Roswell Fanatics

Chapter 21 b

“Excuse him. He’s in shock.” Max told Liz. She nodded, wanting to laugh but not daring incase Michael really lost it.

“He’s obviously not seen anything about Alex, then.”

At the mention of Alex’s name, Michael blanched. Max shushed Liz but it was too late.

“Oh my GOD!! Not you too!! Jesus H. Christ! Does it run in the family or what?” he sat down in the nearest bench, wild-eyed.

“Ignore it. He’s hysterical.”

Michael glared at Max, the shock fading. “Do you have any idea what the Government would if they found her?? What are you doing here, of all places in the world? Jeez!! Didn't they teach ya that at spook-school?? Get the hell outta Dodge before the bombing starts!!!"

“We’re here for Alex.’ Liz interrupted. Max snickered at Michael's tirade.

‘Ohhhhhhhh. So that’s your source. Wonderful, Max, just simply terrific. Tell me you actually have a plan and maybe I wouldn’t have to empty that delicious steak I had for lunch today.”

“We do.”

“There is a God.”

“Cut it out, Mike!!” Max snapped. “We need to move and we need to move fast. Michael?”

Guerin stood up, still shaken but getting a control over himself. ‘Did you honestly think I’d let you get into trouble without getting some action for myself?”

Max laughed. “Perish the thought.”

Liz smiled, the easy banter between the two friends strangely soothing.

“Now that we’ve established that, let’s get to the good part. What’s the plan?”

“Michael, calm down. You’re not going to get involved. I mean it.”

Michael started. “Excuse me?? What did you just say?”

“I said, you’re not going, Michael! I’m not going to have you there and worry…”

“Worry about what? That I’m gonna screw up? That I’m not good enough to accompany you, super-spook?” He’d gotten up and was approaching Max, his stance dangerous.

“NO!! Worry that I destroyed your life, too!” Max broke in harshly. He didn’t need to get into an argument with him right now.

“Save it, Max!! I’m coming!!”

“NO!”

“Stop it!!” Liz pulled them apart. There was no one in sight, but fighting in broad daylight was only going to create more problems. Max shoved Liz behind him. Micahel advanced, face set.

Out of nowhere a car drove up. Max didn’t think, he reacted on his baser instincts. He flung himself on top of Liz, landing on the bench, pulling Michael behind it. Liz immediately moved on top. Max let out a hiss of frustration but she whispered harshly.

“They don’t know me, remember?? If they saw you, we’re all dead!”

He nodded reluctantly. She used her body to cover his face, any passerby would consider them to be rambunctious lovers. Michael still hid behind the tree. A sole man was coming up the drive. Liz immediately mind-warped him. He looked past and went away.

They all sat up, Liz still straddling Max. He caught her around the waist and gently put her down. She flushed and his own was somewhat expression regretful. Michael let out a wolf whistle. Max broke the staring contest reluctantly.

“Well, Einstein? Those men were following you!” Max looked at Michael, the fear growing. “So much for not being noticed.”

“I’m telling you, no one saw me. I may not have been trained like you, but I do have my instincts. And I was usually right, back in those days. Or have you forgotten?”

“Michael,” Liz broke in quietly. “He’s not blaming you.” Both men looked at her in shock.

“What?”

“I said, he’s not blaming you. He’s just scared that you’re in this mess too now. He wasn’t asking you to validate your position. You’ve done that a long time back.”

She stopped. Both men were staring at her as if she’d grown wings.

“Lucky dog, Maxwell.” Michael murmured. Max felt a jolt of happiness. She was starting to act like a partner, a couple. Finally.

“But he’s still here. So that must mean”……she trailed off. “Did you change your clothes this morning at work?”

“What?”

“They might’ve got a bug on you. Radio transmitter. Electro chip. Conduits, that stuff. They could be monitoring you via satellite.”

“They can’t do that!! I’m a law-abiding citizen! I have my rights!!”

“You’re talking about Pierce!” Max broke in on Michael’s furious tirade. “He doesn’t care about the law.”

“I’ll make him care, the son of a bitch!!” Michael spat out.

“Don’t even think about it! Just stay away!”

Michael shook his head. “NO!!”

“Just do it!!” Liz broke in. “I don’t want to ruin your life, too!”

“Lady, you have no say in this! That’s my friend they’re going to fry, not you!! He needs help,” Michael barked, glaring at Max, “Even if he’s too stupid to see it.”

“Michael!!” Max hissed. Why is he so down on Liz?? Jeez!!

“What? It’s true. She’ll get Alex and she’ll run. What’re you going to do? Sit in the room and play strip poker with Pierce?? I don’t think so!!”

“Michael, it’s not like that!!”

“Well, than tell me what's it like!!” Michael sat down on the bench, folding his arms over his chest in a belligerent stance.

“It’s not her fault!! Get that first!!” Max snapped. “If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine!!” he was talking to Michael, but his eyes were trained on Liz, willing her to see that it wasn’t her fault at all and that his views differed, very much indeed from Michael’s warped theory that she was using him.

Liz shook her head. She didn’t understand why Michael was going on this whole trip about her, but it was true that she was using Max. She wasn’t that selfless and he didn’t have to be either. Hell, she’d basically kidnapped him into doing it!

*Stop it!! It’s not like that at all! How many times do I have to keep telling you that??* Max was there, in her mind again. *Just relax. This is Mike. He thinks everyone has a conspiracy theory. He’s just afraid…*

*That I’m gonna be the death of you? Just like Alex and Maria?*

*Yeah. He’d always cared about Maria, it wasn’t easy on him…. her death, I mean.*

“What are you two doing?? Telepathy? In the middle of the day??” Michael broke in harshly as he stared at them.

They’d gone into their own world. They were just looking into each other’s eyes, and even at twenty paces, Michael could feel the embers smolder. Great time to get horny, Maxwell!!

“Max!!! Earth to the alien species!!” Michael’s grating voice broke into their silent communiqué. “Is it safe to continue or are you having mind-sex now?”

Liz turned scarlet and Max just winked at her. Then he turned to Michael. “Give it a rest.”

“I wanna know what the plan is!!”

“Hold up for a second, I’m telling you.”

“Thank you!!”

Max looked over at Liz, wishing there was someway he could get rid of the guilty look in her eyes. She hasn’t done anything wrong, can’t she just see that?

“Well?”

“Okay!! Ok, first off, we go to meet Pierce; he’s already expecting me. Liz stays far away.”

There were no comments. Max continued.

“I change the location of the meet. I don’t trust him an inch. And choosing the location will be to our advantage.”

“Wait a friggin' minute! How do you know he’ll want to change the location? He won’t!! And you know it!!” Michael and Liz spoke simultaneously. Michael fell quiet as Liz started on Max.

“What could you possibly say that would make a difference, Max? We’ll be lucky if he doesn’t take you into custody.”

“He can’t. I’m clean and he knows it too. And he will agree. Even if it means getting some sort of dirt on me that he could use later. He could even provoke me into doing something. It’s part of the scenario. Too bad that it’s gotta go off the wire now.”

“Will you please speak English??”

“All right!! It means that the strategy that he’s mounting, and I know this because of that asshole he sent after you, Mike, is going to go off the wire, because he thinks I’m playing along on his cards when I am NOT. I’ve got my own plan, which he knows nothing about.”

“If you ask me, he seems pretty stupid if he sets up a strategy where he’s made no quarter for what you might do.” Liz interrupted.

“And we all know that Pierce is no fool.” Max concluded. “That means he’s thinking of something else.”

“And what would that be?” Liz sighed, fiddling with a strand of wind-blown hair. Max smile slightly, leaned and pushed it behind her ear. She smiled in return. Michael broke through the moment.

“Maxwell? Any theories?”

Max just looked into Michael’s eyes, silently conveying a warning look. Michael’s brown eyes widened then turned blank. Max could see the effort with which he was keeping his mouth shut. He gazed a grateful nod and turned back to Liz. She hadn’t seen any of it.

“No theories. But as soon as we get the location of the safehouse, Liz will head over. I’ll wing it out with Pierce as long as I can. If I get lucky, I can get into the special vaults. They have some stuff there that Alex and Liz needs.” He stopped. “Any questions?”

He had noticed Mike’s face turn even more blank when he’d mentioned that Alex and Liz might need the stuff. He waited but nothing came out of Michael, he was just shaking his head.

”I’ll come with you, Max.”

“Are you crazy?? What would that accomplish? Give Pierce one more suspect? Really, Mike, sometimes I wonder about you!”

“You do that!” Michael shot back. “I’m in this now whether you like it or not.”

“No! I have something else for you. You’ll go with Liz.”

“What?” both of them exploded.

“That’s right! Michael will go with you, Liz.” He said, gentling the order with a smile. “You need a driver, a backup. You can’t take care of Alex and get both of you out of there. No, Mike’s going. That is, if you want to?” he directed the last question at Micahel who nodded non-committal.

Liz started again. “No! He can’t come!! I can’t worry about him when I’m in there, can’t you understand that? If he gets caught, what do I do? I can’t live……”

“Will you two Boy Scouts just put a lid on it?? I’m not completely helpless!! I’m coming with you, lady!”

Liz sighed resignedly. “Whatever. If you ruin your life, don’t blame it on me!”

Michael looked at her steadily. “I won’t.”

“Good. That’s settled.” Max said in relief. At least, if the worst happened, Michael would take care of Liz. “Now, let’s just go over the files….....oh shit!! I left them in the car!” He whipped around in a rapid movement.

Liz cut him off. “I’ll go.” He brushed his lips across her hair, so lightly that he thought she didn’t catch it as she turned away. But she did. She threw him a lopsided smile over her shoulder and took off in a fast trot. Max stared after her. Michael cleared his throat.

“Ahem.”

Max blinked. ‘What?”

“You level with me. Why did you give me that look? What’s going on? What could Pierce’s strategy be that you didn’t want to say in front of her?”

“She has a name, Michael!”

“Whatever………oh my God!! He could attempt a killing, right?? Pierce could have you killed!!” Michael gasped, eyes blazing. “I knew it!! I knew that you would get involved into something like this!! Jesus!! And you're going to keep going like some .......maniac!”

“Relax. It’s not confirmed.”

“It’s not denied either, right? Lord!! Why didn’t you say it in front of her, Godammit? Then she’d know the risks and pull out while there’s still time!”

“I don’t want her to be scared for me!!”

“What makes you think she would be??”

“What?? God, Mike, don’t you have a functioning brain?? I don’t care what she cares or not, the point is that I care!! Can’t that be enough for you?”

Michael quietened in the face of Max’s outburst. He was shocked. He’d had no idea that Max cared so much for her. He didn’t like it. Maria had gotten killed because of Alex, no matter how much the latter had cared. And now Max. He sighed, then nodded. "Fine........ So, how far has it gone?”

“Mike, can we please NOT talk about this right now? I don’t want to think about it!”

“Jeez….didn’t score enough, huh?”

“Will you let it go? I can’t think about it, because…because she’ll know it, too.”

“HUH??”

“We’re connected, Michael. She can feel what I feel and that stuff.”

Michael started his Hail Mary rendition. Max slapped his shoulder.

“Just stop this, ok? It’s weird and it’s different. In short, it’s not of this earth. So either ignore it or just pretend to be normal! Mike, I can’t explain what’s going on. I don’t know what I feel about her but if I concentrate on it too much, she’ll know. She’s scared enough as it is. I don’t want to run her off. So, please, just forget you heard any of it and just go along with me. Please.” Max held his breath, fearing another outburst from Michael.

Michael stared into his eyes. “You care a lot.”

Max stared back, letting it show that this was no fancy whim of his. He needed Michael to know that this was very important to him. Otherwise, he’d never ask something so big of him. “I care.” He said simply.

“Fine.”

“Thank you. Okay… why did you say that she could get out while there is time? What’s wrong?”

Michael gulped in some air. “He could be dead.”

Max stared at him, speechless. He’d felt this blow coming for more than long enough. To hear it was more than a shock, it was the makings of a nightmare.

“Do you know?”

“I can’t be sure.”

“Do you know??”

“I’m guessing. Let’s face it. He’s potential fodder to keep the science industries humming for a few decades or so. What makes you think they haven’t done any damage? Maybe it’s even fatal. All I know is, that if Pierce is ready to bring in civilian staff, then the biggest risk for the scientists are over. I loathe to say it, but it’s a possibility.”

Max stared away, frustrated. He’d had a feeling but verbalizing had already sent Liz into shock. He didn’t want to give her false hope but she’d never back off from this. Never. So the least he could do was try and help her out of it.

“I need to talk with pierce anyway. If we can find out where he’s being held……….I don’t know, Michael. It maybe worth a shot. Which is why I told you, please stay away.”

“Not if Liz means so much to you.”

“She does, but you mean a lot to me too. If anything at all happened to you because of me, I couldn’t live with it, Mike. You know that. So, if for me only, keep yourself safe.”

Michael clapped his back. “Don’t worry. I’ll do my best to keep her safe.”

“Thank you. And I really mean that. You don’t know how worried I was about this entire situation.”

“Shut up. I’ve lived with you for years. If you can’t worry about something, it’s not you. And please, Max. Just don’t take chances. Get out when Liz sends you the signal. No heroics.”

“I promise.”

“Just one more question.”

“Shoot.”

“God forbid.” Michael said, rolling his eyes. “ Anyway, I was just wondering how you actually believe it all. She could be just taking you on real trip, y’know.”

“Michael, I just know. So please, you don’t have to understand it or approve of it. God knows, you never did. But you have to accept it. I am the last person on earth who’d go through with this. You know that. If I can, why can’t you?”

“I seem to be repeating myself.” Micahel sighed, staring at a speck in his shoe.

“Ad nauseam.”

“Shut up. It’s for your own good. Period.”

Liz came back. “Nothing up to 3 blocks. I think they left. Which means the satellite is a bust. They were doing it manually.”

“Gotcha.”

“So what now?”

“We go through these.” Liz brought out all the files. “I already got most of it in. As soon as you get through to Pierce, reach out to me, ok?” she asked, looking at Max. He nodded. “Then I can get in and we’ll go in.”

“Right.”

“Let’s just hope you two are actually right. I feel like I’m in this nightmare.”

“Michael!!”

“Okay, okay!” Michael backed off.

They spent the rest of the time poring through their stuff, going over it over and again. All three knew that this was it. Nothing could go wrong or someone would end up either in Pierce’s hands or dead. Nothing had better go wrong.

Chapter 22

It was time. It was 4:15 pm. The afternoon sun had come out, a weak specter looming giving faint light. The clouds had gathered around again, snow imminent.

Max came back inside the small Thai café where they’d had lunch. Michael was puffing on his cigarette like there was no tomorrow.

“I thought you gave it up.” Max said, gesturing at Mike’s glowing cigarette.

“I thought I did too.”

“What did he say??” Liz interrupted. The tension in her had gone past bearing when Max had left to set up another location for the meet with pierce. She had still to draw a real breath. Max sat down beside her and took her fingers. She grasped at them like a lifeline, a dull ache in her heart almost choking off all air.

“He suspects something.” Shocked silence met his statement. The fear had turned electric. “He knows something was up so I laid out the bait. He bit.”

“What did you tell him?” Michael asked, praying it wasn’t about the files that Liz had gotten regarded the felony over the coroner’s reports. If Max gave him that, the Government would be after him, not just Pierce. The last two hours he’d spent with them, they’d brought him up to date on everything.

“I told him about the report.” Max said simply, intertwining his fingers with Liz’s small ones. Michael shut his eyes.

Liz didn’t understand. “So, is he ready to meet you at your terms?”

“More than ready.”

Michael pulled out a Glock from his jacket pocket. “Here you go.” He handed it over to Max. Max smiled gratefully. He checked the magazine, ensuring all the bullets were in place.

Michael threw him another magazine full of clips. “Extra. Just in case.”

“Thanks, Mike.”

“Is that really necessary?” Liz voiced, unable to shake the fear as she stared at the dulled shine of the metal. It looked lethal. It was lethal.

Max faced her, surprised. “Do you object? I can’t go in there without one. I’d never make it out!” The instant he said it, he felt like taking it back. Her eyes widened. Realization came flooding in. She started shaking her head. Max interrupted her before she could voice her vociferous protests.

“Liz. It’s okay!! They know I’ll be traveling with one.”

“They??”

“Relax. It’s standard procedure.” He squeezed

“What about a metal detector?”

“I doubt Pierce would have the time.” Max said with a laugh but it didn’t reach his eyes. “As it is, I’m behind schedule.” He stood up, his finger disentangling. But she clung to them, not letting him go. He turned to look at her.

Liz’s eyes burned with the effort to keep the sudden tears into her throat. “Please…....” she murmured, not knowing why she did.

He sat back down. She didn’t move into him like he expected. Surprised, he looked at her.

She had regained control of herself. She smiled at him determinedly, her eyes dry. If he could be so strong, she owed him to stay in control of herself. And she’d be damned if she gave him one more thing to be worried about.

Max looked at Michael. His friend’s eyes betrayed nothing but he could understand Mike’s conflicting emotions. He could see how hard Michael was trying not to hold him back, yet he said nothing, out of deference for Max’s feelings regarding Liz. And then it hit him. Michael would do whatever it took to protect Liz. He smiled at his friend, his brother in every sense except blood.

“Thank you.”

“Thank me when you get back.” The subtle emphasis was hard to miss.

Max nodded, determined. “I will.”

Michael got out and yanked Max out of the booth. They faced each other and then Max felt himself being crushed into a typical Michael hug. He hugged back, feeling his emotions choke him. Instantly there was Liz in his mind, soothing him, taking the edge off the fear, the turmoil. The two men clung to each other, not wanting to let go. They’d let go once before, ten years ago and the scars had never faded. If they didn’t come back together again, how much worse would the pain be for the survivor? Max hugged Michael tighter.

Finally they stepped apart, when they heard an inaudible sniff. Both looked over. Liz was staring away into space, eyes burning, yet no trace of tears. Max felt an overwhelming urge to just step over and hold her and tell her that it was okay; even if it was momentary to just let go. He wanted to hold her if she cried, he wanted to lick away the tears he knew she was shedding inside. But he didn’t. Liz didn’t cry over herself and asking her to do it now was the unimaginable. He knew she wouldn’t. So he just held Michael at arm’s length.

“Well?”

“Well” Michael had been studying Liz intensely. He jerked his head impercibtly at Max. Max just shook his head. The message was clear. Don’t force her to do anything. Just trust her.

Michael broke the fraught silence. “You come back or I swear on my dead mother’s grave, I’ll rip your scrawny heart out. Got that?”

“I didn’t know you were of such religious persuasion, Mike.”

“Maxwell!!”

“Loud and clear, bro.”

“Good.”

Michael headed for the exit, checking for tails. Max stared at Liz. She’d come around when he’d been talking to Mike.

She got up and joined him. Max took her in his arms. He could feel her heart racing, almost beating out of her breast as she held him tightly. He caressed the length of her back, trying to give her back the courage he’d seen that first night in Bangkok; the night they’d lain their past to rest. It seemed to have deserted her at the moment
Evidently, he’d underestimated her again. When she spoke, her voice was clear.

“I’ll be okay. Just promise me that you will go according to plan.”

“I will”

He leaned back so that he could stare into her bottomless eyes. She broke the silence that had fallen again.

“Listen,” she looked away for a second then her eyes returned on him, zeroing in a like a laser. “If something happens, if the worst happens, please don’t pursue it. Let it go, Max. this has been killing you for too long. I don’t want it all to have been for nothing.”

He stepped back. His eyes blazed, leaving carnage on her soul.

“Don’t talk like this is the end! Try mind warp, killing, I don’t care!! Just come out of there alive!!” his voice had risen to a dull roar. She couldn’t look away; she was mesmerized by the intensity of his feelings. “Don’t you dare give up now! Don’t you dare! ”

Liz stepped back, the beating of her heart had turned thundering. Drawing breath was impossible. She leaned back into his arms, holding him so tight that his circulation stopped. She was shaking and so was he. She felt him grip her hair with an iron fist, like he was trying not to show too much of what this…...they meant to him. She buried herself in his arms, crying soundlessly at some dark, unknown God for the injustice of falling in love, for the first time in her life, at the most ill-opportune time. They rocked in the circle of each other’s arms, the cafe light dimming, leaving them alone.

He held her like he would never let her go. And then he stepped back. They left the café, each not able to believe what had just passed. The connection between them now magnified a thousand-fold, that it turned frightening. Michael handed him the keys to the rental. They stared at each other, inwardly praying it wouldn’t be the last time. Then Michael noticed Liz and Max. They clung to each other, drawing strength. They’re in love! Michael thought in wonder.

He stepped away, giving them some privacy.

Max cleared his throat, suddenly ashamed of his outburst. He hadn’t meant for her to be frightened. She looked up at him in wonder. He hoped and prayed that she wouldn’t deny that what they’d felt had been right. He breathed again, when she didn’t.

“Max, there’s something I need to say.”

“Sure.”

“Please realize that this is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.” He stared at her in shock.

Dimly he could felt his anger beginning to surge. “What?”

“I mean, I can’t feel about you the way I already do, right now! I hope I make sense because if I can’t keep this up, this semi-distance, then it’s all over!! I need you to tell me that it’s okay! Do you understand what i'm saying?? There’s also the matter of this thing with Pierce. Tell me that you’re okay with it, really okay. That I don’t have to lacerate myself over and over again, if indeed some…. something happens. I need to know if what you’re doing is out of guilt or if it is because I forced you.” Her voice was low. He pulled her back into the warmth of his arms.

“It’s all true, Liz. I’m doing this for myself, even more that it’s for you. I need to do it. You can’t stop me. I’m just glad that you decided to give us a chance, before…” He stopped not letting the thought complete.

She sighed, her breath warming the hollow of his throat. “Thank you for saying that.”

“It’s all true, Liz. You know that.”

“I do.” She nodded, the silk of her hair creating pleasurable friction against his skin. He kissed her forehead, needing much, much more.

She stepped back. What he’d just said had come back to her. “Max,” she shook her head, dying inside. “It can’t……we can’t be permanent. You know that.”

He pushed away. “What?”

“You know that it can’t be what you said. It’s not up to me to give us a chance at all!! It’s up to fate. It’s up to what could happen if I got Alex out. We can’t stay here, you know that!! I gave you false hope, today, after we…we kissed. Please believe me when I tell you that it was never my intention to hurt you or mislead you in any way. It just isn’t right. I don’t what else to say. I’m just so sorry. Sorrier than you’ll ever know.” Her eyes burned with the effort. She lost the battle; the tears fell.

He stared at her dumbly. His mind was processing the information even as his heart rebelled. But slowly his mind was winnng. He couldn’t force her. He’d done his best but if she still kept on this, it was becoming clear that she didn’t want to be with him. He nodded impercibtly. She looked fixedly at the dirt in the ground.

A lone tear streamed past and disappeared under her chin. He stared at her, his heart frozen. All that had been for nothing, even though he could understand her rationale. Alex would never allow Max anywhere near his sister and he could understand why. He could even accept it. At this point, though, he seemed too sore to care.

“You really believe in fate?” he asked, aching for her.

“I don’t know.” She muffled out, her sleeve in her mouth, drying the few more tears as they fell.

“Believe in it. We wouldn’t have come together if it hadn’t been for fate. ”

Liz had never been much of a fan of poetry. But hearing the words fall out of his mouth, it seemed the most normal thing in the world, and at the same time, the most breath taking.

“Come back.” She whispered, unable to take her eyes off him, her eyes now black with emotions, an unidentifiable ache in her body, just begging for what…she didn’t know and didn’t care to know. She knew she was being unfair, giving him false hope, yet again. It could never be. Not if they were to be a thousand miles apart. It was better to just let go. But at the moment, her heart was putting up a valiant battle against logic.

He nearly wrenched himself free. “There’s still the matter of the red tulles. You honestly don’t think I’d not collect on the bet, do you?”

She smiled but the electricity in the atmosphere hadn’t lightened.

“What bet?”

“This.” He whispered, kissing her lightly on the lips. Her mouth opened but he didn’t linger. It killed himself to remove himself from her heat and her scent but from some unknown reserve, he found the strength to move away. Her eyes glistened. He sucked in a deep breath. “Goodbye, Liz.” Praying that it wasn’t so.

“Goodbye, Max.”

“Maxwell, time’s running out.”

“Yeah.” He said, never taking his eyes off her. The snow fell but even the frigid atmosphere turned blazing as he continued to ravish her with his stare, he tried to tell her, from his soul, with his eyes, but the connection was not necessary. She had read each and all of his feelings in his golden, blazing eyes. And her own dark ones had turned molten in response. He took step forward.

Liz made herself break free of his spell. If he didn’t go now, it was finished. She looked away, every fiber of her being screaming in protest. But it did its work. He’d gone to the car.

She turned back, desperate to see him before the elements swallowed him up. She raced around to the car, wrenching the door open, startling both Max and Michael who’d been a silent spectator so far. She didn’t care. When I see him again, IF Oh God, IF I ever see him again, there wouldn’t be any time, not even to say goodbye. He’ll never know how much this meant to me. But I can’t let him know now, it’ll just give him false hope!! Her heart and mind locked in anguish but her body had its own will.

“Liz?” Max asked worried but it vanished as her lips touched his forehead.

“I just….......” She breathed him in.

He leaned up and cupped her cheek. “You be good now.” He’d seen what it had taken her to do it. And now it was coming together for him. It really wasn’t possible between them. It was better to help her than distract her. He owed her and Alex that much. He kissed her lightly on her lips, which were half bleeding with all the lip chewing that she’d done. He licked away the sliver of blood. She shivered, pleading for more. He gave it to her and let her step away.

Michael took his place behind her. Max looked hard at them both, committing the texture, the smell of her into memory, then started the engine.

Liz pushed the door closed. “Go. We know what to do.”

The car moved away.

“Tell me, Michael. That I just haven’t made the biggest mistake of my life.”

“You haven’t.”

Chapter 23

Max had left over an hour ago. He’d gone earlier in order to wait for Pierce in case a trap was set. True to form, after Liz called the FBI headquarters asking for Pierce, she was told he was in a meeting with the Director. Apparently Max’s little trick with the appropriations had worked. Pierce was stuck, unable to get out before Max was in position. Liz had asked Michael why they thought Pierce wouldn’t send back up. This was a federal problem. Michael had succinctly told her to keep her nose out of men’s business. Liz had told him to stuff his attitude down his ass and then refrained from talking with him. It had taken the better part of the hour they’d gotten as reprieve for him to convince her that he’d been kidding. Now they sat in the middle of nowhere, on a deserted stretch of road in the unused section of the industrial area. The meeting ground was a good 10 blocks away.

“Can you handle the distance?”

“I contacted Alex when he’d been in Kiev and I was in Calcutta. I can handle it.”

Michael looked suitably impressed.

Liz wrung her hands, a very un-Liz like movement. “He’s going to be surrounded.”

“No. Max’ll take care of it.”

“How the fuck do you know??”

“Chill. Max will. I know him.”

Liz lapsed back in silence.

Michael broke it. “What makes you think you’re right, in the first place?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, how the hell do you know you’re not going into a complete dead-end!!” Michael burst out, frustrated. He’d gone through this, over and over again, unable to shake the thought. “How the hell do you know that Whitman’s still alive?? If he isn’t, do you know what you’re making Max do??”

Liz snapped her head at his direction, her eyes two orbs of black ice. “Are you implying I’d knowingly set Max up to get killed??”

Michael sighed, looking away. “No.”

“Or are you suggesting that I’m playing some sort of game with your life?? If that’s so, then you can walk right now!!”

Michael shut her up with a look. “Enough.” She kept looking at him, eyebrows raised, her expression challenging.

“Hey, I said I was wrong ok? I know you wouldn’t………….but” he trailed off; unable to make her understand why he was so worried. He was a freakin’ Government doctor. He worked with those people everyday. It was their life. They would examine Alex. If Liz was expecting Alex to come out in pristine health, she was in for a massive shock.

“It’s just that the stakes are so high.” She completed. He looked at her, grateful.

“Yeah.”

“Yeah,” she repeated, “But I do know, Michael.”

Michael shut his eyes. “I know you think you know. Do you have any proof?”

“I do.” He opened his eyes, feeling like the guy hanging on the noose with having the trestles still not being kicked out from under him. It could, at any moment, but it still hadn’t.

“How?”

“This.” She brought out a weird metal book. “That’s our book. It gave my essential guidelines in life. My very own alien handbook.” She wisecracked.

“And??”

“See,” she flipped it open. There were two pictures, two portraits. One was definitely Liz, the other was Alex Whitman. The same. It was unbelievable. Michael took a deep breath and looked away, stunned. “What’re you? A robot?”

“Nooooooo,” she stressed. “But this proves it. It says in the book, in case of death, the picture will disappear. Like he was gone. It’s still here. Which means he’s still there.”

“What’s this, The Portrait of Dorian Gray??”

“Can it with the sarcastic comment, they’re not too good.” Michael glared at her. She did the same. Then relented “I guess we are, in some sick way. Programmed, that’s for damned sure. It’s actually funny that you brought it up. I was beginning to think that it’s true.”

“Liz, I didn’t mean it like that.”

She nodded. “I know. We’re both worried.”

“Yeah…....so.” Liz looked at him, knowing what was coming. “So, about you and Max.” Michael left it hanging. He knew Max would kill him if he knew this convo was taking place. But, he had to know if Max would ultimately lose everything.

“Mike,” she sighed. He stared at her. There was a wild look in her eyes.
“I can’t live…”

“I know!” Michael broke in, without letting her finish, “I know you can’t live with him!! I just……...do you care?? About him? At all? In the normal female/male way? Or does it end at gratitude?” he knew he was pushing it, he’d witnessed their fire firsthand.

“I can’t live without Alex!! And Alex can’t stay here, can’t you understand that? And I won’t ask Max to follow me into this mess. He’d have to give up everything, probably even his citizenship. I can’t ask that of him. I won’t!!’ she stopped, spent. Meaningless tears had welled up in her chocolate eyes, making them even larger. “It’s over, whatever it was. He knows that.”

Michael leaned past the steering wheel and hugged her. She was stiff in his arms. He rubbed her back. “It’s ok,” he soothed as he felt a shudder and a suspicious wetness on his shirt. ‘It’s ok. He knows. He understands.”

She leaned back, swiping at her eyes. ‘I know.”

Both looked at the watch. 4:55 pm. Max had connected with Liz, as a practice run, not more than 20 minutes ago, saying that he’d contacted Pierce. The jackass was going to be late and he’d suspected Max’s involvement in the missing funds. They’d changed the meeting ground to this unused section of the industrial area, outside a warehouse. Max had sounded confident. Time was set for 5:15. Max was still out there. He’d completely cut himself off. Michael had panicked and finally resorted to using the cell phone. Max had assured them that he’d just been setting the surveillance up. Now they sat, praying that they’d all make out of it alive.

5:05, perimeter of the meeting place.

The building structures were old. Not really used. There we re a sporadic few people walking away, as another blizzard neared. This was one of the coldest winters in a while. The snow was a camouflage as well as a flare. He couldn’t walk without showing his foot-prints. But, it opened up endless possibilities for escape and hideouts. Max scouted the place. True to form, there were two men, positioned in different lookouts. Max noted with dark satisfaction that they were not normal Federal agents. Nope, Pierce’s gone solo. Good. These were hired guns, his personal contacts. Pierce was taking no chances. Asshole brought friggin’ two. What does he think, they’re invisible? And I’m sure he thinks I’m blind now!!

Max waited as the man nearest him, positioned against the building moved 30 paces away, facing the opposite direction. Max lunged inside the opening between the two old structures. Pierce would be waiting for him outside, not in.

Minutes ticked by. He noted the two’s position. One would be a problem, he was too far away. But thankfully both men were out of sight. Max would use that to his advantage.

He waited, turning the ringer off in his cell. It was less than 10 minutes now. His mind wandered back to Liz. How honest had she been, when she’d told him it was over? He shook off the thought violently. Get away!! Now’s not the time!! But even in the frigid cold, he could feel the silk of her skin against his palm. Get AWAY!!

The sound of something crunching on the snowy gravel got his attention. A black nondescript sedan drove up. A tall man stepped out, his raven hair and tall stature commanding respect. It was Special Agent Pierce. Max shared at him from the gloom, his eyes like flint. All the hatred he’d ever felt towards Alex had had returned with a vengeance, focused on the tall man standing 100 yards in front of him. Almost as if sensing he was being skewered by someone, Pierce looked around. Both men shook their heads. They hadn’t seen anyone. Pierce nodded. Both men immediately disappeared form sight. Pierce stood alone, waiting. It was 5:09.

Max didn’t wait. He moved like lightning. The warehouse he was hiding opened up in the back, very near to the first stodgy man. The other killer was thin, coiled like a bullwhip. He was not only in a complicated position; he’d also be harder to take out. Max made his way out of the alley. The fat guy was standing, concealed from anyone who came in from the front. Every once in awhile, he’d check his flanks. Max waited until he’d looked away. With the speed of a runner who’s spent most of his time in the desert running in deep sand and impossible rock formations, this was a piece of cake. He hammer-locked the guy from behind. The guy started violently, tried to bring up his Beretta, but it was too late. Max jammed his knee directly into the 10th vertebrae and hammer locked the guy’s neck, his gun into the layered neck and spoke harshly. “One move, one sound, there goes your spine!’

The man nodded. Max let go of him. The killer whirled around but Max had been expecting that. He grabbed the killer’s neck and inserted the hypodermic. The man was out in seconds. It was a narcotic, used to tranquilize Siberian bears. The man would be out for a long, long time.

Max still used a pool of wire and tied him up. He threw the man inside the warehouse. No time!! It had taken place within a space of 2 minute. 5:11. Damn! 4 minutes left!

Max circled around, the fire escape was rusty, but mercifully the fallen snow muffled the sound of his rubber soles. He rapidly made his way up, not even slipping once. He didn’t dare. A single sound out of the ordinary would alert the second killer waiting for him. He scaled the next wall, rapidly counting the seconds. He climbed down. He was now directly behind the next one, separated by a mere 10 yards. Across the road was Pierce. But this one’s position was so carefully chosen that he’d have perfect aim with the telescopic rifle he was holding; yet he was completely out of sight for anyone who came from Pierce’s direction. Translation. The guy’s a hit man. Target – Max Evans. You sneaky son of a bitch, Pierce!!

The sky darkened. Max waited until the guy’s attention diverted for a second. It didn’t. Frustrated, Max crept along. Silence was vital. He’d been taught over and over by River Dog. Memories came back and Max accepted them gratefully. He was a mere 2 feet away from the second killer, when he suddenly turned. His expression changed from one of alertness to one of pure shock. But he was a true professional. He brought up the nozzle. Too late, Max had thrown the dart and it went in cleanly through the jugular. The man clutched his neck, then collapsed. Max looped his wire over his hands and neck in such a fashion that it would tighten if the man moved. He didn’t but Max wasn’t taking any chances. He hesitated then brought the butt of the rifle on the killer’s right hand, shattering the bone. It was one of the training methods of his camp under the CIA. Never let a quarry have ANY chance to surprise you.
Max raced back the way he’d come, the seconds rapidly dissolving. It was 5:15. Pierce saw him and started.

“Agent Pierce.” Max gave a mock salute.

“Evans.” Pierce’s face was blank. This guy was dangerous when he was like that.

“I’m still in the dark why you called me out here, Evans?”

“Sure you are.”

“Excuse me?”

“I said, sure you are, you son of a bitch!”

“What’s the matter with you, Max? You feel the need to cuss me, do it over a picture. I was told they make good listeners.”

“You’re full of shit, you know that? I am here because I want some answers.”

“What about? I’m a busy man, I actually have a job, not still in the unemployment banks.”

The jibe was intended to hurt. Max laughed carelessly. “As I said, a real piece of work. You honestly think I’d have let you get away with it.”

“With what?” Pierce bit out.

“Remember the little files I was telling you about?”

“Yeah?’

“As of right now, if you don’t tell me what happened to Whitman, within three minutes, a consignment goes out to the State department. I’ll give you a hint. They’re going to make sure you have a pretty permanent job” Max sneered, “At Leavenworth!"

Pierce stared back trying to gauge his reaction. Max opened up his connection with Liz. It came flooding him, making him unsteady. There was no comfort now. It was yet another world of the unknown. But at least it was there, very strong. It was unnerving how he could do that so quickly.

Max waited for another second, then lunged for Pierce. Pierce moved away but it was too late.

“What happened to Whitman??” Max screamed, slamming him against the wall.

Without warning, the flashes came.

*Flash* Vans moving in a caravan, ambulances and other vehicles speeding down the highways. A route marker claimed. 285 Nevada, heading North.
*Flash* A body being loaded out, strapped to electric straps. Every wrench sent up bolts of electricity. But it was unnecessary. The man in the straps was unconscious. It was Alex.
*Flash* Alex being shoved into a sterile incubation chamber. The flash faded in and out. There was a morbid sense of satisfaction in the air.
*Flash* Pierce walked out of a long, white hall. A team of physicians came out with him; they were discussing the ‘subject’. It was all empty, not even a door. Then they came to the security point. No one there, except a metal door. Only access was handprint and retina scanner.
*Flash* Pierce driving out. He stops the car, gets out and holds up the address plate. The he takes it away with him, removing any traces of where this remote government facilities.

Max came to with a start. It had taken all of 30 seconds, but it had been enough. Pierce had regained control of himself, yanking Max’ s gun out of his holster.

“Why do you care?”

“Tsk, tsk,” Max tittered “Are you pulling a gun on me? It’s against the law you know? Oh but I forgot, you really don’t care much about it!’

“What the hell are you talking about?”

Max was stalling for time. He’d connected with Liz. Liz had identified the location, given by the weird halls and the address plate. It was outside the city, in a deserted are near the highway. Getting there would be a piece of cake, but actually coming out was going to be a bitch. Max didn’t want to think what would happen if they got caught. The flashes had confirmed something, Alex was still there. All that mattered now was to get him out. Travel time would take half an hour. Getting in undetected would take 1. And getting out would sum it up to 2 hours, all together. He prayed he could hold Pierce in that long.

*Take care, Liz*

*MAX!! The stridency in her thoughts was electric *Get the hell out as soon as I tell you!! You promised!!

Max sent a brief, desperate remembrance of a prayer her way and then toned it down. He was amazed at his own capabilities. Within 24 hours, he’d turned semi-human. It boggled the mind.

He could feel Liz’s adrenaline pumping, the fear overwhelming. And then it was barely there. He came out of it. He knew this was trouble, dealing with half his concentration when he was around Pierce. Already he’d lost one gun. But thankfully, the berretta was hidden in the waistband of his pants in the back.

“Jesus Christ, Evans!! Space out in your own time!!”

“Space out?? Nice metaphors!”

“Stow it! If you want something, go to the HQ. I’ve nothing to do with you.”

“The hell you don’t! I want you to explain something. I found these…quite accidentally, if you must know.” Max thrust a file in Pierce’s direction.

Pierce accepted. He opened it and then froze. This was deep, deep cover. The transaction over Maria Evans’s coroner’s repost was buried. And here it was in his face, brought about by her own brother. Pierce felt the beginning of a sixth sense. But right now, he was also beginning to be terrified for his life.

“Where did you get this?” Pierce’s voice was low, ice.

“I got it from Sorenson. Remember, the DCI.” He could see the sweat break out on Pierce’s forehead, but the smug bastard kept his cool.

“Really?”

“Yes. And do you know what he said when I confronted him? He said it was not their fault.” He paused. Pierce was beginning to look unsettled. "That means that they, the respective agencies are not going to take any blame for this. Do you know what this means, Agent? It means you’re solo.” Max smiled with satisfaction when Pierce’s gaze wavered.

“That’s right, you son of a fucking bitch!! You set me up to take the fall for Alex’s capture. Too bad you never thought geometrically. What goes around comes around. And guess where you are now?? Right again, you’re the dupe.”

‘You can’t prove anything. They’d never let you live!”

“Too late for empty threats. Of course they will. And says who I don’t have proof?’

“If that’s so, why did you come to me? Why not go directly to the DCI?”

“I have, friend. Which is why that underhanded movement of having me killed is pointless. You’re finished Pierce. Totally finished.”

This time Pierce visibly faltered. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Let’s start with the tales now. Why?? Why MY sister, you bastard???”

Pierce said nothing. Max smiled. It was diabolical. “Start talking or you’re not going to make that date with Leavenworth.”
5:45.

Chapter 24

Liz came out of the flash in a rush. Her chest heaved, fighting off insane fear. The man’s heart and mind was cold, ice. He’d honestly considered Alex as a lab rat. No telling what the hell he’d done. Michael grasped her.

“Are you all right??”

“Fine. Let’s go.”

“WAIT!!” the urgency in Michael’s voice got her attention. His eyes were practically begging. “What about Max??”

Liz felt her lungs constrict for a second. “He’s fine. He’s in control.” She took a huge draft of air. “Please, Michael. It’s now or never.”

Michael gunned the engine and they went off.

Since they’d scouted every map, finding the place was a piece of cake. It was 6:15. It had taken them 30 minutes. It was dark, the snowstorm had passed. They pulled up and drove off the gravel road.

“This is as far as you come.” Liz told Michael. They hid the car behind the trees and both looked out.

There were no guards in the outer perimeter. They were so certain that Alex was the only one and no one would rescue him that they hadn’t even thought of posting guards. Liz smiled coldly. That was just fine by her.

“This place is really outta nowhere!!” Michael said, looking around. They’d driven a good 46 miles out of town. It was near the highway, remote and unbreachable. Escape would be easy, if they got Alex out.

Liz shook her head. “Look over there.” She pointed in the distance.

There was a fertilizer plant nearby, a possible 2 miles away. They could see the lights from here. “We use that. We get in there, create our diversion and walk out. Confusion’s the best way.”

Michael nodded. “Good thinking.”

“I know.” She turned to him. “ Stay here. Please Michael. Don’t give me something else to worry about.’

Michael swallowed. “That’s a helluva lot you ask for, lady.”

“Please.”

“Fine. But let the record show that I consider the worst frigging idea in the planet. Correction, the UNIVERSE!!”

“Done. Now…...keep a lookout. You got your cell, right? You see reinforcements, lemme know.”

“Done.”

Liz got out of the car. She took up the book. The picture of Alex was still there. There was a terrible feeling inside her, a terrible feeling of ….nothing. She couldn’t feel Alex, yet she did. The emotions in her terrified her. She took a deep calming breath and took off.

The outer perimeter of the safe-house was unguarded. She used her powers and burned a hole through the electric fence. The electric charge from her own hands neutralized the effects of the fence. It didn’t even fizzle. It just disappeared. Liz took another gulp of air in, a sudden pain in herself that was overwhelming. She pushed it away with fierce determination.

There was the main electronic post. It was a camera, scanning the perimeter. With agonizing slowness, Liz short-circuited the camera and its wiring, making sure that the actual frame was frozen but the timer was on. Done. This would wipe out the security cameras, she remembered that much from the blueprints.

She found the first door. Locked with electronic locks. She disengaged it in a matter of minutes. She was a little worried about handprint scanners but that would have to wait.

She looked in; there was nothing there. It was long white hallway, the same one she’d seen in Pierce’s head. Completely empty. All the people in the building were concentrated in two places. One was in the lab, the others at the entrance. Since this was so covert, she knew that there would be not more than 10 people max. And of them would be only 4 guards. Liz thought as she studied a roster fixed on the wall. They’d come at a better time then they’d thought. It was the graveyard shift. The least number of people were present. 7 in all. 4 scientists and 3 security personnel from the Special unit.

Liz took off down the hallway. From memory, she could say that the main lab where they were holding Alex was at the very end. First she’d have to go through security.

Damn!! No closets!! She abandoned that and inched her way to the door. The security unit was sitting on the other side of the wall. She put her hand against the wall, concentrated and soon enough, a tiny spark of electricity appeared, sizzling away the layers of lime and brick. She’d made herself a good peephole. She peered through it. As she’d projected, there were 3 people, sitting around, not detecting her breach. She heaved a sigh of relief.

She concentrated. Soon enough when she opened the door and walked in, no one changed expressions. The mind warp was working. Liz made her way over to the scanners and held her hand over the console. It was taking more power than she thought. Her heart hammering, she waited for it to unlock. The men continued chatting, calmly smoking cigarettes and looking straight through her. The roster had suggested duty change any minute. She held her fear in check and continued working on it while holding the mind warp.

The green electricity flickered, the console flashed from red to yellow. Liz held her breath, praying like she never had before.

C’mon, c’mon, CMON!! Dammit!! She felt the mind-warp coming loose, shaken by her own fear and the increasing demand of the console. She willed her mind to concentrate. One of the guards blinked. Liz slowly held up her other hand, praying that she wouldn’t have to kill him. Another second passed. The mind-warp held. Liz nearly sobbed.

At that moment, she heard footsteps down the hall. Her body tensed, prepared to kill if she had to.

5 seconds, 4….3…….2.

The console flashed green. Liz whirled in and shut the door.

From the other side, she heard the door opening and new voices. They found nothing amiss. She sealed the corridor in. Liz steeled herself against the jelly-like quality of her knees. Get the willies later, dammit!! No TIME!!

She shot off down the sterile hallway, the labs down the hall. She came to a fork. One way led to the incubation chamber, the other to the labs. Liz hesitated, then inched along towards the labs. She’d heard voices coming from the incubation chambers.

She came to the door, used her powers to open the pressure lock and got in. She sealed it close. Not sense having the government doctors coming in. Then she stared. The entire area was covered in the State-of-the-art tech, replete with everything that a Level 4 lab usually had. It was, for all sense and purposes, a hot zone. Liz inhaled sharply, the recycled air making her nostrils flare. She smelled death. Her heart pounded as a very familiar sick feeling rolled off her in waves. There were test results, test preparations; a few parts of a human body that she dared not look at. Everything about Alex Whitman had been contained within these white walls – the triumph of discovery, the agony of the subject.

Rage unlike anything she’d ever known in her life made her fall to her knees. She rose. The Liz Max Evans had come to know had vanished. The Liz that had stood up was the same cold-hearted monster he’d experienced the night in Bangkok. Max was feeling the changes through their connection, she could tell. She connected with him abruptly.
*Max, get out. NOW.*

*Liz?? Is that you? Please, God, Liz I’m feeling it too. Tell me what’s wrong!! For God’s sake, TELL ME!!* She could feel his helplessness.

*We’re still a go. Get the hell out NOW!!*

*Is he dead?? Tell ME!!!*

*Last time I’ll say this Max. it’s still a go. Get OUT. You promised.* She sent him a final prayer and then shut down on their connection. She used her mind powers, blocking him effectively. He wouldn’t know how to override it.

She made her way to the humming consoles. She scanned the room, looking for the granolith. She found the necklace she’d given Alex. She ripped it out of the confines of the ugly glass box. An alarm gave out a nano-second of a wail but it was too late. Liz had found the power source. It never sounded again, as she systematically destroyed the data they’d collected. The equipment functioned. If it stopped, the bastards would be over her before she had a chance to get out.

She circled the room. Once again, her timing had to be absolutely precise. She made sure all the databases were filled with gibberish. But at first glance, they’d pass off as completely unchanged. Then she went to inspect the machinery. She was more than a bit surprised when all she found was an x-ray scanner and a couple machines, which looked like they checked body fluids. That was it. No monitor to show heart rate, breathing, palpitation, neural scanners, EKGs. Nothing. It seemed unreal.

What, they think he doesn’t have a functioning heart?

Liz went to the X-ray machine and with a wave of her hand, it started to malfunction. She raced back out the door and hid in the single utility closet she found. It had been locked but by now, she had perfected opening doors in a matter of seconds. True enough, the scientists came running out heading for the labs. She counted. There were 4. As soon as they’d stepped in, she sealed the door in. She went back to the closet and made her way through the ducts. She peered through and created a shield. Then slowly she sucked the air out using her powers. Her mind was screaming out not to commit murder but she didn’t listen. As soon as the oxygen level was low enough, she left. All the men were unconscious, not dead, she noted with grim relief. They’d remain that way for not more than half an hour. She’d left just about the lightest possible hole through the bubble, allowing air to trickle in with agonizing slowness. The point of consciousness would come not before 30-45 minutes, max. By then, she’d be long gone. She made sure she’d cut off cell connection, leading to no network, in case someone got a phone. Landlines were already cut, part of Michael’s job. She hurtled towards the incubation chambers.

Using her powers once again, she unlocked the doors. She felt herself just a little bit faded. She hadn’t expected this constant barge of someone else’s terror on her mind. She prayed it wasn’t Max but she could find no other to pin the situation to. She went inside and froze. Every working organism in her hybrid body froze, rooted to the spot. Like a witness to a murder in a nightmare she stood there, thrashing inside to move away but her feet felt glued.

Because directly in front of her was Alex Whitman. She stared for a moment longer. Then an inhuman scream tore the tomb-like silence of the room apart.

In the labs, a static-ridden voice kept coming and going.

“Do you read, base? This is SpU patrol 304, repeat, is everything OKAY?? This is SpU 304, repeat this is SpU 304. Confirm your status immediately. Repeat confirm IMMIDIATELY!!” then it shifted.

Another buzz was heard in the silent room. “Control, this is patrol SpU 304, repeat this patrol SpU 304. There’s an emergency at the base. Repeat, emergency at the base. Send back up. I can’t get in touch with anyone! Godammit!! We have a breach. Get IN here, NOW!!” the static weaved back and forth, not impacting the unconscious men but it had made it’s way to Washington DC, Special unit HQ.
6:45 pm.


So......... whatcha think?

Okay................. no one read it. Never mind. Here's the update. Trust me. this was as difficult for me to write as it would be for you to read. here goes!! I put a helluva lot into this.

Chapter 24
6:45
In the warehouse.

Max felt his breathing constrict. For all of one second he felt searing, obliterating pain. Then it vanished. He knew where it had come from. Liz!!! Dimly he was aware of Pierce lunging for him, but all he could think about was what a fool he’d been to let her go alone. The pain that had emanated from her had been ferocious in its intensity, crippling in its effect. Then, he had no time as Pierce flung himself upon him, eyes burning with rage. Max felt the remnants of his connection with Liz snap.

6:45
In the incubation chamber

Liz made herself move towards a lone figure suspended in water. She was ice. Any vestige of feeling, anything at all, it had all left her when she saw Alex. Shaking violently, almost falling down, she managed to reach the center of the room where the Pod was. It was ironic; incredibly, horribly ironic that Alex Whitman was born in a pod and died in one too.

She approached, footholds getting firmer. As soon as she made his face out through the murky liquid, she stepped away. Desperately trying to regain lost control, she went and sealed off every conceivable entrance to the room. Now, she made her way to her brother’s waste again.

The pod itself was filled with brownish liquid. It smelled like sulphuric acid or an antiseptic, she couldn’t tell. All she could see was her brother floating in poison. She regained control violently. It was all she had left, the last tiny hope that she’d be able to save Alex.

Laying her hands on the glass, she called. “Alex??” Answer me, Godammit!!

There was nothing.

She felt the tears flowing, soaking her body but she couldn’t stop. She took out five glowing rust-colored rocks and spread them out in front of the pod. Don’t you dare break down now, Parker!!! Don’t you fucking DARE!!!!

She made a circle with the stones; Alex had called them healing stones. They could be used to revive each other if the worst had ever happened. Alex had told her once. They didn’t die the normal way. Their bodies could be destroyed, thus making them lose their capabilities for living but they could be healed, if it wasn’t too late, by the healing stones. Their essence took a longer time to leave. It had to be destroyed, either by excessive force, sucking it up or if the vessel carrying it was no longer in effect able to carry it. That meant if the body was completely vaporized. Alex’s vessel, his body was still here. It would work, it HAS to work!!

Liz set it all up and then concentrated. Bolts of electricity seemed to rain down on her as she willed the stones to work, her power at her peak. She’d never been more motivated in her life and she didn’t spare a single flicker. She’d trained herself for years, more than Alex himself had ever had the chance. She knew exactly what powers she had and how to use them. She was in sense, almost invincible. Every single fiber was used in her fight to revive Alex. The glow spread, the water turned green, she didn’t stop. There was intense, unimaginable pressure on her neck, tearing her apart but she concentrated.

Alex’s body lifted, breaking the surface of the filthy liquid. She caught her breath, nearly losing concentration. He was gray, like a side of stone. No blue, no alien-green, not normal. He seemed…dead. Liz shook her head savagely, concentrating harder. And explosion filled the room. Liz saw the glass shattering of the pod and felt herself flying backward. She crashed into the wall. She fell down and then sat up. Jarring pain shot through her. But she could feel him.

*Alex??*

She did her best to concentrate on the thread on connection. Instinctively knew that it was him. And that this was the way she could communicate with him. It was an other-worldly connection, one she knew had come from the stars. Vaguely she wondered if this was how people communicated in her home planet.

*Liz??*

*Alex!!* She sobbed, the terror excruciating.

*Why did you come??* She could feel his weariness.

*Don’t give up NOW, I swear to god!! Alex?? Don’t leave me!! PLEASE!! Hold on, I’ll get you out of here!!* She gave it her best surge and sure enough, the healing stones lit up like a million stars, glowing in their intensity.

*STOOOOOOP!!! *

She felt Alex’s essence in her marrow, the pain agonizing. He was hurting so bad…..and the cause was the healing stones. She stopped. She could feel him trying desperately to maintain the contact.

*Alex??? What’s wrong?? Why aren’t these goddamn things WORKING??* She kicked at the one nearest to her, throwing it at the farthest corner of the room. A diamond would’ve spilt in two at the force of the throw but it remained intact, bouncing harmlessly off the wall. A split appeared in the white sterility of the wall.

*You can’t help me. Liz. It’s time for you to go.* She could feel his strength fading. Quickly she did a check of his reserves; she reached out through her mind and encountered his. Then an idea occurred to her.

*Alex?? ALEX, can you hear me???* Her thoughts were strident with urgency.

*No, Liz. It’s time to go.*

*Shut UP!! You’re NOT dying on me!! LISTEN to me!! If I use this connection to get in touch with your body, your brain, I can heal you!! Do u understand?? It’ll take power yes, but I have it! Please Alex, trust me, it’s going to work!!*

She didn’t wait for him to reply, she started. Summoning up all her strength, she concentrated on the connection. She was IN!!! And then she stopped. Excess energy bounced around through their connection, setting things to a boil. With sheer will, she slowed it down. What she’d seen inside his head had started the pound of deep-seated, mindless horror. She didn’t believe what she’d just thought she’d seen.

*Al…….Alex??* She quavered, feeling once again like the 6year old with a whiskey bottle in her hand, the fear driving her crazy. She’d long since forgotten sensations. *Why didn’t I see anything inside you??* her voice trembled with unshed tears. She looked like a bewildered, confused child sitting there on her haunches. The vapour of her destruction had filled the room, making her eyes tear. But she sat still, her mind unable to deal with the horror she’d just seen.

*There’s nothing left, liz. They took everything!* he sounded so hurt, so resigned.

Yet she didn’t move. Slowly she started shaking her head,. Then it turned into a chant “NO, no, no, no, NO, NO!!” she screamed aloud, like an animal. “NOOOOOO!!!”

*Please, liz!! Just go. This is the last thing I want you to do for me. It’ll happen anyday now!! Please, grant me my last wish. Get the hell out!!*

Liz tore her backpack in two. She took out the orbs. They’d help. They'd better help!!

*NO, Liz!! They can’t. *

*They WON’T do that to me!!*

The orbs glowed for a second, then the bluish light vanished. She stared in dumb-founded shock. “What the hell?? Why isn’t this WORKING?? Why doesn’t ANYTHING work when I want it to??” she screamed.

Frustrated beyond reason, she held up her hand, trying to blast it out of sight.

*Don’t DO that!! It’s a communicator; it’ll help you leave this filthy hell-hole. Go, Liz, have mercy on me and just GO!!*

Liz didn’t bother, she ran over, collecting the stones and surrounded Alex’s remains.

She brought in the orbs and concentrated hard. It was her most powerful one yet. Dimly she could feel a blessed dark coming in from the corners of her mind but she pushed it away violently. The glow lit up the room, the walls shook. The energy was NOT going to be contained. Any second now, the place would blow or at least the light would escape, notifying inhabitants of planet Earth the activities of aliens.

Alex’s pain ripped through her, making her feel faint. He was burning inside out, she could feel. *STOOOOOOOOOPPPP!!!* She could feel him screaming.

She let go abruptly, unable to believe that it was all going like this. Her plan had been so perfect. She’d never, ever even thought it would end like this.

*Listen to me!* Alex bit in harshly into her mind. *LISTEN!! They’ve taken away my entire inside, ok? I’ve no brain, no bloodstream, no lungs, no digestive tracts, no reproductive organs, and no muscles!!! Do you understand what I am saying?? They’ve flushed everything out of me!! All I have is this shell. And this body is already DEAD!! I just need this shell gone, Liz!! That is the only way I can escape this hell. Please, Liz!! Just go AWAY!!*

Liz stared disbelievingly. “They’d taken everything out?? How the hell could they??” she shouted, rage poring off her in waves.

*They’ll burn in hell.*

*NO!! Promise me, Liz that you’re leaving now!!*

"I won’t. I’ll blow up this fucking place up!! I’ll kill ALL of them![/i]" she screamed in mindless fury, uncaring who the hell heard outside.

*Tell me how they took everything out!* Her words came out frigid, a terrifying change from the anguished cries before.

*Don’t make say this, Liz!!*

*TELL ME!!!!*

*They cut it out of me, all riiight?? They used those for experiments!! You can find them in some labs, just don’t bother brining it back in, Liz, they’ve already done their job. This outer shell is DEAD!! I’m hanging on by the barest thread. I’m craving for the moment when it actually rots and I can finally escape. So I’m telling you now, just PLEASE let me go. *

*Don’t make me do this!* she babbled, tears mixing with the drool falling unchecked from her mouth. The smoke had gotten worse. She glanced aimlessly at the watch. 40 minutes had gone by. *Please, Alex, don’t make me do this. I’m begging you, please!!* She wept, rocking on her feet, responsibility and logic warring inside her like an inferno. *Don’t make me do this!!* She begged, kneeling down, her hands holding her head.

*Don’t cry, sweetie, it’s for the best. You know it. I can’t stay like this. This is HELL. Please, liz, do it.*

*I won’t!!* She screamed in her mind. *I won’t!! You can’t make me!!*

*I can’t go on like this, Liz. I hurt so bad…* she could feel Alex trail off.

She came out of her daze. She yanked herself off the floor. She shook with the effort but she calmed herself down. She moved in a daze. She opened up the exits of the chamber, fully prepared to kill whoever that dared come in her way. There was no one. She smiled, it was diabolical.

*Alex?? It’ll be okay. I’m making it okay for you. Just hang on for a couple of minutes longer.*

*Liz!! Get OUT!!! * He screamed out to her. But even that came out in a whisper. She could feel his strength ebbing away. He had no more than 10 minutes, max.

*Don’t worry, darling. We’ll be together. We’ve always wanted that, remember?? Oh, Alex, did I tell you what I’ve always dreamed about? Just you, Maria and me. You guys would get married and I’d spoil your kids rotten. Maybe some god would actually allow us all to be together. I’m going to miss Max so much.*

There was nothing from Alex.

Tears streaming down her face, she held her palm out, aiming towards the main wiring of the safe house. The air crackled with a familiar green glow as she geared up her power for one final blow. She’d make sure Alex was safe. And then she’d die too. There was no point in living.
7:25.


30 minutes ago
6:55

Michael had just finished cutting off the lines when he saw the first patrol jeep. It made a slow pass, the surveillance team efficiently scanning the area with night vision goggles. Michael flattened himself behind an unused dumpster. He prayed they wouldn’t find the car. He heard the jeep stop and his heart stopped beating.

Footsteps sounded nearby. Michael held on to the gun in his belt for dear life and prayed that he wouldn’t get discovered. The footsteps stopped 5 yards to his behind. Michael stopped breathing. The he heard it.

“This is SpU 305, repeat SpU 305. Checking on the situation, everything seems normal.” A pause went by. Michael didn’t move a muscle. “Copy that. Intrusion alert. Still no sign of anything. Heading out. No!! I can’t go in, I don’t have clearance!” Another pause, much briefer. When the voice came again, it was highly annoyed. "No! I told you, control, that Pierce can’t be reached, so alert State, if you have to! As from my end, Can’t enter target. Out!”

The footsteps moved away. Michael felt the vibrations of the jeep starting. As soon as it had cleared, he raced out. I knew it, I KNEW IT!! Shit!! Max’s is gonna KILL me, she’s caught!!

He moved towards the door. He saw the fence, almost thought of climbing it. It was too high and there was no sign on it or anything. He reached out…

Just then, a small rock hit slapped against his boot and went into the fence. Michael looked on in shock as it completely decimated. SHIT!!!!!

He backed away. Now, he had no choice but to stay out. He spent another 10 minutes scurrying around, terrified that the agents were coming back. Nothing happened. Michael was about to breathe in relief when he remembered the convo. “Copy that. Intrusion alert.” Hmmmm…. Intrusion alert. Yet the guy just went away because he didn’t have clearance. Think, Mike, THINK!!! He said to alert State!! Dammit!! STATE? As in State department?? But they can’t do that!!! Godammit, Max!! what mess did you get yourself into this time??!!

He headed for the car they’d hidden into the underbrush. Any moment now, he expected gunfire, or worse, people coming in to investigate. Hurry up, Liz!!

He revved up the engine. No one. He swung the car back on to the road and set out. He moved around in a wide circle, going as close to the open area near the fertilizer plant as possible. Still nothing. He continued the search. He thought of reaching Max but Max might still be with Pierce, so no point in distracting him. After 15 more minutes, when, on a burst of daring, he crossed the fertilizer plant and moved along the road, he saw something that made his blood freeze. On the rise of a bluff were weird-looking objects crawling on the ground. Then it registered in his brain. They were army personnel.

Michael stood in shock, absolute shock. The soldiers were on foot, no jeeps as yet. They hadn’t cleared the rise yet. As soon as they did, he would be visible.

Michael didn’t waste a single second. He rapidly calculated the time that would take for them to clear the rise and the time it would take for him to get back into the road and drive. It would take them 5 minutes and it would take him 3. He didn’t wait. His watch said 7:25 pm.

He made it out of there in 2 minutes flat. Fear was a strange motivator.

He drove the next 2 miles in seconds, even over the rough terrain. He didn’t care anymore. He yanked out his cell and dialed Liz’s number. This was absolutely last resort and Max had drilled it into both of them. It rang for the millionth time. Finally a voice answered. For a second, Michael thought it was someone else, the voice was so changed.

“WHAT?” Liz barked on the other end.

“Liz?? Is that you????”

“What the f*** do you want?”

“What’s going on, dammit?!!! The friggin' ARMY’s here!! GET OUT!!!!”

“They sent the Army??” Liz sounded vaguely disturbed. Vaguely.

“What IS going on with you?? What is this, a park trip?? Get your ass out of there!! You heard me, if we have to go with Alex, we need to go NOW!!”

“Get lost, Guerin!”

He thought he’d misheard her. “Liz?? Hello?? Are you there?”

“I’m here for another second. Go, Michael I’ve got it under control. “

“WHAT?? What’s wrong with you?? I can’t go!! What’ll I do, take the car?? Real smart, Parker!! Now stuff the attitude and tell me how to get in!”

“GO, Michael!! It’s over. Tell Max…..tell Max I’m sorrier than I ever was. I really cared about him, will you tell him that?”

“WHAT?? What the fuck are you talking about?? Liz! LET ME IN!!”

“Go! Tell him I’m sorry I couldn’t keep my promise.”

“NO!!! LIZ!!” this time, he lost control. The echo resounded loudly. “LIZ!!”

There was no answer.

Michael dropped to the ground. He was in one hell of a situation. The Army was headed towards them, a dragnet. They were moving way too slowly, thank god, but they were coming. They were surrounded. And now Liz wouldn’t come out. Fucking God DAMN IT to Hell!!! He ran for the fence, he didn’t care what happened. Common sense made him stop. Getting fried would accomplish nothing. He raced back to the car.

Yanking out the blue prints, he found the fuse boxes for the wire. They were in an outhouse but firmly inside the damn wired fence. Michael reached inside a stowed away backpack and held out 5 grenades. They were of the latest tech, created lethal but contained explosions, reputed to go through steel, iron ore and almost all type of known metal. He grabbed them all and raced towards the rear of the safe house. That was where the labs were located.

He took a deep breath as he approached the fence. There were no trees, nothing. He stopped for a second. Summoning all the training he’d had in college of an amateur jumper, he ran full tilt. 20 yards, 10 yards.... Michael’s heart pounded if he didn’t make it, he’d be McNugget ala electricity. 5 yards, 3 yards… and Michael vaulted, using a 3 feet tall sapling he’d found nearby. Maybe it was the intense fear for one’s life that makes impossible things possible, he didn’t know, but Michael landed, on his feet, in a perfect back flip. He’d cleared the 12 feet fence without a pole. He breathed on unsteady limbs. The he sobered. He circled the wall he knew was the lab. There were fissures coming out of the walls. What the fuck??

He spied a crack in the wall, he peered through. What he saw froze his blood. Without warning, he threw up. He retched dryly over to the side, unable to stomach what he’d just seen. Jesus H. Christ. Then he got himself under control.

He took out the grenade, making sure Liz was far away, he pressed the decompressor and ran the required 100 yards…oh shit this is only 30 yards away!! He ran back around the safe house. After 20 seconds, he felt the earth move under his feet but the sound had been a dull roar that had faded away into the night.

Michael raced around and stopped at the carnage. Liz lay on the floor. Michael didn’t hesitate, he ran over to her. She stood up. Michael caught his breath. She looked drained. Her eyes had sunk back in her face due to the extremes of power it had taken from her and also the utter shock of Alex’s appearance. Then he quickly made his way to Alex. His throat filled again but he made himself walk over. He took one stone gray wrist in his hand. There was no pulse.

“Jesus Christ, what did they do to him?” he whispered, tears blurring his visions. Being a doctor and a scientist, he had a pretty good idea.

He looked at Liz. She looked completely unbalanced. Her eyes wild, glowing with such hatred that Michael cowered before the ferocity in her face.

“What do we do?” he kept the tremors out of his voice.

“Leave.” Her voice was ice. “GO!”

“Liz, listen to me!” he spoke every letter carefully, enunciated so that she’d understand. “Listen! The army’s out there!! We have to leave. NOW.”

She threw him across the room. “GO!!” she screamed.

Michael picked himself up. He expected guards to come in any second. But nothing happened. I guess it’s been sound proofed.

“Liz!! Stop it!!”

“NO!! They killed him!! They cut him open like an animal!!” Liz screamed, her voice ragged with torment. “No one’s getting out of here. I’ll give you five seconds, Michael. Then, you die here with me and Alex!!”

Michael’s eyes widened. Desperately, he thought what he could do. Knocking her out was out of the question. But any second the dragnet would come in. What could they do then? After all, if they got her profile, she’d land the same fate as Alex too. He tried to approach her, she held up her palm. A green bolt of electricity hit him on the torso. He screamed, the pain blinding.

Liz stood up in her full height, then made her way to Alex. She placed him on his back. Tears dropped down her chin on to his dead skin. He looked like he was in such immense pain when his body had given out that she winced. But she knew what she had to do. She stood up.

“Michael. Go. I won’t repeat myself.”

“Liz, it’s Max!! Pierce’s got him!!”

Liz stopped. Her eyes snapped in his direction. “WHAT??”

“They have him, Liz! You’re the only one who can save him! Let’s go, please!!”

Liz stopped the power surge she’d started at the main wiring; the surge would’ve obliterated everything. In seconds, the place would’ve blown. But now she heard the words she’d never thought she’d hear. Max was in trouble.

She stopped. Michael could see the war inside her. She trembled with strain. Michael spoke in the calmest voice he could, but his anguish wasn’t going to be denied.

“I’m begging you, Liz. Don’t do this. Don’t commit suicide. You’ll be killing him, too.” One tear dropped off his cheek, he didn’t care.

“He’s in trouble, Liz. I don’t know what to do.”



Okay.....now that i've sufficiently broken everyone's heart or so i think.....please don't forget to come back, okay?? Don't desert me just yet!

Sarah.

Chapter 26

Michael lied through his teeth. He’d had no communication with Max in the last 2 hours. He had no idea what Max was up to. But all he was concerned about right now was Liz. She was prepared to die in here and kill anyone who stood in her path.

He didn’t blame her. He saw what they’d done to Alex. They’d cut him open like he was so much meat and then they’d left him in here. Rage unlike he’d ever known in his life was pouring through him. He remembered what Max had said about Maria and the never handed over body? Had she gone through the same fate? Would they ever know?? Michael truly believed Liz was justified in killing anyone in here. These were not human beings, they were monsters.

All he wanted now was to get her out of there. He’d promised Max that he wouldn’t let anything happen to Liz, he’d be damned if he didn’t see it through. No matter how much blackmail it took. She didn’t know, couldn't know that he’d been lying.

Liz stood there, torn. She would do anything to help Max. After what she’d just seen happen to Alex, she knew Max’s fate would be much worse. She didn’t want to be responsible for his death also. They’d cut him open too, trying to see what he’d gotten. They’d do their worse and we’ve never even made love yet, that they’d find something!! He won’t survive this. What do I do??

Liz sobbed openly. As much as she wanted to help Max, she wouldn’t leave her brother here, rotting in hell. No, the only way to ensure he didn’t die in this condition was to put him out of his misery. And Liz had long ago promised herself that she’d die before she let anything happen to him. It had been her vow, her promise. So there was no choice, really.

She screamed, like a wounded animal. Excess energy flew from her fingers, nearly scorching Michael.

Then they both stopped. Liz went perfectly still as she heard Alex once again open up to her. *For the love of God, Liz, will you stop this already?? *He sounded so weak, that she felt her heart stop beating.

*NO!! I’ll die here with you!! I won’t leave you!* She threw back. She could feel him slipping away. Her mind had started accepting the facts. Alex was too weak. He wouldn’t survive another of her healing stone blast. Damned things dodn’t even work as they’re supposed to! She thought in bitter fury. Logic told her that it was over. The only thing she could do for him right now was putting him out of his suffering. Then she could save someone else. Someone who’d landed in this mess just for her. Someone she cared about. Max. Liz hesitated yet again. She couldn’t bring herself to kill her own flesh and blood. No matter what her mind told her to do.

*Listen to me!! All I want to do is be with Maria. I know I will be, if you just let me go!! Please, Liz, I’m begging you! Just destroy this body, this place. Make sure they’ve no traces of you. You saw what they did to me. If someone else lands in this position, they’d get the brunt of it. If you love me, you’ll do this. I can’t go on like this, Liz, I CAN'T!!* She felt his anguish magnify, knowing how close he was to blessed release.

*I can’t do this!!* She sobbed.

*Yes, you can. Look at me for the last time, Liz. I love you. And I’m asking you to do this one thing for me. You’ll never know how much it meant for me to have you as a sister. I don’t know what I’d do if this would‘ve been you Liz, but I know what you would’ve told me. You’d have told me to go. How can you deny me the same thing?* He felt his strength nearly gone. Pretty soon, all that would be left of him would be the sensations he’d been living in hell with for past one month.

*I can’t!!* She blubbered, falling down. Michael caught her and held her tightly against his chest. She was wound up tighter than anything. She was breaking apart and he couldn’t do a damn thing to help.

*Liz!! I love you, above all else, you know that!! Please, don’t put me through this. This is all I have left. Don’t you get it? This is not ME anymore???*

*NOOOOOOO!!* She screamed. Michael held her tighter. In that instant, Liz felt a searing jolt of pain that left her gasping for breath. It had come from Max. She went down, dragging Michael with her. Michael pulled her up. His face was streaked with tears; he knew what she was going through. It was obvious from her expression something happened to Max right then. He didn’t know whether to cry that his lie had actually come true.

But he made himself talk. “Liz, you can’t do anymore here but put him out now. That way, at least be satisfied he didn’t die in pain.”

Liz didn’t even hear him. Her mind was wrapped in a painful universe where the dark was mercy and life unending source of pain. The terror of the last 25 years of her life at having been totally alone raged over her like a forest fire. She burned, she crashed, she died. Then she straightened with a courage she wasn’t aware she had.

*I can’t do this, Alex. But I have to. Goodbye, brother. I loved you so much. I’ll do this for you. But I have to be there for someone else. I love him. I won’t lose him the same way I’ve lost you.*

*Good girl.* She could feel the affection and the pride beneath the rumbling thunder. She wept.

Then she stood up straight and disentangled herself from Michael. She scooped up the orbs, put them in her pockets and zipped them down with her powers. She didn’t want them gone, too.

“Leave.’ She ordered Michael. He crumbled. All this talk, all this time wasted for this!!

“No, fuck it, I’m not leaving you behind!!”

“Go!!’ she shoved him. “I’ll be right behind you!”

Michael stared at her for one moment then his eyes flashed with gratitude. He kissed her forehead. “Thank you.” his voice was laden with emotion.

He ran out the gaping hole. He spotted the security team heading out towards them. He knew he had max 3 minutes to stop them. He needed to give Liz the time she needed. He decompressed another grenade and threw it in their midst. He shut his eyes and prayed as he heard the explosions. He’d taken a life for the first time in his life and he was shocked how unaffected he was, how morbidly satisfied.

Liz placed each healing stone in strategic locations. They’d suck the essence out Alex’ shell. And they’d explode when Liz blasted them. The body would die and so would Alex’s spirit. But now she knew it was for the best. She knelt down after she was finished, took Alex’s icy body in her arms and shed the last tears. Then she stood. Her feet trembled, her entire body ached. Drawing on unknown reserves of strength, she held her flashing palms out.

*Goodbye, Alex!* she choked out, rivers of despair flowing down her cheeks.

*Goodbye, sis. I’m so proud of you. You’ll never begin to understand how much pride I take from the fact that you turned out to be so special without any help from anyone. Keep it up, darling. You’ll always be special, don’t ever forget that. Get the Granolith. It’s the only thing that would keep you safe. Goodbye, Lizzie. I love you.*

It was the last thing she felt from him. An intense blast of green shot out from her hitting the stones. They glowed hotter than the sun for all of a second then the world went up in flames.

Michael was standing outside, the car ready when he felt the blast. He looked up in shock. Liz’ body came hurling out. Michael choked back the scream and ran to catch her. He was too late; she hit the ground and went completely still. There was a faint pulse. He shook her. She came to after one terrifying moment in Michael’s life.

She was so weak, that she couldn’t even hold up her head. Michael caught her up in his arms. He saw the glowing lights of the fertilizer plant. He came out with an idea but knew that it would be impossible without Liz’s help.

“Liz, the dragnet’s closing in!! We’ve got to move now!” He shook her, frantic with worry.

She moaned. She felt so tired. All she wanted to do was die. Or cry deep inside herself as she reflected on what she’d done. She’d just taken her brother’s life. As long as she was allowed to live in this world, she knew she’d remember this forever.

“Liz!!”

“Wha......what?” her voice broke. She wanted water, Michael thoughtfully handed her a canteen. She sipped gratefully. She remembered what he’d said. “What dragnet?”

“We’re surrounded, Liz. They’ve taken it slow. Are there any casualties?” he gestured towards the burned out gaping side of the safe house. He knew that if they caught sight of the fire, it would be over in seconds, they needed a massive distraction, and they needed it NOW!!

“Yes. They’re all dead.” Liz spoke the words with grim satisfaction. She faded in and out; she was so exhausted her powers were down to ALMOST nil. Any second now, she’d black out.

“We need a diversion.” She spoke, barely coherent. ‘We need to do something. I have to get out of here, Oh God, MAX!!!”

Michael cradled her and headed towards the power lines underneath the house. From the blueprints, he’d gathered that the power needed for the semi- Hot Zone lab in the building, they needed immense electricity. All they needed was the plastique. He had three left but these were puny if they needed to do what he had in mind. He looked down to see Liz’s condition. She was out again, her head lolling, the veins in her slender neck standing out. She was minutes away from total collapse. He prayed they’d have enough time to get out of it. They went inside the trapdoor to the underground. It indeed was a full-fledged mini dynamo.

“Liz?” he shook her awake, poring the rest of the water over her in an effort to revive her. It worked; she sat up.

She stared at him and then at the plant. ‘Will this work?”

“I have no idea, but if you can maintain a certain level then we can escape the blast. This power line is connected to the same one as the fertilizer plant 2 miles away. The dragnet hadn’t reached the place yet, last time I was there. 20 minutes have passed. They’re not less than 1 mile away. That means we’ve blown it.”

“Not necessarily. We blow the plant, it takes them by surprise, we break rank and escape.”

“Gotcha. So, can you do it?”

She faded away. Michael stared helplessly.

The she bolted upright. “I have to!! Max needs me. I have to go!! Get a move on!!’ she shouted, her voice cracking.

Michael smiled through a suppressed sob “Yes, he certainly does.’

She shook herself free, only to fall down again. She struggled to get to the dynamo and swiped her palm over it. Michael held her up and then began dragging her away. At a safe distance, she held up her hand. The familiar green bolt shot out and hit the dynamo’s center. It s flickered. Liz’s personal time bomb had started ticking. He picked her up and ran; she was too weak to protest. Michael panted as they fell on to the car. “How long?”

“10 minutes.” Liz’s head fell back. She slumped to the ground before Michael could catch her. She was out.

Michael backhanded her. Nothing. She was really out this time. He stashed her into the back, strapped her securely in. Last thing he needed to worry about was car accident.

He got into the driver’s seat and started the engine, uncaring who the hell saw them. As he made his way towards the fertilizer plant, he kept his eyes fixed on the damn watch. It was 7: 52 pm.

It had taken him 20 minutes to convince Liz to get out and another7 minutes to get them in the perimeter of the plant. The lights had gone out, it had been evacuated. He’d traveled through the rough ground, grateful beyond belief that the car had held up. Parking in the darkest shadows he could find, he took stock. He’d looked all the way for the dragnet, still no sign of them. Now, at the distance, he could see them. The soldiers, the jeep. He took out his NVD’s he’d borrowed from Max and looked out, they were still 100 yards away.
He got out his cell and rang Max, uncaring of what might happen.

“Max??” he shouted as soon as Max answered.

“Yeah!! What’s wrong?” his voice basically cracked. Michael heard unintelligible sounds of scuffling, someone being gagged and bound, then Max broke in again. “What’s wrong, Michael?? Where’s LIZ?? Is she okay? Tell me!! I felt her, she was so scared!! Michael?? Why the hell am I talking to you, put her on the godammned phone!!”

“I can’t… she’s out. Max. There’s a dragnet. I don’t know if we can make it or not!!”

“Drag…….??? I’m on my way!!”

“With Pierce?? Don’t be an asshole!! Get the stuff from the special vaults Max, you might need it. She’s out, by the way. She’s drained. I have a plan. We can get out but it’s you that I’m worried about!!”

“Goddammit!! I never should’ve let her go on her own!’ Max screamed, anger and helplessness at an all time high.

“HEY!!” Michael broke in, “Stow the pity party!! We’re going to get out.”

“What about Alex??” Max shouted. “What shape is he in?”

Michael bowed his head. This would kill Max. ‘He’s dead.”

“What?” Max whispered, baffled; anger hadn’t sunk in yet. “What?? But they don’t die!! She told me so, for God’s sake!!”

“She blew him up, Max.”

“WHAT??”

“I’ll tell you later!! Right now, I’ve got to go.”

Max assembled his numbed brain into working order. He put all emotions on hold. He’d been this way for the past 7 years and tonight he was grateful to allow his natural instincts to take care of the situation.

“Meet me where we decided. Get out of Washington and do it now. Get to a godammn airport. Book a flight for LA. We’ll meet in that old haunt of ours in South Pasadena, got it? Yeah, near the airfields. I don’t care what it takes but make sure you both are safe!”

“What about you?” Mike barked.

“I’ll be right behind you.”

Michael heard a click on the line. He looked at the watch. It said 7:55 pm. Instantly a massive explosion shook the earth. The ground rumbled. Michael felt the vibrations, strong enough to pass for an earthquake pass underneath the car.

In a matter of minutes, he knew the fertilizer plant would blow. Obviously the lines were new or something. He gunned the engine, ignoring who saw him. He could see the army personnel all taking cover, turning away from the scene. If he had to go, it had to be NOW!! He gunned the engine, mercifully, the tyres didn’t screech, as the underbrush was wet. He floored the gas and felt the car speed through the perimeter of the plant. Any second now, he’d be on top of the army. And then, he’d go to hell.

He closed his eyes and pressed down on the gas. At that instant, he felt the ground give way from underneath him. There was a tremendous explosion. A glowing inferno went soaring up into the night sky, a mushroom cloud of smoke billowing out from the crater of the fertilizer plant. He was shocked when he looked back to see how far he’d come.

He’d gone straight through the dragnet. The personnel had scattered at the sound of the explosion; it had been a clear path. NO ONE expected someone to come out from the blast alive, no one had even seen them as they’d made it out of there. Michael thanked every god he could name, that they’d made out of it ok. Now, it just mattered getting on a plane to California.

He’d left a missed call to Max the instant he realized they were clean. That was the signal that they’d made it out okay. He glanced back at Liz. She was out cold. He didn’t stop the car to check on her. He knew that there would be roadblocks ahead, but there was nothing.

Guess they really wanted to keep it quiet!!

Michael headed for the nearest airport he could find.

Within the hour he was making his way to a private airfield owned by Amy Russell’s cousin, a rich entrepreneur. The jet flew off. He made the necessary calls, telling them he’d an emergency. His aunt was dying, his last living relative. Hence he was on official leave for 10 days to the haunts of Buenos Aires. The Brigadier General gave him a hard time but that was all. As soon as he settled down on the flight, it hit him what he’d done today.

He caressed Liz’s hair, willing her to wake up. No such luck. Max had adamantly warned him not to call. He didn’t dare. So he sat back, with tears streaming down his face at how many lives were destroyed, all in the name of goddamn science. It was over 10:00 pm, Washington time.


Hope that helped .
Sarah

I don't feel like posting a part with a post, so.......... WARNING...rating R

Chapter 27

(2 hours ago, in the warehouse)
8:00 pm.

Max had just hung up. The tension in him was fit to burst. He’d left Pierce trussed up like a turkey and he’d gotten the hell out of earshot. Now all he waited for was the missed call from Michael. It came after 3 breathless minutes. After that, Max forced himself to relax. He needed to get to the special vaults and get whatever the hell they needed because Liz was out. And after all this, he’d kill himself first then fail her this time too! You didn’t fail her!! It was bound to happen! His mind argued. His heart wasn’t being logical at the moment. He went back to Pierce.

“Get up, bastard.”

Pierce stood up, anger and scorn in every line of his tall frame. He was gagged and bound; yet his eyes showed the hatred he wanted to show. Words weren’t necessary.

Max felt his own fury coming off in powerful waves. This bastard had been the cause of everything. With effort, he controlled his voice.

“You kill people like they don’t mean a godammned thing!”

Pierce stared back, eyes like laser.

“Now you’re going to be on the receiving end.” Max’s voice was ice.
Pierce’s eyes went wide. Max smiled dangerously.

“You messed with my family, people I loved. Now you’re going to pay for that. No one crosses me, you got that? I’m going to destroy you.” Max’s voice held a chilling timbre.

“See how it feels to know that you could’ve done everything right, gotten everything you ever wanted and some self-centered bastard comes and takes it all away.”

Max went over to Pierce and yanked whatever weapon he could find. Nail filers, Swiss Army knife, and pens, even his cuffs. When he was done, he yanked Pierce into the car.

Pierce went along without incident. As they reached the car and Max opened the door to let Pierce in, Pierce jumped him. He lunged towards him, sandwiching him between the car door and the car seat. Then, using his entire bulk, he pushed the door shut, squeezing Max in.

Max had been prepared. As soon as he’d felt Pierce break off, he’d let him think that he’d gone down. When Pierce tried to slam the door shut, he twisted out of the car, propelling Pierce off his feet and into the place he’d just evacuated. The door slammed into Pierce’s shins. He let out a howl of anguish.

Max stood, breathing hard. “You’re lucky I didn’t shoot you. Any more stunts like that, Pierce, I swear, you won’t live to see the end of it!!”

Pierce didn’t respond. Seeing that, Max stepped in and pistol-whipped him. He wanted to see the bastard hurt!! God knows how many people died today, because of this guy’s insatiable lust!!

He got in the front, drove out of there. Every second counted now. All he could feel was Liz. And the scariest part was, that he actually couldn’t feel her at all.

He made his way back into the mainstream, uncaring of the bound and gagged passenger in the back. He reached the FBI HQ. Memories of the last time he’d been here with Liz swamped him. It’d not even been 24 hours. The smell of her skin was so strong, he wanted to close his eyes and savor it. But there was no time now. All that mattered right now was saving her. Smelling her would come later.

He stopped the car a block away, then yanked Pierce out. He thrust him in front and shoved up his Glock up his spine. Pierce stiffened satisfactorily.

“Get something straight. One more stunt, I’ll blow your head off. So forget about any surprise attacks. I’ve been trained by the best or don’t you remember??”

Pierce didn’t do anything.

Max moved in close, invading Pierce’s personal space. In one smooth motion, he took hold of the edge of the tape that had covered Pierce’s mouth and neck and ripped it off. The tape had been adhesive. Skin came off.

A strangled cry came out but it was muted by a brutal chop to his neck.
Pierce bent over, wheezing. His windpipe was crushed, no sounds coming out of him except gagging. He wouldn’t be able to talk. They both knew it. Pierce looked up at Max, eyes full of rage. Max stared right back.

The beep of his alarm clock got his attention. It was 8:45. 43 minutes had passed since he’d heard anything from Michael. And from the state of the alien voodoo, he’d gathered Liz was still out. He‘d observed a hell of a lot. One thing, Liz never got too tired. She’d been on the road longer than him. She’d been following him all the way from the US to Thailand. The only time she’d seemed genuinely tired was on the plane.

Now that she was out so cold, he didn’t know what to think! Was she burned out, drained…...dead?? Don’t even GO there, Maxwell!! NOT NOW!!

Pierce was waiting for him. His voice still hadn’t returned above a rasp.

Max shoved him forward. “Move, you son of a bitch!”

They made their was into the HQ, using Pierce’s ID. There were no guards in the special entrance, it had guaranteed top-security. No cameras, no personnel, nothing except foolproof, state-of-the-art technology guaranteed to ensure security. A retina scanner, fingerprint pad, footprint???

“Jesus, the FBI’s gone godammned paranoid!!” Max commented seeing the extensive measures taken against the illegal entries.

He shoved Pierce forward. His eyes held no quarter. “Do it.” He ordered, gesturing towards the equipment.

Pierce stepped forward. His reluctance was obvious. He knew Evans would finish him. Not just him, his legacy, his legend, his entire career. It was the hardest thing Pierce ever had to do. But he did, because he knew he had no choice. Life was a precious motivator.

Max looked at him, revulsion stretched in every line of his face. “Now you’re thinking about the sanctity of life?” he spat out, unable to bear looking at him. “It never occurred to you when you killed God knows how many people in order to fulfill your personal quest??”

Max didn’t think, he reacted with a fury that surprised him. He pointed the gun laterally alongside Pierce’s muscled arm and shot him. the silencer reduced the sound to a spit. Pierce’s eyes snapped open in utter disbelief. A mangled cry emerged from the crushed throat.

Max stared at him coldly. “That ought to teach you a little bit about control. As you can see that I’m really not in full control of my anger or my sense right now, so do it while I still give you air to breathe!”

He didn’t need to repeat himself. They were in. In the meantime, Pierce had repaired his damaged arm with a little bit of duct tape and the small spray of disinfectant that Max had tossed his way.

“You’ll be logged in.” Max told Pierce. He spoke matter-of-factly. He had a very, very risky plan. But that was all he had if he wanted to save Liz. And that was already a forgone conclusion.

They made their way in. Up ahead were the main offices. Max dragged Pierce into a security checkpoint. It was deserted. He didn’t bother to check for directions. He leaned over the counter and deleted Pierce from the logs. Pierce gaped at him. Max didn’t bother to respond.

He maneuvered them in through the sideway and removed a vent covering. He gestured. “After you.”
Pierce complied.

They used the ducts to get through to the main vaults. It had taken a non-stop crawl for the better part of 2 hours. It was nearly 11, but Max kept going. They finally reached the vaults’ ducts. Pierce stopped. Max leaned back in the constricted space as much as he could and kicked Pierce’s ass.

Pierce whipped back, ready to tear Max apart but found himself facing the end of a cocked Glock. He let it go. Max smiled cruelly. “Got your ass kicked, Agent Pierce??” he snarled softly. That ain’t ALL I’m gonna do to you, pal!!

Max gestured him to move over. He did. He used a small battery-powered laser cutter and started through the duct cover. It didn’t even make a sound.

Pierce stood there, stock-still. The vents are supposed to give off alarms!! It's standard procedure!! Pierce thought wildly.

Max smirked at him. “You really think I’m an amateur like you?? Then why the hell did you pay your goddamned 20 million??”

Pierce continued to stare at him with loathing in his voice. Max didn’t bother to check up on him. He removed the door and waited until the light of the video cam turned green. It was the signal that the surveillance video had been activated. He threw an opaque shell over it. It arced through the air and landed perfectly over the screen.

Max yanked Pierce down. They both jumped. He didn’t wait for Pierce to get to his feet; he dragged the fallen man into the nearby identification chambers and went through procedures. Within the next 3 seconds, it was clearly marked that Agent Pierce was in the vaults. The personnel that had come to check up didn’t bother to go in.

Max dragged Pierce over to the equipment for unlocking the main vaults. Pierce tried to move. He made an inch before the barrel of the Glock hit the side of his ear. It burned; Max had hit a nerve.

“Do as I say or I’ll rip the next nerve out with my own fucking hands!!” Max growled.

Pierce entered his codes, all the access he had as the Head of the Special Unit. He had more than a good idea of what Evans was planning. He was going to be the dupe, the unwitting lackey. His entire career would go down the drain for this, not Evans’, as he’d previously planned. Rage made it hard for him to do anything. He’d be disgraced, his name abused. He’d be the pariah of the world, the laughingstock of the Intel community. He forced his hands to move.

Max stood there, enjoying every reluctant move Pierce made, enjoying his surrender. It’s his time to pay, and by God, he will!!

Pierce stood back. “All yours.” The loathing was hard to miss.

Max took no notice. He opened the vaults. Instantly a red light blinked on. It would report back to the main comm. center. And Pierce’s name was on the logs. Max took out the crystal shaped object. Pierce stared at him in shock. He was obviously wondering why he would take out the alien objects, then it hit him.
“There’re more, aren’t there??” he rasped out, bile rising in his throat. “Oh Sweet God!! There’re MORE of these ….these things!! And you’re letting them escape??”

Max backhanded Pierce. This time, the latter’s lip split open. Max went back to studying the objects. He gathered everything up. The entire vault was empty. Not that there was much, just a couple of files, the Granolith, some folders. He packed them all in.

Then he turned to Pierce. “Sign this.” He barked. He’d already wasted too much time. If electronic depressants recorded the weight-loss in the vaults and reported back to State Department, he’d be trapped. And Liz wasn’t going to wake up until he brought her the Granolith. He refused to think what would happen then. Every bloody second counted.

“Sign it!!” he repeated, his voice guttural. “NOW!!”

Pierce read the document. It was his own affidavit. One that would lead to the death of the career he’d always considered his life. It was all over. It was written in black and white. He’d underestimated Max Evans. And now, he was going to pay for it. The worst way he knew how.

“I said, sign it!!” Max thumbed back the safety-catch.

Pierce glared at him. “My life’s over, anyway. Why do this?”

“Do it, before I make this worse.”

Pierce stood back. “Make me.” He sneered, his bloody face grotesque with hatred.

Max didn’t hesitate. He fired at close range. The bullet went cleanly through Pierce’s shoulder and clattered on the floor. Pierce stared in horror. The agony was excruciating.

Max gagged him again. Then he took out his hunting knife. River Dog had presented it to him in his sixteenth birthday. He’d kept it as one of his most sacred gifts. It was a simple hunting knife, a serrated edge, guaranteed to cut through whatever wild animal they went hunting for. Although in the 21st century it was quite unheard of. But it didn’t lessen the deadly impact any of the dangerous weapon. It was 12 inches of pure, unadulterated steel, meant for going through skin and sinew.

Max sat down in front of Pierce. Pierce shrank back. The knife was a work of the devil.

Max smiled coldly. “I always thought Indian craftsmanship was never admired enough. Now, are you going to do as I tell you, or do you want a personal close-up taste of the knife? I must tell you though; I’m kinda outta touch by now. You never know when I might mistakenly put this through your eye instead of your eyebrows.”

Max adopted a mocking tone but his eyes said he was anything but. Inside, he was desperate. Short of castrating Pierce here and now, he couldn’t think of what he could do to make him sign the affidavit. Liz’s and his own life depended on it. It was their ticket to freedom and Pierce’s ticket to hell. Exactly what he deserved.

Pierce sighed. He knew he was defeated. Wincing in agony, he signed it. Then he stared. The page was dotted with the dripping blood that had leaked from his shoulder. He smirked.

“How’re you gonna show this to the DCI??” he slurred. Max could see the blood loss making him faint.

He smiled humorlessly. “I can’t imagine why you’d want to know.”

He removed all traces of finger-prints, wiping at possible surfaces, even though he’d worn padded latex gloves and made sure Pierce had handled all the touching. He wasn’t going to take that chance. The surface of the vaults was made with extra security. It had the ability to retain the slightest of fingerprints, often even coming through plain latex. It was best not to take ANY risks. It was well after 11:00 pm.

He turned to Pierce. “Let’s go.”

Pierce stood there, a broken man. He couldn’t help but ask, “What are you going to do with me?”

“I have a plan. Preferably dump you in the sewers. Where you belong.”

Pierce grew rigid. “Max Evans, committing murder?? How the not-so-mighty falls!!”

Max bit out sarcastically. “I could say the same for you, asshole!”

They made their way out the way they had come in. They reached the security desk. From around the corners, they could hear the voices.

Pierce smiled his usual arrogant smile. “Whatcha gonna do now, Maxwell ole buddy??”

“Shut the fuck up!” Max whispered, shoving the gun into Pierce’s wound. Pierce didn’t talk.

They ran back to the closet. Soon enough the voices passed. Max heard what they were saying and his heartbeat accelerated.

One was saying. “What’s Agent Pierce doing in the vaults?”

“No clue. Just leave him alone. The guy’s a psycho.” Said his companion.
Both went out of sight.

Max turned to Pierce, savage triumph written in very part of him. “I didn’t even have to try to hard. You’re a goner, Pierce.”

Pierce stood there, mute with fury.

They made their way out. Before going, Max deliberately erased Pierce’s name from the logs. Of course, it would be written into the logs in the main Comm. Center; for now all that mattered was showing that Pierce had indeed come in and was, very suspiciously, destroying his presence. It would go a long way in helping Max with his ultimate plan.

They ran out. The night was dark and freezing. No one saw them. The only witness to their hasty entry/exit was the nightlights on the roads. Max pushed down on the accelerator. They’d made it. I did it!! At least, whatever happens now, Liz is safe!!

He turned to Pierce once they were cleared of the entire area.

“What am I going to do with you?”

I know you guys waited a long time for this. Enjoy!!
Sarah.

Warning!! rating still R


Chapter 28.

They reached the US 50 and turned east. It was cleared, courtesy of the frigid wind and fierce onslaught of the blizzard. Max paid no attention to Nature. These were familiar grounds. He had nothing to fear from the elements. They went along, and then he turned towards on MD 295 North.

He reached a back road and pulled over. Not even highway patrol was available anywhere around. He pulled Pierce out of the car. His adversary seemed half-dead with fatigue. Max would have considered it suspicious if he himself hadn’t been so dog-tired.

Ever since Liz Parker had blown into his world, he’d been riding on sheer adrenaline. No single day had seemed so singularly long in his life before. He made himself impose a control over his features and schooled them into impassiveness. He hadn’t known he actually possessed such control.

He faced Pierce. The latter seemed defeated. Utterly broken. Without warning, a flash enveloped Max. It had been the same situation but where once it had given him grim satisfaction, now it filled him with revulsion. It had been Alex, that night in Nevada. Broken, defeated, desperate.

But he hadn’t underestimated his enemy back then, and he wasn’t about to now. Pierce was now at his most dangerous. He had absolutely nothing to lose. And Max had everything at stake, if he let Pierce win. He steeled himself.

Pierce had pretended to be tired and defeated. He, too, had been trained by the very best. Max Evans was damn good, but he wasn’t as good as Pierce who’d spent the better part of his life lying and manipulating.

Ironically, the one thing in his entire LIFE he’d been completely truthful about, it was now going to be regarded as the worst case of lying and treachery ever conceived of a civil servant, next to moles and such. He’d be regarded as them, the filthy traitors, the lying scum of the earth. He hadn’t thought it was possible for it to hurt this much, but it did. He’d given his entire life to the service but it had been all for nothing.

Pierce tasted bitter defeat.

All those murders, all those sacrifices, all the putting up with bullshit that I did, all for nothing. All because this bastard decided to grow a fucking conscience!! Forget it, Evans! Very unwittingly you gave me my way out. Now that I know there are more aliens, I’ll find them and use that as a bargaining chip to get back into the good graces of the world. And you’d be hung for treason. You think you’re too smart, Evans?? Just wait till I get my hands on you!!

Pierce had found the first seed of survival. All evening he’d been led along on a string, plotting his own execution. But now…..now he had a plan. All it mattered now was to get Max to lose control. Given the fragile shape of his captor’s mind, Pierce thought it wouldn’t be too hard.

Max regarded Pierce silently. The man had fallen quiet. Too damn quiet. He hadn’t underestimated Pierce, he knew there would be something thrown his way. He just didn’t figure out what good it would do Pierce. One shot and he’d die anyway. Max no longer had any need of him.

Pierce broke the silence first. His voice was deliberately crude. “You’re a bigger spineless ass than I thought. Can’t even bring yourself to pull the trigger!”

Max didn’t voice a reply. He just squeezed off a shot and aimed it for the same wound. It spilt open. Pierce screamed; a long, terrible, prolonged scream.

Max turned to him. “You were saying?”

Pierce coughed out blood. His strength was fading. He hadn’t pretended about that.

“Tell me one thing, Evans. What the hell do you plan to do with my body? You think the authorities will never discover it? Who do you think they’ll suspect then?”

Max replied coldly. “I don’t know why you think they’ll link ME with it. You certainly kept your mouth shut about me. No one knows. I can even tell you why you did it. You were planning for me to meet a sudden demise, right??” He bared his teeth in a savage smile. It reached nowhere near his burning amber eyes.

“I counted on it. I knew you’d try something like that and guess what, you fell right into it! From next time, Pierce, allow those analysts to earn their pay. You shouldn’t do anything of the sort. You’re a menace. And even more interesting is how State offered to pay me to get rid of YOU!! How does it feel, Pierce? To be so blatantly used??” Max taunted.

Not all of it was true. He’d counted on Pierce’s reaction all right, but definitely not the part about State paying him to kill Pierce. If State got a whiff of this, he’d be doing toilet duty in Leavenworth, not be lauded as a hero.

Pierce stiffened in surprise. Obviously using the threat of exposure was out. He turned to his last angle. He mimicked Max’s biting tone.

“Good for you. What about your sister?”

Max stopped all movement. His voice when it came out was utter ice.
“What?”

“You heard me. Don’t you want to know what happened to your whore-sister!?”

Max locked himself down in his place to keep from finishing Pierce right then and there. Morbid curiosity prompted him to ask. He’d been plagued by this very question every day for the last 7 years, haunted by the myriad of answers at night. He needed to know, even if it meant sparing Pierce’s life after what he’d just called his sister.

He took out the Beretta. A far dangerous gun, it was not as good as far range shooting as the Glock, but the bullets were like miniature Roman candles. They exploded and left death in their wake. He went over and lifted the heavy weapon and hit Pierce across the mouth. Blood spurted out, the skin broken. His jaw was turning a hideous shade of purple. Pierce staggered and fell. Max stood over him, chest heaving with suppressed rage.

“Say that again, you’ll have to sew your jaw back on.”

Pierce made it to his feet struggling. His ruse had worked. He’d fallen down near a sharp piece of rock. Max had overlooked it in his grief and rage but Pierce had that rock in his hands, slowly sawing through the bonds that held him.

He knew how careful he had to be. If Evans got so much as a single thought on the matter, he’d blow Pierce away. He had to achieve the element of surprise if meant to defeat Max Evans. He kept on ranting, slurring his voice, giving the image of a man desperate for one last attempt. He didn’t have to act it out; he was desperate.

“What did you think she did? She turned in the bastard!! Unlike you, pansy ass, she actually managed to do something good after she realized who the hell she was fucking!!! You like that? Huh?? Hear that? I said SHE WAS FUCKING!!” Pierce ranted.

Max didn’t waste any more time. He put the gag back on Pierce, shoving it down his throat. Pierce gagged, vomiting weakly through the gag. Max watched but his heart was not in it any more. All he wanted to do was to kill Pierce, the sick, sick bastard!!

Sudden wave of longing for the silk of Liz’s hair, the warmth of her body along with that sandalwood smell of her nearly brought him to tears.
He could see his pixie sister so clearly. Green eyes glowing with passion as she attacked the strings of her guitar, blonde hair awry.

He yanked off Pierce’s gag. “Now, you die!!” Max shouted, rage warring with logic, rage winning.

Pierce stumbled back. The bonds were nearly off!!!

He screamed. “Do you know what we did?? We cut her up!! The scientists back in the lab?? They’re excellent!! We got marvelous brain, heart and lungs samples from her!! All that blood, you should’ve seen it, Evans!!” he continued trying to goad Max. He was impressed; the bastard had far more control than he’d ever anticipated. “You would’ve been real proud of your sis then, huh?? How gallantly she led us right to him. Too bad she didn’t know the first rule of an informant….”

He backed off some more as Max approached, murder in his eyes. The bonds were one second off from snapping. The instant he felt they would break; he raised his voice, the roar swallowing the snap of the ropes. Max had not given any symptoms of losing it. Pierce hammered on, knowing what he would say would drive Max mad with guilt and do somethign stupid. He was partially right.

“Where were you, Max? Why didn’t ya teach your stupid sister something?? Oh I forgot, you were too busy leading your pathetic bohemian existence…....... too bad! She died real heroic. Strung out between us and Whitman. Stupid sod tried to save her! Too fucking late.” He roared. The bonds would come off any seconds now!!

“What do you know, Evans? You couldn’t save your sister! Never even bothered to dig deep enough! You were stupid enough to get sucked into this. But then again, all Max Evans ever wanted was a good time, huh?? Well you had it. Had fun, Max?? HAD FUN?” Pierce gasped for breath, the pain in his throat excruciating.

Max was still far away, holding himself together by the barest thread. Pierce was astounded; he hadn’t expected such a resistance. He continued, going in for the kill.

“You go on a power trip about good guys and bad guys? Look at what you fucking did and then judge others, you hypocritical bastard!! I never lied about my position regarding aliens, but you play the bureaucratic bullshit real well, Evans!!”

The bonds were off!! Pierce kept his hands behind his back; he fingered the sharp edge of the rock. The instant Max stepped a little closer, he could aim and damage at least one eye. He continued baiting Max. Closer, closer!!

Max stood inches in front of him. He brought up the gun. Even as he maintained eye contact, Pierce could make out the outline of the Glock inside Max’s shoulder holster. A few more inches, and Max Evans would be history.

Pierce moved back. Max followed relentlessly. Pierce gave the performance of a lifetime. He was the desperate, broken, defeated man. He was at the last act. He screamed to delay the inevitable. Amongst a lifetime of duplicity, this was his most convincing moment yet. Somehow, he convinced Max.

Max stepped up.

Pierce screamed, spitting out droplets of blood. “You wanna know what happened to Alex Whitman, Evans?? Thanks to YOU, we dissected him in a million pieces! He’s cut up and waiting for the tests to begin.” He could see Max wince in shock and horror. He went for the last kill.

“Humanity can never repay you, Max! Now, we know all there’s to know about other aliens. We cut out his heart, you know? He was conscious, too! And when we get our hands on the other one, we’ll start with the lungs first. Whitman proved it was the most painful!! And you know what, Evans? You are going to lead us to it AGAIN!!”

The last word was barely out before Max lost his iron control. He snapped, lunging for Pierce. His hands formed claws, claws that would not stop until all that was left of Pierce was mutilated flesh. In the haze of his fury, he missed the movement as Pierce yanked away the Glock.

It registered within the seconds, but it was too late. Pierce had leapt back and was positioning the gun. Max lunged but the rapport of the Glock going off stopped him. A burst of excruciating pain made it hard for Max to breathe. An ice-cold feeling had lodged itself into his stomach and upper chest. Obviously, he’d just been shot.

Shit, shit SHIT!! What the fuck was I thinking?? I should’ve known sth like this was happening! Dammit all to HELL!! Max screamed inwardly, the pain bringing him to his knees. He rolled over and over, as hot needles seemed to cut up his torso. He knew those were the Glock bullets, creasing his skin but thankfully, none had found its target as yet.

Max inwardly counted. 2 more left in the magazine. Two more shots he had to elude and then take Pierce, godammit! If he got free, he would bring down heaven in order to hunt down Liz. And Max’d die before he let Liz go through the same thing as Alex and Maria had gone through.

He rolled on the other side of the car and squeezed off a short burst from the Beretta. Rapidly, he calculated in his mind. He’d barely used this one, which meant that his clip was fuller. He breathed in relief. At least ammo wasn’t going to be a problem. Pierce ran around the car, hoping to make it to the driver’s seat. The tire burst simultaneously, the bullets of Max’s Beretta founding its mark.

Now, Pierce was just a sitting duck. He squeezed the trigger, keeping the semi-automatic on rapid-fire. Two shots rang out and then came the empty click of the empty chamber. “Godammit!!” Pierce screamed. He gunned the engine. The car took off, even with the tires all but sawed off. The car moved away.30 feet, 40 feet. It started accelerating. Since his leg and shoulders were bleeding, Pierce couldn’t mash down the accelerator but he did his best. The car moved forward. There was no sign of Evans.

Max had gone down with the second shot. The slug had hit him on his gun hand, spinning the Beretta out of his hand and instantly it was swallowed up into the darkness. Max didn’t have an instant to waste; he aynked the knife out from under a scabbard strapped to his leg. Summoning up the last reserves of his strength, he positioned the hunting knife. A soon as Pierce had turned left, leaving his side unprotected, Max geared up for the throw. It would go for a long pass, not a small one.

The nature of the knife was built for hunting animals in the wild, not at close distance. He concentrated, thinking only what would Pierce do to Liz, only in order to get back at him. He’d no doubt that Pierce would hunt Liz down, now that he knew. The only person standing in Pierce’s way was himself. He ran forward, even with a badly damaged tyre the car was moving determinedly away!!

An image of his sister when they’d been toddlers flashed through his mind; they’d gone to Florida for vacation and she’d been so scared of the ocean. Max had been a little taller, hence he’d held her hand as she waded into the ankle-deep water. Max bit back tears. Another picture of her and Alex laughing together flashed on his brain like a tv. He forced it off his mind.

The car came into range and Max threw with the accuracy of an archer. The knife flew through the air in a perfect arc; the serrated edge pointed outwards, ready to go through hell or high water.

The projectile was soundless. Pierce never even knew when he was hit. A blinding piece of steel flew in through the open window, shattering little glass. Pierce turned and the jagged steel was grooved between his forehead, shattering his cranium, blood and other substances spilling over. The surface of the knife went in cleanly through his skull, still pointed downwards. The razor edge broke through the facial structure, literally hacking off his face. It went through the bluish jaw, mouth still open in shock and gently embedded itself on to windpipe, puncturing his airway. Special Agent Pierce never even knew what hit him on his personal moment of triumph.


Max gulped in huge breaths of air. After he’d gotten his jumbled up emotions under control, he went over to the body. His body trembled with the shock and the pain. His chest felt like it was on fire; his middle felt it was ice. He recognized the symptoms. He was losing blood and fast.

He dragged Pierce’s body out and laid it out on the hollow ground, making sure it was near the car tracks and all the evidences they’d left behind. Trees covered this part of the highway; it was completely deserted at this time of the night. He made his way back to the car and changed the tyres. He even had another extra. Blood dripped own his wound.

He went back to the dead man and set a decompressed grenade, the same kind he’d handed to Michael, near Pierce’s body and gently pulled the pin. The timer clicked on. He had all of 15 seconds to get the hell out. He wheezed blood as he made his way back to the car and gunned the engine. He was so cold now, so cold. It was freezing through the shattered window.

Get the hell out of the fucking car. It’s a steel trap marking you!!!! Get the HELL out!! His mind was screaming one thing, yet another part of him was slowly sinking into oblivion.

NO!! He jerked himself back to his sense. He had to get out. He had to see the explosion. Sure enough a small burst of light arose and then was immediately doused out by the wetness. The sound had been muted, yet the earth had been shaking. He forced himself to make his way back to the scene.

There was a horrible smell of charred flesh in the air combined with the sweet smell of new-fallen snow. The ground was blackened out. No body parts were in sight. He smiled grimly with relief. He could finally go now. He’d done something he’d never thought he would do. He’d avenged Alex Whitman.

Stumbling back to the car, he started it. But, it was all just passing over him in waves now. Feelings, sounds, scent. It all floated in his head, or was it real? He smelled strawberries and sandalwood, he smelled Cyprus oil. He wavered on the side of consciousness, teetering on the brink of darkness. Sure enough, he fell into oblivion, unable to go on for a minute longer.


I hope it wasn't too hard on any of my readers. I'm not a violent person by nature, contrary to the indication but I firmly believe in the "eye for an eye" policy.
Sarah

OKIE, people. Sorry for the delay but RL can't be a bigger bitch if she fu***** tried!!

Chapter 29.

Michael never remembered being this tired in his life; this unending exhaustion was ironically new to him. Extremely interesting, seeing how he’d graduated out of med school, renowned for sleepless nights.

They’d landed in Pasadena before dawn. By first light, they were safely in a cab, heading towards their old haunts, somewhere in the corner of Sierra Viesta. The place he was looking for was a bar on 6th Elm called “Flyin’ high”. The area was respectable enough, but only if you had gun permit. It was perfect. Not too suspicious, as to arouse the attention of the locals but not too lawless that they wouldn’t be safe if needed be. In their college days, they’d hung out here with the flyboys but it’d been a helluva long time since then. But both he and max remembered the neighborhood.

An adjacent building to the bar had a vacant flat. Michael got it without further ado. The guy who took the registration didn’t bother with identification, just the check. The kid looked way too stoned to remember him. Ever. Michael smiled grimly. That was taken care of. He carried Liz upstairs just as the sun broke overhead. From Washington’s frigid weather, this was a Godsend.

It was just after 7:00 pm when Liz stirred. Michael leapt from his nodding position on the tattered couch and raced over. She looked drained. There was no color in her face; it was wan underneath the remnants of her Thai tan. She’d slept for the better part of the day, but it didn’t seem to have helped.

“Liz?” Michael realized this was the gentlest voice he’d ever used on anyone after Max disappeared that first time.

She just moaned and shifted slightly. She could barely open her eyes; she was so out of it. Michael watched in alarm as her head lolled back.

Quickly, he supported her neck and back. A fresh rush of air wiped some of the daze out of her eyes. Michael felt helpless as weak tears fell from her eyes. All she did was mumble “Max” and then fell back into oblivion.

Michael gently laid her back down. This had gone on for too damn long. And where the hell is Max, anyway? I KNEW I never should’ve let him go alone!!!

Michael paced up and down the narrow hall. He hadn’t dared set foot outside, never knowing when Liz would wake up. That hadn’t happened. And then there was the obvious factor of recognition. Now, he was trapped inside bricks and mortar as surely as he would be behind bars. The whole situation was killing him. He continued his silent vigil.

So i know this coming part may seem a bit dull, but this part gives a very big clue on max's master plan. lemme know if you guys need some answers.



Washington DC. FBI HQ.


The DCI called a hasty group meeting. Yesterday, the very quiet operation of the Special unit outside Washington, regarding the aliens had been, literally blown up. Head of the unit, Agent Pierce was not reachable in the current crisis. Even though the charters clearly spelled out that this was outside the FBI Director’s jurisdiction, he had no choice but to take matters into his own hand.

As incapable of getting anything done the other heads had considered him to be, he’d garnered his counterparts grudging respect in dealing with the whole mess as quickly as he’d done. They sat in the same room they’d sat in, nearly more than a month ago. The hunt had started then. The hunt to the end would begin now.

The DCI spoke up. “Gentlemen, we were here the last time too. We’re all here, again, with the sole exception of Agent Pierce. Now, to the matter please. Mr. Director, it’s all yours.” W. Sorenson stepped away from the limelight, giving the opening to the FBI director.

The latter chomped on his mangled cigarette, and then stubbed it out. In front of him was Congressman Davis, Head of the Committee concerned about the extra-terrestrials. Now it seemed, the worst had happened.

The director broke the fraught silence. “As we all know, everything had gone according to plan. The subject was captured and held in seclusion by the Special Unit. We’ve never seen so much as a single report regarding the subject. All of a sudden, it is blown up. And we have no idea who even knew of the location, much less who would dare to do something like that.”

Davis spoke up. “Let me get this straight. The place is completely gone? As in destroyed??”

The rest nodded solemnly. He was going to have triple cows over this.

The congressman spoke slowly, each word enunciated. “Do you mean to tell me that we wasted millions of tax-payers’ money on nothing?? That now, we don’t even have a single file to show to Congress? Tell me something, did all of you” his icy gaze landed on each and every one of the Intel heads squirming, “skip the class they taught you about congressional funding when you were in spy-school or are you just plain morons who we mistakenly put in important positions??”

Sorenson stiffened. “That’s uncalled for.” He said quietly.

“What happened to all the research?? What happened to the subject? What in God’s name happened?? And you have the gall to sit there and tell me it’s unfair?? You’re fucking right it’s unfair!!” he roared.

The rest of them winced. Davis turned towards Sorenson. “Can you shed some light on this??”

Sorenson shook his head. “No shred of proof. Only theories.”

The irate Congressman turned to the head of FBI. “You??”

The Director shook his head. “Simple facts. Not theories, nothing.”

The congressman looked around. “Any representative of the Special unit??”

Sorenson shook his head. “Pierce is missing. His second in command as well as the deputy director died in the blast. They were there with the paramilitary forces. Explosion took them out. There’s no one in there who’d know anything more.”

“Great.” Congressman Davis snorted. “Helluva lot good that did us.” He looked over at the head of FBI. “You start. Tell me everything we know about this godammned fiasco of epic proportions!”

The Director cleared his throat. “Agent Pierce didn’t report to anyone. He was supposed to take a memo to the Pentagon in 2 months time. This happened in the middle.

Facts – Agent Pierce confided in NO one, not even his own colleagues. Not every one in the unit was privy to classified information as Pierce and his head honchos were.

Fact – Pierce was spotted. Yesterday.” He could see the director’s and Sorenson’s eyes narrow. “In the Special Evidence vaults. But all his entry/exit logs were deleted from the files. And I do mean everything. Extremely suspicious. And he cleaned out the special evidence stuff. Not a shred of thing there anymore. Forensics have checked. No traces of fingerprints whatsoever. Movement from ducts suspected. Again, nothing confirmed.

Fact – Pierce took yesterday evening off from 6:00 clock. His secretary has nothing on his schedule.

Fact- misappropriated funds. Over 4 million missing from Special unit funds. Pierce had direct access to it. In fact, he was the one who requested it with special permission. One agent from the FBI vaults also reported seeing him going in to the vaults in the FBI HQ. He’d also requested information from NSA on the matter. As if looking to find out how much the other Agencies knew about this op. I’m loathe to say this, but we might have a breach.” The director finished. He was a worried man.

Davis continued. “I was brought up to speed by one major from the military. He told me that the dynamo must’ve exploded, hence taking out the fertilizer plant too. It HAD to be done from the inside. Now, did we have ANY idea that there was a security breach?”

The director shook his head. “I don’t think so. One agent went to check things out since someone had called State about not getting answers. His report was completely normal. Unless you factor in that he couldn’t get through to anyone on the inside.”

“Godammit!!” The congressman exploded. “What the hell are you getting at? Pierce sabotaged the entire operation?? For what??

Sorenson interrupted. “You said these were facts.”

The Director nodded. “Yes.”

“Then you’re obviously not looking at the bigger picture here.”

“What could be bigger than the one I’m already seeing??” Davis barked. “I’ve seen MORE than I wanted to, and let me tell you, it STUNK!! Now, Mr. Spook, what theories do YOU have?”

“Very simple, sir.” Sorenson continued quietly. “It’s my job to spot inaccuracies. In this case, there is NONE. That in itself is the biggest inaccuracy. The whole operation is too perfect, like it’s gone off the wire.”

“Will you speak English, please??” The congressman looked fed-up.

Sorenson continued with an apologetic nod. “Please don’t interrupt me. What I’m saying is highly dangerous. As for shipping Pierce off to Leavenworth for treason can be put on hold for a while. I have a couple of theories I need to speak out. As I said before, keep in mind that I’m talking from experience as a field agent. It may sound incredible, but I’ve played this game for too long not to know the signs.”

Davis made an impatient gesture. “We all know your credentials, Wes. Now get to the point.”

“The point would be as I said…. it went off the wire. It means, that the strategy failed in some parts. Someone either did something they were NOT supposed to do or someone DIDN’T do what they were supposed to do. In this case, I’d say it was the first one.” He had everyone’s rapt attention. He landed the big one. “I think Agent Pierce is dead.”

There was total silence. Then it exploded.

The Director leapt up. “WHAT?? Are you saying this is an international conspiracy now?? Are ALIENS invading us?? Oh Jesus Christ!!”

The Congressman was also on his feet. “What the hell are you saying??”

Sorenson appealed for both men to calm down. “I was putting my theories through the facts provided by the FBI. It adds up. Very good, very clean but also one major mistake.

Why would Pierce leave his trail, rather obviously I might add, if he’s been cleaning up on his own act? For professionals, it would be a piece of cake to put this together. But we have no physical evidence, do we? No. So let’s go back.” He paused. They were all with him. He continued.

“You said the first fact is that no one’s privy to classified info. Okay, so someone knew that and took advantage of it, trying to make the knowledgeable ones seem guiltier. Then there is the whole disappearing act. He could’ve been meeting with the X factor. He could’ve been killed. Very probably, he has been killed. Another thing, why would he leave his name on the logs into the comm. Center? It would arouse suspicion. He must've known it.
So, all I’m saying is that someone knew of the whole op, someone made Pierce well and good. Now, the multi-million dollar question. “Who’s this person? Who’s this X factor?” he paused. He could see all of them sitting in rapt attention. He went on.

“I ordered a recent log of all people entering the States within the last one week. A very interesting name popped up.” Sorenson passed over two files. He could see the questions grow simultaneously so he continued.

“Please let me finish!! This is one man who was self-declared finished with the Intelligence community. He retired, so to speak Europe. I took the liberty of getting a dossier on him. It speaks very plainly of his plans to settle in Europe. All of a sudden, he’s back. Nothing extraordinary, unless you see a certain phone call he made when he left Bangkok. Incidentally, he had booked the hotel room for more than 15 days; he’d left by the 1st night. Coincidence? Not in this business. Given his history with Pierce, I have all but the strongest suspicions that whatever happened to Pierce, this man was involved.” He finished.

Davis looked up at him. His eyes were like flint. He nodded slowly. “I hear you. I need to tell the Joint Chief of Staff something.” He turned to the head of FBI. “Get a silent APB out on Maxwell Evans ASAP. I want to find him. He has a helluva lot to answer for. I want Evans found by the end of this week. Do whatever you have to.”

Sorenson stood up. “I never thought I’d say this about Evans, he’d have made a damn good agent, but he’s the key. If this has spread………”

Congressman Davis nodded. “I don’t care what you have to do, but find him. By ANY means necessary.’


Well?? You guys like?? Lemme know

Sarah

Chapter 30

24 hours ago. Outside Baltimore Highway


Max felt the cold air hitting him full blast. His eyes opened. The night blinked out at him, the sky had never seemed so full of stars before. He looked down at his wounds. He was still bleeding. He reached underneath the seat and pulled out the first aid kit. He’d packed it in with the sole intention of it being just a precaution. It hadn’t really crossed his mind back then that this could’ve possibly been the only thing that would save his life.

Exhaustion had set in; even keeping his eyes open was hard. He looked at the watch in the dash. It read 12:00 am. He’d been unconscious for around 10 minutes. Not good. He opened the small kit and rifled through. There were gauze tapes, band-aids, disinfectant and blessed morphine. He injected the morphine then used the disinfectant to clean his wounds. Using the gauze pads and the adhesive, he wrapped them around his waist. The bandages pressed against his wounds, he winced rawly and yanked them away. He was being skewered alive. He cried out, then opened the dash.

There was a cask of brandy, one that Mike had brought incase they got too cold. He poured it over his wounds, the sting of the alcohol taking the pain to new dimensions. He needed iron. He had to burn the lead out. The disinfectant was not going to do the job properly. Not if he had to make it to the other side of the country without bleeding to death. He steeled himself and reached for the lighter in the car. Within seconds, he held the glowing red hot coil. He held it gingerly closer to the wound. He could see the intense bleeding. He squeezed his eyes shut and willed his mind to the softness of Liz’s skin against his. Then he plunged the lighter into his wound.

Max came to after a few seconds. He was shivering. Hypothermia?? NOW?? He forced himself to remove the lighter that had gone cold by now and inspected his wounds. The bleeding had stopped. There was a scorched area around the surface but no trace of lead. He sighed in relief and started the slow task of patching himself up as best as he could.

After another 15 minutes, when he could move, he made it out of the car. Hunger gnawed at his inside, thirst was right there too. He looked for the brandy. He threw back his head and gulped it down. Fire chased down his throat. He coughed violently and slumped weakly down. But at least, his frozen body was warming up again.

Stumbling, he made his way to the trunk. Opening it up, he found his bag. Blessing Michael for his thoughtfulness, he yanked out new clothes. Right there, in the middle of the open road and freezing night air, he undressed and changed into the new clothes. The cold didn’t bother him; it was the only thing that kept him going.

He gathered up his clothes. They were covered with blood. He stared in fascination. He hadn’t bled like that. Ever. There’s so much blood……..his mind wandered. Sensations went over him like he was under water. He felt the brush of silken strands. Numbly Max reached out. He encountered air. He whimpered as he felt the sting of cold but it was cutting down on the hallucinations. He inhaled, smelling the sweet essence of strawberries. Dimly, he wondered if she tasted like that, too. But I know, right?? Another wave of cold roused him out of his shock. He could feel the bandages start to leak. As fast as he was able, he bundled the discarded stuff up.

Struggling to get his bearings straight, he fished out the flask. There was enough of brandy left; it would do the job. He placed the bundle in a semi-dry area and poured the brandy. Fishing out a book of matches, he lit one and threw it in. It went up in flames. The flames illuminated Max’s face partly as the shadows hid the rest. It was a perfect euphemism for what his life had become. As he watched a part of himself burn, Max made up his itinerary.

He needed to get out of state as soon as he could. He knew the events of the night would propel everything forward with the speed of lightning but the disappearance of Pierce would give him sufficient time to cover his tracks. As the stuff burned down to a cinder, he gathered up the glowing embers and stuffed them in a canvas bag. He’d pass something soon enough. He made his way to the driver’s seat and climbed in. The glass was shattered; it would get noticed. He needed to pay extra for that. No problem. He started the engine, gunning the car merging back into I-95 north. He was headed at the entry point. New York.

I'm diggin' my way, I'm diggin' my way to somethin'
I'm diggin' my way to somethin' better

I'm pushin' to stay, I'm pushin' to stay with somethin'
I'm pushin' to stay with somethin' better

I'm sowing the seeds, I'm sowing the seeds I take
I'm sowing the seeds I take for granted

This thorn in my side, this thorn in my side is from the tree
This thorn in my side is from the tree I've planted
It tears me and I bleed and I bleed

Caught under wheels roll
I take the leash, I'm bleeding me
Can't stop to save my soul
I take the leash that's bleeding me
I'm bleeding me
I can't take it
Caught under wheels roll
Oh, the bleeding of me, of me
The bleeding of me

Caught under wheels roll
I take the leash, I'm bleeding me
Can't stop to save my soul
I take the leash that's bleeding me
I'm bleeding me
I can't take it
Caught under wheels roll
Oh, the bleeding of me
Oh, the bleeding of me

I am the beast that bleeds the feast
I am the blood I am release

Come make me pure, bleed me a cure
I'm caught, I'm caught, I'm caught under
Caught under wheels roll
I take that lease, I'm bleeding me
Can't stop to save my soul
I take the leash that's bleeding me
I'm bleeding me
I can't take it, I can't take it, I can't take it
Oh, the bleeding of me

I'm diggin' my way, I'm diggin' my way to somethin'
I'm diggin' my way to somethin' better

I'm pushin' to stay, I'm pushin' to stay with somethin'
I'm pushin' to stay with somethin' better
With somethin' better

As the chorus echoed in Max’s head, he knew that he wasn’t just literally bleeding anymore. He was bleeding for a thing he thought he’d never find. Liz.

Max made it to New York in record time. Under 3 hours. He was ice and he needed her flame. He was dead and he needed her to bring him back. She was the one real thing left in this world for him and all that mattered was getting to her.

He turned in the rented car, damning himself for having taken it under his own name. But it was too late now. He just prayed he wouldn’t get caught. He couldn’t! Liz needed him. And he didn’t even want to start thinking about how much he needed her.

The dingy place was closed. Sighing with relief, he parked the car in the parking are, leaving money in the dashboard. He’d cleaned up the car as well as he could. He spotted a hose in the distance. He limped over and started the water, feeling halfway clean as the icy water drenched him and the interior. Thank god, no one was around. He found cleaners and soap. He scrubbed the interiors down; making sure that any traces of blood or fingerprints were long gone. Of course, he’d been wearing gloves, but he didn’t want to risk anything. He’d already thrown the mats and the rest of the bloodied covers into an open furnace on his way through Wilmington. Finally, it was all clean.

It was almost 3 in the morning. Max craved sleep. It was beginning to call on him, more alluring then a siren’s beckon, more enticing then a wanton mistress. The only thing that kept him moving doggedly was something more alluring, more enticing, more everything. Liz. So far, he’d been unable to get any thing from her. He didn’t want to know why that was.

He left, as he’d come, without alerting anyone. He forced himself to move. His gun, he’d kept. Never know what might happen. Especially now. River Dog always said, that you’re most vulnerable when you’re at this stage. Down and out. And weakness is like flowing honey for those wanting to penetrate.

Max pinched the inside of his cheek, bruising the inner flesh. The pain repelled the weariness. He made his way towards a cabstand. There were very few at this hour. After all, he reflected bitterly, it’s just 1st week of fucking January. Yeah, yeah, what a happy new year this is!

He made his way into one. A Hassidic cabby took pity on him and drove him to the airport. He booked a flight in La Guardia for Ottawa in United Airways. He called the counter.

A woman answered. “United Airways, how may I help you?”

Max spun a full-blown yarn about a suspicious wife and milked the woman for every bit of sympathy he could find. True enough, she readily agreed to do what he’d suggested.

His name was on the confirmed list of passengers. To anyone now concerned, he had already traveled to Ottawa. It wouldn’t stop the Feds but it would slow them down. Right now, that was all he could think of. He stumbled away. A cab was parked away in the distance. He left the main terminal and caught the subway back to Queens. He found a cheap motel, where he crashed for the night.

It was early, when he woke up again. Despite his tiredness, he hadn’t slept well. All he’d seen was Maria being dissected into two. He’d been standing there, unable to move, unable to do anything. He hadn’t even been able to cry. Inside, he’d roared, he’d battered against the invisible bonds but he hadn’t been able to push the words out of his mouth. Then he’d seen Maria morph into Alex. The guilt inside Max had raged, poisoning him. Then Alex had morphed into his worse nightmare. Liz. By that time, Max had woken up. It had been 5 am. Not even 1 hour of decent rest. He’d hadn’t gone back to sleep again.

Max packed away, once again efficiently removing traces of him for the place. He left the building by the hour, grabbing as much food as he could in the first all-nighter he could find. He blended in with the first working crowd of the new year.

As he moved along with the flow, he couldn’t stop but think about what had happened the last time he and Liz had stood that way, parting a crowd. He remembered the flush of her cheeks, the shining eyes and her glorious, flaming hair. His breathing hitched. A wave of loneliness swept over him, very surprising considering the fact that he’d been lonely for the better part of his life and had never given a damn before.

He found another cab and headed for the bus station. This time, he didn’t make the same mistake. He signed up for a bus to rural Virginia. It would take time, yes, but losing time was still better than exposure. His heart ached with the yearning to call them, even once, to just hear her voice or contact them, knowing if they were okay. He couldn’t help but wonder if Michael had taken adequate care of Liz but he hadn’t worried for a second that his friend would’ve been careless. When all the chips were down, Michael Guerin was the ultimate rock of Gibraltar, never mind how he usually seemed the opposite.

The bus started, he was on his way to yet another escape. Closing his eyes, he finally nodded off to sleep. It was 8:30 am. By the time, he’d reached Bull Hill; nearly 10 hours had gone by. It was 6:30 pm. It would be 3:30 pm in California.

He got off the bus, got something to eat. As he cleaned up in the small restroom, he decided on his next course of action. He knew he’d delayed the search for maybe about a quarter of a day, max. Not more than that. But he wasn’t looking to evade the law forever, it would accomplish nothing. No, he just needed enough time to pass of the stuff to Liz. After that, he needed to go to a doctor. He examined the wounds. It was getting worse. The pain made it hard for him to move. The bandage was soiled again. It happened five times in the last 10 hours. A very bad sign.

He felt weaker than he had ever done in his life. Struggling, he replaced the bandage, making sure he’d carried the soiled one out with him. Impercibtly, he dropped it on a big Dumpster near a restaurant. That would keep the searches off the bus stations, at least for a while. Every single detail mattered.

He checked his watch again. It was nearly 7. It would be 4 pm in California. He hesitated for all of a second then called TWA desk. He confirmed his ticket to Colorado. He was headed for Denver within the hour. He hurried to find a cab. Within the hour, he was inside the airport in Richmond and on a flight to Denver.

He landed in Denver by 6 pm, Colorado time. he was doing the only thing he could think of at the moment - he was leading the feds away from ANY and all clue as to where he was going. He had plenty of contacts here just as he’d had in Virginia. He was going to do whatever it took. A lot of favors were owed and he didn’t hesitate to take advantage of those. The phone inside a random booth rang. Max picked it up; he’d been waiting outside.

“Hello?”

“Yo, Ev.”

“Did you get it?”

“Done. Next time, Ask of something less of a bother. In case you didn’t know it, I could get in an awful lot of trouble for cutting across procedure like this! Black markets aren’t exactly the ‘in’ thing, ya know?”

Max hung up. Five seconds, it rang again. “Why’d ya hang up on me, Ev?”

“Sorry, bad connection.” Max answered curtly. The dimwit was going to get them both caught!!

“Anyways, I’ve got them on the counter. You’ll be Jason Hunter.”

“Real funny.’

“Sorry. Couldn’t resist what with ya bein’ a spook an’ all…”

“Yeah, yeah,” Max cut across the rich laughter. The voice grew suitably chastised. “Be there in 30 minutes. Flight leaves in 1 hour.”

“Gotcha. And Curt?”

“Yah? What now?”

“Thanks. Consider your debts wiped off.’

“Thanks Ev. I always knew you were a good kid. Just got some head problem.”

This time, Max laughed for a second and then politely hung up.

He grabbed a taxi and headed over to the airport. He made it there pretty fast. But the weather was horrible, thus flights were delayed. Max nearly howled with frustration. He went over to an Internet café and logged into the UFO center they had back in Roswell. Within minutes he found what he was looking for.

Not_of_this_Earth wrote: “Flying high?? Nah… try above and beyond.”

Max smiled. It was obviously Liz’s nickname but the writing style’s was Michael’s. The message was simple. They were not in the bar itself, rather above 2 stories and beyond the immediate vicinity. He knew the old building adjacent to the bar. It too had been an old haunt, where they all went once in a while to reenergize after a night of booze and girls. He could dig that.

Motivated, Max made his way down the concourse. All of a sudden, he felt a spark inside his mind. It sparked and then disappeared. Slowly he started feeling the intense pressure he usually did when Liz got through to him. The pressure was never there, not unless it was causing her pain like the last two times she’d done it. Abruptly it went out.

But Max didn’t care. Liz was all right. He broke into a run, not caring that the entire crowd was watching him. He ran full tilt for the boarding areas, not really feeling as his bandages soaked with his blood. His black sweater and overcoat made it possible for him to get in line without incident.

It was as if the gods had obeyed what Max had ordered. The skies were cleared up, the night cold and clear. Boarding would begin immediately. This was one plea that hadn’t fallen on deaf ears. Max leaned his head against the glass, daring anything to go wrong now. Nothing did.

Within minutes, he was in his seat. It had been delayed by one and half hour but it wasn’t too bad. He’d envisioned having to spend another night away. The plane took off. It was 8:00 pm.


Lemme know whatcha think! As for the song, it's by Metallica - Bleeding Me. I never thought i'd heard a more appropriate song. Listen to it, it's FAB!!

Sarah