CHAPTER 9 Max's Not So Intuitive Intuitions
The Chief's eyes opened to blinding light and he shut them again. His mind was chaotic with images of explosions and darting shadows he could not interpret. Lifting his hand slowly, he touched the thick bandage that wrapped his bald head.
A cool hand touched his forehead and a voice, velvety and soothing swirled in his ears, focusing his thoughts, pushing away confusion and dissipating the pounding in his head.
"Chief. You're in the hospital. You're going to be ok."
The Chief finally opened his eyes to the private room he had in the hospital and realized the white walls were brighter than the lights. He turned to his right slowly to see 99 in her green trench coat sitting in a chair next to his bed, one hand on his bandaged head, another holding his right hand.
"Ninety-Nine!" the Chief exclaimed weakly. "What happened to the transmission? Max?"
"The shortwave is crippled." 99 nodded, her large eyes reflecting the light from the ceiling in a soothing tone. "Max is supervising the clean-up. He should be along soon. Chief, the doctor's say you have a concussion from the grenade blast and a fractured clavicle. But you'll be ok in a week or two."
"What about you Ninety-Nine?" the Chief asked his expression never more fatherly as he noted the bandage on the left side of her neck.
"I'm fine." 99 nodded "Just some cuts. And I'm afraid that cracked rib has upgraded itself to broken so if you don't mind Chief, once we're done with the reports, I'm going to need a bit of a rest."
"You take ALL the time the doctors say and more if you need it!" the Chief nodded his bandaged head gingerly.
The door opened and Max stepped in, limping slightly with a flat rectangular, ribbon secured box in one hand. A long gash surrounded by purplish bruising stood out at the side of his head a few inches above his right temple, held together by 5 butterfly sutures while more bruises decorated his chin and cheek.
"Glad to see you up Chief!" Max announced.
"Max!" the Chief greeted surprised at how seeing 86 enabled him instinctively pull on his reserves of strength for whatever purpose. "What's the situation?"
"Right!" Max began. "Professor Carleton and his team have disassembled the entire shortwave array and they'll be bringing it all back to CONTROL's lab for a thorough analysis."
"Good." The Chief breathed with relief. "Hopefully he can figure out a way for us to better jam their shortwave in the future."
"He already had a good start." 99 added. "We didn't know it at the time but while we were trying to stop the KAOS agents in the house, the Professor at Max's car, managed to modify a KX-A1 to disrupt the signal sufficiently at close range, shortly after the KAOS agents started their transmission. So even though they transmitted practically all the schematics of Project Phalanx, all KAOS International got was eighty-five percent gibberish. Professor Carleton is the real hero today."
"Yes Chief." Max confirmed as the Chief's face lights up despite his paleness. "The parts that got through weren't vital components at all. Useless to KAOS."
"That's good! Good." The Chief nodded weakly but his expression turned grave again as he asked. "What about the men who were with me? Are they alright?"
Max grimaced shaking his head.
"I'm afraid Chief, 34 and you are the only ones that survived. 34's got a worse concussion than you and multiple fractures. He's gonna be laid up for at least three months but the doctors are sure he'll make a full recovery."
The Chief breathed out looking up at the ceiling for a moment to gather his strength before continuing.
"Let's hope we can learn enough from the shortwave equipment we got hold of to stop them for good. That way, it wouldn't have been for nothing! What about the KAOS agents?"
"The leader von Graf got away but we've got three of them in custody," Max reported "including Maritta Kleinheisterkamp or as I like to call her—TIGER Maritta!—" 86 walks over to 99 grimacing as he flexes and rubs his neck. "—That's the LAST time I ever let one of these sweet ol things get the drop on me!" Of course, he immediately frowns and tilts his head wondering if the blow to his head had affected the structure of that last thought.
"Sweet OL thing?" the Chief frowned. "So there WAS an old woman pointing a machine gun at me!"
"I'm afraid so Chief." 99 nodded.
"I thought that grenade had completely scrambled my brains!" the Chief exclaimed but calming himself down he continued. "Alright, alright. Despite the terrible casualties, at least, we've stopped KAOS's radio station.—" He looks at them both with his fatherly expression again. "—Now, I want you two to get your reports done and take a few days off. Ninety-Nine, lots more days for you!"
"Before we do that Chief." Max said slightly sheepish. "I have something to tell you."
"Being hit by a grenade just doesn't' get you the breaks it used it." The Chief said closing his eyes and squeezing the bridge of his nose. "Okay Max, what is it?"
"Well you see Chief," Max began. "It's like this. During the surveillance on Krycek, I didn't plan adequately for back up personnel as you told me to. And when some of the agents were called away on emergencies, I didn't want you balling me out so I got 99 to cover for me for over three shifts straight, including mine cause I didn't' wanna call off my date. Sorry bout' that Chief."
The Chief found enough strength to shake his head disapprovingly despite the clanging that the action caused making the inside of his cranium sound like the Notre-Dame de Paris when its bells were tolling.
"Well Max," the Chief said. "I was just hit by a grenade and you did help find and stop the KAOS' radio base so we'll forgo the yelling—" he raised his hand gesturing to 99. "—but you owe 99 an apology!"
99 smiled demurring, shaking her head and raised a hand but 86 was already turning to face her.
"The Chief is absolutely right Ninety-Nine! So here goes." Max declared formally and standing straight. "Ninety-Nine, due to my over sight, the surveillance was a near disaster and it was your sacrifice that held it together. You bailed me out of a tough spot. And I DID promise you that I would come early to take over from you but I didn't keep that promise. It was inconsiderate, unprofessional and selfish of me. And for that Ninety-Nine, I'm sorry."
99 smiled nodding, the pain of her bandaged wounds and broken rib already fading as she took in his words and the sincerity in his voice and expression.
"Thank you Max. I accept your apology."
"I'm not done yet." Max declared and handed the box to 99. "As a token of my gratitude, I bought you something."
99's eyes lit up so bright they could have passed for stars in a night sky, brighter than the big dipper.
"Oh Max! For me?!" she gushed taking the box with trembling hands.
"That's right!" Max nodded "It's a dress!"
99 gasped, the pain in her ribs forgotten at this gesture of affection and intimacy.
"That's very nice of you Max." the Chief agreed.
"Oh Max!" 99 breathed lifting the cover and carefully pulling aside the wax paper inner wrapping. "I don't know what to say! This is so wonder…"
She stopped as her eyes fell on the garment inside and her soft eyebrows as delicate as melting snow flakes frowned as she looked at the neatly folded—brown dress with attached, buttoned down scarf on the left shoulder.
"Max?" 99 inquired
"Do you like it?"
"Well…" 99 struggled to find the words as her pain was suddenly back. "…Max. It…It's exactly the same dress I have on…today. Now."
"That's right!" Max declared smiling brightly at his genius. "I mean the one you got is all cut up and all that blood. The last thing you should have to do is sew it up or have to wash it after all you've done. You deserve a brand NEW one! I went to FIFTY different stores just da locate an identical one just for you! Would ja' believe it? FIFTY stores!"
As the Chief closed his eyes and shook his head, 99 took in a long deep breath before looking up from the box and saying.
"Yes Max. I believe you."
Max arched his eyebrows as his jaw went slack asking.
"Eeeeh…you do?"
And pulling up whatever reserves of energy she had left, she put on a smile, surprising herself that she actually meant it.
"Yes Max. I do. Thank you very much. I do like this dress."
"Alright, you two." The Chief shooed at them weakly with his hand. "Reports, then home and rest! Go!"
"Right Chief." Max nodded as 99 stood slowly holding her side.
"I should be ok in a week or two Chief." 99 laughed gently as she added. "The doctor recommended two full weeks of complete bed rest but I'd go crazy! He says I can be back at work in one week if I don't intend to rock climb, dance ballet, water ski or ride horses!"
"Well you can rest assured Ninety-Nine!" Max declared confidently pulling open his suit jacket to hook his thumbs into his vest pockets. "With the highly attuned intuition and keen eagle senses of Maxwell Smart at our disposal, I can GUARANTEE—that no situation or scenario will EVERARISE in the next few weeks that will require rock climbing, dancing or horseback riding!—Water skiing however…" Max lifts up a hand palm down and flips it side to side.
99 and the Chief looks at Max for a moment before she turns to the Chief who nods in full agreement as she declares.
"I'll take the two weeks bed rest."
THE END
Written by
Resurgent-class
My thanks to everyone who managed to read through the entire story! Hope you've all enjoyed it and if so, I hope I have a chance to write more. Do review so I can improve if given the chance! And now…
Some Trivia (For those interested and still awake at this point!)
The T-37 Wrist Communicator and Max's shoe heel smoke pellet were both first featured in Season 1, episode 2, Diplomat's Daughter.
Agent 58 refers to the Agent 58 in Season 2, episode 7, The Decoy (the first one with 4 children lol)
Agent 51 is the same Agent 51 killed by a knife in the back while dressed as a gorilla in Season 2, episode 10, The Greatest Spy on Earth. Hence his line in this fanfic, of possibly dying with a knife in his back dressed as a gorilla foreshadows his sad demise. (Spoiler alert: Does not bode well for his relationship with Agent 45.)
Agent 71 refers to the mentioned Agent 71 laid off in Season 4, episode 9, The Day They Raided the Knights.
Agent 45, the African-American female agent assisting Max along with the abovementioned CONTROL agents – Spoiler alert in case I never get the chance to write anymore. There is no Agent 45 in the Get Smart series, far as I can tell. But 45 is not my creation. She is actually, Agent 49, from Season 4, episode 7, A Tail of Two Tails, the agent undercover as a beautician/hairdresser who was helping 99 with her hair and later hands her the comb phone. However, there were 2 agent 49s featured in the Get Smart series and to maintain continuity with the series for the fanfic, I cannot at this stage refer to her as 49 yet. If I am able to write more fanfics, a simple explanation will show how she transitions from 45 to 49. (Fans of Get Smart would have guessed already.)
The lawyer in Benny's Delicatessen threatens to use his influence to have the Chief reduced to an office janitor, foreshadowing Season 3, episode 5, Maxwell Smart, Private Eye in which due to budget cuts, the Chief was indeed forced to work as a night janitor cleaning offices.
The Chief mentions one of KAOS' smuggling operations involving Bowers Department Store which was the plot of Season 1, episode 4, Our Man in Toyland.
In the lab scene, Professor Carleton warns Max not to stamp his foot down again as it would trigger the smoke pellet in the heel compartment which was what Max did in Diplomat's Daughter.
The unseen Verena is described as a 5ft 4" blonde with blue eyes. As late as Season 3, episode 16, The Little Black Book (Part 1) this is still Max's preferred parameters for a date less 2 inches in height.
Maritta states she recognized Max from the secret agent fan magazine Popular Espionage where he was featured as Spy of The Year. The magazine is featured in Season 2, episode 19, The Mummy where Max is recognized in the same way by KAOS agent Lisa Smith while Max's first Spy of the Year Award was mentioned in Season 2, episode 14, The Whole Tooth And…
The KAOS leader Oberführer von Graf makes references to the British spy who infiltrated the Japanese High Command and ordered the attack on Pearl Harbour. This is featured in Season 2, episode 8, Hoo Done It.
In the last scene, Max swears never to be taken in by a sneak attack from a harmless looking older person, foreshadowing him doing exactly that later in Season 1, episode 21, Dear Diary where retired security agent Agnes Davenport knocks him out with a karate chop as well.
Max nicknames Maritta, 'Tiger Maritta'. In Season 1, episode 21, Dear Diary, he also calls Agnes Davenport, 'Tiger' due to her ferocity in knocking him out with one blow.
Max believes that in the future, there will be no situation arising that will require them to climb mountains, ride horses, dance or water ski. This foreshadows the next episode that occurs in the series, Washington 4, Indians 3 where both he and 99 does ride horses to get to the Native American reservation. And about 4 episodes later in Our Man in Leotards, 99 goes undercover as a ballet dancer at the Pinerovian Embassy.
99's hair, brown dress with the attached scarf and lavender blue trench coat (hopefully I described them accurately) refers to her hairstyle and wardrobe as seen in KAOS in CONTROL which occurs 2 episodes later in the series. This outfit was chosen as I personally found it very attractive on 99 and also because the loose flare skirt of the dress provides uninhibited mobility for the fight scenes in the fanfic. I added gloves and boots instead of the pointed tip shoes seen in KAOS in CONTROL for added practicality.