Chapter VIII: Mystery of Max

AN:


Hey there, Fan-fic-folks!

So, um, yeah. This should've been up, like, 5 or 6 hours ago (It's like, 4 am here.) but I got distracted playing The Turing Test. It's a puzzle game that's kinda like Portal meets Event[0]. It's really, really goddamn good, highly recommend it to alla y'all. It's on steam, btw. Oh, and The Blackwell Job will be up tomorrow. I'm just waaay too tired rn to answer reviews, so yeah. Tomorrow.

Secondly, sorry to say, but there's gonna be a very likely update gap next week as I have uni shit to do. Should be updating the week after though (the 24th), so stay tuned. Sorry again.

Also, just as a final note, I know the bit with David is a tad out there, and all I'm gonna say on that is that I finally decided which side I came down on adding superpowers in this. Take a wild guess which side. I've even worked out a proper origin story, too. Kinda sucks though, 'cause I've now got a full idea of the Island flashbacks and shit, but pretty much no clue where I'm going with the present-day plot.

Thanks for reading and, as always, please review.

Time Dragon:

Pfft, never gonna happen. I might take some time out when I need to, but I am so gonna finish this shit. Half for fun and half my semi-OCD kicking in. Either way, I'm here to stay. (Rhyme was unintentional, but a happy coincidence nonetheless.)

And pfft, not quite daily. Maybe weekly. Worked for Smallville, right? Literally just traded 'Victims of the Week' randomly between the guys friends for ten seasons. Well, I think. I never made it past season 4-5ish. Gods, Superboy there was whinier than freaking 2nd Movie Katniss, jeez.

President Snaz:

Thaaaaaaaaaaanks!

tylerbamafan34:

That is what I'm going for, yeah. Trying for a 'trauma of the island made Max's actual identity hide away' type gimmick. Workin' for ya?

Aaron Leach:

Thanks dude. Glad you're still liking it.

MaxNeverMaxine:

Good to know. I'll keep it up. And yep, that's exactly what I'm trying to do. Y'know, the whole 'trauma of the island made her real identity take a backseat to the kickass warrior she had to be to survive' type deal. What do you think?

Really? Most people would go with 'obsessive' more than amazing, but c'est la vie, glad you like her.

And it certainly fucking does, jeez. Like, why can't uni just go away and let me write in peace? *cries*

lycan13:

They certainly do. What's a supervillain badguy without some helpful goons?

I also have no idea what a Wolfshark is, but it sounds amazing. That's so going on the Island somewhere.

Momijifan Low-Ki:

She sure can. And dunno, she might be. I haven't actually seen the series, or the comics, so all I know about him is that he's blind and fights some big muscled guy in New York somewhere. Also, there was a comic (MGDMT/thepunchlineismachismo) that had a strip featuring him so I know his outfit is red and has horns but that's literally all. Tbh, about the only thing I'm using from Green Arrow is the bow and the years on an Island idea. Kinda starting to take bits and bobs from everywhere else too. Marvel TV is waaaaay more interesting than the Marvel Movies. This is probably gonna be contentious, but Avengers was so fucking dull.

Also, out of some mild curiosity, is your name from somewhere? I've literally misspelled it twice every single chapter review and I figured it was about time to ask.


"...So, go find your partners for this assignment. Remember, twos only please. Let me know your pair and you can leave." My head flicks up. Wait, what was that?

Rachel snorts, pushing off the wall she was leaning on to sit against the desk. "You do drift so easily, don't you Maxie?"

My eyes drop to the floor and I blush as Rachel laughs lightly. "You are so adorable. It's a competition, Maxie. We've got to 'collaborate on a photo to show the theme of bonds'" She singsongs, rolling her eyes. Jefferson had clearly been emphatic on that point.

"You will work with me, Maxie? Won't you?" She leans in, her elbows on the desk, her head balanced on her hands, batting her eyelashes. She's so... coquettish. "I think we'd work so well together, don't you?"

I give a nervous little laugh as her full attention is focused on me. I nod, mutely, not trusting myself to look at her. I know I'll just end up blushing.

Her grin expands. "Awesome. I'm sure we're going to win." She leans in and kisses my cheek, then saunters over to Jefferson, utterly carelessly.

I flush.

Again.

Damnit.

I hurriedly pack away my things and head over to the door. Rachel ambles over to me and throws her arm over my shoulder. She smiles down at me. "So, Maxie. Do you have any ideas?"

I shrug. "Not really. I'm a bit out of practice."

She smirks. "Fair enough. Shall we get together later to plan?"

I nod hesitantly. Being alone with Rachel was still... awkward. I was still really fucking curious about what she was going to say yesterday in the shack. She flashed me a dazzling smile and I kind of... What was I thinking about? "Fantastic." She clicks her fingers. "Oh, and before I forget, are you still coming to the party this weekend?"

I nod again, even more hesitantly. Truth is, I was incredibly nervous about it. They were dark and loud and cramped and I was terrified I'd lose control. But I had to try. Readjusting, right?

She smiles. "Awesome. So, me and Chloe usually turn up fashionably late, so we'll pick you..."

My phone vibrates in my pocket. Shit, I need to go. I pretend to quickly check my watch and cut her off mid-sentence. "I'm sorry, Rachel. I've got to go. We'll talk later, 'kay?" I don't wait for a response and just head off, ignoring her confused "What the..?"


I head back to the dorms, being careful to keep my head down and stick to the shadows. I don't want to attract any attention. That's when I spot Kate.

She's just outside the dorm gates, being harassed by... David? What the hell?

I walk over, my footsteps barely a whisper, and stand behind David. I tap him on the shoulder. He whirls, glaring at me. "What?" He relaxes. "Oh, it's you. What do you want?"

I point over his shoulder. "Go."

What? The direct approach always works.

He stares at me, jaw dropped. "What the hell?"

I stare him down. "Go."

He blinks at me in shock. I focus hard on him, staring straight into his eyes. He tries to match me, but quickly blinks. "I... uh... what?" He shakes his head and mutters "You'll regret this, kid." while backing away from me.

I smile and watch as he leaves. See? Told you it'd work.

I turn to Kate. "Uh, Kate? Are you..." That's as far as I get, before she wraps her arms around me and jams her face into my neck. It takes literally every bit of control in me not to flip her.

She sob-talks into my neck something I don't understand. I stand, my arms flailing for a second as I try work out what the hell to do while pushing a screaming Hunter back into it's cage.

"Um. There, there..?"

She pulls back and smiles, rubbing at her eyes. "Helping me is getting to be a habit of yours, Max. Thank you."

I shrug. "Don't mention it. What did that asshole want, anyway?"

Her shoulders slump. "He's a total paranoid ass." I tilt my head. She looks down at her feet. "He, uh... thinks I'm doing drugs with the Vortex Club."

I almost laugh. He thinks the devout Christian who runs abstinence groups does drugs? Wow. "Why the hell would he think that?"

She sighs. "Because he saw that stupid video."

I raise an eyebrow. "What video?"

She stops, turns and looks straight at me. "You mean... you haven't seen it?"

"Kate, I just got back two days ago." I offer an awkward smile. "I've not even seen The Walking Dead yet. So, what happened in the video? Something bad, right?"

She laughs, coughing as it turns into a sob. "Yeah, Max. Something bad. I went to some Vortex Party and ended up making out with a bunch of people. I don't even remember it! And now my family have seen it and my church have seen it" She starts talking faster and faster. "and they all hate me and I don't know what to do and I..."

I interrupt. "Kate. What happened? Do you remember anything at all?"

She shakes her head. "Barely anything. I... I remember getting sick and dizzy, but I barely drank anything. And then I talked to somebody, um, Nathan Prescott?" Prescott... "He said he'd take me to hospital. So, I got in his car and then I don't know..."

She takes a deep, shuddery breath in. "I remember waking up somewhere. It was a bright room, with a voice talking to me."

"Did you recognise it?"

She shakes her head. "No. It was all soft and far away. I couldn't really make out what it was saying. I thought it was a hospital, but then I heard Nathan too and felt a sharp pain in my neck and... and..."

"And?"

"That's all I remember! I don't know what happened! I woke up outside my dorm room the next day!"

I put my hand on her shoulder. "I'll look into it."

Her face flicks to me. The hopeful disbelief in her eyes makes me slightly nauseated. What the hell has this girl been going through? "You... you will?"

I nod. She smiles, bright and radiant. "Oh thank you, Max! Thank you!"

She throws her arms around me again. I freeze for a second, then put my arm out and tap her shoulder gently a few times. "There there. It's going to be okay."

I look up. We're at her Dorm door. I push her away, still trying to be gentle. "Kate, I need to go now. Will you be okay?"

She nods, still smiling. "Yes, Max. I think I will. We'll figure this out, right?"

I nod. "Right. Bye Kate."

She smiles, then turns and goes into her dorm. I head back to mine to grab my things, then head back outside. I take off at a run, speeding away from Blackwell towards the mines.


"Hey Rach!" I sped up, speedwalking over to where Rach was just stood, staring off towards the Blackwell dorms. She blanked me, like she didn't hear anything I said. Fuck it. I prodded her hella hard in the shoulder.

Heh. She yelped and fucking jumped.

I laughed. "Shit, Rach, what the hell? I've never gotten the jump on you like that before?" I pause. "Did I get bit by a radioactive ninja and get hella awesome ninja skills?"

Rach snorts and turns to look at me. "You wish, Chlo. I'm just... distracted."

I roll my eyes. "Oh, is Jefferson around?"

She laughs and shakes her head. "Fuck off, Price. What's up?"

I shrug. "Fuck all. You busy? Was gonna head to American Rust, wondered if you wanted to tag along?"

She tilts her head. Probably checking the mental list of places she had to be. Sucked that my best friend was the fucking 'town daughter' and was hella constantly in demand, but whatever. I'm used to that shit.

We turn and start to head off to my truck when two guys wander over, ignoring me and going straight for Rach.

Shit.

Rach grins and leans back, hands in her pockets. "Hey dudes. 'sup?"

I roll my eyes. Fucking seriously, Rach? I watch as she shoots the breeze with Justin and Trevor and glare at all fucking three of them. Don't get me wrong, those guys are awesome normally, but around Rachel, they're just more members of her fucking fanclub.

But, after a few minutes of glaring and head-nodding whenever Rach looked over, they got the message and left.

Rach grinned and shrugged sheepishly at me. "What?"

I shake my head. "Come on, let's go before more of your adoring fans show up."

Rach smirks. "They do adore me, don't they?"

Goddamnit Rach.


I pull up at the edge of the junkyard and hop out. Rachel saunters after me and we head over to the shack.

I flop down on the sofa and prop my feet up on the table. Well, planks on cinder blocks, but it's pretty much a table. Hella urban-chic or whatever. I pull out a joint and light up. Rachel sits on the floor, back against the sofa.

I offer her the joint. She smirks and takes a hella huge drag. "So, Max is..." She stops and takes another drag. "Quiet." She frowns. "And really, really good at climbing out of windows."

I rolled my eyes, knowing exactly what she was getting at. Powers of best friendship, right? "Well fucking duh, Rachel. She spent the last five years on a fucking desert island. No way she's gonna be all sunshine and rainbows and shit after a week."

Rachel nodded thoughtfully. I knew that look. She was... pondering. "You make a good point, Price. But still. Somethings up with her, Chloe. She's hiding something. Don't you wonder where she goes when she disappears all the time?"

I sighed. Seriously, Rach? I thought you were supposed to be the one that was all empathetic and shit? Why am I getting this and you aren't? "Probably somewhere to hide from all the shit that's happening. You being so hella fucking nosy probably isn't helping either, dumbass."

She sticks out her tongue. "But she's so... mysterious. Which is my thing!" She practically jumps up and down in her seat with excitement. Shit, I've never seen Rach this fucking animated. It's hella weird. "So, I've just gotta find out what it is she's hiding!"

I roll my eyes again. "Seriously, Rach. Just leave it the fuck alone, ok? She doesn't need you poking your nose into her shit."

She breaths out hella deeply. "Fuck it. Fine. Friendly, charming and beautiful, non-invasive Rachel it is." She sticks out her tongue. "Spoilsport."

I snort and take the joint from her. "Damn fucking right, sparky." I take a drag.

Like, twenty minutes of random bullshit talk and a few joints later, I ask. "So, is she still coming to the party?"

Rachel frowns. "No fucking clue. I was asking, but she just..." She paused. "Poof. Disappeared."

I grin. "Poof?"

She nods. "Yeah! She just checked her watch and like, 'had to be somewhere'." She slumps a bit, leaning her head back on the couch. "Who does that?"

I snort. "Uh, you?"

She frowns up at me from the floor. "What? No I don't."

I shrug. "Dude. Yeah, you do. You're always disappearing and shit."

She snorts. "Yeah, but that's to keep up my feminine mystique. Max just sort of... goes."

She wafts her hand at me and I hand over the joint. She takes a drag.

Nobody talks.

"So... how 'bout them knicks, huh?"

I sigh. "Fucking hell, Rach..."


I vaulted the fence and trotted along the dirt-track. I headed past another two wooden fences, both barely holding together. There was a sign above my head. 'Arcadia Bay Mine'.

The outside of the mine was utterly empty, except for the occasional patch of weeds protruding through the gravel. I stopped and surveyed the area, checking for eyes nearby. Nobody was watching.

Good.

I walked straight through into the dark cave mouth.