Chapter Text
Chapter 1: We need a job!
Max Verstappen just sighed in exhaustion as he looked at the old and worn safehouse in the country. It wasn’t an ugly, nor a rundown safehouse, but it was his current living space acting as his “punishment” for being good at his job.
Max knows that he’s a bit of a workaholic, and in all fairness Max has been trying to get better with managing work and personal life. But apparently “The Grid” didn't think he was doing a good enough job.
How was Max supposed to know he would get “exiled” for it, and forced to take a break! Especially so close to a crucial time.
The Summer hunt!
Max wanted to drink a can of Redbull, and throw it at Lewis’s face for suspending him so close to the competition date. Although now that Max thought about it, it was George and Lando who really wanted needed Max to be “rusty”. As if he of all people would allow his skills to dull. But it did annoy Max that he wouldn’t be allowed to prep and keep up in the real world action until the completion date, where Lewis would then lift the suspension.
Looking back at the situation now, Max should have expected this, considering his ranking and the stupid grin Daniel and Carlos gave Max as Lewis lectured him.
“Max, please tell me you aren’t taking another job again!” Lando exclaimed, eyes wide knowing that Max just had come back from a job just an hour ago.
“…I mean I have the time” Max said plainly, confused as to why it was a problem.
“Lewis ban him, ban him I say!” Lando yelled dramatically.
“He’s hogging all the jobs and how are we supposed to get some practice in before the Summer hunt”
George walked over also looking real smug. “I have to agree with Lando here. Max has just barely gotten back from his last job. And some of us would like to rank in some practice before the competition”.
Lewis, one of the heads of The Grid, looked at Max unimpressed.
“Max what have we said about taking breaks and getting proper rest before doing another job”
Max winced knowing the upcoming lecture that was about to start.
“I know that you like to keep busy, and that you have no concept of personal time; but the others are right. I am aware that jobs are a first come first serve deal, but you need rest” Lewis said with his eyes narrow.
Max scoffed at Lewis, “I’m fine and I feel well rested enough”
“Yet you have only just gotten back!” George shot at him.
Max glared at the stupid British man, who just loved complaining.
Lewis just shook his head in disappointment. “I’m sorry Max but you leave me no choice. I’ll have to put you on suspension until the Summer hunt begins.”
Max’s eyes went wide, “What!”
“I’m sorry Max but since you refuse to take care of your health, as a senior member I have the power and authority to have you put on rest until I think your well enough”
Max watched as the other members grinned and looked pleased at the situation that just took effect. Now that Max wasn’t allowed to take jobs until the competition started, everyone was going to start going wild.
Alonso was laughing and shouted across the room. “Happens to the best of us pequeño león. They forced me to take a break when I was dominating. Proved them all wrong when I came back to win the winter hunt. You’ll be fine, it’s only a few weeks”
‘Few weeks my ass’, Max though.
Max Verstappen was a hitman. A well revered one as well. The Dutch Lion, they called him. One who always executed his targets with skill and instinct, honed from a young age. And here he was waiting out here, like a toddler put in timeout.
Being a hitman was not the cleanest of jobs, nor was it the most “fun”. But it was what Max knew how to do well, and the pay didn’t exactly hurt. Max was raised in the business since he was little, and as he grew, he joined up with The Grid.
The Grid was the best of the best when it came to the hitman organizations. It was a business that had hundreds of years of history and they carried out their jobs well. An organization for hitmen who dedicated themselves to their craft trying to prove that they were the best of the best.
Max had pushed himself to join The Grid due to his father’s ambition. But even as ruthless and merciless as the group was, it was a warm and comforting place for Max. Where others like him would hunt for jobs and raise in rank.
And now, Max wasn’t allowed back into that comforting place he considered home, all because he hadn’t “rested” enough.
So here Max was, in the middle of the country, with only a small town nearby; waiting out his suspension until Lewis let him return.
Max hated every bit of this punishment. But like Alonso said, it happens to the best of them.
Nico Rosberg also was forced into a suspension before the Summer hunt many years back because he kept winning. Max remembers pissing off the man a lot during the competition for somehow always showing up out of nowhere. But what could Max say, he was young, a rookie if you will. Someone new, allowing for change on The Grid.
Lewis and Nico, who were rivals back then, always fought for the top spot and everyone kept out of their way just because how heated the two would become during the “hunts”. But Max was the unexpected variable that forced the two to try and cool down. knowing that now there was another competitor that had nothing but youth and teenage metabolism seemed to hurt their pride a bit.
But after the hunts, the two always made up and got along quite well. Max often went to visit Nico since the man now ran one of the sister locations for “The Grid” as an auditor in their world. It was easier to get jobs from Nico’s location, but the man, like all the other, had been nagging Max about his health and the need to take a break.
Max would take a break………eventually.
But Max was a dedicated and adaptable person. Max always did the best with that he had. This little “mishap” wouldn’t stop someone like him.
So Max just pushed through and prove them all not too mess worry. “How bad could it be?” Max asked himself as he stepped though the door.
“I’m so bored!”, Kimi groaned in annoyance on his bean bag.
Ollie, Gabi, Frano, and Isack, just ignored Kimi as they sat on the couch, shooting the zombies in the video game they were playing.
“Well it’s not like we can do anything else” Liam said sitting on the floor, just content watching the screen that was spill in four.
“Gabi keep pushing, we just need 100 more points then we can pack-a-punch our guns” Isack ordered.
“But we’ve been playing video games all week.” Kimi whined. “If it hasn’t been video games, then its board games. If it's not board games then it’s cards. And I’m tired of playing blackjack and poker. I know one of you guys are card counting!”
Gabi gasped as if the accusation was directed at him. “Kimi, I would never card count! And even if I did, which I don’t, I would be winning a lot more”
“Gabi, you stupid! You didn’t fix the barrier. Now there’s a hord here! I can’t take them all”, Isack cried.
“Don’t worry, help is on the way”, Ollie said, as his character started sprinting, trying to help clear out the zombies in the way.
“Soooo, is anyone going to revive me?” Franco asked, as his screen was slowly turning into darker shades of red.
“I’ll get you” Gabi said.
“No Gabi, don’t do it. He’s a lost cause, he’ll come back the next round” Isack yelled at his friend.
“Oh shit, I’m down”, Gabi cried.
“Nooo” Isack, said when he saw Gabi’s character Icon go down.
Within seconds, zombies filled all their screens. Making all their screens go red, as a haunting and sadistic voice laughed at them.
“We didn’t even make it to the hellhounds” Ollie said disappointed.
“You made it to round 5” Kimi said with a pointed look.
“On original”, Franco pointed out.
Kimi just rolled his eyes.
“So what should we do now?” Gabi asked now tired of playing video games.
“We’ve been asking each other that question for like the last 2 weeks” Iasck said. “Summer just started and I’m tired of it.”
“Then maybe you should get a job”, Liam told his friend.
“As if! Plus even if I wanted a job, everywhere I’ve applied won’t take me” Iasck said, sinking into the couch.
“Then your just useless and stupid!” A certain Argentina said.
“Well it’s not like your doing any better! I heard that you even got rejected from working at the gas station and Starbucks” Iasck retorted back.
Franco was about to say something before thinking about it and closing his mouth. “Whatever” he muttered just looking down at the ground.
Everyone just sighed, not knowing what to do.
It was summer, the time of freedom for kids. But it was also summer making it super hot and no one owned a pool. No one had a license, so driving was out the door. Job hunting was not going well, and when Ollie brought up arts and crafts, everyone turned him down.
“Hey wait!” Liam said getting everyone’s attention. “Recently I saw that the McClain's family needed help fixing up their fence, down by their farm. Maybe we can see we can work at their farm.”
“You want to work at a farm this summer?!” Kimi asked almost confused.
“What I want is a job that pays, and if we can all work together it would be fun. You know what they say, the more, the marrier”
Everyone was quiet, as if taking in what Liam was saying.
“Well, it wouldn’t be the worst job out there”, Gabi said. “Plus it would help me get ripped this summer, imagine what the ladies will say when they see my guns” Gabi smiled as he posed trying to show off what little muscle he had on him currently.
The group of boys had nothing but determination and sheer will, in hopes of overcoming their boredom. They biked down the road for 20 whole minutes, enduring the blazing summer sun, until they reached the McClains farm.
“Sooo….who wants to ask if we’re allowed to work here” Kimi asked as the group just stood in front of the property.
“Not it” Franco call.
“Not it ” the rest followed.
Liam just sighed, “since it was my idea, I can ask”.
“Good man” Isack said as he put a hand on Liam’s shoulder.
Liam hesitantly walked up to the farmhouse. His steps seemed slow and his confidence seemed to falter the closer he got.
“Why’s he acting like a cowered, it’s just a house” Kimi asked in a loud whisper.
“Because it’s Liam and he’s always been a scaredy cat” Isack said rolling his eyes.
“Well if you’re so much braver, why aren’t you up there with him?” Gabi glared at his friend.
“We-well because, this is Liam’s job opportunity” Isack sputtered.
“Really smooth” Franco commented.
“You know I can hear all you idiots, right” Liam cried out.
“And I happen to hear you all as well”, A voice called out.
The group froze and so did Liam who had finally made his way up to the porch and was about to knock on the door. They turned to see a woman with a pink top and jeans just looked at the group of teenage boys unimpressed.
“What are you all doing on my property” she asked, voice loud and booming.
The group of boys looked at her like a deer caught in the headlights. Silent and stupid.
“Liam has a question to ask you” Kimi shouted, pointing at Liam, who looked like he was about to faint for being called out.
The woman followed Kimi’s finger to Liam, “Well spit it out boy! I have work to do”
Liam flinched at the women’s loud and demanding voice. Liam was never good at confrontation, and he was even worse when it came to dealing with people in person. People just scared him, and his stupid friends weren’t helping.
“H-hi miss. I’m lo-looking for the McClains.” Liam stuttered
“Well you’ve found one of them,” the women answered. “I’m Mrs. McClain, what business do you have with me young man.”
Liam took a breath and fixed his posture, standing straight and confident. “Mrs. McClain my name is Liam, Liam Lawson. I saw a posting that you needed some help on your farm. I was wondering if me and my friends would be able to work here for the summer.”
Mrs. McClain just eyed the group of boys up and down. They were all tall, skinny, and lanky; like a young tree that hadn’t property rooted themselves in the ground. They all seemed to have a glimmer of hope in their eyes, as if letting out a silent plead for them to get the job.
Mrs.McClain nodded her head, and looked at Liam. “I need help on the farm, but you boys might not be able to handle it for the whole summer. So tell you what, I’ll have you on a trial period. You boys can start by fixing my fence.”
The group of boys could not believe that they managed to get a job. The started to get giddy and bouncy when they heard that they had a chance at a summer job.
“Wait we’ve actually got a job!” Liam asked in almost disbelief.
“No you did not young man”, Mrs. McClain said killing the now lively group of boys.
“No!” Franco shouted.
Kimi started to stutter, “bu-but you said”
“I said,” Mrs.McClain interjected, “That you all would be on a trial period. That’s not a guarantee that you all have a job. It’s a test of sorts to see if you can handle the conditions and listen to the rules of my farm. I don’t need one of you twig legged boy’s to collapse on me just because you can’t handle the work. I said yes because I need the help, but I’m not so desperate to just take in anybody.”
“We’ll do our best to meet your standers Mrs.McClain” Ollie told her, edging closer to shake her hand.
Mrs.McClin shook Ollie’s hand while the others just watched with hesitation and worry in their eyes.
“I don’t bite, you know.” Mrs.McClian said dryly. “The wood and nails are right there in the barn, you all just need to make sure the marked part of the fence is good and solid. Call me over when you all are done so I can inspect it.”
“Thank you for the opportunity” they all told her, before Mrs.McClain walked away to deal with other farm tasks.
The group of boys couldn’t help the grins they all shared.
“We freaking did it” Franco squeelied.
“You mean I did it” Liam intersected.
“Ya you did” Gabi shouted.
“Well I suppose that we means we need to treat Liam out of dinner” Isack told the group. “My mother will want to feed you as a reward for helping me get a job. She’s probably also going to praise you for taking initiative and getting up all a job.”
“But all I did was ask” Liam stated.
“That’s not going to stop her, you know that.” Iscak said rolling his eyes. “You know how they are”
“How who are?” Kimi asked turning his head.
“Mothers, you dumbass”
Written by a human in Ellipsus.