This is an experiment, not to mention my first Max Steel fan fiction. Any help and all constructive criticism will be welcome. I'm not entirely sure where I'm going with this, so ideas are also greatly appreciated.
Disclaimer: Max Steel belongs Mattel, WB, and other various companies I'm unfamiliar with.
Okay, 1...2...3 GO.
Leonard was an old man, his life long since lived. No more relatives to claim relationship to, and no more friends to talk to. The past few years Leonard spent his days sitting next to his picture window and watching the empty, brick square that dominated the residence of the deserted apartment buildings. Alone, he sometimes watched the sun come up, and sometimes he was there to see it set. And rarely, ever so rarely, a stray traveler, or perhaps a secretive pair of lovers, would venture into the square. For Leonard, such a trivial happening was quite the event. When alone in the abandoned piazza, the strangers were never self-conscious, unafraid to sit at a bench, discard their shoes to rub sore feet or sift through a grocery bag to make a sandwich, or even, if accompanied by someone of their affection, lock themselves in passionate carnal embrace.
Sometimes the courtyard was quiet, still and serene, giving Leonard a chance to smooth out his mantra. This particular day had been a quiet one. Uneventful. And now Leonard sat, a sweating glass of ice-cold lemonade in one, leathery brown hand. The sun was close to setting, and there was a warm yellow glow across the brick buildings. Perhaps Leonard would go to bed tonight, his mind empty and free of thought, just like the past twenty-four hours. He turned to sip at his drink, then looked back down through the window, five floors below to the square, and he almost startled when he saw the figure of a young man standing where there had been no one before. It was a dark-headed lad, sporting wire-rimmed glasses and, from what Leonard could see from his distance, a complete look of bafflement. The spectacled youth looked about, brow furrowing, and then he began to search the pockets of his light, hooded jacket. Obviously not finding what he was looking for, he tried his kaki pants and then the breast pocket of his shirt. Finally, the fellow shook his head and dropped his hands to his sides in exasperation. Distantly, Leonard heard a soft string of Spanish words followed by a heavy sigh.
Forgot the directions, lad, thought the old man, and then he sat up in his chair with widened eyes as the courtyard suddenly filled with a group of men in black uniforms. All of them looked like brutes. There was, perhaps, ten of them or so, and they formed a spread-out circle around the young man who whipped his head about in alarm. One of the black-clad men, the leader Leonard could tell simply by his demeanor, stepped forward.
"Dr. Martinez, I presume." He said, rather loudly. The younger man, presumably Martinez, didn't respond at first, frozen in place and eyeing the larger man warily. When he finally acknowledged the leader, the fellow had raised his eyebrows as if to imply he was still waiting for an answer.
"What do you want? Where's my family?"
The thug rolled his eyes irritably. "I don't know... wherever you left them last. I just needed an excuse to lure you here - Listen, Martinez, we've got some business to discuss. First, however, I'd like for you to remove your communicator wrist watch, please."
There was a tense moment of silence as cretin and caballero stared each other down. Then, Big Bad and Ugly pulled a gun. Leonard was frozen in his chair, watching the scene play out with horrid fascination. "Don't make me ask twice, boy."
Martinez took a deep breath, and then he slowly pulled his watch off, placing it into the waiting outstretched hand. "Thank you." The menace put the watch in his pocket, then offered his hand back out. "Now, if you please... the glasses."
The younger man took a step back, forehead pinched in confusion. "What?"
"Just hand them over."
Another pregnant pause, and then the dark-haired gent hesitantly reached up his hands and removed his glasses that were soon placed with the watch. The behemoth then backed away. "All right, boys... sedate him, please." And with that, the rest of the beasts closed in on their prey.
Leonard, completely unnoticed by the scene below, was finally scared into shooting out of his chair and running to his phone to call the police.
Disclaimer: Max Steel belongs Mattel, WB, and other various companies I'm unfamiliar with.
Okay, 1...2...3 GO.
Leonard was an old man, his life long since lived. No more relatives to claim relationship to, and no more friends to talk to. The past few years Leonard spent his days sitting next to his picture window and watching the empty, brick square that dominated the residence of the deserted apartment buildings. Alone, he sometimes watched the sun come up, and sometimes he was there to see it set. And rarely, ever so rarely, a stray traveler, or perhaps a secretive pair of lovers, would venture into the square. For Leonard, such a trivial happening was quite the event. When alone in the abandoned piazza, the strangers were never self-conscious, unafraid to sit at a bench, discard their shoes to rub sore feet or sift through a grocery bag to make a sandwich, or even, if accompanied by someone of their affection, lock themselves in passionate carnal embrace.
Sometimes the courtyard was quiet, still and serene, giving Leonard a chance to smooth out his mantra. This particular day had been a quiet one. Uneventful. And now Leonard sat, a sweating glass of ice-cold lemonade in one, leathery brown hand. The sun was close to setting, and there was a warm yellow glow across the brick buildings. Perhaps Leonard would go to bed tonight, his mind empty and free of thought, just like the past twenty-four hours. He turned to sip at his drink, then looked back down through the window, five floors below to the square, and he almost startled when he saw the figure of a young man standing where there had been no one before. It was a dark-headed lad, sporting wire-rimmed glasses and, from what Leonard could see from his distance, a complete look of bafflement. The spectacled youth looked about, brow furrowing, and then he began to search the pockets of his light, hooded jacket. Obviously not finding what he was looking for, he tried his kaki pants and then the breast pocket of his shirt. Finally, the fellow shook his head and dropped his hands to his sides in exasperation. Distantly, Leonard heard a soft string of Spanish words followed by a heavy sigh.
Forgot the directions, lad, thought the old man, and then he sat up in his chair with widened eyes as the courtyard suddenly filled with a group of men in black uniforms. All of them looked like brutes. There was, perhaps, ten of them or so, and they formed a spread-out circle around the young man who whipped his head about in alarm. One of the black-clad men, the leader Leonard could tell simply by his demeanor, stepped forward.
"Dr. Martinez, I presume." He said, rather loudly. The younger man, presumably Martinez, didn't respond at first, frozen in place and eyeing the larger man warily. When he finally acknowledged the leader, the fellow had raised his eyebrows as if to imply he was still waiting for an answer.
"What do you want? Where's my family?"
The thug rolled his eyes irritably. "I don't know... wherever you left them last. I just needed an excuse to lure you here - Listen, Martinez, we've got some business to discuss. First, however, I'd like for you to remove your communicator wrist watch, please."
There was a tense moment of silence as cretin and caballero stared each other down. Then, Big Bad and Ugly pulled a gun. Leonard was frozen in his chair, watching the scene play out with horrid fascination. "Don't make me ask twice, boy."
Martinez took a deep breath, and then he slowly pulled his watch off, placing it into the waiting outstretched hand. "Thank you." The menace put the watch in his pocket, then offered his hand back out. "Now, if you please... the glasses."
The younger man took a step back, forehead pinched in confusion. "What?"
"Just hand them over."
Another pregnant pause, and then the dark-haired gent hesitantly reached up his hands and removed his glasses that were soon placed with the watch. The behemoth then backed away. "All right, boys... sedate him, please." And with that, the rest of the beasts closed in on their prey.
Leonard, completely unnoticed by the scene below, was finally scared into shooting out of his chair and running to his phone to call the police.