Chapter 2: The Meeting of Minds
Max opens his eyes, finding himself alone, the only light coming through the hole above him. He looks up, shouting to see if Monica is still there, but gets no answer, just the sound of a Rat squeaking loudly above his head.
He picks up his Wrench from nearby, and then thinks of a way to see in the low-lit area ahead. He grins as he fits a lightbulb to his cap which he turns on, then shouts into the dankness "Hope you ran far Ape!" picking up his gun & starting to walk forwards.
Meanwhile, Monica has fixed her ankle, & is making her way through the Sewers, hoping to find Max. She stops suddenly, hearing something echoing through the Sewers referring to an Ape. She smiles, looking around for a moment, then looks at her Help Receiver, biting her lip. "Should I call him?" she muses to herself "If I did, I wouldn't be so worried, but I might worry him."
Monica looks at the help receiver for another second, then puts it in her pack, smiling as she turns into a Giant Rat & walking inconspicuously by two more Giant Rats, who are arguing over cheese that humans have. "Maybe its Parmesan" she shouts when she gets a fair distance away, watching the two other Rats look at her, & then running away herself.
While Monica was messing with some Rats heads, Max was following the path underground, when he came to a dead end in the path. He looks around, knowing there is a way through, but not seeing it. He hits the wall with his hand, & a clomp of dirt lands on top of his head. "Yuck!" shouts Max, instinctively going into a defensive battle pose, then looking up & seeing it was dirt, which he flicked out of his hair. Suddenly, 50 sets of Red eyes open, looking back at him, & Max falls over, shocked at the eyes.
"Bats, it had to be Bats!" he says quietly, turning off the light on his hat & making his way backwards, stepping in something in the darkness.
"Guano" shudders Max, lifting his foot up, but slipping up on it with a scream, making the Bats all wake up, & start attacking Max.
"HELLLLLP!" he shouts, moving & fighting off the single bats that attack him with Wrench swings & gunshots. He takes out a few, then dives as a Giant Bat swoops down & attacks Max with a screech.
Max looks at the Giant Bat, & determinedly shouts at it "Bring it flying Suitcase!" as it swoops at him again.
While Max is having his Luggage handling problem (pun intended) Monica is making her way through the sewers, as her help Receiver rings.
Assuming its Max, Monica quickly grabs at it, but Condas Voice comes through instead.
"Monica?" asks the Firbit Leader inquisitively through the Help Receiver "Wheres Max, he said he would upgrade the Carpenterion for me yesterday."
"Max isn't with me" says Monica, sighing "He fell down a hole."
"Oh" says Conda "That's a problem."
While Monica & Conda are having their chat, Max is fighting the Giant Bat, & winning.
Max dodges a Shriek from the Bat, which he found out stops a person, & shoots as it flies past, hitting it several times. The Bat hangs from the roof & sends smaller bats to bother him while it heals, but Max shoots at the Giant Bat, keeping it from getting any health back. The Giant Bat Stares at Max as he takes out the last small bat, then swoops down, but Max backflips at the last second, sending the Bat into the ground, where Max climbs onto it. "Time for revenge Bag-Features" shouts Max, hitting the Giant Bat on the head with the Wrench, taking it down. Max Climbs off, & grins, just as the ground starts Shaking again, & a hole appears that has sunlight coming through it. Max looks up the hole, & slowly starts climbing out, & finds himself at the waterway exit, but about 50 feet below the train tracks. He sits down on the grass nearby, & waits for Monica to appear.
Meanwhile, Monica had finished talking to Conda, & was making her way to the final exit. She gets to the exit, & opens it, the evening sun catching her unawares, & she covers her eyes with a hand. "Monica, down here" comes a familiar Voice to Monica's ears "Max, where are you?" shouts Monica back, & suddenly a gunshot appears from below & to the right of her. She looks down & sees Max standing a fair distance below her, smiling. "I cant see a way up to you" he chuckles "You got a ladder?"
"No" she says back, "but I have a rope."
Monica pulls out the rope & sends it down to Max, who climbs up & brushes the last few clumps of dirt off himself. "Hey" he smiles at Monica "Miss me?"
"No" Monica lies, & then she looks at the Railroad "got any ideas?"
Max scratches his head, then smiles "Yeah, but I will need the Ridepod Control"
"OK" says Monica, giving Max the Control Box.
Max then smiles, & builds a set of feet for the Ridepod that run on the railroad.
He puts the Ridepod on the rails & climbs on. "You coming then?" he asks Monica
"Yes" she says, climbing up "lets go"
Max throws the Ridepod forward, & they set off for Sindain…