The Nightmare Vortex (4 page)

Brrrt! Brrrt! Brrrt! Brrrt!

Max's head shot up. Her clock shouted the digital numbers: 7.00. She'd slept the whole night slumped over her science books. Great! She couldn't even remember if she'd taken anything in before she fell asleep.

When Max's mother drove them to school, Max tried to make a quick getaway before her mother did anything to embarrass her. But it was like she couldn't help herself as she called out, ‘Sweetie, do you have your lunch?'

Max could see the other kids mimicking her mother and calling her ‘sweetie'. She nodded and moved away fast.

‘This school's huge,' Linden gawped. ‘I'd like to meet some of the other kids.'

‘There aren't any worth meeting.' Max was still being called ‘sweetie' from somewhere behind her. ‘And make sure you don't do anything to draw attention to yourself.'

But just as she said it, Max slammed into Mrs Flagbottom, the sports teacher, and her bulging crate of balls. Max fell to the ground, a frenzied whirl of rubber bouncing around her. The usual laughter followed from everyone within a five kilometre radius, but the laughter that hurt most was from Linden.

Max's look soon told him to stop. ‘Oh come on, Max, it is funny,' he tried but she wouldn't hear it.

‘I hate being such a klutz, especially in front of Toby.'

Linden looked at where Max's eyes had landed.

‘Why do you care what he thinks?'

‘I don't,' Max snapped. ‘I care that I scuffed my knee when I fell and no one seems worried about that.'

Linden looked at Toby. He couldn't see why Max would worry about what he thought, but then there were lots of things about Max that Linden couldn't work out.

‘Okay, settle down class.' Mrs Grimshore knew the extra talking was due to exam nerves. ‘Before we start, I'd like to introduce you to Linden. He's our guest at Hollingdale this week and is a friend of Max's from the country.'

Max shrunk as someone nearby clucked like a chicken.

‘I know you'll do your best to make him feel welcome.' Mrs Grimshore frowned. ‘Linden will go on with his own work while the rest of us have the pleasure of this exam.'

The class groaned as she handed out the test paper.

Toby leant into Linden and pointed to the side of the classroom. ‘That's a computer. We've got a lot of those in the city.'

‘Mrs Grimshore?' It was Linden. Toby shot him a threatening glare. ‘Can I do the exam too?'

‘I don't see why not, especially as I've never had anyone volunteer for an exam before.'

Linden let out one of his super smiles. Toby thought maybe he wasn't a pushover after all.

Max yawned and slumped across her desk.

‘You may begin.'

When Max turned hers over, terror rose inside her like an electric charge and her stomach lurched, threatening to bring up her breakfast. She'd studied all the wrong things. She looked around. All the other kids seemed to be flying through. Especially Toby.

The next thirty minutes were the longest of her life and when the recess bell rang she didn't know if she should be relieved or run away and join the circus.

She sat under a tree with Linden eating a giant salad roll.

‘Oh no,' Max moaned. ‘Here comes Toby.'

‘Who's your new friend, Max?'

She didn't answer. Hadn't the morning been
bad enough?

Linden stood up. ‘Linden Franklin.' He munched into his roll.

Toby was shocked. Usually kids were more scared of him.

‘Not too hard for you, our city exam? Guess none of it made sense coming from the country.'

‘It was easy. We did plant structures and food chains last year. I guess we must be ahead of you.'

Toby knew Max was enjoying every minute of this, but he wasn't finished yet.

‘So you have spy adventures with Max?'

Max freaked. She hadn't told Linden about Toby stealing her spybook. ‘They're just stories, lamebrain. As if we'd really be spies.'

‘Yeah.' Linden beamed at Max. ‘We couldn't be spies, we're just kids.' They collapsed into a squall of laughter as the school bell rang and Toby was left wondering what was so funny.

On the way to class, Max's palm computer vibrated in her bag with a message. She and Linden ducked behind a tree.

‘Ben? How are you calling us?' she asked.

‘We've got palm computers too.'

‘Since when?'

‘Years now. Sorry to call you at school, but we'll pick you up after training. We've got great news to tell you.'

‘Is it about the Time and Space Machine?' Linden asked.

‘We'll tell you everything tonight.'

Ben zapped off the screen as Max suddenly forgot all about her exam. ‘I bet it's finished!'

Max looked up and saw the last of the kids pile into class and knew they couldn't afford to look suspicious. ‘We better go.'

She put the palm computer in her pocket as they stepped out from behind the tree. Toby watched them from across the yard. He knew they were up to something but he hadn't seen clearly enough to know what.

‘You're up to something, Remy. I know it and I'm going to watch you real closely to find out what.'

Despite being determined to prove she was a good spy, Max's next training session only confirmed she had the most clumsy, malfunctioning body that was ever built and from Alex's silence, she thought the same thing too. After spending the night falling, tripping and tumbling, Max fell to the floor from the vibrating horizontal ladder for what felt like the hundredth time. ‘Why couldn't I have been given a body that actually works?' she moaned into the foam mat.

Alex looked at her like she was a pet that couldn't be trained. ‘That's all for this evening.'

Max stood up, her arm sore from banging against the wall of the Simulated Earthquake Chamber. ‘Bye, Alex.'

She kept her eyes on her computer and muttered, ‘Bye.'

Max turned, dragging her bag behind her like it was made of lead.

‘Well how was that then?' Ben asked when they got in the car.

‘Good,' said Linden, trying not to be too enthusiastic. He was still being brilliant at everything Alex asked him to do.

Ben read Max's silence. ‘Tough, eh? Don't worry. It gets easier.'

It better, thought Max. Or someone's going to have to scoop me up with a shovel after the next session. Then she remembered. ‘What's your great news?'

‘We'll tell you when we get to the lab.' Francis grinned cheekily.

After the usual shower cap, white suit, cleansing and temperature check procedures at the lab, Max, Linden, Ben and Francis stood in front of the new and improved Time and Space Machine.

‘Australian scientists have been studying the technology needed to create a Time and Space Machine for years. With everything that Einstein said, we knew it was possible except for a few barriers we had to break through and now, thanks to a precious stone from a small Scottish town, we've done it. I'd like to introduce you to the Transporter Mark II.'

Max's heart flipped in her chest and she took a deep breath to get it back into rhythm.

‘It's similar to Ben's Matter Transporter, but with a little more style. Much like designing the first Model T Ford and ending up in a Ferrari.' Francis smiled at Ben.

‘So fashion was never a talent of mine.' Ben shrugged.

Linden brushed down his marshmallow suit. ‘We can't all be that lucky. Is this shower cap mucking up my hair?'

Ben scowled and pulled Linden's cap down over his face.

Francis continued. ‘Many elements have been refined and, of course, it not only transports objects but people as well.'

‘You did it!' Max yelled.

‘You guys are brilliant!' cried Linden.

Francis blushed and focused on the Transporter Mark II. He never liked it when people made a fuss over him.

‘Let me explain how it works. As you can see, it is still is a small device with a sensor/camera, power light, a rod at the side and an LED screen with a grid. The solar cells and cord have been replaced by the energy of the Aurora Stone and the key panel has been replaced by a voice recognition system or if you need to be quiet, by writing your request with the rod on the LED screen.'

‘So I can just talk to it or write down what I want?' Max asked.

‘Yes. It's incredibly efficient technology. When you need to find a location you simply tell it where you want to go and it will find the
coordinates. For multiple transportation, you can still use the scanner and outline the objects or people you wish to transport or simply say where you want to go and the Transporter will transfer you and anyone holding your hand. Excellent for quick getaways. And finally, when transportation takes place, there is no loud noise, just a green flash of light and a quiet
fffftttt
.'

‘Can it travel through time as well?' Linden already saw himself in ancient Egypt or sailing on the
Bounty
.

‘We need to do a few more checks before we try that, but we believe so.'

‘And remember,' Ben added seriously. ‘This has all happened because of you, but as important as you are, it's time you were home in bed.'

Max couldn't imagine ever being tired enough to sleep again. They were standing next to the creators of one of the most important inventions in the world and they were part of making it happen.

As they left the lab, a figure on the other side of the world sat before a radio transmitter as the fog of a northern hemisphere sunrise swirled outside. He was dressed in slippers and a dressing gown and sat at a large desk before an open fire. He had heard everything.

‘Ben and Francis have brought me a little closer to becoming the most powerful man in the world and they don't even know it. They may think they outsmarted me last time, but they haven't even begun to know who they are dealing with.'

Max stood outside the training centre and stared at the doors.

Linden could feel she was tense and tried to lighten her mood.

‘They're not going to come to you, you know.'

‘I know,' Max answered. ‘You may have noticed I haven't done very well in there over the last few days.'

Linden was quiet, fearful that speaking might be dangerous for his health.

‘I'm going to change all that,' Max said decisively.

Linden waited. Alex hated them being late.

‘Is it going to take long?'

Max shot him a glare that made him feel he was standing in front of a firing squad.

‘I mean, you take all the time you need.'

After a few minutes Max was ready. ‘Let's go,' she said and strode through the doors like James Bond accepting a mission. This training session was going to be unlike any other, she'd told herself as she marched inside. Gone were the days of being a klutz. She was going to be the best, most agile agent there ever was.

‘We're ready,' she announced to Alex. ‘Where do we begin?'

Alex launched into the evening's schedule, but despite Max's resolve, this training session turned out to be worse than all the others.

The last task was to outwit the Intruder Robot but after the tenth attempt, Max ended up scrunched in its arms, squirming like a piece of live bait.

‘Okay, Max. That'll do.' Alex hit the remote and the robot dropped her to the floor.

‘Oooph!' Max looked up at the robot. ‘Maybe you could be a bit gentler next time, you hunk of technology?'

Max picked herself up while Alex finished her notes and packed her bag without a word.

‘I guess that means we can go,' whispered Linden.

When they were outside, Max stopped. ‘I forgot something,' she said as she turned back towards the doors.

Linden sensed this could mean trouble. ‘Max?'

‘Hmmm?' she mumbled innocently.

‘Try not to upset her.'

‘Who said anything about upsetting her?'

Linden sighed as she turned on her heels and went inside. ‘Just a hunch.'

Max stopped abruptly in front of Alex.

‘Yes?'

She took a deep breath. ‘I think you're being really unfair and way too hard on me considering this is my first week of training and anyone can see I'm trying as hard as I can to do everything you want me to but for some reason you don't want to see that.'

Alex studied Max as though she was a bug under a magnifying glass. Max's heart thumped and her throat seized up. Maybe she'd gone too far. Maybe Alex would refuse to train them. Maybe her big mouth had really blown it this time.

Alex said in a voice so quiet Max had to lean in to hear it, ‘If you want an easy ride here then you should quit now. Spyforce isn't a holiday resort, it's an intelligence agency for fighting crime.'

She said it like she was speaking to a small child and if there was one thing Max hated, it was being spoken to like a kid. She gritted her teeth and felt her anger grow inside her, splitting imaginary clothes like the Incredible Hulk in a bad mood.

What Max wanted to say was this: ‘I can do anything you or Spyforce ask me to do, but what I'm really sick of is your big-headed attitude that makes me feel like I'm the biggest failure who ever lived and who will never be able to do even the simplest spy work when, in case you've forgotten, I've saved the world twice.'

Max felt good until she realised she'd only said it in her head and Alex was still looking at her expectantly. ‘Is there something else you'd like to say, Max?'

She struggled to make her lips move, suddenly not feeling as brave as she had.

‘You'll never get anywhere in this world without finding things a little hard sometimes.'

Max tried to think of something to say, but came up with zero.

‘Now have a good night's sleep and I'll see you tomorrow.'

There was nothing else for Max to do but walk outside to where Linden was waiting.

‘Are we in for it? Because I don't think my body can take anymore perfecting,' Linden joked, flexing his muscles.

Max didn't answer.

‘It's okay, Max. You'll get it.'

‘I know I will. I just wish she wasn't so mean.' She was only just holding back a sloosh of tears.

‘I guess being gushy isn't her style.'

Max looked up and smiled, but as she did, she saw someone across the street staring straight at her.

‘Hey. I think I've seen that guy before.'

‘Which guy?'

A bus pulled up on the opposite side of the street and when it drove off, the man was gone.

‘He was there. At the bus stop.'

‘Maybe he wanted to catch the bus.' Linden tried to say it without sounding sarcastic but decided he didn't do a very good job. ‘You've had a rough day. Maybe you shouldn't trust your eyes tonight.'

Max sighed. ‘You're right.'

‘I know.' Linden smiled. ‘You better get used to that. It happens a lot.'

‘You kids going to stand there all night or do you want a lift?' It was Ben.

Every bit of Max's body and pride was bruised and sore and as she got in the car there was only one place she wanted to be. ‘Yeah. Home please.'