Okay. The first version of this story, I started to really hate, so I decided to delete it, and now, I've got this new and improved version of it (I know that whenever commercials say that, it just turns out to be crap, but really, this is new and improved). Again, I will say this: I'm sorry if I'm a very bad writer, but hey, bear with me here. I don't have much experience with FF yet, so, yeah.

Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride (James Patterson is soooooooo lucky!)

1

Good God, what is the freaking deal with Erasers?!?!?!?! Seriously!
They turn up everywhere I go! I stare at every strange guy that walks by me, scared that he'll transform into a wolf-human mutant at any moment! God, they scare the crap out of me! I mean seriously, Erasers! Why not just get me a big alarm system that lets me know when you're coming, eh?

But no, not for me, thanks. Because I, Maximum Ride, always have to deal with the hard stuff.

Okay, in case you're new on this crazy, wacko ride that I call my life, let me clue you in. I'm Maximum Ride, Max for short. I'm fourteen, and on the run, with five other kids that I would so totally call my family. Fang (14), Iggy (14 and blind), Nudge (11 and a freakish motermouth), Gazzy (the Gasman, 8) and Angel (6). Together, we are the Mutant Bird Freaks of America (Superhero music cues in about here). Oh, did I forget to mention that we have freaking wings?!?!?!?!??! No? Okay then, now you know.

We were created at a place that we call the School, by insane, wacko scientists that we call whitecoats. A guy named Jeb had gotten us out of there, four years ago. He trained us how to fight, how to fly, and how to survive. We considered him like a dad. And then he "died". Or more of, disappeared. Then, we found out that Jeb was a traitor. A filthy, lying, misleading traitor. But that's a completely different story, and I'm not going to go into that right now.

Okay, back to the present.

I aimed a roundhouse kick at an Eraser's chest. The wind left him with a whoosh, but he came right back at me, claws outstretched. I side stepped him, planting an uppercut kick at his spine. I heard a disgusting, sickening crack, and the Eraser fell down to the ground.

Yuck.

I did a quick 360, scanning the area rapidly with my raptor vision. Oh yeah, that's another thing about the flock and I: We have raptor vision, and extremely good hearing (especially Iggy). I happen to have a power of supersonic speed (I've reached speeds at about 280 miles per hour!). Gazzy can mimic any voice perfectly (a very annoying habit of his). Angel can read minds, control minds, breathe underwater, and talk to fish. God, she scares me sometimes.

Anyways, I did a quick 360. Fang and Iggy were holding out strong in the big mass of Erasers, kicking butt as they went. Nudge was some feet away, sporting a bloody lip and black eye, but still totally kicking Eraser butt. Gazzy and Angel fought side by side, Gazzy kicking, Angel controlling Eraser minds. Actually, they were in the air, hovering, and Gazzy was kicking at any Eraser that came flying at him, but still, they were fighting.

"You're gonna die bird girl" a voice said behind me. God that made me jump.

Instinct made me do a back flip, landing behind whoever was threatening me. And who else should that be, but Ari.

Ari was Jeb's son. He had like a big grudge against me, considering how Jeb had left Ari to the whitecoats, and they'd made him into an Eraser. But again, that's a completely different story, and I'm not gonna launch into it right now.

"Go burn in heck Ari" I spat, swinging a punch at his head. Ari ducked. "Feisty, aren't we?" he teased.

A hot, boiling anger welled up inside me. I launched myself at Ari, punching him in the nose. I felt it break beneath my fist, and Ari yelped, clutching his nose, but the pain only made him fight harder. Crap.

I aimed a kick at Ari, but Ari grabbed my ankle, swinging me in a circle and then tossing me a good few yards away. Like a pop up doll, I sprung straight back up, now only madder at Ari.

I opened my wings, knocking Ari in the stomach with a kick. Ari keeled over, and I finished him off with an uppercut punch to his Adam's apple. Gasping and choking, Ari fell to his knees, clutching his gut. I dashed off, checking on my flock.

Fang, Iggy, Gazzy, and Angel were fine, still holding out strong. Nudge, however, looked completely banged up. She looked as though she were reeeeeeeeeeeeeeally tired. I ran over and helped her, finishing off the Eraser that was taunting her with a kick to his spine. "Hey guys!" I yelled at my flock. "Up and-"

Cha-Chig

Oh crap. This day had just gotten really bad. You know why? Because my flock and I had just heard the sound of a .44 magnum being loaded to be fired.

Iggy POV

We'd all heard it. The sound of a .44 magnum being loaded. Aw, crap, this day just keeps getting better and better doesn't it?

Just because I'm blind, doesn't mean that I can't hear. In fact, I have the best hearing out of all the flock. And, when it comes to setting off bombs, trust me, I kick major butt.

Anyway, hearing the magnum being locked and loaded wasn't really helping the flock and I. Like, at all.

And then, I heard something that made me stop dead in my tracks. A freaking machine gun being locked and loaded. Oh double crap, this is gonna get really fun.

And then, I heard an Eraser whisper "Target sighted. She's about to be taken out". Oh God. Max.

Max POV

Ok, the sound of a .44 magnum being locked and loaded really doesn't make my day. But that didn't mean that was gonna stop me from still kicking some major Eraser butt.

I had just knocked out my-er…..-like, 500th Eraser when I heard Iggy shout "Max! Behind you!"

Instinct totally kicked in, and I bolted to the right. I heard the slight noise of a trigger being pulled, and then the sound of a freaking machine gun being fired. Oh crap-crap-crap-crap-crap-crap-crap-crap-crap-CRAP!!!!!!!!!

My first concern was the flock being okay, but that nearly escaped me when I felt the most excruciating pain in my right wing. Oh crap. I'd been hit by one of the machine gun bullets.

Okay, I can't hold back the swear words any longer. SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dang it hurt like freaking heck!!!!!!

Sucking up the pain, I clutched my right wing, feeling warm blood ooze out of it. OH CRAP!!!!!!

And then, what should happen, but Ari butt in. I felt a sudden weight hit me in the back, and I fell face forward. Ari sat on top of me, causing my chest to like, oh I dunno, BREAK!!!!!!

Because come on, having a 120 pound Eraser on you isn't exactly a picnic.

I felt hot breath on my neck, and knew that Ari was going to bite me on the neck. Crap-crap-crap-crap-crap-damn-crap-crap-crap……

And then the weight was released off of me. I sat bolt upright, gasping for breath because I had just held a 120 pound freaking ERASER on my back.

And who should I see fight with Ari, but Fang.

I jumped in to help Fang, but Fang knocked me back, and shot me a glare full of daggers that said STAY OUT OF THIS!!!! This is my fight!!!

Fang had this scary aura around him. Normally, he was Mr. Calm, Cool, and collected, but whenever he was fighting Ari. That calm attitude vanished, and replacing it, a scary, creepy, determined aura. Fang really creeped me out sometimes.

Okay, time for a quick 360. My eye scanning rapidly, I saw the flock, holding steady. Iggy and Gazzy were pulling bombs out of nowhere, getting ready to set them off (crap!!!!). Angel was still hovering, concentrating on practically every Eraser she could see. All the Erasers that she looked at fell over on the ground, writhing and twisting, and acting like maniacs. Nudge was-

Thud!!!!

"MAX!"

Wham! Something cold and hard knocked me upside the head. Before I could even begin to think of what happened, I tumbled toward the ground, consciousness fading away with every second.

Fang POV

I fought side by side with Iggy, a very slight feeling of amusement as I saw Iggy pulling out bombs from his pockets. It always annoyed Max how Iggy kept bombs on his person at all timesand she could never find them.

I heard a kind of thunk behind me, making me spin around. I saw Ari sitting on Max's back, his jaws millimeters away from her neck. Oh crap, not Max.

I put on a surge of speed and charged at Ari, knocking him off of Max before he could bite her. Ari skidded a few feet, dust churning from under his feet. Skidding to a halt, Ari snarled, launching himself right back at me. Oh double crap.

Ari kind of flew at me, his jaws parted, revealing his vicious, canine teeth. I easily sidestepped him, wrinkling my nose at the disgusting Eraser scent. Ari skidded around, turning straight toward me. His claws raked my arm, and pain began to erupt around it.

I kicked out at Ari, punching him in every pressure point. Max tried to jump in and help me. I shoved her back with one hand, shooting one of my famous This is my battle, stay out of itlooks. Max backed off, doing a quick 360.

Before I knew what was happening, Ari performed an excellent uppercut punch at my Adam's apple. I choked, and Ari kneed me in the stomach, winding me. He picked me up by my shirt, and slammed me into a tree, leaving a large, Fang-sized indent in it.

Groaning, I remained conscious, and my eyes flew wide open at what I saw.

Ari had a large, long, heavy metal bar out. And he was charging at Max. Who had her back to him. Oh. My. God.

"MAX!" I shouted. Too late.

Ari knocked Max upside the head with the bar. Max went down like a sack of potatoes. Oh man, Ari is so going to die.

Pretty good for a first chapter eh? I like this version of my story A LOT better than the other. Okay guys, keep reading, I'll update ASAP.

P.S.-I like getting reviews (hint hint) ;)