Roswell Fanatics

~Trevor~

I sighed as I walked through the house and into my room. ~Damn it, he should have responded by now. ~ I thought to myself as I locked the door behind me and moved to settle down on my bed. I was determined to try again, to try and get through to him.

I felt a bolt of pain shoot through me and hoped that it didn't mean what I thought, but instantly I realized it did. Michael, please answer me. I need to know where you are so I can help you.

Maybe he didn't understand this power, maybe he wasn't conscious. All those questions ran through his mind as he shook his head. He was supposed to meet the others at the movies, but he might not make it. Concentrate Michael, I know you can do it. My name is Trevor. I was determined to reach him as I spoke for a second time, sending my thoughts to him.

<center>~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Cameron ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~</center>

“That’s what I’m trying to do,” Adam says as he brings a friendly arm around my shoulders and then brings his other arm around Isabel’s. “We’ll find him, and we’ll have some fun too.”

I give him a playful nudge in return. “Hey, not all of us have the luck of not having bruises all over their legs. You know, some of us got knocked around a little bit.” I lean down and pick up a pant leg to show a bruise that is nicely forming on my calf. “I really don’t feel like trying to explain that one to anyone that might see it. ‘Oh, it was nothing. Some men wearing black knocked me around a bit and this is my little souvenir. Nice, huh!’ And even if I covered it up by a ‘I fell down the stairs’ type of excuse, people might start thinking that I’m getting physically abused by someone.” I bring my jeans down and back into place as I look over at him. “Yeah, Adam. That would really be blending in.”

*Come on, you guys. It's still hot out here. I'm melting like a popsicle,* I send to my cousins, making sure that the joking quality of the message gets through to them.

*A popsicle sounds good,* I hear Adam's voice in my head and I grin as I look back at him, seeing Isabel smile.

*Then maybe we should think about finding a place that has one when we start looking around this town. You in for a popsicle, Iz?*

*Kyle*

"Maybe we should check out the new neighbors..." Max suggests.

I shrug. I was expecting some more 'alien' plan to find this Michael person, but I agree that the four new families do seem more than a bit suspicious. Especially with them coming the same night that they started 'hearing' about Michael.

"Well, that's just one block over," I say although we all are aware of that. We head in that direction and I ask. "Do you think they had anything to do with this guy we're looking for?"

"I don't know," Max says. "They could be government, military or F.B.I., so be careful."

"I thought she said they were our age," I remind him sounding puzzled. "How could they be agents?"

Max smiles slightly. "To Mrs. C., anyone under 30 is 'about our age.' And do you really think there'd be four families of teenagers with no parents around? Let's go check them out."

I nod, realizing he has a point. They're probably more like early twenty -- newlyweds. Although how they had all that money for the houses is still a great question.

As we turn the corner, I can see the set of four houses that I knew were empty only last week. I don't think there's another group on this street, so these have to be them. And right outside on the public walk, I see a group of teenagers. "Maybe Mrs. C. was right," I say, quietly enough that only Max, Maria, Alex and Tess can hear.

Max is already stepping ahead, looking completely casual and unconcerned. How does he do that? I wonder, not for the first time. I know he's spent his whole life trying to fit in and pretending there were no deep concerns on his mind, but I still find it amazing to see.

~*~*~*~

*Max*

Approaching the newcomers, I count two girls and a boy so far. All of them seem to be between sixteen and eighteen. They're definately not people I've seen here before. I don't know which house they're from, but I suppose I soon will.

"Hi everyone. You must be the new neighbors. Great to meet you. I hope you like it here," I say, giving an open and friendly smile. I gesture to myself and my friends as I make the introductions. "My name is Max and this is Maria, Kyle, Tess, and Alex."

it sucks, but I wanted to add something. sorry for missing the opening earlier Is

~*TESS*~

Although apprehensive I follow along when Kyle and Max head off towards where Mrs. Cleveland indicated. I stick right behind them though and I'm ready if there is any sign of trouble. There is a brief discussion about whether or not the new imports are FBI, and then on their relative age.
The more we talk, the more worried I become, and the residual headache from the earlier flashes doesn't help a bit. Alex notices that I'm a little pale and gallantly offers his arm and I take it, both for support and reassurance.

As we turn the corner there is a group of people about our age standing in front of one of the recently sold (or is it bought?) houses.

Kyle says Maybe Mrs. C. was right in an undertone, and from the corner of my eye I see Alex nodding.

Max steps forward, cool and confident and smiling makes introductions.
We all smile and kind of wave when he names us so they can tell the difference.
Trying not to be obvious we check them out, wondering who is Michael. None of them look in pain, but that doesn't preclude them automatically. Kyle proved in the all-state championship that one can be in pain and still appear fine. To this day it's a legend how he caught the winning touchdown with a sprained wrist and three bones in his thumb broken.

I look with interest at the boy in shorts, wondering if he is another one of us, and wondering what he is like. He's kind of cute- even if his legs already peg him as someone new to the area. I wonder if he is dating one of those girls- I mean he does have his arm around them. Stopping that train of thought before it leaves the station I realise that maybe I should be helping Max welcome my new neighbours- after all I'm the one who'll be living down the street from them.

"I live just around the corner- over that way. Did you just move in?"

<center>~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Cameron ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~</center>

I was just starting to get a little more comfortable in my new surroundings, even though the heat feels so oppressive when a group of teenagers, most likely from the neighborhood start walking over to us. It didn’t take much for my guard to come up. My smile slowly fell as I watched them come closer.

*We’ve got company.* I send to my cousins, letting them know, even those who have yet to come outside. I already got separated from one of my friends—one of my family—and I’m not going to be separated from any more of them if I can keep it from happening.

*Be nice.*

*I’m always nice, Adam.*

*Yeah. Sure you are.*

*Your sarcasm is appreciated.*

“Hi everyone. You must be the new neighbors. Great to meet you. I hope you like it here. My name is Max, and this is Maria, Kyle, Tess, and Alex,” he said the last part gesturing to his friends, and I wonder if he’s going to let anyone say anything now. He just kept on with his introduction, not letting anyone else get in a word.

I don’t know how I feel about him yet. His smile appears to be genuine, but a smile is very easy to fake. I look down the block from where they were walking. Do they all live here?

And just as I think that one of the two girls, Tess, I think, answers my unspoken question, “I live just around the corner—over that way. Did you just move in?”

“Yeah. We did,” I say answering the last question. I separate myself from Adam’s side and take a step forward, putting myself between my cousins and the strangers. “And hi. I’m Cameron. This is Isabel and Adam,” I say with a light, friendly smile. So we know that Tess lives near here, but where are do the others live?

“Do the rest of you guys live around here?” I ask as I hook my thumbs into the back pockets of my jeans. At least I didn’t cross my arms across my chest. Then I’d look defensive, and I don’t want to do that.

*Max*

I do my best to hide my reaction as the girl introduces herself as Isabel. *That's what Michael said. Ron and Isabel,* I repeat to Tess and Maria.

Or maybe he said 'Run Isabel'? It wasn't all that clear....

It could be a coincidence. This could be another Isabel. Of course, she did appear right here the same time Michael turned up in our heads so that makes TWO co-incidents. That seems rather unlikely.

"Well, not exactly in this neighborhood, but not too far away," I admit. "We've been friends for a long time. What brings all of you to the area? Are you brother and sisters?"

.

<center>~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Cameron ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~</center>

“Well, not exactly in this neighborhood, but not too far away,” he says as he smiles again. It’s a nice smile, I’ll admit, but there’s something else there. I noticed the way that they shifted, and started taking sideways glances at each other after I introduced Isabel.

*Something’s going on with them. Be careful Isabel. It started after they heard your name.*

“ . . . brings all of you to this area? Are you brothers and sisters?”

“Oh, we’re not siblings, but we’re just as close. Cousins,” I supply, answering the second answer first. “And we’re here on business,” I say and then laugh at how that sounds. “Sorry. That probably sounds crazy. We’re not here on business,” I say as I gesture at the three of us. “Our parents are,” I clarify with a nod and another smile. If he can continue to smile, I can as well. “We kinda had to come with.”

“But I think we’re making the best out of things,” Adam adds as he comes up to drape his arm around my shoulders again.

I smile up at him before adding, *Remind me to thank Aunt Morgana for planning on opening a store in Roswell. It is a great cover story.*

“That we are,” I say. “Hey, speaking of making the best out of things, what’s there to do around here? We were thinking about looking around and trying to find our way around Roswell.”

*Michael*

I see the sheriff's hand tense but there's no time to respond. The metal leads shoot across the short distance between us and I'm instantly writhing on the cot as I lean against the wall. My muscles contract, against my will, until I fall into a semi-fetal position on the cot.

When it stops at last, I can't move. My breathing is hard and fast, my eyes open, but not focusing on anything.

I hear the sheriff shouting again, but it's only noise. It takes a good five seconds before my brain can process the sounds into words. ... "Don't try and fool me boy! You or one of your kind did this. One of your kind killed these people and I aim to find out everything."

He was furious, I could tell, but I couldn't even move. There was no way I could answer him. Even if I could, my denials would only make him hurt me again. My blood ran cold as I heard his next words. "Bring in the test kits."

I tried to close my eyes, but even that seemed to be too difficult. I needed to get out of here. I need to escape, but I haven't any idea how. Even if I could move and use my powers, I couldn't get out of here without killing these people. And then, if I used my powers to open the lock, what then? I know I'm being watched and I haven't the faintest idea which would be the way to get out of here...

But none of that mattered. I couldn't move, couldn't speak, and definately couldn't use my powers. Not yet. I had a feeling I wouldn't be given much time to recover, either...

Michael, please answer me. I need ... so I can help you. Concentrate Michael, I know you can do it. My name is Trevor.

Answer him? Concentrate? How? I can barely think...

*~*~*~*~*~*

*Max*

“What’s there to do around here? We were thinking about looking around and trying to find our way around Roswell," Cameron asks.

I shrug, "Well, there's the mall and the movies and the arcade," I start, not sure what sort of thing she's looking for. "If you want the touristy stuff, there's the UFO Center and loads of tours, the Crashdown diner. We hang out at the Crashdown a lot," I add. "There's a couple clubs but you'll need ID to get in," I say with a grin. We've occassionally faked ID to get into the clubs but I don't know if they're into that.

I'm about to mention the occassional Raves at the old Soap Factory when suddenly I'm hit by a wave of intense pain. I grab onto Tess's arm, using her to support myself even as I support her. It's clear that she's feeling it, too. It has to be Michael.

Looking at Cameron and Isabel, I decide to go out on a limb. "Do you know someone named Ron?" I ask. I'll ask about Michael in a moment.

.

Hiya Kat! To say that your presence was missed would be quite the understatement.

<center>~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Cameron ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~</center>

Max starts saying what there is to do around here, but then he gets cut off by . . . something. I don’t really know what it was. It looked like a sudden wave of pain. And he wasn’t the only one to feel it. Both he and Tess faltered as they reached for one another to steady themselves.

“Do you know someone named Ron?” Max asks first looking at me and then and Izzy.

I turn to look at her myself and at Adam, *Do you have any idea what brought that on? Or that question? It seemed kinda—*

*Random? Yeah,* Adam says as he completes my thought.

*We better answer before they suspect something,* Iz says, shaking her head to make it look like she didn’t know anyone named Ron.

“Sorry. We don’t know anyone by that name. Is he someone from here? ‘Cause you guys are the only people we’ve really met from Roswell.”

Tess didn't look like she recovered from whatever it was that happened, and I find that I can’t keep myself quiet about it any longer. “Are you okay, Tess?” I ask concerned for her. “Do you want to sit down somewhere? There’s a porch swing on my porch just over there,” I say as I gesture over to my porch just a ways down the street, “and it’s shaded, so you can get out of the sun.”

~*TESS*~

These guys seem friendly enough. They don't seem like Feds, she smiled which I've never seen any agent of the government do.

Cameron, Adam and Isabel. I can remember those names. .
*That's what Michael said. Ron and Isabel,*

I can't help but look sideways at him when I realize the implications of this. and I ponder it for a second- trying to work out what it means, determinedly not looking back to where Kyle, Alex and Maria are standing slightly behind us.

I tune back into the conversation just in time to hear that they're cousins., about which I'm a little too glad. Just because Adam is cute... I give myself several mental shakes and I'm about to chime in telling them about Roswell when the blinding eye pain starts again. Max grabs my arm and I know he is feeling it too, I hold on, willing myself to stay upright and I feel Kyle's hand in the small of my back, also helping me, letting me know he's there if I need him.

I feel Michael again, the pain is sharp and urgent. I feel his fear and hopelessness.

The light hurts my eyes as I open them to see Isabel shaking her head, and Cameron answers but I have to strain to hear her over the ringing in my ears. Michael is in a lot of pain, wherever he is and I'm beginning to worry a bit. I have no control over this connection and Michael is obviously in danger.

The ringing abates a bit and I hear Cameron ask while looking at me Do you want to sit down somewhere? There’s a porch swing on my porch just over there, and it’s shaded, so you can get out of the sun.”

*Max? do you think it's ok?*

Hoping to give Max time to figure out if this is safe I say outloud "That's very kind, but I wouldn't want to impose. Are you sure you don't mind? I had a really strenous workout and I probably didn't realize how hot it was. I'm probably just a little dehydrated or something"