Based after the fourth book (The Final Warning) and, big thing here: MAX NEVER GETS HER CHIP OUT!! Max and the flock are back on the run, of course. The government is after her, after she refused to go to their 'special school'. They wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. Sorry if the characters are OOC.

Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride, James Patterson does.

Chapter One

Just outside of Kansas. That's all I can say right now.

I woke up abruptly, almost bonking my head on the overhead branch. I did a quick 360. Angel and Total were curled up in a small manhole in the ground at the trunk of the tree. Gazzy was lying, spread-eagle, mouth open, on top of Iggy, who was slouched against the rotting oak's trunk. Finally, I looked at Fang. God, he was so wonderful. Bad Max! Don't think like that! I mentally slapped myself. Fang was lying on the adjacent branch to me. One of his legs and an arm was dangling off it. His pitch black eyes where open, and he was staring… at me. I blushed and felt my heart squeeze. He gave a quick smirk and rolled his head up, to stare at the dazzling stars. I wondered if he was thinking about me…

"Max?" My head turned so quickly towards Fang that I was sure my neck was snapped, but all the pain I felt was in my heart (A/N: I know, it's cheesy, just bear with me.)

"Yeah?" I breathed. I wondered if he was going to say he loved me or something along the lines of that. But, of course, he wouldn't say that. What can I say? A girl can dream.

"Do you know what time it is?"

"Do I look like a walking clock?" I said. Just another one of my snappy replies. That's Max Ride for ya', folks.

Fang grunted and sighed. I heard him mumble something unintelligible.

4:37. I groaned inwardly. My Voice. What? You don't have one? Odd. Anyway, "4:37," I whispered to Fang.

"We should get going," he said. Brief and to the point, that's Fang. I just nodded and rubbed the crusties from my eyes. I knew since we were talking, most of the Flock was most likely up by now. I still shook them up, though. Once everyone was up, I sent Nudge and Gazzy off to find some wood for a fire. Iggy was already searching for our backpack, which contained all sorts of heat-up food that was easy to make. Like, we had, Heat-n-Sip Campbell's Soup, oatmeal (which I wasn't a big fan of, because the only water source we had to use was a nearby crick, and I didn't want anyone getting Malaria or anything,) beef jerky, 100 calorie packs, and other assorted grab-n-go snacks and heat up foods.

Suddenly I heard a Gazzy-like scream. I located the source of the scream, and it did turn out to be Gazzy, but there was no Nudge. I ran to Gazzy. He was crying, tear streaks staining his muddy face. I grabbed his shoulders, kneeled down by him, and looked him in the eyes.

"What happened?" I said. I braced myself, afraid of the answer.

"They t-took Nud-d-g-g-e," Gazzy gasped between sobs.

"Who's 'they', sweetie?" I whispered to Gazzy. But I didn't get an answer, because he was out cold.

Oh, shit.

I know it was short, I'll write more if you guys like it. Reveiw and tell me what you think!!

Runs off in a frenzy