Chapter Five
“Time, has a nasty habit of speeding up and running out
when your enemies are breathing down your neck…”
-Odessa (Enemy Mind)
*>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>*... (Running Out of Time)…*<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<*
The Valenti Household
Nine hours until Departure…
Soft musical chimes from the Valenti’s mantel clock drifted around their dimly lit living room, rousing Tess from her light doze on the couch. Stubbornly though, her eyes remained closed. She wanting to ignore it and the little obsessive voice in her head that kept going over the plan she had been spending late nights preparing. Even now, its tenacious echo was running down the laundry list of things she still needed to do…and unfortunately, no where on the list was there an actual time for her to be sleeping. So with a tired sigh, she pushed herself up into a sitting position and glanced up at the clock.
“It’s says its time to get yo ass up.”
Tess shot off the couch and whirled toward the hallway in one fluid motion. Standing near it with a piece of paper in her hands was Lonnie. Dark amusement flashed within the taller girl’s eyes. She had clearly enjoyed seeing her shaken reaction.
“W-what are you doing here?”
Lonnie smirked at her as she lazily flipped the paper between her fingers. “There’s been a change in plans,” she replied derisively. “We’re here to get you.”
“Get me…” Tess frowned. “But y-you’re early the Granilith isn’t even-”
“Yo! She ready or what?” The question had come from the direction of the kitchen.
Tess’s gaze darted that way in alarm. Rath!Valenti had told her before she dozed off that he was going to make them something to eat. According to the clock that was an hour ago. Heart thudding painfully in her chest, she looked back at Lonnie.
“What did you do to him,” she whispered.
“Who?”
“The Sheriff...” Tess bit out.
“Oh him.”
The sinister smile that slowly spread across Lonnie’s face had Tess running for the kitchen. She skidded to a halt upon seeing Rath leaning against the island.
“Where is he,” she demanded.
He put a mocking finger to his lips. “Sssh…he’s takin’ a little nap.”
Dread settled in the pit of her stomach as she walked further into the kitchen and went around the island. An anguish moan escaped her when she spotted Valenti bleeding and unconscious on the floor just on the other side. She fell to her knees beside him, ignoring Rath's sneer of disgust as she her shaking hands applied a cup towel to the nasty gash on the side of the cop’s head.
“That’s a waste of your fuckin’ time. That human won’t even thank twice in capin’ yo ass when he finds out you betrayed’em.”
“Oh, I don’t think he’ll getta chance ta do dat,” Lonnie said, coming into the kitchen. She handed the piece of paper she had been holding to him. “I think Ol’Nicky will be takin’ care of dat himself real soon.”
The blood drained from Tess’s face as she realized what the paper was. It was her ‘laundry list’. Her plan of action…and Lonnie found it. She realized now the girl must have been coming from the rooms when she saw her near the hallway. She had gone snooping around after she and Rath dispatched the Sheriff.
Tess cursed herself. If Nasedo were alive he would be calling her three kinds of a fool. She had allowed her fatigue to trip her up with the worst of human actions…carelessness.
Stupid!
“You
lil’bitch,” Rath growled, taking a step toward her.
Lonnie threw an arm across his chest stopping him. “No. Let Nicky take care of it.” When Rath gave her an insolent look, she rolled her eyes and explained to him if they cause her some major damage that could result in her losing the brat then Kivar will likely not be happy about it. “So we let the lil’guy take care of it…aiight?”
“Aiight.” Tess could tell he wasn’t happy about it, but he did what Lonnie said. “Get yo ass up and let’s go,” he barked at her. When she didn’t move, he took another threatening step toward her.
Lonnie’s arm shot out once again preventing him from following through with his intent. She pinned Tess with a cold glare of her own. “Listen you stupid
bitch…Don’t get it twisted. If you push me, I won’t even thank twice in killin’ yo ass. I can always think of something to tell Kivar later why you ain’t come wit us. As far as I’m concern you and the brat are expendable. You keep fuckin’ around I’ll kill the cop first then you.”
Knowing without a doubt she meant every word she said, Tess still remained where she was. There was just no way she would leave Valenti alone with them. After a moment of weighing out her very limit and not so favorable options, she decided to compromise.
“If you wait for me in the living room, I’ll go get my stuff.”
When they didn’t move for a long moment, Tess thought maybe they weren’t going to accommodate her, but Lonnie surprised her by grabbing Rath’s arm and tugging him toward the living room with her. Once they were out of sight, she released the terrified breath she had been holding and let go of Valenti’s hand. Tess frowned at herself. She had been holding his hand like a frighten child.
Weak! She mentally scolded herself as tears of frustration stung her eyes. She looked at Valenti. “I really messed everything up didn’t I,” she whispered to him. “I never meant for any of this to happen. I tried to make it better. Tried to make things right…”
A single unchecked tear fell from her cheek and splashed down on Valenti’s face. “I’m so sorry,” she continued softly, “I hope that someday you’ll find it in your heart to forgive me.”
Leaning forward, she brushed a faint kiss against his cheek before standing. “Thank you for everything …”
*>>>>>>>>>>>>>>... (*>Ã¥Ã<*)…<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<*
The Evan’s Residence…
Philip blindly reached for the house phone as it shrilly ranged in his ear. It was times like this he regretted having the damn thing by his side of the bed. Picking it up from its cradle, he squinted at the digital clock on the nightstand and muttered a curse. It was three o’clock in the morning and he had to be up in four to prepare for a major case his firm was handling.
“Whoever, this is...you better be dead or dying,” he grumbled.
“Mr. Evans?”
“Yes,” he grumpily confirmed.
“Do you know where your children are?”
Philip frowned. “What? Who is this?”
“I am someone who just asked you a very important question Mr. Evans.”
“Look, pal…If this is some sort of joke--”
“Mr. Evans,” the caller interrupted. “I assure you this is no joke. Do you or don’t you know where your children are.”
Diane sat up and looked inquiringly at her husband. The phone had awakened her as well. “Who is it,” she whispered.
Philip put a hand over the receiver. “Go check on the kids.”
“Why, what’s wrong?”
“Just go check on them.”
The urgent undertone in his voice got Diane moving. Throwing back the bedcovers, she quickly got up and hurried from their room. Philip pushed back the covers as well and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Cutting on his side-lamp, he checked the caller ID. The number read ‘Unavailable’.
“I’m waiting Mr. Evans.”
The detached drawl of the stranger’s voice had Philip practically growling his angry reply. “It’s no business of yours! Now call here again and I’ll call--”
“Philip!”
His wife’s panicked-filled voice had him dropping the phone in an instant and bolting up from the bed. He nearly collided with her at their bedroom door.
“What! What is it,” he asked, seeing her pale and frighten face.
“Isabel and Max aren’t in their rooms!”
Philip hurried back to the phone and picked it up off the floor. “Who is this? What have you done with my children you son of a bitch!”
No answer came. The strange caller had hung up.
*>>>>>>>>>>>>>>... (*>Ã¥Ã<*)…<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<*
Las Cruces, New Mexico…
“Liz!”
Hearing Max call her name, Liz removed her arms from over her head and peeked in his direction. Like her, he was lying on the ground surrounded by large chunks of smoldering debris that had come from the burning rental house behind them.
“Are you okay,” he asked her, getting to his feet.
Liz nodded, getting shakily to her own. For a few dazed moments, she stared at the dilapidated house. The explosion had been tremendous. She was surprised to see that most of its structure was still intact, especially the badly sagging roof. Although the flames that licked hungrily at it from inside were working hard on fixing that. By mid morning, there won’t be any evidence of anything ever being there.
Thinking it best they leave, Liz turned to go to the jeep, but stopped when she noticed Max staring at the burning house with a bit of sadness in his eyes. Reaching out she lightly touched his arm, understanding why. The Skins were dying yes, but still he had a hand in finishing them off. Max wasn’t a life taker. He was a healer. Even though the Skins were his enemies, Liz knew deep down, if they had asked him…he would have tried to heal them.
“Let’s go,” she whispered. “We gotta warn the others.”
Max gave the house one last glance before going with Liz to his jeep. Once they got in, he pulled out his cell phone and handed to her, noticing her trying to get service on her own phone.
“Mine may work,” he told her, starting the jeep.
Checking its service status, Liz was relieved to see it had more bars than her own. Quickly she dialed Kyle’s home number as Max shifted the jeep into drive and sped away from the rental house.
“Come on, come on, pick up,” she muttered, listening to the line ring several times. “No one’s answering.”
“Try Kyle’s cell,” Max suggested.
Ending the call to the Valenti’s house, Liz quickly dialed Kyle’s cell. When he picked up she sent up a silent thankful prayer. “Kyle, this is Liz. Listen, you have to go to your house! Your dad could be in danger. Max and I just found out that Tess…hello!”
Liz yanked the phone away from her ear and glared at it. There were no more bars showing on the screen. “Dammit! I lost the call.”
Max reached over and tightened her seatbelt. “Hold on,” he told her.
Recognizing the intense expression on his face for what it was, Liz knew he was about to use his powers. She barely gripped the sides of her seat before she slammed back into it as he suddenly gave the jeep horsepower it didn’t really have. Like a rocket, it shot down the highway with an incredible amount of speed, literally taking her breath away. Closing her eyes, she prayed they would make it to Roswell in one piece…
Meanwhile at the memorial park, Kyle tried getting her back on Max’s cell phone. When that failed he tried hers.
“She’s not answering,” he told Isabel.
“What did she say exactly?”
“I don’t know she kept breaking up,” Kyle answered, getting up. “All I could make out was that I needed to get to my house…Dad something and Tess…and the word trouble.”
Isabel frowned as she gathered and blew out the candles she had brought for Alex. When the memory of Tess doubling over in pain in the Granilith came to her, she hastily began shoving the candles into the satchel she brought.
“Whoa, whoa, what is it,” Kyle asked, watching her.
“We gotta go. Tess could be having problems,” Isabel answered, getting up and rushing toward the gravel pathway that led to the parking area.
Kyle caught up with her about half way to his car. The girl could move, he thought, grabbing her arm and swinging her around. “What problems?”
Isabel looked at him confused for a moment before remembering she hadn’t told him the reason they were leaving. Pulling her arm free from his grasp, she adjusted the satchel’s strap on her shoulder. “Tess is…pregnant.”
Kyle’s mouth gapped open.
“And the baby can’t survive here,” Isabel continued before he could interrupt her. “It’s the reason we’re leaving.”
*>>>>>>>>>>>>>>... (*>Ã¥Ã<*)…<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<*
A few minutes later…
Five Hours until Departure…
Michael nuzzled the side of Maria’s neck as he pulled her closer to him. He was just about to trail soft kisses down to the curve of her shoulder, when his cell phone rang. Both groaned in protest.
“You better answer it,” Maria whispered, giving him a little nudge. “It could be important.”
Knowing she was right, Michael rolled away from her with a curse and grabbed his cell phone off the little wooden plant stand he used for a nightstand. “This better be important,” he almost growled into it when he answered.
“Get over to Valenti’s.”
Frowning, Michael sat up. “What?”
“Valenti’s,” Isabel repeated. “Meet me over there.” She told him about Liz’s phone call to Kyle and her concerns that Tess maybe having contractions again. “I think maybe we should wait with her till Max shows up.”
“All right,” Michael told her, getting up from the bed. “Just give me a few minutes and I’ll meet you there.” Pressing the end call button, he glanced at Maria. “We gotta get dress. We’re needed at Valenti’s.”
“Why, what’s going on,” she asked, sitting up.
“Tess might be having trouble with the baby.”
Seeing the troubled expression on his face, Maria didn’t waste time asking more questions. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she stood and winced, feeling soreness in places she hadn’t had it before.
“You okay,” Michael asked, catching the fleeting frown she had made.
“Yeah.”
Quickly gathering up her clothes, Maria fought the blush creeping up her neck. When she bent to pick up her bra and turned to go to the bathroom she bumped into Michael.
“What’s wrong?”
“N-nothing…let’s just get dress,” she stammered, becoming painfully aware that they both were naked.
When she shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other, Michael saw her wince again. A small smile of understanding kicked up the sides of his mouth.
“You know,” he seductively whispered, running his fingertips from her navel to the soft curls below. “I could ease the soreness away if you let me.”
“
Michael,” Maria gasped in mortification, smacking his hand away. She dashed around him and ran for the bathroom. His laughter floated after her.
*>>>>>>>>>>>>>>... (*>Ã¥Ã<*)…<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<*
Four Hours until Departure…
“DAD!”
Valenti winced at his son’s bellow.
“TESS!”
“I’m in the kitchen,” Valenti yelled, wanting Kyle to stop.
Grabbing a hold of a nearby cabinet door, he pulled himself up into a sitting position. When white spots ate up his vision and nausea rolled angrily in his stomach, he immediately regretted the move. Squeezing his eyes shut, he took several deep breaths.
“Dad,” Kyle ran to his father’s side and drop down beside him. “Are you all right?”
Valenti was about to nod but thought better of it when his head began to painfully throb. “I’m okay,” he croaked, reaching up to hold the towel Kyle had put against the gash.
“What happened,” Isabel asked, kneeling down on the other side of him. “Where’s Tess?”
Before he could answer, the others had arrived. He tried giving all of them a small reassuring smile when he saw the look of concern in their eyes.
“What happened,” Max asked, crouching down in front of him.
Nodding toward Michael and glancing at Isabel, Valenti told them that his present state was due to their dupes, “They were here. They took her…they took Tess.”
“They didn’t take her. She went with them.”
Everyone looked at Liz who had spoken. “Max and I just came from the rental house. We found some dying Skins in one of the backrooms. One of them practically told us that Tess has been playing us from day one, planning this whole thing.”
“I don’t believe it,” Isabel whispered, brow furrowing in doubt. “I-I mean this Skin could’ve been lying, Max.”
“She could’ve been…but I doubt it,” he replied, placing a hand to Jim’s head.
Feeling slight warmth and tingling sensation starting to spread from his head down to his feet, Valenti blinked at him, stunned. The nausea he had been feeling dissipated completely as did the terrible headache. He gave Max a grateful smile but before he stood, the Sheriff caught his wrist, “I don’t believe Tess is working with them. She isn’t a traitor. I know it.”
“If by some chance you’re right,” Max told him, “we gotta get to the Granilith before they do.”
*>>>>>>>>>>>>>>... (*>Ã¥Ã<*)…<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<*
Three hours until Departure…
Evans’ Household…
Philip held his wife tightly as the police officer in front of them took their report about the phone call and finding their children missing.
“Anyway, I told my wife to go check and that’s when we discovered them missing.”
“Did the voice sound familiar to you in any way,” the officer asked, quickly scribbling down Philip’s words.
Philip shook his head. “No…no it didn’t.”
The officer scribbled his reply in his note pad as the radio on his shoulder cracked loudly. Reaching to his hip, the cop cut the volume down.
“Do you have anyone who could be holding a grudge against you,” the officer asked. “Maybe someone you’ve helped put away or family members of a victim you help get off.”
The cynicism in the man’s voice had Philip glaring angrily at him. “I work with and for a lot of clients Officer…” He glanced at the name on the man’s badge. “Burns. It’ll be damn near to impossible for me to remember all of them by name or face, let alone voice.”
Philip watched as Burns’s eyes turned cool and expressionless. They must teach them that look in the academy, he thought.
“Okay Mr. Evans, I’ll take your report down to the precinct. As soon as I hear anything I will get in touch.”
“Wait just a goddamn minute! My children are missing here. I--”
“Mr. Evans,” Burns impatiently interrupted. “You know the protocol in all this. Your children have not been missing for twenty-four hours yet. Until that time comes we…”
Diane couldn’t believe this. “Look Officer! A stranger called in the middle of the night, talking about my children, that he knew wasn’t here! I don’t care about what protocols you have to follow. I just know you better find my children now!”
“Ma’am, I understand that you're--“
“I believe you heard my wife,” Philip cut in. “I expect this to be handled now, not in twenty-four hours. I will be talking to Sheriff Valenti within the hour.”
*>>>>>>>>>>>>>>... (*>Ã¥Ã<*)…<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<*
Two hours until Departure…
“Dad, let’s go,” Kyle yelled from the living room.
“Yeah…coming.” Quickly gathering up his keys to his patrol car off his dresser, Valenti ran out of his bedroom as the phone rang. By the time he made it to the front door the answering machine kicked on.
“Jim, are you there? Jim please pick up…this is Amy.”
Pausing just outside the door, he listened to her frantic voice.
“Please, please pick up!”
Valenti’s gaze locked on to his son’s when he had turned to see if he was coming. “Go on without me. I’ll catch up.”
“Dad…”
“Just go, son. I’ll be there.”
Kyle was about to go back to the house but Isabel stopped him.
“Come on Kyle!” She quickly opened the passenger side door to his mustang and got in.
“Go on son,” Jim told him, before disappearing back into the house.
Hearing Max and the others start their vehicles got Kyle quickly moving toward his own. Meanwhile in his house his father picked up the phone.
“Amy?” He heard her release a sigh of relief.
“Oh thank God, Jim, I thought maybe you weren’t there.”
“Yeah, I…uh was a-asleep--”
“Maria is missing,” Amy fretfully cut in. “I got a strange phone call about three hours ago from some man asking did I know were my daughter was. I hung up on him and checked on her and she wasn’t in her bed so I called the Parkers thinking she may have spent the night over there, but they said they got the same strange phone call and found Liz missing and…”
Jim frowned. “Wait, wait. Calm down. Start over. You got what?”
Unfortunately, he didn’t get a chance to hear her spill again. The police scanner/radio he kept on one of the kitchen counters cracked to life.
“Hey Sheriff…you copy?”
Quickly picking the receiver up, Jim told Amy to hold on before answering his deputy, “Yeah, Hanson I copy.”
“We got a couple of parents reporting their kids missing Sheriff. And some Agent Kowalski called saying he’s sending a team here. Lawson Green-Duck, the Sheriff down in Pinon, said he saw a bunch of military trucks tearing through his town. He thinks they’re headed our way.”
Valenti's heart began to race with fear. “Shit!”
Amy’s voice sounded in his ear. “Jim?”
Closing his eyes he realized he couldn’t protect the kids…not by himself…not without help.
“Jim are you there!”
“Yes, Amy I am…just uh…just hold on for a sec okay?”
“Okay.”
Placing the phone against his pounding chest, Valenti pressed the talk button on the radio. “Hanson?”
The radio cracked as the deputy answered, “Yeah.”
“I need you to hold down the fort until I can get there and if Kowalski calls again…tell him I’ll talk to him as soon as I can.”
“Copy that.”
Once the deputy signed off, Valenti tossed the radio’s receiver down on the counter and gripped the telephone tightly in his other hand. What he was about to do was going to change the lives of the people he cared about and he prayed to God that it would be for the better not for the worse.
*>>>>>>>>>>>>>>... (*>Ã¥Ã<*)…<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<*
New Mexico Desert
One hour until Departure…
Tess looked at the spaceship hovering high above her with a mixture of awe and wonder as Rath dragged her toward Nicholas. When they had approached the desert and it had came into view, Tess had been informed by the two Skins sitting in the backseat with her that it was the Granilith, something she could scarcely believe. What she had seen of the Granilith had been considerably small, not to mention of an entirely different shape. Besides, Nasedo would have told her that it could change shape.
Wouldn’t he?
So caught up with her thoughts and the ship’s dazzling display of colorful lights, she didn’t hear the growl of rage coming from Nicholas when he read what Lonnie handed him. Tess barely registered his approach before he backhanded her cruelly across the face. Pain exploded from her cheek to her jaw, as she reeled backward and fell with a jarring thud to the ground.
For a few stunned filled moments, Tess stayed were she was trying to regain her scattered senses.
“Get up,” Nicholas snarled, crumbling a piece of paper in his fist. “You’re gonna pay for this!”
Eyeing it, Tess cursed herself again for not hiding her plan well enough. Hazily she glowered at him, as she stumbled to her feet. “Go to hell,” she spat at him bitterly.
Nicholas raised his hand to slap her again, but was forestalled when he heard a Skin yelling that there were cars approaching. He, along with Lonnie and Rath, ran over to the little cliff where the Skin stood looking down at the dirt road leading to the rocks.
“No,” Tess whispered, seeing who it was. Another Skin caught her arm preventing her from warning the cars away. She struggled to free herself as Nicholas walked over to her.
“It’s a very good thing those sloppy plans never worked,” he sneered, tossing the paper at her face. He glanced at Lonnie and Rath. “Take her inside and bring me Max.”
“No!” Tess furiously fought against her captors as they dragged her toward the waiting ship. Lonnie smirked at her struggles as she followed them. The last terrifying thing Tess saw before she was taken aboard the Granilith was Rath and a few Skins descending menacingly toward the approaching cars.
*>>>>>>>>>>>>>>... (*>Ã¥Ã<*)…<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<*
Forty-five Minutes until Departure
Pain, unlike anything Max had ever felt before ripped its way through his chest as he absorbed the deadly energy blast intended for Liz. As darkness and shadow ate up his world, he heard the people he loved yelling his name in aguish. The last thing he saw before he lost consciousness was Liz’s frightened face hovering above him.
“Max!” Liz shook him. “Oh God, please no…Max open your eyes!”
Michael and Isabel tried to make their way over to them, but got knocked back by an energy blast. Like rag dolls, the two of them went flying through the air and landed on jagged rocks near the base of the cliffs.
Maria screamed and tried to go to them, but Kyle held her back. His devastated gaze flew to the person who might have sent his friends to their deaths. Rath shrugged and smiled evilly at him.
“Don’t need the Royal six…just the four.” Raising his hand toward Kyle, he gazed at him threateningly. “And we don’t need witnesses either.”
Quickly shoving Maria behind the boulder they were near, Kyle caught the heat of the blast with his shoulder and went airborne.
“
Kyle!” Maria watched in horror as he came down hard, yards from were she was. Eyes-wide with terrified tears, she waited for him to move, prayed for him to move. When she heard Liz scream, her heart slammed painfully in her chest.
Moving out from behind the boulder, she saw a Skin pick her friend up by the throat, choking the very life out of her. “
No!”
Rath caught her before she could get to her best friend. “Well, ain’t you sweet,” he murmured, pulling her roughly against him. His hand tunneled through her hair and yanked her head back painfully, exposing her neck. He nuzzled it and inhaled her light perfume. “And you smell sweet too.”
“
Let go of me!” Maria struggled to get free of him. She had to save her friend.
Just when darkness began to take Liz, the punishing grip on her throat suddenly disappeared. She fell to the ground in a heap and sucked in life giving air into her oxygen-starved lungs. Breath after ragged breath, she blinked tears from her eyes as black stars danced crazily in her vision.
“
What tha…” Rath’s surprised words were cut short when a Skin beside him burst and disintegrated into dust. He abruptly let go of Maria and ducked before a large sharp rock hit him.
“Get to the Granilith,” one of the Skins yelled, picking up Max. Unfortunately he didn’t get very far with him. A rock caught him square in the lower back, shattering his protective husk.
Maria dropped down beside Liz and held her as Rath and the remaining Skins ran for the Granolith. Both girls looked in the direction of where the rocks were coming and saw a man standing on a group of large boulders. With a serene expression on his darkly tanned face, he hurled rock after rock at the retreating Skins. Some hit their targets and some did not. He did not stop throwing until the girls heard the distant beat of helicopter blades.
Both glanced to the horizon and saw a multitude of military jets and helicopters heading their way.
“Oh my God,” Maria whispered, as blood drained from her face.
Liz quickly got to her feet and tugged her friend to hers. “W-we got to get out of here,” she told her hoarsely. Her throat burned. The use of her voice wasn’t an option just yet.
The strange man jumped down from the boulders and jogged toward them. “If the two of you can walk, get to the cars now!”
Liz shook her head. “Not without our friends.”
Dust suddenly began to kick up around them, stinging their eyes. A strange humming sound started to fill the air around them. Maria and Liz could feel it reverberate within the very ground beneath their feet.
“It’s the Granilith,” the stranger yelled, gaining their attentions. “It’s leaving!”
The girls watched as the massive ship begin to slowly ascend. The military aircrafts crossed overhead and flew around the ship as it went.
“
GIRLS!”
Liz and Maria’s gazes whipped in the stranger’s direction. He had Max in his arms and was hurrying away from the incredible scene before them.
“Get to the cars or help me!”
Not needing to be prompted any further, Liz and Maria where about to run for the cliffs where Michael and Isabel where thrown. The stranger’s call stopped them. “You can’t get to them. I can! Go help your friend!”
Maria didn’t heed him, she ran anyway toward the cliffs. Helping Michael was her only thought.
“Don’t,” the stranger hissed at Liz as she was about to go after her. When she looked at him, he continued. “The sooner you cooperate, the sooner I can get you all to safety.”
Liz glanced at Max in the man’s arms. He looked so pale. The overwhelming need in getting him and the others to safety won out over her need to go after her friend.
After what seem like hours, but truly took a matter of minutes, she and Maria managed to help the stranger get Kyle and Max into the Mustang and Isabel and Michael into the Jetta.
“Hurry! Get in the cars,” he told the girl watching the military helicopters returning. They couldn’t follow the Granilith into the higher altitude like the jets, so they were coming back to check out the spot where it had been.
Liz noticed the keys for the Mustang wasn’t in the ignition, frantically she patted Kyle down but couldn’t find them. “No, no, no!”
The stranger suddenly leaned into the driver’s side window and touched the steering column. His hand glowed for an instant before it started. Liz looked at him wide-eyed.
“Who are you,” she whispered.
“A friend,” he whispered back. “Now GO!”
Liz didn’t hesitate, she punched the gas and the Mustang shot off down the dirt road. The Jetta followed close behind.
The man watched the two cars until all he could make out of them were the dust trails they made on the distant road. Walking over to Max’s Jeep, he climb in and started it. Giving the military helicopters a final glance, he popped a tic-tac into his mouth before driving off.
*>>>>>>>>>>>>>>... (*>Ã¥Ã<*)…<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<*
“Oh no...”
Liz gazed at the roadblock of police cars ahead of her with fear. She glanced into her rearview mirror and saw Maria’s panicked face. “Don’t panic, don’t panic,” she whispered, over and over trying to think. When a state trooper waved her to a stop, she quickly pulled up the collar on her shirt to hide the bruises.
“Where’re you coming from and where are you headed,” the trooper asked, gazing around at the inside of the car.
Liz licked her suddenly dry lips and prayed her voice worked. “M-my friends and I are c-coming back from a party. We’re on our way home.”
“Been drinkin’?” He gazed pointedly at Kyle and Max, who were both out cold in the backseat.
Liz shook her head. “Me and my friend haven’t, we’re the designated drivers.”
When the trooper glanced back at the Jetta, Liz prayed he wouldn’t go look in it. Isabel and Michael’s appearances would have him yelling for an ambulance in seconds. The two of them were so battered and bloodied, it was terrifying.
“All right…just mind the speed limit,” the trooper finally said, stepping back and waving her and Maria through.
Liz released the breath she had been holding as she drove on. She nearly jumped out of her skin when her cell phone suddenly rang. Pulling it out of her pocket, she fumbled with it for a second trying to keep her eye on the road and answer it at the same time.
“H-hello?”
“Liz, this is Valenti. I couldn’t get Kyle on his phone. Are y’all all right?”
She shook her head as tears stung her eyes. “N-no.”
“What’s wrong? What’s happened!”
Liz swallowed hard and made herself blink back tears. “Th-they’re hurt…everybody’s hurt pretty badly, except me and Maria. We need help.”
She heard Valenti curse and then there was the sound of muffled voices before he came back on the line. “Liz, listen. The FBI and military are swarming all over the place. They practically got the town on lock down. It would be dangerous if you tried to come here. Do you remember the old mine we met at after we rescued Max from that base?”
“Yeah, but I can’t go there,” she answered. “There’s a roadblock we just passed. They might get suspicious if we turned back.”
“Shit!”
When Liz drove past the historical marker and road for the Mescalero Indian Reservation, she hit the brakes.
Maria barely missed rear-ending her. Pulling up along side the Mustang, she gave Liz an anxious look. “What’s wrong?”
“Valenti is on the phone,” Liz told her. “Military and FBI are all over town. There’s no way we can go there without being pulled over again.”
“What do we do?”
Liz nodded back at the road and historical marker. “River Dog…he’s our only chance.”
Not needing to be convinced, Maria put the Jetta in reverse and drove backwards until she came abreast of the road that would take them to the reservation. Liz did the same in Kyle’s Mustang.
“Valenti, Maria and I are taking them to the reservation. We got a friend there by the name of River Dog, if you can… meet us there.”
“All right, I’ll be there.”
*>>>>>>>>>>>>>>... (*>Ã¥Ã<*)…<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<*
Mescalero Indian Reservation
Two hours and forty-five minutes later…
River Dog gazed down at the six sleeping teenagers lying on his living room floor. All of them pale and warn from their perilous ordeal in the desert. The dark-haired girl and her blonde friend had bravely and stubbornly stood up to the bulling of his nephew and fellow tribesmen until they showed them where he lived. His gaze drifted over to them now. Both were asleep, holding the hands of the two hybrid males. They had refused to leave their sides, even when he had to cleans and dress their wounds. His gaze shifted to the other two wounded teens. If he was going to help them all, he was going to need more supplies.
River Dog motion for his nephew, Eddie, to follow him. “I need you to go to Silver-Woman’s house for me,” he told him once they were outside.
“Uncle, these kids need a hospital not…” Eddie trailed off when he saw a sheriff’s patrol car pull into his uncle’s driveway along with two civilian cars. “What’s going on? Who are they?”
“I assume their parents,” River Dog answered.
Valenti got out of his patrol car, just as Amy did. She ran up to the two men before he could stop her. “Amy wait--”
“Is my daughter here?”
River Dog said nothing. He waited for the Sheriff and the other couples, to come up the drive before answering the anxious woman before him. “Yes, she is.” He raised a hand when Amy was about to go around him into the house. “She is unhurt. She is sleeping. They all are.” Stepping out of the parents’ way, he let them go into his house.
“Oh, my God,” Amy gasped, upon seeing the teens. Nancy and Diane mirrored her gasp when they came in behind her. All three hurried over to their children.
When Nancy touched Liz’s hair and she didn’t wake, she turned worried eyes to River Dog.
“I gave them something to help them rest,” he told her.
Philip touched Isabel’s cheek with a trembling hand. The blood soaking her blouse made him feel sick with fear. “We gotta get them to the hospital.”
“Yes, they should’ve gone there in the first place,” Jeff said, as he began to scoop his daughter up in his arms. Nancy and Diane had to pry her hand free of Max’s before he could straighten.
Valenti gently touched Kyle’s wounded shoulder before replying, “Your daughter, Maria and Kyle can go, but Max, Isabel and Michael can’t.”
Amy frowned at him, but it was Philip who voiced his disagreement first. “Jim, you can not expect me to believe that cockamamie story about them being what you say they are,” he shouted. “My children need medical attention dammit! I’m not--”
“If the Sheriff has told you what I believe he has told you, then you can not take them,” River Dog interrupted. All the parents looked at the old Indian. “You know what was seen in the desert. They…” He nodded at Max, Michael and Isabel, “were apart of that. If you take them to the hospital, the government will take them from you. You will not see your children again.”
“What do you expect us to do,” Diane asked. “I will not let my children suffer.”
River Dog went over and crouched down on the other side of Max. He looked her in the eyes. “I will help them until they are strong enough to heal themselves.”
“God, Philip, Diane, this is crazy! Your children are badly hurt! You’re not actually going to jeopardize their lives even more by leaving them here,” Jeff shouted at them.
“Jeff,” Valenti said gaining his attention. “How long have you and I known each other?” When Liz’s father frowned at him and was about to argue, Valenti continued. “A long time, long enough to know that I wouldn’t lie about something like this. You saw for yourself what was out in the desert before it had flown off. Hell, half the world did if they were looking at the news. Believe me when I say that Max, Isabel and Michael are hybrids. If they go to the hospital, they are as good as dead. You and I both know that.”
“All right Jim,” Amy said, standing. “Let’s say we believe you. How can we get them help, because we can’t leave them here.”
River Dog stood then. “You can. As I said, I can help them.” He looked at Philip and Diane. “I, of course, am going to need your help. They are after all your children. They will need you.”
Diane nodded, gripping Max’s hand tightly in hers. Philip nodded as well. “All right,” he whispered.
Jeff turned angrily toward the front door with Liz in his arms. “I’m taking my daughter to the hospital,” he glared challengingly at Eddie who was standing in the doorway.
River Dog gave his nephew a nod, Eddie got out of Jeff’s way as he headed for the door. Nancy quickly held open the screen door for him as he went out.
Amy looked at Valenti. “I want to take Maria to the hospital too.”
“All right.”
Without being asked to, Eddie went over to Maria and pried her hand free of Michael’s. He picked her up and waited for Valenti as he gently lifted his son into his arms. Both men walked toward the screen door as Amy held it open for them.
River Dog, Diane and Philip quietly watched them go...
Anyhoo this little story is an eclectic mix of a few of our half written stories and challenges we managed to merge together. Everything in Season One up to the episode “Heart of Mine” in Season Two has happened. Episodes after it have been drastically reconfigured and mesh together to fit our own little timeline. Hopefully it won’t be too confusing to ya. 
