Chapter 1

MAX:

I was running. Shouldn't really surprise you if you know a lot about me. And it shouldn't surprise you if you knew enough about me to know what I was running from: Erasers, Flyboys, you name it. Basically every thing that had come after me and my flock I was running from. I was going down a hill at supersonic speed, almost feeling like I was going to roll down and lose my balance and then fall off the edge of the hill. Of course that wasn't a bad idea considering the fact that I had wings.

Yes, I have wings, for those of you who don't know it. If you don't then you don't know me at all. Get a book of mine and catch up. (Maximum Ride books—I had to write them to tell everyone what was going to happen, so if you don't have one, get one)

I didn't know where my flock was and I had a bad feeling. I was escaping from the place that I hated most (and if I was being honest with myself, which I am not, I feared the most)—you guessed it, the school. Du, du dun.

I am not going to go into a deep explanation of what the school is because I don't want to but in a nutshell it is the worst place you can ever imagine—experiments are being forced through hard and rough tests and a lot of them don't come out alive. There are different hybrids that are being made—like the cheetah-wolf. (AN: in compliments of my friend) Not a good combo.

Then it happens—the cliff. It was either jump off and survive, or stop and be captured. I didn't do the latter because that is not my style. I jumped off and started falling. I enjoyed the sensation of free falling (mostly because I don't go "splat" on the ground), but I saw that down on the ground waiting for me was… Ari. Ari? Wasn't he supposed to be dead? My half brother was here? And judging by the look on his face—a menacing growl and twisted features—this was not a family reunion.

I spread out my wings—ouch—and stroked them down and then recommend that to anyone—taking them out that fast is for emergencies only.

Something you should know about me, though, is that I don't like to express pain and I also don't like to be considered as weak. I hate it when people look at me with pity, try to help me (unless I absolutely need it) when I cannot do anything, or to tell me what to do. The flock knows this and they try to not to look at me with pity, but sometimes I see it even when they don't realize it. Usually I grind my teeth and clench my fists together to the tightest degree I can get them in.

I looked down and saw Ari was coming up after me now. I was getting away, but just barely. He was gaining on me…but I didn't understand how. He used to fly uncoordinated and he looked so out of proportion, but now he looked just like Jeb would at his age. Jeb. I ground my teeth now at the thought.

I took off, going at my fastest speed. It was pretty fast. I saw him falling behind. I sighed a tiny sigh of relief, but when I looked in front of me, there he was, right in front of my face. How in the…?

He punched me in the face—no, more on the nose—and I reeled backwards, doing a head spin, falling down. I opened my eyes and saw him coming down for me.

I woke up by sitting upright in bed, my heart racing, my head having some sweat, and my eyes felt bloodshot. I didn't have that much of sleep anymore. Someone like me needs sleep, but I haven't been getting enough, but I still am able to function, so I don't worry about it as much as I should.

I jumped out of my sitting position and looked around. I always did that because being on the run for so long can make you forget where you are when you let your guard down and sleep.

I was in a hotel now with my flock. Angel, Nudge and my mom, were asleep. I crept out of the room and into our bathroom. I looked at myself and I didn't disappoint, that is for sure. I did have bloodshot eyes, but I could cover it up once I washed my face. I don't know how that works, but if it keeps everyone from worrying, it is worth it. My hair was in mats and was a big tangled up mess. Ugh. I didn't like it. My hair was starting to grow out more and I knew I would have to whack it off soon. I didn't care how my hair looked (too many other things to worry about) so I was able to cut it off and be okay with it even as an unfit cut. But if it works, it works. Mom gave me some hair bands to keep it out of my eyes and mouth, so I liked that.

I got some water in my hands and splashed my face, making sure some of the water got in my eyes. I dried it off with a towel and looked at myself again. Yep. It worked. My eyes looked normal. They were brown, but they were normal. At least my eyes are normal. I took some comfort in that.

I walked out of the bathroom and looked for some clothes. I grabbed the first shirt and jeans that I saw and put them on. I didn't really care what I looked like to others because I was already a freak, so it didn't matter because if they knew what I really was…well, my appearance would be the last thing on their minds.

I looked out the window and the sun was just starting to poke out and make its appearance for the day. I looked at the clock and sure enough it was six in the morning.

I sighed as I sat down on the floor.

A knock came at the door. I knew it was one of us because we came up with a secret knock that only we know. It must be Gasman; he was having some nightmares recently.

I walked over to it and opened it. I looked at Fang and asked, "Couldn't sleep too?"

"Not really," he admitted.

"I know how it is."

"Well, you should, after all."

I resisted the urge to smack him silly. He grinned. He knew me well, even if he couldn't read my mind like Angel could, but he could read my mind, somehow. He knew me pretty well, or my face could be an open book. I don't know, really.

"I want to talk to you, Max. C'mon."

I took one last look at Angel, Nudge and Mom, and walked out after him, gently closing the door. I didn't want to wake them up. I didn't need them lacking sleep as well.

I walked with him and we ended up going into his room. All the guys were out like bricks. They couldn't be woken up even if a semi came right next to them, honking its horn. I smiled slightly.

We sat down on the floor, both of us against the wall. He looked at me for a second, and then said, "Max. Look. I know you don't like to express pain or talk about your feelings, but I know something is going on with you. You aren't getting much sleep. I can see that you are trying to hide it, but everyone can see it. Everyone is concerned about you, Max. I know you don't want them to be, but they are.

"But it is more than that. There is something going on because now you are just giving in to everything your mom and Jeb say without a second thought. You used to make sure it was all right, fighting it until you were positive and sometimes not giving into it at all, but now you seem like you are detached or you don't want to deal with it so you just give in and don't voice your opinion. And you also seem like you like Jeb now. You don't seem to be mad at him anymore. That isn't like you. Max, I want to know what is going on. I can tell you are hurt by something, Max. And you know I am here for you, right?"

My anger flared. How could he be saying all of this? I didn't give into everything they said. I still hated Jeb. How could anyone think otherwise? I would never forgive him for betraying us—never.

"How could you think that?" I exploded. "I still hate Jeb. I am fine, Fang. There is nothing that is wrong with me besides the normal. Don't be concerned about me. I am fine and can take care of myself," I snapped at him.

"Max, you need us more than you know. And you need our help. Just tell me what is wrong."

"It's Ari, Fang," I said quietly as I gave up. There is no point in arguing with him if he is right. "He keeps coming into my dreams and I just don't know why. And every time he does, it is always that he is trying to kill me, or the old Ari. I don't know what is wrong with me, but I can't get much sleep anymore. I am a wreck and I cannot make the same decisions that I used to make. I am falling apart, Fang, and I don't know what to do."

He nodded, thinking this through. He sighed and said, "We will always be here for you and so will I. I care about you and I don't want anything to happen to you, all right? I think the reason Ari is still with you is because you either feel guilty about him dying, you loved him, or even both. You knew he loved you," Fang said quietly now. "Maybe you loved him too."

"Of course I loved him Fang, once he wasn't bent up on killing me. He was my brother. I will always feel guilty for the way I treated him. He didn't deserve to die like he did. If only there weren't mutants and if only we were humans, none of this would've happened. He would be alive and living a happy life, never having to have all of the worries that come with being a mutant. If only," I whispered now, bringing my knees up to my chest and wrapping my arms around them and resting my chin on my arms and knees.

Fang was silent. I looked at him and he looked hurt. Finally he said, "I know, Max, I know. If only we didn't have to be mutants things might be a lot different. But we need to accept it sooner or later because we are stuck with it. But it isn't all that bad. The flock wouldn't be together if we weren't mutants. We wouldn't be able to fly and would have to go to school."

I knew he was right. He understood what I was going through as well as what I had to accept. I nodded.

He wrapped a supportive arm around my shoulders and said, "We are all here for you. Just remember that and if you ever need to talk, you have me if no one else. Okay?"

I nodded.

He kissed my hair lightly and said, "I think it is time we wake everyone up. You in?" he asked as he stood up.

"Of course," I said as I grasped his outreaching hand and pulled myself up. We walked to wake everyone up and I felt better. I would be as long as Fang was with me. But I might not be even if he is. I was about to find out.