The compelling second novel in James Patterson's exciting new series for teenagers. It's 24 hours since Max Ride and her fellow bird-kids escaped the New York Institute, and they're still on the run. The six companions -- 98% human, 2% bird -- come away with vital information. If they can decode the garbled words and numbers, perhaps they'll find out where their parents are. There's a lot of trouble ahead for Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, the Gasman and Angel -- not to mention Total, the talking dog. Their enemies, the fearsome Erasers, have acquired a new skill -- they too can now fly. After an air-battle, the badly hurt Fang ends up in hospital. The FBI track down the flock; they even end up going to school! But that doesn't quite fit in with searching for parents, or with what the insistent Voice in Max's head keeps reminding her - that her mission is 'to save the world'.