Chapter 19

Nightmares do not help when you are being held prisoner. I woke up for the third day straight only because I fell on the hard white (no surprise there) floor of my cell. Each dream it gets worse even though the toxin is suppose to wear off after today. Sweat was collecting at my brow and my white clothes were sticking to me. There was nothing good so far about this day. Then again, give me a day where waking up in a nine by nine white cell that's good and I'll pay you one hundred dollars (but not really because I don't have anything).

Yesterday, after being shocked crazy and smart mouthing to Brigid who hit me for it, I was brought to this room where Mr. Chu was waiting. I got another one of those "talks" where my behavior was the key point in me surviving in this place. He had me standing in front of this ledge that he sat on. All of the room was gray which was a change and he said, "Maximum, just be a part of us and you'll make it out alive."

Yeah, like I hadn't heard that before.

Instead, I said some colorful words towards him before being shocked. I made a mental note that behind him were two windows and all I could see was green forest and a light blue sky. Then Brigid, who was going to wet her pants because she was so nervous to see Mr. Chu, smacked me in the back of the head. Finally, I was brought to my lunch/dinner because we only get two meals and I was going to eat a door I was so hungry.

So today was just a continuation of all that had happened yesterday and in my nightmares. If I hadn't been through this kind of thing before (but don't get me wrong, this is the worse out of all of them) I would be twitching and banging my head against the wall. I would also be screaming like a banshee for all they cared.

I sat on the bed and stared at my hands while my arms rested on my legs. I realized I had small fingers or maybe it was just because Fang's hands were big. I was making a personal note on how I would never ever wear white, not even on my wedding day.

Whoa, scratch out that last line.

Suddenly, I heard the sliding of metal as the door began to unlock. Now, I wasn't even looking up to see what was going on. There was the metal clanking indicating at least two M-Geeks and of course the annoying stomping of a woman in pumps. Quick, you get one guess.

"Time for your medicine Maximum," Brigid's ugly shoes were once again in my line of view. I felt like one of those kids who knew she was getting a shot but they had some crazy idea that it was going to be worse than it actually was. Except, my shot would be worse than that. "It's a shame your eyesight didn't work out," Brigid sighed. She had noticed the pills were gone. I learned she was in charge of me, sort of like the dog trainer and I was the dog. Bark.

M-Geeks held up my arm. I guess I never mentioned how warm their touches are because they have their human skin. Mostly, robots are cold when you touch them because they have no body heat. M-Geeks technically did because the skin kept the heat in and so, they were as warm as Erasers.

Remember those days when I thought I was an Eraser? Yeah, they were so simple.

I felt the twinge of the needle entering my skin. I know, some of you queasy readers aren't enjoying this but that's what happened. I was happy though to know I wasn't back on that table with all the needles jamming into my head. Luckily, my scars had healed from that.

My entire body felt weak. The food they gave us was always limited, no matter how much of anything I took and it always lacked nutrition. I have this skinny body as it is. I don't want to see my ribs. Sorry for the rambling, I'm kind of going crazy if you haven't caught on.

When they injected the purple goop into my veins, I didn't feel anything. "This will last only two days because there is less of it." Brigid's voice I noticed was very articulate. She enunciated all of her words so anyone could understand her. Yeah, that got very annoying sometimes.

As soon as the needle was taken out of me, an alarm went off. It wasn't the good kind of alarm, like a smoke detector, which would mean we would have to go outside and I could try to fly away. No, this was a large blaring siren of sorts as if the entire U.S. army was shooting bombs at us. Now, if I survived that, then I would suppose the alarm was a good one but until then, my heart beat was rushing.

Brigid and the M-Geeks rushed out, being clumsy like all scientists, almost tripping over each other as they ran out the door. The metal door shut automatically behind them. Then, with a tilted head and a bemused smile, I watched them run past my window. The lab behind them was now evacuated. Once they were gone, I began to panic.

First of all, they left me here, which sort of made me a little ticked off. Should I have to die because they kept me in this cell while they ran off? No, I think not. So, as if it would help, I grabbed my pocketknife and my wallet. Fortunately, my white pants had pockets for me to put them away in.

As I rushed to the door, realizing now that I was bare foot, I went to pull at the handle. And as I felt the hinges give way all I could do was laugh hysterically.

YES! I screamed in my head for joy. YES! YES! THANK YOU BRIGID! I was starting to think she wasn't so bad after all as I entered into the hall that connected to the large lab on my left and then the door that led to the rest of the cells on my right.

I went right of course.

When I entered, I found everyone was pressed up against the glass trying to get a look at what the heck was going on. My hands instantly went to the closest door. I pushed back the metal barriers and swung the door open. "Move, move move!" I ordered to the scale kid inside. Without hesitation he was running further down the hall to the next door on his right to help another kid free. I made my way down the left.

As each one got free, one more set of hands was working to unlock the door. There is nothing more beautiful than the sound of sliding metal and the creaking of doors opening wide. It just made my heart swell up to the size of the bubble Gazzy blew with a piece of gum before Iggy poked it. Mela was at my side when I ran to the last door.

"Get out of here, go and don't look back. Break into groups but stick with friends," I barked out the orders quickly. The children didn't ask questions or defy my leadership. They knew who I was and they knew what I had done for them. All of them understood I was trying to get them out alive.

"Go to SAFETY, if you are in need, it will call out to you! Listen for its call." I stared at Mela, wondering what she was talking about. But I had no time to ask questions, the alarm was still sounding as I took the turn towards my brother's cell.

I opened this door faster than I had opened my own. My heart was in my throat as I breathed as calmly as I could. Ari sat in the corner staring up at me. I stepped aside, expecting him to run out for joy or maybe, even hug me but he sat there. His big blue eyes were wide with shock. His head was tilted in confusion.

"No," he whispered, both in the real world and in my head. Then, I was taken aback but being Maximum Ride, I stepped forward instead and offered my hand. I was begging him with my eyes to just take it. "No, Max. I'm safer here." His voice was shaking and so was his entire body.

"Ari," I said, a little bit of hurt in my tone, "Come on. I'll protect you. Can't you trust me? Are you scared of me?" I reached towards him and he tried to disappear into the corner of the room. He kept shaking his head as I kept moving towards him. The alarm was still sounding but I didn't know how much time we had.

"Outside," he whispered. "No." That's when it hit me. He wasn't scared of me. All this time of being trapped in this place, he was a mind controller, more powerful than Angel, and he hadn't tried to escape. No, Ari wasn't scared of me or even the M-Geeks. He was scared to go outside, in the real world.

"We're going to SAFETY, Ari. It's just like this place but you'll be free to stay. Let Max carry you there or we'll force you to come." Mela stepped forward. Ari seemed to understand what she meant by SAFETY, but I still had no clue.

"Max," Ari whispered. He wasn't the Voice anymore, or even talking like he was the smartest kid in the world. He was just a scared seven-year-old boy. "I'm scared." I finally stood in front of him. I went down to kneel in front of him, still balanced on the toes of my feet.

"I know, Ari. But remember, you have me for a sister and I will do everything I can to make sure you are okay." I went to pick him up but he flinched. I let out a deep breath, trying to remain calm with the siren blaring, "Go into your mind and imagine you are here. Get lost in your mind, like you did to me. Can you do that for me?"

Ari nodded his head reluctantly. He shut his eyes and took a deep breath. I waited five, maybe ten seconds before I placed him in my arms. He didn't react or pull away. At first, I expected the weight of a normal child, a little bit lighter than Total's ninety-pound love, Akila. Instead, I felt as if I was holding someone as light as Angel. Maybe Ari had some bird blood in him too and his bones were hollow just like ours.

When I turned towards the door, Mela stood there with her arms crossed. "We have to hurry, we definitely don't have that much time." I pushed past here with Ari in my hands and she followed me out of the door. We started a slow jog to make sure we didn't go the wrong way.

A door slid open in front of us as if expecting us. I didn't think twice and ran right through it and Mela instantly followed. Just as the alarm stopped sounding, I ran into what looked like an entire army of M-Geeks. But their faces were all turned towards the center of the large room, which I now realized is where I had met Mr. Chu the day before. Mela caught my large smile as I realized whom the M-Geeks were staring at.