Lips of an Angel (M/L, CC, TEEN) COMPLETE 3/3/10

[Oz]

I'm sooooo sorry for the delay in updating this fic. I just haven't been inspired. I hope you enjoy this short part. I'll be wrapping it up soon, so stay tuned...


72

Max Jnr POV

“Someone better start talking.” Marissa demanded, while the three of us chewed over exactly what we were going to say. My grandmother came and stood hesitantly behind her.

“Marissa…” My grandfather began, but she didn’t look at him – she was too busy looking at me with a narrow gaze.

I instinctively got to my feet, as though I was preparing for an enemy attack even though I was sure that Marissa was completely harmless – what can I say, it was the military training I had received on Antar.

“How did you…?” She stammered, noticing that I was standing strongly on both legs.

“Marissa. I need you to promise me that you are not going to freak out.” Beth said, having also gotten to her feet and was now holding Marissa’s hands in hers as though she was explaining something to a child.

“I think I’m a little past that.” Marissa replied, still eyeing me with suspicion.

“We don’t have time to break this to you slowly, so I’m just going to say it. I’m an alien. I come from another planet. My father came here in the 1949 crash and ‘hatched’ much later. He met my mother, a human, and took her back to his home on Antar. I have now come here to visit my grandfather.” I gave her the very, very short version.

“You can’t be serious.” Marissa tried to scoff, but you could see the look in her eye that told me that there were things that were starting to make sense.

I didn’t know how else to respond but to give her more proof. I raised my hand and created a forcefield around myself. Her eyes widened even more as she watched the green matter surround me and then disappear. I couldn’t help but turn my eyes towards Beth to gauge her reaction – her eyes were as wide as Marissa’s and she wouldn’t meet my gaze.

“Why is this the first time I’ve heard of any of this?” Marissa turned to my grandfather.

“Would you have believed me if I had told you?” He replied.

“No, I guess not.” Marissa conceded.

At that moment there was a knock at the door.

“Who is it?” My grandfather asked suspiciously, before checking the peephole. He quickly opened the door.

“Max?” My grandfather smiled on recognition.

The person that walked into the room wasn’t my father.

“Zan.” I acknowledged him. It wasn’t hard to pick them apart, given the tattoos that covered most of Zan’s body, but my Grandfather hadn’t met Zan or seen my father in a very long time – anything was possible I guess. “What are you doing here?”

Zan looked around the room as though he was expecting an imminent attack. He visibly relaxed when he realised there was no threat.

“Your father sent me to watch over you. I thought I saw … something ... through the window and came to make sure you weren’t in danger.” Zan replied, editing the fact that he had known that I had used my shield.

“I’m not in danger, just … explaining a few things.” I replied. I couldn’t wait for the lecture I would receive later for telling humans about who I really was. It had only taken me 24 hours – it had taken my father more like eight years. “It’s okay to talk, they know enough now.”

Zan nodded knowingly. He could now speak openly.

“Were you at the crash festival tonight?” My grandfather asked.

“No.” Zan replied. “I only just arrived. It took this long for the Granolith to make the return trip after bringing Max Jnr here yesterday.” Zan replied.

“I think Max was targeted tonight.” My grandfather explained, and I inwardly groaned. I would now be sent home immediately. So much for my visit to Earth.

Zan stiffened, but it didn’t appear that the news was entirely unexpected.

“You knew I was in danger here?” I observed.

“Why do you think your father was so against the idea for so long? Eventually he knew he had to let you come, but he wasn’t going to let you come alone – just make you think that you were. I was supposed to keep my distance unless required.” Zan explained.

“So who is it that he fears?” I asked.

“When it comes to you – everyone. The FBI, the Sherriff, UFO-fanatics, but most of all, he fears that some members of the Solar System Council will use the opportunity to gain more power in the Solar System. Your father has had the majority vote for too long in their opinion, but they have been unsuccessful finding any way of usurping him. With you as collateral, they believe that they could force your father to voluntarily step down from his position.”

“There were some members of the council at the crash festival tonight – I’m sure of it.” I replied.

“Then we have to leave now. Say your goodbyes, we’re going home.” Zan ordered, turning to walk out of the room and expecting me to fall in behind.

I sighed in defeat. As much as I didn’t want to leave, I couldn’t disobey Zan – a man who had not only given me all of my military training, but had also been my uncle and my friend. I trusted and respected him enough to know that he wouldn’t make this decision lightly – he must really think that I was in real danger.

And I couldn’t continue to put my grandparents, Beth and Marissa in any more danger. Beth could have been killed tonight, and the thought sent a chill down my spine.

“Max…” My grandfather said, holding out his arms to embrace me. I quickly fell into them. “I wish I had the chance to get to know you more. You are so much like your mother, and I miss her so much.”

My grandmother quickly stood in line to be the next to hug me goodbye. “You tell your mother how much we love her and how proud we are of the son she has raised.”

I nodded, trying not to let a tear spill from my eye that was threatening to fall, but I couldn’t.

I stood up straight and brushed the tear from my cheek before turning to Beth. This would be hard. I hadn’t known her for very long, but I felt as though my heart was ripping in two having to say goodbye to her. It was as though my heart knew that she would one day be the love of my life – if only we had the time to be together.

I almost asked her to come with me, but I couldn’t. I didn’t even know what she thought of me at that moment. I had told her the truth about who I was and she had run from me. Sure she had kept my secret, and helped to heal me when I was injured, but I hadn’t been able to talk to her about how she now felt.

“Beth…” I began nervously.

“I’ll never forget you Max.” Beth interrupted throwing her arms around my shoulders and hugging me.

“I wish I could stay.” I said.

“Me too.” Beth replied, and my heart soared at the honesty in that statement. She felt something for me too, and it wasn’t fear.

“We have to go.” Zan interrupted regretfully.

“If I could come back someday…” I began, as I stepped away.

“I’ll wait for you.” Beth promised.

My heart almost burst open at that moment. Although I knew there was little chance that my father would let me return to Earth, I would keep trying until I could see Beth’s face again.

Marissa stepped towards Beth and put her arm around her. I was glad Beth had her friend at that moment – someone who knew the truth that she could talk to.

“Let’s go.” Zan ordered, and I obediently followed him out the door, turning to give one last wave goodbye to the people in the room that I loved.

* * * * *

“What’s wrong?” I asked Zan. He had been quiet since we left the city limits, and was constantly checking his rearview mirror. I looked behind us – there wasn’t a car in sight.

“I think we’re being followed.” Zan replied, checking again.

I turned around, and sure enough, there was a single headlight coming around the last bend. It was staying so far back that it was hard to say that it was tailing us, but Zan’s instincts were rarely wrong.

“I noticed it parked outside the Crashdown when we left. It pulled out at the same time.” Zan explained.

“Wait – if they were waiting for us outside the Crashdown, then they know where my grandparents live. It won’t be hard to find out where Beth lives either. We have to go back.” I demanded.

“My orders are to get you back to Antar safely. It would be too dangerous to turn back now.” Zan replied.

“We can’t leave them there defenceless? If the council members are trying to find a bargaining chip, don’t you think that with me gone, they’ll just find the next best thing.” I argued.

Zan was silent for a moment, thinking it over.

I needed more fuel to add to the fire.

“Do you really want to return to Antar and face my mother knowing that you left her parents in danger?” I knew that would get him.

And I was right.

With a loud, defeated sigh, Zan pulled on the handbrake and spun the car around 180 degrees.

“If we don’t get out of this alive, you’ll have to explain this to your father.” Zan demanded.

I just smiled at the idiocy of that statement, as well as the thought that I would get to see Beth again.

The smile was soon wiped off my face as the motorbike that was indeed tailing us, realised that we had turned around. It careered onto our side of the road for a game of chicken – intending for us to come to a stop in the ditch by whatever means necessary.

“Watch out!” I cried while clinging to the seat. I should have known that Zan wasn’t one to be outmanoeuvred. At the very last second before our car hit the bike, Zan swerved just enough so that we missed the bike by millimetres, while not leaving the rider enough room to straighten up before they were skidding off the road and into the desert. However, it wouldn’t be long before he was back in pursuit.

Pulling up outside the Crashdown, I raced up the fire escape while Zan covered me from behind. The car hadn’t caught up to us yet, but it would only be a matter of time.

“Max!” Marissa was startled as I appeared at her bedroom window.

“Is Beth still here?” I asked, climbing through the window.

“She took of home about five minutes ago. I tried to get her to stay the night, but she insisted. Why?” Marissa asked.

“We need to get out of here. They know where we are, and I’m afraid that you are all in as much danger as me if you stay.”

My grandparents came into the room at that moment after having heard my voice.

“Where are we going?” They asked.

“To Antar.” Zan explained, appearing from behind me. “And quickly – he’ll be here any minute.”

“We need to get Beth.” I replied.

“Okay. Everyone in the car. We need to leave – now!” Zan ordered everyone down the fire escape.

Zan led everyone down the fire escape to the waiting car, while I brought up the rear. The lane was empty – where was he?

We quickly piled into the car and sped off in the direction that Marissa said Beth would have walked to get home. We reached her house without any sign of her.

I jumped out of the car and raced up to her front door and knocked urgently. There was no sound from inside. Using my powers I melted the lock and the door clicked open.

At first I thought the house was empty and that we were too late, but I saw a shadow appear at the kitchen door. The key in the door made me sure that it was Beth returning home. She stepped into the kitchen and almost jumped out of her skin when she saw me standing before her – a dark figure standing in her hallway.

“Max?” She said surprised, after her eyes had adjusted to the light.

“I’m sorry, but you have to come with me.” I apologised. How could I demand that she go to, not only a different planet, but a different solar system, with me when she had only just met me?

“Where are we going?” She asked.

“To my home. You’re not safe here anymore. I don’t know, maybe once we get there we can make it safe for you to return…” I tried to make it sound like it wasn’t forever.

“I’m ready.” She interrupted.

“You – you are?” I was surprised.

“I would go anywhere with you.” Beth explained.

“You hardly know me.” I argued, before mentally berating myself for arguing with her over something that I wanted anyway.

“I’ve seen into your soul.” Beth replied. “When you were healing. And I’ve seen the promise of what we could be together. You’re my destiny.”

“I… well, okay then. We’d better go.” I said, still unable to believe that she would want to be with me. I took her hand in mine and we raced out to the car – just in time to hear the sound of a motorbike coming up the street.

“In the car – now!” Zan ordered, pushing us both into the already crammed back seat, while he jumped into the driver’s seat.

I looked up in time to see the motorbike rider raise his hand toward the car – it seemed this time he wasn’t taken any chances by playing games. I immediately stuck my hand out of the window and created a forcefield around the car as Zan slammed his foot on the peddle and we screamed out of the driveway.

Whatever bolt of power the rider had intended to pelter us with, rebounded off the forecefield and hit his back tyre. For the second time that night his bike slid out from underneath him, but this time he was not going to be able to fix it.

I dropped the forcefield and reached my arm back into the car.

“I used to own one of those bikes back in the day.” My grandfather said, as though what just happened was just a usual occurance. “A Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14. I loved that bike.”

The fortune teller had been right once again.

[Oz]

Just a quick update for you. Not sure how many more chapters there will be to this. I feel the end is nigh..

And for those astute people that picked up the fact that I had completely left Alex out of the story, I have added a hint of his whereabouts so you don't have to worry about him any longer

And don't forget to bid on me at http://www.supportstacie.com/phpBB3/vie ... f384b050d3 - I think you have less than 24 hours. Please don't let me sell for a measly $5!


73

Max Jnr POV

We made it to the pod-chamber without any further incidences, but I still couldn’t relax. We had got away with that far to easily. Once we were inside we should be safe, so my goal was to get everyone up the hill and inside the chamber as quickly as possible.

“I can’t do this Beth.” Marissa said, standing her ground as she got out of the car.

“You have to.” Beth pleaded. “We don’t know what will happen if you stay.”

“What do they want me for? I’m nobody. They only want Max.” Marissa argued.

“Marissa, please.” My grandfather begged this time. “We are not leaving you behind.”

“This is all just crazy!” Marissa started to get hysterical. “We are about the leave the planet – doesn’t anyone else see that? It’s supposed to be impossible.”

“We really need to take cover.” Zan interrupted, always thinking defensively. He was right, we were out in the open arguing about whether space travel was possible. I thought we had already proved that it was.

“Marissa.” I said, taking her hands in mine. “I need you to take a few deep breathes.”

She eyed me hesitantly, but tried to cooperate.

“Everything is going to be okay.” I promised. “Antar is going to exceed your wildest dreams. You will have everything you could ever wish and you’ll be with your family.”

I could see she was mulling it over.

“Did I mention that you would be a duchess?” I added, the icing on the cake.

“Really?” Marissa perked up. “I… I think I could handle that.”

“Great. Let’s go.” I replied, directing her up the hill where Zan was leading us.

We reached the pod chamber and climbed inside, sealing the door behind us.

“Woah.” Marissa exclaimed, verbalising the reaction of the humans in the room. I watched Beth’s reaction particulary, and was relieved to find no fear there. I guess I had been worried that actually faced with evidence of my non-human status, that she might freak out – but she was completely calm. I loved her even more for it.

“We have a problem.” Zan announced, and I detached myself from the rest of the group to follow him into the next chamber.

“Where’s the Granolith?” I asked, immediately seeing the problem for myself.

“It wasn’t scheduled to return without us.” Zan advised. “I don’t know where it is.”

“Do the Solar System Council members know of its location?” I asked.

“No. It is one of the reasons they have been wanting to upsurp your father’s power for so long – they wanted it.” Zan explained.

“So how do they travel to Earth if they don’t have the Granolith?” I asked.

“The old-fashioned way – by spaceship.” Zan explained. “It is costly to travel and the trip is long. The granolith travels at warp-speed in comparison.”

“So what do we do now?” I asked. With no Granolith, there was no way to return home.

“I don’t know.” Zan replied. It was the first time that Zan had proved not to be infallible. I tried not to panic, but it was hard not to when the person who had all the answers was as lost as I was.

But then there was a distant rumble, and the ground and walls around us began to shake.

“Get back!” Zan called, pushing me back into the other chamber where the others were waiting. I immediately raced over to where Beth was clutching the wall, and I held onto her, determined to throw myself in front of a falling rock to save her if necessary.

I looked over to my grandparents – Zan was doing his best to shield them from the flying debris.

“What’s happening?” Beth asked.

“I don’t know.” I replied honestly.

A cloud of dust appeared, and seemed to fill both chambers to the point that I could no longer see Beth, although she was standing right next to me. I pulled of my jacket and put it over our heads, hoping to stop the dust from getting in our eyes and mouth. I hoped the others were doing the same.

The rumbling stopped, and the dust began to settle to the floor. Taking the jacket away, I rubbed the dust out of my eyes and checked Beth over who was doing the same. The others also straightened up and began to look around.

“Father?” I said, seeing another figure enter the chamber.

“Junior.” My father replied, embracing me. He was quickly follwed by my mother. She hugged me, before rushing over to embrace my grandparents.

“You had the Granolith.” I asked, putting the pieces together.

“Your mother had a vision of someone trying to harm you here on Earth, hoping they could claim the Granolith as ransom. We had to come.” My father explained. “I’m sorry we weren’t earlier, we could have saved your clothes.”

I looked down at my clothes, and those of every one else in the room, and noticed they were all covered in an inch of dust. We must have looked a sight.

“And who is this?” My father asked, indicating to Beth who was peering out from behind my shoulder. I guess my father was intimidating, although I had never understood why.

“This is Beth.” I introduced her to him, and my mother who had crossed the room to where we stood. “Beth, this is my mother and father.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” Beth replied, and I could tell she was hesitating between putting out her hand for him to shake, or curtseying.

“It’s lovely to meet you Beth.” My father smiled, and my mother playfully elbowed him out of the way so that she could barge through and give Beth a hug.

“It’s so nice to meet you.” She said, and gave me a wink from over Beth’s shoulder.

My father walked away to debrief with Zan about what had been happening, and I watched as Beth and my mother got acquainted. If I had any fear that my parents would not approve of Beth, or more accurately, her human-status, it had been for nothing. My mother in particular seemed to find it the most normal thing in the world for me to fall for a human. But I guess I was my father’s-son after all. I wonder if one of my mother’s vision had forseen Beth? I would have to ask her one day.

“What are you smiling about?” My mother asked as she noticed me watching the two of them natter away like they had known each other for years.

“Oh, nothing.” I smiled smugly before heading over to where my father and Zan were still talking.

“What’s the plan?” I asked.

“You were right to bring your grandparents. I think this is the last trip the Granolith will be making to Earth for a while.” My father announced. “It’s just not safe any more, despite our precautions.”

“What do you mean ‘precautions’?” I asked.

“We have someone working in the FBI to keep our comings and goings off of their radar. Unfortunately, it is not from humans that we are in danger.” My father explained. “The Granolith would be a powerful weapon for those who would abuse it. Other rulers see Earth as an easy target – one rich in resources. They are unable to access those riches without a speedy form of transportation, and they see the Granolith as a way of obtaining that goal. I have refused to hand it over, so they wish to force my hand.”

“What are you going to do?” I asked.

“I’m going to destroy the Granolith.” My father announced.

“So if we come with you, there will be no way back home again.” Beth asked.

“No, I’m sorry.” My father apologised. “Is there someone or something you wish to come back for?

“No, there’s no one.” Beth replied sadly.

I took her hand in mine.

“Are you sure?” I asked in a whisper, not wanting her to have to voice her sorrow to everyone else in the room.

“I’m sure. My father wouldn’t even recognise me even if I did see him one more time.” Beth replied.

“I’m sorry.” I apologised, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear and kissing her forehead.

I may have imagined it, but I think I saw my father give me a knowing smile as he turned away, pretending not to have seen our exchange.

No, I shouldn’t have been worried about their reaction at all.

[Oz]

Hi All,

Well, you'll notice that this is my last update for this fic. It probably ends far too ubruptly for some people, but I am really struggling to keep up with regular updates (and motivation).

Thank you to everyone who stuck with me through to the end and provided such encouraging feedback. You're all fantastic.

Cheers,

Oz


74

Liz POV

“Are you sure we should take that step?” I asked. “Destroy the Granolith?”

“I don’t think we have a choice.” Max replied, taking my hand in his. He knew what this meant. I was human, and Earth was my home. It was his second-home too.

“What about Alex? We need to tell him. He’s done so much to protect us.” I pointed out. “And Kyle…”

“Kyle?” Beth asked. “Not Kyle Valenti?”

“Yes.” I replied, not completely surprised that this young girl knew him – it was a small town after all. But I was surprised by the amount of interest she seemed to have in him. “Do you know him?”

“He’s my father.” Beth announced.

“Your Kyle’s daughter?” I said, looking her over to see the resemblance. “You are. You have his eyes.”

Beth smiled.

“You said there was no one you had to come back for...” My father narrowed his eyes. “Where’s your father?”

“I had to put him in a home. He has dementia and doesn’t remember his own name, or me. I just couldn’t look after him.” Beth explained.

I put my arm around the girl. She had to grow up so quickly. She reminded me a lot of me.

“How long ago?” Max continued with the questions. I knew from the way his brow creased, he was mulling something over.

“A year ago.” Beth replied.

“When was the last time you contacted Alex?” Max asked me.

“Over a year now.” I replied, wondering what Max was thinking.

“I think we need to check on Alex.” Max advised, before turning to Beth. “And your father.”

“What’s wrong?” I asked. I would hate to think we had somehow put them in danger and weren’t here to save them.

“I just have a bad feeling.” Max confessed.

Max’s bad feelings were usually justified.

“Let’s go.” I said, heading for the entrance to the pod chamber.

“Wait.” Max said, halting my departure. “We don’t know who could be on the other side of that door. We need a plan.”

It was what I loved about Max. He always had to have a plan. It’s what made him a good leader, not to mention it had saved our life a bunch of times.

“Zan. I need you to take everyone back to Antar and make sure they get back safely. Then return with the Granolith and wait for me to return.”

“You mean ‘us’.” I interrupted. “Us to return.”

“It’s too dangerous.” Max said, taking my hand and stroking the top of it with his thumb – knowing that it usually worked to subdue me. “Besides, you don’t want your parents to go to Antar without one of us, do you?”

“Then we’ll wait for you.” My father interrupted.

I smirked at Max, and then winked at my father.

“Fine.” Max sighed. “New plan. Zan, you will stay here with everyone and defend the pod chamber. Liz and I will check on Kyle and Alex and bring them back here with us.”

“Not without me.” Beth interrupted.

“Us.” My son seconded that.

“He’s my father.” Beth added, when Max didn’t look like he was going to budge.

“Fine. But you will do exactly what I tell you the moment I tell you to do it.” Max ordered. “Both of you.”

“Yes sir.” They replied in unison.

“Let’s go then.” Max said, taking his position by the door. Zan stood by his side, in case we needed cover.

Max hesitated before turning to me.

“Any visions?” He asked.

I concentrated. Over the years I had developed the ability to try to call for visions of the future at will. It wasn’t a perfect art, but if we needed it to work, now was the time.

“We’ll be okay.” I replied. “Assuming the course does not change.”

“Okay.” Max nodded to Zan, who opened the pod chamber.

I had been right, there wasn’t anybody waiting outside for us, but we didn’t take any chances. We took the car out of its hiding place and took off down the highway towards town.

There were no other cars on the highway, but I still had goosebumps in anticipation as we rounded every bend.

Somehow we managed to arrive at the nursing home safely, and Beth guided us to the window of her father’s room. Peering in, we found Kyle sitting in bed, rocking backwards and forwards.

“Oh, Kyle.” I gasped, hating to see him in such a condition.

Max meanwhile pried open the window and climbed into Kyle’s room.

“Kyle…” He said hesitantly.

Kyle didn’t respond.

“Kyle, it’s me, Max.” Max continued, placing a hand on Kyle’s shoulder.

“They’re coming.” Kyle gasped, his eyes widening. “I tried so hard… I tried to forget everything so they couldn’t get what they wanted.”

“I know. You did a good job. You protected us. We’re going to get out of here, but you have to come with us.” Max replied, helping Kyle to his feet.

“They’re coming…” He repeated, still not himself, but not resisting Max’s efforts to help him out of the window.

“Dad?” Beth said, helping Kyle out of the window.

Kyle looked up, and to everyone’s surprise, especially Beth’s, he cupped her face with his hand. “Beth?”

“Dad. It’s me.” Beth replied, a tear in her eye.

“They’re coming Beth. I tried to stop them, but I wasn’t strong enough.” He replied, and I suspected it was the most he had said to her in a long time. I guess there were more to Max’s powers than we had yet discovered.

“You were strong enough.” Max reassured him. “Everything is going to be okay now, thanks to you.”

We had no idea what Kyle had been fighting against in his mind, but Max understood what Kyle needed to hear.

Once we had Kyle safely in the car, our next step was to locate Alex. He was supposed to be in Washington, but so much time had passed that there was no telling where he was now.

“We’ll take Kyle and the kids back to the pod chamber before we look for Alex.” Max announced, while I tried Alex’s cell from a payphone on the main street. Kyle was in the car with Beth, who was holding him in an embrace. I had the feeling that she was enjoying having her father back to a semi-coherent state.

“There’s no answer.” I said, hanging up the receiver.

Max immediately picked up the phone and dialled information.

“Hello, I need the number for an Alex Whitman in Washington DC.” Max said after the operator answered.

“Thanks.” He replied, hanging up the phone.

“There’s no record of an Alex Whitman in Washington.”

“So we try every other state.” I replied.

“Let’s get Kyle back to the pod chamber first. We’ll send everyone back to Antar and we’ll stay and search for him, no matter how long it takes.” Max offered.

“Thank you.” I hugged him.

We took the car back to the pod chamber, hid it in the bushes again, and crept out of the shadows. The hairs on my arms pricked up.

“Something’s wrong.” I announced, keeping my voice low.

“I can feel it too.” Max whispered, motioning for Max Jnr, Beth and Kyle to stay low and keep behind us.

“There’s someone else here.” I added, my senses heightening.

“Where?” Max asked, relying on my vision.

“In the bushes, eleven-o’clock.” I whispered, pointing. The bushes were between us and the pod chamber entrance.

“How many?” Max asked.

I concentrated.

“One. No, two. I think. It’s not clear.” I replied, confused by what I was seeing.

“Armed?” He asked.

“Ineffective.” I replied.

Max waited, formulating a plan, when the unknown aggressor stepped out of the bushes.

“I know you’re here.” He called into the night. “Show yourself King!”

Max made a move.

“No, don’t. Are you crazy?” I asked in a hushed voice.

“You said he would be ineffective. I trust you.” Max replied, giving me a kiss on the cheek.

“Who are you?” Max asked, stepping out into the moonlight.

“King Zan. It’s nice to finally meet.” The voice said. I couldn’t make out anything out from the shadows to give me any clue as to who he was.

“You didn’t answer my question.” Max restated.

“My name isn’t important. Who I serve, is. You have many enemies your majesty, and they want to see your rule over. It’s time for someone else to take power.”

“And they sent you? You against me?” Max asked incrediously. “Did they tell you what you would be up against?”

“Oh, I know all about your power.” The voice called out. “I know that there are very few that could outwit you in combat. So I brought reinforcements.”

Another figure was dragged out of the bushes to join the man in the shadows. Even though it was dark I knew who it was.

“Alex!” I cried out, and would have alerted the man to our position if my son hadn’t clamped his hand over my mouth at the right second.

“Leave him out of this.” Max fumed.

“Ah, yes, your one and only weakness – your sympathy for humans.” The voice smirked. “You never could resist could you? Not after they botched up your resurrection and gave you too much of their DNA.”

“Let him go.” Max hissed, getting angrier by the second.

“Oh come on, he’s collateral damage. He’s not even that with it anyway.” The voice replied, shoving Alex to the ground. “I take it you’ve seen Kyle.”

I watched as Alex lay on the ground in front of the shadow, rocking backwards and forward and muttering something about them coming for us.

I think he was a little late with his warning.

The shadow picked Alex up by his hair and dangled him in front of Max. My son had to restrain me with all of his strength to keep me from ripping Alex out of this man’s clutches.

“You are going to drop him and step away.” Max ordered.

“Let me think about that…” The man put his index finger to his lips in contemplation. “No.”

Suddenly there was a shot from behind, and despite the shadows, I could see the man’s face go white. When his face ate dirt, I saw Zan standing behind him.

“What took you guys so long?” Zan smiled.

“I could say the same about you.” Max nudged his dupe before patting him on the back. He then indicated to where we hid in the shadows “Let’s go.”

Beth and my son helped Kyle to his feet, and the four of us followed Max and Zan, who were helping Alex up to the pod chamber.

“Everything set?” Max asked Zan as soon as we were all safe inside.

“Just waiting on you guys.” Zan replied.

He was right, the Granolith was humming.

My parents were the first on-board, followed closely by Alex, Kyle, Max Jnr and Beth. Zan made sure they were all settled while I made Max hang back.

“What do you think’s wrong with Alex and Kyle?” I asked.

“Someone worked out that they knew too much about us, and tried to break them so they would tell them where the pod-chamber was. My guess is that both Alex and Kyle fought back. They were brave and strong.” Max hypothosised.

“Do you think they will recover?” I asked.

“I know they will.” Max hugged me. “We’ve got the best healers on Antar.”

I nodded.

“And besides. They’ll have us. We won’t let anything touch them ever again.”

“I trust you.” I smiled, linking my hand in his. After so many years, it fit so perfectly, as though our bones had melded around each other.

“Ready to take your last trip to Antar?” Max asked, squeezing my hand.

“I’m ready to go home.” I smiled.

Antar was home now, and now that I had all of my family and friends with me, there was no other place that I could give that title.

And I was happy.


The end.