Chapter 11: The Mystery Man and the Data Drive of Doom

Max stared at the tall, cloaked figure, who was definitely the kind of person who said things like "You should not have come here."

Because that's exactly what he just said.

The stranger's metallic mask glowed faintly in the darkness, and his voice was deep, robotic, and 100% villain-coded.

Max gulped. "Uh… hi?"

The figure took a slow step forward. "Give me the data drive."

Max's brain screamed at him to lie.

So, naturally, he blurted out, "What data drive?"

[ROLLING DECEPTION CHECK… FAILURE.]

The stranger just stared.

Max sighed. "Yeah, okay. That was bad."

B.O.B. beeped in his earpiece. "Captain, I recommend running."

Max nodded. "Yeah. Solid plan."

Then he turned and sprinted like hell.

---

The Worst Chase Scene Ever

Max bolted through the misty alien forest, dodging between trees that looked way too much like grasping hands.

Branches snapped behind him as the masked man effortlessly followed.

Max glanced back.

The guy wasn't running.

He was just walking.

Max narrowed his eyes. Why do villains always do that?

"HOW ARE YOU KEEPING UP?!" Max shouted.

The masked man didn't answer. He just lifted a hand—and suddenly, the air around Max tightened.

Something invisible yanked him off his feet.

Max flailed midair. "OH COME ON—"

Then the masked man flicked his wrist—and Max went flying backward, slamming into a tree.

Max groaned. "Ow."

B.O.B. beeped. "Captain, you appear to have been forcefully introduced to a tree."

"THANKS, BOB. REALLY HELPFUL."

The stranger approached slowly, his glowing eyes fixated on Max.

"The data drive. Now."

Max groaned and pulled it from his jacket. "Okay, okay! Here, take it!"

The stranger reached out—

And then Max threw it at his face and ran again.

The drive bounced off the guy's mask with a loud CLANK.

There was a long silence.

Max internally screamed.

Then the masked man tilted his head, sighed, and calmly picked up the drive.

"That was pointless."

Max wheeled around. "Hey, you can't blame me for trying!"

The masked man considered this.

Then he lifted his hand again—and this time, Max felt an unseen force wrap around his entire body, pinning him in place.

Max panicked. "WHOA, WHOA, WHOA—DUDE, CAN WE TALK?!"

The masked man tilted his head. "Talk?"

"YEAH! TALKING IS GREAT!" Max blurted. "Like, let's just discuss this before you—"

The System beeped.

[RANDOM POWER UNLOCKED: BUBBLE MODE]

Max blinked. "…What?"

Then, without warning, his entire body was encased in a giant, glowing bubble.

The masked man stared.

Max floated upward helplessly.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!"

The masked man sighed.

Max bounced off a tree.

Then he drifted further into the sky.

"BOB, HOW DO I TURN THIS OFF?!"

"Unknown."

"OH, FOR THE LOVE OF—"

And then a gust of wind sent him spinning away into the night.

The masked man watched him go.

Then he looked at the data drive in his hand.

"Interesting."

---

Max Crashes… Again

Max's bubble finally popped mid-air, sending him crashing into a shallow lake with a loud SPLASH.

He emerged sputtering, gasping for air. "OH, COME ON! THAT'S THE THIRD TIME I'VE CRASHED TODAY!"

B.O.B. beeped. "Statistically, you crash at least once per chapter."

Max glared at nothing. "SHUT UP, BOB."

He dragged himself onto the shore, soaked, exhausted, and extremely annoyed.

The good news? He was alive.

The bad news?

The masked guy still had the data drive.

Max collapsed onto his back, staring at the alien sky.

"…I am so bad at this whole 'space adventure' thing."

B.O.B. beeped. "Correct."

Max groaned. "I hate this universe."