The Amazon Experiment (9 page)

Max, Linden, Suave and Steinberger sat strapped into the Aqua Buggy as Kronch and his bumbling partner approached like overfed elephants, enjoying every second of their captives' nervous anticipation of doom.

Suave went straight into his usual man-of-action routine. ‘Okay team, it's time for Plan B.'

Plan B? Why did he sound like he was the overpaid lead in some corny, B grade film? The one where the hero always has perfect hair and knows what to do. Max looked at him. Suave still had perfect hair. Even after all they'd been through.

‘What's Plan B?' Linden asked, eager to avoid the sausage hands of Kronch.

Suave undid his seatbelt and pulled his laser from his pocket. ‘Jump in here, and when I tell you, turn the key.'

Linden undid his belt and scrambled into the driver's seat. In seconds, Suave had the bonnet open. Sparks flew from either side of the buggy as he worked to fix the stalled engine. ‘Start her up!'

‘He's a mechanic too?' Max asked incredulously. ‘Where does it end?'

Linden turned the key. Again, the engine wheezed, turning in a broken rhythm, until finally it came to life.

‘Excellent,' Steinberger breathed.

Suave slammed the bonnet and resumed his place as driver.

Kronch and his sidekick exchanged an amused look. With the river on one side and their truck blocking the path, where could their captives go?

‘So long, boys!' Max called, as Suave shifted the engine into first gear and drove off the bank and straight into the river.

Before the buggy was submerged Max caught the look of confusion on Kronch's face and savoured every dazed second of it.

‘It's going to really strain Kronch's brain trying to figure out what just happened.' Linden smiled at Max as the Aqua Buggy submarined through the waters of the river.

‘It'll do his brain good to get some exercise,' Max joked, before turning to Steinberger. ‘That was Kronch. He was …' she began to explain, until she saw the look of terror suctioned onto his face. ‘Steinberger?'

He didn't answer.

Every second of this mission took him into a new territory of fear, but there hadn't been one moment where he had complained or even hinted at backing out. He may have looked awkward with
his thin body, long limbs and desperate fear of bugs, but when it came to being brave, Steinberger was the most courageous of all of them.

He stared rigidly at the water-filled windows around them. The view was filled with fish, eels and giant tangled walls of reeds swaying sharply in the forceful current. Max guessed Steinberger had never even been swimming in his life, going by his look of gasping suffocation. Sweat was running freely down his forehead and soaking into his already damp and bedraggled suit. His breath heaved in and out in quick, sharp jabs. He hadn't heard a word Max had said. She tried again gently.

‘Steinberger?'

He jumped. ‘Yes?'

‘Linden and I recognised the man in the car behind us.'

‘You did?' He calmed a little.

‘It was Kronch. One of Blue's thugs from Mission Blue's Foods.
⁸
It must mean Blue is involved and knows we're here.'

‘
The
Mr Blue?' Suave said with a streak of excitement in his voice.

‘That's not a good thing,' Max clarified.

‘No, of course not.'

‘What do we do now, Steinberger?' After nearly losing his life the last time they met Blue, Linden wasn't keen to bump into him again.
⁹

Just then the Buggy tilted sharply to one side as Suave turned to avoid a giant electric eel.

‘Oh dear!' Steinberger was having trouble breathing again.

‘We're getting close to finding Frond. Right?' Max prompted, eager to stop Steinberger freaking out.

As if that name had some kind of tonic in it, Steinberger's demeanour instantly changed. He sat upright, threw his chest out and took a deep breath.

‘You're right. We have a mission to complete and lives to save.'

Steinberger took out his palm computer and began checking the coordinates of where they were and how to get back on track to find Frond. He leant forward and gave the directions to Suave.

Max sighed, then caught sight of a crooked smile on Linden's face.

‘What?'

‘Sometimes, Max Remy, you can be the nicest person I know,' he whispered.

She instantly blushed. ‘Don't get too used to it.'

Despite the warning, Linden's smile became even bigger. Max tried to resist it but it was no good and she had to give in to her own wide grin.

As Steinberger finished his directions, Suave gripped the steering wheel in excitement. ‘Okay everyone, Plan B is over. It's time for Plan C.'

‘This better be good,' Max groaned. With the ride through the forest and the force of the current nudging them from side to side, her stomach was ready for a steadier ride. But when Suave pressed harder on the accelerator and pulled the steering wheel towards him, the Aqua Buggy's nose rose up like a plane during take-off.

‘Oh dear,' Max and Steinberger said in unison.

Within seconds, the Buggy broke through the surface of the river and bobbed on its rippling surface. Its wheels started turning, moving it forward like an inflatable paddleboat.

‘Woo hoo!' Suave whooped as he wound down his window. ‘This is beautiful!'

The others wound down their windows as the cloudless blue sky and a flood of sun spread around them. Great mountains of trees clung to the rich
brown banks that acted as muddy slides for alligators and turtles. Birds of all sizes and colours swooped in and out of branches and dived for fish just below the river's surface.

‘The Amazon is the second-longest river in the world after the Nile in Africa,' explained Suave. ‘It's so big in parts, many people refer to it as the Ocean River.'

Max turned away from Suave's nature documentary voice-over to see small islands peppered across the river's surface.

‘Not the kind of place you want to dangle your feet, though,' Linden advised.

‘What do you mean?'

‘Look.' Linden pointed to an island they were sailing past just in time for Max to see the sharpened teeth and scaly body of an alligator leap out of the water and seize an unsuspecting turtle in its flattened snout.

‘I see what you mean,' said Max, winding her window up a little.

The Aqua Buggy manoeuvred through the churning waters of the Amazon River like a miniature ferry. Steinberger held on tight, trying not to concentrate on the rise and fall of chocolatey waves. The water lapped against the side of the
vehicle, turning and swirling as they were lifted up and down on its deep swell. Max noticed Steinberger's eyelids becoming heavy, his head leaning out his window, as if struggling to stay upright.

‘Steinberger, are you okay?'

He didn't answer. Max turned to Linden. ‘He must have the sleeping sickness!'

Suave turned from the driver's seat and studied his complexion. ‘I think it's seasickness,' he said with a knowing nod.

Max panicked. ‘Well, maybe you're wrong.' Her eyes narrowed, challenging Suave, but just as she was about to say more, Steinberger vomited out the window of the Buggy.

‘Or maybe it is seasickness.' Linden suggested, holding onto Steinberger's jacket to stop him from toppling overboard.

‘Sorry about that.' Steinberger sat back in his seat, embarrassed about what had just happened. ‘I've never had very good sea legs. Even on a river, so it seems.'

‘That's okay.' Max patted Steinberger's hand, but was distracted by the view outside the window. The current of the river seemed to be getting stronger.

The message light on Steinberger's computer flashed.

‘Is it Frond?' Linden asked.

Steinberger opened the message. ‘No. It's from Alex. She sent it a few minutes ago.'

‘Steinberger, it's Alex,' a sombre recording announced. ‘I'm afraid the situation here has become very serious. Agent Steeple has fallen into a coma. Her vital signs are extremely weak and Finch has placed her in a humidicrib with an intravenous drip filled with extra-potent vitamins to keep her alive. Time is very much against us.'

Steinberger took a deep breath in an effort to drive away the final twinges of seasickness, and sent a message back. ‘Dear Alex, do not worry. Mission Triatoma is proceeding well. Ensure the Goliath is at the Invisible Jet in the next few hours.' He thought again, before adding, ‘The fate of Steeple and all the agents of Spyforce is in good hands.'

Max looked at his screen as he sent the message. ‘It is, isn't it, Steinberger?'

Steinberger smiled. ‘Couldn't be in better, Max.'

As he put the computer away, a quiet roaring sound swirled towards them from upriver.

‘Can you hear that?' Max looked around, trying to see what it was.

‘Oh good, you can hear it too.' Linden was relieved. ‘I thought it might be my stomach even though it sounded like something a little bigger.'

‘Something
much
bigger, if I'm not mistaken,' Suave said.

Max clenched her teeth. ‘And what would that be?'

Suave listened for a few more seconds.

‘A waterfall.'

Max looked in front of her. All she could see was river.

‘A waterfall?'

‘Yep, and from the height of that spray, I'd say it's a big one. Hold on, everyone, I'll try and take us to the bank.' Then he added, ‘And you might want to wind up your windows.'

They did as he suggested while Suave grabbed the controls and did all he could to manoeuvre the Buggy out of the current's jostling, speeding grip.

Steinberger, Max and Linden could now see it too. A haze of rising mist and a faraway boiling of water. ‘How high do you think it is?' Steinberger asked gingerly.

‘A few hundred metres,' Suave answered calmly, as if he was talking about the height of something safe like a bridge or a building, and
not a crushing torrent they couldn't possibly survive.

Max and Linden now clearly saw the edge of the waterfall frothing along the horizon. There was a frenzy of water leading to a white haze of nothingness. Like the end of the world, Max thought as they were sucked closer.

Suave's face held a small but determined smile as he worked at the controls of the Buggy.

‘Is there a Plan D?' Linden asked hopefully.

‘Not sure yet,' Suave answered as he desperately tried to move them out of the path of the waterfall, but it was no good. The force of the current held them firmly as it hauled them towards the waterfall's plunging, deadly edge.

‘Linden, there's something I have to tell you!' Max shouted over the noise of the crashing wall of water, as the waterfall rained over them.

‘What?' Linden struggled to hear Max, whose words were consumed by the churning waves boiling around them.

The Aqua Buggy shifted and rolled over the frenzied torrent. Steinberger clung onto his armrest as Suave continued to fight the increasingly futile battle to save their lives.

‘There's something I have to tell you!' Max and Linden had once before faced possible death by waterfall when they were taken to Mr Blue's mansion. Then, as now, she panicked and thought it was time to tell Linden how she felt about him. How he was the most important person in her life. How he was special. How without him life would be … how was she going to say it?

‘It's just that I …'

She was interrupted by Suave calling out from the front. ‘Be ready to evacuate when I give the word.'

And with that, Suave opened the sunroof, letting a torrent of water splash on Max like a bucket of water. He clung to the sides of the sunroof and hoisted himself out of the Buggy and onto the roof.

‘Evacuate where?' Max yelled up through the wash, annoyed at how much Suave seemed to be enjoying their impending doom.

Just then, they felt a heavy jolt on the roof.

‘That's a
good
jolt, right?' Linden winced.

Above the thunderous pounding of water, they heard the sound of an engine come to life, and great whopping blades slowly turning above them.

‘The Heliocraft!' Linden cried. He wound down his window and looked to see the flying inflatable vehicle gleaming in the brilliant sun, ready for takeoff. Suave beamed through the clear cabin and gave him the thumbs-up.

‘Looks like we're going flying, agents.'

Max looked at the waterfall, then at the spinning blades above them, and knew she had little choice. Linden helped her climb out of the window into a swirling mass of wind and water, and, gripping the Heliocraft's sturdy skids, she pulled herself into the craft.

‘Your turn, Steinberger.' Linden tried to look as unfazed as he could, while every passing moment brought the waterfall even closer.

‘O … okay,' Steinberger stammered.

The river tossed the buggy like a ship in a storm, but with Linden behind him and Max
leaning out of the craft above him, there were only a few near falls before the soaking Administration Manager was nestled into the Heliocraft and buckled into his seat.

Moments later, a dripping Linden climbed in beside them and gave the biggest ever grin to Suave.

‘Ready for take-off, Captain.' Linden was enjoying every second of their escape.

The Heliocraft's skids lifted into the air just in time to see the Aqua Buggy torpedo over the edge of the waterfall and disappear in a crushing, white oblivion.

‘Quimby's not going to be happy when we tell her about that.' Linden shook his head and released a shower of water over everyone. There was a moment of silence from the agents as they took in what had just happened.

Especially the fact that they were still alive.

‘Woo hoo! Are we good or what?' Steinberger whooped and punched the air.

Max and Linden giggled.

‘I mean … that's good … what just happened.'

Then they heard a weird water-clogged hum, like a swarm of boulder-sized bees had pulled up beside them, but before Max could think about it
any further, a large chopper appeared above them. Two spinning chainsaws hung from its underside.

‘That can't be good.' Linden watched as the spinning discs aimed straight for the Heliocraft's blades.

Suave tried to fly lower but he was too late. The high-pitched whine of metal on metal wrenched the air.

The Heliocraft plunged a few metres before being wrenched to an abrupt stop by a net and swinging into a pendulum-style swoop.

‘Where are we going?' Max clung to her seatbelt and guessed wherever it was, it wouldn't be fun.

‘Not sure,' Suave answered, as if he was on a joy flight. ‘But that's the FZ-511. One of the finest choppers you'll find.'

‘You mean the chopper that's holding us prisoner and destroyed Quimby's Heliocraft?' Max looked at him sternly.

‘Yeah.'

‘Maybe this is what happens when you die?' Linden was feeling surprisingly calm.

Max frowned. ‘A giant helicopter appears from the sky and carries us in a net to some kind of happy ever after?'

Linden winced. ‘I knew it'd sound silly if I said it out loud.'

The chopper thundered above as it carried them over the exploding plume of green jungle until it came to a gap in the trees. It then dropped the mutilated Heliocraft with a rude jolt before rising from the clearing and flying away.

The four agents climbed out. Before them stood a sprawling two-storey mansion, settled deep within the jungle. It was painted stark white and was somehow out of place but curiously at home as well. Deep green vines crept up the two columns that proudly guarded the entrance. A set of marble stairs poured into a pebbled drive and led to a gently bubbling fountain. Shutters shielded each window and a broad veranda swooped around the lower floor, filled with chairs and tables like a hotel awaiting the arrival of a tour bus. The whole scene was surrounded by a perfectly manicured lawn jutting up against the tangled jungle.

‘Where are we?' Max asked.

‘Not sure, but I don't think solid ground ever felt this good,' Linden said, taking a deep breath.

‘I agree with you there.' Steinberger offered him a weak smile. He surveyed the surroundings and noticed a series of signal towers and satellite dishes positioned on the mansion's roof.

‘Wherever we are, it is certainly well connected. Judging by their size, those towers and dishes are capable of picking up an incredible range of signals from great distances, and are equipped with a communication barrier to stop unwanted messages getting in and out or being detected by unwanted elements. I know because we had our communications systems updated to a similar setup only six months ago.'

There was one device on the roof Steinberger wasn't sure about. A large cannon-like object pointed towards the sky. Something bothered him about it, but he wasn't sure what.

Linden stared at the roof. ‘Which means they could have been the reason Frond's message was corrupted.'

‘Very clever, Linden.' Suave flashed a toothpaste smile.

‘So she's here?' Max asked.

‘Let's hope so.' Steinberger checked his computer and smiled broadly. ‘This is the place her directions lead to.'

A low growl and stirring of trees was heard nearby.

‘You all heard that, right?' Linden asked.

‘Yep. My guess is it's dogs.' Suave sniffed the air.

He crouched to the ground and placed both hands on the soil. ‘Roger that. Dogs.'

Three snarling dogs pushed their way through the dense undergrowth and slowly crept towards them. Their growling bit into Max's nerves like giant mosquitoes.

Ones that could kill you.

‘Is it just me or does it seem like these dogs haven't been fed for a while?' Linden looked at their salivating jaws and edgy pacing.

‘If we don't make any sudden moves we should be all right,' Suave stared at the approaching animals.

That was it. Max had had all she could take of Mr Encyclopaedia — the calmness, the always knowing what to do, the never being scared. She spun round and threw her hands firmly onto her hips.

‘Are you going to keep being so perfect? This whole mission you have done nothing but do everything right and you haven't even the slightest idea of how annoying that is.'

Max took in deep breaths, knowing that Suave being so clever wasn't the best excuse she had for yelling at him.

Suave looked confused. ‘Sorry, Max.'

‘And stop apologising. That's annoying too.'

‘Ah, Max?' It was Linden. ‘I don't think the dogs like you getting so upset.'

Max felt hot panting against her neck. She turned slowly to see the long dripping fangs of one of the dogs. ‘Right. I'll be still from now on.'

A shrill whistle pierced the air and the dogs turned from salivating killers into puppies leaping and galloping towards the mansion steps. The click of stun blasters sounded behind the agents' heads.

‘Won't you come in?'

Max immediately knew it was Kronch's beefy voice behind them. She also knew they had no choice but to do as he said.

They were marched across the pebbled driveway, up the marble steps and into a pristine foyer, with light filtering through the many windows in speckled waves. Chandeliers hung like clumps of diamonds from tall ceilings and the walls were covered in grand paintings that stood above carved stands with ornate vases. It was hard to reconcile this peaceful European-style palace with the sweltering heat and animal-filled jungle outside.

They stood in their wet, crumpled clothes as a cool air-conditioned breeze wafted over them, sighing in relief as if they'd been plunged into a
deep crystal-blue pool. Their relief, however, was cut short by a voice from the top of the stairs.

‘I decided we'd had enough fun toying with you and it was time to invite you in.'

‘Blue! I knew you were behind this,' Suave announced.

Really, Sherlock? Max grumbled silently before turning to Blue. ‘If this is an
invitation
, I'm busy and have to get going.' She threw out her chin until she felt the point of the stun blaster in her back.

‘Maybe we could stay for a bit?' Linden suggested. Letting Blue have his way for now would give them time to think of a plan.

‘Excellent. I have so many things to show you I think you'll find interesting.'

Blue had this creepy habit of finding out secret information few people knew and Max had a feeling he had done it again and had every intention of using it against them.

‘Besides, Steinberger and I are old friends. It wouldn't be right for us not to have a chance to catch up. Talk about old times.'

Max saw Steinberger's face harden. She knew Blue held Steinberger partly responsible for his dismissal from Spyforce. Maybe he'd even use this chance to get his revenge.

‘Where's Frond?'

‘Who?' Blue spoke with an irritating innocence.

‘Frond. Where is she?' Steinberger tensed up, his voice cold and hard.

‘It's been a long time since I was on the Force,' Blue pronounced pointedly. ‘If you've misplaced one of your agents, that's hardly my problem.'

Steinberger knew he was lying and moved forward to make him tell the truth, but was held back just in time by Linden. ‘He's only trying to upset you.'

Steinberger calmed down. He would find Frond with or without Blue's assistance. For now, though, they'd have to play along with his games.

‘Drinks, anyone?' Blue clapped his hands and a white-suited waiter pushed through a swinging door holding trays of tropical drinks.

‘No thanks. I think I'll pass on being poisoned for today.' Max was trying to stay calm but there was something about Blue that always made her furious.

The swirling heat of the jungle had dropped to a bearable level in Blue's mansion but those drinks sat before them like little islands of gold. Knowing how much they would have loved one, Blue reached for a glass and slowly sipped every last refreshing drop of a sweet, cold mango juice.

‘Perfect.' Blue ushered the drinks away and Linden only just held back from running after them. ‘Since you're in such a hurry, we'd better get on with the tour of my new enterprise.'

With Kronch and his meat-headed friend behind them, the four agents followed Blue up the winding staircase. Max ran her hand along the banisters, which were carved into creeping vines and led them to a large ornately decorated corridor linedwith framed paintings of crops and plantations.

‘We mainly grow coffee, cocoa and soya beans. We also have cotton, rice, cassava and mangoes, as well as a very healthy rubber plantation.'

‘So you've traded evil for the life of a farmer?'

Blue turned his head slowly. ‘Oh Maxine, I do miss your fiery little ways when we're apart.'

Max tensed. ‘It's Max,' she said through clenched teeth.

Linden knew Max hated being talked down to and gently squeezed her hand to calm her down. He also knew what Max was getting at. Blue was much too cunning to simply be planting crops.

Blue opened a large wooden door that led to a dark room. Floral wallpaper lined three walls, while the fourth was covered by a long curtain of deep red. Small tables holding bowls of fruit and
chocolates sat between giant leather lounges. In one corner was a control panel filled with knobs, lights and buttons, and above this were positioned several security cameras showing views all around Blue's property.

‘Please, come in. Make yourself comfortable.'

Max would never get used to his creepy smile or the lilting tone of his voice that dripped with pure malice. Being comfortable in Blue's presence was something even his own mother must have found hard to do.

Blue strode to a throne-like chair with painted gold borders and floral embroidered cushions. Behind him was a life-sized portrait of himself, sitting in an eerily similar position.

Max, Steinberger, Linden and Suave sat on two lounges opposite, with Kronch and his friend standing guard at the door.

‘During my time at Spyforce,' Blue said, ‘I happened to find out that Harrison Senior was experimenting with the creation of an elixir of life that could allow a person to live for hundreds of years. The experiment was of course very hush hush, but as soon as he'd finished his elixir, he realised it was one of the greatest moments in the history of science. Harrison Senior also knew that
it could lead to untold problems, such as overpopulation in an already crowded world, so he destroyed it, but not before recording the recipe in a top secret location.'