Tintin x Reader

Chapter 18

"W-what?" was all you could choke out. You assumed he was just overall bad, but now...

Tintin asked surprisingly with a more gentle tone, "How?"

Max took in a deep breath and replied, "I was at home alone, waiting for my sister to return from school, when I received a phone call from her. Picking up the phone, the voice who answered was definitely not her. The voice told me to board the Djebel Amilah, follow a famous reporter – which is you, Tintin – and take anything that you guys found interesting. Clues, to be precise, about a treasure of somewhat. The voice on the phone told me to do so because he had my sister kidnapped. If I don't bring anything back within ten days, they'll kill her."

Your frown washed away from your face, with an expression of pity being replaced. You wanted to give him remarks that you hoped would ease his tension, but you were cut off by Max's icy glare.

He responded with a few words. "I don't need your pity."

"We can help you," you offered. "You don't need to work for Mr. Notus – or Mr. N – and we'll get your sister back."

Max's face was etched with suspicion and disbelief. "What makes you think I'd trust you that easily? You'd might just turn me in."

Captain intervened. "She wasn't asking you to trust us, lad. And if you want your sister back, it would be best if you stick around with us, just in case Mr. Notus changes his mind about keeping you alive."

"I will stay alive," Max spat.

Tintin rebutted. "You don't know that. What if one day that crime lord wakes up, decides to have you and your sister killed after getting what he wants from you? He might deem you and your sister as witnesses of his crimes and threats to his shady business? Ever thought about that? He kidnapped your sister so that you'd have a reason to do his orders, since he has your sister's life in his hands." He jabbed his index finger at him to emphasize his point.

You noticed how good Tintin was at asking questions. Then you remembered what he said to you in your apartment-

"I'm a journalist, (y/n)," he said. "I give direct questions and answers."

You smiled at the memory.

Max paused for a moment. It was clearly written on his face that he was right. "Why are you helping me anyway?" You suddenly blinked back rebellious tears that remined you of your parents. "You are not the only one who has family members held captive."

Well, you thought. That shut him up.

Tintin took a step forward. "Based from what I've heard of (y/n)'s accounts," he gestured to you. "Mr. N is a very unpredictable man."

You didn't know why, but after the serious conversation, Max started answering the questions thrown at him.

After a few more questions, to which Max answered begrudgingly, you three found out that Mr. Notus had been looking for the treasure but to no avail, since the documents your father gave you were translated from an ancient language, but the ones he stolen weren't. So it made the criminal a whole lot harder for him to find it. Which took him around a year.

Tintin asked Max if he brought any communication device for him to contact Mr. Notus, and he shook his head. "They'd know where to find me," he said. When you gave him a quizzical look, he added, "I don't know how. They just do. But I do know that after the ten days, if I did have any clue or something they wanted me to retrieve, one of the henchmen with Mr. N himself would take it from me."

You sighed. You excused yourself from the three males, you once you got outside of your cabin, you rubbed your forehead, clearly stressed of the situation. You leaned against the wooden wall outside your cabin door.

"Mr. Notus is fond of kidnapping," you muttered under your breath. Ten days. Ten days to get Max's sister, along with the other objectives of this crazy adventure.

And it would take a few days get to New Zealand. You groaned softly of frustration. 

"(y/n)," a voice called. You swiveled to the left and come face to face with the reporter.

"Yes?" you said, watching as Tintin closed the door behind him.

He looked at you with a slightly serious expression. "You know we can't just let Max go, right?"

You nodded slowly. "Yeah," you replied. "But I think Max understands that already. He is quite sensible, provided that you just give him the right reasons."

"Do you think we can trust him?" he asked you.

You weren't sure what to answer. You stared straight ahead, gaze so intense that Tintin was sure you were already boring a hole into the wall.

"I-I'm not sure yet." You stuttered. "But we'll find out. In time."