Part 11
Maggie parked her gold rental car as close to the park as she would allow herself. Nothing in Roswell had changed since she had been gone. It was as if Roswell was in a time capsule, an almost bubble of space. It gave her a small amount of comfort as her head began to throb mildly. She started counting backwards from one thousand, her self-prescribed remedy, taking from her gray briefcase her book Infamy, her original journal and a photograph of she and the man she knew as Larek, the man she had recently learned was actually named Brody Davis, owner of Roswell’s UFO Museum.
She pushed her sunglasses down her nose, surveying the surrounding area as she rolled the car window down. Her chest tightened and a siren exploded through her brain. For the first time in eighteen hours, Maggie regretted following the impulse that called her home. There was no denying something was going on in her hometown - something alien; Maggie just didn’t know how to begin to look for it. A shadow appeared on the driver’s side of her car, blocking the sun’s mid-morning rays from her view, and Maggie jumped as she recognized Brody Davis as the shadow.
“You know, don’t you,” he asked in clipped tones, his voice almost monotone.
“Know what?”
“The gandarium. They live and they attempt to infest. You know that, don’t you? You can feel it, can’t you?”
“What can we do,” Maggie questioned in a whispered voice, knowing that if the gandarium were successful in invading a suitable host, every organism that came into contact with that host would die.
“Tell Max Evans,” Brody muttered before collapsing forward, his head and shoulders falling through the open window onto the steering column and Maggie knew she had the first of many answers in the quest that had drawn her back to Roswell. She withdrew her body away from Brody’s as much as the seatbelt would allow, glad that she could see his back rise and fall with each breath.
“I know who you are,” a man replied, startling her from the plan she was forming in her head. She craned her neck to see him, the clustered noise of cymbal crashes echoing through her mind when she looked at his face. His eyes were blue-black, his hair a chocolate shade of brown; he seemed of average height and build, nothing extraordinary about him but Maggie recognized him as unique and an entire orchestra blared through her mind.
She placed her hands on either side of her head, applying pressure to her temples in a vain attempt to relieve the musical noise berating her every thought, the stranger gently removing Brody’s unconscious form from her car window. Before she could control it, a final chord strained through her mind and she felt an instant release. She exhaled slowly, closing her eyes to enjoy the silence, when the stranger tapped her arm. Maggie opened her eyes and gave him a questioning look, then followed his finger as he wordlessly pointed to a line of shrubbery on the opposite side of the park. She brought her hand to her mouth in shock as she watched flames lick upward from the shrubs. “That’s never happened before. I...I’ve never done that.”
“It’s been within you,” the stranger said, leaning his head into her car window. Maggie stared at him, part of her brain telling her to be afraid but part of her so intrigued, she couldn’t stop herself from tracing her fingers down his jaw. “Do you remember me?”
“No,” she whispered as she dropped her hand to her lap; she felt her pulse rate accelerate, especially when he turned his blue-black eyes on her face. “Should I?”
“You should. I know you. You were chosen for a specific purpose and you’ve fulfilled that request.”
“You....chose me? You...know...what happened to me and why?”
“I do and I know that you’ve spent these last years searching. I’ve been searching too.”
“For me,” she asked, knowing she sounded hopeful that someone would have been looking for her, someone that wasn’t her family, someone so...alien.
“I haven’t been searching for you,” the stranger admitted and Maggie noticed a hint of regret in his tone. “I’ve been looking for my brother. But you are special, Maggie. You are the er'keesa, and you were called back to Roswell for the answers implanted within your memories, the answers you write about.” He pointed to the copy of Infamy in the passenger seat beside her and Maggie felt herself blush. “We were both called to Roswell, our abilities a vital commodity, and we will be tested.”
“I feel like I should know you,” Maggie admitted as she readjusted her position to see him better. His blue-black eyes darted to her face quickly then back to Brody’s form, still lying on the ground. “I feel...drawn to you, and I can’t control it.” She leaned forward slightly and before she knew it, his lips were upon hers. Visions flashed through her mind, as they had in many of her dreams and nightmares, and she knew who the mysterious stranger was: He was Vehm, brother of Rath, and he considered himself her self-appointed teacher, the being that could unlock the secrets buried deep within her mind, and the being that could eradicate the telekinetic residue left within her.
“Do you remember now, Maggie,” he whispered, their lips almost touching as he broke the kiss. Maggie strained forward, her bottom lip brushing against his again. “Do you remember who you are?”
“I am truth,” Maggie replied in a hurried whisper, “I am truth and you are strength.”
* * *
“He grabbed you,” Maria shrieked, she and Liz standing outside Liz’s locker on the first day back at school since the holiday break. “Max Evans grabbed you?”
“He didn’t grab me,” Liz said, slamming her locker door closed as she tried to defend Max but Maria’s eye roll convinced Liz that Maria was not buying her attempt. “Okay, so he did grab my arm but he looked really horrified that he’d done it.”
“After Isabel screamed at him,” Maria continued. She adjusted her falling purse strap back onto her shoulder as Liz cradled her books against her chest. “There’s something going on with him, with all of them. It’s just too weird.” Maria glanced at Liz who only shrugged her shoulders in response. “Maybe you should start carrying mace or...or one of those whistle things.”
“Are you suggesting I start protecting myself...from Max,” Liz questioned, stopping Maria in the hallway outside the library. “Max wouldn’t hurt me.”
“He did,” Maria argued, grabbing Liz’s arm by the wrist, turning it so Liz could see the bruises left by Max’s hand. “He hurt you, Liz, whether you want to admit it or not, and he could hurt you again.”
“Who could hurt Liz,” Alex questioned, his thumbs through the straps of his backpack as he stuck his head into the discussion between Liz and Maria.
“Alex,” Liz squealed and threw herself into Alex’s arms once she and Maria recognized who it was. Alex happily accepted the Liz’s hug, the two of them jumping up and down in the hallway. “Oh, when did you get back?”
“Last night,” he replied, keeping his arm looped over Liz’s shoulders. “I didn’t want to tell you guys because I wanted to surprise you. Surprise!”
“It was a great surprise,” Liz said as she looped her arms around his waist once again, burying her head into his chest. “I’m so glad you’re back.”
“Stop hogging him,” Maria groaned, pushing Liz out of Alex’s arms and falling against Alex’s chest. “Oh, this is nice. This is what I’ve missed the most.”
“It’s nice to be missed,” Alex mused. “So who’s hurting Liz?” Maria and Liz exchanged glances with each other, which Alex couldn’t help but notice. “Your silence tells me we’re back in the alien abyss.”
“Head first,” Maria said as Alex released her, heavily rolling her eyes while crossing her arms over her chest and leaning back against the lockers.
“Maria,” Liz intoned with a sigh but wildly avoided eye contact with Maria after her pleading sigh.
“Man,” Alex began, “I wish you two could have went with me to Sweden. It was so nice not to be mixed up in this alien crap all the time.” He kicked his foot against the bottom locker to Maria’s left, causing Maria and Liz to jump.
“So you liked Sweden,” Liz questioned. She took a small step toward Alex and Maria to get out of the hallway traffic.
“Liz, it was amazing. You should really travel to a foreign country sometime...or travel anywhere. Nothing like putting things in perspective, I’ll say that.”
“Really?”
“Oh, yea. The world doesn’t end at the Roswell city limits,” Alex replied with a smile, wrapping one arm around Liz’s shoulders and the other around Maria, prompting them to walk with him toward the computer lab. “It’s a wide world out there, my friends, and I plan on living mine.”
“Who are you,” Maria questioned, “and what have you done with our Alex Whitman?”
“I met a girl,” Alex replied proudly, his chest puffing outward as his thumbs looped through his backpack straps once again.
“Really? In Sweden?”
“Yep.”
“What’s her name,” Liz asked, both she and Maria excited for Alex. “Have you talked to her since you got back? Can we meet her?”
“Her name is Leanna.”
Intersection (CC,M/L,Mature) Outline and AN -- 6/21/06 [WIP]
Moderators: Anniepoo98, ISLANDGIRL5, truelovepooh, Forum Moderators
Part 12
Part 12
Liz ran the toe of her boot across the green-speckled carpet, the smell of coffee filtering through her nasal passages as she and Alex stood in The Corner Bookstore. The second the final bell rang, Alex had hijacked Liz, driving her to both of Roswell’s bookstores in a quest, as he called it, to broaden Liz’s mind. They had searched the travel sections of both stores and Alex had found them lacking. She raised her eyes from the carpet to the cash register where Alex was pleading with the owner to order some European travel guides. Liz sighed but quickly straightened her posture when Alex appeared at the end of the short aisle.
“This is pointless,” Alex groaned, his voice containing the most frustration Liz had ever heard from her friend. “Their travel section is seriously lacking.”
“No one in Roswell ever leaves,” Liz sarcastically mused but deep down she couldn’t quash the small voice that told her she was right.
“No, Liz, you can’t think like that. You have to push past that negative feeling.”
“You sound like Kyle,” Liz replied with a roll of her eyes. She pushed the stray tangle of hairs behind her ear, turning her attention to an English Isles travel book from 1962.
“Buddha Boy may be right in this instance. You’re giving yourself boundaries. You’ve got to change too.”
Liz bristled slightly and returned the book to its rightful place. “I guess that’s the problem,” Liz mumbled.
“What,” Alex questioned as he made his way around the shelves to the Fiction section.
“Do you want to come over tonight,” Liz asked, following Alex. “I’ve missed you.” She smiled brightly as Alex picked up the newest John Grisham thriller.
“Maria already spilled about the party,” Alex admitted, placing the book back onto the shelf. He gave Liz a knowing glance and Liz’s face fell. “You should know Maria can’t keep a secret by now.”
“You’d think I’d learn,” Liz replied with an exaggerated roll of her eyes. She smiled out of the corner of her mouth at Alex.
“Hey,” Alex said wrapping his arms around her shoulders, “it’s not a problem. I can act surprised.” Stepping away from Liz and clearing his throat, Alex made an outrageous face, his mouth and eyes wide in surprise. He slapped his cheeks with his hands as the charade continued and Liz couldn’t help but laugh. She poked Alex’s shoulder and Alex shrugged his shoulder in response. “Any aliens in attendance?”
“I invited Michael and Isabel. Max and Tess seem pretty preoccupied with each other so I didn’t even extend the invitation to them.”
Alex placed his hand on Liz’s shoulder in a comforting gesture which caused Liz to look at him as if she expected him to say something. Alex, however, remained silent. After Liz nodded her head in understanding, Alex released her and the two friends made their way toward the front door. “It’ll be nice to see Isabel again.”
Liz placed the back of her hand against his forehead, her face showing her shock at his lack of emotion. “You’re being very nonchalant about it.” She dropped her hand after several seconds. “You did hear me say Isabel would be there, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, she’s a nice girl.”
“A nice girl? Isabel Evans? You’ve been falling all over yourself over Isabel since the sixth grade. She’s coming to your party and you’re not concerned in the slightest?”
“Times change,” Alex replied with a shrug. His hands were on the door handle when something to their right caught his eyes. Releasing the door, Alex walked to a promotional stand for a book entitled Infamy. “Huh.”
“What,” Liz asked as she and Alex stood shoulder to shoulder facing the display.
He picked up the hardback book and reverently traced his fingers across the raised paper cover. Liz leaned closer and Alex pointed out the name of the author. “My grandparents, my dad’s parents, were named Natalie and Ross. They died about six months before Maggie did.”
“I remember that.” Liz picked up the book as well. The paper cover that was standard on most hardback books was black, a solar system of five planets, the brightest one almost touching the author’s name, was imprinted on the front cover, part of the galaxy dripping onto the back of the book. “That’s weird.”
“Isn’t it?” Alex held the book loosely in his hands and Liz watched him. He looked like he was going to say something else; instead, he carefully placed the book back on the display. “Let’s go. I should have just enough time to get my slides before the party. I’ve got a great picture of Leanna and I in the mountains I’d love to show you.”
* * *
Patrick lay on his back, his naked body draped by the cool cotton sheets and Maggie’s equally nude body. He traced swirls of light onto her back, both of their breathing easier now that they had given into the passion that had begun outside the UFO Museum. One of her slender hands rested on his upper stomach and Patrick carefully pulled it up to his face for closer inspection. He pressed a tender kiss to each finger and Maggie stirred in response. “I have to find my brother,” he whispered, disentangling himself from her and the sheets.
“He’s here,” Maggie questioned as she wrapped the loose sheet around her bare chest.
“Yes. He’s lived in Roswell his entire life.” Patrick paused and dropped his feet to the floor, his back to Maggie. “I shouldn’t have allowed myself to get distracted.”
“I’m a distraction to you then? Not an asset?”
“You’re very useful to me, Maggie,” Patrick replied, spinning to face her. He cupped her face with his hands and placed a kiss on her lips. “I have to remember I have a purpose and I don’t have much time.” He released her, pulling on a pair of blue jeans as he stood up from the bed.
“Because of the gandarium?”
“Partially. I’m being tracked,” he admitted as he sat in the small chair closest to the bed. He ran his fingers through his hair, an elongated sigh slipping through his lips.
“Tracked, as in followed,” Maggie questioned, sitting up in the bed, the sheet still wrapped over underneath her armpits “Who would be following you?”
“My enemies. I have to find my brother and warn him that he and the entire Royal Four are in danger.”
“What is his name,” Maggie asked as she pulled a Roswell telephone directory from the night stand, dropping it into her lap. “We’ll find him together.”
Liz ran the toe of her boot across the green-speckled carpet, the smell of coffee filtering through her nasal passages as she and Alex stood in The Corner Bookstore. The second the final bell rang, Alex had hijacked Liz, driving her to both of Roswell’s bookstores in a quest, as he called it, to broaden Liz’s mind. They had searched the travel sections of both stores and Alex had found them lacking. She raised her eyes from the carpet to the cash register where Alex was pleading with the owner to order some European travel guides. Liz sighed but quickly straightened her posture when Alex appeared at the end of the short aisle.
“This is pointless,” Alex groaned, his voice containing the most frustration Liz had ever heard from her friend. “Their travel section is seriously lacking.”
“No one in Roswell ever leaves,” Liz sarcastically mused but deep down she couldn’t quash the small voice that told her she was right.
“No, Liz, you can’t think like that. You have to push past that negative feeling.”
“You sound like Kyle,” Liz replied with a roll of her eyes. She pushed the stray tangle of hairs behind her ear, turning her attention to an English Isles travel book from 1962.
“Buddha Boy may be right in this instance. You’re giving yourself boundaries. You’ve got to change too.”
Liz bristled slightly and returned the book to its rightful place. “I guess that’s the problem,” Liz mumbled.
“What,” Alex questioned as he made his way around the shelves to the Fiction section.
“Do you want to come over tonight,” Liz asked, following Alex. “I’ve missed you.” She smiled brightly as Alex picked up the newest John Grisham thriller.
“Maria already spilled about the party,” Alex admitted, placing the book back onto the shelf. He gave Liz a knowing glance and Liz’s face fell. “You should know Maria can’t keep a secret by now.”
“You’d think I’d learn,” Liz replied with an exaggerated roll of her eyes. She smiled out of the corner of her mouth at Alex.
“Hey,” Alex said wrapping his arms around her shoulders, “it’s not a problem. I can act surprised.” Stepping away from Liz and clearing his throat, Alex made an outrageous face, his mouth and eyes wide in surprise. He slapped his cheeks with his hands as the charade continued and Liz couldn’t help but laugh. She poked Alex’s shoulder and Alex shrugged his shoulder in response. “Any aliens in attendance?”
“I invited Michael and Isabel. Max and Tess seem pretty preoccupied with each other so I didn’t even extend the invitation to them.”
Alex placed his hand on Liz’s shoulder in a comforting gesture which caused Liz to look at him as if she expected him to say something. Alex, however, remained silent. After Liz nodded her head in understanding, Alex released her and the two friends made their way toward the front door. “It’ll be nice to see Isabel again.”
Liz placed the back of her hand against his forehead, her face showing her shock at his lack of emotion. “You’re being very nonchalant about it.” She dropped her hand after several seconds. “You did hear me say Isabel would be there, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, she’s a nice girl.”
“A nice girl? Isabel Evans? You’ve been falling all over yourself over Isabel since the sixth grade. She’s coming to your party and you’re not concerned in the slightest?”
“Times change,” Alex replied with a shrug. His hands were on the door handle when something to their right caught his eyes. Releasing the door, Alex walked to a promotional stand for a book entitled Infamy. “Huh.”
“What,” Liz asked as she and Alex stood shoulder to shoulder facing the display.
He picked up the hardback book and reverently traced his fingers across the raised paper cover. Liz leaned closer and Alex pointed out the name of the author. “My grandparents, my dad’s parents, were named Natalie and Ross. They died about six months before Maggie did.”
“I remember that.” Liz picked up the book as well. The paper cover that was standard on most hardback books was black, a solar system of five planets, the brightest one almost touching the author’s name, was imprinted on the front cover, part of the galaxy dripping onto the back of the book. “That’s weird.”
“Isn’t it?” Alex held the book loosely in his hands and Liz watched him. He looked like he was going to say something else; instead, he carefully placed the book back on the display. “Let’s go. I should have just enough time to get my slides before the party. I’ve got a great picture of Leanna and I in the mountains I’d love to show you.”
* * *
Patrick lay on his back, his naked body draped by the cool cotton sheets and Maggie’s equally nude body. He traced swirls of light onto her back, both of their breathing easier now that they had given into the passion that had begun outside the UFO Museum. One of her slender hands rested on his upper stomach and Patrick carefully pulled it up to his face for closer inspection. He pressed a tender kiss to each finger and Maggie stirred in response. “I have to find my brother,” he whispered, disentangling himself from her and the sheets.
“He’s here,” Maggie questioned as she wrapped the loose sheet around her bare chest.
“Yes. He’s lived in Roswell his entire life.” Patrick paused and dropped his feet to the floor, his back to Maggie. “I shouldn’t have allowed myself to get distracted.”
“I’m a distraction to you then? Not an asset?”
“You’re very useful to me, Maggie,” Patrick replied, spinning to face her. He cupped her face with his hands and placed a kiss on her lips. “I have to remember I have a purpose and I don’t have much time.” He released her, pulling on a pair of blue jeans as he stood up from the bed.
“Because of the gandarium?”
“Partially. I’m being tracked,” he admitted as he sat in the small chair closest to the bed. He ran his fingers through his hair, an elongated sigh slipping through his lips.
“Tracked, as in followed,” Maggie questioned, sitting up in the bed, the sheet still wrapped over underneath her armpits “Who would be following you?”
“My enemies. I have to find my brother and warn him that he and the entire Royal Four are in danger.”
“What is his name,” Maggie asked as she pulled a Roswell telephone directory from the night stand, dropping it into her lap. “We’ll find him together.”
Last edited by JO on Mon Jun 20, 2005 9:57 am, edited 6 times in total.
Part 13
Part 13
Liz stretched onto her tiptoes in an attempt to hang the last yellow paper lantern on the corner of the roof. She exhaled in frustration when she discovered she was just inches away from completing the task, dropping her arms to her side with a loud groan. Glancing around her balcony, she grabbed the nearest chair and slowly stood on it, balancing as she hung the paper lantern onto the roof. She stared away from her bedroom window, stars twinkling over the clear sky, and she found herself looking in the direction of Max’s house.
You’re not letting yourself change.
“What if I don’t want to change,” she questioned aloud to herself. She jumped off the chair onto her balcony with ease, her eyes never leaving the direction of Max’s neighborhood. “Why should I have to change?”
“You’re wonderful just like you are,” Alex said as he stepped through her window, easily balancing his slide projector and three boxes of slides in his arms.
“Oh,” Liz replied, startled. “Let me help you.” She rushed to Alex’s side and took the slide trays off of the projector, stepping away from him as he sat the projector onto the small table.
“Thanks. I’ve got two more boxes of slides downstairs.”
“Really,” Liz questioned, arching her eyebrow as she glanced from the boxes of slides in her arms to Alex’s face. “Two more boxes?”
“Nah,” Alex replied with a laugh. “Three’s enough for tonight.” He took the boxes from her, sitting them on the balcony beside the table. “Besides, the good slides are in the bottom box. The rest are just junk.”
“Alex!”
Alex laughed as he dropped to his knees to open the top box of slides. “I went a little camera happy in Sweden, Liz, and now I can’t remember what the hell half of these pictures are. They’re pretty, you know, but other than that, they’re just pictures to me. Kinda like those fake pictures that are already in frames when you buy them.”
“I can’t wait to see them, any of them.”
“Some of them are pretty good, if I can brag,” Alex said as he stood to his feet, the first tray of slides loaded into the projector. “Where is everyone? I’m ready to get this party started.”
“The party can officially begin,” Maria squealed as she slung her leg through Liz’s bedroom window onto the balcony, her arms full of two paper grocery bags.
“What did you buy,” Alex questioned as he and Liz took the bags from Maria’s arms, allowing her to climb onto the balcony with more ease.
“Drinks, snacks, sugar. You know, junk food.”
“Twinkies,” Alex said with gusto as he removed a box of Twinkies from his bag. “Man, I’ve missed Twinkies. Sweden doesn’t compare with the U. S. of A. when it comes to junk food.”
“Maybe that’s why everyone is so thin and blonde,” Maria retorted, winking at Alex when he glared at her.
“Everything looks great, Liz.”
“Thanks,” Liz replied with a smile. “I just finished hanging the paper lanterns about five minutes before Alex showed up. I thought I should try to stick with the primary colors but then I wanted to make it appropriate so I made everything the colors of Sweden’s flag.” She fanned her right arm outward and Maria and Alex laughed.
“Well, thanks, Lizzie. It looks great.”
“Yeah, Liz,” Isabel called from just outside Liz’s window, Liz, Maria and Alex turning toward her as she spoke. “Everything looks really good.”
“Thanks, Isabel. Do you want something to drink? Maria brought tons of everything.”
“Hey, you can’t have a party without drinks,” Maria retorted as she shoved a handful of pretzels into her mouth. “Besides, Liz didn’t give me a list so I had to actually shop. Maybe I went a little overboard.” She pursed her lips in thought then quickly shrugged the thought away. “Lizzie, let’s have some music, and none of that sad, poo-poo, Lifehouse music. We need something we can dance to.” Maria threw her arms around Liz’s shoulders and the two friends walked to Liz’s small stereo.
“Hey, Isabel,” Alex said, stepping toward Isabel when it became obvious she was planning on staying as close to Liz’s window as possible. “How are you?”
“I’m good, Alex. How are you?”
“Great.”
“You look great.”
“Oh, thanks. You do too, as always.”
Isabel smiled. “It’s really good to see you again. I...I missed you while you were away.”
Alex smiled at her for several seconds but the smile quickly disappeared. “I...I can’t do this, Isabel.”
“What?”
“This....dance. This....thing where I chase you and when I stop chasing you, that’s when you start to show interest. I...I’m not that guy anymore. I’m someone new, someone different. Sometimes I wake up in the morning and I don’t even recognize myself anymore, that’s how different I am.”
“I can see that,” Isabel replied honestly, surprised to see Alex bristle at her comment.
“I’m gonna see if Maria and Liz can pick something besides boy band music to dance to.” He paused and offered Isabel a smile, tenderly touching her shoulder. “I’ll see you around, Isabel.”
“Okay,” Isabel replied with a forced smile, her vision blurred by unshed tears, and she watched Alex take turns dancing with Liz then Maria before she stepped back through Liz’s bedroom window without saying good-bye.
* * *
Serina White parked her grandmother’s car into one of the many available spaces along Roswell’s main street. Once the ignition was off, she slowly threaded her fingers through her loose bangs, looking around the almost-empty streets. She exhaled slowly and straightened her arms against the steering wheel, her back popping in response. Manually reclining the seat, she pulled a blanket from the back seat over her body once she was settled. Moonlight filtered in through the car windows and Serina sighed as her mind and body began to drift to sleep. She had lived many places in her young life, but something about Roswell’s quiet streets comforted her. Finally, she thought just before sleep claimed her, finally she felt like she belonged. Like she was home.
* * *
“And this is Leanna and I in front of the American Embassy downtown.” Alex clicked the remote control for the slide projector, Liz’s eyes wide as the images changed before her eyes. “I can’t remember who took the picture, some other tourist, I guess.”
“How did you meet her? Is she an American?”
“Oh, yeah. She’s an American. Her family lives in New York actually. I don’t remember how I met her. I think I was just walking around downtown, you know, and I looked up and there she was.”
“Then what happened?”
“I marched right up to her and said hello. She didn’t run away in protest and we went for some coffee.”
“Alex, that’s wonderful.”
“Yeah,” he replied as he moved the slide tray forward to the next slide. “I think I’m going to go meet her family in New York for Spring Break. Maybe she’ll come here with me for a few days. I’d love for you to meet her.”
“I’d love to meet her too. Any woman that makes you immune to the charms of Isabel Evans is worth the price of admission.” They both laughed as Alex moved to the next slide. “Does she know about Isabel?”
“Leanna knows everything,” Alex said in an odd voice, causing Liz to turn her eyes away from the slides to stare at one of her oldest friends. “This is a slide you’ve got to see, Liz,” Alex replied, his voice once again normal as he tapped Liz on the arm. “It’s the Northern Lights.”
Liz turned her attention forward to look at the next slide featuring the Northern Lights. Her mouth fell partially open and although she wanted to say something, to comment on the beauty of the slide, she found she had no words and no way to express her feelings. “Oh,” she sighed after several seconds.
“You should see them live and in living color. A picture doesn’t do it justice. You’ve got to live, Liz. Roswell isn’t the end of the world.” Alex clicked to the next slide and the spell the Northen Lights cast over Liz was broken by more pictures of Leanna. “This is Leanna in the mountains. We’d spent about five hours up there...”
* * *
Michael ran the palm of his hand across of the back of his neck and exhaled loudly. He shifted his weight on the lumpy couch, his long legs stretched outward, his feet propped on the coffee table. He glanced at the clock on the VCR, knowing Maria would still be at Liz’s little welcome back party for Alex. Michael had been invited and wished now that he had agreed to attend. Something felt wrong, something that he couldn’t put his finger on and those were the kind of problems that raised his paranoia. He especially didn’t feel like being alone, given that his senses were on some kind of alert.
He sniffed loudly and rolled forward to stand to his feet. Isabel would probably be at Liz’s house as well, which left only Max to talk to but something in Michael’s gut told him not to call Max. Before he could internally question that instinct, a knock echoed through his apartment, causing him to jump. He shook off the momentary scare and turned on the kitchen light as he walked to the front door.
He opened the door just a crack, unable to see anyone in the dim light of the hallway. In the next breath, the door shoved against his shoulder, knocking Michael onto the floor. He slid for several feet as an unknown male and female entered his apartment. “Hey,” he groaned as the woman closed the door behind her. He struggled to his feet and held his hand outward toward the male, who quickly projected a shield like Max’s out of his palm.
“Are you Michael Guerin?”
“What’s it to you,” Michael shot back, the hairs on his neck standing on end as the brunette woman stepped from behind the man’s shadow. “If you’re going to kill me, just get it over with. None of this wishy-washy, maybe, maybe not crap.”
“I’m not going to kill you,” the man replied, his shield disintegrating as quickly as it had appeared. Michael watched as the man glanced over his shoulder at his female companion. She smiled and Michael felt a twinge of recognition.
“What do you want,” Michael continued as the man sat down on the closest chair, the woman sitting beside him on the arm. “Why are you here?”
“I’m here to help you, Michael. I can tell you everything you’ve ever wanted to know about your alien heritage, about who you once were.”
“Huh?” Michael tried to blow the guy off with a shrug but inside, his mind was a whirlwind of activity. He almost wanted to believe that this man could help him, could tell him everything he wanted to know about his past life and his purpose on earth. It was something he had dreamed about from the moment he discovered his powers.
“You haven’t changed,” the man said. “You are exactly the same as you always were. Your exterior is cold and gruff but your insides, your brain and your heart, those are the things that drive you. Your lack of emotion tells me you could care less about the secrets or revelations I could divulge to you but I know you’re brimming with excitement and wonder inside.”
“What makes you think you’re right? You don’t know me,” Michael barked, suddenly on the defensive against the man who seemingly knew so much about him but had kept his own persona and identity a mystery. “Just who do you think you are?”
The man stood from the chair and slowly raked his hands through his hair, his blue-black eyes meeting Michael’s directly. Michael shrank backwards from the force of the stare, and felt an unusual buzzing in his brain, the kind he’d only felt previously when alien powers were in use. “I do know you. I’m your brother.”
Liz stretched onto her tiptoes in an attempt to hang the last yellow paper lantern on the corner of the roof. She exhaled in frustration when she discovered she was just inches away from completing the task, dropping her arms to her side with a loud groan. Glancing around her balcony, she grabbed the nearest chair and slowly stood on it, balancing as she hung the paper lantern onto the roof. She stared away from her bedroom window, stars twinkling over the clear sky, and she found herself looking in the direction of Max’s house.
You’re not letting yourself change.
“What if I don’t want to change,” she questioned aloud to herself. She jumped off the chair onto her balcony with ease, her eyes never leaving the direction of Max’s neighborhood. “Why should I have to change?”
“You’re wonderful just like you are,” Alex said as he stepped through her window, easily balancing his slide projector and three boxes of slides in his arms.
“Oh,” Liz replied, startled. “Let me help you.” She rushed to Alex’s side and took the slide trays off of the projector, stepping away from him as he sat the projector onto the small table.
“Thanks. I’ve got two more boxes of slides downstairs.”
“Really,” Liz questioned, arching her eyebrow as she glanced from the boxes of slides in her arms to Alex’s face. “Two more boxes?”
“Nah,” Alex replied with a laugh. “Three’s enough for tonight.” He took the boxes from her, sitting them on the balcony beside the table. “Besides, the good slides are in the bottom box. The rest are just junk.”
“Alex!”
Alex laughed as he dropped to his knees to open the top box of slides. “I went a little camera happy in Sweden, Liz, and now I can’t remember what the hell half of these pictures are. They’re pretty, you know, but other than that, they’re just pictures to me. Kinda like those fake pictures that are already in frames when you buy them.”
“I can’t wait to see them, any of them.”
“Some of them are pretty good, if I can brag,” Alex said as he stood to his feet, the first tray of slides loaded into the projector. “Where is everyone? I’m ready to get this party started.”
“The party can officially begin,” Maria squealed as she slung her leg through Liz’s bedroom window onto the balcony, her arms full of two paper grocery bags.
“What did you buy,” Alex questioned as he and Liz took the bags from Maria’s arms, allowing her to climb onto the balcony with more ease.
“Drinks, snacks, sugar. You know, junk food.”
“Twinkies,” Alex said with gusto as he removed a box of Twinkies from his bag. “Man, I’ve missed Twinkies. Sweden doesn’t compare with the U. S. of A. when it comes to junk food.”
“Maybe that’s why everyone is so thin and blonde,” Maria retorted, winking at Alex when he glared at her.
“Everything looks great, Liz.”
“Thanks,” Liz replied with a smile. “I just finished hanging the paper lanterns about five minutes before Alex showed up. I thought I should try to stick with the primary colors but then I wanted to make it appropriate so I made everything the colors of Sweden’s flag.” She fanned her right arm outward and Maria and Alex laughed.
“Well, thanks, Lizzie. It looks great.”
“Yeah, Liz,” Isabel called from just outside Liz’s window, Liz, Maria and Alex turning toward her as she spoke. “Everything looks really good.”
“Thanks, Isabel. Do you want something to drink? Maria brought tons of everything.”
“Hey, you can’t have a party without drinks,” Maria retorted as she shoved a handful of pretzels into her mouth. “Besides, Liz didn’t give me a list so I had to actually shop. Maybe I went a little overboard.” She pursed her lips in thought then quickly shrugged the thought away. “Lizzie, let’s have some music, and none of that sad, poo-poo, Lifehouse music. We need something we can dance to.” Maria threw her arms around Liz’s shoulders and the two friends walked to Liz’s small stereo.
“Hey, Isabel,” Alex said, stepping toward Isabel when it became obvious she was planning on staying as close to Liz’s window as possible. “How are you?”
“I’m good, Alex. How are you?”
“Great.”
“You look great.”
“Oh, thanks. You do too, as always.”
Isabel smiled. “It’s really good to see you again. I...I missed you while you were away.”
Alex smiled at her for several seconds but the smile quickly disappeared. “I...I can’t do this, Isabel.”
“What?”
“This....dance. This....thing where I chase you and when I stop chasing you, that’s when you start to show interest. I...I’m not that guy anymore. I’m someone new, someone different. Sometimes I wake up in the morning and I don’t even recognize myself anymore, that’s how different I am.”
“I can see that,” Isabel replied honestly, surprised to see Alex bristle at her comment.
“I’m gonna see if Maria and Liz can pick something besides boy band music to dance to.” He paused and offered Isabel a smile, tenderly touching her shoulder. “I’ll see you around, Isabel.”
“Okay,” Isabel replied with a forced smile, her vision blurred by unshed tears, and she watched Alex take turns dancing with Liz then Maria before she stepped back through Liz’s bedroom window without saying good-bye.
* * *
Serina White parked her grandmother’s car into one of the many available spaces along Roswell’s main street. Once the ignition was off, she slowly threaded her fingers through her loose bangs, looking around the almost-empty streets. She exhaled slowly and straightened her arms against the steering wheel, her back popping in response. Manually reclining the seat, she pulled a blanket from the back seat over her body once she was settled. Moonlight filtered in through the car windows and Serina sighed as her mind and body began to drift to sleep. She had lived many places in her young life, but something about Roswell’s quiet streets comforted her. Finally, she thought just before sleep claimed her, finally she felt like she belonged. Like she was home.
* * *
“And this is Leanna and I in front of the American Embassy downtown.” Alex clicked the remote control for the slide projector, Liz’s eyes wide as the images changed before her eyes. “I can’t remember who took the picture, some other tourist, I guess.”
“How did you meet her? Is she an American?”
“Oh, yeah. She’s an American. Her family lives in New York actually. I don’t remember how I met her. I think I was just walking around downtown, you know, and I looked up and there she was.”
“Then what happened?”
“I marched right up to her and said hello. She didn’t run away in protest and we went for some coffee.”
“Alex, that’s wonderful.”
“Yeah,” he replied as he moved the slide tray forward to the next slide. “I think I’m going to go meet her family in New York for Spring Break. Maybe she’ll come here with me for a few days. I’d love for you to meet her.”
“I’d love to meet her too. Any woman that makes you immune to the charms of Isabel Evans is worth the price of admission.” They both laughed as Alex moved to the next slide. “Does she know about Isabel?”
“Leanna knows everything,” Alex said in an odd voice, causing Liz to turn her eyes away from the slides to stare at one of her oldest friends. “This is a slide you’ve got to see, Liz,” Alex replied, his voice once again normal as he tapped Liz on the arm. “It’s the Northern Lights.”
Liz turned her attention forward to look at the next slide featuring the Northern Lights. Her mouth fell partially open and although she wanted to say something, to comment on the beauty of the slide, she found she had no words and no way to express her feelings. “Oh,” she sighed after several seconds.
“You should see them live and in living color. A picture doesn’t do it justice. You’ve got to live, Liz. Roswell isn’t the end of the world.” Alex clicked to the next slide and the spell the Northen Lights cast over Liz was broken by more pictures of Leanna. “This is Leanna in the mountains. We’d spent about five hours up there...”
* * *
Michael ran the palm of his hand across of the back of his neck and exhaled loudly. He shifted his weight on the lumpy couch, his long legs stretched outward, his feet propped on the coffee table. He glanced at the clock on the VCR, knowing Maria would still be at Liz’s little welcome back party for Alex. Michael had been invited and wished now that he had agreed to attend. Something felt wrong, something that he couldn’t put his finger on and those were the kind of problems that raised his paranoia. He especially didn’t feel like being alone, given that his senses were on some kind of alert.
He sniffed loudly and rolled forward to stand to his feet. Isabel would probably be at Liz’s house as well, which left only Max to talk to but something in Michael’s gut told him not to call Max. Before he could internally question that instinct, a knock echoed through his apartment, causing him to jump. He shook off the momentary scare and turned on the kitchen light as he walked to the front door.
He opened the door just a crack, unable to see anyone in the dim light of the hallway. In the next breath, the door shoved against his shoulder, knocking Michael onto the floor. He slid for several feet as an unknown male and female entered his apartment. “Hey,” he groaned as the woman closed the door behind her. He struggled to his feet and held his hand outward toward the male, who quickly projected a shield like Max’s out of his palm.
“Are you Michael Guerin?”
“What’s it to you,” Michael shot back, the hairs on his neck standing on end as the brunette woman stepped from behind the man’s shadow. “If you’re going to kill me, just get it over with. None of this wishy-washy, maybe, maybe not crap.”
“I’m not going to kill you,” the man replied, his shield disintegrating as quickly as it had appeared. Michael watched as the man glanced over his shoulder at his female companion. She smiled and Michael felt a twinge of recognition.
“What do you want,” Michael continued as the man sat down on the closest chair, the woman sitting beside him on the arm. “Why are you here?”
“I’m here to help you, Michael. I can tell you everything you’ve ever wanted to know about your alien heritage, about who you once were.”
“Huh?” Michael tried to blow the guy off with a shrug but inside, his mind was a whirlwind of activity. He almost wanted to believe that this man could help him, could tell him everything he wanted to know about his past life and his purpose on earth. It was something he had dreamed about from the moment he discovered his powers.
“You haven’t changed,” the man said. “You are exactly the same as you always were. Your exterior is cold and gruff but your insides, your brain and your heart, those are the things that drive you. Your lack of emotion tells me you could care less about the secrets or revelations I could divulge to you but I know you’re brimming with excitement and wonder inside.”
“What makes you think you’re right? You don’t know me,” Michael barked, suddenly on the defensive against the man who seemingly knew so much about him but had kept his own persona and identity a mystery. “Just who do you think you are?”
The man stood from the chair and slowly raked his hands through his hair, his blue-black eyes meeting Michael’s directly. Michael shrank backwards from the force of the stare, and felt an unusual buzzing in his brain, the kind he’d only felt previously when alien powers were in use. “I do know you. I’m your brother.”
Last edited by JO on Mon Jun 20, 2005 10:00 am, edited 6 times in total.
Part 14
Part 14
Liz sat on the small wooden desk, her legs swishing back and forth, the heels of her feet knocking against the drawers. She nervously pulled her lip into mouth and began chewing on it but not before straightening her posture and smoothing her hands over her sleek ponytail. Glancing at her watch, she returned to the rhythm she had previously created by banging her heels against the wooden desk. She tapped out the same rhythm on her thighs, almost on the verge of leaving when the eraser room door opened and Max stepped inside. Liz felt herself exhale and her body tense again in a new way. “Hi, Max.”
“Hey,” Max said as he dropped his backpack onto the floor beside the door. He placed his hands in the pockets of his blue jeans and exhaled slowly, his eyes never leaving Liz’s face. “I saw Alex,” he said after several seconds of silence.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. He looks good, really good, taller even.”
Liz laughed and dropped her head forward, her heels accidentally banging against the wooden desk. “He does look good. I saw him last night. We watched some slides from his trip to Sweden. Have you ever thought about traveling?”
“To where?”
“Sweden? Or California? Or Paris?”
“Yeah -”
“Then let’s go,” Liz pleaded as she hopped off the desk and stepped toward Max. “We can go anywhere you want to go, Max. We’ll get away from Roswell and I’ll tell you the truth. The truth about what happened with Kyle, all of it. I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.”
“I can’t,” Max reluctantly admitted, the sadness in his voice unmistakable. “I can’t ever leave Roswell. There’s too much at stake and too many things that need to be protected.”
“You’re not being allowed to live,” Liz continued. “You’re being forced into a lifestyle you don’t want. No one should have to live like that.”
“I don’t think I have a choice, Liz, but you do. You don’t have to sacrifice your happiness to stay here. There’s a whole other world out there and you should explore it. Don’t let me...what happens here...stop you from living.”
“Max -”
“Roswell will still be here when you get back. I’ll...still be here.” He smiled at her, watching in surprise and concern as tears fell down Liz’s cheeks. “You should live. Don’t worry about me.”
“Oh, Max,” Liz sighed as Max stepped toward her, his hands outstretched toward her face, his thumbs expertly brushing the tears away. Liz looked at Max through her eyelashes, Max’s hands lingering on her face for several seconds. Smiling through her tears, Liz didn’t pull away from Max as a flash passed between them.
Don’t you realize what you are to me...and what you’re always gonna be? You’re the love of my life. Everyone else is gonna be second best. There’ll never be another you.
“Liz,” Max questioned as he stepped back from her, a confused expression on his face. “What was that? That...that never happened between us.”
“I...I have to go, Max,” Liz replied, hurriedly grabbing her backpack as she attempted to step past Max to leave the eraser room. “I’ll be late for class.”
“Liz, don’t.”
Liz ignored Max’s cry and opened the eraser room door, blindly running away from Max. She kept her head low as she continued down the hallway and she could feel Max’s stare on her.
* * *
Max sat in Indian-style on his bedroom floor, lamps and candles lighting the room as Tess sat across from him in a similar fashion. He opened his eyes and looked at her, her eyes closed in concentration. Exhaling slowly, he pushed himself away from Tess and sat down on his bed.
“What’s wrong,” Tess questioned as she too stood to her feet, although she remained standing while Max sat on his bed. “I thought you wanted to work on some memory retrieval.”
“I do -”
“Then we should work on it. Memory retrieval isn’t like any other power we possess. It takes considerable concentration and it can zap you twice as fast.”
“I don’t really feel like it, Tess.”
“It’s because of Liz, isn’t it,” she continued, this time sitting beside Max on his bed, her blue eyes keenly watching his every move.
“No,” Max said while squirming under her scrutiny. “I just...I just don’t want to do this tonight. Liz has nothing to do with this.”
“Liz has everything to do with it, Max. She’s getting in the way.”
“You shouldn’t say things like that.”
“I didn’t mean it that way,” Tess amended. “If you’re as haunted by Larek’s words from the summit as you say you are, you owe it to yourself, to all of us, to remember what happened. Liz is just getting in the way of that. She’s preventing you from opening up.”
“I’m open.”
“No,” Tess argued with a breathy sigh. “You’re not open. You’re too focused on her and this life. This life doesn’t matter, Max. This life is all a dream. Who we really are and the lives we’re really supposed to be living are what matters now. Our destiny is real, Max. When are you going to wake up and accept it?”
Max opened his mouth to argue with Tess, ready to tell her she could talk about destiny from now until the end of the world but his heart would never be in it. He knew his heart would always belong to Liz, no matter what secrets she was keeping from him. One syllable of his argument broke from his throat before Isabel’s scream echoed through the hallway, and he quickly followed by Tess ran to her room.
* * *
Isabel ran her fingers through her hair and across her skin. She felt dirty and grimy, insects and unnatural invaders crawling over and through her. She squirmed against a mysterious hold and her cry echoed in her ears. Opening her eyes, she saw clods of dirt fly past her face, the cool earth beat against her arms and legs. She tried to scream but she sounded like she was trapped in the bottom of a barrel, dirt flying onto her face and head. She was temporarily blinded and struggled to free her hand to clear her vision. Touching her face, she realized that her entire head was encased in a clear box of thick plastic. She scratched at the front of the box, her eyes watching in horror as she tried to claw away the dirt from her face. She screamed again as Grant’s face appeared, peering over her with a shovel in his hand.
“Isabel! Isabel!”
Isabel sat up in bed, the force of her jolt knocking Max to the floor as Tess stood at the foot of her bed, her face contorted in a strange expression. “Max? Tess? Wh...what’s going on?”
“You were having a nightmare,” Max said, his voice soothing as he sat down on the edge of Isabel’s bed, Tess stepping immediately to his side.
“I was?”
“You were screaming your head off,” Tess added, and Isabel bit back the nasty reply that formed in her brain.
“I’m sorry.”
“Do you want to talk about it,” Max questioned as he offered her a comforting pat on the shoulder. “You were screaming pretty loudly.”
“Oh, no,” Isabel said with a shaky smile. “No, I’m fine. I....I’ll be fine.”
“You sure,” Max pressed, standing up from the bed as Isabel swung her legs over the side and pressed her feet to the carpeted floor.
“No, I’m fine. I shouldn’t have eaten that take-out.” She paused to laugh, but noticed Max still staring at her like he didn’t believe her. “Honestly, I’m fine. I’m going to go to the bathroom and change clothes and watch some t. v. Go, Max. Finish whatever you and Tess were doing. I’m sorry I bothered you.”
“You’re sure you’re okay?”
“Yes,” Isabel nodded, walking Max and Tess to her bedroom door. “I’m already over it. I...I can’t even remember what the dream was about.”
“Okay,” Max said, Tess stepping out of Isabel’s room in front of him. “See you in the morning.”
“Night.” Isabel closed the door behind them and after waiting a couple of minutes, she locked the doors with her powers. She threw open the doors of her closet and stepped into a pair of tennis shoes as she fumbled for her matching scarf, hat and gloves set. She pulled on her navy peacoat from the back of her desk chair and carefully opened her window. She winced as the window squeaked, fearing Max would return, but after several moments with no indication he had heard, she dropped to her feet on the ground outside her window. Exhaling quickly as the cold night air hit her lungs, she buttoned her peacoat, wrapped her scarf tight around her neck and briskly began her walk to Liz’s house.
Liz sat on the small wooden desk, her legs swishing back and forth, the heels of her feet knocking against the drawers. She nervously pulled her lip into mouth and began chewing on it but not before straightening her posture and smoothing her hands over her sleek ponytail. Glancing at her watch, she returned to the rhythm she had previously created by banging her heels against the wooden desk. She tapped out the same rhythm on her thighs, almost on the verge of leaving when the eraser room door opened and Max stepped inside. Liz felt herself exhale and her body tense again in a new way. “Hi, Max.”
“Hey,” Max said as he dropped his backpack onto the floor beside the door. He placed his hands in the pockets of his blue jeans and exhaled slowly, his eyes never leaving Liz’s face. “I saw Alex,” he said after several seconds of silence.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. He looks good, really good, taller even.”
Liz laughed and dropped her head forward, her heels accidentally banging against the wooden desk. “He does look good. I saw him last night. We watched some slides from his trip to Sweden. Have you ever thought about traveling?”
“To where?”
“Sweden? Or California? Or Paris?”
“Yeah -”
“Then let’s go,” Liz pleaded as she hopped off the desk and stepped toward Max. “We can go anywhere you want to go, Max. We’ll get away from Roswell and I’ll tell you the truth. The truth about what happened with Kyle, all of it. I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.”
“I can’t,” Max reluctantly admitted, the sadness in his voice unmistakable. “I can’t ever leave Roswell. There’s too much at stake and too many things that need to be protected.”
“You’re not being allowed to live,” Liz continued. “You’re being forced into a lifestyle you don’t want. No one should have to live like that.”
“I don’t think I have a choice, Liz, but you do. You don’t have to sacrifice your happiness to stay here. There’s a whole other world out there and you should explore it. Don’t let me...what happens here...stop you from living.”
“Max -”
“Roswell will still be here when you get back. I’ll...still be here.” He smiled at her, watching in surprise and concern as tears fell down Liz’s cheeks. “You should live. Don’t worry about me.”
“Oh, Max,” Liz sighed as Max stepped toward her, his hands outstretched toward her face, his thumbs expertly brushing the tears away. Liz looked at Max through her eyelashes, Max’s hands lingering on her face for several seconds. Smiling through her tears, Liz didn’t pull away from Max as a flash passed between them.
Don’t you realize what you are to me...and what you’re always gonna be? You’re the love of my life. Everyone else is gonna be second best. There’ll never be another you.
“Liz,” Max questioned as he stepped back from her, a confused expression on his face. “What was that? That...that never happened between us.”
“I...I have to go, Max,” Liz replied, hurriedly grabbing her backpack as she attempted to step past Max to leave the eraser room. “I’ll be late for class.”
“Liz, don’t.”
Liz ignored Max’s cry and opened the eraser room door, blindly running away from Max. She kept her head low as she continued down the hallway and she could feel Max’s stare on her.
* * *
Max sat in Indian-style on his bedroom floor, lamps and candles lighting the room as Tess sat across from him in a similar fashion. He opened his eyes and looked at her, her eyes closed in concentration. Exhaling slowly, he pushed himself away from Tess and sat down on his bed.
“What’s wrong,” Tess questioned as she too stood to her feet, although she remained standing while Max sat on his bed. “I thought you wanted to work on some memory retrieval.”
“I do -”
“Then we should work on it. Memory retrieval isn’t like any other power we possess. It takes considerable concentration and it can zap you twice as fast.”
“I don’t really feel like it, Tess.”
“It’s because of Liz, isn’t it,” she continued, this time sitting beside Max on his bed, her blue eyes keenly watching his every move.
“No,” Max said while squirming under her scrutiny. “I just...I just don’t want to do this tonight. Liz has nothing to do with this.”
“Liz has everything to do with it, Max. She’s getting in the way.”
“You shouldn’t say things like that.”
“I didn’t mean it that way,” Tess amended. “If you’re as haunted by Larek’s words from the summit as you say you are, you owe it to yourself, to all of us, to remember what happened. Liz is just getting in the way of that. She’s preventing you from opening up.”
“I’m open.”
“No,” Tess argued with a breathy sigh. “You’re not open. You’re too focused on her and this life. This life doesn’t matter, Max. This life is all a dream. Who we really are and the lives we’re really supposed to be living are what matters now. Our destiny is real, Max. When are you going to wake up and accept it?”
Max opened his mouth to argue with Tess, ready to tell her she could talk about destiny from now until the end of the world but his heart would never be in it. He knew his heart would always belong to Liz, no matter what secrets she was keeping from him. One syllable of his argument broke from his throat before Isabel’s scream echoed through the hallway, and he quickly followed by Tess ran to her room.
* * *
Isabel ran her fingers through her hair and across her skin. She felt dirty and grimy, insects and unnatural invaders crawling over and through her. She squirmed against a mysterious hold and her cry echoed in her ears. Opening her eyes, she saw clods of dirt fly past her face, the cool earth beat against her arms and legs. She tried to scream but she sounded like she was trapped in the bottom of a barrel, dirt flying onto her face and head. She was temporarily blinded and struggled to free her hand to clear her vision. Touching her face, she realized that her entire head was encased in a clear box of thick plastic. She scratched at the front of the box, her eyes watching in horror as she tried to claw away the dirt from her face. She screamed again as Grant’s face appeared, peering over her with a shovel in his hand.
“Isabel! Isabel!”
Isabel sat up in bed, the force of her jolt knocking Max to the floor as Tess stood at the foot of her bed, her face contorted in a strange expression. “Max? Tess? Wh...what’s going on?”
“You were having a nightmare,” Max said, his voice soothing as he sat down on the edge of Isabel’s bed, Tess stepping immediately to his side.
“I was?”
“You were screaming your head off,” Tess added, and Isabel bit back the nasty reply that formed in her brain.
“I’m sorry.”
“Do you want to talk about it,” Max questioned as he offered her a comforting pat on the shoulder. “You were screaming pretty loudly.”
“Oh, no,” Isabel said with a shaky smile. “No, I’m fine. I....I’ll be fine.”
“You sure,” Max pressed, standing up from the bed as Isabel swung her legs over the side and pressed her feet to the carpeted floor.
“No, I’m fine. I shouldn’t have eaten that take-out.” She paused to laugh, but noticed Max still staring at her like he didn’t believe her. “Honestly, I’m fine. I’m going to go to the bathroom and change clothes and watch some t. v. Go, Max. Finish whatever you and Tess were doing. I’m sorry I bothered you.”
“You’re sure you’re okay?”
“Yes,” Isabel nodded, walking Max and Tess to her bedroom door. “I’m already over it. I...I can’t even remember what the dream was about.”
“Okay,” Max said, Tess stepping out of Isabel’s room in front of him. “See you in the morning.”
“Night.” Isabel closed the door behind them and after waiting a couple of minutes, she locked the doors with her powers. She threw open the doors of her closet and stepped into a pair of tennis shoes as she fumbled for her matching scarf, hat and gloves set. She pulled on her navy peacoat from the back of her desk chair and carefully opened her window. She winced as the window squeaked, fearing Max would return, but after several moments with no indication he had heard, she dropped to her feet on the ground outside her window. Exhaling quickly as the cold night air hit her lungs, she buttoned her peacoat, wrapped her scarf tight around her neck and briskly began her walk to Liz’s house.
Last edited by JO on Mon Jun 20, 2005 10:02 am, edited 4 times in total.
Part 15
Part 15
“I can do this,” Liz whispered as she sporadically paced back and forth on her balcony. Her movements were choppy and in agitation; she could feel this itching in her brain, an itch that she needed to scratch. Seated to her left in one of her lawn chairs was a small stuffed bear she had pulled from the back of her closet. “You can do this. Just shut up and spit it out.” She stopped and spun on her heels to face the stuffed bear. “Max,” she began as she stepped toward the bear. “No. No. Okay.” She waved her hands back and forth in front of her face and started again. “I love you, Max. I love you so much and I want to be with you but we can’t. We can’t be together.”
Resuming her pacing, she paused to look at her feet, her hands drawn underneath her chin, her fingers tightly woven together. “Why? Well, Max,” she sighed, opening her hands outward away from her chin and toward the bear. “That night you saw me with Kyle…we…we didn’t sleep together. We didn’t do anything. I know…I know it looked like we had, and I never told you any different but…this is really hard.” Liz stared at the lifeless bear and ran her hands through the length of her hair. “And you’re not helping matters,” she lamented as she plopped into the empty chair beside the bear.
“Liz? Liz, are you there?”
“Isabel,” Liz questioned, moving at once to the edge of her balcony, surprised to see Isabel half-way up the fire escape. “What are you doing here? Is…is something wrong with Max?”
“No, Max is fine,” Isabel replied as she slung her legs over the lip of the balcony. “Did I wake you?”
“Oh, no. I was awake. Do you want to sit down?” Liz walked to the two lawn chairs and pulled the stuffed bear into her lap, indicating where Isabel could sit down.
“Thanks,” Isabel replied with a smile as she pulled the chair away from Liz’s a little bit and sat down. “I bet you wonder why I’m here.” Isabel gave Liz a stiff laugh and Liz responded in kind. “I…I had a dream about being buried alive, and…and I saw Grant…with a shovel.”
“Isabel.” Liz leaned forward and placed her hand on top of Isabel’s as she watched Max’s sister’s brave façade falter. “Does Max know?”
“No. I came straight to you.”
“Me,” Liz questioned, releasing Isabel’s hand and leaning against the back of the lawn chair. “Why me?”
“Look, Liz, let’s just get down to it. I know something is going on with you. The entire school thinks you and Kyle slept together but I’ve watched the two of you and I just don’t see it.”
“Isabel -”
“I don’t know what really happened but I do know that you didn’t sleep with Kyle. And I know that typically, everything you’ve ever done for us has been because of Max.”
“Have you talked to…Michael?”
“No. Should I be talking to Michael? Does Michael know something I don’t?”
“I don’t think so,” Liz replied while shaking her head and avoiding Isabel’s direct stare. “Michael doesn’t know anything. He…he just said some of the same things.”
“Was that all Michael said?”
“No. He said he’d find out what I was hiding.”
“So you are hiding something,” Isabel shouted, a triumphant smile on her face. “Something about Max. Does it have to do with that flash I got from you? If something is going to hurt Max -”
“Do you honestly think I would let something hurt Max,” Liz shot back. “If I could prevent it, if I had any kind of power, I’d always use it to help Max. Always.”
“And you think sleeping with Kyle is helping him? He’s…he’s turning to Tess, Liz. God, she’s like his shadow.”
“That’s the way things are supposed to be,” Liz admitted with a slight shrug, pulling the bear close to her chest. “It’s his destiny.”
“You don’t believe in destiny any more than I do,” Isabel retaliated and before Liz could argue, Isabel latched her hands onto Liz’s forearms, willingly opening a connection between them.
Wh-what? You expect me to believe that the…the granilith is like some sort of time machine?
I can’t tell you too much, Liz…only what you need to know…but 14 years from now, we are taken over by our enemies.
The closer that you and I grew, the worse it got with Tess, and eventually she left Roswell.
Yeah, I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing this for Max. His future’s you.
You really think this is gonna work? I would never be jealous of Kyle.
“I…I knew it,” Isabel whispered breathlessly as she looked at Liz’s face. “I knew it was for Max.”
“You can’t tell him, Isabel.”
“You have to tell him, Liz. He’s dying inside and he dies a little more every day.”
“I will tell him, just not now. Tess can’t leave. She’s a vital piece of your existence. She’s important and I won’t let Max or any of you be in danger if I can help it.”
Isabel nodded and watched as Liz wiped the tears from her face. “I never should have doubted you or your love for Max. I’m sorry that I didn’t trust you.”
“It’s okay,” Liz replied, offering Isabel a small smile. “Max is your brother. You were just trying to protect him. I’m trying to do the same thing.”
“But you’re not protecting him,” Isabel countered and she sensed that Liz had not seen this argument coming, “and now that I know the truth, or as much of the truth as I can take from the flashes, my silence has a price.”
“You…you’re going to….blackmail me? Isabel, I…”
“I need to find out who or what Grant’s buried. Max and Michael won’t help me. You’re the only person I’ve got. It’s something alien and it’s invading my dreams. I have to know, Liz. I have to find out the truth.”
“Shouldn’t you call the Sheriff?”
“Shouldn’t you tell Max?”
Liz audibly sighed while Isabel crossed her hands over her chest. The two girls stared at each other for several seconds before Liz carefully placed the bear back into its chair. “Do you have a place to start, or a feeling to go on?”
“I think it’s in Frazier Woods. Whatever is happening…it’s coming from Frazier Woods.”
Liz’s eyes widened as she stood up from her chair, Isabel matching her stance. “You do…know…what’s in Frazier Woods, don’t you?”
“No,” Isabel replied as she followed Liz to her bedroom window. “What’s in Frazier Woods?”
“Pohlman Ranch,” Liz whispered, ducking through her bedroom window after signaling Isabel to be quiet.
“I can do this,” Liz whispered as she sporadically paced back and forth on her balcony. Her movements were choppy and in agitation; she could feel this itching in her brain, an itch that she needed to scratch. Seated to her left in one of her lawn chairs was a small stuffed bear she had pulled from the back of her closet. “You can do this. Just shut up and spit it out.” She stopped and spun on her heels to face the stuffed bear. “Max,” she began as she stepped toward the bear. “No. No. Okay.” She waved her hands back and forth in front of her face and started again. “I love you, Max. I love you so much and I want to be with you but we can’t. We can’t be together.”
Resuming her pacing, she paused to look at her feet, her hands drawn underneath her chin, her fingers tightly woven together. “Why? Well, Max,” she sighed, opening her hands outward away from her chin and toward the bear. “That night you saw me with Kyle…we…we didn’t sleep together. We didn’t do anything. I know…I know it looked like we had, and I never told you any different but…this is really hard.” Liz stared at the lifeless bear and ran her hands through the length of her hair. “And you’re not helping matters,” she lamented as she plopped into the empty chair beside the bear.
“Liz? Liz, are you there?”
“Isabel,” Liz questioned, moving at once to the edge of her balcony, surprised to see Isabel half-way up the fire escape. “What are you doing here? Is…is something wrong with Max?”
“No, Max is fine,” Isabel replied as she slung her legs over the lip of the balcony. “Did I wake you?”
“Oh, no. I was awake. Do you want to sit down?” Liz walked to the two lawn chairs and pulled the stuffed bear into her lap, indicating where Isabel could sit down.
“Thanks,” Isabel replied with a smile as she pulled the chair away from Liz’s a little bit and sat down. “I bet you wonder why I’m here.” Isabel gave Liz a stiff laugh and Liz responded in kind. “I…I had a dream about being buried alive, and…and I saw Grant…with a shovel.”
“Isabel.” Liz leaned forward and placed her hand on top of Isabel’s as she watched Max’s sister’s brave façade falter. “Does Max know?”
“No. I came straight to you.”
“Me,” Liz questioned, releasing Isabel’s hand and leaning against the back of the lawn chair. “Why me?”
“Look, Liz, let’s just get down to it. I know something is going on with you. The entire school thinks you and Kyle slept together but I’ve watched the two of you and I just don’t see it.”
“Isabel -”
“I don’t know what really happened but I do know that you didn’t sleep with Kyle. And I know that typically, everything you’ve ever done for us has been because of Max.”
“Have you talked to…Michael?”
“No. Should I be talking to Michael? Does Michael know something I don’t?”
“I don’t think so,” Liz replied while shaking her head and avoiding Isabel’s direct stare. “Michael doesn’t know anything. He…he just said some of the same things.”
“Was that all Michael said?”
“No. He said he’d find out what I was hiding.”
“So you are hiding something,” Isabel shouted, a triumphant smile on her face. “Something about Max. Does it have to do with that flash I got from you? If something is going to hurt Max -”
“Do you honestly think I would let something hurt Max,” Liz shot back. “If I could prevent it, if I had any kind of power, I’d always use it to help Max. Always.”
“And you think sleeping with Kyle is helping him? He’s…he’s turning to Tess, Liz. God, she’s like his shadow.”
“That’s the way things are supposed to be,” Liz admitted with a slight shrug, pulling the bear close to her chest. “It’s his destiny.”
“You don’t believe in destiny any more than I do,” Isabel retaliated and before Liz could argue, Isabel latched her hands onto Liz’s forearms, willingly opening a connection between them.
Wh-what? You expect me to believe that the…the granilith is like some sort of time machine?
I can’t tell you too much, Liz…only what you need to know…but 14 years from now, we are taken over by our enemies.
The closer that you and I grew, the worse it got with Tess, and eventually she left Roswell.
Yeah, I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing this for Max. His future’s you.
You really think this is gonna work? I would never be jealous of Kyle.
“I…I knew it,” Isabel whispered breathlessly as she looked at Liz’s face. “I knew it was for Max.”
“You can’t tell him, Isabel.”
“You have to tell him, Liz. He’s dying inside and he dies a little more every day.”
“I will tell him, just not now. Tess can’t leave. She’s a vital piece of your existence. She’s important and I won’t let Max or any of you be in danger if I can help it.”
Isabel nodded and watched as Liz wiped the tears from her face. “I never should have doubted you or your love for Max. I’m sorry that I didn’t trust you.”
“It’s okay,” Liz replied, offering Isabel a small smile. “Max is your brother. You were just trying to protect him. I’m trying to do the same thing.”
“But you’re not protecting him,” Isabel countered and she sensed that Liz had not seen this argument coming, “and now that I know the truth, or as much of the truth as I can take from the flashes, my silence has a price.”
“You…you’re going to….blackmail me? Isabel, I…”
“I need to find out who or what Grant’s buried. Max and Michael won’t help me. You’re the only person I’ve got. It’s something alien and it’s invading my dreams. I have to know, Liz. I have to find out the truth.”
“Shouldn’t you call the Sheriff?”
“Shouldn’t you tell Max?”
Liz audibly sighed while Isabel crossed her hands over her chest. The two girls stared at each other for several seconds before Liz carefully placed the bear back into its chair. “Do you have a place to start, or a feeling to go on?”
“I think it’s in Frazier Woods. Whatever is happening…it’s coming from Frazier Woods.”
Liz’s eyes widened as she stood up from her chair, Isabel matching her stance. “You do…know…what’s in Frazier Woods, don’t you?”
“No,” Isabel replied as she followed Liz to her bedroom window. “What’s in Frazier Woods?”
“Pohlman Ranch,” Liz whispered, ducking through her bedroom window after signaling Isabel to be quiet.
Last edited by JO on Mon Jun 20, 2005 10:03 am, edited 3 times in total.
Part 16
Part 16
Michael stood in the darkness of his apartment, a Louisville Slugger propped on his right shoulder. He stared out into the street, his only illumination coming as cars passed by but those were few and far between, especially so late on a weeknight. Michael knew that if one of his friends happened upon him in such a stance, he’d be ridiculed for weeks about the absurdity of the situation. He was an alien, with powers that could be used to blow things or persons into a million pieces, but he stood guard in his apartment with a baseball bat. He himself couldn’t help the slight chuckle as the thought ran through his mind. Straightening his posture quickly and setting his mind back at the task at hand, he realized he didn’t care what others thought; he was on the lookout for late-night alien visitors, visitors that claimed to be his relatives.
He was immersed in thoughts of the previous night’s conversation with the mysterious alien claiming to be his brother when the telephone rang, and Michael jumped at the noise. He ran across the apartment to the kitchen, baseball bat still in hand, and answered the phone in a low voice. “Hello?”
“Michael,” Isabel whispered, her hand attempting to muffle her own voice.
“Isabel? Why are you whispering?”
“Why are you whispering? Just listen to me,” she argued before Michael could continue and he turned his back on the kitchen, baseball bat and cordless telephone in either hand.
“Are you hurt? What am I listening for?”
“I’m at Liz’s house. I don’t have long to talk. We’re going to Frazier Woods.”
“Why are you going to Frazier Woods,” Michael questioned, the crescendo in his voice making him audible to those not in his apartment, those potential alien brothers that could be lurking behind the bushes outside. “Why are you going to Frazier Woods,” he repeated in a lower voice and he hunched over, kneeling on the couch as he attempted to find the right angle to see through the blinds without moving them.
“I had a dream about Grant…burying something…and Liz and I are going to check it out.”
“Not without me, you won’t. There’s nothing happening in Frazier Woods, and especially nothing involving Grant that you need to be investigating tonight.”
“We’re going tonight, Michael, and you don’t have any say in the matter.”
“Iz, wait. I can be there in ten minutes. Just wait for me to get there before you go.” Michael craned his neck as a shadow moved outside his apartment. He stared for several more seconds before realizing the shadow belonged to his neighbor’s cat. Shaking his head at his own paranoia, he sat down on the couch, Isabel’s voice tickling his eardrum.
“I asked why, Michael. Are you still there?”
Michael thought quickly, Isabel’s tone of voice evident despite her whisper. She was irritated and Michael certainly didn’t want to push her to further investigation. He squeezed the baseball bat in his right hand. “For protection.”
“Please. Liz and I will be fine. Nothing’s going to happen to us.”
“Does Max know?”
“What do you think?” Again, Michael could picture Isabel’s facial expressions as her low whisper came through the receiver. “I’ve gotta go, Michael. You and I need to talk tomorrow.”
“Isabel,” Michael frantically whispered into the receiver but a dial tone sounded in his ear. Tucking the baseball bat underneath his arm, he walked back to the kitchen and dug through the top drawer beside the sink. Jerking hard, he pulled Sheriff Valenti’s business cards out of its hiding place, securely taped on the underside of the kitchen countertop. He dialed the Sheriff’s direct line and prayed Sheriff Valenti would answer.
“Valenti here.”
“Sheriff,” Michael exhaled as he leaned against the countertop.
“Michael? Is that you? What’s going on? Who’s in trouble?”
“No one’s in trouble yet,” Michael continued, “but I think Isabel and Liz could be walking into something dangerous.”
“What’s going on?”
Michael walked back to the couch, rapidly explaining what he knew about Isabel’s dream and the opinion both he and Max shared about Grant Sorenson. He sat down on the edge of the couch, a faint noise that sounded like a set of keys jingling echoing in his ears.
“I’ll go check it out myself, off the record. Maybe I should let Max know too. I can pick him up on the way.”
“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea,” Michael admitted as he jumped to his feet, realizing that someone was attempting to use a key to enter his apartment. “Okay. Do what you have to do. Just go help them.” He rested the telephone between his shoulder and ear, the baseball bat raised high above his head as he slowly walked toward the door. “They need it.” The front door cracked and Michael prepared to swing the bat with all his might when he recognized the would-be intruder was Max. “No thanks. I hate encyclopedias.” He hung up the phone and dropped it into the nearby chair. “What’s up, Maxwell?”
“Using your living room as a batting cage?” Max stepped into the room, quickly shrugging out of his jacket and walking toward Michael’s refrigerator.
“What are you doing out,” Michael questioned, propping the baseball bat against the wall as he hovered in the doorway of the kitchen, Max helping himself to something to drink.
“Isabel had a bad dream.”
“So you’re the one that’s awake?”
Max rolled his eyes and pushed past Michael, stepping back into the living room. “I couldn’t sleep either. Tess was at my house earlier, and I keep thinking about what happened with Liz in the eraser room. She’s hiding something, Michael, I know she is. I got a flash from her today but it wasn’t something we’d ever experienced together.”
“Liz will tell you when she’s ready.”
“You sound like you know something. If you do, you should tell me.” Max almost glared at Michael, his tone demanding and it set Michael on edge for a split second.
“I don’t know anything, Maxwell. Really, do I talk to Liz? No. Do I even talk to Maria? No. They’re women. I just don’t do things like that.”
Max shrugged and pushed the now-empty glass back and forth between his hands. “I feel like something’s going on, something I don’t know about but that I should know about. Do you feel it? Like something’s going to happen?”
Michael furrowed his brow and looked at Max. It was obvious to him that Max hadn’t been sleeping well, that something was weighing heavily on his mind, so heavily in fact, it had lead him to Michael’s apartment, a place he hadn’t willingly come in almost two months. Michael shrugged after several seconds and shook his head. “No, man,” he said, the lie already on the tip of his tongue. “I don’t feel anything.”
Michael stood in the darkness of his apartment, a Louisville Slugger propped on his right shoulder. He stared out into the street, his only illumination coming as cars passed by but those were few and far between, especially so late on a weeknight. Michael knew that if one of his friends happened upon him in such a stance, he’d be ridiculed for weeks about the absurdity of the situation. He was an alien, with powers that could be used to blow things or persons into a million pieces, but he stood guard in his apartment with a baseball bat. He himself couldn’t help the slight chuckle as the thought ran through his mind. Straightening his posture quickly and setting his mind back at the task at hand, he realized he didn’t care what others thought; he was on the lookout for late-night alien visitors, visitors that claimed to be his relatives.
He was immersed in thoughts of the previous night’s conversation with the mysterious alien claiming to be his brother when the telephone rang, and Michael jumped at the noise. He ran across the apartment to the kitchen, baseball bat still in hand, and answered the phone in a low voice. “Hello?”
“Michael,” Isabel whispered, her hand attempting to muffle her own voice.
“Isabel? Why are you whispering?”
“Why are you whispering? Just listen to me,” she argued before Michael could continue and he turned his back on the kitchen, baseball bat and cordless telephone in either hand.
“Are you hurt? What am I listening for?”
“I’m at Liz’s house. I don’t have long to talk. We’re going to Frazier Woods.”
“Why are you going to Frazier Woods,” Michael questioned, the crescendo in his voice making him audible to those not in his apartment, those potential alien brothers that could be lurking behind the bushes outside. “Why are you going to Frazier Woods,” he repeated in a lower voice and he hunched over, kneeling on the couch as he attempted to find the right angle to see through the blinds without moving them.
“I had a dream about Grant…burying something…and Liz and I are going to check it out.”
“Not without me, you won’t. There’s nothing happening in Frazier Woods, and especially nothing involving Grant that you need to be investigating tonight.”
“We’re going tonight, Michael, and you don’t have any say in the matter.”
“Iz, wait. I can be there in ten minutes. Just wait for me to get there before you go.” Michael craned his neck as a shadow moved outside his apartment. He stared for several more seconds before realizing the shadow belonged to his neighbor’s cat. Shaking his head at his own paranoia, he sat down on the couch, Isabel’s voice tickling his eardrum.
“I asked why, Michael. Are you still there?”
Michael thought quickly, Isabel’s tone of voice evident despite her whisper. She was irritated and Michael certainly didn’t want to push her to further investigation. He squeezed the baseball bat in his right hand. “For protection.”
“Please. Liz and I will be fine. Nothing’s going to happen to us.”
“Does Max know?”
“What do you think?” Again, Michael could picture Isabel’s facial expressions as her low whisper came through the receiver. “I’ve gotta go, Michael. You and I need to talk tomorrow.”
“Isabel,” Michael frantically whispered into the receiver but a dial tone sounded in his ear. Tucking the baseball bat underneath his arm, he walked back to the kitchen and dug through the top drawer beside the sink. Jerking hard, he pulled Sheriff Valenti’s business cards out of its hiding place, securely taped on the underside of the kitchen countertop. He dialed the Sheriff’s direct line and prayed Sheriff Valenti would answer.
“Valenti here.”
“Sheriff,” Michael exhaled as he leaned against the countertop.
“Michael? Is that you? What’s going on? Who’s in trouble?”
“No one’s in trouble yet,” Michael continued, “but I think Isabel and Liz could be walking into something dangerous.”
“What’s going on?”
Michael walked back to the couch, rapidly explaining what he knew about Isabel’s dream and the opinion both he and Max shared about Grant Sorenson. He sat down on the edge of the couch, a faint noise that sounded like a set of keys jingling echoing in his ears.
“I’ll go check it out myself, off the record. Maybe I should let Max know too. I can pick him up on the way.”
“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea,” Michael admitted as he jumped to his feet, realizing that someone was attempting to use a key to enter his apartment. “Okay. Do what you have to do. Just go help them.” He rested the telephone between his shoulder and ear, the baseball bat raised high above his head as he slowly walked toward the door. “They need it.” The front door cracked and Michael prepared to swing the bat with all his might when he recognized the would-be intruder was Max. “No thanks. I hate encyclopedias.” He hung up the phone and dropped it into the nearby chair. “What’s up, Maxwell?”
“Using your living room as a batting cage?” Max stepped into the room, quickly shrugging out of his jacket and walking toward Michael’s refrigerator.
“What are you doing out,” Michael questioned, propping the baseball bat against the wall as he hovered in the doorway of the kitchen, Max helping himself to something to drink.
“Isabel had a bad dream.”
“So you’re the one that’s awake?”
Max rolled his eyes and pushed past Michael, stepping back into the living room. “I couldn’t sleep either. Tess was at my house earlier, and I keep thinking about what happened with Liz in the eraser room. She’s hiding something, Michael, I know she is. I got a flash from her today but it wasn’t something we’d ever experienced together.”
“Liz will tell you when she’s ready.”
“You sound like you know something. If you do, you should tell me.” Max almost glared at Michael, his tone demanding and it set Michael on edge for a split second.
“I don’t know anything, Maxwell. Really, do I talk to Liz? No. Do I even talk to Maria? No. They’re women. I just don’t do things like that.”
Max shrugged and pushed the now-empty glass back and forth between his hands. “I feel like something’s going on, something I don’t know about but that I should know about. Do you feel it? Like something’s going to happen?”
Michael furrowed his brow and looked at Max. It was obvious to him that Max hadn’t been sleeping well, that something was weighing heavily on his mind, so heavily in fact, it had lead him to Michael’s apartment, a place he hadn’t willingly come in almost two months. Michael shrugged after several seconds and shook his head. “No, man,” he said, the lie already on the tip of his tongue. “I don’t feel anything.”
Last edited by JO on Mon Jun 20, 2005 10:04 am, edited 5 times in total.
Part 17
Part 17
“Do you know where we’re going,” Liz questioned as she followed Isabel deeper into Frazier Woods. A branch swung backwards from Isabel, narrowly missing her face, as Liz threw her hands up to protect herself and absorb some of the blow. “I don’t know where we’re going. We didn’t bring a map or anything. We’re under-prepared for this, Isabel.”
“Hush,” Isabel commanded as she stopped just outside the thin patch of trees, Grant’s digging equipment just ahead. “See that?” She felt Liz appear beside her and Isabel pointed to the tent and equipment visible in the moonlight.
“If Grant is burying someone alive, why would he bury them near his research? Why put himself in danger like that, especially since Valenti still has his eye on him?”
“What if this girl is his research,” Isabel questioned, she and Liz stepped carefully out of the woods and into the small clearing. “What if all this is just a front? If Grant is an alien…”
“We don’t know that for a fact.”
“I feel something when I’m with him, Liz, something that’s not normal. It’s like this…pull, this need. I don’t feel like I have any control in the matter.”
“You have to get control,” Liz said, the two of them topping a small mound of dirt as they neared the middle of Grant’s site. “If Grant is an alien or being manipulated by an alien, you can’t let him get the upper hand. You have to be in control. If you’re not, everything will fall apart.”
“Are we talking about Grant or you and Max,” Isabel questioned with a laugh, only to be cut short by a sharp pain in her head. She dropped to her knees then rolled off the small dirt mound.
“Isabel!” Liz carefully raced after Isabel’s rolling body, which came to rest almost near the entrance to the woods, directly beside what looked like a grave. “Isabel,” Liz said as she helped Isabel sit up, using her gloved hands to pull twigs and grass out of Isabel’s hair while Isabel wiped her face. “Are you okay? What happened?”
“I felt her, Liz. We’re close. I…I’ve never felt anything like that. It…hurt. Oh my God.” Isabel recoiled from the newly-turned earth, almost knocking Liz to the ground in her hurried movements.
“What?”
“Doesn’t that look like a… a grave?” Isabel pointed to the ground, once again dropping to her knees beside it. She slowly raised her palm over the dirt and both she and Liz jumped as the earth began to move. “It’s her,” Isabel said, frantically clawing at the dirt with her hands. “Liz, help.”
Liz stepped beside Isabel, prepared to drop to her knees as well when she spotted a shovel several inches away. She tapped Isabel’s shoulder and while Isabel continued clawing at the dirt with her hands, Liz retrieved the shovel and began scooping dirt away.
“Liz,” Isabel screamed and Liz dropped the shovel and ran to Isabel’s side. Through her frantic digging, Isabel had uncovered what looked like a black body bag and Liz dropped to her knees on the opposite side of the grave, she too now joining Isabel in digging with her hands. The two churned dirt quickly and after several seconds the mid-section of a body bag had revealed itself. Isabel turned her attention toward what she imagined would be the head and began to push the dirt to one side, Liz continuing in the opposite direction until the entire bag was out of the shallow grave.
“She wasn’t meant to be buried,” Liz whispered as she and Isabel stood up and surveyed their work. The body bag was still closed and Liz shuddered to think what would await them inside.
“What?”
“The grave’s too shallow. If someone buried her here, they intended for her to be found again. If you bury someone you’ve killed, wouldn’t you bury them deep so no one ever found them?” Liz glanced at Isabel and she knew Isabel was thinking about the same thing: Agent Pierce. This was almost the same location where Max, Michael and Sheriff Valenti had buried Pierce’s bones in an effort to hid the fact he was dead.
“We’ve got to open it, Liz.” Isabel fell to her knees, her fingers at the zipper of the body bag when a rifle echoed through the quiet, falling to the right of the girls in the woods. “Liz!”
“Open it,” Liz screamed as another rifle shot ricocheted toward them, the sniper’s bullets getting closer to them.
“Oh,” Isabel screamed as the body bag opened revealing a blonde girl with her head encased in some kind of plastic box. “Liz, we’ve got to get out of here.”
“Get her and go,” Liz cried, a bullet passing between she and Isabel. Instinctively, she threw out her palms toward the unknown assailant, a green shield forming between them. “Go!” She looked at Isabel, who had managed to remove the girl from the body bag and was unsuccessfully trying to open the plastic box. “Isabel,” Liz screamed, two bullets hitting the shield causing Liz to stumble backwards. She could fell herself growing tired and could see the shield’s power flicker in front of her. “Isabel, just go!” The shield pulsated once then as quickly as Liz had summoned it, it was gone. Before Liz had time to react, she felt the familiar sting of a bullet penetrate her skin.
“Liz,” Isabel cried as Liz fell backwards to the ground and Liz felt Isabel scramble to her side. She felt warm and cold at the same time and was vaguely aware of gun shots being returned. For the first time in a long time, she wished for Max, that were her with her. Just as she resigned herself to the fact that Max wouldn’t heal her this time and that she would die without Max ever knowing the truth, she heard Sheriff Valenti’s voice call her back from the brink.
“Shoulder wound. We’ll get you fixed up right away, Liz. We need to get you girls out of here.”
“Do you know where we’re going,” Liz questioned as she followed Isabel deeper into Frazier Woods. A branch swung backwards from Isabel, narrowly missing her face, as Liz threw her hands up to protect herself and absorb some of the blow. “I don’t know where we’re going. We didn’t bring a map or anything. We’re under-prepared for this, Isabel.”
“Hush,” Isabel commanded as she stopped just outside the thin patch of trees, Grant’s digging equipment just ahead. “See that?” She felt Liz appear beside her and Isabel pointed to the tent and equipment visible in the moonlight.
“If Grant is burying someone alive, why would he bury them near his research? Why put himself in danger like that, especially since Valenti still has his eye on him?”
“What if this girl is his research,” Isabel questioned, she and Liz stepped carefully out of the woods and into the small clearing. “What if all this is just a front? If Grant is an alien…”
“We don’t know that for a fact.”
“I feel something when I’m with him, Liz, something that’s not normal. It’s like this…pull, this need. I don’t feel like I have any control in the matter.”
“You have to get control,” Liz said, the two of them topping a small mound of dirt as they neared the middle of Grant’s site. “If Grant is an alien or being manipulated by an alien, you can’t let him get the upper hand. You have to be in control. If you’re not, everything will fall apart.”
“Are we talking about Grant or you and Max,” Isabel questioned with a laugh, only to be cut short by a sharp pain in her head. She dropped to her knees then rolled off the small dirt mound.
“Isabel!” Liz carefully raced after Isabel’s rolling body, which came to rest almost near the entrance to the woods, directly beside what looked like a grave. “Isabel,” Liz said as she helped Isabel sit up, using her gloved hands to pull twigs and grass out of Isabel’s hair while Isabel wiped her face. “Are you okay? What happened?”
“I felt her, Liz. We’re close. I…I’ve never felt anything like that. It…hurt. Oh my God.” Isabel recoiled from the newly-turned earth, almost knocking Liz to the ground in her hurried movements.
“What?”
“Doesn’t that look like a… a grave?” Isabel pointed to the ground, once again dropping to her knees beside it. She slowly raised her palm over the dirt and both she and Liz jumped as the earth began to move. “It’s her,” Isabel said, frantically clawing at the dirt with her hands. “Liz, help.”
Liz stepped beside Isabel, prepared to drop to her knees as well when she spotted a shovel several inches away. She tapped Isabel’s shoulder and while Isabel continued clawing at the dirt with her hands, Liz retrieved the shovel and began scooping dirt away.
“Liz,” Isabel screamed and Liz dropped the shovel and ran to Isabel’s side. Through her frantic digging, Isabel had uncovered what looked like a black body bag and Liz dropped to her knees on the opposite side of the grave, she too now joining Isabel in digging with her hands. The two churned dirt quickly and after several seconds the mid-section of a body bag had revealed itself. Isabel turned her attention toward what she imagined would be the head and began to push the dirt to one side, Liz continuing in the opposite direction until the entire bag was out of the shallow grave.
“She wasn’t meant to be buried,” Liz whispered as she and Isabel stood up and surveyed their work. The body bag was still closed and Liz shuddered to think what would await them inside.
“What?”
“The grave’s too shallow. If someone buried her here, they intended for her to be found again. If you bury someone you’ve killed, wouldn’t you bury them deep so no one ever found them?” Liz glanced at Isabel and she knew Isabel was thinking about the same thing: Agent Pierce. This was almost the same location where Max, Michael and Sheriff Valenti had buried Pierce’s bones in an effort to hid the fact he was dead.
“We’ve got to open it, Liz.” Isabel fell to her knees, her fingers at the zipper of the body bag when a rifle echoed through the quiet, falling to the right of the girls in the woods. “Liz!”
“Open it,” Liz screamed as another rifle shot ricocheted toward them, the sniper’s bullets getting closer to them.
“Oh,” Isabel screamed as the body bag opened revealing a blonde girl with her head encased in some kind of plastic box. “Liz, we’ve got to get out of here.”
“Get her and go,” Liz cried, a bullet passing between she and Isabel. Instinctively, she threw out her palms toward the unknown assailant, a green shield forming between them. “Go!” She looked at Isabel, who had managed to remove the girl from the body bag and was unsuccessfully trying to open the plastic box. “Isabel,” Liz screamed, two bullets hitting the shield causing Liz to stumble backwards. She could fell herself growing tired and could see the shield’s power flicker in front of her. “Isabel, just go!” The shield pulsated once then as quickly as Liz had summoned it, it was gone. Before Liz had time to react, she felt the familiar sting of a bullet penetrate her skin.
“Liz,” Isabel cried as Liz fell backwards to the ground and Liz felt Isabel scramble to her side. She felt warm and cold at the same time and was vaguely aware of gun shots being returned. For the first time in a long time, she wished for Max, that were her with her. Just as she resigned herself to the fact that Max wouldn’t heal her this time and that she would die without Max ever knowing the truth, she heard Sheriff Valenti’s voice call her back from the brink.
“Shoulder wound. We’ll get you fixed up right away, Liz. We need to get you girls out of here.”
Last edited by JO on Mon Jun 20, 2005 10:04 am, edited 3 times in total.
Part 18
Part 18
Clouds swirled around her, stars twinkling like lights on a Christmas tree. She ran her hands through the thick haze as familiar voices echoed through her brain. She continued to plunge ahead, through the mist and twinkling lights when a sharp pain shot through her left shoulder. She grabbed it reflexively then spun around to discover who had hurt her. After finding no one, she continued to hold her shoulder while she walked.
The smell of cinnamon filled her nostrils, and immediately she thought of her grandmother’s cinnamon-swirl cookies, her mind perfectly picturing the thumb-size cookies laced with cinnamon. Tears momentarily blinded her as her heart felt the loss anew but a soothing warmth flooded into her soul. She smiled, suddenly realizing her shoulder no longer hurt. A shadow passed on the periphery of her vision and she spun toward it.
“Wake up, Liz. C’mon. It’s time to wake up.”
Furrowing her brow, she stared upward and listened for the familiar voice again. If she hadn’t known better, she would almost swear it was Max.
“Get up, honeybear. There’s lots left for you to see.”
“Grandma,” Liz questioned as the faint outline of her grandmother appeared in front of her. “What...how is this possible?”
“Don’t you know by now anything is possible? It’s time for you to wake up. You’re just beginning to live. Don’t give up now. There’s so much left for you to know.”
“What are you talking about?” Liz stepped toward her grandmother’s figure, the woman retreating with each step Liz took.
“All of our secrets catch up to us, dear. It may take six months or seventeen years, but the truth comes out eventually.”
Liz shook her head in bewilderment, the tone of her grandmother’s warnings somewhat ominous, yet her grandmother had never looked more vibrant and playful. “Grandma, I…I don’t understand.”
“Not yet, Liz, but you will.” Liz watched as her grandmother smiled, knowing that she had seen the gleam of mischief in her grandmother’s blue eyes. “Wake up now, honeybear.”
“She’s moving,” Alex said as Liz began to stir beside him. “We’ve got a live one here. I repeat, we’ve got a live one.”
“What’s going on,” Liz questioned, her lids heavy as she attempted to open them. She blinked several times and as the room came into focus, she discovered she was not at home in her own bed; she was at Sheriff Valenti’s house. “What am I doing here?”
“Oh, Liz,” Isabel sighed as she magically appeared beside Alex. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
“What happened?” Liz slowly pressed weight onto her arms while attempting to sit upright. She caught a silver sheen out of the corner of her eyes, aware that she was wearing a red tank top that dipped low in the front, something, she assumed, belonged to Tess. She pulled the low scoop neck upward, hoping to push the excess toward the back to maintain at least some of her dignity. She glanced around the room and wondered to herself who had taken off her top then quickly pushed the thought out of her mind as the silver handprint, Max’s silver handprint, caught her eye. “What is this?”
“What were you thinking going to Frazier Woods alone,” Max interjected as he appeared at the edge of the couch. Alex and Isabel quietly moved away from Liz, leaving nothing but space between them. “Don’t you know it’s dangerous, especially where Grant Sorenson is concerned? I thought I’d made my feelings pretty clear.”
“Max, she just woke up,” Isabel said and Liz noticed how red Isabel’s eyes were, like she had been crying. “If you want to be mad and yell at me, that’s fine, but Liz was just doing as I asked her to do. She was shot trying to protect us.”
“You shouldn’t have gone without Max or Michael,” Tess interrupted and Liz turned her head toward the kitchen where Tess stood in the forefront almost beside Max, Maria, Michael and Kyle in the interior of the kitchen. “Max is the leader, the one in charge. He needs to know everything that’s going on.”
Liz glanced from Tess to Max and finally to Isabel. Max seemed to cringe that Tess had defended him and Isabel looked clearly annoyed. Alex moved to Isabel’s side immediately. “Let’s not start another fight,” he added, sweeping his arm around Isabel’s shoulder in an attempt to move her to another part of the house. “What’s important is that Liz, Isabel and Laurie are okay.”
“Who’s Laurie,” Liz asked, Maria plopping down beside her on the couch, carefully hugging her.
“Laurie is the girl that was buried,” Isabel offered as she sat down on the other side of Liz. “She’s resting in Tess’ room.”
“Is she okay?”
“I think so,” Max replied, he too sitting in a chair, Tess immediately flanking him. “She seems to have some kind of alien DNA.”
“Is that why you had a dream about her, Isabel?”
Isabel shrugged at Liz’s question, shaking her head from side to side. “I’m not sure. Once the Sheriff got there, we had to get out of there pretty quick. He brought the three of us here, Michael and Max were waiting for us.”
“And I passed out…from the gunshot wound?”
“Max healed you,” Maria added and Liz turned toward Max. Their eyes locked for several seconds before Max broke the contact first. “The Sheriff said it was a minor wound, as if any wound is minor. It was still more blood than I cared to see. Laurie came to shortly before you did.”
“Is she awake now? Shouldn’t we question her?”
“We tried that,” Alex said, a wide smile on his lips. “We tried to talk to her but once she saw Michael, she just kept screaming that he was supposed to be dead. She wouldn’t let anyone except Isabel get near her.”
“And she can’t remember what happened or how she got to Roswell?”
“Could she have been abducted,” Maria asked. “Or kidnapped? It makes sense, sort of. Brody has never remembered his time lapse after the summit. Maybe she was used as an emissary, like Brody.”
“Regardless of how she got here, she was found on Grant’s dig site, which means he’s dangerous. We don’t know if he’s our enemy or otherwise right now so we should stay away from him, and out of Frazier Woods.” Max looked pointedly at Liz first then Isabel. “Agreed?”
“I agree with Max.”
“Okay, Max.” Liz acquiesced, gingerly rubbing her left shoulder as she adjusted to make more room on the couch for Isabel.
“Fine,” Isabel huffed, crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned backwards on the couch.
“What do we do now, Max,” Tess questioned, her hand resting comfortably on Max’s shoulder. Liz felt her eyes mist and lowered her head to keep from watching Tess’ display of affection toward Max.
“We need to talk to Laurie and to make sure who or what she is. Liz?” He paused and Liz raised her head, thankful to see Tess’ hand no longer in contact with Max’s body. “Can you talk to her, maybe take some samples of her blood? Isabel will help.”
“Sure, Max. Whatever I can do. I’ll just need a microscope and some slides, and a needle.”
Max stood from the chair and walked to the closet beside the door. He opened it, bent at the waist and pulled a black backpack from the closet floor. Tossing it over the back of the chair he recently vacated, he stared at Liz once again. “Here you go. The Sheriff was called to the station. I’d say we’ve got about an hour before he gets back. See what you can do.”
A telephone ring cut through the seconds of silence just before Liz stood up from the sofa, Kyle stepping into the kitchen at once to answer it. Liz stood slowly, aided by Isabel and Alex on either side of her, and the seven teens filtered into the kitchen to listen to Kyle’s conversation.
“Okay, Dad. Yeah. No, no. I understand. Okay, I’ll tell them. Yeah, see you in a little while.”
“What’s going on, Kyle,” Liz asked, the crowd parting as Kyle stepped from the kitchen into the hallway, Tess’ bedroom door visible from his spot.
“My dad is being investigated. A judge heard about the incident on his police scanner and thinks Dad is trying to cover something up. Grant Sorenson showed up at the station and wanted to press charges against the department for an illegal search without grounds. They held an emergency meeting of the judicial board, and my dad’s been placed on suspension.”
“Kyle, I’m so sorry.”
“Thanks, Liz,” Kyle replied with a curt nod but Liz didn’t miss the angry glance Kyle shot in Max’s direction. “The really bad news is that some of the deputies are coming over to search the house, so all of you have to get out…right now.”
Clouds swirled around her, stars twinkling like lights on a Christmas tree. She ran her hands through the thick haze as familiar voices echoed through her brain. She continued to plunge ahead, through the mist and twinkling lights when a sharp pain shot through her left shoulder. She grabbed it reflexively then spun around to discover who had hurt her. After finding no one, she continued to hold her shoulder while she walked.
The smell of cinnamon filled her nostrils, and immediately she thought of her grandmother’s cinnamon-swirl cookies, her mind perfectly picturing the thumb-size cookies laced with cinnamon. Tears momentarily blinded her as her heart felt the loss anew but a soothing warmth flooded into her soul. She smiled, suddenly realizing her shoulder no longer hurt. A shadow passed on the periphery of her vision and she spun toward it.
“Wake up, Liz. C’mon. It’s time to wake up.”
Furrowing her brow, she stared upward and listened for the familiar voice again. If she hadn’t known better, she would almost swear it was Max.
“Get up, honeybear. There’s lots left for you to see.”
“Grandma,” Liz questioned as the faint outline of her grandmother appeared in front of her. “What...how is this possible?”
“Don’t you know by now anything is possible? It’s time for you to wake up. You’re just beginning to live. Don’t give up now. There’s so much left for you to know.”
“What are you talking about?” Liz stepped toward her grandmother’s figure, the woman retreating with each step Liz took.
“All of our secrets catch up to us, dear. It may take six months or seventeen years, but the truth comes out eventually.”
Liz shook her head in bewilderment, the tone of her grandmother’s warnings somewhat ominous, yet her grandmother had never looked more vibrant and playful. “Grandma, I…I don’t understand.”
“Not yet, Liz, but you will.” Liz watched as her grandmother smiled, knowing that she had seen the gleam of mischief in her grandmother’s blue eyes. “Wake up now, honeybear.”
“She’s moving,” Alex said as Liz began to stir beside him. “We’ve got a live one here. I repeat, we’ve got a live one.”
“What’s going on,” Liz questioned, her lids heavy as she attempted to open them. She blinked several times and as the room came into focus, she discovered she was not at home in her own bed; she was at Sheriff Valenti’s house. “What am I doing here?”
“Oh, Liz,” Isabel sighed as she magically appeared beside Alex. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
“What happened?” Liz slowly pressed weight onto her arms while attempting to sit upright. She caught a silver sheen out of the corner of her eyes, aware that she was wearing a red tank top that dipped low in the front, something, she assumed, belonged to Tess. She pulled the low scoop neck upward, hoping to push the excess toward the back to maintain at least some of her dignity. She glanced around the room and wondered to herself who had taken off her top then quickly pushed the thought out of her mind as the silver handprint, Max’s silver handprint, caught her eye. “What is this?”
“What were you thinking going to Frazier Woods alone,” Max interjected as he appeared at the edge of the couch. Alex and Isabel quietly moved away from Liz, leaving nothing but space between them. “Don’t you know it’s dangerous, especially where Grant Sorenson is concerned? I thought I’d made my feelings pretty clear.”
“Max, she just woke up,” Isabel said and Liz noticed how red Isabel’s eyes were, like she had been crying. “If you want to be mad and yell at me, that’s fine, but Liz was just doing as I asked her to do. She was shot trying to protect us.”
“You shouldn’t have gone without Max or Michael,” Tess interrupted and Liz turned her head toward the kitchen where Tess stood in the forefront almost beside Max, Maria, Michael and Kyle in the interior of the kitchen. “Max is the leader, the one in charge. He needs to know everything that’s going on.”
Liz glanced from Tess to Max and finally to Isabel. Max seemed to cringe that Tess had defended him and Isabel looked clearly annoyed. Alex moved to Isabel’s side immediately. “Let’s not start another fight,” he added, sweeping his arm around Isabel’s shoulder in an attempt to move her to another part of the house. “What’s important is that Liz, Isabel and Laurie are okay.”
“Who’s Laurie,” Liz asked, Maria plopping down beside her on the couch, carefully hugging her.
“Laurie is the girl that was buried,” Isabel offered as she sat down on the other side of Liz. “She’s resting in Tess’ room.”
“Is she okay?”
“I think so,” Max replied, he too sitting in a chair, Tess immediately flanking him. “She seems to have some kind of alien DNA.”
“Is that why you had a dream about her, Isabel?”
Isabel shrugged at Liz’s question, shaking her head from side to side. “I’m not sure. Once the Sheriff got there, we had to get out of there pretty quick. He brought the three of us here, Michael and Max were waiting for us.”
“And I passed out…from the gunshot wound?”
“Max healed you,” Maria added and Liz turned toward Max. Their eyes locked for several seconds before Max broke the contact first. “The Sheriff said it was a minor wound, as if any wound is minor. It was still more blood than I cared to see. Laurie came to shortly before you did.”
“Is she awake now? Shouldn’t we question her?”
“We tried that,” Alex said, a wide smile on his lips. “We tried to talk to her but once she saw Michael, she just kept screaming that he was supposed to be dead. She wouldn’t let anyone except Isabel get near her.”
“And she can’t remember what happened or how she got to Roswell?”
“Could she have been abducted,” Maria asked. “Or kidnapped? It makes sense, sort of. Brody has never remembered his time lapse after the summit. Maybe she was used as an emissary, like Brody.”
“Regardless of how she got here, she was found on Grant’s dig site, which means he’s dangerous. We don’t know if he’s our enemy or otherwise right now so we should stay away from him, and out of Frazier Woods.” Max looked pointedly at Liz first then Isabel. “Agreed?”
“I agree with Max.”
“Okay, Max.” Liz acquiesced, gingerly rubbing her left shoulder as she adjusted to make more room on the couch for Isabel.
“Fine,” Isabel huffed, crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned backwards on the couch.
“What do we do now, Max,” Tess questioned, her hand resting comfortably on Max’s shoulder. Liz felt her eyes mist and lowered her head to keep from watching Tess’ display of affection toward Max.
“We need to talk to Laurie and to make sure who or what she is. Liz?” He paused and Liz raised her head, thankful to see Tess’ hand no longer in contact with Max’s body. “Can you talk to her, maybe take some samples of her blood? Isabel will help.”
“Sure, Max. Whatever I can do. I’ll just need a microscope and some slides, and a needle.”
Max stood from the chair and walked to the closet beside the door. He opened it, bent at the waist and pulled a black backpack from the closet floor. Tossing it over the back of the chair he recently vacated, he stared at Liz once again. “Here you go. The Sheriff was called to the station. I’d say we’ve got about an hour before he gets back. See what you can do.”
A telephone ring cut through the seconds of silence just before Liz stood up from the sofa, Kyle stepping into the kitchen at once to answer it. Liz stood slowly, aided by Isabel and Alex on either side of her, and the seven teens filtered into the kitchen to listen to Kyle’s conversation.
“Okay, Dad. Yeah. No, no. I understand. Okay, I’ll tell them. Yeah, see you in a little while.”
“What’s going on, Kyle,” Liz asked, the crowd parting as Kyle stepped from the kitchen into the hallway, Tess’ bedroom door visible from his spot.
“My dad is being investigated. A judge heard about the incident on his police scanner and thinks Dad is trying to cover something up. Grant Sorenson showed up at the station and wanted to press charges against the department for an illegal search without grounds. They held an emergency meeting of the judicial board, and my dad’s been placed on suspension.”
“Kyle, I’m so sorry.”
“Thanks, Liz,” Kyle replied with a curt nod but Liz didn’t miss the angry glance Kyle shot in Max’s direction. “The really bad news is that some of the deputies are coming over to search the house, so all of you have to get out…right now.”
Last edited by JO on Fri Jul 29, 2005 8:36 am, edited 3 times in total.
Part 19
Part 19
“What do you mean we have to get out right now,” Michael growled as he stepped out of the kitchen toward Kyle. “Laurie is obviously crazy, Liz was just shot and Iz is still pretty shaken up. There’s no way we can leave.”
“I don’t know what to tell you,” Kyle replied, his half-hearted shrug following almost immediately. “I just know what my dad told me, and I’m going to suggest that alien funny business being in his house isn’t going to get him his job back.”
“Listen, Valenti,” Michael began as he took a step toward Kyle only to have Max’s arm brace him.
“Kyle’s right. We’ve disrupted his life and the Sheriff’s life enough. Let’s just try to get out of here without being seen as quickly as possible.” Max nodded at Michael and Michael backed down from his stance against Kyle. “We’ve got to get Laurie out of here first.”
“I’ll get her,” Michael said, already walking down the hallway to Tess’ bedroom where Laurie lay.
“Michael, you know she’ll scream when she sees you,” Maria reminded as she followed him. “Let Alex get her.”
“Someone has to help Liz. She doesn’t look too good, like she’s going to either throw up or pass out.”
Seven faces stared at her and Liz winced from the weight of their gazes. “I’ll be fine. I’m okay, just a little tired.”
“We always get tired after we use our powers too,” Isabel said in a low whisper, although not low enough to prevent any of the other seven people in the hallway and kitchen from hearing what she had said.
“Liz has powers?” Max stepped toward Liz and Isabel, his hand tightly wrapped around Liz’s upper arm. “Why didn’t you tell me that before, Isabel? What kind of powers does she have? What did you do in the woods?” He shook Liz’s arm, Liz gasping when his grip became unbearable.
“She made a shield, Max,” Isabel said as she attempted to dislodge Max’s hand from Liz’s arm. “Liz made a shield just like yours. Stop it, Max. You’re hurting her!”
A scream from the Tess’ bedroom followed by the sound of shattering glass shook Max from his unusual rage and he released Liz, looking instantly sorry when Maria and Isabel crowded around Liz to inspect her arm. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know…what I was doing.”
“We’ve got to go,” Michael cautioned as he emerged from Tess’ bedroom without Laurie. His long strides swept past Liz, Isabel and Maria and he was almost to the front door before Max caught him.
“What happened, Michael?”
“She escaped. Jumped through a window. That girl is crazy.” He flung open the front door, the moment his feet were outside of the house, he was in a dead run toward the street. Max turned toward Liz, Maria running past him after Michael, Isabel and Alex flanking her.
“You’ve gotta go,” Kyle admonished, the front door of the house standing wide open. “Go! Get out of here! Tess and I will stay behind. She can fix the window.”
“Let’s go,” Max commanded and he left the house in the same direction that Michael and Maria had previously fled, followed by Liz, who was almost being carried by Isabel and Alex.
“So you’ve got powers now, eh,” Alex questioned as the three of the rounded the corner of the house just before two black Chevrolet Crown Victorias pulled into the Valenti drive-way. “Oh, shit.” He pulled Isabel and Liz to the ground and Liz bit back a scream as she landed on her wrist the wrong way, an audible pop heard between them. Isabel wrapped both of her palms around Liz’s wrist and Liz smiled her thanks as she felt Isabel’s alien warmth partially heal the break.
“Not as good as Max, I’m sure,” Isabel whispered then inhaled quickly as a series of flashlights danced back and forth through the back yard. The trio was hidden behind some of the overgrown bushes on the edge of the Valenti property but they each knew if they were caught, it would only result in trouble for them and the Sheriff.
Liz held her breath as three men in dark suits stepped into their sightline, their flashlights scanning the entire perimeter of the Valenti back yard. She could hear Kyle in the distance but couldn’t make out what he was saying. She exhaled when she saw them turn off their flashlights and return to the house, thankful once again to have Kyle on their side.
“Let’s go,” Isabel whispered and as the three of them crept away from the Valenti house, Liz hoped Michael found Laurie before one of those men did.
* * *
Liz, Isabel and Alex found Max and Maria rather quickly in the large cul-de-sac in the Sheriff’s neighborhood. “Where is she,” Isabel questioned immediately as Maria rushed to Liz’s side.
“Michael has her cornered over there,” Max said, pointing to the darkened home at the innermost lot in the cul-de-sac. “She went in through an open window and Michael followed her. I think there’s a fence in the back yard but if she jumps that, she’ll be back on Citrus.”
“And close to the police station,” Liz said, Max giving her a strained look as she gingerly held her wrist. “Where is she going to stay once we catch her? We don’t know if she’s an alien or if she knows about the four of you. We don’t know anything about her, Max.”
“I know that,” Max snapped at Liz, who simply lowered her head in an attempt to hide her tears while Maria, Isabel and Alex glared at him. “We should get out of sight. Let’s go to the back yard.”
Max stormed toward the back yard, Isabel following him with Alex, Maria and Liz bringing up the rear. A loud thud caused them all to pause for a split second then to break out into a quick run to the back door of the house. Just as Max and Isabel got to the corner of the house, they saw Laurie running away from Michael.
“You’re dead,” she screamed, the clothes Isabel had convinced Kyle to give her almost torn to shreds. “You’re supposed to be dead!”
She continued running toward across the back yard toward Citrus and she fell hard against the fence, Michael almost on top of her. Alex ran across the yard too following in the chase with Liz and Maria trailing behind him, and Liz watched as Laurie wormed her way through a hole in the chain link fence, narrowly missing Michael’s attempt to grab her. Alex managed to extend his arm through the chain link fence to grab Laurie’s leg before she was completely out of reach.
“They infected you, too,” Laurie screamed as she shook off Alex’s feeble attempt to contain her and ran into the street, heading straight for the back door of the police station. Before their eyes, a red car sped into view and struck Laurie squarely in the side, propelling her over the entire length of the car and onto the asphalt behind it. The car screeched to a halt and Liz’s eyes widened, Maria’s arm tightening around her shoulders, as Grant Sorenson exited the car and stooped to examine Laurie’s seemingly lifeless body.
“Oh my God,” Isabel exhaled and while the six teens stood in shock as concerned citizens and volunteer rescuers crowded the street around Laurie, Grant returned to the car and drove away.
“What do you mean we have to get out right now,” Michael growled as he stepped out of the kitchen toward Kyle. “Laurie is obviously crazy, Liz was just shot and Iz is still pretty shaken up. There’s no way we can leave.”
“I don’t know what to tell you,” Kyle replied, his half-hearted shrug following almost immediately. “I just know what my dad told me, and I’m going to suggest that alien funny business being in his house isn’t going to get him his job back.”
“Listen, Valenti,” Michael began as he took a step toward Kyle only to have Max’s arm brace him.
“Kyle’s right. We’ve disrupted his life and the Sheriff’s life enough. Let’s just try to get out of here without being seen as quickly as possible.” Max nodded at Michael and Michael backed down from his stance against Kyle. “We’ve got to get Laurie out of here first.”
“I’ll get her,” Michael said, already walking down the hallway to Tess’ bedroom where Laurie lay.
“Michael, you know she’ll scream when she sees you,” Maria reminded as she followed him. “Let Alex get her.”
“Someone has to help Liz. She doesn’t look too good, like she’s going to either throw up or pass out.”
Seven faces stared at her and Liz winced from the weight of their gazes. “I’ll be fine. I’m okay, just a little tired.”
“We always get tired after we use our powers too,” Isabel said in a low whisper, although not low enough to prevent any of the other seven people in the hallway and kitchen from hearing what she had said.
“Liz has powers?” Max stepped toward Liz and Isabel, his hand tightly wrapped around Liz’s upper arm. “Why didn’t you tell me that before, Isabel? What kind of powers does she have? What did you do in the woods?” He shook Liz’s arm, Liz gasping when his grip became unbearable.
“She made a shield, Max,” Isabel said as she attempted to dislodge Max’s hand from Liz’s arm. “Liz made a shield just like yours. Stop it, Max. You’re hurting her!”
A scream from the Tess’ bedroom followed by the sound of shattering glass shook Max from his unusual rage and he released Liz, looking instantly sorry when Maria and Isabel crowded around Liz to inspect her arm. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know…what I was doing.”
“We’ve got to go,” Michael cautioned as he emerged from Tess’ bedroom without Laurie. His long strides swept past Liz, Isabel and Maria and he was almost to the front door before Max caught him.
“What happened, Michael?”
“She escaped. Jumped through a window. That girl is crazy.” He flung open the front door, the moment his feet were outside of the house, he was in a dead run toward the street. Max turned toward Liz, Maria running past him after Michael, Isabel and Alex flanking her.
“You’ve gotta go,” Kyle admonished, the front door of the house standing wide open. “Go! Get out of here! Tess and I will stay behind. She can fix the window.”
“Let’s go,” Max commanded and he left the house in the same direction that Michael and Maria had previously fled, followed by Liz, who was almost being carried by Isabel and Alex.
“So you’ve got powers now, eh,” Alex questioned as the three of the rounded the corner of the house just before two black Chevrolet Crown Victorias pulled into the Valenti drive-way. “Oh, shit.” He pulled Isabel and Liz to the ground and Liz bit back a scream as she landed on her wrist the wrong way, an audible pop heard between them. Isabel wrapped both of her palms around Liz’s wrist and Liz smiled her thanks as she felt Isabel’s alien warmth partially heal the break.
“Not as good as Max, I’m sure,” Isabel whispered then inhaled quickly as a series of flashlights danced back and forth through the back yard. The trio was hidden behind some of the overgrown bushes on the edge of the Valenti property but they each knew if they were caught, it would only result in trouble for them and the Sheriff.
Liz held her breath as three men in dark suits stepped into their sightline, their flashlights scanning the entire perimeter of the Valenti back yard. She could hear Kyle in the distance but couldn’t make out what he was saying. She exhaled when she saw them turn off their flashlights and return to the house, thankful once again to have Kyle on their side.
“Let’s go,” Isabel whispered and as the three of them crept away from the Valenti house, Liz hoped Michael found Laurie before one of those men did.
* * *
Liz, Isabel and Alex found Max and Maria rather quickly in the large cul-de-sac in the Sheriff’s neighborhood. “Where is she,” Isabel questioned immediately as Maria rushed to Liz’s side.
“Michael has her cornered over there,” Max said, pointing to the darkened home at the innermost lot in the cul-de-sac. “She went in through an open window and Michael followed her. I think there’s a fence in the back yard but if she jumps that, she’ll be back on Citrus.”
“And close to the police station,” Liz said, Max giving her a strained look as she gingerly held her wrist. “Where is she going to stay once we catch her? We don’t know if she’s an alien or if she knows about the four of you. We don’t know anything about her, Max.”
“I know that,” Max snapped at Liz, who simply lowered her head in an attempt to hide her tears while Maria, Isabel and Alex glared at him. “We should get out of sight. Let’s go to the back yard.”
Max stormed toward the back yard, Isabel following him with Alex, Maria and Liz bringing up the rear. A loud thud caused them all to pause for a split second then to break out into a quick run to the back door of the house. Just as Max and Isabel got to the corner of the house, they saw Laurie running away from Michael.
“You’re dead,” she screamed, the clothes Isabel had convinced Kyle to give her almost torn to shreds. “You’re supposed to be dead!”
She continued running toward across the back yard toward Citrus and she fell hard against the fence, Michael almost on top of her. Alex ran across the yard too following in the chase with Liz and Maria trailing behind him, and Liz watched as Laurie wormed her way through a hole in the chain link fence, narrowly missing Michael’s attempt to grab her. Alex managed to extend his arm through the chain link fence to grab Laurie’s leg before she was completely out of reach.
“They infected you, too,” Laurie screamed as she shook off Alex’s feeble attempt to contain her and ran into the street, heading straight for the back door of the police station. Before their eyes, a red car sped into view and struck Laurie squarely in the side, propelling her over the entire length of the car and onto the asphalt behind it. The car screeched to a halt and Liz’s eyes widened, Maria’s arm tightening around her shoulders, as Grant Sorenson exited the car and stooped to examine Laurie’s seemingly lifeless body.
“Oh my God,” Isabel exhaled and while the six teens stood in shock as concerned citizens and volunteer rescuers crowded the street around Laurie, Grant returned to the car and drove away.
Last edited by JO on Fri Jul 29, 2005 8:39 am, edited 3 times in total.
Part 20
Part 20
The street filled quickly with on-lookers and two emergency medical teams, the six teens watching in shock as Laurie was fitted with a neck collar, raised into the back of the ambulance and driven to Roswell Memorial. It wasn’t until the street was quiet again and no one could have guessed the melee had taken place did any of them speak. When they began, however, they each just spoke, none of them actually listening to the words the others said.
“Oh my God,” Isabel repeated, her hand automatically covering her mouth. She turned away from the fence and stepped into the backyard of the property they were trespassing on, moonlight and the street lamp dimly lighting her path. “Did you…oh my God…that…that was Grant. He…he hit her, he ran over her with a car. Why? Why would he do that? Why? I…I don’t understand.”
“She said I was infected,” Alex whispered. He held his hands out in front of his face then drew them quickly toward him as if he had expected to see the mysterious infestation Laurie had so ominously suggested before she was catapulted across Grant’s car. “I…what could that mean? I haven’t been healed. I…I haven’t had…sex…with any of you. What did she mean? What was she thinking?”
“Liz? Did you see what just happened?” Maria dug her nails into Liz’s left arm, both of her hands wrapped tight around the biscep. “I hate to say that I agree with Max and Michael but Grant Sorenson is dangerous. He…he was probably the one that shot at you and Isabel because he didn’t want you to find Laurie. Maybe…maybe she’s one of his experiments. Scientists do that, you know. They experiment, sometimes on people. Maybe…maybe Laurie is so valuable to him that he would risk killing her so his research won’t be revealed. Maybe…maybe he really is evil, and dangerous. What if…what if he’s Kivar or…or some other evil alien? Or what if Laurie’s an alien too, and Grant found her out and was doing experiments on her? He could be from the Special Unit. Things like that do happen, we all know that.”
“Maria’s right. Grant is dangerous. I told you, Liz,” Max growled, crossing past Michael, Alex and Isabel to get to Liz’s side. “I told you he was dangerous. I told you and Isabel to stay away. I can’t let anyone hurt you.” He grabbed Liz’s right arm and Liz snapped her head from Maria to Max, their connection erupting instantaneously as her emotions festered underneath her skin.
I can’t tell you too much, Liz…only what you need to know…but 14 years from now, we are taken over by our enemies.
Liz jerked her arm out of Max’s grasp, tears openly streaming down her face and Max stumbled backwards away from her, the expression on his face doing little to hide his shock and confusion at the flash he had witnessed.
“We need to get out of here,” Michael suggested, grabbing Max’s shoulders and pushing him toward the street. “Let’s go to Valenti’s.”
Liz wrapped her arms across her chest and lowered her head as she followed Michael, knowing that Max was straining, almost willing, for her to look at him again but she did not raise her eyes until they arrived on the Valenti doorstep.
* * *
Kyle opened the door and after seeing Max and Michael first, he rolled his eyes and stepped toward the living room. The six teens filed into the house, no visible trace of the surprise search and seizure that had sent them running less than an hour before. “Kyle, I need you to do me a favor,” Max began as Tess moved to one side of the couch closest to where Max stood.
“I’m sick of doing favors for you, Evans.”
“Laurie, the girl Liz and Isabel found, she was hit by a car driven by Grant Sorenson.”
“Grant,” Tess questioned, her eyes trained solely on Max. “What are you talking about? What happened?”
“That’s not important right now, Tess. What’s important is that Kyle help us find out where she was taken.”
“I’ll take a stab in the dark and say that if she were hit by a car, she was taken to a hospital. Doesn’t take a genius to figure that one out.” He flopped onto the opposite end of the couch as far away from the other teens as possible.
“Please, Kyle. I know you can listen to your dad’s scanner. We’ve got to find out where she was taken. We need to question her.”
“Listen, Evans,” Kyle began again, his neck craning to one side with a certain amount of attitude. “I don’t know what part of ‘I ain’t helping’ you don’t understand, but I’ll say it again. I’m. Not. Helping. You. You and your bunch cost my dad his job.”
“We just found out,” Tess interrupted and the group turned their attention to Tess. “Jim’s being detained at the station while the judicial board decides whether he should be brought up on formal charges.”
“I’m not helping you guys any more.”
“Max saved your life,” Liz said, stepping to Max’s side at once. She felt his eyes on her, her skin warming in response to his gaze and she closed her eyes in a vain attempt to block him.
“Big deal. I’m not helping him, Liz. I don’t care what happened to the crazy chic, what kind of shit Grant Sorenson is involved with, or whether the end of the world is starting right now. I am not lifting a finger.”
Liz blanched at Kyle’s mention of the end of the world and felt Max step closer to her, their clothes touching as her insides began to heat to an almost unbearable temperature. She stepped forward away from Max but the minute distance did nothing to quash her inner fire. He would demand to speak with her tonight, she just knew it. Too many coincidences were falling into place for the truth to be ignored any longer. “Please, Kyle. I’m begging you.”
Before Kyle had the opportunity to object once again, the police scanner in the kitchen whirred to life. Liz heard very little after the scanner revealed Laurie was begin transported from Roswell Memorial back to the police station while awaiting transport to a mental facility in Phoenix. She saw Michael, Maria, Isabel and Alex meet in a small circle by the door then rush away, but she couldn’t concentrate on anything other than the firm grip Max had on her.
“Once this is over, you and I are going to sit down and talk,” Max whispered as she registered the words he spoke while he guided Liz out of the Valenti home and toward the Jetta.
* * *
“He’s here. He’s got to be here. There’s no place left for him to run other than straight to the royal idiots.”
“They won’t believe him, will they? Surely they won’t, not with such a valued commodity on our side. Patrick won’t be able to convince them of anything, will he, Nicholas?”
“No,” Nicholas snarled as he opened the visor mirror on the blue station wagon. He surveyed his reflection and carefully pulled a piece of skin from his right cheek across the bridge of his nose to his hairline, tossing it nonchalantly out the window. “The losers always lose, no matter how many times you play the game. We’re just going to have to make sure we will be victorious again, or Kivar will have our skins.”
The street filled quickly with on-lookers and two emergency medical teams, the six teens watching in shock as Laurie was fitted with a neck collar, raised into the back of the ambulance and driven to Roswell Memorial. It wasn’t until the street was quiet again and no one could have guessed the melee had taken place did any of them speak. When they began, however, they each just spoke, none of them actually listening to the words the others said.
“Oh my God,” Isabel repeated, her hand automatically covering her mouth. She turned away from the fence and stepped into the backyard of the property they were trespassing on, moonlight and the street lamp dimly lighting her path. “Did you…oh my God…that…that was Grant. He…he hit her, he ran over her with a car. Why? Why would he do that? Why? I…I don’t understand.”
“She said I was infected,” Alex whispered. He held his hands out in front of his face then drew them quickly toward him as if he had expected to see the mysterious infestation Laurie had so ominously suggested before she was catapulted across Grant’s car. “I…what could that mean? I haven’t been healed. I…I haven’t had…sex…with any of you. What did she mean? What was she thinking?”
“Liz? Did you see what just happened?” Maria dug her nails into Liz’s left arm, both of her hands wrapped tight around the biscep. “I hate to say that I agree with Max and Michael but Grant Sorenson is dangerous. He…he was probably the one that shot at you and Isabel because he didn’t want you to find Laurie. Maybe…maybe she’s one of his experiments. Scientists do that, you know. They experiment, sometimes on people. Maybe…maybe Laurie is so valuable to him that he would risk killing her so his research won’t be revealed. Maybe…maybe he really is evil, and dangerous. What if…what if he’s Kivar or…or some other evil alien? Or what if Laurie’s an alien too, and Grant found her out and was doing experiments on her? He could be from the Special Unit. Things like that do happen, we all know that.”
“Maria’s right. Grant is dangerous. I told you, Liz,” Max growled, crossing past Michael, Alex and Isabel to get to Liz’s side. “I told you he was dangerous. I told you and Isabel to stay away. I can’t let anyone hurt you.” He grabbed Liz’s right arm and Liz snapped her head from Maria to Max, their connection erupting instantaneously as her emotions festered underneath her skin.
I can’t tell you too much, Liz…only what you need to know…but 14 years from now, we are taken over by our enemies.
Liz jerked her arm out of Max’s grasp, tears openly streaming down her face and Max stumbled backwards away from her, the expression on his face doing little to hide his shock and confusion at the flash he had witnessed.
“We need to get out of here,” Michael suggested, grabbing Max’s shoulders and pushing him toward the street. “Let’s go to Valenti’s.”
Liz wrapped her arms across her chest and lowered her head as she followed Michael, knowing that Max was straining, almost willing, for her to look at him again but she did not raise her eyes until they arrived on the Valenti doorstep.
* * *
Kyle opened the door and after seeing Max and Michael first, he rolled his eyes and stepped toward the living room. The six teens filed into the house, no visible trace of the surprise search and seizure that had sent them running less than an hour before. “Kyle, I need you to do me a favor,” Max began as Tess moved to one side of the couch closest to where Max stood.
“I’m sick of doing favors for you, Evans.”
“Laurie, the girl Liz and Isabel found, she was hit by a car driven by Grant Sorenson.”
“Grant,” Tess questioned, her eyes trained solely on Max. “What are you talking about? What happened?”
“That’s not important right now, Tess. What’s important is that Kyle help us find out where she was taken.”
“I’ll take a stab in the dark and say that if she were hit by a car, she was taken to a hospital. Doesn’t take a genius to figure that one out.” He flopped onto the opposite end of the couch as far away from the other teens as possible.
“Please, Kyle. I know you can listen to your dad’s scanner. We’ve got to find out where she was taken. We need to question her.”
“Listen, Evans,” Kyle began again, his neck craning to one side with a certain amount of attitude. “I don’t know what part of ‘I ain’t helping’ you don’t understand, but I’ll say it again. I’m. Not. Helping. You. You and your bunch cost my dad his job.”
“We just found out,” Tess interrupted and the group turned their attention to Tess. “Jim’s being detained at the station while the judicial board decides whether he should be brought up on formal charges.”
“I’m not helping you guys any more.”
“Max saved your life,” Liz said, stepping to Max’s side at once. She felt his eyes on her, her skin warming in response to his gaze and she closed her eyes in a vain attempt to block him.
“Big deal. I’m not helping him, Liz. I don’t care what happened to the crazy chic, what kind of shit Grant Sorenson is involved with, or whether the end of the world is starting right now. I am not lifting a finger.”
Liz blanched at Kyle’s mention of the end of the world and felt Max step closer to her, their clothes touching as her insides began to heat to an almost unbearable temperature. She stepped forward away from Max but the minute distance did nothing to quash her inner fire. He would demand to speak with her tonight, she just knew it. Too many coincidences were falling into place for the truth to be ignored any longer. “Please, Kyle. I’m begging you.”
Before Kyle had the opportunity to object once again, the police scanner in the kitchen whirred to life. Liz heard very little after the scanner revealed Laurie was begin transported from Roswell Memorial back to the police station while awaiting transport to a mental facility in Phoenix. She saw Michael, Maria, Isabel and Alex meet in a small circle by the door then rush away, but she couldn’t concentrate on anything other than the firm grip Max had on her.
“Once this is over, you and I are going to sit down and talk,” Max whispered as she registered the words he spoke while he guided Liz out of the Valenti home and toward the Jetta.
* * *
“He’s here. He’s got to be here. There’s no place left for him to run other than straight to the royal idiots.”
“They won’t believe him, will they? Surely they won’t, not with such a valued commodity on our side. Patrick won’t be able to convince them of anything, will he, Nicholas?”
“No,” Nicholas snarled as he opened the visor mirror on the blue station wagon. He surveyed his reflection and carefully pulled a piece of skin from his right cheek across the bridge of his nose to his hairline, tossing it nonchalantly out the window. “The losers always lose, no matter how many times you play the game. We’re just going to have to make sure we will be victorious again, or Kivar will have our skins.”
Last edited by JO on Fri Jul 29, 2005 8:40 am, edited 3 times in total.