By: James Patterson Plot- Max and The Flock are not normal kids. They have gone through scientific experiments, genetically altering their DNA with birds, giving them multiple new skills including wings, mind reading, mind control, telepathic abilities, and even the power to control how they appear. They go through difficulties like burying their half-brother, fighting with a higher power, running for their lives, living in below-zero places, and fighting insane robots. There may be some hard times for The Flock but there are also good things that occur to them through the book from figuring out new powers they create to sleeping with cozy penguins while studying the effects of Global Warming.
Exposition-The book begins with Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman (Gazzy), Angel, and Total, also known as The Flock, at a burial with their “dad” Jeb, a Scientist who help create who they are, for their “half-brother” Ari. At the funeral you learn a little bit about The Flock, like how Max has pretty much taken the role as leader, how Fang is the mysterious guy who is extremely difficult to understand, or like how Angel and Gazzy are legit sibling but have polar opposite personalities and skills.
Rising Action- After the funeral Jeb talks Max and the others into flying to Washington D.C. with him to meet with Dr. Martinez, their “mom” and some high ranked officials about their living situations and education. The Officials recommend that they go to a school where they can be watched and protected while receiving and education. The Flock severely disagrees thinking that if they go to the school they have a chance of being locked back up and tested on with limited freedoms. After Attempting to shun Max for speaking up about how they have no voice on what will happen to them and its only up to the adults who has life experience, Max goes on a rant explaining what has happened to them saying how they seen love ones killed, how they have been on the run for almost a year, how they barely ever have any food, and how she, Max, has stepped up to be a better leader than they have. With that they stand up and agree to come back the next day to finish the meeting. The next day at the meeting, they attempt to talk to it through but it only causes anger in the room to rise, it was so heavy in the room, that The Flock got fed up and flew off and didn’t return. Max and The Flock flew to the Pocono Mountains, when landed they called Jeb and Dr. Martinez to inform them on where they were and when they would contact them again. Meanwhile, you are introduced to the Uber-Director, a handicapped, villainous, master-mind whom has been the one behind all the attacks towards The Flock and his goals are to capture them, use them for cruelty, or auction them off. After the introduction of the Uber-Director, we focus back on The Flock. They are on their way to some unknown location given to Max, thanks to her talent of “hearing voices”, which ends up being a mysterious plane strip with a plane on it. When landed, they spot Dr. Martinez and discover that they were volunteered to help some scientist at an unknown location. Once on the plane they are informed that they will be going to Antarctica to study the effects of Global Warming, as soon as they land they are forced onto a rusty antique vessel to ship them the rest of the way of their journey south. Meanwhile, on the ship they are introduced to the scientists and what exactly they will be doing while there. After settling in, one of the scientists, Dr. Bridgid Dwyer, came to The Flock asking if they want to go with her and a few other scientist to study some penguins. Of Course they said yes, so while studying a few penguins, they had unfortunately gotten attacked by a leopard seal, which had taken one scientist, Sue-Ann, under with it.
Climax- When they pull Sue-Ann out of the frigid water, they realize that it was too late; she was dead… and mechanical? It