by Jonny Zucker
Max threw his arms out. He desperately searched for something to hold on to. His right hand suddenly found one of the elevator cables. He snatched it and gripped with all his might. Just one slip and he’d be hurtling down the shaft to certain death. Max’s heart raced as he reached up with his left hand. He held on as his legs swung beneath him.
He could hear the muffled shouts of the Shark Corps above him. They arrived in the corridor only to find that he’d vanished. Then he picked up the sounds of feet darting in both directions. They must have split up to hunt him down. Max breathed a sigh of relief. He swung around in the pitch-black shaft. The cable he was swinging from suddenly started to move just as he was contemplating how to escape. Max looked up.
The elevator! It was slamming down toward him at breakneck speed. He was about to be seriously squashed!
He could hear the high-pitched screech of the cables as the elevator hurtled toward him. Up and up he flew. Down and down the elevator sped. It was now less than twenty meters above him, smashing down fast.
Max winced and let go of the cable. He threw himself against the left-hand wall of the shaft. There was a tiny gap.
He slid himself into the space and felt the rush of the elevator as it crashed past him. But there was nothing to hold onto. A second later Max lost his balance. He toppled back into the shaft. He hurtled down the shaft, screaming in terror, for what seemed like forever. Max landed with a smack on the roof of the elevator. He rolled to his side to break his fall and almost got his head cut off by a metal beam. He shook himself in disbelief as he lay on the roof. The water rushed past him in the darkness.
And then the elevator suddenly started losing speed. It slowed right down. A few seconds later it came to a halt. Max heard people getting out. He waited a few seconds and then twisted a dial on the center of the roof. A circular panel slid open. He dropped down inside the elevator. A small group of creatures with human heads and carp lower bodies pushed a vending machine into the elevator. They froze in surprise.
“Oh, hi!” Max grinned. He gave them a confident wave. “Problem with some cables. All fixed now.”
“Let’s just get this thing in,” grunted one member of the group.
Max eased past them and out of the elevator as they wedged the machine inside. As the doors closed, he heard a Slither talking. “They’re taking younger and younger staff on nowadays, aren’t they? He looked like a kid.”
Max allowed himself a quick grin before checking the corridors for any sign of the Shark Corps. He let himself out of the building, through a glass door and was back on Main Street. He was trying to make sense of things when he heard a commotion up ahead. A big crowd had gathered. There were excited cheers and whistles. Max hurried to see what was going on.
He saw what all the fuss was about when he reached the crowd. A huge, cylindrical tank with a large opaque panel on the side was being driven down the road. People were pointing at the panel in awe. Max eased his way through the crowd until he got a clear view.
Inside the tank was a huge purple gem. It glittered and twinkled.
“The Tasmine Crystal,” he heard someone utter with hushed amazement.
Max instantly remembered the display table in the library. All of those books had been about the Tasmine Crystal. Now here it was. If only he’d stopped at the table and read a bit. Then he might have some idea what the significance of the crystal was. Could it be related in some way to Ray Day? Was it a prize or war spoil that Ray had won?
“This is so exciting,” gushed another Slither. “The Tasmine Crystal and the Azulin Filter together. What a combination!”
So the Tasmine Crystal and the Azulin Filter are connected! But how? And I’m STILL no closer to discovering who Ray is!
The crowd buzzed with excitement. It moved down the road alongside the vehicle. Max was tempted to go with them and check out where the Tasmine Crystal was heading. Then he noticed that a huge trail of bubbles followed behind the tank, forming a trail to where it had come from.
Perhaps I should investigate away from the crowd …
The bubbles stretched into the distance. It was worth a try. If he could find where the Crystal came from, he might find out where it was going. And he might get the answers to several other questions too. He looked back down the street and saw Dreydor and his army fly out of the mall. Max checked his wrap. It was securely fastened around his waist. He hurried away.
He didn’t stop running until he was well out of sight of the Shark Corps. The twists and twirls of bubbles were still strong. He followed them down several streets until they started thinning out.
Max arrived at the point where the trail had started. It was by an imposing white building with three silver turrets and a huge set of wrought iron gates. SHOAL LABORATORY, read a sign on a high wall to the right of the gates.
A laboratory? I should be able to find out about the Tasmine Crystal here …
Just then he heard the loud roar of an engine. He crouched down next to the railing and spotted a large red van approaching the gates.
Max pressed his back against the railing and watched. The van pulled up in front of the gates. A Slither with a salmon head reached out of the driver’s window and pressed a switch on a small panel next to the gate.
“Delivery of Carbuncle Sodium Chlorate,” the driver spoke into the intercom.
There was a pause. Then the gates made a clicking sound and started to slowly open. Max seized his chance. He sped over to the back of the van while crouching as low as he could. It was already moving through the gates by the time he reached it.
He scurried underneath and grabbed the exhaust pipe. He pulled himself up, stretching his body along the underside of the van. He hooked his feet on either side. The engine thudded. A flurry of bubbles hit Max in the face. He slammed a hand over his mouth to stop himself from coughing. A few seconds later, the van stopped.
He heard the driver’s door open and watched as two jeans-clad human legs touched the ground.
“All present and correct?” he heard a deep voice ask.
“Yeah, this is my last delivery of the day.”
“Well, open her up then,” ordered the first voice.
Max watched as two sets of feet walked around to the back of the van. He heard a lever being twisted and then a metallic ruffle as the van’s shutters were pulled open.
“It’s all in there,” said the second voice, the driver’s.
Both sets of feet left the ground. Max heard boots climbing up onto the van’s tailgate. This was followed by a scraping sound as the two creatures stepped into the van to check whatever was inside. The footsteps clunked above him while he heard muffled voices. A few seconds later, the footsteps went away. The two Slithers jumped down to the ground.
“I’m just going to get the paperwork,” said the driver.
Max watched the driver’s feet stroll around to the front of the van. I might find out what’s going on if I can hang on here!
Max congratulated himself on his plan. Then a strong flashlight beam suddenly cut through the darkness under the van. Max shrunk back in horror as the beam almost hit him.
A wave of fear snaked down his spine. He pressed himself against the underside of the van. Max tried to make himself invisible as the flashlight beam swished left, then right. The guard was just making a second, more thorough sweep when the driver called out.
“Can we get the paperwork done? I want a decent lunch break.”
The guard paused, sighed, and turned off the flashlight. He got to his feet. Max watched in relief as the Slither walked over to join the driver at the front of the van. Max feared the guard might return with the flashlight, so he quickly crawled along the pipes underneath the van. He reached the end. He stuck his legs out and up onto the tailgate. Pressing down very hard with his toes, he eased the rest of his body out. Then he grabbed the tailgate with his hands. In one swift movement, he flung himself up and onto his feet.
Inside the back of the van was a set
of large blue canisters. They were the type used to transport gas. One of them was empty, and the stopper was off. Max moved closer to investigate. He tripped over the stopper and sent it flying.
“What was that?” demanded the guard.
Max heard feet scurrying in his direction. He flung himself forward. He contorted his body and just managed to get into the canister and slam the stopper on as the guard’s feet hit the tailgate again. The footsteps thudded in Max’s direction. He heard the guard unscrew the stopper on another canister. And then the footsteps headed straight for his canister.
OK. The game’s up. Hand me over for Dreydor’s supper.
Another agonizing thirty seconds passed. Then he felt himself being turned onto his back as his canister was lowered down onto the tailgate. It was rolled off the back of the van and along the ground for what seemed like forever. Max’s body spun over and over inside the canister. He felt the canister being pushed over the lip of a doorjam.
Finally, he came to a halt. He heard the footsteps retreating.
He waited. One minute. Two minutes. Silence. Should he go and investigate? Or stay put?
Max took a deep breath. He pushed the stopper out and poked his head a fraction over the rim.
He blinked in the bright glare of spotlights. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he saw that he was in a huge, white-walled laboratory. Three Slithers in white lab coats sat at workstations at the far side of the room. They wore surgical gloves and punched red and yellow flashing buttons on large metallic panels fixed in front of them.
There was no one on Max’s side of the lab. There was just a row of shining laptops.
Max kept his eyes firmly on the lab-coat crew while he pushed himself through the opening of the canister. He lowered himself silently to the floor.
He stayed low to the ground as he crawled over to the row of laptops. He raised his right hand, reached up for the mouse, and clicked. The screen saver disappeared. The words ENTER PASSWORD appeared.
I’ll just have to guess. I need to get some information on these guys!
He slid his fingers onto the keyboard and typed in RAY DAY.
INCORRECT PASSWORD flashed across the screen.
He tried AQUATROPOLIS.
INCORRECT PASSWORD the screen replied.
Next he tried TASMINE CRYSTAL.
INCORRECT PASSWORD.
Max scratched his head in frustration. He could be here for days and not be able to log on. It could be any word or number or combination of both. He thought about everything he’d seen and heard since he’d been in Aquatropolis.
The Slithers seem to be massively in awe of their king. Why not give that a go?
He typed in KING FLAGO.
INCORRECT PASSWORD the monitor bleeped back.
Max bit his bottom lip thoughtfully.
He added the words THE MIGHTY to KING FLAGO.
The screen went blank for a few seconds. Max feared it had switched itself off after his multiple incorrect passwords. But then the words CORRECT PASSWORD ACCESS GRANTED flashed back at Max.
Yes!
He almost shouted with relief but realized that probably wasn’t a good strategy for remaining undetected. About twenty flashing red folders appeared on the screen. He checked that the Slithers hadn’t noticed him and began to scan the folders quickly.
WAVE TECH.
DAILY NOTES.
LAB FINANCE.
TASMINE CRYSTAL.
Max’s eyes widened. He double-clicked the TASMINE CRYSTAL folder. It opened immediately and showed a large collection of individual documents. There was one that grabbed Max’s attention.
It was called TAS CRYST + AQ FILT – AQUATROPOLIS CENTRAL HALL – PUBLIC PRESENTATION. Max opened the file.
The opening paragraphs were thanking various members of something called the Ray Day Public Committee.
This looks boring and useless …
But things started to get more interesting in paragraph five. By paragraph six, he was hooked.
Our engineers had completed the highly complex Tasmine Crystal on time. All that we needed to do now was to create the Azulin Filter. You’re all aware that the conditions for creating the Filter happen once every ten thousand years.
Ten thousand years?
We were ready for the exact window of time when deep-sea conditions were absolutely perfect. The process was successful. The Azulin Filter is now complete. Early trials have been a glowing success. Linking the Filter’s huge powers to the Crystal’s antigravitational pull has produced spectacular results, even when only a tiny fraction of possible power is activated.
Antigravitational pull?
We therefore conclude that all is ready for Ray Day. Success is assured. Our future will be bountiful and plentiful.
Bountiful and plentiful … what?!
Max stared at the screen and racked his brain. If gravitational pull kept things down, then antigravitational pull must keep things up. But what things were being kept up? And for what purpose? And how did this Azulin Filter link to the Crystal’s pull?
Max’s brain hurt with trying to work it out.
This is getting seriously scientific!
Then a thought suddenly struck him. He remembered the “freak flood” that had temporarily engulfed Decca Island.
Could it be that the antigravitational pull of the Tasmine Crystal pulled up water?
The report said that early trials had been a glowing success. What if the flooding of the island was an “early trial” for something much bigger? Maybe linking the Azulin Filter and the Tasmine Crystal would pull up a far greater amount of water. What if the amount was so large it could do permanent damage?
He scrolled down to the next paragraph but was interrupted by a metallic clunking sound. He looked up. The Slithers in lab coats were gone. Giant steel shutters were closing over every exit.
Max leaped up and started running. His feet pounded along the shiny lab floor. The shutters were almost completely down. Max ran faster. He dove forward onto his knees. He turned himself into a human thunderbolt. The smooth floor was a perfect launch pad. His whole body flew forward at incredible speed. His way out would be blocked in three seconds. He leaned back as far as he could and closed his eyes while hurtling forward. The top of his head missed the underside of a shutter by a millimeter. But he was through!
Max crashed against a wall and ricocheted off. He came to a halt in the middle of a narrow corridor. The sound of shutters closing echoed throughout the whole building. Max turned right and sped across the floor. Twenty meters down he spotted a small skylight window in the ceiling. He pulled himself up onto a window ledge. Max stretched as far as he could and caught hold of the window catch. He twisted it, pushed the window open, and dived through.
He found himself on a flat roof near the front of the building. The high gates up ahead were still open a fraction. The gap was just wide enough for him to squeeze through. Max checked to make sure there was no one around. He sprinted to the edge of the roof and leaped down toward the gates. But just as he reached them, a huge line of Shark Corps heavies emerged from every doorway.
Max pulled the Bubble Exploder out of his pocket before any of them could take a step. He twisted off the cap, snatched out the bubble ring, and blew.
Bubbles shot out from the ring and straight toward the Shark Corps.
They had no time to react.
The bubbles zipped forward, creating a dense, swirling mass of power that flew toward them. The force hit the Shark Corps and flung them backward. They yelled and crashed into one another.
Max looked at the bubble ring admiringly. Cool! He yanked the gates open and fled. He retraced his steps back to Main Street.
I have to get back to the Tasmine Crystal. It looks like the Slithers want to use it to create a giant flood to wash us away!
Max sped to the end of the street. He turned the corner. The road ahead was empty. He sprinted down it. His feet pounded on the ground. Up ahead was another corner. He skidd
ed around it and froze.
There in front of him were three members of the Shark Corps blocking his path. Max quickly spun around. To his horror, three more of them stood in the road behind him. Others appeared from a doorway on his left. And another team of the vicious fish force emerged from the right. He was ambushed!
And last but not least, the hulking figure of Captain Dreydor appeared. He was on top of a tall building just up ahead. Dreydor stepped off the building’s roof and floated down to the ground.
“Thought you were being clever with that elevator stunt earlier, didn’t you?” he snarled.
“It wasn’t bad, was it?” laughed Max, trying to buy some time.
“Well, the time for fun and games is over,” hissed Dreydor.
Max swallowed nervously. What he needed was a gadget, and quickly! He reached into his pocket for the Power Shoot. The space where he’d put it was empty! He desperately rooted around for it. But it had totally disappeared.
Dreydor saw Max’s terror and roared with laughter.
“Come on, boys!” he declared. “It’s feeding time!”
Dreydor and his men started to move in on Max. Their cruel eyes locked onto him.
OK. Time’s up. It’s over. Finished. Kaput. The end of the road. Will Dreydor feed on me and throw the leftover scraps to the others? Or will it be a communal feast? And what part of me will they eat first?
These questions zipped through his mind as Dreydor and his hideous Shark Corps closed in. All around Max were huge jaws full of gleaming, fiercely sharp teeth, ready to do some serious damage. He didn’t stand a chance.
Max closed his eyes. Every muscle in his body clenched with dread.
“STOP!” a powerful voice thundered.
Max opened one eye. His head was halfway inside Dreydor’s mouth.
Dreydor froze. Max could feel the captain’s teeth skimming the top of his hair.
The members of the Shark Corps bowed their heads low. “Behold the Mighty King Flago!” they chorused.
Dreydor pulled his jaw back. Max breathed a sigh of relief and looked around for the Mighty King Flago. There was no sign of him anywhere.
