Chapter Nine: Answers

MAX'S POV

After a year of therapy -both physical and mental- I have my voice back and everything healed nicely. Luckily, a nerve was only slightly damaged so I wasn't permanently silenced.

It is the only luck I've had in a very long time. When I was finally given the green card to roam around, I learned that I was at a secret military hospital in Oregon. Only a small group of people know I exist and both the Admiral and I want to keep it that way.

I also learned to trust the Admiral a little. From my silent observations, I learned that all he really wants is answers for what happened at that lab and why I have wings. I also need answers from him like how he found out about the lab. The only way for us to get what we both want is to work with each other and cooperate. Of course, I hadn't told him anything while I was still mute.

Apart from free room and food, life is hell. I barely sleep, waking up screaming and crying. Each night I dream of a different child that I was forced to kill. Each time, I feel more and more guilty. I have been given therapy but the counselor doesn't know everything. How do I tell someone that I killed a bunch of kids when it really wasn't me? No one would believe me.

But, as time has gone on, I realize that the more I keep to myself, the more messed up I become. At this point, I am only a shell of who I used to be and that terrifies me. There's nothing I can do about it at this point, anyway.

"Miss?" I look away from the window as my nurse walks into my room. I have been given a regular bedroom to stay in but she still comes to see me everyday to make sure everyone is alright. She has gotten used to the wings and doesn't seem to mind them. It makes me happy that she doesn't care that I'm a freak.

"Hey, Isa," She smiles when I respond. I have only had my voice again for two months. It's still weak but getting stronger each day.

"How are you feeling?" She sits next to me in her personal chair and places a hand on my knee.

"Same as usual." Isa is the only person I'm most truthful with. I trust her because she trusts me, despite not knowing of my past.

"Well, let's hope that someday it'll be different. The Admiral has asked for you,"

I tense. "It's time?" I whisper. She only nods and glances at me sympathetically. "I mean, I had to see it coming, right? I have my voice back and I've only been putting it off."

She nods and reassuringly pats my knee. "Remember, tell them enough that you get the answers you want but don't reveal everything if it means hurting yourself or more like you in the process."

I realize, after she finishes speaking, that I want to tell her the truth. "Isa?" I need more reassurance first. She gives me a look but waits for me to speak.

"There are things that I have done. . . and I would like to tell you." I pause, hoping she can help me out here. This isn't really my thing -opening up to strangers whom I've managed to trust.

"Of course, sweetie, but not here now. They are always listening, you see. Of course, it turns off when I enter. How about once you are set free, you come over and meet my family, have dinner and talk then. Does that sound good? I would like to know more about you, Max. I can tell that you have done terrible things against your will."

I smile widely and hug her. She lets out a surprised sound, laughing slightly. "Sounds great. Thank you." She smiles and nods.

"Best be going now, though, dearie."

I nod, standing. She follows me out, giving me one last good luck hug before walking down the hall.

There are always two soldiers outside my door in case I try anything. Of course, I probably would have if I didn't have so many questions I want answers to.

"Which way is the Admiral?" I ask the one on the left with slicked back brown hair and glaring green eyes. I don't think he likes me very much.

He doesn't say anything, just stepping forward and walking down the hall in the opposite direction of Isa.

I follow behind and the other guard walks behind me. I never really understood the purpose of the guards. Is it for the safety of me or others in the hospital? It's not like I'm going to do anything, especially not after all I've been through over the past three years.

We travel down several halls, all looking the same. We approach an exit door and I give a skeptical look behind me to the guard walking several feet away. He was looking at my wings -everyone only ever looks at my wings- but now, his eyes connect with mine when he noticed I turned my head to look at him. All he does is shrug and go back to looking at my folded wings. I roll my eyes and look forward so I don't run into the guard who has stopped in front of the exit door.

I pause, raising my eyebrow but he doesn't say anything. He opens the door, walking through and I have no choice but to follow. The sun is bright outside and I have to squint in order for my eyes to adjust. It's hot and sticky outside but otherwise not bad. It's been a year since I have been outside and I take a deep breath, savering the fresh year. I should really ask for outside privileges.

We walk down a concrete path shaded by the overhead trees. We come to a small cabin and sitting on the porch is the Admiral. This must be his temporary living quarters while he keeps an eye on me. He stands when he sees me approach. I walk up the stairs and both soldiers walk to stand on either side of the door.

"Well, come in. We have lots to talk about and little on time, unfortunately." We enter the small cabin and the first thing I notice is how empty and bland it is. There is no decor up, just the basic living necessities.

We walk down the hall, passing by two doors before coming to the last at the end of the hall. He opens the door, gesturing for me to enter first before walking in and closing the door behind me.

When I realize what it is since inside there is only a small table, two chairs and some sort of equipment on the table my shoulders sag. It's a small interrogation room. I take a seat in one of the classic metal chairs and squirm uncomfortably. The whole setting is making me tense and hesitant.

The Admiral takes a seat opposite of me and fiddles with the machine on the table. After pressing a few bottoms and turning it on, he turns to me.

"This is the first ever accurate lie detector. It has been tested on the most psychotic criminals-" I look at him with alarm. "I'm not saying that you are one, it's just that we need the truth."

"You can't force me to say anything,"

"Well of course not but whatever it is you choose to say, we'll know if it is true or not. This session is also recorded and will be classified so don't worry about any secrets getting out."

I stare at him skeptically and look around the corners of the room but am unsuccessful in finding the camera. When I look back at him, he is smiling and holding out a bracelet of some sort that seems to be connected to the machine. He has one tied around his wrist. Of course, if he is hundred percent honest then I have to be too.

Well, he'll never get the full truth since it'll put me in jeopardy along with all the other mutants in hiding. Like the Flock. I grab the bracelet from him, wrapping it around my own wrist before leaning back in the seat to appear more confident and not at all unsettled.

I don't like this but I'll cooperate. I can totally do that. Oh, screw it. No I can't.

"Here is how this is going to go. I'll ask a question then you can ask one of your own. That is only if you tell the truth and the whole truth. Okay?" I nod, already annoyed that I, again, willingly put myself in a trap.

"Let's start shall we?" He pulls out two notepads and pencils, handing one of each to me. I set them in front of me, uncapping the pencil and doodling on the first page. After I had drawn a sun, I looked up to find the Admiral glaring at me.

"I'm listening so go ahead." I continue to doodle. I need to control my nervous energy otherwise things are going to turn south real quickly.

He clears his throat, forcing me to look up again. "First question. What kind of place was the lab that we discovered you in? There were all sorts of doctors or scientists there. And the sketchy kind at that. Unfortunately, many of them put up quite a fight resulting in them dying and a few got away."

My hand stills. A few got away? Shit, Jeb could still be alive. The Admiral notices this change in my behavior and he leans forward, intrigue written all over his face.

"That building is what us, mutants, call the school."

"Mutants?"

I nod. "Yes, all of us at one point were babies or toddlers either taken from our families or sold off to the School where we were implanted with animal DNA and experimented on."

The Admiral's gaze turns concerned and it catches me off guard. "We're freaks, mutants. Not quite human, not quite animal. At least that's true for the ones of us who survived and were successful."

"Successful?"

I nod again, taking a deep breath to calm myself. Jeb might still be alive. "Yeah. All of the failed experiments were killed. They have experimented on thousands of kids in there and have also killed that many. All because they messed up in whatever they were trying to accomplish."

"And I'm guessing you were successful?"

I sigh, defeated. Unfortunately, I was. It probably would have been more merciful to have failed and be killed than live the sad life I have. "Yeah, but I'm different from most successful experiments." I pause. Should I tell him why I'm so important?

The Admiral's look turns confused. "And why is that?"

"I was born in a test tube. My DNA was mixed with some sort of bird DNA resulting in heightened senses and wings. My first ten years of life were spent in that building with other successful Avian-human hybrids. It wasn't a pleasant life. We were kept in cages and experimented on everyday. One of the other kids became blind because they injected something into his eyes."

"The other kids? Other kids just like you?"

I nod again. "Yeah. My best friends. We all escaped and were safe for a few years until we were hunted down again. We had been on the run for about a year before we settled with my mom and stepsister. Then, I was captured again. You found me after the result of two years of cruelty."

My blood boils. It feels good to finally tell someone this even if I don't entirely trust them. So far, the machine has been true, flashing green after every sentence I finish. The Admiral seems to be happy with my information so far.

"And where are these other bird kids, now?"

"I don't want to jeopardize them." I don't want to say anything about where they are so I need to be truthful with the why.

He nods like he understands. "Of course. You kids have suffered a lot and I can understand why you want to protect them. Of course, if they are currently safe then there is no need to know their location but if they are in trouble, then we must know."

"They're fine. This time it was only me that was wanted for reasons I don't know. Now it's my turn for a question."

I lean forward, pencil ready. "At the lab, did you see a guy with shaggy dirty blonde hair, blue eyes, narrow glasses and a navy blue briefcase?" Whenever there was running involved, Jeb always made sure he had his briefcase of important files with him. One of the files being about me.

Recognition flashes across the Admiral's face. "He was one of the ones who managed to escape. He suffered some injuries but he got away."

All hope leaves me in an instance as I slump backwards. The chair rocks back but doesn't tip over to my relief.

"Was that man important?"

I laugh, slightly delusional. Of course fucking Jeb managed to get away. After I am free I'm going to find the sick bastard and kill him. "That man is not only the head scientist at the School but he also did terrible experiments on his own kids. He's my fucking dad, Admiral, and you let the bastard get away."

The Admiral leans back, shocked. I smile, letting my words sink in. He's probably wondering what sick parent would do such a thing.

"Well, I wasn't expecting that. Of course, we have been trying to find the remaining scientists for the past year but he is the only one that is under the radar. Jeb Batchelder, right?"

I nod. "Yeah that's him. Now, my turn for another question."

"Actually, I am pretty sure it's my turn."

"Nope, you asked the question about Jeb so it's my turn."

"Oh alright. What else would you like to know?"

"What has become of the School?"

"We burned it to the ground after we made sure no one like yourself was inside."

I let out a laugh. Finally, I wish I could have seen it burn.

"Now, my turn. Other than the wings do you have any powers?"

I raise an eyebrow, leaning forward. "Before I answer that question, Admiral, I would like to know that you won't try and use my abilities to your own advantage. I've seen too many people like you who act like they're trying to help and then use my abilities against myself and the people I deeply care about."

"Of course. I'm just here to get an understanding, that's all."

His answer doesn't satisfy me but I'll let it go this time. "Alright, well, I have heightened sight, hearing, speed and endurance. I have an incredibly high metabolism so I need to eat three adult meals just to satisfy myself, especially after a long flight. I have a good sense of direction, knowing where I am all the time. I can fly at super speeds." Of course, I have more abilities but he doesn't need to know about the gills or how skilled at fighting I am.

He seems satisfied that I told him all my powers and even smiles as he writes it down. "What's your top speed?" I'm about to tell him it's my turn for a question but it's more of an off to the side one so I'll allow it.

"Almost four hundred miles per hour." The Admiral looks up, both shocked and impressed.

"Why exactly did you save me? Didn't you think I was probably dangerous?"

The Admiral chuckles slightly, thinking I'm naive. "Of course I thought you were dangerous. You are incredibly dangerous, Max. Everyone who knows about you thinks so but when we found you, a teenager chained to a bed who was slammed in the face by a door with wings, we couldn't just let you die. You're still a kid, Max."

"I'm eighteen."

"And we found you as a fifteen year old who probably has seen and done things that aren't normal or even human."

He's digging for something that will expose me but I won't take the bait. My life could be at stake if I reveal too much.

"So what? Of course I have but it's not like I had a choice."

"Everyone has a choice, Max."

"Not when you don't have control over your own mind." Shit. There it is. I walked right into the trap I said I wasn't going to walk into. I gave too much away. I shrink in on myself, memories flashing across my vision of all I have done. Of how little control I have had over the past few years.

The Admiral pauses, calculating. "You're broken."

I nod, feeling the tears well up. I have kept a lot bottled up over the past year and it's gotten to the point where it might flow over. "I have been for a very, very long time."

He sighs, leaning back and placing the pencil back on the notepad. I look down at my own to see that I absentmindedly drew a bunch of crying faces.

"I think I got all the information needed. Thank you for your cooperation."

I'm shocked. That's it? "What's going to happen now?" The Admiral is standing now, my brain having trouble processing the sudden turn of events.

"I need to speak with a few people. You're going back to your room."

The two soldiers from before come in, taking hold of my arms and pulling me up. "What are you doing? Let go of me!"

The Admiral is frowning sympathetically at me while I glare at him. I'm pushed through the door and walking down the hall before the Admiral responds, his voice ringing through the walls loud and clear.

"Cooperate, Max, and all will end happily."

Nothing happy ever happens to me.