The Mission to Find Max: Egypt (8 page)

There wasn't anything unusual inside the first tent, just some tools and empty crates. So Jack hurried along to the next one. In this one there were toilets and a mirror. Quickly moving to another tent, Jack found himself in some kind of storage area.

There were boxes of artifacts piled up at the side. In the middle of the tent stood a pole in the sand. Sitting against it with his back towards Jack was a young boy. His wrists were tied to the pole, and his body was slumped as if he were sleeping. Probably a worker who'd got in trouble for breaking something, Jack thought.

He walked round to check that the boy was OK. When he saw his face, he got the biggest surprise of his life. It wasn't just any boy. It was his brother, Max!

A rush of emotions came over Jack and he started to cry with joy. He couldn't believe that, after all these months, he'd finally found his brother. He hugged Max tightly, then sat back to examine him. Apart from the drool hanging down from his mouth, Max seemed OK. There weren't any visible wounds on his body.

Jack started shaking his brother by the shoulders, but Max didn't wake up.

He knelt down and put his ear to Max's mouth. Max was breathing, but he wasn't coming round. Jack wondered whether Massri had given him a sleeping potion. Reaching into his Book Bag, Jack pulled out his GPF Time Release Vapors – a tub of strong-smelling cream that could wake anyone from any kind of sleep. It was perfect if someone had been drugged, or had bumped their head and was unconscious.

‘One whiff of this,' Jack said to his brother, ‘and you'll be all right again.'

Just as Jack lifted the tub to Max's nose, there was a noise outside the tent. It was a girl, and she was coming closer.

‘Get off of me, you lug!' she yelled.

Quickly Jack put away the Time Release Vapors and hid behind a stack of boxes.

The tent flap opened, and the girl was tossed face first onto the floor. Oddly, she was carrying what looked like a GPF Book Bag. Massri stepped inside, just behind her.

‘I told you and your mother to leave me alone!' he shouted.

Jack's ears pricked up. That was an odd thing to say. He noticed at the girl's hair. It was brown and curly, just like—

‘Chai!' Massri called out.

His henchman entered, holding a rope. He yanked the girl off the floor and dragged her over to the same pole as Max, tying her wrists to it. It was then that Jack finally saw her face.

It was Kate – the girl he'd met in Cambodia! What was she doing here?

Before Jack could do anything, Massri and Chai were heading for the tent flap again.

‘I'm closer than ever to finding the diadem,' Massri muttered. ‘I know it's in Giza.'

‘You'll never get it!' cried Kate, trying to break free.

‘Oh yes I will,' he said. ‘And when I do, I'll make sure I get rid of you both.'

Massri laughed an evil laugh. Then he and his thug left the tent.

For a moment Jack sat there, stunned. This was a crazy coincidence. Max and Kate in the same room?

Jack moved towards Kate. When she saw who it was, she was excited and confused.

‘Jack!' she said. ‘What are you doing here?'

‘Me?' he said. ‘I'm here to save my brother. What are
you
doing here? And why are you wearing Max's Book Bag?' He pointed at the familiar backpack on her back.

‘For your information,' said Kate, ‘this is
my
Book Bag. I'm here for the same reason — to rescue Max.'

Jack wrinkled his brow in confusion.

‘After meeting you I decided to join the GPF,' said Kate. ‘You inspired me; plus, it was my only hope of seeing you again.'

Jack's cheeks grew hot. ‘So finding my brother is your mission?' he asked.

If it was, Jack was going to have a bone to pick with Director Barter: he didn't understand why the GPF couldn't have asked him to take this on himself.

‘I guess it was too risky to send you,' said Kate. ‘You're family, after all. That could cloud your judgement.'

Jack's eyes narrowed. But before he could say anything, Kate carried on.

‘Plus,' she said, ‘I've got a bit of a reputation within the GPF. I'm one of their best secret agents.'

Jack highly doubted that. He'd never heard of Kate being an agent: he was the most decorated one. He'd stopped no less than thirteen criminals in a few short months.

‘I've pretty much beaten your record,' said Kate. ‘And I'm known for getting out of sticky situations.'

Jack looked at her bound wrists. ‘Doesn't look like you're doing a very good job now,' he said.

‘Give me a minute,' she said.

She closed her eyes and started to wriggle her shoulders. Like Houdini escaping from a straitjacket, within seconds Kate had maneuvred her wrists free. The ropes slipped down her arms and onto the floor.

Jack was impressed. He usually relied on the pocket knife from his boot to saw through rope.

‘How did you—?' he began.

‘It's a secret,' said Kate with a wink. ‘Now let's get your brother out of here. After all, I didn't allow myself to be captured by that creep for nothing.'

Now Jack knew what Kate was doing in this tent. She had tricked Massri into capturing her so that she could get closer to Max.

Jack pulled out the Time Release Vapors and wafted them under his brother's nose. Kate untied the ropes around Max's wrists. Within seconds he opened his eyes and saw his little brother.

‘Jack!' he said, throwing his arms around him. ‘I knew you'd come. You must have got my note.'

‘Yeah, I did,' said Jack. ‘Sorry it took me so long.'

‘Better late than never,' said Max, smiling. ‘How are Mom and Dad?'

‘Great,' said Jack. ‘They still think you're in Switzerland.'

‘That was Director Barter's idea,' said Max. ‘Pretty clever, huh?' Rubbing his wrists, he turned to Kate. ‘Who are you?'

‘I'm a friend of Jack's,' said Kate, winking at Jack, ‘and a fellow GPF agent.'

Max looked at Jack, then at Kate, then back again. ‘Friends, huh?' he said, raising an eyebrow.