Maximus Thatcher

by Robert Miller

  “Listen here, kid, if you train with me you have to put a cork in it. I don’t like drawing unnecessary attention to myself and neither should you. Understand?” whispered Max in a commanding tone.

  “Okay, got it,” responded Jimmy.

  “Meet me outside my room Monday morning at six,” instructed Max. He stood up, waved at Jimmy and made his way to his next class before the younger boy could say another word.

  Max’s classes continued to pass by quickly. Training with Dozer was still demanding, and homework was now on Max’s agenda, starting with history and government. His sleep was restless; only one thing lingered in his dreams: Hilary.

  Six o’clock flashed red in Max’s face once again. Slowly pulling on his white folded robes, he had to slap himself twice in order to properly wake up. He considered the extra work rewarding, thinking of every other student lying in bed, while he continued to get stronger.

  He made his way to the training ground and as he approached the fighting area, he instantly recognised the young man with Dozer. He was the young man who had transported him to the school. They were in deep conversation as he bowed in respect and entered the area.

  “Max, very good you could make it,” said Dozer, halting his conversation with the young man.

  “Have you met Stuart, the transporter for the Elementrix?”

  The young man stepped in front of Dozer and grabbed Max’s hand in a strong grip.

  “It’s always a pleasure, Max,” said Stuart before Max could reply.

  “Yes, indeed,” said Max bitterly, remembering the last time they encountered each other. That time, it had involved him falling down a cliff.

  Dozer eased Stuart out of the way so he could face Max instead of looking at the back of Stuart’s T-shirt.

  “Instead of training today, you are to accompany me to deliver this package,” said Dozer, firmly.

  “I don’t have a choice, do I?” Max commented, knowing that he had to do another jump with Stuart. The first jump he did to the Pillar had left him feeling nauseous all that day. He had a sinking feeling, nervous about the jump into the portal.

  “Not a chance,” replied Dozer. “Make sure you put this on. Don’t want you sticking out like dog’s balls,” he said, passing Max a set of long shorts and a collared shirt with the school logo to get changed into.

  “Thank you,” replied Max.

  “Not bad,” laughed Stuart as Max emerged wearing the smart school uniform.

  “Since you find it so funny, here’s one for you,” said Dozer, passing another uniform for Stuart to put on.

  When Stuart had finished changing, Dozer signalled for both boys to come closer. He grabbed Stuart by the shoulder, indicating that Max should do the same.

  “You know where to take us,” commanded Dozer, as he looked into Stuart’s eyes.

  Without warning, Stuart pulled both Dozer and Max into the warp.

  The sensation was just as awful as the first time he jumped into the portal. He tried as hard as possible to stay loose, but the exploding scenery took command of him. White blurred in and out of Max’s head. White snow covered a vast landscape, with the outlines of trees zooming by at a frightening speed. Two seconds of ocean popped in and then out of Max’s sight. He looked ahead at the blinding light, but this time was different and his body vibrated violently.

  His mind spun and spun and then the scenery stopped in the blink of an eye.

  Max was on the ground, panting, his eyes closed and spewing up his last meal.

  “Nice. Very rookie-like, kid,” laughed Dozer.

  “Still, at this distance most rookies aren’t even conscious, so I’m impressed,” commented Stuart, patting him on the back and pulling his arm to help him to his feet.

  Max finally opened his eyes, wiping his mouth. Stuart was right behind him and Dozer was standing in the doorway of a little shack.

  There was a small bed behind the boys with the four walls surrounding them in a box structure. There were no windows, just a door.

  “We are not here for a holiday. You’ve got two minutes to snap out of it before we continue,” said Dozer, walking out of the hut and into the open space.

  “I’m fine,” lied Max, clutching his stomach and hoping that it wouldn’t make him woozy again. He took a step out of the door, holding the frame for support.

  The breeze was much warmer here than back at the school and the first things he noticed were the extremely tall and compacted buildings that surrounded him.

  His gaze slowly descended down the scores of windows and met the back of Dozer’s head.

  “We’re off,” indicated Dozer as he took off down the busy street.

  The street looked very modern and flash, with billboards everywhere and music spilling from each shop. It was hard for Max to get a sense of where he was, with the number of walkways and roads peeling off in every direction. Stalls with food he had never seen or smelled before lined either side of the street.

  Max followed as Dozer took a right turn down another street. He couldn’t believe how clean the city was, observing with fascination the various lantern and dragon figures he passed.

  They followed the brick pathway from shop to shop. He paused briefly to look at the huge number of game machines filling one store. He walked right up to the shop, astounded by how many vending machines they had, although he didn’t recognise any of the brands.

  “Hurry up,” nudged Stuart.

  Max couldn’t help but stare at the people who rushed past Dozer, many wearing business suits with briefcases in their hands. It wasn’t hard for Max to guess where they had ended up, looking at the people and the language on the shop signs.

  “Why are we in Japan?” asked Max, still stunned by his surroundings.

  “Stuart, meet me back at the school at noon,” said Dozer.

  Stuart disappeared in the blink of an eye.

  Dozer had a serious look on his face as he stood contemplating the various streets.

  “That one,” said Dozer, setting off at a brisk pace.

  “You haven’t answered my question,” began Max angrily, trotting to keep up with him.

  Dozer stopped in his tracks and twisted around on the spot to face Max. Max didn’t like the expression on his face.

  “When we are on a mission, try and keep the questions to a minimum.”

  “That doesn’t tell me what I want to know,” replied Max, stubbornly.

  Dozer cringed, remembering the last student he had known who was this impatient and demanding. Over-confident and rude were the words his father had used…

  None of Dozer’s other students had the same qualities he’d had at their age, but now here was Max. Dozer knew that in good time he would grow up to be something unimaginable. At the moment, though, he was a thorn in his backside.

  “If you give me a chance, I will explain,” Dozer muttered.

  “Okay. Go on,” Max agreed as he stood there with an eyebrow raised.

  “We are here to send a letter to the Japan-based school, which is also under the banner of Elementrix,” explained Dozer, waiting for Max to comment.

  “So, you’re saying there is more than one Elementrix school?” said Max, then remembering his conversation with Hilary.

  Dozer turned around, pulling Max into a narrow alleyway, which was empty of people.

  “Yes,” Dozer muttered.

  “How many?”

  “Around the world, hundreds maybe,” said Dozer.

  “And in our vicinity?”

  “Two,” replied Dozer.

  So many questions raced around in Max’s head, and his heart fluttered at the thought of so many people with abilities such as his own.

  “You must be wondering which one we are?” said Dozer, watching Max’s face.

  “Our school’s name is Elementrix Pillar, the brother school to the other two.”

  “What is the name of the school we are going to now?” asked Max.

  “Japan’s Elementrix Main.”
<
br />   “Meaning?”

  “It means this is the main and, indeed, only school for element users in Japan.”

  “Okay, I understand, but why are we dealing with them?” said Max, trying to get as much information out of Dozer as possible.

  Dozer shot Max a dirty look and Max wondered if he had just crossed the line. He didn’t want to get on his teacher’s bad side.

  Dozer grabbed Max by the arm and set off down the busy street. His pace was furious, leaving a clear trail as every bystander stepped hastily out of his way.

  Max began to feel nervous, unsatisfied by Dozer’s answers and concerned about the amount of information he was withholding. They continued their mad pace until they came to a busy part of the street. The traffic of people engulfed them, causing Dozer to come to a complete stop. He sighed heavily.

  “You have a right to know,” frowned Dozer, “but this is not to be repeated to anyone, understand?”

  Max nodded. “I’ve heard most of the schools are coming together under a protection plan,” he said.

  “Not here,” snapped Dozer, pulling Max into the closest alleyway, checking to see if there was anyone following. He demanded to know where Max had heard about the plan.

  “Nowhere in particular,” Max muttered.

  “This information is not something a level one user should have,” said Dozer, grimly. “So tell me, Max, where did you hear about it?”

  Max hesitated before replying. “Jimmy told me.”

  “That doesn’t surprise me. That boy is always in places he shouldn’t be,” replied Dozer.

  That was something Max couldn’t deny. Jimmy had sneaky ways of eavesdropping on people, and was a front-line gossip collector.

  “The only reason I am willing to trust you with this,” Dozer continued, “is because we believe you have a big part to play in the plan.” Dozer paused, frowning. “These are dark times, Max, and not a single person is safe any more. Most schools aren’t, either.”

  “I don’t understand,” said Max, confused.

  “A certain Dark Lord is… No, that’s enough information,” whispered Dozer, who was now speaking as quietly as possible.

  Max could see regret in his teacher’s face that he had revealed more than he had intended. He turned from Max, making his way back out to the street. “Let’s hurry, they are expecting us,” called Dozer, walking out onto the busy pavement and Max had to dance his way through the throngs of people in an effort to keep up with him.

  The number of pedestrians had doubled while they had been talking in the alleyway although most avoided walking into Dozer, since they were nowhere near the width of him; Max found it quite convenient following in his wake.

  A few streets passed as Dozer took a series of turns and stops, looking to find the correct building. Finally, he came to a complete stop in front of a building the like of which Max had never seen. Huge windows covered most of the outside, with large concrete enforcements on each corner. The building stood twenty storeys high and was the width of twenty shops.

  “Follow me, and do not talk,” ordered Dozer in a casual tone.

  The sliding doors opened as Dozer walked towards them and, as he followed, Max found the inside of the building twice as stunning as the outside. Marble lined the floor, and the walls had been finished in a mix of different creamy colours, which were polished like a five-star hotel.

  But the first thing that caught Max’s attention was the dragon fountain, made from pure gold. It shone as if the dragon had flown into the sun, reflecting its huge outline onto Max. Water trickled from the tips of the dragon’s wings, making the beast glisten.

  Dozer grabbed Max’s arm, leading him through the building and breaking the hold the dragon had on him.

  “Watch it, kid. It’s like you haven’t seen gold before,” grunted Dozer.

  “I haven’t,” replied Max, staring at him with wide eyes.

  “Is that so? You never fail to amaze me, Maximus,” said Dozer, turning on the spot to face a beautiful woman, who sat behind the reception desk.

  “Here to see Master Lee,” said Dozer.

  The woman looked up and gave Dozer a fake smile. “Still as unpleasant as always,” she said.

  “From what I’ve heard, you’re still just as nosey,” retorted Dozer with a little hint of a smile.

  “This way.”

  She walked them past the dragon fountain to a set of elevators, pushing the button and waiting in silence.

  Max didn’t like the awkwardness; it felt like being between two kids who were trying to prove a point.

  “This is a flash place you have here,” said Max in the hope of some conversation. Dozer shot Max a quick look before returning his gaze to the elevator doors. Max kept quiet and focused on the woman’s black hair that streamed past her shoulders and matched her dress. Max’s eyes snapped up at the woman’s voice.

  “Why, thank you, we try,” she said, flicking her hair in Dozer’s direction.

  The elevator hit the bottom floor with a ping and the doors slid open. Dozer gave Max a little push to get him moving as fast as possible. The receptionist walked into the lift and pushed the button for the fifteenth floor, then departed before the doors closed and without a goodbye. Max couldn’t fight the urge to interrogate Dozer on the subject of the receptionist.

  “Old friends,” he said with narrowed eyes, ending the subject before it had even begun.

  Max tried to concentrate on the display flashing the different levels of the building, but his nervousness continued to grow as the number slowly climbed.

  He had to hold his right leg so it wouldn’t tremble; that was the last thing he wanted to show Dozer. If he thought that Max was nervous about the coming proceedings, it would put him a step behind in training for sure.

  The ping of the elevator broke into Max’s thoughts and as the doors opened he had to hold his breath so he wouldn’t shake.

  A fighting ring lay in the middle of the room with a set of stairs on each side. The room was bigger than Max had imagined it would be. Dozer took off his shoes, indicating to him to do the same.

  A class was in progress on the wooden fighting ring but was dismissed as they entered. Twenty students descended the set of stairs, grabbing hot towels from the servants who were waiting for them.

  “Talk about luxury,” commented Max, surprised at the level of service the school provided.

  “Hush,” whispered Dozer.

  A man with black hair wearing long, baggy track pants and a blue training top walked gracefully down the stairs until he stood before them.

  He was inches taller than Dozer, but with less noticeable muscle tone. Upon his arrival, Dozer got to one knee and bowed his head.

  “Bow,” growled Dozer, glaring up at him.

  “I bow to no one,” replied Max, standing tall, his eyes hardened and anger-filled.

  “You show respect to a master, do you hear me Maximus?” yelled Dozer.

  Embarrassment swept over him as all the students turned around to see what was going on. Master Lee lifted his head, waving off Dozer’s anger.

  “The Maximus?” asked Lee, looking over at Dozer for confirmation. He nodded his head in agreement. Surprise and excitement crossed Lee’s face as he inclined his head to look Max in the eye.

  “It’s very nice to meet you. I have heard so much about you,” said Lee, smiling.

  “I didn’t know there was that much to talk about,” replied Max.

  “Ah, but you see, there is, Maximus - the only electricity user on the planet. It’s all quite exciting, really.”

  The students had stopped staring and began clearing out into the elevators. “A two-on-two, maybe?” said Lee, looking hopefully towards Dozer.

  “Not this time, I’m afraid. We are here on business,” replied Dozer holding out the envelope.

  “Yes, I see. Such a shame.”

  A pair of servants provided Lee with his slippers and a hot towel to freshen up and then Max and Dozer followed him t
o the top floor, where his office lay. Max walked to the window, taking in the view of the building tops that scattered the area.

  “Great view,” Max muttered, leaning against the glass in amazement.

  Dozer seated himself in front of Lee’s desk and took a glass of whisky, which Lee had himself poured.

  “Very high up isn’t it?” replied Lee swirling the alcohol in its large glass bottle.

  “I know you don’t drink, but may I offer you anything?”

  “We have not eaten since breakfast,” replied Dozer.

  “I will call my cooks,” replied Lee, picking up the phone. He spoke a few words and Dozer nodded his thanks as Master Lee put down the phone.

  “How is your Head Master?” asked Lee, now pulling his big black chair behind him and taking a seat.

  “Alexander is good, hasn’t changed a bit,” replied Dozer.

  “Very good,” smiled Master Lee. “Now to this letter,” he continued, pulling the envelope from his pocket.

  “There has been movement from the Ministry,” said Dozer.

  Master Lee’s eyebrows rose as he slit the envelope with a paper knife and read the contents.

  “I see. So, criminal activity is on the rise. Shouldn’t this be the NPA’s responsibility?”

  “Yes, it is, but it is on the rise because of the Dark Lord,” replied Dozer.

  “The Dark Lord has been dormant for many years. Why now?” said Master Lee, standing and looking directly into Dozer’s eyes.

  Dozer glanced over at Maximus. “Because of him,” he whispered.

  “He does not have a full ring,” Lee pointed out.

  “The electricity users have always been a threat to him. We need to train the boy. If there is any chance he grows into the full ring, then we must try. The Dark Lord’s shadow has been overwhelming us for too long,” spoke Dozer, also rising to his feet.

  “I agree the boy must be trained, but he will be targeted. That will endanger all Power Users and if it has already started, we must be protected.”

  Tension grew in the office and Max drifted around, pretending he couldn’t hear the conversation.

  The office was big, with a modern fireplace and a furry rug that was large enough for ten people to sit on. Glass covered the walls behind Lee and a staircase to his right led to a second level with racks of books covering the upper walls. There was a glass exit door that led to the helipad, something else that his school didn’t have.