Chapter One: Helping Hand

A/N: I do not own any of the Maximum Ride Characters, the series, or the plot line, but this plot line and the X2K Characters are mine.

Max POV

How many sleepless nights had I spent since we saved my mom? I know that the only way Mr. Chu could cause me harm again was as a ghost, but it made me think. How many enemies do I really have out there? Their numbers grew every day… I try not to think about it, but as leader of the flock, how can I not?

I sighed and got out of bed; no use thinking about it all now and making myself depressed before seven. Ever since our last journey the US Navy loaned us a house for some odd number of months. All I know is that they somehow managed it and somehow they had hearts. Who knew? After doing a small-scale bed check I came to the conclusion that there was one other flock member not getting any sleep; he had to be here somewhere.

It only took a moment of thought. I stepped to the window in the hall and opened it silently, but not silently enough. Fang came through the window just then. He turned to me, "Now a young lady like you shouldn't be out this late at night," his dark eyes were teasing and yet caring.

"First of all, its morning," 3 am to be exact, "and Second, I really don't think I fit under the 'lady' criteria." He tilted his head to the side and pondered this for a second. I turned away smiling and thinking of ways to occupy my time until the rest of the flock was bright eyed and bushy tailed, or just eating everything in sight, but you know how that is…

I have no idea how Fang can be so quite, but the next thing I knew, well, he was right behind me, "Well let's hope you're a lady. Otherwise I have some messed up memories," his voice was almost as light as his approach. I turned to face him. Nothing in the world can beat his smile, screw the seven wonders. "You need to get some sleep, Max."

"I know I do, but so do you," I tried to rhyme, but failed as I yawned in the middle. His smile only got bigger as I did this.

"I'll go to sleep if you do."

"Fine. Good luck."

He led me to the living room and plopped down in one of the cushier chairs. I stood and waited for him to realize this wasn't going to work first. Then he gestured for me to join him. It was a large chair I guessed, so I sat down next to him. Things were so much calmer here. I laid my head on his chest as he propped his feet up on the coffee table. No I wasn't falling asleep, and no he did not win; things were just getting swimmy, really swimmy.

Fine I fell asleep, but not without a daily horror. Compromise, Max, you need to learn that if you want to succeed your next mission.

Well good night to you too Voice.

Demy POV

Wells and Ang were my escorts back onto American land. They were from the center of the X2K project, and that made us all good friends. All center X2K's had been good friends before the… slaughter, and now we were just as close. However, now we were on a mission. When we heard of the 'bird kids' originally, we didn't believe a word, but now the proof was there. It seemed we fought for similar causes and they were as passionate as I.

I guess what really got us on the road was curiosity, they were kids to. "Remind me again why me and Wells are going to have to do all the talking."

"Because," Ang looked at me through the rearview mirror, "you have a talent with words, when you choose to use it, and you are the oldest girl. We also need a guy to represent us since there are guys in the flock. Wells, that's where you come in."

"Why didn't we bring Zell or Rain then, or both? They fit the guy criteria MUCH more than Wells!" Wells gave me a death glare and I gave him a hug. The hug wouldn't have been so awkward if we weren't still stuck in a car, still going to the flock's…house or base, and still having these seatbelts (aka the most annoying item man ever came up with) strapped across our chests and waists. Either way he knows I was just kidding. Remember how I said that all center X2K's were friends? Me and Wells met in second grade; I've been giving him hell ever since. I met Ang in seventh grade and became close friends almost instantly. Ang was 14, I was 15, and Wells was 16. Ironically Ang was the most mature of all of us, that's why she was here to brief us as some random dude from outer X2K drove us to the flock base/house.

"He's the oldest boy," Ang said, but her face agreed with me. Oh well, let's see what happens…