Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2004 9:37 am
Well, people, it's finally done so... Happy Holidays and enjoy the chapter!
(Disclaimer: I've used some dialogue from Dark Angel, it's not mine.
A/N: Thanks, Itay, you're the best beta.)
Posted in two due to length.
Chapter 7
Alec grimaced, his eyes fixed on the incredibly freaked out Alex. The poor guy kept pacing around, which made everyone else keep moving out of his way in the crowded living room.
They'd had no problem at all at the bank, but when the time came instead of leaving in separate groups the same way they'd come in, the moment Iz had gotten the box she'd made the pre-arranged signal for retreat and all of them had basically run out of the place.
Once outside, Biggs had asked Isabel what had happened since he hadn't seen anything suspicious going down and he'd been by her side the whole time.
Isabel had looked at them as if she didn't know exactly where she was and then she'd shaken her head and squealed, "I hear Alex in my head!"
None had known what to say aside from 'What?', so they'd gone back to the apartment as fast as they could.
When they'd gotten here they'd found Alex sitting in the couch, clutching his head, and CeCe and Liz kneeling before him, trying to get him to tell them what was wrong.
Hearing the door of the apartment open, Alex had sprung to his feet, pointed a finger towards Isabel and said: "Izzy, I love you, don't get this the wrong way, but get the hell out of my head!" Then everyone had started talking at once which, of course, hadn't taken them anywhere.
Liz had demanded in a loud voice that everyone calmed down and now they were all just waiting.
Liz had been watching Alex. She understood what he was feeling, and he probably hadn't been ready for his powers to develop so fast. After all, it had been more than a year before she changed, and Kyle had gotten to doses, which probably was the reason his powers had appeared sooner. But then, none of them had been actually dead, and their injuries had never been in the head the way Alex's were. That could explain why Alex had experienced the fastest change. She shook her head. There would be time for analyzing the scientific reasons later. Now she had to focus on Alex.
"Alex," she said softly, trying to sooth him with her voice.
Alex stopped pacing and turned on her. "How do you stand it?" he asked bewildered.
Liz saw the three aliens flinch and she felt bad for them. Kyle must have seen it.
"It's not so bad, man," he said.
But Alex didn't look away from Liz. "Not that," he said, then Kyle's words registered in his mind and he glanced at the aliens. "I didn't mean it like that," he explained hastily, grimacing almost in pain. "I wasn't talking about the change per se, guys. I knew it would happen, I don't care about that." He went back to looking at Liz. "It's different with Kyle," he said meaningfully and he saw the light go on in Liz's eyes. "How do you stand it?" he repeated.
Liz sighed. "It was hard at first. That's the reason you barely saw me right before we left on this trip. I spent almost all the time locked in my room..." Liz lowered her gaze, thinking back to those days. Everything had felt so overwhelming... she'd felt like she was about to explode with all the emotions flooding her as soon as she went downstairs to the Crashdown. So she'd stayed in her room, mostly alone, but sometimes Maria kept her company. It had taken a bit but she'd learned to live with it, and Isabel had already told her they'd work on it together. She looked up at Alex's pained expression. "It'll get better, Alex. I promise," she vowed.
Alex sighed. He trusted Liz, if she said it wouldn't always feel like this, like he was a receptor for all the thoughts in a mile radius, he believed her. It had been bad enough when he could hear Izzy's but that had been mainly the shock of it happening. But then CeCe and Liz had come closer to him and he'd started hearing theirs too. And when the rest of the group had entered the apartment, Alex had feared he'd pass out.
"We should get out for a while, guys," Liz said to the group. "Give him some space."
Alex's grateful look was incentive for everyone and they got up immediately and left the apartment. Only Isabel stayed.
Once they were out the door they separated into groups. Max, Michael, Maria and Maxie went to get some take out for lunch. And the other five went into the RV that was parked in front of the apartment.
"Suddenly I feel so very lucky," Kyle commented, sitting down at the small table.
"Yeah, I bet," Liz grumbled. She still hadn't mastered her own power and sometimes she still felt the need to be on her own for a while to figure out which feelings were actually hers.
"Hearing people's thoughts sucks," Alec said suddenly, startling everyone.
"You talk like you've experienced it," Kyle said surprised.
"You bet your ass I did. The worst mission of my life," Alec said, a tinge of guilt assaulting him momentarily. He shook his head. "The Psy-Ops people gave me some drug that enhanced my 'empathic vein'," he spat.
"You're empathic?!" Liz jumped in.
"No, no, no. Nothing like you, Liz, believe me," Alec assured her. "It's more like a sixth sense, you know, I don't know what people are feeling. What I do know is what they want to hear... Makes it a lot easier to ingratiate yourself with a target," Alec explained over the lump in his throat.
"When was this?" Biggs asked, pulling CeCe on his lap since there weren't enough sits for everyone.
"'17, I think," Alec said. Things like dates of past missions weren't so clear after '18.
Biggs noticed. "So why do you say it sucks?" he asked, taking Alec's mind off of the bad memories.
Alec made a face. "I was supposed to infiltrate an underground gang that was giving problems to one of Manticore's financial supporters. It was an in-and-out mission. I had to take out the leader. But they didn't know who that was so they gave me that stupid drug so that I could get it from them," Alec warmed up to his story-telling. He was a natural and people loved it. They were all hanging on his every word.
"The problem, their base was under a disco that served them as cover. So I get in, dressed to kill, looking as devastatingly gorgeous as only I can," he added with a smug grin, making everyone laugh or roll their eyes, or both. "Because you gotta admit, psycho bastards as they were, they had the money to buy the good stuff."
"Oh yeah! I totally miss the designer dresses," CeCe said sarcastically.
"Anyway, I go in, focused on my mission like a good little soldier, one who didn't know what the injection they'd given him was for, mind you... And suddenly I can hear all this girls talking about how good I'm looking, my gorgeous face, the snug jeans, the kissable lips... and I'm thinking it's my hearing, you know, but then the things I hear start sounding like nothing you'd say aloud... I mean, really X-rated things," Alec emphasized with a horrified face. "People are nasty when they're horny," he said with a shudder.
Biggs and Kyle were laughing by then, and CeCe was looking at Alec speculatively. But Liz was shaking her head.
"You are the weirdest person I've ever met," she said suddenly.
Alec looked at her, appalled. "You have dated a half-alien, half-human hybrid and fought aliens and bastards from the FBI and I am the weirdest?!" he asked, feigning hurt. "I resent that."
**************
Alex had stopped pacing, he was sitting on the couch again, relieved that everyone had left. He wasn't even hearing Isabel's thoughts anymore, he realised surprised. He looked up at her and found her leaning on the kitchen counter, as far away from him as possible without leaving the room. He remembered something he'd made out in the middle of the explosion right before Liz had shut them all up.
"You heard me too?" Alex asked softly. He had a headache and he didn't think he could deal with anything louder than a whisper.
"Yeah," she murmured, following his lead. "I heard you calling my name."
"Only that? Just once?" he asked wanting to be sure. Her name had been the only thing he'd deliberately 'thought' wanting to be heard.
Isabel nodded, she'd been shocked to hear Alex and her mind had been a whirlwind since then, but she hadn't really heard anything else.
"I heard you all the time," Alex sighed. "It was like a switched turned on in my head and I haven't been able to switch it off since."
"Not even now?" Isabel asked tentatively.
Alex frowned. "I don't really hear anything beyond my pounding headache," he joked bitterly. "Aren't you thinking anything?"
"I'm trying not to, but it's hard," she said looking down. Looking at his pained expression the guilt consumed her and with it came a barrage of thoughts she didn't want him to hear.
Alex chuckled sadly, "Too late, Iz, I can hear that."
Isabel winced, "Sorry."
Alex rose from the couch and walked to the counter, leaning beside her. He saw her flinch away and put his arm around her waist, hugging her to him. "It'll be okay, Izzy. It took me by surprise, that's all. It'll go away, you heard Liz."
"I know," Isabel sighed. "I just wish I could help you, you know, I don't really know what's going on for you; any of you. My powers have always been there. They've grown with me. But yours..." she trailed off.
Now that they'd been alone for a while and the tension and shock had left his body, Alex felt his headache dim slightly and his whole body relax. He took Isabel's hand and led her to the couch where they snuggled together, letting the other's presence comfort them.
"You know I didn't mean anything by what I said earlier, don't you?" Alex murmured into her hair where she rested her head on his chest. Isabel looked up at him, confused. "I mean, when I asked Liz how she stood it, I heard you guys, how you felt guilty and..." He was cut off by her thoughts in his head. Alex put one finger under the chin she was trying to lower again to stop her. "Iz?"
She sighed. "I know you didn't mean to blame us-"
"That's not what you just thought," he chided her softly.
"I know," she nodded. "I know that, I really do. It just doesn't feel that way..."
"Izzy, I'm not mad at you, guys. And I don't blame you for any after effects, and I'm not disgusted by the thought of being part alien-"
"Your not really part alien," Isabel said. "Our powers are human," she reminded him.
"My point exactly," Alex winked at her, smiling goofily. "This doesn't change a thing. Not with the group, not between us... Not about you. I love you, Isabel. All of you, including your thoughts."
Isabel slapped his chest playfully, laughing relieved at how well he was taking all of this now that he'd calmed down some. "So, how's your head? Still hurting?"
"Residual ache, you know, the kind I used to have after the accident."
Isabel nodded and settled back down against him. After a moment of silence a naughty smile appeared on her face. "You know, Alex, I read this article once that said..." Isabel trailed off, saying the rest in her mind.
Alex gasped, shocked, before he hauled her body up against his fusing their mouths together. He kissed her hungrily, devouring her lips, plundering her mouth, causing her to moan into his mouth.
Isabel really, really liked the way Alex kissed her. It always made her feel special, but not worshipped anymore, which was good. She liked that sensation of feeling Alex letting go, wanting her enough to make him forget about everything but that moment between them, forgetting his insecurities and the need to second guess himself... It's not that he turned into an arrogant stud or something, it was just that some time together and a little stability in their relationship had made wonders, to both of them actually.
The thing was he still was and always would be Alex, her Alex, tender but eager and yearning. And when they kissed madly, like there was no tomorrow, he liked to slow down and kiss her like it was their first time. Sweet little light kissed with their mouths almost closed, barely touching... and those melted Isabel like nothing else could, and made her attack him all the more, holding him with all her might. As if words wouldn't be enough to express how she felt about him and the force of their embrace would somehow convey her feelings.
They kept kissing each other on the couch. Isabel twinned her fingers in his head, small moans escaping her throat. She caressed his neck, skimming lightly over his skin while their lips met and nibbled and danced leisurely.
Alex slid his hands over her back, his fingers wandering under her top. He loved the feeling of her silky skin, and how he could make her quiver when he kneaded and caressed her lower back. He traced her lips with his, nuzzling lovingly her nose and stroking her hips and thighs with the tips of his fingers.
He pulled back a little and reclined on the back of the sofa, a contented smile on his lips. He cupped her cheek and smoothed her hair, eyes half-lidded. He took her hand and brushed his lips lightly back and forth over her fingers, just enjoying this time alone.
Isabel felt an incredible rush of feeling overwhelm her at seeing that expression in his face. She closed the gap between them again and captured his lips in a chaste kiss. "I wish you didn't have to ever stop kissing me," she whispered.
Alex laughed softly, his eyes shining mischievously. "Okay, we'll have to work on that," he said, focusing his attention on her bare shoulder.
**************
"Committee for the Maintenance of the Civil War's Commemorative Monuments."
The group as a whole blinked, surprised. "Say what again?" Michael asked.
"The Committee for the Maintenance of the Civil War's Commemorative Monuments," Alec repeated calmly. He knew how it sounded, trust the government to grow a sense of humour when you least expect it.
"You've gotta be kidding," Kyle said, "They call themselves that?" he asked astonished.
"Yep," Alec nodded. "And, ridicule name aside, we need to find out everything there is to know about it before we do anything else."
The whole group was gathered in the apartment. Since the aliens had said they were more or less done for now with their quest for answers, and given that they were already in Washington DC, they had decided to put the alien questions aside and focus on the transgenics' goal for now.
They had to research and plan the takedown.
"CeCe, did you download the blueprints of the Gillette facility?" Alec asked the blond who nodded and rose from her seat to go get them.
Maxie was looking at the aliens speculatively. Since the moment she got separated from her siblings, her MO for about anything had been 'see, like, take'. She had made an art from the 'jump headfirst and worry about the consequences later' approach. And it had worked for her. She had never had any trouble extracting herself from a bad situation before.
But this was different. They were planning on going against Manticore. True, right now, when all the transgenics were barely children still and not able to defend the facility, it was basically like any other military base in the country... with real 'monsters' in the basement.
"They crawl up from the basement through special tunnels. And when you're not looking... BAM! They break through the wall and drag you away.
"They keep you as prisoner of war and eat you up little by little forever."
Max shook her head slightly to banish the thought of her brother's tales. 'They're not monsters. Alec told you that,' she told herself.
So Manticore was creepier and more sadist than most bases but still, not so different to the rest.
CeCe was spreading the sheets on the coffee table, but Max kept her eyes on the three teens, looking for the way they could help in their mission. Max grimaced at the word. She'd fought so hard all her life to bury that part of herself. The soldier.
That was something that set her apart from the other three. They 'were' soldiers. She wasn't.
"If I gave you a picture of a guy who's probably in Wyoming, could you do that dream-thing you do?" Maxie asked Isabel.
Everyone looked at her. Isabel had been watching Alec, Biggs and CeCe go over those plans and was surprised to be addressed so it took her a moment to find her footing.
"Mmm... Sure, it doesn't matter where the person is. In the dream state distance isn't an issue," she said curiously.
Maxie was nodding to herself. She heard Alec chuckle and turned to him. "What?"
"Please don't tell me you carry around a picture of the bastard," he said, half pleading, half joking.
Maxie rolled her eyes. "Yes, because I miss him so much," she said sarcastically. "Please, I just thought it might be useful to take a look into his sick mind and see... I'm not sure what, but you never know," she shrugged.
Alec nodded his agreement. He hadn't thought about it. It might be useful, he shrugged mentally.
"And about the photo, I thought we could use the one on his file. There's got to be a picture of him somewhere we can use," Maxie added, looking back at Isabel for her agreement.
"Right," Isabel nodded. "Any picture serves. I've used magazines before," she said smiling at Kyle who suddenly got up and walked into the kitchen.
"I'm so thirsty," he said over his shoulder, purposely turning his back on the group. He heard Isabel snickering.
"Since you're there, pass me a cold beer, will you, Kyle?" CeCe asked, wiping her brow.
"Sure," came the answer from the fridge where Kyle had stuck his head. He got a beer for her and a soda for himself.
Alec had gone back to discussing with Biggs the better approach to the base.
Isabel leaned close to Alex, who was beside her, and whispered in his ear. "Are you all right? How's the head?"
Alex smiled at her. "I'm okay for now. I think I'll be fine if everyone keeps their cool. Especially me. Stress doesn't go well with emerging powers," he whispered back. It was late at night already, his headache had disappeared sometime in the afternoon and with it his ability to hear other people's thoughts. Obviously he couldn't control it. At least not yet. And he'd just have to learn to deal with the sudden outburst as best he could.
"I'm going in with you," Michael's voice rose over the general chit-chat in the apartment, startling everyone.
Alec didn't raise his head from the blueprints. "We'll talk about that later on," he said in a tone that broke no argument.
Apparently, Michael didn't get it. "Alec-"
"Later on, Michael," Alec said, finally looking at Michael in the eyes.
"I'd be willing to go too," Max venture to diffuse the tension. He saw Alec glance at him and hastily added, "Just so you know," he said, catching Alec's eye. "I guess you'd need to know for the planning?"
Alec nodded and went back to study the blueprints. He pointed to a large building. "This one we'll have to blow up," he said as if talking about the weather. He pointed to a blank space beside it. "Told you, not barracks apart yet. We'll probably still be in the medical building." Alec made a face, trying not to think about how weird it was to be talking about another him, not to mention the possible consequences. They hadn't talked about since that night at Michael's. They couldn't avoid that conversation much longer. 'Not now.'
"That means we'll need fewer explosives," Biggs said bringing Alec's focus back to the moment. "But we're still going to need some," he told Alec.
"Yeah, and that's not the only thing. The gear we brought with us for the diamonds heist won't be enough. We're gonna need more comm links, and weapons." Alec bit his thumb's nail pensively. "What do you think, steal or buy?" he asked Biggs.
"We'll worry about getting them later, right now we should focus on what we're going to need-" Biggs broke off mid-sentence and frowned. Something was off.
Alec felt a weird awareness invade his mind and the question he was about to ask his friend fled his mind.
From the corner of their eyes they both saw CeCe take a long sip of her beer. The blond was sweating and she pressed the now empty bottle against her nape.
Feeling their eyes on her, CeCe turned to look at both males. One look at them and her face broke into a seductive smile.
Alec raised an inviting eyebrow and the next thing he knew Biggs was pinning him to the wall on his back, his forearm pressed against his throat.
"Back off, Alec," Biggs growled. "She's mine."
CeCe seemed to enjoy the display. She purred, the sound driving Biggs wilder and snapping Alec out of it.
'Fuck! She had to go into heat now?' Alec thought. He lowered his gaze to show his acceptance and the pressure on his throat disappeared. He kept his head down.
CeCe plastered herself to Biggs' back, burying her nose on his neck and inhaling his scent. "Yours, huh?" she whispered in his ear.
Biggs turned on his heels and hugged her possessively to him, latching his mouth to hers and dragging her backwards to the door.
"Maxie, keys," Alec said softly, he didn't want to bring Biggs', or CeCe's, attention back to him.
Maxie grabbed the keys from the table and threw them to the passionately kissing couple. Biggs caught them in the air, not looking up from the shoulder he was kissing, but CeCe glared at Max and snarled at her.
The Roswell gang hadn't moved an inch since the moment Biggs attacked Alec, not knowing what was going on. They watched how Biggs and CeCe all but undressed each other on their way out.
When the door slammed closed, all the eyes went to Alec, still leaning on the wall. He waited a few more seconds before raising his head. He looked at Maxie. "You're not going to spring a surprise on me, are you?" he smirked.
"Was she...?" Maxie trailed off. Not that she needed his confirmation. She recognised the symptoms well enough; she'd just never seen it from outside. Alec raised a knowing eyebrow. "Right. Hm... No, don't worry. I'm good for a couple of months," she muttered, glancing briefly at Max.
Max's eyes widened, the flash he'd gotten from her and her explanation making clear what had just happened. 'WOW!'
"What the hell was that?!" Michael exclaimed.
**************
Alex was going over the drawings they'd discovered on the cave wall. He had been at it all morning. After CeCe and Biggs's display last night, the group decided to call it a night and start anew the next day.
He'd been trying to recreate the program from Las Cruces. Once he'd remembered what had really happened to him he'd been having memory flashes that had led him to remember enough to recreate the program. Whenever he hit a dead end Alex either asked Alec to take a look or marked it to have CeCe fix it when she came back -- Alec said that would be in two or three days.
Alex introduced the symbols of the first page of the book and pressed 'Enter'. Two beeps and three 'Error' messages later, Alex knocked his head on the table. "Damn! This is gonna take longer than I thought," he whined.
"...So you never saw this guy?"
Alex turned to see Max and Michael enter the room with Alec in tow.
"Nah... Logan might have seen him but I was more like the muscle of the operation, you know, let the old man think he had a place." Alec rolled his eyes. He really couldn't stand Logan. "But I can tell you he was based in LA. The exchange was to be somewhere in the middle of Utah, in an abandoned airport. Langley had a flight LA-NY schedule from May the fourth in his private jet with an unscheduled pit stop in Utah. That way nothing could be traced back to him."
The guys sat around him and Alex decided to give his brain a rest and join them. "How are we going to find him then?"
Alec eyed the laptop Alex had been working on. "Is that thing online?"
Alex looked at the table. "Yeah, sure, why?"
"Google him," Alec said, shrugging. Off the skeptic looks the others gave him, Alec added, "Hey, you never know."
"Right," Michael said sarcastically. "I'm sure one of the entries will say: 'Kal Langley. Yes, the one you aliens are looking for'." He rolled his eyes.
"No, he's right, that could work. Didn't you say he was going to pay a lot of money?" Alex asked Alec who nodded at him. "Well, rich people tend to be noticeable. It's a start anyway." He was already typing the name. He pressed 'Enter' and a moment later the screen was filled with entries.
Four pair of eyes opened wide.
"You've gotta be kidding me!" Michael exclaimed.
Alec chuckled, "Well, he would have money, wouldn't he?"
Alex clicked on the first entry: 'Kal Langley, at the Internet Movie Data Base'.
"Movie producer," Max said disbelievingly. "What the hell?"
The page loaded sawing the filmography of Kal Langley. He'd been producing movies for the last fifteen years. Alex opened the photo gallery and they saw a bald guy in a tux, obviously at a movie premiere. They were reading up on his biography when the phone rang. Three hands reached for their cells but Alec cut them, "It's his," he said pointing at Max.
"Hello," Max said into his phone.
"Hi, Max," Jim's voice came through the line. "How's everything?"
"Hey, Jim, we're good. How's Roswell?"
"Everything's fine. Nothing worth mentioning has happened here. I talked to Kyle but his cell ran out in the middle of our conversation," Jim explained. "He was telling me about Alex's change of status."
"Yeah, we had a bit of a surprise. But the thing at the bank went down smoothly. We got the box with no problems."
"That's good. What was in it?"
"It was a cooler with some kind of substance in it. I think it might be the blood from one of the shapeshifters they captured after the crash... It can't be mine, Pierce didn't have time to get my blood to Washington DC, but we haven't looked much into it yet. Whatever it is, it can wait."
"So what's next?" Jim asked.
"Er... Biggs and CeCe... had to take care of something," Max said non-commitally and he heard Alec laugh behind him. "So we're staying here a few days longer. Alec and Maxie are wrapping up their thing... Oh, and we're looking into some of Tess' stuff. Remember that letter about the key?"
"The one from... Nasedo?" Jim settled for, probably not a good idea to mention things like alien ship on the phone.
"Yes, that one. You won't believe it but turns out Alec, Biggs and CeCe had it. That's what they came to Las Cruces for," Max said, hoping Jim understood what he meant. "Alec saw the letter and recognised the key. We're checking out the guy who hired them. He only had a name, Kal Langley. There is this movie producer with that name... We're not sure if he's the one but he has a lot of money and that fits the profile."
"Do you have any picture?"
"Yes, there are a few shots in the IMDB," Max replied.
"The what?"
"Right," Max chuckled. "Not exactly something you'd know. The Internet Movie Data Base. Why do you ask?"
"I was thinking I'd take a look; see if I've ever seen him around. If he wants that key he probably knows about you. Wouldn't hurt to check."
"Sure. Here, write down the URL and take a look. It's http://www.imdb.com. Kal, spelled with a K, Langley, L-A-N-G-L-E-Y."
"Got it. Let me see..." Jim trailed off and Max could hear him typing in the keyboard.
"You home right now?"
"Yep, just came from the Crashdown. I saw your parents there... I think they're enjoying the break... Here we go. Kal Langley, photo gallery." Jim clicked on the first picture to see a larger version. "Weird..."
"What is?" Max asked. "Do you know him?"
The other three looked up when they heard those words.
"No, no... I don't think I've seen him around but... I can't shake the feeling that I have seen him before... Max, let me call you back in a bit, okay? I'm going to check something."
"Sure," Max agreed. "Talk to you later."
"Bye," Jim said distractedly and hung up.
Max looked at the others. "He's gonna look into it and call back."
**********
Jim left Kyle's bedroom and went to the garage. He walked to the back and went through the boxes and old bags stored there. Under the last crate covered in dust.
Learning about Max and the others had been a shock to him, understandably. But most of all, it had forced Jim to come to terms with his father. Years of abandonment, shame and resent came crashing down on him.
Jim had gone to see his father in the nursing home. All these years, Jim had resented his father and, at the same time, had dreaded becoming him. Like father, like son; wasn't that how the saying went? For a while there after the shooting that was exactly what he had become. Obsessed, ignorant of his son's needs, a man on a mission with no regards for anything else... His father.
Last summer, after the aliens confided in him and he learned the truth, Jim had gone over his father's all files. Everything official had been taken by the FBI, of course, but Valenti Sr. had trusted no one but himself and kept his own copies of his investigations. The Crash, Hubble and the drifter, Atherton and all the other cases in his career where he felt aliens had been involved. Records, a few evidences -- Jim hadn't known what to do with those; they were stolen after all -- and pictures of the cases filled an old box in his garage. His father's lifework inside a cardboard case.
Jim lifted the heavy box and took it back inside. He put it on the table and sat on the couch. Dust rose when he opened the lid.
Langley's face had sparkled something in Jim's brain. He was sure he'd seen that face somewhere and, given the givens, all his money was on this box.
Jim took out the folder with the pictures and opened it. Photo after photo, he put them on the table. Some he recognised immediately, other belonged to cases he wasn't so familiar with.
There it was.
Jim pulled the corresponding file from the box and reached for the phone.
*********
"So you think he's a shapeshifter?" Max asked. The phone was sitting on the table in the middle of the living room, on speaker now since the rest of the group had come back minutes before the call.
"This was almost fifty years ago, Max, and he looks exactly the same."
"I get that. That points to an alien origin, given all the info from that case, but... I don't know, wouldn't a shapeshifter have changed his appearance? Especially if he's gone killing around?" Michael cut in.
"Michael's right, Jim," Alex added.
"I don't know why he hasn't changed, but even if that doesn't convince you, what do you say about the way he killed that actress?"
"Yeah, that's how Nasedo killed," Max agreed. "So, we're going with the assumption that this producer from Hollywood is the second shapeshifter?"
The others nodded their agreement to Jim's answer in the affirmative.
"Okay, thanks, Jim. We'll talk soon."
"Right. Take care, kids. Keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary," Jim advised them before saying goodbye and hanging up.
Max clicked the off button and rose from the couch. He walked to the window and leaned his head on the glass. Eyes closed and clenched jaw, anger and frustration pouring out of him, the others watched him and waited. Feeling the tension in the room raise, Alex got to his feet and left the apartment quietly. Isabel hesitated for a moment. She didn't want to leave him alone, but her brother didn't look much better. She looked around the room and both Michael and Liz nodded their heads towards the door; Max had other people right now, Alex needed her. She gave Liz a small smile, it meant a lot to Isabel that Liz supported her relationship with Alex, and left.
The rest waited.
'Dammit! It's never gonna end! What does this mean? Does he want the key to go back?' Max's mind was in turmoil. 'Like I need another headache to add to the pile!' Max shook his head; he didn't have time for this. He didn't know what to do. Not only he didn't trust this Langley, he wasn't gonna let him get the other key.
Max turned around and took the phone again. He dialled the Information Assistance for LA and waited.
"Yes, I need the phone number of Langley Productions, please." Max wrote down the number. "Thank you." He hung up and started to dial again.
"Here," Alec interrupted him, handing him his phone. "In case he can trace the call."
Max took it and dialled again.
"Langley Productions. Good morning, how may I direct your call?"
"Mr. Langley, please," Max said in a clipped voice.
"One moment please." The line went dead for a second, then, "Mr. Langley's office. Can I help you?" a new voice asked.
"I'd like to talk to Mr. Langley," Max repeated, no pleasantries this time. He had to appear firm here.
"Mr. Langley is in a meeting, can I take a message?"
"Tell him..." Max hesitated, looking at Michael. What were the odds this guy didn't know who he was? After all, didn't the dupes know? It didn't look like a secret, apparently there was a sign in the entrance to the atmosphere: 'Welcome to Earth, the king of Antar's human name is Max Evans.' Max shook his head.
He heard Langley's secretary calling him, "Sir?"
"Yes, tell him Max Evans wants to talk to him." Max ignored the gasp that came from behind. He didn't know who it came from and, right now, he didn't really care. He held his breath, waiting, then...
"Hold a second, please." Another second and a man came into the line. "Kal Langley," he said shortly, he didn't sound too excited about the call, but Max didn't care, he didn't want to chat.
"Stop looking for the key; I've got it," Max enunciated carefully and then hung up.
There was a pregnant silence in the apartment before Kyle asked stupefied, "That's it? You didn't even wait for him to say a word!" he exclaimed. "We're all about looking for answers, he may have had them!"
"We don't care what he has to say, Kyle," Michael said, supporting Max's actions.
"B-but..." Kyle trailed off.
"He's a shapeshifter, like Nasedo. More than probably he's the one who abandoned the other set. Why would we want anything to do with him?" Michael went on.
Kyle looked won over by this argument.
"I won't trust a word he has to say," Max said firmly. "If we ever need him, we know where he is. Hopefully, this short call will clue him in that we don't want him close," Max added, not really believing his own words, but choosing to ignore it.
Silence fell upon the group again, but this time Maria wasn't going to let it go. "Well, if the current crisis is over, Michael, I want you to take me somewhere," she said, breaking the spell, and everyone else sprang into action.
"Right," Kyle said, standing up. "I think I'm going to see if Alex is alright." He put his phone to recharge and then left.
Michael held out his hand to Max for the keys to the SUV, since he'd been the last to drive it, while Maria whispered something into Liz's ear, making her laugh.
"Ready, Maria?" he asked. She nodded and put her hand into his, walking with him out the door. "Where are we going anyway?" he was saying when the door shut behind him.
Liz shook her head smiling, Maria had said not to wait for them for dinner. They'd been talking last night and Maria had confessed that the last two weeks had been too long for her and she hadn't had much chance to spend quality time with Michael, so Liz had told her she should 'make' the time now before things went crazy again, seeing as how they were stuck here until CeCe and Biggs came back.
The sudden nearness of a hot body startled her. "Penny for your thoughts," Alec whispered in her ear.
On the other side of the room, Max watched as Alec leaned close to Liz and suddenly felt like the walls were closing in on him. He looked around as if suddenly realising there were only him and those two left in the room and got to his feet.
"I'm gonna go get some air," he mumbled and left without looking at them.
Right then, Maxie came out of the bathroom and looked around, "Where did everyone go?"
"Out," Alec said simply, inexplicably smirking.
"Er... Kyle went to see if Alex was alright and Maria and Michael went to... take care of something," she managed to say, ignoring Alec knowing chuckle. "And Max just left, I think he was going to take a walk..." Liz trailed off.
Maxie looked towards the window. "I think I'll go too. Haven't had a good ride in two days." She took the keys to her Ninja and stopped for a glass of water before turning back to the door. "I'll pick you up later tonight," she threw over her shoulder.
"What are you guys doing later?" Liz asked.
Alec turned to her smirking. "You know, you ask about my doings too often. I feel like I get all the nuances of a relationship without ever enjoying the fun part," he teased her.
Liz rolled her eyes. "Tell you what, you tell me what she meant and we can make out some later," she drawled sarcastically.
Alec chuckled, shaking his head. "We're going to do some recon in the bad neighbourhoods. We need to find a contact to get the gear we'll need in Gillette," Alec explained.
"Right, I'd forgotten about that. I guess CeCe's spectacular finale made the rest a little hazy."
"I noticed; the guys had forgotten too, I had to repeat most of what we talked about yesterday. One would think you've never seen a chick on the prowl," he said incredulously.
"Well... Not a girl, but we have seen you, so..." Liz got to her feet to escape Alec's lunge for her. She jumped away and raised her arms, surrendering. "Now, now, Alec, don't be like that," she chuckled, a hint of mischief in her voice. "You know you deserved th- Stop!" she squealed, trying to stop Alec's tickling fingers. "Alec!"
He put one arm around her wait and picked her up, throwing her on the couch and kneeling over her, not actually straddling her. "You give?" he asked.
Liz nodded, unable to speak through the peals of laughter escaping her.
Alec relented slightly, letting her catch her breath but not totally stopping. "Say 'Alec's the best'," he ordered.
"Alec's the best," Liz gasped.
"'Alec is smarter than I'," he added smugly and saw the flash of annoyance that went through her eyes. But she complied.
"Alec is smarter than I," Liz said, hoping he'd let her up now.
But Alec wasn't done. "'Alec is incredibly hot and I want him badly'."
This time Alec couldn't identify what went through her mind before she deliberately snorted and then repeated his words. Satisfied, he leaned back and let her move away. "See? I knew that," he shot off-handedly.
Liz got up and got to her bedroom. "Keep telling yourself that, Alec," she said sweetly at him from her door. Liz went into the room and leaned back against the door. Her knees trembling, sighing, she slid onto the floor.
************
continued in next post
(Disclaimer: I've used some dialogue from Dark Angel, it's not mine.
A/N: Thanks, Itay, you're the best beta.)
Posted in two due to length.
Chapter 7
Alec grimaced, his eyes fixed on the incredibly freaked out Alex. The poor guy kept pacing around, which made everyone else keep moving out of his way in the crowded living room.
They'd had no problem at all at the bank, but when the time came instead of leaving in separate groups the same way they'd come in, the moment Iz had gotten the box she'd made the pre-arranged signal for retreat and all of them had basically run out of the place.
Once outside, Biggs had asked Isabel what had happened since he hadn't seen anything suspicious going down and he'd been by her side the whole time.
Isabel had looked at them as if she didn't know exactly where she was and then she'd shaken her head and squealed, "I hear Alex in my head!"
None had known what to say aside from 'What?', so they'd gone back to the apartment as fast as they could.
When they'd gotten here they'd found Alex sitting in the couch, clutching his head, and CeCe and Liz kneeling before him, trying to get him to tell them what was wrong.
Hearing the door of the apartment open, Alex had sprung to his feet, pointed a finger towards Isabel and said: "Izzy, I love you, don't get this the wrong way, but get the hell out of my head!" Then everyone had started talking at once which, of course, hadn't taken them anywhere.
Liz had demanded in a loud voice that everyone calmed down and now they were all just waiting.
Liz had been watching Alex. She understood what he was feeling, and he probably hadn't been ready for his powers to develop so fast. After all, it had been more than a year before she changed, and Kyle had gotten to doses, which probably was the reason his powers had appeared sooner. But then, none of them had been actually dead, and their injuries had never been in the head the way Alex's were. That could explain why Alex had experienced the fastest change. She shook her head. There would be time for analyzing the scientific reasons later. Now she had to focus on Alex.
"Alex," she said softly, trying to sooth him with her voice.
Alex stopped pacing and turned on her. "How do you stand it?" he asked bewildered.
Liz saw the three aliens flinch and she felt bad for them. Kyle must have seen it.
"It's not so bad, man," he said.
But Alex didn't look away from Liz. "Not that," he said, then Kyle's words registered in his mind and he glanced at the aliens. "I didn't mean it like that," he explained hastily, grimacing almost in pain. "I wasn't talking about the change per se, guys. I knew it would happen, I don't care about that." He went back to looking at Liz. "It's different with Kyle," he said meaningfully and he saw the light go on in Liz's eyes. "How do you stand it?" he repeated.
Liz sighed. "It was hard at first. That's the reason you barely saw me right before we left on this trip. I spent almost all the time locked in my room..." Liz lowered her gaze, thinking back to those days. Everything had felt so overwhelming... she'd felt like she was about to explode with all the emotions flooding her as soon as she went downstairs to the Crashdown. So she'd stayed in her room, mostly alone, but sometimes Maria kept her company. It had taken a bit but she'd learned to live with it, and Isabel had already told her they'd work on it together. She looked up at Alex's pained expression. "It'll get better, Alex. I promise," she vowed.
Alex sighed. He trusted Liz, if she said it wouldn't always feel like this, like he was a receptor for all the thoughts in a mile radius, he believed her. It had been bad enough when he could hear Izzy's but that had been mainly the shock of it happening. But then CeCe and Liz had come closer to him and he'd started hearing theirs too. And when the rest of the group had entered the apartment, Alex had feared he'd pass out.
"We should get out for a while, guys," Liz said to the group. "Give him some space."
Alex's grateful look was incentive for everyone and they got up immediately and left the apartment. Only Isabel stayed.
Once they were out the door they separated into groups. Max, Michael, Maria and Maxie went to get some take out for lunch. And the other five went into the RV that was parked in front of the apartment.
"Suddenly I feel so very lucky," Kyle commented, sitting down at the small table.
"Yeah, I bet," Liz grumbled. She still hadn't mastered her own power and sometimes she still felt the need to be on her own for a while to figure out which feelings were actually hers.
"Hearing people's thoughts sucks," Alec said suddenly, startling everyone.
"You talk like you've experienced it," Kyle said surprised.
"You bet your ass I did. The worst mission of my life," Alec said, a tinge of guilt assaulting him momentarily. He shook his head. "The Psy-Ops people gave me some drug that enhanced my 'empathic vein'," he spat.
"You're empathic?!" Liz jumped in.
"No, no, no. Nothing like you, Liz, believe me," Alec assured her. "It's more like a sixth sense, you know, I don't know what people are feeling. What I do know is what they want to hear... Makes it a lot easier to ingratiate yourself with a target," Alec explained over the lump in his throat.
"When was this?" Biggs asked, pulling CeCe on his lap since there weren't enough sits for everyone.
"'17, I think," Alec said. Things like dates of past missions weren't so clear after '18.
Biggs noticed. "So why do you say it sucks?" he asked, taking Alec's mind off of the bad memories.
Alec made a face. "I was supposed to infiltrate an underground gang that was giving problems to one of Manticore's financial supporters. It was an in-and-out mission. I had to take out the leader. But they didn't know who that was so they gave me that stupid drug so that I could get it from them," Alec warmed up to his story-telling. He was a natural and people loved it. They were all hanging on his every word.
"The problem, their base was under a disco that served them as cover. So I get in, dressed to kill, looking as devastatingly gorgeous as only I can," he added with a smug grin, making everyone laugh or roll their eyes, or both. "Because you gotta admit, psycho bastards as they were, they had the money to buy the good stuff."
"Oh yeah! I totally miss the designer dresses," CeCe said sarcastically.
"Anyway, I go in, focused on my mission like a good little soldier, one who didn't know what the injection they'd given him was for, mind you... And suddenly I can hear all this girls talking about how good I'm looking, my gorgeous face, the snug jeans, the kissable lips... and I'm thinking it's my hearing, you know, but then the things I hear start sounding like nothing you'd say aloud... I mean, really X-rated things," Alec emphasized with a horrified face. "People are nasty when they're horny," he said with a shudder.
Biggs and Kyle were laughing by then, and CeCe was looking at Alec speculatively. But Liz was shaking her head.
"You are the weirdest person I've ever met," she said suddenly.
Alec looked at her, appalled. "You have dated a half-alien, half-human hybrid and fought aliens and bastards from the FBI and I am the weirdest?!" he asked, feigning hurt. "I resent that."
**************
Alex had stopped pacing, he was sitting on the couch again, relieved that everyone had left. He wasn't even hearing Isabel's thoughts anymore, he realised surprised. He looked up at her and found her leaning on the kitchen counter, as far away from him as possible without leaving the room. He remembered something he'd made out in the middle of the explosion right before Liz had shut them all up.
"You heard me too?" Alex asked softly. He had a headache and he didn't think he could deal with anything louder than a whisper.
"Yeah," she murmured, following his lead. "I heard you calling my name."
"Only that? Just once?" he asked wanting to be sure. Her name had been the only thing he'd deliberately 'thought' wanting to be heard.
Isabel nodded, she'd been shocked to hear Alex and her mind had been a whirlwind since then, but she hadn't really heard anything else.
"I heard you all the time," Alex sighed. "It was like a switched turned on in my head and I haven't been able to switch it off since."
"Not even now?" Isabel asked tentatively.
Alex frowned. "I don't really hear anything beyond my pounding headache," he joked bitterly. "Aren't you thinking anything?"
"I'm trying not to, but it's hard," she said looking down. Looking at his pained expression the guilt consumed her and with it came a barrage of thoughts she didn't want him to hear.
Alex chuckled sadly, "Too late, Iz, I can hear that."
Isabel winced, "Sorry."
Alex rose from the couch and walked to the counter, leaning beside her. He saw her flinch away and put his arm around her waist, hugging her to him. "It'll be okay, Izzy. It took me by surprise, that's all. It'll go away, you heard Liz."
"I know," Isabel sighed. "I just wish I could help you, you know, I don't really know what's going on for you; any of you. My powers have always been there. They've grown with me. But yours..." she trailed off.
Now that they'd been alone for a while and the tension and shock had left his body, Alex felt his headache dim slightly and his whole body relax. He took Isabel's hand and led her to the couch where they snuggled together, letting the other's presence comfort them.
"You know I didn't mean anything by what I said earlier, don't you?" Alex murmured into her hair where she rested her head on his chest. Isabel looked up at him, confused. "I mean, when I asked Liz how she stood it, I heard you guys, how you felt guilty and..." He was cut off by her thoughts in his head. Alex put one finger under the chin she was trying to lower again to stop her. "Iz?"
She sighed. "I know you didn't mean to blame us-"
"That's not what you just thought," he chided her softly.
"I know," she nodded. "I know that, I really do. It just doesn't feel that way..."
"Izzy, I'm not mad at you, guys. And I don't blame you for any after effects, and I'm not disgusted by the thought of being part alien-"
"Your not really part alien," Isabel said. "Our powers are human," she reminded him.
"My point exactly," Alex winked at her, smiling goofily. "This doesn't change a thing. Not with the group, not between us... Not about you. I love you, Isabel. All of you, including your thoughts."
Isabel slapped his chest playfully, laughing relieved at how well he was taking all of this now that he'd calmed down some. "So, how's your head? Still hurting?"
"Residual ache, you know, the kind I used to have after the accident."
Isabel nodded and settled back down against him. After a moment of silence a naughty smile appeared on her face. "You know, Alex, I read this article once that said..." Isabel trailed off, saying the rest in her mind.
Alex gasped, shocked, before he hauled her body up against his fusing their mouths together. He kissed her hungrily, devouring her lips, plundering her mouth, causing her to moan into his mouth.
Isabel really, really liked the way Alex kissed her. It always made her feel special, but not worshipped anymore, which was good. She liked that sensation of feeling Alex letting go, wanting her enough to make him forget about everything but that moment between them, forgetting his insecurities and the need to second guess himself... It's not that he turned into an arrogant stud or something, it was just that some time together and a little stability in their relationship had made wonders, to both of them actually.
The thing was he still was and always would be Alex, her Alex, tender but eager and yearning. And when they kissed madly, like there was no tomorrow, he liked to slow down and kiss her like it was their first time. Sweet little light kissed with their mouths almost closed, barely touching... and those melted Isabel like nothing else could, and made her attack him all the more, holding him with all her might. As if words wouldn't be enough to express how she felt about him and the force of their embrace would somehow convey her feelings.
They kept kissing each other on the couch. Isabel twinned her fingers in his head, small moans escaping her throat. She caressed his neck, skimming lightly over his skin while their lips met and nibbled and danced leisurely.
Alex slid his hands over her back, his fingers wandering under her top. He loved the feeling of her silky skin, and how he could make her quiver when he kneaded and caressed her lower back. He traced her lips with his, nuzzling lovingly her nose and stroking her hips and thighs with the tips of his fingers.
He pulled back a little and reclined on the back of the sofa, a contented smile on his lips. He cupped her cheek and smoothed her hair, eyes half-lidded. He took her hand and brushed his lips lightly back and forth over her fingers, just enjoying this time alone.
Isabel felt an incredible rush of feeling overwhelm her at seeing that expression in his face. She closed the gap between them again and captured his lips in a chaste kiss. "I wish you didn't have to ever stop kissing me," she whispered.
Alex laughed softly, his eyes shining mischievously. "Okay, we'll have to work on that," he said, focusing his attention on her bare shoulder.
**************
"Committee for the Maintenance of the Civil War's Commemorative Monuments."
The group as a whole blinked, surprised. "Say what again?" Michael asked.
"The Committee for the Maintenance of the Civil War's Commemorative Monuments," Alec repeated calmly. He knew how it sounded, trust the government to grow a sense of humour when you least expect it.
"You've gotta be kidding," Kyle said, "They call themselves that?" he asked astonished.
"Yep," Alec nodded. "And, ridicule name aside, we need to find out everything there is to know about it before we do anything else."
The whole group was gathered in the apartment. Since the aliens had said they were more or less done for now with their quest for answers, and given that they were already in Washington DC, they had decided to put the alien questions aside and focus on the transgenics' goal for now.
They had to research and plan the takedown.
"CeCe, did you download the blueprints of the Gillette facility?" Alec asked the blond who nodded and rose from her seat to go get them.
Maxie was looking at the aliens speculatively. Since the moment she got separated from her siblings, her MO for about anything had been 'see, like, take'. She had made an art from the 'jump headfirst and worry about the consequences later' approach. And it had worked for her. She had never had any trouble extracting herself from a bad situation before.
But this was different. They were planning on going against Manticore. True, right now, when all the transgenics were barely children still and not able to defend the facility, it was basically like any other military base in the country... with real 'monsters' in the basement.
"They crawl up from the basement through special tunnels. And when you're not looking... BAM! They break through the wall and drag you away.
"They keep you as prisoner of war and eat you up little by little forever."
Max shook her head slightly to banish the thought of her brother's tales. 'They're not monsters. Alec told you that,' she told herself.
So Manticore was creepier and more sadist than most bases but still, not so different to the rest.
CeCe was spreading the sheets on the coffee table, but Max kept her eyes on the three teens, looking for the way they could help in their mission. Max grimaced at the word. She'd fought so hard all her life to bury that part of herself. The soldier.
That was something that set her apart from the other three. They 'were' soldiers. She wasn't.
"If I gave you a picture of a guy who's probably in Wyoming, could you do that dream-thing you do?" Maxie asked Isabel.
Everyone looked at her. Isabel had been watching Alec, Biggs and CeCe go over those plans and was surprised to be addressed so it took her a moment to find her footing.
"Mmm... Sure, it doesn't matter where the person is. In the dream state distance isn't an issue," she said curiously.
Maxie was nodding to herself. She heard Alec chuckle and turned to him. "What?"
"Please don't tell me you carry around a picture of the bastard," he said, half pleading, half joking.
Maxie rolled her eyes. "Yes, because I miss him so much," she said sarcastically. "Please, I just thought it might be useful to take a look into his sick mind and see... I'm not sure what, but you never know," she shrugged.
Alec nodded his agreement. He hadn't thought about it. It might be useful, he shrugged mentally.
"And about the photo, I thought we could use the one on his file. There's got to be a picture of him somewhere we can use," Maxie added, looking back at Isabel for her agreement.
"Right," Isabel nodded. "Any picture serves. I've used magazines before," she said smiling at Kyle who suddenly got up and walked into the kitchen.
"I'm so thirsty," he said over his shoulder, purposely turning his back on the group. He heard Isabel snickering.
"Since you're there, pass me a cold beer, will you, Kyle?" CeCe asked, wiping her brow.
"Sure," came the answer from the fridge where Kyle had stuck his head. He got a beer for her and a soda for himself.
Alec had gone back to discussing with Biggs the better approach to the base.
Isabel leaned close to Alex, who was beside her, and whispered in his ear. "Are you all right? How's the head?"
Alex smiled at her. "I'm okay for now. I think I'll be fine if everyone keeps their cool. Especially me. Stress doesn't go well with emerging powers," he whispered back. It was late at night already, his headache had disappeared sometime in the afternoon and with it his ability to hear other people's thoughts. Obviously he couldn't control it. At least not yet. And he'd just have to learn to deal with the sudden outburst as best he could.
"I'm going in with you," Michael's voice rose over the general chit-chat in the apartment, startling everyone.
Alec didn't raise his head from the blueprints. "We'll talk about that later on," he said in a tone that broke no argument.
Apparently, Michael didn't get it. "Alec-"
"Later on, Michael," Alec said, finally looking at Michael in the eyes.
"I'd be willing to go too," Max venture to diffuse the tension. He saw Alec glance at him and hastily added, "Just so you know," he said, catching Alec's eye. "I guess you'd need to know for the planning?"
Alec nodded and went back to study the blueprints. He pointed to a large building. "This one we'll have to blow up," he said as if talking about the weather. He pointed to a blank space beside it. "Told you, not barracks apart yet. We'll probably still be in the medical building." Alec made a face, trying not to think about how weird it was to be talking about another him, not to mention the possible consequences. They hadn't talked about since that night at Michael's. They couldn't avoid that conversation much longer. 'Not now.'
"That means we'll need fewer explosives," Biggs said bringing Alec's focus back to the moment. "But we're still going to need some," he told Alec.
"Yeah, and that's not the only thing. The gear we brought with us for the diamonds heist won't be enough. We're gonna need more comm links, and weapons." Alec bit his thumb's nail pensively. "What do you think, steal or buy?" he asked Biggs.
"We'll worry about getting them later, right now we should focus on what we're going to need-" Biggs broke off mid-sentence and frowned. Something was off.
Alec felt a weird awareness invade his mind and the question he was about to ask his friend fled his mind.
From the corner of their eyes they both saw CeCe take a long sip of her beer. The blond was sweating and she pressed the now empty bottle against her nape.
Feeling their eyes on her, CeCe turned to look at both males. One look at them and her face broke into a seductive smile.
Alec raised an inviting eyebrow and the next thing he knew Biggs was pinning him to the wall on his back, his forearm pressed against his throat.
"Back off, Alec," Biggs growled. "She's mine."
CeCe seemed to enjoy the display. She purred, the sound driving Biggs wilder and snapping Alec out of it.
'Fuck! She had to go into heat now?' Alec thought. He lowered his gaze to show his acceptance and the pressure on his throat disappeared. He kept his head down.
CeCe plastered herself to Biggs' back, burying her nose on his neck and inhaling his scent. "Yours, huh?" she whispered in his ear.
Biggs turned on his heels and hugged her possessively to him, latching his mouth to hers and dragging her backwards to the door.
"Maxie, keys," Alec said softly, he didn't want to bring Biggs', or CeCe's, attention back to him.
Maxie grabbed the keys from the table and threw them to the passionately kissing couple. Biggs caught them in the air, not looking up from the shoulder he was kissing, but CeCe glared at Max and snarled at her.
The Roswell gang hadn't moved an inch since the moment Biggs attacked Alec, not knowing what was going on. They watched how Biggs and CeCe all but undressed each other on their way out.
When the door slammed closed, all the eyes went to Alec, still leaning on the wall. He waited a few more seconds before raising his head. He looked at Maxie. "You're not going to spring a surprise on me, are you?" he smirked.
"Was she...?" Maxie trailed off. Not that she needed his confirmation. She recognised the symptoms well enough; she'd just never seen it from outside. Alec raised a knowing eyebrow. "Right. Hm... No, don't worry. I'm good for a couple of months," she muttered, glancing briefly at Max.
Max's eyes widened, the flash he'd gotten from her and her explanation making clear what had just happened. 'WOW!'
"What the hell was that?!" Michael exclaimed.
**************
Alex was going over the drawings they'd discovered on the cave wall. He had been at it all morning. After CeCe and Biggs's display last night, the group decided to call it a night and start anew the next day.
He'd been trying to recreate the program from Las Cruces. Once he'd remembered what had really happened to him he'd been having memory flashes that had led him to remember enough to recreate the program. Whenever he hit a dead end Alex either asked Alec to take a look or marked it to have CeCe fix it when she came back -- Alec said that would be in two or three days.
Alex introduced the symbols of the first page of the book and pressed 'Enter'. Two beeps and three 'Error' messages later, Alex knocked his head on the table. "Damn! This is gonna take longer than I thought," he whined.
"...So you never saw this guy?"
Alex turned to see Max and Michael enter the room with Alec in tow.
"Nah... Logan might have seen him but I was more like the muscle of the operation, you know, let the old man think he had a place." Alec rolled his eyes. He really couldn't stand Logan. "But I can tell you he was based in LA. The exchange was to be somewhere in the middle of Utah, in an abandoned airport. Langley had a flight LA-NY schedule from May the fourth in his private jet with an unscheduled pit stop in Utah. That way nothing could be traced back to him."
The guys sat around him and Alex decided to give his brain a rest and join them. "How are we going to find him then?"
Alec eyed the laptop Alex had been working on. "Is that thing online?"
Alex looked at the table. "Yeah, sure, why?"
"Google him," Alec said, shrugging. Off the skeptic looks the others gave him, Alec added, "Hey, you never know."
"Right," Michael said sarcastically. "I'm sure one of the entries will say: 'Kal Langley. Yes, the one you aliens are looking for'." He rolled his eyes.
"No, he's right, that could work. Didn't you say he was going to pay a lot of money?" Alex asked Alec who nodded at him. "Well, rich people tend to be noticeable. It's a start anyway." He was already typing the name. He pressed 'Enter' and a moment later the screen was filled with entries.
Four pair of eyes opened wide.
"You've gotta be kidding me!" Michael exclaimed.
Alec chuckled, "Well, he would have money, wouldn't he?"
Alex clicked on the first entry: 'Kal Langley, at the Internet Movie Data Base'.
"Movie producer," Max said disbelievingly. "What the hell?"
The page loaded sawing the filmography of Kal Langley. He'd been producing movies for the last fifteen years. Alex opened the photo gallery and they saw a bald guy in a tux, obviously at a movie premiere. They were reading up on his biography when the phone rang. Three hands reached for their cells but Alec cut them, "It's his," he said pointing at Max.
"Hello," Max said into his phone.
"Hi, Max," Jim's voice came through the line. "How's everything?"
"Hey, Jim, we're good. How's Roswell?"
"Everything's fine. Nothing worth mentioning has happened here. I talked to Kyle but his cell ran out in the middle of our conversation," Jim explained. "He was telling me about Alex's change of status."
"Yeah, we had a bit of a surprise. But the thing at the bank went down smoothly. We got the box with no problems."
"That's good. What was in it?"
"It was a cooler with some kind of substance in it. I think it might be the blood from one of the shapeshifters they captured after the crash... It can't be mine, Pierce didn't have time to get my blood to Washington DC, but we haven't looked much into it yet. Whatever it is, it can wait."
"So what's next?" Jim asked.
"Er... Biggs and CeCe... had to take care of something," Max said non-commitally and he heard Alec laugh behind him. "So we're staying here a few days longer. Alec and Maxie are wrapping up their thing... Oh, and we're looking into some of Tess' stuff. Remember that letter about the key?"
"The one from... Nasedo?" Jim settled for, probably not a good idea to mention things like alien ship on the phone.
"Yes, that one. You won't believe it but turns out Alec, Biggs and CeCe had it. That's what they came to Las Cruces for," Max said, hoping Jim understood what he meant. "Alec saw the letter and recognised the key. We're checking out the guy who hired them. He only had a name, Kal Langley. There is this movie producer with that name... We're not sure if he's the one but he has a lot of money and that fits the profile."
"Do you have any picture?"
"Yes, there are a few shots in the IMDB," Max replied.
"The what?"
"Right," Max chuckled. "Not exactly something you'd know. The Internet Movie Data Base. Why do you ask?"
"I was thinking I'd take a look; see if I've ever seen him around. If he wants that key he probably knows about you. Wouldn't hurt to check."
"Sure. Here, write down the URL and take a look. It's http://www.imdb.com. Kal, spelled with a K, Langley, L-A-N-G-L-E-Y."
"Got it. Let me see..." Jim trailed off and Max could hear him typing in the keyboard.
"You home right now?"
"Yep, just came from the Crashdown. I saw your parents there... I think they're enjoying the break... Here we go. Kal Langley, photo gallery." Jim clicked on the first picture to see a larger version. "Weird..."
"What is?" Max asked. "Do you know him?"
The other three looked up when they heard those words.
"No, no... I don't think I've seen him around but... I can't shake the feeling that I have seen him before... Max, let me call you back in a bit, okay? I'm going to check something."
"Sure," Max agreed. "Talk to you later."
"Bye," Jim said distractedly and hung up.
Max looked at the others. "He's gonna look into it and call back."
**********
Jim left Kyle's bedroom and went to the garage. He walked to the back and went through the boxes and old bags stored there. Under the last crate covered in dust.
Learning about Max and the others had been a shock to him, understandably. But most of all, it had forced Jim to come to terms with his father. Years of abandonment, shame and resent came crashing down on him.
Jim had gone to see his father in the nursing home. All these years, Jim had resented his father and, at the same time, had dreaded becoming him. Like father, like son; wasn't that how the saying went? For a while there after the shooting that was exactly what he had become. Obsessed, ignorant of his son's needs, a man on a mission with no regards for anything else... His father.
Last summer, after the aliens confided in him and he learned the truth, Jim had gone over his father's all files. Everything official had been taken by the FBI, of course, but Valenti Sr. had trusted no one but himself and kept his own copies of his investigations. The Crash, Hubble and the drifter, Atherton and all the other cases in his career where he felt aliens had been involved. Records, a few evidences -- Jim hadn't known what to do with those; they were stolen after all -- and pictures of the cases filled an old box in his garage. His father's lifework inside a cardboard case.
Jim lifted the heavy box and took it back inside. He put it on the table and sat on the couch. Dust rose when he opened the lid.
Langley's face had sparkled something in Jim's brain. He was sure he'd seen that face somewhere and, given the givens, all his money was on this box.
Jim took out the folder with the pictures and opened it. Photo after photo, he put them on the table. Some he recognised immediately, other belonged to cases he wasn't so familiar with.
There it was.
Jim pulled the corresponding file from the box and reached for the phone.
*********
"So you think he's a shapeshifter?" Max asked. The phone was sitting on the table in the middle of the living room, on speaker now since the rest of the group had come back minutes before the call.
"This was almost fifty years ago, Max, and he looks exactly the same."
"I get that. That points to an alien origin, given all the info from that case, but... I don't know, wouldn't a shapeshifter have changed his appearance? Especially if he's gone killing around?" Michael cut in.
"Michael's right, Jim," Alex added.
"I don't know why he hasn't changed, but even if that doesn't convince you, what do you say about the way he killed that actress?"
"Yeah, that's how Nasedo killed," Max agreed. "So, we're going with the assumption that this producer from Hollywood is the second shapeshifter?"
The others nodded their agreement to Jim's answer in the affirmative.
"Okay, thanks, Jim. We'll talk soon."
"Right. Take care, kids. Keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary," Jim advised them before saying goodbye and hanging up.
Max clicked the off button and rose from the couch. He walked to the window and leaned his head on the glass. Eyes closed and clenched jaw, anger and frustration pouring out of him, the others watched him and waited. Feeling the tension in the room raise, Alex got to his feet and left the apartment quietly. Isabel hesitated for a moment. She didn't want to leave him alone, but her brother didn't look much better. She looked around the room and both Michael and Liz nodded their heads towards the door; Max had other people right now, Alex needed her. She gave Liz a small smile, it meant a lot to Isabel that Liz supported her relationship with Alex, and left.
The rest waited.
'Dammit! It's never gonna end! What does this mean? Does he want the key to go back?' Max's mind was in turmoil. 'Like I need another headache to add to the pile!' Max shook his head; he didn't have time for this. He didn't know what to do. Not only he didn't trust this Langley, he wasn't gonna let him get the other key.
Max turned around and took the phone again. He dialled the Information Assistance for LA and waited.
"Yes, I need the phone number of Langley Productions, please." Max wrote down the number. "Thank you." He hung up and started to dial again.
"Here," Alec interrupted him, handing him his phone. "In case he can trace the call."
Max took it and dialled again.
"Langley Productions. Good morning, how may I direct your call?"
"Mr. Langley, please," Max said in a clipped voice.
"One moment please." The line went dead for a second, then, "Mr. Langley's office. Can I help you?" a new voice asked.
"I'd like to talk to Mr. Langley," Max repeated, no pleasantries this time. He had to appear firm here.
"Mr. Langley is in a meeting, can I take a message?"
"Tell him..." Max hesitated, looking at Michael. What were the odds this guy didn't know who he was? After all, didn't the dupes know? It didn't look like a secret, apparently there was a sign in the entrance to the atmosphere: 'Welcome to Earth, the king of Antar's human name is Max Evans.' Max shook his head.
He heard Langley's secretary calling him, "Sir?"
"Yes, tell him Max Evans wants to talk to him." Max ignored the gasp that came from behind. He didn't know who it came from and, right now, he didn't really care. He held his breath, waiting, then...
"Hold a second, please." Another second and a man came into the line. "Kal Langley," he said shortly, he didn't sound too excited about the call, but Max didn't care, he didn't want to chat.
"Stop looking for the key; I've got it," Max enunciated carefully and then hung up.
There was a pregnant silence in the apartment before Kyle asked stupefied, "That's it? You didn't even wait for him to say a word!" he exclaimed. "We're all about looking for answers, he may have had them!"
"We don't care what he has to say, Kyle," Michael said, supporting Max's actions.
"B-but..." Kyle trailed off.
"He's a shapeshifter, like Nasedo. More than probably he's the one who abandoned the other set. Why would we want anything to do with him?" Michael went on.
Kyle looked won over by this argument.
"I won't trust a word he has to say," Max said firmly. "If we ever need him, we know where he is. Hopefully, this short call will clue him in that we don't want him close," Max added, not really believing his own words, but choosing to ignore it.
Silence fell upon the group again, but this time Maria wasn't going to let it go. "Well, if the current crisis is over, Michael, I want you to take me somewhere," she said, breaking the spell, and everyone else sprang into action.
"Right," Kyle said, standing up. "I think I'm going to see if Alex is alright." He put his phone to recharge and then left.
Michael held out his hand to Max for the keys to the SUV, since he'd been the last to drive it, while Maria whispered something into Liz's ear, making her laugh.
"Ready, Maria?" he asked. She nodded and put her hand into his, walking with him out the door. "Where are we going anyway?" he was saying when the door shut behind him.
Liz shook her head smiling, Maria had said not to wait for them for dinner. They'd been talking last night and Maria had confessed that the last two weeks had been too long for her and she hadn't had much chance to spend quality time with Michael, so Liz had told her she should 'make' the time now before things went crazy again, seeing as how they were stuck here until CeCe and Biggs came back.
The sudden nearness of a hot body startled her. "Penny for your thoughts," Alec whispered in her ear.
On the other side of the room, Max watched as Alec leaned close to Liz and suddenly felt like the walls were closing in on him. He looked around as if suddenly realising there were only him and those two left in the room and got to his feet.
"I'm gonna go get some air," he mumbled and left without looking at them.
Right then, Maxie came out of the bathroom and looked around, "Where did everyone go?"
"Out," Alec said simply, inexplicably smirking.
"Er... Kyle went to see if Alex was alright and Maria and Michael went to... take care of something," she managed to say, ignoring Alec knowing chuckle. "And Max just left, I think he was going to take a walk..." Liz trailed off.
Maxie looked towards the window. "I think I'll go too. Haven't had a good ride in two days." She took the keys to her Ninja and stopped for a glass of water before turning back to the door. "I'll pick you up later tonight," she threw over her shoulder.
"What are you guys doing later?" Liz asked.
Alec turned to her smirking. "You know, you ask about my doings too often. I feel like I get all the nuances of a relationship without ever enjoying the fun part," he teased her.
Liz rolled her eyes. "Tell you what, you tell me what she meant and we can make out some later," she drawled sarcastically.
Alec chuckled, shaking his head. "We're going to do some recon in the bad neighbourhoods. We need to find a contact to get the gear we'll need in Gillette," Alec explained.
"Right, I'd forgotten about that. I guess CeCe's spectacular finale made the rest a little hazy."
"I noticed; the guys had forgotten too, I had to repeat most of what we talked about yesterday. One would think you've never seen a chick on the prowl," he said incredulously.
"Well... Not a girl, but we have seen you, so..." Liz got to her feet to escape Alec's lunge for her. She jumped away and raised her arms, surrendering. "Now, now, Alec, don't be like that," she chuckled, a hint of mischief in her voice. "You know you deserved th- Stop!" she squealed, trying to stop Alec's tickling fingers. "Alec!"
He put one arm around her wait and picked her up, throwing her on the couch and kneeling over her, not actually straddling her. "You give?" he asked.
Liz nodded, unable to speak through the peals of laughter escaping her.
Alec relented slightly, letting her catch her breath but not totally stopping. "Say 'Alec's the best'," he ordered.
"Alec's the best," Liz gasped.
"'Alec is smarter than I'," he added smugly and saw the flash of annoyance that went through her eyes. But she complied.
"Alec is smarter than I," Liz said, hoping he'd let her up now.
But Alec wasn't done. "'Alec is incredibly hot and I want him badly'."
This time Alec couldn't identify what went through her mind before she deliberately snorted and then repeated his words. Satisfied, he leaned back and let her move away. "See? I knew that," he shot off-handedly.
Liz got up and got to her bedroom. "Keep telling yourself that, Alec," she said sweetly at him from her door. Liz went into the room and leaned back against the door. Her knees trembling, sighing, she slid onto the floor.
************
continued in next post