Chapter 2
Max dragged his bike deeper into the junk yard and propped it against some old oil drums, he walked a little further until he found what he was looking. Now its reasonable to assume that almost every kid dreams at least once in there life time about having a Tree House but in Maxes mind what he had found was not only an equivalent but much, much better. Perched high in the skyline of the Junk yard; resting gracefully on top of a mountain of mashed cars and metal scrap heaps was a 1968 Mercury Cyclone.
You could tell just by looking at it that it used to be a racing car, with its candy apple red roof and its white body that now had patches of rust scattered on it like chicken pox. And if the role bar and safety harness weren't enough then the number 98 written in glitter red paint across the hood would most likely tell you that this car had definitively seen some track in its day. Now the door to the left side of the car was missing and the right side door was pressed against a wall steel blocks which kept the car immovable, but other then that it was great, max had already added his own touches by turning the bench seat around and pushing it so that the back of the seat was pressed against the steering wheel. He had also found a role of old carpet and laid it down on the rest of the floor and once he added the battery operated boom box and a change of clothes, to max this was home.
He sat down on the bench and pulled out his little red ice chest that he kept hidden under the seat it was always well stocked with Dr. pepper and candy bars, it wasn't always for munching either sometimes it was to bribe the one guard that very rarely, but sometimes, patrolled the Yard. He grabbed a small hand held video camera from his backpack (and made a mental note not to be kicking it anymore). Max kept detailed video documentation of anything he found interesting here in the yard and sometimes if it was really good he would email it to Charlie an Bailey. This last thought brought a surge of guilt to his chest. It had been over 2 weeks sense they had talked.
"Charlie" He sighed
Following the high after there battle with Zeus, Charlie seemed to be getting used to the idea of Max being around, in fact he seemed to really enjoy it. However Charlie loved being the center of attention as well and as it is with all celebrity's the perks were to good to pass up, especially when everyone wants to buy you a drank. This led to a few situations that didn't look good for anybody, especially an 11 year old kid.
It didn't take any time at all for Aunt Debra to show up waving her parental rights in Charlie's face, which were clearly and annoyingly stamped on a piece of paper signed by the state of Texas. Max was certain that Charlie wasn't going to be scared of a piece of paper and he sure wasn't going to let it bully him into doing something he didn't want to do. Unfortunately for max this was not how the situation played out at all.
" A middle age grease monkey who scrap fights his way through life, spends most of his time in a an old truck, owes everybody and there mother money, and lives off the charity of his ex-girlfriend." Aunt Debra had shouted, hands on her hips. " Is this really what you want for you son!"
There was a long stretched silence, and then.
" Okay. Fine. Whatever!" Charlie shouted back. "ill pack up his stuff and you can leave in the morning...Are you happy now?"
This was the only part of the conversation that Max had heard, but it was enough to devastate him. While they were at the airport saying good bye Max struck a deal with Charlie.
" Atom doesn't fight unless i'm there!" he said. "he's my robot and I have a right to be there."
Charlie was baffled but seeing as his son wasn't taking no for an answer, agreed. After that there wasn't much to say but as Max was boarding the plane he turned to Charlie and said.
"im sorry things didn't work out. See you around Charlie."
Max was sure he had imagined it but for a split second it looked like a small flicker of pain reached Charlie's face. Max shook his head, he was sure that Charlie wouldn't even notice that he had stopped calling him "dad."
