The Nightmare Vortex

by Deborah Abela

  Her mum was in full flight organising the ‘personality’ party with a horde of people running after her every whim.

  ‘That’s it!’ decided Max. If her mother wasn’t going to make the call, she’d do it for her.

  ‘Mum!’ she yelled over the noise. ‘It’s Linden’s dad on the phone.’

  Max held out the receiver while her mother gave her a ‘you’re in trouble’ look, but then was sweet as pie when she said ‘hello’. Max listened as everything was arranged. ‘So we’ll expect the arrival of … of …’

  ‘Linden!’ Max whispered in horror.

  ‘… of Linden this afternoon. Goodbye.’ She flounced her hair. ‘Linden’s dad sounds nice. Very mature.’

  At that moment Aidan bounced up holding a doll that looked suspiciously like him. ‘Look at this.’

  ‘What is it?’ Max cringed.

  ‘It’s a Rex doll. After my character in the show.’ He’d been given the role of a psychologist on a new soap.

  Max did her best not to throw up.

  ‘I’ll be upstairs.’

  Max did all she could over the next few hours to block out the noise from downstairs until she finally saw Ben and Francis drive up. They’d be in the city all week for some meetings and had offered to give Linden a lift. Max jumped off her bed and raced downstairs.

  ‘They’re here,’ she yelled as she flew past her mum.

  ‘Who?’

  Max opened the door and saw the beaming face and wild hair of Linden staring back at her. She was so happy to see him she almost reached out and hugged him until she realised what she was about to do and stopped herself just in time.

  Her mum walked up behind her like she’d recently been made queen of somewhere and put on one her best acts of snobiness.

  ‘Well if it isn’t our country friends,’ she said overly loud. ‘And … and …’

  Max swung her head round to face her mother. ‘Linden!’ she whispered.

  ‘Yes. You’ll be in the spare room,’ her mum said, but did nothing more to invite them in, so they all stood in an awkward silence that made Max burn up with embarrassment until Ben rescued them.

  ‘We thought we’d take the kids out for dinner, if that’s alright by you.’

  Everyone sighed, especially Max’s mum. ‘That’d be lovely.’ And she slobbered a goodbye kiss over Max who felt like she was drowning in saliva and lipstick.

  ‘Are you sure you two are related?’ Linden asked after they’d left.

  ‘That’s what it says on my birth certificate.’ Max sighed, but Linden’s smile made her feel instantly better.

  In the car, they chatted wildly like there wasn’t enough time in the world to tell each other all their news. Linden told Max how he’d received a parcel from Spyforce too.

  ‘Maybe they’ll want us to go on another mission.’

  ‘Yeah! That’s what I was thinking.’

  Ben had chosen a vegetarian restaurant just for Max and after they’d finished eating, he clasped his hands together, and leant towards them excitedly.

  ‘Now we have something to tell you.’

  Max waited anxiously as Linden struggled with the wrapper of an after dinner mint the waiter had just left.

  ‘Francis and I have finished the Time and Space Machine.’

  ‘Finished the Time and Space Machine!’ Max yelled as they tried to shush her.

  ‘I think it’s supposed to be a secret,’ Linden mumbled through a chocolate covered mouth.

  ‘Sorry.’

  Ben explained how they did it, including how they’d added the Time and Space Retractor Meter that Linden and Max helped bring to Australia.1 ‘But the key component to the new Time and Space Machine, was Francis’s discovery.’

  Ben wiped his napkin across his mouth. ‘Want to come to the lab and see?’

  ‘In Mindawarra?’ Max was confused.

  ‘No. We’ve got one here.’ Ben kept his voice lowered.

  ‘Yeah, but it’s a little more advanced than the shed.’ Francis smiled.

  Linden and Max leapt out of their seats and raced to the car. The journey to the lab seemed to take forever. Finally, they drove up to two security guards standing by tall, metal gates.

  Francis pulled out a pass like he was some kind of FBI agent. ‘They’re with me,’ he said proudly.

  ‘Certainly, Professors.’ The guards stood aside and opened the gates. Max was impressed. This was very different from how Francis had been treated in London.

  Inside the entrance, two lab assistants helped Max and Linden into white, sanitised suits, shower caps and balloon-like shoe covers.

  ‘What do you think?’ Linden asked Max. ‘Does it say, chick magnet?’

  ‘I’m surprised you haven’t been mobbed already.’

  ‘I don’t know,’ whispered Francis. ‘I thought one of the lab assistants was looking at you funny.’

  ‘Mum always said I’d be a winner with the girls.’

  Ben and Max giggled at Linden’s attempt at looking suave, before heading off through a series of security doors and ultra white passages. They then stepped into a foyer-type room in front of the lab.

  ‘The temperature in the lab is rigorously monitored,’ Francis began. ‘This room reads our collective temperature and adjusts the lab’s temp accordingly. Once that is done, a release valve will be activated and we can go inside.’

  After a few more seconds, a metallic click was heard and they entered the lab.

  Francis was right. It was a lot better than Ben’s shed. There were shiny machines, with tubes, gadgets and gizmos everywhere.

  ‘Now, to the secret component.’ Francis looked so happy surrounded by scientific equipment.

  He opened a small glass cabinet and removed a deep blue velvet cloth. After carefully unfolding it, he placed it on a bench before them. ‘Here it is.’

  Max and Linden stared. ‘A rock?’

  ‘Not just any rock,’ Ben interrupted excitedly. ‘Tell them, Francis.’

  Francis dimmed the lights with a remote. ‘Now look.’

  ‘Wow,’ Max and Linden breathed together. Inside the rock were swirling patches of coloured light.

  ‘It’s like the auroras borealis and australis.’ Linden had seen pictures of the light phenomena but never for real.

  ‘That’s right. After I left the Department of Science and New Technologies, I was so sad at what had happened, I just went walking. I walked all over the United Kingdom, until I came across a little town in Scotland where the locals talked about these rocks called Aurora Stones. When I saw them, I knew they were special and have kept one on me ever since. It was in my pocket the day I met you. When I arrived in Australia, Eleanor helped me analyse it and we found it was a special energy source. I’ve heard scientists talk about the stone but no one knew for certain if it really existed.’

  Francis’s eyes were alive with his discovery.

  ‘When Ben and I experimented with using it in the Time and Space Machine, we found it gave us the missing energy source needed to move at the speed of light, thus enabling time travel.’

  Max and Linden stared at the rock as it glowed before them.

  ‘When can we see the Time and Space Machine?’

  Ben turned to Francis with a knowing smile. ‘I’d say any day now, but you’ll have to be patient.’

  Linden’s eyebrows sprang upwards. ‘This is Max you’re talking about. Patience isn’t something she’s spent a lot of time developing.’

  ‘I can be patient.’ Max folded her arms across her chest.

  After about thirty seconds, she couldn’t stand it. ‘How long do we have to wait?’

  ‘When it’s done, you’ll know,’ Ben said. ‘For now, we better get you home.’

  Francis rewrapped the stone and locked it securely away as Max and Linden fired off an endless stream of questions about the new Space and Time Machine. Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, a man smiled maliciously as he listened to the sound of voices transmitting all the w
ay from Australia.

  Linden and Max stepped out of their bedrooms and stood against the railing looking down on the final party preparations. The apartment had been completely transformed into a Japanese-style garden. There were bonsai plants, trickling water features, expensive vases and lamps, and meandering paths of white glistening rocks.

  Linden ducked as a giant tree swooped past. ‘Is it always like this around here?’

  ‘Only when I’m being punished,’ Max replied. ‘There’s a party here tonight for Mum’s TV types, which means the house will be full of people talking and laughing about boring things that aren’t funny.’

  ‘Sounds great.’ Linden groaned.

  ‘It’ll be the night of my life,’ Max said dryly. ‘Breakfast?’

  Linden and Max went downstairs and only narrowly avoided being swallowed up by a tidal wave of tablecloths.

  ‘The blue,’ said Max’s mum over the rim of her glasses. ‘No. Red. Shows we’re in charge but warm at the same time. Ah there you are, sweeties. Did you sleep well?’

  Linden started to answer, but Max’s mother interrupted. ‘Help yourself to breakfast. Mind you don’t step on that rug. I want it fresh for tonight. I had it brought in from Turkey.’

  She saw a furniture man placing a giant vase on the marble floor. ‘No, no, no … not there. Over there.’

  Max sighed. ‘That’s another thing about my mum. When she asks a question, she rarely waits around for an answer.’

  They grabbed some juice and toast and made their way back to Max’s room where they found a message light flashing on her palm computer.

  ‘Hello, Max and Linden. Ben and Francis said you’d be there. How are you?’

  It was Steinberger. Max and Linden waited for the rest of his message.

  ‘This isn’t a recording. I’m live. You can answer.’

  ‘Excellent,’ Linden muttered through his toast.

  ‘Now that you’ve received your parcels, the next step is spy training which starts tomorrow and will continue all week after school. The Training Manual will explain what you’ll be doing and what you’ll need for the exam at the end.’

  ‘Where will we train?’

  ‘In the Spyforce office in Sydney.’

  ‘In Sydney?’

  ‘Yes, Max. Actually, it’s right near your home.

  We’ll provide a cover for you by saying there’ll be sports every night this week as part of a kids’ fitness campaign and … oh, you’ll be trained by one of our best.’

  Max jumped off her bed. ‘Alex?’

  ‘No.’ Steinberger sensed her disappointment. ‘But someone just as good.’

  ‘Will we be sent on another mission soon?’

  ‘Not yet, Linden. You’ll be busy with your training for a while. Ben and Francis will pick you up tomorrow morning at nine for your first session. Good luck and may the Force be with you.’

  Steinberger zapped off the screen.

  Max and Linden spent the rest of the afternoon studying their training manuals until Max’s mother burst through the door looking like an oversized swan with a hairdo like a small tornado had whizzed through it.

  Max stared. ‘What are you wearing?’

  ‘Do you like it? It’s designer. Very expensive. The only one of its kind in the world. Anyway, time to get dressed. Linden, do you have something you can wear?’

  ‘I was going to wear this.’ Linden looked down at his clothes. It was his best outfit. His dad made him pack it especially.

  ‘Fine.’ She wasn’t sure what else to say. ‘There are plenty of combs in the bathroom too. You’ve certainly got a lot of hair for a small boy.’ Max’s mum looked at Linden’s hair like it was a wild animal she wanted to send to the beauty parlour for taming. ‘I’ll see you downstairs.’

  It was times like these Max wished she was an orphan. ‘Sorry. She doesn’t have much tact sometimes.’

  ‘It’s not her fault she can’t recognise style when she sees it.’ Linden tousled his hair and made it stand out even further.

  Max smiled. Linden was her only chance of making it through the night.

  They went downstairs and made their way through the overdressed crowd of people talking so loudly it was like they were in the middle of a storm. Everyone was darling this or darling that except for the guy who was hoarding food like he hadn’t eaten in a million years. And what’s more, almost all of them were smoking!

  ‘Haven’t they listened to a health report since the sixties?’ Max walked away as someone blew smoke in her face. ‘News flash everyone: smoking can kill you. Everyone born this side of the twentieth century knows that.’

  Stiff-faced waiters came by with what Max and Linden thought was food.

  Linden went to take some.

  ‘I wouldn’t if I were you,’ Max cautioned. ‘Could be anything.’

  ‘But I’m starving.’ He picked up a small piece and took a bite. ‘What is it?’ he asked the waiter.

  ‘Sautéed Venezuelan slugs on a bed of tripe.’

  Linden stopped chewing. ‘Slugs on cow’s stomach?’

  ‘We prefer to call it tripe,’ snipped the waiter and turned away.

  ‘Maybe not eating for one night won’t hurt me,’ Linden said, feeling queasy.

  ‘Oh no,’ Max moaned. ‘There’s a movie star wannabe coming our way.’

  She tried to make a getaway but was too late.

  ‘Max! Hi. How lovely to see you. Is this your boyfriend?’

  Max felt her face fire up like she’d been dropped into a furnace. ‘He’s a friend.’

  ‘Oh. Did you see me in Snow Ponies? What did you think? It won’t be long until I get snapped up for the movies or become a pop star. That’s where the big dollars are.’

  If Max had to listen to any more of this drivel her insides were going to explode over everyone. ‘I think I heard my mum calling.’

  ‘Say hello to her for me!’ the actress said as Max and Linden wriggled away.

  ‘Remind me never to be like these people,’ Max said decisively.

  ‘That’d only happen if your brain was removed and replaced with a slightly damp sponge.’

  Max smiled.

  ‘Hey,’ Linden said excitedly. ‘I think that looks like bread.’

  He grabbed some bread from a passing waiter as Max spotted Aidan in full schmooz mode with the head of the network.

  ‘Look.’

  She nudged Linden and pointed to a bowl of dip directly beneath Aidan’s arm and just as he gave one of those loud fake laughs, he leaned right into it. When he pulled his hand up, the bowl of dip came with it and landed all over the shirt of the network boss. Max and Linden laughed as Aidan apologised and tried to wipe off the big, fishy globs which made the mess even worse.

  ‘Good to see you two enjoying yourselves.’ It was Max’s mother who hadn’t yet noticed Aidan’s dilemma.

  Max’s laugh was cut short when she noticed a man unlike all the other guests, staring at her intently.

  ‘Mum? Who’s that guy there?’ But as she asked this, the man disappeared behind a large plant.

  ‘I’m not sure, sweetie. Probably a hanger on. Television is so full of them. Have you had enough to eat?’ Before they could answer, she was called away. ‘I have to go darling, work is calling.’

  ‘Did you see him?’ Max asked Linden, trying to see where the man went. ‘He was real weird looking.’

  ‘He’d fit right in then, wouldn’t he?’

  Maybe he was just a hanger on like her mother said, but there was something about the way he was staring at her that made Max feel uneasy, like he was up to something and it included her.

  ‘How about we make a quick getaway?’

  ‘Fine by me,’ said Linden, still trying to find a tray of recognisable food.

  Max snuck along the hall, grabbing the phone on the way. ‘Takeaway?’

  Linden’s fears of dying from hunger faded. ‘You bet.’

  They quickly ran upstairs to the safety of Max’s room, as
the man who had been staring at her followed them into the hall, his eyes fixed on their every step as he pulled a radio transceiver from his pocket.

  ‘Not long now, boss, and you’ll have exactly what you want.’

  Alex Crane crouched among the bulging lines of cargo spilling across the wharves of the Grand Harbour in the Mediterranean country of Malta. The sun seared its way through a thirty-five degree day as muscled men in sweat-soaked clothes sang and unloaded crates from hulks of ships that huddled like roped and captured giants.

  The boats had sailed from Egypt and when Alex adjusted the focus on her X-ray microfilm binoculars, she knew her hunch was right. The crates were brimming with stolen treasures from the ancient world.

  She switched her binoculars from X-ray to regular to locate the snivelling Count Templar, the man with the fiendish taste for rare artefacts. He was sitting on a balcony with Max Remy, who was in disguise as a Transylvanian duchess eager to spend vast sums of money on the Count’s wares. With Alex’s microfilm and Max’s deal, the Count would be locked away for so long that he himself would become an ancient artefact.

  Alex looked at her watch. Max should have finished by now. She put on her supersonic earpiece and discovered the Count had finished the deal but had fallen for Max’s charms and wanted to marry her.

  Marriage! Alex watched as Max tried to evade the Count’s slimy moves and his wandering arms that held her around her throat, begging for a kiss. Alex knew she had to save her, but as she leapt forward, the cord of her binoculars snagged under her foot and she tripped, landing face first at the feet of the muscled men.

  Her arms were pinned against her as the men lifted her into the air like a small, tattered doll, before striding to the dock and dangling her over the side, just seconds away from a watery doom. What was she going to do? She had to escape these muscle-bound men before it was too late … before she drowned and before Max became a victim of the Count’s

  Brrrrrnnnnnggggg!

  Max sat up clutching her pillow and gasping for breath.

  ‘You okay?’

  It took her a few seconds to take everything in. Linden was sitting on her bed holding the palm computer. She was in her pyjamas. Then she remembered. Today was the day they would start their spy training.