Chapter 10 - Max Tennyson
Fifteen-year-old Maxwell Tennyson was on his way back from school. Today was the most exciting day in Max's life. Not only was it the last day of school and first day of summer, but his dad was planning on taking Max camping. Just him and his father - something the young adolescent was looking forward to.
He was walking on a poorly-built concrete road heading for his house at the end of it. The house Max and his family lived in was average size for the time. It had two bedrooms, a living room, a dining room, a kitchen, and a bathroom. In general, Max's culinary life was to be described as normal.
However, Max Tennyson himself was definitely not labeled as normal by other peers. He was typically quiet and never said a word to anyone. The young boy's mind was very entertained by the sanctuary of silence. He knew that becoming too social can be derailing and causes a person's mind to offset itself from thinking correctly.
Max never wanted to be associated with the normal kids. As they all seemed to not care about anything other than impressing everyone else. Max really wanted to have a friend - or someone - who would truly care about him and who he could truly care about. Every friend he used to have only hung around him because they thought that sitting alone at the lunch table was awkward. Nobody really cared about anyone around a school. They all just wanted to be funny and joke around. Not Max. The adolescent's mind was matured to its adult stage - completely skipping the useless era of a teenager.
"Oh look, it's Mr. Serious." a boy on a bike said and stopped next to Max. The boy was about the same age as Max, but a little taller, and had a black crop of hair on the top of his round head.
Max Tennyson took a single glance at the bike rider and immediately realized who it was - Robert Tyson. Robert was a typical school bully, who just thought he was the coolest guy since ice was discovered. During school, this guy always bothered other kids - and sometimes would mess with Max. However, Max never allowed his words to get to him.
"So what, you just gonna stand there like ya' didn't hear me. Huh, Maxy?" Robert continued to pester him.
Without looking at the boy, Max stated firmly, "You should leave. Just keep riding your bike and stay away form me."
"Oh!" Robert exclaimed sarcastically, "I'm getting goosebumps. Listen here, kid, I'm gonna take whatever money you have on you. You're richer than most of us, so I know you have some."
He was right, of course. Most of the kids that lived around there were poor and were struggling. Max's family had average income and lived peacefully.
"I don't have any money on me. Now I'm going to tell you again - leave."
"I think you do!" Robert persisted and began to reach his arm towards Max's backpack.
Max turned and took Robert by the forearm - swinging him around and finally tripping him. There, he pinned both of the bike rider's arms behind his own back. Max reached for some string he kept in his backpack and tied Robert's hands together.
"Hey! Untie me you runt!"
"You should've listened." Max stated while continuing to walk down the road.
Arrogance filled Max like rain filling a bowl. He had waited a long time to prove to himself that studying fighting techniques was better than physically training. Proving himself right was one thing Max liked to do. Never in his life had he practiced or exercised. He simply allowed his body to naturally develop muscle. After realizing that he was indirectly making enemies at school for being the mysterious kid, Max started to read up on fighting styles and self-defense.
Soon, the young man reached his house. Walking up the stone driveway, he entered through the front door. From the doorway he stepped right into the living room. His mother noticed him walk in.
"How was your day, sweetie?" She asked while cleaning a silverware pot in the kitchen.
"Just like every day, mom. Nothing interesting happened and never will. Boring school day, the usual." He said without giving his mother a chance to respond. Retiring to his room, Max plopped on his bed - only to lay there and stare at the bare ceiling waiting for his father to come home.
Just once, I wish something cool could happen. Something different, and out of the ordinary.
The light-brown-haired boy could best be described as accepting. He wanted to think of himself as a philosopher. Max was never mean, and was usually nice whenever he could be. The most significant trait about him would probably be his open-mindset. Any opinion or thought that was presented to him would always be cared for. He respected what other people thought, but never took a side on anything.
He sighed. Just once...
Barely a year after finishing school, Maxwell Tennyson joined the United States Army. Because of his knowledge about mechanics and high admission scores, he was sent out as an Action Engineer.
Max typically went on special operations and would manage all the electronic equipment. Even though he was an engineer, Max still had noticeable war-hero skills. As he once held off a horde of enemies single-handedly until an evacuation team arrived. This won him several medals and he was honored for his efforts.
He still had all of his hallmark traits from his childhood. He never spoke unless he had to and usually kept to himself. However, one thing was definitely different about Max that nobody in the military would've suspected. He had a high interest in the extraterrestrial universe and its beings.
One day at base camp in the Caribbean, two men dressed in grey suits approached him while he was underneath a military vehicle doing repairs.
"Major Tennyson," one of the men addressed him, "we need to have a word with you."
Without saying so much as a single word, Max slid out from under the vehicle and stood in front of the two men. They wasted no time in explaining their presence.
"We're here because we understand you have a significant interest in the extraterrestrial world."
"Who wants to know?" Max questioned cautiously.
"Nobody wants to know, because we already do know. Usually, we would ignore this kind of take on alien life forms and dismiss the idea as child's play. However, we need your intelligence and battle skills."
"For what, exactly?" The heart placed in Max's body was now pumping blood faster than normal. He was excited to hear exactly where the conversation was going, but had to stay calm and remember that nothing has happened yet. It would be pointless to get hyped-up for no reason.
The two men in suits shot each other a quick glance, as if signaling for something.
"We'll brief you on the way there." The man on the left who hadn't said anything yet told him. They both turned and gestured for him to follow.
"Move!" Max shouted. Laser blasts buzzed passed his ear as he ran to pull down his partner, Phil.
Diving, Max took hold of Phil's shoulder and was able to successfully move them both out of the line of fire.
Two years after he had been intercepted by Sector 11, nicknamed "The Plumbers", Max was out in some of the most condemned places on Earth battling aliens. Fighting aliens...that's something I never thought I would be doing, he had once thought.
"Gah!" Phil cried out as he landed hard on a metal catwalk. "How are we supposed to kill that thing. Our weapons are no good. It has the superior firepower!"
"I know, I know! I'm thinking."
A few more laser blasts were aimed and fired at the two plumbers - nearly missing. During the chaos, Max's mind went to work on assessing the situation. The alien that was currently attacking them had technology that no one would've guessed existed. He had a controlled air-compressed jetpack, bombs that were so small they were invisible, a neutronic spaceship, and plenty of other little toys.
"Phil, we have to get close enough so we can use its own weapons against it."
"Okay, so you walk up to it and ask if we can borrow a bomb or two." Phil toyed.
Max couldn't help but let out a little laugh. Even in peril Phil was able to make jokes. Phil was Max's only real friend. They went on many expeditions with each other and were there to support one another. It was a friendship that Max only believed was real in fantasy.
Phil was younger than his battle partner and therefore looked up to Max in many situations. He was amazed at how much Max knew about aliens and technology - basically envying his intelligence.
"Well," Max started, finally responding to Phil's suicide plan, "we could do that. I'm not sure it would work though."
"Me neither." The younger plumber agreed, as if the plan he proposed was serious.
Before they could come up with an actual battle plan, another laser blast emitted from the alien's weapon. It didn't hit either of the plumbers, but it did strike a support beam that was holding up the catwalk.
Breaking in half, the metal walkway caused Max and Phil to slide down a makeshift ramp until they fell completely off.
The two landed on a cold metal ground. They no longer had the high ground and were evenly leveled with the deadly war-alien. Quickly becoming alert to their situation, Phil and Max rolled across the floor in opposite directions. They were now across from each other behind two large blue-steel cylinder columns.
Heavy footsteps could be heard coming towards them. The tech-super enemy was now walking towards them. Max shot Phil a look which told him to move around the column. In unison, they both began to circle around the large metal structures until they were directly behind the alien.
The two plumbers jumped to try and subdue their foe, but the outlander had tricked them. He turned and threw a heavy punch, which was aimed at Phil. Just before Phil's face felt the cold of steel on his face, he was able to pull something from the alien's utility belt.
Max grabbed hold of the neck of his enemy. He was latched on and being swung around.
"Phil!" he shouted, "shoot him!"
Max's head began to twirl as he was flung from side to side - but he wouldn't let go. A rushing headache now embodied itself into the plumber's head. Worse, the alien being had pulled out its laser pistol and was pressing it against Max's stomach.
"Phil!" Max yelled again.
"I can't! I might hit you!" Phil called back, panicking. Sweat beads ran down the young man's face. He didn't know what to do. There was no clear target, and if he shot at the alien he might hit his best friend, and mentor.
In a fraction of a second, the sound of a laser piercing through flesh could be heard throughout the room. Max's facial expression changed from anguish to surprise as the heat of a laser beam passed by him - hitting his hostage.
The full-metal alien now had a hole going right through its stomach. Without as much as a cry of agony, it fell to the unforgiving metal floor - lying there lifeless.
Max stood up and looked at Phil, who held the laser pistol in front of him. His arms were shaking and his eyes were wide open.
"I didn't miss..." he said softly, reassuring himself.
Max walked up to his battle partner. "No you didn't. Good shot." He then put a hand on the back of Phil's shoulder, as if telling him to calm down. "Now let's take a look inside that spaceship."
Phil nodded, and threw the gun on top of their lifeless enemy.
The two walked aboard an eerie spacecraft. Blue and red lights flickered on and off and beeping noises could be heard coming from down a hallway.
"What do you think we'll find here?" Phil questioned while walking next to Max.
"I'm not sure, hopefully not another one of...him."
They walked throughout the craft that had been hidden inside an old warehouse building. The plumbers had gotten a call to come check it out when a weird man could be seen bringing in odd supplies. Their suspicion had been right.
On their walk, Max spotted something odd out of the corner of his eye. He stopped abruptly to figure out what he saw. In a prison-like room, a weird purple-glowing being sat on a bench. It looked sad and heartbroken.
"Help me get this open." Max said to Phil.
"What!" He exclaimed in surprise. "Do you want that to come out and try to kill us too?"
Annoyed by his ignorance, Max said, "We don't know that. This one looks...different. Almost sad."
Phil was still unsure whether it wasn't a hostile alien, but he trusted Max with his life.
"Alright." He agreed.
The two used all of their might to pry open the metal doors - even blasting the hinges on a few occasions. It took them almost fifteen minutes, but the door finally sprung free.
The purple being turned in surprise. She didn't expect to see anyone for a while - especially not humans.
"Who are you?" She asked, backing against the nearest wall.
"Don't worry," Max started, holding out a hand in a gesture of peace, "we just want to help."
Verdona looked into the older-man's eyes and saw something she hadn't seen before in anyone's eyes. Pure sincerity.
"What is your name, and what species do you belong to?" Phil asked hesitantly.
"I am Verdona, and I am an Anodite." She said calmly, feeling trustful around the older plumber.
"I'm Max, and this is my partner, Phil."
That day, Maxwell Tennyson's life took a complete detour. They freed Verdona from her captivity and let her go. She had told the plumbers that she would go back to her home world. Verdona had been captured during flight training and she was taken captive in order to be used as an energy source. She explained how Anodites were energy beings and were typically peaceful. The night she left, Max felt more empty than usual. He didn't understand the feeling, as he didn't even know the female.
A week after that expedition, Max Tennyson received an unexpected visit. Verdona appeared from the night sky during the time Max was out camping on his own, though he didn't know it was her.
Verdona hadn't been able to leave the planet for her own selfish reasons. The night that she was rescued from the spaceship in the warehouse, a fire was ignited inside of her body. It was wild and out of control, nothing was able to tame it - except the thought of a single person. She didn't even know the man very well, who had indirectly saved her and yet something about him kept her tethered to Earth.
"Are you lost? I can take you back to the nearby town." Max had offered the woman who had emerged from the trees.
"No, I'm quite sure this is exactly where I meant to come." The woman spoke. "Max? You don't know who I am?"
"I'm sorry, but I've never seen you before." Confusion was in his voice as she walked up to him.
Suddenly, the woman who had been standing before him transformed into a familiar purple being.
"Verdona!" Max exclaimed, overjoyed to see her.
"I see you haven't forgotten my name." She said with a laugh that was just as heart filled as his own and then transformed back into her human self.
"No I haven't," he smiled, "is your human form reflected on your real age?"
Verdona let her own smile fade. "Well...yes...but I'm only a few years older than adulthood on my planet. Most of my people don't care or listen to what I have to say. They think of me as...insignificant."
Her auburn hair moved freely as a gust of wind blew through the single-man's campsite.
"Why exactly are you here? Did something happen while you were trying to leave?"
Again, she looked at him with a dim expression.
"Something did happen...but I'm not sure if I completely understand it."
"What do you mean?"
Verdona bit her lower lip, unsure of how to explain her feelings.
"Well, you see, my people believe that we can...sense things about a person...and I...sensed something about...y-you."
Max's face didn't change. He was interested in hearing what she had to say - no matter what her people believe.
"What did you...sense in me?"
The young girl moved closer to Max, looking directly up into his eyes.
"I sensed...something that I never thought could belong to anyone. You seemed more free-spirited, like my people, than most humans. But what really...caught me as interesting...was your ability to care about other people . Like what you did for me back on Yulin's spaceship - even though you didn't know me or if I was hostile."
Max let her words sink in, and kept a mental note to remember the alien him and Phil fought as Yulin. He finally came up with an answer to close her words.
"Sometimes you just have to take a chance."
Verdona looked deep into his eyes, and pleaded with them to not see into her own mind.
"Take a chance..." she whispered softly and moved closer to him.
Their lips met like two warriors clashing for battle. Passion, something Max had never experienced before, ran through his nerves and trickled to every inch of his body. A girl he only met once before, had completed the puzzle of his own life. Every part of him wanted to stay around her forever, and make sure that she lived happily. He wanted to fight any fear that would come her way, if he couldn't fight it then he would face it with her. The feelings were sudden and mixed - but he felt true to them.
After years of floating through disputed imaginative territory, Max Tennyson was now able to stand on his own two feet somewhere in the world. Letting someone inside of his mind was something that he never thought he would ever do. He had heard numerous stories and fairy tales about true love and the inexplicable feelings it brought, and he always thought something like love never existed.
The once adamant and quiet man became an open doorway for people to see. Verdona was his out of the ordinary event that he had been waiting to happen. Maxwell Tennyson now understood what it felt like to love someone.
This chapter is to help everyone understand Max's childhood and the way he thinks. This is a 'historic' chapter and doesn't pertain directly to the original story.