Truths

"Max," she snarled.

"Ella," I responded. Automatically, my hands formed into fists in order to defend my family. But to my surprise, Ella didn't even move or say anything else. She just stared at all of us. Then, before anyone else could react, my mom was holding Ella's arm with one hand and with the other rolling up the sleeve to her pink shirt.

"Max," my mom was suddenly saying and pulling Ella towards me. My half-sister was freaking out and trying to pull her arm from our mother's arm. Mom, however, was a lot stronger than she looked. If it weren't for the bird DNA, I'd swear that I got my fighting skills from her. "Look," and then, I saw Ella's bare shoulder and just like the rest of us was the oh so familiar scar.

"Geez, no one is safe," I muttered. I stared at my sister, this wasn't her, she'd been fixed with another life juts like I had. "Ella," she whipped her head over to glare at me as if I was her worst enemy. "You might not believe this but, you aren't yourself."

"Fang, get my emergency kit under the bathroom sink upstairs," my mom said. Fang nodded and went off towards the stairs. Angel was standing next to me and looking up at my sister trying to loosen my mom's grip and still failing to do so.

Finally, Fang was back in the room placing my mom's kit on the table. "Hold on to Ella," she turned to look at me. I grabbed my sister's arm. She turned and twisted but it wasn't hard to hold on to her.

"I hate you," she muttered and spat.

"I love you," I replied, which is why I was doing this. Forcing her to stay so that we could remove the chip out of her body.

My mom filled a needle with a clear liquid and then turned to face both of us, her daughters. "I'm sorry Ella, I truly am." Then, the needle was inserted into Ella's arm. My sister slowly went limp in my arms. I held on to her as my mom ushered me to sit Ella down on a kitchen chair. When I put her down, my mom was suddenly giving Ella some Valium and then cutting at the scar. I forced the flock out of the room and I would've gone with them if this wasn't my sister. I watched quietly to see my mother pull out the chip. Then, because Ella didn't have our fast healing powers, began to stitch up her shoulder. I hated that I ever thought Ella would purposely betray me. I hate that more than anything I've ever done, except maybe, for forgetting about the flock.

My mom stood up and was cleaning everything when she finally caught me. There were tears in her eyes, "I knew she wouldn't hurt anyone. Especially not you, not what you did for her that first day you two truly met."

***

Ella's POV

Heart racing, I couldn't believe I had gotten myself into this situation but my mother had always told me to do that right thing. That's exactly what I did. My shoulder hurt from being chased and I had taken a corner to fast, scrapping my skin against the cement. Now, I was cornered by three guys who had gotten into serious trouble at school because of what I did.

"Ella, I told you not to tell anybody about my little situation with Ortiz," the center one was Ramirez. He had wispy blonde that was pushed back. He was dressed in the latest loose tee shirt and the baggier than they should be pants.

"By beating him up? He looks like he got hit by a car, and he didn't do anything to you!" Woah, where did that come from? I never spoke straight forward. I'd go to a teacher, sure to help Ortiz out, but speaking straight forward to these guys would have been a big mistake on my part. I couldn't take them if this resulted in a fight.

A few more words were exchanged and then they were closing in on me. And then, I watched as a figure jumped from over my shoulder straight towards Ramirez. She hit him straight in the chest and knocked him down. She whipped her head over her shoulder, her brown hair moving swiftly in the wind, as her brown eyes caught mine. "Run!" She yelled. As I stepped away, she began fighting the other two.

When I ran home, I tried to ignore the sound of gun shots that were highlighted by the emptiness of the woods next to my home. I tried not to think of the fact that I never even got her name. In my silence, I tried to think of what I could possibly do and if I'd ever see her again if she was still alive.

Then, she was calling my name and stepping out of the woods.

My hero.

Opening my eyes, I found the familiar ceiling of my room. I sat up and looked around before finding Max sitting in the corner with her brown eyes right on me. The past actions and days came back to mind and I turned away. I pulled my legs up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them. "I'm sorry Max," I whispered.

My sister was still glaring at me. Max has that way with people. When she's about to do something, it's always important and has a meaning. She was a leader, I always admired her and loved her. Realizing she was my sister was one of the greatest days of my life. I had never hated her and yet, all it took was one evil company and a chip to make me forget that. Max sighed and then, she said, "Aren't we all?"

We took in the silence before Max began speaking again. "We're heading out Ella as usual." I turned my attention to Max, unable to hide my disappointment. She smiled at me from across the room. "We'll see each other again. We're family." I observed how she was sitting. Her elbows on each arm rest and her fingers playing with a ring on her finger. Max looked gorgeous like she did every day. "Mom says there isn't a bigger picture."

"Doesn't that bother you?" I asked. She raised an eyebrow to tell me to further explain myself. "You've always had a purpose Max. Save the world, stop global warming, finding the bigger picture. What are you going to do?"

Max grinned, "Make my own. I'll find my own purpose, just like everyone else." She sighed, "It feels great."

"So…in a matter of speaking, you're normal now." I suggested. Max's eyes lit up with laughter and I laughed as well with her.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right."