The Final Curtain (2 page)

In the secret lab beneath the house, Ben and Linden had sunk into oversized beanbags and munched simultaneously into large toasted egg and bacon sandwiches, while Max and Eleanor waited for them to finish.

‘The sausages, toast and baked beans weren't enough for breakfast?' Max eyed off the two feasters.

‘The party's not for hours,' Ben mumbled through a mouthful of sandwich.

Linden swallowed and added, ‘There's no point risking going hungry.'

Max raised her eyebrows. ‘I don't think there's any danger of that happening.'

Ben and Linden shared a love of food that even in the most dangerous of situations would never leave them.

The lab had the usual Ben chaos about it, with piles of books, newspapers, goggles, boxes, tubes and shabbily discarded labcoats strewn wherever he'd let them fall. Above polished white floors stood humming lab equipment, whole shelves of drawers, cupboards and benches covered with drawings, plans and scribbled notes. Ben's favourite part was the lounge area with its drop-down projection screen, fluffy rug, beanbags and jars of lollies, nuts and biscuits for food emergencies. And
in the middle of the lab, on a large round platform gently shrouded in dim light, was a glass cabinet cradling the Time and Space Machine.

‘Maybe we'll get started while the hungry ones finish filling their stomachs,' Eleanor said. ‘Care to join me?'

Max sighed. ‘Love to.'

On the platform, Eleanor opened the cabinet and lifted the Time and Space Machine from its nestled position. ‘It's come a long way from our first thoughts of making this happen, but I think we've done okay?'

Max loved her uncle and aunt, but they had this annoying habit of understating their brilliance.

‘Okay?' Max asked. ‘You, Ben and Francis are responsible for creating one of the most technologically magnificent inventions ever. It's helped save the world and me from otherwise completely devastating ends.'

Eleanor smiled. ‘It
is
pretty good when you put it like that.'

‘Let's get this party started.' Ben jumped up from his beanbag, wiped his face on his sleeve and reached into the biscuit tin for a final morsel of sustenance. He handed a chocolate chip biscuit to Linden, and the two of them joined Eleanor and Max.

‘Nice of you and your stomach to join us,' Max said to Linden.

‘Wouldn't miss it for the world.' He flashed one of his best smiles.

Each of the four spies slipped on their special-issue backpack from Spyforce that doubled as a Personal Flying Device, a bottomless satchel and even had camouflage capabilities. When you opened out the bag it could be draped over you and mimic the colour of your surroundings so that you were perfectly discreet. They were also fingerprint sensitive, so they could only be opened by the official owner.

Eleanor entered the coordinates of Spyforce Headquarters into the machine.

‘Is Francis coming?' Max asked Ben.

‘Nah,' Ben answered. ‘My brother had to choose between going to Spyforce's party and being in New York to study the boosting of the nuclei of gold and uranium atoms to colossal energies and then colliding them head-on in a heavy-ion accelerator. He chose the accelerator, of course.'

‘Of course.' Max had no idea what her uncle just said. ‘Now can you tell me in
English
what he's doing?'

‘He's experimenting with new technologies to
create a greater and safer energy supply for going back and forward in time using the Time and Space Machine.' He looked at his watch. ‘But for now, this baby is ready to deliver us to London so we can
party like it's 1999
.'

Ben began to jerk around like a spider had run up his trousers and sang an out-of-tune song dug up from the murky depths of his tragic musical past.

‘Ben's been practising singing with Larry,' Linden whispered to Max, ‘but Larry's the only one who has improved.'

Eleanor took Ben's hand. ‘Maybe that's enough partying for now. You don't want to wear yourself out before we get there.'

Her finger hovered above the
transport
button of the machine while Max, Linden and Ben held hands.

‘All aboard for the Time and Space Machine Express from Mindawarra, Australia, to London,' Ben announced.

Eleanor pressed
transport
and the four spies disappeared from the lab in a green flash of light and a quiet
fffttt
.

Fifteen seconds later in a back alley in London, a burst of fluorescent light fireworked in the air and tiny sparks of colour fell like a freak shower of light.
The spies materialised in the centre and hung suspended for a few moments before they floated slowly to the ground.

At least Ben, Eleanor and Linden did. Max was nowhere to be seen, while in the distance there was a muffled hubbub of surprised voices.

‘My guess is, she's that way.' Linden led them to the end of the alley, which opened into a grand square bordered by stately museums, churches and giant stone archways. In a large fountain, edged with water-spurting mermen, fish and dolphins, Max bubbled in the centre while several people leaned in and offered to help her out.

‘Looks like she's made friends already.' Linden smiled until he caught Max's eye. ‘Or not,' he mumbled.

They hurried to the fountain as Max's head became the new perch for a cooing pigeon. Ben and Linden excused themselves as they made their way through the crowd and climbed into the fountain. They grabbed hold of Max and helped her to her now very soggy feet.

‘Lucky Quimby made that backpack waterproof.' Linden tried to erase the look of bristling annoyance on Max's face.

It didn't work.

‘Where did
you
land?' Max asked, her voice flat and unimpressed.

‘Over there.' Linden pointed behind him to a very dry, very discreet alleyway.

Max eyed her uncle with a less-than-happy stare as he hoisted her over the edge of the fountain onto dry land. ‘I thought you'd sorted out the problem with the landings.'

‘Sorry, Max,' Ben said. ‘The machine's been acting a little strange lately.' He flung his hands around the square. ‘But I could think of less magnificent places to land.'

‘I agree.' Eleanor marvelled. ‘It never fails to excite me being here.'

‘It's pretty special,' Linden added.

‘She came out of nowhere,' a voice said behind them. ‘I saw her. One minute she wasn't there, then she was!'

‘I hate to interrupt your lovely sightseeing moment,' Max whispered, ‘but I think it's time to get out of here.'

Linden took hold of Max's arm and addressed the crowd. ‘If we told her once we told her a million times. She's too clumsy to be walking along the edge of fountains. I guess we can't stop the adventurer in her. Come on, little sis.'

Max grit her teeth as she was fussed and bundled away from the fountain. It wasn't until they stood before the hotel that her tightly crossed arms loosened and her spirits became less soggy.

‘You never told us we were going to slum it.' Linden's eyes widened at the arched stone hotel entrance that bustled with porters, valets and hotel staff, opening doors on luxury cars and gently handling expensive-looking luggage.

‘Only the best will do for such an important occasion as Spyforce's anniversary.' Ben sniffed. ‘In fact, when I think of it …' he sniffed again. ‘It makes me want to …' S
niff
. ‘I think I'd like to …'

Ben had a tendency to become emotional at important moments, and Max was keen to get inside before he burst into tears. And she also wanted to put on some dry clothes.

‘Shouldn't we go in? We need to start getting ready.'

‘Yes, yes.' Ben sniffed a final time and held his head high.

They stepped onto a red carpet that led them past two imposing marble sculptures of lions and to the polished gold-handled doors of the hotel. A doorman wearing a tuxedo, top hat and
immaculately white gloves bowed low and welcomed them into a gleaming and luxurious foyer.

Giant palm fronds waved gently beneath chandeliers that seemed to float in the air like jewelled swans. Busts of important-looking men and women sat on sidetables and plinths like people frozen from history. Finely dressed men and women held their pinkies out as they took high tea with scones and cream. A woman in a long red evening gown serenaded them all, accompanied by a pianist whose slender fingers danced over the ivory keys of a grand piano.

Max marvelled at the opulent scene until another white-gloved man handed her a towel.

‘Madam is dripping on the nineteenth-century Persian rug.' He scowled.

‘Sorry.' Max took the towel. ‘I don't usually drip on things that old.'

Linden only just managed to smother a laugh.

‘I mean …' Max began, but the white-gloved man raised an irritated eyebrow, turned on his polished heel and left with a barely concealed
humph
.

‘I meant I'm clumsy over
all
things, not just ones from the nineteenth century,' Max explained
to Linden. She slumped. ‘I may even get over it one day.'

‘Mum used to say we all have qualities that make us unique,' Linden said.

‘What would your mum have thought of my unique quality?'

A smile crept into Linden's lips. ‘She would have told you to always have a hanky nearby.'

Max dabbed her hair with the towel. ‘And then she would have moved away from me so I didn't slime her with my clumsiness.'

‘Nah. She would have liked you. She would have thought you were …'

Linden stopped as if the words had jammed in his mouth. His smile faded. Max moved to touch his hand just as Linden saw Ben waving from the reception desk. ‘Looks like we've been checked in.'

Another gloved man bowed and operated the elevator. Ben and Eleanor chatted about being in London and looking forward to seeing old friends. Max snuck a look at Linden, who didn't seem to be listening.

Their rooms were in every way as plush as the foyer, except they had faraway views over London and its ancient museums, lush green parks and regally appointed cathedrals and palaces.

Linden ran his eyes over it all and said to Max, ‘Remember the first time we came to London?'

Ben stepped behind them and feigned an annoyed look. ‘I believe it was when you took someone's Matter Transporter without their permission.'

‘You forgot the next part,' Eleanor added. ‘About being reunited with your brother so that the Time and Space Machine could finally be finished.'
³

‘Yes, there was that,' Ben agreed.

‘Even though I thought your idea was crazy,' Linden whispered, ‘it'll always be one of the best times of my life.'

‘Aaah!' Max yelled.

‘Maybe you don't feel the same way.'

‘No.' Max reached into her pocket. ‘My palm computer vibrated.' She sat on the lounge and opened the connection. ‘Steinberger, it's good to see you.'

‘Ah, Max, there you are. Our satellite system told us you and your fellow agents are in London. I trust you all arrived safely?'

‘Mmm, safely. Not sure I'd describe it that way.' Max raised an eyebrow.

Ben plonked himself on the lounge beside her. ‘Steinby, you old devil. Good to see you. How's the party shaping up?'

Steinberger's eyes lit up. ‘Almost there. The final touches are being made even as we speak, and we have a few surprises in store that we think are going to make this a night to remember for a very long time.'

Eleanor and Linden joined them on the now very squished lounge.

‘There isn't anything wrong, is there?' Max asked.

‘Oh no.' He laughed. ‘In fact the world seems much less inclined to crime in the last few weeks than usual. We thought that since you're in London, it'd be a good opportunity to send you and Linden on another training exercise. What do you think?'

‘Brilliant,' Linden chimed in. ‘Where would you like us to go?'

‘To a forest not far from London. The exercise should only take a few hours, but we feel we should always take the time to sharpen our agents' skills.'

‘When do we start?' Max asked.

‘Tomorrow. While you do your training, we thought Ben and Eleanor would like the day to catch up with old friends.'

‘Now there's a man with a plan,' Ben said.

‘And the really exciting news is,' Steinberger continued, ‘you'll have the pleasure of trying out Quimby's latest gadget.' Steinberger almost slipped off his chair in excitement.

‘A new gadget?' Linden's day just got better.

‘Life doesn't get much more exciting than that.' Max's didn't.

‘Oh Max, I know you've had a little trouble in the past becoming acquainted with Quimby's gadgets, but you're going to love this one,' Steinberger assured her.

Max raised an unconvinced eyebrow. ‘Don't count on it.'

‘But for now, you have a party to prepare for. I will send a car to pick you up in an hour.' Steinberger disappeared from the screen.

Ben clapped his hands. ‘Everyone to their rooms. We rendezvous in the foyer in one hour precisely, looking our brand-spankingest. And don't forget, Linden, Toby will be sharing your room after the party, so don't get too comfortable on your own.'

The hour seemed to fly past. It felt as if only minutes after Steinberger's call Max's time was up. No matter what clothes she put on, how she
arranged her hair or what shoes she wore, nothing seemed to work. Finally, she decided she couldn't do any more, turned away from the mirror and went to meet the others.

Stepping out of the elevator, Max found them leaning over an indoor pond teeming with giant goldfish.

‘Sorry I'm late, I …'

Ben, Eleanor and Linden stood upright and stared, mouths falling open. None of them said anything.