DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MAXIMUM RIDE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS! They are the property of James Patterson and I most certainly am not James Patterson.

Prologue

The sound of guns being cocked and loaded woke me up with a start. Surrounding us were a bunch of Erasers, those Half human-Half wolf hybrids, pointing a bunch of guns at us. In the center of the Erasers was a familiar lady who I thought we had seen the last of in Germany. A Mrs. Marian Janssen (Mrs. being a loosely used term, I don't think she has any maternal feelings or instincts in her entire body) who was the former director of Itex. She looked mad too. I think she must have hated her stay in Prison. If only she could have stayed there.

"So, we meet again" I said in my 'oh so lovable' sarcastic tone. "Of course, I would have thought you would still be serving your life sentence in Prison." Marian Janssen sent me such a look of hatred that if it could have hurt, I'd have spontaneously combusted and be nothing more than a pile of ashes, if ashes would even have been left. She sniffed and pointed a gun at me.

"I would respect my elders, Max dearest. I didn't much appreciate being sent to Prison you know. I would have been in there for a while had Itex not sent a little rescue party to free me because they need me. After you destroyed the Uber Director, they seem to have had a lacking in any qualified leadership so they came and got me back. We don't like people messing with us so you were all slated for termination. But after watching you and your precious 'Flock' in battle, I have decided to try a new approach. I'm not going to mince words with you so here's my proposition. You leave your flock and join Itex and work for us. In exchange, neither you nor any member of your precious flock will be terminated. But refuse and you all get a taste of specially designed, just for the flock, bullets. Do I make myself clear?" She sent me a triumphant smile. She knew she had me cornered. I can't let anything hurt the flock. But dare I trust her? She could easily kill us all anyways later when I don't have any use left or she can kill them as soon as I turn around.

"So Marian, what's to stop you from killing us now? And how come none of them are awake? They would usually be awake by now, knowing we're in trouble." Marian smiled.

"Tranquilizers. We knocked them all out because we can't have you trying to escape now can we? Your flock has an amazing capability of finding ways to escape all the snares we leave for them. But you are finally backed in a corner. There's no escape for any of you. I don't want to have to terminate such successful experiments but if you continue to be a problem in our plans I will be forced to get rid of all of you. Now Max, what are you going to do? Give in and save your precious flock or foolishly continue to oppose us and force us to kill you? I wonder." I shuddered. She really did have us backed in a corner. The Flock were all unconscious and if I refuse we will all be turned into Swiss cheese with the amount of bullets aimed at us. But if I give in, I doom the World to a revival of Itex. But the Flock was my World and screw the World if any of them are harmed or killed. Besides, maybe if I pretend to obey, Itex will make a mistake and I could find a way out of this mess.

"Fine, you win. I'll go with you. But if you ever hurt any of them, I will personally make your lives a living hell and make you all pay." Marian smiled.

"Good. I knew you'd make the right decision. But before we go, we must make sure your flock doesn't attempt to find and rescue you. We can't have them trying such a stupid venture and I don't want to be forced to kill them. So Max, you must make a clean break with them. Make them never want to find you again. Make it clear you don't want to be found." I stared at her in horror. Damn her, that viper who sullies the reputation of all females and even the human race. She should die and burn in the worst pits of Hell for all eternity and suffer. If I ever get a chance, I'll send her there myself. Shuddering and crying because of what I was about to do, I tore a page of my notebook out and took my pen and wrote the words that will forever change my life.

Dear Flock,

I can't explain why or how I have come to this but I have to leave you. I don't know if I will ever come back. I'm sorry it has come to this but know that I love all of you and none of this is your fault. Tell Fang I love him and am especially sorry that I wasn't able to tell him myself. Please stay safe and don't try to find me. I won't come even if you do somehow but please don't try. I guess this is goodbye.

-Max

Crying, I folded the paper and put it in the place I had slept and let Marian and the Erasers guide me off to a group of waiting helicopters, resigned to the fact that I might never see my Flock ever again. I hope they won't be too devastated or that they won't ignore me and try to find me anyways. I did my best to protect them but now they will have to rely on each other. And Fang, I don't know how he will take it. Knowing him, probably very bad, but I hope they can help him get over it. I'm sorry Fang, that I never told you how I really feel. I guess it's too late now but if I would have a second chance I would finally tell you that I love you too. I will always miss you guys and I hope you will be alright. Sighing, I stepped into a waiting copter and we lifted off into the dark and cloudy sky.