Take 2, Times 2? Book 1

Part 17 the end of the beginning

The second I said I'm the bait, dad stood up and said "No you're not. I will not allow anyone to use my son as bait."

Panther and Wolf stayed quiet, but Sam didn't. "Dad, he's right. Who else could it be? And he's in no more danger than he was an hour ago. He's actually safer now. And it's not like he's going to do anything dangerous. He's just pretending to be small. So, there's really nothing you could do to stop him and the guys, unless you want to put him in more danger than he is in right now." That shut dad up. I was not expecting Sam to go along with this so easily, much less back me up against dad.

"So, how much do you really know about the stuff we had you looking over Max?" Sam asked.

"Everything."

She snapped her head to look at dad.

"Everything except the secret you and dad are keeping from everyone that is, but that will have to wait until later. It's time for me to pretend I'm small. The jammer is about to die. Might as well turn it off, if everyone is ok with keeping a secret?"

Everyone including dad agreed. And now it was time for me to start acting small. Before I sat down, I asked. "Is there any way I could get something to drink. I'm dying of thirst, and I have a headache. Anyone got the time? Is it dinner time yet?"

"Not funny Max." My dad said. He sounded mad for some reason.

Then I realized, 'dying of thirst'. "Sorry, Dad, slip of the tongue. I could put it down to baby talk. Like 'I firsty', daddy. I could even throw a temper tantrum if you want. What? To soon?" I asked as he was giving me (That look) he gives when he's mad. "Sorry dad. I'm just trying to get into the part I have to play. And I am really hungry and thirsty. Do we have any headache pills around here?"

Dad got up and headed into my room. A moment later he came back with 3 bottles. One he tossed to me, headache medication. The other two he took to the fridge. "Warm or cold, Max?"

I looked up from the bottle in my hands. "Warm always puts me to sleep, so cold please." Wolf was reaching down to the jammer when I remembered something. "Wolf, wait a minute." I ran to the bathroom and grabbed the stuffed animals. I brought them to my bedroom and put them on the dresser facing the bed. I went back to the living room and signaled him to go ahead.

I sat down next to Panther on the couch and finally opened the medicine bottle. I grabbed out 2 pills and closed the bottle back up. Dad came back with a clear baby bottle that had red stuff inside. I took a sip, and it was strawberry. Unlike before, this was stronger, and it tasted a lot better. I took my pills and then just kept drinking. I was halfway done when Sam looked at the bottle then at dad.

"Dad, did you just fill that without watering it down first?"

Dad got a big grin on his face and said, "Why yes I did. It will be out of his system in a day or two."

I just kept drinking. It tasted really good. And I had no clue what they were talking about. I leaned back on the couch and Panther put his arm around me. I got comfortable and then someone handed me my bear.

Dad's tablet lit up with a new message. He read it then asked if we wanted to go back to the cafeteria for dinner soon.

I took the bottle out of my mouth and started bouncing saying "Yeah, yeah I do. Then I can get some real food."

"Calm down. I have to pack your diaper bag first. You're going to need it." Then dad snickered as he went to the bedroom to get the bag. I finished off the bottle in record time and was just holding it.

Sam came over to me and whispered, "Don't get upset, but Dad just gave you that bottle without watering it down."

I still didn't get it. "And? What does that mean?"