Chapter seven is here! Nice and long! I hope you all enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Maximum Ride series.

Claimer: I own my story, plot, characters, etc...


"Come on," a Whitecoat ordered impatiently. "We have some people for you to meet."

The girl followed, confused. She was led down countless hallways and up and down stairs. They finally stopped in front of a large metal door. The Whitecoat unlocked a complected-looking lock, pushed open the heavy barrier, and shoved the girl inside. He closed it and locked it back up.

The room had no light. The girl was able to see a little, thanks to her enhanced vision. Before she even saw them, she heard two voices whispering softly.

"What do you think it is this time?" a young voice asked.

"I do not know," a second answered. "I hope not another experiment. I am so tired."

"Me too," the first replied.

"Hello?" the girl called out. She turned and saw two small forms in the far corner. "I'm Max. Who are you two?"

"Should we reply?" the first asked.

"I guess so," the second answered cautiously. "Maybe it is not a test."

"We are Generation Sierra Alpha and Generation Sierra Delta," the first voice announced.

Max mentally sighed. She knew that Generation Sierra was the second group of successful avian-human hybrids, hers being the fist. She had met one from this generation before, but it was killed for misbehaving before long.

"Can I make it light in here now?" the younger of the two voices asked.

"Go ahead," the older answered.

Seconds later the room was full of light. Max examined the two girls sitting together on the linoleum floor. They both wore the standard cotton dress issued to girls at the School. The dresses were large on these two girls, who were easily malnourished. They were covered in bruises in varying stages of healing. Their were deep purple circles under their surprisingly bright eyes.

"Do you two have wings?" Max asked, slowly making her way over to the two girls. The younger girl looked at the older one in a panic. But the older girl just watched Max curiously.

"Why?" the older girl wondered. "Do you?"

Max smirked. She carefully extended her wings a few inches, for the girls to see. Both of the girl's faces lit up. They stood and let their wings out a little.

"We have never met anyone like us," the older of the two stated.

"We thought we were the only ones," the younger added.

"Trust me, we're not the only ones," Max said sadly.

"Why do you have a name?" the younger girl wondered.

"What? Max?" Max asked. The girls nodded. "I gave it to myself when I was little."

"The School told us our names are Alpha and Delta," the older two stated. "But we do not like them. They do not seem like real names."

"Would you like real names?" Max wondered. The girls nodded. "Hmmm. Let's see. Some people I know who chose their own names chose names that meant something to them. Explained their personality or had to do with their favorite power."

"You can be Illuminate, then," the older of the two girls said to the younger. "The Whitecoats always tell you to illuminate a room during tests."

"We can call you Lumi for short, then," Max added after a few seconds.

The little girl grinned, showing a few missing teeth. "I have a name!"

Max smiled at the older girl. "You can be Breeze," she said. "When you talk it sounds like air."

"She moves real quiet, too," Lumi stated.

"And you can call me Bree for short, then," the older girl said, smiling.

Max nodded. The two girls grinned at each other and hugged Max.

"Are you going to be living with us from now on?" Lumi asked.

"I think so," Max answered.

"Good," Bree said. "I like you."

"Me too," Lumi agree, a huge smile on her face.


Max woke up, blinking. She looked at Dylan, grinning. "I remember meeting Lumi and Bree for the first time," she announced.

You are starting to recover memories on your own, then, Dylan concluded.

Max stood up and stretched. Suddenly she ran a few feet into the woods, all of her dinner from the night before coming up in a bush. Max groaned as she returned to the campsite. Dylan handed her a bottle of water and she rinsed her mouth out.

"I hate being pregnant," she stated. "People actually go through this because they want to?"

Dylan nodded, amused. Patience. The morning sickness will go away soon enough.

Max rolled her eyes. "You keep telling me to be patient. It's not getting me anywhere."

You never were good at being patient, Dylan mused. I imagine that is true for even before I met you.

"Shut up," Max muttered. Dylan chuckled.

You know, humans go through this for nine months, he informed Max. You only have to suffer for three to four months.

"No way could I do this for nine months," Max said. "I would go crazy. Four months are bad enough."

At least you are not alone, Dylan reminded her.

"Yeah, I have you to lean on," Max breathed.

And the kids, too, Max, Dylan added.

"You and I both know that they would not be able to support me the way you can," Max whispered. "Dylan, I'd be lost without you here to help me. Especially since I can't remember anything. You're my rock right now."

Dylan sighed. Max, do not think like that. You would be fine on your own.

"No, I don't think I would," Max replied. "I don't remember anything from before meeting you all. Did I even have someone I could count on this much? Who knew me so well?"

You did, Dylan stated. His name is Fang. You love him.

"I don't remember him," Max whispered, shaking her head. "How can I love someone I don't know?"


"We have an approximate location as to where the avian hybrids are located, Sir."

Jeb nodded, looking at the interactive map his subordinate was controlling.

"Evan, do you have plans to bring them back yet?" Jeb asked.

"We do, Sir," Evananswered. "We will be sending out a team within the next few days."

"Excellent," Jeb said. "Instruct your men to make sure minimum harm comes to them. China, Iraq, and Italy are all waiting for their return. I do not want them to be damaged when we start bidding, once the other countries arrive."

Evan handed a thick folder over to Jeb. Jeb quickly read through the pages, grinning. "Foolproof. Not even Maximum could get out of this one. I must say Evan, this is genius."

"Thank you, Sir," the School's newest scientist replied. "It was easy to come up with after reading the reports Mark had left behind about the hybrids' weaknesses."

Jeb nodded. "You are one of the most intelligent men here, I believe. Bring me back my experiments and you will receive the promotion of your dreams."

"Thank you, Sir," Evan said, brushing off the compliment. He was barely twenty and already had a doctorate in Physics, Animal Biology, and Human Biology. He was too used to compliments and attention, mostly just brushing them off like now. "I do have one question for you, if I may ask it."

"You may," Jeb replied.

"Why do you want these experiments so badly?" Evan wondered. "Why do we need to keep them away from the other like them? Why do you want to sell them to different countries?"

"Evan, that's three questions," Jeb answered. "And I will gladly answer them all, for you have already impressed me more than any of the other scientists here. I want them so badly because they were built to save the world. Well, Maximum's whole reason for existing is to save the world. When I sell them to the various countries, they will use my hybrids in their wars. There will be much death and destruction. I would love to get my hands on the other five as well, because they will bring in so much more money, and make my plan that much more interesting. They will be so much more difficult to control, though. We need to keep them away from the others because once the others find them, they will ruin everything I've been striving for over the years. As you've seen, Maximum has already started to unravel what I've done in the few years she's been back."

Evan nodded. "Thank you again, Sir. I will report back to you once we have captured the experiments."

Jeb nodded. "You are dismissed, then."


Angel sat up straight as the others made their way outside. She had called a Flock meeting. Val wasn't letting them leave to find Max, and Fang was still in his coma.

She had to take charge.

Gazzy was the last one out. Angel glared at him for being late to her meeting.

"What?" Gazzy demanded, yawning. "I'm the only one who has to pass by Mom's room. I wanted to make sure she was actually asleep before I tried."

Angel sighed. "Ok. Guys, we have a problem."

"An eleven-year-old is trying to tell us what to do?" Iggy asked sarcastically. Gazzy snickered.

"Seriously, guys!" Angel exclaimed. "Max is alive. And we have to go find her. But the problem is Mom won't let us. Not without Fang. But Iggy, you have your sight. I think you and I should go find her."

"I am not staying home again," Nudge snapped. "I am going with you guys. There's nothing for me to do here, and if Max is really alive, I want to see her as soon as possible!"

"Well, I'm not staying either!" Gazzy insisted. "There's no reason for me to."

Angel sighed, exasperated. "Guys. The less of us who go, the better. It's harder to track us when there are fewer of us."

"Why do you and Iggy get to go, then?" Gazzy demanded.

"I go because I'm the one who can see the future," Angel reminded him. "And Iggy goes because he's the oldest."

"Which is why he should be the leader," Gazzy mumbled.

"Um, no thanks," Iggy said. "Angel can have the leadership. I don't know how Max and then Fang did it. I want nothing to do with it, thank you very much."

"Now that we have that settled," Angel continued. "Iggy and I are going. No more questions about it. Nudge, I know there are six kids with Max. The oldest is a boy, around your age I think. The next two are girls, around nine or ten. Then a boy, about five or six. Another boy, three or two I think. And a baby girl. You should prepare rooms for them. Gazzy, you need to help her, so that the boy's rooms actually look like boy's rooms."

Nudge grinned at the thought of designing six rooms. "Oh, I guess that's ok then!" she exclaimed. "I wonder what the kids are like? I hope the boy is cute!"

"Do I have to?" Gazzy whined.

"Yes," Angel decided. "We shouldn't be gone too long."

"When do you want to leave?" Iggy wondered.

"Tonight," Angel answered. "Before Mom wakes up."


"Look!" Lumi exclaimed. "A town!"

Max sighed in relief. She was tired of walking. Her feet were unbearably sore, thanks to her pregnant belly.

"Momma!" Jason cried, pulling on Max's t-shirt. "Park!"

"Can we go?" Bree asked. "Please?"

"Please?" Lumi and Jason begged.

Max nodded. "Take Vani with you guys!" The kids raced half a block to the playground. Max and Dylan sat down on a bench to watch them.

Tyler stood in front of Dylan and motioned for him to pick her up. She giggled as he did, a huge smile on her face. Dylan's face lit up along with the baby girl.

"You two have a beautiful daughter," a woman said, stopping in front of Max and Dylan. "How old is she?"

"Almost eight months," Max said, mostly ignoring the stranger. The woman nodded and continued walking on.

After a while Jason came running over. He cocked his head to the side and asked, "Momma, when is the new baby coming?"

"A few more weeks, Jason," Max answered. He nodded and ran away. She put a hand on her large stomach and sighed.

Time passed. Max rested her head on Dylan's shoulder. She closed her eyes and listened to the joyful noises around her.

These people here think we are together, Max, Dylan thought, amusement in his mental voice.

Let them think whatever they want, Max replied, not moving, feeling at peace.

Dylan watched the younger members of the Flock play on the playground. After a little while he saw a large man grab Bree. He shot up, putting Tyler in Max's hands. "Bree!" he cried, running after the man, ignoring the pain that shot though his head from the one spoken word.

Dylan easily caught up to the large man. Bree bit his arm, hard. He screamed and dropped her. She ran to Dylan and hugged him tightly.

Max ran over, holding her baby on one hip. Two policemen came over when the man tried to grab Bree from Dylan.

"What's going on here?" the bigger of the two policemen demanded in Spanish.

"This man is trying to kidnap my sister," Max answered in fluent Spanish.

"The girl is my daughter," the man lied, his accent different and not as fluent. "I don't know who these people are. They were trying to kidnap her from me."

The smaller policeman went over to Bree who was crying in Dylan's embrace. "Child, are you this man's daughter?"

Bree looked over at Max. The older girl sighed. "She doesn't know Spanish," she explained. "Ask her in English."

The smaller man grinned. He asked in English, "Are you this man's daughter?"

Bree shook her head. "No. I was playing with my sister and he came over and tried to take her. I got in the way and then he tried to take me. I've never seen him before in my life."

The man nodded. He stood and looked at his partner. "Arrest him."

They grabbed the man as he tried to run away and shoved him into the police car. They left and the kids went back to the playground. Dylan took Tyler from Max and gently bounced her as they returned to their bench.

"You spoke," Max noted. Dylan nodded once and looked away. "It sounded nice. Your voice, I mean. I like it."

Max blushed as Dylan looked back at her. He smirked.

You liked my voice? he teased. This time Max nodded and looked away, embarrassed. And you like the way I play with your daughter, too. Max blushed harder.

"Stop reading my mind!" she exclaimed.

"Da-da down!" Tyler suddenly ordered. Max and Dylan both looked at the little girl in surprise. Dylan set her wiggling form on the ground. She toddled over to the sandbox where Vani and Jordan were playing, only falling twice.

"She thinks you're her dad," Max whispered, shocked.

Well, I have raised her since she was born, Dylan replied. It is normal, I suppose.

Max sighed and smiled. "You do make a pretty good dad, I suppose," she said. "It's getting late. We should find shelter for the night. Think we have enough money for a hotel room? I'm pretty sure sleeping on pine cones is bad for an unborn baby."

We have plenty of money, thanks to the girls, Dylan replied.

"Good," Max said. "Let's find somewhere to sleep, then."

Dylan and Max stood, rounding up the kids. They were excited to be staying in another hotel.

Should we get one room? Max silently asked as they entered a hotel lobby less than a block from the park. Or two?

Ask for a suite, Dylan instructed. It's all they have open. I will make sure he gives it to us.

Max shivered, but nodded. The extent of the boy's abilities were nerve-wracking, even if he only used them when absolutely necessary. And never on her.

"I would like a suite," Max requested in Spanish. The man at the counter nodded.

"I'll just need to see a credit card and some ID, Miss," he replied.

"I only have cash," Max said.

"I can only give you a suite if you have a credit card," the man stated.

Dylan mentally sighed. He entered the man's mind. "Cash is fine," he made the man say.

Max handed over the cash. It was more than enough to cover the cost of the room. The man subconsciously counted it. He entered paid into the computer. Dylan erased his memory of seeing the kids, only letting him remember that the room had been paid for. Max just shook her head, smiling at the teen.

You're scary, you know that? she thought. I had no idea you could do that.

You have seen me do it before, Dylan replied. You just cannot remember it.

The man handed over a card for them to get into the room. The kids ran up the stairs to the fifth floor, which held four large suites.

"Wow, a king bed, a pull-out bed, and a couch?" Max breathed. "Wonderful."

Lumi and Bree claimed the king bed. Jason and Vani took the pull-out bed. Max made a nest of blankets and pillows for Tyler. She took the couch, and Dylan sat in a recliner. Max picked up the phone and started ordering food.

After eating pizza, Chinese food, and numerous room service meals, the kids all gathered around the couch.

"Momma, tell us a story!" Jason demanded.

"Please?" Lumi and Bree begged.

"A story?" Max asked. "I don't remember any stories."

"You can read one from my book," Lumi whispered, looking down. She pulled a thick book titled Fairy Tales.

"Where did you get this?" Max wondered.

"Um, from the food store last week," Lumi breathed. "I really wanted it, and no one saw me take it."

Dylan listened as Max mentally debated. Finally she said, "Guys, stealing is wrong. It's one thing to take something you really, really need, like food, but another to take something you don't need. Besides, now we have money and we don't need to steal anymore."

"But Max, the money was stolen," Bree pointed out.

"Um, ok," Max sighed. "Forget what I just said. What story should I read?"

"Well, we can't read," Lumi began.

"So we don't know any of the stories," Bree finished.

"Then I'll start at the beginning," Max decided. She opened up the book and flipped to the first page. "'Once upon a time, in a land far away'..."


Max laid out on the couch and tilted her head to look up at Dylan, who was using the computer on the desk. The kids had fallen asleep about an hour earlier.

"What are you doing?" Max wondered.

I am trying to find information on your old Flock, Max, Dylan answered. A while ago, while we were still at the School, I heard you thinking about Fang and his blog. I figured that if I could find his blog, I might be able to get in contact with him somehow.

"Even if you do contact them, how do we know they want me back?" Max wondered. "You guys told me they kicked me out. What if they don't want me still?"

They do, Dylan assured. That is why Angel and Fang came to rescue you the day the School exploded. Now they probably assume you are dead.

Max got up and stood behind Dylan at the computer. She watched as he typed into the Google search bar "Fang's Blog". He clicked on the very first link that popped up.

"Is that it?" Max asked. Dylan nodded, scrolling down the page to the most recent posts. He clicked on the first post.

May 23, 2012. Fang's Blog.

Hi everyone! This is Angel posting on Fang's blog. To any of you who believe in some form of higher being, we could really use your prayers right now. Fang is in a coma. He tried to kill himself almost two weeks ago. He was extremely depressed and just couldn't handle it anymore. See, we failed in our mission to rescue Max. We saw the School she was in explode. We thought she was dead. But I recently discovered she is still alive, and is with another group of avian-humans. I won't tell you where they are, for their safety, of course! I'm not sure when Fang will wake up, so I'll be posting on here for now. That's it for now!

Fly on,

Angel.

Max frowned. Neither of the names sounds familiar to me. She sighed. "I don't even feel like I know these people. I'm starting to feel like I've known you all for my whole life. But no matter how much I hear about the others, I feel nothing."

I am sure you will remember them someday, Dylan thought. Just sleep for now.

Max returned to the couch and lay down. In minutes she was asleep.


Dylan continued reading Fang's blog while everyone slept. Finally he decided to send a message to the Flock.

Flock,

My name is Dylan. I am a friend of Max's from the School. We have escaped and are looking for you. Max has lost her memory and is unable to remember where you live. I have reason to believe that we are being followed right now, by the very people we escaped from. I am not sure how to find you. When and if we do meet up, there will most definitely be a fight. The School wants us badly. Let me know what you want to do.

Dylan.

He re-read the message and sent it. He just hoped that Max was wrong, and the Flock really did want her to return, like he believed.

And he hoped that they would get it, before it was to late.


So, a super-long chapter. I really hope you liked it! I kinda like this chapter. And I've got some good news for you: I have internet at home again! I am also more than half done with the next chapter.

My sister made my cover-image thing. But it didn't come out so well after uploading it. But trust me, it's a wonderful piece of art. She has a fanfiction account too, Malfoyy. She's a Harry Potter addict. Well, a Malfoy addict, actually.

Well, please review! I love to hear your feedback. Have a wonderful weekend one and all!

~Krisuvial~