Disclaimer: Max Steel doesn't belong to me. It belongs to a ton of companies, such as Foundation Imaging, KidsWB!, and Netter design. I am not affiliated personally with anyof these groups. The cast of charcaters you recognize from the show are obviously the show's, but Kelsea and Molly McGrath are mine, as is Enrique Martinez. Please ask before using them. Anyway, on with the story!
A FITTING FAREWELL
BY:
Maxy Steel
Grinning as he wiped sweat from his eyes, Max Steel tossed one last look over his shoulder at the mob of weapon wielding henchmen, well, women, then dove off the building. Now in a free-fall straight to earth, the confident smirk was still on his face. He punched a button on his wrist band, and Hawk appeared from it's place on the other side of the building, and glided underneath him. Just as his boots touched the wing, the super agent felt a stab of pain in his right shoulder. They were shooting at him!
"That'll put you in medical for a day or two, hermano," a voice noted, seemingly from inside Max's head. He grinned to himself, and slipped inside the jet, shielded from further attacks. It swooped away the instant he was safely inside.
"It's not that bad, bro. You're over-reacting. And hey, it's worth it to keep whatever this stuff is from being used in a terrorist attack," he retorted, poking at the bag resting against his hip. Berto couldn't argue with that logic, and his best friend knew it.
"Still, you're going to get a severe talking to from your wife when you get back here, Max," he returned with an air of confidence. A crackle of static announced the arrival of another speaker.
"Long before then," Rachel interjected. Berto chuckled while Max covered up a groan.
"Hi, honey. I'm almost home," he greeted in an almost annoying, but loving voice. Despite the lecture she'd had prepared for him, the oldest agent had to laugh.
"Very funny, Max. How about getting home right now? Unless you want anyone else who's listening to this line to hear this lecture," she threatened after a moment. Max swallowed a laugh, and pushed the jet to go faster.
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" he yelped, grinning, then shut off the transmission. From the roof of the building the young man had just fled, a lone figure stood, watching him fly away. An odd smile crossed her lips, the only part of her face not hidden by shadow.
Max was not surprised to find Rachel laying in wait for him when he arrived back at N-Tek, or for her to dig right into the lecture before he'd left the pilot seat. In fact, she was standing on the wing-tip the second the small jet had settled itself into it's place in the massive hanger.
"Honestly, Max. Even in a free fall, you're supposed to watch your back, not let yourself get shot by a few poorly trained women with lasers. What do you have to say for yourself?" she scolded, hands on her hips. Max shrugged innocently, smiling at her as he unbuckled his seat belt.
"Uh...I love you?" he offered. She rolled her eyes, but still returned the smile.
"Nice try," she told him, pecking him on the cheek. Her life partner hopped out of his seat, and they jumped down together, heading for the daycare center.
"If they got me, they must have a little expert training," Max started as they passed through the door. Rachel poked him in the ribs with her elbow, effectively ending the conversation. They were off the clock, no more talking shop. Stepping into the considerably crowded day care center, both parents looked around for their youngsters.
"Mommy!" a small voice yelped, just before Rachel was tackled by the couple's four-year-old female missile. Right on her heels were their seven-year-old, Molly, and Berto's son, Enrique, who was the same age as Kelsea. In his hands, the small boy held a concoction that looked to be created from several dozen toys around the N-Tek day care, and perhaps including something he'd stolen from his father's workshop. Max hefted his eldest daughter into the air.
"He-ey, little lady! Have fun while Mom and Dad were saving the world?" he asked cheerfully. The little girl smiled proudly.
"I won a prize in school for reading," she announced brightly.
"All right! Hey, we can go out to dinner to celebrate," Max replied, chuckling, as he shepherded his family towards the door. And nearly ran into Kat and Berto.
"How's your shoulder, hermano?" the younger man asked first. Grinning, Max shifted his daughter to his other shoulder, and rubbed the wounded one.
"Just fine. Barely hurts anymore," he assured. Kat knelt to collect Enrique. From his mother's arms, the little one smiled at Max.
"Buenos noches, tio Max," he said in reasonably clear Spanish. The brunette agent chuckled, reaching out to ruffle the boy's hair. With a small yelp, Enrique covered his head.
"See you later, Ric," Max told him, grinning. The others added in their own good-byes and farewells, and the two families parted ways.
The McGrath family had just gotten past the jutting cliff road, and were arguing about where to go for dinner, when Kelsea piped up, "Daddy, what do you an' Mommy do all day?"
"Was wondering when one of 'em would ask that," Max chuckled to himself. Rachel turned slightly in her seat to look back at her daughters.
"Mom and Dad stop the bad guys," she explained as side-steppedly as possible while still remaining in the realms of truth. Anti-terrorism wasn't something you explained to a four-year-old.
"Ooo...like in cartoons?" Molly questioned with interest.
"Except we're cooler," Max called from the front. Rachel smiled at the impressed looks on the girls' faces, then glanced past them down the road, and gasped.
"Max," she said, turning back around and touching his shoulder. He flicked his eyes off the road for half a second to regard her with a questioning look.
"Something amiss, Mrs. Steel?" he asked in a jokingly bad British accent. His smile dropped into an expression of seriousness when he didn't see her laughing.
"Road rage at 6:00," she replied. He glanced in the rearview mirror. Glaring headlights filled the small reflective surface, just before the N-Tek vehicle was side-swiped by a car of equal size. The girls screamed as their father fought madly for control against the steering. In seconds, he'd righted it, and looked around worriedly for the attacker. They were already barreling back at him, from the opposite direction.
"Kels? You said something about wanting to know what Mom and Dad did?" Max called to the backseat, gripping the steering wheel harder.
"Uh-huh," the little one replied, looking interested. The driver spun the wheel, narrowly avoiding the enemy vehicle. He and Molly were jammed against their respective doors, Kelsea was jerked roughly in her car seat, and Rachel banged her head on Max's shoulder.
"How about an on-site demonstration?" the male agent finished. Despite the rocking they had just taken, both children cheered excitedly.
"Just remember it's more than just you in the car, love," Rachel cautioned him. Without taking his eyes off the attacking car, Max grinned.
"I stopped thinking that way the day I proposed to you, Rach," he told her, twirling the wheel, expertly avoiding the on-coming motorist. The car spun out, narrowly missed a tree, turned sharply, it's wheels screaming, and roared back at them.
"What did we do to them?" Molly asked, interested, peering back at the car. Max slammed his brakes, throwing the car to the side, and sighed, watching the attacking vehicle zoom by. It would be back.
"You didn't do anything, honey. Just hang on tight, and don't fall out," he called, revving the engine, glancing around warily for the enemy. Beside him, Rachel looked about with the same caution. The children, thinking it was some sort of game, imitated their parents, slanting their eyes in all directions.
"Think they gave up?" the eldest blonde asked finally, a few moments later. Max's grip on the steering mechanism loosened, a little.
"Mol, how about we get drive-thru?" he said, looking over his shoulder. The child thought for a moment, then nodded her approval. With both parents were still looking around cautiously, and the girls giggling at the excitement, Max pulled back out onto the road. All over the place in a 200-meter stretch, were black tire tread marks, weaving in all crazy directions.
The next morning, as per usual, Josh and Rachel were woken by their daughters, half an hour before their alarm was supposed to go off. The blonde father groaned as his youngest child landed on his stomach, then pulled a pillow over his face.
"Daddy! It's morning!" Kelsea insisted, tugging at the pillow. Josh pointed at the window.
"It's morning when there's light coming from that direction," he complained from under the pillow. He felt cold plastic against his cheek, then a flash of bright light. He raised the pillow, to see Molly holding a flashlight against his cheek, and smiling sweetly. Rachel had already given up, gotten out of bed, and was in the bathroom. Obviously, it had been natural for the youngsters to turn to their father.
"Josh, can you get the girls ready?" Rachel called form the bathroom. Chuckling, the father brushed his daughters off, and got up. Yawning, he shepherded his daughters into the kitchen. They clambered into their chairs, just as the phone started to ring. Raising an eyebrow, Josh trotted over to the shrilly jingling device, and picked it up.
"Hello?" he asked, trying to cover another yawn. There was silence for a second on the other end. He was about to chalk it out to a wrong number and hang up, when a voice came through.
"You made a very mad mistake yesterday, young man," a female voice growled in his ear. Instantly alert, the blonde straightened, motioning for his daughters to ignore him.
"What are you talking about?" he asked, feigning innocence. The woman laughed softly, chilling him. There was a soft hiss under her voice, like a serpent slithering across the ground behind her, or perhaps a special effect to scare her opponents.
"You know perfectly well, zubutoi. I'll be sure to repay you for your interference," she said, in clear, slightly Japanese accented speech. The phone clicked dead a moment later. Unnerved, Josh stared at the receiver for a long moment, then slowly placed it in the cradle. Almost robotically, he went through the motions of getting the girls their breakfasts, then shooing them out to their rooms to dress. The second they'd left, he turned and poured himself a cup of coffee, settling at the table. Who was that woman? he asked himself silently, staring at the cup and it's dark liquid contents. Another person slipped up behind him, and the male agent started at a pair of slender arms wrapping around his neck.
"Good morning," Rachel greeted in his ear, kissing him. He looked up at her with serious brown eyes, and stood up.
"Rach, can I talk to you for a minute?" he asked, taking her hand. She looked at him worriedly, but followed him out into the living room. She let go of his hand, and put one of hers on her hip.
"Now, wanna tell me what this is about?" she asked pointedly. In a low voice, Josh explained the entire phone conversation. His wife was several shades paler when he finished.
"Don't look at me like that, Rach. I'm not worried. I just didn't want to scare the girls," he said in as calm a voice as he could manage. It was a lie. He was scared, though it was for those close to him, rather than himself. The slim blonde female before him raised an eyebrow.
"I am worried. You're reporting this the minute we get to N-Tek," she told him firmly. Josh shook his head in defeat, smiling slightly.
"I will, Rach. Promise," he told her calmly. She sighed, and embraced him. He hugged her in return, resting his chin on the top of her head. A moment later, the girls came clattering back into the living room, breaking the couple up.
The day passed in it's normal fashion. Big explosions, narrow escapes from death for Max, and a heap of paperwork for Rachel. What with the tension of the morning's phone call, and having to explain it when they arrived at base, both were more than happy to head home.
"Saturday couldn't have come at a better time," Josh sighed as they drove home, a relaxed smile on his face. Rachel nodded, glancing in the back. Molly had an open book in her lap, and Kelsea was asleep in her car seat. The mother smiled before turning back to face the road.
"I agree. Those scares have got me on edge," she replied to her husband's comment. Josh nodded slightly, keeping his eyes on the road.
"I still think it's really nothing. I mean, I've spent ten years at this job, never really got any sort of threats like this," he started after a moment. Rachel sighed, rolling her eyes.
"It's not about what you think, Josh. It's about what company policy is in dealing with such matters," she told him in her "office voice." He smirked at her, and shut up. There wasn't really a point. He'd just felt the need to hear her say that.
Kelsea was still asleep when they got home. Her father gently scooped her up, holding her close as he carried her inside. Stepping through the door, he almost dropped her. The kitchen, which could easily be seen from the front door, was trashed. Pots strewn, spice bottles broken, and most disturbingly, red had been splashed all over everything.
"Josh? Is something...." Rachel started to ask, trailing off as her eyes landed on the sight. Molly looked in awed wonder at the mess, then glanced up at her father. He was already handing Kelsea off to her mother, and whipping out his bio-link.
"Steel to base. Steel to base," he said calmly. Molly lost interest, and started to head for her room. Rachel's hand shot out, grabbing her daughter's hand and pulling her back sharply.
"Stay here," the blonde ordered swiftly. Molly nodded agreeably, and watched her father talk animatedly to his wrist.
"Rachel, take the girls. Go back to N-Tek," Josh announced finally. His wife scoffed at him irritably, jabbing her fist lightly into his rib cage.
"I'm the senior agent here, Steel. I call the shots," she retorted, handing Kelsea off to Molly. Josh didn't bother trying to argue. He followed Rachel to the hallway, but there, he pulled in front, ignoring her almost whispered threats. It took less than five minutes to scout through all the rooms, and find nothing amiss. They came back out to the living room.
"Rach, go back to N-Tek with the girls," Josh said quietly. His wife shot him a raised eyebrow.
"What about you?" she demanded coolly. The male blonde shook his head.
"It's me they want. I don't want to put you and the girls in danger," he said firmly. A small smile spread across Rachel's face, and she collected the still sleeping Kelsea.
"I'll take your word on this," the older blonde agreed. Josh kissed and hugged all three of them before they were out the door. He sighed, by-passing the kitchen, and hurrying to the room he shared with Rachel.
Molly looked up at N-Tek in confusion as her mother pulled into a parking space. She hesitated when Rachel gestured for her to follow.
"Mommy, what are we doing back here?" she asked curiously, hopping out of the car obediently. Kelsea was collected by her mother, and Rachel took Molly's hand to lead inside the massive building. The adult female sighed.
"There's something going on, Molly. You may have to stay here for a few days," she explained. The little girl, her hair the same dark color of her grandparents from her father's side, merely shrugged indifferently. Rachel looked down at her still sleeping youngest daughter. Kelsea's hair was blond, like her mother and father. She was a sound sleeper once out, and probably wouldn't wake until the next morning. Molly followed her mother without complaint, even if this was something new. They wove through the various levels of the building, until they reached a particular door. Molly brightened, recognizing the area. Without preamble, Rachel pushed open the door, and entered the office. Jefferson Smith was sitting as his desk, but stood immediately.
"Gampa dad!" Molly cried, rushing up to him and throwing her arms around the African American man. Chuckling, Jeff turned to face his daughter-in-law. His expression quickly turned grave.
"Rachel, I know it's supposed to e the other way around...but keep an eye on him," he said, professionalism void in his tone. The blonde agent handed off her sleeping child, then smiled slightly.
"I will. Take care of the girls, Jeff," she told him. Smith nodded, and then Rachel was out the door, heading back for the surface. This had her more worried than she was willing to let on. Someone wanted the family scared and on edge, but was that it?
Josh had barely been asleep for five minutes, when he was startled awake by the mattress shifting as another person joined him. He froze for a moment, until a hand landed on his shoulder. He stiffened even more.
"Relax, love. It's just me," a soft voice told him, dropping his guard. He turned, and fixed Rachel with a stern glare.
"I thought I told you to stay with the girls," he said in reply, cracking a smile all the same. His wife shrugged indifferently.
"They're at N-Tek, with your father. Nothing will happen to them. I'm not about to leave my partner, or my husband, for that matter, alone to deal with whatever is coming," she told him primly. Josh chuckled softly, relaxing a little.
"Thank you," he said, settling down on his side of the mattress. Rachel smiled, leaned forward, and planted a lingering kiss on his mouth. He grinned when she pulled away, and she squirmed a little, getting comfortable. Both fell asleep a few minutes later.
Rachel was jolted from her sound sleep, in the middle of the night, by a loud thud. She slipped from the bed, and stepped out into the hall.
"Josh!" she gasped, seeing her husband, out cold, sprawled on the floor in the living room. She stated to run forward, when a thick hand wrapped around her waist, throwing her back against something hard. She struck with the back of her skull and was momentarily thrown out of her senses. She couldn't see or think straight for several moments. It was enough time for her attacker to pick her up, and carry her outside. She felt the night cooled grass against her side, and lay still trying to clear her mind. A loud explosion rocked her mind back into her head, and she looked up to see the house in flames. Without hesitation, she got to her feet, and made to bolt inside the inferno, certain her husband was still inside. A hand caught her arm, and a fist connected with her left temple. Her mind reeled, but she didn't black out. However, another blow to the opposite side put her down for the count. Rachel collapsed in a heap less than five yards from the house and her unconscious husband burned. She knew nothing but darkness for a long time.
The morning after the explosion and fire, Jeff sat at the side of Rachel's bed at the hospital, while the two children played in the waiting area. The blonde agent had a mild concussion, and would be released the same day. Josh, they were certain, was dead and gone. The house had been reduced to ashes, so everyone assumed he had been cremated, so to speak.
"Sad news in the sports world today, as extreme athlete Josh McGrath died last night in a home blaze that took the McGrath family's home..." a solemn looking male reporter explained into the microphone for any foolish individual who hadn't heard about the accident.
"They may be saying Josh, but those terrorists were targeting Max," Rachel growled under her breath, one hand clenching into a fist. Jeff added a sigh.
"...McGrath leaves behind a wife and two young daughters," a female reporter finished up the story. The blonde wife spoken of in the broadcast sighed to herself, wiping away a tear. Jeff was barely holding down his emotions in check.
"This isn't fair," Rachel said suddenly, not even thinking as the angry words left her lips. The African American nodded in understanding, however.
"I know, Rachel. I know. But we've still got the girls to think of. I'd suggest staying at N-tek for a few weeks," he said in response. The blonde agent sighed, nodded.
"I know. It's just hard," she said quietly after a moment. Jefferson stood suddenly, not being rude, and turned to the door.
"Get some rest, Rachel. I'll make the arrangements," he offered from the door, turning back around to face his daughter-in-law. A small smile of gratitude crossed Rachel's face. A moment later, her door shut. The N-Tek agent sighed, leaning back against the pillows. She closed her eyes, and slowly let herself slip into sleep. It seems so ironic that he would be gone the same way of his father. In a way, it' s a fitting farewell, she thought, a little sadly. As her eyelids slowly closed, and her mind slipped away into the world of dreams, she prayed her lost husband would appear to her, for the rest of her life.
Well, there you have it. The prologue for My Father's Daughter. The newest series to rock the block, turn the town, uh...I can't think of anything more. Major special thanks to Ellen, Jen, Aisy, Niki, Ting-Tang, and Shadira for helping me pick apart the hard parts of the whole series, and keeping me on focus. Thanks, you guys! *HUGS* Catch ya later! Luv ya all!
-Maxy Steel
