Part Two

Seven times. Max had successfully pranked him seven times. That little trickster.

It was easy to forget that Max was just as cunning and ruthless as the other members of BBA Revolutions. They just rarely saw that out of the beydish.

Kai allowed himself a small chuckle as he stared at the words written in the notebook. "Mistake, Max," he said, taking his phone out of his pocket. "Big mistake."

Had it been Tyson, he would have retaliated just when his victim was least expecting it. But Max? Kai had genuinely thought he didn't have it in him to prank anyone.

Serves him right for underestimating the little blond menace.

Kai scrolled through the contacts on his phone. Seven times over three years deserved a special retribution. He wouldn't hurt Max or humiliate him – he'd just have a little fun with him.

"Looks like we've got some tough competition this year," Emily remarked. "White Tiger X, Majestics, Blitzkrieg Boys, that all-girl team, the Libertas Battalion, the team formerly known as BEGA – oh, and your lot, Max."

"Don't forget the Saint Shields." Kane, Salima, Jim and Goki had turned up too; Max couldn't wait to catch up with them.

The hotel buffet was packed with guests. Max and the AllStarz were lucky to have found a corner table early on. Since Ray was catching up with Mariah and the others, Tyson was having a little quality time with Hiro and their grandfather, and Hilary had dragged Daichi and Kenny away, Max had been all too happy to accept his former team's invitation to join them for lunch.

His phone was ringing. "Hold on, it's Kai."

Michael scoffed as he reached out for his glass of Coke. "What does he want?"

"No idea." Max pressed the green button. "Hey, Kai."

"You forgot one."

Max frowned. "Sorry?"

"Never leave your plans lying around where anyone can see them."

Oh no.

OH. NO.

The notebook. He'd left the notebook on his bed after marking down the latest 'gremlin' incident. And Kai had found it.

"Max?" Steve was frowning at him. "You OK, pal?"

Kai was speaking again. "Since you've been having a little game with me, I'm going to have one with you. It's called hide and seek."

"Y-you're joking, right, Kai?"

He could hear the grin on the other end of the line. "Start running, Maxie."

Max gulped. He lowered the phone to the table and looked at the AllStarz. "I've got to get out of here."

Rick snorted. "Who'd you mess with?"

"Kai. I…might have pulled a prank on him a couple of times and now he's found out and he's coming to get me."

"Wait." Emily held up a hand and leaned forward, blue eyes gleaming eagerly. "You pranked Kai? More than once? And you got away with it?"

Rick threw back his head and laughed, the sound echoing around the dining-hall and making more than one person look at them. He clapped Max roughly on the shoulder. "Way to go, Max! Serves that blue-faced punk right."

"Don't suppose you could turn it down? There might be someone over in New Zealand who didn't hear you."

Emily's face lit up in a malicious grin at the sight of a familiar red-haired figure walking past their table, the other Blitzkrieg Boys beside him. "Tala. Perfect timing. How'd you and the boys like to get one over on a certain ex-teammate of yours?"

To be continued…