Astrid Maxxim and the Antarctic Expedition

by Allison, Wesley

Ignoring him for the moment, Astrid strode quickly to the door from which the man had exited when first noticed by Austin. It was a supply closet and there seemed to be no reason for a person who wasn’t a Maxxim employee to be in there. Opening the door, Astrid looked at the shelf filled with cleaning supplies along with a few cans of paint. Sitting right there amongst them was a shiny new pressure cooker with a digital clock wired onto it. It was a bomb— the same type that she had seen in the tyrannosaurus rex at Joyland.

  Mindful of the warning from her parents, Astrid left the bomb alone. She closed the door and walked thirty feet to the fire alarm and pulled it. A shrill siren sounded throughout the auditorium and people began to get up and file out in a fairly orderly fashion. Astrid hurried out the door ahead of the crowd. Looking down the long hallway, she saw the man with the reddish hair hurrying away.

  Half a dozen Maxxim security people were nearby, supervising the evacuation of the building. One of them was Sergio Diaz, the security chief. Astrid ran up to him and spoke in low tones.

  “There’s a bomb in the storage closet,” she said, and then pointed to the suspected culprit. “I think he planted it.”

  “Units three and six, converge on hallway B,” said Mr. Diaz into the tiny radio clipped to his sleeve. “Detain suspect— red hair, white shirt, tan slacks.”

  One of the security guards started down the hallway after the man. The fleeing suspect looked back and saw him and took off running, his head still turned to look behind him. At that moment, Austin came shooting out of the room on the left, his head down, zipping up his pants as he walked. The two of them collided and both went crashing to the floor. The security guard pounced on the fallen stranger and was joined a moment later by another guard coming from the other direction. They led the quickly handcuffed man out of the building. Astrid would find out only later that he was a known member of The Black Hand, a terrorist group that she had encountered before.

  The many visitors, forced out by the fire alarm, stood in the crowded parking lot and looked at the emptied building. Astrid met up with Océane and Austin.

  “Thanks a lot, Astrid,” said Austin with a frown. “You told me the door on the left. I was in the stall with my pants already down before I realized it was the ladies room.”

  “Austin, you’re a hero,” she replied. “You captured the bomber.”

  “I did? Wait; there was a bomb in there? And here I thought the presentation couldn’t kill me.”

  The device did turn out to be a bomb, which the police bomb squad disarmed and hauled away. The presentation didn’t recommence, as it was time for the launch. Everyone had to go through security screening again, but then they were ferried by monorail to the Maxxim airfield, a safe distance from the rocket facility, where they took their places in one of several sets of bleachers. At precisely 3:03 PM, the Maxxim Quasar IV rocket ignited, sending a shock wave through the dry desert air. The rocket lifted off, carrying the Maxxim Nova spacecraft on its nose and shot into the sky, leaving a smoky, steamy white trail behind it, which slowly coalesced into a tall thin cloud.

  “I’d love to fly into space some day,” said Austin.

  “Too too scary,” said Océane.

  “I agree with you, Austin,” said Astrid. “I’m going to fly into space, and I’m not going to wait too long to do it either.”

  The End

  Astrid Maxxim will return in…

  About the Author

  Wesley Allison is the author of more than twenty-five science fiction and fantasy books, including the popular His Robot Girlfriend. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and a Master of Science degree from Nova Southeastern University in Florida. He has taught English and American History for the past 23 years in southern Nevada where he lives with his lovely wife Victoria, his two grown children Rebecca and John.

  For more information about the author and upcoming books:

  Visit the City of Amathar Blog at http://wesleyallison.com

  Visit the Author Wesley Allison page on Facebook.

   Books by Wesley Allison

  Look for them wherever fine ebooks are sold. Paper editions are available at the City of Amathar Blog and by special order from your favorite bookseller.

  Princess of Amathar

  Transported to the artificial world of Ecos, Earth man Alexander Ashton struggles to understand the society of his new friends the Amatharians. As he does so, he finds himself falling in love with their princess and being thrust into a millennium-long war with their mortal foes the reptilian Zoasians. Princess of Amathar is a sword-swinging novel of high adventure.

  His Robot Girlfriend

  Mike Smith's life was crap, living all alone, years after his wife had died and his children had grown up and moved away. Then he saw the commercial for the Daffodil. Far more than other robots, the Daffodil could become anything and everything he wanted it to be. Mike's life is about to change.

  His Robot Wife

  In His Robot Wife, the novella-length sequel to His Robot Girlfriend, it is the year 2037 and Mike has been married to his robot wife, Patience, for five years. Troubles are on the horizon though. Prop 22 promises to annul marriages between humans and robots. And Patience hasn’t quite been herself. Is there something wrong, or does she just need a software upgrade?

  His Robot Wife: Patience is a Virtue

  It is the year 2037, when men are men and robots are cute. Patience, the robot wife, has a new friend– Wanda. Wanda, another Daffodil, has been having difficulty bonding with her human, the recently divorced Ryan. She hopes that with Patience’s mentoring, she’ll be able to help Ryan accept her into his troubled life. But even Patience isn’t prepared for what happens when they take a joint vacation cruise to Antarctica. His Robot Wife: Patience is a Virtue is a science fiction story in a world where technology is more than just a pretty face.

  His Robot Girlfriend: Charity

  Robotics engineer Dakota Hawk has problems. His life is falling apart. And even he doesn’t know why he bought a used, and seemingly non-functional, Daffodil Nonne. When your life turns to crap, which should you worry about more– your past or your future? How easy is it really to remake yourself and start over? And will having your own robot girlfriend help or make things even more difficult?

  Eaglethorpe Buxton and the Elven Princess

  Eaglethorpe Buxton, famed adventurer and story-teller, friend to those in need of a friend and guardian to those in need of a guardian. He is a liar and braggart, not to be trusted, especially around pies. Who are we to believe? Buxton himself leads us through his world as he comes to the aid of… a poor orphan? An elven princess? Who can guess with Eaglethorpe himself telling the tale?

  Eaglethorpe Buxton and the Sorceress

  Eaglethorpe Buxton, famed adventurer and story-teller is back, this time to put on a play about a sorceress. When the sorceress, subject of his play arrives with fire in her eyes, Eaglethorpe must pretend to be his good friend Ellwood. Will he pull off this charade and survive? And what happens when the real Ellwood shows up? One can never tell, especially when Eaglethorpe tells the story.

  The Many Adventures of Eaglethorpe Buxton

  Eaglethorpe Buxton, famed adventurer and story-teller, friend to those in need of a friend and guardian to those in need of a guardian. He is a liar and braggart, not to be trusted, especially around pies. Who are we to believe? Buxton himself leads us through his world in The Many Adventures of Eaglethorpe Buxton, which include the two previously published tales and three all new adventures.

  Brechalon (Senta and the Steel Dragon Book 0)

  Brechalon is the novella-length prequel to The Voyage of the Minotaur and the books that follow in the story of Senta and the Steel Dragon. Meet the people who will change a world-- the Dechantagnes, wealthy siblings from a disgraced aristocratic family who plot their revenge; the imprisoned sorceress Zurfina; and Senta, the orphan girl who will one day rise to great fame and power.

  The Voy
age of the Minotaur (Senta and the Steel Dragon Book 1)

  In a world of steam power and rifles, where magic has not yet been forgotten, an expedition sets out to establish a colony in a lost world. The Voyage of the Minotaur is a story of adventure and magic, religion and prejudice, steam engines and dinosaurs, angels and lizardmen, machine guns and wizards, sorceresses, bustles and corsets, steam-powered computers, hot air balloons, and dragons.

  The Dark and Forbidding Land (Senta and the Steel Dragon Book 2)

  Two years have passed since Senta, the sorceress Zurfina, and Bessemer the steel dragon arrived in the strange land of Birmisia. Now it is up to the settlers to build a home in this dark and forbidding land, ruled by terrifying dinosaurs and strange lizardmen. Ten year old Senta must discover which is the greater threat, a would-be wizard or the ever-increasing presence of the tyrannosaurus.

  The Drache Girl (Senta and the Steel Dragon Book 3)

  More than three years have passed since the colonists arrived in Birmisia, and Port Dechantagne is a thriving colony, with the railway line almost complete. Twelve year old sorceress's apprentice Senta Bly, Police Constable Saba Colbshallow, and former maid Yuah Dechantagne must deal with wizards, prejudice, steam carriages, boys riding dinosaurs, and the mysterious activities of the lizardmen.

  The Young Sorceress (Senta and the Steel Dragon Book 4)

  Everyone in Port Dechantagne seems to have an agenda of their own, from mysterious sorceress Zurfina, to agents from the enemy nation of Freedonia, to the kings and witchdoctors of the mysterious lizardmen. On the eve of her fifteenth birthday, sorceress’s apprentice Senta finds herself being pulled first one way and then the other. Will she actually have to split herself into four in order to deal with all her responsibilities?

  The Two Dragons (Senta and the Steel Dragon Book 5)

  War has come the Birmisia. The newly settled colonists contemplate war on two fronts. The mysterious lizardmen from far away Tsahloose, led by their monstrous dragon god, threaten from the south. And from across the sea, the totalitarian kingdom of Freedonia threatens to invade their world with wizards and steam-powered war machines. Can even 17 year old Senta and her mistress Zurfina the Magnificent stop them?

  The Sorceress and her Lovers (Senta and the Steel Dragon Book 6)

  It’s been three years since the war and the world has changed. Port Dechantagne, once a distant outpost of civilization, has grown to be a large city, the center of prosperous Birmisia Colony. Steam-powered carriages share the streets with triceratops-pulled trolleys, fine ladies in their most fashionable bustle dresses lead their lizardmen servants through the shopping districts, and an endless stream of immigrants pours into the region.

  Eleven year old Iolana Staff, daughter of the colonial governor, has important things on her mind, namely the mysterious Result Mechanism. Meanwhile, sorceress Senta Bly returns from the continent with a new male companion, an illegitimate daughter, and a long lost brother. Hated and feared for her magic, she must face wizards, assassins, and an old enemy from another reality.

  The Price of Magic (Senta and the Steel Dragon Book 7)

  New powers are rising in Birmisia. Far to the south, the strange lizardmen of Xiatooq are making themselves known. Closer to home, the new lizzie city Yessonarah finds itself rich in gold—gold the humans covet. As tensions rise, many in Port Dechantagne seem eager to teach the lizzies a lesson in humility. Fourteen-year-old Iolana Staff finds herself in the center of it all, as she is pulled between her conscience and the conventions of society. Unconcerned with the conflict between human and lizzie, sorceress Senta Bly prepares for her own war, unaware that events will pull her into a life and death confrontation with an old enemy.

  A Plague of Wizards (Senta and the Steel Dragon Book 8)

  Senta Bly, the most powerful sorceress in the world has disappeared and no one knows where or why. What happens to Port Dechantagne and Birmisia without her protection for four years? Wizards with all sorts of their own agendas descend on the colony, and the citizens must cope the best they can. Nineteen-year-old Iolana Staff lives the life of a famous author, far away in the capital city, but how does her friend Esther, the only Birmisian lizzie on the continent deal with human society? Meanwhile Iolana’s cousin Terra has made the journey to the lizzie city of Yessonarah, to learn what living in the palace of a reptilian king is really like.

  Tesla’s Stepdaughters

  In a world where men are almost extinct, someone is trying to kill history's greatest rock & roll band. Science Police Agent John Andrews must negotiate a complicated relationship with Ep!phanee, the band's lead singer; drummer Ruth De Molay, bassist Steffie Sin, and the redheaded clone lead guitarist Penny Dreadful, as he protects them and tries to discover who wants to kill the Ladybugs.

  Women of Power

  The life of a superhero is tough. All American Girl fights supervillains, alien invaders, and terrorists as she tries to get product endorsements and a magazine deal. That's nothing compared to her private life though. She's only just broken up with her super boyfriend Perihelion when he's scooped up by Omega Woman, and now rival Skygirl has moved into her territory.

  Blood Trade

  Vegas is going to hell-- really. Werewolves run through the streets and the vampires are taking over. Former army ranger/Goth tattoo model/private eye Xochitl McKenna doesn't like it either, especially when it comes between her and her clients. But are the vampires and werewolves the greatest threat, or is it something or someone much closer to her? Warning: Adult Content.

  Kanana: The Jungle Girl

  In a world substantially different from our own world in 1913, former Rough Rider and adventurer Henry Goode crosses the vast ocean to explore the unknown continent of Elizagaea. Spurred on into the wilderness by emotional trauma, he finds vicious creatures from a bygone era, savage natives, long lost civilizations, and a mysterious jungle goddess.

  Astrid Maxxim and her Amazing Hoverbike

  From the 180,000 acre campus of Maxxim Industries, fourteen year old girl genius and inventor Astrid Maxxim works alongside her father, Dr. Roger Maxxim, on projects to make the world a better place. Her latest invention is a flying scooter—the hoverbike. Is it the target of an international spy ring, or are they after secret Project RG-7, or Astrid herself?

  Astrid Maxxim and her Undersea Dome

  Girl inventor Astrid Maxxim and her friends are back. This time Astrid is building an observation dome beneath the sea. Will she complete her amazing construction project, or will she be sidetracked by underwater monsters, the evil organization known as the Black Hand, or her snotty cousin Gloria?

  Astrid Maxxim and the Antarctic Expedition

  Teen inventor Astrid Maxxim is back in her third adventure as she makes a journey to the bottom of the planet to uncover the secrets of a mysterious lost expedition. Meanwhile, troubles plague her friends and family as a hostile takeover threatens Maxxim Industries. Join Astrid and her friends as she faces the frozen dangers of the Antarctic, wild animals, mad bombers, and corporate high finance.

  Astrid Maxxim and her Hypersonic Space Plane

  Everyone’s favorite girl inventor is back. The Maxxim space program is in full swing, ferrying supplies to the International Space Station, as Astrid perfects her ground-launched rocket plane. To finish it, she must first deal with Maxxim’s new automotive division, a terrifying vision of the future, and an English class essay, and her cousin Gloria coming for Thanksgiving.

  Astrid Maxxim and the Electric Racecar Challenge

  Astrid Maxxim, brilliant teenage inventor returns. Astrid is looking forward to racing against a professional driving team to prove her electric racecar can take on the gas-guzzlers. Then without warning, she wakes up in the hospital with partial amnesia. What could have happened to her? Now everyone treats her like she’s brain-damaged! What if her IQ really did drop to 184? What a nightmare!

  Desperate Poems

  Desperate Poems is a collection of seventy poems (some more desperat
e than others), written over a period of forty years about life, love, desire, being young, and growing old.