Chapter 31
As sunlight poured into her bedroom, Liz yawned and stretched out a bit on her bed. When she looked at the warm body beside her, a bittersweet smile suddenly appeared on her face.
She looked at the small bundle curled up next to her, one hand near the person’s mouth and the other clutching on to her shirt. Even in sleep, Zan had not let go of her.
She stared at her sleeping child and brushed away the soft wisps of hair on her forehead. She placed a tender kiss on her daughter’s head and gently pried her small fist open.
Once she was able to get up, Liz tucked her daughter back in. She picked up a scrunchie and tied her chocolate tresses high on top of her head. She gave one last look at Zan before stepping out of the room.
As Liz silently walked towards the kitchen, mulling over last night’s event, she was surprised to see Maria already awake and preparing breakfast.
“Hey, you’re up early.” Liz spoke.
Because Maria wasn’t expecting anyone up at 6am on a Saturday, she dropped the metal bowl creating a loud clang on the floor.
“Sshhh. Zan’s still asleep.” Liz hushed her friend and she quickly went to her side.
“Dammit Liz.” Maria said in a loud whisper. “Don’t ever scare me like that.”
“Maria, it’s 6am. What are YOU doing up?” Liz said in the same manner.
“Well, after that tiring day yesterday, I thought you and Zan would feel a lot better to wake up and have breakfast ready as soon as you come out of that room.”
“Oh gosh, I’m sorry Maria. I didn’t mean to leave you out here by yourself. It’s just that Zan—” Liz began apologizing.
“Say no more, Chika. Zan is the most important little person in here. And after what happened…”
“Yeah.”
Maria noticed that Liz was back in her sullen mood.
“Hey, now that you’re up, maybe you’ll be willing to do this and I can go back to my beauty sleep.”
“What? No way, you said you wanted to do this for us.”
“Well, yeah, but you’re awake anyway so what’s the point of trying to surprise you?” Maria grinned.
“Thanks for being here, Maria. I don’t know where I’d be if you weren’t here with me.”
“Hey, enough of that. We chikas got to stick together.”
“So what were you thinking of making?” Liz looked at the eggs, milk, hotcake mix, and fruits lined up on the counter.
“Waffles.” Maria said with her perfectly shaped eyebrows wiggling up and down.
Liz had to laugh at that. Maria sure did love her waffles. She could eat two in one sitting if she wanted to. “I should’ve known.”
“Hey, you know they’re my fave especially if we’ve got fresh strawberries,” Maria swished her arms to show Liz the fruits one after the other as if she was modeling them. “And blueberries and raspberries to go with them.”
Liz giggled, “Only you can cheer me up despite everything.”
“That’s what I’m here for suga’. But now that you’ve brought up the topic, how are you holding up? Honestly.”
“I’m still a bit confused and overwhelmed by it all. But…I’m also thinking about Zan. She’s my priority, right?”
Maria nodded.
“Then I should set aside this rift between Max and I and Cal and I and just focus on what Zan needs. And…I think Cal is right. I think we do need protection.”
“Wait, you’re gonna give in?”
“No, that’s not what I meant. Well, yeah, maybe. But only with the protection aspect. I can’t deny that there have been some strange things that had happened to us so what could it hurt right? It’s better to be safe than sorry. Isn’t that an old proverb or something?” Liz rambled.
“Yup.” Maria said with an amused smirk.
“Don’t look at me like that.” Liz replied with a smile.
“Well, at least there’ll be one guy that’s gonna be happy.” Maria spoke in a sing-song voice.
“Who?”
“Oh stop it, you know who.”
“No, who? Cal?”
“Eww, Liz. Max, of course, who else.”
“Oh.”
“Oh? What does ‘oh’ mean?”
“Nothing, there’s still just a lot of stuff that I have to settle with him.”
“Yeah. But at least you’re taking baby steps. It’s gonna be slow but at least you’re getting somewhere.”
“Yeah, I better go call Cal.” Liz went to the phone.
“Langley.”
“Cal, it’s Liz.”
“Lizzie, what’s wrong? Are you ok? How’s Zan?” Cal started to panic.
“We’re fine, Cal. I just thought a lot about what you said. And I do think we would need some bodyguards. I don’t know what we’re dealing with here and I am not risking Zan’s safety.”
“Or yours, Liz.”
“I’m not worried about me, Cal. Zan is the one important here.”
“You don’t get it, Liz. If someone does try to take Zan, they’re going to need you to control her.”
“What? Oh god, Cal, what more are you hiding from me?”
“No, Liz. I’m not hiding anything. It’s just simple common sense. No one will be able to make Zan do anything unless you’re there. She’ll be too frightened to move. The logical tactic would be to take you too.” Cal mentioned that last part softly.
Liz took a deep breath, “I see. Look, I don’t even want to think about this. I’m just worried for Zan. Just drop by with whoever you think would be best for the job. I’ll take care of paying their salaries. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep Zan safe.”
“You wouldn’t have to pay them, Liz. They’ll be honored to serve their Queen and the Princess.”
“I’m not—”
“Yes you are, Liz. You can’t fight this anymore. And I don’t want you caught unaware if something bad does happen. I’ll be there shortly, alright?”
“Yeah. And Cal…thanks.”
“Anything for you, Lizzie.” Cal bid his goodbye then hung up.
“So?” Maria asked as she was pouring some batter onto the waffle iron.
“Expect some company in a while. Cal will be bringing in his reinforcements.”
“Oooh, I hope they’re hot.”
Liz laughed at that. “Only you, Maria. Only—”
Maria quickly noticed how Liz stopped in mid sentence and stood still, like she was trying to hear something.
“Zan.” Liz said then took off running back into her room.
“What?” Maria was confused and decided to follow her friend.
Zan woke up and rolled over to where her mommy was. But when she tried to clutch on to her, there was nothing but air. She opened her eyes and looked around. Her mommy was gone. She left her all by herself.
“Mommy?” Zan called softly.
Tears immediately formed in her eyes. She was all alone.
“Mommy?” she called slightly louder. Her tears began to spill over.
She sat up and looked around the room. “Mommy.”
The door suddenly burst open and Liz came running in. She quickly scooped Zan up in her arms and started bouncing her gently.
Zan quickly stood up when her mother came in and locked her arms around her mommy’s neck as she was picked up off her feet.
“Hey, sweetheart, what’s wrong?” Liz started brushing Zan’s hair away.
Zan started playing with Liz’s shirt. “You were gone.”
“Aww, baby, I was only in the kitchen with Aunt Maria.”
“Hey, Zan. Wanna help me make breakfast? We’re making waffles.”
Zan looked at her aunt and nodded.
“Alrighty then, let’s go.” Maria said cheerfully.
With Zan in her arms, Liz followed Maria into the kitchen. But as they reached the living room, they saw Max’s SUV pulling up in the driveway with a screeching halt.
Summer Light (AU,M/L,MATURE) COMPLETE
Moderators: Anniepoo98, Rowedog, ISLANDGIRL5, Itzstacie, truelovepooh, FSU/MSW-94, Hunter, Island Breeze, Forum Moderators
A/N: Hi everyone. Thank you for all your awesome feedback. And Bonnie, no worries, I like reading your FB especially if you get carried away, lol.
Enjoy the next part.
~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 32
“Now what the he—eck are they doing here?!” Maria rushed to the front door but not before glancing at Liz due to her almost verbal mistake.
She opened the door suddenly and came face to face with Max Evans and his big ape of a friend, Michael.
“What are you two doing here?” Maria questioned with a raised eyebrow and both hands on her hips.
“Um, well, uh…is Liz here?” Max stammered.
“Of course she’s here. This is her house, isn’t it?”
“Well, uh, could I talk to her?”
“What’s the magic word?” Maria said in a sing-song voice.
“Maria!” Liz came into the room still carrying Zan.
Upon seeing Max and Michael, Zan quickly tightened her grip around her mother and turned her face towards her mother’s neck.
When Liz felt Zan’s reaction, she rubbed her baby’s back to calm her. “It’ll be ok.”
“I guess you should come in then.” Maria ushered them inside.
“What are you doing here, Max?” Liz asked once both he and Michael were in the middle of the room.
“Um, Cal called me up to uh…”
“He told you that I agreed with him assigning bodyguards to us didn’t he?”
“Yeah.”
Liz gave him a slight nod. She could feel Zan getting tenser and she followed her baby’s line of vision. It was directed at Michael.
“Zan, you wanna go with Aunt Maria and finish making breakfast?”
Zan shook her head no and laid her head on her mommy’s shoulder.
Maria’s eyes widened as she remembered, “Oh no, the waffle!” She ran into the kitchen and saw her first waffle disaster.
The other three adults just looked at each other as they heard Maria wailing.
“O-kay, so…Cal told you. How does it connect with you being here?” Liz asked again.
“Well, I thought Michael could watch over you as well.” Max replied.
Liz looked at Michael. “Thanks but no thanks.”
“What? Why? Liz, Michael is trained at this. He’s supposedly my Second-in-Command. He was the General of the Royal Army.”
“Was?”
“We all died, killed by the one who stole the throne.” Michael informed her. “That’s why we were podded and sent here. We’re what you would call reincarnations, so to speak. Those loyal to our former selves are still hoping that we would all come back someday and restore the rightful ruler and bring peace once more to our planet. But the…alien who killed us is still sitting on the throne and has appointed himself as king, and he will stop at nothing to keep it that way. That’s why we have enemies. And since you’re one of us now and the rightful queen, I’d say you’re now included on his hitlist.”
“Michael!” Max bellowed which made Zan flinch. Zan’s actions didn’t escape Max’s notice and he quickly apologized. “I’m sorry, Zan.”
Liz looked at Max after hearing his gentle tone addressing Zan. She saw how much Max wanted to hold Zan but she was still scared.
“Zan, sweetheart, mommy needs to sit ok?” Liz told her baby.
Zan only nodded. When Liz sat down, she tired to place Zan beside her but she wouldn’t budge. She stayed locked in place on Liz’s lap.
Liz sighed and looked at Max. She silently motioned for him to sit beside her. Max was more than willing to oblige so he sat beside Liz but still a few inches away to give Zan her space.
“Ok, so if you’re the general, what can you do?” Liz asked Michael hesitantly.
“I can blast.”
“Blast?”
“Yeah, like blow things up.”
“Oh.” Liz blinked.
“That’s why I think he would be best candidate to protect you.” Max spoke up.
“You know, I would figure you would be volunteering yourself, not Michael.” Liz commented.
“I want to…but that’s up to you.”
“What can you do?”
“Well, you already know I can heal. Um, I can also raise a shield to protect myself and everyone behind me.”
“Can you…blast like him?”
“Not as strong as he can.”
Liz nodded and thought about all the new information. “As much as I appreciate the offer, I don’t think I could ask Michael to do it.”
“Why not? Liz, I am most fit for the job!”
“Zan is scared to death of you. Is that enough to answer your question?”
Before Michael could think up of a comeback, Liz immediately cradled her daughter’s face. “What’s wrong?” She was sensing Zan’s fear even without Zan uttering a word.
Zan looked at her mother and started to cry. She was so scared.
“Sshhh, baby, it’s ok. I’m here. Nothing bad is going to happen to you.” Liz hugged her close.
“What’s wrong?” Max was on alert.
“She’s so scared.” Liz whispered.
“Zan, it’s ok. Michael and I won’t let anything happen to you.” Max tried to soothe her as well. He scooted closer to Zan and Liz and laid a comforting hand on Zan’s back. When Zan turned to look at him, a connection was instantly made.
*Flash*
Max seeing his baby for the first time.
A newborn Zan looking up into the eyes of her father.
Max asking Cal to put her up for adoption.
Zan seeing Liz and being comforted by her in that hospital room.
Max mourning for the loss of his child.
Zan growing up with Liz.
Max and Zan meeting in the plane.
Max wondering if the girl was Zan.
Zan happily seeing Max again at Dreams.
Max finding out that Zan is his daughter.
Zan finding out that Max is her father.
Max wanting to hold Zan.
Zan being so scared about being taken away from Liz.
Max promising Liz not to take Zan away.
Zan’s dream.
*Flash*
“Max, are you alright?” Liz asked as she saw the strain clearly written on his face.
“What? Oh, uh, yeah, I’m fine.” Max answered haggardly. He timidly looked at Zan and saw her giving him a small smile.
Max smiled back and Liz felt Zan loosening her grip. Then she saw Max and Zan smiling shyly at each other, like it was the first time that they met.
“Hi, sweetie.” Max cautiously touched Zan’s arm.
“Hi.” Zan softly greeted him back.
Liz looked at Max in surprise. “Hey Zan, you’re not scared of Max anymore?”
Zan shook her head from left to right with a smile. Liz slowly placed Zan on the couch in between her and Max.
“Maxwell, what happened?” Michael was looking intently at his friend who now had tears in his eyes.
Max hesitantly faced Michael, not wanting to lose Zan from his sight. “We connected.”
Enjoy the next part.
~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 32
“Now what the he—eck are they doing here?!” Maria rushed to the front door but not before glancing at Liz due to her almost verbal mistake.
She opened the door suddenly and came face to face with Max Evans and his big ape of a friend, Michael.
“What are you two doing here?” Maria questioned with a raised eyebrow and both hands on her hips.
“Um, well, uh…is Liz here?” Max stammered.
“Of course she’s here. This is her house, isn’t it?”
“Well, uh, could I talk to her?”
“What’s the magic word?” Maria said in a sing-song voice.
“Maria!” Liz came into the room still carrying Zan.
Upon seeing Max and Michael, Zan quickly tightened her grip around her mother and turned her face towards her mother’s neck.
When Liz felt Zan’s reaction, she rubbed her baby’s back to calm her. “It’ll be ok.”
“I guess you should come in then.” Maria ushered them inside.
“What are you doing here, Max?” Liz asked once both he and Michael were in the middle of the room.
“Um, Cal called me up to uh…”
“He told you that I agreed with him assigning bodyguards to us didn’t he?”
“Yeah.”
Liz gave him a slight nod. She could feel Zan getting tenser and she followed her baby’s line of vision. It was directed at Michael.
“Zan, you wanna go with Aunt Maria and finish making breakfast?”
Zan shook her head no and laid her head on her mommy’s shoulder.
Maria’s eyes widened as she remembered, “Oh no, the waffle!” She ran into the kitchen and saw her first waffle disaster.
The other three adults just looked at each other as they heard Maria wailing.
“O-kay, so…Cal told you. How does it connect with you being here?” Liz asked again.
“Well, I thought Michael could watch over you as well.” Max replied.
Liz looked at Michael. “Thanks but no thanks.”
“What? Why? Liz, Michael is trained at this. He’s supposedly my Second-in-Command. He was the General of the Royal Army.”
“Was?”
“We all died, killed by the one who stole the throne.” Michael informed her. “That’s why we were podded and sent here. We’re what you would call reincarnations, so to speak. Those loyal to our former selves are still hoping that we would all come back someday and restore the rightful ruler and bring peace once more to our planet. But the…alien who killed us is still sitting on the throne and has appointed himself as king, and he will stop at nothing to keep it that way. That’s why we have enemies. And since you’re one of us now and the rightful queen, I’d say you’re now included on his hitlist.”
“Michael!” Max bellowed which made Zan flinch. Zan’s actions didn’t escape Max’s notice and he quickly apologized. “I’m sorry, Zan.”
Liz looked at Max after hearing his gentle tone addressing Zan. She saw how much Max wanted to hold Zan but she was still scared.
“Zan, sweetheart, mommy needs to sit ok?” Liz told her baby.
Zan only nodded. When Liz sat down, she tired to place Zan beside her but she wouldn’t budge. She stayed locked in place on Liz’s lap.
Liz sighed and looked at Max. She silently motioned for him to sit beside her. Max was more than willing to oblige so he sat beside Liz but still a few inches away to give Zan her space.
“Ok, so if you’re the general, what can you do?” Liz asked Michael hesitantly.
“I can blast.”
“Blast?”
“Yeah, like blow things up.”
“Oh.” Liz blinked.
“That’s why I think he would be best candidate to protect you.” Max spoke up.
“You know, I would figure you would be volunteering yourself, not Michael.” Liz commented.
“I want to…but that’s up to you.”
“What can you do?”
“Well, you already know I can heal. Um, I can also raise a shield to protect myself and everyone behind me.”
“Can you…blast like him?”
“Not as strong as he can.”
Liz nodded and thought about all the new information. “As much as I appreciate the offer, I don’t think I could ask Michael to do it.”
“Why not? Liz, I am most fit for the job!”
“Zan is scared to death of you. Is that enough to answer your question?”
Before Michael could think up of a comeback, Liz immediately cradled her daughter’s face. “What’s wrong?” She was sensing Zan’s fear even without Zan uttering a word.
Zan looked at her mother and started to cry. She was so scared.
“Sshhh, baby, it’s ok. I’m here. Nothing bad is going to happen to you.” Liz hugged her close.
“What’s wrong?” Max was on alert.
“She’s so scared.” Liz whispered.
“Zan, it’s ok. Michael and I won’t let anything happen to you.” Max tried to soothe her as well. He scooted closer to Zan and Liz and laid a comforting hand on Zan’s back. When Zan turned to look at him, a connection was instantly made.
*Flash*
Max seeing his baby for the first time.
A newborn Zan looking up into the eyes of her father.
Max asking Cal to put her up for adoption.
Zan seeing Liz and being comforted by her in that hospital room.
Max mourning for the loss of his child.
Zan growing up with Liz.
Max and Zan meeting in the plane.
Max wondering if the girl was Zan.
Zan happily seeing Max again at Dreams.
Max finding out that Zan is his daughter.
Zan finding out that Max is her father.
Max wanting to hold Zan.
Zan being so scared about being taken away from Liz.
Max promising Liz not to take Zan away.
Zan’s dream.
*Flash*
“Max, are you alright?” Liz asked as she saw the strain clearly written on his face.
“What? Oh, uh, yeah, I’m fine.” Max answered haggardly. He timidly looked at Zan and saw her giving him a small smile.
Max smiled back and Liz felt Zan loosening her grip. Then she saw Max and Zan smiling shyly at each other, like it was the first time that they met.
“Hi, sweetie.” Max cautiously touched Zan’s arm.
“Hi.” Zan softly greeted him back.
Liz looked at Max in surprise. “Hey Zan, you’re not scared of Max anymore?”
Zan shook her head from left to right with a smile. Liz slowly placed Zan on the couch in between her and Max.
“Maxwell, what happened?” Michael was looking intently at his friend who now had tears in his eyes.
Max hesitantly faced Michael, not wanting to lose Zan from his sight. “We connected.”
A/N: I have this weird feeling that I've been neglecting some of you by not answering your questions. If there is anything that looks confusing or you're just plain curious, don't hesitate to send me a PM so I could give you the 411. Hope you'll like the next part.
~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 33
“Ok, breakfast is…ready….What’s going on?” Maria saw everyone locked in a staring match; Max looking at Michael, Liz looking at Max, Zan alternately looking at Max and Liz.
“What do you mean you connected?” Liz asked Max.
“When I touched her and she looked at me,” Max smiled at his daughter. “She and I were able to form a connection that gave us glimpses of our lives, of what we went through apart.”
“Like how I saw your life.” Liz stated more than asked.
“Exactly.”
“So, were you able to see mine? You know, since Cal said we, uh, bonded.”
“I’m not sure. I don’t really remember, Liz.” Max answered somberly.
Liz pursed her lips and had a faraway look in her eyes.
“Liz?” Maria tried to call her friend’s attention.
Liz slowly turned to Maria. “What?”
“Uh, breakfast is ready. I made a few more waffles since we have company.” Maria commented.
“Ok.”
“Liz?” Max looked at her in concern.
“I’m ok, Max.”
“How…?” Max stared at her in shock. How did she know what he was going to ask her? But before Max could continue, Liz stood up and took Zan with her to the dining area.
“Maxwell? What’s going on?” Michael whispered as he moved closer and walked beside his friend.
“A lot, Michael. But I don’t even know where to begin.”
“What about what happened between you and Zan?”
“We connected, that’s all.”
“No, Max, I saw the look you had on when you broke it, you were scared shitless.”
“I’ll tell you later. But we’re going to need Isabel.”
They all ate breakfast with a few questions being thrown here and there. Zan was still wary of Michael but she was starting to go back to being the same little girl Max saw at Dreams.
“Mommy, stwawbewwies?” Zan looked up at Liz.
“Yes, baby. Here you go.” Liz sliced up some strawberries and waffle pieces on Zan’s plate and put some maple syrup on it. Then she noticed Max staring at them.
“What?”
Max quickly shook his head, “Nothing. It’s just…Zan’s plate looks really sweet.”
“Oh, well, she likes them that way. But I do get her teeth checked regularly.”
“She’s fine.” Michael added. “That’s just how we are. We like things really sweet and really spicy. Which reminds me, do you have any Tabasco sauce around?”
“Michael.” Max glared at him.
“Tabasco?” Maria said with a perplexed look.
“Yeah, it’s an alien dietary quirk.”
“Oh.” Maria got a bottle and handed it to him.
“Thanks” Michael doused his waffles with the spicy sauce and shoved a forkful in his mouth.
Maria looked on in disgust but Michael caught her and just gave her a tight smile while chewing his food. Maria rolled her eyes and started to ask Max some more questions.
“Ok, so you said yesterday that Liz is going to get powers too. What would hers be?”
“We don’t know, only Liz can answer that. But I think they’re beginning to manifest themselves.” Max replied.
“What?!” Maria shrieked and Liz quickly covered Zan’s ears while little Zan looked at her aunt.
“Sorry, cutie.” Maria kissed Zan’s cheek as Liz removed her hands. Then Maria brought her focus back to Max. “What do you mean by they’re beginning to manifest themselves? I thought you all didn’t know what Liz’s powers will be.”
“Well yeah but…Just a moment ago, I was wondering how Liz was doing. And she answered it without me saying anything.” Max said. “Has anything else like this happened before, like in the past? Maybe you just haven’t noticed it?”
Liz tried to think up of any weird occurrences and nothing came to mind. Except one.
“Um, there was this time when Zan did something with the water from a garden hose. She wanted to be able to go under the arc the water spray created. So she froze it.”
Michael almost choked on his food. “She froze the water? You mean she turned it to ice?”
“Not ice, but the water was suspended in mid air, the droplets were literally hanging in a perfect arc and Zan started playing and running back and forth underneath it.”
“Did anyone else see?” Michael asked again.
“No, no one did. And that’s what I’m about to tell you. I told Zan to undo it before someone could see but she didn’t know how. And I was praying and hoping it would return to normal. Then suddenly it did.”
“So you think that might be your powers?” Max inquired.
“I don’t know.” Liz answered.
“It could be. But aside from that incident in the living room earlier, is there anything else you can remember?” Max pressed on.
“A while ago in the kitchen, remember Liz?” Maria asked. “We were talking and then you trailed off and went running into your room for Zan.”
“Oh yeah. Well, I don’t know but I just felt Zan calling for me.”
“And she was in another room?” Max asked.
Both Liz and Maria nodded.
“Was the door open? Was there anyway you could have maybe heard her?” Michael inquired.
“Nope.” Maria responded.
Michael looked at Max. “Maybe we could experiment on it.”
“How?” Liz asked them warily.
“Why did she call for you?”
“She was left alone in my bedroom. But she’s used to that. It’s just, recently…with everything going on…”
“Ok. We could probably lock her in the room again.” Michael suggested.
“No!” All the three other adults replied at the same time.
“It was only a suggestion.”
“There has to be some other way.” Max said.
“Why not try it now?” Maria said then turned to Zan. “Hey cutie, I want you to do something for me.”
“Okay.” Zan said with syrup smeared on her face.
Maria giggled and wiped away the syrup. “Ok, this is what I need you to do. I want you to call mommy but don’t say anything. Just call her from inside your head.”
“How do I do dat?” Zan asked with her head slightly titled to the side.
“Just think of how much you want your mommy.”
“But she’s wight hewre.” Zan looked at Liz.
“Uh, Liz?” Max looked at the woman he loved.
Liz nodded. “Zan, I’m gonna go to my room but stay here with Auntie Maria and try to do what she says ok?”
Zan immediately pouted. “No, Mommy, don’t go.” She gave a side glance at Michael, trying to let Liz know why she didn’t want her to leave.
“It’ll be ok, Aunt Maria and Max will stay here with you.”
Zan bit her lip and nodded reluctantly. She took Maria’s hand and held on tight.
Once Liz was in her room, Maria turned to Zan again and told her to call Liz.
“I can’t. I dunno how, Auntie Wia.”
“Do you want your mommy to be here beside you?”
Zan nodded while tears formed in her eyes. Why were they asking her to do this? She didn’t know what they wanted her to do or how to do it.
“Hey, Zan. It’s ok. Just think of Mommy in your head but don’t open your mouth to talk. Just think of how you want her here with you.” Max instructed gently.
Zan bit her lip and closed her eyes as she thought of how she wanted her mommy there with her.
Only a couple minutes passed before Liz came out of the room and picked up Zan and hugged her.
“Did it work?” Max asked as he watched Liz cradling Zan.
She beamed a beautiful smile at him. “Yeah, it did. You did it, baby.” Liz told Zan as she spun around with her daughter in her arms.
“Well at least we’re now sure her powers have arrived.” Michael remarked.
~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 33
“Ok, breakfast is…ready….What’s going on?” Maria saw everyone locked in a staring match; Max looking at Michael, Liz looking at Max, Zan alternately looking at Max and Liz.
“What do you mean you connected?” Liz asked Max.
“When I touched her and she looked at me,” Max smiled at his daughter. “She and I were able to form a connection that gave us glimpses of our lives, of what we went through apart.”
“Like how I saw your life.” Liz stated more than asked.
“Exactly.”
“So, were you able to see mine? You know, since Cal said we, uh, bonded.”
“I’m not sure. I don’t really remember, Liz.” Max answered somberly.
Liz pursed her lips and had a faraway look in her eyes.
“Liz?” Maria tried to call her friend’s attention.
Liz slowly turned to Maria. “What?”
“Uh, breakfast is ready. I made a few more waffles since we have company.” Maria commented.
“Ok.”
“Liz?” Max looked at her in concern.
“I’m ok, Max.”
“How…?” Max stared at her in shock. How did she know what he was going to ask her? But before Max could continue, Liz stood up and took Zan with her to the dining area.
“Maxwell? What’s going on?” Michael whispered as he moved closer and walked beside his friend.
“A lot, Michael. But I don’t even know where to begin.”
“What about what happened between you and Zan?”
“We connected, that’s all.”
“No, Max, I saw the look you had on when you broke it, you were scared shitless.”
“I’ll tell you later. But we’re going to need Isabel.”
They all ate breakfast with a few questions being thrown here and there. Zan was still wary of Michael but she was starting to go back to being the same little girl Max saw at Dreams.
“Mommy, stwawbewwies?” Zan looked up at Liz.
“Yes, baby. Here you go.” Liz sliced up some strawberries and waffle pieces on Zan’s plate and put some maple syrup on it. Then she noticed Max staring at them.
“What?”
Max quickly shook his head, “Nothing. It’s just…Zan’s plate looks really sweet.”
“Oh, well, she likes them that way. But I do get her teeth checked regularly.”
“She’s fine.” Michael added. “That’s just how we are. We like things really sweet and really spicy. Which reminds me, do you have any Tabasco sauce around?”
“Michael.” Max glared at him.
“Tabasco?” Maria said with a perplexed look.
“Yeah, it’s an alien dietary quirk.”
“Oh.” Maria got a bottle and handed it to him.
“Thanks” Michael doused his waffles with the spicy sauce and shoved a forkful in his mouth.
Maria looked on in disgust but Michael caught her and just gave her a tight smile while chewing his food. Maria rolled her eyes and started to ask Max some more questions.
“Ok, so you said yesterday that Liz is going to get powers too. What would hers be?”
“We don’t know, only Liz can answer that. But I think they’re beginning to manifest themselves.” Max replied.
“What?!” Maria shrieked and Liz quickly covered Zan’s ears while little Zan looked at her aunt.
“Sorry, cutie.” Maria kissed Zan’s cheek as Liz removed her hands. Then Maria brought her focus back to Max. “What do you mean by they’re beginning to manifest themselves? I thought you all didn’t know what Liz’s powers will be.”
“Well yeah but…Just a moment ago, I was wondering how Liz was doing. And she answered it without me saying anything.” Max said. “Has anything else like this happened before, like in the past? Maybe you just haven’t noticed it?”
Liz tried to think up of any weird occurrences and nothing came to mind. Except one.
“Um, there was this time when Zan did something with the water from a garden hose. She wanted to be able to go under the arc the water spray created. So she froze it.”
Michael almost choked on his food. “She froze the water? You mean she turned it to ice?”
“Not ice, but the water was suspended in mid air, the droplets were literally hanging in a perfect arc and Zan started playing and running back and forth underneath it.”
“Did anyone else see?” Michael asked again.
“No, no one did. And that’s what I’m about to tell you. I told Zan to undo it before someone could see but she didn’t know how. And I was praying and hoping it would return to normal. Then suddenly it did.”
“So you think that might be your powers?” Max inquired.
“I don’t know.” Liz answered.
“It could be. But aside from that incident in the living room earlier, is there anything else you can remember?” Max pressed on.
“A while ago in the kitchen, remember Liz?” Maria asked. “We were talking and then you trailed off and went running into your room for Zan.”
“Oh yeah. Well, I don’t know but I just felt Zan calling for me.”
“And she was in another room?” Max asked.
Both Liz and Maria nodded.
“Was the door open? Was there anyway you could have maybe heard her?” Michael inquired.
“Nope.” Maria responded.
Michael looked at Max. “Maybe we could experiment on it.”
“How?” Liz asked them warily.
“Why did she call for you?”
“She was left alone in my bedroom. But she’s used to that. It’s just, recently…with everything going on…”
“Ok. We could probably lock her in the room again.” Michael suggested.
“No!” All the three other adults replied at the same time.
“It was only a suggestion.”
“There has to be some other way.” Max said.
“Why not try it now?” Maria said then turned to Zan. “Hey cutie, I want you to do something for me.”
“Okay.” Zan said with syrup smeared on her face.
Maria giggled and wiped away the syrup. “Ok, this is what I need you to do. I want you to call mommy but don’t say anything. Just call her from inside your head.”
“How do I do dat?” Zan asked with her head slightly titled to the side.
“Just think of how much you want your mommy.”
“But she’s wight hewre.” Zan looked at Liz.
“Uh, Liz?” Max looked at the woman he loved.
Liz nodded. “Zan, I’m gonna go to my room but stay here with Auntie Maria and try to do what she says ok?”
Zan immediately pouted. “No, Mommy, don’t go.” She gave a side glance at Michael, trying to let Liz know why she didn’t want her to leave.
“It’ll be ok, Aunt Maria and Max will stay here with you.”
Zan bit her lip and nodded reluctantly. She took Maria’s hand and held on tight.
Once Liz was in her room, Maria turned to Zan again and told her to call Liz.
“I can’t. I dunno how, Auntie Wia.”
“Do you want your mommy to be here beside you?”
Zan nodded while tears formed in her eyes. Why were they asking her to do this? She didn’t know what they wanted her to do or how to do it.
“Hey, Zan. It’s ok. Just think of Mommy in your head but don’t open your mouth to talk. Just think of how you want her here with you.” Max instructed gently.
Zan bit her lip and closed her eyes as she thought of how she wanted her mommy there with her.
Only a couple minutes passed before Liz came out of the room and picked up Zan and hugged her.
“Did it work?” Max asked as he watched Liz cradling Zan.
She beamed a beautiful smile at him. “Yeah, it did. You did it, baby.” Liz told Zan as she spun around with her daughter in her arms.
“Well at least we’re now sure her powers have arrived.” Michael remarked.
Chapter 34
“We should start training to develop your powers, Liz.” Michael said.
“Uh, excuse me, but no.” Liz replied.
“What do you mean no? We should be starting on the training because you never know when our enemies might strike.” Michael insisted.
“Michael, that’s enough!” Max bellowed.
Everyone became silent. This was the first time Liz and the others saw Max act this way. As for Michael, he knew he had pushed enough of Max’s buttons.
“Look, Maxwell, I was just saying—”
“I know what you were saying, Michael. But Liz said she wasn’t ready, so just leave it at that.” Max said.
Max and Michael had a staring contest as one tried to outlast the other in a battle of wills. Max won, he always did.
Michael backed down and began to eat faster. Max took a deep breath and looked at Liz. “Sorry about that.”
Liz only gave him a brief nod in response. Then the doorbell rang and she quickly stood up to answer it. Michael was quick to follow. He took longer strides and was at the door before her.
“What are you doing?” Liz asked.
“My job.” Michael then looked at the peephole and saw Cal and two more people who he assumed to be the bodyguards he got for Liz and Zan. He opened the door and acknowledged Cal and let him and his henchmen in.
“Lizzie, I see Max and Michael are already here.” Cal began.
“You should have told me you were going to call them.” Liz spoke sternly.
“I’m sorry, but Max gave me an order.”
“Great.” Liz mumbled. “Come with me to the dining room.”
Once Liz, Cal and the two other men were at the table, Liz asked Maria to bring Zan into her room.
“No, Mommy, I want to stay hewre.” Zan protested.
“I know, baby. This will be quick I promise.” Liz wiped at Zan’s face then kissed her chubby cheeks.
“Will you be alright?” Maria asked.
“I will be soon.”
Once Liz heard the door close, she launched into her full fury.
“Who the hell do you think you people are?! This is my life, mine and Zan’s! And I don’t give a damn if I’m now the queen of an alien race nor do I give a fuck if MY daughter is one! Zan is mine, I will not have her living a life in fear and I won’t stand to be dictated by you” she pointed to Max. “Nor you!” she looked at Cal. “And as for you, Michael, you will treat everyone in MY house with respect!”
“Let me make this clear. I called you in here to give my daughter the protection she needs! I called you to guard her! I will tell you when I need you and when I don’t! And if you take one step to undermine my decisions, we will disappear so fast and no one, I mean no one, will be able to track us! Not even you, Cal!” Liz yelled.
“Liz, we didn’t mean to take over your life—” Max started.
“Well you’re doing it now! You and I may have this so-called bond by your planet’s standards but we are not married in this one. I will make the decisions regarding my and Zan’s life. I swear, Max, if you go behind my back one more time, or keep any more secrets from me, you will never see us again.”
“Liz, that’s not what I want.”
“What you want?! Obviously you don’t know what you want because you couldn’t even trust me enough to let me know what the fuck was going on from the very beginning!”
“I was going to tell you but it just snowballed—”
“Oh please, save me the excuses. You lied, plain and simple.”
“I…Tell me what you want me to do to make this right. I can’t lose you, Liz.”
“Then you should’ve thought of that before you decided to hide things from me.”
Max stepped closer towards her. He was close to crying and he had so many things he wanted to tell her but he didn’t want to do it with an audience. “Can we talk about this privately?”
“What else is there to say?” Liz looked at him and she was surprised at the well of tears in his amber eyes.
“Please.” Max begged.
“Fine.” Liz turned and headed towards Zan’s room. Max was merely a step behind her.
Once they were gone, Michael spoke up. “Waffles?”
When Liz closed the door to Zan’s room, Max instantly began apologizing. “I’m sorry about everything, Liz. I really am. I was trying to find the right time to tell you but I just couldn’t because…well…”
“Well?” Liz stood facing Max with her arms crossed over her chest.
“I was scared of what you would think of me. I was scared of how you would react. I thought you’d be repulsed and disgusted and I couldn’t bear that. So I wanted to stay in our bubble for as long as I could. I didn’t want to lose you, and I now know that I did anyway.” Max admitted softly as his tears began to fall.
Liz tried to hold on to her anger but she couldn’t. She was still pissed at him for what he did but she understood. If she was in his shoes, hiding would be one course of action she probably would have taken. She moved closer to him and cupped his face in her hands. Gently, she wiped away the tears with the pads of her thumbs.
“You should have just told me the truth. My daughter can do things other kids could not and I accepted it because I love her. You claim to love me—”
“And I do. I still do, very much.”
“Then you should have put your faith and trust in it.” Liz said then moved away from him.
Max felt his heart breaking into millions of pieces. “I’m sorry, Liz. I’m so sorry.”
“I’m sorry too.”
“So this means it’s over.” Max stated more than asked, his head bowed down. He couldn’t bear to look in her eyes. He didn’t want her to see the pain he was in.
“For now.” Liz replied.
“For now?” Max rapidly looked at Liz and he felt a tiny surge of hope revive his heart.
“I won’t lie to you. I still care about you…a lot. But I can’t be in a relationship with someone who doesn’t trust me.”
“I do trust you, I do.” Max was quick to try to reassure her.
“And yet you kept a lot of things from me and would rather let your family know than me. I wouldn’t mind if those things didn’t concern me and Zan, Max, but they did.”
“I promise you that I won’t be hiding things from you anymore. I’ve told you everything.”
“Right now, I can’t believe everything you tell me. The trust has been lost, Max. We have to work hard to regain it.”
“I don’t care. I’ll do anything. Just tell me what to do, I’ll do it, Liz. Just don’t…don’t leave me…please.” Max pleaded with her after falling on his knees.
“Max, don’t do this.” Liz tried her hardest to pull him back up.
“Do you know how it feels? I feel like my heart is crushing inside my chest and it hurts so much. I’d die without you, Liz.”
“And I’d be the one dying if I stay.” Liz told him truthfully. “I can’t be in a broken relationship like this, Max. It hurts too much.”
“Will I ever gain your trust back?” Max asked.
“Maybe…someday…”
Max nodded sadly and stood up. He wiped away at his tears but they kept on coming.
Liz felt like she was being torn apart as her heart and mind waged an inner battle. She completely understood what Max was saying for she was feeling the exact same thing.
“We should start training to develop your powers, Liz.” Michael said.
“Uh, excuse me, but no.” Liz replied.
“What do you mean no? We should be starting on the training because you never know when our enemies might strike.” Michael insisted.
“Michael, that’s enough!” Max bellowed.
Everyone became silent. This was the first time Liz and the others saw Max act this way. As for Michael, he knew he had pushed enough of Max’s buttons.
“Look, Maxwell, I was just saying—”
“I know what you were saying, Michael. But Liz said she wasn’t ready, so just leave it at that.” Max said.
Max and Michael had a staring contest as one tried to outlast the other in a battle of wills. Max won, he always did.
Michael backed down and began to eat faster. Max took a deep breath and looked at Liz. “Sorry about that.”
Liz only gave him a brief nod in response. Then the doorbell rang and she quickly stood up to answer it. Michael was quick to follow. He took longer strides and was at the door before her.
“What are you doing?” Liz asked.
“My job.” Michael then looked at the peephole and saw Cal and two more people who he assumed to be the bodyguards he got for Liz and Zan. He opened the door and acknowledged Cal and let him and his henchmen in.
“Lizzie, I see Max and Michael are already here.” Cal began.
“You should have told me you were going to call them.” Liz spoke sternly.
“I’m sorry, but Max gave me an order.”
“Great.” Liz mumbled. “Come with me to the dining room.”
Once Liz, Cal and the two other men were at the table, Liz asked Maria to bring Zan into her room.
“No, Mommy, I want to stay hewre.” Zan protested.
“I know, baby. This will be quick I promise.” Liz wiped at Zan’s face then kissed her chubby cheeks.
“Will you be alright?” Maria asked.
“I will be soon.”
Once Liz heard the door close, she launched into her full fury.
“Who the hell do you think you people are?! This is my life, mine and Zan’s! And I don’t give a damn if I’m now the queen of an alien race nor do I give a fuck if MY daughter is one! Zan is mine, I will not have her living a life in fear and I won’t stand to be dictated by you” she pointed to Max. “Nor you!” she looked at Cal. “And as for you, Michael, you will treat everyone in MY house with respect!”
“Let me make this clear. I called you in here to give my daughter the protection she needs! I called you to guard her! I will tell you when I need you and when I don’t! And if you take one step to undermine my decisions, we will disappear so fast and no one, I mean no one, will be able to track us! Not even you, Cal!” Liz yelled.
“Liz, we didn’t mean to take over your life—” Max started.
“Well you’re doing it now! You and I may have this so-called bond by your planet’s standards but we are not married in this one. I will make the decisions regarding my and Zan’s life. I swear, Max, if you go behind my back one more time, or keep any more secrets from me, you will never see us again.”
“Liz, that’s not what I want.”
“What you want?! Obviously you don’t know what you want because you couldn’t even trust me enough to let me know what the fuck was going on from the very beginning!”
“I was going to tell you but it just snowballed—”
“Oh please, save me the excuses. You lied, plain and simple.”
“I…Tell me what you want me to do to make this right. I can’t lose you, Liz.”
“Then you should’ve thought of that before you decided to hide things from me.”
Max stepped closer towards her. He was close to crying and he had so many things he wanted to tell her but he didn’t want to do it with an audience. “Can we talk about this privately?”
“What else is there to say?” Liz looked at him and she was surprised at the well of tears in his amber eyes.
“Please.” Max begged.
“Fine.” Liz turned and headed towards Zan’s room. Max was merely a step behind her.
Once they were gone, Michael spoke up. “Waffles?”
When Liz closed the door to Zan’s room, Max instantly began apologizing. “I’m sorry about everything, Liz. I really am. I was trying to find the right time to tell you but I just couldn’t because…well…”
“Well?” Liz stood facing Max with her arms crossed over her chest.
“I was scared of what you would think of me. I was scared of how you would react. I thought you’d be repulsed and disgusted and I couldn’t bear that. So I wanted to stay in our bubble for as long as I could. I didn’t want to lose you, and I now know that I did anyway.” Max admitted softly as his tears began to fall.
Liz tried to hold on to her anger but she couldn’t. She was still pissed at him for what he did but she understood. If she was in his shoes, hiding would be one course of action she probably would have taken. She moved closer to him and cupped his face in her hands. Gently, she wiped away the tears with the pads of her thumbs.
“You should have just told me the truth. My daughter can do things other kids could not and I accepted it because I love her. You claim to love me—”
“And I do. I still do, very much.”
“Then you should have put your faith and trust in it.” Liz said then moved away from him.
Max felt his heart breaking into millions of pieces. “I’m sorry, Liz. I’m so sorry.”
“I’m sorry too.”
“So this means it’s over.” Max stated more than asked, his head bowed down. He couldn’t bear to look in her eyes. He didn’t want her to see the pain he was in.
“For now.” Liz replied.
“For now?” Max rapidly looked at Liz and he felt a tiny surge of hope revive his heart.
“I won’t lie to you. I still care about you…a lot. But I can’t be in a relationship with someone who doesn’t trust me.”
“I do trust you, I do.” Max was quick to try to reassure her.
“And yet you kept a lot of things from me and would rather let your family know than me. I wouldn’t mind if those things didn’t concern me and Zan, Max, but they did.”
“I promise you that I won’t be hiding things from you anymore. I’ve told you everything.”
“Right now, I can’t believe everything you tell me. The trust has been lost, Max. We have to work hard to regain it.”
“I don’t care. I’ll do anything. Just tell me what to do, I’ll do it, Liz. Just don’t…don’t leave me…please.” Max pleaded with her after falling on his knees.
“Max, don’t do this.” Liz tried her hardest to pull him back up.
“Do you know how it feels? I feel like my heart is crushing inside my chest and it hurts so much. I’d die without you, Liz.”
“And I’d be the one dying if I stay.” Liz told him truthfully. “I can’t be in a broken relationship like this, Max. It hurts too much.”
“Will I ever gain your trust back?” Max asked.
“Maybe…someday…”
Max nodded sadly and stood up. He wiped away at his tears but they kept on coming.
Liz felt like she was being torn apart as her heart and mind waged an inner battle. She completely understood what Max was saying for she was feeling the exact same thing.
Whew, made it just in time....
~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 35
“Mommy!” Zan banged on the door.
“Zan, stop it! What’s wrong? Your mommy’s fine. She’ll come here soon.” Maria carried Zan away from the door.
“She hurts Aunt Maria, her and Max. They’re hurting a lot.” Zan cried.
“What are you talking about?” Maria looked at her niece.
“They hurt.” Zan sobbed.
Maria blinked before she understood. The connection, it also worked the other way around.
“Ok, maybe we should go and check on them.” Maria still held Zan in her arms as they went out of Liz’s room.
When Maria only saw the four men sitting at their table, she began to panic. “Where are Max and Liz?”
“They’re talking.” Cal answered. “What’s wrong?” he looked at Maria then at Zan. “What’s wrong, Zan?”
“Mommy and Max hurt.” Zan wept. “I want my mommy.”
“She’s not used to the connection yet. Come on.” Cal quickly knew what was happening and ushered the two to where Max and Liz went.
Cal knocked on the door as Zan continued to cry. “Max, Liz, open the door. Zan needs you.”
A minute later, Liz opened the door. Maria quickly noticed that Liz had been crying. And when she looked at Max, he was wiping away at his eyes.
“Liz?” Maria asked.
Liz only looked at her best friend and took Zan with her. “I’ll be out soon.”
“Okay. You know I’m here. We’ll just wait for you back at the table. Come on, Cal.” Maria took hold of Cal’s arm and tugged him back to where Michael and the others were.
“What’s wrong, Zan?” Liz started rubbing her baby’s back.
“It hurts.” Zan whined.
Liz pulled Zan away and sat her on the bed. “Where does it hurt, sweetheart?” Liz crouched down in front of Zan. She ran her hands over Zan’s arms, checking her for any injuries.
Max quickly looked at the two most important ladies in his life. And when he heard Zan complain, he swiftly moved beside them. “Tell me where it hurts, Zan.” he demanded, ready to heal his daughter in a second.
“In hewre.” Zan pointed at her heart.
Liz was surprised. “Why does it hurt there, baby?”
“I can feel you, you and Max. You’re hurt, Mommy. You too, Max.”
Both Max and Liz looked at each other. Liz stood up from her position. She sat on the bed and cradled Zan on her lap.
“We’re sorry, my baby.” Liz kissed Zan’s temple.
“Max, is there any way we can stop her from feeling us?” Liz asked.
“She has to learn how to block it on her own, Liz. I’m sorry, there’s nothing I can do.” Max sat beside them.
Zan looked over at him and touched his face with her tiny hand. Then she placed it on his chest, where his heart lay.
“Don’t be sad, Max. Mommy and I still love you.” Zan whispered. She got off Liz’s lap and went to hug Max.
Max couldn’t hold back his tears and hugged his daughter tightly to him, never wanting to let go. “I love you too, baby. I love you so much.”
“I know. I’m your baby wight? And you’re my daddy.” Zan looked at Max intensely, her own amber orbs piercing his soul.
Max gasped as Zan spoke the one word he never thought or dared think she would ever utter to address him.
“Y-yeah baby. I…I’m your daddy.” Max tried hard to fight the sobs racking his body.
He never got to hold Zan when she was born. He didn’t want to because he knew that if he held her, even just one of her teeny tiny fingers, he wouldn’t be able to let go. He wouldn’t be able to give her a normal life the way Liz had. And now his life has come full circle. He had his baby and the only woman he had ever loved. The only thing left was to win them back.
Liz watched the pair as father and daughter embraced. She felt the overwhelming love Max had for Zan. And she knew that at this moment, this very minute, Max would forever be tied to their lives.
“I’m so sorry I had to give you up. I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you, Zan.” Max continued to weep as he looked at his little child.
“I know why, Daddy. I feel it hewre.” She pointed to her heart. “You wanted me to be with Mommy.” Zan smiled shyly.
“Yeah, princess. I wanted you to be with your mommy.”
“Are you gonna stay with us now too?” Zan asked him bright-eyed.
“Uh…”
“Well, sweetheart, Max will be coming here a lot.” Liz interjected.
“Where will he sleep? Is he gonna stay in your woom? Coz I go there too sometimes.” Zan was worried about how they would all fit in Liz’s bed.
Both Max and Liz had to laugh at that.
“No, baby. Max will still sleep in his own house.”
“But why? Zan pouted.
“Well, we still have a lot of things to work out, your mom and I.” Max looked at Liz.
“Gwown up things?” Zan questioned, her head slightly titled to one side.
“Yeah, grown up things.” Liz answered.
“Till when?” Zan asked her mommy.
“We don’t know yet, sweetie.” Liz replied.
“Till tomorrow?” Zan hoped.
“Uh, no, not tomorrow.”
“Next tomorrow?”
Liz chuckled at her daughter’s persistence. “Zan.”
“I wanna know, Mommy.”
“I wish I could tell you when, my darling, but even Max and I don’t know.”
“Oh.” She bowed her head then raised it quickly to look at Liz. “Will you till me when you know?”
“Stubborn, isn’t she?” Max said good-naturedly.
“Yeah.” Liz smiled.
As they looked at one another, both got lost in a trance of the emotions they felt. That is, until Zan’s voice broke through the haze.
“Mommy, will you tell me when?”
“Uh yeah, Zan. You know I will.”
“Kay.”
Liz hesitantly turned to Max. “Max, we better…um…Maria and the others….”
“Yeah…ok.” Max nodded. He stood up, still holding Zan.
“Zan, come on, you can walk.” Liz tried to talk Zan into walking to the dining room on her own.
“No.” Zan shook her head and held on to Max’s neck.
“It’s ok, Liz.” Max said with the most radiant smile.
“Ok, then.” Liz opened the door and all three of them walked out of the room.
The people who were still seated at the dining table turned to look at them. Maria thought they looked like the perfect family and that she and Liz definitely had to talk.
“Uh, Cal, who are they?” Liz asked.
“They will be your bodyguards, yours and Zan.” Cal informed her.
The two men stood up and it was then Liz noticed how huge they are. “We are honored to serve you, your Majesty.” They bowed their heads as the spoke to Liz.
“Wha—”
“Cal, are they…?” Max questioned.
“Yes.” Cal responded.
“And they know who Liz and Zan are?”
“Yes.”
“Please do not be alarmed, my King. We have been instructed to keep this information classified and we shall. We are ready to offer our lives to protect our queen and the princess.”
“Look, you don’t have to call us your Majesty, King, whatever. Besides, it will only draw more attention. And I’m glad that you’re willing to protect them with your lives. Thank you.”
“What are your names?” Liz asked.
“I am Desaro, a protector, loyal to the house of King Zan.” one of them said.
“I am Bardona, a protector, loyal to the house of King Zan.” the other spoke.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Max Evans, this is Elizabeth Parker.” he glanced at Liz. “And this,” he shifted Zan in his arms, “is Alissandra Parker.”
“It’s an honor to meet the royal family, the pleasure is all ours.” Bardona said.
“Has Michael informed you of what you’ll be doing?” Max asked and looked at Michael.
“Yes, the General Rath has given us our orders.” Desaro nodded.
“No, it’s just Michael. On this planet, you will address us all by our Earth names.”
“As you wish, sir.” Desaro bowed his head.
Max and Liz sighed. This is going to be a long day.
“Is it just me, or is all this military protection protocol stuff really hot?” Maria said out loud.
~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 35
“Mommy!” Zan banged on the door.
“Zan, stop it! What’s wrong? Your mommy’s fine. She’ll come here soon.” Maria carried Zan away from the door.
“She hurts Aunt Maria, her and Max. They’re hurting a lot.” Zan cried.
“What are you talking about?” Maria looked at her niece.
“They hurt.” Zan sobbed.
Maria blinked before she understood. The connection, it also worked the other way around.
“Ok, maybe we should go and check on them.” Maria still held Zan in her arms as they went out of Liz’s room.
When Maria only saw the four men sitting at their table, she began to panic. “Where are Max and Liz?”
“They’re talking.” Cal answered. “What’s wrong?” he looked at Maria then at Zan. “What’s wrong, Zan?”
“Mommy and Max hurt.” Zan wept. “I want my mommy.”
“She’s not used to the connection yet. Come on.” Cal quickly knew what was happening and ushered the two to where Max and Liz went.
Cal knocked on the door as Zan continued to cry. “Max, Liz, open the door. Zan needs you.”
A minute later, Liz opened the door. Maria quickly noticed that Liz had been crying. And when she looked at Max, he was wiping away at his eyes.
“Liz?” Maria asked.
Liz only looked at her best friend and took Zan with her. “I’ll be out soon.”
“Okay. You know I’m here. We’ll just wait for you back at the table. Come on, Cal.” Maria took hold of Cal’s arm and tugged him back to where Michael and the others were.
“What’s wrong, Zan?” Liz started rubbing her baby’s back.
“It hurts.” Zan whined.
Liz pulled Zan away and sat her on the bed. “Where does it hurt, sweetheart?” Liz crouched down in front of Zan. She ran her hands over Zan’s arms, checking her for any injuries.
Max quickly looked at the two most important ladies in his life. And when he heard Zan complain, he swiftly moved beside them. “Tell me where it hurts, Zan.” he demanded, ready to heal his daughter in a second.
“In hewre.” Zan pointed at her heart.
Liz was surprised. “Why does it hurt there, baby?”
“I can feel you, you and Max. You’re hurt, Mommy. You too, Max.”
Both Max and Liz looked at each other. Liz stood up from her position. She sat on the bed and cradled Zan on her lap.
“We’re sorry, my baby.” Liz kissed Zan’s temple.
“Max, is there any way we can stop her from feeling us?” Liz asked.
“She has to learn how to block it on her own, Liz. I’m sorry, there’s nothing I can do.” Max sat beside them.
Zan looked over at him and touched his face with her tiny hand. Then she placed it on his chest, where his heart lay.
“Don’t be sad, Max. Mommy and I still love you.” Zan whispered. She got off Liz’s lap and went to hug Max.
Max couldn’t hold back his tears and hugged his daughter tightly to him, never wanting to let go. “I love you too, baby. I love you so much.”
“I know. I’m your baby wight? And you’re my daddy.” Zan looked at Max intensely, her own amber orbs piercing his soul.
Max gasped as Zan spoke the one word he never thought or dared think she would ever utter to address him.
“Y-yeah baby. I…I’m your daddy.” Max tried hard to fight the sobs racking his body.
He never got to hold Zan when she was born. He didn’t want to because he knew that if he held her, even just one of her teeny tiny fingers, he wouldn’t be able to let go. He wouldn’t be able to give her a normal life the way Liz had. And now his life has come full circle. He had his baby and the only woman he had ever loved. The only thing left was to win them back.
Liz watched the pair as father and daughter embraced. She felt the overwhelming love Max had for Zan. And she knew that at this moment, this very minute, Max would forever be tied to their lives.
“I’m so sorry I had to give you up. I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you, Zan.” Max continued to weep as he looked at his little child.
“I know why, Daddy. I feel it hewre.” She pointed to her heart. “You wanted me to be with Mommy.” Zan smiled shyly.
“Yeah, princess. I wanted you to be with your mommy.”
“Are you gonna stay with us now too?” Zan asked him bright-eyed.
“Uh…”
“Well, sweetheart, Max will be coming here a lot.” Liz interjected.
“Where will he sleep? Is he gonna stay in your woom? Coz I go there too sometimes.” Zan was worried about how they would all fit in Liz’s bed.
Both Max and Liz had to laugh at that.
“No, baby. Max will still sleep in his own house.”
“But why? Zan pouted.
“Well, we still have a lot of things to work out, your mom and I.” Max looked at Liz.
“Gwown up things?” Zan questioned, her head slightly titled to one side.
“Yeah, grown up things.” Liz answered.
“Till when?” Zan asked her mommy.
“We don’t know yet, sweetie.” Liz replied.
“Till tomorrow?” Zan hoped.
“Uh, no, not tomorrow.”
“Next tomorrow?”
Liz chuckled at her daughter’s persistence. “Zan.”
“I wanna know, Mommy.”
“I wish I could tell you when, my darling, but even Max and I don’t know.”
“Oh.” She bowed her head then raised it quickly to look at Liz. “Will you till me when you know?”
“Stubborn, isn’t she?” Max said good-naturedly.
“Yeah.” Liz smiled.
As they looked at one another, both got lost in a trance of the emotions they felt. That is, until Zan’s voice broke through the haze.
“Mommy, will you tell me when?”
“Uh yeah, Zan. You know I will.”
“Kay.”
Liz hesitantly turned to Max. “Max, we better…um…Maria and the others….”
“Yeah…ok.” Max nodded. He stood up, still holding Zan.
“Zan, come on, you can walk.” Liz tried to talk Zan into walking to the dining room on her own.
“No.” Zan shook her head and held on to Max’s neck.
“It’s ok, Liz.” Max said with the most radiant smile.
“Ok, then.” Liz opened the door and all three of them walked out of the room.
The people who were still seated at the dining table turned to look at them. Maria thought they looked like the perfect family and that she and Liz definitely had to talk.
“Uh, Cal, who are they?” Liz asked.
“They will be your bodyguards, yours and Zan.” Cal informed her.
The two men stood up and it was then Liz noticed how huge they are. “We are honored to serve you, your Majesty.” They bowed their heads as the spoke to Liz.
“Wha—”
“Cal, are they…?” Max questioned.
“Yes.” Cal responded.
“And they know who Liz and Zan are?”
“Yes.”
“Please do not be alarmed, my King. We have been instructed to keep this information classified and we shall. We are ready to offer our lives to protect our queen and the princess.”
“Look, you don’t have to call us your Majesty, King, whatever. Besides, it will only draw more attention. And I’m glad that you’re willing to protect them with your lives. Thank you.”
“What are your names?” Liz asked.
“I am Desaro, a protector, loyal to the house of King Zan.” one of them said.
“I am Bardona, a protector, loyal to the house of King Zan.” the other spoke.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Max Evans, this is Elizabeth Parker.” he glanced at Liz. “And this,” he shifted Zan in his arms, “is Alissandra Parker.”
“It’s an honor to meet the royal family, the pleasure is all ours.” Bardona said.
“Has Michael informed you of what you’ll be doing?” Max asked and looked at Michael.
“Yes, the General Rath has given us our orders.” Desaro nodded.
“No, it’s just Michael. On this planet, you will address us all by our Earth names.”
“As you wish, sir.” Desaro bowed his head.
Max and Liz sighed. This is going to be a long day.
“Is it just me, or is all this military protection protocol stuff really hot?” Maria said out loud.
Chapter 36
After a few minutes have passed, Zan was already in the living room watching cartoons while the adults still sat around the table discussing their duties.
“Ok, since Michael can’t be with Liz and Zan all the time, Cal and you two will be here to protect them at all costs.” Max instructed.
“Of course, sir.”
“Where will they stay here?” Liz asked.
“Don’t worry Liz, we can all sleep in the living room.” Cal tried to assure her.
“What? No. Cal, no matter what it is that’s happened the past few days, I still consider you as family. And I can’t let you sleep out here. You can take Zan’s room. It’s big enough for two people. We’ll just have to get extra mattresses so you can all sleep comfortably.”
“Where will Zan sleep?” Max turned to Liz.
“She’ll stay in my room. She’s there most of the time anyway.”
Max nodded. “Alright, that’s settled.”
“Well, I could accommodate one of you.” Maria winked at the two guards.
“Maria.” Liz groaned.
“What? This is all for your protection, Liz. I just thought I’d help and offer my room as well.” Maria said with a grin.
Michael snorted, “Yeah, sure. Like thinking this is hot helps.”
Maria glared at him. “What’s that supposed to mean? You thought I was being serious? Why don’t you go buy yourself some sense of humor? I was only trying to lighten the mood.”
“Yeah, that’s some big help there. What will lightening the mood accomplish, huh?” Michael retaliated.
“Enough!” Liz yelled.
Zan quickly looked at her and Liz turned to Zan and smiled to reassure her baby. Once Zan settled back in her seat, Liz began to scold both Michael and Maria.
“Listen you two, if you can’t shut up and talk civilly, then leave the table.” Liz hissed.
“I can’t, I need to be here since I’ll be one of your bodyguards. Make her leave.” Michael smirked at Maria.
“There is no way that I am going to get up off this chair. This is my house too. And if he stays, you can bet your asses that I’ll stay.” Maria crossed her arms across her chest.
“Then shut up. If I hear one more thing that is totally unrelated to our topic, I don’t care if you’re an alien general or my best friend, you are gonna haul your ass out of here.” Liz told them.
Both Michael and Maria shut their mouths but continued to glare at one another.
“O-kay, is everything clear with guard duty?” Max asked.
“Yes, everything is fine, Max.” Cal replied while trying to hold in his smile. He was pleased with how Liz was filling in nicely into the role of a queen.
“Good, next thing we need to address, Liz and Zan’s training.” Max said.
“What? Wait. I didn’t agree to any training.” Liz shook her head to the negative.
“Liz, you have to do this. What happened with Zan awhile ago can be controlled. You don’t want her feeling your every emotion, do you?” This was voiced by Cal. “And just in the very slim chance that all of us can’t help you when danger comes, you need to know how to defend yourselves.”
“But—”
“Don’t worry, you can start slow.” Max assured her.
“I haven’t even explained this to Zan, Max. She thinks all her abilities are just a game.”
“I don’t want to sound too forward but maybe I could help when you talk to her.” Max offered.
“Okay.”
“Um, Liz, please don’t think that I’m siding with them but I agree that you should learn more about your powers, chika. We’re still talking about getting you the best protection there is and adding your powers to the mix just gives you a bigger advantage.” Maria spoke.
“I know. I guess I just wanted to keep Zan out of all this as much as I can.” Liz sighed heavily.
“We understand how you feel, Lizzie.” Maria placed her hand on top of Liz’s.
Liz smiled then looked at Zan. Zan quickly turned and ran to her mother.
“Hey.” Liz smiled as Zan looked up at Liz so she could pick her up.
Once Zan was settled in Liz’s lap, she got a glimpse of Michael from across the table then turned and buried her head towards her mommy.
Max smiled at his baby and touched her hand that was clutching onto Liz’s shirt.
Zan raised her head and looked at Max and smiled. Then her eyelids grew heavy and started drooping.
“You sleepy, baby?” Max smiled.
Upon hearing this, Liz leaned her head down to look at Zan. And sure enough, the little girl’s small mouth opened for a yawn.
“Yup, this little one should be back in bed.” Liz stood up as she hoisted Zan in her arms.
Zan quickly wrapped her arms around her mother’s neck and laid her head on Liz’s shoulder. Liz carried Zan all the way into her room with Max stretching his neck to follow them with a stare.
“Hey, Moondoggie, enough already. You don’t want them to melt right there on the spot do you?” Maria teased.
Max quickly turned back in his seat and scratched the back of his ear sheepishly. He was bright red after realizing that he was openly staring at the two girls in his life.
Michael smirked at that. His friend was so far gone for Liz.
Small talk ensued as everyone waited for Liz to come out before another topic was touched.
“Is she asleep?” Max asked as soon as Liz came back to her chair.
“Yeah, out like a light. But she said to wake her up before you leave.”
Max felt his heart swell. His baby wanted him there. Now if only Liz could feel the same way. He had to find a way to win her back no matter what. But before that, they had another important thing to talk about.
“There’s something else that needs to be discussed.” Max began. “When Zan and I connected, I saw glimpses of her life. And the last part…it was disconcerting.”
“Why?” Liz asked, worry clearly visible on her face.
“I saw her dream, Liz. It’s the reason why she kept saying that I was going to take her away. She was so scared. And the worst part is I don’t think it was just a dream.”
Liz paled. She knew her baby could predict the future sometimes and this was one thing that she prayed hard to be false.
“Did…did you see who they were? The ones who are planning to take her?” Liz trembled.
Max focused his entire attention to her and held her hands to alleviate her fears. “No, their faces were blurry. But I want to try something. Isabel, my sister, she can walk into people’s dreams. And I want her to try if she can look at what Zan wasn’t seeing. Maybe then we could find out who they are.”
“They?” Cal asked.
“There’s four of them.” Max answered.
“So Isabel can see who they are and we can stop them before something bad happens?” Liz looked up at Max hopefully.
“Yeah, I want her to try. We have to do everything we can to find out who these people are. I am not gonna let this go, Liz. I can’t. Not if yours and Zan’s safety is at stake.”
Liz nodded. “Alright. Call her.”
After a few minutes have passed, Zan was already in the living room watching cartoons while the adults still sat around the table discussing their duties.
“Ok, since Michael can’t be with Liz and Zan all the time, Cal and you two will be here to protect them at all costs.” Max instructed.
“Of course, sir.”
“Where will they stay here?” Liz asked.
“Don’t worry Liz, we can all sleep in the living room.” Cal tried to assure her.
“What? No. Cal, no matter what it is that’s happened the past few days, I still consider you as family. And I can’t let you sleep out here. You can take Zan’s room. It’s big enough for two people. We’ll just have to get extra mattresses so you can all sleep comfortably.”
“Where will Zan sleep?” Max turned to Liz.
“She’ll stay in my room. She’s there most of the time anyway.”
Max nodded. “Alright, that’s settled.”
“Well, I could accommodate one of you.” Maria winked at the two guards.
“Maria.” Liz groaned.
“What? This is all for your protection, Liz. I just thought I’d help and offer my room as well.” Maria said with a grin.
Michael snorted, “Yeah, sure. Like thinking this is hot helps.”
Maria glared at him. “What’s that supposed to mean? You thought I was being serious? Why don’t you go buy yourself some sense of humor? I was only trying to lighten the mood.”
“Yeah, that’s some big help there. What will lightening the mood accomplish, huh?” Michael retaliated.
“Enough!” Liz yelled.
Zan quickly looked at her and Liz turned to Zan and smiled to reassure her baby. Once Zan settled back in her seat, Liz began to scold both Michael and Maria.
“Listen you two, if you can’t shut up and talk civilly, then leave the table.” Liz hissed.
“I can’t, I need to be here since I’ll be one of your bodyguards. Make her leave.” Michael smirked at Maria.
“There is no way that I am going to get up off this chair. This is my house too. And if he stays, you can bet your asses that I’ll stay.” Maria crossed her arms across her chest.
“Then shut up. If I hear one more thing that is totally unrelated to our topic, I don’t care if you’re an alien general or my best friend, you are gonna haul your ass out of here.” Liz told them.
Both Michael and Maria shut their mouths but continued to glare at one another.
“O-kay, is everything clear with guard duty?” Max asked.
“Yes, everything is fine, Max.” Cal replied while trying to hold in his smile. He was pleased with how Liz was filling in nicely into the role of a queen.
“Good, next thing we need to address, Liz and Zan’s training.” Max said.
“What? Wait. I didn’t agree to any training.” Liz shook her head to the negative.
“Liz, you have to do this. What happened with Zan awhile ago can be controlled. You don’t want her feeling your every emotion, do you?” This was voiced by Cal. “And just in the very slim chance that all of us can’t help you when danger comes, you need to know how to defend yourselves.”
“But—”
“Don’t worry, you can start slow.” Max assured her.
“I haven’t even explained this to Zan, Max. She thinks all her abilities are just a game.”
“I don’t want to sound too forward but maybe I could help when you talk to her.” Max offered.
“Okay.”
“Um, Liz, please don’t think that I’m siding with them but I agree that you should learn more about your powers, chika. We’re still talking about getting you the best protection there is and adding your powers to the mix just gives you a bigger advantage.” Maria spoke.
“I know. I guess I just wanted to keep Zan out of all this as much as I can.” Liz sighed heavily.
“We understand how you feel, Lizzie.” Maria placed her hand on top of Liz’s.
Liz smiled then looked at Zan. Zan quickly turned and ran to her mother.
“Hey.” Liz smiled as Zan looked up at Liz so she could pick her up.
Once Zan was settled in Liz’s lap, she got a glimpse of Michael from across the table then turned and buried her head towards her mommy.
Max smiled at his baby and touched her hand that was clutching onto Liz’s shirt.
Zan raised her head and looked at Max and smiled. Then her eyelids grew heavy and started drooping.
“You sleepy, baby?” Max smiled.
Upon hearing this, Liz leaned her head down to look at Zan. And sure enough, the little girl’s small mouth opened for a yawn.
“Yup, this little one should be back in bed.” Liz stood up as she hoisted Zan in her arms.
Zan quickly wrapped her arms around her mother’s neck and laid her head on Liz’s shoulder. Liz carried Zan all the way into her room with Max stretching his neck to follow them with a stare.
“Hey, Moondoggie, enough already. You don’t want them to melt right there on the spot do you?” Maria teased.
Max quickly turned back in his seat and scratched the back of his ear sheepishly. He was bright red after realizing that he was openly staring at the two girls in his life.
Michael smirked at that. His friend was so far gone for Liz.
Small talk ensued as everyone waited for Liz to come out before another topic was touched.
“Is she asleep?” Max asked as soon as Liz came back to her chair.
“Yeah, out like a light. But she said to wake her up before you leave.”
Max felt his heart swell. His baby wanted him there. Now if only Liz could feel the same way. He had to find a way to win her back no matter what. But before that, they had another important thing to talk about.
“There’s something else that needs to be discussed.” Max began. “When Zan and I connected, I saw glimpses of her life. And the last part…it was disconcerting.”
“Why?” Liz asked, worry clearly visible on her face.
“I saw her dream, Liz. It’s the reason why she kept saying that I was going to take her away. She was so scared. And the worst part is I don’t think it was just a dream.”
Liz paled. She knew her baby could predict the future sometimes and this was one thing that she prayed hard to be false.
“Did…did you see who they were? The ones who are planning to take her?” Liz trembled.
Max focused his entire attention to her and held her hands to alleviate her fears. “No, their faces were blurry. But I want to try something. Isabel, my sister, she can walk into people’s dreams. And I want her to try if she can look at what Zan wasn’t seeing. Maybe then we could find out who they are.”
“They?” Cal asked.
“There’s four of them.” Max answered.
“So Isabel can see who they are and we can stop them before something bad happens?” Liz looked up at Max hopefully.
“Yeah, I want her to try. We have to do everything we can to find out who these people are. I am not gonna let this go, Liz. I can’t. Not if yours and Zan’s safety is at stake.”
Liz nodded. “Alright. Call her.”
Uh...sorry OmegaRam1
~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 37
Isabel called Alex the minute Max hung up.
“Izzy? What is it?”
“Max wants me to go over at Liz’s but I want you to go with me.”
“What for? Isabel, you’re just gonna go there and meet Zan.” Alex voice sounded over the phone.
“No, he wants me to do something.”
“Do what?”
“He wants me to dreamwalk Zan.”
Alex went silent after that.
“Alex?”
“Uh, yeah, I’m here. Why does he want you to dreamwalk her?”
“He said Zan had this dream that scared her and when they connected he saw it too. And apparently it scared him as well.”
“It scared him? What kind of dream is that? You know what? Don’t answer that. I’ll pick you up in 20 minutes.”
That was how they ended the conversation. And now Isabel and Alex were on their way to the Parkers’ home. The drive there was spent in silence with Isabel fretting over what the dream could be while Alex was worrying about Isabel.
When they got there, Isabel quickly went inside with Alex trailing behind her.
“Hey, Max.” Isabel greeted her brother. She was also surprised to see a full house.
“Woah, what’s going on?” Alex was taken aback with the number of people in the house. “Who are these two?”
“They’re Liz and Zan’s bodyguards aside from myself and Michael. They are Desaro and Bardona.” Cal replied.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Princess.”
Alex and Isabel were stunned.
“They’re aliens.” Alex concluded.
“Yup.” Michael confirmed.
“Wait, Michael, you’re on guard duty too?”
“We need him to be, Alex.” Max replied.
The husband and wife pair turned to look at their friend. And Michael gave them a strained smile.
“So, where’s Zan?” Isabel looked around for her niece.
“She’s asleep in my room.” Liz responded.
Isabel gave the petite woman a shy smile. She couldn’t imagine how Liz was taking this all in so rationally.
“Come on.” Liz led the way to her room. Isabel, Alex and Max quickly followed.
“Well, I guess it’s just us again.” Maria said to the other four men with a smile and a wink.
Michael simply shook his head slowly.
However, Liz quickly stepped back in the living room to ask Maria if she wanted to join them upon hearing her.
“Me? Oh no, Liz. Don’t mind me, I was just making some conversation. Besides, I’d probably just pass out if I watch them do their hocus pocus.” Maria said with a wave of her hand.
“Okay. You know where we are if you change your mind.” With that, Liz went back to her room.
“Hocus pocus? We do not do hocus pocus.” Michael said sternly.
“Well, what do you call your abilities? Powers right?”
“Yeah.”
“And what do witches also call their magic? Powers, isn’t it?”
Michael seemed lost in thought before nodding briefly.
“Well there you go. Hocus pocus.”
Zan was sleeping peacefully in the middle of Liz’s bed. She was hugging on to her bear and her pink blanket tucked around her.
Max smiled at the adorable picture his daughter made while Liz brushed away Zan’s hair from her face. He then turned to his sister to ask if she could do what he wanted.
Isabel nodded silently then looked at Alex. He too gave her a nod in response.
“What’s going on?” Liz whispered her question as she noticed the silent conversation.
“Isabel is going to dreamwalk Zan. She’ll go to sleep too and try to get into Zan’s dream.”
“Will it hurt Zan?” Liz worried.
“No, not at all, Liz. She won’t even know I’m there. Hopefully, I’ll be able to see that particular dream that Max saw.”
“Ok. Do I need to do anything?” Liz was wringing her hands in anticipation.
Max placed his palm on top of her hands. “The only thing you need to do is wait. You can stay here with her. But we need a different room for Alex and Isabel cause…” Max looked around the room. “She needs to lie down too.”
“Oh, um, you can maybe use Maria’s room. Come on.”
Liz escorted them back to the hall and into the next bedroom. But she had to make a quick stop back in the living room area to check if it’s ok with Maria.
“No problem, chika.” Maria grinned.
Liz smiled her appreciation and thanked her friend.
Isabel and Alex got ready while Max ushered Liz back in her room where Zan dozed.
“You should stay here with Zan, in case she wakes up suddenly.” Max advised.
“Um, could…could you…stay here too?” Liz asked timidly.
Max beamed. “Of course. Whatever you need, Liz, I’m here. All you have to do is ask.”
“Thanks.” Liz gave him a small smile.
Soon, Zan started shifting on the bed.
In the next room, Alex was holding on to Isabel’s hand as she allowed sleep to envelop her. When Isabel opened her eyes, she was in Zan’s dream.
It looked like a typical child’s world, with wide spaces of grass and fields to run freely. She saw Liz and Zan playing and she smiled brightly when she saw Max in the far corner just watching them with a smile on his face. It was a perfect happy place for a child and Isabel knew that it was what Zan wanted, for her, Liz and Max to be together.
She moved deeper into the dream to find the one that Max told her about. But everywhere she looked, the scene was the same. Isabel sighed and started to move out. But as she did, she saw one dark alley that stood out from the scene of sunshine, fluffy clouds and the calming view of the prairie.
She slowly slipped in and found herself in a busy street. It didn’t look like the suburban neighborhood Zan lived in. It was dark and people were walking around swiftly.
Then she saw Zan, walking slowly past her and she decided to follow the dream Zan from afar. Then the little girl started walking faster, her eyes wide with fear whenever she would look back. After a while she took off in a dead run, yelling for her mother.
Back in Liz’s room, Zan started moaning and twisting in bed. Liz was about to bring her out of it but Max stopped her.
“You can’t Liz. I know it’s breaking your heart but we have to know who we’re up against. And this is the only way.”
Liz bit her lower lip and nodded as she looked at her baby. Max then moved to sit beside her and held her hand in his as they watched over the small child.
Alex tightened her grip on Isabel’s hand and she started to moan in bed. This only happens when it’s something bad. And whatever this was, it was serious.
Isabel was following Zan as well but she couldn’t see who was chasing her. She wanted to help the poor child as she saw her tears leaking as she ran harder.
Then something weird happened. Four figures came walking ominously towards the little girl. But the weird thing was, they were behind Isabel. But as the closed the gap on Zan, they walked right through her.
That was a first for Isabel. And back in the room, she began to break into a sweat.
She saw the four figures reaching Zan. One of them, a man, scooped the squirming and screaming girl in his arms and started to carry her away with the others following behind him.
Isabel tried to run after them but something was holding her back. The faster and harder she tried to run, the distance between her and the four figures grew farther.
When Isabel couldn’t catch up to them any more, they all turned their heads to look back at her and smiled evilly. She froze as the shock of what she was seeing went through her body.
Looking back at her with malevolent grins were reflections of themselves: Max, Michael, Isabel and Erin.
~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 37
Isabel called Alex the minute Max hung up.
“Izzy? What is it?”
“Max wants me to go over at Liz’s but I want you to go with me.”
“What for? Isabel, you’re just gonna go there and meet Zan.” Alex voice sounded over the phone.
“No, he wants me to do something.”
“Do what?”
“He wants me to dreamwalk Zan.”
Alex went silent after that.
“Alex?”
“Uh, yeah, I’m here. Why does he want you to dreamwalk her?”
“He said Zan had this dream that scared her and when they connected he saw it too. And apparently it scared him as well.”
“It scared him? What kind of dream is that? You know what? Don’t answer that. I’ll pick you up in 20 minutes.”
That was how they ended the conversation. And now Isabel and Alex were on their way to the Parkers’ home. The drive there was spent in silence with Isabel fretting over what the dream could be while Alex was worrying about Isabel.
When they got there, Isabel quickly went inside with Alex trailing behind her.
“Hey, Max.” Isabel greeted her brother. She was also surprised to see a full house.
“Woah, what’s going on?” Alex was taken aback with the number of people in the house. “Who are these two?”
“They’re Liz and Zan’s bodyguards aside from myself and Michael. They are Desaro and Bardona.” Cal replied.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Princess.”
Alex and Isabel were stunned.
“They’re aliens.” Alex concluded.
“Yup.” Michael confirmed.
“Wait, Michael, you’re on guard duty too?”
“We need him to be, Alex.” Max replied.
The husband and wife pair turned to look at their friend. And Michael gave them a strained smile.
“So, where’s Zan?” Isabel looked around for her niece.
“She’s asleep in my room.” Liz responded.
Isabel gave the petite woman a shy smile. She couldn’t imagine how Liz was taking this all in so rationally.
“Come on.” Liz led the way to her room. Isabel, Alex and Max quickly followed.
“Well, I guess it’s just us again.” Maria said to the other four men with a smile and a wink.
Michael simply shook his head slowly.
However, Liz quickly stepped back in the living room to ask Maria if she wanted to join them upon hearing her.
“Me? Oh no, Liz. Don’t mind me, I was just making some conversation. Besides, I’d probably just pass out if I watch them do their hocus pocus.” Maria said with a wave of her hand.
“Okay. You know where we are if you change your mind.” With that, Liz went back to her room.
“Hocus pocus? We do not do hocus pocus.” Michael said sternly.
“Well, what do you call your abilities? Powers right?”
“Yeah.”
“And what do witches also call their magic? Powers, isn’t it?”
Michael seemed lost in thought before nodding briefly.
“Well there you go. Hocus pocus.”
Zan was sleeping peacefully in the middle of Liz’s bed. She was hugging on to her bear and her pink blanket tucked around her.
Max smiled at the adorable picture his daughter made while Liz brushed away Zan’s hair from her face. He then turned to his sister to ask if she could do what he wanted.
Isabel nodded silently then looked at Alex. He too gave her a nod in response.
“What’s going on?” Liz whispered her question as she noticed the silent conversation.
“Isabel is going to dreamwalk Zan. She’ll go to sleep too and try to get into Zan’s dream.”
“Will it hurt Zan?” Liz worried.
“No, not at all, Liz. She won’t even know I’m there. Hopefully, I’ll be able to see that particular dream that Max saw.”
“Ok. Do I need to do anything?” Liz was wringing her hands in anticipation.
Max placed his palm on top of her hands. “The only thing you need to do is wait. You can stay here with her. But we need a different room for Alex and Isabel cause…” Max looked around the room. “She needs to lie down too.”
“Oh, um, you can maybe use Maria’s room. Come on.”
Liz escorted them back to the hall and into the next bedroom. But she had to make a quick stop back in the living room area to check if it’s ok with Maria.
“No problem, chika.” Maria grinned.
Liz smiled her appreciation and thanked her friend.
Isabel and Alex got ready while Max ushered Liz back in her room where Zan dozed.
“You should stay here with Zan, in case she wakes up suddenly.” Max advised.
“Um, could…could you…stay here too?” Liz asked timidly.
Max beamed. “Of course. Whatever you need, Liz, I’m here. All you have to do is ask.”
“Thanks.” Liz gave him a small smile.
Soon, Zan started shifting on the bed.
In the next room, Alex was holding on to Isabel’s hand as she allowed sleep to envelop her. When Isabel opened her eyes, she was in Zan’s dream.
It looked like a typical child’s world, with wide spaces of grass and fields to run freely. She saw Liz and Zan playing and she smiled brightly when she saw Max in the far corner just watching them with a smile on his face. It was a perfect happy place for a child and Isabel knew that it was what Zan wanted, for her, Liz and Max to be together.
She moved deeper into the dream to find the one that Max told her about. But everywhere she looked, the scene was the same. Isabel sighed and started to move out. But as she did, she saw one dark alley that stood out from the scene of sunshine, fluffy clouds and the calming view of the prairie.
She slowly slipped in and found herself in a busy street. It didn’t look like the suburban neighborhood Zan lived in. It was dark and people were walking around swiftly.
Then she saw Zan, walking slowly past her and she decided to follow the dream Zan from afar. Then the little girl started walking faster, her eyes wide with fear whenever she would look back. After a while she took off in a dead run, yelling for her mother.
Back in Liz’s room, Zan started moaning and twisting in bed. Liz was about to bring her out of it but Max stopped her.
“You can’t Liz. I know it’s breaking your heart but we have to know who we’re up against. And this is the only way.”
Liz bit her lower lip and nodded as she looked at her baby. Max then moved to sit beside her and held her hand in his as they watched over the small child.
Alex tightened her grip on Isabel’s hand and she started to moan in bed. This only happens when it’s something bad. And whatever this was, it was serious.
Isabel was following Zan as well but she couldn’t see who was chasing her. She wanted to help the poor child as she saw her tears leaking as she ran harder.
Then something weird happened. Four figures came walking ominously towards the little girl. But the weird thing was, they were behind Isabel. But as the closed the gap on Zan, they walked right through her.
That was a first for Isabel. And back in the room, she began to break into a sweat.
She saw the four figures reaching Zan. One of them, a man, scooped the squirming and screaming girl in his arms and started to carry her away with the others following behind him.
Isabel tried to run after them but something was holding her back. The faster and harder she tried to run, the distance between her and the four figures grew farther.
When Isabel couldn’t catch up to them any more, they all turned their heads to look back at her and smiled evilly. She froze as the shock of what she was seeing went through her body.
Looking back at her with malevolent grins were reflections of themselves: Max, Michael, Isabel and Erin.
A/N: Wow, some of you are good at predictions. I won’t tell who though. And Tanya, even though I consider you to be my best friend, I’m still giving you payback for leaving me hanging with your own fics (insert *lindsay* aka evil laugh)!
~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 38
“NOOOOOO!!!!!!” Isabel rushed to sit up as she awoke from the nightmare. She began to pant and gasp for air.
“Calm down, Izzy. You’re in Liz’s house. You’re safe. I’m here.” Alex tried to soothe his wife.
Isabel quickly reached for him and clung to him. Alex could feel the tears that have trickled down his neck as Isabel wept for the horror that she saw. Alex continued to hold her as she tried to calm herself. He knew he couldn’t ask her what he saw yet. But if he will base it on her reactions, he knew it was something truly horrible.
A few minutes passed and Isabel has quieted down a great deal. But before she could tell Alex what she saw, the door to the room burst open.
“No, Mommy, help.” Zan began to wriggle in bed and call out for Liz.
Liz was about to move to wake Zan but Max was quick to stop her. “Liz, you can’t.”
“Max, she’s suffering.” Liz’s eyes began to well.
“I know. I feel it too, Liz, but we have to wait.”
“Mommy, help me! Mommy! Mommy!”
“Max…” Liz whimpered.
“No! Let me go! Mommy! MOMMYYYYYY!!!!!!”
Liz swiftly moved out of Max’s grip and sat beside her little girl. She held her baby in her arms as she tried to wake her. “Zan, Zan, wake up. Baby, it’s Mommy. Please, wake up Alissandra.” Liz cried.
Max could feel what Zan was going through as much as Liz and he couldn’t just stand there and look at them. It was breaking his heart into millions of pieces. He wiped away his own tears and slowly crept to the other side of Zan. He too tried to wake up his daughter.
“Zan, come on baby, wake up. Please my princess, you have to wake up.”
Zan twisted and turned and tried to get away. Liz and Max were having a hard time trying to wake her. Then with one last scream, Zan shot up from the bed, straight into Liz’s arms.
“Sshhh, baby. It’s ok. Look at me, look at me, Zan.” Liz did her best to make Zan focus on her.
Zan’s glazed eyes began to clear. When she saw Liz in front of her, she quickly hugged her back and pressed herself as close as she can to her mommy.
“Mommy.” Zan wept.
“Sshhh, it’s alright now, baby. It’s alright. I’m here my little one.” Liz rocked her baby back and forth.
Max never said anything. He quickly stood up and rushed into the other room.
“What did you see, Isabel?” Max asked harshly.
“Hey, she just came out of it, Max. Cut her some slack.”
“Zan was screaming, didn’t you hear?” Max threw back at Alex.
“So was your sister!”
“She’s just a little child!”
Alex stood and went up to Max’s face. “You’re the one who wanted to do this! You’re the one who subjected your own daughter to this! Don’t you dare turn this around on us!”
Max stumbled back as the reality of Alex’s words struck him. Michael ran to the room when he heard Max and Alex getting into it.
“What’s going on?” Michael looked at Max, Alex, then at Isabel. Max looked stunned into silence. Alex was seething and Isabel was weeping silently.
“What happened? What did you see, Iz?” he asked.
The two other men turned to look at Isabel. She wiped her tears away and stood up. “We should discuss this with everyone present. I don’t want to repeat what I have to say.” She quietly left the room with Alex and Michael at her heels.
Max went back into Liz’s room and saw that she was still hugging Zan.
“Liz, Isabel wants us all to talk in the living room.”
Liz looked up at Max with her doe eyes full of concern. She nodded quickly and got up with Zan still in her arms.
Max followed quietly behind her. Zan looked up at him and reached her small hand out. He quickly took it in his and gave her a small smile to reassure her that everything will be ok.
Once they were all settled in the living room, Isabel took a deep breath and looked at Zan who was settled on Liz’s lap. Max sat beside Liz and waited for his sister to begin.
“Ok, what I saw was really disturbing. At first it was a nice picture, like any child’s dream. It was mostly about playing in open fields and all. Then I saw an alley. It was dark and I didn’t recognize where it was but it looked like a busy city.”
Alex held on to Isabel’s hand as she told her tale to show his support. Isabel kept on gripping her husband’s hand as she recalled everything she saw from Zan’s dream.
“When I saw Zan in the alley, she was always looking at something behind her. Her expression was scared and she started walking faster and faster. I followed her but I couldn’t see who she was looking at. And then it happened.”
“What happened?” Maria asked curiously. She was on the edge of her seat. This was Zan they were talking about. And no one messes with her niece. Human or alien she was not going to standby and do nothing.
“Four people came out, they were walking behind me. Then since I was behind Zan, they walked right through me and grabbed her.”
Zan looked at the tall blonde woman and wondered why she was talking about her.
“Did you see who they were? Did you get a good look at them?” Max fired one question after another.
“I did.” Isabel started to breathe deeply.
“What did they look like?” Michael asked.
“They looked like us.” Isabel answered.
“What? How could they look like us?” Michael’s brows furrowed.
“I don’t know but they did. And the worse part was, they looked at me. They looked right at me and…. They knew I was there, Max. They knew I was in the dream. That has never happened before. Who are they?” Isabel exclaimed.
Max looked at Cal to ask.
“I don’t know who they are, Max. I only know that there were four of you, no one else.” Cal replied.
“Wait, there’s something else or more like someone.” Isabel interrupted.
“What else is there?” Michael yelled.
“Erin. She was there.”
“WHAT?!”
“She’s dead. We were all there when we buried her!” Max shouted.
“Could they be shapeshifters?” Michael quickly asked.
“Maybe, but no shapeshifter can do what Isabel said they did. Only fellow dreamwalkers can see each other in the dream plane.” Cal replied.
“So one of them or all of them can dream walk” Max assumed.
“I don’t like this, Maxwell.” Michael informed them.
“Neither do I.”
“Wait, Michael, you said you were reincarnated, that you were podded. What does that mean?” This came from Liz.
“They were recreated. Alien and human DNA mixed together so they could live on this planet and still have Antarian abilities.” Cal responded.
“There must have been experiments, tests. How did they come to creating you? There must have been other results.”
Cal quickly followed Liz’s train of thought and looked at her with worry. “Another set.”
“Huh?” Max, Michael and Isabel looked at Cal.
Liz took over. “If your enemy who is currently sitting at your throne took the rejects or just a tiny sample of what your race has done to be able to recreate you, he could create another set. Another Max, another Michael, another Isabel and…another Erin.”
“But why do they even need Zan? If there’s already another set, why can’t they just stay there? None of us wants to go. We’re trying to live our lives here as normal human beings! Why can’t they just leave us alone?!” Isabel cried.
Alex quickly took his wife in his arms and embraced her to him tightly.
“Because Antar knows there’s an heir. The same way they know that Zan’s royal line lives. The same way they know that the true king and queen have reclaimed the throne. They need Alissandra to fool your people into thinking that they are the real Royal Four.”
~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 38
“NOOOOOO!!!!!!” Isabel rushed to sit up as she awoke from the nightmare. She began to pant and gasp for air.
“Calm down, Izzy. You’re in Liz’s house. You’re safe. I’m here.” Alex tried to soothe his wife.
Isabel quickly reached for him and clung to him. Alex could feel the tears that have trickled down his neck as Isabel wept for the horror that she saw. Alex continued to hold her as she tried to calm herself. He knew he couldn’t ask her what he saw yet. But if he will base it on her reactions, he knew it was something truly horrible.
A few minutes passed and Isabel has quieted down a great deal. But before she could tell Alex what she saw, the door to the room burst open.
“No, Mommy, help.” Zan began to wriggle in bed and call out for Liz.
Liz was about to move to wake Zan but Max was quick to stop her. “Liz, you can’t.”
“Max, she’s suffering.” Liz’s eyes began to well.
“I know. I feel it too, Liz, but we have to wait.”
“Mommy, help me! Mommy! Mommy!”
“Max…” Liz whimpered.
“No! Let me go! Mommy! MOMMYYYYYY!!!!!!”
Liz swiftly moved out of Max’s grip and sat beside her little girl. She held her baby in her arms as she tried to wake her. “Zan, Zan, wake up. Baby, it’s Mommy. Please, wake up Alissandra.” Liz cried.
Max could feel what Zan was going through as much as Liz and he couldn’t just stand there and look at them. It was breaking his heart into millions of pieces. He wiped away his own tears and slowly crept to the other side of Zan. He too tried to wake up his daughter.
“Zan, come on baby, wake up. Please my princess, you have to wake up.”
Zan twisted and turned and tried to get away. Liz and Max were having a hard time trying to wake her. Then with one last scream, Zan shot up from the bed, straight into Liz’s arms.
“Sshhh, baby. It’s ok. Look at me, look at me, Zan.” Liz did her best to make Zan focus on her.
Zan’s glazed eyes began to clear. When she saw Liz in front of her, she quickly hugged her back and pressed herself as close as she can to her mommy.
“Mommy.” Zan wept.
“Sshhh, it’s alright now, baby. It’s alright. I’m here my little one.” Liz rocked her baby back and forth.
Max never said anything. He quickly stood up and rushed into the other room.
“What did you see, Isabel?” Max asked harshly.
“Hey, she just came out of it, Max. Cut her some slack.”
“Zan was screaming, didn’t you hear?” Max threw back at Alex.
“So was your sister!”
“She’s just a little child!”
Alex stood and went up to Max’s face. “You’re the one who wanted to do this! You’re the one who subjected your own daughter to this! Don’t you dare turn this around on us!”
Max stumbled back as the reality of Alex’s words struck him. Michael ran to the room when he heard Max and Alex getting into it.
“What’s going on?” Michael looked at Max, Alex, then at Isabel. Max looked stunned into silence. Alex was seething and Isabel was weeping silently.
“What happened? What did you see, Iz?” he asked.
The two other men turned to look at Isabel. She wiped her tears away and stood up. “We should discuss this with everyone present. I don’t want to repeat what I have to say.” She quietly left the room with Alex and Michael at her heels.
Max went back into Liz’s room and saw that she was still hugging Zan.
“Liz, Isabel wants us all to talk in the living room.”
Liz looked up at Max with her doe eyes full of concern. She nodded quickly and got up with Zan still in her arms.
Max followed quietly behind her. Zan looked up at him and reached her small hand out. He quickly took it in his and gave her a small smile to reassure her that everything will be ok.
Once they were all settled in the living room, Isabel took a deep breath and looked at Zan who was settled on Liz’s lap. Max sat beside Liz and waited for his sister to begin.
“Ok, what I saw was really disturbing. At first it was a nice picture, like any child’s dream. It was mostly about playing in open fields and all. Then I saw an alley. It was dark and I didn’t recognize where it was but it looked like a busy city.”
Alex held on to Isabel’s hand as she told her tale to show his support. Isabel kept on gripping her husband’s hand as she recalled everything she saw from Zan’s dream.
“When I saw Zan in the alley, she was always looking at something behind her. Her expression was scared and she started walking faster and faster. I followed her but I couldn’t see who she was looking at. And then it happened.”
“What happened?” Maria asked curiously. She was on the edge of her seat. This was Zan they were talking about. And no one messes with her niece. Human or alien she was not going to standby and do nothing.
“Four people came out, they were walking behind me. Then since I was behind Zan, they walked right through me and grabbed her.”
Zan looked at the tall blonde woman and wondered why she was talking about her.
“Did you see who they were? Did you get a good look at them?” Max fired one question after another.
“I did.” Isabel started to breathe deeply.
“What did they look like?” Michael asked.
“They looked like us.” Isabel answered.
“What? How could they look like us?” Michael’s brows furrowed.
“I don’t know but they did. And the worse part was, they looked at me. They looked right at me and…. They knew I was there, Max. They knew I was in the dream. That has never happened before. Who are they?” Isabel exclaimed.
Max looked at Cal to ask.
“I don’t know who they are, Max. I only know that there were four of you, no one else.” Cal replied.
“Wait, there’s something else or more like someone.” Isabel interrupted.
“What else is there?” Michael yelled.
“Erin. She was there.”
“WHAT?!”
“She’s dead. We were all there when we buried her!” Max shouted.
“Could they be shapeshifters?” Michael quickly asked.
“Maybe, but no shapeshifter can do what Isabel said they did. Only fellow dreamwalkers can see each other in the dream plane.” Cal replied.
“So one of them or all of them can dream walk” Max assumed.
“I don’t like this, Maxwell.” Michael informed them.
“Neither do I.”
“Wait, Michael, you said you were reincarnated, that you were podded. What does that mean?” This came from Liz.
“They were recreated. Alien and human DNA mixed together so they could live on this planet and still have Antarian abilities.” Cal responded.
“There must have been experiments, tests. How did they come to creating you? There must have been other results.”
Cal quickly followed Liz’s train of thought and looked at her with worry. “Another set.”
“Huh?” Max, Michael and Isabel looked at Cal.
Liz took over. “If your enemy who is currently sitting at your throne took the rejects or just a tiny sample of what your race has done to be able to recreate you, he could create another set. Another Max, another Michael, another Isabel and…another Erin.”
“But why do they even need Zan? If there’s already another set, why can’t they just stay there? None of us wants to go. We’re trying to live our lives here as normal human beings! Why can’t they just leave us alone?!” Isabel cried.
Alex quickly took his wife in his arms and embraced her to him tightly.
“Because Antar knows there’s an heir. The same way they know that Zan’s royal line lives. The same way they know that the true king and queen have reclaimed the throne. They need Alissandra to fool your people into thinking that they are the real Royal Four.”
Chapter 39
“Mommy, who’s she?” Zan asked Liz while glancing at Isabel.
“Oh, she’s your aunt, sweetie.”
“Nother one?” she asked wide-eyed.
Liz laughed, “Yeah baby, another one.”
“Is Aunt Mawia still my aunty?” Zan looked at Maria.
“Of course, cutie.” Maria winked.
Zan giggled, she always loved her Aunt Maria.
“What’s her name?” Zan whispered to Liz but it was loud enough for everyone to hear.
They all laughed at Zan’s innocence which somehow made them forget the impending doom hovering in their minds.
Isabel stepped closer to the little child and looked her in the eye. She smiled radiantly and extended a perfectly manicured hand. “Hi, I’m your…Aunt Isabel. You can call me Aunt Izzy.”
“Hi.” She smiled bashfully then took Isabel’s hand and shook it.
Tears sprung from Isabel’s eyes. She could not believe that she finally got to meet her niece.
“Why are you cwying? Did I hurt you? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it.” Zan fretted.
“Oh, no, that’s not it, baby.” Max was quick to reassure her.
“Then why is she cwying?” Worry marred the girl’s features.
“She’s just really happy.” Alex chimed in and stepped closer to Isabel. “I’m your Uncle Alex by the way.”
“Uncle Alex?” Zan blinked up at the tall man holding her Aunt Izzy. She then turned to her mother, “What’s a uncle?”
Liz then realized that Zan never had an uncle because she was an only child herself.
“You know how you have an aunt, well now you have two. An uncle is like an aunt but he’s a man while aunts are women.”
“Oh.” Zan quickly understood. “Are you cool like my Aunt Mawia?” Zan asked Alex with a tilt of her head.
Alex beamed, “Yeah, I can be cool like your Aunt Maria.”
“You gonna bring me candy and take me shopping?”
Alex laughed, “Uh, I think I’ll leave the shopping with your aunts. But I can do candies.”
“Lotsa candies?”
“Yup.”
“Yay!” Zan grinned.
Max and Liz shared a look. “Yup, she does love her sweets.”
“Mommy, what about him?” Zan looked at Michael.
Liz followed Zan’s gaze and was caught speechless. “Well…uh…”
“He’s another uncle, Zan.” Max provided.
“Will he give me lotsa candies too like Uncy Alex?”
“All the candies you can eat, kiddo.” Michael smiled softly.
“Kiddo? She is NOT a kiddo.” Maria quickly butted in.
“Oh dear lord, Maria, don’t start, please.” Liz sighed.
“What? Liz, Zan is not a kiddo. Kiddo is for boys, not cute little girls like my adorable niece. Isn’t that right, Zan?”
“Wight!”
Liz just rolled her eyes and quickly changed the topic. “So Cal, do you think they’re another set?”
“That’s the most feasible answer I can think of.”
“What exactly can they do?”
“The powers of everyone in the room and probably more if Khivar made them for the sole purpose of being his puppets.”
“But how can they pass off this Erin as the queen? I thought your people know that Liz is their queen. How can they make people believe that she’s royalty?” Maria interjected.
“They’ll do whatever it takes, even if it means…you know…” Michael couldn’t finish his sentence but Maria instantly understood.
“No!” Maria stood up and ran to the kitchen.
“Maria.” Liz handed Zan to Max then rushed after her friend.
“Did you really have to say that, Michael?” Isabel berated him.
“She asked.” he shrugged.
“Maria?” Liz walked up to her friend.
Maria had her back towards Liz so Liz didn’t know that she was already weeping.
“It’s ok, Liz. I’ll be fine. I’m sorry. Go back to your meeting.” Maria said without even turning around to face Liz.
“Maria, look at me.” Liz touched Maria’s shoulder and made her turn.
When Liz saw Maria’s face, she began to cry too. “Hey, what’s this about?”
“I’m sorry, Liz. I really am. It’s just…all of a sudden this…this…mess has been thrown at you and now there’s a threat to yours and Zan’s lives and I feel so helpless!”
“Oh Maria, don’t. Don’t you know that you’re my strength here? Without you, I would’ve crumbled already. I would have taken Zan and ran as fast as I could away from here. You can’t think that you’re helpless. You being here to support me on this is as important as having alien powers. Please don’t think that you’re useless here.”
“I never said I thought I was useless, Liz, helpless not useless.” Maria said sarcastically. “But thanks for reassuring me. You and Zan are my family. I can’t lose you both.” Maria leaned to hug her best friend.
“We can’t lose you either, Maria. You’re Zan’s coolest aunt, remember?” Liz hugged her back.
“Oh yeah.” The two women started to giggle which turned into laughter.
“Waitaminute.” Maria stopped suddenly.
“What?”
“I never said I felt useless, I was about to but I never said anything. I WAS thinking it though.” Maria said with eyes as big as saucers.
“So?”
“So? Liz, maybe you could read minds!”
“Wha— No, Maria. I don’t.” Liz denied with a shake of her head.
“Ok, tell me what I’m thinking right now.”
“This is ridiculous. Max said they couldn’t read minds. How in the world will that be my power?”
“Just try it.”
“Fine.”
Both Liz and Maria concentrated then opened they’re eyes.
“What?” Maria asked giddily.
“Nothing.”
“Nothing?”
“Nothing.”
“Hmm…” Maria wondered. ‘Why can’t you see that she found Michael attractive in a Neanderthal kind of way?’
Liz gasped, “Maria!”
“What?”
“What do you mean what?”
“You like Michael.”
“What? Sshhh.” Maria clamped a hand over Liz’s mouth. “It worked.”
Liz pulled Maria’s hand away. “Yeah, but eww!”
“Oh hush, you should see yourself and Max and all those sappy looks you’ve been giving each other when you think the other isn’t looking.”
“We do not—”
“Don’t even deny it. Now, how were you able to tell what I was thinking just right now but not when we concentrated earlier?”
“Maria, you’re grasping at straws.”
“Ok, we tried the concentration technique earlier but that didn’t work. Then when I was wondering about it, it did. It doesn’t make sense.”
Liz reluctantly gave in to Maria. “What did you do differently?” she asked.
“I was…asking you the question in my head.”
“So that means you were addressing me.”
Maria gasped. “Oh my gosh, you’re telepathic!”
“Mommy, who’s she?” Zan asked Liz while glancing at Isabel.
“Oh, she’s your aunt, sweetie.”
“Nother one?” she asked wide-eyed.
Liz laughed, “Yeah baby, another one.”
“Is Aunt Mawia still my aunty?” Zan looked at Maria.
“Of course, cutie.” Maria winked.
Zan giggled, she always loved her Aunt Maria.
“What’s her name?” Zan whispered to Liz but it was loud enough for everyone to hear.
They all laughed at Zan’s innocence which somehow made them forget the impending doom hovering in their minds.
Isabel stepped closer to the little child and looked her in the eye. She smiled radiantly and extended a perfectly manicured hand. “Hi, I’m your…Aunt Isabel. You can call me Aunt Izzy.”
“Hi.” She smiled bashfully then took Isabel’s hand and shook it.
Tears sprung from Isabel’s eyes. She could not believe that she finally got to meet her niece.
“Why are you cwying? Did I hurt you? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it.” Zan fretted.
“Oh, no, that’s not it, baby.” Max was quick to reassure her.
“Then why is she cwying?” Worry marred the girl’s features.
“She’s just really happy.” Alex chimed in and stepped closer to Isabel. “I’m your Uncle Alex by the way.”
“Uncle Alex?” Zan blinked up at the tall man holding her Aunt Izzy. She then turned to her mother, “What’s a uncle?”
Liz then realized that Zan never had an uncle because she was an only child herself.
“You know how you have an aunt, well now you have two. An uncle is like an aunt but he’s a man while aunts are women.”
“Oh.” Zan quickly understood. “Are you cool like my Aunt Mawia?” Zan asked Alex with a tilt of her head.
Alex beamed, “Yeah, I can be cool like your Aunt Maria.”
“You gonna bring me candy and take me shopping?”
Alex laughed, “Uh, I think I’ll leave the shopping with your aunts. But I can do candies.”
“Lotsa candies?”
“Yup.”
“Yay!” Zan grinned.
Max and Liz shared a look. “Yup, she does love her sweets.”
“Mommy, what about him?” Zan looked at Michael.
Liz followed Zan’s gaze and was caught speechless. “Well…uh…”
“He’s another uncle, Zan.” Max provided.
“Will he give me lotsa candies too like Uncy Alex?”
“All the candies you can eat, kiddo.” Michael smiled softly.
“Kiddo? She is NOT a kiddo.” Maria quickly butted in.
“Oh dear lord, Maria, don’t start, please.” Liz sighed.
“What? Liz, Zan is not a kiddo. Kiddo is for boys, not cute little girls like my adorable niece. Isn’t that right, Zan?”
“Wight!”
Liz just rolled her eyes and quickly changed the topic. “So Cal, do you think they’re another set?”
“That’s the most feasible answer I can think of.”
“What exactly can they do?”
“The powers of everyone in the room and probably more if Khivar made them for the sole purpose of being his puppets.”
“But how can they pass off this Erin as the queen? I thought your people know that Liz is their queen. How can they make people believe that she’s royalty?” Maria interjected.
“They’ll do whatever it takes, even if it means…you know…” Michael couldn’t finish his sentence but Maria instantly understood.
“No!” Maria stood up and ran to the kitchen.
“Maria.” Liz handed Zan to Max then rushed after her friend.
“Did you really have to say that, Michael?” Isabel berated him.
“She asked.” he shrugged.
“Maria?” Liz walked up to her friend.
Maria had her back towards Liz so Liz didn’t know that she was already weeping.
“It’s ok, Liz. I’ll be fine. I’m sorry. Go back to your meeting.” Maria said without even turning around to face Liz.
“Maria, look at me.” Liz touched Maria’s shoulder and made her turn.
When Liz saw Maria’s face, she began to cry too. “Hey, what’s this about?”
“I’m sorry, Liz. I really am. It’s just…all of a sudden this…this…mess has been thrown at you and now there’s a threat to yours and Zan’s lives and I feel so helpless!”
“Oh Maria, don’t. Don’t you know that you’re my strength here? Without you, I would’ve crumbled already. I would have taken Zan and ran as fast as I could away from here. You can’t think that you’re helpless. You being here to support me on this is as important as having alien powers. Please don’t think that you’re useless here.”
“I never said I thought I was useless, Liz, helpless not useless.” Maria said sarcastically. “But thanks for reassuring me. You and Zan are my family. I can’t lose you both.” Maria leaned to hug her best friend.
“We can’t lose you either, Maria. You’re Zan’s coolest aunt, remember?” Liz hugged her back.
“Oh yeah.” The two women started to giggle which turned into laughter.
“Waitaminute.” Maria stopped suddenly.
“What?”
“I never said I felt useless, I was about to but I never said anything. I WAS thinking it though.” Maria said with eyes as big as saucers.
“So?”
“So? Liz, maybe you could read minds!”
“Wha— No, Maria. I don’t.” Liz denied with a shake of her head.
“Ok, tell me what I’m thinking right now.”
“This is ridiculous. Max said they couldn’t read minds. How in the world will that be my power?”
“Just try it.”
“Fine.”
Both Liz and Maria concentrated then opened they’re eyes.
“What?” Maria asked giddily.
“Nothing.”
“Nothing?”
“Nothing.”
“Hmm…” Maria wondered. ‘Why can’t you see that she found Michael attractive in a Neanderthal kind of way?’
Liz gasped, “Maria!”
“What?”
“What do you mean what?”
“You like Michael.”
“What? Sshhh.” Maria clamped a hand over Liz’s mouth. “It worked.”
Liz pulled Maria’s hand away. “Yeah, but eww!”
“Oh hush, you should see yourself and Max and all those sappy looks you’ve been giving each other when you think the other isn’t looking.”
“We do not—”
“Don’t even deny it. Now, how were you able to tell what I was thinking just right now but not when we concentrated earlier?”
“Maria, you’re grasping at straws.”
“Ok, we tried the concentration technique earlier but that didn’t work. Then when I was wondering about it, it did. It doesn’t make sense.”
Liz reluctantly gave in to Maria. “What did you do differently?” she asked.
“I was…asking you the question in my head.”
“So that means you were addressing me.”
Maria gasped. “Oh my gosh, you’re telepathic!”
Chapter 40
“No I’m not, Maria.”
“You were able to hear Zan calling you this morning. What was that huh?”
“I… I don’t know but Cal said it was the bond that Zan and I had. It doesn’t mean I’m telepathic.” Liz insisted.
“Yes it does. Liz, the fact that you can hear your daughter calling you in your head means something. And it means you’re telepathic. And just now, when I was talking to you in my head, you heard me. I mean, I know we’re tight Chika, but we’re not that tight.”
Liz couldn’t say anything to deny what Maria claimed.
“We need to go tell Max.” Maria pushed past Liz and was running back to the living room before Liz could even say Stop.
“Hey all, we just discovered what Liz’s power is.” Maria happily informed them.
“What?” Everyone quickly looked towards Liz.
“No, we don’t even know if it’s true.” Liz tried to deflect Maria’s statement.
“Oh, shut up, Lizzie. It’s true. I asked her something in my head, you know, since I was just wondering something because we tried concentrating on sending a message without opening our mouths and it didn’t work. But then with that question, she totally heard me without me asking the question out loud. She’s a telepath!” Maria explained in her own way.
Alex leaned over to Max, “Is she really like that?” referring to Maria.
Max only gave him a quick nod. “Liz, I think Maria maybe on to something. I did ask you a question a while ago too and you were able to give me your answer before I even opened my mouth.”
“So you can hear people talking to you through their heads, can you talk back?” Michael immediately questioned.
“Um…we haven’t tried that.” Liz blushed.
Max was quick to run to her defense. “Don’t worry. We can find out more about that and do the training later on. But first, I want to discuss more about these…clones.”
“What else is there to discuss Max? We know that they’re out to get— uh, you-know-who and they’d have to kill us all first before we give in.” Isabel stood firm.
“I know that, Iz. What I was thinking of is adding more protection for Liz and Zan.” Max said.
“More protection? Where are you gonna get that?” Alex asked.
“From our camp.” Cal answered.
“Camp? What camp?” Isabel questioned.
Max and Michael exchanged looks which didn’t escape Isabel’s eyes.
“You two, you know there’s an alien camp and you didn’t even bother to tell me?!”
“We didn’t think it was necessary at the time. We were all living our normal lives. But there were Antarians who fled and they were able to contact Cal.” Max answered.
“How long?”
“Since Erin died.”
“That’s four years! How could you keep this from me?”
“What good would it do if you knew? What? You’re gonna go to the camp and redecorate?” Michael added.
“That’s not the point!” Isabel yelled at Michael.
“Enough!” Max bellowed at them both.
Zan quickly flinched, got off the couch and ran to her mommy.
Max watched as Zan scrambled to be near her mother. “Zan.”
Liz only looked at Max as she picked Zan up in her arms.
He went closer to them and ran his hand up and down his daughter’s back. “I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t mean to yell.”
“I don’t like it when there’s shouting.” Zan spoke softly.
“We’re sorry, Zan.” Isabel apologized.
Zan looked at Isabel and nodded. “Mommy, can I watch cartoons in your woom?”
“Sure Zan, come on, I’ll go with you.” Maria offered but just as she was about to get her from Liz, Liz tightened her hold on her child.
“Liz?” Maria’s brows furrowed.
“No. I’m sorry, Maria, it’s not you. I just…I can’t, not after what they saw.” Liz admitted.
“Hey, I understand, Liz. Say no more.” Maria smiled sadly. She pitied the situation Liz was in and if it was her, she would have come apart already.
“Later, Zan, ok?” Liz told her baby.
Zan nodded, “Ok.”
Liz turned her focus back to Max. “So Max, you were talking about adding protection, but how? There’s no more space left in this house.”
“I know…and that’s why I would like you to move in with me.”
“What?! I’m sorry, did I hear you right?”
“I know it’s a big deal, Liz, and you would need time to think about it. But this is for your safety and my peace of mind as well. I have a big house with lots of rooms. You and Zan can stay in one of the other bedrooms. And Maria can also stay in another. And Michael and Cal and all the other guards we’ll be getting can stay in the guestrooms. But at least no matter what happens there will be more than four people to protect you.” Max said.
“We don’t know what we’re dealing with here. They could be clones or shapeshifters. And if that’s what they are, they can copy any one of us to fool you. If there are more than four of us standing guard, they can’t copy everyone.” he added.
Liz stood there and thought about what he said. And although she knew this was for their safety, there were still other things to consider.
“What about the shop?”
“You can still work but there’ll be some guards there.”
“They’ll scare off the customers.”
“They can pose as shoppers.”
“And Zan’s school?”
“She can still go but again there will be some guards with her.”
“You can’t do that, Max.”
“And I can’t afford to risk your safety. I just can’t.” he admitted.
Liz turned to Maria for help.
“Don’t look at me, I’m with him. We don’t know who or what were dealing with, Liz. Add the fact that they’re aliens, who knows what they can do.” Maria said.
Liz looked at Zan then back at Max. She sighed in defeat. “Ok.”
Max instantly lit up.
“But, we need a day at least to pack and clean up this house before we can leave and—”
“Say no more, Liz.” Max turned to Cal, “Go rally some of the troops so they can help.”
Cal was quickly pulling out his cellphone.
“I’m sorry it had to be this way, Liz.” Max apologized. “But until this is settled, we can’t afford to take chances.”
“How long will we have to live like this?”
“I don’t know, Liz. I don’t know.”
“No I’m not, Maria.”
“You were able to hear Zan calling you this morning. What was that huh?”
“I… I don’t know but Cal said it was the bond that Zan and I had. It doesn’t mean I’m telepathic.” Liz insisted.
“Yes it does. Liz, the fact that you can hear your daughter calling you in your head means something. And it means you’re telepathic. And just now, when I was talking to you in my head, you heard me. I mean, I know we’re tight Chika, but we’re not that tight.”
Liz couldn’t say anything to deny what Maria claimed.
“We need to go tell Max.” Maria pushed past Liz and was running back to the living room before Liz could even say Stop.
“Hey all, we just discovered what Liz’s power is.” Maria happily informed them.
“What?” Everyone quickly looked towards Liz.
“No, we don’t even know if it’s true.” Liz tried to deflect Maria’s statement.
“Oh, shut up, Lizzie. It’s true. I asked her something in my head, you know, since I was just wondering something because we tried concentrating on sending a message without opening our mouths and it didn’t work. But then with that question, she totally heard me without me asking the question out loud. She’s a telepath!” Maria explained in her own way.
Alex leaned over to Max, “Is she really like that?” referring to Maria.
Max only gave him a quick nod. “Liz, I think Maria maybe on to something. I did ask you a question a while ago too and you were able to give me your answer before I even opened my mouth.”
“So you can hear people talking to you through their heads, can you talk back?” Michael immediately questioned.
“Um…we haven’t tried that.” Liz blushed.
Max was quick to run to her defense. “Don’t worry. We can find out more about that and do the training later on. But first, I want to discuss more about these…clones.”
“What else is there to discuss Max? We know that they’re out to get— uh, you-know-who and they’d have to kill us all first before we give in.” Isabel stood firm.
“I know that, Iz. What I was thinking of is adding more protection for Liz and Zan.” Max said.
“More protection? Where are you gonna get that?” Alex asked.
“From our camp.” Cal answered.
“Camp? What camp?” Isabel questioned.
Max and Michael exchanged looks which didn’t escape Isabel’s eyes.
“You two, you know there’s an alien camp and you didn’t even bother to tell me?!”
“We didn’t think it was necessary at the time. We were all living our normal lives. But there were Antarians who fled and they were able to contact Cal.” Max answered.
“How long?”
“Since Erin died.”
“That’s four years! How could you keep this from me?”
“What good would it do if you knew? What? You’re gonna go to the camp and redecorate?” Michael added.
“That’s not the point!” Isabel yelled at Michael.
“Enough!” Max bellowed at them both.
Zan quickly flinched, got off the couch and ran to her mommy.
Max watched as Zan scrambled to be near her mother. “Zan.”
Liz only looked at Max as she picked Zan up in her arms.
He went closer to them and ran his hand up and down his daughter’s back. “I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t mean to yell.”
“I don’t like it when there’s shouting.” Zan spoke softly.
“We’re sorry, Zan.” Isabel apologized.
Zan looked at Isabel and nodded. “Mommy, can I watch cartoons in your woom?”
“Sure Zan, come on, I’ll go with you.” Maria offered but just as she was about to get her from Liz, Liz tightened her hold on her child.
“Liz?” Maria’s brows furrowed.
“No. I’m sorry, Maria, it’s not you. I just…I can’t, not after what they saw.” Liz admitted.
“Hey, I understand, Liz. Say no more.” Maria smiled sadly. She pitied the situation Liz was in and if it was her, she would have come apart already.
“Later, Zan, ok?” Liz told her baby.
Zan nodded, “Ok.”
Liz turned her focus back to Max. “So Max, you were talking about adding protection, but how? There’s no more space left in this house.”
“I know…and that’s why I would like you to move in with me.”
“What?! I’m sorry, did I hear you right?”
“I know it’s a big deal, Liz, and you would need time to think about it. But this is for your safety and my peace of mind as well. I have a big house with lots of rooms. You and Zan can stay in one of the other bedrooms. And Maria can also stay in another. And Michael and Cal and all the other guards we’ll be getting can stay in the guestrooms. But at least no matter what happens there will be more than four people to protect you.” Max said.
“We don’t know what we’re dealing with here. They could be clones or shapeshifters. And if that’s what they are, they can copy any one of us to fool you. If there are more than four of us standing guard, they can’t copy everyone.” he added.
Liz stood there and thought about what he said. And although she knew this was for their safety, there were still other things to consider.
“What about the shop?”
“You can still work but there’ll be some guards there.”
“They’ll scare off the customers.”
“They can pose as shoppers.”
“And Zan’s school?”
“She can still go but again there will be some guards with her.”
“You can’t do that, Max.”
“And I can’t afford to risk your safety. I just can’t.” he admitted.
Liz turned to Maria for help.
“Don’t look at me, I’m with him. We don’t know who or what were dealing with, Liz. Add the fact that they’re aliens, who knows what they can do.” Maria said.
Liz looked at Zan then back at Max. She sighed in defeat. “Ok.”
Max instantly lit up.
“But, we need a day at least to pack and clean up this house before we can leave and—”
“Say no more, Liz.” Max turned to Cal, “Go rally some of the troops so they can help.”
Cal was quickly pulling out his cellphone.
“I’m sorry it had to be this way, Liz.” Max apologized. “But until this is settled, we can’t afford to take chances.”
“How long will we have to live like this?”
“I don’t know, Liz. I don’t know.”