It's 24 hours since Max Ride and her fellow bird-kids escaped the New York Institute, and they're still on the run.

But the six companions -- 98% human, 2% bird -- came away with some 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.

There the FBI track down the flock, who have even ended 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'.