CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
The morning of Monday, the ninth of June, went much smoother than anyone could have possibly anticipated. Liz and Maria breezed through their first final without a hitch, sharing a high-five in the hall afterward, before splitting up and going on to their next class. On her way to her second test, Liz had felt him from across the hall. She hung at her opened locker much longer than she needed to. Trying to find something to do there, she began tearing down nine months of pictures that had held the proud distinction of making it onto her locker door.
"Hey. Cleaning house, huh?" She had felt him behind her, long before he spoke. It was difficult for him to hide his nervousness. This felt strange. It felt new. "Listen, Liz, I never got to tell you congratulations on the valedictorian thing. You really deserve it." He shook his head. I'm so damn proud of you, he thought. If it was room she needed, then it was room he would give her.
"Hey. Thanks." She flashed him a smile. It felt good to see him and smile and really mean it again. She thought of her conversation with her dad, but thought against bringing it up here, or now. "You had a final this morning... ?" She changed the subject.
"Yeah, that's done with, thank goodness. I passed." He winked at her.
She was sure that he had. Studies and classes had always come so easily to both of them. It was always everything else with them that was difficult. "Well," she said, closing her locker, "I gotta go ..to my last exam now," she stalled and motioned down the hall. Again she smiled, but this time it was more ackward. As an afterthought, she turned back around, "Have you heard anything from Kal since last night? I was worried about...ya know, Nicholas and all."
"I talked to Michael. He said that everything was being taken care of this morning. I'm going out to John's place after Geometry class. "
"Good. Maybe I'll catch up to you all later on." She turned as she felt that old familiar pounding of her heart in her chest, and weaved her way through the crowd of excited students, buzzing about graduation. Max stood looking after her until the second buzzer rang.
It was just about 10:30am when everyone's attention was distracted from their tests by the Roswell No 2 firetruck with it's sirens blaring, as it sped down Citrus and out toward the edge of town. A teacher from out in the hall leaned her head in, to catch Mr Seilig's attention. "It's the old soap factory. Looks like the town council's been saved the aggravation and expense of bulldozing it down. They said some kids or vandals where seen out there an hour or two before it blew."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Well that went well," JB said to a very out of breath Kal. They had just tried their best to get as much distance between them and the old deserted building as they could. What ever flammables had still been left inside the warehouse, they had provided quite a light show. "Too bad it's not dark out. This is better than any of the UFO convention firework displays that Roswell has ever had." John laughed.
"So, what do you think the odds are that Nicholas made it all the way through before it blew?" Kal used his leg to bang off his hat. "Having alot of experience in the arena of gambling, my bet would be against. But then I don't know shit about quantum physics."
"Not sure myself. I'd have to agree with you though. We'll have to wait and see what Serena has to say. She's on her way home right now, should be pulling in the driveway tonight sometime; and I'd definitely be lying, if I said I wasn't eager to see her," John smiled, as he mentally counted up the days... just short of four weeks. 26 days to be exact.
"Don't turn it into the minute thing, okay? " Kal read his thought and began walking back to where they had ditched the pickup. "I just want a really hot shower. I'll leave all that love crap up to you and yours." Kal was thinking, close to 34 days for him. He was slipping in that department. Becoming much choosier in his partner choices now than he had ever been before. He had figured that any day now he was going to meet the LA equvilent of JB's Serena, and they'd live happily ever after. But then again, maybe not. "Let's go Romeo, it looks like our work here is done. Or we can only hope."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Maria sat alone at a table out on the quad, where Liz had agreed to meet her after classes. She couldn't help but wonder just how different her most dearest friend would be from now on. She knew that to any unsuspecting person on the street, she would still look like Liz Parker. But they wouldn't know what changes had transformed on the inside. For the first time in her life, she was so greatful to be Maria DeLuca, sweet loyal friend and all around screwup. Funny, she always wished that she could be like Liz. Short, petite, attractive in a sensual kind of way, and smart, oh yes let's not forget Lizzie's learning abilities. She saw her coming and waved her in, thinking how glad she was to just be Maria DeLuca and no one else.
"It's hard to explain, Maria." They had been sitting talking and sipping cokes for a few minutes now. "I still feel like me but, . . more. There's alot more going on in my head. I really have no idea what it is that I'm supposed to do now. Now that I know this, what is it that I'm expected to do with it?"
"Can you actually hear her?" Maria was tense, as she asked her best friend the most important questions that she could think of. All morning she had been thinking of just the right ones.
Liz leaned in discreetly. "It's even better than that Maria, sometimes she has this way of talking through me, I know that it's Ava because I can feel the difference. The sound of her voice is ..well, it even sounds different, slightly different than my own, but stronger."
Liz paused long enough to sip at the soda in her hand. "It's just her thoughts, I suppose, that are drawing from her own memories and mixing with mine. And it's difficult to believe this but, she took me somewhere safe when I was in danger and injured. She showed me Antar and then Adia. She took me there in my mind...her mind. She saved my life." Liz seemed completely awed by her own words. "She's not present all the time, but I have felt more and more now, that we are becoming one mind, and one person. It's amazing."
"Does it hurt?" Maria sad eyes closely watched her friend.
"No, it frightened me at first, but she's not harming me in any way. Look at it this way. Do ya know that little voice inside of you that tells you things from time to time?"
"Yeah, like rooting me on when I'm doing something good, or the one who can't bear not to be around Michael, and always makes me call him when I know that I shouldn't be so available."
"Yeah, that one." Liz laughed softly. "Well, that's kind of what it's like. Maria, I know this is going to sound weird, but I'm already liking her, or the person she used to be. And I guess that's good, because it looks like we're stuck with each other. She's a very strong presence. I've actually seen Antar through her eyes, and her with Zan. My God, Maria, I have not just seen, but I have felt her with Zan. When she's thinking of and remembering him, I can't tell Zan from Max. They were so very much alike."
"You haven't actually felt them....." Maria raised her eyebrows, thinking how weird it would be if she had felt them together.
"Oh no. NO, Maria. They haven't. They've never consumated their relationship."
"Wow, that's so sad. What a great love they have shared, and then to be killed off on your very wedding day, and never to have actually fulfilled the great passion that you know they must have felt for each other....wow," ever so quietly, Maria ended with, "so basically, you share your soul with Ava, and Max shares his soul with Zan."
Liz stared at the soda bottle in her hand, lost in Ava's feelings about the words her friend had just said and felt. She broke the thought and quickly began talking again. " And, and Adia. That's where Ava was born. It's beautiful, Maria, so extraordinary, you just can't even imagine." Liz stopped, seeing a look in Maria's eyes that she couldn't quite read. She thought it best to change the subject. "Soo, how's Michael handling the whole Rath's presence thing? You should have seen him in the podchamber, Maria. He was amazing." Maria stood, and gathering her books in hand, walked quickly away.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The soap factory burned for hours before the fire was brought under control. As two of the last firemen on the scene soaked down a few hot spots that were still smoldering, a small area just out of their sight, sizzled and crackled and fell in upon itself. A neon shade of green eminated upward for a few seconds, then a very shrill whistling sound, followed by nothing but an eerie quietness.
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Smoke and Mirrors M/L CC ADULT {COMPLETE}
Moderators: Anniepoo98, Rowedog, ISLANDGIRL5, Itzstacie, truelovepooh, FSU/MSW-94, Forum Moderators
In some of the following chapters there are colored links within the text that will take you to the music that is featured in that chapter. The music is there to enhance the scene. Hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed creating the links for you.
*lyrics belong to D. Gray
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
~~Please forgive me if I act a little strange for I know not what I do..
Feels like lightning running through my veins, everytime I look at you.
Help me out here, all my words are falling short,
And there's so much I want to say.
I want to tell you just how good it feels, when you look at me that way.
Throw a stone and watch the ripples flow, moving out across the bay
Like a stone, I fall into your eyes, deep into that mystery, deep into the mystery.~~
Michael and Maria sat on the hearth of a huge fireplace in John's livingroom. "I like to light it sometimes on a summer night, just to take the chill off the room," John said to Maria.
"I love fireplaces, although I never had one growing up. Maybe one day," she said, looking at Michael for a reaction.
Michael on the other hand was deep in conversation with Kal about the destruction of the wormhole earlier that day. "So you think that it's destroyed, unusable."
"It's difficult to say for sure, Michael. I've never destroyed a wormhole before. But logic tells me that we did it some damage as Nicholas went through." Kal was leaning back, making himself comfortable in the lazyboy recliner. "I just talked to Max, he's on his way. I've been trying my damnest to keep him together, ya know, about Liz."
Maria saw an opportunity to join in. "She seemed pretty good with the whole thing earlier today at school. We talked." She couldn't help feeling nervous talking to Kal, so she tried to directed her words more to John. "Of course, I've known her for a long time, and I'm sure that she's worried down under the surface, ya know, under that surface...the part she doesn't show everyone. She's worried about what's coming next. Me too for that matter," she added softly, so only Michael could hear. He put his arm around her shoulder.
"What are we doin' about the granolith?" Michael asked, as he grabbed several snacks off a tray that the housekeeper had set down next to him. "Do we know anything about it? How it works? What it's good for?"
"Serena's been working on all of that. She's coming home tonight, any minute actually, from Stanford University. I wanted to send one of my workers out there to the airport to pick her up, but she insisted that she'd grab a cab. She has a team out there at the University that dabbles on the side in astrophysics and quantum physics." John explained.
Michael was now standing. He was right to have picked up on that anxious vibe he was feeling from him. This Serena, must be pretty special to him, he thought. He glanced up at a picture on the mantle. "Woah. Is this Serena?" he asked aloud, completely disregarding Maria, as only Michael can. "She's. . stunning."
Maria shot him a look, stunning? that was not a word that Michael ever used. She wondered if this was alittle of Rath coming through. Astrophysics ... quantum physics? could she possibly be any more out of her league?
"I'm counting on Liz showing up too," Kal added. "I'm anxious for her to meet Serena, and well Serena's been biting at the bit for a while now to finally meet Liz." A knock at the door interrupted him.
They looked up to see Max standing in the doorway. "Whose biting at the bit?" He shook John's hand, and then smiled over at Michael. He was surprised that Maria was here. Although knowing Maria, Max figured Michael probably didn't have much of choice in the matter.
"Nothing," Kal said to Max, wanting right now to avoid the subject. "We were just saying how glad JB is that his woman is coming home. I'm gettin a beer, anyone want to join me?" He looked at Max, remembering how they had buffered his glitches with alcohol while at Kal's in LA. "Oh right," he said, feeling the need to explain, he turned to the group and said, "I forgot the rules here, JB, sorry. Let me explain. There's no hocus pocus allowed here inside the main house. You can do what ever the hell you want outside, but JB frowns upon anything of that nature, inside his home. I can respect that. Now, can I get you kids a soda?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Red lights flashing, and sirens that would deafen the soul, could be heard throughout the towering spirals that were Castle Leoch. "What do you mean, there's no access?" Jarad demanded. "How is that possible? Just seconds ago, Nicholas came through there! And now you're telling me there's nothing there? NICHOLAS! Go," he shouted to the soldiers by his side. "Find him now and bring the little weasel to me this minute!"
Jarad was furious, "This can't be happening. Not now! I finally have the location of the Granolith at my fingertips, and I have no way to get to it! You will die NOW, if you don't bring me the kid!" he screamed out in a fury. "Someone better get this wizardry working again and fast!" Several men around him scattered and scurried around trying to get to the source of the problem at hand.
A scuffle just outside in the causeway, brought Nicholas bounding into the room. "What? What did I do? It wasn't me, Jarad! I swear to you. They must have done something after I went through, they were pretty close behind me. I had to literally dive through to get away from them!" Nicholas had always been such a great liar and manipulator. He always preferred to think of himself as a soldier of chance.
"Who was it?" he demanded. "It was the protector, Lan, wasn't it?"
"Lan and Kolt. And Rath, too." Nicholas added quickly, wasting no time laying the finger. "They held me captive, Jarad,.. in a dark cellar."
"Poor baby. So you're saying that they overpowered you. Maybe you should explain to me exactly how that was possible. Tell me, Nicholas, how badly do you want to live?" Jarad toyed with a rather large curved blade that he held in his hands.
"Jarad. I swear, I did everything I could do. I didn't know that they'd try to annihilate the thing. I swear to you."
"Well!" Jarad scowled at the other occupants of the large room. "What's wrong with it?"
A short man, obviously frightened for his life from this person who was now calling himself his King, answered. "The wormhole is, at the best.. unstable, at the worst, I'm afraid that it's closed...gone, Sir. It's just no longer where it once was."
"Well, FIND IT!" Jarad screamed.
The little man hesitated, then answered honestly, "I don't know if I can. At any rate, it may take time."
"WE DON'T HAVE TIME!" loudly came the reply. In one quick move, Jarad spun around sending the curved blade of the knife slicing through the soft tissue under his jugular.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Liz sat on Maria's front step. She had already checked over at Michael's and no one had been there. She guessed she would have to go borrow the car from her Dad, and she really wasn't ready for the questions that might come hand in hand with seeing him right at this minute.
She knew that Max would be going out to John's earlier, and she knew that she wasn't ready to see him again, not yet anyway. She needed more time to let everything in her head settle in. She wasn't sure what the next move should be, but that little voice was making it known that she needed to talk to John. She needed to find a way out to his ranch. Something made her feel close to John, and logically, she figured that it was an instinct, because he had taken such good care of her, when they had brought her into this world. They had literally saved her life, and she was beginning to feel the bond that was awakening within her.
As she got up, she was careful to watch her step in the dark. Suddenly, she noticed a figure approaching, turning at the sidewalk and heading up to the door. The figure jumped at first, seeing Liz. "Hello?" Liz said cautiously. "Can...I help you with something?" It was too damn dark and the only light was the DeLuca porch light behind her.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I was looking for Maria Deluca," the voice said calmly. "Does she still live here?"
Liz took a step backward, then thought again about the voice, that familiar voice. She recognized it. "Brody? Is that you? It's me, Liz Parker."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She certainly was stunning. Michael had that right, Maria thought, as she watched the introductions going on in front of her. Michael had been johnny on the spot to make himself known, immediately after her arrival. She was medium height, and brunette, with legs that Maria would have died for. She looked to be in her mid 30's, definitely classic beauty. She was neatly dressed in a business suit, which immediately had Maria intimidated. As Serena approached her, escorted by Michael, his voice snapped her to attention. "Serena, this is my girlfriend. Maria Deluca."
"Hi, Maria. It really is a pleasure to finally meet with you." Her eyes seemed to lightup when she smiled. At closer glance, Maria caught a glimpse of American Indian, both in her hair and cheekbone structure.
"Finally?" she smiled back, nervous and a little confused.
John stepped up, rubbing Serena's shoulder. "Maria, we both feel like we've known you for a long while now, because of your connection to Michael. We needed to know what he was up to, who he was spending his time with, especially after Hank....left."
"Well, that sounds like we were snooping into your life, and we really didn't go that far," Serena had felt the need to explain, mainly because of the shocked look on Maria's face. "You've taken very good care of our Michael, here." She reached out and squeezed his arm, an act which didn't get past Maria. "Now if you'll all excuse me for just a few minutes, I'd really like to get changed out of these clothes and get comfortable. I am so excited to finally meet you all, we have alot to talk about." JB followed her out of the room.
"Yep, she's a real doll." Kal said with a sigh. "She's genuine. Ya know, that's damn hard to find in a woman anymore." Kal hung his unlit cigarette from his mouth, as he motioned to Max to join him outside. A few minutes later, Max found him out on the side porch. Kal leaned with his hands on the rail, as Max stared up into a clear starry sky. "How's it goin, Max."
"It's goin," Max replied. "I'll be fine, Kal. I'm giving her the room that you think she needs. It isn't any easier than it was yesterday to do that, but I do understand that it's for Liz's sake. And that's all that matters right now." Kal was shaking his head in agreement, as Max continued. "Maria says that she's talked to her dad, and that he didn't try to keep the truth from her. I'm thankful to him for that. He could have lied, and then where would we have been?"
Kal took a lighter from his jacket pocket. "By the time Liz spoke to her dad, she was already aware of the truth. She just needed to hear the words from her old man's lips, Max. I can pretty much guarantee that Liz has spent alot of time during the last twenty-four hours in Ava's thoughts and memories. She's a smart girl, very bright. She had all the pieces, the night she ran off that balcony. She just needed some time to put them together, to make sense of it all. She'll be fine." He adjusted the cigarette in his mouth and lit his lighter. "You know, there's a chance that things could work out...for her and you, but there are other things that need attention, like we said before. As long as you don't go losing your cool, you'll be fine."
"I know all about the other things, Kal." Max hesitated. "I'm pretty worried right now, about something happening that will make it impossible for us to ever be together again. Something that I can't control. I keep dreaming about our wedding over and over.. well I mean, Zan's wedding to Ava. I can't stop thinking about how easy it had been for Kivar to end all our hopes for happiness in a few short, horrible minutes. How can I be sure that it won't happen again? How do I stop from feeling that?"
"I don't have the crystal ball that you're look'n for, Max. It was Kivar who was on his own personal crusade to find you, and now he's dead. And Kivar being dead is the best thing we've got going for us right now. Of course the crusades for the granolith will, I'm quite sure, continue. The new tyrant is Jarad, and this guy just came into a whole hell of a lot of power back on Antar. . I mean Adia."
Kal became silent for a moment. "Ya know, I really still can't believe that Antar is gone. It doesn't seem possible. A planet destroyed. How can it be said that anyone wins, if there is nothing left to win."
"Maybe it's not about winning," Max said quietly.
Kal took a last hard draw of his cigarette, dropping it to the porch and crushing it. "It's always about winning. Ya dress it up in cute little disguises, but in the end, winning is the only thing that counts." Kal's voice sounded tired. While he knew that his words to Max were true, he wasn't at all sure anymore, whether it actually applied to all circumstances. "You know, Max, I will promise you one thing. The day will come, when these people will pay for the lives that they have taken and the destruction that they have brought about." Max looked over at him, and flashes of Zan's memories ran through his mind.
After hesitating for a few seconds, Kal continued, "I know that you don't think of yourself in terms of being Zan, but he is a part of you. And the part of you that is him, is part of them.. all of those people back on Adia. You and I may never know if peace will return there."
Kal was listening to Max's thoughts in answer to the words he had just said, then answered him. "We all have a home here now, Max, that goes without saying. We each have different and established lives. But don't ever forget the people who have never forgotten you. You four kids represent a past generation, back before all hope had been taken away by greed and that evil within. Some dreams only stay clear and present when we look back and not ahead. I'm positive that I don't want to go back. This is my home. I like this place." He half shrugged his shoulders, and chuckled to himself. "I guess this conversation about Adia is all pretty irrelevant right now. I just needed you to know." He looked Max in the eye, and winked, knowing he had got him thinking.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*lyrics belong to D. Gray
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
~~Please forgive me if I act a little strange for I know not what I do..
Feels like lightning running through my veins, everytime I look at you.
Help me out here, all my words are falling short,
And there's so much I want to say.
I want to tell you just how good it feels, when you look at me that way.
Throw a stone and watch the ripples flow, moving out across the bay
Like a stone, I fall into your eyes, deep into that mystery, deep into the mystery.~~
Michael and Maria sat on the hearth of a huge fireplace in John's livingroom. "I like to light it sometimes on a summer night, just to take the chill off the room," John said to Maria.
"I love fireplaces, although I never had one growing up. Maybe one day," she said, looking at Michael for a reaction.
Michael on the other hand was deep in conversation with Kal about the destruction of the wormhole earlier that day. "So you think that it's destroyed, unusable."
"It's difficult to say for sure, Michael. I've never destroyed a wormhole before. But logic tells me that we did it some damage as Nicholas went through." Kal was leaning back, making himself comfortable in the lazyboy recliner. "I just talked to Max, he's on his way. I've been trying my damnest to keep him together, ya know, about Liz."
Maria saw an opportunity to join in. "She seemed pretty good with the whole thing earlier today at school. We talked." She couldn't help feeling nervous talking to Kal, so she tried to directed her words more to John. "Of course, I've known her for a long time, and I'm sure that she's worried down under the surface, ya know, under that surface...the part she doesn't show everyone. She's worried about what's coming next. Me too for that matter," she added softly, so only Michael could hear. He put his arm around her shoulder.
"What are we doin' about the granolith?" Michael asked, as he grabbed several snacks off a tray that the housekeeper had set down next to him. "Do we know anything about it? How it works? What it's good for?"
"Serena's been working on all of that. She's coming home tonight, any minute actually, from Stanford University. I wanted to send one of my workers out there to the airport to pick her up, but she insisted that she'd grab a cab. She has a team out there at the University that dabbles on the side in astrophysics and quantum physics." John explained.
Michael was now standing. He was right to have picked up on that anxious vibe he was feeling from him. This Serena, must be pretty special to him, he thought. He glanced up at a picture on the mantle. "Woah. Is this Serena?" he asked aloud, completely disregarding Maria, as only Michael can. "She's. . stunning."
Maria shot him a look, stunning? that was not a word that Michael ever used. She wondered if this was alittle of Rath coming through. Astrophysics ... quantum physics? could she possibly be any more out of her league?
"I'm counting on Liz showing up too," Kal added. "I'm anxious for her to meet Serena, and well Serena's been biting at the bit for a while now to finally meet Liz." A knock at the door interrupted him.
They looked up to see Max standing in the doorway. "Whose biting at the bit?" He shook John's hand, and then smiled over at Michael. He was surprised that Maria was here. Although knowing Maria, Max figured Michael probably didn't have much of choice in the matter.
"Nothing," Kal said to Max, wanting right now to avoid the subject. "We were just saying how glad JB is that his woman is coming home. I'm gettin a beer, anyone want to join me?" He looked at Max, remembering how they had buffered his glitches with alcohol while at Kal's in LA. "Oh right," he said, feeling the need to explain, he turned to the group and said, "I forgot the rules here, JB, sorry. Let me explain. There's no hocus pocus allowed here inside the main house. You can do what ever the hell you want outside, but JB frowns upon anything of that nature, inside his home. I can respect that. Now, can I get you kids a soda?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Red lights flashing, and sirens that would deafen the soul, could be heard throughout the towering spirals that were Castle Leoch. "What do you mean, there's no access?" Jarad demanded. "How is that possible? Just seconds ago, Nicholas came through there! And now you're telling me there's nothing there? NICHOLAS! Go," he shouted to the soldiers by his side. "Find him now and bring the little weasel to me this minute!"
Jarad was furious, "This can't be happening. Not now! I finally have the location of the Granolith at my fingertips, and I have no way to get to it! You will die NOW, if you don't bring me the kid!" he screamed out in a fury. "Someone better get this wizardry working again and fast!" Several men around him scattered and scurried around trying to get to the source of the problem at hand.
A scuffle just outside in the causeway, brought Nicholas bounding into the room. "What? What did I do? It wasn't me, Jarad! I swear to you. They must have done something after I went through, they were pretty close behind me. I had to literally dive through to get away from them!" Nicholas had always been such a great liar and manipulator. He always preferred to think of himself as a soldier of chance.
"Who was it?" he demanded. "It was the protector, Lan, wasn't it?"
"Lan and Kolt. And Rath, too." Nicholas added quickly, wasting no time laying the finger. "They held me captive, Jarad,.. in a dark cellar."
"Poor baby. So you're saying that they overpowered you. Maybe you should explain to me exactly how that was possible. Tell me, Nicholas, how badly do you want to live?" Jarad toyed with a rather large curved blade that he held in his hands.
"Jarad. I swear, I did everything I could do. I didn't know that they'd try to annihilate the thing. I swear to you."
"Well!" Jarad scowled at the other occupants of the large room. "What's wrong with it?"
A short man, obviously frightened for his life from this person who was now calling himself his King, answered. "The wormhole is, at the best.. unstable, at the worst, I'm afraid that it's closed...gone, Sir. It's just no longer where it once was."
"Well, FIND IT!" Jarad screamed.
The little man hesitated, then answered honestly, "I don't know if I can. At any rate, it may take time."
"WE DON'T HAVE TIME!" loudly came the reply. In one quick move, Jarad spun around sending the curved blade of the knife slicing through the soft tissue under his jugular.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Liz sat on Maria's front step. She had already checked over at Michael's and no one had been there. She guessed she would have to go borrow the car from her Dad, and she really wasn't ready for the questions that might come hand in hand with seeing him right at this minute.
She knew that Max would be going out to John's earlier, and she knew that she wasn't ready to see him again, not yet anyway. She needed more time to let everything in her head settle in. She wasn't sure what the next move should be, but that little voice was making it known that she needed to talk to John. She needed to find a way out to his ranch. Something made her feel close to John, and logically, she figured that it was an instinct, because he had taken such good care of her, when they had brought her into this world. They had literally saved her life, and she was beginning to feel the bond that was awakening within her.
As she got up, she was careful to watch her step in the dark. Suddenly, she noticed a figure approaching, turning at the sidewalk and heading up to the door. The figure jumped at first, seeing Liz. "Hello?" Liz said cautiously. "Can...I help you with something?" It was too damn dark and the only light was the DeLuca porch light behind her.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I was looking for Maria Deluca," the voice said calmly. "Does she still live here?"
Liz took a step backward, then thought again about the voice, that familiar voice. She recognized it. "Brody? Is that you? It's me, Liz Parker."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She certainly was stunning. Michael had that right, Maria thought, as she watched the introductions going on in front of her. Michael had been johnny on the spot to make himself known, immediately after her arrival. She was medium height, and brunette, with legs that Maria would have died for. She looked to be in her mid 30's, definitely classic beauty. She was neatly dressed in a business suit, which immediately had Maria intimidated. As Serena approached her, escorted by Michael, his voice snapped her to attention. "Serena, this is my girlfriend. Maria Deluca."
"Hi, Maria. It really is a pleasure to finally meet with you." Her eyes seemed to lightup when she smiled. At closer glance, Maria caught a glimpse of American Indian, both in her hair and cheekbone structure.
"Finally?" she smiled back, nervous and a little confused.
John stepped up, rubbing Serena's shoulder. "Maria, we both feel like we've known you for a long while now, because of your connection to Michael. We needed to know what he was up to, who he was spending his time with, especially after Hank....left."
"Well, that sounds like we were snooping into your life, and we really didn't go that far," Serena had felt the need to explain, mainly because of the shocked look on Maria's face. "You've taken very good care of our Michael, here." She reached out and squeezed his arm, an act which didn't get past Maria. "Now if you'll all excuse me for just a few minutes, I'd really like to get changed out of these clothes and get comfortable. I am so excited to finally meet you all, we have alot to talk about." JB followed her out of the room.
"Yep, she's a real doll." Kal said with a sigh. "She's genuine. Ya know, that's damn hard to find in a woman anymore." Kal hung his unlit cigarette from his mouth, as he motioned to Max to join him outside. A few minutes later, Max found him out on the side porch. Kal leaned with his hands on the rail, as Max stared up into a clear starry sky. "How's it goin, Max."
"It's goin," Max replied. "I'll be fine, Kal. I'm giving her the room that you think she needs. It isn't any easier than it was yesterday to do that, but I do understand that it's for Liz's sake. And that's all that matters right now." Kal was shaking his head in agreement, as Max continued. "Maria says that she's talked to her dad, and that he didn't try to keep the truth from her. I'm thankful to him for that. He could have lied, and then where would we have been?"
Kal took a lighter from his jacket pocket. "By the time Liz spoke to her dad, she was already aware of the truth. She just needed to hear the words from her old man's lips, Max. I can pretty much guarantee that Liz has spent alot of time during the last twenty-four hours in Ava's thoughts and memories. She's a smart girl, very bright. She had all the pieces, the night she ran off that balcony. She just needed some time to put them together, to make sense of it all. She'll be fine." He adjusted the cigarette in his mouth and lit his lighter. "You know, there's a chance that things could work out...for her and you, but there are other things that need attention, like we said before. As long as you don't go losing your cool, you'll be fine."
"I know all about the other things, Kal." Max hesitated. "I'm pretty worried right now, about something happening that will make it impossible for us to ever be together again. Something that I can't control. I keep dreaming about our wedding over and over.. well I mean, Zan's wedding to Ava. I can't stop thinking about how easy it had been for Kivar to end all our hopes for happiness in a few short, horrible minutes. How can I be sure that it won't happen again? How do I stop from feeling that?"
"I don't have the crystal ball that you're look'n for, Max. It was Kivar who was on his own personal crusade to find you, and now he's dead. And Kivar being dead is the best thing we've got going for us right now. Of course the crusades for the granolith will, I'm quite sure, continue. The new tyrant is Jarad, and this guy just came into a whole hell of a lot of power back on Antar. . I mean Adia."
Kal became silent for a moment. "Ya know, I really still can't believe that Antar is gone. It doesn't seem possible. A planet destroyed. How can it be said that anyone wins, if there is nothing left to win."
"Maybe it's not about winning," Max said quietly.
Kal took a last hard draw of his cigarette, dropping it to the porch and crushing it. "It's always about winning. Ya dress it up in cute little disguises, but in the end, winning is the only thing that counts." Kal's voice sounded tired. While he knew that his words to Max were true, he wasn't at all sure anymore, whether it actually applied to all circumstances. "You know, Max, I will promise you one thing. The day will come, when these people will pay for the lives that they have taken and the destruction that they have brought about." Max looked over at him, and flashes of Zan's memories ran through his mind.
After hesitating for a few seconds, Kal continued, "I know that you don't think of yourself in terms of being Zan, but he is a part of you. And the part of you that is him, is part of them.. all of those people back on Adia. You and I may never know if peace will return there."
Kal was listening to Max's thoughts in answer to the words he had just said, then answered him. "We all have a home here now, Max, that goes without saying. We each have different and established lives. But don't ever forget the people who have never forgotten you. You four kids represent a past generation, back before all hope had been taken away by greed and that evil within. Some dreams only stay clear and present when we look back and not ahead. I'm positive that I don't want to go back. This is my home. I like this place." He half shrugged his shoulders, and chuckled to himself. "I guess this conversation about Adia is all pretty irrelevant right now. I just needed you to know." He looked Max in the eye, and winked, knowing he had got him thinking.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
As they stood on the porch, the lights of a car came pulling up the long driveway. "It's Liz." Max felt even with his eyes closed he would have known that it was her.
"I'm going back inside to let Serena know that she's here." Kal entered back into the house. As Max walked down the two steps to the car, he again reminded himself to keep his emotions under control, when all he wanted to do was to yell out at the top of his lungs to the entire world what he was feeling.
"Hey," she seemed excited. He smiled, "Hey. Liz."
"Guess who's back in town, Max? Brody. He stopped by to see Maria, and he looks amazing. Apparently getting out of Roswell has done wonders for him."
"Brody? He's back? Wow, that is surprising. I never thought any of us would ever see him again." He held the screendoor open and they walked inside together.
"Liz, hey. I'm glad that you made it." John leaned over to give her a quick hug. "How we doin?" He smiled knowingly, trying to make her feel less uncomfortable. There were alot of feelings here in this room and the last thing he wanted was for her to book out the door from pressure that she might feel she was facing with a roomfull of friends who were not just concerned about her, but pretty much still in awe of the situation.
"I'm good, John," she said as she waved over to Maria and Michael. Liz had never been so happy to see anyone as she was to see Maria at that very moment. "Maria, I just ran into Brody, seems that he's back in town for a few days. He was looking for you. He's staying out at the Pine Haven Motel," she said across the room. She glanced at Kal, "Hi Kal. Listen, I'm sorry for abandoning you and John the other night, but ..um..."
"Don't worry about it, kitten. You did what you had to do, and I for one am very proud of you." Kal moved, beer in hand, over toward the fireplace.
"Yea," Maria saw an opportunity and chimed in, "I wouldn't be strong enough to be here right now, like this, if I were you." She wished she could have taken back the words as soon as they had left her mouth, but since that wasn't possible, she quickly added, "Which I'm not,..by the way. I'm soo not you." She felt herself blush as she slowly sat back down on the hearth, making herself a promise not to speak again unless she was spoken to.
Serena then stepped forward, extending a hand out towards Liz. "I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am to meet you, Liz. John has told me so much about you, and after everything that's happened, I feel like I've known you forever." Liz took the warm hand into her own, as she looked into the eyes of the woman in front of her. snap!snap! A quick succession of images flashed acrossed Liz's mind.
"It's good to meet you too," she said slowly and politely. John was again by her side. The flashes became clearer, the face across from hers was again smiling at her but in a time that Liz remembered from the recent past. "Haven't I ..met you before," she started out slowly, not completely trusting her memory. "It was back at the indian reservation, the night I went there looking for RiverDog. The Mesilika reservation, right? You were there selling jewelry."
Serena smiled, as John spoke. "Serena used to live out on the indian reservation, years ago. That was her older sister, Natalie, that you met that night. It was a brief meeting, but an important one as things later turned out. That was the night that you first met Riverdog."
Serena continued. "You showed my sister the broken pendant with the Antarian symbol. She wasn't quite sure of what to do or what to say to you. We never expected you to just show up there that night," she continued, "and then to see that you had the necklace, John's necklace, well she was shocked to say the very least." She smiled and Liz immediately saw her kind eyes. "I've been anxiously waiting to meet you, Liz Parker. Believe me, it is my pleasure," she held out her hand. "My name is Serena."
Liz didn't mean to stare, and she wasn't aware at first of her mouth, which opened in a quiet gasp. Serena? Her knees felt weak as she remembered, and the visions of FutureMax flashed through her head. The flashes took her back to that other fateful night in her life. He was in her room, sitting on the edge of her bed telling her about the girl Serena, who would become her friend one day.
Pulling herself together as quickly as she could, she replied, "Serena," she paused slightly in amazement, ". .you have no idea how happy I am to meet you." She couldn't stop herself from looking long and hard over at Max, then back into Serena's dark eyes. "We need to talk."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~I'm raising up my voice to the walls and to the sky,
it seeks no explanation, it waits for no reply.
I've been talking all night long, there's nothing more to say,
I'm searching every mirror for a trace of yesterday
There's a copper moon that's buried where solitude expands
and distant planets moving, they're weighing heavy on my hands~~
The group was gathered around the large livingroom, near to the fire. Kal had taken a place near Michael. Max sat to the opposite side of Kal with Liz sitting on the floor at his feet next to Maria. It was so quiet in that huge room you could have heard a pin drop.
John and Serena were spellbound, as they sat together on one of the couches, as the most beautiful, yet saddest of stories was unfolded. Tears filled Serena's eyes, as she listened and her grip unconsciously tightened, as John's hand responded in hers.
Liz had just spent the better part of a few hours telling them an incredible and amazing story. A story that she had held inside of her for way too long now. Both the secret and the time had taken a huge toll, as was witnessed and felt so deeply by all of her friends around her, some old, some new. As Liz finished, she quickly wiped away a tear that had dropped down onto her cheek.
"We danced," she whispered, in a voice that was barely audible, as another tear spilled over. "I asked him if I could have my wedding dance," she explained slowly, "and then, we danced. It was so strange, because it was you Max. You looked different, older. But it was you. And then before the dance was over, he was gone.. just gone." Max gently laid his hands on her shoulders, amazed at what he was hearing and yet completely understanding every word to be true. She was silent for the longest time, as was everyone else in the room. She slowly got to her feet, a little embarrassed, but mostly just emotionally exhausted.
"...that's when I knew that our plan had worked. We had. . succeeded," she continued as a silent uncontrollable sob shook her body. She moved over to stand staring into the fire, as she added in a disappointed tone, with a slight trace of sarcasm, ".. we saved the world."
Max found her in his arms, before he even realized that he was standing. "Jesus," he whispered, his kiss found the top of her head. He could find no words, as she buried her face into his shirt. "It's okay, Liz, don't cry. Why have you held this all inside of you all this time?" He tried to blink back his own tears, as all the implications began to fall into place in his mind. He smoothed her hair, holding tight to that warm place at the back of her neck. "It's okay, it'll be okay," he whispered.
"I had to tell somebody something, or I'd have gone out of my mind, so I told Maria parts of it, but not all of it. I made her swear to me that she would never tell anyone. And the rest of it I have tried hard not to think about. I've been so exhausted with all of this. But he.. that other Max, he said that we had to do this. Why, John?" she said pulling away from Max and walking to where John was sitting. "Why? . . if Ava,..if she was part of me, and I was the one who completed the quad, why would Tess need to win in any of this?"
It was Serena who spoke first, before John. "Maybe in that time. .in his slice of time, maybe things were different somehow. It doesn't necessarily mean that his Liz didn't have the essence, maybe he just didn't know that she had it. Or maybe there were other circumstances that we don't, and truthfully, will never know about. These timelines may have subtle differences with each other, or they may be completely turned around. No one knows for sure yet how it works. It's a pretty new way of thinking, and the studies of the granolith will do wonders for the advancement of our overall understanding of the very notion of time and how it works. It's just the beginning of an amazing field of science."
Serena continued. "We do know what a manipulator Tess was in this timeline. Lord only knows what she may have succeeded doing in FutureMax's timeline." She swallowed hard and felt the lump in her throat which was sore from trying so hard not to cry a few moments before. As she watched Liz, she thought about the incredible strength it had taken for her to pull this off. Her heart ached for this girl who had been through so much. And she couldn't help but think of her love for John. Would she have been strong enough to sacrifice the one great love that she felt for him, without completely losing her mind? And to have to continue living in Roswell, seeing him everyday and watching as he fell into the viscous claws of that she devil? No, she thought, no way, not without a straightjacket. The Mesalika had a word for Tess, Anki'Cajaya, loosely translated it means evil sucking shark.
"Speaking of timelines," John said. "This seems to be as good a time as ever for Serena's news." He turned and nodded to her. She tried to gather her composure and took the front of the room. Max got the impression that she had addressed hundreds of students this way at the university and it was something she felt most comfortable with.
"I'm not sure that we know yet how Liz's FutureMax fits into all of this. But he was right about one thing, when he told her that I had been fiddling around with a time machine. Because that's exactly what one of the functions of the granolith has turned out to be. A vehicle for moving through space and time, and just as amazing it seems, across space and time. It is an amazing piece of machinery. In fact to call it a machine would be to do it a great injustice."
Liz listened carefully and hung on her every word as she continued, "As Kal and John are well aware, we've been studying this machine alittle over eight years now. It's been difficult going, considering what we had to work with in the beginning. What with not having the facilities to study it, since we didn't believe that it was wise to attempt, at the time, to move it from the mountain."
Max was watching Liz closely, as Serena talked. She hadn't slept with Kyle at all. Such a fool he was to have believed what he saw. He could see now in looking back that it had been something that was so very out of character for Liz. Why had he come to believe so strongly that it was true? Why didn't he push her for more answers? He knew that day on the way to Copper Summit that there had to be something else going on, that she would never have done that to him. His heart was breaking, he had felt like he was losing his mind. He couldn't even imagine a life without Liz, then or now. And all along her heart had been breaking too.
He had lost count of the times that he had asked himself why. He knew, all too well, that she had dated Kyle. She had broken things off with him that night that her grandmother lie dying at the hospital. That was right before they had first acted on their inner feelings, when he drove her home that night. He knew there was no rational explanation for why Liz would have been in bed with Kyle that night. He remembered how she had come to him. She told him that she wanted to be in love with boys, normal boys. But the part that had hurt him more, was when she said that she wanted to have children, and she wanted her children to be safe, and that if he truly loved her, he would let her go. She had been pushing him to Tess, and like a fool, he made himself believe that the words she was speaking were the truth. Seeing her laying with Kyle had stopped his heart, but the night she spoke those words to him, that had ripped at his soul. It had been the single worst night of his life. He believed exactly what she had meant for him to believe. It had been insane.
His thoughts stopped quickly, as he looked up and saw that her eyes had caught his. She had been watching him from across the room. It wasn't difficult to figure out everything that must have been going through his head. She tried to smile. He mouthed the words, I'm sorry, as she tried to blink back the tears in her eyes. I couldn't tell you, her lips moved. Max nodded his head, knowingly.
Meanwhile, Serena continued explaining. "Finding at least two people who I could trust took some time in itself. Not to mention, the problem of it's origin and all the questions that came of that. It took a little time, but I managed to find two very trusted, very open-minded astrophysics engineers. . who dearly love their work. Because of our studies, they have jokingly dubbed themselves The Babylon2," she couldn't hold back the smile that spread across her face.
Kal spoke up, "Actually JB and I have dubbed them, Serena's version of Muldur's Lone Gunmen pals." His comment made everyone in the room laugh.
"Hey, please don't be fooled by their demeanor. They may be a bit unorthodox, but there's no question that they know what they're doing and . . most important, they can be trusted." She gave a scolding look to Kal, who could only put his head down and smile. "Anyway getting back to bringing everyone up to date...," she continued. "Bit by bit, we have managed to gather some amazing data. Once realizing of course, the now obvious, that this machine had nothing even remotely equivalent here on earth, we knew we needed to really stretch our wings. And so we did. With John's knowledge of many of the ancient languages of their star system, we were able to decipher alot more of the book. A few new things have come to light in the last month. We now know, that the granolith runs on the principle of quantum physics, which up to now we had strongly suspected. It's a portal, a doorway to not just other places, but to other times. . .a form of catapult that transforms time and space." She took a minute watching the captivated faces gathered around her.
"Anyway, we think we have figured out exactly how it works, and this weekend my two collegues will be coming here to see if our calculations were right. Of course, this will be handled as discreetly as is humanly possible." She grinned over to John and Kal, as she emphasized the appropriate word.
"Are you saying that you're going to start that thing up again?" Maria asked, shockingly.
"Yes, we hope to. We need to get more detailed data to analyse. Not to worry, none of us will be going anywhere... " She added, trying to reassure the panic obvious in Maria's voice. "We've been able to decipher most of the book that we have," she continued. "Unfortunately, right now we have run into one significant problem. We're feeling that there may be..a page that's missing from the original book."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As they stood on the porch, the lights of a car came pulling up the long driveway. "It's Liz." Max felt even with his eyes closed he would have known that it was her.
"I'm going back inside to let Serena know that she's here." Kal entered back into the house. As Max walked down the two steps to the car, he again reminded himself to keep his emotions under control, when all he wanted to do was to yell out at the top of his lungs to the entire world what he was feeling.
"Hey," she seemed excited. He smiled, "Hey. Liz."
"Guess who's back in town, Max? Brody. He stopped by to see Maria, and he looks amazing. Apparently getting out of Roswell has done wonders for him."
"Brody? He's back? Wow, that is surprising. I never thought any of us would ever see him again." He held the screendoor open and they walked inside together.
"Liz, hey. I'm glad that you made it." John leaned over to give her a quick hug. "How we doin?" He smiled knowingly, trying to make her feel less uncomfortable. There were alot of feelings here in this room and the last thing he wanted was for her to book out the door from pressure that she might feel she was facing with a roomfull of friends who were not just concerned about her, but pretty much still in awe of the situation.
"I'm good, John," she said as she waved over to Maria and Michael. Liz had never been so happy to see anyone as she was to see Maria at that very moment. "Maria, I just ran into Brody, seems that he's back in town for a few days. He was looking for you. He's staying out at the Pine Haven Motel," she said across the room. She glanced at Kal, "Hi Kal. Listen, I'm sorry for abandoning you and John the other night, but ..um..."
"Don't worry about it, kitten. You did what you had to do, and I for one am very proud of you." Kal moved, beer in hand, over toward the fireplace.
"Yea," Maria saw an opportunity and chimed in, "I wouldn't be strong enough to be here right now, like this, if I were you." She wished she could have taken back the words as soon as they had left her mouth, but since that wasn't possible, she quickly added, "Which I'm not,..by the way. I'm soo not you." She felt herself blush as she slowly sat back down on the hearth, making herself a promise not to speak again unless she was spoken to.
Serena then stepped forward, extending a hand out towards Liz. "I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am to meet you, Liz. John has told me so much about you, and after everything that's happened, I feel like I've known you forever." Liz took the warm hand into her own, as she looked into the eyes of the woman in front of her. snap!snap! A quick succession of images flashed acrossed Liz's mind.
"It's good to meet you too," she said slowly and politely. John was again by her side. The flashes became clearer, the face across from hers was again smiling at her but in a time that Liz remembered from the recent past. "Haven't I ..met you before," she started out slowly, not completely trusting her memory. "It was back at the indian reservation, the night I went there looking for RiverDog. The Mesilika reservation, right? You were there selling jewelry."
Serena smiled, as John spoke. "Serena used to live out on the indian reservation, years ago. That was her older sister, Natalie, that you met that night. It was a brief meeting, but an important one as things later turned out. That was the night that you first met Riverdog."
Serena continued. "You showed my sister the broken pendant with the Antarian symbol. She wasn't quite sure of what to do or what to say to you. We never expected you to just show up there that night," she continued, "and then to see that you had the necklace, John's necklace, well she was shocked to say the very least." She smiled and Liz immediately saw her kind eyes. "I've been anxiously waiting to meet you, Liz Parker. Believe me, it is my pleasure," she held out her hand. "My name is Serena."
Liz didn't mean to stare, and she wasn't aware at first of her mouth, which opened in a quiet gasp. Serena? Her knees felt weak as she remembered, and the visions of FutureMax flashed through her head. The flashes took her back to that other fateful night in her life. He was in her room, sitting on the edge of her bed telling her about the girl Serena, who would become her friend one day.
Pulling herself together as quickly as she could, she replied, "Serena," she paused slightly in amazement, ". .you have no idea how happy I am to meet you." She couldn't stop herself from looking long and hard over at Max, then back into Serena's dark eyes. "We need to talk."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~I'm raising up my voice to the walls and to the sky,
it seeks no explanation, it waits for no reply.
I've been talking all night long, there's nothing more to say,
I'm searching every mirror for a trace of yesterday
There's a copper moon that's buried where solitude expands
and distant planets moving, they're weighing heavy on my hands~~
The group was gathered around the large livingroom, near to the fire. Kal had taken a place near Michael. Max sat to the opposite side of Kal with Liz sitting on the floor at his feet next to Maria. It was so quiet in that huge room you could have heard a pin drop.
John and Serena were spellbound, as they sat together on one of the couches, as the most beautiful, yet saddest of stories was unfolded. Tears filled Serena's eyes, as she listened and her grip unconsciously tightened, as John's hand responded in hers.
Liz had just spent the better part of a few hours telling them an incredible and amazing story. A story that she had held inside of her for way too long now. Both the secret and the time had taken a huge toll, as was witnessed and felt so deeply by all of her friends around her, some old, some new. As Liz finished, she quickly wiped away a tear that had dropped down onto her cheek.
"We danced," she whispered, in a voice that was barely audible, as another tear spilled over. "I asked him if I could have my wedding dance," she explained slowly, "and then, we danced. It was so strange, because it was you Max. You looked different, older. But it was you. And then before the dance was over, he was gone.. just gone." Max gently laid his hands on her shoulders, amazed at what he was hearing and yet completely understanding every word to be true. She was silent for the longest time, as was everyone else in the room. She slowly got to her feet, a little embarrassed, but mostly just emotionally exhausted.
"...that's when I knew that our plan had worked. We had. . succeeded," she continued as a silent uncontrollable sob shook her body. She moved over to stand staring into the fire, as she added in a disappointed tone, with a slight trace of sarcasm, ".. we saved the world."
Max found her in his arms, before he even realized that he was standing. "Jesus," he whispered, his kiss found the top of her head. He could find no words, as she buried her face into his shirt. "It's okay, Liz, don't cry. Why have you held this all inside of you all this time?" He tried to blink back his own tears, as all the implications began to fall into place in his mind. He smoothed her hair, holding tight to that warm place at the back of her neck. "It's okay, it'll be okay," he whispered.
"I had to tell somebody something, or I'd have gone out of my mind, so I told Maria parts of it, but not all of it. I made her swear to me that she would never tell anyone. And the rest of it I have tried hard not to think about. I've been so exhausted with all of this. But he.. that other Max, he said that we had to do this. Why, John?" she said pulling away from Max and walking to where John was sitting. "Why? . . if Ava,..if she was part of me, and I was the one who completed the quad, why would Tess need to win in any of this?"
It was Serena who spoke first, before John. "Maybe in that time. .in his slice of time, maybe things were different somehow. It doesn't necessarily mean that his Liz didn't have the essence, maybe he just didn't know that she had it. Or maybe there were other circumstances that we don't, and truthfully, will never know about. These timelines may have subtle differences with each other, or they may be completely turned around. No one knows for sure yet how it works. It's a pretty new way of thinking, and the studies of the granolith will do wonders for the advancement of our overall understanding of the very notion of time and how it works. It's just the beginning of an amazing field of science."
Serena continued. "We do know what a manipulator Tess was in this timeline. Lord only knows what she may have succeeded doing in FutureMax's timeline." She swallowed hard and felt the lump in her throat which was sore from trying so hard not to cry a few moments before. As she watched Liz, she thought about the incredible strength it had taken for her to pull this off. Her heart ached for this girl who had been through so much. And she couldn't help but think of her love for John. Would she have been strong enough to sacrifice the one great love that she felt for him, without completely losing her mind? And to have to continue living in Roswell, seeing him everyday and watching as he fell into the viscous claws of that she devil? No, she thought, no way, not without a straightjacket. The Mesalika had a word for Tess, Anki'Cajaya, loosely translated it means evil sucking shark.
"Speaking of timelines," John said. "This seems to be as good a time as ever for Serena's news." He turned and nodded to her. She tried to gather her composure and took the front of the room. Max got the impression that she had addressed hundreds of students this way at the university and it was something she felt most comfortable with.
"I'm not sure that we know yet how Liz's FutureMax fits into all of this. But he was right about one thing, when he told her that I had been fiddling around with a time machine. Because that's exactly what one of the functions of the granolith has turned out to be. A vehicle for moving through space and time, and just as amazing it seems, across space and time. It is an amazing piece of machinery. In fact to call it a machine would be to do it a great injustice."
Liz listened carefully and hung on her every word as she continued, "As Kal and John are well aware, we've been studying this machine alittle over eight years now. It's been difficult going, considering what we had to work with in the beginning. What with not having the facilities to study it, since we didn't believe that it was wise to attempt, at the time, to move it from the mountain."
Max was watching Liz closely, as Serena talked. She hadn't slept with Kyle at all. Such a fool he was to have believed what he saw. He could see now in looking back that it had been something that was so very out of character for Liz. Why had he come to believe so strongly that it was true? Why didn't he push her for more answers? He knew that day on the way to Copper Summit that there had to be something else going on, that she would never have done that to him. His heart was breaking, he had felt like he was losing his mind. He couldn't even imagine a life without Liz, then or now. And all along her heart had been breaking too.
He had lost count of the times that he had asked himself why. He knew, all too well, that she had dated Kyle. She had broken things off with him that night that her grandmother lie dying at the hospital. That was right before they had first acted on their inner feelings, when he drove her home that night. He knew there was no rational explanation for why Liz would have been in bed with Kyle that night. He remembered how she had come to him. She told him that she wanted to be in love with boys, normal boys. But the part that had hurt him more, was when she said that she wanted to have children, and she wanted her children to be safe, and that if he truly loved her, he would let her go. She had been pushing him to Tess, and like a fool, he made himself believe that the words she was speaking were the truth. Seeing her laying with Kyle had stopped his heart, but the night she spoke those words to him, that had ripped at his soul. It had been the single worst night of his life. He believed exactly what she had meant for him to believe. It had been insane.
His thoughts stopped quickly, as he looked up and saw that her eyes had caught his. She had been watching him from across the room. It wasn't difficult to figure out everything that must have been going through his head. She tried to smile. He mouthed the words, I'm sorry, as she tried to blink back the tears in her eyes. I couldn't tell you, her lips moved. Max nodded his head, knowingly.
Meanwhile, Serena continued explaining. "Finding at least two people who I could trust took some time in itself. Not to mention, the problem of it's origin and all the questions that came of that. It took a little time, but I managed to find two very trusted, very open-minded astrophysics engineers. . who dearly love their work. Because of our studies, they have jokingly dubbed themselves The Babylon2," she couldn't hold back the smile that spread across her face.
Kal spoke up, "Actually JB and I have dubbed them, Serena's version of Muldur's Lone Gunmen pals." His comment made everyone in the room laugh.
"Hey, please don't be fooled by their demeanor. They may be a bit unorthodox, but there's no question that they know what they're doing and . . most important, they can be trusted." She gave a scolding look to Kal, who could only put his head down and smile. "Anyway getting back to bringing everyone up to date...," she continued. "Bit by bit, we have managed to gather some amazing data. Once realizing of course, the now obvious, that this machine had nothing even remotely equivalent here on earth, we knew we needed to really stretch our wings. And so we did. With John's knowledge of many of the ancient languages of their star system, we were able to decipher alot more of the book. A few new things have come to light in the last month. We now know, that the granolith runs on the principle of quantum physics, which up to now we had strongly suspected. It's a portal, a doorway to not just other places, but to other times. . .a form of catapult that transforms time and space." She took a minute watching the captivated faces gathered around her.
"Anyway, we think we have figured out exactly how it works, and this weekend my two collegues will be coming here to see if our calculations were right. Of course, this will be handled as discreetly as is humanly possible." She grinned over to John and Kal, as she emphasized the appropriate word.
"Are you saying that you're going to start that thing up again?" Maria asked, shockingly.
"Yes, we hope to. We need to get more detailed data to analyse. Not to worry, none of us will be going anywhere... " She added, trying to reassure the panic obvious in Maria's voice. "We've been able to decipher most of the book that we have," she continued. "Unfortunately, right now we have run into one significant problem. We're feeling that there may be..a page that's missing from the original book."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks Milla. 
antar60559, I have to admit how much easier it is to be bringing over completed chapters. Much different than actually having to write the update first.
Thanks for rereading.
Realistic Dreamer, Yep I was one of those who imagined Kal's rough crass exterior as being pretty thin.
I'm so happy that you're here. And BTW, can't wait for an update on Always Waiting for Someone Else.
..and again thanks for the feedback, everyone. It's no fun to write a story and question whether those reading are enjoying it, thank you all for taking the time to let me know. If you have any questions just fire away, if I can answer them at any particular point I will.
Here's the next few:
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
The evening had grown late, and everyone began to call it a night. Michael and Maria had been the first ones to leave. Kal had retired into his room, off the back hall of the huge home. Serena and Liz were sitting talking quietly between themselves.
John needed a moment alone with Max and this was as good as any, he thought. He motioned for Max to follow him down the hall. They turned a corner and entered into a huge walnut paneled study. A picture window stretched the entire length of the far wall. It was a beautiful view, with the darkened sky and blanket of stars stretched out above. The shadows of mountains far off to the right, with a dark purple haze riding on the rise and fall of the range. But, Max's attention was drawn to the tiny town that seemed to be twinkling down below. He had once had a little town just like this one on a Christmas platform that his Dad had built for him when he was ten. Walking over and looking out, he said, "Wow, what a view this is. Is that Roswell, down there?"
"Yes," John joined him at the window, " and right up there," he pointed to the right, "that's the mountain where the pod chamber is. Little hard to see that now in the dark. But it's there."
Max couldn't help but be in awe. "So you built this ranch yourself..right here where you had a front row seat...to everything?"
"I guess you could say, that this is the only place that I wanted to live. You see, Max, after everything that had happened to me...the crash, the responsibilities, saving that little baby, finding the Mesilikas, and the way that they had helped me through the early part of the last fifty years, it had already become home to me. I had made friends early on with James, he saved my life on more than one occasion. I lived with him, hidden away for months and months, trying to elude our natural enemies from home. But also there was a new enemy here, the government. The early stages of the special unit had been formed right after the ship crashed."
Max interrupted him, "Atherton. James Atherton. I read his book, Among Us. We saw the room where you stayed. That's where we found the pendant. So, that was your pendant." Max's head raced with questions. "How did it get broken?"
"Riverdog and I were always on good terms, from the beginning. He liked me and he trusted me, but the same wasn't true of his son, Serena's father," he smiled. "I was very smitten with his daughter. She was the most beautiful girl that I had ever seen. I think I loved her from the first time I saw her. But I was bad medicine, or so he thought, you know evil spirit from the sky, and all that. Anyway, I gave the pendant to her. It had been one of the only things that I had that really belonged to me, and I wanted her to have it. Well, he wasn't happy about that. He thought that I was endangering her life by being around so much. So Serena's father and I got into alittle tussle. We were fighting over the pendant and apparently at some point, it broke. I didn't even realize it til later actually."
John sat on the edge of the oversized desk. "I went back to James' place, staying away from the reservation for four months. Then one day she came looking for me, and I came back here with her. We've been together ever since. I did try to return to the house later to destroy anything that might still remain there. Instead I didn't have time to grab much of anything, before I heard them coming. My senses where telling me to get out of Dodge asap. I left the pendant and alot of other stuff trying to run for my life. That was the first time I was captured by the special unit. Luckily I was able to escape by shapeshifting. I never wanted to risk going back to the house again. I figured the unit already had taken anything that I had left behind there anyway. It wasn't til the night that Liz came looking for Riverdog, that we knew that, by fate, you kids had found it."
"...and you and her father?" Max asked, thinking of the similiarities between John and himself, and thinking of Jeff Parker.
"We're good friends now. That pendant broke a long time ago, we were all different back then. The Mesalikas have been good to me. And I think Serena being as strong willed as she is, well she eventually had alot to do with bringing her father around, too."
"I know it's been fifty years, John, but how old were you when you left Antar? Why is it that you look thirty and not seventy?"
"I was nineteen when I crashed here." He saw Max's surprise. "We don't age in quite the same way that you do here, Max. Our life spans are very different."
"The best way I can explain it to you is that each of our people have their own individual traits. Antarians and Adians age in much the same manner. Although our given gifts vary. Some have the power of force, that green force that you share with Liz," he explained. "Ava, Zan and Lonnie and Rath all shared this power, as do many other Antarians, by the way. Some have also honed skills in telepathy, which we showed you back at the podchamber. Other gifts, most especially of Adians, is the gift of sight, a perception of things that come from the future. Many from Ava's world also have the ability to astroproject. Ava was a master at both. But very few had the gift of healing. That's very rare."
"What about Eos? And the fourth planet in the system?" Max asked, thinking how wonderful it was to have someone who knew the answers.
"Eos, is a pretty nasty place. It's an everyman for himself attitude there. I myself had only one occasion that took me there, and I knew that I would never be returning there of my own free will. Pretty desolate. Their life span is somewhat longer than even ours. Many from Eos have a gift of power in the use of fire. You've already seen that demonstrated. Very brutal world. Our new friend and Adia's king, Jarad, hails from there. Nuf said, right? Everything is a nice shade of tan there, and everyone who calls it home seems to like it that way."
"The fourth planet is called Trinity. She is possibly the most unspoiled, uncharted of all the worlds. I remember when I was small, Trinity and Adia were pristine. Of course, under Kivar's rule that has, more than likely all changed now. It was once written that long ago only three planets existed in our star system. Antar, Adia and Trinity. There's very old writings that claim that the planet now known to us as Eos, became part of the system after it broke from a rogue star system in another galaxy farther out. I guess you could say, Eos was the gypsy planet. Never quite fitting in, and reigning havoc over everything it came in contact with. The people called the Skins were originally from Eos, then of course over the centuries they migrated and took up space in the backlands of Antar. They, of course, were first to join up with Kivar in the alliance against Zan's family."
"These ancient writings, the so called prophecy, claimed that the alignment of a fifth planet to the system would signify the beginning of a great love and of the downfall of great evil. A universal understanding. Both Ava and Zan where born during an alignment, each on their own respective planets. Their people have always believed, and some still to this very day believe, that they were the great love mentioned within the prophecy and that their union would end the evil."
"The fifth star is Venus," Max added. "Liz figured it out, after Tess arrived here. And we knew of the V shape constellation from the paintings you had drawn on the wall in the cave."
John nodded his head, smiling and remembering, "Yes, the map." Then he went on. "Liz was right, the fifth star is the planet Venus. But Max, on Antar it only joins into our system for two days every two hundred years. No one has ever even given it a name. It's a trajectory that I now can see as normal, not extraordinary at all. But back there," he motioned up, " it remains something mythical, magical. People always need hope. I still have a deep seeded spirit that needs to believe in these things too, I guess."
As John relayed all the information to him, Max felt himself remembering everything that he was in fact hearing. He could do nothing but shake his head, nodding in amazed agreement throughout most of the conversation.
John suddenly remembered, "This Brody, the one who just got back into town, I was somewhat aware that Larek had used him to communicate with you a few times. I asked Michael about it earlier, and he filled in the gaps for me. Larek was Zan's best and most trusted friend, Max. I think it would be a good move to talk to Brody, find out what's been happening, if you can. It might be good insurance."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
A brief quiet knock came on the door, which stood part way open. Liz leaned in, "Sorry to interrupt, but I really have to get going, and I just wanted to say goodnight."
Max was already walking towards her. "It's pretty late. Maybe I should follow you home, you know in case you have any problems. Besides I really should be going too. School tomorrow and all." His eyes lingered a few seconds too long in hers, making her look away quickly.
Looking instead to John, she finished. "I don't want to pull you away from here, I'm sure you two have alot to talk about."
"No, it's okay. I have another final first thing in the morning. I'm gonna take off now too, John," Max said, as he turned and shook hands with this person that had become much closer to him than ever before. "Thanks, for everything tonight. I hope we can see each other again in the next couple of days. I need you to keep me up on what's happening with the granolith."
"Don't worry, I'll be in touch. You all will know everything we know. And, Max," he added with a little pause to his voice, "....the pendant, do you think I could get it back from you?"
Liz quickly looked from Max to John. "John, ..um, it's me, I have it," Liz answered without hesitation. "Tell ya what, I'll bring it over tomorrow night. I'd really like to have a few minutes of your time anyway." She smiled up at him.
"Liz..." John pulled her into a hug, "..you have all of my time."
Max walked with her out to her car which was parked next to his. The night felt literally alive around them, and he had the distinct feeling that if she touched him right now, even innocently, he would burst into flames. Instead he leaned on the driver's door, as she climbed in. It was safe enough, he supposed, as long as he kept the solid metal and glass inbetween them.
"Liz, I'm glad that you came out here tonight. It's really good to see you, to spend time relaxing with you. It's been a while." God, it felt so good to talk to her again. He watched as a slight breeze picked up a few strands of her hair and carried it up across her face, and he wished he could be those strands for just a moment in time, touching her face softly, lightly. He caught himself, then added in a cool and calmer voice, "I've been meaning to ask you tonight,...your bruises? What happened?"
She smiled up at him. "Damndest thing. I found myself at 2am this morning, soaking wet, out in the pouring rain and every burn, every bruise, and those ribs that I knew were broken .. not to mention a 102 fever....was..it was just gone." She shook her head and admitted, "It's Ava, I know. She's healed you and she's healed me." As she spoke, she tried not to look directly at him.
She couldn't do it, she couldn't look into his eyes. If she did, she was afraid there'd be no turning back, and she still just wasn't ready. It had felt so liberating, so freeing, after all this time, and after everything that had happened to them all, to finally tell him about FutureMax. To finally get it all out of her head. And of course, it had seemed easier too, because her friends had been there, somehow helping her through. " I guess I better get used to this, right?"
He started slowly, feeling so much emotion inside. "You are Ava, Liz. You're all that is left of Ava. And I am all that is left of Zan. I know how hard this is. But it will get easier, I know it will. I'm not sure that I can even think of him and I as two different people anymore. At least, it's getting more difficult for me to do that."
She was quiet for a brief moment, then Max felt the chill as it passed through the window. "I'm Liz Parker," she stated, turning the key in the ignition. "If I'm able to help Ava in some way then I'm honored to have been given the chance to do that. But. . I am still Liz Parker! I'm not who you want me to be." The car quickly pulled away.
Max fell back, leaning against his own car, hands covering his face. What the hell just happened? His frustration got the better of him. "YES, YOU'RE STILL LIZ PARKER!" he yelled out to the red tail lights, now off in the distance. Then in a whisper to the sky above him, "You are my Liz Parker."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Michael was yawning as he pulled up in front of the Deluca home. It was late, he was tired. "Michael, what are ya doin? You know I don't have my last final til tomorrow afternoon, and I know you aren't working the Crashdown in the morning. So why are we here?" She asked, confused.
"What do ya mean?" He rubbed at his eyes.
"I thought we'd be going to your place, Michael," she felt that same haunting feeling coming over her again. "I just. .well, I assumed, and well, I guess that's the wrong thing to be doing now."
"I didn't even think about it one way or another to tell you the truth. I figured we were tired and needed some shuteye. No biggie." He really didn't feel like discussing what he knew was coming.
"I really need for you to talk to me, Michael. I need to know what you're feeling. Remember? ...communication? That's what couples do, and with the changes that have come around in the last few days, there's some things that I need to know." She needed to know, but almost wished she hadn't claimed it outloud. It was too late now, he was about to answer her.
"I've been feeling more of Rath inside me, that's all. Maria, we've already talked about it. Nothing's different between you and I, and you know it. Things are exactly the same." He surprised himself at the sincerity that he was feeling at that very moment. "Listen, I know that this has been really weird for you, like you're on the outside or something. But, I still care very much about you and I, about this . .relationship."
He almost wanted to laugh, remembering a time not so long ago, when he couldn't even get himself to say that word in her company. Yeah, that's right, he thought, he had come a long way with this whole love thing. He had decided to stay here, and that had been only because of what he felt for Maria. He loved her. God knows he had no other reason for wanting to stay in this hell hole. "I'm trying to make the best of things, and I need you to bear with me here and do the same." He leaned over and kissed her, fairly passionately he felt, considering how beat he was. He wasn't afraid to admit to himself anymore that she was a big part of who he had become, and that fact always made him feel good.
"I love you, Michael, you know I do. I just feel so . .out of the loop with all of this. Not that I'd be hope'n to turn up with green blood cells or anything, but suppose something happens and this. .Rath person, suppose he doesn't end up loving me? Hmm? What then?" She asked, chin deep in all her uncertainty.
"Maybe you need to talk to Liz about this," he said. Then seeing that that was getting him nowhere, "Suppose I told you that maybe Rath was the reason that I loved you at all?" He reached pretty far for a solution.
"Rath..loves me?" she stammered., then became momentarily quiet. "You think he loves me? I never thought of that. You mean maybe it's been him all along?" She was wide eyed, but definitely impressed at this possible conclusion.
"Who knows?" was Michael's candid reply. "Now can I please go home and get some sleep?"
"Sure thing," she smiled and pecked him on the cheek. "Bring him over with you tomorrow night, okay?" She winked and got out of the car.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Pine Haven hotel was never a very busy place, even so close after Memorial Day. The stoned out guy at the front desk had told Max that he needed Room #14. He was feeling an excitement inside of him, a Zan memory of his closest friend, Larek. Max's thoughts were more along the lines of wondering if Brody had been abducted lately, since leaving Roswell months back. He knocked at the graffiti filled door to room fourteen.
He thought he saw the curtain move slightly at the window, and then the door swung open wide. "Max! It is wonderful to see you. I guess Liz did tell you that I was in town. It's so nice of you to come by to see me. Come in, come in." He ushered him past him and into the dreary room of paisley bedspreads and stale air.
"It's good to see you again too, Brody. Gotta admit that I'm surprised though. I had the feeling when you left that we'd never be seeing you again. You left without saying goodbye to any of us, we were worried about you." Max took a seat in the torn chair in the corner, as Brody sat on the side of the bed.
"I know, Max. I really needed to go and make a home for my daughter, far away from here. And that's exactly what I've done. You were all such good friends when I was here and knew no one." He was full of smiles, and couldn't seem to sit still for very long, typical Brody as Max remembered him. "It's really good to see you."
"Maria. .." Max wasn't too good at small talk when there was something else looming in the back of his mind. ". .Maria was glad to know that you're in town too. She's gonna try to stop by alittle later today. She has some finals at school."
"Oh yes, school. I've missed her terribly. She had a way of lifting my spirits when they needed lifting." he sighed remembering. "I've recently had another episode, Max. That missing time stuff. And I immediately thought of all of you, and I was compelled to come back and visit. It's the strangest thing."
"Do you remember any of it...I mean, anything that may have happened to you during this episode?" Max tried hard not to show too much concern.
"Like a hazy dream this time. I woke knowing only that I had to come back here, and see all of you again. It seemed important," his face was puzzled. "I don't have anything to eat or drink that I could offer you here, I am sorry."
"It's okay, I just had lunch." Max replied. "Listen, Brody, when are you planning on leaving?"
"I have a flight out right before noon tomorrow." He was following Max to the door.
"I have a few friends I'd really like for you to meet, maybe later this afternoon or tonight. Let me see what I can do and then I'll call you in a little while. Do you have a cell, or should I reach you through the motel?"
"Through the motel, just ask for Fourteen."
"It's great to see you Brody, it really is," Max said as he opened the door to leave.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well that was it, she thought. Her last test. Liz threw her backpack over her shoulder. Tomorrow would be graduation practice and then Friday the real thing...and after that....Hello World!
She knew she would apply to more universities. A new phase of her life was about to begin. She had decided to take the long walk home from school instead of catching a ride with Maria, who seemed pretty anxious to get home. She wanted to be alone, time to think about her future, about where she was going and who she wanted to go there with. It was hard to believe that twelve years of school were over already. She climbed the back stairs to her room.
She had been glad that she had the chance to sit for breakfast with her Dad this morning. They had talked about the ceremonies that were looming ahead of her. Nothing had even been hinted at as far as their last conversation. Nothing at all. Her Mother had even stopped long enough to sip tea there with them, before hustling out into the restaurant for the last minute preps before unlocking the front door to the world outside. It was shortly after noon and she was alone upstairs. It was quiet and peaceful after the excitement and goofing off of all the seniors most of the day at school.
She hadn't seen Max at all this morning, although she knew that he had a final just as she had. Just as well, she thought. She was embarrassed by her outburst last night when she was leaving. Things had been so wonderful out there, so nice between them. Like old times. But her defenses went up without warning. She had been comfortable all night, feeling the strength of Ava within her, but when it came to one on one with Max, she broke under the pressure. The pressure, she thought. The pressure of what? The weight of FutureMax and what they had succeeded in doing was gone now. Completely gone. She had been dealing with Ava's presence and was adjusting quite well she was sure. Even the news of her own adoption was settling inside of her. No, it wasn't any of those things at all anymore. What was this pressure she was feeling? This heaviness on her heart that hadn't let up at all...that seemed to never let up.
It was about Max's love for her. Or was it Zan's love for Ava? She couldn't tell the difference anymore and truthfully, things were alot easier this way then they had been before. Afterall they were one, weren't they. He had been right. She was all that was left of Ava; but she was also all that Liz Parker had come to be as well.
A rapid knock startled her. She looked up to see Kyle standing in the doorway. "Hey kiddo," he said with a big grin. "Ready for the big blast at Buz Matlack's house after graduation? His parents are away in Hong Kong. Can ya believe it?"
Liz smiled and shook her head. "I think I'll be passing on that one, Kyle. You should too, by the way. Buz and his friends are nothing but trouble."
"Trouble? Oh! Look who's talking about trouble! Ms Parker, need I remind you of your own little party the other day up on the mountain? Now that could have gotten me in serious trouble. Trust me, Buz Matlack is a lightweight, compared to what you've introduced me too." He whistled, then laughed.
Liz's expression didn't change, instead she crumbled into tears.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"It's okay to be scared, Liz. This is big stuff we're talking about here." Kyle had sat her down onto the bed. Reaching for the tissue box on the nightstand, he sat down next to her.
"I'm not scared," she sobbed.
"The hell you're not! Let me tell ya something, there's something seriously wrong with you if you're not! Liz, you have alittle alien blood in you. Why wouldn't that scare you?"
"No I don't." she said matter of factly. "No alien blood."
"You know what I mean, don't shit with me about this, okay?" His heart went out to her, it always had. "Why are you still holding back from Max? This news, as crazy and as insane as it is, it should have created even more of a bond between the two of you. I just don't understand."
"Everything inside of me is screaming those very words, Kyle."
"And....," he motioned circles in the air. "...why aren't you listening? Liz, three years ago, you found your one true love. And in the last few days, you have found him once again, not just as Max, but as your soulmate Zan. Look, I've never considered myself much of a romantic guy, but I think even Budha would agree with me here. You two were meant to be together. So why aren't you, why would you choose to waste more time? Look at all the time that bitch stoled from you both. Now that you know that she contrived her very existence, why would you not think that she played with his mind as well? Listen to me, Liz Parker, for Kyle Valenti has learned something in twelve years of school and two years of the teachings of Budha. I'm right. Love is right. And it's right there in front of you."
"I wanted to go to college, Kyle."
"Nope.. that's not it. That has nothing to do with it, and you know it. Max would follow you anywhere in the world that you wanted to go, or out of it for that matter!" He was getting frustrated and so very tired of seeing his dear friend heartbroken. "Spill. ...for old times sake. Come on, you can tell me." He lifted her chin, and made her look into his eyes.
Several minutes passed, and Liz sat staring into the Kleenex rolled up in her hand. "I have all night," Kyle said after all the silence.
She took a few deep sighs before beginning. "Kyle," she started. "Max had sex with Tess, and we have never, I repeat never talked about it."
He shook his head up and down, as if understanding, but then replied. "Yeah, . .and you think.. what? that talking about it is going to make it go away?"
She began once again to cry. After a few heart shattering minutes she stopped, blew her nose and answered, "Nothing is going to make it go away."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dinner was overwith. She had ended up with a bluemoon burger and an order of Saturn onion rings from downstairs. She had tried to get Kyle to stay and join her, but he mumbled something about needing to go and put a deposit down on a keg for Friday night. She promised him as he left that she would seriously think about everything he had said.
She kicked her shoes off in the closet and reached up on the top shelf there for a stack of magazines, when they all slid to the floor. One in particular hit the floor with a heavy thud. As she knelt down to gather them up, her hand rested on the book that her grandmother had left with her. The one she had written the year before. Lost Treasures by Claudia Parker.
She couldn't believe that she had forgotten that it was up there. She had put it there for safe keeping after she had passed away, thinking that one day the time would be right and she'd be strong enough to read it. She felt guilty that she hadn't even opened the book, let alone that she had forgotten that she had it at all. She ran her hand over the cover, and felt chills run up her spine. God, she missed her. She would have given anything in the world to be able to talk to her right now. But she couldn't, she was gone. She had been given the chance to say goodbye that night in the hospital and to tell her how she had always felt about her. But now she knew she had never had a chance to really thank her, thank her for everything she had done for her.
She had been sitting cross legged on the bed reading for well over an hour. She was mesmerized by the pictures, drawings and information that she had gathered and placed here between these leatherbound covers. She had been a simply amazing woman, Liz thought. The information that was contained in this book had taken years upon years of research and dedication to collect.
As she neared to the back of the book, she turned one last page. And there it was, staring back at Liz. It was a clear, but crude sketch, but it was there just the same. The Antarian symbol had been drawn onto the inside back cover. Under the sketch, in her grandmother's handwriting, it read:
To my Very Special Angel Elizabeth
Follow your heart, for it will always lead you to the truth.
Love always, Grandma
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
antar60559, I have to admit how much easier it is to be bringing over completed chapters. Much different than actually having to write the update first.
Thanks for rereading.Realistic Dreamer, Yep I was one of those who imagined Kal's rough crass exterior as being pretty thin.
I'm so happy that you're here. And BTW, can't wait for an update on Always Waiting for Someone Else. ..and again thanks for the feedback, everyone. It's no fun to write a story and question whether those reading are enjoying it, thank you all for taking the time to let me know. If you have any questions just fire away, if I can answer them at any particular point I will.
Here's the next few:
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
The evening had grown late, and everyone began to call it a night. Michael and Maria had been the first ones to leave. Kal had retired into his room, off the back hall of the huge home. Serena and Liz were sitting talking quietly between themselves.
John needed a moment alone with Max and this was as good as any, he thought. He motioned for Max to follow him down the hall. They turned a corner and entered into a huge walnut paneled study. A picture window stretched the entire length of the far wall. It was a beautiful view, with the darkened sky and blanket of stars stretched out above. The shadows of mountains far off to the right, with a dark purple haze riding on the rise and fall of the range. But, Max's attention was drawn to the tiny town that seemed to be twinkling down below. He had once had a little town just like this one on a Christmas platform that his Dad had built for him when he was ten. Walking over and looking out, he said, "Wow, what a view this is. Is that Roswell, down there?"
"Yes," John joined him at the window, " and right up there," he pointed to the right, "that's the mountain where the pod chamber is. Little hard to see that now in the dark. But it's there."
Max couldn't help but be in awe. "So you built this ranch yourself..right here where you had a front row seat...to everything?"
"I guess you could say, that this is the only place that I wanted to live. You see, Max, after everything that had happened to me...the crash, the responsibilities, saving that little baby, finding the Mesilikas, and the way that they had helped me through the early part of the last fifty years, it had already become home to me. I had made friends early on with James, he saved my life on more than one occasion. I lived with him, hidden away for months and months, trying to elude our natural enemies from home. But also there was a new enemy here, the government. The early stages of the special unit had been formed right after the ship crashed."
Max interrupted him, "Atherton. James Atherton. I read his book, Among Us. We saw the room where you stayed. That's where we found the pendant. So, that was your pendant." Max's head raced with questions. "How did it get broken?"
"Riverdog and I were always on good terms, from the beginning. He liked me and he trusted me, but the same wasn't true of his son, Serena's father," he smiled. "I was very smitten with his daughter. She was the most beautiful girl that I had ever seen. I think I loved her from the first time I saw her. But I was bad medicine, or so he thought, you know evil spirit from the sky, and all that. Anyway, I gave the pendant to her. It had been one of the only things that I had that really belonged to me, and I wanted her to have it. Well, he wasn't happy about that. He thought that I was endangering her life by being around so much. So Serena's father and I got into alittle tussle. We were fighting over the pendant and apparently at some point, it broke. I didn't even realize it til later actually."
John sat on the edge of the oversized desk. "I went back to James' place, staying away from the reservation for four months. Then one day she came looking for me, and I came back here with her. We've been together ever since. I did try to return to the house later to destroy anything that might still remain there. Instead I didn't have time to grab much of anything, before I heard them coming. My senses where telling me to get out of Dodge asap. I left the pendant and alot of other stuff trying to run for my life. That was the first time I was captured by the special unit. Luckily I was able to escape by shapeshifting. I never wanted to risk going back to the house again. I figured the unit already had taken anything that I had left behind there anyway. It wasn't til the night that Liz came looking for Riverdog, that we knew that, by fate, you kids had found it."
"...and you and her father?" Max asked, thinking of the similiarities between John and himself, and thinking of Jeff Parker.
"We're good friends now. That pendant broke a long time ago, we were all different back then. The Mesalikas have been good to me. And I think Serena being as strong willed as she is, well she eventually had alot to do with bringing her father around, too."
"I know it's been fifty years, John, but how old were you when you left Antar? Why is it that you look thirty and not seventy?"
"I was nineteen when I crashed here." He saw Max's surprise. "We don't age in quite the same way that you do here, Max. Our life spans are very different."
"The best way I can explain it to you is that each of our people have their own individual traits. Antarians and Adians age in much the same manner. Although our given gifts vary. Some have the power of force, that green force that you share with Liz," he explained. "Ava, Zan and Lonnie and Rath all shared this power, as do many other Antarians, by the way. Some have also honed skills in telepathy, which we showed you back at the podchamber. Other gifts, most especially of Adians, is the gift of sight, a perception of things that come from the future. Many from Ava's world also have the ability to astroproject. Ava was a master at both. But very few had the gift of healing. That's very rare."
"What about Eos? And the fourth planet in the system?" Max asked, thinking how wonderful it was to have someone who knew the answers.
"Eos, is a pretty nasty place. It's an everyman for himself attitude there. I myself had only one occasion that took me there, and I knew that I would never be returning there of my own free will. Pretty desolate. Their life span is somewhat longer than even ours. Many from Eos have a gift of power in the use of fire. You've already seen that demonstrated. Very brutal world. Our new friend and Adia's king, Jarad, hails from there. Nuf said, right? Everything is a nice shade of tan there, and everyone who calls it home seems to like it that way."
"The fourth planet is called Trinity. She is possibly the most unspoiled, uncharted of all the worlds. I remember when I was small, Trinity and Adia were pristine. Of course, under Kivar's rule that has, more than likely all changed now. It was once written that long ago only three planets existed in our star system. Antar, Adia and Trinity. There's very old writings that claim that the planet now known to us as Eos, became part of the system after it broke from a rogue star system in another galaxy farther out. I guess you could say, Eos was the gypsy planet. Never quite fitting in, and reigning havoc over everything it came in contact with. The people called the Skins were originally from Eos, then of course over the centuries they migrated and took up space in the backlands of Antar. They, of course, were first to join up with Kivar in the alliance against Zan's family."
"These ancient writings, the so called prophecy, claimed that the alignment of a fifth planet to the system would signify the beginning of a great love and of the downfall of great evil. A universal understanding. Both Ava and Zan where born during an alignment, each on their own respective planets. Their people have always believed, and some still to this very day believe, that they were the great love mentioned within the prophecy and that their union would end the evil."
"The fifth star is Venus," Max added. "Liz figured it out, after Tess arrived here. And we knew of the V shape constellation from the paintings you had drawn on the wall in the cave."
John nodded his head, smiling and remembering, "Yes, the map." Then he went on. "Liz was right, the fifth star is the planet Venus. But Max, on Antar it only joins into our system for two days every two hundred years. No one has ever even given it a name. It's a trajectory that I now can see as normal, not extraordinary at all. But back there," he motioned up, " it remains something mythical, magical. People always need hope. I still have a deep seeded spirit that needs to believe in these things too, I guess."
As John relayed all the information to him, Max felt himself remembering everything that he was in fact hearing. He could do nothing but shake his head, nodding in amazed agreement throughout most of the conversation.
John suddenly remembered, "This Brody, the one who just got back into town, I was somewhat aware that Larek had used him to communicate with you a few times. I asked Michael about it earlier, and he filled in the gaps for me. Larek was Zan's best and most trusted friend, Max. I think it would be a good move to talk to Brody, find out what's been happening, if you can. It might be good insurance."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
A brief quiet knock came on the door, which stood part way open. Liz leaned in, "Sorry to interrupt, but I really have to get going, and I just wanted to say goodnight."
Max was already walking towards her. "It's pretty late. Maybe I should follow you home, you know in case you have any problems. Besides I really should be going too. School tomorrow and all." His eyes lingered a few seconds too long in hers, making her look away quickly.
Looking instead to John, she finished. "I don't want to pull you away from here, I'm sure you two have alot to talk about."
"No, it's okay. I have another final first thing in the morning. I'm gonna take off now too, John," Max said, as he turned and shook hands with this person that had become much closer to him than ever before. "Thanks, for everything tonight. I hope we can see each other again in the next couple of days. I need you to keep me up on what's happening with the granolith."
"Don't worry, I'll be in touch. You all will know everything we know. And, Max," he added with a little pause to his voice, "....the pendant, do you think I could get it back from you?"
Liz quickly looked from Max to John. "John, ..um, it's me, I have it," Liz answered without hesitation. "Tell ya what, I'll bring it over tomorrow night. I'd really like to have a few minutes of your time anyway." She smiled up at him.
"Liz..." John pulled her into a hug, "..you have all of my time."
Max walked with her out to her car which was parked next to his. The night felt literally alive around them, and he had the distinct feeling that if she touched him right now, even innocently, he would burst into flames. Instead he leaned on the driver's door, as she climbed in. It was safe enough, he supposed, as long as he kept the solid metal and glass inbetween them.
"Liz, I'm glad that you came out here tonight. It's really good to see you, to spend time relaxing with you. It's been a while." God, it felt so good to talk to her again. He watched as a slight breeze picked up a few strands of her hair and carried it up across her face, and he wished he could be those strands for just a moment in time, touching her face softly, lightly. He caught himself, then added in a cool and calmer voice, "I've been meaning to ask you tonight,...your bruises? What happened?"
She smiled up at him. "Damndest thing. I found myself at 2am this morning, soaking wet, out in the pouring rain and every burn, every bruise, and those ribs that I knew were broken .. not to mention a 102 fever....was..it was just gone." She shook her head and admitted, "It's Ava, I know. She's healed you and she's healed me." As she spoke, she tried not to look directly at him.
She couldn't do it, she couldn't look into his eyes. If she did, she was afraid there'd be no turning back, and she still just wasn't ready. It had felt so liberating, so freeing, after all this time, and after everything that had happened to them all, to finally tell him about FutureMax. To finally get it all out of her head. And of course, it had seemed easier too, because her friends had been there, somehow helping her through. " I guess I better get used to this, right?"
He started slowly, feeling so much emotion inside. "You are Ava, Liz. You're all that is left of Ava. And I am all that is left of Zan. I know how hard this is. But it will get easier, I know it will. I'm not sure that I can even think of him and I as two different people anymore. At least, it's getting more difficult for me to do that."
She was quiet for a brief moment, then Max felt the chill as it passed through the window. "I'm Liz Parker," she stated, turning the key in the ignition. "If I'm able to help Ava in some way then I'm honored to have been given the chance to do that. But. . I am still Liz Parker! I'm not who you want me to be." The car quickly pulled away.
Max fell back, leaning against his own car, hands covering his face. What the hell just happened? His frustration got the better of him. "YES, YOU'RE STILL LIZ PARKER!" he yelled out to the red tail lights, now off in the distance. Then in a whisper to the sky above him, "You are my Liz Parker."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Michael was yawning as he pulled up in front of the Deluca home. It was late, he was tired. "Michael, what are ya doin? You know I don't have my last final til tomorrow afternoon, and I know you aren't working the Crashdown in the morning. So why are we here?" She asked, confused.
"What do ya mean?" He rubbed at his eyes.
"I thought we'd be going to your place, Michael," she felt that same haunting feeling coming over her again. "I just. .well, I assumed, and well, I guess that's the wrong thing to be doing now."
"I didn't even think about it one way or another to tell you the truth. I figured we were tired and needed some shuteye. No biggie." He really didn't feel like discussing what he knew was coming.
"I really need for you to talk to me, Michael. I need to know what you're feeling. Remember? ...communication? That's what couples do, and with the changes that have come around in the last few days, there's some things that I need to know." She needed to know, but almost wished she hadn't claimed it outloud. It was too late now, he was about to answer her.
"I've been feeling more of Rath inside me, that's all. Maria, we've already talked about it. Nothing's different between you and I, and you know it. Things are exactly the same." He surprised himself at the sincerity that he was feeling at that very moment. "Listen, I know that this has been really weird for you, like you're on the outside or something. But, I still care very much about you and I, about this . .relationship."
He almost wanted to laugh, remembering a time not so long ago, when he couldn't even get himself to say that word in her company. Yeah, that's right, he thought, he had come a long way with this whole love thing. He had decided to stay here, and that had been only because of what he felt for Maria. He loved her. God knows he had no other reason for wanting to stay in this hell hole. "I'm trying to make the best of things, and I need you to bear with me here and do the same." He leaned over and kissed her, fairly passionately he felt, considering how beat he was. He wasn't afraid to admit to himself anymore that she was a big part of who he had become, and that fact always made him feel good.
"I love you, Michael, you know I do. I just feel so . .out of the loop with all of this. Not that I'd be hope'n to turn up with green blood cells or anything, but suppose something happens and this. .Rath person, suppose he doesn't end up loving me? Hmm? What then?" She asked, chin deep in all her uncertainty.
"Maybe you need to talk to Liz about this," he said. Then seeing that that was getting him nowhere, "Suppose I told you that maybe Rath was the reason that I loved you at all?" He reached pretty far for a solution.
"Rath..loves me?" she stammered., then became momentarily quiet. "You think he loves me? I never thought of that. You mean maybe it's been him all along?" She was wide eyed, but definitely impressed at this possible conclusion.
"Who knows?" was Michael's candid reply. "Now can I please go home and get some sleep?"
"Sure thing," she smiled and pecked him on the cheek. "Bring him over with you tomorrow night, okay?" She winked and got out of the car.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Pine Haven hotel was never a very busy place, even so close after Memorial Day. The stoned out guy at the front desk had told Max that he needed Room #14. He was feeling an excitement inside of him, a Zan memory of his closest friend, Larek. Max's thoughts were more along the lines of wondering if Brody had been abducted lately, since leaving Roswell months back. He knocked at the graffiti filled door to room fourteen.
He thought he saw the curtain move slightly at the window, and then the door swung open wide. "Max! It is wonderful to see you. I guess Liz did tell you that I was in town. It's so nice of you to come by to see me. Come in, come in." He ushered him past him and into the dreary room of paisley bedspreads and stale air.
"It's good to see you again too, Brody. Gotta admit that I'm surprised though. I had the feeling when you left that we'd never be seeing you again. You left without saying goodbye to any of us, we were worried about you." Max took a seat in the torn chair in the corner, as Brody sat on the side of the bed.
"I know, Max. I really needed to go and make a home for my daughter, far away from here. And that's exactly what I've done. You were all such good friends when I was here and knew no one." He was full of smiles, and couldn't seem to sit still for very long, typical Brody as Max remembered him. "It's really good to see you."
"Maria. .." Max wasn't too good at small talk when there was something else looming in the back of his mind. ". .Maria was glad to know that you're in town too. She's gonna try to stop by alittle later today. She has some finals at school."
"Oh yes, school. I've missed her terribly. She had a way of lifting my spirits when they needed lifting." he sighed remembering. "I've recently had another episode, Max. That missing time stuff. And I immediately thought of all of you, and I was compelled to come back and visit. It's the strangest thing."
"Do you remember any of it...I mean, anything that may have happened to you during this episode?" Max tried hard not to show too much concern.
"Like a hazy dream this time. I woke knowing only that I had to come back here, and see all of you again. It seemed important," his face was puzzled. "I don't have anything to eat or drink that I could offer you here, I am sorry."
"It's okay, I just had lunch." Max replied. "Listen, Brody, when are you planning on leaving?"
"I have a flight out right before noon tomorrow." He was following Max to the door.
"I have a few friends I'd really like for you to meet, maybe later this afternoon or tonight. Let me see what I can do and then I'll call you in a little while. Do you have a cell, or should I reach you through the motel?"
"Through the motel, just ask for Fourteen."
"It's great to see you Brody, it really is," Max said as he opened the door to leave.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well that was it, she thought. Her last test. Liz threw her backpack over her shoulder. Tomorrow would be graduation practice and then Friday the real thing...and after that....Hello World!
She knew she would apply to more universities. A new phase of her life was about to begin. She had decided to take the long walk home from school instead of catching a ride with Maria, who seemed pretty anxious to get home. She wanted to be alone, time to think about her future, about where she was going and who she wanted to go there with. It was hard to believe that twelve years of school were over already. She climbed the back stairs to her room.
She had been glad that she had the chance to sit for breakfast with her Dad this morning. They had talked about the ceremonies that were looming ahead of her. Nothing had even been hinted at as far as their last conversation. Nothing at all. Her Mother had even stopped long enough to sip tea there with them, before hustling out into the restaurant for the last minute preps before unlocking the front door to the world outside. It was shortly after noon and she was alone upstairs. It was quiet and peaceful after the excitement and goofing off of all the seniors most of the day at school.
She hadn't seen Max at all this morning, although she knew that he had a final just as she had. Just as well, she thought. She was embarrassed by her outburst last night when she was leaving. Things had been so wonderful out there, so nice between them. Like old times. But her defenses went up without warning. She had been comfortable all night, feeling the strength of Ava within her, but when it came to one on one with Max, she broke under the pressure. The pressure, she thought. The pressure of what? The weight of FutureMax and what they had succeeded in doing was gone now. Completely gone. She had been dealing with Ava's presence and was adjusting quite well she was sure. Even the news of her own adoption was settling inside of her. No, it wasn't any of those things at all anymore. What was this pressure she was feeling? This heaviness on her heart that hadn't let up at all...that seemed to never let up.
It was about Max's love for her. Or was it Zan's love for Ava? She couldn't tell the difference anymore and truthfully, things were alot easier this way then they had been before. Afterall they were one, weren't they. He had been right. She was all that was left of Ava; but she was also all that Liz Parker had come to be as well.
A rapid knock startled her. She looked up to see Kyle standing in the doorway. "Hey kiddo," he said with a big grin. "Ready for the big blast at Buz Matlack's house after graduation? His parents are away in Hong Kong. Can ya believe it?"
Liz smiled and shook her head. "I think I'll be passing on that one, Kyle. You should too, by the way. Buz and his friends are nothing but trouble."
"Trouble? Oh! Look who's talking about trouble! Ms Parker, need I remind you of your own little party the other day up on the mountain? Now that could have gotten me in serious trouble. Trust me, Buz Matlack is a lightweight, compared to what you've introduced me too." He whistled, then laughed.
Liz's expression didn't change, instead she crumbled into tears.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"It's okay to be scared, Liz. This is big stuff we're talking about here." Kyle had sat her down onto the bed. Reaching for the tissue box on the nightstand, he sat down next to her.
"I'm not scared," she sobbed.
"The hell you're not! Let me tell ya something, there's something seriously wrong with you if you're not! Liz, you have alittle alien blood in you. Why wouldn't that scare you?"
"No I don't." she said matter of factly. "No alien blood."
"You know what I mean, don't shit with me about this, okay?" His heart went out to her, it always had. "Why are you still holding back from Max? This news, as crazy and as insane as it is, it should have created even more of a bond between the two of you. I just don't understand."
"Everything inside of me is screaming those very words, Kyle."
"And....," he motioned circles in the air. "...why aren't you listening? Liz, three years ago, you found your one true love. And in the last few days, you have found him once again, not just as Max, but as your soulmate Zan. Look, I've never considered myself much of a romantic guy, but I think even Budha would agree with me here. You two were meant to be together. So why aren't you, why would you choose to waste more time? Look at all the time that bitch stoled from you both. Now that you know that she contrived her very existence, why would you not think that she played with his mind as well? Listen to me, Liz Parker, for Kyle Valenti has learned something in twelve years of school and two years of the teachings of Budha. I'm right. Love is right. And it's right there in front of you."
"I wanted to go to college, Kyle."
"Nope.. that's not it. That has nothing to do with it, and you know it. Max would follow you anywhere in the world that you wanted to go, or out of it for that matter!" He was getting frustrated and so very tired of seeing his dear friend heartbroken. "Spill. ...for old times sake. Come on, you can tell me." He lifted her chin, and made her look into his eyes.
Several minutes passed, and Liz sat staring into the Kleenex rolled up in her hand. "I have all night," Kyle said after all the silence.
She took a few deep sighs before beginning. "Kyle," she started. "Max had sex with Tess, and we have never, I repeat never talked about it."
He shook his head up and down, as if understanding, but then replied. "Yeah, . .and you think.. what? that talking about it is going to make it go away?"
She began once again to cry. After a few heart shattering minutes she stopped, blew her nose and answered, "Nothing is going to make it go away."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dinner was overwith. She had ended up with a bluemoon burger and an order of Saturn onion rings from downstairs. She had tried to get Kyle to stay and join her, but he mumbled something about needing to go and put a deposit down on a keg for Friday night. She promised him as he left that she would seriously think about everything he had said.
She kicked her shoes off in the closet and reached up on the top shelf there for a stack of magazines, when they all slid to the floor. One in particular hit the floor with a heavy thud. As she knelt down to gather them up, her hand rested on the book that her grandmother had left with her. The one she had written the year before. Lost Treasures by Claudia Parker.
She couldn't believe that she had forgotten that it was up there. She had put it there for safe keeping after she had passed away, thinking that one day the time would be right and she'd be strong enough to read it. She felt guilty that she hadn't even opened the book, let alone that she had forgotten that she had it at all. She ran her hand over the cover, and felt chills run up her spine. God, she missed her. She would have given anything in the world to be able to talk to her right now. But she couldn't, she was gone. She had been given the chance to say goodbye that night in the hospital and to tell her how she had always felt about her. But now she knew she had never had a chance to really thank her, thank her for everything she had done for her.
She had been sitting cross legged on the bed reading for well over an hour. She was mesmerized by the pictures, drawings and information that she had gathered and placed here between these leatherbound covers. She had been a simply amazing woman, Liz thought. The information that was contained in this book had taken years upon years of research and dedication to collect.
As she neared to the back of the book, she turned one last page. And there it was, staring back at Liz. It was a clear, but crude sketch, but it was there just the same. The Antarian symbol had been drawn onto the inside back cover. Under the sketch, in her grandmother's handwriting, it read:
To my Very Special Angel Elizabeth
Follow your heart, for it will always lead you to the truth.
Love always, Grandma
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*lyrics belong to Lifehouse
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
"Do you think that it's wise for them to try to start the granolith, Michael? It could be dangerous. We don't know what kind of condition it was in after Tess left." Isabel spoke low with worry in her voice, as she sat across from Michael at the Crashdown waiting for their order.
"First of all, they're just testing out some of the results that they've been studying. And second of all, I for one, don't think it's dangerous at all and neither does Max or Liz.. And third, I think it may be out of our hands. This is Kal and John's game now, maybe even more than it is ours. They know what they're doing. I trust them with my life, you should too."
"Soo.., Liz now has a say in everything? That's alittle hard to get used to, isn't it?" She twirled at her hair.
"Nope, not at all," he said absentmindedly, as he busied himself trying successfully at last to balance the salt shaker on it's edge. A few seconds later, Maria delivered their orders. "Hey, how's it goin', sweetheart?" He winked at her.
"It is certainly my pleasure to meet you," she said, putting on her most seductive voice. "Been in town long?" Isabel watched them both strangely, only knowing that whatever was going on, she didn't want anything to do with it. She deliberately ignored them, instead picking at her fries.
"Name's Rath. I'd like to buy ya dinner later, what time do you get off?" he asked, flashing her a very sexy and half-serious smile.
"Any little old time you need me too, Flash." Maria scribbled her number on a napkin and pushed it toward him. Isabel rolled her eyes and tried not to choke on her fry.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Max and Brody had arrived at the ranch house, quickly followed by Michael and Maria. After introducing him to those in the house, Brody and Maria had stayed out on the porch talking for a short time while the others gathered inside to discuss their next move.
"I think we should try to regress him, put him under with hypnosis. That way when we reach Larek it might be less dangerous to Brody," Serena offered. "Especially since Max has already explained the drain that takes place when Larek takes possession of him. I can handle the hypnosis."
"Where's Liz?" Kal asked, turning to Max. "I left a message on her cell earlier this afternoon about what we were going to do here tonight."
"I haven't seen her since last night when we left here," Max answered, feeling his mood shatter once again. He heard Kal loud and clear, Patience is what I have told you, Max. Without it, you simply will lose. "I know that, Kal," Max said outloud, his head was splitting.
As if hearing her name mentioned, Maria's cell rang from out on the porch. "Kal, it's for you. It's Liz." she called in through the screen. He walked out onto the porch, as Max watched through the front window.
Maria took the opportunity of leaving Kal a little privacy with his call, to steer Brody back inside the main house.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Several long minutes later, Kal returned back inside to find that everyone had moved into the study. Brody was sitting ever so quietly in a large chair opposite the couch where Max, Michael and Serena sat. His eyes were closed, his head down.
"Thanks for not starting without me," Kal stated with a shade of sarcasm to his voice.
"Wouldn't dream of it," came JB's response. "The hard part's done, he's under."
"He told me that he's been feeling weird all day. Like the way he used to feel right before his missing time would start, " Maria said.
"Brody, can you hear me?" Serena leaned forward. "I want you to just relax, just let yourself drift, farther...farther out. You are safe, I won't let anything happen to you."
Max had gotten up and moved around to where Kal was standing. "Is she coming?" he whispered, so as not to disturb the others.
"She'll be here any minute. She was concerned because of something that she just heard from Sheriff Valenti. Apparently someone's been nosing around, asking questions about Kathleen Topolsky."
"Topolsky? Who's asking questions? Is it the FBI?" Max couldn't keep his fear from being evident in his voice. And instant flashes of his stay with the special unit didn't do much for his pounding headache.
"We don't know...not yet, anyway. Valenti's looking into it." Kal spoke low and then motioned to the group. "One thing at a time. I think Larek has just arrived."
"It's good to be here," the voice stated from across the room. "I'm Larek, I know a few here, but not all," he looked directly at Serena.
"I'm Serena, Larek. I'm with Kolt." Her smile was as always, warm and friendly.
"Ah, yes. Kolt and Lan, I can't tell you how good it is to see you both again," he said, excitement showing as he shook each hand.
Then turning to Max, emotion took over his face. "Zan, my dear dear friend. Wow. I wish that I had the time to ask you all the questions that I have in my head right now, and I know that you must have a million of them yourself." They shared an embrace and it became perfectly clear to Max what a close wonderful friend this person had been to him at one time.
Larek continued, "Unfortunately, this little trick of mine is far too dangerous to this person who has so graciously opened himself to me. I must speak quickly this time.." He turned, seeing Michael, and his face came again alive. "Rath! It has been far too long." Michael could only nod and smile, as memories of Antar and his early days with Larek and Zan came flooding back to him. It seemed so odd to him to see Brody yet hear Larek. Maria smiled shyly, as she watched the two men hugging in the middle of the huge room.
"I'd be horribly amiss if I failed to first... congratulate all of you for doing something that we Federalists had been unable to do for so very long. Ending Kivar's tyranny," he said as he looked around the room. "We are forever in your debt. And while Adia's celebration was glorious, it was far too terribly short, I'm afraid. As you know, we now have a new king. And while he remains presently in power, I am here to tell you that many of our old strongholds have been taken back. The aggressors are on the run in the lowlands of Adia. We owe this all to you. Kivar had been slipping greatly with his grip on the situation. And now his death has caused many of his staunchous allies to reconsider. Not many have the stomachs to join in with the likes of Jarad and his army. Our forces in Trinity are holding strong, and if we can remain in control there and slowly take back what is ours throughout Adia, then we may have a chance."
"That's wonderful news, Larek." Before Max could say another word, the screendoor slammed. Everyone quietly waited.
She looked beautiful standing there in the doorway. Max smiled, as her eyes met his. He completely forgot about their discussion the night before and how it had ended. He was feeling that his heart would burst everytime he saw her lately; and at this very minute, moreso than ever before. "Liz," he welcomed her, as she cautiously approached the group.
She looked to Brody. Ever so slowly a recognition came to her. "It is...it's really you, Larek. I can feel it's you. I was so hoping that I wouldn't miss you."
"My lady," Larek slightly bowed from the waist, as the others in the room, looked on. "Lady Ava, it is so good to see you." John's eyes brightened as he looked quickly to Kal. Our little girl seems to be doing just fine, he thought. Kal's dimpled grin was enough of a response for JB.
It was Liz who they heard speaking, but the influence of Ava could not be denied. She blushed slightly as Larek kissed her on the cheek, she was remembering how they had all grown up together.
All those times, when they had all been forced to sneak around Castle Loch, and sometimes hiding up in the caves of Antar, but throughout it all, they had all been the very best of friends. Zan playing D'Artagnan to their Three Musketeers. Zan, Larek, Rath and herself, it seemed they were always together growing up. And even after growing, their loyalty to each other had remained through all the turmoil. With complete felt sincerity, she exclaimed, "Larek, I have missed you, too."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~I'm falling even more in love with you, letting go of all I've held onto.
I'm living for the only thing I know, I'm running and I question where to go
I'm standing here until you make me move, hanging by a moment here with you.
There's nothing else to lose, there's nothing else to find,
There's nothing in the world that can change my mind.
There is nothing else, there is nothing else.~~
Everyone, including a now refreshed Brody, hung around in the livingroom. Food had been laid out for all, and for the first time the talk was light and occasional laughter could be heard from time to time. Serena's friends, Pete Chandler and Coby Myers, the Babylon2, had arrived from the airport soon after farewells had been made to Larek, and their humor had without a doubt brightened the place up.
Unorthodox was definitely the word that Maria would have used to describe the two. They were nothing that she would have expected, considering the credentials they apparently carried. Coby did have nice hair, she thought, quiet and sexy in a subtle kind of way, but not quite enough meat on his bones for her liking. The other one, was handsome and outgoing, but made her feel uncomfortable. Other than that, she figured, they were at the least, interesting.
Max and Michael had taken a walk outside. Max sitting up on the hood of the Chevelle said, "I haven't really seen her long enough to have a conversation," he said, referring to Isabel. "She just hasn't been home when I've been there. And between this stuff, and finals and now graduation coming up.... " he shook his head. "I used to see her more during school anyway, and well, now she's not there anymore, so we don't get to talk much."
"I don't know, she's just Isabel. Not much new in that department and I guess we should be greatful for small favors. She doesn't seem interested in any of this now. I'm almost afraid to talk to her anyway, at least about all of this stuff. It's terrible, I don't like feeling this way, and I don't know what to do," Michael shrugged.
"Look, Michael, like you said, she's not interested. Maybe she just doesn't want to know anymore. You know sometimes I feel that way myself." Max rubbed his hands on his face. "It's exhausting."
"Maxwell, look at this," he motioned up over their heads, where thousands of stars shown down literally like diamonds from above. "How can ya not be interested?" The silence of the night surrounded them, and only the faint repetitive sound of far away crickets filled the air, and neither men spoke.
Finally, Max answered in a low voice, ". .and what do we do with it all, Michael? This is pretty frigg'n amazing. But what do we do with it?" Michael didn't answer, because he didn't have one to give.
"Listen, I just want to live a normal life, that's all I've ever wanted. And you too, Michael, you can't tell me that you haven't wanted normal. Yes it's true, I do have this personality, this philosophy, inside of me, but that's not all of me. I can't fight Zan's battles, I wish that I could." Max paused looking long and hard at him. "And I'm not sure that I would know how, Michael. Would you really want to fight by my side in battle back there? We're eighteen years old," he exclaimed. "Even if we could, Michael, is that really what you would want to do? And give up what we've built here, all the possibilites of our lives now?"
"I don't know Max. Isn't that home, too? Ya know, first, I wanted to leave, then I didn't want to leave...... and now, I've got these pieces of Rath in me, knawing at my conscience," he shook his head. "I shouldn't care. But I do. That's that. End of story."
Neither one said a word for a long time. When the silence was finally broken, it was Michael who spoke, "So maybe the best thing that we all can do for their memory is to make something of ourselves now. You, Maxwell, will not have a problem with that. And Liz, well forget it, she's a shoe-in to win a Pulitzer prize in microbiology someday. Me?" he smiled. "I just got a later start then everybody else. I know I'll have to work a little harder. Funny how all this time, I never thought it was important. . . not til now."
A few snapping twigs under foot, brought them fully to attention, making them both jump up to their feet. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Liz tried not to laugh. "Boy, you guys are jumpy."
"Shit! you scared the hell out of me," Michael exclaimed.
"See what I mean?. . . and you're supposed to protect me. .," Max laughed. "Thanks, man." It felt good to laugh, it had been a while. They all felt good at that very moment.
Liz tried to pull herself together, "Michael, could I talk to Max for a minute?"
"Not a problem.. See yas inside." He turned and walked toward the porch.
They were both hauntingly aware that they were alone. Not just alone together, but out here in the moonlight with the most amazing canvas above their heads. She looked at him, then away. He leaned over trying slightly to deliberately catch her eye. She smiled at him, wishing she could remember how to speak. Words were not coming, and she felt that he was able to see her blushing even in the moonlight. "Max. ."
"Is this about Topolsky?" he tried to help her. "Kal told me about some guy that's asking questions about Kathleen Topolsky." She couldn't look away as the stars seemed to fall into his eyes. "Liz...?" he repeated.
Regrouping as quickly as possible, the words finally came. "Oh no, Max. Well yes about Topolsky, but no ...that's not why I wanted to talk to you." He sat back up on the car, trying so hard to read her face in the moonlight. God, she was beautiful. Her lips were moving, but he was falling into her very being. He remembered some advice that Michael had once given him a long time ago. Mud, he thought. Liz used the bumper to step up to sit next to him on the hood of the car. Mud...
"I know that you've needed me to be there for you, and there has been a big part of me that has needed you with me through the last week. Ever since this reaction started," she held her arms up in front of her, motioning. "And then again after I learned the truth about what's been happening to me, but, Max," she added looking up into his face, "there was an even bigger part that needed me to work through this by myself. And now I realize how difficult it's been for both of us. Needing each other to make the pieces fit. I want you to know that I'm sorry for that. I've had alot on my mind." Nothing was coming out quite the way she needed or wanted it to. "Max, we've been through so much together..you and I..and..."
He took a chance, maybe a snowball's chance in hell, he thought, but he needed to break through somehow. He reached out placing his hand on the back of her head and leading her face towards his. Their lips met in a warm tender kiss, each feeling the memories that they had cherished so deep inside of them.. She pulled back slowly, shaking her head from side to side. "Please don't do that. I can't..I don't.."
"Liz, I promise you that I'll never do that again, if you can honestly tell me that it didn't mean anything to you." His hands caressed hers.
"I'm so scared to be here with you..." In the dim light he saw her shoulders as they began to tremble.
"Scared? Liz, what is it?" he instinctively reached over to her as he had done just minutes before. She allowed him to hold her, as she sobbed quietly. He gathered her up tighter in his arms, and took a deep breath, "Like you said before, out there in the desert," he pulled his head back, and wiped the hair from her face, "we have to talk about this. We can't go on avoiding it, you know it and I know it. Please, Liz."
The crickets again became the only sound as the seconds ticked by. As she stopped crying, a strength that she doubted she had came pushing through to the surface. "How could you? How could you do that to me? Why would you do that to us, Max? Why?" Her eyes were filled with confusion and tears. Max had heard the same words from her just weeks before. He didn't have the answers then, and he was terrified that he knew that he didn't have them now.
"I don't know why, Liz. When I think back about all those days and weeks with her, I was a deadman walking. A zombie, completely out of control of my life." He stood now, remembering and rubbing his head, completely frustrated. "Most of it, I don't even remember. The only thing I do remember is that I thought you had fallen out of love with me. I thought you had slept with Kyle, and everything that you said to me that night made it pretty damn clear that you didn't have any love for me anymore. Now. . yes, now I know. Now I know that you lied, that it was all a lie to get me to go to Tess, but I didn't know that then, Liz. I couldn't believe that you would ever...ever lie to me. "
He took a deep breath and continued. "When you left my room that night, I was lost. You said that it was over....that you didn't want my children, because they wouldn't be safe; that you didn't want to live scared anymore, that you didn't want me. I would have done anything in the world for you, Liz, and the only thing in the world that you wanted me to do, was to let you go. I would have given my life for yours! I came to your window that night, because I still couldn't believe it, I needed to see you, to make you tell me why. I needed to know why, Liz, after everything we had been through together. And then I saw you there, in bed with Kyle. In bed, for Gods sake Liz.! Do you have any idea what that did to me? I didn't care anymore. I wanted to die. You were all I ever wanted, you were everything to me. All of those promises that we made to each other, they were gone...all gone, at that instant."
"I lied to you because I had no choice, Max! But you...YOU had a choice," she cried out. He tried to grab her arms, to hold her. Please, his mind screamed, he just wanted to get through this, to get to the other side.
"You betrayed me, you betrayed everything you had ever felt for us. NO!" she swung her arms wildly, as he tried to reach for her. "DAMN YOU!" she cried out again. Then spinning around to face him. "I'VE WAITED ALL THIS TIME FOR YOU! YOU PROMISED ME THAT YOU WOULD FIND ME!" Looking down at her, he saw Ava flash in her eyes and his soul screamed out in pain.
He looked over Liz's shoulder and saw John standing at the doorway. The loud voices had obviously carried well into the house. But he didn't care. They had to get through this, please lord, help us to get to the otherside. Before he could again speak, his face caught the hard force of the back of her hand, and her fists began pounding against his chest. "You promised me forever. There was no greater love." Max could no longer tell if the screams of pain were his or hers. He continued struggling, trying to pull her close, refusing to let go. Ever so slowly she grew quieter. "Please,..no more...." she whispered hoarsely, as she crumbled in his arms.
He held her as tight as his arms would allow, and began to cry. "I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry. I never loved her, Liz, you know that, I know you do. Please believe me, if you believe nothing else, you have to know that. It has always been you that I've loved. You're the place where my life began." The cell phone on the front seat of his car began to ring. Neither of them moved or said a word. It continued ringing, as the two were quickly brought back to the quiet of the night around them. He left go of her, walking around and reaching into the car to pick the cell phone off the seat. One swift throw and it was gone.
"Liz, we all knew when she first got here, that I had felt that she had some kind of control over me, I told you that, back then. And now that I've been remembering Zan's life, I mean really remembering his life, I know how much they contrived everything....because I've seen what Antar looks like, and I know that all those things that I had once thought I remembered, were all put in my head by Tess. First of all, I never met her at a party, Liz. It was you that I met there. And the water there, it's not like jello. You and I swam in that beautiful blue water all the time when we were home. It was all lies, Liz. I didn't really start remembering anything until I met John at Kal's in LA."
He stopped, bending over with his hands on his knees. He felt a dizziness inside of his head. "I have no excuse, more than that. I was out of my mind, I woke up and I didn't even know how I had gotten there with her, or what I had done while I was there. Please forgive me, I have hurt you so much, and I'm sorry, with all my heart and soul, I am sorry. I know that it's only words, but I have nothing else to give you. I can't change anything that's happened, I can only promise you, on my life. . that I will never hurt you again." She quietly sobbed. But she wasn't crying anymore. She couldn't resist his arms anymore, she had no more fight left in her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
"Do you think that it's wise for them to try to start the granolith, Michael? It could be dangerous. We don't know what kind of condition it was in after Tess left." Isabel spoke low with worry in her voice, as she sat across from Michael at the Crashdown waiting for their order.
"First of all, they're just testing out some of the results that they've been studying. And second of all, I for one, don't think it's dangerous at all and neither does Max or Liz.. And third, I think it may be out of our hands. This is Kal and John's game now, maybe even more than it is ours. They know what they're doing. I trust them with my life, you should too."
"Soo.., Liz now has a say in everything? That's alittle hard to get used to, isn't it?" She twirled at her hair.
"Nope, not at all," he said absentmindedly, as he busied himself trying successfully at last to balance the salt shaker on it's edge. A few seconds later, Maria delivered their orders. "Hey, how's it goin', sweetheart?" He winked at her.
"It is certainly my pleasure to meet you," she said, putting on her most seductive voice. "Been in town long?" Isabel watched them both strangely, only knowing that whatever was going on, she didn't want anything to do with it. She deliberately ignored them, instead picking at her fries.
"Name's Rath. I'd like to buy ya dinner later, what time do you get off?" he asked, flashing her a very sexy and half-serious smile.
"Any little old time you need me too, Flash." Maria scribbled her number on a napkin and pushed it toward him. Isabel rolled her eyes and tried not to choke on her fry.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Max and Brody had arrived at the ranch house, quickly followed by Michael and Maria. After introducing him to those in the house, Brody and Maria had stayed out on the porch talking for a short time while the others gathered inside to discuss their next move.
"I think we should try to regress him, put him under with hypnosis. That way when we reach Larek it might be less dangerous to Brody," Serena offered. "Especially since Max has already explained the drain that takes place when Larek takes possession of him. I can handle the hypnosis."
"Where's Liz?" Kal asked, turning to Max. "I left a message on her cell earlier this afternoon about what we were going to do here tonight."
"I haven't seen her since last night when we left here," Max answered, feeling his mood shatter once again. He heard Kal loud and clear, Patience is what I have told you, Max. Without it, you simply will lose. "I know that, Kal," Max said outloud, his head was splitting.
As if hearing her name mentioned, Maria's cell rang from out on the porch. "Kal, it's for you. It's Liz." she called in through the screen. He walked out onto the porch, as Max watched through the front window.
Maria took the opportunity of leaving Kal a little privacy with his call, to steer Brody back inside the main house.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Several long minutes later, Kal returned back inside to find that everyone had moved into the study. Brody was sitting ever so quietly in a large chair opposite the couch where Max, Michael and Serena sat. His eyes were closed, his head down.
"Thanks for not starting without me," Kal stated with a shade of sarcasm to his voice.
"Wouldn't dream of it," came JB's response. "The hard part's done, he's under."
"He told me that he's been feeling weird all day. Like the way he used to feel right before his missing time would start, " Maria said.
"Brody, can you hear me?" Serena leaned forward. "I want you to just relax, just let yourself drift, farther...farther out. You are safe, I won't let anything happen to you."
Max had gotten up and moved around to where Kal was standing. "Is she coming?" he whispered, so as not to disturb the others.
"She'll be here any minute. She was concerned because of something that she just heard from Sheriff Valenti. Apparently someone's been nosing around, asking questions about Kathleen Topolsky."
"Topolsky? Who's asking questions? Is it the FBI?" Max couldn't keep his fear from being evident in his voice. And instant flashes of his stay with the special unit didn't do much for his pounding headache.
"We don't know...not yet, anyway. Valenti's looking into it." Kal spoke low and then motioned to the group. "One thing at a time. I think Larek has just arrived."
"It's good to be here," the voice stated from across the room. "I'm Larek, I know a few here, but not all," he looked directly at Serena.
"I'm Serena, Larek. I'm with Kolt." Her smile was as always, warm and friendly.
"Ah, yes. Kolt and Lan, I can't tell you how good it is to see you both again," he said, excitement showing as he shook each hand.
Then turning to Max, emotion took over his face. "Zan, my dear dear friend. Wow. I wish that I had the time to ask you all the questions that I have in my head right now, and I know that you must have a million of them yourself." They shared an embrace and it became perfectly clear to Max what a close wonderful friend this person had been to him at one time.
Larek continued, "Unfortunately, this little trick of mine is far too dangerous to this person who has so graciously opened himself to me. I must speak quickly this time.." He turned, seeing Michael, and his face came again alive. "Rath! It has been far too long." Michael could only nod and smile, as memories of Antar and his early days with Larek and Zan came flooding back to him. It seemed so odd to him to see Brody yet hear Larek. Maria smiled shyly, as she watched the two men hugging in the middle of the huge room.
"I'd be horribly amiss if I failed to first... congratulate all of you for doing something that we Federalists had been unable to do for so very long. Ending Kivar's tyranny," he said as he looked around the room. "We are forever in your debt. And while Adia's celebration was glorious, it was far too terribly short, I'm afraid. As you know, we now have a new king. And while he remains presently in power, I am here to tell you that many of our old strongholds have been taken back. The aggressors are on the run in the lowlands of Adia. We owe this all to you. Kivar had been slipping greatly with his grip on the situation. And now his death has caused many of his staunchous allies to reconsider. Not many have the stomachs to join in with the likes of Jarad and his army. Our forces in Trinity are holding strong, and if we can remain in control there and slowly take back what is ours throughout Adia, then we may have a chance."
"That's wonderful news, Larek." Before Max could say another word, the screendoor slammed. Everyone quietly waited.
She looked beautiful standing there in the doorway. Max smiled, as her eyes met his. He completely forgot about their discussion the night before and how it had ended. He was feeling that his heart would burst everytime he saw her lately; and at this very minute, moreso than ever before. "Liz," he welcomed her, as she cautiously approached the group.
She looked to Brody. Ever so slowly a recognition came to her. "It is...it's really you, Larek. I can feel it's you. I was so hoping that I wouldn't miss you."
"My lady," Larek slightly bowed from the waist, as the others in the room, looked on. "Lady Ava, it is so good to see you." John's eyes brightened as he looked quickly to Kal. Our little girl seems to be doing just fine, he thought. Kal's dimpled grin was enough of a response for JB.
It was Liz who they heard speaking, but the influence of Ava could not be denied. She blushed slightly as Larek kissed her on the cheek, she was remembering how they had all grown up together.
All those times, when they had all been forced to sneak around Castle Loch, and sometimes hiding up in the caves of Antar, but throughout it all, they had all been the very best of friends. Zan playing D'Artagnan to their Three Musketeers. Zan, Larek, Rath and herself, it seemed they were always together growing up. And even after growing, their loyalty to each other had remained through all the turmoil. With complete felt sincerity, she exclaimed, "Larek, I have missed you, too."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~I'm falling even more in love with you, letting go of all I've held onto.
I'm living for the only thing I know, I'm running and I question where to go
I'm standing here until you make me move, hanging by a moment here with you.
There's nothing else to lose, there's nothing else to find,
There's nothing in the world that can change my mind.
There is nothing else, there is nothing else.~~
Everyone, including a now refreshed Brody, hung around in the livingroom. Food had been laid out for all, and for the first time the talk was light and occasional laughter could be heard from time to time. Serena's friends, Pete Chandler and Coby Myers, the Babylon2, had arrived from the airport soon after farewells had been made to Larek, and their humor had without a doubt brightened the place up.
Unorthodox was definitely the word that Maria would have used to describe the two. They were nothing that she would have expected, considering the credentials they apparently carried. Coby did have nice hair, she thought, quiet and sexy in a subtle kind of way, but not quite enough meat on his bones for her liking. The other one, was handsome and outgoing, but made her feel uncomfortable. Other than that, she figured, they were at the least, interesting.
Max and Michael had taken a walk outside. Max sitting up on the hood of the Chevelle said, "I haven't really seen her long enough to have a conversation," he said, referring to Isabel. "She just hasn't been home when I've been there. And between this stuff, and finals and now graduation coming up.... " he shook his head. "I used to see her more during school anyway, and well, now she's not there anymore, so we don't get to talk much."
"I don't know, she's just Isabel. Not much new in that department and I guess we should be greatful for small favors. She doesn't seem interested in any of this now. I'm almost afraid to talk to her anyway, at least about all of this stuff. It's terrible, I don't like feeling this way, and I don't know what to do," Michael shrugged.
"Look, Michael, like you said, she's not interested. Maybe she just doesn't want to know anymore. You know sometimes I feel that way myself." Max rubbed his hands on his face. "It's exhausting."
"Maxwell, look at this," he motioned up over their heads, where thousands of stars shown down literally like diamonds from above. "How can ya not be interested?" The silence of the night surrounded them, and only the faint repetitive sound of far away crickets filled the air, and neither men spoke.
Finally, Max answered in a low voice, ". .and what do we do with it all, Michael? This is pretty frigg'n amazing. But what do we do with it?" Michael didn't answer, because he didn't have one to give.
"Listen, I just want to live a normal life, that's all I've ever wanted. And you too, Michael, you can't tell me that you haven't wanted normal. Yes it's true, I do have this personality, this philosophy, inside of me, but that's not all of me. I can't fight Zan's battles, I wish that I could." Max paused looking long and hard at him. "And I'm not sure that I would know how, Michael. Would you really want to fight by my side in battle back there? We're eighteen years old," he exclaimed. "Even if we could, Michael, is that really what you would want to do? And give up what we've built here, all the possibilites of our lives now?"
"I don't know Max. Isn't that home, too? Ya know, first, I wanted to leave, then I didn't want to leave...... and now, I've got these pieces of Rath in me, knawing at my conscience," he shook his head. "I shouldn't care. But I do. That's that. End of story."
Neither one said a word for a long time. When the silence was finally broken, it was Michael who spoke, "So maybe the best thing that we all can do for their memory is to make something of ourselves now. You, Maxwell, will not have a problem with that. And Liz, well forget it, she's a shoe-in to win a Pulitzer prize in microbiology someday. Me?" he smiled. "I just got a later start then everybody else. I know I'll have to work a little harder. Funny how all this time, I never thought it was important. . . not til now."
A few snapping twigs under foot, brought them fully to attention, making them both jump up to their feet. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Liz tried not to laugh. "Boy, you guys are jumpy."
"Shit! you scared the hell out of me," Michael exclaimed.
"See what I mean?. . . and you're supposed to protect me. .," Max laughed. "Thanks, man." It felt good to laugh, it had been a while. They all felt good at that very moment.
Liz tried to pull herself together, "Michael, could I talk to Max for a minute?"
"Not a problem.. See yas inside." He turned and walked toward the porch.
They were both hauntingly aware that they were alone. Not just alone together, but out here in the moonlight with the most amazing canvas above their heads. She looked at him, then away. He leaned over trying slightly to deliberately catch her eye. She smiled at him, wishing she could remember how to speak. Words were not coming, and she felt that he was able to see her blushing even in the moonlight. "Max. ."
"Is this about Topolsky?" he tried to help her. "Kal told me about some guy that's asking questions about Kathleen Topolsky." She couldn't look away as the stars seemed to fall into his eyes. "Liz...?" he repeated.
Regrouping as quickly as possible, the words finally came. "Oh no, Max. Well yes about Topolsky, but no ...that's not why I wanted to talk to you." He sat back up on the car, trying so hard to read her face in the moonlight. God, she was beautiful. Her lips were moving, but he was falling into her very being. He remembered some advice that Michael had once given him a long time ago. Mud, he thought. Liz used the bumper to step up to sit next to him on the hood of the car. Mud...
"I know that you've needed me to be there for you, and there has been a big part of me that has needed you with me through the last week. Ever since this reaction started," she held her arms up in front of her, motioning. "And then again after I learned the truth about what's been happening to me, but, Max," she added looking up into his face, "there was an even bigger part that needed me to work through this by myself. And now I realize how difficult it's been for both of us. Needing each other to make the pieces fit. I want you to know that I'm sorry for that. I've had alot on my mind." Nothing was coming out quite the way she needed or wanted it to. "Max, we've been through so much together..you and I..and..."
He took a chance, maybe a snowball's chance in hell, he thought, but he needed to break through somehow. He reached out placing his hand on the back of her head and leading her face towards his. Their lips met in a warm tender kiss, each feeling the memories that they had cherished so deep inside of them.. She pulled back slowly, shaking her head from side to side. "Please don't do that. I can't..I don't.."
"Liz, I promise you that I'll never do that again, if you can honestly tell me that it didn't mean anything to you." His hands caressed hers.
"I'm so scared to be here with you..." In the dim light he saw her shoulders as they began to tremble.
"Scared? Liz, what is it?" he instinctively reached over to her as he had done just minutes before. She allowed him to hold her, as she sobbed quietly. He gathered her up tighter in his arms, and took a deep breath, "Like you said before, out there in the desert," he pulled his head back, and wiped the hair from her face, "we have to talk about this. We can't go on avoiding it, you know it and I know it. Please, Liz."
The crickets again became the only sound as the seconds ticked by. As she stopped crying, a strength that she doubted she had came pushing through to the surface. "How could you? How could you do that to me? Why would you do that to us, Max? Why?" Her eyes were filled with confusion and tears. Max had heard the same words from her just weeks before. He didn't have the answers then, and he was terrified that he knew that he didn't have them now.
"I don't know why, Liz. When I think back about all those days and weeks with her, I was a deadman walking. A zombie, completely out of control of my life." He stood now, remembering and rubbing his head, completely frustrated. "Most of it, I don't even remember. The only thing I do remember is that I thought you had fallen out of love with me. I thought you had slept with Kyle, and everything that you said to me that night made it pretty damn clear that you didn't have any love for me anymore. Now. . yes, now I know. Now I know that you lied, that it was all a lie to get me to go to Tess, but I didn't know that then, Liz. I couldn't believe that you would ever...ever lie to me. "
He took a deep breath and continued. "When you left my room that night, I was lost. You said that it was over....that you didn't want my children, because they wouldn't be safe; that you didn't want to live scared anymore, that you didn't want me. I would have done anything in the world for you, Liz, and the only thing in the world that you wanted me to do, was to let you go. I would have given my life for yours! I came to your window that night, because I still couldn't believe it, I needed to see you, to make you tell me why. I needed to know why, Liz, after everything we had been through together. And then I saw you there, in bed with Kyle. In bed, for Gods sake Liz.! Do you have any idea what that did to me? I didn't care anymore. I wanted to die. You were all I ever wanted, you were everything to me. All of those promises that we made to each other, they were gone...all gone, at that instant."
"I lied to you because I had no choice, Max! But you...YOU had a choice," she cried out. He tried to grab her arms, to hold her. Please, his mind screamed, he just wanted to get through this, to get to the other side.
"You betrayed me, you betrayed everything you had ever felt for us. NO!" she swung her arms wildly, as he tried to reach for her. "DAMN YOU!" she cried out again. Then spinning around to face him. "I'VE WAITED ALL THIS TIME FOR YOU! YOU PROMISED ME THAT YOU WOULD FIND ME!" Looking down at her, he saw Ava flash in her eyes and his soul screamed out in pain.
He looked over Liz's shoulder and saw John standing at the doorway. The loud voices had obviously carried well into the house. But he didn't care. They had to get through this, please lord, help us to get to the otherside. Before he could again speak, his face caught the hard force of the back of her hand, and her fists began pounding against his chest. "You promised me forever. There was no greater love." Max could no longer tell if the screams of pain were his or hers. He continued struggling, trying to pull her close, refusing to let go. Ever so slowly she grew quieter. "Please,..no more...." she whispered hoarsely, as she crumbled in his arms.
He held her as tight as his arms would allow, and began to cry. "I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry. I never loved her, Liz, you know that, I know you do. Please believe me, if you believe nothing else, you have to know that. It has always been you that I've loved. You're the place where my life began." The cell phone on the front seat of his car began to ring. Neither of them moved or said a word. It continued ringing, as the two were quickly brought back to the quiet of the night around them. He left go of her, walking around and reaching into the car to pick the cell phone off the seat. One swift throw and it was gone.
"Liz, we all knew when she first got here, that I had felt that she had some kind of control over me, I told you that, back then. And now that I've been remembering Zan's life, I mean really remembering his life, I know how much they contrived everything....because I've seen what Antar looks like, and I know that all those things that I had once thought I remembered, were all put in my head by Tess. First of all, I never met her at a party, Liz. It was you that I met there. And the water there, it's not like jello. You and I swam in that beautiful blue water all the time when we were home. It was all lies, Liz. I didn't really start remembering anything until I met John at Kal's in LA."
He stopped, bending over with his hands on his knees. He felt a dizziness inside of his head. "I have no excuse, more than that. I was out of my mind, I woke up and I didn't even know how I had gotten there with her, or what I had done while I was there. Please forgive me, I have hurt you so much, and I'm sorry, with all my heart and soul, I am sorry. I know that it's only words, but I have nothing else to give you. I can't change anything that's happened, I can only promise you, on my life. . that I will never hurt you again." She quietly sobbed. But she wasn't crying anymore. She couldn't resist his arms anymore, she had no more fight left in her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
"And where exactly are those files now?" he asked into the phone. "I have a release form for everything that's left, I want everything."
The tall, slender man in the Brooks Brothers suit, stood talking to a closed line at FBI headquarters in Langley, Virginia. "Fax me over the papers I've asked for, and box up the rest of it for me. I'll be in touch. Yes," he answered. "I want everything that I need to gain access to the unit at the old military base." He shut off the phone, laying it down on the nite stand, right next to the Pine Haven Motel key for Room #18.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Graduation practice went off without a hitch, unless of course, you considered filling Mr. Seilig's car with forty seven cans of whipped cream in 90 degree weather, nothing.
Liz and Maria both had taken the afternoon shift at the Crashdown. And as it turned out Mr. Parker, without a doubt, had ended up needing them. Another doctor's convention was pulling through town, and it seemed that they were hungry. "You'd think that being doctors, they'd be alittle more particular about what they were eating," Maria quipped, as she balanced four plates of greasy fried food in her hands. Liz laughed, while her father remarked something like, "Physician heal thyself."
"Hey Kyle," Michael yelled out from the kitchen. "Wanna make a few bucks? Come back here and give me a hand."
"Na. Kitchens give me the creeps....plus, I already helped you out once this week, while you were off fighting with the Jedi. Besides, I gotta lay low til after the ceremony tomorrow. Gotta blend with the crowds. I think Seilig's got my number from earlier today. I'm pretty sure Tommy Matson opened his mouth, what a little rat." Kyle sat low in the back corner booth, closely watching the front door for any signs of his now ex-chemistry teacher.
"Let's hope that they don't pull you right off the stage tomorrow, Kyle, ya know.. right in front of everybody. Wouldn't your dad just love that?" Liz meant it teasingly, but Kyle suddenly looked nauseous.
"Wouldya look at all these young MDs. This place just reeks of future money," Maria said. The lightbulb went on in her head, and she seemed to drift off into Marialand. "There ya go, Michael, .. go to medical school..be a doctor," she said with an awesome glimmer in her eye.
"I'm pretty sure I'd have to probably ..finish high school first," he mumbled at her. Followed by her 'well of course' look, she walked away shaking her head.
"..and to think, I was just about to ask where the prince was.." Kyle motioned to the front door, everyone looked up as Max came walking in.
He had a good forty, fortyfive feet to walk to where they were all standing at the back of the restaurant, but he never took his eyes off of Liz the entire distance. "Hey," he smiled. "What's everybody looking at?" He slid into the booth across from Kyle. Liz felt her face begin to blush.
"Oh. . just love. Ain't it grand?" Kyle blew the paper off the end of the straw, sinking it into Maria's soda. "Oops, sorry." Then looking up, "Who the hell's that?" he asked, nodding to the fine suited man that had just taken a seat at the counter.
Max shrugged, after turning to look. Maria answered, "Doctors, Kyle. The entire room is full of doctors, and by the way, where the hell is my mother when she could really be scoring here right now?" Maria reached into her apron pocket for her cell. Speeddialing #2, she turned and walked away.
"No way. That one is no doctor," Kyle said, motioning over to the counter. "He's a fed, man. Look at the suit. Not to mention that somber look... they all wear that on their face all the time. I'll bet you a twenty that there's a Taurus rent-a-car, or a dark colored Crown Vic sitting right outside. Trust me on this one." Michael had walked Kyle's burger over to him, then turned to check out the man they were discussing.
All five watched from the back of the restaurant, as the man ordered a coffee to go.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"His name is Madison. Alexander Madison. He's new FBI." Jim Valenti stood outside the sheriff's office with Max and Michael. "He's been asking questions about the work that Kathleen was doing here. I have some feelers out there, trying to see what he's up to. You know that if he's inquiring about her, than it's got something to do with the special unit."
"I knew it. I fuck'n knew it. It's not over. It's still not over." Michael was pacing back and forth on the sidewalk.
"Let's not go off the deep end yet, Michael. We really don't know much at all. At least none of our names have come up, right?" Max didn't want to sound as worried as he felt, but that knot was growing in the pit of his stomach.
Valenti shook his head, "Nothing specifically about any of you, so far. Or Pierce either for that matter. Let's just stay calm right now on this. Just wanted you to keep your eyes open."
Max shook his head. "You're right, we'll be careful. See what else you can find out."
"I will let you know, I swear to you. As soon as I find out anything at all, I will be in touch."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Liz was stretched across her bed. She knew that she wasn't tired enough to sleep, but it felt good just to lay this way. She knew that she probably wouldn't see Max again until the ceremony tomorrow afternoon. Their talk the night before had helped them, if nothing else, to come to an understanding.
Neither of them had had the chance to deal with the truth of the things that they had done, and now, at least everything was out in the open. Where they would go from here was still not absolutely clear. They knew how much they loved each other, but not much more than that had been made clearer to either of them.
The reality of the situation was that by this time tomorrow, they would be graduating from high school. Then what? the little voice in the back of her mind asked her once again. They were young adults about to face a world full of other young adults, in a fanatical race for happiness and success. All in a world that was overcrowded and somehow missing the point. Liz couldn't help but think of that other world, Adia. Thinking of the war that raged there, where young adults had no chance for happiness or success in their lives. It was a huge task, growing up, no matter where you lived.
To be completely honest, Liz still wanted to take off for the summer, travel across country, that road trip that she and Maria had talked about. What were Max's plans for the summer? for the fall? She had overheard him talking last night with Serena. She was telling him all about Stanford University, and seemed to think that he should try applying there. What would happen, she thought. Would everyone just end up going their separate ways? And was that even an option, knowing what they now knew? And what about herself? She hadn't spent any time at all applying to anywhere. She needed time, she was just beginning to think straight again.
It would be so great to be able to take three whole months off, off from everything. To get away, to just be. Somewhere other than Roswell...for just alittle while. Suddenly and without any warning at all, she had a flash. She saw them.. Maria and Michael, Max and herself. They were surrounded by woods, they were hiking and laughing. Michael had tripped and rolled down the hill, as they all stood looking after him, laughing hysterically. They were rolling in fits of laughter. But Liz noticed something else, it was a beautiful place. Picturesque mountains and a little log cabin ...somewhere.. Woah, she thought. What the hell was that?
She then remembered John asking her the night before, whether she had experienced something that he called Ava's gift of sight. . . having visions of things that hadn't happened yet. Precognitive. Flashes from the future. Up until now, she hadn't. However, it looked like that might be all changing. She wondered if it had just been a daydream, like something that she wished might happen. But it felt different to her. Well, she had no way now of knowing, she'd have to wait and see, wouldn't she? Seemed she had it all covered now. First, visions of the past, and now it would seem, visions of the future. She couldn't help thinking how amazing everything was all becoming, and so quickly, too. She did however make herself one mental note, and that was that if at any time, during her visions of the future, she were to ever again run into that other Max, she would be sure this time to lay all the facts out for him and then just maybe kick his ass.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday, the 13th of June, Graduation Day. The excitement throughout the Parker home was quite evident. The breakfast table was abuzz. Maria and Amy had arrived bright and early to join in the festivities. Both their little girls were about to graduate from high school. Michael, who had showed up early for the morning shift, had been invited to sit with them and join in. "I gotta admit, that there were a few times there, that I was worried if this day would ever get here," Amy chuckled.
"Oh, Mom, you just didn't have the faith that I did," Maria rolled her eyes. "I always knew that eventually it would happen, of course, I prayed that it would be in this century." Everyone around the table laughed.
"I'd like to propose a toast," Mr. Parker spoke up, tapping on the side of his glass. He raised the orange juice. Every one tried their best to get serious for just a moment, looking toward the man who was now standing in a most official way. "To our daughters, who have grown too quickly and so beautifully. May the road that stretches ahead of you be straight and strong, and may you always remember your way home."
"Here here!" Amy and Nancy Parker chimed in. "Here here" Liz and Maria repeated in unison. A look of understanding passed swiftly between them.
Michael walked up standing between the chairs of both girls. Leaning down he kissed each one on the cheek. "I always knew you could do it. Congratulations, now let's eat."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There was only one thing that Liz wanted to do before this afternoon. She flipped open her cell, as Maria helped to clear the table. They were alone in the kitchen, except for Michael who was emptying the dishwasher.
"Hi, it's me, Liz," she said. "Would it be okay if I took a ride out there in, oh say a half hour or so. I need to talk to you." She listened for a response from the other end of the phone, then answered, "Great, I'll see you both then."
"Everything alright?" Maria had sensed concern in her friend's voice.
"I just think that it might help to talk with John, you know...about a few things." Liz had already told Maria about what had happened with Max at John's. Not that she needed to explain very much, since everyone inside the house that night had had no doubt hearing that things had finally come to a head between them. "Maria, I'm dealing with so many feelings inside me right now. About what he either did, or didn't do with Tess. I just can't seem to get through this. One minute I want to kick, scream and scratch his eyes out, and the next I want so bad to feel him touch me and make me feel the way I used to feel with him."
"Well, you need to. . .ya know, see if that's even still possible, Liz. After everything that he's done to you, maybe you two won't have that same connection that you did before."
"It's too late for that, Maria. He kissed me, " she closed her eyes as she spoke, "and I responded. I felt like I've always felt. Maria, I couldn't help myself. I love him, I just don't know whether I can ever be with him like that again."
"Liz, you told me that Ava exploded at him, too, and that was something that you had never even considered before. You realized that Max's actions had affected her love for Zan, in the same way that it affected yours for Max. So that means that Max must also be dealing with Zan's feeling about this too." She rolled her eyes, "this is too deep, Liz. So intense and complicated. I feel for you, Lizzie, I really do." Maria grabbed hold of her friend, giving her a supportive hug. "I told you once before that maybe it was as simple as following your heart, and I still think that. This can't be allowed to just go on and on. At some point both of you, or at least one of you has to say, okay..enough!"
"I think we were both at that point last night, Maria. He swears that he didn't know that it had happened until he woke up. How can you not know that you're having sex with someone, Maria?" Just thinking about it still brought Liz to the brink of tears.
"A few ways," Michael interrupted. "Sorry, couldn't help but overhear. First, if you're really really drunk, and of course we know that Max doesn't drink. So that's out. Or drugged, which none of us have ever been drugged or on drugs, so that means that we can't completely rule that one out. We do know that the whole idea was to pretend that there was a baby, and to do that, she had to pretend they had sex. That doesn't mean that they did. He says he doesn't remember, trust me," he added, looking over at Maria, "he would remember. He was goofin with me that day on the basketball court. Hot alien sex, my ass. I know him, Liz, he was lying through his teeth. If he says he doesn't remember, than that's good enough for me. In my mind, he was mindwarped too. There I said it outloud."
Maria sighed looking at Liz. "She mindwarped Alex, big time. And Kyle. He carried Alex's body out to the car and thought it was luggage! For the love of God, he soo didn't know what he was doing."
Michael continued. "And if we know that's possible and we're sure that it happened, then why couldn't it have happened with Maxwell." Another order slip came through the window and Michael turned to read it.
"Too bad we can't talk with Zan, he'd know wouldn't he?" Maria put the last dish into the washer and let the door slam shut. "I mean if they think independently, maybe Zan might have the answers."
Liz's eyes shifted to Michael. "Might be worth a try, at least it might get Max to remember," he said, getting back to the grill.
"The real question here Liz is, just how much do you really want him to remember?" Maria sighed.
"I wonder about that too, Maria," Liz replied before going upstairs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"And where exactly are those files now?" he asked into the phone. "I have a release form for everything that's left, I want everything."
The tall, slender man in the Brooks Brothers suit, stood talking to a closed line at FBI headquarters in Langley, Virginia. "Fax me over the papers I've asked for, and box up the rest of it for me. I'll be in touch. Yes," he answered. "I want everything that I need to gain access to the unit at the old military base." He shut off the phone, laying it down on the nite stand, right next to the Pine Haven Motel key for Room #18.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Graduation practice went off without a hitch, unless of course, you considered filling Mr. Seilig's car with forty seven cans of whipped cream in 90 degree weather, nothing.
Liz and Maria both had taken the afternoon shift at the Crashdown. And as it turned out Mr. Parker, without a doubt, had ended up needing them. Another doctor's convention was pulling through town, and it seemed that they were hungry. "You'd think that being doctors, they'd be alittle more particular about what they were eating," Maria quipped, as she balanced four plates of greasy fried food in her hands. Liz laughed, while her father remarked something like, "Physician heal thyself."
"Hey Kyle," Michael yelled out from the kitchen. "Wanna make a few bucks? Come back here and give me a hand."
"Na. Kitchens give me the creeps....plus, I already helped you out once this week, while you were off fighting with the Jedi. Besides, I gotta lay low til after the ceremony tomorrow. Gotta blend with the crowds. I think Seilig's got my number from earlier today. I'm pretty sure Tommy Matson opened his mouth, what a little rat." Kyle sat low in the back corner booth, closely watching the front door for any signs of his now ex-chemistry teacher.
"Let's hope that they don't pull you right off the stage tomorrow, Kyle, ya know.. right in front of everybody. Wouldn't your dad just love that?" Liz meant it teasingly, but Kyle suddenly looked nauseous.
"Wouldya look at all these young MDs. This place just reeks of future money," Maria said. The lightbulb went on in her head, and she seemed to drift off into Marialand. "There ya go, Michael, .. go to medical school..be a doctor," she said with an awesome glimmer in her eye.
"I'm pretty sure I'd have to probably ..finish high school first," he mumbled at her. Followed by her 'well of course' look, she walked away shaking her head.
"..and to think, I was just about to ask where the prince was.." Kyle motioned to the front door, everyone looked up as Max came walking in.
He had a good forty, fortyfive feet to walk to where they were all standing at the back of the restaurant, but he never took his eyes off of Liz the entire distance. "Hey," he smiled. "What's everybody looking at?" He slid into the booth across from Kyle. Liz felt her face begin to blush.
"Oh. . just love. Ain't it grand?" Kyle blew the paper off the end of the straw, sinking it into Maria's soda. "Oops, sorry." Then looking up, "Who the hell's that?" he asked, nodding to the fine suited man that had just taken a seat at the counter.
Max shrugged, after turning to look. Maria answered, "Doctors, Kyle. The entire room is full of doctors, and by the way, where the hell is my mother when she could really be scoring here right now?" Maria reached into her apron pocket for her cell. Speeddialing #2, she turned and walked away.
"No way. That one is no doctor," Kyle said, motioning over to the counter. "He's a fed, man. Look at the suit. Not to mention that somber look... they all wear that on their face all the time. I'll bet you a twenty that there's a Taurus rent-a-car, or a dark colored Crown Vic sitting right outside. Trust me on this one." Michael had walked Kyle's burger over to him, then turned to check out the man they were discussing.
All five watched from the back of the restaurant, as the man ordered a coffee to go.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"His name is Madison. Alexander Madison. He's new FBI." Jim Valenti stood outside the sheriff's office with Max and Michael. "He's been asking questions about the work that Kathleen was doing here. I have some feelers out there, trying to see what he's up to. You know that if he's inquiring about her, than it's got something to do with the special unit."
"I knew it. I fuck'n knew it. It's not over. It's still not over." Michael was pacing back and forth on the sidewalk.
"Let's not go off the deep end yet, Michael. We really don't know much at all. At least none of our names have come up, right?" Max didn't want to sound as worried as he felt, but that knot was growing in the pit of his stomach.
Valenti shook his head, "Nothing specifically about any of you, so far. Or Pierce either for that matter. Let's just stay calm right now on this. Just wanted you to keep your eyes open."
Max shook his head. "You're right, we'll be careful. See what else you can find out."
"I will let you know, I swear to you. As soon as I find out anything at all, I will be in touch."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Liz was stretched across her bed. She knew that she wasn't tired enough to sleep, but it felt good just to lay this way. She knew that she probably wouldn't see Max again until the ceremony tomorrow afternoon. Their talk the night before had helped them, if nothing else, to come to an understanding.
Neither of them had had the chance to deal with the truth of the things that they had done, and now, at least everything was out in the open. Where they would go from here was still not absolutely clear. They knew how much they loved each other, but not much more than that had been made clearer to either of them.
The reality of the situation was that by this time tomorrow, they would be graduating from high school. Then what? the little voice in the back of her mind asked her once again. They were young adults about to face a world full of other young adults, in a fanatical race for happiness and success. All in a world that was overcrowded and somehow missing the point. Liz couldn't help but think of that other world, Adia. Thinking of the war that raged there, where young adults had no chance for happiness or success in their lives. It was a huge task, growing up, no matter where you lived.
To be completely honest, Liz still wanted to take off for the summer, travel across country, that road trip that she and Maria had talked about. What were Max's plans for the summer? for the fall? She had overheard him talking last night with Serena. She was telling him all about Stanford University, and seemed to think that he should try applying there. What would happen, she thought. Would everyone just end up going their separate ways? And was that even an option, knowing what they now knew? And what about herself? She hadn't spent any time at all applying to anywhere. She needed time, she was just beginning to think straight again.
It would be so great to be able to take three whole months off, off from everything. To get away, to just be. Somewhere other than Roswell...for just alittle while. Suddenly and without any warning at all, she had a flash. She saw them.. Maria and Michael, Max and herself. They were surrounded by woods, they were hiking and laughing. Michael had tripped and rolled down the hill, as they all stood looking after him, laughing hysterically. They were rolling in fits of laughter. But Liz noticed something else, it was a beautiful place. Picturesque mountains and a little log cabin ...somewhere.. Woah, she thought. What the hell was that?
She then remembered John asking her the night before, whether she had experienced something that he called Ava's gift of sight. . . having visions of things that hadn't happened yet. Precognitive. Flashes from the future. Up until now, she hadn't. However, it looked like that might be all changing. She wondered if it had just been a daydream, like something that she wished might happen. But it felt different to her. Well, she had no way now of knowing, she'd have to wait and see, wouldn't she? Seemed she had it all covered now. First, visions of the past, and now it would seem, visions of the future. She couldn't help thinking how amazing everything was all becoming, and so quickly, too. She did however make herself one mental note, and that was that if at any time, during her visions of the future, she were to ever again run into that other Max, she would be sure this time to lay all the facts out for him and then just maybe kick his ass.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday, the 13th of June, Graduation Day. The excitement throughout the Parker home was quite evident. The breakfast table was abuzz. Maria and Amy had arrived bright and early to join in the festivities. Both their little girls were about to graduate from high school. Michael, who had showed up early for the morning shift, had been invited to sit with them and join in. "I gotta admit, that there were a few times there, that I was worried if this day would ever get here," Amy chuckled.
"Oh, Mom, you just didn't have the faith that I did," Maria rolled her eyes. "I always knew that eventually it would happen, of course, I prayed that it would be in this century." Everyone around the table laughed.
"I'd like to propose a toast," Mr. Parker spoke up, tapping on the side of his glass. He raised the orange juice. Every one tried their best to get serious for just a moment, looking toward the man who was now standing in a most official way. "To our daughters, who have grown too quickly and so beautifully. May the road that stretches ahead of you be straight and strong, and may you always remember your way home."
"Here here!" Amy and Nancy Parker chimed in. "Here here" Liz and Maria repeated in unison. A look of understanding passed swiftly between them.
Michael walked up standing between the chairs of both girls. Leaning down he kissed each one on the cheek. "I always knew you could do it. Congratulations, now let's eat."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There was only one thing that Liz wanted to do before this afternoon. She flipped open her cell, as Maria helped to clear the table. They were alone in the kitchen, except for Michael who was emptying the dishwasher.
"Hi, it's me, Liz," she said. "Would it be okay if I took a ride out there in, oh say a half hour or so. I need to talk to you." She listened for a response from the other end of the phone, then answered, "Great, I'll see you both then."
"Everything alright?" Maria had sensed concern in her friend's voice.
"I just think that it might help to talk with John, you know...about a few things." Liz had already told Maria about what had happened with Max at John's. Not that she needed to explain very much, since everyone inside the house that night had had no doubt hearing that things had finally come to a head between them. "Maria, I'm dealing with so many feelings inside me right now. About what he either did, or didn't do with Tess. I just can't seem to get through this. One minute I want to kick, scream and scratch his eyes out, and the next I want so bad to feel him touch me and make me feel the way I used to feel with him."
"Well, you need to. . .ya know, see if that's even still possible, Liz. After everything that he's done to you, maybe you two won't have that same connection that you did before."
"It's too late for that, Maria. He kissed me, " she closed her eyes as she spoke, "and I responded. I felt like I've always felt. Maria, I couldn't help myself. I love him, I just don't know whether I can ever be with him like that again."
"Liz, you told me that Ava exploded at him, too, and that was something that you had never even considered before. You realized that Max's actions had affected her love for Zan, in the same way that it affected yours for Max. So that means that Max must also be dealing with Zan's feeling about this too." She rolled her eyes, "this is too deep, Liz. So intense and complicated. I feel for you, Lizzie, I really do." Maria grabbed hold of her friend, giving her a supportive hug. "I told you once before that maybe it was as simple as following your heart, and I still think that. This can't be allowed to just go on and on. At some point both of you, or at least one of you has to say, okay..enough!"
"I think we were both at that point last night, Maria. He swears that he didn't know that it had happened until he woke up. How can you not know that you're having sex with someone, Maria?" Just thinking about it still brought Liz to the brink of tears.
"A few ways," Michael interrupted. "Sorry, couldn't help but overhear. First, if you're really really drunk, and of course we know that Max doesn't drink. So that's out. Or drugged, which none of us have ever been drugged or on drugs, so that means that we can't completely rule that one out. We do know that the whole idea was to pretend that there was a baby, and to do that, she had to pretend they had sex. That doesn't mean that they did. He says he doesn't remember, trust me," he added, looking over at Maria, "he would remember. He was goofin with me that day on the basketball court. Hot alien sex, my ass. I know him, Liz, he was lying through his teeth. If he says he doesn't remember, than that's good enough for me. In my mind, he was mindwarped too. There I said it outloud."
Maria sighed looking at Liz. "She mindwarped Alex, big time. And Kyle. He carried Alex's body out to the car and thought it was luggage! For the love of God, he soo didn't know what he was doing."
Michael continued. "And if we know that's possible and we're sure that it happened, then why couldn't it have happened with Maxwell." Another order slip came through the window and Michael turned to read it.
"Too bad we can't talk with Zan, he'd know wouldn't he?" Maria put the last dish into the washer and let the door slam shut. "I mean if they think independently, maybe Zan might have the answers."
Liz's eyes shifted to Michael. "Might be worth a try, at least it might get Max to remember," he said, getting back to the grill.
"The real question here Liz is, just how much do you really want him to remember?" Maria sighed.
"I wonder about that too, Maria," Liz replied before going upstairs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CHAPTER FORTY
Pine Crest Motel Room #18. "Yes, this is Madison. Whatcha got for me?" The chinese food containers were scattered on the bed, mixed with an array of folders and papers, as he sat on the side of the bed.
"It's my understanding that she got emotionally involved, got too close to the situation. What you've faxed me are the latest most up-to-date reports?" he asked, as he jotted down a few lines on the notepad on the endtable. "I've already been out to the reservation. We're not going to get anything from anyone out there." He paused, then said, "No. The answers are right here in Roswell. Fed Ex those surveillance tapes from the unit out here to me, and fax me those other photos from Topolsky's files."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Serena was so glad to see Liz. "I've been worried about you since the other night. I wanted to call you, but John finally convinced me that it was better to wait til you came to us. He knew you would."
"I've had this feeling that I needed to be here, but I really don't know where to start," Liz followed her into the kitchen, and Serena immediately busied herself at the sink washing vegetables.
"I don't get to cook much at the University, and I was gone most of yesterday with Coby and Pete. They had their first up close and personal look at the granolith.. So I figured that I'd make John something special for dinner tonight. I'm making his favorite, beef stew." She beamed.
"I can tell how happy he is to have you home again. It's written all over his face when you're both in the same room together," Liz said.
"We have something very special," Serena dried her hands on a towel and took the kitchen chair opposite Liz. "But I don't have to tell you about special, do I Liz? You and Max have had to deal with some of the same things that John and I have, at least relationship wise," she smiled, and Liz was reminded of why she felt so comfortable here. "It's not easy loving an alien." Serena laughed. "And that's something that I've never said to anyone before!"
"Our relationship used to feel so easy, Max and me. It was magic. Just being around him made my head spin. Other things seemed to be happening around us, but I always had the feeling that nothing could ever touch us, really touch us." Liz looked down, "..until Tess came to Roswell. He was everything that I ever wanted, Serena, and I don't know how to deal with what's happened to us." Liz took a deep breath, hoping that the urge to cry would pass.
"Funny, he spoke the exact same words to us here last night, right in this kitchen." She looked to Liz for a reaction.
"He said that?"
She nodded her head. "He's just as confused over this as you are, Liz. He desires you in a way that I don't believe many have ever experienced before. Max and Zan are still so deeply in love with you and Ava. The revelation by you both the other night, about this betrayal also involving so much of Ava and Zan, it's shown you the extent of the heartache that is within both of you. It's made finding the answers both imperative and more difficult." Serena reached over to hold her hand. "There is so much that is pulling you together, and relatively so little that is keeping you apart."
She stopped to walk out into the hall, as Liz heard a car pull up out front. "That's them, now. John just ran Kal into town. He's buying some new clothes for the graduation ceremony today. He's taking this whole thing very personally." She placed her index finger to her lips, letting Liz know that this was to be hush hush.
The two men came bounding in through the side door directly into the kitchen. "Hey kitten," Kal exclaimed. "What brings you out here, shouldn't you be practicing your speech for commencement?" He threw his hat on the counter and placed an array of bags on the table before her.
"Speech is all ready to go," Liz smiled at both of them. Everytime she saw them now, she remembered alittle more about them, about their past. Kolt and Lan had not only been faithful subjects to both Zan's family and to Ava's, but she had always thought of them as two very special uncles. Then and now.
"Kitten, I can take alot, but please don't go around calling me Uncle Kal, okay?" he answered her thought and leaned down to kiss the top of her head.
"You're really good at that, Kal. Do you think that the two of you could teach me how to do it?" Liz asked. "It would come in really handy," she laughed.
"You already know how, you just don't know it yet." John laughed as he kissed Serena hello on the cheek.
The joking around continued for a short while, and then things began to get calmer in the kitchen. Liz got the impression that there was something else going on, something she needed to know. "So, Max was here last night? How is he?" she asked John. Serena went back momentarily to her stew, as John motioned for Kal and Liz to join him in the study.
As she entered the room, again her attention was immediately taken by the view through the glass wall at the far end. The phrase window on their world came to her mind. Kal made himself comfortable, while Liz continued standing with her back toward them, staring out the window glass.
"Max is haunted by things that he can't change," John answered, as he shut the door behind him. "He's been dealing with some pretty harsh headaches from the stress. Serena gave him a few hypnotic suggestions to try to get him to relax while he was here last night." Liz looked surprised.
Liz then noticed that Serena had joined them, she wasn't sure how long she had been standing right inside the door. "I just thought that you could use another woman's perspective on it all," she said, explaining her presence to Liz, who simply smiled.
"After the relaxation techniques seemed to give him some relief, Max asked Serena to hypnotize him. He asked her about the possibility of putting him fully under, with the hopes that she might be able to trigger something in his memory," Kal explained. "We needed to talk about it more and since it had gotten late, we decided that we'd discuss it the next time he was here."
"Harding and Tess would have had to have kept Alex and Max going full force, simultaneously with a mindwarp. And even Kyle for a while there. They were good, but I'm just not buying that they were that good, I can't see it happening," Kal finished.
Liz picked up the conversation. "Do you think it's possible that Zan might remember what Max isn't able to? I know that Max feels that the two of them have become one person, but I also know from experience now, that Ava is stronger than I am, and her presence can dominate mine, or at least it sometimes feels that way to me."
John absentmindedly chewed on the pencil in his hand, thinking hard about what Liz had just asked. He looked to Serena for an answer. "I hadn't considered that, but maybe by putting him even deeper than we were able to last night... Maybe," she responded.
"We don't have too many options to find out what was going on during those days he was with Tess. But Max seems insistant on finding out whatever he can. We're leaning towards the idea that he may have been drugged," Serena explained. "I had been hesitant about the hypnotherapy. Delving directly into Zan's subconscious might not be a wise thing. He's already experiencing Zan, and personally I'm not sure that it's wise to prematurely push that process along. We could end up doing Max psychologically more harm than good ....doing us all, more harm than good."
"This is about trust on a different scale as well, Liz, all of our trust," Kal stood and walked to the window. "If he was mindwarped into submission, we need to know, because he could still be unstable. It could still be a problem at some point. He could technically still be reachable. We don't need any other problems right now. We need Max on our side. We're hoping for the drugged scenario, that way there shouldn't be any lingering effects left now."
"We're just being very careful, and covering all possibilites, Liz," John tried to calm the look that came over Liz's face.
"Look, I really don't know what's expected of me...of any of the four of us," Liz answered referring to their former selves. "Believe me when I say that Ava has been ripped apart by all of this, as well," Liz pushed her hair behind her ear trying to relax. "There is so much unfinished business between the four of us. Now that I've learned what I'm about, I'm no longer afraid of the change that's happening inside of me. I just want to get to the bottom of things. We will. .I will," she corrected, "stand beside the others..if it becomes necessary. But I do intend to continue living my life. I have my whole future ahead of me, we all do." She looked to Serena, who nodded her head in agreement ever so slowly. "This is about Liz Parker, Max Evans, Michael Guerin and Isabel Evans just as much...no even more, that those who came before us."
"I've been hoping to keep the unit together. . all of you," Kal knew that up to now, they had deliberately tried not to complicate things any more than they already were by imposing demands on any of them. "We still have the threat of Jarad hanging over our heads. Now if Larek is right, that could change soon...we can only hope. And now we have someone who's snooping around asking questions about Ms. Topolsky." He wiped his brow and then concluded. "The only thing you all need to remember is that you are stronger together than any of you are on your own."
Serena wasn't sure that she liked the direction of the conversation. She brought things back front and center. "Liz, if we do this, if we're able to reach Zan, you do realize that there is a possibility that he may not remember either. That would leave us with no other alternatives. That would be the end of the road. Could you then accept that?" Serena asked her cautiously.
Liz answered slowly. "First of all, will you swear to me that if you begin to sense even a possiblity of dangerous ground, that you will immediately pull him out of hypnosis?" Serena squeezed her hands, "Without a doubt."
Liz grew quiet for a moment, then began. "I keep telling myself...the truth...the truth, that's what I need to hear. I've convinced myself that no matter what that truth may be, it's better than what I'm living with right now...this indecision that I'm allowing to eat me up inside." She paused for a long minute. "I've known the choices for a long time now. I would forgive him, because he needs me to; or, I would leave because of all the things that this love had once meant to me. Whichever way it should turn out to be, there would be no turning back for me..either way .. . for everyone's sake." She kept her head down, as she answered.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sun had shone brightly that afternoon on the distinguished graduating class of West Roswell High Class 2002. Caps in the air precisely at 3:35pm. Liz's speech had been profound, just as everyone had known it would be. As she finished, Liz looked out over the crowd and caught her proud parents' eyes. She might not have been able to tell them, but, she was very proud of them too. As the students moved steadily across the stage to collect their diplomas, the cheers grew out of control.
"Maria Deluca!", came the call. Liz placed two fingers to her lips and a shrill whistle echoed through the gym. Michael had moved up through the crowds of relatives and friends to position himself for a good picture as Maria accepted her diploma. She shook the principals hand and did a little curtsy for the camera.
Kyle turned and began whistling in a competition with Liz. A few other students on stage joined in as each name was called out, one by one.
"Max Evans!", more cheers and another shrill call out from Liz and Kyle. "WooHooo! " went up the cheer. Max walked across the stage and quickly looked up two rows to meet Liz's eyes, as an array of flashes went off around him. She clapped with both hands raised over her head. As he stepped down off the stage diploma in hand he was met first by his parents and second by Kal who seemed to have that same proud smile spread over his face that Mr. Evans had.
Back on stage, Kyle placed his hands on Liz's shoulders, leaning down in a loud voice to be heard above the noise rising in the huge room. "This is it!" Liz placed her hands up over his
"Elizabeth Parker!" The room was deafening with cheers! As Liz jumped down the two rows and crossed the stage she paused for Michael who took a picture, blinding her with the flash. As she reached for her diploma, her eyes found a familiar pair standing right at the edge of the stage. John's smile seemed to be lighting up the room, as Max stood patting him on the back. Coming off the stage she was met with hugs first from Maria, then her parents.
As she pulled back from a hug with her Mom, she turned to find herself face to face with John. Reaching out, she hugged him, lingering a few extra seconds with the man who had made today possible, the man who had saved her life eighteen years ago. For a few seconds, the four stood smiling at each other, until Liz turned to her parents. "Mom, Dad, I'd like you to meet a very special friend of mine. This is John."
Suddenly she spotted him in the crowd. Max was coming toward her, she could see him weaving in and out of the people that were now pushed together in front of the stage. Their arms went around each other, as he firmly kissed her on the cheek and whispered closely into her ear. "I'm so proud of you. That speech was incredible! I can't believe this! Do you believe this? We made it!" They hugged again, laughing. Liz pulled back in time to see her father's hand reaching out to shake John's.
Just then a familiar name was called out over the loudspeakers. "And last but certainly not least....Kyle Valenti! " Liz whistled loudly again, joined in this time by the entire group. Maria and Michael attention had been grabbed as they stood watching Jeff Parker, who was shaking the very hand of the man who had given him his most prized miracle.
Kyle cheered all the way as he ran across the stage, and then upon receiving his diploma gave out with a warhoop and threw his cap high into the air, which served as the trigger for all fifty-eight graduates. The air was a sea of caps.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pine Crest Motel Room #18. "Yes, this is Madison. Whatcha got for me?" The chinese food containers were scattered on the bed, mixed with an array of folders and papers, as he sat on the side of the bed.
"It's my understanding that she got emotionally involved, got too close to the situation. What you've faxed me are the latest most up-to-date reports?" he asked, as he jotted down a few lines on the notepad on the endtable. "I've already been out to the reservation. We're not going to get anything from anyone out there." He paused, then said, "No. The answers are right here in Roswell. Fed Ex those surveillance tapes from the unit out here to me, and fax me those other photos from Topolsky's files."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Serena was so glad to see Liz. "I've been worried about you since the other night. I wanted to call you, but John finally convinced me that it was better to wait til you came to us. He knew you would."
"I've had this feeling that I needed to be here, but I really don't know where to start," Liz followed her into the kitchen, and Serena immediately busied herself at the sink washing vegetables.
"I don't get to cook much at the University, and I was gone most of yesterday with Coby and Pete. They had their first up close and personal look at the granolith.. So I figured that I'd make John something special for dinner tonight. I'm making his favorite, beef stew." She beamed.
"I can tell how happy he is to have you home again. It's written all over his face when you're both in the same room together," Liz said.
"We have something very special," Serena dried her hands on a towel and took the kitchen chair opposite Liz. "But I don't have to tell you about special, do I Liz? You and Max have had to deal with some of the same things that John and I have, at least relationship wise," she smiled, and Liz was reminded of why she felt so comfortable here. "It's not easy loving an alien." Serena laughed. "And that's something that I've never said to anyone before!"
"Our relationship used to feel so easy, Max and me. It was magic. Just being around him made my head spin. Other things seemed to be happening around us, but I always had the feeling that nothing could ever touch us, really touch us." Liz looked down, "..until Tess came to Roswell. He was everything that I ever wanted, Serena, and I don't know how to deal with what's happened to us." Liz took a deep breath, hoping that the urge to cry would pass.
"Funny, he spoke the exact same words to us here last night, right in this kitchen." She looked to Liz for a reaction.
"He said that?"
She nodded her head. "He's just as confused over this as you are, Liz. He desires you in a way that I don't believe many have ever experienced before. Max and Zan are still so deeply in love with you and Ava. The revelation by you both the other night, about this betrayal also involving so much of Ava and Zan, it's shown you the extent of the heartache that is within both of you. It's made finding the answers both imperative and more difficult." Serena reached over to hold her hand. "There is so much that is pulling you together, and relatively so little that is keeping you apart."
She stopped to walk out into the hall, as Liz heard a car pull up out front. "That's them, now. John just ran Kal into town. He's buying some new clothes for the graduation ceremony today. He's taking this whole thing very personally." She placed her index finger to her lips, letting Liz know that this was to be hush hush.
The two men came bounding in through the side door directly into the kitchen. "Hey kitten," Kal exclaimed. "What brings you out here, shouldn't you be practicing your speech for commencement?" He threw his hat on the counter and placed an array of bags on the table before her.
"Speech is all ready to go," Liz smiled at both of them. Everytime she saw them now, she remembered alittle more about them, about their past. Kolt and Lan had not only been faithful subjects to both Zan's family and to Ava's, but she had always thought of them as two very special uncles. Then and now.
"Kitten, I can take alot, but please don't go around calling me Uncle Kal, okay?" he answered her thought and leaned down to kiss the top of her head.
"You're really good at that, Kal. Do you think that the two of you could teach me how to do it?" Liz asked. "It would come in really handy," she laughed.
"You already know how, you just don't know it yet." John laughed as he kissed Serena hello on the cheek.
The joking around continued for a short while, and then things began to get calmer in the kitchen. Liz got the impression that there was something else going on, something she needed to know. "So, Max was here last night? How is he?" she asked John. Serena went back momentarily to her stew, as John motioned for Kal and Liz to join him in the study.
As she entered the room, again her attention was immediately taken by the view through the glass wall at the far end. The phrase window on their world came to her mind. Kal made himself comfortable, while Liz continued standing with her back toward them, staring out the window glass.
"Max is haunted by things that he can't change," John answered, as he shut the door behind him. "He's been dealing with some pretty harsh headaches from the stress. Serena gave him a few hypnotic suggestions to try to get him to relax while he was here last night." Liz looked surprised.
Liz then noticed that Serena had joined them, she wasn't sure how long she had been standing right inside the door. "I just thought that you could use another woman's perspective on it all," she said, explaining her presence to Liz, who simply smiled.
"After the relaxation techniques seemed to give him some relief, Max asked Serena to hypnotize him. He asked her about the possibility of putting him fully under, with the hopes that she might be able to trigger something in his memory," Kal explained. "We needed to talk about it more and since it had gotten late, we decided that we'd discuss it the next time he was here."
"Harding and Tess would have had to have kept Alex and Max going full force, simultaneously with a mindwarp. And even Kyle for a while there. They were good, but I'm just not buying that they were that good, I can't see it happening," Kal finished.
Liz picked up the conversation. "Do you think it's possible that Zan might remember what Max isn't able to? I know that Max feels that the two of them have become one person, but I also know from experience now, that Ava is stronger than I am, and her presence can dominate mine, or at least it sometimes feels that way to me."
John absentmindedly chewed on the pencil in his hand, thinking hard about what Liz had just asked. He looked to Serena for an answer. "I hadn't considered that, but maybe by putting him even deeper than we were able to last night... Maybe," she responded.
"We don't have too many options to find out what was going on during those days he was with Tess. But Max seems insistant on finding out whatever he can. We're leaning towards the idea that he may have been drugged," Serena explained. "I had been hesitant about the hypnotherapy. Delving directly into Zan's subconscious might not be a wise thing. He's already experiencing Zan, and personally I'm not sure that it's wise to prematurely push that process along. We could end up doing Max psychologically more harm than good ....doing us all, more harm than good."
"This is about trust on a different scale as well, Liz, all of our trust," Kal stood and walked to the window. "If he was mindwarped into submission, we need to know, because he could still be unstable. It could still be a problem at some point. He could technically still be reachable. We don't need any other problems right now. We need Max on our side. We're hoping for the drugged scenario, that way there shouldn't be any lingering effects left now."
"We're just being very careful, and covering all possibilites, Liz," John tried to calm the look that came over Liz's face.
"Look, I really don't know what's expected of me...of any of the four of us," Liz answered referring to their former selves. "Believe me when I say that Ava has been ripped apart by all of this, as well," Liz pushed her hair behind her ear trying to relax. "There is so much unfinished business between the four of us. Now that I've learned what I'm about, I'm no longer afraid of the change that's happening inside of me. I just want to get to the bottom of things. We will. .I will," she corrected, "stand beside the others..if it becomes necessary. But I do intend to continue living my life. I have my whole future ahead of me, we all do." She looked to Serena, who nodded her head in agreement ever so slowly. "This is about Liz Parker, Max Evans, Michael Guerin and Isabel Evans just as much...no even more, that those who came before us."
"I've been hoping to keep the unit together. . all of you," Kal knew that up to now, they had deliberately tried not to complicate things any more than they already were by imposing demands on any of them. "We still have the threat of Jarad hanging over our heads. Now if Larek is right, that could change soon...we can only hope. And now we have someone who's snooping around asking questions about Ms. Topolsky." He wiped his brow and then concluded. "The only thing you all need to remember is that you are stronger together than any of you are on your own."
Serena wasn't sure that she liked the direction of the conversation. She brought things back front and center. "Liz, if we do this, if we're able to reach Zan, you do realize that there is a possibility that he may not remember either. That would leave us with no other alternatives. That would be the end of the road. Could you then accept that?" Serena asked her cautiously.
Liz answered slowly. "First of all, will you swear to me that if you begin to sense even a possiblity of dangerous ground, that you will immediately pull him out of hypnosis?" Serena squeezed her hands, "Without a doubt."
Liz grew quiet for a moment, then began. "I keep telling myself...the truth...the truth, that's what I need to hear. I've convinced myself that no matter what that truth may be, it's better than what I'm living with right now...this indecision that I'm allowing to eat me up inside." She paused for a long minute. "I've known the choices for a long time now. I would forgive him, because he needs me to; or, I would leave because of all the things that this love had once meant to me. Whichever way it should turn out to be, there would be no turning back for me..either way .. . for everyone's sake." She kept her head down, as she answered.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sun had shone brightly that afternoon on the distinguished graduating class of West Roswell High Class 2002. Caps in the air precisely at 3:35pm. Liz's speech had been profound, just as everyone had known it would be. As she finished, Liz looked out over the crowd and caught her proud parents' eyes. She might not have been able to tell them, but, she was very proud of them too. As the students moved steadily across the stage to collect their diplomas, the cheers grew out of control.
"Maria Deluca!", came the call. Liz placed two fingers to her lips and a shrill whistle echoed through the gym. Michael had moved up through the crowds of relatives and friends to position himself for a good picture as Maria accepted her diploma. She shook the principals hand and did a little curtsy for the camera.
Kyle turned and began whistling in a competition with Liz. A few other students on stage joined in as each name was called out, one by one.
"Max Evans!", more cheers and another shrill call out from Liz and Kyle. "WooHooo! " went up the cheer. Max walked across the stage and quickly looked up two rows to meet Liz's eyes, as an array of flashes went off around him. She clapped with both hands raised over her head. As he stepped down off the stage diploma in hand he was met first by his parents and second by Kal who seemed to have that same proud smile spread over his face that Mr. Evans had.
Back on stage, Kyle placed his hands on Liz's shoulders, leaning down in a loud voice to be heard above the noise rising in the huge room. "This is it!" Liz placed her hands up over his
"Elizabeth Parker!" The room was deafening with cheers! As Liz jumped down the two rows and crossed the stage she paused for Michael who took a picture, blinding her with the flash. As she reached for her diploma, her eyes found a familiar pair standing right at the edge of the stage. John's smile seemed to be lighting up the room, as Max stood patting him on the back. Coming off the stage she was met with hugs first from Maria, then her parents.
As she pulled back from a hug with her Mom, she turned to find herself face to face with John. Reaching out, she hugged him, lingering a few extra seconds with the man who had made today possible, the man who had saved her life eighteen years ago. For a few seconds, the four stood smiling at each other, until Liz turned to her parents. "Mom, Dad, I'd like you to meet a very special friend of mine. This is John."
Suddenly she spotted him in the crowd. Max was coming toward her, she could see him weaving in and out of the people that were now pushed together in front of the stage. Their arms went around each other, as he firmly kissed her on the cheek and whispered closely into her ear. "I'm so proud of you. That speech was incredible! I can't believe this! Do you believe this? We made it!" They hugged again, laughing. Liz pulled back in time to see her father's hand reaching out to shake John's.
Just then a familiar name was called out over the loudspeakers. "And last but certainly not least....Kyle Valenti! " Liz whistled loudly again, joined in this time by the entire group. Maria and Michael attention had been grabbed as they stood watching Jeff Parker, who was shaking the very hand of the man who had given him his most prized miracle.
Kyle cheered all the way as he ran across the stage, and then upon receiving his diploma gave out with a warhoop and threw his cap high into the air, which served as the trigger for all fifty-eight graduates. The air was a sea of caps.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Scattered people remained throughout the gym and had begun spreading out onto the lawn in front of the school. Horns were honking loudly and spontaneous cheers still filled the air. What was it about graduation day that seemed to pull students together, some of which hardly talked the entire school year. Liz was fascinated with the throngs of well wishers.
She stood with Maria and Michael by the Jetta waiting for Kyle, who was busy passing around Buzz's address and map for the party later that night. "So did John let you know about the little party he's throwing out at the ranch tonight?" Michael asked Liz, as Maria held onto his arm. "You're going, right?"
"Yeah, my Dad told me that John seemed like a really nice guy, and Kal too," she raised her eyebrows slightly, "that's kinda weird, isn't it?"
"That it is, Lizzie, that it is," Maria answered. "Each one is like your dad... in a different way. John didn't plant the seed, but he did give you life. And your Dad, well he's always been your Dad."
Liz had tried pretty hard not to think about her real father, Ed Hubble. What a scary man he had been. Although knowing what she knew now, she couldn't really blame him for becoming an alien bounty hunter, after all, he had been right. An alien had indeed killed his wife. ...my mother, she thought. She felt bad about feeling so detached from them, from both of these people who were virtually strangers until just five days ago. She knew that one day she would need to go in search of information about Sheila Hubble, just for curiosities sake. Well, maybe a little more than curiosity, she admitted to herself smiling. "I know, it's strange," she admitted to Maria. "I really do feel a kind of bond with John. I feel, in a way, he's my surrogate father. Then again there's other times that, because of Ava's memories, I remember him as the very cool uncle that he once was to me."
Maria looked at her friend sadly, "I just can't even begin to imagine what it must be like for you, Liz. Having someone inside your head all the time like this...," she shook her head in wonder.
Kyle finally yelled over to Michael not to wait for him, he was going to catch a ride with Buzz. Michael waved him on. "Come on, lets get out of here. I wonder what this surprise is that Kal was talking about?" He jumped into the drivers seat, and Maria instantly threw him a look. "Just get in, will ya?" he replied to her look. Maria reluctantly walked around to the passenger side and opened the door, holding it open for Liz, who squeezed into the back seat. He sped out into the driveway and headed back toward town. He had only gone a few blocks when he spotted Max walking down Citrus towards the Crashdown. "I thought he was catching a ride with his parents or John," he exclaimed. He pulled over to the curb, slowly keeping pace with Max's stride.
"You gonna walk, or ya wanna ride?" Maria said out the window in answer to a surprised look. Seeing Liz in the back seat, their could be no question as to what he wanted to do. Maria swung the door wide, pulling up the seat for him to climb into the back.
"Sooo," Maria started excitedly. "Let's talk about this road trip. School is over, we have the whole summer ahead of us. And I don't know about anybody else, but I'm sure not doing anything about any college possibilities, or about getting a job, til at least the fall. So what do ya say? Where're we goin?"
"I've been thinking about that too, Maria. Wouldn't it be really great just to take off somewhere for a while? Michael, don't ya think it would be fun?" Liz tapped on Michael's back, as she felt her excitement growing just talking out loud about it all.
"I guess that would depend on where? Look, days ago I told Maria that it was a great idea. Now that you guys are finally finished with exams and school, I think we should seriously plan. My first question is how are we gonna pay for it?" he asked.
"Michael, don't mess this up before we've even left, okay," Maria rolled her eyes. "There are ways. I have some money saved from my dad's pension. I have access to it in four days when I turn eighteen. And besides, there's things we can do. There's little jobs all over the place out there on the road." Maria's enthusiasm was peaking, despite the fact that Michael was needing to deal with reality.
"I've got a stash put away, plus my dad gave me a little graduation check first thing this morning," Max spoke, but then looked at Liz, realizing that he hadn't officially been invited yet.
"Okay, well when? And where?" Michael turned the corner sharply. "For how long?"
"As long as we want....." Maria grinned. "Well....at least a month, maybe two. Right? Listen Liz, neither you or Max have anything set in stone for school come September, so who knows." She grinned some more, feeling very proud of herself.
"And what form of transportation would we be using. The Jetta might make it out of the state and into the next, but she's pretty tired," Michael said. Oh how Maria hated it when he was right.
Liz thought and then smiled. "I know I'm getting a little money too. My mom mentioned to me yesterday that they had talked about buying me a little used car, so this might work out really well,"
Okay, Max thought to himself, did the fact that she didn't just uninvite him mean that he was in? Yes, she had in a few words answered any doubt that Max may have felt.
"We will find a way. How bout the Chevelle, Max?" Maria asked.
Max shook his head in agreement. "Yeah, she's been running good. I haven't had any problems with her since I got her."
Suddenly their conversation was interrupted as Maria shrieked from the front seat, jumping and turning the radio four notches louder. "Oh. My. God. I love this song! oooh Michael Michael, no leave it on!" she slapped at his hand, as he deliberately reached to change the station. Her excitement continued, "This is the greatest group, they really have their shit together, and this girl is not much older than I am," she exclaimed, again knocking Michael's hand away from the radio. "They're Evanescence, I love em. This song rocks!" she yelled to be heard above the music.
"It's slow, Maria. Slow songs don't rock," Michael reacted. "Women," he rolled his eyes, shaking his head.
"Such a haunting melody," she went on, ignoring him, "...and the words..such great lyrics." She grabbed at her heart. "But shit man, can this girl sing, or what?"
"I just heard this for the first time the other day, Maria," Liz agreed. "I love it too." Then turning to Max, she asked, "Have you heard this? It's called My Immortal."
Max shook his head no, but was sure that he'd be checking it out sometime in the very near future the first chance he got. Right now, he had all he could handle just sitting next to her, as her knee occasionally rubbed against his with the motion of Michael's driving. Her eyes were so alive today, so sparkling. He loved it when she was excited about something, it seemed to always bring those tiny little golden flecks of light into her deep brown eyes. He wondered if she had any idea just how dangerous a weapon she had in them, or just how hypnotizing they had always been to him. You could fall in there and never want to find your way out, ever again, he thought.
She reached over touching the back of his hand, resting hers there for a few seconds. Just an innocent gesture, he thought, the kind she sometimes did while talking. Immediately his hand had felt the warmth of hers and a thousand little sparks went off between them. He looked over at her and he knew by that familiar look in her eyes, that she had felt it too. He turned his hand over slowly, letting her fingers fall into his palm, then one by one he slowly closed his fingers over hers. The connection ran sensually up her arm, finding it's familiar way, leaving the butterflies in her stomach as it always had, then wandering up resting in her heart, finding it's natural place there again. She turned her hand slightly so as not to lose his touch, and held onto his tighter. He looked out the window beside him and tried inconspicuously to take a deep breath, having realized that he hadn't been breathing at all for the last thirty seconds.
'. . . .these wounds won't seem to heal.. this pain is just too real.. there's just too much that time cannot erase.' His hand tighten protectively around hers. ...'but you still have all of me.' Evanescense's lyrics were playing just for them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nicholas sat nervously on an old stone bench, just outside of the monstrous gates separating him from some fifteen hundred misfits, murderers, and your basic run of the mill losers, who had been banished to possibly the worst place on the face of Eos. And that was saying something, cause all of Eos was pretty damn frightening.
He hated coming here, but Jared had insisted that he be the one to come personally, to deliver the news of Kivar's death. And so, proclamation in hand, here he stood. They called this gruesome place Cuyahoga Island. Cuyahoga, thought Nicholas, apparently had to be the closest word they had on Eos for hell. At any rate, this was the penal colony where all prisoners of war were housed, and he used that term very lightly. Of course, not all were prisoners of the wars, some were just suspected enemies of the Triad. At any rate, Nicholas had always thought that he'd rather they'd kill him then bring him here. This place was it's own natural deterrent. A small door within a door opened finally, just as he was about to give it up and head back to the safety of Adia.
The huge, somewhat grotesque person behind the door said nothing, as Nicholas passed his papers through the small opening. "Nicholas Levieth. I've come representing a countryman of yours. Jarad. He has now become king of the Triad."
As Nicholas spoke, the man behind the door appeared not to be impressed with the little man standing in front of him. Nicholas continued, "In case you can't read things there," he pointed to the proclamation, "it's about those stated on the bottom, there. There's seventy-two in all. They have been given their free choice to report to Adia and serve under the new leadership there or face their immediate death at dawn on the next new day." The barbarian inside the door smiled down at him, showing a horribly droopy eye, not to mention a mouth full of decayed teeth. He grunted a few times at Nicholas.
"Okay. Just so we're straight on things." Nicholas said wrapping things up quickly. He was never so glad to be finished business in his life. He had gotten about five hundred feet away from the gate, when a voice screamed out his name. He turned around and saw a small filthy figure with a familiar face, standing upon the observation tower within the walls. Huge blonde matted hair hung wildly around a pale and pastey face.
With hands on her hips, she screamed out to him at the top of her lungs from behind the barricades. "If it's the last thing I do, I'll kill you, you little rodent!"
"Love the new look," he yelled back. " Oh, yeah...fuck off Tess." He turned and continued on home. Why Jarad wanted her back on Adia was a complete mystery to him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Max told Liz that he and Michael would pick her up before going over for Maria, somewhere right before five. So that meant she had an hour or so to hang out at home. She began flipping through the stack of college admission forms that Ms. Leary, her guidance teacher, had given her two weeks ago.
She had gotten a little distracted over the last weeks, but decided to fill out at least two, before going over to the ranch to party. She picked the two on top, then as an afterthought, she fanned further down in the pile. Stanford University, she read. Near Palo Alto, close to airports. Far enough and yet still close, she thought. A fine Microbiology program. She switched one form for the other. Why not, she thought. Besides, she liked Serena, so she'd have at least one friend on campus, and maybe they could commute together back and forth between school and home. Stanford would have been pretty high on the list after Harvard anyway. Whether or not Max decided to apply there was irrelevant right now, she told herself. After all, it wasn't like she had been accepted or anything, she was only applying.
She couldn't help but wonder though, about the possibility of both of them being accepted at the same school. Her head and her heart were again in mass conflict. Was that something she wanted, to see him day after day? And what about her rationalizing that time away from the situation could maybe help things. She sighed, wishing Ava would throw her a flash so she'd know what would be happening in September. Then again maybe she'd just wait on that thought and let the fates do their thing. Lately they seemed to be pretty much on top of things.
She ran a hot bath, and decided to soak for a little while. The water felt so comforting, she closed her eyes, as she lay her head back against the tub. A few seconds ticked by, and then a vision began to wash over her. It wasn't future sight this time, but a memory.
She felt the water around her, it felt as warm as the water that she now lay in. She was floating so buoyant, in the palest of blue waters that Liz had ever seen. There were voices around her. She smiled to herself, remembering. Rath was there, laughing and forcing Zan under the small white caps of waves, off in the distance. Liz opened her eyes, but the vision continued.
It happened quickly, someone or something was at her feet, pulling her down, under the waves. In her mind's eye, she was seeing it all again, but this time from a safe distance. She was choking, as the water rushed into her lungs. She fought as hard as she could, but only succeeded in twisting and tangling herself beyond her control. She felt herself go under again and again.
Suddenly, Zan was there pulling her up, up from the depths into the light...into the air. She was choking again, but this time it was from the fresh air that was filtering out the water, making it possible for her to breathe again.
"Ava!" he yelled out. She saw the deep brown of his eyes and the worry there, as his face fought to stay above the waterline with her. "It's okay. You're all right, I've got you. It's that damn tangleroot!" he exclaimed. She had grabbed onto him for dear life, and he to her.
"What happened?" she cried. "Tangleroot? I never saw it." She was still trying to get her bearings, as they both floated over the rolling waves wrapped in each other's arms.
"Ahh, that you didn't. It can tend to creep up on ya sometimes. But you're okay now, that is unless those beautiful arms of yours continue to be chokin me, then we'll both be going down," he laughed.
She firmly planted her shivering lips over his and he gripped her tighter, as he felt her legs wrap up and around his body. "Now I certainly wouldn't want ya to go and drown now, would I?" she smiled, placing herself strategically against him.
"You play very unfairly, Lady Ava. And I'm think'n that you don't really want me to push ya way back into that tangleroot, now do ya?" She laughed as again his lips met hers, this time gently but with a passion right below the surface that was almost more than either could bear. "You light every flame within me, you hold my desires within your hands, and one day very soon, I make you this promise, Ava. I will take ya for my wife."
"Partner," she jokingly corrected him.
"Whatever," he raised his eyebrow and smiled at her, giving her a quick peck on the forehead. "..whatever you say, Ava."
"What do I have to do? Come over there and pull you both to shore?" Rath was swimming toward them. Before he could say another word, they were both on him, pushing him under the water.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scattered people remained throughout the gym and had begun spreading out onto the lawn in front of the school. Horns were honking loudly and spontaneous cheers still filled the air. What was it about graduation day that seemed to pull students together, some of which hardly talked the entire school year. Liz was fascinated with the throngs of well wishers.
She stood with Maria and Michael by the Jetta waiting for Kyle, who was busy passing around Buzz's address and map for the party later that night. "So did John let you know about the little party he's throwing out at the ranch tonight?" Michael asked Liz, as Maria held onto his arm. "You're going, right?"
"Yeah, my Dad told me that John seemed like a really nice guy, and Kal too," she raised her eyebrows slightly, "that's kinda weird, isn't it?"
"That it is, Lizzie, that it is," Maria answered. "Each one is like your dad... in a different way. John didn't plant the seed, but he did give you life. And your Dad, well he's always been your Dad."
Liz had tried pretty hard not to think about her real father, Ed Hubble. What a scary man he had been. Although knowing what she knew now, she couldn't really blame him for becoming an alien bounty hunter, after all, he had been right. An alien had indeed killed his wife. ...my mother, she thought. She felt bad about feeling so detached from them, from both of these people who were virtually strangers until just five days ago. She knew that one day she would need to go in search of information about Sheila Hubble, just for curiosities sake. Well, maybe a little more than curiosity, she admitted to herself smiling. "I know, it's strange," she admitted to Maria. "I really do feel a kind of bond with John. I feel, in a way, he's my surrogate father. Then again there's other times that, because of Ava's memories, I remember him as the very cool uncle that he once was to me."
Maria looked at her friend sadly, "I just can't even begin to imagine what it must be like for you, Liz. Having someone inside your head all the time like this...," she shook her head in wonder.
Kyle finally yelled over to Michael not to wait for him, he was going to catch a ride with Buzz. Michael waved him on. "Come on, lets get out of here. I wonder what this surprise is that Kal was talking about?" He jumped into the drivers seat, and Maria instantly threw him a look. "Just get in, will ya?" he replied to her look. Maria reluctantly walked around to the passenger side and opened the door, holding it open for Liz, who squeezed into the back seat. He sped out into the driveway and headed back toward town. He had only gone a few blocks when he spotted Max walking down Citrus towards the Crashdown. "I thought he was catching a ride with his parents or John," he exclaimed. He pulled over to the curb, slowly keeping pace with Max's stride.
"You gonna walk, or ya wanna ride?" Maria said out the window in answer to a surprised look. Seeing Liz in the back seat, their could be no question as to what he wanted to do. Maria swung the door wide, pulling up the seat for him to climb into the back.
"Sooo," Maria started excitedly. "Let's talk about this road trip. School is over, we have the whole summer ahead of us. And I don't know about anybody else, but I'm sure not doing anything about any college possibilities, or about getting a job, til at least the fall. So what do ya say? Where're we goin?"
"I've been thinking about that too, Maria. Wouldn't it be really great just to take off somewhere for a while? Michael, don't ya think it would be fun?" Liz tapped on Michael's back, as she felt her excitement growing just talking out loud about it all.
"I guess that would depend on where? Look, days ago I told Maria that it was a great idea. Now that you guys are finally finished with exams and school, I think we should seriously plan. My first question is how are we gonna pay for it?" he asked.
"Michael, don't mess this up before we've even left, okay," Maria rolled her eyes. "There are ways. I have some money saved from my dad's pension. I have access to it in four days when I turn eighteen. And besides, there's things we can do. There's little jobs all over the place out there on the road." Maria's enthusiasm was peaking, despite the fact that Michael was needing to deal with reality.
"I've got a stash put away, plus my dad gave me a little graduation check first thing this morning," Max spoke, but then looked at Liz, realizing that he hadn't officially been invited yet.
"Okay, well when? And where?" Michael turned the corner sharply. "For how long?"
"As long as we want....." Maria grinned. "Well....at least a month, maybe two. Right? Listen Liz, neither you or Max have anything set in stone for school come September, so who knows." She grinned some more, feeling very proud of herself.
"And what form of transportation would we be using. The Jetta might make it out of the state and into the next, but she's pretty tired," Michael said. Oh how Maria hated it when he was right.
Liz thought and then smiled. "I know I'm getting a little money too. My mom mentioned to me yesterday that they had talked about buying me a little used car, so this might work out really well,"
Okay, Max thought to himself, did the fact that she didn't just uninvite him mean that he was in? Yes, she had in a few words answered any doubt that Max may have felt.
"We will find a way. How bout the Chevelle, Max?" Maria asked.
Max shook his head in agreement. "Yeah, she's been running good. I haven't had any problems with her since I got her."
Suddenly their conversation was interrupted as Maria shrieked from the front seat, jumping and turning the radio four notches louder. "Oh. My. God. I love this song! oooh Michael Michael, no leave it on!" she slapped at his hand, as he deliberately reached to change the station. Her excitement continued, "This is the greatest group, they really have their shit together, and this girl is not much older than I am," she exclaimed, again knocking Michael's hand away from the radio. "They're Evanescence, I love em. This song rocks!" she yelled to be heard above the music.
"It's slow, Maria. Slow songs don't rock," Michael reacted. "Women," he rolled his eyes, shaking his head.
"Such a haunting melody," she went on, ignoring him, "...and the words..such great lyrics." She grabbed at her heart. "But shit man, can this girl sing, or what?"
"I just heard this for the first time the other day, Maria," Liz agreed. "I love it too." Then turning to Max, she asked, "Have you heard this? It's called My Immortal."
Max shook his head no, but was sure that he'd be checking it out sometime in the very near future the first chance he got. Right now, he had all he could handle just sitting next to her, as her knee occasionally rubbed against his with the motion of Michael's driving. Her eyes were so alive today, so sparkling. He loved it when she was excited about something, it seemed to always bring those tiny little golden flecks of light into her deep brown eyes. He wondered if she had any idea just how dangerous a weapon she had in them, or just how hypnotizing they had always been to him. You could fall in there and never want to find your way out, ever again, he thought.
She reached over touching the back of his hand, resting hers there for a few seconds. Just an innocent gesture, he thought, the kind she sometimes did while talking. Immediately his hand had felt the warmth of hers and a thousand little sparks went off between them. He looked over at her and he knew by that familiar look in her eyes, that she had felt it too. He turned his hand over slowly, letting her fingers fall into his palm, then one by one he slowly closed his fingers over hers. The connection ran sensually up her arm, finding it's familiar way, leaving the butterflies in her stomach as it always had, then wandering up resting in her heart, finding it's natural place there again. She turned her hand slightly so as not to lose his touch, and held onto his tighter. He looked out the window beside him and tried inconspicuously to take a deep breath, having realized that he hadn't been breathing at all for the last thirty seconds.
'. . . .these wounds won't seem to heal.. this pain is just too real.. there's just too much that time cannot erase.' His hand tighten protectively around hers. ...'but you still have all of me.' Evanescense's lyrics were playing just for them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nicholas sat nervously on an old stone bench, just outside of the monstrous gates separating him from some fifteen hundred misfits, murderers, and your basic run of the mill losers, who had been banished to possibly the worst place on the face of Eos. And that was saying something, cause all of Eos was pretty damn frightening.
He hated coming here, but Jared had insisted that he be the one to come personally, to deliver the news of Kivar's death. And so, proclamation in hand, here he stood. They called this gruesome place Cuyahoga Island. Cuyahoga, thought Nicholas, apparently had to be the closest word they had on Eos for hell. At any rate, this was the penal colony where all prisoners of war were housed, and he used that term very lightly. Of course, not all were prisoners of the wars, some were just suspected enemies of the Triad. At any rate, Nicholas had always thought that he'd rather they'd kill him then bring him here. This place was it's own natural deterrent. A small door within a door opened finally, just as he was about to give it up and head back to the safety of Adia.
The huge, somewhat grotesque person behind the door said nothing, as Nicholas passed his papers through the small opening. "Nicholas Levieth. I've come representing a countryman of yours. Jarad. He has now become king of the Triad."
As Nicholas spoke, the man behind the door appeared not to be impressed with the little man standing in front of him. Nicholas continued, "In case you can't read things there," he pointed to the proclamation, "it's about those stated on the bottom, there. There's seventy-two in all. They have been given their free choice to report to Adia and serve under the new leadership there or face their immediate death at dawn on the next new day." The barbarian inside the door smiled down at him, showing a horribly droopy eye, not to mention a mouth full of decayed teeth. He grunted a few times at Nicholas.
"Okay. Just so we're straight on things." Nicholas said wrapping things up quickly. He was never so glad to be finished business in his life. He had gotten about five hundred feet away from the gate, when a voice screamed out his name. He turned around and saw a small filthy figure with a familiar face, standing upon the observation tower within the walls. Huge blonde matted hair hung wildly around a pale and pastey face.
With hands on her hips, she screamed out to him at the top of her lungs from behind the barricades. "If it's the last thing I do, I'll kill you, you little rodent!"
"Love the new look," he yelled back. " Oh, yeah...fuck off Tess." He turned and continued on home. Why Jarad wanted her back on Adia was a complete mystery to him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Max told Liz that he and Michael would pick her up before going over for Maria, somewhere right before five. So that meant she had an hour or so to hang out at home. She began flipping through the stack of college admission forms that Ms. Leary, her guidance teacher, had given her two weeks ago.
She had gotten a little distracted over the last weeks, but decided to fill out at least two, before going over to the ranch to party. She picked the two on top, then as an afterthought, she fanned further down in the pile. Stanford University, she read. Near Palo Alto, close to airports. Far enough and yet still close, she thought. A fine Microbiology program. She switched one form for the other. Why not, she thought. Besides, she liked Serena, so she'd have at least one friend on campus, and maybe they could commute together back and forth between school and home. Stanford would have been pretty high on the list after Harvard anyway. Whether or not Max decided to apply there was irrelevant right now, she told herself. After all, it wasn't like she had been accepted or anything, she was only applying.
She couldn't help but wonder though, about the possibility of both of them being accepted at the same school. Her head and her heart were again in mass conflict. Was that something she wanted, to see him day after day? And what about her rationalizing that time away from the situation could maybe help things. She sighed, wishing Ava would throw her a flash so she'd know what would be happening in September. Then again maybe she'd just wait on that thought and let the fates do their thing. Lately they seemed to be pretty much on top of things.
She ran a hot bath, and decided to soak for a little while. The water felt so comforting, she closed her eyes, as she lay her head back against the tub. A few seconds ticked by, and then a vision began to wash over her. It wasn't future sight this time, but a memory.
She felt the water around her, it felt as warm as the water that she now lay in. She was floating so buoyant, in the palest of blue waters that Liz had ever seen. There were voices around her. She smiled to herself, remembering. Rath was there, laughing and forcing Zan under the small white caps of waves, off in the distance. Liz opened her eyes, but the vision continued.
It happened quickly, someone or something was at her feet, pulling her down, under the waves. In her mind's eye, she was seeing it all again, but this time from a safe distance. She was choking, as the water rushed into her lungs. She fought as hard as she could, but only succeeded in twisting and tangling herself beyond her control. She felt herself go under again and again.
Suddenly, Zan was there pulling her up, up from the depths into the light...into the air. She was choking again, but this time it was from the fresh air that was filtering out the water, making it possible for her to breathe again.
"Ava!" he yelled out. She saw the deep brown of his eyes and the worry there, as his face fought to stay above the waterline with her. "It's okay. You're all right, I've got you. It's that damn tangleroot!" he exclaimed. She had grabbed onto him for dear life, and he to her.
"What happened?" she cried. "Tangleroot? I never saw it." She was still trying to get her bearings, as they both floated over the rolling waves wrapped in each other's arms.
"Ahh, that you didn't. It can tend to creep up on ya sometimes. But you're okay now, that is unless those beautiful arms of yours continue to be chokin me, then we'll both be going down," he laughed.
She firmly planted her shivering lips over his and he gripped her tighter, as he felt her legs wrap up and around his body. "Now I certainly wouldn't want ya to go and drown now, would I?" she smiled, placing herself strategically against him.
"You play very unfairly, Lady Ava. And I'm think'n that you don't really want me to push ya way back into that tangleroot, now do ya?" She laughed as again his lips met hers, this time gently but with a passion right below the surface that was almost more than either could bear. "You light every flame within me, you hold my desires within your hands, and one day very soon, I make you this promise, Ava. I will take ya for my wife."
"Partner," she jokingly corrected him.
"Whatever," he raised his eyebrow and smiled at her, giving her a quick peck on the forehead. "..whatever you say, Ava."
"What do I have to do? Come over there and pull you both to shore?" Rath was swimming toward them. Before he could say another word, they were both on him, pushing him under the water.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
The party out at the ranch had turned out to be a barbeque. Roasted pig, corn on the cob, and an array of homemade salads. John had taken the opportunity at the graduation ceremonies to invite both the Parkers and the Evans to the festivities. Even Isabel had managed to grab a ride over with her parents, to give her congratulations. Max figured she was lonely since Jessie was off at another seminar in Boston. Together with the help of a few ranch hands, and Pete and Coby, they even managed to hustle up a softball game. For those who were less athletically inclined, there were horseshoes and lawn croquet. Everyone seemed to be having a wonderful time.
Max and Liz's parents both made their farwells and headed for home close to seven o'clock. Right before getting into his car, Jeff had sought out Liz. "I like your new friends, Liz." He hugged her. "Kal's a bit eccentric," he laughed, "but, they're really down home folks aren't they?"
"Yes, Dad. Yes, they are." Liz was thinking, if you only knew, but she smiled and kiss him on the cheek.
The Babylon2 were fitting right in. Coby's personality was very outgoing and before long it felt like they had all known him for a considerable amount of time. "So Michael tells me that you actually had a key to the portal."
Max shook his head, thinking how strange it sounded referring to the granolith as a portal, a doorway. But he was in fact right. "Yeah, it was a diamond, a large one. It wasn't until after Tess ..left, that we realized that apparently she took the key with her. We figured that if she had succeeded and I had gone back with her, no one would have had the access again without the key. What about that page that Serena was talking about, the one you guys think is missing?"
"Yeah well, as far as the key is concerned, any old crystal will do, or so we believe. We'll be testing that hypothesis out tomorrow. And the missing page, well it seems to be the last page of the book. It's gonna hinder things quite a bit, unless we can come up with alot of new information about the machine itself. We have the ability now to calibrate it to specific co-ordinates," he looked at Max then continued explaining. "There are sky charts that we've managed to match up to descriptions and maps within the translations of the book. Things are moving along well. Now we just need the hands on stuff."
Isabel had spent a good deal of the early evening in the company of Pete, who had given her a tour of the horse stables. Michael was happy to see her joining in agaier mnd off of things. had walked past them at one point, and over heard their topic of conversation, it had been the granolith. He figured it had been the only thing that they had in common. As the day grew longer, Pete had given her a ride home in John's car.
Right before the sun actually set, John yelled for everyone's attention, motioning to them all that it was time for their surprise present. A graduation present, he explained from Kal, Serena and himself. He gathered them together inside the barn.
"Because you have all been such good boys and girls," he winked, "and because with all that has happened, we haven't taken the time to tell you all how happy we are to finally know you, and how proud we are of the young adults that you have become. We weren't sure what to do with this, and then Kal came up with this idea. It's all legal, and it's yours. So, share nice." Then came the great unveiling. John and Kal threw back the huge tarp covering the H2. There wasn't a closed mouth in the barn. Their mouths hung open in complete surprise and disbelief. Sitting there in front of them was the Hummer that had been left behind in Jarad's dust, up on the mountain.
"Oh My God. You've got to be kidding. John?...Kal..how did you..who's was this?" Max was speechless.
"It's a hummer, right?" Maria asked curiosiously.
"It's the frigg'n H2!" Michael could scarcely believe his eyes. The last time any of them had seen it, was when it had been abandoned out by the podchamber covered with two inches of desert dust.
"Well believe it or not, it was registered to Nicholas, out of New York state somewhere. We're not sure whether his papers were all legal, but the title in the glove compartment was. And now it's in Kal's name, well, for obvious reasons," he explained. "It would be kinda difficult for any of you to explain away how you could possibly afford this...all your cash together, couldn't pay the insurance on it. Anyway it's techically titled to Kal, but unofficially it belongs to all of you, to use as you see fit, whenever the necessity arises. We could have torched it and left it out in the desert so as not to raise any questions about it's missing owner. But that would have been just too sad. She's a beauty. Nicholas did have good taste. We figured that we'll drive it around in town for a few days, to get it seen. That way no one will think twice if they should see any of you driving it at any point afterward. Now does that answer your question, Michael?"
Michael looked dumbfoundedly from John to Kal. "What question?"
"The one about your get away transportation." The shocked group looked at one another. It was like Christmas morning and the Quad had just received their very first gift as a family, or at least that's how they all felt. "Now, why don't you all take a test drive. Just try not to take it into town just yet, okay?" John walked over, holding the keys out to Liz.
"I can't believe it," she mumbled under her breath.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The party had moved inside the main house, and shifted into a lower gear. Everyone had wound down quite a bit after all the excitement of the day. Serena poked at the fire and got the flames roaring again. Liz remembered John saying how great a fire could feel on a cool summer night, he had been right. Nights were chilly up here in the mountains.
She sat directly in front of the hearth with her legs pulled up, arms wrapped around her knees. Max stood not far behind her, feeling the warmth of the flames soaking into his face. He felt the fire as it passed through Liz and entered into him. Time seemed to stand still for a few moments. She felt him behind her and simply extended her hand back over her head to him, without turning around.
Kal had explained to him that they were going to try to reach Zan through hypnosis. He assured him, that if they sensed any problems, Serena would pull him out of it. "Why would you think there would be any problems, Zan is part of me...always has been," he asked Serena, as he sat back and tried to get comfortable on the couch.
"I know Max, it's just that up til now, there has been a natural progression to your remembering. Kind of like ..you've remembered what Zan has allowed you to remember of his life. By doing this we are forcing things to happen to you, maybe earlier than they have been meant to." She tried to give a reassuring smile, then said, "I don't think there's going to be a problem, but I've promised Liz, and I'm promising you too, that at the first inkling of anything unusual, I will stop." Serena looked over at Liz and smiled.
"I'll be fine. Liz, I want to do this. I have to do this," he said to her, as she came over, sat down next to him and took his hand.
Liz knew in her heart that if there was a chance, this could be the only one they had. Serena pulled the chair across from them. Michael stood motioning to Maria to follow him outside.
"No Michael, I want you to stay," Max stopped him. There was no denying that Max looked scared, but he was gaining strength from everyone around him, as well as within him. "There'll be nothing said that you can't hear. You, too, Maria." They sat down together on the opposite side of the room.
After a few calming minutes, Serena had succeeded in putting Max where she needed him to be. "You're doing just fine, Max. I'm right here with you. I just want you now to relax even more, go back Max, relax even more. I want you to picture a safe and quiet place. Deeper, even deeper. I'm going to count now, from five, backwards to one. When I get to one, I will snap my finger and you will be in a very deep safe sleep."
She counted slowly and softly. Serena motioned to Liz to leave go of his hand, and then she snapped her fingers. Everything in the room was silent, except for the occasional crackling of burning wood in the fireplace. Minutes passed and no one said a word, while Max sat relaxed with his eyes closed, his breathing shallow, but steady. Serena spoke, "Zan? can you hear me?" There was no expression change on Max's face. He appeared to be totally relaxed.
Kal was sitting to the left of Max. He leaned up and asked, "It's me, Zan. It's Lan. Can you hear me." Max slowly opened his eyes and turned his head to look directly at Liz, then to the left, at Kal. He took a deep breath and then a heavy sigh. "I hear you," he placed his hand above his right ear. "..head hurts." Liz with wide eyes immediately looked to Serena, who gently shook her head, reassuring her that everything was still alright.
"I'm Serena, Zan," she said, feeling the need to introduce herself, for what reason she didn't quite know.
Zan smiled slightly, "Yes, you are," he smiled. "..and Kolt and Rath." He was speaking to them all, but he had again turned and was looking directly at Liz.
Liz didn't know what to say, she could only look back into his face. . Max's face, with the same soulful eyes..only more now. She was amazed. She noticed that his eyes seemed to be an even deeper color now, more intense. His voice was slightly different, too. There was a wonderful ring to it, a lilt; almost but not quite, a trace of a tone that seemed vaguely Scottish. And again she couldn't help but marvel at how these people had been. Everything now was becoming familiar to her, as the memories and thoughts of Ava drifted closer to the surface.
He couldn't take his eyes off of her. As if searching her face for a place to hide. Then ever so softly, "Ava . ." barely above a whisper. Tears began to fill his eyes, as he struggled to say the words. "I.. I am sorry," his voice cracked, and a sob caught deep in his throat. His fingertips slowly and carefully traced along her cheek. Liz could feel it rising within her too and was helpless to stop her own tears from welling over. She raised her hand to hold onto his fingers that were still softly carressing the side of her face as if for the very first, or maybe for the very last time. She was lost in there, she fell deep into his eyes. She wanted nothing more than to let go of all the restraints pulling her back to this world, to the here and the now.
Serena quickly took control of the scene. "Zan, I need you to listen to me carefully. I want you to relax again. I need you to close your eyes right now." Serena had begun to worry at Zan's alertness not to mention, his reaction with Ava. He appeared to be fully awake now, and she didn't feel that he should be. "Close your eyes now, while I count to ten, Zan. When I reach ten, you will be deeper asleep and the pain you feel inside your head will be gone."
Seconds passed as Serena counted. He was now fully asleep. Liz stood up as Maria came quickly to her side, handing her a tissue from her pocket. "Are you okay? God, the look on your face... Did you hear him? Did you hear Zan's voice?" Maria was totally shocked at what had just transpired in front of her. "There was actually a difference... I can't believe it. Oh, Liz," she put her arms around her. Ava leaned onto her friends shoulder, and cried with her.
Turning to Serena and John, Kal asked, "Now what?"
"We try again," was the quick reply from Serena. "We try this, just one more time. We really need to be able to keep him under while we talk to him." All was then quiet, til Serena again spoke.
"Zan, I need you to take me back, back to when Tess was here. Max and Liz had just...broken up, and he was very upset. Do you remember any of this, Zan?"
He silently nodded his head up and down, keeping his eyes closed. "Good." Serena went on. "Tess tried to get close to Max. She was always there with him, always around, because she knew that..." Serena stopped, then asked, "Can you tell me anything about this and what happened to him?"
"I don't remember very much about what happened. I didn't have control of Max's thoughts back then." Zan's voice started out slowly. "There's truly nothing that I want to remember from that time. There's much pain and feelings of betrayal." He opened his eyes and reached up rubbing the back of his neck, and Liz for a second saw the Max that she knew sitting there beside her. "He was manipulated, we were manipulated."
Michael quietly moved closer to the group, as he listened to Zan. "She convinced all of you early on, that she was truly Ava, when of course, she wasn't. In the beginning she succeeded several times to mindwarp him..us. She was always planting things, thoughts and false memories. But even weak, Max in the beginning, was stronger than she was. It seems that the hybrid factor made it harder for her to keep the warps ongoing. She began changin' other things, things that were happenin' around us, so that she appeared to be the only one who still cared. But even then, I still didn't trust her. I knew she was not Ava. But Max only knew that she was not Liz. Max loved Liz, he always had and he always would, and rightfully so."
His eyes closed, then he continued. "None of that was fitting in with her plan at all. And then things took an even darker turn, something happened," he looked puzzled. "Something changed drastically on the night of Max's prom. I had felt that he was slipping, really slipping and losing control but," he opened his eyes looking at Kal. "..from that night on, I remembered nothing. Nothing until the day Max was standin' inside the granolith, confronting her about a baby, about Kivar, and about killing his friend Alex and how she lied and manipulated him...all of us. That would be the day that we both woke up, quite literally."
"So you think she got help from someone other than Harding, of course,... or from something else?" It was John, who finally was the one to ask the question.
"There are a few very strong potions back on Antar that would have served her purpose. Trinium, Marcillin to name just two off the top of my head. I'm sure there are some others around here that would have the same effect, as well. And Max, a hybrid, would have been terribly suceptable to anything of that kind, much worse than he is even with alcohol." He paused, then added in a very matter-of-fact way, "There are tests, simple tissue tests. Traces would remain active in his system for a few months, nothing that would be harmful after the passage of time, but it would be there just the same."
He paused and then again his face became serious and filled with emotion. "There is one thing of which I am sure, this love that we have carried so heavy in our hearts for so long, could never have weighed so little in our minds. It would never have been given, and certainly not consummated, of our own free will. That would have been virtually impossible."
Everyone in the room sensed the emotion that was again building, the helplessness that he felt at not being able to change the mistakes of the past was thick in the air. "She took everything from me...from us..," he whispered. Liz took Zan's hand in hers, and after several seconds and the silence that again filled the room, Ava softly said, "She cannot change what is destiny."
Kal nodded at Serena, and she too had to agree with him that it was time to bring Max back to the surface. She looked to Liz who touched her lips to Zan's fingers.
"Is there anything you'd like to say or ask?" Kal whispered to Liz.
Her chest rose and fell once, before she answered. "Just . .thank you."
"I'm going to start now to count backward, from ten...."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Trinium and Marcillin," John repeated the names some thirty minutes after they had first been spoken in the room. "She could have had access to them through either Nicholas or any of the other Skins. Hell, she could have gotten it from Harding before he died, just in case of an emergency. They have the same properties as anti-psychotics like...Halidol."
"There's a test," Max stated, excitedly. "We'll do the test."
Liz reached quickly, grabbing him by the arm, shaking her head. "No Max. I don't want anymore of this, please. Do not do this for me." Her eyes pleaded with his. "I believe you. . you didn't know. It doesn't matter anymore why it happened. The why's and the how's aren't important now. I know that she did something to you, to make you turn against everyone that you loved. Between the mindwarping and now with even the slightlest chance of these drugs..." she sighed, slipping her arms around his waist. "Please..," she said, "..enough."
Serena stepped closer, "I think you both need to get some rest. It's almost eleven already, and it's been one of the longest days that I can remember for a long while. You kids have got to be exhausted, both physically and mentally."
Just then Liz's purse on the floor began to ring. She answered the cell inside, and then handed it to Max. "It's Jim Valenti."
"Thought you should know," the voice on the other end of the phone said. "Madison has just rented a bungalow over on 15th Street. Maddy from Hillcrest Realty just gave me a courtesy call," Valenti stated. "Looks like he's planning on making himself at home here. Paid six months in advance." Max handed the phone back to Liz, as the color drained from his face.
"Max, what is it? What's wrong?" Liz asked as she caught the chill that ran up his spine.
"You look like you've seen a ghost." Kal added somberly. "What''s goin on?"
"It seems Madison has taken a liking to Roswell. He's moving in."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The party out at the ranch had turned out to be a barbeque. Roasted pig, corn on the cob, and an array of homemade salads. John had taken the opportunity at the graduation ceremonies to invite both the Parkers and the Evans to the festivities. Even Isabel had managed to grab a ride over with her parents, to give her congratulations. Max figured she was lonely since Jessie was off at another seminar in Boston. Together with the help of a few ranch hands, and Pete and Coby, they even managed to hustle up a softball game. For those who were less athletically inclined, there were horseshoes and lawn croquet. Everyone seemed to be having a wonderful time.
Max and Liz's parents both made their farwells and headed for home close to seven o'clock. Right before getting into his car, Jeff had sought out Liz. "I like your new friends, Liz." He hugged her. "Kal's a bit eccentric," he laughed, "but, they're really down home folks aren't they?"
"Yes, Dad. Yes, they are." Liz was thinking, if you only knew, but she smiled and kiss him on the cheek.
The Babylon2 were fitting right in. Coby's personality was very outgoing and before long it felt like they had all known him for a considerable amount of time. "So Michael tells me that you actually had a key to the portal."
Max shook his head, thinking how strange it sounded referring to the granolith as a portal, a doorway. But he was in fact right. "Yeah, it was a diamond, a large one. It wasn't until after Tess ..left, that we realized that apparently she took the key with her. We figured that if she had succeeded and I had gone back with her, no one would have had the access again without the key. What about that page that Serena was talking about, the one you guys think is missing?"
"Yeah well, as far as the key is concerned, any old crystal will do, or so we believe. We'll be testing that hypothesis out tomorrow. And the missing page, well it seems to be the last page of the book. It's gonna hinder things quite a bit, unless we can come up with alot of new information about the machine itself. We have the ability now to calibrate it to specific co-ordinates," he looked at Max then continued explaining. "There are sky charts that we've managed to match up to descriptions and maps within the translations of the book. Things are moving along well. Now we just need the hands on stuff."
Isabel had spent a good deal of the early evening in the company of Pete, who had given her a tour of the horse stables. Michael was happy to see her joining in agaier mnd off of things. had walked past them at one point, and over heard their topic of conversation, it had been the granolith. He figured it had been the only thing that they had in common. As the day grew longer, Pete had given her a ride home in John's car.
Right before the sun actually set, John yelled for everyone's attention, motioning to them all that it was time for their surprise present. A graduation present, he explained from Kal, Serena and himself. He gathered them together inside the barn.
"Because you have all been such good boys and girls," he winked, "and because with all that has happened, we haven't taken the time to tell you all how happy we are to finally know you, and how proud we are of the young adults that you have become. We weren't sure what to do with this, and then Kal came up with this idea. It's all legal, and it's yours. So, share nice." Then came the great unveiling. John and Kal threw back the huge tarp covering the H2. There wasn't a closed mouth in the barn. Their mouths hung open in complete surprise and disbelief. Sitting there in front of them was the Hummer that had been left behind in Jarad's dust, up on the mountain.
"Oh My God. You've got to be kidding. John?...Kal..how did you..who's was this?" Max was speechless.
"It's a hummer, right?" Maria asked curiosiously.
"It's the frigg'n H2!" Michael could scarcely believe his eyes. The last time any of them had seen it, was when it had been abandoned out by the podchamber covered with two inches of desert dust.
"Well believe it or not, it was registered to Nicholas, out of New York state somewhere. We're not sure whether his papers were all legal, but the title in the glove compartment was. And now it's in Kal's name, well, for obvious reasons," he explained. "It would be kinda difficult for any of you to explain away how you could possibly afford this...all your cash together, couldn't pay the insurance on it. Anyway it's techically titled to Kal, but unofficially it belongs to all of you, to use as you see fit, whenever the necessity arises. We could have torched it and left it out in the desert so as not to raise any questions about it's missing owner. But that would have been just too sad. She's a beauty. Nicholas did have good taste. We figured that we'll drive it around in town for a few days, to get it seen. That way no one will think twice if they should see any of you driving it at any point afterward. Now does that answer your question, Michael?"
Michael looked dumbfoundedly from John to Kal. "What question?"
"The one about your get away transportation." The shocked group looked at one another. It was like Christmas morning and the Quad had just received their very first gift as a family, or at least that's how they all felt. "Now, why don't you all take a test drive. Just try not to take it into town just yet, okay?" John walked over, holding the keys out to Liz.
"I can't believe it," she mumbled under her breath.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The party had moved inside the main house, and shifted into a lower gear. Everyone had wound down quite a bit after all the excitement of the day. Serena poked at the fire and got the flames roaring again. Liz remembered John saying how great a fire could feel on a cool summer night, he had been right. Nights were chilly up here in the mountains.
She sat directly in front of the hearth with her legs pulled up, arms wrapped around her knees. Max stood not far behind her, feeling the warmth of the flames soaking into his face. He felt the fire as it passed through Liz and entered into him. Time seemed to stand still for a few moments. She felt him behind her and simply extended her hand back over her head to him, without turning around.
Kal had explained to him that they were going to try to reach Zan through hypnosis. He assured him, that if they sensed any problems, Serena would pull him out of it. "Why would you think there would be any problems, Zan is part of me...always has been," he asked Serena, as he sat back and tried to get comfortable on the couch.
"I know Max, it's just that up til now, there has been a natural progression to your remembering. Kind of like ..you've remembered what Zan has allowed you to remember of his life. By doing this we are forcing things to happen to you, maybe earlier than they have been meant to." She tried to give a reassuring smile, then said, "I don't think there's going to be a problem, but I've promised Liz, and I'm promising you too, that at the first inkling of anything unusual, I will stop." Serena looked over at Liz and smiled.
"I'll be fine. Liz, I want to do this. I have to do this," he said to her, as she came over, sat down next to him and took his hand.
Liz knew in her heart that if there was a chance, this could be the only one they had. Serena pulled the chair across from them. Michael stood motioning to Maria to follow him outside.
"No Michael, I want you to stay," Max stopped him. There was no denying that Max looked scared, but he was gaining strength from everyone around him, as well as within him. "There'll be nothing said that you can't hear. You, too, Maria." They sat down together on the opposite side of the room.
After a few calming minutes, Serena had succeeded in putting Max where she needed him to be. "You're doing just fine, Max. I'm right here with you. I just want you now to relax even more, go back Max, relax even more. I want you to picture a safe and quiet place. Deeper, even deeper. I'm going to count now, from five, backwards to one. When I get to one, I will snap my finger and you will be in a very deep safe sleep."
She counted slowly and softly. Serena motioned to Liz to leave go of his hand, and then she snapped her fingers. Everything in the room was silent, except for the occasional crackling of burning wood in the fireplace. Minutes passed and no one said a word, while Max sat relaxed with his eyes closed, his breathing shallow, but steady. Serena spoke, "Zan? can you hear me?" There was no expression change on Max's face. He appeared to be totally relaxed.
Kal was sitting to the left of Max. He leaned up and asked, "It's me, Zan. It's Lan. Can you hear me." Max slowly opened his eyes and turned his head to look directly at Liz, then to the left, at Kal. He took a deep breath and then a heavy sigh. "I hear you," he placed his hand above his right ear. "..head hurts." Liz with wide eyes immediately looked to Serena, who gently shook her head, reassuring her that everything was still alright.
"I'm Serena, Zan," she said, feeling the need to introduce herself, for what reason she didn't quite know.
Zan smiled slightly, "Yes, you are," he smiled. "..and Kolt and Rath." He was speaking to them all, but he had again turned and was looking directly at Liz.
Liz didn't know what to say, she could only look back into his face. . Max's face, with the same soulful eyes..only more now. She was amazed. She noticed that his eyes seemed to be an even deeper color now, more intense. His voice was slightly different, too. There was a wonderful ring to it, a lilt; almost but not quite, a trace of a tone that seemed vaguely Scottish. And again she couldn't help but marvel at how these people had been. Everything now was becoming familiar to her, as the memories and thoughts of Ava drifted closer to the surface.
He couldn't take his eyes off of her. As if searching her face for a place to hide. Then ever so softly, "Ava . ." barely above a whisper. Tears began to fill his eyes, as he struggled to say the words. "I.. I am sorry," his voice cracked, and a sob caught deep in his throat. His fingertips slowly and carefully traced along her cheek. Liz could feel it rising within her too and was helpless to stop her own tears from welling over. She raised her hand to hold onto his fingers that were still softly carressing the side of her face as if for the very first, or maybe for the very last time. She was lost in there, she fell deep into his eyes. She wanted nothing more than to let go of all the restraints pulling her back to this world, to the here and the now.
Serena quickly took control of the scene. "Zan, I need you to listen to me carefully. I want you to relax again. I need you to close your eyes right now." Serena had begun to worry at Zan's alertness not to mention, his reaction with Ava. He appeared to be fully awake now, and she didn't feel that he should be. "Close your eyes now, while I count to ten, Zan. When I reach ten, you will be deeper asleep and the pain you feel inside your head will be gone."
Seconds passed as Serena counted. He was now fully asleep. Liz stood up as Maria came quickly to her side, handing her a tissue from her pocket. "Are you okay? God, the look on your face... Did you hear him? Did you hear Zan's voice?" Maria was totally shocked at what had just transpired in front of her. "There was actually a difference... I can't believe it. Oh, Liz," she put her arms around her. Ava leaned onto her friends shoulder, and cried with her.
Turning to Serena and John, Kal asked, "Now what?"
"We try again," was the quick reply from Serena. "We try this, just one more time. We really need to be able to keep him under while we talk to him." All was then quiet, til Serena again spoke.
"Zan, I need you to take me back, back to when Tess was here. Max and Liz had just...broken up, and he was very upset. Do you remember any of this, Zan?"
He silently nodded his head up and down, keeping his eyes closed. "Good." Serena went on. "Tess tried to get close to Max. She was always there with him, always around, because she knew that..." Serena stopped, then asked, "Can you tell me anything about this and what happened to him?"
"I don't remember very much about what happened. I didn't have control of Max's thoughts back then." Zan's voice started out slowly. "There's truly nothing that I want to remember from that time. There's much pain and feelings of betrayal." He opened his eyes and reached up rubbing the back of his neck, and Liz for a second saw the Max that she knew sitting there beside her. "He was manipulated, we were manipulated."
Michael quietly moved closer to the group, as he listened to Zan. "She convinced all of you early on, that she was truly Ava, when of course, she wasn't. In the beginning she succeeded several times to mindwarp him..us. She was always planting things, thoughts and false memories. But even weak, Max in the beginning, was stronger than she was. It seems that the hybrid factor made it harder for her to keep the warps ongoing. She began changin' other things, things that were happenin' around us, so that she appeared to be the only one who still cared. But even then, I still didn't trust her. I knew she was not Ava. But Max only knew that she was not Liz. Max loved Liz, he always had and he always would, and rightfully so."
His eyes closed, then he continued. "None of that was fitting in with her plan at all. And then things took an even darker turn, something happened," he looked puzzled. "Something changed drastically on the night of Max's prom. I had felt that he was slipping, really slipping and losing control but," he opened his eyes looking at Kal. "..from that night on, I remembered nothing. Nothing until the day Max was standin' inside the granolith, confronting her about a baby, about Kivar, and about killing his friend Alex and how she lied and manipulated him...all of us. That would be the day that we both woke up, quite literally."
"So you think she got help from someone other than Harding, of course,... or from something else?" It was John, who finally was the one to ask the question.
"There are a few very strong potions back on Antar that would have served her purpose. Trinium, Marcillin to name just two off the top of my head. I'm sure there are some others around here that would have the same effect, as well. And Max, a hybrid, would have been terribly suceptable to anything of that kind, much worse than he is even with alcohol." He paused, then added in a very matter-of-fact way, "There are tests, simple tissue tests. Traces would remain active in his system for a few months, nothing that would be harmful after the passage of time, but it would be there just the same."
He paused and then again his face became serious and filled with emotion. "There is one thing of which I am sure, this love that we have carried so heavy in our hearts for so long, could never have weighed so little in our minds. It would never have been given, and certainly not consummated, of our own free will. That would have been virtually impossible."
Everyone in the room sensed the emotion that was again building, the helplessness that he felt at not being able to change the mistakes of the past was thick in the air. "She took everything from me...from us..," he whispered. Liz took Zan's hand in hers, and after several seconds and the silence that again filled the room, Ava softly said, "She cannot change what is destiny."
Kal nodded at Serena, and she too had to agree with him that it was time to bring Max back to the surface. She looked to Liz who touched her lips to Zan's fingers.
"Is there anything you'd like to say or ask?" Kal whispered to Liz.
Her chest rose and fell once, before she answered. "Just . .thank you."
"I'm going to start now to count backward, from ten...."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Trinium and Marcillin," John repeated the names some thirty minutes after they had first been spoken in the room. "She could have had access to them through either Nicholas or any of the other Skins. Hell, she could have gotten it from Harding before he died, just in case of an emergency. They have the same properties as anti-psychotics like...Halidol."
"There's a test," Max stated, excitedly. "We'll do the test."
Liz reached quickly, grabbing him by the arm, shaking her head. "No Max. I don't want anymore of this, please. Do not do this for me." Her eyes pleaded with his. "I believe you. . you didn't know. It doesn't matter anymore why it happened. The why's and the how's aren't important now. I know that she did something to you, to make you turn against everyone that you loved. Between the mindwarping and now with even the slightlest chance of these drugs..." she sighed, slipping her arms around his waist. "Please..," she said, "..enough."
Serena stepped closer, "I think you both need to get some rest. It's almost eleven already, and it's been one of the longest days that I can remember for a long while. You kids have got to be exhausted, both physically and mentally."
Just then Liz's purse on the floor began to ring. She answered the cell inside, and then handed it to Max. "It's Jim Valenti."
"Thought you should know," the voice on the other end of the phone said. "Madison has just rented a bungalow over on 15th Street. Maddy from Hillcrest Realty just gave me a courtesy call," Valenti stated. "Looks like he's planning on making himself at home here. Paid six months in advance." Max handed the phone back to Liz, as the color drained from his face.
"Max, what is it? What's wrong?" Liz asked as she caught the chill that ran up his spine.
"You look like you've seen a ghost." Kal added somberly. "What''s goin on?"
"It seems Madison has taken a liking to Roswell. He's moving in."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*lyrics belong to Lifehouse
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
The Saturday early morning sun promised a very hot day at the podchamber. Serena and the Babylon2 had arrived right after dawn, the others wandered in later, but still before nine. Their excitement was laced with anxiety and anticipation, as they stood in the outer chamber of the cave. The pods muraled the far wall in front of them. Liz noticed that even for 9am it was very warm inside the cave. Max stood by the door to the anteroom, while Liz sat on a boulder to his side. Michael, Maria and Isabel leaned against the cool cavern wall.
Pete was grinning from ear to ear as he opened a tan rectangular case made of leather. As everyone strained to get a look inside, he took something from the case and held it up for all to see. "This little thing here is a rare and treasured crystal from the early Cahokian tribe; they predated the Mesilika's here in this area of the southwest many years ago. They also at some point, inhabitant a small portion of the highlands of South America. Peru, actually." It appeared to be six to eight inches long and made of a clear iridescent material. "It's made of pure crystal that's been shaped into a beautiful small scepter."
"Wow, that is beautiful, " Liz said, as her eyes caught a glimmer of light from the object reflecting off the walls around them Pete had gotten everyone's attention, as they all moved in closer. "What is it?" she asked.
"We have this on loan, through Stanford, from the Museum of Indian Affairs in Ecuador." He handed it first to Serena, who placed it into Max's hand, as Liz leaned in to get a closer look. "Its origin is unknown; it was unearthed along with a few other unique Mayan pieces, in a dig near Lima about eighty years ago."
Max placed it in Liz's hands. For a few brief seconds, Liz got a succession of small flashes. First, was of herself, although she looked somehow older and different than now, and the second was of Max, but at closer glance she realized that it was an older Max, all too similar to the Max that had arrived that night on her balcony. They were standing holding the staff in their hands. There was such urgency in both of them, and Liz saw that she had tears in her eyes. Just as fast as it had arrived, the scene in Liz’s mind was gone again. She looked at Max, as she passed the staff to Michael, Maria and last to Isabel. "This has to do with us, Max, most definitely it does." Serena had witnessed her response to the crystal and shook her head in agreement.
"How did you know about this...this crystal?" Michael asked eyes wide.
Coby looked to Serena, but she nodded her head for him to answer. "RiverDog and Serena's father helped us greatly with a lot of background history. Indian folklore is just filled with wonderful legends, and one of those that has been written and verbally passed down from generation to generation for hundreds maybe thousands of years, says that the ancient ones from the sky had once left behind a key to the universe here on earth. Both Coby and I have extensive backgrounds in Early Central and Southern American Indian culture. We have studied this subject thoroughly. We've known Serena for many years, which is why she’s trusted us enough to ask our help in this truly incredible endeavor." The young man smiled over at her as he finished.
Pete continued. "When Serena confided in us, we fancied that maybe this granolith that she spoke of could have something to do with the legend. It's always been a topic of debate that the teachings had not as much to do with what had already happened, as they may have been somehow a foretelling of what was to come. In the last three months we've gotten very lucky. With the help of Alex Whitman’s translation and again with John's knowledge of the ancient languages of Adia, we decoded a section of the book which deals with something that they refer to as the rod of milunite. The text actually states rods, as in plural. It seems there have been seven. Anyway, thanks to John and Kal we know that the properties of the Antarian mineral milunite are exactly the same as our crystal here on earth. We discovered that this," he raised the staff up, after Isabel handed it carefully back to him, "this crystal rod, which was found in an old Mayan dig in Peru, is a key. . a key that just happens to fit your granolith here in Roswell, New Mexico." His face beamed as he spoke. He carefully laid the crystal staff back into its weathered leather case.
Kal smiled as he said, "The boys here, along with Serena's direction, tried a number of things out here earlier this morning, and not only does it fit like a glove, it works. We've got a lot of work yet to do, but this is a big jump, a big start."
"That's unbelievable. The Indian connection that people have talked about for centuries...." Max couldn't believe the full circle implication. "If it's not all coincidental, than that would mean that ..," he began slowly trying to understand the possibilities himself, "..the granolith has been here, or somewhere else here on earth...before. But before when? We know that both of you," he nodded to Kal and John, "brought it here on the ship in 1947."
Liz spoke without thinking. "If this is one of the same crystals spoken of in the book, then the legend could be referring to a time before the granolith was hidden away on Adia. I just don't remember ever hearing of a time back before it was hidden. My father's forefathers, I guess? We just always believed while growing up that it had existed since the beginning of time itself, you know how kids think." Liz paused as her smile changed suddenly to a strange look, as she realized what she had just said. Again she was remembering growing up on Adia and Antar. Max took her hand and squeezed it gently.
"Yes, Ava," Kal chided her. "It's okay Liz, you’ll get used to it. Besides, we want you to remember." Serena smiled at her. "You're thinking for two now, Liz," both Serena and Maria added at the very same moment. Everyone laughed, as Liz tried not to blush. "It's still pretty weird," Liz shook her head.
"No-o, you have to start thinking of it as absolutely normal," Kal replied, putting his arm around her shoulder.
Max wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and protect her from everything that was happening to her. He had seen Liz a lot in the last few days, and it had been special, each time. Like really good friends like it had once been way back in the beginning, and he guessed that this was where they had to start. But he had noticed since arriving at the chamber that she seemed to be avoiding any eye contact with him.
He sighed, as he watched her so engrossed in everything that she had now found herself so involved in, and a part of him felt jealous. Jealous of the fact that she was hanging on every word that Pete was saying, and he wished that he could trade places with him. He wanted to feel that way again with her. He needed her to share this space with him, the way it used to be. Would it ever get back to good again? Max, focus. Kal sent him a message that quickly and silently woke him from his daydream. His mind again returned to what Serena was saying.
"We've done many calculations, all based on co-ordinates that appear in the book. We've made a lot of headway in a short time. But as Kal has stated we have more work to do. We really don't know much about the granolith before it came to safe keeping hidden on Adia, but it sure does raise a lot of questions, doesn't it? The early Mayans and Incas both believed in visitors that came from the sky. In fact their ancient writings are saturated with their beliefs and lay credence to the fact that all of their agricultural knowledge was based on astronomical data; data which they would have had a very hard time acquiring on their own. If this truly is a rod of milunite, and it would appear based on the fact that the granolith in no uncertain terms interacted with it, and aside from all the other new and historical revelations that this information conjures up; maybe most important and intriguing to all of you should be the fact that there apparently are six others...somewhere out there."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Michael and Isabel sat just outside the cave, getting at least a little of the breeze that was kicking up occasionally. "So when's he coming home?" Michael asked carefully.
"Who knows, Michael? I don't know anything anymore," she ran her hands through her hair. "We have nothing between us, Michael, nothing. This is not what I expected out of a marriage. I'm beginning to think that you and Max and Mom were all right about me not marrying Jessie to begin with. Of course, it's too late for that now." She was up and pacing as she spoke.
"Maybe you need to do something, ya know...spontaneous. Like.. fly to Boston to surprise him."
"Michael, I don't think you understand. He obviously doesn't want me around. And I'm not so sure I really even want to see him. I don't know what I'd say to him," she admitted.
"Then what the hell's the problem, Isabel? You don't want to be around him and he doesn't want to be around you. Sounds simple. Maybe a test separation would be good for you both." Michael was so praying that Maria would pop on out the door to see where he was. Where was that girl when he really needed her? "Look, do you love him?"
"Yes...no, well not the way that I thought I would. Everything changed after the wedding. He doesn't know anything about me, Michael. Nothing! The person he loved doesn't exist...never did. I think we need to maybe have a test separation. It might be good for the both of us." Michael stared off in the distance. "Good idea, why didn't I think of that," he kissed quickly on the cheek. "I gotta go back before..ya know..Maria." She waved him off.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A summer storm rolled in just as the group was leaving the chamber. Serena, Pete and Coby stayed behind inside with Cal and John. Isabel jumped into the car with Michael and Maria, just as it was pulling away, leaving Liz standing by herself. She looked to the right then the left, seeing only Serena's car and the H2. Just then she heard the jingling of keys behind her. "Look what I've got,” Max jiggled the keys again. "May I give you a ride home, my lady?" he said in a deliberately official tone.
"Yes you may, your highness." She did a low graceful curtsy. He walked over opening the door, and then comically, lacing his fingers together he made a step with his hands to help her up into the truck, which was a climb even for him. He smiled thinking how small she looked standing next to it. She daintily placed her foot into his palms as he boosted her up into the seat. "You are so kind," she returned his comic tone. He bowed and carefully shut the passenger door, walking around and climbing up on the driver’s side.
"God, I love this thing. Part jeep, part tank. What else could ya possibly need?" she laughed.
"Yep, Nicholas was never into anything low profile," he thought a second on that, and then added, “unless you considered his stature." As they laughed together, their eyes met for the first time that day. It was a wonderfully delayed meeting. He couldn't look away, and Liz found she was fighting the urge to lean closer and brush her lips lightly against his. She just couldn’t. She composed herself and swallowed hard, sitting back up straight in the seat and changed the subject.
"It was so nice of Kal and John to do this, I still can't believe it. Remember now, we can't be riding up and down the streets of Roswell with it just yet. You can take the back way in and jump over Cahill to 4th Street, and drop me off at the backdoor of the Crashdown." He listened and heard every word she was saying, but couldn't look away from her lips. They moved so sensually, and he loved the way she moistened them with her tongue when she was nervous, like now. He put the key into the ignition and looked a long time at the steering wheel, thinking of another time when he sat behind the wheel with Liz by his side. The night he thought he was leaving Roswell forever..leaving Liz forever. It raked at his soul like nails on a blackboard and his mind shifted instead to their very first kiss. A night on Liz’s balcony that he would never forget no matter what else might happen now in his life.
"Max? ya okay?" she asked, watching him.
"Yes," he answered quickly snapping to attention. "Never been better. . Well maybe, once,” he added as he started the truck, and threw it into gear. Liz felt her face blush, and then distracted herself by looking through the glove compartment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"All that back there," Liz motioned back to the podchamber as they headed down the mountainside. "It’s crazy isn't it? I mean, it's fascinating but pretty unbelievable."
"Well, I have no doubts that they know what they're doing. Serena’s been up to her neck in this since she was a young girl. And Pete and Coby?” he smiled. “Looks I have found can be very deceiving. Although proof with the granolith would be pretty difficult to find. And as far as the key being one of a legendary seven...sounds like something out of an old sci-fi flick."
"Yep, you're right. You're referring, of course, to the same old sci-fi flick that we've all been stuck in." She was serious and Max knew it. "Max, the very same crystal that was found in a Mayan or Incan archeological dig in Peru is the same one that unlocks our granolith. Don't you think that's fascinating??" Liz's eyes were wide with wonder at all the possibilities.
"Look, you know me, I'm still having a hard time with the 'I'm an alien' thing, and now add to that 'the girl I love is an alien' thing." He smiled but caught his breath, not believing he had just said that out loud. He had just thrown it out there, just like that. He looked out of the corner of his eye and thought that maybe she hadn't caught it. She was busy playing with all of the fancy buttons in the middle of the dashboard. He jumped into another direction as quickly as he could.
"So, Kal mentioned to me that it may be a good idea to get our trip underway real soon, with this Madison guy being so close right now. Kal said that he's heading back to LA tomorrow to rap things up there. He's going to be moving a mini version of his operation down here. He's already referring to it as his branch office." He smiled. "And John will keep tabs on this guy while we're gone. John's reputation around these parts is indisputable, so he says that he's not worried about anything that might come up. He seems to think that he's got nothing to go on about any of us, because he hasn't made any kind of move. I'm worrying that he could be just taking his time to gather things together. Now would probably be a good time for us to get out of town for a while." He shifted the Hummer into a lower gear, trying to get used to the size and power under him.
"Yeah, I agree. We were talking about soon anyway, so maybe we should do this like...Monday, or even later tomorrow afternoon. I'll check with Maria and Michael. Ya know, Max, you worry too much. If there's a problem we can handle it.”
"That's because I have a lot more to worry about now. It's not just Michael and Isabel anymore. It's a lot more than that now," he said softly. When he noticed that she was looking at him so intently, he winked.
Liz knew exactly what he meant. "I can take care of myself, Max. I don't want you worrying about me," she looked back in his direction, than quickly away again. She then changed the subject again. "What about Isabel, is she coming?"
"I doubt it; Jessie's been staying in Boston even though, according to my Dad, he doesn't have to be there. Besides she's got her eye on Pete," he laughed slightly. "Pete and Coby will be staying here with Serena for at least another three weeks. I'm thinking Isabel will want to stick around here. Some things never change. At any rate, we'll get first hand information whenever we want it from Isabel or Serena."
"Look, we all knew that she was never meant to marry Jessie. She would have had to eventually tell him and, well, he never seemed to me to be the kind of guy who would be able to handle any of this. It was doomed from the start."
Her mind filled almost instantly, with all the negatives that she and Max had been through, and she wondered instead whether it was possible that something that was truly meant to be could end up doomed. She hated thinking so much about it. Fate was fate, she told herself, what would be would be. Not completely convincing even herself, she changed the subject yet again. "Have you heard from any of the colleges you applied to?"
"Well...," he hesitated, and then stopped shyly.
"What?" she smiled and poked him in the side.
"I just don't want to go to Massachusetts, even though it's an opportunity that is pretty hard to pass up," he stated it so matter of factly. MIT? Liz thought she might choke on his nonchalance.
"MIT???" she screamed, jumping up and down in the seat. "Not want to go, for the love of God, why not???" she hugged him tightly as his grip on the steering wheel almost sent them off the road. "Congratulations!"
"I'm glad you didn't do that,..back there on the mountain road," he motioned where they had just came down from, “or we'd be owing Kal and John some really big bucks for this tank. But, thanks for your enthusiasm! I just don't know yet. My parents think that the decision is already made, because well, just because I've been accepted there, but I don't feel that way at all."
"Max, you've been accepted to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology! Oh. my. God.,” again her excitement was taking her at least a foot up off the front seat.
"I know, it's great isn't it," he laughed out loud, finally showing some excitement. "I haven’t sent a reply to them yet. My parents are ecstatic. I think my dad pulled some strings to get me through the waiting list. How about you?" he said throwing the attention back to her.
"Umm, yeah, I've applied to a lot of schools," she nodded as she lied. "I haven't gotten many responses though. But I have time."
Max looked over at her, completely understanding. Things got quiet and she turned to watch the scenery flying by them. Well, the fates had again stepped in, hadn't they? She knew that the chances of her being accepted, even if she had bothered to apply there at MIT, were nada. She felt relieved. Well at least she thought she did. Didn't she? Whatever! she thought to herself. She felt freer now to choose a school, another location now. Regardless of anything else, she was proud of him and happy for him that he was being given an opportunity like this. He deserved it.
Max pulled the truck up to the backstairs of the Crashdown. "Well, here we are." He tried hard not to let his disappointment show. Damn, he thought, why didn't I drive slower? He smiled over at her. "I guess I'll see ya later on. Give me a ring after you talk to Maria...ya know, about the trip. Oh, and the two of you need to decide where we're going. I'm open to just about anything," he smiled then quickly added, "except Los Angeles. Been there, done that one. Twice is enough."
"Speaking of LA, I’m thinking that we should take off right after Kal leaves, maybe Monday. Maybe we'll head east. .southeast. Georgia or South Carolina. I hear the temperature's a tad cooler there than it is here," she answered, as she slid down out of the truck, out into the heat of the day. "I'll call you later. We need to get together with Kal before he leaves." At that she closed the door, and Max couldn't help but hear the silence that immediately filled the truck. He watched her as she climbed the back stairs, starting out at a good clip then slowing as she reached the top landing. She turned ever so briefly to wave before opening the door and disappearing inside.
He felt a ringing in his ears and wanted desperately to take a deep breath but he was afraid that his chest would burst. Instead he flicked on the radio. “Woah,” he said, listening to the music reverb around him. "Great sound system!" He kept glancing up at her door. He sat there for the longest while not wanting to leave, never wanting to ever leave. He reached over turning up the volume, listening, as his heart felt every word of the song that was playing on the radio.
Upstairs, Liz slowly closed the door behind her. Leaning her body back against it, she closed tearful eyes for several seconds and wished she didn't have to be this strong.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
The Saturday early morning sun promised a very hot day at the podchamber. Serena and the Babylon2 had arrived right after dawn, the others wandered in later, but still before nine. Their excitement was laced with anxiety and anticipation, as they stood in the outer chamber of the cave. The pods muraled the far wall in front of them. Liz noticed that even for 9am it was very warm inside the cave. Max stood by the door to the anteroom, while Liz sat on a boulder to his side. Michael, Maria and Isabel leaned against the cool cavern wall.
Pete was grinning from ear to ear as he opened a tan rectangular case made of leather. As everyone strained to get a look inside, he took something from the case and held it up for all to see. "This little thing here is a rare and treasured crystal from the early Cahokian tribe; they predated the Mesilika's here in this area of the southwest many years ago. They also at some point, inhabitant a small portion of the highlands of South America. Peru, actually." It appeared to be six to eight inches long and made of a clear iridescent material. "It's made of pure crystal that's been shaped into a beautiful small scepter."
"Wow, that is beautiful, " Liz said, as her eyes caught a glimmer of light from the object reflecting off the walls around them Pete had gotten everyone's attention, as they all moved in closer. "What is it?" she asked.
"We have this on loan, through Stanford, from the Museum of Indian Affairs in Ecuador." He handed it first to Serena, who placed it into Max's hand, as Liz leaned in to get a closer look. "Its origin is unknown; it was unearthed along with a few other unique Mayan pieces, in a dig near Lima about eighty years ago."
Max placed it in Liz's hands. For a few brief seconds, Liz got a succession of small flashes. First, was of herself, although she looked somehow older and different than now, and the second was of Max, but at closer glance she realized that it was an older Max, all too similar to the Max that had arrived that night on her balcony. They were standing holding the staff in their hands. There was such urgency in both of them, and Liz saw that she had tears in her eyes. Just as fast as it had arrived, the scene in Liz’s mind was gone again. She looked at Max, as she passed the staff to Michael, Maria and last to Isabel. "This has to do with us, Max, most definitely it does." Serena had witnessed her response to the crystal and shook her head in agreement.
"How did you know about this...this crystal?" Michael asked eyes wide.
Coby looked to Serena, but she nodded her head for him to answer. "RiverDog and Serena's father helped us greatly with a lot of background history. Indian folklore is just filled with wonderful legends, and one of those that has been written and verbally passed down from generation to generation for hundreds maybe thousands of years, says that the ancient ones from the sky had once left behind a key to the universe here on earth. Both Coby and I have extensive backgrounds in Early Central and Southern American Indian culture. We have studied this subject thoroughly. We've known Serena for many years, which is why she’s trusted us enough to ask our help in this truly incredible endeavor." The young man smiled over at her as he finished.
Pete continued. "When Serena confided in us, we fancied that maybe this granolith that she spoke of could have something to do with the legend. It's always been a topic of debate that the teachings had not as much to do with what had already happened, as they may have been somehow a foretelling of what was to come. In the last three months we've gotten very lucky. With the help of Alex Whitman’s translation and again with John's knowledge of the ancient languages of Adia, we decoded a section of the book which deals with something that they refer to as the rod of milunite. The text actually states rods, as in plural. It seems there have been seven. Anyway, thanks to John and Kal we know that the properties of the Antarian mineral milunite are exactly the same as our crystal here on earth. We discovered that this," he raised the staff up, after Isabel handed it carefully back to him, "this crystal rod, which was found in an old Mayan dig in Peru, is a key. . a key that just happens to fit your granolith here in Roswell, New Mexico." His face beamed as he spoke. He carefully laid the crystal staff back into its weathered leather case.
Kal smiled as he said, "The boys here, along with Serena's direction, tried a number of things out here earlier this morning, and not only does it fit like a glove, it works. We've got a lot of work yet to do, but this is a big jump, a big start."
"That's unbelievable. The Indian connection that people have talked about for centuries...." Max couldn't believe the full circle implication. "If it's not all coincidental, than that would mean that ..," he began slowly trying to understand the possibilities himself, "..the granolith has been here, or somewhere else here on earth...before. But before when? We know that both of you," he nodded to Kal and John, "brought it here on the ship in 1947."
Liz spoke without thinking. "If this is one of the same crystals spoken of in the book, then the legend could be referring to a time before the granolith was hidden away on Adia. I just don't remember ever hearing of a time back before it was hidden. My father's forefathers, I guess? We just always believed while growing up that it had existed since the beginning of time itself, you know how kids think." Liz paused as her smile changed suddenly to a strange look, as she realized what she had just said. Again she was remembering growing up on Adia and Antar. Max took her hand and squeezed it gently.
"Yes, Ava," Kal chided her. "It's okay Liz, you’ll get used to it. Besides, we want you to remember." Serena smiled at her. "You're thinking for two now, Liz," both Serena and Maria added at the very same moment. Everyone laughed, as Liz tried not to blush. "It's still pretty weird," Liz shook her head.
"No-o, you have to start thinking of it as absolutely normal," Kal replied, putting his arm around her shoulder.
Max wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and protect her from everything that was happening to her. He had seen Liz a lot in the last few days, and it had been special, each time. Like really good friends like it had once been way back in the beginning, and he guessed that this was where they had to start. But he had noticed since arriving at the chamber that she seemed to be avoiding any eye contact with him.
He sighed, as he watched her so engrossed in everything that she had now found herself so involved in, and a part of him felt jealous. Jealous of the fact that she was hanging on every word that Pete was saying, and he wished that he could trade places with him. He wanted to feel that way again with her. He needed her to share this space with him, the way it used to be. Would it ever get back to good again? Max, focus. Kal sent him a message that quickly and silently woke him from his daydream. His mind again returned to what Serena was saying.
"We've done many calculations, all based on co-ordinates that appear in the book. We've made a lot of headway in a short time. But as Kal has stated we have more work to do. We really don't know much about the granolith before it came to safe keeping hidden on Adia, but it sure does raise a lot of questions, doesn't it? The early Mayans and Incas both believed in visitors that came from the sky. In fact their ancient writings are saturated with their beliefs and lay credence to the fact that all of their agricultural knowledge was based on astronomical data; data which they would have had a very hard time acquiring on their own. If this truly is a rod of milunite, and it would appear based on the fact that the granolith in no uncertain terms interacted with it, and aside from all the other new and historical revelations that this information conjures up; maybe most important and intriguing to all of you should be the fact that there apparently are six others...somewhere out there."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Michael and Isabel sat just outside the cave, getting at least a little of the breeze that was kicking up occasionally. "So when's he coming home?" Michael asked carefully.
"Who knows, Michael? I don't know anything anymore," she ran her hands through her hair. "We have nothing between us, Michael, nothing. This is not what I expected out of a marriage. I'm beginning to think that you and Max and Mom were all right about me not marrying Jessie to begin with. Of course, it's too late for that now." She was up and pacing as she spoke.
"Maybe you need to do something, ya know...spontaneous. Like.. fly to Boston to surprise him."
"Michael, I don't think you understand. He obviously doesn't want me around. And I'm not so sure I really even want to see him. I don't know what I'd say to him," she admitted.
"Then what the hell's the problem, Isabel? You don't want to be around him and he doesn't want to be around you. Sounds simple. Maybe a test separation would be good for you both." Michael was so praying that Maria would pop on out the door to see where he was. Where was that girl when he really needed her? "Look, do you love him?"
"Yes...no, well not the way that I thought I would. Everything changed after the wedding. He doesn't know anything about me, Michael. Nothing! The person he loved doesn't exist...never did. I think we need to maybe have a test separation. It might be good for the both of us." Michael stared off in the distance. "Good idea, why didn't I think of that," he kissed quickly on the cheek. "I gotta go back before..ya know..Maria." She waved him off.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A summer storm rolled in just as the group was leaving the chamber. Serena, Pete and Coby stayed behind inside with Cal and John. Isabel jumped into the car with Michael and Maria, just as it was pulling away, leaving Liz standing by herself. She looked to the right then the left, seeing only Serena's car and the H2. Just then she heard the jingling of keys behind her. "Look what I've got,” Max jiggled the keys again. "May I give you a ride home, my lady?" he said in a deliberately official tone.
"Yes you may, your highness." She did a low graceful curtsy. He walked over opening the door, and then comically, lacing his fingers together he made a step with his hands to help her up into the truck, which was a climb even for him. He smiled thinking how small she looked standing next to it. She daintily placed her foot into his palms as he boosted her up into the seat. "You are so kind," she returned his comic tone. He bowed and carefully shut the passenger door, walking around and climbing up on the driver’s side.
"God, I love this thing. Part jeep, part tank. What else could ya possibly need?" she laughed.
"Yep, Nicholas was never into anything low profile," he thought a second on that, and then added, “unless you considered his stature." As they laughed together, their eyes met for the first time that day. It was a wonderfully delayed meeting. He couldn't look away, and Liz found she was fighting the urge to lean closer and brush her lips lightly against his. She just couldn’t. She composed herself and swallowed hard, sitting back up straight in the seat and changed the subject.
"It was so nice of Kal and John to do this, I still can't believe it. Remember now, we can't be riding up and down the streets of Roswell with it just yet. You can take the back way in and jump over Cahill to 4th Street, and drop me off at the backdoor of the Crashdown." He listened and heard every word she was saying, but couldn't look away from her lips. They moved so sensually, and he loved the way she moistened them with her tongue when she was nervous, like now. He put the key into the ignition and looked a long time at the steering wheel, thinking of another time when he sat behind the wheel with Liz by his side. The night he thought he was leaving Roswell forever..leaving Liz forever. It raked at his soul like nails on a blackboard and his mind shifted instead to their very first kiss. A night on Liz’s balcony that he would never forget no matter what else might happen now in his life.
"Max? ya okay?" she asked, watching him.
"Yes," he answered quickly snapping to attention. "Never been better. . Well maybe, once,” he added as he started the truck, and threw it into gear. Liz felt her face blush, and then distracted herself by looking through the glove compartment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"All that back there," Liz motioned back to the podchamber as they headed down the mountainside. "It’s crazy isn't it? I mean, it's fascinating but pretty unbelievable."
"Well, I have no doubts that they know what they're doing. Serena’s been up to her neck in this since she was a young girl. And Pete and Coby?” he smiled. “Looks I have found can be very deceiving. Although proof with the granolith would be pretty difficult to find. And as far as the key being one of a legendary seven...sounds like something out of an old sci-fi flick."
"Yep, you're right. You're referring, of course, to the same old sci-fi flick that we've all been stuck in." She was serious and Max knew it. "Max, the very same crystal that was found in a Mayan or Incan archeological dig in Peru is the same one that unlocks our granolith. Don't you think that's fascinating??" Liz's eyes were wide with wonder at all the possibilities.
"Look, you know me, I'm still having a hard time with the 'I'm an alien' thing, and now add to that 'the girl I love is an alien' thing." He smiled but caught his breath, not believing he had just said that out loud. He had just thrown it out there, just like that. He looked out of the corner of his eye and thought that maybe she hadn't caught it. She was busy playing with all of the fancy buttons in the middle of the dashboard. He jumped into another direction as quickly as he could.
"So, Kal mentioned to me that it may be a good idea to get our trip underway real soon, with this Madison guy being so close right now. Kal said that he's heading back to LA tomorrow to rap things up there. He's going to be moving a mini version of his operation down here. He's already referring to it as his branch office." He smiled. "And John will keep tabs on this guy while we're gone. John's reputation around these parts is indisputable, so he says that he's not worried about anything that might come up. He seems to think that he's got nothing to go on about any of us, because he hasn't made any kind of move. I'm worrying that he could be just taking his time to gather things together. Now would probably be a good time for us to get out of town for a while." He shifted the Hummer into a lower gear, trying to get used to the size and power under him.
"Yeah, I agree. We were talking about soon anyway, so maybe we should do this like...Monday, or even later tomorrow afternoon. I'll check with Maria and Michael. Ya know, Max, you worry too much. If there's a problem we can handle it.”
"That's because I have a lot more to worry about now. It's not just Michael and Isabel anymore. It's a lot more than that now," he said softly. When he noticed that she was looking at him so intently, he winked.
Liz knew exactly what he meant. "I can take care of myself, Max. I don't want you worrying about me," she looked back in his direction, than quickly away again. She then changed the subject again. "What about Isabel, is she coming?"
"I doubt it; Jessie's been staying in Boston even though, according to my Dad, he doesn't have to be there. Besides she's got her eye on Pete," he laughed slightly. "Pete and Coby will be staying here with Serena for at least another three weeks. I'm thinking Isabel will want to stick around here. Some things never change. At any rate, we'll get first hand information whenever we want it from Isabel or Serena."
"Look, we all knew that she was never meant to marry Jessie. She would have had to eventually tell him and, well, he never seemed to me to be the kind of guy who would be able to handle any of this. It was doomed from the start."
Her mind filled almost instantly, with all the negatives that she and Max had been through, and she wondered instead whether it was possible that something that was truly meant to be could end up doomed. She hated thinking so much about it. Fate was fate, she told herself, what would be would be. Not completely convincing even herself, she changed the subject yet again. "Have you heard from any of the colleges you applied to?"
"Well...," he hesitated, and then stopped shyly.
"What?" she smiled and poked him in the side.
"I just don't want to go to Massachusetts, even though it's an opportunity that is pretty hard to pass up," he stated it so matter of factly. MIT? Liz thought she might choke on his nonchalance.
"MIT???" she screamed, jumping up and down in the seat. "Not want to go, for the love of God, why not???" she hugged him tightly as his grip on the steering wheel almost sent them off the road. "Congratulations!"
"I'm glad you didn't do that,..back there on the mountain road," he motioned where they had just came down from, “or we'd be owing Kal and John some really big bucks for this tank. But, thanks for your enthusiasm! I just don't know yet. My parents think that the decision is already made, because well, just because I've been accepted there, but I don't feel that way at all."
"Max, you've been accepted to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology! Oh. my. God.,” again her excitement was taking her at least a foot up off the front seat.
"I know, it's great isn't it," he laughed out loud, finally showing some excitement. "I haven’t sent a reply to them yet. My parents are ecstatic. I think my dad pulled some strings to get me through the waiting list. How about you?" he said throwing the attention back to her.
"Umm, yeah, I've applied to a lot of schools," she nodded as she lied. "I haven't gotten many responses though. But I have time."
Max looked over at her, completely understanding. Things got quiet and she turned to watch the scenery flying by them. Well, the fates had again stepped in, hadn't they? She knew that the chances of her being accepted, even if she had bothered to apply there at MIT, were nada. She felt relieved. Well at least she thought she did. Didn't she? Whatever! she thought to herself. She felt freer now to choose a school, another location now. Regardless of anything else, she was proud of him and happy for him that he was being given an opportunity like this. He deserved it.
Max pulled the truck up to the backstairs of the Crashdown. "Well, here we are." He tried hard not to let his disappointment show. Damn, he thought, why didn't I drive slower? He smiled over at her. "I guess I'll see ya later on. Give me a ring after you talk to Maria...ya know, about the trip. Oh, and the two of you need to decide where we're going. I'm open to just about anything," he smiled then quickly added, "except Los Angeles. Been there, done that one. Twice is enough."
"Speaking of LA, I’m thinking that we should take off right after Kal leaves, maybe Monday. Maybe we'll head east. .southeast. Georgia or South Carolina. I hear the temperature's a tad cooler there than it is here," she answered, as she slid down out of the truck, out into the heat of the day. "I'll call you later. We need to get together with Kal before he leaves." At that she closed the door, and Max couldn't help but hear the silence that immediately filled the truck. He watched her as she climbed the back stairs, starting out at a good clip then slowing as she reached the top landing. She turned ever so briefly to wave before opening the door and disappearing inside.
He felt a ringing in his ears and wanted desperately to take a deep breath but he was afraid that his chest would burst. Instead he flicked on the radio. “Woah,” he said, listening to the music reverb around him. "Great sound system!" He kept glancing up at her door. He sat there for the longest while not wanting to leave, never wanting to ever leave. He reached over turning up the volume, listening, as his heart felt every word of the song that was playing on the radio.
Upstairs, Liz slowly closed the door behind her. Leaning her body back against it, she closed tearful eyes for several seconds and wished she didn't have to be this strong.
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