Mech-man: The Mission of Fate

Chapter 9

The train station was massive, crowds of people rushed by. Max and Lucas weren't having any luck finding Jim.

"Look a white shirt!" Max exclaimed only to be disappointed that it wasn't Jim. People were too alike. Max searched the crowd again without much hope. He scanned the rows of shops, nothing. He had even checked most toilets, nothing. Jim seemed to disappear into thin air.

"It's all my fault." Max mumbled to Lucas, " I should have been quicker, and I shouldn't have believed a single word that Jim said. He was acting all the time!" His mumbled began to turn into a shout. Lucas looked at Max and knew that he was highly disappointed and worried.

Lucas sighed and said, "I guess we still have half an hour." It was meant to make Max feel better, but it made it worse.

"Half an hour, half an hour..." Max muttered., "How could we find him in half an hour, and if we do manage to fin him, how do we get my ticket back?"

Max looked down, he had tried to look strong, but tears started to form. They had asked everybody, but no one, not even the secretary of the train station knew where Jim had gone. They had searched everywhere! Max held back his tears; he gritted his teeth. He couldn't and wouldn't give up until the last second. He turned to Lucas and finally had the courage to say, "Lets continue to search. If I don't find the ticket, you go alone."

Lucas looked horrified, "No way, I won't leave you!" But he saw that Max had made up his mind. He sighed and followed Max.

Time passed as quick as a flash, Max and Lucas' pointless search didn't get them anywhere. Twenty minutes had passed, ten minutes left. Fate seemed to laugh at Max for his useless search. They were battling time, a battle that they could never win. All clues they had found was only enough to know which area of the train station Jim was in, but when they arrived, Jim was already long gone.

"If I had a precious ticket that I have stolen." Max thought, imagining himself in Jim's shoes, "Where will I go?"

Max had searched everywhere that Jim might be able to go, everywhere except... The area outside the train station.

"That's it!" Max suddenly shouted startling Lucas and getting strange looks from passengers. "I know where that thief is!"

Lucas overwhelmed with curiosity leaned over and asked quietly, "Max, what have you thought of?"

"I know where Jim is!" Max replied and broke off into a sprint. "Come on!" He called Lucas.

Lucas, unsure what Max had in his mind, followed Max. He was exhausted, they had almost run around the station four times! But Max, unlike Lucas was found a gust of energy, it wasn't the first time in the search that he felt hope, but the hope was more secure, almost like he knew that Jim was already there. "He must be outside selling my ticket for a fortune. He wants money so he probably won't use it." Max analysed in his mind, "I must stop him before he sells them!" Max felt himself ran quicker and quicker, he felt air rushing by, the passengers were all no more than a blur. He turned around and saw Lucas not far behind but trying very hard to catch up.

"Max!" Lucas called, "Wait! Where are we going?"

Max slowed down, and turned around and said, "Lucas, we're going to the area outside the train station to stop Jim from selling the tickets. Quick we only have no more than seven minutes left!"

Lucas suddenly realised what Max was thinking. Understanding dawned over him, he nodded and quickened his pace. It was true, they didn't have much time left. They told the security guard before the gates who promised to help them.

Once they reached the gates, Max and Lucas rushed out calling for any passenger to move. People obeyed muttering stupid things about the kids.

"Are they crazy?" One asked.

"Don't know." Another replied.

"What are they doing..."

Max and Lucas ignored the comments and ran straight up on the electric stairs. As soon as they got a clear view, they saw a familiar figure.

"Jim!" Max growled angrily, "You think you can get away?"

He closed the distance between him and the thief. Jim was encouraging a buyer to buy Max's train ticket when he sensed something unusual gong behind his back. He turned around horrified to see Max and Lucas staring at him coldly.

"We meet again, Jim!" Max smiled coldly and walked towards Jim.

"Give back Max's ticket!" Lucas ordered. Jim tried to look innocent back his expression changed when he saw the security guard. Jim's costumer stared confused at what was happening, "Are you still selling that ticket?" he asked.

Jim forced a laugh, dropped the ticket, and ran, "You can have it for free!"

But before Jim could get far, he felt a hand grab his shirt. It was Max's hand. Max's anger had turned cold, he felt the same gust of energy when he had attacked Mr Beckon, he pulled with both hand and Jim slipped and fell. When Jim looked up, he could see the stern face of the security guard and Max's smug face staring at him. He forced a fake smiled while sweat poured out of his forehead. The security guard turned to Max and said, "Good job, you better hurry, the train depart four minutes from now! Its either four minutes or another day."

"Can I still use this ticket?" Max asked surprised.

"Of course! You can use it at any time!" The security guard answered. Max sighed; he was relived. He had thought that the ticket would be useless after the train departures. Lucas stood beside Max gasping for air, he was also relived that he wouldn't have to leave his friend.

"When is the next train?" Max asked the security guard.

"Tomorrow morning at the same time." The security guard replied. "You'll have to stay here for one night."

"Oh..." Lucas said thinking of a possible solution.

The security guard bid goodbye and took Jim to the police station.

"You know, Max. I think I now remember that Mr Brown said that the ticket could be used anytime." Lucas suddenly whispered.

"And you made me worry!" Max complained that he had such an useless friend.

"You were there too!" Lucas argued.

"At least I got my ticket back." Max said, he smiled as he held up his ticket and thought, "Getting this ticket back was so hard!"

"Max, sorry to ruin your good mood, but we have a new problem." Lucas said.

"What?" Max asked, urging Lucas to say it.

"Where do we stay for the night?" Lucas inquired.