Part 31
"Phoenix, Arizona," Jesse called over his shoulder to anyone who was listening. "Population, five million, one hundred and thirty thousand, six hundred and thirty two."
"Home of the Arizona Diamondbacks," Kyle added as he stared at the buildings of the major city.
"Huh?" Connie woke up from her light doze at Kyle's side. She had surprised him time and time again with her ability to be alert the moment she woke up, something he had seen only Max, Michael and Isabel able to do. She had told him that it was something she had learned during basic training.
"We're in Phoenix," he told her.
"Head for the hospital," Max called from his seat where he too had just woken up. Wrapped in his arms, Liz still slept. "We'll find a motel as close as we can."
"It'll probably be pricey," Jesse pointed out.
"It's only for one night," Max shrugged. "Hopefully."
* * *
Although they had rented four cheap rooms, they congregated into just one of them, while they either wound down from their stint at driving, or woke themselves up from the nap they had been taking in the car.
"Okay, we're here," Michael sat on the single chair in front of a small desk. "Let's get this over with as quickly as possible. I don't want to hang around Phoenix any longer than we have to."
"Is there somewhere you think we should go?" Max asked, looking long and hard at Michael.
"I just think it's a mistake to be somewhere we can't see them coming."
"Who? The FBI?"
"No. Not the FBI. The others. I mean... whoever."
"Are you okay, Michael?"
"Fine. Fine. Look, lets do what we gotta do so we can split."
"How about if you and I go up to the hospital right now and take a look? We can work out what we need to do and come back to make the arrangements."
"Sounds like a good idea, Max," Liz agreed.
Michael nodded.
"Uh, Liz?" Kyle stepped to the door and opened it. "Could I, uh... have a word?"
"Sure, Kyle," Liz nodded and rose from Max's side to step outside with him.
A few moments later, they heard a door close a short distance away.
Connie crossed to the window and glanced through the curtains. She was frowning, and chewed one of her fingernails.
"Are you okay with this?" she asked Max. "Liz and Kyle being alone like that?"
Maria and Isabel exchanged an amused glance.
"Sure," Max nodded. "There's nothing to worry about."
"I mean, didn't they used to date?"
"Yeah," Max nodded. "They're just talking, Connie."
"It's okay, Connie," Maria chuckled. "Trust me. If there's one girl in the whole Universe that Kyle knows not to mess with, it's Liz. But your concern is noted."
Connie started to blush, making Maria smile.
* * *
"It's eating me up inside, Liz," Kyle admitted when they closed the door to Liz and Max's room. "That she doesn't know, I mean. It's not fair that you haven't told her. How can I build a relationship with her when there's this huge lie between us."
"I agree, Kyle," Liz smiled.
"That's good," Kyle looked a little surprised. "So I can count on your help? You'll ask Max if we can tell her?"
"Not 'we', Kyle. You. You can tell her."
"Okay, okay," Kyle ran his hands through his hair. "Can you ask Max if I can tell her?"
"You could ask him yourself, Kyle."
"I know," he sighed. "It's just, if he said... I mean... He would never say no to you."
"He might not say no to you," Liz grinned. "Are you really still afraid of him?"
"No. It's not that. I'm just afraid that he'll say no."
"Relax, Kyle. We already talked and agreed. You can tell her."
"You did? I can?" Kyle frowned. "So why didn't you tell me already?"
"We wanted to make sure you wanted her to know," Liz shrugged. "How 'bout I go back now and ask Connie to come and speak to you?"
"What?" Kyle looked anxious. "I have to do this alone? I sorta thought..."
"You're the one who wants to tell her, Kyle," Liz grinned. "So you tell her."
* * *
"So, what's up?" Connie looked more than a little nervous when she sat down on the chair that Kyle had pulled out for her.
"Remember the other night? When we talked about that secret, and how it wasn't mine to tell?"
"Yeah," Connie nodded.
"Well," Kyle took a deep breath. "'Cause you're with us now, it's only fair that you know what you're letting yourself in for, okay?"
"Okay."
"I'm going to tell you something, and no matter what you might think, promise that you won't think it's a joke. Okay? This is serious."
"Kyle," Connie frowned. "You're starting to scare me."
"How did you tell Liz, Max?" Kyle whispered under his breath. "Okay. First of all, you need to know, Maria, Liz, Jesse and I all have natural parents, okay?"
"Yeah. Okay, so?"
"Michael, Isabel and Max were adopted."
"I'm not seeing anything wrong, here."
"They were found, wandering in the desert. Michael was found by himself and ended up in the foster system. Isabel and Max were adopted by the people who found them."
"So their real parents, like, dumped them."
"Well, yes and no. You see, Connie... the reason why Michael and Max were able to rescue your father that time, why Max was able to change the van from silver to white, you see..." Kyle took another deep breath and closed his eyes. "They're not from around here."
"What? They were born in a different state? Different country? So?"
"Try a different planet."
Connie blinked.
"This is a joke, right?"
"No," Kyle sighed. "They're aliens. Well, a cross, actually. Part alien, part human." He looked at Connie who was taking deep breaths. "I kinda know what you're feeling right now."
"Do you?" she snapped, her eyes blazing.
"Yes," Kyle nodded. "Confused. Scared. Angry."
"Damn straight!"
"But they're not here to take over or anything. Okay? They're as scared as you are. The FBI have been hunting them, and Max has already been... been..."
"Been what?"
"Been captured and experimented on by a member of our government," Kyle finished. "The thing is, if you're coming with us, you have to know. You see, they can do things."
"What kind of things?"
"Well, change the color of vans for a start. Heal people, for another."
"Heal? What do you mean?"
Kyle sat on the edge of the bed, across from Connie.
"This all started a few years ago when Liz got shot when an argument in the diner she was working got out of hand. It got her in the stomach. She would have died, but Max was there, and because he was secretly in love with her, he healed her. It's what alerted the authorities to his existence. Later on, he healed me when I got shot because I butted in when I didn't know what was going on. He healed my dad too, and another girl who was shot over in Idaho a few months ago."
"That was you?"
"Yeah. And he also cured a bunch of kids with cancer in the hospital here in Phoenix."
"So why are you looking for them?" Anger was still burning in her eyes.
"Because when he heals people, strange things happen. Liz developed these strange symptoms that couldn't be explained medically. We were terrified she was going to die. Then she developed these powers of her own. We need to get to the kids to let their parents know what might happen and how to handle it."
Connie stood up and stared down at Kyle.
"Good one," she nodded, though her anger did not appear to have abated. "So are you going to tell me what the real deal is? I mean, aliens? Come on, Kyle. What kind of stupid moron do you take me for?"
"It's the truth, Connie," Kyle looked at her, his eyes pleading. "I swear."
"Yeah, right," she spat. She opened the door and ran through it, slamming it shut behind her.
"That went well," Kyle groaned.
* * *
"Are you okay?" Liz asked when she found Connie sitting on the swings at a nearby park.
"No," Connie mumbled. She looked... stunned. "Did Kyle send you?"
"Yeah," Liz sat on the swing next to her, twisting her body to face Connie. "But only 'cause he's afraid he's messed everything up. And he's worried about you."
"So," Connie spoke after a lengthy pause. She still hadn't looked at Liz. "Aliens, huh?"
"I'm sorry, Connie," Liz shrugged. "What do you want me to say?"
"That it's not true. That this is some sort of practical joke."
"I can't do that."
"You know, my dad told me he was hit by a UFO, but I sorta figured he meant it literally, that it really was just an unidentified flying object."
"It was a real UFO, Connie. From a planet called Antar in the Whirlwind galaxy."
Connie raised her head suddenly, closed her eyes, and rolled her head around her shoulder.
"Michael said something about how my dad was hit by UFO. I just thought it was Roswell fever. You know? Alien conspiracies around every corner. Was it you guys who blew up the base?"
"No," Liz shook her head. "It was the person who came in the ship."
"Person?"
"Yeah. She was like... a sort of enemy. It's a long story."
"And you're okay with this? I mean, Liz. You're fucking an alien!"
"No!" Liz snapped. "I make love with Max, my husband."
"How can you let him use you like that? He's not even human."
"Oh, and the people who tried to kill your dad back in May are? The people who are hunting us? The people who conducted experiments on Max? Are they human, Connie? Let me tell you right now. Max, Michael and Isabel are more human than a lot of other people I know. Those three in there have saved more lives than you can ever know. And you know what? They risked their own lives doing it."
"But they're..."
"You'll understand once you get to know them a little better, Connie. If it helps, consider that I'm part alien too."
"But they can do these... things."
"Yeah," Liz smiled. "They have certain abilities."
"But how can you sleep with him?"
"Because I love him," Liz poured every ounce of sincerity in that simple statement. "But there are some benefits as well."
"Such as?"
"Uhm, you know, Connie? That's kind of personal."
"Oh. Oh! Okay," Connie started to blush.
"They won't hurt you. They wouldn't hurt anyone."
"I think I already knew that," Connie hung her head in shame.
"So you'll stay? I mean, I don't really know how you feel about him, but I do know that Kyle thinks the world of you."
"I like him, too," Connie nodded. "He can seem a little too eager sometimes, but under the circumstances, it could be worse. He could be a Harry Slabinski."
"Harry Slabinski?" Liz looked confused.
"Just someone you would never want to date. Trust me."
"Got it."
"So... these kids. What can I do to help?"
"Thank you," Liz reached across and hugged Connie, welcoming her to the group. "But this is something that only the four of us can do. You guys get the night off."
"Maybe you could persuade Kyle to ask me out on a date or something."
"I don't think it'll take too much persuasion," Liz winked.
* * *
"Camera up there," Michael pointed with his eyes.
"Got it," Max nodded. He leant against the wall, placing his hands flat against the surface. "The cable runs down to the basement, same as all the ones indoors."
"I guess the security console is down there, then. I couldn't see anything on the ground or first floors."
"Do you think you could work out how they're all controlled if we got in there?"
"Yeah," Michael nodded. "It's not exactly rocket science."
"We could try to gain access now, if you want?"
"That's normally my job," Michael smirked. "Taking unnecessary risks."
"I don't think that, Michael. That you take unnecessary risks. Sometimes, you tend to get a little... enthusiastic, but I know you believe that what you do is for the best. Did that sound right?"
"I'll let you know when I translate it."
"Are you all right, Michael?" Max turned to face him. "I mean, just lately, you've been acting a little... off."
Michael stared at Max and turned away toward a bench that was amongst the gardens that ran along the side of the driveway. He sat down.
"Do you remember when things were getting real bad for you, you know, when Alex died? When you and Tess... or maybe not."
"Yeah," Max nodded, sitting next to Michael.
"I think I know what you were going through now."
"Are you and Maria okay?"
"Yeah," Michael sighed. "It's just... Max, I've been having these dreams. I can't remember them, but when I wake up, I feel more... alien. I feel a little more like I did that time I had the seal and went loco."
"Do you think you might start to get... violent again?"
"No," Michael shook his head. "I'm just getting... Believe it or not, I'm getting very defensive. Toward you."
"Me?"
"Yeah. But that's not exactly it, either. It's like, unless we discuss things that revolve around you as the King, and the Royal Four, I feel like it's a waste of time. Max, I have no interest in what you and Liz found in Puerto Rico, but there are times when part of me wants to bang your heads together for not bringing them to me. Part of me thinks they're important, and part of me says to stay the hell away from them."
"When did the dreams start?"
"While we were looking for you. You know, in the mountains."
"Do you think there was some kind of transference? That maybe something of mine still went to you?"
"I don't know," Michael shrugged. "Probably not. Sometimes, it feels... external. Max. Please don't say anything to others, but when I said the Royal Four... Max, I was referring to Tess. Not Liz."
"But Tess is..."
"We don't know that, Max. Did you ever see the body?"
* * *
In the early-evening darkness that descended over the hospital, two young nurses, one tall and blonde, the other shorter and dark, walked up the long driveway toward the main entrance. Unseen by either, though both were fully aware, two masculine shapes clad in black flitted from shrub to bush, making their way toward the same building. While the nurses entered the hospital, the two dark shapes made their way to a basement window.
"Do you want to do it?" Michael asked.
"It's okay," Max looked around making sure no one was around. "You do it."
Michael placed his hand alongside the window frame and moved it in a slow path along the edge. "Got it," he nodded. His hand glowed white and the window swung open.
Max held the window wide for Michael to slide in. When Michael reached up and took the window, Max followed him down inside the darkened room. Max then waved his hand across the latch to hold the window firm until they came back. Together, they crossed to the door. Michael pulled the door open, and peered through the narrow crack. He slipped out into the corridor first, and crept to the corner. He peered around it and waved Max out.
"The console is at the end of this corridor," Michael whispered. "What do we do? Make a run for it, or creep along and hope no one comes?"
Max turned his head this way and that, listening for the sounds of any one nearby.
"Run?" he asked.
"Run," Michael agreed.
Together, they ran toward the white door at the end of the corridor. No one saw them as they reached their destination.
"What do you think?"
"I say we just go in," Michael grinned. "Luck's been with us so far, and I bet the few guards here will be up on the wards."
"Okay," Max nodded. He gripped the doorknob. "On three?"
"Three."
"One, two, three."
The room was empty, except for a curved desk with a series of controls, with monitors above it. While Michael approached the station, Max locked the door. He turned and watched Michael disable all of the hospital's security systems.
* * *
"This way," Isabel led Liz through the corridors of the hospital, as though she had been walking them all her life.
"How do you know?" Liz looked at her friend with a kind of awe.
"It just feels right."
"I wish I could do things like that."
"Don't worry, Liz. You're getting stronger. I can feel it. Except for dream walking, you'll probably be able to do everything I can do, soon."
"Thanks, Isabel."
Isabel smiled at Liz. She led her around the corner, and stopped in front of a door, marked 'Administration.'
"There's a supply closet right there; look," Isabel nodded at another door. "I'll stay here and keep watch. You go in and do what you have to do."
"Okay," Liz nodded. "Here goes." She reached to the small microphone that Max had built that afternoon, pinned to her nurse's dress. "We're ready," she spoke into it.
"All systems down, Liz," a voice spoke in the earpiece she was wearing. "You're green to go. Be careful. I love you."
Taking a last look around, Isabel waved her hand across the door handle and opened the door. Liz stepped inside and closed the door behind her.
"There's the cabinet," Liz spoke to Max through the mic. "There's a lot of them, but this one feels right. I'm opening it now. B for Brody. Let's see. Briggs, Brindle, here we are, Brody, Sydney." She pulled the file out, and opened the brown folder. "Max," her face fell. "It's empty."
There was a moment of silence before Max spoke.
"Liz, don't panic. I want you to listen to me very carefully. Open your mind, and place your hand over the front part of the drawer. Run your hand slowly from the front to the back, and think about everything you know about us."
"I don't understand."
"Think things like, alien, healing, unexplained. If you pass over a file containing anything like that, and your mind is open, you'll feel it."
"Okay, Max. I'll try."
Liz ran her hand across the drawer as Max suggested.
"Nothing, Max." Disappointment echoed in her statement.
"Don't worry, Liz. Try again, on the next drawer down.
Under Max's guidance, she repeated the process on every drawer in the room.
"Max? What if they computerized it all?"
"They're not on the computer, Liz. Michael and I already checked, remember?"
"Yeah," she sighed. "Okay, I'm on the S's now."
She pulled open the drawer, and held her hand above the files. As she passed from the front toward the back, her hand suddenly glowed a white color. Her eyes widened and she reached for the file.
"Max, I have something. It's a file called 'Silver Hand.'"
"Sounds like something we should be aware of. What's in it?"
"It's a list of names and addresses. Wait, Syndey's on the list. So is a Thomas Curtis. Bingo."
"Okay. Liz, can you copy it?"
"There's no copier here, Max."
"You can do it yourself."
"How?"
"Same way. Open your mind, and pass your hand over the list. Then, hold your hand over a piece of blank paper, and let everything you picked up go onto the sheet."
"You're kidding."
"Nope. Try it and see."
"Oh, wow!" Liz exclaimed as she folded her copy into a small square and tucked it into her bra.
"Liz!" Isabel hissed from the door. "We have to go. Too many people are taking notice."
"We have to leave now, Max."
"Okay," Max agreed. "Michael says someone's coming here, too. Meet you outside."
* * *
Standing together in the shelter of a large tree, the four teenagers passed their hands in front of themselves, changing their clothing into less conspicuous attire. They each pulled a pair of surgical gloves from their hands and handed them to Max. They vanished in a cloud of powder.
"That reminds me too much of the skins," Michael shuddered.
Everybody nodded.
They look at each other in the gloom.
"Do you remember that night, in that alley, when Liz stopped us from leaving?" Isabel smiled.
"So much has happened since then," Max nodded. "It started out with the three of us. Then I finally let Liz in. It kinda... snowballed."
"Did you ever stop and think where we might be if we just took off that night of the Crash Festival?" Michael looked around. "You know, if you hadn't let Liz persuade you to stay? Our life would have been a lot like this, but less..."
"Rewarding?" Liz finished.
"I know one thing," Max smiled. "I know which path I'd rather be on."
"You do, huh?" Isabel smirked at the smile Max and Liz exchanged.
"Come on," Max wrapped his arm around Liz. "The night is young and Kyle is out on a date with Connie. Let's grab Maria and Jesse and go out somewhere. Let's have some fun."
"Who are you," Michael laughed. "And what have you done with Max?"
"Count me out, guys," Isabel smiled. "I had the foresight to think of this already. Jesse's waiting for me in a restaurant just down the road. We're meeting up with Kyle and Connie. I'll see you guys later. Don't wait up."
* * *
"And that pretty much brings us up to date, right?" Kyle looked at Isabel for her confirmation that he had told Connie everything about their adventures.
"So you guys have been pretty busy," Connie shook her head. "So what changed your mind, Jesse? I mean, why did you decide to stay with them this time?"
"I didn't give Isabel a chance to say no again," he smiled at his wife, reaching to take her hand. "But let me tell you, Connie. It's not going to be easy, living with them. Anyway, you have it the easiest."
"How's that?" Kyle asked.
"Because Connie had the good sense to fall for one of the..." he looked around and leaned forwards. "Humans."
"Yeah," Isabel smirked. "But that's only temporary."
"How do you mean?" Connie looked concerned.
"Liz is human too, but she's developing alien powers of her own from when Max healed her," Kyle told her. "So because he healed me, it's only a matter of time before it affects me."
"They're human powers, Kyle. Not alien."
"Call 'em what you want," Kyle shrugged. "If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck."
"What do you mean," Connie asked. "How can they be human powers?"
"We've been genetically engineered," Isabel explained. "We have human DNA, but our essence, our soul, if you like, is alien. It's who we used to be on our home planet, until we were killed. Our brains were advanced a few hundred years to take advantage of the power it holds. Everything we can do, it's human."
"No," Jesse shook his head. "No, that can't be right."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because you each have your own powers that are unique to you. You know, Max can heal... you can dream walk... Liz gets those premonitions. If they were human powers, surely you could all do them. Plus, when Michael got the seal when Max died..."
"Max died?" Connie's mouth fell open.
"Oh, yeah," Kyle groaned. "Long story. Liz saved him, kinda."
"Anyway, Michael got Max's unique abilities."
"That's right," Kyle nodded. "You know, I just thought about it. What's Michael's unique ability?"
"That blaster thing of his, I guess," Isabel shrugged.
"No, you can all do that. Even Liz can do that."
"I never thought of that," Isabel admitted.
"What's your other one?" Jesse looked at Isabel.
"Other one what?" Isabel was starting to feel a bit shell-shocked now. She wished Max were here to help field these questions.
"Power, ability, whatever."
"How do you mean?"
"Max can heal and he has that shield of his. Liz gets those premonitions and she can project an image of herself. You only seem to be able to dream walk. Tess could mind warp and erase memories."
"I think that was part of the same power. She could alter how you perceived things."
"Okay. So we don't really know what Michael can do. You and Tess only have one ability. Max and Liz each have two."
"Sounds about right."
"Maybe Max has two 'cause he's the king," Kyle surmised. "Liz has two 'cause Max healed her. So it's safe to bet I'll probably get two. Cool. I won't have to feel inferior to Evans anymore."
"No offense, Kyle," Isabel laughed. "Somehow, I think you'll always feel like that."
"Because of Liz?" Connie asked looking a little jealous.
"Not because I want her back or anything," Kyle replied. "Even when we thought Max was dead, I knew I could never be more than her friend. Liz belongs to Max, in life and in death. Just like he belongs to her. They'll never be separated. Besides, there's only one person that I'm interested in, romantically speaking."
"Uh huh. And who might that be? Do I know her?"
"You could say that."
"Oh my god," Isabel laughed. "Are you two flirting?"
* * *
"Why is it that we seem to spend our time in truck stops?" Maria groaned as they sat in a huge booth, eating their lunch. "Have I ever told you how much I hate fried food?"
They were on their way to Tucson, which was the nearest address on the list that Liz had taken from the hospital.
"That's not the worst," Isabel nodded at the large gang of young men at the back of the diner.
They were loud, boisterous, and had been giving the waitresses a hard time.
"Army," Connie grunted without looking over at them.
"How can you tell?" Maria asked.
"You just can. I can spot 'grunts' a mile away."
"Well, that blond haired one in the corner hasn't taken his eyes off of Liz since he got here," Maria scowled.
"What's that?" Liz asked, looking up from the sheet of numbers she had been studying with Max.
"Nothing," Maria smirked.
"You guys done?" Max asked.
When everyone had nodded, they all rose from their booth, and after Liz had paid for the meal, and left a good tip, they stepped outside into the Arizona heat.
"We should reach Tucson tonight," Max told them while they all stretched their legs.
The door behind them opened, and the gang stepped out of the way. The large group of men that Connie had identified as army poured out through the door, passing ribald comments as they left. The blond man that Maria had spotted eyeing Liz stopped with a few of his buddies.
"Hey, babe," he smiled at Liz. He placed his arm on her shoulder. "Why don't you leave these boys behind and come see what life is like with a real man?"
Liz reached up and grabbed his arm, and stared open mouthed into the man's eyes.
"Look at that," one of the soldiers called. "She's got it bad for you, Dixon."
"Dumbstruck," another added.
"Mount up," someone called from near a large bus.
"Come see me anytime, babe," the blonde man smirked. "I'll show you things you've never dreamed of."
"Did you see the look on her face?" the stunned group of friends heard one of the departing men comment.
Liz shook herself from her daze, and glanced once at Max before running after the men.
"Look! Here she comes again. She can't get enough of you, man."
Liz grabbed the man's arm and looked up at him. To the surprise of her friends, and the catcalls of the soldiers, Liz reached up and kissed the blond haired man on his lips.
* * *
