Roswell Fanatics

Title: Malign: Part 2
Author: Chad
Disclaimer: The characters of Roswell do not belong to me. No infringement intended.
Rating/Category: AU/ML/Adult
Summary:

Welcome back to the 23rd century. Things have changed.

Beware of Maligns:

Maligns are extremely dangerous and harmful creatures. Though they have the ability to appear human in form, do not be fooled by this mask of humanity they wear. These highly dangerous creatures are far from humane. They are clever, cunning, and deadly. They will kill without remorse or regret. They are masters of deception that possess abilities meant to aid them in their trickery. Because they lack any and all true visceral emotions, Maligns are to be treated as less than living, and therefore are to be terminated on sight. If you suspect someone of being one of these creatures, contact your local authorities immediately and stay far away.

Be wary. Be cautious. Be careful.

The Year is 2230.
It has been twenty years since former MD Lieutenant Dover Blackwell discovered a small malign boy inside of Lacebark Cave.
Twenty years since he freed that boy.
Twenty years since he brought that boy home to live with him.
Twenty years since he gave up his job to protect that boy’s secret.

...Ten years since he disappeared.

Author’s Note: Quotations in italics are being spoken mentally. If you have not yet read Part 1 of Malign, please do so first, or else this will make very little sense to you. Malign: Part 1

Glossary
(Will be added to as the story progresses. Bold definitions have changed or expanded in their original meaning)

– Human Terminology –
Ber-kit: A derogatory name used by male MDs on female operatives. A play on the words ‘berserk’ and ‘kitten’ meant to show the contrast between a woman’s natural femininity and brutality.
Chips: A form of money.
D-Mac: Extremely hazardous explosives
Domicile: A house.
Doughboys: The lead group of MDs in charge of hunting down and killing Maligns. MDs among the most highly trained men and the best equipped to deal with Maligns.
Lavatory: A bathroom
Litter: A mode of transportation. A littler is an automobile that is used for transportation. Instead of being driven it is equip with a computer for which a course is plotted and a person(s) inside of the litter is/are taken to their desired destination.
Maligns: What humans refer to aliens as. Maligns are very powerful and have the ability to mask themselves as humans.
Malign Disposer (MDs): The group of men that hunt down, kill and capture maligns.
Malign Researchers (MRs): A group of scientist that study the genetic makeup of maligns, as well as the effect of Toxin
Toxic Exposure: When a person is infected with Toxin.
Toxin: A poison chemical Maligns give off in order to breach the gap between their species and humans. This agent allows maligns to masquerade as humans.

– Alien Terminology –
Antar: An alien planet, located in the Whirlwind Galaxy. Destroyed thirty years ago.
Al’ights: (Ah-lights) The species of humanoids that once dwelled on Antar.
Ai: (I-ee) An affectionate nickname given to the Prince of Antar.
Ai’Dayn: (I-ee-day-in) An Al’ight name, meaning “Little Prince”
Ai’Zan: (I-ee-zi-an) An Al’ight name, meaning “First Prince”
Gith: The general language spoken by most Al’ights.
Le’Tetra: An Al’ight name for Earth, meaning “Sacred Planet”
Rath: An Al’ight title, meaning “Warrior”


Part 2:

Chapter One

Outer Le’Tetra: Just inside of the Milky Way Galaxy ~2230~

Le’Tetra was a strikingly beautiful planet.

Earth.

That’s what the humans called it.

Ai’Dayn watched the swirls of blues, greens, whites, and browns, as they merged together inside of the planet before him. The sight was very appealing to the easily enthralled eyes of an adolescent Al’ight male. Of course, the eyes of the Al’ight were drawn to beautiful things. The young male Al’ight specifically, was more easily mesmerized by pulchritude than the young females of their species. Therefore, it was considered a great accomplishment for one to have mastered disregarding the enthrallment of beauty.

Ai’Dayn had mastered it long ago.

Nevertheless, as he stood at the window of his temporary home on Base 9, he did not bother with trying to fight the allurement of Earth’s magnificence. Contrarily, Ai’Dayn let his pupils dilate fully, until they completely overtook the whites of his eyes. He watched the planet known as Earth, silently letting the sight of its gorgeous mix of colors capture his attention completely.

Le’Tetra’s colors were beautiful, complementing each other nicely, and blending well together. They were nothing like the harsh reds, oranges, and blacks that were all that remained of his planet. The brutal tones of blood. The austere colors of death. But even in all its glory, Earth was nothing like what Antar had once been. Not in size or beauty, nor power or prominence.

It had been thirty years since the fall of his planet. How peculiar it was to have such memories of a place he’d never even seen. Though Ai’Dayn had not yet been born during the time of Antar’s fall, he was infused with the memories of what his planet had once been. A gift given to him by his father, as he lay dying a mere fourteen years after Antar’s destruction. Ai’Dayn had barely been two years old. After his father’s death, his mother had survived long enough to bestow upon him her precious memories of their home as well. Then she had gone to join his father in the Evermore. The place where Al’ight sprits found their final rest.

Though Le’Tetra was nothing like the memories of Antar he possessed from his parents, Ai’Dayn was very much impressed by the world he saw before him. Earth could not compare to the former beauty of Antar, but this planet did posses something his did not.

The coveted ability to restore Antar to its former state.

Did the species colonizing this planet know of the trove they inhabited? Were they cognizant of the wonderful gift they had been given in being allowed to occupy this heavenly world?

Ai’Dayn doubted it.

He was young still. A mere sixteen years old. But he’d spent most of his short life studying the nature of humans: how they moved, how they lived, how they thought. For the most part, they still remained a mystery to him. However, in his studies, Ai’Dayn had been able to come to one conclusion.

Though they were not all that different in form from the Al’ight species, humans were a selfish creature, rarely thinking of anything aside from their own comforts and needs. They valued the individual self over the community as a whole. Unlike the Al’ight, considering the “I” before the “We”.

Ai’Dayn silently wondered what it would be like to live among these beings. How much different were they truly from his people? Alas, that was something he would never know.

Since the fall, and following destruction of Antar, the Al’ight had been broken up into ten small sectors, and scattered throughout the Milky Way and Whirlwind galaxies. This had been done to spare the survivors the pain and suffering of being enslaved by nearby races. As Prince to the now defunct Antarian throne, and the only surviving member of the Royal House of Antar, Ai’Dayn was prohibited from leaving his home on Base 9, until the day he could return to his true home. Their numbers were small. Not many people had survived the fall of their beloved planet, but they would not remain a lost people forever. With the help of Le’Tetra, Ai’Dayn had faith that Antar would one day soon return to its former glory.

“My prince?”

A strong voice called to Ai’Dayn inside his head, drawing his attention away from the inner musings of his thoughts. The voice belonged to Shay La’Rul. A strange combination of father and older brother, Shay had been his guardian and protector from the moment of Ai’Dayn’s birth.

Ai’Dayn’s first inclination was to ignore La’Rul, but he knew doing so would not stop the man from pestering him until he answered. “What is it, La’Rul?” he responded. Though it was not required that he speak the words out loud. Ai’Dayn preferred this method of contact to the more intimate fashion of mental communication. Frankly, he liked the sound of no one’s voice inside of his head, save for his own.

“You are being called upon,” La’Rul told him.

“By whom?” he asked.

La’Rul did not answer his question. “You’ll speak to me properly, or not at all, Ai.” Unlike Ai’Dayn, La’Rul preferred mental communication to audio. As the former Rath of the fallen Royal House, he lived his life in a constant state of what most would say was paranoia, but he claimed was unremitting anticipation. His motto: Always expect to be betrayed.

Ai’Dayn sighed. “By whom am I being summoned, La’Rul?” he asked mentally.

“By The Al’ight Council, Ai’Dayn. They want to see you right away.”

Ai’Dayn frowned at this information. The Al’ight Council? They had never summoned him before. In fact, for the sake of his own safety, Ai’Dayn was to have as little contact with them as possible. It was imperative that no one, not even the Lords of Al’ight, know the exact location of the remaining Antarian heir. Ai’Dayn groaned inwardly, not caring that La’Rul could hear the sound as clearly as if he had made the noise out loud. Why did the Council want him?

“I am not your messenger, Ai.” La’Rul said, reading Ai’Dayn’s thoughts easily. “Come.”

“But what do they want?” Ai’Dayn asked.

La’Rul’s answer was simple, if not somewhat impertinent. “You.” With that one word explanation, he broke their mental connection.

With a groan of annoyance, Ai’Dayn sucked up his agitation, and headed for the assembly room.

The assembly hall on the deck of Base 9 was a large room with no doors or windows. There was only one way in or out of it. One had to be marked on the hand with an exclusive seal that granted the person special access to the room, via the seal activation teleportation device, located just outside of the room. There were only two people on Base 9 that possessed that seal.

Ai’Dayn and Shay La’Rul.

Despite the restricted access, the room’s interior was nothing spectacular. The circular room was all but empty, aside from nine pedestals spaced around the wall, and one large plinth located in the center of the room. In front of the center plinth, there were two metallic silver Wingback chairs that rose up about ten feet above the ground.

La’Rul was already waiting for him in one of the Wingback chairs when Ai’Dayn entered the room. As he approached his guardian, Ai’Dayn was overcome by the same disturbing sensation that always overwhelmed him whenever he entered the assembly hall. He wasn’t quite sure what it was, but something about this room always gave him a bad feeling.

“You’re late,” La’Rul said once Ai’Dayn reached his side.

“I came, just as you asked me,” Ai’Dayn answered defensively. He didn’t much feel like arguing with La’Rul today. Especially since the man seemed to be in a particularly foul mood of late. Then again, La’Rul was always in a foul mood.

Shay La’Rul, The Rath of Antar, was an intense looking man who never laughed and rarely smiled. He had shoulder length brown hair, which he always wore tied away from his face, and eyes a base color of brown. However, like most of the Al’ight, they varied in color, depending upon his change in mood, or level of enthrallment. Right now they were a deep shade of ash gray, reflecting the metallic light of the room.

Though he was more than forty years Ai’Dayn’s senior, La’Rul did not appear more than ten years older than the boy. An affect of the prime virility he maintained as the Rath of Antar. It was said that a viral Rath could retain his youth for more than one hundred years before he began to feel the effects of ageing. Ai’Dayn did not know if that were true or not, but as far as he could tell, Shay had not shown any signs of having aged past his prime.

“Do you know what they seek?” Ai’Dayn asked before taking his seat.

La’Rul shrugged. “I know not.”

Somehow, Ai’Dayn found that hard to believe.

Placing his hand on the center of the plinth, La’Rul closed his eyes, and waited. One by one, the nine pedestals around the room began to glow with light, as a transparent image of each of the respective lords of Antar appeared within the room.

“Greetings, My Lords of the Royal House of Antar,” La’Rul greeted them formally.

“Greetings, My Lord Rath,” they all answered simultaneous.

The Rath glared sharply at Ai’Dayn, when he failed to immediately greet the lords properly. “Ai,” he whispered warningly under his breath.

“Greetings, My Lords of the Royal House of Antar,” Ai’Dayn repeated Shay’s greeting dully.

“Greetings My Royal Prince, Heir to the Royal House of Antar,” The Lords answered formally.

With the introductions made, Ai’Dayn sat back lazily in his chair, preparing himself to be board out of his mind.

“Let us speak in the way of our noble blood brothers,” one of the Lords suggested. They all agreed silently.

Ai’Dayn groaned low in his throat. Now there would be no blocking out the sound of the old men’s voices from his head, as they droned on about their business.

“Sit up!” La’Rul’s voice ordered sharply in his head, speaking on a mental frequency that could only be heard between the two of them.

Knowing not to test La’Rul when he used that tone of voice, Ai’Dayn sat up straight in his chair. “They are tedious,” he complained privately to his guardian.

“They are wise, and you will listen to what they have to say,” La’Rul ordered.

“Shay, please don’t make me.”

“Stop acting like a child, Ai, and start acting like a prince.”

“A bored prince,” he complained.

“A spoiled prince,” La’Rul returned.

Unaware of the private conversation taking place between prince and guardian, one of the Lords began to speak. “My Lords, today we are gathered here to discuss business of the most urgent importance.”

“Yes, we have waited for this day for a long time,” another cut in.

“A glorious day for our people!”

“A time to rejoice!”

The sound of La’Rul’s mental voice broke up the Lord’s exuberant exclamations. “My Lords, are we to sit here and praise our good fortune, or are you to tell us what it is?” he asked.

Ai’Dayn bit back a laugh.

“Yes, My Lord Rath is right,” The same Lord that had initially spoken began to speak again. “Today we have received word from the emissaries we dispatched on to Le’Tetra. They have sent us confirmation that they have finally located the heart.”

For a moment, neither Shay nor Ai’Dayn could speak a word, mentally or otherwise. Even if they had been able to find their voices, there were truly no words to describe the joy the words of the Lord’s had caused within them. Silently, they basked in the wonder of this information they had just received.

The Heart of Le’Tetra had finally been found. After thirty years of searching, the ever pulsing planetary heartbeat that possessed the power to bring a once dying planet back to life, had finally been located.

“But that is not the only news we have to deliver this day.” One of the Lords’s continued.

La’Rul was the first to recover from the shock of hearing that they had finally found the heart of Le’Tetra. “By all means, my Lord, please continue.” he told them. However, Ai’Dayn was still firmly shell-shocked in his seat.

“Yes my Lord Rath. You see, not only has the heart of Le’Tetra been discovered. We have been informed that our emissary has also found evidence that not all the pods we dispatched to the planet have been destroyed as we originally assumed.”

“What are you saying my Lord?” La’Rul asked knowingly.

“We are saying, my Lord, that we now have reason to believe Prince Ai’Zan is still alive.”

If La’Rul and Ai’Dayn had been shocked before, they were completely dumbfounded now. Long ago, in its very first attempt to dispatch emissaries for the heart of Le’Tetra, The Royal Council had sent to Earth a group of secret retrievers whose job was to locate the heart, along with the unborn fetus of the first prince of Antar, Ai’Zan.

Only a prince of Antar had the power to unlock the power in the heart needed to revive their planet. However, shortly after their arrival, the group had been discovered by the humans, and one by one, they’d been assassinated. Antar had never received word of what had become of the First Prince, but it had been assumed that he too had been killed with the rest of the ambassadors. It was why it was so important that the current prince remain safe at all time. He was quiet literally their planet’s only hope.

But that was all about to change. If the first prince was still alive, not only did that mean there was still a chance to harness the heart’s power without having to actually bring it back to Base 9, it meant there was a chance that another all important figurehead of the Al’ight race was still alive. It was a hope the people desperately needed in a time that was bleak with despair.

Ai’Dayn was more speechless than he’d ever been in all of his life. He’d lived his entire life as Antar’s only hope. He had no real family, aside from La’Rul, and relatively no friends. Now there was the possibility that the first prince, thought so long dead, was still alive. And if that were true it only meant one thing to Ai”Dayn.

He had a brother.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Plat City, New Mexico: MD Training Grounds ~2230~

“God damn it, Stephenson, focus! If that’s how you shoot, you’re gonna find yourself real dead real quick. Now pull it together, you stupid piece of shit, or get the hell off of my training field!”

It was a hot day in New Mexico, just like most every other day before it had been. But the sun seemed to be beaming particularly bright today. It baked down on the men mercilessly as they stood out under it. Even the early morning hour hadn’t stopped them from having to face the sun’s angry wrath. Nor could they escape the angry wrath of their very pissed off captain.

Adder Watson, Captain of MD Squadron B6/214, informally known as the Doughboys, was pissed off for several different reasons. Number one: He was overworked and underpaid. That pissed him off. Number two: In the last four days, he hadn’t gotten even close to the amount of sleep the human body required to function properly. That pissed him off. Number three, and probably the most important reason to be pissed off of all the reasons to be pissed off that there were: he wasn’t getting any.

That really pissed him off.

Lieutenant 209, Officer Kyle Valenti, one of the newest members of Squadron B6/214, elbowed his training partner in the side. “Hey, fifty chips say Cap hasn’t gotten laid in at least a month,” he whispered quietly under his breath.

The words had barely gotten out of his mouth, when Captain Watson came storming past Kyle and his partner, shouting at the top of his lungs. “Straighten out that damn weapon, Holloman. The objective of this exercise is to teach you how to kill maligns, not show you how to shoot their fucking balls off!” Adder yelled loud enough from down the line of men for every one of them to hear him clearly.

Kyle’s partner, Lieutenant 210, laughed as he finished loading his weapon. He took three clean shots at the target set up fifty feet across the training field from them, then turned back to face Kyle. “Don’t let Cap hear you say that. You want to end up on pit duty again?”

Kyle made a disgusted face. The idea off spending his non-training days cleaning malign guts out of the MR research labs was not appealing to him.

“And just what the hell are you too ladybirds chirping about?” Adder asked, appearing suddenly behind them.

Kyle almost jumped out of his skin. “Nothing sir,” he responded just a little too quickly. “Just focusing on the target.” Kyle aimed his weapon and fired off two shots in the direction of the target in front of him.

“Actually sir, Kyle here was just telling me how much he enjoys being on pit duty,” Lieutenant 210 answered contradictorily.

Adder smirked. Oh he was well aware of the fact that both men were blowing steaming hot smoke up his ass. Still, it was the first time he had smiled in he wasn’t sure how long. Since he’d brought his team out on the field for training at four in the fucking morning, nobody had been in a good mood. So he had to give the men points for keeping him entertained. “Is that right, Valenti?” Adder looked down at the young man standing in front of him. He still couldn’t get over how much this Valenti kid looked like Jimmy.

Kyle took a second to glare at his partner, but quickly turned his attention back to his captain. “Actually sir, I–”

Lieutenant 210 cut him off yet again. “Yes sir, Kyle loves pit duty. He says it gives him time to reflect on the truly important things in life. Ain’t that right, Kyle?”

Before Kyle could protest, the captain started to speak again. “Well then Valenti, have at it,” Cap said, giving Kyle a painful pat on the shoulders. “And never let it be said that I denied any of my man one of their greatest passion.” Adder winked at both of them before moving down the line to yell at another man.

Kyle waited until Adder was a good distance away from them before he punched his partner hard on the shoulder. “What the hell was that?” he asked.

His partner shrugged, then rubbed his sore shoulder. “I guess I owe you fifty chips.”

“More like you owe me one round of freaking pit duty,” Kyle bit out angrily between his teeth.

Lieutenant 210 just smiled at him, unmoved by his friend’s obvious anger. “Actually, Cap already put me on pit duty this week. I just needed someone there to keep me company.”

Kyle continued to glare at his partner, but he couldn’t help the smile that formed on his lips as he did so. “You sneaky son of a bi–”

“Alright, cease fire, boys. Let’s see how you did.” Cap called out to the men.

All at once the men stopped firing their weapons. At the press of a button from a remote controlled device in Adder’s hand, the targets were conveyed in to each man. “Line them up boys,” Adder ordered. He then began making his way down the line, meticulously checking every man’s target. “I’m checking for headshot, and gut shots. No maims, no wounds. I want to see some clean kills, boys.” Adder stopped when he reached Kyle’s target. “Hmm, nice work Valenti. Since your target no longer has a head. I’m gonna assume you got the job done.”

Kyle smiled proudly.

Adder continued down the line, checking targets as he went. “Nice work. Good job. Clean those shots up, Stephenson. Straight in straight out.” He stopped short when he reached the last target. “What the hell is this?” he asked scowling down at it. “Whose target it this?”

Kyle’s partner stepped forward. “It’s mine.”

Adder looked at the young man, then back to the target. “There is not one fatal shoot on this target, son. You care to explain that to me?”

Lieutenant 210 shrugged. “Dead men tell no tales, sir.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“It means sir, if I come across a malign located fifty feet away from me, and I blow his fucking head off, as Lieutenant Valenti so hastily did, I won’t have a very good chance at finding out what the hell he was doing there.”

A few of the men chuckled underneath their breath. Kyle wasn’t one of them.

Adder continued to examine the target. He folded his arms across his chest and sighed. “You’re a smartass aren’t you kid?”

“With all due respect sir, it’s much better than being a dumbass.”

Adder smiled, and this time it was genuinely pleased. “Rank and name D-boy?” he asked.

The Lieutenant straightened his shoulders looking unwaveringly into Adder’s eyes. “Lieutenant 210, Officer Evans,” He answered. “Max Evans.”

Adder looked down at the officer, feeling just a little bit better than he initially had this morning. Even though he was still overworked, underpaid, and undersexed.

“Well Lieutenant Evans,” Adder smiled. “I think I like you.”

TBC

Natalie36
destinyc
BlueStar8
DMartinez
Flamehair
mirae01
thetvgeneral

Oh Snap crackle pop you guys ! I forgot to do the recap of Part One I promised to do at the beginning of Part two. Why didn’t anyone say anything? Well, if anyone needs me to do one, just let me know.

Thanks for all your feedback. I’m sure you’ll all have a trillion theories and questions after this chapter. Don’t worry, I’m working my way towards explaining everything. Also, thank you for all the congratulations. Mack and I are really excited.

P.S: BlueStar8, Ha! It’s been less than a month!

~Chad~


Part 2:

Chapter Two

MDHQ: Red House – Dormitory 201-250

Lying on his back in the middle of his bed, Max played absently with the gold-jack coin that hung from the black chain around his neck. He remembered the day Lilly had given it to him. He’d been just a little boy at the time, afraid of the first checkup she had given him. The coin was a token, a promise, she’d told him, that she would never hurt him. Lilly had had the coin chained for him as a gift on his fourteenth birthday, and he’d worn it around his neck every day since then. Max now saw the coin as a memento of who Lilly had once been, as well as the entire life he’d lived with the Blackwell family. And just as Lilly had told him all those years ago, it was a promise never to forget…

“Hey, earth to Evans, come in Evans? You listening to me?”

Max looked up, startled by the sight of Kyle standing at the foot of his bed. Other than being his MD partner, Kyle was also Max’s roommate at MDHQ. That meant the two of them shared a cramped ass room with two beds that was only really big enough for one person. Max had been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn’t even heard Kyle enter the room. “What? No…sorry. I was just thinking.”

“Lot going on in la-la-land today?” Kyle asked with a smirk.

Max brushed him off. “Sorry Kyle. What were you saying?”

Kyle folded his arms. “I was saying, a couple of us were thinking of heading out to the old Lacebark sight this weekend to shoot the breeze. You want in?”

Max shook his head. “Can’t. Got plans.”

“What sort of plans?” Kyle asked nosily.

“Just plans,” Max answered vaguely. “Anyway, you guys shouldn’t be out there. You know that area’s prohibited.”

“For civilians maybe. But we’re just a couple of soldiers out on patrol.”

“More like a couple soldiers out getting wasted.”

Kyle laughed, but he didn’t refute Max’s accusation. “You always were a spoilsport, Evans.”

Max shrugged indifferently. “Maybe next time,” he said, even though he and Kyle both knew there would be no next time that involved Max.

Kyle frowned down at Max. “Alright Evans, suit yourself.” He walked over to the trunk at the foot of his own bed and opened it up, taking out his stash of…goodies, as he called it. Kyle shot a quick look over at Max, who had gone back to toying with the gold-jack coin he wore around his neck. Kyle had asked Max once before about the relevance of the coin a long time ago, but Max had only given some vague non-answer that Kyle couldn’t even remember anymore. It was weird. The two of them had been friends for a long time now. Ever since they had both entered into the MD program, almost ten years ago. But in reality, Kyle actually knew next to nothing about Max.

Evans was a pretty weird guy, he did know that. Max didn’t talk much about his past, or about his present, for that matter. He kept to himself most of the time, and he didn’t really socialize with any of the other MDs aside from Kyle. But no matter how weird or distant he was at times, there was something about Max that intrigued Kyle, and it was why, in spite of all of Max’s oddities, the two of them had remained friends for so long. He wasn’t really sure what that something was, and he’d spent the last ten years trying to figure it out. But there was one thing that Kyle was definitely sure of about Max Evans.

The guy had secrets.

“So what is it you got going on this weekend?” Kyle asked, looking at Max from across the room.

“If I wanted you to know that, I would have told you the first time you asked,” Max answered.

Kyle smiled smugly. “Ah, so it’s a girl,” he speculated. “Evans, I didn’t know you had it in you.”

Max sighed. “Shut up, Kyle.”

“Anyone I know?” he asked.

“Shut up, Kyle.”

“Is she hot?”

“Shut up, Kyle.”

Kyle laughed as he stashed a large amount of alcoholic beverages in his supply bag.

Max looked at the large variety of liquor that Kyle stuffed into his bag, some of which he had never even seen before. He almost laughed as he watched Kyle struggle to get the zipper to close. “I hope you brought enough for everyone,” Max said sarcastically.

Kyle laughed. “Shut up,” he said, tossing a pint to Max.

Max caught the bottle and looked down at the label. “Hard Ice,” he read out loud.

Kyle nodded. “That’s good shit,” Kyle assured.

“Thanks.” Max sat the bottle down on the table beside his bed. “Sounds yummy.”

“You’re welcome,” Kyle said, even though he was pretty sure Max was being sarcastic.

Before Max could say anything else, there was a sudden knock on their door. Kyle and Max looked at each other knowingly and Max tossed the bottle of Hard Ice back to Kyle. It was prohibited for all MDs to have any form of drugs or alcohol on the premises at any time. With the amount of alcohol Kyle still had stuffed in his trunk alone, not to mention all the other places he had the stuff stashed all around the room, they were breaking about fifty different forms of that rules. Kyle finished zipping up his bag and put it and the Hard Ice back in his bed trunk. “It’s open!” he called out once the lid to the trunk was closed.

The door swung open and a member of the MD junior branch entered the room. Not yet recognized as full-fledged MDs, the junior officers were charged with handling mundane tasks around MDHQ, such as delivering messages to their senior officers. “Evans?” he called out as he entered the room.

Max looked up. “Yes?”

“You’ve been summoned to the MRHQ-hall right away,” the boy said.

Max nodded. Kyle watched him closely, but the expression on his face gave nothing away regarding whether or not he had any knowledge of what this summons was about. “I’ll be there shortly,” Max told the junior. The boy nodded and left the room.

Kyle waited until he was gone, before he took the Hard Ice out of his trunk and tossed it back to Max. “MRHQ? What’s that about?” he asked. They weren’t scheduled for pit duty until later on in the week.

Max shrugged and rose from his bed. He opened the trunk at the foot of his own bed and put the bottled inside of it. Then he left the room without another word.

Kyle looked up at the door as it swung closed behind Max. He shook his head.

Yep, Max Evans definitely had some major secrets.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

MRHQ: Main House – HQ-hall

It didn’t take long for Max to make the short trek from the Red House dormitory to the MRHQ building, since MD and MR headquarters were now conjoined on the same property. Max walked into the empty hall as he had over a hundred times in the last ten years of his life. It was as it always was when he came for these…meetings.

Empty.

Pristine.

Sterile.

Nothing like it was during the normal cycle of the day. Max looked around the empty room. The MRs were nothing if they weren’t cautious. He hated it. There was no specific thing about these spotless white walls that made him loathe them so much. His hatred stemmed more from the implications that the building’s cleanliness made about him. Why they picked this room. Why they picked this place. Protocol, because he was none of those things.

Empty.

Pristine.

Sterile.

No, that wasn’t true. He did have one trait in common with this room. Because Max Evans was every bit as empty as the white room where he currently stood.

He walked further into the room and stood in its immediate center. Max looked up at the white ceiling above his head and closed his eyes, taking a moment to bask in his aloneness. The quiet before the storm, he thought. They would soon come to kill the quietness with their demands and their tests, just as they always did, but until then he could be blissfully alone, if only for a few minutes.

However, his minutes were not even a few seconds. The door on the other side of the room opened and a man and a woman stepped trough, killing his aloneness.

Max could see them clearly without having to open his eyes. He had learned to recognize the feel of them a long time ago. He felt the woman first. He always felt her first. The feeling of her was more pronounced than that of the man, based strongly on her easily read surface emotions, and the particular brand of perfume she wore. Max could sense her as easily he was aware of his own body. He hated it. She felt fresh and clean, like new spring. The man was a different story. He had almost no emotions to speak of. His feeling was remote, based strongly on nothing other than the cold distinction of logic. What could be seen, heard, touched, tasted…tested.

The man carried a small pistol in the right pocket of his black lab coat, just as he always did. But the pistol was not loaded with regular bullets meant to kill. No, Max knew from firsthand experience that the bullets in that gun were meant to do something else entirely. He’d felt the agony of that something many times in the last ten years.

“Hello Lusus Naturae,” the man greeted.

Lusus Naturae. Max just looked at him. The man always called him something different every time they met. But Max had to fight the urge to laugh at the irony of the name he had chosen today. Because Max was the monster. Right. Well, maybe he was, but nothing he had done could ever equate to the brutality of the things these people had done to him. These doctors, these “scientists” they called themselves, but in all actuality, they were the true monsters.

“Loquacious as always, I see,” the male doctor said, walking over to stand in front of him.

The woman, on the other hand, did not even dare to make eye contact with him. She was afraid of him. She had been for years. She didn’t think Max knew that, but he did. Just as he knew the gun in the right pocket of her black lab coat did carry bullets meant to kill.

The male frowned piteously when Max didn’t respond verbally to the name. “What’s the matter, Lusus Naturae? Do you not like that name?” he asked.

Max remained silent.

“Well then, how about something else?” he suggested. “Inimical? Anomalism?” The man smiled sinisterly as he waited for Max’s response.

Max smiled back at him just as coldly. “Inimical? Anomalism?” he repeated, speaking in the man’s own voice. It was a trick he’d learned to use whenever he really wanted to freak the MRs the fuck out. “Perhaps aberrancy, antipathetic, bad, baleful, baneful, deadly, deformity, deleterious, despiteful, destructive, detrimental, evil, harmful, hateful, hostile, malefic, malevolent, malignant, pernicious, rancorous, sinister, spiteful, vicious, wicked?” Max continued speaking in the man’s voice. “You tell me, doctor, what am I?” he asked, tilting his head to the side. “Pick a name. It means nothing to me.”

The man glared at him, startled by the sound of his own voice coming out of Max’s mouth. “Do not ever do that again,” he warned.

Max ignored the doctor’s threat, but he switched back to his normal voice. “Or a puppet? Do you suppose I’m a puppet?” Max looked at the woman. “What about you, doctor? Am I a puppet to you? A doll, perhaps?” he asked.

The woman looked down at the lab sheet she had clutched tightly in her hands.

Max laughed bitterly “Don’t be scared, doctor. I’m not angry. Puppets don’t have emotions. We’re led by our strings, not our feelings. So long as you hold my strings, I am your puppet.”

The female doctor eyed him curiously. “Not even by love, Max?” she asked.

Max glared at her angrily. Without thinking, he lifted his hand and pointed it at her. “Do not call me that,” he warned. “You are not allowed to call me that.”

For the first time in almost ten years, the female doctor took a step towards him, and there was no sign of fear in her eyes. “But you are, aren’t you? You’re completely driven by your love. It’s why it’s so easy for me to control you, isn’t that right?” It wasn’t really a question that needed answering. She already knew the answer very well.

Max said nothing, but his hand started to glow.

The male doctor smiled. “Well, look at that, my dear, you managed to get it to finally shut up,” he said. Then, without warning, he pulled out his gun and shot Max in the chest.

Max fell to his knees as the bullet pierced him square in the chest. Pain erupted through his entire body, viciously stripping him of the use of any of his abilities. The glow his hand had once emitted died away as his skin turned a sickly shade of pale. Both of the doctors stepped causally away from him as he vomited violently on the pristine floor. Max closed his eyes tightly as his stomach contracted painfully, and he ejected all the contents inside of it. Even after his stomach was empty, the spasms didn’t abate, and he continued dry heaving on the floor. When there was absolutely nothing left inside of him to expel, he began retching up blood. Other than neutralizing Max’s ability to use his powers, the bullet was used to make sure that there was nothing in his system. The MRs needed him completely flushed out for the majority of their tests and experiments.

When the seemingly uncontrollable heaving finally stopped, Max buckled to his side, warping his arms around tightly around his raw stomach. The male doctor knelt down beside him, careful to avoid the pool of blood and vomit on the floor in front of him. He lifted Max head, forcing him to look into his cold remorseless eyes. “You should have known better than to threaten one of us, Lusus Naturae,” he tsked at Max. “That’s a big no-no.”

Instead of looking at the doctor in front of him, Max’s eyes darted over to the woman. “I hate you,” he whispered breathlessly,

The male doctor turned and looked at the woman, trying to gage her response to Max’s cold words. As he expected, she gave none. He looked back down at Max. “Yes, I’m sure you do, but there’s nothing you can really do about that, and nothing she will. I expected you would have gotten used to that by now.”

Max spat blood in his face.

The doctor dropped Max’s head as the glob of saliva and blood slid down his cheek. He wiped it away on the back of the sleeve of his lab coat and looked down disdainfully at Max. “That wasn’t a very smart thing for you to do, Lusus Naturae.” With no other warning, he shot Max once more, this time in the back.

Max cried out and his back arched involuntarily as pain rippled through his already weakened body. He coughed and gagged up even more blood as the bullet forced nothing from his already empty stomach. His knees gave out and he collapsed onto the floor, shuttering brutally as tortures pain tore through every nerve in his body.

“Dr. Virgo!” the female doctor said, as she rushed to Max’s side, but she made sure that she didn’t touch his shuttering body. She looked up at the male doctor angrily. “That’s enough! Are you trying to kill him?”

Dr. Virgo looked as if he couldn’t care less if Max lived or died. “Get someone to clean this mess up,” he said, looking down at Max as he spoke. It wasn’t clear whether or not he was referring to Max, or the puddle of blood and vomit on the floor. “We need to get started.”

She glared at him angrily. “Well that’s out of the question now, seeing as how you’ve almost killed the subject,” she said. “If he dies, procuring another one will be a difficult task, and getting him to cooperate as well as this one will be almost impossible.”

Dr. Virgo rolled his eyes “The subject’s current state should not affect the outcome of the tests. Don’t be so dramatic, doctor. He’ll be fine.”

She looked down skeptically at Max’s twitching body. “Need I remind you, Dr. Virgo, these devices are meant to insure our safety, not to be used as weapons to torture the subject.”

“The subject stepped out of line, doctor,” he said. “I was merely putting him back in his place. Don’t make me remind you where yours is.”

She looked away from him.

“I’m going to have him cleaned and brought to my lab, if you have no further objections, doctor.” But Dr. Virgo didn’t wait for her answer before he left the room.

The woman knelt down beside Max. His body was still trembling and she couldn’t tell if he was conscious or not. She reached out her hand to touch him, but came up short when his eyes suddenly shot open and he sent her the most evil look she had ever received in her life. She tried touching him again, but she pulled back again when he made a threatening sound in the back of his throat that sounded strangely like the snarl of a wounded animal. She took a deep breath. “I’m trying to help you,” she told him.

Max didn’t seem to hear her. He hugged himself tighter and rolled self protectively to his other side, giving her his back. “Don’t…t-touch…m-me,” he whispered. His voice was horse and weak, but he got his point across clearly enough.

She stood up and stepped away from him. At times like this when he was abused pointlessly this way, she truly did feel sorry for him. Not that she would ever let those feeling prevent her from doing her job. Nevertheless, sometimes she wondered if what they were doing to him was inhumane, even if he wasn’t…

Four men wearing full body protective gear entered the room carrying a stretcher. “We’re here for him,” one of them said, motioning to Max’s motionless body on the floor. The woman nodded and got out of the way as she allowed the men to reach him. Two men surrounded Max on each side as they lifted him onto the stretcher. She followed behind them as they carted him out of the room. She couldn’t believe how pale he was. The two cerebellum suppressant bullets Dr. Virgo had shot into his system were definitely having an adverse effect on his body. He was still twitching from them. He probably would not be able to use any of his abilities for at least another twenty-four hours.

That was more than enough time for them do what needed to be done.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Outer Le’Tetra: Base 9

“I want to go to Le’Tetra with you.”

“No.” La’Rul’s answer was firm.

He didn’t even look at Ai’Dayn when the boy entered the room. The two of them had been having this same argument for the last few days. Ever since they’d had their meeting with the Council, where it had been decided that yet another group of them would be sent to Le’Tetra to see about retrieving the prince, the remaining emissaries, and hopefully, the heart of Le’Tetra. Shay would be overseeing this excursion personally. Ai’Dayn had insisted that he be allowed to come too, but La’Rul continued to refuse him. If they could not retrieve the heart itself, they would already have Ai’Zan with them to harness the heart’s powers for them. Therefore, there was no reason to jeopardize Ai’Dayn’s life by allowing him to come with them.

“Allowing you to go to Le’Tetra is taking an unnecessary risk. You will remain here until I return,” La’Rule told him for what seemed like the hundredth time.

“What if you don’t return?” Ai’Dayn asked haughtily. “The earthlings are hostile, and you are far from an immortal being, Shay. Our emissaries are being slaughtered every day. You could get killed just as easily as anyone else.”

“All the more reason for you to remain here.” Shay looked up at Ai’Dayn, “But just so we’re clear, I probably couldn’t be killed as easily as anyone else,” he clarified. There was no bragging in his tone, just simple truth.

Ai’Dayn rolled his eyes, but he was not deterred by his guardian’s continued refusal. “Shay, please hear me out.”

Shay looked at him sharply. “Princes do not plead, Ai,” he reminded the boy.

Ai’Dayn nodded. “They demand. Therefore, I demand that you allow me to accompany you to Le’Tetra.”

La’Rul shook his head. “Nice try Ai, but in any case, you are not going to Le’Tetra. That is a fact. No argument you make will change it, therefore it is not important that I waste both of our time consider any.”

“This is ridicules. My brother is down there.”

“You’re brother may still be down there, but you will not be. Regardless, sending him to that planet was a huge mistake on our part. One we will not repeat. You will remain her where it is safe.” La’Rul spoke factually, leaving no room for argument.

“I don’t care about being safe!” Ai’Dayn shouted in frustration. “I care about going to Le’Tetra. You have to let me go.”

“Have to?” La’Rul quirked his brow. “You see, that is where you are wrong, Ai. The only thing I ‘have to’ do is keep you safe. Which I will do, regardless of how much you whine, cry, and demand otherwise. I am your guardian. I am your Rath, and I will do my job.”

Anger and frustration boiled over inside of Ai’Dayn. “You are my guardian, you are my Rath, but you are not my father!” he shouted.

La’Rul just looked at him calmly “No, I am not.”

The boy and man stared at each other, Ai’Dayn in anger, and La’Rul in peace. Ai’Dayn wanted to wipe the calm look right off of La’Rul’s face, or at least for Shay to understand why he was so insistent about this. He knew Shay understood how much was riding on this for their planet, but he didn’t think La’Rul could ever understand how important this was for him. Ai’Zan was the only family he had left. He had to go to Le’Tetra.

Unexpectedly, Shay was the first one to look away. “I’m truly sorry Ai, but it cannot be allowed.” With no other words, Shay got up and left the room.

Alone in Shay’s room, Ai’Dayn turned to the empty wall and punched it as hard as he possibly could. For all the good it did him. It didn’t make him feel any better. The solid steel wall didn’t register the hit at all, and his hand throbbed with more pain then it was worth.

Ai’Dayn was sick and tired of being treated like a child. He was sixteen years old, not a mere fledgling. He understood Antarian government, Earthly politics, Gith, Earth languages, and how both worlds worked. He was more than prepared to make this trip. More importantly, he hated this place. It wasn’t his home. It wasn’t where he belonged. And he was sick of waiting. It was time to take action.

A soft knocked sounded at the door, and then it slid open and an angel walked into the room.

“Oh,” she said, startled to find him there. “Forgive me, my prince. I thought Shay would be here.”

D’Nalia La’Rul was the most ethereally beautiful creature Ai”Dayn had ever seen in all of his sixteen years. From the waist length fall of her pale blonde hair, to the piercing shade of her ice-blue eyes, Shay’s little sister was an enchanting girl to behold. Not only that, she had the kindest spirit of anyone he had ever known. Sometimes it baffled him how she could be related to such a cold creature as Shay. Ai’Dayn had known her ever since the two of them were little. They had grown up together as Shay’s wards. From the moment he’d first laid eyes on her, Ai’Dayn had been completely enthralled by her. Of course, he’d never reveled this to Shay, or anyone else for that matter, but he had a feeling that his guardian was very well aware of Ai’Dayn’s feelings towards his guardian’s little sister. Shay rarely allowed the two of them to be alone together.

Ai’Dayn turned away from her as he felt the familiar twitch of his pupils dilating. No matter how much control he’d gained over that involuntary action, he still had a difficult time controlling it whenever she was around.

“Are you alright, Ai’Dayn?” she asked, her sweet voice laced with concern.

He closed his eyes, and silently willed them to return to normal. “I’m fine D’Nalia,” he answered. That was only partially true. His hand still ached from his punch to the wall, and he was extremely embarrassed at his loss of control when it came to her.

She walked farther into the room. “Shay was here earlier wasn’t he? Did the two of you get into an argument?”

Ai’Dayn shook his head. He had argued. Shay had calmly dismissed him. With his eyes now finally under control, Ai’Dayn turned to face her. “No, we didn’t argue,” he answered.

She obviously didn’t believe him. “Shay told me he was going to Le’Tetra,” she said, having a pretty good idea what the two of them had probably argued about. “I don’t want him to go.”

Ai’Dayn understood that. Le’Tetra was a dangerous place for their people. He knew that. He also knew that was Shay’s basis for not allowing him to go there, but some things were more important than making sure that he remained sheltered and protected. And besides, what kind of leader stayed safe at home, while his people risked their lives for him?

D’Nalia sighed heavily and sat down on Shay’s bed. “You want to go with him. That’s why you fought, right?”

Ai’Dayn looked at her curiously, wondering how she knew.

D’Nalia shrugged. Aside from being incredibly empathic, Shay’s sister was also very skilled at reading people. “It’s all anyone is talking about.”

Ai’Dayn sat down on the bed beside her. “Shay thinks I’m just being a brat.”

D’Nalia smiled. “Well, you can be rather difficult sometimes.”

He frowned at her. “You think I’m difficult?”

She placed her hand over her mouth. “Oops, did I say that?” she teased.

Ai’Dayn smiled back at her.

D’Nalia reached out and stroked Ai’Dayn’s dark hair out his eyes. “You have to understand, Ai, Shay cares a great deal about our planet, but he also cares a great deal about you. If he’s harsh with you sometimes, it’s only because he’s
trying to protect you.”

Ai’Dayn nodded in understanding. His pupils almost dilated again when she began stroking his hair, but he controlled himself. “I know Shay only wants to protect me, but don’t you think he can sometimes be a little too overprotective at times?”

D’Nalia laughed. “Well sure he can. But it’s his job to be that way. Don’t be too hard on him.”

“Why not?” Ai’Dayn asked stubbornly, not understanding why he should be any less hard on Shay than La’Rul was on him.

D’Nalia sighed. “Shay has never said this, and he probably never will, but the reason he’s so hard on you is because he blames himself.”

“For what?” Ai’Dayn asked, not seeing her point.

“For Ai’Zan,” she answered.

Ai’Dayn didn’t understand.

“Shay blames himself for Ai’Zan being lost on Le’Tetra. It was his idea that he be sent there in the first place.”

“It was?”

She nodded. “It was during his first few year as Rath. We didn’t know how hostile the earthlings were then, but that’s no excuse for Shay. He considers it his greatest mistake.”

Well that explained why Shay was so against sending him to Le’Tetra. Still, he was not his brother. “D’Nalia, I’m not Ai’Zan,” Ai’Dayn said.

D’Nalia nodded. “No, you’re not, and my brother understands that. But he also doesn’t want to see you become another Ai’Zan. He’d do anything to keep that from happening.” She stood up and walked over to the door. Before she left she turned to face Ai’Dayn one last time. “He really does love you, Ai’Zan. He’s the Rath, he has to be strong for all of our people, but I don’t think he would be able to handle it if something were to happen to you too.” And with those last words, D’Nalia left him alone in Shay’s room.

Ai’Dayn sat on Shay’s bed, thinking about everything D’Nalia had just reveled to him. He hadn’t known that La’Rul felt that he was to blame over what had happened to Ai’Zan. Of course, he supposed Shay wouldn’t have wanted him to know that. Perhaps he thought Ai’Dayn would blame him too, maybe even hate him for it.

But Ai’Dayn didn’t hate him. Shay was probably the closest thing he had to a family. Regardless of whether or not Ai’Zan was still alive or not, Shay would always be his family too. Nothing would change that. But that didn’t mean he was going to drop this.

No matter how much Shay protested, Ai’Dayn was going to Le’Tetra.

TBC

BlueStar8
mirae01
Natalie36
destinyc
CandyDreamQueen
DMartinez

Thanks for reading everyone. Thanks for the congrats D. Hey, three updates in one month. That has got to be a record for me on this fic. Enjoy the next part.

~Chad~


Part 2:

Chapter Three

MRHQ: Main House – Laboratory X

Max could hear the sound of their voices long before he opened his eyes.

There were only two of them this time, MRs he didn’t recognized. Dr. Virgo and his female collogue were no longer in the lab at the moment. The two MRs were standing across the room, about twenty feet away from him. He could clearly hear them speaking, whispering lowly to one another. The new MRs always spoke in low tones like that, not knowing that he could hear them just as clearly as if they were standing right next to him. Every so often one of them would turn to look in his direction, then look back to the other. All this Max could see easily, even with his eyes still firmly shut.

They were talking about him. Arguing actually. The MRs always argued about him. It was the next best thing to do since none of them could ever seem to agree on what to actually do with him whenever Dr. Virgo wasn’t around. There were always so many new possibilities, and so little time to do it in.

Max squeezed his hands together into two tight fists. Lying on the cold medical bed, he could feel nothing. Not even the pressure he was forcing into his palms. This particular weakness was due to the drug they used to keep him immobile while they ran their tests and did their experiments on his powerless and motionless body. All the while Max could do nothing save for lay there and allow them to do as they pleased.

Not that escape would ever be an option for him. But the flushing bullet made him so weak he could barely move. Even if escape had been on his mind, there was no way his body would be strong enough to attain it. The MRs were nothing if they weren’t meticulous. No precaution could be overlooked when it came to protecting themselves from the “horrible abomination” that was the malign known as Max Evans.

The electronic door, which could only be accessed through use of a keycard, suddenly slid open. The two doctors were immediately silent as Dr. Virgo reentered the lab alone. The doctor ignored both of them and walked directly over to Max’s bed. “I know you’re awake, Lusus Naturae. It’s as easy for me to trace your consciousness through your cerebral patterns as it is for me to read the hatred in your eyes. Now, be a good little boy and open them for me.”

Max obeyed, opening his eyes slowly. They usually ached after his time in the lab, and this time was no different. Dr. Virgo was looking down at him, as was the doctor’s favorite position to take whenever Max first awakened after the tests. A position of power. Dr. Virgo loved to be the first person Max saw when he opened his eyes. But the good doctor did not know that he was never the first thing Max saw when he opened his eyes. The picture of her was always at the forefront of his mind. Even if the eyes he used to view the picture with were only in his head.

Max tried to lift one of his hands to rub his achy eyes, but he was still too weak for much of any physical movement. How long had he been out this time? A few hours, a few minutes, or a few days?

“The day is currently the same as it was before we brought you in,” Dr. Virgo answered, as if he’d been reading Max’s mind. He looked down at his watch. “The time is roughly a little after 18:00 hours.”

Max absorbed this information slowly. He was used to losing anywhere from a few minutes to a few days during his sessions with Dr. Virgo. He was surprised that the doctor had only kept him a few hours this time.

Dr. Virgo wore a smugly self-satisfied grin on his face. “We’re done for now, Lusus Naturae. And might I just add, you preformed exceptionally well today.”

Max didn’t know what the cause for the doctor’s praise was, nor did he care. He just wanted out of the lab, and he wanted out now. “I want to see her now,” he whispered raucously. As was usual whenever he came too after being subjected to Dr. Virgo’s tests, his voice was rough and scratchy, and he was in desperate need of a glass of water.

“Fine,” the doctor said. “Since you preformed so well today.” He snapped his fingers and the two MRs rushed quickly to his side. “Have him taken to the viewing room for an hour. Then you can send him back to his dormitory,” He peered down at Max for a moment, then added, “but make sure he stays there for the remainder of the evening.”

“Yes Alpha,” The two MRs answered simultaneously. One of them broke away in order to retrieve a wheelchair from the other side of the room and wheeled it over to Max’s bed. When the chair was in place, the two MRs slid Max off of the bed and began strapping him into the wheelchair with thick leather belts. At full power, breaking the restraints would have been nothing for Max, but in his weakened state, the leather bounds were more than enough to securely hold him. Max knew this was a fact Dr. Virgo was more than well aware of, and probably the reason he used such feeble fetters in the first place.

No precaution overlooked…

Except for in the instance of mocking the subject.

As Dr. Virgo once again exited the lab, the two remaining MRs were charged with escorting Max to a place that was known simply as the “viewing” room. Max slumped in his chair silently as they wheeled him through the white halls of the secret MR laboratory. No one outside of the highest ranking MRs, and Max himself, knew this place even existed inside of MRHQ. This was a place where no MD had ever gone. Not even to serve pit duty. Although, if the MDs knew what pit duty really was they would have been complaining about having to clean up a lot more than just malign guts.

Max laughed piteously at the morbid thought. He’d had pit duty more than his fare share of times throughout the past few years of his life that he’d called himself an MD. While the MDs thought they were simply destroying what was left of hostile maligns after the MRs finished “studying” their dead carcasses, all in the interest of science, mind you, they had no idea that what they were actually destroying were the MRs failed attempts at recreating their own maligns using samples taken directly from Max’s body, spliced with human DNA.

Human DNA taken from human subjects.

And what was even more pathetic than that, was that as great of threat as the world perceived maligns to be, none had ever actually been openly hostile towards a human. MDs were trained and instructed to execute them before they could ever be given the chance. Max Evans was actually the only malign that had ever been taken alive.

The irony of the situation no longer even fazed him.

The MDs were nothing more than the MR’s fool tools. They were butchers and murders and they didn’t even know it. No one even questioned it. No one wondered why maligns were so dangerous. No one questioned how the MRs had even come to determine the threat maligns posed to the human race. The MRs just proclaimed maligns to be a danger to humanity. They presented their facts and their theories as they stood behind the names of their all powerful scientists, and so it was believed by all.

Poor fool tools.

But Max was probably the poorest fool of them all. He was a certified MD. He knew the MRs’ true intentions, yet still he hunted malign, he murdered them, he butchered them. All the while never letting anyone know that he was in fact one of them. Then he turned around and played guinea pig for the MRs. Letting them test him, torture him, maim him, and destroy everything inside of him that had ever been remotely human, without so much as feeble protest.

Max laughed again, this time at himself.

Poor fool tool.

One of the MRs looked down at him curiously. “What’s he laughing at?” he asked the other, as if Max couldn’t hear him, or perhaps didn’t understand English.

The other MR shrugged. “What does it matter? These things are probably deranged anyway.”

Max laughed even harder. ‘These things,’ that was him. That was all he was or would ever be to them. One of ‘these things’.

“Well who wouldn’t be a little deranged, after all the shit Dr. V did in there? Man, I don’t think I’m going to be able to eat solid foods for a week after seeing that.”

“Stop being such a candy ass. The thing was sedated. It’s not like it could feel anything.”

“Yeah, maybe, but it was still gross to watch.”

The MRs continued down the hallway in silence, ignoring Max as he ignored them. When they reached the outside door of the viewing room, one of them swiped a keycard to open it. The viewing room appeared to be a large empty white room, and nothing more. They wheeled him inside and sat his chair in the middle of the floor.

“How long did Dr. V say?” one MR asked the other.

“An hour. Dr. Virgo was pretty pleased by the results from today’s tests.” The MR locked Max’s chair in place and leaned over in front of him. He peered at Max curiously for a moment, then waved his hand in front of Max’s face, but Max gave no response. “Do you think it can even hear us? It doesn’t even seem to be aware.”

The other one shrugged. “Sure it can hear us. The thing’s got ears don’t it?”

“Yeah, but does it really hear us? I mean, it is an extraterrestrial life from after all.”

“What are you stupid or something? Dr. Virgo talks to the damn thing all the time.”

“Yeah, but Dr. Virgo also talks to the lab testing supplies, so that doesn’t mean shit.”

“Alpha has it masquerading as an MD. It couldn’t do that if it didn’t understand us. These things are really sophisticated you know. They can do all kinds of shit.”

The MR continued to look at Max. “Doesn’t seem very sophisticated to me,” he said.

“Who cares if it can hear us or not? Let’s get out of here. I’m hungry, and we’ve got a whole hour before we have to send it back.”

The MR stopped waving his hand in front of Max’s face and looked up at his partner in shock. “How can you possibly be hungry after watching that?”

The other one rubbed his hand over his belly. “Iron stomach, my friend. You’ll develop one too after working here for a few years.” With that the two MRs headed back to the door. They swiped their card again and exited the room, leaving Max utterly alone.

Finally.

Max sat in silence.

Waiting.

A after a few minutes more, the room began to glow with light, and a large hologram projector opened in front of him.

WELCOME. PLEASE STATE VIEWING NAME.

“Evans,” Max whispered.

TRANSMITTING NAME TO VOCAL ANALYSIS… TRANSMISSION COMPLETED. NAME AND VOCAL ANALYSIS CORRESPONDING. AWAITING APPROVAL COMMUNICATION… COMMUNICATION RECIVED.

VIEWING

“Earth,”

TIME

“Current.”

PLACE WHERE

“Sealant.”

SUBJECT

“Elizabeth.”

SEARCHING SUBJECT… SUBJECT FOUND. AWAITING DATA TO AREA TRANSMISSION... TRANSMISSION RECIVED.

VIEWING STARTED.

Max watched silently as the viewing took shape before him.

It was dark, but he could still see her clearly. No, not just see, he could feel her. She was the most beautiful woman to behold – his salvation. No matter how many times he saw her, or how long it was from one of their meetings to the next, the simple sight of her always caused his heart to sing, and his eyes to darken with the untamed dilation of desire – his passion. The staccato patter that was his racing heartbeat rang just as deeply in his soul as it did in his ears – his solace. He ached pleasurably from the thrill of seeing her. As it always did, the delight of her presence brought a peace to him the likes of which he had never felt before. – his calm. The desire to touch her... just to be near her, was so strong in him, stronger than any yearning he had ever felt before. She was smiling, and the sight of it brightened his entire world. She was so close, right there within his grasp. All he had to do was reach out to her – his longing. Though they remained belted to his chair, his hands itched with the desire to reach out to her, summoning her to his side, where she would never be parted from him again – his home.

“Liz.”

Her name was a whispered song, dancing off the tip of his tongue. His lips formed it liked a prayer, and she was his goddess, waiting to be called fourth to his side for all time. And he would do anything to go to her, give anything to be with her. She was truly his lifeline. His angel on this earth – his love – his life...

His wife.

And yet no matter how real she seemed, or how close the image brought her to him, she was still so far away. He couldn’t reach out and touch her. He couldn’t hold her. He couldn’t love her. She was a world apart.

And she didn’t even know who he was.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sealant New Mexico: Blackwell Domicile

Sometimes she would get the sensation that someone was watching her. It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling. There was no malice in it, yet at the strangest times, the feeling would suddenly come upon her, always lingering right at the edge of her consciousness. Some dark presence that she couldn’t possibly ignore, yet could not be sure was truly there. Like a spirit.

Like a ghost.

Liz shook her head to clear her mind, chiding herself for being so fanciful. There was nothing watching her, and it most definitely wasn’t a ghost. She was just being silly.

She was probably just working too hard. She’d been splitting her time between school and the Plat City University Medical Center where she had been interning in the research lab, so she barely had any time for herself anymore. Hell, she barely had enough time to sleep and study. But not tonight. Tonight she’d decided to make time for herself. She would be finished with school soon, and then she would start working at the center for real, as a fully fledged biological studies technician, working directly under the brilliant Dr. Lance Virgo. It was a big accomplishment.

Tonight was a night to celebrate.

Liz sat out in the backyard of her family home where she breathed in the fresh air, as well as the quiet of the night. Sometimes, mostly when she was running late for class, she regretted living so far outside of the city. But it was on nights like this, when there was no one around, the world was calm, and the night was silent, she enjoyed her home here in Sealant more than ever. After all, she had grown up here. It was where all her most precious memories had taken place…memories of…memories like…?

How odd. She couldn’t remember.

Deciding not to dwell on it, Liz wrapped herself more snuggly in her blanket. She poured herself a glass of wine and stared at the sparkling pink liquid. It was her favorite, something she only drank whenever she truly wanted to feel happy. And happiness was something she had not felt in a really long time.

At least, not since her brother’s death ten years ago.

Sometimes she still missed Dover so much. Even though he had been gone for almost ten years now. But he was the only family she had ever really known. He and his wife Lilly had raised her from childhood. The two of them had been more like parents to her than the parents she could no longer remember. And though she loved Lilly greatly, losing Dover had been hard on both of them. Liz knew her sister in law had tried to move on with her life, but losing the man she loved had left a sore spot inside of Lillian Blackwell. After Dover’s death, things had never really been the same for her.

“ZeeZee, are you out there?” A voice called out to her from inside of the domicile. It was Lilly. Liz smiled to herself. She had ceased being ZeeZee a long time ago. The pet name had died away with her brother. But sometimes, when she was really excited, Lilly slipped and used the name anyway. Liz had never said anything to Lilly about it, but she liked hearing it every now and again.

“I’m out here, Lilly,” Liz called back.

Suddenly, Lilly rushed out into the backyard, there was a huge smile on her face, and Liz could see that she was obviously excited about something. Liz sat her drink down on the table beside her and faced Lilly. “What are you so happy about?” she asked.

Lilly sat down beside her. “Oh baby, I have wonderful news,” she said, smiling at Liz.

“What is it?” Liz asked, dying to know what had caused Lilly’s sudden burst of happiness.

“I found a place,” Lilly told her.

Liz frowned at her. “A place?” she asked.

Lilly nodded. “Yes, it’s in Plat City. Within walking distance of the center. The rate is very reasonable. And the place is gorgeous.”

“Wait a minute…you’re talking about…leaving Sealant?” Liz asked.

Lilly stopped smiling. “Yes. Liz, we always talked about leaving Sealant for the city. It’s much more convenient for both of us. You know that.”

Liz nodded, still slightly shocked by Lilly’s revelation. “Well sure I guess. I mean I know we’ve talked about it but I…I just…I never really thought about what it would actually be like to leave.”

Lilly started smiling again. “Baby, trust me, you’re going to love living in Plat City. Everything’s bigger and brighter, much more exciting than things are out here. And who knows. Maybe you’ll even meet somebody.”

Liz could feel her face heating as her cheeks turned pink. “Oh that’s…yeah, that’s not even something that I’ve thought about at all.”

“Why not?” Lilly asked, sounding somewhat offended. “Liz you’re a beautiful young lady. You’re young. You can’t spend the rest of your life waiting for…wasting your time on things that aren’t really that important.”

“Who says I’m wasting my time?” Liz asked defensively.

“I’m sorry. That didn’t come out right. I’m just saying, I would like to see you happy,” Lilly rephrased.

“I am happy,” Liz assured her.

Lilly shook her head. “Happy with your own husband, and your own kids, and your own family. Isn’t that what you want?”

Liz stood up. She did want all of those things. What girl wouldn’t? But she wasn’t liking the direction this conversation was headed in. “Lilly there’s plenty of time for all that stuff. And anyway, who say’s I can’t find all those things right here in Sealant?”

Lilly rose as well. “Liz, do you not want to move to Plat City?”

Liz wrapped her arms around herself, her arms feebly protecting her from the cold of the night air. “It’s not that I don’t want to. It’s just…this is home, you know.”

Lilly put her hands on Liz’s shoulders. “I know that. I understand that this has been your home for all of your life. But we can make a new home in Plat City. Don’t you at least want to try?”

Liz didn’t know what to say. Looking deeply into Lilly’s eyes, she could see that her sister in law was finally ready to move on with the rest of her life. For Lilly, that meant leaving Sealant behind. But things weren’t that simple for Liz. She was tied to this place. She always would be. “Lilly I…”

Lilly’s face was suddenly somber as understanding began to dawn on her. “Liz, I don’t want you to take this the wrong way, but I want you to listen to me carefully. Can you do that for me?”

Liz nodded.

“You can’t hang on to the past for the rest of your life. Staying here isn’t going to bring Dover back. It took me a long time to come to grips with that, but I finally have. Just like I’ve come to grips with the fact that moving to Plat City won’t destroy our memories of him either.”

Liz looked down at the ground. She supposed a part of her had been hanging on to this place because of Dover. But there was something else that made her hesitant to leave Sealant for Plat City. She’d never told Lilly this before, but sometimes it almost felt like she waiting for something. Like she had lost something really important to her, and she was waiting for it to come back to her…like someone was missing. “You’re right, Lilly. You’re right.” Lilly was right. And Liz couldn’t let one strange feeling dictate the way she lived her life. “I’ll go to Plat City with you.”

Lilly beamed and hugged Liz. “I promise you are going to love our new place. Just like I know you’re going to love living in the city.”

Liz nodded halfheartedly. “Yeah, I’m sure I will.”

Lilly hugged Liz again before finally noticing the glass of wine sitting on the table beside them. “Oh, were you celebrating something?” she asked.

“Oh, that?” Liz shook her head. “It’s nothing.”

“You know what, we should drink to our move to Plat City.” Lilly smiled. “I’ll go get another glass,” she called over her shoulder as she darted back inside of the house.

Liz sat back down in her seat and reached for the blanket she had tossed off her shoulders earlier. She tried to tell herself that she was happy about moving. She knew Lilly was happy about it, and she didn’t want to spoil the feeling for her sister in law, but as excited as she tried to force herself to be, it still seemed like there was something that seemed wrong about it. She loved Plat City. It was where she worked and went to school, but it just didn’t seem like it was the place she was supposed to be.

Maybe Lilly was right. Maybe she was wasting her time dwelling on things that weren’t important, like a gut feeling perhaps. But no matter how hard she tired she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something else that tied her to this place.

Something she couldn’t even remember.

TBC

destinyc
mirae01
Natalie36
BlueStar8
squishypunk
DreamerMaxBehrian
Ellie

Thank you all so much for your feedback. I really appreciate it. But before I we go on I have to address some of your comments, and more specifically some of dmb’s questions, because there’s no way I could not after the extensive feedback she gave. I have to admit I was speechless when I saw it.

Ok so in regards to all of you. Don’t go saying goodbye to little Max and Liz just yet. Both of them still have a very important role to play in this story. Also, I see that most of you seem to have Lilly pegged as the female MR that works for Dr. Virgo. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

Okay now addressing dmb’s questions. For your first question. Yes, the story will still be written in four parts. The third part will handle the lost years between this part and the first one, and the last part will return to this time period. Nothing about that has changed.

Second question. Wow you’re the first person to notice Max’s name change. Or at least the first person to mention it. But yes, there is a reason that Max is now Max “Evans”. But you won’t actually find out what that reason is until Part 3. Sorry.

Fourth, It’s so funny. The Max/Kyle, Dover/Jimmy relationship was intentional, and Ai’Dayn and D’Nalia’s relationship was created to parallel Max and Liz’s. But as much as I’d love to say I did it on purpose, I didn’t even realize the parallel I’d created between Max/Liz/Dover and Ai’Dayn/D’Nalia/Shay until you brought it up.

As far as for everyone’s speculations, as much as I would love to just blab out a response to everything you all have mentioned, I really can’t say anything without giving away far too much information. So let’s just leave the lights out for just a little bit longer for now. I will say this though. All of your theories are very good. And Natalie36, your question about who took Liz’s memory? Maybe this next chapter will provide you with a clue.

~Chad~


Part 2:

Chapter Four

MDHQ: Red House – Dormitory 201-250

Max wished he could live in his dreams. He was the most peaceful when he was sleeping. The world of dreams was the only place where he could get away from himself. Over the years he’d mastered absolute control over his dreams. In sleep he was able to immerse himself in the oblivion that was unqualified nothingness. In dreams he could see nothing, hear nothing, feel nothing. But, no matter how much he craved the haven of unconsciousness—called for its sanctuary—needed the peaceful escape that only slumber could bring, sleep would not come to him this night. He wasn’t surprised. He was rarely able to sleep after spending time in the viewing room.

Seeing Liz was yet another form of torture for Max, yet it was a torture of his own bringing. He was always keyed up after the viewing—always edgy, easily annoyed, and often in extreme need of sexual release. That was something the MRs did not yet know about Max’s malignic body, and would never know if he could help it. Generative carnality was a bodily response that he had no control of. Max had discovered a long time ago that the need for sexual gratification was a direct result of letting his eyes remain dark with enthrallment for long periods of time. Since he never fought the enthrallment that came with viewing Liz, Max’s eyes had been darkened for the last hour. Seeing Liz always caused this physical response. No matter how hard he tried to fight it.

But he’d stopped fighting it a long time ago.

As he lay in his bed, basking in the ache of his need, Max contemplated relieving himself of his throbbing desire. Masturbation was not a foreign concept to him. He’d done it in the past whenever the tension of sexual need had become too much for him to bear, but tonight Max decided against it. Though he was currently alone in his room, and he was pretty sure that Kyle would not be returning to the dormitory this night, he distinctly recalled Dr. Virgo’s last orders to the two MRs that had escorted him back to his room.

“You can send him back to his dormitory, but make sure he stays there for the remainder of the evening.” The doctor’s orders were precise. If the MRs were good little subordinates, this meant they were monitoring Max at that very moment. And the MRs were always good little subordinates.

Without shifting positions, and using only his eyes, Max searched around him for the cameras he knew were scattered throughout the room, watching his every move.

Two above his bed.

One at the foot.

One above the door.

And one above Kyle’s bed.

Max could usually avoid the cameras easily. Creating an acceptable image of himself for the MRs to watch was a simple task. However creating one for each camera took up a lot of energy, something Max did not have a lot of at the moment. There was also the second option of using his abilities to short-circuit the cameras. But that would most likely only result in the MRs having him discretely incarcerated until they were able to get them fixed.

He knew. He’d tried it before.

The only option left to him was to simply allow the cameras to watch him.

“Voyeurs,” he whispered softly under his breath as he crawled to the foot of his bed. Once there he opened his bed trunk and searched through it for the bottle of Hard Ice he knew would be there. A gift from his buddy Kyle. A blissful escape. He took the bottle and sat back in the bed, looking directly up at the camera he knew was directly above his head. Let the MRs wonder where and how he had gotten the alcohol. Hell, let them “punish” him for having it if they wanted to. He’d stopped giving a shit what they did to him a long time ago.

With his eyes focused on the camera above him, Max lifted the bottle towards it. “Cheers,” he said, then uncapped the bottle and guzzled most of its content in one gulp.

Hard Ice was not the type of alcohol that a person just chugged down. It was, as the name implied, very hard liquor. But Max ignored the sting and bite of the Ice as the alcohol rushed down his throat. The taste was sharp and cool, leaving an ice cold sensation in the back of his throat. His lips lingered around the rim of the bottle, even after he had already downed most of its content. Max took another gulp, and swallowed the rest of the drink.

Since this was not his first time drinking, Max was already prepared for the effect the liquor would have on his body. So he wasn’t surprised when the first pulse of an invisible electric shock shot through his system. He gripped the sheets tightly in his hands and his entire body twitched as every one of his senses became hypersensitive to everything in the room—the brush of the sheets against his skin—the wood of the headboard behind his back—the slight breeze that wafted into the room from the open window. It was like the room pulsed with life, breathing heavily on every inch of his body.

Max placed his hand against his chest, literally able to feel his heart pounding beneath his fingers. He moaned and his body was involuntarily rocked by another spasm as the shock hit him once more. The feeling was one of incredible pleasure and staggering pain. The combination creating in him the most intense sensation Max had ever felt in his life. Even more intense then the releasing of an orgasm.

He’d had alcohol before. Each time he’d experienced varying degrees of this same sensation, taking his mind off of everything else. But the shocks had never been this strong before, and his senses had never been this responsive to them. Then again, he’d never downed an entire bottle of Hard Ice in two gulps before either.

Sitting up in the bed with his back pressed against the headboard, and his hands still fisted in the sheets, Max submerged himself in his senses, engulfed by the feelings that assaulted his hypersensitive body. It was an indescribable high. His ears rang with the sound of silence, his skin tickled at the touch of nothing, and his vision blurred with extreme clarity. He felt like he was both flying and falling at the same time. His breath became labored, and it was all he could do to keep from screaming at the top of his lungs. But he didn’t. Instead he just sat in the bed, letting feelings overload his mind and body, until his mind went blank, able to focus on nothing other than the pleasure and the pain.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Outer Le’Tetra: Base 9

Ai’Dayn stood outside of the assembly hall waiting for this precise moment. Currently, Shay was going over the logistics of what his mission on Le’Tetra would entail. He would be leaving within a few hours, so this was Ai’Dayn’s final chance to make a case for himself regarding being allowed to accompany La’Rul. He knew Shay would not like it, but since his guardian refused to listen to him, he would have to seek a higher authority.

Before he could talk himself out of it, Ai’Dayn placed his hand against the wall and waited for the seal on his palm to grant him access to the room. Though Shay and all nine of the other Lords of Antar were there, the room was silent. This came as no surprise to Ai’Dayn. As was their usual practice, the men were communicating mentally. When he stepped farther into the room, Shay was the first one to take notice of his entrance.

“What are you doing here, Ai?” his guardian asked, using his voice and not his mind. Though his tone was good not to give away his confusion, Ai’Dayn could tell that Shay was surprised at his sudden entry.

Ai’Dayn took a deep breath before he answered. “I seek a meeting with the council.”

Shay’s eyes narrowed as he peered at Ai’Dayn, and it was all the boy could do not to cower away. But Ai’Dayn stood his ground. He could not read any emotions on the Rath’s face, so he could not be completely sure of what the other man was thinking.

La’Rul’s face was hard as cold stone, and it gave nothing away as he silently approached Ai’Dayn. Shay didn’t stop until he stood directly in front of the prince. He placed both of his hands on Ai’Dayn’s shoulders. “Do not do this, Ai,” he warned, speaking on the mental frequency that only Ai’Dayn could hear.

Ai’Dayn looked deeply into Shay’s eyes. “I have to,” he said.

“Do not—” Shay paused, and Ai’Dayn could have sworn that for the slightest second he’d heard the sound of a plea in the other man’s voice. But if he had, it was gone by the time Shay began to speak again. “Very well, Ai,” he stepped aside. “You are a prince. Make your case.”

To say Ai’Dayn was shocked by Shay’s actions would be a vast understatement. He’d expected La’Rul to put up a much bigger fight than this. He was even prepared to be ejected from the room by his guardian. But he had not expected this sudden acceptance.

“May the council ask what is going on?” One of the members asked the two of them.

Ai’Dayn looked at Shay, still not able to believe that his guardian had put up no fight against him.

“This is your only chance, Ai. Speak now or leave now,” Shay spoke inside his head.

Ai’Dayn nodded and connected to the mental frequency that all the lords used. “My Lords, I’ve come seeking your encouragement, out of the respect I hold for you as the Lords of my planet. I value your opinions and the years of wisdom that fall behind them, but ultimately the decision I have decided upon is mine, and it has already been made.”

Out of the corner of his eye Ai’Dayn could see the slight trace of a smirk play on Shay’s face. La'Rul was obviously surprised by the seriousness of Ai’Dayn’s tone, but Ai’Dayn had not expected that Shay would take him seriously. Regardless of if Shay was aware of it or not, Ai’Dayn took this very serious. He had practiced what he was going to say to the lords over a hundred times in his head.

“Very well, young prince. The council has heard your preface. Please speak your thoughts.”

“It is my desire to accompany the Rath to Le’Tetra,” Ai’Dayn said.

His announcement was met with utter silence.

Ai’Dayn did not know what to make of that. He looked at Shay.

“Well Ai, It looks like you’ve managed to shock them into silence,” Shay spoke mentally to Ai’Dayn. “Is that not what you’ve always wanted to do?” Though the guardian’s tone was slightly taunting, and he was obviously baiting Ai’Dayn, Shay’s outward expression remained unreadable.

“I won’t be deterred, Shay.” Ai’Dayn tried not to let Shay’s words get to him.

After what seemed like forever, one of the lords began to speak. “It is very dangerous to even consider allowing what you have requested—”

“Forgive me my lord,” Ai’Dayn interrupted. “I have not made a request. Neither am I seeking your permission. I am going to Le’Tetra.”

Shay quirked a brow at him. “Bold words, Ai’Dayn, but can you back them?”

Ai’Dayn ignored him.

Shay’s voice chuckled inside of his head. I suppose that means we will see.”

Ai’Dayn smiled. There was the fight he was looking for. “Yes La’Rul, we will.”

Shay nodded and took one step forward, speaking now to everyone in the room. “My Lords, I highly advise against allowing this,” His attention rested briefly on Ai’Dayn, but quickly returned to the lords. “Regardless of what my prince has or has not already decided.”

“Am I not the prince of Antar?” Ai’Dayn asked.

Shay nodded. “You are.”

“And is it not my duty to make the best decisions for our planet?”

Shay rolled his eyes. “I’m sorry. You must forgive me, Ai, but I fail to see how this is the best decision for our planet.”

“You question my wisdom.” Ai’Dayn stated observantly.

Shay did not deny it. “You are young. Your wisdom is romantic.”

Ai’Dayn shook his head. “My wisdom is logical, and you would know that had you given me the chance to explain it to you.”

“I am your Rath, and I will not allow you to do harm to yourself.”

“I am your Prince, and I will not allow you to stop me.”

Shay watched Ai’Dayn, calmly studying the boy in front of him. Ai’Dayn also studied Shay, wondering what his guardian was thinking.

“If we may interrupt this staring contest,” one of the lords said. “The council would like to hear what our prince’s logic behind this decision is.”

“A waste of time,” La’Rul said loud enough for them all to hear.

Ai’Dayn ignored Shay’s snark as he proceeded to explain himself. “My logic is simple. Sending me to Le’Tetra is best for our planet because it is the only way to insure that our mission succeeds. I am the only one capable of awakening the heart. I have to go—”

“Correction,” Shay broke in. “You are not the only one capable of activating the heart. Ai’Zan is—”

“Ai’Zan may or may not be compromised. There is no way to tell what condition he is in, if he knows he is one of us, if he will aid us, or if he is even alive. The only way to insure optimal success is if I go to Le’Tetra and awaken the heart myself.”

“We have every reason to believe that Ai’Zan is still alive,” one of the lords said.

“But we cannot be sure of that.” Ai’Dayn said.

“One of our emissaries has sent word that she believes she has come into contact with him.”

Ai’Dayn shrugged. “That may very well be, but we still do not know anything else of his condition. Nor do we know if bringing the heart back here is even an option. The only thing we know for sure is that if I go to Le’Tetra, I will be able to unlock the heart. There is no question about that.” There were other reasons that Ai’Dayn wanted to travel to Le’Teta other than awakening the heart for his people, but he knew what was the most important of those reasons, and probably the only reason any members of the council would see as legitimate.

Shay watched Ai’Dayn closely as he spoke. The prince was sure, calm, and confident as he made his case to the rest of the Lords of Antar. There was no trace of the slightly spoiled little boy La’Rul had known Ai to be for most of his life. He supposed this was more a sign than anything that Ai’Dayn was no longer that little boy. The thought of that made Shay proud, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t do his job.

“My lords, as I have said before, I advise against this action. But I would hear your opinions on the situation.”

There was another long pause, and then, “My Prince, my Lord Rath, please allow us a moment to deliberate on this matter.”

“Deliberation is not necessary,” Ai’Dayn said. “We must act now if we—”

Shay cut him off and bowed to the lords. “Deliberation is fine,” he said, looking sharply at Ai’Dayn. “We will await you outside.”

Ai’Dayn made no farther objection as he followed Shay out of the room.

Once they were in the hallway, out of the presence of the lords, Shay leaned against the wall and folded his arms over his chest. “I’m surprised," he spoke out loud.

“You didn’t think I would fight?” Ai’Dayn asked.

La’Rul shrugged. “I knew you would fight. You were never good at not getting your way.”

Ai’Dayn frowned, not finding that description of his character very flattering.

“But I never thought you would fight so well,” Shay added.

Ai’Dayn was surprised by the praise. It was probably the closest thing to a compliment Shay had ever given him. “Thank you.”

Shay nodded. “But you’re still not going to Le’Tetra.”

Ai’Dayn just smiled at his guardian. “We’ll see.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

MDHQ: Red House – Dormitory 201-250

Sweet oblivion would not be given to him tonight.

Max tried to control the dream. He tried to allow his consciousness to escape into nothingness. But his inebriated mind would not allow it. He hated dreaming, and had not let himself do it in such a long time. Because the moment he closed his eyes, the first thing he saw was always her. Watching her was one thing. He could handle seeing her engage in the simplicity of everyday life, knowing she had no recollection of who he was. But seeing her in his dreams—knowing his mind would create images of her that knew exactly who he was—craved his touch as much as he did hers—smiled at the sight of his face—and still loved him just as much as he loved her, was too much for him to handle.

That’s why he had stopped allowing himself to dream.

But tonight, his mind had other ideas. Tonight he would be a spectator, watching the dream unfold before him with no control.

The dream world was the same place it always was. Sealant New Mexico: Blackwell Domicile. It was a place he had not physically seen in years, but his mind remembered it as clearly as if he had visited it every day of his life.

Unlike the dreams he’d had before, in this one he was a child, no more than five or six years old. He couldn’t tell. He watched himself curiously as he sat outside in the backyard of the domicile, playing in the dirt. It was something he’d always loved to do.

Max slowly walked toward himself, looking down at the child he had once been. His child self stopped playing as he approached and looked back up at him.

The little boy smiled at him. “Hi.”

Max didn’t say anything.

The boy’s smile died and he tilted his head to the side. “Are you sad?” he asked.

Max nodded. “Yes.”

“Why?” the boy asked curiously.

“Because I lost you,” Max answered. He didn’t know where the words had come from, but they seemed like the right thing to say.

His younger self appeared confused. “But I’m right here,” he said, tilting his head even farther to the side.

Max smiled down at himself. “But I need you here,” he said, tapping his chest where he could feel his heart beating.

“Oh” Young Max looked down at his own chest, and tapped his heart, emulating his older self. “Well I can’t be there,” he said.

This time it was Max that was confused by the words of his younger self. “Why not?”

The little boy smiled up at him. “Because that’s where ZeeZee is.”

Max felt a tear leak from the corner of one of his eyes. “Not anymore. I lost her too.”

His younger self frowned. He pulled on the bottom of the older Max’s shirt until he bent down so that they were on the same level. Little Max touched his finger to his older self’s face, examining the wetness. “What’s this?” he asked.

Max didn’t answer.

“Is it sadness?”

Max nodded. “Yeah, it’s sadness.”

Little Max smiled. “Then why don’t you just wipe it away?”

“It will only keep coming back.”

“Because you lost me and ZeeZee?”

Max nodded. “Yeah.”

The little boy put his finger in his mouth. “Sadness taste nasty,” he said.

Max laughed at his young self. “You have dirt on your hands.”

The boy laughed too. “Then sadness tastes like dirt,” he said.

“You’re right.”

“I have an idea," the boy said suddenly.

“What’s that?”

“Ask Dover to help you. I know he can help you find me and ZeeZee. Dover can do anything.”

Max shook his head. “No, I lost him too.”

Little Max sighed and rolled his eyes. “You sure lose a lot of stuff.”

“I lost everyone,” Max said.

Little Max shrugged. “Then go find them.”

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“I just can’t.”

“But why not?”

“You wouldn’t understand,” Max told his young self. He didn’t even understand why he was bothering to explain it. This version of himself would never understand the changes that had come into his life. How could he? He was just a little boy.

“Is it because you’re lazy?” the little boy asked.

“What?” Max was thrown by the question.

“You’re lazy,” little Max said.

“No I’m not,” Max answered defensively.

“Yes you are. You won’t even try. That means you’re lazy.” That logic made all the sense in the world to the little version of himself. “Oh, and you’re also not very re–spon–sible. Lilly taught me that word. It means—”

“I know what it means!” Max snapped at himself.

The little boy tilted his head to the side.

Max took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell at you.”

The boy shrugged. “S’okay,” Then without warning he suddenly turned around and looked behind him. Max looked too, waiting to see what his younger self was looking for. But he knew right away what Max was looking for when the door to the domicile opened and a little girl burst through it.

ZeeZee.

Completely forgetting his older self, young Max began running straight for her. They met in the middle of the yard in a semi tackle hug, as they both fell to the ground.

Max got to his feet as he watched the children roll around in the grass, until Liz pinned Max beneath her. He remembered this. It was a silly game they used to play as children. He always let her win.

Then the door to the domicile opened again, and another person stepped out into the yard.

Liz.

Max couldn’t take his eyes off of her. She was wearing an almost completely see through nightdress and nothing else. The sheer material clung to her body like a second skin. Her bare feet stepped out into the grassy yard and she looked around in confusion.

“Where’d you go?” she asked searching the yard for someone. She paused when her eyes landed on him.

Max stood still. She was looking right at him, but unlike in most of the dreams he’d had about her before, Max could easily see that she had no idea who he was.

“Hello,” she said, stopping herself from coming any closer to him.

Max couldn’t have said anything if his life depended on it. Something was different. This was more than just a dream. This was real. She was real.

ZeeZee ran up to Liz, pulling little Max with her. “Look, this is Max,” she introduced excitedly. “This is who I wanted you to meet.”

Max watched Liz closely. She looked at him one last time, before she stooped down so that she was the same height as the children. “It’s nice to meet you Max,” she said, taking the little boys hand.

Little Max took Liz’s hand and turned to face his older self. “Look. She found you,” he told his older self happily.

Max didn’t know what to say, but ZeeZee stopped him from having to say anything. She ran over to his side and took his hand in hers. “Come on,” she said, coaxing him forward just as his younger self brought Liz farther out into the yard.

When they stood in the very center, both children lifted their hands and placed them together. Then the children let go, leaving both of their older selves holding hand in the middle of the yard, before they disappeared.

Liz looked down at their joined hands, then back up at him. “Who…who are you?” she asked.

“I’m Max,” he whispered. He couldn’t believe what was happening. He’d wanted this moment for so long, yet he could barely speak a word to her.

“Do I know you?” she asked.

He nodded. “Yes, you know me.”

She looked confused. “I do, I know I do. But I can’t…”

“Remember,” Max finished for her.

She nodded. “Yes. I can’t remember.”

Max lifted the hand that wasn’t holding hers and placed it against her cheek. “It’s okay,” he told her. His heart ached so badly as she closed her eyes and leaned into his touch.

“No it’s not,” she said. “I should remember you. I should remember…”

Max took a step closer to her, needing to breathe her in, needing to be close to her, if only for just this one moment. “It’s better that you don’t.”

Liz’s eyes shot open. “How can you say that? How could you ever think that I would be better off without you? I need you. I…I…”

“Love you,” he whispered for her.

Liz nodded and tears of frustration began gathering in her eyes. “Yes. I love you. I know I do.”

Max wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to his chest. “I know that too.”

God, it felt so good to hold her. All he’d wanted for the past few years of his life was to be able to touch her for just one second. All he wanted was one moment in time where he could have her in his arms, safe and warm and alive. To feel her heart beating against his soul. And now that he had that moment, he didn’t know how he was ever going to let it go.

“Don’t go,” he pleaded down into her hair. “Please don’t go.”

But she was already fading away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Max woke feeling like shit warmed over, smashed up, thrown out of a window, driven over by a litter, scooped back up, and warmed over again. His head throbbed with excruciating pain, and every muscle in his body ached so badly, he thought he would be sick from the pain of it.

Nothing came without a price.

Even with all the pain he was feeling at the moment, foremost in his mind was the dream he’d just woken up from. If a dream was what you would call it. It definitely hadn’t felt like a dream. It felt more like something else. And the Liz in the dream had felt far from dream like at all. She was the real thing. There was no question about it. He’d known that from the moment she’d stepped out into the backyard with him. But what did it mean? Had she dreamt the same thing? Did she remember him now?

A part of him prayed that she did, while another part was terrified by the idea. As much as Max wanted her to know who he was, he knew that having her remember who he was just wasn’t possible.

Max’s mind drifted back to the dream, trying desperately to figure out what it all meant. In all the years that the two of them had been separated, nothing like this had ever happened to him before. So what was different about last night? Why, after all this time, was he finally able to connect with her? That was a question he desperately needed to know the answer to. Because as wonderful as seeing her had been for him. He could never let anything like it happen again. Liz had to stay exactly where she was. Out of his reach.

Because remembering who he was would mean her immediate death.

Max sat up in his bed as slowly as he could, keeping his eyes shut against the brightness of the room. It was daylight now, which meant he was free from room restriction, and could leave at his will. That is, if he was ever able to move again without causing his body extreme pain. Maybe he’d overdone it a little with the Ice.

Once he was finally able to open his eyes without having them burn like hot coals were being shoved inside of his eye sockets, Max looked over at Kyle’s bed. Just as he thought, the bed was empty and appeared as if no one had slept in it all night. Kyle had not returned to the room. Max was thankful for that small favor. He didn’t need his partner seeing him like this. He’d never hear the end of it.

Taking note of the empty bottle of Ice that sat on the floor beside his bed, Max picked the bottle up and put it back in his bed trunk. The MRs knew he had it, but they obviously didn’t care, since no one had come for him last night. Apparently the no alcohol rule was more of an MD issue than it was any concern of the MRs. It should have been no surprise. MRs did not usually involve themselves in MD matters without a specific agenda. They couldn’t care less if Max drank himself into oblivion.

Which is exactly what he’d done last night.

“Evans!”

Suddenly the door to Max and Kyle’s room slammed opened, banging loudly against the wall. Max winced as the sound bounced from the wall to his sensitized ears. He placed his hands over his ears, trying to block out the sound.

Kyle stumbled into the room, obviously intoxicated. “Max!” he called out excitedly. “Evans, believe never you’ll found what I.”

Max tilted his head to the side. “What?”

Kyle staggered to his bed, but not before he slammed the door closed behind him, causing Max to jump and wince at the same time. “Do you think you could maybe try not being so damn loud?” Max asked.

Kyle ignored him as he collapsed down onto his bed. “What’s the matter with you, Evans?” he asked, but his voice was muffled because his face was buried deep into his pillow.

Apparently Max wasn’t the only one that had imbibed a bit too much last night. “Nothing’s wrong, Kyle. Just…please shut up.” Max shook his head, trying to clear the fog away, but it did nothing other than cause his head ache even more.

Kyle turned around and folded his arms behind his head. He closed his eyes as he started to nod off. “No, I can’t shut up. I have to tell you something.”

Max rubbed his aching temples “Then tell me quietly.”

Kyle didn’t answer.

“Kyle?” Max asked.

Still no answer.

Max looked over at his partner. Of course, Kyle was dead sleep.

Well, so much for having something to tell.

TBC

destinyc
Natalie36
mirae01
Flamehair
CandyDreamQueen
thetvgeneral
squishypunk
Smac

Thanks guys. I know, I suck, sorry for the long wait.

~Chad~


Part 2:

Chapter Five

Sealant New Mexico: Blackwell Domicile

Liz lightly placed her hand on her forehead as awareness slowly flooded back to her. She was still tired and her mind struggled to swim up from the depths of sleep. She knew that she had just been woken from the midst of an intense dream, but for some odd reason she was having a difficult time recalling any of the details. Everything was foggy and the dream was already beginning to fade away from her. All she could really remember was that something about it had seemed very important. She sat up in bed and rubbed her tired eyes. As the seconds continued to tick by, the memory of the dream was pulled father and father away from her recollection, until it was completely gone. In just the short time that she had been awake, she could remember absolutely nothing about the dream she’d awakened from.

Liz ran her fingers through her sleep messed hair, tossing it out of her face. She thought for a moment that maybe she had been mistaken. Maybe whatever the dream had been about was not as important as it seemed. Surely she would not have forgotten it so quickly had it been something of great importance.

Then, just as the dream seemed to have officially faded into the blackness of the forgotten, a sudden image flashed into her head. It was a man—a man that Liz did not recognize. The picture of his face lingered in her mind for a just fraction of a second, if even that long, but that was all the time it took to burn his image firmly inside of her head. She was sure she did not know who this man was, but the image in her head seemed extremely familiar to her. Like he was someone she had known her entire life.

Liz shook her head. “Get it together,” she coached herself as she climbed out of bed.

It was a very important day for her. Dr. Virgo would be at the center today, evaluating all of the student interns. Even though her future bio tech position with the University Med Center was already assured, Liz still wanted to make a good impression on the doctor. Dr. Virgo was the best of the best. She knew he expected an equal level of expertise from everyone that worked under him, so today she would have to bring her A game. That meant she had more important things to focus on than a phantom images in her head. Besides, the image had most likely been conjured up by her overactive imagination, on top of the fact that she hadn’t gotten much sleep.

Liz took a deep breath. The dream was gone now. She would not think about it anymore. Putting the image from her mind, she slipped on her robe and made her way to the lavatory.

As she opened the door and entered the room, Liz paused when she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror above the sink, and stared at it. She wasn’t completely sure what it was, but there was something strange about the image that stared back at her. She looked...different. Something was off. There was something very odd about her reflection. Her skin—it was different. Like…it was almost glowing.

Liz touched her hand to her face, expecting her skin to feel as foreign to her touch as her reflection appeared in the mirror, but her skin felt the same as always. Other than the faint glow that she wasn’t even entirely positive she was seeing, there didn’t seem to be any other changes. She leaned in closer to the mirror, examining her reflection as closely as she possibly could without her eyes blurring. But as she continued to look at herself in the mirror, her skin appeared as normal as ever. She closed her eyes for a second and then opened them again.

No glow.

Liz twisted the water faucet on and cupped her hands together beneath the spray, then splashed the cold water on her face. Her mind was playing tricks on he, she told herself. She wasn’t fully awake and her mind was still foggy from having just woken up. Or maybe she hadn’t gotten enough sleep to begin with. That was the most logical explanation.

“Liz, are you up?” Lilly called out to her from outside of the lavatory.

Not taking her eyes off of her reflection, Liz splashed more water on her face before she answered. “Yes, I’m up. I’m just—” She paused suddenly as the image in the mirror changed right before her very eyes. It was still her reflection that stared back at her. However it was no longer the reflection of the twenty-five year old woman she was today. Instead, she looked dead into the eyes of the little girl she hadn’t been for over twenty years.

Liz gasped and shut her eyes tightly. Her mind was playing tricks on her. Her mind was playing tricks on her. Her mind was playing tricks on her. She repeated the words over and over in her head, willing herself to believe them. Taking in a few deep breaths, she opened her eyes again. Thankfully, her reflection was back to normal again.

“Is everything alright in there?” Lilly asked concernedly after hearing Liz’s sudden pause.

Liz continued to stare at her reflection. “Everything’s fine,” she lied.

Lilly didn’t respond right away, seemingly gauging the truth of Liz’s words. “Are you sure?” she asked.

Liz nodded, even though her sister-in-law could not see her from the other side of the door. “Yes, I’m fine,” she answered.

“Okay, well hurry up. We’re already late,” Lilly called back.

Liz barely registered the words. Partly because the sound of Lilly’s voice faded as she moved away from the lavatory door, and partly because her attention was now completely focused on her reflection in the mirror. She lifted her hand to her face again, touching her cheek, her nose, her eyebrows, feeling nothing different about any of them.

“You’re psyching yourself out girl,” she told her reflection. She was tired. She was worried about today, and she hadn’t gotten enough sleep. She was psyching herself out.

Yes…that had to be it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Outer Le’Tetra: Base 9

“Shay told me that you convinced the council to allow you go to Le’Tetra with him.”

Ai’Dayn turned around when D’Nalia entered his room. He could tell by the sound of her voice that she was not pleased by this information. Seeing that she was angry, he smiled at her and tried to laugh off what he knew was a big deal to her. “You sound about as happy about that news as your brother did.”

D’Nalia did not return his smile, and she definitely was not laughing.

Ai’Dayn sighed. “I’m sorry, Nall,” he said, calling her by the pet name he only used when he knew she was mad at him. Even though he understood why D’Nalia was so angry, he still hated that he hated to be the reason why she was upset. He hated it whenever she was angry with him. He hated when she was angry period, but especially when he was the cause of that anger. Ai’Dayn knew there had to be something he could say to make her feel better, but try as he might, he couldn’t find the right words.

How ironic.

He had just spent the past hour convincing nine of their planet’s most respected lords to allow him to accompany La’Rul on a potentially dangerous trip to Le’Tetra, but he couldn’t find the right words to ease his best friend’s fear for him.

D’Nalia walked farther into the room and closed the door behind her. It was forbidden for anyone other than the Rath to enter Ai’Dayn’s bedroom, but Ai’Dayn had never enforced that rule with her, and D’Nalia had never paid it any attention either. “So you’re leaving me too?” she asked. “Were you even going to say goodbye?”

Ai’Dayn sat down heavily on his bed. “Nall, you know that’s not how it is.” He held his hands out to her and waited for her to take them.

D’Nalia took Ai’Dayn’s hands and allowed him to pull her down on the bed beside him. “Why do you have to go?” she asked.

“It’s complicated.”

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand as tears started to leak from them. “That’s what Shay always says when he’s trying to hide something from me. But I’m not stupid, Ai.”

“I know you’re not stupid.”

“So just tell me,” she said.

Ai’Dayn sighed. D’Nalia was right. It was best if he was as forthright with her as possible. “I have to go because I’m the only one who can awaken the heart. Don’t you understand? Once I do that, we’ll finally be able to go back home.”

D’Nalia sniffed bitterly. “Home to a place that you only have your parents’ memories of.”

Ai’Dayn shook his head. “That doesn’t matter. Even if I don’t have my own memories of our planet, millions of our people do. Even more of them are willing to die to return home, and hundreds already have. I have to do this, Nall.”

D’Nalia looked down at the floor, unable to look him in the eyes. “Even when we were little, you always wanted to be our planet’s hero, didn’t you, Ai?”

Ai’Dayn smiled, remembering the dreams he used to have as a child. In them he was the great savior of their planet, and he and D’Nalia went on to become the greatest rulers Antar had ever seen. That childhood dream was now closer to becoming a reality than it ever had been before.

He squeezed her hand and lifted her chin until she met his eyes. “Wouldn’t it be nice if that dream were to come true?” he asked.

D’Nalia nodded sadly, unable to deny how much better everything would be for their people if they were finally able to return home to Antar. It was a wonderful thought, but Ai’Dayn’s life was too great of a price to pay to make that dream come true. “What if you don’t come back?” she asked. “What if you’re…?” D’Nalia shook her head. She couldn’t even say the words.

“I won’t be,” he assured her.

She sniffed back more tears. “You don’t know that.”

“No, I don’t. But I do know that Shay will be with me, and he would never let anything bad happen to me.”

“And what if Shay is killed?” D’Nalia stood up and walked away from the bed, hating that he had to see her crying like this. “I don’t know what I would do if I was ever to lose either of you.”

Ai’Dayn stood up as well. He understood her concerns probably a lot better than she knew. He would have been lying if he said that he hadn’t thought of the same possible outcomes. “Shay’s tough. He’s the Rath, and he has been for a long time. He’s not stupid.”

“Being the Rath doesn’t mean my brother can’t be killed. I’ve heard Shay’s men talking of how hostile the humans are on Le’Tetra. They have groups of people trained specifically to kill us if they find us. That means you, and Shay, and every man in the party Shay takes with him.”

“Shay’s been the Rath since before either of us was born. It’s his job to protect me. It’s his job to protect our people. He knows what he’s doing. He’ll make sure the humans never suspect what we are, or why we’re there.”

D’Nalia just shook her head in denial. Her shoulders quaked and she covered her mouth as she struggled to choke back a sob. Ai’Dayn stood up and went to her, wrapping her up in his arms. “Don’t do that,” he whispered into her hair. “You’ll break my heart.”

She sniffed inelegantly into the front of his shirt. “If I lose you it’ll break mine,” she snuffled sorrowfully.

Ai’Dayn rubbed his fingers gently through her pale locks. “What makes you so sure you’re going to lose me?” he asked, even though it was a question he dreaded asking.

D’Nalia’s empathic abilities made it so that she was keenly in tune with the emotions of others. Those sometimes included emotions people didn’t even realized they had. That was something Ai’Dayn did not relish facing. It was one thing for him to put on a brave face for her, it was another to know that she knew that deep down he was probably just as scared of going to Le’Tetra as she was.

“Shay’s worried about it. I could sense it when I spoke with him earlier.” D’Nalia pulled away from him so that she could look up into his eyes. “You’re worried about it too,” she said, verifying what Ai’Dayn had already begun to suspect she could read clearly from inside of him.

Ai’Dayn tried to shrug it off. “How can I be anything but worried about this? I know it’s not going to be easy, but I’m not scared, Nall. I’m ready for this.” He tried to keep his voice as reassuring as possible, but he could tell D’Nalia wasn’t buying it for a second. The way she suddenly jerked angrily out of his arms confirmed that for him.

“Don’t lie to me, Ai!” she shouted angrily at him. “Don’t you dare stand there and lie to me! You owe me at least the truth.”

Ai’Dayn looked down at the floor. He should have known better than to try and keep the truth from her. Even without her empathic abilities, no one, other than Shay perhaps, knew him better than the girl standing in front of him. “You’re right, Nall. I do owe you the truth.” As hard as it was for him to admit, they both knew that it was best for both of them if he was honest with her. “The truth is, I’ve never been more scared of anything in my entire life. But I have to do this. I have to go.”

There was a speechless moment in which neither D’Nalia nor Ai’Dayn said a word. In those few seconds of silence Ai’Dayn wished he was empathic as well, if only so that he could know exactly what D’Nalia was feeling at that moment. Or better yet, that he could know what she was thinking.

Their silence was interrupted by Shay’s sudden appearance at the door. “It doesn’t matter what you think, D’Nalia. It doesn’t matter if you understand or not—if you like it, if you hate it. It doesn’t matter if you cry, moan, kick, or scream. Ai’Dayn has made up his mind, and the council has agreed. He’s going to Le’Tetra with me.”

Ai’Dayn and D’Nalia both turned to face the door at the sound of Shay’s voice. Neither of them had even heard him enter the room. He stood with his back against the door, leaning heavily on it, as if he had always been there. “We need to talk,” he said, in his ever calm and smooth tone, motioning towards Ai’Dayn with two fingers. “In my room, now.” Then, without another word, he left the room as silently as he had entered it.

Ai’Dayn looked back to D’Nalia, not knowing what to say.

D’Nalia wiped her hands across her tearstained cheeks and turned away from him before she spoke. “You shouldn’t keep my brother waiting.”

He reached out for her, trying to get her to look at him. “D’Nalia—”

“Just go,” she cut off sharply, before he could get anything other than her name past his lips.

Ai’Dayn let his hands drop to his sides and just stared silently at her back. There was so much more he needed to say to her. This couldn’t be their goodbye. He had to…and she…This just couldn’t be their goodbye.

He wouldn’t let it.

“I’ll be back,” he promised. “Just stay here, okay?”

D’Nalia didn’t object or agree as Ai’Dayn started to leave the room. She didn’t say anything. He paused when he reached the door, stopping to look at her one last time. “I’ll be back,” he repeated, then slipped out of the room.

As soon as Ai’Dayn was gone, D’Nalia let her legs give out beneath her as she slid gracelessly to her knees on the prince’s bedroom floor. Closing her eyes against the sudden sorrow she felt in her heart, she made no attempt to mask the bleak sobs that chocked harshly from her throat.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ai’Dayn stormed angrily into Shay’s room. He was already more than a little annoyed at his guardian for interrupting his conversation with D’Nalia. The slightly irritated look Shay wore on his face didn’t do anything to lighten Ai’Dayn’s infuriation over the situation. If anyone had the right to be irritated, it was him. “Did we have to do this now?” he asked, purposely failing to greet Shay properly. “I was kind of in the middle of something important.”

Shay did not appear in the least bit caring of Ai’Dayn’s obvious aggravation. “D’Nalia is not a child. Once she stops acting like one, she will give you a proper farewell. At any rate, this is more important than your adolescent crush.”

Ai’Dayn felt his cheeks heat, but it was in anger, rather than embarrassment. “It is not an adolescent crush,” he defended himself. He didn’t appreciate Shay’s attempt at reducing what he felt for D’Nalia to something so simple.

Once again, Shay was unfazed by Ai’Dayn’s anger. “Sit down. There are things we must discuss about this upcoming voyage.”

Ai’Dayn sat down grudgingly. “Thing’s I’m sure needed to be discussed at this exact moment,” he grumbled under his breath, but loud enough so that Shay could still hear him clearly.

La’Rul shrugged, obviously giving little care of how inconvenient his timing was for the prince. “Well, if you had just agreed to stay here, as you should, D’Nalia would not be upset, and there would be no need for this conversation. So if you would like to blame someone for this inconvenience, feel free to blame yourself.” Shay finished by sitting down in his own chair and folding his arms across his chest patiently. “Now, are you finished complaining, or would you like to waste more of my time? I do believe I have all day.”

Ai’Dayn didn’t reply and Shay took his silence as answer enough. “Nothing more to say, my prince? That’s good.”

Ai’Dayn rolled his eyes. “Will you please get to the point?”

Shay nodded. “Gladly.” He switched the subject. “There is certain information you need to know about this mission. Rules if you will.”

Ai’Dayn frowned at Shay. “Rules?” he asked.

“Yes. I know that seems like a perplexing concept to you, but try to follow. Rule number one: While we are on Le’Tetra you will do exactly as I say, when I say it.”

Ai’Dayn rolled his eyes again. “How is that different from when we’re here?” he asked.

Shay shrugged casually. “Well, if you don’t, you die.”

“Good to know,” Ai’Dayn said, chasing his words with an audible swallow. “What else?”

“Rule number two,” Shay continued. “You are not to go anywhere on Le’Tetra without me accompanying you. If I am unable to accompany you, you will remain in the safe house we will be occupying during our time on the planet.”

Ai’Dayn nodded. He wasn’t too fond of that rule, but he understood the necessity of it. Still, a part of him—the part that wasn’t scared that he would be killed on sight by hostile earthlings—was certainly interested in exploring all that Le’Tetra had to offer.

“Finally, rule number three, the most important rule of all.”

“I’m listening.”

“Never, under any circumstances, are you to use your gifts in front of a human. Do you understand?”

Ai’Dayn nodded in confirmation of his comprehension, even though he thought Shay was being a bit overdramatic over a rule that seemed like it would be common sense to follow.

“Good. Those are the three most important rules. I’ll fill you in on more as we go.”

Ai’Dayn stood up, wanting to get back to D’Nalia. “Can I go then?” he asked already angling himself towards the door.

Shay nodded. “You may go.”

Ai’Dayn was out the door almost before Shay finished dismissing him. Shay sighed as he got up and followed the boy out into the hallway. He watched Ai’Dayn as he tore down the hallway in the direction of his bedroom. Shay knew exactly where the prince was headed. He only hoped the Ai’Dayn wasn’t too upset when he returned to his room to find that D’Nalia was no longer there.

“It’s rude to eavesdrop. Didn’t your older brother teach you better manners than that?”

D’Nalia stepped from around the corner and out into the open hallway. “How long have you known I was out here?” she asked.

Shay turned to face her. “That doesn’t really matter. I have a more interesting question for you. How long are you going to attempt hiding from Ai’Dayn before we have to leave, and you realize at the last second that you wasted your chance to give him a proper farewell?” he asked. “Do you really think you can handle not saying goodbye?”

D’Nalia looked away from her brother. Hearing him put it that way caused her to feel slightly ashamed of herself, but only slightly. “What if I don’t want it to be goodbye?” she asked smartly. Shay had all the answers, let him answer that. “Isn’t it better not to say it?”

Shay leaned his back against the wall. “Interesting. You don’t think that if he dies, you won’t regret having not said it?”

“Don’t say that!”

“Why?” he arched his brow in question. “Because it’s not true? It is. We both know it is. Just like we both know that there is a very real possibility that Ai’Dayn and I could both be killed on that planet.”

D’Nalia wrapped her arms around herself, hugging herself fiercely. “I don’t want to think about that.”

“Well you had better think about that, and you better think fast.” Shay pushed away from the wall and stepped into the doorway of his bedroom. “We leave in less than five hours. Go say goodbye, little sister.” His tone was as dismissive as his action, as he closed the door to his bedroom, apparently having nothing more to say to her.

TBC

thetvgeneral
destinyc
Flamehair
mirae01

Thanks for reading guys. Enjoy.

~Chad~


Part 2:

Chapter Six

Plat City, New Mexico: MD Training Grounds

It was storming.

Max laid down on his back in the middle of the training field as the rain pelted down heavily on his bare chest. With eyes closed and palms pressed facedown into the wet grass, he let the water wash over his body, paying no attention to the chill it brought along with it as the cold drops touched his skin. He loved the rain. He’d always loved it, ever since he’d been a little kid. Whenever there was a big rainstorm—an occurrence that happened few and far between in a place like Plat City, he would lay out in the middle of it, allowing his body to absorb every last drop of rain as it fell from the sky. The MD training field was his favorite place to lie out. With the nearest building being more than a mile away, there was no other place at HQ that offered the quiet and privacy of this place. This was the only place he was sure he could be alone to just let his body absorb the rain. There was something about the feeling of the water against his skin, the sound of the drops colliding with the ground, the color of the sky as it darkened with the bursting of the clouds, it had always soothed and calmed him.

But that was not the only reason he loved the rain…

~2219~

Max stood out in the middle of the open field, letting the rain fall down on him. He looked up and smiled as a bolt of lightning streaked beautifully across the sky and a clap of thunder chased behind it.

There was just something about the rain. He loved it. Even though it was pretty late at night and everyone else was still sleeping back at the domicile, Max had been woken up by the storm. He’d had to go outside, so he’d snuck quietly out of the house. He could not say why, but as far back as he could remember he’d always loved standing out in the rain. Lilly and Dover were worriers so they never let him go out during a storm. The two of them actually had this ridicules idea that he would be struck by lightning—yeah right. And ZeeZee was deathly afraid of thunder and lightning, so most of the time he was trapped inside during big storms.

But not tonight.

Max held his arms out to his sides as the rain continued to pour over him. He swiveled around in the grass on his bare feet, letting the water whip off and around him, and whooped and hollered as he tore across the open field.

That was one of the pluses to living so far out in the middle of nowhere. There was no one to disturbed.

He continued running, splashing in globs of puddles of water as he went, and laughing and shouting at the top of his lungs until his feet tripped up in the slippery grass and he fell to the ground. He was still laughing as he rolled down a small hill.

“Max!”

Max sat up once he reached the bottom of the hill. When he looked up he could see a small figure standing at the top of it. “ZeeZee?” he called out. It was hard to make out her form through the denseness of the rain, but he was pretty sure it was her. Max stood up. “What are you doing out here?”

“What are you doing out here?” she called down to him, then shrieked as another streak of lightning danced across the sky and was soon followed by the loud clap of thunder.

Max laughed up at her. “Come down with me!” he shouted to her.

Liz covered her ears with her hands and shook her head. “No! You’re crazy! We have to go back!”

“You’re such a coward!” he called back.

“I am not! You’re just insane and you’re going to get sick!”

Max shook his head up at her. “When have I ever been sick?” he asked.

“There’s a first time for everything!”

When lightning struck again Liz almost jumped out of her skin. Max sighed and headed back up the hill. Once he reached her side he took her hands off of her ears. “What are you doing out here?” he asked, wiping her wet hair away from her face. “You know you hate this kind of weather”

She looked up at him, squinting her eyes against the pelting rain. “I saw you come out here. I was worried. Max, this is dangerous. What are you thinking coming out here in the middle of the night?”

Max smiled at her and a sly glint twinkled in his eyes. “I was thinking about this,” he said wrapping his arms around her.

“Max no,” Liz said warningly as she felt most of their weight start to tilt backwards. “No!” she shouted, but it was too late. The two of them were already tumbling down the hill.

Max laughed and Liz screamed as the two of them half rolled, half slid down the little hill, gaining momentum from the slippery mud beneath them. Max landed on his back with a big plop in a puddle that was forming at the foot of the hill, and Liz landed half on top of, half next to him. He reached over for her, rolling her into the muddy puddle with him.

“Max, you jerk!” she shouted fighting to get away from him, but his grip was solid and she wasn’t going anywhere.

“Come on ZeeZee, have a nice mud bath with me,”

Liz slapped her hand in the puddle, splashing the muddy water in Max’s face. He jumped back, releasing her from his grip, and Liz used his distraction to scramble to her feet.

“You are so going to get it for that,” Max said wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. For all the good it did. The rain was really starting to come down now and both of them were soaked to the bone.

Liz put her hands out in front of her in a futile attempt to keep him away from her. “Now Max, you started this. Don’t come any closer. Stay awa-ahh!” She screamed and started running as Max took off toward her, but she only made it about three feet before he caught her from behind, wrapped his arms around her middle and started winging her around in circles. Liz laughed as the two of them twirled in the rain round and round in what felt like a million circles, until Max finally fell on his back, disoriented with dizziness.

Liz rolled on top of him, laughing and panting as the two of them attempted to catch their breath. The rain was starting to ease up now, but it had not completely stopped falling around them. Then suddenly a bolt of lightning struck high in a nearby tree, causing Liz to scream and bury her face deep into Max’s shirt.

Max wrapped his arms around her, gently holding the back of her head. “Hey, it’s fine. You’re fine,” he assured her. “We’re fine.”

She shook her head and pressed her fist against his chest. “What if something were to happen to you? What would I…what if…”

Max smoothed his hand down the back of her head. “ZeeZee, are you crying?” he asked her in a slightly teasing voice. It was hard to tell with the rain continuously running down both of their faces, but he was pretty sure that she was.

Liz shook her head. “I’m not crying,” she denied. “My face is wet,” but she ruined her denial by hiccupping the last word.

Max smiled up at her and hugged her closer to his wet chest. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Liz wrapped her arms tightly around him. “Can we go home now? Please?”

Max nodded. He’d never meant to frighten her, but he’d had no idea that she would follow him out here. “Yes, we can go home,” he told her.

Liz nodded, but she made no attempt to get off of him and Max didn’t do anything to aid her. She pulled away slightly so that she was looking down into his eyes and he was looking up into hers.

She touched her hand to his cheek. “Max?” she asked.

“Huh?” he answered, unable to believe that that was his voice that sounded so dazed.

“Can I kiss—”

“Yes,” he answered, bringing her lips down to his before she could even get the rest of the question out of her mouth.

The kiss was soft and sweet—two pair of lips simply brushing softly against one another. There was no tongue, no pressure, and no force. Even so, this semi chaste kiss contained a passion to rival the most licentious meeting of lips and tongue. Neither of them had done this before, and the kiss was hesitant and shy at first, but Max lips fit with Liz’s like they had been made for nothing more than this, and soon neither one of them noticed the inexperience of the other.

Max gasped when he felt a slight tickling behind his closed eyes, but he didn’t open them. When Liz’s lips pulled slightly away from his, his entire body tingled as he felt the rush of her breath inside of his mouth. With both of their mouths parted, they pressed their lips together again, touching only lip to lip. When Max felt her hips slowly start to move as she began rocking her body against his, he involuntarily groaned deeply into her mouth. But when he felt her tongue reach inside of his open mouth, he simply went to heaven.

Max didn’t know how long the kiss went on for. The only thing he did know was that he had never felt anything this good in all of his life. He’d never felt anything like this in his entire life. Nothing came close to it. He could feel so much. He could feel everything.

Her.

Him.

Them.

Everything.

He felt so hot, like he would burst into flames at any moment, but he was pretty sure that he was shivering. Liz moaned against his mouth and he knew without a doubt that she was feeling just as much as he was in that moment. Her hands were everywhere, in his hair, on his face, under his shirt. And his hands responded in kind, stroking her everywhere they could reach.

Her mouth slipped from his lips, under his chin and down to his neck. When he felt her tongue touch his neck he could have sworn that he had died. Both of them were panting hard. He could hear the sound echoing loudly in his ears, and yet he was also sure that he couldn’t breathe. But he didn’t care. Breathing didn’t seem important when compared to this. Kissing her—making her his, was everything.

His.

She was his.

Forever.

For always.

“Mine,” he rasped hoarsely into her hair, although he was not exactly sure how he was able to manage speech.

“Max, Max…”

She was saying something. He was sure of that. But in that moment he couldn’t even recognize the sound of his own name.

“Max,” she said again. This time the name was beginning to make sense to him.

Although he was unsure of how he actually accomplished it, he managed to pull himself away from her.

“Liz…” He was just barely able to get her name out. He was still dazed from their kiss, but he managed to focus on looking at her. Her eyes were focused intently on him and her hands gently stoked his cheeks. “Are…are you okay?” he asked.

Liz nodded. “Max,” her voice sounded soft and awestruck. “Your eyes…”

Max felt the tingling in his eyes again and blinked several times. “What about them?” he asked.

Liz just continued to peer down at him. Then she shook her head. “Nothing. It’s nothing.” She leaned down and kissed him again. This time very softly. “We should go home.”

Max nodded. She was right. They were both soaked and filthy. And if Dover or Lilly woke to find the two them gone…well that would be a whole other situation.

“You’re right. We should go home,” he agreed.

She smiled down at him. “Yeah we should,” she said. But her eyes twinkled mischievously and she leaned down to kiss him again. They would go home.

Later.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Keeping his eyes closed, Max smiled up at the sky as the memory as well as the rain continued to wash over him. He still remembered that night like it was yesterday. The two of them had been in so much trouble when they had finally made it back home. But after that ZeeZee had gotten over her fear of lightning and thunder.

Their very first kiss.

He had not thought about that night in a long time, but that was his own fault. Other than when he was able to view her, Max tried not to think of Liz at all. But the dream he’d had had stayed with him all day, and now he could manage to think of nothing other than her. He still remembered everything about her. The scent of her hair. The touch of her skin. The taste of her mouth—of her entire body.

Just like heaven.

As much as he wanted to, those were things that he knew he would never forget. No matter how long he lived. No matter how long he was away from her. Hell, no matter if he died. She was imprinted inside of him for all time. Stitched on his heart. And if he was lucky—and he had never been particularly lucky, he would get to see her for real some day. Even if he happened to drop dead the very next day.

“You know, you’re pretty weird, kid.”

Max opened his eyes and sat up quickly at the sudden sound of a voice speaking over him. A surprised look formed on his face when he looked up and saw who was standing over him. “Captain Watson, what are you doing here?” he asked, amazed to see his captain all the way out here.

Adder looked down at Max, a curious look on his face. “I think most people wait until the sun is out to do this.”

“I guess,” Max said as the shock of being interrupted wore off. He reached down on the ground beside him for his sopping wet shirt and pulled it back over his head.

Adder continued to look down at him. “You hike all the way out here by yourself?” he asked.

Max nodded.

“Any special reason why?”

Max shook his head.

Adder noticed that the kid made no move to get up. “You know Evans, it’s called a shower, and it’s much more effective.”

Max didn’t laugh or even crack a smile. “Yes sir.”

Dover folded his arms over his chest as he looked down at Max. He wasn’t very old. Probably early twenties. Same age he’d been when he’s joined the Doughboy. Evans was definitely a strange kid. He hadn’t been with the Doughboys for very long, but in the time he had been with them he’d been quiet, he kept mostly to himself, only really speaking when he was spoken to, and he managed not to make any trouble. Frankly, Adder had never really noticed him before. Evans was different from his partner Valenti. But actually, both of them reminded him a lot of himself and Dover. Well…to be fair, Max was a lot weirder than Dover, but Adder still saw something of him in the kid.

He’d only been doing a field check for tomorrows training session when he’d spotted Max lying out here. His initial thought had been that the kid had somehow injured himself, but that obviously was not the case. “So you’re going to have to give me a hint here kid, because my brain can’t seem to make this one out. What exactly are you doing out here?”

Max braced his elbows against his knees and let his forearms drop between his legs, still making no move to get to his feet. “Lying in the rain sir,” he answered truthfully.

Adder laughed. Yep, Evans was pretty weird. “Yeah, that part was pretty clear. Why are you lying in the rain?”

Max looked up at the sky. The rain was starting to come down harder and both he and Adder were getting drenched in it. He got to his feet. “I’ll head back to HQ sir.”

Adder grabbed Max’s arm, stopping him from walking away. “You have not answered my question kid.”

Max met Adder’s gaze. “Do you really care?”

Adder looked at Max silently for a moment, trying to gage the kid. He shrugged. “Not really.”

“Then why does it matter?” Max asked.

Adder shrugged again. “I said I like you, didn’t I?”

Max nodded, remembering Adder’s words from their last training session. “You said that.”

“Then that’s why it matters,” Adder answered, then smacked Max in the back of his head.

“Ouch,” Max said reaching for the back of his head, even though the smack had not really inflicted much pain. “What was that for?”

“That was for answering my question with another question,” Adder said, then smacked Max again, this time applying a bit more pressure.

Max winced. “And that one?”

Adder smiled. “That was because I hate being wet. Now get your ass in the litter. I’ll take you back.”

Max nodded, still holding the back of his head. Adder started to follow him, but something on the ground gleamed and caught his attention. He reached down and picked it up. It was a black chain with a gold-jack coin hanging from it. “Hey Evans?” he called out. When Max turned around Adder held the chain up. “This yours?”

A strange look formed in Max’s eyes and he looked at the coin for a long time, and for a second Adder could have sworn the boy’s eyes had changed colors. “It’s not mine,” he said and without another word, he turned and climbed inside of the litter.

Adder palmed the coin. Odd, judging from the look that had formed on Max’s face when he’d looked at the coin it was obvious that the chain did belong to him, or at least it had belonged to him. Whatever it was, there was definitely a story there. Adder looked down at the coin in his hand then back to the litter. He placed the chain is his pocket.

Well, he would just hang on to it for now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

MRHQ: Main House – Laboratory X

It was well after midday when Dr. Virgo was finally able to return to his lab. It had been raining all day so most of the MRs were currently stationed at HQ since the weather was not suitable for much of anything else. Dr. Virgo had spent the beginning part of the day assigning mundane tasks to the MRs that were on staff today, so he was highly irritated by the entire situation.

He had research to do, experiments to complete—very important experiments. Unfortunately his research and experiments had to take a back seat to his job as the Alpha MR. After all, not everyone was in the know of the little experiments he had been conducting, which meant he constantly had MD higher-ups breathing down his neck with their questions and concerns.

No matter. He knew how to deal with the MDs. That wasn’t the real problem. The real problem was managing to find the time to concentrate on what was truly important. That being his continuously failed attempts at recreating a being like Max. So far none of his attempts had been successful. Also there had been a recent shortage of malign sightings. Meaning the MDs were pretty much worthless at the moment. And worthless MDs meant restless MDs.

Restless MDs were never good.

He was not particularly worried about the shortage of maligns at his disposal. Although no malign pods had been discovered or dissected in over twenty years, maligns had continued to inhabit this planet. Even if Max was the only live one they’d ever been able to get their hands on. They really needed to rethink that terminate on sight clause. Still, as annoying as it was, a lack of maligns being brought in made Max’s continued cooperation that much more important to his research. Well, he would just have to make sure Max stayed alive.

For now at least.

There would be more maligns. Surely they had not exterminated all of them. They couldn’t have. He had much bigger plans for them than simply exterminating them.

Maligns were monsters, nothing more, nothing less. No word was more capable of adequately describing them. But these things—these monsters had the audacity to pretend to be something they weren’t. Dr. Virgo didn’t like monsters of any variety, but he had a particular distaste for any monster that dared to masquerade as a human being. As similar as they were, maligns were not human. They were unnatural beings, and they were abominations to this world.

Fascinatingly wonderful abominations.

The fact that maligns pretended to be human was actually the cause of Dr. Virgo’s fascination and hatred towards them. The man inside of him detested these “fake” human being, while the doctor and scientist in him was enthralled by the reality that these creatures could be human. Outwardly, their bodies were no different than his own, but on the inside, the all important inner fillings of the body, maligns were a far cry from human at all. In fact, their bodies were actually superior to that of a human being. They’re DNA, blood, cells, everything about them worked on a level that was completely different than anything Dr. Virgo had ever seen before in all of his years, and yet maligns managed to appear, think, and feel as any other human beings were able to.

For Dr. Virgo, that was truly perplexing. The human body was the most advanced living organism on the entire planet. It could not be engineered; it could not be duplicated by any process other than genetic reproduction. How could their possibly exist a being smarter, stronger, and more mentally capable?

How?

Where had these creatures come from? How had they gotten to this planet? More importantly, how could he create them?

Dr. Virgo picked up a small vile and studied it with his eyes. This was Max’s blood. Malign blood. The blood was crimson, just as human blood was. However, unlike human blood, this blood possessed no recognizable blood type, or any other human properties for that matter. What could this blood do? Dr. Virgo had attempted transfusions of every sort in order to find an answer to that question, but none of them had been to any avail. By itself, malign blood was completely non-compatible with the human body, and was a completely alien substance when compared to human blood. There was nothing human or life sustaining about it.

So what was missing? How was Max able to exist? His body was human, and yet this was the blood that flowed through his veins. Dr. Virgo asked himself those questions over and over. Maligns were monsters. They had to be extraterrestrial beings. There was no possible way that they had always been here on earth. But more than he wanted to know how they had gotten here, he wanted to know what their purpose for being here truly was.

For that, he had no answer.

Sitting the vile of Max’s blood aside on his desk, Dr. Virgo jotted a few notes into the research log he kept with him at all times. “What is your purpose, Max Evans? Why are you creatures here?” he asked himself as he wrote.

“Is he not the instruments for creating the perfect human body? Isn’t that what you’ve always believed doctor?”

Dr. Virgo did not turn around to address the voice that suddenly spoke behind him. Frankly, he had been aware of the fact that he was not alone for some time now. Although he usually preferred to be left alone to his research, in order to retain productivity, laboratory X was continuously abuzz with MRs at all hours of the day. Therefore he was rarely alone.

The heavy sound of shoes clicking against the floor grew closer as Dr. Virgo was approached from behind. “A gift from God, perhaps?” the voice asked.

This time the doctor did turn around. He smiled at the man standing behind him. “Beta Klampton. I would not have pegged you for a religious man.”

Klampton shook his head. “Not at all, sir.”

“Good. There is no room for religion in this science.” Dr. Virgo turned back to his log and continued writing.

Beta officer Klampton stood just at Dr Virgo’s back, his back straight and his arms strictly at his sides. “Oh I wouldn’t say that Alpha. The passion of a scientist must stem from a higher belief. After all, is a life consecrated to the science of creating a perfect human being not arrogantly puissant of us?”

Dr. Virgo arched a brow above the rim of his glasses, but did not truly give Klampton’s words much thought. “Is there a reason you felt the need to interrupt my research, Klampton? I’m a very busy man.”

Klampton nodded. “That, I am well aware of sir. In fact, you are so busy that you’ve neglected the business you should be attending at the Med Center today.”

Dr. Virgo stopped writing and placed his pen down on the table. “That’s today is it?” he asked looking over his shoulder at Klampton.

Klampton nodded. “It is.”

Dr. Virgo sighed. Like any scientist worth his salt, he would much rather continue his research in the lab today than coddle a bunch of scientist wannabes at that joke of a medical center. Yesterday he had taken everything he needed from Max for the time being, and he was anxious to start this new phase of his research. Even so, as always, there were still appearances that needed to be kept up. “Very well, Klampton. I suppose more important things will have to be postponed for now.”

“It would appear that is the way of it sir,” Klampton said. “But before you go, there is something else that I think you should know.”

“What is it?” Dr. Virgo asked offhandedly as he began packing away his things.

“It’s about the JV-L project, sir.”

Dr. Virgo paused and turned back to his subordinate. “The JV-L project?” he asked curiously, the other man having now fully gained his attention. “What about the JV-L project?”

For the slightest of seconds Klampton’s perfectly impassive expression showed a hint of an emotion that was the closet he had ever come to showing any sense of delight. “It would be better if you were to see this for yourself. I’m sure you will be very pleased to see it, Dr. Virgo.”

Seeing that rare show of emotion play across the imperturbable man’s face caused Dr. Virgo’s own heart to begin racing inside of his chest. His eyes brightened and the corners of his mouth turned up in an iniquitous grin. “Beta officer Klampton, lead the way.”

TBC

BlueStar8
thetvgeneral
Flamehair
destinyc
mirae01
CandyDreamQueen
Michelle in Yonkers

Ok just so you all know, I’m not a horrendous liar. I really did plan to update Sunday but I got sidetracked (I was tarring the roof. No joke!) And yesterday was Mack’s birthday so I didn’t have time to do it then either. But here it is. I know it’s two days late, but you all still love me right? Anywho, there is quite a bit going on in this chapter, so I hope you enjoy it.

~Chad~

Part 2:

Chapter Seven

Outer Le’Tetra: Base 9

D’Nalia was no longer in the room when Ai’Dayn returned. No surprise there. It was obvious that she was upset by the fact that he was going to Le’Tetra with her brother, with good reason. But regardless of how upset she was, Ai’Dayn could not bear leaving her on such bad terms. He had to find her. If only so he could explain—this time without the annoyance of an interruption from Shay—that leaving her was the only option he had if he wanted to save their people. Somehow, he had to make her understand how important what he was doing really was.

Just when Ai’Dayn was prepared to tear the base apart in search of her, the door to his room slid open. D’Nalia stood in the doorway looking quietly down at her feet.

“Nall?” he said, approaching her hesitantly.

“Shay said that I should talk to you,” she said without looking up. “He said that I should say goodbye.”

Ai’Dayn swallowed, not knowing what to say to that.

“I don’t want to say goodbye,” she continued. “But I would regret it if I didn’t.”

He took another step towards her. “It won’t be goodbye forever,” he promised. It was a promise he was going to do everything in his power to keep.

She nodded. “I’m being immature. Shay said that too.”

Ai’Dayn cringed at Shay’s harshness, but La’Rul had never been one to mince words, not even with his beloved little sister. “You’re scared. I can understand that,” he told her. Especially since he was pretty scared himself.

She shook her head. “No, he’s right. It’s very important that you do this. I’m being selfish.” She looked from the floor up to him. “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to—” he’d started to tell her that she didn’t need to apologize to him, but startled silent when D’Nalia suddenly launched herself into his arms. Reflexively, he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly to his chest.

“Goodbye Ai, I’ll miss you,” she mumbled into his shirt. “I’m sorry.”

Ai’Dayn held her closer, feeling calm and peaceful with her in his arms. “I’ll miss you too, Nall,” he said, gently clenching a strand of her hair between his fingers. “I’ll miss you so much.”

They stood there for an undeterminable amount of time, neither wanting to let go of the other, and both knowing it was inevitable that they would have to part from one another. Ai’Dayn tilted his head down with the intentions of placing a kiss on the top of her head at the same time that D’Nalia lifted her head to kiss him on the cheek. As a result, the two of them stood with their faces barely a breath apart.

Looking down into her ice-blue eyes, Ai’Dayn felt the familiar tingling in his own eyes, signaling the approach of the blackening he knew he would not be able to hide from her.

He did not look away.

Neither did she.

He was going to kiss her. The only part of Ai’Dayn’s brain that seemed to be working, registered that fact fairly easily. There was only one question in his mind. Was she going to kiss him back, or would she push him away?

There was only one way to find out.

With all the confidence of a royal prince, Ai’Dayn pressed his lips to D’Nalia’s…

…and she didn’t hesitate to kiss him back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

MDHQ: Red House – Dormitory 201-250

“Evans, man where the hell have you been?” Kyle asked Max as soon as he walked into their room.

Max looked down at the sopping wet shirt that was now practically glued to his skin. He ran his hands through the wet strands of hair that dangled in front of his eyes. “I’ll give you three guesses, Kyle,” he answered smartly.

Kyle looked over at the window where the rain was pelting heavily against the blue glass. “Yeah, I get that you were outside, but where’ve you been? I was looking all over for you man.”

“What for?” Max asked, whipping the wet shirt off over his head.

Kyle frowned at Max’s apparent confusion. “Didn’t I tell you I had something to show you?”

Max brow quirked as he looked over at Kyle. “For real? I thought that was just drunken stupor talk.”

Kyle laughed. “Just hurry up and get dressed. Meet me downstairs in the litter lot in five minutes.”

“We’re going somewhere?” Max asked Kyle as he watched him head towards the door.

Kyle shrugged. “Five minutes,” he repeated. “You’ll see.” And on that somewhat obscure note, he left the room.

After Kyle’s exit Max stood by his bed, still holding his sopping wet shirt in his hands, and wondering what kind of hell his partner could possibly be about to get him into now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Plat City, New Mexico: Near Lacebark Cave

He was in hell.

Literally hell.

This had to be hell. It was hot. It was dusty. He was sweaty. He was hungry. And oh yeah—he was hot. Max wasn’t sure what was up with the weather out her, but for some reason that was completely unknown to him, it was hotter here around the Lacebark area than it was in any other place in New Mexico. He looked over at Kyle who was sweating just as profusely as he was, and was probably just as hot and annoyed.

Max spit dirt out of his mouth on to the ground two inches in front of Kyle’s boot.

“Hey!” Kyle said, stopping just before he stepped into Max’s spittle. “What the hell was that?”

Max wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. “That was me not spitting on you.”

Kyle rolled his eyes. “I guess next you’re going to say this is my fault, huh.”

“Ding ding ding, Kyle!” Max clapped his hands together. “You guessed right!”

“Oh yeah, really? How is this my fault?”

“Hmm, let’s see. First you claim you have something you have to show me. Then you drag me out here after I told you over and over that we shouldn’t be here. And last, hmm what was last? Oh yeah, you crashed the damn litter!”

“I didn’t crash the litter!” Kyle said, getting up in Max’s face.

“You didn’t crash the litter?” Max said getting just as close.

“No I didn’t. It’s self navigating. It crashed itself.”

Max groaned, not even wanting to get into that argument. He backed away. “It doesn’t matter. Just send a distress back to HQ so we can get someone out here to get us.”

Kyle wasn’t paying attention “Hey look,” he said pointing in front of them. “It looks like Lacebark is just up ahead.”

“Are you out of your mind? We’re not going there.” There was no way they were going there.

“Of course we are,” Kyle said. “That’s the whole point of this entire trip. We can send a distress when we get back.”

Max stared at his partner.

“Hey Kyle?”

“Yeah Max?”

“Can you do me a favor?”

“What’s that?”

“Remind me why the hell I let you talk me into coming here with you?”

Kyle laughed as he opened the door to the litter that had carried him and Max this far before breaking down. “Trust me man, you’re going to want to see this.”

Max looked doubtful. “No, I probably won’t. Let’s just go back to HQ.” He wasn’t sure what it was, but there was something about being out here that felt…odd. “Why are we going to Lacebark anyway?”

Kyle just smiled. “We’re going down,” he answered.

Max paused. “We’re doing what?”

“Here,” Kyle said, reaching inside of the littler and tossing Max a protective mask.

Max caught the mask and looked from it to Kyle, then back down to the mask. “Are you serious?”

“As serious as a MR with a stick shoved up his ass,” Kyle answered placing his own mask over his face.

“Are you crazy?” Max asked.

Kyle smiled “Maybe, but only just a little bit,” he said. The sound of his voice was muffled behind his mask.

Max shook his head. “Lacebark is prohibited. And the entrance is keycard access only. Even if we wanted to, we couldn’t get in.”

Kyle placed his hand on the chin of his mask. “You’re right, we couldn’t get in…oh wait, unless we had this,” he said, pulling an MR keycard out of his back pocket.

“Where the hell did you get that?” Max asked.

“Swiped it,” Kyle answered.

“Off who?”

Kyle shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. It won’t be missed for a while.”

Max arched a brow. That couldn’t be good. “Exactly how drunk were you last night?”

Kyle laughed behind his mask. “Man, for real, I was pretty smashed, but that doesn’t matter. The guys and I were talking and it got me thinking—”

“Never a good thing,” Max cut in.

“It got me thinking,” Kyle continued. “What exactly are the MRs hiding down there? I mean, Lacebark has always been this big mystery, shrouded in a cloud of darkness, wrapped in a puff a smoke. There has got to be some reason why.”

“How poetic,” Max said dryly, but when Kyle started walking towards the cave Max stopped him with a forceful yank of his arm. “Kyle, don’t be stupid.”

“Come on Max. You can’t tell me you don’t want to know what’s down there.”

“No, I don’t want—”

Max paused. The lie should have come easily, but for some unknown reason he couldn’t seem to get the words out. The truth was, he probably wanted to know what the MRs were hiding in Lacebark more than any other person on the planet.

Don’t be stupid Max, he silently chided himself. With everything he already knew about the MRs, did he really want to know any more? He looked over at the cave in the distance. It was better not to know.

Still, there was something about Lacebark. Like it was calling out to him.

Max shook his head. “No Kyle, I don’t want to know.”

“You’re full of shit, Evans.” Kyle said, clearly not believing him.

Max smiled and shrugged uncaringly. “Maybe, but only just a little bit,” he said, echoing Kyle’s earlier response.

Kyle smiled back at his partner, undeterred by Max’s denial of having any interest in Lacebark. He’d seen the look on Max’s face when he’d pulled the keycard out of his pocket. Evans was just as interested in exploring the cave as he was, even if he didn’t want to admit it. That’s why he knew, regardless of what Max said, one way or another, the two of them were going inside of Lacebark Cave.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Plat City, New Mexico: Plat City University Medical Center

Liz was nervous.

She wasn’t normally the type of person who let a thing like nerves get to her. In fact, she’d prided herself on possessing an iron will that was strong enough to handle just about anything that was thrown at her. But as she stood in the lab of the medical center, following the same daily routine she followed every day, she felt like the weight of the world was pressing heavily down on her shoulders, or more aptly, the weight of Dr. Virgo’s scrutinizing gaze.

Dr. Virgo, Lilly, and several other doctors and MRs watched all of the interns from behind the glass of the observation platform located above them. It was quite literally like being viewed underneath a microscope, but this type of observation was standard reviewing procedure for all the interns at the Center. Even so, Liz still felt that from the very second he’d stepped out onto the platform above them, Dr. Virgo had not taken his eyes off of her. Even though his head never moved, his gaze seemed to watch her like a hawk, quietly observing every move she made. And that was what was making her so nervous.

There could only be two reasons for the extra attention the doctor was paying her. Either she was performing really well, or, she was performing very poorly. Unfortunately, although she didn’t think she’d made any glaring flub ups, Liz was not a mind reader, and she couldn’t tell what, if anything, Dr. Virgo thought of her.

Under any other circumstances she would have had complete faith in her scientific performance. She knew she was fully competent and qualified to be a biological studies technician. But there was something extremely daunting about having all the doctors there watching over her every move, especially Dr. Virgo. The pressure was excruciating. She couldn’t bury the feeling that he was just waiting for her to slip up, and when she did, he would be right there to see it with his own eyes.

Having Lilly there as a buffer didn’t help to ease the weight of the pressure Liz was feeling. It was hard enough being related to one of the head doctors in charge of the Medical Center, not to mention living together. Liz did not want to rely on her sister-in-law in any aspect of her future career. Nevertheless, because she was Lilly’s sister-in-law, she’d always had to work that much harder to prove to all the other interns that she was truly capable, not just a favorite being given “special treatment”.

“Liz?” a voice called out to her, momentarily breaking her concentration.

At the sound of her name, Liz turned around to see that Cora Monroe, Lilly’s assistant, was standing right behind her. A few of the other interns looked up as well, but none of them stopped working.

“Yes?” Liz answered.

“Dr. Virgo would like to see you in his office,” Cora told her, offering up the friendly smile she always seemed to have on her face.

Liz glanced up at the viewing platform to see that most of the doctors had left already, Lilly and Dr. Virgo included. She turned back to Cora “Only me?” she asked.

Cora nodded, giving her a reassuring pat on the arm. “I’m sure it will be fine, dear.”

Liz sighed. That was easy for Cora to say. She wasn’t the one being evaluated. Even though her presiding doctors had already assured her that the bio tech job was practically in the bag for her, and that the viewing was nothing more than a formality, there were a million things that could have changed since that decision had been made. Dr. Virgo could have not liked her work, or perhaps he could have seen a candidate he felt was better suited for the position, or even more likely, he could have simply changed his mind.

Walking on what felt like lead feet, Liz left the lab and started down the hall in the direction of the doctors’ offices. When she stopped outside of the door to Dr. Virgo’s office, she felt her stomach fluttered in anxiety. She reassured herself that she was overreacting, and that this meeting was no big deal. It would have been a big deal if Dr. Virgo hadn’t wanted to see her. This was a much better sign. Right now all she had to do was concentrate on being presentable, and hopefully not embarrassing herself by throwing up outside of Dr. Virgo’s office, or even worse, on Dr. Virgo himself.

Once she was pretty sure she had her stomach under control, Liz knocked softly on the door.

“Enter,” Dr. Virgo called out.

Taking one more deep breath, she opened the door and entered the room. Dr. Virgo was sitting imperially at his desk. Surprisingly enough, Lilly was standing beside him. It was apparent that the two of them had just finished discussing something. Judging from the way they both peered at her, Liz guessed that it was something about her.

She glanced suspiciously at her sister-in-law, attempting to gage if Lilly had been making any attempts to “help” on her benefit.

“Elizabeth,” Dr. Virgo acknowledged her with a slight nod off his head. “Please have a seat.”

Liz looked away from Lilly, unable to read the expression on her sister-in-law’s face. She took the seat in front of Dr. Virgo’s desk.

“Dr. Blackwell, would you be so kind as to give the two of us some privacy?” Dr. Virgo asked without turning his attention away from Liz.

Lilly nodded and stepped from around the desk. She paused once she reached the door. “I’ll be in my office,” she said, speaking directly to Liz before leaving the room.

Alone with Dr. Virgo in his office, Liz felt the butterflies start to dance in the pit of her stomach once more.

“Well Elizabeth, I’ve been a colleague of Dr. Blackwell’s for some time now, but I have not yet had the pleasure of being formally introduced to you,” Dr. Virgo spoke absently as he looked through a file Liz assumed was her.

“No sir. We have not yet been formally introduced,” she answered, even though she was not entirely sure he was looking for a response from her.

“And I see you go by the name Parker?” he asked, looking from her file to her face.

“Yes sir,” Liz nodded. It seemed the butterflies in her stomach were starting to ease up a bit. “It’s my mother’s maiden name,” she explained, unconsciously fidgeting with the nametag on her intern jacket. Parker was the name she’d chosen to go by, so as not to be easily associated with Dr. Lillian Blackwell.

“I see,” Dr. Virgo said.

Just as she thought her nerves were easing up a bit, she felt them rise again as Dr. Virgo stared silently at her, presumably analyzing her answer in his mind. After a few seconds of what Liz felt was extremely uncomfortable silence, Dr. Virgo shook his head, almost as if he were breaking himself from a trance. “Well then Miss. Parker,” he restarted, purposely emphasizing the name. “I have to tell you, I was thoroughly impressed by your performance in the lab today.”

And with those few words, all the butterflies in her stomach suddenly flew away, and she suddenly felt like great load was suddenly lifted off of her shoulders. She couldn’t help the smile that began tugging at her lips. “Thank you, Dr. Virgo. I’m happy my performance pleased you.”

“Yes. I’m very thorough when it comes to choosing the people that will be working beneath me. I have a reputation as the best; therefore I surround myself with nothing less than the best. You understand that, I’m sure?”

Liz nodded. “Yes sir, I do.”

“Good, then since we both understand each other so well, Miss. Parker, I have something for you.”

Dr. Virgo reached down beside his chair and picked up a metal briefcase. He sat it on the desk between them with the latches facing her.

Liz held her breath, unable to believe what was happening. If her assumption was correct, and her thinking was along the same line as Dr. Virgo’s, he was about to issue her her first black lab coat. She glanced up at him and then back down at the case. “May I?” she asked, already reaching for it.

Dr. Virgo nodded silently, a pleased smile forming on his face.

Her eyes shined with excitement as she unlocked the latches on each side of the briefcase and opened it up. Sure enough, there was a black lab coat folded up neatly inside. Feeling slightly awed by the moment, Liz ran her fingers gently along the soft cloth as she took it out of the briefcase and unfolded it in her lap.

Dr. Virgo stood up from his seat and walked around his desk to her side. “Go ahead and try it on, Miss. Parker.” He took the coat from her still awed hands and held it open in front of him.

Liz could feel the wash of excitement as it ran through her blood. She popped up eagerly out of her seat and turned her back to Dr. Virgo, allowing him to slip the coat onto her shoulders.

Once she finished shrugging into the black lab coat, Dr. Virgo looked down at her, wearing and almost smug smile on his face. “A perfect fit,” he said.

Liz turned around to face him. “You think so?” she asked, not caring how approval seeking she sounded.

He nodded, placing his hands on her shoulders. “You look absolutely exquisite, my dear.”

Liz felt her cheeks heat with in a sudden blush. “Thank you, Dr. Virgo,” she whispered shyly.

“I more than look forward to having you with me in the lab.”

“I am very much looking forward to being your biological studies technician,” Liz agreed, feeling extremely proud of herself. She would aspire to meet every one of his expectations.

But as Dr. Virgo continued smiling down at her, Liz noticed there was an unfamiliar glint in his eyes. “Is something wrong, Dr. Virgo?” she asked

Dr. Virgo smiled. “Actually Miss. Parker, there seems to be a bit of confusion. You have not been promoted to be biological studies technician,” he finished with a shake of his head.

The smile Liz had been wearing since she’d opened up the metal briefcase suddenly died away. “I haven’t been…? But I thought…but why would you…? I mean how could this…?”

Dr. Virgo interrupted her string of incoherent questions before she could manage to form them into the semblance of a logical one, “You’ve been promoted to a biomalignic studies position. You’ll be my new biomalignologist,” he informed her.

“Bi–biomalignologist?” she repeated dumbly.

Liz didn’t know how to respond to what she was hearing. Not only was she being given a higher position than the one she’d been aiming for, but biomalignologist were usually MRs who were, like Dr. Virgo, fluent in both human and malignic biological studies. She’d only ever studied human biology. This couldn’t be happening.

Before she allowed herself to officially settle in on cloud nine, Liz pulled herself back down to the ground. As much as she wanted it, there was no way she could accept this offer. “Dr. Virgo…I’m honored, but I don’t think…that is to say, I’m not sure that I’m…qualified for this position.” Admitting that to him was like swallowing a bitter pill, but however much she didn’t want to pass this opportunity on to someone else, the scientist in her knew it was best that the position go to someone more suited to fill it.

Dr. Virgo frowned down at her. He still had yet to take his hands off of her shoulders. “Miss. Parker, I thought we said we understand each other,” he said in a mild tone.

Liz nodded quickly. “Yes, of course we understand each other, Dr. Virgo. It’s just I don’t think I—”

“Do you honestly believe I would offer a position this important to someone I didn’t feel was one hundred percent qualified for the job?” he asked.

Liz shook her head. “No sir, I don’t believe you would do that.” Which begged the question why was he offering it to her?

“And yet you’re contradicting my decision?” he asked.

Liz shook her head again. The last thing she wanted to do was offend him. “No sir.”

Dr. Virgo leaned back against his desk. “I am well aware of what you are and are not qualified to do, Miss Parker.” As he spoke he used a tone that made it seem as if he were a teacher attempting to educate an incompetent student. “That is why as my new biomalignologist, you would be working in a cell comprised of two other specialists. One of those two being a Beta MR who specializes specifically in malignic biology, and the other a Beta MR who will also assist you when necessary, but whose main objective is to maintain security for the three of you.”

Liz frowned in confusion. “Why would biomalignogical research require security?” she asked. And more importantly, if there was some sort of danger involving their research, shouldn’t the MDs have been involved? Wasn’t that their job? Liz may not have been a member of either of the two Malign Special Forces, but she was aware of some of the aspects of both factions. She knew both jobs involved a great deal of potential risk. However, since all maligns were properly exterminated by the MDs before the MRs ever saw them, she was pretty sure that there had never been any case of any type of malignic study warranting security.

Unless…?

“Elizabeth,” Dr. Virgo interrupted, cutting off her train of thought. “As you know, all research requires experimentation. However, some of the subjects of experimentation that we deal in can be quite dangerous.”

“Dangerous?” Liz let his words sink in. “Meaning live subjects?” she guessed. Subjects that were able to inflict harm on their researchers if not properly…secure.

She swallowed a lump in her throat.

Dr. Virgo didn’t answer. “Elizabeth, unless you are agreeing to accept this position, I’m afraid I can not reveal any more of what it entails to you. I’m sure you understand.” He pushes away from the front of his desk and returned to his previous seat.

Liz remained statue still as she thought over Dr. Virgo’s proposal. She knew she was being baited. It was the ultimate baiting for any scientist. By revealing to her what little he had about the job, Dr. Virgo knew there was no way she could resist finding out more. And the only way to find out more was to agree to accept the position.

“Well then, Elizabeth, I’ll ask you formally if it pleases you,” Dr. Virgo said. “Will you be taking this job or not?”

Liz allowed her mind to absorb everything that had happened in the last few minutes of her meeting with Dr. Virgo. It was like being in a dream, but she’d never dared to dream this big. Although she was not sure exactly what this new job would be dealing with, and she was sure some of the work would in fact be dangerous, Dr. Virgo seemed to believe that she was perfect for it. There had to be a reason for that. Who was she to go against what he thought was best?

“Yes, Dr. Virgo,” she answered at last. “I will be your biomalignologist.”

For the second time, a pleased smile took shape on Dr. Virgo’s face. “Very good. You don’t know how pleased I am to hear that, Dr. Parker.”

Liz smiled to herself. “Dr. Parker,” she repeated.

She liked the sound of it.

TBC

Hey Guys,

Regrettably I don’t have a new chapter for you all today and I’m not sure when I will be able to get one out. I won’t have my computer for a while and right now I’m borrowing one until I can get mine back. As sucky as that is, I wanted to let everyone know that I’m still doing an author’s chat on Monday the 29th so if you’re particularly upset at my lack of updating, feel free to yell at me then.

Time and place are in my sig, and I hope you all can be there. I look forward to chatting with you then.

~Chad~