Eris: Yeah, I probably shoudn't be starting a new story, but whatever. I have Maximum Ride on the brain. This takes place after ANGEL and WILL BE ABOUT FAX!

Iggy: AND the both of us are the main characters.

Eris: I may love Iggy, but I promise that we won't be, you know, together.

Iggy: And since Max/Dylan is currently cannon, it—

Eris: —UNFORTUNATELY!

Iggy: —will be in the beginning. But Eris promises that there will be FAX.

Eris: So anyway, enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Maximum Ride. If I did, Iggy would be mine and Dylan would be hanging in my nonexistant cellar. Hm, note to self: get a cellar.

Prologue

Everyone has their skeletons in the closet, even Dylan. What happens when his comes back to haunt him? Eventual FAX, I/E, Ratchet/Star, and OC/OC; after ANGEL

"Dylan."

A young man, sixteen at least with sandy brown hair and blazing blue eyes stepped into the room. He was quite handsome, with a cold face and hardened eyes: perfection. At the sound of his name, Dylan turned and walked calmly over to the female scientist standing over a microscope. "Dr. Camerose" was written on her nametag.

"Mother?"

"How are you feeling?" she asked without looking up.

"My body is strong; I feel no pain."

The woman looked up at that, a cruel smile on her lips. "Good." She responded, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You are strong, my son. You are perfect and will save the world from its humanity." She returned to her microscope, jotting down notes every here and there.

The woman was dressed in a white lab coat with her light blond hair tied out of her face in a ponytail. She had piercing blue eyes, like her son, and high cheekbones. Wrinkles of old age were beginning to make her stony face sag, but she still looked much younger than she actually was.

"Mother, you promised me wings." Dylan said. Dr. Camerose looked up at him.

"You are perfect; I have given you everything: enhanced strength, speed, sight, reflexes, and strengthened your pheromone dosage along with—"

"I want wings." He insisted. The scientist sighed and turned her entire body to face him.

"But— fine; you shall have your wings. Once my colleagues and I have finished the Chiroptera Project, you shall have your wings." She assured, turning back to her work. Dylan nodded slowly before exiting the room.

"Give me one more week, my son, and you shall have your wings."

"Eris, can you hear me?"

I groaned, opening an eye to stare at the boy talking to me. When my eyes focused, I recognized a familiar set of black eyes and sooty brown hair with the tips naturally white. He grinned at me and reached his hand out through the bars of his cage, attempting to reach me.

"What, Maxx?"

"We're getting outta here." He answered, the grin still on his face. I practically jumped awake, but only then did I realize the forming of a bruise on his left cheek.

"What happened?"

Maxx shrugged and leaned against the bars of his cage. "You know, the usual. They come for experiments, we struggle, they beat us 'til we're unconscious."

I remained silent, playing with my strands of white hair. How do you respond to something like that? You don't; that's what. We were breathing in time, Maxx and I, until two scientists walked in, one of them carrying a bag of blood. My stomach lurched hungrily as he crouched down by my cage.

"Be careful, Pierson. She's part Diaemus youngi, part white-winged vampire bat. Dangerous, you know?" the one still standing warned. Pierson nodded once and slid the bag into my cage. Tentatively, I moved toward it. I quickly snatched the bag up and tore into it with my tiny fangs, lapping at the ice cold blood hungrily. I could practically see the fascination on both scientists' faces.

I was a lab experiment; that was the only way I was able to eat. Maxx and the others were barely fed, but because I can't stomach their food they feed me separately. Therefore, I fed differently and the scientists observed the whole entire time.

Being 10% vampire bat really sucks.

But that's not the half of it! I was completely normal once; when I was six I was kidnapped by ITEX and used in their experiments for a new brand of executioners: the Chiroptera Project. I wasn't originally part of it because I was the first to be taken and experimented on. I was originally in their plan to create a race of vampires (using vampire bat DNA), but they used too much of the bat's genetics so I ended up with wings along with fangs and a stomach for only blood.

The others soon followed, three of them older than me. A scientist named Annie Camerose began a new project. The project involving six avian-human hybrids backfired, so Dr. Camerose decided to try something new. With the experiment on me being a little too successful, they shifted their view from mythical creatures to a new brand of flight sufficient animals: bats.

And that's basically my story, just like the others. Kidnapped and then given a painful transformation that almost killed us. Well, it did kill three of us. Originally there were nine of us still kicking; now there's six, Maxx and I included.

"Feed the others; don't want 'em dying. Yet." Pierson said with a laugh. The other scientist chuckled too and went to fetch my comrades some food. I licked the excess blood from my fingers before staring at myself in disgust.

What have I become?

"Eris?" Maxx called out to me. I turned to look at him sadly; my once blue eyes now pitch black. "Are you alright?"

I was furious to see tears begin to form in my eyes and blinked them back the best I could. I nodded slowly, pulling my legs up to my chin and resting on them. "It's just… I remember being human, and now I feel so much like an animal that it disgusts me."

"We're all in the same boat." Maxx assured me. I glared at him.

"How can you know how I feel?" I demanded harshly. "I-I can only live off of feeding on mammalian or avian blood. I physically cannot stomach any other food. Do you know how horrifying it is? No! You don't!"

Maxx just sat there in his crate and watched me. I stopped speaking and sat there in silence once more, our breathing evening out and joining together once more.

"It'll all be okay. One more hour, and then we're free." He promised. I turned to look at him and smiled to the best of my ability. I'm sure the sight was gruesome; I still had blood in my mouth and I could feel it dripping down my fangs. Maxx smiled back and reached out to link his fingers with mine. At that moment, a door swung open and in stepped a labcoat with glassed and blond hair complete with a graying mustache.

"My name is Jeb; I am here to help you."

I eyed him warily as he opened Maxx's cage and then mine. With a quick tuck and roll I was out and crouched by my leader, Double X (AKA, Maxx). Four cages later, Finn, Otto, Cale, and Lány were out and by our side. Maxx tugged me into a standing position and dragged me down the hall after the strange labcoat who was rescuing us.

"Quickly now; we don't have much time." Jeb pressed as we soon broke out into a run. No alarms had been set off yet, but I had a bad feeling about this. Turn after turn, I was beginning to feel like we'd never get out, but the next turn led us face to face with a boy who I will never forget: Dylan Camerose, the son of the labcoat who did this to me: who did this to all of us.

"Jeb Batchelder, I presume?" he said rather coldly. Jeb stepped in front of us and Maxx pushed me behind him with the others.

"Dylan, such a promising boy. Why do you willingly let your mother experiment on you?"

"She makes me better, stronger. I am perfect."

"Perfectly insane…" Cale muttered from beside me. Dylan's eyes flashed to the reddish-brown haired boy beside me. I nudged him harshly and he shut up.

"Why do you wish to set my mother's experiments free?" he asked. Maxx stood up to his full height and stepped up beside Jeb.

"Why do you wish to stop us?"

Dylan turned to look at Maxx, a smile on his deadly lips. "You see, after my mother finishes with her experimentation on you six, she will give me wings so I can fly, Experiment W7643d."

"Why would you want to fly? I wish I was normal…" I whispered. Dylan turned to look at me and Maxx gave me a glance that said be-quiet-before-he-kills-you.

"Flying is a gift, one you seem to squander and not appreciate, Subject VP01." He replied, taking a step towards us. "No more talking; I will not let you escape!"

He tossed Jeb out of the way, causing him to fly sideways, crack his skull against the wall, and fall unconscious. Maxx snarled and grabbed Dylan's shirt, pushing him backwards and away from the rest of us. Lány whimpered and cowered behind me.

"GO!" Maxx shouted. Ahead was the exit; it wouldn't take much effort to push by the superhuman. With a hesitant glance at Maxx fighting Dylan, I pushed Lány and Otto forward while Finn and Cale followed behind us. I glanced backward and could tell that Maxx was going to lose. Dylan had him up against the wall and was bashing his head against it over and over. I grabbed Finn's wrist and pointed.

"Shall we?" I asked.

"Let's." He replied. I nodded and we raced back inside. I grabbed Dylan around the throat and tugged while Finn broke his arm, causing him to release Maxx. Maxx coughed and spluttered, his eyes rolling back and blood pouring from his fractured skull. The scent was making me go wild, but I hung onto Dylan. The superhuman wrenched me off of him and tossed me backward.

"Eris!" Finn shouted as Dylan lumbered over to him. He swung and caught Finn in the mouth causing a stream of blood to fly out. Angrily, Finn grabbed Dylan by the hair and swung him against the wall.

Adrenaline pounded through my veins as I launched myself at Dylan. He caught my foot and pushed me backward; then he grabbed Finn and bashed him over the head with his fist, using it like a club.

"I will have my wings!" Dylan shouted, grabbing Maxx's unconscious body and twisting his neck until it cracked. I screamed in horror and fury.

Dylan had just killed Maxx.

Once again I launched myself at Dylan, but he didn't have a chance to react. I sunk my teeth into his throat and tore into the tender flesh. Dylan roared in pain and swatted at me, but hell hath no fury like a… uh, woman whose friend was just brutally murdered. I know that's not the actual saying, but close enough.

With one twist, I snapped Dylan's neck and yanked his head clean off, fighting the urge to feast on his remains. Finn stared at Maxx's dead body and at me holding the head of the one who killed our friend.

"E-eris?" Finn tentatively asked. Disgusted with myself, I dropped the head and backed away slowly. My hands were covered in blood and my stomach let out a fierce, hungry growl. Finn took a step towards me as I stood there in horror. I'd never killed a person before; it was… painful.

"I-I killed him…"

Finn nodded slowly, grabbed my wrist, and began pulling me out the door. Surprisingly, no one else had come to stop us.

"Eris, we gotta go."

"But, Maxx—"

"We gotta go." Finn pressed. I nodded and followed him out; the hospital gown I was wearing was not very good at insulating me as I lifted my arms and spread my wings. Finn was already up in the air and with several flaps of my arms and a running start I managed to join him. With a final glance backwards at the ITEX branch we were captive in for several years, I flapped my arms and my white tinted wings carried me towards my family.

A single tear fell in remembrance of what happened here: the first time I watched my family die and the first time I killed someone.

But, we were free. Finally, we were free from this hellhole. I bit my lip and soared upward, content to feel the wind on my face and my bare toes. I noticed Lány falling back a bit so I zoomed close to her and nudged her arm, helping her fly.

"Where's Double X?" she asked. Finn glanced back at me and I gave her a forced smile.

"He had to stay back."

"Why?" Cale piped up. Lány nodded in agreement, her baby blue eyes searching. Finn flew closer to us and took over the explaining.

"Because he sacrificed himself for our escape."

"You mean he's—" Cale started and Finn nodded.

"Yes. Maxx is dead."

No one said a word as we flew onward. Our hearts were heavy, but we were free; free at last.

"Finn, where are we going?" I asked after the silence became too oppressive. Finn scanned the horizon, noticing an abandoned ski cabin. He pointed with his finger and began to decrease his altitude.

"There."

We all followed silently behind him, mourning the loss of our dearest friend.

Dr. Camerose stepped into the hallway, smiling sadistically. The experiments were better than she expected. Due to adding more animal DNA to their genetic code, they were able to fly almost instantly. Though it was a shame that Experiment W7643d was terminated, the raw fury held within Subject VP01 was extraordinary. It was all that they had hoped for and more.

"In time, we shall see how well you adapt and more tests will be run on a later date." With a pitiful glance to her decapitated son, she continued. "But at the moment, we will begin tests for cloning my son."

She stepped towards the unconscious man in a lab coat. She "tsk"ed softly and kneeled beside him.

"Jeb Batchelder. Such a shame you didn't realize it was all a set up." she grinned sadistically. "Well, I'm afraid I cannot have you remember this encounter. Guard!"

At her shout, a wolf-shaped man came into the room. Dr. Camerose pointed at Jeb.

"Take him and have his memory… altered."

The guard nodded and took his unconscious body away. Dr. Camerose then turned to her dead son, a rueful smile on her face.

"You impulsiveness led to this, my son." She said, stroking his hair matted with blood. "But, I shall remake you and give you those wings you sought after so fiercely."

She called over another guard.

"Have this room cleaned and take my son to Room 541 for experimenting."

The guard nodded and did as he was told. Dr. Camerose gently wiped the blood from her fingers, stood, straightened her jacket, and briskly walked back to her lab, her high heels echoing through the hallways.

The Chiroptera Project would have to go on hold for the moment. The Flock was still acting as fugitives and they were going to need someone to use as a distraction. She grinned. Her son could help out with that endeavor.

Dr. Camerose stopped once more and stared at the dead experiment that had been terminated minutes prior by her son. Perhaps—

"Guard! Take this experiment to my Lab. I wish to… revive it."

The guard nodded and did as he was told.