Special thanks to: Sesshy's Girl 00 for reviewing and reading my Author's notes. I've gotten a bit of input from both sides as to what to do with the OC. I won't tell anyone the results. This chapter and the next were written before I got any of the feedback for this new series of updates, so I'm sorry if it looks like I'm ignoring you. Your suggestions will be more visible in a bit.

I need a better title for this story…

All right, I was officially out of ideas for a chapter title. So I asked a friend. We began discussing possible titles and we came up with….

In the Thick of Things

Fang and Gazzy crept their way through the brush. Okay, Fang crept. Gazzy crunched through the brush like an elephant with gas issues. And he kept shifting when they were crouched. Fang resisted the urge to tell him to turn back and find the camp- it wasn't that he didn't trust Gazzy, but that Gazzy was upset enough as things were. Hell, the whole flock seemed to be having difficulty dealing with a life without Max in it. Max was now more or less unconscious. She'd been unconscious and still screaming by the time he'd landed. It had scared Fang. Whatever could get Max to scream was something he never, ever wanted to encounter. And the fact that there was nothing visibly wrong with her made this all the scarier.

"Fang?" Gazzy whispered.

"What?" Fang asked. He tried not to hiss or sigh, but the Gasman simply did not understand the importance of being quiet when hunting something, especially in the dark. Besides, this would be the…twelfth time he'd been asked this in under a minute? He'd lost count long ago. It wouldn't be long before he lost his patience or his marbles, too, at the rate that everything was falling apart without her to take care of everything. He'd wanted to stay behind and make sure Max was okay, hell, it was where he wanted to be right now instead of becoming a late night snack for blood sucking bugs. But if there was a chance that this would help Max, then he had to do it. He couldn't live with himself if he hadn't tried everything in his power to save Max and she died. And it looked like it was becoming a more real possibility by the moment. He'd sent Iggy back with water they'd found from a local stream.

"What's wrong with Max?" Gazzy asked.

"I don't know," Fang said automatically. Maybe it was going so far without any food, maybe it was a total lack of sleep, maybe…maybe it was something else. Maybe it was something he didn't want to accept as even possible. Max could be dying, her DNA unwinding as he and Gazzy crept through the forest like a pair of drunk rhinos. He 'stealthily' made his way through the underbrush, barely making the leaves rustle. "Psst!" he hissed sharply. Gazzy halted in his steps. "Hear that?" he asked lowly.

Gazzy listened. A second later he heard what sounded like foot steps. "Yeah," he answered in a whisper.

"Get your flashlight ready. We're going to get one shot at this," Fang said, handing Gazzy an extra. Fang had one more flashlight in one hand and a pistol in the other. The pistol was bulky in his hand- he'd never actually used one before. And here he was trying to kill something with one. He'd seen them used in Hollywood before, so he assumed he was pointing it the right way. Hopefully he wouldn't just shoot himself. If Max came around, and if Fang survived the experience, he knew he'd never hear the end of it, and probably be wishing that he had shot himself somewhere else, like the head. "Get ready," he hissed again.

"Now!" he cried. All three flashlights clicked on, pointing dead on at a big deer, who raised his antlered head and stared directly at the beams of light, just like Max had said it would. It still had a mouthful of grass hanging out of its mouth, but it was too stunned to be chewing it. Fang steadied his pistol, aiming it for where he hoped was the skull. Suddenly, the deer turned away from the pistol, denying Fang a clear shot, and bolted, bounding with incredible speed through the underbrush. Fang didn't even have the chance to aim in the deer's general direction as his prey slipped into the forest quietly and about five times as fast as Gazzy and Fang had made their way here, disappearing in only seconds.

"Crap," he and Gazzy muttered simultaneously.

"I guess the flashlights weren't strong enough," Fang said, keeping his on as he tromped back to the campsite. It was no use using it to hunt now. They just had to hope Max would somehow last through the night.

When I came to, I immediately knew that everything was not as it should be. For one, when I woke up, I did it quickly. That meant I hadn't fallen asleep, but that I'd been knocked unconscious. Memories of the utter, sheer agony that I had experienced just prior to being knocked out came rushing back into my still aching head.

What the hell? I wondered. I knew Erasers came apart after a number of years. Was this the case with me? Was I about to die? There were known DNA issues- but I had never actually met a dying Eraser. Nor had I asked one what it felt like to expire. I was mostly too busy fighting them. I shuddered at the thought of dying now of all times. Now was when the flock probably needed me the most, when we needed direction, a place to go, someone to lead them and protect them.

I then noticed exactly where I was. I was in a clearing- only a few feet from a campfire. The others were all around me, and it was nighttime. Iggy was on watch- why was the blind kid on watch? Because he could hear everything, including me waking up, because he stood. "Max," he said, voice full of obvious relief. I tried to nod, to move my head, but I instantly regretted it and let the pain out with a hiss. "Yeah, Iggy," I said, keeping my head absolutely still. I only then noticed that the makeshift pillow I was using was a backpack…placed over Fang.

I tried to move again, and was rewarded with waking Fang up. He blinked his eyes open. "Max," he said in the same tone as Iggy.

"I'm here," I said. "What happened?" I asked.

Iggy and Fang exchanged a quick look. "We were hoping you could tell us. We got you some water, and we caught a rabbit. I just got back from trying to hunt with those flashlights."

I gave him a confused glance before I remembered what he was talking about- hunting deer. "Catch anything?" I wasn't hungry- Chewing would involve moving muscles in my head, which seemed like a bad idea. Plus, I smelled vomit nearby. Apparently, at some point, I'd upchucked whatever little was in my stomach.

"No, he took off into the forest." Fang said disgustedly.

"What happened?" I asked finally.

"What do you remember?"

"Not much," I said truthfully. "A whole lot of pain…and trying to land. Now I wake up here, and it's all dark." I knew how I sounded- scared. I tried not to, but honestly, this scared me more than anything. The others needed me. I wasn't very scared of dying- it was something that would eventually happen to everyone. Yes, me dying scared me a little, but not as much as leaving everyone to fend for themselves. If I had died…if I was going to die…then…what would the others do? Right now we were barely a day's flight from outside The School. If I died, what would have happened to the others when the Erasers came?

And what would the world do without Maximum Ride?

To say that I jumped would have been an understatement, because I didn't just jump. I jumped, startled, and spat out the water Iggy was letting me drink into a fine spray. The voice hadn't come from anyone in the flock. Actually, it hadn't come from anyone, period. It hadn't come from any direction, and the only thing anyone had noticed was my reaction to the voice- not the voice itself. I categorized these things inside my still throbbing head. Okay, who are you, and how do I get rid of you? Were the two things.

I cannot tell you who or what I am, Maximum Ride. All that you must know is that you are to save the world. It is your purpose. You will face challenges. I am going to try and help you face them. Removing me is not something you want to do.

Are you in my head?

Yes.

Very nice, and I guess that if you're not going to give me a name, then you are officially 'the voice in my head'. Or 'the voice,' until further notice. And before we get any further, tell me how to get rid of you. I want you out. Now.

Maximum Ride, that is impossible and you know it. A voice in your head…is in your head. One more thing…You must continue to New York.

That's it? That's all you have to say? Go to New York? I asked. Right. New York. Weren't we headed there anyways? Am I going batshit? I thought sarcastically to the voice. The voice said nothing. Actually, I'm sure it had something obnoxiously stupid to say. I just had the feeling that it wasn't there anymore, or at least not for the very moment.

"Max, what is it?" Iggy asked, shaking me by the shoulders.

"Iggy…" I began. How should I phrase this? Your leader has started hearing voices? I think I've gone nutso? Invest in a new leader? I need a vacation? You're all driving me nuts? "Iggy, I think there's something…in my head," I said. There, now that went well.

I now had the whole flock's undivided attention. "Uh…I mean, you know those jokes about people hearing voices in their heads? Well…I think… maybe I am hearing them."

"Whatddya mean?" Gasman asked. "Do you mean, like you've got an invisible friend?"

"No, like it's in my head," I tried to explain. "And it seems to know what's going on."

"What?" Fang asked.

"It said 'Maximum Ride," I said. "And it said I should go to New York."

"Uh, Max?" Fang questioned me.

"Yeah?"

"We're not going to New York, right? I mean, that would be a bad idea."

I ignored the fact that this was probably one of the longest sentences he'd ever said to me, and focused on the question. "I know, it has 'trap' written all over it. But I just thought it over, and it isn't that bad an idea to just follow through."

"Would you mind explaining why not?" Nudge asked. "I mean, I'm with Fang on this one."

"Because if it was made by The School, then they already know where we are. The voice just said 'continue to New York.' If we get there and nothing happens, we all know I'm insane. But if we get there and we find clues, then we're on to something."

"Yeah, we're onto a trap. That would be a great lead." Iggy said sarcastically. I shot him a dark glare, which was utterly wasted on the blind kid.

"No, it would also tell me that we're not insane. And that the voice is not to be trusted."

"Yes, and a fat load of good it does us when we're in cages."

"We don't have a choice, Iggy. We really don't. If it said for us to continue to New York, that means they already know where we are. Why not just jump us where we are right now? Why not just cart us away? Why wait until we're at New York?"

"Because it's all in your head?" Angel asked innocently.

"Oh, very funny," I retorted. "Look, if you guys want out, I have no call to stop you. But I'm going to New York, because I know that otherwise there's a chance that…something very bad is going to happen."

"But you have to admit that it is rather coincidental that we leave The School, and all of a sudden you're hearing things. For all we know, it is The School."

"For all we know, it was made by them. But until we know, we can't rule it out as an asset. I want to stop The School, to shut it down forever just as much as you guys do. And if this might help, then I'm going to give it a shot. Besides, it just won't leave me alone. And whatever might or might not be waiting for me in New York is something I'd rather not face alone. So who's with me?"

"Like you have to ask, Max. I just was making sure you were positive that this was the best thing to do." Iggy said.

"And I think I speak for everyone. Wherever you go, we follow. We couldn't just leave you to go off and face this on your own. We come as a family package, and that's what it means to be a flock," Gasman finished.

Now I'm not one to cry. I haven't really done it in years, when Jeb left. But this was one of those moments that just sort of grabbed at your heartstrings and gave them a good yank. "Uh…thanks. I hope this works out for the best," I said, trying to keep myself under control. It wouldn't do me any good to just break down right now. I had to keep going. The flock depended on me. And I depended on them. They were family, and they understood without my asking them. Home was where the flock was. It wasn't any stupid house by the lake or even a tent. It was my family, it was my home, and it was my flock. And I would have none other, nor have it any other way.

Look, I know this update was a little shorter compared to the others, but I'm working as fast as I can. The next one is longer and darker, and spreads more background for the OC. And in case you have been wondering, the OC is not Mary-Sue. He's as original as they get. And no, this is totally not a self-insert.

And, as promised, he did not appear in this chapter or the last one. But I've got to progress his storyline if this story is to progress at all. Please, review! It's my equivalent of fuel and food for me.