Berto sighed irritably.
Things just hadn't been the same since Rachel had been hurt. It may seem like all Rachel's constant nagging was unnecessary, but without it everyone and everything related to "Team Steel" seemed to fall apart.
At the present moment Max was missing, half of his required mission reports were quote "missing," Max's training had gone undone for the last several days, and he was presently stuck trying to control his job and Max. Which he now knew was impossible.
It struck him as funny that Rachel was the only one who could even dream of partly controlling him. They were such opposites. But maybe that's why they were so attract to each other. Just like magnets.
Of course he knew both Rachel and Max would deny their feelings for each other with their lives…. When the two of them had shared that kiss, he had actually been happy. He really did think the two of them would have made a good couple. In his opinion they were good for each other.
Rachel was the serious one that kept Max in line, made sure he worked to be the best he could be at everything hid did, and basically the one who kept him from getting himself killed. Max however was the fun one.
He got her to loosen up a bit, gave her something to care about, and basically kept her from working herself to death. Something she seemed determined to do. It was a favorite topic among all the other agents…why she was so distant, what she was hiding from.
He however didn't have to wonder, because he knew. At least he knew part of the reason.
Awhile back Rachel had been hurt on a solo mission. It was pretty bad so the doctors had given her a very strong medicine. Somewhere between the medicine and the fever she had become delirious.
She kept talking about her childhood. Her father had apparently left when she was little. Her mother couldn't handle it was always depressed or working. Her school's counselor had tried to talk to her, but her mother told her that Leeds didn't discuss their problems with people, that Leeds never let people see them cry.
So she had kept it in. Her live seemed to be a mixture between pain and joy, she had said. Every good thing followed by a bad thing, or vise-versa. She did have some good memories though. She mentioned a boy she had grown up with several times.
He couldn't remember the name. It had start with a g or a j or something. But every time she came to a memory of him her face would light up. Actually a lot of the things this boy did reminded him of stuff Max would do.
This led him to believe that part of the reason Rachel was so good at handling Max was because she had experience with a guy like him already.
He had never told anyone one what Rachel had told him that day. She didn't even seem to remember telling him. Must have been more delirious then he thought.
Either that or she was just pretending….
Berto was snapped out of his thoughts by Max busting into the room. "Max where have you been…." Berto trailed of when he saw Max's face.
He gulped.
"What's wrong Hermano," the genius asked.
Max looked at him angrily.
"Why on earth did ya'll let her out of the med bay," Max asked furiously, "You should have known she'd would rest. That she'd just do what she wanted to do. What if she gets herself hurt?!" Berto looked at Max confused.
"What are you talking about Hermano," asked the confused boy. Then it hit him. He sighed.
"Please tell me Rachel didn't pull a Max Steel move and leave her house," Berto pleaded.
Max looked a bit insulted but shook his head. Berto sighed again.
"Aw man," Berto muttered, "She shouldn't be out under her condition. Between the medicine and the concussion … She should be resting." Max rolled his eyes impatiently. "Duh Berto. I think we all know that. That's why I need to get a trace on her signal, like yesterday!"
"That's why I need a trace on her signal like yesterday," Berto mocked under his breath.
He turned to his computer and began tapping away at the keys.
"Ok," said Berto, "Where is Carmen Sandiego?" The computer beeped. A small circle appeared on the screen. It flickered over and over. Berto smiled slightly.
"There's our woman," he said triumphantly, "She is at a restaurant at Parks View Ave. and… Middleton street?!" A confused look crossed Berto's Columbian face.
"What's wrong," asked Max, with concern.
Berto shook his head slightly to clear it.
"Hermano, that's the location of a 'Scorpion' base! Max you have to get there now. Rachel's in danger!"
Anybody else ever have trouble coming up with titles for every single chapter! Lol. I tried for twenty to come up with a name for that organization and the best I could come was Scorpion. Oh well. Read and Review!