Discovering Liz Parker (CC) - MATURE - ~{COMPLETE}~

[Midwest Max]

Title: Discovering Liz Parker
Author: Karen
Rating: MATURE
Disclaimer: Oh, if only they'd pay me! Alas, they will not
Summary: Sequel to Searching for Liz Parker; Liz has a new gift - but why? Resumes about a month after the end of the last fic.


Part One

Liz Parker chewed on the end of her pencil, her brow furrowed in concentration. Before her, trapped under one hand, was the chemistry test for which she’d been studying for weeks. She knew the material – she could recite it in her sleep – but she was unable to dredge up any information now that it counted.

And the reason she was struggling was because she couldn’t focus on the test. Instead, she felt everything that was going on around her. The young man in the seat next to her was panicking, his anxiety riddled with self-doubt and self-reprimand; he hadn’t studied enough. The girl three seats over was breezing through the test, her emotions full of confidence and satisfaction.

The girl two seats ahead of Liz was upset, despondent, on the verge of depression. It was emotions like those that she couldn’t ignore. Immediately, her mind started forming the questions: Did the girl break up with her boyfriend? Had a relative died? Was she depressed enough to commit suicide? Was she clinical?

Liz shook her head, trying to block the girl’s anxiety and concentrate on her test. She’d read the same question at least a dozen times now. But every time she started to digest it, the nervousness of the boy beside her crowded her mind instead. She was only vaguely aware that people were starting to leave the lecture hall, that instead of being the first one done with her test, she was trailing far behind.

“Pencils down,” the professor called. “That’s time.”

Liz gulped. It couldn’t be. She put her pencil on her desktop and held up the test – she’d left more than half the questions blank. There was no way she was going to pass. Fighting tears and the urge to gag, she gathered her things and dropped the test on the professor’s desk as she left the room – but not before she saw the look in his eyes.

This past summer, Liz had been granted a much-coveted internship at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Massachusetts. Due to a personal crisis – the development of her new powers – she’d missed that internship and every faculty member at the school knew about it. They’d granted a wish to a budding young scientist only to have it inexplicably wasted. Liz had offered them no explanation other than she’d had health problems. She hadn’t convinced them.

Clutching her books to her chest, Liz bit back her tears again as she made her way into the bright New Mexico sun. She didn’t want to admit it, but she knew that her career at this school was finished. If she didn’t get her grades up, her career at any school was finished. Never did she think that she, Liz Parker, National Merit Scholar, would be on academic probation. But only a month into the semester, she was dangerously close to it.

Happiness, anticipation, blossoming love.

Those feelings should have been welcome to the person feeling them, but instead it only upset Liz more. She was passing a couple sitting on the steps, their manner cautious like two people who had met only recently. She was happy for them – but she just wanted to turn the floodgate off and feel only her own emotions for a change.

*****

“You’re making me fat, Michael Guerin.”

Michael looked up from his bed and spied Maria Deluca standing sideways before the mirror, baring her belly. He smiled. She wasn’t fat – she was merely putting on the weight she’d lost consuming a steady diet of Spaghetti-Os while living on the road with The Whits.

“Yep, you’re a tub,” Michael agreed, then returned his attention to the text book he was reading.

“Michael!” Maria shrieked, dropping her shirt. She was laughing, though, as she crawled onto the bed. “It’s all your fault. Cooking with cream and real butter.” She laid a quick kiss on his lips.

“That’s the way you’re supposed to do it,” he defended. “You think the great chefs of Europe use skim milk and Parkay margarine?”

“I don’t care about the great chefs of Europe,” she said, her eyes remaining on his lips, hers twisted into a playful smile. “I’m more interested in the great chefs of New Mexico.”

Michael rolled his eyes. “Maria, I’m hardly a great –“

He was silenced by another kiss from her. Soon the text book fell to the floor as he slid his fingers into her hair and returned her embrace. After a few all-too-brief moments, she pulled back from him.

“Where’s Isabel?” she asked.

He shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“When will she be home?”

“I don’t know.”

Maria sighed impatiently. “Do you think we have time to – you know.”

“I don’t know.” Michael loved the exasperated look that came over her face and he snorted a laugh. “She’s probably at school.”

Maria’s brow furrowed. “She’s always at school, it seems. Is everything okay with her?”

Michael shrugged again. “I guess. Why do you ask?”

Forgetting her romantic pursuit, Maria fell onto her back and looked up at the ceiling. “I don’t think she likes me being here.”

“Oh, Maria, please. That isn’t true. Why do you think that?”

“Well, for one – she’s never here.”

“Yes, she’s at school,” he repeated slowly.

“But all this time? Is she taking thirty credits or something?” Maria waved her hand in the air demonstratively. “I think she’s tired of me being here.”

Michael shifted on to his side and reached over to play with a strand of her hair, which was now back to its natural blonde. “I don’t think it’s you. I think maybe it’s us.”

Maria looked at him curiously. “Us?”

“Yeah. I mean, Max has Liz. I have you.”

“And Iz has nobody.”

Michael nodded. “I don’t think it’s the fact you’re here. I think it’s the fact she’s alone.”

Maria frowned. “I wish I knew someone…”

“Like an alien?” He shook his head. “Isabel knows she has to be careful, Maria. It may take her a very long time to find someone she can trust enough to let in.” He gave her a half-smile. “I got lucky on the first try.”

Maria smiled in return and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “If you play your cards right, you could get lucky right now.”

*****

The urge to cry had left Liz by the time she walked to the apartment she and Max now shared. Instead, she felt empty inside, like the battle she was fighting was now hopeless. As she crossed the parking lot, she spied Max bouncing a basketball in the courts on the other side of the lot. He was wearing a pair of gray sweat shorts and an ill-fitting white tank. He dribbled the ball several times, then with perfect form took a shot; the ball went through the hoop touching only the net. Liz knew he wasn’t using his powers – Max was just that good.

As he chased down the ball, he spotted her approaching him. Grinning, he stuffed the ball between his elbow and hip and waved. Happiness, bliss, unadulterated love. Liz’s smile was genuine – she could always count on Max. Even during disagreements, she could still feel his love for her under it all.

“Hi, babe,” he said, leaning in and giving her a kiss. His skin was warm, damp with a light sheen of sweat.

“Hi,” she answered, accepting his enthusiastic embrace.

Max’s smile faded away when he realized she was less than happy. “So, how did the test go?” Concern, dread.

Liz looked away, her eyes settling on a man walking a dog in the distance. “Not so good, Max.”

Sympathy. Disappointment – not in her, but for her. “I’m sorry.”

She met his gaze. “I know you are,” she confirmed, her jaw set.

Understanding, caution. “Let’s go inside,” Max offered. “I’ll make you something to eat.”

As she followed him up the stairs, she found it amusing that Max was such a mother hen when she was hurting. It was always “Let me run you a bath” or “Let me get you a drink” or “Let me make dinner for you.” He was so sweet sometimes she felt guilty for being glum.

In the kitchen, he pulled out a chair for her, then went to the refrigerator to survey the contents. Liz sat, her gaze turning to the tile floor where she had once carved the whirlwind symbol with the end of a spoon. The mark was now gone – Renovations by Isabel – but Liz still looked for it. It was a reminder of the turning point in her life.

“How about something light before dinner?” Max suggested as he tipped his head to see what was in the back of the refrigerator.

“Sounds good,” Liz answered mechanically.

“Tuna?”

She nodded and Max began gathering the ingredients for tuna salad. The room was quiet as he stood at the counter and made two sandwiches. He placed one before Liz, then sat down opposite from her. Hopeful, eager to please.

Liz looked at the wheat bread and realized she really didn’t want anything to eat. Drawing in a deep breath, she said to the sandwich, “I’m going to fail out.”
Surprise. “What do you mean?” Max asked.

Liz lifted her head. “I didn’t even get half of the questions answered, Max. And what are the odds that I got all of the ones I did answer right?” She frowned and shook her head. “If I fail chemistry, I can just about forget a career in any science field.”

Max wiped his hands on his shorts. “Can you tell me what happened?” he asked carefully. “I know you knew the material.”

“I did,” she agreed, her gaze steady on his. “And then the kid next to me started to panic. Then all I could concentrate on was the fact he was panicking. When it wasn’t him, it was the suicide queen ahead of me.”

Max’s dark eyes were sad. “I’m sorry, Liz.”

“I know you are,” she repeated. “I know you are because I can feel it.”

“We’ll work on that,” he tried to reassure her. “We’ll work on getting you able to shut people out.”

“Nothing we’ve tried has worked,” she stated matter-of-factly. “Maybe this is just the way I am now. I just wish…” Her voice trailed off and she looked away from him, back to the floor where the whirlwind should be.

Reaching across the table, Max took her small hand in his. “You wish what, love?”

She met his gaze steadily. “I just wish that I could have had this ‘gift’ while Alex was still alive.”

Grief. “Liz –“

“No, Max. You don’t understand the guilt of knowing that maybe I could have known what was going on with him or with Tess. If I had been able to read their emotions, maybe he’d still be alive today. Why couldn’t this have happened to me then? Why is it happening to me now when all it’s causing is misery?”

Max released her hand and touched her hair, which was beginning to regain its former health. “I do know that guilt,” he said softly and Liz immediately shared that feeling. “But there are so many ‘what ifs’ when it comes to Alex’s death. What if I’d been closer to the accident site and able to get to him before he’d died? What if he’d come to one of us instead of going to confront Tess? You can’t beat yourself up about a power you didn’t have at the time and didn’t know you’d get in the future. I believe every thing has a time and a purpose.”

“What is my purpose, Max?” Liz asked, her stoic demeanor falling aside.

His fingers grazed her face. “In the greater scheme of things, I don’t know, Liz. I think it’s yet to be determined.” He smiled gently. “But for now, your purpose is to be with me, to let me help you work through all of these new things that are happening to you. Because I think right now that’s my purpose.”

She smiled back at him and took his hand in hers.

“As for my immediate purpose, I think I need a shower,” he laughed and Liz nodded her agreement. His expression turned devilish. “And I think your immediate purpose is to join me.”

Of course she relented to his request. As she followed him down the hallway, she hoped he was right. She hoped that there was a reason for everything that happened – and that the reason for her new power wasn’t to make her fail out of school or drive her crazy.

tbc
~~~~~~

It's not going to stay this angsty - I promise

[Midwest Max]

Thanks for so much enthusiam! It's very much appreciated!!


Part Two

To some, being a college student and major-less could be a debilitating distraction – uncertainty for the future, pressure to pick the correct field, not a dead-end occupation that would put them in the unemployment line eventually. But to Isabel Evans, being without a chosen path was a Godsend.

Without a major, she could study anything she wanted. Sure, it might take her ten years to graduate at that rate, but she didn’t really care. Each semester, instead of picking out classes defined by a curriculum, Isabel chose hers based on interest. While math and science fell to the side, she gobbled up Art History, Music History, and Abnormal Psychology. She took the last because she wanted to hear the professor’s stories of the insane asylum. Entertainment value – that’s how she picked her course in life.

And it felt good to indulge herself for a change. Too much had happen to her and her alien siblings in their short lives, too many bad things. There hadn’t been much joy, much chance to do something that made completely no sense – like taking a class in archery. But now, with Liz safely home albeit a little frazzled, Michael and Maria on the mend and on their own path, Isabel felt free to do something she wanted to do. Which at the moment was study the impact of conspiracy theories on modern literature.

Isabel’s brow was furrowed in concentration as she scanned the page of her text book. She was only in the preface, but she was eager to see what the course held in store. When she reached a particular event, her eyebrows shot straight up. The infamous Roswell crash of 1947. Involuntarily, she rolled her eyes – how had she not seen that coming? Aside from the Kennedy assassination, wasn’t the Roswell crash the grand daddy of all conspiracies? She had a fleeting thought to abandon the class, but then realized that just maybe listening to the prof get all of the details wrong would be entertaining. She’d even be willing to take those stories home and share them with her brothers so they could all get a good laugh.

“Well, now there’s a pretty lady who shouldn’t be sitting all alone.”

The hair on the back of Isabel’s neck immediately bristled. Here it came – some jerk who thought that they were allowed to hit on her because she was pretty. Some jerk who thought that she was stupid because she was blond. Some jerk who was only hitting on her because she was busty.

Annoyed, she lifted her head, her face a mask of annoyance. But when she saw the young man standing over her table, the irritation drifted away and she was momentarily stunned – he was gorgeous.

“Oh, sorry,” he said sheepishly, having caught her pissed-off expression. He scratched his head, behind his right ear, and Isabel was immediately reminded of Max. “I just suck at making small talk.”

Isabel quickly snapped her sarcasm chip back into place. “But you seem perfectly capable of sexist, misogynistic comments.”

His cheeks flushed slightly as he held up his hands in a surrender position. “Again, sorry. I’m not good at approaching people. I shouldn’t have interrupted you.”

He turned to flee and Isabel felt a wave of guilt. She could still be a bitch when she wanted, but at least now she was able to feel some remorse because of it.

“Wait,” she called and was pleased to see him stop. “I’m the one who’s sorry. Would you like to sit down?”

Relief flooding his young face, he grinned and Isabel felt her stomach do a little flip – he was even more gorgeous when he smiled. As he pulled out the chair across from her, he held out his hand.

“I’m Carter,” he said.

She returned his smile and shook his hand lightly. “Isabel.”

“Isabel,” he said as he sat. “That’s a pretty name…” His voice drifted off and his eyes darted away quickly. “That wasn’t a pick up line or anything. I really think it’s pretty.”

Isabel laughed lightly. “I’m sorry about snapping at you, it’s just that –“

“You get hit on by every guy who crossed your path?” he guessed.

Surprised, she laughed and nodded. “How did you guess?”

Carter cocked his head. “Well, I would say that it should be obvious, but that would just be another – what did you say? Misogynistic comment?” There was a hint of playfulness in his tone.

Isabel flushed. “Yeah, let’s just forget the last three minutes happened, okay?”

He nodded. “Fair enough.” He looked at her book. “What’s your major?” Then he burst out laughing, a full, unreserved laugh that took Isabel slightly off guard. “Well, how’s that for a clichéd pickup line?”

She laughed with him. “I don’t have a major,” she answered.

“Liberal arts, then,” he said, shrugging off his coat and letting it fall across the back of the plastic cafeteria chair.

“I guess you could say that. You?”

“Pre-med.”

Isabel’s eyebrows rose slightly. As he explained about where he was in the program, she couldn’t keep her eyes from roaming over his well-fitting T-shirt, the healthy bulge of his biceps. His hair was a rich blond, his eyes a deep blue – she thought maybe he was of Scandinavian descent, but she couldn’t be sure. It was hard to be sure of anyone’s descent, considering the uniqueness of hers.

The whole time he talked, in her head she had an image of them together – the most striking couple at the university. And she liked that image.

*****

Liz lay perfectly still and watched Max sleep. She could feel nothing he was feeling, and she had to wonder if people didn’t have emotions when they slept, or if she was simply unable to read them then.

A light snore was coming from her fiancé and she smiled lightly. It had been a long time since he’d been relaxed enough to sleep soundly enough to snore. These days, Max was happy, hopeful. His being happy made Liz happy. She had an overwhelming urge to touch him, but knew if she did, her peace would be over.

It was only at times like these, when they were alone and Max was asleep, that she got any reprieve from her new ‘gift.’ She had begun to look forward to nighttime, to when she could breathe easily again. Often she would make herself stay up into the wee hours of the morning, just to enjoy the silence in her head. But the next day she would be exhausted and less able to cope with the feelings when they came. It was an unfair trade off.

As Liz listened to Max’s rhythmic snoring, it started to lull her into drowsiness. She fought it as long as she could, but eventually she lost the battle and slipped slowly into slumber…

Everything was fuzzy around the edges. Liz looked around slowly, felt like she was moving under water. It took a few moments before she realized where she was – the Crashdown. It didn’t really make sense, not since she’d long ago moved to Albuquerque to go to school. But for some reason her dream world had brought her back here, to the café her parents owned.

“It’s because of me,” a painfully familiar voice said. “This is the last place you saw me.”

Suddenly, as if appearing from a fog, Liz spotted Alex sitting at the counter. Joy burst within her and she ran to him, threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

“Oh my God!” Liz cried, though her tears had no substance.

Alex laughed lightly. “He had something to do with it, yes.”

Liz pulled back and hopped into the stool next to his, never letting his hand go. “Why are you here? How did you get here?”

He shrugged. “You want me to be here, so I am.”

She frowned. “I don’t want you to be here,” she corrected. “I want you to be back in the real world.”

Alex tilted his head to the side. “Liz, you know I can’t be.”

Her gaze drifted off, tried to focus on something in the distance and couldn’t.

“Liz, I love seeing you and all, but do you know why I’m here?”

She met his eyes, then nodded. “I think so. I have this new power,” she said, frowning.

“That’s great!”

She shook her head. “Not really. I feel what other people are feeling all of the time. Sometimes I can’t tell which emotions are mine and which are theirs.”

“Oh,” Alex said, some of his enthusiasm waning.

Out of curiosity, she pushed out with her new power, trying to get a grip on his emotions. She felt nothing. “Why can’t I feel what you’re feeling?” she asked. “Is it because you’re dead?”

He shook his head. “No. Dead people still have feelings. You’re asleep.”

Interesting. Liz sighed. “I think maybe you can see why I’m not exactly thrilled with this new gift, as Max keeps calling it.”

Alex shrugged. “Maybe it is a gift, Liz.”

“How can it be? It feels more like a curse.”

“Do you think the power to heal could be a curse?”

She thought about it, thought back on Max’s Christmas crisis from a few years before – he’d let a man die, then had suffered guilt to the point where he almost got himself caught trying to right a wrong. Then she thought of the look on Max’s face when he’d exited the coroner’s van after Alex’s car accident – she would never forget the devastation there, the sense that he’d disappointed everyone, including Alex.

“You do understand,” Alex said. “You know that nothing special comes without a price.”

“But what am I supposed to do with this special thing?” she asked, frustrated. “I can only think of one use for it, and at that time I didn’t have it.”

“Is that where I come in?” he asked, his tone suggesting he already knew the answer.

Liz looked down at her feet. “Yes. I just keep thinking that if I had developed this new power sooner, I might have been able to prevent what happened.”

Alex squeezed her hand, urging her to look at him. “Liz, there is a plan for everyone. I wasn’t supposed to grow old. I wasn’t supposed to graduate from high school and get married and do all of those things adults do. I was meant to die at 17.”

“Was I meant to die at 16?” she asked, afraid of the answer.

“Would you rather have?” he challenged. “Your new gift is a result of Max Evans saving you when you were shot. To rid yourself of that gift is to rid yourself of the last four years of your life. Would you be able to make that trade?”

Suddenly feeling selfish and guilty, Liz looked away from him again.

“I know if I had that choice,” he continued, “there’s no way I’d pass on four more years of life. Being dead’s not so bad, but it’s also not like being alive. But like I said, that was the plan that was designed for me. You have a different plan, a plan that includes that gift of yours.”

“But what plan?” she sighed.

He shrugged lightly. “I don’t know. I can’t see the future. I only know that everything happens for a reason and there’s a reason you are the way you are.” He touched her face tenderly. “So please stop feeling guilty that you couldn’t save me. Trust Max – he has the key to everything.”

Liz’s eyebrows rose slightly. “What does that mean?”

“I have to go now,” Alex said as though he hadn’t heard her question.

“You can’t go now, Alex,” she pleaded. “Tell me what that meant. Tell me what Max has the key to.”

“Next time, summon me under happier circumstances, okay?” He gave her a smile, then disappeared as quickly as he’d come.

tbc

[Midwest Max]

Part Three

The Evans children had made a pact with one another. Once Max’s life was bonded to Liz’s, and both he and Isabel had moved out of their parents’ house, the vowed that they would do at least one activity a week together, just the two of them. And they’d held true to their promise.

Of late, the activity had been Wednesday morning trips to the gym and breakfast. Neither of them had classes on that day, so they’d get up early, meet at the gym for some pretty intensive workouts then go to breakfast. The workouts consisted of strength training and something cardiovascular – usually running five or six miles. In the beginning, Isabel had been hard pressed to keep up with her brother, but it brought a smile to her face when she was able to finish her run at the same time he did; she smiled even broader the first time she noticed he was pushing himself to run faster than her.

Now they were at breakfast. As Isabel picked at a meager offering of fresh fruit and coffee, she eyed the mass of food on Max’s plate – eggs, sausage, pancakes, and a huge pile of hash browns. She felt her mouth water as she watched him drizzle syrup over the pancakes.

“How can you eat like that?” she asked, annoyed that she couldn’t. “I’d weigh two hundred pounds if I ate like that. You do something, don’t you?” Accusation dripped from her tone.

Max put down the syrup container and looked at his breakfast. “If you’re asking if I’ve found a cure for fat cells, the answer is no,” he answered, putting to rest her thoughts that he somehow used his powers to stay thin.

Her brow creased with curiosity. “Then how do you do it?”

He cut into the stack of pancakes and shoved a forkful into his mouth. After he swallowed, he pointed his fork at her. “It’s just that I’m male. Males burn more fat than females.”

Isabel frowned. “Figures.” But then her dour mood drifted away and she cut into her cantaloupe. “So, how’s things?”

“You mean since last Wednesday?”

She nodded.

Max shrugged. “Pretty much the same.” He frowned behind his coffee cup. “Except I’m a little worried about Liz.”

Isabel released a silent sigh. “When aren’t you worried about her, Max?”

“I think she’s failing out of school.”

She stopped picking at the fruit and regarded him seriously. “You’re kidding. Liz Parker?”

Max nodded, pushed at the mound of potatoes. “She can’t concentrate. Too much going on in her head.”

Isabel nodded in understanding. “Haven’t been able to find a way around that yet?”

He shook his head. “Nope. I think it would help if I had any mental ability at all.” He paused, realizing that his comment made it sound like he was stupid, and laughed. “I mean, my gifts are all physical. Do you know what I mean?”

Isabel did know what he meant. Her powers were cerebral – the ability to dreamwalk. Tess’s power had been cerebral – the ability to mindwarp. And now Liz had followed suit and acquired a cerebral power as well. Which meant that men might burn more fat, but women were imminently smarter. She grinned.

“Yep, I know what you mean. Do you think I might help her?”

Max frowned. It wasn’t that he didn’t what his sister’s help – God knew that if it weren’t for her, he and Liz would still be living in the pod chamber – but for once he wanted to be the one to help Liz. “Not right away,” he answered. “Let me try a few other things.”

“Okay. Whenever you want me, I’m here.”

They ate quietly for awhile, then Max sighed and put down his fork. “Okay, there is something else.”

Isabel stopped chewing, her eyebrows arched upward.

“Something odd happened last night,” he confessed.

“What do you mean?”

“Liz woke me up in the middle of the night. She said she wanted the key.”

Isabel gave a quick shake of her head. “What key?”

Max shrugged, bewildered. “I don’t know. All she said was that someone told her I had the key to everything. She kept demanding I give it to her. Finally, I convinced her I didn’t have anything and she went back to sleep. This morning, she didn’t remember any of it.”

“Wow.” Isabel thought for a moment. “Dream?”

“Maybe.”

“Talking in her sleep?”

“Not likely.”

“Huh.” She picked at her fruit salad. “Do you want me to go in and see what’s going on?”

Max shook his head vigorously. “No. Please don’t do that. Liz is different now - she might be able to detect that you’re there.”

“Good point.”

“I just wanted to tell someone else because it was bothering me,” he said, picking up his fork and continuing his breakfast.

Isabel watched him for a moment and saw that he was a little shaken by the event, then reached over and patted his arm. “It’s okay, Max. It was probably just a weird dream or something. Sometimes dreams can seem very real.”

“Yeah, that was probably it.” His gaze drifted over her shoulder to the pastry counter, where a young man tending the counter met his gaze and looked away quickly. Max smiled. “Your admirer is here today.”

Isabel turned in her seat and spotted the boy trying to duck behind some loafs of bread. Internally, she winced. The guy was nice, but a definite geek. He was so awkward and uncomfortable that he made her feel the same way. She swiveled around to look at her brother, who was grinning sadistically.

“I can get his name and number if you want,” he offered.

“Oh, God, please don’t, Max.” She rolled her eyes and stabbed aggressively at a strawberry.

Max shrugged. “Seems like a nice guy.”

“Yes, he does. But I’m not interested.” Her insides started to churn a little. Was now the right time to tell him about her new friend? The timing seemed right. “Uh, I’m not interested…because I met someone.”

Startled, Max put his cup down hard on its saucer, some of its contents sloshing over the side. “What?”

“Please don’t yell, Max,” Isabel requested, her eyes darting away from him.

He blinked. “I’m sorry. I’m not going to yell. You just surprised me. Who is he?”

“A med student at the college,” she answered, trying to hide her nervousness. “His name is Carter.”

Max watched her body language, saw that it was hard for her to talk about this with him. Did she think that he had the ability to make her stop seeing someone?

“I know the risks,” she said, biting one corner of her mouth. “You don’t need to remind me.”

“I’m not going to,” he assured her, trying to keep his tone even, to let her know she wasn’t being reprimanded. “How did you meet him?”

She smiled. “He came up to me in the cafeteria. He just started talking and we hit it off. I , uh…I have a date with him tonight.”

Silence weighed heavily while Isabel waited for Max to relax and Max tried to determine the appropriate way to react.

“Good,” he finally said, drawing a surprised look from his sister. “Isabel, none of us is alone. I don’t believe you should be condemned to be by yourself. If you have a date, I think that’s wonderful.”

She let out a breath she hadn’t even realized she was holding. “Really?”

“Really. I know you can take care of yourself. I trust you to make the right decisions.”

At that, she practically beamed.

“So,” he said, cutting one of the sausage links in half. “Where are you going?”

Grinning, she reached over and stabbed half of the sausage with her fork. Max looked at her in surprise – so much for watching her fat intake.

“Well,” she answered, “just a movie.”

“Movies are good,” he said. “Nice, safe first date.” He stopped short, his eyes a little wide. “This is the first date, isn’t it?”

She laughed and nodded. “Yeah. But I hope there are more. I think I really like him.”

Max noticed the counter clerk eyeing his sister again. “And I think there’s someone over there who really likes you.”

“Ugh, Max,” she sighed. “Do you have to spoil the moment?”

He gave a little laugh. “The poor guy’s got it bad for you, Iz.”

“Well, he gives me the creeps.”

“Then I guess you’re making me pay the bill again?”

She nodded. “Please? I can’t deal with him today.”

Max relented and reached for his wallet. Isabel handed him some money to pay for her portion and he went to the counter with the check. The boy took the check from him, his eyes glancing sadly at the back of Isabel’s golden head.

“That’s Isabel,” Max whispered.

The boy’s head shot up, like he’d been stabbed in the ribs. Max could see it in his face – he thought that Isabel and Max were a couple and he’d been caught ogling her.

“She’s my sister,” he clarified quietly, and watched the boy relax a bit.

The boy shifted his weight and punched the order into the register. There was something oddly familiar about him, but Max couldn’t figure out what. He seemed so awkward, sort of gangly, like he was just getting accustomed to a growth spurt.

“Ten fifty,” he croaked out.

Max handed him the money and he nervously took it. Back at the table, Max pulled on his jacket and Isabel rose to leave.

As they passed the counter, the boy worked up enough courage to call out, “Have a nice day,” as they passed.

Max could only imagine the look on his sister’s face as she walked ahead of him, but he found himself giving the boy a smile on his way out the door. As he started to get into his car, he felt a cold shiver up his spine. It was suddenly plain to him who the boy reminded him of -

Alex Whitman.

tbc

[Midwest Max]

Part Four

“Breathe, Liz…slowly…breath in…let it out…think about only that…”

Max had his hands on the sides of Liz’s face, his eyes concentrated on hers, concealed behind her eyelids. Together, they drew in air, let it out, repeated it as he softly instructed her on how to relax.

“Forget about everything…there is nothing else in the world…only the air in your lungs, the life in your body…breathe…”

Liz followed his instructions and felt herself slipping deeper and deeper into his trance.

“You can feel nothing…only breath…you don’t know what I’m feeling…you only know what you’re feeling…”

As she listened to his words, Liz felt his feelings of hope and enthusiasm slowly washing away, like a sand castle being methodically rinsed away by the waves. Then she couldn’t feel him at all – only her own joy. Immediately, her eyes popped open in surprise and she let out a delighted shriek. Of course, now that her concentration was gone, she felt Max’s emotions rush back in like the tide.

Laughing, she threw her arms around him and hugged him. “It worked, Max! It worked!”

Over her shoulder, his brow furrowed. “It did? Just like that? You don’t feel what I’m feeling any more?”

She pushed back, her face full of excitement. “I can now, but for just the briefest moment I couldn’t, Max! I was all alone again, inside my head by myself!”

His expression was one of caution. “Liz, it didn’t last very long.”

“It didn’t have to,” she said, not allowing him to dampen the mood. “All that matters is that it worked – even if it was only for a few seconds. If it worked once, we can get it to work again! Don’t you see, Max? There’s hope!”

He cocked his head and gave her a soft smile. “There’s always hope, Liz.”

She returned his smile and put her arms around him again, more gently this time. “I know there is. I feel it around me all the time. Especially from you.”

Max wove his hands into her hair and pulled her against him, squeezing her tightly and burying his face against her neck. He loved these times when they were alone, when they weren’t making love, but rather just holding each other tightly. If he had his way, he’d spend the rest of his life wrapped around Liz Parker like Christmas garland wrapped around a light pole. When Liz started to pull away, he silently mourned her touch.

“What else do you think I can do?” she asked. “I mean, I’ve been concentrating so hard on blocking out other peoples’ feelings that I haven’t had time to find out what other powers I might have.”

Max shrugged. “I still don’t know everything I can do,” he said lightly, no worry in his tone. “It seems like new powers just kind of pop up. There’s no telling what else you may be able to do some day.”

Liz’s smile was wide, happy for once. “I can’t wait to find out.”

He had to smile with her. “I can’t wait for you to find out, either.” Leaning in, he gave her a firm kiss on the lips. “We’ll find out everything together, Liz. I’ll be there with you every step of the way.”

*****

Car chases, explosions and gratuitous sex.

That was Carter’s idea of a good first-date movie. Isabel looked at the wide screen in disbelief, her lips parted slightly at the wonder of it all. Beside her, Carter snorted a laugh every now and then, like a nerd watching a Star Trek episode.

Okay, so maybe Mr. Perfect wasn’t so perfect after all.

But he was polite and Isabel did believe that he was seriously trying to show her a good time. Perhaps he was just unworldly when in came to entertaining women – after all, he had tried to pick her up with a few relatively cheesy lines.

During the film, he never “accidentally” touched her knee or tried to put his arm around her shoulders, and for that she was grateful. In most respects, he seemed like a very nice young man – attentive without being smothering, chivalrous without being demeaning. But his taste in films could use some improvement.

“Did you see the part where the car went up over the ramp?” he asked excitedly as they exited the theater, movie-goers jostling them this way and that.

Isabel pasted on a smile. “Yeah.” In her head, she was wondering which car and which ramp? Hadn’t that happened at least a dozen times?

“It was awesome!” he spouted, his hands spread wide in front of him demonstratively.

“Yeah.” She added a giggle this time, hoped it was convincing.

It wasn’t. Carter’s smile faded. “You hated it,” he observed, the joy gone from his voice.

“No, no, I didn’t hate it,” Isabel back-pedaled. “My brothers love those kinds of movies.”

Carter’s eyebrows lifted a little as he steered her into the open air. “You have brothers?”

Silently, he gestured toward a coffee shop a few blocks down and when she nodded, they started walking toward it.

“Well, really only one,” Isabel clarified. “Max is my real brother. Michael was someone we grew up with. I’ve always considered him like a brother, so much that I’ve forgotten the difference.”

Carter gave her a smile. “That’s sweet.”

“What about you? Brothers? Sisters?”

He shook his head. “None of the above. Just me and my parents.”

Isabel gave a little frown. “That’s too bad. You don’t know what you’ve missed.”

He shoved his hands in his pockets and remained silent for a few steps. Then he laughed lightly. “You’re right – I don’t.”

Feeling comfortable with him, Isabel put her hand through his arm at the elbow. He glanced down at it, then smiled a little wider.

“Where is your family from?” was her next question. “You don’t look like you come from here.”

“What do you mean?” His voice held a tinge of humor. “Do I stick out like a sore thumb or something?”

She eyed his clothes. “No, not really. You dress a little different. Your clothes are heavy for this climate.”

He looked down at his shirt, then his slacks – a wool blend. She was right. “Very observant.”

She smiled. “And you talk a bit differently.”

Exaggerating a sigh, Carter rolled his eyes toward the coffee shop sign, under which they now stood. “Okay, okay. I’m nabbed. I’m from Connecticut.”

Isabel beamed. “I knew it. If you’d given me long enough, I’d have pinpointed the state eventually.”

Inside, they ordered coffee, then sat at a table in the back. The small shop was crowded even though the hour was late. Isabel like this young man – even if a relationship never panned out, she wouldn’t mind keeping him as a friend.

“So, where are you from?” Carter asked as he opened some sugar packets.

Isabel gave a giggle. “New Mexico. It’s not obvious?”

He shrugged. “You have an other-worldly beauty about you,” he said, his eyes sparkling just a bit.

Panic flared briefly beneath Isabel’s breastbone, but years of close calls had taught her to mask her reactions. “Do I?” she challenged.

“You do.”

“Is that another pick up line?” she teased.

He shook his head. “No. It’s just the truth.”

She studied his eyes for the briefest of moments, trying to determine if he knew something about her heritage and ultimately decided he did not. “Well, I assure you that any beauty I have was made right here on earth.”

“Was it?” he asked playfully.

Isabel nodded. “Of course. Do you really think anyone would look beautiful – other-worldly or otherwise – if they had to go through re-entry on this planet?”

Carter burst out laughing. “No, they’d probably be pretty crispy.”

She held out a hand, palm-up. “See?”

“You’re right,” he agreed. “But surely your mother was an angel then.”

She blushed slightly and decided to put an end to his game. “That’s it – you found out my secret.”

His smile was warm, inviting. “I had fun tonight. Can we do it again – if I let you pick out the movie next time?”

Isabel’s smile was just as warm. “Absolutely.”

*****

“Do you think I’m getting fat?”

Maria had her shirt pulled up and was examining her stomach again. From her position on Michael’s bed, Liz eyed her disbelievingly, then shook her head.

“No, Maria, you don’t look fat.” Her voice held none of the excitement it had earlier in the day.

“What about this?” With both of her hands, Maria grabbed a hold of her midsection and pulled until she had two fists full of flesh.

Liz winced. “Stop that. It has to hurt.”

Sighing, Maria let go of her stomach and flopped down on the bed beside her friend. “It’s inactivity – and Michael’s constant cooking. I need to find a job or something.” When Liz didn’t respond, Maria turned her head to look at her. “Are you okay?”

Liz shrugged. “I thought I was. Then…”

Maria propped herself up on her elbow. “Then what?”

Liz drew in a deep, depressed breath. “Max helped me block out emotions today.”

Maria’s face broke into a grin. “Lizzie, that’s great!” Liz frowned and Maria’s smile faded away. “Isn’t it?”

“I thought so. I got so excited - I knew this was it. I knew that things were going to be better.”

“But?”

“But then I went to school and it started all over again. I couldn’t concentrate on my lab assignment because of everything that was going on around me.” Abruptly, Liz held up her hand. “Don’t tell me you’re sorry – I already know.”

Maria put a hand to her chest and wondered if she should feel violated.

“I think I’m going to fail out, Maria.” There was a hint of tears in Liz’s dark eyes.

Forever the best friend, Maria put an arm around Liz’s shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “Maybe you will. Would it be the end of the world?”

Liz recoiled, gave her friend a disbelieving look. “Yes!”

“Tell me why.”

She looked at the ceiling. “Because all of my life, I’ve known that I was going to be a scientist.”

“What if you were wrong?”

Liz’s eyebrows drew together in confusion. Why was Maria being so calm about this?

“I mean, how did you know what you were going to be? I think you knew what you wanted to be. Those are two different things. Trust me, I know.” Maria rolled her eyes to the ceiling as punctuation.

“What are you saying, Maria?”

“That maybe what you want and what you plan for isn’t what is meant to be. I’m sure you didn’t want to be shot, I’m pretty sure you didn’t plan for it. But it happened. And now there are consequences of that. Maybe it changes everything. Maybe you’re meant to be something different now. I’ve wanted to be a singer since I was six. I never knew I’d be one, but I wanted to be one. Now I’m twenty and that hasn’t quite worked out for me. Maybe it’s time that I looked to do something different. Maybe it’s time you looked, too.”

Liz could feel only sincerity coming from her friend. From herself, she felt a sudden sense of being lost. “What am I looking for? What am I supposed to do?”

Maria shrugged her slim shoulders. “I don’t know. I don’t even know what I’m supposed to be doing.”

The girls heard the door to the apartment close and within a few seconds Michael was at the bedroom door. Maria was about to greet him when she saw that his expression was one of concern.

“What is it?” she asked.

He reached over and flipped off the light.

Maria gave a laugh. “Sure, Guerin – find two girls on your bed and you immediately assume –“

“Maria, shut up for a minute,” he reprimanded gently as he walked toward the window. He stood off to the side and pulled the curtain out slightly, the side of his head against the wall.

“Michael, what are you doing?” Maria asked. Liz could feel anxiety starting to come off her in waves.

“He’s still there,” Michael said.

“Who?” Liz asked. She and Maria slid off the bed and met him at the window. They took the other side and huddled together, struggling for a view of what had drawn Michael’s attention.

“There,” he said quietly. “Over by the streetlight – the one by the bike rack. He’s right in the shadow of the light pole.”

Liz and Maria both craned their necks until they spotted him – a gangly person in a black track suit, hood pulled over his head. In her chest, Liz felt her heart start to beat a little harder.

“Who is that?” Maria asked, equally as spooked.

“Not sure,” Michael said. “He was there this morning when I left and then I noticed him again when I just came home.”

“Was he out there all day?” Maria asked, her voice squeaking unintentionally.

Michael drew in a breath. “Maybe.”

“But what’s he doing?”

He let go of the curtain and looked at each of the girls in turn. “I think he’s watching us.”

tbc

[Midwest Max]

Part Five


The next morning, Michael found Isabel seated at their kitchen table, staring into a cup of coffee before her. He slumped into the chair opposite from her.

“How was your date?” he asked.

Isabel looked up and yawned. “Good.” Then she grimaced. “But he has lousy taste in movies. Car chases and machine guns.”

Michael gave a half smile. “He can’t be all that bad, then.”

She rolled her eyes. “I figured you’d like that. I want you to meet him some time.”

“Fair enough.”

Isabel sipped her coffee, then gave a little grunt, her eyebrows pulling together.

“What’s wrong?” Michael asked.

“I almost forgot. When I got home, there was this geek that works at the café where Max I get breakfast hanging out across the street.”

Michael masked his surprise. He was going to bring up the lurker to Isabel, but she’d already done it for him. “What was he doing?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. When I spotted him, he looked like he’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t and went away.”

“Where did he go?”

She shrugged again, then raised a suspicious eyebrow. “Why all the questions? He was probably just passing by or something.”

Michael glanced away.

“Michael,” Isabel said sternly.

“Okay, okay. I think maybe he was out there all day yesterday.”

“All day?” Isabel asked.

“I saw him when I left, then he was there when I got home.”

“Michael, that doesn’t mean he was lurking out there all day. Maybe he lives in the neighborhood.”

“Maybe. What café was that again?”

“Michael...”

“Just curious. I’m in the mood for some eggs.”

Isabel blew out a sigh – there was no point in prolonging the argument. “The one on 10th street.”

“Tenth Street,” he repeated.

“Michael, you’re not going to do something stupid, are you?”

He feigned injury. “Me? Something stupid? It hurts you could even suggest that, Iz.”

She rolled her eyes. “Please, for my sake, just leave the kid alone.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s harmless. He’s just some nerdy kid without social skills. So just let it go, okay?”

Michael agreed readily – too readily for Isabel’s comfort.

*****

Liz awoke to lips against her neck, lazy kisses. Blinking slowly, she smiled as she felt Max’s emotions flood her mind; he was always so relaxed, so tranquil when he awoke.

“Morning, love,” he said against her skin, his voice muffled.

Bringing up her arm, she embedded her fingers in his thick hair. “Morning,” she whispered, closed her eyes to savor his affections.

“What did you do last night?” he asked in a sleepy voice as he rested his head against her shoulder.

Liz drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Nothing much. Ordered pizza. Sat around and talked. Girl stuff.”

“Hmm,” Max sighed, his eyes starting to drift shut again.

But Liz’s eyes popped open and she squinted in thought. “There was some strange man outside of the apartment building.”

Max opened his eyes and pulled back a bit so he could see her face. “Our apartment?”

She shook her head. “No – Michael and Isabel’s.” She could feel Max’s sudden alertness, his concern.

“Why do you think he was strange?”

She shrugged. “Not really sure. Michael thought he’d been out there all day, lurking across the street.”

Max thought for a moment. “What did he look like?”

Liz scratched her head. “I couldn’t really see him. Kind of tall. Skinny. It was dark – that’s all I could make out.” She felt something different from her lover and watched him curiously. “Why? Do you know who it was?”

Max’s mind had drifted back to the counter clerk at the breakfast café, but there was no reason for him to be lurking outside of Michael and Isabel’s apartment. “No,” he said, shaking his head. “I don’t think so.” He settled back onto Liz’s shoulder and took her left hand in his, brought them both to his chest. With one of his fingers, he toyed with her engagement ring.

Liz watched his actions and gave a sad smile. “Doesn’t it ever bother you that I know everything you’re feeling?”

He raised his eyebrows in surprise, but shook his head. “Not really. I have nothing to hide from you.” He gave her a boyish grin.

She returned his smile, but it was only momentary.

Max’s smile faded as well and he gave her a little kiss on the cheek. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

Liz sighed and looked to the ceiling again. “Maria and I had a long talk last night about the difference between what you want and what is meant to be. I’m not sure that what I’ve been wanting is what I’m mean to have.”

He tightened his grip on her hand in support. “What do you mean?”

“Max, has there ever been anything in your life that you knew you always wanted?”

He grinned. “Yeah – you.”

She touched his face in appreciation of the sentiment. “I’m serious.”

“So am I.”

Her eyes softened. “Okay. So, when did you know that?”

“As soon as I laid eyes on you in the third grade.”

“But not until then.”

His brow furrowed. “How could I know before I met you that I wanted you?”

“Exactly.” At his confused expression, Liz drew in a breath. “What if what you’ve always wanted isn’t possible because there are other things that are going to happen to you to change things before you can get what you’ve always wanted?”

Max shrugged. “I’ve never wanted anyone but you and I already have you.”

Liz gave a small laugh. Maybe with Max the analogy was too simplistic. In reality, Max’s goals and wants in life were very few – be with Liz and stay alive long enough to enjoy it.

“Let me be more specific,” she offered. “I’ve always wanted to be a scientist – as long as I could remember. Then I was shot and my life changed. I still want to be a scientist, but maybe that’s not what’s meant for me any longer. Maybe there’s a reason I can’t concentrate in my classes.”

Max watched her silently for a moment, not truly believing his ears. “Liz, we’ll keep working on that –“

“I know,” she said gently. “But maybe it doesn’t matter in terms of school. Maybe it’s too late.”

He was stunned into speechlessness. When he finally gathered his composure, he said, “Whatever you decide to do, Liz, you know I’ll support you.”

She gave him a tender smile. “I know you will. I haven’t decided yet. I’m not sure how I feel about it.” She snorted. “Isn’t that ironic?”

He smiled with her, then slowly pulled her hand beneath the blankets. “While you’re deciding how to feel about that, can I give you something else to feel in the meantime?”

She couldn’t help but laugh and give in to him. Max liked sex in the morning, and Liz liked the distraction.

*****

Michael rounded the brick building that housed the café Max and Isabel frequented. His step deliberate, his senses on alert, he walked the length of the alley and found himself in the back parking lot.

There, throwing garbage bags into the dumpster, was the person he’d seen lurking outside of the apartment building. Always one to take advantage of the element of surprise, Michael grabbed the thin boy by the shirt and flung him against the wall. In his eyes, Michael only saw fear.

“Who are you?” he demanded.

“No one,” the boy stammered.

“Give me your name.”

“A-Adam. Adam McKinney.” His blue eyes looked anxiously toward the rear entrance of the café, looking for an escape route.

Michael gave him a quick jerk. “Why were you watching me?”

“I w-wasn’t.”

“What were you doing outside of my apartment yesterday?”

“I didn’t know it was your apartment.”

Another jerk. “Then who were you watching? Maria? Liz?”

He shook his head. “No.”

Michael quickly processed his denial. It seemed sincere. “Then who? Some other apartment?”

Another shake of the head.

Patience lost, Michael tightened his grip and shoved the boy harder against the wall. “Who? Tell me who you were watching.”

Adam swallowed hard. “Isabel.”

Anger flared in Michael’s gut. “Why?” he asked through clenched teeth.

Adam’s answer made Michael’s blood run cold, mostly because he believed him. “I don’t know.”

tbc

[Midwest Max]

FB on the FB to follow...


Part Six

“Michael, I can’t believe you did that.”

Seated at her kitchen table, pretty much in the same position Michael had left her, Isabel held her head in her hands, her expression one of exasperation. Michael was leaning against the counter. At his side was Max, while Maria and Liz were sitting at the table with Isabel.

“What?” Michael said defensively.

Isabel dropped her hands. “I asked you to leave him alone.”

He shrugged. “I just went for some eggs –“

“Oh, bullshit, Michael!”

Max stepped forward and put a hand on his sister’s shoulder, attempting to calm her. All of their lives they’d been doing this – confronting Michael about broken promises and irrational acts.

“Hey,” he said, “I’m not going to apologize for what I did, Iz. If I hadn’t gone there, we’d never have known that there is something going on with him.”

“What is going on with him?” she demanded, ignoring her brother’s comforting touch.

“Isabel, he’s stalking you,” Michael said bluntly.

“Oh, please! That kid is stalking me? He couldn’t hurt a fly, Michael.”

Liz closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip. There were so many emotions flying around the room that she couldn’t even put them to their owners. Anger, fear, anxiety, disappointment, vulnerability, uncertainty. It almost hurt. She started doing what Max had taught her – concentrate on something else. She started with her breathing, felt the air come in and go out. As the argument continued around her, she continued to work on relaxing.

“Let’s just try to stay calm here,” Max said, rubbing his sister’s shoulder in a short stroke, his eyes fixed on Michael. “I don’t think it’s a bad thing that you went to see him, Michael.” Under his hand, he felt Isabel tense. “I just wish you would have taken one of us with you.”

Michael looked like he was about to challenge Max, but then he pursed his lips and looked away briefly. He knew his actions were rash sometimes and part of being an adult was talking responsibility for them.

His movements slow and deliberate, Max slid into the empty chair between Isabel and Liz. “Now, tell us what happened.”

Michael blew out a breath as Isabel turned to stare at the table top, her jaw set in defiance. She was pissed with him – really pissed. “Like I said – he told me that he wasn’t watching me or Liz or Maria, but that he was watching Isabel. When I asked him why, he said he didn’t know.”

“He didn’t know?” Maria questioned.

Inside her head, Liz felt like someone had turned down the lights slowly – all of the emotions around her became fuzzy, then disappeared entirely. She felt a sudden surge of relief and gave Max a wide smile. He looked at her curiously, the timing of her delight rather inappropriate. Somewhat embarrassed, she cleared her throat and looked away.

“That’s what he said,” Michael replied in answer to Maria’s question, Liz’s uncharacteristic grin lost on him.

“What do you think that means?” Maria asked, her nose wrinkled.

“That he’s some psychopath stalking Isabel,” he said.

Isabel sighed. “He’s not a psychopath – psychopaths are usually better at covering their tracks than this guy is. You could practically see him standing under the streetlight last night.”

Liz shrugged. “Maybe he’s a stupid psychopath.”

Isabel shook her head. “Not likely. Psychopaths, sociopaths, serial killers – they’re all smarter than the common man. It’s the trade-off, I guess – super intelligence, criminal tendencies.” She snorted an ironic laugh, then noticed everyone was looking at her strangely. “Abnormal Psychology,” she explained, one of her “for fun” courses finally coming to use.

“Anyway,” Max said, trying to steer the conversation back on track. “What happened after he said he didn’t know why he was watching Iz?”

Michael shrugged. “I told him to keep his distance. Then I left.”

There was silence in the room as each pondered the situation.

“Okay,” Max finally said. “I don’t think this kid is an eminent threat. Isabel’s right – he’s pretty bad at the whole cloak and dagger routine. But let’s keep our guard up, just in case. Agreed?”

There were mumbled agreements around the room.

Max’s eyes settled on his sister. “Isabel?”

She nodded without looking up.

“Good.” He glanced at his watch. “Liz and I have classes, so we need to get going.” He rose and took Liz by the hand. “If anything happens, get a hold of us immediately.”

On their way out the door, Max glanced at his sister, then his brother. Later this afternoon, he had a job to do – and he hoped that Isabel would remember that he’d never promised her he’d leave Adam McKinney alone.

* * * * *

“Why are you sad?”

Isabel looked up from her coffee cup. It was several hours since the pow wow in her kitchen, and now she was sitting in the coffee shop with Carter. “I’m not sad,” she said, attempting to paste on the movie star smile.

He cocked his head. “Something’s upsetting you. I haven’t known you for too long, but even I can see that.”

She sighed, dropping her phony façade. “You’re right. It’s nothing, really. Just a little disagreement with the room mate.”

Carter picked up his coffee and took a sip. “Wanna talk about it?”

No, she was done talking. She shook her head and managed a sincere smile. “I’d rather hear something nice. Tell me something about yourself.”

He grinned. “What do you want to know? I’m an open book.”

“An open book, eh? Hmm, that’s tempting…I think I’ll flip to the chapter on dating,” she teased. “Tell me all about all of your ex-girlfriends.”

“All of them?” He grimaced, then blew out a sigh. “Okay, believe it or not, I’ve only had one.”

Her eyes grew round. “Are you kidding?”

He shook his head. “Nope.” A slight flush colored his cheeks. “You saw the mess I made when I tried to approach you – how many girls do you think give me the time of day after that display?”

Isabel laughed. It felt good to talk about something other than geeky café clerks stalking her. “So where is she – this girl who liked your cheesy pick-up lines?”

At that, his expression fell. “We’re not together anymore.”

“Obviously.” She waited for more information, but got none. From his pained expression, she realized it wasn’t his favorite topic. “I’m sorry. Maybe we should talk about something else.”

He allowed himself to smile. “Yes, we should. Like you coming to Connecticut with me.”

Isabel gasped. “What?”

“My friends throw a big Halloween party every year,” he explained, his expression hopeful. “It’s not to be missed. We can stay with my parents.”

Her mind was racing. She’d just met this guy and he was offering to take her home to meet his parents. Was it too soon? Was it bad that she didn’t care if it was too soon?

“So, what do you say?” Carter asked in conclusion.

Images of stalkers suddenly flooded Isabel’s mind. “Oh, I don’t know…” she said uncertainly.

“Why don’t you think about it for awhile?” he offered, no pressure in his tone. “Think it over and then you can let me know later, okay?”

She nodded silently, then watched as he opened up his newspaper. Who was this man? And why did he fascinate her so?

* * * * *

Once again, the joy was gone.

Liz stood outside of the Admissions office and stared sightlessly at the glass door. Inside her binder was her last test – failed. Beside that was the letter – she was officially on academic probation. She, Liz Parker, valedictorian of West Roswell High, had failed.

There was only one move left to make. Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she pushed open the door and waited before the receptionist’s desk.

The woman looked up and gave her a pleasant smile. “Yes?”

“Hi. I’m Liz Parker,” she said quietly. “I’d like to withdraw from my classes.”

* * * * *

On the other side of town, Max Evans stood outside of a small café, his eyes slowly searching the bodies within. Behind the counter, he spied what he was looking for, then slipped into the restaurant unnoticed behind two other patrons.

Once inside, Max moved silently, stealthily around the dining area, keeping a low profile behind the pastry racks. Once the register area was clear of guests, he cautiously approached the cashier.

Behind the counter, Adam McKinney’s blue eyes settled on his visitor and he recoiled, nearly knocking over a display of danishes.

“It’s okay,” Max said, holding up his hands, palm-forward.

“Are you going to hit me?” Adam asked.

Max shook his head. Damn Michael. “No. I only want to talk to you. Do you have a couple of minutes?”

Adam looked at him warily.

“Please,” Max requested. “It will only take a minute. I promise you – I’m not here to harm you.”

Eventually, the boy relented. He motioned to an unoccupied booth in the corner – a public setting rather than the private one Michael had chosen. The boys slid into the booth, Adam perching on the very outside edge of his bench, preparing for a quick get away. As a gesture of truce, Max placed his hands on the table where Adam could see them.

“First, I’m sorry if Michael scared you earlier,” he began. He thought he saw Adam swallow. “He’s a little rough around the edges sometimes. But I’d like you to talk to me, if you would. To try to explain to me why you’re watching my sister.”

Adam looked away. “I don’t know.”

“That’s what Michael said,” Max agreed. “But I think you may know more than you’re letting on.” There was no confrontation in his tone.

Adam looked at him again, but remained silent.

“Don’t you?” Max prompted. “You can tell me. You can trust me.”

A few anxious moments passed, then Adam worked his mouth. “It’s true that I don’t know why I’m watching her. I’ve see her before – you guys used to come in here a year ago. I saw her then, but I never really thought much about it.”

Max knew he was sugar-coating it – Isabel was stunning and most men “noticed” her and “thought about” quite a few things. But he understood that this boy knew that wasn’t something he should say to her brother.

“But then about a month ago something strange happened,” Adam said, his face contorting with the memory.

“What happened?”

“I don’t know, really. But it was like someone flipped a switch and I knew that I had to watch her.” Guilt was clearly written on his youthful face. “I can assure you that I mean her no harm. I’m not stalking her. It’s like someone whispered in my ear that I need to be close to her, to look out for her.”

Max’s eyes were round. “Why?”

Adam’s nervous demeanor seemed to slip away and when he met Max’s eyes, Max felt that familiar cold tingle up his spine. “Because I’ve got promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep.”

tbc

[Midwest Max]

Hey everyone! Thanks for your patience! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday


Part Seven

Max stood uneasily at the end of the sofa, his hands shoved uncomfortably into his pockets. On the couch, Liz had her head and arms thrown over the back; her sobs resonated in their small apartment.

“Liz,” he said cautiously, clearing his throat. “Let me help you.”

Still sobbing, she sat up and wiped viciously at her cheeks. “I don’t need you to help me, Max. I just want to cry for awhile, okay?” As proof, her face contorted into a mask of pain and she continued to wail.

Drawing in a patient breath, Max sat down beside her and rubbed her back while she cried into her hands. “It will be okay,” he said soothingly.

She dropped her hands and pinned him with a pitiful gaze. “I failed, Max. I actually failed.”

He smiled gently and kissed her on the forehead. Taking a chance, he lifted one corner of his mouth and released a small laugh. “Actually, you quit.” Her startled gaze shot to his and he flinched. “Technically,” he added quickly, realizing his joke was more than likely placed at the wrong moment.

But she laughed, ever so briefly, then continued to cry. “I mean, I never fail at anything.”

Max reached to the coffee table and grabbed a Kleenex from the box and handed it to her. “I don’t think you really failed, Liz. It’s not like life was normal and you weren’t able to do what you needed to do. You’ve undergone a lot of changes in the past few months – you can’t beat yourself up about dropping out.”

Drawing in a shaky breath, she blew it out slowly and tried to regain some of her composure. “I know you’re right, Max. I know I did the right thing. But it just hurts to know that this is something I couldn’t do.”

He gave her another little smile and rubbed her shoulder. “You can do it. I know you can. Maybe you just need to wait a semester or something. There’s no crime in that.” He shrugged. “Who said you have to be out of school in four years? It takes some people double that.”

She managed a wan smile in response to his comforting words. “What did I do to deserve you?” she asked as she leaned into him, laying her head against his chest.

Max wrapped her in his arms and held her tightly, but over her shoulder he was frowning. He needed her to come with him, to meet Adam McKinney to see if she could detect anything suspicious about him. But he couldn’t ask her in the condition she was in – she was simply too upset. He didn’t blame her – she had every right to be.

“Just being you,” he said into her hair. “That’s all you needed to do to deserve me.”

*****

“What are you reading?”

Isabel jerked, startled and looked up from her book. On the other side of the cafeteria table, her brother was sliding his slim body into one of the metal chairs. She held up the book. “Conspiracy Theories 101.”

Max’s dark eyes creased at the corners as he read the real title to the book – Foundations and Evolution of Modern Day Conspiracy Theories. “Anything good?”

Isabel sighed. “Well, there are ten thousand different theories on who really killed Kennedy – but there is one of particular interest.”

He lifted his eyebrows. “Oh?”

“Yep. Aliens. Bunches of little green men who could disappear into thin air. Apparently they were the ones who shot from the grassy knoll.”

“Are you kidding me?” Max’s voice held a definite note of irritation.

His sister shook her head. “Nope. Apparently, aliens are to blame for everything from socks lost in the dryer to the melting of the polar ice caps. Can’t wait to talk about that in class some day.” Her brow furrowed. “What are you doing here?”

He was there to talk to her very carefully about a strange young man they both knew from the café where they shared breakfast, but he couldn’t just jump in feet-first and blurt out his purpose. He needed to be cautious about any mention of Alex, especially since she finally appeared to be moving on with her life.

“I had some business to take care of,” he said, frowning and thinking of an errand he still needed to run for Liz.

“What’s wrong?” Isabel always could read her brother like a book.

Max pulled into a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Liz dropped out of her classes.”

Her mouth dropped open. “You’re joking, right?”

He shook his head. “It was drop out or fail out, Iz. So, just be a little sensitive with her, okay?”

She nodded. “Of course, Max. You know I will. Wow – that sucks. How’s she doing?”

He shrugged. “Okay, I guess. She cried herself to sleep last night and she was still in bed when I left this morning. I think she’s depressed.”

Isabel gave a grin. “Well, I have something that might make her feel better.”

“What’s that?”

“I want you guys to meet Carter.”

Max could practically see the anticipation coming off her in waves. “Okay.”

“I want to have a little party or something. Maybe a dinner party.”

“Sounds good.”

She worked her mouth and closed her book. “There’s something else, Max.”

He froze, his eyes glued on hers. “You’re getting married?”

She laughed. “No.”

“Are you…pregnant?”

“Max!” she laughed as she reached across the table and smacked him on the arm. “I haven’t even really kissed him yet!”

“Oh, sorry. So what is it then?”

“He asked me to go away with him.” She looked away self-consciously.

Max sat up a little straighter. “Away?”

“I’m not asking your permission,” Isabel declared, no hostility in her tone.

“I’m not saying you should,” he agreed. “I’m just asking where you’re going.”

“He wants me to meet his family.” A blush she immediately hated rushed across her cheeks.

Max was silent, his eyebrows raised in curiosity.

“Connecticut,” she said, filling in some of the blanks. “Supposedly there’s a big Halloween party or something. I thought about it and I really want to go, Max.”

He nodded. “Okay,” he agreed. “I trust that you’ll make the right decision.”

Isabel beamed and immediately Max knew he couldn’t bring up the subject of the counter clerk. She grabbed her book and flipped a couple of pages. “Let me read this part about the Kennedy assassination,” she said. “You won’t believe how ridiculous it is.”

Max watched her lips move but didn’t hear any of her words. He had a problem – his encounter with Adam the café worker had been troubling and he found himself without and accomplice to do his investigating. Liz was at home curled up in bed grieving the loss of her career. Isabel was far too happy in her present relationship for him to burden her with relics from the last. And Michael had pretty much closed off any avenue of communication he’d ever have with Adam McKinney.

That left Max with only one person.

*****

“You want me to do what again?”

Maria’s eyebrows were knitted together in confusion. She and Max were sitting in his car outside of the café.

“I want you to tell me if you notice anything unusual about him,” Max answered. He eyed her cautiously. “Or maybe familiar.”

“Familiar?” Her head whipped in his direction, her short blond hair swinging with the motion.

Max shook his head. “Sorry, I misspoke.” Reaching into his wallet, he pulled out a five dollar bill. “Get some coffee or something.”

Maria looked at the money, then gave a little laugh. “Relax, dude – I may be poor, but I can afford a cup of joe.”

He sheepishly pulled the money back and shoved it in his pocket. “Just see if you can get him to talk.”

Maria agreed reluctantly, then started to get out of the car. She stopped with her hand on the door handle and looked back to her friend. “You’re going to tell me what this is all about eventually, right?”

He nodded and watched her walk to the door of the restaurant. He’d avoided telling her much because he hadn’t wanted to influence her perception of Adam when she met him.

Inside the café, Maria paused at the door and surveyed the small space. The air was thick with the smell of coffee and a hot grill and she was immediately reminded of working at the Crashdown. Though she hoped to never be a waitress again, she enjoyed the brief moment of nostalgia the scents brought to her.

Behind the counter, the boy Max had described was sweeping the floor. She studied him, trying to decide if this really was the person who had been loitering around her apartment. What a geek, Maria thought. Then she pulled herself together and marched over to the counter.

“Excuse me,” she called, intentionally impatient. “Can I get some service?”

The boy looked up, hurriedly leaned the broom against the counter and wiped his hands on his apron. “Can I help you?” he asked quietly, not quite meeting her gaze.

“Uh, how about some coffee?” she asked, pretending to survey the menu above the register.

He nodded. “Anything in it?” he asked.

“Nope. Black will do.”

As he moved away, Maria watched him go, noted the uncertain stoop of his shoulders. Strangely enough, his meekness reminded her of Max when she’d first met him – he seemed so cautious and unsure of himself. His movements were slow and deliberate as he poured the coffee into a ceramic cup and brought it to the counter, setting it down carefully.

“Oh, I wanted that to go,” Maria announced.

Wordlessly, he took the coffee away, dumped it down the sink and retrieved a cardboard travel cup instead. Again he returned to the counter and reached to ring up her purchase.

“You know what,” she said, tapping her forefinger on her upper lip. “I changed my mind – how about just a little cream and sugar in that?”

He blinked once. “Cream and sugar are to your left,” he said quietly, gesturing to the condiment station.

Maria glanced at it, then looked back to him. “Great. Is there room in the cup?”

He blinked again, captured the cup and walked to the sink. Maria giggled to herself – three years of being a Crashdown waitress had well-trained her in the field of being an irritating customer. She watched as he popped off the lid and started to pour out some of the coffee. A thin line dribbled across the back of his hand in and winced in pain. But he never said a word as he washed off the spill, pushed the lid back on and returned to the counter with it.

This time, he addressed Maria before attempting to ring up her purchase. “Is there anything else I can get for you?”

She checked out the pastries. “How about one of those scones? Are they fresh?”

He nodded silently, then retrieved one of the scones and put it into a carryout bag. He rang up the order and then said, “Three fifty.”

Maria reached into her pocket – and pulled out a single one-dollar bill. “Uh, oops.” She gave a nervous laugh. “I’ll be right back.”

As she scooted out the door, she could barely keep herself from laughing. Stopping at Max’s side of the car, she rapped her knuckles on his window. He rolled it down and looked at her in confusion.

“I need that five,” she announced.

“What? I thought you said –“

“It’s part of the act – just give it here.”

Grabbing the money from Max, she raced back inside and handed it to the boy. Never making any comment, he handed her change to her and pushed her order in her direction. Maria thanked him, then went back outside to join Max.

“Well?” he asked anxiously. “What did you find out?”

“That he’s patient,” she said, rummaging in the take-out bag.

Max watched her silently for a few moments. “Patient?”

She nodded. “Yeah, I ran him through the wringer. Didn’t pop off once.”

“Do you think he recognized you from the other night when he was watching the apartment?”

“Didn’t appear to.” She sipped the coffee and then stuck the cup between her knees so she could take a dainty bite from the scone. “Mmm, thanks for breakfast, Max.”

Hope waned inside of him as he watched her rather neutral reaction to Adam McKinney. Maybe he was the crazy one. Maybe he’d imagined all of that stuff from the day before. Reaching into her lap, he took the cup of coffee from her.

She met his gaze, startled. “What gives?”

“I didn’t want you to spill this on yourself and get burned.”

“I wouldn’t.”

“You might when I tell you what I have to tell you.”

Maria’s eyes were suddenly wary as she swallowed a bite of the scone. “Oh, shit. This is bad, isn’t it?”

Slowly, trying to keep from alarming her, Max relayed his encounter with Adam from the day before. He watched as the color drained from her face and a hint of fear showed in her eyes.

“You think it’s Alex,” she said when he was done.

Max shook his head. “No. I don’t think it’s Alex reincarnated or something. But I do think that maybe someone is controlling him or using him or something – someone who knows a lot about us. Didn’t you recognize anything about him?”

Maria shook her head. “No, nothing.”

Max sighed and stared at the dash. Another dead end. He only had one course to take now – he needed to bring Liz here to meet Adam.

tbc

[Midwest Max]

Hey, thanks to everyone for your comments! I'm glad you appreciated Maria's bad customer routine. What a nightmare...


Part Eight

As she bustled about the kitchen preparing for the party she was throwing later that evening, Isabel spotted Michael slumped on their couch, the TV remote in one hand. Her dark eyes narrowed and she drew in a patient breath.

“Michael, do you think you could help me?” she called, struggling to hold a tray of canapés and open the oven door at the same time.

Her roommate glanced up at her, oblivious to her struggle. “Sure. What do you need?”

“The oven door?” she said, gesturing toward it with her chin. Inwardly she was seething – wasn’t he the culinary student? Shouldn’t he be jumping at the chance to show off his new talents?

Michael tossed the remote aside and reached her in a few long strides, pulled open the door for her. Isabel slid the tray onto the rack, knocked the door shut with her hip and blew out a sigh of relief.

“Thank you,” she said as she straightened and wiped her hands on a dish cloth.

Michael bent slightly at the waist and looked through the oven window at the appetizers she was making. He lifted one eyebrow appraisingly. “Crab puffs,” he observed. “Must be a special guy to deserve real crab.”

She bit her lip for a moment before she responded – she knew this moment was going to come eventually, and now that it was here she wanted to maintain control of the situation. “Michael, please don’t spoil this for me.”

He stood up and met her gaze with feigned indignation. “Me? Spoil it?”

“You know what I mean,” she said, her gaze steady and her voice laced with warning. “I really like this guy and I don’t want you to make a scene.”

“When have I ever done that?” Michael’s eyebrows were drawn together in confusion.

Isabel frowned, refusing to give in to the fight he was trolling for. “I’m asking you, Michael. Please meet him with an open mind.”

He shrugged one broad shoulder. “Okay.” He walked to the kitchen table and sat down, laced his fingers behind his head. “I’ll be civil to him, but I can’t agree with Max.”

It was Isabel’s turn to look confused, only hers was genuine. “What about Max?”

“I’m sure he thinks your running off to Kentucky –“

“Connecticut.”

“Whatever. I’m sure he thinks you going away with this guy is just fine. But I’m not going to give you the ‘I’m sure you’ll use your best judgment’ speech, Isabel.”

She looked at the floor, disappointment racing through her mind. She should have expected this from him – Michael would always be jealous of other men her life. Isabel wasn’t sure if it was inbred in him from their prior lives, or if he was just overprotective of her in this one. A mean little piece of her wanted to believe that he’d been harboring some interest in her since they were kids and just couldn’t let it go, but she knew that wasn’t true – Maria was living proof of that.

“We trust no one,” Michael continued, certain he’d snagged her full attention. “We never have.”

Isabel regarded him sadly. “We’ve trusted many, Michael. Max trusted Liz, you trusted Maria. Why can’t you trust me?”

His dark eyes were serious, no-nonsense. “I do trust you, Isabel. I trust you because I know you. I don’t trust this Chandler guy –“

“Carter.”

“Whatever. I don’t trust him because I don’t know him.” His eyes narrowed slightly. “How well do you know him?”

She shrugged. “Well enough, I think.” She gave a small, defeated snort. “How do you ever get to know someone enough to trust them without trusting them enough to get to know them?”

Michael raised one corner of his mouth at the Catch-22 she’d just described.

“Just be nice to him,” she pleaded one last time. “Just give him a chance.”

He nodded in silent resignation, but internally he vowed he would watch every single move this guy made. And when he was gone, Michael would find out from Liz everything she’d picked up from him.

***

New day, same parking spot.

Max watched Adam McKinney move around inside of the café and wondered if he never got a day off from his job. Whenever Max was there, Adam was there. He turned to look at Liz, who was watching the boy curiously from the passenger seat.

“Is that the guy who was outside of the apartment that night?” she asked.

Max nodded. “Does he look at all familiar?”

She squinted. “Sort of. It was hard to see that night, and he was wearing a hooded sweatshirt or something.”

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

Liz looked into his dark eyes and gave him a smile. “Of course.” Her smile turned quickly upside down. “Remember, I told you that I was able to shut off my powers the other day.”

Max shrugged. “Okay. Just turn them back on.”

She grimaced. “I’m not sure how. I mean, I never tried to turn them back on – not feeling everything everyone else was feeling was such a relief.”

“I can imagine. It’ll be okay. Just think about being able to read his emotions and the power will probably kick back in.” He picked up her hand and kissed it. “Ready?”

Liz nodded eagerly and started to get out of the car.

“Oh, wait,” Max said, pulling her back into her seat. “Whatever you do, don’t bring up Michael, okay?”

She snorted a laugh and nodded.

Inside the café, they were startled to see that Adam had disappeared. They glanced around but couldn’t locate him. A girl, probably still of high school age, had taken his place at the counter. She looked bored and apathetic.

“Can I help you?” she droned.

“We’re looking for Adam,” Max said, pasting on a friendly smile.

The girl looked taken aback – apparently Adam didn’t have many visitors. “He’s out back, taking a break. You can go back there if you want, through that door.” She pointed to a steel door beneath an illuminated “exit” sign.

Max nodded his thanks, then took Liz by the hand and led her toward the door. He pushed it open slightly, checking for threats, then shoved it open the rest of the way. The door opened into the alley; Adam McKinney was sitting near it on an overturned crate looking at a comic book.

“Adam?” Max called cautiously.

The boy looked up, startled, and nearly dropped his book.

Max held up a hand, palm up in the surrender position. “It’s okay. I didn’t mean to startle you. This is my fiancée, Liz.”

Adam’s blue eyes shifted to her and he looked like he wanted to bolt.

“Hi, Adam,” Liz said, offering him a warm smile.

“Hi,” he answered, his tone clipped.

Max took a cautious step forward. “Do you know Liz? Is she familiar to you?”

Adam turned his head first one way, then the other, looking very much like a quizzical Collie. After a few moments, he shook his head.

“We just wanted to talk a little bit,” Max explained. “Mind if we join you on your break?”

Adam shook his head again and watched as Max overturned a crate for him and Liz to share. They sat, both of them keeping their expressions non-confrontational.

Liz was the first to speak their business. She sat forward, her elbows on her knees, her fingers toying with the ring Max had given her. “Adam, Max told me of your conversation from a few days ago.”

Adam looked guilty, almost ashamed.

“It’s okay,” she reassured him. “I just wanted to ask you about something you said to him.”

“What?” he asked, swallowing hard.

“A quote,” Liz said, trying to keep the anxiety and loss out of her tone. “It has to do with promises to keep and miles to go before you sleep. Does it sound familiar?”

Adam glanced quickly at Max, who gave him a nod of encouragement. “I’ve heard it before,” he admitted.

“Do you know who wrote that?” Liz asked.

Adam shook his head. “No.”

“Do you know where you heard it before?”

He looked across the alley, staring at nothing. Max and Liz could see the struggle on his face, the deep searching of his memory. “In my head,” he finally answered, his voice a whisper.

“I’m sorry?” Liz said, surprised.

“In my head,” he repeated, louder and more confident. “I heard it in my head.”

For one brief moment, Liz’s resolve wavered and Max put his hand on her knee to steady her.

“What are you reading there?” he asked, abruptly changing the subject and gesturing towards Adam’s magazine.

“What?” the boy asked, then blinked as if emerging from a trance. “Oh, Spiderman.”

“Cool,” Max agreed, mentally urging Liz to try to jumpstart her powers. “I loved Spiderman when I was a kid. Which issue is that?”

Liz realized quickly that Max was creating a diversion. She had to push aside all thoughts of this young man somehow channeling Robert Frost and deal with his emotional state instead. From his body language, she could read that he was somewhat uncomfortable with them, a little nervous, a little defensive. But as for what was going on in his head, she couldn’t tell.

Remembering Max’s relaxation methods, she closed her eyes lightly and concentrated on her breathing, on the way the air felt as it filled and then left her lungs. Her Robert Frost anxieties slipped away and she silently urged her powers to the fore…

Nothing happened.

She repeated her actions, although this time she was battling feelings of panic that she’d somehow “broken” her abilities. She concentrated on her breathing again, this time noting how her heartbeat speeded up slightly when she inhaled. Relaxed again, she pushed out with her mind.

Nothing.

“Are you okay?”

Liz popped open her eyes and looked directly into Adam’s. Their blueness, their familiarity caught her off guard and she drew in a sharp breath. Max quickly put his arm around her to steady her.

“I think it’s the heat,” he said to Adam. “And she hasn’t felt well.”

“Let’s go inside,” Adam suggested, closing his book and rising. “I’ll get her some water.”

Max touched Liz’s face with the back of his hand. “Go ahead – we’ll meet you inside.” Once the door closed behind Adam, Max took Liz’s face between his hands. “Hey – you okay? What happened? What did you feel?”

A small tear shown in Liz’s dark eyes. “Nothing,” she confessed. “I couldn’t feel anything.”

Max’s brow was furrowed in confusion. “Then why did you react the way you did?”

Liz shook her head, not wanting to believe it. “When I looked into his eyes…” Her gaze drifted upward, to the tops of the buildings surrounding them and in her head she heard words that she’d heard before, but couldn’t place where…

Trust Max - he has the key to everything.

The tear that had formed in Liz’s eye slid silently down her cheek. “It can’t be,” she breathed.

“What, love?” Max asked, his voice concerned.

“When I looked into his eyes, I saw Alex.”

tbc

[Midwest Max]

I had to rescue this from the third page!! I guess it might help if I updated it every now and then

Thanks for everyone's comments! Things heat up in the next part


Part Nine

Max pulled the Chevelle to a stop in a parking spot outside of Michael and Isabel’s apartment. Not in any hurry, he turned off the ignition and extinguished the car’s headlights. Then he turned his attention to Liz, who was sitting silently in the passenger seat, her eyes fixed on her hands folded in her lap.

Max gave a small smile. “You look pretty tonight,” he said gently, observing her short black dress and the extra care she’d taken in preparing her hair and makeup.

“Thanks,” she said quietly, without looking up.

He worked his mouth, then reached over and picked up one of her hands so she would look at him. “We don’t have to do this, you know – if you don’t feel up to it.”

She shook her head slowly. “No, I want to meet Isabel’s boyfriend. I don’t want to ruin this for her.”

Max smoothed her cheek with the back of his hand and leaned in to give her a kiss. She was miserable, he could tell, but she was still thinking of other peoples’ feelings. It was one of the things he loved the most about her.

“Don’t say anything, okay?” she asked when he pulled away. “I don’t want her to know what happened today.”

He nodded his agreement. He understood – everyone wanted Isabel to be happy for a change, and dredging up memories of Alex was sure to make her anything but.

Liz worked her hands together. “Max, remember how you said you get new powers all the time?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, what if this is a new power for me?”

Max raised one eyebrow. “You mean that you see Alex in other people?”

“No, what if I…” She rolled her eyes at the cliché she was about to use to describe her new gift. “What if I see dead people?”

He snorted a little laugh, his expression amused. “You mean what if you can channel the dead somehow?”

She gave a little laugh herself. “Yeah, it sounds better when you say it.”

He shrugged. “Maybe it is a new power. Maybe it isn’t. I guess if you start conjuring the dead with people other than Adam McKinney, then we know it’s a gift and not something more than that.”

Liz’s dark eyes were round. “What more could it be?”

Max shifted his weight a little. “I don’t know for sure. But I think there’s a reason Adam reminds me of Alex and that you saw Alex when you looked at him.”

“But what reason?”

He shook his head slowly. “I’m sorry, Liz – I don’t have any of those answers. I’m a little freaked out by it, too.”

She sighed and returned her gaze to her lap.

Max’s heart sank to see her in such despair. Reaching over, he took a loose tendril of her hair between his thumb and forefinger. “Did I tell you how pretty you look?” he said, his voice low and soft.

She nodded her head without looking at him.

Leaning toward her, he kissed her cheek, then her earlobe, then her neck. Liz cleared her throat and couldn’t help the smile that came to her face. The smile turned into an expression of surprise when Max’s hand landed on her knee and started to slide upward.

“We could just stay out here in the car,” he said against her ear. “No one knows we’re here yet.”

Liz drew in a quick breath as his lips touched her collar bone.

“I’d be content to stay right where we are,” Max whispered, his hand dangerously close to the Promised Land.

Liz gave a content little sigh, thoughts of abandoning Isabel’s party suddenly seeming appealing. Although she knew she wouldn’t go through with it entirely, she didn’t see anything wrong with arriving a little late. So she leaned back and met his lips.

She’d barely settled into him when the rap of knuckles on the passenger side window startled both of them.

“Hey there,” Maria said, her voice muffled by the glass. “What’re you two doing?” She released a wicked laugh and Liz felt disappointment rush through her.

Max flushed slightly and pushed himself back into his own seat, his face as disappointed as Liz’s. Drawing in a patient breath, she reached for the window crank and rolled it down.

“Hey, Maria,” she said, trying to infuse some form of enthusiasm into her voice.

Maria’s lips were curved sharply upward into a knowing smirk. “Better fix that lipstick before we go upstairs, sister.”

Liz dropped the sun visor to use the mirror, then waved her hand before her face; in an instant, the smudged makeup was gone. Maria lifted a curious eyebrow.

“One of the advantages of being a mutant,” Liz said wryly as she climbed out of the car.

Maria nodded in amused agreement, then her gaze shifted to Max, who looked anything but happy.

“Hi, Max,” she chirped, barely keeping herself from bursting out laughing. “Can you remove makeup with the wave of a hand, too?”

He looked confused, then understood as Liz reached up to rub a smear of lipstick from his cheek. He couldn’t help smiling at her – she didn’t use her powers on him, but rather touched him affectionately. Taking her hand, he steered them toward the apartment complex, Maria in tow.

“What’s in the bag?” Liz asked, glancing down at a paper sack her friend had tucked under one arm.

“Beer,” she answered happily.

Liz raised an eyebrow. “Maria, half the people at this thing can’t drink. I’m not even sure I can drink anymore…” She grimaced, realizing the possibility that her partying days were over before they’d ever really begun.

“So?” Maria asked. “Doesn’t mean I can’t have some!”

Liz laughed and shook her head as they started climbing the steps to Michael and Isabel’s apartment. She felt a little lighter – Maria could always lift her spirits. Maybe there was nothing to this thing with the café worker. Maybe they’d been over-dramatizing the whole thing. Maybe they were all so used to being paranoid that they’d started looking for witches where there weren’t any.

A smile had managed to make its way to Liz’s lips as the trio pushed through the apartment door without knocking as was their way – their homes were communal, lacking in all formality. The first thing Liz noticed was Michael squatted on the couch, lips pursed into their normal pose of annoyance. Then she saw why he was annoyed.

In the kitchenette, Isabel and a man Liz assumed was Carter were standing shoulder to shoulder as they placed appetizers on a tray. At once, Liz saw that Isabel seemed to be glowing as she and her companion joked lightly with one another. It had been a long time since Liz had seen Isabel so unreserved and happy…on second thought, Liz wasn’t sure she’d ever seen her unreserved and happy. Not even with Alex…

Liz’s eyes shifted to Carter and her eyebrows slowly lifted in surprise. He was easily one of the most beautiful men she’d ever seen. Max would always top her list – followed closely by the angular handsomeness of Johnny Depp – but Carter was definitely out of the ordinary. One might even consider his beauty…other-worldly.

She didn’t have time to ponder that thought as Isabel came to greet them, her smile Cover Girl wide, her eyes shining. She hugged her brother first, then gestured toward Carter.

“Carter, this is my brother Max,” she said proudly. “Max, Carter Jameson.”

Max gave a polite smile and shook the man’s hand. Liz could tell he was searching this stranger mentally, discretely, looking for threats. Obviously he found none, because he took a step back and put his arm around Liz.

“This is my fiancée, Liz,” he said and she also shook Carter’s hand.

Carter’s blue eyes lingered on her for a moment and she refused to break his gaze first. Just when she was starting to feel uncomfortable, Maria popped in between them.

“I’m Maria,” she announced, hand already extended. “I’m affiliated with that lump over there on the couch.” She pointed a finger at Michael, then waved at him with it. “Hi, baby.”

Michael blinked a couple of times and remained silent. Maria shrugged and moved to put her beer in the refrigerator. As Liz watched her go, she had to wonder if her friend had already put away a few.

As everyone relaxed and settled into one another’s company, Isabel was glad that she’d decided against a sit-down dinner – it always seemed so much more stressful to meet new people when you were sitting around a table and everything you said drew everyone’s attention.

As predicted, Michael had been a bit cool toward Carter, but at least he hadn’t been rude, which was a big step in Michael’s maturation process.

Isabel was pretty sure Maria had started her party a little early, but she was happy to see that the Maria was a happy drunk and that she was keeping Michael entertained. On a trip to the refrigerator to get another beer, she offered Carter one, but he politely refused. That made Isabel smile – she wasn’t drinking, so neither was he.

Liz seemed a bit “off” tonight, not quite herself. Isabel knew that she was going through a lot of changes and that she’d just dropped out of school, but it was more than that. She seemed to be sad, almost as though she was grieving. She made a mental note to make some time to spend with Liz once she’d returned from her trip.

“When are you leaving?” she heard Max ask and glanced over to see him and Carter standing at the counter, assaulting the appetizers. She couldn’t help her grin – Max making chit chat wasn’t a common thing, so she knew that he must have decided Carter was okay.

“Tomorrow, early,” Carter answered, refilling his glass with soda.

“How long is the flight?” Max asked, just making small talk.

Carter shrugged. “I don’t know.”

Max looked at him curiously.

“I mean, I don’t remember,” he corrected. “We have a lay over in Chicago, and then there’s the time change to deal with – always messes me up.”

Max accepted his answer and searched for other common ground. Maybe Carter liked baseball. He wouldn’t mind having a “brother in law” to go to games with.

On the couch, Michael barely looked Liz’s way when she sat down with a sigh beside him. “What do you think?” he asked quietly, only tilting his head in her direction.

Liz watched Max and Carter, smiled warmly when she heard Max laugh. He did it so rarely, especially in the company of a stranger. “I don’t know,” she answered Michael. “He seems nice enough.”

“No,” Michael corrected patiently. “I mean, do you feel anything?”

She shook her head. “I can’t do that any more, Michael.”

Quickly, he snapped his head in her direction, his expression one of anxious disbelief. “What do you mean?”

She gave an apologetic shrug. “I shut it off. I can’t turn it back on.”

He stared at her for a few moments longer, then shook his head and looked at the floor. His secret weapon was useless. Glancing up, he saw Carter slide his arms around Isabel and hug her tightly as she laughed in reaction. Without Liz’s help, what was he going to do? With no other options, he decided that maybe he had to do what Isabel suggested – for once, trust someone enough to let them in enough to get to know them. Then decide if they deserved your trust in the end.

It was a new concept for Michael. He wasn’t sure he liked it.

* * * * *

Later that night, Liz dreamed she was on a boat, riding gentle waves, the wind blowing lightly through her hair. She felt so at peace, so safe that she wanted to stay on that boat forever.

But then her eyes were open and squinting into the semi-darkness of the room. She searched for the source of what had awakened her, but saw nothing. Even though she was awake, she could still feel the motion of the boat. Only slightly disappointed, she realized that she wasn’t on a boat, but rather sprawled across Max’s chest – the waves were the rise and fall of his chest as he slept, the wind the light puffs of air that escaped his lips.

Liz’s attention was suddenly drawn toward the living room. She’d heard it again – a light knocking sound. Slowly, she slid off from Max, being careful not to wake him. Slipping on her robe, she tied it quickly around her waist and padded out to the living room, where she froze, waiting for the sound to repeat. She glanced at the clock – five thirty.

The sound returned – it was coming from the door. Liz approached it carefully, slid the chain lock out of the way. Trying to be quiet, she pulled the door open a few inches and a shadow fell across her. Startled, she moved back slightly.

“Where is she?” a tired, sickly voice asked.

Liz felt panic starting to grip her and tried to shake it off. “I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

“Isabel,” the voice said.

Panic attack now in full force, Liz threw open the door. Standing there, looking like he was about to collapse, was Adam McKinney. Liz’s eyes grew round as she reached for him.

“What happened to you?” she asked, trying to help him.

Adam pulled away from her. “Tell me where she is.”

“Come inside,” Liz urged.

Behind her, she heard Max’s throaty voice. “What’s going on?”

Adam turned to look at him, his blue eyes desperate. “Where is Isabel?”

“She’s not here,” Max explained, meeting them at the door. It suddenly occurred to him that Adam already knew where Isabel lived – why was he at Max’s door looking for her?

“Where is she?” Adam asked, no less desperate.

“She left town,” Liz said, deciding it was a truthful answer, but still kept her whereabouts secret. After all, they had no proof that this boy wasn’t really a stalker.

Adam stopped, his eyes fixed on hers. Then he closed his eyes and bit his lip. “Oh, God,” he whispered. “You let her go.”

Max looked to Liz in alarm.

“You let her go,” Adam repeated, then collapsed to the floor.

tbc

[Midwest Max]

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Part Ten

Max quickly grabbed Adam by the wrists and dragged him into the apartment; Liz closed the door behind them. Then they kneeled on the floor before their visitor, their minds racing.

“What did he mean?” Liz asked, her voice frightened. “What was he talking about?”

“I don’t know,” Max replied, briefly scanning the boy for injuries.

“Is he hurt?”

Max shook his head. “I don’t think so. I think he just passed out.” He sat back on his heels. “Do you think he was trying to warn us?”

Liz gulped. “Carter?”

He gave a quick nod of his head.

She glanced at the clock. “Max, go,” she ordered. “Maybe their flight hasn’t left yet.”

He hesitated only momentarily, then was on his feet and rushing for the door.

“Max, put on some pants first!” Liz called.

Max stopped with his hand on the doorknob, glanced down at his boxers, then reversed his direction and raced for the bedroom. Moments later, he was skating past Liz again as he buttoned his jeans, then he disappeared out the door.

Alone, Liz tried to push her fear away as she regarded Adam. He was starting to move a bit and her fear was suddenly renewed – what if she’d just commanded Max to leave her alone with a dangerous person? After all, there was no proof that Adam wasn’t a stalker but plenty of evidence that he was.

Without warning, the room suddenly spun. Liz fell to one side and tried to grip the floor. Before her, Adam’s outline became fuzzy, then blurry, then disappeared all together…

“Liz, it’s okay. You’re all right.”

When she opened her eyes again, she was lying on the couch staring up at the ceiling. But it wasn’t really her ceiling – it kind of reached forever, like it didn’t really exist at all. Sitting up quickly, she felt like her body had no substance, like she was lighter than air. Amazed at the sensation, she glanced around quickly – the whole apartment was kind of fuzzy around the edges, like she was sitting in the middle of bad TV reception.

Sitting in the chair beside the couch was Alex Whitman.

“Oh, my God!” Liz screeched. “Am I dead?”

Alex smiled and shook his head.

“Am I asleep?”

He shrugged. “Sort of. I can’t talk to you in the waking world, so I resorted to this.” He motioned with his chin to something Liz hadn’t noticed – two crumpled forms near the door. One belonged to Adam McKinney and the other belonged to her.

“Is that me?” she asked, confused.

Alex nodded. “Yeah. Your physical form, at least.”

Liz looked down at her arms. “And this is my spiritual form?”

“Sort of. Things aren’t so absolute in my dimension,” he explained. “It’s confusing, but don’t worry. You’ll wake up fine.”

“And not remember any of this?” she asked regretfully.

“I hope that’s not the case,” he answered, his voice and expression solemn. “The situation is bad right now, Liz. I tried to get to you before any of this happened, but I didn’t succeed.”

She swallowed hard. “How did you try to get to me?”

Alex pointed to Adam. “Him.”

She grew silent, recalling her first encounter with Adam, Max’s encounter with Adam and the eerie Robert Frost quote. “I’m sorry – I should have known.”

“Don’t apologize, Liz. It’s not your fault. He wasn’t the best communicator I could have used.” Alex gave an amused smile. “He’s comical, though, don’t you think?”

Liz snorted. “Yeah, for a stalker.”

“He’s an alien, Liz.”

Her head whipped toward the spirit of her dead friend. “What?!”

“Adam McKinney is an alien,” Alex repeated casually. “At least, he’s an alien to people on earth. I’m sure on his home world you’d be the alien.”

Liz recoiled, drew her legs up beneath her, her face twisted into a mask of apprehension.

Alex watched her silently for a moment. “Did you see The Pianist?”

She nodded without looking at him, instead noticing how closely her body had fallen to this new enemy. “Yeah. Why?”

“Wladyslaw Szpilman’s memoirs were out of print for a long time in Poland, all because of the message they conveyed.”

“What was that?”

“That not all Poles are good. And not all Germans are bad. Liz, not all humans are good. And not all aliens are bad.”

She turned to look at him.

“Adam isn’t one of the bad aliens,” he said. “He’s lost, a little confused, but he’s good underneath.”

“Why was he stalking Iz?” Liz asked.

“He wasn’t stalking her. He was supposed to be protecting her. I could never find a way to make him understand what it was he needed to do.”

Liz’s dark eyes were round. “Who was he supposed to protect her from?”

Alex’s blue eyes were intense. “Carter.”

“Oh God.” If she would have been able to pale, she would have.

“He’s an alien, too, but not the good kind. He’s about as bad as they come.”

“Is he Khivar?” Liz asked, groping for answers.

Alex shook his head slowly. “No. He’s much worse. He will be the toughest enemy any of you has come up against so far. He’s ruthless. He’s cunning. He already knows about you.”

She pointed a finger into her chest and raised her eyebrows questioningly.

“He’s already sensed your mental abilities, even though they’re dormant. He knows you’re a threat – he fears you.”

Liz snorted a disbelieving laugh – it was hard to believe anyone would fear her.

“It’s true,” Alex confirmed. “He knows what you may become and that terrifies him.”

“What am I going to become?” Her eyes were wide, waiting for her friend to reveal her future.

“I don’t know. I said what you may become,” he answered vaguely.

She bit her lip. “Alex, what do I do? What’s going to happen to Isabel?”

Alex’s expression was serious. “She’s lost now, Liz. You’re going to have to help to find her.”

“Is she in danger?”

“Yes, a lot of danger. But you have to believe in your new gifts. Believe in yourself. Become who you are meant to be.”

Suddenly Liz felt sick, dizzy again and she knew that she was slipping back into consciousness. “Wait,” she said, putting her hand to her head. “I don’t want to leave you, Alex.”

He smiled gently. “You have to. You and I can’t exist on the same plane. Not yet. Remember what I told you…”

Then he disappeared before her and she slid into darkness.

*****

“What did you find?” Max asked desperately as he jogged to meet Michael, who was coming from the opposite end of the airport. Figuring two sets of eyes and legs were better than one, Max had rudely awoken and retrieved his friend on the way to Albuquerque International.

“Nothing,” Michael said, his breathing short from his long sprint down the various concourses.

Max looked up at a nearby clock – it was only six thirty. If there had been any flights destined for Chicago or anywhere else, there should still be evidence of them. Devastated, he shook his head. “I’m so stupid,” he muttered. “Why didn’t I see it?”

“See what?” Michael asked, the hair on the back of his neck bristling.

“Last night I asked Carter how long it took to fly home and he said he didn’t know.”

“He didn’t know?”

Max shook his head. “Then he said the time change and the layover in Chicago messed him up and he could never remember.”

“And you didn’t find that strange?” Michael accused, clamping his hands on his hips.

“I did,” Max defended, his eyes suddenly revealing the sick feeling he felt inside. “I was going to call him on it and then…”

Michael waited patiently, then prompted when he didn’t get an answer. “Then what?”

“I…forgot about it.”

“I’m sorry – what?”

Max closed his eyes against the realization that his sister was now in great jeopardy. “I started thinking about baseball.”

If it had been anyone else standing before him – say perhaps Maria – Michael would have flown into a tirade about irresponsibility and fault being placed on them for Isabel’s peril. But this was Max – Mr. Responsibility, Mr. Sensitivity, Mr. Excellent Judge of Character. Instead of wanting to lash out, Michael was suddenly very worried.

“I’ve doomed her,” Max said quietly.

Michael shook his head vigorously. “No you haven’t. We’re going to find her, Max. And I pity that Carter guy once we do.”

Nausea suddenly turned in Max’s gut as he realized that it was highly possible Isabel didn’t have a clue of the danger she was in. Little could the boys know that Isabel had been clued in to her situation hours before Adam McKinney had shown up on Max and Liz’s doorstep…

They rode quietly in Carter’s SUV, on their way to the airport. The sun had yet to come up and there was a slight nip in the air, the onset of autumn. Isabel started blankly out the passenger side window, her mind still cloudy with sleep. She wasn’t used to getting up this early, getting showered and hitting the road. All the same, there was a nervous excitement playing havoc with her insides – it was the wonderful anticipation of starting a new adventure. If only she could wake up…

Isabel’s attention was drawn to her driver as he pulled the SUV into a gas station, the bright lights momentarily stinging her eyes. “What are we doing here?” she asked.

“Need gas,” he explained with a smile.

“Aren’t we flying?” she asked jokingly.

He laughed. “Yeah, but we won’t be able to get there if I don’t get some gas first.”

She smiled back at him, then settled into her seat as he got out to fill the car. With the interruptive motion of moving stopped, she was just starting to drift back to sleep when Carter reappeared at her window.

“Honey,” he said. “Can you get some money out of my wallet while I do this?”

She nodded and dug around in the glove box for the wallet – she’d seen him throw it in there many times instead of carrying it in his pocket. As he returned to the pump, she flipped open the billfold and searched for enough cash to pay for the gas. Once she found it, curiosity got the best of her and she decided to snoop through his pictures. Disappointingly, there was only one – a headshot of a young girl. Suddenly Isabel was very awake, her heart jerking in fright. Words spoken between the two of them came flooding back to her –

“Tell me all about all of your ex-girlfriends.”

“All of them? Okay, believe it or not, I’ve only had one.”

“Are you kidding?”

“Nope. You saw the mess I made when I tried to approach you – how many girls do you think give me the time of day after that display?”

“So where is she – this girl who liked your cheesy pick-up lines?”

“We’re not together anymore.”

And suddenly Isabel knew why they weren’t together anymore. The girl in the photo was Tess.

tbc