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BOOK 10 - MAJESTY’S MORASS (WHAT HAPPENS NOW, MAX?)
maj-es-ty -
1 : sovereign power, authority or dignity
2 : the person of a sovereign, also used as a title in addressing or referring to reigning sovereigns
3 : royal bearing or aspect, grandeur, splendor
mo-rass -
1 : something that entangles, impedes or confuses
DISCLAIMER: Some of the dialogue used was taken from the episodes and I am not claiming credit for having written it but used it simply to set up the tone of a scene or show parallels between lives and realities.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The events immediately after the episode Departure, and Season 3 as I think it should have been. Remember, none of season 3 as it aired exists in my story.
CREDITS: It's Been A While* is by Staind
*I took the liberty of changing the “-f-“ & “-s-“ words in the song
for those who might be offended. They certainly wouldn’t allow
that version to be played at a school dance.
The Power of Love is by Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Everything is by Lifehouse
Possession is by Sarah McLachlan
Will You Still Love Me? is by Chicago
Thundercats is the property of Rankin Bass
Planet of the Apes, Aliens are the property of Fox Home Entertainment
Braveheart, Star Trek, Friday the 13th are the property of Paramount
The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Four Weddings and a Funeral
are the property of MGM/UA Studios
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, The Patriot are the property Columbia Tri-Star
The Matrix, The House on Haunted Hill, 13 Ghosts are the property of Warner Studios
Evil Dead is the property of Elite Entertainment
Batman and Catwoman are property of DC Comics and Warner Brothers
Edgar Cayce on the Power of Color, Stones and Crystals is the property
of Dan Campbell and Warner Books, 1989 ed.
Wisdom of the Buddha - The Unabridged Dhammapada, translated and edited by
F. Max Muller and is the property of Dover publishing, 2000 ed.
DEFINITIONS:
trithium amplification generator – aka amplifier - the black, chevron-shaped device that is used by the Skins for communication and suspending the powers of Antarians among other things.
transverse thought projector - the device used by Antarians to amplify their powers to 'possess' humans.
NAGGING QUESTIONS:
1. What the heck happened to Sean, Brody, the dupes, Nicholas & the skins?
2. What is the real deal with the Granolith?
3. What does the real ‘destiny book’ translation say?
4. What happened to Tess and the baby?
5. Is the baby real or just another in a long list of mind warps? If it is real, is it really sick? And will it be born in a month like Tess said?
6. Why do some of Tess’ mind warps wear off sooner than others?
7. What about the war on Antar, Khivar, the podsters real families?
8. The Granolith, the traitor and your son are on their way to Antar and your greatest enemy, sent there by you. What will we do now, Max?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
WHO'S WHO & NAME PRONUNCIATIONS
BOOK 10 – Majesty’s Morass (What happens now, Max?)
EARTH
Humans
Liz Parker - the girl that Max Evans loved enough to risk exposure, healing her when she was shot at the Crashdown Cafe - the reincarnated Ava, Zan's wife on Antar
Jeff Parker - Liz's father - owns the Crashdown Cafe
Nancy Parker - Liz's mother
Grandma Claudia Parker - Liz's paternal grandmother
Philip Evans - Max and Isabel's adoptive father - he is a lawyer
Diane Evans - Max and Isabel's adoptive mother
Maria DeLuca - Liz's best friend
Amy DeLuca - Maria's mother - owns a novelty store specializing in alien merchandise
Sean DeLuca - Maria's cousin and former inmate of Chavez County Juvenile Detention
Alex Whitman - aka Ray White - Liz and Maria's best friend
Chuck (Charles) Whitman - Alex's father
Gloria Whitman - Alex's mother
Kyle Valenti – son of Sheriff Valenti and friend of Liz
Sheriff Jim Valenti Jr. - Sheriff of Roswell - Kyle's father
Deputy Eric Hansen - Deputy in the Roswell Sheriff's office - promoted to Sheriff after Jim Valenti was asked to step down
Agent Daniel Pierce - Deputy Dave Fisher - head of the special unit 5/2/1999 - 5/14/2000
Brody Davis - internet start-up millionaire - believes he was abducted by aliens and cured of his cancer - bought the Roswell UFO Museum from Milton Ross to conduct research in Roswell where he believes there is alien activity
Laurie Dupree - Granddaughter of Charles Dupree (Michael's DNA donor) - kidnapped by the Ganderium Queen because of a rare gene flaw
Ray White - aka Alex Whitman - the name Alex used while he was at the University of Las Cruces
Leanna - aka Jennifer Coleman – the girl Lonni posed as to keep an eye on Alex when he was decoding the ‘destiny book’
Don Peters - professor of computer science at the University of Las Cruces who helped Liz get Alex's research
Agent Daniel Summers - (died May 2nd 1999) Head of the special unit before Pierce, he recruited Pierce
Dave Roberts - sociology teacher at Chavez County Community College
Mr. Seligman - science teacher at West Roswell High
Shape Shifters Loyal to the Royal Four
Nasedo - Sodan - Ed Harding - expert in hand-to-hand and weapons combat and a pilot, special skill - heat and energy blasts
Letras (le-tras) - Zan's former tutor, expert in philosophy, history and military tactics, captured by the special unit and killed
Serena - Cuerena (soor'-ren-ya) - scientist and Granolith expert, special skills - illusion - assigned the dupes protector
Tic Tac - Kaldar - expert in hand-to-hand and weapons combat, special skill - empath - died trying to stop Agent Pierce from getting the Royal Four
Skins
Nicholas Whitaker - General Calles Nicaron (kal-ees) (ni-ca'-ron) - Khivar's right hand and head general
Courtney Banks - Lieutenant Scorene (skor-ra-nay) - Rath's friend from childhood and member of the Michael worshippers
Congresswoman Vanessa (Crawford) Whitaker- Major Nesta - Head of the Granolith Project
Tyrone Greer - T. Greer - Major Grester - Head of the Vilondra Project
Walt Crawford - Colonel Jafto - Nicholas' second in command, posing as his father
Ida Crawford - Idos - Nicholas' personal servant, posing as his mother
Gregory Jensen - Gragras - (gra-gras) - the scientist in charge of the skins project
Corporal Raltos - one of the soldiers prepared for Khivar to possess on Earth
Hybrids
Max Evans – Zan
Liz Parker – Ava - became a hybrid when Max saved her life
Isabel Evans - Vilondra
Michael Guerin – Rath
Tess Harding – Chanya
The Dupes
Zan - Max's dupe
Lonni - Isabel's dupe
Rath - Michael's dupe
Ava - Tess' dupe
Possessed Humans
Brody - Larek
ANTAR
Tageions (tauj'-ee-ons) - people inhabiting the north lands
King Zantor Tageonant (tauj'-o-nant) - (Zan) - Max - the rightful King of Antar
Queen Avalynd Telnada Tageonant - (Ava) – Liz - Zan's young bride
Royal Princess Vilondra Tageonant - Isabel - Zan’s sister
King Zantar Tageonant - Zan & Vilondra's father
Queen Nedra Tageonant (ne'-dra) - Zan & Vilondra's mother
King Zantas Tageonant – the first King of Antar who brought peace to Antar and formed the council
Tageonon (tauj'-o-non) - the capitol city of Antar, where the king's palace is located – Khivar changed the name to Roistar when he assumed the throne
Sodan (so-dan) - Nasedo - Zan's most trusted protector
Jensto (jens-toe) - a scientist in Zan's employ
General Toaks - named Zan's second in command after Rath died - Queen Nedra's head General in the resistance against Khivar
General Alarath Varros (Rath) - Michael - Zan's best friend and second in command
Lady Chanya Santas (shawn'-ya) – Tess - Vilondra's friend
Harcions (Har-see-ons) - people inhabiting the south lands
Khivar Roistar (roys'-tar) - man who usurped Zan's throne
General Calles Nicaron (kal-ees) (ni-ca'-ron) - Nicholas - Khivar's right hand and head general
Lieutenant Scorene - (skor-ra-nay) - Courtney - Rath's childhood friend
Major Nesta - Congresswoman Vanessa (Crawford) Whitaker - Head of the Granolith Project
Major Grester - T. Greer - Head of the Vilondra Project
Colonel Jafto - Walt Crawford - Nicholas' second in command, posing as his father
Idos - Ida Crawford - Nicholas' personal servant, posing as his mother
Gragras - (gra-gras) - Gregory - the scientist in charge of the skins project
Corporal Raltos - one of the soldiers prepared for Khivar to possess on Earth
Roistar (roys'-tar) - formerly Tageonon, Khivar changed the name when he assumed the throne
The Leptes (the Antarian word for Vengeance) - the ship Khivar sent to Earth with Nicholas and the skins
Shape Shifters sent to Earth with the Pods
Sodan - Nasedo - expert in hand-to-hand and weapons combat and a pilot - special ability energy blasts
Letras (le-tras) - Zan's former tutor, expert in philosophy, history and military tactics - captured by the special unit and died
Cuerena (soor'-ren-ya) - Serena - scientist and Granolith expert - special ability illusion - assigned the dupes protector
Kaldar - Tic Tac - expert in hand-to-hand and weapons combat - special ability empath - died trying to stop Agent Pierce from getting the Royal Four
Leaders of the other planets in the Antarian system
Larek - Brody - Royal Duke of Talros (tal'-ros)
Hanar - Minister of Sofek (so-fec')
Sero - Chancellor of Yedom (yea'-dom)
Kathana - Royal Duchess of Ravok (ra'-voc)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
PART 1
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Episode - Departure)
(Saturday, May 19th, 2001)
(The Pod Chamber)
"Go," Max spat at her. "This isn't over, Tess."
Tess felt tears welling up in her eyes. She didn't want to leave Max but she had no choice. She reached up to the Granolith, her only salvation, and when her hand met the cool surface a burst of power surged through her. For a moment she was disoriented, but when she could see again she was inside the Granolith.
Max was still watching her, no she corrected herself, Max was watching his son. He had made it perfectly clear he had no use for her. She had come so close to succeeding but that bitch Liz had ruined everything and Tess swore revenge on her, even if it was the last thing she ever did. Liz had taken everything that should have been hers. She, not Liz, had loved Max for two lifetimes, she had planned and sacrificed, she deserved him, not Liz.
Tess looked at Max with a sigh but then the chamber started to shake and she felt the power building in the Granolith. Max ran for the door and Tess was left alone. The shaking became more violent and the chamber started to collapse, rocks raining down from above as a door slid shut separating the rooms and the Granolith closed a protective covering around itself. For a moment, she was alarmed at being shut in, but the surface all around her illuminated, showing her what was happening outside.
The power built suddenly to a fevered pitch as the Granolith spun around faster and faster, and when she thought it couldn't possibly hold together any longer, it launched into the sky. The speed of the earth receding below took her breath away and she shut her eyes and sank to the floor to fight off the sudden vertigo.
They had never determined how long the journey would take and just as she was wondering what would happen, there was a sudden direction change. Tess reached for something to anchor herself, but her hands only met the smooth, cool walls and then the Granolith slowed and landed softly.
With her eyes still squeezed shut, Tess again felt the unsettling sensation of disorientation and knew the Granolith had spat her out. She sat for a few minutes trying to quell the nausea rising up within and then opened her eyes to see that she was in a kind of wilderness. The sound of several approaching footsteps made her lurch unsteadily to her feet but she collapsed to her knees immediately, the dizzy sensation in her head causing her to retch.
Quickly using her powers to erase all evidence of her weak stomach, Tess sat back to await the approaching group. She had been expecting more, but only three figures stepped out of the foliage and only one spoke.
"Welcome, Tess."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Roswell UFO Museum)
"But if Tess isn't Ava," Isabel gasped, "what happened to Ava?"
A look of confusion passed over Larek's face. "You don't know? How can you not know?" he asked, as he looked around the group. "She is Ava," Larek said, and he pointed to Liz.
"What?" the group asked in unison.
Larek continued to motion to Liz, "I don't understand how you couldn't know this girl is Ava. She was with you both of the other times you contacted me." He shook his head. "Who did you think she was?"
Max shook his head, "It's impossible, Larek. Liz is human. She has human parents. She was born on Earth."
Larek turned to Liz and studied her for a moment. "I don't know how it’s possible but she is Ava. She has Ava's soul."
Kyle spoke up, "Of course, it makes perfect sense. All things appear and disappear because of the concurrence of causes and conditions. To die there and to be born elsewhere is the round of existence.” He noticed the blank looks on the faces before him and quickly clarified. “Ava died and her soul was reincarnated into Liz. Simple."
"But my memories from my other life," Max argued, turning back to Larek. "I remember seeing Tess for the first time when you and I were swimming together. And you introduced us at a party."
Larek nodded, "Those memories are real and they are of Chanya. You met her and dated for a time but you ended it long before you met Ava. Chanya was never your wife." He motioned again to Liz, "only Ava was married to you."
"Then how did Chanya get sent to Earth in Ava's place?" Michael asked.
"I don't know," Larek said. "It could have simply been a mistake. The events from the time when you were sent to Earth are largely unknown to me. There is plenty of propaganda that Khivar has released but I think we can assume most of it is lies."
Larek shook his head, trying to remember, "Everything happened so quickly; Khivar's attack on the capitol city, you all fled the palace, Khivar searched and recaptured the survivors. Then it was reported that Zan had killed Ava and himself. Of course no one believed it. We all knew Khivar had ordered your execution, but it really didn't seem to matter at that point. All of you were dead and Khivar had declared himself King. Then the rumors started that you had been sent away to be reborn and take back the planet."
"I wonder if Tess knew who she really was?" Isabel gasped. "If she knew she wasn't Ava?"
"Does it really matter?" Michael grunted. "She betrayed us either way."
"Well Nasedo couldn't have known," Isabel argued. "He kept pushing her at Max, so maybe she didn't know either. He raised her, telling her she was Zan's wife, Ava. Why would she think she was anyone else?"
"But she told us she remembered her other life," Michael said. "She must have realized she wasn't Zan’s wife. Wouldn't she remember someone else being married to him?"
Max shrugged. "Tess told me she only had a few clear memories, so maybe she didn't realize, but maybe she lied about that too." He shook his head, "I can't even tell you how many times Tess tried to use the argument that she was my wife to try and get us together. Even in the pod chamber before she left in the Granolith..." he trailed off. "I don't know what’s worse, her pretending to be my wife and betraying us, or thinking she was my wife and doing the same thing."
"And if she lied about Nasedo betraying us, she did the whole thing alone,” Michael pointed out, “all of it, even the book and Alex."
"But how is that possible?" Isabel asked. "We all saw her here when Alex was away. How did she keep the mind warp going? And at least some of the time she was working with us. We didn't all imagine her being kidnapped and almost killed by Whitaker. And Tess killed all of the skins when they captured us at the school. Why would she rescue us if she was just going to hand us over to them later?"
"Maybe it was because she wasn't pregnant yet," Michael said softly.
Isabel shook her head, "But Liz said that the Tess in the other time left. If the plan was to get her pregnant why would she leave just because Max married Liz? She could have mind warped him to make him have sex with her but she didn't."
Michael shrugged, "I don't know. Something must have been different between the two timelines."
Maria groaned and sank down onto a chair. "This is giving me a headache. Who cares what happened? Tess betrayed us. She killed Alex. She's evil. End of story."
Liz stepped forward and spoke for the first time. "It's not that simple. Isabel's right, we need to find out what was going on, what changed. It could be important. It could be the answer to saving the Earth."
Max nodded, agreeing with her. "And the first thing we need to do is find out what the book says." He turned to Larek, "There’s a book written in our language but we can't read it. Can you help us translate it?"
"Sure," Larek agreed. He motioned to Brody's body that he inhabited, "Let this body get some rest and bring the book with you tomorrow, around this same time."
"There's one other thing Larek," Max said. "Tess is pregnant with my son and she took the Granolith back to Antar. Can you keep a look out and tell us when she arrives?"
Larek nodded, "I'll alert my men to be watchful for anything unusual."
Max nodded, "And Larek, I'm sorry, but Tess knows you helped us. I think we should assume she’ll tell Khivar. I just hope it won't cause any problems for you and your people."
Larek frowned. "It's possible that Khivar could retaliate because I helped you, but if he did attack us, he would have to state a reason and admit what has been going on here."
"But at the summit," Max pointed out, "Kathana said I have made a lot of enemies. Maybe the other worlds wouldn't care if Khivar attacked you."
Larek shook his head, "Don't worry Max. After seventy years of war, it was bound to come to this. I do support your position and everyone knows it."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Tess rose shakily to her feet, "Somehow I was expecting a larger welcoming party."
Nicholas stepped forward with a shrug, "I don't know who you were expecting. The soldiers you didn't kill in Roswell last year are now all living on the ship because their skins have failed. But this," he motioned to the Granolith, "will certainly lift their spirits. When Lonni called and said she would have a surprise for me today, I certainly never expected this."
Rath stepped forward, "Where are Max and the others, Tess?"
Tess shook her head, "I couldn't bring them. That bitch Liz came rushing in at the last minute and told them that I killed Alex and I lost control over them."
Lonni slapped Tess across the face with the back of her hand, sending her to the ground, "You lost control? I thought you said you could handle them. That is the reason we set a twenty-four hour delay on the Granolith so I could contact Nicholas and tell him when and where to meet us. We could have given Nicholas the Granolith and Max, Michael and Isabel with a big bow on top, but you screwed that up."
Tess gingerly touched her face where Lonni had hit her and Nicholas put a hand on Lonni's arm. "There’s no reason for this squabbling, girls," he said smoothly. "You delivered the Granolith, that will buy you a trip home. As for the others, we'll see what Khivar has to say. But for now, let's get this thing loaded on the truck and to the ship."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Max waited until they were outside the UFO Center before he turned to the others. "We all need to have a talk but I think we should wait until tomorrow after we see what Larek can tell us."
"But Max," Isabel pointed out, "what if the Granolith take-off destroyed the book? It was in the pod chamber."
"There are scans of all the pages in the translation that Liz found," Max reminded her. "If the original has been destroyed we still have the copies to work from."
Isabel nodded and Max continued. "Tonight everybody go home and try to act normal. If we're lucky, the Granolith taking off didn't attract too much attention, but I think Michael and I should go back to the pod chamber when it gets dark and see about the book and the orbs and destroy anything else left. We don't want to lead the FBI or anybody else to us."
"We should all go," Isabel said. "In case anything happens."
"It'll be okay," Max assured her. "You need to keep Mom and Dad occupied and I'll be home as soon as I can."
Isabel nodded her ascent.
Max glanced at Liz and noted that she was looking at the ground. She hadn't looked at him once since Larek's revelation and he was starting to worry. The others turned to leave and Liz did the same, but Max reached out and gently took her by the arm. "Liz we need to talk too."
Liz nodded. "I know," she agreed, with only a quick glance at his face. "How about tomorrow after the meeting?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Copper Summit, AZ - onboard the Leptes)
The Granolith was heavier that Nicholas could have possibly imagined, and it had taken hours and several abandoned plans before it was finally loaded onto the ship. At one point Nicholas had joked that it didn't want to put aboard. But now it stood in the propulsion room attached to the ship.
Corporal Raltos was standing-by and Nicholas waved a hand over the communications’ array to signal Khivar. Nicholas watched as Khivar's essence took control of Raltos and he noted with amusement when Khivar realized they were not in Nicholas' office as usual.
"Why are we here?" Khivar asked.
Nicholas smiled, "I have a surprise for you, your Majesty." He motioned behind Raltos and Khivar turned the borrowed body.
"The Granolith," Khivar said, with satisfaction. "How?"
"This was the plan Lonni was working on," Nicholas admitted. "Somehow she turned the young Queen, and they delivered it to us this morning. Apparently the plan was for Tess to bring Max and the others to us as well but that fell apart at the last minute when one of the humans exposed Tess' betrayal."
Khivar turned to Nicholas, "What exactly has been going on?"
Nicholas shook his head. "I don't know. I didn't hear from Lonni for months, but then last night, she gave me some coordinates just outside of Copper Summit and told me to meet her there early this morning and she would have a surprise for me. She didn’t say anything more and I was just as surprised to see the Granolith as you. We got it to the ship as quickly as possibly and I didn't take the time to question Lonni or Tess thoroughly yet, because I wanted you to see it."
Khivar nodded, "I can't imagine how Lonni was able to turn Tess against Max. On Antar, Zan and Ava were so much in love, they were inseparable. Lonni must be very clever or very devious."
Khivar turned away from Nicholas as his thoughts automatically turned to Isabel. Lonni was a part of Vilondra but Isabel was the real thing. Khivar had originally been drawn to Vilondra by her beauty and intellect but surprisingly, he had cherished her sweetness and loving personality even more.
Nicholas had provided him with pictures of Isabel when they had discovered her last year, and Khivar always kept one with him. He had repeatedly tried to contact her through her dreams as they had done on Antar but he'd never been successful. The wise men that he had consulted, told him it could be the distance that was preventing contact, or possibly because they had never contacted physically. Khivar had been so patient for so long, but now that the Granolith was in his possession he yearned for an end to their separation. Just as an idea came to him, Nicholas interrupted his thoughts.
"Sir, what do you want to do?"
Khivar headed toward the door, without a backward glance, "I will contact you in the morning."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Tess waited until she was alone with Lonni in the house Nicholas that had assigned to them, "So what now?"
Lonni shrugged, "If you hadn't screwed up we would be headed home, but now I don't know. The
Granolith was our biggest piece of collateral, but we had to give it to Nicholas. We didn't exactly have another choice." She looked calculatingly at Tess, "But we do have something else."
Tess automatically crossed her arms protectively over her stomach. "You’re going to tell Nicholas that I'm pregnant."
"I will if I have to," Lonni threatened. "Any child of Max's is sure to be worth a lot, no matter who the mother is," she said with a sneer. "But we'll keep those little tidbits of information to ourselves for now and I will try a little negotiation first."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Liz’s Balcony)
Liz sank down onto a chair on her balcony and pulled the necklace out of her shirt. She couldn't believe that Max had given it to her just last night. So many things had happened since then, it seemed like a lifetime ago. She smoothed her finger over the raised, swirling pattern, wondering what meaning it had held for her in another life.
It was all so unbelievable that she was the reincarnation of an alien Queen, but somehow when Larek had spoken the words, it had felt true. She just couldn't believe her soul and Max’s had found one another across time and space.
When Max had healed her, Liz had been so sure they belonged together. So many things seemed to be against them but she had been ready to face anything to be with Max.
But now, there was proof they did belong together and Liz was suddenly scared. It should have cleared the way for her and Max but there were things that still stood in their way, not the least of which was the fact that Max had slept with Tess and gotten her pregnant. It was the cruelest irony, but as her Grandmother had told her, if it isn't complicated, he probably isn't a soul mate.
And they were soul mates, of that Liz had no doubt. She had suspected it when Max had first connected with her, and the feeling had only solidified as their relationship had grown. But they might never have known any of it if she hadn't been shot and Max had healed her.
Liz's thoughts automatically turned to what Ava had said. When Max had healed her, he had changed her. Liz had never really thought about it before, somehow it had been pushed to the back of her mind, but now she wondered exactly what Ava had meant.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Evans House)
Isabel easily convinced her parents that Max was hard at work studying with Michael and went into the kitchen to get a drink. She opened the fridge and reached for the orange juice carton but suddenly stopped and pressed her hand to her face as the tears threatened. It was a different brand than her mother usually bought and it was Alex’s favorite.
She turned to see Alex standing next to her but wasn’t surprised. “I keep thinking I’m over the worst, that I’m handling it, and then something happens. Some little thing just sets me off.”
Alex smiled, “But it’s getting easier. What they say is true. Time heals.”
“Then why am I still crying and why are you here? I thought once I found out what happened to you, who killed you, that I…” she trailed off and looked away from him.
“That you wouldn’t need me any more?” Alex prompted.
Isabel shook her head, quickly denying Alex’s statement. “No! Of course not.”
“Isabel, it’s okay,” Alex soothed. “You know you won’t need me once you overcome your guilt about my death.”
“But I am guilty,” Isabel insisted angrily, as tears rolled down her face. “I should have seen something was wrong. I should have seen what Tess was doing to you.”
“How?” Alex asked. “Tess carefully hid was she was doing and mind warped anyone who saw or suspected anything. There is no way you could have saved me.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Copper Summit, AZ)
Nicholas entered his room in the Crawford house and stopped with a smile when he saw Lonni. He shut the door behind him and leaned against it, "I would say this is a nice surprise, but actually I did expect you."
"Yeah, cut the crap Nicholas," Lonni sneered. "I want to know where I stand."
Nicholas shrugged and stalked purposefully toward her. "I told you I had to consult with Khivar, and he hasn't made a decision yet."
Lonni stood her ground as Nicholas stopped inches away. "What does he have to decide?” Lonni asked angrily. “I delivered the Granolith, like he wanted."
Nicholas ran a hand down her arm. "Khivar wants Max dead or in custody, that hasn't changed, and you and your circus freaks failed to deliver."
Lonni put her finger to his lips, "Not too loud. To get Tess to play, we had to tell her she and Max would live happily ever after on Antar."
Nicholas smiled, "I wondered how you turned the little, genocidal tramp. Why don't you tell me the whole story?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Michael stopped the motorcycle near the pod chamber and he and Max climbed off.
They had waited until it was dark to go back, and Max took off his helmet and pointed his flashlight at the jutting, rocky structure that housed the pod chamber. "When the Granolith was taking off, it looked like the rocks were melting or something but I don't really see any damage from here."
Michael nodded, "Yeah, let's go check it out."
They climbed the path and Max passed a hand over the locking mechanism, remembering that he had left the door open and figuring it must have automatically closed that afternoon. Max pressed his hand to the glowing print and the door slid slowly open. He and Michael stepped inside and he panned the flashlight around the room expecting it to be in ruins, but a warm glow came from the pods, which were still intact, and the room appeared to be the same as when they had left.
Michael pointed his flashlight to the door dividing the pod chamber from the Granolith room, "The door must have closed between the two rooms, saving this one."
"Yeah," Max agreed as he grabbed the orbs and the book and stuffed them into his backpack. "Let’s see what's left of the Granolith chamber."
As they approached the door, it automatically slid open. A cool breeze rushed over them and the light of the stars poured into the room, illuminating it. There were piles of rubble on the floor and of course the Granolith was gone, but the room looked relatively intact except for the hole in the ceiling where the Granolith had obviously burst through.
Max was really surprised. "All of that silver stuff bubbling out of here must have been like smoke or exhaust from the Granolith warming up. It was all just a big show, nothing was really damaged. This isn't half as bad as I thought." He motioned to the hole above them, "Let's just seal this up and it will be good as new, we won't have to worry about it being discovered."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Liz’s Balcony)
Maria climbed out Liz’s window and sank down on the lounge chair next to her. They wrapped their arms around one another and Maria sighed, “How are you, Liz?”
Liz sat back, “I really don’t know. It’s all so weird.”
“And Max?” Maria asked. “What about you two?”
“So much has happened,” Liz said with a sigh.
“But you are supposed to be together,” Maria prompted. “You know that for sure now and you still love him.”
“Love isn’t always enough,” Liz said softly. “Max slept with Tess and now they have a child together. And no matter how much I love him, I don’t know if I can ever get over that.” Liz shook her head, “But it’s not fair to blame him either. I was the one who broke up with him and pushed him to Tess. He really didn’t do anything wrong. We weren’t together so he was free to be with anyone he wanted but I just thought that somehow…”
Liz trailed off and took a deep breath to stop the tears that were threatening. She continued in a whisper, “I thought he would somehow know the truth. I thought he loved me so much that he wouldn’t want to be with anyone else, especially Tess.”
Liz looked down at her hands clasped in her lap. “But even though I know it’s wrong, I do blame Max. I blame him for not being strong enough and believing in our love enough to wait. I blame the other Max who came back and started this whole thing. I blame all of us because we weren’t strong enough to stop Khivar in the other reality. I blame Tess for taking advantage of Max when he was hurt.”
Liz sighed, “But most of all I blame myself. I should have forced the other Max to tell me more and maybe we could have done this whole thing another way. I blame myself for not telling Max the truth sooner. There were so many times when I wanted to. Times when I thought it would be okay.“
Liz shook her head. “And if I hadn’t become so obsessed about finding Alex’s murderer maybe I wouldn’t have pushed Max into Tess’ arms.”
Maria grabbed Liz by the shoulders and forced her to look at her. “Liz, none of this is your fault. Everyone makes their own choices, and just because you weren’t with Max doesn’t mean that he had no other choice than to sleep with Tess.” She shook her head. “I still can’t even believe it’s true. I mean they were getting to be friends but that’s a big step from…” she trailed off. “He’s just a big jerk.”
Liz smiled, “Thanks for trying to cheer me up.”
“It’s just the truth babe,” Maria drawled. She paused, wondering if it was the right time to tell Liz her news.
But Liz could see Maria had something on her mind. “Okay Maria, spill.”
Maria smiled, “Well with everything that happened, it just didn’t seem like the right time to say anything.”
“Say anything about what?” Liz encouraged.
“Okay, okay. I guess I’ll just say it. Last night Michael and I, um, got together.”
Liz nodded, “Yeah, you were with Michael and…”
Maria raised her eyebrows and nodded.
“Oh!” Liz exclaimed, suddenly understanding her friend. “You were with Michael.”
Maria smiled dreamily, “It was so perfect. He made dinner and he finally let me see him, you know. He finally opened up and I got flashes.”
“And…” Liz prompted.
“Michael was so sweet and caring. It was perfect. And today when I figured out he was going to stay on Earth to be with me… Liz, I’m just so happy.”
Liz pulled Maria into a hug. “I’m happy for you too. You deserve it.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Max and Michael finished the repairs on the pod chamber quickly and as they sealed the door behind them, Max turned to Michael, “I still can’t believe you choose to stay on Earth.”
“Yeah a lot of things have changed in the last few months.” Michael smiled, “Just last night Maria and I took a big step in human, alien relations.”
Max studied him for a moment, “You and Maria…”
“Yeah,” Michael nodded. “I never thought I could be that close to another person. And I’m not talking just physically, but spiritually. It was better than I could have imagined because it was with Maria. Even though it was different than you described your experience.”
Max frowned, “How was it different?”
“Physically the um, sensations didn’t last an hour, like with you, and I really didn’t feel like I was floating but I figured it was probably because Maria is human and…” Michael trailed off.
“And Tess is an alien,” Max finished softly.
Michael nodded and continued, “I’ve been spending a lot of time with Maria and Amy and it was starting to feel like I was a part of their family. And when we were in the Granolith chamber about to leave, it just occurred to me what I was giving up. I mean what if I didn’t have anything like that on our planet? I just couldn’t take the chance. Everything I’ve ever wanted is here on Earth.”
Max smiled grimly, “I know what you mean. I would never have chosen to leave if it hadn’t been for my son.”
Michael could see the pain in Max’s eyes, “And what about Liz?”
Max shook his head. “I never stopped loving her and I wouldn’t have turned to Tess if I thought I had a chance with Liz. But it just seemed so hopeless, and Tess was always there, always saying exactly what I wanted to hear.” Max sighed. “I thought I was in control but I made the biggest mistake of my life and it has changed everything.”
“Well Maximillian,” Michael said with a crooked smile, as he cuffed Max on the arm, “it’s nice to know you’re not perfect. You can screw up just like the rest of us.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A figure watched from the near-by shadows as Max and Michael walked down the jutting rock formation that housed the pod chamber, climbed onto the motorcycle and disappeared into the night.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It had been a long couple of days, and soon after Isabel climbed into bed, she fell into a deep sleep.
She dreamed that she was walking along the bridge in the park near their house, where she and Max used to go when they were children. The night was warm and there was a slight breeze and Isabel could see the bright stars peeking through the leaves of the trees above. She stopped in the center of the bridge and looked down into the water.
The light of the stars above was reflected in the water, sparkling like diamonds, but as Isabel watched, the surface of the water seemed to dim and dull. She realized the night had suddenly turned cold and a fog started to rise from the stream. With a shiver, she stepped back from the railing as the fog rose up and poured onto the bridge.
It seemed to reach out to her and she backed a few steps more until the rail stopped her. The fog followed and surrounded her, and as she felt its icy touch on her legs, she turned and ran. And just when she thought she was safe, a voice hissed her name. "Issssabel."
Immediately she woke up, gasping for air and shivering. She looked quickly around and sank back into her pillow, glad to find herself in her own room. The dream had been fairly innocuous as nightmares go but it had been very disturbing to her in a way she couldn't define.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Sunday, May 20th, 2001)
(Copper Summit, AZ)
"So Lonni says she convinced Tess to help them by assuring Tess that she and Max would live happily ever after," Nicholas reported to his master.
Khivar nodded, "Because Max had refused to be with Tess and chosen the human girl instead?"
"Apparently," Nicholas said with a pensive nod. "Last year in Roswell when I tried to search Max’s mind to get the location of the Granolith, he was mostly able to keep me out, but several times I saw images of the human girl, Liz."
"I remember you reported that Max was particularly concerned for Liz when they were in Copper Summit. He ran after her when she left the Crawford house, and at the funeral he tried to get Greer to let her go."
"Yes," Nicholas confirmed.
"It is interesting that Max would choose a human over his former wife. You did say they had no memories of their past lives, but Zan and Ava were so much in love and I can't imagine her betraying him."
Nicholas stayed silent while Khivar was thinking. He had not interacted with Zan and Ava as Khivar had and he trusted his master's opinion.
Khivar changed the subject, "So Lonni expects a trip home as a reward for handing over the Granolith?"
"Yes," Nicholas said. "I did tell her if she gave us the Granolith, she would get a trip home. Of course it is contingent on your agreement, my liege."
Khivar shook his head. "I have no desire to have that abomination on my planet. But stall her for a while, she might be useful to us yet."
"And Tess?" Nicholas asked.
"Since Max knows about her betrayal, Tess has nowhere else to go," Khivar mused. "In her last life Ava had the power of prognostication and if Tess retained that power in this life, she might be useful to us. Even if she doesn’t still have the power, it is possible as Zan’s wife and the former Queen, Tess could persuade Max's followers to stop their rebellion.” He focused on Nicholas, “Without giving away our plans to her, see if you can get Tess to agree to help us. Let her know I have all the power now, not Lonni, and I can guarantee her future life with Max."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Roswell UFO Museum)
Max went to work as usual but asked the others to wait outside until Larek made an appearance, afraid that Brody might become suspicious if they all kept coming to the museum. But as the time approached, the gang eagerly gathered outside Brody's office waiting for Larek's arrival.
When Larek took over Brody's body, Max motioned the others inside. He took the metal book from his backpack and handed it to Larek.
Larek turned it over in his hands, "This was sent with you?"
Max nodded, "But none of us remember how to read it."
Opening the book to the first page, Larek scanned it with a frown.
"What's wrong?" asked Isabel.
Larek shook his head, "I can't read this."
"Why not?" Michael asked belligerently.
"Because it's gibberish," Larek said. "The words are in the Antarian language but they don't make any sense. It must be written in one of your codes."
Maria stepped forward, "Codes? They have codes?" She turned to Michael, "You have codes?"
Michael shrugged.
"Yes," Larek explained. "Zan's family had several codes, some for battle orders, some for secret communications with the leaders of the other planets, and some just for messages between the most trusted household staff. And there was one super-secret code known only by the Royal Four."
"And this book is in one of those codes," Michael deadpanned.
Liz sighed, "That's why Tess needed Alex and the computer in Las Cruces to decipher it. She may have known the language but she didn't know the code."
Max nodded agreeing, "And that's where we'll be heading too."
Larek handed the book back to Max. "I'm sorry I couldn't help more and I don't have any news about Tess or the Granolith arriving either."
"How long would it take her to get there?" Max asked.
Larek shrugged, "I don't really know but I would have thought only a few hours at the most. She is traveling alone in the Granolith and it is very powerful. It’s possible she arrived and we simply missed her, but if Khivar had recovered the Granolith, I think he would announce it to everyone to help secure his position."
"Maybe Khivar has a reason to keep quiet," Michael suggested.
"Or maybe Tess hasn't arrived yet," Isabel pointed out.
"Larek, whatever is going on, will you let us know if you hear anything about Tess or the Granolith?" Max asked.
"Of course, Max," Larek agreed.
"Thank you," Max said. "I really appreciate all of your help."
Larek smiled, "That's what friends are for, Max."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Copper Summt, AZ)
Nicholas motioned to the chair across from his desk as Tess entered his office, "Have a seat."
Tess sat gingerly, looking warily at the soldier standing behind Nicholas.
Nicholas noticed the direction of her gaze and motioned to the Corporal, “This is Corporal Raltos, my personal aide.”
Tess relaxed a little and turned back to Nicholas, "What do you want?"
"Right to the point," Nicholas nodded. "Okay Tess, you're not stupid, you must see who has the upper hand in this little game of chicken between Lonni and Khivar."
"What does Khivar want?" asked Tess.
Nicholas smiled, "Your special abilities are somewhat unique. Khivar feels you might be useful to us in the future."
Tess nodded, "And what’s in it for me?"
"Passage to the home world."
"We were guaranteed that already, for the Granolith," Tess pointed out. "What else?"
"Who says we owe you anything?" Nicholas challenged
"I say," Tess said. "I could just go back to Max. He is mad right now but I could convince him to forgive me." She shook her head, "There’s no reason for me to help you unless you can guarantee more."
"And what more do you want?" Nicholas asked.
"Give me Max, guarantee our safety and return us to Antar. We keep the titles of King and Queen, in name only of course, and a suitable home and income for our position."
"You betrayed him," Nicholas pointed out. "What makes you think Max will want you?"
"Just leave that to me," Tess said cryptically.
"Okay," Nicholas agreed, "Max and the rest, for your future help."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Antar)
(Capitol city of Roistar - formerly Tageonon)
(The Royal Palace)
Khivar brought his consciousness back into his own body and sat at his desk, deep in thought. After a moment, he passed his hand over a blank document, causing several names to appear.
“Colonel,” he called out.
The door was opened instantly and the Colonel entered the room, bowing formally, “My Liege.”
Khivar held out the document. “Find out everything you can about these people, and don’t let anything stand in your way.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Max waited until they were all gathered in Michael's apartment before starting the meeting. "We need to get the book translated, that has to be our main priority. It's Sunday and we can't leave until tomorrow, but there are other things we need to talk about."
"Yeah," Isabel said, "like why Tess hasn't arrived on Antar yet."
"Maybe she did," Michael said, "and Larek's people just don't know."
"I don't know," Isabel continued. "Something just seems wrong about this whole thing. Like if Nasedo wasn't involved, then how did Tess even come up with the idea to betray us to Khivar and how did she know how to contact him?"
"Maybe she didn't," Liz said. "She was helping us against the skins at first, and she didn't try to influence Max to take Nicholas' deal at the summit in New York. They must have gotten to her afterward somehow."
Isabel nodded, "But that wouldn't have left much time. The summit was at Thanksgiving and Alex left in January."
"Unless the whole thing was a set up," Max pointed out. "Maybe they made it look like she was helping us until she could get what they wanted. She mind warped us to think she killed the skins and the summit was just to throw us off."
"Either way," Michael said, "we have to assume Tess has told the skins everything about us."
Max nodded in agreement. "And she was awfully quick to confess everything in the Granolith chamber before she left. It makes me wonder if she wasn't hiding something."
"Like what?" Kyle asked.
Max shrugged, "Maybe the truth about her plan or others who were involved. We already know she lied about Nasedo. I don't know what else there could be, but I have a feeling we'll find out when we get the book translated. It must contain something very important for her to risk everything she did."
"So how do you want to do it?" Michael asked.
"Liz has made contact with the computer professor at Las Cruces, so she and I will go down tomorrow and talk to him." He turned to Liz, "Is that okay?"
Liz nodded.
Max gave her a crooked smile. "Okay, the rest of you go to school like normal and cover for us the best you can."
Maria shook her head, "Do you think it's a good idea for you two to go down there alone? I mean we don't know who might be waiting for you. And what about Leanna or Jennifer or whatever her name is? She might not be an alien but she was involved."
"I don't think she was involved," Liz said. "She ran from Maria and me the night she saw us but when Max and I were there on Friday, Jennifer didn't recognize me."
"So what does that mean?" Kyle asked.
"Maybe she was possessed by an alien," Max speculated, "like Larek does to Brody, or maybe it was a shape shifter posing as Leanna."
"Or maybe she wasn't there at all. Maybe it was a mind warp," Liz suggested.
"Okay," Maria said, "but are you sure it will be safe? Maybe we all should go."
Max shook his head, "No. All of us being gone would be too suspicious and I doubt anyone would care if we translate the book now. Tess has everything she wanted." He glanced at Liz but looked quickly away, not wanting to see the pain in her eyes.
He took a deep breath, "I want to apologize to all of you for the way I have acted lately. I don’t know what I was thinking or why I treated you all so badly, I hated what I was doing but I couldn’t seem to stop.”
“You were acting out of character,” Michael said. “Maybe it was another of Tess’ mindwarps. She made you do things you didn’t want to do before.”
Max shook his head. “Even if that’s true, it’s no excuse. I should have been able to control myself. I’ve been a jerk and can only say, I'm sorry."
Max looked at each of them. "But now we all need to put our differences aside and work together. We need to develop our powers and keep our eyes open. And let's all make a promise to each other not to keep any more secrets. We need to have all the facts if we are going to make informed decisions and survive this. So do we all agree?"
Everyone looked around the group nodding.
Max continued, "Michael, you worked with Tess the most, improving your powers. Would you set up and take charge of a training schedule for us? Including Liz and Kyle. And pick a place where we won't be seen."
Michael sat up a little straighter, "Sure Max."
"School will be out next week. We'll start then." Max turned to his sister, "And Isabel will you be in charge of a schedule for memory recovery? Work with Michael to coordinate."
"Yeah," Isabel agreed, a little surprised. She had never seen Max so decisive and commanding. Just a few days ago she had found him crying behind the house by the trash cans. She didn't know what had happened to change him so quickly but she suspected it was due to Liz. It was still so overwhelming to think that Liz was the reincarnation of her brother's wife, but with everything Max and Liz had been through for one another, it really didn't surprise her.
When Max and Liz had first gotten together it had scared her, and for a time she had even tried to keep them apart but she had quickly seen they belonged together. They had a bond she envied, a closeness and understanding she craved. And even when it had been revealed in the message from their mother, that Max belonged with Tess, and Liz had left him, Isabel couldn't imagine anything coming permanently between them.
The world had seemed to fall apart for Isabel, and the rest of the group, as the gap between Max and Liz had widened, and when Max had told her he had slept with Tess, Isabel had been horrified. If a couple like Max and Liz couldn't make it, she had asked herself, what chance did she have of finding happiness? But now that Tess was gone, it was like a dark cloud had lifted from their lives, like they were all awakening from a bad dream.
Suddenly a thought occurred to Isabel. "Tess mind warped us to stay away from Brody, and Kyle to forget Alex's death, and now we think maybe she manipulated Max’s actions. Do you think she could have done other mind warps to us that we don't know about?"
Max nodded. "It really wouldn't surprise me."
"But how would we find out?" Isabel asked.
Liz spoke up. "In the Granolith chamber Tess could have simply mind warped all of you to go with her but she didn’t. There must be a reason why.”
Max nodded. “Remember when Tess mind warped Nicholas and Ida, hiding us in the Crashdown bathroom, she practically collapsed afterward, and the same thing happened when she mind warped all of those people at the University when I changed the bones in the cyclotron to save Michael.”
Liz nodded. “So if Tess was too exhausted to mind you to go with her, that means she must have been doing a lot of mind warping, and not just on Alex, Kyle and Amy. I think she wasn’t strong enough to make all of the mind warps permanent. They started wearing off of Alex and Kyle and even Maria's mother, so it makes sense if she mind warped us to do other things, they will eventually wear off too."
"Maria's mother?" Kyle asked. "What does she have to do with this?"
"Oh no," Liz gasped. "With everything else that was going on, I completely forgot. Amy started to tap on the counter just like Kyle and Alex, and then she started to remember what happened with Brody. That's how I figured out Tess must have mind warped them too."
"Yeah? So..." Kyle encouraged her to continue.
"So my Mom is starting to remember Brody holding us hostage," Maria blurted out. "How are we going to explain that to her? We can't just mind warp it away this time."
"Oh," Kyle realized. "What are we going to do? She could make a lot of trouble."
"If we're lucky," Liz said, "we won't have to do anything. Amy will have two versions of that night in her head. Maybe she will just think the hostage situation was a bad dream she’s remembering. I mean, how else would she explain it to herself? She's certainly not going to jump to the conclusion that aliens are involved."
Max nodded, "Let's hope Liz is right, but if not we'll deal with it when it happens."
Max looked around the group, "The final thing I have to say, is for everyone to be careful. We don't know what is coming but we need to be prepared for anything. Let's meet here tomorrow after Liz and I return from Las Cruces and we'll read the translation, together."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Michael shut the door as the others left and slumped down onto the couch. He still couldn't believe Liz had turned out to be Ava. He had just started to accept the fact that Tess was going to be a permanent part of their lives, but unlike Tess, he had liked and respected Liz almost from the beginning, and he was relieved at how things had turned out.
Tess had bugged him from the start and even when they found out she was the fourth alien, Michael had been disappointed. She knew little more than they did, and she always seemed so secretive and shifty, like she was hiding things from them. Tess has used her powers to manipulate them and she was constantly throwing herself at Max. She seemed to have no opinions of her own, only echoing what Max said. It was like her only identity was being Max’s wife.
But Liz was totally different. She was strong and smart and always tried to do the right thing. Liz had her own opinions and never worried about if they conflicted with Max’s. When she had first found out about their otherworldly origins, Michael had tried to intimidate her several times, but Liz had never backed down. Michael had started to respect her then, and over the months his respect had quietly grown each time she helped them.
And when Alex had died and Liz believed it was murder, she stubbornly pursued her investigation even against Max’s wishes, until it had almost ripped them all apart. But it was exactly because Liz had been so determined that Michael had believed her, and his faith in her had been justified.
He'd had a crush on Liz when they had been children and he'd even imagined himself to be jealous of Max when they had started dating. But as he and Maria had gotten closer, Michael admitted to himself that the feelings he'd had for Liz had been nothing more than an infatuation. He still respected and liked Liz, but long ago it had grown into more of a brotherly affection, and now she was his Queen.
Liz continually surprised him with her strength and insight but he could never imagine being close with her like he was with Maria. He smiled thinking of the feisty blonde. With Maria he had found everything he had been searching for his entire life, a family, a home, and love.
ALPHA & OMEGA (CC, M/L, YTEEN-MATURE [COMPLETE]
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ALPHA & OMEGA ~ BOOK 10, PART 1
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ALPHA & OMEGA ~ BOOK 10, PART1
BOOK !0, PART 1 CONT.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Song Playing: Everlasting Love by U2
Max stopped his mother's car near the edge of the quarry and he and Liz sat in silence. He was nervous, more nervous than he ever remembered being around her and he wasn't sure where to begin. Now that they knew they belonged together he should have been free of doubts but he was scared the revelation might push Liz permanently away from him.
"Liz," he started slowly, "I can't imagine what you must be feeling about being Ava. I mean, it must be such a shock to find out like that."
Liz turned to him, "Kind of like you, Michael and Isabel finding out that you were different."
Max shook his head, "I don't know. I always felt different. Figuring out we were aliens wasn't really that weird, I guess. But for me, finding out you are Ava, actually explains a lot of things."
Liz smiled encouragingly, "Like what?"
Max felt his heart jump and he longed to reach out to her, but he knew it was too soon and he tightened his hands on the wheel. "Well it explains why I fell in love with you at first sight and why I haven't been able to get you out of my head since then. It explains why I would risk my life, all of our lives, to heal you in the Crashdown and why we have such a strong connection between us. It explains why I couldn't stop loving you or let you go, even when I thought you had slept with Kyle. And it explains why loving you has always seemed like the best part of me, because it is. Loving you is not only in my heart and soul, it’s in my genes, my very being.”
"I feel the same way," Liz whispered, as a tear rolled down her cheek.
Max reached up automatically to brush the single tear from Liz's velvety cheek, but before he touched her, he shakily withdrew his hand. "So you aren't sorry to find out who you used to be?"
"Sorry?" Liz asked surprised. "No I'm not sorry. I just wish we had known sooner. It would have saved a lot of heart ache."
Max nodded in agreement and looked down, his guilt making him unable to meet her eyes.
Liz continued, "The other Max didn't say anything about it. Surely he and his Liz couldn't have known."
"I don't know," Max said. "Maybe he did know and just wanted to spare you the additional pain."
Liz nodded, "It's possible, but I would like to think if they knew they were meant to be together, they would have done anything not to be separated."
Max's head jerked up at her words and met her eyes. He could tell she hadn't realized her words applied to their current situation but it gave him the first sign of hope for their future.
And suddenly he wanted to know everything. "Liz, I know it's a lot to ask, but would you let me see him? My older self?"
Liz swallowed hard and felt more tears welling up. It had been one of the most difficult times of her life and she was more moved than she could express that Max wanted to share it with her. And as she nodded her assent, she felt a part of the burden she was carrying, lighten.
Max reached up and took Liz's head gently in his hands, and shut his eyes as the familiar connection slid easily into place. He carefully sorted through the rush of images until he found her memories of his older self, and with them Max could feel the full force of the emotions she had experienced. When Liz had first seen his older self, she had been scared but when he had convinced her who he was, she had been curious as to why he had come. Then Max felt the crushing sorrow she had experienced when the other Max had told her what they had to do.
Through her eyes, Max saw the times Liz had come to him, each lie she spoke killing her inside a little more. He saw her clinging to the few moments she spent with his older self, knowing it would be all she ever had of him. And when the other Max disappeared, he felt her hopelessness and despair.
Max carefully memorized everything that had happened, every word, every image, every feeling. He noted vaguely that his forehead was touching Liz's and he felt tears on his cheeks. He didn't know if they were hers or his but he didn't stop the connection.
He sifted through her memories of the months afterward, seeing himself through her eyes and he almost despaired. He had been so cruel, so selfish not to see she had been going through hell, and he began to think he would never get her back. He certainly didn't deserve her.
But as soon as the thought was finished, he heard an answering thought.
You can't blame yourself Max. I didn't let you see how much I was hurting because I knew it had to be that way.
Max was surprised but he didn't break the connection. He was almost afraid to ask the question, wondering if it was just his own wishful thinking. What did you say, Liz?
I said you can't blame yourself... Liz stopped with a mental gasp. Max we are talking through the connection. Did you know you could do that?
I can't do it with anyone else. When Iz and I were kids we had sort of a mental shorthand, passing feelings to one another, but as we got older it went away. We could never speak or hear thoughts, in a connection. The only way was when Iz would dream walk me.
Why do you think we can? Liz asked. Because we were married in our other life, or maybe because you healed me?
Or both, or maybe it is destiny, Max said. I used to hate that word, but we are meant to be together. Our souls are connected. You found me across the galaxies and over the years. I guess we shouldn't be surprised.
I'm scared Max, Liz admitted. It's a lot to take in.
Max felt a shiver of fear race through him. He could almost feel Liz slipping away. I know it is, but if you decide you want to take your place with us, I will, we all will help you any way we can.
I know you will Max and I never even considered there was a choice. Even though I didn't know who I was, I have been a part of this since you healed me.
But this is bigger than hiding what we are from our parents and the Sheriff, Liz. This is a war on another planet and I would never force you to do anything you didn't want to do.
I know, Max. But since I learned what you were, nothing else has been as important to me. And like I said, I am a part of this.
Thanks Liz. I never would have made it this far without you.
You don't have to thank me. I'm right where I wanted to be, with you, helping you, loving you. And I do want us to try again, Max. It seems like such a shame to throw it all away when our souls went to so much trouble to be together, but... Liz trailed off.
Max felt her pain and continued for her, But I have said and done things that can't be taken back and I need to work on rebuilding our friendship and regaining your trust first.
It's not that I don't trust you Max. I know you wouldn't have turned to her if I hadn't pushed you to do it. Oh Max, my Grandmother was right. If only I had listened to her. She said I should follow my heart, and it told me we belonged together but I let my head get in the way.
No, Max said softly. I won't let you blame yourself. You did what you thought would save us.
Liz sighed. I'm just glad we will have a chance to put things right between us.
Max broke the connection and spoke aloud, "So am I, Liz." He watched her eyes flutter open and he gently smoothed the back of his hand down her cheek. He felt a shiver of reaction rush through her as he held her eyes and wanted nothing more at that moment than to kiss her, but he held himself in check and sat back in his seat.
Then he noticed the stunned, dreamy look on Liz’s face and leaned toward her again. But suddenly an image he had glimpsed in Liz's mind became clear, and he frowned in concentration, trying to see it in its entirety.
"What's wrong?" Liz asked.
Max looked at her. "Tess mind warped you."
"What?" Liz gasped. When?"
"I saw it in your memories. It was right after we came back from New York. She put a compulsion in your mind so you wouldn’t want to know about your powers and she even told you how to control them so you wouldn’t develop them."
"Why would she do that?"
"I don't know," Max admitted. "But she must have been scared you would ruin her plan somehow."
"Maybe she thought it would bring us close again," Liz suggested, "you know, you and me working on developing my powers. Like she used the memory recovery sessions to get close to you."
Max nodded, "Yeah, maybe."
Liz searched her mind for memories of that time but she had been so glad Max had returned, she really hadn't focused on anything else. "It's funny. I thought there would be a weird feeling or missing time or something but I don't remember anything unusual."
Max related the circumstances. "Tess approached you behind the Crashdown when you were taking out the trash. She said she was walking and you asked if she always walked in the alleys."
"Yeah," Liz said after a moment. "I remember the conversation. I was really tired and I think I zoned out for a minute or two."
"That's when it happened," Max said. "Try to remember."
Liz concentrated on the memory, trying to see every detail and remember every sound. At first, nothing happened but then she had the sensation of someone else in her mind, and suddenly the whole thing came rushing back to her. She could hear Tess' suggestions in her mind, replacing her will, telling her how to control her burgeoning powers. But it didn't end there. Three other occasions pushed their way to the front of Liz’s memory, times when Tess had reinforced the mind warp, the last one just a couple of weeks ago, and Liz gasped at Tess' unfeeling use of power. Tess had known her mind warps had killed poor Alex but she had continued recklessly using them.
Anger rose up within Liz and she turned to Max. "Tess mind warped me four times that I can remember."
"What?" Max asked angrily.
"She did the original one and then reinforced it. One of them was just a couple of weeks ago."
"After she knew too much mind warping was dangerous," Max realized.
Liz shook her head, "I don't know why she didn't just kill me too if she saw me as so much of a threat."
"One death was suspicious enough but it could be accepted as an accident," Max said, "but if you had died, I would never have stopped investigating until I found your killer. I would never have left Earth without finding out what happened. No matter what had happened between us, I never stopped loving you. Tess must have known that."
Liz reached out and took his hand in hers. "Thank you."
Max shook his head, "It's just the truth." He squeezed her hand. "Liz, I have been so resistant to what I am and my destiny mainly because I knew it wouldn't include you. And I didn't want to live any life you weren't in. But now that we have found out the truth about you and us, everything is different."
Liz nodded, "We've never really talked about this, how you felt about who you were and your destiny. I knew you weren't happy but I really didn't know why."
"Yeah," Max said with a grim smile, "we haven't really been close since I found out. I wanted to talk to you about everything, but you left town, and then I was trying to get you back, and then the whole thing with Kyle..." he trailed off.
He shook his head and continued, "I was scared that I was being forced into this role of leader and I didn't know what I was doing. Everyone kept reminding me that millions of lives were at stake and I worried that one wrong move would mean the end. I tried to focus on us, keeping us alive and hidden and developing our powers, but Michael was a constant nagging reminder I wasn't doing enough. Tess was complaining I was spending too much time trying to get you back, and Isabel, to give her credit, was trying to be the peacemaker but she was keeping secrets too."
He sighed, "I was doing okay until I thought you slept with Kyle and then everything fell apart. I wanted to just curl up and die but I had people counting on me. Then the harvest happened and the skins came to Roswell, then the summit. I tried to focus on our problems and push everything else aside. I was almost glad for the distractions because whenever I stopped, all I thought about was you. I didn't have anyone to talk to who would understand what I was going through. In Vegas, Michael accused me of being a robot and I realized he was right. I felt like a piece of me had died and a lot of the time I was just going through the motions of living."
"I'm sorry Max," Liz whispered. "I knew you had to follow your destiny but at the same time I didn't want you to because it would mean you would be with Tess."
Max shook his head, "Not anymore."
Liz met his eyes, "Yeah, not anymore."
"And with you supporting me, I'm not afraid of anything."
"Max, you had my support the whole time, even when it seemed you didn't."
"I know that now and I should have known it all along. In my heart I should have known you would never turn away from me, never betray me. I've seen your soul, you just aren't capable of it and I will never doubt you again."
"And your destiny?" Liz asked and then quickly corrected herself. "Our destiny?"
"I know technically I have been the leader since that day at the cave last year, but there were only two times I really felt like a leader. One was the day we went to kill Brody because we thought he was a skin, and the other was at the summit in New York. Both were bad experiences and I didn't feel ready for either of them. But you were right, Liz. I can't change what or who I am and I can't escape my destiny. Today, with you at my side, it felt familiar. It was like I could feel your strength and support, and for the first time I know I'm ready for whatever comes our way. I am the leader, right or wrong, but I'm not scared of what that means anymore because I know together we can do anything."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Isabel walked slowly through the dark woods. She didn't recognize the area and was afraid she was lost. Suddenly she had a flash of Grant dragging Laurie in the body bag, and then another of finding Laurie in the grave. She squeezed her eyes shut trying to block the pictures but when she opened them, she was on hands and knees at the edge of the empty, open grave.
She looked around expecting someone to be there but the area seemed to be deserted. A dull glow drew her eyes back to the hole and she noticed a cluster of blue crystals. The light grew in intensity and suddenly the crystals melted into a puddle of goo and then turned into a thick fog, which rapidly filled the grave. The fog continued to expand and it drifted up over the side of the grave, creeping steadily toward her and she watched, unable to move, as it reached her hands.
"Isssssaaabel."
Surprised, she scrambled backwards until she hit a tree, but the fog quickly closed the distance.
"No," she called out as she struggled to her feet. "Stay away."
"Isssaaabel," the fog hissed again.
She turned to run but something was blocking her way. It was cool and soft and as she struggled, she woke up to find that she was wrestling with her pillow.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
TBC
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Song Playing: Everlasting Love by U2
Max stopped his mother's car near the edge of the quarry and he and Liz sat in silence. He was nervous, more nervous than he ever remembered being around her and he wasn't sure where to begin. Now that they knew they belonged together he should have been free of doubts but he was scared the revelation might push Liz permanently away from him.
"Liz," he started slowly, "I can't imagine what you must be feeling about being Ava. I mean, it must be such a shock to find out like that."
Liz turned to him, "Kind of like you, Michael and Isabel finding out that you were different."
Max shook his head, "I don't know. I always felt different. Figuring out we were aliens wasn't really that weird, I guess. But for me, finding out you are Ava, actually explains a lot of things."
Liz smiled encouragingly, "Like what?"
Max felt his heart jump and he longed to reach out to her, but he knew it was too soon and he tightened his hands on the wheel. "Well it explains why I fell in love with you at first sight and why I haven't been able to get you out of my head since then. It explains why I would risk my life, all of our lives, to heal you in the Crashdown and why we have such a strong connection between us. It explains why I couldn't stop loving you or let you go, even when I thought you had slept with Kyle. And it explains why loving you has always seemed like the best part of me, because it is. Loving you is not only in my heart and soul, it’s in my genes, my very being.”
"I feel the same way," Liz whispered, as a tear rolled down her cheek.
Max reached up automatically to brush the single tear from Liz's velvety cheek, but before he touched her, he shakily withdrew his hand. "So you aren't sorry to find out who you used to be?"
"Sorry?" Liz asked surprised. "No I'm not sorry. I just wish we had known sooner. It would have saved a lot of heart ache."
Max nodded in agreement and looked down, his guilt making him unable to meet her eyes.
Liz continued, "The other Max didn't say anything about it. Surely he and his Liz couldn't have known."
"I don't know," Max said. "Maybe he did know and just wanted to spare you the additional pain."
Liz nodded, "It's possible, but I would like to think if they knew they were meant to be together, they would have done anything not to be separated."
Max's head jerked up at her words and met her eyes. He could tell she hadn't realized her words applied to their current situation but it gave him the first sign of hope for their future.
And suddenly he wanted to know everything. "Liz, I know it's a lot to ask, but would you let me see him? My older self?"
Liz swallowed hard and felt more tears welling up. It had been one of the most difficult times of her life and she was more moved than she could express that Max wanted to share it with her. And as she nodded her assent, she felt a part of the burden she was carrying, lighten.
Max reached up and took Liz's head gently in his hands, and shut his eyes as the familiar connection slid easily into place. He carefully sorted through the rush of images until he found her memories of his older self, and with them Max could feel the full force of the emotions she had experienced. When Liz had first seen his older self, she had been scared but when he had convinced her who he was, she had been curious as to why he had come. Then Max felt the crushing sorrow she had experienced when the other Max had told her what they had to do.
Through her eyes, Max saw the times Liz had come to him, each lie she spoke killing her inside a little more. He saw her clinging to the few moments she spent with his older self, knowing it would be all she ever had of him. And when the other Max disappeared, he felt her hopelessness and despair.
Max carefully memorized everything that had happened, every word, every image, every feeling. He noted vaguely that his forehead was touching Liz's and he felt tears on his cheeks. He didn't know if they were hers or his but he didn't stop the connection.
He sifted through her memories of the months afterward, seeing himself through her eyes and he almost despaired. He had been so cruel, so selfish not to see she had been going through hell, and he began to think he would never get her back. He certainly didn't deserve her.
But as soon as the thought was finished, he heard an answering thought.
You can't blame yourself Max. I didn't let you see how much I was hurting because I knew it had to be that way.
Max was surprised but he didn't break the connection. He was almost afraid to ask the question, wondering if it was just his own wishful thinking. What did you say, Liz?
I said you can't blame yourself... Liz stopped with a mental gasp. Max we are talking through the connection. Did you know you could do that?
I can't do it with anyone else. When Iz and I were kids we had sort of a mental shorthand, passing feelings to one another, but as we got older it went away. We could never speak or hear thoughts, in a connection. The only way was when Iz would dream walk me.
Why do you think we can? Liz asked. Because we were married in our other life, or maybe because you healed me?
Or both, or maybe it is destiny, Max said. I used to hate that word, but we are meant to be together. Our souls are connected. You found me across the galaxies and over the years. I guess we shouldn't be surprised.
I'm scared Max, Liz admitted. It's a lot to take in.
Max felt a shiver of fear race through him. He could almost feel Liz slipping away. I know it is, but if you decide you want to take your place with us, I will, we all will help you any way we can.
I know you will Max and I never even considered there was a choice. Even though I didn't know who I was, I have been a part of this since you healed me.
But this is bigger than hiding what we are from our parents and the Sheriff, Liz. This is a war on another planet and I would never force you to do anything you didn't want to do.
I know, Max. But since I learned what you were, nothing else has been as important to me. And like I said, I am a part of this.
Thanks Liz. I never would have made it this far without you.
You don't have to thank me. I'm right where I wanted to be, with you, helping you, loving you. And I do want us to try again, Max. It seems like such a shame to throw it all away when our souls went to so much trouble to be together, but... Liz trailed off.
Max felt her pain and continued for her, But I have said and done things that can't be taken back and I need to work on rebuilding our friendship and regaining your trust first.
It's not that I don't trust you Max. I know you wouldn't have turned to her if I hadn't pushed you to do it. Oh Max, my Grandmother was right. If only I had listened to her. She said I should follow my heart, and it told me we belonged together but I let my head get in the way.
No, Max said softly. I won't let you blame yourself. You did what you thought would save us.
Liz sighed. I'm just glad we will have a chance to put things right between us.
Max broke the connection and spoke aloud, "So am I, Liz." He watched her eyes flutter open and he gently smoothed the back of his hand down her cheek. He felt a shiver of reaction rush through her as he held her eyes and wanted nothing more at that moment than to kiss her, but he held himself in check and sat back in his seat.
Then he noticed the stunned, dreamy look on Liz’s face and leaned toward her again. But suddenly an image he had glimpsed in Liz's mind became clear, and he frowned in concentration, trying to see it in its entirety.
"What's wrong?" Liz asked.
Max looked at her. "Tess mind warped you."
"What?" Liz gasped. When?"
"I saw it in your memories. It was right after we came back from New York. She put a compulsion in your mind so you wouldn’t want to know about your powers and she even told you how to control them so you wouldn’t develop them."
"Why would she do that?"
"I don't know," Max admitted. "But she must have been scared you would ruin her plan somehow."
"Maybe she thought it would bring us close again," Liz suggested, "you know, you and me working on developing my powers. Like she used the memory recovery sessions to get close to you."
Max nodded, "Yeah, maybe."
Liz searched her mind for memories of that time but she had been so glad Max had returned, she really hadn't focused on anything else. "It's funny. I thought there would be a weird feeling or missing time or something but I don't remember anything unusual."
Max related the circumstances. "Tess approached you behind the Crashdown when you were taking out the trash. She said she was walking and you asked if she always walked in the alleys."
"Yeah," Liz said after a moment. "I remember the conversation. I was really tired and I think I zoned out for a minute or two."
"That's when it happened," Max said. "Try to remember."
Liz concentrated on the memory, trying to see every detail and remember every sound. At first, nothing happened but then she had the sensation of someone else in her mind, and suddenly the whole thing came rushing back to her. She could hear Tess' suggestions in her mind, replacing her will, telling her how to control her burgeoning powers. But it didn't end there. Three other occasions pushed their way to the front of Liz’s memory, times when Tess had reinforced the mind warp, the last one just a couple of weeks ago, and Liz gasped at Tess' unfeeling use of power. Tess had known her mind warps had killed poor Alex but she had continued recklessly using them.
Anger rose up within Liz and she turned to Max. "Tess mind warped me four times that I can remember."
"What?" Max asked angrily.
"She did the original one and then reinforced it. One of them was just a couple of weeks ago."
"After she knew too much mind warping was dangerous," Max realized.
Liz shook her head, "I don't know why she didn't just kill me too if she saw me as so much of a threat."
"One death was suspicious enough but it could be accepted as an accident," Max said, "but if you had died, I would never have stopped investigating until I found your killer. I would never have left Earth without finding out what happened. No matter what had happened between us, I never stopped loving you. Tess must have known that."
Liz reached out and took his hand in hers. "Thank you."
Max shook his head, "It's just the truth." He squeezed her hand. "Liz, I have been so resistant to what I am and my destiny mainly because I knew it wouldn't include you. And I didn't want to live any life you weren't in. But now that we have found out the truth about you and us, everything is different."
Liz nodded, "We've never really talked about this, how you felt about who you were and your destiny. I knew you weren't happy but I really didn't know why."
"Yeah," Max said with a grim smile, "we haven't really been close since I found out. I wanted to talk to you about everything, but you left town, and then I was trying to get you back, and then the whole thing with Kyle..." he trailed off.
He shook his head and continued, "I was scared that I was being forced into this role of leader and I didn't know what I was doing. Everyone kept reminding me that millions of lives were at stake and I worried that one wrong move would mean the end. I tried to focus on us, keeping us alive and hidden and developing our powers, but Michael was a constant nagging reminder I wasn't doing enough. Tess was complaining I was spending too much time trying to get you back, and Isabel, to give her credit, was trying to be the peacemaker but she was keeping secrets too."
He sighed, "I was doing okay until I thought you slept with Kyle and then everything fell apart. I wanted to just curl up and die but I had people counting on me. Then the harvest happened and the skins came to Roswell, then the summit. I tried to focus on our problems and push everything else aside. I was almost glad for the distractions because whenever I stopped, all I thought about was you. I didn't have anyone to talk to who would understand what I was going through. In Vegas, Michael accused me of being a robot and I realized he was right. I felt like a piece of me had died and a lot of the time I was just going through the motions of living."
"I'm sorry Max," Liz whispered. "I knew you had to follow your destiny but at the same time I didn't want you to because it would mean you would be with Tess."
Max shook his head, "Not anymore."
Liz met his eyes, "Yeah, not anymore."
"And with you supporting me, I'm not afraid of anything."
"Max, you had my support the whole time, even when it seemed you didn't."
"I know that now and I should have known it all along. In my heart I should have known you would never turn away from me, never betray me. I've seen your soul, you just aren't capable of it and I will never doubt you again."
"And your destiny?" Liz asked and then quickly corrected herself. "Our destiny?"
"I know technically I have been the leader since that day at the cave last year, but there were only two times I really felt like a leader. One was the day we went to kill Brody because we thought he was a skin, and the other was at the summit in New York. Both were bad experiences and I didn't feel ready for either of them. But you were right, Liz. I can't change what or who I am and I can't escape my destiny. Today, with you at my side, it felt familiar. It was like I could feel your strength and support, and for the first time I know I'm ready for whatever comes our way. I am the leader, right or wrong, but I'm not scared of what that means anymore because I know together we can do anything."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Isabel walked slowly through the dark woods. She didn't recognize the area and was afraid she was lost. Suddenly she had a flash of Grant dragging Laurie in the body bag, and then another of finding Laurie in the grave. She squeezed her eyes shut trying to block the pictures but when she opened them, she was on hands and knees at the edge of the empty, open grave.
She looked around expecting someone to be there but the area seemed to be deserted. A dull glow drew her eyes back to the hole and she noticed a cluster of blue crystals. The light grew in intensity and suddenly the crystals melted into a puddle of goo and then turned into a thick fog, which rapidly filled the grave. The fog continued to expand and it drifted up over the side of the grave, creeping steadily toward her and she watched, unable to move, as it reached her hands.
"Isssssaaabel."
Surprised, she scrambled backwards until she hit a tree, but the fog quickly closed the distance.
"No," she called out as she struggled to her feet. "Stay away."
"Isssaaabel," the fog hissed again.
She turned to run but something was blocking her way. It was cool and soft and as she struggled, she woke up to find that she was wrestling with her pillow.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
TBC
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ALPHA & OMEGA ~ BOOK 10, PART 2
This Fic was Nominated at Majik's World of FanFic for:
Best Pre-Pilot or Backstory
Best Angsty Fic
Best Fight Scene
Best Fic that kept you on the edge of your seat
Voting is Open Now!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
BOOK 10 - MAJESTY’S MORASS (WHAT HAPPENS NOW, MAX?)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
PART 2
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Monday, May 21st, 2001)
(University of Las Cruces)
Song Playing: Fortress Around Your Heart by Sting
Max turned to Liz as they approached the Lipvack Computer Science building, "So this Professor Peters just jumped at the chance to help you the last time you were here? It seems odd. I mean, he doesn't know you and he uses his free time to break into another student's work?"
Liz smiled, "There is no reason to be jealous, Max. I explained to him that my best friend Ray had just died and he would want me to continue with his work. Don was glad to help."
"Don?"
Liz laughed and shoved him playfully. "Max!"
He caught her hand and pulled her off the path to a nearby bench. "Liz, I know I have no right, but the thought of you with another guy makes me feel ill."
Liz looked into his eyes, suddenly serious, "You don't have anything to be jealous about. Especially now that I know about our past."
"And Sean?" Max asked softly.
"Oh," Liz gasped. "I completely forgot about him. He's been a good friend, helping me through some of the worst times. I used him to try and forget you, but it didn't work. Every time I was with him, even if we were just talking, I couldn't stop thinking about you."
"But you didn't love him?" Max asked softly.
"Of course not," Liz shook her head. "And now I'll have to tell him I won't be seeing him again." She took a deep breath and asked the question that had been uppermost in her mind. "What about you and Tess? You were going to leave Earth and live on another planet with her and your son."
Max nodded. "I was going to take responsibility for my actions and stay with my son but I never loved Tess. I had all of these feelings wrapped up with the memories she was helping me recover, and for a while I was totally confused about what I felt for her. Maybe I was remembering what I felt for you or maybe she was planting feelings in me again, but I didn't know that at the time." He shook his head, "The whole thing was just a terrible mistake. I betrayed you and myself and used Tess to try and ease some of the pain I was feeling."
He looked down, not able to meet Liz's eyes. "I woke up the next morning and just felt sick about what I had done. The whole thing was like a bad dream. I remembered the night I had spent with you, in the desert when we found the orb, and how joyful I had felt when I woke up beside you, and I knew being with Tess was never going to work. I was going to tell her it wouldn't happen again and I couldn't be with her but she was so happy about us being together and I didn't want to hurt her. It seemed like she was the only one who was on my side and it wasn't her fault I couldn't love her. How could I tell her I felt more of a brotherly affection for her when we had been together like that? But then she told me she was pregnant and I didn't have another choice. All I could think of was you and how I had ruined any chance of being with you, and how much I dreaded the future with her."
Liz sighed, "But you had to stay with them because you are an incredibly honorable guy."
"I try to be, but I didn't feel honorable then. I just felt stupid and scared and I couldn't believe one mistake could change the entire course of my life, forever."
"Max, you didn't do anything w-wrong," Liz said softly, nearly choking on the words. "We weren't together and you thought you were supposed to be with her."
"It was wrong because I didn't love her,” Max said softly. “I still loved you but I slept with her anyway." Max shook his head, tears filling his eyes. "It was bad enough I had sex with her, but creating a child together is a permanent bond between us and I don't know how you can ever forgive me."
Liz took his head in her hands, "Because I love you, Max Evans." She placed a gentle kiss on his cheek and wiped away the tears that had spilled over his eyelids. "I love you and I will never stop. We'll work through this, together."
Max pulled her into an embrace and smiled through his tears, "What did I ever do to deserve you, Liz Parker?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(West Roswell High School)
Kyle slid into the seat next to Isabel where she was eating her lunch. "How's it going?"
"Fine," she replied. "How about you?"
"I'm still freaking out about Liz," Kyle blurted out and then looking around, lowered his voice. "Who knew I used to date the Queen of another planet, huh? It must be pretty weird for you too."
"Yeah," Isabel admitted. "All this time we were looking for the fourth alien and she was right under our noses. Liz Parker." She shrugged, "But it makes a weird kind of sense. I mean, Max has been in love with her forever." She shook her head. "I just can't believe that Tess..." she let her sentence trail off.
Kyle nodded, "Yeah, I know what you mean. She fooled all of us." He reached for Isabel's Tabasco and shook a few drops onto his fries before stuffing a handful into his mouth. "Hey, what did you decide to do about college?"
"I decided I didn't want to be too far away from home right now with everything that's happened, so I'm going to check into taking some basic classes at the Community College. It's just on the other side of town so I can take classes and still live at home."
"And what about your feud with Max?"
"We've come to an understanding. We both agree he acted like a jerk and I decided to give him a break." Isabel shrugged, "I never really understood that he was going through a lot."
"Yeah, there's a lot of that going around," Kyle agreed. "I've been mad at Max a long time for a lot of things; taking Liz away from me, how he was treating Tess, my Dad helping him and getting fired, even for Max healing me. But when I heard what had been going on with him and Liz and Tess, and what Liz did for all of us..." he shrugged. "I don't know, it just doesn't seem that important anymore."
Isabel nodded, "I know what you mean. When Liz told us what she had done, I felt really selfish for even thinking about putting myself first. I can't imagine what she must have gone through or how she kept herself together."
Kyle sighed, "You can't compare yourself to Liz, none of us can. I mean, as far as I'm concerned she's practically a saint. It's hard enough just being a regular person. The Buddha says, Long is the night to he who..."
Isabel cut him off with a sharp look and he went back to eating his fries.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(University of Las Cruces)
Don rose from his seat as Liz and Max entered his office. "Liz, it's good to see you again."
"It's good to see you too, Don." She motioned to Max, "This is Max. He was a good friend of Ray's too."
Don nodded, "I was really sorry to hear about Ray. I didn't know him but what I've seen of his work, he would have been a great addition to the world of computer science."
"Thanks," Max said softly.
Don continued, "Well when you called and said you were coming, I checked into Ray’s work again. We knew he e-mailed the results to the jcoleman account but you said the file was corrupted, so I looked to see if it was saved in his files somewhere." He sat down at his computer and opened a window, "See, here are the files containing the source material and there is the screen capture I showed you the last time, that shows part of the translation and the confirmation of the e-mail. But the first time we looked, I didn't notice there was another folder." He scrolled down to a folder labeled translation.
"Did he save a copy of the translation in that folder?" Liz asked.
"Maybe," Don shrugged, "the problem is, he put a password on the folder and since it’s something he created outside the system, I don't have a backdoor to get in it. I can't even tell how many or what size the files are inside. Eventually the computer can crack the password but I thought maybe you knew it."
Liz smiled, "Sometimes Ray used, I the stud."
Don typed the letters at the password prompt and pushed enter, but the improper password message came up. He tried again but the same thing happened. Then he tried different combinations, using various spacing and capitalizations but still had no luck. "Well it was worth a try."
Suddenly Liz had a thought and dug through her backpack, recovering the charge slip Alex had signed in binary code and handed it to Don. "Could that be a password?"
"Sure," he said as he typed. "More likely it's part of a code he was working on or maybe even a message if you translated the binary into hex or ASCII..." he trailed off as he hit enter and the folder opened, and he turned to them with a smile. "Or it could be his password."
"What's in the file?" Max asked.
Don shook his head, "Nothing. It's empty. He must have trashed his only copy."
"So what do we do, now?" Liz asked with disappointment.
"Don't worry,” Don said, “we'll just have to let the computer do the translation again. All of the source materials are still here. I can start the decryption now and then call you when it's done."
Max leaned forward, "Do you know how long it will take?"
Don pulled up a few more windows and shook his head. "No, it looks like the log files were deleted but if I had to guess, I would say no longer than six months at the most." He turned to them, "School is letting out for the summer this week so I can dedicate more of the computer's run time to the project and it will go even faster."
"Thank you for your help, Don," Max said. "You have no idea how much this means to us."
Don smiled, "I have an idea. I lost my brother and to have anything of his was a comfort. I can imagine Ray's work is very important to you."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Maria knelt down in front of Alex's gravestone and brushed the grass clean of debris before carefully arranging the flowers she had brought. "There you go, Alex. I don't know how you like daisies but they just kind of seemed like the right things to bring."
She sat back on her heels, "Oh Alex, so much has been going on since you left. I know Isabel has been keeping you up on things but I wanted to come and talk to you too. I don't know if she told you, but Liz figured out Tess killed you. Of course that comes as no surprise to you, but we stopped her from taking Isabel and Max back home to their enemies. It seems Tess was working against us for a while. And now she’s pregnant with Max's son and was going to lead them into a trap."
"Yeah," Maria laughed joylessly, "the tramp finally got into Max's pants and whamo she's pregnant. And it turns out she wasn't even his wife, like she kept telling us over and over. All of that destiny crap she was always whining about, what a joke. She was only a friend of Max and Isabel’s family and got sent here instead of his real wife. I just know she planned this whole thing somehow. It's just like something she'd do."
"But you'll never guess who turned out to really be Max's wife." She paused dramatically. "Do you give up? It was Liz all along. Can you believe it? Her soul was reincarnated or something, so it turns out we weren't wrong when we used to tease her about being Max's soul mate."
"And talking about soul mates, Michael had the chance to go home too but he decided to stay here with me. I'm still having trouble with that one. Spaceboy turned out to be Earthboy after all."
Maria sighed, "I wish you were really here for me to talk to. It seems like we should get you back because we figured out who the bad guy was.” She shook her head, “But it doesn't work that way, does it?"
"It’s wrong that the world goes on when you're not in it. Everything should stop, silent, just for a while, so we could tell everyone what an incredible person you are and what we've lost. We've all been in so much pain; Max and Liz, Isabel, Kyle, me and Michael, we just need a break so we can rest."
A sound behind her caused Maria to turn around quickly but she relaxed when she saw it was Michael.
"I thought I might find you here," Michael said, as he knelt behind her and enfolded her in his arms.
With a sigh, Maria leaned back into him, "How long have you been listening?"
He placed a soft kiss on the top of her head, "Long enough." He stood and pulled her with him, "You're overtired, I'll get you home."
Maria shook her head, "Max and Liz are coming back for the meeting and I need to be there. I need to know why Alex had to die."
"Okay," Michael agreed, softly. "I'll take you to my place but you have to get some rest until they come back."
"Just promise you'll hold me for a while, Spaceboy."
Michael nodded, "For as long as you want."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Liz and Max entered Michael's apartment to find the others already gathered and they looked around at the expectant faces. Kyle and Jim, Michael and Maria and Isabel. Max and Liz knew the others expected them to bring the translation back with them but they had to disappoint their friends.
"So what did you find out?" Michael asked.
Max stepped forward. "All copies of the original decryption were destroyed, so it will have to be decoded from scratch."
"But that will only take a little while, right?" Isabel asked.
"The computer science professor thought it could take some time, maybe months," Max admitted. "But he is more than willing to help and when the translation is finished, he'll call us."
Max looked at the disappointment in the faces before him and felt like he had let them down but then Liz slipped her hand into his and squeezed and his resolve strengthened. "We all hoped for results today and I know the news is disappointing but we will get the translation. This isn't a setback, just a delay."
He saw nods throughout the room. "There are other things we can concentrate on until we get the translation, like the training." He looked to Michael and Isabel, "Have you had a chance to work out a schedule?"
Michael nodded but Isabel answered. "School lets out Friday so we thought we would start on Saturday. We can meet at the quarry and make a day of it."
"Good," Max agreed. "This will take time but we're working toward a goal and we'll be prepared for whatever comes our way."
Max looked at Liz and then at the others. "We did discover one interesting thing though. Tess apparently saw Liz as some kind of threat and she mind warped Liz at least four times, preventing her from developing her powers."
Maria rushed forward worried, and took Liz's head in her hands. "Tess mind warped you. Are you okay?" She turned to Max, "Is she okay?"
Max nodded, "She's fine. I didn't see any signs of damage."
"Tess could have killed her too," Maria said, as tears started to well in her eyes.
Liz gave Maria a quick hug. "It's okay," she assured Maria. "We’ll find a way to stop her. There has to be a way."
Maria nodded as Michael pulled her back down onto the sofa and enfolded her in his arms, "Yeah, we'll find a way."
"So it's just like we thought," Max said. "Tess could have done all kinds of mind warps on us. We'll just have to keep watching for the signs and undo them one at a time."
"What kind of signs?" Jim asked.
Max nodded, "Sorry Sheriff. I assumed Kyle had filled you in. One of the signs appears to be incessant finger tapping. There are also flashes of memories you can't account for, maybe missing time or the feeling you drifted off when you were talking to Tess."
He turned back to include Isabel and Michael in his gaze. "Tess reinforced the mind warp on Liz at least three times, so she probably did the same to us, even after she knew it was dangerous."
"That bitch!" Isabel exclaimed. "Why didn't she just kill us all?"
"She probably would if she could've," Michael mumbled.
"It's so hard to believe she would do that us," Jim said defeatedly. "We were her friends and family."
"None of that mattered to her," Maria said.
"It's true,” Michael agreed. “She didn't care about any of us. But someone might have cared about her.”
"What do you mean?" Isabel asked.
Max picked up on Michael's meaning, "He means what if a teacher or someone else is worried about her sudden disappearance."
"Yeah," Michael nodded. "Shouldn't we report her missing or something?"
Jim shook his head, "We don't have to do anything. Tess is eighteen and technically not under my supervision anymore. If anyone asks, we can just tell them she left town."
"We'll need to go through her things," Max said. "There could be something, some sort of clue."
"Yeah," Isabel said sarcastically, "like we could find the passage in her diary. Today I decided to betray everyone I know."
Jim sighed and nodded, "Come over anytime, Max."
"Thanks," Max said sadly. He could feel the gloom creeping back into the group changed the subject. "Is there anything else anyone wants to talk about?"
Everyone shook their heads.
"Then I have one final thing." He turned to Liz with a smile and then back to the others, "I would like to officially welcome Liz into the Royal Four."
"Yeah!" Maria screamed, as she jumped up and pulled Liz into an embrace. "It's where you always belonged."
Maria released her and Isabel hugged a surprised Liz.
"Thank you for everything you've done for us," Isabel whispered, "and I hope you and Max can work things out. You're good for each other."
Liz hugged her back. "Thanks, Isabel. That means a lot."
Kyle was next, and pulled her into an eager embrace. "Congratulations, Liz. I always knew you were meant for big things."
Jim stood back and offered Liz his hand, "I'm sorry we disagreed about Alex."
Liz ignored his hand and gave him a hug, "Thanks Sheriff."
He wrapped his arms around her, "Thank you, Liz."
Michael fidgeted nervously when it was his turn, "I always knew there was something about you, Liz."
She looked at him with a raised eyebrow and he laughed and hugged her quickly.
Max was last, and he and Liz faced one another for a moment and then moved at the same time into an embrace. He whispered into her ear, "Welcome home, Liz."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Evans House – Isabel’s Room)
The dreams of the last two nights had disturbed Isabel more than she wanted to admit and even though she was tired, she reached for her yearbook. She flipped through the pages and stopped on a random student, someone she didn't know, eager to have something to occupy her mind. Placing her finger on the girl's picture, Isabel started the dream walk.
It was a fairly typical dream. The girl was walking through school in her pajamas, but Isabel followed her to see if anything interesting happened. First, the girl walked into a class where a test was being given that she didn't know about, and then she ran into a guy she had a crush on. Finally the girl was asked to sing in front of the entire school in an assembly.
Isabel sighed as the girl broke into the first tentative notes. This wasn't quite what she'd had in mind. She was about to leave the dream when she noticed the fog starting to creep onto the stage from the wings. She stood transfixed as it poured in, quickly covering the stage. The girl singing didn't seem to notice the fog, even though she was now standing waist-deep in it.
The fog poured off the stage and onto the floor, traveling quickly toward her, and Isabel trembled as the first icy whips reached her.
"Issssaaabel."
She looked quickly around for the person who had spoken her name but no one seemed to notice her or the whispers. The fog pooled around her and she shivered as the voice once again whispered her name.
"Isssabel."
"Who's there?" she called out. "What do you want?"
The fog continued to thicken around her but there was no answer. Isabel shivered as the fog chilled the air and she tried to leave the dream but she was unable to. It was as if something were holding her there and suddenly the fog seemed menacing. Isabel backed away and the fog reached out to her and she turned and ran.
"Isssssaabel."
"Leave me alone," she called over her shoulder and suddenly she was out of the dream walk.
She sat up in bed, taking deep gasps of air, grateful to find herself in her own room. She told herself that she had simply fallen asleep in the dream walk and started her own dream, but she didn't really believe it. Something was happening to her, she just didn't know what it was.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Tuesday, May 22nd, 2001)
(Copper Summit, AZ)
Lonni followed Nicholas into the Universal Friendship League building and closed the doors behind them.
He turned to face her, "Is there something you wanted?"
"Yeah," Lonni said as she stalked toward him. "I want to know when we are going home?"
Nicholas shrugged, "That's up to Khivar."
Lonni stopped inches away from Nicholas and poked a finger into his chest, "He'd better not try to go back on his deal with us or..."
Nicholas cut her off, "Or what? You've given us your only piece of leverage."
Lonni shook her head, "You still haven't seen all of my cards and I will keep a few to myself until we get back to Antar." Abruptly she turned and walked away.
Nicholas watched her leave. "We'll just see about that, Lonni."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Valenti House)
Max pulled each piece of Tess' clothing out of the drawers, searching them carefully before tossing them into a box. "It will be easier on the Valenti's if we just get rid of her stuff," Max said.
Michael nodded, "I wish something could make this easier on the rest of us. I still can't believe..." he let the sentence trail off as he shook his head and headed to the closet.
They searched in silence for a few moments. Michael pulled all of the contents out of the closet and Max moved on to the bookcase.
He flipped through the pages of all of the books on the top shelf but the title of one of the books on the next shelf caught his eye. "AP English," Max mused aloud, "Tess wasn't taking that."
Michael crossed to him. "Then why would she have the book? Tess wasn't exactly a big reader."
Max pulled the book off the shelf and attempted to open it. "It's not a real book. It looks solid," he said, turning it over in his hands, but there was the sound of something inside. Max shook the book and he and Michael looked at one another.
"There must be a lock or something," Michael said.
Max turned it over again, looking closely, but saw nothing. Then an idea occurred to him. He passed his hand over the book and a glowing handprint appeared. Max pressed his hand to the book, there was a click and then the cover pivoted open.
Michael reached inside, pulling out several small books and sifted through them. "These are bank books in different names, at banks all over the U.S., a couple from Grand Cayman, one from Switzerland."
Max took an envelope from inside the book and opened it, revealing a stack of credit card-sized cards. "These are IDs." He called out the names as he looked through them; "Stan Harper, James Turney, Lucy Hoskins, John Elliot, Mary Berg, Tom Barlow, Sam Morgan, Edward..." he trailed off and turned the picture to Michael, "Edward Harding."
Michael took the Edward Harding card, "These must be all of Nasedo’s aliases. The names you read match the names on these bank books. And check it out, every one of these has at least twenty-thousand dollars in it."
"Twenty-thousand?" Max gasped. "There have to be eight or ten bank books there."
"Twelve," Michael said.
"Each with Twenty-thousand?"
Michael handed the books to Max, "Some have a lot more than that."
Max looked through the books and quickly did the math, "There's almost a half million dollars total."
"You're kidding!" Michael said disbelievingly.
Max looked at Michael, "You know the good we could do with that kind of money?"
Michael shook his head, "Now you're sounding like Liz."
"Think about it," Max said. "Valenti lost his job. This kind of money could help him a lot."
"He wouldn't accept it," Michael said.
"Maybe," Max said thoughtfully. "But the Harding house and Tess' car are just sitting there and technically, they and all of this money belong to us."
"So?" Michael asked.
"So, you could move into the house and not have to work all those hours at the Crashdown to pay your bills."
Michael scratched at his eyebrow thoughtfully. "Thanks Max, but that place isn't really my style. It kinda gives me the creeps. You know, way too clean and too many breakable things, like a museum or something.” He shrugged. "And I like working at the Crashdown. Mr. and Mrs. Parker are pretty cool and I almost think of Liz as a sort of sister. Sometimes it's almost like a weird kind of family, and I'd miss that."
Max nodded and let the subject drop. "Okay, let's finish packing up and we can decide what to do with the money later but I think we should get rid of Tess' car. People might wonder why she left town without it."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Roswell City Park)
When Liz arrived in the park, Sean was already waiting where she had asked him to meet her. He smiled as she approached and she smiled back, dreading the confrontation. Sean was a nice guy, they'd had fun together and he didn't deserve to be dumped but she had no other choice. She still loved Max and it wouldn't be fair to keep Sean hanging on while she and Max tried to work things out.
"Hey Parker," Sean greeted, as she sat beside him on the bench. "I was starting to get worried about you when you didn't call after Friday night. I though I might have come on too strong and scared you."
"Sean," Liz cut him off, "you didn't scare me. I was hurt and confused and I shouldn't have come to you. I was using you and it wasn't fair."
Sean smiled, "You can use me like that any time you want."
Liz smiled briefly. "Sean, I'm a jerk and I'm sorry for what I have to do."
Sean's smile faded as he nodded, understanding. "You're getting back together with Max."
Liz nodded and Sean shook his head, "I don't understand, Parker. Just Friday night you said he broke your heart. And four days later everything is okay?"
Liz looked down at the bench, "Well, there were some misunderstandings between us and we have some things to work out, but we love each other and we're going to try again." She looked up to meet his eyes, "I'm really sorry. I know you were hoping..." she let the sentence trail off. "But it wouldn't have worked out, Sean. I love Max, I always will."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Max entered his room and locked the door behind him before pulling the bankbooks and IDs out of his backpack. He passed his hand over the carpet making a hole through the layers of padding down into the foundation where he had previously hidden the orbs, the book and the healing crystals in a strong box.
He put the bankbooks and IDs into the box and relocked it, placing it in the hole, and with a single wave of his hand restored the flooring and carpet.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kyle hopped up onto a stool, at the counter of the Crashdown. “Hey, Mr. Parker. How’s it going?”
Jeff greeted Kyle warmly, “Hey Kyle, I’m doing well. How are you and your Dad?”
Kyle nodded, “Good, thanks for asking.”
“You just missed Liz, if that’s why you’re here. She went shopping with her Mom.”
“Thanks, Mr. Parker, but I actually came to see one of your other employees,” he motioned to Michael with a jut of his chin.
“Oh,” Jeff said with a nod. He called over his shoulder, “Michael, you’ve got company.”
Michael crossed to the window separating the kitchen from the dining room and nodded when he saw Kyle, “What’s up?”
“Hey, I just wanted to see if you’re still coming over tonight to watch the game.”
“Yeah, count me in,” Michael said. “How many burgers do you want me to bring?”
“Well, Dad is going to fire up the barbecue and he asked me to come and find out how many steaks to buy.
Michael smiled. “I am kind of getting tired of eating hamburgers.”
“Hey,” Jeff called out, with mock annoyance.
“Sorry, Mr. Parker,” Michael said with a laugh
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Wednesday, May 23rd, 2001)
Max knocked tentatively on his sister's door and waited for her answer before entering. He was nervous about what he had to ask, but he needed her help.
"Oh, hey Max," Isabel greeted.
Max got right to the point, "Iz, I need your help."
Suddenly Isabel was concerned, "What is it?"
"Nothing bad," Max assured her as he sat on the bed next to her. "I've just been thinking about some things that's all. Like it was when Brody accessed Larek's stored memories and I healed him that I got the first memory flash of Tess in our other life. And afterward I told Tess I remembered her and that was the first time she mind warped me to stay away from Brody."
Isabel nodded, her confusion showing on her face and waited for him to continue.
"Then in the next couple of days, she mind warped you and Michael for the same thing."
"So you think Tess didn't want us to go to Larek because she was afraid he would help us with our memories. But why Max?"
"Larek confirmed that the things I remembered were things that had really happened, but they were with Tess not Liz. I think Tess was afraid I would remember she wasn't my wife."
"But that would mean Tess knew she wasn't your wife," Isabel pointed out.
Max nodded, "I think we have to assume, at least then, she knew exactly who she was."
"And she still..." Isabel let her sentence trail off. "So what do you need my help with?"
"When Tess was helping me recover my memories, I remembered you and Michael but my memories of Tess were the clearest. It always disturbed me deep inside, but I thought it was supposed to be that way. I thought she was my wife.” He shook his head. “But now, I wonder if Tess was leading me to remember the things she wanted me to remember."
"Like her, instead of your real wife," Isabel said.
"Yeah," Max agreed.
"But Max, why didn't you tell me Tess was helping you recover your memories?"
Max shook his head, "I don't know."
Isabel grimaced, "Another of Tess' mind warps?"
"Maybe,” Max agreed, with a shrug. “Tess originally told me she could help me recover my memories last summer, after Liz left, but I was never interested. I thought remembering our other life would make me less human somehow and that was the last thing I wanted. But when I got the flash from Brody about Tess, I went to her and told her, and the next thing I know, she is helping me recover my memories.” His brow creased, remembering. “And suddenly I was excited about remembering things from our world."
"So Tess mind warped you to want to recover your memories but only with her help,” Isabel reasoned, “and then she could feed you the memories she wanted you to have."
Max nodded, "That’s what I think, and that's why I came to you. I thought I could meditate and focus on our world, like Tess taught me, and you could dream walk me and see what I remember. Maybe you can see things she made me suppress."
Suddenly Isabel understood, "Like Liz. You're afraid Tess somehow blocked your memories of Liz."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Crashdown Café)
Maria shouldered the door open and walked into the dining room of the Crashdown as she fastened her apron behind her. “So Liz, you finally dumped my cousin?”
Liz looked up from wiping the counter, “What?”
Maria rolled her eyes. “He’s been moping around more than usual and when I asked him, he mumbled something about he shouldn’t have broken his rule about another man’s taco platter.” She jumped up onto a stool at the counter. “I’m just assuming that has something to do with you.”
Liz sighed and propped her elbows onto the counter. “Yeah, even though we weren’t really dating and I don’t know what is happening with Max, it just wasn’t fair to let Sean think there was a chance for anything between us.”
“But Sean was just delusional right?” Maria asked. “There wasn’t anything between you.”
“No,” Liz said, shaking her head. “We were friends and he helped me through some tough times. That night Max was supposed to leave, he told me he’d slept with Tess and I was so hurt I went to Sean and…” she trailed off.
“And?” Maria prompted.
Liz shrugged. “I thought maybe he could help me get over Max but I realized that I was just fooling myself. Sean is a nice guy and a good friend and I tried to have feelings for him but I just don’t.”
Maria nodded. “I think it will take juvie-hall boy a while to get over you. I almost feel sorry for him and then I remember he doesn’t deserve you.”
Liz shrugged. “Maybe I didn’t deserve him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Evans House – Isabel’s Room)
Max sat cross-legged on the bed across from Isabel. He pressed his eyes shut and tried to concentrate on the images of the red ocean, Tess had helped him to remember. And after a moment, the images started to take shape in his mind.
At first, it was like looking at a photo and then the image started to move and come to life. Max could hear the sound of the surf brushing gently against the beach and smell the tangy scent in the air. Suddenly he was standing on the beach, watching the motion of the red waves and feeling the breeze on his face.
Then he felt Isabel's presence at his side and turned to her.
"Max," she gasped, "is this our world?"
He nodded, "Yeah."
She gazed out across the red ocean to the horizon, and the two moons in the bright blue sky. "You remember this so clearly," she said, as tears started to roll down her face. "It's like really being there."
"I think I must have spent a lot of time on this beach," Max admitted. "It was the first place I remembered and it's the clearest in my mind."
"It's so beautiful," Isabel said. "I can't believe I don't remember."
Max smiled, "You will, Iz."
She nodded and wiped the tears from her face, re-focusing on the task at hand. "Show me what else you remember."
One at a time, Max brought up each memory Tess had helped him recover. First he showed Isabel the snatches of memories he had of Michael when they were at school together, then he showed Isabel a memory he had of her when they were children, and another when she was older dressed in party finery. Finally he showed her the memory he had recovered of himself and Tess at a party, where they had first kissed.
Isabel looked at her real brother beside her and then at Max's memory of himself seated at a table, kissing Tess, and suddenly the inconsistency struck her. She looked around the room at the other people and noticed for the first time that they were simply faceless forms. "Max,” she said, motioning around them, “look at the people."
Max glanced around and his brow knotted, "I guess I don't remember them well enough."
Isabel shook her head, "You don't remember Tess or Michael or me well enough either."
"What do you mean?"
"Haven't you noticed?" Isabel asked, motioning to the Max and Tess at the table. "You are seeing us in our human form. We didn't look like this on our planet."
"You’re right," he realized. "Maybe I just put those faces on us because I couldn't remember the real ones."
"Or maybe we were so horrible by human standards that you didn't want to remember," Isabel said, suddenly shocked.
"Isabel..." Max started, only to be cut off.
"Or maybe,” Isabel continued, “Tess put those faces on us to make you associate the past with the present."
Max picked up on her meaning immediately. "You mean she made me see our present forms together in my memories, so I would accept us together now."
Isabel nodded.
"Did you notice anything else out of place," Max asked.
"Like the image of someone who had been erased?" Isabel prompted, but shook her head. "No. But I couldn't really sense a time frame for your memories either. Obviously your memories of us as kids and the school stuff with Michael were from before you were married, and Larek said you dated Tess before you even met Liz. So I think Tess was concentrating on recovering your memories from before you knew Liz."
"So maybe if I try to remember things past that point, I will remember Liz."
Isabel smiled. "Don't worry, Max. The memories will come back,” she assured him. “On some level, you must have remembered Liz the whole time. You fell in love with her the first time you saw her. Liz is the love of two of your lifetimes. You just don't forget that."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Roswell UFO Museum)
Maria knocked gently on the office door and then pushed it open as she called out, “Hey Brody. Dinner time.”
Brody looked up from his computer with a smile, as he recognized the voice. “Maria, it’s good to see you.” He jumped up and offered her a chair, “It’s been a while. I missed our talks.”
“Me too,” Maria said with a smile, as she sat across from him.
Brody regained his chair, leaned forward and spoke softly, “I was really sorry to hear about your friend, Alex. Did you get the flowers I sent?”
Maria felt the tears gathering in her eyes but managed a weak smile, “Yeah, thanks, Brody. It’s been hard.”
“I’m sorry,” Brody said nervously and turned to grab the box of tissues from his desk. “I didn’t mean to…” he trailed off and silently offered her the box.
Maria took a tissue and pressed it to her eyes. “It’s okay,” she reassured him. “Sometimes I wonder if I will ever be able to think of him without crying.”
Brody reached out tentatively and touched her arm.
Maria looked up at him through her tears, “Thanks for being such a good friend.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Thursday, May 24th, 2001)
(Crashdown Café)
Michael scraped the last of the food on the plates into the garbage and gathered the top of the bag together and lugged it out the back door. He stepped into the alley and saw Mrs. Parker taking groceries out of her car. He tossed the garbage into the dumpster and jogged over to her. “Hey Mrs. Parker,” he said, as he grabbed several bags out of the trunk, “let me help you with those.”
Nancy smiled, “Thanks Michael. You’re always so helpful.”
He followed her up the stairs and automatically started putting the groceries away. “Have a good day Mrs. Parker?”
“Yeah, how was your day?”
“You know,” he smiled with a shrug. “Same old thing.”
“Yeah, I know,” Nancy nodded. “And things are good with you and Maria?”
Michael nodded, “Yeah, everything’s great.”
Nancy watched him put the last of the groceries in the fridge. “We’re having pork chops tonight, Michael. I hope you can stay for dinner.”
Michael smiled, “I’d love to, Mrs. Parker.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Parker House - Liz’s Room)
With a smile, Liz listened to the interaction between Michael and her mother in the other room. In the time he had worked in the Crashdown, Michael had become close to her and her parents and sometimes Liz almost thought of him as another member of the family.
She climbed out her window and looked into the night sky. Her thoughts automatically turned to her other life, like they had done so often since she had learned of her true identity.
It was possible that in some way she really was related to Michael. She didn’t know anything about her other family, and even though they seemed like a fairy tale, she knew somewhere up in the sky, she had another set of parents who had waited for more than fifty years for her to come home.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A figure stood in the shadows in the alley below and watched Liz until she went back inside.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Crashdown Café)
Max slid into a booth and smiled as Maria approached. “Hey.”
Maria slid in across from him. “So you and Liz are finally getting another chance, huh girlfriend.”
Max nodded, “Yeah.”
Maria nodded. “We’ve been pretty close since last summer when Liz left, and I consider you a really good friend, Max. And I’m glad that you and Liz found out you belong together. I love both of you and you deserve to be happy.”
“Thanks Maria,” Max said.
“But Max, if you hurt Liz again, I’m going to kick your royal, alien ass.”
Max nodded. “A lot of bad stuff has happened and it was all my fault, I take full responsibility. But I love her more than anything.”
Maria sighed. “It wasn’t all your fault and I know you love her. But with Tess and your son, I just…” she trailed off, shaking her head.
“You just want to protect your friend,” Max finished. “But I promise you Maria, if Liz will forgive me, I will spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to her.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, May 26th, 2001)
(The Evans House)
Max entered the house with a smile. He had spent the evening at the Crashdown with Michael, Maria, Liz, Isabel and Kyle, just like they used to. Everyone had laughed and joked and Max had felt a weight lift from his heart. Terrible things had happened but Max felt hopeful about the future, not just for himself and Liz, but for everyone.
He closed and locked the door behind him and started toward his room, but his father called out from the kitchen.
“Max? Isabel? Is that you?”
Max walked into the kitchen, his grin still evident, “Hey Dad.”
Philip smiled when he saw Max’s face, “Have a good evening?”
“Yeah,” Max said with a nod. “You know, just a night with the friends.”
“Well I hate to spoil your good mood but I got some news tonight,” Philip said.
Max was instantly on guard, “What happened?”
Philip shook his head, “No, it’s nothing like that, Max. I just got a visit from the Sheriff.”
“Valenti came here?”
“No, not Valenti, the acting Sheriff. Hansen, I think his name was.”
Max’s brow creased, “What did he want?”
“There is no easy way to say it. They found the Jeep, but it has been destroyed.”
Max waited for his father to continue.
“It was dowsed with gas, set on fire and pushed off a cliff. I’m afraid there’s not much left.”
Max nodded and Philip continued, “I’m sorry it turned out this way. I was hoping we’d get it back none the worse for wear. The Sheriff said they hardly ever catch joy riders and he didn’t have much hope in this case because any evidence was probably burned. It’ll be a few days before we hear from the insurance company but I don’t expect they’ll pay much.” He paused, “I’m really sorry Max.”
Max shook his head thinking of Alex’s accident. “It’s okay. At least no one was hurt.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sean sat in the Crashdown and watched Liz move around the tables. He couldn't believe he’d been so close to making her his, and she had slipped through his fingers.
He shook his head. She was going back to Max Evans. He just didn't know what it was with that guy, Max. Sean could understand Liz still having feelings for her ex, but this situation seemed to go beyond that. Liz had told him that Max had broken her heart, but then just a few days later she was taking him back. It was almost like Max had some freaky power over her that kept drawing her back to him.
Sean had done his best to make Liz see the truth that Max was just using her, but Liz wouldn't listen. But Sean wouldn't give her up that easily. He would have to do something more drastic to break them up and then he would be there to console her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Michael’s apartment)
As they watched TV, Michael shifted Maria closer to him on the sofa and she snuggled into his side. She hadn’t said a word about their relationship since they had slept together and he was starting to worry. Maria always wanted to define and nail down exactly what was happening between them, but for the last week, they had hardly seen one another outside of work and school.
Michael suddenly reached for the remote and switched off the set.
Maria turned to him surprised, “Why did you do that?”
“I think we need to talk,” Michael started hesitatingly, “about our relationship.”
“You want to talk? About our relationship?” Maria started to laugh but stopped when she saw the serious expression on his face. “What’s wrong, Michael?”
Michael shook his head. “I don’t know exactly. I was hoping you could tell me.” He took a deep breath, “I love you Maria and I want our relationship to work out but I’m not sure where to go from here. I mean, I don’t want you to think that all I want from you is sex, because I don’t.”
Maria smiled and raised her eyebrows.
Michael shook his head. “I mean I do, but that’s not all. I want to be together like a real couple.”
“We are, Michael,” Maria assured him, with a brief kiss. “We don’t have to know exactly where we’re going, or how we’re getting there. The important thing is that we figure it out together.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
TBC
Best Pre-Pilot or Backstory
Best Angsty Fic
Best Fight Scene
Best Fic that kept you on the edge of your seat
Voting is Open Now!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
BOOK 10 - MAJESTY’S MORASS (WHAT HAPPENS NOW, MAX?)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
PART 2
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Monday, May 21st, 2001)
(University of Las Cruces)
Song Playing: Fortress Around Your Heart by Sting
Max turned to Liz as they approached the Lipvack Computer Science building, "So this Professor Peters just jumped at the chance to help you the last time you were here? It seems odd. I mean, he doesn't know you and he uses his free time to break into another student's work?"
Liz smiled, "There is no reason to be jealous, Max. I explained to him that my best friend Ray had just died and he would want me to continue with his work. Don was glad to help."
"Don?"
Liz laughed and shoved him playfully. "Max!"
He caught her hand and pulled her off the path to a nearby bench. "Liz, I know I have no right, but the thought of you with another guy makes me feel ill."
Liz looked into his eyes, suddenly serious, "You don't have anything to be jealous about. Especially now that I know about our past."
"And Sean?" Max asked softly.
"Oh," Liz gasped. "I completely forgot about him. He's been a good friend, helping me through some of the worst times. I used him to try and forget you, but it didn't work. Every time I was with him, even if we were just talking, I couldn't stop thinking about you."
"But you didn't love him?" Max asked softly.
"Of course not," Liz shook her head. "And now I'll have to tell him I won't be seeing him again." She took a deep breath and asked the question that had been uppermost in her mind. "What about you and Tess? You were going to leave Earth and live on another planet with her and your son."
Max nodded. "I was going to take responsibility for my actions and stay with my son but I never loved Tess. I had all of these feelings wrapped up with the memories she was helping me recover, and for a while I was totally confused about what I felt for her. Maybe I was remembering what I felt for you or maybe she was planting feelings in me again, but I didn't know that at the time." He shook his head, "The whole thing was just a terrible mistake. I betrayed you and myself and used Tess to try and ease some of the pain I was feeling."
He looked down, not able to meet Liz's eyes. "I woke up the next morning and just felt sick about what I had done. The whole thing was like a bad dream. I remembered the night I had spent with you, in the desert when we found the orb, and how joyful I had felt when I woke up beside you, and I knew being with Tess was never going to work. I was going to tell her it wouldn't happen again and I couldn't be with her but she was so happy about us being together and I didn't want to hurt her. It seemed like she was the only one who was on my side and it wasn't her fault I couldn't love her. How could I tell her I felt more of a brotherly affection for her when we had been together like that? But then she told me she was pregnant and I didn't have another choice. All I could think of was you and how I had ruined any chance of being with you, and how much I dreaded the future with her."
Liz sighed, "But you had to stay with them because you are an incredibly honorable guy."
"I try to be, but I didn't feel honorable then. I just felt stupid and scared and I couldn't believe one mistake could change the entire course of my life, forever."
"Max, you didn't do anything w-wrong," Liz said softly, nearly choking on the words. "We weren't together and you thought you were supposed to be with her."
"It was wrong because I didn't love her,” Max said softly. “I still loved you but I slept with her anyway." Max shook his head, tears filling his eyes. "It was bad enough I had sex with her, but creating a child together is a permanent bond between us and I don't know how you can ever forgive me."
Liz took his head in her hands, "Because I love you, Max Evans." She placed a gentle kiss on his cheek and wiped away the tears that had spilled over his eyelids. "I love you and I will never stop. We'll work through this, together."
Max pulled her into an embrace and smiled through his tears, "What did I ever do to deserve you, Liz Parker?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(West Roswell High School)
Kyle slid into the seat next to Isabel where she was eating her lunch. "How's it going?"
"Fine," she replied. "How about you?"
"I'm still freaking out about Liz," Kyle blurted out and then looking around, lowered his voice. "Who knew I used to date the Queen of another planet, huh? It must be pretty weird for you too."
"Yeah," Isabel admitted. "All this time we were looking for the fourth alien and she was right under our noses. Liz Parker." She shrugged, "But it makes a weird kind of sense. I mean, Max has been in love with her forever." She shook her head. "I just can't believe that Tess..." she let her sentence trail off.
Kyle nodded, "Yeah, I know what you mean. She fooled all of us." He reached for Isabel's Tabasco and shook a few drops onto his fries before stuffing a handful into his mouth. "Hey, what did you decide to do about college?"
"I decided I didn't want to be too far away from home right now with everything that's happened, so I'm going to check into taking some basic classes at the Community College. It's just on the other side of town so I can take classes and still live at home."
"And what about your feud with Max?"
"We've come to an understanding. We both agree he acted like a jerk and I decided to give him a break." Isabel shrugged, "I never really understood that he was going through a lot."
"Yeah, there's a lot of that going around," Kyle agreed. "I've been mad at Max a long time for a lot of things; taking Liz away from me, how he was treating Tess, my Dad helping him and getting fired, even for Max healing me. But when I heard what had been going on with him and Liz and Tess, and what Liz did for all of us..." he shrugged. "I don't know, it just doesn't seem that important anymore."
Isabel nodded, "I know what you mean. When Liz told us what she had done, I felt really selfish for even thinking about putting myself first. I can't imagine what she must have gone through or how she kept herself together."
Kyle sighed, "You can't compare yourself to Liz, none of us can. I mean, as far as I'm concerned she's practically a saint. It's hard enough just being a regular person. The Buddha says, Long is the night to he who..."
Isabel cut him off with a sharp look and he went back to eating his fries.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(University of Las Cruces)
Don rose from his seat as Liz and Max entered his office. "Liz, it's good to see you again."
"It's good to see you too, Don." She motioned to Max, "This is Max. He was a good friend of Ray's too."
Don nodded, "I was really sorry to hear about Ray. I didn't know him but what I've seen of his work, he would have been a great addition to the world of computer science."
"Thanks," Max said softly.
Don continued, "Well when you called and said you were coming, I checked into Ray’s work again. We knew he e-mailed the results to the jcoleman account but you said the file was corrupted, so I looked to see if it was saved in his files somewhere." He sat down at his computer and opened a window, "See, here are the files containing the source material and there is the screen capture I showed you the last time, that shows part of the translation and the confirmation of the e-mail. But the first time we looked, I didn't notice there was another folder." He scrolled down to a folder labeled translation.
"Did he save a copy of the translation in that folder?" Liz asked.
"Maybe," Don shrugged, "the problem is, he put a password on the folder and since it’s something he created outside the system, I don't have a backdoor to get in it. I can't even tell how many or what size the files are inside. Eventually the computer can crack the password but I thought maybe you knew it."
Liz smiled, "Sometimes Ray used, I the stud."
Don typed the letters at the password prompt and pushed enter, but the improper password message came up. He tried again but the same thing happened. Then he tried different combinations, using various spacing and capitalizations but still had no luck. "Well it was worth a try."
Suddenly Liz had a thought and dug through her backpack, recovering the charge slip Alex had signed in binary code and handed it to Don. "Could that be a password?"
"Sure," he said as he typed. "More likely it's part of a code he was working on or maybe even a message if you translated the binary into hex or ASCII..." he trailed off as he hit enter and the folder opened, and he turned to them with a smile. "Or it could be his password."
"What's in the file?" Max asked.
Don shook his head, "Nothing. It's empty. He must have trashed his only copy."
"So what do we do, now?" Liz asked with disappointment.
"Don't worry,” Don said, “we'll just have to let the computer do the translation again. All of the source materials are still here. I can start the decryption now and then call you when it's done."
Max leaned forward, "Do you know how long it will take?"
Don pulled up a few more windows and shook his head. "No, it looks like the log files were deleted but if I had to guess, I would say no longer than six months at the most." He turned to them, "School is letting out for the summer this week so I can dedicate more of the computer's run time to the project and it will go even faster."
"Thank you for your help, Don," Max said. "You have no idea how much this means to us."
Don smiled, "I have an idea. I lost my brother and to have anything of his was a comfort. I can imagine Ray's work is very important to you."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Maria knelt down in front of Alex's gravestone and brushed the grass clean of debris before carefully arranging the flowers she had brought. "There you go, Alex. I don't know how you like daisies but they just kind of seemed like the right things to bring."
She sat back on her heels, "Oh Alex, so much has been going on since you left. I know Isabel has been keeping you up on things but I wanted to come and talk to you too. I don't know if she told you, but Liz figured out Tess killed you. Of course that comes as no surprise to you, but we stopped her from taking Isabel and Max back home to their enemies. It seems Tess was working against us for a while. And now she’s pregnant with Max's son and was going to lead them into a trap."
"Yeah," Maria laughed joylessly, "the tramp finally got into Max's pants and whamo she's pregnant. And it turns out she wasn't even his wife, like she kept telling us over and over. All of that destiny crap she was always whining about, what a joke. She was only a friend of Max and Isabel’s family and got sent here instead of his real wife. I just know she planned this whole thing somehow. It's just like something she'd do."
"But you'll never guess who turned out to really be Max's wife." She paused dramatically. "Do you give up? It was Liz all along. Can you believe it? Her soul was reincarnated or something, so it turns out we weren't wrong when we used to tease her about being Max's soul mate."
"And talking about soul mates, Michael had the chance to go home too but he decided to stay here with me. I'm still having trouble with that one. Spaceboy turned out to be Earthboy after all."
Maria sighed, "I wish you were really here for me to talk to. It seems like we should get you back because we figured out who the bad guy was.” She shook her head, “But it doesn't work that way, does it?"
"It’s wrong that the world goes on when you're not in it. Everything should stop, silent, just for a while, so we could tell everyone what an incredible person you are and what we've lost. We've all been in so much pain; Max and Liz, Isabel, Kyle, me and Michael, we just need a break so we can rest."
A sound behind her caused Maria to turn around quickly but she relaxed when she saw it was Michael.
"I thought I might find you here," Michael said, as he knelt behind her and enfolded her in his arms.
With a sigh, Maria leaned back into him, "How long have you been listening?"
He placed a soft kiss on the top of her head, "Long enough." He stood and pulled her with him, "You're overtired, I'll get you home."
Maria shook her head, "Max and Liz are coming back for the meeting and I need to be there. I need to know why Alex had to die."
"Okay," Michael agreed, softly. "I'll take you to my place but you have to get some rest until they come back."
"Just promise you'll hold me for a while, Spaceboy."
Michael nodded, "For as long as you want."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Liz and Max entered Michael's apartment to find the others already gathered and they looked around at the expectant faces. Kyle and Jim, Michael and Maria and Isabel. Max and Liz knew the others expected them to bring the translation back with them but they had to disappoint their friends.
"So what did you find out?" Michael asked.
Max stepped forward. "All copies of the original decryption were destroyed, so it will have to be decoded from scratch."
"But that will only take a little while, right?" Isabel asked.
"The computer science professor thought it could take some time, maybe months," Max admitted. "But he is more than willing to help and when the translation is finished, he'll call us."
Max looked at the disappointment in the faces before him and felt like he had let them down but then Liz slipped her hand into his and squeezed and his resolve strengthened. "We all hoped for results today and I know the news is disappointing but we will get the translation. This isn't a setback, just a delay."
He saw nods throughout the room. "There are other things we can concentrate on until we get the translation, like the training." He looked to Michael and Isabel, "Have you had a chance to work out a schedule?"
Michael nodded but Isabel answered. "School lets out Friday so we thought we would start on Saturday. We can meet at the quarry and make a day of it."
"Good," Max agreed. "This will take time but we're working toward a goal and we'll be prepared for whatever comes our way."
Max looked at Liz and then at the others. "We did discover one interesting thing though. Tess apparently saw Liz as some kind of threat and she mind warped Liz at least four times, preventing her from developing her powers."
Maria rushed forward worried, and took Liz's head in her hands. "Tess mind warped you. Are you okay?" She turned to Max, "Is she okay?"
Max nodded, "She's fine. I didn't see any signs of damage."
"Tess could have killed her too," Maria said, as tears started to well in her eyes.
Liz gave Maria a quick hug. "It's okay," she assured Maria. "We’ll find a way to stop her. There has to be a way."
Maria nodded as Michael pulled her back down onto the sofa and enfolded her in his arms, "Yeah, we'll find a way."
"So it's just like we thought," Max said. "Tess could have done all kinds of mind warps on us. We'll just have to keep watching for the signs and undo them one at a time."
"What kind of signs?" Jim asked.
Max nodded, "Sorry Sheriff. I assumed Kyle had filled you in. One of the signs appears to be incessant finger tapping. There are also flashes of memories you can't account for, maybe missing time or the feeling you drifted off when you were talking to Tess."
He turned back to include Isabel and Michael in his gaze. "Tess reinforced the mind warp on Liz at least three times, so she probably did the same to us, even after she knew it was dangerous."
"That bitch!" Isabel exclaimed. "Why didn't she just kill us all?"
"She probably would if she could've," Michael mumbled.
"It's so hard to believe she would do that us," Jim said defeatedly. "We were her friends and family."
"None of that mattered to her," Maria said.
"It's true,” Michael agreed. “She didn't care about any of us. But someone might have cared about her.”
"What do you mean?" Isabel asked.
Max picked up on Michael's meaning, "He means what if a teacher or someone else is worried about her sudden disappearance."
"Yeah," Michael nodded. "Shouldn't we report her missing or something?"
Jim shook his head, "We don't have to do anything. Tess is eighteen and technically not under my supervision anymore. If anyone asks, we can just tell them she left town."
"We'll need to go through her things," Max said. "There could be something, some sort of clue."
"Yeah," Isabel said sarcastically, "like we could find the passage in her diary. Today I decided to betray everyone I know."
Jim sighed and nodded, "Come over anytime, Max."
"Thanks," Max said sadly. He could feel the gloom creeping back into the group changed the subject. "Is there anything else anyone wants to talk about?"
Everyone shook their heads.
"Then I have one final thing." He turned to Liz with a smile and then back to the others, "I would like to officially welcome Liz into the Royal Four."
"Yeah!" Maria screamed, as she jumped up and pulled Liz into an embrace. "It's where you always belonged."
Maria released her and Isabel hugged a surprised Liz.
"Thank you for everything you've done for us," Isabel whispered, "and I hope you and Max can work things out. You're good for each other."
Liz hugged her back. "Thanks, Isabel. That means a lot."
Kyle was next, and pulled her into an eager embrace. "Congratulations, Liz. I always knew you were meant for big things."
Jim stood back and offered Liz his hand, "I'm sorry we disagreed about Alex."
Liz ignored his hand and gave him a hug, "Thanks Sheriff."
He wrapped his arms around her, "Thank you, Liz."
Michael fidgeted nervously when it was his turn, "I always knew there was something about you, Liz."
She looked at him with a raised eyebrow and he laughed and hugged her quickly.
Max was last, and he and Liz faced one another for a moment and then moved at the same time into an embrace. He whispered into her ear, "Welcome home, Liz."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Evans House – Isabel’s Room)
The dreams of the last two nights had disturbed Isabel more than she wanted to admit and even though she was tired, she reached for her yearbook. She flipped through the pages and stopped on a random student, someone she didn't know, eager to have something to occupy her mind. Placing her finger on the girl's picture, Isabel started the dream walk.
It was a fairly typical dream. The girl was walking through school in her pajamas, but Isabel followed her to see if anything interesting happened. First, the girl walked into a class where a test was being given that she didn't know about, and then she ran into a guy she had a crush on. Finally the girl was asked to sing in front of the entire school in an assembly.
Isabel sighed as the girl broke into the first tentative notes. This wasn't quite what she'd had in mind. She was about to leave the dream when she noticed the fog starting to creep onto the stage from the wings. She stood transfixed as it poured in, quickly covering the stage. The girl singing didn't seem to notice the fog, even though she was now standing waist-deep in it.
The fog poured off the stage and onto the floor, traveling quickly toward her, and Isabel trembled as the first icy whips reached her.
"Issssaaabel."
She looked quickly around for the person who had spoken her name but no one seemed to notice her or the whispers. The fog pooled around her and she shivered as the voice once again whispered her name.
"Isssabel."
"Who's there?" she called out. "What do you want?"
The fog continued to thicken around her but there was no answer. Isabel shivered as the fog chilled the air and she tried to leave the dream but she was unable to. It was as if something were holding her there and suddenly the fog seemed menacing. Isabel backed away and the fog reached out to her and she turned and ran.
"Isssssaabel."
"Leave me alone," she called over her shoulder and suddenly she was out of the dream walk.
She sat up in bed, taking deep gasps of air, grateful to find herself in her own room. She told herself that she had simply fallen asleep in the dream walk and started her own dream, but she didn't really believe it. Something was happening to her, she just didn't know what it was.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Tuesday, May 22nd, 2001)
(Copper Summit, AZ)
Lonni followed Nicholas into the Universal Friendship League building and closed the doors behind them.
He turned to face her, "Is there something you wanted?"
"Yeah," Lonni said as she stalked toward him. "I want to know when we are going home?"
Nicholas shrugged, "That's up to Khivar."
Lonni stopped inches away from Nicholas and poked a finger into his chest, "He'd better not try to go back on his deal with us or..."
Nicholas cut her off, "Or what? You've given us your only piece of leverage."
Lonni shook her head, "You still haven't seen all of my cards and I will keep a few to myself until we get back to Antar." Abruptly she turned and walked away.
Nicholas watched her leave. "We'll just see about that, Lonni."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Valenti House)
Max pulled each piece of Tess' clothing out of the drawers, searching them carefully before tossing them into a box. "It will be easier on the Valenti's if we just get rid of her stuff," Max said.
Michael nodded, "I wish something could make this easier on the rest of us. I still can't believe..." he let the sentence trail off as he shook his head and headed to the closet.
They searched in silence for a few moments. Michael pulled all of the contents out of the closet and Max moved on to the bookcase.
He flipped through the pages of all of the books on the top shelf but the title of one of the books on the next shelf caught his eye. "AP English," Max mused aloud, "Tess wasn't taking that."
Michael crossed to him. "Then why would she have the book? Tess wasn't exactly a big reader."
Max pulled the book off the shelf and attempted to open it. "It's not a real book. It looks solid," he said, turning it over in his hands, but there was the sound of something inside. Max shook the book and he and Michael looked at one another.
"There must be a lock or something," Michael said.
Max turned it over again, looking closely, but saw nothing. Then an idea occurred to him. He passed his hand over the book and a glowing handprint appeared. Max pressed his hand to the book, there was a click and then the cover pivoted open.
Michael reached inside, pulling out several small books and sifted through them. "These are bank books in different names, at banks all over the U.S., a couple from Grand Cayman, one from Switzerland."
Max took an envelope from inside the book and opened it, revealing a stack of credit card-sized cards. "These are IDs." He called out the names as he looked through them; "Stan Harper, James Turney, Lucy Hoskins, John Elliot, Mary Berg, Tom Barlow, Sam Morgan, Edward..." he trailed off and turned the picture to Michael, "Edward Harding."
Michael took the Edward Harding card, "These must be all of Nasedo’s aliases. The names you read match the names on these bank books. And check it out, every one of these has at least twenty-thousand dollars in it."
"Twenty-thousand?" Max gasped. "There have to be eight or ten bank books there."
"Twelve," Michael said.
"Each with Twenty-thousand?"
Michael handed the books to Max, "Some have a lot more than that."
Max looked through the books and quickly did the math, "There's almost a half million dollars total."
"You're kidding!" Michael said disbelievingly.
Max looked at Michael, "You know the good we could do with that kind of money?"
Michael shook his head, "Now you're sounding like Liz."
"Think about it," Max said. "Valenti lost his job. This kind of money could help him a lot."
"He wouldn't accept it," Michael said.
"Maybe," Max said thoughtfully. "But the Harding house and Tess' car are just sitting there and technically, they and all of this money belong to us."
"So?" Michael asked.
"So, you could move into the house and not have to work all those hours at the Crashdown to pay your bills."
Michael scratched at his eyebrow thoughtfully. "Thanks Max, but that place isn't really my style. It kinda gives me the creeps. You know, way too clean and too many breakable things, like a museum or something.” He shrugged. "And I like working at the Crashdown. Mr. and Mrs. Parker are pretty cool and I almost think of Liz as a sort of sister. Sometimes it's almost like a weird kind of family, and I'd miss that."
Max nodded and let the subject drop. "Okay, let's finish packing up and we can decide what to do with the money later but I think we should get rid of Tess' car. People might wonder why she left town without it."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Roswell City Park)
When Liz arrived in the park, Sean was already waiting where she had asked him to meet her. He smiled as she approached and she smiled back, dreading the confrontation. Sean was a nice guy, they'd had fun together and he didn't deserve to be dumped but she had no other choice. She still loved Max and it wouldn't be fair to keep Sean hanging on while she and Max tried to work things out.
"Hey Parker," Sean greeted, as she sat beside him on the bench. "I was starting to get worried about you when you didn't call after Friday night. I though I might have come on too strong and scared you."
"Sean," Liz cut him off, "you didn't scare me. I was hurt and confused and I shouldn't have come to you. I was using you and it wasn't fair."
Sean smiled, "You can use me like that any time you want."
Liz smiled briefly. "Sean, I'm a jerk and I'm sorry for what I have to do."
Sean's smile faded as he nodded, understanding. "You're getting back together with Max."
Liz nodded and Sean shook his head, "I don't understand, Parker. Just Friday night you said he broke your heart. And four days later everything is okay?"
Liz looked down at the bench, "Well, there were some misunderstandings between us and we have some things to work out, but we love each other and we're going to try again." She looked up to meet his eyes, "I'm really sorry. I know you were hoping..." she let the sentence trail off. "But it wouldn't have worked out, Sean. I love Max, I always will."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Max entered his room and locked the door behind him before pulling the bankbooks and IDs out of his backpack. He passed his hand over the carpet making a hole through the layers of padding down into the foundation where he had previously hidden the orbs, the book and the healing crystals in a strong box.
He put the bankbooks and IDs into the box and relocked it, placing it in the hole, and with a single wave of his hand restored the flooring and carpet.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kyle hopped up onto a stool, at the counter of the Crashdown. “Hey, Mr. Parker. How’s it going?”
Jeff greeted Kyle warmly, “Hey Kyle, I’m doing well. How are you and your Dad?”
Kyle nodded, “Good, thanks for asking.”
“You just missed Liz, if that’s why you’re here. She went shopping with her Mom.”
“Thanks, Mr. Parker, but I actually came to see one of your other employees,” he motioned to Michael with a jut of his chin.
“Oh,” Jeff said with a nod. He called over his shoulder, “Michael, you’ve got company.”
Michael crossed to the window separating the kitchen from the dining room and nodded when he saw Kyle, “What’s up?”
“Hey, I just wanted to see if you’re still coming over tonight to watch the game.”
“Yeah, count me in,” Michael said. “How many burgers do you want me to bring?”
“Well, Dad is going to fire up the barbecue and he asked me to come and find out how many steaks to buy.
Michael smiled. “I am kind of getting tired of eating hamburgers.”
“Hey,” Jeff called out, with mock annoyance.
“Sorry, Mr. Parker,” Michael said with a laugh
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Wednesday, May 23rd, 2001)
Max knocked tentatively on his sister's door and waited for her answer before entering. He was nervous about what he had to ask, but he needed her help.
"Oh, hey Max," Isabel greeted.
Max got right to the point, "Iz, I need your help."
Suddenly Isabel was concerned, "What is it?"
"Nothing bad," Max assured her as he sat on the bed next to her. "I've just been thinking about some things that's all. Like it was when Brody accessed Larek's stored memories and I healed him that I got the first memory flash of Tess in our other life. And afterward I told Tess I remembered her and that was the first time she mind warped me to stay away from Brody."
Isabel nodded, her confusion showing on her face and waited for him to continue.
"Then in the next couple of days, she mind warped you and Michael for the same thing."
"So you think Tess didn't want us to go to Larek because she was afraid he would help us with our memories. But why Max?"
"Larek confirmed that the things I remembered were things that had really happened, but they were with Tess not Liz. I think Tess was afraid I would remember she wasn't my wife."
"But that would mean Tess knew she wasn't your wife," Isabel pointed out.
Max nodded, "I think we have to assume, at least then, she knew exactly who she was."
"And she still..." Isabel let her sentence trail off. "So what do you need my help with?"
"When Tess was helping me recover my memories, I remembered you and Michael but my memories of Tess were the clearest. It always disturbed me deep inside, but I thought it was supposed to be that way. I thought she was my wife.” He shook his head. “But now, I wonder if Tess was leading me to remember the things she wanted me to remember."
"Like her, instead of your real wife," Isabel said.
"Yeah," Max agreed.
"But Max, why didn't you tell me Tess was helping you recover your memories?"
Max shook his head, "I don't know."
Isabel grimaced, "Another of Tess' mind warps?"
"Maybe,” Max agreed, with a shrug. “Tess originally told me she could help me recover my memories last summer, after Liz left, but I was never interested. I thought remembering our other life would make me less human somehow and that was the last thing I wanted. But when I got the flash from Brody about Tess, I went to her and told her, and the next thing I know, she is helping me recover my memories.” His brow creased, remembering. “And suddenly I was excited about remembering things from our world."
"So Tess mind warped you to want to recover your memories but only with her help,” Isabel reasoned, “and then she could feed you the memories she wanted you to have."
Max nodded, "That’s what I think, and that's why I came to you. I thought I could meditate and focus on our world, like Tess taught me, and you could dream walk me and see what I remember. Maybe you can see things she made me suppress."
Suddenly Isabel understood, "Like Liz. You're afraid Tess somehow blocked your memories of Liz."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Crashdown Café)
Maria shouldered the door open and walked into the dining room of the Crashdown as she fastened her apron behind her. “So Liz, you finally dumped my cousin?”
Liz looked up from wiping the counter, “What?”
Maria rolled her eyes. “He’s been moping around more than usual and when I asked him, he mumbled something about he shouldn’t have broken his rule about another man’s taco platter.” She jumped up onto a stool at the counter. “I’m just assuming that has something to do with you.”
Liz sighed and propped her elbows onto the counter. “Yeah, even though we weren’t really dating and I don’t know what is happening with Max, it just wasn’t fair to let Sean think there was a chance for anything between us.”
“But Sean was just delusional right?” Maria asked. “There wasn’t anything between you.”
“No,” Liz said, shaking her head. “We were friends and he helped me through some tough times. That night Max was supposed to leave, he told me he’d slept with Tess and I was so hurt I went to Sean and…” she trailed off.
“And?” Maria prompted.
Liz shrugged. “I thought maybe he could help me get over Max but I realized that I was just fooling myself. Sean is a nice guy and a good friend and I tried to have feelings for him but I just don’t.”
Maria nodded. “I think it will take juvie-hall boy a while to get over you. I almost feel sorry for him and then I remember he doesn’t deserve you.”
Liz shrugged. “Maybe I didn’t deserve him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Evans House – Isabel’s Room)
Max sat cross-legged on the bed across from Isabel. He pressed his eyes shut and tried to concentrate on the images of the red ocean, Tess had helped him to remember. And after a moment, the images started to take shape in his mind.
At first, it was like looking at a photo and then the image started to move and come to life. Max could hear the sound of the surf brushing gently against the beach and smell the tangy scent in the air. Suddenly he was standing on the beach, watching the motion of the red waves and feeling the breeze on his face.
Then he felt Isabel's presence at his side and turned to her.
"Max," she gasped, "is this our world?"
He nodded, "Yeah."
She gazed out across the red ocean to the horizon, and the two moons in the bright blue sky. "You remember this so clearly," she said, as tears started to roll down her face. "It's like really being there."
"I think I must have spent a lot of time on this beach," Max admitted. "It was the first place I remembered and it's the clearest in my mind."
"It's so beautiful," Isabel said. "I can't believe I don't remember."
Max smiled, "You will, Iz."
She nodded and wiped the tears from her face, re-focusing on the task at hand. "Show me what else you remember."
One at a time, Max brought up each memory Tess had helped him recover. First he showed Isabel the snatches of memories he had of Michael when they were at school together, then he showed Isabel a memory he had of her when they were children, and another when she was older dressed in party finery. Finally he showed her the memory he had recovered of himself and Tess at a party, where they had first kissed.
Isabel looked at her real brother beside her and then at Max's memory of himself seated at a table, kissing Tess, and suddenly the inconsistency struck her. She looked around the room at the other people and noticed for the first time that they were simply faceless forms. "Max,” she said, motioning around them, “look at the people."
Max glanced around and his brow knotted, "I guess I don't remember them well enough."
Isabel shook her head, "You don't remember Tess or Michael or me well enough either."
"What do you mean?"
"Haven't you noticed?" Isabel asked, motioning to the Max and Tess at the table. "You are seeing us in our human form. We didn't look like this on our planet."
"You’re right," he realized. "Maybe I just put those faces on us because I couldn't remember the real ones."
"Or maybe we were so horrible by human standards that you didn't want to remember," Isabel said, suddenly shocked.
"Isabel..." Max started, only to be cut off.
"Or maybe,” Isabel continued, “Tess put those faces on us to make you associate the past with the present."
Max picked up on her meaning immediately. "You mean she made me see our present forms together in my memories, so I would accept us together now."
Isabel nodded.
"Did you notice anything else out of place," Max asked.
"Like the image of someone who had been erased?" Isabel prompted, but shook her head. "No. But I couldn't really sense a time frame for your memories either. Obviously your memories of us as kids and the school stuff with Michael were from before you were married, and Larek said you dated Tess before you even met Liz. So I think Tess was concentrating on recovering your memories from before you knew Liz."
"So maybe if I try to remember things past that point, I will remember Liz."
Isabel smiled. "Don't worry, Max. The memories will come back,” she assured him. “On some level, you must have remembered Liz the whole time. You fell in love with her the first time you saw her. Liz is the love of two of your lifetimes. You just don't forget that."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Roswell UFO Museum)
Maria knocked gently on the office door and then pushed it open as she called out, “Hey Brody. Dinner time.”
Brody looked up from his computer with a smile, as he recognized the voice. “Maria, it’s good to see you.” He jumped up and offered her a chair, “It’s been a while. I missed our talks.”
“Me too,” Maria said with a smile, as she sat across from him.
Brody regained his chair, leaned forward and spoke softly, “I was really sorry to hear about your friend, Alex. Did you get the flowers I sent?”
Maria felt the tears gathering in her eyes but managed a weak smile, “Yeah, thanks, Brody. It’s been hard.”
“I’m sorry,” Brody said nervously and turned to grab the box of tissues from his desk. “I didn’t mean to…” he trailed off and silently offered her the box.
Maria took a tissue and pressed it to her eyes. “It’s okay,” she reassured him. “Sometimes I wonder if I will ever be able to think of him without crying.”
Brody reached out tentatively and touched her arm.
Maria looked up at him through her tears, “Thanks for being such a good friend.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Thursday, May 24th, 2001)
(Crashdown Café)
Michael scraped the last of the food on the plates into the garbage and gathered the top of the bag together and lugged it out the back door. He stepped into the alley and saw Mrs. Parker taking groceries out of her car. He tossed the garbage into the dumpster and jogged over to her. “Hey Mrs. Parker,” he said, as he grabbed several bags out of the trunk, “let me help you with those.”
Nancy smiled, “Thanks Michael. You’re always so helpful.”
He followed her up the stairs and automatically started putting the groceries away. “Have a good day Mrs. Parker?”
“Yeah, how was your day?”
“You know,” he smiled with a shrug. “Same old thing.”
“Yeah, I know,” Nancy nodded. “And things are good with you and Maria?”
Michael nodded, “Yeah, everything’s great.”
Nancy watched him put the last of the groceries in the fridge. “We’re having pork chops tonight, Michael. I hope you can stay for dinner.”
Michael smiled, “I’d love to, Mrs. Parker.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Parker House - Liz’s Room)
With a smile, Liz listened to the interaction between Michael and her mother in the other room. In the time he had worked in the Crashdown, Michael had become close to her and her parents and sometimes Liz almost thought of him as another member of the family.
She climbed out her window and looked into the night sky. Her thoughts automatically turned to her other life, like they had done so often since she had learned of her true identity.
It was possible that in some way she really was related to Michael. She didn’t know anything about her other family, and even though they seemed like a fairy tale, she knew somewhere up in the sky, she had another set of parents who had waited for more than fifty years for her to come home.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A figure stood in the shadows in the alley below and watched Liz until she went back inside.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Crashdown Café)
Max slid into a booth and smiled as Maria approached. “Hey.”
Maria slid in across from him. “So you and Liz are finally getting another chance, huh girlfriend.”
Max nodded, “Yeah.”
Maria nodded. “We’ve been pretty close since last summer when Liz left, and I consider you a really good friend, Max. And I’m glad that you and Liz found out you belong together. I love both of you and you deserve to be happy.”
“Thanks Maria,” Max said.
“But Max, if you hurt Liz again, I’m going to kick your royal, alien ass.”
Max nodded. “A lot of bad stuff has happened and it was all my fault, I take full responsibility. But I love her more than anything.”
Maria sighed. “It wasn’t all your fault and I know you love her. But with Tess and your son, I just…” she trailed off, shaking her head.
“You just want to protect your friend,” Max finished. “But I promise you Maria, if Liz will forgive me, I will spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to her.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, May 26th, 2001)
(The Evans House)
Max entered the house with a smile. He had spent the evening at the Crashdown with Michael, Maria, Liz, Isabel and Kyle, just like they used to. Everyone had laughed and joked and Max had felt a weight lift from his heart. Terrible things had happened but Max felt hopeful about the future, not just for himself and Liz, but for everyone.
He closed and locked the door behind him and started toward his room, but his father called out from the kitchen.
“Max? Isabel? Is that you?”
Max walked into the kitchen, his grin still evident, “Hey Dad.”
Philip smiled when he saw Max’s face, “Have a good evening?”
“Yeah,” Max said with a nod. “You know, just a night with the friends.”
“Well I hate to spoil your good mood but I got some news tonight,” Philip said.
Max was instantly on guard, “What happened?”
Philip shook his head, “No, it’s nothing like that, Max. I just got a visit from the Sheriff.”
“Valenti came here?”
“No, not Valenti, the acting Sheriff. Hansen, I think his name was.”
Max’s brow creased, “What did he want?”
“There is no easy way to say it. They found the Jeep, but it has been destroyed.”
Max waited for his father to continue.
“It was dowsed with gas, set on fire and pushed off a cliff. I’m afraid there’s not much left.”
Max nodded and Philip continued, “I’m sorry it turned out this way. I was hoping we’d get it back none the worse for wear. The Sheriff said they hardly ever catch joy riders and he didn’t have much hope in this case because any evidence was probably burned. It’ll be a few days before we hear from the insurance company but I don’t expect they’ll pay much.” He paused, “I’m really sorry Max.”
Max shook his head thinking of Alex’s accident. “It’s okay. At least no one was hurt.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sean sat in the Crashdown and watched Liz move around the tables. He couldn't believe he’d been so close to making her his, and she had slipped through his fingers.
He shook his head. She was going back to Max Evans. He just didn't know what it was with that guy, Max. Sean could understand Liz still having feelings for her ex, but this situation seemed to go beyond that. Liz had told him that Max had broken her heart, but then just a few days later she was taking him back. It was almost like Max had some freaky power over her that kept drawing her back to him.
Sean had done his best to make Liz see the truth that Max was just using her, but Liz wouldn't listen. But Sean wouldn't give her up that easily. He would have to do something more drastic to break them up and then he would be there to console her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Michael’s apartment)
As they watched TV, Michael shifted Maria closer to him on the sofa and she snuggled into his side. She hadn’t said a word about their relationship since they had slept together and he was starting to worry. Maria always wanted to define and nail down exactly what was happening between them, but for the last week, they had hardly seen one another outside of work and school.
Michael suddenly reached for the remote and switched off the set.
Maria turned to him surprised, “Why did you do that?”
“I think we need to talk,” Michael started hesitatingly, “about our relationship.”
“You want to talk? About our relationship?” Maria started to laugh but stopped when she saw the serious expression on his face. “What’s wrong, Michael?”
Michael shook his head. “I don’t know exactly. I was hoping you could tell me.” He took a deep breath, “I love you Maria and I want our relationship to work out but I’m not sure where to go from here. I mean, I don’t want you to think that all I want from you is sex, because I don’t.”
Maria smiled and raised her eyebrows.
Michael shook his head. “I mean I do, but that’s not all. I want to be together like a real couple.”
“We are, Michael,” Maria assured him, with a brief kiss. “We don’t have to know exactly where we’re going, or how we’re getting there. The important thing is that we figure it out together.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
TBC
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ALPHA & OMEGA ~ BOOK 10, PART 3
This Fic was Nominated at Majik's World of FanFic for:
Best Pre-Pilot or Backstory
Best Angsty Fic
Best Fight Scene
Best Fic that kept you on the edge of your seat
Only 4 days left to Vote!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
BOOK 10 - MAJESTY’S MORASS (WHAT HAPPENS NOW, MAX?)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
PART 3
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Sunday, May 27th, 2001)
Isabel sat on her bed in lotus position and rolled her neck to try and ease her tension. The strange dreams she had been experiencing had made her apprehensive and it been hard for her to get to sleep.
She had wondered about the origin of the dreams and had come up with several possibilities including someone else in trouble. But these dreams were different than the ones she’d had with Laurie and they somehow seemed familiar, almost like it were something just on the edge of her memory. Of course that realization, added to Max’s revelation about his memory recovery, made Isabel speculate on which set of memories it might be, her human memories, that Tess suppressed, or her alien memories of her other life.
Since she had learned of Max’s recovered memories, she had been fascinated and horrified by the possibilities. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she had always known there was a chance that one day they would return home, but as the years had passed it seemed less and less likely. She had accepted a long time ago that Earth would always be her home, and she had worked hard to have a regular human life.
Even when they had seen the message from their mother last year in the pod chamber, Isabel had still been in denial about her other life. It was so long ago and on another planet and she didn’t remember anything about it. But now, with the memory recovery techniques Max had taught her, maybe she could remember, and that scared her. She had been ready to give up her life on Earth for Max, to return to Antar just a few days ago, but it had all happened so fast she’d hardly had time to think about it. The only thing that had mattered was staying with the only real family she had ever known.
But now she’d had time to reflect and she decided the next time a choice to go to Antar was offered, she wanted to be better informed. She wanted to know where they came from, what they were missing and perhaps the most frightening thing of all, what they really were.
Isabel expelled a deep breath, closed her eyes and tried to focus on the image Max had shown her of the beach, hoping to build on it. The ocean was an unexpected, deep red; a startling contrast to the cerulean blue of the sky above. A large rock jutted out of the sand nearby and pointed up to the three moons visible just above the horizon.
Max had been able to bring the memory to life, making it seem as if they were standing on the beach. He remembered the sounds and smells so clearly. In Max’s memory, Isabel had felt the cool wind on her face and watched the lazy motion of the sea where it met the beach. She reached for those same images in her own memory but they wouldn’t come to her.
No matter how much she concentrated, trying to bring the pictures to life, it wouldn’t happen. The only thing she saw in her mind was a dull representation of what Max had shown her.
Finally she gave up and let go of the image she had seen in Max’s head, and then she saw it. The image was only there for a brief moment, just a flash, but Isabel knew with certainty she had lived it before. She was near the same beach, looking out at the ocean, but it was at night and only a single moon had risen. And although she couldn’t see him, Isabel sensed there was a man at her side, but he was definitely not her brother.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Monday, May 29th, 2001)
(The Valenti House)
Jim slung his jacket over his shoulder as he quickly swallowed the last of his coffee and headed toward the door.
But before his hand reached the knob, Kyle called out to him, “Where are you going all gussied-up?”
Jim stopped, “Well I didn’t want to get your hopes up but the city called me in to help out with the traffic school.”
Kyle smiled, “That’s great Dad!”
“Now don’t get all excited,” Jim warned, as he settled his hat on his head. “It could just be for a few weeks.”
“That’s okay. It’ll help you get back into the swing of things,” Kyle encouraged. “Education of the will is the object of our existence.”
Jim nodded hesitatingly as he headed out the door, “Um, yeah. Right.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Evans House)
Philip poured himself a cup of coffee and took a seat at the table where Max was studying the paper. "Have you found a car you're interested in yet?"
Max motioned to the paper where he had made several marks, "Yeah, there are a few Wranglers at the Jeep dealership that are about six or seven years old and in good shape, for around five-thousand."
Philip nodded, "And with the money from the insurance, how much will you have to finance?"
"Nothing," Max said. "I've saved almost all of the money I made at the museum."
"Will it wipe out your savings?" Philip asked.
"No," Max assured him. "I'll still have some left."
Philip nodded, "I can't say I'm sorry to see the old Jeep go. It was army surplus and close to forty years old and I always worried about it breaking down out in the middle of nowhere. But I just can't believe someone would steal it, set it on fire and push it off a cliff."
Max nodded, careful to keep his face neutral, "It's pretty wild."
"Your mother and I bought the other Jeep for you kids to share..."
Max cut him off, "Dad, Isabel can borrow it any time she wants."
"I know," Philip nodded. "It's just that your mother and I don't want you to have to spend all of your money on a car so we decided as an early birthday-slash-Christmas present, for the both of you, that we would make up the difference of what the insurance didn't pay."
"Thanks Dad," Max said with a smile.
"So you had decided on another Jeep?" Philip asked. "We'll let's get your sister and go down to the dealership before they close."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Wednesday, May 30th, 2001)
(West Roswell High School)
It had been difficult for Liz to pay attention in class with Max sitting next to her. During the class, they had shared longing looks and shy smiles and Liz had felt the butterflies building in her stomach for almost an hour. It had been just like the start of their relationship all over again, sweet and exciting, and when Max passed her a note and their fingers briefly touched, she felt her heart jump.
Eagerly opening the folded paper, she smiled at the simple message.
Go to a movie with me Sunday?
Liz turned back to Max with a smile and nodded.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, June 2nd, 2001)
The gang exited their cars and stood in a group near the edge of the quarry. Max glanced around at his friends, remembering the last time they had all been there together. It had been when Topolsky had come back to town to tell them about the Special Unit and Pierce. And Alex had been there instead of Kyle of course, and Max released a sigh of regret.
“I’m not going to start off with a big speech,” Max said. “I think we all know how important developing our powers could be to the future of the Earth. So I’ll just turn the time over to Michael and Isabel.”
Michael stepped forward, “Isabel and I have worked out a training schedule to develop our powers and for memory retrieval.”
“We decided to work as a group at the quarry on Saturdays and Wednesdays. This place is remote and on that gravelly road, you can hear people coming for miles. Of course we’re not limited to practicing those two days. We encourage everyone to spend at least a few minutes practicing every day.”
He motioned to Isabel to continue.
Isabel nodded, “Then on Mondays and Thursdays we’ll get together for memory retrieval practice. The sessions don’t have to be held anywhere special. It’s not like we will be blowing things up, but for the first few times, we’ll go somewhere quiet so everyone can concentrate. Then we could just meet in our backyard or the park or something. If anyone sees us it will just look like we are meditating.”
Isabel nudged Kyle with her elbow, “Of course anyone who does see us will think we’ve started our own chapter of Buddhists anonymous.”
Kyle laughed, “Just remember that the next time you’re about to make a lame Buddha joke. But if you don’t want to go with the Buddha theme, I have a place set up in my backyard where I meditate. We could have the sessions there, away from prying eyes.”
“That would be great Kyle,” Isabel said, with a smile. “Okay I’ll let everyone know where we’re meeting Monday and after that we’ll be at the Valenti’s.”
She turned back to encompass the others, “We are only scheduling the memory recovery sessions for an hour. Any longer and it’s hard to concentrate. And again the recovery techniques are something that can be practiced every day, so we don’t have to wait until we get together.”
“Okay,” Michael said, taking charge again, “Isabel and I decided that for today, Max and I would work with Liz and Isabel and Maria would work with Kyle.”
Maria stepped forward and huffed sarcastically, “Uh, Hello. Human here with no powers. How am I going to help?”
Michael narrowed his eyes, “Isabel can teach you the meditation techniques and exercises for controlling powers and then you can coach Liz or Kyle. Okay?”
Maria was surprised by his answer. She had worried there was nothing she could contribute to the training sessions but Michael had thoughtfully included a job that would be perfect for her. She nodded with a smile, “Okay.”
Michael slung his arm around her shoulders and kissed her on the top of the head. “Okay. Let’s get started.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kyle lowered himself onto an outcropping of rock with a sigh. He had been trying to harness his powers all day but he had been completely unsuccessful. Isabel had assured him she could feel the power within him but he just couldn’t seem to make it manifest.
He watched Liz with a smile and a touch of jealously. Under Max and Michael’s tutelage and with the help of her recovered memories of repressing her powers for months, it had been relatively easy for Liz to master a basic control of her powers. She had been working on turning all of the available rocks different colors; some solid and some with polka-dots or stripes. And now Max and Michael were instructing Liz how to use her powers to move the rocks.
With a wave of her hand, Isabel returned the colored rocks to their natural colors and walked over to join Kyle. She took a seat next to him, “Giving up for the day?”
Kyle shrugged, “Maybe I just don’t have the knack.”
Isabel shook her head, “I can feel the power in you. Maybe Tess mind warped you to stop you from using you powers like she did to Liz, or maybe it just takes a certain amount of time for the powers to develop enough for you to use them. You were healed months after Liz was.”
“I guess,” Kyle nodded. “I just feel like an idiot stretching out my hand and having nothing happen. You know, it’s like standing there going Thundercats ho, or something.”
Isabel reached over, grabbed a couple of sandwiches out of the bag and handed one to Kyle. “It still couldn’t hurt for you to learn some basic control techniques, then when you do get your powers you won’t be blowing things up accidentally, like someone else we all know.”
Kyle smiled, “Did Michael really do that?”
Isabel nodded, “It took Michael a long time to get his powers under control, but I also think it had to do with getting his temper under control too.”
Kyle nodded.
Isabel motioned to his sandwich, “So hurry up and finish and we’ll try it again.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Sunday, June 3rd, 2001)
(Roswell Cineplex)
Song Playing: Enjoy the Silence by Depeche Mode
Liz tried to concentrate on the movie but she had to admit the plot completely escaped her. She was too aware of Max sitting next to her in the dark theater, and just a moment ago she had realized that her hand was in his. She didn't know when it had happened or who initiated the contact, all she knew was that it felt good to be touching him again.
Max stayed perfectly still as he reveled in the sensation of holding Liz's hand in his own. Sitting next to her, he had been unable to think of anything but touching her again, and even though he knew it was too soon in their renewed relationship, he hadn't possessed the strength to stop himself. And as the movie started, he had carefully slipped his hand into Liz's, interlacing their fingers.
He breathed in and out slowly, feeling the beat of her heart in time with his own. It was almost like being in the same body, and Max thought back to a few days before when he and Liz had spoken to one another through the connection. Since they had first kissed and discovered the connection between them, he had longed for a stronger, more permanent link. And now that they knew the truth about their past, the possibility of their future together beckoned to him like a light through the fog.
Every day since they had learned the truth, he had felt more alive, more confident and he knew it was due to Liz being in his life, finally belonging to him. Max was eager to begin his life with Liz, too eager, because he knew there was a long way to go. They had just started to rebuild their friendship but every step in the right direction made his heart soar.
Unknown to him, Max had opened a connection between them and although Liz had not heard his thoughts she had felt his intense feelings and she squeezed his hand.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Evans House)
Isabel walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, scanning the contents. She had spent a long day attempting to recover her memories and she was tired. Knowing she should eat something, she poked dishearteningly as some the containers but finally reached for the carton of juice and setting it on the counter, and turned to get a glass. She poured the juice and raised the glass to drink, but a sound from the direction of the laundry room drew her attention.
She turned toward the sound but saw nothing and she shook her head, "Good one, Isabel. Now you're jumping at shadows."
She put the carton back in the fridge and turned to leave but stopped as she heard another sound from the same place. It was like a whisper or a sigh, and again she turned toward the laundry room again. "Max? Is that you?"
There was no answer and she placed the glass on the counter and walked toward the washing machine. "Hello. Is someone there?"
Raising her hand in front of her as she reached the arching doorway, she quickly scanned the small room but didn't see anything unusual and headed toward the door that led outside.
Hhhhhhhhhsssssss
Startled, Isabel stepped back but stopped herself, "It's just the wind." She started forward again but noticed a wispy tendril of what appeared to be smoke, winding under the door. As she watched, the smoke became thicker and thicker, pouring out into the room. She stepped back as it swirled and coalesced, seeming to reach out toward her.
Hhhhhhhhhssssssss
The sound came again and Isabel realized it was coming from the smoke. She backed a few more steps as the smoke advanced but suddenly she felt an icy touch on the back of her neck. She screamed as she whirled around but sagged in relief when she realized it was only wet laundry hanging.
"Isssaaa," hissed the smoke and she whirled back to it, but the sound of running footsteps drew her attention to the kitchen as her parents entered.
"Isabel?" her mother asked, concerned.
"I..." Isabel turned back toward the door but the smoke was gone.
"Isabel," her father asked, looking around the room, "what's going on?"
She shook her head, trying to figure out what was happening. "I'm sorry. There was just, um, a, um, just a huge spider that scared me."
She could see her father relax, "Oh, that's all right." He turned to her mother, "Diane, have you noticed a lot of bugs? Maybe we should call an exterminator."
"Well, I've seen some spiders around..."
Her parents' conversation faded into the background as Isabel opened the door and went into the yard. She looked around briefly, but nothing seemed out of place and there were only the usual night noises. "What is going on?"
She'd been having the disturbing dreams, every night for almost two weeks but this time was definitely not a dream. She hadn't been asleep tonight when she’d seen the fog and heard the whispers, and that disturbed her more than she wanted to admit. Something was happening to her and it was time she told the others.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Copper Summit, AZ)
Khivar rose from the chair and maneuvered the borrowed body to a panel on the wall that showed the night sky. He had tried for more than two weeks to contact Isabel through her dreams and tonight he had tired to get into her head when she was awake. He'd had some limited success in getting through to her but he didn't consider the progress worth the effort he had expended. The connection between them used to come so easily and now he was only a shadowy voice in her nightmares.
It was simply unacceptable. He wanted Isabel with him and it was time to aggressively pursue that end. He crossed to the communications array and activated a series of controls, "Nicholas, report to your office immediately."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Violent shaking and the sound of an explosion woke Lonni and Rath and they looked at one another for a moment before they leapt out of bed and ran to the window. Everything seemed unchanged outside but Lonni had a terrible suspicion about what had woken them.
Tess burst into their room, "What happened?"
Lonni advanced on her aggressively, "Nicholas took the ship home and left us here, that's what happened. And it's all your fault."
Tess' eyes widened, "He left us? But he said...."
She was cut off by a voice from the doorway. "No one has been left behind," Nicholas assured them.
"Nicholas?" Lonni asked. "What's going on here? Why didn't you go too?"
Nicholas shrugged, "Khivar is simply sending us some replacement troops and he asked me to stay here to make sure you didn't do something stupid, like running to Max."
Lonni scowled at Nicholas, "He could have made sure we didn't go to Max by sending us home."
Nicholas shook his head, "None of us are going home until this mission is finished."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Monday, June 4th, 2001)
Max slowed the new Jeep as they reached the turnoff from the old Highway. The day he and Liz had driven the same road and been in the accident seemed like several lifetimes ago and his thoughts automatically turned to Alex. There were so many times Alex had helped them, even saving Max’s life the terrible day of the accident, and Max still couldn’t believe Alex was gone. He still couldn’t believe Tess had so cavalierly killed Alex.
Max wanted to find Tess to take back his son but he often wondered what he would do to her. That day in the Granolith chamber when he’d discovered her guilt, he’d been angry enough to kill her and maybe he would have. He had never thought of himself as a killer but she deserved to die for what she had done. If she hadn’t reminded him of their child… Max’s thoughts trailed off as he refocused. She was the mother of his child and bound to him because of it but she was also a murderer and he would have to make a judgment when he found her again.
Max stopped the Jeep and he, Liz, Kyle and Isabel climbed out.
Kyle ran his hand down the shiny, black hood of the Jeep and called back to Max over his shoulder, “This sure is a nice ride, Max. What year is it?”
“Ninety-four,” Max said. “It’s practically new compared to the other Jeep.”
Kyle nodded, “Much better than that old rust bucket.”
“Hey,” Isabel objected, “I have some good memories of that rust bucket.”
Max glanced at Liz, remembering their many make-out sessions in the old Jeep and smiled, “Me too.”
Liz caught his smile and his line of thought, blushed furiously and quickly changed the subject, “Yeah, um, so what’s so special about this place?”
“When we were young,” Isabel started, “our parents used to bring us here for picnics on Sunday and I thought it would be a good place to start our memory retrieval lessons. Unlike the quarry, there is soft grass to sit on and it is pretty remote and quiet.”
Michael parked the Jetta nearby and he and Maria joined the others. They gathered the blankets and picnic supplies and organized everything in the shade of the trees.
When they were all settled, Max started, “I’ve taught Isabel the basic techniques of memory recovery and so we are going to pair off, me and Liz, and Isabel and Michael. Maria is familiar with the meditation exercises for controlling powers and will work with Kyle.”
“So Isabel,” Michael asked curiously, “have you remembered anything?”
Isabel shook her head, “No, not really.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Antar)
(Capitol city of Roistar - formerly Tageonon)
(The Royal Palace - Laboratory)
Khivar watched Gragras, in the borrowed body of a Corporal, as he mixed human DNA with the other chemicals to create the new husks. Gragras was on the Leptes, en route to Antar, but even with the Granolith on board, it would take almost a month for the ship to arrive. It would take about that same amount of time to grow the new husks, even with the growth accelerators, but Khivar wouldn’t waste the travel time.
Using the transverse thought projector, Gragras could complete the preparations for the new husks for the reinforcement soldiers on Antar, before the ship even arrived. And when Gragras and the Granolith were physically on Antar, he could oversee the harvest.
At the same time, new husks for the ships’ crew were being grown on the Leptes. Gragras had started on the husks the day he had gotten the Granolith, and even though he had no growth accelerators, the power of the Granolith would cause the husks to mature in a matter of days.
Gragras turned his borrowed body to speak to Khivar. “Sir, are you sure you don’t want me to create more skins?” Gragras asked. “In our time on Earth, we have gathered enough DNA, that we could easily create an invasion force.”
Khivar shook his head, “I don’t think it will be necessary. Since the summit, Max is growing thin on supporters and Kathana has openly aligned with us. I think we can put an end to this without conquering Earth.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Max and Isabel had decided to schedule the group memory recovery sessions for only an hour because it was so intense. But to Max it seemed like no time had passed when the timer sounded because he had spent the time with Liz.
The picnic baskets were opened and the contents arranged on the blankets in total silence, each one of them lost in their own thoughts. They passed out plates and napkins and distractedly piled food on their plates, barely noticing what they were eating.
Finally Michael spoke. “That was way more intense than I expected it to be.”
Max nodded. “Did you have any progress?”
Michael shook his head, “It’s not like I saw anything or anyone, I just had familiar feelings. It’s hard to explain, it’s all so…” he trailed off looking for the words.
“Transient?” Max prompted.
Michael nodded, remembering the conversation when Max had tried to explain it to him. “Yeah, that’s it exactly. It’s like deja vu or something. It seems familiar but you can’t really nail down anything with certainty.”
Max smiled, “It does get better.”
Michael nodded and turned to Liz, “What about you? Did you have a similar experience?”
Liz shrugged, “I didn’t get anything but I’m still new to this having powers thing.”
“And you?” Michael asked Isabel.
“I haven’t gotten anything either,” she admitted. “But I’ve had something on my mind the last couple of weeks and it’s been hard to concentrate on anything else.”
“What’s going on Isabel?” Max asked concerned.
“I’ve been having these weird dreams that have me a little freaked out.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Michael demanded.
“Michael,” Max warned, with the single word in a stern tone. He turned to his sister. “Isabel, What kind of dreams? One’s like you had with Laurie?”
Isabel smiled at Max, glad he had defended her and shook her head, “No, they start out just like normal dreams and then there is this fog. I don’t know why but it scares me and I try to get away but it comes after me, calling my name.”
“That just sounds like normal nightmare stuff,” Michael said softly. “It has been a really bad year.”
Isabel shook her head, “You don’t understand. When I am having a dream and I realize it, I can alter the dream or at least wake up when I want to but with these dreams I can’t. It’s like something or someone is getting into my dreams and controlling them.” She paused and looked around, “And it’s not just the dreams either.”
“What else?” Max asked.
“I saw the fog in a dream walk the other night and no one else in the dream could see or hear it. And then on Monday I saw fog when I was awake.”
Michael was instantly angry, “And you didn’t tell anyone?”
Isabel’s temper rose to meet Michael’s, “I’m telling you now.”
“Okay,” Maria spoke up. “Everyone just calm down. Michael we know you’re worried about Isabel, but yelling at her isn’t helping.”
Michael scowled but stayed silent.
Isabel continued, “We agreed not to keep any secrets and that’s why I’m telling you.”
“What happened when you saw the fog when you were awake?” Liz asked.
“I was in the kitchen at our house and I heard a noise coming from the laundry room. I went over and didn’t see anything at first, but then the fog started coming under the door and it called to me. It seemed to be reaching for me and I backed away but I felt something cold touch me from behind and I screamed. Mom and Dad came rushing in and the fog was gone. I even checked outside but there was nothing.”
“The fog touched you?” Kyle asked.
“No,” Isabel said, shaking her head, “it was only the laundry, but I was already freaked out. I just panicked, I guess.”
“And you haven’t had any dreams since then?” Liz asked.
“No, nothing,” Isabel said. “I’m almost starting to think I imagined the whole thing.”
“Maybe it’s someone else in trouble, like Laurie,” Kyle said.
“I don’t think so,” Isabel said. “I’m still not entirely sure how I got those images about Laurie but this felt different. It’s almost like there's something on the edge of my mind and I just can’t focus on it.”
“I know, “ Maria said. “Maybe it’s a memory trying to come through.”
“Or it could be a new power,” Liz suggested.
Max spoke up, “Well whatever it is, if it happens again, tell me.”
Isabel nodded and caught Michael’s eye. “I wasn’t trying to hide anything. I just didn’t want to make a big deal if it was nothing.”
“We know that, Isabel,” Max assured her. “No one is blaming anyone. We’re just concerned.” He looked pointedly at Michael, “Right?”
Michael nodded and then turned to Isabel, “Yeah. Just concerned.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Copper Summit, AZ)
Song Playing: Behind Blue Eyes by Limp Bizkit
Tess used the remote to flip through channel after channel but nothing could hold her interest and finally she switched off the TV and tossed the remote aside. But she had to admit, it was worry and not boredom that distracted her.
At first, the deal she had made with Nicholas and Khivar had seemed like the answer to everything. She would get Max and the title of Queen and live in style on her home world. But as the days passed and she thought about it, the more she was concerned.
Khivar and Nicholas thought she was Max’s wife Ava and they expected her to help them with the real Ava’s powers but Tess didn’t even know what Ava’s powers were. Nicholas could come to her at any time and demand she use her powers and that would quickly put an end to her charade and her chance at happiness. She had to bluff them as long as possible because she didn’t dare hope she could mind warp them for long. They were just too powerful.
Lonni might know what Ava’s power was, Tess speculated. In their other life, Vilondra and Ava had been sisters-in-law and lived closely together. If only Tess could ask Lonni about Ava without raising her suspicions.
But that wasn’t even her biggest problem. Tess placed a hand on her flat stomach and wondered what would happen when the truth about her pregnancy was discovered.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, June 16th, 2001)
Jim pushed the door open, causing the bell to sound as he entered Amy’s store. He hadn’t been inside in a few months and he had forgotten how completely she dedicated her merchandise to aliens. He glanced quickly around, noting that Amy must stock every alien item produced.
A voice from the back called out, “I’ll be right with you.”
Jim had often wondered what Amy would think if she knew her daughter was dating the real thing. He didn’t like lying to Amy and he was sure it was hard for Maria to do too, especially about the man she loved. Jim wanted to have a normal relationship with Amy. Sometimes he was afraid that the secrets he kept from her would taint any chance of happiness they had but he’d made a promise to Max to be there for them.
Amy came out of the back room and smiled when she saw him, “Jim, what are you doing here?”
Jim crossed to the counter, removing his hat. “I wanted to see if you were free for dinner tonight.”
“Maria’s going out with her friends, including Kyle, so that leaves both of our houses kid free.” Amy covered his hand with her own, “So Jim, at the risk of sounding cliché, your place or mine.”
“Well Amy,” Jim said, taking her hand in his, “I got my first paycheck from the new job and I wanted to take you out someplace instead of cooking at home.”
“Don’t you like my cooking,” Amy asked teasingly.
“I like it just fine,” Jim assured her. “I just thought it would be a nice change, something special for a special lady.”
“Why Jim, it almost sounds like you’re courting me or something.”
His smile got bigger, “Well, maybe I am.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, June 23rd, 2001)
(Crashdown Café)
Sean slid onto one of the stools at the counter. "Hey Mr. Parker," he greeted. "How's it going?"
Jeff stopped in front of Sean, wiping the counter, "It's been pretty busy with my three best people off for the day."
"Oh, Liz and Maria and Michael are off?" he asked casually.
"Yeah. They're going on a picnic with the Evans' kids and Kyle Valenti and they took enough food for an army."
Sean nodded and carefully prodded for information, "Are there some good picnic places around here?"
"I don't know where they go," Jeff shrugged, "maybe the park." He motioned to his order pad. "Do you know what you want?"
Sean nodded, "Yeah, I know exactly what I want." Liz had disappeared for hours with Max and the others several times, and no one seemed to know where they were. Sean didn't know what they were doing but he was going to find out.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Tuesday, June 26th, 2001)
(Crashdown Cafe)
Michael smiled watching Maria and Liz dancing around the dining room as they cleaned. Maria was using a mop handle as a microphone and Liz was backing her up on a saltshaker. They giggled as they twirled around, and Michael was glad that some of the playfulness was coming back into their lives. The last few months had been so hard on all of them but especially Maria and Liz.
He gathered a pile of recyclable boxes out of the back room and pushed open the door into the back alley, but stopped just outside when he saw a figure near his motorcycle.
“Hey!” he called out. Dropping the boxes, he advanced toward the man but before had taken more than two steps, the man ran. Michael jogged to the bike and briefly considered chasing the guy but a quick glance at the bike assured him everything was okay. Michael shook his head as he berated himself. “I’m getting paranoid. The guy was probably just curious.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Thursday, June 28th, 2001)
(The DeLuca House)
Sean sat with Amy on the sofa watching TV. The cop drama had been something he had looked forward to seeing and Amy had joined him, quickly becoming enthralled in the action.
A group of thieves carefully planned a bank heist and executed it flawlessly but an off-duty cop stumbled upon the plot and now the thieves were trapped in the bank.
The cop called his headquarters, “It looks like we’ve got a hostage situation.”
“Hostages,” Amy said softly. “That crazy man in the UFO museum held us hostage.”
Sean had never heard Amy talk about that night and turned to her with a question on his lips that died when he saw her face. Amy was staring straight ahead, lost in her memories.
“He tied us up,” she continued, “and kept rambling about aliens.”
Sean watched his aunt carefully, waving his hand in front of her face, but she didn’t seem to notice.
“He had a gun. He pointed a gun at us.”
Amy had never talked about that night afterward and Sean had often wondered what Max had said to his aunt to get her to agree not to turn Brody in.
Amy continued to talk, becoming more agitated and Sean started to worry, “Amy?”
She didn’t respond and he tried again in a louder voice, “Aunt Amy?”
Amy shook her head and quickly looked around, “Did I fall asleep?”
“Yeah,” Sean said softly. “You were talking about that night at the UFO museum.”
“Oh, the night we all got trapped there because of the power outage,” she nodded. “Yeah, it could have been a lot worse though.”
“Yeah?” Sean asked.
“The police got us out of there pretty fast, I mean we could have been trapped there for days, with the metal door malfunctioning like that. Of course I didn’t want to say anything at the time and worry anyone but it was lucky no one got hurt.”
“No one got hurt,” Sean repeated woodenly, as his hand automatically went to his stomach. Granted, his wound hadn’t been bad but how could his aunt forget?
Amy continued, “You know it’s funny you should mention that night. Sometimes I have nightmares about it.”
“What kind of nightmares?” Sean asked.
“Well, really it’s the same dream every time,” Amy said with a laugh. “I dream the owner, Brody, took us as hostages.”
Sean’s mind raced as Amy continued. His aunt really didn’t remember what had happened that night. At the time Sean had thought it was strange, one minute Amy had been ranting about turning Brody in and the next she was okay with a cover up. He thought Max must have convinced her to change her mind, but obviously something more sinister had happened.
Had Max hypnotized Amy somehow or brainwashed her, or had he slipped her some kind of drug? Sean shook his head, he didn’t know what exactly had happened but he did know Max Evans was responsible. And maybe whatever he had done to Amy, he had also done the same to Liz and that’s why she had taken his back.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Friday, June 29th, 2001)
(The Evans House)
Diane looked up as Max entered the house and smiled, "Hey, honey."
Max dropped his things on the floor and sank down onto the sofa, "Hi Mom."
"Long day at work?" she asked casually, attempting to start a conversation that would lead to her real question.
Max shrugged, "Just the usual."
"I guess you'll be working a lot of hours now that school is out."
"Yeah, I guess," Max said non-committally.
In the weeks since Alex had died, Diane had seen the tension in both her children but Max was always so quiet, she had been afraid he wasn't dealing with it well. But in the last couple of weeks, Max had seemed lighter somehow, like a giant weight he had been carrying was suddenly lifted. "And you'll be hanging out with your friends."
Max smiled a genuine smile, "Yeah."
Diane noticed the change in his demeanor immediately and was glad Max had good friends that he felt comfortable with. "And what about Tess? I haven't seen her around lately. You two were studying so much together, I thought you might be getting close."
The smile immediately left Max's face. "No, we weren't and she won't be coming over any more because she left town."
"Oh that's too bad," Diane said. "She seemed like such a nice girl. Maybe she'll come back for school in the fall."
Max shook his head as he gathered his things and rose. "She's not coming back," he said gruffly.
As Max left, Diane wondered what she had said to upset him. It was possible he had been falling for Tess and was upset she had left, but Diane knew Max would never tell her so she just had to trust that his sister and friends would help him work through it.
Maybe she should ask his father to talk to him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Jake’s Pool Hall)
(Roswell, NM)
Sean pushed open the door of the pool hall and stood just inside as he let his eyes wander around the room. He hadn’t come to the pool hall since his release from juvie because of his parole, but this was the best place in town to get information.
“Hey DeLuca,” someone called from the back and Sean recognized the voice immediately.
“Paulie,” he called back with a smile, as he wound his way through the tables. “How’s it going, man?”
Paulie grasped Sean’s hand, “Man, I heard you were in juvie for another six months.”
Sean shrugged. “I got out early,” he paused dramatically, “for good behavior.”
Paulie roared with laughter and the other guys with him joined in. He turned to them, “That’s a good one. Sean DeLuca on good behavior.” He motioned to one of the guys near the pool cues on the wall, “Hey Tommy, toss DeLuca a cue. Back in the day, the man was quite a hustler.”
Sean caught the pool cue easily, “I don’t know if I still have the touch. Not many pool tables in juvie. Probably smart not to provide the criminals with weapons.”
One of the guys wracked the balls and Paulie motioned to Sean to break. “So what’re you going to do now that you’re out?”
Sean struck the cue ball, sending it hard into the other balls, and they scattered around the table. “I’m looking for some information on a guy that screwed me over.”
Paulie took his shot, dropping a stripped ball into a side pocket. “What guy?”
“He goes to school with you,” Sean said casually. “The name is Max Evans.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, July 30th, 2001)
(Crashdown Café)
Liz wiped off the last of the tables and quickly stacked the chairs on them. Cleaning the Crashdown was hard work but she had done it so many times that she could do it without thinking, and it freed her mind to ponder other things.
Liz tried to be a good person, do the right thing and put up a brave front for her friends. She always tried to be there for them, support and help them, but she wasn’t perfect. Far from it. Since Liz had learned about Michael, Isabel and Max, she had been forced to make some difficult decisions and she wasn’t always sure that she had made the right choices. And cleaning the Crashdown at night alone was the only time she let herself think about the most terrible things in her life.
She still felt guilty over leaving Max last summer when he had needed her so badly. He had just found out who he was and she had left him to deal with it alone. At the time she was sure she was doing the right thing, but they didn’t know the truth then.
But even worse were her feelings of guilt about Alex’s death. No matter what the others said, Liz was convinced that it was her fault Alex was dead, because of something she had changed in the timeline. She missed Alex terribly but she had barely been able to mourn her lost friend because of the responsibility she felt for his death.
Liz felt the prick of tears behind her eyes and wiped the back of her hand across her face as she ruthlessly pushed the distrubing thoughts aside. She had to be strong, she couldn’t let herself break down. There was too much happening and too many people depended on her.
Liz sloshed the mop into the bucket and cruelly wrung out the excess water before slapping it onto the floor, scrubbing ruthlessly at the spilled food. And again and again she plunged the mop into the bucket and attacked the stains on the floor, until her muscles ached and a sheer of perperation cover her skin. The work would exhaust her body but it usually helped to clear her mind. But as she mopped the floor tonight, her thoughts were continually occupied with the familiar subject of Max and herself.
Liz did love him but she still needed time to sort out all of her feelings about everything that had happened and figure out exactly how she and Max fit into each other’s lives. She was his friend and she supported him whole-heartedly but she didn’t know if their relationship would ever progress beyond that. But as she had told Max, she did want to try again.
Since they had gone to the movies together, Max had been careful to keep things between them on a purely friendship level. It was as if he had sensed her reluctance to move too quickly. It was true she had enjoyed being with him and holding his hand. It had felt so right and so familiar but she had also been a little afraid of what the small intimacy might lead Max to think about their future.
Once again Liz plunged the mop into the bucket but she suddenly stopped, a prickling sensation on the back of her neck making her feel like she was being watched. She had experienced the same sensation several times over the last week, but each time, she had seen no one. She was beginning to think she was paranoid, but quickly turned toward the front door and scanned the area outside the restaurant. She couldn’t see anyone but it was dark and the sensation remained as an overwhelming feeling of malevolence settled over her and a shiver raced up her spine.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Sunday, July 1st, 2001)
(Copper Summit, AZ)
Tess, Lonni and Rath entered the UFL building where Nicholas was waiting for them.
“You summoned us?” Lonnie asked angrily.
“Yes,” Nicholas said, as he indicated the chairs across from him. “I need to talk to you three about something.”
“Like going home?” Lonni persisted. “You’ve been stalling us and my patience is wearing thin.”
Nicholas smirked, “You’ll go home when I say and not one minute sooner. And Lonni, your constant nagging is trying my patience.”
Lonni grudgingly sat down, “Fine. What do you want to talk about, Nicholas?”
Nicholas nodded and began, “New troops will be arriving in a couple of days. After we get them settled in, either Wednesday or Thursday, I will hold a briefing and introduce the three of you to them.”
“So?” Rath asked sarcastically.
Nicholas stared him down until he looked away. “So, I don’t want there to be any problems,” he turned his gaze to Lonni, “or accidents. Khivar is sending these troops to Earth for a reason and we don’t want the three of you screwing up any more.”
“Screwing up,” Lonni ground out. “It is only because of our screw up that Khivar has his precious Granolith.”
“Yes,” Nicholas agreed, “but because of two of your screw ups, Max continues to be a thorn in Khivar’s side.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Evans House)
Philip knocked on the doorframe to Max’s room and poked his head in through the open door. “Can I talk to you, Max?”
Max turned from his desk and put down the book he was reading. “Sure Dad.”
Philip took a seat on Max’s bed. “Your mother is a little concerned about you, and she asked me to talk to you.”
“What about?” Max asked apprehensively.
“Well she seems to think you’re having girl trouble. Your friend Tess was coming over quite a bit and now she just seems to have disappeared from your life. Did you two have a fight? Is it anything your mother or I could help you with?”
There were times, like now, when Max wished he could tell his parents what was going on in his life. He knew they loved him and he respected their advice. But since the truth was out of the question he simply shrugged and gave his father the Earthly version. “For a while, Tess and I were close but it was over almost before it started. It didn’t take too long for me to see she wasn’t who I thought she was.”
His father nodded, understanding, “I’m sorry Max. Do you want to talk about it?”
Max sighed. “Not really. It’s over and she’s gone.”
“You’re mother said Tess left town. Was it because of your breakup?”
“Not exactly,” Max admitted. “Tess just figured out there was nothing here for her. There never was.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
TBC
Best Pre-Pilot or Backstory
Best Angsty Fic
Best Fight Scene
Best Fic that kept you on the edge of your seat
Only 4 days left to Vote!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
BOOK 10 - MAJESTY’S MORASS (WHAT HAPPENS NOW, MAX?)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
PART 3
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Sunday, May 27th, 2001)
Isabel sat on her bed in lotus position and rolled her neck to try and ease her tension. The strange dreams she had been experiencing had made her apprehensive and it been hard for her to get to sleep.
She had wondered about the origin of the dreams and had come up with several possibilities including someone else in trouble. But these dreams were different than the ones she’d had with Laurie and they somehow seemed familiar, almost like it were something just on the edge of her memory. Of course that realization, added to Max’s revelation about his memory recovery, made Isabel speculate on which set of memories it might be, her human memories, that Tess suppressed, or her alien memories of her other life.
Since she had learned of Max’s recovered memories, she had been fascinated and horrified by the possibilities. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she had always known there was a chance that one day they would return home, but as the years had passed it seemed less and less likely. She had accepted a long time ago that Earth would always be her home, and she had worked hard to have a regular human life.
Even when they had seen the message from their mother last year in the pod chamber, Isabel had still been in denial about her other life. It was so long ago and on another planet and she didn’t remember anything about it. But now, with the memory recovery techniques Max had taught her, maybe she could remember, and that scared her. She had been ready to give up her life on Earth for Max, to return to Antar just a few days ago, but it had all happened so fast she’d hardly had time to think about it. The only thing that had mattered was staying with the only real family she had ever known.
But now she’d had time to reflect and she decided the next time a choice to go to Antar was offered, she wanted to be better informed. She wanted to know where they came from, what they were missing and perhaps the most frightening thing of all, what they really were.
Isabel expelled a deep breath, closed her eyes and tried to focus on the image Max had shown her of the beach, hoping to build on it. The ocean was an unexpected, deep red; a startling contrast to the cerulean blue of the sky above. A large rock jutted out of the sand nearby and pointed up to the three moons visible just above the horizon.
Max had been able to bring the memory to life, making it seem as if they were standing on the beach. He remembered the sounds and smells so clearly. In Max’s memory, Isabel had felt the cool wind on her face and watched the lazy motion of the sea where it met the beach. She reached for those same images in her own memory but they wouldn’t come to her.
No matter how much she concentrated, trying to bring the pictures to life, it wouldn’t happen. The only thing she saw in her mind was a dull representation of what Max had shown her.
Finally she gave up and let go of the image she had seen in Max’s head, and then she saw it. The image was only there for a brief moment, just a flash, but Isabel knew with certainty she had lived it before. She was near the same beach, looking out at the ocean, but it was at night and only a single moon had risen. And although she couldn’t see him, Isabel sensed there was a man at her side, but he was definitely not her brother.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Monday, May 29th, 2001)
(The Valenti House)
Jim slung his jacket over his shoulder as he quickly swallowed the last of his coffee and headed toward the door.
But before his hand reached the knob, Kyle called out to him, “Where are you going all gussied-up?”
Jim stopped, “Well I didn’t want to get your hopes up but the city called me in to help out with the traffic school.”
Kyle smiled, “That’s great Dad!”
“Now don’t get all excited,” Jim warned, as he settled his hat on his head. “It could just be for a few weeks.”
“That’s okay. It’ll help you get back into the swing of things,” Kyle encouraged. “Education of the will is the object of our existence.”
Jim nodded hesitatingly as he headed out the door, “Um, yeah. Right.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Evans House)
Philip poured himself a cup of coffee and took a seat at the table where Max was studying the paper. "Have you found a car you're interested in yet?"
Max motioned to the paper where he had made several marks, "Yeah, there are a few Wranglers at the Jeep dealership that are about six or seven years old and in good shape, for around five-thousand."
Philip nodded, "And with the money from the insurance, how much will you have to finance?"
"Nothing," Max said. "I've saved almost all of the money I made at the museum."
"Will it wipe out your savings?" Philip asked.
"No," Max assured him. "I'll still have some left."
Philip nodded, "I can't say I'm sorry to see the old Jeep go. It was army surplus and close to forty years old and I always worried about it breaking down out in the middle of nowhere. But I just can't believe someone would steal it, set it on fire and push it off a cliff."
Max nodded, careful to keep his face neutral, "It's pretty wild."
"Your mother and I bought the other Jeep for you kids to share..."
Max cut him off, "Dad, Isabel can borrow it any time she wants."
"I know," Philip nodded. "It's just that your mother and I don't want you to have to spend all of your money on a car so we decided as an early birthday-slash-Christmas present, for the both of you, that we would make up the difference of what the insurance didn't pay."
"Thanks Dad," Max said with a smile.
"So you had decided on another Jeep?" Philip asked. "We'll let's get your sister and go down to the dealership before they close."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Wednesday, May 30th, 2001)
(West Roswell High School)
It had been difficult for Liz to pay attention in class with Max sitting next to her. During the class, they had shared longing looks and shy smiles and Liz had felt the butterflies building in her stomach for almost an hour. It had been just like the start of their relationship all over again, sweet and exciting, and when Max passed her a note and their fingers briefly touched, she felt her heart jump.
Eagerly opening the folded paper, she smiled at the simple message.
Go to a movie with me Sunday?
Liz turned back to Max with a smile and nodded.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, June 2nd, 2001)
The gang exited their cars and stood in a group near the edge of the quarry. Max glanced around at his friends, remembering the last time they had all been there together. It had been when Topolsky had come back to town to tell them about the Special Unit and Pierce. And Alex had been there instead of Kyle of course, and Max released a sigh of regret.
“I’m not going to start off with a big speech,” Max said. “I think we all know how important developing our powers could be to the future of the Earth. So I’ll just turn the time over to Michael and Isabel.”
Michael stepped forward, “Isabel and I have worked out a training schedule to develop our powers and for memory retrieval.”
“We decided to work as a group at the quarry on Saturdays and Wednesdays. This place is remote and on that gravelly road, you can hear people coming for miles. Of course we’re not limited to practicing those two days. We encourage everyone to spend at least a few minutes practicing every day.”
He motioned to Isabel to continue.
Isabel nodded, “Then on Mondays and Thursdays we’ll get together for memory retrieval practice. The sessions don’t have to be held anywhere special. It’s not like we will be blowing things up, but for the first few times, we’ll go somewhere quiet so everyone can concentrate. Then we could just meet in our backyard or the park or something. If anyone sees us it will just look like we are meditating.”
Isabel nudged Kyle with her elbow, “Of course anyone who does see us will think we’ve started our own chapter of Buddhists anonymous.”
Kyle laughed, “Just remember that the next time you’re about to make a lame Buddha joke. But if you don’t want to go with the Buddha theme, I have a place set up in my backyard where I meditate. We could have the sessions there, away from prying eyes.”
“That would be great Kyle,” Isabel said, with a smile. “Okay I’ll let everyone know where we’re meeting Monday and after that we’ll be at the Valenti’s.”
She turned back to encompass the others, “We are only scheduling the memory recovery sessions for an hour. Any longer and it’s hard to concentrate. And again the recovery techniques are something that can be practiced every day, so we don’t have to wait until we get together.”
“Okay,” Michael said, taking charge again, “Isabel and I decided that for today, Max and I would work with Liz and Isabel and Maria would work with Kyle.”
Maria stepped forward and huffed sarcastically, “Uh, Hello. Human here with no powers. How am I going to help?”
Michael narrowed his eyes, “Isabel can teach you the meditation techniques and exercises for controlling powers and then you can coach Liz or Kyle. Okay?”
Maria was surprised by his answer. She had worried there was nothing she could contribute to the training sessions but Michael had thoughtfully included a job that would be perfect for her. She nodded with a smile, “Okay.”
Michael slung his arm around her shoulders and kissed her on the top of the head. “Okay. Let’s get started.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kyle lowered himself onto an outcropping of rock with a sigh. He had been trying to harness his powers all day but he had been completely unsuccessful. Isabel had assured him she could feel the power within him but he just couldn’t seem to make it manifest.
He watched Liz with a smile and a touch of jealously. Under Max and Michael’s tutelage and with the help of her recovered memories of repressing her powers for months, it had been relatively easy for Liz to master a basic control of her powers. She had been working on turning all of the available rocks different colors; some solid and some with polka-dots or stripes. And now Max and Michael were instructing Liz how to use her powers to move the rocks.
With a wave of her hand, Isabel returned the colored rocks to their natural colors and walked over to join Kyle. She took a seat next to him, “Giving up for the day?”
Kyle shrugged, “Maybe I just don’t have the knack.”
Isabel shook her head, “I can feel the power in you. Maybe Tess mind warped you to stop you from using you powers like she did to Liz, or maybe it just takes a certain amount of time for the powers to develop enough for you to use them. You were healed months after Liz was.”
“I guess,” Kyle nodded. “I just feel like an idiot stretching out my hand and having nothing happen. You know, it’s like standing there going Thundercats ho, or something.”
Isabel reached over, grabbed a couple of sandwiches out of the bag and handed one to Kyle. “It still couldn’t hurt for you to learn some basic control techniques, then when you do get your powers you won’t be blowing things up accidentally, like someone else we all know.”
Kyle smiled, “Did Michael really do that?”
Isabel nodded, “It took Michael a long time to get his powers under control, but I also think it had to do with getting his temper under control too.”
Kyle nodded.
Isabel motioned to his sandwich, “So hurry up and finish and we’ll try it again.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Sunday, June 3rd, 2001)
(Roswell Cineplex)
Song Playing: Enjoy the Silence by Depeche Mode
Liz tried to concentrate on the movie but she had to admit the plot completely escaped her. She was too aware of Max sitting next to her in the dark theater, and just a moment ago she had realized that her hand was in his. She didn't know when it had happened or who initiated the contact, all she knew was that it felt good to be touching him again.
Max stayed perfectly still as he reveled in the sensation of holding Liz's hand in his own. Sitting next to her, he had been unable to think of anything but touching her again, and even though he knew it was too soon in their renewed relationship, he hadn't possessed the strength to stop himself. And as the movie started, he had carefully slipped his hand into Liz's, interlacing their fingers.
He breathed in and out slowly, feeling the beat of her heart in time with his own. It was almost like being in the same body, and Max thought back to a few days before when he and Liz had spoken to one another through the connection. Since they had first kissed and discovered the connection between them, he had longed for a stronger, more permanent link. And now that they knew the truth about their past, the possibility of their future together beckoned to him like a light through the fog.
Every day since they had learned the truth, he had felt more alive, more confident and he knew it was due to Liz being in his life, finally belonging to him. Max was eager to begin his life with Liz, too eager, because he knew there was a long way to go. They had just started to rebuild their friendship but every step in the right direction made his heart soar.
Unknown to him, Max had opened a connection between them and although Liz had not heard his thoughts she had felt his intense feelings and she squeezed his hand.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Evans House)
Isabel walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, scanning the contents. She had spent a long day attempting to recover her memories and she was tired. Knowing she should eat something, she poked dishearteningly as some the containers but finally reached for the carton of juice and setting it on the counter, and turned to get a glass. She poured the juice and raised the glass to drink, but a sound from the direction of the laundry room drew her attention.
She turned toward the sound but saw nothing and she shook her head, "Good one, Isabel. Now you're jumping at shadows."
She put the carton back in the fridge and turned to leave but stopped as she heard another sound from the same place. It was like a whisper or a sigh, and again she turned toward the laundry room again. "Max? Is that you?"
There was no answer and she placed the glass on the counter and walked toward the washing machine. "Hello. Is someone there?"
Raising her hand in front of her as she reached the arching doorway, she quickly scanned the small room but didn't see anything unusual and headed toward the door that led outside.
Hhhhhhhhhsssssss
Startled, Isabel stepped back but stopped herself, "It's just the wind." She started forward again but noticed a wispy tendril of what appeared to be smoke, winding under the door. As she watched, the smoke became thicker and thicker, pouring out into the room. She stepped back as it swirled and coalesced, seeming to reach out toward her.
Hhhhhhhhhssssssss
The sound came again and Isabel realized it was coming from the smoke. She backed a few more steps as the smoke advanced but suddenly she felt an icy touch on the back of her neck. She screamed as she whirled around but sagged in relief when she realized it was only wet laundry hanging.
"Isssaaa," hissed the smoke and she whirled back to it, but the sound of running footsteps drew her attention to the kitchen as her parents entered.
"Isabel?" her mother asked, concerned.
"I..." Isabel turned back toward the door but the smoke was gone.
"Isabel," her father asked, looking around the room, "what's going on?"
She shook her head, trying to figure out what was happening. "I'm sorry. There was just, um, a, um, just a huge spider that scared me."
She could see her father relax, "Oh, that's all right." He turned to her mother, "Diane, have you noticed a lot of bugs? Maybe we should call an exterminator."
"Well, I've seen some spiders around..."
Her parents' conversation faded into the background as Isabel opened the door and went into the yard. She looked around briefly, but nothing seemed out of place and there were only the usual night noises. "What is going on?"
She'd been having the disturbing dreams, every night for almost two weeks but this time was definitely not a dream. She hadn't been asleep tonight when she’d seen the fog and heard the whispers, and that disturbed her more than she wanted to admit. Something was happening to her and it was time she told the others.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Copper Summit, AZ)
Khivar rose from the chair and maneuvered the borrowed body to a panel on the wall that showed the night sky. He had tried for more than two weeks to contact Isabel through her dreams and tonight he had tired to get into her head when she was awake. He'd had some limited success in getting through to her but he didn't consider the progress worth the effort he had expended. The connection between them used to come so easily and now he was only a shadowy voice in her nightmares.
It was simply unacceptable. He wanted Isabel with him and it was time to aggressively pursue that end. He crossed to the communications array and activated a series of controls, "Nicholas, report to your office immediately."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Violent shaking and the sound of an explosion woke Lonni and Rath and they looked at one another for a moment before they leapt out of bed and ran to the window. Everything seemed unchanged outside but Lonni had a terrible suspicion about what had woken them.
Tess burst into their room, "What happened?"
Lonni advanced on her aggressively, "Nicholas took the ship home and left us here, that's what happened. And it's all your fault."
Tess' eyes widened, "He left us? But he said...."
She was cut off by a voice from the doorway. "No one has been left behind," Nicholas assured them.
"Nicholas?" Lonni asked. "What's going on here? Why didn't you go too?"
Nicholas shrugged, "Khivar is simply sending us some replacement troops and he asked me to stay here to make sure you didn't do something stupid, like running to Max."
Lonni scowled at Nicholas, "He could have made sure we didn't go to Max by sending us home."
Nicholas shook his head, "None of us are going home until this mission is finished."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Monday, June 4th, 2001)
Max slowed the new Jeep as they reached the turnoff from the old Highway. The day he and Liz had driven the same road and been in the accident seemed like several lifetimes ago and his thoughts automatically turned to Alex. There were so many times Alex had helped them, even saving Max’s life the terrible day of the accident, and Max still couldn’t believe Alex was gone. He still couldn’t believe Tess had so cavalierly killed Alex.
Max wanted to find Tess to take back his son but he often wondered what he would do to her. That day in the Granolith chamber when he’d discovered her guilt, he’d been angry enough to kill her and maybe he would have. He had never thought of himself as a killer but she deserved to die for what she had done. If she hadn’t reminded him of their child… Max’s thoughts trailed off as he refocused. She was the mother of his child and bound to him because of it but she was also a murderer and he would have to make a judgment when he found her again.
Max stopped the Jeep and he, Liz, Kyle and Isabel climbed out.
Kyle ran his hand down the shiny, black hood of the Jeep and called back to Max over his shoulder, “This sure is a nice ride, Max. What year is it?”
“Ninety-four,” Max said. “It’s practically new compared to the other Jeep.”
Kyle nodded, “Much better than that old rust bucket.”
“Hey,” Isabel objected, “I have some good memories of that rust bucket.”
Max glanced at Liz, remembering their many make-out sessions in the old Jeep and smiled, “Me too.”
Liz caught his smile and his line of thought, blushed furiously and quickly changed the subject, “Yeah, um, so what’s so special about this place?”
“When we were young,” Isabel started, “our parents used to bring us here for picnics on Sunday and I thought it would be a good place to start our memory retrieval lessons. Unlike the quarry, there is soft grass to sit on and it is pretty remote and quiet.”
Michael parked the Jetta nearby and he and Maria joined the others. They gathered the blankets and picnic supplies and organized everything in the shade of the trees.
When they were all settled, Max started, “I’ve taught Isabel the basic techniques of memory recovery and so we are going to pair off, me and Liz, and Isabel and Michael. Maria is familiar with the meditation exercises for controlling powers and will work with Kyle.”
“So Isabel,” Michael asked curiously, “have you remembered anything?”
Isabel shook her head, “No, not really.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Antar)
(Capitol city of Roistar - formerly Tageonon)
(The Royal Palace - Laboratory)
Khivar watched Gragras, in the borrowed body of a Corporal, as he mixed human DNA with the other chemicals to create the new husks. Gragras was on the Leptes, en route to Antar, but even with the Granolith on board, it would take almost a month for the ship to arrive. It would take about that same amount of time to grow the new husks, even with the growth accelerators, but Khivar wouldn’t waste the travel time.
Using the transverse thought projector, Gragras could complete the preparations for the new husks for the reinforcement soldiers on Antar, before the ship even arrived. And when Gragras and the Granolith were physically on Antar, he could oversee the harvest.
At the same time, new husks for the ships’ crew were being grown on the Leptes. Gragras had started on the husks the day he had gotten the Granolith, and even though he had no growth accelerators, the power of the Granolith would cause the husks to mature in a matter of days.
Gragras turned his borrowed body to speak to Khivar. “Sir, are you sure you don’t want me to create more skins?” Gragras asked. “In our time on Earth, we have gathered enough DNA, that we could easily create an invasion force.”
Khivar shook his head, “I don’t think it will be necessary. Since the summit, Max is growing thin on supporters and Kathana has openly aligned with us. I think we can put an end to this without conquering Earth.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Max and Isabel had decided to schedule the group memory recovery sessions for only an hour because it was so intense. But to Max it seemed like no time had passed when the timer sounded because he had spent the time with Liz.
The picnic baskets were opened and the contents arranged on the blankets in total silence, each one of them lost in their own thoughts. They passed out plates and napkins and distractedly piled food on their plates, barely noticing what they were eating.
Finally Michael spoke. “That was way more intense than I expected it to be.”
Max nodded. “Did you have any progress?”
Michael shook his head, “It’s not like I saw anything or anyone, I just had familiar feelings. It’s hard to explain, it’s all so…” he trailed off looking for the words.
“Transient?” Max prompted.
Michael nodded, remembering the conversation when Max had tried to explain it to him. “Yeah, that’s it exactly. It’s like deja vu or something. It seems familiar but you can’t really nail down anything with certainty.”
Max smiled, “It does get better.”
Michael nodded and turned to Liz, “What about you? Did you have a similar experience?”
Liz shrugged, “I didn’t get anything but I’m still new to this having powers thing.”
“And you?” Michael asked Isabel.
“I haven’t gotten anything either,” she admitted. “But I’ve had something on my mind the last couple of weeks and it’s been hard to concentrate on anything else.”
“What’s going on Isabel?” Max asked concerned.
“I’ve been having these weird dreams that have me a little freaked out.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Michael demanded.
“Michael,” Max warned, with the single word in a stern tone. He turned to his sister. “Isabel, What kind of dreams? One’s like you had with Laurie?”
Isabel smiled at Max, glad he had defended her and shook her head, “No, they start out just like normal dreams and then there is this fog. I don’t know why but it scares me and I try to get away but it comes after me, calling my name.”
“That just sounds like normal nightmare stuff,” Michael said softly. “It has been a really bad year.”
Isabel shook her head, “You don’t understand. When I am having a dream and I realize it, I can alter the dream or at least wake up when I want to but with these dreams I can’t. It’s like something or someone is getting into my dreams and controlling them.” She paused and looked around, “And it’s not just the dreams either.”
“What else?” Max asked.
“I saw the fog in a dream walk the other night and no one else in the dream could see or hear it. And then on Monday I saw fog when I was awake.”
Michael was instantly angry, “And you didn’t tell anyone?”
Isabel’s temper rose to meet Michael’s, “I’m telling you now.”
“Okay,” Maria spoke up. “Everyone just calm down. Michael we know you’re worried about Isabel, but yelling at her isn’t helping.”
Michael scowled but stayed silent.
Isabel continued, “We agreed not to keep any secrets and that’s why I’m telling you.”
“What happened when you saw the fog when you were awake?” Liz asked.
“I was in the kitchen at our house and I heard a noise coming from the laundry room. I went over and didn’t see anything at first, but then the fog started coming under the door and it called to me. It seemed to be reaching for me and I backed away but I felt something cold touch me from behind and I screamed. Mom and Dad came rushing in and the fog was gone. I even checked outside but there was nothing.”
“The fog touched you?” Kyle asked.
“No,” Isabel said, shaking her head, “it was only the laundry, but I was already freaked out. I just panicked, I guess.”
“And you haven’t had any dreams since then?” Liz asked.
“No, nothing,” Isabel said. “I’m almost starting to think I imagined the whole thing.”
“Maybe it’s someone else in trouble, like Laurie,” Kyle said.
“I don’t think so,” Isabel said. “I’m still not entirely sure how I got those images about Laurie but this felt different. It’s almost like there's something on the edge of my mind and I just can’t focus on it.”
“I know, “ Maria said. “Maybe it’s a memory trying to come through.”
“Or it could be a new power,” Liz suggested.
Max spoke up, “Well whatever it is, if it happens again, tell me.”
Isabel nodded and caught Michael’s eye. “I wasn’t trying to hide anything. I just didn’t want to make a big deal if it was nothing.”
“We know that, Isabel,” Max assured her. “No one is blaming anyone. We’re just concerned.” He looked pointedly at Michael, “Right?”
Michael nodded and then turned to Isabel, “Yeah. Just concerned.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Copper Summit, AZ)
Song Playing: Behind Blue Eyes by Limp Bizkit
Tess used the remote to flip through channel after channel but nothing could hold her interest and finally she switched off the TV and tossed the remote aside. But she had to admit, it was worry and not boredom that distracted her.
At first, the deal she had made with Nicholas and Khivar had seemed like the answer to everything. She would get Max and the title of Queen and live in style on her home world. But as the days passed and she thought about it, the more she was concerned.
Khivar and Nicholas thought she was Max’s wife Ava and they expected her to help them with the real Ava’s powers but Tess didn’t even know what Ava’s powers were. Nicholas could come to her at any time and demand she use her powers and that would quickly put an end to her charade and her chance at happiness. She had to bluff them as long as possible because she didn’t dare hope she could mind warp them for long. They were just too powerful.
Lonni might know what Ava’s power was, Tess speculated. In their other life, Vilondra and Ava had been sisters-in-law and lived closely together. If only Tess could ask Lonni about Ava without raising her suspicions.
But that wasn’t even her biggest problem. Tess placed a hand on her flat stomach and wondered what would happen when the truth about her pregnancy was discovered.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, June 16th, 2001)
Jim pushed the door open, causing the bell to sound as he entered Amy’s store. He hadn’t been inside in a few months and he had forgotten how completely she dedicated her merchandise to aliens. He glanced quickly around, noting that Amy must stock every alien item produced.
A voice from the back called out, “I’ll be right with you.”
Jim had often wondered what Amy would think if she knew her daughter was dating the real thing. He didn’t like lying to Amy and he was sure it was hard for Maria to do too, especially about the man she loved. Jim wanted to have a normal relationship with Amy. Sometimes he was afraid that the secrets he kept from her would taint any chance of happiness they had but he’d made a promise to Max to be there for them.
Amy came out of the back room and smiled when she saw him, “Jim, what are you doing here?”
Jim crossed to the counter, removing his hat. “I wanted to see if you were free for dinner tonight.”
“Maria’s going out with her friends, including Kyle, so that leaves both of our houses kid free.” Amy covered his hand with her own, “So Jim, at the risk of sounding cliché, your place or mine.”
“Well Amy,” Jim said, taking her hand in his, “I got my first paycheck from the new job and I wanted to take you out someplace instead of cooking at home.”
“Don’t you like my cooking,” Amy asked teasingly.
“I like it just fine,” Jim assured her. “I just thought it would be a nice change, something special for a special lady.”
“Why Jim, it almost sounds like you’re courting me or something.”
His smile got bigger, “Well, maybe I am.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, June 23rd, 2001)
(Crashdown Café)
Sean slid onto one of the stools at the counter. "Hey Mr. Parker," he greeted. "How's it going?"
Jeff stopped in front of Sean, wiping the counter, "It's been pretty busy with my three best people off for the day."
"Oh, Liz and Maria and Michael are off?" he asked casually.
"Yeah. They're going on a picnic with the Evans' kids and Kyle Valenti and they took enough food for an army."
Sean nodded and carefully prodded for information, "Are there some good picnic places around here?"
"I don't know where they go," Jeff shrugged, "maybe the park." He motioned to his order pad. "Do you know what you want?"
Sean nodded, "Yeah, I know exactly what I want." Liz had disappeared for hours with Max and the others several times, and no one seemed to know where they were. Sean didn't know what they were doing but he was going to find out.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Tuesday, June 26th, 2001)
(Crashdown Cafe)
Michael smiled watching Maria and Liz dancing around the dining room as they cleaned. Maria was using a mop handle as a microphone and Liz was backing her up on a saltshaker. They giggled as they twirled around, and Michael was glad that some of the playfulness was coming back into their lives. The last few months had been so hard on all of them but especially Maria and Liz.
He gathered a pile of recyclable boxes out of the back room and pushed open the door into the back alley, but stopped just outside when he saw a figure near his motorcycle.
“Hey!” he called out. Dropping the boxes, he advanced toward the man but before had taken more than two steps, the man ran. Michael jogged to the bike and briefly considered chasing the guy but a quick glance at the bike assured him everything was okay. Michael shook his head as he berated himself. “I’m getting paranoid. The guy was probably just curious.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Thursday, June 28th, 2001)
(The DeLuca House)
Sean sat with Amy on the sofa watching TV. The cop drama had been something he had looked forward to seeing and Amy had joined him, quickly becoming enthralled in the action.
A group of thieves carefully planned a bank heist and executed it flawlessly but an off-duty cop stumbled upon the plot and now the thieves were trapped in the bank.
The cop called his headquarters, “It looks like we’ve got a hostage situation.”
“Hostages,” Amy said softly. “That crazy man in the UFO museum held us hostage.”
Sean had never heard Amy talk about that night and turned to her with a question on his lips that died when he saw her face. Amy was staring straight ahead, lost in her memories.
“He tied us up,” she continued, “and kept rambling about aliens.”
Sean watched his aunt carefully, waving his hand in front of her face, but she didn’t seem to notice.
“He had a gun. He pointed a gun at us.”
Amy had never talked about that night afterward and Sean had often wondered what Max had said to his aunt to get her to agree not to turn Brody in.
Amy continued to talk, becoming more agitated and Sean started to worry, “Amy?”
She didn’t respond and he tried again in a louder voice, “Aunt Amy?”
Amy shook her head and quickly looked around, “Did I fall asleep?”
“Yeah,” Sean said softly. “You were talking about that night at the UFO museum.”
“Oh, the night we all got trapped there because of the power outage,” she nodded. “Yeah, it could have been a lot worse though.”
“Yeah?” Sean asked.
“The police got us out of there pretty fast, I mean we could have been trapped there for days, with the metal door malfunctioning like that. Of course I didn’t want to say anything at the time and worry anyone but it was lucky no one got hurt.”
“No one got hurt,” Sean repeated woodenly, as his hand automatically went to his stomach. Granted, his wound hadn’t been bad but how could his aunt forget?
Amy continued, “You know it’s funny you should mention that night. Sometimes I have nightmares about it.”
“What kind of nightmares?” Sean asked.
“Well, really it’s the same dream every time,” Amy said with a laugh. “I dream the owner, Brody, took us as hostages.”
Sean’s mind raced as Amy continued. His aunt really didn’t remember what had happened that night. At the time Sean had thought it was strange, one minute Amy had been ranting about turning Brody in and the next she was okay with a cover up. He thought Max must have convinced her to change her mind, but obviously something more sinister had happened.
Had Max hypnotized Amy somehow or brainwashed her, or had he slipped her some kind of drug? Sean shook his head, he didn’t know what exactly had happened but he did know Max Evans was responsible. And maybe whatever he had done to Amy, he had also done the same to Liz and that’s why she had taken his back.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Friday, June 29th, 2001)
(The Evans House)
Diane looked up as Max entered the house and smiled, "Hey, honey."
Max dropped his things on the floor and sank down onto the sofa, "Hi Mom."
"Long day at work?" she asked casually, attempting to start a conversation that would lead to her real question.
Max shrugged, "Just the usual."
"I guess you'll be working a lot of hours now that school is out."
"Yeah, I guess," Max said non-committally.
In the weeks since Alex had died, Diane had seen the tension in both her children but Max was always so quiet, she had been afraid he wasn't dealing with it well. But in the last couple of weeks, Max had seemed lighter somehow, like a giant weight he had been carrying was suddenly lifted. "And you'll be hanging out with your friends."
Max smiled a genuine smile, "Yeah."
Diane noticed the change in his demeanor immediately and was glad Max had good friends that he felt comfortable with. "And what about Tess? I haven't seen her around lately. You two were studying so much together, I thought you might be getting close."
The smile immediately left Max's face. "No, we weren't and she won't be coming over any more because she left town."
"Oh that's too bad," Diane said. "She seemed like such a nice girl. Maybe she'll come back for school in the fall."
Max shook his head as he gathered his things and rose. "She's not coming back," he said gruffly.
As Max left, Diane wondered what she had said to upset him. It was possible he had been falling for Tess and was upset she had left, but Diane knew Max would never tell her so she just had to trust that his sister and friends would help him work through it.
Maybe she should ask his father to talk to him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Jake’s Pool Hall)
(Roswell, NM)
Sean pushed open the door of the pool hall and stood just inside as he let his eyes wander around the room. He hadn’t come to the pool hall since his release from juvie because of his parole, but this was the best place in town to get information.
“Hey DeLuca,” someone called from the back and Sean recognized the voice immediately.
“Paulie,” he called back with a smile, as he wound his way through the tables. “How’s it going, man?”
Paulie grasped Sean’s hand, “Man, I heard you were in juvie for another six months.”
Sean shrugged. “I got out early,” he paused dramatically, “for good behavior.”
Paulie roared with laughter and the other guys with him joined in. He turned to them, “That’s a good one. Sean DeLuca on good behavior.” He motioned to one of the guys near the pool cues on the wall, “Hey Tommy, toss DeLuca a cue. Back in the day, the man was quite a hustler.”
Sean caught the pool cue easily, “I don’t know if I still have the touch. Not many pool tables in juvie. Probably smart not to provide the criminals with weapons.”
One of the guys wracked the balls and Paulie motioned to Sean to break. “So what’re you going to do now that you’re out?”
Sean struck the cue ball, sending it hard into the other balls, and they scattered around the table. “I’m looking for some information on a guy that screwed me over.”
Paulie took his shot, dropping a stripped ball into a side pocket. “What guy?”
“He goes to school with you,” Sean said casually. “The name is Max Evans.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, July 30th, 2001)
(Crashdown Café)
Liz wiped off the last of the tables and quickly stacked the chairs on them. Cleaning the Crashdown was hard work but she had done it so many times that she could do it without thinking, and it freed her mind to ponder other things.
Liz tried to be a good person, do the right thing and put up a brave front for her friends. She always tried to be there for them, support and help them, but she wasn’t perfect. Far from it. Since Liz had learned about Michael, Isabel and Max, she had been forced to make some difficult decisions and she wasn’t always sure that she had made the right choices. And cleaning the Crashdown at night alone was the only time she let herself think about the most terrible things in her life.
She still felt guilty over leaving Max last summer when he had needed her so badly. He had just found out who he was and she had left him to deal with it alone. At the time she was sure she was doing the right thing, but they didn’t know the truth then.
But even worse were her feelings of guilt about Alex’s death. No matter what the others said, Liz was convinced that it was her fault Alex was dead, because of something she had changed in the timeline. She missed Alex terribly but she had barely been able to mourn her lost friend because of the responsibility she felt for his death.
Liz felt the prick of tears behind her eyes and wiped the back of her hand across her face as she ruthlessly pushed the distrubing thoughts aside. She had to be strong, she couldn’t let herself break down. There was too much happening and too many people depended on her.
Liz sloshed the mop into the bucket and cruelly wrung out the excess water before slapping it onto the floor, scrubbing ruthlessly at the spilled food. And again and again she plunged the mop into the bucket and attacked the stains on the floor, until her muscles ached and a sheer of perperation cover her skin. The work would exhaust her body but it usually helped to clear her mind. But as she mopped the floor tonight, her thoughts were continually occupied with the familiar subject of Max and herself.
Liz did love him but she still needed time to sort out all of her feelings about everything that had happened and figure out exactly how she and Max fit into each other’s lives. She was his friend and she supported him whole-heartedly but she didn’t know if their relationship would ever progress beyond that. But as she had told Max, she did want to try again.
Since they had gone to the movies together, Max had been careful to keep things between them on a purely friendship level. It was as if he had sensed her reluctance to move too quickly. It was true she had enjoyed being with him and holding his hand. It had felt so right and so familiar but she had also been a little afraid of what the small intimacy might lead Max to think about their future.
Once again Liz plunged the mop into the bucket but she suddenly stopped, a prickling sensation on the back of her neck making her feel like she was being watched. She had experienced the same sensation several times over the last week, but each time, she had seen no one. She was beginning to think she was paranoid, but quickly turned toward the front door and scanned the area outside the restaurant. She couldn’t see anyone but it was dark and the sensation remained as an overwhelming feeling of malevolence settled over her and a shiver raced up her spine.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Sunday, July 1st, 2001)
(Copper Summit, AZ)
Tess, Lonni and Rath entered the UFL building where Nicholas was waiting for them.
“You summoned us?” Lonnie asked angrily.
“Yes,” Nicholas said, as he indicated the chairs across from him. “I need to talk to you three about something.”
“Like going home?” Lonni persisted. “You’ve been stalling us and my patience is wearing thin.”
Nicholas smirked, “You’ll go home when I say and not one minute sooner. And Lonni, your constant nagging is trying my patience.”
Lonni grudgingly sat down, “Fine. What do you want to talk about, Nicholas?”
Nicholas nodded and began, “New troops will be arriving in a couple of days. After we get them settled in, either Wednesday or Thursday, I will hold a briefing and introduce the three of you to them.”
“So?” Rath asked sarcastically.
Nicholas stared him down until he looked away. “So, I don’t want there to be any problems,” he turned his gaze to Lonni, “or accidents. Khivar is sending these troops to Earth for a reason and we don’t want the three of you screwing up any more.”
“Screwing up,” Lonni ground out. “It is only because of our screw up that Khivar has his precious Granolith.”
“Yes,” Nicholas agreed, “but because of two of your screw ups, Max continues to be a thorn in Khivar’s side.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Evans House)
Philip knocked on the doorframe to Max’s room and poked his head in through the open door. “Can I talk to you, Max?”
Max turned from his desk and put down the book he was reading. “Sure Dad.”
Philip took a seat on Max’s bed. “Your mother is a little concerned about you, and she asked me to talk to you.”
“What about?” Max asked apprehensively.
“Well she seems to think you’re having girl trouble. Your friend Tess was coming over quite a bit and now she just seems to have disappeared from your life. Did you two have a fight? Is it anything your mother or I could help you with?”
There were times, like now, when Max wished he could tell his parents what was going on in his life. He knew they loved him and he respected their advice. But since the truth was out of the question he simply shrugged and gave his father the Earthly version. “For a while, Tess and I were close but it was over almost before it started. It didn’t take too long for me to see she wasn’t who I thought she was.”
His father nodded, understanding, “I’m sorry Max. Do you want to talk about it?”
Max sighed. “Not really. It’s over and she’s gone.”
“You’re mother said Tess left town. Was it because of your breakup?”
“Not exactly,” Max admitted. “Tess just figured out there was nothing here for her. There never was.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
TBC
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Great part. Really liked
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ALPHA & OMEGA ~ BOOK 10, PART 4
This Fic was Nominated at Majik's World of FanFic for:
Best Pre-Pilot or Backstory
Best Angsty Fic
Best Fight Scene
Best Fic that kept you on the edge of your seat
Only 3 days left to Vote!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
BOOK 10 - MAJESTY’S MORASS (WHAT HAPPENS NOW, MAX?)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
PART 4
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Tuesday, July 4th, 2001)
(Copper Summit, AZ)
Nicholas passed his hand over the communications controls and waited for his master to answer.
Corporal Raltos slumped forward and then sat upright and Nicholas knew Khivar had taken over the body.
“My liege,” Nicholas started formally, “I am pleased to announce the arrival of the two-hundred new troops.”
“Excellent,” Khivar said. “I had the engineers make a few improvements to the ship while it was here and now with the power of the Granolith, the trip between Earth and Antar only takes a few hours.”
“That is excellent,” Nicholas agreed. “It will be much easier to build up the number of troops on Earth.”
Khivar shook his head, “For now, I am not sending a large force to Earth. We will wait and see if this plan is successful before committing more troops.”
“I am sure you are right, Sir,” Nicholas said. “The new troops arrived almost without incident and the plan will start on schedule.”
“Almost without incident?” Khivar asked, immediately picking up on Nicholas’ wording.
“There was an accident last night after the troops arrived,” Nicholas reported. “They were getting settled into their houses in Copper Summit and somehow a fire broke out. Two soldiers were killed, but they were only minor technicians, nothing that can’t be easily replaced. We are investigating the cause of the fire but it looks like they were simply too unfamiliar with the husks, and the workings of a human household, and the gas flame on the stove caught them unawares.”
Khivar shook his head, “Make sure the others are properly trained. We don’t want any more stupid accidents to ruin our plan.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Wednesday, July 5th, 2001)
(The Evans House – Isabel’s Room)
Isabel had worked at least an hour, every day for weeks on her memory recovery, but she had never experienced any success apart from the brief vision she’d gotten. Even Michael had experienced some general feelings and impressions of Antar and Isabel was frustrated at her lack of progress.
But as her frustration grew, so did her anxiety. Isabel started to worry that subconsciously she didn’t want to remember. Congresswoman Whitaker had told her she had betrayed her family, her brother, and Isabel was afraid of what she would discover about her past life. But no matter what her other self had done in the past, she was free of guilt, and knowing the truth about what had happened might give them insight on how to stop Khivar.
Isabel felt a shiver of reaction race through her at just the thought of his name. If what Whitaker and Nicholas said was true, Khivar had been her lover and the reason she had betrayed her people, and Isabel admitted to herself that she was afraid of recovering her memories of him.
Her one glimpse of her other life had included a man, and even though she had no proof, she was sure it was Khivar. It made her feel terribly guilty that she hadn’t remembered her mother or father or brother. Her first recovered memory had been of her lover.
Isabel took a deep breath and tried to push her anxieties aside as she started her meditation. The intense concentration she had attempted in the last few weeks had not yielded anything so she changed her technique. Ridding her mind of all thoughts, Isabel opened herself to the dark void of the past, simply letting her mind take her where it wanted to go.
After only a few moments, Isabel realized she could hear the sound of the ocean lapping gently on the beach. It was a soft, relaxing sound and it should have been calming but she felt nervous, excited. A warm breeze blew past her bare shoulders, making her hair swirl and dance and she cold feel the heavy length of it brush of it all the way down her back, longer than her hair had ever been in this lifetime.
The realization thrilled her and at the same time worried her, but she stubbornly worked to let more of the memory into her conscious mind. She could see nothing, but she was sure it was night and more sensations rushed into her mind as if she were there.
The sorrowful song of a night bird echoed in the distance as she walked away from the unmistakable sounds of a party. A warm hand rested on her waist, gently guiding her across uneven ground. A rush of emotions assailed her and Isabel knew she would have gone anywhere her companion suggested. She felt the touch of his hand on her face and words echoed in her mind in an unfamiliar language, but somehow Isabel knew what they meant.
“You are incredibly beautiful,” her companion whispered and Isabel felt another shiver of reaction.
He leaned in for a kiss but Isabel knew it was wrong and heard the words she had spoken so long ago. “Please don't. My father would not approve."
But her companion didn’t listen and she felt his arms around her, pulling her closer. She trembled in anticipation of his kiss but she knew it shouldn't happen. Her voice was barely a whisper between them. "Please, Khivar."
Then she felt his lips on hers and the overwhelming maelstrom of emotions that rushed through her scared her more than anything she had ever experienced. Forcefully Isabel shut off the memory as she raised a shaky hand to her lips, where she could still feel the kiss.
This one taste of the past made her doubt herself more than anything else ever could have. The feelings she had experienced for Khivar had been so powerful that Isabel was afraid of what she would have done for him. She was afraid to discover anything more and vowed never to attempt recovering her past again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Crashdown Cafe)
Maria looked up when the bell above the door announced the arrival of a customer and smiled broadly when she saw who it was. “Brody, it’s good to see you.”
Brody smiled, “I decided to come over here for dinner today.”
Maria nodded her approval, “Well you do need to get out of that dungeon every once in a while.”
“I have been working a lot lately,” Brody admitted.
“Something happening?” Maria asked, trying not to seem too interested.
“No, not really,” Brody said with a sigh. “When my team was going over the readings from the tracking stations, they found an anomaly in the desert outside of town on May 19th.”
“May 19th,” Maria said with a squeak, remembering the day Tess had left in the Granolith. She cleared her throat and struggled to get her voice under control. “What kind of anomaly?”
“Well, there were some unusual readings but it turned out to be nothing, just a glitch in the equipment.”
“Oh,” Maria said relieved, but she feigned disappointment, “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Yeah,” Brody said. “I thought we were on to something, you know. I have all of this great equipment and employees searching twenty-four hours a day. I thought we would have found something by now but there hasn’t really been any activity since last year.”
“I’m sorry, Brody, I know how disappointed you must be. But one of these days I know you’ll find what you’re looking for.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, July 7th, 2001)
(The Evans House)
“The pizza’s here,” Isabel called out. She carefully threaded her way past everyone and placed the boxes on the dining room table. “There’s cheese, vegetarian, combo, and of course meat lover’s for Michael. We also got hot wings and bread sticks.”
The six of them passed around plates and helped themselves to food, and the debate started about which movie to watch.
“The Princess Bride,” Maria suggested.
Michael and Kyle exchanged a grimace and Kyle groaned, “No chick flicks. Let’s have some action.”
“I brought Braveheart,” Michael said.
Maria booed and Isabel threw a balled-up napkin at him, “Not Braveheart again.”
“Okay,” Michael said, “what about the Patriot?”
Kyle turned to Maria, “Does he have a weird Mel Gibson fetish or something?”
Maria rolled her eyes, “Don’t even ask.”
Max and Liz stood to the side and watched the others arguing about the movie choices. Max spoke softly so only Liz could hear, “It was a good idea to get together tonight.”
Liz shrugged, “I thought we could all use a little fun for a change.”
“And it will help the group bond,” Max added. “Maybe we should schedule an evening just for fun. You know, have a standing date, and we could do different things like bowling or movies or something. Saturday nights would be perfect.”
Liz turned to him and studied his face until Max grew uncomfortable, “What is it Liz?”
“I guess I just realized how much you’ve matured in the last year. You’re really growing into your role as the leader.”
Max shook his head, “I don’t feel mature and I certainly don’t feel like a leader. Half the time, I don’t really know what I’m doing. I just try to do what’s best and keep everyone safe.”
Liz nodded, “You’re a good man, Max. A good friend and a good person, and that’s why you’ll be a good King.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The figure quietly climbed the ladder onto Liz’s balcony and crossed to the window. He was pleasantly surprised to find it unlocked and slipped easily inside. Liz’s room was dark but there was no one home and he switched on a light, unafraid of being seen.
He quickly opened drawer after drawer, sifting carefully through Liz’s belongings. He tried the closet and then under the bed but he didn’t find what he was searching for.
Finally he opened the small drawer on the bedside table and carefully extracted a small strip of photos that had obviously been taken in a photo booth. There were three shots on the strip of a smiling Liz and Max Evans.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Evans House)
Maria had sensed that Liz was somewhat subdued, and when her friend headed toward the bathroom, Maria followed. “Liz, do you want to tell me what’s going on.”
Liz shook her head, “Nothing.”
“Liz, I know you better than that,” Maria insisted. “Is it you and Max?”
“No, not at all,” Liz denied instantly. “At first, he was really anxious to get things back to the way they used to be between us, but he has really calmed down. It’s been nice just letting our friendship grow again and we are getting closer.
“But there is something wrong,” Maria pressed.
Liz sighed, “Really there’s nothing specific. It’s just this feeling I have. I can’t say why but I’m worried about everyone.”
“Now that Khivar has the Granolith, I thought he would leave us alone,” Maria said.
“We don’t know that for sure,” Liz said. “Their world has been at war for over fifty years. It would help secure Khivar’s position if all of Max’s family and supporters were… um… out of the way.”
“You mean dead,” Maria clarified. “You think that’s why Khivar took over the Earth in the other time, don’t you? And you think he’ll do it again.”
Liz shook her head, “No. No, I don’t.”
“Have you told Max about this?” Maria asked. “I mean what are we going to do?”
“I haven’t really discussed it with Max but I’m sure he’s thinking the same thing. That’s why he has us practicing our powers and why we are getting the book translated. So we are prepared as we can be if something does happen.”
“So this bad feeling you have,” Maria persisted, “is it related to Khivar?”
“No, I don’t think so,” Liz said. “I can’t pinpoint anything specific but I just have the feeling that something is wrong.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Isabel got another two-liter of soda from the kitchen and headed back into the living room. Kyle, Max and Michael were laughing, making jokes and Isabel stopped just around the corner to watch.
“They look like they’re having a good time,” Alex said over her shoulder.
“Yeah,” Isabel agreed. “It’s good to see them laughing. It’s been a while.”
“They’re getting over my death and over the betrayal. Moving on with their lives. Healing.” He placed his hand on Isabel’s shoulder, turning her to look at him. “And so are you.”
“No,” Isabel instantly denied. “I’ll never forget you.”
“Of course not,” Alex agreed. “Healing doesn’t mean forgetting, it just means living.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Thursday, July 12th, 2001)
(Crashdown Café)
Sean waited until everyone had left, and Liz was the only one in the Crashdown before knocking on the locked door.
Liz turned to the door, recognized Sean and crossed to him. She unlocked the door and opened it half way, “Sean the kitchen is closed.”
Sean pushed past her and into the dining room. “Good, because I didn’t come to eat.”
Liz sighed, “Look Sean it’s late and…”
“This is important,” Sean insisted.
Liz sank down into one of the booths. “Okay.”
“I’ve found out some things Liz, and you need to hear them,” Sean started.
Liz sat forward, suddenly concerned, “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about Max.”
Liz felt herself go cold, “What about Max?”
“I’ve been asking around and I’ve got some pretty convincing evidence that Max isn’t such a great guy.”
Liz breathed a sigh of relief but rose from the table. “Sean you have no right to investigate Max. He is none of your business.”
“It is my business because I care about you and I don’t want you to get hurt. Max was stringing you on before. How do you know he isn’t doing it again?”
Liz shook her head. “You have no idea what you’re talking about, Sean. Max isn’t like that.”
“Well Liz, maybe Max isn’t the guy you think he is.”
“You should go now Sean,” Liz said, heading toward the door.
Sean followed her. “Liz you never told me why you came to the bowling alley the night of the prom but I could tell you were hurting. I know you went to the dance with Max but he didn’t take you home, so something happened between you two that night. I’ve been asking around, and some people saw him kissing a blonde named Tess at the prom.”
Liz felt tears prick her eyes as the painful memories came rushing back and ducked her head so Sean wouldn’t see.
Sean could see her pain and knew he was finally getting through to her. “Your incredibly honerable guy was kissing another girl at the prom he took you to.” Sean didn’t want to hurt her but he continued ruthlessly, “And it’s not even like they were trying to hide it, were they? They were right there in front of everyone, just like Max didn’t even care if you saw them. And people saw you witness the kiss and run out of the building.”
“Please go,” Liz whispered.
Sean took her chin in his hand and lifted her head, forcing her to look at him. “Tess and Max were together after that, weren’t they? People saw them together a lot and she was always hanging on him.”
Liz wiped the tears from her cheeks. “That is in the past, Sean. T-Tess left town.”
“Yeah,” Sean agreed, “she left pretty quickly didn’t she? Tess didn’t wait the couple of weeks until school ended, didn’t tell anyone she was going. People talked about that too. Some of the crazier theories have her running off to join a cult or abducted by aliens. One guy I talked to thinks Max murdered Tess and buried the body in the desert. But the leading theory seems to be that Max got her pregnant, and she left either to get an abortion or have the baby somewhere else.”
Liz was incapable of speech she was so dumbfounded and merely shook her head. Sean had come very close to the truth.
Sean continued, “The timing is about right too. If Max was cheating on you with Tess before the prom, she could have discovered she was pregnant and left in May.” His voice softened, “Liz you’re a smart girl. Why are you staying with someone who would do that to you? Max stole you from Kyle. Maybe he’s one of those guys that’s just into the chase and as soon as he has you again, you’ll find him making out with another busty blonde.”
His words angered Liz and she jerked her head away. “Max didn’t steal me from anyone. I am not a possession. And not that it’s any of your business, but Kyle and I weren’t going anywhere so I broke up with him. Max and I didn’t get together until later.” She sighed, “Sean you don’t know everything that happened and I’m not going to explain it to you but I will say that there is nothing you can tell me about Max.”
“But Liz,” Sean started, only to be interrupted.
“Sean, I don’t know if Max and I will make it but we’re going to try again and there is nothing you can say to change my mind.” She motioned to the door.
Sean studied her for a moment, saw that he wasn’t getting through to her and walked outside. He stood on the dark sidewalk and watched as Liz turned off the lights and went into the back. “Maybe I can’t change your mind about Max yet, but this isn’t over.”
He turned toward home, walking slowly but he didn’t get more than a few steps before someone called his name.
“Sean DeLuca.”
Sean turned in the direction he had heard the voice, but saw no one. “Who’s there?”
A man stepped out of the shadows that Sean didn’t recognize. “Do I know you?“ he asked.
The man shook his head, “No, but I think we can help one another.”
“What makes you think that?” Sean asked sarcastically.
“You want Max out of Liz’s life and if you help me expose him I guarantee that will happen.”
Sean’s brow knotted, “Expose him doing what?”
The man leaned in closer. “Haven’t you ever noticed anything odd about Max?”
The night Brody held them hostage in the UFO museum immediately flashed into Sean’s mind but he stalled, “Maybe.”
The man smiled, “Why don’t you tell me everything you know?”
“Let’s take it slow pal,” Sean said. “Who are you exactly?”
“Does it really matter, if you get what you want?”
Sean shrugged, “So what do I call you?”
“Why don’t you just call me, John?”
It was obviously a false name but Sean nodded. “And what’s in it for you, John? What do you have against Max?”
John smiled, “Let’s just say I owe him one.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Friday, July 13th, 2001)
(The Parker House – Liz’s Room)
There was a light knock at Liz’s door and she looked up from the book she was reading in bed. “Come in.”
Her mother entered and sat next to her. “Can we talk about something?”
Liz closed the book and focused on her mother. “Sure, Mom.”
“I, um, noticed that you have been spending more time with Max again,” Nancy started, trying to sound casual, “alone.”
Liz nodded, “Yeah.”
“I know you two had broken up, but now you’re back together?”
“It’s really complicated, Mom,” Liz said, “but yeah, we’re trying again.”
“So what kind of complications are there?” Nancy asked. “Did he pressure you to, um, do things you didn’t want to do?”
Liz smiled at the uncomfortable tone in her mother’s voice. “No it’s nothing like that. Max would never do anything like that. He’s a good guy.”
“So what did happen between you?”
Liz sobered suddenly, shaking her head, “That’s between me and Max, Mom and we are working through it.”
Nancy nodded. “Liz I really meant it when I said you could talk to me about everything. I want you to feel that I’m here for you.”
“I do, Mom,” Liz assured her.
Her mother gave her a quick hug and Liz waited until she had left the room and closed the door behind her. “I wish I could talk to you about everything, Mom. But no matter how much I want to, there are just some things I can’t tell you.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, July 14th, 2001)
(Michael’s Apartment Complex)
The man waited outside the apartment complex until Michael had driven away with a girl in a red Jetta, then he easily picked the shabby lock on Michael’s door and slipped inside.
Carefully he searched through Michael’s belongings, making sure to put everything back where it came from. But he stopped when he discovered some photos in a drawer. He sifted through them slowly, looking on the backs of some of the photos and then replaced them into the drawer.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Quarry)
For the day’s training, Max had separated the groups into boys and girls. He and Michael were honing their marksmanship on the quarry’s many rocks, Kyle was meditating, while Isabel, Maria and Liz were attempting to discover her unique ability.
Liz addressed Isabel, “How did you, Michael and Max figure out your powers?”
Isabel shrugged, “It was all by accident. Max healed a pigeon in the park and that was the first time we knew we had powers. I discovered my dream walking the same way. It just happened one night.”
“But I haven’t had any experiences like that.” Liz said. “I have to really concentrate to use my powers.”
“What about when you contacted Max in New York?” Maria asked. “You didn’t know you had powers then.”
“I was going on a lot of faith and desperation and Isabel was helping me,” Liz said.
Isabel shook her head. “I helped you focus at first, but then it was all you, Liz. You went farther than I ever could have.”
“But I don’t even really know what happened,” Liz protested.
“Maybe that is her special power,” Maria suggested. “She can send her mind or her spirit or something, to other places.”
The suggestion shocked Liz. “Astral projection?”
“It could be,” Isabel agreed. “Why don’t we work on it and see what happens?”
“Okay,” Liz nodded in agreement. “How do we start?”
“Do you remember what it felt like the night you contacted Max?” Isabel asked.
“Yeah, I focused on Max, tried to feel him with my mind. Then it felt like I was flying really fast to where he was.”
“And when you saw him?” Isabel asked. “What happened?”
“I was suddenly on a street and I saw him and tried to call him but I wasn’t making any sound. I waved and finally he saw me.”
“Okay,” Isabel said. “Why don’t we try it again. Maria can go over behind those big rocks and I will help you focus on her.”
Maria nodded and left them and Isabel waited until she was out of sight to start. “Take my hands, Liz. I’ll start a connection between us and well both focus on Maria, her essence, the part of her that is uniquely Maria.”
Liz grasped Isabel’s hands and nodded. She took a deep breath and shut her eyes as the connection came to life with a rush of images.
Isabel gasped when Liz’s memories and emotions slammed into her and suddenly dropped her hands.
Liz’s eyes snapped open. “What’s wrong Isabel?” she asked concerned.
Isabel grasped at her chest, breathing heavily. “The other time we did this, you were shielding me from your mind and I wondered why, but it was because…” she trailed off as tears pricked her eyes.
Liz instantly understood. “I didn’t block you this time and you saw my memories of what happened with the other Max,” she said softly.
“It was so awful for you,” Isabel whispered. ”The things you had to say to Max while loving him so much and the way he treated you after. I don’t know how you did it.”
Tears started in Liz’s eyes as Isabel continued. “I’m glad you are able to be together. Love like you and Max share shouldn’t be denied. I know I was horrible to you at first Liz, but I really see now how good you and Max are for each other.”
Liz pulled Isabel into a hug, “Thank you.”
They released one another and Isabel wiped her eyes, “Maria’s going to wonder what we’re doing.” She held out her hands again, “Let’s try again.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Michael took careful aim and blasted a single rock in the middle of a pile. “So how are things going with you and Liz?” he asked Max casually.
Even though Max didn’t have a destructive power like Michael’s, he had figured out how to use his shield to hit things. He held up his hand and used his shield to punch a hole through a rock and then turned to Michael with a shrug, “Okay, I guess.”
“Nice,” Michael said, indicating Max’s rock. “So no thawing of the ice then, huh?”
Max glanced over to where Liz and Isabel were sitting, and then back at Michael. “I don’t want to move too fast, or push her. After everything that happened, I’m just grateful she’s even speaking to me.”
Michael nodded. “You, um, ever wonder about your son? I mean what he looks like, what’s happening?”
Max sighed, “All the time.”
Michael indicated Liz with a jut of his chin, “That’s got to be a sore subject between you.”
Max looked at the ground. “Liz has asked me about him a couple of times but I don’t really want her to have to relive that pain, so I don’t talk to her about it.”
“Well if you need to talk about your son or Tess or anything,” Michael said, “you know you can talk to me, right?”
Max nodded, “Thanks.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The first few times, Liz had used Isabel’s help to get started. She had focused on Maria, like she had done before with Max, and suddenly found herself standing next to her best friend. But she had only seen Maria for a moment before she felt herself fall back into her body, and Maria had not seen her.
“Try it on your own,” Isabel suggested. “I think you’re ready to solo.”
Liz closed her eyes again and this time focused on Maria. Again she appeared next to her best friend, and this time Liz concentrated on making Maria see her. Strange sensations assailed Liz as she fixated her entire attention and she could literally feel herself solidifying.
Liz’s sudden appearance startled Maria but then her curiosity took over and she reached out to touch her. “Wow, that’s really cool, you’re like a ghost, I can see right through you. Can you hear me Liz?” she asked as her hand passed through Liz’s shoulder.
Liz nodded, “Yeah.”
Maria shook her head, “Sorry babe, no sound.”
Liz concentrated harder attempting to make herself more solid. “Now Maria?”
Maria jumped up, clapping her hands. “I heard you say Maria, and you almost looked solid for a minute.”
A sudden wave of weariness overcame Liz and she let herself slip back into her body, but the sudden transition made her dizzy and she swayed to the side.
Isabel caught her easily, “Whoa, are you okay?”
Liz nodded, “Yeah, just tired and kind of dizzy.”
“Do you want me to get Max?” Isabel asked, already rising.
Liz put a hand on Isabel’s arm. “No it’s okay. I’ll be fine.”
Maria came running from behind the rocks, whooping with laughter. “I saw her that time and she said my name.”
Max, Michael and Kyle, alerted by Maria’s antics, came running.
“What happened?” Kyle asked.
“It was so cool,” Maria started. “At first I couldn’t see her but then she was like a ghost. I could see right through her and I heard her speak.”
”What is she talking about?” Michael asked Isabel.
“It looks like Liz has the power of astral projection,” Isabel said casually. “But it takes a lot out of her.”
Max knelt in front of Liz. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. It was just like nothing I’ve ever experienced before,” she said and then quickly amended herself. “Well, okay, once before.”
“And you nearly fainted that time too,” Michael pointed out.
Max extended a tentative hand toward Liz. “Maybe I should check you…”
“It’s nothing,” Liz assured them. “It’ll just take a bit of getting used to.”
“Okay,” Max agreed. “But be careful when you are practicing. Don’t over-tire yourself. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sean stopped his car on the side of the highway and pressed speed dial on the new cell phone John had given him.
The phone was answered immediately, “Yes.”
“It’s Sean. I tried to follow them today but I lost them.”
“You lost them?” John asked incredulously. “How do you lose anyone in the desert?”
“I had to hang back enough so they wouldn’t see me. It’s not just flat desert and straight road, you know. The highway curves and there are rocks and trees and hills blocking my view and when I got a clear view again, the Jeep and Jetta were gone.”
“You couldn’t tell where they’d turned?” John asked.
“That whole area is riddled with Jeep tracks and old roads that go out into the desert and up the hills. There was no way to tell where they went. I tried a few roads but I didn’t see anyone.”
“Damn,” John cursed. “We need to find out what they are doing. Max lives a normal life in town. Those trips into the desert are definitely the key.”
“You keep saying that,” Sean said, “but you won’t even give me an idea of what they might be doing. What is it? Drugs or some kind of cult? Brainwashing?”
“I’m not exactly sure myself,” John admitted, “but I know Max Evans, and you can be sure that it’s big.”
“But Liz goes with them,” Sean protested. “If she knows about it already, how is exposing Max going to turn her against him?”
“Like I already told you,” John said slowly, “I doubt Liz knows the whole story or if she does, she probably doesn’t want to be involved. You told me yourself that Liz went back to Max under suspicious circumstances and seemed reluctant to be with him. It’s possible he’s holding something over her, forcing her to stay with him. If you free her, you’ll be her hero.”
“Okay,” Sean agreed. “But you know their schedule as well as I do. They go out Saturday and Wednesday. I’ll just have to try again.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Crashdown Café)
Liz waved to Max and Isabel as they drove away and let out a deep breath. She had worked hard all day to not let the others see how exhausted the astral projection had made her. Letting herself in the back, Liz slowly climbed the stairs, hoping she wouldn’t see anyone.
Entering the kitchen she saw a note on the table her parents had left, telling her they were at the store. Relieved that she wouldn’t have to explain her weariness, Liz went in her room and sank down onto her bed. She knew if she told Max how much the new power took out of her, he would be worried and perhaps even try to stop her from developing it. But Liz had a feeling it could be important to them and she couldn’t let Max or anyone else interfere.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Monday, July 16th, 2001)
(The Evans House)
A figure watched from across the street as first Mr. and Mrs. Evans drove away and then as Max and Isabel climbed into the new Jeep. He waited until they had driven down the street and disappeared around the corner before he exited his car.
With a quick glance up and down the road, he slipped into the yard and through the unlocked gate, closing it softly behind him. And now that he was free of the prying eyes of the neighbors, he took his time opening one of the ground floor bedroom windows.
Climbing inside, it only took a cursory glance to determine that this was not the room he was looking for. There was a collection of perfumes and makeup on a dressing table and girls clothes flung haphazardly on the flowery bedspread. This was obviously Isabel’s room.
He proceeded into the hallway and found the room he was looking for after only one wrong turn. The spartan furniture and brown plaid bedclothes immediately alerted him to the fact that this was Max’s room.
With practiced hands, he sifted quickly through the room’s contents, slowing his pace only when he discovered a small velvet-covered box in a dresser drawer. He withdrew the box and opened it, revealing a necklace; two heart charms on either side of a star, engraved with the names Max and Liz. He closed the box and replaced it, shutting the drawer.
And then finishing his search, he quietly left the house.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Parker House – Liz’s Room)
Liz’s alarm sounded, waking her from a fevered sleep. She reached over and quickly silenced the buzzing, hoping it hadn’t awakened her parents. It was only two-thirty in the morning and she had specifically chosen the time hoping that Max would be asleep and she could practice her astral projection on him.
She had practiced on Isabel and Maria the previous two nights, visiting their bedsides in the middle of the night. But she had only been able to hold on for a few minutes until exhaustion had overtaken her and she was forced to return to her body. Liz was hoping to build up her strength quickly so her friends would never know how much her new power was taking out of her.
Propping up the pillows behind her, Liz leaned back and closed her eyes. She focused on Max, on the part of him that was unique and made him who he was. The now familiar flying sensation washed quickly over her and when it passed, she opened her eyes to find herself standing in Max’s room.
He was in bed, clad only in a t-shirt and boxers and soundly asleep. Liz could see the gentle rise of his chest as he breathed and she knelt on the floor next to him, envying his deep slumber. Over the last few weeks she had been plagued by dreams she couldn’t remember, and they filled her with an ever-increasing feeling of dread.
But she didn’t know what to do about them. After all, they were only dreams, and an amorphous feeling of impending doom wasn’t exactly the kind of thing that could be researched. She released a sigh, knowing exactly what Michael would say, hearing his sarcastic tone in her head.
You want us to be on alert because you have a bad feeling. You’ve got to be kidding, Liz.
And maybe he was right. Maybe she was just feeling her own anxiety about everything that was happening. It hadn’t exactly been a relaxing year with all the group had been through; Congresswoman Whitaker, future Max’s visitation, the skins, the dupes, Laurie’s kidnapping, the Ganderium, the horror of Alex’s death and Tess’ pregnancy. And even though Tess was gone and Liz knew she and Max could be together, there was still so much to work through.
Liz studied Max’s face, wishing with everything that was in her that things could have been different between them. They had been so close at one time, sharing everything, and she missed that desperately. She reached out to brush his bangs off his forehead but her fingers passed through his hair and she suddenly remembered she was not really there.
Glancing at the clock, Liz saw she had been in Max’s room for almost fifteen minutes and she didn’t even feel tired. The extra practice had been worth the restless nights, Liz mused. She was already increasing her time out of her body.
She took a final look at Max’s handsome face and leaned in to place a kiss on his forehead. For a second it felt a if her lips had actually touched him and as she let herself go back into her body, Liz swore she heard Max’s whispered voice.
“Liz.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Friday, July 20th, 2001)
(Roswell UFO Museum)
Max had just finished stuffing the intestines back in the alien model when he was distracted by an unfamiliar voice.
“Max Evans?”
“Yeah,” Max said as he turned. But instead of a customer, he was surprised to see a guy he didn’t recognize in the UFO museum uniform, gold vest. “You work here?” he asked.
The new guy smiled, “Just started today.” He held out a hand, “I’m Ryan MacGregor. Brody said you’re the guy to tell me all about this place.”
Max shook the proffered hand as he quickly sized up the new guy. Ryan was just taller than Max, but thinner and more gangly, like he hadn’t quite grown into his body yet. He had reddish blond hair and bright green eyes and he seemed to be about Max’s age.
Max smiled, “Yeah, I guess I’m one of the old-timers around here.”
“Great,” Ryan said. “I’m really looking forward to getting started. I’ve always been into aliens.”
“Yeah,” Max intoned blandly. “I’m surprised Brody hired anyone,” he mused, changing the subject. “He never said anything to me about needing more help.”
Ryan shrugged, “I don’t know. I just came in yesterday and Brody said I could start today.”
Max nodded, “Well let’s start over here with the depiction of the ’47 crash.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Valenti House)
Jim entered his house and turned on the light but stopped short as he noticed Kyle on the sofa.
Kyle opened his eyes, “Hey Dad. How was work?”
“Good,” Jim said with a nod, “Really good.” He quickly changed the subject, “Kyle you were sitting here with the lights off meditating?”
“Yeah,” Kyle said. “It really helps me focus.”
“You’ve been doing a lot of meditating lately, with your friends and alone.”
“I have to be ready when I get my powers. It would be pretty hard to explain to the FBI that your son has uncontrollable alien powers.”
Jim nodded, “I understand you want to be prepared but I’m worried that you, that all of you, are focusing so hard on this and you’re forgetting to be kids and have some fun.”
“It’s important Dad. Liz said the world ended in the other time and we have to be ready. Especially now that Tess betrayed us.”
Jim paused, looking down and then he looked back at Kyle. “We never really talked after we discovered the truth about her, did we?” Jim asked.
Kyle shrugged, “What’s there to talk about? We took her into our home, into our family, our hearts, and she used us and threw us aside.”
Jim sat down beside Kyle. “For a while there, I thought the two of you were getting close.”
“I thought so too…” Kyle trailed off. For a time, starting last Christmas, he thought he had really been in love with her. He shook his head, “But I realized I saw her more as a sister.”
Jim released a sign, “Sometimes Kyle, I’m sorry I got you involved in all this mess.”
Kyle shook his head, “I was angry for a while but a few things changed my mind. Hearing everything Liz sacrificed really put things into perspective for me. And there was something Alex said to me when we were trapped in the cave with the Ganderium crystals. We didn’t think we were going to make it out, but Alex wasn’t scared or angry. He said, we were part of this amazing thing, and he was right. Even with everything that has happened, I know Alex wouldn’t have traded his experience for anything, and neither would I.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Max held the door for Ryan, “This is the Crashdown. I eat here pretty much every day.”
“Is the food that good?” Ryan asked.
Max shrugged, as he slid into a booth, facing the back room. “Yeah, the food is fine but I come here because…” his sentence trailed off as Liz came into the dining room and smiled at him.
Ryan turned to follow Max’s gaze. “Oh, she’s a good reason to hang out here. Is she your girlfriend?”
Max was suddenly jealous. He didn’t like the tone in the Ryan’s voice and felt the need to make sure Ryan knew where things stood. “Yeah, Liz is my girlfriend,” Max said, never taking his eyes off Liz as she approached. Max wished he could kiss Liz to reinforce his position in her life, but he settled for taking her hand when she was close enough.
“Hey Max,” Liz greeted warmly, even though she was surprised to see Max with someone she didn’t know. “Who’s your new friend?”
Max made the introduction, “Liz, this is Ryan. He just started over at the museum.”
“It’s nice to meet you Ryan,” Liz said.
“Nice to meet you Liz.” Ryan picked up the menu, “What would you recommend for a first-timer?”
“Well the special today is the Flying Saucer Platter; chicken strips, cheese sticks and onion petals with ranch and horseradish sauce,” Liz said.
“That sounds great,” Ryan said. “I’ll have a Coke too.”
Max released her hand so Liz could write their order on her pad.
She made a brief note for Ryan’s order and looked at Max, “The usual, Max?”
Max smiled, almost grateful for Liz’s implied intimacy. “Yeah. Thanks Liz.”
Liz crossed to the kitchen to put the orders in and was stopped by Maria.
“Who’s the guy with Max?”
“He just started at the museum,” Liz said. “I guess Max is showing him around.”
“I wouldn’t mind showing him around,” Maria said. “He’s quite a babe.”
“What?” Michael asked huffily, as he caught the end of Maria’s sentence. “Who’s a babe?”
“Down, Spaceboy,” Maria laughed. “I was just saying Max’s new friend is cute.”
Michael looked past the girls to where Max was sitting. “Who is that guy? And what’s he doing with Max?”
Liz sighed, “His name is Ryan.”
“He works at the museum,” Maria finished.
“Why is Max hanging out with him?” Michael grunted.
“I don’t know,” Maria hissed. “Why don’t you ask him?”
She was saved from any more of his questions as their attention was diverted to the door.
Isabel came in and took a seat at the counter, not realizing Max was there because his back was to the door.
Ryan’s gaze followed Isabel across the room and then he turned back to Max. “This really is the place to hang out. All the babes come here. Did you see that blonde that just walked in?”
“That’s my sister,” Max said with an edge in his voice.
“Whoa, sorry man,” Ryan apologized. “I didn’t mean anything.”
At that moment Max saw Liz motion to their table alerting Isabel to his presence, and his sister hopped off the stool and slid into the booth next to him.
She addressed Ryan, “Liz tells me you’re the newest employee at the museum,” she said with a smile. “Ryan right? I’m Isabel, Max’s sister.”
“Uh, yeah, hi,” Ryan stammered, obviously smitten.
Isabel pulled at Max’s sleeve, “Ryan, can you excuse us for a minute? Family business.”
Max rolled his eyes at the sharp tone in his sister’s voice. “I’ll be right back.” He followed Isabel to the counter where the others were waiting.
Michael was the first to speak, “Maxwell, what the hell are you doing with this guy?”
“He’s new in town and he doesn’t have any friends,” Max said.
“So what, you’re the freaking welcome wagon now?” Michael asked.
Max sighed, “Brody asked me to show him around at the museum and he just followed me over here for lunch. It’s not a big deal.”
Michael nodded, “Okay, but just don’t let him think he’s going to join the group or anything.”
“And how am I going to do that, Michael?” Max asked.
“You be rude to him,” Michael said. “Let him know he’s not wanted. We can’t take the risk of letting anyone new in.”
“Michael,” Maria scolded.
Max rolled his eyes, “Michael not every new person in town is an enemy alien.”
Michael shook his head, “I know that, but we’ve got our training to concentrate on, not to mention Khivar might send troops to invade Earth at any minute. We don’t have time to be babysitting some lonely UFO geek.”
“Even though I don’t agree with Michael’s methods,” Isabel said, “I do agree we can’t let anyone else in Max.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, July 21st, 2001)
Kyle and Isabel followed the other two couples into the bowling alley for their Saturday evening out.
Kyle smiled watching Max and Liz and Michael and Maria. It made him feel good that things were getting normal again and he was glad his friends could find some happiness. Of course, seeing the couples did reinforce the fact that he was alone, and so was Isabel.
He glanced at her walking beside him. She was beautiful and smart, not to mention an alien Princess, and he admitted he had a bit of a crush on her. But Kyle knew Isabel wasn’t ready for anything other than friendship. She was still getting over Alex’s death.
But friendship was one thing Kyle could offer. He turned to her as they approached the door, “Isabel I don’t want this to come out the wrong way but I was thinking, with the two couples, you and I kind of get left together anyway. So I propose we make it a standing arrangement. We could be like buddies. Any time either of us needs a partner, for a game or a movie or whatever, we both have a friend who is willing.”
Isabel turned to him but was interrupted by Maria, “So Isabel are you on our team or is Kyle?”
Isabel smiled and put an arm around Kyle’s shoulder, “Actually, Kyle and I are teaming up to show you guys how this game is played. Right partner?”
Kyle smiled, “You got it buddy.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Wednesday, July 25th, 2001)
(Crashdown Café)
Liz was stacking the dishes from the last dirty table into the brimming tub, when the bell over the door sounded, drawing her attention. But when she saw who it was, she sighed wearily. “Sean we’re closed.”
“You know I didn’t come to eat, Liz,” Sean said.
Liz turned her back on him and continued bussing the table. “Well then you might as well go, because I don’t want to talk to you about my relationship with Max.”
“Liz, just listen to me…” Sean started only to have her cut him off.
“Sean we don’t have anything to talk about,” Liz said over her shoulder as she hefted the heavy tub of dishes and headed toward the back. “There is nothing you can say that will make me leave Max.”
Sean was incensed that Liz could dismiss him so easily. He grabbed her arm and spun her toward him, causing her to lose her grip on the tub and it crashed heavily to the floor, sending dishes and food everywhere.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Max and Ryan exited the UFO museum and Max naturally looked to the Crashdown to see if Liz was still there. He spotted her instantly but she wasn’t alone. Sean was there, and for a moment Max wondered what he was doing with her. Max watched as Sean grabbed Liz and jerked her toward him, sending a bucket of dishes crashing to the ground, and an overwhelming rage rose up with Max that Sean would even dare to touch her. “That bastard,” Max ground out.
“What?” Ryan asked, confused.
Max didn’t answer. He sprinted across the street and burst through the Crashdown’s door. “What the hell are you doing, Sean?”
Sean turned toward Max and let go of Liz’s arm.
Ryan came through the door just behind Max but he tripped and fell to the floor. Max helped Ryan up and turned back to Sean.
Sean laughed as Max advanced toward him. “Oh, aren’t you the big man? Come running in here with your army to save your woman,” Sean said sarcastically. “Calm down, Evans. We were just talking.”
Max crossed to Liz, struggling to keep his anger in check but he saw Liz rubbing her arm and was instantly furious again. “I don’t know what you were talking about, but you hurt Liz.”
Sean looked at Liz and was instantly apologetic, “I’m sorry Liz. I didn’t mean to. I just wanted to talk to you.”
Liz sighed, “Sean, I already told you, we don’t have anything to talk about.”
Max knew Liz didn’t want him fighting her battles for her, and even though he wanted to drop-kick Sean out the door, he held his tongue.
Sean motioned to Ryan standing near the door. “So Evans did you bring your friend here because you knew you couldn’t take me alone?”
Max surged forward but Liz’s hand was instantly on his arm. “Stop it! Both of you,” she said.
Max felt all of the anger drain out of him at Liz’s touch and she took his hand in hers as she continued, “Sean, it’s been a long day. Why don’t you just go home?”
Sean looked down at Max’s hand clasped in Liz’s and knew he had lost this round, but he wasn’t giving up. “Okay, I’m going. And I really am sorry about your arm.”
Ryan stepped aside to let Sean pass and nearly fell back into a booth. He regained his balance and waited until the door closed. “Who was that guy?”
Liz smiled grimly. “A persistent admirer who won’t take no for an answer.”
“An admirer,” Ryan said woodenly. “He hurt you.”
“It’ll be okay,” Liz assured him. “It’s nothing really. So what are you two doing here anyway?”
“We were locking up the museum when I saw Sean grab you,” Max said softly.
“And you came running to the rescue?” Liz asked, looking between Max and Ryan.
Ryan smiled, “I couldn’t just stand by and watch a lady in distress.” He motioned to the mess on the floor, “Can I help with the clean-up?”
“No thanks,” Liz said with a smile. “We’ll get it.”
Ryan nodded, “I can see that everything is well in hand, so I’ll say goodnight.”
Max followed him to the door. “Thanks Ryan, for worrying about Liz. She means a lot to me.”
“Anyone with eyes can see that,” Ryan said. “Catch you at work.”
Max locked the door behind Ryan and crossed to where Liz was already starting the cleanup. He knelt next to her and noticed an angry red mark spreading across the pale skin of her arm. “Liz, let me check your arm.”
“It’s nothing really,” Liz said, dismissing his concern.
He placed a hand under her chin and raised her face to his, “Please, Liz.”
Liz held out her arm and Max laid his hand over the reddened area, gently soothing it away with his powers.
“Thanks,” Liz said.
“What did Sean want to talk to you about?”
“I don’t know,” she said with a shrug. “You and Ryan came in before he got to his point.”
Max scowled, “You must have some idea. I got the impression this wasn’t the first time.”
Liz continued to gather pieces of broken dishes into the tub, avoiding Max’s gaze.
But Max wasn’t going to let her get away that easily. With one swipe of his hand, Max mended all the dishes, stacked everything into the tub and cleaned the floor.
“Liz,” he said again, encouraging her to talk to him.
Liz lifted the tub onto the counter and looked him in the eyes. “It’s not the first time, Max,” she admitted. “Sean came to me a couple of weeks ago and tried to open my eyes about you.”
“He did what?”
“I guess he’s been asking around about you, trying to find out something that will make me turn away from you,” Liz said.
“This is bad, Liz. What didn’t you tell me?”
“Because there is nothing we can do about it,” Liz said simply. “I knew you would get mad, but then what Max? Don’t you see, the best thing we can do is nothing? There is nothing for Sean to discover other than a few rumors. He can’t turn me away from you and he’ll soon see he’s wasting his time.”
Max nodded knowing she was right, but one of Liz’s phrases struck him, “What rumors did he hear?”
Liz tried to make it sound like no big deal, even though the words she was about to speak had been tearing her apart for weeks. “Well, I guess some people at school are speculating on the reason for Tess’ sudden departure from Roswell, and quite a few of them think she left town because you got her pregnant.”
Max was suddenly paranoid, “Liz, how does anyone know that?”
“I don’t know that anyone does know for sure,” Liz said with a shrug. “Maybe they just put two and two together, or maybe Tess told people she was p-pregnant.”
Max felt tears prick his eyes, hearing the pain in Liz’s voice. He had said sorry so many times but it never felt like enough.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sean walked down the street to where he had parked his car and reached for the door handle only to be stopped by a voice behind him.
“You’ll never convince Liz that way,” John said.
Sean turned to face John, “And what do you suggest?”
“Find out what they are doing,” John urged. “I’ll lend you my car and you can follow them on Saturday. Expose Max and Liz will be yours.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Neither Sean or John noticed the figure watching them from the shadows.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
TBC
Best Pre-Pilot or Backstory
Best Angsty Fic
Best Fight Scene
Best Fic that kept you on the edge of your seat
Only 3 days left to Vote!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
BOOK 10 - MAJESTY’S MORASS (WHAT HAPPENS NOW, MAX?)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
PART 4
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Tuesday, July 4th, 2001)
(Copper Summit, AZ)
Nicholas passed his hand over the communications controls and waited for his master to answer.
Corporal Raltos slumped forward and then sat upright and Nicholas knew Khivar had taken over the body.
“My liege,” Nicholas started formally, “I am pleased to announce the arrival of the two-hundred new troops.”
“Excellent,” Khivar said. “I had the engineers make a few improvements to the ship while it was here and now with the power of the Granolith, the trip between Earth and Antar only takes a few hours.”
“That is excellent,” Nicholas agreed. “It will be much easier to build up the number of troops on Earth.”
Khivar shook his head, “For now, I am not sending a large force to Earth. We will wait and see if this plan is successful before committing more troops.”
“I am sure you are right, Sir,” Nicholas said. “The new troops arrived almost without incident and the plan will start on schedule.”
“Almost without incident?” Khivar asked, immediately picking up on Nicholas’ wording.
“There was an accident last night after the troops arrived,” Nicholas reported. “They were getting settled into their houses in Copper Summit and somehow a fire broke out. Two soldiers were killed, but they were only minor technicians, nothing that can’t be easily replaced. We are investigating the cause of the fire but it looks like they were simply too unfamiliar with the husks, and the workings of a human household, and the gas flame on the stove caught them unawares.”
Khivar shook his head, “Make sure the others are properly trained. We don’t want any more stupid accidents to ruin our plan.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Wednesday, July 5th, 2001)
(The Evans House – Isabel’s Room)
Isabel had worked at least an hour, every day for weeks on her memory recovery, but she had never experienced any success apart from the brief vision she’d gotten. Even Michael had experienced some general feelings and impressions of Antar and Isabel was frustrated at her lack of progress.
But as her frustration grew, so did her anxiety. Isabel started to worry that subconsciously she didn’t want to remember. Congresswoman Whitaker had told her she had betrayed her family, her brother, and Isabel was afraid of what she would discover about her past life. But no matter what her other self had done in the past, she was free of guilt, and knowing the truth about what had happened might give them insight on how to stop Khivar.
Isabel felt a shiver of reaction race through her at just the thought of his name. If what Whitaker and Nicholas said was true, Khivar had been her lover and the reason she had betrayed her people, and Isabel admitted to herself that she was afraid of recovering her memories of him.
Her one glimpse of her other life had included a man, and even though she had no proof, she was sure it was Khivar. It made her feel terribly guilty that she hadn’t remembered her mother or father or brother. Her first recovered memory had been of her lover.
Isabel took a deep breath and tried to push her anxieties aside as she started her meditation. The intense concentration she had attempted in the last few weeks had not yielded anything so she changed her technique. Ridding her mind of all thoughts, Isabel opened herself to the dark void of the past, simply letting her mind take her where it wanted to go.
After only a few moments, Isabel realized she could hear the sound of the ocean lapping gently on the beach. It was a soft, relaxing sound and it should have been calming but she felt nervous, excited. A warm breeze blew past her bare shoulders, making her hair swirl and dance and she cold feel the heavy length of it brush of it all the way down her back, longer than her hair had ever been in this lifetime.
The realization thrilled her and at the same time worried her, but she stubbornly worked to let more of the memory into her conscious mind. She could see nothing, but she was sure it was night and more sensations rushed into her mind as if she were there.
The sorrowful song of a night bird echoed in the distance as she walked away from the unmistakable sounds of a party. A warm hand rested on her waist, gently guiding her across uneven ground. A rush of emotions assailed her and Isabel knew she would have gone anywhere her companion suggested. She felt the touch of his hand on her face and words echoed in her mind in an unfamiliar language, but somehow Isabel knew what they meant.
“You are incredibly beautiful,” her companion whispered and Isabel felt another shiver of reaction.
He leaned in for a kiss but Isabel knew it was wrong and heard the words she had spoken so long ago. “Please don't. My father would not approve."
But her companion didn’t listen and she felt his arms around her, pulling her closer. She trembled in anticipation of his kiss but she knew it shouldn't happen. Her voice was barely a whisper between them. "Please, Khivar."
Then she felt his lips on hers and the overwhelming maelstrom of emotions that rushed through her scared her more than anything she had ever experienced. Forcefully Isabel shut off the memory as she raised a shaky hand to her lips, where she could still feel the kiss.
This one taste of the past made her doubt herself more than anything else ever could have. The feelings she had experienced for Khivar had been so powerful that Isabel was afraid of what she would have done for him. She was afraid to discover anything more and vowed never to attempt recovering her past again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Crashdown Cafe)
Maria looked up when the bell above the door announced the arrival of a customer and smiled broadly when she saw who it was. “Brody, it’s good to see you.”
Brody smiled, “I decided to come over here for dinner today.”
Maria nodded her approval, “Well you do need to get out of that dungeon every once in a while.”
“I have been working a lot lately,” Brody admitted.
“Something happening?” Maria asked, trying not to seem too interested.
“No, not really,” Brody said with a sigh. “When my team was going over the readings from the tracking stations, they found an anomaly in the desert outside of town on May 19th.”
“May 19th,” Maria said with a squeak, remembering the day Tess had left in the Granolith. She cleared her throat and struggled to get her voice under control. “What kind of anomaly?”
“Well, there were some unusual readings but it turned out to be nothing, just a glitch in the equipment.”
“Oh,” Maria said relieved, but she feigned disappointment, “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Yeah,” Brody said. “I thought we were on to something, you know. I have all of this great equipment and employees searching twenty-four hours a day. I thought we would have found something by now but there hasn’t really been any activity since last year.”
“I’m sorry, Brody, I know how disappointed you must be. But one of these days I know you’ll find what you’re looking for.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, July 7th, 2001)
(The Evans House)
“The pizza’s here,” Isabel called out. She carefully threaded her way past everyone and placed the boxes on the dining room table. “There’s cheese, vegetarian, combo, and of course meat lover’s for Michael. We also got hot wings and bread sticks.”
The six of them passed around plates and helped themselves to food, and the debate started about which movie to watch.
“The Princess Bride,” Maria suggested.
Michael and Kyle exchanged a grimace and Kyle groaned, “No chick flicks. Let’s have some action.”
“I brought Braveheart,” Michael said.
Maria booed and Isabel threw a balled-up napkin at him, “Not Braveheart again.”
“Okay,” Michael said, “what about the Patriot?”
Kyle turned to Maria, “Does he have a weird Mel Gibson fetish or something?”
Maria rolled her eyes, “Don’t even ask.”
Max and Liz stood to the side and watched the others arguing about the movie choices. Max spoke softly so only Liz could hear, “It was a good idea to get together tonight.”
Liz shrugged, “I thought we could all use a little fun for a change.”
“And it will help the group bond,” Max added. “Maybe we should schedule an evening just for fun. You know, have a standing date, and we could do different things like bowling or movies or something. Saturday nights would be perfect.”
Liz turned to him and studied his face until Max grew uncomfortable, “What is it Liz?”
“I guess I just realized how much you’ve matured in the last year. You’re really growing into your role as the leader.”
Max shook his head, “I don’t feel mature and I certainly don’t feel like a leader. Half the time, I don’t really know what I’m doing. I just try to do what’s best and keep everyone safe.”
Liz nodded, “You’re a good man, Max. A good friend and a good person, and that’s why you’ll be a good King.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The figure quietly climbed the ladder onto Liz’s balcony and crossed to the window. He was pleasantly surprised to find it unlocked and slipped easily inside. Liz’s room was dark but there was no one home and he switched on a light, unafraid of being seen.
He quickly opened drawer after drawer, sifting carefully through Liz’s belongings. He tried the closet and then under the bed but he didn’t find what he was searching for.
Finally he opened the small drawer on the bedside table and carefully extracted a small strip of photos that had obviously been taken in a photo booth. There were three shots on the strip of a smiling Liz and Max Evans.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Evans House)
Maria had sensed that Liz was somewhat subdued, and when her friend headed toward the bathroom, Maria followed. “Liz, do you want to tell me what’s going on.”
Liz shook her head, “Nothing.”
“Liz, I know you better than that,” Maria insisted. “Is it you and Max?”
“No, not at all,” Liz denied instantly. “At first, he was really anxious to get things back to the way they used to be between us, but he has really calmed down. It’s been nice just letting our friendship grow again and we are getting closer.
“But there is something wrong,” Maria pressed.
Liz sighed, “Really there’s nothing specific. It’s just this feeling I have. I can’t say why but I’m worried about everyone.”
“Now that Khivar has the Granolith, I thought he would leave us alone,” Maria said.
“We don’t know that for sure,” Liz said. “Their world has been at war for over fifty years. It would help secure Khivar’s position if all of Max’s family and supporters were… um… out of the way.”
“You mean dead,” Maria clarified. “You think that’s why Khivar took over the Earth in the other time, don’t you? And you think he’ll do it again.”
Liz shook her head, “No. No, I don’t.”
“Have you told Max about this?” Maria asked. “I mean what are we going to do?”
“I haven’t really discussed it with Max but I’m sure he’s thinking the same thing. That’s why he has us practicing our powers and why we are getting the book translated. So we are prepared as we can be if something does happen.”
“So this bad feeling you have,” Maria persisted, “is it related to Khivar?”
“No, I don’t think so,” Liz said. “I can’t pinpoint anything specific but I just have the feeling that something is wrong.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Isabel got another two-liter of soda from the kitchen and headed back into the living room. Kyle, Max and Michael were laughing, making jokes and Isabel stopped just around the corner to watch.
“They look like they’re having a good time,” Alex said over her shoulder.
“Yeah,” Isabel agreed. “It’s good to see them laughing. It’s been a while.”
“They’re getting over my death and over the betrayal. Moving on with their lives. Healing.” He placed his hand on Isabel’s shoulder, turning her to look at him. “And so are you.”
“No,” Isabel instantly denied. “I’ll never forget you.”
“Of course not,” Alex agreed. “Healing doesn’t mean forgetting, it just means living.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Thursday, July 12th, 2001)
(Crashdown Café)
Sean waited until everyone had left, and Liz was the only one in the Crashdown before knocking on the locked door.
Liz turned to the door, recognized Sean and crossed to him. She unlocked the door and opened it half way, “Sean the kitchen is closed.”
Sean pushed past her and into the dining room. “Good, because I didn’t come to eat.”
Liz sighed, “Look Sean it’s late and…”
“This is important,” Sean insisted.
Liz sank down into one of the booths. “Okay.”
“I’ve found out some things Liz, and you need to hear them,” Sean started.
Liz sat forward, suddenly concerned, “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about Max.”
Liz felt herself go cold, “What about Max?”
“I’ve been asking around and I’ve got some pretty convincing evidence that Max isn’t such a great guy.”
Liz breathed a sigh of relief but rose from the table. “Sean you have no right to investigate Max. He is none of your business.”
“It is my business because I care about you and I don’t want you to get hurt. Max was stringing you on before. How do you know he isn’t doing it again?”
Liz shook her head. “You have no idea what you’re talking about, Sean. Max isn’t like that.”
“Well Liz, maybe Max isn’t the guy you think he is.”
“You should go now Sean,” Liz said, heading toward the door.
Sean followed her. “Liz you never told me why you came to the bowling alley the night of the prom but I could tell you were hurting. I know you went to the dance with Max but he didn’t take you home, so something happened between you two that night. I’ve been asking around, and some people saw him kissing a blonde named Tess at the prom.”
Liz felt tears prick her eyes as the painful memories came rushing back and ducked her head so Sean wouldn’t see.
Sean could see her pain and knew he was finally getting through to her. “Your incredibly honerable guy was kissing another girl at the prom he took you to.” Sean didn’t want to hurt her but he continued ruthlessly, “And it’s not even like they were trying to hide it, were they? They were right there in front of everyone, just like Max didn’t even care if you saw them. And people saw you witness the kiss and run out of the building.”
“Please go,” Liz whispered.
Sean took her chin in his hand and lifted her head, forcing her to look at him. “Tess and Max were together after that, weren’t they? People saw them together a lot and she was always hanging on him.”
Liz wiped the tears from her cheeks. “That is in the past, Sean. T-Tess left town.”
“Yeah,” Sean agreed, “she left pretty quickly didn’t she? Tess didn’t wait the couple of weeks until school ended, didn’t tell anyone she was going. People talked about that too. Some of the crazier theories have her running off to join a cult or abducted by aliens. One guy I talked to thinks Max murdered Tess and buried the body in the desert. But the leading theory seems to be that Max got her pregnant, and she left either to get an abortion or have the baby somewhere else.”
Liz was incapable of speech she was so dumbfounded and merely shook her head. Sean had come very close to the truth.
Sean continued, “The timing is about right too. If Max was cheating on you with Tess before the prom, she could have discovered she was pregnant and left in May.” His voice softened, “Liz you’re a smart girl. Why are you staying with someone who would do that to you? Max stole you from Kyle. Maybe he’s one of those guys that’s just into the chase and as soon as he has you again, you’ll find him making out with another busty blonde.”
His words angered Liz and she jerked her head away. “Max didn’t steal me from anyone. I am not a possession. And not that it’s any of your business, but Kyle and I weren’t going anywhere so I broke up with him. Max and I didn’t get together until later.” She sighed, “Sean you don’t know everything that happened and I’m not going to explain it to you but I will say that there is nothing you can tell me about Max.”
“But Liz,” Sean started, only to be interrupted.
“Sean, I don’t know if Max and I will make it but we’re going to try again and there is nothing you can say to change my mind.” She motioned to the door.
Sean studied her for a moment, saw that he wasn’t getting through to her and walked outside. He stood on the dark sidewalk and watched as Liz turned off the lights and went into the back. “Maybe I can’t change your mind about Max yet, but this isn’t over.”
He turned toward home, walking slowly but he didn’t get more than a few steps before someone called his name.
“Sean DeLuca.”
Sean turned in the direction he had heard the voice, but saw no one. “Who’s there?”
A man stepped out of the shadows that Sean didn’t recognize. “Do I know you?“ he asked.
The man shook his head, “No, but I think we can help one another.”
“What makes you think that?” Sean asked sarcastically.
“You want Max out of Liz’s life and if you help me expose him I guarantee that will happen.”
Sean’s brow knotted, “Expose him doing what?”
The man leaned in closer. “Haven’t you ever noticed anything odd about Max?”
The night Brody held them hostage in the UFO museum immediately flashed into Sean’s mind but he stalled, “Maybe.”
The man smiled, “Why don’t you tell me everything you know?”
“Let’s take it slow pal,” Sean said. “Who are you exactly?”
“Does it really matter, if you get what you want?”
Sean shrugged, “So what do I call you?”
“Why don’t you just call me, John?”
It was obviously a false name but Sean nodded. “And what’s in it for you, John? What do you have against Max?”
John smiled, “Let’s just say I owe him one.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Friday, July 13th, 2001)
(The Parker House – Liz’s Room)
There was a light knock at Liz’s door and she looked up from the book she was reading in bed. “Come in.”
Her mother entered and sat next to her. “Can we talk about something?”
Liz closed the book and focused on her mother. “Sure, Mom.”
“I, um, noticed that you have been spending more time with Max again,” Nancy started, trying to sound casual, “alone.”
Liz nodded, “Yeah.”
“I know you two had broken up, but now you’re back together?”
“It’s really complicated, Mom,” Liz said, “but yeah, we’re trying again.”
“So what kind of complications are there?” Nancy asked. “Did he pressure you to, um, do things you didn’t want to do?”
Liz smiled at the uncomfortable tone in her mother’s voice. “No it’s nothing like that. Max would never do anything like that. He’s a good guy.”
“So what did happen between you?”
Liz sobered suddenly, shaking her head, “That’s between me and Max, Mom and we are working through it.”
Nancy nodded. “Liz I really meant it when I said you could talk to me about everything. I want you to feel that I’m here for you.”
“I do, Mom,” Liz assured her.
Her mother gave her a quick hug and Liz waited until she had left the room and closed the door behind her. “I wish I could talk to you about everything, Mom. But no matter how much I want to, there are just some things I can’t tell you.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, July 14th, 2001)
(Michael’s Apartment Complex)
The man waited outside the apartment complex until Michael had driven away with a girl in a red Jetta, then he easily picked the shabby lock on Michael’s door and slipped inside.
Carefully he searched through Michael’s belongings, making sure to put everything back where it came from. But he stopped when he discovered some photos in a drawer. He sifted through them slowly, looking on the backs of some of the photos and then replaced them into the drawer.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Quarry)
For the day’s training, Max had separated the groups into boys and girls. He and Michael were honing their marksmanship on the quarry’s many rocks, Kyle was meditating, while Isabel, Maria and Liz were attempting to discover her unique ability.
Liz addressed Isabel, “How did you, Michael and Max figure out your powers?”
Isabel shrugged, “It was all by accident. Max healed a pigeon in the park and that was the first time we knew we had powers. I discovered my dream walking the same way. It just happened one night.”
“But I haven’t had any experiences like that.” Liz said. “I have to really concentrate to use my powers.”
“What about when you contacted Max in New York?” Maria asked. “You didn’t know you had powers then.”
“I was going on a lot of faith and desperation and Isabel was helping me,” Liz said.
Isabel shook her head. “I helped you focus at first, but then it was all you, Liz. You went farther than I ever could have.”
“But I don’t even really know what happened,” Liz protested.
“Maybe that is her special power,” Maria suggested. “She can send her mind or her spirit or something, to other places.”
The suggestion shocked Liz. “Astral projection?”
“It could be,” Isabel agreed. “Why don’t we work on it and see what happens?”
“Okay,” Liz nodded in agreement. “How do we start?”
“Do you remember what it felt like the night you contacted Max?” Isabel asked.
“Yeah, I focused on Max, tried to feel him with my mind. Then it felt like I was flying really fast to where he was.”
“And when you saw him?” Isabel asked. “What happened?”
“I was suddenly on a street and I saw him and tried to call him but I wasn’t making any sound. I waved and finally he saw me.”
“Okay,” Isabel said. “Why don’t we try it again. Maria can go over behind those big rocks and I will help you focus on her.”
Maria nodded and left them and Isabel waited until she was out of sight to start. “Take my hands, Liz. I’ll start a connection between us and well both focus on Maria, her essence, the part of her that is uniquely Maria.”
Liz grasped Isabel’s hands and nodded. She took a deep breath and shut her eyes as the connection came to life with a rush of images.
Isabel gasped when Liz’s memories and emotions slammed into her and suddenly dropped her hands.
Liz’s eyes snapped open. “What’s wrong Isabel?” she asked concerned.
Isabel grasped at her chest, breathing heavily. “The other time we did this, you were shielding me from your mind and I wondered why, but it was because…” she trailed off as tears pricked her eyes.
Liz instantly understood. “I didn’t block you this time and you saw my memories of what happened with the other Max,” she said softly.
“It was so awful for you,” Isabel whispered. ”The things you had to say to Max while loving him so much and the way he treated you after. I don’t know how you did it.”
Tears started in Liz’s eyes as Isabel continued. “I’m glad you are able to be together. Love like you and Max share shouldn’t be denied. I know I was horrible to you at first Liz, but I really see now how good you and Max are for each other.”
Liz pulled Isabel into a hug, “Thank you.”
They released one another and Isabel wiped her eyes, “Maria’s going to wonder what we’re doing.” She held out her hands again, “Let’s try again.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Michael took careful aim and blasted a single rock in the middle of a pile. “So how are things going with you and Liz?” he asked Max casually.
Even though Max didn’t have a destructive power like Michael’s, he had figured out how to use his shield to hit things. He held up his hand and used his shield to punch a hole through a rock and then turned to Michael with a shrug, “Okay, I guess.”
“Nice,” Michael said, indicating Max’s rock. “So no thawing of the ice then, huh?”
Max glanced over to where Liz and Isabel were sitting, and then back at Michael. “I don’t want to move too fast, or push her. After everything that happened, I’m just grateful she’s even speaking to me.”
Michael nodded. “You, um, ever wonder about your son? I mean what he looks like, what’s happening?”
Max sighed, “All the time.”
Michael indicated Liz with a jut of his chin, “That’s got to be a sore subject between you.”
Max looked at the ground. “Liz has asked me about him a couple of times but I don’t really want her to have to relive that pain, so I don’t talk to her about it.”
“Well if you need to talk about your son or Tess or anything,” Michael said, “you know you can talk to me, right?”
Max nodded, “Thanks.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The first few times, Liz had used Isabel’s help to get started. She had focused on Maria, like she had done before with Max, and suddenly found herself standing next to her best friend. But she had only seen Maria for a moment before she felt herself fall back into her body, and Maria had not seen her.
“Try it on your own,” Isabel suggested. “I think you’re ready to solo.”
Liz closed her eyes again and this time focused on Maria. Again she appeared next to her best friend, and this time Liz concentrated on making Maria see her. Strange sensations assailed Liz as she fixated her entire attention and she could literally feel herself solidifying.
Liz’s sudden appearance startled Maria but then her curiosity took over and she reached out to touch her. “Wow, that’s really cool, you’re like a ghost, I can see right through you. Can you hear me Liz?” she asked as her hand passed through Liz’s shoulder.
Liz nodded, “Yeah.”
Maria shook her head, “Sorry babe, no sound.”
Liz concentrated harder attempting to make herself more solid. “Now Maria?”
Maria jumped up, clapping her hands. “I heard you say Maria, and you almost looked solid for a minute.”
A sudden wave of weariness overcame Liz and she let herself slip back into her body, but the sudden transition made her dizzy and she swayed to the side.
Isabel caught her easily, “Whoa, are you okay?”
Liz nodded, “Yeah, just tired and kind of dizzy.”
“Do you want me to get Max?” Isabel asked, already rising.
Liz put a hand on Isabel’s arm. “No it’s okay. I’ll be fine.”
Maria came running from behind the rocks, whooping with laughter. “I saw her that time and she said my name.”
Max, Michael and Kyle, alerted by Maria’s antics, came running.
“What happened?” Kyle asked.
“It was so cool,” Maria started. “At first I couldn’t see her but then she was like a ghost. I could see right through her and I heard her speak.”
”What is she talking about?” Michael asked Isabel.
“It looks like Liz has the power of astral projection,” Isabel said casually. “But it takes a lot out of her.”
Max knelt in front of Liz. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. It was just like nothing I’ve ever experienced before,” she said and then quickly amended herself. “Well, okay, once before.”
“And you nearly fainted that time too,” Michael pointed out.
Max extended a tentative hand toward Liz. “Maybe I should check you…”
“It’s nothing,” Liz assured them. “It’ll just take a bit of getting used to.”
“Okay,” Max agreed. “But be careful when you are practicing. Don’t over-tire yourself. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sean stopped his car on the side of the highway and pressed speed dial on the new cell phone John had given him.
The phone was answered immediately, “Yes.”
“It’s Sean. I tried to follow them today but I lost them.”
“You lost them?” John asked incredulously. “How do you lose anyone in the desert?”
“I had to hang back enough so they wouldn’t see me. It’s not just flat desert and straight road, you know. The highway curves and there are rocks and trees and hills blocking my view and when I got a clear view again, the Jeep and Jetta were gone.”
“You couldn’t tell where they’d turned?” John asked.
“That whole area is riddled with Jeep tracks and old roads that go out into the desert and up the hills. There was no way to tell where they went. I tried a few roads but I didn’t see anyone.”
“Damn,” John cursed. “We need to find out what they are doing. Max lives a normal life in town. Those trips into the desert are definitely the key.”
“You keep saying that,” Sean said, “but you won’t even give me an idea of what they might be doing. What is it? Drugs or some kind of cult? Brainwashing?”
“I’m not exactly sure myself,” John admitted, “but I know Max Evans, and you can be sure that it’s big.”
“But Liz goes with them,” Sean protested. “If she knows about it already, how is exposing Max going to turn her against him?”
“Like I already told you,” John said slowly, “I doubt Liz knows the whole story or if she does, she probably doesn’t want to be involved. You told me yourself that Liz went back to Max under suspicious circumstances and seemed reluctant to be with him. It’s possible he’s holding something over her, forcing her to stay with him. If you free her, you’ll be her hero.”
“Okay,” Sean agreed. “But you know their schedule as well as I do. They go out Saturday and Wednesday. I’ll just have to try again.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Crashdown Café)
Liz waved to Max and Isabel as they drove away and let out a deep breath. She had worked hard all day to not let the others see how exhausted the astral projection had made her. Letting herself in the back, Liz slowly climbed the stairs, hoping she wouldn’t see anyone.
Entering the kitchen she saw a note on the table her parents had left, telling her they were at the store. Relieved that she wouldn’t have to explain her weariness, Liz went in her room and sank down onto her bed. She knew if she told Max how much the new power took out of her, he would be worried and perhaps even try to stop her from developing it. But Liz had a feeling it could be important to them and she couldn’t let Max or anyone else interfere.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Monday, July 16th, 2001)
(The Evans House)
A figure watched from across the street as first Mr. and Mrs. Evans drove away and then as Max and Isabel climbed into the new Jeep. He waited until they had driven down the street and disappeared around the corner before he exited his car.
With a quick glance up and down the road, he slipped into the yard and through the unlocked gate, closing it softly behind him. And now that he was free of the prying eyes of the neighbors, he took his time opening one of the ground floor bedroom windows.
Climbing inside, it only took a cursory glance to determine that this was not the room he was looking for. There was a collection of perfumes and makeup on a dressing table and girls clothes flung haphazardly on the flowery bedspread. This was obviously Isabel’s room.
He proceeded into the hallway and found the room he was looking for after only one wrong turn. The spartan furniture and brown plaid bedclothes immediately alerted him to the fact that this was Max’s room.
With practiced hands, he sifted quickly through the room’s contents, slowing his pace only when he discovered a small velvet-covered box in a dresser drawer. He withdrew the box and opened it, revealing a necklace; two heart charms on either side of a star, engraved with the names Max and Liz. He closed the box and replaced it, shutting the drawer.
And then finishing his search, he quietly left the house.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Parker House – Liz’s Room)
Liz’s alarm sounded, waking her from a fevered sleep. She reached over and quickly silenced the buzzing, hoping it hadn’t awakened her parents. It was only two-thirty in the morning and she had specifically chosen the time hoping that Max would be asleep and she could practice her astral projection on him.
She had practiced on Isabel and Maria the previous two nights, visiting their bedsides in the middle of the night. But she had only been able to hold on for a few minutes until exhaustion had overtaken her and she was forced to return to her body. Liz was hoping to build up her strength quickly so her friends would never know how much her new power was taking out of her.
Propping up the pillows behind her, Liz leaned back and closed her eyes. She focused on Max, on the part of him that was unique and made him who he was. The now familiar flying sensation washed quickly over her and when it passed, she opened her eyes to find herself standing in Max’s room.
He was in bed, clad only in a t-shirt and boxers and soundly asleep. Liz could see the gentle rise of his chest as he breathed and she knelt on the floor next to him, envying his deep slumber. Over the last few weeks she had been plagued by dreams she couldn’t remember, and they filled her with an ever-increasing feeling of dread.
But she didn’t know what to do about them. After all, they were only dreams, and an amorphous feeling of impending doom wasn’t exactly the kind of thing that could be researched. She released a sigh, knowing exactly what Michael would say, hearing his sarcastic tone in her head.
You want us to be on alert because you have a bad feeling. You’ve got to be kidding, Liz.
And maybe he was right. Maybe she was just feeling her own anxiety about everything that was happening. It hadn’t exactly been a relaxing year with all the group had been through; Congresswoman Whitaker, future Max’s visitation, the skins, the dupes, Laurie’s kidnapping, the Ganderium, the horror of Alex’s death and Tess’ pregnancy. And even though Tess was gone and Liz knew she and Max could be together, there was still so much to work through.
Liz studied Max’s face, wishing with everything that was in her that things could have been different between them. They had been so close at one time, sharing everything, and she missed that desperately. She reached out to brush his bangs off his forehead but her fingers passed through his hair and she suddenly remembered she was not really there.
Glancing at the clock, Liz saw she had been in Max’s room for almost fifteen minutes and she didn’t even feel tired. The extra practice had been worth the restless nights, Liz mused. She was already increasing her time out of her body.
She took a final look at Max’s handsome face and leaned in to place a kiss on his forehead. For a second it felt a if her lips had actually touched him and as she let herself go back into her body, Liz swore she heard Max’s whispered voice.
“Liz.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Friday, July 20th, 2001)
(Roswell UFO Museum)
Max had just finished stuffing the intestines back in the alien model when he was distracted by an unfamiliar voice.
“Max Evans?”
“Yeah,” Max said as he turned. But instead of a customer, he was surprised to see a guy he didn’t recognize in the UFO museum uniform, gold vest. “You work here?” he asked.
The new guy smiled, “Just started today.” He held out a hand, “I’m Ryan MacGregor. Brody said you’re the guy to tell me all about this place.”
Max shook the proffered hand as he quickly sized up the new guy. Ryan was just taller than Max, but thinner and more gangly, like he hadn’t quite grown into his body yet. He had reddish blond hair and bright green eyes and he seemed to be about Max’s age.
Max smiled, “Yeah, I guess I’m one of the old-timers around here.”
“Great,” Ryan said. “I’m really looking forward to getting started. I’ve always been into aliens.”
“Yeah,” Max intoned blandly. “I’m surprised Brody hired anyone,” he mused, changing the subject. “He never said anything to me about needing more help.”
Ryan shrugged, “I don’t know. I just came in yesterday and Brody said I could start today.”
Max nodded, “Well let’s start over here with the depiction of the ’47 crash.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Valenti House)
Jim entered his house and turned on the light but stopped short as he noticed Kyle on the sofa.
Kyle opened his eyes, “Hey Dad. How was work?”
“Good,” Jim said with a nod, “Really good.” He quickly changed the subject, “Kyle you were sitting here with the lights off meditating?”
“Yeah,” Kyle said. “It really helps me focus.”
“You’ve been doing a lot of meditating lately, with your friends and alone.”
“I have to be ready when I get my powers. It would be pretty hard to explain to the FBI that your son has uncontrollable alien powers.”
Jim nodded, “I understand you want to be prepared but I’m worried that you, that all of you, are focusing so hard on this and you’re forgetting to be kids and have some fun.”
“It’s important Dad. Liz said the world ended in the other time and we have to be ready. Especially now that Tess betrayed us.”
Jim paused, looking down and then he looked back at Kyle. “We never really talked after we discovered the truth about her, did we?” Jim asked.
Kyle shrugged, “What’s there to talk about? We took her into our home, into our family, our hearts, and she used us and threw us aside.”
Jim sat down beside Kyle. “For a while there, I thought the two of you were getting close.”
“I thought so too…” Kyle trailed off. For a time, starting last Christmas, he thought he had really been in love with her. He shook his head, “But I realized I saw her more as a sister.”
Jim released a sign, “Sometimes Kyle, I’m sorry I got you involved in all this mess.”
Kyle shook his head, “I was angry for a while but a few things changed my mind. Hearing everything Liz sacrificed really put things into perspective for me. And there was something Alex said to me when we were trapped in the cave with the Ganderium crystals. We didn’t think we were going to make it out, but Alex wasn’t scared or angry. He said, we were part of this amazing thing, and he was right. Even with everything that has happened, I know Alex wouldn’t have traded his experience for anything, and neither would I.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Max held the door for Ryan, “This is the Crashdown. I eat here pretty much every day.”
“Is the food that good?” Ryan asked.
Max shrugged, as he slid into a booth, facing the back room. “Yeah, the food is fine but I come here because…” his sentence trailed off as Liz came into the dining room and smiled at him.
Ryan turned to follow Max’s gaze. “Oh, she’s a good reason to hang out here. Is she your girlfriend?”
Max was suddenly jealous. He didn’t like the tone in the Ryan’s voice and felt the need to make sure Ryan knew where things stood. “Yeah, Liz is my girlfriend,” Max said, never taking his eyes off Liz as she approached. Max wished he could kiss Liz to reinforce his position in her life, but he settled for taking her hand when she was close enough.
“Hey Max,” Liz greeted warmly, even though she was surprised to see Max with someone she didn’t know. “Who’s your new friend?”
Max made the introduction, “Liz, this is Ryan. He just started over at the museum.”
“It’s nice to meet you Ryan,” Liz said.
“Nice to meet you Liz.” Ryan picked up the menu, “What would you recommend for a first-timer?”
“Well the special today is the Flying Saucer Platter; chicken strips, cheese sticks and onion petals with ranch and horseradish sauce,” Liz said.
“That sounds great,” Ryan said. “I’ll have a Coke too.”
Max released her hand so Liz could write their order on her pad.
She made a brief note for Ryan’s order and looked at Max, “The usual, Max?”
Max smiled, almost grateful for Liz’s implied intimacy. “Yeah. Thanks Liz.”
Liz crossed to the kitchen to put the orders in and was stopped by Maria.
“Who’s the guy with Max?”
“He just started at the museum,” Liz said. “I guess Max is showing him around.”
“I wouldn’t mind showing him around,” Maria said. “He’s quite a babe.”
“What?” Michael asked huffily, as he caught the end of Maria’s sentence. “Who’s a babe?”
“Down, Spaceboy,” Maria laughed. “I was just saying Max’s new friend is cute.”
Michael looked past the girls to where Max was sitting. “Who is that guy? And what’s he doing with Max?”
Liz sighed, “His name is Ryan.”
“He works at the museum,” Maria finished.
“Why is Max hanging out with him?” Michael grunted.
“I don’t know,” Maria hissed. “Why don’t you ask him?”
She was saved from any more of his questions as their attention was diverted to the door.
Isabel came in and took a seat at the counter, not realizing Max was there because his back was to the door.
Ryan’s gaze followed Isabel across the room and then he turned back to Max. “This really is the place to hang out. All the babes come here. Did you see that blonde that just walked in?”
“That’s my sister,” Max said with an edge in his voice.
“Whoa, sorry man,” Ryan apologized. “I didn’t mean anything.”
At that moment Max saw Liz motion to their table alerting Isabel to his presence, and his sister hopped off the stool and slid into the booth next to him.
She addressed Ryan, “Liz tells me you’re the newest employee at the museum,” she said with a smile. “Ryan right? I’m Isabel, Max’s sister.”
“Uh, yeah, hi,” Ryan stammered, obviously smitten.
Isabel pulled at Max’s sleeve, “Ryan, can you excuse us for a minute? Family business.”
Max rolled his eyes at the sharp tone in his sister’s voice. “I’ll be right back.” He followed Isabel to the counter where the others were waiting.
Michael was the first to speak, “Maxwell, what the hell are you doing with this guy?”
“He’s new in town and he doesn’t have any friends,” Max said.
“So what, you’re the freaking welcome wagon now?” Michael asked.
Max sighed, “Brody asked me to show him around at the museum and he just followed me over here for lunch. It’s not a big deal.”
Michael nodded, “Okay, but just don’t let him think he’s going to join the group or anything.”
“And how am I going to do that, Michael?” Max asked.
“You be rude to him,” Michael said. “Let him know he’s not wanted. We can’t take the risk of letting anyone new in.”
“Michael,” Maria scolded.
Max rolled his eyes, “Michael not every new person in town is an enemy alien.”
Michael shook his head, “I know that, but we’ve got our training to concentrate on, not to mention Khivar might send troops to invade Earth at any minute. We don’t have time to be babysitting some lonely UFO geek.”
“Even though I don’t agree with Michael’s methods,” Isabel said, “I do agree we can’t let anyone else in Max.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, July 21st, 2001)
Kyle and Isabel followed the other two couples into the bowling alley for their Saturday evening out.
Kyle smiled watching Max and Liz and Michael and Maria. It made him feel good that things were getting normal again and he was glad his friends could find some happiness. Of course, seeing the couples did reinforce the fact that he was alone, and so was Isabel.
He glanced at her walking beside him. She was beautiful and smart, not to mention an alien Princess, and he admitted he had a bit of a crush on her. But Kyle knew Isabel wasn’t ready for anything other than friendship. She was still getting over Alex’s death.
But friendship was one thing Kyle could offer. He turned to her as they approached the door, “Isabel I don’t want this to come out the wrong way but I was thinking, with the two couples, you and I kind of get left together anyway. So I propose we make it a standing arrangement. We could be like buddies. Any time either of us needs a partner, for a game or a movie or whatever, we both have a friend who is willing.”
Isabel turned to him but was interrupted by Maria, “So Isabel are you on our team or is Kyle?”
Isabel smiled and put an arm around Kyle’s shoulder, “Actually, Kyle and I are teaming up to show you guys how this game is played. Right partner?”
Kyle smiled, “You got it buddy.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Wednesday, July 25th, 2001)
(Crashdown Café)
Liz was stacking the dishes from the last dirty table into the brimming tub, when the bell over the door sounded, drawing her attention. But when she saw who it was, she sighed wearily. “Sean we’re closed.”
“You know I didn’t come to eat, Liz,” Sean said.
Liz turned her back on him and continued bussing the table. “Well then you might as well go, because I don’t want to talk to you about my relationship with Max.”
“Liz, just listen to me…” Sean started only to have her cut him off.
“Sean we don’t have anything to talk about,” Liz said over her shoulder as she hefted the heavy tub of dishes and headed toward the back. “There is nothing you can say that will make me leave Max.”
Sean was incensed that Liz could dismiss him so easily. He grabbed her arm and spun her toward him, causing her to lose her grip on the tub and it crashed heavily to the floor, sending dishes and food everywhere.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Max and Ryan exited the UFO museum and Max naturally looked to the Crashdown to see if Liz was still there. He spotted her instantly but she wasn’t alone. Sean was there, and for a moment Max wondered what he was doing with her. Max watched as Sean grabbed Liz and jerked her toward him, sending a bucket of dishes crashing to the ground, and an overwhelming rage rose up with Max that Sean would even dare to touch her. “That bastard,” Max ground out.
“What?” Ryan asked, confused.
Max didn’t answer. He sprinted across the street and burst through the Crashdown’s door. “What the hell are you doing, Sean?”
Sean turned toward Max and let go of Liz’s arm.
Ryan came through the door just behind Max but he tripped and fell to the floor. Max helped Ryan up and turned back to Sean.
Sean laughed as Max advanced toward him. “Oh, aren’t you the big man? Come running in here with your army to save your woman,” Sean said sarcastically. “Calm down, Evans. We were just talking.”
Max crossed to Liz, struggling to keep his anger in check but he saw Liz rubbing her arm and was instantly furious again. “I don’t know what you were talking about, but you hurt Liz.”
Sean looked at Liz and was instantly apologetic, “I’m sorry Liz. I didn’t mean to. I just wanted to talk to you.”
Liz sighed, “Sean, I already told you, we don’t have anything to talk about.”
Max knew Liz didn’t want him fighting her battles for her, and even though he wanted to drop-kick Sean out the door, he held his tongue.
Sean motioned to Ryan standing near the door. “So Evans did you bring your friend here because you knew you couldn’t take me alone?”
Max surged forward but Liz’s hand was instantly on his arm. “Stop it! Both of you,” she said.
Max felt all of the anger drain out of him at Liz’s touch and she took his hand in hers as she continued, “Sean, it’s been a long day. Why don’t you just go home?”
Sean looked down at Max’s hand clasped in Liz’s and knew he had lost this round, but he wasn’t giving up. “Okay, I’m going. And I really am sorry about your arm.”
Ryan stepped aside to let Sean pass and nearly fell back into a booth. He regained his balance and waited until the door closed. “Who was that guy?”
Liz smiled grimly. “A persistent admirer who won’t take no for an answer.”
“An admirer,” Ryan said woodenly. “He hurt you.”
“It’ll be okay,” Liz assured him. “It’s nothing really. So what are you two doing here anyway?”
“We were locking up the museum when I saw Sean grab you,” Max said softly.
“And you came running to the rescue?” Liz asked, looking between Max and Ryan.
Ryan smiled, “I couldn’t just stand by and watch a lady in distress.” He motioned to the mess on the floor, “Can I help with the clean-up?”
“No thanks,” Liz said with a smile. “We’ll get it.”
Ryan nodded, “I can see that everything is well in hand, so I’ll say goodnight.”
Max followed him to the door. “Thanks Ryan, for worrying about Liz. She means a lot to me.”
“Anyone with eyes can see that,” Ryan said. “Catch you at work.”
Max locked the door behind Ryan and crossed to where Liz was already starting the cleanup. He knelt next to her and noticed an angry red mark spreading across the pale skin of her arm. “Liz, let me check your arm.”
“It’s nothing really,” Liz said, dismissing his concern.
He placed a hand under her chin and raised her face to his, “Please, Liz.”
Liz held out her arm and Max laid his hand over the reddened area, gently soothing it away with his powers.
“Thanks,” Liz said.
“What did Sean want to talk to you about?”
“I don’t know,” she said with a shrug. “You and Ryan came in before he got to his point.”
Max scowled, “You must have some idea. I got the impression this wasn’t the first time.”
Liz continued to gather pieces of broken dishes into the tub, avoiding Max’s gaze.
But Max wasn’t going to let her get away that easily. With one swipe of his hand, Max mended all the dishes, stacked everything into the tub and cleaned the floor.
“Liz,” he said again, encouraging her to talk to him.
Liz lifted the tub onto the counter and looked him in the eyes. “It’s not the first time, Max,” she admitted. “Sean came to me a couple of weeks ago and tried to open my eyes about you.”
“He did what?”
“I guess he’s been asking around about you, trying to find out something that will make me turn away from you,” Liz said.
“This is bad, Liz. What didn’t you tell me?”
“Because there is nothing we can do about it,” Liz said simply. “I knew you would get mad, but then what Max? Don’t you see, the best thing we can do is nothing? There is nothing for Sean to discover other than a few rumors. He can’t turn me away from you and he’ll soon see he’s wasting his time.”
Max nodded knowing she was right, but one of Liz’s phrases struck him, “What rumors did he hear?”
Liz tried to make it sound like no big deal, even though the words she was about to speak had been tearing her apart for weeks. “Well, I guess some people at school are speculating on the reason for Tess’ sudden departure from Roswell, and quite a few of them think she left town because you got her pregnant.”
Max was suddenly paranoid, “Liz, how does anyone know that?”
“I don’t know that anyone does know for sure,” Liz said with a shrug. “Maybe they just put two and two together, or maybe Tess told people she was p-pregnant.”
Max felt tears prick his eyes, hearing the pain in Liz’s voice. He had said sorry so many times but it never felt like enough.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sean walked down the street to where he had parked his car and reached for the door handle only to be stopped by a voice behind him.
“You’ll never convince Liz that way,” John said.
Sean turned to face John, “And what do you suggest?”
“Find out what they are doing,” John urged. “I’ll lend you my car and you can follow them on Saturday. Expose Max and Liz will be yours.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Neither Sean or John noticed the figure watching them from the shadows.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
TBC
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ALPHA & OMEGA ~ BOOK 10, PART 5
This Fic was Nominated at Majik's World of FanFic for:
Best Pre-Pilot or Backstory
Best Angsty Fic
Best Fight Scene
Best Fic that kept you on the edge of your seat
Only 2 days left to Vote!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
BOOK 10 - MAJESTY’S MORASS (WHAT HAPPENS NOW, MAX?)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
PART 5
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Thursday, July 26th, 2001)
(The Valenti House - back yard)
Kyle sat in lotus position and tried to concentrate on his meditation, but he was almost painfully aware of Maria’s gaze on him. He could literally feel her looking at him and it was driving him crazy. Finally he gave up and opened his eyes, “What?”
“Oh,” Maria said surprised, “I didn’t mean to break your concentration.”
“How could you not, when you’re staring at me?” Kyle asked sweetly.
Maria smiled. “Well now that I’ve already interrupted, I just wanted to ask you about…” she trailed off, glanced at the others meditating nearby and leaned closer, whispering. “I mean, have you noticed that my Mom has been spending a lot of time with your Dad?”
Kyle smiled, “Yeah, they go out at least once a week and most weekends.”
“I know,” Maria said. “I just was wondering how you feel about this whole thing.”
“I like your Mom and she makes my Dad happy.” Kyle suddenly frowned, “Why? Don’t you want your Mom to date my Dad?”
Maria shook her head, “No, it’s not that at all. I love your Dad. He has helped us so much and he’s a great guy. But Kyle, what if your Dad and my Mom get serious? Can he keep lying to her?”
Kyle didn’t answer and Maria continued, “I hate lying to her. She and I used to tell each other everything, but since Max healed Liz it seems at least half of my life is top secret. You know?”
Kyle nodded, “I know what you mean. I can’t imagine keeping this from my Dad and I know he’s got to feel bad not telling Amy. But he would never tell her without Max’s permission.”
“Me either,” Maria agreed, “and I haven’t said anything to Max or Liz or even Michael. They have so many other important things going on, but it might be something we have to think about.”
“It’ll be okay,” Kyle assured her. “If it comes to that, I’ll back you up. After all, if our parents did get married that would make us brother and sister.”
Maria smiled. “I always wanted a brother and I can’t think of anyone I would rather it be.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Roswell UFO Museum)
Max hefted the stack of files and headed into Brody’s office when he heard Ryan calling him.
“Max, wait,” Ryan said as he jogged down the main staircase and over to Max. “I need to talk to you.”
“What about?” Max asked suspiciously.
“Is Liz okay?”
Max nodded. “Yeah, she’s fine.
“That guy, who grabbed her…”
“Sean,” Max prompted.
“Sean, “ Ryan nodded. “Has he hurt Liz before? Is she in danger?”
Max smiled, “Thank you for being worried about Liz, but it was just an accident. Sean wouldn’t hurt her intentionally. He’s an okay guy.”
“But yesterday you said…”
Max cut him off. “I was upset, and I might have overreacted,” he admitted. “Liz dated Sean briefly and I know he’s trying to get her back, so when I saw him touch her,” Max trailed off shaking his head. “I was jealous.”
Ryan nodded, “But you’re sure he’s okay?”
“I don’t know Sean that well,” Max said, “but Liz has known him her whole life and she’s a pretty good judge of character. She’s not scared, so I’m trusting her instincts.”
“Okay,” Ryan said. “I was just worried.” He turned to go and slammed into the door jam but shook it off with a laugh. “See you later, Max.”
Max continued into Brody’s office and put the files on the desk. “Hey Brody.”
“Hey Max,” Brody greeted. “I saw you talking to Ryan out there. I thought his clumsiness was lessening but then he just ran into the wall.” Brody shook his head, “At least he couldn’t break that. He’s so clumsy, knocking things over and messing up the displays, I might have to let him go.”
“I’m sure he’s just nervous,” Max said, “and like you said he is getting better. He hasn’t caused a major accident in a couple of weeks.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Friday, July 27th, 2001)
(Copper Summit, AZ)
Tess picked at her dinner with a sigh. In the last few months she’d had a lot of extra time on her hands and even though she tried to stay focused on her goals of going back to Antar and living happily ever after with Max, sometimes errant thoughts filtered through.
And more and more, she had been thinking about the times she had spent with Kyle. Tess thought of the times they had spent joking, arguing, watching movies or just hanging out. She’d had more fun with Kyle than anyone else she’d ever known and she really missed him.
There was a time when she thought she was falling for him too. Kyle was funny and charming, not to mention built, and it was easy to be attracted to him. And if things had been different, if she were human, Tess would have eagerly followed her feelings and let herself fall in love with Kyle.
But she wasn’t human and she deserved more than a human life. She had loved Max for two lifetimes and she wasn’t about to let her feelings for Kyle screw that up. So she had pushed her feelings for Kyle aside, hoping to bury them and for the most part she had. It was only occasionally, when she lowered her guard, that the unwanted feelings came rushing back. But every time they did surface it got a little harder to bury them again.
Tess placed a hand on her flat stomach and wondered what Kyle had thought when she’d told him she was pregnant. She had placed the idea in his head that he didn’t love her, but somewhere inside, his real feelings were still alive and it must have hurt him when he’d had proof that she’d slept with Max. Briefly she wondered if she hadn’t tampered with Kyle’s emotions, if he loved her enough that he would have fought to win her, to keep her.
Would Kyle have done all of the romantic things she had wanted from Max and would never receive? Would Kyle have given her candy and flowers and wooed her with serenades? Would he have written poetry, whispered tender endearments in her ear, told her how much he needed and loved her?
A shiver of reaction went through her and Tess brutally pushed it aside. It didn’t do any good to think about what might have been, it was simply a weakness. Tess knew she had to stay focused and that didn’t include thoughts of Kyle.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Parker House – Liz’s room)
Liz looked over the numbers she’d entered on the chart she’d made to keep track of her astral projection practice. She thought her long visit with Max last week meant she was getting stronger but the next night she had visited Michael and had only been able to last a few minutes before exhaustion set in.
Then to check her progress, Liz had revisited Maria and Isabel only to have the same thing happen. But when she went back to Max, she had been able to stay with him for almost twenty minutes with hardly any fatigue.
Liz had almost decided she could stay with Max longer because of the connection between them, but her scientist’s curiosity wouldn’t let her leave it at that, and next few nights she had visited each of her friends again and again with the same results.
The next night, Liz expanded her experimentation pool to include several friends from school along with Kyle. She had pushed herself, sometimes making two and three visitations a night, to check and recheck the times because she was surprised by the results. She was able to stay with Kyle almost twice as long as she had with anyone else but Max.
Starting the experiments, Liz had expected to have better results within certain groups. She hypothesized that she might be more compatible with the aliens, or perhaps with Max and Maria since she knew them so well. But her results had made her reexamine her theories.
Liz still suspected that her connection with Max was the reason she was able to stay with him longer but that didn’t explain what was happening with Kyle.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, July 28th, 2001)
Sean closely followed Michael and Maria in the Jetta, less afraid of being seen in John’s black car. In the last few weeks, Sean had explored all of the roads in the area, and when the Jetta turned into a gravel road that headed into a canyon, he knew they were headed to the quarry.
Sean turned onto another trail that went up to the top of the quarry, driving slowly to avoid making any noise, and stopped the car in the cover of the trees. He took a pair of binoculars and crawled to the edge, careful to keep himself concealed in the brush.
Even without the binoculars, Sean could see that so far only Michael and Maria had arrived and they were obviously waiting for the others. Sean studied the pair of them. They had no equipment and there were no buildings around. He had no idea what the group could be doing out there, but John seemed to think it was big.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kyle sat in the back seat of the Jeep as they drove to the quarry, and studied Liz’s profile. She had kept her head turned away from the others, pretending to gaze out the window, and if Kyle hadn’t been sitting behind her he might never have noticed. No, he corrected himself immediately, he would have noticed. Liz seemed dull, muted, and if he didn’t know any better he would have said she was coming down with something. And while it was obvious to Kyle that something was wrong with Liz, it was just as obvious she was trying to hide it from them.
He sat in silence until they reached the quarry and waited until he could speak to her alone. Isabel and Max exited the Jeep and Kyle reached for Liz’s arm, stopping her before she could join the others.
He spoke softly so only she could hear, “What is wrong, Liz?”
“Nothing,” she said instantly.
Kyle shook his head, “Liz, this is me. I know you pretty well. Something is wrong and you look, I don’t know, exhausted.”
Liz was suddenly nervous. “Didn’t I put enough makeup under my eyes to block the dark circles? Do you think Max or Isabel noticed?”
“Liz your makeup is fine and I think I’m the only one to notice so far, but what is going on with you? Why don’t you want Max or Isabel to know?”
He waited for Liz’s answer but when she didn’t speak, he continued, “Liz, if you don’t tell me, I’m going to get Max.”
“Okay,” Liz agreed. “Really it’s not a big deal. I’ve just not been sleeping very well lately.”
“Because…” Kyle encouraged.
“I’ve been having bad dreams,” Liz admitted.
“What are they about?”
“Well, that’s the thing,” Liz said, “I can’t remember any details when I wake up. I just have this horrible feeling something bad is going to happen.”
“What is going to happen?” Kyle asked apprehensively. “And when?”
“I don’t know. But today is the worst it has ever been. I felt like I was going to throw-up when I got out of bed.”
“Liz, this is bad. We’ve got to tell Max.”
Liz smiled, “Since when are you so gung-ho about the Max-is-the-leader idea?”
“It was about the time you told us the truth of what happened last fall,” Kyle said soberly. He paused. “Liz, I wish you could have told me, so you didn’t have to go through that alone. I would have kept the secret.”
Liz nodded, “I know you would. That was never even a consideration. I trusted you enough to come to you in the first place, didn’t I? Kyle, I wasn’t going to tell anyone, ever. I thought I was risking the world.”
Kyle nodded, understanding. “Okay, but we are going to tell Max about your dreams.”
“Maybe it’s just a memory trying to come through,” Liz suggested, “or a side-effect of my new power. I have been practicing a lot lately.”
Something in her tone made Kyle suspicious, “How much is a lot?”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A noise to his left alerted Sean that another car was approaching and he ducked down even lower as it entered the quarry. It was Max’s Jeep, as Sean had expected, and he watched as Max, Isabel, Liz and finally Kyle got out. Max and Isabel went to join Michael and Maria but Liz and Kyle stayed behind, obviously deep in conversation.
Sean had hoped to get close enough to hear their conversation but he was too far away and he had to settle for studying Liz as she spoke to Kyle.
The sudden explosion made Sean hit the dirt, afraid he had been spotted, but another explosion sounded and Sean realized the noise was coming from down in the quarry.
Slowly Sean rose up on his elbows and brought the binoculars to his eyes.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The sounds of Max and Michael starting their practice didn’t deter Kyle and when Liz remained silent, he asked again, “Liz, how much is a lot?”
Liz sighed, “Well I haven’t been able to sleep, so I thought I might as well try to develop better control over my astral projection, so I could keep it up longer.”
“You’re always exhausted after a couple of minutes when we practice here,” Kyle said matter-of-factly. “And you’re telling me you have been doing this at night instead of sleeping?”
“How do you know it exhausts me?” Liz asked, raising her voice over the continued explosions. “I thought I was…”
Kyle cut her off, “You thought you were hiding it. But I’ve seen you Liz, like I can see you now.”
“Maybe it’s dumb, Kyle,” Liz said, “but I thought if Max knew how much it took out of me, he wouldn’t want me to practice. But it’s important that I gain control of this power. I can feel it.”
“Okay,” Kyle agreed, “but you don’t have to kill yourself doing it. Let’s just talk to Max. I’m sure he’ll understand.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sean put the binoculars down, convinced they were playing tricks on his eyes, but the scene below didn’t look any less fantastic to his naked eyes. Max and Michael were blowing up rocks using some kind of power that came from their hands.
At first Sean thought they had weapons but he quickly determined that Max and Michael held nothing in their hands. Then he scanned the area, guessing it was some kind of rigged explosion, a special effect, but he couldn’t see any wires or explosives and they certainly hadn’t had time to set anything up since arriving.
He put the binoculars back up to his eyes and watched as Max raised his hand and a half-dozen small rocks flew into the air, swirling around. Then Michael aimed his hand at each one, causing it to explode into dust.
Sean dropped the binoculars, shaking his head as he scrambled backward. What had he gotten involved in?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kyle turned and started toward the others but Liz stopped him with a hand on his arm.
“Wait, Kyle. Can’t we just keep this to ourselves for a little while?”
“Liz…” he started, but she cut him off.
“Kyle, I’m getting better and I promise I will tell Max, in a while.”
Kyle shook his head, “Liz you don’t have to carry the responsibility for the whole world anymore. You can let us in and we can help.”
“I…” Liz started but trailed off. “I am doing that, aren’t I?”
“Yeah,” Kyle said softly.
Liz looked over at Max and watched for a few minutes as he smashed rocks with his glowing green shield and then released a heavy sigh. She had been keeping secrets to protect him for so long and she didn’t know how to stop.
Kyle continued, “Remember Liz, we all promised, no more secrets.”
Liz nodded, “You’re right. Let’s go tell them.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sean kept the kids in the quarry in sight through the binoculars as he pushed the automatic dial on the cell phone.
It took a few rings but finally John answered, “Yes?”
“What is going on here, John?” Sean whispered fiercely. “What the hell are Liz and my cousin mixed up in?”
“Yes, I see you’ve discovered their secret,” John said mysteriously. “What do you think it is?”
“I don’t know. Some kind of mind powers,” Sean guessed.
John laughed humorlessly, “Oh no, it’s much bigger than that. But don’t you worry, soon it will all be over.”
The phone went dead in Sean’s hand and he heard the unmistakable sound of a car racing up the gravel road into the quarry.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
As Michael had predicted, the gang heard the car approaching before it arrived, giving them time to erase any evidence of alien activity and try to look as casual as possible.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
John had placed a GPS in the car he loaned to Sean, so it was simple for him to pinpoint Sean’s exact position. He had also put a transmitter in the binoculars that showed him everything Sean had seen through them. Then he had simply waited for confirmation of his theory, before joining the group in the quarry.
Then stopping the car only a few feet from Kyle and Liz, he jumped out, pushing Kyle aside and grabbed Liz, putting a gun to her head, before the others could stop him.
Max reacted immediately but he was too far away and could only watch helplessly as the man backed Liz to the car.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sean watched horrified as John put a gun to Liz’s head and without a second thought, scrambled down the embankment into the quarry.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“Stop,” Max called out, hands raised in submission, as he slowly approached Liz and the gunman.
“You stop right there, Max,” John yelled, “or I’ll blow her head off.” He glanced around. “All of you keep your distance. And you’d better not try your powers, this gun has a hair trigger and we wouldn’t want any accidents.”
Max signaled for the others to wait. “It’s okay,” he called out to the gunman, “no one is going to do anything.” After Max had saved Liz, he’d had recurring nightmares that she was shot and he couldn’t save her, but this situation was worse than any of those nightmares. Terrified for Liz’s life, Max croaked, “Just tell us what you want.”
“Revenge,” John roared.
Max studied the man holding Liz. He was in his mid, maybe late twenties, with dark blonde hair. It was hard to tell how tall he was and his face was twisted with hatred but Max was sure he had never seen him before. “Who are you?”
“Who am I?” John yelled. “The real question is who or what are you?”
Max shook his head, trying to stay calm, “I don’t know what you mean?”
A sudden shout from above drew all of their attention.
“John,” Sean yelled, as he stumbled down the last few yards of the embankment, joining them in the quarry. “What’s going on?”
“Well Sean, I see you decided to join our little party.” John motioned with a jut of his chin, “Get over there with the others if you don’t want Liz hurt.”
Sean took a couple of steps forward, with his hands raised, “What are you doing, John? This isn’t right. Liz hasn’t done anything.”
John pressed the gun hard into Liz’s head, causing her to cry out. “I mean it Sean, stop right there. Don’t make the mistake of thinking we’re friends. I used you to get what I wanted, nothing more.”
Sean stopped and met Liz’s eyes but looked away, ashamed.
“As for you Max, don’t even try to pretend with me. I know what you are and I have proof. Sean followed you here this morning and watched you through a special pair of binoculars I gave him. Everything you’ve done today was transmitted to my computer and recorded.”
Sean turned to the others shaking his head, “I had no idea. I never would have…” he trailed off and turned to Liz again. “I’m so sorry, Liz.”
Max never took his eyes off Liz and even with the distance between them, he could see she was terribly afraid. He desperately tried to come up with a plan to save her but discarded one idea after another and finally spoke, to stall for time. “Okay John, you know the truth. So tell us what you want?”
“You think it’s that easy?” John laughed. “Well, let me tell you a little story. My father was an FBI agent in charge of a top-secret group called the Special Unit.”
Max felt cold fingers of fear race up his spine, and he heard the horrified gasps of the others.
John continued, “He was killed just over two years ago, but his partner, Daniel Pierce, kept in touch with me. Pierce encouraged me to join the Bureau when I graduated college the next May, and promised he would get me assigned to the Special Unit, so together we could find the thing that killed my father.”
“So I applied to the Bureau with Pierce’s recommendation. He broke off all contact with me the summer I was at Quantico, but before he left, he told me he had a big lead and would call me when he got back.”
“But I never heard from Daniel Pierce again,” he said, looking directly at Max.
“The next thing I know,” John said sarcastically, “Pierce is on CSPAN, voluntarily disbanding the Special Unit. That seemed a bit odd to me, a man just throwing away his life’s work like that, so when I finished the sixteen weeks of FBI training and finally became an agent, I looked for Pierce to find out what had really happened. But he was gone.”
“He left Washington after the disbandment and was never heard from again. No credit cards used, no taxes filed, no bank accounts opened or closed and no reports of his death. He left all of his belongings, abandoned his car and house; just disappeared.”
“There was a report that some UFO nut saw him in the small New Mexico town of Roswell. The guy said Pierce went into a public restroom in a diner called the Crashdown Cafe and he simply disappeared. That was the first and only lead to his whereabouts.”
Max swallowed hard. He had to ask the question but he was sure he already knew the answer. “How was your father killed?”
“It’s funny you should ask that Max, since I’m sure you or Michael already know. He was found dead in a restroom in a diner in Van Buren, Missouri, with a glowing silver handprint on his chest. And though it was never mentioned in the official autopsy report, Pierce told me it was the same as others who had been found with the handprint, his organs had literally been cooked.”
“And you think we killed your father,” Max said softly.
“I know one of you did,” John challenged. “You may not have known his name but I’ll tell you now, it was Daniel Summers.”
Max remembered the name as one Pierce had asked him about in the white room. “We didn’t have anything to do with your father’s death,” Max said softly.
John shook his head, “Max, why do you continue lying to me? I left the FBI because there was no reason to stay after the Unit was gone. All of the records had been destroyed and no one would believe me, but I knew the truth and never gave up the search.”
Liz was really scared. Her head ached where John had the gun pressed into her tender flesh. He was sounding more and more crazy with each sentence and she was afraid of what he would do. She could see the fear in Max’s eyes; fear for her safety. Liz knew Max would do anything to save her, including sacrificing himself, but she couldn’t let him. She was apprehensive about using her burgeoning powers to save herself because she was so exhausted, fearing what would happen if she screwed up, but she had to do something and fast.
“And all the clues lead to Roswell,” John continued. “Pierce was last seen in Roswell. I came here on May 19th of this year because the radar array in the White Sands Range noted an anomaly, a small object leaving Earth’s atmosphere at speeds not possible with man-made technology. Of course there are blips and unexplained readings on radar all the time and they are usually just blamed on equipment quirks but I have been hacked into the White Sands radar, among others, just to look for that kind of thing. And when I saw that the object left the atmosphere almost on top of the original ’47 crash site, I knew I’d found something.”
Michael shifted his weight from foot to foot, desperate to do something to save Liz. He looked for a shot to hit John, but the man was staying squarely behind Liz and Michael didn’t know if he had enough control to make the burst of power hit only his target. If he miscalculated at all, he could hit Liz too. Discarding the idea for a moment, he concentrated on the gun John had pressed into Liz’s temple. He didn’t really know much about guns but he had seen that kind before on TV. He thought it was called a TEC-9. It was a medium-sized, machine gun type weapon that could be either semi-automatic or fully automatic and it held a large magazine of bullets. Michael had no doubt that John had converted it to full auto and could take them all out in a matter of seconds.
John continued, rambling, “Luckily I was in the area and I was able to get to the launch site late the same night. I was searching the desert for any clues of alien activity and that’s when I saw Max and Michael. Of course, I didn’t know who you were or if you were the ones I was looking for and it took a while to find out. The only real lead I had was Michael’s motorcycle. Working alone it wasn’t easy to trace, since I didn’t catch a license plate number but I was a Computer Science major and I’ve picked up a few things here and there that helped. And now that I’ve seen what you can do, I know I’m not crazy. It’s all been worth it.”
John laughed but the sound was demented, more like a cackle and it sent shivers through Liz.
But suddenly he sobered and addressed Max and Michael, “So now you’re going to tell me which one of you killed my father or I will kill Liz.”
Max surged forward immediately, “I did it. I killed your father, so you can let Liz go.”
But Michael was right behind Max, “No, John. Max didn’t do it. I killed him.”
“Both of you are willing to die for her,” John said with amusement. “I didn’t expect that, but it doesn’t make any of this less fun. But how do I choose between you?” he mused. “Maybe I should just kill you both so I know I got the right one.”
Liz knew they were out of time and she did the only thing she could think of. Closing her eyes she concentrated on appearing next to Max.
John saw the air next to Max shimmer and then Liz appeared before him. “What the hell?” he roared. Liz’s body in his arms suddenly went limp and he almost lost his grip on her, as he tried to juggle her and the gun.
When Max saw Liz’s body slump against John, he quickly erected a small thick shield, concentrating on keeping it between her and the gun, and reinforced it with all of his power.
Michael took aim at John but Liz’s body and Max’s shield didn’t leave him a shot. He threw himself to the ground, rolling to get a better position.
John screamed with rage and pulled the trigger, shooting a rapid succession of bullets into Liz head. Max’s shield took the brunt of the damage but the sheer power of the bullets slammed the shield against her head.
The sudden pain at her temple plunged Liz back into her body, and unconsciousness.
Max roared with the effort it took to repel the bullets but he kept the shield intact, as he fell to his knees.
With a twist of her hands, Isabel jerked John’s gun skyward and tore Liz’s body from his grip, propelling her toward them.
As Liz’s body hit the ground, Max quickly repositioned and expanded his shield between them and the madman.
Michael took aim but stopped as John screamed again, but this time it was the unmistakable sound of excruciating pain. The gang watched horrified as he suddenly erupted into flames and in a matter of moments, nothing was left except a pile of ash.
Max dropped his shield and scrambled to Liz’s body, gathering her carefully in his arms, noting the red marks and bruises forming on her head. “Liz,” he said softly, but she didn’t respond. He placed his hand gently on her head above the injured area and his power flowed into her. It was harder forming a connection when she was unconscious but Max pushed past every barrier and healed the wounds on Liz’s head, bringing her back to wakefulness.
Liz opened her eyes and looked around for the danger.
“It’s okay,” Max assured her. “We’re all safe.”
Liz threw her arms around Max’s neck, “Oh Max, I was so scared for you. For all of us.”
With a sigh of relief Max hugged Liz to him tighter. “I’d never let anything happen to you.” He cradled her head and spoke to Michael, “What happened?”
Michael shrugged, “I don’t know. One minute he was there and the next he’s a pile of dust. It’s like he burned from inside.”
“Was he a skin?” Maria asked.
“His father was human,” Isabel pointed out. “He couldn’t be a skin.”
Max turned to Kyle, “Did you do something?”
Kyle shook his head, “I wish I could say yes but I wouldn’t have a clue how to do that.”
Max focused on Liz and helped her to her feet. She was shaky and her knees collapsed under her but Max held her with a strong arm around her waist and she leaned into him. He hated to ask her but they needed to know, “Liz, did you?”
She shook her head. “The only thing I could think to do was distract him, so I projected to you.”
“Then what the hell happened?” Michael asked.
“I admit I wanted him dead for threatening us,” Isabel said. “Maybe it’s a new power one of us has and doesn’t realize it yet.”
“Maybe,” Max agreed. “We can figure it out later. Right now, we need to make sure this mess is cleaned up.” He turned to Sean, who had remained silent, “And the first thing we need to know is how you got involved.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
With everything that had happened, none of the gang saw the figure looking down at them from the top of the quarry.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
After Sean related his story, the gang searched both cars, finding the laptop computer with the incriminating video and a room key for a local motel.
Max took Michael aside from the others. “We need to check out his motel room.”
“Yeah,” Michael agreed. He motioned to Sean with a jut of his chin, “What about him?”
“I don’t know that there is anything we can do.” Max thought for a moment and handed the key to Michael. “You, Isabel and Kyle take those two cars to the motel and make sure to clean them completely, no fingerprints, no fibers, nothing. Search the room and bring back anything that might be helpful or incriminating. One of you can drive the Jetta so you have a ride back. We’ll all meet at your place afterward. Meanwhile, Liz, Maria and I will talk to Sean.”
“Are you sure talking to him is such a good idea, Maxwell?” Michael asked.
“What else are we going to do?” Max asked. “Deny the whole thing? I don’t think we have another choice unless we’re prepared to start killing witnesses, but that is what got us into this trouble in the first place.”
Michael nodded, “Okay, I get your point, we’re screwed.”
Max glanced at Sean, sitting next to Liz and Maria. “I guess we’re about to find out.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“I’m so sorry,” Sean apologized again.
Maria cuffed him on the arm, “What were you thinking?”
“I don’t know,” Sean admitted. “I just thought Liz was in trouble…” he trailed off.
“Oh,” Maria said, realization dawning. “You thought you would be the hero and Liz would turn to you.”
“It doesn’t work like that Sean,” Liz said.
Sean shrugged. “It was just weird how you said Max broke your heart you and then a few days later you’re back with him. And it seemed like you weren’t really sure you wanted to be with him. I just thought maybe he had some kind of leverage over you and…”
“And was forcing me to be with him?” Liz asked incredulously. “Max isn’t like that.”
“I know you said that, Liz,” Sean admitted, “but I figured you might be in denial or lying.”
“And now?” Liz asked.
Sean smiled, “You were right when you said it was complicated.”
The sound of car doors and an ignition starting, drew their attention and Max joined them as the others drove away. “They’re going to search the motel room.”
“And you three are going to show me the error of my ways?” Sean asked.
Max shook his head, “I think you know what you did was wrong. We could have been killed, and even though John was crazy and probably would have killed us, he didn’t deserve to die.”
Sean shrugged, “I didn’t think anyone would get hurt. But obviously I had no idea of what I was getting involved in, or of what you are.” He shook his head and looked at Max, “I never believed in aliens. I would have said it was a load of crap before today.”
Max stayed silent and Sean turned to Liz. “I saw what you did too, Liz. You’re parents are human, how can you possibly have powers like them?”
Liz looked at Max but he let her make the decision of what to tell Sean. “I was shot,” Liz started, “almost two years ago and I would have died but Max healed me. He saved my life. That’s why I’m developing powers.”
“So what can you do?” Sean asked.
Liz shrugged, “Not much yet. I’m just starting out but…” she trailed off and touched a finger to his red shirt, and it swirled into a deep purple.”
“Wow,” Sean gasped. “That is so cool. So why don’t you tell people, why are you hiding?”
“We’ve had contact with the FBI before,” Max said, “and believe me, they aren’t interested in forming any alliances with us.”
Liz leaned forward, “Sean this is something you can’t tell anyone. All of our lives would be in danger, even yours. The Special Unit of the FBI that John talked about, was formed especially to hunt down aliens. They killed two of the others who were in the crash and last summer they kidnapped Max and tortured him. They may be with the government but they aren’t good people, Sean.”
“Okay,” Sean said, “but what about John? What happened to him?”
“We don’t know,” Max admitted. “Our powers aren’t always predictable. One of us must have killed him, but it wasn’t intentional.”
“It’s not like he was just some innocent guy,” Maria said heatedly. “It was self-defense. He was going to kill Liz and maybe all of us.”
Liz took Maria’s hand in hers and turned to Sean. “We can’t force you not to say anything but we’re asking you not to. For all our sakes.”
Sean looked from Liz and Maria to Max. “I’ll keep your secret but I have some questions. Like why are you here and what really happened that night at the UFO museum with Brody?”
Max nodded and glanced at Liz. He had felt her exhaustion through the connection when he had healed her and he didn’t want her to stay out in the sun any longer. Max turned back to Sean. “We’re supposed to meet at Michael’s. Let’s go and we’ll answer your questions.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Cactus Motel)
Isabel, Michael and Kyle arrived at the motel on the outskirts of town in three separate cars. In route, Isabel had changed the color and license plate of the Jetta, just in case, and while she attended to cleaning the rental cars, Kyle and Michael searched the motel room.
The room was spare but there were obvious signs John had lived there for a while. Michael and Kyle quickly loaded everything into the Jetta, including a wallet and a desktop computer and Isabel cleaned the room as she had done the cars.
It was a tight fit with everything and the three of them in the Jetta and Michael sighed, “Maria has got to get a new car.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The restored red Jetta pulled unto the parking lot at Michael’s apartment and Max jogged out to help with the unloading. With four of them, it only took one trip and Max set up the computer while the others searched through the possessions.
Michael grabbed the wallet, pulled out the contents and held up the drivers’ license, “Big surprise, ‘John’ lied about his name. He was really Thomas Summers.” He flipped through the rest of the contents, “Receipts for junk food, gas.” He sighed and tossed the wallet aside, “There’s nothing else here.” He looked to Liz and Maria who were searching his clothes and toiletries, “You guys find anything?”
Maria shrugged and Liz shook her head.
Isabel tossed his palm pilot on the table, “Nothing here either. No phone numbers, just some notes he made about following us. Apparently he searched our house, Michael’s apartment and Liz’s house, but didn’t find anything incriminating.”
“Kyle?” Michael asked.
“I’ve got his return plane ticket and the rental agreements for the cars all with the same home address in Virginia but there’s nothing else in the luggage.”
“What about you Max?” Michael asked.
“There aren’t very many files on this computer but I did find the hack he made into the White Sands radar array. And that isn’t the only one. There are readouts from hacks into every air traffic control, military base, satellite array and large telescope from Alaska to Cuba, from SETI in California to NASA in Florida. There are notes in here too, almost like a diary. It looks like he checked out every anomaly, all over the country, in the last eight months.”
Isabel spoke up, “There is nothing in these notes that says he was working with anyone else, so maybe Thomas was telling the truth about that, at least.”
Max agreed, “Yeah, in here it says he left the FBI when no one would believe him and he struck out on his own to find his fathers’ killer.”
Kyle released a sigh, “One more catastrophe averted, so at least for now it looks like we’re safe.”
Michael turned to Sean, “Are we?”
“I know we haven’t exactly been friends,” Sean said, “but I understand how important it is and I won’ t tell anyone.”
Liz had suggested to Max that they keep the episode with future Max a secret and Max agreed. The less people who knew about that capability of the Granolith the better. He and Liz quietly told the others and they all agreed.
Max turned to the others. “I told Sean we would answer his questions. If he’s going to be involved in this conspiracy, he deserves to know the truth.”
Michael and Isabel nodded.
“Okay, shoot,” Michael said.
As Sean talked to Isabel and Michael, Max went over and took a seat next to Liz and Maria. “Liz I thought you’ve been looking a little tired lately but when I healed you…” he trailed off. “Liz you’re exhausted.”
Liz smiled. “I thought I was hiding it and you hadn’t noticed.”
Max shook his head, “I notice everything about you, Liz.”
Maria stood up. “I think that’s my cue to leave. I’ll go see if Sean is annoying Michael and Isabel, yet.”
Liz watched Maria leave and turned back to Max, “I guess I wasn’t doing a very good job of hiding at all. You noticed and Kyle. That’s what he and I were talking about at the quarry today before…” She took a deep breath, “Anyway Kyle convinced me to tell you everything.”
Max suddenly felt a chill of apprehension run through his body, “What’s everything, Liz?”
“I haven’t been honest about how tired practicing my astral projection is making me.”
Max’s brow creased in confusion, “Why? How bad is it?”
“Bad,” Liz said. “I thought if you knew the truth, you would try to make me stop practicing, but Max I couldn’t let you. I have this really strong feeling that it’s important.”
Max nodded, “So you must have been practicing a lot and that’s why you’re so tired.”
“Yeah, that’s part of it,” Liz started. “I’ve been practicing at night when I can’t sleep.”
“And you can’t sleep because…?” Max trailed off, waiting for her to continue.
“I’ve been having bad dreams, but I can’t remember them in the morning. They just leave me with this feeling that something terrible is going to happen.”
Max looked away, “I wish you trusted me enough to tell me, Liz. Maybe I could have helped.”
“Oh no, Max,” Liz said as she took his face in her hands, turning him back to her. “Of course I trust you. I’m not sure why I didn’t tell you but Kyle suggested I was trying to protect you.”
“Protect me from what?” Max asked, shocked.
Liz dropped her hands to her lap. “You’ve been through so much, you’ve had so much pain, and I didn’t want to add to that. I just thought I could handle this myself and not burden you.”
“Burden me?” Max asked. “Liz, I love you. I want to know everything about you, good and bad. I don’t consider helping you to be a burden, Liz. I consider it a privilege. It’s part of the privilege of knowing you and loving you.”
Tears pricked Liz’s eyes and she threw her arms around his neck. “I’m so sorry, Max.”
“It’s okay, Liz,” Max soothed as he hugged her to him. “We have to learn how to relate to each other again, how we fit into each other’s lives, and that’s not going to happen overnight.”
They pulled back from one another and Max used his thumb to gently wipe away Liz’s tears. “So do you want to tell me about your progress with the practice?”
Liz took a deep breath and smiled, “Well I’ve been tracking my progress on a chart.”
Max smiled too. “A chart. That’s a surprise.”
With a laugh, Liz pushed at Max’s shoulder playfully.
Kyle watched as Liz and Max laughed and crossed to where they were sitting. “I’m glad you told him, Liz. After what happened this afternoon, I think we should listen to you when you have an upset stomach.”
“What are you talking about?” Max asked.
Kyle looked at Liz, “I’m sorry, I just assumed you told him.”
“I did,” Liz said. “What are you talking about?”
“You said you’ve had a feeling that something bad was going to happen, and the feeling was worse today than it ever was before.”
Liz nodded and Kyle continued, “Well something bad did happen today.” Kyle looked at Max and Liz’s confused expressions. “Don’t you see? Liz predicted what happened.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Maria glanced at Sean next to her in the Jetta as they drove home. “You’re taking all this pretty well. I kind of freaked out when I learned the truth.”
Sean shrugged, “I saw it with my own eyes. There’s not really any way I can deny it.”
“And now that you’ve heard the whole story, there’s no way you can deny Liz belongs with Max,” Maria added.
Sean looked out the window, thinking about the scene he had witnessed just a few moments before, Max and Liz embracing, laughing, crying. The emotions between them had been so intense and when Isabel and Michael told him about the events of the past year, Sean had understood why. “I knew Liz and Max had a past but never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined the truth.”
Maria nodded, “We didn’t know about Liz’s past ourselves, until that day when Tess left.”
“But even without that, Max and Liz have a bond,” Sean said, “and that’s why you warned me to stay away from her.”
“Max and Liz had been through so much and even though they weren’t together, I knew neither one had stopped loving the other. That’s why I told you to stay away from her. That and the fact that you’re a criminal,” Maria quipped.
“Okay, I deserved that,” Sean agreed. “My actions up to now haven’t exactly been above board but I meant what I said Maria; I can be trusted.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Michael, Isabel and Kyle sat with Max and Liz, in Michael’s living room, where Kyle had just explained his theory about Liz’s prediction.
Max spoke up, “Okay Liz, tell us about these dreams.”
Liz shook her head, “There’s nothing to tell. I don’t remember anything about them.”
“But you had a bad feeling when you woke up,” Isabel prompted.
“Yeah,” Liz acknowledged. “For a couple of weeks I’ve had these dreams and the bad feelings kept getting worse.”
“What kind of feelings?” Michael asked.
“It’s hard to explain,” Liz said. “I just knew something bad was going to happen. I didn’t know what, or when, or where. I don’t know how I knew, I just knew.”
“Something bad is always happening,” Michael said gruffly. “That doesn’t mean Liz predicted anything.”
“It doesn’t mean she didn’t,” Isabel argued.
Max agreed with a nod. “It could be a new power she’s developing.”
Kyle rolled his eyes. “There’s an easy way to prove it.” He turned to Liz, “Do you have a bad feeling now?”
Liz thought for a moment and then shook her head, “No.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Evans House)
Isabel locked the door to her room, sank down onto her bed and allowed the tears to fall that had been threatening all day. She quickly covered her face with her pillow, so no one would hear, and let all of her anguish spill out.
So many people, human and alien, hated them for what they were and wanted them dead and it would never stop. That crazy guy John or Thomas or whatever, was just the latest in a long line of enemies; the Special Unit, the dupes, the skins, and every relative of the countless people Nasedo had murdered. It was simply sheer luck that Alex was the only one who had been killed so far.
Not for the first time, Isabel wished she had been born human and lived in ignorance of alien existence, just like six billion others on Earth. Being alien had brought her nothing but heartache, loneliness and death.
And as if her thoughts had summoned him, suddenly Alex was sitting beside her. He pulled the pillow away from her face and took her in his arms. “It will be okay, Isabel.”
She let him hold her for a moment and then pulled back. She took his hand, entwining her fingers with his and clasped their palms together, “How will it be okay, Alex? We could have all been killed today.”
“But you weren’t,” Alex said. “You are all getting stronger, learning to use your powers, and most importantly you’re together. As a group you can overcome anything.”
“I’m sick of fighting,” Isabel whispered. “I just want to have a normal life.”
Alex smiled, “You’ll never have a normal life Isabel, because you’re an extraordinary person.”
“So what do I do? How do I keep going?”
Alex smiled and kissed her on the top of her head. “You just live.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Liz sat next to Max on the picnic table in his back yard and she could tell he was still upset. She had promised him she wouldn’t keep any more secrets but that was exactly what she had done. “I’m really sorry, Max.”
Max shook his head, “Don’t apologize.”
“I owe you an apology, Max. I broke my promise.”
“I’d rather concentrate on fixing the situation,” Max said. “I’m hoping you’ll let me help you on your nightly exercises.”
“But that means you won’t get any sleep either,” Liz protested.
Max smiled, “Do you think I’ll be able to sleep knowing what you’re doing? Plus if I’m involved, I can stop you from exhausting yourself.”
Liz reached for Max’s hand, “I’d love to have your help. Maybe the two of us working together can figure out the reasons for my results.”
Max squeezed her hand, “Why don’t you tell me about your experiments.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Diane glanced out the window into the back yard and was surprised to see Max and Liz sitting together. It had been months since she had seen Liz and she was glad to see her now. Diane had always liked Liz. It seemed as if she brought out Max’s confidence and determination.
With a smile, Diane remembered being called into the principal’s office when Max and Liz had been caught making-out. At the time, Diane had been almost relieved, although she had never told anyone. Max was always so closed-off, so private, and Diane had secretly worried that the trauma of his early life had scared him too much to ever have a normal relationship. But with Liz, Max had seemed so natural and open.
Diane had often wondered why Max and Liz had parted so suddenly, when they had been so close. They had been together almost constantly and then suddenly last summer, Liz was gone. Diane had never asked Max what had happened between them, sure that Max would never tell her. But seeing them together again brought a warm feeling to her heart.
Then she saw Liz take Max’s hand and she smiled.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
TBC
Best Pre-Pilot or Backstory
Best Angsty Fic
Best Fight Scene
Best Fic that kept you on the edge of your seat
Only 2 days left to Vote!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
BOOK 10 - MAJESTY’S MORASS (WHAT HAPPENS NOW, MAX?)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
PART 5
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Thursday, July 26th, 2001)
(The Valenti House - back yard)
Kyle sat in lotus position and tried to concentrate on his meditation, but he was almost painfully aware of Maria’s gaze on him. He could literally feel her looking at him and it was driving him crazy. Finally he gave up and opened his eyes, “What?”
“Oh,” Maria said surprised, “I didn’t mean to break your concentration.”
“How could you not, when you’re staring at me?” Kyle asked sweetly.
Maria smiled. “Well now that I’ve already interrupted, I just wanted to ask you about…” she trailed off, glanced at the others meditating nearby and leaned closer, whispering. “I mean, have you noticed that my Mom has been spending a lot of time with your Dad?”
Kyle smiled, “Yeah, they go out at least once a week and most weekends.”
“I know,” Maria said. “I just was wondering how you feel about this whole thing.”
“I like your Mom and she makes my Dad happy.” Kyle suddenly frowned, “Why? Don’t you want your Mom to date my Dad?”
Maria shook her head, “No, it’s not that at all. I love your Dad. He has helped us so much and he’s a great guy. But Kyle, what if your Dad and my Mom get serious? Can he keep lying to her?”
Kyle didn’t answer and Maria continued, “I hate lying to her. She and I used to tell each other everything, but since Max healed Liz it seems at least half of my life is top secret. You know?”
Kyle nodded, “I know what you mean. I can’t imagine keeping this from my Dad and I know he’s got to feel bad not telling Amy. But he would never tell her without Max’s permission.”
“Me either,” Maria agreed, “and I haven’t said anything to Max or Liz or even Michael. They have so many other important things going on, but it might be something we have to think about.”
“It’ll be okay,” Kyle assured her. “If it comes to that, I’ll back you up. After all, if our parents did get married that would make us brother and sister.”
Maria smiled. “I always wanted a brother and I can’t think of anyone I would rather it be.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Roswell UFO Museum)
Max hefted the stack of files and headed into Brody’s office when he heard Ryan calling him.
“Max, wait,” Ryan said as he jogged down the main staircase and over to Max. “I need to talk to you.”
“What about?” Max asked suspiciously.
“Is Liz okay?”
Max nodded. “Yeah, she’s fine.
“That guy, who grabbed her…”
“Sean,” Max prompted.
“Sean, “ Ryan nodded. “Has he hurt Liz before? Is she in danger?”
Max smiled, “Thank you for being worried about Liz, but it was just an accident. Sean wouldn’t hurt her intentionally. He’s an okay guy.”
“But yesterday you said…”
Max cut him off. “I was upset, and I might have overreacted,” he admitted. “Liz dated Sean briefly and I know he’s trying to get her back, so when I saw him touch her,” Max trailed off shaking his head. “I was jealous.”
Ryan nodded, “But you’re sure he’s okay?”
“I don’t know Sean that well,” Max said, “but Liz has known him her whole life and she’s a pretty good judge of character. She’s not scared, so I’m trusting her instincts.”
“Okay,” Ryan said. “I was just worried.” He turned to go and slammed into the door jam but shook it off with a laugh. “See you later, Max.”
Max continued into Brody’s office and put the files on the desk. “Hey Brody.”
“Hey Max,” Brody greeted. “I saw you talking to Ryan out there. I thought his clumsiness was lessening but then he just ran into the wall.” Brody shook his head, “At least he couldn’t break that. He’s so clumsy, knocking things over and messing up the displays, I might have to let him go.”
“I’m sure he’s just nervous,” Max said, “and like you said he is getting better. He hasn’t caused a major accident in a couple of weeks.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Friday, July 27th, 2001)
(Copper Summit, AZ)
Tess picked at her dinner with a sigh. In the last few months she’d had a lot of extra time on her hands and even though she tried to stay focused on her goals of going back to Antar and living happily ever after with Max, sometimes errant thoughts filtered through.
And more and more, she had been thinking about the times she had spent with Kyle. Tess thought of the times they had spent joking, arguing, watching movies or just hanging out. She’d had more fun with Kyle than anyone else she’d ever known and she really missed him.
There was a time when she thought she was falling for him too. Kyle was funny and charming, not to mention built, and it was easy to be attracted to him. And if things had been different, if she were human, Tess would have eagerly followed her feelings and let herself fall in love with Kyle.
But she wasn’t human and she deserved more than a human life. She had loved Max for two lifetimes and she wasn’t about to let her feelings for Kyle screw that up. So she had pushed her feelings for Kyle aside, hoping to bury them and for the most part she had. It was only occasionally, when she lowered her guard, that the unwanted feelings came rushing back. But every time they did surface it got a little harder to bury them again.
Tess placed a hand on her flat stomach and wondered what Kyle had thought when she’d told him she was pregnant. She had placed the idea in his head that he didn’t love her, but somewhere inside, his real feelings were still alive and it must have hurt him when he’d had proof that she’d slept with Max. Briefly she wondered if she hadn’t tampered with Kyle’s emotions, if he loved her enough that he would have fought to win her, to keep her.
Would Kyle have done all of the romantic things she had wanted from Max and would never receive? Would Kyle have given her candy and flowers and wooed her with serenades? Would he have written poetry, whispered tender endearments in her ear, told her how much he needed and loved her?
A shiver of reaction went through her and Tess brutally pushed it aside. It didn’t do any good to think about what might have been, it was simply a weakness. Tess knew she had to stay focused and that didn’t include thoughts of Kyle.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Parker House – Liz’s room)
Liz looked over the numbers she’d entered on the chart she’d made to keep track of her astral projection practice. She thought her long visit with Max last week meant she was getting stronger but the next night she had visited Michael and had only been able to last a few minutes before exhaustion set in.
Then to check her progress, Liz had revisited Maria and Isabel only to have the same thing happen. But when she went back to Max, she had been able to stay with him for almost twenty minutes with hardly any fatigue.
Liz had almost decided she could stay with Max longer because of the connection between them, but her scientist’s curiosity wouldn’t let her leave it at that, and next few nights she had visited each of her friends again and again with the same results.
The next night, Liz expanded her experimentation pool to include several friends from school along with Kyle. She had pushed herself, sometimes making two and three visitations a night, to check and recheck the times because she was surprised by the results. She was able to stay with Kyle almost twice as long as she had with anyone else but Max.
Starting the experiments, Liz had expected to have better results within certain groups. She hypothesized that she might be more compatible with the aliens, or perhaps with Max and Maria since she knew them so well. But her results had made her reexamine her theories.
Liz still suspected that her connection with Max was the reason she was able to stay with him longer but that didn’t explain what was happening with Kyle.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, July 28th, 2001)
Sean closely followed Michael and Maria in the Jetta, less afraid of being seen in John’s black car. In the last few weeks, Sean had explored all of the roads in the area, and when the Jetta turned into a gravel road that headed into a canyon, he knew they were headed to the quarry.
Sean turned onto another trail that went up to the top of the quarry, driving slowly to avoid making any noise, and stopped the car in the cover of the trees. He took a pair of binoculars and crawled to the edge, careful to keep himself concealed in the brush.
Even without the binoculars, Sean could see that so far only Michael and Maria had arrived and they were obviously waiting for the others. Sean studied the pair of them. They had no equipment and there were no buildings around. He had no idea what the group could be doing out there, but John seemed to think it was big.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kyle sat in the back seat of the Jeep as they drove to the quarry, and studied Liz’s profile. She had kept her head turned away from the others, pretending to gaze out the window, and if Kyle hadn’t been sitting behind her he might never have noticed. No, he corrected himself immediately, he would have noticed. Liz seemed dull, muted, and if he didn’t know any better he would have said she was coming down with something. And while it was obvious to Kyle that something was wrong with Liz, it was just as obvious she was trying to hide it from them.
He sat in silence until they reached the quarry and waited until he could speak to her alone. Isabel and Max exited the Jeep and Kyle reached for Liz’s arm, stopping her before she could join the others.
He spoke softly so only she could hear, “What is wrong, Liz?”
“Nothing,” she said instantly.
Kyle shook his head, “Liz, this is me. I know you pretty well. Something is wrong and you look, I don’t know, exhausted.”
Liz was suddenly nervous. “Didn’t I put enough makeup under my eyes to block the dark circles? Do you think Max or Isabel noticed?”
“Liz your makeup is fine and I think I’m the only one to notice so far, but what is going on with you? Why don’t you want Max or Isabel to know?”
He waited for Liz’s answer but when she didn’t speak, he continued, “Liz, if you don’t tell me, I’m going to get Max.”
“Okay,” Liz agreed. “Really it’s not a big deal. I’ve just not been sleeping very well lately.”
“Because…” Kyle encouraged.
“I’ve been having bad dreams,” Liz admitted.
“What are they about?”
“Well, that’s the thing,” Liz said, “I can’t remember any details when I wake up. I just have this horrible feeling something bad is going to happen.”
“What is going to happen?” Kyle asked apprehensively. “And when?”
“I don’t know. But today is the worst it has ever been. I felt like I was going to throw-up when I got out of bed.”
“Liz, this is bad. We’ve got to tell Max.”
Liz smiled, “Since when are you so gung-ho about the Max-is-the-leader idea?”
“It was about the time you told us the truth of what happened last fall,” Kyle said soberly. He paused. “Liz, I wish you could have told me, so you didn’t have to go through that alone. I would have kept the secret.”
Liz nodded, “I know you would. That was never even a consideration. I trusted you enough to come to you in the first place, didn’t I? Kyle, I wasn’t going to tell anyone, ever. I thought I was risking the world.”
Kyle nodded, understanding. “Okay, but we are going to tell Max about your dreams.”
“Maybe it’s just a memory trying to come through,” Liz suggested, “or a side-effect of my new power. I have been practicing a lot lately.”
Something in her tone made Kyle suspicious, “How much is a lot?”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A noise to his left alerted Sean that another car was approaching and he ducked down even lower as it entered the quarry. It was Max’s Jeep, as Sean had expected, and he watched as Max, Isabel, Liz and finally Kyle got out. Max and Isabel went to join Michael and Maria but Liz and Kyle stayed behind, obviously deep in conversation.
Sean had hoped to get close enough to hear their conversation but he was too far away and he had to settle for studying Liz as she spoke to Kyle.
The sudden explosion made Sean hit the dirt, afraid he had been spotted, but another explosion sounded and Sean realized the noise was coming from down in the quarry.
Slowly Sean rose up on his elbows and brought the binoculars to his eyes.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The sounds of Max and Michael starting their practice didn’t deter Kyle and when Liz remained silent, he asked again, “Liz, how much is a lot?”
Liz sighed, “Well I haven’t been able to sleep, so I thought I might as well try to develop better control over my astral projection, so I could keep it up longer.”
“You’re always exhausted after a couple of minutes when we practice here,” Kyle said matter-of-factly. “And you’re telling me you have been doing this at night instead of sleeping?”
“How do you know it exhausts me?” Liz asked, raising her voice over the continued explosions. “I thought I was…”
Kyle cut her off, “You thought you were hiding it. But I’ve seen you Liz, like I can see you now.”
“Maybe it’s dumb, Kyle,” Liz said, “but I thought if Max knew how much it took out of me, he wouldn’t want me to practice. But it’s important that I gain control of this power. I can feel it.”
“Okay,” Kyle agreed, “but you don’t have to kill yourself doing it. Let’s just talk to Max. I’m sure he’ll understand.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sean put the binoculars down, convinced they were playing tricks on his eyes, but the scene below didn’t look any less fantastic to his naked eyes. Max and Michael were blowing up rocks using some kind of power that came from their hands.
At first Sean thought they had weapons but he quickly determined that Max and Michael held nothing in their hands. Then he scanned the area, guessing it was some kind of rigged explosion, a special effect, but he couldn’t see any wires or explosives and they certainly hadn’t had time to set anything up since arriving.
He put the binoculars back up to his eyes and watched as Max raised his hand and a half-dozen small rocks flew into the air, swirling around. Then Michael aimed his hand at each one, causing it to explode into dust.
Sean dropped the binoculars, shaking his head as he scrambled backward. What had he gotten involved in?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kyle turned and started toward the others but Liz stopped him with a hand on his arm.
“Wait, Kyle. Can’t we just keep this to ourselves for a little while?”
“Liz…” he started, but she cut him off.
“Kyle, I’m getting better and I promise I will tell Max, in a while.”
Kyle shook his head, “Liz you don’t have to carry the responsibility for the whole world anymore. You can let us in and we can help.”
“I…” Liz started but trailed off. “I am doing that, aren’t I?”
“Yeah,” Kyle said softly.
Liz looked over at Max and watched for a few minutes as he smashed rocks with his glowing green shield and then released a heavy sigh. She had been keeping secrets to protect him for so long and she didn’t know how to stop.
Kyle continued, “Remember Liz, we all promised, no more secrets.”
Liz nodded, “You’re right. Let’s go tell them.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sean kept the kids in the quarry in sight through the binoculars as he pushed the automatic dial on the cell phone.
It took a few rings but finally John answered, “Yes?”
“What is going on here, John?” Sean whispered fiercely. “What the hell are Liz and my cousin mixed up in?”
“Yes, I see you’ve discovered their secret,” John said mysteriously. “What do you think it is?”
“I don’t know. Some kind of mind powers,” Sean guessed.
John laughed humorlessly, “Oh no, it’s much bigger than that. But don’t you worry, soon it will all be over.”
The phone went dead in Sean’s hand and he heard the unmistakable sound of a car racing up the gravel road into the quarry.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
As Michael had predicted, the gang heard the car approaching before it arrived, giving them time to erase any evidence of alien activity and try to look as casual as possible.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
John had placed a GPS in the car he loaned to Sean, so it was simple for him to pinpoint Sean’s exact position. He had also put a transmitter in the binoculars that showed him everything Sean had seen through them. Then he had simply waited for confirmation of his theory, before joining the group in the quarry.
Then stopping the car only a few feet from Kyle and Liz, he jumped out, pushing Kyle aside and grabbed Liz, putting a gun to her head, before the others could stop him.
Max reacted immediately but he was too far away and could only watch helplessly as the man backed Liz to the car.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sean watched horrified as John put a gun to Liz’s head and without a second thought, scrambled down the embankment into the quarry.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“Stop,” Max called out, hands raised in submission, as he slowly approached Liz and the gunman.
“You stop right there, Max,” John yelled, “or I’ll blow her head off.” He glanced around. “All of you keep your distance. And you’d better not try your powers, this gun has a hair trigger and we wouldn’t want any accidents.”
Max signaled for the others to wait. “It’s okay,” he called out to the gunman, “no one is going to do anything.” After Max had saved Liz, he’d had recurring nightmares that she was shot and he couldn’t save her, but this situation was worse than any of those nightmares. Terrified for Liz’s life, Max croaked, “Just tell us what you want.”
“Revenge,” John roared.
Max studied the man holding Liz. He was in his mid, maybe late twenties, with dark blonde hair. It was hard to tell how tall he was and his face was twisted with hatred but Max was sure he had never seen him before. “Who are you?”
“Who am I?” John yelled. “The real question is who or what are you?”
Max shook his head, trying to stay calm, “I don’t know what you mean?”
A sudden shout from above drew all of their attention.
“John,” Sean yelled, as he stumbled down the last few yards of the embankment, joining them in the quarry. “What’s going on?”
“Well Sean, I see you decided to join our little party.” John motioned with a jut of his chin, “Get over there with the others if you don’t want Liz hurt.”
Sean took a couple of steps forward, with his hands raised, “What are you doing, John? This isn’t right. Liz hasn’t done anything.”
John pressed the gun hard into Liz’s head, causing her to cry out. “I mean it Sean, stop right there. Don’t make the mistake of thinking we’re friends. I used you to get what I wanted, nothing more.”
Sean stopped and met Liz’s eyes but looked away, ashamed.
“As for you Max, don’t even try to pretend with me. I know what you are and I have proof. Sean followed you here this morning and watched you through a special pair of binoculars I gave him. Everything you’ve done today was transmitted to my computer and recorded.”
Sean turned to the others shaking his head, “I had no idea. I never would have…” he trailed off and turned to Liz again. “I’m so sorry, Liz.”
Max never took his eyes off Liz and even with the distance between them, he could see she was terribly afraid. He desperately tried to come up with a plan to save her but discarded one idea after another and finally spoke, to stall for time. “Okay John, you know the truth. So tell us what you want?”
“You think it’s that easy?” John laughed. “Well, let me tell you a little story. My father was an FBI agent in charge of a top-secret group called the Special Unit.”
Max felt cold fingers of fear race up his spine, and he heard the horrified gasps of the others.
John continued, “He was killed just over two years ago, but his partner, Daniel Pierce, kept in touch with me. Pierce encouraged me to join the Bureau when I graduated college the next May, and promised he would get me assigned to the Special Unit, so together we could find the thing that killed my father.”
“So I applied to the Bureau with Pierce’s recommendation. He broke off all contact with me the summer I was at Quantico, but before he left, he told me he had a big lead and would call me when he got back.”
“But I never heard from Daniel Pierce again,” he said, looking directly at Max.
“The next thing I know,” John said sarcastically, “Pierce is on CSPAN, voluntarily disbanding the Special Unit. That seemed a bit odd to me, a man just throwing away his life’s work like that, so when I finished the sixteen weeks of FBI training and finally became an agent, I looked for Pierce to find out what had really happened. But he was gone.”
“He left Washington after the disbandment and was never heard from again. No credit cards used, no taxes filed, no bank accounts opened or closed and no reports of his death. He left all of his belongings, abandoned his car and house; just disappeared.”
“There was a report that some UFO nut saw him in the small New Mexico town of Roswell. The guy said Pierce went into a public restroom in a diner called the Crashdown Cafe and he simply disappeared. That was the first and only lead to his whereabouts.”
Max swallowed hard. He had to ask the question but he was sure he already knew the answer. “How was your father killed?”
“It’s funny you should ask that Max, since I’m sure you or Michael already know. He was found dead in a restroom in a diner in Van Buren, Missouri, with a glowing silver handprint on his chest. And though it was never mentioned in the official autopsy report, Pierce told me it was the same as others who had been found with the handprint, his organs had literally been cooked.”
“And you think we killed your father,” Max said softly.
“I know one of you did,” John challenged. “You may not have known his name but I’ll tell you now, it was Daniel Summers.”
Max remembered the name as one Pierce had asked him about in the white room. “We didn’t have anything to do with your father’s death,” Max said softly.
John shook his head, “Max, why do you continue lying to me? I left the FBI because there was no reason to stay after the Unit was gone. All of the records had been destroyed and no one would believe me, but I knew the truth and never gave up the search.”
Liz was really scared. Her head ached where John had the gun pressed into her tender flesh. He was sounding more and more crazy with each sentence and she was afraid of what he would do. She could see the fear in Max’s eyes; fear for her safety. Liz knew Max would do anything to save her, including sacrificing himself, but she couldn’t let him. She was apprehensive about using her burgeoning powers to save herself because she was so exhausted, fearing what would happen if she screwed up, but she had to do something and fast.
“And all the clues lead to Roswell,” John continued. “Pierce was last seen in Roswell. I came here on May 19th of this year because the radar array in the White Sands Range noted an anomaly, a small object leaving Earth’s atmosphere at speeds not possible with man-made technology. Of course there are blips and unexplained readings on radar all the time and they are usually just blamed on equipment quirks but I have been hacked into the White Sands radar, among others, just to look for that kind of thing. And when I saw that the object left the atmosphere almost on top of the original ’47 crash site, I knew I’d found something.”
Michael shifted his weight from foot to foot, desperate to do something to save Liz. He looked for a shot to hit John, but the man was staying squarely behind Liz and Michael didn’t know if he had enough control to make the burst of power hit only his target. If he miscalculated at all, he could hit Liz too. Discarding the idea for a moment, he concentrated on the gun John had pressed into Liz’s temple. He didn’t really know much about guns but he had seen that kind before on TV. He thought it was called a TEC-9. It was a medium-sized, machine gun type weapon that could be either semi-automatic or fully automatic and it held a large magazine of bullets. Michael had no doubt that John had converted it to full auto and could take them all out in a matter of seconds.
John continued, rambling, “Luckily I was in the area and I was able to get to the launch site late the same night. I was searching the desert for any clues of alien activity and that’s when I saw Max and Michael. Of course, I didn’t know who you were or if you were the ones I was looking for and it took a while to find out. The only real lead I had was Michael’s motorcycle. Working alone it wasn’t easy to trace, since I didn’t catch a license plate number but I was a Computer Science major and I’ve picked up a few things here and there that helped. And now that I’ve seen what you can do, I know I’m not crazy. It’s all been worth it.”
John laughed but the sound was demented, more like a cackle and it sent shivers through Liz.
But suddenly he sobered and addressed Max and Michael, “So now you’re going to tell me which one of you killed my father or I will kill Liz.”
Max surged forward immediately, “I did it. I killed your father, so you can let Liz go.”
But Michael was right behind Max, “No, John. Max didn’t do it. I killed him.”
“Both of you are willing to die for her,” John said with amusement. “I didn’t expect that, but it doesn’t make any of this less fun. But how do I choose between you?” he mused. “Maybe I should just kill you both so I know I got the right one.”
Liz knew they were out of time and she did the only thing she could think of. Closing her eyes she concentrated on appearing next to Max.
John saw the air next to Max shimmer and then Liz appeared before him. “What the hell?” he roared. Liz’s body in his arms suddenly went limp and he almost lost his grip on her, as he tried to juggle her and the gun.
When Max saw Liz’s body slump against John, he quickly erected a small thick shield, concentrating on keeping it between her and the gun, and reinforced it with all of his power.
Michael took aim at John but Liz’s body and Max’s shield didn’t leave him a shot. He threw himself to the ground, rolling to get a better position.
John screamed with rage and pulled the trigger, shooting a rapid succession of bullets into Liz head. Max’s shield took the brunt of the damage but the sheer power of the bullets slammed the shield against her head.
The sudden pain at her temple plunged Liz back into her body, and unconsciousness.
Max roared with the effort it took to repel the bullets but he kept the shield intact, as he fell to his knees.
With a twist of her hands, Isabel jerked John’s gun skyward and tore Liz’s body from his grip, propelling her toward them.
As Liz’s body hit the ground, Max quickly repositioned and expanded his shield between them and the madman.
Michael took aim but stopped as John screamed again, but this time it was the unmistakable sound of excruciating pain. The gang watched horrified as he suddenly erupted into flames and in a matter of moments, nothing was left except a pile of ash.
Max dropped his shield and scrambled to Liz’s body, gathering her carefully in his arms, noting the red marks and bruises forming on her head. “Liz,” he said softly, but she didn’t respond. He placed his hand gently on her head above the injured area and his power flowed into her. It was harder forming a connection when she was unconscious but Max pushed past every barrier and healed the wounds on Liz’s head, bringing her back to wakefulness.
Liz opened her eyes and looked around for the danger.
“It’s okay,” Max assured her. “We’re all safe.”
Liz threw her arms around Max’s neck, “Oh Max, I was so scared for you. For all of us.”
With a sigh of relief Max hugged Liz to him tighter. “I’d never let anything happen to you.” He cradled her head and spoke to Michael, “What happened?”
Michael shrugged, “I don’t know. One minute he was there and the next he’s a pile of dust. It’s like he burned from inside.”
“Was he a skin?” Maria asked.
“His father was human,” Isabel pointed out. “He couldn’t be a skin.”
Max turned to Kyle, “Did you do something?”
Kyle shook his head, “I wish I could say yes but I wouldn’t have a clue how to do that.”
Max focused on Liz and helped her to her feet. She was shaky and her knees collapsed under her but Max held her with a strong arm around her waist and she leaned into him. He hated to ask her but they needed to know, “Liz, did you?”
She shook her head. “The only thing I could think to do was distract him, so I projected to you.”
“Then what the hell happened?” Michael asked.
“I admit I wanted him dead for threatening us,” Isabel said. “Maybe it’s a new power one of us has and doesn’t realize it yet.”
“Maybe,” Max agreed. “We can figure it out later. Right now, we need to make sure this mess is cleaned up.” He turned to Sean, who had remained silent, “And the first thing we need to know is how you got involved.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
With everything that had happened, none of the gang saw the figure looking down at them from the top of the quarry.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
After Sean related his story, the gang searched both cars, finding the laptop computer with the incriminating video and a room key for a local motel.
Max took Michael aside from the others. “We need to check out his motel room.”
“Yeah,” Michael agreed. He motioned to Sean with a jut of his chin, “What about him?”
“I don’t know that there is anything we can do.” Max thought for a moment and handed the key to Michael. “You, Isabel and Kyle take those two cars to the motel and make sure to clean them completely, no fingerprints, no fibers, nothing. Search the room and bring back anything that might be helpful or incriminating. One of you can drive the Jetta so you have a ride back. We’ll all meet at your place afterward. Meanwhile, Liz, Maria and I will talk to Sean.”
“Are you sure talking to him is such a good idea, Maxwell?” Michael asked.
“What else are we going to do?” Max asked. “Deny the whole thing? I don’t think we have another choice unless we’re prepared to start killing witnesses, but that is what got us into this trouble in the first place.”
Michael nodded, “Okay, I get your point, we’re screwed.”
Max glanced at Sean, sitting next to Liz and Maria. “I guess we’re about to find out.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“I’m so sorry,” Sean apologized again.
Maria cuffed him on the arm, “What were you thinking?”
“I don’t know,” Sean admitted. “I just thought Liz was in trouble…” he trailed off.
“Oh,” Maria said, realization dawning. “You thought you would be the hero and Liz would turn to you.”
“It doesn’t work like that Sean,” Liz said.
Sean shrugged. “It was just weird how you said Max broke your heart you and then a few days later you’re back with him. And it seemed like you weren’t really sure you wanted to be with him. I just thought maybe he had some kind of leverage over you and…”
“And was forcing me to be with him?” Liz asked incredulously. “Max isn’t like that.”
“I know you said that, Liz,” Sean admitted, “but I figured you might be in denial or lying.”
“And now?” Liz asked.
Sean smiled, “You were right when you said it was complicated.”
The sound of car doors and an ignition starting, drew their attention and Max joined them as the others drove away. “They’re going to search the motel room.”
“And you three are going to show me the error of my ways?” Sean asked.
Max shook his head, “I think you know what you did was wrong. We could have been killed, and even though John was crazy and probably would have killed us, he didn’t deserve to die.”
Sean shrugged, “I didn’t think anyone would get hurt. But obviously I had no idea of what I was getting involved in, or of what you are.” He shook his head and looked at Max, “I never believed in aliens. I would have said it was a load of crap before today.”
Max stayed silent and Sean turned to Liz. “I saw what you did too, Liz. You’re parents are human, how can you possibly have powers like them?”
Liz looked at Max but he let her make the decision of what to tell Sean. “I was shot,” Liz started, “almost two years ago and I would have died but Max healed me. He saved my life. That’s why I’m developing powers.”
“So what can you do?” Sean asked.
Liz shrugged, “Not much yet. I’m just starting out but…” she trailed off and touched a finger to his red shirt, and it swirled into a deep purple.”
“Wow,” Sean gasped. “That is so cool. So why don’t you tell people, why are you hiding?”
“We’ve had contact with the FBI before,” Max said, “and believe me, they aren’t interested in forming any alliances with us.”
Liz leaned forward, “Sean this is something you can’t tell anyone. All of our lives would be in danger, even yours. The Special Unit of the FBI that John talked about, was formed especially to hunt down aliens. They killed two of the others who were in the crash and last summer they kidnapped Max and tortured him. They may be with the government but they aren’t good people, Sean.”
“Okay,” Sean said, “but what about John? What happened to him?”
“We don’t know,” Max admitted. “Our powers aren’t always predictable. One of us must have killed him, but it wasn’t intentional.”
“It’s not like he was just some innocent guy,” Maria said heatedly. “It was self-defense. He was going to kill Liz and maybe all of us.”
Liz took Maria’s hand in hers and turned to Sean. “We can’t force you not to say anything but we’re asking you not to. For all our sakes.”
Sean looked from Liz and Maria to Max. “I’ll keep your secret but I have some questions. Like why are you here and what really happened that night at the UFO museum with Brody?”
Max nodded and glanced at Liz. He had felt her exhaustion through the connection when he had healed her and he didn’t want her to stay out in the sun any longer. Max turned back to Sean. “We’re supposed to meet at Michael’s. Let’s go and we’ll answer your questions.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Cactus Motel)
Isabel, Michael and Kyle arrived at the motel on the outskirts of town in three separate cars. In route, Isabel had changed the color and license plate of the Jetta, just in case, and while she attended to cleaning the rental cars, Kyle and Michael searched the motel room.
The room was spare but there were obvious signs John had lived there for a while. Michael and Kyle quickly loaded everything into the Jetta, including a wallet and a desktop computer and Isabel cleaned the room as she had done the cars.
It was a tight fit with everything and the three of them in the Jetta and Michael sighed, “Maria has got to get a new car.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The restored red Jetta pulled unto the parking lot at Michael’s apartment and Max jogged out to help with the unloading. With four of them, it only took one trip and Max set up the computer while the others searched through the possessions.
Michael grabbed the wallet, pulled out the contents and held up the drivers’ license, “Big surprise, ‘John’ lied about his name. He was really Thomas Summers.” He flipped through the rest of the contents, “Receipts for junk food, gas.” He sighed and tossed the wallet aside, “There’s nothing else here.” He looked to Liz and Maria who were searching his clothes and toiletries, “You guys find anything?”
Maria shrugged and Liz shook her head.
Isabel tossed his palm pilot on the table, “Nothing here either. No phone numbers, just some notes he made about following us. Apparently he searched our house, Michael’s apartment and Liz’s house, but didn’t find anything incriminating.”
“Kyle?” Michael asked.
“I’ve got his return plane ticket and the rental agreements for the cars all with the same home address in Virginia but there’s nothing else in the luggage.”
“What about you Max?” Michael asked.
“There aren’t very many files on this computer but I did find the hack he made into the White Sands radar array. And that isn’t the only one. There are readouts from hacks into every air traffic control, military base, satellite array and large telescope from Alaska to Cuba, from SETI in California to NASA in Florida. There are notes in here too, almost like a diary. It looks like he checked out every anomaly, all over the country, in the last eight months.”
Isabel spoke up, “There is nothing in these notes that says he was working with anyone else, so maybe Thomas was telling the truth about that, at least.”
Max agreed, “Yeah, in here it says he left the FBI when no one would believe him and he struck out on his own to find his fathers’ killer.”
Kyle released a sigh, “One more catastrophe averted, so at least for now it looks like we’re safe.”
Michael turned to Sean, “Are we?”
“I know we haven’t exactly been friends,” Sean said, “but I understand how important it is and I won’ t tell anyone.”
Liz had suggested to Max that they keep the episode with future Max a secret and Max agreed. The less people who knew about that capability of the Granolith the better. He and Liz quietly told the others and they all agreed.
Max turned to the others. “I told Sean we would answer his questions. If he’s going to be involved in this conspiracy, he deserves to know the truth.”
Michael and Isabel nodded.
“Okay, shoot,” Michael said.
As Sean talked to Isabel and Michael, Max went over and took a seat next to Liz and Maria. “Liz I thought you’ve been looking a little tired lately but when I healed you…” he trailed off. “Liz you’re exhausted.”
Liz smiled. “I thought I was hiding it and you hadn’t noticed.”
Max shook his head, “I notice everything about you, Liz.”
Maria stood up. “I think that’s my cue to leave. I’ll go see if Sean is annoying Michael and Isabel, yet.”
Liz watched Maria leave and turned back to Max, “I guess I wasn’t doing a very good job of hiding at all. You noticed and Kyle. That’s what he and I were talking about at the quarry today before…” She took a deep breath, “Anyway Kyle convinced me to tell you everything.”
Max suddenly felt a chill of apprehension run through his body, “What’s everything, Liz?”
“I haven’t been honest about how tired practicing my astral projection is making me.”
Max’s brow creased in confusion, “Why? How bad is it?”
“Bad,” Liz said. “I thought if you knew the truth, you would try to make me stop practicing, but Max I couldn’t let you. I have this really strong feeling that it’s important.”
Max nodded, “So you must have been practicing a lot and that’s why you’re so tired.”
“Yeah, that’s part of it,” Liz started. “I’ve been practicing at night when I can’t sleep.”
“And you can’t sleep because…?” Max trailed off, waiting for her to continue.
“I’ve been having bad dreams, but I can’t remember them in the morning. They just leave me with this feeling that something terrible is going to happen.”
Max looked away, “I wish you trusted me enough to tell me, Liz. Maybe I could have helped.”
“Oh no, Max,” Liz said as she took his face in her hands, turning him back to her. “Of course I trust you. I’m not sure why I didn’t tell you but Kyle suggested I was trying to protect you.”
“Protect me from what?” Max asked, shocked.
Liz dropped her hands to her lap. “You’ve been through so much, you’ve had so much pain, and I didn’t want to add to that. I just thought I could handle this myself and not burden you.”
“Burden me?” Max asked. “Liz, I love you. I want to know everything about you, good and bad. I don’t consider helping you to be a burden, Liz. I consider it a privilege. It’s part of the privilege of knowing you and loving you.”
Tears pricked Liz’s eyes and she threw her arms around his neck. “I’m so sorry, Max.”
“It’s okay, Liz,” Max soothed as he hugged her to him. “We have to learn how to relate to each other again, how we fit into each other’s lives, and that’s not going to happen overnight.”
They pulled back from one another and Max used his thumb to gently wipe away Liz’s tears. “So do you want to tell me about your progress with the practice?”
Liz took a deep breath and smiled, “Well I’ve been tracking my progress on a chart.”
Max smiled too. “A chart. That’s a surprise.”
With a laugh, Liz pushed at Max’s shoulder playfully.
Kyle watched as Liz and Max laughed and crossed to where they were sitting. “I’m glad you told him, Liz. After what happened this afternoon, I think we should listen to you when you have an upset stomach.”
“What are you talking about?” Max asked.
Kyle looked at Liz, “I’m sorry, I just assumed you told him.”
“I did,” Liz said. “What are you talking about?”
“You said you’ve had a feeling that something bad was going to happen, and the feeling was worse today than it ever was before.”
Liz nodded and Kyle continued, “Well something bad did happen today.” Kyle looked at Max and Liz’s confused expressions. “Don’t you see? Liz predicted what happened.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Maria glanced at Sean next to her in the Jetta as they drove home. “You’re taking all this pretty well. I kind of freaked out when I learned the truth.”
Sean shrugged, “I saw it with my own eyes. There’s not really any way I can deny it.”
“And now that you’ve heard the whole story, there’s no way you can deny Liz belongs with Max,” Maria added.
Sean looked out the window, thinking about the scene he had witnessed just a few moments before, Max and Liz embracing, laughing, crying. The emotions between them had been so intense and when Isabel and Michael told him about the events of the past year, Sean had understood why. “I knew Liz and Max had a past but never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined the truth.”
Maria nodded, “We didn’t know about Liz’s past ourselves, until that day when Tess left.”
“But even without that, Max and Liz have a bond,” Sean said, “and that’s why you warned me to stay away from her.”
“Max and Liz had been through so much and even though they weren’t together, I knew neither one had stopped loving the other. That’s why I told you to stay away from her. That and the fact that you’re a criminal,” Maria quipped.
“Okay, I deserved that,” Sean agreed. “My actions up to now haven’t exactly been above board but I meant what I said Maria; I can be trusted.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Michael, Isabel and Kyle sat with Max and Liz, in Michael’s living room, where Kyle had just explained his theory about Liz’s prediction.
Max spoke up, “Okay Liz, tell us about these dreams.”
Liz shook her head, “There’s nothing to tell. I don’t remember anything about them.”
“But you had a bad feeling when you woke up,” Isabel prompted.
“Yeah,” Liz acknowledged. “For a couple of weeks I’ve had these dreams and the bad feelings kept getting worse.”
“What kind of feelings?” Michael asked.
“It’s hard to explain,” Liz said. “I just knew something bad was going to happen. I didn’t know what, or when, or where. I don’t know how I knew, I just knew.”
“Something bad is always happening,” Michael said gruffly. “That doesn’t mean Liz predicted anything.”
“It doesn’t mean she didn’t,” Isabel argued.
Max agreed with a nod. “It could be a new power she’s developing.”
Kyle rolled his eyes. “There’s an easy way to prove it.” He turned to Liz, “Do you have a bad feeling now?”
Liz thought for a moment and then shook her head, “No.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Evans House)
Isabel locked the door to her room, sank down onto her bed and allowed the tears to fall that had been threatening all day. She quickly covered her face with her pillow, so no one would hear, and let all of her anguish spill out.
So many people, human and alien, hated them for what they were and wanted them dead and it would never stop. That crazy guy John or Thomas or whatever, was just the latest in a long line of enemies; the Special Unit, the dupes, the skins, and every relative of the countless people Nasedo had murdered. It was simply sheer luck that Alex was the only one who had been killed so far.
Not for the first time, Isabel wished she had been born human and lived in ignorance of alien existence, just like six billion others on Earth. Being alien had brought her nothing but heartache, loneliness and death.
And as if her thoughts had summoned him, suddenly Alex was sitting beside her. He pulled the pillow away from her face and took her in his arms. “It will be okay, Isabel.”
She let him hold her for a moment and then pulled back. She took his hand, entwining her fingers with his and clasped their palms together, “How will it be okay, Alex? We could have all been killed today.”
“But you weren’t,” Alex said. “You are all getting stronger, learning to use your powers, and most importantly you’re together. As a group you can overcome anything.”
“I’m sick of fighting,” Isabel whispered. “I just want to have a normal life.”
Alex smiled, “You’ll never have a normal life Isabel, because you’re an extraordinary person.”
“So what do I do? How do I keep going?”
Alex smiled and kissed her on the top of her head. “You just live.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Liz sat next to Max on the picnic table in his back yard and she could tell he was still upset. She had promised him she wouldn’t keep any more secrets but that was exactly what she had done. “I’m really sorry, Max.”
Max shook his head, “Don’t apologize.”
“I owe you an apology, Max. I broke my promise.”
“I’d rather concentrate on fixing the situation,” Max said. “I’m hoping you’ll let me help you on your nightly exercises.”
“But that means you won’t get any sleep either,” Liz protested.
Max smiled, “Do you think I’ll be able to sleep knowing what you’re doing? Plus if I’m involved, I can stop you from exhausting yourself.”
Liz reached for Max’s hand, “I’d love to have your help. Maybe the two of us working together can figure out the reasons for my results.”
Max squeezed her hand, “Why don’t you tell me about your experiments.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Diane glanced out the window into the back yard and was surprised to see Max and Liz sitting together. It had been months since she had seen Liz and she was glad to see her now. Diane had always liked Liz. It seemed as if she brought out Max’s confidence and determination.
With a smile, Diane remembered being called into the principal’s office when Max and Liz had been caught making-out. At the time, Diane had been almost relieved, although she had never told anyone. Max was always so closed-off, so private, and Diane had secretly worried that the trauma of his early life had scared him too much to ever have a normal relationship. But with Liz, Max had seemed so natural and open.
Diane had often wondered why Max and Liz had parted so suddenly, when they had been so close. They had been together almost constantly and then suddenly last summer, Liz was gone. Diane had never asked Max what had happened between them, sure that Max would never tell her. But seeing them together again brought a warm feeling to her heart.
Then she saw Liz take Max’s hand and she smiled.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
TBC
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ALPHA & OMEGA ~ BOOK 10, PART 6
BOOK 10 - MAJESTY’S MORASS (WHAT HAPPENS NOW, MAX?)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
PART 6
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Sunday, July 29th, 2001)
Sean waited outside the Crashdown until the last customers had left and Liz was alone. He knocked on the glass to get her attention, not sure how Liz would react. He wouldn’t have been surprised if she ignored him but she crossed to the door, opened it and wordlessly invited him inside.
Sean had prepared everything he had wanted to say to Liz but suddenly all of the words were gone and he shoved his hands in his pockets. “Liz, I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am about everything.”
“Sean, you already apologized.”
“I know but I could have gotten all of you killed and now you have to worry if I’m going to turn you over to the FBI.”
Liz shook her head, “I know you’ll keep our secret.”
“That’s because you’re a good person and you see good in others. That’s one of the things that attracted me to you. I wanted to be the person you saw.”
“Sean…” Liz started, but he stopped her.
“No, listen Liz, I know you’re with Max and I don’t have a chance. I wish I had listened to you when you told me I couldn’t do anything to turn you from Max. If I’d had any idea about the truth…” he trailed off, shaking his head. “I just wanted to tell you that you don’t have to worry about anything. Your life is not going to be screwed up because of me.”
“I know, Sean,” Liz assured him. “I never doubted it.”
Sean smiled, “So you really are the Queen of another planet.”
Liz was suddenly nervous and looked away from him. “In my other life, but I don’t remember anything about it.”
Sean smiled humorlessly. “But you and Max found each other anyway. Neither of you knew who you really were but you were drawn together. I guess it really was meant to be.”
Liz could hear the note of disappointment in his voice. “I’m really sorry Sean.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Monday, July 30th, 2001)
Michael had been silent the entire car ride back to his apartment from the Valenti’s house and Maria was starting to worry. Usually he was excited about their memory recovery sessions but today he had seemed strangely subdued.
Maria pulled into a visitor space at his apartment complex and turned off the ignition. “Michael, do you want to tell me what’s wrong?”
He turned to her with a scowl. “What?”
“Something’s wrong. Do you want to talk about it?”
Michael shook his head, as he opened the door and grunted a simple, “No.” Then he turned and headed toward his apartment.
Maria got out of the car and hurried after him down the hallway. “That’s not good enough Michael. In a relationship, we help each other through problems.”
Michael jammed his key in the lock, without a glance at Maria. “Well you can’t help me with this.”
When Michael swung the door open, Maria followed him inside. “How do you know unless you tell me?”
Michael knew Maria wouldn’t give up and he let himself fall onto the sofa, releasing a sigh. “I’m a killer, that’s what.”
Maria stood in front of him, “You think you killed John.”
Michael nodded, “I couldn’t stop thinking about it today when I was supposed to be meditating. Look at the facts, remember what everyone said they were doing. They were all using their powers to do something, and John burst into flames. It had to be me.”
Maria shook her head but Michael continued, “I killed Pierce and I killed John. That’s my job, that’s what I do whether I want to or not, and there’s nothing anybody can do about it. It’s who I was in my last life and who I was born to be in this one. I just have to learn how to live with it.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Max sighed wearily as he slumped down on his bed. For weeks he had been trying to recover his memories of Liz but still he’d had no progress. Everything he remembered was from his early life and he grew more frustrated with every memory recovery session.
Isabel had suggested that perhaps the memories of loving and losing Liz were too painful and subconsciously he didn’t want to remember.
And even though Max thought his sister might be right, he needed to remember Liz. He wanted to know everything about her and he felt it would bring them closer. If he remembered their life together, he could show Liz and prove to her they belonged together.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Crashdown Café)
All evening, Liz had sensed that something was wrong with Maria. Dropping things and forgetting orders, Maria was definitely preoccupied. Liz waited impatiently until she and Maria were the only ones left in the Crashdown, before confronting her friend.
Liz locked the back door behind the last cook and turned to Maria. “Okay, we’re alone. Do you want to tell me what’s going on?”
Maria smiled, “I guess that friend thing works both ways.”
Liz nodded and pushed Maria down into a booth before sliding in across from her. “So?”
Maria sighed, “Liz, I think Michael killed that John guy.”
“Any of us could have done it. What makes you think Michael did?”
“Michael thinks he did it,” Maria said. I tried to talk to him about it but he said to leave it alone. He’s convinced he did it because he killed Pierce, and I think he’s scared that he can kill without really meaning to.”
Liz shook her head, “No, Maria. Michael couldn’t possibly have killed John without realizing it. He has better control of his powers than that.”
“Maybe,” Maria said, “but think about it Liz. It couldn’t have been Max because he was using all of his energy on the shield. You were astral projecting and then unconscious, Kyle doesn’t have his powers yet. That only leaves Isabel and Michael. Isabel said she pointed the gun up and pulled you away from John. How much energy would that leave her to do anything else?”
Maria shook her head, “By a process of elimination it must have been Michael and I’m sure he’s figured that out too.”
Liz nodded, “If it was Michael, he did what had to be done. I’m not saying John deserved to die but I’m not sure there was another choice. John would have killed us all.”
“I agree,” Maria said. “We’re at war and Michael is the King’s second in command. That’s got to mean he was in charge of the army on Antar, but he’s a different person now and I don’t know if he’s cut out for this.”
Liz sighed and took Maria’s hand in hers. “I don’t know if any of us are.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Thursday, August 2nd, 2001)
(The Valenti House)
The meditation hour had concluded and the gang had decided to hold mini-meetings afterward.
Max waited until everyone had gathered around before he started. “Does anyone have anything to report or discuss?”
Everyone looked around but no one said anything, and Max was about to adjourn when Liz hesitatingly spoke.
“Um, there’s something that’s been on my mind but I don’t think it will be very popular.”
“What is it, Liz?” Max asked.
“I know everyone is still pretty mad at Sean but I’ve been having this feeling that we should get to know him better, you know, include him in things.”
“Are you nuts?” Michael asked incredulously. “That jerk nearly got us all killed.”
Maria patted him on the arm, “I’m sure Liz remembers.” Maria stood up on tiptoes and yelled in his ear, ”Since she was the one with the gun to her head.”
Isabel ignored Michael and Maria. “What exactly did you have in mind, Liz?”
“I’m not suggesting we take Sean with us to practice but we could include him when we hang-out at the Crashdown or on Saturdays sometimes.”
Kyle spoke up, “And you said you had a feeling we should do this?”
Liz nodded.
“Okay,” Kyle said, “that’s good enough for me.”
“Wait a minute,” Michael protested. “Just because Liz says so and that’s good enough.” He turned to Isabel and Max, “You two can’t seriously be considering this, just because she guessed right once.”
“Michael, it might be more than that,” Isabel argued. “We don’t know what kind of powers Liz has.”
Michael shook his head, “But you don’t seriously think she can predict the future?”
Isabel shrugged and Michael turned to Max. “What about you?”
With a shiver of fear, Max remembered the last weird feeling Liz had gotten and made up his mind instantly. “So we get to know Sean better,” Max said as he cuffed Michael on the shoulder. “What could it hurt?”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Friday, August 10th, 2001)
(Chavez Community College)
Isabel grabbed a Sociology book from the shelf and added it to her growing pile. She'd had no idea freshman classes required so many large books and felt momentarily overwhelmed. But she immediately pushed the doubts aside. She was a good student and was prepared for college, she just wished that she knew someone on campus.
All of the older friends she'd had in high school had either gone out of state to college when they'd graduated, or gotten jobs, so for the first time in a long time, Isabel was alone. She missed Max and Michael and the others and wished they were all together. But, she reminded herself, she'd never had trouble making friends, and when classes started it would only be a matter of time.
Isabel shifted the pile of books and balanced them on her hip as she attempted to read her book list. She was sure she’d seen a workbook on the list to go with the Sociology textbook and quickly scanned the list for the title. With a nod, she spied the title and then saw it immediately above her, on the top shelf. Sliding the list in her top book, she reached for the workbook, but was surprised that even on tiptoes it was out of her reach. Adjusting the books in her grasp, she reached for it again, but the other books slid out of her hand crashing loudly onto the floor.
"Crap," she said under her breath, hoping no one noticed, but suddenly she was aware of someone behind her.
"Let me help you with those," the decidedly masculine voice purred, as he scooped up her books off the floor.
Isabel rolled her eyes and turned with an automatic refusal on her lips, "Thanks, but I…" But the words died in her throat when she took in his appearance. The first thing she noticed was that he was tall, taller than she by at least a few inches. He had broad shoulders and a well-muscled body that his clothes couldn't disguise, and she found her gaze lingering longer than it should. Quickly looking into his face, she noted in passing his golden-blond hair and hard, handsome face, but practically gasped when she saw his eyes. They were a striking, deep green like the color of an emerald, and seemed to blaze with intensity.
She managed a breathless, "Thanks."
"You're welcome," he said with a smile. "I noticed you reaching for the workbook for this class," he said, still cradling her books in one hand, as he effortlessly took two workbooks off the shelf above them. "I'm taking the class too, so I guess I'll see you there."
Isabel hadn't gotten the breath knocked out of her by the sight of a gorgeous guy in a long time, and after everything that had happened, it felt nice and normal to be flirting. She nodded, "Yeah, I'll see you in class."
"I'm Hale, by the way," he said with a crooked grin that revealed a dimple on his cheek.
"Isabel," she stammered, "Isabel Evans."
Hale smiled again and handed her the books. "Hale Sinclair, and it's nice to meet you Isabel Evans."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Michael’s Apartment)
Michael angrily pushed everything off the table with a sweep of his hand, “Damn it.”
He raked his fingers through his hair in frustration. He could still picture John holding the gun to Liz’s head and the feeling of hopelessness he’d experienced.
Since John had nearly killed them, Michael had been doing a lot of extra practicing to hone his powers. He concentrated on directing his energy into a small target without damaging anything around it, like what had happened with Liz, but so far he’d been far from successful.
In his apartment he’d set up a simple target. It consisted of two bricks, one covered with a towel, and the other set behind it and just to the side. Every time he took aim at the brick behind, he pictured Liz and John’s faces instead of the bricks. He was getting better, hitting a smaller area, but he was still scorching the towel and he imagined what would happen if it were really Liz.
Michael took a deep breath and bent down to pick up the bricks. He carefully rearranged them on the table and repaired the towel before placing it back on the front brick. He stretched his aching neck and back and redirected his concentration on the bricks. No matter how frustrated he was, he had to keep practicing, their lives might depend on it.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, August 11th, 2001)
(Copper Summit, AZ)
From Corporal Raltos’ body, Khivar watched with a satisfied smile as the new troops went through their training maneuvers. They were growing accustomed to their husks more quickly than he had hoped and when the time came to put his plan into effect, everything would be ready.
He just had to be patient a little longer and everything he wanted would be his.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Thursday, August 12th, 2001)
(Crashdown Cafe)
Max, Liz, Kyle and Isabel sat in a booth eating, as Maria and Michael worked their shift. The gang had finished their memory retrieval session earlier and automatically headed to the Crashdown together.
Kyle leaned forward, “So you guys want to catch the Planet of the Apes remake on Saturday?”
Isabel rolled her eyes. “What is it with guys and monkeys?”
Max and Liz laughed but their attention was diverted to the front door as a voice rang out, “Max, hey Max.”
Isabel turned to see who it was and then looked back to them, “Oh great.”
Ryan came toward them with a smile but tripped on the leg of chair and fell forward onto their table, toppling a drink that spilled onto Max and Liz.
Ryan picked himself up and was immediately apologetic, fumbling to grab napkins from the dispenser. “I’m really sorry, Max, Liz. I’m kind of a klutz.”
Michael witnessed the scene from the kitchen and burst through the door into the dining room, grabbing Ryan by the front of the shirt. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
Ryan shook his head, “Nothing. It was an accident.”
Max stood up and put a hand on Michael’s arm, “Michael.” He spoke softly, but his meaning was clear.
Michael nodded and released Ryan, smoothing his shirt. “Sorry man.”
Ryan nodded, “It really was just an accident.” He turned to Max and Liz, “I’ll be glad to pay for any damage.”
Liz laughed, “Don’t worry, Ryan, it’s just a little lemonade. It’ll wash out.”
Maria took Michael by the arm and led him into the back. “What was that about? The guy spills a drink and you nearly take his head off.”
“Okay, I might have overreacted a little,” Michael said softly.
“A little,” Maria deadpanned. “What is going on with you Michael? Accidents have happened before. Why did you go off on that guy?”
Michael shook his head, “That guy, Ryan, we don’t know anything about him. He could be anyone, an assassin, and he could have just taken out Max and Liz.”
“What?” Maria asked incredulous.
He frustratedly ran a hand through his hair, trying to explain himself. “Don’t you get it, Maria? I’m Max’s second in command. I’m supposed to keep him safe but I nearly let us all get killed.”
Maria shook her head and took hold of his arms, “Max doesn’t need a bodyguard, Michael. He can take care of himself and he won’t let anything happen to Liz. And no matter how powerful you are, you can’t stop bad things from happening to people you care about.”
Michael suddenly felt deflated and let himself sag against the wall. “I just felt so helpless when John had that gun to Liz’s head. I couldn’t do anything.”
“I know,” Maria said softly, “I felt the same way.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Monday, August 13th, 2001)
(Chavez Community College)
Isabel arrived early for class, quickly glanced around and when she didn’t see Hale, took a seat in the middle of the room where he would be sure to see her when he arrived. She took out her book and pretended to be reading the first chapter as she covertly watched the door. There were a lot of desks in the room but as the minutes passed, they filled up quickly and Isabel released a sigh of frustration as the chairs around her were taken, one by one.
She glanced at the clock on the wall, noting that the class was due to start in just a couple of minutes and Hale still hadn’t arrived. The professor came in and started arranging papers on the desk and Isabel slumped back into her chair dejectedly as the bell rang, signaling the beginning of class.
But just as the sound of the bell died away, the door opened and Hale entered the room. Isabel felt her chest tighten as he briefly looked around the room and his gaze halted on her. With a crooked smile, he approached and took the single remaining chair next to her.
“I see you saved me a seat,” Hale purred.
Isabel felt herself blush but smiled and continued the lighthearted banter, “Actually I saved if for the other dashing stranger who helped me in the bookstore, but since he didn’t show, I guess it’s yours.”
Hale’s smile widened and Isabel felt her heart jump.
“Dashing stranger,” he mused. “Hmmmm. I think I could get used to that.”
Isabel felt incapable of speech for perhaps the first time in her life and desperately searched for a comeback but she was saved as the teacher started class.
“I’m Dave Roberts,” the instructor introduced himself, “and this is Sociology 101. I like to have a fairly informal class, so feel free to call me Dave.” He reached for some papers and started passing them down the rows. “This is a syllabus for the semester, and as you can see, we will be covering the following topics…”
Isabel’s mind drifted as the teacher continued and she dared a glance at Hale. He was scanning the syllabus, but when her eyes lingered on him, he looked up as if he had known she was watching him. She felt herself blush again and with a brief smile, turned her attention back to the instructor.
The class was interesting and it passed quickly and Isabel was surprised when the bell rang.
Dave held up his hands, signaling the class to wait. “So all of your work this semester will be done in pairs or with a research partner, as I like to call them, and your first assignment starts today. Choose partners and let me know who you are working with tomorrow.”
Isabel watched as Hale quickly jammed his books into a leather satchel and slung it over his shoulder, and she felt a pang of disappointment that he had not suggested they partner together.
But instead of leaving, he turned back to her. “So Isabel, I don’t know anyone else in the class, and I thought you and I could partner up?”
Isabel was jumping for joy inside, but outside she played it cool. Cocking her head to the side, she narrowed her eyes and said, “I don’t know. Are you a good student or a party-er? I mean I don’t want to get stuck doing the whole assignment myself and carrying you the whole semester.”
Hale gave her a knee-melting smile. “Of course you’re right to be cautious, you don’t even know me. So how about you let me buy you lunch and we can learn all about each other?”
Isabel nodded, “I’d like that.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(In the desert, near the pod chamber)
Song Playing: Yellow by Coldplay
Max and Liz lay silently next to one another on a blanket, gazing into the sky.
In the last few weeks, they had spent as much time as possible together, talking for hours about their hopes and fears and dreams, catching up on everything that they had missed in each others’ lives the last year because they hadn’t been together.
Liz confessed her lingering guilt and overwhelming sorrow about leaving Max after his experience in the white room, and forcing him to deal with it himself. She regretted not being there for him when he was trying to figure out how to be a leader, and more than anything she regretted pushing him away.
Max told her of his worries about keeping everyone safe, his struggles with Michael and his uncertanty about his role as leader. He confessed his fears of losing her, and the pain he had experienced when he had seen her in bed with Kyle, and his struggles and self doubt in the long months afterward.
Many times they had connected to let the other see or feel what had happened to them, the shared experiences and emotions giving them a better understanding of one another. Their relationship was healing more every day, each hour they spent together bringing them closer to where they had been before things had gone so terribly wrong.
As they laid together under the stars, Max held Liz’s hand in his and thought how wonderful it was to spend some quiet time with her. From his position, Max could see the old radio tower and smiled sadly remembering the night he and Liz had found the orb. That had been a magical time in their lives. They had been blissfully ignorant of all of their problems and enemies and Tess.
Max sighed softly, he and Liz had shared many things but there were two subjects he never discussed with her.
Max’s thoughts turned automatically to his son. He would be more than two months old by now, and not for the first time, Max wondered what he was like. Would he be more human or purely alien? What did he look like? Was he developing powers already? Max didn’t know anything about his race’s lifecycle, how quickly babies developed. The baby had grown so fast inside Tess and he wondered if the rapid growth continued after birth as well? Could his son be able to walk and talk by now?
He wondered what Tess had named the boy and what she was teaching him about his father. Was she teaching him to follow Khivar, to lie and deceive?
Max pushed the thoughts aside, helpless to do anything about it. He might never even see his son.
The pressure of Max’s hand on her’s increased and Liz turned to him, propping herself on an elbow. “What’s wrong, Max?”
“Nothing,” he said automatically as he squeezed her hand reassuringly, and quickly covered. “I was thinking about the close call with John in the quarry. I’m just glad we didn’t lose anyone else.”
Liz nodded, understanding. “It easily could have gone the other way. We’ve been preparing for an alien attack and we were nearly wiped out by one human with a big gun.” Liz tried to laugh. “I mean, how many times am I destined to get shot in this lifetime?”
Max’s face went suddenly pale and he shook his head, “Please Liz, don’t even joke about that. I thought I was loosing you again. That crazy man had a gun pointed at your head and all I could think about was that I wouldn’t be able to heal you in time.” Tears welled up in his eyes and spilled over the lids, leaving shining trails down his cheeks. “Losing Alex was terrible enough but if you died Liz, I, I don’t know what I’d do.”
“I’m sorry,” she instantly apologized, reaching to wipe his tears away. “I didn’t think.”
Max extended a hesitant hand toward Liz’s face and when she didn’t pull away he cupped her cheek in his palm, stroking the satiny surface with his thumb. He wanted to kiss her so badly, he thought he would die. He needed that bond between them to reassure himself she was really his, that she wouldn’t slip away again, but he held back.
“Liz?” he asked hesitatingly. “Would it be okay if I held you for a while?”
Liz could hear the longing in his voice and she felt the same way. With a smile, she nodded.
Max sat up and took her in his arms, pressing her to his chest. Her small body molded into his, her head fitting perfectly under his chin. He took a deep breath to inhale Liz’s familiar, sweet scent as his hand skimmed the surface of her hair. Instantly he felt more calm, more relaxed, and as Liz wrapped her arms around him, he knew without a doubt she belonged there.
Liz sighed in contentment. It was so nice to be held by Max again and for a few moments it was as if they had never been apart, everything was perfect. But a sudden nagging thought intruded into Liz’s fantasy. “Max,” she started softly, “do you ever think about your son?”
“Sometimes,” Max said hesitantly. “What made you think about it?”
Liz shrugged and pulled back so she could see his face, “I don’t know. It just came into my head.”
“I was thinking about him just a few minutes ago,” Max admitted. “When you asked me what was wrong. I didn’t say anything because I knew it would hurt you.”
Liz nodded, understanding. “But not talking about it doesn’t make it less true,” Liz pointed out. “You have a son,” she looked into the sky, “somewhere, up there. It’s has to be hard for you not knowing what’s going on.”
Max nodded but remained silent.
“Max, beyond anything else, we are friends and I hope you feel you can talk to me about anything, your son included.”
“Liz I don’t’…”
Liz cut him off, “Don’t try to protect me from this, Max. What you said is true for me too. I want to be involved in every part of your life.”
Max nodded and smiled, “Okay.”
Liz smiled back and took Max’s hand in hers, squeezing. “So Max, do you want to talk about your son?”
Max looked down at the ground and then back at Liz. “Yeah.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The DeLuca House)
Maria closed the door behind her and called out, “Hey Mom, I’m home.”
She went into her room and dropped her things and then headed into the kitchen. Her Mom was seated at the table and Maria grabbed a bowl and a box of cereal from the cupboard. She placed them on the table and turned to get the milk, ”How was your day, Mom?”
Amy didn’t answer and Maria turned back to the table with the milk. “Mom?”
Amy was staring straight ahead and Maria was suddenly concerned. She shook her mother’s arm, “Mom, are you okay?”
The action jolted Amy out of her reverie. She rubbed at her forehead and focused on Maria. “Oh honey, when did you get home?”
“Just now,” Maria said, “but are you feeling all right?”
“Fine,” Amy assured her, tapping her fingers on the table. “Maria, I know this is going to sound strange but can you tell me what happened that day when we got trapped in the UFO museum?”
Maria was worried. Her Mom was tapping her fingers, obviously she was remembering. “What do you mean?” Maria asked cautiously.
“Just what you remember about that night.”
“Well,” Maria started casually, “we were delivering the t-shirts and there was a blackout and we got trapped inside the museum and had to wait for the police to rescue us. Why are you asking about this, Mom?”
Amy shook her head, “I’ve been having nightmares about that night, where Brody took us all hostage.”
“But those are just dreams,” Maria pointed out.
“That’s what I thought,” Amy said, “but I made a delivery to the museum today and it was like I’ve got two memories on top of each other. It isn’t like a dream, it’s like a memory that I’d forgotten. I can remember the blackout and waiting for the police, but then when I was there today, I could picture Brody with a gun, holding us hostage and accusing Max of being an alien. I can remember the exact place where Brody had Max and Tess tied up. Then Brody ordered food from the Crashdown and took Liz hostage too and he stabbed Sean.”
Maria shook her head, hating to lie to her mother, “But Sean is fine.”
“I know,” Amy said, shaking her head. “It sounds crazy, and when I try to think about it too much, I start to get these terrible headaches. Maybe I’m getting a brain tumor or something.”
Maria wrapped her arms around her mother’s shoulders. “I’m sure you’re fine, Mom. You just had a really vivid dream.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, August 18th, 2001)
Isabel yawned in the backseat as her father drove the family to the mall. Her parents had insisted on the whole family going so they could buy some new clothes for school and Isabel was never one to pass up a shopping trip. But she was tired after the extra early morning practice session the change in plans had caused.
The car slowed and her father turned, but even through her yawns Isabel knew they weren’t at the mall. “Where are we going?”
Philip stopped the car and he and her mother turned to Isabel. “With you and Max going to separate schools we just couldn’t work out how you were both gong to get where you were going with only one car. So your mother and I decided to get you your own car, Isabel.”
Isabel was suddenly awake and excited, “Really?” She turned to Max, “You knew about this?”
Max nodded, “Yeah, Mom and Dad talked to me about it.”
Diane spoke up, “We knew Max wanted the Jeep and we thought you wouldn’t mind him keeping it if you could have a car you wanted.”
Isabel nodded, “Thanks, Mom, Dad, that would be great.”
“So here we are, honey,” Philip said. “Dealership road. Just tell us where you want to start.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Crashdown Cafe)
Michael followed Maria out the back door as she lugged the loaded trash bags to the dumpster. He closed the door behind them and took the bags from her hands, tossing them casually aside.
Maria put her hands on her hips. “What are you doing?”
They hadn’t been alone together for days, and Michael couldn’t believe how much he craved the physical contact. Without a word, he pulled Maria to him and took her lips in a burning kiss.
Maria kissed him back, but after a moment she pulled away. “What has gotten in to you?”
Michael shrugged. “With everything going on we haven’t had the chance to be alone together and since this is the last weekend before school starts, I thought we could go back to my place after work.”
Maria looked down at the ground and then back up, focusing on a spot just behind Michael’s head. “Um, not tonight Michael. I um, I’ve had a headache all night.”
Michael was stunned speechless and let Maria past him into the building without a word. After the door closed behind her, he picked up the trash bags and tossed them into the dumpster. Reaching for the doorknob, he stopped, shaking his head. “A headache?”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Sunday, August 26th, 2001)
(Crashdown Café)
Max stood next to the table, looking into the faces of all of his friends. “We all know what tomorrow is,” he started, “and I don’t know if any of us are really prepared. But we’ve all been working hard these last few months, and now comes the real test. This isn’t the time to relax. We should keep on our toes more than ever. Everyone needs to be careful. Report any suspicious activity or people immediately.”
The others nodded and he continued, “It’s been great spending all of this time together and I don’t want that to stop, but we have a huge challenge ahead of us.”
Michael rolled his eyes, “Max will you stop being so dramatic. It’s not like we’ve never been in this situation before.”
“But it’s different this time,” Liz reminded him.
Max nodded and raised his cup, “To our senior year.”
Everyone raised their cups and repeated the toast, “Our senior year.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
None of the gang noticed a figure watching them from across the street.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Monday, August 27th, 2001)
(West Roswell High School)
Michael rubbed at his eyes as the teacher passed out the syllabus for the semester. History wasn’t typically one of his favorite subjects but he had started to reconsider. As Max’s second in command, he needed to learn everything he could, and studying the past could help them in the future.
He glanced at the syllabus, noting with interest the sections covering World Wars I & II. At least some of the class would be interesting, he thought to himself.
A commotion in the front of the room drew his attention and he was surprised to see Ryan coming in late.
Ryan spotted Michael, and with a wave, headed into the back of the room and took a seat next to him. “Wow, Michael, I’m glad to see someone I know. It’s a really big school and I was afraid I wouldn’t have any classes with you guys.”
Michael’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, “I didn’t know you were coming to school here. I thought maybe you graduated already or something.”
“No,” Ryan said. “This is my senior year though. How about you?”
“Yeah,“ Michael said dismissively. “So where did you say you lived before you moved here?”
“Scottsdale, Arizona. My Dad’s company transferred him here.”
“Your Dad with the military?” Michael asked.
Ryan shook his head, “Naw, nothing cool like that, he’s in sales. You know, copiers, faxes, that sort of thing. I guess Roswell is quite a growing market.”
Michael nodded, “Yeah, I guess.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Parker House)
Nancy entered the house and was relieved to see Liz at the kitchen table, bent over a textbook. She put the bags of groceries on the counter. “Homework already? It’s only the first day of school.”
Liz shrugged, “Mr. Seligman likes to get an early start.”
Nancy took a seat at the table. “Well I’m glad to see you’re keeping up.”
Annoyed Liz put down her pen and looked at her mother, “Keeping up?”
Nancy sighed, “We both know that your grades suffered a bit last year because of all the time you were spending with your friends.”
Liz thought of the things she and the others had done to save themselves and the Earth, but she couldn’t exactly tell her mother the truth, so she simply nodded.
Nancy continued, “And you’ve spent a lot of time with your friends this summer, going off on picnics several times a week, and to the movies, and parties. But now school is starting and I just hope you don’t think you can continue with that schedule. Being with your friends and Max is important to you, I know that and I’m not going to tell you to stop seeing them unless it becomes a problem. But if you want to get into a good college, you need to concentrate on your schoolwork.”
Liz smiled sadly. There were so many other things that were more important than her grades, but her mother didn’t know about any of it, and for a moment Liz wished she could tell her the truth. But she simply nodded, “I promise, I’ll do my best.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Tuesday, August 28th, 2001)
Isabel stopped her silver 1990 BMW at the address Hale had given and her eyes widened at the size of the house. Hale had suggested they work at his house and she’d agreed, barely glancing at the address, but driving to his house she realized it was in the most expensive part of town. And seeing Hale’s house and the one’s surrounding it, she could see why.
The house resembled a civil war era mansion. Two, gleaming-white stories were supported by several huge white columns, and a balcony on the second floor echoed the porch on the ground floor, wrapping around both sides of the house.
“Wow,” Isabel whispered. She gathered her belongings and approached the front door but before she had even reached the porch, Hale emerged greeting her.
“Isabel, I’m glad you could make it.”
“Hale, this is a beautiful house,” Isabel gasped. “I didn’t even know things like this were built in Roswell.”
Hale smiled. “I imagine it would be the kind of place my mother would like,” he explained, as he relieved her of her books and led her into the house. “She died when I was very young and I never knew her, but for some reason this house reminds me of her.”
He led her inside and Isabel’s eyes traveled quickly over everything trying to take it all in. The interior was richly furnished in period pieces, giving it a warm, homey feel. Isabel turned back to Hale, “Is your Dad home? I would love to meet him.”
Hale shook his head, “My Dad died a few years ago.”
Isabel was instantly horrified, “I’m so sorry, Hale. I didn’t know.”
“There is no way you could know,” Hale said softly. “We had just moved here after I graduated high school. I was supposed to go to college that fall and I was spending the summer with him but he got sick and died suddenly.” He paused. “After that, college just didn’t seem so important and I took some time off.”
Isabel nodded, understanding, “What did you do?”
Hale shrugged, “Moped around for a while, traveled, tried to get my head together, and then I just suddenly decided to give college a try.” He looked at her and smiled, “And I’m glad I did, otherwise I wouldn’t have met you.”
Isabel smiled back at him, “I’m glad you did too.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Thursday, August 30th, 2001)
Maria let herself into Michael’s apartment without knocking and grabbed him from behind, placing a sloppy kiss on his cheek.
Michael wiped at his cheek, “Come on Maria. I’m trying to work here.”
Maria glanced at the books spread out before him on the counter with surprise. “Wow, you really are. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you do homework, Michael.”
“Yeah, well if I want to graduate, I have to pass certain classes.”
Maria shook her head, “I thought school was no big deal to you. So what’s changed?”
Michael shrugged, “I never thought school mattered because I didn’t think I was a permanent resident of this planet. But now that I’ve chosen to live here, I thought it might be a good idea to get an education so I don’t end up working at the cheese factory.”
“But with all of this stuff with Max’s son and Khivar, you don’t know what will happen. You might have to go back.”
Michael studied Maria for a moment. For the past couple of weeks she had been distant, and suddenly he wondered about her motives. Was she scared that he was going to leave her? But that didn’t make sense, he argued with himself, he had stayed on Earth for her. Maybe she was just going through a phase, he decided and shrugged, answering her. “Maybe, someday we’ll have to go back,” he conceded. “But maybe not. And I don’t want to put my whole life on hold waiting for something that may never happen.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, September 8th, 2001)
(Senior Chow’s)
Max sat silently across the table from her, and Liz could practically feel the tension coming from him. At first she had thought it was just her imagination, but as the night progressed he seemed to have gotten more nervous. Finally she put down her fork and leaned in closer, “What’s wrong Max?”
His head snapped up immediately, “Wrong?”
“You’ve had something on your mind all evening,” Liz said.
Max shook his head. “There’s something I wanted to ask you, but now I’m wondering if it’s a good idea.”
“What is it, Max?” Liz asked softly. “You know you can ask me anything. We don’t have any secrets from one another.”
“It’s not like that,” he tried to explain. “I wanted to ask you to go somewhere with me. It’s just with what happened last year and how things turned out…” he trailed off and started again. “This isn’t how I wanted to do this. It should be special or clever, at least that’s what I’ve heard from other people. But then I wanted it to be face to face, so I could explain. I mean, I would definitely understand if you didn’t want to…”
“Max,” Liz cut him off, reaching across the table to clasp his hand, “it’s okay. Whatever it is, you can ask me.”
Max took a deep breath, “Liz, what I wanted to ask is, would you go to the homecoming dance with me?”
Max’s question caught her unprepared and she instantly understood his hesitation in asking. Their prom date had been a complete disaster and had jump-started his relationship with Tess. Liz felt a cold shiver of fear race down her spine but immediately pushed it away. If she and Max were going to build a relationship, she had to get over the past, and a school dance was the perfect place to start making new memories.
Liz smiled, “I’d love to go with you, Max.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Monday, September 10th, 2001)
(Chavez Community College)
Isabel walked beside Hale in silence as they headed toward the parking lot, a soft smile curving her lips. For the last month she and Hale had spent every afternoon and some evenings and weekends together, working on their project.
At first, she had worked hard to keep the atmosphere between them light and flirtatious and she was good at it, having practiced on lots of boys in high school. She and Hale had laughed and joked and gradually gotten to know one another. And Hale had been a perfect gentleman the whole time, not even attempting to kiss her. Eventually Isabel had opened up about Alex’s death and with Hale’s own loss so recent, Isabel felt that he really understood.
The one thing Isabel had always envied about Max and Liz’s relationship was their closeness. They always seemed so in-tune with one another and at times it almost seemed like they were one person. With Hale, Isabel felt like the closeness she desired was possible, and she had started to wonder what might develop between them.
As they continued walking, Hale slipped his hand into hers. Isabel was surprised by his action but instead of an intrusion, it felt like the most natural thing in the world. And she looked at him and smiled, squeezing his hand.
Hale returned her smile. “Isabel, I was wondering if you would like to go somewhere with me on Friday.”
“We go to lunch and the library every day,” Isabel said, misunderstanding. “We don’t need to make special plans.”
Hale smiled more widely. “Well, I thought we should make plans. I understand that’s what typically happens when I guy asks a girl on a real date.”
For a moment Isabel was stunned and then she smiled. “I’d really like that.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(West Roswell High School)
Kyle joined Michael, Maria, Max and Liz at their lunch table, smacking Michael on the back. “Where’s your shadow?”
Michael groaned and rolled his eyes, “That Ryan guy is harder to get rid of than a case of the flu.”
“I thought you said you were going to tell him off,” Maria said.
“I was,” Michael said, “but he is so dang happy to have someone to talk to in the three classes we share, that it would be like kicking a lost puppy. I just didn’t have the heart.”
Kyle leaned across Michael and spoke to Maria, “Did you know Michael had a heart?”
Maria wrapped her arms around Michael. “He likes to act tough but he’s just a big softie inside.”
Michael snorted, “Besides, the guy is a total screw up. He is always knocking stuff over and tripping.”
“Yeah,” Liz said. “My Dad wanted to ban him from the Crashdown. He said Ryan was really putting the ‘crash’ in the name Crashdown. I had to convince him Ryan wasn’t causing all of the accidents on purpose.”
“Good thing he doesn’t work there,” Maria said with a shiver. “Can you imagine all of the broken dishes?”
“At least he can’t cause too much damage working with stuffed aliens,” Kyle said with a laugh.
Max shook his head. “At the museum he’s acquired the nickname of tornado. I spend half my time cleaning up after him. He knocked over an entire display last week and it took me hours to fix.”
The sound of books hitting the ground drew their attention.
“I think a tornado just touched down,” Kyle quipped.
Ryan picked himself and his books up off the ground and rushed toward their table. “Hey guys, how’s it going?”
“Hey Ryan,” they all answered.
Ryan turned to Max, “Do you think Brody would let me have the night off. Michael and I are supposed to do this report for history class.”
Max started to answer but Michael cut him off, “Ryan I already told you it can’t be tonight. I’ve got stuff to do.”
“Oh right,” Ryan said with a nod. “Well, I could stop by the Crashdown and we could start on your break.”
Michael shook his head, “I’m not working tonight.”
Ryan’s brow creased in confusion. “This report is due Friday. We’ve to get started on it. If you’re not working then what are you doing?”
Michael couldn’t exactly tell Ryan the truth, that they were going to the quarry to hone their alien powers. He looked to Max for help but Max shrugged.
Michael let out a sigh, “I’m doing stuff, okay?” He saw the hurt look on Ryan’s face and instantly regretted his harsh words. “Look, how about I meet you in the library after school tomorrow?”
Ryan regained his good humor, “Okay, that’ll be great.” He jumped up from his seat, “I’ll see you guys later.”
Kyle waited until Ryan was out of earshot. “Poor Michael, forced to be nice to someone.”
“Shut up, Valenti,” Michael said with a laugh. He watched Ryan’s lanky gate as he walked past the students and into the building. “That guy will be the end of me.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Friday, September 14th, 2001)
(Crashdown Cafe)
The bell above the door rang, drawing Maria’s attention and she looked up to see a deliveryman with a large bouquet of flowers, entering the restaurant.
This was exactly the romantic kind of thing Max always did for Liz and Maria approached the counter with a sigh, “Delivery for Parker?”
The deliveryman flipped through his schedule sheet. “No, these are for a Maria DeLuca.”
Maria glanced at the size of the bouquet and then back at the deliveryman. “DeLuca? Are you sure?”
The man pointed to the line on the his delivery sheet, “Yeah. Do you want to sign for these or what?”
Maria signed the paper and the man placed the flowers in her hands. Her first thought was that Michael sent them but then she remembered the flowers Brody had sent when Alex died. Even though Brody had never sent her flowers before for no reason, it would be just like him to do something so thoughtful.
The delivery guy was almost out the door before Maria called out to him, “Hey, who are they from?”
The man glanced at the sheet again and yelled across the restaurant, “Says Guerin.”
Maria smiled dreamily, taking a vase from under the counter and started arranging the flowers. There was a large variety and she didn’t know half the names, but she didn’t care because Michael had finally done something romantic. Maria shrugged, trust Michael to arrange the delivery when he wasn’t there, but she was still happy.
After a few moments she stood back to admire her handy-work but she was interrupted by a familiar voice from the back room.
“Aren’t you even going to look at the card?” Michael called out.
Maria ran and threw her arms around him, covering his face with kisses. “Thank you. Thank you, Michael. I love the flowers.”
Michael motioned to the flowers, “But aren’t you going to read the card?”
“Oh,” Maria said, “I didn’t see a card.” Searching through the blooms she finally found the card and read it aloud.
I still can’t dance and I stink at poetry
But I would love it if you would accompany
me to the Homecoming dance.
-Michael
Maria pulled Michael into another hug. “I’d love to go.”
“That’s great, Maria,” he said with a smile. “But since when do you ask the delivery guy who the flowers are from?”
“Well,” Maria said with a laugh, “since you never sent me flowers before, I didn’t want to assume.”
Michael’s eyebrows rose, “Who else would you assume was sending flowers?”
Maria shook her head, pleased with his sudden bout of jealously. “No one, Michael. No one at all.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, September 15th, 2001)
Hale’s black Audi TT convertible rolled to a stop, and once again he teasingly warned Isabel, “Keep your eyes closed.”
Isabel agreed with a smile, “Okay, but how am I going to get where ever it is we are going?”
Hale leaned closer, “I’ll lead you.”
He got out of the car and moved around to the passenger side to open Isabel’s door. Taking one of her hands in his and wrapping his other arm around her waist, Hale led her a short distance.
Isabel could tell they were walking on grass and she could hear running water but she didn’t know where they were.
“Okay, now you can open your eyes,” he said softly.
Isabel first focused on the fountain illuminated by spotlights. She noted they were in the park and then she saw the elaborate table-for-two that was set up near the fountain, complete with flowers and candles. “Oh,” she gasped, “it’s so beautiful.” She turned to him, “How did you arrange this?”
“Oh, you know, I just used a little magic,” Hale said with a wink. “I wish we lived near an ocean so we could do this on the beach, but you have to work with what you have.” He led her to a chair and pulled it out, “Allow me.”
Isabel sat and Hale took the chair across from her and suddenly the soft sound of a violin filled the air. Isabel turned to see a violinist approaching the table. “I can’t believe you went to all of this trouble,” she exclaimed.
Hale shook his head, “It was no trouble at all. I just wanted to do something special for our first official date, so it would be something you would remember.”
Isabel smiled, “You’re right. I’ll never forget this.”
Hale’s intense gaze met her’s across the table, “Good.” He held her eyes for a moment before he turned to the ice bucket next to the table and retrieved a bottle, holding it out for her inspection, “Sparkling cider?”
She nodded silently and he filled her glass and then his own.
He placed the bottle on the table and then raised his glass. “A toast,” he said softly. “To good friends.”
Isabel touched her glass to his and drank, noting that his eyes never left hers. Intellectually Isabel knew she had to be careful, but a sudden impulse made her reach across the table and touch his hand. “This may sound corny, and you can say no if it’s not your kind of thing, but next Saturday is my high school’s homecoming dance and I was wondering if you’d like to go.”
Hale took her hand in his, brought it to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles. “I’d love to, Isabel.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Monday, September 17th, 2001)
(The Quarry)
Kyle watched Isabel covertly as he pretended to be meditating, waiting to talk to her alone. Finally she took a break from her practice and went to get a water bottle and he loped over to her and took a seat on a rock. “How’s it going?” he asked.
Isabel shrugged, “Okay, and you?”
“Fine,” Kyle said with a nod, wondering why he was suddenly so nervous. “I guess you’ve heard that Max and Liz and Michael and Maria are going to the Homecoming dance.”
“Yeah,” Isabel said with a nod.
“Well I just wanted you to know that we could carry the buddy thing over to include the dance, if you wanted to go.” He shrugged, “So you didn’t feel left out, or anything.”
Isabel smiled, “That’s so sweet, Kyle. Thank you for offering, but I already have a date.”
Kyle was stunned. “You do? Who is it?”
Isabel glanced at Max and Michael. “I haven’t told anyone but I’ve been hanging out with this guy at school and I asked him to the dance.”
“Oh,” Kyle said, trying to hide his disappointment, “that’s great.”
“I haven’t talked to Max or Michael yet but I just assumed that we would all hang out together. So you should get a date and we’ll all meet up.”
Kyle didn’t have a clue who he would take to the dance and that was part of the reason why he had asked Isabel. He’d dated a number of girls over the years but he didn’t have a friendship with any of them.
With a jolt of pain he remembered the prom. He had really wanted to take Tess, hoping to advance their relationship, but suddenly he’d realized that she was more of a sister to him. And vaguely he wondered if that same thing would have happened if he had taken Isabel to Homecoming. Kyle Valenti, doomed to brotherly relationships with hot chicks.
Maybe he should take Isabel’s advice and get a date before he ended up a monk. He had noticed a brunette in his history class looking at him, maybe he’d talk to her tomorrow.
Kyle nodded, “Yeah, maybe I’ll do that.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Crashdown Café)
Michael pushed a basket of onion rings onto the table and slid into the booth across from Max. “So did you catch the game yesterday?”
Max shrugged, “I was studying with Liz.”
“You missed a good one,” Michael said. “The last few minutes were wild.” He dowsed an onion ring with tabasco and stuffed it in his mouth. “So how are things with you and Liz?”
“Good,” Max said with a nod. “Things are good.”
Michael nodded understanding, “Things are still platonic.”
“That is not the only part of a relationship, Michael,” Max scolded. “I’m glad we’re taking things slow. Liz and I really needed to repair our friendship and now we are closer than ever. When we do go to the next level, both of us will be ready.”
“So…” Michael started, but trailed off, peering over Max’s head and out the front window. “Is that Maria going into the UFO museum?”
Max turned, “Yeah.”
Michael stood up and motioned across the street. “What is she doing over there?”
“Maria and Brody are friends,” Max said with a shrug, “you know that.”
Michael raised his voice, growing angry, “I know she takes him dinner, but she goes over there when she’s not working? She never told me that. What are they doing together over there?”
“Nothing,” Max assured him. “They usually go into Brody’s office and talk. Sometimes they have tea.” Max leaned forward. “Michael, I would have told you if I thought anything inappropriate was going on.”
Michael sat down shaking his head. “Tea? They have tea? What the hell is that?” He looked at Max, “I know Brody has a crush on her but I never took him seriously because I thought Maria wouldn’t give him the time of day.”
“Michael,” Max said more forcefully, trying to get through to his friend, “Brody and Maria are just friends.”
Michael focused on the door of the UFO museum as if he could see inside, and thought of Maria’s cool attitude toward him lately, coupled with what Max had just said about his friendship with Liz. “Yeah, they’re just friends.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
TBC
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
This Fic was Nominated at Majik's World of FanFic for:
Best Pre-Pilot or Backstory
Best Angsty Fic
Best Fight Scene
Best Fic that kept you on the edge of your seat
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~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
PART 6
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Sunday, July 29th, 2001)
Sean waited outside the Crashdown until the last customers had left and Liz was alone. He knocked on the glass to get her attention, not sure how Liz would react. He wouldn’t have been surprised if she ignored him but she crossed to the door, opened it and wordlessly invited him inside.
Sean had prepared everything he had wanted to say to Liz but suddenly all of the words were gone and he shoved his hands in his pockets. “Liz, I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am about everything.”
“Sean, you already apologized.”
“I know but I could have gotten all of you killed and now you have to worry if I’m going to turn you over to the FBI.”
Liz shook her head, “I know you’ll keep our secret.”
“That’s because you’re a good person and you see good in others. That’s one of the things that attracted me to you. I wanted to be the person you saw.”
“Sean…” Liz started, but he stopped her.
“No, listen Liz, I know you’re with Max and I don’t have a chance. I wish I had listened to you when you told me I couldn’t do anything to turn you from Max. If I’d had any idea about the truth…” he trailed off, shaking his head. “I just wanted to tell you that you don’t have to worry about anything. Your life is not going to be screwed up because of me.”
“I know, Sean,” Liz assured him. “I never doubted it.”
Sean smiled, “So you really are the Queen of another planet.”
Liz was suddenly nervous and looked away from him. “In my other life, but I don’t remember anything about it.”
Sean smiled humorlessly. “But you and Max found each other anyway. Neither of you knew who you really were but you were drawn together. I guess it really was meant to be.”
Liz could hear the note of disappointment in his voice. “I’m really sorry Sean.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Monday, July 30th, 2001)
Michael had been silent the entire car ride back to his apartment from the Valenti’s house and Maria was starting to worry. Usually he was excited about their memory recovery sessions but today he had seemed strangely subdued.
Maria pulled into a visitor space at his apartment complex and turned off the ignition. “Michael, do you want to tell me what’s wrong?”
He turned to her with a scowl. “What?”
“Something’s wrong. Do you want to talk about it?”
Michael shook his head, as he opened the door and grunted a simple, “No.” Then he turned and headed toward his apartment.
Maria got out of the car and hurried after him down the hallway. “That’s not good enough Michael. In a relationship, we help each other through problems.”
Michael jammed his key in the lock, without a glance at Maria. “Well you can’t help me with this.”
When Michael swung the door open, Maria followed him inside. “How do you know unless you tell me?”
Michael knew Maria wouldn’t give up and he let himself fall onto the sofa, releasing a sigh. “I’m a killer, that’s what.”
Maria stood in front of him, “You think you killed John.”
Michael nodded, “I couldn’t stop thinking about it today when I was supposed to be meditating. Look at the facts, remember what everyone said they were doing. They were all using their powers to do something, and John burst into flames. It had to be me.”
Maria shook her head but Michael continued, “I killed Pierce and I killed John. That’s my job, that’s what I do whether I want to or not, and there’s nothing anybody can do about it. It’s who I was in my last life and who I was born to be in this one. I just have to learn how to live with it.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Max sighed wearily as he slumped down on his bed. For weeks he had been trying to recover his memories of Liz but still he’d had no progress. Everything he remembered was from his early life and he grew more frustrated with every memory recovery session.
Isabel had suggested that perhaps the memories of loving and losing Liz were too painful and subconsciously he didn’t want to remember.
And even though Max thought his sister might be right, he needed to remember Liz. He wanted to know everything about her and he felt it would bring them closer. If he remembered their life together, he could show Liz and prove to her they belonged together.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Crashdown Café)
All evening, Liz had sensed that something was wrong with Maria. Dropping things and forgetting orders, Maria was definitely preoccupied. Liz waited impatiently until she and Maria were the only ones left in the Crashdown, before confronting her friend.
Liz locked the back door behind the last cook and turned to Maria. “Okay, we’re alone. Do you want to tell me what’s going on?”
Maria smiled, “I guess that friend thing works both ways.”
Liz nodded and pushed Maria down into a booth before sliding in across from her. “So?”
Maria sighed, “Liz, I think Michael killed that John guy.”
“Any of us could have done it. What makes you think Michael did?”
“Michael thinks he did it,” Maria said. I tried to talk to him about it but he said to leave it alone. He’s convinced he did it because he killed Pierce, and I think he’s scared that he can kill without really meaning to.”
Liz shook her head, “No, Maria. Michael couldn’t possibly have killed John without realizing it. He has better control of his powers than that.”
“Maybe,” Maria said, “but think about it Liz. It couldn’t have been Max because he was using all of his energy on the shield. You were astral projecting and then unconscious, Kyle doesn’t have his powers yet. That only leaves Isabel and Michael. Isabel said she pointed the gun up and pulled you away from John. How much energy would that leave her to do anything else?”
Maria shook her head, “By a process of elimination it must have been Michael and I’m sure he’s figured that out too.”
Liz nodded, “If it was Michael, he did what had to be done. I’m not saying John deserved to die but I’m not sure there was another choice. John would have killed us all.”
“I agree,” Maria said. “We’re at war and Michael is the King’s second in command. That’s got to mean he was in charge of the army on Antar, but he’s a different person now and I don’t know if he’s cut out for this.”
Liz sighed and took Maria’s hand in hers. “I don’t know if any of us are.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Thursday, August 2nd, 2001)
(The Valenti House)
The meditation hour had concluded and the gang had decided to hold mini-meetings afterward.
Max waited until everyone had gathered around before he started. “Does anyone have anything to report or discuss?”
Everyone looked around but no one said anything, and Max was about to adjourn when Liz hesitatingly spoke.
“Um, there’s something that’s been on my mind but I don’t think it will be very popular.”
“What is it, Liz?” Max asked.
“I know everyone is still pretty mad at Sean but I’ve been having this feeling that we should get to know him better, you know, include him in things.”
“Are you nuts?” Michael asked incredulously. “That jerk nearly got us all killed.”
Maria patted him on the arm, “I’m sure Liz remembers.” Maria stood up on tiptoes and yelled in his ear, ”Since she was the one with the gun to her head.”
Isabel ignored Michael and Maria. “What exactly did you have in mind, Liz?”
“I’m not suggesting we take Sean with us to practice but we could include him when we hang-out at the Crashdown or on Saturdays sometimes.”
Kyle spoke up, “And you said you had a feeling we should do this?”
Liz nodded.
“Okay,” Kyle said, “that’s good enough for me.”
“Wait a minute,” Michael protested. “Just because Liz says so and that’s good enough.” He turned to Isabel and Max, “You two can’t seriously be considering this, just because she guessed right once.”
“Michael, it might be more than that,” Isabel argued. “We don’t know what kind of powers Liz has.”
Michael shook his head, “But you don’t seriously think she can predict the future?”
Isabel shrugged and Michael turned to Max. “What about you?”
With a shiver of fear, Max remembered the last weird feeling Liz had gotten and made up his mind instantly. “So we get to know Sean better,” Max said as he cuffed Michael on the shoulder. “What could it hurt?”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Friday, August 10th, 2001)
(Chavez Community College)
Isabel grabbed a Sociology book from the shelf and added it to her growing pile. She'd had no idea freshman classes required so many large books and felt momentarily overwhelmed. But she immediately pushed the doubts aside. She was a good student and was prepared for college, she just wished that she knew someone on campus.
All of the older friends she'd had in high school had either gone out of state to college when they'd graduated, or gotten jobs, so for the first time in a long time, Isabel was alone. She missed Max and Michael and the others and wished they were all together. But, she reminded herself, she'd never had trouble making friends, and when classes started it would only be a matter of time.
Isabel shifted the pile of books and balanced them on her hip as she attempted to read her book list. She was sure she’d seen a workbook on the list to go with the Sociology textbook and quickly scanned the list for the title. With a nod, she spied the title and then saw it immediately above her, on the top shelf. Sliding the list in her top book, she reached for the workbook, but was surprised that even on tiptoes it was out of her reach. Adjusting the books in her grasp, she reached for it again, but the other books slid out of her hand crashing loudly onto the floor.
"Crap," she said under her breath, hoping no one noticed, but suddenly she was aware of someone behind her.
"Let me help you with those," the decidedly masculine voice purred, as he scooped up her books off the floor.
Isabel rolled her eyes and turned with an automatic refusal on her lips, "Thanks, but I…" But the words died in her throat when she took in his appearance. The first thing she noticed was that he was tall, taller than she by at least a few inches. He had broad shoulders and a well-muscled body that his clothes couldn't disguise, and she found her gaze lingering longer than it should. Quickly looking into his face, she noted in passing his golden-blond hair and hard, handsome face, but practically gasped when she saw his eyes. They were a striking, deep green like the color of an emerald, and seemed to blaze with intensity.
She managed a breathless, "Thanks."
"You're welcome," he said with a smile. "I noticed you reaching for the workbook for this class," he said, still cradling her books in one hand, as he effortlessly took two workbooks off the shelf above them. "I'm taking the class too, so I guess I'll see you there."
Isabel hadn't gotten the breath knocked out of her by the sight of a gorgeous guy in a long time, and after everything that had happened, it felt nice and normal to be flirting. She nodded, "Yeah, I'll see you in class."
"I'm Hale, by the way," he said with a crooked grin that revealed a dimple on his cheek.
"Isabel," she stammered, "Isabel Evans."
Hale smiled again and handed her the books. "Hale Sinclair, and it's nice to meet you Isabel Evans."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Michael’s Apartment)
Michael angrily pushed everything off the table with a sweep of his hand, “Damn it.”
He raked his fingers through his hair in frustration. He could still picture John holding the gun to Liz’s head and the feeling of hopelessness he’d experienced.
Since John had nearly killed them, Michael had been doing a lot of extra practicing to hone his powers. He concentrated on directing his energy into a small target without damaging anything around it, like what had happened with Liz, but so far he’d been far from successful.
In his apartment he’d set up a simple target. It consisted of two bricks, one covered with a towel, and the other set behind it and just to the side. Every time he took aim at the brick behind, he pictured Liz and John’s faces instead of the bricks. He was getting better, hitting a smaller area, but he was still scorching the towel and he imagined what would happen if it were really Liz.
Michael took a deep breath and bent down to pick up the bricks. He carefully rearranged them on the table and repaired the towel before placing it back on the front brick. He stretched his aching neck and back and redirected his concentration on the bricks. No matter how frustrated he was, he had to keep practicing, their lives might depend on it.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, August 11th, 2001)
(Copper Summit, AZ)
From Corporal Raltos’ body, Khivar watched with a satisfied smile as the new troops went through their training maneuvers. They were growing accustomed to their husks more quickly than he had hoped and when the time came to put his plan into effect, everything would be ready.
He just had to be patient a little longer and everything he wanted would be his.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Thursday, August 12th, 2001)
(Crashdown Cafe)
Max, Liz, Kyle and Isabel sat in a booth eating, as Maria and Michael worked their shift. The gang had finished their memory retrieval session earlier and automatically headed to the Crashdown together.
Kyle leaned forward, “So you guys want to catch the Planet of the Apes remake on Saturday?”
Isabel rolled her eyes. “What is it with guys and monkeys?”
Max and Liz laughed but their attention was diverted to the front door as a voice rang out, “Max, hey Max.”
Isabel turned to see who it was and then looked back to them, “Oh great.”
Ryan came toward them with a smile but tripped on the leg of chair and fell forward onto their table, toppling a drink that spilled onto Max and Liz.
Ryan picked himself up and was immediately apologetic, fumbling to grab napkins from the dispenser. “I’m really sorry, Max, Liz. I’m kind of a klutz.”
Michael witnessed the scene from the kitchen and burst through the door into the dining room, grabbing Ryan by the front of the shirt. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
Ryan shook his head, “Nothing. It was an accident.”
Max stood up and put a hand on Michael’s arm, “Michael.” He spoke softly, but his meaning was clear.
Michael nodded and released Ryan, smoothing his shirt. “Sorry man.”
Ryan nodded, “It really was just an accident.” He turned to Max and Liz, “I’ll be glad to pay for any damage.”
Liz laughed, “Don’t worry, Ryan, it’s just a little lemonade. It’ll wash out.”
Maria took Michael by the arm and led him into the back. “What was that about? The guy spills a drink and you nearly take his head off.”
“Okay, I might have overreacted a little,” Michael said softly.
“A little,” Maria deadpanned. “What is going on with you Michael? Accidents have happened before. Why did you go off on that guy?”
Michael shook his head, “That guy, Ryan, we don’t know anything about him. He could be anyone, an assassin, and he could have just taken out Max and Liz.”
“What?” Maria asked incredulous.
He frustratedly ran a hand through his hair, trying to explain himself. “Don’t you get it, Maria? I’m Max’s second in command. I’m supposed to keep him safe but I nearly let us all get killed.”
Maria shook her head and took hold of his arms, “Max doesn’t need a bodyguard, Michael. He can take care of himself and he won’t let anything happen to Liz. And no matter how powerful you are, you can’t stop bad things from happening to people you care about.”
Michael suddenly felt deflated and let himself sag against the wall. “I just felt so helpless when John had that gun to Liz’s head. I couldn’t do anything.”
“I know,” Maria said softly, “I felt the same way.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Monday, August 13th, 2001)
(Chavez Community College)
Isabel arrived early for class, quickly glanced around and when she didn’t see Hale, took a seat in the middle of the room where he would be sure to see her when he arrived. She took out her book and pretended to be reading the first chapter as she covertly watched the door. There were a lot of desks in the room but as the minutes passed, they filled up quickly and Isabel released a sigh of frustration as the chairs around her were taken, one by one.
She glanced at the clock on the wall, noting that the class was due to start in just a couple of minutes and Hale still hadn’t arrived. The professor came in and started arranging papers on the desk and Isabel slumped back into her chair dejectedly as the bell rang, signaling the beginning of class.
But just as the sound of the bell died away, the door opened and Hale entered the room. Isabel felt her chest tighten as he briefly looked around the room and his gaze halted on her. With a crooked smile, he approached and took the single remaining chair next to her.
“I see you saved me a seat,” Hale purred.
Isabel felt herself blush but smiled and continued the lighthearted banter, “Actually I saved if for the other dashing stranger who helped me in the bookstore, but since he didn’t show, I guess it’s yours.”
Hale’s smile widened and Isabel felt her heart jump.
“Dashing stranger,” he mused. “Hmmmm. I think I could get used to that.”
Isabel felt incapable of speech for perhaps the first time in her life and desperately searched for a comeback but she was saved as the teacher started class.
“I’m Dave Roberts,” the instructor introduced himself, “and this is Sociology 101. I like to have a fairly informal class, so feel free to call me Dave.” He reached for some papers and started passing them down the rows. “This is a syllabus for the semester, and as you can see, we will be covering the following topics…”
Isabel’s mind drifted as the teacher continued and she dared a glance at Hale. He was scanning the syllabus, but when her eyes lingered on him, he looked up as if he had known she was watching him. She felt herself blush again and with a brief smile, turned her attention back to the instructor.
The class was interesting and it passed quickly and Isabel was surprised when the bell rang.
Dave held up his hands, signaling the class to wait. “So all of your work this semester will be done in pairs or with a research partner, as I like to call them, and your first assignment starts today. Choose partners and let me know who you are working with tomorrow.”
Isabel watched as Hale quickly jammed his books into a leather satchel and slung it over his shoulder, and she felt a pang of disappointment that he had not suggested they partner together.
But instead of leaving, he turned back to her. “So Isabel, I don’t know anyone else in the class, and I thought you and I could partner up?”
Isabel was jumping for joy inside, but outside she played it cool. Cocking her head to the side, she narrowed her eyes and said, “I don’t know. Are you a good student or a party-er? I mean I don’t want to get stuck doing the whole assignment myself and carrying you the whole semester.”
Hale gave her a knee-melting smile. “Of course you’re right to be cautious, you don’t even know me. So how about you let me buy you lunch and we can learn all about each other?”
Isabel nodded, “I’d like that.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(In the desert, near the pod chamber)
Song Playing: Yellow by Coldplay
Max and Liz lay silently next to one another on a blanket, gazing into the sky.
In the last few weeks, they had spent as much time as possible together, talking for hours about their hopes and fears and dreams, catching up on everything that they had missed in each others’ lives the last year because they hadn’t been together.
Liz confessed her lingering guilt and overwhelming sorrow about leaving Max after his experience in the white room, and forcing him to deal with it himself. She regretted not being there for him when he was trying to figure out how to be a leader, and more than anything she regretted pushing him away.
Max told her of his worries about keeping everyone safe, his struggles with Michael and his uncertanty about his role as leader. He confessed his fears of losing her, and the pain he had experienced when he had seen her in bed with Kyle, and his struggles and self doubt in the long months afterward.
Many times they had connected to let the other see or feel what had happened to them, the shared experiences and emotions giving them a better understanding of one another. Their relationship was healing more every day, each hour they spent together bringing them closer to where they had been before things had gone so terribly wrong.
As they laid together under the stars, Max held Liz’s hand in his and thought how wonderful it was to spend some quiet time with her. From his position, Max could see the old radio tower and smiled sadly remembering the night he and Liz had found the orb. That had been a magical time in their lives. They had been blissfully ignorant of all of their problems and enemies and Tess.
Max sighed softly, he and Liz had shared many things but there were two subjects he never discussed with her.
Max’s thoughts turned automatically to his son. He would be more than two months old by now, and not for the first time, Max wondered what he was like. Would he be more human or purely alien? What did he look like? Was he developing powers already? Max didn’t know anything about his race’s lifecycle, how quickly babies developed. The baby had grown so fast inside Tess and he wondered if the rapid growth continued after birth as well? Could his son be able to walk and talk by now?
He wondered what Tess had named the boy and what she was teaching him about his father. Was she teaching him to follow Khivar, to lie and deceive?
Max pushed the thoughts aside, helpless to do anything about it. He might never even see his son.
The pressure of Max’s hand on her’s increased and Liz turned to him, propping herself on an elbow. “What’s wrong, Max?”
“Nothing,” he said automatically as he squeezed her hand reassuringly, and quickly covered. “I was thinking about the close call with John in the quarry. I’m just glad we didn’t lose anyone else.”
Liz nodded, understanding. “It easily could have gone the other way. We’ve been preparing for an alien attack and we were nearly wiped out by one human with a big gun.” Liz tried to laugh. “I mean, how many times am I destined to get shot in this lifetime?”
Max’s face went suddenly pale and he shook his head, “Please Liz, don’t even joke about that. I thought I was loosing you again. That crazy man had a gun pointed at your head and all I could think about was that I wouldn’t be able to heal you in time.” Tears welled up in his eyes and spilled over the lids, leaving shining trails down his cheeks. “Losing Alex was terrible enough but if you died Liz, I, I don’t know what I’d do.”
“I’m sorry,” she instantly apologized, reaching to wipe his tears away. “I didn’t think.”
Max extended a hesitant hand toward Liz’s face and when she didn’t pull away he cupped her cheek in his palm, stroking the satiny surface with his thumb. He wanted to kiss her so badly, he thought he would die. He needed that bond between them to reassure himself she was really his, that she wouldn’t slip away again, but he held back.
“Liz?” he asked hesitatingly. “Would it be okay if I held you for a while?”
Liz could hear the longing in his voice and she felt the same way. With a smile, she nodded.
Max sat up and took her in his arms, pressing her to his chest. Her small body molded into his, her head fitting perfectly under his chin. He took a deep breath to inhale Liz’s familiar, sweet scent as his hand skimmed the surface of her hair. Instantly he felt more calm, more relaxed, and as Liz wrapped her arms around him, he knew without a doubt she belonged there.
Liz sighed in contentment. It was so nice to be held by Max again and for a few moments it was as if they had never been apart, everything was perfect. But a sudden nagging thought intruded into Liz’s fantasy. “Max,” she started softly, “do you ever think about your son?”
“Sometimes,” Max said hesitantly. “What made you think about it?”
Liz shrugged and pulled back so she could see his face, “I don’t know. It just came into my head.”
“I was thinking about him just a few minutes ago,” Max admitted. “When you asked me what was wrong. I didn’t say anything because I knew it would hurt you.”
Liz nodded, understanding. “But not talking about it doesn’t make it less true,” Liz pointed out. “You have a son,” she looked into the sky, “somewhere, up there. It’s has to be hard for you not knowing what’s going on.”
Max nodded but remained silent.
“Max, beyond anything else, we are friends and I hope you feel you can talk to me about anything, your son included.”
“Liz I don’t’…”
Liz cut him off, “Don’t try to protect me from this, Max. What you said is true for me too. I want to be involved in every part of your life.”
Max nodded and smiled, “Okay.”
Liz smiled back and took Max’s hand in hers, squeezing. “So Max, do you want to talk about your son?”
Max looked down at the ground and then back at Liz. “Yeah.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The DeLuca House)
Maria closed the door behind her and called out, “Hey Mom, I’m home.”
She went into her room and dropped her things and then headed into the kitchen. Her Mom was seated at the table and Maria grabbed a bowl and a box of cereal from the cupboard. She placed them on the table and turned to get the milk, ”How was your day, Mom?”
Amy didn’t answer and Maria turned back to the table with the milk. “Mom?”
Amy was staring straight ahead and Maria was suddenly concerned. She shook her mother’s arm, “Mom, are you okay?”
The action jolted Amy out of her reverie. She rubbed at her forehead and focused on Maria. “Oh honey, when did you get home?”
“Just now,” Maria said, “but are you feeling all right?”
“Fine,” Amy assured her, tapping her fingers on the table. “Maria, I know this is going to sound strange but can you tell me what happened that day when we got trapped in the UFO museum?”
Maria was worried. Her Mom was tapping her fingers, obviously she was remembering. “What do you mean?” Maria asked cautiously.
“Just what you remember about that night.”
“Well,” Maria started casually, “we were delivering the t-shirts and there was a blackout and we got trapped inside the museum and had to wait for the police to rescue us. Why are you asking about this, Mom?”
Amy shook her head, “I’ve been having nightmares about that night, where Brody took us all hostage.”
“But those are just dreams,” Maria pointed out.
“That’s what I thought,” Amy said, “but I made a delivery to the museum today and it was like I’ve got two memories on top of each other. It isn’t like a dream, it’s like a memory that I’d forgotten. I can remember the blackout and waiting for the police, but then when I was there today, I could picture Brody with a gun, holding us hostage and accusing Max of being an alien. I can remember the exact place where Brody had Max and Tess tied up. Then Brody ordered food from the Crashdown and took Liz hostage too and he stabbed Sean.”
Maria shook her head, hating to lie to her mother, “But Sean is fine.”
“I know,” Amy said, shaking her head. “It sounds crazy, and when I try to think about it too much, I start to get these terrible headaches. Maybe I’m getting a brain tumor or something.”
Maria wrapped her arms around her mother’s shoulders. “I’m sure you’re fine, Mom. You just had a really vivid dream.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, August 18th, 2001)
Isabel yawned in the backseat as her father drove the family to the mall. Her parents had insisted on the whole family going so they could buy some new clothes for school and Isabel was never one to pass up a shopping trip. But she was tired after the extra early morning practice session the change in plans had caused.
The car slowed and her father turned, but even through her yawns Isabel knew they weren’t at the mall. “Where are we going?”
Philip stopped the car and he and her mother turned to Isabel. “With you and Max going to separate schools we just couldn’t work out how you were both gong to get where you were going with only one car. So your mother and I decided to get you your own car, Isabel.”
Isabel was suddenly awake and excited, “Really?” She turned to Max, “You knew about this?”
Max nodded, “Yeah, Mom and Dad talked to me about it.”
Diane spoke up, “We knew Max wanted the Jeep and we thought you wouldn’t mind him keeping it if you could have a car you wanted.”
Isabel nodded, “Thanks, Mom, Dad, that would be great.”
“So here we are, honey,” Philip said. “Dealership road. Just tell us where you want to start.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Crashdown Cafe)
Michael followed Maria out the back door as she lugged the loaded trash bags to the dumpster. He closed the door behind them and took the bags from her hands, tossing them casually aside.
Maria put her hands on her hips. “What are you doing?”
They hadn’t been alone together for days, and Michael couldn’t believe how much he craved the physical contact. Without a word, he pulled Maria to him and took her lips in a burning kiss.
Maria kissed him back, but after a moment she pulled away. “What has gotten in to you?”
Michael shrugged. “With everything going on we haven’t had the chance to be alone together and since this is the last weekend before school starts, I thought we could go back to my place after work.”
Maria looked down at the ground and then back up, focusing on a spot just behind Michael’s head. “Um, not tonight Michael. I um, I’ve had a headache all night.”
Michael was stunned speechless and let Maria past him into the building without a word. After the door closed behind her, he picked up the trash bags and tossed them into the dumpster. Reaching for the doorknob, he stopped, shaking his head. “A headache?”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Sunday, August 26th, 2001)
(Crashdown Café)
Max stood next to the table, looking into the faces of all of his friends. “We all know what tomorrow is,” he started, “and I don’t know if any of us are really prepared. But we’ve all been working hard these last few months, and now comes the real test. This isn’t the time to relax. We should keep on our toes more than ever. Everyone needs to be careful. Report any suspicious activity or people immediately.”
The others nodded and he continued, “It’s been great spending all of this time together and I don’t want that to stop, but we have a huge challenge ahead of us.”
Michael rolled his eyes, “Max will you stop being so dramatic. It’s not like we’ve never been in this situation before.”
“But it’s different this time,” Liz reminded him.
Max nodded and raised his cup, “To our senior year.”
Everyone raised their cups and repeated the toast, “Our senior year.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
None of the gang noticed a figure watching them from across the street.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Monday, August 27th, 2001)
(West Roswell High School)
Michael rubbed at his eyes as the teacher passed out the syllabus for the semester. History wasn’t typically one of his favorite subjects but he had started to reconsider. As Max’s second in command, he needed to learn everything he could, and studying the past could help them in the future.
He glanced at the syllabus, noting with interest the sections covering World Wars I & II. At least some of the class would be interesting, he thought to himself.
A commotion in the front of the room drew his attention and he was surprised to see Ryan coming in late.
Ryan spotted Michael, and with a wave, headed into the back of the room and took a seat next to him. “Wow, Michael, I’m glad to see someone I know. It’s a really big school and I was afraid I wouldn’t have any classes with you guys.”
Michael’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, “I didn’t know you were coming to school here. I thought maybe you graduated already or something.”
“No,” Ryan said. “This is my senior year though. How about you?”
“Yeah,“ Michael said dismissively. “So where did you say you lived before you moved here?”
“Scottsdale, Arizona. My Dad’s company transferred him here.”
“Your Dad with the military?” Michael asked.
Ryan shook his head, “Naw, nothing cool like that, he’s in sales. You know, copiers, faxes, that sort of thing. I guess Roswell is quite a growing market.”
Michael nodded, “Yeah, I guess.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Parker House)
Nancy entered the house and was relieved to see Liz at the kitchen table, bent over a textbook. She put the bags of groceries on the counter. “Homework already? It’s only the first day of school.”
Liz shrugged, “Mr. Seligman likes to get an early start.”
Nancy took a seat at the table. “Well I’m glad to see you’re keeping up.”
Annoyed Liz put down her pen and looked at her mother, “Keeping up?”
Nancy sighed, “We both know that your grades suffered a bit last year because of all the time you were spending with your friends.”
Liz thought of the things she and the others had done to save themselves and the Earth, but she couldn’t exactly tell her mother the truth, so she simply nodded.
Nancy continued, “And you’ve spent a lot of time with your friends this summer, going off on picnics several times a week, and to the movies, and parties. But now school is starting and I just hope you don’t think you can continue with that schedule. Being with your friends and Max is important to you, I know that and I’m not going to tell you to stop seeing them unless it becomes a problem. But if you want to get into a good college, you need to concentrate on your schoolwork.”
Liz smiled sadly. There were so many other things that were more important than her grades, but her mother didn’t know about any of it, and for a moment Liz wished she could tell her the truth. But she simply nodded, “I promise, I’ll do my best.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Tuesday, August 28th, 2001)
Isabel stopped her silver 1990 BMW at the address Hale had given and her eyes widened at the size of the house. Hale had suggested they work at his house and she’d agreed, barely glancing at the address, but driving to his house she realized it was in the most expensive part of town. And seeing Hale’s house and the one’s surrounding it, she could see why.
The house resembled a civil war era mansion. Two, gleaming-white stories were supported by several huge white columns, and a balcony on the second floor echoed the porch on the ground floor, wrapping around both sides of the house.
“Wow,” Isabel whispered. She gathered her belongings and approached the front door but before she had even reached the porch, Hale emerged greeting her.
“Isabel, I’m glad you could make it.”
“Hale, this is a beautiful house,” Isabel gasped. “I didn’t even know things like this were built in Roswell.”
Hale smiled. “I imagine it would be the kind of place my mother would like,” he explained, as he relieved her of her books and led her into the house. “She died when I was very young and I never knew her, but for some reason this house reminds me of her.”
He led her inside and Isabel’s eyes traveled quickly over everything trying to take it all in. The interior was richly furnished in period pieces, giving it a warm, homey feel. Isabel turned back to Hale, “Is your Dad home? I would love to meet him.”
Hale shook his head, “My Dad died a few years ago.”
Isabel was instantly horrified, “I’m so sorry, Hale. I didn’t know.”
“There is no way you could know,” Hale said softly. “We had just moved here after I graduated high school. I was supposed to go to college that fall and I was spending the summer with him but he got sick and died suddenly.” He paused. “After that, college just didn’t seem so important and I took some time off.”
Isabel nodded, understanding, “What did you do?”
Hale shrugged, “Moped around for a while, traveled, tried to get my head together, and then I just suddenly decided to give college a try.” He looked at her and smiled, “And I’m glad I did, otherwise I wouldn’t have met you.”
Isabel smiled back at him, “I’m glad you did too.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Thursday, August 30th, 2001)
Maria let herself into Michael’s apartment without knocking and grabbed him from behind, placing a sloppy kiss on his cheek.
Michael wiped at his cheek, “Come on Maria. I’m trying to work here.”
Maria glanced at the books spread out before him on the counter with surprise. “Wow, you really are. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you do homework, Michael.”
“Yeah, well if I want to graduate, I have to pass certain classes.”
Maria shook her head, “I thought school was no big deal to you. So what’s changed?”
Michael shrugged, “I never thought school mattered because I didn’t think I was a permanent resident of this planet. But now that I’ve chosen to live here, I thought it might be a good idea to get an education so I don’t end up working at the cheese factory.”
“But with all of this stuff with Max’s son and Khivar, you don’t know what will happen. You might have to go back.”
Michael studied Maria for a moment. For the past couple of weeks she had been distant, and suddenly he wondered about her motives. Was she scared that he was going to leave her? But that didn’t make sense, he argued with himself, he had stayed on Earth for her. Maybe she was just going through a phase, he decided and shrugged, answering her. “Maybe, someday we’ll have to go back,” he conceded. “But maybe not. And I don’t want to put my whole life on hold waiting for something that may never happen.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, September 8th, 2001)
(Senior Chow’s)
Max sat silently across the table from her, and Liz could practically feel the tension coming from him. At first she had thought it was just her imagination, but as the night progressed he seemed to have gotten more nervous. Finally she put down her fork and leaned in closer, “What’s wrong Max?”
His head snapped up immediately, “Wrong?”
“You’ve had something on your mind all evening,” Liz said.
Max shook his head. “There’s something I wanted to ask you, but now I’m wondering if it’s a good idea.”
“What is it, Max?” Liz asked softly. “You know you can ask me anything. We don’t have any secrets from one another.”
“It’s not like that,” he tried to explain. “I wanted to ask you to go somewhere with me. It’s just with what happened last year and how things turned out…” he trailed off and started again. “This isn’t how I wanted to do this. It should be special or clever, at least that’s what I’ve heard from other people. But then I wanted it to be face to face, so I could explain. I mean, I would definitely understand if you didn’t want to…”
“Max,” Liz cut him off, reaching across the table to clasp his hand, “it’s okay. Whatever it is, you can ask me.”
Max took a deep breath, “Liz, what I wanted to ask is, would you go to the homecoming dance with me?”
Max’s question caught her unprepared and she instantly understood his hesitation in asking. Their prom date had been a complete disaster and had jump-started his relationship with Tess. Liz felt a cold shiver of fear race down her spine but immediately pushed it away. If she and Max were going to build a relationship, she had to get over the past, and a school dance was the perfect place to start making new memories.
Liz smiled, “I’d love to go with you, Max.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Monday, September 10th, 2001)
(Chavez Community College)
Isabel walked beside Hale in silence as they headed toward the parking lot, a soft smile curving her lips. For the last month she and Hale had spent every afternoon and some evenings and weekends together, working on their project.
At first, she had worked hard to keep the atmosphere between them light and flirtatious and she was good at it, having practiced on lots of boys in high school. She and Hale had laughed and joked and gradually gotten to know one another. And Hale had been a perfect gentleman the whole time, not even attempting to kiss her. Eventually Isabel had opened up about Alex’s death and with Hale’s own loss so recent, Isabel felt that he really understood.
The one thing Isabel had always envied about Max and Liz’s relationship was their closeness. They always seemed so in-tune with one another and at times it almost seemed like they were one person. With Hale, Isabel felt like the closeness she desired was possible, and she had started to wonder what might develop between them.
As they continued walking, Hale slipped his hand into hers. Isabel was surprised by his action but instead of an intrusion, it felt like the most natural thing in the world. And she looked at him and smiled, squeezing his hand.
Hale returned her smile. “Isabel, I was wondering if you would like to go somewhere with me on Friday.”
“We go to lunch and the library every day,” Isabel said, misunderstanding. “We don’t need to make special plans.”
Hale smiled more widely. “Well, I thought we should make plans. I understand that’s what typically happens when I guy asks a girl on a real date.”
For a moment Isabel was stunned and then she smiled. “I’d really like that.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(West Roswell High School)
Kyle joined Michael, Maria, Max and Liz at their lunch table, smacking Michael on the back. “Where’s your shadow?”
Michael groaned and rolled his eyes, “That Ryan guy is harder to get rid of than a case of the flu.”
“I thought you said you were going to tell him off,” Maria said.
“I was,” Michael said, “but he is so dang happy to have someone to talk to in the three classes we share, that it would be like kicking a lost puppy. I just didn’t have the heart.”
Kyle leaned across Michael and spoke to Maria, “Did you know Michael had a heart?”
Maria wrapped her arms around Michael. “He likes to act tough but he’s just a big softie inside.”
Michael snorted, “Besides, the guy is a total screw up. He is always knocking stuff over and tripping.”
“Yeah,” Liz said. “My Dad wanted to ban him from the Crashdown. He said Ryan was really putting the ‘crash’ in the name Crashdown. I had to convince him Ryan wasn’t causing all of the accidents on purpose.”
“Good thing he doesn’t work there,” Maria said with a shiver. “Can you imagine all of the broken dishes?”
“At least he can’t cause too much damage working with stuffed aliens,” Kyle said with a laugh.
Max shook his head. “At the museum he’s acquired the nickname of tornado. I spend half my time cleaning up after him. He knocked over an entire display last week and it took me hours to fix.”
The sound of books hitting the ground drew their attention.
“I think a tornado just touched down,” Kyle quipped.
Ryan picked himself and his books up off the ground and rushed toward their table. “Hey guys, how’s it going?”
“Hey Ryan,” they all answered.
Ryan turned to Max, “Do you think Brody would let me have the night off. Michael and I are supposed to do this report for history class.”
Max started to answer but Michael cut him off, “Ryan I already told you it can’t be tonight. I’ve got stuff to do.”
“Oh right,” Ryan said with a nod. “Well, I could stop by the Crashdown and we could start on your break.”
Michael shook his head, “I’m not working tonight.”
Ryan’s brow creased in confusion. “This report is due Friday. We’ve to get started on it. If you’re not working then what are you doing?”
Michael couldn’t exactly tell Ryan the truth, that they were going to the quarry to hone their alien powers. He looked to Max for help but Max shrugged.
Michael let out a sigh, “I’m doing stuff, okay?” He saw the hurt look on Ryan’s face and instantly regretted his harsh words. “Look, how about I meet you in the library after school tomorrow?”
Ryan regained his good humor, “Okay, that’ll be great.” He jumped up from his seat, “I’ll see you guys later.”
Kyle waited until Ryan was out of earshot. “Poor Michael, forced to be nice to someone.”
“Shut up, Valenti,” Michael said with a laugh. He watched Ryan’s lanky gate as he walked past the students and into the building. “That guy will be the end of me.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Friday, September 14th, 2001)
(Crashdown Cafe)
The bell above the door rang, drawing Maria’s attention and she looked up to see a deliveryman with a large bouquet of flowers, entering the restaurant.
This was exactly the romantic kind of thing Max always did for Liz and Maria approached the counter with a sigh, “Delivery for Parker?”
The deliveryman flipped through his schedule sheet. “No, these are for a Maria DeLuca.”
Maria glanced at the size of the bouquet and then back at the deliveryman. “DeLuca? Are you sure?”
The man pointed to the line on the his delivery sheet, “Yeah. Do you want to sign for these or what?”
Maria signed the paper and the man placed the flowers in her hands. Her first thought was that Michael sent them but then she remembered the flowers Brody had sent when Alex died. Even though Brody had never sent her flowers before for no reason, it would be just like him to do something so thoughtful.
The delivery guy was almost out the door before Maria called out to him, “Hey, who are they from?”
The man glanced at the sheet again and yelled across the restaurant, “Says Guerin.”
Maria smiled dreamily, taking a vase from under the counter and started arranging the flowers. There was a large variety and she didn’t know half the names, but she didn’t care because Michael had finally done something romantic. Maria shrugged, trust Michael to arrange the delivery when he wasn’t there, but she was still happy.
After a few moments she stood back to admire her handy-work but she was interrupted by a familiar voice from the back room.
“Aren’t you even going to look at the card?” Michael called out.
Maria ran and threw her arms around him, covering his face with kisses. “Thank you. Thank you, Michael. I love the flowers.”
Michael motioned to the flowers, “But aren’t you going to read the card?”
“Oh,” Maria said, “I didn’t see a card.” Searching through the blooms she finally found the card and read it aloud.
I still can’t dance and I stink at poetry
But I would love it if you would accompany
me to the Homecoming dance.
-Michael
Maria pulled Michael into another hug. “I’d love to go.”
“That’s great, Maria,” he said with a smile. “But since when do you ask the delivery guy who the flowers are from?”
“Well,” Maria said with a laugh, “since you never sent me flowers before, I didn’t want to assume.”
Michael’s eyebrows rose, “Who else would you assume was sending flowers?”
Maria shook her head, pleased with his sudden bout of jealously. “No one, Michael. No one at all.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, September 15th, 2001)
Hale’s black Audi TT convertible rolled to a stop, and once again he teasingly warned Isabel, “Keep your eyes closed.”
Isabel agreed with a smile, “Okay, but how am I going to get where ever it is we are going?”
Hale leaned closer, “I’ll lead you.”
He got out of the car and moved around to the passenger side to open Isabel’s door. Taking one of her hands in his and wrapping his other arm around her waist, Hale led her a short distance.
Isabel could tell they were walking on grass and she could hear running water but she didn’t know where they were.
“Okay, now you can open your eyes,” he said softly.
Isabel first focused on the fountain illuminated by spotlights. She noted they were in the park and then she saw the elaborate table-for-two that was set up near the fountain, complete with flowers and candles. “Oh,” she gasped, “it’s so beautiful.” She turned to him, “How did you arrange this?”
“Oh, you know, I just used a little magic,” Hale said with a wink. “I wish we lived near an ocean so we could do this on the beach, but you have to work with what you have.” He led her to a chair and pulled it out, “Allow me.”
Isabel sat and Hale took the chair across from her and suddenly the soft sound of a violin filled the air. Isabel turned to see a violinist approaching the table. “I can’t believe you went to all of this trouble,” she exclaimed.
Hale shook his head, “It was no trouble at all. I just wanted to do something special for our first official date, so it would be something you would remember.”
Isabel smiled, “You’re right. I’ll never forget this.”
Hale’s intense gaze met her’s across the table, “Good.” He held her eyes for a moment before he turned to the ice bucket next to the table and retrieved a bottle, holding it out for her inspection, “Sparkling cider?”
She nodded silently and he filled her glass and then his own.
He placed the bottle on the table and then raised his glass. “A toast,” he said softly. “To good friends.”
Isabel touched her glass to his and drank, noting that his eyes never left hers. Intellectually Isabel knew she had to be careful, but a sudden impulse made her reach across the table and touch his hand. “This may sound corny, and you can say no if it’s not your kind of thing, but next Saturday is my high school’s homecoming dance and I was wondering if you’d like to go.”
Hale took her hand in his, brought it to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles. “I’d love to, Isabel.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Monday, September 17th, 2001)
(The Quarry)
Kyle watched Isabel covertly as he pretended to be meditating, waiting to talk to her alone. Finally she took a break from her practice and went to get a water bottle and he loped over to her and took a seat on a rock. “How’s it going?” he asked.
Isabel shrugged, “Okay, and you?”
“Fine,” Kyle said with a nod, wondering why he was suddenly so nervous. “I guess you’ve heard that Max and Liz and Michael and Maria are going to the Homecoming dance.”
“Yeah,” Isabel said with a nod.
“Well I just wanted you to know that we could carry the buddy thing over to include the dance, if you wanted to go.” He shrugged, “So you didn’t feel left out, or anything.”
Isabel smiled, “That’s so sweet, Kyle. Thank you for offering, but I already have a date.”
Kyle was stunned. “You do? Who is it?”
Isabel glanced at Max and Michael. “I haven’t told anyone but I’ve been hanging out with this guy at school and I asked him to the dance.”
“Oh,” Kyle said, trying to hide his disappointment, “that’s great.”
“I haven’t talked to Max or Michael yet but I just assumed that we would all hang out together. So you should get a date and we’ll all meet up.”
Kyle didn’t have a clue who he would take to the dance and that was part of the reason why he had asked Isabel. He’d dated a number of girls over the years but he didn’t have a friendship with any of them.
With a jolt of pain he remembered the prom. He had really wanted to take Tess, hoping to advance their relationship, but suddenly he’d realized that she was more of a sister to him. And vaguely he wondered if that same thing would have happened if he had taken Isabel to Homecoming. Kyle Valenti, doomed to brotherly relationships with hot chicks.
Maybe he should take Isabel’s advice and get a date before he ended up a monk. He had noticed a brunette in his history class looking at him, maybe he’d talk to her tomorrow.
Kyle nodded, “Yeah, maybe I’ll do that.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Crashdown Café)
Michael pushed a basket of onion rings onto the table and slid into the booth across from Max. “So did you catch the game yesterday?”
Max shrugged, “I was studying with Liz.”
“You missed a good one,” Michael said. “The last few minutes were wild.” He dowsed an onion ring with tabasco and stuffed it in his mouth. “So how are things with you and Liz?”
“Good,” Max said with a nod. “Things are good.”
Michael nodded understanding, “Things are still platonic.”
“That is not the only part of a relationship, Michael,” Max scolded. “I’m glad we’re taking things slow. Liz and I really needed to repair our friendship and now we are closer than ever. When we do go to the next level, both of us will be ready.”
“So…” Michael started, but trailed off, peering over Max’s head and out the front window. “Is that Maria going into the UFO museum?”
Max turned, “Yeah.”
Michael stood up and motioned across the street. “What is she doing over there?”
“Maria and Brody are friends,” Max said with a shrug, “you know that.”
Michael raised his voice, growing angry, “I know she takes him dinner, but she goes over there when she’s not working? She never told me that. What are they doing together over there?”
“Nothing,” Max assured him. “They usually go into Brody’s office and talk. Sometimes they have tea.” Max leaned forward. “Michael, I would have told you if I thought anything inappropriate was going on.”
Michael sat down shaking his head. “Tea? They have tea? What the hell is that?” He looked at Max, “I know Brody has a crush on her but I never took him seriously because I thought Maria wouldn’t give him the time of day.”
“Michael,” Max said more forcefully, trying to get through to his friend, “Brody and Maria are just friends.”
Michael focused on the door of the UFO museum as if he could see inside, and thought of Maria’s cool attitude toward him lately, coupled with what Max had just said about his friendship with Liz. “Yeah, they’re just friends.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
TBC
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
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ALPHA & OMEGA ~ BOOK 10, PART 7
BOOK 10 - MAJESTY’S MORASS (WHAT HAPPENS NOW, MAX?)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
PART 7
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Friday, September 21st, 2001)
(The Evans House)
When Isabel told the gang she had a date to the dance, Max and Michael had started with the third degree, and now almost a week later they cornered her in the kitchen, still at it.
“We don’t know anything about this guy, Isabel,” Michael said.
“It’s not like I am asking you if I can tell him our secret,” Isabel said sarcastically. “I am just bringing him to a school dance.”
“We haven’t even met him,” Max pointed out. “You’ve been hanging out with him this whole time and haven’t said a word about him.”
“I don’t have to tell you everything about my life,” Isabel hissed. “And there was nothing to tell. We hadn’t even been out on a date until last weekend.” She rolled her eyes, “And with the way you two are acting, I’m glad you haven’t met. I would hate for him to see what jerks you are.”
Max sighed, “I’m just saying that we have to be careful.”
“I am being careful,” Isabel asserted. “I just wanted to have a normal date. Since Alex…” she trailed off as a lump formed in her throat and swallowed hard, struggling to continue. “I’ve been alone for months, I just want to have a friend.” She let out a sigh, “Max you have Liz, and Michael you have Maria. Don’t you think it’s hard for me to watch that? Hale is a nice guy. I just thought we all could hang out, you know, go to dinner and the dance. Why does it always have to be such a battle?”
Max pulled Isabel into a hug, “I’m sorry Iz.”
“Yeah,” Michael echoed, “I’m sorry too.”
Max released her. “We just worry about you, that’s all.”
Isabel wiped her wet cheeks, “So can we all just go to this stupid dance and get along?”
Max nodded, “Yeah, we’d love to meet your friend.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Roswell City Council Chambers)
Jim sat before the City Council, not sure what to expect. The last time he had been there had not been a pleasant experience but he had understood the reasons why they had to fire him.
Jim waited as the meeting continued with discussions of road repairs and zoning regulations but finally the chairman of the City Council addressed him. "Mr. Valenti, due to the lack of evidence of any wrong-doing on your part from the internal investigation, and the affidavits from Laurie Dupree, Agent Susanne Duff of the FBI, and the legal actions of Philip Evans on your behalf, added to the inexperience and the sometimes questionable actions of acting Sheriff Hansen, we, the members of the City Council, would like to offer you the position of Sheriff.”
Jim couldn't have been more surprised if they had said they were running him out of town. It took a minute for the information to sink-in but when it did a smile spread across his face and he got to his feet, "Members of the Council, Mr. Chairman, I accept your offer."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, September 22nd, 2001)
Max knocked on the Parker’s front door and it was opened almost immediately by Liz’s Dad.
“Hey Max,” Jeff said. “Come on in. Liz is almost ready.”
Max smiled, “I guess I’m a little early.” He followed Jeff into the living room where Nancy was sitting, “Hi, Mrs. Parker.”
“Hello, Max,” she said softly.
Max could see wariness in her eyes and his thoughts automatically went back to last year when he and Liz had found the orb and stayed out all night together. He didn’t think Liz’s Mom had ever forgiven him for that.
Jeff motioned to the sofa, “Have a seat.”
Max sat down and wondered what to say, but Jeff saved him the trouble.
“Max, I know you and Liz are both eighteen, but she has a curfew of midnight and we expect you to honor that.”
Max nodded. “Of course, Mr. and Mrs. Parker. Liz and I have both matured a lot in the last year and we both respect that you need to set rules.” He looked from Jeff to Nancy, “I promise I’ll have Liz back on time.”
Some of the wariness seemed to soften in Nancy’s eyes and she smiled. “Thank you, Max. We appreciate that.”
At that moment Liz entered the room and Max immediately stood and was practically rendered speechless. Liz was wearing an emerald-green strapless dress that hugged her body until it reached her waist, where it flared out gently ending just below her knees. Her hair was caught up in a simple twist and she wore dangling silver and emerald earrings.
Liz smiled at him and took the moment to study Max in his suit. The soft, dark fabric was expertly cut to his muscular frame and the dusky blue shirt he wore, brought out the warm, amber of his eyes.
Finally Max regained his voice, “Liz, you look wonderful.”
She blushed slightly but held his gaze, “So do you.”
Her father clearing his throat brought them both back to reality and drew their attention to him.
Jeff motioned to them, “Go and stand over there and we’ll get a picture.”
Liz rolled her eyes but Max eagerly took her hand, while her father snapped what seemed like an endless series of pictures.
“Okay Dad, that’s enough,” Liz finally laughed.
Jeff shrugged and Nancy walked them to the door. “Have a good time.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The DeLuca House)
Jim knocked and waited impatiently for the door to open. He had looked forward to this all day and he was eager to deliver his news.
Amy opened the door. “Jim, what a surprise.”
“Hey Amy,” Jim greeted. “I just wondered if you were free to come out tonight and celebrate.”
Amy leaned against the door, smiling. “What are we celebrating?”
Jim looked around and leaned in closer to her, “It won’t be official until Monday, but you are looking at the new Sheriff of Roswell, New Mexico.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Isabel and Hale met the others at the restaurant and Isabel was glad to see that Hale wasn’t the only new face. Kyle had brought a date too, a girl that Isabel knew from school, a pretty brunette named Cindy.
“Everyone, this is Hale,” Isabel said, starting the introductions and went around the table, pointing out each of her friends, ending with Max. “This is my brother, Max.”
Hale stood and reached across the table, offering a hand. “Nice to finally meet you Max. Isabel has told me a lot about you.”
“Oh,” Max said, surprised, and slightly uncomfortable. “Um, it’s nice to meet you too.”
Liz could feel Max’s discomfort and diverted Hale’s attention with a question. “Hale, have you decided what your major is going to be?”
Hale focused his attention on Liz, “I am interested in a lot of different areas, history, science, the law. I just haven’t narrowed it down yet,” he finished with a shrug. “How about you, Liz? Isabel said you’re something of a science prodigy.”
Liz shook her head, “I’m nothing that spectacular, but I do enjoy science, especially chemistry and biology.”
“And you plan to go into that as a major?” Hale asked.
Their conversation faded into the background as Isabel looked at Michael and Max who were both staring at Hale. She lightly kicked Max under the table, drawing his attention and gave him a pleading look.
Max hadn’t realized he was staring and flashed an embarrassed smile. He turned to Michael, caught his attention with a well-placed kick under the table and motioned to Hale.
Michael shrugged and at the next break in the conversation between Liz and Hale, Michael blurted the first thing that came to his mind, “So Hale, are you a football fan?”
“I’ve just recently gotten interested in it,” Hale said. “The strategy, the planning of offence and defense, is almost like two generals maneuvering their troops in a war.”
Michael nodded, “And the head bashing is cool too.”
Hale nodded with a smile, “Yeah, it is.” He turned to Max, “Do you have a favorite team?”
“I’m not really into sports,” Max said with a shrug.
“Oh,” Hale said, “what are you into?”
Max’s eyes automatically went to Liz before refocusing of Hale, “I’m more into school.”
Hale smiled, Max’s tell-tale glance not lost on him. “Well school is very important.”
Max nodded, “The most important thing in the world.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The rest of the dinner went smoothly, everyone talked and laughed and had a good time. After the initial round of questions, everything settled down and Max turned most of his attention to Liz.
Michael and Hale continued to talk and Isabel felt herself relax. She had been so worried about how Max and Michael would accept Hale, but now she could see her worrying had all been for nothing. Everyone was getting along great.
On the way out of the restaurant, Isabel put her arms around Michael and Max and whispered into their ears, “Thanks.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(West Roswell High School)
(Homecoming Dance)
Max and Liz sat at the table with their friends, but one by one, the other couples rose and joined the dance.
Both Max and Liz were somewhat cautious about the evening because of bad memories of the last dance they attended together. Max was eager to make new memories but he didn’t want to move too fast. He wanted Liz to feel completely at ease.
“The decorating committee did a good job on the gym,” he started casually.
“Yeah,” Liz agreed, looking around, “it’s really, um, festive.”
“And the punch is really good, too,” Max continued.
“Yeah,” Liz said, feeling Max’s level of discomfort. He was really nervous and she knew it was because of what had happened at the prom last year. But Liz wasn’t afraid of a repeat performance and she suddenly realized she didn’t want to live her life worrying about what might happen.
Liz wouldn’t let Tess win. She wouldn’t let the other girl drive herself and Max apart. They loved one another and they should be together.
Holding out her hand to Max, Liz smiled, “Do you want to dance?”
Max smiled and took her hand, “I’d love to.”
They rose and walked to the dance floor, fitting easily into each others’ arms.
And it's been awhile
Since I could hold my head up high
And it's been awhile
Since I first saw you
And it's been awhile
Since I could stand on my own two feet again
And it's been awhile
Since I could call you
And everything I can't remember
As messed up as it all may seem
The consequences that I've rendered
I've stretched myself beyond my means
Max was so happy to be with Liz. It had seemed like old times between them as they had talked and laughed over dinner, but when they arrived at the dance a terrible nervousness started to consume him. And now as he and Liz moved to the music, Max listened to the words of the song and felt like the whole thing was a sham.
He had done so much to hurt Liz. Not just his actions of the past year, which had been bad enough, but the older version of himself who had come back in time just to steal Liz’s happiness.
And it's been awhile
Since I can say that I wasn't addicted
And it's been awhile
Since I can say I love myself as well
And it's been awhile
Since I've gone and messed things up just like I always do
And it's been awhile
But all that stuff seems to disappear when I'm with you
And everything I can't remember
As messed up as it all may seem
The consequences that I've rendered
I've gone and messed things up again
Even though he and Liz had been together in their last life, Max knew he didn’t deserve her in this one. He had been so anxious to start their life together, but Liz had been cautious, and she was right. He had done things she could never forgive.
Why must I feel this way?
Just make this go away
Just one more peaceful day!
And it's been awhile
Since I could look at myself straight
And it's been awhile
Since I said I'm sorry
And it's been awhile
Since I've seen the way the candle lights your face
And it's been awhile
But I can still remember just the way you taste
Max had asked Liz to the dance hoping to show her things were different now, hoping to rekindle the tender light that had burned within them. He loved Liz with every fiber of his being, but it wasn’t enough and he had to accept that they would never be anything more than friends.
And everything I can't remember
As messed up as it all may seem to be I know it's me
I cannot blame this on my father
He did the best he could for me
And it's been awhile
Since I could hold my head up high
And it's been awhile
Since I said I'm sorry
An overwhelming feeling of loss surged through Max and tears ran from his eyes. He felt Liz stiffen in his arms and with a horrifying sense of de-ja-vu they both stopped dancing.
Liz pulled back and gently wiped the tears from his face. “What’s wrong, Max?”
Max looked into her beautiful face and saw the concern so clearly written there. “I…” he started, but choked on the words, unable to utter them.
Liz could feel Max’s crushing sorrow and took him by the hand, “Come on.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Song Playing: Crazy for You by Madonna
Hale took Isabel in his arms as a slow song started and they swayed to the lazy beat. Leaning close, Hale spoke softly in her ear, “I’m really glad you invited me, Isabel. I was starting to wonder if you were hiding me from your friends.”
“Of course not,” Isabel instantly denied. “It’s just that Michael is sort of an honorary brother, and he and Max are really overprotective.
“And you were afraid they wouldn’t approve,” Hale said, nodding with understanding.
“It’s not you,” Isabel assured him. “They just don’t approve of anyone. But they really like you, I could tell.”
“I like them and your other friends too,” Hale said with a nod. He leaned in closer, his eyes never leaving hers, and lowered his voice seductively, “Do you think they would approve if I wanted to kiss you?”
Isabel blushed but kept eye contact, “I think you should ask me directly about that.”
Hale glanced down at her lips and then back to her eyes, moving even closer. His voice was just a whisper, “And what do you say, Isabel.”
Instead of answering, Isabel closed the distance between them, touching her lips to his.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Liz led Max out of the crowded gymnasium, down a quiet, dark hall and into an empty classroom before stopping and turning to him again. “What’s wrong?”
Max’s tears fell freely and he shook his head, unable to speak.
Liz pulled him down onto a chair and sank into the one next to him. She took his face in her hands as her own tears started to fall. “It’s okay, Max.”
Max took her hand in his and gently pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “Liz, I…” he looked up into her face and saw the tears on her cheeks. His voice cracked with pain, “I’m so sorry, Liz. I don’t deserve you. I…”
Liz pressed her free hand to his lips. “Hush, Max. It’s okay.”
Max shook his head and took her other hand in his, “No, it’s not. It’ll never…”
“Shhhh, Max.” Liz soothed, but Max was holding both her hands and Liz stopped his words the only way she had left to her, with a kiss. She pressed her lips to his and instantly felt his surprise. He didn’t move as she placed one soft kiss after another on his lips, and although Liz had never attempted it before, she focused her powers on opening a connection between them.
After a moment, the sudden rush of images told her she had been successful and she whispered through the connection as she pushed her feelings for him into it. We’ve both been in so much pain for so long, and we both wish that things could have been different. But it’s time to let go of the pain and the guilt, to put it behind us. We want to be together, we know we belong together, and I don’t want to wait any longer. I think it’s time we both forgave ourselves and agree that it’s okay to find some happiness, together. She pressed her lips to his again, harder. I love you so much, Max.
Max could feel all of Liz’s emotions through the connection and unbelievably, in spite of everything that had happened between them, she loved him more than anything.
Again Liz felt Max’s surprise and heard his whispered voice through the connection, almost a sigh, Liz.
He took her face in his hands and finally kissed her back.
And as they got lost in each other’s kisses, the muffled music of the next song floated down the hall.
I'll protect you from the hooded claw
Keep the vampires from your door
Aye-yie, yie-yie
Feels like fire
I'm so in love with you
Dreams are like angels
They keep bad at bay, bad at bay
Love is the light
Scaring darkness away, yeah
I'm so in love with you
Purge the soul
Make love your goal
The power of love
A force from above
Cleaning my soul
Flame on burn desire
Love, with tongues of fire
Purge the soul
Make love your goal
Max placed soft kisses all over Liz’s face, savoring the feel of each one. It had been so long since he had touched her like that and he never wanted it to end.
Liz answered him through the connection, I never want it to end either, Max. I’ve missed this so much.
I'll protect you from the hooded claw
Keep the vampires from your door
When the chips are down I'll be around
With my undying, death-defying
Love for you
Envy will hurt itself
Let yourself be beautiful
Sparkling love, flowers
And pearls and pretty girls
Love is like an energy
Rushin' rushin' inside of me
The power of love
A force from above
Cleaning my soul
Flame on burn desire
Love, with tongues of fire
Purge the soul
Make love your goal
Cradling Liz’s head, Max returned his lips to hers, devouring them greedily. I love you so much Liz, Max said. He reveled in her feelings for him that he could sense through their connection, and he slid his tongue across her lips and Liz opened eagerly to let him in.
Their tongues met and Liz sighed with contentment. She brought her hands up to touch Max’s face, I’ll never stop loving you, Max.
This time we go sublime
Lovers entwine, divine, divine
Love is danger, love is pleasure
Love is pure, the only treasure
I'm so in love with you
Purge the soul
Make love your goal
The power of love
A force from above
Cleaning my soul
The power of love
A force from above
A sky-scraping dove
Flame on burn desire
Love with tongues of fire
Purge the soul
Make love your goal
I'll protect you from the hooded claw
Keep the vampires from your door
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Michael shuffled around the dance floor with Maria held tightly in his arms and he had never felt more alone. He’d tried to put it out of his mind but the thought kept resurfacing that he was losing Maria to Brody.
In Michael’s eyes, Brody didn’t have much going for him, but he knew women judged differently. And Michael tried to image how Maria might see him. Brody was a dork but he had that scruffy, lost puppy look girls went for. Michael also had to admit that Brody was intelligent, and rich of course, but he must also be somewhat brave or crazy to tell the world of his alien encounter.
Michael sighed, maybe there was enough in Brody to attract Maria. He should have seen it sooner but he had discounted Brody as a threat because of the dork factor. He had been so sure of Maria’s love that he hadn’t taken Brody’s crush on her seriously, but now he saw he’d made a big mistake.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cindy had been sending him not-so-subtle signals all night and when Kyle suggested they go to the janitor’s closet, she eagerly agreed.
Kyle took her hand and they headed into the dark hallway. A sudden flash of walking the same route with Tess the night of the Prom, burst into his mind and he shoved it away violently. He wouldn’t let Tess ruin any more of his life.
Once out of sight of the gym, Cindy launched herself at Kyle, pressing her lips to his, and pushing him into the wall.
Kyle almost laughed with satisfaction. It had been a long time since he had been with a girl and it was reassuring to know he still had it. He took control of the kiss, turning Cindy against the wall and closing the distance between them. He kissed his way down her chin to her neck, as he felt her hands beneath his jacket unbuttoning his shirt.
He broke the kiss, “Let’s get to the janitor’s closet.”
Hand-in-hand they ran down the hall and stopped outside the closet door. Cindy reached for the knob, but Kyle held the door shut with one hand, while he pressed her back against it, taking her lips once more.
Another flash of the Prom pushed its way into his mind before he could stop it. He had brought Tess to the janitor’s closet that night because he wanted to tell her she was like a sister to him, but suddenly another memory competed with it.
Kyle broke the kiss and shook his head to clear the memory.
“What’s wrong?” Cindy whispered.
“Nothing,” Kyle assured her. He opened the door and motioned her inside, “I just don’t want to give the whole school a show.”
He followed her inside and closed the door behind them. Taking her in his arms again, he devoured her lips, trying to push the memories of Tess away. But the flashes kept coming.
The night of the Prom, he had wanted to tell Tess something, but her voice in his head had told him over and over again what to think, and finally it had won. And in this very room, he had told her exactly what she wanted to hear from him.
Suddenly another memory pushed forward and Kyle saw himself asking Tess to the Prom. Everything seemed normal until she accepted, then he felt her mind in his, changing his love for her into a brotherly affection.
His true feelings came rushing back to him, untarnished by the months of separation and betrayal. He had loved Tess, truly loved her. But Tess hadn’t wanted that kind of relationship with him, so with an unfeeling use of power, she had mind warped his love away.
Suddenly Kyle felt sick and dirty and he broke away from Cindy. “Sorry. I’m not feeling so good.”
Cindy was instantly concerned, “Oh, are you coming down with something?”
Kyle shook his head, “It’s something I never really got over.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Max and Liz walked to her door hand-in-hand, and when they stopped Max enfolded Liz in his arms.
Liz smiled, “It was a wonderful night. One of the best of my life.”
“It’s just the beginning Liz and I promise it will only get better.” Max leaned forward and kissed Liz softly, lingeringly, and opened the connection between them eager to regain the closeness they had shared earlier.
A rush of images told Max the connection had formed and then he felt the warm, welcoming tendrils of Liz’s love swirling around him. Max had never experienced anything as wonderful as being with Liz like this and he basked in her feelings for him.
Finally, reluctantly he ended the kiss but pressed his forehead to hers. “My future self was right. Even with the connection we have now, I never would have left you.”
“I know,” Liz said breathily. “It’s so amazing to feel what you’re feeling.”
Max kissed her again quickly. “I hate to leave you.”
Liz nodded, “Me too.”
“Can I see you tomorrow?” Max asked anxiously. “A picnic maybe.”
“Yeah Max, I’d love that.”
Max pressed his lips to hers for a final time. “Goodnight, Liz.”
“Goodnight, Max,” she said with a smile.
And as Max looked into her eyes, he thought he saw a mischievous twinkle.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Liz went into her house practically glowing from Max’s kisses, her smile lighting up her whole face. She didn’t even try to hide it when she went into the kitchen and found her mother sitting at the table.
“Hi Mom,” she said, kissing her mother on the cheek.
Nancy glanced at the clock, noting that it wasn’t quite midnight. “You’re home early.”
“Am I?” Liz asked wistfully, as she poured herself a glass of milk.
“Did you have a good time at the dance?” Nancy asked, trying to seem casual.
Liz took a seat at the table. “It was wonderful.”
Nancy nodded, “So I take it you and Max are working through your problems.”
“Yeah,” Liz sighed. “It’s been great, our friendship is stronger than ever.”
“Well I just want to make sure you weren’t rushing into anything you aren’t ready for.”
Liz nodded, knowing what her mother was referring to. “Mom believe me, we’re not rushing anything. We’ve decided to take our time with everything, to make sure both of us are completely ready.”
Nancy nodded.
Liz noted the relieved look on her mother’s face with a touch of annoyance. “Goodnight, Mom.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Isabel stopped her car and turned off the ignition. Hale had taken her home less than an hour ago, but she had been unable to sleep.
The night had been wonderful, almost like a fairytale. Max and Michael had gotten along with Hale at dinner. At the dance she and Hale had been inseparable, dancing the whole night and when they arrived back at her house, he had kissed her again.
The kiss was everything she had ever imagined a kiss should be, tender yet passionate, comfortable yet exciting. The flashes she received from Hale showed that she was on his mind just as much as he was on hers, and Isabel felt herself falling in love. But even though the evening was everything she had expected and more, she was still restless and even a little scared.
She felt guilty for considering being with someone not even a year after Alex’s death and that was why she had come out. Isabel had spoken with Alex so many times since his death, but tonight when she had needed him, he wasn’t there. She knew he wasn’t ever really there, he was just a part of her memory but their conversations had always comforted her, and when her mind refused to conjure him she had gotten worried.
Crossing the damp ground, Isabel stopped in front of Alex’s grave and sank to her knees before the headstone. She used her powers to carefully clear the area of debris and polish the surface of the granite headstone and then replaced her hands into her lap.
“I don’t know why I’m here exactly. I guess I just thought I would feel better coming here. I know you’ve never really visited me, but when you didn’t come tonight…” she trailed off. “I guess I’m really starting to get over you, just like you said, and that scares me Alex.”
“I met a guy at school and he’s really great. We’ve been spending a lot of time together, studying and just hanging out. He’s someone I can really talk to. Tonight we went to the Homecoming dance and we kissed for the first time.”
A lump started to form in her throat and tears threatened but she pushed to continue. “I think I’m falling in love with him Alex, and I feel like I’m betraying you.” She put her hands to her face and let the sobs come as her tears burst forth.
“Don’t cry, Isabel,” a familiar voice called out.
Isabel lowered her hands and jumped to her feet immediately when she saw Alex. She ran to him and threw her arms around him, “I was so scared I’d lost you.”
Alex hugged her, comforting her until her tears stopped, and then he stepped back. “Isabel, you did lose me, and these visits aren’t helping you. You need to let me go.”
More tears spilled down her cheeks, “I can’t, Alex. It’s just too soon.”
Alex nodded, “Just don’t let this other great guy get away because you are holding on to me. I wouldn’t want you to be alone. You know that.”
Isabel smiled, “I know.”
Alex wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Now why don’t you tell me all about this new guy?”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
From the shadows, a figure watched Isabel sit on the ground, talking softly to herself.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Evans House)
“Goodnight, Mom, Dad,” Max called out as he entered his room. He shed his jacket, throwing it carelessly across a chair and started tugging at the knot on his tie, when he felt a presence in the room. He looked around trying to pinpoint exactly what was going on, when the feeling suddenly intensified. It was familiar, a presence he had felt many times before.
Max smiled and called out softly, “Liz.”
A smiling Liz materialized before him and slowly solidified. “Hi Max.”
Max reached out to touch her arm. “Not that I’m complaining, but what are you doing here?”
Max had been helping her with her astral projection practice, but now that they had finally gotten back together completely, Liz was curious. She reached up to touch his face. “I just wanted to run a few more experiments.”
Max encircled her with his arms, smiling mischievously. “What kind of experiments?”
“Well,” Liz said as she slid her arms around his neck, “it might be important to know if kissing you this way feels the same.”
Max nodded and lowered his head, stopping inches away. “Yeah, I can see how that could be useful information.” He quickly closed the distance between them and claimed her lips in a searing kiss.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Sunday, September 23rd, 2001)
(Crashdown Cafe)
Michael hit the bell with his spatula as he slid the plates of food onto the counter. “Onion rings, chicken fingers and fries.”
“Coming?” Maria asked him, as she grabbed the plates. She took them to the two tables that were pushed together, allowing the whole gang to gather around. Maria slid the plates into the middle of the tables and sinking down into a chair next to Liz, she turned to Hale, “The fries are the best in town.”
Hale reached for a handful. “So do you guys always get together on Sundays?”
“When there isn’t a game on,” Kyle said with a laugh.
Isabel rolled her eyes and directed her comments to Hale, “The sad part is, Kyle isn’t joking.”
“It’s great you’re all so close,” Hale said.
Michael took the chair next to Maria, draping one arm across her shoulders and reached for an onion ring. “Yeah, we’re the six musketeers.”
Hale smiled, “So you keep the world safe for freedom and the American way?”
Michael shrugged, “Well, not this week. Huh Maxwell?”
Max was so engrossed in Liz that he didn’t respond, and Michael called out louder, “Max!”
“What?” Max asked, focusing on Michael, confusion clearly written on his face.
Michael shrugged, “Never mind.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Max turned his attention back to Liz, their heads close together, Liz’s hand clasped in his. He hadn’t wanted to leave her since they had kissed at the dance last night and Liz felt the same way. That was why she had projected to his room afterward.
They had continued kissing last night, but it was about more than that for both of them. They had reveled in the closeness of being together, physically and spiritually. Both of them knew, without question, they were meant to be together, and now that they were both wholeheartedly working in that direction it brought them even closer.
Words were completely unnecessary between them. Clasped hands, long soulful looks, a cheek cupped in a hand, was their language, both of them perfectly content to simply be together.
Last night, when they had kissed at the dance, the connection between them had strengthened and they could feel echoes of one another’s emotions even when they weren’t in physical contact. Liz had hypothesized it was because they had finally dropped all of their defenses when they decided to be together.
And Max agreed. He had felt a shift in himself and Liz, a yearning, and not just for physical contact but for mental and spiritual contact. It was as if their souls craved the completion they only found in one another, as if the connection itself was drawing them together.
Since last night, neither of them had to exert any effort to open the connection between them, simple physical contact initiated it. Emotions and thoughts passed freely from one to the other, enriching and solidifying the union of their minds and souls.
The feelings they were experiencing left them both in awe, but they also knew it was the way it should be.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Hale leaned into Isabel and motioned to Max and Liz. “Are they always like that?”
Isabel glanced quickly at them and then back at Hale. “They’ve had a tough time and just recently got back together.”
“It’s like they’re in their own little world together,” Hale said.
She shrugged, “It used to bother me, but now I think it’s kind of sweet.”
“They don’t even talk to one another but you can tell that they’re perfectly in tune,” Hale observed. “I’ve never known any couple like that. I thought it didn’t really exist. It’s the kind of thing you read in fairy tales.”
“They’re definitely meant for each other,” Isabel agreed softly. “Soul mates.”
Hale reached for her hand. “I didn’t know you were such a romantic.”
“A few months ago, I would have said you were right. I thought love was just a cruel cosmic joke.”
“So what changed your mind?” Hale asked softly.
Isabel focused on her brother and Liz. “They did. I can’t deny what’s between them. No one who has seen them together could.”
“And now that’s what you’re looking for,” Hale said.
Isabel suddenly became nervous. Hale had hit too close to the truth, almost like he had read her mind and she tried to extract her hand from his.
But Hale held her firmly. “Isabel I really like you and I think you like me. I don’t want to spoil our friendship by moving ahead too fast.”
Isabel instantly relaxed and nodded her agreement.
Hale relaxed his grasp on her hand but she didn’t pull away and he smiled. He leaned in closer, whispering, “I’m looking for that kind of closeness too and I think we could have something really special between us. But there’s no hurry. We have all of the time in the world.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Michael waited until after closing, making sure he and Liz were the last two in the restaurant before approaching her. He scratched nervously at his eyebrow, “Um, Liz, can I talk to you?”
Liz turned to him with a smile, “Sure Michael, what about?”
“Well you know, I haven’t always been the best student,” he started haltingly, “and now they say I have to pass certain classes this year to graduate. But I’m having some trouble, you know in school, in math. And I was wondering…” he trailed off.
Liz nodded encouragingly and waited for him to continue.
Michael looked away. “I, um, feel kind of funny talking to you about this, with everything.”
Liz’s brow knit together, “Why?”
Michael studied her face and saw the genuine confusion. Liz really didn’t know what he was talking about, and he attempted to explain. “In the past, I didn’t always treat you very well. I was rude and even dismissed you as someone who didn’t matter in my life. Since then I learned that wasn’t true, we all help and need each other and I feel guilty about how I acted.”
“Michael, all of that is in the past,” Liz assured him. “All of us have done things we regret. None of us are perfect, certainly not me.”
Michael looked away nervously, “Well, it’s just now that I know everything you did for us and who you really are. I mean you’re the Queen of my planet.” He shrugged, “I don’t know, I just want to tell you I’m sorry and I feel like I should be making up for the past and calling you ma’am or something.”
“But you don’t treat Max or Isabel different since you found out who they are,” Liz pointed out. And to tell you the truth, the ma’am thing would make me really nervous.”
“Yeah, me too,” Michael said with a smile. “It wasn’t different with Max and Isabel because I grew up with them almost as brother and sister.”
“Yeah,” Liz nodded.
“It wasn’t like that with you. But you and I have been hanging out a lot at work and with your parents and I kind of started thinking of you more like a sister.”
“I’ve felt like that too,” Liz said with a smile. “And I think we would both be much more comfortable with that kind of relationship. So if you wanted, we could just forget the past and go forward with more of a sibling thing.”
“Brother and sister,” Michael said with a smile. “I like it.”
“Okay brother,” Liz said, as she cuffed him on the shoulder, “so what did you want to talk to me about?”
“I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind helping me with my math sometimes, sis.”
Liz nodded. She was more honored than she could say that Michael had come to her for help. “Yeah, I think that would be great.”
“Good,” Michael said nodding, and then suddenly sobered. “Um, Liz can I ask you something else?”
“Sure.”
“Is Maria seeing anyone else?”
Liz shook her head. “No way. Maria loves you. Why would you even think that?”
“She does spend a lot of time with Brody.”
“Michael, she takes him dinner when she works,” Liz said with a laugh. “You make it most of the time.”
Michael shook his head, “I’ve seen her over at the museum when she wasn’t working, and I know Brody has a crush on her.”
“No, Michael, you’re making something out of nothing. Yes,” Liz admitted, “Maria and Brody are friends, and maybe you didn’t realize that, but she is not dating him.” Liz could see that Michael wasn’t convinced, “Michael, why don’t you talk to Maria about this?”
“Yeah,” Michael nodded, “maybe I will. And Liz, I know Maria is your best friend but would you do me a favor and not tell her I talked to you?”
Liz nodded, “It will be our secret.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Monday, September 24th, 2001)
(West Roswell High School)
Max approached Liz at her locker, sliding his hands around her waist from behind. He leaned in and whispered, “Good morning, beautiful.”
Liz turned in his arms, stood on tiptoes and met his lips briefly. “Mmmm, Good morning.”
“Can I walk you to class?” he asked.
Liz smiled and slipped her hand into his. “Well since we’re in the same class, it is on your way.”
Max sighed contentedly and reached up to touch her hair with his free hand. “I love you so much Liz and I’m so happy we’re together.”
Liz reached up to touch his face, “I love you too, Max, even more than I thought possible. I never wanted anything more than to be with you.”
Max leaned in for another quick kiss but lingered when Liz’s lips met his. He quickly lost himself in the kiss as the connection between then opened and Liz’s feelings swirled around him.
Without realizing it, they wrapped their arms around one another and deepened the kiss. Max devoured Liz’s lips and she eagerly opened her mouth to him, inviting him inside with a quick flick of her tounge. It was as if they couldn’t get enough of each other, and they both quickly became lost in the electric sensations rushing through them.
After a moment the sounds of cheers around them, brought them back to reality. And Max and Liz looked around, embarrassed to have been caught making out in the hall.
Max put his arm around Liz and they started down the hall. “Sorry about that, Liz. I just…”
“Got caught up in the kiss?” Liz nodded. “Don’t apologize, I did too.”
“It’s all so new,” Max said. “Like we’re just starting.”
Liz took his hand and squeezed, “We are just starting. We’re starting over again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Michael jogged down the hall to catch up with Ryan. “Hey Ryan how’s it going?” he called out.
“Fine,” Ryan greeted, “and you?”
“Good. Good.” Michael said, slipping an arm around Ryan’s shoulder and diverting them into a quiet corner. “I need to talk to you.”
“Sure,” Ryan said. “What about?”
“You work at the UFO museum and I need you to tell me everything you know about Maria’s visits to Brody.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Monday, September 28th, 2001)
(The Valenti House)
With a frustrated sigh, Liz opened her eyes and looked at the others sitting around her. Max, Isabel and Michael were all deeply in concentration, attempting to recover their memories.
Liz knew that Max and Michael had experienced some success but she and Isabel had not made any progress. Max was worried that Isabel was subconsciously blocking the memories because of what she had discovered about her past life, but in time he thought she would get past it.
Max continued to assure Liz that her powers were too new and she just needed to give it more time, but with each passing day Liz was growing more worried. Her powers were getting stronger and she was able to control them more easily but she hadn’t recovered even a glimpse of their other life, and she was starting to wonder if she even had the memories of their past.
Everyone assumed because she was the reincarnation of Ava that she would have Ava’s memories, but maybe the memories hadn’t survived when her soul had traveled across the galaxies.
Max had shown her the few memories he had recovered, but nothing in them seemed familiar. Liz could also tell that Max was holding something back and she didn’t have to ask what it was. Max was afraid he would show her his memories of Tess.
But Liz wanted to remember her parents, her home, her friends, all of the past. They needed to know what had gone wrong, how they had lost the war, the strengths and weaknesses of their enemy. But most of all, she wanted to be able to remember Max and the love they had shared.
But the memories couldn’t be forced and Liz rolled her shoulders to release her tension, willing herself to relax and try again. As she let out another deep breath, Liz was suddenly aware of a deep feeling of sorrow and turned toward the source.
Her eyes lit on Kyle, who was sitting apart from them as he meditated, and she knew the emotions were coming from him. Silently she rose and crossed to him, gently touching his shoulder to gain his attention, and when he opened his eyes, Liz held out her hand to him.
Kyle was surprised by Liz’s presence but he placed his hand in hers as he stood, and allowed her to lead him into his house.
Liz closed the door behind them, so they wouldn’t disturb the others, and turned back to Kyle. “So do you want to tell me what’s wrong?”
Kyle smiled, “How did you know?”
“I could feel your sadness,” Liz admitted.
Kyle nodded unsurprised. “Another new power you’re developing?”
“Maybe. It’s only ever happened before with Max.”
Kyle accepted the information with a nod but remained silent.
Liz took a seat at the table, waiting for him to start.
Kyle crossed to the cupboard and took out two glasses and filled them with water. He set one before Liz and took a long drink from the other. When it was empty, he pulled out the chair next to Liz and sat down with a weary sigh. He couldn’t stand to look at her yet, so he studied the glass as he started. “The night of the Homecoming dance, something happened and it’s been tearing me up inside.”
Liz could feel the turmoil within him and put a comforting hand on his arm. “What happened, Kyle?”
He kept his eyes on the glass. “Cindy and I went to the janitor’s closet and it brought up these memories of the Prom last year. See, I thought I was in love with Tess, but the night of the Prom I realized I thought of her more like a sister, and I told her in the janitor’s closet.”
Liz smiled, “Strange place to tell someone you just want to be friends.”
Kyle nodded, “More strange than you could imagine. When Cindy and I were there the other night, it triggered not only that memory, but a flash of another memory with Tess. When I asked Tess to the Prom I was convinced I loved her and I thought the dance would be the perfect setting to tell her my true feelings.”
“But then you figured out what you really felt,” Liz said.
Kyle shook his head, “That’s just it, I didn’t figure out anything. The other memory I had was of Tess mind warping me into thinking of her as a sister.”
“What?” Liz asked, shocked.
“Don’t you see? I really loved her and Tess knew it but she didn’t want me getting in her way with Max.”
Liz was suddenly outraged with Tess. How dare she treat Kyle so badly? He had been Tess’ friend and supporter. He had loved her and she had thrown it away. Then Liz felt the anger quickly drain away, replaced by a terrible sorrow as she considered what the knowledge had done to Kyle.
Kyle continued, “I just wonder why it took so long for me to remember. Some of the mind warps wore off so quickly, but others were definitely made to last.”
“I think what you just said was right,” Liz speculated. “Tess was doing a lot of mind warping and maybe she was overusing her powers, so she put more effort into the mind warps she considered more important.”
Kyle nodded, “She must have considered keeping me away from her very important.”
Liz pulled him into an embrace. “I’m really sorry, Kyle.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Tuesday, September 29th, 2001)
(Crashdown Cafe)
From the kitchen Michael watched Maria moving around the dining room, and he became more and more anxious with each passing minute. For weeks he had felt Maria growing more distant, and since he’d found out about her relationship with Brody he’d slowly been going crazy. And tonight the pressure finally built beyond his control. He burst into the dining room and grabbed her by the arm. “Do you want to tell me what is going on with you and Brody?”
Maria was dumbfounded, “What?”
“You know,” Michael continued, oblivious of the customers curiously observing them, “the crazy guy, believes in aliens, runs the UFO museum.”
Maria looked around, noticing the interest of the others around them. “Liz will you cover for me?” she called out.
Liz nodded.
Maria took Michael by the arm and led him into the back room. “Michael are you deranged, asking me about that here, with all of these people?”
Michael glanced into the dining room, noticing the customers for the first time and scratched at his eyebrow. “Okay, so I could have been a little more subtle, but this is driving me crazy, Maria. I have to know, if I’m losing you to that guy.”
Maria’s brow creased, “What are you talking about?”
“I know you spend a lot of time at the UFO museum when you aren’t working, and I know it’s not so you can watch the video about the alien artifacts.”
Maria nodded, “So if I’m spending time with Brody then obviously we’re involved.”
“I don’t know,” Michael admitted, “that’s what is driving me crazy. You’ve been distant lately, different, and we’re not getting together as much as we used to.”
“That’s it isn’t it,” Maria said, realization dawning. “You aren’t getting the nookie so you think I’m giving it away somewhere else.”
“Are you?” Michael asked.
Maria hit him in the chest. “How could you even ask me that?”
“I don’t know,” Michael said, shaking his head, “I can’t think straight. I’m so crazy in love with you and so afraid of losing you, I don’t know what I’m doing?”
Maria looked at him closely. “You really are, aren’t you?” She sighed, “Michael, I am not having an affair with Brody. He’s just a friend.”
Michael let out a relieved breath and sank into the wall. “So what is going on with you?”
Maria shook her head. “You won’t understand.”
Michael shrugged, “Maybe, but why don’t you try me.”
“It’s about my mother,” Maria started.
Michael’s brow creased in confusion. “Your mother. Is something wrong with her?”
“I don’t know,” Maria admitted. “But she’s remembering what happened at the UFO museum with Brody.”
“She doesn’t think it’s real though?” Michael asked concerned.
“No,” Maria said, “because I’ve been convincing her it’s just a dream.” She shook her head and looked up at him, “I’m really sick of lying to her, Michael. And now I’m not just lying, I’m messing with her mind, just like Tess.”
Michael shook his head, “It’s nothing like what Tess did.”
“Isn’t it?” Maria asked, tears starting to form in her eyes. “I’m making her think something happened when it didn’t. The memories are giving her these headaches and she’s starting to wonder if she has an aneurysm or going crazy.”
Michael sighed and pulled her into an embrace, “I’m sorry, Maria. I’m really sorry.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Friday, October 5th, 2001)
(The Valenti House)
Jim walked into the house and tossed his hat to Kyle on the couch. “You ready to go?”
Kyle’s brow creased, “Go where?”
Jim smiled, “I got my first paycheck today and I thought we would go and see about a car for you.”
Kyle jumped up, “What are we waiting for?”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, October 13th, 2001)
(The DeLuca House)
“Hey, Mrs. DeLuca,” Michael greeted, as Amy opened the door to him. “Is Maria ready?”
“She’ll be a few more minutes, Michael,” Amy said. “Why don’t you have a seat on the sofa? I was just getting myself a soda, can I get you one?”
“Sure,” Michael said as he sank down onto the sofa.
Amy returned with the sodas and passed one to him. “So how have you been? School okay?”
“Yeah,” Michael said enthusiastically. “I wasn’t always the best student but I’ve really had to take a good look at my priorities. I don’t want to be working as a cook at the Crashdown the rest of my life.”
Amy nodded, “That’s a very grown up, responsible attitude. I’m glad to hear you say it, but I have to admit I’m kind of surprised. I always had you pegged as the irresponsible type.”
“In the past that was true,” Michael admitted. “It’s like I was waiting for my life to start and I didn’t think it mattered what I did until then, but Maria made me realize that life is what you do every day. There is no beginning or end, it’s just life.”
“Maria made you realize that?” Amy asked.
“Yeah,” Michael nodded. He motioned to Amy, “So I hear you’ve been having some bad headaches.”
“Yeah, they come and go.” Amy pressed a hand to her head, unconsciously. “Michael, have you ever had the feeling that…” she trailed off, shaking her head.
“What is it?” he prompted.
“It sounds crazy,” Amy said.
Michael smiled, “Even more crazy than me being a responsible member of society.”
Amy smiled and nodded, “Okay. Have you ever had the feeling that you’re missing things? Like there’s a whole other reality out there no one knows about. But sometimes if you really look, you can just catch a glimpse.”
“What makes you think that?” Michael asked.
Amy shrugged, “Maybe it’s the dreams I’ve been having lately. They are so real its like I have two different memories of the same night. But that’s impossible right?”
Michael stayed silent and Amy continued, “Maybe it’s my line of work, or just growing up in this town and hearing the stories all of my life, but lately I’ve been starting to think there’s something else out there.”
“And how does that make you feel?” Michael asked softly.
“I don’t really know,” Amy said. “Curious about what I’m missing, I guess.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Wednesday, October 17th, 2001)
Liz rubbed at her eyes as Max drove them toward the quarry for their practice session. She hadn’t gotten very much sleep in the last few nights because she’d been having disturbing dreams again.
Like the last time, she didn’t remember anything from the dreams, but the sick feeling in her stomach told her it hadn’t been good. She hadn’t told Max yet but she knew she had to.
The Jeep rounded a bend in the road and Max reduced the speed because of a slow truck in front of them. The truck was loaded with large concrete pipes and Max turned on the windshield wipers as its tires kicked up a mist from the wet road.
The sunlight reflected off the water droplets, momentarily blinding Liz, and she was overwhelmed by a feeling of nausea and a sudden flash of memory. In her mind, she saw the truck take the next turn and skid on the wet road, causing it to jack-knife. The cables holding the concrete pipes broke, and they rolled off the truck, bouncing off the road surface and toward the Jeep.
Liz gasped as she came out of the vision and grabbed Max’s arm, “Stop, Max! Stop now!”
Max stomped on the break, and with a controlled skid brought the Jeep to a stop on the side of the road. Instantly he turned to Liz, “What’s wrong?”
“I saw that truck in my dream,” she started, but their attention was diverted by the sound of grating metal.
Max and Liz watched in horror as further down the road, the truck jack-knifed as Liz had seen in her dream, and the concrete pipes crashed down onto the road where the Jeep would have been.
When the truck skidded to a stop, the driver of the truck jumped out of the cab and ran around to the back but was obviously relieved to see that no one was hurt.
Max turned back to Liz, “You saw that in your dream.”
Liz nodded.
Max looked at her with something close to awe in his eyes. “You predicted the future and saved our lives.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The gang and Sean were still talking about Liz’s vision hours later at the Crashdown.
“So you saw the exact same thing in your dream?” Sean asked. “The truck, the pipes, the accident?”
Liz nodded, with a shiver. “I didn’t remember any of it until just before it happened, though.”
“Did you feel sick again?” Kyle asked.
“Yeah,” Liz recalled. “It was really bad right before I had the vision.”
“And now you feel fine?” Max asked.
Liz smiled, “A little shaky but fine.”
Michael took a chair next to Liz. “If you can develop this power, just think of the advantage it would give us. We would know when things were going to happen, how to prevent things. This could be just the edge we’ve been looking for.”
“Calm down,” Max said. “You can’t put that kind of pressure on Liz. I won’t allow it.”
Michael shook his head, “I didn’t mean to…’
Liz cut him off, “It’s okay, Michael. I know what you meant but I don’t even know if I can control it. So far it’s been totally random and I was lucky to remember when I did.”
“But you’ll tell us whenever you do get a bad feeling, right?” Kyle asked.
Liz nodded, “I promise I’ll tell you.”
Sean spoke up, “So did you have this power in your other life?”
Liz shook her head. “We don’t know.”
“All I’m saying,” Sean explained, “is if you did have this power, you probably weren’t able to control it then either. Because if you could, none of you would have died.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
TBC
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
PART 7
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Friday, September 21st, 2001)
(The Evans House)
When Isabel told the gang she had a date to the dance, Max and Michael had started with the third degree, and now almost a week later they cornered her in the kitchen, still at it.
“We don’t know anything about this guy, Isabel,” Michael said.
“It’s not like I am asking you if I can tell him our secret,” Isabel said sarcastically. “I am just bringing him to a school dance.”
“We haven’t even met him,” Max pointed out. “You’ve been hanging out with him this whole time and haven’t said a word about him.”
“I don’t have to tell you everything about my life,” Isabel hissed. “And there was nothing to tell. We hadn’t even been out on a date until last weekend.” She rolled her eyes, “And with the way you two are acting, I’m glad you haven’t met. I would hate for him to see what jerks you are.”
Max sighed, “I’m just saying that we have to be careful.”
“I am being careful,” Isabel asserted. “I just wanted to have a normal date. Since Alex…” she trailed off as a lump formed in her throat and swallowed hard, struggling to continue. “I’ve been alone for months, I just want to have a friend.” She let out a sigh, “Max you have Liz, and Michael you have Maria. Don’t you think it’s hard for me to watch that? Hale is a nice guy. I just thought we all could hang out, you know, go to dinner and the dance. Why does it always have to be such a battle?”
Max pulled Isabel into a hug, “I’m sorry Iz.”
“Yeah,” Michael echoed, “I’m sorry too.”
Max released her. “We just worry about you, that’s all.”
Isabel wiped her wet cheeks, “So can we all just go to this stupid dance and get along?”
Max nodded, “Yeah, we’d love to meet your friend.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Roswell City Council Chambers)
Jim sat before the City Council, not sure what to expect. The last time he had been there had not been a pleasant experience but he had understood the reasons why they had to fire him.
Jim waited as the meeting continued with discussions of road repairs and zoning regulations but finally the chairman of the City Council addressed him. "Mr. Valenti, due to the lack of evidence of any wrong-doing on your part from the internal investigation, and the affidavits from Laurie Dupree, Agent Susanne Duff of the FBI, and the legal actions of Philip Evans on your behalf, added to the inexperience and the sometimes questionable actions of acting Sheriff Hansen, we, the members of the City Council, would like to offer you the position of Sheriff.”
Jim couldn't have been more surprised if they had said they were running him out of town. It took a minute for the information to sink-in but when it did a smile spread across his face and he got to his feet, "Members of the Council, Mr. Chairman, I accept your offer."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, September 22nd, 2001)
Max knocked on the Parker’s front door and it was opened almost immediately by Liz’s Dad.
“Hey Max,” Jeff said. “Come on in. Liz is almost ready.”
Max smiled, “I guess I’m a little early.” He followed Jeff into the living room where Nancy was sitting, “Hi, Mrs. Parker.”
“Hello, Max,” she said softly.
Max could see wariness in her eyes and his thoughts automatically went back to last year when he and Liz had found the orb and stayed out all night together. He didn’t think Liz’s Mom had ever forgiven him for that.
Jeff motioned to the sofa, “Have a seat.”
Max sat down and wondered what to say, but Jeff saved him the trouble.
“Max, I know you and Liz are both eighteen, but she has a curfew of midnight and we expect you to honor that.”
Max nodded. “Of course, Mr. and Mrs. Parker. Liz and I have both matured a lot in the last year and we both respect that you need to set rules.” He looked from Jeff to Nancy, “I promise I’ll have Liz back on time.”
Some of the wariness seemed to soften in Nancy’s eyes and she smiled. “Thank you, Max. We appreciate that.”
At that moment Liz entered the room and Max immediately stood and was practically rendered speechless. Liz was wearing an emerald-green strapless dress that hugged her body until it reached her waist, where it flared out gently ending just below her knees. Her hair was caught up in a simple twist and she wore dangling silver and emerald earrings.
Liz smiled at him and took the moment to study Max in his suit. The soft, dark fabric was expertly cut to his muscular frame and the dusky blue shirt he wore, brought out the warm, amber of his eyes.
Finally Max regained his voice, “Liz, you look wonderful.”
She blushed slightly but held his gaze, “So do you.”
Her father clearing his throat brought them both back to reality and drew their attention to him.
Jeff motioned to them, “Go and stand over there and we’ll get a picture.”
Liz rolled her eyes but Max eagerly took her hand, while her father snapped what seemed like an endless series of pictures.
“Okay Dad, that’s enough,” Liz finally laughed.
Jeff shrugged and Nancy walked them to the door. “Have a good time.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The DeLuca House)
Jim knocked and waited impatiently for the door to open. He had looked forward to this all day and he was eager to deliver his news.
Amy opened the door. “Jim, what a surprise.”
“Hey Amy,” Jim greeted. “I just wondered if you were free to come out tonight and celebrate.”
Amy leaned against the door, smiling. “What are we celebrating?”
Jim looked around and leaned in closer to her, “It won’t be official until Monday, but you are looking at the new Sheriff of Roswell, New Mexico.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Isabel and Hale met the others at the restaurant and Isabel was glad to see that Hale wasn’t the only new face. Kyle had brought a date too, a girl that Isabel knew from school, a pretty brunette named Cindy.
“Everyone, this is Hale,” Isabel said, starting the introductions and went around the table, pointing out each of her friends, ending with Max. “This is my brother, Max.”
Hale stood and reached across the table, offering a hand. “Nice to finally meet you Max. Isabel has told me a lot about you.”
“Oh,” Max said, surprised, and slightly uncomfortable. “Um, it’s nice to meet you too.”
Liz could feel Max’s discomfort and diverted Hale’s attention with a question. “Hale, have you decided what your major is going to be?”
Hale focused his attention on Liz, “I am interested in a lot of different areas, history, science, the law. I just haven’t narrowed it down yet,” he finished with a shrug. “How about you, Liz? Isabel said you’re something of a science prodigy.”
Liz shook her head, “I’m nothing that spectacular, but I do enjoy science, especially chemistry and biology.”
“And you plan to go into that as a major?” Hale asked.
Their conversation faded into the background as Isabel looked at Michael and Max who were both staring at Hale. She lightly kicked Max under the table, drawing his attention and gave him a pleading look.
Max hadn’t realized he was staring and flashed an embarrassed smile. He turned to Michael, caught his attention with a well-placed kick under the table and motioned to Hale.
Michael shrugged and at the next break in the conversation between Liz and Hale, Michael blurted the first thing that came to his mind, “So Hale, are you a football fan?”
“I’ve just recently gotten interested in it,” Hale said. “The strategy, the planning of offence and defense, is almost like two generals maneuvering their troops in a war.”
Michael nodded, “And the head bashing is cool too.”
Hale nodded with a smile, “Yeah, it is.” He turned to Max, “Do you have a favorite team?”
“I’m not really into sports,” Max said with a shrug.
“Oh,” Hale said, “what are you into?”
Max’s eyes automatically went to Liz before refocusing of Hale, “I’m more into school.”
Hale smiled, Max’s tell-tale glance not lost on him. “Well school is very important.”
Max nodded, “The most important thing in the world.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The rest of the dinner went smoothly, everyone talked and laughed and had a good time. After the initial round of questions, everything settled down and Max turned most of his attention to Liz.
Michael and Hale continued to talk and Isabel felt herself relax. She had been so worried about how Max and Michael would accept Hale, but now she could see her worrying had all been for nothing. Everyone was getting along great.
On the way out of the restaurant, Isabel put her arms around Michael and Max and whispered into their ears, “Thanks.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(West Roswell High School)
(Homecoming Dance)
Max and Liz sat at the table with their friends, but one by one, the other couples rose and joined the dance.
Both Max and Liz were somewhat cautious about the evening because of bad memories of the last dance they attended together. Max was eager to make new memories but he didn’t want to move too fast. He wanted Liz to feel completely at ease.
“The decorating committee did a good job on the gym,” he started casually.
“Yeah,” Liz agreed, looking around, “it’s really, um, festive.”
“And the punch is really good, too,” Max continued.
“Yeah,” Liz said, feeling Max’s level of discomfort. He was really nervous and she knew it was because of what had happened at the prom last year. But Liz wasn’t afraid of a repeat performance and she suddenly realized she didn’t want to live her life worrying about what might happen.
Liz wouldn’t let Tess win. She wouldn’t let the other girl drive herself and Max apart. They loved one another and they should be together.
Holding out her hand to Max, Liz smiled, “Do you want to dance?”
Max smiled and took her hand, “I’d love to.”
They rose and walked to the dance floor, fitting easily into each others’ arms.
And it's been awhile
Since I could hold my head up high
And it's been awhile
Since I first saw you
And it's been awhile
Since I could stand on my own two feet again
And it's been awhile
Since I could call you
And everything I can't remember
As messed up as it all may seem
The consequences that I've rendered
I've stretched myself beyond my means
Max was so happy to be with Liz. It had seemed like old times between them as they had talked and laughed over dinner, but when they arrived at the dance a terrible nervousness started to consume him. And now as he and Liz moved to the music, Max listened to the words of the song and felt like the whole thing was a sham.
He had done so much to hurt Liz. Not just his actions of the past year, which had been bad enough, but the older version of himself who had come back in time just to steal Liz’s happiness.
And it's been awhile
Since I can say that I wasn't addicted
And it's been awhile
Since I can say I love myself as well
And it's been awhile
Since I've gone and messed things up just like I always do
And it's been awhile
But all that stuff seems to disappear when I'm with you
And everything I can't remember
As messed up as it all may seem
The consequences that I've rendered
I've gone and messed things up again
Even though he and Liz had been together in their last life, Max knew he didn’t deserve her in this one. He had been so anxious to start their life together, but Liz had been cautious, and she was right. He had done things she could never forgive.
Why must I feel this way?
Just make this go away
Just one more peaceful day!
And it's been awhile
Since I could look at myself straight
And it's been awhile
Since I said I'm sorry
And it's been awhile
Since I've seen the way the candle lights your face
And it's been awhile
But I can still remember just the way you taste
Max had asked Liz to the dance hoping to show her things were different now, hoping to rekindle the tender light that had burned within them. He loved Liz with every fiber of his being, but it wasn’t enough and he had to accept that they would never be anything more than friends.
And everything I can't remember
As messed up as it all may seem to be I know it's me
I cannot blame this on my father
He did the best he could for me
And it's been awhile
Since I could hold my head up high
And it's been awhile
Since I said I'm sorry
An overwhelming feeling of loss surged through Max and tears ran from his eyes. He felt Liz stiffen in his arms and with a horrifying sense of de-ja-vu they both stopped dancing.
Liz pulled back and gently wiped the tears from his face. “What’s wrong, Max?”
Max looked into her beautiful face and saw the concern so clearly written there. “I…” he started, but choked on the words, unable to utter them.
Liz could feel Max’s crushing sorrow and took him by the hand, “Come on.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Song Playing: Crazy for You by Madonna
Hale took Isabel in his arms as a slow song started and they swayed to the lazy beat. Leaning close, Hale spoke softly in her ear, “I’m really glad you invited me, Isabel. I was starting to wonder if you were hiding me from your friends.”
“Of course not,” Isabel instantly denied. “It’s just that Michael is sort of an honorary brother, and he and Max are really overprotective.
“And you were afraid they wouldn’t approve,” Hale said, nodding with understanding.
“It’s not you,” Isabel assured him. “They just don’t approve of anyone. But they really like you, I could tell.”
“I like them and your other friends too,” Hale said with a nod. He leaned in closer, his eyes never leaving hers, and lowered his voice seductively, “Do you think they would approve if I wanted to kiss you?”
Isabel blushed but kept eye contact, “I think you should ask me directly about that.”
Hale glanced down at her lips and then back to her eyes, moving even closer. His voice was just a whisper, “And what do you say, Isabel.”
Instead of answering, Isabel closed the distance between them, touching her lips to his.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Liz led Max out of the crowded gymnasium, down a quiet, dark hall and into an empty classroom before stopping and turning to him again. “What’s wrong?”
Max’s tears fell freely and he shook his head, unable to speak.
Liz pulled him down onto a chair and sank into the one next to him. She took his face in her hands as her own tears started to fall. “It’s okay, Max.”
Max took her hand in his and gently pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “Liz, I…” he looked up into her face and saw the tears on her cheeks. His voice cracked with pain, “I’m so sorry, Liz. I don’t deserve you. I…”
Liz pressed her free hand to his lips. “Hush, Max. It’s okay.”
Max shook his head and took her other hand in his, “No, it’s not. It’ll never…”
“Shhhh, Max.” Liz soothed, but Max was holding both her hands and Liz stopped his words the only way she had left to her, with a kiss. She pressed her lips to his and instantly felt his surprise. He didn’t move as she placed one soft kiss after another on his lips, and although Liz had never attempted it before, she focused her powers on opening a connection between them.
After a moment, the sudden rush of images told her she had been successful and she whispered through the connection as she pushed her feelings for him into it. We’ve both been in so much pain for so long, and we both wish that things could have been different. But it’s time to let go of the pain and the guilt, to put it behind us. We want to be together, we know we belong together, and I don’t want to wait any longer. I think it’s time we both forgave ourselves and agree that it’s okay to find some happiness, together. She pressed her lips to his again, harder. I love you so much, Max.
Max could feel all of Liz’s emotions through the connection and unbelievably, in spite of everything that had happened between them, she loved him more than anything.
Again Liz felt Max’s surprise and heard his whispered voice through the connection, almost a sigh, Liz.
He took her face in his hands and finally kissed her back.
And as they got lost in each other’s kisses, the muffled music of the next song floated down the hall.
I'll protect you from the hooded claw
Keep the vampires from your door
Aye-yie, yie-yie
Feels like fire
I'm so in love with you
Dreams are like angels
They keep bad at bay, bad at bay
Love is the light
Scaring darkness away, yeah
I'm so in love with you
Purge the soul
Make love your goal
The power of love
A force from above
Cleaning my soul
Flame on burn desire
Love, with tongues of fire
Purge the soul
Make love your goal
Max placed soft kisses all over Liz’s face, savoring the feel of each one. It had been so long since he had touched her like that and he never wanted it to end.
Liz answered him through the connection, I never want it to end either, Max. I’ve missed this so much.
I'll protect you from the hooded claw
Keep the vampires from your door
When the chips are down I'll be around
With my undying, death-defying
Love for you
Envy will hurt itself
Let yourself be beautiful
Sparkling love, flowers
And pearls and pretty girls
Love is like an energy
Rushin' rushin' inside of me
The power of love
A force from above
Cleaning my soul
Flame on burn desire
Love, with tongues of fire
Purge the soul
Make love your goal
Cradling Liz’s head, Max returned his lips to hers, devouring them greedily. I love you so much Liz, Max said. He reveled in her feelings for him that he could sense through their connection, and he slid his tongue across her lips and Liz opened eagerly to let him in.
Their tongues met and Liz sighed with contentment. She brought her hands up to touch Max’s face, I’ll never stop loving you, Max.
This time we go sublime
Lovers entwine, divine, divine
Love is danger, love is pleasure
Love is pure, the only treasure
I'm so in love with you
Purge the soul
Make love your goal
The power of love
A force from above
Cleaning my soul
The power of love
A force from above
A sky-scraping dove
Flame on burn desire
Love with tongues of fire
Purge the soul
Make love your goal
I'll protect you from the hooded claw
Keep the vampires from your door
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Michael shuffled around the dance floor with Maria held tightly in his arms and he had never felt more alone. He’d tried to put it out of his mind but the thought kept resurfacing that he was losing Maria to Brody.
In Michael’s eyes, Brody didn’t have much going for him, but he knew women judged differently. And Michael tried to image how Maria might see him. Brody was a dork but he had that scruffy, lost puppy look girls went for. Michael also had to admit that Brody was intelligent, and rich of course, but he must also be somewhat brave or crazy to tell the world of his alien encounter.
Michael sighed, maybe there was enough in Brody to attract Maria. He should have seen it sooner but he had discounted Brody as a threat because of the dork factor. He had been so sure of Maria’s love that he hadn’t taken Brody’s crush on her seriously, but now he saw he’d made a big mistake.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cindy had been sending him not-so-subtle signals all night and when Kyle suggested they go to the janitor’s closet, she eagerly agreed.
Kyle took her hand and they headed into the dark hallway. A sudden flash of walking the same route with Tess the night of the Prom, burst into his mind and he shoved it away violently. He wouldn’t let Tess ruin any more of his life.
Once out of sight of the gym, Cindy launched herself at Kyle, pressing her lips to his, and pushing him into the wall.
Kyle almost laughed with satisfaction. It had been a long time since he had been with a girl and it was reassuring to know he still had it. He took control of the kiss, turning Cindy against the wall and closing the distance between them. He kissed his way down her chin to her neck, as he felt her hands beneath his jacket unbuttoning his shirt.
He broke the kiss, “Let’s get to the janitor’s closet.”
Hand-in-hand they ran down the hall and stopped outside the closet door. Cindy reached for the knob, but Kyle held the door shut with one hand, while he pressed her back against it, taking her lips once more.
Another flash of the Prom pushed its way into his mind before he could stop it. He had brought Tess to the janitor’s closet that night because he wanted to tell her she was like a sister to him, but suddenly another memory competed with it.
Kyle broke the kiss and shook his head to clear the memory.
“What’s wrong?” Cindy whispered.
“Nothing,” Kyle assured her. He opened the door and motioned her inside, “I just don’t want to give the whole school a show.”
He followed her inside and closed the door behind them. Taking her in his arms again, he devoured her lips, trying to push the memories of Tess away. But the flashes kept coming.
The night of the Prom, he had wanted to tell Tess something, but her voice in his head had told him over and over again what to think, and finally it had won. And in this very room, he had told her exactly what she wanted to hear from him.
Suddenly another memory pushed forward and Kyle saw himself asking Tess to the Prom. Everything seemed normal until she accepted, then he felt her mind in his, changing his love for her into a brotherly affection.
His true feelings came rushing back to him, untarnished by the months of separation and betrayal. He had loved Tess, truly loved her. But Tess hadn’t wanted that kind of relationship with him, so with an unfeeling use of power, she had mind warped his love away.
Suddenly Kyle felt sick and dirty and he broke away from Cindy. “Sorry. I’m not feeling so good.”
Cindy was instantly concerned, “Oh, are you coming down with something?”
Kyle shook his head, “It’s something I never really got over.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Max and Liz walked to her door hand-in-hand, and when they stopped Max enfolded Liz in his arms.
Liz smiled, “It was a wonderful night. One of the best of my life.”
“It’s just the beginning Liz and I promise it will only get better.” Max leaned forward and kissed Liz softly, lingeringly, and opened the connection between them eager to regain the closeness they had shared earlier.
A rush of images told Max the connection had formed and then he felt the warm, welcoming tendrils of Liz’s love swirling around him. Max had never experienced anything as wonderful as being with Liz like this and he basked in her feelings for him.
Finally, reluctantly he ended the kiss but pressed his forehead to hers. “My future self was right. Even with the connection we have now, I never would have left you.”
“I know,” Liz said breathily. “It’s so amazing to feel what you’re feeling.”
Max kissed her again quickly. “I hate to leave you.”
Liz nodded, “Me too.”
“Can I see you tomorrow?” Max asked anxiously. “A picnic maybe.”
“Yeah Max, I’d love that.”
Max pressed his lips to hers for a final time. “Goodnight, Liz.”
“Goodnight, Max,” she said with a smile.
And as Max looked into her eyes, he thought he saw a mischievous twinkle.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Liz went into her house practically glowing from Max’s kisses, her smile lighting up her whole face. She didn’t even try to hide it when she went into the kitchen and found her mother sitting at the table.
“Hi Mom,” she said, kissing her mother on the cheek.
Nancy glanced at the clock, noting that it wasn’t quite midnight. “You’re home early.”
“Am I?” Liz asked wistfully, as she poured herself a glass of milk.
“Did you have a good time at the dance?” Nancy asked, trying to seem casual.
Liz took a seat at the table. “It was wonderful.”
Nancy nodded, “So I take it you and Max are working through your problems.”
“Yeah,” Liz sighed. “It’s been great, our friendship is stronger than ever.”
“Well I just want to make sure you weren’t rushing into anything you aren’t ready for.”
Liz nodded, knowing what her mother was referring to. “Mom believe me, we’re not rushing anything. We’ve decided to take our time with everything, to make sure both of us are completely ready.”
Nancy nodded.
Liz noted the relieved look on her mother’s face with a touch of annoyance. “Goodnight, Mom.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Isabel stopped her car and turned off the ignition. Hale had taken her home less than an hour ago, but she had been unable to sleep.
The night had been wonderful, almost like a fairytale. Max and Michael had gotten along with Hale at dinner. At the dance she and Hale had been inseparable, dancing the whole night and when they arrived back at her house, he had kissed her again.
The kiss was everything she had ever imagined a kiss should be, tender yet passionate, comfortable yet exciting. The flashes she received from Hale showed that she was on his mind just as much as he was on hers, and Isabel felt herself falling in love. But even though the evening was everything she had expected and more, she was still restless and even a little scared.
She felt guilty for considering being with someone not even a year after Alex’s death and that was why she had come out. Isabel had spoken with Alex so many times since his death, but tonight when she had needed him, he wasn’t there. She knew he wasn’t ever really there, he was just a part of her memory but their conversations had always comforted her, and when her mind refused to conjure him she had gotten worried.
Crossing the damp ground, Isabel stopped in front of Alex’s grave and sank to her knees before the headstone. She used her powers to carefully clear the area of debris and polish the surface of the granite headstone and then replaced her hands into her lap.
“I don’t know why I’m here exactly. I guess I just thought I would feel better coming here. I know you’ve never really visited me, but when you didn’t come tonight…” she trailed off. “I guess I’m really starting to get over you, just like you said, and that scares me Alex.”
“I met a guy at school and he’s really great. We’ve been spending a lot of time together, studying and just hanging out. He’s someone I can really talk to. Tonight we went to the Homecoming dance and we kissed for the first time.”
A lump started to form in her throat and tears threatened but she pushed to continue. “I think I’m falling in love with him Alex, and I feel like I’m betraying you.” She put her hands to her face and let the sobs come as her tears burst forth.
“Don’t cry, Isabel,” a familiar voice called out.
Isabel lowered her hands and jumped to her feet immediately when she saw Alex. She ran to him and threw her arms around him, “I was so scared I’d lost you.”
Alex hugged her, comforting her until her tears stopped, and then he stepped back. “Isabel, you did lose me, and these visits aren’t helping you. You need to let me go.”
More tears spilled down her cheeks, “I can’t, Alex. It’s just too soon.”
Alex nodded, “Just don’t let this other great guy get away because you are holding on to me. I wouldn’t want you to be alone. You know that.”
Isabel smiled, “I know.”
Alex wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Now why don’t you tell me all about this new guy?”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
From the shadows, a figure watched Isabel sit on the ground, talking softly to herself.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The Evans House)
“Goodnight, Mom, Dad,” Max called out as he entered his room. He shed his jacket, throwing it carelessly across a chair and started tugging at the knot on his tie, when he felt a presence in the room. He looked around trying to pinpoint exactly what was going on, when the feeling suddenly intensified. It was familiar, a presence he had felt many times before.
Max smiled and called out softly, “Liz.”
A smiling Liz materialized before him and slowly solidified. “Hi Max.”
Max reached out to touch her arm. “Not that I’m complaining, but what are you doing here?”
Max had been helping her with her astral projection practice, but now that they had finally gotten back together completely, Liz was curious. She reached up to touch his face. “I just wanted to run a few more experiments.”
Max encircled her with his arms, smiling mischievously. “What kind of experiments?”
“Well,” Liz said as she slid her arms around his neck, “it might be important to know if kissing you this way feels the same.”
Max nodded and lowered his head, stopping inches away. “Yeah, I can see how that could be useful information.” He quickly closed the distance between them and claimed her lips in a searing kiss.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Sunday, September 23rd, 2001)
(Crashdown Cafe)
Michael hit the bell with his spatula as he slid the plates of food onto the counter. “Onion rings, chicken fingers and fries.”
“Coming?” Maria asked him, as she grabbed the plates. She took them to the two tables that were pushed together, allowing the whole gang to gather around. Maria slid the plates into the middle of the tables and sinking down into a chair next to Liz, she turned to Hale, “The fries are the best in town.”
Hale reached for a handful. “So do you guys always get together on Sundays?”
“When there isn’t a game on,” Kyle said with a laugh.
Isabel rolled her eyes and directed her comments to Hale, “The sad part is, Kyle isn’t joking.”
“It’s great you’re all so close,” Hale said.
Michael took the chair next to Maria, draping one arm across her shoulders and reached for an onion ring. “Yeah, we’re the six musketeers.”
Hale smiled, “So you keep the world safe for freedom and the American way?”
Michael shrugged, “Well, not this week. Huh Maxwell?”
Max was so engrossed in Liz that he didn’t respond, and Michael called out louder, “Max!”
“What?” Max asked, focusing on Michael, confusion clearly written on his face.
Michael shrugged, “Never mind.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Max turned his attention back to Liz, their heads close together, Liz’s hand clasped in his. He hadn’t wanted to leave her since they had kissed at the dance last night and Liz felt the same way. That was why she had projected to his room afterward.
They had continued kissing last night, but it was about more than that for both of them. They had reveled in the closeness of being together, physically and spiritually. Both of them knew, without question, they were meant to be together, and now that they were both wholeheartedly working in that direction it brought them even closer.
Words were completely unnecessary between them. Clasped hands, long soulful looks, a cheek cupped in a hand, was their language, both of them perfectly content to simply be together.
Last night, when they had kissed at the dance, the connection between them had strengthened and they could feel echoes of one another’s emotions even when they weren’t in physical contact. Liz had hypothesized it was because they had finally dropped all of their defenses when they decided to be together.
And Max agreed. He had felt a shift in himself and Liz, a yearning, and not just for physical contact but for mental and spiritual contact. It was as if their souls craved the completion they only found in one another, as if the connection itself was drawing them together.
Since last night, neither of them had to exert any effort to open the connection between them, simple physical contact initiated it. Emotions and thoughts passed freely from one to the other, enriching and solidifying the union of their minds and souls.
The feelings they were experiencing left them both in awe, but they also knew it was the way it should be.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Hale leaned into Isabel and motioned to Max and Liz. “Are they always like that?”
Isabel glanced quickly at them and then back at Hale. “They’ve had a tough time and just recently got back together.”
“It’s like they’re in their own little world together,” Hale said.
She shrugged, “It used to bother me, but now I think it’s kind of sweet.”
“They don’t even talk to one another but you can tell that they’re perfectly in tune,” Hale observed. “I’ve never known any couple like that. I thought it didn’t really exist. It’s the kind of thing you read in fairy tales.”
“They’re definitely meant for each other,” Isabel agreed softly. “Soul mates.”
Hale reached for her hand. “I didn’t know you were such a romantic.”
“A few months ago, I would have said you were right. I thought love was just a cruel cosmic joke.”
“So what changed your mind?” Hale asked softly.
Isabel focused on her brother and Liz. “They did. I can’t deny what’s between them. No one who has seen them together could.”
“And now that’s what you’re looking for,” Hale said.
Isabel suddenly became nervous. Hale had hit too close to the truth, almost like he had read her mind and she tried to extract her hand from his.
But Hale held her firmly. “Isabel I really like you and I think you like me. I don’t want to spoil our friendship by moving ahead too fast.”
Isabel instantly relaxed and nodded her agreement.
Hale relaxed his grasp on her hand but she didn’t pull away and he smiled. He leaned in closer, whispering, “I’m looking for that kind of closeness too and I think we could have something really special between us. But there’s no hurry. We have all of the time in the world.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Michael waited until after closing, making sure he and Liz were the last two in the restaurant before approaching her. He scratched nervously at his eyebrow, “Um, Liz, can I talk to you?”
Liz turned to him with a smile, “Sure Michael, what about?”
“Well you know, I haven’t always been the best student,” he started haltingly, “and now they say I have to pass certain classes this year to graduate. But I’m having some trouble, you know in school, in math. And I was wondering…” he trailed off.
Liz nodded encouragingly and waited for him to continue.
Michael looked away. “I, um, feel kind of funny talking to you about this, with everything.”
Liz’s brow knit together, “Why?”
Michael studied her face and saw the genuine confusion. Liz really didn’t know what he was talking about, and he attempted to explain. “In the past, I didn’t always treat you very well. I was rude and even dismissed you as someone who didn’t matter in my life. Since then I learned that wasn’t true, we all help and need each other and I feel guilty about how I acted.”
“Michael, all of that is in the past,” Liz assured him. “All of us have done things we regret. None of us are perfect, certainly not me.”
Michael looked away nervously, “Well, it’s just now that I know everything you did for us and who you really are. I mean you’re the Queen of my planet.” He shrugged, “I don’t know, I just want to tell you I’m sorry and I feel like I should be making up for the past and calling you ma’am or something.”
“But you don’t treat Max or Isabel different since you found out who they are,” Liz pointed out. And to tell you the truth, the ma’am thing would make me really nervous.”
“Yeah, me too,” Michael said with a smile. “It wasn’t different with Max and Isabel because I grew up with them almost as brother and sister.”
“Yeah,” Liz nodded.
“It wasn’t like that with you. But you and I have been hanging out a lot at work and with your parents and I kind of started thinking of you more like a sister.”
“I’ve felt like that too,” Liz said with a smile. “And I think we would both be much more comfortable with that kind of relationship. So if you wanted, we could just forget the past and go forward with more of a sibling thing.”
“Brother and sister,” Michael said with a smile. “I like it.”
“Okay brother,” Liz said, as she cuffed him on the shoulder, “so what did you want to talk to me about?”
“I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind helping me with my math sometimes, sis.”
Liz nodded. She was more honored than she could say that Michael had come to her for help. “Yeah, I think that would be great.”
“Good,” Michael said nodding, and then suddenly sobered. “Um, Liz can I ask you something else?”
“Sure.”
“Is Maria seeing anyone else?”
Liz shook her head. “No way. Maria loves you. Why would you even think that?”
“She does spend a lot of time with Brody.”
“Michael, she takes him dinner when she works,” Liz said with a laugh. “You make it most of the time.”
Michael shook his head, “I’ve seen her over at the museum when she wasn’t working, and I know Brody has a crush on her.”
“No, Michael, you’re making something out of nothing. Yes,” Liz admitted, “Maria and Brody are friends, and maybe you didn’t realize that, but she is not dating him.” Liz could see that Michael wasn’t convinced, “Michael, why don’t you talk to Maria about this?”
“Yeah,” Michael nodded, “maybe I will. And Liz, I know Maria is your best friend but would you do me a favor and not tell her I talked to you?”
Liz nodded, “It will be our secret.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Monday, September 24th, 2001)
(West Roswell High School)
Max approached Liz at her locker, sliding his hands around her waist from behind. He leaned in and whispered, “Good morning, beautiful.”
Liz turned in his arms, stood on tiptoes and met his lips briefly. “Mmmm, Good morning.”
“Can I walk you to class?” he asked.
Liz smiled and slipped her hand into his. “Well since we’re in the same class, it is on your way.”
Max sighed contentedly and reached up to touch her hair with his free hand. “I love you so much Liz and I’m so happy we’re together.”
Liz reached up to touch his face, “I love you too, Max, even more than I thought possible. I never wanted anything more than to be with you.”
Max leaned in for another quick kiss but lingered when Liz’s lips met his. He quickly lost himself in the kiss as the connection between then opened and Liz’s feelings swirled around him.
Without realizing it, they wrapped their arms around one another and deepened the kiss. Max devoured Liz’s lips and she eagerly opened her mouth to him, inviting him inside with a quick flick of her tounge. It was as if they couldn’t get enough of each other, and they both quickly became lost in the electric sensations rushing through them.
After a moment the sounds of cheers around them, brought them back to reality. And Max and Liz looked around, embarrassed to have been caught making out in the hall.
Max put his arm around Liz and they started down the hall. “Sorry about that, Liz. I just…”
“Got caught up in the kiss?” Liz nodded. “Don’t apologize, I did too.”
“It’s all so new,” Max said. “Like we’re just starting.”
Liz took his hand and squeezed, “We are just starting. We’re starting over again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Michael jogged down the hall to catch up with Ryan. “Hey Ryan how’s it going?” he called out.
“Fine,” Ryan greeted, “and you?”
“Good. Good.” Michael said, slipping an arm around Ryan’s shoulder and diverting them into a quiet corner. “I need to talk to you.”
“Sure,” Ryan said. “What about?”
“You work at the UFO museum and I need you to tell me everything you know about Maria’s visits to Brody.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Monday, September 28th, 2001)
(The Valenti House)
With a frustrated sigh, Liz opened her eyes and looked at the others sitting around her. Max, Isabel and Michael were all deeply in concentration, attempting to recover their memories.
Liz knew that Max and Michael had experienced some success but she and Isabel had not made any progress. Max was worried that Isabel was subconsciously blocking the memories because of what she had discovered about her past life, but in time he thought she would get past it.
Max continued to assure Liz that her powers were too new and she just needed to give it more time, but with each passing day Liz was growing more worried. Her powers were getting stronger and she was able to control them more easily but she hadn’t recovered even a glimpse of their other life, and she was starting to wonder if she even had the memories of their past.
Everyone assumed because she was the reincarnation of Ava that she would have Ava’s memories, but maybe the memories hadn’t survived when her soul had traveled across the galaxies.
Max had shown her the few memories he had recovered, but nothing in them seemed familiar. Liz could also tell that Max was holding something back and she didn’t have to ask what it was. Max was afraid he would show her his memories of Tess.
But Liz wanted to remember her parents, her home, her friends, all of the past. They needed to know what had gone wrong, how they had lost the war, the strengths and weaknesses of their enemy. But most of all, she wanted to be able to remember Max and the love they had shared.
But the memories couldn’t be forced and Liz rolled her shoulders to release her tension, willing herself to relax and try again. As she let out another deep breath, Liz was suddenly aware of a deep feeling of sorrow and turned toward the source.
Her eyes lit on Kyle, who was sitting apart from them as he meditated, and she knew the emotions were coming from him. Silently she rose and crossed to him, gently touching his shoulder to gain his attention, and when he opened his eyes, Liz held out her hand to him.
Kyle was surprised by Liz’s presence but he placed his hand in hers as he stood, and allowed her to lead him into his house.
Liz closed the door behind them, so they wouldn’t disturb the others, and turned back to Kyle. “So do you want to tell me what’s wrong?”
Kyle smiled, “How did you know?”
“I could feel your sadness,” Liz admitted.
Kyle nodded unsurprised. “Another new power you’re developing?”
“Maybe. It’s only ever happened before with Max.”
Kyle accepted the information with a nod but remained silent.
Liz took a seat at the table, waiting for him to start.
Kyle crossed to the cupboard and took out two glasses and filled them with water. He set one before Liz and took a long drink from the other. When it was empty, he pulled out the chair next to Liz and sat down with a weary sigh. He couldn’t stand to look at her yet, so he studied the glass as he started. “The night of the Homecoming dance, something happened and it’s been tearing me up inside.”
Liz could feel the turmoil within him and put a comforting hand on his arm. “What happened, Kyle?”
He kept his eyes on the glass. “Cindy and I went to the janitor’s closet and it brought up these memories of the Prom last year. See, I thought I was in love with Tess, but the night of the Prom I realized I thought of her more like a sister, and I told her in the janitor’s closet.”
Liz smiled, “Strange place to tell someone you just want to be friends.”
Kyle nodded, “More strange than you could imagine. When Cindy and I were there the other night, it triggered not only that memory, but a flash of another memory with Tess. When I asked Tess to the Prom I was convinced I loved her and I thought the dance would be the perfect setting to tell her my true feelings.”
“But then you figured out what you really felt,” Liz said.
Kyle shook his head, “That’s just it, I didn’t figure out anything. The other memory I had was of Tess mind warping me into thinking of her as a sister.”
“What?” Liz asked, shocked.
“Don’t you see? I really loved her and Tess knew it but she didn’t want me getting in her way with Max.”
Liz was suddenly outraged with Tess. How dare she treat Kyle so badly? He had been Tess’ friend and supporter. He had loved her and she had thrown it away. Then Liz felt the anger quickly drain away, replaced by a terrible sorrow as she considered what the knowledge had done to Kyle.
Kyle continued, “I just wonder why it took so long for me to remember. Some of the mind warps wore off so quickly, but others were definitely made to last.”
“I think what you just said was right,” Liz speculated. “Tess was doing a lot of mind warping and maybe she was overusing her powers, so she put more effort into the mind warps she considered more important.”
Kyle nodded, “She must have considered keeping me away from her very important.”
Liz pulled him into an embrace. “I’m really sorry, Kyle.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Tuesday, September 29th, 2001)
(Crashdown Cafe)
From the kitchen Michael watched Maria moving around the dining room, and he became more and more anxious with each passing minute. For weeks he had felt Maria growing more distant, and since he’d found out about her relationship with Brody he’d slowly been going crazy. And tonight the pressure finally built beyond his control. He burst into the dining room and grabbed her by the arm. “Do you want to tell me what is going on with you and Brody?”
Maria was dumbfounded, “What?”
“You know,” Michael continued, oblivious of the customers curiously observing them, “the crazy guy, believes in aliens, runs the UFO museum.”
Maria looked around, noticing the interest of the others around them. “Liz will you cover for me?” she called out.
Liz nodded.
Maria took Michael by the arm and led him into the back room. “Michael are you deranged, asking me about that here, with all of these people?”
Michael glanced into the dining room, noticing the customers for the first time and scratched at his eyebrow. “Okay, so I could have been a little more subtle, but this is driving me crazy, Maria. I have to know, if I’m losing you to that guy.”
Maria’s brow creased, “What are you talking about?”
“I know you spend a lot of time at the UFO museum when you aren’t working, and I know it’s not so you can watch the video about the alien artifacts.”
Maria nodded, “So if I’m spending time with Brody then obviously we’re involved.”
“I don’t know,” Michael admitted, “that’s what is driving me crazy. You’ve been distant lately, different, and we’re not getting together as much as we used to.”
“That’s it isn’t it,” Maria said, realization dawning. “You aren’t getting the nookie so you think I’m giving it away somewhere else.”
“Are you?” Michael asked.
Maria hit him in the chest. “How could you even ask me that?”
“I don’t know,” Michael said, shaking his head, “I can’t think straight. I’m so crazy in love with you and so afraid of losing you, I don’t know what I’m doing?”
Maria looked at him closely. “You really are, aren’t you?” She sighed, “Michael, I am not having an affair with Brody. He’s just a friend.”
Michael let out a relieved breath and sank into the wall. “So what is going on with you?”
Maria shook her head. “You won’t understand.”
Michael shrugged, “Maybe, but why don’t you try me.”
“It’s about my mother,” Maria started.
Michael’s brow creased in confusion. “Your mother. Is something wrong with her?”
“I don’t know,” Maria admitted. “But she’s remembering what happened at the UFO museum with Brody.”
“She doesn’t think it’s real though?” Michael asked concerned.
“No,” Maria said, “because I’ve been convincing her it’s just a dream.” She shook her head and looked up at him, “I’m really sick of lying to her, Michael. And now I’m not just lying, I’m messing with her mind, just like Tess.”
Michael shook his head, “It’s nothing like what Tess did.”
“Isn’t it?” Maria asked, tears starting to form in her eyes. “I’m making her think something happened when it didn’t. The memories are giving her these headaches and she’s starting to wonder if she has an aneurysm or going crazy.”
Michael sighed and pulled her into an embrace, “I’m sorry, Maria. I’m really sorry.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Friday, October 5th, 2001)
(The Valenti House)
Jim walked into the house and tossed his hat to Kyle on the couch. “You ready to go?”
Kyle’s brow creased, “Go where?”
Jim smiled, “I got my first paycheck today and I thought we would go and see about a car for you.”
Kyle jumped up, “What are we waiting for?”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, October 13th, 2001)
(The DeLuca House)
“Hey, Mrs. DeLuca,” Michael greeted, as Amy opened the door to him. “Is Maria ready?”
“She’ll be a few more minutes, Michael,” Amy said. “Why don’t you have a seat on the sofa? I was just getting myself a soda, can I get you one?”
“Sure,” Michael said as he sank down onto the sofa.
Amy returned with the sodas and passed one to him. “So how have you been? School okay?”
“Yeah,” Michael said enthusiastically. “I wasn’t always the best student but I’ve really had to take a good look at my priorities. I don’t want to be working as a cook at the Crashdown the rest of my life.”
Amy nodded, “That’s a very grown up, responsible attitude. I’m glad to hear you say it, but I have to admit I’m kind of surprised. I always had you pegged as the irresponsible type.”
“In the past that was true,” Michael admitted. “It’s like I was waiting for my life to start and I didn’t think it mattered what I did until then, but Maria made me realize that life is what you do every day. There is no beginning or end, it’s just life.”
“Maria made you realize that?” Amy asked.
“Yeah,” Michael nodded. He motioned to Amy, “So I hear you’ve been having some bad headaches.”
“Yeah, they come and go.” Amy pressed a hand to her head, unconsciously. “Michael, have you ever had the feeling that…” she trailed off, shaking her head.
“What is it?” he prompted.
“It sounds crazy,” Amy said.
Michael smiled, “Even more crazy than me being a responsible member of society.”
Amy smiled and nodded, “Okay. Have you ever had the feeling that you’re missing things? Like there’s a whole other reality out there no one knows about. But sometimes if you really look, you can just catch a glimpse.”
“What makes you think that?” Michael asked.
Amy shrugged, “Maybe it’s the dreams I’ve been having lately. They are so real its like I have two different memories of the same night. But that’s impossible right?”
Michael stayed silent and Amy continued, “Maybe it’s my line of work, or just growing up in this town and hearing the stories all of my life, but lately I’ve been starting to think there’s something else out there.”
“And how does that make you feel?” Michael asked softly.
“I don’t really know,” Amy said. “Curious about what I’m missing, I guess.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Wednesday, October 17th, 2001)
Liz rubbed at her eyes as Max drove them toward the quarry for their practice session. She hadn’t gotten very much sleep in the last few nights because she’d been having disturbing dreams again.
Like the last time, she didn’t remember anything from the dreams, but the sick feeling in her stomach told her it hadn’t been good. She hadn’t told Max yet but she knew she had to.
The Jeep rounded a bend in the road and Max reduced the speed because of a slow truck in front of them. The truck was loaded with large concrete pipes and Max turned on the windshield wipers as its tires kicked up a mist from the wet road.
The sunlight reflected off the water droplets, momentarily blinding Liz, and she was overwhelmed by a feeling of nausea and a sudden flash of memory. In her mind, she saw the truck take the next turn and skid on the wet road, causing it to jack-knife. The cables holding the concrete pipes broke, and they rolled off the truck, bouncing off the road surface and toward the Jeep.
Liz gasped as she came out of the vision and grabbed Max’s arm, “Stop, Max! Stop now!”
Max stomped on the break, and with a controlled skid brought the Jeep to a stop on the side of the road. Instantly he turned to Liz, “What’s wrong?”
“I saw that truck in my dream,” she started, but their attention was diverted by the sound of grating metal.
Max and Liz watched in horror as further down the road, the truck jack-knifed as Liz had seen in her dream, and the concrete pipes crashed down onto the road where the Jeep would have been.
When the truck skidded to a stop, the driver of the truck jumped out of the cab and ran around to the back but was obviously relieved to see that no one was hurt.
Max turned back to Liz, “You saw that in your dream.”
Liz nodded.
Max looked at her with something close to awe in his eyes. “You predicted the future and saved our lives.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The gang and Sean were still talking about Liz’s vision hours later at the Crashdown.
“So you saw the exact same thing in your dream?” Sean asked. “The truck, the pipes, the accident?”
Liz nodded, with a shiver. “I didn’t remember any of it until just before it happened, though.”
“Did you feel sick again?” Kyle asked.
“Yeah,” Liz recalled. “It was really bad right before I had the vision.”
“And now you feel fine?” Max asked.
Liz smiled, “A little shaky but fine.”
Michael took a chair next to Liz. “If you can develop this power, just think of the advantage it would give us. We would know when things were going to happen, how to prevent things. This could be just the edge we’ve been looking for.”
“Calm down,” Max said. “You can’t put that kind of pressure on Liz. I won’t allow it.”
Michael shook his head, “I didn’t mean to…’
Liz cut him off, “It’s okay, Michael. I know what you meant but I don’t even know if I can control it. So far it’s been totally random and I was lucky to remember when I did.”
“But you’ll tell us whenever you do get a bad feeling, right?” Kyle asked.
Liz nodded, “I promise I’ll tell you.”
Sean spoke up, “So did you have this power in your other life?”
Liz shook her head. “We don’t know.”
“All I’m saying,” Sean explained, “is if you did have this power, you probably weren’t able to control it then either. Because if you could, none of you would have died.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
TBC
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ALPHA & OMEGA ~ BOOK 10, PART 8
BOOK 10 - MAJESTY’S MORASS (WHAT HAPPENS NOW, MAX?)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
PART 8
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, October 27th, 2001)
(Out of This World Costume Shop)
Maria dug through the racks of costumes, mentally rejecting one after another. Finally she pulled out an old-fashioned, western saloon-girl costume and held it up for Michael’s inspection, “What do you think about this for the Evans’ party? I could be the saloon hall girl and you could be the Marshall with chaps and a cowboy hat.”
Michael shook his head, “Not into the cowboy thing.”
Maria shoved the costume back onto the rack and kept looking. Next she pulled out a Catwoman suit complete with mask and whip. She raised her eyebrows and motioned to the costume, “We could go as Batman and Catwoman.”
“No way I’m wearing tights,” Michael huffed.
“Fine,” Maria said, putting Catwoman back. “Do you know what Max and Liz are wearing?”
“Max wouldn’t say,” Michael said, with a laugh, “so it must be something embarrassing.”
“Wait,” Maria said. “Max asked Liz to let him pick the costumes, so why would he be embarrassed?”
Michael shrugged. “Maybe he is going with a caveman theme that would have Liz half naked.”
“No way,” Maria shook her head. “That’s more your style.”
Michael started to open his mouth but before he could speak, Maria cut him off, “And before you ask, the answer is no.”
Michael shrugged and Maria bit her bottom lip, still thinking. “Okay, I know, we could go as a couple of flower children. Tie-dye and peace symbols, maybe a nehru jacket for you.
Michael narrowed his eyes, “I don’t think so.”
Maria sighed, “Okay, so what do you want to wear?”
Michael smiled. “Well…”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Wednesday, October 31st, 2001)
(The Evans House)
Song Playing: Only You by the Platters
Max stayed near the front door, his attention sharpening every time the doorbell rang. He would have picked up Liz and brought her to his house but her parents were also invited to the party and she would be coming with them.
Since Max had heard his parents were having a costume party, he had looked forward to it. He had even gone so far as to ask Liz to let him pick out their costumes because he had the perfect thing in mind for her, and he couldn’t wait until she arrived so he could see her reaction.
The doorbell rang again and he rushed to answer it. His heart soared when he saw Jeff and Nancy Parker, dressed in the 80s style. Mrs. Parker wore pegged pants and a long frilly shirt with a big belt around her hips. Her hair was teased up, with several colors added and was held in place with an enormous lace bow. Mr. Parker was in ripped jeans and combat boots with a t-shirt that sported the anarchy symbol. He had a studded leather jacked thrown over his shoulder, a plaid shirt tied around his waist and he had even sculpted his hair into a mohawk.
Max smiled and he held out a hand to Mr. Parker, “It’s nice to see you Mrs. Parker, Mr. Parker, you look great.” He motioned them into the room, “Please come in. There’s food and drinks in the dining room, to the left. That’s where my parents are,” he finished distractedly trying to see Liz behind them.
Jeff smiled at the look on Max’s face and took Nancy by the arm, using his best cockney accent, “Come on luv, let’s take a gander at the nosh.”
Max waited with growing impatience as they moved out of the way, finally revealing Liz to him. His eyes drank in the sight of her, a vision in her costume just as he had anticipated, and for a moment he was incapable of speech.
The costume he had chosen for her was an emerald blue floor-length gown, covered with beadwork and embroidery. It was off-the-shoulder, skimming Liz’s slender body until it reached her hips, where it flared out gently, held up by a stiff under-skirt. Her hands were encased in short white gloves and her hair had been curled into tight ringlets that were pinned away from her face with decorative combs. And carefully placed on the top of her head, was a sparkling tiara, encrusted with faux gems.
Max took her gloved hand in his, "You’re so beautiful, Liz."
Liz smiled, taking in his appearance. Max wore a flowing, black embroidered tunic with a high collar and a dark green kerchief at his neck. A matching green and black, short cape was draped casually over one shoulder, with black gloves and boots completing his outfit. She curtsied, "You’re beautiful too, Max. Maybe you should wear a doublet and leggings more often."
Song Playing: You Are My Shining Star by the Manhattans
She leaned in closer to him, “Is this how you see us? As Cinderella and Prince Charming?”
Max shook his head, “Ever since I first saw you when we were kids, you were like some magical creature to me, a fairy princess, and all I ever wanted to be was your Prince Charming.”
Liz kissed him on the cheek. “And you really are, Max.”
He smiled and suddenly remembered what he had in his pocket. “I have something for you.” From his pocket, Max withdrew a rectangular, red velvet box and held it out to her.
Liz took the box and looked up into his face. “What is it?”
"I bought it to give to you that first Christmas after I healed you, but then we weren’t together, and last Christmas it didn’t seem appropriate either..." he let his words trail off, knowing she didn't need him to fill them in.
"Oh," Liz said simply, as understanding dawned.
"I kept it as a reminder of all you meant to me," Max said as he met her eyes and saw tears gathering there. He reached across and gently brushed her cheek with his thumb. "But now that we’re together, I want you to have it."
Liz slowly opened the box and gasped when she saw the shining silver necklace, nestled in the lining. The charms Max had chosen were perfectly symbolic of their love, two hearts bearing their names, on either side of a star.
“It’s beautiful, Max. Will you help me put it on?” Liz asked, as she turned her back to him.
Max shed his gloves and took the necklace from her. “When I chose the charms I thought they were perfect for us, two people from different worlds finding love. But now that we know the truth, it seems even more right.” He fastened the necklace, placing a kiss on her neck just above the clasp and turned Liz back to face him. “Even though we died, somehow, with the help of fate, or destiny, or the stars themselves, we found each other again.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Michael and Maria walked to the Evans’ door and Maria let out a sigh as she pressed the doorbell. “I can’t believe I let you talk me into this.”
Michael’s brow creased, “What are you talking about? That dress looks great on you.”
Maria nodded, “Yeah, I look great but what about you?”
“This costume will be the hit of the party,” he assured her.
Isabel opened the door and glanced at Michael’s blue pained face, leather jerkin and tartan skirt. She lifted one delicate eyebrow, “You’d better be wearing something under that kilt, Michael. We do not need any Braveheart reenactments.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Liz laughed as Max held her hand. “Really Max you have to let go, the call of nature is becoming urgent.”
Max kissed her hand playfully. “Okay, but hurry back. I can’t stand to be away from you for too long.”
“Oh, it’s like a medical condition?” she asked, with mock seriousness.
“Definitely,” Max said, as he placed a quick kiss on her lips. “If you’re away for too long, I start to get withdrawals.”
Liz laughed again and kissed him on the cheek. “Okay, I’ll hurry. I would hate to think of you sitting here suffering.”
She started to walk away but Max held her hand until their arms were stretched out between them, only reluctantly breaking the contact when he was forced to. He watched Liz thread her way around the people and out of the room, only then noticing that just a few feet away Isabel was trying to get his attention.
Max rose from his chair and joined his sister and Hale. He took in Hale’s costume with a quick glance. Hale wore a tan jacket and vest with white shirt and pencil-thin slacks. A twenties-style straw hat with a red band that matched his red tie, white gloves, and brown and white oxfords finished his costume, a perfect mate for Isabel’s. She wore a red flapper dress with black beading and her hair was pulled up into a matching beaded band, leaving curling tendrils trailing around her face. Matching gloves, a long beaded necklace and a feather boa completed her look.
Isabel hadn’t allowed Max to see her costume beforehand and this was the first time he had seen what they were wearing. “F. Scott and Zelda, right?” he asked. “You guys look great.”
“Thanks,” Hale said, draping an arm around Isabel’s shoulder. “And you and Liz are Prince Charming and Cinderella?”
Max smiled. “Something like that.”
“It takes a brave man to wear tights,” Hale teased with a smile. “But I think you’ve got the legs to pull them off.”
“Thanks,” Max said sarcastically, with a crooked grin. “Have you seen Michael’s costume? I think I would be more embarrassed to wear what he has on.”
Isabel rolled her eyes. “Or the lack of what he has on.”
Max quickly changed the subject, “So, how’s school going?”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Liz exited the bathroom and headed back to Max, only to meet his parents along the way. “Oh, hi, Mr. and Mrs. Evans,” she greeted warmly. “You guys look fantastic.”
Philip smiled proudly. He was dressed as Frankenstein’s monster, with tattered clothes, green makeup and even fake stitch marks. Diane was dressed as his bride, complete with the huge white-striped hair.
“Thanks, Liz,” Philip said. “You look very pretty, too.”
Someone motioned to Philip. “Excuse me ladies,” he said. “I think there’s a problem in the other room.”
Diane turned to Liz with a smile, “It’s nice to see you and Max back together again Liz. He never talks to his father or me about his life, and I have to admit I’ve been worried to him. I know he’s been going through some tough times and I’m glad he has someone to confide in.”
Liz smiled, “Thank you, Mrs. Evans. I can’t tell you how much that means to me.”
“I’ve always thought you were good for him,” Diane said. “He just seems more confident and more carefree when you are with him.”
“I feel the same way about Max,” Liz said.
Diane moved closer to Liz. “And I would never tell Philip, but I have to admit I was somewhat relieved when you two got caught making-out last year.”
Liz blushed furiously, “I, um…”
Diane cut her off with a laugh. “There’s no need to be embarrassed. I just meant I was glad Max was finally letting down his guard, letting someone in.”
Liz nodded, understanding.
Diane continued, “I don’t know what came between you, and really it’s none of my business, but I hope you can work through it. It’s not like I expect you to get married or anything, you are both still young, but it’s nice to have someone especially your senior year.” She put a hand on Liz’s shoulder. “I just wanted to say that I’m glad you’re back in Max’s life.”
Liz smiled, “I’m glad too.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Hale continued, “So Isabel and I have decided to take the next Sociology class from the same teacher. We really like working together and Dave’s teaching style…”
Hale’s voice faded into the background as Max’s attention was drawn to the doorway across the room where Liz had just entered. She stopped just within the room and looked around, her eyes finding Max immediately.
For Max, time seemed to slow as a smiling Liz glided toward him in her beautiful dress. Somehow the scene seemed familiar to him but he knew it had never taken place before. Perhaps it was just the fact that it was a fantasy come true that made it feel so familiar.
Suddenly Max saw himself in a large room, surrounded by rich furnishings and dancing couples. Michael was at his side and they stood waiting to be introduced to a long line of people. A flash of blue caught his attention and he turned to see Liz entering the room.
But Max knew instantly that it wasn’t Liz he was seeing, it was her past self, Ava.
With a smile, Max came out of the vision and rushed across to Liz, taking her head in his hands. “Liz,” he whispered as tears started to gather in his eyes, “I remember. I remember you.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“And it would be really great…” Hale trailed off as Max walked away. Hale turned to Isabel, “Was it something I said?”
Isabel watched Max go to Liz. “Don’t take it personally. Max doesn’t even realize he does it. Sometimes I think Max considers the whole world as just a minor annoyance that distracts him from Liz.” She shrugged as she turned back to Hale with a smile and slipped an arm through his, “Let’s go dance.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Song Playing: Bliss by Muse
Max led Liz into his room and closed the door behind them. He turned to her with a huge smile and pulled her into a fierce hug, “I remember you.”
Liz hugged him back tightly as tears flooded her eyes and spilled down her cheeks.
“I was so worried,” Max said. “I thought Tess had done something to me to block you from my memory.”
Liz shook her head, “You never said anything.”
Max loosened his hold and pulled back slightly so he could look into her eyes. Seeing her tears, he reached up and gently wiped them from her cheeks, “I didn’t want to worry you.”
“I want to see what you saw,” Liz said with a smile. “Will you show me what you remember?”
“Of course,” Max said. “I’ve never wanted to share anything with you more.”
He took her hands in his and pulled her to his bed where they sat down facing one another, knees touching. Max cupped Liz’s face in his hands and pressed his forehead against hers, closing his eyes as Liz’s arms wrapped around his neck. The connection slid easily into place as soon as Max willed it and a rush of images and Liz’s emotions spilled over him.
He spoke to her through the link, Ready, Liz?
Yes, she answered.
He sharpened the connection and focused on the memory, sharing the image with Liz.
It took Liz a moment to realize what she was seeing, until she remembered she was looking through Max’s eyes. She looked around the ornate room and a feeling of familiarity washed over her. Where is this, Max? It seems like I should know it.
I don’t know, Max admitted.
Liz glanced at the people in line to greet Max and noticed they had no faces. No one ever did in Max’s memories, he just didn’t remember what they looked like.
The Max in the memory turned, and Liz realized Michael was standing beside him. Michael was the only one in the room with a face, but it was how he appeared on Earth. Max still didn’t remember how he used to look.
Then a sudden flash of blue caught Max’s attention and his gaze followed the movement. Liz saw a girl in a dark blue gown enter the room and she realized that the girl had her face. Then she felt the rush of emotions Max had experienced when he first saw her. He was nervous, excited and he knew that he had never seen anyone so beautiful.
Max, Liz gasped, her gown is almost identical to the one I’m wearing.
I realized that when I had the flash, Max said. I chose that dress for you because I used to have dreams where you were wearing it. I thought they were just fantasies but they must have been memories.
Liz watched through Max’s eyes as the other Liz joined a woman in the line being presented to him. He waited anxiously for her to reach him, growing more and more impatient until finally she was before him. And when her eyes met his, he knew without doubt that he was in love.
Liz was overwhelmed by the strength of Max’s feelings. You fell in love with me at first sight.
I’m not surprised, Max said. The same thing happened when I first saw you on the playground when we were nine.
You never told me that, Liz said softly.
I didn’t want to scare you, Max replied.
You wouldn’t have, Liz said. I’ve had a crush on you for years but I never thought I had a chance. You were always so smart and handsome and mysterious. You seemed so sophisticated so untouchable and I didn’t think you would be interested in a small town girl like me. But when you healed me, it was like you woke up something inside me and finally it was okay for me to love you.
Max’s forehead was still pressed to Liz’s and he felt tears on his cheeks. He wasn’t sure if they were his or Liz’s, but it didn’t really matter because for once they were tears of joy.
We’ve wasted so much time, Max said, but we’re together now and we’ll never let anything separate us again. He lightly stroked her soft cheeks with his thumbs. I can’t even tell you how much I love you, Liz.
I can feel your love for me, surrounding me, Max, and I love you just as much.
They were so engrossed in one another that neither heard the door open or saw Max’s mother look in.
Diane paused briefly when she saw her son with Liz and then quietly stepped back and closed the door.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Later that evening)
Diane sat on the edge of the bed as Philip bustled around, taking off his costume. “Did you see Max and Liz together tonight?” she asked.
Philip thought for a moment, “Yeah, their costumes were really cute together.”
“Did anything seem unusual about them?”
Philip shook his head, “No. What was unusual?”
“After we talked to Liz, I noticed she and Max went upstairs together. I went looking for them after a few minutes because I thought they might be making out or something in Max’s room. But when I got there, they were sitting together on his bed.”
Philip nodded, “They were making out on his bed.”
“No,” Diane said. “They were sitting, facing each other with their foreheads pressed together. Max had Liz’s head in his hands and her arms were wrapped around his neck.” She shook her head, “It was strange. They were just sitting there with their eyes closed. They weren’t speaking at all but they seemed to be perfectly happy together. It was almost spiritual.”
Philip’s brow creased, “What did they say when you asked them?”
Diane shook her head, “They never knew I was there, I didn’t say anything to them. It felt like I was interrupting something special.”
“Do you want me to talk to Max about it?” Philip asked.
Diane thought for a moment and then shook her head, “No, I don’t think so. I was just telling Liz that I was glad she was back in Max’s life and how good I thought she was for him. Haven’t you noticed Max has come out of his shell again?”
“Yeah,” Philip nodded. “He’s been downright chipper lately.”
Diane smiled, “Yeah and I don’t want to do anything to wreck that.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Friday, November 16th, 2001)
(Chez Pierre)
Isabel reached across the table and took Hale’s hand in hers. “It’s going to be really weird next week. Since it’s Thanksgiving vacation, we won’t see each other every day.”
Hale smiled, “Who says we won’t? Just because there’s no school doesn’t mean we can’t get together.”
Isabel nodded, “Yeah, you’re right. I guess we could start early on our final paper.”
Hale shook his head, “I had some other things in mind, like maybe a matinee of that movie you’ve been dying to see, or a picnic in the park, or we could drive into Albuquerque and spend the day. Or we could get some videos and take-out Chinese and just spend the day at my house.”
“All of those sound great,” Isabel said. “You take me to all kinds of great places, restaurants and movies and picnics. You’re too good to me.”
Hale squeezed her hand, “Nothing is too good for you, Isabel. I love spending time with you, anywhere, any time. I haven’t been out, enjoying myself, in what seems like years. With you, I feel I’m learning to live again.”
Isabel nodded, knowing he was talking about his father’s death, and then a sudden thought struck her. “Hale, where are you spending Thanksgiving?”
Hale shrugged, “I hadn’t even thought about it.”
Isabel smiled, “Well now you don’t have to, because you’re spending it with my family.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, November 17th, 2001)
(The Valenti House)
Jim waited impatiently for Kyle to return from practice, and when he finally walked into the house, Jim called out to him from the sofa. “Hey Kyle, come over for a few minutes. I want to talk to you.”
Kyle sank down next to his Dad. “What’s going on?”
“Well,” Jim started, “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately. I’ve got my job back and I’m certainly not getting any younger…”
Kyle cut him off, “Wait a minute. You’re not having some kind of mid-life crisis or something, are you? And you want to tell me that you bought a new sports car and eloped this morning with a girl named Bambi, who is five years older than me.”
“No, not quite,” Jim laughed. “But I have been spending a lot of time with a pretty wonderful girl named Amy, and I was kind of thinking it might be nice to make things more permanent between us. I wasn’t really sure what you would think about it though...”
Kyle cut him off again, “Dad, I think it’s great you want to propose to Amy.”
Jim smiled, “I’m glad you approve, but if she agrees, it will mean some changes in all of our lives. Amy and Maria and maybe Sean would be moving in with us. We’d have to build on a new room or two, maybe a new bathroom too. Or maybe we should just get a bigger place. And we’d have to help clean up the place more. You know how women are about everything being clean.”
Kyle nodded.
Jim continued, “And we’d have to be more careful about what we say and do concerning the alien thing, since Amy doesn’t know the truth.”
“Wait a minute,” Kyle said. “You’re going to marry Amy but not tell her the truth. Doesn’t she deserve to know?”
“It’s not my place to tell her.”
“But if you asked Max…”
Jim shook his head. “I can’t ask Max to put himself or the others in danger by revealing their secret.”
“Why not?” Kyle said. “Amy wouldn’t tell anyone.”
“I don’t think she would. But I still can’t ask Max.” Jim sighed, “I promised Max he could trust me and I would keep their secret. I can’t go back on that. Besides, Max’s own parents don’t even know. How could I ask him to tell Amy?”
Kyle nodded, finally understanding, “Okay, you’re right. So when are you going to pop the question?”
“Amy has invited us over for Thanksgiving and I thought I would do it that night.”
“And the ring,” Kyle asked.
Jim smiled. “I’m going shopping right after lunch.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Tuesday, November 20th, 2001)
(Crashdown Café)
Michael hit the bell with his spatula. “Order up, Liz.”
Liz grabbed the plates and turned to slide them onto the counter where Isabel, Sean, Maria and Max were sitting. “Two burgers and a Greek God Salad. Maria you’re sure you don’t want anything? We’ll be closing the kitchen soon.”
Maria shook her head, “I’ll just stick with my shake.”
Liz nodded and leaned forward over the counter toward Max. “Do you have everything you need with your burger?”
“Almost,” Max said, and he leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss.
Isabel rolled her eyes.
The phone in the back rang and Michael went to answer it.
Sean leaned into Maria, “Are they always like this?”
Maria nodded, “Get used to it.”
Michael thrust the phone through the door, shaking it. “Liz, the phone’s for you.”
Liz smiled at Max, “Be back in a minute to check on you.”
Max followed her with his eyes until the door shut behind her and then he turned to Isabel. “So where’s Hale tonight?”
“He has a paper due in another class.”
Max nodded, “He’s a pretty nice guy. I like him.”
“Thanks, Max,” Isabel said with a smile. “Although after the way you took off in the middle of your conversation with him the night of the party, Hale probably thinks you’re crazy.”
Max smiled, “I’ll apologize when I see him again. It’s just that flash caught me off guard and I wanted to share it with Liz.”
“I know,” Isabel said, “you already explained to me and I understand. You’ve been anxious about remembering Liz, but I couldn’t exactly tell Hale that.”
“What did you tell him?” Max asked, curious.
Isabel smiled, “I told him you were so in love that you couldn’t think straight.”
Max grimaced, “Thanks.”
Liz emerged into the dining room, looking like she had seen a ghost.
“Liz, what’s wrong?” Max called out as he hopped off the stool, going to her.
Michael heard Max’s alarm and rushed into the dining room. “What happened?” He looked around for any signs of danger but when he didn’t see anything, he turned back to Liz. “Who was that on the phone?”
“It was Don,” Liz said softly, looking around the group. “The translation is finished.”
Everyone was shocked into silence.
Sean was the first to speak, “What translation?”
Maria spoke softly, “Remember, I told you about the book in the alien language.”
Liz continued, “Don e-mailed the translation to me and he‘s sending the complete printout in the mail, just in case.”
“So what are we waiting for?” Michael asked. “Let’s go get it.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Max followed Liz upstairs and into her room as the others waited below in the Crashdown. Silently Liz took a seat at her computer and Max sat on the bed behind her. Max placed his hand on her shoulder as they waited for the computer to start and then for the connection to the internet.
“I can’t believe we’re finally going to get to read the book,” Max said softly. “For months I’ve been afraid of it, dreaded what it might say. It’s so alien, ominous even, and it has always seemed so irrefutable. Tess and Nasedo were always using it to tell us what we should be doing, how we should act. But no one had ever even read it.”
Liz nodded, “I know. I’ve felt that way too, even before we found out who I was.” She opened her e-mail and pressed the print button and then turned to Max and took his hand. “But now we’ll all know the truth.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Michael skimmed over the first page of the translation, reading aloud, “You are the royal four. Blah, blah. You were created from the genetic materials of your alien predecessors and human subjects, blah, blah, blah. This first part’s the same.”
He continued down the page, and then suddenly stopped. “Some of this stuff at the top is changed around a bit, but it’s basically the same. But remember where it started with all of that abduction scenario crap in the one we found? Well, this one is completely different.”
“What does it say?” Max asked.
Michael looked up from the paper and held it out to Max. “It was written by you, your other self, so maybe you should read it.”
Max took the paper and started reading aloud, “You are the Royal four. Zan the King, Ava his Queen, Vilondra his sister, Rath his Counselor. You were created from the genetic material of your alien predecessors and human subjects. You were given human form so that you could live safely on this planet undetected, until the time comes for your return.”
“I, King Zantor Tageonant, write this in hopes it will never be used, but with the escalating hostilities, coupled with Ava’s predictions, that now seems impossible. But working together, we, your predecessors, have devised a plan that will give us a second chance to defeat our enemies.”
“This book is not meant to be a comprehensive instruction manual but simply a brief outline, a starting place in case anything goes wrong. You have been sent to Earth with four, loyal, shape shifters, who will protect you from danger and keep you hidden, and a powerful machine called the Granolith.”
“The source of its power is unknown but practically limitless and its uses are many. However the Granolith was not meant to be used as a weapon and should never be corrupted in that way. It is easily converted to different tasks, including being used as an additional power boost for the transport. Even when not used with a ship, the Granolith is capable of transporting the entire party back to Antar in about an hour.”
“To control the Granolith, simply create a six-sided, six inch crystal, using a silicone-based material, and direct the intended actions into it with your powers. Insert the crystal into the Granolith’s base and the action will be carried-out immediately. For example, one could specify a departure time and destination for the return to Antar.”
“A control crystal is not always required for the Granolith. Ava and I are both capable of contacting and directing the Granolith through our connection. We have turned to the Granolith in times of difficulty. It can help focus powers and make minds clear.”
“The Granolith is very special and should be carefully protected. The chamber containing your hibernation pods and the Granolith has been hidden away from human settlement. It can only be accessed by the four of you and your protectors.”
“You have also been given communications technology which will allow you to access information from your true home. Three orbs with the symbol of Antar were sent to Earth with you. Be wary of using the orbs to send messages because the signal is easily tracked and could lead our enemies to you. Retrieving messages sent from Antar can be safely done by simply focusing your energy into one of the orbs.”
“Your hybrid bodies will have capabilities of both humans and Antarians but the limitations and benefits are largely unknown. Procreation is possible between the pairs, but the exact length of the pregnancy term is unknown. Based on the Antarian pregnancy term of sixteen months and the human term of nine months, the scientists have estimated that a hybrid pregnancy term will be twelve months…” Max trailed off as the color drained out of his face.
“Twelve months!” Isabel exclaimed. “That little, lying tramp!”
“What’s wrong?” asked Sean.
Liz spoke up, “Tess told them she had to get back home because the baby was sick and the pregnancy would only last a month.”
Michael quickly did the math. “Tess has only been pregnant for six months. She hasn’t given birth yet.”
Max remained silent and Liz squeezed his hand. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” Max said. “I just… It’s just a shock.” He shrugged, “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised after all of her other lies but I thought she was telling the truth about the term of the baby. In the pod chamber, the baby was moving and pressed his hand…” Max shook his head. “I thought I was connecting with him, that I felt a response, but obviously it was a lie too. He wasn’t old enough yet.”
“That doesn’t mean you didn’t connect with him on some level,” Liz argued. “He might not have understood but I’m sure you got through to him.”
Max smiled at her, “Thanks, Liz.” He looked at the anxious faces of the others and then turned back to the paper. “There’s just a little left here.”
He continued reading, “Offspring will appear human but will have powers. Unlike you, they will have powers from birth, so be careful to keep them hidden from humans until they are able to control themselves.”
“Study and learn all you can about the history of Antar and Earth, focusing on warfare, politics and law. Use the memory retrieval devices to regain the experiences of your other life. Develop your powers and special abilities to gain precise control, because they weaken and become unreliable with disuse. But do not even consider returning home until you reach your mid to late twenties. The scientists estimate that you won’t gain the full extent of your powers until then.”
“In closing, I offer one final warning. Do not trust our enemy Khivar or any of his underlings or followers. Do not believe any truce or treaty he may offer because he is treacherous and false in all of his dealings.”
“The task before you may seem overwhelming but the fate of your friends, family, and subjects on five worlds are depending on you. Trust in your hearts and instincts and you will prevail.”
Michael shook his head, “I can’t believe how much is different. I thought Tess just changed a word or two here and there, but there was a lot she didn’t want us to know.”
“Like about the baby,” Isabel said, “and the fact that the Granolith isn’t just a one-use, disposable transport.”
“Tess must have made that crystal we found,” Maria said. “But why did she tell you the Granolith took twenty-four hours to warm up? She should have just said it was leaving right then and you wouldn’t have had time to change your minds.”
Michael shook his head, “She must have needed the extra time for something. Maybe to warn Khivar we would be arriving on Antar the next day.”
“And what happened to the memory retrieval devices?” Isabel asked. Do you think they were lost in the crash? Nasedo never mentioned them.”
“Nasedo never mentioned a lot of things,” Michael said sarcastically. He turned to Max and noted the tight look to his face. “What do you think, Max?”
Max shook his head, “I think I screwed up big time sending Tess home in the Granolith.”
“We didn’t know that then,” Isabel argued. “And besides, you didn’t have a choice. The baby was sick.”
“Was he?” Max asked. “Everything else was a lie, maybe the baby’s illness was too. I connected with him, I could feel him having trouble breathing but maybe that was all a mind warp too.”
“Maybe it wasn’t, Max,” Liz said.
Max continued, “It was just so convenient finding the translation and the crystal right when we needed it. We should have suspected something was wrong. I should have suspected...” he trailed off. “If we had known all of this back then, I could have stopped Tess from leaving with my son.”
Liz shook her head, “You did the only thing you could, Max. You couldn’t take the chance with your son’s life.”
Max nodded and wrapped his arms around her and placed a soft kiss on her head. With one arm resting on Liz’s shoulders he turned back to the others. “There are a couple of other things we learned from the translation,” he pointed out. “We will continue to get more powerful. So it’s more important than ever that we all keep practicing to gain control of our powers.”
Everyone nodded and Max continued, “And I think it’s obvious that when Tess read this translation, she must have known she wasn’t Ava.”
Michael shook his head, “How do you figure that?”
“Because,” Liz spoke up, “Zan wrote about Ava’s predictions.”
Max nodded, “And Tess doesn’t have that power.”
“That’s right,” Isabel said. “With everything else, I forgot that part.”
Michael shrugged, “And what does that mean?”
Kyle spoke up, “It’s just like I’ve been telling you. Liz can predict the future.”
Michael rolled his eyes, “Okay, we get that, but what does it mean about Tess?”
“Well,” Isabel said, “it’s proof that, at least in the end, Tess knew exactly who she was, or wasn’t.” She shrugged, “Although with everything else we’ve learned, I’m really not surprised.”
Sean spoke up, “And what was the part about Zan and Ava being able to connect with the Granolith. I thought it was a machine. So can you connect with cars and VCRs and other things?”
“I’ve never tried but I don’t think so,” Max said. “The translation did say the Granolith was a machine but it must be a special kind of machine for us to connect with it.”
“It also said to turn to the Granolith in times of trouble,” Isabel reminded him. “I wonder what that meant?”
Max shrugged, “If the Granolith was here we could do some experiments, but without it anything we come up with would just be a theory.”
“Well,” Michael said, “all of this is interesting but none of it is really useful or relevant to our current situation.”
“Maybe not,” Max admitted. “But it’s another piece to the puzzle and if we ever get the Granolith back we’ll know what to do with it this time.”
Michael nodded, “It’s just that we waited all of this time for the translation and, I don’t know, I just thought we would get some answers or something. I mean, Tess thought it was important enough to kill for.”
Max nodded, understanding. “I had hoped the same thing, that some huge secret would be revealed, but it never really works like that in real life. I think it’s easy enough to see why Tess changed so much of the text, but you’re right Michael, none of it was worth Alex’s life. Nothing could have been.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Thursday, November 22nd, 2001)
(Thanksgiving Day)
Hale and Isabel walked slowly, hand-in-hand and shoulder-to-shoulder, along the path in the park.
Isabel loved the fact that she and Hale were so comfortable around one another. They could simply be together and there was no need for conversation. Isabel had never felt closer to anyone in her life.
Thanksgiving had been great with Hale spending the day. Isabel’s parents had liked Hale when they first met him and were always glad to see him.
They had played games and watched a movie. Then the guys had watched football while Isabel and her Mom put the finishing touches on dinner. Hale had offered to help but he really didn’t know anything about cooking and Isabel’s mother had diplomatically sent him back into the living room.
During dinner there had been lively conversation and jokes. Isabel and Hale had held hands under the table and after the dishes had been done, Hale suggested a walk in the nearby park.
Suddenly Hale stopped and turned to her with a smile, “Dance with me?”
Isabel laughed, “There’s no music.”
Hale stepped closer and slid a hand around her waist, “You’re so beautiful, I always hear music when I’m with you.”
Isabel closed the distance between them, pressing her lips to his. Hale swept her into his arms, taking charge and deepening the kiss.
After a few minutes Hale broke the kiss and pulled back to look into her face. “I love you, Isabel.”
Isabel was surprised for a moment, but then a joyous smile lit her face. “I love you too.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The DeLuca House)
Maria, Sean and Kyle waited impatiently for Amy and Jim to get back from their after-dinner drive. Kyle had filled Maria and Sean in on his father’s plans and Maria was especially excited.
“I can’t stand not knowing,” she said, pacing around the room. “If we really hurried with the plans, we might be able to set up a Christmas wedding. Wouldn’t that be romantic?”
Sean and Kyle looked at one another with amusement.
“Yeah, real romantic,” Sean grunted.
“Can you just imagine it?” Maria continued, oblivious. “The snow and the tinsel. Mom could wear a green dress, with her hair up. I can’t wait to tell Liz.”
“Don’t brides usually wear white?” Kyle asked.
“Not for a second wedding,” she said dismissively. “But there’s no way all of us are going to fit in your house,” Maria suddenly changed the subject. “And no way we’ll fit in our house. So do you think they’ll buy a new one?”
“Dad mentioned that,” Kyle said, “or building on to our house.”
“And we need a place for Sean too, if the Sheriff doesn’t mind a criminal in his house,” Maria said sarcastically.
“Very funny, Maria,” Sean huffed, “but we don’t even know what aunt Amy’s answer will be.”
A flash of headlights and the sound of a car in the driveway drew all of their attention.
Maria looked at the guys, “Should we be excited or just pretend we don’t know until they tell us?”
Sean pulled Maria down on the sofa and used the remote to turn on the TV. “Just sit here and act like we’re watching TV and we’ll find out soon enough.”
“Okay,” Maria nodded, taking deep breaths to calm down.
The front door opened and Amy and Jim walked in hand-in-hand, smiling.
Maria caught sight of the sparkling diamond on her mother’s hand and jumped up with a squeal, “Oh Mom, I’m so happy for you.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Isabel knelt in front of Alex’s headstone and pulled her jacket more tightly around her shoulders. With a gloved hand, she carefully traced the letters of his name.
Tears gathered in her eyes but she forced a smile. “I just came to tell you that I’m in love with Hale and he loves me.”
She gasped as a sob tried to escape and she clapped a hand to her mouth. Isabel took a deep breath to push the tears away.
“And, you were right, Alex,” she whispered. “Oh Alex, I’m so sorry but you were right, and I came to...” she trailed off as another sob threatened. “This is so hard, but I don’t think I need you any more. I think I’m ready to move on with Hale and I just wanted to tell you and say goodbye.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, December 1st, 2001)
(Michael’s apartment)
Max and Isabel worked with Liz on her memory recovery on the sofa, while Michael and Maria sat with Kyle at the counter, as he attempted using his powers again.
Kyle focused on the rock sitting on the counter and concentrated all of his energy into changing the color, but after a few minutes he broke off, exhausted. “Nothing. I just don’t feel anything.”
“Come on Kyle,” Michael prompted. “We know you’ll be getting powers and you’ve got to learn to control them. Try again.”
“It’s not that easy,” Kyle said. “I don’t even know exactly what I’m supposed to be doing. I know all of you keep telling me it will just happen, but trying to figure it out is frustrating.”
He shook his hand toward Michael, “I mean what am I supposed to do, just say abracadabra and…”
Kyle broke off as he felt a surge of power run down his arm and Michael’s black t-shirt swirled into a bright, neon green. Kyle and Michael both jumped, and Michael nearly fell off his stool.
The commotion drew the attention of Max, Liz and Isabel and all together they asked, “What’s wrong?”
Kyle pointed to Michael’s shirt. “Did you do that?”
“No way,” Michael snorted. “I wouldn’t be caught dead in this color.”
Maria jumped off the stool and hugged Kyle, “You did it. You changed the color of his shirt.”
“I did?” Kyle asked.
“Yeah, congratulations,” Michael said sarcastically. “Now would you do me a favor and change it back?”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Tuesday, December 18th, 2001)
(Copper Summit, AZ)
Lonni sat nearby as the skin soldiers finished their daily training and when Nicholas dismissed them, she followed him into the Crawford house.
Sporting a new skin identical to her first, Ida intercepted Lonni in the front hall. “You always just walk into someone else’s house without knocking? It isn’t very polite.”
“Back off Grandma,” Lonni warned her. “You wouldn’t want me to have to test the strength of that brand new skin, now would you?”
Ida stood her ground but called out, “Sir!”
Nicholas came out of the kitchen with a half-eaten sandwich. “What Mom? I’m eating.”
“Lonni insisted on speaking with you, Sir,” Ida said.
Nicholas looked at Ida and then past her to Lonni. “Is there a problem ladies?”
“I need to talk to you Nicholas,” Lonni said. “Now.”
“I’m eating lunch,” Nicholas said dismissively.
Lonni’s temper rose and she struggled to keep calm. “Please, Nicholas,” she said, with a forced smile.
Nicholas motioned to the door, “Wait outside. I’ll be with you in a minute.”
Lonni hesitated, her anger growing at being dismissed, but finally raised her chin proudly and went out.
Nicholas waited until Lonni had closed the door before he turned to Ida. “What happened?”
“She threatened to kill me if I didn’t get out of her way.” Ida sighed, “Sir, you shouldn’t trust her.”
Nicholas smiled, “Don’t worry, we won’t have to put up with her for much longer. Just try to stay out of her way.”
He downed the last of his sandwich and joined Lonni on the front porch. “What can I do for you today?”
Lonni let some of her anger and frustration show, “Nicholas, we have been waiting here for months. We delivered the Granolith according to our bargain, so when are we going home?”
“I told you we are waiting for Khivar’s orders,” Nicholas explained.
“Khivar has sent these troops and they are training but you haven’t told us the plan,” Lonni reminded him. “How are we supposed to help you so we can leave?”
“You know what you need to know, for now. When the time comes, I will tell you more,” Nicholas assured her. “As for your use of the word we, I would hope that you know nothing has changed since New York. The deal was, you deliver the Granolith and you get passage home, for one. There is no way I’m going to allow Rath to return to Antar.”
Lonni nodded, “I know that but Rath doesn’t, and as long as we don’t tell him, he will remain loyal to us.” She leaned closer to Nicholas and combed her fingers through his bangs, moving them off of his forehead. “See Rath isn’t too bright. He’ll do whatever I tell him to do, no questions asked.”
“Maybe,” Nicholas agreed, “but you should be careful not to put me in the same category. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you have me wrapped around your little finger too.”
“I could never think that about you, Nicholas,” Lonni purred. “Rath is a moron, but you are one of the greatest Generals Antar has ever seen.”
Nicholas smiled, “You remember that, do you?”
“A little,” Lonni admitted. “But I do remember every woman on the planet was in love with you,” she said. “Power, wealth, stunning good looks, and you are the right hand of Khivar and the second most powerful man on Antar. What woman wouldn’t want to be with you?”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Around the corner of the house, Rath listened unemotionally as Lonni sold him out. He wasn't even surprised, he knew her too well. And now that she had made her deal, he had to make the best deal for himself.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Crashdown Cafe)
Jim gave Amy a quick kiss as he slid into the chair across from her. “I just stopped by the house to check up on the workmen. They are making good progress on the rooms.”
Amy smiled, “That’s great. I hope they’re done before the wedding. I don’t know how much I like the idea of Sean and Maria staying at my place alone until the new rooms are finished.”
“If that happens, it will be all right,” Jim assured her. “They are both responsible kids. I’m sure they can handle being alone for a few days.”
“I’m kind of surprised to hear you say that, Jim. Especially after the trouble Sean has been in.”
Jim shrugged, “Everyone deserves a second chance and I know Sean is trying to turn his life around.” He reached across the table, “It will all work out, you’ll see. We’ll get the rooms finished and you’re house sold, and live together like one big happy family.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Wednesday, December 19th, 2001)
(The Parker House – Liz’s Room)
Liz awoke suddenly, the dream still fresh in her mind, sending waves of excitement through her. She glanced a the clock, noting it was just before six but she discounted the time and closed her eyes and projected her consciousness to Max’s room.
He was still in bed, soundly sleeping but Liz called out to him softly, “Max, wake up.” She solidified herself and touched his face, placing a soft kiss on his lips and immediately he kissed her back.
“Mmmmm,” he murmured in his sleep, “Liz.”
Giggling, she knelt beside the bed, shaking him, “Max.”
This time he came awake, opening his eyes with a smile. “You really are here. I thought I was dreaming.” He reached for her and pulled her into the bed with him, rolling her over the top, so she landed next to him.
Liz laughed again. “Max, I have to tell you something.”
Max kissed her again. “What do you need to tell me?” he asked sleepily.
“I had a dream last night.”
Max smiled and raised an eyebrow, “What kind of dream?”
Liz rolled her eyes. “Okay, not a dream exactly, more like a vision. Like the one I had about the accident.”
Max raised up on his elbow, suddenly awake. “What did you see?”
“I was on my balcony, sitting on the lounger, looking up at the stars. At first it was normal but then the stars started to get brighter and bigger and turn different colors, twinkling in the sky like Christmas lights. Comets rushed past, leaving trails of dust swirling across the sky. It was absolutely beautiful. I got up and danced, twirling around with my arms raised above my head, trying to reach the stars. Then all of the stars started to twirl with me, going faster and faster until I couldn’t catch my breath and I had to stop. I fell back into the lounger and the stars stopped too. They all gathered together in one place in the sky and made one big light, brighter than the sun.”
Max shook his head, “But what does it mean?”
“I don’t know,” Liz admitted.
“And do you feel sick?”
Liz shook her head, “Not at all. I feel great, expectant, like something wonderful is going to happen.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
TBC
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
PART 8
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, October 27th, 2001)
(Out of This World Costume Shop)
Maria dug through the racks of costumes, mentally rejecting one after another. Finally she pulled out an old-fashioned, western saloon-girl costume and held it up for Michael’s inspection, “What do you think about this for the Evans’ party? I could be the saloon hall girl and you could be the Marshall with chaps and a cowboy hat.”
Michael shook his head, “Not into the cowboy thing.”
Maria shoved the costume back onto the rack and kept looking. Next she pulled out a Catwoman suit complete with mask and whip. She raised her eyebrows and motioned to the costume, “We could go as Batman and Catwoman.”
“No way I’m wearing tights,” Michael huffed.
“Fine,” Maria said, putting Catwoman back. “Do you know what Max and Liz are wearing?”
“Max wouldn’t say,” Michael said, with a laugh, “so it must be something embarrassing.”
“Wait,” Maria said. “Max asked Liz to let him pick the costumes, so why would he be embarrassed?”
Michael shrugged. “Maybe he is going with a caveman theme that would have Liz half naked.”
“No way,” Maria shook her head. “That’s more your style.”
Michael started to open his mouth but before he could speak, Maria cut him off, “And before you ask, the answer is no.”
Michael shrugged and Maria bit her bottom lip, still thinking. “Okay, I know, we could go as a couple of flower children. Tie-dye and peace symbols, maybe a nehru jacket for you.
Michael narrowed his eyes, “I don’t think so.”
Maria sighed, “Okay, so what do you want to wear?”
Michael smiled. “Well…”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Wednesday, October 31st, 2001)
(The Evans House)
Song Playing: Only You by the Platters
Max stayed near the front door, his attention sharpening every time the doorbell rang. He would have picked up Liz and brought her to his house but her parents were also invited to the party and she would be coming with them.
Since Max had heard his parents were having a costume party, he had looked forward to it. He had even gone so far as to ask Liz to let him pick out their costumes because he had the perfect thing in mind for her, and he couldn’t wait until she arrived so he could see her reaction.
The doorbell rang again and he rushed to answer it. His heart soared when he saw Jeff and Nancy Parker, dressed in the 80s style. Mrs. Parker wore pegged pants and a long frilly shirt with a big belt around her hips. Her hair was teased up, with several colors added and was held in place with an enormous lace bow. Mr. Parker was in ripped jeans and combat boots with a t-shirt that sported the anarchy symbol. He had a studded leather jacked thrown over his shoulder, a plaid shirt tied around his waist and he had even sculpted his hair into a mohawk.
Max smiled and he held out a hand to Mr. Parker, “It’s nice to see you Mrs. Parker, Mr. Parker, you look great.” He motioned them into the room, “Please come in. There’s food and drinks in the dining room, to the left. That’s where my parents are,” he finished distractedly trying to see Liz behind them.
Jeff smiled at the look on Max’s face and took Nancy by the arm, using his best cockney accent, “Come on luv, let’s take a gander at the nosh.”
Max waited with growing impatience as they moved out of the way, finally revealing Liz to him. His eyes drank in the sight of her, a vision in her costume just as he had anticipated, and for a moment he was incapable of speech.
The costume he had chosen for her was an emerald blue floor-length gown, covered with beadwork and embroidery. It was off-the-shoulder, skimming Liz’s slender body until it reached her hips, where it flared out gently, held up by a stiff under-skirt. Her hands were encased in short white gloves and her hair had been curled into tight ringlets that were pinned away from her face with decorative combs. And carefully placed on the top of her head, was a sparkling tiara, encrusted with faux gems.
Max took her gloved hand in his, "You’re so beautiful, Liz."
Liz smiled, taking in his appearance. Max wore a flowing, black embroidered tunic with a high collar and a dark green kerchief at his neck. A matching green and black, short cape was draped casually over one shoulder, with black gloves and boots completing his outfit. She curtsied, "You’re beautiful too, Max. Maybe you should wear a doublet and leggings more often."
Song Playing: You Are My Shining Star by the Manhattans
She leaned in closer to him, “Is this how you see us? As Cinderella and Prince Charming?”
Max shook his head, “Ever since I first saw you when we were kids, you were like some magical creature to me, a fairy princess, and all I ever wanted to be was your Prince Charming.”
Liz kissed him on the cheek. “And you really are, Max.”
He smiled and suddenly remembered what he had in his pocket. “I have something for you.” From his pocket, Max withdrew a rectangular, red velvet box and held it out to her.
Liz took the box and looked up into his face. “What is it?”
"I bought it to give to you that first Christmas after I healed you, but then we weren’t together, and last Christmas it didn’t seem appropriate either..." he let his words trail off, knowing she didn't need him to fill them in.
"Oh," Liz said simply, as understanding dawned.
"I kept it as a reminder of all you meant to me," Max said as he met her eyes and saw tears gathering there. He reached across and gently brushed her cheek with his thumb. "But now that we’re together, I want you to have it."
Liz slowly opened the box and gasped when she saw the shining silver necklace, nestled in the lining. The charms Max had chosen were perfectly symbolic of their love, two hearts bearing their names, on either side of a star.
“It’s beautiful, Max. Will you help me put it on?” Liz asked, as she turned her back to him.
Max shed his gloves and took the necklace from her. “When I chose the charms I thought they were perfect for us, two people from different worlds finding love. But now that we know the truth, it seems even more right.” He fastened the necklace, placing a kiss on her neck just above the clasp and turned Liz back to face him. “Even though we died, somehow, with the help of fate, or destiny, or the stars themselves, we found each other again.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Michael and Maria walked to the Evans’ door and Maria let out a sigh as she pressed the doorbell. “I can’t believe I let you talk me into this.”
Michael’s brow creased, “What are you talking about? That dress looks great on you.”
Maria nodded, “Yeah, I look great but what about you?”
“This costume will be the hit of the party,” he assured her.
Isabel opened the door and glanced at Michael’s blue pained face, leather jerkin and tartan skirt. She lifted one delicate eyebrow, “You’d better be wearing something under that kilt, Michael. We do not need any Braveheart reenactments.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Liz laughed as Max held her hand. “Really Max you have to let go, the call of nature is becoming urgent.”
Max kissed her hand playfully. “Okay, but hurry back. I can’t stand to be away from you for too long.”
“Oh, it’s like a medical condition?” she asked, with mock seriousness.
“Definitely,” Max said, as he placed a quick kiss on her lips. “If you’re away for too long, I start to get withdrawals.”
Liz laughed again and kissed him on the cheek. “Okay, I’ll hurry. I would hate to think of you sitting here suffering.”
She started to walk away but Max held her hand until their arms were stretched out between them, only reluctantly breaking the contact when he was forced to. He watched Liz thread her way around the people and out of the room, only then noticing that just a few feet away Isabel was trying to get his attention.
Max rose from his chair and joined his sister and Hale. He took in Hale’s costume with a quick glance. Hale wore a tan jacket and vest with white shirt and pencil-thin slacks. A twenties-style straw hat with a red band that matched his red tie, white gloves, and brown and white oxfords finished his costume, a perfect mate for Isabel’s. She wore a red flapper dress with black beading and her hair was pulled up into a matching beaded band, leaving curling tendrils trailing around her face. Matching gloves, a long beaded necklace and a feather boa completed her look.
Isabel hadn’t allowed Max to see her costume beforehand and this was the first time he had seen what they were wearing. “F. Scott and Zelda, right?” he asked. “You guys look great.”
“Thanks,” Hale said, draping an arm around Isabel’s shoulder. “And you and Liz are Prince Charming and Cinderella?”
Max smiled. “Something like that.”
“It takes a brave man to wear tights,” Hale teased with a smile. “But I think you’ve got the legs to pull them off.”
“Thanks,” Max said sarcastically, with a crooked grin. “Have you seen Michael’s costume? I think I would be more embarrassed to wear what he has on.”
Isabel rolled her eyes. “Or the lack of what he has on.”
Max quickly changed the subject, “So, how’s school going?”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Liz exited the bathroom and headed back to Max, only to meet his parents along the way. “Oh, hi, Mr. and Mrs. Evans,” she greeted warmly. “You guys look fantastic.”
Philip smiled proudly. He was dressed as Frankenstein’s monster, with tattered clothes, green makeup and even fake stitch marks. Diane was dressed as his bride, complete with the huge white-striped hair.
“Thanks, Liz,” Philip said. “You look very pretty, too.”
Someone motioned to Philip. “Excuse me ladies,” he said. “I think there’s a problem in the other room.”
Diane turned to Liz with a smile, “It’s nice to see you and Max back together again Liz. He never talks to his father or me about his life, and I have to admit I’ve been worried to him. I know he’s been going through some tough times and I’m glad he has someone to confide in.”
Liz smiled, “Thank you, Mrs. Evans. I can’t tell you how much that means to me.”
“I’ve always thought you were good for him,” Diane said. “He just seems more confident and more carefree when you are with him.”
“I feel the same way about Max,” Liz said.
Diane moved closer to Liz. “And I would never tell Philip, but I have to admit I was somewhat relieved when you two got caught making-out last year.”
Liz blushed furiously, “I, um…”
Diane cut her off with a laugh. “There’s no need to be embarrassed. I just meant I was glad Max was finally letting down his guard, letting someone in.”
Liz nodded, understanding.
Diane continued, “I don’t know what came between you, and really it’s none of my business, but I hope you can work through it. It’s not like I expect you to get married or anything, you are both still young, but it’s nice to have someone especially your senior year.” She put a hand on Liz’s shoulder. “I just wanted to say that I’m glad you’re back in Max’s life.”
Liz smiled, “I’m glad too.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Hale continued, “So Isabel and I have decided to take the next Sociology class from the same teacher. We really like working together and Dave’s teaching style…”
Hale’s voice faded into the background as Max’s attention was drawn to the doorway across the room where Liz had just entered. She stopped just within the room and looked around, her eyes finding Max immediately.
For Max, time seemed to slow as a smiling Liz glided toward him in her beautiful dress. Somehow the scene seemed familiar to him but he knew it had never taken place before. Perhaps it was just the fact that it was a fantasy come true that made it feel so familiar.
Suddenly Max saw himself in a large room, surrounded by rich furnishings and dancing couples. Michael was at his side and they stood waiting to be introduced to a long line of people. A flash of blue caught his attention and he turned to see Liz entering the room.
But Max knew instantly that it wasn’t Liz he was seeing, it was her past self, Ava.
With a smile, Max came out of the vision and rushed across to Liz, taking her head in his hands. “Liz,” he whispered as tears started to gather in his eyes, “I remember. I remember you.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“And it would be really great…” Hale trailed off as Max walked away. Hale turned to Isabel, “Was it something I said?”
Isabel watched Max go to Liz. “Don’t take it personally. Max doesn’t even realize he does it. Sometimes I think Max considers the whole world as just a minor annoyance that distracts him from Liz.” She shrugged as she turned back to Hale with a smile and slipped an arm through his, “Let’s go dance.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Song Playing: Bliss by Muse
Max led Liz into his room and closed the door behind them. He turned to her with a huge smile and pulled her into a fierce hug, “I remember you.”
Liz hugged him back tightly as tears flooded her eyes and spilled down her cheeks.
“I was so worried,” Max said. “I thought Tess had done something to me to block you from my memory.”
Liz shook her head, “You never said anything.”
Max loosened his hold and pulled back slightly so he could look into her eyes. Seeing her tears, he reached up and gently wiped them from her cheeks, “I didn’t want to worry you.”
“I want to see what you saw,” Liz said with a smile. “Will you show me what you remember?”
“Of course,” Max said. “I’ve never wanted to share anything with you more.”
He took her hands in his and pulled her to his bed where they sat down facing one another, knees touching. Max cupped Liz’s face in his hands and pressed his forehead against hers, closing his eyes as Liz’s arms wrapped around his neck. The connection slid easily into place as soon as Max willed it and a rush of images and Liz’s emotions spilled over him.
He spoke to her through the link, Ready, Liz?
Yes, she answered.
He sharpened the connection and focused on the memory, sharing the image with Liz.
It took Liz a moment to realize what she was seeing, until she remembered she was looking through Max’s eyes. She looked around the ornate room and a feeling of familiarity washed over her. Where is this, Max? It seems like I should know it.
I don’t know, Max admitted.
Liz glanced at the people in line to greet Max and noticed they had no faces. No one ever did in Max’s memories, he just didn’t remember what they looked like.
The Max in the memory turned, and Liz realized Michael was standing beside him. Michael was the only one in the room with a face, but it was how he appeared on Earth. Max still didn’t remember how he used to look.
Then a sudden flash of blue caught Max’s attention and his gaze followed the movement. Liz saw a girl in a dark blue gown enter the room and she realized that the girl had her face. Then she felt the rush of emotions Max had experienced when he first saw her. He was nervous, excited and he knew that he had never seen anyone so beautiful.
Max, Liz gasped, her gown is almost identical to the one I’m wearing.
I realized that when I had the flash, Max said. I chose that dress for you because I used to have dreams where you were wearing it. I thought they were just fantasies but they must have been memories.
Liz watched through Max’s eyes as the other Liz joined a woman in the line being presented to him. He waited anxiously for her to reach him, growing more and more impatient until finally she was before him. And when her eyes met his, he knew without doubt that he was in love.
Liz was overwhelmed by the strength of Max’s feelings. You fell in love with me at first sight.
I’m not surprised, Max said. The same thing happened when I first saw you on the playground when we were nine.
You never told me that, Liz said softly.
I didn’t want to scare you, Max replied.
You wouldn’t have, Liz said. I’ve had a crush on you for years but I never thought I had a chance. You were always so smart and handsome and mysterious. You seemed so sophisticated so untouchable and I didn’t think you would be interested in a small town girl like me. But when you healed me, it was like you woke up something inside me and finally it was okay for me to love you.
Max’s forehead was still pressed to Liz’s and he felt tears on his cheeks. He wasn’t sure if they were his or Liz’s, but it didn’t really matter because for once they were tears of joy.
We’ve wasted so much time, Max said, but we’re together now and we’ll never let anything separate us again. He lightly stroked her soft cheeks with his thumbs. I can’t even tell you how much I love you, Liz.
I can feel your love for me, surrounding me, Max, and I love you just as much.
They were so engrossed in one another that neither heard the door open or saw Max’s mother look in.
Diane paused briefly when she saw her son with Liz and then quietly stepped back and closed the door.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Later that evening)
Diane sat on the edge of the bed as Philip bustled around, taking off his costume. “Did you see Max and Liz together tonight?” she asked.
Philip thought for a moment, “Yeah, their costumes were really cute together.”
“Did anything seem unusual about them?”
Philip shook his head, “No. What was unusual?”
“After we talked to Liz, I noticed she and Max went upstairs together. I went looking for them after a few minutes because I thought they might be making out or something in Max’s room. But when I got there, they were sitting together on his bed.”
Philip nodded, “They were making out on his bed.”
“No,” Diane said. “They were sitting, facing each other with their foreheads pressed together. Max had Liz’s head in his hands and her arms were wrapped around his neck.” She shook her head, “It was strange. They were just sitting there with their eyes closed. They weren’t speaking at all but they seemed to be perfectly happy together. It was almost spiritual.”
Philip’s brow creased, “What did they say when you asked them?”
Diane shook her head, “They never knew I was there, I didn’t say anything to them. It felt like I was interrupting something special.”
“Do you want me to talk to Max about it?” Philip asked.
Diane thought for a moment and then shook her head, “No, I don’t think so. I was just telling Liz that I was glad she was back in Max’s life and how good I thought she was for him. Haven’t you noticed Max has come out of his shell again?”
“Yeah,” Philip nodded. “He’s been downright chipper lately.”
Diane smiled, “Yeah and I don’t want to do anything to wreck that.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Friday, November 16th, 2001)
(Chez Pierre)
Isabel reached across the table and took Hale’s hand in hers. “It’s going to be really weird next week. Since it’s Thanksgiving vacation, we won’t see each other every day.”
Hale smiled, “Who says we won’t? Just because there’s no school doesn’t mean we can’t get together.”
Isabel nodded, “Yeah, you’re right. I guess we could start early on our final paper.”
Hale shook his head, “I had some other things in mind, like maybe a matinee of that movie you’ve been dying to see, or a picnic in the park, or we could drive into Albuquerque and spend the day. Or we could get some videos and take-out Chinese and just spend the day at my house.”
“All of those sound great,” Isabel said. “You take me to all kinds of great places, restaurants and movies and picnics. You’re too good to me.”
Hale squeezed her hand, “Nothing is too good for you, Isabel. I love spending time with you, anywhere, any time. I haven’t been out, enjoying myself, in what seems like years. With you, I feel I’m learning to live again.”
Isabel nodded, knowing he was talking about his father’s death, and then a sudden thought struck her. “Hale, where are you spending Thanksgiving?”
Hale shrugged, “I hadn’t even thought about it.”
Isabel smiled, “Well now you don’t have to, because you’re spending it with my family.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, November 17th, 2001)
(The Valenti House)
Jim waited impatiently for Kyle to return from practice, and when he finally walked into the house, Jim called out to him from the sofa. “Hey Kyle, come over for a few minutes. I want to talk to you.”
Kyle sank down next to his Dad. “What’s going on?”
“Well,” Jim started, “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately. I’ve got my job back and I’m certainly not getting any younger…”
Kyle cut him off, “Wait a minute. You’re not having some kind of mid-life crisis or something, are you? And you want to tell me that you bought a new sports car and eloped this morning with a girl named Bambi, who is five years older than me.”
“No, not quite,” Jim laughed. “But I have been spending a lot of time with a pretty wonderful girl named Amy, and I was kind of thinking it might be nice to make things more permanent between us. I wasn’t really sure what you would think about it though...”
Kyle cut him off again, “Dad, I think it’s great you want to propose to Amy.”
Jim smiled, “I’m glad you approve, but if she agrees, it will mean some changes in all of our lives. Amy and Maria and maybe Sean would be moving in with us. We’d have to build on a new room or two, maybe a new bathroom too. Or maybe we should just get a bigger place. And we’d have to help clean up the place more. You know how women are about everything being clean.”
Kyle nodded.
Jim continued, “And we’d have to be more careful about what we say and do concerning the alien thing, since Amy doesn’t know the truth.”
“Wait a minute,” Kyle said. “You’re going to marry Amy but not tell her the truth. Doesn’t she deserve to know?”
“It’s not my place to tell her.”
“But if you asked Max…”
Jim shook his head. “I can’t ask Max to put himself or the others in danger by revealing their secret.”
“Why not?” Kyle said. “Amy wouldn’t tell anyone.”
“I don’t think she would. But I still can’t ask Max.” Jim sighed, “I promised Max he could trust me and I would keep their secret. I can’t go back on that. Besides, Max’s own parents don’t even know. How could I ask him to tell Amy?”
Kyle nodded, finally understanding, “Okay, you’re right. So when are you going to pop the question?”
“Amy has invited us over for Thanksgiving and I thought I would do it that night.”
“And the ring,” Kyle asked.
Jim smiled. “I’m going shopping right after lunch.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Tuesday, November 20th, 2001)
(Crashdown Café)
Michael hit the bell with his spatula. “Order up, Liz.”
Liz grabbed the plates and turned to slide them onto the counter where Isabel, Sean, Maria and Max were sitting. “Two burgers and a Greek God Salad. Maria you’re sure you don’t want anything? We’ll be closing the kitchen soon.”
Maria shook her head, “I’ll just stick with my shake.”
Liz nodded and leaned forward over the counter toward Max. “Do you have everything you need with your burger?”
“Almost,” Max said, and he leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss.
Isabel rolled her eyes.
The phone in the back rang and Michael went to answer it.
Sean leaned into Maria, “Are they always like this?”
Maria nodded, “Get used to it.”
Michael thrust the phone through the door, shaking it. “Liz, the phone’s for you.”
Liz smiled at Max, “Be back in a minute to check on you.”
Max followed her with his eyes until the door shut behind her and then he turned to Isabel. “So where’s Hale tonight?”
“He has a paper due in another class.”
Max nodded, “He’s a pretty nice guy. I like him.”
“Thanks, Max,” Isabel said with a smile. “Although after the way you took off in the middle of your conversation with him the night of the party, Hale probably thinks you’re crazy.”
Max smiled, “I’ll apologize when I see him again. It’s just that flash caught me off guard and I wanted to share it with Liz.”
“I know,” Isabel said, “you already explained to me and I understand. You’ve been anxious about remembering Liz, but I couldn’t exactly tell Hale that.”
“What did you tell him?” Max asked, curious.
Isabel smiled, “I told him you were so in love that you couldn’t think straight.”
Max grimaced, “Thanks.”
Liz emerged into the dining room, looking like she had seen a ghost.
“Liz, what’s wrong?” Max called out as he hopped off the stool, going to her.
Michael heard Max’s alarm and rushed into the dining room. “What happened?” He looked around for any signs of danger but when he didn’t see anything, he turned back to Liz. “Who was that on the phone?”
“It was Don,” Liz said softly, looking around the group. “The translation is finished.”
Everyone was shocked into silence.
Sean was the first to speak, “What translation?”
Maria spoke softly, “Remember, I told you about the book in the alien language.”
Liz continued, “Don e-mailed the translation to me and he‘s sending the complete printout in the mail, just in case.”
“So what are we waiting for?” Michael asked. “Let’s go get it.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Max followed Liz upstairs and into her room as the others waited below in the Crashdown. Silently Liz took a seat at her computer and Max sat on the bed behind her. Max placed his hand on her shoulder as they waited for the computer to start and then for the connection to the internet.
“I can’t believe we’re finally going to get to read the book,” Max said softly. “For months I’ve been afraid of it, dreaded what it might say. It’s so alien, ominous even, and it has always seemed so irrefutable. Tess and Nasedo were always using it to tell us what we should be doing, how we should act. But no one had ever even read it.”
Liz nodded, “I know. I’ve felt that way too, even before we found out who I was.” She opened her e-mail and pressed the print button and then turned to Max and took his hand. “But now we’ll all know the truth.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Michael skimmed over the first page of the translation, reading aloud, “You are the royal four. Blah, blah. You were created from the genetic materials of your alien predecessors and human subjects, blah, blah, blah. This first part’s the same.”
He continued down the page, and then suddenly stopped. “Some of this stuff at the top is changed around a bit, but it’s basically the same. But remember where it started with all of that abduction scenario crap in the one we found? Well, this one is completely different.”
“What does it say?” Max asked.
Michael looked up from the paper and held it out to Max. “It was written by you, your other self, so maybe you should read it.”
Max took the paper and started reading aloud, “You are the Royal four. Zan the King, Ava his Queen, Vilondra his sister, Rath his Counselor. You were created from the genetic material of your alien predecessors and human subjects. You were given human form so that you could live safely on this planet undetected, until the time comes for your return.”
“I, King Zantor Tageonant, write this in hopes it will never be used, but with the escalating hostilities, coupled with Ava’s predictions, that now seems impossible. But working together, we, your predecessors, have devised a plan that will give us a second chance to defeat our enemies.”
“This book is not meant to be a comprehensive instruction manual but simply a brief outline, a starting place in case anything goes wrong. You have been sent to Earth with four, loyal, shape shifters, who will protect you from danger and keep you hidden, and a powerful machine called the Granolith.”
“The source of its power is unknown but practically limitless and its uses are many. However the Granolith was not meant to be used as a weapon and should never be corrupted in that way. It is easily converted to different tasks, including being used as an additional power boost for the transport. Even when not used with a ship, the Granolith is capable of transporting the entire party back to Antar in about an hour.”
“To control the Granolith, simply create a six-sided, six inch crystal, using a silicone-based material, and direct the intended actions into it with your powers. Insert the crystal into the Granolith’s base and the action will be carried-out immediately. For example, one could specify a departure time and destination for the return to Antar.”
“A control crystal is not always required for the Granolith. Ava and I are both capable of contacting and directing the Granolith through our connection. We have turned to the Granolith in times of difficulty. It can help focus powers and make minds clear.”
“The Granolith is very special and should be carefully protected. The chamber containing your hibernation pods and the Granolith has been hidden away from human settlement. It can only be accessed by the four of you and your protectors.”
“You have also been given communications technology which will allow you to access information from your true home. Three orbs with the symbol of Antar were sent to Earth with you. Be wary of using the orbs to send messages because the signal is easily tracked and could lead our enemies to you. Retrieving messages sent from Antar can be safely done by simply focusing your energy into one of the orbs.”
“Your hybrid bodies will have capabilities of both humans and Antarians but the limitations and benefits are largely unknown. Procreation is possible between the pairs, but the exact length of the pregnancy term is unknown. Based on the Antarian pregnancy term of sixteen months and the human term of nine months, the scientists have estimated that a hybrid pregnancy term will be twelve months…” Max trailed off as the color drained out of his face.
“Twelve months!” Isabel exclaimed. “That little, lying tramp!”
“What’s wrong?” asked Sean.
Liz spoke up, “Tess told them she had to get back home because the baby was sick and the pregnancy would only last a month.”
Michael quickly did the math. “Tess has only been pregnant for six months. She hasn’t given birth yet.”
Max remained silent and Liz squeezed his hand. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” Max said. “I just… It’s just a shock.” He shrugged, “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised after all of her other lies but I thought she was telling the truth about the term of the baby. In the pod chamber, the baby was moving and pressed his hand…” Max shook his head. “I thought I was connecting with him, that I felt a response, but obviously it was a lie too. He wasn’t old enough yet.”
“That doesn’t mean you didn’t connect with him on some level,” Liz argued. “He might not have understood but I’m sure you got through to him.”
Max smiled at her, “Thanks, Liz.” He looked at the anxious faces of the others and then turned back to the paper. “There’s just a little left here.”
He continued reading, “Offspring will appear human but will have powers. Unlike you, they will have powers from birth, so be careful to keep them hidden from humans until they are able to control themselves.”
“Study and learn all you can about the history of Antar and Earth, focusing on warfare, politics and law. Use the memory retrieval devices to regain the experiences of your other life. Develop your powers and special abilities to gain precise control, because they weaken and become unreliable with disuse. But do not even consider returning home until you reach your mid to late twenties. The scientists estimate that you won’t gain the full extent of your powers until then.”
“In closing, I offer one final warning. Do not trust our enemy Khivar or any of his underlings or followers. Do not believe any truce or treaty he may offer because he is treacherous and false in all of his dealings.”
“The task before you may seem overwhelming but the fate of your friends, family, and subjects on five worlds are depending on you. Trust in your hearts and instincts and you will prevail.”
Michael shook his head, “I can’t believe how much is different. I thought Tess just changed a word or two here and there, but there was a lot she didn’t want us to know.”
“Like about the baby,” Isabel said, “and the fact that the Granolith isn’t just a one-use, disposable transport.”
“Tess must have made that crystal we found,” Maria said. “But why did she tell you the Granolith took twenty-four hours to warm up? She should have just said it was leaving right then and you wouldn’t have had time to change your minds.”
Michael shook his head, “She must have needed the extra time for something. Maybe to warn Khivar we would be arriving on Antar the next day.”
“And what happened to the memory retrieval devices?” Isabel asked. Do you think they were lost in the crash? Nasedo never mentioned them.”
“Nasedo never mentioned a lot of things,” Michael said sarcastically. He turned to Max and noted the tight look to his face. “What do you think, Max?”
Max shook his head, “I think I screwed up big time sending Tess home in the Granolith.”
“We didn’t know that then,” Isabel argued. “And besides, you didn’t have a choice. The baby was sick.”
“Was he?” Max asked. “Everything else was a lie, maybe the baby’s illness was too. I connected with him, I could feel him having trouble breathing but maybe that was all a mind warp too.”
“Maybe it wasn’t, Max,” Liz said.
Max continued, “It was just so convenient finding the translation and the crystal right when we needed it. We should have suspected something was wrong. I should have suspected...” he trailed off. “If we had known all of this back then, I could have stopped Tess from leaving with my son.”
Liz shook her head, “You did the only thing you could, Max. You couldn’t take the chance with your son’s life.”
Max nodded and wrapped his arms around her and placed a soft kiss on her head. With one arm resting on Liz’s shoulders he turned back to the others. “There are a couple of other things we learned from the translation,” he pointed out. “We will continue to get more powerful. So it’s more important than ever that we all keep practicing to gain control of our powers.”
Everyone nodded and Max continued, “And I think it’s obvious that when Tess read this translation, she must have known she wasn’t Ava.”
Michael shook his head, “How do you figure that?”
“Because,” Liz spoke up, “Zan wrote about Ava’s predictions.”
Max nodded, “And Tess doesn’t have that power.”
“That’s right,” Isabel said. “With everything else, I forgot that part.”
Michael shrugged, “And what does that mean?”
Kyle spoke up, “It’s just like I’ve been telling you. Liz can predict the future.”
Michael rolled his eyes, “Okay, we get that, but what does it mean about Tess?”
“Well,” Isabel said, “it’s proof that, at least in the end, Tess knew exactly who she was, or wasn’t.” She shrugged, “Although with everything else we’ve learned, I’m really not surprised.”
Sean spoke up, “And what was the part about Zan and Ava being able to connect with the Granolith. I thought it was a machine. So can you connect with cars and VCRs and other things?”
“I’ve never tried but I don’t think so,” Max said. “The translation did say the Granolith was a machine but it must be a special kind of machine for us to connect with it.”
“It also said to turn to the Granolith in times of trouble,” Isabel reminded him. “I wonder what that meant?”
Max shrugged, “If the Granolith was here we could do some experiments, but without it anything we come up with would just be a theory.”
“Well,” Michael said, “all of this is interesting but none of it is really useful or relevant to our current situation.”
“Maybe not,” Max admitted. “But it’s another piece to the puzzle and if we ever get the Granolith back we’ll know what to do with it this time.”
Michael nodded, “It’s just that we waited all of this time for the translation and, I don’t know, I just thought we would get some answers or something. I mean, Tess thought it was important enough to kill for.”
Max nodded, understanding. “I had hoped the same thing, that some huge secret would be revealed, but it never really works like that in real life. I think it’s easy enough to see why Tess changed so much of the text, but you’re right Michael, none of it was worth Alex’s life. Nothing could have been.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Thursday, November 22nd, 2001)
(Thanksgiving Day)
Hale and Isabel walked slowly, hand-in-hand and shoulder-to-shoulder, along the path in the park.
Isabel loved the fact that she and Hale were so comfortable around one another. They could simply be together and there was no need for conversation. Isabel had never felt closer to anyone in her life.
Thanksgiving had been great with Hale spending the day. Isabel’s parents had liked Hale when they first met him and were always glad to see him.
They had played games and watched a movie. Then the guys had watched football while Isabel and her Mom put the finishing touches on dinner. Hale had offered to help but he really didn’t know anything about cooking and Isabel’s mother had diplomatically sent him back into the living room.
During dinner there had been lively conversation and jokes. Isabel and Hale had held hands under the table and after the dishes had been done, Hale suggested a walk in the nearby park.
Suddenly Hale stopped and turned to her with a smile, “Dance with me?”
Isabel laughed, “There’s no music.”
Hale stepped closer and slid a hand around her waist, “You’re so beautiful, I always hear music when I’m with you.”
Isabel closed the distance between them, pressing her lips to his. Hale swept her into his arms, taking charge and deepening the kiss.
After a few minutes Hale broke the kiss and pulled back to look into her face. “I love you, Isabel.”
Isabel was surprised for a moment, but then a joyous smile lit her face. “I love you too.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(The DeLuca House)
Maria, Sean and Kyle waited impatiently for Amy and Jim to get back from their after-dinner drive. Kyle had filled Maria and Sean in on his father’s plans and Maria was especially excited.
“I can’t stand not knowing,” she said, pacing around the room. “If we really hurried with the plans, we might be able to set up a Christmas wedding. Wouldn’t that be romantic?”
Sean and Kyle looked at one another with amusement.
“Yeah, real romantic,” Sean grunted.
“Can you just imagine it?” Maria continued, oblivious. “The snow and the tinsel. Mom could wear a green dress, with her hair up. I can’t wait to tell Liz.”
“Don’t brides usually wear white?” Kyle asked.
“Not for a second wedding,” she said dismissively. “But there’s no way all of us are going to fit in your house,” Maria suddenly changed the subject. “And no way we’ll fit in our house. So do you think they’ll buy a new one?”
“Dad mentioned that,” Kyle said, “or building on to our house.”
“And we need a place for Sean too, if the Sheriff doesn’t mind a criminal in his house,” Maria said sarcastically.
“Very funny, Maria,” Sean huffed, “but we don’t even know what aunt Amy’s answer will be.”
A flash of headlights and the sound of a car in the driveway drew all of their attention.
Maria looked at the guys, “Should we be excited or just pretend we don’t know until they tell us?”
Sean pulled Maria down on the sofa and used the remote to turn on the TV. “Just sit here and act like we’re watching TV and we’ll find out soon enough.”
“Okay,” Maria nodded, taking deep breaths to calm down.
The front door opened and Amy and Jim walked in hand-in-hand, smiling.
Maria caught sight of the sparkling diamond on her mother’s hand and jumped up with a squeal, “Oh Mom, I’m so happy for you.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Isabel knelt in front of Alex’s headstone and pulled her jacket more tightly around her shoulders. With a gloved hand, she carefully traced the letters of his name.
Tears gathered in her eyes but she forced a smile. “I just came to tell you that I’m in love with Hale and he loves me.”
She gasped as a sob tried to escape and she clapped a hand to her mouth. Isabel took a deep breath to push the tears away.
“And, you were right, Alex,” she whispered. “Oh Alex, I’m so sorry but you were right, and I came to...” she trailed off as another sob threatened. “This is so hard, but I don’t think I need you any more. I think I’m ready to move on with Hale and I just wanted to tell you and say goodbye.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Saturday, December 1st, 2001)
(Michael’s apartment)
Max and Isabel worked with Liz on her memory recovery on the sofa, while Michael and Maria sat with Kyle at the counter, as he attempted using his powers again.
Kyle focused on the rock sitting on the counter and concentrated all of his energy into changing the color, but after a few minutes he broke off, exhausted. “Nothing. I just don’t feel anything.”
“Come on Kyle,” Michael prompted. “We know you’ll be getting powers and you’ve got to learn to control them. Try again.”
“It’s not that easy,” Kyle said. “I don’t even know exactly what I’m supposed to be doing. I know all of you keep telling me it will just happen, but trying to figure it out is frustrating.”
He shook his hand toward Michael, “I mean what am I supposed to do, just say abracadabra and…”
Kyle broke off as he felt a surge of power run down his arm and Michael’s black t-shirt swirled into a bright, neon green. Kyle and Michael both jumped, and Michael nearly fell off his stool.
The commotion drew the attention of Max, Liz and Isabel and all together they asked, “What’s wrong?”
Kyle pointed to Michael’s shirt. “Did you do that?”
“No way,” Michael snorted. “I wouldn’t be caught dead in this color.”
Maria jumped off the stool and hugged Kyle, “You did it. You changed the color of his shirt.”
“I did?” Kyle asked.
“Yeah, congratulations,” Michael said sarcastically. “Now would you do me a favor and change it back?”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Tuesday, December 18th, 2001)
(Copper Summit, AZ)
Lonni sat nearby as the skin soldiers finished their daily training and when Nicholas dismissed them, she followed him into the Crawford house.
Sporting a new skin identical to her first, Ida intercepted Lonni in the front hall. “You always just walk into someone else’s house without knocking? It isn’t very polite.”
“Back off Grandma,” Lonni warned her. “You wouldn’t want me to have to test the strength of that brand new skin, now would you?”
Ida stood her ground but called out, “Sir!”
Nicholas came out of the kitchen with a half-eaten sandwich. “What Mom? I’m eating.”
“Lonni insisted on speaking with you, Sir,” Ida said.
Nicholas looked at Ida and then past her to Lonni. “Is there a problem ladies?”
“I need to talk to you Nicholas,” Lonni said. “Now.”
“I’m eating lunch,” Nicholas said dismissively.
Lonni’s temper rose and she struggled to keep calm. “Please, Nicholas,” she said, with a forced smile.
Nicholas motioned to the door, “Wait outside. I’ll be with you in a minute.”
Lonni hesitated, her anger growing at being dismissed, but finally raised her chin proudly and went out.
Nicholas waited until Lonni had closed the door before he turned to Ida. “What happened?”
“She threatened to kill me if I didn’t get out of her way.” Ida sighed, “Sir, you shouldn’t trust her.”
Nicholas smiled, “Don’t worry, we won’t have to put up with her for much longer. Just try to stay out of her way.”
He downed the last of his sandwich and joined Lonni on the front porch. “What can I do for you today?”
Lonni let some of her anger and frustration show, “Nicholas, we have been waiting here for months. We delivered the Granolith according to our bargain, so when are we going home?”
“I told you we are waiting for Khivar’s orders,” Nicholas explained.
“Khivar has sent these troops and they are training but you haven’t told us the plan,” Lonni reminded him. “How are we supposed to help you so we can leave?”
“You know what you need to know, for now. When the time comes, I will tell you more,” Nicholas assured her. “As for your use of the word we, I would hope that you know nothing has changed since New York. The deal was, you deliver the Granolith and you get passage home, for one. There is no way I’m going to allow Rath to return to Antar.”
Lonni nodded, “I know that but Rath doesn’t, and as long as we don’t tell him, he will remain loyal to us.” She leaned closer to Nicholas and combed her fingers through his bangs, moving them off of his forehead. “See Rath isn’t too bright. He’ll do whatever I tell him to do, no questions asked.”
“Maybe,” Nicholas agreed, “but you should be careful not to put me in the same category. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you have me wrapped around your little finger too.”
“I could never think that about you, Nicholas,” Lonni purred. “Rath is a moron, but you are one of the greatest Generals Antar has ever seen.”
Nicholas smiled, “You remember that, do you?”
“A little,” Lonni admitted. “But I do remember every woman on the planet was in love with you,” she said. “Power, wealth, stunning good looks, and you are the right hand of Khivar and the second most powerful man on Antar. What woman wouldn’t want to be with you?”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Around the corner of the house, Rath listened unemotionally as Lonni sold him out. He wasn't even surprised, he knew her too well. And now that she had made her deal, he had to make the best deal for himself.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Crashdown Cafe)
Jim gave Amy a quick kiss as he slid into the chair across from her. “I just stopped by the house to check up on the workmen. They are making good progress on the rooms.”
Amy smiled, “That’s great. I hope they’re done before the wedding. I don’t know how much I like the idea of Sean and Maria staying at my place alone until the new rooms are finished.”
“If that happens, it will be all right,” Jim assured her. “They are both responsible kids. I’m sure they can handle being alone for a few days.”
“I’m kind of surprised to hear you say that, Jim. Especially after the trouble Sean has been in.”
Jim shrugged, “Everyone deserves a second chance and I know Sean is trying to turn his life around.” He reached across the table, “It will all work out, you’ll see. We’ll get the rooms finished and you’re house sold, and live together like one big happy family.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Wednesday, December 19th, 2001)
(The Parker House – Liz’s Room)
Liz awoke suddenly, the dream still fresh in her mind, sending waves of excitement through her. She glanced a the clock, noting it was just before six but she discounted the time and closed her eyes and projected her consciousness to Max’s room.
He was still in bed, soundly sleeping but Liz called out to him softly, “Max, wake up.” She solidified herself and touched his face, placing a soft kiss on his lips and immediately he kissed her back.
“Mmmmm,” he murmured in his sleep, “Liz.”
Giggling, she knelt beside the bed, shaking him, “Max.”
This time he came awake, opening his eyes with a smile. “You really are here. I thought I was dreaming.” He reached for her and pulled her into the bed with him, rolling her over the top, so she landed next to him.
Liz laughed again. “Max, I have to tell you something.”
Max kissed her again. “What do you need to tell me?” he asked sleepily.
“I had a dream last night.”
Max smiled and raised an eyebrow, “What kind of dream?”
Liz rolled her eyes. “Okay, not a dream exactly, more like a vision. Like the one I had about the accident.”
Max raised up on his elbow, suddenly awake. “What did you see?”
“I was on my balcony, sitting on the lounger, looking up at the stars. At first it was normal but then the stars started to get brighter and bigger and turn different colors, twinkling in the sky like Christmas lights. Comets rushed past, leaving trails of dust swirling across the sky. It was absolutely beautiful. I got up and danced, twirling around with my arms raised above my head, trying to reach the stars. Then all of the stars started to twirl with me, going faster and faster until I couldn’t catch my breath and I had to stop. I fell back into the lounger and the stars stopped too. They all gathered together in one place in the sky and made one big light, brighter than the sun.”
Max shook his head, “But what does it mean?”
“I don’t know,” Liz admitted.
“And do you feel sick?”
Liz shook her head, “Not at all. I feel great, expectant, like something wonderful is going to happen.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
TBC
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