See! I told you that once things couldn't get any worse something always comes along. I didn't know what to say as I saw them sitting there…They looked the same as they had the last time I saw them…although a little more aged. My mom looked the happiest to see me…more excited than she had been when I learned to ride my bike without training wheels. Like I said, I didn't know what to say and I couldn't help but notice myself backing away towards the door until I heard it lock behind me. Darn it. My dad stared at me sternly…the look he gave me that conventionally meant, "get your skinny but over here." Slowly I came closer…Please don't ask me to sit…if somebody had dropped a pen I would have instantly clinked to the ceiling and hissed.
"Just don't stand there," my dad said. "Sit down." AH! He said it. I sat down and tried to look calm, but the sight of them was very unsettling…I knew they wouldn't do anything to hurt me…Right? The chair was cold and the air was colder and my palms were already sweaty.
"Hi," I said, quietly.
"Hello, Seth…sweetie, how are you?" my mom said. Sweetie? She called me sweetie! She had no right to call me that!
"I'm okay…Why?"
"Oh nothing, just wanted to ask…it's only polite. After all, we haven't seen you in so long. How many years?" she said looking at my father.
"I can't remember the exact number, but it has been a while hasn't it son. I see you've barely changed."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Look at you…I expected you to be a bird kid or some other kind of creature."
I suppressed a growl. "Well…I am very different, Dad," I chewed on the word…it was unfamiliar to me now, since I hadn't addressed anyone that way. "…those many years that you can't seem to recall I have changed quit a bit."
"Show us then," he said leaning back in his chair. I looked down at him indignantly as I stood up and began to change. As I transformed I made sure that they heard every pop and crackle of my bones…anything to make them just as uncomfortable as me. It actually hurt a little bit, since I had been in human form for a while. After changing I sat down again. My mom put her hand over her mouth and looked a little disturbed. My dad stared at me with calculating eyes.
After a brief pause, he scratched his chin and said, "Not bad, Seth…not bad." He turned to my mom and they began to talk to each other using scientific diction.
I tapped the table with my claw. "Hey I'm still present here…What's going on? Why are you here?"
My mom looked shocked. "To see you Seth…I thought you might appreciate it."
I couldn't help but smile…the kind of smile you give someone when you are really pissed off and you don't want the person to notice.
"That's a very nice gesture ma'am…but do you think you could have done more for me?" "What do mean?"
I held up a finger and said "Well let me think a minute… Oh yeah, perhaps, oh I don't know...Getting me out of Lab 7 …before THEY TURNED ME INTO THIS THING!" I stood up quickly and pounded a fist into the table. My father got up too.
"SIT DOWN!"
"MAKE ME!"
"Don't make me call them in here," he said sternly, locking eyes with me.
"You'd do that?"
"If I must."
"Go ahead," I said getting in his face.
"Seth, please!" my mom cried. "Please just sit down." I snarled at her, showing my fangs, then obliged her.
"So why are you here?" I asked.
"We've come to make you an offer," my dad said.
"An offer?"
"Yes, Your mother and I work for another lab, with the most elite Collectors in the country. We've heard of your performance in catching experiments. So we've decided to commission you. You would live with us just like before and you would do the same work you have done here only under far better conditions. Your skills will be put to better use at this facility. You'll be assigned to a group of highly specialized experiments that are being trained for a very special assignment."
I had a guess at where this was going, but ventured to ask. "What kind of assignment?"
"Capturing Maximum Ride and her flock." ….

At this point any self-respecting teenager would lash out in a fit of rage, but me? I couldn't help it…I burst out laughing and I wasn't faking it.
"What is so funny?" My father asked his voice tight. I slowly stopped and than tried to suppress my giggling. "Answer me," he demanded. I held up a hand and took a deep breath. My mom looked at me concerned; she must've thought that I was seriously cracked.
"Funny… You know for a second, I thought you guys were actually here to rescue me…but in fact... You're just making my life even more miserable."
"And that's funny to you?"
"It's the irony."
"Seth," my mother said softly. "We only have your best interest in mind."
"You're not the first person to tell me that recently. A Whitecoat told me that shortly before they cut my partner's wings off," I said sharply. She gasped again.
"Seth, we would never do anything like that! Not to you!"
"Oh really then explain to me, mom…how's being a FREAK in my best interest."
My father looked even more agitated and my mother fell silent. She looked at my dad for guidance.
"Lee Ann, can you leave us alone for a minute?" he asked.
"But…"
"Come on," he said softly escorting her out. "Let me talk to him, okay…everything will be alright." After she had left, my father turned on me with a murderous stare. He seated himself again and laced his fingers. "Seth…you would do well to respect your mother, because without her you would've been gone a loooong time ago. We never told you the reason why we let Lab 7 take you. Well now let me explain it to you, maybe after this you will see things differently."
"I doubt it…but go ahead, I'm listening."
"You were never supposed to make it past infancy and develop into a normal human. We had been working for the School for many years. At the time, Lee Ann was pregnant, arrangements had already been made, that once you were born, we would give you up. But when your mother held you in her arms she refused to give you away for anything…not even money, which is what we would have received in exchange. The Board consented and she was allowed to keep you, for the time being. When you turned five, your mother and I were informed that your use would be required in your early teens. Until then we were to document your development."
"What was my supposed use?" I asked, I had always wanted to know why they did what they did…but now as I had said before, I really didn't want to know at all.
"To put it simply, the School wanted to experiment with multiple DNA grafting. Grafting avian and human was easy enough…but to combine several strands at once in a later stage of development… that was the challenge. According to your information in the School database…you have three identifiable DNA strands that are visible in your phenotype, Maine coon, pigeon, and human."
"I already know that."
"However, there are seven more strands grafted into your own. They used the same technique on you that they used on Ari. That much fusion of DNA should've killed you or turned you into something completely useless. But more importantly, the whole point of multiple DNA application was to create a creature with the best qualities of various animals. Your best attribute of being able to take punishment is owed to several different animal species… and you haven't had to use this…but your digestive system is more similar to a hyena's…meaning if you needed to, you could potentially eat carrion, a talent that many experiments lack."
"Yippee, I can eat road kill at will," I said lamely. My father's frown deepened, but continued.
"But now Seth… your purpose has been served. The data that has been collected from you has already been put to use…those Jawz that escorted you here are one of them…the flying Eraser are another although that needs to be perfected. But besides that you were scheduled for termination a long ago. The fact that you are still alive is due to the contract you made with Jeb as well as your prowess as a Collector."
"You told me I would think differently about this offer…I haven't changed my mind." "Don't you understand?" he said through his teeth. "You aren't worth anything, to anyone, anymore. This offer I am making you is a chance for you to be useful. If not they'll put you down…like a dog. The problem with that contract with Jeb is that he can break it anytime he likes…when he sees fit. Do you really want to live that way? At the whim of some stranger?"
"You do realize he's outside."
"I do…but he can't do a thing. We a higher rank than he is. He can't touch us without the board's approval. Do you understand now?"
I leaned back in my chair and put my arms behind my head. "The way I see it, John…Even if I was to go with you the outcome would be the same. If we capture Maximum Ride and everything you hoped for is achieved, you'll still put me down. After that, I will be of no use…isn't that what children do? Once they decide to not play with a toy anymore…they toss it?" John was my father's first name and I think he resented me for calling him by that.
"Seth," John hissed.
"There is no amount of scowling that is going to change my mind…I'd rather be killed by a complete stranger than my own parents. My mind is made up," I said firmly.
"NO!" Lee Ann, my mother burst into the room "You must accept, Seth! Please!" she begged sitting down at the table. "Please!"
"Lee Ann, I thought that you of all people would understand."
"NO! You're mine! You do what I say! "she said staring at me angrily…there was something else that they were not telling me. Then my blood ran cold as an image of her formed in my mind…Ana…my sister…..

I growled instinctively and my fur bristled. "Ana…how is she?" I asked my voice coarse. Lee Ann gave me the coldest of stares, all of her maternal love that she had displayed was gone.
"She's just starting high school…the same one you attended," she said. "And she is doing very well."
"What are you planning to do to her if I refuse?"
"She will be taken to a lab as well and she will be changed to take your place." These people were SICK…how they could do something like this?
"SO you'd take her life away from her just so you can fulfill the stupid need to capture Maximum Ride!"
"We aren't going to do anything," Lee Ann said. "YOU are. You're the one that is going to be responsible for taking her life away from her. If you refuse, it will be YOUR fault that she will never see prom night or graduation."
"You guys never cared about my well being…this is all about Ana…you'd rather her lead a normal life than me…"
"How dare you say that about your sister!" Lee Ann snapped. : All you can blame is fate, Seth…that you were unfortunate enough to be my firstborn!" I was taken a back by her change of tone.
"Now that you know what is at stake, will you accept?" John asked. I sunk in my chair…I hated this, everyone else was in control accept me…when was it going to be my turn? I was beginning to think that that chance would never come. As I sat there and thought, I began to change and shaded my eyes with my hand. When I looked up at them again…they stared at me expectantly.
"May I have some time to think this through?" I asked them. Lee Ann and John looked at each other and their gazes softened.
"We will give you three days, Seth. In that time seriously think about it….we will speak again." John said.
"Thanks," I whispered. I got up and headed for the door, I looked back at them. The maternal love in Lee Ann's eyes returned.
"See you again sweetie." I grunted and left.
"Nice to have family isn't it?" Jeb asked as I walked out into the hallway.
"DON'T screw with me, Jeb…You'll regret it," I replied softly looking at him out of the corner of my eye. He didn't say a word and Chase escorted me back to my room…. I had a lot to think about….

"So… are you going to explain it to me?" I asked as Chase and I walked.
"Explain what?" he said as we walked back onto the black tile floors.
"This."
"Oh, this is the lobby…it was built a couple years ago after Max escaped. It was used as a front… to not give away any sign of what actually goes on here. There are tours and everything."
"Tours of what?"
"There is an entire wing of the School that people can walk through, Erasers are forbidden to transform in that area. To outsiders this place is a pharmaceutical company, which just so happens to be in a very obscure location."
"Interesting," I muttered.
"Jeb spares no expense when hiding this place...It's expensive…but it is not as gritty as killing off guests whom by accident wind up on our door step or taking them for experiments." The thought was chilling…you're lost and want to get home, then you find this place and then they haul you off to become eraser chow or worse. We moved on and headed back to the wing where everything wasn't a front. My encounter with my parents wasn't as wholesome as I had pictured it. Ana…that was my little kid sister…I hated her as I thought about my memories of her and her little innocent games she used to play with me and the life that she had that I wouldn't ever match. But she couldn't be blamed, after all she didn't even know what our parents did for a living…did she? I doubt it. This was a tough decision a whole new can of worms had been opened and I was being forced to eat everyone.
Upon my arrival, I found that they had moved Raf back into the room and guess what he was doing? …no, not sleeping. Raf had nose buried in a shiny new puzzle book, as usual he ignored me as I walked in. He sure does like those things, an enormous stack of them were piled next to him. After Chase left I sighed and buried my face in a pillow. I was hoping it would wrap itself around my head and suffocate me…but there is no such thing as a possessed pillow.
"Tired?" Raf asked.
"Uh," I said, my voice muffled. "I'm tired of a lot of things, Raf…you might want to be specific."
" I just meant in general."
"Yeah…I'm tired in general too." I brought my head up for air. "How are you feeling? I see you've got a new puzzle book."
"I'm okay…Kane bought these for me. She's been very…what's the word?"
"Nice?"
"Yeah."
"I'm sorry about what happened Raf…it wasn't supposed to end that way." I said rotating onto my side. "Don't worry about it…what happened, happened."
"Why did you do it?" I asked.
"I told you back when we were at Lab 7 that you were the only friend I've got and I would be an idiot to jeopardize that," He said calmly, turning the page. "I have to really like you in order to do what I did." I smiled and Raf did the same, you know beside his occasional homicidal tendencies and being as animated as a statue…Raf was alright.
"I learned something very interesting from that fight," Raf said.
"Oh?"
"Yeah…I never shared anything about my origins, PC, because I didn't remember them. That fight with the experiments helped me remember and now I wish I still had amnesia."
"It can't be that terrible," I said, thinking of my current situation with my parents. It sucked.
"Oh yes it can," he said gravely. "You know why Whitecoats are afraid of me?" I shook my head and the memory of Dr. Porter suddenly flashed in my mind. "They are afraid of me, because of what I did to my creator…the only person that both loved me and mistreated me at the same time…my creator was my father and I killed him." I swallowed slowly as Raf explained in detail what had happened between them on the day he discovered his powers. Then he told me about the dream that he had been having for the last several months the one about him being a little kid, with crows flying all around and shadowy figures on the outside of the living shield. "The person I was holding onto was my mother…" he said. " She was dead…one of the shadowy figures was my father and he was the one that had done it… and SHE was there too…she was and is …my sister," Raf whispered. I knew he was mentioning Mercy. I wasn't at all surprised, after all Mercy and Raf's resemblance was uncanny. Mercy never really talked much about her origins either and she also claimed to have no recollection of it. "…The dream always end with me being tranquilized…and it has never changed. After She had searched my mind it unlocked the rest of my memories," Raf said his claws tightening around the sheets. "I was taken away at birth like all the rest of the bird kids, but later on I escaped. The funny thing was, I had never taken home and I very distantly remember my mother's face, but I somehow I knew where to find her. When I wound up at the door step in the pouring rain…the woman that was my mother was….terrified of me. She loved the girl I call sister and she hated me….because to her with my clawed hands and black wings…I was a monster. Then when the day came and she lay there dying and I rushed to her side…she still pushed me away. That was the day that I got control of the crows…I never knew what happened to my sister…during that time." Raf rubbed his face with his hands "I don't think I want to talk about this anymore."
I nodded and didn't press. "Did this talk help?" I asked curiously.
"A little…it's past there is nothing I can really do," he said. "But, just so you know…I do appreciate having you around, PC."
"Thanks." I said "At least I'm useful for something that doesn't involve ruining other peoples lives. You're not the only one with family problems." I rolled over and decided to sleep. I didn't feel like getting changed or anything all I wanted was to sleep. To forget about life for a little while and drift, close my eyes then fall into nothing…..

I opened eyes into the dim light of the clock, next to my bed then winced as the lamp light from the other side of the room pierced my pupils.
"You're still awake?" I asked.
"Don't act surprised, you've only been asleep five minutes. Besides I've been sleeping for several days, I can't even if I wanted to…I'm not tired." I grumbled to myself and turned away from the light and closed my eyes again. But sleep didn't come and all the cares that I had left behind were coming back to me. Feeling overwhelmed, I sat up and curled into a ball then closed my eyes again. I ran my fingers through my hair several times. Terrific.
"If you can't sleep, try one of these puzzle books. These will wear you out in no time." I walked over next Raf's bed and picked one up. When I notice the garment that Raf was wearing had torn slits in the back. I choked as I saw bandages through it, where Raf's wings used to be. I turned away and sat down on my bed and pulled out a pen. The first crossword was enormous with over one hundred questions. Raf wasn't kidding when he said that this would tire me out.
"Does it hurt?" I asked with out thinking.
"Hurt?"
"You know where your wings used to be."
"It hurts from time to time…but actually I think it is an improvement. I feel lighter and besides, what's the point of flying if it hurts you. Don't worry about it, PC…I don't have that much attachment to the sky." I sighed heavily and tried answering the first few questions, which were extremely hard….this was almost like homework. The thought of my discussion with John and Lee Ann, not to long ago was getting to me. I sat at the edge of Raf's bed and our fake conversation of checking spelling began:

PC: My parents came to see me today.
Raf: Really? You know your parents?
PC: Yes, unfortunately, they came to make me an offer.
Raf: Let me guess, one you can't refuse, right?
PC: Yeah, since I've been doing my "job" so well they want me to go with them to work at their lab. There I would be assigned to a group that is training to capture Maximum Ride.
Raf: THE Maximum Ride?
PC: Who else…But you know I can't do that. If I do it will make me one of the most despised experiments ever. She had given so many people inspiration, who am I to take that from them.
Raf: What happens if you refuse?
PC: They will take my sister to a Lab and she will take my place.
Raf: That's rough…I didn't know you had a sister too.
PC: Yeah, well she's my baby sister and on top of that she's not a psycho like yours.
Raf: Very funny.
PC: Anyways, I don't know what to do.
Raf: I don't know what to tell you PC…this contract you're in with Jeb is getting more personal every time.
PC: I know….

I sighed and worked on more of the actual crossword puzzle. When was it going to be my turn to be in control? I think I already knew the answer and I didn't want to listen to it. But the answer was a resounding "never". In life some things are given to you, other things, usually the ones you want the most, you have to reach out and take them. In my current position there was no chance of me being in control…I would have to take it from those who held it. I realized that now and my brain started ticking….

PC: Raf, I think I know what I have to do.
Raf: What is that?
PC: I can't let them do this to Ana. So I am going to do what every big brother should do…I'm going to go protect her.
Raf: How do you plan to—
PC: I'm going to leave the School

Raf looked at me with the typical "you're crazy" look…

PC: Don't worry, I can make this work…I've got three days to pull this off and I think that is all the time I will need…….

"Here you are, sir," I said respectfully as I handed Jeb the report, in 12, times new roman, single spaced just as he requested. Jeb leafed through it with calculating eyes.
"Thank you, Kane. I will have to give this a full review later," he said.
"Very good," I said and turned.
"Kane."
"Yes?"
"Remember, those people that came here last night?"
"I do they said that they were PC's parents."
"That's right, they made him an offer to go and work for them in at another Lab, to help catch my Max. PC was given three days to decide starting today. Would you be a dear and keep an eye on him for me?"
"Why? Do you think PC might try something?"
"I don't know, but just do that for me will you. Report to me if there is anything odd about his behavior; even if it is slight…let me know."
"Alright," I said.
"Good, I know I can always count on you," Jeb smiled. I nodded and left the room and headed back to the front desk and continued my work, for the next several hours then headed to the mess hall where PC and Rafmire would most likely be. I wasn't sure whether I wanted to be a snitch of Jeb, at this point after experiencing what PC's life had been like I didn't want to do anything to hurt him. But Jeb gave me order….Hopefully PC isn't planning anything…..

The plan I had come up with was complicated and would need every bit of the three days given to me to make it work. The School wasn't like Lab 7, it had more security than you could possibly imagine and I would have to get around that. First off I wondered the School. Anytime I got stopped, I just plainly said I needed to move around so I was just wondering. They all give me the same warning, "don't go wondering into restricted areas," and I always assured them that I wouldn't. After half the day, I had come to the inescapable conclusion that getting out of here was next to impossible. There were very few areas where there were no cameras and that included the bathrooms used by the Whitecoats and the janitor closest. They were good places to discuss planning with Raf, but other than that they were completely useless. At dinner I continued to calculate ways of getting out of here. The door to the mess hall opened and Kane walked in. The Erasers whistled at her as she walked by their table. She ignored them and procured a try of food. Then to my surprise came down and sat in front of me.
"Hello," she said pleasantly.
"Hello?" I said.
"How's Raf doing?"
"He's okay…but he still can't get out of bed."
"So what have you been up to? I heard about your parents."
"Oh? What did you hear?"
"That they make you an offer to capture Maximum Ride, Have you made a decision?" she asked.
"I've been thinking about it …but there is more to it than just the offer. Nobody told you what will happen if I refuse."
"What will happen?"
"It's really nothing you need to concern yourself with Kane. But right now I am still undecided about what to do."
"Oh," she said scattering the corn on her plate. What was she getting at? What was she looking for? I decided to not bother figuring it out…one thing you can always count on is if you give someone enough rope they'll hang themselves. I finished my dinner and got up "Nice talking with you…if you don't mind I'm going back to my room now."
"Okay," she said. I left the mess hall and headed to my own. Inside Raf was sleeping with a puzzle book on his lap. I sat down and pulled out my picture of Jeb and my sharpie, to add to my artistic masterpiece. I extended his enormous mustache up to the top corners of the photo and blacked out some more of his teeth. This was amusing for about two minutes. I had already butchered most of it from pervious fits of boredom. I moved to the family photo, and with new devious creativity, set to work on my mom and dad. This reminded me of the situation…there were cameras everywhere and I am sure that there were plenty in the ventilation system. I could get a more accurate picture if I talked to Kane she was allowed in my restricted areas than I was…But no…it's too risky. I've learned my lesson from Fox, you can't trust personnel, for nothing, they turn on you too easily. There has to be an angle something I hadn't thought of yet . The best time to escape would be during the daytime. If what Chase told me about the Lobby was true the Erasers can't transform or touch me there, out of fear of exposing what they are. This fake place may work to my advantage. But even so the problem was getting there. The Eraser types I had seen were the regular kind and Jawz. There were no Wratihs or Land Sharks from what I have seen but I can't overlook the possibility that there might still be some here. The whole situation was frustrating and it was making my head hurt. Raf yawned and stretched.
"Enjoy your nap?"
"Very much," he muttered sarcastically. He reached for the remote to the television and started flipping through channels. Among the busy colors and flashes a channel caught my eye.
"Raf, stop, go back one." On this channel a woman dressed in a suit was pointing to some funky looking graphics on a map of the general area. There was one particular cluster of pixels which caught my attention. It was massive with a thin green outside and a thick yellow and red inside. A thunderstorm and by the looks of it,it was going to be a rough one. According to the lady on the screen this atmospheric monster would be here by Wednesday…day three… As the weather women went over the specs of the storm it occurred to me that this might be the break that I desperately needed…..

"PC? Is this how you spell rutabaga?" Raf asked me as he passed his puzzle book to me with a message inside:

Raf: So you're going to make the attempt huh?
PC: Yeah, if the meteorologist is right, a storm like that could knock out the power. Hopefully long enough for me to make some head way for an escape.
Raf: You do realize this place is bound to have generators.
PC: I have thought of that…that is why I need to cover as much ground as I can before that happens. If luck is willing the storm could knock out the generators too. But I am not getting my hopes that high. With a storm this violent a lightening strike is inevitable. I wish there was some way I could be certain.
Raf: Perhaps you could ask Storm?
PC: No, the guy hates me…after all we are the ones that captured him. He won't bargain with me.
Raf: How do you know that?
PC: I don't need to know, Raf, it's common sense.
Raf: Sometimes people change…they are willing to do things and strike alliances with people they hate to get something they want, you of all people should know that, you've done the same.
PC: You're right…How am I supposed to talk to him?
Raf: No clue…Tomorrow is day two...I would suggest being a little less cautious and I think I should emphasis "a little". Try coaxing Kane.
PC: Kane? No way…she came over to eat with me today and she asked me about my decision. Something smells wrong about her.
Raf: Well does it really matter, if she's curious?
PC: Yes, because if she's curious that means Jeb is curious. I only get one shot at this I can't afford to mess it up.
Raf: Come on, PC, all you have to do is stay two steps ahead of her. You can turn people around…I've seen you do it. Kane is no different.
PC: That's easy for you to say…you're the one in bed all day.
Raf: Well if I was feeling stronger maybe I would help you. But also think…what choices do you have? Not many? Either rely on chance or try and make an offer with Storm. If he cooperates things will move a lot more smoothly.
PC: We'll see.

"Hey, Raf, can I have the remote if you're not going to watch TV?" He shrugged and tossed it to me. I began to flip channels and finally settled on the Food Network and watched a show on how to make apple pie.
"Why are we watching this?" Raf asked.
"We aren't watching anything, I am…Why? Because I like it."
"Geez, you like food so much you'd think you would way 300 pounds."
"Actually I do weigh 300 pounds…but that is just because I have thick bones." After the show was over I switched off the television and went to sleep.