?

"Otto, hurry up!"

I raised an eyebrow. That didn't sound like an Eraser, unless they suddenly cared about each other.

"But I'm tired!"

"I'm sorry, Otto, but we're almost there!"

Plop!

The sound of a butt against pavement echoed in my ears.

"I don't want to be a freak anymore!" The so called 'Otto' sobbed.

Freak? I moved toward the voices. I rounded a corner... And that's when I saw Emily.

Emily bent over Otto, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, don't say that. We're cool. You're cool! You can beat up a million Dogbreaths!"

Dogbreaths?

"Um, hi?" I stepped out of the shadows, my gaze immediately falling on Emily. God, she looked amazing… Even with a thick coat of dirt clinging to her.

"Holy!" Emily fell backwards, the rest of them stifled laughs.

"I'm Fang." I said, ignoring Emily's fall. "You guys are?"

Emily then stood, staring at me with laser beam-like-eyes. "What's it to ya?"

"Don't pretend to be brave." I rolled my eyes. "You guys are hybrids, right?"

"Maybe." She crossed her arms.

"I am too." I shrugged my shoulder and rolled out my wings.

Tulip and Zero gasped.

"We can do that!" Tulip whispered and she and Zero unfurled their own wings.

"Fine." Emily growled. "I'm Emily, that's Tulip, he's Zero, and this is Otto." She ruffled Otto's hair.

"Hm. Nice names." Fang commented. "So they have Avian... And you have?"

"Gazelle." She muttered. "And Otto's Kangaroo."

"Oh. So I guess that means no flying."

"Why would we be on the ground if we could fly?" Emily shot at me.

"Hey, calm down." I held up my hands. "I've come to make a deal with you guys."

Zero raised an eyebrow.

"If you join me, you can... er... be safe... and... warm... and... just safe, with food and stuff." I shrugged.

Emily's eyes narrowed in thought. "O-okay... Only because we need it."

I grinned. "Great."