A/N: This is a crossover between Sons of Anarchy and Maximum Ride. Maximum Ride is based on a James Patterson, young adult book series. Probably not the best movie, but it was fun, and I liked the characters. I'm sure I have some OOC going, and the timelines, especially for The Sons of Anarchy, is all wacked out. Sorry to those that bothers.
disclaimer: I own nothing and make no money from either of these two fandoms.
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Max looked down into the warehouse from the ceiling beams, her face grim. Nudge was with her, and she HATED that, but Iggy was blind and Fang was dead. She needed back-up. She didn't let her heart clench at the thought of Fang's death. He was gone, and they weren't; end of story. Back in the current moment though, three men were about to rape a woman, after having beaten her senseless, and she just wasn't going to allow that. None of The Flock would be allowing things like that, any more.
The Flock had been heading through the woods, back to the small cave they'd been staying in, when Angel had stopped abruptly. She'd turned to Max, her face frozen in terror, and projected what she 'saw'. A very attractive older, brunette lady was being tied up and beaten by three men, and the three men weren't going to leave it at that. So Max had sent the other three to the cave, and she and Nudge came to rescue the lady.
"Careful to be sure they don't have any weapons on them," Max whispered. Nudge nodded. Then Max motioned with her head to where a desk stood. "They all put their guns down on that desk, but you just don't know if they have knives or anything else." Max never wanted to be shot again. She'd been through it twice now, and that was enough. She also wanted to teach Nudge everything she possibly could, so the younger girl was prepared. "I want you to grab one of their guns," again Nudge nodded.
Since their trip to New York, their run ins with the School, Max getting shot again and Fang's death, The Flock had been training with weapons as well as their flying and hand to hand combat. "I'll make sure the safety is off. I'll fire once in the air to distract them. I won't fire if you or the woman are in the line of sight, and I will fire if one comes near me. I won't panic, but I'll take my time."
Max nodded proudly. "Ok, let's do this."
One of the men was putting the bound woman on the ground. He was telling her she was to be a message to someone or more than one someone. Nudge was at the desk when Max dropped down, her wings spread out, and snarled at the men. "Hey! Why don't you Jerks pick on someone your own size?" which was sort of funny since Max was even smaller than the brunette lady.
"What the fuck?" One of the men murmured underneath his white mask.
"You cowardly pukes, too scared to even show your faces."
One of the men charged Max, and she spun into a kick, which hit him in the gut and sent him flying backwards about ten feet. Not her best kick, but she'd do better.
When the other two men made to move, a gunshot rang out, and the three men whipped around to see the young black girl holding one of their firearms, pointed to the ceiling. They began to yell racial slurs, and the stockiest of the men turned towards the teen. Max was already grabbing the last man by his shirt, swinging him, and sending him skidding across the ground, and hitting the wall hard.
Nudge saw the stocky man coming. Neither Max, nor the woman were in the way. It was scary, seeing the large man in the white mask, screaming profanities at her and charging her, but she kept calm, aimed, and fired the weapon. The man jerked to a stop in surprise, looking down at his chest to see bright red blooming across his shirt.
Max was too busy punching the man she'd kicked. She hit him with an uppercut, he jerked off his feet and went about a foot in the air, and then once again she nailed him in the gut with her boot. This time he hit the wall behind him with such force, it broke… something. Well, he wouldn't be getting up again. She looked over to see that Nudge had shot a man, and he had dropped to his knees. "Again," she called out to the girl. Nudge nodded sharply and shot the man again. Never leave an enemy behind.
Max stalked up to the third man who was crying. "You're crying?" she asked, almost in disbelief. "The things you were going to do to that lady, and the 'message' you were so tough it was taking three of you to send, and you're crying?" Max sneered. "Well, I don't need you to send a message for me. Your body will be enough." Saying this, Max reached out in the space of an indrawn breath, and snapped the man's neck. "Wallets," she called out to Nudge, who was busy putting the weapons safely in her backpack.
Max moved over to the woman, lying on the ground, sobbing without making a sound. She jumped as Max knelt beside her. "Hey, it's okay. They aren't going to hurt you anymore," she said in the same voice she used to soothe Angel after a bad dream, as she cut the zip ties. "They're dead and gone. No threat to anyone."
Gemma looked up into the face of a beautiful, young blonde girl. Had she seen wings when the girl showed up? The girl helped her to sit up, and she saw a second girl, younger with darker skin, but again, very pretty. That girl was bagging up items in the room. Gemma hurt so badly from the beating, but she also felt great relief. She knew what they were going to do, but these girls had stopped it. She just couldn't stop crying.
"What do we do now," the young black girl was asking the blonde.
"I think we're going to have to take her to the others for now," Max said, still holding the woman. She could imagine some of what the woman suffered. And the fear. "When she calms down, we can get her home."
Nudge just nodded. The two girls walked out to the edge of the woods, from where they'd entered, Max carrying the woman.
Gemma was beyond startled as the slip of a blonde girl picked her up, and carried her bridal style from the area. Then she knew she had seen wings, because both girls began flying, their wings spreading and flapping slowly. "Who are you?" she managed to whisper.
Max smiled down at the woman, "I'm Max, and that's Nudge. I'm taking you to my family, and in a little while, when you're feeling better, I'll get you to yours."
It didn't take long to get to the cave. They'd done their best to make it as habitable as possible, but in the end it was still a cave. Still, Max was proud of what they had been able to accomplish, and it was only temporary.
When they entered the cave, it was lit up, and Gemma was once again stunned. Children. There were three more children in the cave. These children were living in a cave. Well, one of the two boys was probably around the same age as the blonde girl, but the other two were younger than the first three. A girl and a boy, maybe eleven, if that.
The oldest boy spoke, "You BROUGHT her here?"
"She's hurt, Iggy. I'm not sure she could tell us how to get her home," the blonde calmly explained.
He nodded once. "Let me get the first aid kit."
Gemma watched them closely. He moved over to them, handing the blonde a large white box. Then she saw his eyes; a milky white sheen to them. "You're blind?" she whispered.
He smiled widely at her, "Only with the eyes."
He was adorable, she thought. They were all beautiful children. "Do you all have wings?"
All five of them stilled for a moment before relaxing, and four heads turned to look at the youngest girl. "We believe you, Angel, and of course she saw me and Nudge. It's still just sometimes… surprising to have someone else know."
"Her name's Angel?" Gemma found it easier if she didn't think of what had happened. She simply concentrated on the five in front of her. "So we have Max, Nudge, Iggy, Angel, and…" she looked to the youngest boy.
"Gazzy,' he told her proudly.
"Gazzy," she murmured. "I'm Gemma."
Max was cleaning up her wounds, and being very gentle.
"Thank you," Gemma told them.
"You're welcome," Max told her, making eye contact. The blonde girl had dark, moss colored eyes.
"How old are you all? Do you mind me asking questions?"
Max shrugged. This woman's questions didn't really bother her. "Iggy and I are either eighteen or nineteen. Nudge is fifteen, and Angel and Gazzy just turned ten."
"How long have you been living here?"
Max looked at Iggy. He was thinking. "I believe three weeks now," he estimated.
Gemma looked around at the multitude of pillows and blankets. A small area had been turned into what she would assume was a kitchen with coolers, five huge waters jugs, and a small camp stove. "You've made it quite homey."
Max shrugged again. "We're doing our best. We had a house but it was destroyed. We've sort of been all over the place, but were led here. Don't know how long we'll stay."
"Do you mind me asking where your parents are?" Gemma spoke gently, worried she'd scare them off.
"We don't have parents," Nudge said numbly. Their parents had sold them, hadn't given a damn. "We have each other."
"There, all done," Max told Gemma with a smile. She'd cleaned, medicated and bandaged every wound that she could.
"You could come home with me?" Gemma offered. She could put them in the dorms of the Clubhouse. The boys would just have to go elsewhere to get lucky. Some of the boys lived there, but that wouldn't be bad, they could help take care of the kids.
"Oh, no, we couldn't do that," Max murmured. She sort of wanted to. She liked this woman, Gemma.
Feeling Gemma's sorrow, Iggy explained. "We can't because we're being hunted. They made us, they've tortured us, experimented on us, killed one of us…"
Nudge burst out crying, "That was my fault."
"No, Nudge, no, it wasn't your fault." Max moved over, pulling the girl into her arms. "No."
But Nudge was nodding. "I wanted to find our parents. I thought we'd been taken… Fang died because of me and my being foolish."
Max moved back, and held Nudge's face in her hands. "Fang died because they saw him as a threat. They see us as a threat. If we aren't doing what they want, we are a threat."
"Like I said," Iggy cleared his throat. "We're being hunted. And we won't put anyone into danger because of us."
"But helping me put you all in danger," Gemma told them. "I'm married to the President of the local, Mother Chapter of the Sons of Anarchy. It's a Motorcycle Club. And my son is the Vice President. We're already in constant danger, but we, well normally, can take care of ourselves and those we protect. I was just stupid. We, the Sons, can help protect you."
Again, four heads turned to look at the youngest girl, who was staring at Gemma.
"We… could try it," Gazzy suggested. "If we didn't like it, or it didn't work, we could come back here."
They all looked to Max. "Are you sure?" she asked. "You don't know us. Your family doesn't know us."
Gemma reached over and grabbed one of Max's hands, "You saved me, Max. I'm positive."
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The next morning, The Flock, Max carrying Gemma again, flew to the edge of the woods that backed up Teller-Morrow and the Clubhouse. As they walked through the lot, towards the garage, Gazzy could hardly stop bouncing. Gemma was between Iggy and Max using them to help her keep moving.
"I think we were MEANT to come here," he told them enthusiastically.
"Why Gazzy?" Iggy took the bait and asked.
"Sam Crow, Crow… get it… Crows have wings." The boy seemed pleased with his logic. Max rolled her eyes, but did it where he couldn't see.
"Gemma!" a man's voice cried out.
And The Flock stopped as a large man began running towards them. Gemma rubbed their shoulders. "It's okay," she soothed. "That's my husband, Clay."
More men, having heard Clay yell, were coming out of the garage, and moving towards Gemma and the youths. Nudge hid behind Iggy, and Angel held onto Max's free hand, and hid behind her.
Clay had reached them, and his face blanched as he saw Gemma's beaten face. "Oh my God, what happened, Baby?"
She moved from between Max and Iggy, straight into Clay's arms, sobbing. She couldn't speak.
Max felt HIGHLY uncomfortable. All of the men kept looking between Gemma, and them. She cleared her throat. "Three men took Gemma. They, uh…" was she supposed to use the word rape…it hadn't happened…
"They beat me and they were going to do more, but Max and Nudge saved me." Gemma choked out.
Max looked everywhere but at the men, and Nudge blushed, and hid her face in the back of Iggy's shoulder.
"Who're Max and Nudge," a very handsome blonde man asked. He didn't look as old as most of the men.
"Max," she held her hand up, and then pointed to the younger black girl, still hiding, "Nudge."
The men looked at the two slight girls in disbelief. This annoyed Max.
"Who were they," Clay ground out, his eyes still examining his wife's face.
Gemma looked shocked. She'd never found out.
"OH!" Nudge exclaimed, and jumped a bit. "I got their wallets!" She put her backpack on the ground and knelt to dig through it.
"Are those… guns in there?" an older man with wild, curly hair that stuck up everywhere, a goatee, and bright blue eyes asked, looking down into the bag.
"Uh huh," Nudge agreed, as if it was an everyday occurrence, not stopping. She pulled out the three wallets. "William Van Owen, Michael Skogel, and AJ Weston…" she looked up at Max, "Weston is the one I shot." She looked at the picture. "Maybe I'm glad now he had that mask on, he is ugly."
"You shot him?" one of the men asked, staring skeptically at the girl.
Max rolled her eyes. "Yeah, had to do something with them. And we learned the hard way, never leave an enemy alive to come after you later. We killed all three."
Gazzy wasn't feeling quite as enthusiastic about staying anymore. These men were big, and they looked… rough. "Maybe this wasn't the best idea," he said hesitantly inching closer to Max.
Nudge had stood, putting her backpack on again. "I agree with Gazzy," she murmured, and stepped behind Iggy again.
He could feel the hesitation and anxiety rolling off of Gazzy and Nudge. Iggy nodded slowly, "Yeah."
Max took a step in front of her Flock. "We're sorry, Gemma. We really appreciate your offer. No one has ever done such a thing for us, but… It would probably be best for us to go home…"
"No" Gemma protested, and moved away from Clay, though he resisted. "Ignore them. All of them. They don't know you. But I do, and I want you here."
"Mmm," Max grimaced, her eyes flying over the men again. She met the blue eyes of the blonde man, his face blank, and she shook her head. "I think there is too much risk." She looked at The Flock, and then back to Gemma. "They're all I have."
Jax looked away from the blonde girl, and saw his mother getting upset at the thought of this group leaving.
Max had reached out one hand, Gemma grasping onto it. She liked Gemma. She had found herself wanting to be around the older woman. But she had to care for her family. Still. "You know where we are. You are always welcome to come visit us," she offered. "But I can't risk my family." Her eyes flickered to blue eyes again.
The men instantly noticed when the four heads turned to look at the youngest girl. She was studying each one of the men in turn. She looked at them unhappily.
"I'm sorry, Angel," Max said gently. "You know we go by vote."
The little girl burst out talking, and Gemma was startled, she hadn't heard Angel speak yet.
"But they aren't like Jeb! They won't cut on us, or put the shocks on us. And they aren't like Ari! No stabbing, no pain. We could TELL them… They can keep secrets! They won't tell! It could be SAFE!" she begged. Even as she spoke, the entire group of youths were retreating from the men. "They won't tell our secrets. Even if HE came for us, even if THEY came for us, they," Angel pointed to the Sons, "wouldn't let them take us."
Gazzy was shaking his head. "You don't KNOW that, Angel. You're just hoping that." Gazzy looked at the men again, fear in his eyes. "They could be just like Jeb, or the scientists in New could be just like Erasers. They FEEL like them."
Angel ran forward and hugged Gemma. Then, wiping a few tears from her cheeks, she moved back to Max. Nudge, too, shyly moved over hugging Gemma, then jogged to Iggy.
"Bye, Gemma. Please come see us," Gazzy smiled at her a little sadly.
"Bye, pretty lady," Iggy gave her his adorable smile.
"You don't know I'm pretty, Iggy," she laughed through a choked up throat.
"Of course I do," he said confidently, and pointed to his face, "just because the eyes can't see, doesn't mean I don't."
Max moved forward a few steps, and Gemma met her halfway. Max hugged Gemma, and smiled at her. "You take care of yourself, Gemma. Come see us. I'm sorry this didn't work. I know it's what you wanted." Her eyes took in the sight of the Sons frowning at them all. She shook her head. "There's just too much… threat." Then Max stepped back from Gemma, giving her one more smile, before turning and striding to Angel, and taking the little girl's hand.
"Oh, when you come, if you wanted to bring metal, or pipes, or…" Gazzy began, and four voices called out, "NO!" The boy stopped with a grumble.
The Sons and Gemma watched as the rag tag group disappeared into the forest.
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