Maximum Ride Page #3

I have every right to be.

He caught me off guard.

I'm sorry for all the time

and trouble it cost us,

but I'm not sorry

that I helped her.

It was the right thing to do.

The right thing to do?

Max, we're beyond worrying

about the right thing to do.

They experimented

on us like lab rats.

And now we have to run,

hide and fight

every day just to stay alive.

And you're willing

to risk angel's life,

yourself, everything,

just because it's

the right thing to do?

Yes.

Because if I don't, that

means I'm exactly like them.

Well, if we want to survive,

we have to be just as ruthless.

That doesn't work for me.

If I can't be better, then

I should just give up now.

Maybe you should.

You'd live a lot longer.

I almost lost you.

Do you understand that?

Do you understand

how that feels?

There's someone out there.

It's nice to see you, too.

Iggy,

why aren't you back at the house?

Max!

It's a long story.

The house is gone.

I kinda blew it up.

I guess it's not

that long of a story.

You have to be kidding me.

It's not his fault, Max.

There was an eraser.

Gazzy saved our lives.

We think it was Ari.

What did he want?

He was looking for you.

All right, let's get inside.

So far, her physical responses,

though extraordinary,

are no different

than the other subjects.

Since we took subject 11,

the others all have

increased levels of stress,

expected under

the circumstances.

But despite extensive testing

and a brain biopsy,

we're still unable to find

the source of the variance.

Here and here.

Then so be it.

We devise a new series of tests.

Yes. Of course, sir.

She said it was a tracking chip,

but I guess if he didn't

know where I was,

it must not work anymore.

Or it's not a tracking chip.

What else could it be?

Well, we can't worry

about it right now.

You said Ari came back?

Yeah.

He had that same scar.

Max is the one

that gave it to him.

He used to poke at her while

she was in the cage, but...

There was nothing I could do

to stop him.

Why didn't you tell Jeb?

Ari was Jeb's son,

and I was nobody. I didn't

think anyone would care.

So, how'd you give him the scar?

It doesn't matter.

She grabbed his arm,

pulled him up to the bars,

and then took the scissors he was

using and turned it around on him.

Whoa!

I think he hated all of us.

The only reason Ari came

to the lab was to see Jeb,

and he spent

all his time with us.

He spent all his time with you.

You were his favorite.

Maybe that's why

Ari became an eraser.

To be more like us.

Erasers are nothing like us.

They don't keep erasers

locked away in cages.

I hope he died in the blast.

Yeah, well, I don't think

we got that lucky.

We should all get some rest.

We have a big day ahead of us.

What are you doing here again?

Does it bother you?

I can't figure it out,

why dad likes you so much.

Because there's nothing

special about you.

You're just a bunch of chemicals

somebody cooked up in a lab.

If he wanted to,

he could make 100 of you.

The truth is, you're a mistake.

An experiment gone wrong.

You're not even human.

How does it feel

to be a monster?

Things would be so much better

if you would just go away.

Would you like that?

Then we would never have to

see each other again, right?

I mean I could leave you

in here with no hope.

Or I could just let you go.

Come and get it.

Come and get it.

I was wondering

when you'd show up.

I've been

looking forward to this.

Well, I wouldn't

want to disappoint you.

Well, I guess

if you still hate me,

you still have feelings, huh?

I was wondering about that. Are you

still a person or just an animal?

I didn't come here to talk.

Come on, Ari. Jeb wouldn't

want it to be like this.

You still don't get anything!

We're the good guys.

Come on, Ari. You should know better.

I'm never really alone.

Neither am I.

You chose to become a monster.

I didn't have that luxury.

And that's a decision

I'm gonna make you regret.

And I might even enjoy it.

Max, I just couldn't

quite hear you.

Max, I don't know if you can

hear me, but I can't hear you.

No!

No!

No!

Don't worry, angel.

Your whole family

will be reunited soon enough.

Is everyone okay?

I'm fine.

Iggy?

Present.

I'm okay, Max.

Gazzy?

Look.

Oh, my god. Angel.

Angel, it's me, Max.

Can you hear me?

Max?

Yeah. Yes, it's me. I'm right here.

Everything's okay.

Max, I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry.

It's okay, it's okay.

Everything's gonna be okay.

Don't listen to him, Max.

Please.

Please don't listen to him.

Listen to who?

Somebody wants to

talk to you, Max.

Hello, Max.

Why don't you take a seat, Max?

We have a lot of

catching up to do.

I got you something to eat.

You must be starving.

Chocolate chip cookies.

Your favorite.

You're not hungry?

I'm trying really hard

to come up with a story

that would explain any of this.

And what have you

come up with so far?

That two years ago,

you were caught.

So to protect us, you

pretended that we were dead.

But you knew they'd

always be watching,

so you stopped

communicating with us.

But I'm guessing that's

just wishful thinking, huh?

Anything else?

Option two,

that it was all a lie.

You never really rescued us, and this

is all part of some master plan,

the experiments,

everything. It was you.

How am I doing, Jeb?

Warm? Cold?

Room temperature?

Both of those scenarios

are extremes.

Opposite extremes.

The truth usually lies

somewhere in the middle.

Like I'd believe anything you had

to say after what you did to angel.

That was unavoidable.

We've been monitoring your

physical health, all of you.

But angel

developed some anomalies

that required closer inspection.

She's just a kid.

No. She's not.

She's extraordinary.

All of you are.

Then why did you abandon us?

We kept you here until we knew

that your DNA was stable.

I brought you to

the house so you could

develop physically

and emotionally,

and then I left.

So you could learn independence.

It's the same process

that every child goes through.

God, you actually

believe that, don't you?

You really think that what

you did was for the best?

No, not for you, Max. No.

For everyone.

Why do you think you were

created in the first place?

I don't know. Maybe you were just

really, really bored one day.

Most scientists

serve a larger purpose.

To help people,

to better the world, to save it.

Their methods may differ, but

it's always for the greater good.

And what about the people

you hurt along the way?

They don't count?

Variables.

There's only success or failure.

And you, Max, are a success.

Lucky me.

So what happens now?

Unfortunately, now that the

illusion has been shattered,

we will have to keep you here.

At least for now.

Home sweet home.

You really should

try the cookie, Max.

They're homemade.

I know you let Ari

become an eraser.

It was his choice.

You could have

stopped him if you tried.

There are some things in life

that are out of our control.

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