Author's note:
Hola, chicos y chicas! Yo tengo uno sumbrero de queso :D lol idk. But here's my new chapter! As one of my readers pointed out, I had not mentioned how Zero obtained and concealed Krys's pendant. Well, all will be revealed here :U just read and enjoy. And maybe review, cuz it's super helpful to my writing if you ask questions.
Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride or any of its characters. I do, however, own the random characters you never heard of that appear throughout the story
Click.
I woke up with a start. Something was different. Curious, I glanced around. A small brown paper bag lay outside my cage. Huh. I rubbed my eyes, stretching as best I could in the cramped space I had, and folded my wings back inside my gown.
"Mornin', neighbor!" Aki called out cheerfully. "I see Storm came again. But, alas, she hasn't paid me a visit," he sighed.
I rolled my eyes. Wow, what a drama queen. Without looking at Cat Boy, I grasped the paper bag and peered inside. A tiny bottle of orange juice, still cold and wet, and a fresh bagel met my hungry eyes. My eyes widened. That chick from last night brought me real food? Unbelievable.
Aki shifted in his cage. "What is it? What did she get you?" I could hear his excitement.
Should I tell him? Do I trust him? I closed my eyes. Maybe not yet. But he seemed so innocent and... real. I guess this time I could at least pretend. Reaching inside the bag, I took out the bagel and orange juice.
"Whoa! Is that food?" he grabbed his cage bars, surprise lighting his weird eyes.
I nodded. For some reason, my hands tore the bagel in half and stuck one back in the bag, sliding it along the floor to Aki. And boy, did that get a reaction.
His jaw dropped open as the bag bumped into his cage. "Are you serious? I can have this?" He was practically bouncing with enthusiasm, his long white-tipped tail swishing across the bottom of the cage. "You're the best, man!" The kid grabbed the paper bag and tore into the bagel with surprising ferocity. He must not have eaten in a while.
As he ate, I picked at my bagel, dotted with black poppy seeds. I've heard these things are supposed to make you sleepy in high doses. I wonder how?
A loud belch distracted me. "That was awesome. Best thing I've tasted since I got here. But why did Storm give it to you?" Aki rambled.
Geez, this kid will not shut up unless he's napping or eating. Like a cat. Hmm. I shrugged, pulling off a piece of bread. It was light and airy, the rough off-white inside surrounded by a tough darker wall sprinkled with tiny black dots. I haven't seen one of these in years. My first bite was tentative, worried that it might be poisoned or something. But Aki seemed fine, so I continued chewing, more eager this time. Man, this was good. When I finished, I plucked the little plastic bottle from beside me, unscrewing the cap and staring at the bright liquid sloshing invitingly around. I sniffed it.
"If you won't drink it, I will," he said, eying the bottle with envy. That's it.
I took a quick swig. When I didn't suddenly burst into flames or keel over, I gulped it halfway down. Then, screwing the top back on I rolled it over to Aki. I will never know what made me give him half my real food that day.
His eyes shined happily as he bent over to grab the bottle. "Y-you," he sniffed, "are the best neighbor... I've ever had." I watched as he downed the rest of that delicious orange juice. Aki blubbered, "Th-thanks, man," and placed it in the bag, tossing it to the side.
Oh, brother. I wiped my mouth, savoring the fresh food taste. Why did that lady- Storm, as Aki called her- return my precious leather pouch to me and deliver real food? It confounded me. Weren't all whitecoats bent on dominating the human race with developing mutant genes better for survival? Storm seemed pretty nice, not evil at all. The way she looked at me last night, she seemed sad, full of regret. And something else. There was a seed of determination buried within the depths of her stormy blue eyes. Huh. Guess that's why Aki calls her Storm.
Speaking of Aki, the cat boy was pacing in circles, ears laid back and pupils slitted so small I could barely see them in the sea of violet. He was muttering something incoherently to himself. See? Nuts. Every once in a while, he would pause and flick his tail against the bars of his cage. His head cocked to the side, ears raised upright and straining. Then he would proceed to prowl around his cage with a shrug. Weird kid.
A creak sounded from the double doors. I whipped my head around to catch sight of a figure darting behind a tall cage and look around secretively. It reached behind itself and pulled out what appeared to be a slingshot. Tugging the rubber string back, a small round object flung from the weapon. Something shattered and the figure crept silently to our cages.
A white coat fluttered in front of me. Storm? The person crouched down to my level, dirty blond hair hanging loosely from a short ponytail. She pushed her glasses up. I tilted my head. What was she doing here? She obviously didn't want anyone to know she was speaking to me. Her eyes flashed nervously.
"I don't have much time, so I'm going to tell you something important, vital even." Her voice was musical and quiet, very pleasant to hear, but worry and fear pulsed from her. She took a deep breath. "I assume you know that this branch of the Institute is to be terminated?" I nodded. "It was never supposed to be," she whispered.
What? But didn't that freak tell me their "Boss" always wanted to cut this off? Confusion entered my mind. She must've seen it, because she got on her knees and began explaining.
"You and your brother were specially chosen from the very beginning, since you were born. Blake was chosen for his strength, which was strange for a child his age, and you for your intelligence. You have a great mind, capable of many things. We've noticed the language and memory centers of your mind show much more activity than the average adult. Your brother's muscles have always been well developed without the need of physical exercise and diet. His temper, however, was difficult to account for. Ever since you two were kidnapped for the Institute's research, I've monitored each of your progress. Your bodies had adapted excellently to the avian DNA, more so than our other test subjects, so we continued research. Blake's strength was tested constantly, and we created those games you played years ago to evaluate your mind, test the limits." Shame and grief crept in her eyes. "I was a fool to resume my work here. If I had left long ago, that terrible night would never have happened. It was my fault. I tried to keep your progressions a secret, but the others soon found out. My Boss wanted to harness your talents for 'the betterment of mankind'." She quoted bitterly, grasping the cold bars of my cage.
I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. This was a lot to take in.
Storm carried on, "Each night after your information was released, I visited your brother. We planned your escape, careful to talk only as you slept. It would be extremely dangerous if anyone heard us. The night before the incident, I knew that the Erasers and that idiot Alan were feeling edgy and wanted to relax a little, so we planned your escape that night. For luck, and for your birthday, I handed him that necklace you have to give to you." She smiled sadly. "It was my mother's. Her name was Katheryn Grace. She died a long time ago. I thought I should give you something special to endure the hardships you would face in the outside world. Unfortunately, the plan went awry."
My heart wrenched painfully as unwanted memories flowed forth. Sharp white teeth snapping, fur ripping, flesh tearing, an echoing scream of his name as he was taken away, swearing like a sailor. I closed my eyes.
Storm sighed. "It wasn't supposed to happen like that. We didn't account for Ari being there, or the way Alan seemed to fall into madness. He must have been obsessed with you and your powerful mind when he found out. He valued intelligence over brute strength, you see, so he never had an interest in Blake. Thankfully, the Erasers never knew of you or your brother's true potential. If they had..." she let the sentence hang, leaving my imagination to finish it. And what I imagined was not pretty.
Suddenly, the doors opened with a bang. Storm gasped fearfully, scurrying low to hide behind a huge wooden crate. Aki hissed at the intruders. It was weirder than I can describe. A tall man in an expensive-looking white suit strode in, bright red silk tie poking out over a crisp white shirt. His breast pocket was adorned with a fancy red silk handkerchief folded like a three pointed crown. Dang, he must be loaded. He slowly made his way over to the other side of the room, hands held behind his back like the villains in movies always do. He even had an evil black soul patch under his bottom lip and dark hair slicked back. Green eyes glared menacingly. Somehow he looked elegant yet malevolent at the same time. Impressive.
A short, bent-over technician hurried behind him, a metal toolbox gripped in his calloused hands. The dude dashed to the hidden camera and set his toolbox down. Apparently, Storm had shot the camera dead-on with her slingshot from across the room. It hung, glass lens shattered and useless. The technician got to work replacing the lens and fixing it.
As he worked, the rich guy strolled along like he had all the time in the world. He passed my cage, glancing briefly down at me before recommencing his walk. I shivered. His eyes, like green fire, bored into me with such intensity it scared me. When he reached the heavy curtain at the end he stopped. "I know yer there, dearie," he spoke quietly with a light voice and an accent. I think it sounded Scottish.
Storm gasped, ducking further behind the crate.
The man let out a breath. "There's no point in hiding. Why don't ya come out before something... unfortunate were to happen," he said, turning his gaze on me.
I shrank back. Why was everyone so interested in me? Nearby, Aki growled. His back arched and his ears were pinned back threateningly. "I thought I smelled a rat," he jeered.
The dude didn't reply. I heard a muffled gasp, and two guys also wearing suits, though much less expensive, dragged Storm over to him. He switched his eyes to her. "I heard you've been keepin' secrets, dearie." He clicked his tongue with disapproval. "Not a good choice if you value yer safety."
Storm struggled, not saying anything. Good for her. I could tell she was scared out of her mind, but she held strong.
He took a step closer to her. "Now, I want what belongs to me. You've kept it safe for this long, but it's time to return it," the man demanded almost casually.
Defiance darkened Storms eyes as she replied, "I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about."
His hand shot out and grasped her jaw. "Oh, I think ya do, dearie. You see, you've already lost one from my... collection. And I'd like the other in my custody before another accident occurs," he growled, clenching his hand harder. Storm whimpered.
I had a pretty good idea of what he was asking. Again, why does everyone go after me? It sucks. And who was this guy? It's about time I got some answers. "Hey, man. Let her go," I grunted bravely.
He swiveled his head to me. "And why should I do that, dearie?" His eyes traveled to beside me, right where my leather pouch was. Guess I forgot to hide it again. "You understand that when you've lost something precious," he hesitated, drawing out the word, "you fight to get it back?"
I pulled my pouch behind my back. How did he know about it? "Who are you?" I asked.
"Doesn't matter now," he waved it off. "What does matter, is that I get my property back."
Storm snarled, "They're not property, and certainly not yours." She is one tough chick. "I won't let you take her, Boss," she sneered at his title, spitting at him. I really like her.
But the Boss obviously did not. Dismay showed on his face as he took his silk handkerchief and dabbed at his face. He let go of her jaw, nodding to the men holding her. "Fine. Have it your way," he gestured to shoo them away.
"Wait!" I shouted, crawling to the front of my cage. I can't let something happen to her. Not when I finally decided to trust her. My confidence dwindled under the fiery green gaze of the Bossman, but I continued. I took a breath. "I'll go."
He paced up to my cage, faint curiosity blooming in him. "Now why, dearie, would you do that?" he challenged.
I gulped. "Because the only thing I loved is gone and I have nothing else." Man, I hope that didn't sound lame.
But something changed in the way he stared. He totally bought it. "All right. I'll be back in three days. I expect you to be ready by then," he grinned. Storm was released by a motion from Boss and the three traveled down the hall and out the door. That was fast.
Storm rubbed her jaw and ran up to me. "Why did you say that! The only reason I've stayed here was to protect you from guys like Raibert!" So that was his name. It sounded evil.
"Well, I wasn't going to sit there while his goons did the same thing that happened to my brother with you. I can't endure that again, I just can't!" I nearly sobbed. Great.
Her eyes softened. "I'm so sorry about Blake, but that man cannot get his hands on you. He will use you as a weapon, and he will not be gentle on finding out the true limits to your power," she warned.
"I know, I know. But I couldn't let him take you away." She put her hand to her mouth. "I just found out the truth about me and Zero, and that creep is already here to claim his property. This is all moving too fast, I don't know what to do..."
Aki cried, "Don't leave me, man. I'll never find another neighbor as awesome as you." His lower lip trembled and his dark ears drooped. Aww, why is he so dang cute?
I sighed. "I'm sorry, Aki. I just can't risk losing any more people that I care about. Which right now includes only you and her."
He perked up, his voice breaking as he whispered, "You finally talk to me and you care about me? And then you leave?" he broke off.
Wincing, I looked him in the eye. "Yeah, sorry." I hate disappointing people. You know, only the ones I like. But it hurts.
"It's ok, I guess. You're just trying to save us, right?" the cat boy chirped, brightening.
He's so weird. "Yeah," I replied with a smile.
"Then I'll be okay. Just be brave for me, and don't go easy on old Rai," he winked.
I laughed. "Alright, I will, Aki. But only for you, cat boy."
Storm remained somber. "We need to prepare you for what you may encounter with him. He is not a kind man, and he's very dangerous."
I think I could tell. "Well, I'll just have to cross that bridge when I get there, won't I?" I muttered.
"For now, I'm going to have to escort you to one of the labs. The others aren't aware that the Boss is planning to take you away, so the testing must resume today," Storm announced. I groaned. But I have three days before some filthy rich Scottie comes and uses my brain for his own nefarious purposes! She looked at me with sympathy. "Sorry." Bending down, she unlocked my cage door and let it swing open. I crawled out, a scowl forming. "Oh, and I'll hide that if you want me to," Storm offered, pointing to my pouch. I nodded silently. "Um, ok." She grabbed it and dropped it in her labcoat pocket. Safe and sound, I guess.
Aki shook his head sadly. "Bye, Krys."
I froze. Only Zero called me Krys. "Aki, please don't take this the wrong way, but don't ever call me that again. It's kinda special to me," my voice strained.
He looked hurt, but dipped his head in agreement. "Of course. But what should I call you?"
"Krystal is my real name," I told him.
"Krystal's cool," he giggled. "Let's go with Krystal."
Storm took my arm, leading me out of the cage room and into a testing room. It passed by almost boringly, with simple mind games growing harder with each level, but with my new knowledge of what I could do, I blew right through it easily. They moved me into the room where they inject some bright goo into my arm and take notes, but I barely felt it. I was too freaked out and excited. After that, I was allowed some food- it surprised me that it was only a little after noon- and was returned to my cage. Aki wasn't there. He must be out with some other whitecoats. I was tired from my strange morning, so I took a nap. I stretched out my wings, careful of the bars, and wrapped them snug around my bare arms, curling up in the center. The warmth and comfort soon lulled me into the darkness of sleep.
Note: I want to thank my awesome dad for editing this a little (checking paragraphs, spelling, etc), even though he complains about how dark it is o3o and I want to thank The Winged Nyan for their helpful review. Also, THANKS TO ALL MY READERS FOR LIKING MY STORY ;u;
Your buddy,
-WolfmoonWarrior28