Special Unit mature CC pg 16 complete 6/29/2009

[ken_r]

Title: Special Unit
author: ken_r AKA Kenneth Renouard

Genera: Au with aliens
Rating: Mature
Disclaimer: I do not claim any of these characters. They all belong to Roswell TV series.
Genera: Au with aliens
Couples: conventional
Summary: very similar to canon. Exceptions, Liz was shot at and the shot missed. Max always had a crush on Liz, but he never told her. Alex doesn’t get killed. It is Maria who is the strong human with the aliens. Nasado has disappeared. Liz and Kyle have gone to college. After graduating, Kyle joined the FBI and was recruited into the Special Unit. Liz is now working on her doctorate and is a researcher for the FBI. She is lent to the Special Unit to find information regarding strange natures of the people in Roswell.

The Special Unit

Kyle came into the office a bit late on Monday morning. There was still a foul taste in his mouth from the weekend. It was that taste that even brushing couldn’t completely get rid of. Darla, did she even have a last name? Of course, she did. Kyle just couldn’t remember it. Yes, Darla had been a handful. Kyle was trying to remember if he could stick his head in the statistics office or not. How did they part company? There were two worries. First, did Kyle make promises that he had no intention of keeping. Second, had Kyle, in someway, angered her? That was a tough one. If he had made promises, then, Kyle would just have to ask for an extended field assignment. If he had angered her, that would mean that field data, when he needed, would be slow to the point that it might endanger him. Endangering Kyle, now that was not something that Kyle wanted to contemplate.

Kyle adjusted the bra type straps, which located his shoulder holster. The big Bren Ten semi-automatic pistol settled into a place that irritated him the least. Kyle was a slave to fashion. His fashion statement was Sonny Crocket from Miami Vice. There were only 1500 Brens ever made, but they did do a number at the front end. They would slice through a car door like it was butter. Of the 1500, you had to figure the movie set took three or four of them to butcher to use blanks, so, Kyle was lucky to get his before the Miami Vice fans and general gun collectors removed them from the market.

When Kyle arrived at his desk, he saw a thick envelope sitting there marked ‘confidential.’ Kyle breathed a sigh of relief. He wouldn’t have to face the boss begging for a quick assignment. The brass was already tired of Kyle’s many needs to get out of town quickly. Kyle was a good agent, but they worried more about an irate husband or jilted starlet than they did of a felon or even an alien getting him. Alien, that was right, Kyle was part of the Special Unit. The unit was fueled by the megalomania of their leader, Daniel Pierce. Maybe, Pierce had a point. Several agents, that he had risen through the ranks with, had been killed by the mysterious alien. They had caught the son-of a-bitch once and they had held him for sometime. In that time, they learned a lot. When he took out the three agents who were interrogating him, Pierce would always say, “Three good men,” and escaped, the unit learned even more. The unit was well aware that these men had been considered to be strictly hard ball when it came to interrogation. If you thought hard on this, you might stir up feelings for the alien. That wouldn’t do.

Pierce’s predecessor had been on line when that author and nut job, Atherton, had been discovered. The body, with the silver handprints on the outside and the parboiled organs inside, had really set the special unit into high gear. Later, when the, then, director of the special unit was found internally boiled and wearing the silver handprint Pierce found himself the new Director.

It was at the start of the cold war and people were seeing green men and Russians behind every tree. At first, there was that territorial war with the fledging Air Force. At the time they first clashed, the Air Force didn’t even exist, but was part of the army. September 18, 1947 the United States Air Force was born and the bureaucracy changed. The “Army” Air Force had been under a bunch of old generals who had just kicked the butt of the German Reich. They had made contingency plans to A-bomb half the rest of the world. What is the use of having them if you can’t use them? They were the lions of the world. The special unit worked for the FBI and Hoover was a pompous ass in his own right. All you had to do was get his attention and direct him to the enemy, be they public criminals or even more criminal by being part of some other governmental organization, then let him go.

In the first part of July, 1947, a strange craft had crashed. The “Army” Air Force grabbed it and then, denied its existence. By brow beating all the witnesses they controlled, they announced that it was a weather balloon. The Army Air Force was changed and new generals put in charge that were not burdened with inflated egos as those of the army, The Special Unit was given the go ahead to tackle the problem of aliens.

The Special Unit had been in existence for sometime. They had massed a large amount of information. J. Egar Hoover was known to have something on everyone. He knew who you slept with last week and also, who your wife slept with. He knew of any indiscretion you might have made in college. With this leverage, the newly formed United States Air Force decided to cooperate with the Special Unit; not the FBI, but only the Special Unit. Investigation of civilians by military units is forbidden by law. The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posse_Comitatus_Act) so, cooperation gave the Special unit access to the material collected by the Air Force and the US Air force gained access to civilian investigation.

The Special Unit was buried so deep in the agency hierarchy that they had almost no oversight in their actions. People, being who they are, excesses were committed and threats given freely, to protect their activities. Now under Daniel Pierce, they were almost single mindedly going after what he was sure was a hot bed of aliens. It did not matter that several other leads called, “Hot Beds,” had turned up nothing, Pierce was doggedly determined to find an alien coven somewhere. Maybe, even if he had to manufacture one.

Kyle was a good cop. He had received an education at Northwestern in Police Science and he had applied to the FBI. He was a shoo-in, but Kyle was also from Roswell. He received a message to talk to someone at an office that existed only on a piece of paper. Before he knew it, Kyle became the third generation of alien hunters, following his grandfather and father.

The pay was better than anything he had ever seen. The secretaries were ripe and always looking for a leg up in their promotions. You had to believe they knew how to use that leg or rather legs. What more could Kyle want. No one knew what he did for the bureau, so Kyle had a rich social life although one without much substance. At his age, Kyle did not mind that. Thus, the weekend with Darla. Darla had screwed him silly. They had done things that Kyle had never thought of and Kyle thought of sex constantly. Kyle, now, just hoped that in his absence, Darla would hook onto another ladder to climb her way up.

The letter was sending Kyle home, if he could still call Roswell home. His dad was still there, along with a step-sister, named Maria, if she was at home. Jim Valenti, having married Amy Deluca, Maria’s mom, finally. Roswell also contained any number of lost promises that Kyle hoped had moved on or were willing to forgive and give it another try. Pierce was sure that there was alien influence somewhere there. Kyle thought privately, that the influence probably was at the UFO museum. But, Kyle could use a change of scenery, at least until Darla forgot many things.

Special Agent Elizabeth Parker was one of the Whiz kids the agency had picked up. She had graduated from every institution she attended with honors. Her undergraduate degrees were in Anthropology, Sociology and Biochemistry. Her Master’s degree was in Molecular Biology and she was known to be working on her Doctorate. No one was sure of what the subject was. As a matter of fact, the title to the research she was doing was, “Probable Scenarios of First Contact.”

Elizabeth thought of the bureau as a place where she could continue her studies in sociology. The agents she met were sure enough alien to the small town girl who just happened to be a genius. Liz received her letter also. She was being lent to a Special Unit because of her knowledge, expertise and coincidently, that she was from Roswell. Liz had no idea what the Special Unit was. Since she was being lent and not part of the unit, she would be flying blind for a while. This meant that her knowledge, expertise, and anything else she possessed, would be at the command of the Unit, that was Kyle. But, they would tell her only as much as they thought she needed to know at any one time.

When Kyle saw the name of his partner, he grinned. They had known each other in high school. They had even dated briefly. Their relationship was broken off when Kyle got to the third button of her blouse, one night and she had soundly slapped him. Liz walked home and Kyle suffered by only being able to go to “Tito’s Taco stand,” for the rest of his sophomore year and most of his junior year. Mr. Parker, standing in front of his “Crashdown” café with his meat clever in his hand, was enough, to make Kyle understand that he wasn’t gonna make it with Parker’s little girl.

Well, Kyle was sure that someone else, by now, had busted her cherry so, maybe, he could try again. He would be hunting aliens, but he also, had another target in sight. He would remove the stigma of the one who got away. All it took was charm.

Liz saw the name at the bottom of her letter. She wondered how Kyle had been getting along. She wondered if he was as abrupt as he had been in school. She had been in another department and had heard nothing from him or about him since high school. The letter just said, “To aid in the studies of alien populations.” This could be anything from terrorists to illegal emigrants. Maybe, there would be something she could use in her research, giving her another step toward that doctorate.

The flight had been pleasant. Kyle talked about things from his college days soon
and news he had heard from Roswell. Liz was surprised that Kyle seemed to be a perfect gentleman.

Kyle thought, “Just play it cool. She is like a wild bird. Just do not panic her. It will just be a matter of time. When they arrived at the airport, Jeff Parker was there to meet them.

“Daddy,” Liz cried as she threw her arms around her father. Jeff did spare a couple seconds to scowl at Kyle. Kyle almost thought that Jeff was trying to remember where he put his meat clever. Jeff was walking with a stout oak walking cane. Kyle wouldn’t want to chance that cane either. Kyle smiled and nodded as Jim Valenti and his new wife, Amy, walked up and shook hands with their son. Kyle and Liz would be back together soon so they could plan their hunt. Kyle had been told what to tell her, at least in the first phase.

The next morning, Liz came down from her old room to the café, Waiting for her was one of her oldest friends, Maria. “Chica, how have you been? What have you been doing? How long will you be here?”

That was Maria, she gave you a list of questions and then you had to figure how to get a word in edge wise to give her answers. Before Liz could formulate any answers, Maria continued. “Meet Michael. We are friends.”

Maria left it there. What did that loaded word, “friends” mean? We just know each other. We have coffee together. We are intense lovers and marriage is just a legal action. Liz extended her hand, “Hi Michael. I am glad to meet you.”

Michael mumbled something and when he shook hands, Liz felt something, but she wasn’t sure what. Michael stood up, “I gotta go, Babe.” He bent down and kissed her. Then, he left.

“I hope I didn’t run your friend off?” Liz said.

Maria laughed. “No, that is just Michael. I am used to that. He is a fire cracker in bed, but his manners need a little fine tuning.”

Liz also laughed, “Don’t they all need a little tuning?” she asked.

“What are you doing here, Chica?” Maria inquired.

“The bureau sent us here to do a study. It is confidential. I am here with your step-brother, Kyle,” Liz stated.

“Oh, you and Kyle, then?” Maria asked as her eyes widened.

“No, Maria, nothing like that. I am just assigned to work with Kyle on this project. He has been a perfect gentleman. He hasn’t brought up our past once,” Liz said.

“Wel,l hold on to your panties, kido. You are one of the few that ever got away from Kyle. I am sure he wants to correct that someday. Kyle may be my step brother, but he can still be a first class ass sometimes,” Maria said.

Liz spent the rest of the day visiting the various places and people she knew. Tomorrow, she would go to a store front Kyle had rented. They would use it for interviews and a place where they would have their files. He purchased two top of the line computers. The computers both were from something called Whitman Industries. The dealer had assured Kyle that the manufacturer was local if they had any trouble in the warranty period, that service techs could be there in a couple hours, 24/7. He purchased six cheaper ones that would just be for internet search.

That night, Maria was meeting with Michael and three others. “She said she was doing some research for the agency. That is all.”

Maria was totally human. She had been a childhood friend of Liz Parker’s. Maria was terribly street-smart and the group depended upon her to see situations for what they were. The more she felt pushed, the more she showed a calm, uncanny ability to see solutions and avenues of escape. In the last many years, the aliens had come to rely on her judgment. She was in love with Michael and though they fought without ceasing, they, in their way, were a stable couple.

“Yes, but we know that Kyle is working for the special unit. So, again, what is she doing here?” Isabel inquired.

Isabel was one of the alien women. Growing up she had developed a shell around herself in a chameleon-like fashion to project the image she thought would be the safest. In high school, she was the “It” girl. The family who had adopted her were fairly wealthy. They indulged her every wish. The man, who finally broke into the hard outer surface that was known as Isabel Evans, would be fortunate indeed. She was as sensuous as a courtesan, but this would be reserved for only one man. She was the brains of the aliens. It would be Isabel who would make the final decisions. She would, usually, make these decisions through Max who would give the final pronouncement.

“I didn’t get any flashes when I shook hands with her,” Michael stated.

Michael was the erratic one. He was very smart, both intellectually and street smart. His environment growing up was what cost him in creditability. It wasn’t he, who was found by the Evans family. No, Michael was abandoned to travel most of his life through the foster care system. His powers had been slow to develop and even as an adult, he wasn’t sure of them. He had met and learned about love from Maria. His brisk behavior towards her precipitated many of their arguments. To Maria, he opened his heart and soul to her as they made love. This made up for his other faults. Maria could experience back every pleasure she gave him as they indulged in love. It was a feedback as he, likewise, felt every feeling she had. Their climax was always the experience of mutual gratification.

Tess spoke up, “Michael, you are the least in control of your senses. It is a wonder you didn’t spill everything about yourself instead of getting information.”

Tess, like Michael, did not develop in a loving family. Tess had been found by one of the aliens right after he had been captured and managed to escape. He raised her with all the wiles of a conspirator and directed her toward joining her life with the king. From the day that the alien, Nasado found the other aliens in Roswell and presented Tess at the Roswell high school, Tess had been driven to mate with the king and produce an heir. The purpose of this heir was unimportant, but Nasado had created in Tess the single mindedness to pursue this quest. It had only been in the last few years that she, had, finally, almost given up. For all she could tell the king was gay. For all the interest she could build in him, he just might not even like girls.

They all turned to the other member of the group. “We just have to be on our guard while she is here. Let Maria and Alex get information for us. By the way, where is Alex?” Max asked.

Max was the king. He had been the object of Tess’s adoration since she had seen him. Max watched out for Tess, but there was just no feeling in his soul for her. Max had more care for Isabel, though he believed her to be his sister, as they had been raised by the Evans family together. Tess was just someone Max felt he could never hook up with. All of the aliens were relieved when Tess seemed to become resolved that she was not to be the consort of the king. Among the four aliens, Max was the dreamer. He was bright, but he relied on Isabel to find directions to travel. He was strong and very good with his own powers, but he relied on Michael to be his soldier.

“He said he would be late. He had a business deal to finish. He will be here,” Isabel explained.

Maria usually was bouncy and bubbly. She was a tinted blond with light brown eyes. Her hair was medium cut and she had had it curled. Tess was a grim-faced girl. She could be charming when she wanted, but the group, as a whole, considered her a pain. She had her hair bleached very light, but it went well with her blue eyes. She was a petite women with a very good figure and she could flaunt her charms when she wanted. The last woman of the group was Isabel. She was also blonde, giving rise to the saying that they all thought that blondes had more fun. She was taller than Tess or Maria. She had a body that she knew how to use. Her soft brown eyes could be as gentle as a doe or as hard as stone, depending on her moods. Her brother, Max, was dark and morose. He seldom smiled. There was something that he was always looking for and never finding. For a while, Tess had tried to make what Max sought, herself. She was too difficult for the king to handle. Maybe, he had been married to her in that life before, but now, Max knew there were more choices. The trouble was, Max’s choice was made in high school and she never knew it. She had gone on with her life never giving Max a thought. Max would always be in love with Liz Parker.

[ken_r]

kepsmiling7
L-J-L 76
Begonia9508
Buddha-boy
Jake17
destinyc
mary mary

Chapter 2

Their office was set up. The high speed internet was connected and Liz was initializing her computer. “Just what do you want to do, Kyle?” she asked.

“I want to look for anomalies happening to people since 1947 that would be about right timing for anything from the crash. If there are any aliens around, they must leave some sort of tracks,” Kyle said. Kyle was not to tell Miss Parker anything about their objectives. He was just to get her looking for information. Pierce had said that if she only had a sketchy idea of what they were looking for, she would be much broader in her searches. Pierce had told Kyle that Miss Parker should have no ethical considerations to worry herself about the reasons for the searches. She should just be free to seek information.

Kyle had arranged the two computers with one at each desk. He had, then, arranged six other computers along the wall. They were all hardwire networked no wi-fi wireless to be tapped by strangers. Hacking, by way of the internet,5 was stopped by a strong firewall. There was a phone at each desk. The phones each went to a black box where conversations could be recorded and where the conversation could be scrambled if they were talking to the agency.

Liz scooted her wheeled office chair to the six computers against the wall. She established searches on each computer with different keywords. As information came in, she would send it to a folder that was shared with the computer on her desk as well as Kyle’s. She would spend half the day collecting data and the rest analyzing it. All the local newspaper articles were collected. Then, she got newspaper articles from Albuquerque. Finally, she collected the Denver Post and the El Paso Sun. In a wild search, she looked for anything that might shed light on the 1947 crash from any of the national papers in the data base.

Liz found that Jesse Marcel was either terribly maligned by his superiors or that he was a delusional liar. She read articles written by his son and articles written by detractors. They seemed to be so opposite that a true account of the man was impossible.

Trouble was that the country, when this all happened, was weary from the war. They welcomed any diversion, even the creation of a new enemy form outer space. The military fresh from the war frenzy and developing into the cold war frenzy had thrown its weight against many people. Many of them had retaliated and gone public with their stories. The independent southwesteners were as patriotic as anyone in the country, but they also, rebelled against forces that were, to them, oppressive.

By the end of the day, Liz’s head was spinning. This was the crap she had grown up with. She felt that she had learned nothing new. She probably could have told Kyle everything she had learned just by being from Roswell.

Kyle, on the other hand, was jubilant. He had run into Evelyn Otero. They had had a real tumble in their senior year. Evelyn was divorced and when she met Kyle at the café that noon, she was eager to bring back some happy memories. Kyle had a date for the night. Miss Parker would just have to wait. Evelyn promised to not have to be convinced. She was ready, as was Kyle, always.

Liz went home to her room at the Crashdown and Kyle went out on the town. Kyle was pleasantly surprised that their time on the town was not drawn out. Evelyn had grown up. She had been divorced for too long and she had tired of the home-grown talent at Roswell. Kyle had educated himself back east. Together, Kyle and Evelyn made a seminar on romance that topped much that Kyle had experienced. If Evelyn had been this talented, Kyle would not have left her before, but then Kyle would not have been the man he was now, either. Kyle just gave thanks for their evening.

“Daddy, do you believe in aliens?” Liz queried her father.

“Daughter, look at the name of the restaurant and ask me that question,” Jeff answered. “Something happened here and it could have been aliens. That sells hamburgers and that is all I need.”

“Do you think they still might be here?” Liz asked.

“I don’t know. If they are here, they have been model citizens, not like some of the new comers we have. Does this have anything to do with what you are doing here?” Jeff asked.

“I do not know, Daddy. Our objective is very secret. So please do not say anything. I just hope I am doing right,” Liz stated.

“All I know, Liz, is if aliens are living here, they deserve the right to be left alone. They are paying taxes and maybe, serving on the school board. Just let them be like we do anyone who seeks shelter in our country.” This was a long statement for Jeff.

Liz didn’t say anything more. She just ate her supper and soon, she went to bed. Tomorrow would be another boring, difficult day.

This time, there were six of them. Alex had shown up at the start of the meeting. “All I know is, they bought two top of the line computers and six simpler ones. They bought equipment to set up a wired network. When the boys installed the equipment, they said they saw a strange phone complex. There were only two phones, but they both fed out of something that resembled a switchboard,” Alex reported.

Alex was a tall man. He was thin, but looking at his body, you could see that he was very strong. Normally, Alex had been sort of introverted and shy. Growing up, he was that kid who was the butt of jokes from all sides. He had always been intelligent, but connecting with people was not one of his gifts. No one was more surprised than he when Isabel opened herself to him.

One of Isabel’s gifts was not mind reading, but rather, she could see concepts like dreams. Isabel had practiced, as she grew up on the boys she was surrounded by. By the time Isabel was out of high school,` she had experienced every form of lust that young males could imagine. Since her experience was all in her mind and none of it real when she found the dedication in Alex,` she simply chose him as her mate. Isabel, the ice Princess, chose Alex to experience all that was in her mind, for real. You can imagine the chagrin created in the studs of her class. How did the geek, the object of all their derision, rate being the chosen of the ice queen? As they observed the couple, it was seen that while she remained icy to the rest of the males, to Alex she was milk and honey. God was unjust, to allow the geek the freedom of her body and soul, while those who felt were more deserving, were kept outside.

Max had been getting more depressed than usual. “Did anyone ask how she was doing?” he asked.

Tess stamped her foot. “Max, stay focused. She is working with the Special Unit.” Tess declared.

“Yes, Max, she never noticed you in high school. Now, if she notices you, we are all dead. Wake up, Max, she is the enemy, now!” Isabel almost screamed.

Max turned to Maria, “You and Alex used to be close to her. See what you can find out. If you can’t find out what they are doing here, then try to find out what she thinks about things.”

“What sort of things, Max? I am not that good of a spy,” Maria declared.

I don’t know. Just talk to her and Kyle, if you can. They were members of Roswell community. They have to have some feelings about something concerning Roswell. Just look for something that can tell us more about whether or not they are dangerous,” Max ordered. It was hard to explain. To Max, there ought be some sign that said “Friend of foe.”

Alex was sitting on the arm of Isabel’s chair. “Maybe, we could suggest a three-some just for old times sake?” he queried.

Alex was playing with her hair which normally irritated the hell out of Isabel. Someway lately when Alex did it, it just didn’t feel so freaky. “Just remember that many things have changed since old times,” Isabel said as she looked up at Alex. I don’t think a sleep over would be a good idea, no matter what you did as children.

Maria had to giggle. Isabel had finally taken to Alex and now, she was showing her claws when she worried about her possession. Alex leaned down and kissed Isabel. “Is someone jealous?” he inquired.

“No, but you still do not get in over your head,” Isabel commanded Alex.

The meeting was over. Isabel remained, instead of returning with Alex. She was feeling sorry for some of the outburst she made when Max was talking about Liz. There was some guilt when Isabel saw herself and Michael both having the companionship and support that she knew that her brother wanted. Tess didn’t have this, either. It was just that Tess had angered the group so much with her unending pursuit of Max, that her condition didn’t register as strong on Izzy. “Max, she is bound to be different. You never had anything with her when you were in high school. Don’t make the mistake, that, you can start something up now. You have to be careful. I heard that Kyle went out with Evelyn Otero, last night. That, at least, tells us they are not a couple, at least not now.”

Max looked at Isabel. Somehow, that news made his heart jump a beat. That change in his physical makeup was not missed by Isabel. She frowned as she leaned forward to kiss his cheek. “Max, I am so sorry there was never anyone here for you. Maybe, you should give Tess another chance.”

Max frowned, “No, Izzy, I don’t want to settle for seconds. Tess has her own agenda and I want nothing to do with that. Don’t you go stirring her up either. She has almost decided to look else where for companionship. Leave it that way.”

Isabel was now frowning, “Max, I know Evelyn. Maybe, I can try to find out about Kyle. I will try to see her in the next couple of days.

After Isabel left, Max was surrounded by his own thoughts. Some of them were winsome and some of them could, almost, be erotic. Max had dreamed about Liz Parker since the third grade. He had agreed with the group to not let anyone else in on the secret after Isabel accepted Alex. The humans, Maria and Alex, had been the strongest supporters of the aliens. Unless he accepted Tess, Max was doomed to always be alone.

Maria was returning with Michael. Gone was the small apartment. Michael had two good jobs. Since aliens did not need much sleep, he worked days as a draftsman for Alex at his computer factory. He also, had the graveyard shift at the Pharmaceutical plant security. He and Maria played in the early evening and Michael would catch a couple hours sleep before he started his security position.

“Max still has something for Liz Parker, Michael. I just hope it doesn’t get you all in trouble,” Maria told him.

Michael was a grumpy as usual. “Yeah, Max never could keep his horizons straight. If he had just ‘laid’ her when they were in high school, he would now, know if we could trust her or not.”

Maria slapped at Michael’s arm. “Is that why you came on to me? You just wanted to make sure I was safe?”

Michael gave a half-hearted grin. They had just come up to a red light, so he leaned over and kissed Maria. “Yeah, and I just checked. You are still on our side. I won’t have to zap you to preserve my secret.”

Michael always teased Maria that way and it always made her mad. He would have to work extra hard tonight to make up for that. “Aw, Maria I wouldn’t zap you. I, maybe, would take away your voice for a day or so if I thought you would blab our secret.” Michael decided if she was mad, he would just stir the pot a little more.

That tended to really piss Maria off, so when they got out at the house, Michael now shared with her, Michael quickly grabbed Maria into a hug and kiss, letting his whole character and thoughts flow through her body. Michael might make Maria mad with his kidding, but when he opened himself to her like this, Maria always knew what she meant to him.

As soon as they were inside their house, Michael began to remove his clothes. He stopped as Maria sat in a chair they had in the bed room. “Michael, how safe is Max right now? Tess has begun to lay off and we all know how much he yearned for something with Liz. Will he break loose? Will he talk to her and in someway let her into your secret? Michael, I dearly love the Liz Parker I grew up with. That Liz Parker may no longer exist. We all know what Kyle does. How much involved in alien hunting is my once best friend?”

“I thought it was all settled? You and Alex were going to try to rekindle something from your childhood with Liz. Maybe, try on this weekend. Get her talking about what she has been doing since you all went to different colleges. I understand she is working on her doctorate. Get her talking about that. Maybe, you should go off on a camping trip. Forget Isabel’s warning to Alex. That setting would surely set her at ease. Maybe, she will leak something to you about what they are doing.” Michael was thinking that Maria, Alex and Liz Parker had always had a special friendship. Maybe, bring that back and Liz would open up.

[ken_r]

Beddha-boy
Jake17
Flamehair
xmag
mary mary
destinyc
keepsmiling7
begonia9508

Chapter 3

The next morning, Kyle and Liz were planning their week’s investigation. “I want you to interview my father. I think you will get further with him than I would. If I go, I have to listen to warnings and cautions about what I might be doing. With you, I think he will either open up and give you what information he has or he will clam up tight and we will have to use some other method to view his files.” Kyle knew that Jim liked Liz. Jim had cautioned Kyle when he was young about pushing Liz too fast.

“Kyle, she is a better girl than you will find else where. You just have to go slow. She isn’t a prize. She is a woman who might be with you a long time,” Jim said. Kyle didn’t want any woman with him a long time then and he didn’t want one now. He did want to get into Parker’s pants, but that was just for bragging rights. What right did the old man have to talk about long time relationships? He hadn’t managed his very well.

Elizabeth Parker, special agent, entered the police building. She knocked on the door of Jim Valenti’s office. When he answered she entered and at his invitation she sat down. “Jim, no one took your father very serious and they didn’t take you serious, either,” Liz started. Jim Valenti pulled back in his chair. He always did that now a days when he thought he or his father were going to be criticized for their interest in alien happenings. He relaxed with Liz’s next statement. “Jim, we are here to tell you that we are taking you serious now.”

“Well, Miss Parker, what is it that you want of me?” Jim asked guardedly.

“We want access to all your files that have anything that might pertain to unusual activity around here,” Liz answered. “We want anything that is not easily explained. We know that alien activity might not always be clearly seen as such.”

“You know, Miss Parker, I made my files available to the FBI years ago when these things happened. They responded by calling me Sergeant Martian,” Jim responded.

“I am sorry Jim. We are working for a new administrator. He is very interested in anything to do with Aliens,” Liz explained. “We want to document a frequency of unexplained or difficult to explain situations. We have several base lines that we developed in several areas. We would then compare the situations here to those.

Jim leaned forward and handed Liz a key. “Here is a key to the files, but go easy on the copy machine. We are on a tight budget.”

Liz accepted the key and leaned back. “Jim, we will have our own equipment, so we won’t touch your budget.”

Now, Liz had her activity outlined for the rest of the week. She would start tomorrow reading through the files. Kyle was going to make the slightly over one hundred mile trip to Corona, New Mexico. His cover, and he had business cards to prove it, was that he was a reporter for a magazine called, “Strange.” Kyle was going to ruin his liver and his bladder by drinking a lot of coffee by day and a lot of Beer by night asking for stories for his magazine. Kyle had a recorder so if he got too loaded, he would have a record to look at the next morning.

Kyle had grown up in the town of Roswell. Now, he was in the heart of the southwest. He found that the ranchers of the area were a close knit group. They were spread out clear across the state, but they all traded stories and news when they got together at cattle sales and political meetings.

Kyle was fed stories from cattle mutilations to stories of Chupacabra, the goat sucker, a creature of Central and South America as well as the southwest. Anything that affected the livelihood of the ranchers was important conversation. Kyle wondered how many, if any, of these things actually happened. At every restaurant and bar, Kyle saw the pickups with Thirty-thirty Winchesters or 1903 Springfields hanging in the back windows. If there was an alien invasion, this would not be the place to start. Drunk or sober, these people were ready to halt any insurrection, be it foreign or domestic. So much the better if it was from “Outer Space.” Kyle did run across a story about a man killed. His organs had been boiled inside his body and there was a strange silver handprint on his chest. It had been assumed that he had, someway, been zapped by a radar dome the army maintained on the outskirts of one of those small towns sprinkled along US 285. The deputy Kyle was talking to laughed, “It was like he got in the way of a big microwave.”

One old man sat down with Kyle. He just sat there looking at Kyle. It was breakfast time and Kyle had just ordered an order of eggs and bacon. The man was giving Kyle the creeps. He just sat there. “Hey Mira, bring a second plate for my friend here,” Kyle called out.

“Name’s Wolf, Jonas Wolf,” the man said. “You the feller who wants stories of strange things?”

Kyle nodded. You got something for me?” Kyle said as he brought out his recorder. Jonas just sat there until the two plates arrived. He attacked his plate like he hadn’t eaten in some time.

“Old Charlie Chavez is the State cop in these parts. He gets a call one night. Seems there was this bawling in the pasture behind the Simms’ place. Old man Simms goes out and he finds his milk cow dead. Not jus’ dead, mind you, but dissected. Simms goes right in and calls the State Police. Chavez has this big flashlight, see. He shines it all around and he finds this feller, see, just sitting under a juniper tree. He has silver overalls and when Charlie calls to him, he don’t say nothing. Charlie slaps cuffs on him, throws him in the squad car and brings him to town. There’s a holding cell in the Justice of the Peace’s office. Charlie puts the varmint in the cell and goes to round up the JP Judge. When they both get back, that is Charlie and the Judge, that scalawag he had arrested, is sitting outside the cell and reading Charlie’s reports. Old Charlie just pulls his gun. Now, you’ all get this. Charlie and the judge both swear that the man just melts away. Neither of them know what happened to him. The feller just ain’t there no more.”

Jonas was finishing up his plate. He touched his hat. “Mighty obliging of ya.” And he got up and left.

Kyle just sat there drinking his third cup of coffee. “Did I just get scammed out of a breakfast?”

Mira looked at Kyle, “No, I was working when Old Charlie came in that morning. Don’t you go trying to make Charlie tell you about that story. He is mighty touchy right now. He might even shoot you if you push him.”

When Kyle was through and had returned to Roswell at the end of the week, he had found about six crash sites. The stories of each site were different.

Liz had gone as far back as the files in the sheriff office went. She found red marker highlights on several files. Some of the markings did not make sense. There was the murder out near the Mescalaro reservation. The victim was unknown. There was a picture of his body and the silver hand print. These, for the most part, were news clippings. Liz noted the dates on these clippings so she could look them up later for herself.

There was a file of the robbery at the hardware store. Old man Hanson, (the local law used the common name of the subjects) had gotten off a blast with his shotgun. He claimed the two burglers had disappeared behind a green wall. It was like a glass screen. He could see them behind it, but his bird-shot didn’t get to them. The officer stated most of the cans of paint were leaking from the holes the shot made. No evidence that there were men within the field of destruction was ever found. Liz made notes and learned that Old man Hanson’s son was now in the sheriff’s department.

There was a story of two children found wondering in the desert. The title on the folder was underlined several times in red. Liz set it aside to study, more from curiosity than anything else. As with many of the clippings the names of any minors had been blacked out. Liz would try to find the original news story. In those days, they were not so careful about juvenile rights as they were now.

A little girl had fallen off her bike and when the ambulance arrived, she appeared to be all right. The ambulance drivers reported that a silver hand print was found on her arm. She said a boy from the school had come by when she was crying. He had touched her arm and it was healed. The names had been all blacked out again, because they were minors. There was another envelope labeled “Sealed by juvenile court.” Liz wondered, why would an accident report be underlined? Why would the names of the children be blacked out? There was no criminal intent. Then, Liz dropped the file like it had bit her. Her memory became clear. She had been that little girl.

That had been so long ago. What grade had she been in? She couldn’t remember. Liz closed her eyes. She remembered crying from the pain. Her arm was terribly twisted. A boy came up to her. He was a boy from school. He put his hands on her arm. She begged him not to, but he straightened her arm. There was a sharp pain and, gradually, the pain left. Liz thought as hard as she could. Who was that boy? His face just wouldn’t take shape. She couldn’t remember. Why was this accident underlined? Liz did remember talking to her father when this happened. He had never believed her. She supposed that, eventually, she likewise discarded the story as being ```in her imagination.

Liz found another incident. It took place in the Crashdown Café. A young waitress had been almost hit by a bullet fired by two men scuffling. The bullet was found in the wall, but she someway, fell down and it missed her.

Now, Liz remembered that. It had been one of those hard days when the UFO festival was occurring. The café had been hectic all day. Liz had been teasing two tourists about aliens. For some reason, she found her self on the floor and she did not remember how she fell. When she got up, there was a bullet hole in the wall right where she had been standing. Her father had held her for what seemed like hours. He just sat there holding his daughter starring at the hole in the wall.

The next file made no sense at all. “Young man petitions the court to be emancipated.” Liz had heard of this kind of thing, but she never knew of any child who divorced his parents. It seemed that this child was a foster child and his foster caregiver had disappeared. He was even questioned about this disappearance. The law firm of Philip Evans was mentioned as guiding this case through court. Now, why would the sheriff underline this report? For that matter, if all of these marked reports were suspected of being alien caused, then why were the two reports about Liz in the group? She hadn’t ever known any aliens.

Then, there were dozens of articles. They seemed to cluster during the UFO festival every year. Liz had attended the festival like most of the young people of the town. It was an exciting time to let loose, dress up and play alien for a couple days. Liz had never realized how many cases the police had had during these times. It seemed every year there would be sightings, mysterious signs burned in the lawns of public buildings and strange sounds in the night air.

Between the searches she set up every morning at their office and her work on the sheriffs files, Liz was kept busy during Kyle’s absence.

Maria had been told that Liz spent a couple hours every afternoon going through newspapers in the library. She approached her former friend. “Hey Liz,” Maria called out cheeringly.

Liz looked up. This was the first time this week, except for talking to the sheriff every day that anyone had spoken to her. She turned off the microfiche machine. It was more reflex than trying to hide what she was doing. “Hi Maria, ¿que pasa?” Liz used that old Spanish saying for what is going on.

“You haven’t seen Alex yet, have you?” Maria asked.

“No, I understand that Kyle bought a sizable purchase of computers from his company,” Liz replied.

“Well, Alex and I were thinking that we might have a campout sleepover like we had when we were kids,” Maria explained.

Liz laughed, “Maria, we haven’t been kids for many years. You and Alex are trying to relive your past.”

“Aw come on, Liz. It will be just the three of us, just sleeping bags at the public campground. There are facilities and Alex is a master at grilling. We just need to catch up. We don’t have any more idea about what you have been doing, any more than I imagine you know about us. We will be back right after noon Saturday,”

Liz thought about that. Kyle had made it clear that this was not a hurry up job. He intended to work his 40 hours a week and have some time off on the weekends. It might do her good to see Maria and Alex like they used to be. Finally, she gave in. “Sure, Maria, you can meet me at the Crashdown about 5:00 on Friday afternoon.”

With that out of the way, Maria left. She whipped out her cell phone, as soon as she was out side, and called Alex. “She is on, Alex. Now, just hope we can find out what she is all about.

[ken_r]

mary mary
begonia9508
flamehair sightings, crashes and abductions in the 1950s were rampant. If it wasn't Rusian it was UFO.
L-J-L 76
destinyc
keepsmiling7 Chupacabra is not from ancient lore as far as i can tell.

Chapter 4

Kyle came back to Roswell on Friday. He looked at what Liz had amassed in the way of data and whistled. This project was going well. “Liz, honey, how about going out on the town tonight?” Kyle asked.

Liz looked up. She had been taken by surprise. This was the first time Kyle had ever said anything that was not strictly business to her. “Sorry, Kyle, I made plans to go camping with Maria and Alex this evening. We are going on an overnighter,” Liz informed Kyle.

Kyle looked up. “That sounds like an interesting threesome. Wouldn’t it be more comfortable in a motel room?” he asked.

“Kyle, does everything have to be sex with you?” Liz inquired. “We are just three friends that haven’t seen each other in a long time. We thought that camping out, just the three of us, we could catch up on our lives.”

Kyle was heard to mumble, “My way, with three in bed, would be more fun.”

Liz looked at Kyle, but he just smiled. “Well, then, I guess it is up to me to entertain myself tonight.” He went over to his phone and dialed Evelyn’s phone number.

Both Kyle and Evelyn had memories of each other that were contradicted by the present people they both saw the other night. Kyle remembered the girl who he took back under the stadium that first time in their senior year. They went out many more times, but for some reason, that first night lodged in his memory. There had been a moon out. Kyle had spread his bedroll out under the structure that held the seats for the audience of athletic events. The moonlight filtered through the seats up above and left a pattern on the ground below. They were kneeling on the bedroll. Her panties came off easily enough, but when Kyle started to remove her blouse, she clutched it to her. Finally, Kyle did get the blouse unbuttoned and laid out. Then, he loosened her bra. While kissing her, he managed to open the waist band of her skirt. Then standing up, he pulled the skirt off of her. She yelped like she wasn’t expecting this.

Kyle, to show her he was a man of the world, while standing up he removed his shirt. Then, he dropped his boxers and trousers in one motion. Later, Kyle got to thinking. Evelyn was more used to just raising her skirts and pulling the fellow’s pants down a bit and making love that way. Well, that was then.

When Kyle knocked on the door of the house that Evelyn had won in her divorce settlement, she answered the door. Evelyn was wearing a gown, belted at the waist and Kyle could see sandals on her feet. Evelyn took his sport coat and hung it up. She had to wait a few minutes until Kyle could remove the sling straps, which held his holster. Kyle, carefully, dropped the magazine of the pistol and removed the cartridge from the chamber. He then placed the gun and holster on the table and then, he turned. Evelyn did something and her belt dropped she then touched her shoulder and the gown fell to the floor. She was wearing nothing under that gown, except for a gold chain around her waist.

Evelyn remembered that first night with Kyle, also. She remembered the boy, who in bravado, tried to show his worldliness by standing naked before her. She hadn’t seen that many naked boys at that time and she was caught by surprised. Now, she had know many men. She would show Kyle that she knew all about her body, his also, and how to use them. Both of them gave thanks that they had grown up and now, they enjoyed the evening.

Liz had asked her father to get out her old bedroll. He frowned as she set it out and was looking for some of her other camping equipment. “Where are you all going, Honey?” Jeff asked.

“Maria, Alex and I are going to camp at the public campgrounds. We haven’t seen each other in a long time and Maria thought it would be fun for us to spend the evening and morning talking about what we had been doing the last few years. Remember when the three of us would roll out the bedrolls in the living room when we were kids? We just thought being together might make it easier to talk to each other.” Now that she had been thinking about this camp out, Liz was becoming excited about it.

By the time Maria drove up and she and Alex got out, the tall geeky man grabbed Liz and lifted her in an embrace. Liz was so happy to see him she forgot that they weren’t kids anymore. They threw her stuff in the back of the car. Then, the three of them were waving to the Parkers as they pulled out. Jeff pulled Nancy close to him. “I know she is grown and she makes her own decisions. To me, she still is just my baby girl and when I see her go off like this, it makes me feel… well, old.”

Nancy laughed and kissed her husband. She was very proud of her daughter and she was happy that she still had ties to her old friends.

The three adventurers found a camping place and paid their ticket for it. They unrolled the bedrolls so their heads were all close, kind of like a star. With the mild nights, there was no reason to set up the tent. There was very little chance for any storm.

Maria and Liz collected wood and started a small fire in the fire pit. Alex took out his charcoal brazier. Soon, ears of corn and potatoes were roasting over the coals. On the Coleman camp stove, there was a pot of chili simmering. In the camp fire, Alex placed a small cast iron dutch oven. This item had been used for many years in Alex’s family to make biscuits. Alex had studied with his father, often, the art of camp cooking. Now, it was a couple of cokes and a couple of bowls of popcorn until dinner was done.

“When you went off to Harvard, I had a chance to get a music scholarship at New Mexico Eastern. It is a small school, but I was able to learn a lot and finally, I made a few records. I started writing music and I found that more pleasurable than being on the road. I met Michael while we were still in high school. I doubt you remember because all you could think of was leaving for Harvard,” Maria was explaining her life.

Liz was embarrassed, “Was I really that bad?”

Maria looked at her, “Yes, you were, but don’t worry too much, Chica. We all understood. That was the dream of your father. You were making all the goals you and your family had intended.”

Liz shook her head. Things that she felt were important back in school just didn’t have the same feeling, now. She had always been close to Maria and Alex. Now, they were telling her how she had almost run off and left them. “I was just so excited when I got that ride to Harvard, I just forgot everyone else. It was so strong a hope in my family that I let the rest of the world fade away.”

Alex came around with a dripping spoon in one hand, “Liz, no matter what you did, we tried to understand,” he said as he put his arm around her.

Liz turned to Maria. “ What did happen toward the end of our senior year?” Liz asked

“Well, somewhere about the time you got your scholarship and left earth, I met Michael,” Maria replied.

Liz was sitting with her head in her hands. All she could remember was the endless interviews, then the required essays that all had dead lines. Her parents were so proud and so supporting that she missed what was happening to the rest of high school.

“My time at New Mexico Eastern University let me meet people who put me on a music tour. That only lasted a year or so. Then, I returned to Roswell and Michael,” Maria finished.

Liz could only say, “Wow, you had a full career with the tour. Why did you leave it?”

Maria smiled, “The tour did not have Michael. That was enough to make it incomplete. Now, I stay at home, write music, teach a few students and make my life with someone who loves me.”

Alex, still with his spoon in one hand, squeezed Maria in a hug. “Yes, Maria came back to Michael and the rest of us.”

Liz had a green stick and was poking the fire, “I missed that. I never had that special someone to call me home. Harvard was a cold master that I served. I finished my first degree and then soon, I was pulled into my master’s program. From there, all the advisors could talk about was going on to my doctorate. I never had any time to develop relationships with anything except my curriculum and my books.”

Maria and Alex looked at each other. “Didn’t you ever have someone who you thought might be important to you in high school?” Maria asked.

Liz laughed, “No, there was Kyle and I wasn’t near ready to be one of his conquests. After that night, my daddy kept pretty close watch on my activities. I remember thinking that there was some guy, but I never could bring him into focus. I just keep thinking there was someone I should have taken time to know better. Maybe, it was guilt for abandoning you guys.”

About that time, Alex announced the chili was ready. Alex’s chili was rich and thick. It had a hamburger base with big red kidney beans. He had spooned into the frying hamburger, several spoons full of coarse ground red chili from the small town of Hatch just west of Roswell across the mountains. To top it off, Alex shredded in a cup full of mozzarella cheese and some bright yellow, sharp cheddar cheese.

With two bowls apiece, there was not much to put back in the cooler for tomorrow or for snack at some later time. They had corn on the cob, and roasted potatoes. They finished the dinner off with fresh biscuits and strawberry jam.

After dinner, they sat around the fire with marshmallow sticks. Alex started, “You don’t remember that science fair project I had that last year. I had written an encrypting program to secure data in a computer. It turns out that in my ignorance, I had thought completely outside the box. No one else had thought of doing this my way. By not knowing the correct way to encrypt data, I had made a completely new way. That led to scholarships and it brought me to the attention of Microsoft and Apple computers. After a few years, I started my own company.”

“Now, that is really something. Alex, I am sorry I wasn’t around to celebrate your good fortune,” Liz exclaimed.

“Oh, I understand, Liz. I also met Isabel that last year in high school. We started out slowly and then, by the time I was through college, we were living together. Now, it is only a matter of time until we are married,” Alex concluded.

Liz was musing, “Sometimes, I catch myself wondering what would have happened if Kyle had been more sophisticated than horny, if we had finally, made it and I would have been his girl friend. Would my interest have been so focused in academics?”

“If you had given into Kyle, you would have been replaced within a month or so. Kyle may be my stepbrother, but he surely, wouldn’t be someone I would introduce to my closest girl friend. Kyle had been very quiet about going with you. I had no idea he was taking you out, until he was thrown out of the Crashdown by your father,” Maria explained. “You still want to keep your guard up unless you want to be, again, the girl of the month, with Kyle.”

They were now in their sleeping bags, arranged so their heads were all near each other. “I really missed the beautiful stars when I was in the cities back east,” Liz stated.

“Yes, the stars were what got Isabel and me to talking. We found we both had an interest in the constellations. One night at the school campout, we were just looking at the stars. I mentioned where several of the galaxies were located and then, one thing led to another, and within two weeks, we were a couple,” Alex mused.

“Just that night, looking at the stars, is that what it took?” Liz asked.

“Yeah, and I wonder how many of the super jocks ever knew what it took to thaw the ice queen,” Maria said.

“Isabel was tired of dating and wrestling the football team. She had decided to look for someone of substance,” Alex said.

“And, I just supposed you were the first boy of substance she found?” Liz asked.

“That, and Izzy found out how much I cared for her. I have loved her since we got to high school and I learned that you and Maria were not just soft boys. Izzy has her ways. Our relationship has been good,” Alex explained.

“You were so busy with school work, you didn’t suffer through the moaning of Alex those years about his feelings for Isabel,” Maria quipped.

Liz frowned. She remembered Alex being morose and depressed, but she had never investigated to discover the cause. Liz remembered the many school functions that Maria sang at, but she had no idea that she had been on tour. Academia was a world unto itself. Liz had to admit that she was more than a little naïve, when it came to what was happening to the real world.

“Michael and I developed a love-hate relationship. We dated, we made love and broke up over and over. There were so many times that I came home hating him, that I became afraid my mother would take a shot gun to him. We wouldn’t speak for weeks at a time. Then suddenly, we would look around and we were both alone. Either Michael or I would go looking for the other. Then, the making up was so passionate that we would be good for another few weeks. If it hadn’t been for Isabel always pushing us back together, I don’t think our passion would have survived,” Maria was explaining.

Liz spoke up, “Isabel and Michael knew each other?”

Liz rolled over on her stomach so she could better look at Maria. Alex had rolled over and he was looking at Maria also. “Yes, Michael is kind of related to Isabel and Max,” Alex stated guardedly.

“Max, that is the name I was trying to remember. He was that quiet boy who was Isabel’s brother. Whatever happened to him?” Liz asked.

“Oh, he is around,” Maria said. “He comes into the Crashdown from time to time.

“There was something I have been trying to remember about him and I just can’t think what it is. It’s like something right on the tip of my tongue,” Liz stated.

Alex spoke up. “What about you, Liz? What have you been doing the last few years?”

“Well, like I said. I mostly have been either going to school or working. My doctorial paper is titled, “Probable First Contact with Aliens Scenarios.” Liz, again, noticed the strange look which passed between Alex and Maria. Liz continued again, “To put bread on the table and keep ink in the printer, I took a job with the Agency.”

Alex interrupted, “When you say agency, you mean the FBI, don’t you?”

Liz laughed, “Yeah, we all call it the Agency so much like there is no other agency in the world, I forget. I am not very important and my job isn’t very dramatic. I just make data bases about different things. That is all Kyle and I are doing here. The actual information is classified, but there is nothing exciting about what we find.”

“How long have you been working for Kyle?” Maria asked.

“Only this job. Normally, I just have a work station at headquarters. I am sent data from totally faceless agents. I correlate it and set it up in databases. I, usually, do not even understand what the data is from or what it means. Now, Kyle is strictly a field agent. He is always off somewhere. He carries that big pistol and I am told he has had to use it more than once. He tells me what he wants and I go looking for it. That doesn’t sound very exciting, does it?” Liz stated. Liz noticed, again, the strange look that passed between Maria and Alex. They both gave a strained laugh and lay back looking at the stars.

As they all three lay there looking at the stars closed within their own thoughts a meteor crossed the sky. “Did you ever wonder if someone ever did visit Earth from somewhere else?” Liz asked.

Alex rolled over propping himself up with his elbows, “What do you mean, Liz?” he asked.

“Oh, I don’t know. The sky is just so vast that it seems someone should have visited Earth sometime in history. I just wonder what it would be like to make contact with someone, not of this Earth,” Liz voiced. For some time, they all were quiet.

Liz felt herself getting drowsy. “Do either of you remember when we were very young?” she asked in almost a mumbling voice.

“That lets me out. Remember, I didn’t know you until about the third or forth grade,” Alex said.

“Why, Chica, what are you getting at?” Maria asked.

“Maybe, nothing. I was just thinking about when I fell off the bike that time. I was thinking about when I hurt my arm. There was some boy there. I can’t picture him or what he did. It probably isn’t important.” Now Liz was very sleepy. So without saying anything else, she drifted off to sleep.
-----------------------
Curse of the Cat canon after graduation. mysticism maybe or are there things out there that we don't know about.

[ken_r]

Buddha-boy
flamhair
mary mary
keepsmiling7
begonia9508

Chapter 5

There was a bright light shining in her face. There was a terrible ruckus in the tree just above her. Something was tickling her nose and Liz slapped at it. She suddenly woke up. The noise in the tree, was caused by several Western Jaybirds. Alex had taken some scraps of biscuits that they had eaten last night and set the scraps out for the birds. The birds had quickly taken what he set out and now, were noisily screaming that he hadn’t given them enough. The bright light was, of course the sun which had just popped over a mountaintop to shine on her face. The tickling was Maria with a sprig of “foxtail” grass as she tickled Liz’s face.

“Get up sleepy head. You easterners just do not see the value of burning daylight,” Alex called. Liz reached around and found a pine cone to throw at him and while she was at it, she threw one at the jays. The jays descended upon the cone and screamed louder when they saw it wasn’t food that they could eat. Liz was holding her head trying to wipe the sleep out of her eyes while Alex and Maria laughed.

Liz pulled on last night’ slacks and a jacket while she gathered up a towel, clean clothes and shorts. Then, she made her way to the bathroom-shower that was on the campground.

Dressed, her hair combed, she faced Alex and Maria who had made their absolutions much earlier. “What do you two have scheduled for this morning?” Liz asked.

Alex pointed toward a closed off road. “The old fire lookout is up that road. We used to go there when I was a kid with my dad. We can take it easy and be there by noon. The view is worth the walk and we can be back here in time to return to Roswell by early afternoon.”

Maria was grinning. “Don’t worry, Chica. Alex has promised that even I can make it and I don’t intend to be training for Mount Everest. It will be a fun walk and we will get some spectacular pictures,” Maria stated.

Alex was overseeing a plate of bacon, a pan of scrambled eggs with green chili along with a plate of biscuits from last night filled with blueberry jam. He was laying out sandwiches as he made them and Maria was filling the water bottles.

Liz thought that she had really enjoyed this weekend. Good friends shouldn’t be neglected. She was hoping to spend more time with them while she was here. She also wanted to meet their love interests. They had moved on with their lives while all she had done was go to school.

The camping gear had been broken down and packed back into the car. With their backpacks, they started up the path to the lookout. “Maria, I have been meaning to mention. Do you remember the shootout at the Crashdown?” Liz asked.

“You mean the one if you hadn’t fallen on your duff, we would be having this picnic at the cemetery?” Maria responded.

“Why did I fall that day? I haven’t ever fallen like that before or since,” Liz stated.

“Chica, don’t ask questions about good luck. Just be happy like we are that you fell. That bullet was surely close,” Maria said.

The walk was pleasant. The pines were sighing in the wind, the ever present noise as the wind filtered through the needles. There were small flowers along the path. They did see one deer as they proceeded to the top and somewhere in the distance, they heard the call of a wild turkey. There was a table at the lookout site leftover from when the site was manned every day and night during the fire season. They were eating their lunch and talking about their lives.

“I would like to sometime meet your friends. I still have a lot of ties to Roswell. Someday, I would like to return,” Liz was saying.

Maria was looking at Alex, “Well, maybe, something can be arranged. We are a pretty close group, ``but we will see. I am sure they would like you.

Liz took a whole card full of pictures and she was truly sad when they had to leave. They got back to Roswell by 4:00 that afternoon.

That night, the four aliens and the two humans got together. “She is working with Kyle. We already know he is with the special unit,” Alex said.

Isabel spoke up. “She was seen going to the sheriff’s office everyday last week. I don’t know what she was doing, but Michael says the sheriff has a collection of alien-related files.”

Yes, and Liz mentioned the shooting at the Crashdown. She never knew that Max was the one who knocked her down. That was when I started to think about what you were. I saw Max in the booth. Then, I saw Max across the room then,` back to the booth.” Maria was telling about when she first thought about there being something strange about Max.

Tess was frowning, “Liz is becoming a liability. Maybe, we should arrange something to scare her off.”

At this, Max shook his head. “No, absolutely not. We can be careful of Liz, but we will not do anything to scare her or hurt her in any way.”

“Be careful, Max. There are more important things than your dream girl here,” Michael growled.

“Yes, Michael there have always been more important things than my dream girl. I have always stayed away from her. Look where I am now!” Max stated with anger.

Max, you could have had everything you wanted. All you had to do was take me,” Tess stated.

“No, Tess, I could have had everything you wanted. Don’t push me. I already told you that what ever we had, that was in another life. I have put my duty first and I have given up more than my share,” Max said.

Maria stated, “There is something else. Liz wants to meet Alex’s and my friends. She wants to meet all of you guys. I told her we would see. I also, told her we were a close knit group. I didn’t know how you guys would feel about meeting someone.”

Michael jumped up, “Maria, no, she is too dangerous. You find a way to keep her away. Then, I think you should stay away from her yourself.”

Maria was just as fast, “Michael, she was my best friend long ago. Don’t you go telling me who to be around. I told her that it might not be possible to meet you guys, but don’t you go telling me who I can talk to.”

Tess growled, “Maybe, you should listen to him, Maria. It is us who are at risk from the FBI; not you and Alex.”

Maria leaned into Tess’s face, “Right back to you, babe. How much have Alex and I supported you these several years? Don’t go telling us we aren’t pulling our weight or that it is only you who face danger. Last I heard, the “Special Unit” wants anyone who has been with Aliens, also.”

“Cut it out, guys. It isn’t alien against humam. Alex and Maria have proved their worth more than once. Maria told Liz that she wasn’t sure about meeting us. She left it open to us what to do. I am not sure a meeting with Liz might not be a good idea,” Max said.

Michael was still angry, “Yeah, Max you just want to be with the girl of your dreams.”

Max looked at Michael, “Aren’t you, Michael. Aren’t you with the girl of your dreams?”

“Max, maybe, you should start listening to Michael more. He seems to be more interested in our safety than you are right now,” Tess said.

Isabel hadn’t said anything. “I think Max is right, here. We should go slowly, but we need to know what she knows. I think I should dream walk her. Maybe, Alex should set up a lunch date or coffee date for he and I to get together with Liz. I think the Liz we know is safer than the Liz we only wonder about.” Isabel held a lot of weight, especially in Michael’s mind. He would bluster a bit, but if she thought that they ought meet Liz, he would eventually agree. Tess would never agree to anything that would please Max except for him to accept her. Max had made himself clear on that subject.

Maria spoke up. “There is one other thing. Liz mentioned when she fell off her bike. Now, I remember when this happened. What I do not remember is, Liz says a boy from school came up to her and straightened her arm. I never heard that story. She was first, second or third grade when this happened.”

They all turned to Max. “It was in the third grade. We had just started school. Isabel had made friends, but I was still just eating by myself at lunchtime. Liz was riding home the first or second day we were at school. I don’t think I was even talking to the teacher much less the other students. A dog ran out and knocked Liz off her bike. She broke her arm. It only took a minute to fix it. She never said anything. I do not think she ever, at that time, knew my name.”

“That was dangerous, Max,” Isabel stated.

Maria spoke again. “Liz says she can’t even picture who the boy was. I think it is more important to understand why she now is thinking about these things.”

Again, they all split up. Michael and Maria went to their house. It would be chilly tonight unless someone gave in. Tess, as usual, went off alone. Nasado had disappeared years ago. Isabel and Alex started out to his car when she whispered something in his ear. Alex nodded and continued to the car. Isabel went back in to talk to Max.

“Max, I will have lunch with Evelyn Otero on Tuesday. I will see what she says about Kyle. Don’t get your hopes up too high. I will dream walk Liz and see what I can find out. Sometime, I think it will be necessary to dream walk Kyle. Even if we do meet with Liz, you are going to have to be careful. You must be careful of Tess, also. She has let up on you only because she didn’t see anyone else in your life. Tess may do something that will cause Liz trouble and maybe, even cause us trouble, Max just be on your guard.” Isabel kissed her brother on the cheek and left with Alex for their home.

It was some time before there were any words spoken in the Guerin-Deluca car. Finally, Michael broke the ice. “Do you think meeting Liz is a good idea?” he said.

Maria turned to Michael, “I don’t know. I just think we should talk about it. I do not think I should be forbidden from talking to someone from my past.”

Michael put his arm around Maria. “You are right. I was out of line. I guess I knew that the minute Tess agreed with me. All she cares about is getting into Max’s pants.”

Maria rolled over to be closer to Michael, “Don’t you mean getting Max into her pants. I am not sure, Tess in Max’s pants would do more than embarrass him.”

Michael hugged Maria to him tightly. “Yeah, babe. That is what I mean.” Michael knew that now the night would not be nearly as cold.

Tess drove to her apartment. She had a receptionist job that paid well. She had found that Nasado had left securities and a bank account in the name of Edward and Tess Harding. Tess didn’t miss his constant haranguing about keeping herself pure for the king. Tess had feared Nasado all of her life growing up. Even though he was created to be a servant, the position he took in respect to the little blue eyed girl was both paternal and officious. Tess had always been afraid of offending Nasado. Now, he wasn’t there any more. Now that Tess was beginning to realize that she had no chance with the king, Tess had been stepping out, occasionally.

Her dates were only partially satisfying. Tonight, she was meeting a businessman who had dropped by her office. Ted Huntington was a self-proclaimed ladies man. He had talked to that sweet little blonde several times. Ted even arranged that her boss got special deals so Ted would be called back over and over. Her down-cast expression when he asked her out for a drink just stirred his libido more. “I don’t go out much,” she softly said.

“Well, that is even more reason to go out with me. Better to be with someone you know and can trust than some stranger who could be dangerous,” Ted said with some satisfaction. That this lady didn’t get out much, would make her the better lay when Ted applied his charm. Ted was the type of man who always wanted to be running things. He had never enjoyed a mutually appreciated session of love making.

Tess didn’t mind. She had her way to get the most out of Mr. Huntington and to get rid of him if she so desired. Tess would control tonight so she received all the excitement she craved and she would leave Ted with a satisfaction that he had led an almost virginal girl through the paths of love. Tess would then implant the desire to see her again or to make him run in fear as she desired. Once, she had destroyed a self-assured man to leave in quivering terror when she made him believe she was only 16 and she had her job working for her grandfather; the grandfather, who was connected to organized crime. Mind-warping was just so much fun.
--------------
Curse of the Cat

[ken_r]

Squishypunk
destinyc
begonia9508
mary mary
keepsmiling7
flamehair

Author note: I have found that when writing Tess as past her infatuation with Max, she becomes a 5th wheel. She is dangerous because she has no direction. I guess I tire of the constant whining of "Max you are my destiny" so that I skip that and go on ahead. Until she has a target she greatly endangers the plot.

Chapter 6

Liz was sore Sunday and by Monday her legs were stiff. All in all, being with her two friends was worth it.

Kyle came in and he looked terrible. Evelyn had taken her toll from his body. Liz had the two main computers set up and the six research computers all searching key words. She was adding the information she had scanned from the sheriff’s office. Kyle handed her his notes on alien sightings. She would add this to their data bank when she could. The amount of data they had collected would keep her busy for some time. The information she entered went to a file that was shared with Kyle.

“What criteria did you use to scan the old man’s files?” Kyle asked.

“Your dad had marked files that he was concerned about. I checked all of them, but he had already marked all that I could see were important. He even checked a couple that I cannot see as anything. I went ahead and included them. I figured he knew what was unusual better than I did,” Liz answered.

Kyle nodded his head. “Yeah, he spent a lot of time thinking about those things. He even pissed Mom off so she left the first chance she got. If he marked it, we should consider it.”

Kyle went over what Liz had collected so far. The man found dead with the hand print, Kyle was sure was Atherton. The Special Unit already had information on that. There was that story about the man who got caught by the microwave that Kyle found near Carizozo New Mexico. Kyle sat for several minutes looking at the story about the two children found on the desert. Now, just why would the old man mark this? True, it was unusual to find feral children just wondering the desert in America. There were many stories about this in other countries. How could two, apparent six-year-olds, not potty trained or speaking any language, be found just outside Roswell?

Orders were to let Parker see what she could turn up on her own. Maybe later, Kyle would direct her to certain subjects, but for now, she was to have independence to see what she would find. Kyle was going to check out the adoption records. He wanted to see if there were any other examples of feral children.

Liz locked up the office. She needed to find out something. The breakfast crowd had left and it was still early for the lunch crowd. Jeff was in the kitchen. “Daddy, do you remember the shooting in the Crashdown that time?” Liz asked.

Jeff stopped what he was doing. “Daughter, do I remember that? You might ask do I remember the day you were born or the day that I was married to your mother. Those were such happy days. The day of the shooting was the single most scary day of my life. When I helped you up and I saw the bullet hole right above your head. If you hadn’t fallen you would have been dead. I remember holding you so tightly that you cried that I was not letting your breathe. I remember the kids over in the corner, so shocked they just stood there. The man responsible for the shooting ran out. He was never seen again.” Jeff still had to shudder when he thought of that day. He had come so close to loosing his daughter. It was only fate that made her slip and fall just at the moment of the shot.

“Daddy, I need to know something about the kids you are talking about. Those you saw sitting in the corner.” Liz pleaded.

“Daughter, I always worked in the back. I never really knew the names of many of those who were customers. Maria was working that day. You might ask her what she remembers. I seem to recall that there were several customers in the café that day. The ones I am thinking of were all in the back corner and that area is usually reserved for high school kids.” Jeff didn’t know any more.

“All right, daddy. Do you remember the time I fell off my bike in grade school?” Liz asked.

“Liz, that was a long time ago. I remember you crying. I remember taking you to the hospital and the doctor saying that somewhere you got into some silver paint. It was a smear on your arm. At first, they thought that you had been hit by something. Later, witnesses said a dog came out and knocked your bike over.” Jeff still worried about Liz. It was that now, he believed the fiction that, as an adult, she could take care of herself. When she was small, it seemed that every time she left the house, he had been scared something would happen to her.

“Daddy, do you remember me saying something about a boy helping me?” Liz queried.

Jeff thought for a few minutes. “Liz, you were scared. You were crying when they brought you to me. You kept saying, ‘Don’t touch it’ over and over. You may have said something about a boy, but I barely remember. There was no boy around when they brought you to me crying.” This was asking a lot of Jeff to go back in his memory.

Liz sat at a booth and sipping a diet Coke as she read her notes from the sheriff’s office. Both of the incidents were newspaper clippings from a paper that was no longer published by the same company. Liz hoped the library still had back issues. Liz had lunch at the Crashdown for old times sake. She watched the girls as they plied the tables. She remembered doing this for so many years. When she left, she left a healthy tip. She did not mention that she was the daughter of the owner. Somehow, Liz felt better that way.

When Liz got to the Library, she heard22 bad news. “Those dates? No, we don’t have those issues anymore. They were never valuable enough to put on microfiche and we had a leak in our basement where they were kept. Most of them were ruined, so we destroyed the whole bunch. You might check with the last publisher, Old man Saunders. It was said that he kept a newspaper morgue.” The librarian was trying to be helpful, but her news was disappointing to Liz. Her next stop was back at the sheriff’s office.

Jim leaned back as Liz informed him about the library’s loss. “Old man Saunders, now I haven’t thought of him in years. Donny Saunders was some newsman in his day. He retired and came out here and bought the ‘Roswell Daily Record.’ It was a whole different paper in those days. Donny knew almost everyone in town and he wrote his paper that way, as if he was writing a note to a friend. The people now are totally different. They have brought the modern world to Roswell. You probably should get to know Donny, anyhow. If his mind is still sharp, he knows history that no one else will know,” Jim stated.

Liz took the address from Sheriff Valenti and drove over to an old house. There was a 1955 Ford Victoria sitting in the driveway. Liz could make it out under a specialty cover that was pulled over it. Liz wondered if it was so valuable, why it was in the driveway instead of the obvious garage.

Liz approached the door and knocked. A white haired man came to the door. He peered at her over thick glasses. “Sir, my name is Elizabeth Parker. I am the aide of Kyle Valenti who is collecting stories for Strange Magazine. I am told that you have a newspaper morgue that would cover many things that happened in Roswell.”

The old man fingered the card and looking at her. “Kyle Valenti is it? That would be old sheriff, Jim Valenti’s grandson,” he stated.

Liz started to correct him then she remembered that Kyle’s grandfather was also named Jim and he had been sheriff at one time.

The old man pocketed the card. “Now, Ma’am, I don’t know what that Kyle Valenti kid is pulling, but he isn’t a reporter for Strange. That boy might hold a football, but he couldn’t make a story out of a man running wild in a dog pound biting dogs. Now Old Jim, there was a man. If we could have only found some evidence, we would have had a real story. That damned government done stole most of the evidence before we even knew we had something.”

Liz looked at the old man. “What makes you so sure that Kyle isn’t working for ‘Strange’ magazine?” she asked.

“Cause my nephew works for them. If there was anyone trying to get information from me, it would be that scalawag. I done told him every story I knowed. That Valenti kid, humm… seems he was working for the feds last time I heard. FBI if I am right. That would make you a fed yourself, unless you are one of his girl friends and you look too smart to be one of them.”

Liz had to laugh, “Yes, I am an agent of the FBI,” and she showed her badge as identification. “We are using that ‘Strange’ identification card to keep our profile down. I need to verify the original copy of articles that we are studying. Officially, I am compiling a data base of unusual things that happened in Roswell.”

“Yeah, from about 1947 on, I bet. If you don’t mind getting dirty, I can show you where everything is. That scalawag, Henry never wants to crawl through the dust to read the originals he just wants me to tell him the stories. He will never make a real reporter, either. There are just not enough Lois Lanes and Clark Kents any more.” Old man Saunders led Liz through the house to the kitchen and through a door directly to the garage. Liz saw why the car was outside. The walls were lined with shelves and there were warehouse stand-alone shelves in the middle with narrow aisles between them.

“What date do you want to start with first?” the old man asked

Liz gave him the date of her bike accident. Mr. Saunders brought a ladder and climbed to a shelf looking at the papers in the bundles as he went. Finally, he retrieved one of them. “Let’s go in the kitchen. We will both end up with Black Lung or something, if we stay in this dust,” he said.

Once in the kitchen Mr. Saunders carefully untied the bow knot that bound the bundle. He looked at the date Liz had given him again, and worked his way down the stack of papers. When he found what he was looking for, he carefully divided the stack and lifted the wanted paper from the stack. Then, he proceeded to an open space at the table and carefully, spread out the paper. Liz watched as Saunders lovingly turned each page.

“Ah, here it is. Kinda personal story don’t you think?” he asked or maybe it was just a statement, Liz couldn’t tell.

There on the third page was the by line. “Parker Girl Hurt in Bicycle Accident.” The story went on to tell about Elizabeth Parker being knocked off her Bicycle by a stray dog. Then, the story had a paragraph on the need for the town to curb the strays found around town.

“Miss Parker says that her arm was twisted, but a boy came and straightened it. Whoever that boy was we are mighty glad he didn’t cause something worse. Miss Parker is the daughter of the owner and cook of the Crashdown café where so many of us take our morning coffee.”

Mr. Saunders looked at Liz. “Your papa bought a lot of advertisement in those days. I had to give him some exposure.”

Liz looked at the old man and asked, “Do you remember if anyone knew who that boy was?”

“Now see here, girl, don’t you go seeing aliens in everything that happened. No one else ever said anything about a boy. I only included that part because it is dangerous what that boy was supposed to have done, unless he knew what he was doing. I just wanted to give people warnings.”

Liz thought, seeing the story in the original paper was making her think. She had an idea. The grade school had yearbooks. Maybe, they would have one for that year. He could be in her class or slightly older or younger.

Liz then handed Mr. Saunders the date for the feral children. After he had carefully replaced the previous stack of papers, he worked his way down the aisles. He climbed up the ladder and looked at the top bundle. Then he handed the bundle down to Liz, “Put this on the kitchen table and then come back. I remember this story. It ran for some time.” When they were through, they had four bundles of newspapers on the table.

The first bundle that Mr. Saunders opened was a week before the date Liz had given him. “Lawyer Couple Finds Lost Children” jumped out from the headlines that Saunders first handed Liz. “Philip and Diane Evans, local lawyers find two children wandering naked in the desert.” The story went on to talk about the children, describe them and even had pictures of the pair. Paper clipped to the article was a note that the story had gone national. The wire services had picked it up, mainly to give better coverage to the children in hopes that they might be recognized. In the local copy there were descriptions that the children had suffered terrible trauma and couldn’t talk.

Mr. Saunders was looking for something else and when he found it, he handed it to Liz. “Local Lawyer Retires to Care for Foundlings.” That was the byline in the third page. The story described the petition the Evans had made to adopt the children and the fact that Mrs. Evans was going to be their caregiver full time. The story went on to quote Diane Evans as saying that she felt that the children deserved full time care and she was more willing to give that care than being a practicing lawyer.

Liz was surprised that the story ran for several weeks. Not every issue, but often enough that the town wouldn’t forget the two lost children. Then, there was nothing. The next paper that Mr. Saunders gave Liz was a year later. “Lawyer Petitions to Adopt children.” The story ran, a brief history of what had happened. Then the formal petition Philip and Diane Evans made to formally adopt Max and Isabel, as the Evans couple had began to call them.

Now things were falling into place for Liz. She remembered Max from school. He had been a good-looking kid then. He was so shy that none of the girls had been able to draw him out. Isabel had been the opposite. She had been a real debutant. Liz kept thinking that she had never really tried to talk to Max, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that he had always been around. There was something about Max. It was infuriating that there was a thought just beyond her ability to form it. There was something about Max. Her thoughts just wouldn’t shape up. Liz might ask Alex what he knew about Isabel. She already surmised that Alex would be protective toward Isabel. They were quite the couple. It was getting late so with permission to return, Liz headed back to the office.
--------------------
Liz and Isabel may be released from Kivar's power but they still are under the Curse of the Cat
coming soon:
Max doesn't believe in magic, but Liz is very unsure about powers. What happens when they must both fight their enemies. "Aliens and Witches"
What about the royal four? Learn about their dangerous power in "Genes of the King"

[ken_r]

flamehair
mary mary
destinyc
keepsmiling7
begonia9508

Chapter 7

Kyle was studying everything that Liz had put in the data base. He had emailed a copy to Daniel Pierce, as ordered. He received, by return email, “Good boy, Kyle, let her keep going just like she is. When she has identified all four aliens, then we will strike. I have been clearing the facility at Eagle Rock for our use.

Pierce didn’t explain the number four. That must have come from somewhere else. Kyle knew that he was just a small part of Pierce’s master plan. Do his job well and Kyle would move up in the agency. Moving up meant more money, more time to do things on his own and of course, the introduction to more girls.

When Liz came into the office that afternoon, she promised Kyle that she would add more data tomorrow. She seemed excited that she was going through some old newspaper files that might promise a lot more knowledge.

That night, Isabel had decided to dream walk Miss Elizabeth Parker. Isabel would think of the subject she was looking for. The best she could describe it to the other aliens was that there were bubbles that surrounded the thoughts of people asleep. Isabel would step inside these bubbles and sometimes, she could vicariously follow their dreams. The dreams were not linear. They were bits and pieces. They had no order. Order was made by the person when they wakened and tried to make sense of what they remembered.

When Isabel was in high school, dream walking football players was like finding a porno novel in the trash with many of the pages missing. Sex was the principal subject of adolescent males anywhere. In the jocks, dominating sex was the theme. There, also, was a large doubt that hung around the rest of the dream. Doubt that when the time came for real, he just wouldn’t be able to get it up. That fear sometimes drowned out the rest of the dream, at least, until just before awakening. That last burst of mental energy would drown the doubt and the subject’s last memory was just pure lust. Isabel, sometimes, liked the naughty feeling she got, but most of the time, it was too much. That is why she was very careful around jocks.

With Liz, there were visions of sex, but they were always in the distance. Isabel saw desires of someone holding her tenderly. The someone was not clear. Nearby, there were always commands to study. Commands to raise her grade point average. Isabel shook her head. Poor Liz had to live up to her parents ambitions so much, that she had little time for her own life. The dreams kept swirling around. This shook Isabel as she realized that one of the objects of the dream was Max. He wasn’t defined very well and he always remained to the edge of the swirl. Isabel looked to see if Kyle was present. She saw no sign of him, anywhere. The story of the lost children appeared and traveled around the swirl. Liz was very difficult for Isabel to read. Her mind was jumbled with way too many things. The consistency was the continual swirl as things came back to be repeated. The only thing that Isabel learned was that Liz was interested in the story of the children the Evans’ had found.

Isabel dropped out of the dream. She was disturbed because just as she left Liz’s dream, Isabel saw something about the shooting in the Crashdown Café.

Liz spent the next morning typing data. She had an appointment with Mr. Saunders at 1:00 that afternoon. He had seemed almost excited with her quest for knowledge. Liz gathered several different dates she wanted to check. She had no idea of where Kyle was that morning.

Isabel had a coffee brunch with Evelyn Otero. “Eevee, it is so good to see you,” Isabel said as she embraced the equally tall woman.

“Izzy, we haven’t talked since the charity drive last summer. I am so glad you called,” Evelyn replied.

They made remarks about each other’s health and then, they made pertinent remarks about each other’s wardrobe. The chatter slowed when the waiter brought the coffee and the diet pastries.

“I heard you met up with Kyle the other night?” Isabel stated.

Evelyn made a wicked grin. “Did I ever. Did you ever make it with Kyle, Izzy?”

Isabel shook her head.

“Well, that is too bad. If you had, we could compare notes. I knew that boy in high school and he was adequate, I guess, for a boy. We got together the other night and let me tell you, that boy is now quite a man.”

Isabel laughed as she was supposed to. “What is he doing back here, anyway?” Isabel asked.

“Some type of government work. He says it has to do with the history of some of the people who have lived in Roswell. He has that geeky Parker girl doing his research for him. I don’t know what he sees in her, but I guess she is a good worker. We are going to spend some serious time together this next week. I haven’t told him that I have to go back east after that,” Evelyn chatted.

Isabel learned more than she wanted to about the size and working of Kyle’s equipment. The part about the, history of people living in Roswell for a man, who was probably, an alien hunter bothered her. She would let Max decide about this.

Liz spent the afternoon reading about strange sightings and strange things happening to people who had lived in Roswell all their lives. She would have to write all this out and study it to see if they had anything of merit.

Kyle left early that morning and drove to the old abandon facility of Eagle Rock. When he arrived, he found that the fence was fixed and a guard was standing by. Kyle’s credentials got him through. Kyle took the elevator down several floors and then, proceeded to the office of Daniel Pierce. Pierce stood as Kyle walked in. They shook hands. “I see the operation is going to be quite extensive.” Kyle remarked.

“Yes, it is. You are only one of several teams I have out. I have decided to bring everyone here to debrief. How is your quest going?” Pierce asked.

“Fairly well, sir. I am doing as you suggested by letting Parker have free rein to see where her search takes her. We have several people who seem to be centers of anomalies. When she gets more information, we can evaluate what we have,” Kyle explained.

“Well, keep your eye out for a group of four. Intelligence, from other sources, says that there should be four aliens who are very close. Maybe, they are even mates. When you find them, be very careful. We still do not know the extent of their power. Pierce went on to describe the holding cells that he had prepared and the medical staff that he had assembled. As Kyle left he thought, “I am surely glad I am not an alien. Daniel Pierce is not going to be easy on them.”

That night, the four aliens and the two humans, Alex and Maria, got together. “Well, I learned a lot about Kyle. I think Evelyn took a ruler to bed with them the other night. She had all his measurements down and memorized. Kyle told her that he was studying the histories of some people who lived in Roswell. He has Liz Parker doing most of his research. Isabel was trying to organize her thoughts. “Also, Evelyn says she is only going to be with him this next week. She has to leave town on business.”

Tess was quiet, she was tapping her palm with a pencil. Max was frowning. “I just wonder what he is looking for. Isabel, I think you should concentrate on Liz Parker.”

“I am already ahead of you, Max. I dream-walked Miss Parker and let me tell you, that girl has some issues,” Isabel stated.

Max frowned, “What do you mean?”

“Well, I always thought she had it easy. Her whole life she was trying to please her parents. That is why she worked so hard. Her dreams are a mess. There are three issues that should concern us right now. She is thinking about the shooting at the Crashdown, the bike accident when she was in grade school and all the time she is thinking of you, Max,” Isabel said.

“About me,” Max exclaimed.

Yes, about you. You are not well defined in her mind, but she is searching for something. You keep appearing just at the edge of her dream,” Isabel explained.

Tess spoke up. “Max, she is remembering those things. I warned you. You just couldn’t leave well enough alone.”

“Tess, lay off! It is not going to ever work with us. The feeling is just not there. If you would think, you would see that you wouldn’t be happy with me, either,” Max told her. “Let’s just concentrate on understanding what Liz is up to.”

“She is right, Max,” Michael said. “Liz is bad news. We need to steer clear of her.”

Maria hung her head, “Okay, I will head Liz off. I’ll tell her that getting together just isn’t a good idea. Maybe, the Liz now, isn’t the same one I knew back in school.”

“Just wait, Maria. I need to see more about Liz before we do anything. I just don’t see her as an alien hunter. I need to watch her and dream-walk her again,” Isabel told them. She was thinking that there was more to Liz than we were seeing at the moment.

[ken_r]

destinyc
begonia9508
autumnfall3
keepsmiling7
mary mary
flamehair

Chaper 8

The next morning, Michael was working. Isabel called Maria. She and Alex wanted to talk to Liz.

Liz’s work schedule was kind of hectic. She had the entries from the days before and she had an appointment with Mr. Saunders, delayed until 2:00 that afternoon. Saunders didn’t give an explanation of why he wanted to meet a hour later. Kyle was gone. Liz didn’t know where. She noted that the shared folder on his computer was a lot smaller than the one on hers. Liz had noticed that when Kyle opened his computer, he had a much higher layer of encryption than did she. Liz had tried to get into the material on Kyle’s desktop and found the dreaded, “Entry is forbidden,” on almost everything she saw. Liz, just out of curiosity, had tried to place a password on a folder she was working on. She found that “Permission of Administrator,” came up immediately. Well, if she had any special projects, she would just have to keep them somewhere else.

Seeing her position in the partnership with Kyle was a little depressive to Liz. Well, she had been told that she would be working for him. There was just that desire in partnerships of equality that hurt her a little. It also bothered her a little.

“All I know, Liz, is if aliens are living here, they deserve the right to be left alone. They are paying taxes and maybe, serving on the school board. Just let them be treated like we do anyone who seeks shelter in our country.”

Those were the words of her father. What was Kyle’s objective? Why did he want to find aliens, anyway? Liz knew that unless he could bed them, Kyle had little use for seeking any one in particular. That brought up the question, why was she working for him? What were Kyle’s intentions toward her? This brought her back to the original question, “What were Kyle’s intention toward the aliens if they found them?”

This was all playing “hell” with her concentration. When Maria called about 10:00 that morning, instead of being irritated about being disturbed, Liz felt elated that she could take a break. “Chica, I know it is very short notice, but could you possibly take a break this morning and meet Alex, his girlfriend, Isabel and me for a early lunch?” Maria gave Liz an address and Liz found herself at a small place that, obviously, catered to business clients. The restaurant had internet available and tables arranged to give privacy to groups of clients. The food they served was simple, sandwiches and salads.

Alex appeared to be nervous. Liz wondered if he worried that she, Liz, wouldn’t like his girlfriend or that his girlfriend, wouldn’t like Liz. Isabel and Alex stood up as Liz hurried to their table, “Liz, may I present my girlfriend, Isabel Evans. Isabel, this is my oldest friend, Elizabeth, Liz, Parker,” Alex said.

As they briefly touched hands, Liz was thrown off balance, “I hope you had a pleasant time with my boyfriend Friday night,” Isabel stated. Liz almost missed the slight electric shock she felt when she made contact with Isabel.

Liz quickly caught herself, “The three of us regressed back to grade school. We spent the night and morning catching up on our lives,” Liz replied.

Millions of things started crowding Liz’s mind. Here was the woman, who as a little girl, had been lost on the desert. Isabel was the sister of that strange boy, now man, Max Evans. The mention of Max’s name still brought something to Liz. It was as if there was something she should ask of Isabel or, even better, ask of Max, himself. Then, Liz tried to remember what it was and she just couldn’t remember.

The orders were quickly taken and Liz noticed that the usually, bubbly Maria was strangely quiet. It became obvious. This lunch was arranged because Alex wanted to introduce Liz to his girlfriend. For some reason, Liz felt that the lunch had been arranged because Isabel wanted, even more to meet Liz.

Liz soon found that Isabel had her talking about her last year in high school and her years in college. When Liz informed them of her doctorial papers and the title, “Probably Scenarios for First Contact with Aliens,” the three across from Liz, all exchanged quick glances.

Isabel smoothly led the discussion into the topic of her doctorial research paper. “Is this just a rhetorical inquiry, or is it intended for personal research? I mean do you, personally, intend to interview aliens or what?” Isabel asked.

“No, it is looking at different cultures and how they might interact. I use a lot of worldwide examples. I discuss the possibility of different topics that might be forbidden. It consists of looking at topics, the two parties would have in common and the need to seek these common goals out quickly. Both sides must gain empathy for the other if contact is going to be successful.” This was a subject that Liz could quickly warm up to.

As they were talking, Liz found Isabel an intelligent woman. Liz was thinking that while she, Liz, had grown up in a warm caring family, Isabel had suffered some great tragedy which left her abandoned in the desert along with Max, her brother. Liz thought, “Maybe, Isabel’s family had been attacked by aliens. That would surely explain the trauma Isabel had suffered. Liz calculated Isabel’s age as close to her own. That would leave several years since the 1947 crash. Kyle had been stressing the search for a group of aliens. Maybe, somewhere hidden in the desert, there was, at this moment, a surviving community of aliens.

Isabel was still skillfully orchestrating the discussion of Liz’s early life. “Who were your friends when you were growing up? I know that Maria and Alex played a large part in your early life,” she said.

“A large part and, maybe, the most part, I briefly dated Kyle Valenti. Maria will tell you that if she had known I had been, she would have put a stop to it earlier. As it was, Kyle wanted more than I was willing to give at that time,” Liz laughed.

“What about now? I understand that Kyle is quite the lover,” Isabel stated.

Liz shuddered, “As long as I can keep him interested in whoever he is seeing, I do not have to worry about him. There always seemed to be someone else that I should have been seeing, but I probably lost them when I was so concentrated on school. Liz did see Isabel raise her eyebrows at this statement.

First, Liz turned to Maria. “I met Michael briefly. I take it, he is a difficult young man to pin down.” Everyone at the table laughed.

“That is one way of putting it,” Isabel declared.

Then, Liz turned to Isabel, “I dearly would like to meet your brother, Max.”

Isabel frowned. “Why?” she asked.

“Well, you all seem to be part of Maria and Alex’s lives. I missed so much chasing academia. I just want to try to connect with Maria and Alex again. If I hadn’t been so self absorbed, maybe, we all would have been friends as well.”

“You know that Max is very shy,” Isabel explained.

“Yes, I remember him from school. There just seems to be some reason that I should meet him. He keeps coming up in my mind,” Liz stated.

They continued talking. Liz found that Alex’s girlfriend was a very nice person. Privately in her mind, Liz congratulated Alex. It was 1:30 when Liz looked at her watch and informed them she had an appointment with an old newspaper man. He had been helping her with her research. The others excused Liz and, with complements all around, she left.

Maria turned to Isabel. “Well, what do you think?” Maria asked.

“She is a little aggressive wanting to see Max. I think the question we should ask, “Is Max ready to see her?” Isabel asked.

“It would have been so much easier if she had met Max back in high school. You know how badly he wanted to make contact with her,” Maria said.

Isabel laughed, “It was hard enough to get Michael to accept you. When you faced Max that you knew that he was different, Michael wanted to leave town that night. After you were established in our group and I chose Alex, by then Tess, was with us. She and Michael demanded that no other humans be allowed to know our secret. I am sure that Tess believed that Liz, correctly, was her rival in Max’s affections. Poor Tess just couldn’t understand that once Max got an idea, he wasn’t about to change. Max just couldn’t see Tess for what, he believed, he saw in Liz.”

Maria perked up, “Do you think there would be a chance for Liz and Max?”

Isabel became serious. “No, you heard. She is researching for Kyle. Kyle, at this time, must be considered dangerous,” Isabel informed Maria.

Maria looked down at her napkin. “It is just that we all know how lonely Max is and, I believe Liz isn’t much better. I just keep thinking, what if they were meant to be together and it was us, all of us, who kept them apart?”

Isabel’s face took on a serious frown. “Trouble is, now, she is working for the enemy. We don’t know how deep her knowledge goes. She is searching for aliens. What is her goal? What are her intentions if she finds any? Maybe, I should ask, ‘What are Kyle’s intention if Liz discovers aliens?’”

[ken_r]

destinyc
mary mary
flamhair
begonia9508
autumfall3
keepsmiling7

Chapter 9

Liz was, almost, on time for her meeting at the Saunders home. “Mr. Saunders, I have a theory I would like to run by you.”

Donny Saunders sat at the table. He took off his glasses and cleaned them. This was his way of killing time until he could think. “All right, young lady what is your theory?” he asked finally.

“Well, we have stated that the feral children suffered some sort of trauma. There seems to be a problem that, even with the national wire services picking up your story, no one came forth to identify them. What if their parents, had been taken by aliens? That would have caused trauma,” Liz stated.

Old man Saunders just sat for some time. Yes, he had considered that at one time. Now, what had made him abandon that theory? Saunders just couldn’t remember. “That might be an idea,” he stated.

“I don’t think they have any memory of anything like that. I met with Isabel Evans. We discussed several things, including my research on aliens. She didn’t seem to have any feeling about this at all.” Liz did remember the strange looks the other three exchanged when she was talking about her doctorate.

Saunders shrugged, “I have been considering the date you gave for the young man who was emancipated at 17. I only found mention in the legal section, running for three days, the announcement that, ‘Michael Guerin is declared emancipated and from now on, he would be solely, responsible for his education, debts and health.’ I think this is a requirement for certain legal decisions.”

Liz was thinking. This is Maria’s boyfriend. I wonder why the sheriff marked his folder? They went through several of the other dates Liz had given Saunders. By 4:00 again, they called it a day.

Back at the office, Liz entered what she had learned. She, also, entered her theory that, maybe, the two feral children had had an experience with aliens.

Later that night, Kyle picked up on Liz’s theory. He had sent all her comments to Pierce at Eagle Rock. Kyle got, almost, an instant response.

“Feral children not result of exposure to aliens. Check that they might be the aliens. Start part time surveillance on them. If they are the aliens, there will be two more somewhere.”

Kyle was thinking, “Just let Parker keep on working on the theory that she has. Keep reading her reports and looking for the other two aliens.” Kyle would start keeping his eye on the Evans siblings.

Later that night, the four aliens and the two humans were meeting. “She wants to meet Max,” Isabel stated.

Michael and Tess were completely predictable. “No, that is the last thing she should do. Max shouldn’t trust himself in her presence,” Michael said.

“Max, she is just trying to get to you,” Tess said. “If you let her get close, there is no telling what she will do.”

Max turned to Isabel. “What do you think, Izzy?” Max asked.

“I think that the real danger is Kyle. I think we need more knowledge about him. I was going to suggest that, maybe, Michael could follow him awhile. Let’s just see what we can find. I am not sure, but maybe, just maybe, a Liz who does not know the damage she might do is more dangerous than a Liz who understands the troubles she could be causing aliens, if they exist at all.” Isabel had seen Liz in a favorable light. She did know that if Liz turned in information about aliens to the wrong people, Isabel, her brother and the rest could be in great danger.

Michael, this time, was quiet. He had an assignment and he was contemplating how he was going to accomplish it. Not so with Tess. “Isabel, are you considering letting Liz into our group? She is with Kyle. He is a great danger. Can Max even keep his head on straight if she meets him? Are you going to get us all captured?” Tess wailed.

“Tess, you insult me,” Max stated. “Do you insinuate that I do not have enough control to be in the presence of Liz and not loose my reason?” Max turned to Isabel. “Let’s see what Michael can find out. Dream walk Liz once more to see what she is thinking. Then, I think, just like you did, we can arrange a meeting with her. Max was not in a mood for anymore of Tess’s bullshit, tonight.

As they were driving home, Maria said, “You were relatively quiet tonight. Don’t you have any thing to complain about?”

Michael shook his head. “Max and Isabel were right. Whatever we learn about Liz is second to what Kyle is up to. I have an assignment. I am satisfied. Let’s just see what I can learn. Listening to Tess is getting tiring anyway. Maybe, Max meeting Liz will clear up some things. Max has a level head, even though, I constantly chide him about his obsessions. I keep thinking about where I would be without you. I wish we could find someone for Max.” Michael was thinking that Max was right. He had given up everything for the good of the group.

“What about someone for Tess?” Maria asked.

“We might check the deaf school. She is good to look at and if you couldn’t hear her, she might be a good lay,” Michael stated.

That night, Isabel thought she ought to research Kyle. It was hard to explain dream walking to those who couldn’t do it, even if they were alien. The description of dream bubbles was the best one Isabel could come up with. There was more to it than that. Isabel could tap into subconscious concepts, but it was her own mind, which assembled these thoughts into something that could be retold to others. If Isabel ran into thoughts and concepts that she had never known, she would be lost. She had to have something to which she could not attach meaning. When Isabel attempted to enter Kyle’s thoughts, it was her own mind that colored and clarified them.

Once inside Kyle’s dream bubble, Isabel had to glance around. There were many things roaming around his mind, but not in any ordered fashion like the swirl she had found in the mind of Liz. There were many things which were held within hearts. The hearts would quickly become misshaped because Kyle’s meaning to relationships was not the same romance that Isabel tried to attach to it. Kyle was a horny bastard. Isabel almost withdrew. Kyle wasn’t much better than the jocks of high school. With all the misshaped hearts floating around, Isabel could understand why Kyle carried that huge pistol. It was a wonder he had lived as long as he had. Isabel entered an area which she was sure that represented Kyle and Evelyn. As she approached the heart, Isabel looked carefully. The two creatures inside the heart became rabbits. Isabel stepped back. She knew that this was only the portraiture of her own feelings about Kyle’s behavior.

Kyle’s love life was not what she was there for. Isabel kept looking. She almost missed it. The orders of the Special Unit were like everything in Kyle’s mind, wrapped up in Kyle’s idea of romance, that is, sex and lust. There was a dark cloud that Kyle didn’t completely agree with, but he was willing to accept because he felt it gave him advantages. Even Kyle worried that Daniel Pierce was an evil man. Isabel felt Kyle shudder as he viewed the embellishments Pierce had added to Eagle Rock. Isabel had seen enough. She prepared to withdraw. Just before she exited the dream bubble, Isabel saw something. Off to the side of Kyle’s mind, hiding where he wouldn’t have to look at it very much, Isabel found a small boy curled up hugging his knees. He was crying. His mother had just left. Isabel saw the figure of Jim Valenti trying to bring comfort to the little boy, but he just didn’t know how. Isabel woke up. She was in a cold sweat. She, now, had a better idea of Kyle, but she had even less knowledge of how to handle it.

Michael took off a week from both his jobs. He was outside the hotel room when Kyle returned from his visit to Evelyn. Kyle got about four hours sleep and then he was up and out. To Michael’s surprise, Kyle was following Isabel.

“Hey, Isabel, you got a tail,” Michael said in a cell phone call.

“Who is it, Michael?” Isabel asked.

“It is Kyle. Give him a tour, Izzy,” Michael told her.

Yes, Kyle got the tour. He got more than one strange look as he loitered just outside the women’s lingerie departments. Isabel drifted through as many clothing stores as possible. To one aggressive cashier, she stated, “There is a man just outside. I think he is too embarrassed to come in. Probably needs to buy something for his girl friend.”

Isabel slipped out a back door as the friendly cashier was pulling at Kyle’s arm. “Come on in. We won’t bite. Describe your lady and we will help you find the right size.”

By the time Kyle was able to get out of the store, he had purchased a filmy red night gown with a red, heart shaped G-string for Evelyn. Now Kyle thought, did he have the guts to give this to her? He had already seen Evelyn in every stage of dress and undress, but the implications of this gown stressed his mind. Of course, Isabel was long gone. Kyle had an appointment with Pierce out at Eagle Rock. Michael was just a few miles behind him.

Liz had initiated her searches for the morning. She locked the office and headed to the grade school. Going back to grade school is an experience. To be a grade school teacher means you have to surround yourself with children most of your waking life. You start thinking differently. You no longer go to the bathroom, but rather, go “potty.” You catch every virius in the books. By the time you have taught for one year, you have caught up with any childhood diseases that you missed as a child. When you talk to anyone, you tend to scrunch down into one of those little chairs and lean over the little table.

Liz was wondering how she ever fit into one of those chairs. Mrs. Chavez was the fifth grade teacher who had volunteered to produce the yearbook. Her desk was surrounded by shelves of yearbooks. Of course, talking to Liz, they did not sit in real chairs or at her desk, but rather at the table and chairs, both Munchkin-sized, where the books were laid out.

Liz handed Mrs. Chavez her identification. “I am looking for the picture of a child who was in school somewhere about the same time as I was. I need to see several years of books and study them. If I find the correct pictures, I would like a copy.” Liz did not explain her actual assignment. That would not be agency policy.

Liz was armed with several yearbooks. She was shown into the library where she could sit at the big kids’ table to study. This was a relief for her back.

The year she was in the third grade, she saw a small brown-eyed girl with long brown hair that hung straight behind her back. She had bangs which were just above her eyebrows. The little girl had a big grin showing front teeth too big for her face. Liz ran her tongue over her front teeth those teeth so prominent then, which the rest of the face had to grow into. Going up the page, she found looking out at her, was a little boy. He had the appearance of a scared, wild deer. Beside him was a pretty little girl. She was so self-assured that she eclipsed her brother. Max and Isabel Evans were both in the same grade as Liz had been. Liz went to the book where she was in the second grade and she found her picture and that of a frowning Maria. Maria had a lot of bad days then. She missed her father and felt bad about the relationship she had seen between her father and mother. The newspaper article had said, the two children appeared to be about six. At the age of eight, they were in the yearbook, but the years before they were absent. Liz checked the rest of the years she had been in grade school. Isabel Evans, if anything, became more self-assured and cute, while Liz could see in the little Max progressively less fear.

Liz returned the books. She had marked the picture she wanted a copy of. She, again, scrunched into the little chairs to talk to Mrs. Chavez. “There were two children. I just barely remember them. They appeared when I was in the third grade. I wish I could talk to someone who knew about their situation.” Liz didn’t know if there was anyone even around who would know about the two feral children.

Mrs. Chavez smiled, “My mother, Mrs. Andretti, was probably your third grade teacher. She is still alive and pretty sharp. I could call her if you would like and you can talk to her.”

Liz thought, ‘Of all the luck! Yes, she remembered Mrs. Andretti. That would be a great help.’ Liz answered, “That would be very helpful if you could arrange that.”

Liz had an address. It was in the older part of Roswell. She finally found the small house almost covered in vines. Liz knocked at the door. A small Hispanic lady opened the door. She was frail and had almost silver gray hair. She took Liz’s identification. “Elizabeth, of course, I remember you. You were so bright and so focused. Come in. What can I do for you?”

Liz was ushered into a small living room. She was seated on a very old-fashioned couch. Across from her, sat Mrs. Andretti who began asking questions before Liz could tell her why she was there.

“Elizabeth, what schools did you attend? After you graduated from Roswell what colleges did you attend? How far did your education go? What was your major? How long have you been employed by the FBI?” Mrs. Andretti could have been Maria. By the time Liz had answered her questions, Mrs. Andretti knew all about her. Mrs. Andretti looked at Liz with her bright dark eyes, “Liz, did you ever get married?” To Liz, this seemed almost as if Mrs. Andrette was telling her that there still was more life that Liz needed to experience. Finally, Liz got her turn and she asked about the two children.

“That Evans woman is a saint. She took those two kids and worked with them. They had to be taught just about everything. They were both smart as whips. That Isabel, she could learn to do anything. Max could too, but he would be frightened to show what he could do. It was very hard to get him to turn in his homework. He always had it, but he was reluctant to let any one see it.” Mrs.Andretti laughed. “Max was almost as smart as you were. The difference was, when you got a smiley face on your paper you wanted to take it right home to show your folks. That Max would take his paper and hide it in his backpack. Now, Isabel just didn’t care. She knew she was smart and the smiley face was unimportant.” Mrs. Chavez was proud of all of her students. She remembered everyone of them just like it was yesterday.

“I was their first teacher. Diane had worked with them for two years and she had them ready for the third grade.” Mrs. Chavez leaned toward Liz and placed her hand on Liz’s shoulder. “Max had a terrible crush on you. You were so concerned about your grades, you couldn’t see it. But, even in the third grade, you could tell he was interested in everything you did. Several times, I caught him making a mistake. I was certain he knew the right answer. He was always trying to make sure you had the top grade. Did you ever hook up with him in high school? I always wondered.”

Liz shook her head. How could she have been so blind? She had no idea that Max even knew she was alive. She always thought of him as being the son of a wealthy lawyer and Liz had to work through all of her school as well as make top grades. “Did anyone ever say what happened to the children to get them lost in the desert? I always wondered what happened? Now in our investigation, we need to know. We aren’t ready to face the Elder Evans’ yet, but we need to know what the children faced that was so traumatic.”

Mrs. Andretti had no idea, but if she had a speculation, she was keeping it to herself. Liz and her former teacher talked for some time. Liz told her that she was working for Kyle and they were making a study of people in Roswell. Mrs. Andretti wrinkled up her nose when Liz mentioned Kyle. He had been a handful when he was in her class. Liz talked about Maria DeLuca and Mrs. Andretti had a very kind expression when she was mentioned. They talked most of the morning. By the time Liz had finished, it was noon.

[ken_r]

Flamhair
destinyc
begonia
autumnfall3
mary mary
keepsmiling7

Chapter 10

Kyle had entered the Eagle Rock facility without realizing that Michael had been following him all day. Michael couldn’t enter the restricted area, but he did, visually, check it out.

Kyle, again, took the elevator down. He walked down the hallway. It had been cleaned up and now, had the sterile, antiseptic feel of a hospital. Pierce was dressed in a white lab coat. He sat facing Kyle. “I don’t have to tell you what this will mean to your career. We are sure that two feral children, who are now grown up, are aliens. We have to find the other two and then, we will snatch them at the same time. We will control the investigation so they will all just be another anomaly that this area is famous for. Four young people will just disappear.”

Pierce, and the way he talked, was grossing Kyle out. Pierce was going to snatch four people right out from under Kyle’s father. Kyle would have to face his father’s frustration without being, in any way, able to help the old man. Kyle didn’t like that at all. His career would rise and his old man’s life would become more confused. Again he might be faced with the term ‘Sergeant Martian.’ When Kyle left the facility, he immediately felt the need for a beer.

Liz had spent the afternoon at the office typing in data. She was becoming more worried as she was wondering what the superiors of Kyle were going to do with this information. She locked up and went home. Jeff noticed that his daughter was preoccupied during supper. He had respected that she could not tell him about what she was doing, but Jeff was wishing she was still his little girl so she could sit in his lap and cry like she had done when she was little. There was that wonderful time when a father could just kiss the problem away; the time when the father could still be a hero. When they grew up, a father just did not, any longer, have the knowledge or ability to help.

Liz went to bed early. She just was tired of wrestling with the many conflicting problems she believed she was facing.

Isabel had been waiting in a drowsy condition to feel Liz Parker’s dream bubble form. As soon as she detected the bubble, Isabel entered. Isabel encountered the swirl, again. She looked for Max and she caught her breath. Max was near the center. The swirl before had been a semi-transparent white, like white smoke. Now, the swirl was darker gray. Liz was clearly disturbed. Isabel saw two small children walking out of the desert. Somewhere behind them, Isabel saw a stereotyped picture of a UFO. It was just like the picture on the wall of the Crashdown. Without a better description Liz probably would represent a UFO like something she was familiar with. The incident of the bike, when they were in the third grade, came by. This time the boy coming up to Liz was definitely the visage of little Max just as he looked in the school picture. Isabel kept hearing the repeated phrase, “Am I endangering them, am I endangering them.”

The whole bubble became smoky. Isabel heard someone crying. Isabel was trying to find her way through the smoke. She suddenly touched a shoulder. When she touched the shoulder, the smoke cleared. Liz was sitting all alone crying. Liz looked up and saw Isabel. Recognition dawned on Liz. “Oh, Isabel, am I endangering you. What should I do?” Of its own will, the bubble burst. Isabel found herself floating in dream space. There were no dream bubbles around and, pretty soon, Isabel was also totally alone. Izzy woke up.

Isabel looked over at her lover. Alex was a sound sleeper. He worked hard at his company. She could hear his gentle breathing. Isabel, carefully, got up. She went into the living room and dialed Max. The phone was picked up on the first ring. Isabel knew that Max seldom slept much, either.

“Hey, Max,” she whispered.

“Yeah, Isabel,” he answered.

“I just dream walked Liz,” She stated.

“What did you find out?” Max asked.

“Well, for starters, she is a lot more focused on you,” Isabel stated.

“How so? Is it a good thing or do we need to worry?” Max asked.

“We need to worry, but I am not sure it to worry about Liz. I am beginning to think that we need her on our side. Kyle might be the problem. I dream-walked Kyle the other night. That boy’s mind could surely use a shower. He is a man with many insecurities who covers them by his active love life,” Isabel stated.

“Well, at least he has one,” Max said bitterly.

“I am sorry Max. It seems that you always did give up part of your life for the good of he group. I haven’t talked to Michael yet, about what he learned following Kyle. But, Liz is beginning to worry about Kyle and what he intends to do,” Isabel said. Then, she continued, “You won’t believe what her theory about us is. She thinks we were traumatized by aliens.” Isabel waited for something from Max.

“Well, in a way, we were,” Max replied.

Max and his sister talked for a while like this. It is hard to be an alien in a world where most humans needed eight hours of sleep. The two Evans children had always been close. This was one of the reasons.

“Isabel, I think I would like to have a lunch meeting with Liz. Get Maria to set it up. Then she should not show up. Let it just be Liz and me. Don’t say anything to Michael or to Tess. Let’s keep this between ourselves,” Max instructed.

Kyle intended to have a wild night with Evelyn this weekend. They might not get out of bed until Monday morning. He didn’t have to return to Eagle Rock until next week. Kyle was glad. That place, definitely, gave him the creeps. Maybe, it was Daniel Pierce who gave Kyle the creeps. As the administrator, Kyle had gone through all Liz’s files on her computer. He would let her run for the moment with the idea that aliens had traumatized the two children. Kyle was looking for the other two aliens.

Kyle wondered about the young man who had declared himself emancipated. He had done so with the guiding help of Philip Evans. Now, Kyle knew that Philip Evans was the adoptive father of both the known aliens. He was wondering if, maybe, his father had marked that file because Michael was the third alien. If that was right, then, there should be a female alien somewhere. Kyle looked around the office. There was Liz working, transcribing her notes. Maybe, Kyle should mend some fences near home. He quietly walked over to where she was working, “Hey Liz, how about lunch?” Kyle asked` in a husky voice.

Liz jumped a bit as she was concentrating so hard that she hadn’t heard Kyle walk up behind her. “Oh, sorry Kyle. I have made arrangements to have lunch with an informant. He is pretty shy so I have to be careful. I was going to tell you I probably wouldn’t be back until tomorrow.”

Kyle felt petulant since his plans had gone wrong. “Is this informant knowledgeable about the people we are researching?” He asked.

Liz nodded, “Yes, Kyle, and I have been trying to contact him for some time. The discussion is pretty delicate. If I push him or anything, he might just disappear.”

For many reasons, none of them clarified in her mind, Liz did not want Kyle to know that Maria had called her last night and arranged a lunch date with Max. Maria had said to keep her afternoon clear since the talks might go past Lunchtime. Liz felt an excitement that she hadn’t felt in a long time. There seemed to be something about Max that Liz had missed back in high school. Now, he wanted to talk to her. Liz was watching the clock anxious for lunch time to arrive.

Kyle thought, “Well, that didn’t go very well.” He would go over to the hotel where he was staying. They served a good sandwich and ‘corned beef and rye’ would taste good right now, washed down with a couple beers.