i do not own Maximum Ride. i'm not even done reading all the books, but i'm getting there.

this is kinda along the lines of it... freaks of nature, being created in a science lab, being chased by people who want to kill them, the freaks being in a pack-like-thing... enjoy!

Prolouge

I stared out the window.

There's more to being human than just coming into the world and then dying. Once you're there, being it, living it, then it's different. If you're like me, you'll see that there's much more meaning to it.

Many people take it for granted, being human. "It's a privilege for us," like Crystal said. "It's a gift for those few hours that are possible. The real humans don't know how lucky they are."

I wanted to see Crystal again. I wanted to feel the warmth of her icy blue-blonde hair against my cheek. I wanted it all back. Scratch that. I needed it all back.

Crystal was like my mom. She raised me, for the most part. It felt like part of me was missing when she wasn't near.

The snowflakes outside swirled around in the wind currents. I swore I could see Crystal out there, disguised as a shadow on the snow beds, where she belonged.

I sucked in oxygen for the second available. Being a fish was the fastest way to travel over oceans, or, through them.

But fish are boring. Being a dolphin is better, which I was.

My nose emerged from the water, leading into a jump.

Right before I hit the water again, I caught a glimpse of my shiny, sunset-purple body. The same color of my eyes.

Being a Shifter had its benefits. We could change into any animal or figure that we wanted. And we could stay that way forever, with one exception.

The one exception was also the one drawback: we can only be human for two hours at a time, once a day.

That's why I didn't have a good education. I couldn't just phase in the middle of class. And disappearing after two hours every day would be overly suspicious.

But some of the older Shifters helped teach the younger ones the basics. Crystal and Brad were the best. They were patient and understanding. And they actually knew what they were talking about.

I saw a column of steam coming up from the horizon. They were tuna fishers.

I know it's just a myth, dolphins being caught in tuna nets. But just to be safe, I stopped swimming for a moment, letting my body float to the surface.

I had to time this right. Soggy feathers aren't very fun. I had to stay as dry as possible.

After taking one more gulp of air, I backed up under the water. I shot forward, out of the water, like a torpedo.

Almost instantly, my structure crunched to less than a twentieth of my size. At the same time, I was growing feet, feathers, and a beak.

Seagulls weren't my favorite, but the second most important rule of being a Shifter is to blend in. I really wanted to turn into an eagle or something more impressive than a scrap-eater, just to tick off the sailors. But if Crystal found out, it'd be the end of me. Literally.

My wings caught air right before I hit the water. I sailed up.

Landing on the side of the tuna-boat, I stared into the blue-green water. It only lasted a moment before another seagull was perched beside me.

"Nice shift, Ems," Jack thought.

"Emma," I corrected.

Jack always called me "Ems" instead of my real mane. He's in love with me, I'm convinced.

Another thing about Jack, he can't keep his thought to himself. Shifters can choose to keep their thoughts to themselves, or to pass them along to the others. Jack still needs to master that first skill.

"Can I ask you a question?" he asked.

"No."

"Why?"

"Now you're asked me two questions."

"Whatever. So why don't you ever seem interested in me?"

"Because I'm not interested in you." I started flying away.

"Ems!" He flew after me.

"Stop calling me 'Ems!'"

"But it's such a cute nickname for you!"

"Like I care, jack. Like I care."

We kept flying; me straight ahead, Jack flying circles around me and trying to block my path.

I eventually lost him after we were over the US soil. Jack's always had a thing for disappearing. He knows how to make me happy.

Focusing my mind to where I was going, I shifted into a hawk. Hawks were faster than stinking seagulls. And they looked better.

I saw skyscrapers in the distance. They were just the right size for my distance.

Taking a well-formatted nosedive to the ground, I scanned the roads for my very well-known SUV.

Forest green caught my eye, mounted on four tired. The SUV.

I lightly perched myself on the roof of the car, ready for the ride. Hopefully, this was the right SUV.

I looked over at the road. There was a big dent and black streaks. Yup, it was Ben's SUV. I had about five minutes to get to his house, shift, and get some clothes.

Taking off again, I flew as fast as I could to his house. I drifted up to the thermals, gaining my needed speed.

Finding Ben's house was easy. And he had left his bedroom window open for me. He's so sweet.

Two more minutes till Ben got home.

I shifted to a human, quickly noting the time on his digital clock. I had two hours, starting at 4:32 P.M.

Finding the extra clothes that I always had stored at his house, I quickly got dressed. Time was everything.

Propping myself up against the side of his bed, fully clothed, I waited for Ben to come home.

I heard a door slam on the main floor of the house. Benny-boy was home.

Ben came into his room. He was just as hot as he used to be.

"Hey, sexy," I said.

He jumped, and turned around facing me. "Emma?"

"Benjamin?"

"Oh, my god! How did you get in here?"

"Window."

"Emma." He sat next to me. "God, I've missed you."

"I missed you too, baby."

Ben's lips pressed to mine. I felt his long, black hair tickling my cheeks. His hands traveled along my sides and down my back. "I love you, Ems."

I pulled away from him quickly.

"What?" Ben asked.

"Sorry. Just please don't call me 'Ems.'"

"M'kay." He kissed me again.

My arms locked behind his neck.

"I've got a question for you."

"What?" I asked.

"Why have we never had a decently long date? You always disappear after a couple hours."

"Um…" I thought as fast as I could. "It's a secret. I can't tell you."

"Emma? Please?"

"No," I giggled. "Hence it is being a secret."

"Emmy, please tell me? I'm your boyfriend! We're supposed to know everything about each other!"

"Benjamin Reid Thomas, I'm not telling you!"

"Fine. Be that way." Ben pulled me onto his lap and pressed his lips to my neck.

My fingers gripped his shirt, pulling it tight against his back. God, I loved him.

I really did want to tell Ben about the Shifters. I really did. But the number one rule of being a shifter is that you can't tell anyone about it. Anyone.

After another argument at 6:25 about my mysterious leaving, I ran down Ben's street and to the word so I could shift without anyone seeing me. It's harder than it seems.

Quickly stripping off my clothes, I ran farther into the tightly spaced trees. I didn't have much time left.

Again, I quickly shifted into a hawk. I had made the change just in time.

The good part about the location of Ben's house: it's only a five minute fly from the Shifter's headquarters. Convenient.

Headquarters: out human refuge. It has this special lining inside that lets us stay human, without the two-hour limit. But we don't stay there forever because plain white walls get boring after a day or so. And it smells bad enough to eventually drive some of us to insanity.

Landing in one of the changing areas, I shifted to a human again. I pulled on my clothes and made my way to the main area of headquarters.

Jack and Crystal were sitting on one of the white couches, flipping through the channels of a flat-screen TV that we could somehow afford.

"Hey, Ems," Jack called, his eyes not leaving the television screen. His arm rested on the edge of the couch, his thumb pressing the remote.

"How did you know it was me?" I asked.

"I can see you."

Crystal ruffled his light brown hair. "Leave Emmy alone, Jacky."

I smiled. Crystal was the only one that was allowed to give me a nickname.

She flipped her icy blue-blonde hair over her shoulder with her tan-skinned hand. She had round, deep brown eyes and a short and thin body.

Jack was completely different. He had short, light brown hair and light skin. He had bright green eyes and was tall and lanky, but surprisingly agile.

"Oh, so she doesn't have to call you by your real name, but I do?" Jack asked.

I nodded and smiled. "Just learn to deal with it."

"Fine," Jack grumbled.

Brad suddenly appeared by my side. He was tall, like Jack, but very muscular. He had short, dark brown hair that just covered his forehead. His eyes were a deep shade of brown contrasting with his light skin.

I quickly jumped onto Brad's back, my arms and legs wrapped around him. "I got you," I murmured, pressing my face into his hair.

"Where've you been?" Brad asked, helping my down.

"She's been with that human," Jack thought.

"Emma, I've warned you about him," Brad said out loud. "You know how easy it is to let things slip when you're getting serious with someone."

"But you and Crystal-"

"Are both Shifters," he finished my sentence. "Must I remind you every time?"

"It's just that-"

"No, Emma. It's because we both know how hard it is to keep our lives continuing through the years," Crystal said, getting up from the couch and skipping over to Brad.

I wandered into the room where our beds were. I found Taylor there. "Hey, Tay."

"Hi." Taylor's black hair was tied up in a ponytail, the end hanging over her shoulder.

I collapsed on my bed and pulled the blankets up over my face. God, I was tired.