The book Maximum Ride begins with Max, the main character, running away from genetically enhanced men that had the characteristics of wolves. She wakes up realizing that it all was just a strange dream about past times. She then begins to wake the rest of the “flock”, who are Angel, Iggy, Gazzy, Fang, Nudge, and Max (herself). All of which have Arian DNA (they all have wings) and had escaped the “Institution” There are multiple institutions and the Flock met together there.

Angel is the youngest of the flock and adapted an ability to read minds . Iggy is the tallest and is blind from experiments preformed on him. Gazzy is the second youngest and also the brother to Angel, the are the only two that are biological siblings. Fang is the second in charge, next to max, and always is the calmest in the most desperate situations. Nudge is a girl who is always wonder who and where her parents are, and also is the most “chatty” of the group.

The flock lives in a large house embedded in the side of a cliff. They are secluded from society and haven’t been bothered for two years, until the day when Angel decided she wanted to go to the strawberry field. The whole flock goes and spends their day there. Everything goes well until they hear a helicopter. Out from the helicopter comes four Erasers. (the genetically enhanced wolf men from the beginning) They start sprinting toward the Flock and fighting breaks out. In the end the Erasers end up kidnapping Angel and the Flock devises a plan to get her back, but while away the Erasers destroy their house.

They begin to go to the Institute which is located far away, and takes them two days to reach. Once there they attempt to rescue Angel, but are captured. While being in their cages they have time to talk to Angel, and she mentions the whereabouts of everyone’s parents but Max’s. While being transported Max’s cage fell and broke open. She then unlocked everyone else’s cage and had time to escape.

When the where a safe distance away they talk about where the Institute for Higher Learning is, which is where Angel said their files and information is. They head off for New York which is where Institute for Higher Learning is located. Once there they spend the night in an oak tree in one of the parks.

They wake to a police officer yelling at them to leave.

The Flock begins their search for the Institute and oddly Max