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Chapters (88)
  1. Welcome
  2. Dedication
  3. To the reader
  4. BOOK ONE
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. BOOK TWO
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. 48
  54. 49
  55. 50
  56. BOOK THREE
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. EPILOGUE
  87. Books by James Patterson
  88. Cover Page

“Seriously,” she scrolled down. “I’m getting hits for ‘Doomsday Group’ literally all over the globe. It’s gone viral on the Net just since yesterday.” She opened a new window. “And check this out. All these kids are posting about the enhanced generation. They’re babbling about a future world of clones,” she whispered. “It’s so messed up.”

Fang nodded, raising his wings a little. “I get it. Believe me.”

“You actually don’t get it,” Maya said, turning away from him. “You think we’re alike because we’ve both been genetically engineered, because we both have wings.” She got up and began pacing. “But I’m a clone. Can you even fathom what that’s like? To be made from someone else? Someone who still exists?”

Fang’s throat felt dry. What was he supposed to say?

“You are different, Maya. You can still be you,” he said lamely. She laughed bitterly—clearly, that hadn’t been the right thing to say.

“You mean I can be her,” she said. He started to protest, but she shook her head. “I’ve seen those brooding looks. And you know… you’re great.” Fang felt a pang. “But do you think I don’t know why you look at me that way? I know you want me to be her. Everyone has always wanted me to be her. But I can’t. I’m just… me.”

She looked up at him seeming totally vulnerable despite how amazingly powerful she was. But she was right. She’d always be a bit like Max to him. And Fang, despite his wrecked heart, almost couldn’t keep himself from kissing her. Thankfully, before he could screw up in such a royal way, the gang burst through the door, howling and armed with…

Cheez Whiz.

34

I TOOK A big step back and found myself against a wall. “Whoa!” I said, holding up my hand like a traffic cop. Pod-Ig and Pod-El stopped. I smiled. “Give me a little space here. Please. I need room to read this stuff.” I turned the flyer over, and they edged away.

“We’re going outside again for a sec. Maybe you guys should go tell Gazzy about saving the world,” I suggested. “He didn’t look totally convinced.” Ella nodded eagerly. I felt kinda bad for sicking her on the Gasman, but if he’d been immune to her brainwashing up till now, I figured he was safe.

I watched through the window as they drifted toward the kitchen. My knees were shaking, and I could feel my heart racing.

“So, we’re all agreed that the lovebirds are totally, like, programmed, right?” I huffed.

“Affirmative,” Total said, nodding.

I sighed, annoyed. “So basically, in the middle of all this other crap, we’ve gotta go take out Ella’s flyer-wielding ‘friend.’ I have a can of whoop-butt at the ready for the cool kid who sucked out my family’s brains,” I said.