The Nightmare Vortex Read Online Free Page B

be outside.’
    Downstairs, both Max’s mum and the house looked immaculate. Aidan, however, looked terrible.
    â€˜Morning, Aidan.’ Max crunched her toast loudly in his ear. ‘Great party.’
    â€˜Yeah,’ Aidan whispered, grabbing his head and covering his ears at the sound of the doorbell.
    â€˜That’ll be Ben and Francis. Bye, Mum.’ She grabbed her bag and tried to escape before she fell victim to another of her mum’s kisses, but it was too late. The kiss slobbered all over her.
    Once they were outside Max wiped her face against her sleeve. ‘She’ll wear my face out if this goes on any longer.’
    â€˜I’m sure she’ll buy you a new one,’ Linden joked as they walked down the stairs. ‘Even though I like the old one.’
    Max fixed her eyes on Linden’s face as her ears buzzed with what he’d just said, but with all that Linden concentrating, she forgot to look where she was walking and tumbled down the rest of the stairs.
    â€˜Aaaaaahhhh!’
    When she landed at the bottom, Ben lifted her up and plonked her upright again.
    â€˜Didn’t know you’d be so excited to see us, Max. Okay, everybody in the car.’
    While Linden sat watching the sights of Sydney, Max heard his words over and over again.She examined her face in the rear-view mirror. She had a plain face. Her mother even said so. So how could Linden like it?
    The car soon pulled up in front of a very regular-looking glass building in a very regular-looking street. It was four storeys tall with double doors and not a sign anywhere saying what it was.
    â€˜You kids have a great time and remember, don’t expect to be experts on your first day. Training can be tough.’ Ben ruffled Linden’s hair and winked at Max. ‘We’ll pick you up at five.’
    Inside the building, a small woman with a pink fairy floss hairdo sat behind a desk.
    â€˜I’m Marion. Such a privilege to meet you. You’re very famous you know … in that quiet, spyworld kind of way. But I won’t hold you up. Place your palms here and you’ll be away.’
    Max and Linden pressed their hands onto a square plastic plate that lit up like a flattened Christmas tree. After a few seconds a musical voice chimed, ‘Verification complete.’
    Marion’s lips slooshed into a ear-creasing smile. ‘I knew you’d pass. It’s through those doors. Good luck.’
    â€˜Thanks,’ Linden said, amazed by the amount of smile Marion could fit onto her face. When theyturned and entered the doors, they found themselves in a gymnasium with the usual ropes and trapezes hanging from the ceiling, running machines and rock-climbing walls, but also all sorts of bleeping, revolving devices and chambers they’d never seen before. Nestled among all the equipment was someone standing with their back to them.
    â€˜Excuse me. We’re here for training,’ Max croaked nervously.
    â€˜You’re three minutes late,’ the trainer said without turning around.
    Linden looked at Max. Oops , he mouthed, but Max recognised the voice.
    â€˜Alex?’
    The trainer turned around, her eyes fixed on her palm computer. It was Alex.
    â€˜I want fifty star jumps, twenty minutes on the running machine and fifty sit-ups.’
    Max’s heart went into warp speed at seeing her hero. ‘Steinberger told us our trainer would be someone else.’
    â€˜Well you’ve got me. There’s a bad case of flu going around and there was no one else to do it.’ Alex said, looking up for the first time since they’d arrived. ‘Well, what are you waiting for?’
    Max and Linden dropped their bags and began jumping.
    Max whispered to Linden, ‘It’s Alex!’
    â€˜She doesn’t seem too happy to see us.’
    â€˜She’s just being professional.’
    Max’s fears of being uncoordinated came crashingly true as she fell from