Matt's POV:
I know I should be happy. I mean everyone else would be if they found out that their friend possible sister that once was dead was actually alive. But I wasn't. I was glad that she was actually alive but she wasn't her. She was in someone else's control. This isn't the Max that we knew. This girl standing before us may look exactly like Max and maybe sound like her and do whatever she could do but this wasn't her.
Max wouldn't stare at us blankly, without any recognition in her eyes. In this person's eyes we were just merely another stranger that is if she could see. I can't tell with the way her pupils kept on getting bigger and smaller as if her eyes were cameras and someone had the option of focusing close up on an object.
No one spoke for a long, long moment. They were either in the disbelieving state or they were in the state where they were too happy to speak.
For me, it was neither. I didn't feel overjoyed and I didn't disbelieve it. I knew that the school was capable of such a thing and that's what made me mad not happy.
How dare they take a hold of Max? How could they be so cruel to take someone's life out of their hands and use them? How? Why? There are so many questions and it seems like no one really knows the answer to them, much to everyone's dismay, or at least mine.
"So you see now?" Jeb's voice said ringing in my ears painfully. He had such a stupid voice and it hurts my sensitive ears. "I didn't kill her. I just made her mind go into a dormant state while we take away her memories." He explained and my anger boiled. I felt hatred towards Jeb and if I ever see him in person on any day I will kill him for what he's done to so many people to please his own good. (By the way, if it isn't obvious enough already, I don't really like Jeb.)
"I see now." I said bitterly. "I see what happens when a lunatic's hands get a hold of science. I see what became of Max. I see what's going to happen to the world once you're done with it. I see destruction." I said loudly apparently snapping everyone out of whatever daze he or she were in. They looked at Max and tried to see what I see.
"I see it too." Ella said sadly taking a step towards Max. I stood up beside her and did also. We looked at each other with determination. We were the only ones brave enough to go near her. We would be able to awake the dormant state in her mind.
"I see it." Nudge whispered and dug her head in Kyle's shirt trying not to look at Max. It obviously pained her. Kyle nodded with a serious face and hugged Nudge tightly to him.
"I think it's safe to say that everyone sees it." Dr. M said wisely and calm even though I knew she was a wreck. Every mother would be when she just found her daughter doesn't remember them and is possibly going to kill half the planet.
"It doesn't matter. We've broken her and now she is ours to take." Jeb said and there was this beeping noise in the background and at the same time Max clenched her fists and came running at toward me. Everyone else backed away except me. I knew what had to be done.
The school may think that her friends wouldn't lay a hand on her since it's their friend but they think wrong. Well, for me at least. Technically I wouldn't hit Max but she's not in control and for all we know Max could have really died and they're just using her body. Either that or Max is working with them and is happy that she gets to kill people.
I don't know about you but I'm going with the first option. If you aren't then I guess you're crazy and really need to go to an asylum.
I caught her fist, which hurt my hand since apparently she has more strength now. Stupid bastards. She blinked for a second and I rolled my fist and smashed it against her face. I heard a crack and I saw blood come rushing out of her nose. I felt a little guilty but quickly shut down my emotions. That's the way the school runs. They mess with your emotions. The lying, conceiving, cold-hearted, bastards that they are always play dirty.
"Don't hurt her too badly." Fang said from behind me blankly. I growled and used Max's hesitation to my advantage and did a round house kick to her stomach. She stumbled a bit and I had a feeling that she was going to lose, but I knew that if Max was in control of herself she would have kicked my butt by now but she wasn't. Someone was playing a stupid game with Max.
"What are you doing!" I heard someone shout behind me. I ignored them. I them used all my strength and punched Max in the head. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she went limp. I was still tense and I looked at Max cautiously.
I went over to her and poked her side with my foot. She still laid there like she was in deep sleep. I looked up and saw the worried faces of the family and friends. I laughed a bit and looked up trying to see which wall had that mirror so that Jeb could see his "masterpiece" now.
"See this, huh, Jeb?" I said loudly in the room and pointed to Max's lying form. "I thought you said she was the best. I took her out in three hits and she hit me none. She would have been better off when someone wasn't controlling her."
"You know in ways, you're right." Jeb said and than added a cruel laugh/chuckle. "Maybe we SHOULDN'T control her."
"That's all I'm saying." I said crossing my arms even though I was a little weary with his laugh.
"Then maybe we should CHANGE her mind." He said and with that it was completely silent.
Everyone knew and didn't know what he was talking about. We knew that he wasn't going to control her but he was going to do something to her mind making her memories change in a way. But we didn't know if he meant as in I'm going to make her memories different or I'm actually going to switch her brain, changing it in the process. The second one doesn't make sense so I'll go with changing her memories.
Nudge, securely wrapped in Kyle's arms, was next to Ella and Ari leaning against the wall. She was starting to get a little anxious and kept on staring at Max with a terrified expression. Dr. M wouldn't even look at Max and Iggy was just sitting next to her trying to figure out what's going on but it was obvious he didn't understand it. That or he just didn't WANT to believe any of it. Ari was standing off to the side holding Ella protectively. He looked like if anyone even touched her he would rip off his or her heads. And Ella didn't seem to mind at all. But what she did mind was the blank lifeless look on Max's face right now. Fang was just emotionless as ever, that fucking jackass. Can't he show emotion?
Me? I don't really know. I was happy that I knew that she wasn't dead but angry at the fact that she gave in to THEM. How could she be so weak? Why is it…that it seems that she won't come back? Why is it they always want her? Why not us? Are we really just rejects?
No. I'll show them. I can be powerful too. I took her out in three punches-I'm strong. I'm fast. I can hear a mile away. I can do anything I want! And they want her? Why?
I drew in a shallow breath as my angry thoughts turned into sad pathetic cries.
Why?
Is that the only question we could every come up with? Why? Why did this happen? Why did we get our DNA's messed up? Why did they take us? Why, why, why?
But…it seems even though it sounds so simple with that one word, no one seems to have the answer. I guess we're just lucky like that.
Please note my sarcasm.
"I'm so lost." Someone mumbled and I looked behind me to look at the others but they were just as confused as me. Or at least how confused I was feeling. I didn't really show any emotion besides pain on my face right now. Ella looked at Max and gasped. I looked at Max and saw she was looked straight in front of her, her pupils still unfocused and still dilated. Her mouth was slightly parted and for a moment I thought she was herself. That she was in control of herself again.
My hopes were crushed very severely.
Max's POV: (A/N: YAH! Wooh! Anyway on to the story.)
It's so dark. I wonder where I am. Is this hell? I don't even know. I mean I can feel the air around me but I couldn't see a thing. I kept turning around trying to see but it was just a black abyss.
"I'm so lost," I mumbled looking forward. I didn't know what was happening and I didn't know if whatever that is happening was good or not, most likely bad-no doubt. I hope the family is okay. Wait. What family am I talking about? What? What the freak? Why am I speaking these weird things? I only have one family. Wait- seriously? I thought Jeb was part of my family? What? ! What are you talking about? Jeb was a traitor! Jeb was evil; Jeb was stupid…Jeb…Jeb was my father…Jeb was there for me…Jeb…
He betrayed me.
Suddenly my body movements went rigid. When I once was carefree and loose I was now tense and suddenly I only NOW feel the pain in my head and nose. I groaned and rubbed my head; not bothering to opened my now closed eyes. I leaned up and propped myself on my other elbow. I couldn't hear anything beside my small groaning and moaning.
"What the F," I muttered and opened my eyes. I propped myself on my elbow. Of course there would have had to be some type of surface for me to do that. And I didn't feel anything while in the darkness so I obviously knew that I was somewhere different.
I took in everything around me. I was in a white t-shirt and jeans and I was in an all white room with eight other people. One had dirty blonde hair and tan skin with brown eyes: Male. One had black hair with black eyes and olive-toned skin: Male. One had strawberry blonde hair with blue eyes and white skin: Male. One had blonde hair and blue eyes and white skin: Male. One had brown hair and hazel eyes and tan skin: Male. One had brown hair with brown eyes and tan skin that looked like an adult: Female. One had brown unruly hair and brown eye and brow skin: Female. One had brown hair and brown eyes and tan skin: Female.
And they were all strangers.
Who are they and why the heck is the dirty blonde hair boy standing so close to me?
"Back off, pervert. Ever heard of a personal bubble?" I grumbled, standing up. He seemed shocked for a second but then he seemed relaxed and happy for some reason unknown. Actually looking at all these people I see that they were all relieved and happy.
Does anyone know what's going on, besides me?
Once I was up and dusting myself off all at once everyone, but the guy with black hair, ran at me and started a big group hug. I was so shocked I didn't react and they made that a good sign.
"Why the F are you hugging me?" I shouted frustrated and confused, and possibly angry.
Everyone froze and backed away slowly. The brown hair and eyed girl with tan skin along with the brown haired adult looked seriously hurt for some reason but I have no sympathy for someone I didn't even know.
No one answered me for a few moments and I grew more irritated and I think it showed clearly on my face. I straightened and felt something on my back. Them forgotten for the moment I reached up and tried to feel what the heck was on my back. I felt something soft and my face showed confusion and annoyance and I tried to pull off the stupid soft thing on my back.
But it wouldn't come off. I felt it tug actually ON the skin of my back.
"Ugh!" I said in annoyance. "Why the heck doesn't this stupid thing come off!" The people showed fear. And I rolled my shoulders since I had the sudden itching feeling and I felt like it was natural for me to do it.
Suddenly huge wings sprouted from my back. I was so shocked I cried out and stumbled back and fell on my butt. I hoped that the wings weren't mine and that it was just a trick of my imagination but the wings fell down with me and fear strike my heart and I'm pretty sure it had horror written all over my face.
"I have wings?" I shouted in anguish. "Who the FUCK did this to me?" I so horrified from the sight and the thought of having these sticking out of my body that I looked away from them totally not believing this. I pulled my legs closer together and tried to calm myself with even breathing while the strangers just stood there as horrified and scarred and worried as me. But they had different reasons. They weren't looking at my wings. They were looking at ME.
At first I thought that they thought I was a freak but then I saw the LOOKS on their faces. They didn't think I was a freak. They were horrified at my reaction. They seemed horrified that I was horrified at me having wings. I tried to pull in back my…wings.
But I just didn't know how too. Do I just tuck them in? Or do I have to think about it? Or does it have to do with muscles? Frick…this was so not what I had in mind for a bad situation.
Ella's POV:
She didn't know me. She doesn't remember me.
She doesn't know.
I was her best friend. I was there for her. I was the first person for her to tell me she has wings. I was the first and only person she took on with flights. I was her friend, her sister, always caring for her when she was down. I was…I was…
I don't know what I was. Was I her friend? I thought she was my friend but did she think I was her friend?
I don't understand. How could I have been there for her when I couldn't understand how she was feeling? How could I have been there for her when I couldn't feel what she was feeling? How?
Maybe I wasn't her friend after all. Maybe I was just someone to…I don't even know what to say. I don't know what I was to her.
But I wasn't her friend.
Dr. M's POV:
I shouldn't feel as sad as I am right now but I don't think I can help it. I mean, how would you feel if one of the most important people to you forgot about you? Totally just thinks you're a stranger and doesn't care about what you feel? I don't feel all that good, especially when it was my daughter that forgotten me.
I didn't cry though and those are points for being strong, but I couldn't stop the hurt look across my face. I guess it was just too much hurt I had to let some show so I don't explode with emotion.
I wonder how Fang does it all the time. All I know is that he's going to explode sometime soon, maybe next week, next month, I don't know but one day he is going to explode.
"How do you feel?" I heard Ella speak softly to me. I look over at her and I see she was in the same boat as me. She was Max's first best friend and knows her better then anyone, including me, and if Max forgot about me she forgot about Ella too.
I looked at Max who was trying to pull back her wings but with a confused, annoyed, irritated, and slightly terrified expression on her face. I wanted to cry because she thought that her wings were horrible when they were beautiful. She couldn't see their beauty the way that we can.
"I'm just sad, you know." I whispered, not even sure that she even heard it. But she did. She nodded with a sympathetic look on her face.
"I know. It's like…" She trailed off not knowing what to say. "I don't know really. It just feels like someone took a piece of my heart and smashed it into a million pieces leaving me to sew it up again." She looked down at the floor and Ari wrapped an arm around her waist as if to say don't give up; it'll be all right in the end. It sounded so easy: to be confident, to not give up. But it's not. How can you not give up when someone you knew and loved got ripped away from you? You can't really say, "Oh, well, let's hope it won't happen again." It's just not the way we humans are. We're emotional creatures. We need food, water, and each other. We need to know that someone's there for us, someone's there to love us. We need to know that there's someone there to catch you when you fall.
It's like a support team. Once someone's gone you would get a new one, right? But this is a lifetime support team. You can't get someone else to fill in for someone else just because they're gone. That person is gone. And…you're not complete. It's as simple as that. You are just not complete.
Some people don't even get over the fact that they lost someone. Some people even commit suicide because they can't live in a world where their friend, brother, sister, parent, anybody in their life is gone.
But I'm going to be strong. Max was always strong. I want to be also. I'm tired of being a weak and useless human. I may be a human but I'm not worthless. I'm Valencia Martinez, mother of Maximum Ride, and I am NOT going to sit around mourning over the 'loss' of my daughter when she's standing right there in front of me clearly alive. I'm going to do something and I'm not quite sure if it's going to be smart enough to get us out of here.
But it's worth a shot.
"Will someone tell me where the frick I am?" Max said angrily. She was getting pissed and she had absolutely no care for us, when we were obviously heart broken.
Matt sighed and she glared at him, probably because of the hug thing and the close situation. "We're in a place called the 'School'. This is the place where they gave you your wings. So if you don't like them blame them." He said tiredly. He didn't look tired he just looked worn out.
"Well, isn't THAT nice." She said sarcastically. "Now why am I here?"
"You're here because since the school thinks you're the best you were planned to kill half the planet which is what they think would be saving it. They thought they could control you but that didn't work out well so they erased your memory, and by the way you're taking everything I would say it worked." Kyle said speaking up. I guess he didn't want to be hanging wheel like some of us in the room.
I'm pretty sure I was one of them.
Max's POV:
These people are crazy. There's no such thing as a place where scientists run around torturing people and giving people split DNA'S. Well…that would explain the stupid wings on my back, but…still…it's kind of hard to take in.
I sighed and sat down with my knees up close and me hugging them, and my brown and white speckled wings hanging loosely on my back for everyone to see. I actually didn't care if they did see; I mean they already knew that I had wings so why hide it? That and I didn't know how to pull them up against my back, no matter how stupid that sounds.
"I just Love this." I muttered with a roll of my eyes. I then suddenly occurred to the throbbing in my head. I made a small groan and rubbed my forehead. "Stupid headache won't go away."
With that last sentence fear showed across the faces of the strangers except that black haired boy. He seemed to have no care in the world about what would happen to me. Except in his eyes. He seemed pretty worried but I didn't care, if couldn't bother to show it on his face, I'm pretty sure he doesn't mean it.
I lay down on my back even with a little protest from my wings. I rubbed my eyes and began rolling on the ground in pain. "Stop. Stop it. Stop it!" I yelled and made a cry of pain. I didn't even know what was happening. The pain was gradually getting worse and thoughts ran through my head.
They did it. They got you here. It's their fault. Attack. Avenge yourself. You're better off alone.
Revenge. I can get revenge. I didn't want wings, I didn't want scars on my body. I wanted to be normal. They did this to me.
I stop rolling and I sat up. I pulled my hands away from my forehead and opened my eyes. The ends of my eyes tinted with red, that's how mad I was. I had my death glare on and I wished it could kill these people, these cold-hearted bastards and bitches.
My lips curled up and I let out a snarl. They seemed frightened and scared but I didn't care. I launched myself at the nearest person to me. They were all victims so it didn't matter who went first as long as they would all be gone afterwards.
It happened to be the boy that looked just like me.
Too bad for him.
Matt's POV:
Max started to roll on the ground in pain. I made a move towards her, trying to see what was wrong, when Fang laid a hand on my shoulder. I glared daggers at him, wondering why the heck he didn't want me to help Max.
"You can't help her." He said blankly. "They already got a hold of her. And it seems once they get a hold of something they don't let go."
I shrugged off his hand angrily.
"Yeah? Well, I'm going to make them let go." I snarled and started walking towards Max again. That's when I realized she wasn't rolling on the ground in pain. She was glaring at us in the way that made me want to crawl up in a hole and die, but I held strong.
Her eyes were tinted with red, and I knew that whatever she was about to do was willingly but not without the motivation from the school. They must have told her we were the bad guys.
She launched herself at me, seeing that I was the closest person to her. I wasn't surprised because this is exactly what Max would do. Let out all her anger on the people who abused her. Or hurt her. Which ever.
When I tried to block her attack that only made her angrier.
"Stop, Max!" I yelled at her backing up not really wanting to fight Max when she knew what she was doing. She wasn't being controlled, she was doing what she wanted to do and so of course that's not what I want. It's like I wanted to die tonight. And let me tell you I rather be thrown to the sharks being ripped to pieces then be killed by Max. She makes it all the more agonizing.
"Why should I?" She yelled back at me throwing a punch to my gut. I sidestepped out of the way frantically, not wanting to get punched. "You did this to me!"
"What?" I said trying to block her. She was so strong when she's furious. "I didn't do anything to you."
"Stop lying!" She shouted and aimed a fist at my head. I caught it, which was extremely difficult, and twisted it, just enough to avoid hurting her, around her back and grabbed her other one and pushed her up against the wall. Max struggled trying to get out and cursed herself many times about being stupid and letting the enemy get a hold of her. I rather not tell you what she said because frankly I didn't even know what she was saying. When she gets extremely mad, like I'm guessing she is now, she starts to talk too fast for anyone to understand her.
"I'm not lying." I whispered into her ear. She glared at me and started struggling even more, and I almost lost my grip. She started to kick at my shins so I had to do the inevitable. I pushed my legs up against her making it hard to struggle and making both of us totally uncomfortable. I wouldn't have done it if it weren't necessary. Now that I think of it, we're more of siblings. We could be twins. So why would I do this to my sister? That's just plain creepy and not my style.
"Stop struggling, it's not going to get you anywhere." I whispered in her ear. Not in a creepy way but in a slightly demanding tone. I want her to stop struggling so I can get out of this goddamn position.
"Fine." She growled at me and stopped struggling even though I could see she wanted out of this position as bad as I.
"Now, we're not your enemies." I said in a louder tone, so that everyone could hear us. "We were your friends. I'm Matt, that's Kyle, Nudge, Ari, Ella, Iggy, Dr. M, and Fang." I said gesturing my head to them. She looked us over through the corner of her eye and gave no sign of our names or looks, like always. Dang, this is going to be hard. "Kyle, Ari and I are part wolf but we're not erasers. We're friendly. Ella and Nudge are Kyle and Ari's girlfriends and are normal humans like Iggy. Dr. M is your mom, her real name is Valencia or Val but I call her Dr. M and you obviously call her Mom. Ella was and is your best friend. You've been together longer then anyone when you were somewhere. I'm assuming the orphanage, but I'm not totally sure. Now you had wings for your whole life or as long as I've known you, you were never once ashamed or horrified by them. So get a grip on yourself before the school finds you useless."
I shook her shoulders and then let her go going to the others leaving Max standing there looking at us in a very confused expression.
Max's POV:
So these people were my family. Their looks seemed to be telling the truth, they looked hurt, and they looked friendly. And that boy looks a lot like me.
Was it true? Were these people really telling me the truth?
They're lying Max. Don't believe them. Why do you think you're there? Why do you think all this is happening? A voice echoed in my mind.
But then why can't I remember anything for the last…I don't know, the rest of my life. It feels like I just woke up in a seventeen or fifteen year old body. And why would my supposed enemies be locked up in the same room as me? Why were they acting so sad around me and like they can't believe that this is happening to them too, not just me. And they said it was the School that was doing this.
But they did do it. They did, believe me. I was there when they attacked. I was there.
Then who are you? And why the heck would I believe a voice in my head? I don't know who you are but I'll tell you what. Whether they did it or not, I'm still here and I'm telling you know that I'm going to get out of here. And whether they come with me or not is all to them.
You just made a big mistake.
Kiss my ass, you bastard.
I looked at all the confused looks on everyone's faces. If I concentrate really hard they did look familiar but I couldn't tell if they were really telling the truth or not.
I looked at Ella and my mom. Event though I concentrate on each of their faces equally Ella's face comes up more often. So maybe Matt was right. Maybe we have known each other for a long time.
I cocked my head to the side and looked at her curiously. I could see the hope in all of their eyes but I ignored them. Even though they were familiar that didn't mean I actually cared for them more then not wanting them to die or anything.
"Ella." I said. She nodded slowly like she didn't know if she could or not. "Hmm." I thought over it for a time and switch the direction of my head.
I rolled up in a bed the nearest to me and wrapped myself in it's sheet. I was about to fall asleep when a voice snapped me out of it.
"Hey! What are you doing in my bed?" A girl with brown hair said. I looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"I'm sleeping." I replied.
I snapped out of my little flashback. She seemed so hopeful now. So like that girl.
Is it true?
All of a sudden the door opened to reveal three 'whitecoats'. I'm not sure if that's the actual name for them but I'm just going to go with it because they all where white coats so yeah.
They seemed angry and that gave me pride. They glared at all of us as if we would go crawl up in a corner and die. And let me tell you that made me want to do the opposite. I wanted to stand in front of their faces and punch them. I actually wanted to jump up and down on top of their faces, crushing it into their skull efficiently killing them.
Violent…I like it.
"What do you want?" I said irritated and looked at my nails and picking out the dirt from under them. I really need to cut them…
The whitecoats just looked at me annoyed and completely and totally outraged. "We're here to take you all to the extermination room. There you'll be exterminated."
"Well, Duh, that's what an extermination room is. What else would it be? A place to go drink tea with the white rabbit?" I said sarcastically. Their faces turned red and I raised my hands in a calm down gesture. "Don't get your knickers in a twist. I was just saying. Sheesh." I said and went back to picking my nails calmly, but inside I was laughing hysterically. Their faces are just too much.
The 'strangers' were laughing too, except the dark haired one and 'Ella'. Ella gave a small laugh with a frown while 'Fang' just stayed emotionless even though his eyes showed amusement.
The white coats finally had enough of everything and clicked a button on their clipboard? I'm not sure. I can't really tell with the way they're standing. I'm pretty sure it was like a remote of some kind but whatever. What matters is what it does not what exactly it is. But what does it do?
Seconds later I found out when fourteen wolf like creatures came through the steel door. They wore blank expressions but their eyes held excitement. Those cocky stupid bastards, I'll kick their butts.
The creature's came in and took a hold of everyone's arms so they couldn't get away. Everyone except Kyle, Ari, Matt, and me got one guard person. We got two, one on each arm. Apparently I'm not useful anymore, since I totally broke away from their evil hold. Take THAT evildoer.
"Just you wait." I said conversationally. "I'm going to get out of here and restore my broken memory." The wolf people holding me laughed and down the hall I saw a door with a window. I don't know what happened next. Instinct? The fact that if I don't do something I'll die? Either way I started acting.
I didn't really try putting strength behind my punches and movements I just concentrated on speed, energy. I don't know why all I knew was that it instinct, like I was suppose to do it. Natural I guess.
"Whoa." I heard someone mutter from behind me. I stopped for a second and realized that I was about an inch away from punching the living daylights out of Fang. I stopped immediately knowing what I was about to do for not being able to know what I was doing. It just went all blurry and I had no idea what the heck was happening.
Hey, stupid me.
I looked around trying to figure out why and then realized I could move freely without anyone holding me down. I then saw that all the whitecoats and wolf things were on the ground either dead or unconscious and right now I really don't care.
I looked at everyone else with a weird look. "Okay, who did that?" I asked a little wary fearing what the answer was. They looked back at me like I was the dumbest person in the world.
"Who do you think, Max?" Ella asked sarcastically putting a hand on her hip. I shook my head and started running down the hall while calling,
"You better hurry. I don't know when they'll realize that we're not going to the extermination room."
With that we were all running for our lives down the hall and to the door with the window.