Alright, here's another chapter! (Wow! Two chapters in two days? It's a mirable! Xp)

Yeah... I'm done now.

Special shout-out to AnikaandAj! I seriously didn't think anyone would review, so thanks so much for taking the time to! This chapter's for you, hope you like it! XD

Okay, here you guys go!

Disclaimer: Still don't own.

Hey, side note: Have you guys ever read Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick? What about Divergent by Veronica Roth? You haven't? Well, then get out there and read them right now! Seriously, if you want some action with just a dash of romance (with a seriously hot guy), then go out and read Divergent right now! I personally, couldn't put the thing down, and it was past midnight when I finally had to call it a night, it was so good! Insurgent (book 2) comes out next week, so go out there and get it, dang it!

If you love Fallen Angels and love a good romance with a mysterious bad boy (sighs dreamily) and a crazy friend (Mwa-ha-ha-ha-ha! We all have them.), then go out and read Hush, Hush! Very good novel, and it keeps you interested and begging for more, which is good. :) (By the way, book four comes out in August, so you have plenty of time to read them all before then. ;) ) Seriously, go. Read. Now!

(By the way, if you were wondering if this had anything to do with my fanfic, it doesn't. Just thought I'd tell you guys about some awesome books I've been reading. Sorry. :p)

Alright, now back to Maximum Ride. XD

Angel sat on a bench, her feet tucked beneath her as she sat in the fetal position, rocking herself back and forth as she watched the other children practice. When Angel had first gotten here, they had stared at her coldly, calculating her every move. Later on, she found out that the reason for this is because they were designed to kill her. Trained to take her and the flock down for good. But now that she was with them, things would be different. They would no longer kill the flock. They would just capture them, take them along, train them like they trained the children. They would all be happy again. Forever.

Angel was starting to doubt that dream.

From before her, she saw someone walk up to her, arms hanging at their sides, ready for an attack. Around here, no one let their guard down, especially not near their friends. The phrase Keep your friends close and your enemies closer came to mind, though Angel thought they barely even trusted their deepest, closest friends around here. Trust was a liability, a flaw. Something she would have to overcome to be accepted around here.

Something she was already beginning to accept.

The boy looked at her with level eyes, and she shook beneath them. The paradise that the lady from the hospital had promised her was clearly a lie, Angel thought once she entered the facility. Either that, or they just needed time to get used to her, to learn to trust her, as the woman had explained. Angel didn't know, and really, she didn't care. She didn't care about much these days. She was too tired, too warn out.

Just like Max had been after Fang left.

She hated herself for it.

Before her, the boy extended his hand, and Angel flinched, expecting to be hit. It wasn't abnormal around here, especially during practice hour. If you were smacked, flicked, or punched at random, it was a challenge and would be dealt with accordingly. Angel had gotten smacked once since she got here, her first day. She was far too weak, though, and lost a lot more easily than expected. The woman was there to watch her, and Angel could tell she was disappointed in her. She then swore from then on that she would impress that woman, show her that she was worth the trouble.

But she didn't want to show them now.

The boy didn't hit her, as she expected. Instead, his hand was held out to her, not at her. Warily, she looked at the tall boy before her, studying his posture, imprinting his looks to mind. He was tall, with short black hair, kind of like Fang's, but straighter, where Fang's had a curl towards the end. His eyes were dark, like Fang's, but not pitch black. He had a straight, narrow face, and his arms were wiry, but thin, unlike Fang's more protruding muscles. His face was closed off as he stared at her, not saying a word. Waiting. He seemed trustworthy, Angel thought. Or, at least as trustworthy as people could get around here. Taking a chance, Angel reached out and took his hand-

And that's when something unexpected happened.

He hoisted her up, not breaking eye contact, and led her out to the center of the gym, where most of the activity was taking place. Angel followed, like a lamb following a shepherd, and stopped when he did, looking around. The children around her -from ages as young as six to as old as sixteen- stopped what they were doing to stare back at her, their stances stiff as they turned. One by one, they stepped out of their personal fighting circles and formed a large circle around Angel and the boy, not speaking, just watching. Angel saw all this with a growing sense of aw, wondering who these kids really were? Why were they here? and, most importantly...

Why were they all staring at her?

Angel risked a glance back at the boy, who was staring at her also, waiting for her to move. It was then she realized: This is a second chance. A second first impression. They wanted her to prove herself by fighting again. The fact that he hadn't smacked her to get her here had to mean something. Maybe they were being nice? Maybe they were trying to make her fit in?

It was all too much for Angel. And yet... She couldn't stop a small smile from forming on her lips. It was perfect.

Looking back at the boy, her face went serious again, and she put her fists in front of her, going into a fighting stance. Before her, the boy did the same, his face remaining expressionless as he stared at her, assessing her moves, her style. Waiting for her to strike.

Stepping forward, Angel began to circle the boy, watching him carefully. The boy did the same, his dark eyes never leaving her own, his no-doubt thirteen-year-own body taunt and ready to fight. Without warning, he jumped out and kicked for her midsection, a low blow, but not enough to harm her greatly. She blocked it easily with her arm, then stepped back as he shot again for her gut, his fist tight as it slammed into it's target. Her breath came out of her in a Whoosh! as she stepped back, aiming for breath. He didn't give her the time, though, and grabbed her by the hair, fist raised to break her nose.

Angel turned quickly, wincing as some of her hair was pulled from it's roots. She reached back and kicked in in the stomach, sending a rush of wind out of him in turn. He bent over barely, then straightened quickly as she aimed to kick his head, blocking the move with his arm and sending her back slightly, getting in fighting stance once again.

For minutes this went, exchanging blows back and forth. What began as a half-an-hour quickly turned into an hour, and then an hour and ten minutes. On and on they fought, each of them aiming to overpower the other, the other blocking and retaliating at every turn. As they fought, the others watched with cold curiosity, not talking, not moving. Just watching.

In a weird, cold way, Angel loved it.

With a sense of power, Angel turned and jumped onto the boy's back, wrapping her arms around his neck, holding on tight with a choke-hold. He stumbled back, his face turning red as he fought to get her off of him, to fill his lungs with oxygen once again. Angel squeezed tighter, smiling as she felt him stumble beneath her, his strength giving way with lack of air. I'm going to win, she thought with renewed vigor. I'm actually going to win! Max would be so pr-

The boy jumped back beneath her, send both of them flying back-first onto the concrete below. Since Angel was on his back, she was the one who got most of the fall, her breath leaving her from the impact. Wheezing, she fought to stand again, but was quickly pinned down by the boy now above her, his hands at her throat, closing her windpipes and cutting off her oxygen. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think as she grabbed at his hands, trying to pull him off of her, to release her. But his hold was too tight, too strong. She gasped beneath him, trying to breathe. Red spots showed across her vision as she began to pass out. She was going to lose. She was going to lose...

Again.

Suddenly, the hands around her throat loosened, and sweet oxygen pored into lungs. She sat up, gasping for air, coughing lightly from the lack of flow earlier. Looking up at the boy, she saw that he was staring at her, his breathing barely ragged even after she had done much of the same thing to him not so long ago. His eyes were indecipherable as he watched her, and she found herself wondering what he was thinking.

Standing, the boy held out his hand for her once again, waiting for her to take it. What's this? Angel thought. I thought I lost! What's going...?

She took the boy's hand and stood shakily, looking at the crowd around her. Each of their expressions were still hidden, but now she saw a spark of something else in their eyes. Something good. Something like...

Pride. For her.

Angel smiled.

The boy beside her clasped her shoulder with his large hand, a welcoming gesture among the children. "Welcome to the Forces," he said, the first words Angel had ever heard from anyone at this facility. His voice was soft, yet strong. Like that of a poet or a singer, not someone you would think of as a warrior, Angel thought.

Without knowing what else to say, Angel just smiled and mumbled, "Thanks."

A small smile lifted his mouth just as the doors at the entrance of the gym opened behind him, revealing Dr. Gunther-Hagen, his hands clasped behind his back in a professional manner. He looked at Angel for a moment, his eyes lingering on the boy and the hand he still held on her shoulder, then looked at the rest of the children, radiating power as he spoke. "There has been a change of plans," he said simply, his eyes landing on each and every one of them in turn. "We are no longer waiting to capture the Flock. Instead, we are going to seize them... tonight."

There was an excited ripple through the crowd, though you would never notice just by looking at them. To see them, you would think he had just said It's raining outside or A bird just flew by. But the emotions in the room, they were the ones that skyrocketed. And only someone so finely tuned to each other could ever understand that. Like Angel.

Dr. Gunther-Hagen's eyes stopped at Angel, and she felt her heart skip a beat. "Tonight, the flock will be ours!" he shouted to cheers.

Angel smiled. Finally. Now we can all live happily ever after! Just like the woman said we would!

She could hardly wait.

Well, what did you guys think? Like? Hate? Eh? Please review! :)