Roswell Fanatics

Great part!!!

L-J-L 76 - Thank you!
Roswelllostcause - Michael - always on the edge Thank you for the feedback!
saori_1902 - I'm glad to hear that you have confidence in that Liz won't reveal anything. Let's hope she keeps true to that. Thank you for the feedback!
Eve (begonia9508) - I'm hoping Liz can be trusted too, otherwise there might be a risk that Michael might just do something stupid Thank you for the feedback!
Natalie36 - Yep, the FBI are tenacious little creatures Thank you for the feedback!

Gaah, it's been too long since I updated this. So I'm just gonna update two chapters today, instead of one. Considering that they are both fairly short.

Previously on "Lethal Whispers"...

Liz was attacked by her work colleague, David Perkins, when walking home from work one night. He would've badly hurt her - or worse - had not Max showed up and saved her. Max has had premonitions of Liz getting in trouble long before he actually knew her. Well, he thought he didn't know her. Turns out she was the young girl he brought back from the dead when he was just a young boy himself. Max has, due to the attack on Liz, just revealed to Liz that he is different. Although, he left his friends out of the explanatory truth. Liz is not stupid, however. She can put two and two together and is suspecting at least Max's sister to be just as special as Max.

Meanwhile, a young aspiring FBI-agent want to get on the fast track to the powerful parts of the FBI and has stumbled upon the odd circumstances concerning Max, Isabel, Tess and Michael's upbringings. Unfortunately, Liz's attack - and Max using his powers to save her - happens right when this FBI-agent is looking the hardest.

Tess wants to speak to Max and company; to find out if they know anything that she doesn't about their origins. Max has arranged a meeting for that.

Liz has just gone back to work after the ordeal, finding a certain special FBI-agent waiting for her in her office...


CHAPTER 29
Liz

He was young. Probably her age. He had the body of a prepubescent boy, tall and lanky, and reddish brown hair. Combined with the spray of freckles across his nose he might have come off as a benevolent insecure man doing a routine check on his first day out of the Academy.

She might have been able to convince herself that if it hadn’t been for the sharp and penetrating look in those grey eyes of his and the disconcerting calmness of his body language as he carefully followed Liz with his eyes as she closed the door to her office behind her and walked up to her desk.

The young agent had taken the liberty of taking a seat in her desk chair, making her feel like a guest in her own office as she, in response to his “Please take a seat, Ms. Parker”, slowly sank down in one of the ‘visitor chairs’ opposite him.

Her mouth felt dry as he appraised her composedly, but she managed to make her voice sound almost normal as she stated, “You wanted to see me?”

He smiled. “Yes.” He rose to his feet, stretching his hand out towards her. She mimicked his gesture and reacted to the coolness of his hand as he squeezed hers in greeting. “Elizabeth Parker, I presume?”

She nodded and sat down.

“I’m Special Agent Martin, pleased to meet you.”

She nodded again, hoping that he couldn’t see the contours beneath her shirt of how her heart was trying to jump out of her chest.

“You’re probably wondering why I’m here.”

His voice was pleasant, but the look in his eyes was too calculating to let her relax. “I assume this has something to do with my charges against David Perkins.”

He smiled again. “Something like that.”

A chill went through her. She decided that the best approach was to not say anything unless he posed a question.

“Ms. Parker,” Special Agent Martin continued and glanced down at a thin collection of papers in front of him. Liz got the feeling that there was nothing in the material in front of him that he didn’t know by heart. The act to give his papers a check was probably just that; an act. Maybe to put her at ease. Instead, Liz felt her palms sweat.

“First of all,” Special Agent Martin continued and looked up from his papers, “I’m very sorry about what happened to you, and I want you to know that the people working with your case will do anything they can to make sure Mr. Perkins gets the appropriate penalty.”

Liz swallowed and tried to will herself to relax. Maybe he was only here to help. “Thank you.”

Special Agent Martin smiled and leaned back in the chair, fitting the tips of his fingers of his two hands together contemplatively. “Now, let’s talk about Max Evans.”

Liz felt the blood drain from her face and there was a constricting feeling in her throat (not much different than when David’s hands had forcibly blocked her air supply). She decided that ignorance was probably the way to go right now. “Max Evans? That’s the man who saved me, right?”

He gave a short humorless laugh, “Yes,” as if he had anticipated her to fake oblivion. “The man that saved you. Did you know that he is the brother of Isabel Evans?”

To lie or not to lie…? Liz had a feeling that this man knew a lot more than she initially suspected. Lying right now might only worsen the situation.

“Yes,” she answered tonelessly.

“And I believe that you work with this Isabel Evans?”

“That’s correct.”

“And I have it on fairly good authority that you had already met Max Evans before the night of your assault. At a firm party, am I correct?”

“Oh,” Liz mumbled. Maybe she should work innocence into this as well. Although she already had a feeling that she was digging her own grave. “That was him? I hadn’t made the connection. I was not really myself the night of the assault, as you might understand.”

The man appraised her silently and then nodded. “Of course, Ms. Parker. It is quite understandable that you were a bit out of sorts from the ordeal. But even so,” he straightened up in the chair, “you spent an hour or so with this Max Evans after the incident. I just find it odd that you would accompany a strange man to his home right after you almost got raped.” Liz stopped breathing. “It would actually make more sense to me if you knew Max Evans previously and, because of that, trusted him enough to follow him home.” The agent shrugged, an amused glint in his eyes. He knew he had seen straight through her. “But maybe that’s just me.”

“Agent Martin,” Liz said, trying to still her nerves. She had gotten out of worst things in her life. Not really, but keep telling yourself that. “I can’t really explain my actions that night. I was terrified and deeply traumatized by what had happened and I can’t claim that I had the most logical thought process. Maybe I, on some level, did recognize Mr. Evans even though I was too worked up to consciously put two and two together at the time. But right now I can’t explain it any other way than that I trusted that this man - who had just saved my life - would not hurt me. Considering the situation, I just wanted to get out of there and it didn’t cross my mind that the man who had helped me would set out to hurt me too. Maybe that was stupid,” Liz shrugged, “dangerous even. But at the time I went with my gut feeling, and it was telling me that Max Evans could be trusted.”

The agent had been observing her quietly during her statement, never taking her eyes off her. He was a man with a true poker face, not revealing a single hint as to what he was really thinking. Now he let silence envelop them for three long seconds before he said, “I don’t think that’s stupid, Ms. Parker. That’s survival. Thank you for clearing that up for me.”

She should have felt relieved, but she felt anything but. “Sure.”

“There’s just a lot of question marks around your case, Ms. Parker.”

Liz frowned. “Sir?”

“And I hope that you’ll be able to shed some light on them.”

Liz nodded. “I’ll do my best, Agent Martin.”

“Max Evans took you back to his place that night. Why not directly to the hospital?”

“I can’t really explain Mr. Evans actions and decisions, sir.”

“But why did not you, Ms. Parker, insist on being taken to the hospital? As I’ve understood it from the report, you sustained quite serious injuries that needed medical care.”

Liz shook her head, “Again, Agent Martin. I was scared and very shaken up. My thinking at the time wasn’t logical.”

“I understand that, Ms. Parker. But that again brings us back to why Mr. Evans didn’t make the decision to take you to the hospital. From what I can see from the notes I have on Max Evans, he works as an EMT. He especially should be aware of how important it would be to bring you straight to the hospital or the police, instead of a private residence.”

“Maybe that was the reason for his actions.”

“How do you mean, Ms. Parker?”

“Maybe because he works in the medical field he thought he could see to my injuries himself. As I understand it, he’s a very good EMT.”

“I’m sorry, Ms. Parker,” Special Agent Martin looked anything but, “It just doesn’t make sense.”

“Sir, I wouldn’t be able to tell you the reasons behind Mr. Evans’ decisions. He did take me to the hospital and the police, just not straight away. Instead he gave me the opportunity to calm down in a calm environment.”

The agent didn’t look satisfied with her answers, but seemed to decide that he wouldn’t be able to get any other reply out of her. “Well, maybe I should consult Mr. Evans about this instead.”

“Maybe,” Liz agreed and experienced a new sense of panic. Because of her, a federal agent was now suspicious of Max.

“What I need to ask you, though, Ms. Parker, concerns the details of how Mr. Evans saved you.”

“It should be in the statement I gave to the police,” Liz said, hoping that the agent would settle for that.

“That’s the thing, Ms. Parker. There are some questions mark there as well.”

Liz resisted the urge to take a deep breath. “What would you like to know, sir?”

“Just take it from the beginning. Mr. Perkins had forced you to the ground, then what happened?”

“Max showed up, saw our struggle and pulled David off me,” Liz answered simply.

Special Agent Martin raised an eyebrow. “Just like that?”

“Yes.”

“David Perkins doesn’t describe it quite like that.”

The memory of that night flashed in front of her eyes. Of the brief green light, of how quickly David was pulled off her and how far away he was lying afterwards. As if Max had swatted a fly.

“How does he describe it?” Liz asked. How much had David seen? Would this agent believe a criminal’s version over hers?

“Well,” Special Agent Martin mused. “Let’s just say that Mr. Perkins account has some flare of… SciFi.”

He knows. David knows. She swallowed and forced herself to smile incredulously. “What does that mean?”

The agent shrugged, “Probably nothing,” trying to give the impression that he took the whole thing lightly, but the cool level look in eyes said differently.

“I was almost unconscious,” Liz supplied. “The details of how it happened are blurry at best. But I know that Max pulled him off and from what Max told me, David was knocked unconscious when Max pushed him up against the wall.”

“Huh,” Special Agent Martin breathed.

“With all due respect, sir, that’s another thing I don’t have an explanation for to due to my condition at the time.”

“No green light?”

Liz was startled and from the narrowing of Special Agent Martin’s eyes as she meet his gaze told her that he had noticed her surprise.

“What do you mean?” she asked, hoping that her voice didn’t creak as much as she thought it did.

“Mr. Perkins reports of seeing a green light. A green light between his body and yours, just seconds before he was propelled off you. Almost as if this green light was the object that flung him off you.”

“Sir?” Liz laughed, aiming for accentuating ridicule but hitting nervousness, “Are you serious?”

Special Agent Martin looked at her calmly, his stone mask in place. “Mr. Perkins was very serious. Very convincing actually. I can’t claim that I have an explanation for it myself, but it seemed as if he was telling the truth.”

“His incentive for trying every trick in the book to get out of this is probably quite high,” Liz said. “Even to the point of making up outrageous stories.”

“Something tells me he was not making this up,” Agent Martin said evenly. “He didn’t strike me as a man who’d want to get a reputation of being a whacko.”

Liz felt the fear more acutely then. This is what Isabel was afraid of. Even though tales of green light would not be taken seriously by the regular law enforcement, it might be taken as truth if heard by the wrong ears.

“I don’t think you mentioned which department you are from, sir? If you don’t mind me asking?”

He smiled. That unnerving, insidious smile. “I’m from a special branch of the FBI, Ms. Parker.”

Special. Which could mean a lot of things, but the risk of that branch dealing with unexplained events was higher than if he had been from the regular field office in Boston.

“In Boston?” she asked, keeping her voice even.

Agent Martin looked amused. “No. Albuquerque, actually.”

Liz’s heart started sinking. Albuquerque. New Mexico. Not that far from Roswell. “Why is the FBI taking such an interest in my case? And why isn’t the Boston field office handling this? Is this routinely done?”

He gave her a polite and dismissive smile. “Just tying up some loose ends, Ms. Parker.”

He rose and bunched his papers together while still looking at her. “I sincerely wish you well, Ms. Parker,” eyeing the bruises covering a large part of her face and stretched his hand out for her in dismissal, “Thank you for your time.”

She pressed his hand and nodded. “Thank you, Agent Martin.”

“I’ll keep in touch,” he promised her as he rounded the desk and headed for the exit.

Liz felt her heart freeze. He was not done.

TBC..

Chapter 30 coming up in the next post!

CHAPTER 30
Max

“How long have you known?”

Max had barely taken his eyes off the blonde petite girl with the innocent appearance and sly smile since she had entered his apartment twenty-three minutes ago. Michael’s question was one in a long line of questions being fired at Ms. Theresa Harding this afternoon.

Tess shrugged. “Since the orphanage.”

“Did you know about me?” Michael continued. “When I was at the orphanage, did you recognize me as being the same as you?”

“I had my suspicions,” Tess replied.

“How did you know?” Isabel asked quietly from the other end of the room. She had been uncharacteristically quiet during the conversation and Max suspected it was a result of her trying to reconcile with the idea of Tess being an alien. Just like them.

“It happened by accident,” Tess said, her voice softening slightly as she addressed Isabel instead of Michael. “A foster father at the time tried to ‘reprimand me’, you could call it. It ended with him on the floor, waving at big bats that only existed in his mind.”

“Which you put there,” Michael added.

Tess nodded, apparently unaffected by the horrors she might have caused. “I wanted him to be eaten by big nasty bats and hopefully get rabies as a result and there they were. Projected in his mind, from my fantasy world.”

“What else can you do?” Max asked.

She turned ice blue eyes towards him. Her look made him feel unsteady. But not in the way Liz’s eyes made his knees feel weak. No, Tess’ eyes on him brought forth something primal, something almost sinister. He pushed the feeling to the back of his mind and hoped that he looked unbothered as he awaited her reply. It was the first time he had addressed her since she entered his apartment.

She shrugged and gave him a half-smile. “I have the same basic set-up of powers as I presume you have.”

“Enlighten us,” Michael said shortly, his arms tightly folded across his chest, deeming him unapproachable.

“Telekinesis, manipulation of molecules, creating energy blasts.”

Max could feel Michael’s eyes on him as Tess spoke. Her answer confirmed what Michael had already suspected; that Tess knew a lot about them and their abilities.

“Do you know where we come from?” Michael asked.

“Probably as much as you do,” Tess supplied.

“What do you know of the beginning of your life on Earth?” Max questioned.

“You know,” Tess shrugged lightly, “Came to naked in a pod in a cave. Wandered outside. Picked up by the police and placed in an orphanage. Nothing fancy.”

“How did you know about us?” Michael was the one with the most questions. Max found himself reeling from all the information, causing him to remain quiet for the most part. Isabel seemed shocked into silence in another way altogether. Maria had decided not to come. Or to be specific; Michael had forbidden her to come. Max had a feeling Michael didn’t trust Maria to be safe in Tess’ company.

“I always had my suspicion about you,” Tess answered and nodded to Michael. “The rest came from simple detective work. It doesn’t take a lot to figure out why you three hang out so much. For a while I even suspected that blonde girlfriend of yours to be one too.”

“Leave Maria out of this,” Michael said tersely and Max hoped for Tess’ sake that she would adhere to his warning.

She obliged with a nod. “Whatever you say.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Isabel asked. “Why didn’t you tell me you were one of us?”

There was a longing in her voice and Max could guess why. Even with the company of Maria, Isabel had always wanted a female friend who was just like her. Someone to confide in, someone that was faced with the same issues as she was.

And even though Tess seemed a bit too callous and nonchalant about this whole discussion, there was something akin to compassion whenever she addressed Isabel. “I’m sorry, Isabel. But I think you can appreciate that I wanted my suspicions confirmed before I went blabbering about this with you.”

“Why did you try to get into my brain?” Max asked.

Tess’ eyes flickered to him and there was something in her eyes (fear? nervousness?) for a moment which was gone the next. “Again, I needed to confirm my suspicions. I wanted to go through your memories for that. To be honest, I didn’t expect you to be aware of it.”

“So you can do that - normally - without anyone’s knowledge?” Isabel asked.

“It’s very easy,” Tess said simply, without a thread of remorse at the privacy she was invading.

“Did you do it to me?” Isabel albeit whispered.

“No,” Tess answered softly. “You’re my friend, Isabel.”

“A truthful one at that,” Michael added.

“I didn’t find you all that truthful when we met, Michael,” Tess said acidly.

“But I didn’t know who you were,” Michael sneered.

“I had my suspicions at the time, but wasn’t sure,” Tess said. “As I said, I had to be sure before I could tell you.”

“What do you want from us?” Max decided to ask, before Michael lunged for Tess’ throat. Michael was glaring hotly at Tess.

“Nothing,” Tess answered, appearing innocent, but somehow Max didn’t feel it. “I wanted you to know that I existed. Maybe let me into your group. Maybe I could help to figure out our past. I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one of the four of us who’s interested in where we came from and why we can do the things we do.”

“Why should we trust you?” Michael asked.

“Look,” Tess said, an edge to her voice. “I’ve been nothing but accommodating to you people. Look at it from my perspective; I come in here, one against three, and I’ve answered every question you’ve thrown at me. What is to say that you won’t kill me right now? After all, I’m outnumbered and I don’t know if I can trust you.”

“She’s got a point,” Isabel mumbled.

“And since I’m one of you,” Tess continued, “I can’t very well turn you in to the authorities without the risk of exposing myself.”

Michael scoffed, signaling to Max that his male friend didn’t really believe that statement.

“I’m sure you can appreciate that it will take us some time to trus-“ Max started but was interrupted by a knock at the door. “Um… excuse me.”

“Just ignore it,” Michael ordered behind his back, but Max couldn’t ignore this one.

He could feel the visitor on the other side of the door the closer he got.

She was pale and there was a slight tremor in her body as she hugged her coat closer around her, as if she was freezing cold.

He could feel fear coursing through his visitor behind the door he had just opened, which instantly put him on alert. “Liz?”

“Hi,” she mumbled, ashamed eyes meeting his.

They hadn’t seen each other since that night. More than a week had passed. He had been afraid to approach her. He had wanted to give her space. But he had felt every second apart from her. Seeing her now felt like coming alive. On the contrary, she looked scared to death.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, nothing,” she murmured. “I need to talk to you.” Her eyes flickered to her right and left and he felt apprehension wash over him. Something had happened.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” she mumbled, as if she was trying to assure herself rather than him. “Can I come in?”

He wanted nothing more than to let her in. But probably for the same reason that Michael had ordered Maria to not attend this meeting, Max really didn’t want Liz here right now. Just like Michael, he didn’t trust Tess in the company of humans. Especially not if reality would mirror his dreams, wherein Tess had not reacted in the best manner towards Liz.

“Now is really not a good time.”

A breath shuddered through her as she lowered her eyes in disappointment. “Okay.”

He stepped out in the hallway and pulled the door closed behind him. She took a step back to accommodate him and gasped subtly as he cradled her cold white cheek in his palm, encouraging her to look up at him. “Liz? What happened?”

“I’m so sorry, Max,” she said and looked like she was about to cry.

Her nonsensical apology brought out his deepest fear. Had she revealed the truth about him to someone? Was she here to warn him about the government that was about to capture him to possibly experiment on him and then exterminate him like the hideous creature he was?

“Tell me, Liz.” A part of him didn’t want to know.

“There was an agent…” she paused to swallow and Max let his hand fall away from her cheek and took a step back. Oh no…

She looked up at him in guilty surprise and started shaking her head. “No. No, Max, I didn’t tell him.”

He exhaled and let the door behind him support his suddenly jelly-like body.

“But he had a lot of questions about what happened,” Liz continued and he was only mildly startled at the electricity running through his palm as she grabbed his hand. “Apparently David had a lot to say about the matter.”

“They won’t believe him,” Max said, shaking his head. They wouldn’t believe him. That was his only reprise.

“I’m not so sure,” Liz said, looking at him with glistening eyes and he realized that she was worried about him. Her concern was not for her own safety or her own involuntary involvement in this, but for his. The realization was almost enough to blaze away his ascending feelings of panic.

He smiled at her softly. “Liz, it’ll be okay. They have nothing.”

“He was talking about the light - the green light,” Liz added and the good feeling her concern had brought him instantly vanished. “And questioning how you knocked David out. The agent certainly knew a lot about the case and about you. It felt like he knew a lot about you.”

Thoughts were racing through his head as he squeezed her hand and leaned in close, needing to smell her scent, needing to encase himself in the warmth from her body (even though she was probably chilled to the core from the look of her appearance right now) as a reassurance. Almost letting his forehead touch hers, he mumbled, “Thank you.”

She blinked and a tear escaped from her eye. “Why?”

“I know that you were defending me.”

“How do you know?” she mumbled and Max felt the bubble surround them, shutting everything but the two of them out.

“I just know that you would,” Max whispered.

“I don’t think he believed me,” Liz whispered back, another tear creating a wet streak down her cheek.

“I doesn’t matter. I’ll take care of it.”

“How?” Liz questioned again.

“I’ll find a way.”

“I’m so sorry,” and a sob escaped her. “You warned me. Isabel warned me. But I never realized that it might be like this. That I would be protecting your life.”

Max nodded and took a deep breath as he separated himself from her and their bubble. She looked as troubled as he felt as he let space enter between them. “I’ll deal with it. Don’t worry about it.”

She gave a tearful laugh. “I will, you know. I’m worried about you.”

He tried to give her a reassuring smile. He was certain that was not what it looked like when it grazed his lips. “And I’m worried about you.”

“I’m fine,” she whispered and lowered her voice into almost nothingness. “I’m human, there’s nothing they can do to me.”

Max felt a chill slam into him, freezing the blood in his veins at the thoughts of all the things humans would indeed do to other humans to acquire information.

“I hope so,” he answered, not wanting to alarm her or shake her naïve view of the world. Liz was still blissfully unaware that sometimes her rights as an American citizen, an citizen of Earth, were not enough.

Maybe she had felt his chill, maybe she had felt his fear, because she didn’t seem to believe him. “What would they do to me?”

Max shook his head, trying to stop her from thinking similar thoughts to what had plagued him. “It’s okay. Don’t think about it.”

“What would they do, Max?” Liz asked, more forcibly.

“I don’t know,” Max answered truthfully. “But you have to be careful. You can’t show that you know of me in any way. Our paths crossed that day and that’s it.”

“The agent knew that we know each other, I’m sure of it.”

Max stilled. The agent couldn’t know. He let his gaze flicker over her head, momentarily scanning the hallway. As he did he was hit by the absurdity of it, of how quickly his paranoia would kick in. But, paranoia was his middle name. Were they being watched?

“He knew that we had met at the party. He knew that you were Isabel’s brother. He knew of Isabel.”

Max looked at her. Her statement caused him to question what he had told her that week before. “Do you know of Isabel?”

She dropped her eyes and inhaled deeply before looking up at him and lowering her voice, “Before I met you, Isabel told me the same story - of having been found in the desert. She also told me that it was with you. That you were adopted together. It was not that hard to figure out, Max.”

Michael had been right, Max thought and wasn’t sure if he should be happy or devastated. Liz had interpreted the facts correctly.

Before he had a chance to comment on this, Liz added, “Which just gives me even the more reason to protect your secret.”

He relaxed. He had no reason to distrust her. He could feel her sincerity emanating from her in waves.

“Maybe we shouldn’t see each other,” Max said, regretting it the second he voiced it. Not seeing her was the least he wanted. He found himself waiting anxiously for the opportunity to meet with her. But it wasn’t safe. Certainly not now.

He could see his disappointment echo across her countenance. “Because of the agent?”

Max nodded. “It’s not safe. We need to ensure everyone that I was just saving you that night and that you know nothing more of me. That way they’ll leave you alone.”

She was biting her bottom lip and she suddenly looked very vulnerable. Resolutely she started to shake her head. “Yeah, okay. That’s probably the best thing to do.”

“You have my number, right?” Max questioned, ensuring that she knew that it was not his choice to cut her off.

She seemed to get the hint because a small smile fell on her lips as she looked up at him. “Yes.”

“If you need me. For anything. Just call. Okay?”

She let out a relieved breath. “Okay.”

“Just try and act normal. Forget about the agent and he will forget you.”

She nodded, as if his suggestions were starting to make more and more sense. “Okay.”

He let go of her hand and instead cradled her cheek and let his thumb slide slowly across her cheek. Her smooth, soft cheek. A longing rattled through him and he held back a sigh. “Be careful.”

She attempted a smile and nodded. “Yeah. You too.”

“Thank you for telling me,” Max said and let his hand drop.

“Of course,” Liz said softly. “Bye.”

“Bye,” Max said and watched her retreat until she disappeared into the elevator at the end of the hall.

Staying away from Liz Parker was going to be painful.

TBC...

Great parts! This agent is really dangerous! I have as feeling that he isn't going to stop until he gets what he wants. Mass was right about keeping Liz away from Tess. She is very dangerous in a very different way.

Really great parts!

First, Liz did quite well, with the FBI! Even if it looks like he did not believe her, he has no proof at all!

And coming from the raper, who will believe him, without thinking that he did it to win over the FBI of his case?

And Tess! She makes sense, in this story... but when she starts with destiny or so, I hope they will not let her ruin their lives...

Thanks - waiting for more EVE

I don't know if I like Tess or not yet...but I did love the double update!!!

oh, great parts!!!!!!!

Roswelllostcause - Yes, your intuition is correct. The agent is a dangerous one. And Tess? Well, she's Tess… Thank you for the feedback!
Eve (begonia9508) - Well, anyone else might not believe David's story of green lights and mystical forces. To anyone else, he probably would come off as a bit crazy - or at least desperate. But this agent is another thing altogether… And his purpose with getting David to tell him those odd details is not necessarily to get him convicted, but to help the agent catch Max and c:o. Thank you for the feedback!
dreamon - Hihi, glad you liked it Thank you!
saori_1902 - Thank you!

Previously on "Lethal Whispers"…

Following the attack on Liz Parker, David Perkins has spilled the beans about the odd details to the rescue of that Ms. Parker to a Special Agent of the FBI. Tess has made contact with the alien group and Liz has been "interviewed" (interrogated) by the FBI-agent. Liz went to warn Max of the agent's interest in the case and what she perceived as him having a little bit too much curiosity and knowledge of the deviant details to Liz's attack. Max decided that it was best if Liz and he were not seen in public, to throw off suspicions that Liz was in any way connected to Max, hopefully putting her out of harm's way.



CHAPTER 31
Isabel

Tess Harding was an alien.

Just like her brother and Michael. Just like her.

Max had been distant after returning from his rather lengthy absence after answering the knock at the door, so the discussion with Tess had more or less started to ebb out into nothingness. Apparently, Tess didn’t know much more than they did about their origin. Or at least, that’s what she claimed.

Isabel felt like she should distrust Tess, like Max and Michael done so easily, but she had also known Tess from before and had built up a kinship with the girl. And after figuring out who Tess was, there was even more reason to keep Tess in her life; Isabel finally had an alien female friend. Someone who knew what it was like to not be able to tell a boyfriend the reason why the sex was ‘out of this world’ or why she needed to put sweetener into everything. Max and Michael had the same affiliation, only with Tabasco. But she had never discussed sex with them. The mere thought made her cringe.

Maria had shared a detail or two about the sensation of having sex with Michael which had led Isabel to believe that the extraordinary sensations in her sex-life was because of her alien origin and not because of some fantastic sexual capabilities.
But with Tess, there was the possibility of figuring out all these things first-hand. Without the gender issue getting in the way.

That is, if she could trust Tess.

And then there was Liz.

Max had been more annoying than usual, constantly on her case. “How’s Liz?”, “Was Liz at work today?”, “Does she seem okay?”, “Is she acting differently around you?” etc. etc. For some reason, her brother had gotten it into his head that he shouldn’t see Liz for awhile. He was very reluctant to share the reason behind this with his sister. Judging by how distracted Max had become after answering the door in the middle of their meeting with Tess, Isabel had a good guess as to who had been on the other side of the door.

Her brother aside, Michael was also on her case, trying to get her to explain to him why Max hadn’t set up a meeting with Liz yet. Michael wanted to know if he should leave the country, or something. Something that could only be decided once he had met and evaluated Liz Parker.

Isabel sighed and poured the hot coffee into her cup. Why was she always the meddler?

“Hey, Isabel.”

Speak of the devil. Or the human.

Isabel turned and saw Liz in the doorway of the small office kitchen. “Hi, Liz.”

“How are you?”

Isabel smiled. “I’m fine.” Isabel took a close look at Liz as she stepped further into the kitchen area, pulling out an assortment of tea bags to make a choice of flavor. She noted the remnant of the bruise across Liz’s nose and spanning her cheek, which was now a faint yellow color. “Your face is healing up nicely.”

“Yeah,” Liz nodded and gave her a weak smile.

“Have they set a date yet?” A date for the hearing.

Liz shook her head. “No.”

Isabel frowned. Liz was not acting her normal open self. “What’s up?”

Liz’s eyes flickered to her before refocusing on pouring hot water through the tea bag in her cup. “I’m sure Max has told you…”

Isabel almost sighed in exasperation. She was sure that Max had indeed not told her whatever it was Liz thought Max had told his sister. Liz didn’t know Max that well yet. Max was the type that would ‘happily’ keep information from you if there was a risk that it might scare you or harm you in any way. Sometimes Isabel wondered if Max got a kick out of putting all the worries of the world on his own shoulders instead of asking for help.

“I’m sure he hasn’t.” Liz looked up in surprise and Isabel reprimanded herself for her rather testy tone and added, “Sorry.”

Liz responded by closing the door to the small kitchen and Isabel felt an ice-cold hand squeeze her heart. Just a little bit.

What now?

“He hasn’t told you that a special agent from the FBI came to see me?”

The hand squeezed tighter. “No.” Damn you, Max Evans.

Liz frowned. “That’s odd.”

“Tell me, Liz,” Isabel said, a hint of impatience in her strained voice.

“He wanted to know what happened that night. He brought up the…force field Max used.”

Isabel felt faint. “He what?” she whispered.

Liz took a step towards her, concern in her eyes.

I must look ready to keel over, Isabel thought. I certainly feel like doing that.

“David told the agent and I got the feeling that the agent was more inclined to believe David than me.”

“What division was he from?” Isabel croaked.

“He said it was a special branch of the FBI, in Albuquerque.”

“Special,” Isabel murmured and put the coffee cup down. Her hand was shaking too badly to hold it. “They know…”

Liz started shaking her head. “I’m sorry… I thought Max had told you.”

Isabel laughed bitterly. “He probably didn’t want to worry me. That’s Max for you.”

Liz seemed to consider this and then move on. “I think that’s why there’s a delay in setting a date for the hearing. I think this agent is still…investigating.”

“And he mentioned Max specifically?” Isabel felt nauseous.

Liz nodded. “But I didn’t say anything.”

Isabel waved her assuring statement away. “I know you didn’t.”

Liz seemed relieved by this and it suddenly became very clear to Isabel why Max had seemed adamant on keeping his distance from Liz. “He’s protecting you.”

“Sorry?” Liz asked, still staring at her worriedly.

“Max. That’s why he hasn’t contacted you or arranged a meeting with you and the rest of us yet.”

Liz looked confused. And a bit frightened. “A meeting?”

Isabel closed her eyes and shook her head; trying to clear her thoughts. Her palms were sweating and she was having troubles breathing. Their cover was blown. The authorities knew of Max. If Michael found out about this, he wouldn’t even be interested in meeting with Liz. He wouldn’t need to. He would have all the reason to get out of here. To go into hiding. To change identities. How could Max do this? Why would he keep this from them and jeopardize their safety?

There was suddenly a comforting hand on her shoulder and Isabel opened her eyes to see Liz standing in front of her. “Are you okay?”

Of course, she answered her own mental question. Because of her. Because of Liz Parker. If they had to go into hiding, he wouldn’t be able to see Liz. Even now, when he had decided to keep Liz at arm’s length, he could keep tabs on Liz through his sister.

“Thank you for telling me,” Isabel murmured.

“I just thought that Max had told you.”

“It’s okay,” Isabel said. “You couldn’t know.”

Liz was holding concerned warm brown eyes on Isabel’s face and for a moment Isabel felt a sting of sadness. If they went into hiding, Max wouldn’t be the only one to lose Liz. Isabel would too. She had started to consider Liz as a friend and Liz was one of the very few people who knew about her brother even though Liz didn’t know that Isabel shared her brother’s alien origin.

However, considering how Liz had protected them so far, there were high hopes that Liz would accept Isabel as an alien too.

“Maybe you should sit down,” Liz said softly.

“I’m okay. I just need my cup of coffee,” Isabel answered and forced a shaky smile on her lips while trying to control the tremors in her hand enough to lift the coffee cup from the counter.

“Okay,” Liz said quietly.

As Isabel grabbed the door knob to open the door that Liz had just closed, Liz asked behind her, “How’s Max?”

And then there was that. How was Max, really? Miserable. Distant. Aloof. Tormented. Cold. Let’s just say that he hadn’t really been himself since that meeting with Tess. Which was probably the same day that he learnt that Liz had been questioned by a knowledgable agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, that his existence was in danger and that he had to stay away from Liz. No wonder he had been something of a terrible version of his former self.

“He’s fine,” Isabel lied and opened the door.

“Okay,” she heard Liz answer and tried not to feel guilty about lying to Liz. Maybe Liz Parker deserved to know that Max Evans was horrible without her. But Isabel had a feeling that the knowledge would only make things worse.

They would have to leave now. Leave forever. And the less ties they had to cut, the better.
Max

To be completely honest, Max had not expected to have another seizure. He had counted on that the source of the seizures, the threat to Liz’s life, had been averted after David had been arrested.

That’s why it had come as a complete surprise when he, the day before his birthday, felt the coldness sift through his bones; a sign he had learnt to associate with him being on the verge of another premonition.

This time he was seated, at home, when the foreboding hit him and he quickly slid down on his side, positioning his mouth over the edge of the couch. He didn’t have time for more precaution than that before he was pulled into the futuristic world of his vision.


She was restrained in a metal chair, almost completely reclined. Her arms were attached to the armrests via straps and her legs had been made immobile in a similar fashion. They were in an empty room with white glaring laboratory lamps and white walls.

The decoration was sparse, consisting merely of the chair and a metal table on wheels. Plus Liz, restrained against her will in that chair which could only be likened to the Frankenstein version of a dentist chair.

She was crying.

He was walking up to her as a door opened somewhere behind him and was reaching for her hand (she was moving her hands up and down at the wrists, hoping that the movement might loosen the restraints) as he spun around and saw two men enter.

“Let me go, please,” Liz sobbed. “I’ve told you everything I know. Please.”

“Now now, Ms. Parker,” one of the men said. He was dressed in black, with a white shirt and black tie, in stark contrast to his reddish hair. “This won’t hurt a bit. And after I get what I need, I’ll let you go.”

“I’ve told you everything already,” Liz continued and Max turned back to her, her sobs tearing into his heart.

He grabbed for her hand, but his hand went straight through hers.

“This is the doctor that will assist us today,” the man in black gestured towards the other man in the room. To the man in a white lab coat and white hair.

“I will report you,” Liz threatened, her voice gathering strength through the tears. “This is against my rights. You can’t keep me like this. You can’t treat me this way.”

“You are correct, Ms. Parker,” the red-haired man replied. “Which is why the good doctor here has brought something that will help you forget. You’ll wake up at home in your bed none the wiser.”

“You bastard,” Liz sobbed and struggled against the restraints. “I will remember. I will remember.”

The man smiled. “I’m pretty positive you won’t. This is great stuff. Excellent at causing both retrograde and anterograde amnesia.” The man nodded to the doctor. “Proceed, doctor.”

The doctor nodded and stepped up to Liz with a syringe.

“What’s that?” Liz asked fearfully as the doctor picked up the IV-line connected to the cephalic vein of Liz’s left hand.

“Well, I guess the colloquial term would be ‘truth serum’. This is the refined version of hypnotics - something that the Army has been working on - that has a much higher degree of…success.”

“Leave her alone!” Max yelled at the man, even though he knew that he couldn’t affect anything.

“To you, Ms. Parker, it will just be a pleasant high,” the man continued as if Max was merely air. Which he was.

But just as the doctor started to inject the serum into the IV-port, Liz turned her head and stared straight into Max’s eyes. Max froze. Can you see me?

Before he had a chance to question it further, Liz said in a tearless strong voice, “Stop him, Max. Stop him.”


And he was thrown out of the premonition, coming to on the living room floor. He barely had time to register what had just happened before his cell phone started vibrating in his pocket.

He wiped the saliva from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand as he pulled the phone out of his pocket. As he brought it toward his face, his eyes froze on the Caller ID.

Liz Parker.


TBC...

Oh boy Liz is still in danger! Now did Liz just have the same vision as Max and see him in it with her?

Great chapter!!!! Please please please please please please please please come back and post more really really really really soon? I can't wait to read what will happen next for Max and Liz. Wow I can't believe Max didn't tell the others what Liz told him. I can understand Max wanting to protect Liz, Michael and Isabel. I'm glad Liz is so worried about Max and Isabel. I think that makes Liz a great friend to be concerned about Max and Isabel. Oh god the vision Max had was really very scary. I hope Max can stop the vision from happening. Did Liz have the same vision as Max? What will Max and Liz say to each other? Will Liz tell Max about talking to Isabel? Will Max and Liz see each other? Will Max and Liz meet up? Will Liz find out about Isabel, Michael and Tess? Will Max and Liz fall for each other? Will Max and Liz kiss? Will Max and Liz admit their feelings? Will Max, Isabel and Michael go on the run? Will Max take Liz with him? Will Liz go with Max? Will Max try and stay hidden? Will Max be able to protect Liz from the FBI? Will Max save Liz from the FBI? Will Max, Liz, Isabel and Michael be safe? So sorry for the questions but I was just wondering. Please please please please please please please please come back and post more really really really really soon? I can't wait to read what will happen next for Max and Liz.

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