This Is Your Life

1. Final Review

"Maximum Ride."

I blinked and experimentally opened my eyes. It was hazy and dark beyond the pool of light raking me. It was almost impossible to tell how big the room was, or worse, where I was. I thought about flying, running, heck, crawling out of this nightmare, but it was just as likely anything, Erasers, Flyboys, M-Geeks, or all three could be out there. I stayed put.

"Maximum Ride," the voice repeated because I didn't know my own name or something. I looked up at a now highlighted stage area and could make out figures gathered there, like I was a circus freak about to put on a show.

"Let's begin the review."

"The subject showed both disturbing maternal instincts and strong leadership skills. The subject has superb physical skills, even when introduced to escalating forces. It has developed new talents and adapted to specific needs including the ability to breathe underwater and fly above 250 miles per hour. The subject responded well to subconscious programming and stimulation."

Wait a second! I am not a subject and definitely not an "it!" I crossed my arms and tried to look menacing and not like everything this jerk was saying was drilling nails into me.

"We observed the subject in a series of escalating tests including the School, the Institute of Higher Living, Itex, and The One Light. It displayed flexibility, cunning and intelligence, but the situations we designed did not modify the subjects merciful and protective instincts. We adjusted the experience accordingly, but found the subject incapable of meeting our requirements."

I couldn't let that go, it made me feel too proud. They couldn't just make me whatever they wanted me to be. "Sorry folks, I guess experiments just don't act like they used to. You know, because I'm a person!"

The voice paused and then haughtily directed his dull report voice at me.

"You see, Maximum Ride, you were the rat in an elaborate maze. Perhaps a queen, but still a piece on the chess board we controlled."

Ouch. For once, I didn't have a snappy comeback.

The mystery megalomaniac continued, and I couldn't drown out his voice, but I was also squinting to see the stand better. Even my raptor vision couldn't pierce the shadows. Who was on the stand? It seemed really important to figure that out. Find an enemy so I could attack.

"Save the world. Such a vaunted, egotistical statement. And yet, Maximum Ride, you believed. You wanted to play the game. You thought you could win."

That stung. I remembered Fang and his insistence that we go find a deserted island and leave all this behind, but I had believed in the mission. I had wanted to save the world. And it had all been fake, a part of a sick game. People had died so crazy doctors could run an experiment on me. I began to let the anger and adrenaline give me new purpose. Freedom, for real this time.

"Members of the Inner Circle, I present to you our failure. The subject is too emotional and therefore weak. The attempts to rectify this weakness failed as well. I suggest it is time to adjust and focus on the next promising talent."

Why was I just standing in my little light pool taking all of this? Shock, maybe. What would you do if everything in your horrible, short life that started out in a dog cage wasn't even freaking real. Everything was a game, meant to do what? It was senseless. It was totally and completely not something I could take.

One of the board members coughed and interrupted crazy monologue man. Maybe I'd recognize the voice.

"Which of the subjects do you propose Doctor?"

No luck. The microphone scrambled the voice, making it deep and mechanical. These people were secrecy nuts.

"Ah, yes. We have it in custody and we are confident it accepts the situation as we have presented it."

Another light illuminated a glass partition to my left, with a single sterile cot and an unconscious – No! It took everything I had not to run to the glass, to get there and stop this atrocity. My throat closed up and my eyes burned, but I was also swearing to myself, this would not happen. I would figure out a way.

The doctor spoke again, chillingly, "We understand it is known as Angel."

"No! She's a little girl! You can't use her like she's just an experiment!" I felt it was high time to disagree with these jerks. The presenter obviously disagreed with me and continued like I wasn't there.

"The subject 'Angel' has performed admirably in all the scenarios so far. It acts without a need to tweak the variables we have had to adjust for our current focus. It is in possession of a range of cognitive abilities and is fully prepared to use them. It is open to the big picture, responds well to rhetorical argument, and is prepared to make sacrifices. It is already under our constant supervision and we are optimistic the transition can be completed seamlessly."

My blood ran cold. My sweet little maniacal mind reader, mind controlling, somewhat traitorous Angel. They were confirming every fear I had ever had about my sweet baby. Everything she had done over the past year – how they somehow been, what was the word he used, tweaking the circumstances. Making Angel act the way she had. It was easy to forgive her now, but how to save her?

I tuned out the ongoing report – they were done with me and I was way over them. Instead I scanned the room. Chicken wire lined the glass between me and Angel. No way out of this room as far as I could tell. Could I overpower the board members? My palms itched, ready to help them all see stars. There wouldn't be enough time though. I couldn't do it by myself.

Angel stirred restlessly on the cot, pulling fitfully at the restraints. "Angel!" I shouted, hoping the chamber wasn't soundproof. "Angel! Wake up!" Enough was enough. I attempted to dash to the glass partition, do anything to wake Angel and save her.

Bad move. Gas sprayed out of unseen nozzles. The last thing I saw as my vision narrowed to a point and the darkness closed in was the tangled golden mess of Angel's hair. She never knew I was there.