Backyard Hero

Chapter 3: There, and Back Again

Max watched Nina stalk into the dark. He sighed. Every time the girl had looked at Max he had tried to put on his friendliest smile. Her nose would scrunch up and her eyes narrow before she would walk away while muttering to herself. Max couldn't help but wonder what he'd done to upset the girl, he'd even saved her life.

Maybe girls really do only like bad boys?

Shaking his head, Max pulled out his phone and turned on the flashlight app. The tunnel was wide enough for at least three people to travel side-by-side, but Max was forced to walk along a narrow, raised walkway. A deluge of rainwater flowed under his feet.

"What are you doing?" Nina's face appeared from nowhere.

She snatched the phone from Max's hand. Her hand flexed and the crumbled components of Max's phone fell into the water.

"Every time I think that you may be acting, that there is some semblance of competency hidden behind your farm boy routine you ... you go and do something so colossally stupid."

"That was my phone! How do you expect me to find my way home through these tunnels without it?"

"My god ... you were trying to use GPS?"

"Well, do you carry a map of the sewers around with you? Besides, it's dark in here."

Nina held up a finger on one hand as she massaged the space between her eyes with the other. Max waited for her to finish, putting on his best smile. She sighed, before looking up at Max once more.

"Wipe that perverted grin off your face," she huffed.

Max's smile dropped, "Look, I don't know who you think you are ... but I risked a lot back there. Truth is, I don't know what came over me. I could have been killed!"

"I ... I'm sorry. Let's just keep moving, okay?"

Max followed the girl as she led him further into the tunnel. They went by several access ladders, but the girl never slowed. Max had no idea where they were going, but he was fine with any direction that led away from the river. Away from the Quad that was hunting them.

What have I gotten myself into?

"Look," said Max, "I don't know what kind of trouble you've gotten yourself into, but I think it's time we split up."

"Split up?" the girl laughed. "By all means Max, go your own way. When my brother's men find you, and they will, I won't be there to save you."

"Save me? I saved you!"

"It doesn't matter," she shook her head. "The only thing that matters is getting out of the city as quickly as possible."

"I'm not leaving. I told you, we can go to my grandfather's house."

"Assuming the house is not in your name, and is not your listed mailing address," Max winced as Nina counted on her fingers, "and assuming they haven't already identified you ... and aren't already there waiting for us. We have, at most, until morning before a dozen agents kick down your door. Probably a Quad as well."

Max watched Nina's face as she yelled. Her breath was heavy, and her face slightly flushed. A vein pulsed on her forehead. It was almost cute.

"Is your grandfather's place equipped to deal with that? I don't suppose Grandpa is hiding an army, is he? Oooh, maybe you've got an elder elemental in your broom closet? A tank under the stairs?"

"Is that all you need?" Max smiled. "I mean, he's got a few guns and antique swords but ... I think what is really going to slow them down is in the shed."