Chapter 12.
Liz took a huge breath. In his current mood, one wrong word and he could probably turn her in as he’d threatened. She waited until he’d calmed down sufficiently, and then turned towards him. He had a faraway look in his eyes, as if he was thinking about something. She hoped and prayed that he was rethinking about everything that had been said and done.
After 3 minutes as the dashboard clock said, he calmly told her that he’d rethought everything and that whatever the Government had told him was true. He really didn’t see why they’d lie about it.
Liz sighed. This was going to be much harder than she’d anticipated. But she went ahead anyway.
“Max, there’s something you should know.” She kept her voice from trembling with effort.
“What?” he sounded…....polite. Indifferent but polite. Oh Mother of God. Don’t make this any harder for me than it already IS!!
“First off. I want you to listen to me. Please don’t interrupt. It’s kind of a long story.” She waited for him.
He nodded nonchalantly “Sure. Go ahead.”
“Okay.” Breathe. Breathe. That’s better. Control. Focus. Don’t give everything away.
“Max,” she said in a clear, neutral tone, striving hard to keep it focused as she gazed directly into his eyes. She could see that once again, she had his complete attention.
“What I’m about to say may hurt or offend you, but I just have to say it.
Let’s start from the very beginning. Let’s start with Maria’s death. You believe it was murder. I call it a mistake, a fatal mistake but it goes deeper than that.”
She stopped, seeing the protest flash in his eyes but she interrupted his flow. “Please, let me finish!!”
Hearing the urgency in her voice, he backed off.
“Thank you.” She breathed in relief. “I called it a fatal mistake because I know some things that you don’t, okay? Let’s just go in order.
The X-rays. Ok, I KNOW you have questions, so let me explain. On the last year they were together. Alex had taken Maria to the desert for some date, I think. Must’ve been special otherwise, he wouldn’t have. It’s kinda symbolic, y’know what we are and all.............anyways. All I know is that Maria somehow hurt her ankle, but didn’t tell Alex. Remember the Annual Beauty Pageant? Well, obviously she was a part of it but she couldn’t perform due to her ankle injury. She’d gotten her feet x-rayed and all, and then she told Alex. Alex wouldn’t let her miss something so important to her so he healed her. No, STOP!! You agreed, no interruptions!” she took a breath as he stared at her, eyes alive with a million questions.
“Ok. Of course your parents wanted to know and so did some other people who’d heard about it. So Alex contacted me, this was our second time. I had just finished high school. He asked me to do something for him and I agreed. I took a flight out to Roswell, stole the x-rays from the hospital records. Alex didn’t want to get involved because he was too closely related and I agreed with him. But no one knew me, so it was easy. Ok, the main point in saying this is, Max, Alex healed her. He, we both have certain gifts, powers. We can change molecular structure so that’s how he could heal her feet.”
“ Now Utah. Max, Alex suspected something or someone in Roswell, trying to turn him in. He thought it was the Sheriff. But then they discovered an FBI agent, a cover sent to UNM. That was then that Alex knew he had to run, but he needed more information about our past, so he did some research and found something in Utah. So they left. Apparently, the Feds had already been on to them, hence the shooting took place. Yes, it WAS a shooting spree, actually. In their hotel room.
Maria, I believe, got shot because the agents had just open-fired; they didn’t know or even if they did, they didn’t care that she was there. Alex tried to heal her, Max!! NO, listen to me!” she yanked at his arms.
He was trying to get the car back on the road. “NO! Max, just please!!” he stopped, hearing the desperate plea in her tone.
“Thank you. As I said before, the reason you didn’t see the bullets is because Alex had tried to heal her. He’d changed the molecular structure inside her system, over the wounded areas. But he wasn’t able to save her because she’d been hit behind the head. Straight in the skull.” He squeezed his eyes closed.
She continued. “Two agents had tried to drag her away, thus he couldn’t get the fatal one out. He killed THOSE two agents, Max, not the fictitious ones. I’m telling you the truth here.”
She finished then leaned her head back, trying to gauge his reaction. He just stared at her with unseeing eyes.
“Can you prove it?” his voice was low.
Liz felt the slightest flicker of hope. She dug around in her backpack then handed him a black file. He opened it. It was filled with detailed notes, surveillance photos, x-rays, etc. Max stared unbelievingly at it. It was way too much.
“Max, those are the coroner’s reports. The one that the Agency bought out from the State. They gave you and your parents a different one. This was the original. See? Shot in the back of the head, damage to the nervous system, damaged cerebral cortex, the works. If there was ANY chance of survival, Alex could’ve done it but they wouldn’t let him, Max. He HAD to escape. Ever since then, we never met. Once after 4 years, he gave me some….stuff. That’s it. We kept in touch through the UFO center website. I kept gathering info for him. I had my ways and he had his. Please don’t ask how I got this stuff. Even I don’t know. Alex sent these to me. He’d kept an update on the Feds.” She finished.
His voice shook. “Why would he heal her? He thought she turned him in!”
“No! Just before they came to Utah, I talked to Alex. They were planning to get engaged. Maria loved Alex, Max. She would never do that.”
His eyes filled with tears. “Why ME?? Why would they lie to me?”
Liz hesitated. Before she could open her moth, he hissed “Recruitment.”
“WHAT?” she was confused.
“Recruitment.” The raw anger in his tone made it guttural with fury. “ I see it all too clearly now. Jesus CHRIST!! What ARE these people??”
Oh My God!! For years I’ve searched for Maria’s killers and in truth they were right in front of me. Alex, poor alien Alex was just a fall-guy. Why the fuck didn’t I open my eyes before? WHY, dammit!!? Oh ‘Ria, please forgive me for what I’ve done to you. And Alex. And LIZ.
He turned away, an animalistic howl tearing from his throat. He leaned his head down on the wheel and cried. For how long he didn’t know, but he felt warm arms going around him, holding him close. The world turned into a veritable white wasteland as the snow fell. Inside the car, it was warm and he could let go of all the anguish he’d carried around for the last seven years. Pulling his head back, he pulled her close and she responded instantly. She reached up and guided his wet face into the crook of her neck and shoulder and rocked him slowly murmuring in his ear, brushing her lips on his soft hair.
Among all the insanity, Max Evans felt one moment of peace. He never wanted to move.
Nothing to Lose AU/CC TEEN M/L [COMPLETE]
Moderators: Anniepoo98, Rowedog, ISLANDGIRL5, Itzstacie, truelovepooh, FSU/MSW-94, Hunter, Island Breeze, Forum Moderators
Chapter 13.
They signed up for a room in a motel in South Brooklyn. The clerk looked at them.
“Registration under, sir?”
Max fumbled and then “Uh...Mr. and Mrs. E...”
“Parker. Mr. and Mrs. Parker.” Liz broke in before he could say anything.
“Ok. Room 12, 3rd floor. Enjoy your stay.”
“We will.” Max murmured grimly. His head pounded with the onslaught of a massive migraine. All he wanted to do was lay down in a bed and just die.
They took their meager few luggage up the stairs and entered their room. It was cramped and small, but it would have to do. Then their eyes landed on the one big bed. Damn!! They both thought simultaneously as there gazes clashed.
Max shuffled his feet. It was barely noon, but he was dog-tired. All he wanted was sleep. But they still had to figure out a plan. He glanced over to find her calmly putting the bags away. He sighed, irritated. Does nothing EVER bother this robot?
“Liz.” He showed his irritation.
“She looked up at him. “Is something wrong? You go and take a nap. I’ll just go and take a shower, if you don’t mind?” there was a faint question and he hurriedly shook his head, and promptly winced.
Thank God for headaches. They’re extremely efficient and timely buzz kills! He smiled at his inward joke then realized she’d been staring at him.
“Oh no, no. Go ahead. I’ll…..uh…just get some shut-eye.” He fumbled with his shoes in an attempt to get it off. Jetlag and the combined effects of his bout of tears and the earlier shocks made him clumsy.
She calmly waved her hand. The shoes and socks were off so fast that he fell over.
“What the??” he gaped at her.
“Just thought I’d help.” There was a twinkle in her eyes. An improvement over the usual death glares she’d sent his way. He couldn’t stop himself from smiling back. It was weak, but it was there.
“I’ll be a while” she nodded her head towards the bathroom .
“Sure, sure.” He looked away trying to distract his mind of the very unwelcome but equally tempting image of Liz relaxing in a tub. No, do NOT even go there!!
She disappeared. He stared after her, then lay down on the bed. The damn room was cold. His mind told him to call downstairs, get the heating working. Liz would be cold after her bath……..he had no idea when he fell asleep.
Liz came out after a long time. That bath had cleared away most of her fatigue. She saw Max fast asleep. He lay on his side, curled up. Come to think of it, the room is pretty cool. She went to the heater and used her powers to turn it up. Within minutes the room felt toasty. Liz sighed happily. She’d never tired easily, an obvious attribute to her interstellar connections. Otherwise she’d have never been able to stand nearly 3 weeks of damn near torture on the roads.
She looked at the watch. It was late afternoon. She took off the ring that she wore on her right-hand thumb and changed it back into it’s original shape. The orb. She touched it, closed her eyes and concentrated. Nothing. Frustrated, she willed herself not to do anything drastic, then took it up again. Still nothing. She couldn’t get through to Alex. Maybe their serums are better than I thought. Her fear grew a notch. But then again they’d never even see me.
She heard a low sound from the bed. She changed the orb back into the ring, rapidly considering the ramifications of trusting him. Was Max really on her side? Did he believe her? Could she put her life and Alex’s too at his disposal by telling him all this? Her initial plan back in Thailand was to have simply mind-warped him into doing it. Or read his brain. The mindwarp took too much out of her so it was a no. Not if she had to use it continuously in a row. The second option involved too much pain. She wasn’t ready to do that to a living thing. But now, she was stuck. She had no idea what to do.
Max woke up in a toasty warm room. He glanced around cautiously, all sense alert. Then he relaxed. He was still in the hotel room and Liz was sitting there with an extremely knowing grin on her face. He swallowed. He didn’t know what unearthly force was drawing him to her and it disturbed him. He shouldn’t feel this way and he really didn’t like the whole “it so wrong but it feels so good” crap.
I’m too old for that!!
He groaned inwardly as she sat there, framed in the late afternoon sunlight. Completely unaware of his raging hormones. Do women get PMS only?? That thought pretty much solved his problem. He got out of bed.
She looked over and took up the phone.
“What do you want to eat?”
You don’t want to know…… “Whatever. I need a shower.” Calm. Her goddamn voice was calm again. He wondered apart from the few instances, and those two under extreme emotional circumstances, was there ANY time that she lost that robotic calm?? Guess not.
She found a directory and started dialing.
He felt himself getting dismissed from her royal presence, went in and turned on the hot water tap. Royal presence!! That’s a good one. On the other hand, it might be true. Hell, every cartoon or film ever made about aliens included at least ONE Princess! And Liz has that one down pat!! Oh gee, I’m hilarious!!
He broke out of his reverie when he realized the water was cold. No hot water. Fuck!! He tried again. Nothing. Damn it!! I need a bath!! He felt like whingeing like a 2 year old. It was either that or take a quickie shower. COLD shower, no make that freezing shower in the 1st of January. He admitted defeat and walked back out, forgetting his shirt.
She stared at him with her mouth hanging open. He looked down and the looked back at her. She was still gaping. He felt the stirring of a smirk. So… she’s not THAT frigid, after all, huh?
She snapped her mouth shut. But it was too late; his trademark smirk was showing. Fiercely berating herself inside but plastering her best banker imitation, she enquired “Is everything all right?” My, my Lizzie. Is that a British accent?
He smirked more at her obvious attempt. “There’s something wrong with the hot water tap.”
“So?” her tone was cooler than the late Queen Mother’s.
“I was wondering if you could, do something… y’know, DO?”
“Oh, you were?”
Now it was his turn to gape. “HUH??”
“You automatically assumed that I would do everything to make you feel comfortable while you continue to…......never mind.” She stopped hurriedly seeing the rebirth of his smirk. She just wanted it off his arrogant face.
“Why don’t you finish that?” he teased. God, she is FINE when she blushes!!
“I will,” she smiled sweetly at him and then looked down at his obvious uh….interest in her. He felt his face flame and her smile grew three notches. This is FUN, provoking him like this!! Jesus, you’d think that guy doesn’t have to look adorable when he blushes!! Inwardly Liz was having a blast.
“You could probably use a COLD shower, buddy!” she couldn’t keep the huge smirk off her face. She didn’t know what it was about this guy that made her want throw temper tantrums or throw herself at him. She watched as he mumbled and shuffled away. He was exasperating. He made her feel things; say things that she never would’ve before. And she ws beginning to enjoy that, more than she should.
Get over yourself already!!! She mentally screamed. She was Elizabeth Gotta-be-in-control Parker. She didn’t appreciate it when people took it away from her.
He looked miserable at the thought of taking a plunge in icy water.
Probably contemplating the exact seconds to jump in and out. Be fair, Liz! You took a 1 hour long bath; the guy could use something warm!! Her conscience nagged. She sighed and followed him through.
Max was already in the process of undressing when the sound of the door opening made him whip back his clothes. He nearly jumped when she brushed past him.
“Jeeesus!!” he knew his voice was shrill. Great, now I sound like an adolescent before puberty!! That really works! Even his conscience knew how to be biting at a time like this. This?? Oh no, no, you’re getting wayyy out of control, Maxwell!
He straightened as he watched her heat the water. “Thank you.” His voice was back in control. He was once again, Maxwell Evans, unreachable, untouchable, unfeeling… yeah, yeah, I could go on here.
She smiled at him. It was a friendly, aloof smile. Ah, we’re back to square one. “Sure.”
And she left. Max pounded his head against the wall, the steam swirling up from the tub.
By the time he’d come out, he’d decided on a shaky plan. It wouldn’t be the best but he wouldn’t turn her in. He knew that by now. The room smelled like………”What’s that?” he asked pointing towards the aluminum foiled wrapped packets.
“Late lunch or early dinner. You didn’t specify anything. So I went and ordered some stuff.” She stopped in front of him with a plate full of….rice?
“Biriyani. Excellent stuff. I couldn’t believe they’d make it that good here but found some Bangladeshi take out.”
“I never had it before.” He was more than hesitant.
“Relax. It’s just beef, rice and potatoes, mixed in spices. A lot of spices. So be careful.”
She went back to eating as if she hadn’t in days.
He was feeling distinctly worried. “You know, these sorts of things can lead back to you. The Agency isn’t as stupid as you seem to think. If they look hard enough, they’ll unearth you in a matter of days. So, is it really wise doing such openly different stuff? It doesn’t go unnoticed.” He knew he sounded paranoid but she needed to know that taking risks like this would just get her more attention.
“I mean, why didn’t you just order pizzas? It was safer.”
She stared at him in disbelief. “Are you telling me that the Government would unearth me because I ordered biriyani? From a Bengali food shop, whose owner would more than probably keep his mouth shut because of immigration problems? You have GOT to get a life, Max!” she stuffed more food down her mouth.
Seeing his expression, she gentled her tone.
“Max, it’s ok. It was delivered to the motel, under a name that they’re not even aware of, by some kid. They’re never going to trace anything, because I used cash, ok? So just relax.”
He didn’t want to worry her by saying that the Bangladeshi owner would be the first to cave, if the INS decides to magically back off from his case. Or even threaten with deportation. No one would go out on a limb for common strangers. Adn if pierce ever got a whim, torture wouldn't be out of the question. It wasn't safe underestimating Pierce.
He said nothing instead and took a bite. Hmm.… This isn’t so bad. It was plenty spicy as she’d said but there was something kind of sweet in it too. Examining it he could see that the potatoes were sweet and there were raisins and some nuts in it, taking away the spiciness of the curry. It was incredible, actually.
She saw him eating contentedly and grinned. There was just something so endearing in watching him be content that she felt like doing it over and again. Everything in his life had been typical, nothing extraordinary, nothing out of routine, even if his job was more than extraordinary. She didn’t need him to tell her that. It was evident from the way he moved, the way he talked. He himself seemed trapped in a cycle, unable to break out of it. Normal habits had long trapped him in a maze. She didn’t know if he wanted to try and break free, but she knew from own bitter experience how habits had a way of holding you back. You do realize that you’ve gone the deep end, if you want to sit around and throw him tea parties, girl!!
“Like it?” she asked absentmindedly, looking deep in thought.
“Hey, this is good!” He couldn’t help but say it. Then grinned. “I get your freaky eating habit now. So…where’s the Tabasco sauce?” he teased.
“Not needed. This is spicy enough. Otherwise, I’ll lose my sweet quotient.” She joked back.
“You couldn’t do that if you tried.” He murmured but she caught it anyways.
She stared at him for a moment, and then blushed. He watched as she fidgeted. He was surprised at her obviousness. Then he remembered. If her past had been anything like he’d seen, then there probably hadn’t been anyone who said sweet nothings to her. And he hadn’t even paid her a very good compliment. He wondered what she would do if he told her that she didn’t blush pink, like some simpering idiot. No, her cheeks slightly reddened. Her natural olive tone hid any pink traces, just flooded her cheeks with the faintest color. It made him want to eat her alive.
He refrained from mentioning anything on her blush.
By the time they were done eating, it was 4 pm.
Liz turned to him. The moment of truth. He looked solemn, expectant. She dived in.
“Max.” he looked her in the eye. “We need to act.”
“I’m not turning you in.” there was finality in his tone.
“What do you propose?” if she was surprised, she kept it inside.
“I’ll get the information out of Pierce. They don’t have to know anything about you. I’ll try to get Whitman out. I can get the access to him. You just stay back. I don’t have to tell you what they’ll do to you if they capture you.” He stumbled over the words “capture”.
Liz sat in a stupor. Her heart was pounding. Did he care about her or was this guilt speaking? Now, Liz might not be experienced, but she was no fool. She’d lived more than most people. She kept her voice from wobbling too much as she asked “You’re going to be putting yourself on the line.”
“It’s something I just have to do.” She felt a pang. So, he isn’t that concerned, huh? Then felt stupid. Get over it, Liz!! Him feeling guilty is the best way you can get to Alex. Remember Alex. That’s your goal, your responsibility. You will NOT back down now. Not after everything you’ve done.
Part of her revolted from using Max further, but her brain had chosen a good time for the meeting already. She felt torn. Setting up a plan would mean using him. She didn’t want to, but finally gave in to her baser instincts.
“What’s the plan?”
Gah! is it drivel or is it just me?
They signed up for a room in a motel in South Brooklyn. The clerk looked at them.
“Registration under, sir?”
Max fumbled and then “Uh...Mr. and Mrs. E...”
“Parker. Mr. and Mrs. Parker.” Liz broke in before he could say anything.
“Ok. Room 12, 3rd floor. Enjoy your stay.”
“We will.” Max murmured grimly. His head pounded with the onslaught of a massive migraine. All he wanted to do was lay down in a bed and just die.
They took their meager few luggage up the stairs and entered their room. It was cramped and small, but it would have to do. Then their eyes landed on the one big bed. Damn!! They both thought simultaneously as there gazes clashed.
Max shuffled his feet. It was barely noon, but he was dog-tired. All he wanted was sleep. But they still had to figure out a plan. He glanced over to find her calmly putting the bags away. He sighed, irritated. Does nothing EVER bother this robot?
“Liz.” He showed his irritation.
“She looked up at him. “Is something wrong? You go and take a nap. I’ll just go and take a shower, if you don’t mind?” there was a faint question and he hurriedly shook his head, and promptly winced.
Thank God for headaches. They’re extremely efficient and timely buzz kills! He smiled at his inward joke then realized she’d been staring at him.
“Oh no, no. Go ahead. I’ll…..uh…just get some shut-eye.” He fumbled with his shoes in an attempt to get it off. Jetlag and the combined effects of his bout of tears and the earlier shocks made him clumsy.
She calmly waved her hand. The shoes and socks were off so fast that he fell over.
“What the??” he gaped at her.
“Just thought I’d help.” There was a twinkle in her eyes. An improvement over the usual death glares she’d sent his way. He couldn’t stop himself from smiling back. It was weak, but it was there.
“I’ll be a while” she nodded her head towards the bathroom .
“Sure, sure.” He looked away trying to distract his mind of the very unwelcome but equally tempting image of Liz relaxing in a tub. No, do NOT even go there!!
She disappeared. He stared after her, then lay down on the bed. The damn room was cold. His mind told him to call downstairs, get the heating working. Liz would be cold after her bath……..he had no idea when he fell asleep.
Liz came out after a long time. That bath had cleared away most of her fatigue. She saw Max fast asleep. He lay on his side, curled up. Come to think of it, the room is pretty cool. She went to the heater and used her powers to turn it up. Within minutes the room felt toasty. Liz sighed happily. She’d never tired easily, an obvious attribute to her interstellar connections. Otherwise she’d have never been able to stand nearly 3 weeks of damn near torture on the roads.
She looked at the watch. It was late afternoon. She took off the ring that she wore on her right-hand thumb and changed it back into it’s original shape. The orb. She touched it, closed her eyes and concentrated. Nothing. Frustrated, she willed herself not to do anything drastic, then took it up again. Still nothing. She couldn’t get through to Alex. Maybe their serums are better than I thought. Her fear grew a notch. But then again they’d never even see me.
She heard a low sound from the bed. She changed the orb back into the ring, rapidly considering the ramifications of trusting him. Was Max really on her side? Did he believe her? Could she put her life and Alex’s too at his disposal by telling him all this? Her initial plan back in Thailand was to have simply mind-warped him into doing it. Or read his brain. The mindwarp took too much out of her so it was a no. Not if she had to use it continuously in a row. The second option involved too much pain. She wasn’t ready to do that to a living thing. But now, she was stuck. She had no idea what to do.
Max woke up in a toasty warm room. He glanced around cautiously, all sense alert. Then he relaxed. He was still in the hotel room and Liz was sitting there with an extremely knowing grin on her face. He swallowed. He didn’t know what unearthly force was drawing him to her and it disturbed him. He shouldn’t feel this way and he really didn’t like the whole “it so wrong but it feels so good” crap.
I’m too old for that!!
He groaned inwardly as she sat there, framed in the late afternoon sunlight. Completely unaware of his raging hormones. Do women get PMS only?? That thought pretty much solved his problem. He got out of bed.
She looked over and took up the phone.
“What do you want to eat?”
You don’t want to know…… “Whatever. I need a shower.” Calm. Her goddamn voice was calm again. He wondered apart from the few instances, and those two under extreme emotional circumstances, was there ANY time that she lost that robotic calm?? Guess not.
She found a directory and started dialing.
He felt himself getting dismissed from her royal presence, went in and turned on the hot water tap. Royal presence!! That’s a good one. On the other hand, it might be true. Hell, every cartoon or film ever made about aliens included at least ONE Princess! And Liz has that one down pat!! Oh gee, I’m hilarious!!
He broke out of his reverie when he realized the water was cold. No hot water. Fuck!! He tried again. Nothing. Damn it!! I need a bath!! He felt like whingeing like a 2 year old. It was either that or take a quickie shower. COLD shower, no make that freezing shower in the 1st of January. He admitted defeat and walked back out, forgetting his shirt.
She stared at him with her mouth hanging open. He looked down and the looked back at her. She was still gaping. He felt the stirring of a smirk. So… she’s not THAT frigid, after all, huh?
She snapped her mouth shut. But it was too late; his trademark smirk was showing. Fiercely berating herself inside but plastering her best banker imitation, she enquired “Is everything all right?” My, my Lizzie. Is that a British accent?
He smirked more at her obvious attempt. “There’s something wrong with the hot water tap.”
“So?” her tone was cooler than the late Queen Mother’s.
“I was wondering if you could, do something… y’know, DO?”
“Oh, you were?”
Now it was his turn to gape. “HUH??”
“You automatically assumed that I would do everything to make you feel comfortable while you continue to…......never mind.” She stopped hurriedly seeing the rebirth of his smirk. She just wanted it off his arrogant face.
“Why don’t you finish that?” he teased. God, she is FINE when she blushes!!
“I will,” she smiled sweetly at him and then looked down at his obvious uh….interest in her. He felt his face flame and her smile grew three notches. This is FUN, provoking him like this!! Jesus, you’d think that guy doesn’t have to look adorable when he blushes!! Inwardly Liz was having a blast.
“You could probably use a COLD shower, buddy!” she couldn’t keep the huge smirk off her face. She didn’t know what it was about this guy that made her want throw temper tantrums or throw herself at him. She watched as he mumbled and shuffled away. He was exasperating. He made her feel things; say things that she never would’ve before. And she ws beginning to enjoy that, more than she should.
Get over yourself already!!! She mentally screamed. She was Elizabeth Gotta-be-in-control Parker. She didn’t appreciate it when people took it away from her.
He looked miserable at the thought of taking a plunge in icy water.
Probably contemplating the exact seconds to jump in and out. Be fair, Liz! You took a 1 hour long bath; the guy could use something warm!! Her conscience nagged. She sighed and followed him through.
Max was already in the process of undressing when the sound of the door opening made him whip back his clothes. He nearly jumped when she brushed past him.
“Jeeesus!!” he knew his voice was shrill. Great, now I sound like an adolescent before puberty!! That really works! Even his conscience knew how to be biting at a time like this. This?? Oh no, no, you’re getting wayyy out of control, Maxwell!
He straightened as he watched her heat the water. “Thank you.” His voice was back in control. He was once again, Maxwell Evans, unreachable, untouchable, unfeeling… yeah, yeah, I could go on here.
She smiled at him. It was a friendly, aloof smile. Ah, we’re back to square one. “Sure.”
And she left. Max pounded his head against the wall, the steam swirling up from the tub.
By the time he’d come out, he’d decided on a shaky plan. It wouldn’t be the best but he wouldn’t turn her in. He knew that by now. The room smelled like………”What’s that?” he asked pointing towards the aluminum foiled wrapped packets.
“Late lunch or early dinner. You didn’t specify anything. So I went and ordered some stuff.” She stopped in front of him with a plate full of….rice?
“Biriyani. Excellent stuff. I couldn’t believe they’d make it that good here but found some Bangladeshi take out.”
“I never had it before.” He was more than hesitant.
“Relax. It’s just beef, rice and potatoes, mixed in spices. A lot of spices. So be careful.”
She went back to eating as if she hadn’t in days.
He was feeling distinctly worried. “You know, these sorts of things can lead back to you. The Agency isn’t as stupid as you seem to think. If they look hard enough, they’ll unearth you in a matter of days. So, is it really wise doing such openly different stuff? It doesn’t go unnoticed.” He knew he sounded paranoid but she needed to know that taking risks like this would just get her more attention.
“I mean, why didn’t you just order pizzas? It was safer.”
She stared at him in disbelief. “Are you telling me that the Government would unearth me because I ordered biriyani? From a Bengali food shop, whose owner would more than probably keep his mouth shut because of immigration problems? You have GOT to get a life, Max!” she stuffed more food down her mouth.
Seeing his expression, she gentled her tone.
“Max, it’s ok. It was delivered to the motel, under a name that they’re not even aware of, by some kid. They’re never going to trace anything, because I used cash, ok? So just relax.”
He didn’t want to worry her by saying that the Bangladeshi owner would be the first to cave, if the INS decides to magically back off from his case. Or even threaten with deportation. No one would go out on a limb for common strangers. Adn if pierce ever got a whim, torture wouldn't be out of the question. It wasn't safe underestimating Pierce.
He said nothing instead and took a bite. Hmm.… This isn’t so bad. It was plenty spicy as she’d said but there was something kind of sweet in it too. Examining it he could see that the potatoes were sweet and there were raisins and some nuts in it, taking away the spiciness of the curry. It was incredible, actually.
She saw him eating contentedly and grinned. There was just something so endearing in watching him be content that she felt like doing it over and again. Everything in his life had been typical, nothing extraordinary, nothing out of routine, even if his job was more than extraordinary. She didn’t need him to tell her that. It was evident from the way he moved, the way he talked. He himself seemed trapped in a cycle, unable to break out of it. Normal habits had long trapped him in a maze. She didn’t know if he wanted to try and break free, but she knew from own bitter experience how habits had a way of holding you back. You do realize that you’ve gone the deep end, if you want to sit around and throw him tea parties, girl!!
“Like it?” she asked absentmindedly, looking deep in thought.
“Hey, this is good!” He couldn’t help but say it. Then grinned. “I get your freaky eating habit now. So…where’s the Tabasco sauce?” he teased.
“Not needed. This is spicy enough. Otherwise, I’ll lose my sweet quotient.” She joked back.
“You couldn’t do that if you tried.” He murmured but she caught it anyways.
She stared at him for a moment, and then blushed. He watched as she fidgeted. He was surprised at her obviousness. Then he remembered. If her past had been anything like he’d seen, then there probably hadn’t been anyone who said sweet nothings to her. And he hadn’t even paid her a very good compliment. He wondered what she would do if he told her that she didn’t blush pink, like some simpering idiot. No, her cheeks slightly reddened. Her natural olive tone hid any pink traces, just flooded her cheeks with the faintest color. It made him want to eat her alive.
He refrained from mentioning anything on her blush.
By the time they were done eating, it was 4 pm.
Liz turned to him. The moment of truth. He looked solemn, expectant. She dived in.
“Max.” he looked her in the eye. “We need to act.”
“I’m not turning you in.” there was finality in his tone.
“What do you propose?” if she was surprised, she kept it inside.
“I’ll get the information out of Pierce. They don’t have to know anything about you. I’ll try to get Whitman out. I can get the access to him. You just stay back. I don’t have to tell you what they’ll do to you if they capture you.” He stumbled over the words “capture”.
Liz sat in a stupor. Her heart was pounding. Did he care about her or was this guilt speaking? Now, Liz might not be experienced, but she was no fool. She’d lived more than most people. She kept her voice from wobbling too much as she asked “You’re going to be putting yourself on the line.”
“It’s something I just have to do.” She felt a pang. So, he isn’t that concerned, huh? Then felt stupid. Get over it, Liz!! Him feeling guilty is the best way you can get to Alex. Remember Alex. That’s your goal, your responsibility. You will NOT back down now. Not after everything you’ve done.
Part of her revolted from using Max further, but her brain had chosen a good time for the meeting already. She felt torn. Setting up a plan would mean using him. She didn’t want to, but finally gave in to her baser instincts.
“What’s the plan?”
Gah! is it drivel or is it just me?
Chapter 14
Max had been observing Liz. He could see her warring within herself, a thing she seems to have mastered. He knew she thought it was guilt. Maybe it was better for her to think that. Her concern for him had touched him, but he wasn’t prepared to delude either of them into thinking this was normal. No, if she thought he was doing it out of guilt, then he’d let her. He also knew she had a backup plan, so when she blatantly admitted to using him, by asking the details of his plan, he was more than shocked. He felt betrayed. And more than a little angry.
Oh who the fuck am I kidding? I KNEW this was coming! I should know better than that!! She’s made it clear from Day One why she was here. Why I was here. No sense getting worked up about something that isn’t meant to be. No sense getting hurt by it. I should be grateful that she didn’t use that God awful mind thing again! No, I’ve to just calm down and do what I have to do. For Maria. No one else.
The moment the words had left her mind, she regretted them. Then she steeled herself. Live with it!! Her conscience was driving her crazy but so was her mind. She couldn’t afford to be emotional. Alex’s life depended on it.
He concentrated on the window. His voice was emotionless; kind of like the first few times she’d talked to him. Flat.
“I can arrange a meeting with Pierce. I’ll tell him I know about the whole ‘recruitment’ process.” Hatred made his voice unrecognizable. “He’ll have no choice but to meet. Once I do, I’ll wing something about payback. He’ll bargain, I know he will. I can then ask him for last rites and all that. He can’t weasel out of it. If I get the access, I can get in and get him out. The main problem would be Pierce, if he comes with me, I’m screwed. I can’t do anything then. Now, how do we get past this?”
She remained silent for a while, head down. The she looked over. “I don’t like it.”
“Nothing for you to like, Princess, just deal and help me out here. If Pierce comes with me, you stay in New York. Don’t even think about coming with me.”
She smiled. Her voice got wobbly again. “You can’t get through Pierce. Even if he’s not there, he’ll know whom to blame once you grab Alex. At best, he’ll ruin your life. At worst, he’ll kill you. I can’t ask you to do that.”
“It’s not your decision to make. And anyway, I thought you didn’t care exactly how you get Whitman. Why the change of heart?” he couldn’t help the barb; it was out before he could stop it.
She looked at him coldly. “How you get Alex out IS my business. And I intend to make sure he actually gets out, not have you both killed. So cut the crap already! I have my own plan and we’re following it.”
“Good.” He drawled. She looked at him, mutinously. “I was wondering why you hadn’t spilled yet.”
“Max!!” she huffed exasperated. She knew he felt angry at her, but she really didn’t need this right now. If she started distrusting him NOW, then she might as well give up. Then she remembered that he’d unselfishly offered himself and she couldn’t disregard that.
“Max,” she said in a much gentler tone. She couldn't get over saying his name.
“What?” he barked.
“Thank you.” He whipped his head around then sighed.
“You don’t have to.” He shuffled his feet.
“No. I do. It was very generous of you to put yourself out for me….. I mean US, yeah us..... me and Alex.” She was babbling but the look in his eyes stopped her. She hurriedly went on, not letting him interrupt.
“I have my powers, as you well know. One of them is the ability to read minds. Like I did with you.” She saw him wince but he was attentively listening to her.
“You can’t walk up to him and fry his brain like that!! You’d be dead long before.”
“No, I won’t. There’s a difference. When I said mind reading, I meant I get into people’s minds, sub-conscious if you will, and read what they’re thinking about at that moment. Basically like what they’re going through. I can even communicate with people, but only at a sub-conscious level. If they’re awake, all I can do is read what’s going on in their heads.
As I was saying. If you can get him to start talking about Alex and don’t tell him about what you know, it will only incriminate you later; I can get the info we need. You can then tell him that you’re out of the game permanently or whatever, and I can get Alex. Job done.” She smiled, a little pleased with herself.
“Job NOT done! What’re you, completely retarded??” he glared at her. “ How the hell are you going to form the connection with him? And even if you do, how the hell will you get in the labs? You’ll need IDs; you need to be invisible....... that’s what you need. And while I can guess that the alien voodoo is good and all, I really don’t see you being invisible.” He stopped out of breath.
She smirked, her trademark that he was beginning to recognize whenever she had one-up on him. “Remember me at the airport? What was I?”
He faltered. ‘I don’t know.”
I have another power, too. I hate using it but lately I don’t care anymore. I can mind warp people, make them think any thing I want.” She noticed the look of revulsion in his face and hurriedly corrected him. ‘I’ve never used them on you! I swear! I never used it before except… it doesn’t matter. Except the airport… yeah, that was it.” Liz caught herself and shut up.
Max knew she’d left something out but didn’t push, since she’d covered it up pretty well.
“And will that get you anywhere?”
“Sure. If I can mind warp the people in the lab into thinking I’m not there, then hey presto, who the hell’s going to stop me?”
Max grudgingly admitted her theory was good. In fact it was almost foolproof until they came to the main part.
“How long can you use it? How can you read Pierce’s mind, mind warp an entire building of people, use your powers to get to Alex and then escape with him?”
“I can use it for 3 hours without breaking, doing all that you’ve said” her voice was emotionless, again. As if she was withdrawing into herself.
“And what about me?” he couldn’t help but ask. The practical side of him thought this was perfect. But another part of him longed to hold her back, throw himself at Pierce or anyone and try and keep her safe.
She smiled at him. It was such a sweet smile; Max felt a twist in his gut. If everything went according to schedule, he was never going to see her ever again.
“You can go, Max. Let go of all of this madness and just live life. You don’t have to spend it in this destructive way.”
He smiled back, but it was oddly filled with regret. “What about you? Going back?” he asked pointing a finger up.
“I don’t know. I’ve no idea. But let’s get this plan figured out. It’s turning dark. You have to call Pierce. Set up a meeting for tomorrow night. I don’t want anymore delays.”
“Fine, but answer something. How will you get through doors?”
“I told you, I can change the structure.”
“What about handprints? How’re you going to match those?”
“Can I take yours?” she asked him. She thought he’d flinch.
He stared at her for a long second. “Sure, just make sure I’ve got access.”
“This is going to hurt, you know. It’ll be pretty much like acid burning your skin.”
He seemed somewhere else.” I’ve dealt with worse. Go ahead.”
She sighed. Would she ever really know this man? “I don’t need it. I can make the equipment malfunction.”
This time he didn’t bother to disguise his anger. “When are you going to stop testing me to make sure I’m not going to betray you?”
“I didn’t mean it like that. I’m not sure I f I can or not. I just didn’t want to hur….uh..... harm you more than I already have.”
The anger left him. ‘I’m sorry. You’ve done far more for me than I would’ve done for you under reverse circumstances.”
“It’s ok. Really. You did far enough.”
They both remained quiet, contemplating the fall of the dark as each went over the plans.
Max broke the silence first. ‘Liz?”
“Yeah?”
“Where’re you going to be when I talk to Pierce?”
“Don’t worry, well out of sight!!” she laughed. The guy was really too sweet. And too predictable.
“What if he’s somewhere else? In another state?”
“Very probably, he’s in Bethesda.”
“I don’t think so. Too much exposure. He could be anywhere.”
“That’s why I need you to find out from Pierce.”
“Ok, after I get through with Pierce, I’ll join you.”
“Don’t be ridiculous!!” her voice rose.
“I’m not.” His remained calm. “You can’t get him out on your own and you know it. What if there’s something else that you need? Who’s going to get that? So stop trying to be a hero and listen to logic.”
She nodded reluctantly after a while. “But you’re going to get the hell outta there.”
“Why don’t you try something? You get to the lab; find Alex and mind warp the guards. I’ll come by and since I have clearance, I can get in the vaults and stuff and destroy whatever stuff they have on aliens. That should delay their research by years.”
Her eyes were wet but her voice remained controlled. “Thank you. But it’s ok. You don’t have to.”
“Dammit, Liz!! I’m telling you something that might help you for the rest of your lives!! Why are you being so stubborn? And I’m just letting you know what I WILL be doing. You can’t stop me, so don’t even try.”
She nodded, biting her lower lip, trying to stop the tears. “ok.”
Max resisted for a minute, the walked over to her. She was wiping away her tears, trying not to let them show. Max felt his heart ache. He leaned down gathered her in his arms.
She went willingly, snuggled into his chest. His chin rested on her hair and a thrill raced through both of them. Just like a few hours before, they were back in each other’s arms, despite all the accusations, the ironies and the misgivings. Nothing had ever felt more right.
“We’ll get him. I promise” he whispered, kissing the top of her head, His face was buried in the cool silk of her hair.
She nodded wordlessly, moving closer. They rocked together as the New York skyline, or what was visible through the dirty fog and the 3rd floor window, disappeared from view.
Max had been observing Liz. He could see her warring within herself, a thing she seems to have mastered. He knew she thought it was guilt. Maybe it was better for her to think that. Her concern for him had touched him, but he wasn’t prepared to delude either of them into thinking this was normal. No, if she thought he was doing it out of guilt, then he’d let her. He also knew she had a backup plan, so when she blatantly admitted to using him, by asking the details of his plan, he was more than shocked. He felt betrayed. And more than a little angry.
Oh who the fuck am I kidding? I KNEW this was coming! I should know better than that!! She’s made it clear from Day One why she was here. Why I was here. No sense getting worked up about something that isn’t meant to be. No sense getting hurt by it. I should be grateful that she didn’t use that God awful mind thing again! No, I’ve to just calm down and do what I have to do. For Maria. No one else.
The moment the words had left her mind, she regretted them. Then she steeled herself. Live with it!! Her conscience was driving her crazy but so was her mind. She couldn’t afford to be emotional. Alex’s life depended on it.
He concentrated on the window. His voice was emotionless; kind of like the first few times she’d talked to him. Flat.
“I can arrange a meeting with Pierce. I’ll tell him I know about the whole ‘recruitment’ process.” Hatred made his voice unrecognizable. “He’ll have no choice but to meet. Once I do, I’ll wing something about payback. He’ll bargain, I know he will. I can then ask him for last rites and all that. He can’t weasel out of it. If I get the access, I can get in and get him out. The main problem would be Pierce, if he comes with me, I’m screwed. I can’t do anything then. Now, how do we get past this?”
She remained silent for a while, head down. The she looked over. “I don’t like it.”
“Nothing for you to like, Princess, just deal and help me out here. If Pierce comes with me, you stay in New York. Don’t even think about coming with me.”
She smiled. Her voice got wobbly again. “You can’t get through Pierce. Even if he’s not there, he’ll know whom to blame once you grab Alex. At best, he’ll ruin your life. At worst, he’ll kill you. I can’t ask you to do that.”
“It’s not your decision to make. And anyway, I thought you didn’t care exactly how you get Whitman. Why the change of heart?” he couldn’t help the barb; it was out before he could stop it.
She looked at him coldly. “How you get Alex out IS my business. And I intend to make sure he actually gets out, not have you both killed. So cut the crap already! I have my own plan and we’re following it.”
“Good.” He drawled. She looked at him, mutinously. “I was wondering why you hadn’t spilled yet.”
“Max!!” she huffed exasperated. She knew he felt angry at her, but she really didn’t need this right now. If she started distrusting him NOW, then she might as well give up. Then she remembered that he’d unselfishly offered himself and she couldn’t disregard that.
“Max,” she said in a much gentler tone. She couldn't get over saying his name.
“What?” he barked.
“Thank you.” He whipped his head around then sighed.
“You don’t have to.” He shuffled his feet.
“No. I do. It was very generous of you to put yourself out for me….. I mean US, yeah us..... me and Alex.” She was babbling but the look in his eyes stopped her. She hurriedly went on, not letting him interrupt.
“I have my powers, as you well know. One of them is the ability to read minds. Like I did with you.” She saw him wince but he was attentively listening to her.
“You can’t walk up to him and fry his brain like that!! You’d be dead long before.”
“No, I won’t. There’s a difference. When I said mind reading, I meant I get into people’s minds, sub-conscious if you will, and read what they’re thinking about at that moment. Basically like what they’re going through. I can even communicate with people, but only at a sub-conscious level. If they’re awake, all I can do is read what’s going on in their heads.
As I was saying. If you can get him to start talking about Alex and don’t tell him about what you know, it will only incriminate you later; I can get the info we need. You can then tell him that you’re out of the game permanently or whatever, and I can get Alex. Job done.” She smiled, a little pleased with herself.
“Job NOT done! What’re you, completely retarded??” he glared at her. “ How the hell are you going to form the connection with him? And even if you do, how the hell will you get in the labs? You’ll need IDs; you need to be invisible....... that’s what you need. And while I can guess that the alien voodoo is good and all, I really don’t see you being invisible.” He stopped out of breath.
She smirked, her trademark that he was beginning to recognize whenever she had one-up on him. “Remember me at the airport? What was I?”
He faltered. ‘I don’t know.”
I have another power, too. I hate using it but lately I don’t care anymore. I can mind warp people, make them think any thing I want.” She noticed the look of revulsion in his face and hurriedly corrected him. ‘I’ve never used them on you! I swear! I never used it before except… it doesn’t matter. Except the airport… yeah, that was it.” Liz caught herself and shut up.
Max knew she’d left something out but didn’t push, since she’d covered it up pretty well.
“And will that get you anywhere?”
“Sure. If I can mind warp the people in the lab into thinking I’m not there, then hey presto, who the hell’s going to stop me?”
Max grudgingly admitted her theory was good. In fact it was almost foolproof until they came to the main part.
“How long can you use it? How can you read Pierce’s mind, mind warp an entire building of people, use your powers to get to Alex and then escape with him?”
“I can use it for 3 hours without breaking, doing all that you’ve said” her voice was emotionless, again. As if she was withdrawing into herself.
“And what about me?” he couldn’t help but ask. The practical side of him thought this was perfect. But another part of him longed to hold her back, throw himself at Pierce or anyone and try and keep her safe.
She smiled at him. It was such a sweet smile; Max felt a twist in his gut. If everything went according to schedule, he was never going to see her ever again.
“You can go, Max. Let go of all of this madness and just live life. You don’t have to spend it in this destructive way.”
He smiled back, but it was oddly filled with regret. “What about you? Going back?” he asked pointing a finger up.
“I don’t know. I’ve no idea. But let’s get this plan figured out. It’s turning dark. You have to call Pierce. Set up a meeting for tomorrow night. I don’t want anymore delays.”
“Fine, but answer something. How will you get through doors?”
“I told you, I can change the structure.”
“What about handprints? How’re you going to match those?”
“Can I take yours?” she asked him. She thought he’d flinch.
He stared at her for a long second. “Sure, just make sure I’ve got access.”
“This is going to hurt, you know. It’ll be pretty much like acid burning your skin.”
He seemed somewhere else.” I’ve dealt with worse. Go ahead.”
She sighed. Would she ever really know this man? “I don’t need it. I can make the equipment malfunction.”
This time he didn’t bother to disguise his anger. “When are you going to stop testing me to make sure I’m not going to betray you?”
“I didn’t mean it like that. I’m not sure I f I can or not. I just didn’t want to hur….uh..... harm you more than I already have.”
The anger left him. ‘I’m sorry. You’ve done far more for me than I would’ve done for you under reverse circumstances.”
“It’s ok. Really. You did far enough.”
They both remained quiet, contemplating the fall of the dark as each went over the plans.
Max broke the silence first. ‘Liz?”
“Yeah?”
“Where’re you going to be when I talk to Pierce?”
“Don’t worry, well out of sight!!” she laughed. The guy was really too sweet. And too predictable.
“What if he’s somewhere else? In another state?”
“Very probably, he’s in Bethesda.”
“I don’t think so. Too much exposure. He could be anywhere.”
“That’s why I need you to find out from Pierce.”
“Ok, after I get through with Pierce, I’ll join you.”
“Don’t be ridiculous!!” her voice rose.
“I’m not.” His remained calm. “You can’t get him out on your own and you know it. What if there’s something else that you need? Who’s going to get that? So stop trying to be a hero and listen to logic.”
She nodded reluctantly after a while. “But you’re going to get the hell outta there.”
“Why don’t you try something? You get to the lab; find Alex and mind warp the guards. I’ll come by and since I have clearance, I can get in the vaults and stuff and destroy whatever stuff they have on aliens. That should delay their research by years.”
Her eyes were wet but her voice remained controlled. “Thank you. But it’s ok. You don’t have to.”
“Dammit, Liz!! I’m telling you something that might help you for the rest of your lives!! Why are you being so stubborn? And I’m just letting you know what I WILL be doing. You can’t stop me, so don’t even try.”
She nodded, biting her lower lip, trying to stop the tears. “ok.”
Max resisted for a minute, the walked over to her. She was wiping away her tears, trying not to let them show. Max felt his heart ache. He leaned down gathered her in his arms.
She went willingly, snuggled into his chest. His chin rested on her hair and a thrill raced through both of them. Just like a few hours before, they were back in each other’s arms, despite all the accusations, the ironies and the misgivings. Nothing had ever felt more right.
“We’ll get him. I promise” he whispered, kissing the top of her head, His face was buried in the cool silk of her hair.
She nodded wordlessly, moving closer. They rocked together as the New York skyline, or what was visible through the dirty fog and the 3rd floor window, disappeared from view.
Chapter 15.
Max came back inside the dingy motel room. She’d been wearing a hole in the carpet since he’d left.
“Did he buy it?”
“I don’t know.”
“WHAT??”
“Easy. He agreed to meet me”
“Where?” She held her breath.
“California.”
“SHIT!!” she screamed.
He looked up, startled. Liz didn’t scream when she got pissed. She took it out on the first person available, but she didn't scream like a banshee. Obviously she'd been helluva lot more worried than she'd actually shown.
“Re-laaax!! Let me finish. He wanted it in California.
Liz, think about it. If Whitman was already dead or whatever, he wouldn’t care where he met me. Which leads me to believe that he’d around. Near here.” He didn’t have time to continue as she leapt on him. Her huge grin lit up the gray walls.
“You’re a freakin’ genius, man!!”
He caught her, more than surprised. Then grinned back. “I always knew it, but thanks for pandering to my ego, anyways.”
“I do it freely. Only when it produces results.” She teased back. She leaned her head back to look at him as he carried her.
He let her down easily on the bed. Damn room doesn’t even have a friggin’ couch!! She sat there looking up at him. She looked like something straight out of a fantasy. Hair loose, eyes like liquid chocolate, she was resting slightly on her elbows. Max groaned and inched himself down slowly. She didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he could see her breathing accelerate. He moved slowly, until he was leaning right in front of her beautiful face. Her lips trembled, just the slightest. He wondered if it was from anticipation or just fear. But he was far too gone to be scared.
Liz could see him moving closer. She knew she should move away. Her mind was screaming to her to get the fuck out of the way. Instead she almost reached out to pull him closer. She could smell him. She smelled of some woodsy cologne the outdoors and snow. She could practically taste his scent.
He was moving way too slowly. It was all she could do to keep from arching closer. His golden eyes had turned dark. I always wondered which way it would go when he loses control. Dark or light. Guess I know. She leaned up slightly. This was it, another half an inch and someone knocked.
Max snapped his eyes open. Liz was still sitting there. Looking slightly flushed and furious. Despite his own irritation, he grinned. She looked even more adorable when she lost control.
Crossing over to the door, he looked through the spy hole. It was a deliveryman.
“Did you order something?”
“Yeah. Pizza.’ She grinned reluctantly. “Nothing like Pizza Hut.”
“Darn it, I wanted Dominoes” he opened it and got the pizza.
They were sitting there, contemplating the day to come, when Liz broke the silence.
“What are you going to say to him?”
“Nothing important.”
“Is he going to talk?”
“No.” his tone was clipped.
“No, talk as in spill your guts, get the word out that you’re back.”
He looked at her for a long time. She was highly intelligent, perceptive. But she just didn’t get how the inner circles of the Intel community worked. He didn’t want to tell her that it was more than likely that Pierce was waiting to take him out just like he was itching to do the same. Or maybe Pierce had finally grown a brain, as the phone call had suggested
“No. I don’t think so.”
“Listen, Max.” he looked at her, longing to tell her to call his name out again. She did it differently. How is it possible to be so attracted to an ALIEN, no less, within a short span of less than 48 hours?
“I don’t know much about this, but I was thinking that if I took Alex while you were talking with Pierce, nobody can blame it on you. You’d have a solid alibi. As for motive, oh please! Which freak would consider YOU on Alex’s side?” she smiled through her pizza. Which was once again, completely oozing with Tabasco sauce.
“Don’t you ever get acid attacks? That has GOT to ruin your system!”
“We don’t have your weak human digestive tracts.”
“Oh, so now you think you’re superior?” there was a smile hidden in the repartee.
“I don’t think it, caveman, I KNOW it!! I don’t see any humans going and living in another planet for more than 40 years.” She parried back.
He smiled at her. “You should’ve been Irish. You lose your temper faster than anyone I know. Only over small matters, though. The bigger ones, you stay in control.”
She stared at him for a long while. It went without saying that by now, they trusted each other. She trusted him.
“I’ve never been to Ireland.” Her tone was wistful. And open. And he knew that she was finding relief in finally unburdening some of her past.
He felt his eyes sting. He hadn’t known how long he’d waited for her to open up to him. And here she was, eating pizza and telling him exactly why she’d felt the need to pull back, time and again, when she felt someone get close to her.
“Me too.” It didn’t hurt that he’d wanted the same thing.
“Really? I thought you had a jet-set career working for the Government.”
“It’s a sick way to travel. You get to know the bowels of each beautiful city you pass through. Never the better parts. Never the sights and sounds that you always see or read about. No, it’s always dirty, ugly. Nothing there is remotely pure or…I don’t know. It’s different.”
He was unable to find the word he was looking for. He looked at her and found her staring at him with an intent expression, as if she could feel his pain, his shame at having lead his life under such subterfuges.
“It’s never real, is it?”
He nodded dumbly. She continued. “It’s never real. It’s never what you want it to be. It’s always…..dark. And lonely. Like if you don’t watch your back, it’s all over.”
“Yeah.” Is she reading my mind?
“Yeah.” She sighed.
Her mind was in turmoil. More than anything else, she wanted to hurl herself at him and weep and tell him everything that she’d been through. She knew she could trust him implicitly. She knew he would understand, that he wouldn’t turn her away or fault her doing what she’d done back then to survive. He’d been through the same thing. She’d seen it the first time they’d made a connection. Without warning, it flared up now. Humming with immense power, just under the skin.
“Liz. I feel something.” His voice was hesitant.
“What?” she held her breath.
“You.” His answer was simple. “I can feel you, just out of my reach, yet you’re there.”
She nodded wearily. This was too much. If they were connected, that meant that they’d feel each other, even when they parted. That meant that he would stay in her mind forever, tormenting her with what-ifs even though they were going to be more apart than ever before.
She’d already made up her mind that she’d get as far as she could from the West. No more 1st world countries. They’d all exhausted their resources on politics, investments, war and diplomacy, now they were busy looking for aliens. They’d be discovered before long. A 3rd world country didn‘t have the luxury to look for aliens. They’d be safe. But what she didn’t need was Max Evans, looming like a spectre from her past, holding her back.
”Liz?” she opened her eyes.
“You were telling me about something.” Much to her relief, he didn’t pursue the whole connection. He was more intent on discovering her past.
For a second she regretted ever opening her mouth. Old wounds that still hadn’t healed still had the power to force her shut. But she threw caution to the winds. It was time to let herself freefall. She felt lighter than air, the discovery making her giddy.
“I was saying about how beautiful this planet is.”
“Right.” He nodded. “And how destructive we humans are.”
She smiled. “Yep. I remember my first visit to India. Darjeeling, to be precise. It’s hardly more than 8000 feet, but it was so beautiful. There is this journey from the town to a lake, lake Mirik. It reminded me of the Rockies, with much more of an Oriental touch.” She paused, remembering. He was looking wistful. Obviously, he’d never even heard of it.
“No, I have.” She gaped at him.
“What did you say?”
“I said, I have. Sorry, it must be that mind thing working up.” She nodded mouth still open.
“I always wanted to travel. I have, more than I wanted to. Maria and I, we use to lay bets, when we were kids, who’d be the first to leave Roswell? Who’d be the first to go to Hong Kong, Fiji, Zimbabwe, Giza, Madrid, Bavaria, Nice, Sri Lanka, the Northern Lights, y’know? It was a lifelong dream. I wanted to go to Europe. For some reason, the Old country appealed to me. Maybe it was the history, I don’t know. Maria wanted to go to Asia and the Middle East. She called me an uncivilized barbarian, more times than I could count, that I wouldn’t want to go to the cradle of civilization but waste hard-earned money on sniveling dead people who thought they were the Masters of the world."
Liz snorted. Max smiled and continued.
"She wasn’t very aesthetically inclined, but I guess the idea of dressing up like an Indian bride appealed to her jewelry-infested mind. Or a Turkish belly dancer.” He snickered
She let him warble on, knowing that these were words he’d held deep within himself, unable to voice them. Who could he speak to? His father didn’t want a reminder of his dead daughter, it made him go mad with grief. His mother was dead. She wondered if he even had any friends. And it gave a lot of insight to the girl Alex had fallen in love with.
“She played the guitar, didn’t she?”
Max bit back tears. “Yes. She did. I loved Metallica and I’d play it 24/7. She on the other hand concentrated on the alternative stuff, Smashing Pumpkins and such, y’know? I’d tease her calling them wannabe Metal freaks who couldn’t even play and she’d ruin my dates for the next week or two. Since she was older, she’d boss me around. It made me crazy. I couldn’t wait to get rid of her. I just didn’t know how much I’d miss her once she was really gone.” His voice trembled but he was smiling.
“Oh yeah, then we struck a bargain, that I would play the drums in her ‘so-called’ band and she’d play the guitar when I was in a mood to jam. That was basically it.” he looked over and saw her eyes wet.
“You know what’s weird?”
“What?” her voice was nothing more than a whisper.
“The fact that you would cry for me, Maria or Alex and yet you refuse to cry for yourself. Why is that, Liz? Or do you think you’re not even worth your own tears?”
The moment he’d uttered those words; he actually understood how much it had bothered him. These selfless acts of her. She was ready to kill people for her brother’s sake, she would risk discovery and heal him in a plane full of people, yet she wouldn’t shed a tear for herself. It upset him to think how low her own life was a priority with her.
She stared at him for a long time. The silence grew heavier than the fog outside. He still didn’t break eye contact. After an eternity, she bowed her head.
“I can’t. It’s become second nature to me. I can’t cry about my problems, they….”
“What? They’re not significant enough?” he interrupted. He couldn’t imagine what or who had done this to her self-esteem. Max himself was a proud man, but it didn’t stop him from talking about something that had genuinely hurt or angered him. Maybe not right then, but he eventually did flush it put of his system. He’d never tried to convince himself that he wasn’t worth it. He hadn’t been brought up like that at all. And then it hit him. The only person who’d brought Liz up was herself. And people like her would have a tendency to feel obligated to put themselves down. No wonder she’d turned out like that. His heart clenched. Just two nights ago, he would’ve never dreamed that the confident, ravishing beauty in front of him was the same one that he now confronted.
“Yes.” She whispered. “Yes, it had always been like that! I can’t put myself first, I just CAN’T!! I’ve tried. After Alex started going out with Maria, he’d told me to start looking out for myself. ONLY for myself. I couldn’t. I gave up my job at the research center in UCB in order to keep track of Alex when he went on the run. I joined an international think tank instead. They sent me out on assignments, development basically, into different countries of the world. I joined the Doctuers sans Borders because I needed to keep and eye on him, even though I’m no doctor. They just kept me for research, thank God. I couldn’t stop myself.” Her voice had risen to a high pitch by then.
Max looked at her in shock. “WHY? You didn’t owe him ANY thing!”
“Shut up!!” she screamed at him and instantly lowered her voice. But the intensity grew.
“He gave me a LIFE, godammn you! Just because he didn’t help bring me up doesn’t mean I can’t help him!” her eyes were enormous with her tears, yet she forced them back.
“What do you mean, he gave you a LIFE? He wasn’t even THERE!!” He spat out. He couldn’t imagine himself leaving Maria all alone to fend for herself.
“He DID! The day he showed himself was the day my life began!!” her voice suppressed years of anguish. Today that silence was broken. Words fell out of her mouth faster than she could correct herself. But it was high time. It was way past high time.
“The first few days I came out of the pods, I was completely alone. There was nobody. A drunk gave me my first meal of the day. Do you know what that was, Max? It was whiskey.”
Max nearly gagged at the thought of a six year old alien in a different world having whiskey on an empty stomach.
“Yeah, ever since then, I have grown a remarkable tolerance towards it. Alex on the other hand got drunker than a fiddler’s bitch if he drank even a sip. Anyway, I was taken to a shelter and from then on, 4 transfers to different foster homes. No one wanted a kid who couldn’t even talk. Some of them thought I was retarded, some thought me dumb. I couldn’t speak because I didn’t know how!"
"But my learning powers were fast, hence by the time I was seven, I was talking and doing well in class. Of course, my foster family left more than enough to desire.” She couldn’t keep the disgust out of her voice. She knew she shouldn’t, they HAD given her a home, but Max’s stare dared her to stop now.
She continued, goaded beyond reason. “Every night, my foster dad would get drunk. His wife, I can’t call her my mother, would go out with some guy and come back around morning. Me and my foster sister, Alexis were left to do all the stuff. It made me insane, it drove me crazy. But I was 7 years old. No chance of getting a job, no chance of escape. She used to beat me. She didn’t dare hit Alexis, because her husband would get on her case, so she took it out on me. Poor Alexis would be on her best behavior, terrified that her mistakes would rebound on me. I took it for a long time, but after one incident, I couldn’t take it anymore, so I ran away.” She stopped, breathing hard.
Her past flowed around her. How horrible it seemed now, yet she’d kept going then like it was a common occurrence. She had never even cried or blurted it out in front of strangers. She’d never felt the need for doing anything about it, back then. She’d just accepted it as it came. It was unreal now.
Max listened quietly. He knew she needed it off her chest but he couldn’t help but feel rage at the thought of Alex in his wonderful home with the Whitman’s, while Liz’d had to live like a refugee.
She took a draft of air into her lungs. “ It was emotionally a hard time for me because I’d just discovered my powers. It was terrifying keeping them under control, yet I knew instinctively that showing then would be worse. I stayed away from all kids my age because I was scared to death I’d do something and they’d call me a freak. They did it anyway, but at least they did it without proof.”
Max wondered if it was cruel, contemplating killing a bunch of kids. She didn’t stop.
“I lived in another foster home from when I was 11 till I was 14. At first, it was ok. Things were normal. We were in Nevada at that time. Middle school was much better. I didn’t have friends or anything, but it was
normal. I’d go out into the desert and practice my powers for hours."
Around the time, I was 13, the usual thing happened, y’know, growing up and all.” She paused. Her eyes were pained. Max held his breath; he already knew what was coming.
“My foster dad was a decent man, but he was disabled. So his son came to help. Tony was 34.” Max shuddered, he couldn’t help the revulsion. He could see Liz hugging herself. His heart broke.
“At first, I brushed it off like nothing. Tony had come home once before, when I was new there. He’d seemed friendly enough, always hugging me and stuff. I just ignored it when he touched me. But as it grew more persistent, I tried avoiding him but he was there. Everyday, he was there waiting for me. Always wanted to tuck me into bed and such." she paused, seeing the revulsion in his eyes.
"Dave, that’s my foster dad, liked me to be friendly with Tony but I heard him telling Tony to keep his distance; that neighbors would talk. I never understood. Hell, I was nearly 14, grew up without a mother or any friends, what did I know about hormones or sex or incest? All I knew was that my days were…. well, not exactly the best times for me. But when Tony finally cornered me, I was too desperate. I’d tried everything I could; he wouldn’t even let me scream. So I used my mind control. You know, the one I was telling you about I got out of there and he was still there pretending that he was mauling me…” Her voice broke off in a sob.
Max didn’t care. He leaned over and dragged her into his lap. She cuddled against him without a sound. She felt so soft, so defenseless and he knew that his rage at the injustice done to this helpless girl had just begun.
“I left that day. I went to the county judge. He gave me my emancipation papers by the end of the day. He said that no kid should’ve to go through this. He even gave me a job as his receptionist. I lived by myself from then on. That was the first time Alex had come by. Apparently the story had made some headlines. They’d been there, Alex and some of his friends in Nevada. Read the papers and Alex said the instant he saw my picture he knew me. It was that connection thing. For days, I’d feel something coming and it drove me crazy. I moved away to N. California, unable to live like that but it didn’t stop. He found me when I turned 16. The happiest day in my life. He cried and cried, he wanted to take me with him but eventually he backed down. Said something about tripping up alarms and such. Since then, we’d keep in touch through the Net. It was the first time that there had been someone in my life I could trust, openly and without reservations. He loved me, imperfect or perfect and it killed him to leave me there but he said that he’d rather have me alive then dead. I told him it was ok. It WAS ok. It had to be that way. "
"Both of us knew it. I just thanked the stars that finally there was someone for me. A family. I never had one before. That’s why I’m going crazy over Alex. I always have. I fussed about everything he’d say or do. It terrified the hell out of me that he won’t always be there. Because that would mean that I’m alone in this world. Again. I experienced it once. I don’t ever want to go back there again. I don’t care how selfish it is of me, but I’m sorry. I’ve lived through it once. Now that I know what it is to have someone care for me, I don’t think I can live without it. I don’t even want to. So, I’m sorry to tell you Max, but I’m not as selfless that you think I am. I need him in my life, that’s why I can’t let go.” She finished, her voice muffled by his chest..
Her tears had soaked through his shirtfront, but his chest was warm where she had breathed. She looked up at him, wondering how to thank him for giving her a chance to finally tell someone what it had been like for her. What she saw made her blood pound.
He was staring down at her, rage and tenderness alternating in his expression. He cared. He let it show plainly. Liz had never had a better gift from anyone in her life. She snuggled closer to him. His arms tightened like iron bands. She sighed, wondering why hugging was so underrated. What could possibly be better than to just let go and find that someone else was there, catching you, breaking the fall, shielding you from the dangers? Hardly anything.
“Don’t be so angry, Max.” her voice was low.
“Why?” his was guttural.
“I was lucky.”
He pulled back. “WHAT??”
“I was.” She insisted. “I could use my powers and get the hell out of there. Imagine the millions of kids who’re being tortured every day, and there’s no one they can turn to.”
“I know.” He sounded regretful. He pulled her even closer. She was nearly squashed, but she welcomed the feeling. It was much better than being at arm’s length.
“I know. And you know what? Even the biggest cowards, even those never spoke out, can’t. Speaking about your injuries is the hardest thing in the world. You don’t want pity or questions. You just want someone to care. The catch 22 is that unless you tell, no one cares. How many silent victims are there, anyway?” he spoke quietly, as if he’d had experience.
“Max?” there was inquiry in her tone.
“Hmmm?” he toyed with her hair.
“What about you? What dreams did you have that you couldn’t accomplish?”
“I never dreamed.”
“Never?” she knew he was holding back and she let it show.
“Fine.” He sounded resigned. “What do you want to know?
“Everything. I told you everything. It’s your turn.”
He exhaled for a long time. “I never wanted anything too much. I just loved science. I wanted to study it, immerse myself in it. If you would’ve made a bet with me 10 years ago, that I would’ve become what I am, I would’ve said you’re crazy. In fact I’d have reversed the bet and scammed off big bucks.” He laughed. It wasn’t a pleasant sound. Liz shivered and he stopped laughing.
“Sorry.”
“’S ok.” She smiled up at him. It felt so good, so right that she never wanted to let go.
Clearing her throat, she moved away. He simply pulled her back.
“Liz, it’s okay, once in a while, to let someone else take some of the burden. You can let go. I'll catch ya........This isn’t making you uncomfortable, is it?”
She shook her head. The silk brushed against his chest. Even through the cloth of his shirt, he could feel it burn his skin. For the hundredth time, he wondered why he was so attracted to her. It hadn’t made any sense before but it was beginning to now.
“Go on.” She broke into his thoughts.
“There’s nothing to go on with. Like I said, after Maria’s death, I became obsessed. I spent damn near a year tracking the bastards down. I never found out about Whitman. But the Feds, I could track.”
“You use a different choice of words.” She gazed up at him curiously. “I don’t know, this old way of talking.”
“Whaddya mean?”
“Different…”
“Oh.” He laughed, a little embarrassed. “ I spent a lot of my younger days in the Mesaliko Indian reservation. I was trained to track and hunt from an old Indian. River Dog. Yeah. He was my mentor.” He smiled again.
“Indian reservation?? Who the hell did you think you were, The Mask of Zorro?” she laughed.
“If you must know, there were no Indians in Mask of Zorro. No, I considered myself……heheheh…..you’ll never believe it.” He stopped, laughing and blushing like a five-year old. Liz found him absolutely adorable.
“Who?”
“Now, remember, I was 15 years old, ok? Don’t cough up a hairball.”
“Shaddup!!” she punched his arm. She was mentally preparing herself to cackle worse than a crowing rooster no matter what he said. A little hilarity would do more than good.
“Hawkeye.”
All laughter fled. She stared at him, eyes bigger than the moon and just as luminous.
“What?” she breathed.
“Daniel Day-Lewis. Hawkeye, you know Last of the Mohicans. Have you watched it?”
She nodded dumbly.
“Well, that’s who.” He sounded sheepish. At this mature age of 28, he could well understand if she decided to launch into hysterics.
“I KNEW it!!”
‘What?” he was baffled at her triumphant tone.
“Those eyes!! I knew I saw something like it!!” she was practically giddy with discovery.
“Liz, Daniel Day-Lewis had blue eyes!” he patiently corrected.
“No, I was talking about the intensity. You have the same thing. It glows and it just consumes whoever’s watching and it makes them…” she trailed off. He was staring at her with an amused smile, obviously flattered at her attention. DAMN!!
“Well, now, you really don’t have to be quite so generous. I’ll do whatever you want without it.”
She shoved him away. “Jerk!”
He laughed and then sobered. “I always loved Madeleine Stowe. She’s this awesome beauty. The first time my Mom brought in the DVD, I was a goner. She’s just so…. elegant.”
“I imagined myself to be Cora. Daughter of an English General, falling in love with a mysterious, dangerous, forbidden Indian. Ah, what love!!” she sighed melodramatically, emitting another laugh from him.
“Tell me this. What is it about females and this dangerous, mysterious factor? I never got it myself. What’re we poor, normal boys to do?”
“Why didn’t you decline my offer for a drink in Bangkok?”
“Uh......….ok, ok, I give!! There’s something very attractive about the X factor.”
“Exactly” she crowed.
“Alriiight, Einstein! Get some sleep.”
"Did you watch in the name of My Father?"
Max was silent. The paralells between the movie and their actual situation was too glaringly obvious. "Yeah. Daniel's charachter played the Connalin who was falsely accused of IRA bombings. Even with proof, the UK government didn't let'em go.His father was falsely imprisoned too. Yeah.... I watched it."
"Gruesome reality, huh?"
"Macabre." Max agreed. He coudl now see that he himselef had been teh pawn and Alex the hapless victim.
She pulled back. “Um… Max.” she pointed towards the double bed.
Max rolled his eyes. "Can you deal with it? I really don’t see you as some prissy virgin, afraid of me taking advantage of you. Not after everything you’ve shown you’re capable of.”
“I AM a prissy virgin!” she glared at him heatedly. ‘And for your edification, I’m not going to sit here and see make fun of me!”
“Edi…. WHAT?? Talk English!!”
“I did. I take it you've lost touch with your SAT words?”
“English of what? The 15th century?” he couldn’t get past the fact that she was a virgin. Greeeeat!!
“No. And you know perfectly well what I mean. Why’re you gaping at me like that?”
“I’m not gaping, I was just a little…surprised.”
“At what? My virginal state? Don’t be. How the hell was I supposed to know what sort of reaction, and I mean that quite literally, I was or rather my partner, was going to get AFTER I performed mating rituals with a different species? Last time I kissed a guy was in college and Kyle said he saw stars….” She broke off as he guffawed with laughter.
She fumed. “I really don’t see the joke here!! Quit howling like that!! So, what the hell was I supposed to do?” she glared at him as his laughter subsided.
“Oh man, that was a good one…ok, ok, no more jokes.’ He snickered as she tried to stay mad at him. The he quietened down. Irrational jealousy flew through him. “I thought you never had anyone who cared about you?” his accusation was clear.
She looked at him levelly. “I didn’t say he cared, did I?”
Max hung his head.
She sighed. “We had fun on a couple of dates. I guess by that time, I was so giddy that I didn’t break out in tentacles when he touched me that I got over-emotional. He got some flashes, obviously but we never persued it. We broke up after a while. As in very short while. Barely two weeks. But we were friends until graduation. I adored Kyle. He was a helluva lot of fun. And yeah, he did care about me. He saw me as this little abandoned puppy. He’d make sure I at least went out of my dorm room once in a while in four years.” She smiled, remembering.
He frowned darkly but smoothed it over in an instant. She didn’t catch it at all.
“So, what’re we going to do about the sleeping arrangements?” he asked after a sufficient while. Lying beside her held certain type of protective appeal. Hell, it held more than a lot of appeal. But lying beside her and doing nothing was going to kill him, slowly and mercilessly.
“We can share.” She stated, looking somewhat naïve.
He knew she really wasn’t all that inexperienced. She got through college, didn’t she? She HAS to know about the birds and the bees!
“And you’re ok with that?”
She nodded and got under the covers.
He swallowed and scratched behind his ear. What am I supposed to do NOW??
“Hey! We’ve got a long day tomorrow, y’know?” she bitched, fidgeting against the glare of the lamp. He forced his hand to move and switch it off.
Suddenly he was overcome by an irrational fear. DID she break into tentacles? Or what? He had no idea.
She sat up. “Are you coming or do I have to use my powers?”
The thoughts were so identical to what he’d been thinking that he cracked up and ducked under the covers, taking his shirt off in the process. They both lay on the opposite side of the bed, on their backs, staring at the ceiling. Little specks of light came in through the window, casting shadows on the walls. Sleep is gonna be impossible tonight. Both thought miserably.
“Max?”
“I thought you were anxious for some sleep.”
“You think I’m a complete whack job, right?”
“Whatever gave you that idea?”
“ Can it with the sarcams, okay?? Just the way you looked at me right before you got into bed. You think I’ve no idea of what could possibly happen.”
He kept quiet. To speak now would be committing the ultimate gaffe.
“Well, I do know!” she sounded defensive. He reached out and ran his hand down her arm.
She jerked. “What??”
“Nothing. If you do know, you wanna do something about it?”
She hissed “I figured!! Men!!”
“No, hun. It goes both ways. Relax. I’m not going to ravish you.”
“Don’t even think about it.”
“Whatever. Get some sleep.” He turned away.
“Max?”
“I thought you said you needed sleep!!” he muttered crankily.
“Yeah, I was. But I’m too nervous to sleep. What do I do?” her voice was again that weird mixture of innocence and sensuality. It also sounded needy. He sighed quietly.
He reached over, pulled her against him, spooning his body around her. His hand reached down and rubbed her stomach and she grabbed it like a lifeline. He leaned over and kissed her lightly on the forehead. “Goodnight and no talking.”
She nodded, her hair brushing across his bare skin. He reveled in the feeling. Sleep was a long time in coming for Max.
Max came back inside the dingy motel room. She’d been wearing a hole in the carpet since he’d left.
“Did he buy it?”
“I don’t know.”
“WHAT??”
“Easy. He agreed to meet me”
“Where?” She held her breath.
“California.”
“SHIT!!” she screamed.
He looked up, startled. Liz didn’t scream when she got pissed. She took it out on the first person available, but she didn't scream like a banshee. Obviously she'd been helluva lot more worried than she'd actually shown.
“Re-laaax!! Let me finish. He wanted it in California.
Liz, think about it. If Whitman was already dead or whatever, he wouldn’t care where he met me. Which leads me to believe that he’d around. Near here.” He didn’t have time to continue as she leapt on him. Her huge grin lit up the gray walls.
“You’re a freakin’ genius, man!!”
He caught her, more than surprised. Then grinned back. “I always knew it, but thanks for pandering to my ego, anyways.”
“I do it freely. Only when it produces results.” She teased back. She leaned her head back to look at him as he carried her.
He let her down easily on the bed. Damn room doesn’t even have a friggin’ couch!! She sat there looking up at him. She looked like something straight out of a fantasy. Hair loose, eyes like liquid chocolate, she was resting slightly on her elbows. Max groaned and inched himself down slowly. She didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he could see her breathing accelerate. He moved slowly, until he was leaning right in front of her beautiful face. Her lips trembled, just the slightest. He wondered if it was from anticipation or just fear. But he was far too gone to be scared.
Liz could see him moving closer. She knew she should move away. Her mind was screaming to her to get the fuck out of the way. Instead she almost reached out to pull him closer. She could smell him. She smelled of some woodsy cologne the outdoors and snow. She could practically taste his scent.
He was moving way too slowly. It was all she could do to keep from arching closer. His golden eyes had turned dark. I always wondered which way it would go when he loses control. Dark or light. Guess I know. She leaned up slightly. This was it, another half an inch and someone knocked.
Max snapped his eyes open. Liz was still sitting there. Looking slightly flushed and furious. Despite his own irritation, he grinned. She looked even more adorable when she lost control.
Crossing over to the door, he looked through the spy hole. It was a deliveryman.
“Did you order something?”
“Yeah. Pizza.’ She grinned reluctantly. “Nothing like Pizza Hut.”
“Darn it, I wanted Dominoes” he opened it and got the pizza.
They were sitting there, contemplating the day to come, when Liz broke the silence.
“What are you going to say to him?”
“Nothing important.”
“Is he going to talk?”
“No.” his tone was clipped.
“No, talk as in spill your guts, get the word out that you’re back.”
He looked at her for a long time. She was highly intelligent, perceptive. But she just didn’t get how the inner circles of the Intel community worked. He didn’t want to tell her that it was more than likely that Pierce was waiting to take him out just like he was itching to do the same. Or maybe Pierce had finally grown a brain, as the phone call had suggested
“No. I don’t think so.”
“Listen, Max.” he looked at her, longing to tell her to call his name out again. She did it differently. How is it possible to be so attracted to an ALIEN, no less, within a short span of less than 48 hours?
“I don’t know much about this, but I was thinking that if I took Alex while you were talking with Pierce, nobody can blame it on you. You’d have a solid alibi. As for motive, oh please! Which freak would consider YOU on Alex’s side?” she smiled through her pizza. Which was once again, completely oozing with Tabasco sauce.
“Don’t you ever get acid attacks? That has GOT to ruin your system!”
“We don’t have your weak human digestive tracts.”
“Oh, so now you think you’re superior?” there was a smile hidden in the repartee.
“I don’t think it, caveman, I KNOW it!! I don’t see any humans going and living in another planet for more than 40 years.” She parried back.
He smiled at her. “You should’ve been Irish. You lose your temper faster than anyone I know. Only over small matters, though. The bigger ones, you stay in control.”
She stared at him for a long while. It went without saying that by now, they trusted each other. She trusted him.
“I’ve never been to Ireland.” Her tone was wistful. And open. And he knew that she was finding relief in finally unburdening some of her past.
He felt his eyes sting. He hadn’t known how long he’d waited for her to open up to him. And here she was, eating pizza and telling him exactly why she’d felt the need to pull back, time and again, when she felt someone get close to her.
“Me too.” It didn’t hurt that he’d wanted the same thing.
“Really? I thought you had a jet-set career working for the Government.”
“It’s a sick way to travel. You get to know the bowels of each beautiful city you pass through. Never the better parts. Never the sights and sounds that you always see or read about. No, it’s always dirty, ugly. Nothing there is remotely pure or…I don’t know. It’s different.”
He was unable to find the word he was looking for. He looked at her and found her staring at him with an intent expression, as if she could feel his pain, his shame at having lead his life under such subterfuges.
“It’s never real, is it?”
He nodded dumbly. She continued. “It’s never real. It’s never what you want it to be. It’s always…..dark. And lonely. Like if you don’t watch your back, it’s all over.”
“Yeah.” Is she reading my mind?
“Yeah.” She sighed.
Her mind was in turmoil. More than anything else, she wanted to hurl herself at him and weep and tell him everything that she’d been through. She knew she could trust him implicitly. She knew he would understand, that he wouldn’t turn her away or fault her doing what she’d done back then to survive. He’d been through the same thing. She’d seen it the first time they’d made a connection. Without warning, it flared up now. Humming with immense power, just under the skin.
“Liz. I feel something.” His voice was hesitant.
“What?” she held her breath.
“You.” His answer was simple. “I can feel you, just out of my reach, yet you’re there.”
She nodded wearily. This was too much. If they were connected, that meant that they’d feel each other, even when they parted. That meant that he would stay in her mind forever, tormenting her with what-ifs even though they were going to be more apart than ever before.
She’d already made up her mind that she’d get as far as she could from the West. No more 1st world countries. They’d all exhausted their resources on politics, investments, war and diplomacy, now they were busy looking for aliens. They’d be discovered before long. A 3rd world country didn‘t have the luxury to look for aliens. They’d be safe. But what she didn’t need was Max Evans, looming like a spectre from her past, holding her back.
”Liz?” she opened her eyes.
“You were telling me about something.” Much to her relief, he didn’t pursue the whole connection. He was more intent on discovering her past.
For a second she regretted ever opening her mouth. Old wounds that still hadn’t healed still had the power to force her shut. But she threw caution to the winds. It was time to let herself freefall. She felt lighter than air, the discovery making her giddy.
“I was saying about how beautiful this planet is.”
“Right.” He nodded. “And how destructive we humans are.”
She smiled. “Yep. I remember my first visit to India. Darjeeling, to be precise. It’s hardly more than 8000 feet, but it was so beautiful. There is this journey from the town to a lake, lake Mirik. It reminded me of the Rockies, with much more of an Oriental touch.” She paused, remembering. He was looking wistful. Obviously, he’d never even heard of it.
“No, I have.” She gaped at him.
“What did you say?”
“I said, I have. Sorry, it must be that mind thing working up.” She nodded mouth still open.
“I always wanted to travel. I have, more than I wanted to. Maria and I, we use to lay bets, when we were kids, who’d be the first to leave Roswell? Who’d be the first to go to Hong Kong, Fiji, Zimbabwe, Giza, Madrid, Bavaria, Nice, Sri Lanka, the Northern Lights, y’know? It was a lifelong dream. I wanted to go to Europe. For some reason, the Old country appealed to me. Maybe it was the history, I don’t know. Maria wanted to go to Asia and the Middle East. She called me an uncivilized barbarian, more times than I could count, that I wouldn’t want to go to the cradle of civilization but waste hard-earned money on sniveling dead people who thought they were the Masters of the world."
Liz snorted. Max smiled and continued.
"She wasn’t very aesthetically inclined, but I guess the idea of dressing up like an Indian bride appealed to her jewelry-infested mind. Or a Turkish belly dancer.” He snickered
She let him warble on, knowing that these were words he’d held deep within himself, unable to voice them. Who could he speak to? His father didn’t want a reminder of his dead daughter, it made him go mad with grief. His mother was dead. She wondered if he even had any friends. And it gave a lot of insight to the girl Alex had fallen in love with.
“She played the guitar, didn’t she?”
Max bit back tears. “Yes. She did. I loved Metallica and I’d play it 24/7. She on the other hand concentrated on the alternative stuff, Smashing Pumpkins and such, y’know? I’d tease her calling them wannabe Metal freaks who couldn’t even play and she’d ruin my dates for the next week or two. Since she was older, she’d boss me around. It made me crazy. I couldn’t wait to get rid of her. I just didn’t know how much I’d miss her once she was really gone.” His voice trembled but he was smiling.
“Oh yeah, then we struck a bargain, that I would play the drums in her ‘so-called’ band and she’d play the guitar when I was in a mood to jam. That was basically it.” he looked over and saw her eyes wet.
“You know what’s weird?”
“What?” her voice was nothing more than a whisper.
“The fact that you would cry for me, Maria or Alex and yet you refuse to cry for yourself. Why is that, Liz? Or do you think you’re not even worth your own tears?”
The moment he’d uttered those words; he actually understood how much it had bothered him. These selfless acts of her. She was ready to kill people for her brother’s sake, she would risk discovery and heal him in a plane full of people, yet she wouldn’t shed a tear for herself. It upset him to think how low her own life was a priority with her.
She stared at him for a long time. The silence grew heavier than the fog outside. He still didn’t break eye contact. After an eternity, she bowed her head.
“I can’t. It’s become second nature to me. I can’t cry about my problems, they….”
“What? They’re not significant enough?” he interrupted. He couldn’t imagine what or who had done this to her self-esteem. Max himself was a proud man, but it didn’t stop him from talking about something that had genuinely hurt or angered him. Maybe not right then, but he eventually did flush it put of his system. He’d never tried to convince himself that he wasn’t worth it. He hadn’t been brought up like that at all. And then it hit him. The only person who’d brought Liz up was herself. And people like her would have a tendency to feel obligated to put themselves down. No wonder she’d turned out like that. His heart clenched. Just two nights ago, he would’ve never dreamed that the confident, ravishing beauty in front of him was the same one that he now confronted.
“Yes.” She whispered. “Yes, it had always been like that! I can’t put myself first, I just CAN’T!! I’ve tried. After Alex started going out with Maria, he’d told me to start looking out for myself. ONLY for myself. I couldn’t. I gave up my job at the research center in UCB in order to keep track of Alex when he went on the run. I joined an international think tank instead. They sent me out on assignments, development basically, into different countries of the world. I joined the Doctuers sans Borders because I needed to keep and eye on him, even though I’m no doctor. They just kept me for research, thank God. I couldn’t stop myself.” Her voice had risen to a high pitch by then.
Max looked at her in shock. “WHY? You didn’t owe him ANY thing!”
“Shut up!!” she screamed at him and instantly lowered her voice. But the intensity grew.
“He gave me a LIFE, godammn you! Just because he didn’t help bring me up doesn’t mean I can’t help him!” her eyes were enormous with her tears, yet she forced them back.
“What do you mean, he gave you a LIFE? He wasn’t even THERE!!” He spat out. He couldn’t imagine himself leaving Maria all alone to fend for herself.
“He DID! The day he showed himself was the day my life began!!” her voice suppressed years of anguish. Today that silence was broken. Words fell out of her mouth faster than she could correct herself. But it was high time. It was way past high time.
“The first few days I came out of the pods, I was completely alone. There was nobody. A drunk gave me my first meal of the day. Do you know what that was, Max? It was whiskey.”
Max nearly gagged at the thought of a six year old alien in a different world having whiskey on an empty stomach.
“Yeah, ever since then, I have grown a remarkable tolerance towards it. Alex on the other hand got drunker than a fiddler’s bitch if he drank even a sip. Anyway, I was taken to a shelter and from then on, 4 transfers to different foster homes. No one wanted a kid who couldn’t even talk. Some of them thought I was retarded, some thought me dumb. I couldn’t speak because I didn’t know how!"
"But my learning powers were fast, hence by the time I was seven, I was talking and doing well in class. Of course, my foster family left more than enough to desire.” She couldn’t keep the disgust out of her voice. She knew she shouldn’t, they HAD given her a home, but Max’s stare dared her to stop now.
She continued, goaded beyond reason. “Every night, my foster dad would get drunk. His wife, I can’t call her my mother, would go out with some guy and come back around morning. Me and my foster sister, Alexis were left to do all the stuff. It made me insane, it drove me crazy. But I was 7 years old. No chance of getting a job, no chance of escape. She used to beat me. She didn’t dare hit Alexis, because her husband would get on her case, so she took it out on me. Poor Alexis would be on her best behavior, terrified that her mistakes would rebound on me. I took it for a long time, but after one incident, I couldn’t take it anymore, so I ran away.” She stopped, breathing hard.
Her past flowed around her. How horrible it seemed now, yet she’d kept going then like it was a common occurrence. She had never even cried or blurted it out in front of strangers. She’d never felt the need for doing anything about it, back then. She’d just accepted it as it came. It was unreal now.
Max listened quietly. He knew she needed it off her chest but he couldn’t help but feel rage at the thought of Alex in his wonderful home with the Whitman’s, while Liz’d had to live like a refugee.
She took a draft of air into her lungs. “ It was emotionally a hard time for me because I’d just discovered my powers. It was terrifying keeping them under control, yet I knew instinctively that showing then would be worse. I stayed away from all kids my age because I was scared to death I’d do something and they’d call me a freak. They did it anyway, but at least they did it without proof.”
Max wondered if it was cruel, contemplating killing a bunch of kids. She didn’t stop.
“I lived in another foster home from when I was 11 till I was 14. At first, it was ok. Things were normal. We were in Nevada at that time. Middle school was much better. I didn’t have friends or anything, but it was
normal. I’d go out into the desert and practice my powers for hours."
Around the time, I was 13, the usual thing happened, y’know, growing up and all.” She paused. Her eyes were pained. Max held his breath; he already knew what was coming.
“My foster dad was a decent man, but he was disabled. So his son came to help. Tony was 34.” Max shuddered, he couldn’t help the revulsion. He could see Liz hugging herself. His heart broke.
“At first, I brushed it off like nothing. Tony had come home once before, when I was new there. He’d seemed friendly enough, always hugging me and stuff. I just ignored it when he touched me. But as it grew more persistent, I tried avoiding him but he was there. Everyday, he was there waiting for me. Always wanted to tuck me into bed and such." she paused, seeing the revulsion in his eyes.
"Dave, that’s my foster dad, liked me to be friendly with Tony but I heard him telling Tony to keep his distance; that neighbors would talk. I never understood. Hell, I was nearly 14, grew up without a mother or any friends, what did I know about hormones or sex or incest? All I knew was that my days were…. well, not exactly the best times for me. But when Tony finally cornered me, I was too desperate. I’d tried everything I could; he wouldn’t even let me scream. So I used my mind control. You know, the one I was telling you about I got out of there and he was still there pretending that he was mauling me…” Her voice broke off in a sob.
Max didn’t care. He leaned over and dragged her into his lap. She cuddled against him without a sound. She felt so soft, so defenseless and he knew that his rage at the injustice done to this helpless girl had just begun.
“I left that day. I went to the county judge. He gave me my emancipation papers by the end of the day. He said that no kid should’ve to go through this. He even gave me a job as his receptionist. I lived by myself from then on. That was the first time Alex had come by. Apparently the story had made some headlines. They’d been there, Alex and some of his friends in Nevada. Read the papers and Alex said the instant he saw my picture he knew me. It was that connection thing. For days, I’d feel something coming and it drove me crazy. I moved away to N. California, unable to live like that but it didn’t stop. He found me when I turned 16. The happiest day in my life. He cried and cried, he wanted to take me with him but eventually he backed down. Said something about tripping up alarms and such. Since then, we’d keep in touch through the Net. It was the first time that there had been someone in my life I could trust, openly and without reservations. He loved me, imperfect or perfect and it killed him to leave me there but he said that he’d rather have me alive then dead. I told him it was ok. It WAS ok. It had to be that way. "
"Both of us knew it. I just thanked the stars that finally there was someone for me. A family. I never had one before. That’s why I’m going crazy over Alex. I always have. I fussed about everything he’d say or do. It terrified the hell out of me that he won’t always be there. Because that would mean that I’m alone in this world. Again. I experienced it once. I don’t ever want to go back there again. I don’t care how selfish it is of me, but I’m sorry. I’ve lived through it once. Now that I know what it is to have someone care for me, I don’t think I can live without it. I don’t even want to. So, I’m sorry to tell you Max, but I’m not as selfless that you think I am. I need him in my life, that’s why I can’t let go.” She finished, her voice muffled by his chest..
Her tears had soaked through his shirtfront, but his chest was warm where she had breathed. She looked up at him, wondering how to thank him for giving her a chance to finally tell someone what it had been like for her. What she saw made her blood pound.
He was staring down at her, rage and tenderness alternating in his expression. He cared. He let it show plainly. Liz had never had a better gift from anyone in her life. She snuggled closer to him. His arms tightened like iron bands. She sighed, wondering why hugging was so underrated. What could possibly be better than to just let go and find that someone else was there, catching you, breaking the fall, shielding you from the dangers? Hardly anything.
“Don’t be so angry, Max.” her voice was low.
“Why?” his was guttural.
“I was lucky.”
He pulled back. “WHAT??”
“I was.” She insisted. “I could use my powers and get the hell out of there. Imagine the millions of kids who’re being tortured every day, and there’s no one they can turn to.”
“I know.” He sounded regretful. He pulled her even closer. She was nearly squashed, but she welcomed the feeling. It was much better than being at arm’s length.
“I know. And you know what? Even the biggest cowards, even those never spoke out, can’t. Speaking about your injuries is the hardest thing in the world. You don’t want pity or questions. You just want someone to care. The catch 22 is that unless you tell, no one cares. How many silent victims are there, anyway?” he spoke quietly, as if he’d had experience.
“Max?” there was inquiry in her tone.
“Hmmm?” he toyed with her hair.
“What about you? What dreams did you have that you couldn’t accomplish?”
“I never dreamed.”
“Never?” she knew he was holding back and she let it show.
“Fine.” He sounded resigned. “What do you want to know?
“Everything. I told you everything. It’s your turn.”
He exhaled for a long time. “I never wanted anything too much. I just loved science. I wanted to study it, immerse myself in it. If you would’ve made a bet with me 10 years ago, that I would’ve become what I am, I would’ve said you’re crazy. In fact I’d have reversed the bet and scammed off big bucks.” He laughed. It wasn’t a pleasant sound. Liz shivered and he stopped laughing.
“Sorry.”
“’S ok.” She smiled up at him. It felt so good, so right that she never wanted to let go.
Clearing her throat, she moved away. He simply pulled her back.
“Liz, it’s okay, once in a while, to let someone else take some of the burden. You can let go. I'll catch ya........This isn’t making you uncomfortable, is it?”
She shook her head. The silk brushed against his chest. Even through the cloth of his shirt, he could feel it burn his skin. For the hundredth time, he wondered why he was so attracted to her. It hadn’t made any sense before but it was beginning to now.
“Go on.” She broke into his thoughts.
“There’s nothing to go on with. Like I said, after Maria’s death, I became obsessed. I spent damn near a year tracking the bastards down. I never found out about Whitman. But the Feds, I could track.”
“You use a different choice of words.” She gazed up at him curiously. “I don’t know, this old way of talking.”
“Whaddya mean?”
“Different…”
“Oh.” He laughed, a little embarrassed. “ I spent a lot of my younger days in the Mesaliko Indian reservation. I was trained to track and hunt from an old Indian. River Dog. Yeah. He was my mentor.” He smiled again.
“Indian reservation?? Who the hell did you think you were, The Mask of Zorro?” she laughed.
“If you must know, there were no Indians in Mask of Zorro. No, I considered myself……heheheh…..you’ll never believe it.” He stopped, laughing and blushing like a five-year old. Liz found him absolutely adorable.
“Who?”
“Now, remember, I was 15 years old, ok? Don’t cough up a hairball.”
“Shaddup!!” she punched his arm. She was mentally preparing herself to cackle worse than a crowing rooster no matter what he said. A little hilarity would do more than good.
“Hawkeye.”
All laughter fled. She stared at him, eyes bigger than the moon and just as luminous.
“What?” she breathed.
“Daniel Day-Lewis. Hawkeye, you know Last of the Mohicans. Have you watched it?”
She nodded dumbly.
“Well, that’s who.” He sounded sheepish. At this mature age of 28, he could well understand if she decided to launch into hysterics.
“I KNEW it!!”
‘What?” he was baffled at her triumphant tone.
“Those eyes!! I knew I saw something like it!!” she was practically giddy with discovery.
“Liz, Daniel Day-Lewis had blue eyes!” he patiently corrected.
“No, I was talking about the intensity. You have the same thing. It glows and it just consumes whoever’s watching and it makes them…” she trailed off. He was staring at her with an amused smile, obviously flattered at her attention. DAMN!!
“Well, now, you really don’t have to be quite so generous. I’ll do whatever you want without it.”
She shoved him away. “Jerk!”
He laughed and then sobered. “I always loved Madeleine Stowe. She’s this awesome beauty. The first time my Mom brought in the DVD, I was a goner. She’s just so…. elegant.”
“I imagined myself to be Cora. Daughter of an English General, falling in love with a mysterious, dangerous, forbidden Indian. Ah, what love!!” she sighed melodramatically, emitting another laugh from him.
“Tell me this. What is it about females and this dangerous, mysterious factor? I never got it myself. What’re we poor, normal boys to do?”
“Why didn’t you decline my offer for a drink in Bangkok?”
“Uh......….ok, ok, I give!! There’s something very attractive about the X factor.”
“Exactly” she crowed.
“Alriiight, Einstein! Get some sleep.”
"Did you watch in the name of My Father?"
Max was silent. The paralells between the movie and their actual situation was too glaringly obvious. "Yeah. Daniel's charachter played the Connalin who was falsely accused of IRA bombings. Even with proof, the UK government didn't let'em go.His father was falsely imprisoned too. Yeah.... I watched it."
"Gruesome reality, huh?"
"Macabre." Max agreed. He coudl now see that he himselef had been teh pawn and Alex the hapless victim.
She pulled back. “Um… Max.” she pointed towards the double bed.
Max rolled his eyes. "Can you deal with it? I really don’t see you as some prissy virgin, afraid of me taking advantage of you. Not after everything you’ve shown you’re capable of.”
“I AM a prissy virgin!” she glared at him heatedly. ‘And for your edification, I’m not going to sit here and see make fun of me!”
“Edi…. WHAT?? Talk English!!”
“I did. I take it you've lost touch with your SAT words?”
“English of what? The 15th century?” he couldn’t get past the fact that she was a virgin. Greeeeat!!
“No. And you know perfectly well what I mean. Why’re you gaping at me like that?”
“I’m not gaping, I was just a little…surprised.”
“At what? My virginal state? Don’t be. How the hell was I supposed to know what sort of reaction, and I mean that quite literally, I was or rather my partner, was going to get AFTER I performed mating rituals with a different species? Last time I kissed a guy was in college and Kyle said he saw stars….” She broke off as he guffawed with laughter.
She fumed. “I really don’t see the joke here!! Quit howling like that!! So, what the hell was I supposed to do?” she glared at him as his laughter subsided.
“Oh man, that was a good one…ok, ok, no more jokes.’ He snickered as she tried to stay mad at him. The he quietened down. Irrational jealousy flew through him. “I thought you never had anyone who cared about you?” his accusation was clear.
She looked at him levelly. “I didn’t say he cared, did I?”
Max hung his head.
She sighed. “We had fun on a couple of dates. I guess by that time, I was so giddy that I didn’t break out in tentacles when he touched me that I got over-emotional. He got some flashes, obviously but we never persued it. We broke up after a while. As in very short while. Barely two weeks. But we were friends until graduation. I adored Kyle. He was a helluva lot of fun. And yeah, he did care about me. He saw me as this little abandoned puppy. He’d make sure I at least went out of my dorm room once in a while in four years.” She smiled, remembering.
He frowned darkly but smoothed it over in an instant. She didn’t catch it at all.
“So, what’re we going to do about the sleeping arrangements?” he asked after a sufficient while. Lying beside her held certain type of protective appeal. Hell, it held more than a lot of appeal. But lying beside her and doing nothing was going to kill him, slowly and mercilessly.
“We can share.” She stated, looking somewhat naïve.
He knew she really wasn’t all that inexperienced. She got through college, didn’t she? She HAS to know about the birds and the bees!
“And you’re ok with that?”
She nodded and got under the covers.
He swallowed and scratched behind his ear. What am I supposed to do NOW??
“Hey! We’ve got a long day tomorrow, y’know?” she bitched, fidgeting against the glare of the lamp. He forced his hand to move and switch it off.
Suddenly he was overcome by an irrational fear. DID she break into tentacles? Or what? He had no idea.
She sat up. “Are you coming or do I have to use my powers?”
The thoughts were so identical to what he’d been thinking that he cracked up and ducked under the covers, taking his shirt off in the process. They both lay on the opposite side of the bed, on their backs, staring at the ceiling. Little specks of light came in through the window, casting shadows on the walls. Sleep is gonna be impossible tonight. Both thought miserably.
“Max?”
“I thought you were anxious for some sleep.”
“You think I’m a complete whack job, right?”
“Whatever gave you that idea?”
“ Can it with the sarcams, okay?? Just the way you looked at me right before you got into bed. You think I’ve no idea of what could possibly happen.”
He kept quiet. To speak now would be committing the ultimate gaffe.
“Well, I do know!” she sounded defensive. He reached out and ran his hand down her arm.
She jerked. “What??”
“Nothing. If you do know, you wanna do something about it?”
She hissed “I figured!! Men!!”
“No, hun. It goes both ways. Relax. I’m not going to ravish you.”
“Don’t even think about it.”
“Whatever. Get some sleep.” He turned away.
“Max?”
“I thought you said you needed sleep!!” he muttered crankily.
“Yeah, I was. But I’m too nervous to sleep. What do I do?” her voice was again that weird mixture of innocence and sensuality. It also sounded needy. He sighed quietly.
He reached over, pulled her against him, spooning his body around her. His hand reached down and rubbed her stomach and she grabbed it like a lifeline. He leaned over and kissed her lightly on the forehead. “Goodnight and no talking.”
She nodded, her hair brushing across his bare skin. He reveled in the feeling. Sleep was a long time in coming for Max.
Last edited by dream on on Mon Sep 08, 2003 7:54 am, edited 2 times in total.
Chapter 16.
Morning went by hurriedly. Neither had the time to reflect on what had gone on last night. The tragedies that they’d each faced and what comfort they had found in each other, in freedom of finally letting go. No, the morning was spent in rushed movements, quick cleanups, complete erasure of Max Evans and Liz Parker from the dingy hotel room.
“Did he specify a time?”
“5:00 pm”
“That’s an odd time.”
“It’s busy.” He didn’t bother to expand on it.
She shrugged. “Great, now that we’re out of the motel and no place to go, what do we do now?”
“We wait. And go over it again. You do realize that this is life-changing stuff?” his sarcasm was lost on her.
“Let’s get out of here. Drive around, stake out positions.”
“Liz! We don’t KNOW where they are, remember?” sometimes the girl was just dense.
“I know that. I did some research, back in Thailand. They’re a number of possible places they could’ve taken him. Let’s just go over them.”
“Forget it. This is deep, deep, cover. A black drape, if you must know. There’s no way in hell it’s going to be in some military base or government facilities. Well known ones, at that.”
“Wait. What do you mean by ‘black drape’? It was funded, right? How can the State Department NOT know?”
“Black drapes are some cases which are kept under maximum security, maximum cover. Simply put, the information under a ‘black drape’ cannot be unearthed. Not unless you’re cleared by the White House. Or unless,” he smiled “you’re an alien.”
“Gotta agree on that one. So, if they think Alex is so damn important, any ideas on where he might be?”
“I’ve got a few. Namely the fact that it’s gotta be safe-houses at this point.”
“Any locations?”
“Are you kidding?” he looked at her. “It’s top secret. No one knows where the hell those are until and unless you’re on Permanent Entry logs. Even then, there are a million legalities.”
“How do you know so much if you’ve never knew about one?” she stared at him.
“I was trained in one.” The flat tone suggested that the topic was OVER.
“Ok,” she relented, “what do we do now?”
Max didn’t answer but immediately swung the car back for Washington.
“What‘re you doing??” she shrank back in her seat.
“I know someone who might have some information. An old friend. A very old friend.”
“WHO, for god’s sake??” she huffed.
“Michael. Michael Guerin.”
“Oh, now I get it!!” she rolled her eyes. “Quit being so secretive and tell me, already, who the hell is this guy???”
“My friend.”
“Thanks, that helps a ton.” She sneered.
“Oh, cut it out! What you don't trust my judement now??” Max looked at her annoyed. “Liz,” he gentled his tone
“WHAT??” she snarled.
“Touchy, touchy.”
A glare was his only reply.
He ignored it, his mind full of just one thing only. Michael Guerin.
Max pulled over near a telephone booth. Nothing.
“DAMN!!”
“Try Directory Assistance.” Her tone was again placid, but he could detect underlying traces of fear.
“I won’t tell him about you, I swear.”
She nodded vigorously. “I know, I know.”
“No, you don’t have to be worried. Like I said, he’s an old friend.” He reassured her.
“Don’t you have a contact address?”
“We both left Roswell in the same year. I don’t think he ever went back, either.”
“Do you have a number in Roswell that you could call?”
“Yeah.”
It was a while before Max got in touch with someone. Obviously, he knew them well, because he was getting all choked up and nostalgic. He talked on and on to someone called Isabel and Liz felt a prickle of jealousy, but ignored it. After almost half an hour, Max hung up.
“Well??”
“Yeah, I got it. Shit, he’s in Fort Detrick!!”
“Another scientist?” she gaped at him.
“Yeah. He’s a doctor.”
“So,” she continued in a very nonchalant tone, “who was that girl you were talking to?”
He stared at her for a moment, and then laughed out loud.
“I don’t see anything remotely funny!!” she knew she sounded defensive, that it would only feed his over-sized ego more but.... it was hard keeping it unemotional.
From time immemorial, she’d never gotten truly involved with anyone. She’d never flirted, not even when there’d been plenty of good-looking, intelligent fun men asking her out, she’d withdrawn and watched as other girls lapped it all up. She’d never been coy because she’d never even had a chance. All of a sudden, she realized the fun in leading guys on, just a little bit, toy with them, fluffing their ego and making them blush. She understood what Scarlett had meant when she talked about not getting over the “Belle of the county” syndrome; it was addictive, enticing and what’s the fun of being a girl if you can’t blush and bat your eyelashes now and then?
For the umpteenth time, after her exorcising her past, she felt an unbound freedom; even though her world was shattering, she was alive for the first time in her life.
She smiled, a genuine smile making Max swallow, very visibly. Then he started. ‘Isabel?” he teased.
“Yeah, who is she?”
“A very attractive old….”
“Flame?” she enquired, feeling unhealthily jealous.
“Married woman.”
“Ohhh!!” she sighed gustily, enjoying Max’s preening. He seemed to enjoy it so much that she couldn’t help but wonder if he had done this before or not. His face alone guaranteed a track record that would’ve put Jennifer Lopez to shame, but what the hell, appearances are deceiving.
“Why? Surprised?” he grinned. She looked adorable, eyes alight with mischief and a little bit of what he didn’t know. Feminine mystique, probably.
“She’s Michael’s sister. Elder sister.” He stressed. She just rolled her eyes. “Satisfied?”
“Why not?” She bestowed regally as she took up the phone again. “Care to call your bud?”
“Ok.” He took the receiver from her and dialed.
“Fort Detrick, how may I be of assistance?”
“I’m looking for Dr. Guerin, Research.”
“Who may I say is calling?”
Max thought quickly. “Ah…. Sean. Sean Deluca.”
“One moment.”
“Who?” Liz whispered. She understood the need for an alias, but would this Michael guy recognize it?
“It’s an old joke. Michael hated Deluca. They had run-ins more time than we could count, back in Roswell. I’m the one he usually called to save his sorry ass.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah…Hello?” Max squinted.
“Yeah, this is Sean Deluca…hahahha, good one, you Sonofabitch! Michael, it’s me!” the raw emotion in his voice made Liz glance up. His eyes were suspiciously bright, his voice loaded. She walked away, knowing he needed some privacy.
It was a while when he came to her. He looked collected.
“That was Michael. He and I go way back. He’s in USMRIID now, can you believe it?” the wistfulness in his voice mirrored his desire to have gone on the same path. But he hadn’t. He’d never made it to the lofty heights that evidently his best friend had. Liz reached over for his hand. He didn’t say anything, just intertwined their fingers.
“He knows about Whitman.”
“WHAT??”
“Easy, girl!!”
“NO!! How could you, Max?? You told him over the phone?? Suppose someone tapped it? Or maybe they can match voiceprints or something?? Great! that’s just bloody marvelous!!”
“Do you know you have an adorable Brit accent?”
“Do you know how annoying you are?” she flung back. This wasn’t a joking matter.
“Calm down, Lizzie. He knows because he’s one of the doctors there.”
There was total silence. Liz was quiet, she didn’t even breathed. Despite her attempts to control it, a quaver broke out.
"Is he dead?”
“He hasn’t gone in there yet. He goes in within this week. Why would they bring him in if he was dead? It doesn’t make sense.”
“Max, we both studied science, you know!! What if they got everything they need? They’re now in the process of studying his system and stuff?”
She said the words aloud and realized what horrors she’d never acknowledged before. He could be cut up in a million pieces by now!
The palpitation in her heart rose uncontrollably.
“No. Don’t think like that. It's not like that!” She stared at him.
“How the hell do you know what I'm thinking about?”
“It’s that mind thing. Can’t you tell?”
Then it came to her. She could feel him. His elation at talking with Michael, his concern for her, his growing worry over Alex and the whole situation.
“Yeah.” She replied in a small voice.
“Ok,” his tone turned businesslike, “So, Michael doesn’t know where they’ve taken Alex. I guess Pierce would have to do.”
“Right. But mind you, when I give the signal, get the hell out of there. I can’t deal with heroics, all right? So, please just get out and get AWAY when I say so.”
He stared at her. “You really don’t get it, do you? I’m not just going to walk away, knowing NOTHING. YOU don’t have to play the hero here! There’s more at stake than just your godammned PRIDE!!” the last few words came out in a shout.
“What do you propose? Turn yourself in and THEN break out? Jesus H. Christ, you’re MAD!!” she banged the horn in frustration.
“No. Don’t be ridiculous. Like I said, I get Pierce to talk. You go after Alex. I’ll come after you and do the clean up, you leave with Alex. Trust me, I can make it out of there.”
‘And what about Pierce? He won’t suspect?”
“No. Because he’s going to be in a congressional meeting, explaining how the hell he squandered off 4 million greenbacks without proper accounting of expenditures.”
Liz stared at him, mouth hanging open in shock. “HUH??”
Max grinned devilishly. Amber eyes were shooting off sparks, making his face come alive. Eyes narrowed, smile sly, he looked like something out of a movie set. Wow!!
“Liz?” he prompted, she looked like she’d stars in her eyes and he didn’t know why.
“Huh?” she came back down to her surroundings. ‘Did you say something?”
“I was wondering where you went?” she could sense rather than see his triumphant grin. God, he was like a kid with a new toy. And God damn this infernal connection!
“I’m right here.” She returned prudishly. Then it struck her what he’d said about Pierce.
“How the fuck do you know about Pierce’s meetings?”
“I’m a clairvoyant.” He intoned, looking suitably solemn.
“Cut it out!! How’d you know??”
“Easy. I create one.”
“WHAT??” this time her shout was not muted.
Morning went by hurriedly. Neither had the time to reflect on what had gone on last night. The tragedies that they’d each faced and what comfort they had found in each other, in freedom of finally letting go. No, the morning was spent in rushed movements, quick cleanups, complete erasure of Max Evans and Liz Parker from the dingy hotel room.
“Did he specify a time?”
“5:00 pm”
“That’s an odd time.”
“It’s busy.” He didn’t bother to expand on it.
She shrugged. “Great, now that we’re out of the motel and no place to go, what do we do now?”
“We wait. And go over it again. You do realize that this is life-changing stuff?” his sarcasm was lost on her.
“Let’s get out of here. Drive around, stake out positions.”
“Liz! We don’t KNOW where they are, remember?” sometimes the girl was just dense.
“I know that. I did some research, back in Thailand. They’re a number of possible places they could’ve taken him. Let’s just go over them.”
“Forget it. This is deep, deep, cover. A black drape, if you must know. There’s no way in hell it’s going to be in some military base or government facilities. Well known ones, at that.”
“Wait. What do you mean by ‘black drape’? It was funded, right? How can the State Department NOT know?”
“Black drapes are some cases which are kept under maximum security, maximum cover. Simply put, the information under a ‘black drape’ cannot be unearthed. Not unless you’re cleared by the White House. Or unless,” he smiled “you’re an alien.”
“Gotta agree on that one. So, if they think Alex is so damn important, any ideas on where he might be?”
“I’ve got a few. Namely the fact that it’s gotta be safe-houses at this point.”
“Any locations?”
“Are you kidding?” he looked at her. “It’s top secret. No one knows where the hell those are until and unless you’re on Permanent Entry logs. Even then, there are a million legalities.”
“How do you know so much if you’ve never knew about one?” she stared at him.
“I was trained in one.” The flat tone suggested that the topic was OVER.
“Ok,” she relented, “what do we do now?”
Max didn’t answer but immediately swung the car back for Washington.
“What‘re you doing??” she shrank back in her seat.
“I know someone who might have some information. An old friend. A very old friend.”
“WHO, for god’s sake??” she huffed.
“Michael. Michael Guerin.”
“Oh, now I get it!!” she rolled her eyes. “Quit being so secretive and tell me, already, who the hell is this guy???”
“My friend.”
“Thanks, that helps a ton.” She sneered.
“Oh, cut it out! What you don't trust my judement now??” Max looked at her annoyed. “Liz,” he gentled his tone
“WHAT??” she snarled.
“Touchy, touchy.”
A glare was his only reply.
He ignored it, his mind full of just one thing only. Michael Guerin.
Max pulled over near a telephone booth. Nothing.
“DAMN!!”
“Try Directory Assistance.” Her tone was again placid, but he could detect underlying traces of fear.
“I won’t tell him about you, I swear.”
She nodded vigorously. “I know, I know.”
“No, you don’t have to be worried. Like I said, he’s an old friend.” He reassured her.
“Don’t you have a contact address?”
“We both left Roswell in the same year. I don’t think he ever went back, either.”
“Do you have a number in Roswell that you could call?”
“Yeah.”
It was a while before Max got in touch with someone. Obviously, he knew them well, because he was getting all choked up and nostalgic. He talked on and on to someone called Isabel and Liz felt a prickle of jealousy, but ignored it. After almost half an hour, Max hung up.
“Well??”
“Yeah, I got it. Shit, he’s in Fort Detrick!!”
“Another scientist?” she gaped at him.
“Yeah. He’s a doctor.”
“So,” she continued in a very nonchalant tone, “who was that girl you were talking to?”
He stared at her for a moment, and then laughed out loud.
“I don’t see anything remotely funny!!” she knew she sounded defensive, that it would only feed his over-sized ego more but.... it was hard keeping it unemotional.
From time immemorial, she’d never gotten truly involved with anyone. She’d never flirted, not even when there’d been plenty of good-looking, intelligent fun men asking her out, she’d withdrawn and watched as other girls lapped it all up. She’d never been coy because she’d never even had a chance. All of a sudden, she realized the fun in leading guys on, just a little bit, toy with them, fluffing their ego and making them blush. She understood what Scarlett had meant when she talked about not getting over the “Belle of the county” syndrome; it was addictive, enticing and what’s the fun of being a girl if you can’t blush and bat your eyelashes now and then?
For the umpteenth time, after her exorcising her past, she felt an unbound freedom; even though her world was shattering, she was alive for the first time in her life.
She smiled, a genuine smile making Max swallow, very visibly. Then he started. ‘Isabel?” he teased.
“Yeah, who is she?”
“A very attractive old….”
“Flame?” she enquired, feeling unhealthily jealous.
“Married woman.”
“Ohhh!!” she sighed gustily, enjoying Max’s preening. He seemed to enjoy it so much that she couldn’t help but wonder if he had done this before or not. His face alone guaranteed a track record that would’ve put Jennifer Lopez to shame, but what the hell, appearances are deceiving.
“Why? Surprised?” he grinned. She looked adorable, eyes alight with mischief and a little bit of what he didn’t know. Feminine mystique, probably.
“She’s Michael’s sister. Elder sister.” He stressed. She just rolled her eyes. “Satisfied?”
“Why not?” She bestowed regally as she took up the phone again. “Care to call your bud?”
“Ok.” He took the receiver from her and dialed.
“Fort Detrick, how may I be of assistance?”
“I’m looking for Dr. Guerin, Research.”
“Who may I say is calling?”
Max thought quickly. “Ah…. Sean. Sean Deluca.”
“One moment.”
“Who?” Liz whispered. She understood the need for an alias, but would this Michael guy recognize it?
“It’s an old joke. Michael hated Deluca. They had run-ins more time than we could count, back in Roswell. I’m the one he usually called to save his sorry ass.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah…Hello?” Max squinted.
“Yeah, this is Sean Deluca…hahahha, good one, you Sonofabitch! Michael, it’s me!” the raw emotion in his voice made Liz glance up. His eyes were suspiciously bright, his voice loaded. She walked away, knowing he needed some privacy.
It was a while when he came to her. He looked collected.
“That was Michael. He and I go way back. He’s in USMRIID now, can you believe it?” the wistfulness in his voice mirrored his desire to have gone on the same path. But he hadn’t. He’d never made it to the lofty heights that evidently his best friend had. Liz reached over for his hand. He didn’t say anything, just intertwined their fingers.
“He knows about Whitman.”
“WHAT??”
“Easy, girl!!”
“NO!! How could you, Max?? You told him over the phone?? Suppose someone tapped it? Or maybe they can match voiceprints or something?? Great! that’s just bloody marvelous!!”
“Do you know you have an adorable Brit accent?”
“Do you know how annoying you are?” she flung back. This wasn’t a joking matter.
“Calm down, Lizzie. He knows because he’s one of the doctors there.”
There was total silence. Liz was quiet, she didn’t even breathed. Despite her attempts to control it, a quaver broke out.
"Is he dead?”
“He hasn’t gone in there yet. He goes in within this week. Why would they bring him in if he was dead? It doesn’t make sense.”
“Max, we both studied science, you know!! What if they got everything they need? They’re now in the process of studying his system and stuff?”
She said the words aloud and realized what horrors she’d never acknowledged before. He could be cut up in a million pieces by now!
The palpitation in her heart rose uncontrollably.
“No. Don’t think like that. It's not like that!” She stared at him.
“How the hell do you know what I'm thinking about?”
“It’s that mind thing. Can’t you tell?”
Then it came to her. She could feel him. His elation at talking with Michael, his concern for her, his growing worry over Alex and the whole situation.
“Yeah.” She replied in a small voice.
“Ok,” his tone turned businesslike, “So, Michael doesn’t know where they’ve taken Alex. I guess Pierce would have to do.”
“Right. But mind you, when I give the signal, get the hell out of there. I can’t deal with heroics, all right? So, please just get out and get AWAY when I say so.”
He stared at her. “You really don’t get it, do you? I’m not just going to walk away, knowing NOTHING. YOU don’t have to play the hero here! There’s more at stake than just your godammned PRIDE!!” the last few words came out in a shout.
“What do you propose? Turn yourself in and THEN break out? Jesus H. Christ, you’re MAD!!” she banged the horn in frustration.
“No. Don’t be ridiculous. Like I said, I get Pierce to talk. You go after Alex. I’ll come after you and do the clean up, you leave with Alex. Trust me, I can make it out of there.”
‘And what about Pierce? He won’t suspect?”
“No. Because he’s going to be in a congressional meeting, explaining how the hell he squandered off 4 million greenbacks without proper accounting of expenditures.”
Liz stared at him, mouth hanging open in shock. “HUH??”
Max grinned devilishly. Amber eyes were shooting off sparks, making his face come alive. Eyes narrowed, smile sly, he looked like something out of a movie set. Wow!!
“Liz?” he prompted, she looked like she’d stars in her eyes and he didn’t know why.
“Huh?” she came back down to her surroundings. ‘Did you say something?”
“I was wondering where you went?” she could sense rather than see his triumphant grin. God, he was like a kid with a new toy. And God damn this infernal connection!
“I’m right here.” She returned prudishly. Then it struck her what he’d said about Pierce.
“How the fuck do you know about Pierce’s meetings?”
“I’m a clairvoyant.” He intoned, looking suitably solemn.
“Cut it out!! How’d you know??”
“Easy. I create one.”
“WHAT??” this time her shout was not muted.
Chapter 17.
“Have you lost your friggin’ brain??” She couldn’t believe this; the guy couldn’t pick a better time to lose his marbles!!
“No, dahling. And neither have you, trust me.” when she looked like she was going to pass out.
“I do want to, dahling, but how can I when YOU are obviously OUTSIDE your mind!!”
“Oh come on!! What happened to your sense of adventure?” he adorned an injured look.
“I stuffed it down with breakfast!! Now quit the play-acting and explain how you’re going to do the absurd thing you just suggested!! How can you possibly create misappropriations of funds??” she couldn’t believe that in the middle of a crisis, here they were making fun of this impossible situation and actually enjoying themselves. How did this guy do it? How could he tear through her defenses like a freight train? It baffled her no end. But it also makes you alive, Liz!! Her traitorous hear spoke up. She ignored it. She didn’t know what was happening to her, she was chipper one second, worried out of her mind the next. There was no explanation, no logical explanation she could give, even to herself, for this rapid change in her behavior. It boggled the mind.
“Jeez!! Loosen up, will ya? Quite simple. I have YOU, Queen Amidala.” Inspite of herself, she snickered and he bestowed another jelly-inducing smile her way. She sighed, why fight it? It was easier going along with him.
“That’s better,” he said, satisfied. “Ok. First off, we hack into FBI. It’s simple, more than simple actually. I still have the account. Ok, then it’s just matter of changing appropriations records. After that, it’s pancake. State’s gotta be clamoring up the walls. Those analysts are terrific. One cent misplaced, they sound the bullhorn.” He paused, seeing how she took it. Not too well.
“Why can’t we just get in and find out where they’re holding Alex? That would save you the trouble from going head-to-head with Pierce.”
“Jesus, haven’t you been listening? Black drape means it’s impenetrable. You can’t unearth it!” he leaned back against the car seat. He was feeling the first stirrings if Jet lag.
“Sorry.” He said after a pause. She didn’t say anything, just kept looking out the window.
“Look, I didn’t mean to snap at you, it’s just that…….this is possibly suicidal, but it’s the only thing we’ve got right now. If I hadn’t told Pierce I was coming back, maybe we could’ve risked it. Now, it’s impossible. I HAVE to talk to him.”
She nodded, still silent.
“Hey!!” he reached over and turned her face towards him. “Why’re you sulking?”
“I don’t sulk, Max. I’m worried.” She was back to Ice princess mode.
“I know.’ He sighed. This was getting harder by the minute. All the jokes had fled.
“What about Guerin? Doesn’t he know anything?”
“No. They’ll tell him when they’ve taken him there.”
“So, it’s a safe house.”
“Probably. They could’ve taken him to USMRIID if they wanted, but they didn’t. So, it’s got to be something else.”
“Ok,” she nodded, “but what do we do now?”
Max didn’t answer. They drove in silence back into Washington. Suddenly Max swerved around.
“What??” she asked, terrified.
“Can you do a test run of your powers?”
“WHAT??” she shouted. “What the hell’re you talking about?!”
“Can you?
“I guess. As long as every witness has been properly disposed off!” she said, glaring at him.
“Very funny. I have a plan.”
“Really?” she sneered. “Using my powers in the middle of the day, pretty much in the heart of enemy territory…that’s brilliant, Max. Just brilliant!”
“Will you stop it already? No one knows anything about you! So just relax and hear me out.”
She nodded “Go ahead.”
“If we can get into FBI headquarters, I can get to the vaults. Maybe we can do a search of the lists of safe houses. We could create the missing appropriations spreadsheet, send up a red flag, and get Pierce in hot water. It would create the diversion we need. We could get somewhere. It’s pointless to do otherwise. I mean, how the hell would you know where he is, even if you read Pierce’s mind? ”
“Are you suggesting mind warp?”
‘Yeah.” He looked at her. “If you’re up to it.”
She thought he was getting a jibe in but the look in his eyes said he was deadly serious.
“This is dangerous, you realize? I don’t even want to think of what could happen if we got caught.”
“I don’t want to think what would happen if you got caught with Alex.” He was completely serious. And completely right! Godammit!!
“Ok, ok. Fine, let’s go.” She was terrified out of her mind but this was it.
They fought their way through the traffic, inching towards FBI building.
At the same time
Dr. Michael Guerin was a worried man. He hadn’t heard from his childhood friend in years and out of the blue, he called, talking about the one thing that had plagued both their lives. Alex Whitman. He and Max had been best friends from kindergarten, all the way to the same university. Although he’d gone on to med school, and Max had gone on to his ‘quest’ to find Maria’s killer, they hadn’t kept in touch. Maria. That one brought up more memories. Michael himself had had the hots for Max’s older, gorgeous but often irritating older sister. But after she was killed, they’d all assumed it’d been an accident. Max hadn’t. He’d disappeared one day and came back after 12 months, completely wild. Michael had tried to help him, even gave him money because he hadn’t had a cent, but Max hadn’t told him what he’d been doing. He hadn’t said anything except goodbye.
At first Michael had been terrified as to what Max would do. He’d followed him, nearly wrecking his own internship at Stanford, but he’d been unable to find him. Then again, one night, Max dropped out of nowhere and told him to stop trying to find him; there was nobody or nothing left for him in his old life, there was no point returning to it. Michael hadn’t heard from him since. Till now. And asking about a matter he had no business knowing. The sole fact that there were aliens, roaming the earth was enough to send it into deepest echelons of the secret services. If news of this got out, manmade Armageddon would follows. This wasn’t the movies, there’d be no Independence Day-style Will Smith action. There would be chaos. Worldwide. And it was kept under the deepest cover possible. So, how did a guy who had NO connections whatsoever to ANY and ALL Intel community get hold of such information? That’s what was scaring the daylights out of Dr. Michael Guerin, head of Research of Cell and Molecular Biology in the most sought after position by any scientist who’s a civilian: a much coveted HOD in USMRIID.
Who could’ve possibly cleared him for such information? If so, is there a LEAK? That would blow the godammned thing out of the boondocks!! And if it is true, who the hell do I report this to? And then, is it going to hurt Max? Or help him? God’s sake, Maxwell!! You couldn’t tell me more??
“Earth to Guerin!” a laughing voice broke into his morbid thoughts. He had been having visions of the world blowing up by some weird aliens.
“What?” he snapped. Then composed his face immediately. It was his fellow scientist Dr. Amy Russell. A beautiful red-head who was also the most competitive scientist he’d ever met. Although Michael didn’t like personal stuff in the workplace, there was a connection. The only problem was in deciding whether to go for it or not. He’d enjoyed their sparring matches, but deep down inside, he knew that it could never be anything too serious. He’d learnt his lesson as had Max.
“Where’ve you been? Outer space?” she asked breaking into his thoughts.
Michael nearly spit out the gulp of coffee he’d just taken in. “No!” he gasped.
“Anyways, the General,” referring to the dickhead in charge, Director Brig.General Courtland. He was one of those stupid pricks who didn’t understand shit about science was too busy showing off his damn medals and hampering investigations.
‘What about him?” if she wanted to talk about the general, he had no time for her.
“The General wants an update on that research you were doing about breaking into the DNA sequence of those Hantaviruses. And then, he suggested you call Washington. Some guy called Pierce?”
Michael leapt to his feet.
“Is it that important?” she asked, surprised by his reaction. Usually, he was too laidback.
"No. It’s not. As for the hantaviruses, tell Know-it-all that I’ll give it to him soon.”
“Sure.”
“Excuse me. I gotta make a phone call.’
She waved bye and left. Michael felt his heart rate accelerate. What the hell do I do NOW? Tell Pierce or not?”
The console on his desk rang. “Yes??”
“Line 3, Doctor, party waiting from California.”
“Hello?” it was Agent Pierce.
“Agent Pierce, what can I do for you?” Michael kept the confusion and fear out of his voice.
“Actually, I was wondering about the ‘position’ we were hoping you were interested in?” Michael could hear the bold in the word ‘position’.
“What were you wondering?”
“Are you interested?”
“I was told specifically the words ‘for national and global security. The Unites States Government is asking you for help’ and yada yada. I don’t think I’m in a position to refuse.” His tone held the right amount of sarcasm.
“Very astute of you. You’ll be brought in by this week.”
“Incidentally, Agent, I was wondering why I wasn’t brought in before? You don’t need my expertise if you’ve already done what you had to do.”
“We haven’t done anything, Doctor. The subject’s been in custody for nearly a month now.”
“I’m flattered you thought of me so soon.” He tried to keep his sarcasm in check, but there was something about Pierce that just begged for some jibes.
“Is this your behavior, Doctor? Then I’ll suggest we bring in someone else!” Pierce said, mimicking Guerin’s tone. Then he turned serious.
“This is no competition, Guerin. We didn’t need you before. We do now. Do we understand each other?”
“Perfectly.” Michael paused, then forged ahead. “I’ll need all the background details.”
“Of course. As soon as you get there.”
‘I see. Another question, Agent Pierce.”
“Yes?” he didn’t have much time, chatting on the phone. “it has to be a short one, I’m afraid.”
“Sure. Why ME? I’m sure you realize that the ‘subject’ as you so importantly call him, was known to me. We grew up in the same town. As you know from your records, I’m sure. This is personal for me. Too personal. Why are you bringing ME into this? I’m sure there were other candidates for this job!” he couldn’t keep the suspicion off his voice.
“Please, Doctor. I thought you’d understand that this is a professional assignment. There are more than enough candidates, but you’re the best, so what can I say? And the advantage of knowing him may give you the upper hand. You’d know what to look for, what discrepancies are there.”
Boy, is he laying it on thick or what? “Oh really? And it didn’t occur to you that I might NOT want to perform incisions on someone I’ve known for a long time?”
“If so, then tell me NOW!”
“No.” Michael said quietly. He’d do it, even if it killed him. He knew Max would be more than upset but if he was involved, he could keep and eye on Max. “No, it’s fine. I just wanted to know. It’s all right, Agent, I’m doing it.”
“Good. Details will be faxed to you. You do realize that this needs to be given the top most priority AND that it needs utmost secrecy. We can count on that, can’t we?”
“Whatever you say.” Michael rubbed his eyes. Working in the labs was draining and now he was feeling it. “I have a couple of things to finish up here. Let me know when you need me.”
“Will do.”
“By the way.” Michael interrupted as Pierce was about to hang up “Who knows about this fiasco anyway?” praying that he didn’t sound too curious.
“Not too many, so you understand that we would know immediately in case there was a leak.” Pierce didn’t like the good doctor’s continuous harping. It almost sounded like he needed information. “Why?”
“Just wondering. If there is even a remotest possibility of an outbreak, it’s the USMRIID’s job to stay on it. I do work here, remember?” take that, you self-centered jackass!
“PLEASE!!” Pierce fairly yelled. “Keep your mouth shut about this!”
“I understand” Michael conceded graciously, wondering if it had been a mistake shooting his big mouth off. It could warranty an awful lot of explaining later on. And what with Max on the loose……… “You don’t need to worry, Mr. Pierce. I, too, have learnt to keep things confidential. It’s part of the territory.”
Pierce thought about a moment. Guerin’s sudden attitude change didn’t bode well. Is he really worried or is he on the make? There’s no way the jackass would shut up otherwise. I truly wonder. Then he dismissed it. Guerin knew what would happen if things got out. He’d be dead long before.
“So long as we understand each other, Doctor. I have to go now. Someone will get in touch with you.”
“Bye.” Michael hung up. He could’ve sworn Pierce suspected. Okie then! From now on, clamp down on the loose lips, buddy.
He sat down, staring unseeingly at the reports in front of him. All he could think about was the fact that after nearly a decade’s silence, Max Evans was back.
“Have you lost your friggin’ brain??” She couldn’t believe this; the guy couldn’t pick a better time to lose his marbles!!
“No, dahling. And neither have you, trust me.” when she looked like she was going to pass out.
“I do want to, dahling, but how can I when YOU are obviously OUTSIDE your mind!!”
“Oh come on!! What happened to your sense of adventure?” he adorned an injured look.
“I stuffed it down with breakfast!! Now quit the play-acting and explain how you’re going to do the absurd thing you just suggested!! How can you possibly create misappropriations of funds??” she couldn’t believe that in the middle of a crisis, here they were making fun of this impossible situation and actually enjoying themselves. How did this guy do it? How could he tear through her defenses like a freight train? It baffled her no end. But it also makes you alive, Liz!! Her traitorous hear spoke up. She ignored it. She didn’t know what was happening to her, she was chipper one second, worried out of her mind the next. There was no explanation, no logical explanation she could give, even to herself, for this rapid change in her behavior. It boggled the mind.
“Jeez!! Loosen up, will ya? Quite simple. I have YOU, Queen Amidala.” Inspite of herself, she snickered and he bestowed another jelly-inducing smile her way. She sighed, why fight it? It was easier going along with him.
“That’s better,” he said, satisfied. “Ok. First off, we hack into FBI. It’s simple, more than simple actually. I still have the account. Ok, then it’s just matter of changing appropriations records. After that, it’s pancake. State’s gotta be clamoring up the walls. Those analysts are terrific. One cent misplaced, they sound the bullhorn.” He paused, seeing how she took it. Not too well.
“Why can’t we just get in and find out where they’re holding Alex? That would save you the trouble from going head-to-head with Pierce.”
“Jesus, haven’t you been listening? Black drape means it’s impenetrable. You can’t unearth it!” he leaned back against the car seat. He was feeling the first stirrings if Jet lag.
“Sorry.” He said after a pause. She didn’t say anything, just kept looking out the window.
“Look, I didn’t mean to snap at you, it’s just that…….this is possibly suicidal, but it’s the only thing we’ve got right now. If I hadn’t told Pierce I was coming back, maybe we could’ve risked it. Now, it’s impossible. I HAVE to talk to him.”
She nodded, still silent.
“Hey!!” he reached over and turned her face towards him. “Why’re you sulking?”
“I don’t sulk, Max. I’m worried.” She was back to Ice princess mode.
“I know.’ He sighed. This was getting harder by the minute. All the jokes had fled.
“What about Guerin? Doesn’t he know anything?”
“No. They’ll tell him when they’ve taken him there.”
“So, it’s a safe house.”
“Probably. They could’ve taken him to USMRIID if they wanted, but they didn’t. So, it’s got to be something else.”
“Ok,” she nodded, “but what do we do now?”
Max didn’t answer. They drove in silence back into Washington. Suddenly Max swerved around.
“What??” she asked, terrified.
“Can you do a test run of your powers?”
“WHAT??” she shouted. “What the hell’re you talking about?!”
“Can you?
“I guess. As long as every witness has been properly disposed off!” she said, glaring at him.
“Very funny. I have a plan.”
“Really?” she sneered. “Using my powers in the middle of the day, pretty much in the heart of enemy territory…that’s brilliant, Max. Just brilliant!”
“Will you stop it already? No one knows anything about you! So just relax and hear me out.”
She nodded “Go ahead.”
“If we can get into FBI headquarters, I can get to the vaults. Maybe we can do a search of the lists of safe houses. We could create the missing appropriations spreadsheet, send up a red flag, and get Pierce in hot water. It would create the diversion we need. We could get somewhere. It’s pointless to do otherwise. I mean, how the hell would you know where he is, even if you read Pierce’s mind? ”
“Are you suggesting mind warp?”
‘Yeah.” He looked at her. “If you’re up to it.”
She thought he was getting a jibe in but the look in his eyes said he was deadly serious.
“This is dangerous, you realize? I don’t even want to think of what could happen if we got caught.”
“I don’t want to think what would happen if you got caught with Alex.” He was completely serious. And completely right! Godammit!!
“Ok, ok. Fine, let’s go.” She was terrified out of her mind but this was it.
They fought their way through the traffic, inching towards FBI building.
At the same time
Dr. Michael Guerin was a worried man. He hadn’t heard from his childhood friend in years and out of the blue, he called, talking about the one thing that had plagued both their lives. Alex Whitman. He and Max had been best friends from kindergarten, all the way to the same university. Although he’d gone on to med school, and Max had gone on to his ‘quest’ to find Maria’s killer, they hadn’t kept in touch. Maria. That one brought up more memories. Michael himself had had the hots for Max’s older, gorgeous but often irritating older sister. But after she was killed, they’d all assumed it’d been an accident. Max hadn’t. He’d disappeared one day and came back after 12 months, completely wild. Michael had tried to help him, even gave him money because he hadn’t had a cent, but Max hadn’t told him what he’d been doing. He hadn’t said anything except goodbye.
At first Michael had been terrified as to what Max would do. He’d followed him, nearly wrecking his own internship at Stanford, but he’d been unable to find him. Then again, one night, Max dropped out of nowhere and told him to stop trying to find him; there was nobody or nothing left for him in his old life, there was no point returning to it. Michael hadn’t heard from him since. Till now. And asking about a matter he had no business knowing. The sole fact that there were aliens, roaming the earth was enough to send it into deepest echelons of the secret services. If news of this got out, manmade Armageddon would follows. This wasn’t the movies, there’d be no Independence Day-style Will Smith action. There would be chaos. Worldwide. And it was kept under the deepest cover possible. So, how did a guy who had NO connections whatsoever to ANY and ALL Intel community get hold of such information? That’s what was scaring the daylights out of Dr. Michael Guerin, head of Research of Cell and Molecular Biology in the most sought after position by any scientist who’s a civilian: a much coveted HOD in USMRIID.
Who could’ve possibly cleared him for such information? If so, is there a LEAK? That would blow the godammned thing out of the boondocks!! And if it is true, who the hell do I report this to? And then, is it going to hurt Max? Or help him? God’s sake, Maxwell!! You couldn’t tell me more??
“Earth to Guerin!” a laughing voice broke into his morbid thoughts. He had been having visions of the world blowing up by some weird aliens.
“What?” he snapped. Then composed his face immediately. It was his fellow scientist Dr. Amy Russell. A beautiful red-head who was also the most competitive scientist he’d ever met. Although Michael didn’t like personal stuff in the workplace, there was a connection. The only problem was in deciding whether to go for it or not. He’d enjoyed their sparring matches, but deep down inside, he knew that it could never be anything too serious. He’d learnt his lesson as had Max.
“Where’ve you been? Outer space?” she asked breaking into his thoughts.
Michael nearly spit out the gulp of coffee he’d just taken in. “No!” he gasped.
“Anyways, the General,” referring to the dickhead in charge, Director Brig.General Courtland. He was one of those stupid pricks who didn’t understand shit about science was too busy showing off his damn medals and hampering investigations.
‘What about him?” if she wanted to talk about the general, he had no time for her.
“The General wants an update on that research you were doing about breaking into the DNA sequence of those Hantaviruses. And then, he suggested you call Washington. Some guy called Pierce?”
Michael leapt to his feet.
“Is it that important?” she asked, surprised by his reaction. Usually, he was too laidback.
"No. It’s not. As for the hantaviruses, tell Know-it-all that I’ll give it to him soon.”
“Sure.”
“Excuse me. I gotta make a phone call.’
She waved bye and left. Michael felt his heart rate accelerate. What the hell do I do NOW? Tell Pierce or not?”
The console on his desk rang. “Yes??”
“Line 3, Doctor, party waiting from California.”
“Hello?” it was Agent Pierce.
“Agent Pierce, what can I do for you?” Michael kept the confusion and fear out of his voice.
“Actually, I was wondering about the ‘position’ we were hoping you were interested in?” Michael could hear the bold in the word ‘position’.
“What were you wondering?”
“Are you interested?”
“I was told specifically the words ‘for national and global security. The Unites States Government is asking you for help’ and yada yada. I don’t think I’m in a position to refuse.” His tone held the right amount of sarcasm.
“Very astute of you. You’ll be brought in by this week.”
“Incidentally, Agent, I was wondering why I wasn’t brought in before? You don’t need my expertise if you’ve already done what you had to do.”
“We haven’t done anything, Doctor. The subject’s been in custody for nearly a month now.”
“I’m flattered you thought of me so soon.” He tried to keep his sarcasm in check, but there was something about Pierce that just begged for some jibes.
“Is this your behavior, Doctor? Then I’ll suggest we bring in someone else!” Pierce said, mimicking Guerin’s tone. Then he turned serious.
“This is no competition, Guerin. We didn’t need you before. We do now. Do we understand each other?”
“Perfectly.” Michael paused, then forged ahead. “I’ll need all the background details.”
“Of course. As soon as you get there.”
‘I see. Another question, Agent Pierce.”
“Yes?” he didn’t have much time, chatting on the phone. “it has to be a short one, I’m afraid.”
“Sure. Why ME? I’m sure you realize that the ‘subject’ as you so importantly call him, was known to me. We grew up in the same town. As you know from your records, I’m sure. This is personal for me. Too personal. Why are you bringing ME into this? I’m sure there were other candidates for this job!” he couldn’t keep the suspicion off his voice.
“Please, Doctor. I thought you’d understand that this is a professional assignment. There are more than enough candidates, but you’re the best, so what can I say? And the advantage of knowing him may give you the upper hand. You’d know what to look for, what discrepancies are there.”
Boy, is he laying it on thick or what? “Oh really? And it didn’t occur to you that I might NOT want to perform incisions on someone I’ve known for a long time?”
“If so, then tell me NOW!”
“No.” Michael said quietly. He’d do it, even if it killed him. He knew Max would be more than upset but if he was involved, he could keep and eye on Max. “No, it’s fine. I just wanted to know. It’s all right, Agent, I’m doing it.”
“Good. Details will be faxed to you. You do realize that this needs to be given the top most priority AND that it needs utmost secrecy. We can count on that, can’t we?”
“Whatever you say.” Michael rubbed his eyes. Working in the labs was draining and now he was feeling it. “I have a couple of things to finish up here. Let me know when you need me.”
“Will do.”
“By the way.” Michael interrupted as Pierce was about to hang up “Who knows about this fiasco anyway?” praying that he didn’t sound too curious.
“Not too many, so you understand that we would know immediately in case there was a leak.” Pierce didn’t like the good doctor’s continuous harping. It almost sounded like he needed information. “Why?”
“Just wondering. If there is even a remotest possibility of an outbreak, it’s the USMRIID’s job to stay on it. I do work here, remember?” take that, you self-centered jackass!
“PLEASE!!” Pierce fairly yelled. “Keep your mouth shut about this!”
“I understand” Michael conceded graciously, wondering if it had been a mistake shooting his big mouth off. It could warranty an awful lot of explaining later on. And what with Max on the loose……… “You don’t need to worry, Mr. Pierce. I, too, have learnt to keep things confidential. It’s part of the territory.”
Pierce thought about a moment. Guerin’s sudden attitude change didn’t bode well. Is he really worried or is he on the make? There’s no way the jackass would shut up otherwise. I truly wonder. Then he dismissed it. Guerin knew what would happen if things got out. He’d be dead long before.
“So long as we understand each other, Doctor. I have to go now. Someone will get in touch with you.”
“Bye.” Michael hung up. He could’ve sworn Pierce suspected. Okie then! From now on, clamp down on the loose lips, buddy.
He sat down, staring unseeingly at the reports in front of him. All he could think about was the fact that after nearly a decade’s silence, Max Evans was back.
okay, I had great expectations for this part.........tell me how it goes.
Chapter 18.
Max parked the car two blocks away. “All set?” he asked.
Liz had been too quiet She seemed elsewhere. Max knew, that despite her easy talk in the last hour, she was almost frantic. He admired her control for not letting it show. But now, she’d dropped that façade. She seemed to have turned into a sphinx, not even replying when he’d asked if she wanted coffee. No, she was in another world. Too bad, she needs to beam herself back now!
“Liz?”
“Yeah?” she shook her head as if to clear it. “Sorry, I was just…” she didn’t know what was wrong with her. There was a terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach, she attributed it to fear, but she felt it was almost like a premonition.
“No time now.” He said, busily checking his wallet for something. He pulled out an electro-magnetic card, complete with finger and voiceprint ID.
“Ready? You stay down here. Keep outta sight. First sign of any trouble and I mean any, get the hell out of here. Head for Fort Detrick, get in touch with Guerin. Make up a good cover story, but make sure it doesn’t send up alarms. Mike’s not too intelligently receptive; you might have to work on him a bit. I don’t think anything’s going to happen in there. But just in case.”
“Max, wait!” she called him back. He’d been talking awfully fast. The immense pressure in her mind had had her complete attention; she hadn’t heard a word he’d said. He stopped and came around to her side of the car.
They stared at each other through the glass. Then she opened it. “I don’t know why but I’m feeling something. Something bad’s going to happen, I KNOW it!!”
“So you’re the clairvoyant now?”
“Stop it. It’s not funny.” The urgency in her voice made him stop. He peered at her.
“What’re you saying, that you can not only read minds, make people see things, now you can see the future? What’s going on, Liz?”
“Stop making fun of it! I’m serious. Something’s wrong.”
“Relax, young grasshopper. It’s called F.E.A.R.”
“Max!!”
“What? If I don’t lighten the mood, you’re going to be lying in a heap and I’m going to get caught!! You’re going to mind warp that security personnel at the entrance then you’re coming straight back and waiting here.”
“YOU? you're going to get caught?”
“Yes ME. You seriously don’t think I’m gonna drag you into FBI HQ?? You’re denser that I gave you credit for!!”
“What if you need to get through doors? I’m coming with you.”
“You’re kidding. NO WAY am I taking you in there while you’re in this panic state. So either calm down or stay! Personally, I’d prefer the latter.” He stopped talking when he noticed how pale she really was. Then, he grew serious. “What is it? Are you in pain? What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know, godammit!! All I know is that there is this sick feeling inside of me. Like I’m going to die or something.” She kept her face down, last thing she needed to show to him was fear. Then she steeled herself. If he could come this far on her behalf, she owed him to stay strong. “Forget it, it’s probably just ….nerves. I’m okay, now.” She got out, not meeting his eyes.
He turned her face in his direction. “you’re not coming. Sit down.” He ordered.
“Forget it.” Her own voice was firm, the panic and the fear had abated.
He could see plainly that she was terrified. He felt a burning rage at himself, all of the human race who’d shown her that there was indeed, more than enough to be scared witless about.
“I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Her smile wobbled, but it was there. “You wouldn’t dare.”
He smiled back reassuringly. “You can bet the lottery on it. Let’s go.”
“Let’s not forget that I call the shots around here.” She could feel the dread at the back of her mind, but the reckless gleam in Max’s eyes had sent her adrenaline jumping.
As they made their way inside, she could see the purpose in his stride, the confidence in his stance. Everything about him screamed of assurance. She could feel herself relaxing. He might not have been born for this job but he certainly gave a good imitation. Gone was the easy-going, laidback, sweet guy who blushed when she teased him, who’d mercilessly teased her in return.
The arrogance in his stance still remained but now it was a well-oiled machine, going about the thing he did best. Liz did her best to stop drooling, but she wasn’t having too much luck.
Max stopped outside the main building. There was a metal scanner, thumb-scanner and ID post. Only 1 security personnel was there, apparently hi-tech ensured security. The guard was turned away. Max ducked out of sight and came back to where Liz was skulking.
“You’re on.”
She nodded and closed her eyes. She could feel a little wooziness, everything blurred for an instant. The next moment they were walking past the guard into the elevator. Max looked in awe as the guard looked straight through them.
“Wow!!!”
“Yeah” Liz said as she slightly brushed the security camera.
“What’d you do?”
“Wiped it out.”
“They’ll come to investigate.”
“No they won’t. It’s frozen. But the timer is still running.”
“You’re brilliant!”
Liz flashed an arrogant leer in his direction. “Tell me something I don’t know.”
He smiled, shook his head. He would never understand her. All day she’d been blowing hot and cold. He was just afraid that she’d explode if she didn’t get it out of her system.
The elevator pinged. Both of them looked up. They were into the main levels now. They went past another security guard, still no one saw them. Max could see that sweat had broken out on Liz’s porcelain face. He worried that she might not be able to hold on to it. He rushed them both down the halls. They were deserted other than the few cameras strategically located. All the cameras on one location were on the same circuit, so Liz didn’t have to go through cleaning all of them. Max just worried about the main ones. The control centers for those would be different and he didn’t know where the cameras were located. They would be sitting ducks.
The filing vaults were up ahead. There were 3 agents there at the entrance. Apart from that, scanners, ID check posts, the works.
“Damn!!”
“It’s ok. They’ll let us through. Watch this.”
They walked into the foyer. All three agents got up on their feet. “Good Afternoon, sir.”
All three were up straight. Max stood stock still as Liz concentrated. The agents smiled and scurried around as if making room for them. One of them calmly opened the vault doors.
“There you go, Sir. And don’t worry. If anyone asks, you were never here.”
They each went back to their posts. Max grabbed Liz’s arm and propelled her into the vaults.
The vaults were basically like multimedia library full of the latest equipment in encoding, encryption, decoding and everything that a technician ever dreamed about. It also contained everything the FBI had ever touched. All case files, all back files, logs, entries, and details. The works.
“WOW!” Liz said awed. There was no one in the vaults, other than them.
“Anyone around?” she asked in a low voice.
“Nope. Only one person can enter at one time. We don’t want everyone to know everyone’s business now, do we? And what about the security cams?I don’t know where they are!”
“Already done. I told those agents to stop it for a while because I was on urgent communiqué with the NSA on matter of extreme importance. Last thing I need to worry about is a mole. The agents were most cooperative.” She winked.
“Who the hell did you pretend to be, the Director?”
“Nope, Special Agent Pierce.”
“He’s not even in town!!”
“They apparently didn’t know!” she shrugged. “Let’s get this over and done with.”
Max sat down at one terminal and went on for a search of all listed FBI files.
“They need ID, mister.” She remarked as she went over to another terminal and started a search on the materials they had on the 1947 crash.
Max looked up. “What the hell are youdoing??”
“Nothing.”
Max continued typing in commands, breaking down the firewalls as he infiltrated into the database. “Are you crazy?? You don’t have access. If anyone gets a link on you, we’re dead!”
“I’ve got 5 different cutouts! In case anyone decides to investigate, they’ll find me coming in from Bombay, okay?? And why bother? This IS their network, I hardly think the Feds are going to panic over that!”
“It’s the vaults!! Of course they’ll panic! They’ll sent death squads if they want. Almost all the lists of people in witness protection programs, criminal, internal terrorism files are here. You think they won’t bring in the National Guard if they got wind of this?” he was in!!
Max started on the safe houses. There were hundreds. He selected possible locations, then thought better and printed out the roster for the entire East Coast area and gave a command to start printing. He quickly logged out and inserted the disk he’d been carrying. They had made it within one hour in an arcade. Even though finance hadn’t been either of their strongest suits, with the help of a cyber-addict, it’d been completed in record time. Of course, Max had had to pay enough. But the $20 million that had been sitting in the banks had been put to their first big draw.
He created an entry. And voila!! There it was sitting in the accounts section in the FBI financial spreadsheets, with a big red flag. Any and all analysts who saw it would be over it like white on rice. He looked over at her, she hadn’t answered as he’d talked.
Liz didn’t reply, she was too busy looking for whatever they had. Almost all the files were locked. She knew that breaking the codes now would require hours and she didn’t have hours. She had a precious 13 minutes before the cameras went on again. She could hardly pick anything randomly.
“You know any alien codes?”
“Do they have anything?” Max ran over to her side. The clock ticked away. The red digits read 12:47. 13 minutes.
“All locked!” Liz snarled, frustrated.
“Let me.” Max sat beside her. She edged away, making space. Max turned his focus on the passwords but her scent was driving him crazy. “Could you get those printouts? I think the blueprints are in the next folders.”
She was already up. “Got it.” The only sound in the room was the beep of the occasional printer and the hum of powerful technology. Max got on line with NSA, requesting special permission to get information regarding 12th December, the night Alex was captured. Liz had taken the printouts and was back.
“Will they tell?” her voice cracked with the effort to remain calm.
Max felt sweat break out but kept calm. In a minute, there were details coming in. He smirked. “You were saying?”
Liz leaned over his shoulders and scanned the report. Nothing on me, good! She couldn’t help but be relieved now that another fear had been put to rest.
“Wait! These are NSA files! They know about Alex??”
“I guess. Pierce needed more than just his own clout.”
“Well, I want to check the FBI files.”
“Gimme a minute.”
“You might not have one!” she said, her voice slightly high. The clock read 12:50.
“Max, 10 minutes.”
Max took a deep breath and sent it a request for the passwords for the locked files that came from NSA. It came within seconds. Liz raced to the other terminal. She was on the same wavelength with Max in two seconds, as he opened up the shared link. She scanned the locked NSA files. All the information about Alex, information about Maria, information on Max. But, nothing on her so far. There were small reports from the several places Alex had been in when he’d been on the run.
"Did you find anything?”
“I’m transferring them to you.”
Liz held her breath. The green light on the console flashed and she was confronted with over a hundred folders, each with at least 10 or 20 files. I’m screwed!!
“Max, I could use a little help here!!” time was running out, they had barely seven minutes.
“I’m full up to my elbows here!! Fucking hell!! Which ones?” he muttered as he rapidly scanned the files. “Use the rapid term search! It’ll be faster.”
She longed to tell him that she didn’t know any search terms that she could use. Frantically, she used rapid scan. The tech was so advanced that within seconds every file was neatly being divided into summaries, key words highlighted.
“Wow! This stuff is awesome!!”
“Get over it.” Max mumbled as he opened the folder he’d been searching for. The words ‘Special Operations Under Maximum Clearance’ lit up in the traditional Bureau font. Bingo! Hold it!! Sonofabitch, it’s encrypted!! He entered his 4 zero clearance, holding his breath it wouldn’t give of a red flag in the main communication center. If it did, the entire room would be sealed off. They’d get screwed. Very, very badly. The folder opened. He breathed. It hadn’t sounded an alarm. He knew he had maximum 50 second before it would be written permanently into memory. If anyone knew he’d accessed this file, he might as well kill himself now. He didn’t hesitate; he gave print command the second it opened. Max sighed silently. This would help him in the future.
The he glanced over at Liz. The eerie glow from the screen lighted her face. Her features were twisted in concentration and fear of what she may have found. Max shut off his link, and then the terminal as the printing finished. He stopped. 56 pages in less than 2 minutes.
“Hurry up!! Only 5 more minutes.”
Liz didn’t reply. In front of her was a file with the words “important alien artifacts”. It was encrypted. She turned on the decoder. DAMN!! It required a password. She held her palm over the decoder drive, slowly the passwords unraveled. The decoder stopped, the machinery hummed. Liz waited, nerves screaming. Clearance order came. It was cleared within seconds. Then she stopped breathing.
Her entire being was fixated on the object whose picture she could now see. It was long, thing cylinder. At first glance it seemed to be a diamond or a crystal, but she knew it wasn’t. It couldn’t be; it was from another planet.
“LIZ!! 2 minutes!!”
“The Granolith.” She whispered.
Max was by her side in an instant. He tugged on her sleeve. “Snap out of it!! We have to go. NOW!!”
Liz stared at him for a nanosecond. He looked calm but his hands shook slightly as he packed everything up. She printed the file. Every second passed faster. They were literally not breathing as the time slowed to a halt. 45 seconds. Come ON!!! Just get done already!!
They stared at the printer as the clock ticked off seconds. Both their eyes made contact at one pass and they both stopped breathing. If nayhting had to happen, it had to happen NOW!! Max stared at the red digits until it blurred. They were going to get shafted. He knew it! The last page came out and Liz tore it out of the printer. She placed her hand over the CPU of both the terminals alternately, wiping any traces of their activities from its memory as the seconds raced by.
“5 seconds left.” Max said, as he secured his backpack, after having wiped off any traces of fingerprints there possibly could’ve been.
Liz waved her hand over the entire area. “Just in case!”
They raced to the door and banged on it. Liz took a deep breath. Max felt like he was going bungee. Freefall, without harness.
“Quick work, sir. I was just about to turn on the cameras.”
Liz nodded and they walked back out. The agents stood and one of them called for the elevator.
“No trouble at all, sir. It’s been pretty busy here what with the new evidences that have been coming in from Nevada.” The guard explained as if he’d been asked something.
Liz and Max both simultaneously snapped their heads at him.
“I’m not cleared for any further information, sir. In case you were worried. No, it’s just that most of the special agents had come in for those specific cases. No. They’re all being transferred to the Special Evidence vaults.” The agent continued. “Yes sir. Security Personnel are coming in at around 5:00 p.m. today. We've been using the Speical Unit only. Very hush-hush.”
The elevator arrived. Max and Liz stepped inside. It moved down towards basement. Max looked at Liz. Her face was pale and she looked fragile, as if a lot had been taken out of her. She glanced up at him, noting his concern. “I
’m ok. I can do it.” Then she sighed. “We could’ve taken it.”
“Yeah.” Max was equally despondent. “If we could’ve grabbed the new evidence, it could be a veritable genie in a bottle. Too darn bad, it coincides with the meet with Pierce.”
Liz shook her head. “Forget it, we’ll get it later. For now, we need to find Alex. It’s become more than a necessity at this point. It’s paramount.”
“Why?” Max couldn’t help but ask. She’d obviously found out something important. “What’d you find? What was that weird diamond thing?”
“The Holy Grail.” She answered, eyes fixed on the LED screen.
“What??”
“Something important.” The doors pinged and then opened. There was no one around. Max and Liz made their way over to the entrance. The security personnel didn’t even turn. Each breathed in deeply, relieved, exulted.
They made their way to the next block, Max keeping a firm grip on Liz to keep her from walking too fast. It wouldn’t do to draw attention to them now. The bitter wind blew across their faces, ruffling Max’s hair and making Liz’s longer locks stream behind her. Their faces were rosy from the adrenaline rush. Liz kept close to Max. After the entire ordeal, now she felt the sudden need to share her exhilaration with him. What they’d done was suicidal, insane. There’d been a fine line between discovery and escape. But having made it out of there, unscathed, and with extra information, which would set their investigation racing ahead, Liz was all but hyper with excitement. She snuggled up against him; the wind was chilly.
Max glanced down in surprise. He took in her glowing eyes, the rosy hue in her cheeks. The combined effects of the wind and the adrenaline rush through her system had served her purpose; she looked lovelier than ever. He smiled appreciatively.
“I take it you’re liking the thrill of living on the edge?” he asked, distracted by the play of sunlight in her hair. The red highlights in the dark brown hair caught the sun, turning fiery, lending a translucent glow to her tanned face, very unusual in Washington in this climate but she’d acquired it from another. Memories of her in that red silky scrap of material mingled with the picture she made now.
“That was amazing!! I mean, I never thought…. it’s indescribable!!” she babbled, swinging in front of him and facing him. The wind blew their way, sending her raven hair in a cloak over her face. He leaned forward and pushed it away, unable to stop himself. He knew he was getting in too deep, that it was bound to end badly, but he was finally learning how not to always listen to his mind. Her huge doe eyes fastened themselves on him.
“You uh…. had a.…uh”
“Hair thing.” She finished, still flushed.
“Yeah.” He tried looking away, but his eyes were locked on hers.
She smiled shyly. “Thank you.”
He nodded. “Sure.” He brushed back the spikes that had fallen over his brow, giving him rugged appeal. He was calm, in control, getting over the thrill of the rendevous with practiced ease.
An eternity seemed to pass as their gazed locked. It was a busy day in Washington. The sidewalk was teeming with millions of people; all moving like a single body. In the midst of the crowd, they stared at each other. A passerby could’ve pointed out the differences, how tall he was, compared to her petite frame. Or how she complemented his much bigger physique with her own graceful one, or how his hazel eyes turned golden, answering a twinkle from the depths of her chocolate ones. Despite the unmitigated differences in their actual beings, they couldn’t look more right together if they’d tried.
Worse thing was, that they knew it too. Liz could see the attraction in his eyes, which she knew was mirrored on her own. There was no denying chemistry, it was either there or it wasn’t. Unfortunately, even with it, they had no choice but to ignore it. She looked away. He cleared his throat and started walking again.
“Ok, what do we do now?” she tried hard to ignore the flames licking along her nerves.
Every time he looked into her eyes, she felt herself losing control. And she couldn’t afford to, not just yet.
“We go over the stuff. There’re not more than 2 or 3 safe houses in Bethesda. Add greater Maryland and Arlington, not more than 7. We concentrate on those first. He unlocked the car and they got in. Max started the engine and backed out of the cramped space. Liz found an old cassette in the dash. She popped it in.
Did you give up?
Did it get easier?
Did all those things come together? Oh yeah?
Did you ever really notice I never really cared?
She smiled at me and looked at me and said
“Econoline Crush.” Liz commented. Years old song, but it affected them both. The beat of the drum and wails of the guitars electrified the atmosphere.
You don’t know what it’s like
What it’s like, what it’s like
You don’t know what it’s like
What it’s like, what it’s like
I feel like nothing at all
You don’t know what it’s like
I feel like nothing at all, feel like nothing at all
Yeah yeah!!
You don’t know what it’s like
Liz felt the goose bumps appear in her skin, she shivered with intensity. Max clenched his hands on the wheel, fighting the urge to do something. The thrill that had passed before on the sidewalk throbbed with a vengeance, just under his skin. The urge didn’t always come easily. But it had been a moment of triumph for them both. He hadn’t worked past that just yet.
The words, from another time, hadn’t ever meant anything to either of them when they’d been growing up. Now, it made their blood thrum. The high-pitched voice of the singer made them both long to scream out at the world, lay it at their feet, dare someone to stop them.
There was a certain amount of truth in the words. Nobody was in this situation. Nobody could possibly comprehend what they’d been doing so far. It was madness. Despite themselves, they felt their pulse beginning to race.
Welcome to my world.
Chapter 18.
Max parked the car two blocks away. “All set?” he asked.
Liz had been too quiet She seemed elsewhere. Max knew, that despite her easy talk in the last hour, she was almost frantic. He admired her control for not letting it show. But now, she’d dropped that façade. She seemed to have turned into a sphinx, not even replying when he’d asked if she wanted coffee. No, she was in another world. Too bad, she needs to beam herself back now!
“Liz?”
“Yeah?” she shook her head as if to clear it. “Sorry, I was just…” she didn’t know what was wrong with her. There was a terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach, she attributed it to fear, but she felt it was almost like a premonition.
“No time now.” He said, busily checking his wallet for something. He pulled out an electro-magnetic card, complete with finger and voiceprint ID.
“Ready? You stay down here. Keep outta sight. First sign of any trouble and I mean any, get the hell out of here. Head for Fort Detrick, get in touch with Guerin. Make up a good cover story, but make sure it doesn’t send up alarms. Mike’s not too intelligently receptive; you might have to work on him a bit. I don’t think anything’s going to happen in there. But just in case.”
“Max, wait!” she called him back. He’d been talking awfully fast. The immense pressure in her mind had had her complete attention; she hadn’t heard a word he’d said. He stopped and came around to her side of the car.
They stared at each other through the glass. Then she opened it. “I don’t know why but I’m feeling something. Something bad’s going to happen, I KNOW it!!”
“So you’re the clairvoyant now?”
“Stop it. It’s not funny.” The urgency in her voice made him stop. He peered at her.
“What’re you saying, that you can not only read minds, make people see things, now you can see the future? What’s going on, Liz?”
“Stop making fun of it! I’m serious. Something’s wrong.”
“Relax, young grasshopper. It’s called F.E.A.R.”
“Max!!”
“What? If I don’t lighten the mood, you’re going to be lying in a heap and I’m going to get caught!! You’re going to mind warp that security personnel at the entrance then you’re coming straight back and waiting here.”
“YOU? you're going to get caught?”
“Yes ME. You seriously don’t think I’m gonna drag you into FBI HQ?? You’re denser that I gave you credit for!!”
“What if you need to get through doors? I’m coming with you.”
“You’re kidding. NO WAY am I taking you in there while you’re in this panic state. So either calm down or stay! Personally, I’d prefer the latter.” He stopped talking when he noticed how pale she really was. Then, he grew serious. “What is it? Are you in pain? What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know, godammit!! All I know is that there is this sick feeling inside of me. Like I’m going to die or something.” She kept her face down, last thing she needed to show to him was fear. Then she steeled herself. If he could come this far on her behalf, she owed him to stay strong. “Forget it, it’s probably just ….nerves. I’m okay, now.” She got out, not meeting his eyes.
He turned her face in his direction. “you’re not coming. Sit down.” He ordered.
“Forget it.” Her own voice was firm, the panic and the fear had abated.
He could see plainly that she was terrified. He felt a burning rage at himself, all of the human race who’d shown her that there was indeed, more than enough to be scared witless about.
“I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Her smile wobbled, but it was there. “You wouldn’t dare.”
He smiled back reassuringly. “You can bet the lottery on it. Let’s go.”
“Let’s not forget that I call the shots around here.” She could feel the dread at the back of her mind, but the reckless gleam in Max’s eyes had sent her adrenaline jumping.
As they made their way inside, she could see the purpose in his stride, the confidence in his stance. Everything about him screamed of assurance. She could feel herself relaxing. He might not have been born for this job but he certainly gave a good imitation. Gone was the easy-going, laidback, sweet guy who blushed when she teased him, who’d mercilessly teased her in return.
The arrogance in his stance still remained but now it was a well-oiled machine, going about the thing he did best. Liz did her best to stop drooling, but she wasn’t having too much luck.
Max stopped outside the main building. There was a metal scanner, thumb-scanner and ID post. Only 1 security personnel was there, apparently hi-tech ensured security. The guard was turned away. Max ducked out of sight and came back to where Liz was skulking.
“You’re on.”
She nodded and closed her eyes. She could feel a little wooziness, everything blurred for an instant. The next moment they were walking past the guard into the elevator. Max looked in awe as the guard looked straight through them.
“Wow!!!”
“Yeah” Liz said as she slightly brushed the security camera.
“What’d you do?”
“Wiped it out.”
“They’ll come to investigate.”
“No they won’t. It’s frozen. But the timer is still running.”
“You’re brilliant!”
Liz flashed an arrogant leer in his direction. “Tell me something I don’t know.”
He smiled, shook his head. He would never understand her. All day she’d been blowing hot and cold. He was just afraid that she’d explode if she didn’t get it out of her system.
The elevator pinged. Both of them looked up. They were into the main levels now. They went past another security guard, still no one saw them. Max could see that sweat had broken out on Liz’s porcelain face. He worried that she might not be able to hold on to it. He rushed them both down the halls. They were deserted other than the few cameras strategically located. All the cameras on one location were on the same circuit, so Liz didn’t have to go through cleaning all of them. Max just worried about the main ones. The control centers for those would be different and he didn’t know where the cameras were located. They would be sitting ducks.
The filing vaults were up ahead. There were 3 agents there at the entrance. Apart from that, scanners, ID check posts, the works.
“Damn!!”
“It’s ok. They’ll let us through. Watch this.”
They walked into the foyer. All three agents got up on their feet. “Good Afternoon, sir.”
All three were up straight. Max stood stock still as Liz concentrated. The agents smiled and scurried around as if making room for them. One of them calmly opened the vault doors.
“There you go, Sir. And don’t worry. If anyone asks, you were never here.”
They each went back to their posts. Max grabbed Liz’s arm and propelled her into the vaults.
The vaults were basically like multimedia library full of the latest equipment in encoding, encryption, decoding and everything that a technician ever dreamed about. It also contained everything the FBI had ever touched. All case files, all back files, logs, entries, and details. The works.
“WOW!” Liz said awed. There was no one in the vaults, other than them.
“Anyone around?” she asked in a low voice.
“Nope. Only one person can enter at one time. We don’t want everyone to know everyone’s business now, do we? And what about the security cams?I don’t know where they are!”
“Already done. I told those agents to stop it for a while because I was on urgent communiqué with the NSA on matter of extreme importance. Last thing I need to worry about is a mole. The agents were most cooperative.” She winked.
“Who the hell did you pretend to be, the Director?”
“Nope, Special Agent Pierce.”
“He’s not even in town!!”
“They apparently didn’t know!” she shrugged. “Let’s get this over and done with.”
Max sat down at one terminal and went on for a search of all listed FBI files.
“They need ID, mister.” She remarked as she went over to another terminal and started a search on the materials they had on the 1947 crash.
Max looked up. “What the hell are youdoing??”
“Nothing.”
Max continued typing in commands, breaking down the firewalls as he infiltrated into the database. “Are you crazy?? You don’t have access. If anyone gets a link on you, we’re dead!”
“I’ve got 5 different cutouts! In case anyone decides to investigate, they’ll find me coming in from Bombay, okay?? And why bother? This IS their network, I hardly think the Feds are going to panic over that!”
“It’s the vaults!! Of course they’ll panic! They’ll sent death squads if they want. Almost all the lists of people in witness protection programs, criminal, internal terrorism files are here. You think they won’t bring in the National Guard if they got wind of this?” he was in!!
Max started on the safe houses. There were hundreds. He selected possible locations, then thought better and printed out the roster for the entire East Coast area and gave a command to start printing. He quickly logged out and inserted the disk he’d been carrying. They had made it within one hour in an arcade. Even though finance hadn’t been either of their strongest suits, with the help of a cyber-addict, it’d been completed in record time. Of course, Max had had to pay enough. But the $20 million that had been sitting in the banks had been put to their first big draw.
He created an entry. And voila!! There it was sitting in the accounts section in the FBI financial spreadsheets, with a big red flag. Any and all analysts who saw it would be over it like white on rice. He looked over at her, she hadn’t answered as he’d talked.
Liz didn’t reply, she was too busy looking for whatever they had. Almost all the files were locked. She knew that breaking the codes now would require hours and she didn’t have hours. She had a precious 13 minutes before the cameras went on again. She could hardly pick anything randomly.
“You know any alien codes?”
“Do they have anything?” Max ran over to her side. The clock ticked away. The red digits read 12:47. 13 minutes.
“All locked!” Liz snarled, frustrated.
“Let me.” Max sat beside her. She edged away, making space. Max turned his focus on the passwords but her scent was driving him crazy. “Could you get those printouts? I think the blueprints are in the next folders.”
She was already up. “Got it.” The only sound in the room was the beep of the occasional printer and the hum of powerful technology. Max got on line with NSA, requesting special permission to get information regarding 12th December, the night Alex was captured. Liz had taken the printouts and was back.
“Will they tell?” her voice cracked with the effort to remain calm.
Max felt sweat break out but kept calm. In a minute, there were details coming in. He smirked. “You were saying?”
Liz leaned over his shoulders and scanned the report. Nothing on me, good! She couldn’t help but be relieved now that another fear had been put to rest.
“Wait! These are NSA files! They know about Alex??”
“I guess. Pierce needed more than just his own clout.”
“Well, I want to check the FBI files.”
“Gimme a minute.”
“You might not have one!” she said, her voice slightly high. The clock read 12:50.
“Max, 10 minutes.”
Max took a deep breath and sent it a request for the passwords for the locked files that came from NSA. It came within seconds. Liz raced to the other terminal. She was on the same wavelength with Max in two seconds, as he opened up the shared link. She scanned the locked NSA files. All the information about Alex, information about Maria, information on Max. But, nothing on her so far. There were small reports from the several places Alex had been in when he’d been on the run.
"Did you find anything?”
“I’m transferring them to you.”
Liz held her breath. The green light on the console flashed and she was confronted with over a hundred folders, each with at least 10 or 20 files. I’m screwed!!
“Max, I could use a little help here!!” time was running out, they had barely seven minutes.
“I’m full up to my elbows here!! Fucking hell!! Which ones?” he muttered as he rapidly scanned the files. “Use the rapid term search! It’ll be faster.”
She longed to tell him that she didn’t know any search terms that she could use. Frantically, she used rapid scan. The tech was so advanced that within seconds every file was neatly being divided into summaries, key words highlighted.
“Wow! This stuff is awesome!!”
“Get over it.” Max mumbled as he opened the folder he’d been searching for. The words ‘Special Operations Under Maximum Clearance’ lit up in the traditional Bureau font. Bingo! Hold it!! Sonofabitch, it’s encrypted!! He entered his 4 zero clearance, holding his breath it wouldn’t give of a red flag in the main communication center. If it did, the entire room would be sealed off. They’d get screwed. Very, very badly. The folder opened. He breathed. It hadn’t sounded an alarm. He knew he had maximum 50 second before it would be written permanently into memory. If anyone knew he’d accessed this file, he might as well kill himself now. He didn’t hesitate; he gave print command the second it opened. Max sighed silently. This would help him in the future.
The he glanced over at Liz. The eerie glow from the screen lighted her face. Her features were twisted in concentration and fear of what she may have found. Max shut off his link, and then the terminal as the printing finished. He stopped. 56 pages in less than 2 minutes.
“Hurry up!! Only 5 more minutes.”
Liz didn’t reply. In front of her was a file with the words “important alien artifacts”. It was encrypted. She turned on the decoder. DAMN!! It required a password. She held her palm over the decoder drive, slowly the passwords unraveled. The decoder stopped, the machinery hummed. Liz waited, nerves screaming. Clearance order came. It was cleared within seconds. Then she stopped breathing.
Her entire being was fixated on the object whose picture she could now see. It was long, thing cylinder. At first glance it seemed to be a diamond or a crystal, but she knew it wasn’t. It couldn’t be; it was from another planet.
“LIZ!! 2 minutes!!”
“The Granolith.” She whispered.
Max was by her side in an instant. He tugged on her sleeve. “Snap out of it!! We have to go. NOW!!”
Liz stared at him for a nanosecond. He looked calm but his hands shook slightly as he packed everything up. She printed the file. Every second passed faster. They were literally not breathing as the time slowed to a halt. 45 seconds. Come ON!!! Just get done already!!
They stared at the printer as the clock ticked off seconds. Both their eyes made contact at one pass and they both stopped breathing. If nayhting had to happen, it had to happen NOW!! Max stared at the red digits until it blurred. They were going to get shafted. He knew it! The last page came out and Liz tore it out of the printer. She placed her hand over the CPU of both the terminals alternately, wiping any traces of their activities from its memory as the seconds raced by.
“5 seconds left.” Max said, as he secured his backpack, after having wiped off any traces of fingerprints there possibly could’ve been.
Liz waved her hand over the entire area. “Just in case!”
They raced to the door and banged on it. Liz took a deep breath. Max felt like he was going bungee. Freefall, without harness.
“Quick work, sir. I was just about to turn on the cameras.”
Liz nodded and they walked back out. The agents stood and one of them called for the elevator.
“No trouble at all, sir. It’s been pretty busy here what with the new evidences that have been coming in from Nevada.” The guard explained as if he’d been asked something.
Liz and Max both simultaneously snapped their heads at him.
“I’m not cleared for any further information, sir. In case you were worried. No, it’s just that most of the special agents had come in for those specific cases. No. They’re all being transferred to the Special Evidence vaults.” The agent continued. “Yes sir. Security Personnel are coming in at around 5:00 p.m. today. We've been using the Speical Unit only. Very hush-hush.”
The elevator arrived. Max and Liz stepped inside. It moved down towards basement. Max looked at Liz. Her face was pale and she looked fragile, as if a lot had been taken out of her. She glanced up at him, noting his concern. “I
’m ok. I can do it.” Then she sighed. “We could’ve taken it.”
“Yeah.” Max was equally despondent. “If we could’ve grabbed the new evidence, it could be a veritable genie in a bottle. Too darn bad, it coincides with the meet with Pierce.”
Liz shook her head. “Forget it, we’ll get it later. For now, we need to find Alex. It’s become more than a necessity at this point. It’s paramount.”
“Why?” Max couldn’t help but ask. She’d obviously found out something important. “What’d you find? What was that weird diamond thing?”
“The Holy Grail.” She answered, eyes fixed on the LED screen.
“What??”
“Something important.” The doors pinged and then opened. There was no one around. Max and Liz made their way over to the entrance. The security personnel didn’t even turn. Each breathed in deeply, relieved, exulted.
They made their way to the next block, Max keeping a firm grip on Liz to keep her from walking too fast. It wouldn’t do to draw attention to them now. The bitter wind blew across their faces, ruffling Max’s hair and making Liz’s longer locks stream behind her. Their faces were rosy from the adrenaline rush. Liz kept close to Max. After the entire ordeal, now she felt the sudden need to share her exhilaration with him. What they’d done was suicidal, insane. There’d been a fine line between discovery and escape. But having made it out of there, unscathed, and with extra information, which would set their investigation racing ahead, Liz was all but hyper with excitement. She snuggled up against him; the wind was chilly.
Max glanced down in surprise. He took in her glowing eyes, the rosy hue in her cheeks. The combined effects of the wind and the adrenaline rush through her system had served her purpose; she looked lovelier than ever. He smiled appreciatively.
“I take it you’re liking the thrill of living on the edge?” he asked, distracted by the play of sunlight in her hair. The red highlights in the dark brown hair caught the sun, turning fiery, lending a translucent glow to her tanned face, very unusual in Washington in this climate but she’d acquired it from another. Memories of her in that red silky scrap of material mingled with the picture she made now.
“That was amazing!! I mean, I never thought…. it’s indescribable!!” she babbled, swinging in front of him and facing him. The wind blew their way, sending her raven hair in a cloak over her face. He leaned forward and pushed it away, unable to stop himself. He knew he was getting in too deep, that it was bound to end badly, but he was finally learning how not to always listen to his mind. Her huge doe eyes fastened themselves on him.
“You uh…. had a.…uh”
“Hair thing.” She finished, still flushed.
“Yeah.” He tried looking away, but his eyes were locked on hers.
She smiled shyly. “Thank you.”
He nodded. “Sure.” He brushed back the spikes that had fallen over his brow, giving him rugged appeal. He was calm, in control, getting over the thrill of the rendevous with practiced ease.
An eternity seemed to pass as their gazed locked. It was a busy day in Washington. The sidewalk was teeming with millions of people; all moving like a single body. In the midst of the crowd, they stared at each other. A passerby could’ve pointed out the differences, how tall he was, compared to her petite frame. Or how she complemented his much bigger physique with her own graceful one, or how his hazel eyes turned golden, answering a twinkle from the depths of her chocolate ones. Despite the unmitigated differences in their actual beings, they couldn’t look more right together if they’d tried.
Worse thing was, that they knew it too. Liz could see the attraction in his eyes, which she knew was mirrored on her own. There was no denying chemistry, it was either there or it wasn’t. Unfortunately, even with it, they had no choice but to ignore it. She looked away. He cleared his throat and started walking again.
“Ok, what do we do now?” she tried hard to ignore the flames licking along her nerves.
Every time he looked into her eyes, she felt herself losing control. And she couldn’t afford to, not just yet.
“We go over the stuff. There’re not more than 2 or 3 safe houses in Bethesda. Add greater Maryland and Arlington, not more than 7. We concentrate on those first. He unlocked the car and they got in. Max started the engine and backed out of the cramped space. Liz found an old cassette in the dash. She popped it in.
Did you give up?
Did it get easier?
Did all those things come together? Oh yeah?
Did you ever really notice I never really cared?
She smiled at me and looked at me and said
“Econoline Crush.” Liz commented. Years old song, but it affected them both. The beat of the drum and wails of the guitars electrified the atmosphere.
You don’t know what it’s like
What it’s like, what it’s like
You don’t know what it’s like
What it’s like, what it’s like
I feel like nothing at all
You don’t know what it’s like
I feel like nothing at all, feel like nothing at all
Yeah yeah!!
You don’t know what it’s like
Liz felt the goose bumps appear in her skin, she shivered with intensity. Max clenched his hands on the wheel, fighting the urge to do something. The thrill that had passed before on the sidewalk throbbed with a vengeance, just under his skin. The urge didn’t always come easily. But it had been a moment of triumph for them both. He hadn’t worked past that just yet.
The words, from another time, hadn’t ever meant anything to either of them when they’d been growing up. Now, it made their blood thrum. The high-pitched voice of the singer made them both long to scream out at the world, lay it at their feet, dare someone to stop them.
There was a certain amount of truth in the words. Nobody was in this situation. Nobody could possibly comprehend what they’d been doing so far. It was madness. Despite themselves, they felt their pulse beginning to race.
Welcome to my world.
Chapter 19.
“Do we go someplace?” Sarah Maclachlan was crooning about “Fear” now. Liz could certainly relate.
“Yeah.” It had taken a while for them both to sufficiently calm down enough to make sense of the stolen information.
He drove into a mall and parked in a secluded are in the car park. She rooted around and discovered a flashlight.
“Ok, what do we have here?” he said, methodically separating each folder.
“Here you go. Alien Special Evidences.” He handed her the file that she’d cracked back there. Liz took it immediately.
Seeing she was engrossed, Max took out the list of the safe houses and went through that.
Liz stared at the printout. Even from grainy pixels, she could make out the unusual object. The Granolith! Liz shut here eyes, elated.
Max glanced at her. “Yo! No time for meditating! I could use some help with these.”
She opened her eyes. There was the hot glow of passion in her eyes, the same he’d seen back in that bar in Bangkok. “I’ll scan ‘em in.”
He stared at her hard. “What?” thinking he’d misheard. She didn’t look like a robot that she’d scan it in, Jesus!!
“Speed read. It’s a born gift. Otherworldly, of course.’ She gave a small laugh, seeing his quasi-relieved expression.
“So, what did you find?”
“The thing Alex wanted me to find.”
“What would it be?” he wasn’t buying the evasions.
“The passport back.” She looked him in the eye. “Our way home.”
He dropped her gaze, but not before she caught sign or something raw in his eyes. He looked out the window; a few teenagers were approaching the car nearby. One of the guys caught sight of them and whistled. The rest caught on, hooting and leering. Max turned, a ghost of a smile on his face. Liz was busy rolling her eyes.
“I see. Is that the key or what? It doesn’t look big enough to hold you both.”
She smiled, but it was lacking its usual sparkling factor. “I don’t know. That’s why we need Alex.”
“I’ll call Michael. He’s probably worried out of his mind that I’m getting into trouble.”
She nodded, the thrill from their earlier escapades vanishing into the mist.
“Sure. I’ll just go over these…” she gestured lamely at the files.
“Lock the doors.” He got out. The glass had turned foggy. He could see the distant look renewed in her eyes. He knew exactly how she felt.
Get over it. She couldn’t have made it clearer. You heard it. Don’t botch whatever’s left by lame-assed attempts to win her back. You never had her to begin with! Max set out at a fast clip. Sometimes, his conscience was more persistent than a rash.
He reached into a pay phone and called Michael’s cell.
“Yeah?” Michael barked on the other end.
‘It’s me.’ Max replied, his mind still on Liz. Lately it was hard thinking of anything else.
“YOU!!” Michael sounded he was going to pass out with worry.
“What’s wrong?” Max welcomed the opportunity to distract his reluctant mind from Liz.
“Wait for five minutes.’ With that Michael didn’t talk, there was no noises from his end.
After a while, he came back. “Max, just tell me this and I hope to God you have a good answer! How the HELL do you know about Whitman?? And why YOU??” Michael’s voice ended in a guttural whisper; he was doing his damndest to keep his voice down.
“Where are you?" A very disturbing thought had lodged itself on Max’s brain. He knew he was acting paranoid, but he was dealing with Special Agent Pierce. He’d better watch his back.
“Outside. I’m clear.” Michael said, sounding irate.
“Listen, Mike. Just go along with me on this one, ok? I may need a doctor soon.” He held the phone away from him as Michael erupted on the other end.
“WHY??” Mike demanded.
“I can’t tell you, buddy. But I need ya now. Please, just don’t ask questions, it’s too complicated. Just tell me what I need to know. Do you know who’s in charge?”
“I can’t imagine if the name would mean anything to you, but it’s the Feds. Special Agent Pierce’s in charge. An insufferable ass in my opinion, but the guy seriously scares the shit outta me, pal. I’d take care to stay out of his way if I could. Apart from that, I don’t know anything. ” Michael glanced around, he could hear the steady thrum of rotors.
Max swore. “Any locations? Mike, anything you could give would help.”
Michael studied the chopper as it flew overhead. “Max! If I knew anything more, you’d know!! Just tell me, how the hell did you find out? More importantly, do you know about Alex Whitman? The fact that he’s… uh…. an alien?? Oh my God, Max! I couldn’t believe it but then they showed me ……friggin’ proof. Jesus h. Christ, there are aliens, actual aliens roaming around!! Do you understand?? Max?”
Max hesitated. What he’d say would destroy his friend. “I know, Michael.”
“Yeah? AND??”
“I turned him in.”
There was total quiet; neither of them breathed. The calm before the storm.
“What?” Michael whispered inaudibly. “WHAT??” he roared.
“Shut the hell UP!!” Max hissed. ‘I had my reasons, Michael, as misguided as they were.”
Michael wasn’t listening. “You did WHAT?? Oh my God, if Maria was still alive!! I can’t believe this, Max!!” he’d lowered his voice but his fury and disbelief poured off him and into the phone line, nearly scorching Max .
“How could you? He was in love with your sister!! Thank God, Maria didn’t know, thank God…” he knew he was babbling, the but shock had overtaken him completely.
“We grew up in the same town. How could you do something like that? Do you know what they’d do to him? What they’d already done? Jesus, Max!!! And how’d you know he was one to begin with?”
Max winced. Michael’s words had cut “I was recruited, Michael.”
“Recruited? What are you, the fucking Saigon Legion that they need to recruit you??”
“No. I was their creation. The perfect machine, capable of capturing the aliens.” Max’s voice was bitter. Suddenly it him, how vulnerable he’d been and how they’d taken advantage of him. Anger made his blood boil. All of a sudden, he felt a calming element. He wasn’t aware of what was happening, but he could feel himself cooling, getting his bearings back, becoming logical. Liz.
“What do you mean?” Michael asked cautiously. Max hadn’t sounded normal. He had heard the wealth of regret and pain in his tone.
“The Government hired me. Set me up. Showed me so-called proof that Alex was the one who killed Maria. What can I say? I was a godammned fool.” He ended bitterly.
Michael sat down on the nearest car. “Did he?”
“No. They set me up.”
Michael kept absolutely quiet. He could feel Max do the same. Quietly, each contemplated what they’d just learnt.
“How did you learn about this?” Michael forced his voice to be normal. He glanced at his watch. It was 12:35 pm. He’d have to get back soon.
“That can come later. Not over phone.”
“Max, are you in trouble? Why exactly are you looking for Whitman now? What would it accomplish anyway? He’s probably dead.”
Max nearly jumped out of his skin. “Run that by me again? He’s dead?”
“How do I know? These are frickin’ aliens!! What do I know about them, anyways?”
“You brought it up!! Mike, this is life or death. What do you know about Alex’s condition??”
Michael heard the stridency in his oldest friend’s voice. “I don’t know anything. Pierce told me that they needed me; because I’m the best in my field and that there was still a lot of work to be done. Oh, and he said that they hadn’t started.”
Max’s faint glimmer of hope was cut short by Mike’s sardonic
laughter. “Yeah, right. They have a specimen from another planet and they left him untouched. That’s a joke.”
“So you think he lied.”
“Did you think otherwise? Of course the sumbitch lied!! Well, I’ll call ya back when I’ve got more information. Right now, we need to decide on where to meet.”
“Agreed. And keep it low profile. Last thing we need is the Feds on our case.”
“Max?”
“Yeah?”
“I never thought, never ever in a million years, that you’d end up a spook!!”
“I didn’t either.”
“So why are you still on the job? It has to be over.” Michael could hear Max’s drawn out sigh.
“Yeah, I know. It will. Just let me take care of this.”
“Then why hand him in??” Michael was having an extremely hard time making sense of Max. First off, he’d handed Alex in. Now, he wanted to help save him. What the hell’s wrong with you, buddy?
“That discussion will be held in person. Meet me in the corner of Arlington Park. South entrance, by 2:30. And Mike, keep your eyes peeled. You’ve already been sequestered; it’s a matter of time when it’s established for real. Ok? I must go now. Please don’t be late. That is the last time I can see you before something really important.”
“Max!! You’re talking like you’ll never be back!! What’re you going to do?” Michael barked. Is he on a suicide run? “Make room, because there’s no way in hell I’m letting you go into something like this, leaving your scrawny ass unprotected!”
“Guerin, calm down. I’m meeting Pierce. That’s all.”
Michael sighed. He’d had a feeling all along. “It’s good thing you came back when you did, ole buddy. I’d just about given up on adventures in my life.”
“You work with potentially deadly diseases every day. That’s not enough?”
“Oh that!” Michael waved it off airily but his glance in his watch told him it was past time to go. 12:45. “I’ve got to go.”
"Yeah, so do I. I’ll see you soon.”
As they’d talked on, neither of the two friends were aware of the fact that only across town, Special Agent Pierce had just gotten the go-ahead for tapping into Dr. Michael Guerin’s phone, a special order down from the Director himself. He’d flown in from California only half an hour ago, the jet had touched down and he’d barreled downtown to this communication control, downtown, away from main FBI frequency.
He’d pulled every string possible. The reason was sitting in a white printout in front of him.
Michael Guerin.
Hometown – Roswell, NM. USA.
He wasn’t taking any chances. Guerin’s history with Max Evans, troublemaker and hunter extraordinaire, who had suddenly come into the picture once again after insisting on quitting, as well as the belligerent doctor’s attitude, had sealed his own fate.
“Sir. We’ve started the trace. The chopper picked him up about 10 minutes ago. He’s on satellite, still in the parking lot.” The agent paused. “Talking on his cell.”
“Start the trace. I want every single call screened.”
“Right away, sir. Initializing port.” The agent worked the keyboard with the skill of Chopin. The screen lit up with incoming info.
Pierce stared at the screen intently. He might not find anything but Evans’s sudden reappearance had planted seeds in his brain that he just couldn’t shake. If Guerin was in on anything, he needed to know.
Correction, he would know. Courtesy of full legal authority to tap the phone, wire his house and keep tabs on his whereabouts. Pierce could smell his victory over Max Evans. If nothing happened, then at least it would be guaranteed that the doctor was clean. But his instinct was too strong. He knew Evans somehow figured into it. It was only a matter of time when he found out exactly where.
He snapped out of his thoughts as the console flashed. A series of numbers were coming in. Pierce checked the watch. 12:43 pm.
The technician leaned forward. “Starting trace………now!”
So i'm evil?? lemme know if this is supense enough for u guys!!
“Do we go someplace?” Sarah Maclachlan was crooning about “Fear” now. Liz could certainly relate.
“Yeah.” It had taken a while for them both to sufficiently calm down enough to make sense of the stolen information.
He drove into a mall and parked in a secluded are in the car park. She rooted around and discovered a flashlight.
“Ok, what do we have here?” he said, methodically separating each folder.
“Here you go. Alien Special Evidences.” He handed her the file that she’d cracked back there. Liz took it immediately.
Seeing she was engrossed, Max took out the list of the safe houses and went through that.
Liz stared at the printout. Even from grainy pixels, she could make out the unusual object. The Granolith! Liz shut here eyes, elated.
Max glanced at her. “Yo! No time for meditating! I could use some help with these.”
She opened her eyes. There was the hot glow of passion in her eyes, the same he’d seen back in that bar in Bangkok. “I’ll scan ‘em in.”
He stared at her hard. “What?” thinking he’d misheard. She didn’t look like a robot that she’d scan it in, Jesus!!
“Speed read. It’s a born gift. Otherworldly, of course.’ She gave a small laugh, seeing his quasi-relieved expression.
“So, what did you find?”
“The thing Alex wanted me to find.”
“What would it be?” he wasn’t buying the evasions.
“The passport back.” She looked him in the eye. “Our way home.”
He dropped her gaze, but not before she caught sign or something raw in his eyes. He looked out the window; a few teenagers were approaching the car nearby. One of the guys caught sight of them and whistled. The rest caught on, hooting and leering. Max turned, a ghost of a smile on his face. Liz was busy rolling her eyes.
“I see. Is that the key or what? It doesn’t look big enough to hold you both.”
She smiled, but it was lacking its usual sparkling factor. “I don’t know. That’s why we need Alex.”
“I’ll call Michael. He’s probably worried out of his mind that I’m getting into trouble.”
She nodded, the thrill from their earlier escapades vanishing into the mist.
“Sure. I’ll just go over these…” she gestured lamely at the files.
“Lock the doors.” He got out. The glass had turned foggy. He could see the distant look renewed in her eyes. He knew exactly how she felt.
Get over it. She couldn’t have made it clearer. You heard it. Don’t botch whatever’s left by lame-assed attempts to win her back. You never had her to begin with! Max set out at a fast clip. Sometimes, his conscience was more persistent than a rash.
He reached into a pay phone and called Michael’s cell.
“Yeah?” Michael barked on the other end.
‘It’s me.’ Max replied, his mind still on Liz. Lately it was hard thinking of anything else.
“YOU!!” Michael sounded he was going to pass out with worry.
“What’s wrong?” Max welcomed the opportunity to distract his reluctant mind from Liz.
“Wait for five minutes.’ With that Michael didn’t talk, there was no noises from his end.
After a while, he came back. “Max, just tell me this and I hope to God you have a good answer! How the HELL do you know about Whitman?? And why YOU??” Michael’s voice ended in a guttural whisper; he was doing his damndest to keep his voice down.
“Where are you?" A very disturbing thought had lodged itself on Max’s brain. He knew he was acting paranoid, but he was dealing with Special Agent Pierce. He’d better watch his back.
“Outside. I’m clear.” Michael said, sounding irate.
“Listen, Mike. Just go along with me on this one, ok? I may need a doctor soon.” He held the phone away from him as Michael erupted on the other end.
“WHY??” Mike demanded.
“I can’t tell you, buddy. But I need ya now. Please, just don’t ask questions, it’s too complicated. Just tell me what I need to know. Do you know who’s in charge?”
“I can’t imagine if the name would mean anything to you, but it’s the Feds. Special Agent Pierce’s in charge. An insufferable ass in my opinion, but the guy seriously scares the shit outta me, pal. I’d take care to stay out of his way if I could. Apart from that, I don’t know anything. ” Michael glanced around, he could hear the steady thrum of rotors.
Max swore. “Any locations? Mike, anything you could give would help.”
Michael studied the chopper as it flew overhead. “Max! If I knew anything more, you’d know!! Just tell me, how the hell did you find out? More importantly, do you know about Alex Whitman? The fact that he’s… uh…. an alien?? Oh my God, Max! I couldn’t believe it but then they showed me ……friggin’ proof. Jesus h. Christ, there are aliens, actual aliens roaming around!! Do you understand?? Max?”
Max hesitated. What he’d say would destroy his friend. “I know, Michael.”
“Yeah? AND??”
“I turned him in.”
There was total quiet; neither of them breathed. The calm before the storm.
“What?” Michael whispered inaudibly. “WHAT??” he roared.
“Shut the hell UP!!” Max hissed. ‘I had my reasons, Michael, as misguided as they were.”
Michael wasn’t listening. “You did WHAT?? Oh my God, if Maria was still alive!! I can’t believe this, Max!!” he’d lowered his voice but his fury and disbelief poured off him and into the phone line, nearly scorching Max .
“How could you? He was in love with your sister!! Thank God, Maria didn’t know, thank God…” he knew he was babbling, the but shock had overtaken him completely.
“We grew up in the same town. How could you do something like that? Do you know what they’d do to him? What they’d already done? Jesus, Max!!! And how’d you know he was one to begin with?”
Max winced. Michael’s words had cut “I was recruited, Michael.”
“Recruited? What are you, the fucking Saigon Legion that they need to recruit you??”
“No. I was their creation. The perfect machine, capable of capturing the aliens.” Max’s voice was bitter. Suddenly it him, how vulnerable he’d been and how they’d taken advantage of him. Anger made his blood boil. All of a sudden, he felt a calming element. He wasn’t aware of what was happening, but he could feel himself cooling, getting his bearings back, becoming logical. Liz.
“What do you mean?” Michael asked cautiously. Max hadn’t sounded normal. He had heard the wealth of regret and pain in his tone.
“The Government hired me. Set me up. Showed me so-called proof that Alex was the one who killed Maria. What can I say? I was a godammned fool.” He ended bitterly.
Michael sat down on the nearest car. “Did he?”
“No. They set me up.”
Michael kept absolutely quiet. He could feel Max do the same. Quietly, each contemplated what they’d just learnt.
“How did you learn about this?” Michael forced his voice to be normal. He glanced at his watch. It was 12:35 pm. He’d have to get back soon.
“That can come later. Not over phone.”
“Max, are you in trouble? Why exactly are you looking for Whitman now? What would it accomplish anyway? He’s probably dead.”
Max nearly jumped out of his skin. “Run that by me again? He’s dead?”
“How do I know? These are frickin’ aliens!! What do I know about them, anyways?”
“You brought it up!! Mike, this is life or death. What do you know about Alex’s condition??”
Michael heard the stridency in his oldest friend’s voice. “I don’t know anything. Pierce told me that they needed me; because I’m the best in my field and that there was still a lot of work to be done. Oh, and he said that they hadn’t started.”
Max’s faint glimmer of hope was cut short by Mike’s sardonic
laughter. “Yeah, right. They have a specimen from another planet and they left him untouched. That’s a joke.”
“So you think he lied.”
“Did you think otherwise? Of course the sumbitch lied!! Well, I’ll call ya back when I’ve got more information. Right now, we need to decide on where to meet.”
“Agreed. And keep it low profile. Last thing we need is the Feds on our case.”
“Max?”
“Yeah?”
“I never thought, never ever in a million years, that you’d end up a spook!!”
“I didn’t either.”
“So why are you still on the job? It has to be over.” Michael could hear Max’s drawn out sigh.
“Yeah, I know. It will. Just let me take care of this.”
“Then why hand him in??” Michael was having an extremely hard time making sense of Max. First off, he’d handed Alex in. Now, he wanted to help save him. What the hell’s wrong with you, buddy?
“That discussion will be held in person. Meet me in the corner of Arlington Park. South entrance, by 2:30. And Mike, keep your eyes peeled. You’ve already been sequestered; it’s a matter of time when it’s established for real. Ok? I must go now. Please don’t be late. That is the last time I can see you before something really important.”
“Max!! You’re talking like you’ll never be back!! What’re you going to do?” Michael barked. Is he on a suicide run? “Make room, because there’s no way in hell I’m letting you go into something like this, leaving your scrawny ass unprotected!”
“Guerin, calm down. I’m meeting Pierce. That’s all.”
Michael sighed. He’d had a feeling all along. “It’s good thing you came back when you did, ole buddy. I’d just about given up on adventures in my life.”
“You work with potentially deadly diseases every day. That’s not enough?”
“Oh that!” Michael waved it off airily but his glance in his watch told him it was past time to go. 12:45. “I’ve got to go.”
"Yeah, so do I. I’ll see you soon.”
As they’d talked on, neither of the two friends were aware of the fact that only across town, Special Agent Pierce had just gotten the go-ahead for tapping into Dr. Michael Guerin’s phone, a special order down from the Director himself. He’d flown in from California only half an hour ago, the jet had touched down and he’d barreled downtown to this communication control, downtown, away from main FBI frequency.
He’d pulled every string possible. The reason was sitting in a white printout in front of him.
Michael Guerin.
Hometown – Roswell, NM. USA.
He wasn’t taking any chances. Guerin’s history with Max Evans, troublemaker and hunter extraordinaire, who had suddenly come into the picture once again after insisting on quitting, as well as the belligerent doctor’s attitude, had sealed his own fate.
“Sir. We’ve started the trace. The chopper picked him up about 10 minutes ago. He’s on satellite, still in the parking lot.” The agent paused. “Talking on his cell.”
“Start the trace. I want every single call screened.”
“Right away, sir. Initializing port.” The agent worked the keyboard with the skill of Chopin. The screen lit up with incoming info.
Pierce stared at the screen intently. He might not find anything but Evans’s sudden reappearance had planted seeds in his brain that he just couldn’t shake. If Guerin was in on anything, he needed to know.
Correction, he would know. Courtesy of full legal authority to tap the phone, wire his house and keep tabs on his whereabouts. Pierce could smell his victory over Max Evans. If nothing happened, then at least it would be guaranteed that the doctor was clean. But his instinct was too strong. He knew Evans somehow figured into it. It was only a matter of time when he found out exactly where.
He snapped out of his thoughts as the console flashed. A series of numbers were coming in. Pierce checked the watch. 12:43 pm.
The technician leaned forward. “Starting trace………now!”
So i'm evil?? lemme know if this is supense enough for u guys!!
Chapter 20.
“How long?” Pierce asked, leaning over the man. The agent moved away slightly. Pierce was a scary guy, like it or not.
“60 seconds. It should give us the area.”
The technician typed in command after command, praying for something and fast. If they got squat, he wouldn’t be surprised if Pierce got him kicked out. The guy was a maniac. The zoom was narrowing on a location.
“East Coast.’ Closer, closer.
“30 seconds.” The dial read 12:44.
“Okay, Washington. It’s local, sir.” The man looked up at Pierce but he was in another world. Evans was supposed to meet him in about 4 hours. He’d be in town. Customs had picked him up yesterday. He was definitely in town.
“Get a voice print! Trace that voice from both ends. I want that voice on trace!” he barked.
The technician hurriedly started trace. “This’ll take some time. Minimum 70 seconds. Starting ……...now.” The countdown began. Clock read 12:45 pm.
Across town, in the parking lot, which had turned frigid, Max shifted hands. Michael was still in shock but he had to go now. Liz was worried and still alone in there. He listened to Michael as he bantered on about the latest hantaviruses he’d been working on. Max sighed enviously. He’d wanted to work in that field his whole life and it’d been wasted on a miserable career instead. All of a sudden, he couldn’t wait to get out of this filthy life. The glowing red digits in his watch suddenly reminded him of the time. 12:46.
“Mike, I gotta go.”
“Yeah.”
In the comm. Room, Pierce held his breath. The exact location had not been pointed out, but it was nearby Bethesda. The clock read 12:46.
“10 seconds, 9, 8,” the drone of the agent’s voice went on. Time had never moved slower.
“Don’t forget about what I said. Watch your back.” Max told him, a prelude to hanging up.
“No problem.”
“7,6,5….” Pierce stood back, shoving his hands into his suit pocket.
“And, Mike!!” Max called back.
“WHAT? I gotta go!” Michael barked.
“Get a gun, if you can.”
“God, Maxwell!! You’ll be the death of me.”
“4,3...”
Every nerve in Pierce’s head screamed. He had a hunch this would be an important call. Why else would Guerin position himself in an isolated place? Near a satellite to slow down traces? No, this had to be important!
“Bye.” Max hung up
“Bye.” Michael’s cell chimed off.
“They cut off!! Both parties are off. Network confirmed. Position unconfirmed.”
“Damn it!!” Pierce barked. “ Millions of dollars worth of technology and for what?? It can’t even trace a damn call!!” He kicked at a laptop.
“Did you get a location?”
“Negative. In order to get the voice trace, we had to abandon the location. We don’t have enough equipment to do both here. We could’ve done it in the main comm. center.”
“GODDAMMIT!!”
All the agents present stood stock-still. No one breathed, except Pierce. He heaved in a great deal of air before he calmed down.
“I don’t want another missed opportunity. I don’t care if you have to cut off the White House’s comm. link in order to get a free line, the next call that comes in or out of Guerin’s phone, I want it traced!! Understood?”
Everyone present nodded. “Yes sir.”
Pierce strode out without another word.
“That guy should be in an asylum, not in charge of a covert operation.” One of the technicians remarked, after they were sure he wasn’t coming back.
“How the fuck does he expect us to bring him results if the other parties won’t stay in line? That is not in our power, what’re we supposed to do? This is ridiculous!!” he choked on the bagel he’d been eating, the one that had disappeared as soon as Agent Pierce’s staccato footsteps had sounded. A co-worker banged on his back.
The agent got his breath back. “God, I hate this job!! If it isn’t too late, I’ll go back to school and become a dentist!!”
Another one of his colleagues commented acerbically. “The way he struts about you’d think he was the head of CIA. And then he gives impossible orders and expects us to carry it out! What I’d like to know is how big a kiss-ass job did he do on the State department? Musta been good because, sometimes, the guy doesn’t make any sense!!”
The bagel lover replied. “I loathe the guy but I’ve seen his track record. Jackass didn’t come this high up by ass kissing. In fact the Director himself can’t stand the fella because of his reputation and all those cases. But the bastard is brilliant. Eccentric but brilliant. Some descendant of Genghis Khan, I’d bet one months’ pay. I’ve seen some of his work. Grade A. How do you think he made it into the Special Unit?”
“I know he’s top in his field, but it doesn’t stop him from being a demanding, heartless bastard. I wouldn’t want to be whoever he’s hunting now.”
*-----*----*
Max came back to the car. Liz was poring over the files, isolating each one, studying them, committing layouts, blueprints and infrastructure to memory. She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and squinted at him.
“Well?”
He got in. “It went well. He’s with us. We’re meeting him in less than 2 hours.”
“You were panicked over something.” She commented, moving the files out of his way. He nodded his thanks and started the engine.
“Where’re we going?” she asked, startled.
“Never stay in one place for too long. I got careless. We stayed here for too damn long. If someone got a trace….....” he trailed off, realizing he’d just made a gargantuan error. He gunned the car out of there, burning rubber. Inwardly, he cursed himself to the high moons for having been so careless. Quickly he did the math. He’d been on the phone for approximately 15 minutes. More than plenty of time to run a trace or even bring in a squad by now. He relaxed. There was no sign of the Feds anywhere.
“What??” she demanded. He seemed tense and preoccupied and she couldn’t help but feel that somehow, he was holding something back. “What happened?”
He looked over at her. She was worried and frazzled. He kept looking,
marveling at the ease with which he could read her face, gauge her concern. They’d become awfully close. All in the space of around 84 hours or so.
“Nothing." He made his voice calmer so as not to alarm her further. But a quick check in her direction ensured that she was as in tune with him as he’d been with her. Bullshitting was out.
“It’s nothing.” He repeated. “We talked. He was worried about me. It’s only natural. It’s the same way I’d be if you went in to get Alex.’
“When,’ she gently corrected him. “It’s not ‘if’, it’s when.” Then she stopped. He was just making this harder for her. She could understand why he was doing this, but she refused to rise to the bait.
He took an exit. The freeway rolled past. Liz still didn’t talk. Neither did Max. Both were contemplating the same thing.
Liz broke the silence first; unable to bear the way things were
headed. “We shouldn’t go out too far. We need to be back by 2:00.
Remember? You’re meeting Michael.”
“I know that.” She closed her eyes. It was in his tone. He wasn’t going to let it go.
“Don’t shut me out.” Max kept his eyes fixed on the road as he spoke. There was a wealth of emotion in his voice; he struggled to hold it inside.
Liz squeezed her eyes closed. She didn’t want to hear the emotions in his voice; she didn’t need to hear the caring. No, this would be over soon and she wouldn’t hang him around. Her decision was made up. There was no going back. If what little she’d known about the Granolith was remotely true, then they were going to be worlds, galaxies apart. It wouldn't be fair to either of them to give each other false sense of continuity.
She could feel his eyes on her. He was obviously waiting for her to say something. Anything. Instead, she reached over and turned on the radio.
So, you wanna spin the world around?
So, you wanna spin the world around?
And everybody else going round
So, you wanna make a catastrophe?
Why don’t you just send it right
Over to me?
I got some time
Everybody coming round.
“Gomez?” Max cried, stunned. “Is that Gomez?”
Liz looked at him dubiously. “Yeah.” Drawling the words out.
He took no notice. “Oh my God!! I missed this stuff!! Never heard any more after….....” he trailed off, the joy of hearing one of his favorite songs considerably diminished by the memory of his sister’s death. Then he cleared his head.
This gets us nowhere!! They were too stuck in their circumstances, too deeply enmeshed in different spheres to come together. It wasn’t what he wanted. He wanted more than the occasional flashes of warmth, more than sporadic genuine laughter, innocent touches and flaming looks. By God, given the level of his attraction to her, the fact that he’d come this far without doing something more was phenomenal! The main reason he hadn’t had been his own doing.
He’d heard the story of her life and he’d be damned if he didn’t give her the respect she deserved, the time she needed. He had seen it in her eyes. She was as attracted to him as he was to her, but there were unseen forces in their way.
But it stopped now. He’d waited too long to feel like this his entire life. And with the distinct possibility of never seeing each other again looming like a hulking nemesis in the background, he’d be damned if he let cold feet get in his way. It was crunch time and they both knew it. He broke through her dialogue over Gomez’s songs determinedly.
“Liz?” she could hear the determination in his voice.
“Yes?” she fought hard to keep the tremor out.
“This connection that we have…” he parked the car and looked over.
“Yes?” she held her breath. He’d ask her to get rid off it, she could tell. And how do I tell him that I can’t? And would it affect him? Would he be angry because I can’t? Would it hurt him to say the words? And even if I could, would I do it? Would I take away the one thing that I want to keep for myself, after everything I’ve let go? She exhaled, feeling trapped. She had no choice but to let him go. It was the best way. But it didn't make it any easier to do.
“It’s permanent, isn’t it?” he looked her in the eye. She swallowed and nodded.
He nodded, too. I knew it. “So,” he asked, changing the subject, “We never really talked about what we’d do, once you got Alex out.”
She closed her eyes. “We leave. And we never come back.”
“I see.” He drew out the words. This was it; he’d known that this was exactly what she’d been planning. She’d never said otherwise; there was no possible reason for her to do otherwise. But despite everything he knew, everything that was supposed to be because they were the right things to do, he felt the dull ache inside.
She’d meant to leave, leaving him, both of them with nothing but what-ifs and bittersweet memories. He made himself talk.
“Going where, exactly?”
“I can’t tell you that. I haven’t even decided. It depends on Alex.”
“How about away, as in AWAY?” he asked, looking at the sky. A blizzard was imminent; the skies were dark, murky, in tune with his own turbulent feelings.
She followed his gaze. ‘Probably. We have the Granolith now.”
Max wanted to ask about the Granolith, he knew she was counting on his asking about it. That way, they could just close the chapter to this conversation and get back to the reality. Not so fast!
“And what if you do go back, Liz? What happens then?”
She had been afraid of this moment. “What do you mean?”
He inhaled deeply, enunciating each syllable. “I mean, what about us? Are you just going to leave me behind without a backward glance? With this connection between us? And nothing else! Would you just say, ‘so long, Max Evans, nice knowing you’ and be on your way? ”
“There is no us!!” she snarled, feeling she’d been backed into a corner. She didn’t want this, she didn’t. Last thing she’d wanted was complications holding her back. She’d walked away from everything before. She had not done it to be stopped at the last minute. All those sacrifices would not, should not be in vain. “Don’t make it something it isn’t!”
“Really?” he tried to hide the acid in his tone but it didn’t work.
He’d unsnapped both their seatbelts in seconds, shoved back the seat, making space and dragged her onto him.
She tried to form the words, the terrible feeling of being attacked, the memory of being mauled, making the bile rise in her throat. He was beyond being reasonable; she could feel it in the tenseness of his muscles holding her. She tried to use her powers but couldn’t. Her own body was a traitor, refusing to help her. She felt panic setting in. It worked up from the base of her spine and traveled down her arms. She shook in unspeakable terror, mindless with the recurrence of an old nightmare.
It crashed down on her suddenly. She’d spend the last few days with him and still really didn’t know him. Her first instincts about him had been on spot; he was dangerous, ruthless, and unpredictable. He was capable of hurting her in his rage; he’d proved it with Alex. It was his motto; despite the tender exterior she’d seen glimpses of, the man himself was embittered and cruel. He was capable of doing everything she’d felt him capable of, that first night in Bangkok.
Oh my God! How was I so wrong about him? She squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting him to see how he’d wounded her. Her hands glowed with electricity, the prelude to a horrible punishment. Her mind might’ve been crying, but her body knew its job. It had come around. Defend herself at any and all cost. She braced herself.
Max stared at her lovely face inches in front of him. Her eyes were closed, forehead furrowed in panic and fear. Her breathing was deep and ragged, her body knotted up. A pain so intense, that made him catch his breath went through him. He waited, seeing what was coming.
Liz was about to attack, when she opened her eyes. Too much time had passed. He hadn’t done anything. She looked at him cautiously, and then felt her heart stop beating at the look in his eyes.
Bitterness was written in every line in his face, his eyes dark with pain. She drew in a breath and held his gaze. It was full of anguish. His throat worked, but no sound came out. Suddenly, he looked every single line of his 28 years, if not more. He released her. She nearly fell off. She climbed back into her seat, not able to make sense of what he was doing.
“Max?” she breathed. He didn’t meet her eyes.
“I knew it.” His tone was defeated. ‘I knew it! I didn’t want to believe it, but it’s true.” He looked into her eyes; they were still molten in fear and confusion. “You’re afraid of me! His voice trembled. “After everything, you’re still afraid of me! You don’t even trust me enough! If you could believe that I’d actually hurt you, then maybe I was dreaming if I thought anything was ever possible between us.” His voice cracked. He looked away, not wanting her to see how much she’d hurt him.
He knew he was being irrational, that she was probably going to laugh in his face at his ridiculous outburst. For Christ’s sake, he himself knew how insane he sounded! But it had come from inside of him. Logically thinking, he knew it was too soon, that you couldn’t possibly feel so much for someone you haven’t known for more than 3 days. But it was all true. He had tried to deny it but it wouldn’t be denied.
All he’d wanted was her trust. After they’d laid their past open, he’d prayed that she’d come to believe in him as much he did in her. But it had all been for nothing. She didn’t. And if she still didn’t, there was no chance for them. Ever.
The dull ache in his sides became merciless.
Liz sat there, with her mouth hanging open. Inwardly, she was beating her head bloody. Of course he hadn’t meant to hurt her! She’d panicked and believed the first thing that came to mind. Everyone in her life had, at least once, let her down; she’d jumped to the conclusion that he would too. God, you’re such a fool, Liz Parker!! She tried to make
something come out of her throat, to tell him how sorry she was, but the words wouldn’t come.
“Max.” she tried. It came out scratched. He didn’t meet her gaze.
“It’s ok, Liz.” he interrupted her. There was nothing he could say. ‘After this, it’s over. I got it. Loud and clear.’
She stared at him. He was withdrawing inside of himself, pulling away. She felt something tear at her heart. It had been in his gift to her to open up to her, as he had before. Now he was taking it back and she was unprepared for the pain.
“No!” it tore out of her, before she could check it. ‘It’s not over! Please, just listen to me!” One tear slipped out, despite her best efforts.
“Please, Max! Just hear me out. It’s not what you think. It’s not you, it’s me! I can’t let go of the past! It consumes me. I’ve tried my best but I can’t work past the fact that we’re just so…..”
“Different.’ He supplied. Liz felt her heart beat double time. At least he hadn’t given up. It was crystal clear to her now. If he was prepared to forsake so much for her sake, she could do more than reciprocate. It was her turn to set things aside.
“Yes! But that’s not necessarily why I did what I did! I don’t want to hurt you!! And let’s face it. Being with me exposes you into more danger that I could possibly name! It’s not safe and I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you because of me!” she paused for breath, seeing if she’d made any dent in his armor. So far so good. He was at least looking at her. She went on, words tumbling out of her mouth in fervor. She’d be damned if she let him walk away now.
“You don’t understand. I told you, people who I care about are usually targets. Look at Alex!! I stayed away from him because I was worried I might get him caught! And it happened, didn’t it? I can’t, I won't take the same chance with you!!” she tried to stop shouting.
“And who appointed you to play God?” he shouted back at her. “Who are you to make judgments on my behalf? Whether you like it or not, I’m not going to just fade away because of your damn conscience!” he bit out the words.
He’d heard her all right, but her constant attempts to put everything on herself were seriously getting to him. “I care about you, more than I’ve ever cared about anyone! I’ve waited to feel like this my entire life!! I’m not going to just sit back and let you call all the shots, which affects me too!”
She tried to get a word in but he wouldn’t let her.
"NO! This time, you listen!” he roared. She shrank back, his anger having its effect.
“Listen to me.” With obvious effort, he controlled his voice. “I can’t explain what I feel about you and this entire situation. I can understand if you have doubts, but let me just tell you that I don’t. I’m honored that you think so highly of me that you’d walk out ofmy life just like that! And by the way, it would take you a lot more than angry words to get rid of me. A trip to another planet may work, but I’m not letting you go! Not until I’ve discovered what this thing means. Are we in a relationship or not? I don’t know how things go about in planet No-Name, but here on Earth if two people feel as much for each other as we do, they do something about it!" he drew in a breath and continued, not letting her get a word in.
"I’m not some adolescent! It’s not some meaningless crush. I know this seems ridiculous, insane, even, becasue this is so NOT normal!! But I’ll be damned if I stop before I figure what the hell THIS is!!” He paused, inhaling sharply.
“Or is it just my feelings? Is it really just one-sided? Is it? If it is, if you can look me in the eye and tell me that I mean nothing, that the entire last three days have meant nothing to you, then get the hell out of my life!! After tonight, it’s all over! Tell me that and I give
you my word, you’ll never hear from me again!” he stopped, spent.
Liz had listened to the entire tirade. Her heart had alternated between being squeezed with joy that he felt so much for her and the pain that she really was dangerous and thatbeing with her would warrant him a life without friends, family and complete cut-off from everything he’d taken for granted his entire life. She didn’t know how long it would last, or if it even would, but she couldn’t do that to him, no matter how much
he’d beg of her.
Wait a minute! He didn’t beg. He just laid the cards on the table, telling it like it is.
“I’m begging now.’ She snapped her head in his direction. There was nothing on his face other than raw honesty.
“What did you say?” she whispered, unable to believe what she was hearing.
“I said, I’m begging now. If that’s what you want me to do, if that’s what it’ll take for you to put yourself first, then I’m begging now.’ Her cheeks streaked with unchecked tears as she stared at him open-
mouthed in shock. “Please, Liz.” He gentled his tone. “Don’t give up on us yet. We’ve not even begun.” He wondered if he was pushing too hard. If this failed, if he pushed her too hard too soon, if she left, he’d be the one to blame. He checked the words that were longing to come.
Liz stared at him for another instant. Her vision blurred as the tears blinded her. She’d been stupid and blind. There was no way she could refuse this man who cared about her so much. If Liz had learned anything in her life, it was that you didn’t turn away when someone really cared about you, because people who did that were far and wide. She owed it to herself to be honest with him, to tell him that it wasn’t just one sided, that her feelings ran deeper than anything she’d felt in her life.
Her entire past had consumed her, bottling the words that she longed to say. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words remained bottled.
Max watched her carefully. She was warring within herself. He was not much of a religious man but he found himself praying that she wouldn’t deny her own self, her own feelings. He could see the effort it took to get the words out and somehow he understood.
It was hard enough, breaking every covenant that you ever built your life by, it was even harder when your guilt got in the way. He knew she was feeling guilty for putting his life at risk; at ignoring Alex’s predicament. He could see in the molten pools of her eyes. But if she didn’t put herself first now, she never would. He held on to it and prayed.
Liz struggled to get the words past the lump in her throat. But they wouldn’t come. She pleaded with her eyes for him not to take it as a negative. Not to presume that it was this hard on her because she was scared; or the fact that he didn’t mean as much to her. He did!! He meant more to her than she could possibly say. All she could get out was a pathetic, lame “Max.”
Max looked at her. All she’d said was his name. For him, that was enough. It was more than he could’ve possibly hoped for. He reached forward and drew her body to his. She came willingly, almost wrenching the seat back to make space. He caught her chin,looking into her eyes if that’s what she wanted. She didn’t hesitate. Putting a hand on her cheek, she drew his face down and kissed him with all the feelings inside of her. Passion
coursed through her veins as he responded almost violently. He’d waited for this, longed for this as much she had. Before they knew it, a series of
flashes went through both their minds, taking them to someplace they never thought existed.
*Flash* It was them on the hotel room, joking about the water heating thing. She looked
so beautiful, even to herself that she was staggered. Her hair shone darker and her skin
was softer than she’d ever imagined. Had she always looked this beautiful? She didn’t
know. Suddenly, it came to her. This was the way that Max looked at her. This was how
he saw her. If she’d had any doubts about how he felt for her, it was long gone.
*Flash* Max felt himself going somewhere else. He was back in the plane, when she’d been staring at him as he slept. He could feel everything that she had been feeling. The wonder in her eyes as she’d stared at him, the overwhelming attraction as she took in his
tumbled look and unbuttoned shirt, the fire in her blood when he’d stared back at her. She’d been attracted to him from them. He could see them both lying on the hotel bed, spooned gently together. He could feel the security she’d felt when he’d pulled her into his arms, the thrill that had danced in her veins as she’d touched his bare skin. She’d never stopped trusting him. Not after the night they’d laid the past to rest. And she wasn’t scared. Max felt lighter than air.
So, you wanna spin the world around?
So, you wanna spin the world around?
And everybody else going round
So, you wanna make a catastrophe?
Why don’t you just send it right
Over to me?
I got some time
Everybody coming round.
The song reverberated in the enclosed space. Max pulled her as close as he possibly could. She put her hands in his neck drawing him closer, leaning into him unashamedly. Max tangled one hand in the silky wealth of her hair, the other one pushing up the red
sweater she was wearing, encountering warm skin in her back. He inhaled the scent of her perfume, feeling a release from the confines of madness that had become the world.
The music swelled. It was their moment and nothing was taking it away from them.
“How long?” Pierce asked, leaning over the man. The agent moved away slightly. Pierce was a scary guy, like it or not.
“60 seconds. It should give us the area.”
The technician typed in command after command, praying for something and fast. If they got squat, he wouldn’t be surprised if Pierce got him kicked out. The guy was a maniac. The zoom was narrowing on a location.
“East Coast.’ Closer, closer.
“30 seconds.” The dial read 12:44.
“Okay, Washington. It’s local, sir.” The man looked up at Pierce but he was in another world. Evans was supposed to meet him in about 4 hours. He’d be in town. Customs had picked him up yesterday. He was definitely in town.
“Get a voice print! Trace that voice from both ends. I want that voice on trace!” he barked.
The technician hurriedly started trace. “This’ll take some time. Minimum 70 seconds. Starting ……...now.” The countdown began. Clock read 12:45 pm.
Across town, in the parking lot, which had turned frigid, Max shifted hands. Michael was still in shock but he had to go now. Liz was worried and still alone in there. He listened to Michael as he bantered on about the latest hantaviruses he’d been working on. Max sighed enviously. He’d wanted to work in that field his whole life and it’d been wasted on a miserable career instead. All of a sudden, he couldn’t wait to get out of this filthy life. The glowing red digits in his watch suddenly reminded him of the time. 12:46.
“Mike, I gotta go.”
“Yeah.”
In the comm. Room, Pierce held his breath. The exact location had not been pointed out, but it was nearby Bethesda. The clock read 12:46.
“10 seconds, 9, 8,” the drone of the agent’s voice went on. Time had never moved slower.
“Don’t forget about what I said. Watch your back.” Max told him, a prelude to hanging up.
“No problem.”
“7,6,5….” Pierce stood back, shoving his hands into his suit pocket.
“And, Mike!!” Max called back.
“WHAT? I gotta go!” Michael barked.
“Get a gun, if you can.”
“God, Maxwell!! You’ll be the death of me.”
“4,3...”
Every nerve in Pierce’s head screamed. He had a hunch this would be an important call. Why else would Guerin position himself in an isolated place? Near a satellite to slow down traces? No, this had to be important!
“Bye.” Max hung up
“Bye.” Michael’s cell chimed off.
“They cut off!! Both parties are off. Network confirmed. Position unconfirmed.”
“Damn it!!” Pierce barked. “ Millions of dollars worth of technology and for what?? It can’t even trace a damn call!!” He kicked at a laptop.
“Did you get a location?”
“Negative. In order to get the voice trace, we had to abandon the location. We don’t have enough equipment to do both here. We could’ve done it in the main comm. center.”
“GODDAMMIT!!”
All the agents present stood stock-still. No one breathed, except Pierce. He heaved in a great deal of air before he calmed down.
“I don’t want another missed opportunity. I don’t care if you have to cut off the White House’s comm. link in order to get a free line, the next call that comes in or out of Guerin’s phone, I want it traced!! Understood?”
Everyone present nodded. “Yes sir.”
Pierce strode out without another word.
“That guy should be in an asylum, not in charge of a covert operation.” One of the technicians remarked, after they were sure he wasn’t coming back.
“How the fuck does he expect us to bring him results if the other parties won’t stay in line? That is not in our power, what’re we supposed to do? This is ridiculous!!” he choked on the bagel he’d been eating, the one that had disappeared as soon as Agent Pierce’s staccato footsteps had sounded. A co-worker banged on his back.
The agent got his breath back. “God, I hate this job!! If it isn’t too late, I’ll go back to school and become a dentist!!”
Another one of his colleagues commented acerbically. “The way he struts about you’d think he was the head of CIA. And then he gives impossible orders and expects us to carry it out! What I’d like to know is how big a kiss-ass job did he do on the State department? Musta been good because, sometimes, the guy doesn’t make any sense!!”
The bagel lover replied. “I loathe the guy but I’ve seen his track record. Jackass didn’t come this high up by ass kissing. In fact the Director himself can’t stand the fella because of his reputation and all those cases. But the bastard is brilliant. Eccentric but brilliant. Some descendant of Genghis Khan, I’d bet one months’ pay. I’ve seen some of his work. Grade A. How do you think he made it into the Special Unit?”
“I know he’s top in his field, but it doesn’t stop him from being a demanding, heartless bastard. I wouldn’t want to be whoever he’s hunting now.”
*-----*----*
Max came back to the car. Liz was poring over the files, isolating each one, studying them, committing layouts, blueprints and infrastructure to memory. She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and squinted at him.
“Well?”
He got in. “It went well. He’s with us. We’re meeting him in less than 2 hours.”
“You were panicked over something.” She commented, moving the files out of his way. He nodded his thanks and started the engine.
“Where’re we going?” she asked, startled.
“Never stay in one place for too long. I got careless. We stayed here for too damn long. If someone got a trace….....” he trailed off, realizing he’d just made a gargantuan error. He gunned the car out of there, burning rubber. Inwardly, he cursed himself to the high moons for having been so careless. Quickly he did the math. He’d been on the phone for approximately 15 minutes. More than plenty of time to run a trace or even bring in a squad by now. He relaxed. There was no sign of the Feds anywhere.
“What??” she demanded. He seemed tense and preoccupied and she couldn’t help but feel that somehow, he was holding something back. “What happened?”
He looked over at her. She was worried and frazzled. He kept looking,
marveling at the ease with which he could read her face, gauge her concern. They’d become awfully close. All in the space of around 84 hours or so.
“Nothing." He made his voice calmer so as not to alarm her further. But a quick check in her direction ensured that she was as in tune with him as he’d been with her. Bullshitting was out.
“It’s nothing.” He repeated. “We talked. He was worried about me. It’s only natural. It’s the same way I’d be if you went in to get Alex.’
“When,’ she gently corrected him. “It’s not ‘if’, it’s when.” Then she stopped. He was just making this harder for her. She could understand why he was doing this, but she refused to rise to the bait.
He took an exit. The freeway rolled past. Liz still didn’t talk. Neither did Max. Both were contemplating the same thing.
Liz broke the silence first; unable to bear the way things were
headed. “We shouldn’t go out too far. We need to be back by 2:00.
Remember? You’re meeting Michael.”
“I know that.” She closed her eyes. It was in his tone. He wasn’t going to let it go.
“Don’t shut me out.” Max kept his eyes fixed on the road as he spoke. There was a wealth of emotion in his voice; he struggled to hold it inside.
Liz squeezed her eyes closed. She didn’t want to hear the emotions in his voice; she didn’t need to hear the caring. No, this would be over soon and she wouldn’t hang him around. Her decision was made up. There was no going back. If what little she’d known about the Granolith was remotely true, then they were going to be worlds, galaxies apart. It wouldn't be fair to either of them to give each other false sense of continuity.
She could feel his eyes on her. He was obviously waiting for her to say something. Anything. Instead, she reached over and turned on the radio.
So, you wanna spin the world around?
So, you wanna spin the world around?
And everybody else going round
So, you wanna make a catastrophe?
Why don’t you just send it right
Over to me?
I got some time
Everybody coming round.
“Gomez?” Max cried, stunned. “Is that Gomez?”
Liz looked at him dubiously. “Yeah.” Drawling the words out.
He took no notice. “Oh my God!! I missed this stuff!! Never heard any more after….....” he trailed off, the joy of hearing one of his favorite songs considerably diminished by the memory of his sister’s death. Then he cleared his head.
This gets us nowhere!! They were too stuck in their circumstances, too deeply enmeshed in different spheres to come together. It wasn’t what he wanted. He wanted more than the occasional flashes of warmth, more than sporadic genuine laughter, innocent touches and flaming looks. By God, given the level of his attraction to her, the fact that he’d come this far without doing something more was phenomenal! The main reason he hadn’t had been his own doing.
He’d heard the story of her life and he’d be damned if he didn’t give her the respect she deserved, the time she needed. He had seen it in her eyes. She was as attracted to him as he was to her, but there were unseen forces in their way.
But it stopped now. He’d waited too long to feel like this his entire life. And with the distinct possibility of never seeing each other again looming like a hulking nemesis in the background, he’d be damned if he let cold feet get in his way. It was crunch time and they both knew it. He broke through her dialogue over Gomez’s songs determinedly.
“Liz?” she could hear the determination in his voice.
“Yes?” she fought hard to keep the tremor out.
“This connection that we have…” he parked the car and looked over.
“Yes?” she held her breath. He’d ask her to get rid off it, she could tell. And how do I tell him that I can’t? And would it affect him? Would he be angry because I can’t? Would it hurt him to say the words? And even if I could, would I do it? Would I take away the one thing that I want to keep for myself, after everything I’ve let go? She exhaled, feeling trapped. She had no choice but to let him go. It was the best way. But it didn't make it any easier to do.
“It’s permanent, isn’t it?” he looked her in the eye. She swallowed and nodded.
He nodded, too. I knew it. “So,” he asked, changing the subject, “We never really talked about what we’d do, once you got Alex out.”
She closed her eyes. “We leave. And we never come back.”
“I see.” He drew out the words. This was it; he’d known that this was exactly what she’d been planning. She’d never said otherwise; there was no possible reason for her to do otherwise. But despite everything he knew, everything that was supposed to be because they were the right things to do, he felt the dull ache inside.
She’d meant to leave, leaving him, both of them with nothing but what-ifs and bittersweet memories. He made himself talk.
“Going where, exactly?”
“I can’t tell you that. I haven’t even decided. It depends on Alex.”
“How about away, as in AWAY?” he asked, looking at the sky. A blizzard was imminent; the skies were dark, murky, in tune with his own turbulent feelings.
She followed his gaze. ‘Probably. We have the Granolith now.”
Max wanted to ask about the Granolith, he knew she was counting on his asking about it. That way, they could just close the chapter to this conversation and get back to the reality. Not so fast!
“And what if you do go back, Liz? What happens then?”
She had been afraid of this moment. “What do you mean?”
He inhaled deeply, enunciating each syllable. “I mean, what about us? Are you just going to leave me behind without a backward glance? With this connection between us? And nothing else! Would you just say, ‘so long, Max Evans, nice knowing you’ and be on your way? ”
“There is no us!!” she snarled, feeling she’d been backed into a corner. She didn’t want this, she didn’t. Last thing she’d wanted was complications holding her back. She’d walked away from everything before. She had not done it to be stopped at the last minute. All those sacrifices would not, should not be in vain. “Don’t make it something it isn’t!”
“Really?” he tried to hide the acid in his tone but it didn’t work.
He’d unsnapped both their seatbelts in seconds, shoved back the seat, making space and dragged her onto him.
She tried to form the words, the terrible feeling of being attacked, the memory of being mauled, making the bile rise in her throat. He was beyond being reasonable; she could feel it in the tenseness of his muscles holding her. She tried to use her powers but couldn’t. Her own body was a traitor, refusing to help her. She felt panic setting in. It worked up from the base of her spine and traveled down her arms. She shook in unspeakable terror, mindless with the recurrence of an old nightmare.
It crashed down on her suddenly. She’d spend the last few days with him and still really didn’t know him. Her first instincts about him had been on spot; he was dangerous, ruthless, and unpredictable. He was capable of hurting her in his rage; he’d proved it with Alex. It was his motto; despite the tender exterior she’d seen glimpses of, the man himself was embittered and cruel. He was capable of doing everything she’d felt him capable of, that first night in Bangkok.
Oh my God! How was I so wrong about him? She squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting him to see how he’d wounded her. Her hands glowed with electricity, the prelude to a horrible punishment. Her mind might’ve been crying, but her body knew its job. It had come around. Defend herself at any and all cost. She braced herself.
Max stared at her lovely face inches in front of him. Her eyes were closed, forehead furrowed in panic and fear. Her breathing was deep and ragged, her body knotted up. A pain so intense, that made him catch his breath went through him. He waited, seeing what was coming.
Liz was about to attack, when she opened her eyes. Too much time had passed. He hadn’t done anything. She looked at him cautiously, and then felt her heart stop beating at the look in his eyes.
Bitterness was written in every line in his face, his eyes dark with pain. She drew in a breath and held his gaze. It was full of anguish. His throat worked, but no sound came out. Suddenly, he looked every single line of his 28 years, if not more. He released her. She nearly fell off. She climbed back into her seat, not able to make sense of what he was doing.
“Max?” she breathed. He didn’t meet her eyes.
“I knew it.” His tone was defeated. ‘I knew it! I didn’t want to believe it, but it’s true.” He looked into her eyes; they were still molten in fear and confusion. “You’re afraid of me! His voice trembled. “After everything, you’re still afraid of me! You don’t even trust me enough! If you could believe that I’d actually hurt you, then maybe I was dreaming if I thought anything was ever possible between us.” His voice cracked. He looked away, not wanting her to see how much she’d hurt him.
He knew he was being irrational, that she was probably going to laugh in his face at his ridiculous outburst. For Christ’s sake, he himself knew how insane he sounded! But it had come from inside of him. Logically thinking, he knew it was too soon, that you couldn’t possibly feel so much for someone you haven’t known for more than 3 days. But it was all true. He had tried to deny it but it wouldn’t be denied.
All he’d wanted was her trust. After they’d laid their past open, he’d prayed that she’d come to believe in him as much he did in her. But it had all been for nothing. She didn’t. And if she still didn’t, there was no chance for them. Ever.
The dull ache in his sides became merciless.
Liz sat there, with her mouth hanging open. Inwardly, she was beating her head bloody. Of course he hadn’t meant to hurt her! She’d panicked and believed the first thing that came to mind. Everyone in her life had, at least once, let her down; she’d jumped to the conclusion that he would too. God, you’re such a fool, Liz Parker!! She tried to make
something come out of her throat, to tell him how sorry she was, but the words wouldn’t come.
“Max.” she tried. It came out scratched. He didn’t meet her gaze.
“It’s ok, Liz.” he interrupted her. There was nothing he could say. ‘After this, it’s over. I got it. Loud and clear.’
She stared at him. He was withdrawing inside of himself, pulling away. She felt something tear at her heart. It had been in his gift to her to open up to her, as he had before. Now he was taking it back and she was unprepared for the pain.
“No!” it tore out of her, before she could check it. ‘It’s not over! Please, just listen to me!” One tear slipped out, despite her best efforts.
“Please, Max! Just hear me out. It’s not what you think. It’s not you, it’s me! I can’t let go of the past! It consumes me. I’ve tried my best but I can’t work past the fact that we’re just so…..”
“Different.’ He supplied. Liz felt her heart beat double time. At least he hadn’t given up. It was crystal clear to her now. If he was prepared to forsake so much for her sake, she could do more than reciprocate. It was her turn to set things aside.
“Yes! But that’s not necessarily why I did what I did! I don’t want to hurt you!! And let’s face it. Being with me exposes you into more danger that I could possibly name! It’s not safe and I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you because of me!” she paused for breath, seeing if she’d made any dent in his armor. So far so good. He was at least looking at her. She went on, words tumbling out of her mouth in fervor. She’d be damned if she let him walk away now.
“You don’t understand. I told you, people who I care about are usually targets. Look at Alex!! I stayed away from him because I was worried I might get him caught! And it happened, didn’t it? I can’t, I won't take the same chance with you!!” she tried to stop shouting.
“And who appointed you to play God?” he shouted back at her. “Who are you to make judgments on my behalf? Whether you like it or not, I’m not going to just fade away because of your damn conscience!” he bit out the words.
He’d heard her all right, but her constant attempts to put everything on herself were seriously getting to him. “I care about you, more than I’ve ever cared about anyone! I’ve waited to feel like this my entire life!! I’m not going to just sit back and let you call all the shots, which affects me too!”
She tried to get a word in but he wouldn’t let her.
"NO! This time, you listen!” he roared. She shrank back, his anger having its effect.
“Listen to me.” With obvious effort, he controlled his voice. “I can’t explain what I feel about you and this entire situation. I can understand if you have doubts, but let me just tell you that I don’t. I’m honored that you think so highly of me that you’d walk out ofmy life just like that! And by the way, it would take you a lot more than angry words to get rid of me. A trip to another planet may work, but I’m not letting you go! Not until I’ve discovered what this thing means. Are we in a relationship or not? I don’t know how things go about in planet No-Name, but here on Earth if two people feel as much for each other as we do, they do something about it!" he drew in a breath and continued, not letting her get a word in.
"I’m not some adolescent! It’s not some meaningless crush. I know this seems ridiculous, insane, even, becasue this is so NOT normal!! But I’ll be damned if I stop before I figure what the hell THIS is!!” He paused, inhaling sharply.
“Or is it just my feelings? Is it really just one-sided? Is it? If it is, if you can look me in the eye and tell me that I mean nothing, that the entire last three days have meant nothing to you, then get the hell out of my life!! After tonight, it’s all over! Tell me that and I give
you my word, you’ll never hear from me again!” he stopped, spent.
Liz had listened to the entire tirade. Her heart had alternated between being squeezed with joy that he felt so much for her and the pain that she really was dangerous and thatbeing with her would warrant him a life without friends, family and complete cut-off from everything he’d taken for granted his entire life. She didn’t know how long it would last, or if it even would, but she couldn’t do that to him, no matter how much
he’d beg of her.
Wait a minute! He didn’t beg. He just laid the cards on the table, telling it like it is.
“I’m begging now.’ She snapped her head in his direction. There was nothing on his face other than raw honesty.
“What did you say?” she whispered, unable to believe what she was hearing.
“I said, I’m begging now. If that’s what you want me to do, if that’s what it’ll take for you to put yourself first, then I’m begging now.’ Her cheeks streaked with unchecked tears as she stared at him open-
mouthed in shock. “Please, Liz.” He gentled his tone. “Don’t give up on us yet. We’ve not even begun.” He wondered if he was pushing too hard. If this failed, if he pushed her too hard too soon, if she left, he’d be the one to blame. He checked the words that were longing to come.
Liz stared at him for another instant. Her vision blurred as the tears blinded her. She’d been stupid and blind. There was no way she could refuse this man who cared about her so much. If Liz had learned anything in her life, it was that you didn’t turn away when someone really cared about you, because people who did that were far and wide. She owed it to herself to be honest with him, to tell him that it wasn’t just one sided, that her feelings ran deeper than anything she’d felt in her life.
Her entire past had consumed her, bottling the words that she longed to say. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words remained bottled.
Max watched her carefully. She was warring within herself. He was not much of a religious man but he found himself praying that she wouldn’t deny her own self, her own feelings. He could see the effort it took to get the words out and somehow he understood.
It was hard enough, breaking every covenant that you ever built your life by, it was even harder when your guilt got in the way. He knew she was feeling guilty for putting his life at risk; at ignoring Alex’s predicament. He could see in the molten pools of her eyes. But if she didn’t put herself first now, she never would. He held on to it and prayed.
Liz struggled to get the words past the lump in her throat. But they wouldn’t come. She pleaded with her eyes for him not to take it as a negative. Not to presume that it was this hard on her because she was scared; or the fact that he didn’t mean as much to her. He did!! He meant more to her than she could possibly say. All she could get out was a pathetic, lame “Max.”
Max looked at her. All she’d said was his name. For him, that was enough. It was more than he could’ve possibly hoped for. He reached forward and drew her body to his. She came willingly, almost wrenching the seat back to make space. He caught her chin,looking into her eyes if that’s what she wanted. She didn’t hesitate. Putting a hand on her cheek, she drew his face down and kissed him with all the feelings inside of her. Passion
coursed through her veins as he responded almost violently. He’d waited for this, longed for this as much she had. Before they knew it, a series of
flashes went through both their minds, taking them to someplace they never thought existed.
*Flash* It was them on the hotel room, joking about the water heating thing. She looked
so beautiful, even to herself that she was staggered. Her hair shone darker and her skin
was softer than she’d ever imagined. Had she always looked this beautiful? She didn’t
know. Suddenly, it came to her. This was the way that Max looked at her. This was how
he saw her. If she’d had any doubts about how he felt for her, it was long gone.
*Flash* Max felt himself going somewhere else. He was back in the plane, when she’d been staring at him as he slept. He could feel everything that she had been feeling. The wonder in her eyes as she’d stared at him, the overwhelming attraction as she took in his
tumbled look and unbuttoned shirt, the fire in her blood when he’d stared back at her. She’d been attracted to him from them. He could see them both lying on the hotel bed, spooned gently together. He could feel the security she’d felt when he’d pulled her into his arms, the thrill that had danced in her veins as she’d touched his bare skin. She’d never stopped trusting him. Not after the night they’d laid the past to rest. And she wasn’t scared. Max felt lighter than air.
So, you wanna spin the world around?
So, you wanna spin the world around?
And everybody else going round
So, you wanna make a catastrophe?
Why don’t you just send it right
Over to me?
I got some time
Everybody coming round.
The song reverberated in the enclosed space. Max pulled her as close as he possibly could. She put her hands in his neck drawing him closer, leaning into him unashamedly. Max tangled one hand in the silky wealth of her hair, the other one pushing up the red
sweater she was wearing, encountering warm skin in her back. He inhaled the scent of her perfume, feeling a release from the confines of madness that had become the world.
The music swelled. It was their moment and nothing was taking it away from them.
Last edited by dream on on Sat Sep 20, 2003 3:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
Chapter 21 a.
They’d both calmed down sufficiently after a while. Liz couldn’t keep the smile off her face. She knew they’d crossed an imaginary boundary. There was nothing she could do about it. But she accepted it now. She knew she couldn’t control what he was feeling and she had no right to tell him to stop. Now, all they could do was pray that they would get through this. And we will. One step at a time.
“You ok?” he asked, they were back into the city.
“Of course. Why?” she fiddled with the radio. Richard Ashcroft was crooning about the “Brave new World.”
Into the brave new world,
I hope I see you on the other side,
In this changing world.
Baby, when my ship pulls in,
I try to believe in anyone,
look at the state I'm in.
But for now,
I'm just sitting at the table,
Hearing songs,
Wishing I was able, stable, now...
I hope i see you on the other side.
“Nothing. I was just wondering…if you had any problems.”
Is he blushing?? Liz thought. She squinted. Sure enough, there was that adorable blush near his ears. She grinned.
“Actually, I do.” He snapped his head towards her.
“Sorry?”
“What? You asked if I had any problems, didn’t you?” she baited him.
He shrugged. “Do you now? What is it?”
“I was wondering how much laughs you’d had at my expense in that motel’s bath room.”
She spoke blithely. He choked. Jesus H. Christ!! She saw that??
“Oh I see.”
“Yeah. Queen Amidala? C’mon, you can do better that that!” he stifled his laughter.
“Hey!” she glared at him, quasi seriously. “I’m not some princess, okay?? I do stuff too, y’know!”
“Now, now. Don’t get all worked up. How do you know you’re not?”
"What??"
"Seriously. How do you know you're not?"
“I couldn’t possibly be!! If I were, than I would be around 6 feet, regal and beautiful. I look like a fifth grader.” She toyed with her hair.
“First off, there’s nothing less regal than a 6 feet high Amazon-type female. They look intimidating, not regal. You don’t have to be tall to be regal. Besides, where do you get this stuff from anyways? Jesus H. Christ, women!!”
“Don’t women me, it’s true! Every guy I knew in college preferred busty, tall blondes or brunettes than mousy old me.”
"How many of them did you shoot down becaue of your oh-so forbidden notions??"
"Shaddup!! I didn't throw people across rooms when they asked me for dates??
“Children.” He conceded airily. “College guys, Liz!!” he insisted, the laughter in his eyes. “You think they have any class?”
She rolled her eyes but his smile was contagious.
“Anyways, as I was saying, you’re more beautiful than the Highlands. So that takes care of that one, too.” He paused; the seemingly easy banter had turned into something serious. “You believe me, right? I’m not just saying it.”
She looked at him, eyes shining. “I do.” Then she turned serious. “Thank you. It was a lovely thing to say.”
He grinned widely and shrugged. ‘I’m a lovely guy.”
She laughed outright. “Should I buy you some pink tulles now? Or would you prefer red?”
Max parked the car and they got out. He came over to her side. She reached for his hand the same instant he did hers. Sparks flew everywhere. Liz smiled as their fingers intertwined.
He leaned down and whispered in her ear. “Nah…I don’t really like pink. I prefer the red.” He eased his other hand and discreetly fixed the shoulder of her red sweater that had slid off slightly, exposing the strap of her bra. Liz felt her face flame into a million degrees. He studied her, his expression only slightly joking.
“And I like that, too. The way you look when you blush. It’s also red, you know.” He continued, as she grew redder, their arms swinging between them as they made their way towards a deli. “It leaves a lot to the imagination.”
“Max!” she hissed, mortified and exhilarated all at once. She felt her toes curl. What was this goofy feeling? She couldn’t stop smiling; she couldn’t let go of him long enough to even go through the menu. Is this love?
“I’m serious.” He sat them down in a booth and slid down next to her. “I’m tempted to say what exactly it does to the imagination.” He teased, as her eyes grew wider and she looked around hastily, “But I’ll leave that for another time. You may not look at food or a table quite the way you usually do.”
The arrival of the waitress stopped her from making a complete ass out of herself. After they’d both ordered and the waitress had deposited their food and gone, only then did she dare to meet his eyes. He grinned unrepentantly. She determinedly changed the subject.
“Today, you were real smooth.”
‘When?” he was busy eating his meal. He reached around and got her the Tabasco sauce. She kissed his cheek in gratitude. Max’s smile lit up the room. She sighed, marveling how easy it was to be a part of something, a real relationship. She’d remembered her college days, all those couples who’d hold hands, make out in public or fight with each other. She hadn’t known what it was like back then, because she’d honestly had no idea. Now she knew. And it felt great. She forced her mind to stop wandering and get back to the topic at hand.
“At the HQ. You were awesome! How often do you do stuff like that anyways? You seemed so in control, y’know? Real Jason Bourne stuff.”
She clasped the Tabasco sauce to her as if she was a kid with a new toy; her excitement over the morning’s doings had yet to fade. Tabasco splattered on her face and neck.
“Shit!!” she glanced down to see the damage. Dabbing a napkin, she got most of it out, feeling his eyes burning in her direction as she wiped the hot sauce off her skin. She glanced up, flustered.
"Did I get all of it out?”
His hazel eyes darkened. She’d seen that look before. Liz literally stopped breathing. He leaned forward, his voice so low that she almost missed it.
“There’s some, over there.”
His voice faded as he moved closer. Liz shut her eyes. Then she nearly jumped out of her skin as she felt him lick at the side of her neck. His mouth lingered on her skin.
“Max!” she couldn’t believe how close she’d come to losing it or what he was doing. Especially in a public place. She shoved him away, breathing deeply to cool off. She fanned her flaming face with her hands.
“That was Tabasco sauce,” she commented, her voice distinctly controlled, trying to steer the topic away from dangerous territory. “It’s really hot, y’know?”
Max smiled but his mind was elsewhere. “ Actually, I didn’t find it hot at all. I couldn’t get over the sweet part.” This time, he didn’t lose the leer. She was redder than flame and looked good enough to eat. Worse still, she could understand his thoughts. “You really are just too sweet, you know that?”
Liz made herself lock down. If she got so much as a single muscle loose, there won’t be too much eating going on.
“One kiss and you think you’re the man, huh?” she muttered, finally deciding that offense was the best defense.
“One? Oh no, sweetheart, it was more than one, let me assure you. We left one way back…....why’re you so red? Is it the heat?” he looked innocently at her, but his eyes were anything but.
“No, it would be the irritation!” she huffed.
“Here, let me help.”
He fanned her with a cookie heart they’d gotten as complimentary dessert. Unable to help herself, Liz laughed so hard that her sides nearly split. She fell sideways, Max steadied her. Seeing her so carefree and ebullient did his heart good. All this seemingly harmless flirting was making the dull, wintry day seem warmer, giving them a semblance of normalcy. The rapport that had sprung up between them from the last few days had erupted in a full blaze. Laughing, Liz grabbed a hold of Max’s arm, he obligingly took her hand. As they walked out, they couldn’t help but think that together, they felt invincible. Correction. We ARE invincible.
They were at the park early. Max parked diagonally across the street, waiting to see if the phones had indeed been tapped. But there was no sign of covert ops going on. Apparently Pierce hadn’t put it together as yet.
“Did you manage to create the financial spreadsheet?” Liz asked, the thought had just occurred to her.
“Already done. I even sent copies to the accountants. State’s going to have Pierce’s ass.”
“How about your fictitious meeting?”
“If we’re in luck, he’s got an appointment already. If not…i don’t know what we’ll do.”
“I want to make sure that base is covered. Last thing we need is either you getting trapped in there or me getting trapped in the lab with Alex.’
“Relax.” He caressed her hair. “It’ll be fine. I can stall for time. ”
She bolted upright form the semi-cuddling position she’d been in. “NO!”
“What’re you talking about?”
“I’m saying NO. You will not make yourself the bait. If Pierce comes in, let him!! I’ll mind warp him too, but you will get out when I give the signal or I swear to God, by the time you make it to the compound or safe house or whatever, I’ll be long gone. And I mean that.” She leveled her gaze at him.
“You can’t handle it by yourself and I have a lot of talking to do with Pierce. If he suspects something then it’s over. No matter how many reports come in from the safe house, stating otherwise.”
“What about Guerin? What’s he going to do?”
‘Actually, nothing. I don’t want him involved. It looks like he could be in trouble too…....dammit!!” he exploded, raking back the hair from his forehead. She leaned over, fixed it for him, putting her hand on his cheek.
“He’d insist on helping, you know that. He’s your best friend.”
“Yeah.” He grabbed her hand and held it against his cheek for a minute longer. “But I tend to worry more about him. Mike is…compulsive…. to say the least. It’s kinda hard to leave him in charge. If I lose my focus, we’re dead. With Mike on the scene, it’s a good probability. “
She slipped her hand around his neck. He was all tensed up. She looked up at him, “May I?” gesturing towards his stiff muscles.
He nodded. “Make sure it doesn’t drain you out.”
“Shaddup.” She mumbled. She held her palm against his neck then moved it to his shoulders. Max could feel it working. All the stiffness vanished; the joints became loose, fluid. He would be agile, that much he knew. Her hands reached his back and traveled along the length of his spine. Max jerked away.
“Enough!!” he slowed down his rapid breathing.
‘What happened? Did it hurt?” she asked. All of a sudden, he just yanked away like he was on fire. Then she got it…...her face did its fire-engine imitation and she scurried away from him. “Sorry.”
He caught her and brought her back to him. Her head fell on his chest. “Don’t be.”
“Like I said, you need lots and lots of cold showers.”
“Gee whiz. I’m back in Boy Scouts camp.”
“And I’m in the Land of Oz!! Where the hell is Michael Guerin??”
No sooner had she spoken, than a big guy wearing a Ranger’s jacket came up the path. He ducked into the park casually roaming around, continuously, impercibtly switching gazes, scanning the area. Max got out, said “Follow in 15 seconds" and crossed the road.
He came up from Guerin’s behind. By the time Liz got there, she could see the two of them in a tight embrace, making up for lost time, lost years. The words flew between them, obviously time hadn’t changed anything. She stepped back, giving them the space they needed.
Max hugged Michael for another second, then let go. His eyes were moist as Michael’s. “Good to see you bud.”
“Same here. Imagine the hell I went through after I found out that Alex Whitman was an alien and you turned him in! Phew! Not to mention working for Pierce. This is fast turning out to be a nightmare!” Michael ended, his face worried despite his joy at seeing Max after a decade. “We have lots to talk about. Starting with why you left without saying goodbye.”
Max winced. ‘Mike, I’d love to chat but right now, we have a major situation. Ok, first off, were you followed?”
Mike looked offended. “Of course not! Do you think I’m an amateur? There were no tails. I checked like 6 times!! And it couldn’t have been. I was in a middle of a meeting when I slipped out. No one who knows my schedule would think I was even out of USMRIID! Now, quit the stalling and tell me already! What the hell’s going on??” the last one ended in a shout.
Max yanked on his arm. “Quiet.”
Micahel shoved him away. “NOW!!”
“Ok, ok! First off, promise me that you will cool it. If you can’t, then I walk, right now.”
Micahel breathed deeply then calmed down. “Ready. Well??”
Max grasped air into his lungs. “There’re only two aliens around. One’s Alex. The other one…….well, and I’m warning you Mike, keep your trap SHUT, is over there.” He pointed behind them at Liz, who was skulking around 50 yards.
Michael whipped his head around. “Nothing, except a hot woman. Where’s the alien??”
“That would be her.”
“Stop kidding around, Maxwell!!” Michael glared at him.
“I’m not.” He replied, waving Liz over. She approached. Michael held his ground but the moment hadn’t sunk in yet.
“Hi.” She held out her hand for Michael.
“Hey.” He didn’t shake it. He just looked pointedly at Max, the moment finally sinking in.
“You’re an alien?”
“Keep it down!!” Max hissed. Liz was beginning to look worried. Hell, he himself was worried. What was wrong with Michael? These sorts of things were cheesecake to him.
“Yes.” She nodded, looking warily at both of them. Beneath the surface was the instinct to run and run fast. She could barely suppress it.
Max could feel her hesitation. Inwardly he was kicking Michael to kingdom come for being so obtuse but he plastered a confident expression for both of them. The connection between them was strong now, he send her whatever comfort he could send. She accepted gratefully, clinging to the hand he’d held out to her.
“What the hell?? Max, what’s she doing??” Michael couldn’t keep himself from bursting out in shock. The way they held hands seemed…normal. Max must’ve been kidding. No WAY would he hold hands with someone whose possible family he’d turned in to the Feds. No effing way. The other ones’ probably somewhere around, outta sight. That’s fine. Max wanted me to get used to it to a beautiful woman? That works for me!! Too damn bad he seems to have the hots for her…hmmmmm, nice legs.
“Nice to meet you.’ He turned to Liz with a bright smile, pumping her hand. Liz just glanced at Max before smiling, albeit reluctantly, and extracting her hand. The look said it all “Are you SURE he’s not on crack?”
“Don’t be silly,” he told her in his head. “Michael, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing!! Now, where’s the real alien?”
“I’m the real alien, Mr. Guerin.” Liz took a step forward.
Michael smiled patiently. “Of course. C’mon, you guys!! Just give it up already! I knew Alex remember? So, where’s the original one?” he looked around expectantly.
Max stared at him, long and hard. The years had affected Michael badly; he thought that even Max was hiding behind double standards and lies. He nudged Liz. Liz nodded back.
She took a step away from Max and looked at Michael’s watch. “Nice watch.”
“Piece of junk. High time I got myself a Rolex. Or maybe Charles Jourdan. Hell, I’d settle for a Piaget.” He smiled warmly at her. Obviously Max’s new girl. He raised his eyebrow at him discreetly, as Liz closed her eyes as if concentrating in something. His leer seemed to say Nice choice, Maxwell. At least you outgrew those simpering blondes.
Max shook his head and looked away. Michael had changed but obviously not all that much.
Liz took a firm grip on Michael’s wrist. He gaped at her. “Is your girl making a pass at me?” he whispered, half jokingly at Max. Max just glanced over their shoulders, keeping Liz’s hand blocked from view. Hand…Oh my God, it’s…. it’s glowing!!! Michael stared, long and hard, the shockwaves coming in waves…waves?? Try tsunamis.
“Oh Jesus.” He whispered. “What’d did she just do?”
He looked again. On his wrist now sat a new Rolex, inset diamonds and matte silver.
“I can do that in gold if you like.” She said calmly. Max snickered.
“Hail Mary, mother of GOD!!”
“Can you speak up?? I don’t think the Feds across town heard you!!” Max hissed.
“Oh My God!!”
Liz gaped in shock. Michael Guerin was NOT what she expceted him to be. Could they even trust him anymore?? Liz just didn't know what to make of him. They waited for him to calm down.
They’d both calmed down sufficiently after a while. Liz couldn’t keep the smile off her face. She knew they’d crossed an imaginary boundary. There was nothing she could do about it. But she accepted it now. She knew she couldn’t control what he was feeling and she had no right to tell him to stop. Now, all they could do was pray that they would get through this. And we will. One step at a time.
“You ok?” he asked, they were back into the city.
“Of course. Why?” she fiddled with the radio. Richard Ashcroft was crooning about the “Brave new World.”
Into the brave new world,
I hope I see you on the other side,
In this changing world.
Baby, when my ship pulls in,
I try to believe in anyone,
look at the state I'm in.
But for now,
I'm just sitting at the table,
Hearing songs,
Wishing I was able, stable, now...
I hope i see you on the other side.
“Nothing. I was just wondering…if you had any problems.”
Is he blushing?? Liz thought. She squinted. Sure enough, there was that adorable blush near his ears. She grinned.
“Actually, I do.” He snapped his head towards her.
“Sorry?”
“What? You asked if I had any problems, didn’t you?” she baited him.
He shrugged. “Do you now? What is it?”
“I was wondering how much laughs you’d had at my expense in that motel’s bath room.”
She spoke blithely. He choked. Jesus H. Christ!! She saw that??
“Oh I see.”
“Yeah. Queen Amidala? C’mon, you can do better that that!” he stifled his laughter.
“Hey!” she glared at him, quasi seriously. “I’m not some princess, okay?? I do stuff too, y’know!”
“Now, now. Don’t get all worked up. How do you know you’re not?”
"What??"
"Seriously. How do you know you're not?"
“I couldn’t possibly be!! If I were, than I would be around 6 feet, regal and beautiful. I look like a fifth grader.” She toyed with her hair.
“First off, there’s nothing less regal than a 6 feet high Amazon-type female. They look intimidating, not regal. You don’t have to be tall to be regal. Besides, where do you get this stuff from anyways? Jesus H. Christ, women!!”
“Don’t women me, it’s true! Every guy I knew in college preferred busty, tall blondes or brunettes than mousy old me.”
"How many of them did you shoot down becaue of your oh-so forbidden notions??"
"Shaddup!! I didn't throw people across rooms when they asked me for dates??
“Children.” He conceded airily. “College guys, Liz!!” he insisted, the laughter in his eyes. “You think they have any class?”
She rolled her eyes but his smile was contagious.
“Anyways, as I was saying, you’re more beautiful than the Highlands. So that takes care of that one, too.” He paused; the seemingly easy banter had turned into something serious. “You believe me, right? I’m not just saying it.”
She looked at him, eyes shining. “I do.” Then she turned serious. “Thank you. It was a lovely thing to say.”
He grinned widely and shrugged. ‘I’m a lovely guy.”
She laughed outright. “Should I buy you some pink tulles now? Or would you prefer red?”
Max parked the car and they got out. He came over to her side. She reached for his hand the same instant he did hers. Sparks flew everywhere. Liz smiled as their fingers intertwined.
He leaned down and whispered in her ear. “Nah…I don’t really like pink. I prefer the red.” He eased his other hand and discreetly fixed the shoulder of her red sweater that had slid off slightly, exposing the strap of her bra. Liz felt her face flame into a million degrees. He studied her, his expression only slightly joking.
“And I like that, too. The way you look when you blush. It’s also red, you know.” He continued, as she grew redder, their arms swinging between them as they made their way towards a deli. “It leaves a lot to the imagination.”
“Max!” she hissed, mortified and exhilarated all at once. She felt her toes curl. What was this goofy feeling? She couldn’t stop smiling; she couldn’t let go of him long enough to even go through the menu. Is this love?
“I’m serious.” He sat them down in a booth and slid down next to her. “I’m tempted to say what exactly it does to the imagination.” He teased, as her eyes grew wider and she looked around hastily, “But I’ll leave that for another time. You may not look at food or a table quite the way you usually do.”
The arrival of the waitress stopped her from making a complete ass out of herself. After they’d both ordered and the waitress had deposited their food and gone, only then did she dare to meet his eyes. He grinned unrepentantly. She determinedly changed the subject.
“Today, you were real smooth.”
‘When?” he was busy eating his meal. He reached around and got her the Tabasco sauce. She kissed his cheek in gratitude. Max’s smile lit up the room. She sighed, marveling how easy it was to be a part of something, a real relationship. She’d remembered her college days, all those couples who’d hold hands, make out in public or fight with each other. She hadn’t known what it was like back then, because she’d honestly had no idea. Now she knew. And it felt great. She forced her mind to stop wandering and get back to the topic at hand.
“At the HQ. You were awesome! How often do you do stuff like that anyways? You seemed so in control, y’know? Real Jason Bourne stuff.”
She clasped the Tabasco sauce to her as if she was a kid with a new toy; her excitement over the morning’s doings had yet to fade. Tabasco splattered on her face and neck.
“Shit!!” she glanced down to see the damage. Dabbing a napkin, she got most of it out, feeling his eyes burning in her direction as she wiped the hot sauce off her skin. She glanced up, flustered.
"Did I get all of it out?”
His hazel eyes darkened. She’d seen that look before. Liz literally stopped breathing. He leaned forward, his voice so low that she almost missed it.
“There’s some, over there.”
His voice faded as he moved closer. Liz shut her eyes. Then she nearly jumped out of her skin as she felt him lick at the side of her neck. His mouth lingered on her skin.
“Max!” she couldn’t believe how close she’d come to losing it or what he was doing. Especially in a public place. She shoved him away, breathing deeply to cool off. She fanned her flaming face with her hands.
“That was Tabasco sauce,” she commented, her voice distinctly controlled, trying to steer the topic away from dangerous territory. “It’s really hot, y’know?”
Max smiled but his mind was elsewhere. “ Actually, I didn’t find it hot at all. I couldn’t get over the sweet part.” This time, he didn’t lose the leer. She was redder than flame and looked good enough to eat. Worse still, she could understand his thoughts. “You really are just too sweet, you know that?”
Liz made herself lock down. If she got so much as a single muscle loose, there won’t be too much eating going on.
“One kiss and you think you’re the man, huh?” she muttered, finally deciding that offense was the best defense.
“One? Oh no, sweetheart, it was more than one, let me assure you. We left one way back…....why’re you so red? Is it the heat?” he looked innocently at her, but his eyes were anything but.
“No, it would be the irritation!” she huffed.
“Here, let me help.”
He fanned her with a cookie heart they’d gotten as complimentary dessert. Unable to help herself, Liz laughed so hard that her sides nearly split. She fell sideways, Max steadied her. Seeing her so carefree and ebullient did his heart good. All this seemingly harmless flirting was making the dull, wintry day seem warmer, giving them a semblance of normalcy. The rapport that had sprung up between them from the last few days had erupted in a full blaze. Laughing, Liz grabbed a hold of Max’s arm, he obligingly took her hand. As they walked out, they couldn’t help but think that together, they felt invincible. Correction. We ARE invincible.
They were at the park early. Max parked diagonally across the street, waiting to see if the phones had indeed been tapped. But there was no sign of covert ops going on. Apparently Pierce hadn’t put it together as yet.
“Did you manage to create the financial spreadsheet?” Liz asked, the thought had just occurred to her.
“Already done. I even sent copies to the accountants. State’s going to have Pierce’s ass.”
“How about your fictitious meeting?”
“If we’re in luck, he’s got an appointment already. If not…i don’t know what we’ll do.”
“I want to make sure that base is covered. Last thing we need is either you getting trapped in there or me getting trapped in the lab with Alex.’
“Relax.” He caressed her hair. “It’ll be fine. I can stall for time. ”
She bolted upright form the semi-cuddling position she’d been in. “NO!”
“What’re you talking about?”
“I’m saying NO. You will not make yourself the bait. If Pierce comes in, let him!! I’ll mind warp him too, but you will get out when I give the signal or I swear to God, by the time you make it to the compound or safe house or whatever, I’ll be long gone. And I mean that.” She leveled her gaze at him.
“You can’t handle it by yourself and I have a lot of talking to do with Pierce. If he suspects something then it’s over. No matter how many reports come in from the safe house, stating otherwise.”
“What about Guerin? What’s he going to do?”
‘Actually, nothing. I don’t want him involved. It looks like he could be in trouble too…....dammit!!” he exploded, raking back the hair from his forehead. She leaned over, fixed it for him, putting her hand on his cheek.
“He’d insist on helping, you know that. He’s your best friend.”
“Yeah.” He grabbed her hand and held it against his cheek for a minute longer. “But I tend to worry more about him. Mike is…compulsive…. to say the least. It’s kinda hard to leave him in charge. If I lose my focus, we’re dead. With Mike on the scene, it’s a good probability. “
She slipped her hand around his neck. He was all tensed up. She looked up at him, “May I?” gesturing towards his stiff muscles.
He nodded. “Make sure it doesn’t drain you out.”
“Shaddup.” She mumbled. She held her palm against his neck then moved it to his shoulders. Max could feel it working. All the stiffness vanished; the joints became loose, fluid. He would be agile, that much he knew. Her hands reached his back and traveled along the length of his spine. Max jerked away.
“Enough!!” he slowed down his rapid breathing.
‘What happened? Did it hurt?” she asked. All of a sudden, he just yanked away like he was on fire. Then she got it…...her face did its fire-engine imitation and she scurried away from him. “Sorry.”
He caught her and brought her back to him. Her head fell on his chest. “Don’t be.”
“Like I said, you need lots and lots of cold showers.”
“Gee whiz. I’m back in Boy Scouts camp.”
“And I’m in the Land of Oz!! Where the hell is Michael Guerin??”
No sooner had she spoken, than a big guy wearing a Ranger’s jacket came up the path. He ducked into the park casually roaming around, continuously, impercibtly switching gazes, scanning the area. Max got out, said “Follow in 15 seconds" and crossed the road.
He came up from Guerin’s behind. By the time Liz got there, she could see the two of them in a tight embrace, making up for lost time, lost years. The words flew between them, obviously time hadn’t changed anything. She stepped back, giving them the space they needed.
Max hugged Michael for another second, then let go. His eyes were moist as Michael’s. “Good to see you bud.”
“Same here. Imagine the hell I went through after I found out that Alex Whitman was an alien and you turned him in! Phew! Not to mention working for Pierce. This is fast turning out to be a nightmare!” Michael ended, his face worried despite his joy at seeing Max after a decade. “We have lots to talk about. Starting with why you left without saying goodbye.”
Max winced. ‘Mike, I’d love to chat but right now, we have a major situation. Ok, first off, were you followed?”
Mike looked offended. “Of course not! Do you think I’m an amateur? There were no tails. I checked like 6 times!! And it couldn’t have been. I was in a middle of a meeting when I slipped out. No one who knows my schedule would think I was even out of USMRIID! Now, quit the stalling and tell me already! What the hell’s going on??” the last one ended in a shout.
Max yanked on his arm. “Quiet.”
Micahel shoved him away. “NOW!!”
“Ok, ok! First off, promise me that you will cool it. If you can’t, then I walk, right now.”
Micahel breathed deeply then calmed down. “Ready. Well??”
Max grasped air into his lungs. “There’re only two aliens around. One’s Alex. The other one…….well, and I’m warning you Mike, keep your trap SHUT, is over there.” He pointed behind them at Liz, who was skulking around 50 yards.
Michael whipped his head around. “Nothing, except a hot woman. Where’s the alien??”
“That would be her.”
“Stop kidding around, Maxwell!!” Michael glared at him.
“I’m not.” He replied, waving Liz over. She approached. Michael held his ground but the moment hadn’t sunk in yet.
“Hi.” She held out her hand for Michael.
“Hey.” He didn’t shake it. He just looked pointedly at Max, the moment finally sinking in.
“You’re an alien?”
“Keep it down!!” Max hissed. Liz was beginning to look worried. Hell, he himself was worried. What was wrong with Michael? These sorts of things were cheesecake to him.
“Yes.” She nodded, looking warily at both of them. Beneath the surface was the instinct to run and run fast. She could barely suppress it.
Max could feel her hesitation. Inwardly he was kicking Michael to kingdom come for being so obtuse but he plastered a confident expression for both of them. The connection between them was strong now, he send her whatever comfort he could send. She accepted gratefully, clinging to the hand he’d held out to her.
“What the hell?? Max, what’s she doing??” Michael couldn’t keep himself from bursting out in shock. The way they held hands seemed…normal. Max must’ve been kidding. No WAY would he hold hands with someone whose possible family he’d turned in to the Feds. No effing way. The other ones’ probably somewhere around, outta sight. That’s fine. Max wanted me to get used to it to a beautiful woman? That works for me!! Too damn bad he seems to have the hots for her…hmmmmm, nice legs.
“Nice to meet you.’ He turned to Liz with a bright smile, pumping her hand. Liz just glanced at Max before smiling, albeit reluctantly, and extracting her hand. The look said it all “Are you SURE he’s not on crack?”
“Don’t be silly,” he told her in his head. “Michael, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing!! Now, where’s the real alien?”
“I’m the real alien, Mr. Guerin.” Liz took a step forward.
Michael smiled patiently. “Of course. C’mon, you guys!! Just give it up already! I knew Alex remember? So, where’s the original one?” he looked around expectantly.
Max stared at him, long and hard. The years had affected Michael badly; he thought that even Max was hiding behind double standards and lies. He nudged Liz. Liz nodded back.
She took a step away from Max and looked at Michael’s watch. “Nice watch.”
“Piece of junk. High time I got myself a Rolex. Or maybe Charles Jourdan. Hell, I’d settle for a Piaget.” He smiled warmly at her. Obviously Max’s new girl. He raised his eyebrow at him discreetly, as Liz closed her eyes as if concentrating in something. His leer seemed to say Nice choice, Maxwell. At least you outgrew those simpering blondes.
Max shook his head and looked away. Michael had changed but obviously not all that much.
Liz took a firm grip on Michael’s wrist. He gaped at her. “Is your girl making a pass at me?” he whispered, half jokingly at Max. Max just glanced over their shoulders, keeping Liz’s hand blocked from view. Hand…Oh my God, it’s…. it’s glowing!!! Michael stared, long and hard, the shockwaves coming in waves…waves?? Try tsunamis.
“Oh Jesus.” He whispered. “What’d did she just do?”
He looked again. On his wrist now sat a new Rolex, inset diamonds and matte silver.
“I can do that in gold if you like.” She said calmly. Max snickered.
“Hail Mary, mother of GOD!!”
“Can you speak up?? I don’t think the Feds across town heard you!!” Max hissed.
“Oh My God!!”
Liz gaped in shock. Michael Guerin was NOT what she expceted him to be. Could they even trust him anymore?? Liz just didn't know what to make of him. They waited for him to calm down.