Hi! I'm The Jade Empress! This is my first Fanfiction story, so I would appreciate your comments and feeback. Anything that will help me grow as a writer would be really great.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Maximum Ride. James Patterson does

Max's P.O.V

"Be careful with the specimen!" a white coat shouted, while cleaning some sharp metal instruments that were to be used on me during the experimentation.

Ha, like they care about me. I'm Max, Maximum Ride, and if they actually cared I wouldn't be in this situation right now, being tested on by white coats and strapped down to a cold metal platform. I would rather be flying over an open field with the flock near the E-shaped house, but you know what? That's just not my life. Instead I'm stuck in the school once more, but this time I'm on my own.

"This test is very important - we need to knock her out with this sedative. Be very careful! This test will assist us with our future research in her abilities."

One of the white coats prodded a sharp needle into my skin and then injected a dark blue liquid. I saw the black dots begin to creep up in the corner of my eyes. The room started to shift, faces started to blur together, and then I was plunged into darkness.

All of a sudden, dreams started flashing towards me. At first nothing made sense, but as soon as everything started coming into focus, I knew this was no dream, but me reliving a nightmare that occurred two years ago.

Flash back: About 2 years ago

The flock and I had been flying for a while somewhere above Arizona. We had been planning on going to my mom's, but unfortunately Erasers ruined our plans and we had to head back up in the sky again. The flock had seemed distant and in deep thought for the past few days and I had decided to ask them about it face to face later tonight. The sun was setting and soon it would be getting dark.

"Going down," I yelled behind me and without another glance or word, they all rushed down, leaving me in the air. What's up? I thought curiously.

"Max," the voice said in a hushed tone. "Be prepared. Soon the school will capture you, and you will be left all alone. Changes will occur soon and you might not like all of them."

"Ok…" I answered. "And when exactly will this happen?" No reply as usual. I sighed and flew down to where my flock was waiting in a semi-circle, which was very odd.

"Ok guys. Let's start setting up camp. Fang and Iggy, go gather some fire wood. Dylan, get the supplies we bought from the store and organize them in our backpack so we know who has what in case of emergencies. Nudge and Gazzy, can you see if there is a stream nearby for water? Angel and I will - "

"Max, the flock and I want to talk to you right now. It's very important." insisted Fang in a hard, cold tone.

"Can't it wait? We really should set up camp before nightfall. I mean, if you want to search for fire wood while it's dark out, be my guest, but we should seriously set -"

"No, Max, it can't wait. See…" Dylan murmured softly. His skin was glowing in the sunlight, which was slowly fading. His handsome features were full of worry and sorrow.

"Well, spit it out, Dylan. You have my attention, now tell me what you were going to say and stop being a wuss," I let out an annoyed sigh. Ever since he joined us, he'd been saying "I'm your perfect half," repeatedly. In case you can't figure it out, it is quite annoying.

All the flocks' eyes flicked back and forth quickly. Nudge even licked her lips with what seemed to be… anticipation? Suddenly I realized that they were having a mental conversation, arguing silently on what Dylan was about to say. Finally, Iggy, whose face was closed off, took a deep breath and got straight to the point.

"Cut the act, Max. We know you're betraying the flock. It's not me or anyone else, but we know for fact it's you."

"I…Wait what?" I spluttered, still completely confused on what he had just said.

"Here's the deal, Max," Angel stated, "the flock has agreed that you should no longer be leader - in fact we're kicking you out. I'm sorry," Then why was there no regret in her eyes, in none of their eyes? They were all cold from what I could tell and I could even detect a little… anger and resentment? This was all so confusing.

"Angel, if this is another one of your power moments, then cut it out," I replied in a hard voice. I was still trying to figure out what this was all about and quickly, while at the same time I was hoping that this was all a joke.

"Max, I don't want to be leader anymore. I've seen how it can drive people crazy. I mean, look at you!" Angel stated in a voice like a cold metal platform.

"I'm not crazy and I deserve a full explanation," I whispered, my heart being ripped into pieces. The people I loved for so long, actually trusted and put down my emotion shields for. The ones who I took care of throughout their lives were abandoning me? Even though I have always been there for them and always put them first?

"Well, for a fact, Maximum," Fang spat out my name disgustedly, "you are the one leading the white coats to us. We thought they wanted you and only you, but now we know the truth. All along you have been playing a game with us, making us think you cared, making me believe that you loved me!" His bitterness turned to absolute rage. "But really you've been playing a sick game, with those sick minded people! We should have known this from the beginning, when you started to get those voices! It was all too ironic, but I let it slip by, because I believed you! I trusted you, we trusted you, but you let us down!"
Fang could no longer talk he was so enraged.

My eyes had started welling up with tears and I choked back a sob.

"Please!" I beg, and if you don't know, Maximum Ride does not beg, "this is all a mistake! I would never -"

"Save your excuses, Max, you're crazy and sick-minded. I can't believe we let you be our leader. You're a horrible person and a careless leader." Gazzy replied bitterly.

"Just leave, you've already caused us enough harm!" Nudge choked out.

I could tell that even though she didn't like me, she still didn't enjoy this fight.

It was hard to process; Fang with the terrible emotions radiating off of him, Iggy looked like one of his own bombs slowly ticking down till an explosion. Nudge, my baby, who always was my number one supporter was letting me down and Gazzy, my little trooper, was quitting on me. Even though Angel and II didn't always come eye to eye I never thought it would end like this, but I guess everyone makes a mistake.

"You've heard what we want, Max," Angel hissed, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Now leave or we'll force you." And with those words the flock got into their fighting stances. "Go; go home to your white coat friends. They're your family. We never actually loved you and we never will love you. So leave because we don't want you here and you're causing unnecessary harm. You were never a real part of the flock."

Angel's little speech struck me into a moment of stillness. I let their words sink in and I actually processed it all. This was real - not a nightmare. Real. All the hatred was directed towards me and that's when my emotional and mental barriers snapped up.

"Fine," I retorted. My glare seemed to make the evening air chill. Drops of water began to fall, slowly making the sky dark, and all of the noises in the forest stopped as if to listen to me. "But you should all keep in mind that this is the biggest mistake of your lives."

I turned to walk away, picking up my bag swiftly, while I slowly began to open my speckled wings, when suddenly I stopped in my tracks. "Also, remember that if one of you come crawling back to me I personally swear I will break you," I screeched, my voice almost cracking. I wouldn't let it. I couldn't show the flock my weakness, not now when they were all scrutinizing my every move. "You should know from living with me for so long that I never, ever break my promises. I don't know you anymore." I whispered this so they had to listen really carefully.

Then, I screamed like a madman, not feeling an ounce of sadness or pain, just hysteria because everything I knew and thought was solid in my life was gone. And I just…flew away, feeling their eyes bore into my back. I quickly went into overdrive and was a blur on the horizon in a matter of seconds.

After I flew a long distance away from the ex-flock, I flew down to the ledge of an empty cave and it began to rain buckets. As soon as my feet touched the dusty floor, my legs crumpled beneath me. I was exhausted and an emotional wreck. Dragging my body into the cave, my head went over the upheaval of everything I thought I knew, over and over, like a broken record.

When I was fully inside this shelter I was drenched head to toe, but I couldn't have cared less. I couldn't feel it. At the moment my hands were shaking and sobs racked my body and I cried more tears than ever before, until my vision went blurry. The heartache didn't stop until I saw the black dots dancing in my vision.

I sniffled once and succumbed to unconsciousness.

End of flash back

I slowly wake to the sound of an Eraser talking to me in whispers. "Well, well, Maxi's finally come around from her beauty sleep. I think I like you a lot more while you're sleeping though, you're so peaceful and quiet."

I would've punched him in the gut if I could, but right then I was strapped to a metal table, drowsy from the medicine and there were 5 flyboys with guns in the room.

It was nice to know that I had a reputation going on.

One of the white coats stuck another needle into my skin and once more the room became fuzzy. I felt like Jell-O and I think I even started humming. The name of the song I was humming, I have no clue.

"This sedative should keep her out until you get her to her cell. That doesn't mean you can take your time, though. Who knows? She could miraculously wake up in the hallway and escape if she wanted to - she's that strong. Isn't she the most perfect specimen? Also, remember to keep extra care we did some test while she was down. We think another mutation is going to occur, but we just can't tell what it will be."

"OK," replied a flyboy.

"If anything happens, I will have your parts dismantled and crushed!"

"She is fascinating! This experiment is amazing. I cannot wait till the next mutation comes!" One of the newer recruits exclaimed.

"Hope you don't regret that buddy, because whatever it is it will be as unpredictable as her."

As soon as he said that I went limped and blacked out, again.

Please review!

The Jade Empress