The Adventures of Will Irving: Automaton Trouble

Chapter 41

As Will opened the entrance hatch at the top of the ladder, Max reached down from above and helped him climb out onto the top of the automaton's head.

"We need to get out of here quick!" Will said as he shut the hatch.

"Climb on," Max instructed.

Will obeyed, and Max quickly began to make his way down the automaton. When Max finally landed on solid ground, he began to sprint away from the automaton and the rubble that had once been Moe Salley's "Five Islands Club & Casino". Suddenly, the automaton exploded, and the blast sent Will and Max flying.

"Will!" shouted Claire – who had been watching from several blocks away – as she ran toward the billowing cloud of dust and smoke that had enveloped Will and Max.

As Claire drew nearer, she saw the figures of Will and Max slowly emerge from the carnage. She continued to run until she reached Will and then threw herself into his arms and wrapped her own arms around his neck. Anne and Alastair, who had come running behind Claire, now stopped a short distance away to allow Will and Claire a moment.

"Hey there," Will softly greeted as he tightly embraced Claire.

"Hey," Claire whispered back.

Claire pulled back slightly to look into Will's eyes, and she smiled.

"We did it," Will said quietly as he returned a smile of his own.

"We did it," Claire echoed as she nodded.

Will turned to look at Max and then put his hand on Max's shoulder.

"We couldn't have done it without you, Max," Will proudly stated. "Thank you, my friend."

"You're most welcome, William," Max replied. "We make a pretty good team."

"Yes, we do!" Will agreed.

"Will!" Anne greeted as she and Alastair finally approached. "You made it!"

"Anne! Alastair!" Will greeted with a little wave.

"You guys are crazy!" Alastair said with a chuckle.

"I'm glad you're safe," Anne said. "What happened to Jim?"

"He was still in there when it exploded," Will replied.

"Whoa!" Anne exclaimed. "Seriously?"

"Yeah," Will said.

"We should probably move out of here and let the others secure the area," Alastair suggested.

"Good idea," Will agreed, anxious to change the subject.

They all turned and walked several blocks back to where a number of police vehicles and ambulances were parked.

"Will, you have a couple of gashes on your arm there," Anne noted. "Why don't you come over and get checked out?"

"Yeah, I guess I should," Will replied, looking down at his left arm.

Will, Claire, and Max followed Anne over to one of the ambulances. As one of the paramedics began to tend to Will's arm, Will spotted Moe Salley sitting on a gurney near another ambulance a short distance away. Julius and Jasper were standing nearby. Will could see that they had all been injured during the automaton's attack. Moe's right arm was in a sling, and Julius and Jasper both had bandages on their heads and arms.

When Moe finally caught sight of Will, he carefully got off of the gurney and began to walk over to where Will was standing. Julius and Jasper began to follow, but Moe motioned for them to stay back and wait.

"Looks like Jasper ain't the only one who owes you now," Moe said as he stopped a few feet away from Will.

Will remained quiet and looked Moe straight in the eye.

"Thanks, Irving," Moe said as he put his left hand out to shake.

"I just did what was right," Will answered as he ignored Moe's hand.

"Well, you've earned my respect," Moe stated as he turned and began to walk away. "Like I said...you got balls, kid!"