Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride by James Patterson.

Maximum Ride

I watched people in uniforms running out of the Staff Corridor trying to escape the fire in the West wing. I looked slightly to my left and saw the East wing. Many people were escaping from there too, but the East Wing isn't similar to the West.

1) There wasn't even a fire in that section.

2) All of those escaping were wearing orange jumpsuits.

All of the guards were helping those in the West so no one noticed those escaping.

I saw my roommate come out of the East Wing. Although she wasn't wearing the jumpsuit like everybody else, she was wearing regular clothes. She must've been changing when she heard about the fire in the Staff Corridor. She ran into the woods, looking back every now and then probably making sure she wasn't being followed by the guards or they're dogs.

I was still wearing my jumpsuit. It had blood, stained from getting into fights in the yard.

Right now, I was watching both sides of the building from the back of a black pickup, with my back to the driver's seat.

The truck was parked about half a mile away from the prison.

I was handcuffed to a bar beside me. I'm guessing someone purposely put it there for a quiet obvious and self explanatory reason. To handcuff those who don't cooperate.

There were 4 others that were in the back of the pickup with me wearing they're jumpsuits handcuffed to a bar close by. So, 5 people in the back.

I only knew one person out of the 5 though.

It was a girl named Theresa Mathers but she likes to be called Tess.

Her cell was across from mine back at the prison. She had black hair with just about every color dyed on the tips. She also had multiple tattoos and piercings.

Just then, I saw a boy with strawberry blond hair wearing a red button up, a gray wife beater, and dark blue jeans with black converse running towards the truck panting.

"Dude did you see that shit? That was huge!" He finished his sentence laughing hysterically. He opened the car door and sat in the passenger seat. He must've been the one who caused it.

"Yeah I saw. You must be proud. Now come on, El called me. She says police is on there way and all ready know it's us," said the guy in the driver's seat. The engine started and finally, we were on the move.

As I continued to stare at the burning building, it gradually became smaller and smaller until I could only see a horizon of the sun setting in the distance. I could tell it was about 10:00 now. Might as well get some sleep now that I'm "free".

As I was closing my eyes, the other girl farthest from me chose now to speak up, "I'm sorry, I don't know you guys, but could you please tell me where you're taking us? I'm pretty sure like all of us would like to know."

I looked at the girl. She didn't look the type to be held as a prisoner. It looked as if she was a model. She was wearing make-up and her nails were done pink. How she got the supplies to do them was beyond me. My guess, she was a prostitute or a stripper. She had curly black hair with mocha skin.

The guy in the passenger seat looked in the rear view mirror and smiled at her. "Illinois."

The black haired girl raised an eyebrow, "Why that far? You're bound to get caught." You see, we were held in one of Virginia, in one of the highest prisons in the United States.

"Dude, she doubts are skills," He mumbled to the driver. The red head closed his eyes and leaned his head back smiling, "We have to get my girlfriend."

The guy driving smirked, "My pregnant little sister."

"I don't regret it one bit."

"Wait 'till my mom hears."

I could imagine his face fall and I smiled, "Where in Illinois?"

The driver spoke, "Naperville. There are a lot of people there, so it's good that we're arriving at about at about 2 in the morning." He pulled out an Ipod out of his back pocket. He unlocked it then locked it again. "It's almost 11:00. We have a big day tomorrow."

I nodded and closed my eyes ready for deep sleep.

Flashback

I was playing basketball with some guys in the yard when I heard something crash and explode.

I smelled something burning.

"Rico! Lamar! Donny! Lift me up to the roof!" I called out to the guys I met when I first came here.

The three of them were really tall, huge, and strong.

Donny bent down so I could sit on his shoulders. Rico and Lamar picked up Donny by his legs. When they were all good and balanced, I could only reach the gutter with my finger tips…

I sighed, "Donny stay still." I began to put my foot up on his shoulder when I believe Lamar lost his footing.

I made a quick decision.

I pushed both my feet up on top of his shoulders and leaped on to the roof. I was about to land head first so I spun and moved into a fetal position with my back to the ground until I made contact with the cement. I did a commando roll so the landing didn't leave me with any fatal injuries.

I stood up clapped my hands making sure there wasn't any dirt and looked up to see what was happening.

"You guys!" I called out to the ones below me, "There's a fire in the West Wing!"

I heard something explode and heard someone yelling that there weren't any guards watching us in the yard.

"Max!" Lamar said to me with his deep voice, "Jump down. E'r'body's leavin'. The doors ain't locked at the entrance."

I took a running start about 6 feet away from the edge and jumped off. I landed by one of the tables where you get to eat lunch.

As I was exiting the non-burning building, someone grabbed my arm and pulled me in the other direction my fellow prison mates were going.

It was a guy in black. Black hair eyes, shirt, pants. Everything he wore was black.

I pulled my arm back out of the guy's grip to see my 'kidnapper'.

It was a male. He had olive toned skin and had a height of about 5"10' with long but manageable black hair and eyes. He was wearing black vans, dark wash jeans, and a dark gray wife beater.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

He looked hesitant. He looked around, "Not now. I'll explain once it's clear."

I followed him into a forest warily and into a clearing where a black pickup truck was parked.

"I need your help with a favor."

I eyed him carefully, "What favor?"

He looked frustrated "Something that when and if we succeed, you'll be rich with thousands." I raised an eyebrow, "I'll explain when we're on the road."

"We?"

"A friend and a couple more of you guys."

I nodded and turned around so I could look at the jail.

I heard something from the woods and turned around.

It was just a deer.

I heard the guy sigh behind me. He'd been moving, getting stuff out of the truck. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" I turned around and in a moment one of his arms wrapped around my waist tightly while the other covered my mouth with a napkin, which smelled of something really sweet yet salty.

All of a sudden, I became tired and fell in in his arms.

Fang

"This," I sighed.

I made sure my grip on her was secure so when she awoke she wouldn't be even more angry then she'd already be if I ended up dropping her, leaving her with a bruise.

I let the napkin fall onto the ground so I could pick her up bridal style with both arms.

I put her in the back of the truck, and made sure she was at least sitting.

I opened my door, the driver's side, and took out a set of handcuffs that were in the glove box. I then closed my door and went back to the girl sleeping.

I locked the band around her left hand and put the chain through the bar then handcuffed her other hand.

'There,' I thought to myself, 'Now four more people to go.'