Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride

Unseen
A Maximum Ride Fan Fiction
Chapter Three: Nobody

"I don't think it's a good idea," Maya persisted, trying to convince Fang. "She's bad news. Anybody can see that."

May and Fang sat to the side of the hotel room that the new flock was staying in, talking in normal voices yet trying not to attract the attention of the others, who were watching TV. He gave her a funny look, holding the phone open in his hand.

As his second in command, it was obvious that he told her first out of the whole group. It was obvious that he would inform her of his plan to call the old flock for help. But he wasn't asking whether he should do it or not, he was laying out his plan for critique. And what was most surprising was that she rejected it completely – not that he let that show.

"Maya, we can't do this on our own. You saw how big the situation was. Quite simply put, our flock can't handle it."

She chewed her lip discreetly. "I know that. There are other ways. This one won't work."

The real reason that Maya didn't want the two flocks to work together – well, it was a lot more complicated and deeper than simple refusal. But she would never, ever, let anybody find out.

Fang carefully unfolded a sheet of paper. It was creased deeply and crumpled, like he had performed the action many times. There was nothing but a single number on the paper. Why he even bothered to take it out, she had no clue. He probably knew the numbers off by heart ten times over by now.

Shuffling his wings into a more comfortable position, he looked at the phone while he spoke. "I've known Max for a very long time, Maya. She's a very good leader. Way better than me. Better than anyone I know. This is a big task, and I trust her. If there is one thing for certain, no matter what mission you give her, no matter how hard to handle she is or how messily it works out, it will get done."

And don't you trust me? Maya wanted to scream at him, instead choosing to fume in silence as he punched in the numbers. She wouldn't tell him how much what he just said hurt. All her life, which was shorter than people usually acknowledged, she had to be somebody else. Somebody perfect, somebody strong, somebody ruthless. After so long, she guessed she was all of those things, to a certain extent. But there was one thing she had never achieved: she was not Maximum Ride. And that was what had mattered most.

She heard the engaged tone perfectly from her position a metre away. Fang brought the mobile to his ear. "Max? Don't hang up!" Despite his words, the couple of notes that marked an ended call came a second later. Maya gave him an 'I told you so' face, but he ignored her and called the number again.

Maya was created to be, to be better than, Maximum Ride. Herself – who she really was, or could have been – was lost under that pressure. That didn't matter as much anymore, though. What mattered was that when people looked at her, they expected a different person to look back. They looked for the world's saviour, not her. It stung deep in a place that she would never let anybody see.

"Max, I know you're mad. I know things are messed up between us. I know…"

She tuned into the conversation absently, all that time looking at Fang's face. For all the emotionless rock he was, he was a failure at hiding just how much he loved Max. In a way, that was part of the reason why Maya stayed with him. She knew, just from looking, that Fang saw a unique person, not a duplicate, when he saw her. The way he looked at Max was almost embarrassing – nothing on his face, but his eyes were a whole different story. He never looked at her like that. And that's how she knew that she wasn't playing somebody else for him. To be seen as an individual was one of the things she cherished most.

"Oh, yeah?" The small voice sounded in control and casual through the phone and Fang winced. Maya could only wonder what was going on through the phone. She and the leader of the flock were too alike, knew each other too well. She knew for a fact that her original was a very, very good actor.

"Yes. Will you come?"

She smiled secretly, sadly. It sounded as if Max wasn't going to come. That was when Fang said those fateful words:

"Max, the Doomsday Group has to be stopped!"

Max's violent reaction over the phone made Maya's heart drop. So she would be coming.

To tell the truth, she didn't really hate her, though somewhere a little resentment held fast. Didn't hate that she was who she was, and she couldn't live up to that. But when Max came, everything that she cherished would leave. Who was she, next to the authentic? A pale echo of a replica. Nothing. Nobody. She would be cast in the shadow of the person who she could never be, and she would be cast aside. The new flock, hell, even Fang would forget about her. That was something she just couldn't bear.

She could almost hear their thoughts now: Why isn't Maya like Max? She's not as good. A flawed copy.

So, while Fang closed the phone and gave a fleeting smirk of triumph, Maya fought down the tears she could never show.

O hai thar! I updated. Don't hurt me! I have already proclaimed what a slack updater I am.

This chapter shows a little of what I think about Maya's character. I haven't read very much fictions about her, but they're probably nasty. But seriously, think about this: You were created to be better than somebody else, experimented on, trained, brainwashed to be this person and more. And you believe it. You believe that you are more advanced than this person. Then, all of a sudden, that person defeats you and nobody wants or needs you anymore. People who supported and cheered you on before turn their backs and kick you out.

The people who you see expect you to be that person, but now you realise you aren't and they shun you for it. Then, more people come and they accept you, treat you as an individual and not somebody else. All of a sudden that particular person comes back. You're allowed to feel some resentment, aren't you?

Anyway, review review review! Please?