To Become A Dark Flame (DA,XO,TEEN) Ch 6 12/6/04 [WIP]

[kristaphoenix]

Hi, This my first real post and this is a story I've been working on for a while now. It's a crossover of two of my favorite shows, Roswell and Dark Angel.

Story Title: To Become A Dark Flame
Summary: Secrets are revealed when a mysterious phone call brings about drastic changes for everyone.
Disclaimer: I don't own or have anything to do with Roswell or Dark Angel. I am only a devoted fan with an overactive brain. Don't sue!


To Become A Dark Flame



The day started out ordinary. Well, as ordinary as it can get for a genetically enhanced teen living in the alien capitol of the world. Elizabeth Parker, Liz to her friends, came through the doors that separated the restaurant from the kitchen. She looked over to the one person in the world she should have hated. Tess Harding, newest resident Alien, tossed her curly blond hair and laughed at the stunned look on Max, Michael and Isabel’s face. She and Tess had gotten together the night before and talked. They found that while not comfortable talking about Max they had a lot in common. Not exactly friends they at least could act friendly. What would happen later that day would mark a turning point in the relationship between the two girls.
They were all on their way to the rock quarry after school to talk. Max and Isabel Evans and Michael Guerin had been in Max’s jeep and Tess had rode with Maria De Luca, Liz and Alex Whitman because she needed to talk to Alex about helping her set up a more stable background now that she knew she would be staying in Roswell. Liz rode with them since the others were still a little weary of her. The jeep was at least twenty minutes ahead because Maria’s mom wanted an errand ran before they could use her car. Surprisingly she was having a good time and laughing at Alex’s antics. Sitting back, she realized the dynamics between these three teens was greater than anything she have ever seen even within the fabled Royal four as Nesado, her stoic shape-shifting protector, always called them.
She looked up sharply as Liz screamed out.
“No!” Liz shook suddenly and told Maria to hurry.
“What? Liz?” Alex looked over to Tess in the hopes that she knew what was happening.
“We’re to late. They’ve been taken.” Five minutes later they saw the jeep abandoned on the side of the road. Liz hopped out immediately and ordered that no one touch any thing. “Tess, can you do that thing where you get flashes from touching things?”
“Sometimes.”
“Let’s do it together. I’ll explain later.” They both took a side and grabbed the doors at the same time. Exhaling at the same time, the looked at each other terrified and spoke. “Eagle Rock!”

With Alex’s computer hacking skills they were able to get detailed blueprints and security measures. Tess was amazed at the efficiency that Liz displayed. First she grabbed a duffle bag from her room. She poured over the map for one hour and seemed to have it memorized. When Nesado wanted to shift into one of the agents to get in, she vetoed it because of the scanners at the gates. Fortunately Alex found a hidden escape door that wasn’t guarded except a basic concealed keypad. The plan was set but they needed back up. Liz decided for them. Sheriff Valenti was told the truth and as she suspected was eager to help get the teens out. He and Nesado would offer a diversion while she and Tess would go in and get the others out. Nesado balked at the plan at first stating that Liz was only human and was incapable of doing what needed to be done to get his charges out. Without speaking a word she reached into her bag and pulled out a double shoulder harness, two guns that she quickly loaded and slipped on, a hunting knife she strapped to her ankle, and four extra bullet clips before grabbing her waist length leather jacket.
“I stand corrected.” Nesado bowed to her slightly and preceded a laughing Sheriff out behind him. Maria and Alex left with supplies for Alex’s parents’ cabin to await their arrival. On the drive out Tess turned to her and asked the one thing she was most curious about.
“Who are you?”
“Just a small town girl in love with an alien king.” Liz seemed to come to a silent decision that if pushed she would tell the whole truth because when Tess asked again, she just started talking.
“You’re more than that. I sense something different about you. And look at you now. Before was like an act, but now, this, the guns, giving orders, this is something you’re comfortable with. Who are you?”
“Promise me you won’t tell anyone else this. Not Max, not Nesado, no one.” She nodded. “Only my parents, the Sheriff and Maria know what I really am. I was created by a secret organization called Manticore. I’m a genetically enhanced killing machine. For the first nine years of my life, I along with my brothers and sisters were raised to obey orders and kill on command. We were tortured, starved, brain washed all in the attempt to make us harder stronger soldiers. They mixed human DNA with that of certain animals. The results were a unit of children with a larger brain capacity, more strength, more speed, better endurance, and loads more stamina than the above average human or even alien for that matter. Or at least as far as I can tell. We have photographic memories, can endure harsher environments, can hold our breaths for long periods of time, jump really really high and have excellent night vision.”
“Wow. How many brothers and sisters?”
“There was twelve when we escaped. Seven brothers and five sisters. Zach is the oldest and our commanding officer. I’m the second youngest and his co-commander. Depending on the mission, which of us we felt had the more applicable strengths would lead and the other would act as second in command. The people in charge didn’t like that fact that he and I chose to lead together. They wanted one set leader. We informed them that if they wanted a smoothly running unit our way was better.”
“We survived as a group and the decision to escape was made as a group. It was night and very cold. We were once a unit of twenty but over the years some of us developed seizers and were taken away. It wasn’t until two weeks before we got away that we found out what happened to them. Dom was taken away to be treated and Maxie and I followed. We saw them cut his head open and remove his brain for study. We finalized our plans that night and the thirteen of us left escaped with one casualty. And we’ve been running ever since. I’ve seen almost everything there is to see in this country. Before Claudia Parker found me seven months later I never stayed in one place more than a week. For some reason I knew I could trust her. She never looked at me like I was a monster. She brought me to her son and his wife. They let me stay with them for as long as I needed and understood whenever I had to go out of town to help one of the others. Sheriff Valenti is my dad’s best friend and we needed him as look out. He’s been a tremendous help to my siblings and me over the years. So there you have it.”
“And you never told Max? Why?” Liz looked at Tess.
“How do you tell someone that good that you’re a killer? That you have taken the lives of people you didn’t know and had never done anything to you. I’m a thing Tess. A murderer. When I came to Roswell it was only supposed to be temporary but I liked it here. I wasn’t X5-299 here. I was just a girl, straight-laced little Lizzie Parker who never got into any trouble. Even though I felt that way, I did want to tell him but at first I didn’t trust Michael and Isabel. Michael was itching for a reason to leave town and he would have used what I am as a means to do that. Then just when I think it’s time, you and Nesado came. I had to find out if you could be trusted.”
“So, I’m trust worthy, huh? After trying to steal your boyfriend?”
“Yea, besides now you know that no one would ever find your body if you became a threat.” The two girls looked at each other and busted out laughing. “Now let me ask you something. Do you really love Max?” Her first instinct was to answer in the affirmative. But after Liz’s honesty she took a moment to think hard about it.
“Before I came here, I would have had no problem telling you we were meant to be, but now... no. I could learn to love him like a friend or brother but he will never look at me like the way he looks at you. And I’ve come to realize that that’s what I want. I deserve a man who looks at me like I’m his whole universe. He won’t have to be mentally forced to kiss me. By the way, I'm so sorry about that. The only reason it even worked is because he doesn’t know the extent of his abilities or what I was capable of. Nesado kept telling me that we were unable to love anyone else but he was wrong. And if he was wrong about that, it means there is someone out there for me too. So does this mean we’re friends now?”
“I’d like that. And since you know the truth about me maybe you can help me practice now. When Max healed me, he opened up a part of my brain and I find myself with powers. I’ve been training on my own and with Maria watching but it would go a lot better with someone who has powers and knows what to look for.”
“Will you teach me to fight?” Tess sounded like an eager little girl.
“Sure. I’ve been teaching Maria for three years. We tried to teach Alex, you know, pave the way to tell him but he really is a lover not a fighter. It was just easier to double team any would be bully if they threatened him. Once we made Johnny Engel run home crying after he tripped Alex in the cafeteria. We followed him to the bathroom and jumped him. We dunked his head in the toilet, stripped him to his boxers and threw him out into the hallway during class change. Then he was dumb enough to tell the principal and his parents who did it but once they saw how small and innocent looking we were compared to him, he was suspended for a week and grounded for a month for lying. He never bothered Alex or us again.”

[kristaphoenix]

Soon after, they reached the base. Ten minutes later they heard the first series of explosions and moved in. They advanced though the hallways with Liz leading. At one point she motioned for Tess to hide in a room while she scouted ahead. So intent on looking for a sign of Liz’s return she missed the three large guys sneaking up on her. Next thing she knew they were face down on the ground and Liz grabbed her hand. “I leave you alone for two seconds... come on. They’re being held just down the hall. Let’s do this.”
The plan was for Tess to mind-warp the guards and anyone inside the room while Liz went in to get the others. Max, Michael, and Isabel shot to their feet when the door opened and were shocked to see Liz standing before them. She shushed them quickly and motioned for them to hurry and move out. She led them back to Tess’ position and they hurried back the way she had come. Unfortunately their escape was hindered when Agent Pierce followed them to Alex’s cabin. The group had just been re-united when Liz stiffened in Max’s arms. The front door burst open and there stood their worst human enemy and he had a machine gun sighted on Max.
“Did you really think you could escape me?” His eyes shone with madness and only Nesado, Sheriff Valenti and Liz with their training noticed his finger tightening on the trigger. Simultaneously two shots and one alien blast hit Pierces’ body and propelled him back through the doorway. The Sheriff and Liz slowly lowered their weapons and looked at each other and Nesado who nodded to them both. Nesado moved the body and placed it in his car while the extended group discussed what needed to be done. No one wanted to talk about what had just happened. Max, as usual, was worried about Liz. She had killed today to protect the group and he was afraid of how she would handle that.
“What now Max? Do we leave town?” Isabel sat chewing her nails and holding onto Alex.
“We have to! Maxwell, they know who we are now. Not to mention their lead agent is dead. The humans should be fine, but we need to leave as soon as possible.”
Michael’s words were logical but Max was still torn. He didn’t know if he could just up and leave his parents or Liz, but they weren’t safe anymore.
“No. If you leave now, they’ll know they were right. Is that what you really want Michael? To spend the rest of you life running and being hunted with only a small hope of being able to leave the planet someday?” Liz stood up and faced him. “There’s always another way.”
“Oh, really? Well, Miss Parker, what do you suggest? Wait here and hope they go away?” She rolled her eyes at his sarcasm and turned to Nesado.
“Nesado will get rid of Pierces’ body, take his place and nullify the special unit from within.” She turned to the shape-shifter. “ Destroy his body. If you bury it somewhere we take the chance of him being found one day. I want him reduced to dust. Then take his place and obtain and destroy any evidence that involves anyone in this group and discredit anyone who could even remotely take over the unit. I want it shut down permanently without repercussions for us. Go back to the base, inform them that after viewing the test on their blood you realized that an over zealous agent fabricated the previous findings and you released them. Don’t worry about the blood samples. I already switched the vials. Order mental evaluations on the entire base personnel. Dismiss them accordingly. Tess knows how to contact you?” At his nod, she continued. “Go. Leave a message on Tess’ cell phone once it’s safe for us to return to town. We’ll all spend the rest of the weekend out here. Now, any more questions Michael?” Stunned, he shook his head and looked to Max who was as shocked as he was. Only Maria, Tess, Alex and Nesado seemed unaffected. In fact Nesado never even looked to Max for conformation before bowing to Liz and leaving.
“Now, Maria and Alex have already called their parents. Isabel call your mom and see if you can spend the night at my house and if Max can stay with Michael since we’re having a girls only night. My mom’s gonna cover for our all girl camping trip. Max and Michael will fix the door. Alex and Maria will fix us some sandwiches while Tess and I pull out stuff to sleep on. Jim, you and Kyle can stay or go back to Roswell. They can’t connect you to us so it should be safe.”
“If it’s alright, I’ll stay. This is so much cooler than sitting at home eating a TV dinner.” Kyle slumped down on the couch.
“I’ll go back. Just call if you need me for anything. Thank you for trusting me and I wanted to apologize for the way I went after you guys earlier. I should head on back now.” He tipped his hat and left after Liz kissed him on his cheek.

When Tess checked her messages three hours later, she smiled. “It worked. He said after the dismal failure of proving that aliens walk among us, the whole unit is being brought under review. The Eagle Rock facility is being closed down immediately. Liz, you did it.” Further shocking the original trio, Tess leaned over and hugged her. Only Liz heard the words whispered in her ears. “Your Majesty.”
“God, I need a drink.” Maria slid a full bottle of Tequila toward her. “You didn’t!”
“You know we have to. You’re such a funny drunk.”
“Whatever. Alex?”
“Pour me a glass.”
“Ok, guys we’re about to play one of the greatest drinking games created. And everyone has to play. For the Czechs in the room, we have a bottle of cherry cola. Lucky you, you get to watch the four non-Czechs get drunk off our asses. Or at least some of us. Everybody get in a circle, boy-girl-boy-girl, if you please.”
“Maria? Since some of us don’t drink, what game are you talking about?” Isabel almost stepped back when Alex, Liz and Maria all screamed out.
“I never! Ya baby!”
“Everyone gets a glass of the drink of their choice.” Maria filled up everyone’s glasses and passed Liz the rest of the bottle. “Now we go around in a circle and everyone says something they have never done and if you’ve done it you take a drink. Ok? I’ll start. I’ve never kissed more than two of the guys in this room.” Liz and Isabel both took a drink. Michael went next. “I’ve never been on a plane.” Everyone but him took a hit. Isabel cleared her throat.
“I’ve never been on a blind date.” Liz, Maria, and Alex snickered as they took drinks. “What was that for?”
“Oh, three years ago Maria made the horrible mistake of telling her mother that the three of us wanted to find boyfriends and a girlfriend. So Amy decides to fix us up with the kids of two of her suppliers. Liz’s date was gay and kept staring at me, Maria’s was a pervert who kept trying to look down their tops, and my girl was a dominatrix wanna be. We swore off dating then.” Everyone laughed. “My turn. I’ve never bungee jumped.” Only Kyle and Liz picked up their glasses but neither explained.
“I’ve never jumped out of an airplane.” Reluctantly Liz was the soul drinker to Tess’ question. She downed three good-sized gulps before wiping her lips on her sleeve.
“Liz?”
“What?”
“You jumped?”
“I got hot. Kyle, you’re next.”
“Oh, um, I’ve never had to beat up a bully.” Maria, Liz, and Michael all drank.
“Did I ever thank the two of you for that?” Alex jumped over and kissed first Maria and then Liz.
“We told Johnny to leave you alone. He should’ve listened to us.”
“Wait! So the rumors were true. You guys jumped him in the boys bathroom?”
“Oh yea. I walked in first; asked him if he had a condom and just stared at him. He was so shocked that he never saw Liz run in and jump on his back. I head butted him and then she got him in a headlock. We beat the crap out of him, flushed his head in the toilet, and threw him into the hallway wearing only his boxers. For the rest of the year, Kyle and Paulie kept calling Alex “The Godfather”, and we were his knee breakers. It was hilarious.” Liz already tipsy began to giggle. “What?”
“Remember how Johnny would always run from us.”
“Oh God yes.” They laughed together.
“OK, I’ve never... I’ve never hit Pam Troy.” Isabel and Maria both took big gulps.
“That little tramp.” Max went next.
“I’ve never kissed Pam Troy.” Kyle took a drink.
“I’ve never driven a motorcycle.” Maria snickered when Liz and Michael both drank. She could tell that the liquor was going straight to her best friends’ head since she didn’t even acknowledge the strange looks she was getting from the others. “OK, I’m done with this game and since Liz is the most world wise of the group as you’ve seen, don’t even ask, the night usually ends with me and Alex slightly tipsy and Liz nibbling on her hair and laughing at cracks in the ceiling.” Suddenly thunder crashed and a lightning bolt lit up the sky. They could hear the rain pouring down outside. Liz downed the rest of the bottle and grabbed Maria and Alex and ran outside. The others followed thinking there was trouble only to laugh as the three played in the rain. Like little kids they frolicked and sang. Seeing the others they ran over and tried to drag them out. Tess needed no pushing. Alex grabbed her hand and waltzed her around the yard. Kyle went over and cut in. Alex picked Isabel up and spun her around. Michael refused until Maria peeled off her wet tee shirt and then he chased her. Max just walked out and grabbed Liz. They walked further into the woods and he kissed her up against a tree.

[kristaphoenix]

To Become A Dark Flame Part 3


The rest of the weekend went smoothly until Sunday evening. The group had decided to forgo any serious discussions until then. The first thing they did was ask Tess questions about who they were, their enemies, everything they needed to know about where they came from. They were dazed to find out that the four of them were Royalty. Tess quickly reassured them that although they were sent down together, it didn’t mean they had to repeat the past. “Besides, that past got us all killed. Just maybe we were always meant to come here and find a Queen worthy of sharing the throne and I doubt that I was more than an ornament.” She shrugged.
“Tess, you’re nobody’s trophy wife. You were probably an excellent Queen.”
“Come on Liz. We both know that if it was up to me to come up with a plan to get them out, they’d still be in there. I would have never even thought of substituting the blood instead of destroying it. Nesado said it completely threw the scientist who were convinced that it would glow or something. Not to mention bringing in the Sheriff for back-up.”
“Don’t sell yourself short.” Liz reached over and rubbed her arm.
“Why did you tell him anyway.”
Liz looked over at Michael. “Simple. We needed Kyle’s blood for you and Nesado needed someone there who would subtly remind him that this mission required a minimal amount of alien powers. No glowing hand prints. Maria and Alex supplied blood for Max and Isabel. Besides I knew he could be trusted. The only reason he was even going after you guys was he didn’t understand that you were just as vulnerable as anybody else in this town. Now he knows you need his help more than almost anyone else. And he’ll do whatever he can to support you.”
“Next up, living arrangements for Tess.”
“Actually, Tess and I talked about that last night.” Liz shared a smile with the other girl.
“Yea. We figured it’d be better if I moved in with someone instead of living on my own.”
“So, you moving in with Michael or something?” Isabel was curious about the grins on their faces.
“She’s going to be staying with me.”
“What? Uh Liz? Besides the obvious, what about your parents?”
“Just let me handle them, Michael. We have the guestroom that someone already turned down. My parents won’t have a problem with it. Although you will have to get a job, in the restaurant maybe.”
“Not a problem. Do I have to wear the apron?”
“Absolutely. It makes the outfit. Right Isabel?”
“Shut up Maria. That was a one time deal.” Everyone laughed.

Three months later found the eight of them sitting in the Crashdown having a relaxing afternoon. They had endured so much since the Eagle Rock incident. First was the arrival of their enemy, the Skins and their leader Nicholas, second was finding out they needed to find and protect something called a Granolith, and last was the growing relationships within the group. Max and Liz and Maria and Michael had all taken the next step in their relationships. Now it was impossible to pry any of them apart. Isabel and Alex were dating seriously and Tess and Kyle had finally gotten past the flirting stage.
Liz laughed at Alex’s imitation of her dad and kissed Max’s cheek. She was so ridiculously happy she was even ignoring Pam Troy’s glares from across the diner. Pam had been beside herself when not only had Max and Liz stayed together but also an unlikely friendship had sprung up with them and Tess. No one knew how Liz was able to talk her parents into first letting Tess stay with them and then getting custody of her. The official story was that Tess was her cousin and her father died on a business trip after bringing her to Roswell to fix his relationship with his sister, Nancy Parker. The real story was they told Nancy and Jeff that Tess was an experiment like her but different so they felt like cousins. She was lovingly embraced and soon she, Maria, and Liz were spending lots of time together. At least when they weren’t with their boyfriends. They had tried to invite Isabel, but she was still acting aloof with Liz and Maria.
Suddenly Liz felt a tingling sensation at her waist. She read the message on her pager and reached for her cell phone. She turned away from the table as she punched in a very long series of numbers to re-route the call making it impossible to trace.
“Yes...What...Got it...When... Thanks for the heads up. See ya soon.” She clicked the phone closed and jumped up nervously. “Guys, I’ll be right back.” She turned away before anyone could ask questions and ran smack into Pam.
“Well if it isn’t Little Lizzie Parker.” Pam snickered and looked back at her flock of friends, which consisted of four girls who all dressed alike. Normally Liz would exchange verbal barbs but at that moment all she wanted was to leave the room.
“Back off Pam.” She moved to walk around her but was pulled back when she grabbed her arm.
“What exactly did you have to do for Max to drop Tess and take you back?”
“Pam, Don’t go there.”
“No really, how far did you have to go to keep him? A little oral, all the way, or did you have to get kinky?” Pam smirked when Liz closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The entire diner fell silent as Liz suddenly acted on ingrained instincts and grabbed Pam’s throat. She swept her legs out from under her and slammed her down onto the floor so hard the girl could barely inhale. She leaned down and spoke directly to Pam.
“You should really learn to play nice. Now I’ll only say this one time and if we need to schedule a refresher course later, so be it. Unless you have something nice to say or need to ask a question about school, you are to stay away from Max and all my friends. You are banned from the Crashdown until further notice. Needless to say if I even hear you’ve started or participated in any gossip or plans to get back at me or mine, we’ll have a nice long conversation about the proper behavior for young ladies. Am I making myself clear?”
“Perfectly.” Pam whispered fearfully. She had never heard anyone’s voice get that icy before.
“Good. Now, I’m going to get up and go upstairs. Don’t be here when I come back.” Petrified and humiliated Pam could only stare at the girl she had spent years picking on. Liz stood up from her crouch and walked toward the kitchen. She stopped at the double doors and turned to Pam who was still prone on the floor. “Have a nice day, Pam.”
The room was eerily silent as she left. Everyone waited to see what Pam would do. Even her faithful flock just stood by, none of them wanting it to get back to Liz that they had helped her up. The teen took a deep breath, scrambled to her feet, and ran out the door leaving her purse and book bag on the floor. No one knew what to do or what had just happened. It wasn’t until Maria looked over at Tess that they lost it. They laughed so hard they fell out of their chairs. Maria had her head lying flat on the ground gasping for breath as Tess buried her face in Maria’s back.
“Oh my God.” Isabel was shocked. She’d never seen Liz just lose it like that. She looked over to a stunned Max and Michael. “Did that really just happen?”
“Guys, get the hell up off the floor.” Michael, although amused by what was said, was conscious of the attention they were getting.
“But Michael, I’ve been waiting for Liz to take her down since middle school. Actually I thought Tess was gonna beat her to it that time Pam said she was going after Liz’s cast-offs.” They two girls climbed back into their seats giggling.
“Well, has it occurred to either of you that Liz wasn’t acting like herself? Something about that phone call pissed her off to a degree I have never seen.” Michael leaned back in his seat staring at Max.
“I have.” Everyone looked over at a wide-eyed Alex. “Once, two years ago. Maria was sick and I took Liz to the park. She called someone then to and didn’t like what she was told. We were away from everyone else and right after she hung up, Tommy Peterson snuck up on us and pushed me down. She clotheslined him before I could even say anything. That afternoon she went to visit her aunt for a week, which was weird because it was the middle of the school year.” Maria and Tess stopped laughing and stared at each other.
“You don’t think...”
“Shit.” They both leapt to their feet and took off to find Liz. Tess looked back and saw the others getting ready to follow them, especially Max. “Stay here. We’ll find out what’s going on.” By the time they made it upstairs, Liz had already grabbed the emergency bag she kept in her closet and was changing into jeans and a semi tight fitting black tank top.
“Liz? What’s happening?” Maria and Tess stood in the doorway.
“Remember when I told you I gave your pictures to Zach? Well, we have a situation. I can’t go into details because I don’t have that much yet. But apparently, someone approached two of my brothers about our group. And now Zach has called a meeting, which is really out of character but hey, desperate times right? Guys, I have to leave town for a couple of days. Hopefully I’ll be back in three days.”
“Liz, maybe I should go with you?”
“No Tess. I need you to stay here. If this has anything to do with the skins or the FBI, the Foursquare must be complete. Besides, I have more than enough surprises in store for any threat. As soon as I know what’s going on, I’ll call you.”
“What about everyone else? After your little performance, which we enjoyed way more than was morally right, there are bound to be questions. And with you leaving town, Max is gonna freak and Michael will get suspicious and probably try and follow you.”
“That’s why I’m not telling them I’m going away. I’ll call Max tonight. Hold off telling them anything till I get back if you can. But if you have to, tell them. I don’t want the two of you dragged into the middle of anything, understood?”
“Yea, but I just wanna be on record that you leaving now is giving me serious bad feelings. What if it’s a trap? Or Zach tells you to leave Roswell? Or the wrong people see you? There’s too much that can go wrong, Liz.”
“I know Maria. I have to go. I plan on changing my appearance a little and thanks to my genie powers my barcode is well hidden until I need it to be seen. And Zach knows I won’t leave here unless it’s absolutely necessary and not without letting you know what happened.” None of them mentioned her lack of response to it being a trap. She hugged each girl and tossed her bag out onto her balcony. “Tess, if mom and dad get back early, just tell them I had a family emergency.” She climbed down her fire escape and ran to the shed that hid her prized motorcycle. She looked up once more before tearing off down the street and out of town. Had she been willing to ignore her brother, she would have turned around and stayed home.



Almost two weeks later Tess and Maria were ready to kill someone. Preferably Michael, Max, or Isabel. It was bad enough no on had heard from her since she called Max the night she left but if they had to listen to one more outlandish theory from the trio, someone was gonna lose an eye. Michael kept flipping from thinking she had gone on an extended vacation, to her being captured by skins, all the way to her being fed up with alien crap. Max was spazzing and going through withdrawal while Isabel pretended not to care. But she did care. Especially after she had attempted to dream-walk Liz every night for the last week without being able to get in.
Maria and Tess had finally caved after Michael and Max cornered them and told them what Liz really was. They talked about Liz’s emerging powers but not how strong she really was or what she could do. Max was upset that she hadn’t trusted him enough to tell him herself. Michael was pissed Maria hadn’t told him since he was the group protector. And Isabel was just irate that Tess of all people knew before they did. Alex and Kyle, after knowing aliens, just took it in stride. Sheriff Valenti told what he knew and how it was the real reason he had investigated Max so hard in the beginning. He had thought they might be a threat to Liz’s freedom, which was partially true. Tess tried to explain that Liz never told anyone unless it couldn’t be avoided and her reasons for not telling. Unfortunately nothing she or Maria or the Sheriff said was able to calm the three of them down. They felt betrayed and left the meeting in a huff. Those that remained expressed their displeasure with them and worry for Liz.
Now, Tess and Maria were closing the restaurant while the rest of the group helped clean up. Although relations were strained, they tried to stay together because of the possible threat. It was during a lull in the conversation when Maria’s cell phone began to ring. She immediately dropped her broom and dustpan and picked up.
“Hello...Oh, thank God, where the hell have you been...Liz...hold on, Tess can we all meet at your old house?” She nodded and tried to tell whether this was a good thing or not. “She said yes...yea, we kinda had to...not entirely...how long...OK, we’ll be waiting. We love you chica.” Maria hung up and closed her eyes.
“Well?”
“She’s about half an hour outside of town. We’re to meet her at the house.” Maria took a deep breath and looked up with teary eyes. “She sounds so not like herself.”
“So, this could be a trap.”
“Shut up Michael. She used the code word.”
“Oh, like she couldn’t have been captured and mind raped.” Max hung his head at Michael’s words.
“She can’t be mind raped. Her mental walls are too strong.”
“How the hell do you know that Tess?”
“Uh...well, we’ve been practicing together and one of the things she had me do was try and get into her mind. Unless she wanted me to, I couldn’t even read her emotions.”
“When the hell did you learn to mind rape?” Isabel was curious.
“Like I told you all before the summer, we have no idea what we can do. And since none of you seemed interested in finding out, even when asked, Liz offered to help. Plus, she’s been teaching me to fight. Hell. I’ve learned to hone my abilities more in the last three months than my entire life with Nesado.” She smiled softly.
“We need to go.” Maria and Tess went to the back to change quickly.
“I think we should wait right here. Call her back and tell her to come here.” Michael crossed his arms.
“Tell you what, anyone who is actually worried about Liz will go to the house. Anyone who’s a self centered jackass and more concerned about what they weren't told can wait right here.” Maria turned and walked out followed by Tess, Alex, and Kyle. Isabel and Max looked at each other and stood up.
“Michael...we have to.”
“I know. It’s not that I don’t care, it’s just that...”
“We know. Come on.” They piled into Max’s jeep and caught up with Tess’ blazer. They reached the two-story house in less than five minutes. After Tess let them in, they made themselves comfortable in the living room. Maria refused to even look at Michael and spoke softly to Tess.
“She sounded bad, Tess. Like really really bad. I knew we shouldn’t have let her go.”
“Like we could’ve stopped her. Maria, she had to go. It involved her siblings and all of us. There was no way in hell we could have kept her from leaving. She probably would have knocked us out and tied us to the bed.”
“Nah, we’d be found to easily. Most likely she’d stuff us in her closet.” They laughed without any real humor.
Outside, a black clad figure coasted their bike into the driveway. Wearily, they climbed off and walked slowly to the door. Since they hadn’t bothered to wear a helmet, they just ran their fingers through their hair. Gingerly, they touched her side and thanked god she remembered to bring a long sleeved shirt with her and it hid her other bruises. Schooling her features, Elizabeth Parker opened the door and stepped in with her back to the room. The minute they heard her come in, what little conversation that was taking place, ended. Without turning around she spoke.
“I need a shower.”
“What! Liz, you disappear for two weeks without a word, then we find out you’re not exactly what you appear to be, and then when you finally decide to grace us with your presence after your little vacation, you want us to wait while you take a shower!” Michael moved toward her stiffened form and grabbed her arm. Quick as lightning she swung around and pushed him away from her.
“Do I look like I’ve been on a fucking vacation, Michael?” Everyone gasped as they got a good look at her eyes. They seemed so dead. While they were in a state of shock, Liz swept past them and up the stairs carrying her bag. Fifteen minutes later she came back down dressed in her sweatpants and long sleeve jersey to a silent room. She walked over to Maria and Tess on the couch and sat between them with her legs curled under her. She leaned her head against her best friends’ shoulder and grabbed Tess’ hand.
“What happened to you Liz?”
“What didn’t happen to me Isabel.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Michael, I swear to God, I’m gonna kick your ass as soon as I can get up!” Maria flashed him a glare. “Liz will tell us what she wants in her own time.”
“No Maria, it’s alright.” Liz sat up and stared straight ahead. She didn’t want to see anyone’s face when she spoke. “This story really starts back with Maria and Alex. You know what I am. But what you probably weren’t told was my position within the unit. Zach was the oldest and most obvious choice for our commanding officer. When he was supposed to choose a second, everyone expected him to choose one of the older kids, but he chose me. Zach and I were always close and knew how each other thought. We took our positions a step further and led together. Whoever brought the most insight to a mission commanded and the other acted as second. After the escape, I eventually made my way here with a little help from Grandma Claudia, and Zach and I kept in constant contact. When Maria found out what I was, I made sure Zach had a picture of her and Alex and eventually all of you just in case. He in turn showed them to our other siblings and then destroyed them. I made sure that if anything happened to me, everyone in this room would have some protection and help in case you needed to leave town in a hurry.” She looked briefly over at Max, Michael and Isabel who had flocked together.
“That day in the Crashdown, Zach had paged me. I was told that someone had approached my brothers about doing a capture-or-kill job. He called an emergency meeting. I should have known then that something was seriously wrong because we have never met all together like that since we escaped. Anyway, I changed my appearance some in case the wrong people saw me, and headed to the meeting place. The first meeting went fine. Apparently a man named Dalton Taggert offered two of my brothers three million dollars to either capture or kill if needed a specific group of teens.” She let them digest that info. “Krit was able to follow the guy after their encounter and get surveillance photos. Quite a few of them were with him talking to Nicholas.”
“As co-leader, I had no choice but to tell them the truth so they could defend themselves.”
“What? You had no right...”
“I had every right Michael! This wasn’t about just you guys anymore. They were putting their lives on the line for you and for me. It was my responsibility to give them an advantage over our enemy.”
“Liz, this is serious. This is a decision that should have been made by all of us.”
“Guy’s are we really surprised. After all, she told how many people in this room? You got a lot of nerve. You lie to us even after you learned about us, you tell others even after swearing you’ll never tell, and now you’ve told a group of trained killers who’ll probably sell us out the minute they’re captured.”
“Shut up Michael!” Tess could feel Liz tensing up at his accusations. “She had my consent.”
“And who the hell gave you permission Tess? You’re the real interloper here. You just breeze into town with grand stories and expect us to welcome you with open arms. Only instead of us doing it, somehow Liz finds her way to forgive you for mind warping Max into kissing you in front of her and accept you into her home and family. Impressive.”
“Leave her out of this Michael. You’re pissed at me.”
“Fine Liz.” He stood and walked toward her. Maria looked over at Max to see what he was planning on doing about the person threatening his girlfriend but he just sat there dumbfounded and hurt. “So what happens if they’re captured? Huh? How long before they cave and tell all?” When Liz stood up, he took a step back at the dark angry look on her face. In a blur of movement, he found himself pinned against the wall, his feet dangling above the floor, and Liz holding him up by his waistband. Her eyes blazed with indignation and barely restrained rage.
“How dare you question my family’s loyalty. You know nothing about what we’re capable of and yet you insult them without restraint. If you honestly doubt my ability to know whom to trust I suggest that the next time I’m in a life or death situation, you should hold onto Max better. You think that just because you come from another planet, you’ve cornered the market on fear. If captured you’ll probably be tortured and dissected but in the end you’ll get to die. There are worse things than death. Here’s a little information for you. The government created a small special unit to study you and we were able to get them disbanded and discredited with a little false information. My siblings and I have an entire organization hunting us down. Only death will stop them and even then others will follow. And that’s not even counting the other governments around the world who would slaughter hundreds of ordinary people if it meant they could get even one ovary or sperm cell from us. Chopped into little pieces, on the black market, I alone am worth over ten billion dollars.”
“If I had been captured, I would have wiped my memory so they could learn nothing. All of us would have. It wouldn’t have stopped them from brainwashing us to kill again but everyone else would have been safe. Now, knowing all that, I risked everything and I asked them to risk their lives for you. Any one of them would have laid down their lives for you.” Disgusted, Liz dropped him. Seeing the flash of fear in his eyes she backed up. Realizing that she was losing control, she walked to the door. At the last minute she turned back to them. “But don’t worry. Your precious secret is safe. Probably safer than it’s ever been.” She ran upstairs.
“How could you Michael?” Maria stared at him. “How could you just jump all over her like that? She never told anyone who she didn’t trust and who didn’t end up protecting your asses.”
“I know I made a lot of assumptions about her when I first came to town and I made a lot of mistakes. And it must seem strange for me to defend Liz. I also know that my place in this group is only because we come from the same place and is tenacious at best. So I hope you understand just what I’m risking now. You people are asses. From what I’ve seen and been told, she has done more, risked more than anyone in this room has. She involved her other family in a bid to keep us safe and you just wailed on her. Everything you’ve learned about yourselves has been because of her. You’re more human because Liz cared enough to make you a part of her life. She could have turned from you after she knew the truth but she didn’t. She made your enemies her enemies. She gave me the chance to be a part of a real family. The bad thing is I expected Michael’s anger and Isabel’ indifference. But what completely threw me was Max. I can’t understand how you can say you love her and then just let Michael trash her. You profess to love her so much, call her your soul mate, but you just sit there. You should have been the first to go after her. If this is your idea of loyalty, no wonder we all died in our past lives.” She turned her back to them.
The two girls ran out of the room. Without looking at the remaining aliens, Alex and Kyle quickly followed. Left alone, the others could only look over their actions or lack of.

[kristaphoenix]

To Become A Dark Flame Part Four

“Damn. Max...what do we do?” Isabel was most worried about her brother. She knew he loved Liz and his lack of response was due to shock that he hadn’t seen any of this coming.
“I don’t know Izzy. They were right. Liz at least deserves the right to be heard without judgement. We had her tried and convicted before she even got back.” He hung his head. “She sounded like her life was over.” Michael ran a trembling hand through his hair. He wasn’t about to admit it but he was scared. He just couldn’t decide if he was afraid of Liz or for her.
“You don’t think that...But she would have told us if something really bad had happened, right?”
“When? Michael jumped on her the minute she came in the door. And we just stood by and let him. What kind of King am I if I would allow that? I always thought that I would be the last person to hurt her, but I just did.”
“We need to find out what happened.”
“Michael, do you really think she wants to see any of us now?” Isabel was feeling guilty for not sticking up for the girl who had saved their lives. She realized that Alex hadn’t even been able to look at her when he left. Even Tess who had only known Liz for a little over three months stood by her.
“I don’t care. We need...I need to see her. I have to apologize. So do you Michael.”
“I know.”


Liz, prone on the bed, was able to hear everything that was spoken downstairs. It was only while in that strange in between place that she had found out the truth about her own creation. She had a very special fate and not just the Queen of Antar.
“Come in.” Staring at the wall, she didn’t need to turn around when Maria and Tess entered the room. Without speaking Maria laid down and spooned her from behind while Tess climbed over them like a little girl and placed her head on Liz’s out stretched arm. They stayed that way for a few minutes until Liz started talking. “Everything was going so well at first. We all met the day after I left, exchanged information and fanned out across the city to gather intelligence. We were supposed to meet three days later. I stayed with Maxie and her boyfriend Logan so we got a chance to spend a lot of time together. On the day of the meeting, Maxie couldn’t come because she was needed for an important assignment for a friend. After she left, I started getting that bad feeling again. I arrived at the warehouse we were supposed to meet at with Krit and Joey.”
“We walked in and Zach was just standing there grinning at us. Before we knew what was happening he fired his weapon and Joey’s head exploded. Krit knocked me to the ground and went after him. When I got up, all I could see was the two of them fighting and I was covered in Joey’s blood. Everyone else was already dead. I jumped into the fight a second too late. Zach snapped Krit’s neck after he kicked me into a wall. He dropped his broken body and started laughing. Then he proceeded to call me a freak of nature and a nomilie. He said I didn’t deserve to live because I was an abomination. I was always different than the rest of them. A part of me died when he looked at me with the eyes of a trained killer. But I did what they trained me to do. I buried my pain, my heartache, and every emotion I had and fought him like the cold-blooded soldier I was bred to be. We were evenly matched until he started goading me about how easy it was to kill the others.”
“He had told us to each come at a different time so no one could get suspicious about a large group entering an abandoned building. He just waited and slaughtered them as they came in. We trusted him. He was supposed to be the unbreakable one. Then he just had to tell me what he would do to Maxie and all of you after he killed me. I felt such rage. Next thing I knew, the killer in me leapt out and it was brutal. I got the upper hand and broke his back. But just killing him wasn’t enough. I wanted him to suffer for what he did so I forced a connection with his mind and replayed what had happened. I needed to know how they died but I made it so he would feel what they felt in their last moments. I didn’t know till it was to late.”
“Didn’t know what sweetie?” Maria smoothed Liz’s hair down.
“It was Nicholas. They captured Zach and tried to rape his mind. His shields weren’t as strong as mine but they still were unable to get anything from him. Unfortunately, when he buried the majority of his memories and strengthened his shields, it allowed a fail-safe program that was given to all unit leaders. If they had known how Zach and I would lead together I would have gotten it too. They wanted a back up in case a unit turned on their commanding officer. It shut down his morals and his pain sensors, which was why it took so much to take him down. It also gave him the imperative to begin a search and destroy on all soldiers not following protocol. He never even had a chance to fight it. And when I did what I did to him, it overrode the program and caused him to remember everything. My big brother lay in my arms begging me to kill him and end the pain in his heart. He cried like a baby pleading for me to forgive him. That’s when we heard the soldiers entering the building. I had to leave but I wasn’t able to get him up. I tried to pull him but he wouldn’t co-operate. I was gonna lead them away but he told me not to bother. He hugged me real tight, told me he’d always love me and to never give up on something I believed in. Then he stole one of my guns and shot himself in the head.”
“I had to get up and just leave him, leave them all, before I was captured. I made it outside and then I caused the building to explode, destroying everything and killing all the soldiers inside and around the premises. Then I ran. I got to Maxie, told her everything, and then I just shut down. I went catatonic. They told me later that my heart was barely beating. I just stared at nothing. I wasn’t awake and I wasn’t asleep. I was like that until yesterday morning. Logan said I scared the crap out of him. One minute I was like a vegetable and the next I blinked and sat up. They wanted me to stay for a few days but I needed to come back here to you guys.”
“Oh my God.” Maria hugged her tight.
“You were in a coma.” Tess wrapped her arms around both girls.
“Sorta. It was more of a meditative state. I remember things from that place.”
“Like what?” Liz took a deep breath.
“Like what I’m really capable of and what I’ll have to do with what I know. It was a peaceful place but very lonely.”
“You’re never alone Liz. Not while me and Tess and Alex and Kyle and even Jeff and Nancy are alive. If it means we leave town tomorrow, I’m right beside you girlfriend.”
“Me too. You’re the only family I’ve ever had. It was you that accepted me and gave me the life I had always wanted and could be proud of. You and Maria are the only ones who don’t act like I’m about to mind-warp everybody. Even Kyle is careful sometimes when we go out. He tries to hide it but I can see it in his eyes. Michael sometimes watches the sheriff’s house to make sure I don’t hurt anyone. Isabel is weary of doing anything with me and Max tries really hard to never be alone with me, which I completely understand but it still hurts. Alex tries but you two are completely open. You don’t hold anything back and I love you guys for that.”
“I’ll tell you truthfully Tess, that when Liz told me she told you everything and wanted you to live with her, I thought she was either nuts or being controlled. But once you dropped the whole destiny thing and acted like yourself, I found out just how great a person you were. And the others just aren’t ready to see that.”
“Yea, before you came to town, Maria and I had a theory about the way they act and it still applies with you here. They spent their entire lives wanting to know about themselves but were afraid of what could happen. Their fears were fed by government conspiracies, cheesy movies and over exaggerated books. They never imagined any human could understand or trust them. Me, I knew for a fact what would happen if recaptured. I had actual knowledge and experience to guide me when trusting others. Not to say that I didn’t trust who I didn’t tell, I just knew the consequences for them if they knew, which is why no one knew who didn’t find out on their own or needed to know. For the others you were an unknown element in their somewhat orderly world. Everything was already off-balance with the shooting and us finding out about them and all the stuff they were finally finding out about themselves. Just when they were coming to terms with everything, you and Nesado show up with even more information. Not to mention, that information ended up splitting them, even momentarily, from the first people they ever trusted.”
“With your sudden turnaround in attitude, they’re off-balance again. They can’t understand how you and I were able to bond when you were trying to take Max or how my parents practically fell over themselves to get you moved in and adopted. Michael has been trying to find out how we got my parents to tell everyone you were my cousin. Since we couldn’t tell them the truth, the only thing they can come up with is you controlling them and me because there would be no way that I’d allow you to mess with their minds. But at the same time they have to consider the fact that if you were going to warp anyone, why not Max like before. They’re confused. Don’t take anything they say personally. They don’t handle change very well.”
“You know, that makes sense in a warped kind of way. Still, it’s ironic that I breeze into town to find them and end up right here with you.” Tess sat up.
“Yea. That’s what they’re really pissed about. That and Liz is like a hundred times stronger than they are, physically and with powers and you knew about all of it before they did.” Maria rolled her eyes.
“I should’ve just told them in the beginning.”
“And Michael would have had their bags packed and on the road five minutes later. Liz, you did the right thing. Besides you were like our secret weapon. All anyone saw, including Tess, was a fragile human girl. Even now it’s the same. If Nicholas ever got his hands on us, you’d be the first he’d grab because of Max and then he’d turn his back on you to gloat. Just like he did when we all went to Copper Summit. I saw your face. You were two seconds away from dusting anything that moved in that room. If Max hadn’t thrown up his shield, you would have.”
“Nicholas.” She spat his name out. “Nicholas will die by my hand and soon. He’s planning something and as much as the others hate me right now, we all need to be prepared. From what I got from Zach, he doesn’t know what I am. He thinks I just knew one of the others and recruited them as our on army. Which works in our favor. He’ll definitely be gloating the next time we meet. ” Just then her stomach grumbled. They laughed and giggled.
“Girl, when was the last time you ate?”
“Real food? About eight days ago. Maxie had me hooked up with an I.V. of supplements till I woke up.” Maria sat up and swung her legs off the bed.
“I’ll go order us some food. Maybe Italian?”
“Sounds delicious. Order lots.”
“Don’t worry about the Tabasco sauce. There should still be a cabinet full of it in the kitchen.” Maria left them tangled up on the bed.
“Tess, there’s something else I needed to tell you but I don’t want Maria or anyone to know yet.” They sat up and faced each other with their legs crossed. “If I show you this, you have to protect it with your life until it’s time.”
“Tell me.”
“It’ll be easier if I show you.” After getting a nod, she placed her hands on the blond girl’s face and stared into her eyes. A minute later her hands dropped. “Do you understand now?”
“Yes.” She took a deep breath. “Oh my God. If the wrong people find out...”
“I know. That’s why no one else can know until it’s finished. I needed someone to know what to do if anything happens in front of the others and right now you’re the only one with the proper training to act as protection when the time comes.”
“That explains a lot. You know, I understand why they did it this way but what a shitty way of telling somebody.”
“Wasn’t it though!” They dropped back down side by side. “God, can life get anymore fucked up?”
“That depends on when you plan on telling Max.”
“Not till it’s finished. But I want to hear what they have to say first. I need to know if the can accept me for what I am now.”
“And if they can’t?”
“I don’t know. It’s not like I have much of a choice, Tess. I’m bound to this more than anyone. The only way to protect Earth and Antar and her sister planets it to defeat Khivar and Nicholas. And to do that you need my help. Even if I wanted to, and I don’t, I can’t just walk away. Besides, I’ll need you guys to keep me balanced.”
“You, my Queen, are gonna rock the universe.” They were interrupted by a knock on the door.
“Come in Alex.” He opened the door slightly perplexed that Liz had known it was him. He shrugged it off as one of her many gifts.
“Hey.” He walked over and gave her a hug without hesitation. “Maria said I should come and get you guys. She already ordered food and is now in the process of glaring at the triplets. They want to talk to you some more if you’re up to it.”
“With my hearing, I know exactly what was said after I left. Alex, I’m sorry I never told you myself. It wasn’t because I didn’t trust you.”
“I understand Liz. Maybe better now than if I’d found out before knowing about the existence of aliens. Besides we’ve been friends long enough for me to forgive you anything. Come on.” He held out his hands for both girls and walked them downstairs. Max stood when they entered the room but Liz just walked past him and sat beside Maria. Dejected, he slumped into his seat.
“You guys wanted to talk.” Tired down to her soul, Liz couldn’t work up any indignation at being summoned.
“We’re sorry for the way we behaved. I’m sorry.” Max held her stare for a moment and looked down at his clasped hands. “We never gave you a chance to explain. We’ve been so hung up on what we weren’t told, we forgot how much we trust you and your judgement.”
“Everyone thinks I’m being indifferent but I was really scared Liz. I tried to dream walk you for the entire last week and I couldn’t get in. I was afraid you were...”
“I’m sorry Isabel. There’s a reason you weren’t able to reach me. If things had been different, I would have never been able to stay away this long.”
“We want to meet the others.” Michael stood away from the wall when Liz laughed harshly.
“That’s not gonna be possible.” Michael ignored Maria’s glare and Tess’ wide-eyed shaking head.
“If you expect us to just blindly trust them with our lives, we deserve the right to know who they are.”
“They’re dead.”

[kristaphoenix]

To Become A Dark Flame part Five


“What?” Liz nudged Maria and had her relate the details of her family’s death. By the time she got to the part about Liz being in a coma, Isabel was openly crying while Michael and Max looked stricken.
“So any questions?” Liz closed her eyes and leaned her head back as the room filled with silence. Unable to stand it anymore, she began to just talk.
“Right after we all escaped, the first place I ended up in was LA I spent all my time on the beach just staring at the ocean and walking along the boardwalk. Everything was so noisy and bright. That’s when I really learned how different the ordinary people were from the people at Manticore. Everywhere I looked people were laughing and singing and playing. That was new. We weren’t allowed to play anything but war games and laughing was frowned upon. Hell Zach and Maxie got thrown into solitary confinement over a balloon. And here were these people who just took their freedom for granted. I might have stayed there for longer than a week but some of the vendors were beginning to notice me and that’s something we couldn’t allow. Before I left I found this book on the sidewalk about American sites. I figured that checking them out was as good a plan as any. There were about a hundred places so I made a mental note of the order I wanted to visit. I made sure there was no discernable order so I couldn’t be traced. I spent the next seven months traveling around. I have a picture of each place I’ve been. Anyway, I was hitching toward this little alien themed town when I accepted a ride from this really nice lady. Claudia looked at me and told me I was special. She said I was destined for great things but I needed a stable foundation. I don’t know why I trusted her but I found myself traveling to Albeque to meet her son and his wife who were about to move back to their home town to take over her family restaurant. I ended up telling the three of them everything. Imagine my surprise when Nancy hugged me. Despite being what I am, they asked me to stay with them as their daughter.”
“Nancy couldn’t have kids of her own and since I looked a little like Jeff it worked. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. Zach was skeptical when I told him about the Parker’s but after he met them he agreed it was for the best. At least one of us needed to have a stable base of operations. That way if anything happened to him, I could take over watching out for the others. Even though it was against his own rules, sometimes he would call me just to talk about the others and what little life he allowed himself. He called me when he first fell in love and then when she was kidnapped by her father, I left to help him find her but we were to late to save her life. After her parents divorced, her mother married this rich guy who was everything her father wasn’t. He adored her and paid the full ransom of two million without a thought. Her father never intended for her to go back. He and two of his drinking buddies had devised the plan to get the money he felt he was owed. By the time we tracked them down they had the money and she was dead from a gun shot to the head. Zach lost it. I took care of the other two guys and left them knocked out next to her body. We took her father and called in an anonymous tip. Zach spent two days torturing him before he killed him. It was gruesome but he got what he deserved. Zach stopped trusting outsiders then. He was fine with those who already knew but he started cracking down on everyone, hounding in that we couldn’t trust anyone else. It pissed him off a little when I wouldn’t leave Roswell but he understood after we had a ...small fight. I gave him someone to rage on and then I kicked his ass.” She laughed slightly.
“How did Maria find out?” Seeing as no one else was asking, Alex figured he might as well. Liz looked over at Maria who had tensed. She let out the breath she was holding.
“We were eleven. It was about a year after Liz moved here. We were playing hide and seek in Frasier woods. I was it. This guy came out of no where while I was looking for Liz. He seemed nice enough and vaguely familiar. He asked if I had seen his dog and asked if I could help him look. Mom had always told me not to talk to strangers but I figured that since there was two of us it’d be all right. I turned to call out to Liz when he just grabbed me. He had his hand over my mouth and ran. His car was parked nearby and he just tossed me in the backseat. I screamed and he slapped me and drove off really fast.”
“I was crying and looking out the back window when I saw Liz come out of the woods in a dead run. She was chasing us down on foot. I have never seen anyone run that fast in my entire life and the faster he drove the closer she got. He never knew she was there until she jumped on the roof. He was stunned when this little fist punched through the roof and smacked him upside his head. He was shocked enough to stop the car. He never even saw her face when she pulled the door completely off and knocked him out. She tied him up and we went home. My mom called the Sheriff when we told her that some guy tried to grab me. Turns out my dead beat dad had comeback and figured he could use me to get back at my mom for kicking him out when he cheated on her. Everything was kept hush-hush to protect me. That night Liz stayed over and she told me everything. I thought she was so cool, like Wonder Woman or Supergirl.”
“She kept asking me if she could design my costume. She had everything planned out. She’d be my trusted and witty sidekick, Hippie Girl or something. And we planned on traveling the world doing good deeds. She even had a theme song.” Everyone laughed when Liz crossed her eyes. They all jumped at the sound of the doorbell. Liz reached for the gun tucked in her waistband as Maria hopped up to answer. Seeing it was the delivery guy, she ordered Michael and Max to pay while she and Tess took the food to the dining room table. After laying out the food, they fixed themselves and Liz a plate and left the others to get their own. Most them could only stare as Liz devoured her very full plate and went back for more. After she was finished she closed her eyes and listened to the conversations around her as she drifted off.
Maria, seeing that Liz had dozed off, motioned to Tess to get off the couch. Gingerly they laid her out, put a pillow under her head, and covered her with a fleece throw. Maria smoothed the hair away from her best friends’ face and laughed softly when she seemed to be nuzzling her hand like a cat. Without looking up she began to talk.
“Zach was the only one I ever met. He was the best big brother Liz could have ever had. He was gorgeous and knew it but not what to do with it. He acted so serious most of the time but every once in a while he’d smile for real and it was beautiful. He never talked about himself much when I was around but think I can honestly say that if he had been here for what you did to her, he’d have killed you without hesitation.” She turned her head slowly until she was staring at Max, Michael and Isabel. “Even if it meant she’d take him down after, he would’ve done it. And when she wakes up she’ll most likely forgive you, but hear this. No one in this room will ever forget what was said and done. Everyone in this room has had to accept impossible things. The humans have had to acknowledge that not only is there life on other planets, but also aliens live on Earth. Tess had to give up her dreams of a perfect life with the three of you. It took her a minute but she did. We all put our lives on the line to protect you. And the minute you find out Liz had a secret you didn’t know you’re ready to turn your backs on her. And can you honestly say how you would have reacted if she had told you that day?”
“Think hard about the way you were back then. Michael every other sentence out of your mouth was about leaving town. Isabel would have followed you out a fear and there was no way that Max would have just let you go by yourselves. How long do you think you could have stayed ahead of the FBI? You had no training in defense without using your powers. Michael was blowing things up every time he got mad. She spared you that. She gave you a chance to stay where you could have real friends and family. She set it up that any one of her siblings would be available to protect you if she wasn’t around. The minute you left town, Zach would have become your shadow. No one human would have gotten to you alive and he would have gotten a warning to you and Liz if an alien had come anywhere near you. That’s the kind of family they were. They protected their own and the minute Liz asked for their help we all became apart of them.” She quieted when Liz turned onto her side.
“Don’t pity her for what happened. And don’t get in her way when she confronts Nicholas. She’ll go through you if she has to.”
“Maria, there’s no way I’m gonna stand by and let him kill her.” His voice softened. “I know I messed up tonight but I do love her. I can’t just watch that happen.” Tess rolled her eyes.
“Have you been listening to us Max? Liz is a soldier. Nicholas caused the death of almost all her siblings. Even then she wouldn’t have taken it personal. They knew the risks when they entered the game. None of them had delusions of living to be old seasoned soldiers. No, what she’ll kill him for is Zach. He took away his identity, made it so he would murder his own family, and he died knowing what he had done. It was a torture worse than anything they could have ever done to him in Manticore. And now she bares his guilt until she avenges his death.”
“I still wanna know how you got to be so chummy with Liz.”
“We talked that day you were all captured. First she told me about what she was because she knew she’d have to use some of her skills to get you out. Like a good commanding officer, like a true Queen, she let me know what I needed to know to complete our mission without surprises from our side. She asked me to answer her question honestly. Just being around her made it impossible to lie to her or myself. She got me to admit that I did not love Max nor did I want to be with him that way. Until that moment I hadn’t ever given consideration to the fact that I was expected to love someone I had never met. Later, she saved my life. It was so cool because one guy actually spun through the air before hitting the ground.”
“Now aren’t you glad you stopped going after Max. Just imagine what she could have done to you.” Maria looked over to her blond friend.
“You’re telling me. God, just from the techniques she’s been teaching me, I’m thankful that I gave up the pursuit. Add into it her powers and she would have kicked my ass, roasted it and buried me in the desert somewhere.”
“We never asked before but what are her powers anyway? And how powerful is she?” Isabel was curious of the smiles being exchanged between Maria and Tess. Once again she was reminded of how she kept herself separated from them. When she had first found out Tess was one of them, she had hoped she’d finally have a female friend who would understand what she felt but Tess bonded with the humans in a way she never could.
“Well, you should really ask Liz but she has all the basics plus sum. Take into mind we’re not even sure that we’ve seen all she can do yet but she has all your powers plus the ability to astral project, telekinesis, freeze people, create illusions, and the coolest thing is she can open portals from one place to another. The last one she hadn’t practiced as much until Tess started helping. We’ve only been willing to send inanimate objects through just in case but everything seems to reach the right destination and the doorway in looks so cool. It looks almost like what the movies think the inside of a wormhole would look like.”
“Wait a minute. How is it that she has more powers than us?” Michael stood and paced.
“Not to mention, she’s stronger than us too. Our first working theory is that because she was genetically enhanced already that when Max healed her he opened a part of her mind that controls our powers. Since everything we can do in what all humans will be able to do in thousands of years, she just over shot that by a few thousand more years. But it’s just a theory. The other is she hasn’t tried to suppress them at all the way you all have. She’s put in the training time to cultivate them. Just in the last few months with her help, my own powers have almost doubled in strength. And she works herself ten times as hard as she works anyone else plus she still makes time for the physical training.” Tess stared the people who were once her family. “You have a decision to make. Nicholas will probably make a move soon and as it stands we’re not ready for him. The last two times we went up against him, we got lucky or he was just playing with us. Destroying the harvest was just plain lucky. By trying to hire the others to take us down, he’s shown that he’s ready to make a move. As it stands Liz is the only one strong enough to take him on personally. His men won’t be much of a problem unless they inhibit our powers, which would leave the three of you defenseless. My hand to hand combat training is a lot more than you have.”
“Tess is right. Either you start honing your abilities with Tess and Liz or you can bury you heads in the sand and wait for the Skins to kill you. Personally if I had powers, I’d want to sharpen them up and kick a little ass. Fist to fist, I can take almost anyone thanks to Commander Liz.”
“Would you like powers, Ria?” Everyone looked over at Liz who opened her eyes and smiled.

[kristaphoenix]

To Become A Dark Flame part Five




“What?”
“I asked if you would like powers? That goes for any of the humans in the room. It’s a simple procedure actually. At best guess you’ll be like the others with one major power and several little ones.” Maria bounced in her seat after two seconds of deciding.
“I wanna do it! I”m not gonna turn green or anything?”
“Of course not. Unless you want me to turn you green.” She giggled. “Are you sure Ria? I won’t be able to tell what your main power will be until they’re activated but you have to train a lot to get them under control.” Liz sat up.
“Hell yea. Mind meld me baby.” Before anyone could object, Liz placed her hands at Maria’s temples and kissed her forehead for a full minute.
Liz pulled back and grinned. “Now you really are a firecracker.”
“What?” Maria was confused because she didn’t feel any different.
“You got a offensive power. You can make things catch on fire. You would have had to be extra careful because it’s an emotional power but since it’s natural, you have an automatic buffer between your emotions and your power. Now try and start a fire in the fireplace.” Maria stared and scrunched her forehead up as she tried to picture a roaring blaze. Nothing was happening. “Stop trying so hard. Think of your father and how he made you feel that day. He betrayed you. Would have taken you from your family.” As Liz talked Maria found herself getting angry. Suddenly a fire burst to life in the hearth. “See. Your emotions are the fuel to how much damage you can do, but they won’t come just because you’re angry. It’s all about control.” Alex and Kyle agreed as well. Alex was a very strong telekinetic and Kyle ended up with the powers of empathy and illusion. They all planned on spending the rest of the weekend training and then they would train everyday after school and before work. Isabel and Michael agreed to help Alex and Maria, while Tess and Kyle would practice together. Max asked if he could talk to Liz alone. She led him upstairs.
They sat on the bed facing each other. Max seemed to stumble over his words.
“Was it a good idea to give them powers?”
“Max, we’re all in this together. We need every advantage we can get. Nicholas will come for the four of you and me. He won’t be expecting eight powerful beings defending each other.” She looked down at their linked hands and made her decision. “Max, there’s something I need to tell you.”
“Before you do that, I need to say something Liz. I love you. I don’t care why you were created or what you’ve done to survive. From the first day I saw you I loved you. Nothing will ever change that. And given what has happened since then, I know I’m blessed to have you as my Queen. And whether I live here on Earth or rule Antar, unless you’re by my side I’ll only be half a man.”
“I love you too, Max.”
“Now what did you have to tell me?”
“I’m the one who has to kill Nicholas.”
“My God Liz, how am I supposed to let you get anywhere near them? Your life depends on the decisions I make.”
“Max, it’s not your decision to make. It never really was. Nicholas would have come after me regardless. Now I just have more reason to destroy him. Max, I have powers for a reason. You were sent here to find ways to win the war and now you have. I could have never been your Queen in name only. Because of what I am, I can offer you and your people more knowledge in the art of warfare than any general living or dead. Now with the others, we have a Royal court assembled to surpass anything they have. They will have a real reason to fear us. We are the future of Antar and the guardians of Earth.” She felt him nod against her neck. Pulling back she stared into his eyes. Their lips met and they connected. They stayed upstairs for a few minutes before heading downstairs.

In the days that followed, the dynamics of the group shifted. Where as before everyone would look to Max for help, now they turned to Liz. After talking to her parents, Liz and Tess quit working. Both had more than enough money to last for years. Michael had to keep his job and Maria kept hers so her mother wouldn’t get suspicious. All dates were spent half in training and half being together. Not to mention the physical training Liz put everyone through. Now that they knew truth about her, she was finally able to show them the basement of the Crashdown. They were all amazed by the amount of exercise equipment it contained. Liz explained that her parents had always understood her needs to keep in shape and had slowly filled the room over the years to help her. They had known that it was a real possibility that Manticore could catch up to her one day and she needed to be at her peak.
Liz practiced all her powers with everyone and when she was alone she meditated to balance herself with all the changes that were taking place within her body. She could feel that something would happen soon. The fear of losing someone else she loved spurned her on to perfecting as many of her powers as she could, especially the ability to open portals. She laughed about the first time she used it for herself. They had scheduled a meeting at the rock quarry to discuss strategy. Maria was supposed to pick her and Tess up but she had told her she was getting her parents car and would meet them out there. She gave Tess the option of taking the car but she declined stating that there was no way she was gonna miss the ride of a life time. They waited until they knew everyone had arrived, even called to make sure they were all waiting. She had taken a deep breath, reached for Tess’ hand and opened a portal in her room. From previous testing she knew that the exit portal was invisible which was convenient. She reached out with her mind, visualizing the quarry and anchored it in place. They stepped in together.
The ride itself was anti-climatic. One second they were in her room and the next they were laying on the ground with their friends staring open mouthed at them. They looked at each other and burst out laughing. Since then, she had perfected her landings and had taken each of them on several trips. The coolest on was when Isabel dared her to try for a place she had never been using a picture from a magazine. They girls decided to experiment without the guys. They decided on a photo of the sewer system of New York. They figured it would be the best place to not be noticed appearing out of no where. Of course it had worked and they enjoyed a day of shopping. Unfortunately, they returned late that evening to a room full of their very irate boyfriends. There they stood eyes wide and hands loaded down with shopping bags, and Max, Michael, Alex and Kyle were sitting in total pissed off silence staring at them. Several lectures and a large argument between Michael and Maria and everyone but Max went home to change for their practice session at the cabin.
Truth be told, Max wasn’t angry about the trip like the other guys were. He knew Liz hadn’t been sleeping well since the death of her family. She practiced more than any of them and since she could go for more than two weeks without having to sleep she had plenty of time to hone her own abilities. And other than when she first returned, she refused to talk any more about what happened during the time she was gone. The few times he had tried to bring it up, she would change the subject. Tess had told him that she had to yet mourn their deaths and probably wouldn’t until Nicholas was dead. From personal experience he knew that Liz hardly ever allowed her emotions to overwhelm her, but even Michael had commented on her persistence in practice. While the rest of them practiced their punches and kicks on a punching bag, Liz had a thick metal door that she wailed on. The first time they could only watch as she dented it with her fist.
Maria’s words of warning had come rushing back to at least three of them and they understood even more just how sanctimonious they had sounded before they knew her secret. In those days all the three of them had been able to talk about was how different they were and how no one could understand the fear they lived under everyday. And Liz had tried her hardest to be there for them all without complaint. This was the woman he loved more than anything else in the universe and she humbled him with her actions.
“Liz?” She turned toward him after she pulled her tank top on over her sports bra. Even from across the room he could see the faint dark circles under her eyes. “Did you get any sleep last night?” She stiffened and turned away.
“A little. Enough.”
“Baby, you can’t keep this up. You need real sleep.”
“Actually, I don’t. Don’t forget I’m not like the rest of you Max. And right now sleep is a luxury I can’t afford. Whatever’s gonna happen is gonna happen soon.”
“All the more reason for you to rest.”
“Max! Can we just talk about this later? We’re supposed to meet at the cabin in twenty minutes and the way you drive, we’re gonna be late.” Angrily she grabbed her bag and climbed out her window. “Listen, I’m sorry. I’ll try and grab a few hours tonight. I’ll just work out until I’m too tired to stay awake and make you carry me home and tuck me in.” Max wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck.
“I’m not seeing a downside to the plan.”
“We’ll see. Come on lazy butt.” They climbed down the ladder and hopped in his jeep.



They had all been practicing for over two hours with frequent breaks when something changed. The radio had been playing as they worked out. Liz was punching her metal door when the DJ read a request. Everyone froze when he said that the song was dedicated to Elizabeth from Zach who sent his thanks that she would soon be joining him and his other siblings. Liz never even heard what song was chosen. All she heard was the words and the implied threat. Without looking at the others she attacked the door with a renewed sense of rage. In her minds eye she saw Zach’s face when they first walked in. That memory set off a chain reaction and all his memories flashed through her mind as her fist flew. With a feral growl, her hand disappeared through the three-inch thick door. The fact that the door had given into her only seemed to enrage her more. Breathing heavily, she stared at the door around her hand and it began to bubble and melt away from her skin like it was plastic. She pulled her unharmed hand away from the hole and backed up. Her anger was put aside as the scientist in her came forward.
She had felt her hand break on final impact but there wasn’t even a speck of blood. She stared at her hand and was amazed when her vision seemed to go almost like an X-ray. She turned her hand over and could see the last little cracks in her bones mend. Startled by a cough from nearby she turned her head sharply and looked at her stunned friends. Her new power was still activated so what she saw made her forget her hand. Of the seven people around her all of them had glowing bones. Some were brighter than the others but she could tell it was a good thing.
You will know them by the darkness within.
That had been part of the message in the destiny book. Alex had found a way to decode the book that contained most of the knowledge of why they were sent. The only section his program hadn’t been able to decipher was about the Granolith and written in an entirely different language. They hadn’t been able to understand what it meant then but she could see it now. Her time was coming.
“Well, that’ll be useful. Guys...” She turned her head sharply and listened. “Everyone on the floor now!” Without question they dropped. Slowly she hunched down and placed her fingertips on the floor and waited.
“Liz, what...” Michael was silenced when she launched herself from her crouched position and sailed through the window. He jumped up in time to see her fight off three skins. Two were instantly dusted when they rushed her and she jumped over them. The third attempted to run but never even made it back to the woods. One moment he was running and the next he just stopped and fell to the ground. Liz walked over and grabbed his foot and dragged him back to the house. His body, held by invisible bonds, slammed though the door. Liz walked in behind him and slammed the door. With a flick of her wrist he was turned over onto her back.
“Look what I found outside.” She snapped her fingers and he was able to move his head. “Now, what exactly were just the three of you supposed to accomplish?” No answer. “Oh come on, evil always has to gloat or something.” When he still refused to talk Liz dropped the smile from her face. “I suggest you tell us everything you know.”
“So you can kill me? Bite me bitch.”
“Oh please drop the martyr act. If you think I’m gonna promise you freedom in exchange for information, you’re mistaken. The good guys are only that stupid in movies and fairy-tales. You can have a quick and painless death by talking or I can systematically cause vessels in your real form to burst. I can keep you alive for weeks if I so choose.”
“King Zan would never allow you to do that.” The skin’s eyes grew wide when she laughed.
“In case you didn’t get it, Zan’s not in charge here. I am.” She bent over and stared into his eyes. Everyone else knew better than to question her actions in front of their prisoner.
“We were sent to access the strength of the Royal Four and their human consorts. If the opportunity presented itself we were to capture one of the humans, preferably the one known as Liz Parker. Besides the obvious advantage over King Zan as a trade for the Granolith, Nicholas wanted to know the connection between her and the transgenics in her employ.”
“Where is he now?” She kept eye contact and even the skin seemed puzzled by the information he was revealing.
“I don’t know. We were supposed to watch for a week and he would meet us in the old soap factory outside of town.”
“When?” Menacingly, Liz placed her pointer finger between his eyes.
“Tomorrow. What are you doing to me?”
“In a word, I just made you my bitch. Your will is mine and I command you to report to Nicholas that the Royal Four are ignoring their destiny. You will convince him that they have embraced their human sides and that we are all planning a private camping trip in three weeks.” She stared at him hard. “That’s the location and date. Tell him you believe that the Granolith may be nearby. And as far as you can figure out, I must have met Zach last summer and the others have no idea that I knew him.”
“Yes Mistress.” The skin stood and bowed deeply. “What shall I report about the fallen men?”
“They were supporters of King Zan and attempted to prevent you from acting against him and his human mate. You were forced to dispatch them both but missed your chance to take the human, Liz Parker. Are we understood?” Liz stood tall and regal.
“Yes, Your Majesty. I will do as you command.” With another bow, he turned and walked out the silent cabin. Liz turned and looked over her court.
“What?”

[kristaphoenix]

Story Title: To Become A Dark Flame
Summary: Secrets are revealed when a mysterious phone call brings about drastic changes for everyone.
Disclaimer: I don't own or have anything to do with Roswell or Dark Angel. I am only a devoted fan with an overactive brain. Don't sue!




To Become A Dark Flame part Six



“Girlfriend, you are scary as hell in commando mode. But that has to be the coolest display of an alien smack down since Signorney Weaver took on the Queen in Aliens.” Maria would have rushed over and hugged her best friend but she still had that look in her eye. She was an enraged soldier without a target. So, she gave her one. “Hey, that tree over there, ya know he one that I fell out of, is eyeballing you. So is that rock that even Michael can’t destroy. I wouldn’t take that if I was you.” Maria grabbed both Max and Michael and backed up. Tess did the same with the others. Before an objection could be voiced, Liz attacked the tree with a rage that none of them had ever witnessed. In a matter of seconds it was reduced to kindling and wood chips. Without taking a breath she turned and obliterated the rock that was comprised of a dense material that seemed impervious to alien power blasts. When the smoke finally cleared not even dust was left. After taking a deep breath, Liz turned back to her family.
“I feel much better. Let’s go eat.” As she turned she missed Michael grabbing Max’s shoulder. However, Maria did catch the silent communication; A secret meeting had just been arranged.


“Maxwell, your girlfriend is starting to weird me out. What the hell was that?” Michael paced his apartment as Max and Isabel watched. “Cause I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed but even I know she just declared war. I’m all for wiping out our enemies but she’s out for revenge. We’re nowhere ready to take on an army.”
“Michael, Liz would never take us into a situation she didn’t think we could handle anymore than Max would. You know how she is. Even before we knew what she was, she was the one most likely to go in by herself if it meant protecting the group. She’s the female version of you except she always has a plan and a back-up plan and a back up for the back-up plan. If she says we’re ready then we’re ready.” Isabel seemed surprised at her defense of the one person she always feared would take her brother away.
“Michael, I trust her. She’s protected us even when we had no idea of what was going on. Her family died trying to protect us and even then we had no faith in her. She could’ve just turned around and left or never even come back but she did. Trust me, my first instinct was to grab her and demand she tells me what she was doing but then I realized something. In our other life we failed. I failed as a King to protect my family and my people. The four of us got a second chance at life and just maybe it wasn’t to retake our previous places. Maybe we were always meant to find the people who complete us. I never wanted to be a King. But I will stand by my chosen Queen.” Max ducked his head.
“And I will always stand by you, My King.” Three heads swung towards the open door. Liz walked in followed by Tess, Maria, Alex and Kyle.
“Hey Spaceboy, no one told us there was a meeting today. Good thing I had a feeling.” Maria glared at her frozen boyfriend.
“Yea, I was all set to meditate when I get grabbed by two very cranky women. Not to mention they made me go in and wake up Liz who got me in a head-lock before I even touched her shoulder.” Kyle rubbed his neck dramatically. “So what did we miss?”
“Yes, Do tell, Michael?” Maria crossed her arms and tapped her foot. Michael looked at Max and Isabel for help but they were both focused on their better halves. Liz smiled slightly at his lost look.
“Let me guess. You have reservations about what’s happening. And yes, I have declared war. We have the advantage. This fight will happen on our schedule. I chose the spot because it can be easily defended against any kind of attack. Not to mention the traps we’ll set. Nicholas thinks he’s clever so he’ll want to finish this as quickly as possible. That means he’ll make mistakes. He’ll probably bring in as many skins as he can if not all of them. Plus he’ll want to record the battle if not broadcast it live so that Kivar will see his victory. For the last few weeks I’ve had Alex working on a way to enhance the signal so that we can make sure it’s broadcast all over Antar and her sister planets. Nesado has been supplying the necessary coordinates and equipment. Sheriff Valenti has been stock piling various weapons that you will all be practicing with over the next three weeks.” Liz stepped in to the middle of the circle they had formed. She took a moment to look them all in the eye and took note of the stunned looks.
“Nesado also supplied us with a device that will neutralize all powers within a two-mile radius. The surrounding area will be covered in explosives that can be remote detonated. We’ll also be isolated so there’s no chance of anyone stumbling upon us and getting hurt in the crossfire. The battle will start with powers and at the appropriate time, the device will be activated. We’ve tested the affects on Maria, Tess and myself and while Tess was rendered powerless, Maria still had use of hers at a reduced level. Due to my genetic code it had no influence on my powers. This gives us a distinct advantage over the enemy. Once they realize they have no powers, they will either pull weapons of their own or attempt to retreat. That is when the explosives will be detonated. Those that are left will be dispatched in hand-to-hand combat. I don’t care who you kill or how many you kill, but Nicholas is mine. Get in my way and I’ll put you down. Any questions?”