This is a phenominal, amazing, intricate story my friend wrote. Enjoy. The password is “Maximum Ride” don’t forget the capitals. It was so long i had to!
Prologue
12th Moon Rotation, ?? A.D
The Slave’s backs glistened under the harsh sun. The frayed ropes they pulled stretched with its burden, a sandstone block. The Slaves tormenters, or the Slave Masters made sure no one stopped, no one took a break, no one ran away.
“The Pyramid celebrating our empires great discovery is almost finished; it will last to the end of the earth.”
“That is unless someone finds it.”
“Who would look here?”
“You are correct my friend, let us eat to this great accomplishment!”
The two emperors dug in to the lavish meal set before them as they watched the slaves from a cool tent erected under a grove of trees. Exotic fruits and meat caught by the hunters were set upon wooden plates and the meal continued heedless that the discovery they had made will come quite close to destroying the world.
That night under the glow of torches and the pale glow of the moon, halfway hidden by dark, forbidding clouds, the pyramid was finished.
“The tomb is sealed, the powers of this discovery will never be found.”
“Well said my friend, no one except I will know.”
“Excuse me?”
The knife glistened in the dark, drawn from beneath the great emperors robes. It fell, once, twice, and a third time. A scream gurgled from the almost dead emperors lips.
“I’m sorry my friend it had to happen, no one must know.” He gazed down at the body, “remove it, then lets go.” Then, underneath the gaze of the still pale glow of the moon, the torches were damped and the warriors fled with their emperor to their ships, back to their ships, back to their desert land, back to their pyramids, away from this strange land. As they looked back they could hear the cries of the land they left behind, leaderless. Then they disappeared into the misty void never to be seen again.
Chapter 1
New Friends, New War
Present Day
Screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeecchhhhhhhhhhhh! Our car slid to a stop, the rain fearlessly pounding the windshield as if it were trying to get at us.
“What was that?” I asked. Horror suddenly draped itself over my face as I saw the slumped body leaning over the wheel. My mysterious driver had come to my house earlier today. He and my parents (busy senators at the white house) had told me he would be bringing me somewhere. Yet, of course, the somewhere was unknown. Slowly I got out my cell phone, no service of all times. I decided the best idea then would be to get out of the car. Putting on my raincoat I began to walk down the way we came, gravel was kicked up as I ran trying not to sleep. Cramps began to work their way up my sides.
“Ahhh” the faint cry came from behind me. I spun around, no one. I must be jumping at things. I continued for about 5 minutes before I heard it again, almost negligible but still there, the slight patter of boots in the mud. I kept going unsure what to do, why follow me, for what purpose? I kept walking a plan forming in my mind. I bent down pretending to tie me shoe. Then as I did that I looked right and left with my eyes, no one. Now! I spun around just in time to see two forms disappear into the bushes.
“Who is there? Why are you following me?” I asked straining to see through the rain, and then a thought struck me. Were they the ones who caused our crash?
“I am AlphaDawg<142>” the figure stepped out from the bushes,
“You are an outsider, a wanderer into our land.”
“Outsider? I was on my way to…to…I don’t know where, our car crashed,” and then quietly, “the driver is dead.”
“Check him, he may be a spy.” Two other figures stepped out also dressed in camo fatigues.
“A spy! My parents are important senators.” I said.
He raised an eyebrow up, “All the better, come with us.”
The two other people finished searching me and filed behind us and we began trekking into the dense undergrowth, vines and ferns scraped my legs and totally ruined my new shoes.
“Who are the people behind us?” I asked AlphaDawg.
“The one directly behind you is SpecWraith<87> he can get into anything from the most highly guarded bank to your grandma’s lockbox, and the other one well she…”
“Did you say she?” I asked.
“What is a girl to different to be dressed like this?” It was an icy voice that chilled me to the bone.
“Watch it outsider, she is the Monkey, Monkey<123> to be precise.”
“Why one, two, three?” I asked looking back at her.
“Because before you can count to three I’ll be gone into the wind.”
“Oh”
We trekked in silence for a few minutes before AlphaDawg called a halt.
“Silence!”
SpecWraith vanished into the forest to our left and I thought I saw Monkey disappear into the trees that her name loves.
“Here take this and shoot anything that moves other than me.” AlphaDawg handed mea small pistol. I examined it, it was unlike the old .22 Magnum my dad had or the pistols the president’s secret agents kept hidden. It was silver with a dark turquoise line that apparently glowed down the side, other than that it was pretty much a normal pistol except for the odd shaped barrel which was thinner and tube-like. Holding it I glanced around I couldn’t see anything abnormal. Up ahead AlphaDawg was crouching, on his hands two wristbands with small black boxes attached. I wondered if that was a weapon too, I didn’t know how right I was.
“Behind you!” AlphaDawg franticly yelled lunging with his wrist guards. Suddenly from within the wrist guards two sword-like beams ignited burning with blue flames and crackling with electricity. I heard the slight gasp of a man dieing and the thud of the body hitting the ground. Turning around I could see the black dressed form of a person, dead.
“Well, the enemy knows you so now your part of the team.” AlphaDawg said undaunted by the action.
“Team? You mean I can’t go back?” I asked.
“Welcome to Optican 12, Unit 24 Special Ops.” He said then turned around and made a strange bird call. Like magic Monkey and Wraith were back, guns sub-machine guns comfortably into their hands.
“Come we must get moving. You can ask questions later.” Looking up from the dense forest I could see the sun peeking through trying to reach with its rays of light, I could see a bird resting in a tree cawing its heart out, and I could see roots crisscrossing the ground.
“So your one of us now eh?” Monkey interrupted my thoughts.
“Yes, I guess so. But who are you guys?”
“We are part of a secret society, battling a foe you will come to hate.” I could see her face slightly through the mask, it was sad yet angry at the same time.
“We are here.” AlphaDawg pulled down a branch, it came down easily and with it pulled down a door was opened into the trunk of the tree.
“Like it huh? Designed it myself.” Pride was to be heard in his voice as he began climbing down a ladder carved into the heart of the tree.
“Ok your turn.” I began climbing down the dark void; it wasn’t long until I appeared in a warm room deep within the ground, a light burned on a small, brown stool. I followed AlphaDawg down a hallway and into a very Spartanly furnished room.
“This is the barracks,” he started putting away his gear, “down there is the communication room.” Wraith and Monkey came in and began unloading gear as well. I put my gear on a rack along with other ones.
“Who is the new guy?” Another kid walked casually into the room, I could tell immediately from his waving brown hair and mischievous grin he would be a prankster.
“Hey Silverkey!” Wraith and he were obviously good friends, “this is, wait you haven’t told us your name.”
“My name is Mitch, Mitch Walkers.” I said.
“No way, not the son of Gilden Walkers the senator?” Silverkey obviously knew my father.
“He is my father.” I replied.
“I gotta feel bad for you dude. Hella protective.” Silver said.
“Tell me about it Sherlock.” I said realizing Silver was not what he seemed; actually he might be one of the only people that saw how annoying it was to have parents as senators.
“Well I am Silverkey, cuz I don’t need a key to get into anything, SilverKey<5RFC> to be exact. Also, I serve as the tech guy here. Monkey is the medic, Wraith is the security, and AlphaDawg is the planning guy.” Looking around I could see how each one fit their description.
“This way, follow me I will show you to the observatory and then to your bunk.” AlphaDawg led the way. We walked down a hall filled with pictures of them at parties, hanging out, and just joking around.
“This is the observatory,” he said, “amazing isn’t it?” Amazing was not half good of a word, spectacular is a little better. The observatory was a huge dome, I saw SilverKey at the controls of a computer that could go anywhere on earth and magnify the image onto the dome above us. As we walked around the edge of a catwalk I looked below us at a huge garden filled with trees and plants. Every tropical plant seemed to be represented here.
“Nice huh?” AlphaDawg said seeing the grin on my face.

“Yes it is very spectacular.” I said.
“Okay to the bunks!” And with that, AlphaDawg was off with me trailing behind him.
“These are the bunks.” He gestured with his hands, “They aren’t huge, but they work.” Two doors lined each side of the hall; through them I could see a small room, with an average-sized bed, closet, and cabinet.
“This will be yours.” Mine was like all the others except the walls were moss green and the rug dark gray.
“This is great!” I said, not like I was useful but it had a really homey sort of feeling to it.
“Glad you like it, training starts tomorrow,” he began to leave but then reached down outside the door, “oh, here is your belongings.” It was my duffel bag from the car, and then another suitcase, and inside it were some of my clothes from home.
“Where?” I asked.
“Thank Silver.” He said, “goodnight.” I found the closet actually opened into a small bathroom, I quickly brushed my teeth and went to bed, but sleep evaded me and questions and thoughts dogged me until eventually I couldn’t keep my eyes open and I nodded off.
Chapter 2
Whereas I am on the move again…:[|]:
…Incoming Transmission…Status Unknown…From Command…Received 12:00:35…Message:…Help!…

I woke up groggily, for a second I was unsure of where I was, but that changed as I remembered everything. I wondered how big of a search was going on for me by my parents. I looked at the time, 7:12. I got up off my bed and began to get ready, looking at myself in the mirror I saw my wavy dirty blond hair, piercing gray eyes I got from my mother. I had a tan from a trip to some tropical place I couldn’t remember the name of. I hurried away and left my room, all the other doors were ajar. As I walked into the observatory I saw the camera was focusing on a clear blue sky, uncommon in Washington. Following the scent of pancakes I was led into a long rectangle room with a full kitchen and long oaken table.
“Hey Mitch!” AlphaDawg was sitting behind a mound of pancakes; with him were Wraith and Silver.
“Where is Monkey?” I asked.
“She finished and left to do a morning workout. Here have some food.” He said nodding toward the mound of pancakes; I helped myself finding I was extremely hungry.
“Good.” I mumbled with my mouth full of yummy fresh pancake. They all laughed heartily.
“What?” I said confused.
“Nothing kid, just an inside joke you will come to know.” Silver said through a fit of laughter. We finished and I followed him out of the kitchen, this time we took a different path into a long room, filled with equipment of every type, although only a few were new
“Here start with this”, he handed me the same pistol I had before, having held a gun a few times it felt weird compared to the ones I was used to. Suddenly a rumble coursed through the building.
“Go! They found us code red, I repeat code red!” Silver’s voice cracked through a microphone hidden somewhere in the room.
“Come with me!” the other team members rapidly grabbed some supplies and began to run, peeking in through doors, to see where the base was breached. I followed AlphaDawg down a small hatch into a vast tunnel, parked on one side was a battered, old black SUV, Silver was already there. Looking down the tunnel lit by overhead lights I could see it had once been a freeway, now only us and the moths fluttering around the lights were present.
“Okay we wait here if you see anything other than a.”
“Halt!” AlphaDawg spun and shot a brief flash from the barrel of his gun, which erupted through the silence. I turn and raised my gun but there on the ground was another black-coated individual, but as his hand reached out in his final death throes I noticed the gleam of metal.
“A robot!” I exclaimed.
“Yes, our enemy. Made by a secret organization the president he himself directs. It’s a shame such good technology is put to bad use.” Silver said shuffling through its pockets. “ Corruption has reached our country, and most of the public still fails to see it. But this is were we come in a secret organization devoted to destroying the president who plans to establish himself as dictator. I deal with tech, Wraith with supplies, Monkey with hideouts, AlphaDawg with recruitment and such.” Just then we heard more fire from above and Monkey and Wraith jumped down followed by a muffled boom.
“Well, I always liked explosives, but it’s necessary, we had to blow the observatory.” Wraith said massaging his shoulder.
“Okay Pile in crew!” We got into the car and began to speed down the tunnel.
“I’m reading enemy forces ahead! How did they get in here?” Monkey asked.
“Must have been the blast, get ready for some chop we have two tails!” AlphaDawg began to swerve the car in a zigzag. I saw flashes from behind us, in two motorcycles were robots, no costumes, and a single red eye boring into the car.
“Lay some cover fire will ya!” Alpha said eyes glued to the road. I lifted up my gun aimed and began firing short bursts, none hit but the robots had to go into the same tactics we were using, slowing them down.
“Wattttchhhhhh ouuutttt! Wooohooooo!” We hit a jump and were airborne; the robots cruised under us as we did a barrel roll in midair. Seeing them below me I reached out the window and shot. I saw one swerve away, hit the side, and blow up. We hit the ground and bounced screeching into the light at the end of the tunnel. The other robot hit us and went flying. Stepping out we scanned the surrounding area but no one was to be seen.
“Well not bad for a recruit and a rookie.” AlphaDawg grinned. I guess I was part of the team. The wind whistled down the road and I gazed off into the distance. How far is this from where I crashed? Puzzled I walked a bit up the road, yes there it was. Skid marks were to be seen when we slid. Walking back a bit I saw it, a thin black line stretching from in the bushes to the other side of the road, it looked damaged where it had caught in our wheels. I picked up the line and followed it to the other side. Reaching into the bushes I saw a small generator and next to it a small satellite dish.
“They have been monitoring all our supplies.” Wraith had followed me as I looked around.
“We must report this to HQ.” AlphaDawg said curious of what we had been doing. Cold, hard, deadly, these were all the feelings of the thing being pressed against my neck.
“You will come with me.” I risked a glance behind me. Another robot with a gleaming pistol with a silencer attached pressed firmly against my neck. It pointed at a spot a little down the road. I looked sideways my team was also being herded. A Silver truck with out windows was driven out of a hidden spot in the trees. We must have triggered the robots alarm by picking up the wire. The back door of the truck opened, we were bound and gagged and placed inside attached to the side by a short rope so we couldn’t move near each other.
“They have been caught.”
“Are you sure? Some of their files have amazing records of certain skills, specifically getting out of things.”
“What did our man inside their organization find about them?” The man began to pace the darkened room, much to the discomfort of his assistant.
“Here is a file on them.” Pulling a file hastily from his briefcase he put it on a table. And here is Mitch Walker’s file.”
“Any word from his parents?”
“They are putting a huge search up, but I think it’s just an act.”
“Good. Send R67 in.”
“Yes sir.”
A robot, specially made entered the room, it was an assassin droid. With better reflexes than any human alive, faster speed, technology aided eyesight and a deadly personality it was a killer.
“Kill Gliden Walkers, make it look like an accident. Same with his wife.” The robot didn’t respond, it just walked out. Clasping his hands together the man sat down and sipped a glass of wine, toasting to himself and his success
“Well this is perfect.” I said. The dark interior of the truck was nearly suffocating. A light gasp came from the other side of the car.
“Here guys, lemme help you.” Wraith’s voice set of a spark of hope in my mind. I felt hands groping around until the found my ropes. A sticky wet liquid slipped down my leg, blood. Wraith must have been hurt while escaping.
“Here untie the rest Mitch I need to rest a sec.” I felt Wraith sit down exhausted. Rising quickly I almost fell down from the cramps in my leg. Still unsteady I crawled towards the other people. Finding who I thought was AlphaDawg I found his binds, I couldn’t grasp how Wraith had opened them. Tough rope wound about each other in a thick, professional knot made it hard to pull. The dim light and my raw hands didn’t help. Reaching down into my pocket I took my small penlight and shined it around. Nothing useful. Looking back down at the knot I sighed in defeat.
“Mitch in my boot I have a small knife. Get it.” AlphaDawg was coming back to consciousness. I reached down into his boot sure enough there was a small knife. I pulled it out and began feverishly sawing the ropes. One by one they came free. Snap! At last, I walked over to Monkey and began to do the same. Snap! Snap! Snap! She was free to and hurried over to Wraith, he lay unmoving on the ground. I was about to start on Silver when a sudden stop threw me to the back. A low moan escaped my lips and I tried to pull myself over to Silver.
“Here I got it.” AlphaDawg sure has good timing.
“Come on!” Monkey opened the back hatch. Sunlight and wind chased the darkness away, along with our temporary ability to see. Blinded I squinted against the light. We were on a freeway, the drivers behind our trucked gasped when they saw us.
“Ready?” Monkey had Wraith hoisted over her shoulder. She attached a cable from her pack to the roof of our car. Holding Wraith tight she swung out and landed rolling on the pavement. Cars swerved to avoid her. She soon was up and running. I was next I tried swinging and rolling like her but it didn’t work and I landed hard, breath knocked out of me. Silver swung out and landed on his feet.
“Come on Alpha!” He beckoned franticly to AlphaDawg who was kneeling down on the back of the truck.
“Coming!” He grasped the cable and swung out. An explosion boomed from the truck. Shock waves followed and knocked us down. If anything we escaped and caused one gigantic car crash.
“Watch out!” Sniper fire hit the ground near us.
“Keep moving, don’t stop! Zigzag between cover.” AlphaDawg began shouting orders and searching for the snipers.
“Over there!” Two robots in an unmarked car were speeding our way. I took out my pistol and lined up my sights. The car swerved my way I was about to jump to the side when a blurred metal disc spun past me. It hit the front wheel of the car. Pop! The cars wheel imploded and it cartwheeled. A frantic driver tried to avoid him but the already out of control car collided. The robot’s car smash into the driver and launched over.
“I like doing things the old fashioned way.” Silver said holding up another metal disc, pretty much a high tech ninja star. We began jogging to the side of the road. Suddenly a sharp pain hit my leg.
“Ahhhh!” I gasped and fell down, grasping my leg. Warm blood welled around my fingers.
“Here come on.” AlphaDawg helped me up; I limped toward the side of the road. Monkey and Wraith were laying down a barrage of cover fire.
“We got reinforcements!” Behind the barrier of broken down cars they had created a defendable position.
“We can’t hold of them forever!” I said.
“Never say never Mitch. Thanks.” It was Wraith, weak and tired he had bandages wrapped around his hands.
“I guess I won’t be opening things, or firing a gun for a while.”
“Guys now isn’t the time for chit chat!” I turned around. Robots were vaulting of cars toward us.
“They have air support.” I said sighting a helicopter flying towards us. “Hey Monkey, you know how to fly a whirlybird?”
“A whirlybird? Yes I know how to fly a helicopter.”
“Then this should be our ticket home.”
“Mitch is right, if we can hijack it, it’s our only chance.”
The man slammed his fist on the table, “how did they escape?” He turned to the computer and watched the battle from a watching robots view. They were good he had to admit that. But they would have to surrender to air support. Something was wrong, he watched as a cable launched from the ground hit the copter, unbalancing it.
“No, it can’t be. Give me a scan of all the water sources near their position!”
“Sir, there is a small stream next to the road.”
“Shit! They must not escape, tell the helicopter to try to evade them!”
Another cable was attached to the helicopter. It was coming down fast. The man watched helplessly as pure electricity shot up the cables and into the cockpit, the robots slumped over their circuits fried. The blades still turning the helicopter gently touched down.
“Nooooo! Dam it!” The man stood up and walked briskly from the room, to go see the president. Maybe he couldn’t catch them. But now he had video evidence.
Chapter 3:
Hehehe, we have a Whirlybird!
“Fish”?
Incoming Transmission…Help not received…we are almost finished…God save us…
We shot up, up, and away from the freeway. Looking down I saw smoke from the fires of exploding cars. This sure would be on the headlines tomorrow. Monkey was piloting the Helicopter after smashing all cameras and communication equipment. Back in the small cargo hold the rest of us sat as comfortably as possible, my bullet wound luckily turned out only to be a graze and I sat firmly pressing a cloth to it.
“We might have to ditch the bird soon, they robots will be looking for it.” AlphaDawg said through his mike.
“Awww I was just getting to like this old thing.” Monkey said. I could imagine the grin on her face. Suddenly the helicopter pitched over and we were thrown to the side.
“Good God, they hit our fuel line, we are going down!” I could see her struggling with the controls.
“Where are we?” I asked.
“Near some more woods, I can’t see any place to set down. To the east I can see the Washington Monument.
“Crap, they will set dogs upon us.” AlphaDawg stated grimly.
“I see a small clearing ahead.” Monkey said.
“Set us down, we will have to hid the Whirlybird.”
“On it.” I looked out; below us was a small forest. The sun was setting down, and even with this situation I had to admire the sunset. We passed a low cloud and I could see the clearing. A well-beaten path winded its way on the left side, and a small boulder to the right. As the Helicopter set down, I jumped out.
“Here throw our packs on the boulder, Mitch!” AlphaDawg hung out and passed me the packs. One by one they landed on the flat, dark, boulder. Throwing the last one on I heard a small rumble.
“What was that?” I asked.
“Look! At the boulder!” I turned around; the boulder had sunk a little into the ground.
“Here help me out!” Monkey and AlphaDawg pulled the boulder; with a groan it came free. Below it a cavernous tunnel was to be seen.
“Well the dogs wont find us here! Hid the Whirlybird, and cover our tracks.” Alpha vaulted down into the hole, “this place must be gigantic, the tunnel goes on forever!”
“And its so near to Washington DC.” I said puzzled.
Finished hiding our tracks we pulled everything into the tunnel and pulled the boulder over our heads. It was pure darkness no light at all. The sudden flare of light from AlphaDawg’s flashlight light the dark interior.
“This way come on!” Wraith was strong enough to walk so he led us into the cavern, having been in enough dark places to have better night vision than the rest of us. Peering down the tunnel, it reminded me of a river. Maybe it once was.
“I think this was once a river.” I said, breaking the silence.
“Is not was Mitch, look.”
I looked again; we were standing on the bank of a dark river.
“Hey look at this, wait, omg, don’t come over here.” Silver pulled out and old dingy, or small rubber boat. It was big enough to fit all of us.
“Looks like someone was here before us, but didn’t get far. Poor guy. Over in the corner was a skeleton. I gagged and almost threw up.
“Here, take this.” Monkey handed me a water bottle. I took a sip, swished the water around my mouth, and then handed it back to her.
“Everyone in!”
We piled into the boat; Monkey gunned the motor, which came alive in a roar. The water swirled around our wake as we shot around bends. The sides were worn with age and the air was musty.
“How long do you think this goes?”
“A while I’m guessing.”
After that no one talked for a while.
What did I tell you?
I refuse to sign this
~MidnightRose