On a trip to Africa, Max and her Flock meet a mysterious billionaire whose intense scrutiny of the Flock makes her fear the worst. Then canny birdkid Angel makes a dire prophecy about Max's soul mate: "Fang will be the first to die." Max's desperate desire to protect Fang brings the two closer than ever.
Angel says that Fang will be the first to die, and Angel is never wrong. Maximum Ride is used to living desperately on the run from evil forces sabotaging her quest to save the world--but nothing has ever come as close to destroying her as this horrifying prophetic message. Fang is Max's best friend, her soul mate, her partner in the leadership of her flock of winged children. A life without Fang is a life unimaginable.

When a newly created winged boy, the magnificent Dylan, is introduced into the flock, their world is upended yet again. Raised in a lab like the others, Dylan exists for only one reason: he was designed to be Max's perfect other half. Thus unfolds a battle of perfection versus passion that terrifies, twists, and turns...and meanwhile, the apocalypse is coming.