Chapter 8

"Max-uh-mum Ride," I opened my eyes to possibly the worst sound in the world. Out of reflex I sat up to observe on my flock only to realize they weren't there. My day went from possible hope to flat out horrible. The M-Geek was staring at me with its robot green eyes. I wondered who decided that green was scary or intimidating. They were wrong.

I tilted my head to wait for what ever was to come next. In a quick instant my entire room just got all foggy. Instinctively I filled my lungs and airs sacs to hold my breath. There was a screeching noise as someone came on to an intercom system I wasn't aware about. "Max, give up. We'll keep it on until you pass out. All this does is numb your nerves in your arms, legs and wings so you can't escape."

I wanted to scream at Brigid's voice bouncing off the bright white walls all around me. I squinted into the lights as if maybe she was actually there with her dumb red hair. As you can see, I don't like traitors very well.

"Max, resistance-"

"Is futile?" I asked, releasing my breath. "Wasn't that in a movie?" I asked casually not really sure if it was. I let the smog come all around me and I knew that Brigid had no choice but to be honest. They couldn't kill me just yet. When the gray smog came to my breath I was instantly hit with a wave of nausea.

I tried to hold of the bile but sometimes, you have no option. I stumbled towards the corner away from the glass wall so they couldn't see me remove my stomach contents. When I stared at the barf in the corner, still breathing in the awful smelling and tasting gas, I wished desperately to shove a M-Geek's face in it. That would teach them to force me to breath in the disgusting air.

When my legs and arms grew numb I began to stumble away from the corner towards the center of the room. Someone accidentally hit the microphone as I heard Brigid yell at someone, "No! Don't turn it off! She's stronger than humans. Keep the gas cycling." This time, her voice was clearer than I expected. I looked around expecting Brigid to be right behind me but she wasn't.

Finally, I collapsed by no choice of my own. Like I said, I fight until I can't. My legs and arms didn't respond to my thoughts. The exact same thing had happened for a good amount of time when a chip was removed from my arm. I tried to twitch my wings or feathers just an itty bit but even that was impossible. Whatever they had me on was keeping me cemented to the ground.

My eyes easily watched the door as the fog faded. Soon, two M-Geeks and Brigid walked in. The traitor pushing a wheelchair in front of her for me. "Oh," I said, glad to be able to talk, "So nice of you to bring me something to walk in after you drug me."

Brigid gave me a smile as if she didn't note the obvious sarcasm in my voice. Her red hair flipped as she turned her head a bit. I glared at her, hating the fact that she had once been a friend to the flock…well, not to me personally but to Fang. Then, I got angrier as I thought of all the times the two had flirted. Was she a traitor back then too?

"Max, Max, Max," she shook her head as if she was looking down at a pathetic child. I was pretty sad being unable to use my arms or legs as the M-Geeks picked me up. I was dropped into the wheelchair and then handcuffed for safety. "When will you learn? Sometimes, you think you're doing the right thing but in reality it's wrong."

"Can we not talk about you while I'm drugged? I rather not be in a wheelchair so I can have the opportunity to smack you." I grinded my teeth together wishing my fists could form too. They were useless of course.

I felt Brigid lean in so her breath was against my ear. I narrowed my eyes as I heard her laugh, "You want to talk about the flock?" Such a simple question but I had to bit my lip to start screaming at her. As a leader, and a captive, I had to make sure I showed them no weakness to use against me and make sure the flock remained safe. I trusted them to go through the plan but only as long as they stayed alive. Their life mattered more to me than mine.

You don't need them Max, you're the one saving the world. I laughed in my head. Perfect timing for the Voice as always. At the moment, Brigid was rolling me out of my ten by ten cubicle and bringing me out to new little hallways. I needed to focus on my surroundings but the Voice had to distract me.

We all ready discussed this. Period. The End. No more Voice, or I will hurt you once I learn who you are. I replied back with the harshest, coldest tone that anyone could've heard. If the voice was wearing boots, he or she would've been shaking in them.

Would you like to know Max? Do you really think you need to know me? I bit my lip. I would love to know who the Voice in my head was but I've learned to set my priorities straight. The Voice would want something in return from me. There are no gimmicks, I promise. Who was this? The Voice didn't make promises. The Voice just made orders.

I observed the small hallways that were only wide enough for my wheel chair in between the M-Geeks. Bright lights were here as well and I recognized the empty cell that was mine. I smiled when I saw they couldn't see the hole in the mattress, which I had cut. I turned my head up to Brigid, "Will you be the one cleaning up my upchuck?" I saw her grimace and glared down at me. She raised a hand but quickly placed it back down on the handle of the wheelchair. I wonder how many times she wanted to hit me and then realized she couldn't.

I found it amusing that she wasn't allowed to hit me. The little cut her gun strike had given me was almost completely healed. I bet Mr. Chu yelled at her a lot when he saw me bleeding and all. I was fragile, important merchandise and apparently, I wasn't the only one.

My eyes looked into several more cubicles just like mine. I recognized the girl from New York with wings. She was cradled up in the corner as her eyes watched us. When she stared at me I saw she recognized who I was. She nodded her head as if somehow saying, "They were bound to get us all." I narrowed my eyes at the M-Geeks. What was their plan with Itex experiments? Were Erasers or Flyboys going to be in the next cubicle?

I witnessed a few Nudges and Angels in the same room walking together in a permanent circle as if they were still in the prison yard in Germany. I had to turn away because I was reminded of my flock trying to survive without me. I told myself they had Fang to take care of them. He would be able to do it. Then, I was depressed more at the thought of Fang and being without him. A whole lot different than being away from the flock. I know, I know, it's a little on the sappy side but it's the truth.

Do you want to know who I am? I hadn't realized how the Voice had asked me a question and wanted a answer. He had disappeared for a moment and I had been distracted.

You never answer my questions so why should I answer yours? I demanded back feeling an odd tingle in my foot. The control of my toes was strangely coming back. Maybe traitor scientist girl misjudged my body. I did have a fast metabolism that burned a lot of things up. But then again, I had told her that, she knew all about the mechanics to the bird-kid mystery because once upon a twisted time we had trusted her and told her everything.

ANSWER MAX! My head hurt instantly, just like the times in New York when I suddenly had a headache from the Voice speaking to me. I almost refused to respond because the Voice was just demanding me to do something without perfectly good reason. You know how I take to authority right? Well, something about the desperation that I picked up on in the Voice's tone made me cave a little bit.

I sighed as Brigid rounded a corner. We were heading towards one last cell, I could see the glass coming closer to us. Fine I whispered knowing in truth the Voice had never given me reason to doubt it. I shook my head as the feeling in my feet and hands came back to me. By the time we pulled to a stop in front of the cell I was just looking down at my arms and legs as they came back to under my control.

"See who we've got Max," Brigid said. I knew I didn't have to look up at her to see she was smiling. She was a smug scientist traitor red head- I can't think of anything else to say about her. So I just sent a bunch of not so clean words at her with my thoughts. Maybe she would develop mind reading powers so she could hear.

I turned up to stare at the small figure huddled in the corner. The bright lights of the room, however, didn't allow it to hide in any shadows. I didn't need long to respond to who I saw in front of me, "No!" I screamed pulling myself forward with all the power I had in my limbs. The wheelchair, being light but still holding me back with the restraints, turned on its wheels as I crashed to the floor.

My head grew dizzy from impact as I stared up from the floor at the figure now standing right up near the window. His face dropped down with big, curious blue eyes. Here we were, on the opposite sides of the cage. He was looking out and I was looking in. He pressed a small hand against the glass. When he moved his mouth, I heard in my head…

Hello Max.