Chapter 6: Maximum Ride

Max's point of view

Next to me Angel froze and stared at the group of very pale and ominous people across the lunch room, which I assumed were the 'Cullen's'. One of them, a boy with reddish hair stared back at her. "Vampire," Angle whispered. His face grew if possible even more pail, the rest of the Cullen's turned in unison and stared at our little group.

We all laughed at Angel's joke. "I know what you mean they are pretty pale," I chuckled.

"No, really I can see it in their minds," she whispered clinging to my plad skirt, all of us went ridged in our uniforms.

"They're hands are ice cold, I believe her. I didn't even feel a pulse," Iggy said.

As I stared one of the family members said something in a hushed voice, I couldn't even hear it. "Iggy what are they saying?" I asked, growing slightly dispirit.

"Shh! I'm trying, they are talking so quietly…" he trailed off and we all watched anticipating the worst. "One is skipping school to keep an eye on us, and a deferent one, Jasper, is coming too. He said something about our emotions. Have any of you heard of the Volturi?" he asked coming out of a daze.

"Nope," said Nudge quickly.

"…No," Fang muttered.

"Yes, it's a kind of bird. Right?" The Gasman asked.

"No, that's a vulture," Iggy corrected.

"Oh," he said.

"They are some sort of ruler, I think," said Iggy. "Two of the Cullen's work for them," he said.

"You said two of them are watching us?" I asked. He nodded mutely. "I'll meet with them, and figure this out," I said taking command.

"But Jeb said-" Nudge broke off and I gave her a look.

"I'll come, too. Then it will be a fair fight and if they are hiding anything we will know!" Angle said.

I nodded, Fang gave me the 'you're such a push over' look and I glared at him. "Come on Angle, lets go fake being sick," I said.

A huge smile spread over Angel's face. "Easy!" she said, and she skipped off to the main office. I followed still not sure how to handle this situation.

"We have fevers," Angel told the secretary.

"Okay, you may go," said the secretary with a dazed look on her face.

I gave Angle the thumbs up to me as we walked into the gloomy outdoors. "Should we sit and wait or hide?" I asked Angel.

"Hide, it's more fun," she said and pulled herself into a nearby tree. I jumped up and settled next to her.

"So, how much do they know?" I asked apprehensive.

"Not much, you live with a mind reader so you keep your minds pretty blank," she said nonchalantly. "Like I can hear crickets in them sometimes,"

"They can read minds!?!" I asked panicking, ignoring her joke.

"Only one of them, the others can do stuff too, I think…" she said.

"We really need to work on you telling us everything you hear," I said. "What's the deal with the Native American Guy? He doesn't look like the rest of the vampires," I said, trying to get as much information as possible.

"He was different… Like not a vampire. He was talking to someone named Sam in his head-" she said.

"What!" I asked. "He can communicate with his mind like you,"

"No… It's complicated I didn't get much on him," she said, and opened her mouth to keep talking but I put a cautionary hand over it and put a finger to my lips. She looked confused so I pointed towards the two Cullen's who came out the door. Their dark eyes scoped the campus. I looked over at Angel she was concentrating very hard and was staring at the two vampires.

I knew what she was doing, warning them. Suddenly they would hear a voice in their head demanding what they wanted and on her queue we would drop from the tree. The girl, Claudia, reacted before Jasper she crouched low in a fighting stance ready for an ambush. Jasper reacted coolly and looked in the trees wear we were hiding… Angel motioned with her hand and we dropped, simultaneously.

Jasper tracked us with his eyes the entire way down; Claudia looked a tiny bit surprised but recovered fast and drew her self up to her full height. "What are you?" she asked, not unkindly just curiously.

"You know what we are, so tell us what are you?" Jasper asked and I felt quite calm.

"Stop that!" Angel said to him, and again I was on guard.

His proposal did seem fair. Be careful they might be hungry Angel warned me, I smiled at her joke but there was a grain of truth there.

"We're a highbred species," I said simply.

"Can I show them?" Angel asked.

"Not here," I said.

"Show us what," Claudia asked.

"We can't show you here, but if you'll follow me," I said and started walking towards a thick grove of trees, Angel in toe. I glanced over my shoulder and saw them exchange a look then followed us.

"My name isn't Ariel," Angel said reacting to one of their thoughts. "It's Angel, my brother is Gazzy, then there is Nudge, and Fang and Iggy and-"

"I'm Maximum Ride," I said and snapped my wigs out, Angel fallowed my example. "Pleased to meat you."