"Someone or something's tripped the alarms inside N-Tek. Come on, let's check it out." Berto said and he rushed away.
"Hey wait for us!" I called out as I went to race after him, only to remember I was still in Stealth mode. "Um Shock?" Moments later I took off after Berto in Base mode. When I finally caught up I found Forge, Kat and Jefferson standing in the hallway. "What's going on?"
"That's what I'd like to know. Someone tried to break into our lab." Forge explained as he knelt beside something on the floor. When I saw what it was I knew who'd tried to break in.
"Toxzon." I said and everyone stared at me in surprise. "I recognize the purple goop." I added as Forge stood up.
"Not him again. What does he want this time?" Forge said.
"He's been here before? When did that happen?" I asked and, instead of answering me, he started for Berto's lab.
"That was rude. Come on let's find Berto." Shock said and we went looking for our friend. Before long we found Berto in the Com Room, standing over the computer. I was going to speak up when I noticed how focused he was on his work and decided to stand aside and wait. As I watched him, his fingers flying over the keyboard, I couldn't help but admire his dedication. Finally he looked up, turned around and seemed a little shocked to see me.
"When did you get here?" He asked me as I walked over.
"A few minutes ago. You looked busy so I didn't want to disturb you." I told him as I looked at the computer screen.
"That's okay. I was actually trying to find our intruder." He told me as he tapped a button on the keyboard in front of him.
"Any luck?" I asked and he sighed, looking a little angry. With a grin I told him about the purple goop that was stuck to the floor. He stared at me, confused, then his eyes widened as he came to the same conclusion I did.
"Toxzon! What's he after this time?" Berto said and I asked him what he meant. "He sent one of his goop monsters here once before to take control of C.Y.T.R.O and steal a Bio Bomb from N-Tek. He managed to stop him, just before he could unleash it on us and Copper Canyon. I wish I knew what he was up to now."
"Me too. He's probably still mad that we kicked his rear in the last fight." I commented and Berto laughed. "Still why send a goop monster into N-Tek first? What's he after this time?"
The two of us stood there, thinking and Shock detached himself from me.
"Maybe the monster was a distraction." Shock suggested and Berto and I stared at each other than him. "What?"
"You might be right." Berto said as he pressed something on the keyboard. As I watched on in silence a view of the inside of N-Tek popped up. "Hmm…"
"Any luck?" I asked and when he shook his head, I wondered where Toxzon was hiding. That's when something occurred to me. "I wonder if there's a second monster."
"Let's see…there you are!" Berto exclaimed as I saw another goop monster wandering around and it seemed to be searching for something.
"What is it after? Heh, doesn't matter because it's going down." I said as I started for the hallway, only for Berto to stop me by calling out. "What's wrong?" I asked and Berto told me that Forge, Kat and Jefferson could take care of the monster.
"Okay. Then what about Toxzon?" I said as I rejoined him. As he tried once again to find Toxzon I wondered where the villain was hiding. Why send two of his monsters into N-Tek as a decoy, I thought to myself. That's when it hit me; he's in the city! As if he could read my thoughts Berto said the same thing out loud. "We're on our way!" This time Berto didn't try to stop me. Rushing into the hangar I changed into Flight mode and flew towards Copper Canyon. The moment we arrived I spotted Toxzon standing on top of THI. Flying over I hovered in midair and wondered what he was doing.
"Hey Toxzon!" I called out and he turned around. When he saw me he actually laughed. Landing on the building I asked what he wanted.
"I see you figured out that my toxic monsters were a decoy. Impressive for one as dumb as you." He told me and I frowned at him.
"Very funny. So why send them to N-Tek?" I asked him as I heard Shock mutter under his breath. Something about Toxzon being a moron. "Are you trying to destroy Max Steel again?"
"No I'm here to destroy you this time. Well you and N-Tek." He answered as he walked towards me. "Using them I knew you'd come looking for me and here you are."
"Oh no. Ideas Shock?" I said as I backed away, only to come to the edge of the building. "A battle it is then. Let's rock, Strength mode!" I shouted. Apparently still seething from Toxzon's insults, Shock didn't hear me. "Uh Shock, any time now!" Finally he heard me and there was a flash of green as I changed from Flight to Strength mode, knocking Toxzon back a few feet. With a growl he rushed at me and I slammed my fist into him, knocking him further back. I grinned and that's when he started giggling at me. "That isn't normal." I muttered.
"It probably is for him." Shock commented as I eyed Toxzon.
"You really thought that you could beat me in a fist fight?" He said and I nodded. That's when I got a nasty surprise. From behind him, hidden in the shadows, he produced some sort of bomb. That's what it looked like anyway. Fearful I took a step back, wondering what I should do. Before I could come up with a plan he shot some sort of green goop at me and I slammed into the wall behind me.
"Not again." I grumbled, trying to move. Finding myself stuck fast I could only look on as Toxzon laughed at me.
"Give me some credit. I sent those two goop monsters into N-Tek to distract you, knowing you'd come after me. I also knew that you'd get over confident, thinking you can defeat me on your own, and slip up. Now that you're helpless, I'll use this bomb to level this building and take you out with it." He explained.
"That is pretty ingenious if you think about it." Shock said and I tilted my head to stare at him.
"Excuse me? I thought you were on my side. No telling the villain he's clever." I said. "Why THI?" I asked, hoping that he'd get distracted like last time. No such luck as he armed the bomb and turned to me.
"If you're hoping to stall me like last time, it won't work. Oh and THI are the ones who fired me and made me what I am today." He said and took off.
"Besides a raving lunatic?" I commented as I struggled to get free. "Now how do we get unstuck?"
"I have no clue. I'm stuck on ideas. Oh, I made a joke." Shock commented and I groaned.
"Really Shock? The building's going to be blown sky-high, and us with it, and you're making jokes?!" Thankfully Berto chose that moment to call me as I wondered what to do now.
"You look like you could use a hand. " He said and I gave a sigh of relief.
"Definitely. Besides Toxzon getting away, again, we're stuck and there's a bomb rigged to blow THI from the face of the Earth." I told him and his eyes went wide in shock.
"Did you just say there's a bomb? Ay caramba! I'll be right there." He said and hung up, surprising me.
"Um hello?" I said, just as a Jump Jet flew overhead and someone parachuted down to the building. "Berto!" I called out. "I never thought I'd be so glad to see you."
"Ditto. Let me help you." Berto said as he walked towards me.
"Bomb first, me and Shock later." I told him and with a shrug he knelt beside the bomb. After a moment he stood up, his face pale. "Tell me you can shut it off?" When he shook his head my face paled this time. "If I try to shut it off, it'll go off. And there's only two minutes left before it blows."
"Then cut us loose. I have an idea." I said and he hurried over. Taking a miniature bottle out of his lab coat pocket, he dumped the contents on the purple goop. In moments it dissolved and we freed ourselves. Together we ran over to the bomb and I knelt.
"What are you going to do?" Berto asked as I picked it up and stood up.
"Has everyone been evacuated from THI?" I asked and he shook his head. "Then you better get clear." I said. Confused Berto wanted to know what I had planned. "I'm going to fly into space and release it so it detonates in the atmosphere." I told him, readying myself. That's when Berto grabbed my arm, preventing me from flying.
"You can't do that! You'll die if you do!" Berto said and I shook him off. Sighing I removed my helmet and looked him straight in the face.
"I'm sorry Berto but I have to do this. People will die if I don't. You'll die." I told him, trying not to cry in front of him. "If I don't come back…look after Shock." I added, unable to keep my voice from shaking.
"Yeah right. We're partners remember? We go together or not at all." Shock replied and I gave a nod.
"I can't believe you two." Berto muttered. Looking over at him I sighed. That's when he surprised me by grabbing my arm again. "Before you go I never got to tell you what I was going to earlier. I wanted to say…um. Por qué no?" He said. As I wondered what he had just said to me, he threw his arms around my neck, leaned in and kissed me. Taken by complete surprise my eyes went wide for a second before they closed and I kissed him back. So caught up in the moment that it was only Shock who broke us apart when he reminded us about the bomb. Blushing furiously we separated and I changed back into Flight mode. Taking to the air with the bomb in tow, I flew high into the sky as Berto got back into the Jump Jet.
"Do you think this'll work?" Shock asked me as we were almost in Space.
"It has to. Oh and I just want you to know that it's been fun being your partner and friend." I said, feeling tears flowing freely down my cheeks.
"Ditto, Jessie." He said as we left Earth. Holding the bomb I leaned back and heaved it as far away as possible. But it exploded just as I released it and the concussive blast slammed into us, knocking me unconscious and sending us falling to Earth in freefall. The last thing I heard was Shock's voice, begging me to wake up.