Disclaimer: I do not own the Maximum Ride series. James Patterson does. All I own is the plot and my OC Byron Hadley!
Unforeseen Past – Chapter One
Hi, I am Byron Hadley and I am your average 15-year-old kid; good grades, fairly athletic and pretty shy. The only remarkable thing about my life was that my parents were not related to me. My biological parents died in a house fire; at least, that is what Child Protective Services told me. My foster family was great; Stan and Linda Michaels treated me as if I was their birth son. They did not have any other sons or daughters, so my home life was uneventful. My father, Stan worked for the CIA and sometimes left for classified missions abroad. Linda usually stayed home and worried about either Stan or I. She especially worries about me after I came home one day with a black eye; courtesy of Mitch Bullman, the local school bully. After that day, my father decided to teach me what he knew about self-defense. After that, Mitch left me alone, since he tried to bully me again and he ended up on his stomach his arm bent behind his back. I had a great time with the Michaels, I truly felt accepted by them.
That all changed the day I got home from school and found both a CIA car and Child Protective Services parked in my driveway. I walked through the front door to find my mother was crying her eyes out and CIA was failing to comfort her. I slowly put two and together; something awful had happened to Stan during one of his classified missions and I was being put back into the foster care system that I was being taken from my one true home.
The CPS agent walked up to me and said with passion dripping from her words, "I'm so sorry Byron, but Mrs. Michaels no longer has the means to fully care for you to the standard we need."
I just somewhat blankly nodded at her and went to hug my mom. I walked up to the CIA agent, Jackson; I remembered his name; as my father had taken me to the CIA several times. "What happened to my father?" I choked out.
Jackson looked at me and his story began. "Well your father was investigating a medical company known as Genetics Research Inc. GCI. We lost contact with him 12 hours ago. We received a fax with a picture of him holding today's newspaper and a single bullet to the head." At those words, my mother just broke down sobbing and I realized that my days with one of the only families I have truly loved were ending.
I whispered to my mother, "I am so sorry." I then turned to the Child Services agent and asked her, "What happens now?"
She looked at me sadly and said, "I'm sorry Byron, but we already found you a new home to live in. I met the people there and they are very nice, so you don't have to worry." I nodded, hugged my mother, and went upstairs to pack my belongings while thinking about the life I'm leaving behind.
Jackson followed me upstairs to my room and told me, "If such an event were to ever happen to your father, he asked me to tell you that he loves you very much and he wanted you to have these." Jackson then pulled out my father's combat knife and his tactical sling bag, two of the many things that my father's own that is quite admirable.
I looked at Jackson with gratitude, "Thanks for these, I really appreciate this." Jackson just smiled, nodded his head solemnly, and turned to head back downstairs.
I sighed sadly and quickly packed most of my clothing and belongings into my duffel and my father's bag and headed back downstairs where Jackson, my mom, and the Child Services agent were waiting.
I gazed at my mom's tear streaked face and it hit me that I was leaving her all alone with no husband and no son to care for her. If I know my mom, she needs a loving family to survive. She has always been that type of mother and I loved her for that.
I pulled my mom into a tight bear hug and told her, "If you ever need a shoulder or anything, you have my cell phone number." She forced a smile, nodded, and picked up something from the coffee table. It was a small photograph of Stan, Linda and I all dressed up for a dinner, one of my favorite pictures of the three of us together. I smiled at her and immediately put the picture into my wallet. I hugged her again for a long length of time. We both had tears streaming down our faces from Stan's unexpected death and my departure from my only true home I've come to know.
After our family mourning moment, I turned to face the Child Services agent. "When do I leave?" I asked.
She looked at me and said, "One moment please." She pulled out her cell phone and dialed some number; apparently, the person on the other end of the line picked up because she asked a couple of questions and then hung up.
She turned back to me and said, "Now, if you are ready." I nodded to her and grabbed my stuff from upstairs. I pulled my mom into one final, teary hug. Neither of us said goodbye to the other. It seemed too final to say aloud. After our goodbye hug, I told the agent I am ready.
I followed her out to her car and waved to my mother one last time before getting in. She sadly waved back then moved away from the window. I didn't have to see her to know she was crying. I knew her most of my life so I know a lot of little things about her. I slammed the car door shut and asked, "How far away is my new home?"
She immediately answered, "Only 10-15 minutes from here." I felt overjoyed because if I ever needed to I could still visit and help Linda. I nodded and reluctantly motioned for her to drive.
After two minutes, she began speaking. "Your new family consists of a veterinarian by the name of Dr. Valencia Martinez and her twelve year old daughter, Ella." She talked for the rest of the ride about my new family. I tuned out after a minute of talking. I was too sad to do anything but think about Stan and Linda, the parents that had been ripped out of my life before my very eyes.
As we pulled up in front of their house that had a small woodland on one side, Dr. Martinez and Ella opened the door and walked out to greet us. We met halfway between car and the door and I visually threat assessed Dr. Martinez and her daughter (a habit I picked up from my father). They seemed friendly and kind. I thought that maybe I would accepted by this family as I was with the Michaels.
"Hello Byron, I'm Valencia Martinez, and this is my daughter, Ella." Dr. Martinez introduced herself and her daughter. Her daughter smiled hugely at me and waved.
"Hey Byron, I'm Ella. I'm so glad you're finally here! Let me show you your new room," Ella said and grabbed my hand. I noticed that Ella had a lot of spunk. As I was pulled away from the Child Services agent and Dr. Martinez, I saw Dr. Martinez shaking her head with a smile.
"Don't go too hard on him, Ella. You have enough energy to drown the world, and I don't want Byron to pass out from shock on his first day here." Dr. Martinez said, and I chuckled. I made a final decision and decided they were a very nice family. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all.
*Three Months Later*
After we got home from school, Ella and I started eating a snack in the kitchen when the phone rang. Ella jumped out of her seat ran to pick up the phone with more spunk than the average chipmunk.
When she saw the caller ID, she squealed with happiness. I sort of eavesdropped and heard Ella talk excitedly into the phone, "That's awesome Max; I cannot wait to see you again! ...When? ...tomorrow? *squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee*...alright...bye."
I stared at her puzzled and she seemed to notice my confused face and started having one of her talking fits, "Oh, my half-sister Max is coming over to stay for a while. You'll love her! She's hilarious and really cool. Just don't get on her bad side. She's tougher than she looks, and she looks tough, and she will kick your butt into next week. Just be warned." I nodded blankly at her and thought to myself, great, more family to impress.
Ella again seemed to notice my blank expression as she told me, "I think you and Max will get along quite well." I was not quite positive about her judgment.
What I found interesting is that she hardly knew me for three months and can sometimes just what I am thinking. "Oh that's good I guess..." I managed to somehow articulate as my reply. "When is she arriving?"
"She should be arriving sometime after school tomorrow. Oh, I better get my room ready for her!" Ella responded excitedly and she ran upstairs. I shook my head in wonder. How can a twelve-year-old girl have so much energy?
*The Next Day*
School rushed by in a blur, as I was somewhat excited and nervous to meet Ella's half-sister. When Ella told Dr. Martinez that Max was coming to stay, she was overjoyed as much as Ella was, so I guess they do not see Max that often, which is pretty unfortunate, since Ella seems to love Max to the bottom of her heart.
As Ella and I walked home from school, I could tell Ella was just dying to see Max because she was very nearly sprinting home. I even had quite a bit of trouble keeping up with her. When we got home and walked into the kitchen, Dr. Martinez told us Max wasn't here yet. Ella seemed to deflate a little at the news.
We sat down on the couch watching television, waiting for Max to arrive. I could tell Ella was anxious since she kept bouncing up and down on the cushion we were sitting on.
"Ella, if you keep bouncing like this I think I'm going to be sent up into the air from the bouncing cushions." I told her, and she stopped and smiled at me.
"I'm sorry! I'm just so anxious! I haven't seen Max in like forever!" Ella exclaimed, and then there was finally a knock on the door.
Ella squealed and I winced at her high-pitched voice. "She's here she's here!" she yelled in excitement and sprinted to the door. I braced myself to meet her half sister as she opened the front door.
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