I turned to glare at Dr. Brigid Dwyer, but was suddenly taken aback by the swarm of M-Geeks surrounding her.

In a matter of seconds i realized, with a quick intake of breath, these were no M-Geeks. They looked much more efficient, more threatening, extremely expensive.

She smiled a crooked smile, I'd never liked her, but until then i'd never seen any real threat in her other than out of jealousy.

"Good to see you Fang... Max." had her tone not have seemed so threatening this might have been a typical statement for her.

"Well isn't this just an extremely unpleasant surprise, Brigid." I said between gritting teeth. "How's Mr. Chu?"

"Rich," she smiled. "Though, working for him may have other advantages as well. Watching you die for instance."

"Right, about that. I think i'll have to pass." I smiled politely, like i was rejecting an invitation to play tennis or something a little less threatening.

"You know Fang, i always did like you--" she began moving toward us, i took a step in front of Fang, defensively. "Really? you were so subtle about it..." I said, sarcasm evident in my tone.

Fang pushed me aside and took my hand back.

"Too bad your little girlfriend is such a pain," she sighed. Girlfriend?! Oh, right. I'll have to get used to that i suppose. "She disliked me before she even knew the truth."

"What can i say?" i shrugged, "I can read people, it's a gift really."

I barely had time to give her a terrifying smile before i was hit hard in the back. I fell to the ground spouting off words i'd rather not repeat. With that, the battle was engaged. I rolled over to see Fang fighting with the thing that had knocked me to the ground. The new improved M-Geek type creatures seemed to be more durable as well. I saw Brigid moving swiftly toward the trees, i couldn't have her doing that now could i?

I got away from the grips of the things, and launched myself in the air, landing promptly in front of Brigid at the mouth of the woods.

"I thought you were looking forward to watching me die, isn't heading for the woods sort of ruining your fun?" i said crossing my arms. My wings were still fully extended, i find i look more terrifying that way.

"Honestly, Maximum. Did you really think I'd miss out on such an event?" she grinned.

It was a set up, she knew that i would follow her.

She moved, the slightest movement, and she was behind me, hands on my wings pulling them backward.

I shrieked, how had she gotten behind me so fast?

"I'm not what you thought i was, Max." she whispered threateningly. Her foot connected with the space between my wings, lauching me forward. "You see, i was a fairly normal girl," she walked toward me, standing above me as i attempted to lift myself from the ground. "I was brilliant, in my senior year of high school when The School offered me an internship." her shoe pressed to my chest, pushing me back to the ground as i tried to sit up. "It was nothing like i thought, they offered me a chance to be an experiment. Being so young, so eager to learn, i took the chance. It was the most painful thing i'd ever experienced. They injected me with all kinds of DNA from different species. They made me stronger, but at the time somewhat uncontrollable." she looked like admitting this was very painful to her, "They wanted to dispose of me!" she shrieked. She stepped away from me, catching me off guard. Quickly, before i had a chance to register what she was doing, she kicked me in the ribs like i was a football. I cried out in pain, feeling most of the ribs on my right side crack in response to her punting skills.

"MAX!" i heard Fang's muffled voice yell.

As she circled me i stared into her eyes, pleading. Her pupils were no longer perfect circles, her green eyes were now complete with diamond shaped slits, like a cat would have. "Mr. Chu took me, in. He promised to fix me if i helped him with one little thing. He wanted you on our side. You see, he collects people like you and me. He enhances them, makes use of what The School doesn't want, and he's even created a few better versions of The School's experiments." she gestured to the new and improved M-Geeks. "But you..." she snarled, "Since you've refused to cooperate and it's obvious that you'll never change your mind, you've become a threat to us. So you must be eliminated." i was about halfway through my journey of getting off of the ground when she finished her little speech. Her face was livid, her cat eyes more threatening than all the Erasers, Flyboys, M-Geeks, and whitecoats of the world combined.

"Brigid, you don't have to--" i began, but she wouldn't have that.

In a blurry spin motion, her foot connected with my face, knocking me back to the ground with a hard thud.

"You see, Max. The thing is... i do have to. I have to get rid of all of you if i ever plan on being somewhat normal again."

All of us? The reality of her words settled in, making whatever pain i was feeling disappear. She planned on hurting my flock. Now that just wouldn't do.

I launched myself from the ground, hitting her hard in her perfect little face several times before she could retalliate. But man, could she retalliate.
Her punches were quick and powerful. She hit me everywhere, my stomach suffering most of the blows.

I had something that she didn't have. Wings.

I unfurled my wings, and took one powerful stoke that lifted me from the ground. In the middle of my second stroke, Brigid's hand wrapped around my ankle. She pulled me to the side, knocking me into the ground hard. My wing hit the ground first, crumbling with the force of the blow. Pain seared through my entire body and i went limp. I couldn't win. I felt her scoop me off of the ground. I wanted so badly to struggle, to fight back, but i had nothing left. I was helpless. A blanket of night folded around me. I was slowly losing conciousness.

"Put her down!" Fang. I'd forgotten Fang. My eyes searched for him in the clouded darkness. When i finally found his face, i tried to reach out to him, my limbs wouldn't move. He looked so severe, the bruises and scratches only making his expression more menacing. "Put her down, Brigid." his voice was so calm it was more threatening than the shouting.

"My pleasure," Brigid cooed. Her arms released me, and the falling all felt too easy. Her knee connected with the middle of my back with more force than i imagined possible. My back buckled with a crushing snap and i hit the ground. Brigid disappeared before the darkness closed over me.