James Patterson - Max

The setting:An impossibly big open stadium in impressive but noxious Mexico City.

The cast of characters:The flock, Total, Dr. Amazing, and some very nice Mexican officials who wanted to give us an award. Plus a TV crew.

The plot:Just wait. Its coming.

Ihate this. Get me outta here, I said to Fang, keeping a smile stuck to my face. We were waving to the crowd, so many camera flashes going off that I was sure Id be blind in a minute.

This is not a good setup, Fang agreed, looking around constantly.

Total, Iggy, Gazzy, and Nudge were working the crowd like old hands, bowing and soaking up the applause. Gazzy was spreading his wings and doing little six-foot hops into the air, and each time the crowd roared even louder.

Finally, one of the assembled officials tapped on a microphone located at the center of the stadium. Brigid Dwyer stood next to them, ready to give a speech about the CSM and what it was trying to accomplish worldwide.

The official said something in Spanish, and the crowd cheered and clapped, chanting quotes from Fangs blog. Then Brigid took the microphone and waited for relative quiet.

Buenos das, seors y seoras, Brigid said, and people cheered. Hoy nosotros

Right then, a piercing scream soared above the crowds murmur and stopped Brigid cold. Gazzy saw them first: ninja-type thingies leaping over the upper ledge of the stadium and rappelling down to the field.

Heads up! Fang shouted. We had a second to exchange glances, thinking the same thing: We hadnt seen them on the roof, just minutes before. Where had they come from?

Up and away! I yelled to the flock, then saw the problem: Brigid couldnt fly out with us. We couldnt leave her to the ninjas mercy, or lack thereof. We couldnt abandon her and the rest of the people who had hosted us.

The officials, Brigid, and the TV crew gazed openmouthed as at least sixty slim, dark figures hit the ground and headed for us. I sized up the situation in an instant: a hundred thousand people who might be injured or killed in crossfire; innocent people right here on the field who would only get in our way; the seven of us up against about sixty of whatever this new threat was.

It was like old times.

Belay that! I shouted. Battle up!

As a maternal figure, I always try to keep the flock safe, of course. But I admit, it did my heart proud to see the instant blood-lust pop into Gazzys blue eyes and to see little Angel automatically tense up and get into fighting stance, ready to rip someones head off. They were just soso dangadorable, sometimes.

We were a tiny bit out of practice. I hadnt taken anyone apart in several weeks. But once youve learned the nasty, street-fighting, no-holds-barred art of Max Kwon Do, you never really forget it.

Get em! I shouted as the dark figures raced toward us. Liquid-fire adrenaline surged into my veins, making me jittery and lightning fast.

As soon as one was within striking range, I jumped up and out, both feet forward. They connected heavily, slamming the New Threat in its middle. It doubled over but snapped upright quickly, its dark hood slipping back to reveal a weird, humanish face. Humanish except for the glowing green laserlike eyes.

I landed, spun on one heel, and snapkicked backward as hard as I could. I caught it in the shoulder and heard a crunching, breaking sound.

With its good arm, it swung at my head, much faster than a human could and with more force. I leaped backward just in time, feeling the barest brush of its knuckles against my cheek.

A second one rushed up, followed by a third. One grabbed me from behind, tearing my jacketmy new jacket that my mom had given me. Brand-new, not from Goodwill or a Dumpster. Hedtorn it.

Now I was mad. A split-second glance revealed that the flock was doing what it did best: deconstructing things. No one needed help, so I balled my fists, put my head down, and went after my attackers.

These skirmishes always seem to last much longer than they actually do. I felt like I was punching and kicking and swinging and whaling for two hours, but it was probably about six minutes or so. During that time, I figured out that these New Threat thingies had a couple vulnerable spots: If you brought both hands down in a chopping motion right on top of their heads, their heads actually split open into several metallic strips, like a sectioned orange. Okay, a really gross orange, but you get the idea.

Another vulnerable spot: their trim little ankles. One good strong kick, and they snapped like balsa wood.

In less than ten minutes, thanks to us and the hired security force, the grassy lawn looked like a combination of an army field hospital and an automobile chop shop. Brigid and the officials were white-faced, huddled together by the podium. A quick inventory of the flock revealed the usual bruises, bloody noses, and black eyes, but nothing serious.

Fang came up to me, his face grim, his knuckles raw and bleeding.

I knew what he was going to say. Okay. No more air shows, I said.