I don't remember a lot of Chapter 8, so think of it as artistic license.
Chapter 2: Maximillian - Zelmite Mines
It had not been a good day for Max.
He had been woken up early in the morning by a messenger, bearing a request for him to meet Mayor Need at once. Naturally, he had dressed and sprinted to the town hall, visions of impending monster sieges or various natural disasters lending an extra impetus to his footsteps. In what was to set the tone for the day ahead, he had then been left cooling his heels outside the mayor's office for half an hour without so much as an outdated magazine to pass the time. It had turned out the mayor needed more Zelmite to keep Blackstone One running, and naturally enough, needed someone to find more. And what more perfect choice than Palm Brinks' resident deputy mechanic?
"You understand, Max, don't you?" pleaded Mayor Need. The past few months had not been kind to him - he seemed much older to Max, and his hair was thinning rapidly. The job of provincial backwater town mayor had suited him perfectly, but after the 'Griffon Incident' (also known as the 'Time Wars', or the 'Day of Destruction', or many other farfectched names. No one had settled on a proper name for what had happened six months ago), Palm Brinks had become one of the few remaining settlements on the entire continent, and his responsibilities were commensurately greater. "We need to keep that train running. Without it, our trade with the outside world would be cut off. The entire world could collapse back into a state of technological barbarism if not for what we're exporting. And as for us, well, if food stops flowing in..."
"You couldn't very well send Cedric out on this job, now could you?" Max sighed. "He's too old and cranky. Besides, I'm the only one with experience fighting monsters in this town. It's just that... the old Zelmite mines, you said? It's a maze down there, and I've heard the stories why the original miners abandoned it. Too many monsters. Big, scary ones with lots of teeth."
Mayor Need looked only slightly relieved at Max's understanding.
"Actually, Max, there is someone else willing to go down into the mines with you," he said.
"Oh?" Max's curiosity was piqued.
"As a matter of fact, she was quite insistent that she be allowed to go. And I assure you she is quite proficient with..."
"NO WAY! Are you talking about Claire, Mayor? Your daughter?"
"Indeed I am, Max. As you know, her gunnery skills have much improved..."
"You can't be serious." Max said disbelievingly. "Those are the old Zelmite mines we're talking about, Mayor Need. They are dangerous. And you want your daughter to go into that hellhole? What kind of parent are you?"
Mayor Need sagged in his chair and massaged his temples. Tiredly, he said, "As much as it is a disservice to my daughter to send her into the mines, it would be a much greater disservice to you if I were to send you alone into the mines without any backup of any kind. And this town needs that ore - without it, Palm Brinks will not survive a month. I do not know how many of the citizenry can survive the trek through the mountains to more hospitable climes, but I doubt many will. I do not have any choice in the matter, Maximillian."
Max thought for a while. It was true that going alone into the mines was a great deal more dangerous than going with a partner - he could remember a few times when he had to be carried back to camp by Monica, way back when they were trying to save the world. But still... Claire?
He stood up, and said, "I appreciate the offer of help, Mayor Need, but it will not be neccessary. In fact, she may even be a hindrance to me in the Zelmite mines." Was it his imagination, or was there a flicker of relief in the mayor's eyes? "There's not much point in having her along. I shall begin immediately." He turned to leave and was frozen by the sight of Claire standing in the doorway. How long had she been there? He had never seen her dressed like this before, in jeans and a T-shirt.
"A hindrance, eh?" she spat at him. Certainly he had never had her angry at him like this before. Her eyes were like frozen fire lancing deep into him. "Well, I hope you die in those mines! Then I'll never have to see you again, you... you..." She sputtered to a halt, and then turned and fled.
Max stood rooted to the spot, at a loss for words. She had never blown up at him before. Why over this? Didn't she know it was dangerous down there?
Mayor Need coughed and broke his reverie. "Don't worry about it, Max. She does that to me sometimes, too. I would stay out of her way for the next few days, if I were you."
Max nodded, and started for the door.
"Oh, and one more thing, Max. Thank you. For everything."
Outside the mayor's office, Max paused for a while, and briefly considered disregarding the Mayor's advice and apologizing to Claire. Still, her father would know best, wouldn't he? He'd have plenty of time to apologize after he got the ore from the old Zelmite mine.