CHAPTER 11
They lay on the floor facing each other sobbing.
Clutching onto each other like a drowning person holds onto a life preserver, their bodies shook with the intensity of their cries.
They cried out their years of fear, frustration, and hurt. They cried for the time they had lost together. They cried for their son. For relief that finally, after so many years of longing, of yearning for each other, they were finally back to the only place either of them had ever found peace.
After a long time they calmed, wiped the tears from each other’s cheeks and then began to stroke each other trying to soothe away their anxieties. Their eyes remained locked as they both reveled in the moment, inexpressible thoughts and feelings of love flowing between them freely.
They began kissing softly, slowly, savoring the taste of the other’s lips. Max brought his hand up into her hair and ran his thumb lovingly across her cheek and she sighed into his mouth.
“I always loved when you did that.”
He smiled at her as he continued his movements. “I always loved kissing you.”
“Just kissing?” she teased.
A small groan escaped from his throat before he captured her lips again, more forcefully this time; his tongue thrusting into her mouth conveying the other things he also loved doing to her. She responded immediately, pulling her leg up over his hip and pressing her body into his. He ran his hand down her back and over her bottom, pulling her closer still as they began to move against each other.
She pulled away suddenly, stood up and extended her hand. “Come with me.”
He leapt off the floor and allowed her to lead him down the hallway into her bedroom. Upon entering she picked up a lighter and a candle from her dresser. Taking it from her he said “allow me”, snapped his fingers, and every candle in the room ignited.
Liz began backing up toward the bed pulling him by the wrist, her smoldering eyes roaming up and down his body and elevating his temperature another 10 degrees.
She reached out and slowly began to unbutton his shirt saying, “I need to see you.” Freeing the final button she slid her hands across his chest and pushed the shirt down his arms until it fell to the floor. Her hands roamed his upper body and she smiled at his sharp intake of breath as her lips followed, creating a trail of fire across his torso. He’s more perfect than ever, she thought to herself; still strong and lean but now he had the body of a man instead of a boy. A very hard, hot man.
She kneeled as she slid her hands down and pulled his pants and boxers off. “I need to see all of you.”
His head fell back as her lips moved up his leg to his hip and then crossed his abs. As she stood her hand followed the path her mouth had taken until it rested on his hardness. Her tongue snaked out over his nipple and he gasped again as she began to slowly stroke him and her mouth continued to move. Reaching his ear she murmured to him “you are as gorgeous as ever” before returning at last to his lips. He grabbed her face with both hands and plundered her mouth as her hand tightened around him and quickened its pace. Feeling his control quickly draining away, he pulled her hand away and tried to catch his breath.
“My turn.”
He turned her around and lowered the zipper on the back of her dress. His fingers barely brushed her skin as he nudged the straps off of her shoulders and replaced them with his lips while still slowly moving the dress down her body, letting it pool at her feet. His hands encircled her waist and he rested one on the spot where he had healed her, where their journey had begun so many years ago. He ran his tongue over her shoulder blade and up her neck to her ear.
“I love you Liz. Always.”
It was whispered reverently and it made her knees weak. She leaned back into his chest for support, and her head tilted to the side as his lips continued their journey over her jaw line and back down her neck. His hands began a journey of their own as one ran over her hip in light circles on their way to her inner thigh and the other moved up to her breasts to play with her nipples. She moaned loudly at the first brush of his fingers through her dark curls and her body went limp. He quickly scooped her up, placed her on the bed and moved over her. Once again taking her face in his hands he stared at her a moment in awe. “I didn’t think it was possible, but you are even more beautiful than I remember.”
Liz had a fleeting thought that it was a good thing that he was holding her down because she’d probably float up to the ceiling right then if he wasn’t. Her hands reached up to cup his face. “Oh Max,” was all she could get out as her throat closed with emotion.
His eyes grew watery as he breathed out “Liz, my angel, my love.” He leaned down and caressed her lips with his for a long moment, sending her his feelings of adoration and desire through their connection. The kiss grew deeper and her hands began to graze over his body, slowly moving downward. He pulled away from her and taking her hands in his he kissed the back of each one before placing them back down on the bed on either side of her body.
“It’s still my turn.”
After another passionate kiss he began kissing and touching every inch of skin he came in contact with, all the while murmuring words of his love. His mouth found her breast and as he began to lick and suck at her nipples his hand moved down between her legs and began to trace around her lips. A low, drawn out moan escaped her as she abandoned herself totally to the pleasure vortex she was being pulled into. He groaned himself when he found her wet and ready as he slid a finger inside and began stroking her. As she pulled at him to bring him back up to take his mouth again, he began to move his thumb over her clit. Her head fell back from his kisses, her eyes closed and lips parted as soft moans quickly poured forth. He remained hovering over her, watching as she grinded herself on his hand and tossed her head from side to side, helpless in the throes of passion pulsing through her. Her hands twisted in the sheets and she cried out as her orgasm flashed over her. Max moved to wrap her in his arms and lovingly stroked her face, arms and legs as she calmed.
Opening her eyes she was overcome by the look of pure love emanating from his soul. Every muscle in her body turned to jelly and she began to again shake with desire. “Oh Max, I love you so much” she breathed as she pulled him down to take her lips again.
He moved his body fully on top of her and she wrapped her legs around his waist, their kiss breaking only long enough for him to say “I love you with all my heart Liz.” He slid inside of her slowly and they began to move together in perfect rhythm, as if it had been only days that they had been apart, not years. They moved slowly at first, wanting to savor the sensations of the feeling the other’s body so intimately connected with their own; their arms wrapped around each other playing up and down the expanse of skin that was them joined. They never stopped kissing; long, languid kisses broken only by the soft moaning of both. Liz ran her hands over the planes of his chiseled back down to his backside and grasped at him, pulling him further inside of her, and he began thrusting faster and harder not being able to contain the fire exploding throughout his body.
Feeling them so close to their release they gazed into each other’s eyes knowing what each needed. They smiled as they simultaneously said “Liz. My Liz,” and “Max. My Max.”
With one final movement they exploded together, their bodies convulsing in the joy of their love.
They lay joined together long afterward, Liz unwilling to release him after so many years of his absence. He reversed their positions so he wouldn’t crush her and held her to his chest, running one hand through her hair and the other in circles over her back.
“Liz, I don’t have words to, to tell you…” Overcome with emotion, he couldn’t finish his sentence.
She lifted up to look at him & placed a finger on his lips. “You don’t need any my love. I know.”
They kissed again for what seemed an eternity.
They both hoped it would be.
In Your Eyes- Book One CC M/L ADULT [COMPLETE]
Moderators: Anniepoo98, Rowedog, ISLANDGIRL5, Itzstacie, truelovepooh, FSU/MSW-94, Forum Moderators
CHAPTER 12
Liz awoke with the same smile on her face she had fallen asleep with. The smile of satisfaction.
They had spent hours just laying together absorbing the enormity of what had transpired, glorying in the ability to once again touch & love each other. They talked for hours about their lives while apart & how they had missed each other. They finally fell asleep spooned together, his arm wrapped tightly around her & resting on her stomach, her fingers interlaced with his. She now lay awake in this same position, saying a silent prayer of thanks to God for bringing him back to her. I could stay here like this forever, she thought; or at least all day today. They had 18 years of catching up to do; of talking, laughing, loving.
Suddenly she realized that it had also been many years since he had seen the way she looked first thing in the morning. Hmm, maybe I should save the rats-nest hair, sleep-filled eyes & pasty-colored skin for another day & go take a shower, she thought. Gingerly scooting out from under his arm she slid out of bed & stared at him for a moment as he slept. She had a feeling this smile was going to be plastered on her face for quite awhile.
===========
Maria was exhausted. She & Alex had spent the night in the emergency room waiting area with his family, and after finally getting his dad settled in a room in the early morning she had left for home to pick them up a change of clothes. She picked up the phone to give Liz a quick call. When the answering machine picked up, she hung up the receiver & grabbed her purse. I’ll get some bagels & stop over there on my way back to the hospital, she thought.
===========
The shrill of the ringing telephone jerked Max out of his sleep.
He lay in bed for a moment replaying the events of the prior night in his mind. If it was possible to die of happiness then someone better call the morgue, he thought. If anyone sees me with this dopey smile on my face they’re gonna think I’m high.
It had been hard waiting all those years but the past few months had actually been worse- being so close to her yet having to conceal his identity; being close enough to smell her, to touch her, & having to restrain himself was the worst torture he had ever experienced.
Hearing the sound of the water running, he smiled wider & jumped out of bed. Quietly opening the door he stepped into the bathroom & moved toward the shower as he listened to her humming & singing; his breath catching in his throat as he peered through the glass door. Her head was tilted back as she shampooed her hair, the suds & spray running over her body. Lucky suds, he thought.
He silently slid the door open & stepped in behind her. Wrapping his arms around her waist he bent his head to her ear & breathed out, “need some help?”
“Aaahhh!!” She jumped as the soap shot out of her hand. “Max! You startled me. I’m not used to having company in the shower.”
He spun her around & ran one hand up between her shoulder blades & the other down to her bottom pulling her flush against his already hard body.
“Well we’ll just have to rectify that now, won’t we?”
As she stared into his eyes that were already black with desire, a sly smile crossed her face as she wrapped her arms around his neck & said, “did you have anything specific in mind?”
“Oh yeah” he muttered as he took her lips in a ferocious kiss.
Liz was on fire. Her passions had lain dormant for so long & now that they had been let loose they were raging out of control. She couldn’t get enough of his lips, his hands, the feel of his flesh in contact with hers as she rubbed her body on him. The feel of his erection pressing into her stomach only drove her frenzy higher.
“Touch me Max. Please,” she whispered in his ear.
Only too happy to oblige, he dislodged her arms from his neck & moved her back up against the shower wall. Stepping back he ran his eyes over her & she thought she would melt & run down the drain with the suds. He reached out with his pointer finger & starting at her forehead he ran it down her nose, around her lips, over her chin & down her neck. Pulling back & grinning wickedly he said, “you mean like that?”
“Maxxx…” she whined.
Reaching out again, his finger followed her shoulder line to the crux of her arm & then moved it down the outside of her torso, just skimming the side of her breast, down her waist & across to her belly button, where he swirled it around lightly before withdrawing again.
“Or like that?”
“Max please…” her voice becoming more insistent.
Kneeling down he placed both hands on her hips & ran them lightly down her legs to her ankles; then bringing them to the insides he slowly, tortuously began to move upward. As he reached her center he looked up to see her staring down at him, panting in anticipation. Nudging her legs apart he gently ran his finger over her, his body tightening as he felt how ready she was for him.
“Please Max, touch me,” she whimpered.
Looking up again he growled “I have a better idea,” & snaked out his tongue to taste her. Her hands found his hair & she began moaning as he took her into glorious oblivion. His name was an unending chant from her lips as she hurdled toward completion, her legs giving way completely as she tumbled over the edge.
She slid down the wall into his waiting arms. Sitting back onto the floor of the shower he pulled her limp body onto his lap until she was straddling him. Her head rolled from side to side as his mouth moved unceasingly over her skin, his breathing becoming more & more labored as she leaned back & brought his head to her breasts while slowly grinding her hips into him. Feeling himself close to his breaking point he moaned out “Liz I need you, now.”
Quickly positioning herself over him she said “you’ve got me Max, forever” as she sank down onto him & took them both into bliss.
=========
Maria pulled into the driveway & grabbed the bag of bagels & 2 cups of coffee. That’s funny, she thought; the shades are still drawn, that’s unusual for Liz at this hour. Maybe things had gone well with Tom last night & she hadn’t gone to sleep until late. Well she’ll have to get up now, she thought as she fished in her purse for the key to Liz’s front door.
==========
They washed each other slowly, getting reacquainted with each other’s bodies & relishing the power they each found in a look or a simple touch. Stepping out he wrapped a towel around them & kissed her gently before folding her into an embrace. “I love you Liz. I can’t say that enough.”
“I can’t hear it enough.”
They kissed again & his hands began to wander over her body. Suddenly she jumped & giggled slightly.
He grinned down at her & his grip tightened. “Don’t tell me your still…”
“Max, no, don’t…”
“Too late” he laughed out as he began tickling her mercilessly.
========
Maria heard noise in the direction of the bathroom so she made her way down the hall. Just as she was about to call out for Liz, she heard the laughter. Male & female laughter. Holy shit Liz must’ve slept with Tom! Finally!! This is gonna call for some major girl talk.
Liz’s voice invaded her thoughts. “Max, stop, please- MAX!!”
Max? What the??
Before she could register anything else the door flew open as Liz attempted an escape.
The three of them stood frozen in place staring at each other for a moment. Max quickly yanked the towel that was hanging haphazardly around them & covered himself, leaving Liz naked. Liz stood looking at Maria, opening her mouth to speak but no words would come out.
Maria did the only thing she could do. She fainted.
Liz looked down at her lying in the middle of splattered coffee & bagels rolling over the floor.
“Well I guess THAT was inevitable.”
Liz awoke with the same smile on her face she had fallen asleep with. The smile of satisfaction.
They had spent hours just laying together absorbing the enormity of what had transpired, glorying in the ability to once again touch & love each other. They talked for hours about their lives while apart & how they had missed each other. They finally fell asleep spooned together, his arm wrapped tightly around her & resting on her stomach, her fingers interlaced with his. She now lay awake in this same position, saying a silent prayer of thanks to God for bringing him back to her. I could stay here like this forever, she thought; or at least all day today. They had 18 years of catching up to do; of talking, laughing, loving.
Suddenly she realized that it had also been many years since he had seen the way she looked first thing in the morning. Hmm, maybe I should save the rats-nest hair, sleep-filled eyes & pasty-colored skin for another day & go take a shower, she thought. Gingerly scooting out from under his arm she slid out of bed & stared at him for a moment as he slept. She had a feeling this smile was going to be plastered on her face for quite awhile.
===========
Maria was exhausted. She & Alex had spent the night in the emergency room waiting area with his family, and after finally getting his dad settled in a room in the early morning she had left for home to pick them up a change of clothes. She picked up the phone to give Liz a quick call. When the answering machine picked up, she hung up the receiver & grabbed her purse. I’ll get some bagels & stop over there on my way back to the hospital, she thought.
===========
The shrill of the ringing telephone jerked Max out of his sleep.
He lay in bed for a moment replaying the events of the prior night in his mind. If it was possible to die of happiness then someone better call the morgue, he thought. If anyone sees me with this dopey smile on my face they’re gonna think I’m high.
It had been hard waiting all those years but the past few months had actually been worse- being so close to her yet having to conceal his identity; being close enough to smell her, to touch her, & having to restrain himself was the worst torture he had ever experienced.
Hearing the sound of the water running, he smiled wider & jumped out of bed. Quietly opening the door he stepped into the bathroom & moved toward the shower as he listened to her humming & singing; his breath catching in his throat as he peered through the glass door. Her head was tilted back as she shampooed her hair, the suds & spray running over her body. Lucky suds, he thought.
He silently slid the door open & stepped in behind her. Wrapping his arms around her waist he bent his head to her ear & breathed out, “need some help?”
“Aaahhh!!” She jumped as the soap shot out of her hand. “Max! You startled me. I’m not used to having company in the shower.”
He spun her around & ran one hand up between her shoulder blades & the other down to her bottom pulling her flush against his already hard body.
“Well we’ll just have to rectify that now, won’t we?”
As she stared into his eyes that were already black with desire, a sly smile crossed her face as she wrapped her arms around his neck & said, “did you have anything specific in mind?”
“Oh yeah” he muttered as he took her lips in a ferocious kiss.
Liz was on fire. Her passions had lain dormant for so long & now that they had been let loose they were raging out of control. She couldn’t get enough of his lips, his hands, the feel of his flesh in contact with hers as she rubbed her body on him. The feel of his erection pressing into her stomach only drove her frenzy higher.
“Touch me Max. Please,” she whispered in his ear.
Only too happy to oblige, he dislodged her arms from his neck & moved her back up against the shower wall. Stepping back he ran his eyes over her & she thought she would melt & run down the drain with the suds. He reached out with his pointer finger & starting at her forehead he ran it down her nose, around her lips, over her chin & down her neck. Pulling back & grinning wickedly he said, “you mean like that?”
“Maxxx…” she whined.
Reaching out again, his finger followed her shoulder line to the crux of her arm & then moved it down the outside of her torso, just skimming the side of her breast, down her waist & across to her belly button, where he swirled it around lightly before withdrawing again.
“Or like that?”
“Max please…” her voice becoming more insistent.
Kneeling down he placed both hands on her hips & ran them lightly down her legs to her ankles; then bringing them to the insides he slowly, tortuously began to move upward. As he reached her center he looked up to see her staring down at him, panting in anticipation. Nudging her legs apart he gently ran his finger over her, his body tightening as he felt how ready she was for him.
“Please Max, touch me,” she whimpered.
Looking up again he growled “I have a better idea,” & snaked out his tongue to taste her. Her hands found his hair & she began moaning as he took her into glorious oblivion. His name was an unending chant from her lips as she hurdled toward completion, her legs giving way completely as she tumbled over the edge.
She slid down the wall into his waiting arms. Sitting back onto the floor of the shower he pulled her limp body onto his lap until she was straddling him. Her head rolled from side to side as his mouth moved unceasingly over her skin, his breathing becoming more & more labored as she leaned back & brought his head to her breasts while slowly grinding her hips into him. Feeling himself close to his breaking point he moaned out “Liz I need you, now.”
Quickly positioning herself over him she said “you’ve got me Max, forever” as she sank down onto him & took them both into bliss.
=========
Maria pulled into the driveway & grabbed the bag of bagels & 2 cups of coffee. That’s funny, she thought; the shades are still drawn, that’s unusual for Liz at this hour. Maybe things had gone well with Tom last night & she hadn’t gone to sleep until late. Well she’ll have to get up now, she thought as she fished in her purse for the key to Liz’s front door.
==========
They washed each other slowly, getting reacquainted with each other’s bodies & relishing the power they each found in a look or a simple touch. Stepping out he wrapped a towel around them & kissed her gently before folding her into an embrace. “I love you Liz. I can’t say that enough.”
“I can’t hear it enough.”
They kissed again & his hands began to wander over her body. Suddenly she jumped & giggled slightly.
He grinned down at her & his grip tightened. “Don’t tell me your still…”
“Max, no, don’t…”
“Too late” he laughed out as he began tickling her mercilessly.
========
Maria heard noise in the direction of the bathroom so she made her way down the hall. Just as she was about to call out for Liz, she heard the laughter. Male & female laughter. Holy shit Liz must’ve slept with Tom! Finally!! This is gonna call for some major girl talk.
Liz’s voice invaded her thoughts. “Max, stop, please- MAX!!”
Max? What the??
Before she could register anything else the door flew open as Liz attempted an escape.
The three of them stood frozen in place staring at each other for a moment. Max quickly yanked the towel that was hanging haphazardly around them & covered himself, leaving Liz naked. Liz stood looking at Maria, opening her mouth to speak but no words would come out.
Maria did the only thing she could do. She fainted.
Liz looked down at her lying in the middle of splattered coffee & bagels rolling over the floor.
“Well I guess THAT was inevitable.”
CHAPTER 13
Max carried Maria to the couch & placed her down. Looking worriedly at Liz he said “is she going to be OK?”
Liz chuckled. “Max, don’t tell me you’ve forgotten about her drama queen tendencies. This is par for the course!”
“Yeah, I remember, but this is, you know, a little weird.”
“Oh & telling her that you guys were aliens when she was 16 wasn’t?! Don’t worry, I’ll take care of this. Why don’t you go upstairs & get dressed?” She watched him scurry off thinking ‘I wouldn’t mind looking at you in that towel all day, though’.
Liz went to put on her robe & when she returned Maria was coming around.
“Oooh, what happened? Did I pass out? Oh man, I know I’m tired but now I’m seeing things- I thought I saw you & Max in the bathroom.”
“You did.” Liz cut right to the chase.
Maria looked at her dumbfounded. “What? How? When?”
“Maria, Max is Tom. Or Tom is Max. Anyway Tom was- I mean Max was mind warping us so we wouldn’t recognize him. The whole time Tom has been here it’s really been Max.”
Maria’s eyes were ready to pop out of her head. “Oh my god, what-“
She was interrupted by Max’s return. Well, he looks like Max, she thought; a little older- man this was weird. She just stared at him as he looked from her to Liz & asked “is everything OK?”
Maria found her voice again. “What? How? When?”
Liz laughed again. “OK is a relative term when it comes to Maria.”
“Excuse me, considering the situation I think I have a right to be a bit freaked out right now.”
Max looked at her sheepishly & said “Hi Maria. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you or anything.”
Maria stared up at him again. “What? How? When?”
They sat on either side of her explaining how he’d returned to Roswell & met with Kyle & then made his way to find them. Then preparing himself for her fury, Max began to explain why he had concealed his identity from them.
“I understand,” she interrupted.
Max & Liz looked at each other & said at the same time “What?”
“I understand. Why you couldn’t tell her. I mean you can’t just walk back into someone’s life after all that time & say ‘Hi! I’m back!’ I would’ve done the same thing.”
Liz was incredulous. “Maria I can’t believe YOU are able to remain calm about this.”
“Well it makes sense, Liz; what if you had married or whatever. He had to scope out the scene first.”
Max was relieved. “Well you certainly took it better than Liz did,” he said grinning. “She hit me.”
“Yeah, well I can see that too. So why did you decide to tell her last night anyway?”
They both blushed as Liz explained about the kiss & the flash. Maria began laughing. “What’s so funny?”
“Well, I mean, it’s ironic, isn’t it? After almost 20 years of me trying to get you hooked up with someone you finally go for it & it turns out to be Max! I should’ve known.”
“Known what?”
“That you would never be attracted to anyone besides Max. That you wouldn’t have sex dreams about anyone else.”
“Maria!!”
“You had sex dreams about me?”
“Oh god, can we please talk about this later?”
Maria became serious again & looked at Max. “Did you come alone? Back to earth?”
Liz reached out & held her hand as he related the story of Michael’s life & death on Antar. When he was finished they all had tears in their eyes as Liz said “Maria, I’m sorry.”
Maria forced a smile as she wiped her tears away. “It’s OK; he lived out his destiny, & I’ve lived mine.” She looked at Max & took his hand. “I’m sorry Max. That you had to go through that.”
He smiled at her & pulled her into a hug. He had always loved Maria; she was weird & quirky & bouncy & loyal & compassionate- she was a true friend to him all those years ago & he was thankful she had stuck by Liz in the years since.
Pulling away she said, “OK, well now I could really use that coffee.” As Liz made a pot Maria filled them in on Alex’s dad.
When she was done she looked at them both. “So what happens now? What about Max?”
Liz knew she was referring to her son. “Well I haven’t really given it any thought yet.”
“What? Are you kidding? Liz you know how he feels about his father- how could you not have thought about telling him?”
“Maria I just found out last night & I’ve been, ah, busy.”
“What the hell was more important- oh.” She looked at the two of them with flushed, embarrassed faces and began to laugh. “Oh man, some things never change.”
“Maria!”
“Oh for god’s sake Liz, lighten up. You were practically a born-again virgin; you have the right to swing from a few trees.”
“Oh dear god, please shut her up. Please.”
Max laughed briefly, then turned serious as he addressed them both. “Do you think that Max will be really upset?”
Maria shot Liz a look & out of the side of her mouth said, “you didn’t tell him?”
“No, I did, & yes, I’m sorry Max but I think he’s going to be upset. Really upset.”
“Really mad & upset,” said Maria. “He’s a perfect combination of the two of you- your sensitivity & her temper. Mad & upset. Bet on it.”
Max had a sinking feeling in his stomach. He had been elated at discovering that he had a son & he so wanted to become a part of his life. To think that he might be rejected by him & how being in the middle of it all would hurt Liz made him sick.
Sensing his pain Liz walked over to him & laid a hand on his shoulder. “Max, we’ll deal with this. Don’t worry.” He took her hand & kissed it as he smiled at her in gratitude.
Maria groaned. “Oh god, you two are starting with the gooey-eyed stares already; I’ve got to get out of here before I go into sugar shock. Look, my advice to you both is not to delay in telling him. He knows the second anything is up with Liz. He’ll be angrier if you keep it from him any longer. Max, be patient with him; he’s going to be very confused & will probably say and/or do some things he normally wouldn’t do. He’s a wonderful person; he’ll come around, just be patient.”
Max stood up & pulled Maria into another hug. “Thank you for everything Maria; for being there for him, for being so good to he & Liz. If I couldn’t be here with them I’m sure glad that you were.”
“I’d do anything for them Max; & I know they would for me.” Maria smiled at Liz & then looked back at Max. Narrowing her eyes & lowering her voice she leaned into him & said, “don’t hurt her Max, she’s been through too much already. Or you’ll have to answer to me.”
Knowing her too well he took her very seriously. “I won’t Maria. I love her. I’ll do whatever I have to do to make her happy.”
“Good boy. OK, I have to get going, Alex is going to think I got lost. Wait until I tell him what took me so long!”
Max immediately became alarmed. “Uh, wait a minute, how are you going to explain how I ‘changed’ my appearance & all to him?”
Liz & Maria both started to laugh. “He knows, Max,” Liz said. “We had to tell him after he saw Max turn a pile of sand into a 6 foot castle complete with drawbridge & moats with a wave of his hand when he was little. He knows all about you & where you’ve been. Don’t worry, Alex is cool.”
“Yeah, look who he’s married to after all!” Maria kissed them both goodbye as they conveyed their best wishes for Alex’s dad’s recovery. She drove down the street & parked by the water, staring out at the bay. The tears came slowly as she grieved for the loss of her first love & the sadness that had always enveloped his life. She had been blessed with a wonderful husband, a great marriage, & family & friends that loved & accepted her. How she wished Michael could have known that same comfort. Offering a final prayer that he would in eternity, she composed herself & left for the hospital.
Liz was washing the coffee cups to avoid looking at Max. He moved behind her & reached around to shut off the water. Taking her soapy hand in his he said, “Liz we have to talk about Max.”
She turned around to face him. “I know; I just don’t know what I’m going to say to him. I’m not used to telling him things that I know will upset him.”
Max looked down at the floor. “I’ve done it again.”
“Done what?”
“I’ve screwed up your life. Now I’m screwing up his too. I should never have come back.”
“NO!” She grabbed his face to force him to look at her. “Listen to me. Until I met you I didn’t have a life- I had an existence. That’s all. From the moment you saved me I knew my life would not be complete unless you were a part of it. No, my life- our relationship- hasn’t been perfect, but if there’s one thing I know it’s that I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat. The hardships, the years apart- everything, as long as it meant that I’d be standing here with you today.” She threw her arms around him as she continued. “You are good & true & he will see that. It’s just going to take some time.”
He crushed her to him, emotional at her profession of love but still torn by the turmoil he knew he was causing. “Liz I want a future with you. With both of you. I’ll do anything you both want. Just tell me what to do.”
She pulled back a little & looked him in the eye. “It will be OK Max. I promise. I love you & so will he. He’ll come around.”
He has to, she thought, as she buried her face in his neck.
Max carried Maria to the couch & placed her down. Looking worriedly at Liz he said “is she going to be OK?”
Liz chuckled. “Max, don’t tell me you’ve forgotten about her drama queen tendencies. This is par for the course!”
“Yeah, I remember, but this is, you know, a little weird.”
“Oh & telling her that you guys were aliens when she was 16 wasn’t?! Don’t worry, I’ll take care of this. Why don’t you go upstairs & get dressed?” She watched him scurry off thinking ‘I wouldn’t mind looking at you in that towel all day, though’.
Liz went to put on her robe & when she returned Maria was coming around.
“Oooh, what happened? Did I pass out? Oh man, I know I’m tired but now I’m seeing things- I thought I saw you & Max in the bathroom.”
“You did.” Liz cut right to the chase.
Maria looked at her dumbfounded. “What? How? When?”
“Maria, Max is Tom. Or Tom is Max. Anyway Tom was- I mean Max was mind warping us so we wouldn’t recognize him. The whole time Tom has been here it’s really been Max.”
Maria’s eyes were ready to pop out of her head. “Oh my god, what-“
She was interrupted by Max’s return. Well, he looks like Max, she thought; a little older- man this was weird. She just stared at him as he looked from her to Liz & asked “is everything OK?”
Maria found her voice again. “What? How? When?”
Liz laughed again. “OK is a relative term when it comes to Maria.”
“Excuse me, considering the situation I think I have a right to be a bit freaked out right now.”
Max looked at her sheepishly & said “Hi Maria. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you or anything.”
Maria stared up at him again. “What? How? When?”
They sat on either side of her explaining how he’d returned to Roswell & met with Kyle & then made his way to find them. Then preparing himself for her fury, Max began to explain why he had concealed his identity from them.
“I understand,” she interrupted.
Max & Liz looked at each other & said at the same time “What?”
“I understand. Why you couldn’t tell her. I mean you can’t just walk back into someone’s life after all that time & say ‘Hi! I’m back!’ I would’ve done the same thing.”
Liz was incredulous. “Maria I can’t believe YOU are able to remain calm about this.”
“Well it makes sense, Liz; what if you had married or whatever. He had to scope out the scene first.”
Max was relieved. “Well you certainly took it better than Liz did,” he said grinning. “She hit me.”
“Yeah, well I can see that too. So why did you decide to tell her last night anyway?”
They both blushed as Liz explained about the kiss & the flash. Maria began laughing. “What’s so funny?”
“Well, I mean, it’s ironic, isn’t it? After almost 20 years of me trying to get you hooked up with someone you finally go for it & it turns out to be Max! I should’ve known.”
“Known what?”
“That you would never be attracted to anyone besides Max. That you wouldn’t have sex dreams about anyone else.”
“Maria!!”
“You had sex dreams about me?”
“Oh god, can we please talk about this later?”
Maria became serious again & looked at Max. “Did you come alone? Back to earth?”
Liz reached out & held her hand as he related the story of Michael’s life & death on Antar. When he was finished they all had tears in their eyes as Liz said “Maria, I’m sorry.”
Maria forced a smile as she wiped her tears away. “It’s OK; he lived out his destiny, & I’ve lived mine.” She looked at Max & took his hand. “I’m sorry Max. That you had to go through that.”
He smiled at her & pulled her into a hug. He had always loved Maria; she was weird & quirky & bouncy & loyal & compassionate- she was a true friend to him all those years ago & he was thankful she had stuck by Liz in the years since.
Pulling away she said, “OK, well now I could really use that coffee.” As Liz made a pot Maria filled them in on Alex’s dad.
When she was done she looked at them both. “So what happens now? What about Max?”
Liz knew she was referring to her son. “Well I haven’t really given it any thought yet.”
“What? Are you kidding? Liz you know how he feels about his father- how could you not have thought about telling him?”
“Maria I just found out last night & I’ve been, ah, busy.”
“What the hell was more important- oh.” She looked at the two of them with flushed, embarrassed faces and began to laugh. “Oh man, some things never change.”
“Maria!”
“Oh for god’s sake Liz, lighten up. You were practically a born-again virgin; you have the right to swing from a few trees.”
“Oh dear god, please shut her up. Please.”
Max laughed briefly, then turned serious as he addressed them both. “Do you think that Max will be really upset?”
Maria shot Liz a look & out of the side of her mouth said, “you didn’t tell him?”
“No, I did, & yes, I’m sorry Max but I think he’s going to be upset. Really upset.”
“Really mad & upset,” said Maria. “He’s a perfect combination of the two of you- your sensitivity & her temper. Mad & upset. Bet on it.”
Max had a sinking feeling in his stomach. He had been elated at discovering that he had a son & he so wanted to become a part of his life. To think that he might be rejected by him & how being in the middle of it all would hurt Liz made him sick.
Sensing his pain Liz walked over to him & laid a hand on his shoulder. “Max, we’ll deal with this. Don’t worry.” He took her hand & kissed it as he smiled at her in gratitude.
Maria groaned. “Oh god, you two are starting with the gooey-eyed stares already; I’ve got to get out of here before I go into sugar shock. Look, my advice to you both is not to delay in telling him. He knows the second anything is up with Liz. He’ll be angrier if you keep it from him any longer. Max, be patient with him; he’s going to be very confused & will probably say and/or do some things he normally wouldn’t do. He’s a wonderful person; he’ll come around, just be patient.”
Max stood up & pulled Maria into another hug. “Thank you for everything Maria; for being there for him, for being so good to he & Liz. If I couldn’t be here with them I’m sure glad that you were.”
“I’d do anything for them Max; & I know they would for me.” Maria smiled at Liz & then looked back at Max. Narrowing her eyes & lowering her voice she leaned into him & said, “don’t hurt her Max, she’s been through too much already. Or you’ll have to answer to me.”
Knowing her too well he took her very seriously. “I won’t Maria. I love her. I’ll do whatever I have to do to make her happy.”
“Good boy. OK, I have to get going, Alex is going to think I got lost. Wait until I tell him what took me so long!”
Max immediately became alarmed. “Uh, wait a minute, how are you going to explain how I ‘changed’ my appearance & all to him?”
Liz & Maria both started to laugh. “He knows, Max,” Liz said. “We had to tell him after he saw Max turn a pile of sand into a 6 foot castle complete with drawbridge & moats with a wave of his hand when he was little. He knows all about you & where you’ve been. Don’t worry, Alex is cool.”
“Yeah, look who he’s married to after all!” Maria kissed them both goodbye as they conveyed their best wishes for Alex’s dad’s recovery. She drove down the street & parked by the water, staring out at the bay. The tears came slowly as she grieved for the loss of her first love & the sadness that had always enveloped his life. She had been blessed with a wonderful husband, a great marriage, & family & friends that loved & accepted her. How she wished Michael could have known that same comfort. Offering a final prayer that he would in eternity, she composed herself & left for the hospital.
Liz was washing the coffee cups to avoid looking at Max. He moved behind her & reached around to shut off the water. Taking her soapy hand in his he said, “Liz we have to talk about Max.”
She turned around to face him. “I know; I just don’t know what I’m going to say to him. I’m not used to telling him things that I know will upset him.”
Max looked down at the floor. “I’ve done it again.”
“Done what?”
“I’ve screwed up your life. Now I’m screwing up his too. I should never have come back.”
“NO!” She grabbed his face to force him to look at her. “Listen to me. Until I met you I didn’t have a life- I had an existence. That’s all. From the moment you saved me I knew my life would not be complete unless you were a part of it. No, my life- our relationship- hasn’t been perfect, but if there’s one thing I know it’s that I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat. The hardships, the years apart- everything, as long as it meant that I’d be standing here with you today.” She threw her arms around him as she continued. “You are good & true & he will see that. It’s just going to take some time.”
He crushed her to him, emotional at her profession of love but still torn by the turmoil he knew he was causing. “Liz I want a future with you. With both of you. I’ll do anything you both want. Just tell me what to do.”
She pulled back a little & looked him in the eye. “It will be OK Max. I promise. I love you & so will he. He’ll come around.”
He has to, she thought, as she buried her face in his neck.
CHAPTER 14
Monday morning came around far too fast for Liz. They had spent Sunday making love in almost every part of the house. Even when they had gone into the garage for some tools they ended up doing it on her weight bench after Max told her how turned on he got while watching her work out. She felt like a teenager again, unable & unwilling to control her desire for him.
Today would be very different though; her son would come home & find out that that his father had returned. Liz had taken the day off from work to greet him when he arrived; when she had done so she thought she’d be excited about hearing about his trip, not anxious about his reaction to what she knew would be unwelcome news to him.
The sound of the running shower tore her away from her thoughts. Closing her eyes for a moment & recalling the previous day’s water sports she began to smile. Paybacks are a bitch, she thought, as she rose & made her way to the bath.
=======
“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?” They were standing at the front door locked in an embrace. Max’s concern was written all over his face; he didn’t want to leave her alone to deal with telling their son.
“Max I really think it’s better if I do this by myself. He’ll be more comfortable with just me. We’ll talk to him together tonight after you get home.”
Home. She considered this his home. He broke out in an ear to ear grin. “OK, but promise you’ll call me if you need me.”
“I will. And Max?”
“Yeah?”
“I’ve always needed you.”
He gifted her with another dazzling smile and whispered “I know what you mean,”
before kissing her breathless.
Liz reluctantly pulled away from him. “All right, you’d better get going or I’m going to attack you again.”
“Is that a promise?”
“Go! Have a good day. I love you.”
“And I adore you. I’ll see you tonight. Good luck.”
Liz was a nervous bundle of energy all day. She vacuumed the house, cleaned the bathroom, did three loads of laundry & worked out, all the while going over in her head what she was going to say to her son.
Maria called her late in the morning. “Hey chica, what time will Junior be home?”
Liz smiled to herself. Junior. She liked the sound of that. “I’m not sure exactly; he called last night & said it should be sometime in the afternoon, I think.”
“You don’t remember? I thought you’d have pinned him down for an exact time.”
“Well, when he called I was a little distracted. I’m pretty sure he said the afternoon.”
Knowing full well there was only one thing that could distract Liz’s attention from her son she teased, “oh, & what was distracting you Liz?”
“You’re evil, you know that Maria?”
“No, I’m a friend who’s happy for you. Can I help it if I see a comedy gold mine in that too?”
“Evil, evil, evil,” Liz repeated, laughing. “How is Alex’s father?”
“Actually, physically, according to the doctors he is doing really well. Mentally, however is another story. He is freaking out about quitting smoking & changing his diet. You know how stubborn he is.”
“Yeah, it always amazed me how Alex is the polar opposite of him & yet they get along so well. How is Alex holding up?”
“He’s okay, just exhausted. We’ll be home tonight; I’m sure he’ll crash as soon as his head hits the pillow. So anyway, have you figured out what you’re going to say to Max?”
“No. I’ve been thinking about it all morning & I’m going crazy. I’m really worried about his reaction Maria; you know we’ve never had an argument & I don’t know how I’m going to handle it if he freaks out.”
“Liz just do what I said- be honest. Max loves you & will listen to you. And Alex & I will be right behind you. Listen I have to run, be strong, everything will be OK. OK?”
“Yeah, thanks Maria; I love you.”
“Love you too babe. I’ll call you when we get in tonight.”
It was a little after 3 PM when Max arrived home. Liz flew out of the house & practically pulled him out of the car before it stopped & began hugging & kissing him.
“Mom, you’re embarrassing me,” he said, but made no move to make her stop. Truth be told he had missed her just as much. They had never been apart even one day in his whole life & he had spent most of his non-basketball time over the weekend worrying about her. She had been so upset when he had left & when he had spoken to her yesterday she had seemed distracted. He had been getting a weird feeling through their connection all morning, but he just chalked it up to her anxiety over his trip.
“I don’t care. I missed you so much,” she said as she kissed him again. She turned to Bob’s father & thanked him for inviting Max & bringing him home safely, then linked her arm through Max’s & walked inside. Liz listened intently as he happily filled her in on all of the events of the weekend. She was glad that he had had such a good time, but she was thrilled that he was home safely.
He finished his tale & asked her “so, what’s going on here?”
She immediately tensed up. Here we go, she thought; just how do I begin to tell him…
“Tell me what Mom?” He had picked up their connection & could feel her turmoil. “What’s going on? Is it Alex’s dad?”
“No, sweetie, he’s going to be fine, as long as he listens to the doctors.”
“So, what do you need to tell me?”
“Um, well, something happened that we need to talk about, ah…” She was twisting her hands in her lap & looking everywhere but at him.
“Mom you’re starting to freak me out. What happened? Are you OK? Did something happen to you?” Max’s fear was increasing by the second; they were always direct & rarely nervous with each other. What could possibly be so bad that she was stumbling over her words & couldn’t look at him?
“No honey, I’m fine; it’s just that, ah, someone unexpected showed up this weekend.”
Max’s entire body tightened. Who could have been here to upset her like this? His eyes narrowed & his voice was low as he asked “who?”
Liz finally looked him in the eye & she heard Maria’s voice inside her head- ‘just be honest Liz.’ She took a deep breath & said simply “your father.”
Max was frozen stiff. He couldn’t have heard her right. I mean, what are the odds that the only time in his life he left her HE would show up? He shook his head and said again “who?”
“Your father, Max,” she said gently. “And actually, it turns out that he’s been here for a while.” She was going slow, trying to gauge his reactions.
“What do you mean?” His voice was tight as he tried to control the storm beginning to rage inside his head.
Liz swallowed hard, knowing firsthand how he was going to feel when he heard this. I should probably explain why he hid himself before I tell him that it had been Tom all along, she thought.
“Well, he went to Roswell first & saw Uncle Kyle who told him we lived out here, but that was all he told him. He didn’t know anything else- like if I had married someone else; he also didn’t know about you. He couldn’t just show up after so many years & say ‘Hi! I’m back’, he had to find out what was going on in my life (thank you Maria). So he kind of disguised himself so he could-“
“It was Tom,” he interrupted. “It was Tom wasn’t it.”
“How did you know?” She couldn’t believe he was able to figure it out so quickly; she had been blocking their connection so she knew he didn’t extract from her.
Max stood up, obviously agitated. “I’m not an idiot Mom. He showed up out of nowhere, took an awfully keen interest in us from the beginning…” His words trailed off as his thoughts began to crystallize. This explains why he had bonded with Tom so quickly; normally Max, much like his mother, held strangers at arms length. A puzzled look then crossed his face. “Wait a minute, you said that I looked just like him- I don’t look like Tom.”
“He did something called a mind-warp to make us think he looked different than he actually does.”
He stopped pacing & looked at her. “So what you’re telling me is that not only did he desert you, not only did he leave you hanging for what, like over 17 years, he finally decides to show up & he LIES about who he is, he MANIPULATES our MINDS? He found out he had a son & his first reaction wasn’t to say ‘hi, I’m your Dad, I’ve missed out on your entire life but I’d like to get to know you now’, no, his strategy was to lie & try to weasel his way into our lives?”
“Max, please try to understand. Please put yourself in his shoes for a moment.“
“No Mom, that’s not possible. Because I would never do that. I would never have abandoned you in the first place.”
“Max he did not abandon me. We have gone over this a hundred times, & that is not the issue here. I’m not going to lie to you; I was also angry when I first found out that he had deceived me, but after I thought about it I realized that he had no other choice. Your father is not the kind of person to force himself on anyone. He would never barge in & announce he was here & expect me to fall all over him. That’s not his style.”
“No, his style is to choose to go to a place he’d never been for people he’d never met to fight some war he had no stake in. His style is to run away from people who loved him to let them live in suspended animation & not have a life.“
“That’s not true Max. First of all, I told him to go to his people. He is their King. He has a stake in everything that happens to them & I accepted that a long time ago. And excuse me, but I did, I DO have a life. You are my life. And you have never once heard me complain about him or the way my life has turned out. It was my choice, Max; & I’d make the same choice again even knowing what I know today.”
“I cannot believe that you can sit here & defend him. Is he still mind fucking you or-“
“MAX! Since when do you speak to me that way.” Taking a deep breath & softening her voice she continued. “But you should know me well enough to realize that no one tells me what to think or feel. I have loved him since I was 16 years old & that has not changed. You have never met him, you don’t know what a caring, sensitive, honorable person he is.”
“Yeah & there’s a good reason for that Mom. He wasn’t here. You may be willing to make excuses for him but I’m not.” He turned & started for the door.
“Max where are you going? We’re not done here.”
“I am. I have to get out of here.”
“Max please!” Her please fell on deaf ears as he was already out the door & climbing into his truck.
Monday morning came around far too fast for Liz. They had spent Sunday making love in almost every part of the house. Even when they had gone into the garage for some tools they ended up doing it on her weight bench after Max told her how turned on he got while watching her work out. She felt like a teenager again, unable & unwilling to control her desire for him.
Today would be very different though; her son would come home & find out that that his father had returned. Liz had taken the day off from work to greet him when he arrived; when she had done so she thought she’d be excited about hearing about his trip, not anxious about his reaction to what she knew would be unwelcome news to him.
The sound of the running shower tore her away from her thoughts. Closing her eyes for a moment & recalling the previous day’s water sports she began to smile. Paybacks are a bitch, she thought, as she rose & made her way to the bath.
=======
“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?” They were standing at the front door locked in an embrace. Max’s concern was written all over his face; he didn’t want to leave her alone to deal with telling their son.
“Max I really think it’s better if I do this by myself. He’ll be more comfortable with just me. We’ll talk to him together tonight after you get home.”
Home. She considered this his home. He broke out in an ear to ear grin. “OK, but promise you’ll call me if you need me.”
“I will. And Max?”
“Yeah?”
“I’ve always needed you.”
He gifted her with another dazzling smile and whispered “I know what you mean,”
before kissing her breathless.
Liz reluctantly pulled away from him. “All right, you’d better get going or I’m going to attack you again.”
“Is that a promise?”
“Go! Have a good day. I love you.”
“And I adore you. I’ll see you tonight. Good luck.”
Liz was a nervous bundle of energy all day. She vacuumed the house, cleaned the bathroom, did three loads of laundry & worked out, all the while going over in her head what she was going to say to her son.
Maria called her late in the morning. “Hey chica, what time will Junior be home?”
Liz smiled to herself. Junior. She liked the sound of that. “I’m not sure exactly; he called last night & said it should be sometime in the afternoon, I think.”
“You don’t remember? I thought you’d have pinned him down for an exact time.”
“Well, when he called I was a little distracted. I’m pretty sure he said the afternoon.”
Knowing full well there was only one thing that could distract Liz’s attention from her son she teased, “oh, & what was distracting you Liz?”
“You’re evil, you know that Maria?”
“No, I’m a friend who’s happy for you. Can I help it if I see a comedy gold mine in that too?”
“Evil, evil, evil,” Liz repeated, laughing. “How is Alex’s father?”
“Actually, physically, according to the doctors he is doing really well. Mentally, however is another story. He is freaking out about quitting smoking & changing his diet. You know how stubborn he is.”
“Yeah, it always amazed me how Alex is the polar opposite of him & yet they get along so well. How is Alex holding up?”
“He’s okay, just exhausted. We’ll be home tonight; I’m sure he’ll crash as soon as his head hits the pillow. So anyway, have you figured out what you’re going to say to Max?”
“No. I’ve been thinking about it all morning & I’m going crazy. I’m really worried about his reaction Maria; you know we’ve never had an argument & I don’t know how I’m going to handle it if he freaks out.”
“Liz just do what I said- be honest. Max loves you & will listen to you. And Alex & I will be right behind you. Listen I have to run, be strong, everything will be OK. OK?”
“Yeah, thanks Maria; I love you.”
“Love you too babe. I’ll call you when we get in tonight.”
It was a little after 3 PM when Max arrived home. Liz flew out of the house & practically pulled him out of the car before it stopped & began hugging & kissing him.
“Mom, you’re embarrassing me,” he said, but made no move to make her stop. Truth be told he had missed her just as much. They had never been apart even one day in his whole life & he had spent most of his non-basketball time over the weekend worrying about her. She had been so upset when he had left & when he had spoken to her yesterday she had seemed distracted. He had been getting a weird feeling through their connection all morning, but he just chalked it up to her anxiety over his trip.
“I don’t care. I missed you so much,” she said as she kissed him again. She turned to Bob’s father & thanked him for inviting Max & bringing him home safely, then linked her arm through Max’s & walked inside. Liz listened intently as he happily filled her in on all of the events of the weekend. She was glad that he had had such a good time, but she was thrilled that he was home safely.
He finished his tale & asked her “so, what’s going on here?”
She immediately tensed up. Here we go, she thought; just how do I begin to tell him…
“Tell me what Mom?” He had picked up their connection & could feel her turmoil. “What’s going on? Is it Alex’s dad?”
“No, sweetie, he’s going to be fine, as long as he listens to the doctors.”
“So, what do you need to tell me?”
“Um, well, something happened that we need to talk about, ah…” She was twisting her hands in her lap & looking everywhere but at him.
“Mom you’re starting to freak me out. What happened? Are you OK? Did something happen to you?” Max’s fear was increasing by the second; they were always direct & rarely nervous with each other. What could possibly be so bad that she was stumbling over her words & couldn’t look at him?
“No honey, I’m fine; it’s just that, ah, someone unexpected showed up this weekend.”
Max’s entire body tightened. Who could have been here to upset her like this? His eyes narrowed & his voice was low as he asked “who?”
Liz finally looked him in the eye & she heard Maria’s voice inside her head- ‘just be honest Liz.’ She took a deep breath & said simply “your father.”
Max was frozen stiff. He couldn’t have heard her right. I mean, what are the odds that the only time in his life he left her HE would show up? He shook his head and said again “who?”
“Your father, Max,” she said gently. “And actually, it turns out that he’s been here for a while.” She was going slow, trying to gauge his reactions.
“What do you mean?” His voice was tight as he tried to control the storm beginning to rage inside his head.
Liz swallowed hard, knowing firsthand how he was going to feel when he heard this. I should probably explain why he hid himself before I tell him that it had been Tom all along, she thought.
“Well, he went to Roswell first & saw Uncle Kyle who told him we lived out here, but that was all he told him. He didn’t know anything else- like if I had married someone else; he also didn’t know about you. He couldn’t just show up after so many years & say ‘Hi! I’m back’, he had to find out what was going on in my life (thank you Maria). So he kind of disguised himself so he could-“
“It was Tom,” he interrupted. “It was Tom wasn’t it.”
“How did you know?” She couldn’t believe he was able to figure it out so quickly; she had been blocking their connection so she knew he didn’t extract from her.
Max stood up, obviously agitated. “I’m not an idiot Mom. He showed up out of nowhere, took an awfully keen interest in us from the beginning…” His words trailed off as his thoughts began to crystallize. This explains why he had bonded with Tom so quickly; normally Max, much like his mother, held strangers at arms length. A puzzled look then crossed his face. “Wait a minute, you said that I looked just like him- I don’t look like Tom.”
“He did something called a mind-warp to make us think he looked different than he actually does.”
He stopped pacing & looked at her. “So what you’re telling me is that not only did he desert you, not only did he leave you hanging for what, like over 17 years, he finally decides to show up & he LIES about who he is, he MANIPULATES our MINDS? He found out he had a son & his first reaction wasn’t to say ‘hi, I’m your Dad, I’ve missed out on your entire life but I’d like to get to know you now’, no, his strategy was to lie & try to weasel his way into our lives?”
“Max, please try to understand. Please put yourself in his shoes for a moment.“
“No Mom, that’s not possible. Because I would never do that. I would never have abandoned you in the first place.”
“Max he did not abandon me. We have gone over this a hundred times, & that is not the issue here. I’m not going to lie to you; I was also angry when I first found out that he had deceived me, but after I thought about it I realized that he had no other choice. Your father is not the kind of person to force himself on anyone. He would never barge in & announce he was here & expect me to fall all over him. That’s not his style.”
“No, his style is to choose to go to a place he’d never been for people he’d never met to fight some war he had no stake in. His style is to run away from people who loved him to let them live in suspended animation & not have a life.“
“That’s not true Max. First of all, I told him to go to his people. He is their King. He has a stake in everything that happens to them & I accepted that a long time ago. And excuse me, but I did, I DO have a life. You are my life. And you have never once heard me complain about him or the way my life has turned out. It was my choice, Max; & I’d make the same choice again even knowing what I know today.”
“I cannot believe that you can sit here & defend him. Is he still mind fucking you or-“
“MAX! Since when do you speak to me that way.” Taking a deep breath & softening her voice she continued. “But you should know me well enough to realize that no one tells me what to think or feel. I have loved him since I was 16 years old & that has not changed. You have never met him, you don’t know what a caring, sensitive, honorable person he is.”
“Yeah & there’s a good reason for that Mom. He wasn’t here. You may be willing to make excuses for him but I’m not.” He turned & started for the door.
“Max where are you going? We’re not done here.”
“I am. I have to get out of here.”
“Max please!” Her please fell on deaf ears as he was already out the door & climbing into his truck.
CHAPTER 15A
Just keep moving.
Like a mantra, that thought kept running through his mind as he left the house and drove to the beach. He always went there when he was upset or just needed some space to do some thinking. Now he was trying to run away.
Just keep moving.
He was sprinting down the beach at full throttle, his mother’s words haunting his every stride.
“…disguised himself….sensitive, honorable person…not his style…loved him since I was 16…”
Just keep moving.
Other thoughts clashed for time in his mind. His father was here. The person he had once longed to know and then came to hate was here, disturbing the happy existence he & his mom had created. They didn’t live in a reality that included aliens & danger. Now he had brought that all to them in one selfish move.
Just keep moving.
Selfish. That’s exactly what his father was. He selfishly left his mother alone to chase after some royal alien kingdom. He selfishly stayed there until all of HIS business was taken care of. He selfishly returned & expected to be admitted into their family.
Finally slowing down he fell to his knees, panting for breath. How could his mother even begin to think that he would accept any of this? How could SHE have forgiven him so easily? After all, the bastard had hurt her the most. It was the reason why he hated his father so much- wasn’t it?
Looking out at the ocean he suddenly wished a large wave would come & suck him out to sea. Shaking his head to dispel such thoughts, he made his way to his car, knowing who he needed to see.
============
“So how do you think Max will take the news about his father’s return?” Alex was questioning Maria as he flopped down on the couch.
“Well, you know how he feels about his dad; I don’t think it’s going to be pretty.”
“Poor Liz. She must be flipping out about this. When is she going to tell him?”
“When he got home today. I told her to be honest & direct. He will know something is going on with his mother as soon as he looks at her, so she might as well just deal with it & get it over with.”
“You’re right. Listen, I’m exhausted, is there enough time before dinner for me to catch a nap?”
“Get some rest honey, I’ll wake you when dinner is ready.” Maria kissed Alex on the forehead as he settled in and made her way to the kitchen. The sound of a car door slamming in her driveway made her peek out the window.
Oh, this doesn’t look good she thought as she made her way to the door to let Max Jr. in.
============
Why did this have to be his “long” day at school? He had spent the entire day staring at the clock attempting to speed up the passage of each class, worrying about Liz telling their son about his return. When the final class was over he had run to the car and was now sitting in traffic contemplating using his powers to turn the autos in front of him into roadway so he could get home faster. He had been tense all day but around 3:30 he had felt like someone punched him in the gut. Through their strengthening connection he was picking up Liz’s emotions & he was going insane not knowing exactly what was happening.
Arriving home he immediately noticed that Max’s car was gone & he felt her broken heart like it was his own. He raced into the house calling her name as he moved from room to room searching for her. When he got to her bedroom he stopped dead in the doorway, his heart breaking at the scene before him.
She was curled into a ball on the bed, her back facing the door, trembling from the sobs wracking her body. From the pile of tissues on the floor next to the bed he could tell she had been there for a while.
He had fought important battles, had experienced destruction & the deaths of many including his closest friend, but nothing except leaving her all those years ago had ever made him feel this bad. She was distraught because of him. He wanted to die.
==========
“So she told you.”
Maria never beat around the bush about anything. It was very obvious to her that Max knew about his father’s return. The look on his face said it all.
“Yeah. She told me.” He followed her into the kitchen & gave her a half-smile when she handed him a glass of chocolate milk, just like she had done when he was a child & would come running in after he fell down or was upset about something. “I don’t think it’s gonna work this time, Aunt Maria.”
She kissed the top of his head & sat down. “I know this must have blown you away Max. None of us saw this one coming.”
“There’s the understatement of the day.” He looked up into her eyes & her heart clinched. He looked so lost & hurt & confused. “Aunt Maria how could he- how could he-“ he was struggling to find words to express the myriad of emotions flowing through him. “How could he come back & lie to her? And how could she accept it so easily? Like nothing ever happened? Like she hasn’t spent the past years agonizing about him? How?”
“Because she loves him. That might seem trite but that’s the reason, Max; your mom loves him beyond sadness & pain & separation.”
“But he LIED Aunt Maria; he messed with her mind to do it, & she’s acting like it’s no big deal.”
Maria chuckled softly. “I wouldn’t say that’s exactly true Max. Did she tell she punched him?”
“What?”
“Yeah, apparently her initial reaction was not a happy one & she hit him. Judging from the bruise I saw on his jaw she got him pretty good, too.”
“Good.”
“Max, don’t be that way.” She took his hand in hers as she continued. “Listen to me. You know that I would never lie to you, especially about anything concerning your mom. I know this man. He is honest, compassionate, faithful, & he worships the ground your mother walks on. He’s just like you. Your mother is the only woman he has ever loved, ever even kissed, & he would do anything in the world for her.”
“Except tell her the truth. He was here for months & didn’t have the balls to tell her. Some king.”
“Max, use your common sense. They have had no contact in years & you just expect him to knock on the door & announce himself? What if she had married- had a family-“
“She does have a family.”
“Exactly. He had to find out where her life was at before jumping in again. And quite frankly, from your reaction, I think he more than did the right thing.”
“How can you say that? Are you telling me YOU wouldn’t have been pissed?”
“Think about this Max. I realize that you haven’t had the experiences he has- thank God- in needing to conceal your gifts; but surely some part of you does understand his need for secrecy. Your mother has spent your entire life being careful of anything & everything for your sake. He had to do the same in return for her sake.”
Max stared into his empty milk glass. Like his mom, he hated when Maria made sense. She was just so damn hard to argue with.
Placing two fingers under his chin she turned his face toward hers.
“This is about a lot more than he & your mom, isn’t it.”
Damn. How did she know that?
======
Max gently crawled in behind Liz & wrapped his arms around her shaking body. “Oh baby, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry” was all he could say. She gripped his arms & cried harder; she could feel his agony at her condition & didn’t want to upset him further but she was unable to contain her sorrow.
Finally calming down enough to speak, she turned to face him. “You have nothing to be sorry about Max.”
“This is my fault Liz; I made you upset-“
She wouldn’t allow him to finish. “No. You made me the happiest I’ve ever been. I’m not going to let you beat yourself up over this Max. No.”
He kissed her forehead & caressed her face. “What happened? Where is he?”
“Well, he was very upset about you concealing yourself. We never really finished talking; he ran out & I don’t know where he went.” As she said that her eyes filled with tears again. There hadn’t been a single moment in her son’s life that she hadn’t known where he was or what he was doing. That she didn’t know now was killing her as much as the argument they had.
“Do you want me to go look for him?” He didn’t have the faintest idea where he’d search, but he’d go to the end of the earth if she wanted him to.
“No, he needs some time. I’d know if something had happened to him. Through our connection.”
“Like ours?” Max knew they were incredibly close but he hadn’t realized that Liz & her son also shared a connection.
“Yes, but even stronger. We can communicate telepathically. Not just feelings like you & I, but words.”
“Ah, Liz? Actually, um, I, uh, we can do that too. I’ve been blocking you from tying in with me but I’ve been tuned into you for a while. Like I said, fine-tuning my, uh, skills.”
She pulled back a little & looked at him sternly. “What?”
“Well, living upstairs from you for these past months was not easy for me; I wanted you so much & couldn’t even touch you, so I did the next best thing. I visited your thoughts. But only when you we’re dreaming, I swear. I didn’t want to violate your privacy but I figured dreams are not really real…” He trailed off, looking away from her, realizing he shouldn’t have done it & fearing her reaction.
Her eyes were boring holes through him. “How long has this been going on?”
“Ah, I guess since I first got here.”
She suddenly remembered the dream she had the night they had painted the house & flushed. She & Max were having sex in the Crashdown & Max morphed into Tom at the end.
“Um, yeah, I saw that one,” he admitted upon hearing her thoughts.
She turned crimson & he immediately felt bad. “Liz, don’t be embarrassed; I was thrilled. To know that you still wanted me that way, as much as I did you, gave me hope. I’m sorry, I just wanted to be near you in any way I could be. If we couldn’t share our conscience thoughts I wanted to at least share your unconscious ones. I’m sorry.”
“Please don’t do that again unless I know. Max & I have a rule- you must ‘announce’ yourself. OK?”
“OK.” He paused for a moment. “Listen, maybe I should leave the house for a while. To give you both space. I’m sure he’s not going to be happy to come home & see my car in the driveway.”
“You’re not going anywhere. Believe me I understand how hard this is on him but the bottom line in all of this is that he is going to have to deal with this & accept that you are here. He has to accept who he is & where he comes from. I love you both. And I’m not willing to let either one of you out of my life.”
As he gently kissed her she could hear his thoughts clearly. Every one of them sang of his love for her.
Max stared at Maria; being a man, he didn’t want to delve to deeply into the Pandora’s box of his ruminations on his father. So being a man, he simply replied “what?”
“You heard me. This is not so much about your mother & father as it is about YOU & your father. Am I right?”
Damn. How did she do that?
“Max, it’s only natural that you have feelings of anger toward him. He was absent from your life. You’re angry that you didn’t have a father. Neither did I. But just like me you’ve been given the blessing of having one come into your life eventually. There’s still time to have a father, Max; he’s here now & that’s what is important.”
“It’s more than that Aunt Maria.” Could he really tell her this? He had never shared or even admitted to himself the dark thoughts surfacing now.
Maria knew not to push him so she held his hand, silently encouraging him to open up more. Max knew he had to put a voice to his thoughts or he’d spontaneously combust, so he forged ahead.
“Aunt Maria, all of my life I have felt like an outsider. Even with you & Alex & Mom. I can’t talk to my closest friends about it. I haven’t done more than go out on a couple of dates with any girl because I know that I’ll just have to end it anyway because I can never tell her what I really am. I’m different. I’m foreign. I’m an ALIEN.”
Maria squeezed his hand. “All the more reason for you to try to get to know your dad. These feelings- Max, he felt the same way growing up. It tortured him, until he hooked up with your mom. She loved him into sanity. No one has a perfect life Max; that’s a fallacy created by Hollywood. You feel alienated, pardon the pun. Everyone does.”
“That’s just it, Aunt Maria,” he said as a tear rolled down his cheek. “For my whole life there was someone who understood- but he chose not to be here. I don’t think I can accept that.”
Maria got up & wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind & held him as he cried. “Someone is here now who understands. Don’t walk away from your chance, Max.”
===========
Liz lay in bed staring at the ceiling. Maria had called hours ago & told her about Max’s visit. She had waited all evening for his return so they could talk more but he hadn’t come home. She was a mass of nerves, worrying about both Max’s & what would happen when they would see each other again. She had sent Max upstairs hours ago to avoid a large conflict upon her son’s return; now she was counting the dots in the ceiling tile above her bed.
Suddenly she sat bolt upright. He was home; she could feel him. She decided to wait for him to come in to say good night to her, as he always did when she was already in bed when he came home.
She heard the sound of his bedroom door close & she rose & made her way down the hall to his room. She froze in her tracks at what she heard next.
Click.
The sound of his door being locked. He never locked his door. Never. She retreated to her own room & lay down to cry again.
=========
Liz was still tired when she awoke, having tossed & turned all night. She wanted to speak to her son as soon as he was up so she rose & went toward his room. Finding it empty she assumed he was in the kitchen having breakfast. Finding that room empty also she looked out the window to find his car gone.
Her eyes narrowed & the hair stood up on her arms. He thought he could avoid her? He thought wrong.
After quickly dressing she made her way to his high school. Marching through the halls to his class she could feel her anger pulsing through her veins. Arriving at the door, she knocked loudly and waited for the teacher to appear.
At the sound of the knock the bottom dropped out of Max’s stomach. He knew immediately that she was there. And that she was pissed. This wasn’t going to be pretty. He didn’t wait for the teacher to tell him to come up front, he just rose & made his way to the door.
Standing in front of each other in the empty hallway they both began to speak at once. She held her hand up for him to stop.
“First things first. Don’t you ever disappear & not tell me where you are going again. Second. Don’t you ever come home & not talk to me before going to bed. Third. Don’t ever think you can avoid me or a problem between us- we talk things out in our house. I am not to be ignored until I go away. I’m not going away Max. Neither is this problem until we all discuss it.”
“Look Mom, I’m sorry if I worried you, but I’m not going to accept this lying down like you did. And I’m not going to discuss it with you until I’m ready to. Especially not here & now. I need some space & I don’t think I’m out of line asking for it either.”
He was being defiant. At least as defiant as she had ever seen him get. She knew that they would get nowhere if they continued on this path. “Fine. You’ll get your space. But remember this Max- we ARE ALL going to deal with this. All of us, understand? This is not going away. HE is not going away.”
Max looked at her for a long moment before turning to go back to his class.
// I love you Max. //
He looked back at her in time to see a tear roll down her face. Leaning over & kissing her cheek he choked out “me too Mom.” Then he disappeared behind the classroom door.
Tuesday and Wednesday passed with no discussion of the topic. How can you discuss something when one of the parties isn’t around to speak? Max had made himself scarce, not wanting to see either of his parents and especially not wanting to see them together. Liz gave him his requested space even though it was killing her, relying on Maria to reinforce that what she was doing was right.
By Wednesday night she was wound like a top. Her son wasn’t home, they still hadn’t talked, and she didn’t know how to resolve everything- she felt like she was going to explode. She needed to release some tension.
Max sensed her arrival before she knocked on the apartment door. Sliding it open he found her barefoot, clad only in a nightshirt & looking at him in a way that made his entire body stiffen.
“Make me forget for a while Max. Please.”
Wordlessly he reached out for her hand & led her into his bedroom. Standing behind her he pulled her sleepwear over her head & began to rub her shoulders in small circles. Leaning in to brush his lips from her ear down her neck he used their connection to send her an avalanche of feelings of love. His hands glided down her arms & he took her hands in his & wrapped both of their arms around her waist. They stood there for a while as she soaked in all that was her Max. Her friend. Her protector. The love of her life.
She turned to face him & looked into his eyes, seeking to lose herself in their depths. His hands gently brushed her hair back before he began placing soft kisses all over her face. When he finally kissed her lips her thoughts had all melted away until the only thing running through her mind was the way he was making her feel.
He couldn’t stop kissing her. Not that he didn’t want to do a lot of other things to her also, but at the moment he couldn’t seem to remove his mouth from hers. He was also stressed out; the past couple of days had been hell watching & worrying about her. He hadn’t seen their son at all; he came home late at night & left early in the morning. He was honoring Liz’s wish to give him space but it was killing him to see what it was doing to them both. She was right. They both needed to forget for a while.
While their mouths were fused together their hands found other places to explore. Liz ran hers up & down his arms, into his hair, down his chest, anywhere she could reach. Max’s hand had taken a more direct path, moving down her back to her bottom, then around to the outside of her hips & up, then back over her bottom in a slow massage. She broke away from him long enough to pull his T-shirt over his head & then she attached her lips to his chest, kissing, sucking, & licking her away around that glorious expanse of skin. Her hands did not remain idle as they popped open the snap to his jeans & lowered the zipper. Sliding both hands inside she drew a sharp breath as she realized there was no barrier between his pants & his skin. “Max…” she growled out as she began to move him backwards until they were at the bed. Liz quickly pulled the jeans down & pushed him down to sit on the edge of the bed; then kneeling down she pulled them off completely. Running her hands over him she parted his thighs & moved in between his legs. She returned her lips to his chest as she trailed her tongue over his stomach, gently urging him to lay back. Moving downward she smiled as she heard his sharp intake of breath when she took him fully into her mouth.
Max’s head was spinning. Her hands & her tongue where driving him insane, drawing her name from his lips in a continuous moan. His hands found her hair & he lost himself in the sensations she was causing as her mouth moved up & down his shaft. Only when he felt her hand cup him & her fingers started to play with his sac did he come out of his passion-induced fog and jerk away from her choking out, “Liz, no!”
Liz looked up at him in confusion. “I’m sorry, did I hurt you?”
Placing his hands under her arms Max lifted her up & leaned his forehead against hers while gasping for breath as he attempted to regain some semblance of control. “No, baby, I’m just so close, & I’m not ready to be finished yet.” After a minute he looked at her with such desire she thought she’d faint. “This is about you, anyway.”
Moving them both onto the bed he climbed over her & groaned as he looked down to see her naked beneath him, hair wild across the pillow, skin flushed, & her eyes heavy with lust & staring at his mouth. He leaned his weight on his arms so as not to touch her, & then bent his head & ran his tongue around her lips before capturing them in a long, sensual kiss.
Once again he couldn’t stop & they lay together kissing & touching. “Oh god Liz,” he panted out as they broke apart for air, “if this was all we ever did I’d still be happy.”
“Well I’m not as easy to please,” she said as she grabbed his face with both hands for another kiss.
“Tell me what pleases you Liz.” It was a command growled into her ear & it made her gasp at its forwardness.
He licked his way from her ear to her shoulder & nipped at it as one hand began to tease the outside of her body from breast to hip. He could feel her desire for him & also her embarrassment at the thought of answering his question.
“Please baby, tell me what you want.” Softer, coaxing her this time.
Liz gasped again & felt a scorching heat race through her body, both from embarrassment & from the thoughts of just what she did want him to do to her. “Max, I can’t…”
“Yes you can Liz; tell me where you want me to touch you.”
“Oh…” She swallowed hard, trying to find the courage. Deciding to help ease her anxiety he cupped her breast & rubbed his thumb over her already hard nipple. “Do you want me to touch you there?”
“Yes.” It was hardly more than a whisper.
After fondling her a moment longer he dragged his hand down her torso & ran a finger lightly through her curls.
“How ‘bout there?”
“Yes.” It was louder & more forceful this time, as she rolled her head back & opened her legs to him. He ran his finger around the outside of her lips & she began to gyrate her hips, trying to urge him on.
“Tell me Liz.”
She no longer cared about being embarrassed. All she could think about was how much she wanted him to touch her.
“Inside me. I want it inside of me.” As soon as the words were uttered she felt a finger slide in & begin to stroke her slowly. Then his voice was in her ear again.
“Is there anything you’d like me to do with my tongue?”
A loud moan was his answer as he bent to her breast, & placing his lips around a nipple he sucked as his tongue quickly flicked over it. She grabbed his head & held him to her while continuing to move on his hand.
He pulled his head up to take in the sight of her writhing under his attentions. There was something else she wanted but was to shy to ask. But he had no intention of making this easy.
“Liz, is there some other place you’d like to feel my tongue?”
“Oh god Max” was all she could say.
“Liz…”
“Yes, Max, please, please…”
“Tell me Liz- is it here?” he said as he lightly rubbed his thumb over her clit.
“Yes, please!” She was desperate now, twisting her body as she attempted to move more fully into his hand.
Not being able to wait any longer he moved his head between her legs & snaked out his tongue over her length; finding her nub he tongued it as he had her nipples.
Liz was in a frenzy. The feeling of his fingers & his tongue working together were indescribable & she couldn’t contain herself. Her head thrashed back & forth & her hips grinded into him as she flew over the precipice, screaming his name.
He moved up & held her as she trembled violently in the aftermath, then went limp & lay, eyes closed, safe in his arms. Her leg brushed against him & her eyes opened slowly to find his face tight with need.
“Max” she breathed as she reached out to stroke him. “I want you inside me, making love to me until we cum together.”
He grinned devilishly at her. “Now was that so hard?” Then he moved between her legs & swiftly entered her causing them both to groan out in relief. Their eyes locked as they loved each other to perfection & completion, each calling out the others name as her wish came true.
They held onto each other fiercely for a long time after, eyes still locked as their connection said everything words could never express.
When Liz reluctantly began to move to get up he reached out & pulled her body back into his. Now it was his turn to plead. “No Liz, please, stay.”
She ran her fingers through his hair & replied in a soft voice “I should go before Max comes home.”
After a moment they both rose. He picked her nightshirt up from the floor & pulled it over her head, then led her to the door. After kissing her passionately he cupped her face. “I want you to be able to stay Liz.”
“I know Max. Soon. Please.” Her eyes begged his patience as much as her voice.
She kissed him again, then disappeared down the stairs.
Liz heard her son come home a short time later. He stuck his head in her bedroom & said “I’m home Mom. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight Max.”
His heart broke at the sound of her sad voice. He knew his distance was hurting her, but he had decided what action he was going to take & knew she would be able to dissuade him in no time if he let her in now. He had to stay away, even though he’d rather die than hurt her.
“I love you Mom.” It was a plea more than a statement.
“Me too Max.” She listened to his steps retreat down the hall as she began to cry once again.
==============
It woke him up like a bomb going off in the apartment.
He could hear her through the floor, but more than that, he could hear it in his mind, feel it in his veins. Her blood-curdling scream.
Max jumped up & ran down the stairs to the front door of her house. Finding it locked he held out his hand & melted it, then raced in to find her crumpled on the floor of their sons room clutching a note & hysterical.
“Liz, my God, what happened, what’s the matter?” he said as he knelt down to take her into his arms.
She was unable to speak through her sobs so she handed him the note.
‘MOM- I’m going away for a few days. Please understand I need to do this. I will be careful. I’m sorry. I love you. Max.’
He rocked her in his arms trying to calm her as his mind raced. This is my fault- have to calm her down- should call Maria- have to find him- this needs to stop.
He smoothed his hands over her hair whispering “ssh, Liz, it’s OK, we’ll find him, it’s OK” over & over.
As her crying abated she looked up at him & his heart shattered at the complete devastation he saw in them. “Oh Max, why did he do this, where did he go?” Fresh tears poured down her cheeks as she clutched him.
He stood up with her in his arms & sat them on the bed, still stroking her hair as his eyes roamed the room. They halted when they came to his desk. He extracted himself from her grasp & went over to it, finding what he was looking for in a pile.
“Liz? I think I may have an idea where he went.”
He sat down next to her & handed her the admissions booklet from the University of New Mexico, Las Cruces. “He told me that he wanted to go to the open house with you. It’s this weekend.”
She looked blindly at the book for a moment, then closed her eyes & seemingly went into a trance. Max watched her nervously not knowing what was happening.
Her eyes opened & she looked at him clearly. “He didn’t go to Las Cruces.”
“He went to Roswell.”
Just keep moving.
Like a mantra, that thought kept running through his mind as he left the house and drove to the beach. He always went there when he was upset or just needed some space to do some thinking. Now he was trying to run away.
Just keep moving.
He was sprinting down the beach at full throttle, his mother’s words haunting his every stride.
“…disguised himself….sensitive, honorable person…not his style…loved him since I was 16…”
Just keep moving.
Other thoughts clashed for time in his mind. His father was here. The person he had once longed to know and then came to hate was here, disturbing the happy existence he & his mom had created. They didn’t live in a reality that included aliens & danger. Now he had brought that all to them in one selfish move.
Just keep moving.
Selfish. That’s exactly what his father was. He selfishly left his mother alone to chase after some royal alien kingdom. He selfishly stayed there until all of HIS business was taken care of. He selfishly returned & expected to be admitted into their family.
Finally slowing down he fell to his knees, panting for breath. How could his mother even begin to think that he would accept any of this? How could SHE have forgiven him so easily? After all, the bastard had hurt her the most. It was the reason why he hated his father so much- wasn’t it?
Looking out at the ocean he suddenly wished a large wave would come & suck him out to sea. Shaking his head to dispel such thoughts, he made his way to his car, knowing who he needed to see.
============
“So how do you think Max will take the news about his father’s return?” Alex was questioning Maria as he flopped down on the couch.
“Well, you know how he feels about his dad; I don’t think it’s going to be pretty.”
“Poor Liz. She must be flipping out about this. When is she going to tell him?”
“When he got home today. I told her to be honest & direct. He will know something is going on with his mother as soon as he looks at her, so she might as well just deal with it & get it over with.”
“You’re right. Listen, I’m exhausted, is there enough time before dinner for me to catch a nap?”
“Get some rest honey, I’ll wake you when dinner is ready.” Maria kissed Alex on the forehead as he settled in and made her way to the kitchen. The sound of a car door slamming in her driveway made her peek out the window.
Oh, this doesn’t look good she thought as she made her way to the door to let Max Jr. in.
============
Why did this have to be his “long” day at school? He had spent the entire day staring at the clock attempting to speed up the passage of each class, worrying about Liz telling their son about his return. When the final class was over he had run to the car and was now sitting in traffic contemplating using his powers to turn the autos in front of him into roadway so he could get home faster. He had been tense all day but around 3:30 he had felt like someone punched him in the gut. Through their strengthening connection he was picking up Liz’s emotions & he was going insane not knowing exactly what was happening.
Arriving home he immediately noticed that Max’s car was gone & he felt her broken heart like it was his own. He raced into the house calling her name as he moved from room to room searching for her. When he got to her bedroom he stopped dead in the doorway, his heart breaking at the scene before him.
She was curled into a ball on the bed, her back facing the door, trembling from the sobs wracking her body. From the pile of tissues on the floor next to the bed he could tell she had been there for a while.
He had fought important battles, had experienced destruction & the deaths of many including his closest friend, but nothing except leaving her all those years ago had ever made him feel this bad. She was distraught because of him. He wanted to die.
==========
“So she told you.”
Maria never beat around the bush about anything. It was very obvious to her that Max knew about his father’s return. The look on his face said it all.
“Yeah. She told me.” He followed her into the kitchen & gave her a half-smile when she handed him a glass of chocolate milk, just like she had done when he was a child & would come running in after he fell down or was upset about something. “I don’t think it’s gonna work this time, Aunt Maria.”
She kissed the top of his head & sat down. “I know this must have blown you away Max. None of us saw this one coming.”
“There’s the understatement of the day.” He looked up into her eyes & her heart clinched. He looked so lost & hurt & confused. “Aunt Maria how could he- how could he-“ he was struggling to find words to express the myriad of emotions flowing through him. “How could he come back & lie to her? And how could she accept it so easily? Like nothing ever happened? Like she hasn’t spent the past years agonizing about him? How?”
“Because she loves him. That might seem trite but that’s the reason, Max; your mom loves him beyond sadness & pain & separation.”
“But he LIED Aunt Maria; he messed with her mind to do it, & she’s acting like it’s no big deal.”
Maria chuckled softly. “I wouldn’t say that’s exactly true Max. Did she tell she punched him?”
“What?”
“Yeah, apparently her initial reaction was not a happy one & she hit him. Judging from the bruise I saw on his jaw she got him pretty good, too.”
“Good.”
“Max, don’t be that way.” She took his hand in hers as she continued. “Listen to me. You know that I would never lie to you, especially about anything concerning your mom. I know this man. He is honest, compassionate, faithful, & he worships the ground your mother walks on. He’s just like you. Your mother is the only woman he has ever loved, ever even kissed, & he would do anything in the world for her.”
“Except tell her the truth. He was here for months & didn’t have the balls to tell her. Some king.”
“Max, use your common sense. They have had no contact in years & you just expect him to knock on the door & announce himself? What if she had married- had a family-“
“She does have a family.”
“Exactly. He had to find out where her life was at before jumping in again. And quite frankly, from your reaction, I think he more than did the right thing.”
“How can you say that? Are you telling me YOU wouldn’t have been pissed?”
“Think about this Max. I realize that you haven’t had the experiences he has- thank God- in needing to conceal your gifts; but surely some part of you does understand his need for secrecy. Your mother has spent your entire life being careful of anything & everything for your sake. He had to do the same in return for her sake.”
Max stared into his empty milk glass. Like his mom, he hated when Maria made sense. She was just so damn hard to argue with.
Placing two fingers under his chin she turned his face toward hers.
“This is about a lot more than he & your mom, isn’t it.”
Damn. How did she know that?
======
Max gently crawled in behind Liz & wrapped his arms around her shaking body. “Oh baby, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry” was all he could say. She gripped his arms & cried harder; she could feel his agony at her condition & didn’t want to upset him further but she was unable to contain her sorrow.
Finally calming down enough to speak, she turned to face him. “You have nothing to be sorry about Max.”
“This is my fault Liz; I made you upset-“
She wouldn’t allow him to finish. “No. You made me the happiest I’ve ever been. I’m not going to let you beat yourself up over this Max. No.”
He kissed her forehead & caressed her face. “What happened? Where is he?”
“Well, he was very upset about you concealing yourself. We never really finished talking; he ran out & I don’t know where he went.” As she said that her eyes filled with tears again. There hadn’t been a single moment in her son’s life that she hadn’t known where he was or what he was doing. That she didn’t know now was killing her as much as the argument they had.
“Do you want me to go look for him?” He didn’t have the faintest idea where he’d search, but he’d go to the end of the earth if she wanted him to.
“No, he needs some time. I’d know if something had happened to him. Through our connection.”
“Like ours?” Max knew they were incredibly close but he hadn’t realized that Liz & her son also shared a connection.
“Yes, but even stronger. We can communicate telepathically. Not just feelings like you & I, but words.”
“Ah, Liz? Actually, um, I, uh, we can do that too. I’ve been blocking you from tying in with me but I’ve been tuned into you for a while. Like I said, fine-tuning my, uh, skills.”
She pulled back a little & looked at him sternly. “What?”
“Well, living upstairs from you for these past months was not easy for me; I wanted you so much & couldn’t even touch you, so I did the next best thing. I visited your thoughts. But only when you we’re dreaming, I swear. I didn’t want to violate your privacy but I figured dreams are not really real…” He trailed off, looking away from her, realizing he shouldn’t have done it & fearing her reaction.
Her eyes were boring holes through him. “How long has this been going on?”
“Ah, I guess since I first got here.”
She suddenly remembered the dream she had the night they had painted the house & flushed. She & Max were having sex in the Crashdown & Max morphed into Tom at the end.
“Um, yeah, I saw that one,” he admitted upon hearing her thoughts.
She turned crimson & he immediately felt bad. “Liz, don’t be embarrassed; I was thrilled. To know that you still wanted me that way, as much as I did you, gave me hope. I’m sorry, I just wanted to be near you in any way I could be. If we couldn’t share our conscience thoughts I wanted to at least share your unconscious ones. I’m sorry.”
“Please don’t do that again unless I know. Max & I have a rule- you must ‘announce’ yourself. OK?”
“OK.” He paused for a moment. “Listen, maybe I should leave the house for a while. To give you both space. I’m sure he’s not going to be happy to come home & see my car in the driveway.”
“You’re not going anywhere. Believe me I understand how hard this is on him but the bottom line in all of this is that he is going to have to deal with this & accept that you are here. He has to accept who he is & where he comes from. I love you both. And I’m not willing to let either one of you out of my life.”
As he gently kissed her she could hear his thoughts clearly. Every one of them sang of his love for her.
Max stared at Maria; being a man, he didn’t want to delve to deeply into the Pandora’s box of his ruminations on his father. So being a man, he simply replied “what?”
“You heard me. This is not so much about your mother & father as it is about YOU & your father. Am I right?”
Damn. How did she do that?
“Max, it’s only natural that you have feelings of anger toward him. He was absent from your life. You’re angry that you didn’t have a father. Neither did I. But just like me you’ve been given the blessing of having one come into your life eventually. There’s still time to have a father, Max; he’s here now & that’s what is important.”
“It’s more than that Aunt Maria.” Could he really tell her this? He had never shared or even admitted to himself the dark thoughts surfacing now.
Maria knew not to push him so she held his hand, silently encouraging him to open up more. Max knew he had to put a voice to his thoughts or he’d spontaneously combust, so he forged ahead.
“Aunt Maria, all of my life I have felt like an outsider. Even with you & Alex & Mom. I can’t talk to my closest friends about it. I haven’t done more than go out on a couple of dates with any girl because I know that I’ll just have to end it anyway because I can never tell her what I really am. I’m different. I’m foreign. I’m an ALIEN.”
Maria squeezed his hand. “All the more reason for you to try to get to know your dad. These feelings- Max, he felt the same way growing up. It tortured him, until he hooked up with your mom. She loved him into sanity. No one has a perfect life Max; that’s a fallacy created by Hollywood. You feel alienated, pardon the pun. Everyone does.”
“That’s just it, Aunt Maria,” he said as a tear rolled down his cheek. “For my whole life there was someone who understood- but he chose not to be here. I don’t think I can accept that.”
Maria got up & wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind & held him as he cried. “Someone is here now who understands. Don’t walk away from your chance, Max.”
===========
Liz lay in bed staring at the ceiling. Maria had called hours ago & told her about Max’s visit. She had waited all evening for his return so they could talk more but he hadn’t come home. She was a mass of nerves, worrying about both Max’s & what would happen when they would see each other again. She had sent Max upstairs hours ago to avoid a large conflict upon her son’s return; now she was counting the dots in the ceiling tile above her bed.
Suddenly she sat bolt upright. He was home; she could feel him. She decided to wait for him to come in to say good night to her, as he always did when she was already in bed when he came home.
She heard the sound of his bedroom door close & she rose & made her way down the hall to his room. She froze in her tracks at what she heard next.
Click.
The sound of his door being locked. He never locked his door. Never. She retreated to her own room & lay down to cry again.
=========
Liz was still tired when she awoke, having tossed & turned all night. She wanted to speak to her son as soon as he was up so she rose & went toward his room. Finding it empty she assumed he was in the kitchen having breakfast. Finding that room empty also she looked out the window to find his car gone.
Her eyes narrowed & the hair stood up on her arms. He thought he could avoid her? He thought wrong.
After quickly dressing she made her way to his high school. Marching through the halls to his class she could feel her anger pulsing through her veins. Arriving at the door, she knocked loudly and waited for the teacher to appear.
At the sound of the knock the bottom dropped out of Max’s stomach. He knew immediately that she was there. And that she was pissed. This wasn’t going to be pretty. He didn’t wait for the teacher to tell him to come up front, he just rose & made his way to the door.
Standing in front of each other in the empty hallway they both began to speak at once. She held her hand up for him to stop.
“First things first. Don’t you ever disappear & not tell me where you are going again. Second. Don’t you ever come home & not talk to me before going to bed. Third. Don’t ever think you can avoid me or a problem between us- we talk things out in our house. I am not to be ignored until I go away. I’m not going away Max. Neither is this problem until we all discuss it.”
“Look Mom, I’m sorry if I worried you, but I’m not going to accept this lying down like you did. And I’m not going to discuss it with you until I’m ready to. Especially not here & now. I need some space & I don’t think I’m out of line asking for it either.”
He was being defiant. At least as defiant as she had ever seen him get. She knew that they would get nowhere if they continued on this path. “Fine. You’ll get your space. But remember this Max- we ARE ALL going to deal with this. All of us, understand? This is not going away. HE is not going away.”
Max looked at her for a long moment before turning to go back to his class.
// I love you Max. //
He looked back at her in time to see a tear roll down her face. Leaning over & kissing her cheek he choked out “me too Mom.” Then he disappeared behind the classroom door.
Tuesday and Wednesday passed with no discussion of the topic. How can you discuss something when one of the parties isn’t around to speak? Max had made himself scarce, not wanting to see either of his parents and especially not wanting to see them together. Liz gave him his requested space even though it was killing her, relying on Maria to reinforce that what she was doing was right.
By Wednesday night she was wound like a top. Her son wasn’t home, they still hadn’t talked, and she didn’t know how to resolve everything- she felt like she was going to explode. She needed to release some tension.
Max sensed her arrival before she knocked on the apartment door. Sliding it open he found her barefoot, clad only in a nightshirt & looking at him in a way that made his entire body stiffen.
“Make me forget for a while Max. Please.”
Wordlessly he reached out for her hand & led her into his bedroom. Standing behind her he pulled her sleepwear over her head & began to rub her shoulders in small circles. Leaning in to brush his lips from her ear down her neck he used their connection to send her an avalanche of feelings of love. His hands glided down her arms & he took her hands in his & wrapped both of their arms around her waist. They stood there for a while as she soaked in all that was her Max. Her friend. Her protector. The love of her life.
She turned to face him & looked into his eyes, seeking to lose herself in their depths. His hands gently brushed her hair back before he began placing soft kisses all over her face. When he finally kissed her lips her thoughts had all melted away until the only thing running through her mind was the way he was making her feel.
He couldn’t stop kissing her. Not that he didn’t want to do a lot of other things to her also, but at the moment he couldn’t seem to remove his mouth from hers. He was also stressed out; the past couple of days had been hell watching & worrying about her. He hadn’t seen their son at all; he came home late at night & left early in the morning. He was honoring Liz’s wish to give him space but it was killing him to see what it was doing to them both. She was right. They both needed to forget for a while.
While their mouths were fused together their hands found other places to explore. Liz ran hers up & down his arms, into his hair, down his chest, anywhere she could reach. Max’s hand had taken a more direct path, moving down her back to her bottom, then around to the outside of her hips & up, then back over her bottom in a slow massage. She broke away from him long enough to pull his T-shirt over his head & then she attached her lips to his chest, kissing, sucking, & licking her away around that glorious expanse of skin. Her hands did not remain idle as they popped open the snap to his jeans & lowered the zipper. Sliding both hands inside she drew a sharp breath as she realized there was no barrier between his pants & his skin. “Max…” she growled out as she began to move him backwards until they were at the bed. Liz quickly pulled the jeans down & pushed him down to sit on the edge of the bed; then kneeling down she pulled them off completely. Running her hands over him she parted his thighs & moved in between his legs. She returned her lips to his chest as she trailed her tongue over his stomach, gently urging him to lay back. Moving downward she smiled as she heard his sharp intake of breath when she took him fully into her mouth.
Max’s head was spinning. Her hands & her tongue where driving him insane, drawing her name from his lips in a continuous moan. His hands found her hair & he lost himself in the sensations she was causing as her mouth moved up & down his shaft. Only when he felt her hand cup him & her fingers started to play with his sac did he come out of his passion-induced fog and jerk away from her choking out, “Liz, no!”
Liz looked up at him in confusion. “I’m sorry, did I hurt you?”
Placing his hands under her arms Max lifted her up & leaned his forehead against hers while gasping for breath as he attempted to regain some semblance of control. “No, baby, I’m just so close, & I’m not ready to be finished yet.” After a minute he looked at her with such desire she thought she’d faint. “This is about you, anyway.”
Moving them both onto the bed he climbed over her & groaned as he looked down to see her naked beneath him, hair wild across the pillow, skin flushed, & her eyes heavy with lust & staring at his mouth. He leaned his weight on his arms so as not to touch her, & then bent his head & ran his tongue around her lips before capturing them in a long, sensual kiss.
Once again he couldn’t stop & they lay together kissing & touching. “Oh god Liz,” he panted out as they broke apart for air, “if this was all we ever did I’d still be happy.”
“Well I’m not as easy to please,” she said as she grabbed his face with both hands for another kiss.
“Tell me what pleases you Liz.” It was a command growled into her ear & it made her gasp at its forwardness.
He licked his way from her ear to her shoulder & nipped at it as one hand began to tease the outside of her body from breast to hip. He could feel her desire for him & also her embarrassment at the thought of answering his question.
“Please baby, tell me what you want.” Softer, coaxing her this time.
Liz gasped again & felt a scorching heat race through her body, both from embarrassment & from the thoughts of just what she did want him to do to her. “Max, I can’t…”
“Yes you can Liz; tell me where you want me to touch you.”
“Oh…” She swallowed hard, trying to find the courage. Deciding to help ease her anxiety he cupped her breast & rubbed his thumb over her already hard nipple. “Do you want me to touch you there?”
“Yes.” It was hardly more than a whisper.
After fondling her a moment longer he dragged his hand down her torso & ran a finger lightly through her curls.
“How ‘bout there?”
“Yes.” It was louder & more forceful this time, as she rolled her head back & opened her legs to him. He ran his finger around the outside of her lips & she began to gyrate her hips, trying to urge him on.
“Tell me Liz.”
She no longer cared about being embarrassed. All she could think about was how much she wanted him to touch her.
“Inside me. I want it inside of me.” As soon as the words were uttered she felt a finger slide in & begin to stroke her slowly. Then his voice was in her ear again.
“Is there anything you’d like me to do with my tongue?”
A loud moan was his answer as he bent to her breast, & placing his lips around a nipple he sucked as his tongue quickly flicked over it. She grabbed his head & held him to her while continuing to move on his hand.
He pulled his head up to take in the sight of her writhing under his attentions. There was something else she wanted but was to shy to ask. But he had no intention of making this easy.
“Liz, is there some other place you’d like to feel my tongue?”
“Oh god Max” was all she could say.
“Liz…”
“Yes, Max, please, please…”
“Tell me Liz- is it here?” he said as he lightly rubbed his thumb over her clit.
“Yes, please!” She was desperate now, twisting her body as she attempted to move more fully into his hand.
Not being able to wait any longer he moved his head between her legs & snaked out his tongue over her length; finding her nub he tongued it as he had her nipples.
Liz was in a frenzy. The feeling of his fingers & his tongue working together were indescribable & she couldn’t contain herself. Her head thrashed back & forth & her hips grinded into him as she flew over the precipice, screaming his name.
He moved up & held her as she trembled violently in the aftermath, then went limp & lay, eyes closed, safe in his arms. Her leg brushed against him & her eyes opened slowly to find his face tight with need.
“Max” she breathed as she reached out to stroke him. “I want you inside me, making love to me until we cum together.”
He grinned devilishly at her. “Now was that so hard?” Then he moved between her legs & swiftly entered her causing them both to groan out in relief. Their eyes locked as they loved each other to perfection & completion, each calling out the others name as her wish came true.
They held onto each other fiercely for a long time after, eyes still locked as their connection said everything words could never express.
When Liz reluctantly began to move to get up he reached out & pulled her body back into his. Now it was his turn to plead. “No Liz, please, stay.”
She ran her fingers through his hair & replied in a soft voice “I should go before Max comes home.”
After a moment they both rose. He picked her nightshirt up from the floor & pulled it over her head, then led her to the door. After kissing her passionately he cupped her face. “I want you to be able to stay Liz.”
“I know Max. Soon. Please.” Her eyes begged his patience as much as her voice.
She kissed him again, then disappeared down the stairs.
Liz heard her son come home a short time later. He stuck his head in her bedroom & said “I’m home Mom. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight Max.”
His heart broke at the sound of her sad voice. He knew his distance was hurting her, but he had decided what action he was going to take & knew she would be able to dissuade him in no time if he let her in now. He had to stay away, even though he’d rather die than hurt her.
“I love you Mom.” It was a plea more than a statement.
“Me too Max.” She listened to his steps retreat down the hall as she began to cry once again.
==============
It woke him up like a bomb going off in the apartment.
He could hear her through the floor, but more than that, he could hear it in his mind, feel it in his veins. Her blood-curdling scream.
Max jumped up & ran down the stairs to the front door of her house. Finding it locked he held out his hand & melted it, then raced in to find her crumpled on the floor of their sons room clutching a note & hysterical.
“Liz, my God, what happened, what’s the matter?” he said as he knelt down to take her into his arms.
She was unable to speak through her sobs so she handed him the note.
‘MOM- I’m going away for a few days. Please understand I need to do this. I will be careful. I’m sorry. I love you. Max.’
He rocked her in his arms trying to calm her as his mind raced. This is my fault- have to calm her down- should call Maria- have to find him- this needs to stop.
He smoothed his hands over her hair whispering “ssh, Liz, it’s OK, we’ll find him, it’s OK” over & over.
As her crying abated she looked up at him & his heart shattered at the complete devastation he saw in them. “Oh Max, why did he do this, where did he go?” Fresh tears poured down her cheeks as she clutched him.
He stood up with her in his arms & sat them on the bed, still stroking her hair as his eyes roamed the room. They halted when they came to his desk. He extracted himself from her grasp & went over to it, finding what he was looking for in a pile.
“Liz? I think I may have an idea where he went.”
He sat down next to her & handed her the admissions booklet from the University of New Mexico, Las Cruces. “He told me that he wanted to go to the open house with you. It’s this weekend.”
She looked blindly at the book for a moment, then closed her eyes & seemingly went into a trance. Max watched her nervously not knowing what was happening.
Her eyes opened & she looked at him clearly. “He didn’t go to Las Cruces.”
“He went to Roswell.”
CHAPTER 16
“…tray tables locked and seats in their fully upright position…”
Like that’s really going to matter if we crash, Liz thought absently. Why do airlines say so many stupid things? Like ‘your seat can be used as a flotation device’. Who the hell is going to be able to concentrate on ripping the seat cushion off when the plane is under water? Hello??
She was trying to distract her thoughts but was failing miserably. Their flight to New Mexico was already an hour late & since she found her son’s note she had been jumping out of her skin. Max had tried to calm to her but she couldn’t focus, except when she had to explain to him how she knew their son had gone to Roswell.
“When something is really intense for one of us, the other one can ‘see’ whatever it is if we hold an object involved or are in the same place- it’s hard to explain. When I took that book from you I saw Max looking at it & at a map of New Mexico with the route from the airport to Roswell hi-lited. And I just knew that’s where he went.”
“So are there any other powers that you have that I don’t know about? And what about Max- what can he do- can he heal?”
She smiled briefly as she thought of the many times he’d healed her cuts, bruises, sore muscles. “Yes, he can heal. He can do everything you can, well, back when you were his age, plus the stuff we can do together.”
“Like what?”
“We’re just stronger if we’re together, like the power is amplified or something.”
“Oh.” Max was sitting next to her on the plane mulling over their conversation. He knew that he had changed Liz in some way when he had healed her, but apparently the birth of their son had intensified her abilities beyond what he was aware of already. He wanted to delve into this topic more deeply with her but knew that this was not the time to do so.
“Liz, have you tried to connect with him again?”
“Yeah, a little while ago, he’s still blocking me.” She’d been trying all morning to no avail. Maria had told her to expect that when Liz had called to explain what was happening & that she & Max were going out to Roswell on the next available flight. Maria had been incredulous at the news. “What do you think he went to Roswell for Liz? To do what?”
“I have no idea, Maria, but I’m so pissed & upset right now I really don’t care why. I just want to find him before I kill him, know what I mean?”
“Yeah I have to admit, I’m shocked at him. I didn’t think he’d ever do something like this. You guys be careful.”
“We will, & I’ll call you & keep you updated.”
Max reached for her hand as the plane finally began to taxi down the runway. “We’ll be there soon, Liz; I promise we’ll find him. Everything will be OK.”
When she turned to look at him he saw a hardness in her eyes he’d never seen before. Her response was dead serious & chilled him to the bone.
“It had better be, Max, or I’ll kill you.”
==================
Max had been driving around Roswell aimlessly for about an hour. He wasn’t even sure why he had gone there, it just seemed like the logical place to start. To start what, he didn’t know either; but he had felt drawn to the place where his parents had met & where their lives & his had been so altered. He was searching for answers to questions he hadn’t formulated yet, but knew when he did, he’d find them in Roswell.
He parked the rental car in the downtown area & began to walk around. He hadn’t been there since he was a little boy but it hadn’t changed much from what he remembered. He wandered in & out of the little shops not seeing anything, as his mind was busy trying to decide a course of action & also keeping his mother blocked out. He had felt her trying to connect with him all day but he wasn’t ready to deal with her just yet.
Being so preoccupied he never noticed the figure shadowing his movements through the town.
========================
“Liz wake up, we’re landing.”
She sat up & looked out the window as the plane touched down.
“So what’s our first move?” Max asked.
“We have to rent a car.”
“I figured that, I meant when we get there.”
“I don’t know Max, I guess we’ll just have to play it by ear.” She had no idea what her son was hoping to find in Roswell or where he’d go to look for it. “Let’s just take this one step at a time.”
=================
Nicholas ducked into a doorway and snickered to himself as Max stepped out of one of the alien-themed shops in the downtown. How stupid could the King be, he thought. He travels with no bodyguards and visits a store with alien trinkets? He always knew Zan was a weak king. He had signed a peace treaty with the other planets they had been at war with & returned all their prisoners instead of annihilating them as he should have. Antar would have had unlimited amounts of slave labor & resources at its disposal. It could have- would have- ruled the galaxy with an iron fist if he had been king.
Nicholas spat on the ground as he thought about that. He had been so close to over throwing the beloved King Zan. That stupid oaf Rath had paid the price instead, taking the deadly hit meant for the King. Instead of Nicholas forcibly taking the throne he was jailed & Rath became a beloved martyr.
But the King’s compassionate heart had been his downfall anyway, at least the way Nicholas saw it. Because Zan had ended executions on Antar upon his return Nicholas’s life had been spared. He had spent his years in jail plotting his escape, & upon learning of Zan’s departure back to earth he put his plan in motion. It had been almost too easy, really; playing ill until the guards had to seek Vilandra’s approval to get him medical attention. Of course she granted it, she was just as weak as her brother was, & once out of his cell he quickly overpowered his two guards & escaped. He was able to get the uninformed guardians of the granolith to believe his story that he had orders to follow the King to protect him. Protect him! Ha ha! The last thing he was going to do was protect him. No, the King is going to meet his long-deserved fate & then I will return to Antar & take my rightful place on the throne. After killing that idiot Vilandra & her family, of course; there can’t be any royal family members left to lay claim to the throne that was his.
Vilandra. Now there was a waste of a woman. With that gorgeous face & body that could stop traffic she would have made a beautiful Queen on his arm, but she had spurned his advances long ago & made it clear that she wanted nothing to do with him. Instead she married the son of one of the royal family’s most trusted cabinet members who was as good looking as she was & settled for being a princess. Like her brother she was beloved by the people of Antar. And like her brother Nicholas was going to be sure she met the same fate.
Watching the King cross the street toward some alien-themed diner he decided that this was as good a time as any to make his move.
======================
Max stood outside the Crashdown, off to the side peering in the window of the diner his mother’s family had once owned. He was careful not to be seen because he didn’t want Mr. & Mrs. Valenti to catch sight of him & alert Maria to his whereabouts, just in case his mom had called them. He just wanted to see the place where all of this, his life really, had begun. The place where his father had saved his mother when they were 16 years old. He was so engrossed in his thoughts he never noticed the small man come toward him. He had a fleeting thought of his mother as he felt the sharp pain at the base of his skull & the world went black.
======================
“There’s the car rental counter, Max.” Liz was practically running through the airport, wanting to get to Roswell as fast as possible. Max caught up to her & began to make the arrangements to get a car when he realized she had to do it.
“Liz, you’re going to have to rent the car. I don’t have a credit card.”
“Oh, OK, here,” she said as she handed the rental agent her Visa card. “Here’s my license too.”
“Uh, Liz? How would Max have been able to get a car? I mean, he had to have rented on to get to Roswell from here.”
“He has my card; I gave it to him for an emergency. He must have used it. And he probably just changed the birth date on his drivers license to make him 25,” she noted as she read the rental age requirements.
Just as Liz was about to sign for the car a sharp pain shot through her body & she went limp, folding to the floor in a heap. Max grabbed her shouting “Liz! What’s wrong!”
She came out of her fog & looked at him. “Something happened to him. I felt it.” She waived off the rental agent who was offering to call a doctor. “No, I’m fine, just haven’t eaten.” Turning to Max she muttered “let’s just get to the car.”
Once outside in the car she tried to connect with her son again. “Nothing. I’m not getting in.” Tears started to roll down her cheeks as she said, “let’s get to Roswell, Max. Hurry.”
They headed straight for the Crashdown. Max felt that Jim Valenti may be able to help them; maybe someone had seen their son. Jim still knew everyone in town, surely if someone had seen him Jim or Kyle would hear of it.
As they climbed out of the car they heard Amy Valenti calling their names. Aware that they were coming to Roswell because Maria had alerted her parents, she had spotted them & was jumping up & down waiving at them. “And you wonder where Maria gets it?” Max said to Liz. “Oh I know just where she gets it from,” she replied as she lifted her arm to waive back to Amy.
Just then she passed through the spot that her son had been standing in when Nicholas made his move. Liz froze in her tracks & went into a trance. She began shaking violently from head to toe before she fainted dead away on the sidewalk.
Max dropped to his knees next to her & cradled her head in his hands. “Liz, baby, what now, please Liz.” He was frantic as Amy ran up to him.
“Bring her inside Max; put her on the couch in the back room.”
Max scooped her up & strode through the Crashdown to the back room where a very surprised Jim Valenti was taking inventory. Amy was right behind explaining to her husband what had just happened.
“I’m going to get a cold cloth for her head,” said Amy as she hurriedly made her way to the bathroom.
Jim looked at Max & got right to the point. “What’s going on Max. Maria called & filled us in.”
“I don’t know, we saw Amy & then Liz fainted.” As he finished she stirred, her eyes opening & she looked at Jim strangely for a moment until she realized where she was.
“Liz, are you all right, what happened, are you hurt?” Max was peppering her with questions; afraid she may have injured herself when she fell. She looked up at him with haunted eyes.
In a small voice she said, “someone hit Max. Outside of the Crashdown. I saw it when I passed the spot where it must have happened. He was hit from behind & taken away…” Her words ceased as she began to cry & Max pulled her into his arms.
“We’ll find him Liz, I promise you,” he said as he tried to soothe her, his voice eerily steady. He had shifted into battle mode, a position he had become all too familiar with over the past years.
He’d find their son. Then he’d kill whoever had taken him.
“…tray tables locked and seats in their fully upright position…”
Like that’s really going to matter if we crash, Liz thought absently. Why do airlines say so many stupid things? Like ‘your seat can be used as a flotation device’. Who the hell is going to be able to concentrate on ripping the seat cushion off when the plane is under water? Hello??
She was trying to distract her thoughts but was failing miserably. Their flight to New Mexico was already an hour late & since she found her son’s note she had been jumping out of her skin. Max had tried to calm to her but she couldn’t focus, except when she had to explain to him how she knew their son had gone to Roswell.
“When something is really intense for one of us, the other one can ‘see’ whatever it is if we hold an object involved or are in the same place- it’s hard to explain. When I took that book from you I saw Max looking at it & at a map of New Mexico with the route from the airport to Roswell hi-lited. And I just knew that’s where he went.”
“So are there any other powers that you have that I don’t know about? And what about Max- what can he do- can he heal?”
She smiled briefly as she thought of the many times he’d healed her cuts, bruises, sore muscles. “Yes, he can heal. He can do everything you can, well, back when you were his age, plus the stuff we can do together.”
“Like what?”
“We’re just stronger if we’re together, like the power is amplified or something.”
“Oh.” Max was sitting next to her on the plane mulling over their conversation. He knew that he had changed Liz in some way when he had healed her, but apparently the birth of their son had intensified her abilities beyond what he was aware of already. He wanted to delve into this topic more deeply with her but knew that this was not the time to do so.
“Liz, have you tried to connect with him again?”
“Yeah, a little while ago, he’s still blocking me.” She’d been trying all morning to no avail. Maria had told her to expect that when Liz had called to explain what was happening & that she & Max were going out to Roswell on the next available flight. Maria had been incredulous at the news. “What do you think he went to Roswell for Liz? To do what?”
“I have no idea, Maria, but I’m so pissed & upset right now I really don’t care why. I just want to find him before I kill him, know what I mean?”
“Yeah I have to admit, I’m shocked at him. I didn’t think he’d ever do something like this. You guys be careful.”
“We will, & I’ll call you & keep you updated.”
Max reached for her hand as the plane finally began to taxi down the runway. “We’ll be there soon, Liz; I promise we’ll find him. Everything will be OK.”
When she turned to look at him he saw a hardness in her eyes he’d never seen before. Her response was dead serious & chilled him to the bone.
“It had better be, Max, or I’ll kill you.”
==================
Max had been driving around Roswell aimlessly for about an hour. He wasn’t even sure why he had gone there, it just seemed like the logical place to start. To start what, he didn’t know either; but he had felt drawn to the place where his parents had met & where their lives & his had been so altered. He was searching for answers to questions he hadn’t formulated yet, but knew when he did, he’d find them in Roswell.
He parked the rental car in the downtown area & began to walk around. He hadn’t been there since he was a little boy but it hadn’t changed much from what he remembered. He wandered in & out of the little shops not seeing anything, as his mind was busy trying to decide a course of action & also keeping his mother blocked out. He had felt her trying to connect with him all day but he wasn’t ready to deal with her just yet.
Being so preoccupied he never noticed the figure shadowing his movements through the town.
========================
“Liz wake up, we’re landing.”
She sat up & looked out the window as the plane touched down.
“So what’s our first move?” Max asked.
“We have to rent a car.”
“I figured that, I meant when we get there.”
“I don’t know Max, I guess we’ll just have to play it by ear.” She had no idea what her son was hoping to find in Roswell or where he’d go to look for it. “Let’s just take this one step at a time.”
=================
Nicholas ducked into a doorway and snickered to himself as Max stepped out of one of the alien-themed shops in the downtown. How stupid could the King be, he thought. He travels with no bodyguards and visits a store with alien trinkets? He always knew Zan was a weak king. He had signed a peace treaty with the other planets they had been at war with & returned all their prisoners instead of annihilating them as he should have. Antar would have had unlimited amounts of slave labor & resources at its disposal. It could have- would have- ruled the galaxy with an iron fist if he had been king.
Nicholas spat on the ground as he thought about that. He had been so close to over throwing the beloved King Zan. That stupid oaf Rath had paid the price instead, taking the deadly hit meant for the King. Instead of Nicholas forcibly taking the throne he was jailed & Rath became a beloved martyr.
But the King’s compassionate heart had been his downfall anyway, at least the way Nicholas saw it. Because Zan had ended executions on Antar upon his return Nicholas’s life had been spared. He had spent his years in jail plotting his escape, & upon learning of Zan’s departure back to earth he put his plan in motion. It had been almost too easy, really; playing ill until the guards had to seek Vilandra’s approval to get him medical attention. Of course she granted it, she was just as weak as her brother was, & once out of his cell he quickly overpowered his two guards & escaped. He was able to get the uninformed guardians of the granolith to believe his story that he had orders to follow the King to protect him. Protect him! Ha ha! The last thing he was going to do was protect him. No, the King is going to meet his long-deserved fate & then I will return to Antar & take my rightful place on the throne. After killing that idiot Vilandra & her family, of course; there can’t be any royal family members left to lay claim to the throne that was his.
Vilandra. Now there was a waste of a woman. With that gorgeous face & body that could stop traffic she would have made a beautiful Queen on his arm, but she had spurned his advances long ago & made it clear that she wanted nothing to do with him. Instead she married the son of one of the royal family’s most trusted cabinet members who was as good looking as she was & settled for being a princess. Like her brother she was beloved by the people of Antar. And like her brother Nicholas was going to be sure she met the same fate.
Watching the King cross the street toward some alien-themed diner he decided that this was as good a time as any to make his move.
======================
Max stood outside the Crashdown, off to the side peering in the window of the diner his mother’s family had once owned. He was careful not to be seen because he didn’t want Mr. & Mrs. Valenti to catch sight of him & alert Maria to his whereabouts, just in case his mom had called them. He just wanted to see the place where all of this, his life really, had begun. The place where his father had saved his mother when they were 16 years old. He was so engrossed in his thoughts he never noticed the small man come toward him. He had a fleeting thought of his mother as he felt the sharp pain at the base of his skull & the world went black.
======================
“There’s the car rental counter, Max.” Liz was practically running through the airport, wanting to get to Roswell as fast as possible. Max caught up to her & began to make the arrangements to get a car when he realized she had to do it.
“Liz, you’re going to have to rent the car. I don’t have a credit card.”
“Oh, OK, here,” she said as she handed the rental agent her Visa card. “Here’s my license too.”
“Uh, Liz? How would Max have been able to get a car? I mean, he had to have rented on to get to Roswell from here.”
“He has my card; I gave it to him for an emergency. He must have used it. And he probably just changed the birth date on his drivers license to make him 25,” she noted as she read the rental age requirements.
Just as Liz was about to sign for the car a sharp pain shot through her body & she went limp, folding to the floor in a heap. Max grabbed her shouting “Liz! What’s wrong!”
She came out of her fog & looked at him. “Something happened to him. I felt it.” She waived off the rental agent who was offering to call a doctor. “No, I’m fine, just haven’t eaten.” Turning to Max she muttered “let’s just get to the car.”
Once outside in the car she tried to connect with her son again. “Nothing. I’m not getting in.” Tears started to roll down her cheeks as she said, “let’s get to Roswell, Max. Hurry.”
They headed straight for the Crashdown. Max felt that Jim Valenti may be able to help them; maybe someone had seen their son. Jim still knew everyone in town, surely if someone had seen him Jim or Kyle would hear of it.
As they climbed out of the car they heard Amy Valenti calling their names. Aware that they were coming to Roswell because Maria had alerted her parents, she had spotted them & was jumping up & down waiving at them. “And you wonder where Maria gets it?” Max said to Liz. “Oh I know just where she gets it from,” she replied as she lifted her arm to waive back to Amy.
Just then she passed through the spot that her son had been standing in when Nicholas made his move. Liz froze in her tracks & went into a trance. She began shaking violently from head to toe before she fainted dead away on the sidewalk.
Max dropped to his knees next to her & cradled her head in his hands. “Liz, baby, what now, please Liz.” He was frantic as Amy ran up to him.
“Bring her inside Max; put her on the couch in the back room.”
Max scooped her up & strode through the Crashdown to the back room where a very surprised Jim Valenti was taking inventory. Amy was right behind explaining to her husband what had just happened.
“I’m going to get a cold cloth for her head,” said Amy as she hurriedly made her way to the bathroom.
Jim looked at Max & got right to the point. “What’s going on Max. Maria called & filled us in.”
“I don’t know, we saw Amy & then Liz fainted.” As he finished she stirred, her eyes opening & she looked at Jim strangely for a moment until she realized where she was.
“Liz, are you all right, what happened, are you hurt?” Max was peppering her with questions; afraid she may have injured herself when she fell. She looked up at him with haunted eyes.
In a small voice she said, “someone hit Max. Outside of the Crashdown. I saw it when I passed the spot where it must have happened. He was hit from behind & taken away…” Her words ceased as she began to cry & Max pulled her into his arms.
“We’ll find him Liz, I promise you,” he said as he tried to soothe her, his voice eerily steady. He had shifted into battle mode, a position he had become all too familiar with over the past years.
He’d find their son. Then he’d kill whoever had taken him.
CHAPTER 17A
Nicholas sat cross-legged contemplating the unconscious person tied up in front of him.
Something was different about the King. He looked younger than Nicholas remembered. And there was something else, though he couldn’t put his finger on it. Suddenly Max began to stir & Nicholas stood up, waiting for him to become aware of his surroundings.
The only thing Max was aware of at the moment was the throbbing pain at the base of his skull. And that he was laying on something cold & hard. He opened his eyes & jerked himself upright, wincing immediately at the constraints which held him bound.
He looked around the dimly lit cave & saw some strange old-looking torn things on the wall, then noticed that someone was standing to his left. He stared at the stranger for a minute before asking, “who are you?”
Nicholas didn’t reply; he continued staring at Max. Something was definitely up- the King didn’t recognize him? How could that be? And there was something about his eyes. They were different- larger, rounder, a deeper brown than he remembered. Perhaps the trip back to earth had returned the King to the same form as he was when he left the first time?
Max interrupted his thoughts. “I said, who are you? And why am I here?” Max had never seen anything like the things in the cave before.
Nicholas squatted down & looked at him a moment longer before he replied, “so you don’t remember me, your majesty? I thought I’d be hard to forget, considering our long & colorful history.”
“Our history.” It was a statement meant as a question.
“Our history on Antar. Surely you haven’t forgotten your beloved kingdom, your majesty? And all of your faithful subjects?” He spat out the last sentence.
Max remained silent as he registered the meaning of his words. This person thought he was his father. That meant this person was an alien. And considering that he had kidnapped him & tied him up, he was probably a bad one.
Oh oh.
“Unsure of yourself, your highness? You were never quite so timid on Antar. You always had something to say to me there, usually some bullshit on how you loved your people & would do your best for them, blah blah blah. I never really paid much attention to what you said. I always saw it as a colossal waste of time, considering that you wouldn’t be remaining on the throne for very long.”
Nicholas was strolling around the cave as he spoke; then turning suddenly he crossed the room & knelt down in front of Max. “Perhaps I need to see just what is inhibiting your memory.”
Before Max knew what was happening Nicholas grabbed his head & connected with him. He quickly released him & stared at Max menacingly.
“All right, suppose you tell me just who the fuck you are.”
Oh oh.
=================
Liz was wildly pacing around the back room at the Crashdown. Max or Jim would get her to sit down but she would last only a minute before she was up & moving again.
Max had explained everything from his return to earth up to the present to Jim, who was now contemplating the situation. He looked at Liz and asked, “you didn’t see who hit him or where he came from?”
“No. I felt a sharp pain in the back of his head & then blackness.” She turned & addressed Max. “It was the same pain that I felt at the car rental counter. That’s when it must have happened.”
Jim asked, “what time was that?”
Max looked at his watch. “About an hour and a half ago.”
“Well, they could be well on their way to anywhere by now,” Jim mused aloud. “Liz, can’t you connect with him? Maybe he can tell us something.”
“He hasn’t let me in all day. I can try again.” Liz sat down & closed her eyes & concentrated on her son. She gasped suddenly & said “Max!”
======================
“Answer me. Who are YOU,” Nicholas demanded.
Max didn’t know what to say, so he replied “I asked you first.”
Nicholas leaned in close to his face & ground out “you do not want to fuck around with me. Tell me who you are or I’ll just kill you now.”
Max knew he wouldn’t be able to lie about his identity, so he said “Max. Max Evans.”
Nicholas didn’t move away as he said, “I know Max Evans- his real name is Zan. You are not him.”
As Nicholas finished speaking Max could feel his mother trying to connect with him again. He knew he had no choice now- he needed all the help he could get, so he opened up to her immediately.
// Mom.
Oh my God Max, where are you, are you all right? I know something happened.
Mom, I’m OK now; I was in Roswell but I don’t know where I am now. In some kind of cave with some guy. He’s an alien & not a good one. He thinks I’m Dad.//
Liz froze instantly & looked at Max. “You were followed. An alien has him but he thinks it’s you.”
Max grabbed her hand. “Liz, let me connect in with you both. I need to know what’s going on.”
Liz closed her eyes again & summoned her son.
// Max, I’m here in Roswell with your father. He is connected with us right now. He can hear both of us. You have to tell him everything you see & hear, OK? //
Liz was praying that her son would not reject his father’s interference.
// OK Mom. //
Liz squeezed Max’s hand to signal him to communicate.
// Max, can you hear me?
Yes.
Do you know who is holding you- has he given a name?
No. He wants to know who I am. I gave him my name but he said he knows you & that I’m not you, & he’s looking a little impatient about it right about now.
MAX BE CAREFUL!!! // Liz screamed out in his mind.
Nicholas narrowed his eyes as he thought about what he’d seen when he connected in, or more importantly, what he hadn’t seen. He didn’t see anything to do with Antar or the war, just images of people & places that Nicholas didn’t recognize. Except for one- he clearly saw the brunette brown-eyed woman who was in almost every scene. This person obviously had a very strong connection to him. He couldn’t help but feel that he knew who she was somehow, & that she was a key in deciphering his identity.
“Perhaps I should go & find the pretty brown-haired woman who is obviously so important to you. Maybe she will fill me in on who you are.”
“NO!!!!!” Max screamed as he attempted to get up, only to be reminded of just how tight his restraints were. “You stay away from her.”
“Then start talking."
Max stared back at Nicholas unsure of what to do. He didn’t want to give this guy too much information but he also didn’t want him anywhere near his mother, especially now that she too was in Roswell. He had to stall, he needed time to think, but he knew that Nicholas wasn’t going to give him any so he decided to give him a few breadcrumbs to see if that would buy him some time. Maybe if this guy finds out that I’m not who he’s looking for he’ll let me go.
“I told you who I am. Max Evans is my name. The person you’re referring to was my father. I’ve never met him.”
Nicholas stood bolt upright. Zan had a son? How was it that he had never known that? He had never heard anyone mention that Zan had a family on earth. This changed everything.
// Max, are you still there? What’s going on? // Liz had felt his flash of anger & then him leave their connection. She had a death grip on his father’s hands as she frantically tried to connect again.
// Yeah Mom, everything’s OK. He really wanted to know who I was-
MAX. Listen to me. // His father was in full leader-mode; he knew if this alien had come for him & discovered that he had a son that it would make things even more dangerous for Max.
// Max. Do NOT tell him who you are. Do not tell him you are related to me, understand?
Uh, too late. I had to tell him. He threatened Mom if I didn’t. //
Liz’s grip on Max’s hand tightened further. She too understood the possible repercussions of an enemy of Zan’s finding out that he had a son, an heir. She had lived in fear of it all of her son’s life.
Max felt her hand squeezing his & knew that he had to calm her down; he also knew that the only way to do so was to keep their son from getting hurt. To do that he needed to know what he was up against.
// Max, I need to see who is holding you. You have to concentrate really hard. You have to be my eyes. //
Liz was immediately alarmed. “He doesn’t have those powers.”
Max cut her off. “Yes he does. He just doesn’t know it yet.”
// What do you need me to do?
Open yourself up to it Max.
To what exactly.
To the force. It’s all around you. It’s between the three of us.
Let me get this straight. Are you saying ‘let the force be with you?’
MAX! This is no time to be a smart-ass! // Liz barked in her son’s mind.
// Mom, I’m not trying to be funny. Believe me this is the most un-funny situation I’ve ever been in. //
His father took control again. // It’s an energy force. It surrounds us all. Because of our advanced intelligence we ‘connect’ with it- it’s what our powers are derived from. Your mother has the ability because I healed her & it enabled her to- I’ll get into that later. Close your eyes & look inside yourself. Feel the power within you. Feel it reaching out all around you. Feel it encompassing your mother & I. Feel its return to you. Its connection with you. //
He fell silent as he gave his son time to try what he had asked of him. He was giving him a crash course in a somewhat difficult thing to do, so he turned to Liz. “We have to help him Liz. Do the same thing I just told him to do- feel the energy between us. Feel Max with us inside that energy. Send it to him.”
Liz immediately started to concentrate on their connection & began to feel the current of electricity that ran through it. She threw every ounce of herself into following its path, when she suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of- completeness, was the only way she could describe it. She was completely connected to the souls of the two most important people in the universe to her. She could feel the energy flowing between them freely, and it made her feel totally alive. She couldn’t help but gasp “Max!”
// I feel it too. // He had felt his mothers awe & he too was enveloped in the completed puzzle that was the 3 of them linked together.
// Good Max, now this is what I want you to do. Open your eyes & without drawing attention to what you’re doing, look around you. See everything for the energy it’s made of. Feel it. Look at him. See him. Show him to me. //
He prayed his son would be able to project his surroundings & his captors face to him.
Max lifted his head as he opened his eyes. He took in the topography of the walls of the cave, the strange web-looking things on the wall & the light pulsing through them slowly, translating his visual observations into a flow of energy. His eyes finally came to rest on Nicholas, who was deep in thought across the cave from him He took him in slowly, completely, willing his appearance to his father.
Liz gasped as the images ran before her eyes. She knew where he was. She looked at Max who said “Nicholas. I should have known.”
“They’re in the pod chamber, aren’t they Max?” she asked.
“Yeah. The light in the pods- that’s the granolith. It’s hidden behind them. He must have thought he was going to bring me back to Antar.”
Liz froze. “Do you think he’ll take Max-“
“Liz, I’m the one he wants. He’s not going anywhere without me. This guy & I go way back.”
“Let’s go then. We have to get out there.” Liz was already up & moving towards the door.
Max halted her with a hand to her arm. “Liz I don’t want you going-“
She stopped him immediately. “That is my son out there. Hell could freeze over & I’d put on snow shoes to get him. I’m going.” The look on her face let him know she wasn’t asking his permission.
// Max we’re on our way // he signaled to his son.
// Please hurry. //
Nicholas sat cross-legged contemplating the unconscious person tied up in front of him.
Something was different about the King. He looked younger than Nicholas remembered. And there was something else, though he couldn’t put his finger on it. Suddenly Max began to stir & Nicholas stood up, waiting for him to become aware of his surroundings.
The only thing Max was aware of at the moment was the throbbing pain at the base of his skull. And that he was laying on something cold & hard. He opened his eyes & jerked himself upright, wincing immediately at the constraints which held him bound.
He looked around the dimly lit cave & saw some strange old-looking torn things on the wall, then noticed that someone was standing to his left. He stared at the stranger for a minute before asking, “who are you?”
Nicholas didn’t reply; he continued staring at Max. Something was definitely up- the King didn’t recognize him? How could that be? And there was something about his eyes. They were different- larger, rounder, a deeper brown than he remembered. Perhaps the trip back to earth had returned the King to the same form as he was when he left the first time?
Max interrupted his thoughts. “I said, who are you? And why am I here?” Max had never seen anything like the things in the cave before.
Nicholas squatted down & looked at him a moment longer before he replied, “so you don’t remember me, your majesty? I thought I’d be hard to forget, considering our long & colorful history.”
“Our history.” It was a statement meant as a question.
“Our history on Antar. Surely you haven’t forgotten your beloved kingdom, your majesty? And all of your faithful subjects?” He spat out the last sentence.
Max remained silent as he registered the meaning of his words. This person thought he was his father. That meant this person was an alien. And considering that he had kidnapped him & tied him up, he was probably a bad one.
Oh oh.
“Unsure of yourself, your highness? You were never quite so timid on Antar. You always had something to say to me there, usually some bullshit on how you loved your people & would do your best for them, blah blah blah. I never really paid much attention to what you said. I always saw it as a colossal waste of time, considering that you wouldn’t be remaining on the throne for very long.”
Nicholas was strolling around the cave as he spoke; then turning suddenly he crossed the room & knelt down in front of Max. “Perhaps I need to see just what is inhibiting your memory.”
Before Max knew what was happening Nicholas grabbed his head & connected with him. He quickly released him & stared at Max menacingly.
“All right, suppose you tell me just who the fuck you are.”
Oh oh.
=================
Liz was wildly pacing around the back room at the Crashdown. Max or Jim would get her to sit down but she would last only a minute before she was up & moving again.
Max had explained everything from his return to earth up to the present to Jim, who was now contemplating the situation. He looked at Liz and asked, “you didn’t see who hit him or where he came from?”
“No. I felt a sharp pain in the back of his head & then blackness.” She turned & addressed Max. “It was the same pain that I felt at the car rental counter. That’s when it must have happened.”
Jim asked, “what time was that?”
Max looked at his watch. “About an hour and a half ago.”
“Well, they could be well on their way to anywhere by now,” Jim mused aloud. “Liz, can’t you connect with him? Maybe he can tell us something.”
“He hasn’t let me in all day. I can try again.” Liz sat down & closed her eyes & concentrated on her son. She gasped suddenly & said “Max!”
======================
“Answer me. Who are YOU,” Nicholas demanded.
Max didn’t know what to say, so he replied “I asked you first.”
Nicholas leaned in close to his face & ground out “you do not want to fuck around with me. Tell me who you are or I’ll just kill you now.”
Max knew he wouldn’t be able to lie about his identity, so he said “Max. Max Evans.”
Nicholas didn’t move away as he said, “I know Max Evans- his real name is Zan. You are not him.”
As Nicholas finished speaking Max could feel his mother trying to connect with him again. He knew he had no choice now- he needed all the help he could get, so he opened up to her immediately.
// Mom.
Oh my God Max, where are you, are you all right? I know something happened.
Mom, I’m OK now; I was in Roswell but I don’t know where I am now. In some kind of cave with some guy. He’s an alien & not a good one. He thinks I’m Dad.//
Liz froze instantly & looked at Max. “You were followed. An alien has him but he thinks it’s you.”
Max grabbed her hand. “Liz, let me connect in with you both. I need to know what’s going on.”
Liz closed her eyes again & summoned her son.
// Max, I’m here in Roswell with your father. He is connected with us right now. He can hear both of us. You have to tell him everything you see & hear, OK? //
Liz was praying that her son would not reject his father’s interference.
// OK Mom. //
Liz squeezed Max’s hand to signal him to communicate.
// Max, can you hear me?
Yes.
Do you know who is holding you- has he given a name?
No. He wants to know who I am. I gave him my name but he said he knows you & that I’m not you, & he’s looking a little impatient about it right about now.
MAX BE CAREFUL!!! // Liz screamed out in his mind.
Nicholas narrowed his eyes as he thought about what he’d seen when he connected in, or more importantly, what he hadn’t seen. He didn’t see anything to do with Antar or the war, just images of people & places that Nicholas didn’t recognize. Except for one- he clearly saw the brunette brown-eyed woman who was in almost every scene. This person obviously had a very strong connection to him. He couldn’t help but feel that he knew who she was somehow, & that she was a key in deciphering his identity.
“Perhaps I should go & find the pretty brown-haired woman who is obviously so important to you. Maybe she will fill me in on who you are.”
“NO!!!!!” Max screamed as he attempted to get up, only to be reminded of just how tight his restraints were. “You stay away from her.”
“Then start talking."
Max stared back at Nicholas unsure of what to do. He didn’t want to give this guy too much information but he also didn’t want him anywhere near his mother, especially now that she too was in Roswell. He had to stall, he needed time to think, but he knew that Nicholas wasn’t going to give him any so he decided to give him a few breadcrumbs to see if that would buy him some time. Maybe if this guy finds out that I’m not who he’s looking for he’ll let me go.
“I told you who I am. Max Evans is my name. The person you’re referring to was my father. I’ve never met him.”
Nicholas stood bolt upright. Zan had a son? How was it that he had never known that? He had never heard anyone mention that Zan had a family on earth. This changed everything.
// Max, are you still there? What’s going on? // Liz had felt his flash of anger & then him leave their connection. She had a death grip on his father’s hands as she frantically tried to connect again.
// Yeah Mom, everything’s OK. He really wanted to know who I was-
MAX. Listen to me. // His father was in full leader-mode; he knew if this alien had come for him & discovered that he had a son that it would make things even more dangerous for Max.
// Max. Do NOT tell him who you are. Do not tell him you are related to me, understand?
Uh, too late. I had to tell him. He threatened Mom if I didn’t. //
Liz’s grip on Max’s hand tightened further. She too understood the possible repercussions of an enemy of Zan’s finding out that he had a son, an heir. She had lived in fear of it all of her son’s life.
Max felt her hand squeezing his & knew that he had to calm her down; he also knew that the only way to do so was to keep their son from getting hurt. To do that he needed to know what he was up against.
// Max, I need to see who is holding you. You have to concentrate really hard. You have to be my eyes. //
Liz was immediately alarmed. “He doesn’t have those powers.”
Max cut her off. “Yes he does. He just doesn’t know it yet.”
// What do you need me to do?
Open yourself up to it Max.
To what exactly.
To the force. It’s all around you. It’s between the three of us.
Let me get this straight. Are you saying ‘let the force be with you?’
MAX! This is no time to be a smart-ass! // Liz barked in her son’s mind.
// Mom, I’m not trying to be funny. Believe me this is the most un-funny situation I’ve ever been in. //
His father took control again. // It’s an energy force. It surrounds us all. Because of our advanced intelligence we ‘connect’ with it- it’s what our powers are derived from. Your mother has the ability because I healed her & it enabled her to- I’ll get into that later. Close your eyes & look inside yourself. Feel the power within you. Feel it reaching out all around you. Feel it encompassing your mother & I. Feel its return to you. Its connection with you. //
He fell silent as he gave his son time to try what he had asked of him. He was giving him a crash course in a somewhat difficult thing to do, so he turned to Liz. “We have to help him Liz. Do the same thing I just told him to do- feel the energy between us. Feel Max with us inside that energy. Send it to him.”
Liz immediately started to concentrate on their connection & began to feel the current of electricity that ran through it. She threw every ounce of herself into following its path, when she suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of- completeness, was the only way she could describe it. She was completely connected to the souls of the two most important people in the universe to her. She could feel the energy flowing between them freely, and it made her feel totally alive. She couldn’t help but gasp “Max!”
// I feel it too. // He had felt his mothers awe & he too was enveloped in the completed puzzle that was the 3 of them linked together.
// Good Max, now this is what I want you to do. Open your eyes & without drawing attention to what you’re doing, look around you. See everything for the energy it’s made of. Feel it. Look at him. See him. Show him to me. //
He prayed his son would be able to project his surroundings & his captors face to him.
Max lifted his head as he opened his eyes. He took in the topography of the walls of the cave, the strange web-looking things on the wall & the light pulsing through them slowly, translating his visual observations into a flow of energy. His eyes finally came to rest on Nicholas, who was deep in thought across the cave from him He took him in slowly, completely, willing his appearance to his father.
Liz gasped as the images ran before her eyes. She knew where he was. She looked at Max who said “Nicholas. I should have known.”
“They’re in the pod chamber, aren’t they Max?” she asked.
“Yeah. The light in the pods- that’s the granolith. It’s hidden behind them. He must have thought he was going to bring me back to Antar.”
Liz froze. “Do you think he’ll take Max-“
“Liz, I’m the one he wants. He’s not going anywhere without me. This guy & I go way back.”
“Let’s go then. We have to get out there.” Liz was already up & moving towards the door.
Max halted her with a hand to her arm. “Liz I don’t want you going-“
She stopped him immediately. “That is my son out there. Hell could freeze over & I’d put on snow shoes to get him. I’m going.” The look on her face let him know she wasn’t asking his permission.
// Max we’re on our way // he signaled to his son.
// Please hurry. //
CHAPTER 18
Nicholas had been pacing around the cave, head in hand, deep in thought, for a long time. Max watched him carefully, glad his captor was engrossed in thought; the longer he was preoccupied the more time it bought for his mother & father to get there.
His father. He actually was thinking in terms of having a father for the first time, and contrary to his feelings over the past week, he was damn glad his father was around and on his way now. “If I hadn’t pulled this stupid stunt of coming out here by myself, none of this would be happening,” he bitterly thought. “My mom wouldn’t be heading into danger.” He knew there was no way he was going to escape Nicholas without his father’s assistance. He didn’t have the knowledge or control over his powers that his father had. “If I get out of this, I’m never leaving home again. Mom will get sick of me under her feet,” he thought. He knew he was bargaining with himself, but he had to think of something besides the mean-looking little alien stalking around the cave.
Nicholas’ mind was racing. Zan had a son, who claims he never met his father. Did this kid realize he was a prince? An heir to the throne of Antar? It didn’t seem so, but none of that was of great importance to Nicholas right now. What was important was that he now had to kill Zan and his son; but first he had to get Zan to come to him. “Well, I’ve got the perfect bait right here in front of me,” he thought as he eyed Max. “I’ll kill them both and take their bodies back to Antar with me to prove that the royal family is dead. Poor dear Vilandra is going to be so sad when she sees her brother and nephew dead. I’ll make sure she gets a good look at the corpses before I knock her off too.”
Settling on his plan of action he crossed the space between them and knelt in front of Max. “OK Junior, time to dial up Daddy and invite him to our party.”
“What?” Max asked, slightly confused.
“You are going to connect with Zan- your father- and tell him where you are. Being the gallant fool I know he is, he’ll come running to rescue you. And I will be waiting to give him the royal welcome he deserves.”
Max didn’t want to let Nicholas know that he was already on his way, so he said, “I can’t connect with him. I’ve never met him. I don’t even know where he is.”
“You don’t need to know where he is you idiot, you’re his son, you have a permanent connection- oh fuck, I’ll do it myself,” Nicholas spat out. He grabbed Max’s head between his hands and began to summon Zan.
Max and Liz were speeding down the highway towards the pod chamber in silence; both engrossed in their own separate agonizing thoughts. Max suddenly swerved the car off the road and brought it to an abrupt halt.
“Max what is it?” asked Liz.
“Nicholas is trying to connect with me.” Max closed his eyes and listened to the smug voice that was filtering into his mind.
// King Zan, are you out there? Tis I, your favorite unfaithful subject, out of jail and wanting to chat. //
Max’s hands balled into two tight fists as he grimaced at the sound of Nicholas’ voice.
// What do you want Nicholas.
Now now, what kind of a greeting is that? I came a long way to this pathetic planet to find you. But instead of you, I found something far more interesting, and valuable, as it turns out. Care to take a guess at what it is? //
Max knew he had to play his cards very close to his chest; he didn’t want Nicholas to know that he was already on his way to find his son. The element of surprise was something he needed on his side right now.
// Don’t be coy Nicholas. What are you talking about.
I’m talking about meeting the Crown Prince of Antar in front of an alien diner, of all places. Pity though, he claims to never have met you. What a shame that he’s not going to get the chance, seeing as how I’m going to kill him.
Nicholas so help me, if you touch a hair on his head I’m going to fry you from the inside out.
Oh spare me your highness. We both know you don’t have the balls.
What do you want Nicholas.
The same thing I’ve always wanted- your head on a platter, right next to your sisters. But now that I’ll have the three of you, maybe I’ll mount your heads on the wall in MY palace, to remind the simpering wimp’s back home who has the real power.
You’re dreaming as usual.
Am I Zan? The way I see it I’m already one head ahead of you- oh, I made a pun. Ha ha.
Leave him alone. I’m the want you want.
No shit. If you want to see him alive you’ll meet me at the granolith chamber alone. Soon.
I’ll be there. //
Nicholas withdrew his hands from Max’s head. “Well Junior, looks like you’re going to meet Daddy after all.”
Nicholas had been pacing around the cave, head in hand, deep in thought, for a long time. Max watched him carefully, glad his captor was engrossed in thought; the longer he was preoccupied the more time it bought for his mother & father to get there.
His father. He actually was thinking in terms of having a father for the first time, and contrary to his feelings over the past week, he was damn glad his father was around and on his way now. “If I hadn’t pulled this stupid stunt of coming out here by myself, none of this would be happening,” he bitterly thought. “My mom wouldn’t be heading into danger.” He knew there was no way he was going to escape Nicholas without his father’s assistance. He didn’t have the knowledge or control over his powers that his father had. “If I get out of this, I’m never leaving home again. Mom will get sick of me under her feet,” he thought. He knew he was bargaining with himself, but he had to think of something besides the mean-looking little alien stalking around the cave.
Nicholas’ mind was racing. Zan had a son, who claims he never met his father. Did this kid realize he was a prince? An heir to the throne of Antar? It didn’t seem so, but none of that was of great importance to Nicholas right now. What was important was that he now had to kill Zan and his son; but first he had to get Zan to come to him. “Well, I’ve got the perfect bait right here in front of me,” he thought as he eyed Max. “I’ll kill them both and take their bodies back to Antar with me to prove that the royal family is dead. Poor dear Vilandra is going to be so sad when she sees her brother and nephew dead. I’ll make sure she gets a good look at the corpses before I knock her off too.”
Settling on his plan of action he crossed the space between them and knelt in front of Max. “OK Junior, time to dial up Daddy and invite him to our party.”
“What?” Max asked, slightly confused.
“You are going to connect with Zan- your father- and tell him where you are. Being the gallant fool I know he is, he’ll come running to rescue you. And I will be waiting to give him the royal welcome he deserves.”
Max didn’t want to let Nicholas know that he was already on his way, so he said, “I can’t connect with him. I’ve never met him. I don’t even know where he is.”
“You don’t need to know where he is you idiot, you’re his son, you have a permanent connection- oh fuck, I’ll do it myself,” Nicholas spat out. He grabbed Max’s head between his hands and began to summon Zan.
Max and Liz were speeding down the highway towards the pod chamber in silence; both engrossed in their own separate agonizing thoughts. Max suddenly swerved the car off the road and brought it to an abrupt halt.
“Max what is it?” asked Liz.
“Nicholas is trying to connect with me.” Max closed his eyes and listened to the smug voice that was filtering into his mind.
// King Zan, are you out there? Tis I, your favorite unfaithful subject, out of jail and wanting to chat. //
Max’s hands balled into two tight fists as he grimaced at the sound of Nicholas’ voice.
// What do you want Nicholas.
Now now, what kind of a greeting is that? I came a long way to this pathetic planet to find you. But instead of you, I found something far more interesting, and valuable, as it turns out. Care to take a guess at what it is? //
Max knew he had to play his cards very close to his chest; he didn’t want Nicholas to know that he was already on his way to find his son. The element of surprise was something he needed on his side right now.
// Don’t be coy Nicholas. What are you talking about.
I’m talking about meeting the Crown Prince of Antar in front of an alien diner, of all places. Pity though, he claims to never have met you. What a shame that he’s not going to get the chance, seeing as how I’m going to kill him.
Nicholas so help me, if you touch a hair on his head I’m going to fry you from the inside out.
Oh spare me your highness. We both know you don’t have the balls.
What do you want Nicholas.
The same thing I’ve always wanted- your head on a platter, right next to your sisters. But now that I’ll have the three of you, maybe I’ll mount your heads on the wall in MY palace, to remind the simpering wimp’s back home who has the real power.
You’re dreaming as usual.
Am I Zan? The way I see it I’m already one head ahead of you- oh, I made a pun. Ha ha.
Leave him alone. I’m the want you want.
No shit. If you want to see him alive you’ll meet me at the granolith chamber alone. Soon.
I’ll be there. //
Nicholas withdrew his hands from Max’s head. “Well Junior, looks like you’re going to meet Daddy after all.”
CHAPTER 19
Max hid the rental car behind an overgrowth of bramble bushes. He grabbed Liz’s hand and they began to silently climb the rock formation from the far side of the entrance to avoid detection. He stopped them when they came near it and crouched down behind a large boulder. Liz remained quiet as he surveyed the scene, but finally couldn’t contain her anxiety and said “so what’s the plan?”
“Um, well…” Max trailed off; truth was he didn’t know what the next move should be yet. Liz’s eyes grew large as she said “please tell me you have a plan, Max.”
“The plan is to get the three of us out of here alive. It’s the details that are a little fuzzy.”
Liz couldn’t contain her anger. “A little fuzzy?” she hissed. “You’re a freaking warrior King, isn’t this your forte?”
“Liz give me a minute here. Do you realize how hard it’s going to be to get in there? This is going to take a lot of thought.” That was only half the truth though; the other half was that he had to figure out how he was going to get her to remain outside. He did not want her in the middle of a showdown between he and Nicholas.
“Damn it,” Liz exclaimed.
“Liz give me a minute-“
“No, damn it, I have to pee. I’m going to go back behind that rock” she was pointing to a large one perched on the side of the formation behind them, “and when I get back I want to hear the plan.” She shot him a determined look before disappearing behind the rocks.
Max watched her leave, and seizing the opportunity to get inside without her he silently made his way to the hidden entrance. He paused momentarily knowing she would be furious with him for leaving her behind to worry about what was happening inside. He shook his head to banish the thoughts from his mind and reached out his hand and placed it on the rock. After a moment it began to glow and the hidden door slid open. Plastering his body to the outside wall he paused again. Once he was sure Nicholas wasn’t near the opening waiting to ambush him he silently slid inside and began to slowly make his way into the interior of the cave. Deep in concentration as he was, he failed to see a very pissed off looking Liz slip through the opening just before the door slid shut. She followed him inside, hanging back enough so as not to be seen. Spotting a small space in a large rock pile just before the entrance to the chamber room, she quickly hid herself, deciding it might be better to be an observer initially.
Max’s eyes darted around the chamber room in panic when he didn’t immediately see his son. Suddenly a voice as annoying as nails scraping along a chalkboard rang out.
“So good of you to come King Zan, and so quickly too. I wasn’t expecting you just yet.”
Jerking around to face him he replied “cut the crap Nicholas, where is my son.”
At the sound of his fathers voice Max called out from behind Nicholas “Dad!”
Elated at the sound of that simple word, he turned to see Max sitting on the floor with his hands bound behind his back. Relief flooded over him that not only was he alive, but he appeared to be unhurt. Father and son stared at each other a minute before Nicholas sarcastically said “oh, isn’t this a beautiful Kodak moment. Long lost Daddy meets boy king-not-to-be.”
Quickly connecting to his son he said // I’m going to need your help here Max. //
Max tensed up. // I’ll try, but I don’t have control over my powers like you do.
It’s OK. I’m going to distract him- keep him talking. I need you to concentrate on moving a rock and knocking him out with it. Can you do that?
I’ll try. //
Looking at Nicholas he growled out “let my son go now.”
Nicholas snorted. “Do you really think that I’d come all this way to kill you so I could take the throne and leave your heir alive? No, I’m going to kill you both and take your bodies back to Antar to show your beloved sister. Then I’m going to kill her and her wretched family. And her little dog, too.”
“I think you’ve gotten way ahead of yourself Nicholas. You’ll have to catch me first.”
As he finished his sentence, a rock rolled off a ledge above him and knocked him unconscious.
Nicholas’ thin lips disappeared as he smirked. “Oh yeah, that was REAL hard.”
Tucked in her hiding spot, Liz buried her head in her hands. Could this possibly get any worse? She peeked through a crack in the rock pile and watched as Nicholas dragged his limp body over toward her son. He bound his hands and left him lying next to a very stunned and scared looking Max Jr.
Think Liz, think! She knew that she and her son were no match against Nicholas’ superior powers. They needed the now unconscious Max awake or none of them would survive, and as quickly as possible. And there was only one way that was going to happen.
Liz connected in to her son. // Max, it’s me- stay calm. I’m inside the cave with you. I can see you now.
MOM! Where are you?
See the big pile of rocks on the left at the beginning of the corridor? I’m hiding in a pocket in the middle of them.
Mom I’m so sorry, this is all my fault. He asked me to throw a rock at Nicholas & I hit him instead.
It’s OK Max; we’re going to get out of this. Listen to me. You’re going to have to heal your father.
How Mom, I have to touch him, both our hands are tied, and Nicholas is right in front of us.
We’re going to have to create a diversion to get him out of the way for a minute. Do you remember when you were little how you used to freak out Maria by making noises come from rooms that were empty? That’s what you’re going to do. See the light coming through the hole in the wall across the room? Project some loud noises from there; as soon as he heads in there maneuver yourself over toward your father and touch him wherever you can. I’ll come out and help you, but you’re going to have to be fast. OK baby?
I can do that Mom. Just please be careful.
Do it now Max. Time is short. //
Max easily projected a loud banging noise from inside the granolith chamber; and as Liz predicted Nicholas immediately moved to check it out. As soon as his back was turned Max began to squirm toward his father and moved in close enough that he was able to reach out his fingers and touch his leg. At the same time Liz silently made her way out from behind the rock pile and over to her son. Upon reaching him she joined her hands to his to increase his power. The sleeping Max began to stir, and his eyes flew open at the sound of Liz quietly calling his name.
“Liz! How the hell did you get in here?”
“Later Max, we have to get out of here first,” she said as she tried unsuccessfully to undo the bonds that tied their hands. “Shit, I can’t get these things loose.”
“Nor will you be able to my dear.” Three heads shot up to see Nicholas coming back from the granolith chamber. “You didn’t think I’d use some inferior material from earth to hold a king, do you?” He sauntered toward them slowly as he took in Liz’s arrival. “The pretty brunette from Junior’s mind is here. How nice. Another person to kill.” His eyes narrowed as he studied her. “Well let’s see; since you’re too old to be his girlfriend, I’ll guess you’re his mother. Which means you slept with King Idiot here. So Zan, she’s the reason you never took any women on Antar? All this time I thought you were gay; turns out you had a whore here all along. She’s quite a looker; no wonder you wanted to come back to this hellhole. Maybe I’ll have to try her out myself.”
Both Max’s exploded in anger, yelling out obscenities at him as they struggled in vain to stand.
Nicholas’ hollow laughter filled the cavern. “God you’re both pathetic. And over an earth-woman.” He raised his hand and pointed at father and son. “And I am tired of you both. Time to say bye-bye.”
As he began to send a thunderous bolt of energy hurling toward them, Liz sprang at him from the side with a jumping scissor kick to his arm, sending the murderous ray bouncing harmlessly off the walls. Before he could regroup she spun around and kicked him with all her might square in the chest, sending him sprawling backwards onto the floor, his head slamming onto the rock-hard surface and knocking him out.
“Good shot Mom.”
“Ten thousand dollars in kick-box lessons finally pay off,” she said running back to them.
“Liz, help us up, we’ve got to get these bonds off before he comes to. We’ll have to use the granolith,” said Max.
“How?” Liz asked as she pulled each of them up on their feet and they made their way toward the light-filled chamber.
“We’ll connect and use its power to melt the bonds.”
As they entered the room Max Jr. gasped. “What is this thing anyway?” he said as he gazed at the huge pulsing light-filled tunnel.
“It’s a transport device that galvanizes the power of light to work. And we’re going to use that power now. Come here,” his father said to both of them. The three of them stood next to the machine as he continued to issue instructions. “Max, face your back to mine and intertwine your fingers with mine. Good. Liz, put one hand on top of our joined hands and touch the granolith with the other. We’re going to concentrate to channel the energy to break these ties. Ready?”
Liz and her son looked at each other and nodded. She reached her arm toward the light and she could feel the energy pulling her toward the glass. As her hand made contact a loud humming could be heard, and the three of them felt the intense surge of energy pass through them. Suddenly the clamps around their wrists began to glow and then dissipated into thin air.
As soon as their hands were free Liz threw her arms around her son, and looking over his shoulder said to his father “please get us out of here now.”
From the far side of the room a snarling voice was heard. “Not so fast bitch.”
Max shoved Liz and his son behind him as Nicholas stalked his way toward them.
They turned to find a fuming Nicholas in the opening. “What is that saying Zan? Oh yeah- the family that plays together dies together.” With a poisonous look on his face he seethed, “you’re going down first Zan.”
As the words left his lips the granolith began to hum again. They all jerked back away from it as bright colored lights swarmed around the room and the air crackled with electricity. Suddenly a form began to take shape inside.
Liz was the first to speak.
“Isabel.”
Max hid the rental car behind an overgrowth of bramble bushes. He grabbed Liz’s hand and they began to silently climb the rock formation from the far side of the entrance to avoid detection. He stopped them when they came near it and crouched down behind a large boulder. Liz remained quiet as he surveyed the scene, but finally couldn’t contain her anxiety and said “so what’s the plan?”
“Um, well…” Max trailed off; truth was he didn’t know what the next move should be yet. Liz’s eyes grew large as she said “please tell me you have a plan, Max.”
“The plan is to get the three of us out of here alive. It’s the details that are a little fuzzy.”
Liz couldn’t contain her anger. “A little fuzzy?” she hissed. “You’re a freaking warrior King, isn’t this your forte?”
“Liz give me a minute here. Do you realize how hard it’s going to be to get in there? This is going to take a lot of thought.” That was only half the truth though; the other half was that he had to figure out how he was going to get her to remain outside. He did not want her in the middle of a showdown between he and Nicholas.
“Damn it,” Liz exclaimed.
“Liz give me a minute-“
“No, damn it, I have to pee. I’m going to go back behind that rock” she was pointing to a large one perched on the side of the formation behind them, “and when I get back I want to hear the plan.” She shot him a determined look before disappearing behind the rocks.
Max watched her leave, and seizing the opportunity to get inside without her he silently made his way to the hidden entrance. He paused momentarily knowing she would be furious with him for leaving her behind to worry about what was happening inside. He shook his head to banish the thoughts from his mind and reached out his hand and placed it on the rock. After a moment it began to glow and the hidden door slid open. Plastering his body to the outside wall he paused again. Once he was sure Nicholas wasn’t near the opening waiting to ambush him he silently slid inside and began to slowly make his way into the interior of the cave. Deep in concentration as he was, he failed to see a very pissed off looking Liz slip through the opening just before the door slid shut. She followed him inside, hanging back enough so as not to be seen. Spotting a small space in a large rock pile just before the entrance to the chamber room, she quickly hid herself, deciding it might be better to be an observer initially.
Max’s eyes darted around the chamber room in panic when he didn’t immediately see his son. Suddenly a voice as annoying as nails scraping along a chalkboard rang out.
“So good of you to come King Zan, and so quickly too. I wasn’t expecting you just yet.”
Jerking around to face him he replied “cut the crap Nicholas, where is my son.”
At the sound of his fathers voice Max called out from behind Nicholas “Dad!”
Elated at the sound of that simple word, he turned to see Max sitting on the floor with his hands bound behind his back. Relief flooded over him that not only was he alive, but he appeared to be unhurt. Father and son stared at each other a minute before Nicholas sarcastically said “oh, isn’t this a beautiful Kodak moment. Long lost Daddy meets boy king-not-to-be.”
Quickly connecting to his son he said // I’m going to need your help here Max. //
Max tensed up. // I’ll try, but I don’t have control over my powers like you do.
It’s OK. I’m going to distract him- keep him talking. I need you to concentrate on moving a rock and knocking him out with it. Can you do that?
I’ll try. //
Looking at Nicholas he growled out “let my son go now.”
Nicholas snorted. “Do you really think that I’d come all this way to kill you so I could take the throne and leave your heir alive? No, I’m going to kill you both and take your bodies back to Antar to show your beloved sister. Then I’m going to kill her and her wretched family. And her little dog, too.”
“I think you’ve gotten way ahead of yourself Nicholas. You’ll have to catch me first.”
As he finished his sentence, a rock rolled off a ledge above him and knocked him unconscious.
Nicholas’ thin lips disappeared as he smirked. “Oh yeah, that was REAL hard.”
Tucked in her hiding spot, Liz buried her head in her hands. Could this possibly get any worse? She peeked through a crack in the rock pile and watched as Nicholas dragged his limp body over toward her son. He bound his hands and left him lying next to a very stunned and scared looking Max Jr.
Think Liz, think! She knew that she and her son were no match against Nicholas’ superior powers. They needed the now unconscious Max awake or none of them would survive, and as quickly as possible. And there was only one way that was going to happen.
Liz connected in to her son. // Max, it’s me- stay calm. I’m inside the cave with you. I can see you now.
MOM! Where are you?
See the big pile of rocks on the left at the beginning of the corridor? I’m hiding in a pocket in the middle of them.
Mom I’m so sorry, this is all my fault. He asked me to throw a rock at Nicholas & I hit him instead.
It’s OK Max; we’re going to get out of this. Listen to me. You’re going to have to heal your father.
How Mom, I have to touch him, both our hands are tied, and Nicholas is right in front of us.
We’re going to have to create a diversion to get him out of the way for a minute. Do you remember when you were little how you used to freak out Maria by making noises come from rooms that were empty? That’s what you’re going to do. See the light coming through the hole in the wall across the room? Project some loud noises from there; as soon as he heads in there maneuver yourself over toward your father and touch him wherever you can. I’ll come out and help you, but you’re going to have to be fast. OK baby?
I can do that Mom. Just please be careful.
Do it now Max. Time is short. //
Max easily projected a loud banging noise from inside the granolith chamber; and as Liz predicted Nicholas immediately moved to check it out. As soon as his back was turned Max began to squirm toward his father and moved in close enough that he was able to reach out his fingers and touch his leg. At the same time Liz silently made her way out from behind the rock pile and over to her son. Upon reaching him she joined her hands to his to increase his power. The sleeping Max began to stir, and his eyes flew open at the sound of Liz quietly calling his name.
“Liz! How the hell did you get in here?”
“Later Max, we have to get out of here first,” she said as she tried unsuccessfully to undo the bonds that tied their hands. “Shit, I can’t get these things loose.”
“Nor will you be able to my dear.” Three heads shot up to see Nicholas coming back from the granolith chamber. “You didn’t think I’d use some inferior material from earth to hold a king, do you?” He sauntered toward them slowly as he took in Liz’s arrival. “The pretty brunette from Junior’s mind is here. How nice. Another person to kill.” His eyes narrowed as he studied her. “Well let’s see; since you’re too old to be his girlfriend, I’ll guess you’re his mother. Which means you slept with King Idiot here. So Zan, she’s the reason you never took any women on Antar? All this time I thought you were gay; turns out you had a whore here all along. She’s quite a looker; no wonder you wanted to come back to this hellhole. Maybe I’ll have to try her out myself.”
Both Max’s exploded in anger, yelling out obscenities at him as they struggled in vain to stand.
Nicholas’ hollow laughter filled the cavern. “God you’re both pathetic. And over an earth-woman.” He raised his hand and pointed at father and son. “And I am tired of you both. Time to say bye-bye.”
As he began to send a thunderous bolt of energy hurling toward them, Liz sprang at him from the side with a jumping scissor kick to his arm, sending the murderous ray bouncing harmlessly off the walls. Before he could regroup she spun around and kicked him with all her might square in the chest, sending him sprawling backwards onto the floor, his head slamming onto the rock-hard surface and knocking him out.
“Good shot Mom.”
“Ten thousand dollars in kick-box lessons finally pay off,” she said running back to them.
“Liz, help us up, we’ve got to get these bonds off before he comes to. We’ll have to use the granolith,” said Max.
“How?” Liz asked as she pulled each of them up on their feet and they made their way toward the light-filled chamber.
“We’ll connect and use its power to melt the bonds.”
As they entered the room Max Jr. gasped. “What is this thing anyway?” he said as he gazed at the huge pulsing light-filled tunnel.
“It’s a transport device that galvanizes the power of light to work. And we’re going to use that power now. Come here,” his father said to both of them. The three of them stood next to the machine as he continued to issue instructions. “Max, face your back to mine and intertwine your fingers with mine. Good. Liz, put one hand on top of our joined hands and touch the granolith with the other. We’re going to concentrate to channel the energy to break these ties. Ready?”
Liz and her son looked at each other and nodded. She reached her arm toward the light and she could feel the energy pulling her toward the glass. As her hand made contact a loud humming could be heard, and the three of them felt the intense surge of energy pass through them. Suddenly the clamps around their wrists began to glow and then dissipated into thin air.
As soon as their hands were free Liz threw her arms around her son, and looking over his shoulder said to his father “please get us out of here now.”
From the far side of the room a snarling voice was heard. “Not so fast bitch.”
Max shoved Liz and his son behind him as Nicholas stalked his way toward them.
They turned to find a fuming Nicholas in the opening. “What is that saying Zan? Oh yeah- the family that plays together dies together.” With a poisonous look on his face he seethed, “you’re going down first Zan.”
As the words left his lips the granolith began to hum again. They all jerked back away from it as bright colored lights swarmed around the room and the air crackled with electricity. Suddenly a form began to take shape inside.
Liz was the first to speak.
“Isabel.”
CHAPTER 20
The brilliant light emanating from the granolith was nearly blinding but the person inside was clearly visible. Clad in an ornate robe that obviously denoted royal status, hair impeccably done and decorated with jeweled clasps, each finger displaying a different precious gemstone, it was Isabel in all her glory. As she spotted Nicholas her face tightened and her eyes blazed fire. Liz thought briefly that she looked to be the epitome of the title ‘Warrior Princess’.
Isabel continued to stare at Nicholas and didn’t notice Max, Liz and Max Jr. who were behind her back, so she was startled when Max’s voice echoed through the chamber. “Isabel stay put. Nicholas can’t touch you as long as you’re in the granolith. He’s threatening to kill all of us in order to take the throne.”
She seemed to be floating on air as she turned, and upon seeing her brother her face broke out in a relieved smile. “Thank God Max I was so worried…” Her words trailed off and her smile grew wide when she saw Liz behind him. “Oh Liz.” Her excited words abruptly ended when she saw the young man standing behind Liz. There was no mistaking who he could be; he was the spitting image of her brother with Liz’s sleek brown hair and huge chocolate eyes. “You have a son?”
“Vilandra.” Nicholas’ thin, acrid voice prevented any answer to her question. “So you didn’t know about the Prince either. Seems your brother the King kept a few things from all of us, hmm?” He took a few steps toward the granolith as he continued. “So, baby sister came to defend her brother the King of Nothing from little ‘ol me. I’m honored, your highness, that you view me as so important that you would travel all this way.”
“Don’t be honored Nicholas,” Isabel spat out. “I came to warn him about your escape.” She turned and said, “I’m sorry Max, I came as soon as I could.”
“Don’t be sorry Iz, it’s not your fault.”
“He’s right Vilandra, it’s not your fault. It’s his.” Nicholas glared at Max as he continued. “He should have had me executed, but his bleeding liberal heart wouldn’t allow capital punishment. It is among the many bad decisions you’ve made Zan. Always concerned with fairness, equality, peace- your conscience is your greatest weakness Zan. You were too weak to kill me because you’d have a guilty conscience. ‘Murder is never justified. Not even as a punishment for committing murder’. Do you remember uttering those words at my sentencing? Ironic now, really, as they served to seal your own fate. Because I won’t make the same mistake you did Zan. I don’t have a conscience.”
Max quickly connected to Liz, his son and Isabel. // Iz, if I get hit blind him with a light beam. Liz, Max, when she does that RUN for the cave entrance. Max can open the door Liz, just show him where to lay his hand. Iz will detain him here as long as possible. Get as far away from here as possible but don’t go back to Roswell or New Jersey; he will look for you there first. He will come back here though, to go back to Antar. Iz when you get back assemble the Council and have the troops stationed at the granolith to intercept him when he returns.” //
Then in a clear steely voice he said, “I won’t make that mistake again Nicholas.”
Nicholas sneered as Max began to raise his arm against him. “You don’t have the balls Zan.”
“The one who isn’t going to have balls is you, you twisted excuse for a mortal.”
Isabel’s voice boomed around the chamber. “Max, wait.”
“I have to Iz. I won’t allow him to remain a threat to everyone I love.”
“No Max; I meant I agree. I don’t want you to bear this alone.” Isabel raised her hand and laid it on the glass. It began to shimmer as she said, “take my hand Max. Let me help you.”
He looked up into his sister’s eyes and saw the love and trust he hoped was reflected in his own. As he reached for her hand Liz brought her own up and laid it over his. With tear filled eyes she said, “you’re not alone anymore Max. Never again.”
Her son stood in awe as the scene played out before him. His father was a good man, a fair ruler- Nicholas’ words had confirmed what his mother had told him. The appearance of his Aunt and her desire to shoulder her brother’s burden, as well as his mother’s display of her love and commitment to him moved him deeply. He reached out his hand and covered both Liz’s and his fathers. They looked at him with wide eyes as he said with a slight smirk on his face, “may the force be with you.”
His father moved their three joined hands into the shimmering liquid that had replaced the glass where Isabel’s hand lay. When he felt her grasp their hands he raised his free arm up and pointed directly at Nicholas’ face. In a stately voice he pronounced “as Sovereign Monarch of the planet Antar, I hereby condemn you to death for your treasonous crimes.” As the conjoined hands began to glow he added, “enjoy hell, Nicholas.”
The power that burst forth from Max’s outstretched hand was so immense it threw Nicholas across the chamber into the cave wall. It only took a short time before his body was completely incinerated and only a pile of ash remained as a testament to his presence.
The deafening silence was broken by Max Jr.’s shocked “oh my God.” Liz turned an upon seeing her sons pallid complexion and shaking body, she threw her arms around him and said, “it’s all right baby. It’s going to be all right now.”
The entire granolith began to shimmer as Isabel passed through it and materialized before them. Throwing her arms around her brother’s neck she sobbed “oh Max, I came as soon as I found out he’d escaped. I was so afraid he’d have found you and…and…”
Max rubbed her back as he said “it’s OK Iz, it’s over. He’s never going to hurt anyone again.”
As she calmed down she pulled away from him and turned. “Liz,” she said as she reached out. The two old friends embraced and sobbed together. “Liz it’s so good to see you. I’m so glad Max found you.” Stepping back she cocked her head toward her brother. Smiling she said, “he’s been a real grouch for the past 18 years, you know. I think it may have had something to do with you.” She then looked past Liz to the young man staring at her. “Hi. I’m your Aunt Isabel.”
“I’m Max,” he said, holding out his hand to shake hers.
“Oh come on, we just eradicated a notorious enemy of Antar together and all I get is a handshake?” she said as she pulled him into a hug. Running her eyes over him she said “my God, you are a perfect combination of the two of them.” Her eyes began to tear as she ran her hands over his hair. “I have a nephew.”
“He’s a good boy, Iz,” his father said. “Actually he reminds me of your son Marcus. Except he doesn’t have your temper,” he added with a laugh.
“A temper that has served me will dealing with you, brother dear. I hope you’re happy now that you’ve found your Queen again.”
“Ecstatic,” he said as he gazed lovingly at Liz.
“So you two are together again?”
“For as long as she’ll have me,” he replied, not moving his gaze.
“For forever, Max,” Liz whispered.
“So, where will you live?” interrupted Isabel.
“We live in New Jersey, Aunt Isabel,” said Max.
Isabel smiled at his calling her ‘Aunt’. “I meant on Earth or on Antar, honey.”
“Oh.”
It was silent for a moment before Max took Liz’s hand. “I don’t care where I am Liz, as long as I’m with you. It’s your call.”
Liz stared down at the ground before taking a deep breath. “Our lives are here, Max.” Taking her sons hand in hers, she saw him nod in silent agreement. “This is the only thing I’ll ever ask of you. I want to stay here.”
“Then so do I,” he said beaming at her.
“Well, I hate to bring this up Max,” said Isabel. “Nicholas was the worst of our enemies but he wasn’t the only one. Eventually one or more will come here to look for you.”
Max sighed deeply. He knew she was right; at some point an enemy of the throne was bound to come searching for him. If it were just him he had to worry about it would not be of any concern. But it was not just him now. “Then I have to make sure there is no way for them to get here.”
Isabel looked confused for a moment. “The only way you could do that would be to…oh Max, no. You’d never be able to come home.”
“I am home Iz. Anywhere they are is home to me,” Max said.
“Now I’m confused,” Liz said; “what are you guys talking about?”
Max looked at her and then at their son. “The only way to ensure that no one else comes here is to destroy the granolith.”
His son looked up at the massive machine and then back to Isabel and Max. “So you would never be able to go there again,” he said pointing at Max, “and you two would never see each other again?”
“That, and you would never be able to go to Antar, Max,” his father said to him. “You would never meet your cousins, or see where I come from”
“How do you feel about that Max?” Liz asked her son. “We are talking about a hugely important part of your heritage here.”
Max didn’t miss a beat. “The only thing I care about is that you’re OK Mom. Yeah, I’d like to know my family, but if destroying it means no one like him will ever come here and find us, then I’m fine with that. Besides, this isn’t my decision to make.”
Isabel laid her hand on her brother’s shoulder. “Is that what you really want Max?”
He placed both his hands on her shoulders and choked up at the emotion he saw raging in her large blue eyes. “Iz, I don’t have a choice. I wouldn’t survive if something happened to them because of me. This is the only way.”
“Oh Max,” she sobbed as she threw her arms around him. They held each other tightly as they both cried. Isabel pulled away first. “I love you so much Max. You have been the best brother I could ever have hoped for. And a great Uncle. And a fantastic King. I will miss you more than I can ever express in words.”
Her words caused tears to flow from all four of them.
As he took her face in his hands he croaked out, “I love you Isabel. There has not been a moment in my life that I haven’t known that you were the most amazing sister in the universe. You have been my strength for the past 18 years. Without you to keep me sane I would have never made it, Iz. Thank you. For everything.” He paused a moment and then smiled at her. “You are going to make a great Queen.”
“What?”
“You heard me. Queen Isabel, Empress of Antar. Has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”
“No Max, no, I couldn’t.”
“Yes you can. You will. Our people need- deserve- a strong ruler. There is no one I trust more than you Isabel. I know you will be fair and compassionate. You have the experience; you’ve been by my side the whole time. And you couldn’t have a better advisor by your side than your husband. Our people will be lucky to have you and Damon as their leaders. Come here. Kneel down.”
Isabel slowly sank to her knees, then raised her head to meet his gaze.
“Vilandra, Princess of Antar, I hereby bequeath upon you the title of Queen, Supreme Majesty, Ruler of all inhabitants of the planet Antar. May God grant you the wisdom, the heart, and the strength you will need to rule justly, compassionately, and courageously.” He laid his hands on her head and they began to glow. “There. I’ve transferred my seal to you. It’s how they’ll know you’re their Queen now.” He pulled her to her feet as tears continued to stream down all of their faces. “Please tell my niece and nephews I love them. And know that you will be forever in my heart and prayers, my dear sister Isabel.” They embraced for a long while, then Isabel turned to Liz.
“Liz, I hope you know how lucky you are. Please take care of him for me.”
“I do, and I will Isabel. Good luck to you. I will never forget you.” They cried some more as they hugged each other. Isabel then turned to her nephew.
“Well, I’m really sorry that we’re not going to get to know each other. And that my kids aren’t going to meet you. Good luck to you Max. I wish you a bright, happy future.”
As they embraced Max said “and good luck to you, Aunt Isabel. I’ll pray for you.”
“Thank you Max. I’ll pray for you too. That way we’ll remain in contact, in a way.”
Isabel turned back to her brother. “So now for a technical question. How are we going to do this? Destroy it, I mean.”
“Well, you’ll have to do it from your end. The seal I conveyed to you has the code embedded in it to activate the implosion process. Lay your hand on the scanner and say ‘activate destruction sequence.’ The scanner will take care of the rest. The granolith will, well, it will be like being sucked into a black hole. It will disappear.”
“Then I guess this is it then, isn’t it. God Max, I’m going to miss you so much.”
“Me too Iz. I love you.”
She kissed him on both cheeks and hugged him one last time. “I love you Max. Have a good life. All of you.”
She turned and moved through the shimmering walls of the machine. After she entered, the glass reappeared and the light once again became brilliant inside the chamber. She looked upon them all for a final time. “I love you all. May God bring us together again in the next life.” With a final wave her form began to fade until the tunnel was empty once again.
Liz placed her arm on Max’s shoulder. “Are you OK?”
He pulled her into his arms. “As long as I have you I’m OK.” He looked over at his son. “Hi. I guess we have a lot to talk about, huh.”
Max gave him a half-grin as he replied “Yeah. But do you mind if we get out of here first?”
“Good idea. Let’s go.” He led them out of the cave into the bright New Mexican sunshine.
“So what do we do now?” his son asked.
Standing between them, Liz took each of them by the hand.
“We go home.”
The brilliant light emanating from the granolith was nearly blinding but the person inside was clearly visible. Clad in an ornate robe that obviously denoted royal status, hair impeccably done and decorated with jeweled clasps, each finger displaying a different precious gemstone, it was Isabel in all her glory. As she spotted Nicholas her face tightened and her eyes blazed fire. Liz thought briefly that she looked to be the epitome of the title ‘Warrior Princess’.
Isabel continued to stare at Nicholas and didn’t notice Max, Liz and Max Jr. who were behind her back, so she was startled when Max’s voice echoed through the chamber. “Isabel stay put. Nicholas can’t touch you as long as you’re in the granolith. He’s threatening to kill all of us in order to take the throne.”
She seemed to be floating on air as she turned, and upon seeing her brother her face broke out in a relieved smile. “Thank God Max I was so worried…” Her words trailed off and her smile grew wide when she saw Liz behind him. “Oh Liz.” Her excited words abruptly ended when she saw the young man standing behind Liz. There was no mistaking who he could be; he was the spitting image of her brother with Liz’s sleek brown hair and huge chocolate eyes. “You have a son?”
“Vilandra.” Nicholas’ thin, acrid voice prevented any answer to her question. “So you didn’t know about the Prince either. Seems your brother the King kept a few things from all of us, hmm?” He took a few steps toward the granolith as he continued. “So, baby sister came to defend her brother the King of Nothing from little ‘ol me. I’m honored, your highness, that you view me as so important that you would travel all this way.”
“Don’t be honored Nicholas,” Isabel spat out. “I came to warn him about your escape.” She turned and said, “I’m sorry Max, I came as soon as I could.”
“Don’t be sorry Iz, it’s not your fault.”
“He’s right Vilandra, it’s not your fault. It’s his.” Nicholas glared at Max as he continued. “He should have had me executed, but his bleeding liberal heart wouldn’t allow capital punishment. It is among the many bad decisions you’ve made Zan. Always concerned with fairness, equality, peace- your conscience is your greatest weakness Zan. You were too weak to kill me because you’d have a guilty conscience. ‘Murder is never justified. Not even as a punishment for committing murder’. Do you remember uttering those words at my sentencing? Ironic now, really, as they served to seal your own fate. Because I won’t make the same mistake you did Zan. I don’t have a conscience.”
Max quickly connected to Liz, his son and Isabel. // Iz, if I get hit blind him with a light beam. Liz, Max, when she does that RUN for the cave entrance. Max can open the door Liz, just show him where to lay his hand. Iz will detain him here as long as possible. Get as far away from here as possible but don’t go back to Roswell or New Jersey; he will look for you there first. He will come back here though, to go back to Antar. Iz when you get back assemble the Council and have the troops stationed at the granolith to intercept him when he returns.” //
Then in a clear steely voice he said, “I won’t make that mistake again Nicholas.”
Nicholas sneered as Max began to raise his arm against him. “You don’t have the balls Zan.”
“The one who isn’t going to have balls is you, you twisted excuse for a mortal.”
Isabel’s voice boomed around the chamber. “Max, wait.”
“I have to Iz. I won’t allow him to remain a threat to everyone I love.”
“No Max; I meant I agree. I don’t want you to bear this alone.” Isabel raised her hand and laid it on the glass. It began to shimmer as she said, “take my hand Max. Let me help you.”
He looked up into his sister’s eyes and saw the love and trust he hoped was reflected in his own. As he reached for her hand Liz brought her own up and laid it over his. With tear filled eyes she said, “you’re not alone anymore Max. Never again.”
Her son stood in awe as the scene played out before him. His father was a good man, a fair ruler- Nicholas’ words had confirmed what his mother had told him. The appearance of his Aunt and her desire to shoulder her brother’s burden, as well as his mother’s display of her love and commitment to him moved him deeply. He reached out his hand and covered both Liz’s and his fathers. They looked at him with wide eyes as he said with a slight smirk on his face, “may the force be with you.”
His father moved their three joined hands into the shimmering liquid that had replaced the glass where Isabel’s hand lay. When he felt her grasp their hands he raised his free arm up and pointed directly at Nicholas’ face. In a stately voice he pronounced “as Sovereign Monarch of the planet Antar, I hereby condemn you to death for your treasonous crimes.” As the conjoined hands began to glow he added, “enjoy hell, Nicholas.”
The power that burst forth from Max’s outstretched hand was so immense it threw Nicholas across the chamber into the cave wall. It only took a short time before his body was completely incinerated and only a pile of ash remained as a testament to his presence.
The deafening silence was broken by Max Jr.’s shocked “oh my God.” Liz turned an upon seeing her sons pallid complexion and shaking body, she threw her arms around him and said, “it’s all right baby. It’s going to be all right now.”
The entire granolith began to shimmer as Isabel passed through it and materialized before them. Throwing her arms around her brother’s neck she sobbed “oh Max, I came as soon as I found out he’d escaped. I was so afraid he’d have found you and…and…”
Max rubbed her back as he said “it’s OK Iz, it’s over. He’s never going to hurt anyone again.”
As she calmed down she pulled away from him and turned. “Liz,” she said as she reached out. The two old friends embraced and sobbed together. “Liz it’s so good to see you. I’m so glad Max found you.” Stepping back she cocked her head toward her brother. Smiling she said, “he’s been a real grouch for the past 18 years, you know. I think it may have had something to do with you.” She then looked past Liz to the young man staring at her. “Hi. I’m your Aunt Isabel.”
“I’m Max,” he said, holding out his hand to shake hers.
“Oh come on, we just eradicated a notorious enemy of Antar together and all I get is a handshake?” she said as she pulled him into a hug. Running her eyes over him she said “my God, you are a perfect combination of the two of them.” Her eyes began to tear as she ran her hands over his hair. “I have a nephew.”
“He’s a good boy, Iz,” his father said. “Actually he reminds me of your son Marcus. Except he doesn’t have your temper,” he added with a laugh.
“A temper that has served me will dealing with you, brother dear. I hope you’re happy now that you’ve found your Queen again.”
“Ecstatic,” he said as he gazed lovingly at Liz.
“So you two are together again?”
“For as long as she’ll have me,” he replied, not moving his gaze.
“For forever, Max,” Liz whispered.
“So, where will you live?” interrupted Isabel.
“We live in New Jersey, Aunt Isabel,” said Max.
Isabel smiled at his calling her ‘Aunt’. “I meant on Earth or on Antar, honey.”
“Oh.”
It was silent for a moment before Max took Liz’s hand. “I don’t care where I am Liz, as long as I’m with you. It’s your call.”
Liz stared down at the ground before taking a deep breath. “Our lives are here, Max.” Taking her sons hand in hers, she saw him nod in silent agreement. “This is the only thing I’ll ever ask of you. I want to stay here.”
“Then so do I,” he said beaming at her.
“Well, I hate to bring this up Max,” said Isabel. “Nicholas was the worst of our enemies but he wasn’t the only one. Eventually one or more will come here to look for you.”
Max sighed deeply. He knew she was right; at some point an enemy of the throne was bound to come searching for him. If it were just him he had to worry about it would not be of any concern. But it was not just him now. “Then I have to make sure there is no way for them to get here.”
Isabel looked confused for a moment. “The only way you could do that would be to…oh Max, no. You’d never be able to come home.”
“I am home Iz. Anywhere they are is home to me,” Max said.
“Now I’m confused,” Liz said; “what are you guys talking about?”
Max looked at her and then at their son. “The only way to ensure that no one else comes here is to destroy the granolith.”
His son looked up at the massive machine and then back to Isabel and Max. “So you would never be able to go there again,” he said pointing at Max, “and you two would never see each other again?”
“That, and you would never be able to go to Antar, Max,” his father said to him. “You would never meet your cousins, or see where I come from”
“How do you feel about that Max?” Liz asked her son. “We are talking about a hugely important part of your heritage here.”
Max didn’t miss a beat. “The only thing I care about is that you’re OK Mom. Yeah, I’d like to know my family, but if destroying it means no one like him will ever come here and find us, then I’m fine with that. Besides, this isn’t my decision to make.”
Isabel laid her hand on her brother’s shoulder. “Is that what you really want Max?”
He placed both his hands on her shoulders and choked up at the emotion he saw raging in her large blue eyes. “Iz, I don’t have a choice. I wouldn’t survive if something happened to them because of me. This is the only way.”
“Oh Max,” she sobbed as she threw her arms around him. They held each other tightly as they both cried. Isabel pulled away first. “I love you so much Max. You have been the best brother I could ever have hoped for. And a great Uncle. And a fantastic King. I will miss you more than I can ever express in words.”
Her words caused tears to flow from all four of them.
As he took her face in his hands he croaked out, “I love you Isabel. There has not been a moment in my life that I haven’t known that you were the most amazing sister in the universe. You have been my strength for the past 18 years. Without you to keep me sane I would have never made it, Iz. Thank you. For everything.” He paused a moment and then smiled at her. “You are going to make a great Queen.”
“What?”
“You heard me. Queen Isabel, Empress of Antar. Has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”
“No Max, no, I couldn’t.”
“Yes you can. You will. Our people need- deserve- a strong ruler. There is no one I trust more than you Isabel. I know you will be fair and compassionate. You have the experience; you’ve been by my side the whole time. And you couldn’t have a better advisor by your side than your husband. Our people will be lucky to have you and Damon as their leaders. Come here. Kneel down.”
Isabel slowly sank to her knees, then raised her head to meet his gaze.
“Vilandra, Princess of Antar, I hereby bequeath upon you the title of Queen, Supreme Majesty, Ruler of all inhabitants of the planet Antar. May God grant you the wisdom, the heart, and the strength you will need to rule justly, compassionately, and courageously.” He laid his hands on her head and they began to glow. “There. I’ve transferred my seal to you. It’s how they’ll know you’re their Queen now.” He pulled her to her feet as tears continued to stream down all of their faces. “Please tell my niece and nephews I love them. And know that you will be forever in my heart and prayers, my dear sister Isabel.” They embraced for a long while, then Isabel turned to Liz.
“Liz, I hope you know how lucky you are. Please take care of him for me.”
“I do, and I will Isabel. Good luck to you. I will never forget you.” They cried some more as they hugged each other. Isabel then turned to her nephew.
“Well, I’m really sorry that we’re not going to get to know each other. And that my kids aren’t going to meet you. Good luck to you Max. I wish you a bright, happy future.”
As they embraced Max said “and good luck to you, Aunt Isabel. I’ll pray for you.”
“Thank you Max. I’ll pray for you too. That way we’ll remain in contact, in a way.”
Isabel turned back to her brother. “So now for a technical question. How are we going to do this? Destroy it, I mean.”
“Well, you’ll have to do it from your end. The seal I conveyed to you has the code embedded in it to activate the implosion process. Lay your hand on the scanner and say ‘activate destruction sequence.’ The scanner will take care of the rest. The granolith will, well, it will be like being sucked into a black hole. It will disappear.”
“Then I guess this is it then, isn’t it. God Max, I’m going to miss you so much.”
“Me too Iz. I love you.”
She kissed him on both cheeks and hugged him one last time. “I love you Max. Have a good life. All of you.”
She turned and moved through the shimmering walls of the machine. After she entered, the glass reappeared and the light once again became brilliant inside the chamber. She looked upon them all for a final time. “I love you all. May God bring us together again in the next life.” With a final wave her form began to fade until the tunnel was empty once again.
Liz placed her arm on Max’s shoulder. “Are you OK?”
He pulled her into his arms. “As long as I have you I’m OK.” He looked over at his son. “Hi. I guess we have a lot to talk about, huh.”
Max gave him a half-grin as he replied “Yeah. But do you mind if we get out of here first?”
“Good idea. Let’s go.” He led them out of the cave into the bright New Mexican sunshine.
“So what do we do now?” his son asked.
Standing between them, Liz took each of them by the hand.
“We go home.”