Chapter 18

When you're a captive, fifteen-year-old, American-avian girl, you don't think about the little details such as how your hair looks. Until, you're standing next to two other bird kids, a mind-reading seven-year-old, and a kid with scales who all look terrible. Then, maybe, you consider exactly what you're starting to look like.

This was gym class evil scientists way and our game was Super Death Dodge ball. We wore protective gloves that prevented us from being zapped or electrocuted as we threw but the rest of our bodies were prone for pain whenever contact was made. The thrower was three sets of M-Geeks who didn't mind at being shocked. At one point, we tried keeping the balls away from them but then, it turned out they had more than enough balls to just keep pounding them on us.

"Just like Itex," I murmured to Mela who was burned and bleeding at the same time on one of her cheeks. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail to keep it out of her face and she was glaring angrily at the M-Geeks. She shot me a glance as if I was joking which I technically was.

Jeb had been right when he told me that Itex was like puppies and rainbows compared to the group which I now learned called themselves "The Saviors". I know exactly what you're thinking. Give them a round of applause for irony.

My eyesight had greatly improved since they injected me with the medicine. So far, no blindness, which is worth doing a mini jump without using wings. But the effect was still bad because now, the details were even sharper and movements were even easier to detect. I was sort of getting a headache like when the Voice first started entering my mind and intruding on my thoughts.

Back at my cell, hidden in my wallet, which the scientists or their evil minions hadn't found, I kept the pills they had given me. I made them think their super sight didn't work first of all so I "took" the pills to gain my eyes sight back. Plus I've seen experiments succeed only to fail a few days later. Also, my mind was set on saving them for someone else.

"How long have we been at this?" I asked impatiently as I ducked to avoid one large ball that was bigger than my face. I peered over my shoulder to make sure it didn't hit off the wall and then strike me in the back. I had that happen a few times.

"Why bother knowing?" Mela asked, shooting me a grin. "Sometimes, the less knowledge you have, the easier things become." I nodded my head in agreement. I wanted to be like one of those guys on television that shouted 'Amen sister' but that wasn't really something I would say. Iggy might've though.

Here's what I knew:

1. I didn't like being here

2. Everything here was white and extremely clean for some reason

I missed my flock

4. The nightmares were going to last three more days

5. Fang loved me…All right now readers who find making an Aww noise at this moment, just know that I needed something good in here so let me have it without being embarrassed.

Here's what I didn't know:

Why was I still alive?

What the flock was doing.

What to do once I got out of here?

Was there anyone in charge of Mr. Chu?

How I was going to bring them down.

Just then a large ball rushed past my side, burning my shirt and making me scream out in pain. Mela stared at me for a second while dodging her own ball. "I'm fine," I muttered through clenched teeth. "Just not so agreeable as before." Now my fists were clenched and my legs spread shoulder's width in fight stance.

Before, I was just avoiding the balls. At the moment, I was ready to kick someone. I snatched a ball with the gloves and threw it as hard as possible at an M-Geeks. I wasn't going to shock him, I was trying to knock him off his stupid metal covered in human skin feet. Unfortunately, I didn't have a childhood that permitted me to play softball and gain perfect aim. The ball swerved up and over the entire line of M-Geeks, missing them completely.

"Try it like this," Mela motioned as she grabbed on of the smaller electrified balls. She flung her arm behind her before going up and over just as she released the ball. It was her non-throwing arm that I watched. First, she used it to aim better and then, as an extra anchor for power. The ball whipped from her hands to hit an M-Geek square in the face. "Ace!" She screamed in victory throwing her arms in the air.

"I think that's said for volley ball," I pointed out as I picked up another ball. I wasn't honestly sure. Mela shrugged as she grabbed back her own ball, which had rolled to her feet. The other children, witnessing what Mela had done, went to do the same.

"Whatever," Mela noted as she knocked down another M-Geek. I realized now how the machines had some difficulty getting back on their feet like the Erasers when they first had wings. "Still fun." Our breathing was ragged now from the excitement. Here we were actually winning and doing something about being stuck in this room.

"Every minute counts," I yelled to the crowd as M-Geeks fell left and right. We were all laughing now as the machines tumbled and fell. I really wanted to run over and do a fist to metal combat kind of thing but they were protected by electric force fields. Those were not fun to be hit by, I had learned before. These were M-Geeks, third generation, if you know what I mean. "Keep hitting them!"

I smiled, thinking about how badly Gazzy or Iggy would've loved this. Nudge would be serious but she'd laugh just as much as the other kids. Angel would prance about picking up balls for me because her throws wouldn't be as tough as mine. Fang would have that little grin that rarely showed up unless he was truly enjoying the fighting. And I would be doing what I was doing now. Laughing my head off while knocking one M-Geek down at a time.

On the ground the M-Geeks shield that surrounded each individual began to weaken from the constant hits. One had a smashed in face with electric red and blue wires sticking out of the side. The children dressed in white around me were getting more excited and threw faster. I noticed how the twenty or so of us were younger than me but all about the same as Angel. We were winning.

Then a voice cracked over the loud intercom, screaming at us to stop. "Keep throwing, they aren't in here." I ordered to the children and they listened to me of course, not the evil voice that held them captor.

Max: 1

Evil Scientists: .5 (They did have us trapped here after all)

Suddenly, the balls, which had shooting lightening bolts inside the center, turned off. When we threw them, no sparks came out as they came in contact with one of the M-Geeks. Now they were being harsh. A door swished opened and I turned to my right to see who it was.

Something on long black coils flew out at me. Electricity stronger than the balls, forced me to fall on my knees, shut my eyes, and hold my arms out in surrender. When the pain stopped, I collapsed onto my palms and took deep, soothing breaths. I looked at the scared children who weren't hurt. "I'm all right, don't worry."

I smiled at them before staring at Mela and Ari. They both nodded their heads, reading the message in my eyes or in Ari's case, the message in my mind. They would make sure the children weren't hurt or punished. If anyone was going to take the blame it would be me.

"Max, Max, Max," Brigid Drywer stood in front of me. Technically, I didn't know it was Brigid because I was just staring at these awful red high heel pumps that would be terrible to run in. It was her annoying voice that sounded as if she was disappointed in me that I instantly recognized. "When will you learn that you won't get out of here?

"Brigid, Brigid, Brigid." I said with a mischievous smile on my face. My hands were yanked behind my back and handcuffed. A few of the children gasped and began to cry but Mela hushed them up. I was forced to stand on my feet as I stared down at Brigid who didn't have bird DNA and therefore, was normal height.

I smiled wider in confidence, "When will you learn I am Maximum Ride?"