I didn’t pay any attention for a moment, and then I realized that it was actually my Voice, the one inside my head. (I wonder if that phrase will ever sound less weird.)

What? I thought.

I know you’re in the middle of something here, and I hate to interrupt, but there’s another mission for you.

Huuuh? What are you talking about? I just did my mission! And almost died! A bunch of times!

Max, Max, Max, said the Voice in that irritating way it had. The world isn’t saved yet, is it? You’ve got work to do. Now, get out of there, and I’ll give you the coordinates of where you need to go.

Well. I weighed some unknown, probably difficult, possibly deadly mission, with us not knowing where we were going or what we’d be doing, against this bright, shiny new school building, no doubt full of gleaming desks and Macs everywhere.

Never let it be said that I, Maximum Ride, would ever shirk my duty.

“Come on, guys,” I said to the flock. “Gotta go. More world to save. All this book learning’s going to have to wait.”

Nudge looked relieved, and Gazzy said, “Oh, thank God.”

“Max?” said my mom.

I gave her a quick hug and a kiss, and Ella too.

“Duty calls,” I said. “I’ll let you know where I am. Thanks for everything.”

“I love you,” she said, because she’s the coolest mom in the entire messed-up world.

Many cameras went off when the six of us, holding Total and Akila, whom I now thought of as the world’s heaviest Malamute, took running starts, unfurled our wings, and soared into the sky, just like that.

My heart was so full of freedom that I felt like it might burst.

About the Author

About the Author

JAMES PATTERSON is the author of the highly praised Maximum Ride novels and of bestselling detective series featuring Alex Cross and the Women’s Murder Club. His novels have sold more than 140 million copies worldwide. He lives in Florida.