Roswell Fanatics

Chapter 31.
South Pasadena, a little after 7:00 pm.

Michael started when Liz came to again. She groaned, her body too weak to move. He leaned over and supported her head as he held a big glass of water to her face. She drank it all thirstily. Dimly, he sensed her strength coming back. She fell back down. Michael guessed at her emotions. She was totally out of whack.

“How’re you feeling?”

“I felt Max.”

They spoke simultaneously. Michael’s eyes lit up. ‘You did?? What did he say? Can we call?”

“I don’t know, Michael. I just felt him. He’s alive. That’s all I can tell you.”

Michael thought for a minute. Obviously, Max thought their cell phones were tapped. If that was so, then they seriously had a problem.

“Damn!”

“Sorry.’ Liz said weakly. Talking was too much for her. All the strength she’d ever had, had drained off. She was a shell, just like Alex had been. Alex. That thought started the goddamn tears again. She never remembered crying this much in her life before. She felt her eyes close from the effort but she forced the tears back.

Michael smiled appreciatively. “You don’t always have to be so strong, Liz.”

She ignored him, but not until he caught a look of naked yearning on her face. He knew who it was for.

“Can we contact him?” she rasped. Michael passed her the soup. She drank greedily. It spread life-restoring warmth through her.

“I don’t know. He told me not to.”

“No, Michael. How will he know where we are?”

“Hey!! Yeah!! The UFO center message boards! I already left him one.”

“You have an account there?” Liz couldn’t keep the suspicion out of her voice.

“Nah. Just registered with a name I thought he might recognize as yours.” Michael grinned, passing her a plate of food.

She smiled gratefully and dug in. She chewed hurriedly, nearly getting food lodged in her esophaegus in her rush to talk. Michael handed over her glass. She sipped and finally set it down.

"Thanks, Mike. For everything.”

“Yeah, well. I keep my promises.”

“What?”

“I promised Max I’d keep you alive. I wasn’t going to break my word.”

He saw Liz’s eyes tear at his name. He watched in amazement that she didn’t try and wipe them off. It wasn’t weakness in Liz’s part that she shed her tears. When it came to Max, she was defenseless. And for some warped, unknown reason, she really didn’t mind.

But as nature is inherent, she pushed it away. Her eyes cleared but Mike had seen more than enough. He just wished Max would’ve been to here to see this. Speaking of which…….. “Let me go check.”

“You have a PC here?” Liz was stunned.

“Nope. Around the bend. I’ll be right back.” Then he stopped. ‘You okay?”

Liz waved him off. As soon as he left, she got up. Instantly she fell back down again. This time, she caught her elbow on the edge of the bed. Jarring pain shot through her arm and her entire body. She felt battered, bruised, destroyed. The thoughts of what had happened last night was enough to cripple her for life.

She ignored them and concentrated instead on finding her footing. Scientifically speaking, she’d burnt herself out. She had basically lost all her abilities. They would come back with time or not at all, she didn’t know. Fear washed over her in tides. If she didn’t even have her powers to defend herself, what would she do if she ever came face to face with the FBI? Her blood structure hadn’t changed, so she would still be taken captive. She was struck with a truly horrible idea. If Max had fallen into trouble, she couldn’t even help him. In the tomb-like silence of the apartments, Liz shed the tears she’d suppressed from the instant
Max had pulled away in the car. She never should’ve let him go.

Michael came back. Liz was nowhere in sight. “Oh SHIT!!” Michael shouted, he ran to the bathroom. Then stopped. Gingerly he knocked. No reply. He hummed and hawed outside, hoping for a response. Still nothing. Great! Don’t I just love this part?? Praying he wouldn’t catch Liz in any compromising position, he pushed the door open, creating a lot of noise in the process. He poked his head in. It was empty.

This time, he was in a panic. He whirled around and bumped into Liz. To his horror, he saw her flailing backward, thrown by the contact. She landed on the floor in heap. Michael hurried over, cursing himself.

“What the hell are you doing out of bed??”

“I needed to go to the bathroom!” she hissed. “Do you mind??”

“Are you okay??”

“Fine! Just took a shower. Get off me, Guerin!!” Liz tried to move. Michael pulled her to her feet. She looked a little bit better. Her voice had come back. She stared at him, and then hissed. “Are you gonna gape at me all day or do you actually have some news??”

He glared at her. “ Shut up! And yeah, he posted something back.” He held out a printout.

“Let me see!!” Liz snatched the paper out of his hand. She scanned the page, finally allowing a ghost of a smile to cross her face. “He’s okay. Thank God!” Then she turned to him. “Sorry, Michael. I didn’t mean to snap at you. But I just…’

“It’s ok.” He reassured her quietly. “We both have a lot of pent-up frustrations.”

“No.” she stopped him. He stared back, then bustled both of them into the bedroom.

Propping Liz up against the pillow, he went to get coffee. Liz made herself comfortable. He returned, handing her a cup.

“It’s kinda hot for coffee.” She commented. Secretly, she was delighted. The warmth provided a substitute, until, IF, she ever got what her body craved for.

“Drink it. Now what’d you want to say?”

“I wanted to apologize, Michael.”

His head snapped up. “What?? Why’re you apologizing?? I should be the one doing it!!”

She shook her head. “What happened wasn’t your fault. It was theirs. Them and their so-called urge to ‘discover’!” she couldn’t hide the revulsion in her tone.

He nodded.

She continued. “I want to apologize. If it hadn’t been for me, you would never have killed someone. You wouldn’t be running from the law. You would never have to worry 24/7 that someone’s behind your back, watching. I promised you I wouldn’t ruin your life. Hah!! Look where you landed!! And you wouldn’t have had to worry about Max…” she trailed off, guilt overwhelming her.

He broke in harshly. “What the fuck are you talking about?? After I saw what they did to Alex, did you think I was just going to sit there and watch the goddamned fireworks?? And for your information, Liz, I HAVE run from the law before. I did it when Max disappeared for the first time; I’d do it again. It doesn’t bother me at all. As for ruining my life……’ he reached over and grasped her hands. She looked up at him, her feelings torn. “Look at me.”

She did. Her eyes told him how desperately she was trying to retain lost control.

“I told you before, you didn’t ruin it. And I’m not the type to blame people for my actions. None of what happened in the safe house had been your idea. Those were all mine. I lied to you about Max because it was all I could do to keep you alive. I threw those grenades because I felt it was the best course of action. You gave me numerous chances to leave but I chose to stay! So stop it with the guilt-fest, OKAY??” he shook her hand. She nodded weakly. Instead of letting go, he pressed them gently until she looked up at him again.

Looking her in the eye, Michael spoke clearly. “As for worrying about Max…you don’t know a damn thing. I’ve been waiting for the chance to worry about him. Until you came along, I never even knew where he was!! You want to apologize to me for Max? I want to thank YOU for bringing him back! And you have, Liz. Better than I’ve seen him in years.”

Twin tears dropped off her cheeks, blurring her vision. As much as she prayed for something different from this macabre outcome of events, she couldn’t help but glow at the thought of actually having done them both a good turn.

She fidgeted. The coffee spilled. Before Michael could react with a tissue, Liz did was she’d been doing her entire life. She did it without thinking, waving her hand over the spill, a weak green spark flying. Instantly, the coffee stain disappeared.

"What the…”

“My powers are back.” Liz settled back, getting over her shock. “Thank God.”

“Hold on!” The stridency in Mike’s tone stopped her. “Don’t overdo it. Max will get here when he will get here. For now, just relax.”

She tuned him out. She knew she was too weak. It was better to let them come back to her eventually. Steadying herself, she went over to her bags to find something decent to wear but Michael shoved her back down.

“Uh-uhh!! NO!! You stay in bed. He’ll come back and deal with you in your dishabille. Trust me, I don’t think he’d mind.”

She blushed crimson, then smirked. “Ya think?”

He laughed. “I KNOW.” He put on his jacket. ‘I’ll go see about the food situation.”

Liz pulled a brush through her hair. It had gotten matted with dirt, bile, chemicals and blood. But after 3 rigorous shampoos, it had reverted back to its shiny state. She pulled it over her shoulder. Her hand strayed unconsciously to her neck where his mouth had been. How carefree and distant it seemed! And it had been all of 1 day.

Shaking her head, she went about tidying the room. Despite Michael’s strict orders otherwise, she pulled off the oversized shirt and found a red tank top and some olive capris. She left her hair loose, the heat was too much. The wet portion stuck to her back, bringing relief. It wasn’t that late, no more than 8:30 pm. She was making the bed when a flash shook her to the core.

It was them, lying in some unknown motel, in a dark room, listening to each other breathing. Skin slid past skin, warm calluses moved against silk strands. She smelled wood, man and sandalwood; a unique combination. With a certainty that shocked her, she knew it was their smell.

She came out of the flash with a start. Her heart pounded, it had been so real and yet not. She closed her eyes, ignoring the dizziness. She was going to get through to Max, even if it killed her in the process.

Max? Are you there?? She tried to form a connection, clinging to thread that somehow seemed so right in her mind. Max??

LIZ?? The emotions sent her down, but she struggled to her feet. He was alive, he was fine. She wanted to chant and scream at the heavens. Relief like this, she’d never thought it possible before.

Yeah, it’s me!! Are you ALL RIGHT?? She sent back, the intensity shaking them both.

Fine!! I’m fine!! Tell me what happened to you?? He screamed back in his mind. The fucking cab couldn’t move slower if it fucking tried!!

Please, Max!! He could feel her eagerness, her relief. It was so sharp that it was almost to the point of pain. Please, please just come!! Hurry!

It was all he needed to hear.

The cab moved sluggishly though the crowds. Unlike New York, Washington, this was a madhouse. They were about 20 blocks from the area. Max waited impatiently. He’d heard the words he thought he would never hear. And this time, it hadn’t taken him to persuade her. She’d pleaded with him to come back. And if she thought he’d forget about it, he had a big disappointment for her.

Suddenly, the urge to just see her was so powerful that Max reacted without thinking. He paid off the cabby driver and jumped out in the middles of a green light. Behind him, a mini jam was beginning to form but he paid no notice of horns, the shouted curses. The road lay open in front of him, like the gateway to heaven.

Deliver me, out of my sadness.
Deliver me, from all of the madness.

He raced through the busy streets, shoving people out of his way. There was a growing excitement in him, something that defied definition. He pushed his feet to go faster. His heart pounded to the beat of an unknown rhythm.

Deliver me, courage to guide me.
Deliver me, strength from inside me.

Liz had felt the connection with him snap. She just prayed that somehow, someway he would come back to her. There was so much she hadn’t told him. So much she wanted to say.

All of my life I've been in hiding.
Wishing there was someone just like you.
Now that you're here, now that I've found you,
I know that you're the one to pull me through.

Max heard the voices in his head. All the false accusations that Pierce had hurled his way. It had killed him, defiled him, made him feel like an animal. The pain was so new, so agonizingly raw. He knew he was going to carry that cross for the rest of his life. But he knew he wasn’t alone. There was someone who would take away the anguish, share the burden. He forced himself to quicken his steps.

Deliver me, loving and caring.
Deliver me, giving and sharing.
Deliver me, the cross that I'm bearing.

Liz grew restless. She paced around like a caged tigress. She could sense him. He was close by and she couldn’t wait any longer. The thunder roared overhead, the lightning bringing jagged bolts of white light, illuminating the ferocious need in her face.

All of my life I was in hiding.
Wishing there was someone just like you.
Now that you're here, now that I've found you,
I know that you're the one to pull me through.

Max raced through the last block. He could feel his wound bursting but now he didn’t care. He just wanted to watch her. Alive. Safe. With him. It was all that he asked. Weary tears fell furtively down his face, mingling with the raindrops.

Deliver me,
Deliver me,
Oh deliver me.

Liz stopped, hearing a tremendous pounding. It moved the floor beneath her. She wondered if it was a quake when the emotions of a desperate man echoed in her soul. She’d know that anywhere. She whirled around, her hair flying around like the first gust of the monsoon.

The apartment’s door flew open. A disheveled, sweaty Max burst in, breathing like he was just in the marathon. His eyes fell on her. They stood still for a second. The distance was just that…..distance. Mere footsteps. Before, they’d been separated by anguish, genetics and a lifetime of guilt. Now, the only thing standing in their way was air. They’d found each other, never even hoping in their dreams, that it was possible.

“Max?” she asked, needing the declaration from his mouth.

“Liz." He answered, her name a mantra in his mind.

All of my life I was in hiding.
Wishing there was someone just like you.
Now that you're here, now that I've found you,
I know that you're the one to pull me through.

He stood still for a second, soaking in her presence. The hunger in her eyes matched the yearning in his. Without another word, he made his way over to her. With an intensity that surprised them both, Liz yanked him into her aching arms. He buried his face in the crook of her warm neck, his breath pounded against her skin as they rocked. She shuddered, the feel of his warm, wet skin against her own being her undoing. This was home.

He pulled himself back long enough to sear her with his gaze then she couldn’t stand it any longer. She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him with a strength she hadn’t had, save a few minutes. But all that was gone now. The air sizzled around them as they continued to devour each other, lost in themselves.

Max’s mouth traveled a downward path from her lips, molten. Liz shuddered, losing her balance, she fell back. Max caught her up, his arms two bands of iron, despite the blood that stained her, too. He followed her down on the softness of the bed. It was raging inferno, obliterating any thing called sense and logic from their minds, lighting up in random moments as Nature unleashed her fury. It was nothing compared to theirs. As a cool rain started pouring outside, the temperature rocketed inside, as they crashed and burned within each other.

Deliver me,
Oh deliver me.
Won't you deliver me


After I made you wait a long time, here it is. The Song's by Sarah Brightman - Deliver Me. Another great song I'd recommend. You guys know the drill. lemme know whatcha think.
Sarah

Chapter 32.

They pulled back, gasping for air. Lungs had been starved for too long. Max didn’t let her move. They stayed that way, breathing in each other, bodies intertwined. She pulled back a little to look at him, but he dragged her back.

“Stay!”

She smiled. “Staying.”

“Good.” He returned. He traced her face with his fingertips. The fire came raging back.

She turned a fiery red.

He sighed. “You have no idea how I longed to just watch this,” he said, his voice low and desperate. “I know how your skin feels at this very moment. It’s slightly warm but the red just invites…” he trailed off as she attacked his mouth with renewed fervor.


Trembling, they broke apart. There was too much to talk about. They entered the world again. Max could feel the blood running. He felt sticky and extremely tired. But sleeping was out of the question. He wasn’t going to miss watching her for another minute. They both realized how close they’d come to losing each other.

“I nearly lost you.” She voiced, after a while. Once her breathing resembled a normal human being. Then it hit her. She wasn’t normal. She would never be. And the risk of not being normal, she knew it now. She also knew the cost. Reality was seeping in, unwanted, undesired but very much true.

He spoke, his voice tight. “I almost lost you, too.”

Then he noticed her. Her lower body was stained a bright red. At that instant, Liz looked down. She stared long and hard, the shock paralyzing.

“Which one of us is bleeding?” Max joked weakly

She leapt off him enraged, and teetered at the edge. Before she could fall, he’d wrapped his arm around her, drawing her in.

“Whoa!!”

She shook herself free. The weakness was back, she felt herself tremble. “When were you planning on telling me?” she hissed.

“When you calmed down.” He replied, watching her rant. God, she was so beautiful, she made him ache.

“What the hell were you thinking? At least, let me fix this!!” she barked, taking in his gaze. She didn’t want him to know what it was doing to her.
He didn’t reply, didn’t break the stare. He seemed…mesmerized.

“What are looking at, Max?” she huffed.

He heard her question and he wanted to laugh. He wanted to tell her that seeing her alive and safe, in a bossy mood, was a dream he honestly had thought he’d never see realized. He wanted to tell her, that illuminated in the moonlight, the lamplight and the occasional flash of lightning, she was a goddess, a high priestess, sent to earth to bestow a glance on mere mortals, lighting up their lives forever. He wanted to tell her that she was more luminous then the flame of the candle, more than the heavenly bodies, that she truly was a celestial creature from the stars. She was light and darkness all at once, and he was having a bit of problem, even while he bled to death.

He thought it wouldn’t go down particularly well with her, so he answered honestly. “I was looking at you.”

She looked away, unable to bear the look in his eyes. It was turning her insides into an insidious mass of lust and she couldn’t feel like that. Not yet. He’s bleeding, for God’s sake!!

He gentled the look. She turned back. She moved him to a more comfortable position. Laying full out in front of her, he was a scrumptious sight. She licked her lips and Max laughed. But the laugh turned into a yelp of pain as the semi-suture opened up. Both of their eyes widened as they heard the small hiss and then the slow gurgle of blood. Liz yanked up his shirt; he bucked off his lying position.

“Easy!!" he winced, the pain raging.

She nearly gagged at the sight of so much blood. How many times do I have to see people I love get cut up in pieces?? Unexpected tears filled her eyes.

He misunderstood. Positioning himself into a semi-sitting position against the headboard, he leaned back, cradling her head. “It’s ok. I’m here.”

She nodded. Disentangling herself from his addictive touch, she moved slightly away.

“I have to touch you.” she said softly.

He leered through the ulcers that were forming. In my head. “Where?”

She glared at him. “Stop that!”

He reached for her waist, marveling at how it fit into his grasp. “You should eat more.’

She took no notice as she started, doing a little check of her powers first. She had enough. Even if she didn’t, she wasn’t about to tell him that. He was too badly injured. She had to find it within herself to heal him, even if it killed her. She was busy with her thoughts, when she felt warm, hard skin touch the softer one of her stomach. Involuntarily, she shrieked, scaring the hell out of both of them.

He grinned, delighted at the effect his touch had on her. “You ticklish??”

She moved away. Her breathing went back down. All he’d done was touch her and she felt like she was an exploding firecracker.

“Can we do this or what?” she gestured roughly towards the soaked shirt. Desire was heady; it went to her head as potent as the first taste of Max.

“Yeah.” He winced.

She placed her hand over the wound in his stomach. Better take that one out first. There was a jolt of light, his skin heated up. They both felt a flash coming up. They waited in anticipation, neither caring to hide anything from the other. He shook, as she connected with him.

Flash – Alex. Like a cement board. There was no life in the gray body. The pain on the young man’s face was excruciating. But underneath the pain and fear, there was strength, an inner power that had kept him alive until Liz made it there.

Flash – Liz kneeling on the floor. The terror in her shook Max’s soul. It was horrifying, unthinkable. It was what she’d seen inside Alex’s body. It held the presence of…nothing.

Flash – He saw Liz struggling to get to her feet, as she threw Michael against the wall. Desperation was written in every inch of her. She was going to kill anyone who came in her way. In her mind, he saw that she’d given up. There was nothing left to lose. Nothing left to live for. She was at the edge of the ravine. And then, she turned away. She fought back from the terrors of her mind and took refuge in the only thing that had dared to breach the walls of her control, her willpower. Himself. He saw Liz’s internal battle. He saw what she gave in to. It was him.

Flash – Liz was pacing up and down a worn carpet, the need in her setting the world to a blaze. She needed to be held, she needed to be loved, cared for. And the only one she wanted it from was him.

Liz felt herself penetrate Max’s outer shell. She knew, that technically, it worked both ways, he would get flashes from her; she would get them from him. But she was so drained, she didn’t know if she’d get any from him. Her mind was too consumed with her powers; she could barely keep herself awake.

She made herself move over to the next one. Her power was fading; she had almost nothing left. She placed her hand over the one in his shoulder and gave it everything she had.

Another series of flashes shook Max. They were myriad colors. The world was spinning in it’s orbit or maybe not. He felt himself flying, soaring above the skies, going beyond. The terror was exhilarating, not scary. It made him feel alive; it made him want to shout. There was a terrible yearning in it, a feeling so right that it felt wrong. Nothing this good could be allowed by the Gods. And then he realized what it was. It was how Liz had felt in their first kiss. He could see her feelings intensify at each of his movements. She was the glowing ember and he was her fire. Together, they created maelstrom.

They both came out of it in the exact same time. Max gasped, lungs starved for air. He caught his breath and then promptly lost it again as she collapsed limply on his chest. His new, unmarked chest, the one that was glistening with the sweat of her labor. Max looked over at her, frantic.

Shit, shit, SHIT!! I should’ve remembered that Michael said she had been drained of her powers!! What was WRONG with me??

He laid her gently back down then took her face in his hands. She was out. He moved off the bed, desperate to do anything that would help. The door opened.

“MAX??” Michael shouted, relief palpable. “When??”

“No TIME!!” Max yelled, “Get in here!! Liz passed out!!”

“She…what?? Goddammit!! I told her not to exert herself. She’s been completely out…Max?? Max??” Michael bellowed, seeing the pallor in Max’s skin at his outburst.

Max lunged for Michael. “Whaddya mean, she’s out?? Is she DEAD??’

“NO!! She’s just out. She’ll wake up after she’s recovered. It’s connected to her powers. She’s too weak. She shouldn’t have used it!! What the hell did she so, that burned her out?? Max!”

Michael stopped mid-rant when he noticed the bloodstains on Max’s torn shirt. Then he grew icelike. “What happened?”

“Shot. Pierce. Liz healed me. Now, move it!!” Max replied tersely as he raced back to Liz. She lay there like a log, but her chest moved. Her breathing was deep. She was asleep. Or unconscious.

Max looked helplessly at Michael. “Why didn’t she tell me, goddammit??”

Michael soothed Max. “It’s ok. She’ll get up soon enough. Why don’t you sit down and eat something.”

Max went over to her and tucked her in. His hand lingered on the smooth skin on her cheek. There were the slightest tracks of tears. He smoothed them away. Giving a last backward look at her, he walked out behind Michael. They sat at the ratty kitchen table and talked over what happen.

Michael was in shock. “You got the alien stuff, killed Pierce and what the hell are you going to do NOW? Turn yourself in?? Have you lost your mind??’

Max nodded wearily. The day had been too damned long. “ I have to, Michael. That was all in line with my plan. And I if I don’t go through with this, they’ll suspect that there’re more aliens. I will NOT expose Liz to that sort of danger. I did it once. It ends today.”

Michael broke through Max’s tirade. “It ended three days ago, Max. Stop beating yourself up over it.”

Max turned wild-eyed to him. “What the FUCK are you talking about??” he muted the roar. ‘I SAW Alex’s body, Michael!! How can you possibly say I'm not to blame??”

“How the hell did you see?? It was blown up, for God’s sake!!” Michael paled.

“I saw it in her mind! I saw what she was feeling. She was just so scared…" he trailed off, unable to talk.

Michael poured more coffee and took out the rolls and donoughts from the microwave. Max’s addiction was his sweet tooth. Of course, now there’d been a slight change but Michael was sure his friend could still use a sugar rush. Or maybe ecstasy pills.

Max sighed gratefully, but he couldn’t eat. Not after what he’d just seen. “What happened to you?” he asked Michael.

Michael returned the level stared. “I did what I had to do.”

“I’m sorry, Mike. I never meant to drag you into this.”

“HEY!! Quit it with the guilt trip, okay?? I’ve just about had it with both of you!! I chose to do it. I could’ve refused. So just stop, enough!!”

Max nodded. “Thank you, for bringing her out.”

“She almost didn’t come, you know.”

“I know,” Max picked at his roll. “I saw it, too. You lied to her about me. That was the only thing that got her to go.” He raised his eyes. “How did you know, Mike?’

Michael rolled his eyes. “Like it takes a genius! The girl’s crazy about you. But I saw what they did. I can’t help but be afraid.” He looked Max in the eye. “I’m scared that if you two get involved, the Government’s gonna come after both of you. I’d hate to think of what could happen if they caught any one. I’m really terrified of that. And,” he pronounced each word carefully. “I’m afraid that you two are not going to even consider it.”

Max stared right back. “I told you once. I want her safe, above all else. And yes, I know that being together poses as the greatest risk of discovery.” Then his calm vanished. “Don’t you think I know that?? Why the fuck do you think I came back??”

“What??” Michael was baffled.

“I wanted to give her back the stuff from the vaults! As soon as I have delivered those to her, I’m going. I’m going in, before the Government starts a real search. They’ll not only destroy my reputation, but they may find something to connect Liz with me. I’ve got to leave before that happens. And you, my friend, you’re leaving too. They put you and me together. I won’t have you stay here and risk getting Liz caught. She’s perfectly capable of taking care of herself; she’s done it for years.” He ended his diatribe. “I’m not going to hold her back, Michael. That thing, the granolith? It can take her back. I won’t stand in her way. Not if it endangers her.”

“All very noble. Has it ever occurred to you that she might want you around??”

Max glared at Michael “Don’t do this to me!! She doesn’t. She shouldn’t!! I’m the bait. She must NOT have anything to do with me!!”

‘And who’s going to convince her of it?”

Max stared calmly back at him.

Michael stared for a second then shook his head. “Oh no, you don’t!! NO! I am out of this. YOU do the talking. This is between you two. I’m outta here.”

“Stay!” Max called him back. ‘I’m not going anywhere now. I gave myself a head start. I’ll be okay for a couple of days. I need to get Liz to safety. After that, I’ll leave. I’m not going to abandon her now.”

“Good.”

Both men looked at each other. Then Max yawned. He was dog tired. Michael gave him a small smile and went to the couch.

Max made his way back to the bedroom. Liz was still out. Her slight profile was shadowed by the night, the soft light catching the unearthly hue of her skin, golden one second, porcelain the next. Max could get drunk off her beauty and never realize it. He gingerly lowered himself beside her. He laid awake most of the night, his gaze a silent vigil. He was going to protect her, even from him, if it came to that. Long into the night, he continued his watch, keeping her safe from the shadows lurking both from reality and dreams. It wasn’t much, but by God, it was all he needed. The ferocity of their feelings for each other surprised him, but he’d long since given up on any doubt. They were meant to be. If not together, then at least in each other’s souls. Of that, he had no doubt.

I'm finding my way back to sanity again
Though I don't really know what I’m gonna do when i get there
I take a breath and hold on tight
Spin around one more time
And gracefully fall back to the arms of grace

Cause I am hanging on every word you're saying
Even if you don't wanna speak tonight
That's all right, all right with me
Cause I want nothing more than to sit outside heaven's door
And listen to you breathing
Its where i wanna be, yeah
Where I wanna be

I'm looking past the shadows in my mind into the truth
And I'm trying to identify the voices in my head
God wish won't you
Let me feel one more time what if feels like to feel
And break these calluses off me one more time

Cause I am hanging on every word you're saying
Even if you don't wanna speak tonight
That's alright, alright with me
Cause I want nothing more than to sit outside of your door
And listen to you breathing
Its where I wanna be, yeah

Oh i don't want a thing from you
Bet you're tired of me waiting for
The scraps to fall off of your table to the ground
La da da da...
Cause i just wanna be here now

Cause I am hanging on every word you're saying
Even if you don't wanna speak tonight
That's alright, alright with me
Cause I want nothing more than to sit outside heaven's door
And listen to you breathing
Its where i wanna be, yeah
Where I wanna be

Cause I am hanging on every word you're saying
Even if you don't wanna speak tonight
That's all right, all right with me
Cause I want nothing more than to sit outside heaven's door
And listen to you breathing
Its where i wanna be, yeah
Where I wanna be


Sorry for the short part. Song: Breathing by Lifehouse.
Sarah

Chapter 33.

Liz woke up. It was still early. She smelled Max and turned around, already a smile of relief on her lips. She turned towards him. He was fast asleep, his hair tousled, eyebrows burrowed together as if he was worried about something.

She smoothed his forehead with her fingertips, vaguely disturbed that her powers hadn’t come back as yet. He mumbled something and pushed deeper into the pillow. Her smile turned full-fledged. Awwwwww…..he’s so cute!! Unbidden thoughts went through her mind. Some lucky bitch was going to see this every morning, go to sleep with those arms around him every night. She’d bear his children. She’d be the one celebrating their anniversaries. And too bad, I’m not going to be that woman.

Liz was not a jealous person by nature, but she felt a rush of something closely akin to fierce envy at some random, nameless, faceless woman. What wouldn’t she have given to be in her shoes!!

In the middle of her thoughts, Max stirred. She quickly disguised the yearning form her face and smiled valiantly. He came awake with a start.

“Liz?" he asked, all sense alert.

“Right here.” She replied, peeking out from underneath the comforter. It was warm. She’d been expecting the frigid bite of Washington air. Instead, she realized, they were back in California.

“Where are we?”

“You didn’t know?” he asked, sleep returning. He yawned again, feeling the exhaustion of three days piled up. His mind nagged that they had to move and move immediately but his body had given out on him.

She leaned up and kissed his cheek. “You get some shut-eye. We can talk later.”

He held her close for a second then turned over. Liz listened for a second. Max was too light a sleeper. She smiled happily. That was just fine with her.

There were noises coming from the kitchen. Liz got up, gathered a few clothes around and headed for the shower. As the hot water ran down her body, she couldn’t help but think of the man that was currently sleeping in her bed. And that line of thinking is going to get you nowhere!!

She came out, dressed in her underwear and baggy jeans. There was none of her stuff anywhere, except yesterday’s tank top. She reached for it, looking hesitantly towards the figure on the bed. A light snore reached her ears. She gaped for a second then laughed at her own imagination. Yeah, you wish, Parker. He’s sleeping, no need to get the hormones worked up. Nothing’s changed.

But try as she might, she couldn’t reconcile herself to the fact that she and Max were meant to be just friends. Not after everything they’d shared. But she knew that he was exposed to the same danger that she and Alex had been, if he was with her. And she’d die before she put him through that. No, it was better for everyone if she stayed away from him.

She left the room. Michael was already up, having cleaned up and was busy flipping pancakes.

“You can cook?” Liz asked warily.

“I’m a bachelor. I HAVE to know how to cook!” he replied archly. But his grin gave him away.

“What’re we having?” she asked, clearly unimpressed by his show off.

“Uhh….those would be pancakes.” Michael pointed sheepishly with the spatula. They were a mangled bunch of…something.

Liz waved him off. “I’ve got this one under control.”

Michael blissfully ran back to the couch. He turned on the TV. Liz called out in a loud whisper. "Not so loud!! You’ll wake him!!”

“Yes, momma.” He relied laconically, turning it down a few decibels.


It was 2:00 pm when Max got up. He reached out, found nothing. His eyes opened rapidly. There was no sign of Liz, except her very distinct smell. He heard soft laughter from the other room, muted for his benefit. He went in to take a quick shower. He marveled at the smoothness of his skin. There were no signs of the ravages left by the bullets. Liz had healed all that.

At the memory of it, he felt his goose bumps flash. Get a grip!! His conscience griped. Hey!! How often does a guy get an unabridged version of a woman’s mind?? His heart rallied back.

Max stepped out of the shower. He entered the room and halted. Liz was standing there, looking all flushed and delicious.

Yikes!! He was grateful beyond belief that he had a towel covering his very interested essentials. Not that it covered much. He saw her eyes travel down his body, halt midway down and snap back to his face. When she found him looking back…the expression on her face was priceless.

She whirled around. “I’ll just…" she raced out.

He laughed aloud; the expression on her face was just too hilarious. Quickly dressing, he made his way back. Suddenly, he wished he hadn’t slept in so late. They could’ve spent the time doing what couples did, or just talk. Just spend it with each other. And now, it was nearly over. Not yet, bud. The day’s still got plenty of hours left!! He paid no attention to his persistent-like-a-rash conscience.

There were more important things to do. Yeah, right! Like stare at Liz stare at a wall!! That’d be REAL interesting!! Max tuned out his inner voices. There were giving him a headache.

He came out. Liz jumped up from the seat she had in the counter. Michael snickered, then looked back at Max. He still wore that haggard look, but it had reduced due to Liz’s presence and some sleep.

“How’re you feeling?” she asked, breaking the awkward silence.

Good, now that my sappy self has gotten an incredible view of you checking me out! “I’m okay.” Max lied.

She gave him a weird look, like she knew he was lying, but didn’t push. Instead, she reached over the counter, pulled out a plate and stuck it in the microwave. “Eat your lunch.”

He smiled and chucked her under the chin, as he went past her. “Little nag!”

She promptly forgot all about weird looks as she glared back at him. “I, sir, do NOT nag!!”

“Do, too, miss.” He teased, sitting down.

She gave up. When he looked at her with his eyes twinkling, there was precious little control in her.

She rooted around; looking for something to do that would hide her from his gaze. It made her feel things she wasn’t quite ready to feel yet. Sure, Liz!! Like you weren’t dying to jump him five seconds ago!!

Michael interrupted them. “Soooo…. Max. How far did you get last night?”

Both of them jumped. “WHAT???”

“Kidding!! I mean, seriously. Did you get the chance to talk and all?”

Max smirked. Liz was busy rolling her eyes at Michael’s lame and in her opinion, extremely crude, jokes. “No."

“Okie…” Michael drawled. “I guess that’s my cue to leave."

“Leave?? Where’re you going?”

“I’ve to go back. Duty calls.”

“I thought you said you took a break!!”

“I did, but I think I’m needed back.” Michael spoke each word carefully. The message he was trying to send Max wasn’t hard to understand. Don’t worry about me. I have to go back before they put you and me together.

Max nodded. “Fine, get packed up.”

Liz fretted. “Is it really safe?? I mean, what if??” She didn’t dare ask because she was too scared to know. She managed to get the words out. “What happened to Pierce?”

Max’s face tightened. "Dead.” Her replied, his voice cold. Even now, the loathing hadn’t gone away. It never would.

Liz gasped. “He…..he’s dead?? But how?” Then she got it. “YOU killed him?? Are you crazy??”

“I had to, Liz. It was the only way.”

She wouldn’t listen. “You’ve gone mad!! What did you hope it would accomplish, Max? Now people would know that you’re connected in this mess somehow!! Above all else, I told you to respect one thing!! And that was that you wouldn’t get sucked into this!!” She ran into the bathroom and slammed the door shut.

The two men watched, disturbed. Liz never usually lost control. And certainly didn’t throw hissy fits. Something was definitely off.

Max went over and taped the door. “Liz?”

There was no answer.

Max turned the handle. It opened and Liz walked out angrily. She couldn’t believe his nerve!!

He reached for her. “Liz.”

She yanked herself out of his reach, her eyes molten with the same anger he’d seen on the flight. She was pissed. “Back off!! How many times did I say this?? Why do you think you always know what’s best?? Listen to me, for once!!”

He pulled her back into his arms, seeing all resistance flee. She wasn’t angry, she was terrified. And Liz preferred anger to fear, hence the outburst. “Shhhh…..it’s ok.” He cuddled her close to him.

“No it’s NOT!! And it’ll never be!!” she held onto him like a life jacket. “It won’t be okay because now you’re going to be their number one suspect! If they so much as find out what happened to Pierce, you’re toast. And if they don’t, they’ll assume that there were more aliens around, hence they’d come for you again. They’ll take you away. After Alex……….’ She shuddered.

He wrapped his arms more snugly around her.

Michael spoke, not wanting to intrude but couldn’t help himself. It was important. “And they’d find you with him.” he stated.

Liz jerked in his arms. Max scowled at Michael. What is he, dense? he had to bring that up NOW??

“Michael!!”

“What? She needs to know!” Michael defended himself.

Liz pulled back. “ I don’t care!!”

Max said firmly “I do.” He brushed his lips against her hair.

She pulled out of his arms. “What? What’re you going to do? LEAVE me?” her voice rose. If she hadn’t been so completely in shock, she would’ve realized that he was giving them both an out. They’d both get what they need. He wanted to keep her safe, she wanted to keep him safe. In the end, it all boiled down to one thing.

They would’ve to remain apart. Together…. it just wasn’t an option anymore. No matter how much she wanted otherwise. Because they were both schooled to perfection in one thing and that was putting others before themselves. Sacrificing themselves was acceptable; risking a single chance with others was not.

Dimly Liz wondered if he’d killed Pierce keeping this scenario in mind. Immediately she chastised herself. Max really wanted to be with her. She could see it in the fire in his gaze, the heat of his lips. It was all there.

Max disentangled himself and got out the backpack. It, too, was stained with blood. Liz averted her eyes. Michael winced. Max shrugged in apology. There was nothing he could do about it.

He reached in and pulled out a crystal cylinder. “It’s yours.”

Liz took it, her hand trembling. She’d heard Alex talk about this. They knew nothing, other than the fact that it would take them home. Alex had been on the search for their ship before he was caught. She’d laughed it off as sci-fi fantasy before but now she wasn’t so sure. This was a necessary weapon in their arsenal. If the worse happened, she could always leave.

But holding it, Liz made a vow to herself. Her departure would be on her own terms. Not Max’s, not the government's. She’d leave only when she felt she had to. Not otherwise. And she wasn’t going anywhere until Max had cleared his own name. She turned to him, her eyes full of gratitude but her voice was hard. “Talk.” She gestured towards the files and everything.

Max grinned and relished the scowl that came over her face at his response. “God, I LOVE kick ass chicks!!”



After several hours, they all decided that they’d talked about everything they needed to. Michael had been prepped with his entire responses to probable questions. It was all decided. He’d already booked his flight to Maryland. Amy Russell’s cousin’s jet was free again. Now, at least he wouldn’t have to be on the flight rosters. Max calculated rapidly. They had gained probably 5 or 6 more hours with that.

Michael checked his watch. It was definitely time to leave. He leaned over and hugged Liz. “Stay safe, kiddo!”

She hugged him back, oddly moved by his gruff tone. “Thank you. For everything.”

He looked her in the eye. “I wouldn’t have done otherwise. And,’ he added, “I’d do it again. So stop the guilt fest already!”

Liz smiled, brushed her eyes furtively. “Okay.”

Max came over and clasped Michael in a bear hug. “I can’t thank you enough.”

“You don’t have to. I would’ve done it anyways. You know that.” Then he grumbled. “I’m beginning to sound like a broken record! What don’t you guys get??”

“I do. But it doesn’t make things any easier, knowing that you could be a possible suspect.”

“MAX!! I told ya. It was MY decision. And as for thanking me, I should be thanking you. And her.”

Max stepped back, surprised.

Michael smiled genuinely. “For reappearing in my life!! I’d given you up for the Ghost of Christmas past!!”

Max smacked lightly at his arm. “Git!!”

They all laughed and Michael shook Liz’s hand. “A real honor. You’re the strongest person/alien I ever met. And I mean that.”

Liz felt her eyes tear. No matter what she said and did, getting over Alex was not going to be easy and definitely not going to be anytime soon. And Michael, in some odd way, reminded her of him. ‘Thanks. I could say the same for you.”

“Don’t. It’s not true.”

They all exchanged their goodbyes.

Michael slung his backpack over his broad shoulders. He turned to Max. “Call me. You may not deem it important, but I’ve got certain weight. I could help.”

Max nodded. “I am not deeming it unimportant, Mike. I just want your name clean.”

Michael nodded back. ‘Gotcha, but in case.”

Max waved him on. “I know.”

“Good luck.”

They watched as Michael walked down the stairs and into the early evening air.

It was a hot night, yet there was breeze that kept it cool. Liz couldn’t help but relate as she prepared dinner. Max went over the files, organizing each little details. It was so typical of him that Liz rolled her eyes inwardly.

They sat with the files, after they’d finished dinner. All through the meal, the tension in the air had become progressively more charged. Any second, they couldn’t help but wonder when it would happen. It started at a broil and reached full-fledged fire as the meal ended. They ate the dessert, thinking about each other. Every look, every gesture was a part of a rhythm that was in danger of overtaking the, overriding their senses. It was heady, addictive, intoxicating.

They sat opposite each other, afraid of getting too close. Which was a laugh, given that they were way too in tune with each other. Max had expected the connection between them to betray his thoughts. But so far, it hadn’t happened. In fact, the connection between them had gone almost away. It was there, under the skin, reminding them of each other, but apart from that, there was nothing. Max sighed, with relief. This was the way it should be. Two people so attracted to each other that they could feel everything the other one was. It wasn’t too hard since they were both thinking along the same lines. It was infinitely better than getting into the hocus-pocus. He could see that she was highly tuned into him; yet it was all coming from her, not part of the alien cult.

A recent memory came to him. She could always tell when he was getting hyper. He thought she’d be disappointed, but she wasn’t. In fact, she seemed downright thrilled that whatever that was happening was far more normal than she predicted.

They started going through the files again. After a while, unable to keep her mind to the task, Liz broke the charged silence.

“Max?” she steeled herself, lest he heard the need in her voice. She had to stay strong.

“Hmmmm?” he replied, distracted by the glow in her gentle, dark eyes.

“When you killed Pierce…” She trailed off. Moistening her lips quickly, she lifted her gaze and found it trapped under his own blazing one.

She forced herself to continue. “Did you do it to get rid of me?"

Chapter 34.

It had been more than three days since she’d asked him that. And in three day’s time, Max had yet to recover from the sting. He couldn’t believe she could sit there blithely and ask him that!! That had created a strain on the environment. Max and Liz had been full of strategies, but she could see that he hadn’t forgotten it, neither had he forgiven her for it. She sighed tiredly. This was getting old.

Okay, fine! SO the question was unjust…. but I have to know!! And if I don’t start pushing him away now, when the hell will I? It’s for his own good and I won’t be judged on it!! And I’ve taken about as much crap as I can tolerate!!

She marched determinedly up to Max, who’d been sitting on the bed and talking on the phone. It had been a waste of all this time; they’d been bickering back and forth over this constantly. She didn’t know if it was from unreleased hunger or just plain fear. She chose the former. That he’d be scared of her, to be in this mess, was just too painful.

He looked up at her indifferently as she came in. That rankled her. Before she’d asked him that question, he’d been searing her with his looks and all of a sudden, he went cold, correction, FROZEN turkey on her and it made her mad. But just the feel of his eyes on her started a slow burn inside.

He waved at her to remain quiet. She did. Max talked in the phone for a while longer, then hung up.

“That was Mike.” He commented lamely. He could see the blood up in her. God, she’s FINE when she’s pissed!!

“What did he say?” Civilities forced her to ask it nonchalantly.

Max could feel his blood getting up too. She was looking at him like she could rip him to shreds. So help me God, I WANT her to!! Even though I could wring her little neck for that stunt!

“He’s fine. He’s been keeping his eyes peeled. So far, there’s been no one onto him.”

“That’s good.” She breathed, relieved. She didn’t want anything to happen to Mike.

“No,” he replied rubbing his hand over his evening stubble. Then he glared at the bedspread, irritated as his clawed fist came into contact with a recent nick. “It means they’re probably using their best men.”

“Oh.” Liz said, her anger fading, replaced by fear. “I knew this was going to happen!” she said, her voice raised.

He glared at her. “Talk that loudly and the police will haul away your pretty ass right outta here. The Feds don’t need to do anything!”

“Hey!!” she glared back. ‘What is up yours??” Her tone wasn’t pleasant.

“You wanna know??” he shot back, getting up from the bed.

She nodded her head mutinously. This was better. This, she could handle. Indifference, she could not.

“Fine!” he bit out. “I want you to tell me what possessed you to say something like that!”

She stole a quick glance; he was still glaring at her. “Fine, I'll tell you if it gets you to stop sulking!! I needed to know!!”

“And why is that?”

“Because unlike you, I need information before I can act!!”

“Is that what you call it now? Information?” His voice was ice.

Liz faltered. She’d just meant to start pushing him in the opposite direction, not hurt him.

Max seethed. So…. now it’s INFORMATION?? She wants information?? She’ll get it!! He knew he was beginning to sound highly irrational, even slightly insane. Hell, the first time he’d seen her, it had all gone irrational from then on.

Liz knew she was close. She knew Max far better than he thought. She could see him ready to tear into her. It would only help solidify her plan. “Stop putting words into my mouth, Max!” she snapped. Giving in too easily would give it all away.

Max snorted. “You want information? Can you handle it?” He knew he was letting his anger rule, that it was getting ugly. He didn’t want to say things that he would regret, things that would hurt her. But after she so callously asked him if he wanted out after everything he’d done for her, his blood was up.

All he wanted was for something to get through her shell, something that would pierce the shield, even if it took a lot of hurt. Tonight, he was determined. He wanted her to know what it felt like to be shoved away time and again. He wanted her to feel rejection.

It escaped him completely that she’d dealt with rejection all her life; that she knew what it was like to hurt. In the heat of the moment, Max had forgotten it all and it hadn’t sunk in.

Liz was a little taken aback by the hostility in his voice. “What the hell are you talking about?? Haven’t I proved myself already?”

“No!!” he shouted, his frustration obvious. “No, you haven’t!! Can you handle knowing that what you’re about to do could potentially put other people’s lives at stake, that you’re putting everything you’ve ever had in your life to call your own, at stake? Have you?? How about that information? Can you handle that?”

She shrank back. Well, now you know how he feels about all of this! Victory of her plan tasted bitter in her mouth. Every accusation he’d hurled at her had been true. Dimly, she could feel the tears pool into her eyes. She refused to cry. Her throat ached with the force of her inner struggle, but outwardly, all that showed was her eyes glassy. She opened her mouth with effort.
“I know…”

“I’m NOT finished!!” he interrupted her, his voice raised. He had felt like cutting his own throat as renewed guilt entered her eyes but he forced himself to finish. He hadn’t said anything that wasn’t true. But there was more and she needed to know that.

“Of course NOT!! You don’t want someone, me, to go through that, that's why you’re now scheming and plotting on how to throw me off!”

She started; he knew he’d been on mark.

“You think I have so little faith in you? You’re wrong!! It’s YOU who has no faith in anyone else! You think you know best, that you’re the one in control?? Fine!! Be that way! But at least have the guts to face me with your real issues, not hide behind theatrics!!”

Liz’s eyes flashed fire. She knew what he’d been saying was true but now it cut. “I’m doing this…………”

Max interrupted again before she could finish. “Shut UP!! I’m talking now!! You wanted information! So, deal with it!!” he paused, breathing heavily. “I told you about me putting everything at stake for the sake of something so unknown, and at the moment, so unpromising, but do you see me walking away?”

“What?” she wasn’t following him.

“DO YOU SEE ME WALKING AWAY?” he roared. Liz shrank back.

Then she squared off. “I can’t see anything besides your self-indulgence and recklessness!!” she screamed back. ‘If you’re too goddamn blind to keep yourself safe, I’m going to have to do it for you!!”

“There you go again!! I told you once, don’t presume to know what I am!!” he threw back.

At that, she blanched. Somehow, after all the awful things he’d said, this one hurt the worst. He was closing himself off from her, after everything he’d said, and it hurt more than she’d possibly thought. She might’ve been an alien, but she wasn’t immune to the very human emotion called rejection.
Suddenly, she was back in the orphanage, couples coming in and carrying other kids out. No one had given her a second glance.

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Max regretted them. He knew he’d pushed too hard. The pain in her now had been very deliberately inflicted. Torn, he stood by watching as she damned the tears.

He kept watching as she forced herself to speak in a normal tone. The confidence, the assurance she’d had when she’d been arguing with him before, that came from having a right over him, a right he himself had begged her to take, was now gone. Now she talked like a stranger.

“This is exactly why I did what I did. I never wanted to hear the words that you just told to my face.” She drew in a shattered breath. “I’ll do whatever is required of me to make sure all goes well for you. Then, you don’t have to worry about me. If you tell me to leave now, I will.” She finally met his eyes.

He closed the distance between them. To his consternation, he saw her move back. Max came to a halt in front of her. "I have nothing to say to you, except one thing.” Liar, Liar!! Tell her that you love her!

“If I can give up everything, to borrow your own words, without a backward glance, if I don’t let doubts and fears stand in my way when it comes to you, then why do you?” His voice was gentle, completely unlike the monster she’d been screaming back and forth with for the last hour. She could almost drown in his eyes. Almost.

She replied with a ghost of a smile, even though her voice shook. “Because I never want to be responsible for ruining someone else’s life ever again I don’t know what that makes you think of me, but I’m sorry. I will not put myself through that again. You told me to put myself first. I’m doing that.’

Max felt like cursing aloud. He’d turned his own tables on himself. Now what could he say? “Don’t be so selfish, I need you?” hardly possible!! He gave one last try.

“Liz.” His voice shook with the effort to keep it controlled. “I didn’t say those things to hurt you. I never meant to. It’s just that…even though we both know this is probably going nowhere, why do you have to ruin it by deliberately provoking the situation? I know that this probably would last for a day or two. I have to go after that. So do you. Why spoil what little time we have together by such anger and recriminations?”

He paused for a second, seeing her withdraw. “I wanted to get through to you, somehow! Somehow make you see that despite all the odds, and believe me; I know how huge they are, that we could have something together. There’s this……tension in the air,” he stopped, gesturing towards them.

He was right. Ever since he’d come back, things had simmered. Now it had turned into a full-blooded blaze. They both knew that the things they’d said was at the heat of the moment, they were both past bearing this intense chemistry. It was going to explode.

He continued “I wanted to smash it away or give in. Looks like I did both.”

He held her by her upper arms. She stared back up at him; her eyes wounded yet determined. “This has been the best thing in my entire sorry excuse for a life. Don’t take that away from me.”

She resisted the unbearable impulse to give in. How could she not, after what he’d just said? Anger faded. “You’ll go? You’ll be safe?”

He nodded, unable to voice the lie. He knew there’d be no safe place after this. He didn’t care. He just wanted to be with her, for how much time they were allowed.

Oddly, Liz believed him. Maybe because she so desperately wanted him to be safe or because she was tired of fighting the most powerful impulses she’d ever had to fight in her life, she didn’t know. But giving in was the sweetest gift she could give both of them. And she didn’t hesitate.

They held each other for the longest time, the twilight falling, creating their own place in the heat of the night. Liz burrowed her head into his chest, marveling at his heartbeat and hating herself for giving it a chance to be threatened.

Max put his mouth close to her ear and whispered. “Don’t do that!! Scream at me, if you will, but don’t feel guilty.”

She nodded, his hand so tightly clenched in her hair, that it hurt. But Liz reveled in it.

After another heartbeat, Max let her go and went over to the window, as always checking. There was nothing. It was a hot, humid night, burning the inhabitants with an inner fire. Now he knew why they’d fought. They’d wanted to avoid the explosion that would come. Yet, as always, they fell rapturous victims to it. He sighed and plopped down at the bed. Liz stood there, framed by the streetlight coming in through the open window. The wind picked up, there was a chill in the air now, a goose bump inducing chill that exhilarated and repelled at the same time.

At that Liz made up her mind. Even if they had less than 10 hours, she wanted this. And just as she hadn’t denied him, she wouldn’t stand for him denying her this.

“So, you’re going to leave?”

He ached. ‘It’s the best thing.”

“I see.” She drew out the words, her pain showing.

She reached over and pulled him to his feet.

“Liz?”

“Shhhhhh….” She silenced him, placing her fingers over his mouth. He couldn’t help himself; he licked them, savoring her taste and the way she leaned into him.

“What’re you doing?” doesn’t she know what she does to me?

“Please, Max…” she stopped him. “I’ve waited a long time for this.”

“For what?” Dimly, through the red haze, he was beginning to make sense of her.

“This.” She whispered as she put her hands on his top button. “May I?” she gestured towards the shirt.

He trembled. He hadn’t known this moment could be so powerful.

“Please.” This time, his own voice was husky.

She took it off, undoing each button and undoing him in the process. Everything came down to time and place and the absence of fear.

“Am I doing all right?” she asked as she bared his chest. It was unmarred, yet she could see the muscles, and sinews taut, old scars and ridges. He’d lived and lived hard. There was no flabby muscles or limp arms. His body defied perfection yet it was anything but. Liz felt her breath catch.

Max didn’t know how much of this he could stand.

“Why now?” he asked, his voice low.

She inhaled, her face near his. “How does the song go again? Tonight and the rest of my life?” she asked, ignoring his question. He understood.

“Sorry. Don’t know anything about it.” He whispered.

She raised her hand delicately, used her nails to rake a trail of fire down his chest. It glowed. Hell!! Am I imagining things now?? I’m GLOWING??

“I’m pathetic!” he moaned.

“No,” her voice held a hint of a smile and more than a healthy fill of excitement. “You’re unbelievable.”

“Really?” he asked, his eagerness coming out. He honestly wanted to know that he was the only one bringing this out in her.

“Yeah,” she said, dropping soft kisses on his collarbone. He jerked back.

“What?” she asked, a thread of worry creeping in.

“Nothing.” He inhaled sharply.

“Max?” she needed to know.

He sighed, resting their foreheads together. “I just……….I did this before…sometimes… but it just feels……………so” he trailed off. He worried that he’d hurt her by his admission.

She leaned back to look into his eyes. “I know and I don’t care.”

He breathed again.

“I don’t care that you’ve done this before. All I’m asking that you do this with me. Now. Tonight.”

Max stopped taking in air. Her admission had struck him to the core. And she wasn’t done yet.

“Please, Max.” she said, stepping back. She looked him in the eye. He’d always respected that. She didn’t hide behind batting eyelashes or alluring smiles. Maybe it was because she’d never known that, but it held infinite appeal to him when she looked him in the eyes. Her intense, laser eyes that seared through his soul. Her smile held more allure than he’d ever encountered.

“I know we decided to go our separate ways. And I do agree, it’s the only way we can both be safe and I respect it. But I don’t want to dream about this the rest of my life. I want to live this moment, now and to hell with the consequences. I’ve never done it before, maybe because I’ve never had the chance. But you…..’ she trailed off as his eyes lit anew. “You bring out a side in me I never knew existed.” That was as far she got. He crushed her to him, his mouth rampant. Their bodies merged nearly as one, as hands trailed fire over each other.

Max hadn’t given a single thought to what may come. To him, all that mattered was he fulfilled what they both craved. He’d wanted her, ever since he’d laid his eyes on her. And he knew she felt the exact same way. But this went beyond desire, beyond wanting. This was passion.

Her words had cut into him like a knife. She’d said that he brought out her inner self. She just didn’t know what she unleashed in him. Desire like this…he hadn’t known it was possible. This was what people mooned over movies for; it happened in fairy tales. But they were living proof that passion really was white hot, that there was no denying it.
He reveled in it as she did.

She moved slightly back, as he panted against her neck. No coherent thought was going to come from her. Not tonight.

Max tore himself away from her. She looked up, protests in every line of her.

“Protection?’ he asked, breathing heavily.

She moved her head in the general direction of the chest of drawers, incapable of answering. He drew away her shirt from her body, her skin like thick, rich cream slicked with the lightest sheen of moisture. He’d wondered about it for so long that seeing the proof shocked him into oblivion. His hands moved to her skirt, unfastened it, shoved it away. She fell back into the safety of his arms, her hair hiding her face from view. He pushed it off her face; the silken strands were a stimulant he hadn’t dreamed about.

He asked again, getting increasingly desperate. “Liz? Don’t we have to use protection?” She mumbled inchorently.

Even now, his hands wouldn’t be still. They went to forbidden places, wreaking havoc into her. Her mind was dark. This dark was also unknown but no way was it the horrors of the night she’d experienced back in the safe house. This one shielded her, allowed her to unfurl like a flag in the wind. She accepted them greedily, senses overload. She didn’t even reply as she neared her climax. The sound of breathing turned ragged, tormented. Oh geez! Is it possible to get an orgasm from just TOUCHING??

Max held her as she crested in his arms. This was a sight he’d take to his grave. How beautiful it was to see someone you love come apart in your arms, in front of you.

Her face suffused with the darkest red. She was mortified. How the hell could she have done that? He must take me for a fool!!

Max pulled her in close. They trembled together for the longest time, as she got her breathing back under control.

Then she leaned back into his arms. ‘What?” she asked, her gaze still unfocused. “Is…is something wrong?” his expression denied scrutiny.

“Wrong??” he echoed. ‘No, nothing’s wrong.”

“What’s the matter?” she questioned, this time feeling extremely self-conscious.

“Nothing.” He replied still in a daze. He knew he couldn’t put it to words, so he didn’t try. He just simply held her.

She leaned into him. “Thank you.” her voice was full of unshed tears and an undefined something.

Max stroked her back. “I’ve been dying to do that forever.”

“You haven’t known me forever.”

“You’re everything I’ve ever wanted. I’ve known what I always wanted forever.” He told her simply. It was the closest thing he'd ever coem to an admission. For all his hidden depths, Max’s soul was open. He didn’t believe in hiding behind words. Not when it really mattered.

She let the tears fall then. He held her as the pain of the last few days settled within her, as the pain of separation that hadn’t yet come, swamped over her. He held her as she started the slow road to recovery.

After an eternity, she loosened her arms around him. “Max.” she breathed.

He didn’t reply. Instead, he leaned forward and captured the sensitive place behind her ear, placing his mouth on it like he’d done the first time.

A violent flash shook Liz to her core, propelling her head back. Raven silk flew around them as Max watched transfixed. She liquefied at his touch, these images from him; they destroyed and revived her at the same time.

The place was dark. It was a dark where there was no light. It was enticing, intoxicating. The darkness was universe. Amidst the seductive black flashed a glow of iridescent colors. Liz saw her own face; her own body in such a capacity as she’d never known existed in her. She was beautiful, even she herself was startled at her own splendor. Amidst the darkness, she was the light. In the iridescence, she was the cloak of velvety darkness. In fact, it merged and swirled within each other as the polar opposites melded, each sending of flickers of ecstasy down her body. She was being worshipped, she was held in awe, she was revered. She was falling from the heavens; she provided the light to light up the galaxies. She was the darkness and the light.

Liz came out of the flash gasping.

Max caught her as she nearly fell. “What??”

Liz didn’t reply. She broke away from his lips and stared at him. In his eyes, she could see herself reflected; see every emotion of the flash reflected. It had been from him, his vision regarding her. Liz nearly fell down. She hadn’t known she could feel like this.

“Liz?’ he asked gently, worried.

She looked at him and he understood.

“You were revering me.” she said in a low, awed voice.

His reply was simple but it came from the inner depths of him. “Yes.”

Max kept looking at her. If the words would come, if she wanted to bring the last draw into it, if there would be words of love, they would come now. But they didn’t. He saw her slender throat work but nothing escaped her ravaged lips. She leaned into him gently.

It wasn’t the most passionate kiss he’d ever had or shared with her. It definitely wasn’t the most heart throbbing or any of the other clichéd feeling. But it shook him. It smashed through all the walls he’d built so carefully around his heart for 7 long years of self-imprisonment, that it made him want to weep.

He wanted to tell her then, what she meant to him, that these few days had meant more to him than an entire lifetime. He’d kept it inside because the thought of loving her and then leaving her was too raw for him, too; which was why he’d never persisted their relationship beyond a certain point. He hadn’t said anything because he’d been scared. But for now, she was telling him that it was all right, that no matter what happened, they had this. It was all that he asked, for God in heaven, how he needed her!

He swept her up and carried her into the bed. They drowned within each other yet unwilling to part. What they were feeling was an open secret. Words had never been necessary.

Together they created catastrophe. But such glorious destruction, such majestic abandon. It was the final surrender of all that they had based their lives by. Nothing from that life was necessary in this one. Together, they’d started a new beginning for each other, apart or not.

This feeling of being cherished, it was so new to her that Liz almost shied away from it because she was afraid. She was afraid of letting him down, of being unable to tell him what he meant to her, afraid that she wouldn’t find the courage to walk away when the time came. Then she forced it back. In Max Evans arms, she was everything. She could do the unimaginable because he made it possible. She was no longer afraid of breaking away from her shackles

She repelled the darkness, banished the pain, the cruel world. In her arms, he’d found himself, the old Max, the man he’d always longed to be. No longer was he a cheap fake. She made him whole. As they fused and exploded, the world went up in flames. He wondered vaguely if he had even 1/10th of the same effect on her. But it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered anymore. They belonged.



After much delay and a whole lot waiting, I thought this part would be nice. I absolutely SUCK writing love scenes, so don't get too grossed out, okay? This was probably the hardest chapter for me to write in the whole fic. Lemme know what you guys think.

P.S- Voodoo - Awwww......shucks! THANK YOU!! Welcome, hun!!

Sarah.

Chapter 35.

The alarm woke them up. It had been one hell of a night. They had been washed away on torrid passion. After that, things were hazy. How many times did we do it anyway? I can’t remember! Liz though to herself amused.

Max turned over on to his back. All night through, when they hadn’t been otherwise occupied, he’d been cradling her against him. His back was feeling the after-effects. He felt warm palms turning him over gently. He stopped her.

“You don’t have to do that.”

She looked even more beautiful than she ever had. His breath caught. Making love certainly agreed with Liz Parker. He was spellbound and let it show.

She leaned up on her elbows, the sunlight lighting up her hair in flames. “I know, but I want to.”

Self consciously, she tucked the sheet around her. His looks were searing her, making her melt into oblivion. Her body protested. Too much too soon. She wasn’t sure if she could handle him without fainting dead away under him. She didn’t want to sound like a weakling but what he did to her was best left unexplained. She wouldn’t be able to do it.
She smiled, shielding it form his inquisitive eyes.

He looked over at her curiously. She was laughing at some private joke and he didn’t want to be left out. He knew he was getting obsessed. Not a second passed when he didn’t want to know what she was thinking. It was getting scary.

“Are you laughing at me or because of me?’ he teased, propping himself up in one elbow. Liz’s eyes smoldered satisfactorily. He shivered inside. Was it possible to get this turned on by a look? Oh, who am I kidding?? I’ve been that way from day one!!

She kept looking for another moment, then dropped her gaze. He reached forward, touching her face, turning it in his direction. "Liz?"

“Nothing.” She shook her head. Her hair fell loose around her face, her back. Max stared enthralled. What was it about her hair, he never figured out. But to him, it was beyond fascinating. It was just like her in many ways. Most ordinary, yet anything but. It lit up in certain angles, it went to the onyx blackness in others. So much like Liz that it made his heart ache. He wondered what she would think if he told her that.

“What is it?” she asked him. Shyness was overtaking her. Things she’d done last night, things she’d permitted him to do…they went beyond her wildest fantasies. They went beyond anything she’d ever felt in her life. Anything she’d ever wanted to feel. She’d literally seen stars.

“I was just looking at you.” He answered easily. “What about you?”

She sighed. What she had to say, she needed a lot of guts for it. She’d thought it over as carefully as she could, even to the extent of mapping out alternatives. It hadn’t worked. He’d unleashed a monster in his arms as soon he’d showed her his touch, his kiss. And now the monster inside her wouldn’t be satisfied.

Max could sense her fidgeting. He couldn’t help but wonder if she was regretting this time too. He didn’t think he could bear it. Not after she was the one who’d started it. Then he got angry. What right did she have to start regretting it after she broke through every one of his defenses? Now she starts wondering if it was right? Jesus!!

“What is it, Liz?’ he couldn’t hide the curtness in his voice.

She looked up at him, startled. Is he regretting it? But it seemed so unlikely. She wondered how he would look at this. Maybe he wouldn’t be as thrilled as she wanted him to be.
She squinted against the sunlight, and then forced herself to smile nonchalantly. She didn’t have to try too hard. Max lying in rumpled sheets and rubbing his morning stubble was more than a delectable sight. She tried not to drool too visibly.

Max felt the tension ebb, as he watched her watching him. Would he never get tired of this? Not too fucking likely! He decided to let it go. After all, morning was a wonderful time to catch up on a lot of activities. He smirked as Liz groaned.
“I can’t………” she wailed as he began his attack anew.

He hit a particularly sensitive spot, tormented her for a while then stopped.

Liz opened her eyes and scorched him with her eyes. He solicitously stepped away, as if suddenly aware of her need to be alone.

She leaned back and imperiously crooked her finger at him. Her eyes dared him to disobey. He came back obediently, gathered her up in his arms.
She wrapped her own around him. “Don’t ever, ever do that again.” Her voice was low and a tad bit desperate.

“I told ya, you were definitely born with aristocratic blood!” he smiled into her neck.

It was a long time before she thought out a suitable answer. And even then, she was too replete to care.

Liz woke up. She was alone in the bed. Sunlight streamed through the open window. The texture made it easy for her to guess the time without looking at the watch. Definitely later than noon. She stretched languidly. Her body was too deliciously exhausted and achy, her mind too full of last night’s vivid images. She looked around, hoping he’d come out. But the only thing that responded was the central AC. She turned over on her side. The pillow, the bed, they all smelled of Max. She buried her face in his side. How’s it possible for a guy to smell this delicious?? She finally moved herself off the pillow. She was about to get up when her eye caught something. She made her way back to her own side.

There was a single red rose. It was not the tender bud, neither was it a delicate shade of pink; it was blood red and in nearly full bloom. Like a teardrop unfurling, it lay half opened, staining the pristine white sheets with the color of the deepest blush.

Liz felt herself liquefying once again. It’s not faaaaaaaaair!!

There was a torn piece of paper besides it. For one second, she felt her heart stop. Irrational, mindless fear told her he’d left. For good. Trembling with a panic she didn’t want to realize, she held it up.



Liz,

Words are not adequate for what I’m feeling, and I have neither the strength nor the patience to try and find them now. I had to leave and make sure a few essentials were covered. If I didn’t go then, I was afraid I was going to ravish you in your sleep. But you looked so peaceful that I really didn’t have the heart to wake you.


This rose reminded me of you. Half in bloom, yet there’s so much left to do. You haven’t ripened yet, my darling. But you will. By the time I’m done with you.

Max.

She released the breath she’d been holding. oxygen was sweet relief but nothing like the words he'd penned. Words like these, primal, carnal, loving…they made her alive. Tears came to her eyes but they were borne out of joy. He didn’t need to tell her anything else. As a woman, she’d always crave the words but right then, she didn’t need anything except him. She folded the letter and carried it with her, the rose on the other hand. The petals were like velvet. She brought it to her lips, wishing it were he instead of his gift.



It was late afternoon when they finally decided to present themselves to each other in polite company.

“Wow!” Liz commented after coming out of the shower. He’d come back then and had prepared lunch.

“Ummm…. we were a long time.” She smiled gesturing towards the clock.

Max leered. "Got something better to do?”

“Actually, I was thinking in the lines of a trip to the mall, maybe even a manicure.” She answered blithely.

He seated her around the ratty table with a flourish, ignoring her light-hearted jab. “Not the Ritz, but it’s the best I could do, madam.”

Her eyes glowed. There wasn’t anything he could do about the thrifty place, but he’d placed a vase of daffodils for her in the center, starched linen, where he got it from, she had no clue. She smiled, a genuine smile that sent his heart racing. He wondered about the rose. She hadn’t said anything but had looked radiant the moment he’d entered.

“Daffodils?" she smiled. “Where did you get that in winter?”

“You’d be surprised.’ He told her.

They started on lunch but once again, they could feel themselves slipping.

“This is frustrating.” She said, her eyes downcast. She’d lost all her iron control but she didn’t regret it for an instant.

His laughter was full-bodied, rich and sent shivers down her spine and made her toes curl.

She kept her eyes down. “I got your gift.”

He nodded, trying to gauge her reaction but she was hiding it well. He thought he detected a tremor in her voice. “You did?”

“Yeah.” She looked up for a second but only up to his throat. Further, she refused to look. She licked her lips that had gone dry. In fact, she felt herself shiver at the recollection of his words. “Yeah, I did.”

"And?" he prompted. Flowers sent her to such a tizzy?? He honestly didn’t understand why she was so flustered.

“And,” she stressed. “And the fact that you wrote something which you couldn’t have meant.”

“Liz!” this time, he was out of patience. ‘We’ve been through this! I wrote exactly what I meant…”

“I was talking about time. Something which we don’t have.” She interrupted him.

“I know.” He replied quietly. He understood. She was dreading the parting as much as he was. “I have to go soon. Just let me get you started off…’

“I don’t want you to leave.” She broke in, this time meeting him full in the eyes. Dark golden met determined chocolate. “You’re not leaving.” She repeated, as if to convince them both.

“What?” he didn’t think he’d understood her properly. “What did you say?”

“I said, you’re not going anywhere! If that makes me selfish and cruel, so be it.” She snarled, fear being a strange motivator.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Max was confused. What’s she talking about?? I HAVE to leave!! I’ve got to go back to Washington! What is she saying?

“I’m tired of putting everything else before myself!” she broke in wearily. “I’m tired of fighting this continuous battle for existence. I never knew the consequences of being intimate with someone and I guess this is one of them. I don’t want you to go!”

He stared at her in shock. She was saying words he’d have killed to hear two days ago but now it wasn’t an option anymore. Didn’t she understand that?

“I can’t do this anymore!” she whispered, feeling helpless. He hadn’t responded at all, other than gape at her in shock. “I can’t deal with this constant threat of losing people I lo…I care about! I know we agreed on a plan, that we’d go or separate ways but can you honestly look at me and say you can go through with it?” She asked him, unconsciously mimicking his words from their first kiss.

He stared at her, feeling torn. Responsibility against his heart, and he had a sinking feeling he knew which one would win.

She continued, crushed that he still hadn’t responded. "I’ve thought about it and I think that being together wouldn’t really pose as a problem. I’d worry less if you were with me. And I know you’ll always protect me.” She paused. Still nothing. Determined, she continued. Dimly she was aware of a growing anger in herself, anger at him that he still hadn’t responded.

I’m not asking for a lifetime commitment, Godammit!! Just a few more days! It would last me my lifetime!!

“I don’t know how permanent the situation has to be, God knows I wouldn’t want to upset your life!" She ended, defeat creeping in.

He spoke up for the first time after she’d dropped the bombshell on him. “Do you know what you just said? Just yesterday, we were busy fighting to get the hell away. What changed?”

“I changed, Max!” she said sharply. “I understand that you probably haven’t, but I had to try….." She let the words fade.

He hadn’t changed his mind. It was futile trying. Her first time at being assertive when it came to her own needs and a great job she’d done of it, too! She tried to comfort herself by the fact that he’d be a darn lot safer but inside she just couldn’t lie to herself. She wouldn’t feel better; she didn’t want to be the bigger person always. She was too sick and tired of dealing with this mess singled-handedly and after she thought she finally found someone to rest it onto, even that seemed to have backfired. She sullenly picked at her food.

He left his chair and knelt down in front of her.

Liz felt her breath catch. If she was a normal human being and had he not been hunted by a faceless enemy, she could’ve pictured all this in a very different context. Her heart ached with the knowledge that it would never be that, never be anything other than a fling and at best an affair.

He looked into her eyes. They were dark with an inner pain, a pain that was reflected in his amber depths too. “Listen to me.” he spoke clearly, making sure she processed every word.

“That letter was a vow. I will stick around to make it happen. You can’t get rid of me even if you tried. But think practically." The hot glow that had started in her eyes dimmed. “This can’t last forever. You’re the one who told me that. The Government is looking for me. I will not allow you to get yourself into that. You understand?"

She moved back a little, the intensity of his voice startling her. She nodded.

He gripped the edge of her chair. “I don’t want to leave, God only knows how much I wish for something else! But it’s too late for that. My plan is simple.”

She waited, hoping against hope that somehow, somewhere, they find away.

“Stay with me.” He pleaded, his eyes darkening as they accepted the emerging radiance in hers. "I can’t promise anything other than now. It’s all I have but I’m willing to give it. I don’t want to lose you…….I won’t lose you!!’

She heard more than she had to. Leaning forward, she moved to envelope him within her but he moved back slightly. She gazed into his eyes, her own so trusting that they broke his heart.

“But there will come a time, any day, that I have to go. Then, I want you to leave without protests. Will you do that for me?”

Her jaw tightened, lower lip protruded ever so slightly, her eyes somewhat belligerent. But she got what he meant. It would be dangerous enough remaining together. But it would be infinitely worse if they were captured together. As hard as it would be for her not to use her powers to help him escape, it would be worse for him if they connected him with aliens. A memory of Alex’s body flashed in her mind and she shuddered. She’d let him go before it became too dangerous, even if it killed her to do so.

She nodded. “Under those circumstances, I would, yes. But promise me one thing.’

He nodded. He would do as she asked. "Promise me that you will consider your safety when you make that choice, not just mine.”

He accepted with a tilt of his head. ‘I promise.”

She fell forward against him. As always, warm arms caught her, lifting her off the floor and into heaven.

“Why does life have to be so cruel?’ she asked bitterly, tucked against him. It had been all of a week since they’d first kissed. But it seemed like she’d been doing this forever.

His teeth found the rise of her ear and gently bit on the soft lobe. His breath whistled against her ear. She closed her eyes. I don’t want to let him go!!

He kissed her forehead, the touch of her skin soothing his inner turmoil. He prayed he’d made the right decision but he couldn’t really find it in himself to admit it, even if it was in his mind. Deep down inside, he knew it was a mistake. Leaving her would be too hard, he didn’t know if he was strong enough. But leaving her, no matter when or where, would be difficult enough as it was, never mind if it came tonight or in another lifetime. He just had to keep hoping for a miracle. After all, it worked the first time.

“If we go according to plan, there might be a chance they’ll let me go and stop looking for you. I intend to see it happen. But I can’t give any guarantees. I don’t even know if you would still be here. But Liz, please keep in mind that if you have to leave…leave Earth, that is, you have to do so immediately. The next few days is all that you have. Any activities after that, and I can guarantee you that they’d find out. If you have to go, it has to be now. This whole mess will keep everyone confused. They’re too wary of jokes being played on them right now. I will do my part. Trust me, if you have to go, you have to do so soon. After that, it would be too late.”

She buried her face into his chest, inhaling his potent smell. “I can’t leave, knowing you were paying for something you haven’t done!”

“I’ll escape.” He lied. “They’ll never find me.”

“No!” she sat up. “I will! I will find you. I don’t care who’s after me……….”

“Don’t do that!” his voice was like whiplash. “Swear to me that you won’t! Swear it to me, Liz!”

She faltered visibly, salty tears burrowing themselves in the crease of her cheek, down to the corner of her mouth. He gently licked then off. She fused their lips together, unable to stand being apart from him.

The facts fell like hail on her barren mind. She’d have to leave within the next few days, if she ever intended to find out where she really belonged at all. She knew where she belonged, but it didn’t make it right, nor did it make it safer. And then, he’d have to leave. He’d go away and she’d just given him her word she wouldn’t follow him. Then there was the granolith. Information flew in her head but at that point, she was too sore to care.

“This seems so strange. Just yesterday we were fighting over this. And today we can’t let go. What’s wrong with us?” her voice trembled.

“Nothing’s wrong with us, darling. It’s circumstances. We are victims of circumstances, whether we like it or not. But we have to make the best of it. I speak for myself when I say that I am teetering on the edge of two decisions because I am terrified of making the wrong one. But even if it’s the wrong one, I can’t make myself go away. Not right now, anyways.”

She forced a smile and looked over at him. There were new lines on his face Lines that bespoke what he’d gone through, too. Gently she reached out and touched them.

He closed his eyes, savoring her touch. She traced each of them, feeling the hard skin against strong bones. He inhaled her fragrance, then leaned forward to capture her lips. She tasted just as sweet, too. She deepened the kiss, feeling the now familiar feeling of rapture. He swept her up and carried her towards the bedroom.

“We’re hopeless! We haven’t even been out of the bedroom for longer than 6 hours!!” she moaned as he supported her against his hip and removed the coverlet.

He grinned as she threw her head back against the onslaught of his mouth against her highly sensitive skin. “Amazon!!”

She shut him up effectively for the remainder of the day.



Goddman board ate up the first post, so I had to do this again. Been a while, huh? okaie...lemme have it.
Sarah

Thanks, mar, Ana! Yeah, Ireland's like my fifth love. I'm going there someday, definitely.

What? Everyone forgot about this one??

Chapter 36

Bare skin glinted in the sunlight. It had the texture of cream and the hue of a tan. Skin created friction against skin. All around, there was the smell of clean sweat, mingled with sunshine. It wasn’t unpleasant; it smelled of desire, need and hard work.

There were sounds, too. Low, deep-throated sound of breathing coming from the exertions of the couple illuminated in the winter sunrays.

She felt the world shift beneath her. With the grace of a jungle animal, she moved. Her quarry was now the hunter, intent on one goal and one goal only. Her.

Wisps of raven hair flew backward as she moved away, withdrawing but he pursued relentlessly. She gasped, feeling hard arms surrounding her. Slicked skin brushed past one another, in itself, sweet torture. He thrust forward; she evaded and whirled 360 degrees. She felt those arms break away as she raked her nails across exposed flesh. She bent low, trying to evade the coming onslaught. It was no use. The hunter was highly motivated. He searched out her scent better than a hound, moved in with the deadly intent of a stalking tiger. She didn’t need to see the glowing amber eyes to know that he was just behind her. Any second now, it would happen.

She felt the heat of his skin behind her first. That and the smell of wood and man alerted her of his presence. She bent lower still, her body taut. Any second now, it would come.

He came up behind her; she could feel the touch of his body against her. She wanted to arch back, wanted to give in, but resisted. She wasn’t won over that easily. Her breathing accelerated. So did his. She could almost see him moving forward stealthily, a scant inch or two away. Yet she did not move.

His hands came to rest at her waist, his grip firm. Hands slid due to the moisture present; he was unable to find a stronghold. Now!! She snapped her arms down, bent slightly. They crashed down on his forearms, breaking through his hold. She moved cleanly out of reach, disturbing his balance. He stumbled. She leapt forward blindly, veering to her right and coming around in a circle behind him. She could hear his breathing hitch. She smiled with victory. She reached out, her own arms, taut and strong. Then she felt herself being taken from behind. She fought but to no avail. The man holding her was stronger than she. She dug in her heels and fell. She felt him fall with her. Quick as lightning, he rolled on top of her, pinning her to the floor. Their breathing complemented the ferocity of their actions in the silence of the room.


Max moved off Liz. He reached down at his feet, seeing her flounder. Pulling her upright, he took her in his arms. Putting his lips near her ear, he spoke.

“That wasn’t so bad."

"Yeah, yeah.” She grumbled. “Just get rid of this."

“This” happened to be the main reason why she’d lost. Max leaned back just a little, still keeping her against him. She stayed quite happily. She felt his fingers at her nape, undoing the blindfold. The silk was no comparison to the warm calluses of his fingers. He dropped it off, and then gently massaged the spot where it had bound her.

Liz shivered. Then frowned. Her eyesight still hadn’t come back. He rubbed at the spot just above her eyelids gently. It rubbed against her eyeballs for a second, seriously blinding her but then it fixed. She winced, taking in the sunlight-drenched room.

“Phew!” she mumbled. "I need a shower.”

He yanked her back. “Stay put. You smell…Hmmmm… wonderful!!" he sighed, inhaling her scent. She groaned. She wanted to stay this way forever, as long as his strength held out. She didn’t want to move away and break the moment. But she did.

This time, Max moved away too. They went into the small dinette, reheating coffee. It was still early, barely 10:30 am. But the morning’s exertions had proved to be a tad too much. She blushed and hid behind the cup. He watched her knowingly.

“You were great. Just move more next time. Don’t ever go right. That way, you’re in your opposition’s direct path. Remember, the guy will strike from behind. Your right, his right.”

Max gestured to his right arm. “That was good movement of the arms and nails. Just hit more vulnerable targets." He stopped and grinned at her scarlet face.

She looked good enough to eat. Her skin had turned into the color of the sun, due to her post near the window. Max had never bothered with sunlight before. Now, it was a heady and a new experience, especially since it did wonders for Liz. She was flushed from the activities, lending her face a glow. Her sweat-slicked skin and radiant face made his knees weak. And she seemed completely unaware of herself.

Actually, Liz had a pretty good idea of what he was thinking, given the darkening of his irises. Quickly, she changed the topic.

“I already knew karate and tae-kwon do. I always thought it would come in handy some times or the other.”

“So I noticed.” He agreed. He really did. She was strong fighter. Cool, analytical, spirited. She didn’t possess rude health and hence no battering fighting strength. She fought like a cobra, striking at the most opportune times, otherwise, wearing out her opponents. She conserved strength and made them use up theirs. It was a very good technique.

“You’re a good fighter. Smart."

She smiled at his praise. Oddly, it meant a lot. When she’d first met him, she’d exploded without holding back. He’d obviously thought her as a hothead. She was glad to prove herself worthy in his eyes. Listen to me. I sound like an obsessed, pathetic, mindless FOOL!!

“I wanted to see how you were doing in these departments. Fighting with alien powers is good and all, but not always will you have the chance or the place to use them." She was enthralled by his voice. Deep, resonated, it held attention, commanded it and in reality, didn’t rise above a certain degree. She could hear his voice for the rest of her life and never get bored.

Then she nodded. He was right. She couldn’t use her powers in public.

He looked at her and slanted an eyebrow. "You know how to shoot?”

She winced. "I never used a gun."

He nodded, as if storing it away. “Okay. Fine. We’ll do it tomorrow.”

She made her way over to him. They’d both sufficiently cooled off enough. Perching herself on his lap, she smiled saucily and asked.

“Aren’t you getting a little too occupied in all of this?” Men!! Hand them a gun, and they never stop talking.

He gulped as her hands made slow discovery of his naked chest. He’d thrown off his shirt a long time ago. He nodded mutely, heartbeat quickening at her leisurely explorations.

“Liz??”

She raised one eyebrow and tilted her head away. “Max?” she mimicked him.

He smiled his most goody-two-shoes smile he could manage. He hadn’t smiled like that ever since he’d broken Reverend Brown’s pulpit back in Roswell, nearly 20 years ago and had to get out of choir practice. He never knew why his mother wanted him to be on the choir anyways; his voice usually had the dogs howling and yapping around their house for hours on ends.

Usually, his smile was all cool arrogance and suggestive smirks. Now it was a full out, pleading grin oozing of charm and warmth and molten puppy-dog eyes. Liz was no exception. She too provided no resistance.

Chalk that one up, sonny!! He crowed mentally, as he swept her up and ran to the bathroom, both of them giggling like school kids.

“What’s the rush?” she breathed heavily against his neck as she attacked his nape.

He deposited her on the tub and took out a gift-wrapped package from the medicine cabinet.

Liz squealed. “Is that for me??”

“You’re just like a kid, you know that?" he teased, holding it out of her reach. “Thank me properly." He whispered.

She stood up from the tub, her clothes all wet around her legs. She leaned forward slowly, her eyes glowing sultrily, a prelude to kissing him into oblivion. He inched forward, all jokes gone. She snatched the gift out of his pocket and pecked him quickly on the cheek.

Max’s eyes flew open. “Hey!!”

She giggled and held her hands out in front of her, backing away as much as she could in the narrow space. “Max!” she warned.

He pouted for all of a second then gestured towards the packet. “Open it already!”

“Oooooooooh!!” she remembered the gift.

It was a small square box, yet it felt heavy. It was wrapped with paper like black satin and an ivory ribbon holding the paper in place.

‘You used silk ribbons??” she asked incredulously. “Awww!!”

Max stepped back from her enthusiastic hug. "Open it!!” he laughed.

She peeked at him from under her lashes, suddenly turning shy. He clenched his fists not to attack her right there. She opened it.

“Max!” she hissed, exhilarated and touched. “Where did you get these??”

There were two bottles of sandalwood potion. One was a cream, the other a gel. The fact that he’d actually bothered to remember what she smelled like was enough to send her swooning. Not only that, it was expensive stuff, not the generic Victoria’s Secret ones.

Imported from Egypt. Hmmmmm!! These must’ve cost a fortune!

“Max. These probably cost too much.” She protested, yet unwilling to put the bottles down. Intrinsic nature forced her to voice her objections but secretly she couldn’t wait to try it on. In fact, she could thank him, very nicely, for such a thoughtful gift!

“Liz." His voice brooked no objections. “Do you like it?’

“Yeah!! Duuuh!! But that’s not the point! You shouldn’t have."

He smiled. It was mesmerizing in its appeal and the lightest touch of arrogance. “I bought it. That means, I decide on how you use it. And you, honey, you’re in for a rare treat.”

She felt her breath catch as his voice turned low, despite the fact that his quasi-arrogant statement somewhat rankled. “Is that a threat or is that a promise?” she challenged, loving the way his eyebrows hit his hairline at her audacity.

He moved in close and kissed her until they were both in danger of asphyxiating. “Does that answer your question?’

“Shaddup!” she mumbled as she reached for him again.


FBI headquarters.

Almost a week had gone by ever since the Bureau faced one of its major debacles in a few years. The Director had selected a new head of the Special Unit, despite the Congressman’s warning that the Special unit should be shut down permanently.

Slowly, mobility had come back to the Unit. It had been paralyzed by the exposure of its most secret operations ever. They had recovered as best as they could. It hadn’t been easy. There were over 4 million dollars misappropriated. Pierce’s accounts had been frozen. And then there was the obvious disappearance of Pierce. The DCI, W. Sorenson had a theory that he might’ve been set up but evidences seemed otherwise. The Special Unit was missing, by what coincidence people didn’t know, the three main heads. Only the main honchos had actual information of what had gone on for the last two months.

Congressman Davis hadn’t taken that news well.

“2 fucking months!! And your asshole people don’t know shit??" he’d roared

The appointed new head of the Special unit had done his best to mollify the irate Congressman but Davis had been on a roll. “ I don’t care!!” he’d shouted. “I want to know the extent of the damage – the leaks, the funds, the information containment process, the goddamn head of Pierce…I want it in front of me on a friggin’ platter!! And I want it NOW!!”

Pierce’s predecessor, Agent Burns somehow managed to calm Davis down.

“I understand your frustration, sir, I really do. But as it was, Agent Pierce was just that type. He never let information pass, other than his deputies. The man was paranoid about leaks.”

“I want to leak him!! What utter bullshit!! Paranoid about leaks, my ass!! I wanna know where the hell he could’ve gone!”

The FBI Director bit out an angry retort. The Special unit was just a menace on his head and for what he now shared a bad name. He just wanted them gone!!

“The man ‘is’ Agent, ‘is’. He’s not dead. You don’t have to talk in the past tense.”

Burns subsided. He never liked Pierce, didn’t like his disgusting attitude. On top of that, the man was plain cruel. Burns knew he’d do a better job than Pierce as head of the unit. At least, he wouldn’t screw up as badly as Pierce. I mean, what’re the odds of another alien waltzing into the scene now? They haven’t been around for more than 70 years.

W. Sorenson, once again called in for analysis, replied. “In all probability, he is. So, let’s get at the matter at hand. We have no idea what started the fire at the safe house. We’ve got no idea where Pierce is. We’ve got no idea if he’d betrayed his country or if had he been slaughtered for keeping his mouth shut. I repeat, where the hell are we?”

FBI Director spoke up. “I’d say he sold out. Now, he’s probably out in a world cruise. My main worry is the whole alien mess.”

“What do you mean?” Davis asked curtly. He didn’t like men who yapped about being worried and in reality, did nothing.

Sorenson shot the congressman a speculative look. He really didn’t seem to like any of the men present here. Neither did he like the new man in charge. But Sorenson himself had fewer problems regarding Pierce’s heir. Burns was far more controlled. Disciplined. That, he could count on. Pierce, underneath the smooth shiny veneer, had been a loose cannon.

“I guess we’re ALL worried what repercussion of this we might have. On earth, I mean. Are we going to be under attack for killing one of these things or what? The whole thing is bizarre to the extreme. I never believed in aliens, not even when Pierce showed us the glowing handprints and all. The only reason I gave him any credibility was because Max Evans actually went ahead with it. I have no faith in Pierce but I’ve got a lot of time for Evans, given his track record as well as his past." he paused.

"And I didn’t think Pierce could be that imaginative to make all this up. Also, for what end? What did he hope to gain?” He paused again. “We have so many questions and so little answers that I’m simply overwhelmed. Thus I propose a strategy. Let’s please rehash the facts.”

Burns nodded. “I’ll go first. We’ve looked over all the evidence still left. It’s not much. We have years of lost data. It’s been wiped clean. No physical evidence. Only word product and still no real witnesses. It’ll get shot down in court, if it ever comes to that. No signs of forced entries on the labs, the vaults. Either someone forced a gun on his head, which I find extremely unlikely, or he did it by himself. ”

Davis barked. “What do you mean, no witnesses? We saw a list of names the first day this nonsense started. Pierce highlighted not only Maria Evan’s wounds, but also a lot of people who’d supposedly spotted a ‘sighting’. All of them were lying?? And what happened to the doctors, the lab people? Surely they didn’t have only 4 people working on the subject?”

“I’m afraid they did. Pierce was paranoid about moles and such. We were just about ready to bring in the civilians when disaster struck. Mighty inconvenient timing.”

The Director broke in. “Either he had something to hide or someone’s setting him up. We need to find a link and find it fast before we become an international laughingstock.”

Sorenson broke in. “We won’t be a laughingstock, Pete. We’re going to get wiped off the planet. If other countries suspect that we’ve had aliens around and we did nothing but keep quiet and now that all hell’s broken loose, who do you think they’re going to blame? I don’t envy the boys over at State Department; they’re going to have to do one heck of a diplomatic clean up. More than that, we now have to wonder about being an intergalactic laughingstock. If, and I stress, IF, there are aliens around, what are they like? Hostile? Without functions? Do they even know about Whitman? And then, there is the very obvious question of what they will do.” He stopped for a breath. “God!! I feel like I’m in a Spielberg special effect blockbuster!! Does this happen in real life??”

“No!” glared Davis. “It doesn’t!! Goddammit!! You’d think you boys were running an intelligence agency! Why wasn’t he asked to submit reports sooner? Why weren’t there updates? Why didn’t anyone ream him in?”

“Sir, the reason why this was black drape was because of the scenario I just told you. Panic would create chaos. We can’t afford that any time soon. Especially not now.” Sorenson told him wearily.

“Stuff it down your ass!” Davis barked. ‘All I see are incompetent fools in all directions playing pussyfoot around this! If I don’t get answers within the next 48 hours, I swear to God, I will put each and every one of you out into the streets!”

Burns broke through the uncomfortable silence. “In the previous transcripts, this Max Evans came up quite a number of times. I’m familiar with his records, I saw him in Nevada. Mr. Sorenson here thought he could be involved. I agree. Maybe we should look into him some more.”

The FBI Director, not usually called by his first name Pete, replied. “I know that. But what could Evans have done? You mentioned he might be setting Pierce up. Then why wouldn’t he destroy all the proof that Pierce was indeed there at all? It doesn’t just incriminate Pierce, it incriminates him as well! He’s a professional; he knows what would happen and he also knows how to keep his tracks clean! Any prosecutor worth his salt could make that connection! See?? These questions are not ending!!”

“Make it end!! Get off the cushy chair and get some real work done! I ordered a silent APB out for him one week ago. What happened to it?”

“Two probabilities.” Sorenson interrupted. “Either he left the States, which we found because he left that very night for Ottawa. Canadian Immigration hadn’t picked him up, but he could’ve used one of his aliases. We’ve got all friendly embassies and borders on alert. Secondly, he could’ve stayed back. But how the hell did he get himself on a confirmed flight roster is a good question. We’ve been checking his drones network. So far, nothing.”

“Drones? What the hell does that mean?”

“Men he might’ve used before when he was working for us. Discreet enquiries are being made. Still nothing."

“So what are you saying? Now we can’t find Evans?? Who will you misplace next, the President??”

“Congressman. I realize you’re not in the best of moods right now but save the whip lashing for later. We’ve all had a massive shock and are trying to deal with an impossible situation here.” Sorenson broke in wearily. The other three Intel personnel cheered him silently.

Davis looked coldly back at them. "So deal and deal fast! I have to get this to the White house and I sure as hell am not going in with a smile and an empty folder to get my ass kicked! If there’s still nothing, unearth him. Pin something on him. I’m giving you two days."

Burns broke in. “Pierce wanted to tap the phones of Michael Guerin. Files indicate he and Evans grew up in the same town. Technicians who’d been present claims that he was like a man possessed.”

Sorenson stood up. The meeting was over but not the crisis. “Now we have bait. Get everything you can on Guerin, where he was a week from now! I don’t care how but you do it!! This could be our only break. I want Evans found!! He’s the only one who can lead us to Pierce! Do it immediately.”

Burns left the room at an almost run. He could taste victory. Even if Pierce never showed up again, he’d gotten what he wanted. Already Sorenson seemed to have trusted him just a little bit. That would grow if he could deliver Evans. And then he was looking at a very bright future in the State department.

Back inside, the Director got up too. He shook Congressman Davis’ hand and almost begged. “Please somehow get State to give us more jurisdiction over the Special unit! Secret government action is always going to lead to this type of messes! Look at us! Now we have zilch to go on. We can only do so much damage control”

Davis removed his hand. “You get me my answers first. And then you see what I do to the Special unit.”

Sorenson nodded. “Right now, I’m beginning to have more and more doubts in my head. What could Pierce accomplish by covering this up? And if this is a third-party, then what the hell did they accomplish by leaving us a goddamn trail??”

“I don’t see you following any trails, Wes.” Davis said archly. He was tired of playing along with these overgrown, bureaucratic hags, even though he held Sorenson in high regard.

“Exactly.” Sorenson said thoughtfully. He had another plan growing on his brain. “We don’t have a trail, we have a hint of a trail. I’m beginning to think that whoever thought of this, certainly accomplished their mission.”

“What is that? And please! No more ‘off the wire’ nonsense. Still can’t get the previous one figured out!” The congressman said bluntly.

Sorenson turned to them both. "Do you realize that we have virtually millions of question and yet not a single satisfactory answer? Someone wanted to penetrate and they did.”

“What?? We have a mole??” Pete barked out. This was not a nightmare; this was the mother of all nightmares.

“Someone wanted to keep us so confused, so disorganized that we haven’t yet paid any attention to the biggest scenario. We’re caught up in half-truths and would-be’s but what happened to the main picture? They wanted to create confusion in the ranks and they got it.”

“What friggin’ bigger picture is there?? I see Doomsday! It doesn’t get any bigger than that!!” Davis said sarcastically.

“Where’s the alien? Where’s Whitman?”

“You think Whitman’s alive? Oh Christ!”

“I don’t now, sir. Something tells me the hunt has just started. We’ve got smoke trails and yet nothing. Like I said, we need Evans in. I don’t care what we have to do to make him talk but we have to! It’s our only chance of getting a handle on anything. Goodbye, gentlemen.”




Well? Did I suck much or what? Btw, sorry for the short part.
Sarah.

YOU GUYS!! I'm SO SORRY!! I couldn't log in at Fanatics for the last 3 weeks and I couldn't get a new part up. I didn't mean to delay the update for so long. Sorry, guys.

Love, Sarah.

Chapter 37

Max awoke with a start. He’d been feeling the absence of something. As soon as he opened his eyes, he knew. Liz was gone.
Cursing, he jumped out of bed, dragging on the first piece of clothing he could find.

“Liz?” he asked, irrationally afraid that somehow she’d disappeared from his life just the way she’d come in.

He ran out into the small balcony. Usually, in the mornings, they avoided it because of excess viewers but this late at night; she was free to sit there. It was too small to sit; she was perched on the railing.

To his horror, he saw her start at his call and then begin to fall. "LIZ!!" He moved as fast as he could.

Liz had heard the call. It had startled her out of her state of near oblivion. She felt herself fall forward. Gripping the railings with her legs, she maintained a balance. By that time, Max was there, hugging her fiercely to him.

“What were you doing out here?”

“I was thinking of Alex.”

Max fell silent. I had to ask, didn’t I? Then he stopped. Running form the guilt would only make it worse but he didn’t want to bring it up ever again. It was one of those skeletons that were best left buried. He knew if he brought it up in front of Liz, he’d only be burdening her with his own torment. No, it was best dealing with it on his own. He didn’t reply. She tilted her head back. Moonlight fell down the swan column of her neck. But even that sight was unable to rouse Max out of his guilt.

Liz looked curiously up at him, wondering at his silence. The Max she’d come to know would’ve asked her about it, tried to soothe her and would’ve been the only one to succeed in taking away some of the anguish she’d been going through ever since she’d blown the safe house up. He wasn't exactly doing any of those now.

“Max?”

“Nothing." He said brusquely. He didn’t want to get her mood down, too. The last few days had been magic. But by now…..reality sunk in. He’d been the cause of death of a person, who had never in his life done more than try to stay alive.

He’d killed in cold blood, he’d broken laws and he’d caused the heartbreak of a person who now sat in his arms and toyed with his soul. He didn’t regret the killings, the other things he’d done but he genuinely regretted ever meeting Pierce. If he hadn’t, maybe this fiasco would’ve never taken place. Against his will, he heard Pierce’s loathsome snarl about how they’d cut his poor sister up. Even if she was dead, she’d deserved the dignity of last rites. Fury unlike anything he’d known in the last few days rose to the surface.

“Max?” Liz asked, alarmed. He was furious, she could feel it in his tense muscles and clenched jaw. This was no mood swing; this was cold, murderous rage. “Max, please, tell me, what is it?” she urged, almost frightened by his lack of response.

Abruptly, he hauled her down and went inside. Liz was baffled. He’d seemed so mellow. And now, all of a sudden, he was as distant as they’d been when they’d first met. She wondered if it was his guilt over Alex.

“Max? Talk to me.” she said, calming her voice down. "What happened?”

He rubbed a hand over his eyes wearily. How easy it would be to just lie down and go to sleep and not worry about alien-hunters, government agencies, plots and sub-plots!!

“Nothing. I’m just tired.”

“Bullshit. You have something on your mind that’s making you so tense.”

“Will you stop with the alien stuff? I don’t need someone prying around in my head!”

Even he himself winced at the snap in his voice. He hadn’t meant to be so sharp but the words had had a will of their own.

Liz cringed at his snarl. Why’s he screaming at me? Then she straightened. “I wasn’t doing anything in your head! It’s perfectly obvious from your expression!” she threw back.

He should’ve had the decency to look apologetic but in return, he just walked back to the bed and lay down. Liz stared in shock and then in growing anger. She wasn’t done mourning her brother yet; she didn’t want to deal with a growing guilt over him, too! Not after all that he’d said on the subject. Then she subsided.

She crept back in beside him and lay down, too. Seeing the distance between them, hating it, she forced herself to give him time to recover.

He opened his eyes and talked without looking at her. “What made you think of Alex?”

She laughed humorlessly. “What makes you think I forgot about him at all?”

She saw him shut his eyes at that. Feeling stupid and guilty, she raised herself. “Max, look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say that. …."

No response.

“Look! It came out wrong, okay? I love being with you but I haven’t forgotten about him. That’s all I’m trying to say!”

Then he looked over at her. “Do you honestly think I grudge you that?”

She remained mute. She didn’t know what he thought on the subject. He took that for a yes. He inhaled sharply, the guilt and the pain unbearable.

“I’m sorry you feel that way.” He turned away.

Liz stared at his back, feeling like she was losing him. He’d been nothing less than an angel during this whole mess, and yet she had to go and ruin it.
“Max! C’mon! You know that’s not what I meant!”

He spoke without turning around. “I’d understand, you know.”

She yanked him around. “Stop it!! Stop putting words in my mouth! I never said that you grudged me that! I just feel like I don't know you at all anymore! You get this distant…look that practically demands that I keep quiet on the subject and I hate it!! I know you don’t have to explain everything to me, but for God’s sake, don’t shut me out!!”

He didn’t reply. Liz heaved. She felt frustrated enough to say something she’d really regret. Opening her eyes, she glared at him, ready to rip into him. He had no right treating her like she was an uncaring, unfeeling monster. All those thoughts died as she sought out his eyes.

They were filled with a certain desperation, the desperation borne of fear. And the fear was easy to understand. He didn’t want to lose her but didn’t know if he could keep the guilt out of it. Obviously, Alex and Maria were pretty big on his mind, too.

She gentled her voice but didn’t dare touch him. “I’m so sorry, Max.”

He squeezed his eyes shut, damning the exposure of his feelings. “Don’t do that, dammit!”

“Don’t do what? Apologise? And why not? You think you’re the only one with a guilty conscience? I’ve been killing myself this last two weeks, trying to find a way to live with the guilt! Guess what? Not too successful, am I now? I can’t get ANY of these out of my head!! Alex, you, Michael, Maria!! I can’t make it stop! So why wouldn’t I apologize? I owe you one, anyway!”

His voice was low and hard. “You don’t owe me anything.”

“Yes, I do! I owe you my life and a lot of other things, but I’m most sorry for having gone to you in Bangkok. But, please, understand! I had no choice. I knew what was going to happen but I never thought I’d be the cause of so much trouble in your’s and Michael’s life! I hate it, but I can’t change it. All I can say is that I’m sorry. And I am.”

Her voice broke. Now, she regretted ever having involved him at all. But back then he’d been her last link to Alex.

Max felt salt in his eyes. He fought them off savagely. She was rambling without making any sense. She’d not been the cause of anything! None of it, none, was her fault. It was his. He didn’t want to say it but it was true.

But he couldn’t help asking. “Do you blame me? For Alex’s death?”
He knew that the answer was yes. He was guilty, in all counts. He’d hunted Alex Whitman down, had handed him over to the Feds and had been too late to do anything to save him either.

“Max!” she exclaimed, fed-up with the entire situation.

He was not to blame for having been to lied too and cheated out of. In some sense, yes, he’d been directly responsible for Alex being in FBI custody. But if she’d been in his shoes, with his sister dead and the killer roaming free, she would’ve done the exact same thing. Now that Alex really was dead, she could not fault him for his actions, for she would’ve done the same. The blame was not his, yet she could find no words to convince him of that. His eyes were tormented with inner darkness. She was no match for it and she knew it. She looked away.

Max stared at her in desperation. He knew it was his fault but he needed it to hear it from her that he hadn’t been totally to blame. Somehow, if she said it was okay, maybe, just maybe, he’d try to learn to live with it.

Liz looked back. She could see something else in his expression. He wants me to tell him it’s okay! She thought in wonder. Doesn’t he know me at all?

“Max, listen to me.” she said forcefully. “Listen! I don’t hold you responsible for Alex’s death. Maybe I did, once,” the flooding relief in his eyes faded to oblivion at her ‘once’.

“But I don’t anymore! I haven’t, not since I found out what your motives were. I hadn’t known that they’d lied to you. But they did and you made your mistakes.” She watched helplessly as he held back tears.

“And you’ve paid for it!” His eyes snapped to her face. She continued in the most determined tone she could attain. “I know you think you’re to blame but you’re not. You did what you did out of misguided revenge, Not a power-crazed personal trip! I know you! You wouldn’t do that! And how can you even ask me if I blame you? Haven’t you seen the way I got about Alex in Bangkok? How could I possibly NOT know that you’d be the same way about Maria?”

Max felt a tear side off. He turned away slightly. Liz took his face in her hand and turned it back to her. “I don’t blame you, Max. Deep down inside, I don’t think you and I are too different at all, even though reality speaks otherwise.”

Another tear slid off, blurring his vision. She leaned forward, brushed it away, her own eyes moist and compassionate. “I don’t think Alex did, either.”

He started. His voice was guttural with repressed pain as he hissed. “How do you know that?”

“He told me to go to you. He knew I was thinking about you. I think he knew, in some level, that you wouldn’t have done what you did, if it hadn’t been some overwhelming reason. And you had that reason.”

He leaned over, crushed her to him, letting the tears openly. As they melted from the glacier around his numbed mind, lessening the guilt a fraction, he felt her holding him, soothing him, just the way she’d always done. He buried his face in the comfort of her body and whispered over and over. ‘I’m so sorry, Liz. I’m so sorry!”
~----*-----------*-----~



They held each other for a long time. Finally, Max regained a little bit of control. He tried to wipe his face with his hands but she’d beaten him to it. She stroked her hand over his face, stopping at his eyes. A warm, tingling feeling came out of it and he felt the tears dry, the pain in his eyelids disappear. He inhaled the scent of her hand, breathing it in deeply. How can I ever make it up to her? I took away the only family she’d ever had.

"Liz?" he asked gently, placing an adoring kiss on the palm of her hand. She let him, even though the ticklish senses were making her jumpy inside. “Remember what you’d said to me before went to Washington, that night?”

Liz nodded, not understanding where he was going with it.

He continued but his voice caught. “You told me you wanted a family of your own, and that included Alex. That you were not as selfless as I made you out to be. That you needed him in your life, not just for his sake, but also for yours. What did I do?” he whispered. “What the hell did I do?”

Liz gazed back at him, her eyes dark and full of trust. “You gave me hope, Max. That night, I honestly thought that I found someone…” she trailed off as she felt his intense gaze on her. “Someone else in my life, too.” She whispered faintly.

I won’t bawl like a kid, I won’t, I won’t! Max told himself fiercely. Gently, he hugged her to him, like she was precious china and she was. In so many ways, she was so fragile and little; that he couldn’t help but want to keep himself wrapped around her, shielding her from the world. But then again, underneath the tiny, ravishing exterior, lay a heart of gold and a will of a tigress.

Dimly, he compared Liz and Alex. Their actions bespoke of deep, unabiding unconditional faith. It had to be the non-human factor. He hadn’t met anyone with such perseverance and strength of mind and yet at the same time, so open and loving. She had her scars, but she hid them well. She wasn’t naïve, yet she pretended to be, if only for a minute, if it brought some semblance of laughter to him. And that was no mean feat. That in itself required courage and open-mindedness he didn’t possess, had yet to see anyone possess.

He’d worked with professional men and women, who’d dealt with the best and the worst. For most of their parts, they were dreary, beaten, bitter. Just like he had been. Just like she’d had a right to be.

But here she was, obviously having had the worst deal, and yet she carried off the whole happy-go-lucky image to the people around her, if only to keep them from worrying.

“You’re precious, Liz Parker. The world should have more of you.”

She blushed again. Even in the dark, he could see the red in her cheeks against the porcelain complexion. For the hundredth time, he wondered if he was mad contemplating leaving the planet with her. He would, too. If only she gave him the permission.

“I’m not that strong, Max." she said quietly. She knew he thought her as this otherworldly, perfect creature. But she didn’t want to be that. She just wanted to be human. At least, then, maybe they’d have a chance.

"Do you blame Alex for Maria’s death?" she asked, after a while. This question had been bothering her a lot. Does he? If he does, then what do I do?

He looked away. Liz stared at the covers miserably. Of course he did. She was grateful that he hadn’t lied to her to spare her feelings but it still cut, just the same.

Then he turned towards her. Her breath caught somewhere in the vicinity of her esophaegus and never came out.

“I would’ve, if I hadn’t placed myself in his shoes. Now that I have, I know why he did what he did. More importantly, I understand my sister’s actions. She didn’t let him go, I’m sure of it. He was probably the same as you, begging her to forget about him and stay safe. But I think she’s the one who instigated their relationship and even probably their engagement. What can I say? She was in love with him. He did the only thing he could bear doing. He stayed with her.”

“And do you blame him for that?”

He looked at her for a long time. “I don’t think you can blame somebody for doing things out of love. People do crazy things when they’re in love. It’s one of those things.”

“And how do you feel about it?” she asked, her voice low, successfully keeping the eagerness out of her voice.

He looked at her for a longer time. This time, his answer wasn’t as decisive as it had been before. "I’ve never been in love before, Liz. I don’t know.” His voice was soft, trying to hold back a deeper meaning but she didn’t acknowledge it in her disappointment.

"I see.” She exhaled, feeling strangely deflated.

"Do you?” he queried, turning his amber gaze in her direction. "Do you really understand and see it for what it is?”

She jerked her head in a quasi-response. When he looked at her like that…….she wanted to show him what she saw and understood.

"I don’t think you do. I think neither of us does." He replied, wishing for a cigarette. Anything to stop the pounding in his brain.

“What makes you say that?” she asked, taken aback by the wistfulness in his voice.

“If we did,” he leveled her with a stare. “We wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

She nodded vehemently, letting her hair cover her face. She was mortified, she’d practically begged him to declare undying love for her. What am I? On drugs?

He gathered her in again. “Let’s not talk about that. Let me just hold you.”
She went willingly into the safety of his chest and found some semblance of peace since Alex’s death.




Maryland suburbs. Same time.

Michael finished typing in the message and hurriedly posted it. This late, there was no one around at the empty Internet café. But he needed to know if they’d gotten in safe.

Not_of_this_Earth: Still flying high? Jeez! Dull! But nothing better than British Airways. Always comes in time and never later than 9:30 in the morrow. Will be keeping a lookout for it, even if it’s not too visible. But better be safe than sorry. Ciao.

He added a coded telephone number. It was the one near the subway, one of the busiest areas in town. It should keep details off the call. He dared not call them. He thought it would be better if they did instead.

He sent posted it and left as surreptitiously as he could. As he felt the building, he checked around, making sure if anyone was on his tail. The last few days, he’d see no one. He’d actually dared to give Max a call, but Max had bust a gut over it. So he’d stuck to safer stuff. Next time, he’d post on the Roswell travel website.

His message to Max was simple. He’d asked if they were still in CA, if not then where. And the next part was simpler still; his Buenos Aires excuse was still holding up, the British Airways substituting for BA, so no dangers as yet. He’d seen probably a tail or two over the last few days but they all kept tabs during office hours – as translated form the “keeping a lookout, yet not too visible”. Michael wasn’t a fool. He knew he was being followed, so he did his best to keep himself covered by an alibi at all times. The rest of the message was simply to warn them that he was being followed but was still sufficiently mobile for communication. And the last one was that they call him tomorrow by 9:30 am at the given phone number.
Michael went home quite satisfied that he hadn’t been followed.

As soon as he’d seen Guerin leave, a slovenly man went up to the counter, paid for an hour and went over to the PC where Michael had logged in. The shabby man was no street bum; he was, in fact, one of the best technicians of the Special Unit. Quickly, he logged on. Within a few minutes, he’d found Michael’s trail, even though the latter had wiped off the history. But a little electronic chip in them man’s hand guaranteed success for him. He connected to the network and called on a little microphone in his collar.

“Control? This is Nerd. Got his IP location, sending it over………….." The chip gave a miniscule beep and hum and beep litany played for all of 5 secs.

“Nerd? This is Agent Burns, do you read?"

"Crystal."

“We have the IP location of the recipient. Roswell UFO center website. Tech team’s already put a trace on the username. We’ll have the post within minutes. You can get it cleaned off and get out."

“Already done."

The man calmly disconnected the chip and went about restoring the previous networks. No trace of his little cyber invasion was present. He was out of there in 2 minutes.


Washington DC. FBI Tech and comm. center

Burns stood over the monitor, reading the message.

"What’s he saying, Burns?” asked Agent Samuels. He was now currently the second in line of the infamous Special unit.

“I have no idea. But he gave a time! Change that! And I want the voice-print used.”

‘Do we have one, sir?’ asked one of the main tech heads.

“USMRIID’s gonna call him now on important business in his cell phone. Get the voiceprint then. I want it on alert all day tomorrow! If he talks via telephone networks, we can get him. But if we can get the codes deciphered, maybe we wouldn’t need to. If not, oh well, I guess we’ll have to take him into custody.”

“On what grounds? You can’t just kidnap an important head of a Government facility!" Agent Samuels barked out, appalled.

Burns turned back grimly. "Exactly. Not unless I can pin a theft of smallpox granules on him and say it was headed for a transaction to Bioaparat in Russia! So, this telephone call is all we’ve got to get a lead on Evans.”

“Where was he the last week?”

“No clue. Said Buenos Aires, had a visa, too.” Burns didn’t know that a very experienced friend of Max was very handy with fake immigration seals and such. Max had had to pay a huge sum but it had been worth it; even the Immigration chief wouldn’t have been able to tell the fake from the authentic.

“But we’ve asked around in the area. No one said anything about him. Then again, people down there are mighty tight-lipped about rich families.”

Samuels scratched at an irritating itch on his hand, taking out his fury on the red skin. "Ouch! Okay, okay. Fine.” He rubbed his eyes. Congressman Davis and DCI, W. Sorenson packed one helluva punch and the Special Unit was still reeling from it. "If I ever got my hands on Pierce, I’d kill him myself! Asshole couldn’t have left us with anything??”

“Never mind that!” Burns barked, exhausted himself. “Keep that APB out on Evans and keep the links clear. I want their location when this call takes place. I don’t care how you do it but do it!!”

“Yes sir." The technician snapped to attention. He’d just finished re-posting Michael’s post with a lot of edits. Yet no ETA’s showed up. The guy was thorough. He held it up for his superior’s inspection. Burns read it.

Not_of_this_Earth: Still flying high? Jeez! Dull! But it’s better than British Airways. Always comes in late and never earlier than 9:30 in the morrow. Will be keeping a lookout for it, even if it’s not too visible. But better be safe than sorry. Ciao.


The code was easily deciphered. Michael was good but he was no match for the Special Unit decryption devices. The telephone number was discovered. By the end of the night, the phone was tapped and ready. Instead of the usual 3 minutes to trace a call and locations, this one had a better chip attached to it. It would go via satellite, pinpointing both recipient and caller ends, tracing the call in 90 seconds. But the only glitch was that it had to come from the telephone networks.

An USMRIID call had been tapped into, sufficient voiceprint of Michael was currently sitting in the comm. center special evidences database. One click, one minute of Michael Guerin talking in ANY part of the goddamned country, they could pinpoint a location via satellite. High Tech was fun!

Everything was set for the ambush. Burns prayed that nothing would go wrong. Nothing had better go wrong. Otherwise, his career at State was over.

So, how's it?

Chapter 38

Subway Station. Town centre. Near the phone kiosks.

Michael paced up and down, waiting for the phone to ring. He’d arrived early, nearly half an hour early, to prepare himself and find out if he had any tails. The phone rang, jarring him. What the hell?? Why’re they calling NOW?? It’s half an hour early!! Instinctively, he reached for the phone, praying that it wasn’t Max or Liz.

“Hello?”

“Hey Mike!” It was Liz.

“What’re you doing, calling so early? I came back to check………..” he trailed off, a very awful thought occurring to him.

Liz interrupted. “I got the message. You said no later than 9. Sorry it took so long but M……….”

“Stop!” Michael barked out. He’d never said that. In fact, he’d specifically mentioned not to call before 9:30. What in Christ’s name’s going on?”

“Mike?” she asked, somewhat worried.

Michael thought so hard that he nearly fried his brain. “Oh Jesus!” How could they get the godammn message?? I made sure there was no one near me! And how would they even CHANGE the message and for what?? Oh Christ!! Is this being TRACED??

Michael spoke, his tone ice cold. “Pam!” Enunciating the name so that she heard the subtle emphasis.

Liz was confused. “What?”

She glanced at the watch. 50 seconds had gone past. Even if it was tapped, they needed minimum 3 minutes for any standard trace. Even if they had special equipment, which Alex had once mentioned in a file, it took around 2 minutes or maybe less. She had time enough to ask her questions and disappear. “P…..????”

“Pam!” Michael broke through. ‘I told you before! Stop stalking me!! I’m not interested at all! We’ve had fun for a few dates but that’s it. I’m through with you. You get me! Stop calling me!” And he hung up. The entire call had lasted only 90 seconds. They couldn’t have possibly traced it. He hurried his way out of there as fast as he could. Inwardly, he felt the beginnings of fear. If the Special Unit captured him, what was going to happen to him? His career? His life?

Michael speeded for Fort Detrick, scared shitless over what he’d done. A very unpleasant thing went through him. If what he’d thought had actually happened, then he’d just introduced Liz Parker to the Feds.




Special Unit HQ. Comm. center.

The words came over loud and clear. ““Pam! I told you before! Stop stalking me!! I’m not interested at all! We’ve had fun for a few dates but that’s it. I’m through with you. You get me! Stop calling me!”

The line went dead and the beep sounded. The technician turned around, excited. “Sir!! We have it! We have the connection!”

Burns smiled jubilantly. He did it! Now what’s Davis gonna do??

“Where?” he asked sharply, peering into the lighted screen. Flashes lit up the screen, red dots commingling with black ones, each busy criss-crossing through the entire network, zeroing in one the location of both ends. The agents in the room each held their breath and prayed. The last time this had happened, it had been a major disaster.

Suddenly it went dead.

Burns stared at the now still screen for all of a second then howled with rage. The rest of the men groaned. This was nonsense!! How does it happen twice in one row? What is Michael Guerin, cursed??

Burns whirled on baffled technician. "What the hell went wrong?" His tone was freezing. The technician was the same bagel-lover from before. He’d seen Pierce ranting and raving. But Burns was no less violent; he just hid it under a professional attitude.

“Sir, I…I don’t know. What the hell happened?”

The standby generator had clicked on within seconds of the power failure.

They all leapt for the screen.

“The timing was rotten!” exclaimed one, studying the screen. All the lines were now down, the frequency had gotten lost. “We lost the connection, AGAIN.”

“Not entirely.” Said the technician, after recovering from his initial shock. “We can trace it from the black box, which I kept separate for this case.”

Every single one in the room froze with anticipation.

The screen lit up again as the guy booted it up. Sure enough, the lines started the networking. Burns looked up at Samuels, both knew what was at stake here. If this didn’t work…Michael Guerin was history. The female voice that they’d heard was a shock.

As the men worked to retrieve lost data, Samuels asked the question they were both dreading.

“Do we have to bring him in? After all, it could be what he said it was. A stalker ex.”

Burns rubbed his face. "I don’t know. Why would he leave the message at the UFO center practically begging her to call him? NO! We’re definitely on the right track.”

“But now, now we have no proof! There’s no voice recorded, nothing we can pin on him to bring him in. It has to be a raid." Burns winced. “The Congressman’s gonna have my ass for lunch! Guerin’s under his constituency, after all. Raids are………messy, to say the least.”


“I’m just grateful the media hasn’t gotten in it as yet. At least we don’t have to worry about it.”

“No shit. Now, if we just had the location, we wouldn’t need to fuck Guerin or anyone else! By the way, do a check of Max’s girlfriends or friends in that area. We haven’t got a voiceprint on her, but he might be staying with one. We need to get Evans, people, and I don’t fucking care how!”

The technician stood up. “We have it, sir. Not the exact location, but the best I could find.”

Burns and Samuels turned around simultaneously. “”Where is it?”

Everyone held their collective breath. “South Pasadena, California.”



Pasadena, CA.

Liz had been baffled by the call. Michael had almost seemed hyper. He’d started ranting about some “Pam” and not let her talk for more than five seconds. Then she’d heard his desperate "Stop calling me!!” and she’d realized. It was a trap. So instead of panicking, she did the first logical thing that came to mind. She zapped the phone. It wasn’t logical that the Feds would get a trace within, by her calculations, 70 or so seconds. Coupled with her blast, she doubted if they had anything. But all of it made one thing crystal clear.

Michael was in a helluva lot of trouble.

She made her way back to the dingy apartment. Home. The thought sprung up unbidden in her mind. She shook her lightly to clear the thought. She had no home. This was just temporary. But being on the subject, she started wondering. What was home, anyway? Was it here or was it in the stars? She’d never really wondered much about her alien heritage after Maria had died and Alex had been on the run. Before that, she’d wondered all the time.

Was it like earth? Could they breath back in wherever it was? Listen to me. I don’t even know where it freakin’ is, don’t know its name! So, why does it seem so familiar? Like it’s just outside my reach. I can reach hard enough and still not reach it. That’s sad. I wonder if Alex’s soul was transported there. Or did he just die like a human?

Liz snorted. That would be the ultimate irony. Hunted for being an alien and yet, died like any normal human being.

She turned away from the flat. Suddenly, there were a lot of answers she needed to find. As much as she wanted to go to Max and share, she knew she couldn’t. It would be painful for him to realize that she might even be serious about going back. And maybe she was.

Liz walked away, needing space. She walked through the crowds, her head down casually, her stance blending in perfectly. This came like a second nature. She was used to blending into the scene. She’d perfected it over 20 years.

She stopped at a small seat near the bus stop and plopped down. It seemed so busy. People rushed by, everyone immersed in their own problem. Do any of them realize that there are aliens among them? Would they be repulsed if they knew?

She knew the answer to that. As much as she loved believing every word out of Max’s yummy mouth, she knew that the answer to this question was a lie. If he said he adored her, well then, that’s because that’s Max. Mr. Originality.

She shivered, remembering that letter. Strangely she wondered, if she’d been too uptight or too prudish or what. He’d set she hadn’t ripened yet. How much more is there to learn?? Liz thought, already giddy with anticipation. She smiled to herself.

A young couple was walking past her. They both looked gaga in love. The girl was all but wrapped around him and it didn’t seem like the ardent lover minded. Then her attention shifted. Behind them snuck up another girl. She seemed to be in her teens. She leaned up close and yelled “Boo!!”

The duo sprang apart, scared shitless. Then they saw the intruder. The girlfriend smiled, albeit somewhat reluctantly. The guy rolled his eyes and straightened the younger girl out well and good. The kid held out her hand “Gimme, gimme!!” And after much stalling, the guy handed over a credit card.

“Whoohoo!” jumped the gleeful brat. She leaned up into the guy, giving him a crushing hug.

The guy shook her off, but not after his arm had tightened satisfactorily around her. The girlfriend smiled, amused.

The guy let the kid go and then suddenly called out to the receding figure. “Jenny, if I don’t get that card back, I swear to God I’m gonna tell Dad! Don’t you dare max out on it! ”

Jenny waved him off and continued down her path.

Liz remained a silent spectator, long after they were all gone. She felt the beginnings of tears. It had been a brother and a sister and it ripped at her heart. I never even go that chance with Alex. We were never together, not even for 24 hours. I never even knew him at all. And now, I never will. All my life I thought I was missing a part of myself. I guess that’s what siblings do to you. She wiped off her tears, hoping Max would understand her need to be alone.

A sticker above her head near a lamppost caught her attention. It was an old poster of TAKEN, a Steven Spielberg alien film. She stared at it for a while, wondering if Spielberg had ever had real proof.

Where did it come from, this myth? And all of a sudden, it’s a reality and I’m living it. I can’t help but wonder what I was like back there, or if I was even born yet. If I hadn’t, then where the hell’s my parents? Why was I sent? Was I banished? Will I ever really ever find out? And I should, goddammit!! It’s my life I’m talking about!

Then she balked. Discovering her alien side meant leaving Max behind. He’d told her that she had a maximum of the next few days to leave earth. If she didn’t go now, it would rebound back on him. He kept saying he had a plan and a darn foolproof one but he needed her completely and utterly out of sight by then. It broke her heart that she wouldn’t be with him always and she needed to leave if he was to clear his name.

Of course, Max saw it all differently. He said that if she stayed with him, anywhere remotely close, she’d be discovered and no plan was going to save her then. She felt him withdraw at odd moments, when the guilt inside him just about burst. Then, he’d come back, open and loving. But it made him all the more determined to see her to safety. He didn’t want her to neglect the fact that she could go off and that if she did, it had to be now.

But now with Michael in danger, she didn’t know what would be better for all of them. Staying or leaving?

Liz hurried back to the bar. Then she stopped. Max had left before she’d woken up this morning. Even at this late time, her cheeks warmed at the thought of last night. Every single day, their passion grew. By now it was voracious, rampant. They couldn’t hold themselves away for more than a few minutes. So just to give themselves a break, they’d made up a plan to stay away from each other, at least, part of the day. It was still early, no less than 10:30 am. Max had left a note, saying that he was out to ‘fish’. Translated into spy lingo, it meant he’d gone to find out the FBI situation.

She’d left a note saying she was going out to think. That had been all. Max had no idea Michael could’ve been set up or even worse the fact that they might’ve even traced the call. But then, she shook it from her mind. The call was impossible to trace. She’d practically fried the chip in the other end. No way was it giving away any information.

She unlocked the door and stepped in. She heard the stereo on accompanied by an additional low voice. Despite herself, all her steely resolve to ask him his intentions flew out the window. He was singing. The instant she’d walked in, it had paused for a second and then it had started, like he knew who came in. She was walking past a mirror and was mortified by the size of her cheesy grin.

She entered their bedroom and smiled appreciatively. The spikes she’d seen on him in their first encounter had grown longer, falling into short bangs over his tanned forehead. It was all she could do not to jump him as he continued singing. She listened to the sound for a minute and it became clear to her. He was singing one of their songs.

So close no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trust in who we are
And nothing else matters

Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words I don't just say
And nothing else matters

Trust I seek and I find in you
Every day for us something new
Open mind for a different view
And nothing else matters
Never care for what they do
Never care for what they know
But I know

So close no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trust in who we are
And nothing else matters
Never care for what they do
Never care for what they know
But I know (Music)

Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words I don't just say
And nothing else matters

Trust I seek and I find in you
Every day for us something new
Open mind for a different view
And nothing else matters

Never care for what they say
Never care for games they play
I never care for what they do
I never care for what they know
And I know
Yeah

So close no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trust in who we are
No, nothing else matters

She listened to it, memorizing each word and the way his breathing fell as he sang. His voice was hardly James Hetfield but had the same intensity. Obviously a much loved the song, as shown by the way he sang into the nuances.

It was a declaration, as close as he’d ever come to letting her know what he really felt about her. It was as much as he’d ever say on the subject. Because despite everything, Max was not going to hold her and tell her he loved her. He wouldn’t do that to either of them. Maybe in some unconscious level, they both knew what they felt about each other. But he’d never verbalize it, thus letting her keep her freedom. If she ever heard the words from him, he knew as well as she did, that it was all over. She’d be chained to him forever. And Saint Max would never allow that to happen.

She applauded as he finished.

He gave her his trademark chocolate boy look and Liz was back to a puddle. Then she steeled herself.

“Max, something happened."

Instantly, he was serious. “What is it?”

She swallowed “Uhh…I logged on to the message board over at the UFO center. Michael sent one.”

“What did he say?” Max didn’t like Liz’s nervous air. So it’s just one message!

“He said for me to call by 9 and not less than that. Said his Buenos Aires excuse wasn’t going too well. Which got me totally panicked. I was already late; it was already around 8:50. He was there and he yelled at me why I called so early!! Then he froze on me and started talking about some Pam.”

Max felt his stomach clench with dread. “Pam Troy was his ex from college. I think she ditched him.”

“That’s besides the point. Why would he rant about Pam? He knew it was me.”

“Did he mention your name?” Max asked sharply. What he was hearing was unbelievable. “Did he ever call out your name??”

Liz shook her head. ‘No. No, he didn’t.”

“How long were you on the phone?” Max barked, completely changed from the sweet guy. “How many seconds?”

“Seconds?? Oh Jesus, I think it was more than a minute!” Liz closed her eyes in fear. What if they do have gadgets that do the tracing much faster?? Oh my God!!

Max stared frustrated at her. “What the hell possessed you to do this?” he shouted, his voice frigid with rage.

Liz quaked inward but held her ground. “There’s more.”

“Really?” he bit out, his tone unpleasant.

"Yes.” She took a breath to compose herself but seeing his furious glare, she hurried up. “I zapped the line. I probably fried whatever it was on the other end. They can’t recover anything if they were counting on a chip or something. It’s okay, Max.”

“No! Goddammit!” his tone angry. “They won’t just rely on a tap! They probably had other gadgets to trace the call!!”

Liz blanched. The fact that now the FBI might have her profile sitting on their database was enough to send her into shock.

“You said he didn’t know what you were talking about!" Max looked at Liz.

She nodded. "Yeah, he kinda implied he’d said the opposite. Which leads me to believe that this was tapped and maybe even his message was changed.” Then she squinted. “But how can they do that? He wasn’t using USMRIID a/cs!!”

“They’re following him and the asshole doesn’t even know!!”

“Max!” Liz looked at him, annoyed. Then it faded. He was genuinely scared for Michael’s life.

“Why? Why do they want Michael so bad??’ Liz burst out.

“It’s me.” Max said, his eyes downcast. The moment had come.

Lzi stood stock still. Then she exploded. “NO!! No way!! You’re not going to turn yourself in! Especially not now!! They’ll take you apart!! I won’t allow this! Absolutely NOT!!”

He grasped her by the upper arms. ‘I told you this day would come! Stop being hysterical!” He didn’t know what it was that was making him snap at her, the fear of losing her or fear for her life.

She shook herself off as they squared off. “NO!”

“THEN YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE CALLED HIM!!!” Max screamed, breaking inside. She fell quiet.

Then her hackles rose. ‘What’re you screaming at me for? Are you accusing me?”

He gripped her so hard; she felt the nails cut in to her skin. She kept the wince off her face, hurting too much otherwise.

“One more comment like that, I swear to God!!” Max controlled himself savagely. He’d scared even himself with his outburst.

Liz then understood his frustration. He would have to leave her, and the phone call had been the cause. She stood still in his arms, not moving.

“I’m sorry.’ Max said quietly. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m sorry.”

“I wasn’t scared.”

Max felt a flash of annoyance. Does she always have to pretend to be so strong??

“I wasn’t scared of you, Max.” she told him, deliberately gentling her voice. "I promised to myself that I maybe be scared of the world but never of you. It’s my personal vow.”

He remembered their first kiss. He’d been hurt by her fear and he’d told her so. Now she’d sworn to herself never to be scared of him, no matter how much it terrified her.

“I hope I deserve that.” He muttered, pulling her against him.

In his hug, Liz felt some of the fear of the morning ebb. The new terror was making its presence known inside of her. But she would remain strong as long as he was there.

“You do. You always do." She told him, voice muffled against his shoulder.

Max leaned down and kissed her gently. He needed to reaffirm that she was really there and not just a desert mirage. She kissed him back, wanting it to last forever.

It grew in intensity. Soon, they were both lost as had happened in the last few days. They were both starved, rapacious. As it grew progressively more demanding, Max felt the beginnings of something. Oh my GOD!! I’ve even less self-control than I thought I had!! Max thought in a panic, scared that he would embarrass himself. He tried to move away, dislodge her arms. Liz determinedly pinned his hands to the wall, using her powers but they were so weak, she knew wouldn’t be able to hold it for long.

Max tried to evade her but she was having none of it. She didn’t let him break off.

Max heaved, clenching his jaw with control. Then all of a sudden, it all fell apart. He felt himself traveling somewhere else, another flash. Then he saw it.

He felt himself falling with dizzying, intense speed. He thought he was hurtling downwards. Something loomed up in front of him. It was earth. He felt himself hit something and then crash. His body raged through the explosion, he felt it all. His entire vision was filled with glowing amber flames, scorching him. And then he saw it. There was a high protruding rock formation, rising up proud and tall, the summit looking at the heavens. It was a sight he’d known since he’d been a child. It was the High rock in the Roswell desert, near Highway 42. They’d all gone there plenty of times. But now he knew its significance .The Granolith.

Max came out of it, burning. He panted, tying to catch his breath. “We’ve got to go!" he gasped.

Liz stared back at him in shock. “Max, I’m sorry!! Are you all right??’

He stared at her for a long while, his heart breaking. Then he took her face in his hands and kissed her forehead. “I saw the crash site. It’s probably in the Roswell desert, near highway 42. It might be your only escape.”

She broke away, unbelieving. How could that happen, they’d just been kissing! And why would he get the flashes and not her? The questions swirled around in her head until it made her nauseated. One fact grew in crescendo until it obliterated all other thoughts. She had found a way to get home.

“No.” she whispered, tears in her eyes.

Max took her hand and gently kissed it. He released it and stepped back. "We have to go. Now."


Andrews Air Force Base

Jets roared up and down the runway. Already the base in California had been called, a cell set up there. A tech room and living arrangements were made for the few ones who were flying in. Burns and a few handpicked best of the Special unit had gotten signed affidavits from Congressman Davis who’d asked them to bring Max Evans at whatever cost, but alive. Agent Burns was there to see it happen.

“We’re cleared for take off, sir!" A pilot screamed at him against the bitter wind and the continuous scream of the jets.

Jets soared off to the sky; some of the air jocks were practicing a dog formation. Burns watched intrigued. Three jets were circling one, determined that one or the other would finish it off. The cornered one flew straight down then banked right.

The next few seconds, Burns watched mesmerized a game of a dogfight. This was no cat and mouse chase. It was a fight to the death, pure and clean. The lone quarry did some outstanding maneuvers, moving out of range countless time. Two jets followed this way and that, often exposing themselves. The third one remained in dogged pursuit from a distance. At one point, the quarry banked, the hunter swooped in to claim it. One second and it fell prey. The hunter had gained his prize.

Burns stared for a second and raced off to his waiting jet.

“Flight deck, cargo aboard. Take off, ETA 2 seconds.”

The pilot tapped into Burns frequency. "You all set, sir?”

"Yeah."

“Roger that. Hold on.”

“Control, we’re a go.”

“Stand by.”

"Got it. “

The signal came. With that, it fell out of formation, headed down the runway.

Burns felt it pick up speed, and then it turned into one high-pitched scream of velocity. He felt the world tremble and turn dark with the furious pounding his heart. It cleared the runway and was off, speeding for the West Coast, California. An exact location wasn’t known yet but it had been narrowed down to South Pasadena.

“Where’re we landing again?” Burns asked, as soon his stomach behaved.

“Top Gun, sir. 4 zero clearance.”

“Pasadena?” he asked.

“Yeah.”

Burns waited for the ride to be over.



WELL???

con angel -You don't remeber, but I certainly do! You were my first feedbacker wayyyy back when! Glad you found this one again.

Without further ado - my posting problems shoot up from nowhere, so here you guys go!



Chapter 39.

Max and Liz finished the thorough clean up that they’d been doing over the past two hours. Every single surface was wiped clean, not leaving any prints of any sorts.

Max broke into Liz’s somber thoughts. ‘Now I know why your ex said he saw stars.”

“I’m that good, huh?” she teased, but her mind was somewhere else.

“Beyond!!” he said dramatically. Liz burst out laughing.

“I wish it didn’t have to end like this.” She said, after a while.

Max looked at her. “So do I.”

She moved away from him; it was breaking her heart to be in such close proximity to him and not really be with him. Then her eyes fell on something, just outside the window.

It was no poster or pamphlet that people put up to advertise their stuff. This was a nightmare. A police car had stopped about 500 yards from their building and was showing the bystanders some pictures and asking around. Normally, she wouldn’t have paid the slightest bit of attention, if she hadn’t recognized the photos instantly. There was only one person in the world whose hair fell like that, a tanned neck that stood proud like that. She was not his lover just for sex; she knew his body well enough. It was a picture of Max.

Liz stopped breathing. Again, she’d done this!! She forced the bile down and grabbed Max by the collar. She dragged him over to he window.

“Look.” She said, barely able to talk, the implications had begun to sink in.

Max stared hard and then calmly started packing up everything. He moved so rapidly that he actually blurred in Liz’s eyes.

Liz hadn’t moved, she hadn’t been able to move. “Wha…. what’re they doing with your picture?" she asked, praying against prayers that it wasn’t what she feared.

Max didn’t stop. “I guess the silent APB’s over.” Liz closed her eyes. It was exactly what she’d feared. Now what was she going to do?

Max called out. “Don’t just stand there! We’ve got to go, NOW!”

She snapped herself out of it. Bending her head, so that it covered the self-hatred in her eyes, she cloaked it underneath a professional attitude. It had always worked. Now was no different.

They peered through the window again. The police car was still there but there was no one around.

Max frowned, confused. "What…”

Then they both heard it. Sirens.

Max looked at Liz. “I want you to listen to me very carefully. You do exactly as I say and then we’ll both make it out of here, you got me?”

She nodded impatiently. I’m not a kid!

“I think there are SWAT teams up on adjacent buildings and rooftops. So, as soon as we get to the stairwell, can you do the mind warp?”

She nodded. "But I need to see them first.”

“Fine. We take the east side. The rooftop to ours is extremely close. We can probably jump. This won’t take long. As soon as we’ve cleared them, I want you to stop the mind warp! I can’t risk you tiring yourself out again. You got me?"

She stiffened at his harsh tone, but it was NOT the time to play huffy girlfriend. She knew he wanted her to conserve her energy. “Loud and clear. Let’s go."

"Wait.” He touched her arm, unsuccessfully trying to keep off a grimace. ‘Turn me into a blonde first.”


Special unit, CA cell.

Agent burns sat on a sagging armchair, feeling jubilant. Word had just come in from the 12th that they’d found Evans. No, he was NOT going to be as stupid as Pierce, bringing in an entire truckload of people and allowing Evans to get out scot-free in the chaos. No way.

He’d done what they should’ve done in the first days. Officially, Max was now being wanted for a serial homicide case in LA. Of course, Max hadn’t been to LA in over 5 years but who was to say otherwise? The FBI had properly trained witnesses, a biased jury and even a highly motivated prosecuter. Nothing was wrong with the picture other than the fact that Max Evans himself had not been anywhere near the crime scene. Such were the fate of the people who interfered with urgent State business.

“Incoming from Sierra Vista. Target spotted. One problem is that we’ve got a 5-story building and residents in every flat. No one knows which one’s his. When asked in the bar across the road, they claimed Max Evans hadn’t come in in years! Can’t blame them, it’s true." Samuels gave an update on the situation.

Burns grabbed his gun and shoved it into his holster. “Let’s go.”

Samuels came in his heels. “I don’t know about this. Suppose he uses the confusion to escape?’

“There won’t be any confusion, Bill. I’ve already made sure of it. Plainclothes police force is already in the building with keys to every apartment. They’ve already begun checking. SWAT teams are in the rooftops in the and adjacent buildings. Anyone leaving will be seen, stopped and checked. So, I repeat, we’ve got Evans.”

Samuels started the engine of the rented car. “Speaking of rented, another report came in yesterday. I forgot, what with all the excitement. Evans had rented a car a few days ago from New York, near the airport. He gave up the lease after 3 days. Mileage shows it possible for him to have gone either to N. Carolina directly or he’s been in the district back and forth, trying to throw us off. I’d personally go for the latter but the director insisted that we bring in analysts.”

“Did we check out the car?”

"Yeah, typical. No traces, no finger prints. We’ve got tyre samples but hell, that’s too long a shot."

“I know.” Burns rubbed his eyes. “Let’s hope this works.”

The radio crackled. ‘Subject spotted, I repeat, subject spotted.”

Burns looked at Samuels. The latter smashed down on the accelerator. The chase was on.

Sierra vista, Max’s apartment

Max moved up the stairs casually, fingering his now blonde hair. He knew he looked like a faggot. Besides him, Liz did her best to hide her laughter. Her hair was pulled back severely in a bun, messy spikes jamming up. She wore black skin-tight leather, a leather choker and boots. She looked like a Goth girl junkie. Max on the other hand was decked out in normal street gear. She leaned over and turned his brown leather coat into black.

“Too noticeable.” She whispered. They started forward. A few people were loitering around in the floor. Max pulled Liz back out of sight.

He put his mouth directly near her ear and spoke in the lowest tones he could find. “They’re in every floor. Plainclothes.”

Liz nodded and started forward. Max watched helplessly. Her black eyeliner did was damn good job of covering most of her eyes, giving her a heavily drugged-out look. On top of that, her skin had a dark hue of smooth mocha. No one would recognize her later. Even amidst all the tension, Max couldn’t shake the image of her from his mind. No matter what color, she was so beautiful that she made him catch his breath.

Liz deliberately made her way back towards one of those men. He looked up casually, pretending he hadn’t been trying to get in to the apartment.
Liz smirked inwardly and sauntered over to him. Glaring at him in her best after-the-binge look, she snarled. "What the fuck you doin’ in my ‘partment, man??" Her voice sounded a little slurred.

The man looked at her in shock and then covered it up. He held up his badge.

“LAPD, ma’am. Here on a drug bust. You’re under arrest.”

Liz’s eyes went wide with shock. If they’d pinned Max with drugs, then she’d just been screwed royally. Behind him, she could see Max, eyes as hard as flint, making his way soundlessly. His intent was obvious. If the man so much as cuffed her, he was dead. No one touched her. It was his credo and he was going to stand by it.

Liz shook her head wildly at him. Then she turned to the LAPD man. "On what grounds??” She bit out.

The plainclothes officer pointed to the door. "Let me check that out.”

“You got a warrant?” she sneered.

The officer fished one out.

Liz didn’t hesitate. While he’d been fishing around for it, she’d unlocked the door behind her. Her glowing hands weren’t seen.

They both entered. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Max sprint up the stairs towards the roof. She gulped, hoping he wasn’t leaving her.

The man stared at the impeccably clean but shabby interior and then turned to her. "I’m sorry ma’am. I didn’t mean to scare you but we’ve got a potential homicide suspect hiding out here. We’re just checking it out to make sure. I’m very sorry.”

"What? What’re you fools doing?? GET this guy!!” she screamed hoarsely.

“Have you seen him? Dark haired, tall, well built. Late 20s.”

“Ya jest described almost all of ‘em.” She slurred, as if panic and drugs had taken affect.

“His name’s Max Evans.”

“Nope. Never heard of no Evans.” She swayed on her feet.

The man backed away. "Sorry ma’am. I’ll just leave.’’

He hadn’t gotten far. One clear dig in his pressure points and he was out. Max was back.

Liz panted as they raced up to the roof. “Was that such a good idea?”

“It was clear! I’m not about to wait around till you finished your tea-party!!” he shot back as they rounded the bend.

“Wait!" he yanked her back. “Okay, they’re all around the next flight of stairs. Five of them all together.”

“No problem." She said as she ran up lightly. Max followed close behind.

The SWAT team whirled around as they heard rapid footfalls. Liz came into view. They all stared at her dumbfounded. "HEY!! You’re not suppo…’ That’s as far as they got. Then they saw nothing, heard nothing.

“Now!” Max mouthed. Liz waved her hand over them both. Instantly, they were outfitted in SWAT uniforms complete with helmets. Both fastened it on.

Liz and Max raced out to the blinding sunlight. Liz sweltered. They stood in the middle of the roof, the world revolved as they spun about, looking for a way to escape. Any seconds now, her mind warp would break. Max spotted the other teams. There was just one, who were leveling them in their gun sights, yet scared of pulling the trigger.

He dragged Liz with him as she faltered. The SWAT team was on the east side.

GODDAMMIT!!

Max went charging ahead. He felt Liz come out of the mind warp. “C’mon!!” he hissed.

They counted to three and jumped across the 5 feet opening between the buildings in unison.

Instantly they heard the safety catches of the sub machine guns being thumbed back.

Liz closed her eyes to begin the warp but Max stopped her. “Hey!!” he shouted to the SWAT team’s face. “We’ve got trouble! It’s happening on the 2nd floor!!” He shouted, then jumped back to the previous building.

The team leader shouted into his microphone. Static came back. Liz had jammed it out. He looked over at Liz. She was bended down on one knee, checking the AK-47 she’d grabbed from the group back in the building. She waved him on, face downcast.

He looked at his team. “Let’s go!”

Max was shouting from the other end, his blonde hair gleaming; his face eyes shielded by a pair of sunglasses that Liz had hurriedly created out of her clip. She thought he looked beyond hot, even though her heart was pounding with fear. The rest of the team followed.

Liz closed her eyes as the rest of the team form the stairwell came rushing out. Two SWAT teams collided halfway down the stairs. Chaos ensued.

Amidst the confusion, she saw Max race out in full speed. He cleared the ridge cleanly, surely and without breaking any stride. Liz held out her hand as he charged towards her. They linked hands as they approached the edge rapidly and stared down. It was a long way down but at least they were hidden by the water tanks in the rooftops. They looked at each other. Liz nodded and Max followed suit. They held hands, breathed and then went into a freefall jump, feet first.

As soon as they reached about 10 feet from the ground, Liz shot out a shield for all of a second. They landed on it, breaking their fall. It disappeared in an instant and they fell the last ten feet harmlessly.

Max yanked her up. “Are you okay?" he asked as she tried to breathe.

She shook off his hand. "Fine! Not now, Max! Get a move on!!”

They looked around. This side was practically deserted. They’d landed in an alley. They jumped over refuse and smelly puddles in unison, Max letting Liz lead. They ran out to the wired fence, stepped atop an unused Dumpster and vaulted over the fence with easy grace.

Liz stopped abruptly. Max crashed into her. "What?" he breathed heavily.

She waved her hand over him again. They returned to their normal street clothes, but still in semi-black.
Max grasped her hand and they moved towards the entrance of the alley.

“Did the Feds across the street see us?”

“I don’t think so. They got a glimpse of you when you were in the roof, but at least you moved away. They saw me, but as a peroxide blonde.”

She nodded, holding back sudden laughter. "Okay.”

They reached the opening. There were people milling around. They breathed to compose themselves and then walked calmly out, joining the people. Everyone was asking questions. They mingled in the crowd, making their way towards the bar. Max kept the lead, his head now a light brown and covered by a bandana. He felt Liz’s small hand clutched determinedly at the back of his jacket. He reached behind and strengthened her grip.

Slowly, they made their way back to the bar. As soon as they entered, Max guided them both to a back room, signaling to the bartender to come. Tom Watts had been a long time friend of Max’s, ever since they’d hung out here and gotten drunk. Now he needed a favor.

Liz changed back his hair color unobtrusively under the bandana, so that the bartender would recognize Max. He sighed with relief and Liz smoothed it back affectionately. He looked into her eyes, seeing the worry she kept valiantly back. The moment was broken as, a minute later, the door opened.

"Yeah?" asked Tom and then started. “MAX!!"

“Yeah!” Max nodded. "Sorry to just barge in…."

“Save it!” Tom held up his hands. "What the fuck’s going on, man? They say you did homicide?? That’s pathetic!!”

‘I know! I didn’t do it! I wasn’t even in California.”

“I know, man! You don’t have to explain anything. Whaddya need?”

‘I need transport. And total zipped lips.”

"Already done. I’ve got two bikes with the latest Kawasaki models parked outside. Take ‘em.”

“Those yours?” Max asked. He didn’t dare take someone else’s.

“Yup! Brand new. So return them in mint condition.”

Max slapped the man’s shoulder. "I will. Thanks, Tom. I owe you.”

“You saved my business. You owe me nuthin’!” he grinned back, then turned towards Liz. “Who’s the pretty lady?"

Liz started a vestige of a smile but Max cut in ruthlessly. "No one! Forget about her."

Tom backed off, chagrined. “Sorry, bro.’

“No problem." Then he turned to Liz who was glaring at him. “Let’s go.”

She brushed past him, tossing her hair back and her eyes flashing with fire. The leather, sans Goth makeup created an amazing contrast to her still-retained caramel skin.

Tom and Max stared after her. Tom let out a wolf whistle. Max rolled his eyes but managed a grin. “Yeah, yeah. Pick the bikes up from the bus station on Southside.”

"Gotcha. Keep them in a garage where they don’t steal."

“Sorry, Tom. No time. Pick ‘em up in an hour.’

Max took off after Liz.

They reached the street. SWAT vans, coupled with police cars cordoned off a section of the blocks, allowing minor traffic through the rest. But they were outside the cordon. Now all they had to do was leave without generating attention.

Max was about to start his bike when a dark-haired man caught his attention. He had a furious expression on his face, talking frigidly with a very chastised LAPD officer. It was the same one that had accosted Liz.

Max felt Liz gasp behind him. He practically had to force her face in his direction. “Look at me, not them. Keep your face turned away!”

Liz felt the fear start form the pit of her stomach. This was insane, this was madness!! They were literally being hunted wherever they went.

Tom called out from behind a broken windowpane. There was no one in the bar. Everyone had come out to see what was going on. “Yo, Ev!”

Max whirled around. “Keep it down!”

“Sorry." Tom whispered. “But you got your escort service incoming. 5 secs. Just got a call from the regulars.’

Max turned gratefully this time. "Thanks, bud.”

“Like I said, no prob.”

They all heard the sound all at once. They were near the airfields. The sound of rumbling jets flew overhead. Max and Liz kickstarted their bikes at the same instant. The powerful Kawasaki engine purred, drowned by the thunderous roar of the jets.

Then they saw it. Down the other end of the street came roaring motorcycles. There were no less than 20. It was a race. The smell of burning rubber and exhaust fumes filled the air. Max and Liz caught their breath. The bikes raced past the assembly, people scattering, getting out of the way. Liz jammed on her helmet, smirking at Max’s incredulous expression as she straddled the bike like she was born to it. His jaw dropped but his eyes glinted jadedly as he followed suit. Liz checked him out and grinned recklessly when he did the same.

They waited. 5 seconds…4…3…

The roar screamed in the hot baking air, irritating people’s senses. The wild whoops and blasting boom boxes created the perfect distraction. Max searched out the dark haired man. Agent Burns. What a nice surprise.
3……2…

Beside him, he saw Liz let go of the clutch and kick back the stand. He did the same.

Now!!

The procession raced up to the bar, jumping through the impromptu dunes the roads made. Liz careened out the instant before they came up on her and Max. Her bike flew smoothly through the air, taking the jump like she was made for it. Max jumped his bike the same instant. They made some picture, two black clad riders jumping at the same instant, veering in front of the rest, commanding respect at their sheer temerity. The heady excitement of the bike coupled with the adrenaline rush of the chase gave Liz a cocky edge. She threw the bike into the highest gear and roared out in front of the pack. Howls of rage and hoots of approval came from behind them. Max and Liz led the pack out of there, effectively escaping.



Lemme know, people!

Chapter 40


They had dropped off the bikes in a relatively safe looking place. Then Liz had rented the car, changing her driver’s license to that of one Alexandra Collins. The face and the ID were completely authentic and completely changed.

Satisfied, Max and Liz took off for Roswell, New Mexico, alien capital of the world. It was more than a 13-hour straight drive but Max had insisted that they get there without delay. No stoppages overnight. They each took turns at driving.

It was five hours after their run-in with the FBI. They coasted along Truck route 1-10. They were nearly in Phoenix. Max was driving while Liz sat up front, glaring at the scenery.

Everything hadn’t caught up with her yet. The whole thing was so bizarre and maddening that she forgot to breathe once in a while in her rage. A storm was broiling in the background of the simmering heat of the desert.

Max looked over at her. It was half past four in the afternoon. The sun glinted off in all directions, seemingly irritating her even more. She hadn’t eaten much, apart from a cup coffee full of Tabasco sauce. Aliens!! Max shook his head inwardly.

She turned to him. “Will we make it?” She asked abruptly.

He nearly stalled the car. “What? Of course we will! We just got past a dragnet….they’ve no idea where the hell we are. Why wouldn’t we make it?”

She shook her head. “No, I mean us.”

He turned to look at her for a long moment. “I don’t think we should be talking about this now.”

She looked him in the eye for a second and turned away.

The silence became deafening after that.



They crossed over Arizona too. They entered New Mexico but night had fallen. It was later than 8. Liz took the exit leading to Las Cruces, stopping at a gas station. Max went out to refill the tank. Liz sat in the seat, suddenly galvanized. Here she was, already in New Mexico and still not closer to any decision. What if I have to leave tonight? What the hell am I supposed to do? Do I leave him? Do I ask him to come with me? Is that even possible? More importantly, will he want to? The questions never ended.

Only one thing was beginning to take possession of her mind. It was a calling. A beat, so deep that it was almost primal in its intensity, sounded deep inside her, throbbing through her blood. It was driving her crazy. Is this what home feels like? Is this alien? Or is this fear?

It was calling to her insistently, sinuously, wrapping itself around her and suffocating her. Yet, it didn’t feel like a mistake. This was alien. Her dark side was making itself known. All through out the drive she’d felt the changes in her. So had Max. She’d somehow changed. She felt…abnormal. And now there was the pull again. She was helpless to fight it; it was too intrinsic inside of her. She felt the beginning of a pagan rhythm, driving her mad. She desperately wanted to retain her human side. She needed Max. Where is he?? Why isn’t he here?? She was going nuts.

Max had been observing Liz all throughout the drive. As they neared Roswell, he’d felt her change slightly. She had gone quiet. Not the quiet of a hurt person. It was the quiet of a dangerous quarry. She had turned colder, too. Colder and more…. abnormal. Max didn’t know what to make of it. Whatever was happening to her was insidious, taking place without detection, yet the effect was there. It was making him scared.

What would happen to her if she actually came into contact with the ship or the rock? Would she be sucked in? Or pulled apart? Max had no answers and it was driving him up the wall.

He came back with some food. She was still sitting there, not really seeing him. She was looking straight at him and not seeing him at all. It cut through his heart.

“Hey." He shook her arm lightly.

She startled. And then he saw her eyes. They were desperately begging him to set her free, to take the pain and the terror away. Max wasted no time. He dropped the stuff and pulled her into his arms. She clutched him with enough force to tear his skin away from his flesh. But neither of them noticed. After everything else, a new question was arising.

Maybe distance and the FBI manhunt wouldn’t separate them. There was something they had ignored for too long. But now…. now it seemed that the thing that they’d feared the most was coming true.

Liz trembled in Max’s arms. "What if I was only lying to myself? What I can’t control myself?"

Max held her even tighter. “It’s not going to happen. I won’t let it happen!”

She moved away for a nanosecond to get some air. “What can you do, Max? What can I do? What if it’s too great a force to fight? What if I...I change? Will I be able to fight it then?” She buried her face deeper. “Will I even want to?”

Max felt her shudder go through him. Whether she knew it or not, but she’d just struck a nerve. If she didn’t want him around then what would he do? Walk away? And what if her alien side was different from what she always was? What if she turns on me? Will I have to hurt her? Will I even stand a chance? Will it affect her? Max’s head ached with all the questions. His biggest fear had still not been verbalized.

Liz pulled away. She looked at him in the eye as she slowly forced the words out of herself.

"What if the differences between us is irreconcilable as we once thought? What if we can never work past this one?"

Max shut his eyes. Well, it’s been verbalized now! All indication showed that the changes inside of her or outside weren’t pretty. She wasn’t the same person he’d been with the last two weeks.

“Let’s not talk about that now.”

She suddenly sat up straight. "Let’s go."

“Go where?” He asked, worried at her sudden mood swings.

“I need to be with you." She turned to him pleadingly. His Liz was back. "You’re the only one who can pull me through this! For one night, Max, I’m begging you, please! Take me away from all of this.”

Max gently cradled her in his arms. "Shhh…I’ve got a place to stay in Roswell. We’ll go to the desert tomorrow.”

She shook. “I’m scared, Max. I’m so scared.’

He kissed her hair, trying to soothe her. He’d never, ever seen her like this. Even during Alex’s death, she hadn’t fallen apart she was doing now. She looked broken, kicked down. She’d lost all semblance of her spirit if she’d actually begged him. She had finally fallen and it killed him that no one had been there to break the fall. Max didn’t know if it was reasonable feeling murderous rage at some stupid object. No one broke Liz, no one!!

“I’m here. Lean on me.” he whispered against her cheek, tasting the tears. Liz was actually crying! It was proof of how much she was dreading this.

Max switched places with Liz and drove on for the next 3 hours without stopping. They entered Roswell. He looked over at Liz, worried. She was clenched up tighter than a taut rubber band. This is bad.

“Shall we spend the night at Albuquerque? Maybe it won’t be so bad then.”

She shook her head an inch, unclenching her jaw to speak. "I can do this.” She bit out, her voice low.

He smiled at her in relief and pride. “You’re so brave. So damn brave.” He told her, trying to tell her how relieved he was that she was letting him in.

“Hurry, Max.” she replied, the urgency in her voice galvanizing him into motion.

They reached a street lined with neat lawns, clean sidewalks and darkened porches. It was Max’s house. His father used to live here, until his mental condition had pretty much forced him to go to an institution. It was quiet.

He unlocked the door. “Go.” He told her gently. “I’ll be right in.” It was almost 2:00 am in the morning.

She stared at him for a second, still holding his hand. Then it slipped out of his grasp before he could catch it. She walked inside. Max stared for a second, then got their stuff from the car. The car itself was hidden in the garage; he hadn’t dared to leave it like that in case the neighbors saw it. There was, after all, the APB out on him. Max felt himself burning with rage. What injustice was this, that he wasn’t even allowed to breathe freely in his own back yard? Then he hurried inside.

The house hadn’t changed. The terracotta tiles were looking a bit dusty but apart from that and the layers of dust accumulated, it was livable.

Liz was wandering around. She found a room and pushed it open. It was obviously a girl’s room. Maria’s. Liz felt an animalistic scream tear itself out of her throat. She shoved Max’s jacket sleeve into her mouth, choking it back. The leather parched her already dry mouth, making her catch her breath and heave. She felt the bile rise in her throat again. She leaned her forehead against the wall, closed her eyes and wished she were dead.

Max made his way to his room and closed the blinds. Then he turned on a light. He heard a muted choke in the next room. He rushed out and bumped into Liz. She was leaning against the door, breathing heavily. He cradled her into his arms, by now, one of her most sought-after refuges.

“You should eat.”

She nodded weakly. If she didn’t have anything, she’d pass out.

He took out the cartons of food he’d bought from the gas station and set them out. She passed her hand over them, reheating them.

They both sat down to eat but eating was so not on any of their minds right then. Somehow, they sat there like strangers at a bar, making polite conversation.

Max regarded Liz over the tabletop. How ironic, that they were both back in their hometown, a place where it all began, and they had to end! It was beyond ironic; it was a sick twist of fate. They felt each other slipping away and were powerless to stop it.

The meal stretched for what seemed like hours, when Max got up, unable to take it any more. He started clearing the dish.

Liz sat there looking dazed and lost. She’d practically begged him to stay with her. To no avail. He was distant and cold and maybe even scared. Fate was playing a mighty cruel trick on her. Unable to take it anymore, she turned to him.

“Max?”

He looked up from his cleaning. His eyes were dark and supportive as they always were.

Liz felt some of the tension slip. “Could you… dance with me?”

He stared at her hard. He didn’t think he heard her right. “What?”

She smiled shyly, beating down the fear. “I…. never really got a chance to dance with you. I want to, now…if it’s okay with you………” she trailed off.

Max kept looking into her eyes, eyes she’d turned downcast but they were imprinted on his brain. They had turned the shade of dark brandy, the way it always did when she was aroused or angry. Whenever her emotions went to extremes, it turned the color of the deepest aged brandy. How could he refuse her this?

Ignoring the pain in his heart and the strain of staying up to nearly 20 hours nonstop, he reached out and took her hand. She looked up at him, he smiled slightly but it didn’t reach his eyes. It was such a simple gesture, that it rended both of them in its simplicity.

She accepted gracefully. He drew her out, watching her movements. She swayed like a dancer; she walked across the room like a queen. He led them out to a clear space in the relative hallow of light coming from the kitchen light. She aimed her hand at the old kitchen radio and music poured out.

He twirled her around once, watching with concealed reverence the way her body turned and the way her hair fell across her face as she spun in his arms. He was unconsciously memorizing the way she moved, the way she danced, the way she breathed, in case he never got to see it all again.

He tugged her close and she rested her face against his collarbone, placing her lips on his skin and her arms went across his forearm and the other one was clasped loosely in his across his heart.

Each was memorizing the feel of the other, the taste, the smell, the warmth. In the case of never seeing each other again, Liz was determined she wouldn’t leave with the regret that she’d missed out doing something with Max. What a joke! I’m going to regret not spending my entire LIFE with him!!

She felt him shudder. Looking up, she saw the moisture in his eyes and the iron in his grip. His voice trembled as he placed his lips against her forehead.

“I know, Liz. I know.”

She nodded slightly, so as not to jar him. She squeezed her eyes closed. The beat of the unknown had finally stopped and then it melded away into the hot Roswell night. The insane fear, the alien pull had finally left her alone. She relaxed against him, rubbing her cheek against his and wondering if she would be stupid to tell him that she loved him.

“Ma…" She started, her voice dropping. Can I do this?

“Shh…don’t talk. Just dance with me.”

She closed her eyes against the onslaught of her tears. The moment was lost.

I need to know if you were real
'Cause I've been known to get it wrong
When the memory comes
I'll say I'm always in the dark
You got me now


I want to give you back
I want to give you back
Somewhere out of here
I want to give you
I want to give you
I want to give you back

I can't remember how it went
You looked like everything I wanted
And as you came along
Slowly everything began to change
I got you now

I want to give you back
I want to give you back
Somewhere out of here
I want to give you
I want to give you
I want to give you back

That's enough
Just talking about it
I don't mind
I don't mind no I
Laugh enough
Just dreaming about it

I need to know if you were real
I'd hate to think that I'd been fooled again
And as the vision fades
I'll say I was blinded by your eyes
I felt them burn

I want to give you back
I want to give you back
Somewhere out of here
I want to give you
I want to give you
I want to give you back

FBI CA Cell. (hours earlier)
8:00 pm. CA Time

“Agent Burns!” One of the technicians called.

Burns paid no attention. He was talking the phone with the Congressman, who was currently chewing his ass out and spitting out the bones.

“How the hell could you let him escape the dragnet??” Davis was bellowing down the line.

“I’m sorry, Congressman but we didn’t see him anywhere! We saw two people looking halfway suspicious, but it was a black young female and a faggot. And we couldn’t do anything because the lady can’t be found anywhere. The LAPD officer who was with her said that she was the owner of the flat but before he could leave, he’d been knocked out. Someone konked him, but there were no bruises. So someone must’ve dug in his pressure points. It could’ve been Evans but why didn’t he make his escape then? Why wait? Unless the girl is somehow involved now.”

“Get an ID and get the girl!”

Burns closed his eyes. “There is no ID, sir.”

“I thought it was her goddamn apartment!! Find some identification!”

“Apparently not. The real owner was struck outside the cordon. He told us that no woman was supposed to be in the apartment.”

“He’s LYING, you dope!! Get a search warrant”

“Already done. We’ve got fingerprint team checking over every surface of the building. Nothing so far.”

The congressman thought for a second. "Unless he’d been wearing latex gloves the entire time he was there, there MUST be someplace he’s touched! Tell them to try every apartment and that’s an order from the Pentagon! Now, do it! I want results, Burns, or else you job is also going to end up like Pierce!”

“Yes sir.” Bloody hell! Burns hung up.

Then he rounded on his team. "What the hell went wrong? Why couldn’t we find him?”

Samuels broke in. “SWAT team said they saw someone come up and then run down.”

“Did they follow?”

“Their orders were to stay in position. They didn’t move.”

Burns slammed his hand down and winced. "Goddammit!!”

“But they gave a description.”

“What?”

“Blonde guy, sunglasses, build far slimmer than Evans. A girl too.”

“Where the hell did they go?”

“According to the team, they took one look at the guns and ran back down. My guess? Locals. A lot of them match the profiles. Or could be even thieves.”

“Fine.” Burns sighed. ‘What about the other SWAT team? Two personnel were seen crossing over to the other roof. The guy went back down with the team in the confusion. The girl disappeared. And we’re talking about a SWAT team member!”

Burns scowled. "I knew the police would be no help!! Can’t they even account for their own people? How did the two get the uniforms?”

And then it hit him. “Oh bloody hell!!” he shouted. The rest of them looked back at him.

“They had SWAT uniforms? As in black, right??”

The others nodded. The Samuels leapt up. “Oh my God!! They left with that biker’s squad!! In the goddamn race!!”

All the agents leap into action.

Burns shouted. "Trace every goddamn biker in this part of the State!! I want that route traced and every goddamn biker, any single garage, car park whatever holding a damn motorcycle brought in for questioning! Get the LAPD to help!! Do it now!!”

“An entire DAY wasted!!” Samuels lamented as he started making the necessary calls. Burns pored over any and all reports over the police scanner.

The technician came back in. “Agent Burns, sir. I was wondering if you’d seen this."

He handed him a printout of a police report. Burns took the security cam picture. It was a picture of Max filling the tank with gas. The car was obviously rented but it was immaterial. The license plate number was there. There was no one else in the car.

Burns studied the car for a moment.

Samuels observed wryly. “He was very clever. He stopped in all the older gas stations, the ones without security cams. But I guess he missed that one. It’s Evans all right.”

Burns said triumphantly “And this is in Phoenix. My guess? He’s headed back to Roswell.”

Then he got up from his seat. “Start the search from Phoenix and then try Las Vegas.’ He looked at them. ‘Then we hit Roswell, New Mexico.”

Samuels got on the phone. The manhunt shifted. The quarry was still in sight. Next stop. Roswell, New Mexico.