The Max Effect. 3

I don't need your help.

These are great.

Although Max wouldn't admit it, she loved her new upgrade. She could look at something on the horizon, and once her natural focus had done its job, all she had to do was squint slightly, then the optical nano and who knows what else would increase the focus. Binocular eyes, she liked them.

Max had carefully lifted the cast iron manhole cover, and pepping out, she could see the building, the hub of the Red Eye Gang. There were a few 4x4 pickups with heavy guns mounted on the back. That was unusual to see on the outskirts of the city. Max could also see some snipers on the roof, taking turns to swap points, but mainly smoking cigarettes and laughing whilst watching clips on each other's phones. Max could also see a S.A.M (Surface to Air Missile launcher) on the roof. She'd better let HQ know. There were also some armoured swat vehicles dotted around the site. This must be the place where they are hiding the missing people or the drugs-maybe both. Whatever the reason was, the site was heavily protected.

"Erm, come in, Professor?" said Max awkwardly, still feeling daft just talking out loud and not into a radio!

"Go ahead, Max," said the voice.

"Who is this?" asked Max

"I'm Clive, I'm Professor Woods and the Project X team tech guy", Clive explained.

"Just tell them there is a S.A.M. on the roof." Instructed Max.

"Yep, I can see what you've been looking at" said Clive

"What?"

"Don't worry-it's only when you use optic focus!" said Clive, sensing Max was getting angry very quickly.

"Just tell them, and If I ever find out, you look when you shouldn't..." Threatened Max

"I assure you, Max. Professor Woods trusts me. You need to as well," reasoned Clive.

"Max, wait for further instructions. The Project X team are on their way, and I will relay the information about the S.A.M." Clive was relieved that Max was a distance away. He found her intimidating.

"I don't need your help, I'm going in," said Max

"What? No, wait, Stop, Max, Orders, those are orders," Said Clive panicking

"I don't take orders, especially from an office chair nerd," said Max angrily

"What is it with these strong women? Why can't they take instruction?" Muttered Clive as he was trying to notify Professor Woods.

Max heard a vehicle coming her way. She lowered the manhole cover just enough so she could peep through the gap. The van stopped directly over her head, so Max quickly and carefully moved the manhole cover off and climbed out, keeping beneath the van. It seemed the driver had stopped for a smoke. Even criminals had no-smoking policies. She slid the cover back on quietly, and once she had determined that there was no sound coming from inside the van, Max pushed her fingers into the steel floor, stretching its integrity as she slowly moved her fingers through the steel like it was butter, the steel groaned from her unnatural strength as the steel parted. Max easily ripped through the floor, the edges of the torn steel curling upwards, and she made the hole big enough to get in.  She began to climb into the rear of the van. The driver finished his cigarette and got back into the van. Max was only half in as the engine started. One leg was inside the van, and her other was still on the ground, tensed and flexed, her strong muscles showing through the fabric. The van attempted to move off, but all it took was a bit of flexing and tensing her leg and calve to stop the van moving any further, the downwards pressure slightly pushing her foot into the tarmac. The driver revved the vehicle more, and the van rocked as the engine tried to drive it forward. It was still barely a strain for Max's powerful muscles, more like a gentle massage as the van pushed against her muscles.

She could hear the driver.

"What? Why isn't it moving? Fucking gears!!" he said.

Max could hear him put the van back into neutral and wiggling the gear stick before pushing the clutch back down and going through the gears. It gave her enough time to get fully into the back of the van without the driver realising anything was up other than his shoddy driving. The van moved off.

"Fucking van, what a load of shit," said the driver.

It was nearly empty inside the van, apart from a few empty wooden crates. Possibly, a drop-off had just taken place as Max recognised the remnants of the herb used for their enhanced strength drug. The drive was bumpy, and Max needed to be ready for what was on the other side of the opening doors when it stopped. Based on Max's calculations, she reckoned the Project Xx team would soon be overhead.

"Bloody men drivers, more smoothness." Said Max to herself.

The van stopped. Max heard the driver get out and lift a roller shutter but not close it. She remained quiet for a while but couldn't hear any other voices. Max put her hand on the handle and quietly opened the rear doors. Max peered out through the slight gap. She could see many wooden crates stacked on each other in what looked like a warehouse. Max got out quickly, taking cover behind some of the crates. She didn't need the Triple X team or whatever they were called; she made it into the building without firing a single shot at her.

A group of men walked in, and there seemed to be two giving orders to the rest.

"Load the sample cases on the plane when we take off and initiate the timers. Blow the lit. Those are her instructions.

Her? Max thought it was good that even the criminals were adopting equality. Max watched the goons load up the small aircraft. It was obvious to Max that they were starting a relocation process, moving their operations.

Max watched the men carry the boxes and load up the aircraft. If these were the building blocks for their super soldier, serum-she needed to get it. Then, indeed, it was game over. Then came the nugget of information she was hoping for.

A goon walked up to the two senior goons.

"Do we blow the holding chamber as well?" he asks for clarity.

"The whole place! Those are the orders; they won't feel a thing," replied the senior goon.

Max reckoned the holding room must be where the missing people were being held. They were going to kill them all.

Max had a dilemma. Get the compound and stop Colonel Thomas and the Red Eye Gang or save the eighty or so mind-controlled innocents, but let the compound getaway, allowing Thomas and his team the chance to get it right. Then he'd be unstoppable.