Chapters (122)
- Tower Climber
- Jakob Tanner
- Contents
- Newsletter
- Dedication
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 32
- 33
- 34
- 35
- 36
- 37
- 38
- 39
- 40
- 41
- 42
- 43
- 44
- 45
- 46
- 47
- 48
- 49
- 50
- 51
- 52
- 53
- 54
- 55
- 56
- 57
- 58
- 59
- 60
- 61
- 62
- 63
- 64
- 65
- 66
- 67
- 68
- 69
- 70
- 71
- 72
- 73
- 74
- 75
- 76
- 77
- 78
- 79
- 80
- 81
- 82
- 83
- 84
- 85
- 86
- 87
- 88
- 89
- 90
- 91
- 92
- 93
- 94
- 95
- 96
- 97
- 98
- 99
- 100
- 101
- 102
- 103
- 104
- 105
- 106
- 107
- 108
- 109
- FREE EBOOK
- Author’s Note
- A.K.O Book 1 Sample
- The Chosen Reading Group
- Join the LitRPG Group on Facebook
- Join the GameLit Society for more GameLit and LitRPG
- More Places to Hang Out!
- The LitRPG Store
“What’s this...” said Mr. Grimes, continuing to slur his words. “Assault? I guess I’ll just have to send you to juvenile hall.”
Max gulped. If protecting Sarah meant going to a juvenile center, so be it.
“You’ll have a record though, Useless,” said Mr. Grimes. “And you know what that means? No way in hell would you ever get documents to enter the tower-zone.”
He laughed, spit flying into Max’s face.
If he couldn’t enter the tower-zone, he’d never be able to find his sister. He’d never be able to fulfill the promise he made to her.
“Now remove your hand from my wrist, Useless,” spat Mr. Grimes.
Max ignored him. He just kept thinking about never seeing his sister again. Failing at his promise.
“Let go of me,” shouted Mr. Grimes. “Can you not hear me? Are you an idiot and a cripple?”
Max wasn’t hearing the man. He saw his sister in his mind. They were much younger, playing in a field.
“As your big brother,” he had said. “I promise to always protect you.”
SMACK!
Mr. Grimes slapped Max across the face.
The pain scorched across his cheek.
“If you send me to a juvenile center,” said Max. “I’ll tell everyone about you. All the evil things you’ve done. You’ll be finished. And guess what—you won’t be able to do anything about it. Make me do the dishes? Clean the showers? You won’t be able to make me do anything because I’ll be far away.”
The man perked up at that.
“Don’t you threaten me, Useless,” said Mr. Grimes. “I’ll take you at your word.”
“Leave me and my friend alone and you got a deal,” said Max.
“Nope,” smiled Mr. Grimes. “You’re a loose end now and do you know what I do to loose ends? I snip them away.”
Mr. Grimes reached out and grabbed Max by the hair and slammed his head against the wall.
Max blacked out.
* * *
Max woke up in darkness.
He lifted up his hand and felt a metal surface above him.
Where am I?
He heard the thrum of a car engine. The crackle of a wheel rolling over a stone.
Was he in the trunk of a car?
The car came to a stop and the engine cut out.
He heard a murmur of voices.
What the heck was going on?
The last thing Max remembered was yelling at Mr. Grimes before the man hit him. Had he blacked out after that? So it seemed logical that the only place he could be was in the back of Mr. Grimes’ car.
But what was he planning on doing with him?
Max pushed himself so his ear was against the metal surface. He could make out the voices outside.
“Remember that favor you owe me,” said Mr. Grimes.