Hey! Max here with chapter one! Hope you like it!

Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride. Duh.

Claimer: I do own my characters and plots.

Enjoy!

"Are they gonna feed us today?" Breeze asked, her small body leaning against my left side.

"I don't know," I answered softly, running a hand through her jet black hair, my thoughts elsewhere.

"Oh," Breeze sighed. I felt bad for her. She was only eight years old. Eight-year-olds shouldn't have to worry about things like that.

I looked around the room. Something was wrong. The Whitecoats had moved us into a small, windowless white room. We weren't in cages anymore. We were just locked in an empty room. It reminded me of that time, years ago, when I was with my original Flock and we were, once again, trapped at the School. I hoped that they were at least safe now, unlike us.

"What're they gonna do to us?" five-year-old Jordan wondered in a frightened voice. Sixteen-year-old Dylan sighed, knowing exactly what they were going to do.

"Somethin' bad, I bet," Lumi answered the boy. I growled, sending her the look. Lumi, short for Illuminate, was very smart at ten, but she still needed to learn when to keep her mouth shut.

"I don't wanna get hurt," Vani, short for Vanish, whined, his three-year-old voice cracking. I hugged him tightly to my body in an attempt to keep him from crying. He hardly ever cried, so I knew the suspense was tearing at him.

"I won't let them," I assured everyone. They'd be safe, even if I wasn't.

"Me either," Dylan agreed. His voice sounded sure, but I knew better. I could by looking in his eyes, ones that knew sixteen years of pain, that he was terrified. And I didn't blame him. Anyone would be scared in our situation. They would have to be insane not to.

"Fly?" Ty asked in her baby voice. I smiled. 'Fly' was the first word she ever said. It was the only word she knew and it suited her perfectly, too.

"Not now, baby," I answered softly. "Soon." She looked up at me, confused.

"Soon?" Dylan questioned. He knew as well as I did that the Whitecoats wouldn't let us fly.

"I have a plan," I explained, trying to sound sure. The younger kid's eyes brightened up as I told them my plan. Dylan didn't get excited, though. He was a realist. He had suffered too much to get excited over a chance of escape. Of course, I doubted my plan would work, too. I learned during the last five years that the Whitecoats, the crazy scientists experimenting on us, were trying- and succeeding- to stay one step ahead of us.

The kids were always dreaming about being free. They have always wanted to fly. Ever since I met them, that's all they talked about. I'd tell them stories of my Flock to keep their hopes up. It always worked.

"Do you think you guys can do that?" I asked after I finished explaining the plan.

"Yeah!" Breeze and Lumi answered. Jordan nodded his head in agreement. Dylan looked at me doubtfully, but I ignored it.

"Good."

---

We waited around forever for the Whitecoats to come back for us. In reality, I think it was a day or two. Forever seems more like it. But they eventually did return.

"Come with us."

We followed obediently. I was tense, ready to fight. Nothing happened. We were led outside. I frowned. Something wasn't right. Why would they just bring us outside? We weren't even in a cage, or tied up. It was as if they wanted us to run. Or testing us to see if we would.

Bingo, Maximum, a voice in my head stated. I instinctively put my hand to my head, cringing a little at the pain it brought..

What are you doing here? I demanded. And where have you been the last five years? Six, if you don't count that brief period you were with me after I returned to the Flock.

Max, Max, Max, the Voice replied, as if I did something wrong. Take this chance and run. I'll explain things later.

How do I know I can trust you, Jeb? I demanded. After all, you're the new director, the reason for our pain and distress.

I helped you escape ten years ago, Jeb explained. You just have to trust me again.

You're the reason I'm here in the first place, I reminded him. How could I possibly trust you?

And I'm sorry for that, Jeb apologized. I want these kids to have the same taste of freedom that you did. Go now. This is really a test, as you guessed. They don't think you'll run. Prove them wrong.

It's always a test, buy you don't have to tell me to escape twice. There was a chance. I'd take the risk. I looked down at the kids.

"Run!" I ordered.

We ran. I kept my pace slower so that I wouldn't get ahead of the kids. Vani wasn't moving nearly fast enough, so I grabbed him. He clung to my neck, terrified. I held Ty close to my body.

"Dylan, grab your brother!" I called. Dylan nodded and picked Jordon up off the ground, not breaking his pace. I'm so glad these kids listen to me!

The Whitecoats watched us run, confused. Jeb was right. They hadn't expected us to run. Finally though, they came to their senses, to my dismay, and got backup. We were far away by then, but not far enough.

"I can't run anymore," Breeze whined. "Max…"

"Keep running," I commanded. "You have to. We need to get far away."

"We can fly," Lumi pointed out. I shook my head.

"I'm the only one who knows how," I reminded her. "And I haven't done it in years. Right now it's faster if we run."

"Max, my legs hurt real bad," Breeze whispered, tears forming in her eyes. She stopped. "I can't run no more."

I sighed. Everyone stopped moving.

"Dylan, take Vani."

I handed the little boy to Dylan and grabbed Breeze. She weighed a little more then Vanish, but not that much. We ran again.

I knew we'd need to rest soon. Lumi couldn't possibly run for too much longer. Dylan and I could've run for at least three more hours, but Lumi was just a kid. She didn't have our endurance yet.

"How are you doing, Lumi?" Dylan asked.

"Fine," Lumi answered. She was breathing a little harder then usual, but not by much. She was used to running for long amounts of time at once. Endurance was always one of the School's favorite tests.

"Let us know when you're tired," I told her. "We'll stop."

Illuminate nodded. We continued running.

You can stop here, Jeb told me about two hours later. The sky was growing rapidly dark. You're safe... for now.

"Let's stop," I suggested. Lumi and Dylan agreed gratefully.

We stopped in a clearing. Tops of trees blocked our view of the sky. I guessed no one could see us either. I could hope so, at least.

We laid the sleeping kids on the ground. Not one of them stirred. Lumi tried to stay up, but she crashed shortly after we stopped. Dylan made a fire. I fed Tyler.

"Get some sleep, Dylan," I ordered the teen. "I'll take watch. I'm not tired anyway."

Dylan nodded, and laid down on the ground. He pretended to fall asleep. I remained awake.

So, Jeb, I thought bitterly. Where am I s'posed to go now? I have these six kids and no clue where I am. A little help?

You need to find Valencia Martinez, Jeb instructed me. Continue north. You'll eventually find her.

That didn't really help me. I'd eventually find her? After what? A day? A month? A year? And I still needed to get food for these kids. New clothes wouldn't hurt, either.

"I don't trust him," Dylan whispered from where he lay. "He's the reason we're in this mess."

"Don't worry, Fang never trusted him either," I assured him. "But so far Jeb hasn't lied to me… At least, not when he uses the Voice."

Fang. I missed him so much. I mean, I missed the other kids like crazy, but I missed Fang the most. He knew me the best. He was the half that made me whole. He was my boyfriend. For a day, at least. We'd kissed, saved each other countless times, and I knew what the other was thinking just by looking at him. It was the same for him. We'd only been seperated twice, after I let Ari join us and when he kicked me out the Flock. I'd never truly hated him. It was impossible to hate someone I loved so much.

"You'll see him again someday," Dylan whispered. "And he'll be excited when he see's you and the kids."

I rolled my eyes. "Fang's not the type to get excited over that." At least, not that I can remember. "Now, get some sleep," I ordered Dylan again. "It's not healthy for you to stay up so much."

"It's not healthy for you, either," the teen reminded me. I rolled my eyes.

"Don't worry about me," I breathed. "I was staying up for days at a time long before you were born."

Dylan fell asleep for real, finally. I listened to my young Flock's even breathing. It calmed me a bit, like always. I knew tomorrow we'd be running for our lives, literally, but right now I felt good. Not safe, but out of danger for the time being. I was almost relaxed. Almost. I'd only be able to fully relax, or at least come close to it, when I was back with Fang and the others. Then I'd be safe.

And that's the end of chapter one! No cliffy, I think. Will Max and her new Flock escape? Wait and see!

Names and Ages:

Maximum- 20 (Max)

Dylan- 16

Illuminate: 10 (Lumi)

Breeze: 8 (Bree)

Jordan: 5

Vanish: 3 (Vani)

Tyler: infant (Ty)

-

More characters to come.

Quotes of the chapter (will have nothing to do with the chapter):

Of all the things that could frighten you, you worry about my driving? - Edward Cullen
And so the lion fell in love with the lamb.- Edward Cullen
Everyone has a photographic memory. Some just don't have film.
I like work. It fascinates me. I sit and look at it for hours.
Perfect men are only fictional. (...Fang and Edward...)
A torn jacket is soon mended, but hard words can bruise the heart of a child.
A bird can only soar if the sky has no bounds.
Why can't scientists do something productive like cure cancer or something and no, killing everyone who has cancer does not count as a cure! -MR
Of course I'm talking to myself. Who else can I trust?
Why not have your cake and eat it too - it's cake, what else are you going to do with it?
Behind every successful man there is a suprised woman.
Whatever it is -- I didn't do it!
Revenge is a dish best served cold. -Sasuke from Naruto

Well, that's all for now. More to come eventually. Good night and God bless! -Max