Blue's Revenge (14 page)

‘Where are we going?' Max dragged her feet as a white-coated orderly led the way down the highly polished corridor.

‘My orders were to come and get you. Beyond that I can't say a thing.'

‘My mother's okay, isn't she?'

‘She's fine.'

Max, Linden and Toby were back at Spyforce. Toby had entered the Portal Room soon after Blue and Harrison's fall to warn them that his Danger Meter was going crazy and that they better leave in case Blue's goons were on their way. Despite their grief, Max and Linden had left the Room and, hoping the damaged Time and Space Machine would still work, used it to transport all four of them back to London HQ.

Max's mother was immediately taken to the infirmary. She was diagnosed as fine and the effects of the Knock Out Spray kept her sleeping soundly.

Max followed the medical assistant in a daze. Her gashed forehead had been cleaned and bandaged and the dull, painful throb it left behind created a rhythm for her heavy footsteps. Even though they were safe within the protected walls of the Force, the battle at Cape
Wrath had left an empty, black feeling in her chest and she felt more tired than she ever had.

Linden walked beside her, telling her some of his mum's most positive sayings, but even her best ones couldn't lift Max's mood.

‘You were amazing back there, Max,' Toby said gently. ‘I was watching the whole time. You did everything you could to save Harrison and I know he's proud of you, even now.'

‘Thanks, Toby,' Max whispered so quietly they could barely hear her.

At the entrance to the infirmary the orderly left them in the presence of a large round nurse called Hilda, who began to bark a list of orders.

‘I want you all to be quiet. This is a hospital, and unless you want to be mooshed into small spy pieces, you will act in a manner that is in accordance with the rules of the hospital, which are: one, you will at all times …'

‘Just let them in, Hilda!'

Max's gaze flicked past the large nurse towards the gruff, wheezing voice coming from the nearest room. The look on Hilda's face told them she wasn't used to being spoken to like that, and that she also had no choice but to obey.

‘Don't just stand around then, follow me,' she snapped.

They followed Hilda's stern step into the room, where they saw a cluster of white-coated staff hovering around the bed of an unexpected patient.

‘Mr Harrison!' Max flung herself at the bandaged, white figure in the hospital bed.

‘How did you get here? Are you okay? I thought you were …'

Hilda pulled the over-excited girl off her patient and outlined his health. ‘Mr Harrison has a mild case of exposure, a deep gash on his face and a burn on his hand and chest. He's been given a natural stimulant and healing potion that will mend his wounds and strengthen his heart, after which, with complete bed rest, all will be fine.'

‘Hilda, as much as I value your care, I'm still very much in control of my sense of hearing and would appreciate it if you would stop talking to people like I'm not here.'

Harrison hated being in the infirmary and was being fussed over by the same staff who kept bothering him when the sleeping sickness had struck only a few months before and he had been one of its victims.
¹³

‘But Mr Harrison, sir, I was just –'

‘Why don't I call you when I need you, Hilda? You've been wonderful, but I do need time to talk to my …' It was then Harrison noticed Toby. ‘Agents?'

Hilda was obviously miffed and turned to leave. ‘I'll be at my desk.'

Max stared at the man she'd only recently seen fall to a seemingly inescapable death. ‘How did you survive, sir? We saw you fall.'

‘About halfway into the blowhole, I luckily landed with a bit of a thud on a large ledge. Quimby made me take my super-grip gloves, which enabled me to pull myself to safety. I searched for you two but, realising you were gone, I contacted Spyforce with the two-way radio on my jacket button. It was then Steinberger told me that not only you but also your mother had escaped and were safely back at Spyforce. I asked for the Invisible Jet to be sent but, as it happened, Dretch had already convinced Alex and Suave to fly to my rescue. I activated my Undetectatron, left the Portal Room and met them on an isolated part of the castle roof in the Invisible Jet.' Harrison tried to look annoyed. ‘Even though my orders were not to move until I gave the word.'

‘But it's because of that you're still alive.' Max
looked at her boss's grey wispy hair and bandaged cheek.

‘Max, I am only one person. Spyforce will continue well beyond the day when I am no longer here.'

Max didn't want to think about that. ‘You were incredible out there, sir. What you did was so brave. Your life was at stake and you never once gave in to Blue's demands.'

Harrison blushed and pretended to straighten out his sheet. ‘You would have done the same thing.'

‘Sir?' Linden asked. ‘Is Blue really dead this time?'

‘Yes he is.' There was a sad lilt to Harrison's voice. ‘I know you will find this hard to understand, but Theodoran and I, I mean Blue and I, made a great team. He did once know the meaning of goodness, but it became lost to greed, and in the end, the anger he's held about being kicked out of Spyforce shrivelled any sense of fair play.'

Harrison looked down at his bandaged hand. ‘I want to thank all three of you for your bravery and courage. Even though I've lost count of how many rules you broke.' Harrison flashed Toby a pointed look. ‘You have become magnificent spies, with finely tuned instincts and a strong sense of what is right.' He sighed. ‘But this also means that when
you know what you think is right, Max Remy, you are no good at following orders.'

‘Sorry, sir.' She offered a cheeky smile.

‘You two are a good team.' A tear teased the corner of Harrison's eye. ‘Always cherish that.'

Linden's beaming smile lit up beneath his crazed hair. ‘I know.'

‘They are a great team, Mr Harrison.' Toby burst in. ‘You should see them in action. They're unbelievable. It's like watching some kind of stunt show.'

Max thought she could now try and explain Toby. ‘Sir, I know we're not supposed to involve non-Spyforce personnel on our missions, but Toby was very good. He really helped out, especially when it came to dealing with my mother, which I've never seen anyone do before. He was very –'

‘Max, you don't need to say any more.' Harrison paused. ‘You do realise the Neuro Memory Atomiser is on its way here?'

‘What's that?' Toby had a feeling it had something to do with him.

‘Something that erases all memory of the mission from your mind.' Max's disappointment was clear.

‘So I won't remember any of it?' Toby asked.

Max nodded.

‘There goes selling my story to the papers.' Toby joked. ‘I was planning on being famous with this.'

‘Actually, the Atomiser is for Max's mum. We think it best she remembers nothing of this. But Toby …' And here Harrison looked at Toby with a hint of a smile. ‘From what I've heard, I think we may have found ourselves a new agent. After a few more checks and tests, of course.'

Toby's face lit up. ‘Me? A new agent? That would be great, sir! Thank you, sir! That'd be excellent! I didn't mean it about selling my story to the papers, I promise …'

‘Can I come in?'

Max turned. ‘Steinberger!' She ran and threw herself at the Administration Manager, who did his best to not fall over.

‘Welcome back, team!' He then saw Toby. ‘Plus one. Your mission to bring back Harrison and Max's mother, although unauthorised, has been successful.' He gave Max a stern look. ‘Mind you, if things hadn't gone so well you would have been in serious trouble.'

Max smiled, knowing Steinberger would find it hard to stay angry at them.

‘And Max, there's someone in the corridor who wants to talk to you.'

Max hesitated before walking outside. Standing there with his rumpled maroon coat and spaghetti hair was Dretch.

‘I wanted to welcome you back,' he said.

‘Thanks.' Max stood awkwardly beside him, embarrassed that after all he'd done, she had doubted him during the mission. ‘I'm sorry for thinking you told Blue about us. It's just that …'

‘You completed your mission. That's all that's important.'

There was another stilted silence. ‘Better go,' Dretch mumbled and moved away.

‘Dretch.'

He turned back. ‘Mmm?'

Max walked forward and gave him a hug. ‘Thank you,' she muffled into his coat.

The old man lifted his hands into the air and looked around. He face twisted into a confused scowl, until finally and slowly he lowered his arms and put them around her. ‘You're welcome.'

Dretch then pulled himself away. He gave Max a wrinkled smile and, putting his hands safely back in his pockets, walked away.

Max re-entered the hospital room just in time for Harrison's announcement.

‘And Steinberger has some good news.'

The three agents looked at Steinberger. ‘Alex and Suave have captured Sorenson. He was disguised as an old woman in a small deli in Luxembourg.'

‘So all in all a very successful mission, I would say.' Harrison declared. ‘But for now, it's time you went home. And Toby … we'll be in touch.'

Steinberger held out the slightly scratched Time and Space Machine and called up Toby's details from when they had sent him home after the Hollywood Mission.

Toby turned to Max. ‘I can't believe the same uptight girl I picked on at school turns out to be the most incredible person I've ever met.' He gave her one of his best smiles. ‘I can't wait to do it all again. This is going to make moving to Europe a whole lot better.'

Max blushed and looked away.

‘See you on the next mission, eh, Linden?'

Linden nodded, a small jealous ache in his chest.

When Harrison gave the nod, Steinberger pressed ‘transport' on the Time and Space Machine, adding a brilliant green light to the room. A few seconds later, Toby was gone.

‘Don't tell Hilda we did that in here or she'll moosh me into little bits.' Steinberger handed Max
a small purple bottle. ‘This is Wake Up Spray to use on your mother once you're at Ben and Eleanor's, who've offered to look after you until you've all rested. And since the media have camped outside your house in Sydney, we feel it's best for you to stay at Mindawarra until things settle down.'

‘Your aunt and uncle have been very worried about you and can't wait to de-flea you,' Harrison said.

Max saw Harrison's disappointment at mixing up his words sink into him. ‘I mean
see you
.'

‘Sir? I know the word thing bothers you, but I think you're perfect the way you are.'

Harrison's smile was like standing in front of a cosy fire. ‘Funny kind of perfect.'

‘It's the best kind. And while you were facing Blue, you didn't stumble once.'

‘Really?' Harrison settled into his pillow with a look of pride. ‘Fancy that.'

Max then thought of something else. ‘How's Quimby?'

‘She's not very happy about her gadget count not matching up. You know how protective she is of her inventions. I told her you would make it up to her next time you saw her.'

Max's face fell. It was now she was going to
have to say it. ‘I'm not coming back, sir. I don't want to be a spy anymore.'

Linden felt like he'd been slammed against a wall. He thought after they'd completed their mission Max would forget about not wanting to be a spy.

Harrison shot a look at Steinberger, who gave a sad shrug. ‘Let's talk about this when you've had time to rest and recover, Max.'

‘I'm sure about my decision, sir. And besides, now you have Toby.' Max's voice cracked as she realised this may be the last time she would ever see him. And Steinberger, and Spyforce.

To stop herself from crying she threw herself into his blanketed chest. Harrison felt her body quiver in his arms. It was supposed to be the end of a mission, not the end of her career as a spy. ‘Thank you for everything, Max Remy.'

Max pulled herself away. ‘I'm ready to go now.'

Harrison flung off his covers, grabbed his dressing gown and stepped out of bed.

‘Let's go to your mother's room and get you all home, eh?'

Although his body ached and he'd been confined to bed, he wasn't going to miss the chance to farewell one of his top spies forever.

As Agent Max Remy guided the Invisible Jet into the Vehicular All-Response Tower at the world's most elite spy agency, it was as if she was entering a fictional place from a book. A creation of someone's imagination, not the place where she'd been a secret agent and gone on impossible missions to save the world from cruel and criminal minds.

Mr Blue, Spyforce's most vile archenemy, was gone, and with him went Max's desire to go on. She had once wanted the life of a spy as if everything she was depended on it, but now, for the first time since she'd joined Spyforce, she wanted to be a normal girl again.

She stepped out of the jet and headed towards the centre of the VART. Each step she took pinched at her, as if she was walking over glass. She stopped and looked around the vast hangar with its jets, oscillating motorbikes and inflatable buggies. It was as much a home to her as her bedroom. And now she had to say goodbye.

She'd asked no-one to come, it would be less painful that way. If she was going to cry, she didn't want it to be in front of the world's best spies.

She took the Time and Space Machine from her pocket and blinked away the tears that refused to stay put.

Footsteps clicked across the metal boardwalk behind her.

Max turned around.

‘Alex!' It came out as a whisper.

‘I couldn't let you leave without saying goodbye.'

Alex Crane, Spyforce's top agent, climbed down the stairs and walked over to Max. The two stood in front of each other, time weighing heavily between them.

‘I thought you didn't like goodbyes.' Max knew about Alex's habit of disappearing as soon as a mission was completed.

Alex smiled. ‘Max, I don't know many people who are big fans of goodbyes. And the thing is, as you get older, they don't get easier, but some of them are too important to stay away from.'

She moved closer to Max and put her arms around her. ‘I hate seeing you go. You remind me of myself as a girl, and I wanted so much to see you grow into an even wiser and better spy.'

Max couldn't speak. She knew her decision to leave Spyforce was right, but why did it have to be so hard?

‘We'll be here if you change your mind.'

Alex gave her one last hug and walked down the boardwalk of the VART.

Max held the Time and Space Machine and looked around for the last time.

‘Goodbye, Spyforce.'

She pressed ‘transport' and she was gone.

Max put the lid on her pen and closed her spy notebook. Its cover was torn and patched and its pages had dog-ears almost as big as Ralph's.

As if he knew he was being thought about, the great fluffy mutt looked up and whined. He'd made himself comfortable at Max's mum's feet and had been there ever since they'd arrived, as if he'd appointed himself her personal guardian. ‘Don't worry, you're still my favourite dustbowl,' Max told him.

Max was in Ben and Eleanor's lounge room at Mindawarra. She looked at her mother as she slept on the lounge. Usually she was frantic, rushing from one celebrity and party to another, in a life that had very little to do with Max. She'd never been a fan of the country but as she lay asleep, wrapped in one of Eleanor's hand-woven blankets, she looked right at home.

Max smiled as she realised that with her
tousled hair and no make-up, her mother looked prettier than Max had ever seen her.

It was then she opened her eyes. ‘Have I been asleep long?'

‘Not too long.' Max grinned cheekily before adding. ‘Rumpelstiltskin.'

‘You loved that story as a kid, remember?' Max's mother shifted herself upright.

‘I only made you read it every night for two years.'

‘Was it only two?'

‘Funny.' Max smirked. ‘I hope you're hungry, because Ben and Eleanor are in the kitchen making enough food for everyone within a hundred kilometres.'

‘I feel like I've been on a trek to the North Pole I'm so hungry.'

It had been explained to Max's mother that she'd been kidnapped by a criminal gang who saw her celebrity wedding as a way of making money from a ransom. The kidnappers had been captured, but had given Max's mum something that had knocked her out, so she wouldn't remember any of it.

She frowned. ‘I keep having these strange dreams about being trapped somewhere gloomy and you coming to rescue me.'

‘And did I?'

‘Yes, you did.' Max's mum smiled. ‘You were really quite brave.'

‘Of course I was,' Max said proudly. ‘Sorry about the wedding. I know how much you wanted it.'

‘Well, I've been doing a lot of thinking about that, and I think maybe it's best if Aidan and I wait a while before we try to get married again.'

‘Really?'

‘Yes, really, and you could try not to look so excited about it.'

Max tried to look sincere. ‘Sorry.'

‘That's okay. I know it wasn't easy sometimes sharing a house with him.'

Max thought back on all the times she'd made her mum feel bad about Aidan and been mean to him. ‘It wasn't that bad.'

Her mum's eyebrows snapped upwards.

‘Okay, sometimes it was. Especially that smell. He did use a lot of aftershave.'

Her mother laughed. It sounded light and breezy, and Max thought how nice it was to hear. ‘He offered to come down to Mindawarra, but I wanted just to be with you and the family.'

Max smiled. This was the first time she'd heard her mother call Ben and Eleanor family.

‘Max, this whole thing has made me realise that I've let things like my work and the wedding take over my life, and that I haven't been paying enough attention to you.' Her eyes filled with sadness. ‘The thought of losing you frightens me more than anything.'

Max's heart felt like it tripped over itself. It was true her mother always seemed too busy for her, but it was because of Max's spy work that they had almost lost each other. She wanted to tell her mum how it had felt when she thought she was dead, how she had felt somewhere inside her that she'd died too. But their mission had to be a secret and she couldn't say any of it.

‘That's handy because I've gotten used to you being my mum, so I guess that means we're stuck with each other.'

Max's mum laughed, but at the edge of her vision, Max saw something that made her face fall into a bad-tempered scowl. ‘No you don't!'

She spun round to face Geraldine, her number one archenemy chicken. ‘I know why you're here and you're not going to get away with it.'

‘I just wanted to see how you both were.' Eleanor stood at the door holding a steaming tray of vegetarian pasties, quiches and pies.

‘Sorry, Eleanor, not you. Her.'

‘The chicken?' Max's mother asked, confused.

‘She's not
just
a chicken. She's always after me. She was probably about to dump flour on my head or eat my jumper or leave a giant poo right where I was about to sit.'

‘But you're sitting already.' Linden poked his head in behind Eleanor, carrying another tray full of spring rolls, salads and fresh, crusty bread.

‘You think that makes any difference to her?'

‘What's going on in here then?' Ben put down his tray of cheeses, biscuits and homemade dips and chutneys, before reaching into his pocket for a tube of ointment. He starting applying it to Geraldine's foot. ‘Now just a small squirt of this and we'll have you back to the yard in no time.'

Max was sceptical. ‘She has a sore foot?'

‘She snagged it on some barbed wire. Poor thing, must have really hurt.'

Ben gently picked up the chicken and placed it in a basket near Max. ‘A night sleeping in luxury ought to fix it.'

Eleanor and Linden found themselves seats as Geraldine gave Max a happy cluck, but Max needed a lot more convincing before she would believe the chicken's kamikaze days were over.

‘Hello?' A voice called from outside.

‘It's about time you turned up.' Ben got up and made his way to the front door.

Moments later, he re-entered the room with his arm around the shoulders of a tall, wild-haired man with an oversized woollen jumper and patches in both knees of his jeans.

‘Just in time. We've brought the food out. Mind you, there's more in the oven.'

Eleanor tugged Ben aside and gave the visitor a hug. ‘Come in, Harry. It's good to see you.'

Max whispered to Linden. ‘Who's he?'

‘My dad,' Linden answered, biting into a roll.

‘Your dad?' It was then Max realised he did look like a taller, older version of Linden. He had the same hair, same smile and same relaxed way of standing.

‘Let me do the introductions,' Eleanor began. ‘This is my sister, Anna.'

‘Hi.' Linden's dad suddenly looked like he didn't know what to do with any part of himself.

‘Hello.' Max's mum, who'd normally take over a conversation at this point, said nothing more.

‘And this is the wonderful Max.'

Linden's dad walked over and shook her hand. He had soft skin and gentle, smiling eyes.
‘I feel like we've already met.' He gazed at her a little longer. ‘And you're just as pretty as Linden said.'

Ben slapped him on the back. ‘She is, isn't she?'

‘We think so,' Eleanor added.

Max blushed as the whole room focused on her for what seemed like hours.

‘It's true,' Max's mum added with quiet pride.

Now Max felt really awkward and hoped someone would say something to shift the attention from her. Ben's stomach finally came to the rescue. ‘Time to eat, I reckon. Linden, you sit with Max and make room for your dad.'

Plates, forks and knives were handed around, along with the trays packed with food. Ben immediately launched into one of his many stories about when they were younger. Eleanor and Max's mum kept interrupting when they felt he got carried away and was exaggerating, but mostly they just laughed and wanted to hear more.

Max and Linden listened as they ploughed through their food, giggling at Ben's overacting and the way he held off the end of the story for ages, savouring every minute of the limelight.

When Max was full, she turned to Linden and whispered, ‘It's your dad.'

‘Yeah. I know.' Linden smirked. ‘I recognised him.'

Max frowned. ‘I mean … I just never thought I'd meet him.'

Linden and Max were squashed on a big lounge away from the adults. ‘He hasn't been very social since mum died. This is the first time he's stayed when there have been strangers here. I think your mum is the reason.'

‘My mum?'

‘Look at them.'

Max watched as her mum and Linden's dad laughed together like they were old friends. Her mum sometimes had this way of laughing that seemed fake, but tonight it sounded like she was really having a good time.

Max nestled back into the lounge and yawned. ‘I guess a good spy mission can bring out the best in anyone.'

Linden watched as Max's mum laughed again and his dad lit up with a warm smile he hadn't seen in a long time. ‘I almost forgot he could be like this. He's been so sad these last few years, and now he looks like he used to, like when he was with Mum.'

Linden stopped and stared at his plate. ‘Max?' His face flushed and he couldn't look at her. ‘I know
we've only known each other for a little while, but I feel like we've been friends forever and I can't imagine what life would be like without you.' He paused. ‘You're not really going to leave Spyforce, are you? We're a good team, you heard what Harrison said. We shouldn't take that for granted. I don't want to be a spy without you. You really are special and I just wanted to say, well, that I …'

Linden inched around to see Max's face and smiled. She was asleep. Snuggled into the side of the lounge, the ribbon from her Spyforce medallion only just visible around her neck. ‘Maybe I'll tell you another time.'

He took her plate from her lap as Max inhaled a deep sigh beside him. ‘Linden,' she mumbled quietly in her sleep. ‘Harrison's in danger. We have to save him. Steinberger. Dretch. Alex …'

Linden smiled. Somehow he knew Max would be back at Spyforce.