Chapter 30

Max was surrounded by a crowd of people, trying to make his way to the far side of the immense room. He was dressed in his typical attire, the loud shirt, the satchel, the khakis, and the cap - but he wore an undershirt beneath his island garment to conceal the deep burns that had occurred as a result of an ancient laser blast.

Three months had been enough to heal the wounds, but Max was not quite ready to share his scars with the rest of the world...

...not yet.

He had not seen his friend in person since they parted company at Elmendorf Air Force Base hospital, but they had continued their contact with each other. Soon after returning to his family, Max was contacted by the fat, effeminate man who had scolded Lara so about him writing a book about his recent adventure, something to serve as a companion piece to Lara's own travelogue. Max hastily agreed, but requested another associate to edit his work.

This advance had more than repaid the History Central funds, and it appeared that there would be little chance of them taking legal action against Max - for he had very little for them to take. His recovery was spent writing his side of the travels that he and Lara had taken together, but their opening day (what the hell did you call it when a book is released) was not until next week...

...what was he doing here?

The crowds that surrounded, pushed and bumped Max were all excited the Electronic Entertainment Exposition 1998 - each wanting to see the new game titles first. Lara had sent Max a round-trip ticket and instructions to him to meet her here at the current time (without his camera) - but where was she...

Passing the colossal Sony area, Max was very near to another display that was surrounded by what looked to be a half completed stone wall interspersed with steel trusses. Sitting atop an inline on this wall was a plastic representation of his friend - he had found the right place. He made his way through the crowd (much more dense here) towards the display when the normal lighting was dimmed and strobe lights began to spring to life all about it. A deafening voice could be heard over the roar of the crowds.

"You've traveled with her in search of the Scion and the dagger, now join Lara Croft in her most dangerous encounter ever. Ladies and gentlemen...the TOMB RAIDER!!!"

Techno music began to blare and the lights illuminated a runway with a Harley parked at the end - and out she came. Max fought a smile when he saw Lara's outfit - the shiny, glittering leotard, the patent leather holsters, the obviously fake pistols she brandished.

Oh, he was never going to let her live this down...all that was needed to make the perfect cheese-ball moment would have been to replace the techno beat with "I'm too sexy".

She walked the runway as a good little model, then sat upon the Chopper - Max recalled her owning several Nortons - as what seemed like millions of camera flashed blazed through the exhibition hall. The crowd pushed forward, taking Max with them and pinning him to the edge of the stage.

With his new position, he saw Lara much closer, noting the extremely fake smile she wore as she gazed about the legions of adoring fans. Her face suddenly changed as their eyes met and a truthful smile spread from ear to ear. This was not one of the many grins that she had shot at Max after insulting him or his possessions - she was very, very happy to see her friend.

A hand was extended down to him, and a moment later Max had joined her upon the stage, and the noise from the crowd subsided considerably. Max momentarily thought that he has simply not as popular as his friend, then noticed that she had extended her hand, beckoning the crowd to be silent.

"Hello everyone, it's so good to see so many of you here!" her voice echoed through the area via a small boom microphone she wore.

"You're all probably wondering who this very lucky chap it, aren't you? This is Max Reynolds, the only person who has even been able to keep up with me - and lived to tell the tale!"

Laughter rolled thought the assembled conventioneers.

"You've played my games and read my books, now you can read at from someone else's point of view - both of our new books will be available next Wednesday, get them both!"

Max suddenly realized that maybe, maybe it just might be better for him to hang up his trigger-happy video persona and reap the benefits of being the sidekick to a mega-babe adventurer as felt his financial troubles fading away...

...and then he understood.

It was over half an hour later before the two could actually speak with each other one-on-one. She spoke to the crowd, answered a few questions and then began to fight with the corporate representatives present. They were angry at Lara for promoting her new book, something that they had expressly forbidden her to do.

Lara emerged from her make-shift dressing room wearing jeans, the shirt Max had given her months before and a baseball cap - the better to go incognito with. Max read the logo emblazoned on the cap.

"Hey, where did you get that?"

It was a promotional item for another new release - Colin McRae Rally.

"I got it from him - turns out that we were schoolmates after all..."

Max withdrew his own headgear, revealing a serious case of hat-head.

"Trade ya'..."

"Not likely. Why don't we head over there and get you your own."

"They have a display here?"

"Yes."

"Is he here?"

"Yes."

"Lead on..."

Max followed her through the dispersing crowds, the day's events over and both patrons and publishers retired to any one of a number of pubs.

"Thank you," Max began, "you didn't have to do this."

"No bother, their box is just over here."

"Lara, Mamma didn't raise a fool. Idiot? Maybe. Fool? No. You didn't have to get up there in that ridiculous outfit..."

"They have been trying to get me up there for years. Now, they'll never ask again - probably get some model into the kit next time..."

"Lara," he paused until she looked to him, his eyes getting very glossy until he responded in a quiet voice, "thank you."

He embraced her, but kept her on the ground this time. Lara broke away from him, emotions also near the surface.

"Come now, we've got to get your cap..."

They soon reached the CodeMasters booth and Lara broke from Max to speak with one of the attendants for a few moments. Max looked about the booth anxiously, hoping to catch a glimpse of his hero. After he determined that the world champion rallyist was not nearby, he returned to Lara and the attendant - who was speaking into a radio.

"I'm afraid that they are all out of the caps here, but they have more in the lorry behind."

"It's not that big of a deal..."

"No, you'll have your cap - we've been through far worse than this and I am not about to give up..."

"All right, lead the way..."

The two negotiated the bowels of the building before emerging from one of the service entrances. Parked before this door was a discheveled-looking Impreza Coupe. Scratched marred the body and what may have once been sponsorship decals had been hastily removed...

"That's the World Rally Car..." Max said with all the breath he could muster...

"Yes. Come on, we've to get your hat," Lara replied as she tried to pull him from the area.

"What is it doing here?"

"Ya dunna 'spect me to drive anything else, du ya?" asked a Scottish voice from behind them.

Max whirled around - it was him.

"Colin McRae..." Max said as he extended his hand.

"Lara, ye tuld me his name was Max," the man replied with a toothy grin.

"Sorry...sorry, this is just kinda a big moment for me here..."

"I understand."

Lara had taken a few steps back to admire her work. Max, on the other hand, was struggling to make small-talk with his hero.

"So, you actually drove that here?"

"Yeah, we gave it tree rallies - and that's it. This's the one Nicky and had ta' poot back togedder in Argentina..."

"Really! I had to do the same thing..." the Scotsman's smile told Max that he had already heard the story.

"Take 'er 'round the park, if ye want..."

"No...I couldn't"

"Go on."

Max almost ran to the car as Colin turned to Lara, "best to go with 'im, keep 'im on the left..."

Lara nodded with a smile and joined Max at wriggling through the roll cage into the racing seats.

"Dammit, keys..." Max stated and started to get out of the car.

"Here they are Max," Lara said, extending her hand.

Max grabbed the key, noticing that there was a colorful fob handing from the item. He took an interest in it because such things were so dangerous to have in a competition environment.

It was a small plastic slug, made to look like a license plate. Strange thing was, it was the plate native to the American state of Ohio - Max's home...

...and the plate read "MAX".

"No..."

"Yes, Max - it's all yours..."

"Lara...I...you...there is no...I wanna...nice to me...but it..."

"Start the bloody engine..."

Max managed to regain himself for a moment.

"Lara, this is just too much..."

"This is your auto, the papers are all in order. If you want to just leave it here, I'm sure the bobbies will tow it away in short order. Or, you can take this home and run your rallies - which would you prefer?"

"All right, but I'm gonna need a co-driver, you up for it?"

"We'll see..."

Max gave a wave to his hero and the two rocketed off into the London twilight.