Max Einstein Saves the Future

by James Patterson

“Horrible!”

  “Then I am glad the Corp never gave me olfactory sensibilities.”

  They dashed up the tunnel, running past several of the robotic security guards. None of them recognized their faces. And they had no orders to fire on Frankenstein or the president of the United States.

  Max and Leo finally made it to the sealed cave entrance where Wilhelm was waiting for them.

  He had Hana.

  He also had his submachine gun.

  66

  “Open the door, Wilhelm,” said Max, pulling off her mask.

  “Ha! Forget it, kid,” Wilhelm snarled. He jabbed the muzzle of his weapon into Hana’s ribs.

  Hana was sobbing. “I’m so sorry, you guys,” she blubbered.

  “As you should be,” said Leo, who’d also taken off his mask. “Wilhelm, have you forgotten that your hostage betrayed us? Why should we want to protect, save, or rescue her?”

  Wilhelm paused to think about that. He even lowered his weapon slightly.

  But it was enough.

  It gave Leo a clean shot.

  The door in his chest flew open and out sprang the twin barbed probes of a laser-guided Taser stun gun. Wilhelm’s limbs spasmed as the electric pulse convulsed him. He dropped his weapon, which clattered on the stony floor. He toppled to his knees. Quivering from the electric jolt, he flopped sideways and scooted around the dusty floor in kicking circles.

  “What’s the door code?” screamed Hana. “We need to get out of here.”

  In the distance, alarm sirens started whoop-whooping.

  “Evacuate the facility,” purred a way-too-calm prerecorded voice. “Evacuate the facility.”

  “Release Hana!” came the voice of Dr. Zimm over the loudspeakers. He coughed some. Gagged, too. “Open this door, Max! Open this door immediately!”

  “Guess the stink bomb must’ve done its thing,” said Max.

  “What is that stench?” asked Hana, sniffing the air. “Rotten eggs?”

  “Hydrogen sulfide gas,” said Max, trying not to breathe through her nose. The smell had worked its way into the air filling the tunnel, too.

  She scooped up some dust from the floor and blew it across the keypad controlling the sliding stone wall entrance. “You see it, Leo?”

  “Indeed I do. And, might I say, that is a very clever trick.”

  “Thanks. We’d better hurry. Wilhelm isn’t going to stay incapacitated for much longer.”

  “Indeed. Allow me to do the honors.”

  Leo scanned the dusted keypad, deciphered the code by following the fingerprint pattern, and punched in the correct sequence of numbers. The solid rock wall slowly slid open.

  “Now open the boardroom door,” Max told the bot.

  “Boardroom door is now open,” reported Leo.

  Hana ran out into the sunshine as soon as the gap between the moving door and the stone wall was large enough.

  “Hello, Hana,” said Charl, waiting on the other side.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

  “Yes, you did,” said Isabl. “Keeto? Take her to our vehicle. Lock her in.”

  Keeto led Hana away.

  Max stepped out of the mouth of the Cave and smiled because the craggy courtyard between the entrance to the Corp’s cavernous headquarters and their guardhouse was filled with people. The whole CMI team, of course. Mr. Carleigh and a bunch of his farmer friends. Folks from the network of church food banks. Several police officers (who had the guardhouse attendant in the caged back seat of one of their cruisers). And, most important, TV crews from CNN, Fox News, MSNBC—every news outlet there was.

  “How’d Leo do?” asked Klaus.

  “Fantastic!”

  Klaus clapped Leo on the back. “Atta boy!”

  “And the remote control was a brilliant touch,” said Max, tapping her robot lapel pin. “Came in handy.”

  “He was an excellent tracking device, too,” said Charl. “Well done, Klaus.”

  Klaus shrugged. “What can I say? I’m a genius. Then again, we’re all geniuses! Everybody on the team. Well, except Hana. She’s smart but dumb, know what I mean?”

  Max laughed. “Yes, I do.” She turned to the waiting press corps. “Cameras up, guys. The stars of our show should be coming out any minute.”

  Hacking, coughing, covering their noses with fancy handkerchiefs, the seven bleary-eyed members of the Corp’s board came stumbling out of the cave, gasping for fresh air.

  Dr. Zimm was the first one out.

  And the first one captured on the footage that aired on every news channel that night.

  67

  The next week was a busy one.

  The media had a field day exposing the corporate titans operating a “shady, greed-fueled organization known as the Corp.” Reporters exposed how many “horror stories around the globe” were connected to the group and its leaders. Many lost their day jobs with some of the world’s largest, best-known companies.

  Some of the ex-Corp members threatened Max and the CMI: “This is phony news. Fake allegations. Those ignorant children will pay dearly for what they’re trying to do to us and our reputations!”

  “You think any of them will go to jail?” wondered Keeto, watching the corporate big shots and their lawyers on TV.

  “Doubtful,” said the somewhat cynical Siobhan. “The big dogs never have to pay for their crimes.”

  Dr. Zimm was taken into federal custody for attempted kidnapping. The FBI also wanted to talk to him about some twelve-year-old corporate espionage charges from his time in Princeton.

  Ben bought Hana a one-way ticket home to Japan. He made sure the airline knew she would prefer the vegan meal option.

  The CMI team might have to look for a new member. Maybe a biochemist who wasn’t so focused on growing genetically altered soybeans the size of grapefruits.

  In the meantime, Max stayed focused on the smooth operation and logistics flow of the food collection and distribution system they’d set up in their small corner of West Virginia.

  It turned out that UPS was eager to partner with the CMI after all. Algorithms were written. Computer programs were running. Food that used to go to the landfill was now being saved. And, most important, that good food was getting to where it was needed most.

  It was a model that could be replicated—all over the world!

  “Thanks, Max,” said Sam, the hungry young girl Max had met on her first trip to the church food pantry. Her family was able to go home with shopping bags filled with nutritious food that they’d picked off grocery store–style shelves.

  Sam was also able to grab a Honey Bun.

  Because what’s dinner without dessert?

  With the operation running so smoothly (Annika, the logic whiz, played a huge role), Max was able to accept an invitation from Ben.

  He wanted to do another lunch.

  In Princeton.

  68

  Ben had been able to use his influence (and his money) to delay the demolition of the Tardis House.

  So that’s where he and Max had a catered meal around a simple table covered with crisp linen.

  “I, uh, made a significant contribution to the university. They own this building,” Ben explained. “The bulldozers will, you know, wait. And, with a little more financial encouragement, Professor Shannon McKenna might be able to continue her research into the mind-blowing work that was done here back in 1921.”

  Max smiled. “By the couple who might’ve been my parents?”

  “Exactly! That is so cool, Max. You’re a time traveler. The first one I’ve ever met. Do you remember anything from 1921?”

  “Nope,” said Max. “I’m not even sure it’s true.”

  “It might be,” said Ben. “You know what Sherlock Holmes says. ‘Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth!’”

  “Okay,” said Max, putting down her cucumber sandwich. “Let’s do a little thought experiment, Ben. What if I really am Dorothy,
the only child of the professors who lived here a hundred years ago? Everybody says they were geniuses. Einstein thought they were even smarter than him because they could take his theories and give them a practical application. Maybe Susan and Timothy were my mom and dad, and I inherited my smarts from them. What if I climbed into a suitcase while their time machine was whirring away down in the basement? What if I came here from 1921? What if I almost met Albert Einstein when I was a baby?”

  “Let’s find out!” said Ben. “We could work out what really happened back then. Wouldn’t it be exciting to get those answers?”

  Max shook her head. “No. It would be interesting, but I know one thing that’s certain: We can’t travel backward in time. We can’t live in the past, either. We can only look forward. To the future. And Ben? That’s where things get really exciting!”

  MAX EINSTEIN IS AT IT AGAIN!

  She’s trying to solve the world’s problems and escape the evil claws of the Corp at the same time. Max continues to recruit help from her hero, Dr. Albert Einstein, and her friends at the Change Makers Institute (CMI) to solve one of the planet’s worst problems: world hunger. Unfortunately, Max’s focus is torn in multiple directions—solving the problem of world hunger, escaping the Corp, and finally discovering who she really is.

  Although Max’s adventure may be over, you can re-live moments from the book with these activities and create your own reading adventures. Let’s get going!

  CHANGE MAKERS INSTITUTE BUSINESS CARDS

  The Change Makers Institute (CMI) continues to help others by finding ways to improve their quality of life. CMI business cards can spread the word about the team and how they help others!

  Become the CMI’s marketing manager and create a business card for someone on the CMI team. Be sure to include:

  their name

  a picture (drawn by you)

  hometown

  accomplishments

  a quote that will sum up their purpose in life

  Don’t stop there! Create your own business card. What skills and accomplishments do you have? Find a quote that shares more about you and your passions. You can include a fake phone number and address. Do you have a fake website and email address? Include those as well! And remember… creativity rocks!

  I AM…” POEM

  Throughout the book, we finally begin to learn about Max’s past and where she comes from. Through Max’s eyes, we learn the importance of knowing who you are. One of the best ways to share who you are is through poetry. Let’s get into the minds of the characters to really understand them. Imagine you are one of the characters from this book. What would they wonder about? What do they hope for? On a separate sheet of paper, complete the first poem with the information you know about that character. Turn the paper over and complete the second poem for yourself. How are you and the character similar? How are you different?

  Character’s Poem

  is… (2 adjectives)

  wonders…

  hears…

  sees…

  wants…

  is… (2 adjectives)

  pretends…

  feels…

  touches…

  worries…

  cries…

  is… (2 adjectives)

  understands…

  says… (a quote)

  dreams…

  tries…

  hopes…

  is… (2 adjectives)

  My “I am” Poem

  I am…

  I wonder…

  I hear…

  I see…

  I want…

  I am…

  I pretend…

  I feel…

  I touch…

  I worry…

  I cry…

  I am…

  I understand…

  I say…

  I dream…

  I try…

  I hope…

  I am…

  Poetry is meant to be shared! Allow others to hear the poem you created. Ask a friend or family member to complete their own poem and compare. What do you have in common? What are the differences? Why do we say what we say and worry about what we worry about? How do we become who we are? How do Max and the other characters become who they are?

  FRIENDSHIP FACTOIDS

  Max finally finds friends on the CMI team. They are there for her when she needs them the most. For example, they surround her when Professor Von Hinkle attempts to steal her. They travel to many different places to help Max assist those in need. How well do you know Max’s friends? Could you determine which friend is described here just by reading facts about them? Read the clues to solve the friend mystery. Write their name in the box. Then, using the letters above the number, complete Albert Einstein’s quote about friendship.

  CLUES

  1. I am an expert in robotics and pride myself on my vast knowledge of technology. I believe “go big or stay home,” especially when we are solving the world’s problems. I love food! One time, I accidentally helped the Corp when I accepted a gift, which was a phone. However, I will make sure not to make that mistake again!

  2. I do not need a last name. I am skilled in martial arts and have an accent that is from somewhere in Eastern Europe. I possess many skills, including lassoing evil-doers from the Corp. Some on the CMI team may call me a “quiet addition.”

  3. As a computer scientist from California, I am destined to be “the next Steve Jobs.” There is no code I cannot crack. Others may see me as short-tempered, but it is just because I have no patience for wasting time.

  4. I am a friend of Max’s, and it’s very unlikely I would ever betray her. My family is considered wealthy and resides in Africa, where I became a biochemist. I hate taking any tests and always try to have a sunny smile on my face.

  5. I am a master of formal logic and believe “without logic, none of those other sciences could function.” I am from Germany and enjoyed eating my feast at the World Hunger Banquet. I am very good at coordinating plans, like trips to return home.

  THUNDERCLOUDS OF DISCOVERY

  Max loves to work through ideas and find solutions to the world’s problems. As the ideas flow through her, she brainstorms what she knows. She investigates theories originally tested out by Albert Einstein and all the possible ways the problem can be solved. Charl and Isabl refer to this brainstorming as “Max’s thunderclouds of discovery.” Look at the list of issues that face our world today. What “thunderclouds of discovery” can you come up with? Write or draw on the clouds how you could possibly solve the problem. Remember, you are “blue-sky thinking” (here), which means there is no limit to your ideas. Think BIG! Be creative! The sky’s the limit!

  LOCAL ISSUES

  Lonely elderly neighbors

  Crowded animal shelters

  Homelessness

  Neglected town gardens

  Overbuilding of houses

  and apartments

  GLOBAL ISSUES

  Climate Change

  World Hunger

  Poverty

  Inequalities

  Ocean Conservation

  Now that you are inspired with ideas, you can help out in your community! Here are some websites to help you get started on becoming a change maker in your own city or town. Like Albert Einstein said, “Keep on sowing your seed, for you never know which will grow—perhaps it all will.”

  10 Simple Ways Kids Can Volunteer in Their Communities and Make a Difference

  https://www.scarymommy.com/ways-kids-can-volunteer-make-difference/

  100 Ways for Teens to Make a Difference in Your Community

  https://empoweredteensandparents.com/100-ways-for-teens-to-make-a-difference-in-your-community/

  TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

  Now that you have finished the book, are you up for a challenge? How many questions can you answer correctly about Max Einstein Saves the Future? Answer 8 out of 10 questions to achieve genius status, just like Max and the CMI team! Before sneaking a peek at the answer k
ey, try to find the correct answer in your book. As Max said, “Education is training the mind to think.” Don’t let the questions trick you… your book is there to help train your mind and find the answers.

  1. During the world hunger banquet, Ms. Kaplan shares statistics about world hunger. What percent of the world lives in a middle-class country?

  a. 10%

  b. 20%

  c. 70%

  d. 35%

  2. Where is the Royal Albert Hall?

  a. West Virginia

  b. New Mexico

  c. London

  d. Oxford

  3. Who became the new leader when Max was demoted?

  a. Annika

  b. Hana

  c. Toma

  d. Klaus

  4. Which Avenger bad guy was Professor Hinkle compared to?

  a. Ultron

  b. Loki

  c. Thanos

  d. Dr. Doom

  5. What was the show Darryl referenced when talking about the house on Battle Road?

  a. Sherlock

  b. The Crown

  c. The Bodyguard

  d. Dr. Who

  6. Finish the quote, “Imagination is more important than .”

  a. knowledge

  b. playing

  c. learning

  d. education

  7. What name did Dr. McKenna call Max?

  a. Dolly

  b. Susie

  c. Annie

  d. Dorothy

  8. Where is the Corp’s hideaway?

  a. West Virginia

  b. New Jersey

  c. Oxford

  d. Texas

  9. What was Hana going to do when working for the Corp?

  a. Create genetically modified organisms

  b. Open a plant-based supermarket

  c. Build robots that spy on people

  d. Plant trees all over the world

  10. What problem was the CMI team working on in Max Einstein Saves the Future?