Shoutouts: No namer44 (welcome to the show!), girlreadsalot 2x, Fang3forever, carly, lillypad22, Neon shoelaces and Fax, Unknown Writer O.o, and AnikaandAj!

Chapter 3 Not Them

(Other World's Max Pov.)

I could tell they were shocked, even a bit disgusted from the look on Nudge's face. Well, I guessed it was Nudge, at least a clone version or something. I was convinced now that this was more than just some random test. Someone had taken time, considerable, well thought out time to make these clones look and even act like the original Flock. I could tell already that the dark skinned Nudge was a chatterer, as our Nudge was. Angel, could read minds and had no sense of privacy, the original was like this too. This Gazzy and Iggy seemed to have a knack for building bombs, ours did as well. Fang, well it was easy to see, this clone was just like him, it even wore black and didn't talk. And this Max, I wasn't sure why they'd send a version of me, maybe to replace me when I failed? There was no telling with the Directors.

A breeze came and I saw Max's wings lift as well as Iggy's. The wind brushed across my bare back, rippling my plain shirt which was dotted with blood and coated in dust. I realized it must have belonged to the other Max, as she was wearing my clothes.

That must be how they got me out of the School un-noticed, I thought.

Yeah that's how we did it.

I jumped, whirling to face Angel who just looked at me calmly. "Stay out of my head!" Angel smiled innocently and flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder, it was longer than my Angel's I noticed. Then my eyes widened, the clone could read minds too?

"Yeah I can read minds and I'm not a clone!" Angel said, her eyes narrowing as she glared at me. I glared back but turned when Gazzy laughed and looking at Iggy said, "She thinks we're the weird ones. Fat chance!"

"Yeah, sorry Maxie but you're the one with the dilusion filled brain." Iggy joked, going to stand by Gazzy.

"Don't, call me Maxie." I growled but this only made them laugh harder. "Wow, Max, she is you!" Iggy gasped between bursts of laughter, but he wasn't looking at me, he was looking at my clone who merely shook her head and glanced at Fang who looked down at her, their eyes meeting, not a word being said but I knew a conversation was going on. My Fang, and I had been like that once…, I thought.

"Well if you're done joking around why don't you tell me why the hell I'm out in the middle of the freakin' desert? H'm? If you aren't clones or hybrids sent to kidnap me by the School why come at all. And who made you? What are you? Who are you?" I turned my eyes on Max. "And how do you look exactly like me?"

"Where do you want me to start?" she asked, rolling her eyes in a way I had done way too many times to count. I grimaced and said, "How about with who you are."

"Fine," she said, taking a step forward. I saw that blood was still dripping down her shirt and light reflect off the glass but she merely winced, hiding her pain from us. Just like I would have.

"My name, is Maximum Ride, this, is Fang, that's Iggy, Nudge, the Gasman, Gazzy for short don't ask why, and Angel." she pointed each of them out but I shook my head. "I know who you look like and your names. I meant who sent you? How'd you find me?"

"I have a gift."

"Oh yeah?"

The girl, Max, smirked and nodded. "I have these visions, of the past, present and future. In the van, when you tried to crush my skull with that crow bar-," her eyes narrowed and the others glared at me, "you succeeded."

"You'd be dead, or a veggie at least." I waved my hand dismissively, not believing a word the clone said. But she shook her head and said, "You did hit me, but when I blacked out I woke up a few seconds before it had happened. I was able to know what would happen and when Nudge started to say my name I whirled around and caught the crow bar. How else do you think I was able to stop you?"

I bit my lip and shrugged. "Luck."

"I don't have a lot of that." she said, her face serious. Tell me about it, I thought.

"Okay so so what? You have visions. How come you didn't see me waking up early?" Max's mouth turned into a frown and she said, "The visions come and go as they please."

"A likely excuse."

"Look-," she said, taking a step towards me, closing the distance. One thrust from my palm and I could send that glass down towards her heart, maybe killing her. She must have known it, I thought, she was standing not a foot from me. So why did she keep her arms by her sides?

Max's eyes stared straight into mine, matching my dark brown perfectly, and her voice was low and serious as she said, "I had a vision of you." My eyes narrowed and I asked, "Of what?"

"You were at the School, out in the field where a bunch of mutants and whitecoats were running around. Then this one guy came up and talked to you about how Generation 98 was going to be retired," her voice dripped venom at the word and I winced. "You said it was a shame, and he pointed out that the Directors wanted emotionless mutants. He shot one, a bear hybrid, but it didn't even seem to feel the pain. Then you went inside and into your office where you typed some message on your computer and then you video chatted with Angel."

I glanced at the girl who looked like Angel but she shook her head. I looked back at Max and she said, "No, it was your Angel."

"Wait a second. My, Angel. You're admitting she's not her? All of you admit you're not my, well, my old Flock?"

"Well duh," Gazzy said and I glared at him. He whistled and looked up at the sky. "We never said we were." I looked at Fang in shock but he just stared at me, not electing to say more.

"Yeah we never said we were your Flock." Nudge commented, standing up a bit straighter. The rest of the Flock relaxed as well and as I looked around at them I realized they weren't going to try and attack me. The question was why.

"If you aren't my Flock, I mean the other Directors, then who are you? Clones, right?" But Max shook her head. "I was trying to tell you. I had a vision of you but I'm, well we're not from around here."

"Yeah no crap sherlock. Where are you from? Russia? China? I hear they have a good program there. Germany?"

"Wrong, we're not even from this planet." Iggy said.

I turned rolling my eyes at him. "You don't look like little green men."

"Oh would you shut up?" Max said and my eyes widened before I turned to glare at her, our eyes meeting once more but neither of us looking away. I'd never seen anything like it.

"My name is Maximum Ride, and I'm the you from the other side." Her face was so serious as she said it that I laughed. "You mean to tell me there's some kind of third dimension or something! You're crazy!" I laughed again, bent over and gasping for breath. Then I noticed that she was still looking at me, her face along with the others completely serious. "What?" I asked, straightening up.

"Can you tell me who the President is?" she asked. I cocked my head to the side and said, "President? We haven't had one of those since Clinton."

"Bill, Clinton?" Fang clarified. I nodded at him and said, "You know the Directors took over in the summer of 1999." They glanced at each other, and then Max shook her head. "No, after him there was a guy who served for eight years, his name was George W. Bush from Texas. Now serving is Barack Obama."

"Baroukk who?"

"Obama."

"Sure." I said, nodding and playing along. "Keep telling yourself that. But in the real world the Directors are in charge. There hasn't been a President for eleven years."

"You mean since the By-Half Plan."

My mouth nearly dropped open but I collected myself though not before they noticed. "Word never got out about that plan."

"It didn't need to, you slaughtered billions!" Angel cried, her eyes blazing as she glared at me. I shook my head but before I could speak Gazzy spat, "You murdered innocent people!"

"I didn't I was down at the time." I protested, hating for some reason the way their eyes glared at me, all but Max who merely shook her head sadly, as if she'd already known.

"Look this is crazy." I said, waving my hands. "You," I nodded at Max, "Good luck with this 'other world' crap, and good luck pulling that glass out. The rest of you, just stay away from me."

I turned, heading back towards the School, only to find my way blocked by Nudge and Angel who glared at me. "Don't try me." I warned them but Nudge poked her finger at my chest and said, "You're not our Max, so we're not gonna listen to you."

"But I suggest you listen to her," Angel said. "She's telling the truth and we'll prove it to you."

I took a step back then held my ground and growled, "I don't believe you, and never will."

"You'll change your mind."

"Oh yeah? Why do you think that?"

"Because we brought the secret weapon."

My eyes narrowed and I turned to face Max who was grinning along with the rest of the Flock. "Which is, what, exacltly?"

"You'll know soon, we just have to find him."

I know it's short today guys but that's because I had to work all day but finished early and while at work ( I was working at a credit card company with my mom putting stickers on brochures and stamping and mailing applications and letter, boring but I made good money) and I was listening to my music while putting a sticker on a brochure when a song came up and as I listened to the lyrics I was inspired. Ding! I told you guys ideas just come to me in random ways. Anyways it will be a one shot song fix (kinda like 19 Years Partial Songfic I Hope You Dance) and it will feature Max as she dreams about how Jeb is always telling her she has to save the world. I know, sounds boring, but it's not I swear. And once you add in Linkin Parks: Numb, it gets pretty dark.

So, that will probably be posted some time tonight, tomorrow or over the weekend don't forget to check it out. This will not interfere with this story btw.

Questions:

girlreadsalot: Do you like History? And, who is your favorite band or singer?

Me: I love, love, love history. In highschool as well as middle school I've taken gifted in it. In highschool I've taken Pre-Ap (Advanced Placement which is as far up as you can go, pre- is the first version you take then you take AP), I took 9th grade Pre-Ap American Government, Sophomore year Honors/ Pre-Ap and Ap US History, and Junior year Pre-Ap World History and then AP European History. Any of you heard of the AP tests? I took it in US history and Euro History and got 4 out of 5. Which is very good. Of course in language arts I got a 5 lol. Wonder why?

Now I'm set up to take AP Economics my Senior Year. So, yes, in short, I love history and writing.

Other question: H'm, well my favorite song ever is Storm to Pass by Atreyu, but I only like the one song. I don't think I can say I have a favorite band or singer because I only like certain songs. But I listen to Country and Rock (80s rock and current) for the most part. Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, them? On the side a little. My sister loves rap and that stuff. Me, not so much.

AnikaandAj: If you could have one thing in the world, what would it be, excluding anteing that would make you powerful, rich, or famous?

Me: Tough one, h'm, okay can I say world peace? I guess, I don't think world peace is possible though even if I got some sort of wish. It's in our nature to fight. But if not that I guess eternal salvation. I'm a Baptist and believe in God, Heaven, Hell, the Trilogy, I want my soul to go to heaven which I already believe it will since I've been saved. I guess that's my true desire.

carly: Dog or cat person?

Me: Both, I have a dog and a cat and love them both. Though I imagine if I were to die that the dog wouldn't eat me and would mourn me while the cat would eat me…. *shrugs* lol

Fang3forever: Who is your favorite Winnie the Pooh character and why? And does the other Max have foresight?

Me: I'd have to say Tiger because he is ADHD (lol ;) ) and Pooh who is always so whacked out on honey he slurs. HAHA! Sorry I just think that is hilarious I saw this like page on Facebook and it was awesome. Described all of them as having some sort of disorder. lol. But no seriously Tiger because when I was little I had two (I still have them actually) beanie baby tigers twins I called stripes 1 and 2. I took them everywhere! Pooh, because he is so sweet and kind and the main character.

As for your second question no can answer as of now. ;) sorry lol

No namer44: Why write a whole chapter that I already read?

Me: He means the prologue where it is James Patterson's passage about them at the School. And remember I said you'll find out later on. Which you have if you've gotten this far. ;)

Any more questions guys?