Minimum Ride
A Maximum Ride Fan Fiction
Chapter 9: Waking up in Hell.
You see, when someone, like you, were to wake up on a cold metal table, wrists and ankles strapped down by velcro, they would freak out too, right? Okay, just checking. Because, yes, I have just woken up on a cold metal table, with my arms and legs bound uselessly. Not a fun day, by my measure. Or maybe that's just my negativity talking.
Someone had stripped me down to my tank top and shorts, and they had pulled my wings out at my sides. They were still half folded, and I tried to pull them in, time and time again, only to find that my back was pressed too tightly against the table to offer even the twitch of my wing muscles. I strained against my restraints, tugging my arms and kicking my legs. The strong, thick velcro didn't budge. So now I only lay here, scowling at the floor, angry at myself for wanting to fly at night.
A flick of the door handle on the wall to my left made me perk up. My raptor eyesight locked on the movement, but the door handle was still for endless minutes. Finally, the door opened to reveal a tall man with a slender build. He had on a white dress shirt, grey slacks, and a long, white lab coat that brushed his knees. His hair was sandy, and his eyes were framed by wire-rimmed glasses. He had a stubly beard, and his skin was pasty, as if he'd been in these white rooms for all his life.
He approached the table, and took a small remote from his pocket and clicked a button. My table rose forward, leaving me in an up-right position, facing him. I put on my fiercest look, narrowed my eyes, and shook my head slowly, as if to say, Shame on you, you worthless scum-sucking spawn of Satan. His eyes softened, and he frowned, leaning forward, as if to examine me, like a piece of art. I spit at his shoe, and it hit.
"How are you feeling, Kate?" the man asked. How did he know my name?
"Jim-Dandy. How are you today, scum-bag?" I said meanly, putting real venom in the words.
"Excuse me, I've forgotten my manners. My name is Jeb Batchelder, and I'm very proud of you." he said earnestly. I allowed my eyes to become of normal size, because this guy seemed like he really wanted to talk, not be insulted.
Not that that ever meant anything. "Uh-huh." I said in a bored tone. "And is that why I'm strapped to a table?" I said, injecting a threatening tone into my voice.
"No, and the restraints aren't necessary, if you're willing to comply." he said.
"And what does that mean?" I asked
"You must be willing to comply to what I ask of you." he repeated. "And you must promise not to harm me."
"I make no promises." I spat. "I only agree that I might do what you ask."
"Okay. Then you may be free, but not of this room. I wish to talk to you about some... matters." he said. Then Jeb walked over to my table, and ripped open the velcro holding back my arms, then my legs. He stood back as I leaped forward, rubbing my wrists where the velcro had chaffed them.
"What matters?" I asked. He motioned to a fake wood conference table I hadn't noticed was on the far side of this small room. I walked over to it, keeping my gaze locked on Jeb Batchelder. He pulled out a chair, and then went to sit in another across the table. I sat in the chair he had pulled out.
"Well, Kate, as you know, you are an Avian-Human hybrid, with a two-percent Avian, ninety-eight-percent Human split." he said slowly, allowing me to soak in what he was saying.
"Yeah, so?" I countered slowly.
"While you were... out, there, we were doing some examinations, and well, we couldn't help ourselves. The Director called for some experimentation." he explained.
"What experimentations?" I practically yelled, close to taking a swing at him.
"You were injected with some other Avian DNA. You were given the DNA of both Trochilidae, and the DNA of Bueto jamaicensis." he said proudly, like the idea of giving me more bird DNA was exciting.
"And what are those?" I said through clenched teeth. The chances of me beating him up were maybe 70, 75 percent.
"Those are the scientific names for both the American Hummingbird and the Red-Tailed Hawk, which you have now been injected with." Okay, my jaw dropped. I closed it tightly, and continued to scowl at Jeb. "Now you have a four-percent Avian, ninety-six-percent split." he continued. "You see, although all of our Avian-Human hybrids have amazing speed and strength, the Avian DNA you have been grafted with is expected to increase those skills in you. Of course we are inflicted to conduct scientific experiments, so you will need to be placed in another room until we're ready for you."