Sorry for the wait, but here's the next chapter of "Nicktoons: The Final Countdown". Last time, Max has some issues and a big secret- possibly more than one.

Enjoy…

Chapter 11: Confide the Truth

The next morning, things were chaotic at Fenton Works. Everyone was running around in panic as they searched for something- or someone- that was missing.

In the living room, Jimmy got on his knees and bent over as he looked under the couch. "Not under here!" he called out. He sat up and looked over at Timmy, "Did you find him?"

Timmy came out from the kitchen and said, "Nope, not in there."

Dani came out from the kitchen also and added, "He's not out in the yard either."

Upstairs, the twins were searching the bathroom as Tammy pulled back the shower curtains to look in the bathtub. "I don't see him in here."

Behind her, Tommy was glancing into the toilet as he said, "He's definitely not in here."

Back downstairs, Jimmy was wandering around to continue searching until Darry Phantom suddenly sprung up from underneath him.

"I checked the roof, walls, and underneath the carpet." Darry explained to Jimmy. "But I haven't found him."

"Thanks, Dar," Jimmy said in a defeated tone. "He's gotta be around here somewhere."

"He couldn't have just disappeared." Timmy pointed out to them as he walked over with his fairies behind him. "Not unless he just decided to run off and go hide from DarkEvil by himself."

"I'm not really sure that's truly the case, Timmy." Jimmy replied. "I mean remember what he left behind?"

On cue, SpongeBorg went over to them, fiddling with his claws as if he were nervous. Jimmy took this moment to point out, "Max cares about SpongeBorg more than anything, and never seems to go anywhere far away without him. If I were Max's age and I wanted to run away from home, I wouldn't even think of leaving without my pal, Goddard, by my side."

Darry thought about this and said, "Do you think maybe SpongeBorg knows where he is? Maybe he left and only told SpongeBorg about it."

At this, the three turned to SpongeBorg, which made the robot nervous. "SpongeBorg," Jimmy tenderly asked the robot, "Do you have any idea where Max is?"

SpongeBorg beeped and whirred, presumably answering their question, but none of them seem to have any idea what he was saying and all got dumbfounded look.

Timmy turned to his fairies and asked, "Can you guys tell what that means?"

"Sorry, Sport, no clue." Wanda answered.

"We don't speak robot." Cosmo added.

But Poof flew down in front of SpongeBorg as the robot beeped in wonder. Poof replied with a surprised look. "SpongeBorg scared?" he asked.

Just then, SpongeTron walks up from the basement and mentions, "Sorry, guys, but Max isn't anywhere down in the lab. The Specter Speeder is still down there, so he can't have gone into the Ghost Zone."

SpongeBorg beeped again and SpongeTron stared at him, "You didn't find him either, huh? And I don't think he'd fit inside one of those test tubes."

"SpongeTron," Jimmy began saying, "You can understand SpongeBorg, right?"

"Well, of course I can." SpongeTron answered with a giggle. "Robot is my native tongue."

"Does SpongeBorg know where Max is?" Darry quickly asked.

SpongeTron already answered, "Well, I did ask that right after Jimmy told us Max had disappeared this morning. But he said he didn't know."

"Are you sure?" Timmy asked suspiciously. "Is there something he's not telling us?"

SpongeBorg franticly beeped and waved his claws as SpongeTron explained, "He says he really doesn't know. Max never told him where he was going and if he would come back. He's just as worried as all of us are."

Jimmy sighed in disappointment. "Well, I guess that rules out that possibility." Then he slumped over and turned around, "No choice now but to keep looking."

Meanwhile, Sam was walking outside down the sidewalk as she made her way back to Fenton Works. "I wonder if Jimmy and the others found out where to find DarkEvil and how to save Danny." She asked herself.

As she passed by the park, she stopped and noticed something strange about someone who was there.

Sitting on a wooden bench in the middle of the park, Max was sitting down by himself as he sulked. But Sam noticed him looking depressed about something.

Max then glanced at the ground and noticed a small rock lying in the middle of the pathway. But all of a sudden, the rock suddenly flipped over on its other side to which Max suddenly gasped and covered his mouth in horror, and then lowered his head in sadness.

Back at Fenton Works, Jimmy went upstairs and walked down the hallway with a saddened look. He then sighed and leaned back against the wall. Dani came out from her room and noticed him there.

"Jimmy," Dani asked as she walked over to him. "Is everything okay?"

"Of course not," Jimmy immediately answered in grief. "I think I'm starting to slip up from my old position as a leader. We lost the manual to SpongeCog, we haven't even found where DarkEvil is holding Danny and SpongeBob, and now I lost my own future son."

"Jimmy, it isn't your fault."

"It might as well be." Jimmy responded as he slid down against the wall, onto the floor. "If Max ends up in the hands of DarkEvil LaserPants, it will be my fault. With him carrying around such crucial information, he's an open target like he said."

Dani just grabbed Jimmy's hands and pulled him back up to his feet. "He won't be captured. You remember he said he won't tell ANYONE that code. Besides, he's like you: He's strong and he never ever gives up."

Jimmy began to smile. "You really think so?"

"You bet I do." Then she got close to him. "After all, you both are geniuses."

As the two smiled at each other, they hear the door open from downstairs, followed by Tammy shouting, "MAX!"

The two gasp in surprise and happiness as Jimmy holds Dani's hand and they rush down the stairs.

At the front door, Sam smiled as she greeted everyone, and next to her was Max, holding her hand with his usual frown on his face. SpongeBorg went over to him and beeped franticly to his friend.

Max smiled lightly and replied, "You were, huh? I guess I should've told you." He hugged SpongeBorg as the robot wrapped his arms around Max. "I didn't mean to make you worry. I'm sorry."

Darry leaned over to them and said, "We worried too, Max." he mentioned with a smile. "We thought something bad happened to you."

"Yeah, whatever." Max said bitterly as he turned away from him.

Jimmy stood in front of Max and asked, "Where were you anyway? Don't you know that you could've been in danger out there by yourself?"

"I just wanted some fresh air and to be alone." Max simply replied with his arms crossed. "Besides, I can take care of myself."

Jimmy growled angrily and said, "Alright, Max, we're through playing games. We wanna know where DarkEvil is and where he's keeping Platform. This depends on the fate of our worlds and many innocent people, so it's crucial that you tell us right now."

Max just growled as he looked away, but Sam leaned down to him and held his shoulders. "Come on, Max. Just remember what we talked about." She said in a warm tone. "Do what's right…for you and our friends."

After this, Max groaned and dropped his arms as he sighed. "DarkEvil is here."

Everyone exchanged baffled looks as SpongeTron released a ray of blue light out of his eyes that went over Tommy; possibly scanning him to see if he was really a robot in disguise. Tommy just looked annoyed by this and poked SpongeTron in the eyes.

But then, Max began to finish his sentence, "…in the past…at Bikini Bottom…in the Chum Bucket."

Then everyone got shocked looks until Timmy spoke up. "Of course, why didn't we think of that? It makes sense that he would hide out in the most obvious place that we wouldn't think to look."

"I guess so, but what about Plankton?" Jimmy questioned. "He has to still be there. Would he just let someone like DarkEvil LaserPants stay at his place, harboring the world's most dangerous weapon?"

Darry narrowed his eyes in determination. "So does this mean we're gonna go after him?" he asked Jimmy.

The genius smirked back. "That's exactly what it means."

Tommy chuckled. "Well, then we better get ready." He announced.

He and Tammy ran off and Jimmy nodded. "That's right. We're gonna need all our best stuff for where we're going."

When he walked into the living room, he looked at his watch. "And I mean ALL our best stuff." He whispered to himself. But then he reached his bag and pulled out six pieces of gum which he handed to Darry. "Pass these around for me, Dar. Since we're going to Bikini Bottom, we'll need to chew these in order to breathe."

Darry nodded and left to hand a piece of gum to each of his teammates. Max pulled on Jimmy's pants leg to get his attention. "What about me?" he asked. "I'm going too, aren't I?"

Jimmy looked down at him and answered, "Sorry, Max, but I think it's best if you stay here with Jack, Maddie, and Sam. If you go with us to the Chum Bucket where DarkEvil is, it can put you in more danger."

"I'm not afraid." Max said with a frown. "Besides, I'm not gonna just sit here and let DarkEvil destroy my home. I have to stop him once and for all and get back Platform."

"It's still too risky." Jimmy said as he leaned down to his height. "As long as you know the code, he's gonna be expecting you to come to him. The only other way is for you to tell me the code and that'll-"

"NO WAY!" Max yelled at him. "I don't care if you wanna help me! I promised my dad I wouldn't tell so I'm not telling!"

"But I'm your dad also," Jimmy said in a serious tone as he stood. "So telling me would also benefit us both."

"I SAID NO! I'M NOT TELLING YOU OR ANYONE ELSE, BIG HEAD!"

Then Timmy intervened, "Hey, he's just trying to keep your bratty butt safe from an evil maniac! The least you can do is thank him once!"

"It's okay, Timmy." Jimmy said, holding him back. "If Max doesn't wanna give us the code, that's fine. But he knows that he's not coming with us."

"Oh sure," Max replied in a sarcastic tone, "You let Scottie come with you, but you won't let someone who won't mess anything up like him!"

Timmy replied in the same tone, "Well, 'Scottie' doesn't know any secret codes or information that could put him in danger if he did come along!"

SpongeBorg poked Max with his finger to get his attention and then beeped something to him. Max slapped his claw away and shouted, "No! I won't and I never will!"

Being the only one who understood that, SpongeTron asked, "Wait a minute, what special secret is he talking about?"

"It's nothing…" Max muttered, looking almost calm.

"Max…" Dani began asking. "Are you hiding something from us?"

"That's none of your business!" Max shouted back as he pushed his way through the group. 'Why can't they understand?'

SpongeTron noticed the last thing Max was saying, his mouth wasn't moving and it was almost like his voice echoed inside his head.

'If I told them that as well, it would just make things worse.'

"Make what worse?" Darry asked, hearing Max as well.

"Is this about that special secret?" SpongeTron asked.

Max turned around and held the sides of his head. "I-I-It's nothing!" he quickly responded. "Go if you want! I don't care anymore!"

Then he stormed upstairs as the kids stared in shock at what Max just displayed. "Max," Sam was about to follow him, but Timmy grabbed her shoulder and held her back as he shook his head, implying to her that it wouldn't be the best idea.

Jimmy just dismissed this and assumed his role of leadership. "Alright, everyone, we better start leaving."

"But what about Max?" Tammy asked, looking concerned.

"He'll be fine here." Jimmy answered. "He doesn't wanna cooperate with us, but we can manage without him." Then he put on a small smile to her. "Besides, we have the coordinates we need, so we're ready to go ahead and stop DarkEvil."

Tammy still didn't look convinced about Max's safety, but Darry reassured her. "Don't worry about him. The important thing is he's safe- even if he wants it or not."

Jimmy turned to Sam and asked, "Would you be okay here, keeping an eye on Max?"

"Sure I will." Sam answered with a confident smile, "Just as long as you bring Danny back."

"It's a deal." He nodded with a smile and chuckle, and then turned to Danielle. "You'll be fine here watching Max too."

"No way, Jimmy." Dani said with a straight face. "I'm coming with you guys. I didn't fight deadly robots and keep you from dropping out for nothing."

"But…Well…" Jimmy stammered. "DarkEvil isn't as easy as one of our common adversaries. You remember how dangerous he is, don't you?"

"Of course I do. But it doesn't mean I'm gonna back out and let you and everyone else go off and possibly get killed on your own." Then she grabbed Jimmy's hand. "I've come this far and I'm not backing down now."

Jimmy was a bit stunned by this, but he ultimately smiled and nodded in response. Dani smiled back and then ran off to help the others get ready. Once Jimmy was alone, he ran over to the stairs and looked at his watch. "I know I shouldn't be doing this." He whispered to himself as he opened his watch. "But it's the only chance we have."

Looks like they finally know where they need to go. But without the code, will they stop DarkEvil from using Platform? Please review what you think so far.