Maximum Ride: The New Breed

((Mayze))

I awoke abruptly to a loud thump. I jerked my body forward, trying to remember where I was. I remembered where I was and started damning whoever woke me up to the depths of hell. I was exhausted. I saw ZT move up into a kneel beside me and I melted. I snapped at myself for being so soft and looked where his gaze led. A new arrival had just landed in the middle of the clearing. As soon as he touched down the air around him rushed away.

I shook my head, why the freak did it do that? I heard several thumps behind me as the flock jumped from their trees.

"Who are you?" I heard Nate call out from behind me. He emerged from behind his tree.

The newcomer turned around to face us, "My name is Reed."

Colt came next, looking at Reed with interest. I stood and frantically waved Nate over. He looked between me and Reed. I gave a little nod. Nate paused for a minute and trudged over through the grass. ZT moved a bit closer to me, I had to hold back a smile.

"What?" Nate whispered.

"His intentions aren't good." I told him. I hoped I wasn't wrong, he could be just scared. I didn't want to take chances.

Nate froze and straightened up. He turned to Reed and smiled, "Welcome."

What the hell?! I willed the thought at him, knowing it wouldn't reach him either way.

I suddenly realized Nate's plan. I wanted to smack my head on a tree several times for being so stupid. Nate go the message, he didn't want to startle Reed away. We would trap him so we could escape.

(Rose)

Colt had shot from the woods before Rose and Kei had even realised. They sprinted after him, Kei's basket swinging. They burst from the trees and immediately observed the clearing. Kei went to stand by the closest tree and plonked the basket on the floor. Rose glanced round at everyone then glared at the new arrival. As she caught her breath she tried to guess everyone's emotions. Some people were worried, some unsure of what was going on. The stranger was looking from each person with interest.
"Who are you?" Rose asked sternly.
The new arrival span to stare at her.

Nate and Colt gave had a cunning look in their eyes as they glanced at each other. Colt turned to Rose and smiled.
"Rose, this is our newcomer, Reed."
Rose raised her eyebrows and looked up into Colt's face. He turned back to Reed. Rose frowned. She didn't know what was going on. Instead of trying to find out more she rested aganist a tree to watch what was going to happen.

Reed-

Though they welcomed me, I knew that most of them didn't trust me. But at least they let me into their group which was more than I expected. The weird thing was they didn't ask too many questions. The whitecoats had told me they'd badger me with questions. But it probably for the best, I didn't know if I was a good liar, and I didn't want my first trial to be a group of mutants off of medication.

(ZT)

Crap! I thought as a newcomer landing in the woods and Mayze woke up. I crawled around and stood up to look at him, slowly letting my wing come away from Mayze, sadly pulling my hand out of hers. I saw Mayze call Nate, and I figured that she didn't trust him because of something she had seen in the wind currents. I was right.

No one trusted him. I didn't know if I did or not. Before, I had a connection with the new flock members, and one of them I didn't trust--I still believed it to be Sam--but I didn't feel a connection with the newcomer. That meant he hadn't been accepted into the new flock.

Then I heard a rustling in the bushes. An eraser leaped out. Probably summoned by the newcomer.

It headed straight for Mayze. I called out and dove towards it, kicking it out of the way. It viscously attacked me, using it's claws to tear my arm, and it's teeth to bite my leg. I barely pulled away.

The erasers was a robot--he had claws, teeth, and lightly armored skin. I had my bare hands.

There was no way I could win. Over and over again the beast attacked me, and I was powerless to stop it. I was going to die. One last time, and I could already tell he was going for my neck.

He jumped, and for a moment was suspended over my body. A tear rolled out of my real eye. I wanted to say something to Mayze, but I didn't know what. Now I know what I wanted to say--but then, I didn't know the meaning of the word "love".

I was dead.

I heard a gunshot, and suddenly, the eraser spun away from me.

I looked over and saw the newcomer holding the machine gun that I had gotten right after we left the school.

Suddenly, I trusted him. He had saved my life.

I started to get up, not noticing a few members of the new flock staring at me--covered in crimson liquid.

I couldn't move.

The pain blasted me, and my eyes filled up with tears. I gritted my teeth to stop from screaming and giving away our position.

I whispered through my teeth, "Help... Mayze..."

*Hey Firestar/The-name-that-I-know-but-probably-aren't-allowed-to-say-on-here I gave everyone a reason to trust you--at least for now. Well, at least I gave myself a reason. Maybe someday you'll realize that the whitecoats are bad guys, and we can get that tracker off of you, and then you can really join the new flock. )

Kei-

Ouch, that looked like it hurt. I shook my head and focused on the here and now. After we finished treating ZT we all sat in a circle.

"All right, this proves it. We are totally unprepared for the outside world, I think we should know each others abilities. That way, we'll have a better chance to survive. Me, I... can generate electricity." I open my hand and let the lightning dance around it in a multi-colored globe.

(Lexy)

I sat down with the others. I had a killer pain in my side, I felt my red shirt become soaked. I looked down to see blood seeping out. It wasn't anything knew. I knew alot of new comers would be coming. I listened more than talked. I could trust these people but I was better off alone. I was only made for distruction. And people had a habit of dying around me.
"Do we have any water?" My bottom lip were split and bleeding. I lifted up my shirt to my rib cage seeing a long thick piece of glass placed in between my bones. "Ah, that's gonna stain." I spoke. "Can anyone help me up?" I said between clenched teeth in spite of pain.

*I know it's short and sorry i wasn't on for a while. Can someone tell me what's going on....?*

Reed-

I heard the Eraser before I saw him. I turned around to see it attacking someone. For a second I was immobile. How did it get authorization to attack I thought. Then I came out of the trance and thought, I just can't let someone die! I looked around and spotted a machine gun. From then I acted on instinct. I quickly walked to the gun, picked it up, aimed and fired. The Erasers internal mechanics were quickly destroyed, but the mutant it attacked was badly injured. Then the Blood hit me, there was so much of it. After that I was aware of falling down, but I couldn't stop, I was falling into darkness.

(Lexy)

I heard gunshots I crawled into some shrub throwing up on the way. I found a flare-gun some campers must have left I aimed at an erasers mouth and fired. He let out a blood turning scream as his mouth blew up and blood slashed on every one of my team members. It landed every where on me. Not like I didn't have enough blood today. My side was still bleeding. Oh goody

(ZT)

"Guys," I said slowly, now slightly recovering, but still barely able to move. "I don't know how I'm going to get out of here, but we need to. More erasers will be coming, 'k? Just leave me here if you have to."

If I had known how cliche that was, I never would've said it. But living in solitary confinement all my life--in a cage--I didn't read or watch movies, so I had no idea.

I hoped that they wouldn't leave me, but I had to say it. I guess maybe I wanted to seem like a hero. Yeah right. I was the youngest there, and even though sometimes it had seemed like I was running this show... I knew that I was the weakest. They could leave me if they wanted. They'd probably be more likely to leave me if I acted like a hero. Maybe Mayze would try to help... maybe. But eventually she would have to leave with them too.

Maybe instead I should cry and ask for help. Yeah right! I thought. I was way too proud for that. So I'd have to wait and see what they would do.

Silently, I called out for help. Could anyone hear me?

Maybe the wind currents will change and Mayze will really see that I want help, and that I'm weaker than I act, and that...

Yeah right.

(Lexy)

I heard soft talking near by it was more of a buzzing noise it was really starting to get on my last nerve. I built up the strength to stand. Of course I screamed what person wouldn't. I walked toward ZT noticing he was on the ground. How long had he been there? What's wrong with him? I hoped I could help at least with helping him up. I wasn't really a heroine or someone to look up to I was just... me. I limped over to him clutching my left rib as it throbbed. I held out my right hand hoping he would get the hell up before I collapsed.

"Here," I offered my hand... the choice to take it was his.

(ZT)

I reached. I really did. I tried to reach Lexy's hand. But I couldn't. I couldn't move, still. I begged for help again. Not just a helping hand. It was kind-hearted, but I couldn't take it. Another tear rolled down my cheek.

I called out for help mentally again.

(Lexy)

"I'm so sorry for what I'm about to do, and it's gonna hurt." I admitted to ZT.

I grabbed his hand yanking his whole body up and onto my shoulder, I had pressed the glass in more into my rib cage more blood flooded out. Soaking my shirt and ZT. I bit down on my split lip which made it hurt even more than it already did. ZT was not heavy, of course he was younger but that wasn't the point. I held him carefully, and started to walk, my wings might be strong enough to carry the both of us.

"We're not leaving you behind, you saved me... my turn to return the favor." I knew he was in pain but all I could do was try to help.

(ZT)

Yeah, it hurt... but it probably hurt Lexy just as much.

And since she and Mayze were the only people who had stayed around, I was happy, even through the pain.

Nate hung back and he and Mayze started to help carry me. Gah, I hated this feeling of total helplessness. But I wasn't going to stop them. I had to relax and try to get my muscles to do something!

Soon we caught up with the rest of the new flock--including Reed--because they had waited for us. We were much deeper in the woods, so we all took another rest. Hopefully I would start to feel better.

(ZT)

Luckily, all I had suffered was cuts and bruises. Nothing was broken. By the time we stopped, I was able to move, and slowly and painfully I stood up. I flexed my arms and felt a sharp pain, but held it. I wouldn't heal by being a wimp.

Then I realized that my wings hadn't been hurt. I stretched them to full length, and the sun glittered off of them.

It would hurt, but I was ready to go.

I just hoped that I wouldn't go too slowly for the new flock.