Disclaimer: Characters belong to James Patterson! Plots and ideas are mine.

I woke up groggily, not knowing where I was. A dull pain ached in my neck. As I got up, I looked around.

Oh yeah. I was in "my bedroom".

"Max? Are you awake? You've been sleeping for a long time. It's four o'clock in the afternoon," Fang told me, bringing me a cup of coffee. Hmm. I hadn't tasted the sweet brown liquid in ages. Right now I felt like I never wanted to leave this house.

"Four o'clock! Damn it Fang, we were supposed to find a place today! Why didn't you wake me up?" I demanded, throwing off the luxurious bed covers from my body and instantly regretting the fact that I had taken away my heat source.

"I tried, but you wouldn't wake up."

"I wouldn't wake up?" I questioned. That was odd. I was the lightest sleeper in the family. It had become a habit. Sleep light so that you can get up at any moment's danger. It was only natural for a young, homeless girl.

"Yeah. I thought you were dead," Fang chuckled, trying to crack a joke. This house was really having so,e big effects on my family. That's when I noticed it.

He was CLEAN.

As in, his hair looked soft and shiny. His skin no longer had that layer of dirt and grime that I thought had become permanent. Hell, even his teeth looked sharp white! He no longer looked like a beaten, dirty little child. Now he looked like a young, handsome (tell anyone I ever said that and I'll rip your teeth out!), clean boy.

"Fang?" I asked.

"Yeah?"

"Did you take a shower?" I slowly continued, almost as if I wasn't registering the fact.

"Well, I'm going to take advantage of what I have." I knew what he meant. As homeless kids, we hadn't taken a real, warm shower in years. This was like a once in a lifetime opportunity. "You should take a shower too Max, it's really refreshing," Fang shrugged.

I scrambled off the bed and into the nearest bathroom. A shower. A real shower. I was giddy with happiness, and I felt like giggling. I ripped my clothes off and started the water. Why were the utilities on if no one was home? The thought quickly disappeared as I just about lunged into the warm stream of running water. I literally moaned at its touch.

Lathering in the body wash, I watched as my skin became clean and the dirt swirled down the drain. I scrubbed vigorously everywhere. Between my toes, behind my ears. I was anxious to be clean for once.

I poured a pile of shampoo into my hands before splattering it into my bird-nest of a head. My hair hasn't been properly cared for in years, so it was in knots and looked ratty. I carefully worked the shampoo into my hair, trying to undo its knots. I watched as bits and pieces of dirt fell down the drain again.

The conditioner was what really made a difference. My hair felt like silk, so smooth and soft. This is what Ella must use to get her hair to look so nice.

Reluctantly turning off the water, I wrapped myself in a towel and relished in the feeling of being clean. I decided I loved it.

I put on some of Ella's clothes, and started combing my hair. That's when I noticed the bluish mark on my neck, surrounding a small.. Injection site?

I remembered the events of last night. The mysterious man. The orange liquid. Dropping everything I had I ran.
"FANG! Come here, quick!" I yelled, panic clearly evident in my voice. Fang and Gazzy came running.

"Max? What's wrong?" Gazzy asked, looking scared.

I pointed to my neck. "Someone was in here last night."

Fang's and Gazzy's eyes widened at the faint blue spot. I guess no one saw it earlier because my hair covered it.

"What happened?" Fang asked.

"I was falling asleep, and I remember seeing this dark figure. They had this weird, deep voice. And then he injected me with some orange liquid."

"He injected you?" Fang and Gazzy asked at the same time.

"Oh crap, this is bad. Really bad. We have to leave this place, now," I quickly decided.

The three of us just sat there, thinking, for a couple minutes.

"Wait, hold on Max. Maybe there is something to this. Let's wait a couple more days, see what happens. No guy randomly breaks into a fancy house and injects some homeless kid," Fang finally explained, eyebrows furrowed. One, that was the most I have ever heard him say in one sentence. Two, he looked- Not again!

"But what if they try to get someone else? What if they try to get Nudge or me or Angel?" Gazzy asked, looking frightened. All three of us were tense.

"He's right, Fang, it isn't safe to put the others lives at risk for the sake of our curiosity," I sighed.

"We can be prepared. Stick together. Just for a little bit," Fang pleaded. What on earth was up with him? He never acted like this.

This was a tough decision, but I really wanted to find out more about this guy. And more about what was traveling through my veins at this exact moment.

"Fine, but only a few more days. And everyone sticks together. One of us always has to be with them," I sighed. Gazzy got up and left the room, obviously not happy with my decision.

"Max, don't worry. We'll be alright," Fang said quietly, standing up to softly kiss my forehead before exiting the room.

I touched a hand to my forehead. What the hell was that?

~**Third Point of View**~

The man got up from his lab chair, walking over to the man whom was his son.

"Ari. How did the mission go?" the man asked, pushing up his thick round glasses.

"Perfectly carried out, Dad."

"Excellent, the genetic activation should start within subject one soon. Then it shall spread, like a virus, and activate all other 6 subjects," the man grinned. His plan was perfect. Flawless.

"One thing. The subjects have broken into the Martinez house, and are currently utilizing its resources," Ari explained, trying to keep in his nervousness. He knew that his Dad wouldn't be happy with this recent development. In a way, it felt like failure.

"What?" the man asked rushing over to a set of computers and starting them up.

"I said the subjects have broken into th-" Ari started, but didn't finish.

"I heard what you said!" the man snapped. Ari slightly flinched. Even though he was well over 6 feet tall, he was only 7 years old. His dad treated him as such. "This throws a wrench in my entire plan! Of all houses, the Martinez residence?"

Ari stood still quietly. He didn't say anything as his father pulled up several camera feeds from inside the Martinez house. How he got to have them installed, Ari didn't know.

"Looks like the subjects are in there alright. There's only one thing that we can do. Contact Valencia Martinez. I assume she will want to get on board with the procedure anyways," the man quickly decided. "In the meantime, Ari, keep an eye on the subjects. They are at one of their most vulnerable points right now. We need to let the virus safely spread through them."

Ari just nodded, before leaving the room. He didn't understand why. Why was his dad so obsessed with these seven subjects? He'd been working on them for years, and finally his plan was being put to work. Ari thought now that his dad's biggest ambitions were being fulfilled, he would focus a little more on him. But he was wrong. He felt nothing more than a servant to the man who was half responsible for his being.

It was a sad thought. Ari felt tears run down his genetically enhanced cheeks, and for the first time in ages, he cried.