A/N: Whoo! Another chapter! Sorry it took so long. I'm quite lazy especially since its the end of my senior year. Graduation's tomorrow! Woot! Anyway, that's my excuse...laziness...I wrote this chapter gradually and edited it more than a few times so you should be proud. Oh and if you don't get the "that's what she said" joke let me know and I can explain it. I'm pretty sure "that's what she said" is pretty worldwide but I could be wrong. Anypoop, go ahead. Read and review. You know you wanna!

Disclaimer: I only own Seneca. I wonder if Mr. Patterson is possibly selling the rights...nahhhh...

Chapter 2: Losing Grip

Let's face it: life's short. I don't argue with this notion mostly because of those silly things we call "expiration dates" (and no, of course I don't mean on milk) but also because I feel the sharp edge of death each and every day. But that doesn't mean I can't fight. Fight against the expiration dates. Fight against the people trying to bring me and my Flock down. Fight against death. I'm ready and willing to fight.

But, I guess when you're a human, ready-to-blow-any-second bomb, this may be different.

I'd obviously never thought about it before but ever since this chick showed up, its like my life's flashing before my eyes. Plus, the Voice won't clear anything up, back anything up, whatever. All I'm going on is Iggy's intuition and I must say that's saved our sorry bird-kid butts more than once.

But, as I'm sure the entire world knows, I'm not one for giving in to intuition that quickly.

And, as per usual, I said what came to mind right after the whole dramatic "she's a bomb" statement: "Huh?" Hey, no one ever said I had to be smooth with words. Nope. No one said that.

Iggy looked pointedly toward the heavens as if asking God why he had to deal with such a dipstick. "Am I not speaking English or something?" he grumbled.

I sighed, completely over all of this mystery and drama. I quickly made a snap decision and reason for my dipstick-ness. "How about we introduce her to the rest of the Fl-…family?"

Iggy lifted his hands off her shoulders as if surrendering himself and his hostage. "Sure, Max. Whatever you feel works best."

Now, that's what I wanted to hear. "Fine, then. Let's go, you two." I tried to be a little cheerful but its sort of hard when you're also trying to secretly be wary of your enemy. Enemy until proven friend, is what I say. Anyway, the three of us shuffled through the foliage to discover Nudge and Angel looking as if they had just tried to hear the entire conversation (I'm assuming Angel already tried to infiltrate-…excuse me, kindly read the chick's mind). They aren't very good at looking innocent. You could see the devil horns a mile away.

"Where's Zephyr?" I asked, hoping the chick would pick up on the normalcy of our presence. In a random forest. In the middle of the day. Without parents and proper camping equipment and strange names like stupid Zephyr, for crying out loud!

Just then, the Gasman appeared out of the vegetation, Fang on his heels. They both became rigid with alertness. That's my Flock! "Who's she?" Gazzy said gruffly, a disgusted look flashing over his face. So much for politeness. Then again, Gazzy shouldn't be interested in naked girls, anyway.

"Uh…" I started, hoping I wouldn't have to invent a name. I mean, c'mon, everyone has a name, right?

"Seneca," Iggy and the Voice said at the same time. I'm not going to lie, it was pretty trippy. Sort of like Iggy was reading my mind, which was a frightening thought. I shot a meaningful glance at the new girl, hoping to create some more tension so she'd give in and start weeping with a sad tale or fess up and demand our lives, anything but you know what I got? Nada. Zip. Zilch. Well, except for another blank stare.

"Okay, great, we have a name. Now, can the dog do tricks like, I don't know, talk?"

Iggy gave me a sour look. "She's not a dog, Max."

Everyone fell silent as Iggy and I glared at each other. Well, okay, technically I was glaring at him, a snarl twisting up my face, I'm sure, but Iggy looked serene as ever except for the slightest indent between his eyebrows that only I would care to search for. Almost like Fang and his unreadable facial expressions. Maybe guys were just generally all built the same way.

Finally, Iggy hesitated. "It's a defense mechanism," he explained, taking a slight step in front of her. Now the clearing filled with genetic freaks looked, by an outsider's perspective, like a face-off. Iggy and the new girl, Seneca, were on one side, just underneath a low hanging branch from a nice oak tree while me, Fang, Nudge, Gazzy and Angel were planted in a semi-circle, ready to strike.

Though, by a gut feeling, I knew for a fact that there was no way in heck any of us would attack each other even if the girl posed a threat and Iggy continued to shield her. It just wouldn't happen. Besides, I'm sure Iggy would win fair and square against the younger ones. I sighed, restless.

"Defense mechanism? What, is she part robot?" I asked, hoping Iggy would catch my serious but concerned tone. He didn't.

"Hell if I know!" he exclaimed, his slender, pale fingers drumming swiftly over his upper thigh as if thinking up a plan could ever be that quick. I guess for him it was. "We'll fly to Dr. M's. Ask her to…inspect her," he began carefully. "Then, maybe Jeb can help us track down exactly where she came from-"

"Stop."

The Flock and I all simultaneously reacted to the new girl's outburst: Angel was barely fazed but she stepped forward anyway. Nudge jumped in surprise then smiled broadly. Gazzy's muscles tightened even more. Fang's eyebrows made the slightest of jumps. And me? Well, heck, I wasn't expecting anything to come out of her mouth yet there she was, commanding Iggy like he was her blind mutant freak.

"Excuse me?" I challenged, my arms akimbo.

Her head cocked to the side in a very robot sort of way and she addressed me as if I was a four-year-old with a bad temper. Sometimes, I guess I can get that way. "I am the leader now. Thank you for the options but I already have my plan in order. Now, if you will excuse me."

With that, the new girl turned stiffly and began to walk back the way we came. I twisted around toward Fang, hoping that he'd have a clue of what to do now, my jaw practically hitting the dirt. Emotion wasn't even a word in his vocabulary at the moment. Figures. "It would be you, Iggy, to find a girl as stubborn and bossy as me," I muttered, stomping past Iggy and through the bushes, following her trail.

"Look, lady," I started to call after her, using my raptor vision to watch her climb further and further through the forest. "I need some answers. Now. And it's not an option. Got it?"

Finally, Seneca froze and turned around to face me, her expression livid. "Please leave me alone," she said without inflection.

"Why are you here?" I began anyway, crossing my arms over my chest. This was my certified Maximum Ride defiant pose. It never failed to suddenly alter a person's attitude to my will.

Her eyebrows pushed together and I could easily tell she was frustrated with me. Good. Before she could answer, if in fact she was going to, I said, "And for God's sake, could you put some clothes on?"

She glowered at me. "I do not own nor need clothing."

"Well aren't you just a bright ray of sunshine!" I exclaimed, my voice almost shaking with the sarcastic stress. I was so done with her, with the situation, with my life. In fact, I didn't need this. So what else to do but pull a U and A and skyrocket out of there, using my powerful hyper-speed? Yeah, only option as far as I know.

I didn't so much as look back as I hurtled at superspeed past the expanse of forest and on to a large city I didn't even know we were close to. I peered down at the ant-like people running around in their toy cars, self-involved and distracted from seeing the teenage girl flying high above them.

I sighed then zoomed past to the western part of town, almost crash landing in what appeared to be a park. The sun was hunkering down for the night, also oblivious that a bird-girl was looking on, mystified at how calm things seemed despite everything. I sank onto a bench and leaned back, my legs splayed out in front of me, my eyes at half-mast and my restless wings only slightly folded in.

So I was over-reacting. Big deal. This wasn't the first time and it wouldn't be the last. C'mon, cut me some slack, people! I try and protect my own family and then one of them doesn't even appreciate it. Who knows, maybe all of them don't care about me anymore, don't need me anymore. They're getting older, they'll be able to take care of themselves in no time and where will that leave me? Family-less? I'm probably pushing them over the edge. Driving them nuts with my constant attitude.

Get a grip, Max, I told myself, putting my head in my hands. They don't need you to be crazier than you already are.

I'm glad you have such self-control, Maximum, the Voice broke in snidely.

I practically growled at the remark. What the hell do you want?

I just wanted to give you some solace, Maximum. Think of me as a therapist.

Well you are inside my head, Voice. What else would you be?

The Voice paused, maybe thinking about a proper response. I have that effect on people. My eyeline drifted over to a pair of squirrels duking it out near a tree that was just across from me. One gripped an acorn the size of it head in its tiny arms while the other tried viciously to take it for itself. Selfish, much?

Are you paying attention? The Voice finally managed.

I'm all ears, Doc.

Return to the Flock. They need you. They'll understand why you are stressing out and won't let you down.

My eyes started to sting and when I rubbed them, hot tears slowly escaped and created rivulets of shame on my face. Great, now I'm crying. Thanks, Voice.

Of course, Maximum. Now, hurry, before Seneca runs away.

I bolted upright and sprinted back the way I came, feeling my wings catching the gusting winds. What do you mean "runs away"? What's her deal anyway?

Ask her.

And then I knew the Voice was done for the day. Even therapists need a break, I suppose. I flapped effortlessly back to the camp, almost overlooking it as I passed by since it was buried so far into the depths of the forest. I'm so proud.

As I landed, Nudge, Angel and the Gasman all looked up, their faces instantly lighting up as if I had been gone for a few days instead of just an hour. They rushed to my side and hugged me tight with their bony arms 'til I fell onto the mossy ground. We giggled all together and Nudge wouldn't stop asking me why I had left and if I was okay. I calmed them down and called a Flock emergency meeting.

"That includes you, Seneca," I said, finding her hanging back by a cropping of boulders. It didn't look comfortable even for a robot. She didn't say anything but joined our Flock circle anyway, now fully clothed in the extra clothes I had packed for myself. Probably Fang's idea. I met his eye and pretended to be upset. He smirked. Good enough for me.

"Alright, gang," I started, making eye contact with each and everyone of them, even Iggy who still looked slightly pissed but more guilty than anything. My heart ached at his expression. It was my fault, after all. If I hadn't over-reacted-…I stopped myself before I went loony again. I had to be strong and with it right now. Not emotional and close to heading to the loony bin. "I'm sorry I left. I'm sorry I over-reacted and most of all, Iggy, I'm sorry I didn't trust you."

He grinned his goofy grin, probably relieved that he was no longer on my hit list. Okay, that was still up for debate considering the dozens of pairs of jeans ruthlessly burned to ashes by experimental bombs.

"And Seneca, I apologize to you too. I shouldn't have been so…well…you know," How could I apologize for my own natural behavior? You got it, I can't. "Suspicious, I guess you could say."

She also smiled but the expression was still pretty distant. I hoped the Voice was right about her. She was giving me the heebie-jeebies. "But I still need to ask some questions. It won't be hard, I promise."

Before I could begin, Iggy declared, "That's what she said!"

The camp fell into silence. I looked around expectantly, confused beyond belief. "Umm, okay, that is what I said. What does that have to do with-…"

"I didn't say that," Iggy said, awkwardly scratching his head, his eyes wide with innocence but behind all of it, I could tell he was trying to stifle laughter.

"Right, and I'm the Queen of England," I said then turned to Seneca. In the corner of my eye, Gazzy and Iggy high-fived while Angel, disoriented like me, asked a chuckling Nudge what was so funny. I rolled my eyes at Fang who was trying not to laugh as well.

"What was that all about?" I mouthed.

He shrugged. Typical.

"Okay, I'm just going to give up."

Seneca looked back at me, a hint of emotion in her eyes. It was like she was thinking, "What a nutjob". Smart girl. "Start with your questions, Maximum," she said in that eerie voice of hers.

I nodded curtly and began in a calm voice, "Question one: Did Jeff-…"

"Iggy."

I glared at her even though I'm pretty sure a smile was crawling onto my lips, deceiving the commanding tone that she'd have to deal with all night. This was going to be fun.