Chapter 23

(Third Person P.O.V.)

Akihisa as Max Steel was together with both Marshak and Mairot tracking Psycho to Dread's Base in in Munich Germany, while Yuuko was at the U.N. building in New York City dealing with both Vitriol whom Psycho had rescued from Team Steel's custody and also a mutated fungus that was slowly enveloping the U.N. building and crushing it.

At Dread's base in Germany Marshak landed Behemoth and Max and Mairot took the car and followed Psycho into the base.

When Psycho entered at the gate Max and Mairot both got an idea, they then sent the car itself in via remote control to distract the two guards and then headed in while they chased the car as Max then said, "Whoa! Abandon all hope ye who enter here." astonished with a matching facial expression as Mairot proclaimed, "That's Dante. you really have been studying your literature." impressed with a matching facial expression before walking further into the base as Roberto then chimed in saying, "Good luck Hermano." as Max then replied, "Thanks Bro, before following Mairot further into the base and saying, "I'll be in touch." before both sides lost the communication signal and both Roberto and Kubo lost all visuals.

But not long after that Akihisa's aka Max's elder brother Akito came back in and urgently exclaimed, "Kubo, Martinez I need you both to contact Max, I know who the traitor is!" before looking back at the screen which read, signal failure, on it over the static.

In Dread's base a light was then shone on both Max and Mairot, as Max made it look like he was ignoring it but had actually gone into stealth mode and turned invisible as three of Dread's henchmen ran in holding electric stun batons and shouting in German as they surrounded Mairot who then proclaimed, "Pardon, my German in a bit rusty." calmly in his French accent as Max then grabbed and slammed two of the three henchmen head first into each other, knocking them out instantly as the third henchman with the electric stun baton looked on in shock and surprise and was distracted long enough for Mairot to grab his electric stun baton and disarm him and then knocking him out with a spinning back kick to the head.

Max then said, "Sweet!" with a smile on his face as he turned off stealth mode and became visible again, as Mairot then proclaimed, "You're the expert!" before making it look like he was about to hand the electric stun baton to Max, who reached for it but Mairot activated it and extended it into Max stunning him and knocking him out, but just before Max lost consciousness, he saw what looked like Psycho walk up to Mairot from the right side and another figure who looked to be female wearing some kind of high tech jumpsuit and helmet also walked up Mairot from his left side and then slowly remove her helmet to reveal her face, but unfortunately Max didn't see it because his vision had blurred too much before he finally lost consciousness as Psycho laughed and then turned and looked at Mairot and exclaimed, "Well done, partner." before Psycho picked up and carried the now unconscious Max away as he walked together with Mairot and the mysterious female figure.

Concurrently at N-Tek HQ Akito had just told both Roberto and Kubo who the traitor is as they all started to put every piece of the puzzle together now as it all became clear to them now, Roberto then stated, "Mairot never put our European operatives on alert, they're only heading out now." as Akito then replied, "But that won't help Max!" urgently with a matching facial expression as he then spoke to Marshak on the screen, saying, "Chuck I'm counting on you!" still urgently with a matching facial expression as Chuck then looked back at Akito, Kubo, and Roberto on the screen and replied, "I'll do what I can Akito, but I still can't believe that Jean is a turncoat!" to which Akito responded, "Everyone was told that Vitriol's tracer was in his left arm, only Mairot and I knew the truth. When Sofia found the right arm, I used my security override to search Mairot's computer, and I found am encrypted communication to Munich, warning Dread about the tracer." at which point Kubo chimed in and asked, "But what about all of those times Mairot sent us into battle against Dread?!" to which Akito looked at Kubo and said, "Dread was ready for for us every single one of those times, but his mistake was that he kept underestimating Max. I can't believe I didn't put this together sooner! Marshak!" as Chuck immediately replied, "I'm on my way!" while flying out of Behemoth with a jet pack to Dread's base where Max was now currently being held captive.

During the interval in New York Yuuko had just helped the lady secretary of the U.N. to escape the building, but she herself was being pursued by Vitriol who only had one of his bionic laser shooting arms and was using it to shoot at her with while trying to find a way out of the building before it was completely crushed by the mutated fungus growing on it, while all other N-Tek Agents including Jake Nez, Sofia Scarzgard, Miharu Shimizu and Kat Ryan were all doing everything they could down below and outside of the U.N. building as they waited for a countermeasure from Dr. Yevchenko, to deal with the serious situation and fast as there were still people trapped inside the U.N. building who needed to be rescued quickly.

In the Interim in Dread's base in Munich Germany, Max was slowly regaining consciousness and looked around and to his shock he saw Mairot just fine and not being held captive at all as he looked over some papers on a clip board in his hand, as Max tried to move but couldn't and found himself strapped to some kind of vertical metal table as he then exclaimed, "Mairot?! But why?!" to which John Dread walked in with Psycho behind him on his left and the mysterious masked female he somewhat saw before losing consciousness behind him on his right as he proclaimed, "Perhaps it was our superior dental plan, in any case I'm truly glad Jean could arrange for you capture, and so is this young female member of my organization here." as Dread walked over to Max and turned Max's attention to the girl on his right in the jumpsuit and helmet as she then walked over to Max until she was right in front of him and slowly removed her helmet, revealing her face and to Max's complete and utter shock it was none other than one of his two former female classmates and girls he had feelings for back when he was still just plain old Akihisa Yoshii and attending Fumizuki Academy back in Japan.

Minami then got close to Max's face and said, "Hello Max, or should I say Aki." with a smug, arrogant, devious and twisted smile on her face that matched her tone of voice as Max glared back at her and asked, "How and why are you also working for Dread, Minami!" with a matching tone of voice that was calm but cold and full of seriousness, anger, hate, contempt, and disappointment, as Minami put a hand on his chin and retorted, "Simple my dad works for Dread so I chose to work for him too, especially when I did some digging around and found out that the person who has been causing Mr. Dread and his entire organization that is named after him so much trouble, that being you Max Steel, are actually the boy I met back in our old high school of Fumizuki Academy back in Japan, and therefore Max Steel and Akihisa Yoshii are actually both one and the same and the exact same person. So I joined and started working for Mr. Dread and his organization so I could get you back, of course I had to climb up the ranks and earn Mr. Dread's favor first, of course, after all I was so devastated and hurt when I found out that you were leaving Fumizuki Academy and moving to California in the United States and transferring to a school there, all because that stupid, meddling older brother of yours couldn't mind his own business, and took you away from both me and Mizuki and Hideyoshi's stuck up, arrogant bitch identical twin sister went with you and stole you from us." with a sour tone of voice as her facial expression changed to match it.

Max just continued to glare at her and replied, "First off my older brother, Akito, took me away to live in the United States with him because I was miserable and suffering back in Japan because of you and several other people, all of whom you know exactly who they are and who I am talking about and second, Yuuko is not like how she was and used be, she has changed for the better, whereas you on the other hand have changed for the worst!" to which Minami punched him, but he quickly recovered and turned his head to once again angrily and hatefully glare at her as she shook her hand a little as unlike before he became Max Steel and she could punch Akihisa without any problems, but now punching him in the face may have hurt her equally as much if not more than it hurt him as Akihisa, now as Max Steel wasn't just stronger, faster, more agile and precise among other things, but also far more durable and physically tough now, from a combination of both the Max Probes, which are the nano machines in his body but also because of all of the physical and combat training he got, that was part of his overall N-Tek agent training.

Minami smiled and held Max by his chin again and spoke, "Oh, my sweet little Aki, if you manage to survive and are still alive when after Mr. Dread is finished with you, you'll be mine and all mine, forever and ever and I'll fix everything that, that stupid meddling older brother of yours and that Hideyoshi knock off look a like little bitch Yuuko did and made wrong with you." to which Max merely continued to glare at her and asked, "And what about your little sister Hazuki?! Does she know anything about any of this and what you and your dad are doing?!" To which Minami simply responded, "She doesn't know anything about any of this, and she never will, but don't worry Aki, when this is all over, I'll take you back to Japan and you, Hazuki and I can all play together again, though it won't be like it used to be, but that's no problem, I'll just tell Hazuki you had a little accident and are they way that you're going to be, however and whatever that may be, soon, and it will be up to she and I to take care of you." as she continued to smile at him while Max continued to angrily and hatefully death glare at her.

However her boss John Dread clapped his hands to get Minami's attention and then spoke, saying, "Now, now, Minami you must remember that, you can only have him only when and if he survives, and if he does, then he will be all yours as I promised." as he then turned and looked at Max and spoke again, saying, "Now with that all said, I must say, my dear Max, you were such an impressive accident. I simply can't wait to test you, dissect you." at which point Psycho chimed in and asked, "Can I help?" to which Dread looked at him and responded, "Of course my friend, and to think that you were complaining that Vitriol was having all of the fun." casually with a matching facial expression.

For now back in the United Nations building, Yuuko was still dodging and avoiding Vitriol who was still shooting energy beams at her with and inadvertently blowing off parts of the building as Agents Jake Nez, Miharu Shimizu, and Kat Ryan were still trying to get the people who were still trapped inside of the building out of it as Jake said over a megaphone, "Please everyone stay calm, we're doing everything we can to get you out." to the people still trapped inside of the building, as Vitriol followed Yuuko into a conference room and tried to shoot her but she managed to avoid and momentarily knock Vitriol down with a flying sidekick to the chest before landing on her feet, as he then tried to shoot her again but she managed to dodge it but the explosion caused debris, including a huge metal I beam to fall on Yuuko and pin her down, at which point both Yuuko and Vitriol looked at each other as Yuuko proclaimed, "Time's nearly up! Aren't you the least bit concerned with getting out of here alive?!" to which Vitriol stood and retorted, "I wasn't even trying that time, and besides I can blast my way out!" as he then fired a beam at the parts and areas of the building covered by the mutated fungus only to find that his energy blast did nothing to it which completely shocked him as Yuuko looked and then looked back at Vitriol and remarked, "Who told you that, the man who tried to crush you inside of the transport truck in order to keep you quiet?!" to which Vitriol angrily exclaimed, "SHUT UP!" as he pointed his arm at Yuuko.

During the interval back at Dread's base in Germany, one of Dread's men spoke over the intercom/P.A. system saying, "Mr. Dread, we have another security breach!" to which Dread glanced over at Max and said, "One of your friends I suppose, you two both keep an eye on our boy." as he and Mairot walked off to go deal with the security breach as both Psycho and Minami nodded.

Marshak who had successfully infiltrated Dread's base was in the elevator shaft on top of the elevator planting explosives while remaining stealthy, as the elevator stopped allowing two Dread henchmen to come out and enter their designated floor and run to try and find him when they were completely clueless and unaware that he was right above them as he then hopped out of the elevator shaft into the elevator and on to the floor right after the two henchmen had ran off in search of him, he then walked around the floor looking to hopefully find where Max was being held, and encountered Mairot who spoke and acted and tried to trick him into thinking that he was still on N-Tek's side, saying, "Marshak, they have Max, we have to hurry!" at which point Chuck hit him with a an uppercut to solar plexus and then a second one to the chin, knocking Mairot out, and down onto his back as he then exclaimed, "Don't I know it!" as John Dread watched it on a monitor from security camera feed in a surveillance room as he then proclaimed, "Mairot, I's say your cover is blown." quite casually, as Chuck then turned to face the camera like as if he knew Dread was watching and smiled as he pulled out a detonator, which shocked Dread upon seeing it as Chuck then pressed the button on it, detonating the explosives he planted earlier in several different areas throughout Dread's base as Marshak then said, "Nothing like a little plastic explosives in the service ducts to liven things up." over the communicator as Akito, Kubo, and Roberto all turned and looked at each other as Roberto then proclaimed, "And unsecure their communications." as Akito simply looked at both Roberto and Kubo and very seriously exclaimed, "Find Max!" with a matching facial expression.

In the interim, back where Max was being held both Psycho and Minami were picking up and looking over scalpels and other medical and surgical equipment on the metal table for them to use on Max, who simply remarked, "Okay Minami and Smiley, now's your chance, unlock these chains and we'll rumble." to which Psycho merely responded, "Sorry turbo boy, no key, besides while I do like that idea Minami here likes and prefers you this way." as he held up a sharp knife and looked at it, when all of a sudden first there was one explosion which they all felt in the room and as well as a second one which blew the door to the room open, knocking both Psycho and Minami off of their feet and onto their backs as a result, as the smoking and flaming debris just barely missed Max's head, as a huge technological pillar fell on top of Psycho pinning him down while Minami still laid on her back and trying to recover from the shell shock she suffered as a result of the explosion and quickly did as she got back on to her feet as Chuck came running in holding a laser rifle and shouted, "MAX!" as Psycho lifted the pillar off of himself and got back on to his feet as Marshak tried to shoot him with with the laser rifle only for Minami to jump on top of him and disarm him which then allowed Psycho to come over and grab and lift Chuck up by his jacket and was about to punch him, but Max broke free from his restraints and rushed over to both Psycho and Minami as he then shouted, "Hey Smiley and Minami, heads up!" as he ran over, jumped up and knocked them both down with a perfectly aimed and executed scissor kick to their heads, as both of his legs each kicked both Psycho and Minami in the head at the same time knocking them both down and causing Psycho to drop Marshak who was now unconscious, on the floor as Max walked over to both Psycho and Minami and quipped, "Found the key!" before going Turbo and engaging both Psycho and Minami in hand to hand combat.

The combat was fast, furious, and intense Max exchanged, punches, kicks, and all manner of other strikes with both Minami and Psycho all while blocking and dodging theirs, Max then managed to get Psycho in front of Minami and kicked him, sending him flying first into Minami, knocking her down, and then into some sort of electrical power generator that looked like a pillar with a huge ball on top of it, electrocuting and shocking him before he fell back down to the floor while the genetically altered and mutated fungus slowly spread throughout Dread's base.

Max then powered down, turning off Turbo Mode and looked to Chuck who was still unconscious on the floor, then back to both Minami and Psycho, both of whom got back up to their feet and glanced over at Max as Psycho then gestured with his hand to bring it on and come get some, to continue the fight with Max, who simply said, "Another time, Minami and Smiley!" before turning and grabbing Chuck and running away while carrying him out of the base, leaving Psycho and Minami both to deal with the fungus spreading throughout the base, as Psycho then tried to pursue after Max but couldn't move due to the fungus now slowly covering him, leading to Minami having to free him from it by using a vile of the chemical compound formula to counteract and stop the fungus that she was carrying on her person, meanwhile in a different part of the base Mairot had regained consciousness as John Dread walked up to him and offered him a hand up while saying, "Come, this battle is lost, but the war will continue another day." helping Mairot back up on to his feet as they both then made their way to an emergency elevator for their escape.

Around the same time in New York, agents Jake Nez, Miharu Shimizu, and Kat Ryan were all moving debris out of the way to clear the front entrance to the United Nations building but as Jake moved some debris out of the way and got a visual he then moved out of the way as Vitriol blasted his way right out of the front entrance and out of the debris, clearing a path as he walked out, only to be tackled and pinned down to the ground by both Miharu and Kat as he then uttered, "Hey, I surrender!" as Yuuko walked out not far behind him and proclaimed, "He became very cooperative when he realized he was expendable." at which point Kat and Miharu both got up while picking up and holding on to Vitriol before handing him over to another N-Tek agent and a riot control police officer who was wearing full gear including a mask and over it a riot helmet with the face shield down, who took him into custody as he sadly frowned and dejectedly exclaimed, "I just want my arm back." as he was being taken and led away as Mari Keita, the female secretary of the United Nations ran up to Yuuko and in a worried tone of voice and matching facial expression asked, "Yuuko are you alright?!" To which Yuuko replied, "I'm fine Mari, and you?" as Mari then responded, "Miserable, the United Nations building here in New York is a symbol of global peace and its about to be destroyed." as just then a chopper flew over head to the top of the United Nations building with Dr. Yevchenko in it as both Yuuko and Mari looked on and Yuuko then uttered, "Maybe not." As Dr. Yevchenko then threw down a container on to the roof of the United nations building which shattered and spread some of Dread's Infinity Ice that was enhanced and slightly altered by N-Tek all throughout the United Nations building as Mari then asked in shock, awe and surprise, "What in the world?!" with a matching facial expression as Yuuko then explained, "Infinity Ice, Dread technology with an N-Tek spin." as the Infinity Ice quickly covered the entire building freezing the mutated fungus solid.

Concurrently in Dread's now exploding base in Munich, Max and Chuck had just narrowly escaped inside of Max's car as Dread's giant airship came out from a huge mechanical opening in the ground and tried to take as Max pointed out, saying, "Look!" off but the genetically altered and mutated fungus was on the giant airship and quickly spreading as it stopped the propellers and engine turbines and caused the whole ship to fall and crash to the ground and explode as Marshak then said, "No one could've survived that." to which Max replied, "Yeah, that's what I used to think." as they continued to watch Dread's destroyed base burn in the fire, before finally driving off and heading back to Behemoth, as later on in Behemoth while it was flying high in and through the skies, as Akito spoke over the monitors in Behemoth saying, "I know it's been a long and hard day, but you're all to be congratulated we triumphed on multiple fronts, destroyed the enemy's main base of operations, and more importantly, cut off Dread's source of information within N-Tek." to everyone currently on Behemoth before ending the transmission as Max then asked, "So, then why don't I feel like celebrating?" As Yuuko then answered, saying, "Because you liked Jean, because we all did, and to lose someone no matter the cause, it's heartbreaking and just too much, even if he did betray all of us to Dread." as max then responded, "Well I just emailed my book report on Edgar Allen Poe's The raven to my English Teacher back in Del Oro, California, so I've got some free time, so I'm going to spend it making sure I don't lose anyone else." as he walked away a bit disappointed and somewhat sad because of today's events that transpired as Yuuko called out to him saying, "Max... No, Akihisa!" as Max turned around and looked at her as she continued by saying, "We all make choices and decisions in life that we all have to live with, Jean made his and he had to live with the consequences and repercussions of them, so please, don't ever think and believe that any of this is your fault." to which Max looked at Yuuko and gave a slight small smile and said, "I know Yuuko, and thanks." having been cheered up a bit before turning around and walking away.

To Be Continued.