Taken (CC ADULT) Chapter 25* Complete* 7/17

[magikhands]

Chapter 8

Harper was sitting in front of the monitors again. The smile that was on his face grew larger. The monitor in front of him was dark; he had turned it off when he saw what was about to happen. He may want to study them, but somewhere he felt he had to draw the line. The human girl was already pregnant and he knew that their intimate relations were the same as humans. There was not else more to report on that scenario.

Peterson entered the room while Harper was making notes and sat next to him.

“He has chosen the human as his mate, not one of his own kind.” Harpers said without looking up.

Peterson shook his head, perplexed. “But Dr., we found all three of them together. Our surveillance showed what they did before the team moved in. Could he not have more than one? If given the opportunity, couldn’t the female get pregnant also?”

Harper looked up from his work. “No. Remember, he is not 100% alien. He is a hybrid. From all the tests, it shows that he is human except for his cellular structure and the way his brain allows him to have certain abilities. But what we have learned about his kind, they choose only one that will carry their children.”

“So why were they with the female then?”

“Have you not ever experimented Peterson when you were younger? Try new things?” Peterson looked down, his cheeks flushing. “It’s something quite common among the young people today. They explore their sexuality. Until I have further evidence, that is what I have in my notes on the condition which we took them.”

Peterson looked up at the various monitors. Harper had just turned one back on and he saw that the male and human female had fallen asleep, wrapped in each other’s arms. His gut was telling him that there was more to the three guests being together that night but until he had evidence to support another idea, he just sat quietly until Harper finished his notes.

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Tess lay on the mat in the small cell. She hated the quiet that surrounded her. She had never felt more alone in her life as she did at that moment. She had always been a loner but it was not something of her choosing. Nesado had never allowed her to get involved with anyone while she grew up. He was her only companion and he was gone a lot of the time once she had gotten old enough to take care of herself.

She had never been happier than the day that they found Michael, Isabel, and Max. They were her family. They were like her. She knew that Michael and Max were weary of her when she first arrived but she took joy in how Isabel seemed to open to her. It was nice to have another girl around to talk to. But once it was known who she really was, she could feel distrust coming from Isabel. Then with what she tried to do with Max, that caused more distention between them.

Nesado pushed and pushed, telling her that she had to be with Max but all she really wanted was a family. Isabel and Max had grown up in a loving family, while Michael, though he’d had a tough life, was close with Isabel and Max. They accepted him for who he was. No matter what faults he had.

She had thought that letting humans in on their secret was foolish. She just knew that they could not be trusted. She had not started off with Liz, Maria, and Alex very well. But then Kyle came into her life. He made her feel something inside that she’d never felt before. When he was around, he made her feel like she belonged. She felt like he was really listening to what she was saying. She liked seeing his smile and teased him by calling him ‘Buddha Boy’. They had begun to spend more and more time together, just hanging out and talking. They were friends and she liked it.

Tess closed her eyes and remembered the night before all this chaos started. She had met with Kyle at the Crashdown and studied for a little while. He insisted on walking her home but once they left the restaurant, she suggested that they go to the park for a little while. She really didn’t want to leave his company to go home to a large empty house.

They found a nice spot under a tree to sit. From their position, they were able to see the clear sky that night. He had insisted that she sit between his legs to lean on him while he leaned his back on the tree. He then wrapped his arms around her. They sat there in silence, looking up at the stars, each in their own thoughts.

“Do you know if you can see your home from here?” Kyle asked. He had been pulled into the Alien Abyss kicking and screaming and never really asked questions pertaining to their origins.

Tess sighed. “No.”

“Do you think you will ever find a way back home?”

“I don’t know.”

“Would you want to go back?” Kyle asked after several minutes of silence.

Tess continued her gaze to the stars and contemplated her answer. After much thought, she answered. “No. I don’t think so. Nesado always said that we needed to go back and free Antar from Khivar but…well, I don’t know now. The four of us were made on Antar but we were born here. This planet is home. And I doubt Michael, Max, and Isabel are willing to leave Liz, Maria, and Alex behind.”

“What about you Tess? Is there someone you don’t want to leave behind?” Kyle dared to ask.

Tess turned her body so that she could look at Kyle. Their eyes met and locked. “There’s a big possibility.”

She watched as Kyle’s face came closer until their lips touched. She closed her eyes and opened to him. Their kiss was hesitant but filled with a passion that she’d never felt before. Reluctantly they broke apart and he smiled at her.

“I think it’s time I took you home.”

Tess gave a small smile and nodded. She felt a little disappointed that they were ending their night together but she knew that she would have very good dreams that night.

Tess opened her eyes and reality hit her again as her eyes looked upon all the white around her. She sighed and rolled over to her side, silently wishing for sleep to escape her cage.

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Harper picked up the phone next to him. His notes were done and he still felt giddy (yes, I actually used the word giddy) over what he saw. Things were going better than he planned. The test results were encouraging and the subjects’ behavior were what he was looking for, proving his theories.

“Make the switch.” He said when someone answered on the other end.

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Max woke from another strange dream. They were occurring more often since he was brought to this hellhole. They had begun about two weeks before they were taken but they were jumbled and he barely remembered them when he woke. He told no one about them but he had thought about having Isabel look into them. But now, since they had been placed in the white-infested world, the dreams were more intense and he could remember them once he woke but they were still a little jumbled.

Max pulled Liz closer to his body while he lay there thinking. He was able to piece together the dreams enough to know that they were telling him something about their past lives. The Destiny Book had not been able to be decoded yet so they had little to go on about Antar and who they were. He knew that once he put the dreams together correctly, he would be able to see what they were trying to tell him.

Liz turned over in his arms and he looked down at her beautiful face. His love swelled and he knew that he would love Liz for as long as he lived. And now that she carried his son, he would do what he had to do to protect his family.

Max’s thoughts turned to his time spent in this hell and he agreed with Liz’s assumptions that they were being used for experiments. These were not all like what Pierce wanted to do but they seemed to concentrate on their psychological aspect. He had noticed similarities from his time and schedule with Tess and Liz. He knew that they were watching them and he was sure that they were documenting every reaction they had to different scenarios. Looking down at Liz, his gut was telling him that they would have visitors soon.

The Tweedle Twins made their presence known some hours later. Max jumped to his feet as soon as the door opened. He stood protectively in front of the mattress with Liz behind him. Steve smiled with mischief at him. Max watched as they came toward him and he steeled his body for the assault. He was determined not to let them take Liz from him. Not again.

Too late Max realized that these two men had not come for Liz but him as they each took hold of one of his arms. Liz rose from the mattress and he could see the anger and fear mixed in her dark eyes. Instinctively, he struggled against the hold they had on him as they dragged him toward the door.

“No, Liz. Don’t…” Max called to her when he saw her step forward. The feel of Steve’s hand was still fresh in his mind and he wanted to make sure he did not get the chance to do it to Liz.

Liz stopped her movement when she heard his words of love inside her head. He told her to not try and stop them so she watched helpless as they drug him out of the room.

In the hall, Max quit struggling and let his body become limp in their arms. When the men’s grips changed so that they could hold his weight better, Max took the advantage and broke free from them. He ran back toward the door that they had exited but before he reached it, a sharp, blinding pain began through his body causing his legs to collapse from under him. The pain that surged through his body was more intense than he ever felt before. He was having trouble breathing, unable to bring in enough oxygen that was needed for his body that felt as if it were burning. His vision began to blur as he gasped for breath then the darkness clouded into his sight. The pain ended right before he passed out but he crumbled to the floor, gasping for breath and feeling exhausted. He no longer had the strength to fight. The men approached Max, scooped him up and carried him down the hall.

Liz stood frozen, staring at the closed door. They had taken Max and left her alone again. Tears were building in her eyes as she felt a sharp pressure within her body. She knew that they were using that damn neckband that Max had. It was bad this time. She could feel it in her soul how he hurt. She covered her face with her hands, hiding the grimace that filled her face as the pressure continued to rush through her.

‘Max!’ She screamed in her head.

‘It’s ok.’ She heard but knew he was lying. She could hear the pain that accompanied his voice. ‘Don’t worry. I will be alright. Just keep safe.’

‘Max, don’t fight them. Do what they want. This is really scaring me.’

The words Liz said registered with Max. She was right. It was stupid for him to try anything at the moment. These people held all the cards and until they could find out more, they had no choice but to cooperate. He somehow knew that they would not try to kill them…yet.

‘Get some rest Liz. And I’ll do what the want.’ He told her and felt her relief at his words.

TBC...

[magikhands]

Chapter 9

The quiet was making Liz’s nerves unsettled. She felt edgy and anxious as the whiteness of her surroundings began to get to her. She felt like she was about to lose it and go completely crazy. She had shed so many tears that no more would form. She was now pacing the floor, trying to rid her body of the nervous energy raging inside of her. She had to keep her mind clear and off of Max. She had tried to keep in contact with him but he was so exhausted from the session that the neckband did that she wanted him to rest and gain his strength back.

As she paced, she found her hand going to her flat stomach as if trying to protect the child that she carried. She fought the urge and let her hand fall to her side. She knew that she would do anything to protect her son from those monsters who kept her, Max, and Tess locked up.

Liz turned to the door when the sound of it opening broke through her thoughts. She hoped to see Max standing there smiling at her but it was Tess that filled her sight. Liz ran to her and hugged her fiercely.

“Tess.” Liz said as relief filled her body. “Are you ok? Did they hurt you?”

Liz’s reaction surprised and confused Tess and she could only stand there, her body stiff and rigid for a moment before awkwardly returning the hug. As soon as Tess returned the affection, they both felt the immediate connection. Tess pulled away and looked at Liz in shock.

“OMG!” she whispered. Liz just smiled and nodded.

‘Sshhh…I don’t think they know that we can tell.’

‘How can you do this?’ Tess asked, surprised again.

Liz embraced Tess again and then pulled her toward the mattress. “Tess, I’m so glad to see you. You have no idea how lonely I’ve been.”

‘I’m not sure. It is either because Max healed me and changed me or because of his son that I carry.’ Liz said as they settled on the mattress.

“I think I do know.” Tess said as she finally gave in to her feelings and gave Liz the most heartfelt, sincere hug that she’d ever given. Even though they were both worried about Max, they were glad not to be alone any longer.

“Where’s Max?” Tess asked. ‘I haven’t been able to contact him since they took him from you. He’s blocking me somehow. I’m getting worried about him.’

“They took him awhile ago. I don’t know where.” Liz said for the benefit of the camera. The happiness that she felt with Tess showing up seemed to fade along with her smile as she thought about Max. ‘He said that he was ok but he was really tired and weak. They gave him a strong shock that time. He’s resting.’

Tess reached out and took Liz’s hand in hers. “He will be ok.” ‘He’s strong and will not leave us to these madmen.’

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

The following days were spent much like the ones before. There was no way of knowing if it was night or day but they all slept often. Liz and Tess had long talks softly as they lay on the mattress, passing the time. They really got to know one another. Certain discussions they had in their head so that the ones watching didn’t know everything about them. Tess had told Liz how she was raised and what Nesado was like. Liz in turn told her about how she grew up with Alex, Maria, and even Kyle around her.

They checked on Max often. They had wanted to keep their connection open to them so that they knew what was going on but Max refused. He would often block them completely or only let them in a little. Liz’s connection to him was the strongest and she could feel that he was hiding something from them. They were doing things to him that he didn’t want she and Tess to know about. When his blocked slipped, Liz could feel a mixture of emotions. He held in his pain, anger, sadness, loneliness, and guilt. She would question him but he would close it off and not talk about it. He always insisted that he was fine and that she needed to worry about the baby, not him.

Finally, Tess brought up the subject that neither wanted to talk about. Because of what happened the night they were taken, it seemed as if their discussion was never finished.

“I’m sorry Liz.” Tess said sincerely.

Liz gave her a puzzled look at the time, not knowing what she was talking about. They’d just got done eating the meal that the Tweedle Twins had brought in and neither was speaking.

“For what?”

“I’m sorry for everything. I have screwed with your life since I first came to Roswell and I now wish that I hadn’t. I was stupid for believing that Max would love anyone but me, that we were destined to be together. I know now that you were meant to be with him in this life. You provide him with a strength and love that I never could.

“It wasn’t until that night that you and Max came to my house that I fully realized that I was free to love. Free to be with others that were not like me. To have a normal relationship where someone didn’t tell me that I had to be with this person because it was the way it was in another life. I realized that someone could like me for me, not who I was in another life.

“I care about Max, Liz. I feel connected to him, more so now, but I also feel a special bond with Michael and Isabel. But I don’t love Max like I did in our past lives. I don’t think I ever really did. He was mine then but now, he truly belongs with you. Will you ever find it in your heart to forgive me?”

Liz looked at Tess, her vision blurred by the tears that had pooled in her eyes. They had moved to the mattress and lay down, and Tess had spoken so softly that she had to strain to hear every word. But she knew that Tess meant every word she said. She could hear the sincerity that laced the words. Liz also knew that it took a lot of courage for Tess to voice how she felt.

Liz smiled before answering. “Of course I forgive you Tess. None of us are perfect.” She reached over and gave her friend a hug and allowed her love wash through Tess, who began to cry as well. For the first time in this life, Tess felt loved and an acceptance from two people she knew would never abandon her.

Liz pulled away, wiping the tears from her eyes. “So, tell me about you and Kyle. I remember the smile that lit your face when he called you that night.” At the mention of Kyle’s name, Liz watched Tess blush for the first time.

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

The experiments continued. All three could feel when a neckband was used for one reason or another. They tried hard not to show that the two that were not being affected could feel the pressure as well. It was hardest on Liz when both Max and Tess’s bands were activated at the same time. Beads of sweat would form on her brow and she often had to go and throw up, hiding her strong reaction from the camera. She hoped that they would think it was just morning sickness associated with her pregnancy.

These painful sessions kept Max and Tess drained of energy. Liz believed that it was intentional so that they could not fight back as aggressive as they would if they were fully strengthened. The sessions also became longer and slowly more powerful. It was often administered until the person passed out, as if the one in control was timing it.

This really scared Liz as she watched it happen to Tess and felt what it was doing to Max. Liz also believed that because of her condition and that fact that she was 100% human, they had not put one on her. They did not want to cause any unnecessary harm to her child. But with her connection to Tess and Max, she had to wonder if it was harming her son anyway.

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Harper leaned back in his chair, his notes spread out in front of him. He wore a smile on his face. This was more than he ever hoped for. The decision to take all three subjects was a huge benefit to him. All the years of hypothesizes and theories as he studied note after note were becoming worth all the headache and ridicule he had received. His research was very productive and it seemed as if everyday more was being found out about the subjects and what they could endure.

Harper could not help but admire the young subjects for their strength, unity, and determination. They were not breaking as he thought that they would but that just made him more determined to find their weaknesses. Even the small human girl, who he thought would be the weakest link, surprised him. She had such a feisty, fighting spirit in her. She was actually turning out to be the strongest of the three. No wonder the male had chosen her to bare his children. Harper could only hope that he would give her more.

TBC...

[magikhands]

i've only read the first part, but why did Max have to be with Tess first. It really was a turn off to the fic, but i really think that if i keep reading it will make sense i just had to post this!

If you keep reading...you'll find that I hint (ok, I say it really) that it's some sort of ritual which I will fully explain later on. I hope you continue to read cuz there are some good Dreamer parts but they do have a connection with Tess...it's just not an intimate one like at the beginning.

Thanks for all the fb guys..I'm hoping to have the next part out by Tuesday sometime

[magikhands]

Glad to see that you were able to find me again Scottie

Chapter 10

The Tweedle Twins entered Max’s cell, picked him up and dragged him down the hall. He was so weak and tired that he didn’t have the strength to fight them off. His feet stumbled with their quick pace and they practically had to carry him. He wanted to weep with joy, to no longer be in that room any longer.

Most of his time since they took him from Liz was spent in an agonizing hell. The sound of Liz and Tess’s voices in his head was the only thing that had kept him sane during this trying time. The tests that they performed on him were pure torture.

He was kept awake much of the time while several different experiments were performed. Most were excruciating as they tried to see just how much pain and mental discomfort he could endure. He had panicked several times throughout the testing, his experience with Pierce surfaced especially as he had been strapped to a chair and a band was placed on his head. He fought while pleading with them to let him go. He could not tell what was real or memory as he saw Pierce’s face floating in front of him.

When the pain would begin, Max struggled to find a way to retreat from it all. He found a way to disconnect from the reality of what was happening. Sometimes he would be able to fall into the back of his consciousness and created a place where the pain could not reach him. It consisted of he, Liz, and their son living in a country cottage in the woods, where they could have privacy and quiet. There, he and Liz were happy and safe. Their son grew up without fear of the government finding out who he was. It was a happy place.

At first, Max had tried to block out the pain from some of the experiments by falling asleep but the neckband would start the sharp pressure that doubled his pain until he was awake again and again until it was too much for his physical body and it would shut down completely, allowing him a small reprieve from the torture. If it had not been for the small amounts of time that he allowed Tess and Liz in, who gave as much support as they could though he wouldn’t let them know what was happening, he thought he would go mad.



Max was dropped unceremoniously inside the door to the large room where Liz and Tess were being kept. They rushed to him and helped him back to the mattress. Carefully, they checked him over for injuries. They found several bruises on his body that were already healing and markings from restraints on his ankles and wrists. His skin was pale with dark circles under his eyes. They didn’t need to feel the pain that racked is body, it was plainly visiable.

“Max. What did they do to you?” Liz asked, her anger showing in her voice as she gently took his hand. Her fingers lightly caressing his palm. Tess sat and had his head cradled in her lap and brushed the hair back from his eyes. She desperately wanted to ease his pain, but without her powers, she was helpless.

“I’ll live.” Max croaked reaching out with his other hand out for Liz. With Liz and Tess’s closeness, he could feel the pain begin to ease a little at a time from his weary body. It was as if their mere presence was healing him, taking away the damage that their captors had done. Unable to keep them open any longer, finally feeling as safe as he could at the moment, Max closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

“God, what did they do to him?” Liz asked again as she watched Max pass out from exhaustion. She knew that he might never heal from this on top of what Pierce did to him but she was determined to be there and help him in any way. She curled her body against his and held him close, finally letting her tears flow. She cried for his pain, for his suffering and for the loss of his innocence. In fact, they’d all lost their innocence the minute they got involved with Max, Isabel, and Michael. But Liz knew that she’d not want it any other way.

Tess looked down and found that Max was sleeping peacefully for once. Her eyes shifted to where Liz was curled against him, her eyes closed but her tear tracks still visible on her cheeks. Feeling that she was no longer needed, she slipped Max’s head off her lap and slid off the bed. When she stood, she watched as the pair automatically adjust themselves so that they were wrapped in each other’s arms.

The sight of them together ripped at her heart. She longed for that. To feel that needed, that wanted. Tess walked over to the table and sat. She cradled her head in her hands and finally let the tears that were locked tightly within her loose.

“I’m sorry Kyle.” Tess whispered to herself. “I can’t be strong any longer. It’s just too hard.” She sobbed silently.

She had wanted to be the strong one. She wanted to be the one that could take whatever these sick people dished out but she was finding it harder and harder to do. Nesado had taught her, no ingrained it into her, that her feelings were a weakness. She was never, ever allowed her feelings to show, to let them rule her. She tried but she couldn’t do it any longer. She was not like Nesado. She was not a cold, non-feeling shape shifter. She was half human. She had feelings and right now they were overwhelming.

Tess jumped up from her chair and ran to the area that consisted of the bathroom. She barely reached the toilet as she began vomiting. Everything that she’d eaten earlier now floated in the water but she kept retching, nothing coming out until she felt as if she would die. When her body finally calmed down, she grabbed a cold, wet washcloth and held it to her head.

“Tess!” Liz cried out.

Tess left the area quickly to find Liz struggling with Max as he turned violently in his sleep. He cried out, telling someone no. Tess went to the mattress and reached out and touched his forehead. He was sweating and felt hot to the touch. But the moment that her fingers touched him, he started calming down until he once again slipped into a peaceful sleep.

Liz watched amazed at how Max reacted to Tess. All she did was touch him and he calmed. Her conscious brain told her that she should feel at least a little jealous at their closeness, but she knew that she had nothing to worry about. The relationship that Max and Tess had was based on a caring friendship. She knew that she loved Max and that he loved her just as much. She was comfortable in her role in Max’s life and no one could change it.

She studied the other girl and saw that tear tracks could be seen running down her cheeks. She had woken to the sound of Tess vomiting. She wanted to get up and see if Tess was alright but that was when Max had started acting violently. Liz reached out and found that Tess was blocking her just as Max was. It was quite frustrating but she knew that dealing with emotions were still quite new to Tess.

Liz saw that Tess was about to get up from the mattress. She reached out and touched Tess’s arm with her hand.

“Stay.” Liz looked down at Max. “He needs you near….and so do I.” Liz’s voice was shaky with fear. What was happening to them all was really scaring her and she didn’t know what else to do. She needed help and Tess was obviously the one to help her with Max. “I’m scared Tess. I can’t do this by myself.”

Tess hesitated. She felt unsure and much like a third wheel in all of this. But Liz was as scared by all of this as she was. How could they not share a strong bond in the fear that they had. More so for Liz because she was carrying Max’s child. As it stood, their future was unsure.

Tess nodded and situated herself on the other side of Max while Liz held him close to her. Tess reached out and took Max’s hand, for some unknown reason, wanting to let him know that she was there also. She closed her eyes and hoped that sleep would allow her some peace.

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Max stood by the edge of the quarry, looking out to the surrounding desert. The sun was setting in the horizon, letting the pinks and oranges color fall upon the world. This was his favorite time of the day as the sun made the sky its masterpiece. There was a warm breeze that ruffled his hair bringing with it the scent of blooming flowers that were somewhere near.

Max lifted his head to the sky and closed his eyes. He could hear them, in his head, telling him things. The voices were familiar but not from this lifetime. He somehow knew that they were from his life on Antar. He tried hard to absorb what the were saying, trying to put all the pieces together and remember what they were telling him.

“Max?”

The voices stopped, making Max turn to where the voice that called his name came from. The peace that had accompanied him here slipped away. His body tensed, anger and anxiety returning.

“What are you doing here?” He asked, his voice edged with coldness. She had disturbed him, made them go away.

“I need your help Max.” Isabel ignored his tone. She was intruding on his dreams and could feel the calmness that surrounded him. She hated to interrupt him but this was the first time she’d been able to break through fully to one of them. Now, a cold breeze blew across the land that imitated the coldness in his voice.

“Where are you Max? We need to find you and we can’t do it without some help.” Isabel stepped closer to her brother. She wanted nothing more than to take him in her embrace and take him back with her into the real world but she knew that it didn’t work like that.

Max looked at his sister confused as he looked around. The sun had almost set now, darkness falling over the land swallowing the beautiful colors that were there just a moment ago. “I’m right here Isabel.” He shook his head as confusion blurred his mind. “Isabel? What are you doing here? No one is ever here with me.”

“Max, this is your dream.” Isabel tried to stay calm, keeping her voice soft and trying to make him understand how she was here. “Where is Tess? Liz? Are they here with you? Are they safe? Help me Max.”

Max suddenly winced in pain and doubled over. The scene changed. He no longer stood in the quarry but was strapped to a cold table in a white room. Pierce stood over him laughing menacing at him. The air shimmered and Pierce transformed into the Tweedle Twins sneering down at him, taunting him.

Isabel was suddenly pushing the two guys out of the way and standing over Max. He could feel and see the panic that raced through her or maybe it was his own that she was mirroring.

“Come on Max. Show me where you are. Do you remember anything? Who has you?” Her voice was rising in pitch and he knew that she was feeling desperate. “We need to find you and bring you home safe. Please.” She begged. “Show me. We are all so worried about you, Liz, and Tess.”

The pain that was vibrating in his body became unbearable and he began to scream. There was no one around to cause it but it still ripped through him, searing his nerves. He couldn’t conjure his safe place here. He couldn’t escape no matter what he did. The pain wouldn’t release him.

Isabel reached down and cradled his face between her hands. “Max.” She called to her brother trying to hold on a little longer. She could feel that she was being pushed out of his dream but she held tight. He opened his eyes and their connection was immediate. She gasped at the onslaught of images that flooded her mind. They went by so quickly and she had a hard time sorting through them and they were jumbled together. She couldn’t tell which was happening now or when Pierce had captured him. In between all the pain, Isabel could glimpse moments that he’d had with Liz through the years and then a few that he’d had with Tess. The last image she saw that of the three of them lying together on a mattress, Max wrapped tightly in Liz’s arms while Tess lay next to him.

“Izzy…please help me.” Max begged, tears flowing down his face. “Make it all stop. It hurts so bad.”

Isabel was crying as she looked down at her brother. “I will Max. We will find a way to get you out. Just stay strong and keep the others safe.”

Max watched as Isabel began to fade. “Isabel!” Max screamed as he bolted upright from the mattress, knocking Liz and Tess away.

Sleep quickly left Liz and Tess as they scrambled back to Max, trying to calm him down. Liz was smoothing his sweat-coated hair back from his face while she spoke softly to him, her words slowly calming her love. Tess had taken hold of one of his hands, letting him know that she was there. Gently, they encouraged Max to lie back down and begin to relax.

“I’m sorry.” He said looking from Tess to Liz. “It was a bad dream.” He voiced but the girls knew otherwise.

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Isabel woke with a start. She sat up and cried. She couldn’t help it as the feelings that Max bombarded her with took hold of her physical body. She couldn’t get the horrific images and pain out of her mind. She felt strong arms wrap around her body and she automatically leaned back into their familiar comfort.

“Were you able to reach them?” Michael asked softly after waiting for her to calm down for a moment.

He and Alex took turns staying with Isabel at night as she tried time and time again to contact Liz, Max, and Tess. He had snuck into her room after the Evans’ went to bed and lay next to her on the bed. They had fallen asleep holding each other’s hand. He had been wakened by the pull of his energy from his body. When he looked down at where his hand clasped tightly to Isabel’s they were glowing. He did nothing, knowing that she had somehow tapped into his energy and was using it to reach out to their missing loved ones.

“I saw Max. I got through to him and he was in so much pain.” Isabel sobbed. “I think what he is going through is worse than what Pierce could ever do to him.” She took several breaths as she tried to calm down enough to tell Michael what she’d seen.

“Whoever has them are doing tests on Max. I saw what they were doing. He has felt almost all of it. I could feel it through him. They are killing him slowly and they don’t even know it Michael. Oh God…I can’t loose him. We’ve got to get them out.”

“We will Izzy.” He rocked her in his arms until she calmed down. “I will call the others and we’ll go to my place that way you’ll only have to go through this once, Ok?”

Isabel nodded and laid back on the bed as he reached for the phone. Michael looked down at her before he began dialing numbers. He knew that whatever she saw would stay with her forever. He knew that she still had an occasional nightmare from entering into Max’s conscious mind when the Special Unit was holding him. He ran a hand through his hair frustrated. He wished that he could be the one to dreamwalk so that Isabel did not have to face Max’s demons. Their worst nightmare was happening…again and there was nothing they could do to stop it.

A sudden rush of sadness and guilt rushed through his body for his brother. Why Max? What was so special about Max that always brought the government’s attention to him? If anyone should have drawn attention, it should have been him with all the impulsive, unthinking things that he’d done in the past. All Max had ever done was save Liz’s life. Was it because Max was King? Or was there something else that no one in the group could see that brought attention to Max?

Michael shook his head, bewildered. He wished Max were here to take over but then, if Max were here, they wouldn’t be dealing with this, would they? Michael looked down at the phone and started dialing numbers.

TBC...

[magikhands]

Chapter 11

‘Isabel contacted me.’ Max announced.

‘What?’ Liz and Tess asked surprised. It was amazing how two girls could make his head begin to ache with all the questions that they began flinging at him.

‘Let’s just settle back and act as if nothing happened and I’ll explain to you everything I know.’ Max tried calming them down. “I’m ok, really.” Max said aloud. “I would just really like to go back to sleep for a little while longer. My head really hurts.”

Tess and Liz nodded and made a show of situating themselves and making sure Max was alright. Liz once more curled her body around Max while Tess lay on the other side of him. This time she faced him and had a hand close to his but not touching.

‘Ok, spill. Tell us what happened.’ Tess said after several minutes of quiet.

‘Have you guys been feeling something since we got here. I mean, in the back of your minds, especially when you sleep but you just don’t know what it is? Kind of a nagging feeling?’ Max asked

‘Yes.’ Liz and Tess answered.

‘That was Isabel trying to reach us. She has been trying since they discovered we were gone.’

‘But why hasn’t she been able to get through until now? And why only you?’ Tess asked.

‘I think is has something to do with the three of us being together. When she entered my dream, I could feel that Michael was with her as well as feeling the two of you. It was like all of our energies were being combined, breaking through whatever it is that’s blocking our powers.’

‘I can understand why she was unable to get through to you and Tess, but why not me? I’m not wearing one of those neckbands.’

‘I think it’s this place. It’s different than Eagle Rock. It’s more advanced, they were prepared for us and most unexpected possibilities.’ Max said.

‘So what did Isabel say? Can she find us?’

‘I don’t think I really helped her much. The dream was…a difficult one.’ He said uneasily. ‘But there is something else that I must tell you. There are these dreams I’ve been having for a while now. At first I ignored them, thinking that they were a product of what Pierce did to me but now…I can no longer ignore them. They started out as chaotic fragments and I could never quite remember them once I woke. It was like there was something on the edge of my mind that was screaming at me to remember but the more I tried, the more that it slipped away. I was frustrated with it but there was nothing I could do.’

‘Why didn’t you tell someone about them? Isabel could have helped you.’ Liz asked.

‘I was going to once we got everything resolved with Tess.’ He said hesitantly. He didn’t want to make Tess feel bad. What had happened with her was in the past. She apologized and he knew that she meant it.

‘Has something changed?’

‘Yes. I remember them now. All of them. While I was sleeping here with the two of you, it was like some strange connection was formed. The voices I hear are the Royal Four’s past selves and the visions I see are of Antar and our previous lives. They are telling me who we really are. What we are here for. They also explain and show me other things.’

Tess didn’t say anything but Max could feel her excitement. Their origins and past lives have been a mystery to them. Nesado had only given them bits and pieces when it suited him and it was quite frustrating.

‘And that thing that happened with the three of us before we were taken…it had to happen that way. It was a ritual, one that would allow Tess and I a future.’

‘So our little three-way was just a one time affair, right?’ Liz asked. She had come to like Tess and thought of her as a friend now, but she didn’t really relish the idea of having to share Max with her. She had no desire to be with Tess again.

‘Correct. It was a passing of the torch, so to speak. Tess, you were my wife in our previous life, we loved each other and we died together. But things are different. We were never meant to be together in this life. We were led by our instincts at the appropriate time and they allowed us to perform the ritual. Tess released me into your care Liz. She approved of you and thought that you were worthy of being my Queen. However, we were supposed to have woken together and that immediate contact would have given us this strange new connection. This would help us bring the others into our family, allowing a joining to occur. But because of our forced separation, the completion of the ritual was postponed and it was not until the three of us were once more together was it finally finished.’

‘Yes, that sounds like what I thought had happened. I felt as if were right at the time but there’s no desire to continue it.’ Liz said.

‘What else did you learn?’ Tess asked quietly.

‘You were right about us having a Destiny Tess.’ Max said shifting and pulling Liz closer to his body. He could not get enough of her feel against him. ‘We are all meant to be together but not with each other. Antar is dying. Long before an enemy took over and killed us. My parents had been working on combining our essences with human DNA for many years. They were trying to save our race. To somehow preserve our unique abilities. Humans were the only species in the universe that were as close to their genetic make-up as possible.’

‘So we would have been cloned no matter if we’d died of old age?’ Tess asked.

‘From what I gather, yes. But we were never meant to go back to Antar. As I said, it’s dying so when we died, she sent us here to live. What better way to preserve a race then to send down the most powerful genetic line? Us four. Our genes will be strong and will mix correctly in our children and their children. We will help accelerate the human psychological evolution.’

‘Wow.’ Tess simply stated.

“Yes, that’s what I thought at first. It’s a strange thought at first but we belong to humans. The mates that chose us will enhance our energy, will make us stronger and give us powerful children.’

‘Wait…you said that mates chose us. What do you mean by that?’ Tess asked suddenly feeling troubled. Did this mean that no matter who she cared about, she would have no choice about who would provide her with children?

‘Just what I said. A human has to choose us. We cannot choose our mates. And Tess…it has already occurred.’

‘What!!! How do you know that?’ Tess exclaimed. He winced as it vibrated through his head but he could feel laughter coming from Liz softly in the back of their connection. Max could feel a panic that was rising in Tess. He knew that she didn’t want to be with someone that she didn’t care about. She’d learned that lesson when Nesado had tried to make her be with him.

Max bit back a smile at Tess’s reaction. He knew how she felt about Kyle even if she didn’t tell him. He could see it when they were together and he was happy for her. But he couldn’t resist messing with her.

‘In these dreams, I found out that these four that have chosen us have accepted us for who we really are. They’ve accepted their fate, even if it means that they live in danger to be with us.’ Max paused a moment and sent waves of love toward Liz. He knew that she had sacrificed a lot to be with him. Now she carried his child. Their future was unknown, yet he could still feel the strong love that she carried for him.

‘I saw a different four-square in my dream. It was made up of four couples. Liz and I were in one corner, Alex had Isabel, Maria had Michael…’ He paused again, letting the drama settle on Tess. He could feel her anxiety and heard her shift on the bed. ‘And Kyle was holding you in his arms in the last corner.’

Max felt her breath on his skin as she let a whoosh of air out in relief. ‘That was not nice Max. I know you did that on purpose.’

Max chuckled, as did Liz. Tess, unable to resist the sound of the laughter joined in, knowing that this was the playful Max that was rarely seen. It made her feel good and realize that this was his way of accepting her into his life.

‘When we are all together again, there will be a joining ritual that will connect all of our energies together and we should be able to communicate like this with everyone else.’ Max was feeling very tired again and it could be heard even in his internal voice.

‘Get some rest Max.’ Liz encouraged. She felt as he drifted off into what she hoped was a peaceful slumber

‘I guess we really need to find a way out of here so that I can talk to Kyle. I’d hate to disprove Max’s dreams. Then we can be a family after all.’ Tess said to Liz.

‘Yes. One big happy alien family.’ Liz said, happiness echoing in her voice.

TBC...

[magikhands]

Thanks silverwolf for the criticism, as it's always welcomed. Oh, I PMed you also. Don't worry, nothing bad

I hope everyone has a great Easter weekend and be safe. I will be out of town so I won't get a chance to work on this But I'm hoping to get my laptop next week (YAY!) so that I can continue working even when I go out of town (Like next weekend...busy busy..that's my life)

[magikhands]

Thanks guys for your patience. It's been really busy around here and it doesn't look like it's going to slow down anytime soon but I'm hoping to try and keep up with all my fics.


Chapter 12

Harper watched the three young people and observed how close they were. Though the male and human was obviously a pair, they included the other female often. The male would often embrace her but in a much different manner than the human. They had all become very protective of one another, like a special bond had been formed.

Harper had also noticed that when the three were together, they were more relaxed and at ease despite their circumstance. There was actually laughter and smiles during their interactions. The three were very interesting to Harper. They would spend long periods of times lying on the bed quietly or sleeping while other times they sat at the table and spoke quietly to each other.

Finding the female with the male had excited Harper. He had to wonder if others in their small group were alien also. He suspected that the male’s sister, Isabel, was like the male since the two had been found together in the desert but he had been unable to get complete information on her. Harper had a folder started, compiling information on the others. One day he would be interested in testing them all but right now he had to be happy with the three that he had.

“Are you ready for the next tests?” Harper asked when the door behind him opened.

“Yes sir.” Came the answer.

“Good. Go ahead and separate them. Take the male first. He will make it difficult now that he’s been with both the females but don’t let them hurt him too much.”

“Yes sir.” The voice said before leaving the room.

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

The Tweedle Twins entered the room that housed Max, Liz, and Tess. Max immediately jumped to his feet, ready to defend Liz and Tess. They didn’t like these two men who controlled their lives but they also knew that they were just the muscle behind the real brain.

Tess moved in front of Liz, trying to block her and the baby from harm. She had seen the damage these two have caused to Max and knew from the shine in their eyes they enjoyed it. She refused to let anything happen to her friend.

The two men grabbed Max immediately and pulled him toward the door. Rage filled Tess as she watched Max try and fight them off. Her protectiveness of her King and Queen kicked in as she rushed forward to help Max. Steve caught her with a swift backhand just as he’d done with Max. He smiled as he watched the small girl fly back.

Max felt the pain that wracked Tess’s body when her body hit the wall and she fell unconscious to the floor. His fury toward John and Steve reached its height. While they looked down at Tess, Max quickly gathered as much strength as he could and jerked from the distracted men’s grasp. He turned and punched Steve in the jaw before turning his rage to John’s stomach. Max knew that if he had his powers available, both men would be dead. However, at that moment he was just a normal 17 year old boy filled with anger.

Both men recovered quickly and subdued Max tightly in their grasp. Steve made sure that his fist made contact with different parts of Max’s body in retaliation to what he’d done. They cursed at Max, enjoying the site of the boy on his knees and in pain.

“Max!” Liz screamed. She was sitting with an unconscious Tess, her head in her lap. “Stop it.” She screamed to the men. “Can’t you see that you’ve hurt him?” Tears glistened in her eyes and her eyes were pleading with them to stop.

John put his hand on Steve, stopping the man from further strikes. He looked at Liz then down at Max who was breathing heavily and curled into a ball.

“Let that be a lesson to all of you. Don’t try it again.” He said as he bent over to pick up Max. Steve followed suit but didn’t look toward Liz and Tess. He was still glaring at Max’s nearly unconscious body.

Max let his body go limp. His body was filled with pain from the hits that he’d received from the two goons. But his heart hurt more than his body. Inside he could feel Liz’s grief and pain at what she’d seen them do to him and Tess. Guilt for making her feel that way filled him and he wanted nothing more than to beg for her forgiveness. He couldn’t help it. His instincts had kicked in. He didn’t want to see any of his family hurt.

Liz felt Max’s emotions. ‘Just let them take you Max. I don’t want you hurt anymore.’

‘I love you Liz.’ He said as they pulled him out the room. He sent all his love toward her and he could feel her openly accept it.

‘I love you.’ She said as the door closed.

Steve and John threw Max into his small cell with a little more roughness than was really necessary. Max grunted as he fell to the floor.

“You should listen to your little girlfriend more Boy. She can plainly see that your scrawny ass isn’t a match for us. She knows that we can easily stomp you like the insect you are.” John glared down at him.

“Then why don’t you and put me out of my misery of seeing your ugly faces.” Max challenged crawling over to a corner of the room. He knew that he shouldn’t goad the two men but he couldn’t help it.

“Because someone thinks you’re worth something.” John answers.

“You know, your little girl really deserves to be with a real man. Maybe we can help her out in that area. But honestly I prefer the blonde one.” Steve provoked.

Max lifted his head and looked fiercely up at them. “You touch either one…I’ll kill you both.” He said through clenched teeth, trying to gain control over his anger that threatened to spill out. Images formed in his head of the two men forcing Liz and Tess to do what he knew they would never consent to.

“I’m shaking in my shoes.” John laughed as they both left the room.

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

A short time later, Steve and John entered the large room again. They went toward the girls and when John saw Liz pull the unconscious girl closer to her, he raised his hands for her to see in a peaceful type gesture. He knew that they were not allowed to harm the dark haired girl and he wanted to do this without anyone getting hurt.

“We need to take her.” He stated. There was no emotion in his voice, only a matter of fact tone.

Liz looked down at her friend then back up at John. She knew that they would take Tess whether she wanted to let them or not. She sighed knowing she had no choice while she gently laid Tess’s head back down on the floor and backed away.

She watched wordless as Steve bent and picked Tess up and place her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes then walk out of the room, leaving her alone.

Steve laid Tess down on the mat and gazed down at her. His hand reached out and caressed her cheek then swiped off the hair that fell into her face. His fingertips fluttered down her neck and over her collarbone. They brushed the top of her breast and moved to go lower when his movements were stopped.

“Let’s go Steve.” John said from the doorway.

“Are you sure that we can’t have a little sample?” He asked still looking down at Tess.

“The boss says no and I for one like this gig and want to keep it so keep it in your pants for now.”

Steve sighed in disappointment and rose, walking to the door. “Maybe when he’s done, he’ll let us have a go with her.”

“Maybe.” John said as they left the room.

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Liz looked up when her two least favorite men entered the room again. She was sitting on the mattress when they approached her. They bent to grab hold of her but they stopped when she spoke.

“Don’t touch me.” She ordered, her voice laced with venom.

The men exchanged confused looks. She rose from the bed and went toward the door. When they had not followed, she looked back at them.

“Well? Are we going or not?”

John raised a brow at her but moved toward the door. Liz waited for him to walk out into the hall before she walked out and felt Steve fall into step behind her. When they led her to her small cell, she noticed that the cold, steel table was set up again. She starred at it wishing that they would just leave her alone and let her enjoy her pregnancy.

“The pants have to go.” John said.

Liz whirled around and gave them an angry glare. She knew that they enjoyed abusing their authority and they liked to watch them squirm under their demands but she was not going to give them that satisfaction any longer.

“We can do this one of two ways young lady.” John started. “You can do it yourself and get up on that table or…” He paused as a smile formed on his lips. “We can do it for you and hope that no one gets hurt.”

Liz stood her ground and refused to let them see her fear that had crawled through her body with the tone of his voice. She shook her head.

“No. We are doing it my way. Now turn around.” She demanded.

Again, this small girl had baffled the two large men. The timid, frightened girl had suddenly disappeared and replaced by a confident, assertive, demanding woman. They were trying to figure out when that happened.

“I…” John started.

“No.” She interrupted him. “I said turn around. If you want me to cooperate, I will not do so to fuel your pervert dreams. Besides…” Her voice became softer and almost sweet. “Would your boss be happy with you if either myself or my baby was harmed?”

John knew that she was right. They had very specific orders from the Doctor that no matter what happened to the others, this one was not to harmed or manhandled in ANY way. It now seemed that she had figured them out and their threats were now empty.

Liz released the breath she was holding in relief when John turned around dragging Steve with him. Neither looked happy about it but she let a small smirk at their backs to commiserate her small victory over them. She vowed that she’d protect her child no matter what, even if it meant cooperating with these damn tests. She knew that they would not harm her as long as she carried her son so she knew that she was safe for the time. She just wished that Tess and Max could have the same reassurance of their safety.

Liz was glad that no one could see her trembling hands as she slid her pants off, lie on the table, and cover herself with the sheet that was provided.

“I’m finished.” She announced.

The men turned and saw that she was positioned on the table. John nodded and left the room, satisfied that he’d done his job.

Liz was not alone long when the medical team came in. Their faces were always hidden behind surgical masks but she had to wonder how they could willingly do this to her and the others. She had a scientific based mind but she had a heart too. She hated seeing anyone suffer just for the sake of science. She thought it was a cruel act and very selfish of the scientist doing it.

The team performed more tests on her and her son charting the results. When they had begun their process, Liz closed her eyes and concentrated on Max.

‘Max?’ She called out.

‘I’m here Love. Are you ok?’

‘Yes. I just needed to feel you near. How are you?’

‘What is going on?’ Max asked ignoring her question but she could easily feel that he was in pain.

‘They are doing some tests again.’

‘Are you sure that’s all they are doing?’ A second voice asked.

‘Tess.’ Max and Liz said relieved.

‘Are you hurt?’ Liz asked Tess remembering the sight of Tess unconscious.

‘I don’t think so. Just a bad headache. What kind of test?’ She asked changing the subject off of her. She and Max were more alike than they want to admit Liz noticed.

‘They have done them before. They are checking the progress of the baby and gathering data. Sometimes it get uncomfortable but we are fine.’

‘If they harm my son…or you…’ Max’s anger was clearly felt.

‘They won’t Max. I’m very valuable to them. Right now, I just need to feel you near me.’ Liz said, needing the comfort that she knew that he could provide. Lying as still and quiet as possible, she felt Max’s loving embrace surround her along with the caring encouragement from Tess. They all longed for the day that they could be free again.

TBC..

[magikhands]

Chapter 13

Peterson sat in a chair next to Harper. They were going over the results of the latest tests, especially the ones on Liz.

“The baby is doing great.” Peterson said as he shuffled through the papers. “It seems to be developing just a little quicker than a normal human gestation. She will have the baby before the normal 40 week gestation period.”

“Do you have an estimated date of birth?”

Peterson shook his head. “No. There are so many factors that are off that it’s hard to say exactly how soon she will give birth. Also, we have not yet been able to distinguish if it is a boy or girl. But I’ve heard her refer to the baby as a boy. Do you think that she knows or maybe just guessing?”

“Hmmm.” Harper rubbed his chin, reviewing the papers that Peterson had placed in front of him. “We will have to see as time goes on.”

He looked up at the monitors and watched as Max paced back and forth in his cell. This was a common occurrence with the male the longer he was separated from the girls, especially the human. “Look at him Peterson. His agitation is building the longer he’s by himself. His aggression is becoming more intense too. Did you see the way he jumped on Steve when they brought him his meal?”

Peterson nodded. He didn’t like that one was becoming as dangerous as the male was. Someone was going to get hurt. It scared him thinking that none of this would end well if this kept up.

“He doesn’t like being separated from the girls. He is calmer when they are around even if he is very protective of them. I think that he may sense that the human is pregnant though she has not said anything to him.”

Harper let his eyes move to the next monitor and watched as Liz paced along side the wall that connected her cell to Max’s. “His mate, she is doing the same as he. I think that they can sense each other so near even if they can’t see the other. I’m thinking that the need for contact grows the longer that they are apart.”

“Do you see the female?” Peterson noted on third monitor. “She is leaning against the wall that separates her from the him. It’s like she’s trying to get closer to him, like she knows that he’s on the other side of that wall but how can she know that?”

Harper nodded, his excitement for their behavior growing. They were behaving like they were connected on some level, whether they know it or not. He thought that it was interesting how this possible connection was showing the more he watched.

“Make sure all of this is recorded, then I want to speak with him.”

“Are you sure that it’s wise at this time? He’s getting more dangerous.” Peterson asked, concerned for his boss.

“Have them prepare him for my visit.”

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

The Tweedle Twins entered Max’s cell anticipating his attack. They have been enjoying their little ventures into his cell as they worked off some of their boredom. It broke up the monotony of their job. They could no longer play with the dark haired girl and John had to keep Steve away from the blonde, knowing that he was getting to the point of trying something that would get them into trouble. Leaving only the boy to exercise their power on.

They entered the room cautiously. The boy had tried several times to attack them when they first entered but as soon as they stepped in, they were disappointed when they heard his grunt of pain and watch as his body fell to the floor, his hands pulling at the neckband. The device was subduing him and weakening him before they could do anything to him.

“Damn it.” Steve said under his breath. He could see that John gave a nod of agreement.

Together, the two approached Max who was still on the floor curled into a ball. They were cautious and constantly on the lookout for deception as they cuffed his ankles and wrists. John placed a small chain that ran from the ankle cuffs to the wrist cuffs before pulling him to a kneeling position. The way they had him shackled caused Max to lean back slightly giving him very little room to move or he’d loose his balance.

John grabbed Max’s head by the hair and pulled it up to look at him. Max had a black eye that was already healing and several cuts on his lips that were no longer swollen.

“Mind your manners boy.” He said before letting go and leaving the room with Steve.

The door was left open and Max watched as a man walked in. In his hand was a folding chair. He unfolded the chair in front of Max and sat down. Max kept his eyes on the man studying him. He was shorter than his own 6 foot frame, with salt and pepper hair. He looked older than his father, if he had to guess…in his early fifties. By the way he was dressed in casual clothing and the way he carried himself with confidence, Max had to assume that he was a man of authority.

“Hello Max.” The man said.

TBC...

[magikhands]

Chapter 14

Harper’s casual manner made it seem like the two were friends sitting and having a BS session.

“Do you realize how long we’ve been looking for you? Honestly, we have been looking for someone much older and wiser. I was shocked to discover that you were just a teenage boy.” He paused to study Max, whose face expressed disinterest. Harper smiled at him.

Max forced his face to show none of his feelings. He wanted to know what this man knew about him. Why were they looking for him? How did they know about him? Who did they think he was?

“Where are my manners? I have not introduced myself. I’m Dr. Paul Harper. I run this facility.” He gestured around the room. His voice conveyed pride in his accomplishment.

“I know a lot about you Max. I have watched you for some time now.” He paused again to note any reaction from Max but his expression was frozen in disinterest. “I know all about your adventures since the day you saved Liz. I came across some very interesting files in my research recently. They were written by a Mr. Daniel Pierce.”

Harper saw a flicker of fear and pain cross the boy’s face. He knew that saying Pierce’s name would affect him. He had read all of the reports that detailed every test and result that was executed on Max.

“Aahh…I see that you remember Mr. Pierce. The files stated that you and he spent a good amount of time bonding during your time together. Care to elaborate on those times?”

Harper received silence. “Well, I was able to piece together who you were from his notes and the ones that I have from the shooting. Oh, and also that brief hospital stay when you wrecked your jeep. All of those reports listed a strange birthmark on the inside of your right thigh.” He saw a spark of interest finally in Max’s eyes.

“Don’t worry, my team is not part of Pierce’s Special Unit but it is funded by the government. Our mission is research. We study things, figure out why things are the way they are. That is something we have in common, you, Liz and I. The three of us have a love for science, to figure out the reasons behind things.” Max stayed silent, not giving Harper a response, so he tried a different approach.

“Your child is doing well. Growing strong and healthy along with the mother. You chose wisely. She is the perfect vessel for your heir.”

Harper’s sudden change of topic threw Max for a moment. He was tied and was trying to concentrate on what the man was saying. He wanted to demand answers but he knew that he would get none that way. He was in absolutely no position for demand. He clenched his teeth and said nothing.

“Did you know that I knew of your existence before you were actually born? When I was younger, I studied under Dr. Aaron Levon. Have you heard of him?” Harper looked at Max and was greeted with the silence he’d received since entering the room. He had to admit that it was unnerving. He rose from the chair and paced the small room. Harper had been expecting Max to be more verbal, to demand answers and act like the teenager he was. But he turned and looked at his ‘guest’ and saw that there was little that was normal about the body before him.

“Dr. Levon was one of the original scientists that dealt with the ’47 crash. The crash that brought you to Earth. Two beings were found dead in the ship, the other two injured. One got a way from the military for a time but they eventually found him but he escaped later. That one was smart and determined. I believe you know him as Nesado. It was he that took your pods from the base where we had your ship.

“When Nesado escaped, he thought that the other alien was dead also but he was wrong. That Being lived for several years. Dr. Levon was able to do tests on the dead bodies while keeping that one alive for other tests. He was able to find where your powers originate from and then ways to suppress them. Pierce made his mistake by using the drugs on you. We have found they make the subject uncooperative and mess with the effects of test results. Wouldn’t say?”

Harper stopped pacing and sad down again watching Max intently. He was sure that this boy knew little of his history or who he was. Harper wanted him to know why he was here and what they were going to do.

“Did you know that Nesado hated you? In fact, he hated all humans and mostly because of the way they treated him so his dislike for you was great because you are a hybrid. Not quite alien, not quite human.” Harper chuckled. “The people he was supposed to protect, he hated the most. Classic.”

“Dr. Levon was able to decode a book that the alien had on him. It told of a King and his companions that were sent with him to Earth. He got several other details but they were mostly jumbled and too many holes to piece any more than that together. Then a couple of years ago, we came across another type of alien. I believe you call them ‘Skins’. She filled in many of those blanks once we convinced her to cooperate.

“She was an interesting subject to study. She tried killing herself several times instead of giving us any information on you. Even though she was your enemy, she was still loyal to your planet until…well, I can be pretty persuasive.”

Harper leaned forward. “Do you know your purpose here Max? Do you know why you were sent here?” He saw the questions in Max’s eyes. Could he really not know why he was here?

“You are to save your race. They are dying. They wanted their great King, who was assassinated, to be reborn and live among humans. They want you to reproduce and spread your genetics among our race.

“Tell me Max…is your sister, Isabel, like you? Would we find a royal birth mark on her like you and Tess?”

That brought a longer reaction to Max’s face when Harper mentioned his sister. Again the subject change was abrupt. Harper saw the weakness.

“I think they sent you with several females to help you carry out your mission. There’s obviously Tess. From your reaction, Isabel is like you. We know that Liz is human, so that could only leave the other blonde in the group. What’s her name?” Harper paused as if to think. “That’s right…Maria. Maybe I should start planning on how to get Maria and Isabel to join our happy group.”

Harper knew that Max could only impregnate one female, which means the girls would need a human male but Max didn’t know so he used it to goad a reaction from him.

Max could no longer suppress his anger. “You Bastard.” He growled through clenched teeth. “If you touch them, I will…”

“You will what Max?” Harper interrupted Max’s threat. “Without your alien powers, all I see before me is a young teenager. You are weak. Helpless. Under my control. You don’t do anything without my approval. Why should I be scared of a boy’s threat?”

Max smirked as Harper rose from the chair. He saw something there that he’d not seen before. “If you are not afraid of me, why am I restrained?” Max allowed his frustration to finally seep into his voice. He knew Harper was right. Without his powers, he was a normal person with no control. But then he saw the pleased expression leave Harper’s face followed by a flash of fear. Harper had just shown Max his weakness. He was scared of Max and what he could do, with or without powers. This gave Max hope. The smirk stayed on his lips as Harper left the room.

TBC...

[magikhands]

Chapter 15

Max watched as Harper’s two goons walked into his cell. Their faces were smug like they knew a secret and weren’t telling. By their body language, Max could see that they were ready for him, they wanted him to fight, to give them a reason to fight back, He was their amusement and liked every sick second.

Max was still seething from Harper’s words but the short time that he was alone he’d allowed Liz and Tess to connect with him and they had helped calm his anger. They didn’t know what was happening, Max wouldn’t let them in, blocking them the entire time but they knew that something was wrong. There was something that he wasn’t telling them and it was quite irritating but they let it go for now.

John disconnected the small chain that held his wrists near his ankles then took off the shackles that surrounded his ankles. The two men hoisted Max up and were disappointed when his limp body needed to be hefted up higher. An intense pain shot up between Max’s shoulders from how the men were handling him and he only allowed a grunt to escape his lips. He would not pleasure these men with his show of pain. Instead, he made them practically carry his heavy weight down the hall.

The Tweedle Twins dropped Max roughly on the bathroom and took the cuffs off. They backed off, prepared for a sudden attack but were disappointed as Max stayed where they had dropped him. He was looking at his wrists, rubbing them where they were red and chaffed from the cuffs. He missed the upset look that fell over John and Steve’s faces. They didn’t realize the control that Max had to use to keep from attacking them but he could still feel Liz and Tess with him, pouring out their support and encouragement. When the men saw that there would be no sport to be had, they left without a word.

Max let out a loud sigh of relief when he heard the door click shut behind him. He had yet to recover from his last run in with the Tweedle Twins, his body feeling as if it had been ran over by a truck. Slowly, he got up, shed his clothing, and immersed himself under the hot water that gave him some temporary relief from his pain.

The noise of the water covered the sound of the door opening and closing but Max knew right away that Tess was in the room with him. He could feel her presence and it was comforting. He turned off the water and wrapped a towel around his waist before he approached her where she was waiting with her back toward him. She turned and gave a slight smile of relief.

There was still a bruise visible on her cheek where she’d been hit. He reached out and gently caressed it, wishing that he could heal it for her and take the pain from her eyes. The same pain that he knew had settled in his own. They had both been without their powers for a time now. They had both wished all their lives to be normal, to not have to hide their abilities and now when they were taken from them, they could only wish they had them back. Their eyes exchanged a look, one that said that they’d learned their lesson about appreciating who they were and what was gifted to them.

He moved away, dressed, and sat on the counter, his back to the mirror. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. Tess had rounded the small wall to the shower, undressed and was now letting the water run over her sore body. He sat there and listened to the steady drum of the water beating on the floor as Tess showered.

He opened his eyes and looked toward the closed door. She was coming. He could feel her walking down the hall, drawing near. A smile spread on his lips, he was unable to stop it. The door opened and he watched Liz stride into the bathroom.as if she owned the place. John and Steve stood at the door with fumbled expressions on their faces. They closed the door quickly once she entered as if they couldn’t get away from her fast enough.

Max jumped off the counter and rushed her. Immediately his lips met hers as he pulled her close to his body possessively. She was his; she carried his child, their son, and their future. He hardened against her body and she moaned into his mouth. Her warm breath instantly spread through his body causing a fire to ignite in his stomach. His hands roamed heir body as their kiss deepened. His need for her grew with each second he held her. The world around them slipped away from them as they held one another.

Max slowly came back to reality when Liz pulled slightly away, breaking the kiss. He heard a clearing of a throat behind him and his mind finally registered that water was no longer running. Liz’s face became tinged with pink and a giggle escaped. Max rested his forehead on Liz’s and let out a sigh. He had forgotten that Tess was in the shower. As soon as he had seen Liz nothing else mattered, only his need to touch her and be with her.

“I really need a shower Max.”

He understood her double meaning behind the statement. She was in need of being clean as well as cleansing off whatever those medical personnel had done to her. He released her allowing her to undress and go into the stall for her shower. He sat back on the counter with his hands under his legs pinning them with his weight. He knew that if he offered to help there would be no turning back and Tess would get show. Tess had dressed during their little make-out session and now stood behind him, passing a brush through her hair. She watched Max out of the corner of her eye as he gazed at Liz lovingly. She giggled when the muscles in his jaw twitched and his fingers turned white as he gripped the edge of the counter.

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Later, the three sat around the table feeling a little more refreshed and somewhat in better spirits now that they were all together again. Both Max and Tess had lost weight since being captured. The lack of their abilities had been wearing on them more and more physically. They both sported dark circles under their eyes and their skin was a constant pale color. They insisted that they felt fine but Liz observed a definite weakness in both of them while they stood.

Liz, on the other hand, was flourishing despite their surroundings. The pregnancy was treating her well and filling her with energy. Max noticed a glow that radiated around her, soft and brilliant that shone brighter when she smiled at him. In spite of their circumstances, Liz was doing well.

Quietly, Max relayed the information that Harper had told them. This information was surprising to Tess. She had grown up with Nesado and knew that he hated humans but he never told her about anything other than he escaped from the government. Soon Max and Tess were feeling tired and decided it was time they tried to make contact with Isabel again.

The three laid upon the mattress they shared, Max holding Liz tightly in his arms while Tess took her place on his other side making sure she held her hand on his body, keeping their connection open.

They allowed the quiet surrounding them to lull them into a relaxed state. The feel of their bodies so near was also a comfort. They lay in their relaxed state, not quite asleep yet not fully awake either. They didn’t know how much time had passed but Max heard Isabel call to him. He and his sister joined together in a connection rather easily this time. They could feel Michael, Tess, and another essence surrounding them.

‘Max! Where have you been? I haven’t been able to reach you for a long time. Is everything all right? We’ve been worried.’ Isabel gushed embracing him.

‘It’s ok.’ He assured her returning her embrace. ‘They separated us for a while. We can only connect with you when we are all together. What did you find out? Please tell me that you’ve found something.’

‘Thanks to Alex’s awesome computer skills and Valenti’s resources we’ve found that they are holding you at Roger’s Air Force base. We have a plan to get you out. Just sit tight. Oh, and is Tess ok?’

Her last question threw Max. Why would Isabel specifically ask about Tess? ‘She’s fine.’ He answered.

‘Good. Kyle is driving me crazy. He’s worried sick about her and made me promise to ask.’

Max chuckled. ‘You tell him that she can’t wait to get out of here and see him. So tell me the plan.’

Isabel gave a brief run down of the plan that Michael and Valenti devised. Max thought it was as good as any at the moment. He filled her in on what he knew about the area they were being held in.

‘Iz…make sure that everyone comes with you. We may need them.’

‘Well Alex will be helping us with the computers, Kyle has already insisted that he come and be a driver, and Maria hasn’t hardly let Michael out of her sight since you guys disappeared. We will all be there.’

Max smiled at the thought of Maria constantly hanging around Michael and nagging him about one thing or another and playing mother hen to him. That’s just want he needed to keep him in line.

‘All right Iz. We will see you soon and be careful. These people aren’t playing. They go for what hurts.’

Isabel didn’t like Max’s choice of words and knew that he’d once more been through hell. She nodded and disappeared.

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Isabel sat up from Michael’s couch and looked around. Michael released her hand and Kyle moved closer to her.

“Well?” Kyle asked impatiently.

“They are ok.” She looked at Kyle and waited. She knew that she shouldn’t be messing with him but she couldn’t resist. It was a way to release all the nervous tension that was building in her.

Kyle waited for more and gave her a troubled look when Isabel said no more. He was so wound up that he felt as if he was about to bust. He needed to see Tess and tell her how he felt. He didn’t want anything to happen to her before he could confess his feelings to her. He watched Isabel’s stoic expression and was about to yell in frustration when a smile crept up on her lips.

“Tess is fine. She’s anxious to get back home…and to see you from what Max says.”

Kyle narrowed his eyes on Isabel but then found that he couldn’t be mad at her. She was under the same pressure that they all were. He let a smile drift to his lips and nodded.

“Remember…payback’s a bitch Isabel Evans.” He said with a chuckle before turning to his father.

“They will be ready for us.” Isabel said turning to Michael.

Michael nodded and got up to finish their last minute preparations.

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Feigning sleep, Max informed Liz and Tess about his conversation with Isabel. He could feel Tess’s joy when he told her about how Kyle was behaving. He knew that she was anxious to see him and finally tell him how she felt about him.

Tess was so excited about Max’s news that she could no longer lay still. She acted as if she woke from their slumber and got up. She tried to act nonchalant but her restlessness kept her from just sitting still. She ended up pacing the room occasionally, her mind on what she wanted to tell Kyle. Soon, Max and Liz ‘woke’ and sat on the mattress wrapped in each other’s arms watching Tess’s movement.

“Tess…Stop the pacing.” He said.

Tess stopped walking, not realizing that she was doing so. “I’m sorry Max. I’m just so…” She stopped herself from revealing the truth. “I’m restless. We’ve been confined for so long. I want to see the blue sky and feel the grass beneath my feet again. Sometimes I feel like I’m about to go insane.” Her words were the truth. She felt like a caged animal and the thought of how close freedom was making her more anxious.

The room’s door opened and Tess automatically backed up toward the mattress. She didn’t like the way their ‘guards’ looked at her, especially Steve. Every time he turned his eyes to her, cold shivers crawled her skin. The two men said nothing only leaving a tray of food on the table before leaving them alone but not before Steve looked over his shoulder lustfully at Tess and gave her an evil smile.

Liz came to her and wrapped an arm around her waist. ‘Don’t worry. We will get out of here and you don’t ever have to worry about them again.’

“Let’s eat something.” Max suggested going to the table. He agreed with Liz through their connection. It was one thing to keep them captive and do all their damn tests on them but he’d be damned if they ever touched Tess the way they were looking at her.

Together, the three sat at the table and ate in silence. Liz wasn’t thinking of anything in particular when she felt her hand begin to tingle. It was soft at first like her hand had fallen asleep but then it grew. She looked down and found that there was a slight amber glow to it. Fortunately her back was to the camera so her body hid the glow but she still held it closer to her body.

“Max.” She gasped as it intensified a little with her movement. Her voice was a low whisper.

He looked down where she held her attention and saw the glow. He quickly covered his hand with hers, masking his reaction from the camera. As soon as his skin touched her, he felt a surge of power course through his body chasing away the fatigue and pain that he’d felt since entering this place.

Tess looked at what was happening. ‘What is happening?’

‘Tess, put you hand on mine.’ Max said.

She did as he said and felt the same rush of energy, cleansing her system as it had done with Max.

‘It’s the baby. He’s preparing you for the others. He’s helping the only way he knows how.’

TBC...