Chapter 1

New York City, New York

" Did I die and go to heaven? " yelped Total. "Somebody pinch me! – No wait… if this is a dream, I do not want to wake up!"

"OMG! Max, look!" Nudge concurred. "They have Oscar De La Renta and Donna Karan and did you see that Dolce and Gabbana that just strolled down the runway? Oh Max, could I have a pair of Manolo's? Please?!"

I tried to look away as I was rolling my eyes. I still could not believe I let the flock talk me into coming to a fashion show. What the heck were they thinking? Where was my brain when I agreed to this?

Oh and yes. I did say flock – we are human-avian hybrids - genetically charged with avian DNA – 2% to be exact. There are six of us – all with built in wings and a seriously deprived fashion sense. That's why we are at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City watching this year's latest trends stroll down the runaway.

"Those gold ones are just too cute!" Nudge squealed. "Please, Max – just one teensy pair of shoes?"

Time to rain on her parade – again.

"Nudge, sweetie. Those shoes are very cute." I was such a good liar – really - I deserve an Oscar. "But they also cost in the vicinity of oh say, I don't know – 500 dollars. But I'll leave it up to you – eat for a week or a new pair of shoes whose heels will probably break with the first roundhouse kick to an Eraser."

Nudge's big gleaming smile suddenly quirked downward and I felt a minor pang of guilt for being slightly over the top. Then she shrugged and happily turned back to watching the show. Another crisis averted. Go me.

Let me catch any of you newcomers up to speed – especially because it makes so much sense to start with the 5th book than the 1st one – but hey – that's your choice!

There are six of us bird kids – I'm Max and the oldest. Fang, Iggy, and I are all about fourteen years old, the Gasman (don't ask – just stay upwind) is eight, his sister Angel, six and Nudge is now officially twelve. Total is our flying, talking dog who unfortunately shares Nudge's penchant for haut couture.

Normally we are running for our lives, kicking Eraser and Flyboy butt, avoiding skirmishes with evil scientists who created us. This week – not so much. We had just finished a tour of duty – saving the world – all that good stuff – in freaking frigid Antarctica only to be told to go to freaking frigid New York. I really need to quit listening to my Voice. And for those of you wondering "What voice?!" - the Voice in my head – I seem to be the only one who has one. It's not all that it's cracked up to be.

Anyway – we were here for a summit on Global Warming – the flock and I had become official environmental spokespersons for DoSomethingNow - an online organization dedicated to motivating kids our age to start programs to help clean up the environment and other really cool stuff. As much of an icebox as Antarctica was, we all really felt like we were helping with something good, all of us felt like we had a real purpose other than say – surviving. And we wanted to continue that – right in the heart of winter in New York. I really needed to rethink that one.

Okay so, I guess our whole "lie low and disappear" plan was just not working for us anymore. Why not, you ask! For the past three days, we spoke in front of a bunch of international bigwigs and even put on an "air show" where we flew in choreographed motion to music from the biggest speakers I've ever seen in Central Park. Millions of people staring and ooh and aah-ing us – ugh. But now its over and I'm thinking that people took notice of what we had to say – so – cool.

So how does the fashion show fit in? Today we had a day to sight see – pretty much do whatever we wanted. Iggy and Gazzy wanted to go to Madison Square Garden for a Knicks game, Angel and Total wanted to venture back to FAO Schwartz toy store to buy a matching bear for Celeste. Fang was his usual impassive self. I was just about to pitch in my own yearning to see the Statue of Liberty when Nudge declares, "Can we please please please go to a fashion show? It's Couture week!" How she knew this I have no idea.

And just how did Nudge win out?

1) She gave Fang and I Bambi eyes – and you know we can't resist Bambi eyes, and well, more importantly…

2) today was Nudge's birthday