Identity (M/L, Mature) - AN 4/29/07 [WIP]

[CME]

Here's a little Thanksgiving/birthday gift from me to you.


_____________________


Chapter 21

“What do you mean he’s not there?” Pierce questioned, his nostrils flaring in anger.

“The room was empty when we got there, sir,” Agent Smith replied. “His things were still there, so it doesn’t look like he skipped town.”

Daniel Pierce clenched and unclenched his fist, resisting the urge to punch his subordinate. He had split his team in two, ordering one half to search for Subject B while the other was to search for the double-agent. It had been thirty six hours since the search was issued. Thirty six hours that Pierce had been running at full speed without any food or sleep. Thirty six long hours since they missed Subject B’s inoculation window.

Pierce glared at his agent one more time. “I want everyone on this job you hear me! Find Jason Stevens!” He waited until the agent left the room before he slumped down on his chair.

“Damn it!” He swore before running his hand through his graying hair. He could feel the anger bubbling inside him. Nothing was going according to his plans. Everything seemed to be conspiring against him.

He knew the consequences that the missed inoculation would wreak. That was what worried him the most.

His bloodshot eyes landed on a message from one of his field operatives, reminding him of another problem. There had been a break-in at Eagle Rock.

While searching for Jason Stevens, he received a phone call from one of his agents about a power grid anomaly at Eagle Rock. Never one to dismiss anything, he sent a car to check things out. When his agents returned, it wasn’t with good news.

The surveillance and security equipment had been disabled. The door to the base had also been found ajar containing two bullet holes. The person who trespassed had been knowledgeable enough to know where the power box lay.

He pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes in fatigue. The need to find the key just became more prominent. Then he can leave this whole thing behind him and start his life. He had spent the past 20 years of his career dedicated to the cause and producing the key would present him with the accolades that he deserved. He would go down in political history as the man who launched the most powerful weapon in the world.

A knock sounded at the door causing Pierce to sit up in attention.

“Sir, the team is ready to sweep,” an agent announced.

Pierce acknowledged him with a nod of his head. He pushed himself out of his seat and followed the agent out into the main hall. They rode the elevator up to ground level where he met with two other agents.

The ride to town passed in relative silence, which suited Pierce just fine. He planned to set up a small surveillance operation in town. He had a feeling that Jason Stevens would return back eventually. He just had to wait things out.

Over the years, Pierce learned to develop his patience. He had had to. He knew that there had to be a connection between Subject A and Subject B. He just didn’t know exactly what that was. But he was sure that it would lead them to the ultimate find.

He wanted to be the one to take the Special Unit to the next level, and finding the Weapon and the key would lead to that. It was only a matter of time. He could feel it in his blood.

The SUV pulled up into a stall at the local precinct. Pierce watched with sharp eyes as Agent Smith opened the door and stepped out of the car. The agent looked around him, straightening out his jacket, before walking up the steps into the police station.

Pierce sat back looking calm, cool, and collected. He hated leaving the important things to his subordinates but he knew that he just couldn’t walk in and speak to the Sheriff himself. He knew all about small town cops and their keen memories. Sheriff Valenti might have gotten older but Pierce knew that the local cop was as sharp as a tack. He had a feeling that despite the years that had passed since the two men saw each other, Sheriff Valenti would not forget his face. He couldn’t risk the Sheriff recognizing him. It would jeopardize the mission.

Several minutes later, Agent Smith made his way back to the truck.

“How did it go?” Pierce asked.

The agent swiveled in his seat to face his superior. “The Sheriff wasn’t in but I spoke to his deputy and they haven’t heard of any accident on the highway or anywhere else in town.”

“Good,” Pierce nodded, folding his hands in his lap.

Agent Smith waited a beat, unsure whether his next news would be well received. “There is one thing though. The deputy thought we were here with regards to a missing person’s case.”

Pierce quirked his eyebrow in interest.

“Well, last night a missing person’s report was filed. It seems Elizabeth Parker disappeared from her home the night before and hasn’t been seen since. The Roswell P.D. called in the FBI since its protocol.”

Well, that’s interesting, Pierce thought. Things seemed to have gotten a little more complicated.


<center>* * *</center>


Maria stood at the stove staring at the kettle. She watched the bits of steam escape through the spout, needing something to take her mind of the current situation.

Mr. Parker was currently downstairs attending to the café, while Mrs. Parker sat on the couch talking to Liz’s therapist on the telephone.

Today was unlike any other day in the Parker household.

Liz was missing.

Maria received a call from Liz’s mother the morning before asking if she knew Liz’s whereabouts. When Maria answered in the negative, she heard the worry in Mrs. Parker’s voice.

Liz hadn’t come home the night before. Her room was left the same as it always had been. No note had been left behind to give them any clues as to her whereabouts.

Maria, the Parkers, and the rest of the gang had spent the better part of the day combing the streets for Liz. When dusk rolled around and there was still no sign of Liz, they decided to file a missing person’s report.

So far, Maria had kept her suspicions to herself. She didn’t feel the need to worry the Parker’s with her thoughts.

She suspected that the man that Liz had been worried about had something to do with her disappearance. Maria didn’t want to think of the worse but after their past experience, it was just too difficult a thought to dismiss.

She ran a tired hand through her mussed hair, willing herself not to cry. What happened to her best friend? The one who was always eager to share a good time and easy laugh.

She felt an illogical ball of anger unfurl in her heart.

Anger towards Liz.

But most of all, anger towards Max.

If it wasn’t for him none of them would be in this mess. Her, Liz, and Alex would have graduated high school and continued to live normal lives.

She blew out a tired breath, letting her anger drain out. She poured the boiling water into the mugs, resting the kettle back on the stove once she was done. She carefully picked up the two mugs and made her way to the living room.

“Yes, I understand, Dr. Santiago. She’s been taking her medication as far as I could tell…well, no…Jeff and I don’t watch her take it…but I trust my daughter…alright…thank you…I’ll let you know if we hear anything. Bye.” Nancy Parker hung up the phone and sighed. She leaned back on the couch and closed her eyes.

“Everything okay, Mrs. P?” Maria asked settling the mugs on the coffee table.

“Not really. Thanks for the tea,” Nancy nodded at the mugs on the table.

Maria settled herself next to Nancy on the couch. “Has Sheriff Valenti called?”

“Not since last night,” Nancy replied. “He said he’ll call us if he has news. He suggested we keep the phone lines free just in case Liz calls.”

Maria nodded but she had a feeling that Liz would not be calling. “Michael and Alex are out looking for her right now.”

Nancy smiled and touched Maria’s hand. “You’re a good friend to Liz, Maria.”

Maria nodded, swallowing down the lump in her throat. Her and Liz hadn’t been friends for a long time.

“Does Mr. Parker need help downstairs?” Maria asked taking a sip of her tea. “I’m sure my old uniform is still kicking around at home somewhere.”

Nancy shook her head. “I don’t think so but thanks for offering. You know how Jeff is. He wants something to do otherwise he’ll go crazy and climb the walls.”

A knock sounded at the door prompting Maria to her feet.

Opening the door, she was mildly surprised to see Alex standing there.

“Hi, can I see you out here for a sec?” He asked in a hushed voice.

“Who is it, Maria?” Nancy called from the living room.

Maria looked back and shifted to open the door wider. “It’s Alex.”

“Hi, Mrs. Parker,” Alex greeted waving to the older woman.

Nancy beckoned him over. “Alex. Why don’t you come in?”

Alex stuck his hands in his pockets sheepishly. “Thanks but I just stopped by for a quick sec. Michael and I are still looking around town.”

Nancy nodded her acknowledgement.

Alex turned back to Maria and tipped his head to the side indicating that he wanted her to follow him.

Maria stepped out of the apartment, gently closing the door behind her. “What’s going on, Alex? Did you guys find anything?”

“Well, you could say that,” Alex hedged, “Michael and I were headed to the Sheriff’s office this morning when we saw a black SUV pull up.”

Maria looked at him questioningly, wondering what was so special about the truck.

Alex continued. “The odd thing was, all the windows were tinted. We saw a man in a black suit step out and head into the precinct.”

Alex noticed Maria looking at him skeptically. “Don’t look at me like that. I tell ya, this guy just screamed FBI. All the way from his military style crew cut to the tips of his polished black shoes. It was too Men in Black for me.”

“Where’s Michael?” Maria asked.

“He’s outside waiting in the car.”

“Why didn’t he come in?”

“Well, we figured someone had to watch the streets for any strange activity,” Alex replied. He sighed and slumped his shoulders.

“It’s starting up again, Maria. And frankly, I’m a little freaked out.”

Maria put her arms around Alex’s shoulders giving him a squeeze.

“Me too, Alex. Me too.”



tbc...

[CME]

Chapter 22

Liz drifted in and out of a restless sleep having just finished her turn at the wheel. She rubbed her eyes and yawned, too exhausted to do anything else.

“Where are we?” She rasped, opening her tired eyes.

“We just passed the state line an hour ago,” Max answered. “We’re in Texas.”

She leaned forward, sneaking a peek at Connie who slept quietly in the front passenger seat.

“How are you feeling?” She asked, looking at Max in the rearview mirror.

“I’m okay physically, but my mind still feels muddled,” he replied. “Half of me feels like myself and other half still feels like Jason Stevens. It’s like having a split-personality.” He gestured to his head. “I have all these memories floating around in my head and I don’t know whose memory is whose.”

He blew out a tired breath. “I’m probably not making sense.”

Liz gave him a bittersweet smile.

Max continued. “My memories as Max seem really vague. There are people that I remember and faces that I don’t know. The more I try to remember the worse my headache gets.”

“I’m sorry,” Liz whispered, touching his shoulder. “I’m sure it’ll get better as time progresses,” she added consolingly.

One of Max’s hands let go of the wheel moving to his shoulder to squeeze her hand. “I’m just glad I remembered you.” He picked up her hand, turning his head to place a soft kiss to her fingertips.

Liz’s heart felt like it would burst from sheer joy. She had found her beloved. He was here and he was real.

She rested her elbows against the two front seats, cradling her head against her arms as she studied his profile against the dashboard light.

He was still beautiful to look at as he always had been the only difference being his features had matured over the years. His jaw became more defined and there were now lines around his face that came with age. It was exactly these changes that prevented her from recognizing him in the first place.

Well that and her own denial, she thought wryly.

She understood now why she couldn’t recognize him as Jason Stevens. As Max, his eyes held wariness and distrust and a glimmer of loneliness were held in their tawny depths. A desire to be normal. To love and be loved in return.

Jason Stevens held none of those reservations. He was funny and outgoing and very inquisitive.

She felt the loss of that boy she loved deep within her heart. It didn’t matter that he was sitting in front of her now. There was so much that was lost between them. It was something that could never be gained back.

A surge of anger rose in her. Anger at the people who robbed her of the chance to grow up with Max, to experience adulthood together. To be given the chance for their relationship to grow and flourish. All that had been taken away.

When she connected with Jason/Max, she saw a glimpse of what he had been through. The images were disjointed and chaotic like a Jackson Pollock painting. She felt his fear and humiliation. His emotions ran so high that she felt like it would choke her. Then just as fast as it had begun she was thrust out and once again she was staring into a pair of familiar eyes.

“Where are we?” Connie’s groggy voice brought Liz out of her thoughts.

“We’re in Texas,” Max replied. “We passed the state line a little over an hour ago.”

Connie nodded and slid a sideways glance at him. “So…should I call you Jason or Max?”

Max shook his head. “Honestly, I don’t know. I’m so fucking confused right now. I mean I’m Max. I know I’m Max but every few seconds memories and thoughts will pop into my head that have nothing to do with me but with Jason.”

He raked his fingers through his hair, causing Liz to notice how tired he looked.

When he spoke again, it was in a melancholy tone. “God, this is such a mess. I don’t know who I am anymore.”

Liz heard the sadness in his voice and gently touched his shoulder. “We’ll figure it out. I promise.”


A few hours later they pulled into the driveway of an old country house in a suburban neighborhood. The sun had set but the warm air lingered giving the evening a cozy feeling. The tinkling sound of television could be heard as people sat down to eat dinner. Different food scents floated through the air making Liz’s stomach growl.

“Hungry?” Connie commented raising an eyebrow.

Liz looked down in embarrassment. “I could eat.”

“Iceman will probably have something to eat,” Connie assured Liz, leading them through the pristine yard toward the house.

When they reached the door, Connie extended her hand and performed some sort of strange knocking ritual. A moment later the door cracked open and a large brown eye peered out at them.

Connie leaned against the doorframe, striking a seductive pose. “Hello, Iceman.”

The door swung open revealing a handsome well-muscled, olive-skinned man grinning back at them. “Hello yourself, Griffin.”

Connie stepped forward, patting his cheek affectionately as she brushed past him. “I see you’re still as hot as ever.”

Iceman’s grin got even larger. “So are you,” he said.

Liz stood on the stoop clutching Max’s hand, unsure whether they should follow Connie in or not.

Iceman crossed his muscled arms across his chest and raised an eyebrow at Max and Liz.

Connie slapped a hand to her forehead. “Where are my manners?” she exclaimed. “This is Liz and Jason.”

“Max,” Max corrected.

“Shit, sorry,” Connie amended. “I mean this is Max and Liz.”

Iceman looked at Connie questioningly.

Connie rolled her eyes. “Long story. I’ll explain later.”

“Whatever you say, Griff,” Iceman said. “You guys better come in before the neighbors start pocking their noses out their windows.”

Max stepped inside the house urging Liz with their twined hands.

Despite the house’s down-home exterior, the interior was a different matter altogether.
The living room was sleek and spacious, the furniture consisting of dark leather couches and glass and metal furnishings. It was all very strong and very masculine (just like their host).

Connie dropped her bag and slumped into the leather couch. “Have a seat you guys,” she motioned to the space beside her.

Max and Liz shuffled over and sat down. Connie turned to face Iceman who stood watching the three of them.

“We need your help,” Connie said. “There’s something we need to get done.”

The corner of Iceman’s mouth curved into a smile. “What do you need?”

“Well…,” Connie reached for the zipper on her pack, but Liz’s hand stopped her.

“Can we trust him?” Liz hissed, casting a weary glance at the imposing figure of Iceman.

“Do you trust me?” Connie asked in return. When Liz’s hand didn’t move from her’s, Connie raised a questioning eyebrow. Reluctantly, Liz removed her hand.

Connie paused contemplating on whether she should reveal their evidence or not. Liz did have a valid point. She withdrew her hand from the zipper and leaned back on the couch stretching her legs in front of her.

“We need you to get us into the Oxam lab,” said Connie.

“The Genome research facility?” Iceman clarified.

“Yeah that,” Connie answered. “And we need a laptop.”

Iceman walked to the armchair and sat down. He steepled his fingers together resting them contemplatively against his lips. “How soon do you need to get in there?”

“By tomorrow night,” Connie replied.

Iceman nodded his head in understanding before pushing himself to his feet. “Do you guys want anything to eat? There’s some leftover lasagna in the fridge. Help yourself.” He made his way down the hallway and disappeared behind a door.

“Who is he?” Max asked, looking over at Connie.

“His name is Carlos Santiago, a.k.a. Iceman,” Connie answered. “He’s a former Navy SEAL but now freelances, if you know what I mean.”

Liz looked at her puzzled. Connie sighed. “He’s security for hire for high-risk clientele.”

“A mercenary?” Liz’s eyes widened at the prospect.

“Yeah, I guess you could say that,” Connie smirked. “Don’t worry about him. He’s cool.”

Connie stood up and beckoned Max and Liz to do the same.

Liz followed behind Connie. “You really think he can get us in Oxam?”

Connie shrugged and pulled open the fridge. “Iceman can get us anywhere. He’s got connections.”

Liz nodded in understanding. She just wished she shared Connie’s conviction.

The stress of the situation had finally gotten to Liz as she sat down on a bar stool, resting her elbows on the counter. She stared at the plate that Connie placed in front of her not having much of an appetite. She felt too anxious to eat. She glanced to her right and saw Max looking at his plate in the same way. She flashed him a dry smile before picking up her fork and digging in to her lasagna.

“Okay, here’s the deal,” said Connie. “Once we get that laptop, we hook up to the internet and look for any information regarding the crystal. Then tomorrow night, we break in to Oxam and see if we can use any of their equipment to examine the crystal.”

Max swallowed and placed down his fork. “So after we figure out what it is, then what?”

“Then we investigate and follow the clues wherever that leads us,” Connie replied.

Jason nodded his head and began to play with his food.

Liz watched him with concern before turning her eyes to Connie. “Where are we going to sleep?”

“There’s a spare room and the couch in the living room. You guys can divvy it up between yourselves,” Iceman answered.

Liz whirled around with a start. “Oh! I didn’t even hear you come in.”

Iceman gave her a wink before poking his head in the fridge.

Connie leaned forward and whispered, “He’s good, eh.”

Liz merely gave Connie a look of disbelief and shrugged.

“I’ll take the couch, Carlos,” Connie volunteered.

“You know you’re the only one allowed to call me that,” Iceman said as he pulled up a stool next to Connie.

Connie smirked at him in return. “So what’s the status on the laptop and Oxam?”

Iceman twisted the cap off his beer before taking a long pull. “There’s a spare laptop in my office and Oxam is a go. The guards change shifts at oh two hundred. We have a thirty minute window to get in and out. The security is tight since it’s a genetic research facility,” he took another pull of his beer and caught Max and Liz looking at him. “Industrial espionage,” he replied as if to answer their unasked question.

“My contact will fax over the blue prints in the morning and we can study it then. Remember we only have thirty minutes,” he warned before sliding off the stool and walking out of the kitchen.


tbc...

_________________

So I got the new Black Eyed Peas cd, Monkey Business and it rocks! Go out and buy it.

[CME]

Chapter 23

Max sat in the back of the SUV listening to Iceman go over the details. He looked at the blueprints imprinting their route into his memory.

Oxam Research Laboratories was located in an industrial park near the outskirts of the city. To look at it you would never know that it was actually a genetic research lab. The building was surrounded by a manicured lawn and a small Zen garden. The architecture designed to blend in with the other steel and glass buildings that made up the rest of the park.

They had been sitting on the side of the street for the better part of an hour going over the plan and watching the building. For the most part, it had been quiet. The only movement was the security crew that patrolled the complex.

Max, Liz, and Connie spent most of the day surfing the net for any clues as to what the crystal might be. The closest they came was a geological report from the University of New Mexico on a dig near the outskirts of Roswell. The report made allusions to the stalagmite formations at Carlsbad Caverns and crystals found in underwater caves. The report stated that the small crystal formation was found buried underground a mile off a flowing river in what used to be a river bed but had dried up due to the years of drought and erosion in the area. They searched the website for any further information but came up empty. They went as far as to call the Geology department at the university to speak to the researcher responsible for the report, but were told that the author had taken a sabbatical and wouldn’t be back for another year.

By the time they got off the phone with the university the sun had already set and they needed to prepare for Oxam.

“Max, are you listening to me?” Iceman’s voice brought Max back to the task at hand.

“S-sorry,” Max shook his head and focused on what Iceman was saying.

“I’ve got a copy of a key card right here,” Iceman raised the white, plastic card for the three of them to see. “Once I unlock the side entrance, my internal contact will loop the video for the security cameras for the next half hour.”

“Are you sure about your contact?” Max asked, voicing his concern.

“Oh yeah. He’s been paid well enough,” Iceman assured.

Max nodded and sat back. He was nervous and edgy.

As a reporter, he was used to trailing leads and clues but had never had to resort to breaking and entering. He just didn’t feel right about the situation.

As if catching on to his thoughts, he felt Liz squeeze his hand causing him to look over at her.

She flashed him a wan smile before turning her gaze back to the building.

As the minutes passed slowly by Max began to feel the tension in his limbs. He felt fear begin to trickle in. How were they supposed to find anything in there in half an hour? It wasn’t a lot of time to use any of the equipment. Hell, none of them really knew how to use any of the equipment that might be in there. He’d bet that even a microscope in a place like Oxam would be electronic.

He blew out a nervous breath, trying to drain the tension from his body.

“Are all your radios set to the same frequency?” Iceman asked turning to face his companions.

Connie and Liz checked the channel setting on their radios, while Max nodded.

Iceman flicked his wrist and checked his watch. “Everybody ready?” He waited for everyone to nod before opening his door. “Let’s go.”

Max stepped out of the SUV wiping his clammy hands against his dark jeans. He adjusted the pack on his back, feeling as if it contained a boulder instead of the small piece of crystal held inside a jar.

He concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other only stopping when they had reached the side entrance.

He watched Iceman pause before he slid the card in the electronic slot. It seemed like an eternity passed before the light on the sensor turned green and unlocked the door.

The instant Max stepped foot in the sterile hallway, his breath caught. He stumbled back against the wall trying to squelch the terror that threatened to escape. He didn’t notice that everyone had stopped and turned to look at him. Hadn’t notice Liz’s concerned voice or the whimpering sounds that came from his throat. All he could focus on were the white walls that surrounded him. From the bright fluorescent lights, down to the polished linoleum floor everything that surrounded him was bright as snow.

He didn’t understand what was happening to him, why he was overwhelmed by a sudden sense of terror. As much as he tried to struggle, as much he tried to calm himself, there was just no escaping the wave of panic that swallowed him.

He clutched at the wall behind him feeling a cold sweat trickle down his back.

Everything was white!

“Max! Max! You need to focus,” he felt a hand softly slapping him repeatedly on the cheeks. Max blinked and swallowed. Slowly, the wave of panic eased and he realized that he was staring into Connie’s clear brown eyes.

“Are you back with us?” she asked, scrutinizing his eyes.

Max nodded dumbly.

“Can you go on?”

Once again Max blinked and nodded.

“Okay,” Connie nodded as if confirming Max’s thoughts. “Take a deep breath,” she waited until he did as told.

The moment Connie stepped aside Liz stepped forward and look over him in concern.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” she whispered.

Once again he nodded, not able to trust himself enough to speak. However, despite his assurance she still didn’t move. She searched his eyes once more and he forced himself to look at her and lie.

“I’m okay, Liz. We need to get moving,” he managed to say despite the guilt he felt for deceiving her.

Liz lingered for a second before nodding her head and moving to his side.

Max breathed a sigh of relief as the group began to move forward. He ignored the fear that was gnawing away at his stomach, instead keeping his focus on Iceman who was leading the group through the building’s sterile hallways.

He shifted the pack on his back as they jogged through the halls picking up their speed. Iceman rounded a corner and suddenly stopped. He held up his hand indicating that the rest of the group should follow suit.

Max watched as Iceman turned, producing the key card once more before inserting it into the identification scanner. When the light turned green, Iceman pushed the door open revealing a state of the art laboratory.

Max stood still looking at all the high-tech equipment. He had never seen anything like it before.

The room wasn’t big, but it was clean and organized. The middle island contained a computer and an electronic microscope. Another table contained a centrifuge and a toxin incubator. There were also cabinets containing beakers, test tubes, slides, and what seemed to be working samples.

He felt Liz step around him and gaze around the lab in awe. He watched her enter the room and touch the table and equipment with her gloved hand in fascination.

He didn’t even realize it but his feet had propelled him forward to stand beside Iceman who stood off in the corner with his arms crossed at his chest.

“Let’s get moving,” Iceman advised, holding out his hand for the backpack. Max acquiesced, shrugging the pack off his shoulders and handing it to the former Navy SEAL.

“Connie?” He handed the bag to Connie who reached into it to pull out the jar containing the specimen.

“Do you know how to use these?” Liz whispered directing her gaze to Connie.

“I used an older model of this when I worked for the Unit,” Connie replied as she proceeded to set up the equipment.

“I want to test for chemical composition but I don’t know if we’ll have enough time.”

Connie pulled open drawers searching for the tools she would need. When she had the tools that she required, she solicited Liz’s assistance and the two of them worked with scientific precision breaking off a small piece of the sample and placing it onto the slide.

Max and Iceman fell into position. Iceman served as a lookout at the door, while Max took down notes.

Connie looked down at the viewer while adjusting the sensors on the microscope. “Max, can you lay out those printouts we brought?”

Max laid down his pen and proceeded to spread the photos of crystal formations they printed off the internet.

“Hmmnn…,” Connie muttered as she inspected the images.

Max took the opportunity to look through the microscope as Connie and Liz perused the printed images and was fascinated by what he saw.

It was blue and was made of tiny hexagonal particles that reflected light, giving off a fuzzy glow. But that wasn’t what had him in awe.

The crystal, or should he say organism, was alive!

The tiny little particles were moving. They were absorbing each other and regenerating.

“My god, what is this?” Max whispered, unable to take his eyes off of the magnified crystal.

“I don’t know. I’ve never seen anything like this,” Connie replied still searching through the images on the table.

“It’s amazing,” Liz marveled.

“What do you propose we do?” Max asked, turning away from the microscope.

“We do a chemical and spectral analysis to find out what exactly it is,” Connie answered.

“We don’t have time for that,” Iceman warned from his position by the door.

Connie frowned, her eyes scanning the equipment in the lab.

Her eyes landed on the computer off to her side. “Okay, we’ll just do the spectral analysis and get a printout.”

She moved to the terminal and typed in the password she had written on her wrist. They watched the computer boot up before opening up the analysis program they would use.

Connie broke off a larger piece of the crystal, carefully placing it on a tray inside a stainless steel box. She shut the lid and moved to the computer hitting the scan button.

When the machine stopped scanning, they heard the printer hum and waited for the printout to come through.

Connie snatched sheet off the printer and scrutinized the data. A moment later, she passed it over to Liz.

Liz lowered the paper and looked over at Connie questioningly.

“What is it?” Max asked impatiently.

“The composition isn’t typical of any element that take crystal form,” Liz replied, her voice trailing off.

“What does that mean?” Max was afraid to know the answer.

Connie stepped up and gathered the papers on the table, stuffing them back into her pack.

“It means that the crystal isn’t terrestrial. It’s from up there,” Connie pointed her finger up to the ceiling and Max had a strange sense of déjà vu from when had done the same all those years ago.

Liz moved to clean the equipment when they heard Iceman hiss, “Someone’s coming!”

Connie quickly turned off the monitor and any other source of light before ducking behind a cabinet.

Iceman hid behind a blind corner, while Max and Liz took respective positions beneath the tables.

They held their breaths and listened for the approaching footsteps. A moment later, the door was pushed open and a beam of light shone from the doorway.

Max tensed as the light passed by his foot and stopped. He heard the jiggling of keys as the guard approached his position.

He pressed his body further into the space beneath the table and anxiously waited. He closed his eyes willing for the guard to be on his way. When he opened them again, he saw that the guard had stepped in to the room and was standing directly in front of him. The only thing that separated them was the tabletop that hid Max from the guard’s view.

Max choked on his breath and resisted the urge to cough as he waited for the guard to pass. A minute later, the guard turned and left closing the door behind him.

They all let out their collective breaths before moving out of their respective hiding spots.

“That was close,” Liz breathed in relief, wiping the sweat off her brow.

Connie hefted the pack onto her back and quickly wiped down any evidence they might have left before moving towards the door. “Let’s go, before the cameras go back on.”

It wasn’t until they were back in the SUV that Max had time to reflect on what Connie had said in the lab. If the crystal was in fact alien, was it related to the 1947 crash? If so, then what did that mean for him?


tbc...

[CME]

Happy Halloween! It's Prison Break night tonight! Wahoo!

________________________________________

Chapter 24

Michael slouched in the driver’s seat of his battered pickup truck with a pair of binoculars trained on the people across the street. He watched two men dressed in dark suits carry on a conversation in the park. He had been watching them for almost an hour and he still couldn’t make out most of what they said.

It was by sheer luck that he had happened to spot them. He had had a fight with Maria earlier that evening and had taken off for a drive. He ended up at the park and was sitting in his truck trying to cool off when he’d come across two suspicious men.

Michael watched with interest as one of the men pulled out a file and handed it to the other. The taller man perused the file while the other kept talking. A moment later, the file was closed and they walked to their respective cars.

Michael was now faced with a difficult choice. Should he pursue them? If so, which one should he follow?

Making a quick decision, he waited until the two cars got to the end of the block before starting up his engine.

He watched as one car turned left while the other turned right. He pursued the left-turning car through the dark streets of Roswell, making sure to keep enough distance between them. He was so focused on following the sedan that he didn’t even notice the neighborhood that he’d entered.

As the houses and buildings began to look familiar he realized where he was.

Isabel’s neighborhood.

His heart began to thump loudly in his chest as he watched the dark sedan pull up against the curb. He followed suit and parked a block down from the car. He watched the car carefully for any movement but no one got out.

The tense silence in the car was broken by the shrill ringing of his cell phone. Michael jumped with a start.

“What?!” Michael barked his heart pounding.

“Michael Guerin! Get your ass back home! I’m not finished talking to you!” Maria yelled into the phone.

“I’m busy right now,” he answered dismissively.

“What do you mean you’re busy? You clearly –” Michael cut off his irate girlfriend by closing the phone. He then pressed the off button just to ensure that he wasn’t disturbed. He tossed the phone back onto the passenger seat before looking back out at the street.

The car was still parked in front of Isabel’s apartment building. He continued to watch for a few minutes before opening the door and stepping out of the truck. Closing the door as quietly as he could, he crept down the block using the other parked cars to shield him from the sedan’s view.

He jogged around the block until he reached the alley behind Isabel’s building. He climbed over the fence and sneaked a glance at the street out front and wasn’t surprised to find the dark sedan still parked at the curb.

He didn’t have a good feeling about this. Why would these guys who were clearly Feds be watching Isabel’s apartment? Maybe it had something to do with Liz’s disappearance. He didn’t want to think the worse but their track record with the FBI wasn’t that great.

He watched the car intently, making sure to stay hidden in the shadows. Just like before, the car remained stationary. Nobody came out.

He moved back slightly and looked at the lower windows of the building. He needed to get inside Isabel’s apartment and he couldn’t chance going through the front doors. His eyes landed on a window on the first floor that was left slightly ajar. He moved towards it and lifted the window outwards.

Bars. There were security bars on the window preventing him from going in. He looked around him to make sure that no one was watching before he raised his hand and gripped a bar in his outstretched hand. He slowed his breathing down and concentrated, melting the hard metal. He continued until there was enough room for him to squeeze his body through.

By the time his feet touched the floor on the other side of the wall he was exhausted. It had taken a lot of energy to melt through the bars. Even after years of practice he still wasn’t as good with his powers as Isabel…or Max.

He missed his best friend. Although they often butted heads, Michael considered Max his brother. He had always been there for him and when he’d disappeared, it almost destroyed Michael’s world. Like Liz he had refused to believe the worst (that Max was dead). He’d gone on for years angry at Max for disappearing. For the longest time he’d blamed his friend for being careless enough to get caught. If only Max hadn’t gone to the fair to save Liz, he would have still been around. If only he had listened to them. But as the years passed, that anger began to wane and was replaced by sorrow. Max had left a gaping hole in Michael’s life.

They shared a kinship and a history unbeknownst to them. They had faced the same hardships and conflicts that growing up different entailed, and although he had managed to find love with Maria, there was just a certain part in his heart that she couldn’t fill.

Michael groped through the darkened room for the door. When his hand landed on the knob, he pulled it open, making sure not to make any noise. He crept up the stairs until he reached Isabel’s floor. He paused in the hall and listened. It was late evening and people were beginning to settle down, getting ready for bed. Most of the apartments were quiet except for the monotone drone of the television. Feeling it was safe, he approached Isabel’s door and knocked. A minute later, the door was pulled open by a sleepy Isabel.

“Michael? What’s going on?” She asked, stepping aside to let him in.

“I need you to get dressed and come with me,” Michael ordered.

“It’s 10:30 at night, Michael. I’ve got work tomorrow,” Isabel replied, crossing her arms across her chest.

Michael looked directly into her eyes and spoke slowly and carefully. “Isabel, I need you to trust me. Please get dressed and come with me.”

Isabel stared at him for a moment before understanding his tacit message.

“Don’t turn on any other lights,” he added as she walked towards her room.

She came back a moment later dressed in jeans, a hooded sweater, and sneakers. Michael told her to grab her wallet and keys before they stepped out into the hallway.

“Where are we going?” Isabel whispered as they made their way down the back stairs.

“To my truck,” Michael answered leading her back into the laundry room.

“What’s going on, Michael?” Isabel pleaded. He was beginning to scare her.

Michael stopped in his tracks and turned to face her. “There’s a car parked out front. It’s been sitting there for the past few minutes idling. I followed that car here and I’m telling you I don’t have a good feeling about those guys. They’re dressed like the guys Alex and I saw at the police station a couple of days ago. They’re FBI.”

Isabel blanch at the mention of the federal agency.

“Are you sure, Michael?” Isabel asked, her voice cracking in fear.

Michael nodded and grabbed her hand, dragging her to the opened laundry room door towards the window he’d used to come in.

Once they were outside, he motioned for her to be quiet as he once again peeked at the car out front.

It was still there.

Silently, they ran through the yard and hopped the fence into the alley. Once their feet hit the concrete they took off running.

Isabel pulled out her cell phone out of her pocket and started dialing.

“What are you doing?” Michael hissed.

“I’m calling…Alex,” Isabel panted.

“No!” Michael barked.

Isabel didn’t listen. “I have to warn him.”

Michael grabbed her cell phone out of her hand. “You can’t use the phone. What if they’re tapping it?”

Isabel’s feet slowed down and she stared at him in shock. “Oh God! I didn’t think of that. Do you think they are?”

“I wouldn’t doubt it,” Michael insisted, grabbing her hand and dragging her to his truck.

The moment they got in his vehicle he started the engine darting a furtive glance at the sedan ahead of him. Taking a deep breath, he shifted the car into drive and stepped on the gas.

“What are you doing?” Isabel asked, panic evident in her voice. She grabbed at his hand holding the wheel. “They’re going to see us!”

“I have to go this way, Isabel!” Michael yelled, unable to hide his anxiety. “Don’t you think it would be more suspicious if I started driving backwards?” he explained.

He quickly held a finger to his window, tinting the glass with his powers.

Isabel understood what he was doing and turned to her window to mimic his actions.

As they approached the car in question, Michael held his breath trying to keep his speed steady. He felt Isabel slouched down low in her seat. As they passed the car, he willed himself not to look through its windows. It wasn’t until they had reached the end of the block that he let out the breath he’d been holding. He looked in the rearview mirror and was relieved to see that no one was following them.

“Shit,” he heard Isabel mutter. He turned his head to look at her and saw her close her eyes and breathe a sigh of relief.

Michael drove aimlessly around town for a few minutes just in case they were being followed. When he was satisfied that there was no one behind him, he made his way back home.

“Why is this happening?” Isabel asked in trepidation. It was happening all over again, the paranoia, the fear, the constant looking over her shoulder. She had thought all this was behind them. She was tired of being hunted.

“I don’t know, Iz,” Michael replied, his voice grim. He stared blankly at the road ahead as he thought of what they were going to do.

The silence of the car was broken by the gentle ringing of Isabel’s cell phone.

“Hello,” Isabel answered. “Hello?” she repeated, irritated at the silence that met her ears.

“Isabel?” said the voice on the other line.

“Who is this?”

“Its…Liz.”

“Liz? Where are you?” Isabel asked, her voice rising in distress. “Are you okay?”

“I’m…fine…I found…”

Isabel could barely hear Liz over the static on the phone. “Liz! I can’t hear you. You’re breaking up!”

“Meet us…at… --therton’s….Texas. Tom..row…ight.

“Say that again?” Isabel yelled into the phone but was met with silence.

“What’s going on?” Michael asked, glancing at Isabel.

“That was Liz. She says she’s okay and she wants us to meet her somewhere,” Isabel replied. “I couldn’t make out most of what she said. The static was bad.”

“Where is she?” Michael asked.

Isabel furrowed her brows trying to recall the conversation. “She didn’t say but she wants us to meet her somewhere in Texas, I think. Therton’s?”

“Therton’s?” Michael repeated. “Where the hell is that?”

“No not Therton’s. Something like that. Therton...setherton…Atherton’s? Atherton’s!” Isabel exclaimed.

“She wants us to meet her at Atherton’s!”

“You’re kidding?” Michael said in disbelief. “You think that place is still around?”

“I don’t know,” Isabel replied, slipping her phone back into her purse, “but I think it’s time we call a group meeting.”

Michael ran his hand through his hair. “Maria’s not gonna like this.”

Isabel looked at him pointedly. “Michael, none of us like this.”

“I know, I know,” Michael muttered, pulling into his parking spot. “C’mon, we better get this over with.”



tbc...

[CME]

Chapter 25

Liz stared at the vinyl covered menu propped up in front of her. She looked at the words, trying to read them but it all seemed like a blur to her tired eyes.

After their expedition the previous night, they had gone back to Iceman’s house to go over the facts. So far, it was only she and Max that knew of Max’s origins and the real reason why he’d been held captive by the Special Unit. As far as she knew Connie didn’t know the truth. She believed that Max had been held captive against his will. She was thankful that she hadn’t had a flare up of powers since the incident in the desert. She was even more grateful that Connie hadn’t asked or pried about the incident. She planned to keep Connie in the dark for as long as possible.

“So have y’all decided what ya gonna have?” their waitress asked.

“I’ll have the lunch special,” Max replied.

“I’ll have the club sandwich,” Connie answered.

Liz realized that the whole time she’d been staring at the menu she hadn’t even been looking at it. She was too preoccupied with her thoughts to pay attention to the food.

She suddenly realized that they were all waiting for her to order. “Oh…um…I guess I’ll just have a burger and a coke.”

The waitress jotted their orders down and walked away.

Once they were alone, Connie seized the opportunity to question Liz on their plans. “Are you sure it was a smart move to call your friends? I mean what sort of experience do they have in this sort of thing?”

Liz didn’t reply right away. How was she going to explain that despite their age and seemingly simple lives, they have had over a decade of experience with dealing with subterfuge and government conspiracies?

“I know it seems farfetched to you, Connie, but my friends can help.” Liz had a feeling that they were going to need as much alien power as they could get. So far, Max hadn’t shown any outward signs of recovering that side of his alien heritage despite the incidence in the desert.

“Fine, I just hope you’re right. We’re not fooling around here. This situation goes much higher than the FBI,” Connie warned, crossing her arms on the table.

Liz frowned, disliking Connie’s tone but decided to let it go. There were much bigger things to be concerned about.

“So why couldn’t Iceman come with us again?” Max asked.

“Because he had a job to do,” Connie answered, “but he said that we were welcome to crash at his place again if we need to.”

Liz didn’t want to pry but curiosity got the better of her. “What job?”

“He’s got a new client. And the less we know the better it will be for us,” Connie replied, looking at Liz pointedly.

“So what do we do about the crystal?” Max interrupted. “We need to find out what it is.”

“I agree, but none of us have a degree in geology so we’re not going to get very far,” said Connie. “We have to find the Special Unit. That’s the only way we’re ever going to solve this.”

Liz didn’t like Connie’s idea and she intended to let Max know. She had no intentions of letting Max near the group of people that destroyed all of their lives.

“Connie, can you excuse us for a minute?” Liz shuffled out of the booth, holding her hand out to Max.

“What is it, Liz?” Max asked, once they were in a secluded corner.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to look for the Unit,” she explained.

Max looked at Liz in concern. “But we have to. We need to put a stop to them.”

Liz shook her head, trying hard to keep her tears of frustration at bay. “No, I don’t want you going near them again. They took you away from me, Max,” she said, swiping angrily at her tears. “I’m not going to let them do that again.”

Max pulled Liz into his arms, holding her close to him. “I understand, but I need to find out what happened. I need to close this chapter of my life and make sure that it doesn’t happen to any of us again.”

Liz sniffed, looking up at him with glassy eyes. “I’m just….I’m scared Max. I don’t want to lose you again.”

He dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “You won’t, Liz. I promise,” he assured her.

Max pulled back, wiping away her tears with his thumbs. “Do you trust me?” Liz nodded and Max smiled in relief. He held out his hand to her and waited for her to grasp it before making their way back into the diner.

Despite his outward assurance, he wasn’t sure whether he would be able keep that promise.


<center>* * *</center>


Michael rubbed his eyes, grasping the wheel tightly. They had been on the road for almost an hour and he was tired. He hadn’t gotten any sleep the night before after he took Isabel back to his apartment. As he expected, Maria was awake and waiting for him. She had been angry, not even waiting for him to close the door before she started in on him. However, at the sight of Isabel Maria’s anger quieted down and was replaced by confusion.

Michael proceeded to explain the two men in the park and the car parked at Isabel’s apartment. Both Maria and Isabel sat on the couch looking defeated as they listened to his story.

He understood how they felt because he felt the same. It had been years since they’ve had a threat and he wasn’t sure how to handle the situation. If it wasn’t for Liz’s call he would have still been at home thinking of ways to elude the FBI.

They decided to call Alex and have him meet them at his apartment with his SUV. Once Alex got to his apartment, Michael explained the situation and they started formulating plans. Michael didn’t understand what Liz was after or what her plans were. He figured it must be extremely important if she would ask for their help. After all, Liz had been estranged from the group for the past few years.

“Michael?” Maria called from the passenger seat, breaking Michael out of his thoughts. “I think that car is following us.”

Michael frowned at his girlfriend. “What?”

“I think that car is following us,” Maria repeated, her eyes trained on the side-view mirror. “I spotted it back in town but didn’t think anything of it. But now, it’s kind of strange that it’s still behind us.”

He glanced at the rearview mirror and spotted a black Ford Explorer a short distance behind them.

“I think Maria might be right,” Alex said. “Let’s pull into the nearest gas station and see if it follows us.”

Michael nodded and kept driving. He kept a close eye on the Explorer while at the same time looking for an exit.

When he spotted a gas station, he pulled into the exit.

“It’s still following,” said Alex, swiveling in his seat.

“Okay,” Michael said anxiously. He needed to think of something to throw these guys off their tail.

“What are we going to do?!” Maria said panicked.

“Michael! We have to get these guys off of us!” Isabel added.

“Will you two shut up?” Michael snapped. “I’m trying to think!”

Isabel and Maria looked at him in affront.

“Okay, here’s what we’re going to do,” Michael went on to explain. “I’ll find a gas station and put gas in Alex’s truck. Maria, I need you to go into the store to pay for it. While you’re doing that, Isabel, you’re going to sneak back to the Explorer and disable the car.”

“How do you expect me to do that?” Isabel asked in irritation. “I’m not a mechanic.”

“I don’t care how you do it,” Michael barked. “Overheat the carburetor, slash their tires, whatever. Just make sure that they won’t be able to follow us.”

“Fine,” Isabel glowered, crossing her arms across her chest.

“Alex, you need to take the wheel just in case we need to make a quick getaway,” Michael instructed.

“Okay,” Alex nodded.

A few minutes later, they pulled into the gas station and Isabel and Michael got out.

Isabel ran to the rear of the garage and waited for the black Explorer to show up. When she got into position, she gave Michael the thumbs up sign and waited. She didn’t have to wait long before the SUV pulled in. She squinted and stared into the inside of the truck. She saw one man at the wheel and another in the passenger seat.

She looked back at Michael and saw that he was pumping gas. Glancing back at the Feds, she made sure that they were watching Michael before she crept towards their truck.

She crouched down low until she reached the Explorer at which point, she reached out and touched the panel covering the gas tank and concentrated. Satisfied with her efforts, she slowly moved back making sure to stay hidden from view.

She waited a minute before casually walking back to Alex’s truck.

“Did you do it?” Michael asked.

“Yup,” Isabel nodded, “they shouldn’t be able to follow us.”

“Good,” said Michael satisfied.

Alex pulled away from the gas station, keeping a close eye on their pursuers. He heard them trying to start up their Explorer but the engine just wouldn’t catch. They all turned to look as the two guys stepped out of the SUV and look at the truck in frustration.

“What did you do, Iz?” Maria asked smiling as one of the guys kicked the tire.

“I turned their gas into sugar,” Isabel replied smugly.

“Good one,” Alex smiled.

“Let’s just hope that’ll be enough and that we’re not going to be followed again,” Michael said grimly, causing them to fall silent.

As they drove down the highway, he wondered what was going to happen once they got to Atherton’s. It seemed strange that Liz would call them out there. However, Liz hadn’t acted herself for a long time, so her peculiar behavior wasn’t all that uncharacteristic. He’d heard his friends and Liz’s parents talk. He knew Liz was sick and that she was in therapy. He just didn’t know the extent of her depression. He wondered if this was it, if she had truly gone over the deep end.

“Are you sure Liz asked us to meet her at Atherton’s?” Maria asked, pulling Michael back into the present.

“I’m pretty sure,” Isabel replied.

“What do you mean you’re pretty sure?” Maria whirled on Isabel. “She either said it or she didn’t.”

Isabel cocked her head to the side. “Look, I couldn’t hear her very well since we had a bad connection. But I’m sure she said Atherton’s,” she said defensively.

“So we’re driving all this way, risking life and limb on a guess?” Maria’s voice raised an octave.

“Well, I didn’t see her calling you?” Isabel spat, irritated with Maria’s skepticism.

“That’s enough you two,” Alex said interrupting the argument about to erupt between the two women. His eyes flickered up to the rearview mirror.

“Both of you, to your respective corners,” he joked, trying to diffuse the situation.

Maria narrowed her eyes but kept her mouth shut as she glared at Isabel.

Michael ran a tired hand down his face. He didn’t know how much more of it he can take. As it was, he was already anxious about the FBI following them; he didn’t need Isabel and Maria adding to that anxiety. He just hoped that whatever it was that Liz had to show them was worth it.



tbc...

[CME]

Chapter 26

Connie opened the door and squinted into the setting Texan sun. She shielded her eyes as she surveyed the old, abandoned dome-shaped building in front of her, marveling at the architecture. Liz explained a little about the history of the place before as they made their plans the following evening. Connie tried not to let her inner cynic come out as she listened to Liz’s recanting of Atherton and his home.

She understood the fascination with things unexplained. During her years in the Air Force she’d heard stories of pilots who’d seen strange things while flying. However, it was common knowledge in the military that these things were never talked about. Unexplained Flying Objects were only the subject of science fiction movies and crazy UFO groupies, nothing that the government would have any interest in. She believed in this maxim, preferring to think of herself more of a scientist, in need of empirical evidence to prove any absolute truth.

She found the truth when she joined the unit.

She looked around the property, noticing the barren landscape surrounding them. The property was pretty isolated. The nearest neighbor was a cattle ranch several miles away.

She walked forward, hearing the muffled crunch of gravel beneath her feet. She glanced behind her and saw her companions emerge from the car. She watched the couple from the corner of her eye and wondered what their story was. She knew that Jason Stevens, or rather Max Evans, must have had a past before he came to the Unit. She just didn’t know what it was.

She watched the interaction between the two of them, the way Max would defer to Liz and the way Liz watched him like a hawk. So far, neither of them had told her anything and she hadn’t pried. She figured they would tell her when they were ready. If they didn’t, then it didn’t matter all that much to her as long as they kept their word and helped her expose the Special Unit for the monsters that they were.

Once again, she wondered how Liz’s friends were going to be able to help them. They were civilians after all. They haven’t had any combat or survival training so she didn’t understand how were they supposed to go up against a branch of the government that was infamous for its subterfuge and cruelty?

Connie hated having to rely on them but she didn’t have much of a choice. She was at the losing end of an ongoing battle. She needed to have allies wherever she could get them, and if this was her only option, well then so be it.

“What time did you tell them to meet us here?” Connie asked Liz.

“Sometime this evening,” Liz replied.

“Are you sure the call wasn’t traced?” Connie asked worriedly.

Liz pursed her lips. “Well I didn’t stay too long on the phone. I don’t think it was long enough for anyone to trace it. And anyways, I called from a cell phone.”

Connie rubbed the crease between her brows. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a cell phone. The government can trace anything. They just need to use the triangulation between tower transmitters and satellites and they can pinpoint your location,” she warned.

“I’m going to act as a lookout then,” Connie volunteered. “I’ll hide up on the hill over there and see if anyone shows up to follow them. I don’t think it’s smart for all of us to go in there. Someone’s got to stay out here for security.”

“That’s fine,” Liz said.

“Thanks Connie,” Max added.

The two of them watched as Connie trotted off to her position.

Uncomfortable silence settled between the two of them as they waited for their friends to arrive. Liz took the opportunity to move away from Max, settling herself on the hood of their car.

She rested her chin on her hand as she passively watched the road. She was a little nervous at the prospect of being reunited with the group again. After all, she hadn’t been on good terms with them ever since Max’s abduction ten years before. She didn’t know how they were going to react at seeing Max again. Will they even recognize him?

She felt overwhelmed by the enormity of the situation. It had been so long since she’d encountered a threat like this, that she wasn’t entirely confident of her abilities. In fact, she wasn’t even sure how much her friends would be able to help. They’ve managed to lead pretty simple, uneventful lives for the past decade. They haven’t had to elude the FBI or any other threats. She didn’t even think Michael’s powers combined with Isabel’s would be enough to help them out of the situation.

Liz looked at her hand wondering about the sudden bursts of energy that she sporadically emitted. She wondered if she could control it; harness it perhaps, so that she too could provide help when it came down to it.

Liz rubbed her hand down her face, exhaling loudly. She looked out over the deserted road paying close attention to any approaching cars. It wasn’t quite dark yet so she knew they still had a little over an hour to pass before it got dark. There was nothing left to do but to wait.


Max walked around the perimeter of the property trying to jog his memory. He looked up, noting the dome-like design of the building. He stopped and scratched his brow thinking of the previous time that he’d been here, but unable to remember clearly. There were snatches of images here and there but nothing coherent. He could recall coming here and looking for something, but he couldn’t remember what it was that they’d been searching for.

Max tried not to let it frustrate him. He knew that the harder he struggled the more pain he felt. He hadn’t mentioned anything to Liz or Connie about his headaches. He didn’t want to worry Liz any more. The pain was fleeting and he discovered that it was only triggered by flashes of moments from his past life as Max Evans.

Max scratched the nape of his neck, deep in thought. He was still unsure of Liz’s plan. She’d explained to him the night before that his family needed to know that he was alive. He’d agreed with her, wanting to see them too, but he felt anxious about the meeting. He didn’t know how they’d react to seeing him again. If truth be told, he didn’t remember everything about them. He could recall the first time he saw Michael at school but he couldn’t remember what his friend had looked like.

He remembered pieces of his past as Max Evans but he also saw snippets of his life as Jason Stevens. He didn’t quite feel like Max Evans but he wasn’t Jason Stevens either. He didn’t know who he was. His mind felt fragmented, sharing the memories of two different people.

There was so much was going on that he felt close to sensory overload.

They had a job to do and there wasn’t time to waste. There were so many things that he still needed to know. Connie still hadn’t told them just how much she really knew. He didn’t know how much to trust her.

Max glanced at his wrist, noting the time. He wondered for the first time if his editor was getting worried. After all, it had been days since he’d last spoken with Richard. His cell phone had been taken away when he and Liz had been abducted and he hadn’t even attempted to pick up a phone since Connie rescued them. He had a feeling that Richard would have called his cell phone at least a couple of dozen times by now to check on the story.

Max ran his hand through his hair and closed his eyes. He was exhausted. His body ached and his teeth felt gritty from the sand that blew around him. He glanced over at the car where Liz currently sat, waiting. Things between them were still a little strange. Now that he’d had some time to think, he wasn’t sure where things stood between them. So much time had passed. Maybe too much time?

He crouched down low on the ground and picked up a handful of rocks. He tossed them one by one as he continued to watch Liz from the corner of his eye. She was different from the girl he remembered.

His recollection of the Liz from his past was sweeter vision than the hardened woman that stood before him now. Of course, it could just be the way memories are recalled – always sweeter and more romantic. Maybe she’d always been this way, just not as pronounced…but he didn’t think so.

Liz Parker had changed.


Liz tapped her fingers on the hood of the car, enjoying the rhythmic, metallic sound it produced. It filled the heavy silence that surrounded her. Giving her ears something else to listen to other than her own breathing.

A part of her wished that the group would just get here already so she could get everything over and done with and get on with the task but another part of her hoped that they wouldn’t come, so that she would be spared from having to explain the events that had transpired in the past few days.

She still wasn’t sure that Connie would cooperate with her plan, after all Connie was out to expose the Unit. Liz wasn’t.

Revenge fueled her mind. It stroked the seething hatred she felt when she thought about the Unit and what they had done to Max.

Violence begets violence. An eye for an eye.

She slid herself off the car and crouched low on the ground trying to gain control of her spiraling emotions. She felt her anger choking her. She couldn’t breathe. Her skin grew hot as she thought of the things that might have been done to Max during his captivity. Her fists pounded the ground beneath her as she tried to expel some of that fury.

“Hey, are you okay?” His familiar voice broke her out of her rage.

“Liz?” He asked, kneeling down in front of her.

Placing a finger underneath her chin, he brought her face up to meet his. For a moment, Liz stared at him unable to recognize his familiar face. It was only when he snapped his finger in front of her that she broke out of her trance.

“Max?” Liz whispered. She blinked, trying to gather her wits about her.

“Yeah. You zoned out there for a minute,” he replied. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, yeah. I think so,” Liz averted her eyes. She wasn’t sure whether she should tell him the things she saw when she connected with him. Maybe it was best that he didn’t really remember his time in captivity.

A twittering whistle broke the silence of the desert causing both Max and Liz to look up. Liz scanned the area and saw Connie gesturing toward the road from her station on the hill. Sure enough minutes later they heard the low rumble of an engine getting closer and closer to them.

Liz tried to see who it was but it was too dark to see anything but the dark outline of a large vehicle. When they saw the headlights, the two of them braced themselves for a confrontation.

Liz shook her leg in anticipation while Max wiped his damp palms against his jeans.

The car stopped a few meters in front of them, shutting off its engine. The driver kept the headlights on so Max and Liz were unable to see anything past the glare. The door opened and the driver got out.

Liz squinted and could make out the outline of a tall man. Another door slammed and the passenger stepped out, walking slowly toward the two of them.

Liz stood still as the rest of the passengers got out of the truck.

As the driver stepped closer, a beam of light passed his silhouette and Liz saw the familiar face of Michael Guerin.

It wasn’t until they were toe to toe that Michael finally spoke.

“Liz.”

“Michael,” Liz nodded. She watched his eyes shift to her companion, perusing him from head to toe.

“Who’s your friend?” Michael asked.

Liz took a deep breath and straightened her spine.

“His name is Max. Max Evans.”



tbc...

[CME]

Chapter 27

Isabel stumbled over her step as she heard Liz’s words. She couldn’t have said what Isabel thought she’d said. It was insane. Max was gone. Still there was always that little glimmer of hope that flared up in Isabel’s heart at Liz’s uttered words.

Isabel tore her eyes away from Liz and stared at her companion.

The man was of average height and of an athletic build. His hair was dark like her brother’s but he wore it shorter than Max had ever had. His face was more mature, she’d place him close to his thirties perhaps, and he wore a couple of days’ worth of facial hair along his jaw. His face looked familiar yet she couldn’t figure out where she’d seen him before.

As she stepped closer to the man in question, her gaze drifted to his eyes and she noticed that he was staring straight at her.

Isabel stopped mid-step mesmerized by his eyes. They looked to be the same as her brother’s, intense and piercing, and the way he was looking at her was disturbing.

Her brow furrowed in curiosity and she opened her mouth as if to speak only to close it back up again.

What was she supposed to say?

It wasn’t until she saw his lips quiver that she found the courage to voice her thoughts.

“Max?” she whispered, afraid of what he might say.

It felt like an eternity had passed before he answered her with a slight nod of his head.

Isabel felt like someone had just gripped her heart and squeezed. It can’t be. She couldn’t let herself hope, she couldn’t let herself believe. It was all too much. She felt anger and rage fill up her chest.

“No,” she whispered and shook her head. “You’re not Max. Max is gone. He’s dead. How dare you say you’re him?”

Isabel stormed away in anger, turning her back on her friends. It wasn’t until she felt safely ensconced behind Atherton’s dome that she let her emotions flow in a torrent of tears.

She wrapped her arms around her and rocked herself for comfort.

It hurt too much to think about her brother. He had been her best friend, her confidant, and her protector. She had been out of control after his abduction. Her emotions spiraled causing her powers to go haywire. She couldn’t eat, live, or let alone function. It had taken her a long time to recover or even think about getting on with her life after his disappearance. Even now, he still haunted her dreams at night and invaded her thoughts during the day. It was asking too much to let her hopes and dreams resurface.

A faint shuffling came from behind her and she quickly swiped the back of her hand across her cheeks wiping away any evidence of tears. She turned around and wasn’t surprised to find Liz standing there.

“Is this what we came here for?” Isabel accused. “To meet this…this stranger?”

Liz stuffed her hands in her pockets and stood her ground, unwilling to let Isabel intimidate her. “Yes.”

Isabel huffed and shook her head angrily. “Well, I just have to tell you that this surprise sucks, Liz. I don’t think it’s amusing.”

“It’s not supposed to be, Isabel,” Liz retorted. “That’s your brother over there. Whether you choose to believe that fact or not is irrelevant. It doesn’t change who he is. He’s still Max Evans.”

A sob tore through Isabel and she raised her face up to the sky in disbelief. “God Liz! I never thought you could be this stupid. My brother is dead. He’s dead.” She repeated, glaring at Liz.

Liz closed her eyes as her arms came to wrap around her midsection. She wanted to cry but the tears just wouldn’t come.

“I can’t make you believe Isabel,” Liz explained tiredly. “He might look a little different but inside beats the heart of the boy that I loved.”

Isabel’s eyes shone through the dark. “My brother has been gone for ten years. Don’t you think I, more than anyone, would want him back?”

“But he is back,” Liz implored, splaying her hands in front of her. “Don’t let your chance to know him pass you by just because of your hatred for me.”

Isabel looked at Liz in surprise.

“Yeah, I know you hate me,” Liz whispered.

“I don’t hate you, Liz,” Isabel blew out a tired breath.

“Oh c’mon, Iz, don’t lie,” Liz said. “I’m not blind or retarded. You blame me for Max’s disappearance.”

Isabel crossed her arms across her chest defensively. She didn’t utter a word but only continued to look at Liz in anger.

“I know you blame me,” Liz said, her voice cracking. “Hell, I even blame myself. I mean if it wasn’t for me Nasedo would never have led Max to the carnival and he would have never been abducted.”

Isabel didn’t know what to say. All these years, she thought that she had let her anger go. She didn’t think that Liz ever knew how she really felt about her. Sure Isabel was grieving but she was angry too.

Angry at the world for hunting down her kind.

Angry at her ancestors for ever creating them.

Angry at her brother for saving Liz Parker and sending their sheltered life into chaos.

But most of all, angry at Liz for taking her brother away.

A sudden breeze blew and Liz pushed her hair back off her face, waiting for Isabel to respond. When she didn’t, Liz sighed in acceptance of Isabel’s decision.

“You know what, it doesn’t matter what you think of me. Hate me or like me, I don’t care. But don’t let that cloud your judgment when it comes to your brother,” Liz explained.

“Think of how he’s feeling right now. He’s in the same situation as we all are. Lost and confused. To suddenly remember all these people. People who you didn’t think you knew but suddenly recognize. People who you thought you would never see again, painful memories and reminders that your life was stolen from you. Fear and pain and deep – ,” Liz stopped, unable to keep her voice from cracking with sorrow.

“God, Isabel! Stop being selfish for once and think about someone else,” and with that Liz turned on her heels and made her way back to the group leaving Isabel alone.


<center>* * *</center>


Liz dug her hands deep into her pockets to keep out from reaching out and destroying something. Once again, she had let her emotions get the better of her.

The memories she gleaned from Max still haunted her. The fear, the confusion, the bone-jarring sadness that accompanied those thoughts almost pulled her down to her knees.

She had no idea how to help him. It was like everything was still locked up tight in him and she wasn’t sure whether it would be best to keep them that way.

Maybe it would be better if he didn’t remember. She didn’t know what those memories would do to him. As it was, Max’s mind was already in a fragile state. Liz knew that he needed time to absorb the situation, but time wasn’t a luxury available to them. She knew that the clock was ticking and that they needed to find the Special Unit soon before the Unit found them. They already made an attempt; Liz knew that it wouldn’t be too long until they tried again.

As she got closer to the rest of the group, she felt all their eyes on her as she approached.

“Is Isabel okay?” Alex asked.

Liz shrugged her shoulders not knowing how to answer him.

“Well, I’m going to go check on her,” Alex said heading towards the dome.

As he passed, Maria’s arm shot out grasping his wrist. “No, just leave her be.” Maria looked over at Liz. “Let’s give her some time to herself.”

Alex hesitated for a moment before he nodded and reluctantly stepped back.

“Okay, so you say you’re Max,” said Michael turning to Max, “so prove it. Show me your powers.”

Max shifted uncomfortably. Up until now he hadn’t had to worry about his powers. He figured they would return eventually. But now that he was being confronted he wasn’t sure if he was going to be able to perform.

Michael crossed his arms across his chest and stared at Max expectantly.

Max rubbed his damp palms against his jeans nervously. Thankfully, he was spared from having to demonstrate his non-existent powers when Liz spoke up.

“He’s doesn’t have to prove anything to you, Michael,” she called out. “Like I said, whether you believe me or not doesn’t change the fact that Max is who he says he is.” She calmly walked to Max’s side and grasped his hand as a show of support.

“We have work to do. So you’re either with us or not. If you choose not to believe, then we have nothing else to talk about.”

Michael frowned at Liz. He hated having to be put in the position of making a decision for the group.

“Fine, say I do believe you. What now? Do you expect us to take him home with us?” Michael asked facetiously.

Liz bit her lip to keep from lashing out at Michael. She needed to keep her patience in check; otherwise she knew none of the others would believe her.

“No,” she replied, “we have a lot more important things to do.” Liz turned toward the outcropping of rocks a few yards away. She let out a staccato whistle and waved.

“What are you doing?” Maria asked in a panic. “Michael? What’s she doing? She’s going to get us killed!”

A few minutes later, Connie appeared, her hand resting on the handle of the gun currently tucked away in her shoulder holster.

Michael wrapped a protective arm around Maria’s waist, pushing her behind him, while he aimed his other arm at Connie.

Liz quickly intercepted before the situation escalated.

“Stop!” Liz held her arms out between the two preventing them from going any further. “Michael put your hand down,” she commanded.

Michael hesitated before he finally relented, lowering his arm to his side.

Liz sighed with relief. “Thank you,” she said.

It was then she noticed that Isabel had come back unnoticed and was standing in the periphery ready to lend Michael a hand.

“I want you all to meet Connie Griffin,” Liz announced.

Connie raised her hand in greeting.

“She’s going to explain why I called and why we need your help,” Liz stepped aside, giving Connie the opportunity to explain.

“You’re all probably wondering who I am and what I’m doing here,” Connie looked at their expectant faces. “You see I used to belong to a group of highly trained men and women called, the Special Unit …”

Connie launched into a brief explanation of the group, from its conception up until the time of her departure from Unit.

“…it’s up to you whether you want to help of not. Whatever your decision, this mission is still going to happen even if I have to go at it alone.”

“How do we know you’re still not with this –” Maria held her fingers up and marked quotes in the air, “– Special Unit? Why should we trust you?”

Connie kept her eyes locked on Maria while her hands lifted the hem of her shirt, revealing a white tank top underneath. When the shirt reached her shoulders, she carefully manoeuvred her right arm through the sleeve revealing a blood-stained bandage.

“Connie was shot when she rescued us,” Liz provided as an explanation.

“What do you mean rescued you?” Michael asked.

“Max and I were kidnapped by what I’m assuming was the Special Unit,” Liz looked toward Connie who nodded at her.

“Connie was in a confrontation with the men in the car and she was shot as a result.”

As Liz retold the story of their kidnapping, Max slowly scanned the faces of his ‘friends.’ He didn’t blame them for not believing him but he didn’t understand why they didn’t believe Liz. He also didn’t understand why there seemed to be a distance between her and the rest of the group, almost like she didn’t belong.

“So I did see you at the Festival!” Alex exclaimed.

Liz bit her lip and nodded. Alex looked like he was going to say more but kept quite instead.

“Fine. So what’s this mission you guys keep referring to?” Michael asked.

Liz looked to Max, then Connie. “We’re going to expose the Special Unit for the sadistic monsters that they are,” she stated.


tbc...

________________

Happy new year to everyone! Remember if you drink, please think of others and don't drive. Keep safe and have fun.

[CME]

Chapter 28

From the outside, Area 9 looked like it had seen better days. Its grimy exterior and unkempt grounds gave the impression that it had been abandoned long ago. However, appearances could be quite deceiving as Dr. Robert Brown was about to find out.

Stepping out of the SUV, Dr. Brown accessed his surroundings with concern. He wasn’t quite sure what they were doing in an old abandoned hanger. Although by the looks of the fencing and perimeter security, he knew it was anything but.

“This way, Doctor,” his escort instructed.

When they reached the door, his escort paused and turned. From his lapel pocket he pulled out a card with Dr. Brown’s photo. “This is your ID card,” he explained as he handed the piece of plastic to the doctor. “You will need to keep this on your person at all times. All ID tags must be clearly displayed while you are on the facility. All locks are equipped with biotechnology. Just stand in front of the screen and let it scan your retina. I will take you to Administration where they will enter your genetic information. Do you understand, sir?”

Dr. Brown nodded, shifting his luggage on his shoulder.

“What’s your name, marine?” Dr. Brown asked his escort.

“First Sergeant Michael Duquesne, sir,” his escort replied. “Please follow me.”

Dr. Brown watched Sergeant Duquesne stand in front of a panel on the wall while a thin beam of red light shot out and scanned his eye. A moment later, he heard an electronic voice grant them access followed by a muffled rumbling before the steel doors in front of them opened revealing an elevator.

Dr. Brown stepped into the lift with trepidation. He thought he had left all of this behind him.

He should have known better.

He knew what Agent Pierce had wanted as soon as he heard about the meeting request. Dr. Brown knew that he could never fully retire from the Unit. He knew that there was always the possibility that his service may be called upon at any time, but after five years he hoped that they had forgotten.

But he was wrong.

Dr. Brown looked up at the numeric panel as the numbers counted down. When they reached sublevel 3 the elevator stopped and the doors opened revealing a well-lit, carpeted hallway.

“This is the administrative floor,” Sergeant Duquesne explained. “All personnel are processed through here. There have been many changes since you were last active, Doctor. Due to the latest security breach, tighter security measures have been installed. All doors are now equipped with retina scanners and all computer codes are changed every thirty days.”

Dr. Brown was aware of the recent controversy with the Special Unit. He too wondered where the information had come from and who had been brave or stupid enough to disclose it. Whoever it was, they wouldn’t be around for long once the Unit discovered his or her identity. They would make sure that that person regretted their actions and served as an example for any future turncoats.

After he received his orders, Dr. Brown, now escorted by another researcher named Dr. Chang, was led to the testing area.

“I’m so glad you’re here, Doctor,” his escort enthused. “I was initially hired to continue your research when you retired and I hope that you’ll be proud of how far we’ve taken the project.

“Just after you left the Unit, our field researchers discovered a new mineral near the water basin of Yucca Mountain. As you know, that is currently classified as federal land, which made our excavation a lot easier. As you'll see, this mineral is something we’ve never seen before.”

His escort unlocked a pressurized door, revealing a vast laboratory busy with activity. However, it wasn’t the commotion that caught Dr. Brown’s eye. His attention was riveted to the blue glow that seemed to emanate from a small glass dome in the center of the room.

His escort pointed to the glow with a proud smile. “That, Dr. Brown is M-117.”

Dr. Brown surveyed the glass contained crystal with fascination. It was small, just about the size of a child’s fist, but the color was an iridescent blue, like nothing that he had seen before.

“You said this was found at Yucca Mountain?” he asked.

“Yes,” the scientist stepped back and watched as Dr. Brown circled the specimen. “We think it thrived in that area due to the radiation pollution.”

“Why does it glow?”

“That we don’t quite understand,” his escort replied. “However, it is clearly unstable therefore it needed to be kept it in a vacuum sealed glass dome.”

“Unstable how?” Dr. Brown stood up and faced Dr. Chang. Never in his life had he come across something as strange as what now sat before him.

“Come with me and I’ll show you.” Dr. Chang led him to his office. He walked over to his computer and typed in his password before swiveling the monitor to face Dr. Brown.

“What am I looking at?” Dr. Brown inquired, looking over at his escort.

“Just watch.”

The monitor showed a researcher busy at work. From what Dr. Brown could see, the scientist was testing samples in a centrifuge. He noticed a small sample of the blue crystal sitting on an elevated Petri dish. Suddenly, one of the vials in the centrifuge exploded causing the researcher to jump.

The image jumped to that of the researcher lying on a cot writhing in pain, surrounded by doctors and medical monitors. There was a sudden commotion before the doctors stepped back. Dr. Brown noticed that the researcher was no longer moving.

As he looked closely he noticed that her eyes had turned dark.

It was preternatural.

“My God, what happened to her?” he gasped.

Dr. Chang stopped the video and sat down.

“When Dr. Hunt jumped, she inavertedly knocked over the sample of M-117 and it in turn mixed with the spilt solution on the table. From what we deduced after her autopsy, the M-117 solution was ingested into her system through liquid transference. How, we don’t know. However, once it was absorbed into her blood, it continued to deplete her potassium and increase her calcium levels, until it finally shut down her major organs. All of this occurred in the span of five days.”

“So what are you saying?” Dr. Brown asked disbelievingly. “Is this specimen some kind of virus?”

“Well, Dr. Brown, this is where you come in,” Dr. Chang clicked the mouse, bringing up two images onscreen.

“These are MRI images of Dr. Hunt’s brain taken during her sickness. Of course, we don’t have previous samples of her brain prior to the infection so we can’t have a comparison sample. However, you can see that this isn’t a healthy brain.” Dr. Chang pointed to a particular section of the brain, “Note the enlarged hypothalamus.”

Indeed the area looked abnormally enlarged. Dr. Brown searched his memory for various types of viral strains that may have caused such a reaction.

“Could she have been exposed to a Filovirus?” Dr. Brown asked.

Dr. Chang shook his head. “No. Dr. Hunt was a geologist. She was assigned to test soil samples. Her apartment was also searched and no trace of any virus was found.”

“Has anyone else looked at the specimen since?”

“No. We’ve kept it the biohazard area. You’ll need a blue suit in order to go in,” Dr. Chang advised.

“Then show me the way, Doctor,” said Dr. Brown. If this indeed was a virus, he wondered what connection it bore to his previous research, or better yet, his research subject.


__________________________

Just a short chapter. It needed to be added in order to keep the flow of the story. Not to worry. We'll see more of the scooby gang in the next chapter.

[CME]

Chapter 29

It had been almost two days since Michael, Maria, Isabel, and Alex arrived; two days since they were reintroduced to Max. Two days that they’ve had the chance to get to know him and yet they all refused to believe that Max was who he claimed to be.

Liz sat on the hood of the car, staring off into the sunset. In the background, she could hear Connie explaining to the rest of the group the outline of her plan. Liz knew that she should be in there listening but she needed a little time for herself. After being alone for the past eight years, she was finding it difficult to adjust to being part of a group again.

The light was starting to fade and soon it would be dark. Soon they would get back into their cars and travel back to New Mexico to follow Connie’s leads.

“Hey,” Liz heard someone say behind her. She turned and saw Alex ambling over to where she sat.

“How’s it going?”

“It’s going,” she shrugged her shoulders.

She felt Alex approach and tentatively lean against the side of the car next to where she sat.

After a moment of uncomfortable silence, she heard Alex sigh.

“I’m sorry, Liz.”

Liz turned and looked at Alex, assessing his meaning.

“I know how the others are. I know how they’ve treated you and reacted to you and I’m sorry for that,” he explained. “I know that I should have stepped up and supported you more than I did.”

Alex bowed his head shamefully.

Liz continued to stare at the horizon.

“It was the past,” Liz said, her voice lacking any feeling.

“You might think that they’re all against you right now,” when Liz turned and looked at him pointedly, Alex hurriedly continued, “and I’m not saying that they’re not, but you have to understand that our group is distrustful by nature. It’s the only reason why we’ve managed to survived this long. I know that they want to believe you but they’re afraid.”

Liz sighed and pushed her hair back off her face. “Afraid of what, Alex? Afraid of me being right? Afraid to admit that I’m not really crazy?”

Liz couldn’t help the disgust in her voice. She was tired of her so-called friends’ mistrust; tired of their pitying looks and their false concern.

She felt Alex’s gaze on her and it took all her will not to tense up.

“What did we do to you, Liz?” Alex asked sadly. “I remember the girl that I grew up with. She was inquisitive and friendly. And her heart was as big as the world. Where is she, Liz?” Alex reached out to touch her and Liz flinched in reaction.

Alex stood up from where he was leaning and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Despite what you think, we’re still you’re friends. We care about you. For what it’s worth I believe you. I see the truth in his eyes.”

Alex chuckled wryly. “It’s ironic really since I was the skeptic one. Remember when you tried to tell me the truth and I kept thinking they were from Canada?” He shook his head, a rueful smile still present on his lips.

“Just remember, if you need me, I’m right here.”

Alex walked away once again leaving Liz alone with her thoughts.

Liz bit her lip to keep it from trembling. She rubbed the heel of her hand against her brow in frustration.

She suddenly stood up and stormed off in aggravation. Once she felt enough distance had been put between her and the rest of the camp, she raised her hand in the direction of a boulder. Closing her eyes, she let all the anger build up within her and form itself into a ball. She let out a breath as she imagined that ball of emotion roll off her arm and leave through her hands. A split second later, she heard a whoosh followed by a muffled crashing sound. She opened her eyes and was shocked to see that a hole had been chipped away at the boulder in front of her.

Liz whirled around when she heard a gasp behind her.

Maria stood open mouthed, her eyes bouncing between her best friend and the distant rock. The two of them stood there staring at each other, not knowing what to say.

Maria finally managed to compose herself before she turned around and ran back to camp.

“Maria, wait!” Liz shouted, chasing after her friend.

Maria scrambled back to camp, shocked and afraid of what she had just seen.

“Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god,” she repeated breathlessly. It couldn’t have been real. It just couldn’t be real.

Maria stumbled and fell. She heard the approaching sound of footsteps behind her and a second later Liz had her arm and was helping her up off the ground.

Maria jerked her arm away and stared at Liz in fear. In reaction, Liz crossed her arms over chest defensively.

“Don’t look at me like that, Maria,” Liz held her chin up and glared.

“Look at you like what?”

“Like I’m a freak.”

“I never said that.”

“You didn’t have to.”

Maria shook her head and brushed the dirt off her jeans. “What do you want me to say, Liz?”

Liz shrugged her shoulders, steeling herself for her friend’s reaction.

“What did I see back there?” Maria asked. When Liz refused to answer, she continued, “do you…do you have powers?”

Liz uncrossed her arms, tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and after a moment’s hesitation, nodded her head.

Maria glared at her friend. “Were you ever going to tell anyone?”

Liz shrugged not knowing how to answer her.

Maria let out a huff. “Figures.”

She shook her head and turned away.

“You know, you have no right to demand anything of me,” Liz said in reaction to Maria’s comment.

Maria jerked and whirled around to face Liz. “How dare you say that? I have never demanded anything from you, Liz. All I’ve done all these years is support you. How could you say that to me?”

Liz let out a wry chuckle. “Support me? Is that what you call it? I’ve got a news flash for you, Maria. You haven’t acted like a friend for the past five years.”

Maria’s tears came unbidden at Liz’s words. “I’m sorry you feel that way, Liz.”

Her feelings hurt, Maria turned and walked away.

When Maria got back to camp, she quickly made her way to her tent, making sure to avoid everyone, lest they asked questions. Once she felt secure enough inside, she let her tears fall as she tore through her purse looking for her cedar oil. In her anger, she didn’t hear the flap open or Michael step in.

“Woah, you got something against that purse?” Michael asked as he watched his girlfriend beat and tear through her bag.

“What?” Maria sniffed caught off guard by Michael’s presence.

Michael amusement turned to concern when he caught sight of Maria’s tear-streaked face.

“What’s going on?” He asked crouching down to stroke her hair.

“Nothing,” Maria shook her head vehemently. Unfortunately, it just made her cry even more.

Uncharacteristically, Michael bent down and gathered her to him as she cried.

“Argh! I’m so angry at her, Michael!” Maria half-sobbed, half-yelled.

“Angry at whom? Liz?” Michael asked.

“I don’t understand what’s happened to her,” Maria pushed away from Michael as she sniffed and wiped her tears. “I mean, yeah I know what’s happened, and we all felt the loss of Max, but why is she so angry? Why is she so angry at me?” She turned to Michael hoping that he could provide her with an answer.

Michael took a deep breath and leaned back on his hands.

“It was different for her, Maria. You said so yourself that they had that whole stare-into-each-other’s-eyes soul mate thing. To suddenly rip that away from her…,” Michael shook his head.

Maria sniffed. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. But I tried, Michael. I tried to be her friend, to support her and be there when she needed someone to talk to. But she wouldn’t talk to me. She just…she just shut me out.”

“You have to give her time. I mean look at what’s going on around us. And if that guy out there is Max, then Liz’s world just flipped upside down.”

Maria nodded and sighed. “Speaking of which, does he look..,” she gestured wildly with her hands, “…I don’t know, Max-like to you?”

Michael thought about her question carefully. “I’m not sure. I find it hard to believe that he is Max, but I really want to. If it is him, then where has he been all these years?”

“But what if he’s not Max. What if he’s actually some evil alien sent to Earth to kill us?”

Michael looked up at her with a smile which quickly vanished when he caught the serious expression on her face. “Maria,” he sighed, “I don’t think he’s here to kill us.”

“How do you know?” Maria asked incredulously.

“I don’t know,” Michael answered. “I just know, okay?”

When he caught Maria looking at him skeptically, he hurriedly continued, “It’s just a feeling I get. It’s like when I’m near him there’s a very faint buzzing that goes on somewhere in the back of my head. It’s like that feeling you get when you’re alone but you feel as if someone is watching you…but not as freaky.”

“That really makes a lot of sense, Michael,” Maria said facetiously, making a face.

“Why do I talk to you, blondie?” Michael huffed and pushed himself back to his knees. He crawled out of the tent and looked around, searching for Isabel.

He walked around and saw Connie starting a fire while Alex fiddled with something in the truck. He finally spotted Isabel standing behind one of the tents. He made his way towards her but stopped in his tracks when he saw Isabel lean forward and embrace the man claiming to be Max.

[CME]

Chapter 30

Isabel pulled away and wiped at her tears.

“It’s really you,” she smiled.

“Yeah,” Max whispered, wiping away tears of his own.

Overwhelmed by her emotions, Isabel pulled her brother to her, hugging him tightly.

“I’ve missed you, Max.” She felt his body tremble slightly as his arms came around her.

“Isabel?” Isabel pulled away from Max and looked around. She saw Michael standing a few feet away looking at her questioningly.

“Oh, hey,” she said, embarrassed at being caught off guard.

“What’s going on?” Michael asked darting a look between her and Max.

“Nothing. We were just talking,” Isabel replied.

Michael crossed his arms across his chest, clearly not believing her.

“I better go check in with Connie,” Max excused himself, brushing past Michael.

Once Max was out of earshot, Michael turned to Isabel. “So what’s really going on here?”

Isabel sighed, clearly not in the mood for Michael’s big brother attitude. “I told you, Michael, nothing.”

“Then why were you hugging him?”

“Because he’s my brother, Michael,” Isabel said pointedly. “You know just because you don’t believe him doesn’t mean that he isn’t really Max.”

“Well, what makes you think he’s the real thing? When did you suddenly become his champion?” Michael accused.

“He’s my brother, Michael,” Isabel argued. “It might have taken me a little longer to recognize him but I know in my heart it’s him.”

Isabel shook her head and blew out a frustrated breath. “And now if you’re done interrogating me, I’m gonna go pack up.”

Isabel brushed past Michael angrily. She was tired of having to explain her actions to him. Since when did she become the weak one? She didn’t need protection. She was perfectly capable of taking care of herself and making her own decisions. And if he couldn’t accept that, well, that’s just too bad for him.

She grabbed her empty backpack off the ground and proceeded to throw what little she had into it. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Max converse with Connie and she couldn’t help but smile.

Her brother was back.

But the longer she watched him, the more questions began to pop into her head.

Where had he been all this time?

Why doesn’t he remember?

Why didn’t she recognize him before?

Did he have any powers?

Shaking the thoughts from her head, she zipped up her pack and hoisted it on her shoulder. She walked towards the truck where she spotted Alex loading the trunk.

“Hey,” she greeted, throwing her bag into the back seat.

“Hey,” Alex smiled as he continued to rummage through their supplies. “What’s up?”

“Did Connie say when we were leaving?” Isabel asked.

“In a couple of hours I think. She wants us to rest up before we drive back to meet with her contact,” he explained.

Isabel nodded and leaned against the car.

Alex paused and looked over at Isabel. “So I saw you over there with…Max,” he hedged.

At his question, Isabel suddenly became guarded. “Yeah, so,” she looked at him daring him to throw accusations her way.

Alex just shrugged his shoulders and went back to organizing their supplies. “Nothing. Just…good for you.”

When Isabel saw him smile, her icy demeanor thawed. This was Alex. He would never accuse her of being anything but herself.

“Thanks,” she smiled in relief.

“How’s he doing anyways?” Alex asked.

“A little confused but overall happy to be reunited with everyone again,” Isabel explained.

“I take it he’s remembering stuff?”

Isabel nodded. “Actually, he remembered something from when we were kids.”

“Oh yeah? What was it?” Alex inquired, knowing that it was something that probably convinced Isabel of Max’s true identity.

“He remembered the toy house,” Isabel replied.

Alex gave her a questioning look.

“Well, when we first got adopted Max was having a hard time adjusting, so my mom thought that if he had something to hold onto it would ease his fears and make him comfortable. After she gave him the toy house, he stopped crying himself to sleep,” Isabel explained.

“Wow,” Alex said in awe. He never realized how hard it must have been for Isabel and Max to have grown up not knowing where they were from.

“Yeah,” Isabel whispered.

After a moment of silence, Alex asked, “So does he remember anything from the past ten years?”

Isabel shook her head. “I asked but he didn’t say anything. I didn’t want to push. I’m just happy to have my brother back, you know.” The slight inflection in her voice made her seem even more vulnerable and Alex fought the urge to take her in his arms and comfort her knowing that it wasn’t the right time.

“I’m happy for you,” Alex said content to just be near her. He stamped down on the longing that lingered in his heart, knowing that it wouldn’t have been welcomed.

Isabel smiled at him wistfully but shook her head a moment later. “Look at me being rude,” she said self-deprecatingly. “Do you need a hand?”

“Nah, I think I’m good,” Alex said dismissively. “Go rest up.”

Isabel nodded and turned her back to him, heading back to the group. Alex watched her walk away, all the while yearning for the day when she would look at him as more than a friend.

<center>* * *</center>

“What time are we supposed to meet your contact?” Max asked as he watched Connie stoke the fire.

“Sometime before dawn,” Connie replied. “I’m to call him when we get closer to his location. He’ll go over his information with us in the morning and then it’ll be up to us what we decide to do after that.”

Max had to admit, he was a little nervous of Connie’s plan. Connie might be confident in her abilities but he wasn’t sure about himself or his friends. After all, what did they know about taking down a government organization?

As if reading his thoughts, Connie assured him, “Don’t worry so much, Max. My contact is legit. As long as you guys follow my instructions things should be okay.”

Max nodded, not because he truly believed her but because he wanted to believe.

He turned away from her and stared at the flames mesmerized by the flickering light. As he watched the orange glow sway and rise, his mind seemed to blank out until all he thought about was the fire. A moment later, images flashed through his mind like an old home movie.

He saw himself kneeling over Liz as he placed his palm on her bloody stomach.

He saw Kyle talking to him before offering him a silver flask, which he raised to his lips.

He saw himself smiling at Liz in the middle of the dark desert as they held a glowing orb between their joined hands.

The flash changed and suddenly he was assaulted with feelings of desperation and of fear. His skin burned, his throat ached, and he felt trapped. He was surrounded in white, but it wasn’t comforting, it was more clinical, empty. The image jumped and he found himself staring at a man’s scowling face. The man’s expression was contorted with rage as he yelled.

The man held up something small and silver and the light from the room glinted off the object. Max’s vision began to tilt as he felt himself being lowered to a lying position, his vision obscured by bright lights. Fear coursed through his body as he tried to move but found himself restrained to the table. The man’s face loomed over him again and he spoke but no words could be heard. A sudden burning began on Max’s chest, the pain intensifying causing him to scream.

He blinked and he found himself lying on his back, staring up at the star-filled night sky.

“Max, Max! Snap out of it,” Liz instructed, and he felt a slap to his cheeks.

He blinked again and turned his head, noticing that everyone had gathered around him and were looking at him in concern.

Max swallowed and pushed himself up on his elbows, trying to get his bearings.

“I’m okay,” he whispered hoarsely, trying to control his breathing.

He felt Liz’s hands on his back as she helped him sit up.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” She asked once again, a concerned frown wrinkling her forehead.

“Yeah. I just need some water,” Max said dismissively. He felt his cheeks burn from embarrassment.

“Come on, you guys. Let’s finish packing up our tents,” Isabel suggested, before offering her brother a nod of understanding.

Once everyone reluctantly went about their way, Max pushed himself up to his feet, wiping the sweat from his forehead on the hem of his shirt.

“Here,” Liz passed him a bottle of water, which he gratefully accepted.

Instead of focusing on the images that he just saw, he forced himself to concentrate on the cooling feeling that the water provided as it slid down his raw and parched throat.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Connie looking at him speculatively as she repeatedly flicked the cap on her lighter. He wondered what she thought of him now, especially after he had his little mental breakdown. Did she think he was crazy?

He didn’t understand what was happening to him and it only served to raise his fear. Ever since he began remembering he hadn’t had a decent night’s sleep. He wondered if it would ever end. When would the flashes stop? When would his nightmares end? To make it worse, he didn’t understand the memories that he saw during his time in captivity. It was like his mind had blocked it out. Maybe it was a self-protection mechanism. Maybe his experiences were too traumatic for his psyche to process. Maybe that was why he only saw snippets.

Nevertheless, the images were disturbing.

He wasn’t sure if he would ever be strong enough to fully remember. Worse yet, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to.