EDIT:

Disclaimer: Maximum Ride does not belong to me and never will. Sadly.

Seventeen year old Angel sat in the back seat of the cab, her elbow resting against the door, her head in her hand as she looked out the open window. Two hours in the same cab. She was bored out of her mind.

Why in the world is this young girl traveling alone? the man- barely around the age of twenty- driving thought, not for the first time. Angel turned her head towards him, frowning at the rearview mirror the man was using to stare at her, his eyes still uneasy from the last time she caught him looking at her. Not that old yourself mister.

Angel hated it, her ability. She didn't want to be able hear what people were thinking, all their personal thoughts, their emotions. She couldn't help it sometimes though. Sometimes people project their thoughts and feelings so strongly that she can hear and feel them without really meaning to. Especially with the man driving. He was worried about her. He felt that she shouldn't be alone in such a "dangerous" city. How sweet she wanted to tell him, though she knew it would freak him out. She didn't want that happening, especially after the last time someone had found her out. Angel shuddered at the memory, wishing she would just forget the awful experience.

"You ok back there?" the man, Ted was him name, asked turning around, looking at her concerned when they stopped at a red light.

"Yes, fine," she smiled sweetly at him. He grinned back, then continued driving as traffic moved again.

I really hope we get there soon.

Another hour passed until the cab pulled over in front of a large, intimidating, yet also friendly looking house.

"Here we are sweetie," said Ted. "Home sweet…" he trailed off when he got a good look at the house.

"Home," Angel finished for him. "Thanks for the ride. What do I owe you?" she asked, digging through her purse to find her wallet.

"Um, you know what? Its on the house," he said. Angel's head snapped up when she heard his thoughts being projected again. I'm gonna be in big trouble. Oh well, sweet kid like her all on her own in that monster is more to worry about.

Jeez he really thinks I can't take care of myself. Angel shook her head and pulled out two one hundred dollar bill.

"But you'd get into trouble with your boss. Here, is this enough?" she asked handing him the bill. Ted's eyes bugged out of his head. Whoa.

"Yeah, that's more that enough!" he exclaimed, taking the money. Angel chuckled, taking her one suitcase she insisted stayed with her in car.

"Ok well, bye Ted," Angel said when she stepped out. He looked at her smiling and waved.

"Later Blondie. Here's my cab number, call if you ever need a ride," Ted handed her a card through the window then drove away, completely ignoring the fact that he never told her his name.

When Angel walked through the front door of her older brother's house, she was attacked with a giant bear hug.

"Whoa! Gazzy! Can't breathe!" her voice was muffled against the nineteen year old's chest. He laughed and let her go, leaving her wheezing for air. Wow she actually couldn't breathe.

Yeah, no shit Sherlock!

Gazzy laughed, the sound echoing in the room. "My entire life with the talking in my head and I still can't get used to it!" he pulled his little sister into a less painful hug.

"Yeah yeah whatever," Angel said, pushing herself out of his arms and into the kitchen.

"So, any news on the girl?" she asked, getting straight into why she was there.

"Yeah, she's a soon to be senior at the public high school around the corner from here. The boy's there too," Gazzy said, now leaning against his table, his arms crossed and his feature no longer playful and joking. Angel stood and thought for a minute.

"Enroll me."

"What? Angel, you can't be serious!"

"I am."

"No. Absolutely not."

"Gazzy-"

" I said no! Its too damn dangerous; I will not risk your life with this, nor will I risk our cover!"

"You know it will be trouble if they get to her, to either of them, before one of us! Send Nudge or Iggy with me if you have to but I need to be at that school, I need to get to them before something happens." Angel glared at her brother, daring him to continue. He glared right back, before breaking eye contact and groaning in defeat.

"Fine. Fine! I'll enroll you at that damn school. But you're taking Nudge with you."

"Fine!" Angel turned around, grabbed her things, then stomped upstairs to her old room. After settling in, she sat on her bed, thinking through a plan to get to the girl. The boy was important too, but the girl was the main priority at the moment.

"Hey Angel!" Gazzy called from the hall.

"What?" she yelled back.

"School starts Monday!"

Well shit.

Real fast a/n, if you haven't noticed, italics are Angel's thoughts and underlined italics are other people's thoughts

Anyway, hope you enjoyed!

Song quote of the day: Sometimes to stay alive you gotta kill your mind

Gold star to anyone who can figure what song that's from!