Chapter 41
Roswell, New Mexico.
Max woke up early. The New Mexico sun had risen, the desert sky bluer than he’d ever seen before. It clashed macabrely with the desperation of the sleeping woman beside him. Max leaned over her, checking for signs of disturbance. He was more than a little worried at the prospect of staying in this house, where he was so well known, so noticeable. If the Feds had leaked his name to the media, then he was as good as marked. They’d have to wait inside all day.
He sighed quietly. There was a time, not too long ago, when the thought of staying locked up in a room with Liz Parker set his heart racing. Unfortunately, it still did. But there was precious little he could do about it.
Liz was not herself anymore. Not the same woman she’d revealed herself to be. She’d changed overnight. Instead of meeting the world with a determined, if resolutely nonchalant eyes, now she looked at everything with fear. Max could stand a lot of things but this one made him want to punish someone. No one, no THING has the right to do that to someone, dammit!! And what was worse was the fact that Liz’s fear came from what she’d find in the Granolith, her alien side. And that side of her had far more right to her than he’d ever have. It was her world. Who was he to try and force it to go away? Who was he to even try?
Max left the room, unable to keep still. There were so many answered questions and not a single answer. He found the alien handbook in her backpack. He stared at it for a while, and then reached up. Don’t touch that!! His mind screamed, but his hand remained steady. He tried to open it. It fell open as easily as a paper book. Max let loose a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.
He looked over at the portraits. Jeez, what were they? Cloned? Made into robots? Genetic misfits? The scientific part of his brain took over. How is it even possible to do that? And then why send them HERE, on earth? Could this be the beginning of an alien invasion? As usual, there was no one to break the silence.
Liz woke up, feeling marginally better. She looked around. There was such a profound feeling inside her, a feeling of belonging, that it was her driving her crazy. Max’s room. Is that the reason I feel like I belong? Or is it because of Roswell?
The room itself was Spartan and self-sufficient. Obviously, he hadn’t been here after his college days, because posters and pictures were still up with a lot of books Liz hadn’t seen after high school. She got up and inspected the stuff. The room smelled of Max, too. His stuff was nowhere around, neatly stored away. No one had anticipated his return. Her heart tugged. Where was his family? They should’ve been here with him, keeping that loneliness she often saw in his eyes when they were unguarded for a second, at bay.
She remembered their first night together in New York. He’d talked about his life and it had been so bleak. Apart from Michael, she genuinely wondered if there was anyone who cared. It angered her that even in his own world, his own country, a place where he belonged, he had no one. The irony of their parallel situation didn’t escape her.
She went to the bathroom and stopped. Max was there busy shaving. Seeing her avert her eyes from his semi-clothed body, he grinned through the foam.
“Good morning.” He was determined to keep it light.
“Umm…yeah.” She said, distracted by the play of muscles all over him. This is insane!! I know his body better than anyone, or at least I think! Why the hell am I getting all worked up over it?
“Did you sleep well?” He teased.
She watched mesmerized as he washed the shaving foam off his face. She felt herself heating up. He looked so good, so intensely delicious that her heart ached from wanting him. There was no response from her. The air grew lethargic, hazy.
Max didn’t pause in his task. But she could feel his eyes on her. They were memorizing her. The way her hair fell down her back, the way her body rose and fell with each intake of air. Everything. And it was made a million times more potent because he’d deliberately left their connection open. She could feel what he was feeling, what he was thinking. Her body flushed. Languidly, steadily, he was reminding her the way it had been between them from day one. She could practically see herself in the throes of ecstasy, the way he would look at her then imprinted in her brain.
Fire trailed over Liz, leaving a slow burn. In the space of seconds, she’d forgotten about her troubles, her fears. How does he DO that?
Max finished washing his face. His taut, squared jaw gleamed in the overhead light, the water twinkling at her. She forced her eyes away. He didn’t wipe it away, the way he would’ve done. Even he’d forgotten. They were both lost in each other, uncaring that the world was going to hell around them.
“Liz?”
“Yeah?” She asked, her voice low and unsteady.
Hey now, all you sinners
Put your lights on, put your lights on
Hey now, all you lovers
Put your lights on, put your lights on
The world dimmed around her as he reached up to cup her face. Instead of caressing it, he turned it in his direction. She was forced to meet the blazing embers in his eyes.
“Are you still scared?”
She shook her head, the silken strands brushing past his fingers, creating unimaginable friction. He held back the trapped breath in his throat.
“No.”
Hey now, all you killers
Put your lights on, put your lights on
Hey now, all you children
Leave your lights on you better leave your lights on
“Good.” His voice had reached the same timbre as hers.
Because there's a monster living under my bed
Whispering in my ear
There's an angel with a hand on my head
She says I've got nothing to fear
She turned her face into his palm, kissing it gently. Max closed his eyes, savoring the feel. He forced himself to talk.
“Nothing’s going to happen to you. Know that.”
There's a darkness deep in my soul
I still got a purpose to serve
So let your light shine, into my home
God don't let me lose my nerve
Lose my nerve
Liz stared at him for long moments. As each heartbeat passed, her resolve strengthened. She prayed that she’d have the nerve for this.
“Max.”
He opened his eyes. The questions swam to the surface.
She stared at him for a second longer, all the terror on the surface. Max reacted typically, trying to bring her into his arms. She moved away. With an effort, she lightened her voice, wiped the unknown from her eyes.
“Remember that gift you gave me?”
He looked confused. “The sandalwood? What about it?”
She waved it aside airily. “That would be a requirement, but I was talking about your first one.”
He stepped back as she moved forward. Her air was predatory. Despite himself, he felt himself harden. This is no time to be thinking with the little head, pal!! His conscience nagged. His heart roared back SHUT UP!!
Hey now, hey now, hey now, hey now
Woo-oh hey now, hey now,
Hey now, hey now
Hey now all you sinners
Put your lights on, put your lights on
Hey now, all you children
Leave your lights on you better leave your lights on
“The rose?” He hedged, trying to gauge what she was getting at. “Is that it?”
She nodded, trying to hide her laughter at his sweetness. He didn’t want to take advantage of her but obviously, it didn’t distract him from being susceptible to her.
“Yeah…. remember that challenge you threw out my way? Something about being not experienced enough?” She reached for his tattered T-shirt as she peered at him, eyebrows raised. Sections of her silken hair fell over her creamy shoulder. Heaven. Max stared, trying hard not to leap at her.
“I said ‘ripened’,” He got out, trying desperately not to pant, “There’s a difference.”
She smirked.
Because there's a monster living under my bed
Whispering in my ear
There's an angel with a hand on my head
She says I've got
Nothing to fear
Max grasped her hand as it started wandering. “Liz!” He hissed. "What are you doing?’
She took off his clothes along with hers. The she turned to him, eyes shining with an inner mischief. Her face was a study in innocence.
"I’m trying to learn” she replied, batting her eyelashes over big bambi eyes.
She says, whooo-ahha hey la la, you shine like stars
Whooo-ahha hey la la,
You shine like stars
And fade away
Max had taken as much as was able to. He caught her around the waist, kissing her until they were both robbed of air. Their bodies knew each other intimately; they wandered over familiar, much treasured territory. He felt her sharp intake of breath as he felt himself mark her skin. He smiled against, giving it a humble lick. She squirmed, trying to escape. But Max had a lot of other things in mind.
“Now, now, Lizzie." He caught her ear with his teeth. She jerked. He smirked against her head “I thought you wanted to learn?”
“Maaaax!!” she whined. “Do it properly or don’t, okay??”
He moved his mouth off her for a second but he was already feeling withdrawals. Sharp pain knifed through him for a second. But he made himself ignore it as he reached up for her. She moaned, trying to evade the sweet torment. I need to teach him a lesson about what I do to teases!!
He pulled back enough to look into her eyes. They were slumberous with passion, awakened with need. She tried to smile but even that didn’t form at the sight at his molten gold ones. They glinted jadedly of determination. Her breath got trapped in her lungs, never making it out as he leaned her forehead against her and breathed her in.
Liz shook with the emotions inside her. She wet her lips, opened her mouth to tell him everything that she’d been hiding in her heart. It was now or never.
He opened his eyes. For a second, he stared at her in wonder, scorching her soul. Then it lit anew as he whispered against her lips. “Now why don’t we put that bath gel and lotion to good use?”
Hours afterwards. Roswell, New Mexico,
Murray Lane 5:00 pm.
Max and Liz sat in his room, watching the sunset. The sky had turned such a deep red that it shocked them. Both wondered if the night’s anticipated activities were the cause.
Liz sighed and leaned back against his broad chest, shifting to get a little bit more comfortable. They’d stopped talking a while back; too disturbed to talk about anything else but unable to voice their thoughts on the current situation. The hours had ticked by. Max had watched her as she had watched the clock, counting off the minutes in their heads until it became primal scream inside.
Liz shifted again, unable to get through to him, to be with him. Then there was the obvious thumping in her heart as she tried to hold herself back from the edge. The alien pull had gotten progressively stronger as each hour had passed. By a slip of the tongue she’d mentioned that when he was there, he gave her a little respite from it. He hadn’t left her side since. Now they sat in his Lazy boy, with her on his lap, as he held her. Both were watching the sun go down and dying inside.
Max straightened her back for her, making her seat a little more comfortable. She was light as a feather but the tension in her bones had turned her into lead weight and his legs were feeling it. He pulled his knees up, cradling hers and they rested more comfortably against each other.
Putting his lips near her temple, he whispered. “Relax. You’re wound up so tight, you’re liable to cramp.”
“Easy for you to say! You’re not the one who’s to go through this……” she snapped at him and halted mid-rant. She turned in his arms slightly, eyes wide with mortification. “I’m sorry!!”
He stared at her for a second. He wanted to cover the hurt that her words had caused. But lately, it seemed like his heart was permanently out on his sleeve. With a glowing neon sign! He suppressed the hurt and looked down into her eyes.
“It’s okay, Liz. I understand.”
She turned away, but he felt her shake and expel air rather forcefully. Worried, he swung her face back up.
“Liz? What is it?”
“Nothing.” She struggled to get her breathing under control. “I just saw………..” She licked her parched lips. The words were so hard to get out. “I just saw how to get in.”
She felt him stiffen. His entire body seemed to have frozen. It suddenly occurred to her exactly how much he hadn’t wanted this moment to rear up. She mumbled.
“I’m sorry, Max. I’m so sorry.”
He disentangled his arms from around her and started massaging her shoulders. “Shh…if you keep apologizing this way, I’m going to get a complex.”
She was too weak to resist. As much as she told herself to remain strong, she couldn’t deny herself this last chance of ever knowing what it was to love someone. She relaxed against him, scrunching up her face from the late sunrays, grateful for an opportunity to wipe her eyes.
He brushed his cheek against her hair, the friction setting their pulse racing. She remembered the way he’d looked when he’d been shaving. She remembered other times, too. Max in that first night in Bangkok, looking like a God among lesser mortals. Max in the plane, waking up and looking good enough to eat; Max in all his glory, in the FBI vaults. Her personal favorite memory of him was the moment when they’d fallen asleep after one endless night of loving. Their first night. He’d looked so……satisfied, so happy. And she knew that she was the reason behind it.
She smiled and turned her face upwards. Max reacted without thinking. Leaning down, he captured the far side of her face, her skin an addiction. He closed the distance between them, keeping her tortured for a moment as he breathed her scent in. “Mmmm…I should’ve gotten you more of the sandalwood stuff.” He mumbled against her mouth.
She shivered at the recollection of the bath they’d shared earlier. She flushed once again and felt him smirk against her tongue.
“How do you DO that?” she mumbled, drawing away. But he was having none of it. He pulled her closer.
Liz was the first to break out of the kiss, before it got to a dangerous level.
“Max.” she warned, getting up to stretch her leg. He joined her, both feeling restless once again. Is this EVER going to end?
“How long?” Liz asked, needing to know how much time she had left.
“Not long. Another hour. After that, it will be dark enough.”
She nodded in agreement. “Right. So I was wondering…what are you going to do?” She looked out the window, not daring to meet his eyes.
He, too, looked away. “I uh… I don’t know. Maybe turn myself in.”
Liz whirled around. “Tonight??” she screeched.
He started at her tone. “Not really. I’d…never mind. Let’s just see how this goes.”
She jerked her head in agreement but she couldn’t make herself voice the ‘yes’.
Max tugged on her arm, drawing her away from the window. “It’s okay. Let’s just take this one at a time.”
She bit her lip. Max thought she was trying to say something that just wouldn’t make itself past her lips. She’d been like that the whole day, he recalled. He’d turn around occasionally and find her watching him with this weird look, a look he couldn’t define.
“Liz?” he asked cautiously. Her head snapped up and she looked at him wide-eyed. “Do you wanna say something?”
She opened her mouth to speak then snapped it shut. She shook her head. “No.”
“Liz?"
“I have nothing to say.” Liar!!! Her mind screamed.
“You sure?” He persisted.
“Yes! I mean…yes." She smiled shakily. “I’ve got nothing to say.” She looked him in the eye. Bad mistake. She glanced away. “I’ve got nothing to say."
“You said that already.”
She didn’t reply.
Max exhaled gustily. He moved away from her, giving her some space. He debated whether to ask her how she would open the place, but decided not to. It was best left unsaid. He didn’t need to know of some alien contraption that was going to possibly take her away from him.
Liz whirled around and smacked into him. True to form, his arms went around her. But this time, she broke away. “I have to say something to you.”
The moment has arrived, ladies and gentlemen. “What is it?”
Her mouth formed a few different words but no sound came. Then she swallowed. “Uh..I made this promise to myself, a few days earlier.”
Huh? “And?”
“I vowed to myself….that I wouldn’t leave this planet until and unless it was on my terms.”
“I see.” He actually didn’t. What does this have to do with anything?
“No, you don’t understand.”
Max hung his head in shame. I’m just too goddamned easy to read!!
Liz went on. “I may not be myself after tonight. What if I decide to leave then?”
Max finally got her point. “You’ll do the right thing. I’m sure the main function of whatever memories you have…” he paused seeing the anger coming back in her face, he made himself talk. “Their basic function is for your survival. No matter what, it’s what they’re supposed to do. If that means you have to leave, well, consider it something beyond your power.”
He hadn’t said anything that wasn’t reasonable but she felt herself itching to hurt him. He’d made her feel like a robot, an android. A machine that knew its functions and nothing else. Whether it was his intention or not, he was making her feel alien and she didn’t appreciate it. She wanted to scream at him, that she, too, had feelings and emotions and it hadn’t been her choice to be another specimen, for God’s sake!!
“Liz, calm down!”
She glared at him mutinously.
“I didn’t mean to imply that you’re a robot but let’s face it. Your body is not human. Maybe it has gifts. Gifts you should be grateful for. Your mind and soul…." He trailed off as her face softened. “They’re a different entity all together.”
“You have no idea how much I want that to be true. But as I was saying, I may not be myself then. I don’t want…I don’t want you to get hurt by it.”
She looked down, waiting for his very justified statement that he wouldn’t be hurt, but instead, he exhaled. “I can’t promise that. But I can try.”
I love you. “Thank you.” And you’ll never know.
It had grown dark outside. Liz turned to Max, terrified. Today, her entire past was going to be laid out. She was going to open Pandora’s box of secrets and all she could think of was how much she didn’t want this. And if she truly didn’t have a way to get past her alien side, she knew she was as good as lost.
Max looked away from her face. She was pleading him for something he couldn’t give her. Because this wasn’t just one-sided, he was hurting too. And all he could think about, as they left the house quietly, was that he hadn’t told her. I love you. Did I tell you that?
The neighbors seemed to have noticed nothing, as they left. The town was too quiet for both of them to rest any easier. Max had taken the car out early in the morning and parked it 5 blocks away. But Roswell was still too small. Anyone could recognize him and blow their plans to smithereens. Nothing happened. They got the car and left for the desert.
Liz stared at Max as they approached Highway 42, her face in the rushing shadows. Only her eyes gave off light. Max turned to look at her. She was visibly quaking. Even in the darkness, he could see her shoulders shake as she fought to keep herself in control. Erratic bursts of light lit her face momentarily as she tried to compose herself. But this was one time when Liz Parker’s infamous control was gone. She looked like a fallen angel. Max did the only thing he could.
He leaned over to capture one of her hands with his. She clenched it tightly enough to break his pinky but he smiled reassuringly at her. “You’re so brave, Liz. So brave.’
She tried to fashion her mouth into a smile but all that came out was a tremulous grimace.
“And what if courage is not enough anymore?”
Neither of them knew the answer. The gods were awaiting judgment on that one.
Lemme know people! Loved all the f/b. Ana, Frenchkiss, roswellluver, Con angel, extingman, Eve, mareli, Hybrid - you guys are the best!
Sarah
Nothing to Lose AU/CC TEEN M/L [COMPLETE]
Moderators: Anniepoo98, Rowedog, ISLANDGIRL5, Itzstacie, truelovepooh, FSU/MSW-94, Hunter, Island Breeze, Forum Moderators
Chapter 42
Roswell Desert, outskirts of town. Highway 42.
They entered the desert, having checked the rearview mirror the entire drive over. Anxiety was given a whole new meaning as they awaited the answers.
Max turned the headlights off and got out. He opened her door for her, each staring at each other in trepidation. The moment had come.
Liz stared at his proffered hand, unwilling to take it. Suddenly she just wanted to drive away, leave him and the rest of the world behind. She wanted to escape.
Max caught her limp wrist and yanked her out of the car. “Listen to me.”
Molten gold met black ice. At that instant they felt the jolt of yet another flash. Their first encounter in Bangkok. It had started exactly this way.
He bit his lip, almost tearing it to keep that howl from forming. He wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction. She bent over him again and looked him in the eye.
Molten gold met black ice.
“Listen carefully. I don’t want this to take any longer than it should. I can do this two ways. 1. I can force it out of you mentally. It would be an invasion of your mind, your personal life. It will cause excruciating pain. 2. You can tell me what I want to know and no lies please, I can tell.” She moved away. “Well?”
Max raised himself, she’d kicked him right in the abs, and it felt like it was on fire. “Do I have a choice?”
“I already gave you one. Hurry up.” Her patience was wearing thin. According to her schedule, they were supposed to be leaving by now.
“No.” he didn’t want to help any of them, of their kind. It was simple.
She looked at him what was almost regret. “Don’t make me do this. I don’t take any pleasure from unnecessarily hurting people, not the way you humans seem to do.”
Max snorted, “Bring it on.”
The flash ended. Liz shoved him away from her. Max started, baffled by the force in her push. He looked at her and then realized his error. Her eyes were swimming with tears.
“Leave me alone!”
“Liz?” Oh please, God! I can’t deal with her breaking down now. I’m this close to losing it!!
“Why are you doing this? I don’t want to be an alien, damn you!! And you’ve been reminding me, the entire last 24 hours, that I am one! That I’m different and cruel and…" She trailed off, letting out sniffs she couldn’t hold back.
“LIZ!!” oh shit, shit, SHIT!!!
“You’re supposed to be on my side!!” She flung at him. She’d tried not to let him see how much every word he’d said about her alien side affected her but the dam had burst. She felt like she was losing her mind; the terror had turned into resentment.
Max hung his head. He’d thought he was being supportive of her alien genes when he’d brought those up, so that she’d know that he wasn’t scared of her or what she might become. That he was there for her. And apparently, she’d thought it had been all a reminder, that he was reminding her constantly of the differences between them. It was enough for him to go mad.
“I guess the saying really is true.”
She wiped off her tears and glared at him.
“That men are from Mars and women from Venus.”
“That’s NOT helping!!”
“Sorry.” He chuckled gently, letting her see plainly that he wasn’t being indifferent to her. Like that would really work. A blind, deaf and dumb man can see how indifferent I am towards her!
“Max, please!” This time, she lost her patience. This was NO time to joke around.
“Look! I know you think I said what I had because I was being insensitive or indifferent, whether it was intentional or not! It’s absolutely false! I wanted you to know that it’s going to be all right. No matter what the outcome, I’m here for you. I don’t care even if you came out of there 3 feet tall, green and slimy! I just don’t want you to give up on this!”
“Why? Why are you so interested to know?”
“Because it’s your last chance!” Max burst out. He saw her eyes widen but she should know this. “I was right when I said that these few days are the only chance you can ever escape without creating an uproar. I have to go back to the feds soon and I can’t do that if you haven’t seen this through! So, please, if only for my sake, finish this!”
Liz stopped him. “What do you mean, you can’t go if I don’t see this through? Do you know something you’re not telling me?’
“I know nothing about THAT!” Max replied, gesturing vaguely at the high rock. “But I’m telling you that if you don’t figure this whole thing out NOW, it may be too late. If the feds have already traced me to Roswell, how long do you think it’ll take them to figure this one out? So do it and do it immediately. You’ll spend the rest of your life regretting not knowing if you walk away now.”
Liz came up to him. Cupping his tightened jaw, she whispered. "Are you speaking from experience?”
He caught her hand and brought it to his mouth. “Yes. If I hadn’t persisted in this gut feeling of mine when it came to you, if I had walked away when you first came to me in Bangkok, I would’ve regretted it for the rest of eternity."
Liz let her head fall back on him. “Oh, Max.” His hand in her hair clenched until it became painful. “How come you have so much faith in me and I have none?”
Max inhaled deeply. The words almost came out of him. Almost. But then he remembered what he’d told Michael. He’d vowed that he wouldn’t stand in her way when it came to her past. He knew that all he had to do was say the word and Liz would happily walk away. He’d have done it too, had it not been for the very pertinent fact that it could very well be their last chance ever.
“No one deserves that faith more, Elizabeth.”
Liz wasn’t capable of replying. Her throat was clogged with too many bittersweet emotions He’d given her back her true identity. Whether it be alien or human, she was Elizabeth Parker in this present. It might not amount to much to anyone else, but it was who she was.
Straightening her spine, she stood back. Max stared at her almost in envy. How is it possible for someone so broken to stand so tall? Then he felt the burst of fierce pride. She looked like a goddess, an empress. His eyes fell on her almost reverently. Here’s to you, Liz.
She took a deep breath. “Let’s go.”
Both turned towards the rock. It was silhouetted against the desert night, high, tall, proud. Liz felt her breath catch as that insane feeling came back again. It made her crazy, made her violent. She felt like a kid who’d caged a wolf and it was tearing the cage apart.
Max turned his look skyward. It pointed to the heavens, like a chamber of the unimaginable, the keeper of a secret race. For something so decidedly a part of the earth, it sure looked otherworldly. Max dropped his gaze. Even the rock seemed to command respect.
She started up the steep incline. The moonlight lit the harsh desert surface with a dim light, creating a vivid, stark beauty. It was a contrast to what both she and Alex were, Max reflected. They’d both been warm, kind, inviting. The rock stood alone and apart, sterile. It made him wonder how much of their alien side was gentle and sweet.
They reached halfway, the climb difficult due to the lack of visibility. They were climbing the inside incline; hence thankfully, they weren’t too visible from the roads.
They reached the end. They were there. Max paused to catch his breath then turned to Liz. She was breathing shallow and was looking luminous in the moonlight. Half of it was shadowed by the giant rock formation; the other gleamed in the pearly light. She looked hauntingly, astonishingly beautiful. What a stupid thing to think of NOW, of all times! Max thought with self-derision but he was not immune to her.
Liz rested her back against the rock and tried to quell that irrational panic inside her. How she wished Alex were here! He was the only one in the world who could understand and relate to what she was feeling right now. But Alex wasn’t there, Max was. Looking over at his somber profile, Liz had a very bad suspicion that tonight wasn’t going to end too well.
She stood up on shaky knees. This was bad; if she was this terrified of opening the door, by the time they went inside, she’d be dust!! Not good, not good!! Think, Liz, think!! What can you do to calm down?
She yanked Max into her arms. For one second, he had been scared at her catatonic stage, but seeing her so helpless made him angry and desperate. Rocking her in his arms, he shushed her gently.
“What’s wrong?”
“You can ask me that?”
“I told you, when it comes to you, I’m more clueless than a beached whale.”
She laughed, the tension suspended for a second.
“I can’t see you as a beached whale!”
He eased back slightly and spoke quite seriously “I can’t see you defeated.”
Liz stopped him from speaking further. “Listen to me for a second.”
He nodded.
“Thank you.” She felt him start at that. She let go of him and looked into his eyes. “For everything. You gave me more in these last few weeks than I’ve ever had in my entire life. I wanted you to know that.”
He smiled at her, his eye slighting up like embers caught in the fire of the hearth. “I do know it.”
She wanted to say more but prudence dictated that she keep shut until she figured out the way it was to be. Then she threw caution to the winds. Since the night’s events could not be predicted, Liz took one of the most massive risks she ever had in her life. She relinquished her penchant for control of every situation, the need to predict every scenario and let herself be consumed by the unknown. She’d have to do so in a couple of more minutes but they wouldn’t be that intensely personal.
This was a concern for herself, only her woman’s heart. It had nothing to do with a different race, the government, whatever. This was woman to man and she’d damn well earned the right to give it first priority.
She leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss him softly. “I love you.”
Max stared at her in shock. He’d expected a lot of things from her and had never been disappointed. She was singularly the biggest human/alien…. hybrid puzzle he’d ever encountered. Lately, he’d been enjoying a rare thing of trying to predict Liz Parker. But this one came straight out of left field, blowing all his progress to kingdom come.
Liz stared at his shocked face morosely. She’d been expecting something in return. Like 'I love you’ would’ve been nice. I just don’t get him!! Every signal points in this direction and he does NOTHING!! He can at least give me sign, an indication that he HEARD! Goddamn coward!
Her conscience nagged. Be fair, Liz! What the hell else do you have to ask from him anyways? Hasn’t he done enough?
She shook her conscience away. Annoying pest, that. Seeing that he still hadn’t made a move other than gape at her in shock, she moved away. Poising her hand on the rock, she inhaled deeply, wondering if this was her last whiff of oxygen.
Behind her, she could hear his breathing hitch. But nothing broke the silence. Cursing herself for being such a mindless twit, she flashed her palm along the surface. It flashed for a second when the handprint showed up. The silver stain outshone the brightness pf the moon, the glow as thrilling as it was scary.
Liz glanced back at him. He had come up just behind her. He looked like he was fighting himself. She didn’t wait anymore. The pull inside her was at its peak, the throbbing inside her head almost barbarous. She felt the way she did before a memory flash, the anticipation of the unknown and the knowledge that it could destroy as well as build.
Max caught her hand just as she was about to get sucked in. Not literally but he held on to her as her head swam with a bunch of weird images. She was taken someplace else, somewhere unknown, it was in all colors of the sky and yet it was night. She was in the desert and yet not. She looked around. She was in the middle of blinding desert sunlight one second, hiding in the shadows of the night the next.
During the alternating, she could catch sight of some thing left on the grounds. They were symbols. Weird, otherworldly symbols. They’d been left in her mind as what she didn’t know. Could be a warning or a mark, identifying herself as an alien, she didn’t know.
They looked somewhat Native American, had it not been so absurd a notion, Liz might’ve even believed it. The world spun crazily around her. Letting out a small choked sound, she collapsed on the dusty floor.
Max had been watching in alarm. Her head had fallen back like it did when she got the flashes, and then it seemed never ending. After a while, she just choked and fell down before he could catch her. Praying that her powers hadn’t been drained again, he placed her on his lap and looked around helplessly for anything that might help.
Almost expecting to see some ET re-incarnation, Max jumped when he heard something. His breathing dropped but then he discovered it was Liz. She came to, getting up from his lap.
“What happened?”
“I was hoping you could tell me.” Max replied.
She trembled for a second, the feelings she’d just experienced not yet flushed out of her system.
The she moved away from him. Something inside had started a deep-paced thrum inside her head again, making it difficult to breathe. She traced the two spidery nest-like things with her hands. She could see a flash of herself getting out of the icky mess and crawling towards the exit.
But then it struck her. Whatever had powered the pods while they’d been growing; had been from inside the pod. She poked at the surface; the threads broke. She wanted to shudder in revulsion but felt nothing of the sort. The substance gave way. Liz got on all fours and crawled inside. Max watched in fascination. Wondering whether he was still invited or not, he crawled through after her. The Pods were quite spacious. Liz looked back to see Max coming in after her. She paused as she reached the back skin of the pod. She held out her hand, hoping that something from the other side would react.
It did. Her hand glowed green for a second then the back skin dissolved. Liz jumped back with a gasp, banging into him. They both fell over. Through the hole, they could see a white light, so intense it seemed blinding.
“Max!” She whispered terrified beyond words.
Max kissed her temple. “Go on. You belong there.” He watched her crawl through, praying it wasn’t the last vision he’d have of the Liz Parker that he’d come to love.
He followed as fast he could, which wasn’t to say much. Liz could’ve dug in a gopher hole with no problem, but Max’s bulk was quite a different matter. He got out and almost fell in. The space was pretty big, big enough for a lot of people to stay comfortably. And then he noticed the floors. It looked like polished granite, yet it was different to the touch. It was like the smooth surface of silk and yet, it was as hard as diamond.
Then he realized what Liz was staring at. In the middle of the chamber, within the walls of this giant rock, it was a portal, a glass creation shaped like a cone.
Beside him, Liz gulped in a deep breath. She felt her blood boiling, nerves tearing her apart. Like she wanted to shed her skin, and find a different identity. Her body was unable to react the way her mind did, thus all the intense pressure inside her grew. She gasped from the force on her human organs. Praying that she wouldn’t turn cyborg on him, she turned to Max.
"Go!”
“What? WHY??”
“Because I don’t think I can control myself much longer! I’m changing! i And it’s not for the best.” She groaned as the pressure intensified. This was hell. Dimly, she wondered if Alex had gone through the same thing.
Max fought the numbness from his brain. So far, Liz hadn’t broken out in tentacles and yet she was saying she was changing. Getting the Granolith, the smooth crystal from the backpack, he handed it to her, hoping it would ease her a little.
Liz grasped at it, the fear thousand-fold. At that instant, her glowing hands touched it, the room exploded into a mass of electricity.
Max felt himself being flung off. He landed with a massive thump, almost knocked out. He looked around for Liz. What he saw was…paralyzing. To say the least.
[i]Lemme know, you guys! Sorry for the delay
Sarah[/i]
Roswell Desert, outskirts of town. Highway 42.
They entered the desert, having checked the rearview mirror the entire drive over. Anxiety was given a whole new meaning as they awaited the answers.
Max turned the headlights off and got out. He opened her door for her, each staring at each other in trepidation. The moment had come.
Liz stared at his proffered hand, unwilling to take it. Suddenly she just wanted to drive away, leave him and the rest of the world behind. She wanted to escape.
Max caught her limp wrist and yanked her out of the car. “Listen to me.”
Molten gold met black ice. At that instant they felt the jolt of yet another flash. Their first encounter in Bangkok. It had started exactly this way.
He bit his lip, almost tearing it to keep that howl from forming. He wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction. She bent over him again and looked him in the eye.
Molten gold met black ice.
“Listen carefully. I don’t want this to take any longer than it should. I can do this two ways. 1. I can force it out of you mentally. It would be an invasion of your mind, your personal life. It will cause excruciating pain. 2. You can tell me what I want to know and no lies please, I can tell.” She moved away. “Well?”
Max raised himself, she’d kicked him right in the abs, and it felt like it was on fire. “Do I have a choice?”
“I already gave you one. Hurry up.” Her patience was wearing thin. According to her schedule, they were supposed to be leaving by now.
“No.” he didn’t want to help any of them, of their kind. It was simple.
She looked at him what was almost regret. “Don’t make me do this. I don’t take any pleasure from unnecessarily hurting people, not the way you humans seem to do.”
Max snorted, “Bring it on.”
The flash ended. Liz shoved him away from her. Max started, baffled by the force in her push. He looked at her and then realized his error. Her eyes were swimming with tears.
“Leave me alone!”
“Liz?” Oh please, God! I can’t deal with her breaking down now. I’m this close to losing it!!
“Why are you doing this? I don’t want to be an alien, damn you!! And you’ve been reminding me, the entire last 24 hours, that I am one! That I’m different and cruel and…" She trailed off, letting out sniffs she couldn’t hold back.
“LIZ!!” oh shit, shit, SHIT!!!
“You’re supposed to be on my side!!” She flung at him. She’d tried not to let him see how much every word he’d said about her alien side affected her but the dam had burst. She felt like she was losing her mind; the terror had turned into resentment.
Max hung his head. He’d thought he was being supportive of her alien genes when he’d brought those up, so that she’d know that he wasn’t scared of her or what she might become. That he was there for her. And apparently, she’d thought it had been all a reminder, that he was reminding her constantly of the differences between them. It was enough for him to go mad.
“I guess the saying really is true.”
She wiped off her tears and glared at him.
“That men are from Mars and women from Venus.”
“That’s NOT helping!!”
“Sorry.” He chuckled gently, letting her see plainly that he wasn’t being indifferent to her. Like that would really work. A blind, deaf and dumb man can see how indifferent I am towards her!
“Max, please!” This time, she lost her patience. This was NO time to joke around.
“Look! I know you think I said what I had because I was being insensitive or indifferent, whether it was intentional or not! It’s absolutely false! I wanted you to know that it’s going to be all right. No matter what the outcome, I’m here for you. I don’t care even if you came out of there 3 feet tall, green and slimy! I just don’t want you to give up on this!”
“Why? Why are you so interested to know?”
“Because it’s your last chance!” Max burst out. He saw her eyes widen but she should know this. “I was right when I said that these few days are the only chance you can ever escape without creating an uproar. I have to go back to the feds soon and I can’t do that if you haven’t seen this through! So, please, if only for my sake, finish this!”
Liz stopped him. “What do you mean, you can’t go if I don’t see this through? Do you know something you’re not telling me?’
“I know nothing about THAT!” Max replied, gesturing vaguely at the high rock. “But I’m telling you that if you don’t figure this whole thing out NOW, it may be too late. If the feds have already traced me to Roswell, how long do you think it’ll take them to figure this one out? So do it and do it immediately. You’ll spend the rest of your life regretting not knowing if you walk away now.”
Liz came up to him. Cupping his tightened jaw, she whispered. "Are you speaking from experience?”
He caught her hand and brought it to his mouth. “Yes. If I hadn’t persisted in this gut feeling of mine when it came to you, if I had walked away when you first came to me in Bangkok, I would’ve regretted it for the rest of eternity."
Liz let her head fall back on him. “Oh, Max.” His hand in her hair clenched until it became painful. “How come you have so much faith in me and I have none?”
Max inhaled deeply. The words almost came out of him. Almost. But then he remembered what he’d told Michael. He’d vowed that he wouldn’t stand in her way when it came to her past. He knew that all he had to do was say the word and Liz would happily walk away. He’d have done it too, had it not been for the very pertinent fact that it could very well be their last chance ever.
“No one deserves that faith more, Elizabeth.”
Liz wasn’t capable of replying. Her throat was clogged with too many bittersweet emotions He’d given her back her true identity. Whether it be alien or human, she was Elizabeth Parker in this present. It might not amount to much to anyone else, but it was who she was.
Straightening her spine, she stood back. Max stared at her almost in envy. How is it possible for someone so broken to stand so tall? Then he felt the burst of fierce pride. She looked like a goddess, an empress. His eyes fell on her almost reverently. Here’s to you, Liz.
She took a deep breath. “Let’s go.”
Both turned towards the rock. It was silhouetted against the desert night, high, tall, proud. Liz felt her breath catch as that insane feeling came back again. It made her crazy, made her violent. She felt like a kid who’d caged a wolf and it was tearing the cage apart.
Max turned his look skyward. It pointed to the heavens, like a chamber of the unimaginable, the keeper of a secret race. For something so decidedly a part of the earth, it sure looked otherworldly. Max dropped his gaze. Even the rock seemed to command respect.
She started up the steep incline. The moonlight lit the harsh desert surface with a dim light, creating a vivid, stark beauty. It was a contrast to what both she and Alex were, Max reflected. They’d both been warm, kind, inviting. The rock stood alone and apart, sterile. It made him wonder how much of their alien side was gentle and sweet.
They reached halfway, the climb difficult due to the lack of visibility. They were climbing the inside incline; hence thankfully, they weren’t too visible from the roads.
They reached the end. They were there. Max paused to catch his breath then turned to Liz. She was breathing shallow and was looking luminous in the moonlight. Half of it was shadowed by the giant rock formation; the other gleamed in the pearly light. She looked hauntingly, astonishingly beautiful. What a stupid thing to think of NOW, of all times! Max thought with self-derision but he was not immune to her.
Liz rested her back against the rock and tried to quell that irrational panic inside her. How she wished Alex were here! He was the only one in the world who could understand and relate to what she was feeling right now. But Alex wasn’t there, Max was. Looking over at his somber profile, Liz had a very bad suspicion that tonight wasn’t going to end too well.
She stood up on shaky knees. This was bad; if she was this terrified of opening the door, by the time they went inside, she’d be dust!! Not good, not good!! Think, Liz, think!! What can you do to calm down?
She yanked Max into her arms. For one second, he had been scared at her catatonic stage, but seeing her so helpless made him angry and desperate. Rocking her in his arms, he shushed her gently.
“What’s wrong?”
“You can ask me that?”
“I told you, when it comes to you, I’m more clueless than a beached whale.”
She laughed, the tension suspended for a second.
“I can’t see you as a beached whale!”
He eased back slightly and spoke quite seriously “I can’t see you defeated.”
Liz stopped him from speaking further. “Listen to me for a second.”
He nodded.
“Thank you.” She felt him start at that. She let go of him and looked into his eyes. “For everything. You gave me more in these last few weeks than I’ve ever had in my entire life. I wanted you to know that.”
He smiled at her, his eye slighting up like embers caught in the fire of the hearth. “I do know it.”
She wanted to say more but prudence dictated that she keep shut until she figured out the way it was to be. Then she threw caution to the winds. Since the night’s events could not be predicted, Liz took one of the most massive risks she ever had in her life. She relinquished her penchant for control of every situation, the need to predict every scenario and let herself be consumed by the unknown. She’d have to do so in a couple of more minutes but they wouldn’t be that intensely personal.
This was a concern for herself, only her woman’s heart. It had nothing to do with a different race, the government, whatever. This was woman to man and she’d damn well earned the right to give it first priority.
She leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss him softly. “I love you.”
Max stared at her in shock. He’d expected a lot of things from her and had never been disappointed. She was singularly the biggest human/alien…. hybrid puzzle he’d ever encountered. Lately, he’d been enjoying a rare thing of trying to predict Liz Parker. But this one came straight out of left field, blowing all his progress to kingdom come.
Liz stared at his shocked face morosely. She’d been expecting something in return. Like 'I love you’ would’ve been nice. I just don’t get him!! Every signal points in this direction and he does NOTHING!! He can at least give me sign, an indication that he HEARD! Goddamn coward!
Her conscience nagged. Be fair, Liz! What the hell else do you have to ask from him anyways? Hasn’t he done enough?
She shook her conscience away. Annoying pest, that. Seeing that he still hadn’t made a move other than gape at her in shock, she moved away. Poising her hand on the rock, she inhaled deeply, wondering if this was her last whiff of oxygen.
Behind her, she could hear his breathing hitch. But nothing broke the silence. Cursing herself for being such a mindless twit, she flashed her palm along the surface. It flashed for a second when the handprint showed up. The silver stain outshone the brightness pf the moon, the glow as thrilling as it was scary.
Liz glanced back at him. He had come up just behind her. He looked like he was fighting himself. She didn’t wait anymore. The pull inside her was at its peak, the throbbing inside her head almost barbarous. She felt the way she did before a memory flash, the anticipation of the unknown and the knowledge that it could destroy as well as build.
Max caught her hand just as she was about to get sucked in. Not literally but he held on to her as her head swam with a bunch of weird images. She was taken someplace else, somewhere unknown, it was in all colors of the sky and yet it was night. She was in the desert and yet not. She looked around. She was in the middle of blinding desert sunlight one second, hiding in the shadows of the night the next.
During the alternating, she could catch sight of some thing left on the grounds. They were symbols. Weird, otherworldly symbols. They’d been left in her mind as what she didn’t know. Could be a warning or a mark, identifying herself as an alien, she didn’t know.
They looked somewhat Native American, had it not been so absurd a notion, Liz might’ve even believed it. The world spun crazily around her. Letting out a small choked sound, she collapsed on the dusty floor.
Max had been watching in alarm. Her head had fallen back like it did when she got the flashes, and then it seemed never ending. After a while, she just choked and fell down before he could catch her. Praying that her powers hadn’t been drained again, he placed her on his lap and looked around helplessly for anything that might help.
Almost expecting to see some ET re-incarnation, Max jumped when he heard something. His breathing dropped but then he discovered it was Liz. She came to, getting up from his lap.
“What happened?”
“I was hoping you could tell me.” Max replied.
She trembled for a second, the feelings she’d just experienced not yet flushed out of her system.
The she moved away from him. Something inside had started a deep-paced thrum inside her head again, making it difficult to breathe. She traced the two spidery nest-like things with her hands. She could see a flash of herself getting out of the icky mess and crawling towards the exit.
But then it struck her. Whatever had powered the pods while they’d been growing; had been from inside the pod. She poked at the surface; the threads broke. She wanted to shudder in revulsion but felt nothing of the sort. The substance gave way. Liz got on all fours and crawled inside. Max watched in fascination. Wondering whether he was still invited or not, he crawled through after her. The Pods were quite spacious. Liz looked back to see Max coming in after her. She paused as she reached the back skin of the pod. She held out her hand, hoping that something from the other side would react.
It did. Her hand glowed green for a second then the back skin dissolved. Liz jumped back with a gasp, banging into him. They both fell over. Through the hole, they could see a white light, so intense it seemed blinding.
“Max!” She whispered terrified beyond words.
Max kissed her temple. “Go on. You belong there.” He watched her crawl through, praying it wasn’t the last vision he’d have of the Liz Parker that he’d come to love.
He followed as fast he could, which wasn’t to say much. Liz could’ve dug in a gopher hole with no problem, but Max’s bulk was quite a different matter. He got out and almost fell in. The space was pretty big, big enough for a lot of people to stay comfortably. And then he noticed the floors. It looked like polished granite, yet it was different to the touch. It was like the smooth surface of silk and yet, it was as hard as diamond.
Then he realized what Liz was staring at. In the middle of the chamber, within the walls of this giant rock, it was a portal, a glass creation shaped like a cone.
Beside him, Liz gulped in a deep breath. She felt her blood boiling, nerves tearing her apart. Like she wanted to shed her skin, and find a different identity. Her body was unable to react the way her mind did, thus all the intense pressure inside her grew. She gasped from the force on her human organs. Praying that she wouldn’t turn cyborg on him, she turned to Max.
"Go!”
“What? WHY??”
“Because I don’t think I can control myself much longer! I’m changing! i And it’s not for the best.” She groaned as the pressure intensified. This was hell. Dimly, she wondered if Alex had gone through the same thing.
Max fought the numbness from his brain. So far, Liz hadn’t broken out in tentacles and yet she was saying she was changing. Getting the Granolith, the smooth crystal from the backpack, he handed it to her, hoping it would ease her a little.
Liz grasped at it, the fear thousand-fold. At that instant, her glowing hands touched it, the room exploded into a mass of electricity.
Max felt himself being flung off. He landed with a massive thump, almost knocked out. He looked around for Liz. What he saw was…paralyzing. To say the least.
[i]Lemme know, you guys! Sorry for the delay
Sarah[/i]
Chapter 43.
“Liz!” It was the first sound out of his throat. Max shrank back, because the heat of the conical object was intense to the nth degree.
“Get away from the Granolith Chamber!!” He heard Liz shout. Looking around, he caught sight of her. She had her hand placed on the panel, looking like she was about to cry. The Granolith crystal was slowly disappearing inside the panel as she inserted it.
Max ran towards her.
“What’re you doing?"
“I have to! This is the way it works!”
“No!!” Max tried to prise her hands away from the cool metal but it didn’t budge. “NO!!”
“Goodbye, Max.” Liz choked on her own words.
“NO!!” Max screamed, pulling at her with all his strength. “You can’t go!”
Liz wanted to tell him that it had been his idea but couldn’t bear causing him more pain. Inwardly she was terrified witless.
Am I going home? Is this it for me? Will this thing take me back to my home planet? Oh Max, what did we do?
Max pulled at her again but he could feel her almost stuck to the hulking Monolith. Why did I ever talk her into this??
Random tears pooled in his eyes, his eyes stinging from two kinds of assault.
Liz turned her face into his. Max kissed her with desperation but he couldn’t resign himself that it was going to end like this. He’d never see her again.
“I…” Max started, wanting to tell her how he felt, but at that inopportune moment, Liz threw her head back. An animalistic cry forced itself out from her throat, as she felt herself being tested to the limit.
She knew that scientifically speaking, her essence was being drained out from her. Pretty soon, she was going to die like Alex.
"Noooooo!!!” she screamed, trying to yank herself out of it but she was no match. She remembered the alien book; it had been inscribed that the Granolith was the most powerful object in their galaxy, in their planet. But this thing’s killing me!! How can it be so important that it now has to turn me into dust??
“LIZ!!” She could hear Max’s roar.
At that point, the room flashed with yet another jolt of electricity. Max felt himself being thrown again. When he opened his eyes, he couldn’t see Liz anywhere.
Max felt the tears give way. This wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be!! Then he saw her. What the hell?? She's inside the damn thing!
The huge cone was holding her inside it, electricity swirling all around her. She was staring at him with a despair born of terror. Max placed his hand against the black glass. She trembled with the effort to reciprocate but she was too frightened to move. Finally, her hand inched down. Max stared at her, wishing he could hold her one last time.
They both glanced up at the exact time. Current was flooding through the mouth of the beats. Max’s eyes widened. Is she being electrocuted? He yanked his gaze to her but she looked all right. And then another blast took them both to the nether regions with shock.
Liz had just started adjusting to the new freaky environment when the jolt of currents flooded back into the chamber, reviving her. Her essence was flooding back into her; she hadn’t disintegrated into sand. She was still alive, but for how long she didn’t know. Just as she caught Max’s gaze, yet another blast took her to the unknown. This time, very literally so.
Max watched in horror as a bluish light shot out from the middle of Liz’s forehead and turned into a projection, not unlike a sci-fi special effect. He would’ve laughed had it not been so horribly macabre.
Five stars, or five jots of light formed in the bluish web of a somewhat floating substance. At the center of the alien room, it lit up in all subtle colors and fanned out. The five jots connected in a V position, the last one glowing amber.
Max felt his breath stay trapped. This was surreal; this was beyond surreal.
The V sign stayed like that for a moment and then it disappeared. The bluish light faded as the room resumed its normal image once gain. Max breathed loudly, trying to process what had just happened. What the hell had come out of Liz? Was that her essence, the same as Alex? Or was it something else? More importantly, is she okay? Is she even HERE??
He looked inside the Granolith, frantic with haste and worry. It was dark once again, the silence deafening.
“LIIIIZ!!”
Once again his cry tore the night apart.
Albuquerque, NM. FBI Special Unit caravan
At the same time.
“Burns, I think we might have a problem.” Agent Samuels spoke quietly.
Burns tore his eyes off the map. ‘Hmmmm?”
“I said, we might have a problem.”
“What’s that?”
“What if he made it to the Mexican border?”
“Why would he do that? He doesn’t known we’re onto him.”
“Still. Suppose he’s out of the country by now?”
“Bring in the CIA.”
‘Don’t you want to make sure it’s clear first?”
Burns stood up. “That’s exactly what I’m doing. I’m making sure he’s not hiding out in his hometown. Roswell’s the only place in the map the boyo has a home advantage and he might’ve taken it.”
“Where to, first?" Samuels asked, nodding at the logic.
“Mesaliko reservation. Make sure it stays fuckin’ QUIET! The natives will have him hidden off in a nanosecond if they get whiff that we’re around!”
“Done.”
“And what if he really did go off for the border?”
“We’ve got patrols on special alerts, but you’re right. He may slip through. If THAT’s the case, then Congressman Davis is going to kick my ass. All the way to outer space.”
Samuels laughed but it wasn’t genuine, it was furious. “We’ve had no control over this from day one! If I didn’t hate Pierce before, I certainly do NOW! Bastard!! Now, we have to pay for his own ego trip!”
Burns turned around, surprised. "Ego trip? Why, Jake, I’m shocked! You seem a little wary of the subject matter.”
Samuels stared out the window, trying to voice what he wanted to stay in a rational manner. It wouldn’t pay to have himself fired.
“What’s there to believe about alien life forms, anyway? For all we know, Pierce was insane!”
“The Special unit existed before him, y’know? He wasn’t around in 70s. “
“No, but after the initial melodrama, remember the conclusion they drew? No more funding of the Special Unit! Until Pierce came along!”
“I see your point, but really, what’re you saying? That the aliens don’t exist? That Pierce was on drugs when he signed up?”
“I’m saying that it seems a little too convenient that he’d disappear after all the traces of ALL aliens have been wiped out!”
“Don’t you see? He was killed! By whom? Who stands to lose the most in this mess? The aliens, that’s who!” Burns finished, weariness catching up with him. The last two weeks had been hell.
“Or he could’ve been a mole, plain and simple. Funded himself off with FBI funds. I wouldn’t put it past the SOB.”
“Enough!” Burns waved his hand. "I need some shut-eye. Let’s get into Roswell and finish our given assignment! Get Max Evans to the Pentagon.”
“Right.” Samuels turned away.
Burns sat in the darkness, pondering. Samuels had hit on some of his own theories. Is it even possible?
The highway lights blinked at him in response. They didn’t know either.
The High Rock, Granolith Chamber
Max rocked back on his heels, defeated. He hadn’t known that she’d be taken back. he didn't even know if she was even welcome back to wherever she came from. He wanted to savage himself. He’d been the cause why she’d been forced to leave.
Practicalities forced him to his feet. For all intents and purposes, he was trapped inside the rock. There was no way out for him, not until and unless, Liz decided to come back. The absurdity for the situation didn’t escape him. It was a cruel joke being played. Max turned away. Then he saw her.
She was lying in a crumpled heap on the other side of the Granolith. She had been partially hidden by the beast but as the light came back, he could see her. Speaking of which, how the hell did the light come back?
Max fell down, weak-kneed with relief. Then he picked himself up and ran for her.
She stirred just as he’d caught her. Max smoothed the hair back from her face. Her ponytail had come undone. Liz opened her eyes with an effort. At first she looked afraid, then it faded. Max felt the first stirrings of hope. Maybe it wasn’t all lost after all.
She struggled to her feet and looked at the Granolith, her face in awe. Max frowned. What’s up with that?
“Liz?" He asked cautiously. Does she know who I am?
She turned to him, her voice low and reverent “Let’s go outside.”
They made their way to the pod chamber.
“What happened? Are you hurt?" Max’s questions tumbled out without sequence. He didn’t care. At least she was still here.
Liz stood up straighter, he noticed. "I’m fine.’ Her tone was perfectly modulated. Yet he could detect the changes, Control. Once again, she sounded in control. Max would’ve been glad had it not been for the other changes he was seeing in her. Her stance was more determined, her gaze direct and a little…. haughty? Who’d have thunk it? Her back was straight and upright, almost regal. Okay, someone explain this to me please!
"What happened for Christ’s sake??” Max was through with waiting. “You didn’t like…. leave the planet, did you?"
She smiled but it was without humor. Then she composed her face. “Nothing like that.”
She walked around the small space, unable top bear the hope in his face. Staring him in the face when she’d tell him what exactly she’d seen and learned, she wasn’t that strong. She’d never be able to go through with it.
Oddly, Liz did feel liberated. She’d discovered some of the secrets that had plagued her from the day she’d left the pod. Now she knew. The knowledge gave her a strength she hadn’t expected to find. She was stronger. More secure within her own skin than she’d been save a few minutes. She felt in control, independent. And then she remembered Max.
He must be dying of curiosity. She looked at him only to find him staring at her with an odd expression. He seemed…deflated.
“Max?"
“What happened back there?”
“I...” Oh god, but the words won’t come! She tried again. ‘I... uh…I saw my planet.’
Max forced himself not to betray his thoughts. "And?" He even added a light smile.
“I saw my galaxy, my world” There was a catch in her voice. "It’s so beautiful.”
He wanted to die. He wanted to slit his own throat. He wanted to bury the rock.
“That’s wonderful.” And yet, he meant it.
She nodded but now that the enthusiasm had been breached from within its walls, it wouldn’t be stopped. “It was all ….red.”
Max nodded, looking away. It had to be red. It suited her better than her own skin.
“And it was so…” she trailed off, eyes glazed with the memories.
“Yeah."
What else am I supposed to say? Go on, check it out and mail me a postcard while you’re at it?
“Did you see it?” Max interrupted her daydreaming. “The whole bluish web thing with the V sign?”
She jumped guiltily. "You saw that?”
“It was projected across the wall. Kinda hard to miss.”
“So?” he persisted, seeing that she hadn’t answered. “What was it?”
“It was….” She inhaled deeply. This was crunch time. This would make or break and she had a bad feeling it was going to be the latter. “It was the royal seal.”
Thanks for all your wonderful comments, dear readers. It's always a pleasure! As for the story...
hehe, I absolutely ADORE the frustrated groans. lol, nah...kidding. lemme know how it goes.
Hugs,
Sarah
“Liz!” It was the first sound out of his throat. Max shrank back, because the heat of the conical object was intense to the nth degree.
“Get away from the Granolith Chamber!!” He heard Liz shout. Looking around, he caught sight of her. She had her hand placed on the panel, looking like she was about to cry. The Granolith crystal was slowly disappearing inside the panel as she inserted it.
Max ran towards her.
“What’re you doing?"
“I have to! This is the way it works!”
“No!!” Max tried to prise her hands away from the cool metal but it didn’t budge. “NO!!”
“Goodbye, Max.” Liz choked on her own words.
“NO!!” Max screamed, pulling at her with all his strength. “You can’t go!”
Liz wanted to tell him that it had been his idea but couldn’t bear causing him more pain. Inwardly she was terrified witless.
Am I going home? Is this it for me? Will this thing take me back to my home planet? Oh Max, what did we do?
Max pulled at her again but he could feel her almost stuck to the hulking Monolith. Why did I ever talk her into this??
Random tears pooled in his eyes, his eyes stinging from two kinds of assault.
Liz turned her face into his. Max kissed her with desperation but he couldn’t resign himself that it was going to end like this. He’d never see her again.
“I…” Max started, wanting to tell her how he felt, but at that inopportune moment, Liz threw her head back. An animalistic cry forced itself out from her throat, as she felt herself being tested to the limit.
She knew that scientifically speaking, her essence was being drained out from her. Pretty soon, she was going to die like Alex.
"Noooooo!!!” she screamed, trying to yank herself out of it but she was no match. She remembered the alien book; it had been inscribed that the Granolith was the most powerful object in their galaxy, in their planet. But this thing’s killing me!! How can it be so important that it now has to turn me into dust??
“LIZ!!” She could hear Max’s roar.
At that point, the room flashed with yet another jolt of electricity. Max felt himself being thrown again. When he opened his eyes, he couldn’t see Liz anywhere.
Max felt the tears give way. This wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be!! Then he saw her. What the hell?? She's inside the damn thing!
The huge cone was holding her inside it, electricity swirling all around her. She was staring at him with a despair born of terror. Max placed his hand against the black glass. She trembled with the effort to reciprocate but she was too frightened to move. Finally, her hand inched down. Max stared at her, wishing he could hold her one last time.
They both glanced up at the exact time. Current was flooding through the mouth of the beats. Max’s eyes widened. Is she being electrocuted? He yanked his gaze to her but she looked all right. And then another blast took them both to the nether regions with shock.
Liz had just started adjusting to the new freaky environment when the jolt of currents flooded back into the chamber, reviving her. Her essence was flooding back into her; she hadn’t disintegrated into sand. She was still alive, but for how long she didn’t know. Just as she caught Max’s gaze, yet another blast took her to the unknown. This time, very literally so.
Max watched in horror as a bluish light shot out from the middle of Liz’s forehead and turned into a projection, not unlike a sci-fi special effect. He would’ve laughed had it not been so horribly macabre.
Five stars, or five jots of light formed in the bluish web of a somewhat floating substance. At the center of the alien room, it lit up in all subtle colors and fanned out. The five jots connected in a V position, the last one glowing amber.
Max felt his breath stay trapped. This was surreal; this was beyond surreal.
The V sign stayed like that for a moment and then it disappeared. The bluish light faded as the room resumed its normal image once gain. Max breathed loudly, trying to process what had just happened. What the hell had come out of Liz? Was that her essence, the same as Alex? Or was it something else? More importantly, is she okay? Is she even HERE??
He looked inside the Granolith, frantic with haste and worry. It was dark once again, the silence deafening.
“LIIIIZ!!”
Once again his cry tore the night apart.
Albuquerque, NM. FBI Special Unit caravan
At the same time.
“Burns, I think we might have a problem.” Agent Samuels spoke quietly.
Burns tore his eyes off the map. ‘Hmmmm?”
“I said, we might have a problem.”
“What’s that?”
“What if he made it to the Mexican border?”
“Why would he do that? He doesn’t known we’re onto him.”
“Still. Suppose he’s out of the country by now?”
“Bring in the CIA.”
‘Don’t you want to make sure it’s clear first?”
Burns stood up. “That’s exactly what I’m doing. I’m making sure he’s not hiding out in his hometown. Roswell’s the only place in the map the boyo has a home advantage and he might’ve taken it.”
“Where to, first?" Samuels asked, nodding at the logic.
“Mesaliko reservation. Make sure it stays fuckin’ QUIET! The natives will have him hidden off in a nanosecond if they get whiff that we’re around!”
“Done.”
“And what if he really did go off for the border?”
“We’ve got patrols on special alerts, but you’re right. He may slip through. If THAT’s the case, then Congressman Davis is going to kick my ass. All the way to outer space.”
Samuels laughed but it wasn’t genuine, it was furious. “We’ve had no control over this from day one! If I didn’t hate Pierce before, I certainly do NOW! Bastard!! Now, we have to pay for his own ego trip!”
Burns turned around, surprised. "Ego trip? Why, Jake, I’m shocked! You seem a little wary of the subject matter.”
Samuels stared out the window, trying to voice what he wanted to stay in a rational manner. It wouldn’t pay to have himself fired.
“What’s there to believe about alien life forms, anyway? For all we know, Pierce was insane!”
“The Special unit existed before him, y’know? He wasn’t around in 70s. “
“No, but after the initial melodrama, remember the conclusion they drew? No more funding of the Special Unit! Until Pierce came along!”
“I see your point, but really, what’re you saying? That the aliens don’t exist? That Pierce was on drugs when he signed up?”
“I’m saying that it seems a little too convenient that he’d disappear after all the traces of ALL aliens have been wiped out!”
“Don’t you see? He was killed! By whom? Who stands to lose the most in this mess? The aliens, that’s who!” Burns finished, weariness catching up with him. The last two weeks had been hell.
“Or he could’ve been a mole, plain and simple. Funded himself off with FBI funds. I wouldn’t put it past the SOB.”
“Enough!” Burns waved his hand. "I need some shut-eye. Let’s get into Roswell and finish our given assignment! Get Max Evans to the Pentagon.”
“Right.” Samuels turned away.
Burns sat in the darkness, pondering. Samuels had hit on some of his own theories. Is it even possible?
The highway lights blinked at him in response. They didn’t know either.
The High Rock, Granolith Chamber
Max rocked back on his heels, defeated. He hadn’t known that she’d be taken back. he didn't even know if she was even welcome back to wherever she came from. He wanted to savage himself. He’d been the cause why she’d been forced to leave.
Practicalities forced him to his feet. For all intents and purposes, he was trapped inside the rock. There was no way out for him, not until and unless, Liz decided to come back. The absurdity for the situation didn’t escape him. It was a cruel joke being played. Max turned away. Then he saw her.
She was lying in a crumpled heap on the other side of the Granolith. She had been partially hidden by the beast but as the light came back, he could see her. Speaking of which, how the hell did the light come back?
Max fell down, weak-kneed with relief. Then he picked himself up and ran for her.
She stirred just as he’d caught her. Max smoothed the hair back from her face. Her ponytail had come undone. Liz opened her eyes with an effort. At first she looked afraid, then it faded. Max felt the first stirrings of hope. Maybe it wasn’t all lost after all.
She struggled to her feet and looked at the Granolith, her face in awe. Max frowned. What’s up with that?
“Liz?" He asked cautiously. Does she know who I am?
She turned to him, her voice low and reverent “Let’s go outside.”
They made their way to the pod chamber.
“What happened? Are you hurt?" Max’s questions tumbled out without sequence. He didn’t care. At least she was still here.
Liz stood up straighter, he noticed. "I’m fine.’ Her tone was perfectly modulated. Yet he could detect the changes, Control. Once again, she sounded in control. Max would’ve been glad had it not been for the other changes he was seeing in her. Her stance was more determined, her gaze direct and a little…. haughty? Who’d have thunk it? Her back was straight and upright, almost regal. Okay, someone explain this to me please!
"What happened for Christ’s sake??” Max was through with waiting. “You didn’t like…. leave the planet, did you?"
She smiled but it was without humor. Then she composed her face. “Nothing like that.”
She walked around the small space, unable top bear the hope in his face. Staring him in the face when she’d tell him what exactly she’d seen and learned, she wasn’t that strong. She’d never be able to go through with it.
Oddly, Liz did feel liberated. She’d discovered some of the secrets that had plagued her from the day she’d left the pod. Now she knew. The knowledge gave her a strength she hadn’t expected to find. She was stronger. More secure within her own skin than she’d been save a few minutes. She felt in control, independent. And then she remembered Max.
He must be dying of curiosity. She looked at him only to find him staring at her with an odd expression. He seemed…deflated.
“Max?"
“What happened back there?”
“I...” Oh god, but the words won’t come! She tried again. ‘I... uh…I saw my planet.’
Max forced himself not to betray his thoughts. "And?" He even added a light smile.
“I saw my galaxy, my world” There was a catch in her voice. "It’s so beautiful.”
He wanted to die. He wanted to slit his own throat. He wanted to bury the rock.
“That’s wonderful.” And yet, he meant it.
She nodded but now that the enthusiasm had been breached from within its walls, it wouldn’t be stopped. “It was all ….red.”
Max nodded, looking away. It had to be red. It suited her better than her own skin.
“And it was so…” she trailed off, eyes glazed with the memories.
“Yeah."
What else am I supposed to say? Go on, check it out and mail me a postcard while you’re at it?
“Did you see it?” Max interrupted her daydreaming. “The whole bluish web thing with the V sign?”
She jumped guiltily. "You saw that?”
“It was projected across the wall. Kinda hard to miss.”
“So?” he persisted, seeing that she hadn’t answered. “What was it?”
“It was….” She inhaled deeply. This was crunch time. This would make or break and she had a bad feeling it was going to be the latter. “It was the royal seal.”
Thanks for all your wonderful comments, dear readers. It's always a pleasure! As for the story...
hehe, I absolutely ADORE the frustrated groans. lol, nah...kidding. lemme know how it goes.Hugs,
Sarah
Chapter 44.
High Rock.
Max stared at Liz in shock. Pure unadulterated shock. “Roy….” He stuttered, hardly believing that ANY of it was true.
He’d expected her to hang her head with guilt, but he was wrong. There was genuine sorrow in her eyes but that was all. No apology, no “I’m so sorry you had to go through this Max” line. Nothing. She seemed…like she didn’t need him anymore.
“Yes. I don’t know what that makes me. The ruler, heir…I don’t know.”
He inhaled. "Ruler?? You’re a ruler?”
“Why?” She sounded defensive. “Aren’t I allowed?”
He stared at her in shock. He hadn’t meant it like that at all. It was just too unbelievable. But in front of him was a woman he didn’t recognize. She looked capable of taking the world by storm if she had to. She looked the part of a ruler, if nothing else.
“I’m sorry.” She sounded mortified. This, this was familiar to Max. Then he was ashamed of himself. This was the most important day in her life and here he was, guilting her into staying submissive. Max smiled mirthlessly. Like she’d stay submissive.
“Max, please!” Liz crossed over to him. “Listen to me! I’m sorry.”
He removed her hand gently. "Why? Why are you apologizing for something I’d wished for you from the day Alex died?”
She was taken aback. “What? What’re you talking about?”
He pressed her hands gently. “I always wanted this for you. That you’d discover where you come from, and that you were not a castaway. That you’re precious, that people worship you. That you hold an entire planet in thrall. Maybe then you would stop looking at the world with wounded eyes.”
Her hands fell limply down her sides as he released them. He had actually wanted that much for her. Liz’s head spun.
He turned towards the exit, she opened it without thought. Inside, she was a quivering mass of …mush. He loved her. She was sure of it.
Max turned around. He smiled at her, the moonlight catching the edge of his eyes, turning them luminous. He looked heartbroken, for some reason. Liz stared back at him, love clashing with too much newfound euphoria to register his predicaments.
He took her face in his hands and brought it up towards his own. She leaned up eagerly, not realizing the significance. It went as another stab to his heart.
He lingered on her lips, knowing it was going to be their last. She clung to him too. Maybe it was harder on her than he’d thought. He eased her back. She wouldn’t let go of his hand.
“Max...” she breathed. It was a promise of things to come.
“Goodbye Liz.”
Liz kept smiling; the words hadn’t penetrated through her cotton-candy haze. Max tried to fashion a response but none came. He stepped away and climbed out.
It hit Liz then. "Goodb…???” she trailed off, incredulous. She couldn’t have possibly heard him right. He was leaving? NOW?
“MAX!” she shouted, climbing out the opening and sealing it quickly. He was already half way down the incline. “Max, wait!!”
He paused for a second but he didn’t turn around. "Max!” This time her confusion had its effect. He turned around. She came to a halt a few feet from him.
"Why?” She asked, helpless, as the tears appeared in both their eyes.
Max inhaled until his lungs were fit to burst. At least it stanched the flow of the tears. He wouldn’t cry, he wouldn’t make her feel guilty. He owed her that much. It was over.
“You know why. We discussed this.” His voice trembled but there’s only so much control one had.
She stared at him in shock. “Why NOW? Why tonight?”
Max looked away, feeling trapped and helpless. God help him, he didn’t want this moment anymore than she did.
“Because I have to!” He snarled.
She couldn’t look away, her face was incredulous. "What? Max, please, I don’t understand! Is it…..?” She trailed off, her eyes glancing heavenward for a second, her thoughts clear. She was sure that he was doing this because of the alien heritage she’d just discovered.
He didn’t want to use this card. It would destroy whatever feelings she had left for him. And he was selfish or needy or both, to want her to preserve it. He wanted to look back to this.... to what they’d shared and be satisfied with it for the rest of his life. And it would be enough because it wasn’t meant to be. He knew it and he’d been deluding himself when he’d thought it could end any better. She didn’t need him at all. It had been the other way round. But the games had stopped. It was time to go.
“Please don’t do this to me. I can’t stay. You know that. You..you should leave." He nearly gagged at his own words but turned away. His steps fell faster. All he wanted to do was run.
Liz stared after him, frozen. She couldn’t believe what she just heard. He’d just asked her to leave the planet! Of all the things, all the hundred outcomes she’d predicted for this day, this one hadn’t ever even been considered! She had never, ever, not in a million years, expected Max to tell her to leave. Stung with rejection, after she’d bared her soul to him, she nearly turned away.
Go to him!! Her heart screamed frantically. He was more than halfway down. His steps had quickened, it was almost a slow jog.
He told you, no, begged you to let him go!! It was in every line of his face, his eyes! You have to respect that! Her conscience bit back.
Tears traced her cheeks, freezing in the cold wind. But her heart was numb. She was no longer sure which one of her instincts she should give in to. She didn’t want to let Max go but how could she ask him to stay when he told her to leave? She started crying.
Max heard the sniffs; they were carried down vividly through the night air. He squeezed his own eyes closed against the onslaught of moisture. The sound came again, rending his heart into strips. He gasped with the effort not to turn back. He paused slightly for a second, yet he heard no sounds apart from her heartbreak. She wasn’t coming down after him. He was free to go.
He felt a tear slip put. Max let go of his iron control over his instincts. His jog turned into a full-fledged run. He raced own the incline, feeling the bitter wind against his face, the cutting cold numbing the wasteland of pain that was his mind. He shut his eyes against the image of a regal, confident Liz. It hurt too much to think that she’d never needed him at all, that it had been the opposite.
Liz stared after him as his figure receded. Even in the dark, he ran surely, swiftly, tearing her heart apart and then starting over from scratch. She was fully determined to turn back and head into the Pod Chamber; living here on Earth without him was going to be too much for her. A planet apart would be the only thing that would satisfy the wanting. That was when she felt herself caught on the edge of yet another memory.
Flash You haven’t ripened yet, my darling. But you will. By the time I’m done with you.
Liz bit her lip until it bled with the effort to contain the sob. But it wouldn’t stay inside. Why was her mind playing these cruel tricks on her? It was more than she could bear.
Flash “I can’t promise that. But I can try.” That was when she’d asked him not to be hurt by the night’s events. He seemed to have forgotten that but her heart twisted painfully at the recollection.
Flash “Do you honestly think I grudge you that?" This was when she was had wondered if he had hated her alien side. He hadn’t then, but now it was different apparently. She was losing everything she’d ever wanted for herself, never mind dealing with a cumbersome past she didn’t even remember. She tried to look away but couldn’t.
Flash “No one deserves that faith more, Elizabeth.” With that one line, he’d given her back herself and yet now, he refused to take what she was offering him.
Liz almost turned away.
Flash “This has been the best thing in my entire sorry excuse for a life. Don’t take that away from me.” That had been the night she’d realized what it was to love someone. He hadn’t shied away from telling her what it had meant to them. Why would she now? I can’t let him go!
Liz hesitated for another second. He was already near the base of the incline. She raced after him.
Max was nearly down. It was finished. He’d never felt anything so profoundly…. empty. It lacked everything. It lacked life. He didn’t know what to do anymore. Then he heard it. It was normal sound of boots slapping against hard ground, but it was as loud as a thunderclap. He honestly didn’t know whether it was him or her.
“Wait, Max!!” She breathed, trying to reach him but she was a long way from him. He jumped down from the rock and stared at the keys in his hand. It would take him a few seconds to gun the engine and escape. She would be safe; no one would ever associate her with him. She’d never want to see him again, thus he could rest assured that she was in no danger of falling into an FBI trap. They’d both get what they want.
Liz stared in horror, as he didn’t stop. He looked like he hadn’t even heard her. She didn’t care anymore, running down as fast as she could, she yelled at the top of her lungs. “MAX!!”
He took a step towards the car hadn’t and then stopped. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t leave without hearing what she had to say, even if it meant putting them all at risk. He turned and ran into her as she nearly jumped on him to keep him anchored.
“What do you think you’re doing??” She shouted in between rapid breaths, scared and exhilarated that she'd at least been able to make him stop.
“I was leaving.” He replied coolly. Only the angry nerve ticking along his jaw line gave an indication of how much this affected him, too.
She stared at him for one second, stunned. Then her rage returned. "You were leaving without even hearing what I had to say?”
“What’s there to say, Liz? We knew this moment would come.”
She glared at him. “But I never thought you could just turn your back on me like that and run!” Her bitterness stung.
“Do I have a choice? Didn’t you see what went on tonight inside there?” Max bit back, gesturing towards the rock. “What do you expect me to do, Liz? Congratulate you on your newfound identity? Fine, your Majesty!” The last word came out like a lash, cutting into both of them.
Liz collared him. “I never asked for it, or can’t you see that?”
“Liz!" he pried himself away for her. She let go of him like he was acid. Max’s heart lurched.
“I don’t grudge you anything that you’ve learned today! I truly wanted the best for you. But please, remember that I have to go when the time is right. The time is right now!”
“Right for whom?” She screamed back. Her words echoed and despite themselves, they checked for lifeforms. Nothing.
She could see the fact that he was hurting. Ever since they’d come out of the granolith chamber, she’d been aloof and distant, pretending that she could do without him, but the last few minutes had convinced her that it wouldn’t be that simple. She couldn’t just look away and never look back. But he didn’t know that. All she had to do was make him believe it, make him understand that it came from her, not obligations.
"Right for whom?” she replied in a calmer voice. "It certainly isn’t right forme! I don’t want you to go!”
His face lit up for a second then sank back into its unreadable lines. “It can’t be helped.”
“Listen to me! I need you in my life! Whether you do or don’t, I don’t know, but let me just say this. If you walk away from me now, I will come after you. I will keep doing so until it’s gotten through your head that I love you and I’m not doing this out of some obligation! And the only reason why I’m telling you this now is because I know that you care about me!! Deep down inside, you’re lying to yourself if you can’t admit it!” she spat out.
He stared at her, eyes like flint. “I don’t want you to regret this and you will. I couldn’t take it, if one day, you decided that this was all my fault. And you would be fully justified in saying so. So, please understand why I’m doing this.”
“I don’t care.” She told him to his face. “Let me mimic your own words – I’m not going to sit back down because of your damn conscience!! Seems familiar?? Those were your words.”
“Yes! I know they were!” She was like a drug corroding away his defenses and he didn't know how much longer he could resist the love in her eyes.
“Fine!!” She threw up her hands. "Fine, leave! Goodbye.”
She turned away. Max stared after her for a second, the ache unbearable. Then he strode after her. She heard his footsteps and turned around just as he caught her up from behind. The embrace bespoke of feelings too deep to put into words. She buried her face against his and cried, relived beyond words that he hadn’t left. She wouldn’t care if she never heard him reciprocate her feelings if that meant he didn’t leave.
Max marveled at the fact that the girl clinging to him right now was some sort of queen, an empress. His initial opinion about her had been true. He wanted to rant at his over-active imagination now but he couldn’t blame it. He’d known things about her before they’d been proved right. Stop lying to yourself, damn you!! Just tell her what you’ve been wanting to your entire stupid life!!
Max broke off the frenzied kiss. He traced her profile and watched as her pupils dilated.
Morning smiles
like the face
of a newborn child
innocent unknowing.
Winter's end
promises
of a long lost friend.
Speaks to me of comfort
“I love you. Sorry if took so long to finally get them out but I can’t help it. I just couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you. That’s why it took so much doing. I swear. It was nothing else.” He whispered, seeing the way her face glowed.
“Thank you.” She snuffled, unable to take it all in.
But I fear
I have nothing to give.
I have so much
to lose here in this lonely place.
Tangled up in your embrace
there's nothing I'd like better than
to fall.
“Shh…thank you." He whispered back, his heart flooded with sweet release as he held her close. Now he was committed. He was in it for good, through the bad and the worse. He’d been scared of this moment from the instant he’d met her, just biding his time until he had to give in. Now that he had, the old and the new fears swirled away in the light desert mist.
But I fear
I have nothing to give.
Wind in time
rapes the flower
trembling on the vine
and nothing yields to shelter
from above.
They say temptation will destroy our love.
The never ending hunger
but I fear
I have nothing to give
I have so much
to lose here in this lonely place
tangled up in our embrace
there's nothing I'd like better than
to fall
but I fear
I have nothing to give.
I have so much to lose.
I have nothing to give.
We have so much to lose...
"I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere." It was both a promise and a vow. Max wrapped his arms around her tighter; her words a balm for all the tension of the night. He just hoped neither of them would have to break that promise.
you guys?
Sarah
Song by Sarah McLachlan - Fear.
High Rock.
Max stared at Liz in shock. Pure unadulterated shock. “Roy….” He stuttered, hardly believing that ANY of it was true.
He’d expected her to hang her head with guilt, but he was wrong. There was genuine sorrow in her eyes but that was all. No apology, no “I’m so sorry you had to go through this Max” line. Nothing. She seemed…like she didn’t need him anymore.
“Yes. I don’t know what that makes me. The ruler, heir…I don’t know.”
He inhaled. "Ruler?? You’re a ruler?”
“Why?” She sounded defensive. “Aren’t I allowed?”
He stared at her in shock. He hadn’t meant it like that at all. It was just too unbelievable. But in front of him was a woman he didn’t recognize. She looked capable of taking the world by storm if she had to. She looked the part of a ruler, if nothing else.
“I’m sorry.” She sounded mortified. This, this was familiar to Max. Then he was ashamed of himself. This was the most important day in her life and here he was, guilting her into staying submissive. Max smiled mirthlessly. Like she’d stay submissive.
“Max, please!” Liz crossed over to him. “Listen to me! I’m sorry.”
He removed her hand gently. "Why? Why are you apologizing for something I’d wished for you from the day Alex died?”
She was taken aback. “What? What’re you talking about?”
He pressed her hands gently. “I always wanted this for you. That you’d discover where you come from, and that you were not a castaway. That you’re precious, that people worship you. That you hold an entire planet in thrall. Maybe then you would stop looking at the world with wounded eyes.”
Her hands fell limply down her sides as he released them. He had actually wanted that much for her. Liz’s head spun.
He turned towards the exit, she opened it without thought. Inside, she was a quivering mass of …mush. He loved her. She was sure of it.
Max turned around. He smiled at her, the moonlight catching the edge of his eyes, turning them luminous. He looked heartbroken, for some reason. Liz stared back at him, love clashing with too much newfound euphoria to register his predicaments.
He took her face in his hands and brought it up towards his own. She leaned up eagerly, not realizing the significance. It went as another stab to his heart.
He lingered on her lips, knowing it was going to be their last. She clung to him too. Maybe it was harder on her than he’d thought. He eased her back. She wouldn’t let go of his hand.
“Max...” she breathed. It was a promise of things to come.
“Goodbye Liz.”
Liz kept smiling; the words hadn’t penetrated through her cotton-candy haze. Max tried to fashion a response but none came. He stepped away and climbed out.
It hit Liz then. "Goodb…???” she trailed off, incredulous. She couldn’t have possibly heard him right. He was leaving? NOW?
“MAX!” she shouted, climbing out the opening and sealing it quickly. He was already half way down the incline. “Max, wait!!”
He paused for a second but he didn’t turn around. "Max!” This time her confusion had its effect. He turned around. She came to a halt a few feet from him.
"Why?” She asked, helpless, as the tears appeared in both their eyes.
Max inhaled until his lungs were fit to burst. At least it stanched the flow of the tears. He wouldn’t cry, he wouldn’t make her feel guilty. He owed her that much. It was over.
“You know why. We discussed this.” His voice trembled but there’s only so much control one had.
She stared at him in shock. “Why NOW? Why tonight?”
Max looked away, feeling trapped and helpless. God help him, he didn’t want this moment anymore than she did.
“Because I have to!” He snarled.
She couldn’t look away, her face was incredulous. "What? Max, please, I don’t understand! Is it…..?” She trailed off, her eyes glancing heavenward for a second, her thoughts clear. She was sure that he was doing this because of the alien heritage she’d just discovered.
He didn’t want to use this card. It would destroy whatever feelings she had left for him. And he was selfish or needy or both, to want her to preserve it. He wanted to look back to this.... to what they’d shared and be satisfied with it for the rest of his life. And it would be enough because it wasn’t meant to be. He knew it and he’d been deluding himself when he’d thought it could end any better. She didn’t need him at all. It had been the other way round. But the games had stopped. It was time to go.
“Please don’t do this to me. I can’t stay. You know that. You..you should leave." He nearly gagged at his own words but turned away. His steps fell faster. All he wanted to do was run.
Liz stared after him, frozen. She couldn’t believe what she just heard. He’d just asked her to leave the planet! Of all the things, all the hundred outcomes she’d predicted for this day, this one hadn’t ever even been considered! She had never, ever, not in a million years, expected Max to tell her to leave. Stung with rejection, after she’d bared her soul to him, she nearly turned away.
Go to him!! Her heart screamed frantically. He was more than halfway down. His steps had quickened, it was almost a slow jog.
He told you, no, begged you to let him go!! It was in every line of his face, his eyes! You have to respect that! Her conscience bit back.
Tears traced her cheeks, freezing in the cold wind. But her heart was numb. She was no longer sure which one of her instincts she should give in to. She didn’t want to let Max go but how could she ask him to stay when he told her to leave? She started crying.
Max heard the sniffs; they were carried down vividly through the night air. He squeezed his own eyes closed against the onslaught of moisture. The sound came again, rending his heart into strips. He gasped with the effort not to turn back. He paused slightly for a second, yet he heard no sounds apart from her heartbreak. She wasn’t coming down after him. He was free to go.
He felt a tear slip put. Max let go of his iron control over his instincts. His jog turned into a full-fledged run. He raced own the incline, feeling the bitter wind against his face, the cutting cold numbing the wasteland of pain that was his mind. He shut his eyes against the image of a regal, confident Liz. It hurt too much to think that she’d never needed him at all, that it had been the opposite.
Liz stared after him as his figure receded. Even in the dark, he ran surely, swiftly, tearing her heart apart and then starting over from scratch. She was fully determined to turn back and head into the Pod Chamber; living here on Earth without him was going to be too much for her. A planet apart would be the only thing that would satisfy the wanting. That was when she felt herself caught on the edge of yet another memory.
Flash You haven’t ripened yet, my darling. But you will. By the time I’m done with you.
Liz bit her lip until it bled with the effort to contain the sob. But it wouldn’t stay inside. Why was her mind playing these cruel tricks on her? It was more than she could bear.
Flash “I can’t promise that. But I can try.” That was when she’d asked him not to be hurt by the night’s events. He seemed to have forgotten that but her heart twisted painfully at the recollection.
Flash “Do you honestly think I grudge you that?" This was when she was had wondered if he had hated her alien side. He hadn’t then, but now it was different apparently. She was losing everything she’d ever wanted for herself, never mind dealing with a cumbersome past she didn’t even remember. She tried to look away but couldn’t.
Flash “No one deserves that faith more, Elizabeth.” With that one line, he’d given her back herself and yet now, he refused to take what she was offering him.
Liz almost turned away.
Flash “This has been the best thing in my entire sorry excuse for a life. Don’t take that away from me.” That had been the night she’d realized what it was to love someone. He hadn’t shied away from telling her what it had meant to them. Why would she now? I can’t let him go!
Liz hesitated for another second. He was already near the base of the incline. She raced after him.
Max was nearly down. It was finished. He’d never felt anything so profoundly…. empty. It lacked everything. It lacked life. He didn’t know what to do anymore. Then he heard it. It was normal sound of boots slapping against hard ground, but it was as loud as a thunderclap. He honestly didn’t know whether it was him or her.
“Wait, Max!!” She breathed, trying to reach him but she was a long way from him. He jumped down from the rock and stared at the keys in his hand. It would take him a few seconds to gun the engine and escape. She would be safe; no one would ever associate her with him. She’d never want to see him again, thus he could rest assured that she was in no danger of falling into an FBI trap. They’d both get what they want.
Liz stared in horror, as he didn’t stop. He looked like he hadn’t even heard her. She didn’t care anymore, running down as fast as she could, she yelled at the top of her lungs. “MAX!!”
He took a step towards the car hadn’t and then stopped. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t leave without hearing what she had to say, even if it meant putting them all at risk. He turned and ran into her as she nearly jumped on him to keep him anchored.
“What do you think you’re doing??” She shouted in between rapid breaths, scared and exhilarated that she'd at least been able to make him stop.
“I was leaving.” He replied coolly. Only the angry nerve ticking along his jaw line gave an indication of how much this affected him, too.
She stared at him for one second, stunned. Then her rage returned. "You were leaving without even hearing what I had to say?”
“What’s there to say, Liz? We knew this moment would come.”
She glared at him. “But I never thought you could just turn your back on me like that and run!” Her bitterness stung.
“Do I have a choice? Didn’t you see what went on tonight inside there?” Max bit back, gesturing towards the rock. “What do you expect me to do, Liz? Congratulate you on your newfound identity? Fine, your Majesty!” The last word came out like a lash, cutting into both of them.
Liz collared him. “I never asked for it, or can’t you see that?”
“Liz!" he pried himself away for her. She let go of him like he was acid. Max’s heart lurched.
“I don’t grudge you anything that you’ve learned today! I truly wanted the best for you. But please, remember that I have to go when the time is right. The time is right now!”
“Right for whom?” She screamed back. Her words echoed and despite themselves, they checked for lifeforms. Nothing.
She could see the fact that he was hurting. Ever since they’d come out of the granolith chamber, she’d been aloof and distant, pretending that she could do without him, but the last few minutes had convinced her that it wouldn’t be that simple. She couldn’t just look away and never look back. But he didn’t know that. All she had to do was make him believe it, make him understand that it came from her, not obligations.
"Right for whom?” she replied in a calmer voice. "It certainly isn’t right forme! I don’t want you to go!”
His face lit up for a second then sank back into its unreadable lines. “It can’t be helped.”
“Listen to me! I need you in my life! Whether you do or don’t, I don’t know, but let me just say this. If you walk away from me now, I will come after you. I will keep doing so until it’s gotten through your head that I love you and I’m not doing this out of some obligation! And the only reason why I’m telling you this now is because I know that you care about me!! Deep down inside, you’re lying to yourself if you can’t admit it!” she spat out.
He stared at her, eyes like flint. “I don’t want you to regret this and you will. I couldn’t take it, if one day, you decided that this was all my fault. And you would be fully justified in saying so. So, please understand why I’m doing this.”
“I don’t care.” She told him to his face. “Let me mimic your own words – I’m not going to sit back down because of your damn conscience!! Seems familiar?? Those were your words.”
“Yes! I know they were!” She was like a drug corroding away his defenses and he didn't know how much longer he could resist the love in her eyes.
“Fine!!” She threw up her hands. "Fine, leave! Goodbye.”
She turned away. Max stared after her for a second, the ache unbearable. Then he strode after her. She heard his footsteps and turned around just as he caught her up from behind. The embrace bespoke of feelings too deep to put into words. She buried her face against his and cried, relived beyond words that he hadn’t left. She wouldn’t care if she never heard him reciprocate her feelings if that meant he didn’t leave.
Max marveled at the fact that the girl clinging to him right now was some sort of queen, an empress. His initial opinion about her had been true. He wanted to rant at his over-active imagination now but he couldn’t blame it. He’d known things about her before they’d been proved right. Stop lying to yourself, damn you!! Just tell her what you’ve been wanting to your entire stupid life!!
Max broke off the frenzied kiss. He traced her profile and watched as her pupils dilated.
Morning smiles
like the face
of a newborn child
innocent unknowing.
Winter's end
promises
of a long lost friend.
Speaks to me of comfort
“I love you. Sorry if took so long to finally get them out but I can’t help it. I just couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you. That’s why it took so much doing. I swear. It was nothing else.” He whispered, seeing the way her face glowed.
“Thank you.” She snuffled, unable to take it all in.
But I fear
I have nothing to give.
I have so much
to lose here in this lonely place.
Tangled up in your embrace
there's nothing I'd like better than
to fall.
“Shh…thank you." He whispered back, his heart flooded with sweet release as he held her close. Now he was committed. He was in it for good, through the bad and the worse. He’d been scared of this moment from the instant he’d met her, just biding his time until he had to give in. Now that he had, the old and the new fears swirled away in the light desert mist.
But I fear
I have nothing to give.
Wind in time
rapes the flower
trembling on the vine
and nothing yields to shelter
from above.
They say temptation will destroy our love.
The never ending hunger
but I fear
I have nothing to give
I have so much
to lose here in this lonely place
tangled up in our embrace
there's nothing I'd like better than
to fall
but I fear
I have nothing to give.
I have so much to lose.
I have nothing to give.
We have so much to lose...
"I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere." It was both a promise and a vow. Max wrapped his arms around her tighter; her words a balm for all the tension of the night. He just hoped neither of them would have to break that promise.
you guys?Sarah
Song by Sarah McLachlan - Fear.
Chapter 45.
“Go on. I’ll be right in.” Max whispered to Liz. They’d driven back from the desert in record time, the urge to be with each other too powerful to withstand.
He loves me, he loves me, he loves me!! Liz was in la-la land and didn’t care.
Max waved his hand over her face, nothing. She was staring at him with a sappy smile.
He wanted to shout with laughter, it was so comical and yet so sweet. From the first day onwards, he’d thought it wasn’t meant to be. Now, it seemed so different, so…possible. It was hard trapping his euphoria inside.
“Earth to the Martian.”
That got her attention. “Huh?” She came back blinking. Then her face flushed. How big a fool did I just make out of myself? From that grin on his face, could NOT have been minor. Goddamn it!
But it didn’t change anything. She was happy, in love and she didn’t care even if the whole world knew.
“Aw… hun.” He nuzzled the side of her face, relishing the way she let him in. This was totally new. And totally addictive.
“Max!” Liz managed to get out. "Can we do this, I don’t know…inside?? I don’t relish giving the town a free show!”
“Would it be that bad?” He continued, apparently as if he hadn’t heard a thing. She tried to squirm away but he was having none of it.
"I’m sure the rest of the world would also like to know what it’s like “seeing stars”? He hinted broadly.
She pulled back from him but he beat her to it. Leaning their foreheads together, he spoke softly but there was no doubt of the sincerity or determination. "Forget about it. You’re mine, got it? I don’t share.”
Only the car going by with teenagers playing a jukebox at its loudest stopped them from going at it right then and there.
“Can we show a little control?” He moaned as she attacked him. Then he nearly swallowed his teeth. "Liz!!” He held her marauding hands away.
"Stop that!!”
“Why?” She whispered as her teeth found his ear. His slightly big ears. He called himself “Dumbo” after the cartoon, but she thought it gave him more character.
His exact response had been “Yeah right. To a bunch of elephants maybe. The ones that fly through air!”
The porch light went on in a house down the block and they both flattened themselves.
“See??” he hissed. "That’s why!”
She pouted for all of a second and then stifled her laughter as he glared at his old neighbor. Not that the guy noticed. He dumped the trash and went inside.
Max dragged Liz in. "Enough!”
“I agree.” Liz started on where she left off.
“LIZ!!”
The only thing that came from the living room sofa, which was as far as they got, was Liz’s stifled shrieks of laughter.
FBI caravan, inside Roswell city limits.
Same time. 9:00 pm.
“We’re here”.
“Head for the Mesaliko Indian reservations. He’s there. I can guarantee it.” Agent Burns ordered, gathering up his faculties. He knew Evans would be there; it was the most logical choice.
"What about his house?”
“The neighbors would’ve called in the FBI if they spotted him. APB ‘s still out.”
“Why would they?” Samuels asked as they turned off the exit.
“Why wouldn’t they? If indeed the FBI were to investigate there, they’d be the ones to face accessory charges. And also there’s the fact that the reservation is into the woods, thus more of a chance for his escape.”
"Frasier Woods?”
“Right.” Burns stubbed out his burnt out cigarette. “I want every inch of the woods combed before the folks over their raise the alarm.”
The headlights of the Army jeeps picked up the trail into the dark woods. It was still January, hence no campers. The agents got out, ready to start the hunt.
Agent Burns got out of the jeep. “As of right now, we have direct jurisdiction to search the woods and its surrounding perimeter. I want Evans found.”
Everyone nodded. Burns turned to Samuels. “Take another team into the city. I want his parents’ house checked out, enquiries made. Start with five blocks away and zero in on the aforementioned location. Any questions?”
Samuels looked at him. “What plan is this?”
“On my way from Andrews, I saw a dogfight. That’s exactly what I’m doing. We have to be everywhere at once otherwise he’ll slip through, just as he always had. I’ll take a group into the reservation. You, Conrad, you take the rest into Frazier Woods and Samuels, you take the men and head for his house.”
All the men split up, but Samuels called Burns back. “And what do we when we get him? Shoot or arrest him?”
“Restrain him using any means necessary. We’ve technically got no grounds to pick him up on, but fib it out. If it’s public, then try an arrest. If it’s private, kidnap him.”
“Got it. Move out!”
Everyone leapt for their given tasks.
Evans’ Family home.
“Liz?”
“Hmm?” came the highly satisfied, indolent purr.
“So what’s it feel like? Being a princess and all?” Max bit back his laughter. He’d been teasing her about her Princess-like moods for so long and now that it had actually come true…oh well. Guess that won’t be used as a zinger anymore.
“Hey!! We don’t know anything for sure.” She warned, sitting up from her position on his lap. He tried to bring her down but she pinned his hands to thin air.
It was his turn to squirm. “Okay, Liz. You’ve made your point.”
“Ya think?” she asked lazily, pulling up the sheet to cover herself better. “Here I was thinking that I haven’t even started.”
“Honey," he said patiently. "If you think you’re “just getting started’ think again. At the rate you’re going, I’ll be long since finished.”
She blushed but kept her smirk intact. Giddy with love, she watched as his pupils dilated as she leaned in close. “That’s the idea.”
The phone rang just as things had gotten heated up.
“Goddamn it!!” Max growled. "I feel like I’m back in high school, never getting past 2nd base!!”
“Naughty, naughty… you did that to chicks in Roswell?”
“Umm….” Max was more occupied with sampling her stomach to worry about chicks from Roswell.
“Where was I back then?? I must’ve missed on one hell of… damn!!” She bit out as the phone kept on ringing.
“Ignore it.” Max panted out between kisses. “Or better still, zap it. Then it won’t bug you anymore.”
She stilled under his ministrations. He followed suit. “Liz? What is it?”
She looked up at him. "Isn’t that your house phone?”
It didn’t penetrate for a second but when it did, Max blanched.
“Shit!! No one’s supposed to know we’re here!” He yanked on his boxers and leapt out of bed, Liz hot on his heels.
The phone kept on ringing. It was nearly 11:00 pm. No one should be calling. They looked at each other, wide-eyed.
Max reached for it. Liz grabbed his hand. “Don’t answer it. Maybe someone saw something. ”
“How could that be?”
Then a truly horrible thought occurred to Max. "Unless…” Breathe, breathe! "Unless it’s the FBI.”
Liz felt her face go slack with shock. Then it clenched up until her head pounded with migraine. “SHIT!”
The answering machine picked it up. “Hello.... you’ve reached the residence of the Evans family. As you know, there is no one around. Please leave a message. It may be a while till we can get back to you.”
The beep sounded. They both held their breaths.
“Max?? Are you there?” It was a raspy old voice.
Max started violently, and then pressed the speakerphone on. “Hello?? River Dog? Is that you?”
‘Yes, yes! Please, Max, tell me what happened! Why is the FBI looking for you?”
Max looked up at a small, horrified sound from Liz. She had her hand pressed over her mouth to trap any betraying signs, her face terrified. Dammit it all to hell!! All I asked for was ONE night, ONE MEASLY NIGHT!!
“What did they tell you?” Max asked guardedly. It had to be bad, because River Dog would never have called otherwise. Speaking of which… “How did you know how to call here?”
“I saw you.”
“WHAT?” Max whispered, aghast. “When? HOW?”
“I saw you last night. I went past your house because I was worried about you. I saw the news.” There was a pause, and then Max broke it.
“What else did you see?”
“I saw a woman.” River Dog didn’t waste words; he knew he had little time. "Now, listen to me, Max! You grew up in front of my eyes! I know that there’s NO WAY on Earth you’d commit murder! I know that! So what’s going on? Why is the FBI after you? Does this have something to do with your sister’s death?”
Max winced. “Something like that.” Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see Liz breathe deeply, furious.
“All I know is that they’re combing the reservation as well as Frazier Woods. My guess is that your house isn’t too far away. Get out of there, NOW!”
“I can’t. But if I send over a friend, someone I care about, will you take care of her?" Max spoke slowly, letting the determination behind each syllable sink in. “Please, River Dog, I don’t trust her with anyone else.”
Another brief, troubled silence. “Would this be the same woman I saw at your house last night?”
Max nodded towards Liz, assuring her that it was okay. She relaxed slightly. "Yes. I wouldn’t ask this of you if it weren’t serious! Please, I’m begging you.”
“No need to beg, son. I’ll help her. Is she the reason why you’re running from the law?”
Max watched in dismay as a lone tear streaked down Liz’s glassy eyes. She turned away, but her pain was apparent.
“No, she’s not!” He enunciated the last word, but it didn’t have its desired effect. “She’s got nothing to do with this! I’m just afraid that she’ll be labelled…”
“Guilty by association. I understand.” River Dog finished.
“Yes!” Max sighed in relief. “Yes. So when’s a good time? Please don’t tell anyone about her. She’ll make her way to you.”
“Name?”
They stared at each other for one moment, electric in temperament. Then Liz nodded. Her intent was clear; she trusted him.
“Her name’s Liz.”
FBI vans
Entering Main Street, 3 blocks away from the Evans’ residence[/b]
“Agent Burns?”
“Yes?” Burns bit out. He was freezing on the wet underbrush of the murky infamous Frazier Woods and he wasn’t a happy camper.
“Sir, we’re entering Main Street now. So far, nothing.”
“Check with his neighbors. See if they mention seeing anything unusual.”
“Right. we’ll keep you updated.”
“Great. You do that. Now go do what you were assigned to so that you actually have something to update me on!”
The chastised agent rang off.
“Asshole.” Burns muttered as he hung up.
A discreet ahem brought him up short. “What now?" Turning, he found another member of his team standing there, looking sheepish.
“WHAT?”
“Nothing sir. We just received confirmation. Yesterday someone claims she saw Evans.”
“Who?” Instantly, Burns was on full alert. “Who claims they saw Evans?”
“This young lady.” The agent stepped aside to admit a very pretty Native American girl in her early 20s.
“I saw him. There’s no way I’d mistake him with anyone else.”
“And why is that, ma’am?" Burns asked.
"You don’t forget an ex like that.” She answered calmly. Actually the last time she’d seen Max Evans was when she’d made a pass at his friend, Michael, back in grade school. But River Dog had insisted that she tell them that and also give out Max’s location, which the grizzled Indian had said was the motel 3 miles outside town. No need to give it to them in black and white, he’d said, just hint at it. He’d also told her to make her arguments so inane that they would be confused and completely disbelieve her.
“Where did you see him? Can anyone else verify?”
“You can ask everyone who was at the street in that time at that a particular part of the road! I saw him in a cab. It stopped at the same red light. He didn’t see me. Too bad.”
“I see.” Burns said politely, yet he knew it was another dead-end.
Convenient timing that just when they were in the middle of the search, an ex would magically appear. But it was still worth a shot. After all, with Max Evans, you just never knew.
“Would you happen to know where he might stay?”
“Have you tried his house?” she said nonchalantly. "But no, it’s not a possibility. It’s been deserted ever since his father was taken away. The poor, poor boy.”
“Yes…” Burns was fast losing patience.
“Of course, he could’ve headed outside town, to that motel near the highway. Very convenient for making out of the jams, you know?”
This was a blatant lie. Roswell was, at best, a small town. There were certainly no traffic jams that Evans would want to say away from.
The ex continued. “He hasn’t come back after this sister’s death, I might be mistaken though. Maybe it wasn’t Max at all.”
The other agent ground out in frustration. “But you just said you saw him!”
The girl batted her eyelashes. “I did? Well then, I guess so.”
“Thank you for your help.” Burns walked away.
Interesting that as soon as they started sniffing around the reservation, so many helpful incidences took place.
Burns flipped open his cell. “Samuels?”
“Yeah.”
“How much longer in town?”
“We’re a block away.”
“God, hurry up! I doubt you’ll find anything there. He’s here!”
Samuels perked up. The leads so far were useless. No one had even seen Max Evans. Most of the people were new anyways, they’d never even heard of him.
“You found him?”
“Not yet, but I know he’s here. Locals are getting mighty excited.”
“Fine. We’ll do a sweep of his house and we’re coming back.”
“Right. Congressman Davis may stop with his diatribe ”
“Alleluia.”
Samuels took off in the direction of Murray Lane.
Leme know, and thanks guys for the tremendous feedback. So glad all of you liked the *ahem* M/L monet. I aim to please, after all. Lol, psycho, Tea, mrsjbehr - welcome! Hope you guys like this.
All my old faithful dear readers - hugs.
Sarah
“Go on. I’ll be right in.” Max whispered to Liz. They’d driven back from the desert in record time, the urge to be with each other too powerful to withstand.
He loves me, he loves me, he loves me!! Liz was in la-la land and didn’t care.
Max waved his hand over her face, nothing. She was staring at him with a sappy smile.
He wanted to shout with laughter, it was so comical and yet so sweet. From the first day onwards, he’d thought it wasn’t meant to be. Now, it seemed so different, so…possible. It was hard trapping his euphoria inside.
“Earth to the Martian.”
That got her attention. “Huh?” She came back blinking. Then her face flushed. How big a fool did I just make out of myself? From that grin on his face, could NOT have been minor. Goddamn it!
But it didn’t change anything. She was happy, in love and she didn’t care even if the whole world knew.
“Aw… hun.” He nuzzled the side of her face, relishing the way she let him in. This was totally new. And totally addictive.
“Max!” Liz managed to get out. "Can we do this, I don’t know…inside?? I don’t relish giving the town a free show!”
“Would it be that bad?” He continued, apparently as if he hadn’t heard a thing. She tried to squirm away but he was having none of it.
"I’m sure the rest of the world would also like to know what it’s like “seeing stars”? He hinted broadly.
She pulled back from him but he beat her to it. Leaning their foreheads together, he spoke softly but there was no doubt of the sincerity or determination. "Forget about it. You’re mine, got it? I don’t share.”
Only the car going by with teenagers playing a jukebox at its loudest stopped them from going at it right then and there.
“Can we show a little control?” He moaned as she attacked him. Then he nearly swallowed his teeth. "Liz!!” He held her marauding hands away.
"Stop that!!”
“Why?” She whispered as her teeth found his ear. His slightly big ears. He called himself “Dumbo” after the cartoon, but she thought it gave him more character.
His exact response had been “Yeah right. To a bunch of elephants maybe. The ones that fly through air!”
The porch light went on in a house down the block and they both flattened themselves.
“See??” he hissed. "That’s why!”
She pouted for all of a second and then stifled her laughter as he glared at his old neighbor. Not that the guy noticed. He dumped the trash and went inside.
Max dragged Liz in. "Enough!”
“I agree.” Liz started on where she left off.
“LIZ!!”
The only thing that came from the living room sofa, which was as far as they got, was Liz’s stifled shrieks of laughter.
FBI caravan, inside Roswell city limits.
Same time. 9:00 pm.
“We’re here”.
“Head for the Mesaliko Indian reservations. He’s there. I can guarantee it.” Agent Burns ordered, gathering up his faculties. He knew Evans would be there; it was the most logical choice.
"What about his house?”
“The neighbors would’ve called in the FBI if they spotted him. APB ‘s still out.”
“Why would they?” Samuels asked as they turned off the exit.
“Why wouldn’t they? If indeed the FBI were to investigate there, they’d be the ones to face accessory charges. And also there’s the fact that the reservation is into the woods, thus more of a chance for his escape.”
"Frasier Woods?”
“Right.” Burns stubbed out his burnt out cigarette. “I want every inch of the woods combed before the folks over their raise the alarm.”
The headlights of the Army jeeps picked up the trail into the dark woods. It was still January, hence no campers. The agents got out, ready to start the hunt.
Agent Burns got out of the jeep. “As of right now, we have direct jurisdiction to search the woods and its surrounding perimeter. I want Evans found.”
Everyone nodded. Burns turned to Samuels. “Take another team into the city. I want his parents’ house checked out, enquiries made. Start with five blocks away and zero in on the aforementioned location. Any questions?”
Samuels looked at him. “What plan is this?”
“On my way from Andrews, I saw a dogfight. That’s exactly what I’m doing. We have to be everywhere at once otherwise he’ll slip through, just as he always had. I’ll take a group into the reservation. You, Conrad, you take the rest into Frazier Woods and Samuels, you take the men and head for his house.”
All the men split up, but Samuels called Burns back. “And what do we when we get him? Shoot or arrest him?”
“Restrain him using any means necessary. We’ve technically got no grounds to pick him up on, but fib it out. If it’s public, then try an arrest. If it’s private, kidnap him.”
“Got it. Move out!”
Everyone leapt for their given tasks.
Evans’ Family home.
“Liz?”
“Hmm?” came the highly satisfied, indolent purr.
“So what’s it feel like? Being a princess and all?” Max bit back his laughter. He’d been teasing her about her Princess-like moods for so long and now that it had actually come true…oh well. Guess that won’t be used as a zinger anymore.
“Hey!! We don’t know anything for sure.” She warned, sitting up from her position on his lap. He tried to bring her down but she pinned his hands to thin air.
It was his turn to squirm. “Okay, Liz. You’ve made your point.”
“Ya think?” she asked lazily, pulling up the sheet to cover herself better. “Here I was thinking that I haven’t even started.”
“Honey," he said patiently. "If you think you’re “just getting started’ think again. At the rate you’re going, I’ll be long since finished.”
She blushed but kept her smirk intact. Giddy with love, she watched as his pupils dilated as she leaned in close. “That’s the idea.”
The phone rang just as things had gotten heated up.
“Goddamn it!!” Max growled. "I feel like I’m back in high school, never getting past 2nd base!!”
“Naughty, naughty… you did that to chicks in Roswell?”
“Umm….” Max was more occupied with sampling her stomach to worry about chicks from Roswell.
“Where was I back then?? I must’ve missed on one hell of… damn!!” She bit out as the phone kept on ringing.
“Ignore it.” Max panted out between kisses. “Or better still, zap it. Then it won’t bug you anymore.”
She stilled under his ministrations. He followed suit. “Liz? What is it?”
She looked up at him. "Isn’t that your house phone?”
It didn’t penetrate for a second but when it did, Max blanched.
“Shit!! No one’s supposed to know we’re here!” He yanked on his boxers and leapt out of bed, Liz hot on his heels.
The phone kept on ringing. It was nearly 11:00 pm. No one should be calling. They looked at each other, wide-eyed.
Max reached for it. Liz grabbed his hand. “Don’t answer it. Maybe someone saw something. ”
“How could that be?”
Then a truly horrible thought occurred to Max. "Unless…” Breathe, breathe! "Unless it’s the FBI.”
Liz felt her face go slack with shock. Then it clenched up until her head pounded with migraine. “SHIT!”
The answering machine picked it up. “Hello.... you’ve reached the residence of the Evans family. As you know, there is no one around. Please leave a message. It may be a while till we can get back to you.”
The beep sounded. They both held their breaths.
“Max?? Are you there?” It was a raspy old voice.
Max started violently, and then pressed the speakerphone on. “Hello?? River Dog? Is that you?”
‘Yes, yes! Please, Max, tell me what happened! Why is the FBI looking for you?”
Max looked up at a small, horrified sound from Liz. She had her hand pressed over her mouth to trap any betraying signs, her face terrified. Dammit it all to hell!! All I asked for was ONE night, ONE MEASLY NIGHT!!
“What did they tell you?” Max asked guardedly. It had to be bad, because River Dog would never have called otherwise. Speaking of which… “How did you know how to call here?”
“I saw you.”
“WHAT?” Max whispered, aghast. “When? HOW?”
“I saw you last night. I went past your house because I was worried about you. I saw the news.” There was a pause, and then Max broke it.
“What else did you see?”
“I saw a woman.” River Dog didn’t waste words; he knew he had little time. "Now, listen to me, Max! You grew up in front of my eyes! I know that there’s NO WAY on Earth you’d commit murder! I know that! So what’s going on? Why is the FBI after you? Does this have something to do with your sister’s death?”
Max winced. “Something like that.” Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see Liz breathe deeply, furious.
“All I know is that they’re combing the reservation as well as Frazier Woods. My guess is that your house isn’t too far away. Get out of there, NOW!”
“I can’t. But if I send over a friend, someone I care about, will you take care of her?" Max spoke slowly, letting the determination behind each syllable sink in. “Please, River Dog, I don’t trust her with anyone else.”
Another brief, troubled silence. “Would this be the same woman I saw at your house last night?”
Max nodded towards Liz, assuring her that it was okay. She relaxed slightly. "Yes. I wouldn’t ask this of you if it weren’t serious! Please, I’m begging you.”
“No need to beg, son. I’ll help her. Is she the reason why you’re running from the law?”
Max watched in dismay as a lone tear streaked down Liz’s glassy eyes. She turned away, but her pain was apparent.
“No, she’s not!” He enunciated the last word, but it didn’t have its desired effect. “She’s got nothing to do with this! I’m just afraid that she’ll be labelled…”
“Guilty by association. I understand.” River Dog finished.
“Yes!” Max sighed in relief. “Yes. So when’s a good time? Please don’t tell anyone about her. She’ll make her way to you.”
“Name?”
They stared at each other for one moment, electric in temperament. Then Liz nodded. Her intent was clear; she trusted him.
“Her name’s Liz.”
FBI vans
Entering Main Street, 3 blocks away from the Evans’ residence[/b]
“Agent Burns?”
“Yes?” Burns bit out. He was freezing on the wet underbrush of the murky infamous Frazier Woods and he wasn’t a happy camper.
“Sir, we’re entering Main Street now. So far, nothing.”
“Check with his neighbors. See if they mention seeing anything unusual.”
“Right. we’ll keep you updated.”
“Great. You do that. Now go do what you were assigned to so that you actually have something to update me on!”
The chastised agent rang off.
“Asshole.” Burns muttered as he hung up.
A discreet ahem brought him up short. “What now?" Turning, he found another member of his team standing there, looking sheepish.
“WHAT?”
“Nothing sir. We just received confirmation. Yesterday someone claims she saw Evans.”
“Who?” Instantly, Burns was on full alert. “Who claims they saw Evans?”
“This young lady.” The agent stepped aside to admit a very pretty Native American girl in her early 20s.
“I saw him. There’s no way I’d mistake him with anyone else.”
“And why is that, ma’am?" Burns asked.
"You don’t forget an ex like that.” She answered calmly. Actually the last time she’d seen Max Evans was when she’d made a pass at his friend, Michael, back in grade school. But River Dog had insisted that she tell them that and also give out Max’s location, which the grizzled Indian had said was the motel 3 miles outside town. No need to give it to them in black and white, he’d said, just hint at it. He’d also told her to make her arguments so inane that they would be confused and completely disbelieve her.
“Where did you see him? Can anyone else verify?”
“You can ask everyone who was at the street in that time at that a particular part of the road! I saw him in a cab. It stopped at the same red light. He didn’t see me. Too bad.”
“I see.” Burns said politely, yet he knew it was another dead-end.
Convenient timing that just when they were in the middle of the search, an ex would magically appear. But it was still worth a shot. After all, with Max Evans, you just never knew.
“Would you happen to know where he might stay?”
“Have you tried his house?” she said nonchalantly. "But no, it’s not a possibility. It’s been deserted ever since his father was taken away. The poor, poor boy.”
“Yes…” Burns was fast losing patience.
“Of course, he could’ve headed outside town, to that motel near the highway. Very convenient for making out of the jams, you know?”
This was a blatant lie. Roswell was, at best, a small town. There were certainly no traffic jams that Evans would want to say away from.
The ex continued. “He hasn’t come back after this sister’s death, I might be mistaken though. Maybe it wasn’t Max at all.”
The other agent ground out in frustration. “But you just said you saw him!”
The girl batted her eyelashes. “I did? Well then, I guess so.”
“Thank you for your help.” Burns walked away.
Interesting that as soon as they started sniffing around the reservation, so many helpful incidences took place.
Burns flipped open his cell. “Samuels?”
“Yeah.”
“How much longer in town?”
“We’re a block away.”
“God, hurry up! I doubt you’ll find anything there. He’s here!”
Samuels perked up. The leads so far were useless. No one had even seen Max Evans. Most of the people were new anyways, they’d never even heard of him.
“You found him?”
“Not yet, but I know he’s here. Locals are getting mighty excited.”
“Fine. We’ll do a sweep of his house and we’re coming back.”
“Right. Congressman Davis may stop with his diatribe ”
“Alleluia.”
Samuels took off in the direction of Murray Lane.
Leme know, and thanks guys for the tremendous feedback. So glad all of you liked the *ahem* M/L monet. I aim to please, after all. Lol, psycho, Tea, mrsjbehr - welcome! Hope you guys like this.
All my old faithful dear readers - hugs.
Sarah
Hey Guys!!! Woweee, hehe, lotsa theories, huh?
Angel - yep, someone really should. As for the decoy, well, the plan was to draw the FBI from Max's house and concetarte more on the reservation. that would give breathign room to Max and Liz. Burns fell for it, too. Thanks for the lovely f/b!
Tea - Hmm... my lips are zipped. you'll have to find out.
Lol, very close to home, though.
Mar - You know what? that's a great idea! I love a sappy Liz, too. So don't kill me yet, buddy.
mrsjbehr - Hiya! hehe, yep, that's them. Thanks for sticking around.
roswelluver - HI!! Thanks for reading!!!
Frenchkis - Aww, sweetie, like i said to mar, don't kill me just yet. Lol, I know, they were always better togther than they were apart, including the damn show.
Eve - Hi!! I hear ya! Btw, it wasn't an ex, really. More of like a friend. She had a crush on Mikey g, i think I mentioned...dunno.
Thanks for all the lovely f/b, guys! Here's a brand new part.
~~~~/\~~~~
Chapter 46
Murray Lane. Max’s house
Max hung up. Beside him, she hadn’t moved an inch. Max took hold of her chin and raised her face to his. She wouldn’t meet his eyes.
“We’ve got no time. You have to leave.”
She looked at him, betrayed. “Why? Why do I have to go away? If anyone should be taken into custody, it’s me!”
“Will you stop this? NONE of us should be going in!”
Her eyes turned hard. “I know that!”
Then her seemingly hard façade disappeared. “I can’t believe this is happening!”
“Shh…please don’t. It breaks my heart to see you like this.”
She pulled away and went back to the bedroom. Yanking on clothes, she got manged to get out between a few ill-timed hiccups,
“How do you expect me to remain? Happy that you’re going to go through God knows what because of me? For all we know, you could turn into a case like Alex!! Oh my God!!”
“Liz.” He spoke her name and felt himself strengthen. “It’s okay. They wouldn’t do that. Trust me.”
“I do, Max. I trust you more than anything!” She reached up to pull his t-shirt down his chest. “But how’re you going to stop them? You can’t!! And I don’t even know what symptoms you might end up with. Jesus!”
“Just stop it, okay?” He took her in his arms, turned her around her swept her hair back from her nape. Placing a gentle kiss, he zipped up her top. “Nothing’s going to happen to me.”
She buried herself in his arms, feeling a brief respite from the never-ending battle for existence. “I wish I could take this back.”
He pulled away slightly. When he spoke, his voice was hard. “Don’t ever say that again. I don’t regret it. Not even for a second. Not unless you’re saying this because you regret us.”
She breathed in loudly, trying to keep the sobs out. “I regret doing this to you. But I can’t make myself say that I regret what happened between us. I can’t. I’d be lying to both of us if I said it was so.”
He smoothed the hair off her face. Her lovely, tearstained face. “Thank you. That’s all I wanted to hear.”
She needed him to know. “I mean it. When I was in there with Alex, I was all set to kill him and myself. But when Michael mentioned you…. I just couldn’t do it.”
He kissed her eyelid. “I know. I saw.”
“You did?” When?
“Yeah. When you healed me.” There was intense pride and possessiveness behind his controlled tone.
“That’s what’s worrying me right now. What if they discover something abnormal in your system? Suppose they match it with reports on Alex?”
“They won’t. It’s destroyed, remember?”
“Oh.” She breathed easier “Right. But still….”
“It was the most humbling experience of my life.” He took her face in his hands as he spoke. His eyes burned. “The fact that you would do that for me. That you would risk your life, your everything, just to make sure I wouldn’t suffer…..I can’t begin to tell you what it feels like.”
She sniffed. “You’re doing the same for me now. Consider us even.”
He smiled but it was so sad, it tore her apart. “I never thought otherwise. I might have said we were different, we couldn’t be, but inside, I knew it was right. We were equals from day one. Different circumstances, but the same end result. We shouldn’t belong together, but we just…do.”
She couldn’t stand it anymore. “Please, Max. I’m begging you. Come with me.”
His eyes stung with the effort. “I can’t. I have to set this right. It’s the only way.”
She broke off from his arms, hurting too much. “What do I do?’
“You’ll go to the reservation, ask for River Dog. He’ll make sure that you’re safe. Michael’s going to contact you.”
She started. “Mike?”
“Yeah. He’ll contact you as soon as I give him the all-clear sign. It won’t be soon. Probably a few months at best. If all goes well, you can do whatever you like. Starting with leaving.’
She shook his hand off. “Will you stop saying that? I’m not going anywhere! God, it’s like you want me to leave!”
“That’s not true. But I’d rather have you leave then find you in another white room!”
She flinched. "And that’s what I’m trying to tell you! What if I find you in that position?”
“Do as I say and we’ll both have at least a fighting chance. You do realize that the entire goddamned free world will be looking for us if this doesn’t go right?”
She nodded reluctantly. He was right. If things didn’t go according to the plan, there would be no safe place. Ever.
He continued. There was so little time. “If Mike contacts you, then you know it’s okay. It worked. You can leave or stay, it’s up to you. And if he doesn’t, then…listen to me!” He jerked her around until she was facing him. “You swore to me once and I’m holding you to it.” She looked away, knowing what was to come.
“Look at me.” He insisted. She did. “I want you to take the granolith and go. If Mike doesn’t reach you, consider it over. We failed.”
“NO!” she said wildly. “I refuse to consider it! We can’t fail. We can’t.”
“I know that, but there’s always a chance. If we do, know for a fact that there’s nothing they won’t do to hunt you down. I won’t be here anymore and even if I were still alive, I’d be under too heavy a security for me to try and escape. And even if I do, they’ll keep tracking me. You saw how the last few days have been! Do you honestly want that for the rest of both of our lifetimes?”
“I don’t care.”
“I DO! Please. You gave me your word.”
She stared to his side fixedly, refusing to meet his earnest, sincere expression. He made complete sense yet everything that was her, rebelled at the thought of leaving him. It just wasn’t fair.
She changed the subject. “How will Mike contact me?”
“He’ll send word through River Dog. Check monthly for news.” He knew she’d plant herself there, so he added. “Make sure you’re not there.”
She sighed. It was all so complicated, so cloak-and-dagger. She hated it.
“Fine. Let me just do a check of your system.”
“Huh?” What’s she talking about?
Liz held out her hand. “Let me connect with you.”
Even the words cut. If their connection existed, they’d have to bear with it, knowing that they weren’t together.
“I’ll try and see if we can shut it down.”
He frowned. “Why?”
Because I don’t want to know if you’re happier in a life without me. I don’t want to bear the thought of you in pain either. I can't live my life knowing I have a bond with you forever.
“In case they find something.” She said shortly but he could guess her reasons. It would be better if the break was clean, but God, it sounded so final!
“Can you do that?” he managed to say.
“I’ll use the crystal. I’m sure it can be done.”
She took out the Granolith diamond. It reminded Max of the hulking monolith sitting inside the rock. He shuddered, remembering the way Liz’s forehead had glowed, reminding him for the umpteenth time, that maybe there was a better future for her out there after all.
She took his hand, intertwining their fingers. It felt so right. She could feel him shiver. She concentrated, leaving their connection wide open in her brain, trying to use the power of the Granolith to subdue it, extinguish it from within. She felt him fight it at first and then give in. Nothing happened
“It’s not working.”
She breathed spasmodically. “We don’t want it to.”
He nodded, and then gave up. “Fine. I’m ready. Try it again.”
She sounded breathy, the way a person does when fighting back sobs. “Me too.”
“Wait." He stopped her. For a moment, time stood still. “Maybe we should…y’know…uh, try kissing.” He said, scratching behind his ear in an embarrassed gesture. “After all, most of the time we had flashes were when we…” Listen to me, I’ve made love with this women like I’d never breathe again and I can’t talk about kissing. I’m so whipped.
“No!” She almost snapped. Her meaning was clear; if they kissed, they’d never be able to let each other go.
She tried again. This time, Max felt himself free-falling, just like the time he’d gotten the flash of the high rock. Only this time, things went back in reverse order. He felt like he was a tape rewinding, going in backward sequence. The first time they’d let themselves speak the words aloud, the first time they danced, they first time they made love, the time she healed him, the time he left her, their first connection. He felt himself going all the way back to the plane, and finally the bar in Bangkok.
Liz opened her eyes, tears falling freely. "It worked.”
He fought back tears. He’d hadn’t realized how much he’d wanted her to be wrong.
“Yeah, I guess it did.”
She nodded dumbly. It felt like someone had poured acid down her throat; it was so hard to speak.
She tugged on his shirt, making him look down at her. "I wish you were with me.” She blurted out.
“I wish that too. So much.” He sighed.
“No, I mean, when I was growing up. Like during high school, just plain going out on dates, that sorta thing. It seems like I waited my entire life for something, only to have it snatched away.”
Neither of them had an answer to that.
“So it’s all gone?” He deftly changed the subject, as he traced her profile with his fingertip, loving and hating her intrinsic reaction.
“Scientifically speaking, I removed traces of whatever we transferred….y’know.” She scratched out from her throat, looking pink. “They won’t find any traces of anything. Let’s just hope the connection thing disappears too. Hah!! It seems the ‘guilty by association’ thing was really true! If I don’t remove the traces, you’re marked.”
He shrugged. He wasn’t in a hurry to lose all signs of her from his life. His hands stilled on her back. ‘I want to be marked.”
She stopped him from speaking further. “Keep saying things like that Max, and I won’t be able to go through with any of this!”
He shushed her. “Shh… it’s okay. You’re a survivor, you’ll make it.”
She shook her head against his chest. “I don’t want to!”
“You will. Remember that you have a higher calling. No matter what you may think now, it can be more important.” He forced the words out. “More important that us.”
He felt her scowl against his chest. “It won’t be!”
“You don’t know that.”
“Fine!” She yanked away an inch, enough so that he could see her face. “I don’t know anything! But I do know this! This is the best thing that ever happened to me! And, God, if I had another chance….” She trailed off, unable to complete the sentence. But she didn’t need to, he understood. It mirrored his own.
“I want that, too. I wish it for every memory I have. I wish that you were there. Every single time.” She nodded, feeling weak. They rocked in each other’s arms quietly.
A small scratch sounded.
“What the…” Then it hit him. Too much time had gone by.
“Wait here. Let me go…” That was as far he got. Both of them heard the soft throb of a powerful engine outside. Max felt Liz stiffen in his arms, terrified. Now she was trapped inside, too.
He pulled away, making his way stealthily to his window. He passed her an old sunglass on his way. “Make it infra-red.” She had it done in a matter of seconds.
“Here.”
He put it on and peeked out from underneath the heavy curtains. There were two Army jeeps. There were at least four agents surrounding the house. There was no way to escape undetected. Any moment they’d enter the house.
He tugged her towards Maria’s room. “C’mon, we can make it through the backyard.”
“They have someone there.” She whispered.
“I can take him out.”
“Or I can.” She whispered back. She could mind warp him into letting them both escape…Both…both. BOTH!!
“MAX!’ she hissed, elated. "I can mindwarp him! We can both go!” She knew it was a long shot, but she was willing to try all the tricks in the books to make him come with her.
He shook his head; a tiny gesture but his eyes were filled with tears. “You promised. If I don’t do this, we’re going to have keep running forever and pretty soon, we’re going to run out of hiding places. I have to stay!”
“Then I’m staying!”
“WHAT?”
“I’m staying here with you.” She told him flatly. “I don’t care. Let them come and get me!”
“Don’t be absurd!” he hissed. “Stick to the goddamned plan!”
“Shut up!” she growled, her voice guttural. “Leave me with something, for god’s sake!”
At that instant, they both heard the vibrations. Another jeep had just come down the road.
Liz shook off Max’s restraining hand and leapt for the door. For one second, he was paralyzed with fear, fear of what she was doing. Then he sighed. She was fighting an impossible battle but he hadn’t the heart to tell her to stop.
Liz quickly moved to the generic alarm system and swiped her had over it. At this stage, she was prepared to try anything. It turned into state-of-the-art tech, hi-fi model. The Feds needed a hell of a lot more if they wanted to break in. the windows and other exits had been equally sealed, she knew. From outside the door, they could hear the muttered curses, the excited whispers, and the urgent communiqués. They all knew who was behind the closed doors.
Liz yanked Max back into the closest room she could find, one that couldn’t be seen from the outside. It was his parent’s room, still intact, if a little dirty.
Max stared at a family photograph, oddly he didn’t hurt. In anything, he felt relived that it was finally coming to an end.
Liz snuffled, looking at a picture on the dresser. "I finally meet your parents.”
He pulled her into his arms, wishing it wasn’t probably the last time.
“Listen,” He looked away for a second then his eyes returned on her, zeroing in a like a laser. It was almost like flashback to the time when he’d left her in the café before going to meet Pierce. The irony didn’t escape them.
“If something goes wrong, I want you to do something for me. If only even one of us survives, there’s still something left of us both. Would you do that for me? Would you please keep yourself safe?”
She stepped back. Her eyes turned molten, piercing. “NO!! You stay alive!! You hear me? You stay alive, no matter what it takes!” Her voice had risen to a contained roar. He couldn’t look away. “You stay alive! I’ll find you, I swear. I will find you.”
Max’s throat worked but no sound came out. He couldn’t make himself to tell her to stop. Then he did. “You swore to me that you wouldn’t! You won’t, you can’t do that!”
She glared at him mutinously, but he could see the plea in her eyes. “Swear it to me, Liz!”
She felt the dam break. Still she refused to speak the words. Now they had no meaning; without him, there was no meaning in her life, no direction. It had only taken her the 11th hour to realize that.
He tilted her face up to his, the same emotions mirrored in his. “Both our lives are in your hand now. If they connect you with me, it’s over. So tell me you’ll do it.”
Now what do I do? “Fine.” She got out, trying very hard not to break down “I promise.”
He gathered her in close, kissing the top of her head. At that moment, they heard the front door opening.
Liz looked up, feeling him tremble. Whether it was fear or loss, she couldn’t tell but she could feel him. The Granolith had been useless; their connection hadn’t been severed an inch. So much for that. They looked at each other in panic.
She whispered. “Don’t think about me at all! Keep it closed off. God, it’s the only way I’ll survive! If I know that you’re calling out for me…" that was as far as she got.
He covered her lips with his for one bittersweet moment, wanting to feel her in his being one last time. The sounds came closer, moving stealthily; the cordon was in place, the final act of the pavane over. It was time. They clung to each fiercely, unwilling to let go.
I didn't hear you leave
I wonder how am I still here
I don't want to move a thing
It might change my memory
Max released her. “Go.”
He brushed his mouth against her hair. He didn’t want her to watch him being taken away.
Oh I am what I am
I'll do what I want
But I can't hide
She stared at him, memorizing him, every feature. It was breaking both of them. The noise stopped just outside the door. Max’s eyes widened with alarm as she still refused to move, love warring with responsibility.
I won't go, I won't sleep
I can't breathe
Until you're resting here with me
I won't leave, I can't hide
I cannot be
Until you're resting here with me
The door came under assault. From the other side, they could hear the technicians at work, trying to get past Liz’s homemade alarm system. It didn’t last long. They heard the whining of the electric hacksaw intensify; it was seconds away from opening
Max pleaded with his eyes. It was now or never. She ran for the darkest corner in the room, making sure she was invisible to anyone who came in. But she could still see him, just as he could her. In the deafening silence in the room, they stared at each other.
I don't want to call my friends
They might wake me from this dream
And I can't leave this bed,
Risk forgetting all that's been
The door burst open. Max didn’t make a move. Liz had involuntarily cowered when the forced entry took place; the sound of the door splintering was traumatizing. Her entire being protested in letting this happen, but it was happening and she couldn’t stop it.
Oh I am what I am
I'll do what I want
But I can't hide
I won't go, I can't sleep
I can't breathe
Until you're resting here with me
The agents stood still in shock, not believing that they finally found the target. Then Agent Samuels moved forward. All of them moved forward, closing in on him, cutting off escape routes even though he didn’t try. He just kept looking at her. Liz had, in effect, started the mind warp as soon as she saw the intruders. They didn’t know she was standing all of 7 feet away.
I won't leave, I can't hide
I cannot be
Until you're resting here with me
She saw him mouth the words to her silently. I love you. She didn’t know how much control she had left. They didn’t read him his rights; they didn’t even bother to make an effort to pretend that it was going to get a legal cover someday. From his left, one agent came up, holding a hypodermic in his hands. Max still didn’t react. His eyes were on her, telling her how much this had cost. Love, possessiveness, fear, desperation, pride…. it was all there.
Oh I am what I am
I'll do what I want
But I can't hide
At the agent’s movement, he saw her face set. She held up a palm, intending to blow everyone out of there. Max impercibtly shook his head, eyes desperate. If she did that, then they were all dead. She took no notice; her palm started to glow with electricity. It wasn’t going to be pretty.
Max did the only thing he could; he moved in front of the agent.
“Well? Are we going or what?”
Liz’s face crumpled. Another chance lost, but then again, if only to keep him safe, she knew she wouldn’t have done it. Whether or not he was right, she trusted him and now, even though it was killing her, she had to let him go.
I won't go, I can't sleep
I can't breathe
Until you're resting here with me
The agents took hold of Max, pushing him to the floor violently. He went down without struggle. She watched him helplessly as they injected the tranquilizer into his veins, drugging him. He kept looking into her eyes, trying to tell her that it was all right, that he’d been prepared for that. But it didn’t make it any easier. They pulled him upright and turned him around. He could practically hear her inner scream “NO!”
He turned back slightly and she was sitting there, closed off against the world, wrapping her arms around her knees in an effort to keep herself chained to the floor. Their eyes met and he felt her soften. The void across the room grew as the agents started off. Max turned himself away to face Liz, baffling them. They thought he was going to attack, one of them yanked out another syringe. Max memorized the last sight of her, until it was emblazoned in his mind.
The men conversed amongst each other, confused. Samuels barked out an order to move out. Liz looked away, unable to bear the sight of him being dragged away like this. A small sound escaped Max. He wanted to keep looking at her, wanted to see that love in her eyes, because he had a feeling that he would never see it again. She looked back and found herself trapped under the spell of his molten gold eyes. The men yanked him out of the room.
Liz nearly started after them. If she had to do something, she had to do it NOW! The engines rumbled, the quarry was on board. She thought of all that could happen to him and she wanted to die. It's ALL my fault. Why did I have to let him go?
PS - Who said they liked more songs??
Muahahaha!
Sarah.
Angel - yep, someone really should. As for the decoy, well, the plan was to draw the FBI from Max's house and concetarte more on the reservation. that would give breathign room to Max and Liz. Burns fell for it, too.
Thanks for the lovely f/b! Tea - Hmm... my lips are zipped. you'll have to find out.
Lol, very close to home, though.Mar - You know what? that's a great idea! I love a sappy Liz, too. So don't kill me yet, buddy.
mrsjbehr - Hiya! hehe, yep, that's them. Thanks for sticking around.
roswelluver -
HI!! Thanks for reading!!!Frenchkis - Aww, sweetie, like i said to mar, don't kill me just yet. Lol, I know, they were always better togther than they were apart, including the damn show.
Eve - Hi!!
I hear ya! Btw, it wasn't an ex, really. More of like a friend. She had a crush on Mikey g, i think I mentioned...dunno. Thanks for all the lovely f/b, guys! Here's a brand new part.
~~~~/\~~~~
Chapter 46
Murray Lane. Max’s house
Max hung up. Beside him, she hadn’t moved an inch. Max took hold of her chin and raised her face to his. She wouldn’t meet his eyes.
“We’ve got no time. You have to leave.”
She looked at him, betrayed. “Why? Why do I have to go away? If anyone should be taken into custody, it’s me!”
“Will you stop this? NONE of us should be going in!”
Her eyes turned hard. “I know that!”
Then her seemingly hard façade disappeared. “I can’t believe this is happening!”
“Shh…please don’t. It breaks my heart to see you like this.”
She pulled away and went back to the bedroom. Yanking on clothes, she got manged to get out between a few ill-timed hiccups,
“How do you expect me to remain? Happy that you’re going to go through God knows what because of me? For all we know, you could turn into a case like Alex!! Oh my God!!”
“Liz.” He spoke her name and felt himself strengthen. “It’s okay. They wouldn’t do that. Trust me.”
“I do, Max. I trust you more than anything!” She reached up to pull his t-shirt down his chest. “But how’re you going to stop them? You can’t!! And I don’t even know what symptoms you might end up with. Jesus!”
“Just stop it, okay?” He took her in his arms, turned her around her swept her hair back from her nape. Placing a gentle kiss, he zipped up her top. “Nothing’s going to happen to me.”
She buried herself in his arms, feeling a brief respite from the never-ending battle for existence. “I wish I could take this back.”
He pulled away slightly. When he spoke, his voice was hard. “Don’t ever say that again. I don’t regret it. Not even for a second. Not unless you’re saying this because you regret us.”
She breathed in loudly, trying to keep the sobs out. “I regret doing this to you. But I can’t make myself say that I regret what happened between us. I can’t. I’d be lying to both of us if I said it was so.”
He smoothed the hair off her face. Her lovely, tearstained face. “Thank you. That’s all I wanted to hear.”
She needed him to know. “I mean it. When I was in there with Alex, I was all set to kill him and myself. But when Michael mentioned you…. I just couldn’t do it.”
He kissed her eyelid. “I know. I saw.”
“You did?” When?
“Yeah. When you healed me.” There was intense pride and possessiveness behind his controlled tone.
“That’s what’s worrying me right now. What if they discover something abnormal in your system? Suppose they match it with reports on Alex?”
“They won’t. It’s destroyed, remember?”
“Oh.” She breathed easier “Right. But still….”
“It was the most humbling experience of my life.” He took her face in his hands as he spoke. His eyes burned. “The fact that you would do that for me. That you would risk your life, your everything, just to make sure I wouldn’t suffer…..I can’t begin to tell you what it feels like.”
She sniffed. “You’re doing the same for me now. Consider us even.”
He smiled but it was so sad, it tore her apart. “I never thought otherwise. I might have said we were different, we couldn’t be, but inside, I knew it was right. We were equals from day one. Different circumstances, but the same end result. We shouldn’t belong together, but we just…do.”
She couldn’t stand it anymore. “Please, Max. I’m begging you. Come with me.”
His eyes stung with the effort. “I can’t. I have to set this right. It’s the only way.”
She broke off from his arms, hurting too much. “What do I do?’
“You’ll go to the reservation, ask for River Dog. He’ll make sure that you’re safe. Michael’s going to contact you.”
She started. “Mike?”
“Yeah. He’ll contact you as soon as I give him the all-clear sign. It won’t be soon. Probably a few months at best. If all goes well, you can do whatever you like. Starting with leaving.’
She shook his hand off. “Will you stop saying that? I’m not going anywhere! God, it’s like you want me to leave!”
“That’s not true. But I’d rather have you leave then find you in another white room!”
She flinched. "And that’s what I’m trying to tell you! What if I find you in that position?”
“Do as I say and we’ll both have at least a fighting chance. You do realize that the entire goddamned free world will be looking for us if this doesn’t go right?”
She nodded reluctantly. He was right. If things didn’t go according to the plan, there would be no safe place. Ever.
He continued. There was so little time. “If Mike contacts you, then you know it’s okay. It worked. You can leave or stay, it’s up to you. And if he doesn’t, then…listen to me!” He jerked her around until she was facing him. “You swore to me once and I’m holding you to it.” She looked away, knowing what was to come.
“Look at me.” He insisted. She did. “I want you to take the granolith and go. If Mike doesn’t reach you, consider it over. We failed.”
“NO!” she said wildly. “I refuse to consider it! We can’t fail. We can’t.”
“I know that, but there’s always a chance. If we do, know for a fact that there’s nothing they won’t do to hunt you down. I won’t be here anymore and even if I were still alive, I’d be under too heavy a security for me to try and escape. And even if I do, they’ll keep tracking me. You saw how the last few days have been! Do you honestly want that for the rest of both of our lifetimes?”
“I don’t care.”
“I DO! Please. You gave me your word.”
She stared to his side fixedly, refusing to meet his earnest, sincere expression. He made complete sense yet everything that was her, rebelled at the thought of leaving him. It just wasn’t fair.
She changed the subject. “How will Mike contact me?”
“He’ll send word through River Dog. Check monthly for news.” He knew she’d plant herself there, so he added. “Make sure you’re not there.”
She sighed. It was all so complicated, so cloak-and-dagger. She hated it.
“Fine. Let me just do a check of your system.”
“Huh?” What’s she talking about?
Liz held out her hand. “Let me connect with you.”
Even the words cut. If their connection existed, they’d have to bear with it, knowing that they weren’t together.
“I’ll try and see if we can shut it down.”
He frowned. “Why?”
Because I don’t want to know if you’re happier in a life without me. I don’t want to bear the thought of you in pain either. I can't live my life knowing I have a bond with you forever.
“In case they find something.” She said shortly but he could guess her reasons. It would be better if the break was clean, but God, it sounded so final!
“Can you do that?” he managed to say.
“I’ll use the crystal. I’m sure it can be done.”
She took out the Granolith diamond. It reminded Max of the hulking monolith sitting inside the rock. He shuddered, remembering the way Liz’s forehead had glowed, reminding him for the umpteenth time, that maybe there was a better future for her out there after all.
She took his hand, intertwining their fingers. It felt so right. She could feel him shiver. She concentrated, leaving their connection wide open in her brain, trying to use the power of the Granolith to subdue it, extinguish it from within. She felt him fight it at first and then give in. Nothing happened
“It’s not working.”
She breathed spasmodically. “We don’t want it to.”
He nodded, and then gave up. “Fine. I’m ready. Try it again.”
She sounded breathy, the way a person does when fighting back sobs. “Me too.”
“Wait." He stopped her. For a moment, time stood still. “Maybe we should…y’know…uh, try kissing.” He said, scratching behind his ear in an embarrassed gesture. “After all, most of the time we had flashes were when we…” Listen to me, I’ve made love with this women like I’d never breathe again and I can’t talk about kissing. I’m so whipped.
“No!” She almost snapped. Her meaning was clear; if they kissed, they’d never be able to let each other go.
She tried again. This time, Max felt himself free-falling, just like the time he’d gotten the flash of the high rock. Only this time, things went back in reverse order. He felt like he was a tape rewinding, going in backward sequence. The first time they’d let themselves speak the words aloud, the first time they danced, they first time they made love, the time she healed him, the time he left her, their first connection. He felt himself going all the way back to the plane, and finally the bar in Bangkok.
Liz opened her eyes, tears falling freely. "It worked.”
He fought back tears. He’d hadn’t realized how much he’d wanted her to be wrong.
“Yeah, I guess it did.”
She nodded dumbly. It felt like someone had poured acid down her throat; it was so hard to speak.
She tugged on his shirt, making him look down at her. "I wish you were with me.” She blurted out.
“I wish that too. So much.” He sighed.
“No, I mean, when I was growing up. Like during high school, just plain going out on dates, that sorta thing. It seems like I waited my entire life for something, only to have it snatched away.”
Neither of them had an answer to that.
“So it’s all gone?” He deftly changed the subject, as he traced her profile with his fingertip, loving and hating her intrinsic reaction.
“Scientifically speaking, I removed traces of whatever we transferred….y’know.” She scratched out from her throat, looking pink. “They won’t find any traces of anything. Let’s just hope the connection thing disappears too. Hah!! It seems the ‘guilty by association’ thing was really true! If I don’t remove the traces, you’re marked.”
He shrugged. He wasn’t in a hurry to lose all signs of her from his life. His hands stilled on her back. ‘I want to be marked.”
She stopped him from speaking further. “Keep saying things like that Max, and I won’t be able to go through with any of this!”
He shushed her. “Shh… it’s okay. You’re a survivor, you’ll make it.”
She shook her head against his chest. “I don’t want to!”
“You will. Remember that you have a higher calling. No matter what you may think now, it can be more important.” He forced the words out. “More important that us.”
He felt her scowl against his chest. “It won’t be!”
“You don’t know that.”
“Fine!” She yanked away an inch, enough so that he could see her face. “I don’t know anything! But I do know this! This is the best thing that ever happened to me! And, God, if I had another chance….” She trailed off, unable to complete the sentence. But she didn’t need to, he understood. It mirrored his own.
“I want that, too. I wish it for every memory I have. I wish that you were there. Every single time.” She nodded, feeling weak. They rocked in each other’s arms quietly.
A small scratch sounded.
“What the…” Then it hit him. Too much time had gone by.
“Wait here. Let me go…” That was as far he got. Both of them heard the soft throb of a powerful engine outside. Max felt Liz stiffen in his arms, terrified. Now she was trapped inside, too.
He pulled away, making his way stealthily to his window. He passed her an old sunglass on his way. “Make it infra-red.” She had it done in a matter of seconds.
“Here.”
He put it on and peeked out from underneath the heavy curtains. There were two Army jeeps. There were at least four agents surrounding the house. There was no way to escape undetected. Any moment they’d enter the house.
He tugged her towards Maria’s room. “C’mon, we can make it through the backyard.”
“They have someone there.” She whispered.
“I can take him out.”
“Or I can.” She whispered back. She could mind warp him into letting them both escape…Both…both. BOTH!!
“MAX!’ she hissed, elated. "I can mindwarp him! We can both go!” She knew it was a long shot, but she was willing to try all the tricks in the books to make him come with her.
He shook his head; a tiny gesture but his eyes were filled with tears. “You promised. If I don’t do this, we’re going to have keep running forever and pretty soon, we’re going to run out of hiding places. I have to stay!”
“Then I’m staying!”
“WHAT?”
“I’m staying here with you.” She told him flatly. “I don’t care. Let them come and get me!”
“Don’t be absurd!” he hissed. “Stick to the goddamned plan!”
“Shut up!” she growled, her voice guttural. “Leave me with something, for god’s sake!”
At that instant, they both heard the vibrations. Another jeep had just come down the road.
Liz shook off Max’s restraining hand and leapt for the door. For one second, he was paralyzed with fear, fear of what she was doing. Then he sighed. She was fighting an impossible battle but he hadn’t the heart to tell her to stop.
Liz quickly moved to the generic alarm system and swiped her had over it. At this stage, she was prepared to try anything. It turned into state-of-the-art tech, hi-fi model. The Feds needed a hell of a lot more if they wanted to break in. the windows and other exits had been equally sealed, she knew. From outside the door, they could hear the muttered curses, the excited whispers, and the urgent communiqués. They all knew who was behind the closed doors.
Liz yanked Max back into the closest room she could find, one that couldn’t be seen from the outside. It was his parent’s room, still intact, if a little dirty.
Max stared at a family photograph, oddly he didn’t hurt. In anything, he felt relived that it was finally coming to an end.
Liz snuffled, looking at a picture on the dresser. "I finally meet your parents.”
He pulled her into his arms, wishing it wasn’t probably the last time.
“Listen,” He looked away for a second then his eyes returned on her, zeroing in a like a laser. It was almost like flashback to the time when he’d left her in the café before going to meet Pierce. The irony didn’t escape them.
“If something goes wrong, I want you to do something for me. If only even one of us survives, there’s still something left of us both. Would you do that for me? Would you please keep yourself safe?”
She stepped back. Her eyes turned molten, piercing. “NO!! You stay alive!! You hear me? You stay alive, no matter what it takes!” Her voice had risen to a contained roar. He couldn’t look away. “You stay alive! I’ll find you, I swear. I will find you.”
Max’s throat worked but no sound came out. He couldn’t make himself to tell her to stop. Then he did. “You swore to me that you wouldn’t! You won’t, you can’t do that!”
She glared at him mutinously, but he could see the plea in her eyes. “Swear it to me, Liz!”
She felt the dam break. Still she refused to speak the words. Now they had no meaning; without him, there was no meaning in her life, no direction. It had only taken her the 11th hour to realize that.
He tilted her face up to his, the same emotions mirrored in his. “Both our lives are in your hand now. If they connect you with me, it’s over. So tell me you’ll do it.”
Now what do I do? “Fine.” She got out, trying very hard not to break down “I promise.”
He gathered her in close, kissing the top of her head. At that moment, they heard the front door opening.
Liz looked up, feeling him tremble. Whether it was fear or loss, she couldn’t tell but she could feel him. The Granolith had been useless; their connection hadn’t been severed an inch. So much for that. They looked at each other in panic.
She whispered. “Don’t think about me at all! Keep it closed off. God, it’s the only way I’ll survive! If I know that you’re calling out for me…" that was as far as she got.
He covered her lips with his for one bittersweet moment, wanting to feel her in his being one last time. The sounds came closer, moving stealthily; the cordon was in place, the final act of the pavane over. It was time. They clung to each fiercely, unwilling to let go.
I didn't hear you leave
I wonder how am I still here
I don't want to move a thing
It might change my memory
Max released her. “Go.”
He brushed his mouth against her hair. He didn’t want her to watch him being taken away.
Oh I am what I am
I'll do what I want
But I can't hide
She stared at him, memorizing him, every feature. It was breaking both of them. The noise stopped just outside the door. Max’s eyes widened with alarm as she still refused to move, love warring with responsibility.
I won't go, I won't sleep
I can't breathe
Until you're resting here with me
I won't leave, I can't hide
I cannot be
Until you're resting here with me
The door came under assault. From the other side, they could hear the technicians at work, trying to get past Liz’s homemade alarm system. It didn’t last long. They heard the whining of the electric hacksaw intensify; it was seconds away from opening
Max pleaded with his eyes. It was now or never. She ran for the darkest corner in the room, making sure she was invisible to anyone who came in. But she could still see him, just as he could her. In the deafening silence in the room, they stared at each other.
I don't want to call my friends
They might wake me from this dream
And I can't leave this bed,
Risk forgetting all that's been
The door burst open. Max didn’t make a move. Liz had involuntarily cowered when the forced entry took place; the sound of the door splintering was traumatizing. Her entire being protested in letting this happen, but it was happening and she couldn’t stop it.
Oh I am what I am
I'll do what I want
But I can't hide
I won't go, I can't sleep
I can't breathe
Until you're resting here with me
The agents stood still in shock, not believing that they finally found the target. Then Agent Samuels moved forward. All of them moved forward, closing in on him, cutting off escape routes even though he didn’t try. He just kept looking at her. Liz had, in effect, started the mind warp as soon as she saw the intruders. They didn’t know she was standing all of 7 feet away.
I won't leave, I can't hide
I cannot be
Until you're resting here with me
She saw him mouth the words to her silently. I love you. She didn’t know how much control she had left. They didn’t read him his rights; they didn’t even bother to make an effort to pretend that it was going to get a legal cover someday. From his left, one agent came up, holding a hypodermic in his hands. Max still didn’t react. His eyes were on her, telling her how much this had cost. Love, possessiveness, fear, desperation, pride…. it was all there.
Oh I am what I am
I'll do what I want
But I can't hide
At the agent’s movement, he saw her face set. She held up a palm, intending to blow everyone out of there. Max impercibtly shook his head, eyes desperate. If she did that, then they were all dead. She took no notice; her palm started to glow with electricity. It wasn’t going to be pretty.
Max did the only thing he could; he moved in front of the agent.
“Well? Are we going or what?”
Liz’s face crumpled. Another chance lost, but then again, if only to keep him safe, she knew she wouldn’t have done it. Whether or not he was right, she trusted him and now, even though it was killing her, she had to let him go.
I won't go, I can't sleep
I can't breathe
Until you're resting here with me
The agents took hold of Max, pushing him to the floor violently. He went down without struggle. She watched him helplessly as they injected the tranquilizer into his veins, drugging him. He kept looking into her eyes, trying to tell her that it was all right, that he’d been prepared for that. But it didn’t make it any easier. They pulled him upright and turned him around. He could practically hear her inner scream “NO!”
He turned back slightly and she was sitting there, closed off against the world, wrapping her arms around her knees in an effort to keep herself chained to the floor. Their eyes met and he felt her soften. The void across the room grew as the agents started off. Max turned himself away to face Liz, baffling them. They thought he was going to attack, one of them yanked out another syringe. Max memorized the last sight of her, until it was emblazoned in his mind.
The men conversed amongst each other, confused. Samuels barked out an order to move out. Liz looked away, unable to bear the sight of him being dragged away like this. A small sound escaped Max. He wanted to keep looking at her, wanted to see that love in her eyes, because he had a feeling that he would never see it again. She looked back and found herself trapped under the spell of his molten gold eyes. The men yanked him out of the room.
Liz nearly started after them. If she had to do something, she had to do it NOW! The engines rumbled, the quarry was on board. She thought of all that could happen to him and she wanted to die. It's ALL my fault. Why did I have to let him go?
PS - Who said they liked more songs??
Muahahaha! Sarah.
mrsjbehr - How the hell did you stand it? Aww, darling, thanks.
Okie guys. Update. Lemme know.
Chapter 47
Mesaliko Indian reservation, Roswell New Mexico.
14th February 2013.
The New Mexico spring had just come around. The days were soothingly cooler than the broiling heat that plagued the natives for the better part of the year. The nights were magical, lit up with clear skies, stargazing trips and romantic rendezvous. All of this, Liz Parker reflected on, as she sat in a rickety bench in an isolated part of the reservation. It had been more than one and half month since she last saw Max. The memory of that night was enough to send her into depression forever. But she’d never fallen, she’d held herself together, if only for the faint hope that he’d left her with – Michael would contact her with news.
If it were good news, if his plan had worked, then Michael would tell her what Max had decided, if she was allowed to stick around. If it failed, then there was no point for her to stick around. He was dead or worse. Liz shook off the dreary thoughts.
A couple walked past her, looking moony-eyed. The old Liz would’ve rolled her eyes or at least averted her eyes. The new Liz just stared back at them, sure her eyes were giving off such resentment and jealousy that it had to be the reason why the couple speed-walked out of her sight.
What am I, cursed? But, I’m going to pin my hopes on this day, no matter what! It’s Valentine’s Day. I KNOW Max will find a way to get through to me, I know he will! I just have to be patient.
It was still bright midday. She heard footsteps behind her and whirled around. It was River Dog, the grizzled Indian who’d almost been Max’s surrogate father. He smiled sadly at her. She hadn’t told him anything about herself, her alien heritage. He hadn’t even asked her once. Why Max was in FBI custody, why she was there. Nothing. He just kept quiet and observed everything.
“Liz.” He smiled as he approached her. “Care for something to eat or are you planning to skip lunch?” She started to reply that she didn’t want anything but he beat her to it with a polite smile. “Again.”
She looked sheepish. “Sorry, River Dog. I’m not hungry.”
He sat down next to her. “Child, you’re never hungry when you come here. Why? You don’t like Mexican food?”
She smiled weakly. “Actually, I love it, but I’m just…”
“Not hungry.” He finished.
“Right.”
There was a comfortable silence, as the old man smoked his pipe. Liz couldn’t help but wonder what would’ve happened if she’d made her way to the reservation instead of Albuquerque when she’d hatched. The man sitting next to her would’ve helped her through, she was sure of it. He acted like a grandparent, something she’d never had. It made her all nostalgic whenever she saw him and now was no different. Especially since she was missing Max so much.
“He won’t come." River Dog told her in a low, sympathetic tone.
Liz jumped out of her skin. “Did he tell you that? How do you know?"
“Sit down, Elizabeth. He didn’t tell me anything. I never talked to him after that phone call. I’m just saying that if he wanted to come back, he wouldn’t have suggested this place to you."
“What makes you say that?” Liz was getting more and more scared. Why would he never want to come back? He knows I’m waiting for him!
“He knew you would be safe here. If a rendezvous were required, he wouldn’t have wanted yet another safe place for you to become dangerous. That’s what I think. I could be wrong, though." He hastily added, seeing the crestfallen look on her face.
“How do you know what’s safe for me and what isn’t?” How much does he know?
“He said something about being guilty by association. I’m assuming there’ve been people who’ve seen you together.”
“No.” she sighed. “No one’s seen us together.”
The sentence stuck in her mind long after River Dog left. It hurt that they never had a chance to be a normal couple. For one day, she would’ve traded her soul just to see him again, even for a second. His words, all the things he’d said, rained down on her mind on endless nights, when she’d just sit and miss his presence more than she could stand. It wasn’t living and it was much worse than her childhood.
She now knew what it was to love but having it thrown out to sea every time she got close…it was getting intolerable.
~~~/\~~~
Dusk fell, still no word. Another day had vanished and still nothing. Liz marked off another day from her mind. Another 14 hours wasted, waiting for Max to call.
“Need company?”
It was Kara, one of the natives. She had been a friend to Liz ever since she’d shared that her secret, if hopeless, crush on Michael still hadn’t gone. She’d been Max’s friend when they’d been younger. It had been nice to find out itty-bitty pieces of Max’s childhood.
Liz moved over, making space. Her stomach rumbled. She hadn’t had anything after breakfast.
Kara smiled and held out a plate of tacos. Liz returned it gratefully.
“Thanks!”
“No problem.” The other girl replied easily. “So…. meditating?
Liz winced. She hadn’t realized she’d been sitting like a zombie for the better part of the day.
“Not really.”
“Still waiting for Max?” she asked sympathetically. That raised Liz’s hackles. She didn’t want to be pitied.
“I’m just waiting for news.”
“Of course. I didn’t mean it like that. I was just curious. He’ll come back.” she reassured the spent-looking form beside her.
She’d grown close to Liz, as close as the latter would let her, over the last month. At first the stranger had been an enigma in an environment where everyone had known each other’s business, but now she was hailed as a much-wanted guest. Kara had been perceptive enough to catch the yearning in her dark brown depths, every time someone came up and greeted her warmly. It made her wonder things about Liz Parker, but she hadn’t the courage to ask.
“I feel pathetic, you know.” Liz confided. “I feel like a weakling just waiting here for him to come back. Shouldn’t I be ashamed of myself? In this day and age, I’m all but slaving over him!”
She’d been seriously considering it. But by now, even her brain had one mantra in mind. “Get Max back.” She scowled into the falling twilight. Stupid, sappy brain!!
“Why?” Kara asked, surprised. "Why would you feel that way? You love him! How could you possibly feel otherwise?”
Liz smiled wearily. “I know. But it’s not getting me anywhere!”
Kara smiled knowingly. “Ohhh…..not getting laid, huh?”
Liz jumped. “Of course not!”
Alien factor aside, she couldn’t stomach the thought of another man touching her.
*Forget about it. You’re mine, got it? I don’t share.*
He’d made that vow, that claim, yet he was nowhere around. She didn’t know she could miss someone that much until that moment.
“I’ll leave you alone.”
Kara stood up, judging wisely that the woman beside her needed to get over her disappointment by herself.
Liz leaned back to enjoy the beauty of the night sky. She was lost in her happier memories and didn’t need anything else. Her daydreams would last her for a lifetime. She remembered the way Max’s skin had shone in the moonlight and the way he’d touched hers, claiming it to be a trick of the light. He’d been obsessed over her hair and skin. Any time he was within reach, his hand would be intertwined in her hair or caressing her skin. Even now, she could close her eyes and almost make out the warm pads of his fingers against her skin. He’d had such beautiful hands……
“Liz?”
A very familiar voice. Liz bolted upright. It was a male voice, one she’d prayed to hear the day she’d stayed behind in Murray Lane. She looked out in the darkness frantically. Nothing.
“Liz!! Over here!”
The voice came again from the shrubbery. It was perfect vantage point. She nearly sprained her ankle as she ran over.
“Where?” she asked wildly.
“Right here.”
Warm arms surrounded her and Liz gave into weakness She held onto the strong, protective body that wrapped itself around hers lovingly and wept herself to a coma.
~~~/\~~~
Hours earlier
The phone rang for hours on ends. No one picked it up in the empty apartment. After 3 hours of constant barrage, someone picked up sounding like he was about to kill someone.
“WHAT?”
“Nice to hear from you too, Mike.”
Michael stopped all semblance of breathing. “Max?” Praying against everything else. “Max? Is that you?”
“What took you so long?”
"I am a fucking doctor! What the hell do you expect? And cut to the chase, where are you??”
“Still in custody.”
“They allowed you to make a call? After damn near 2 MONTHS of silence, our very generous government has allowed you to call? In the hopes of WHAT, goddammit?”
“Relax, Michael. I just wanted to check in.”
Michael was incredulous. He rubbed his eyes in disbelief. "Oh really? You just want to check in? You don’t want to sit down for a kitty party anytime soon??”
Max sighed, a long drawn exhausted sigh, it had been nearly 50 days since he’d last seen real sunlight. It was getting to be a real drag. Even though his tone was carefully modulated, inside, he was in despair. Nothing had gone right from the time he’d let himself be taken into custody. Nothing the way he'd planned.
“So…” Michael said after a brief pause. “Tonight.”
Max bit the inside of his cheek not to scream anything out. “Yes.” Breathe “Tonight.”
Michael had known Max his entire life and as always, reading each other was easy. What was not going to be the same was the night. It was long while before any of them spoke.
“I have to go.” Max said. His demeanor outwardly calm.
“Wait!” Michael called him back. “Wait! Max….” he trailed off, summoning enough courage to ask. "Just tell me in one word. Is it good or bad?”
Max inhaled so sharply Michael feared for his life. “Bad.”
There was weird taste in his mouth. “I see…” Michael managed. This was the part he’d been dreading. “This’ll be hard on …”
Max cut in harshly before any further comments. “I know! Take care, Mike.”
This can’t be happening!! “Wait! Are you uhh…”
“Being given life at Leavenworth? I don’t know.” Max sighed.
Both of them stayed on for another second, the tension flowing through the wires, electric, desperate.
“I have to go.” Max repeated.
“Take care, Max. For God's sake...”
“You do the same.”
Michael started to respond but he only got the dial tone.
He let the phone fall through his slack hands, his mind numbed by the enormity of the implications of Max’s call. There was only one thing on his mind. The Government knew there were more aliens on Earth.
Max hung up and turned away. The sunlight took on a different hue. The weirdest feeling of déjà vu came over him. It was like a balm on his scarred mind, a buoy for his spirits. If he was going to do this, might as well do it well.
The officials in the safe house noted his progress as he made his way for the office where the Congressional meeting was being held. It was the Pentagon all over again. He’d been brought in for a hunt and he was here to finish it. The confidence in his stance was the same arrogance he’d reflected the first time he’d walked in on a similar meeting.
It's show time.
~~~/\~~~
Hours later
Mesaliko Reservation, NM.
“I thought you’d never come!” Liz managed between heaves. “I…”
“I know, I know.” The man held her close, trying to take strength for her.
Liz broke away. “This may seem corny, but can you come out into the light? I want to make sure you’re actually here!”
The moonlight illuminated his sharp profile, the worried air. The terror had gone away in the brief respite, but now, it was back again, full force.
“What happened?” Liz asked, her voice shrewish with dread. “Tell me!”
He looked down at the hands that were holding him like iron bands, wondering if he would have the strength to restrain her.
“We failed.”
At first it didn’t sink in. Then it did. He watched as her tear-stained hopefully face turned ashen. But if he expected theatrics, he’d come to the wrong place.
“What can I do?”
He let out a hiss. “You can stay away”
“Is that all?” She looked like she’d been slapped in the face. All these hours of waiting and dying, all for three measly words?
“I’m sorry, Liz. But we…”
“Yes, yes! I know what we agreed on!” Liz barked out but even that held no real fire.
“Liz…”
“I know.” She held back tears, her entire being resigned. And empty. And numb.
“Take care of yourself.” There was so much to say and yet he could only find generic words.
“I will. Thank you, for everything.” He let go of himself then. He crushed her to him.
“Thank you.”
Liz fought back the darkness. “Goodbye, Michael.”
Michael stepped away, feeling helpless. “Goodbye Liz.”
She walked away. Michael called her back.
“What is it?”
“Where’re you…uh… gonna go?” Michael had a hard time keeping his breathing level, even though he’d just speed-walked a few feet.
“Away.” She didn’t even have to think to reply.
“Wait! Away where?” She looked at his upraised finger and followed it up.
The sky looked suspiciously bright. Everything in her screamed to be let loose, all of her alien side. The pull had never been stronger. Now, she had nothing to fight it with. She stared at the night sky for a long while, the silence deafening. The heavens seemed to sparkle and bid her welcome. She’d never given it a serious thought in the last month at all, but now that was all her mind registered. Should I go?
“Liz?” Michael asked gently.
Max had wanted this answer; it had been soaked in every word he’d spoken on the phone. Michael would be able to pass that message somehow; he knew Max was waiting for an answer.
Liz looked down. She could feel herself coming back down to Earth. She’d waited day in and day out for the slightest hint from him, even the most blurred nuance of him trying to connect with her. He hadn’t. Either he was stronger than her or it was just an impossible situation, she didn’t know.
She could tell from the look on Michael’s face that this answer would make its way back to Max.
A sudden, wild urge to break his equilibrium made her say the word defiantly.
“No.”
She wanted him to know that he might’ve thought this was over but in reality, in their reality, it was far from it. “And you can tell him that.”
Michael winced. Already the hurt had turned to anger. He just wished she wasn’t stupid enough to go looking for him.
“You’re not thinking of looking for him, are you?”
She looked away, wishing she could lie. “No.”
Michael breathed again. “Fine.”
“Yeah, goodbye.”
Michael watched her as she walked away from the desert. He’d seen a lot of sides of Liz parker –cornered, broken, anticipating but he’d yet to see her defeated. Well, I’ve seen it now.
How the hell did you stand it? Aww, darling, thanks.Okie guys. Update. Lemme know.
Chapter 47
Mesaliko Indian reservation, Roswell New Mexico.
14th February 2013.
The New Mexico spring had just come around. The days were soothingly cooler than the broiling heat that plagued the natives for the better part of the year. The nights were magical, lit up with clear skies, stargazing trips and romantic rendezvous. All of this, Liz Parker reflected on, as she sat in a rickety bench in an isolated part of the reservation. It had been more than one and half month since she last saw Max. The memory of that night was enough to send her into depression forever. But she’d never fallen, she’d held herself together, if only for the faint hope that he’d left her with – Michael would contact her with news.
If it were good news, if his plan had worked, then Michael would tell her what Max had decided, if she was allowed to stick around. If it failed, then there was no point for her to stick around. He was dead or worse. Liz shook off the dreary thoughts.
A couple walked past her, looking moony-eyed. The old Liz would’ve rolled her eyes or at least averted her eyes. The new Liz just stared back at them, sure her eyes were giving off such resentment and jealousy that it had to be the reason why the couple speed-walked out of her sight.
What am I, cursed? But, I’m going to pin my hopes on this day, no matter what! It’s Valentine’s Day. I KNOW Max will find a way to get through to me, I know he will! I just have to be patient.
It was still bright midday. She heard footsteps behind her and whirled around. It was River Dog, the grizzled Indian who’d almost been Max’s surrogate father. He smiled sadly at her. She hadn’t told him anything about herself, her alien heritage. He hadn’t even asked her once. Why Max was in FBI custody, why she was there. Nothing. He just kept quiet and observed everything.
“Liz.” He smiled as he approached her. “Care for something to eat or are you planning to skip lunch?” She started to reply that she didn’t want anything but he beat her to it with a polite smile. “Again.”
She looked sheepish. “Sorry, River Dog. I’m not hungry.”
He sat down next to her. “Child, you’re never hungry when you come here. Why? You don’t like Mexican food?”
She smiled weakly. “Actually, I love it, but I’m just…”
“Not hungry.” He finished.
“Right.”
There was a comfortable silence, as the old man smoked his pipe. Liz couldn’t help but wonder what would’ve happened if she’d made her way to the reservation instead of Albuquerque when she’d hatched. The man sitting next to her would’ve helped her through, she was sure of it. He acted like a grandparent, something she’d never had. It made her all nostalgic whenever she saw him and now was no different. Especially since she was missing Max so much.
“He won’t come." River Dog told her in a low, sympathetic tone.
Liz jumped out of her skin. “Did he tell you that? How do you know?"
“Sit down, Elizabeth. He didn’t tell me anything. I never talked to him after that phone call. I’m just saying that if he wanted to come back, he wouldn’t have suggested this place to you."
“What makes you say that?” Liz was getting more and more scared. Why would he never want to come back? He knows I’m waiting for him!
“He knew you would be safe here. If a rendezvous were required, he wouldn’t have wanted yet another safe place for you to become dangerous. That’s what I think. I could be wrong, though." He hastily added, seeing the crestfallen look on her face.
“How do you know what’s safe for me and what isn’t?” How much does he know?
“He said something about being guilty by association. I’m assuming there’ve been people who’ve seen you together.”
“No.” she sighed. “No one’s seen us together.”
The sentence stuck in her mind long after River Dog left. It hurt that they never had a chance to be a normal couple. For one day, she would’ve traded her soul just to see him again, even for a second. His words, all the things he’d said, rained down on her mind on endless nights, when she’d just sit and miss his presence more than she could stand. It wasn’t living and it was much worse than her childhood.
She now knew what it was to love but having it thrown out to sea every time she got close…it was getting intolerable.
~~~/\~~~
Dusk fell, still no word. Another day had vanished and still nothing. Liz marked off another day from her mind. Another 14 hours wasted, waiting for Max to call.
“Need company?”
It was Kara, one of the natives. She had been a friend to Liz ever since she’d shared that her secret, if hopeless, crush on Michael still hadn’t gone. She’d been Max’s friend when they’d been younger. It had been nice to find out itty-bitty pieces of Max’s childhood.
Liz moved over, making space. Her stomach rumbled. She hadn’t had anything after breakfast.
Kara smiled and held out a plate of tacos. Liz returned it gratefully.
“Thanks!”
“No problem.” The other girl replied easily. “So…. meditating?
Liz winced. She hadn’t realized she’d been sitting like a zombie for the better part of the day.
“Not really.”
“Still waiting for Max?” she asked sympathetically. That raised Liz’s hackles. She didn’t want to be pitied.
“I’m just waiting for news.”
“Of course. I didn’t mean it like that. I was just curious. He’ll come back.” she reassured the spent-looking form beside her.
She’d grown close to Liz, as close as the latter would let her, over the last month. At first the stranger had been an enigma in an environment where everyone had known each other’s business, but now she was hailed as a much-wanted guest. Kara had been perceptive enough to catch the yearning in her dark brown depths, every time someone came up and greeted her warmly. It made her wonder things about Liz Parker, but she hadn’t the courage to ask.
“I feel pathetic, you know.” Liz confided. “I feel like a weakling just waiting here for him to come back. Shouldn’t I be ashamed of myself? In this day and age, I’m all but slaving over him!”
She’d been seriously considering it. But by now, even her brain had one mantra in mind. “Get Max back.” She scowled into the falling twilight. Stupid, sappy brain!!
“Why?” Kara asked, surprised. "Why would you feel that way? You love him! How could you possibly feel otherwise?”
Liz smiled wearily. “I know. But it’s not getting me anywhere!”
Kara smiled knowingly. “Ohhh…..not getting laid, huh?”
Liz jumped. “Of course not!”
Alien factor aside, she couldn’t stomach the thought of another man touching her.
*Forget about it. You’re mine, got it? I don’t share.*
He’d made that vow, that claim, yet he was nowhere around. She didn’t know she could miss someone that much until that moment.
“I’ll leave you alone.”
Kara stood up, judging wisely that the woman beside her needed to get over her disappointment by herself.
Liz leaned back to enjoy the beauty of the night sky. She was lost in her happier memories and didn’t need anything else. Her daydreams would last her for a lifetime. She remembered the way Max’s skin had shone in the moonlight and the way he’d touched hers, claiming it to be a trick of the light. He’d been obsessed over her hair and skin. Any time he was within reach, his hand would be intertwined in her hair or caressing her skin. Even now, she could close her eyes and almost make out the warm pads of his fingers against her skin. He’d had such beautiful hands……
“Liz?”
A very familiar voice. Liz bolted upright. It was a male voice, one she’d prayed to hear the day she’d stayed behind in Murray Lane. She looked out in the darkness frantically. Nothing.
“Liz!! Over here!”
The voice came again from the shrubbery. It was perfect vantage point. She nearly sprained her ankle as she ran over.
“Where?” she asked wildly.
“Right here.”
Warm arms surrounded her and Liz gave into weakness She held onto the strong, protective body that wrapped itself around hers lovingly and wept herself to a coma.
~~~/\~~~
Hours earlier
The phone rang for hours on ends. No one picked it up in the empty apartment. After 3 hours of constant barrage, someone picked up sounding like he was about to kill someone.
“WHAT?”
“Nice to hear from you too, Mike.”
Michael stopped all semblance of breathing. “Max?” Praying against everything else. “Max? Is that you?”
“What took you so long?”
"I am a fucking doctor! What the hell do you expect? And cut to the chase, where are you??”
“Still in custody.”
“They allowed you to make a call? After damn near 2 MONTHS of silence, our very generous government has allowed you to call? In the hopes of WHAT, goddammit?”
“Relax, Michael. I just wanted to check in.”
Michael was incredulous. He rubbed his eyes in disbelief. "Oh really? You just want to check in? You don’t want to sit down for a kitty party anytime soon??”
Max sighed, a long drawn exhausted sigh, it had been nearly 50 days since he’d last seen real sunlight. It was getting to be a real drag. Even though his tone was carefully modulated, inside, he was in despair. Nothing had gone right from the time he’d let himself be taken into custody. Nothing the way he'd planned.
“So…” Michael said after a brief pause. “Tonight.”
Max bit the inside of his cheek not to scream anything out. “Yes.” Breathe “Tonight.”
Michael had known Max his entire life and as always, reading each other was easy. What was not going to be the same was the night. It was long while before any of them spoke.
“I have to go.” Max said. His demeanor outwardly calm.
“Wait!” Michael called him back. “Wait! Max….” he trailed off, summoning enough courage to ask. "Just tell me in one word. Is it good or bad?”
Max inhaled so sharply Michael feared for his life. “Bad.”
There was weird taste in his mouth. “I see…” Michael managed. This was the part he’d been dreading. “This’ll be hard on …”
Max cut in harshly before any further comments. “I know! Take care, Mike.”
This can’t be happening!! “Wait! Are you uhh…”
“Being given life at Leavenworth? I don’t know.” Max sighed.
Both of them stayed on for another second, the tension flowing through the wires, electric, desperate.
“I have to go.” Max repeated.
“Take care, Max. For God's sake...”
“You do the same.”
Michael started to respond but he only got the dial tone.
He let the phone fall through his slack hands, his mind numbed by the enormity of the implications of Max’s call. There was only one thing on his mind. The Government knew there were more aliens on Earth.
Max hung up and turned away. The sunlight took on a different hue. The weirdest feeling of déjà vu came over him. It was like a balm on his scarred mind, a buoy for his spirits. If he was going to do this, might as well do it well.
The officials in the safe house noted his progress as he made his way for the office where the Congressional meeting was being held. It was the Pentagon all over again. He’d been brought in for a hunt and he was here to finish it. The confidence in his stance was the same arrogance he’d reflected the first time he’d walked in on a similar meeting.
It's show time.
~~~/\~~~
Hours later
Mesaliko Reservation, NM.
“I thought you’d never come!” Liz managed between heaves. “I…”
“I know, I know.” The man held her close, trying to take strength for her.
Liz broke away. “This may seem corny, but can you come out into the light? I want to make sure you’re actually here!”
The moonlight illuminated his sharp profile, the worried air. The terror had gone away in the brief respite, but now, it was back again, full force.
“What happened?” Liz asked, her voice shrewish with dread. “Tell me!”
He looked down at the hands that were holding him like iron bands, wondering if he would have the strength to restrain her.
“We failed.”
At first it didn’t sink in. Then it did. He watched as her tear-stained hopefully face turned ashen. But if he expected theatrics, he’d come to the wrong place.
“What can I do?”
He let out a hiss. “You can stay away”
“Is that all?” She looked like she’d been slapped in the face. All these hours of waiting and dying, all for three measly words?
“I’m sorry, Liz. But we…”
“Yes, yes! I know what we agreed on!” Liz barked out but even that held no real fire.
“Liz…”
“I know.” She held back tears, her entire being resigned. And empty. And numb.
“Take care of yourself.” There was so much to say and yet he could only find generic words.
“I will. Thank you, for everything.” He let go of himself then. He crushed her to him.
“Thank you.”
Liz fought back the darkness. “Goodbye, Michael.”
Michael stepped away, feeling helpless. “Goodbye Liz.”
She walked away. Michael called her back.
“What is it?”
“Where’re you…uh… gonna go?” Michael had a hard time keeping his breathing level, even though he’d just speed-walked a few feet.
“Away.” She didn’t even have to think to reply.
“Wait! Away where?” She looked at his upraised finger and followed it up.
The sky looked suspiciously bright. Everything in her screamed to be let loose, all of her alien side. The pull had never been stronger. Now, she had nothing to fight it with. She stared at the night sky for a long while, the silence deafening. The heavens seemed to sparkle and bid her welcome. She’d never given it a serious thought in the last month at all, but now that was all her mind registered. Should I go?
“Liz?” Michael asked gently.
Max had wanted this answer; it had been soaked in every word he’d spoken on the phone. Michael would be able to pass that message somehow; he knew Max was waiting for an answer.
Liz looked down. She could feel herself coming back down to Earth. She’d waited day in and day out for the slightest hint from him, even the most blurred nuance of him trying to connect with her. He hadn’t. Either he was stronger than her or it was just an impossible situation, she didn’t know.
She could tell from the look on Michael’s face that this answer would make its way back to Max.
A sudden, wild urge to break his equilibrium made her say the word defiantly.
“No.”
She wanted him to know that he might’ve thought this was over but in reality, in their reality, it was far from it. “And you can tell him that.”
Michael winced. Already the hurt had turned to anger. He just wished she wasn’t stupid enough to go looking for him.
“You’re not thinking of looking for him, are you?”
She looked away, wishing she could lie. “No.”
Michael breathed again. “Fine.”
“Yeah, goodbye.”
Michael watched her as she walked away from the desert. He’d seen a lot of sides of Liz parker –cornered, broken, anticipating but he’d yet to see her defeated. Well, I’ve seen it now.
Chapter 48
Special Congressional meeting
The silence of the room was over-powering, stifling. There were 5 people present, each lost in their respective thoughts – theories, accusations, alibis, repercussions. No one wanted to be the one to break the silence.
“Gentlemen.”
The nasal twang belonged to Congressman Davis. For the last few days he’d been having nightmares on a regular basis. He’d sought answers that only one man could give him. And that man was now sitting across the table from him. He studied Max Evans. The latter seemed withdrawn and damnably composed. It looked like he’d been waiting for this. I’ll just fucking bet he has!
“Gentlemen,” he repeated, addressing the room. “We’re here for one very specific purpose.” His gaze landed on Max’s motionless face. “About what happened to Agent Pierce.”
Max’s face gave absolutely nothing away.
“And we’ve got proof that you, Max Evans, know more than you’ve let on.”
“Oh really?” Max’s first words and the insolence behind them set Davis’ tic pulsing.
“Yes, Mr. Evans. We’ve got enough evidence to lock you away for life.” Davis glowered back.
“Please, Congressman. In this day and age…it really doesn’t befit someone to talk like it’s the Château D’If.”
“Enough of that!” Sorenson broke through the fast-growing battle of words. “We’re here to find out what happened! We don’t have time for juvenile games. So, can it with the cute stuff.”
Everyone shut up.
Sorenson continued. “Where were you on the 1st of January, around 8:00 clock?”
Max didn’t answer. Memories assailed him. All he could think about was Pierce, all that hatred and how the bugger had actually given him an out.
“I have a few things to say to you, Max.” Sorenson spoke without comment.
“I’m sure you do.” Max replied arrogantly.
Burns fairly bristled but refrained from saying anything.
“First off, I’d just like to say that you’re not getting out of this place. Ever.”
If anyone else had made that ludicrous threat, Max would’ve laughed. But he didn’t; Sorenson didn’t inspire laughter and comedy. The fear that everything was about to fall apart came full force.
“And?” Max gave a passably bored look.
Davis glared at Max. “I’d really appreciate it if you’d take this seriously, Evans! What do you say in your defense?”
It starts. Max took a deep breath, trying to fight off paranoia. “Defense? What am I supposed to defend myself against?”
“Against the very formal, and very REAL charges. Charges of murder in the first degree, of a conspiracy against the Government of the United States, of ANYTHING we chose to pin you with. Are we clear?” Sorenson spoke slowly, making sure each word sunk in.
If he expected Max to look shocked or scared, he was wrong. Max stared back at them laconically. Then he gave an almost regretful sigh.
“In that case, gentlemen, do your worst. If you’re formally charging me with murder, then I’d say you guys get yourselves a legal defense ready.”
“Excuse me?” queried Burns silkily, “If you happen to remember, it’s you who needs the legal help.”
“Why? I’m not the only one who’s going to be charged with murder in the first.” With that, he got up.
“You’ll receive the paperwork by 3, 4 days, maximum. I assume I’m to go?”
Sorenson waved him back to his seat, wondering if Max was high or not. “What’re you talking about? Who among us is going to face murder charges?”
“The entire Intel agency, the government, the congressman here, and Agent Burns there, on behalf of the Special Unit.” Max said quietly, dangerously. They could all tell he was not kidding.
“Say what?” Burns said, astounded. “How’re you planning to pull that one off?”
“It’s not a trick, Burns.” Max said calmly. “This agency sanctioned the capture and the subsequent research on Alex Whitman, did it not?”
“What’re you, the defense counsel?” Burns jeered and then fell quiet at Sorenson’s malevolence.
“So? He was an alien, but that’s beside the point. I want answers out of you, Max and I want them without undue hostility.” Davis said with equanimity.
“Are you suggesting that I have no bargaining chip? Is that why you think I’ll cower and submit to whatever interrogation you’ve planned for me? You’re very wrong. I do have what you'd call a bargaining chip. And I will not submit to an interrogation where I don’t even know how I’m involved!” Max bit out with the right degree of anger and bravado.
Inside, he was a quivering mass of nerves. Oh please, please, God, let this work.
“You were the last contact Pierce before he disappeared. We know that much. We can prove that much. After all, that’s all that matters, right?”
Max stayed quiet for a second.
Sorenson continued. “What do you know, Max? We can do this two ways. You know how it goes. We can frame you for Pierce’s murder, which is probably not even true, giving you the full benefit of the doubt here. Then we can ruin your reputation. We can keep you in jail for the rest of your life. We could even ask for the death penalty. Or we could just kill you right now because you’re also another witness to aliens.”
Sorenson paused. His words hadn’t had their desired effect on Max. Again.
“Or, we could just compromise. You tell us everything that happened with pierce, tell us what you know, and we’ll let your life remain the way it is.”
“You haven’t given me much choice. How do I know I’m not heading for a fast execution as soon as I step put the door? You just told me, in no uncertain terms, that I’m witness.”
Sorenson smiled grimly. “Your choice, Max. And please don’t go down the whole ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about’ phase. Very time consuming. If you hadn’t been involved, why the hell didn’t you turn yourself in? Why didn’t you heed the thousand APBs we had on you, huh? If you want to play games, I can tell you right now, you’re going to regret it.”
Max flexed his hands underneath the table to keep them from trembling. He’d found the opening he’d been looking for. All that mattered now was to make sure they bought it.
“You folks are going awfully crazy over something quite insignificant. Try and look at the bigger picture a bit more.” He said coolly.
The men around the table gaped at him, his effrontery unbelievable.
“Excuse me?”
“Why don’t you ask yourselves if Pierce is really the main agenda?”
“Oh, for god’s sake, like we have the time for this?” Burns barked out.
Max fixed him with an icy stare. “You, of all people, should.”
Burns subsided. He didn’t believe Max’s hidden threats for a moment, but the guy had a scary way of making you believe.
Davis had had enough.
“Get to the point Evans! What’re you talking about? Of course, Pierce is the top priority! For someone who’s had ex Intel experience, you sure talk like a buffoon at times.”
Max let the insult slide. “I wouldn’t be too hasty in that Congressman, if I were you. Even more than the Intel agencies, sir, you have more to lose than any of them.”
“Come again?” Clearly, Davis was now fed up. “Make yourself clear please. We wouldn’t want to misinterpret your very cryptic clues.” The sarcasm stung.
“You’re a politician. Your career is based on image.” Max explained, as if it explained anything.
Davis swelled up. “For the last time, Max. MAKE yourself CLEAR.”
Max pounced on that one. “Oh but why?” He proclaimed dramatically, making Sorenson’s blood pressure rise. “You stupid pricks are so fucking convoluted that you can’t think straight; why’re you looking for simplicity in so complex a matter?”
Only Sorenson’s glare across the table kept the outraged comments down. He spoke patiently. “Now that we’ve exchanged pleasantries, can we get down to business, please?”
“You,” he said pointing at Max. “Please make this clear. What extra priority are you talking about? If there’s something else to this Godforsaken, god-awful business, then we have to know NOW! I think we’ve all established we’re all on the same side, threats not withstanding.”
Max quietened, knowing that the moment of truth was here. He braced himself, knowing full well that even the slightest hesitation, the slightest break in his speech and manner would guarantee the total failure of his plan. Maria and Alex would go unavenged and Liz would be their next target. And he himself would be pushing up daisies. Not a pleasant thought. It was time for him to do what he’d always done best.
“I understand that I’ve pissed all of you off, but give me a moment. It’s a long story and it certainly is not pretty. Especially when you hear what really happened in Nevada, the night we captured Alex Whitman, the bombing of the safe-house and....” he looked into their faces, each by turn, ending on Sorenson, the one man who could see through the ploy “…and the conclusions I’ve reached.”
“Which is?” Davis barked out, agitated. There was a national catastrophe in the making and this stupid fool was sitting there and wasting time! He was almost catatonic.
“Is Pierce dead?” The FBI Director burst out, unable to control himself.
“Alex Whitman escaped!!” Burns’ voice rang out sharper than the rest.
“He escaped!” It was more of a statement than an actual question.
All heads swung over at him in shock and then it landed on Max. All of the heads terrified over the consequences of an alien loose.
Max stared at Burns, his eyes literally burning with hatred. Then he realized what he was about to do. Praying for strength, his mind sparked for one second with an image of a rosy-cheeked, sparkling-eyed Liz from the adrenaline and the cold Washington wind. An ache from the deepest part of him answered. Oh Liz, this is for you.
He snorted derisively. All sounds ceased. Max stood up to his full height, his rage and cloaked fear lending him an aura he hadn’t possessed before. He couldn’t look more believable if he tried.
“Alex Whitman didn’t get a chance to escape.” The collective relief in the room didn’t detract the venom in his tone.
Burns sat down weakly, his deepest fears at rest. “Thank God!”
“Don’t thank God yet!” Max’s voice burned into him.
“Evans?” Davis asked, noticing that the white-faced man was far from done talking. “What else can you tell us?”
Max stared into the older man’s face. “What I can tell you, Congressman, is that Alex Whitman was a human being.”
END.
Sorry for the delay, guys! My midterms were up adn i didn't get a chance to post a part. Lemme know. love all you guys for your never-ending patience.
Mar - I hope this part made it clearer.
Frenchkiss, mrsjbehr, Frances, Ner - Hugs and kisses
Love,
Sarah
Special Congressional meeting
The silence of the room was over-powering, stifling. There were 5 people present, each lost in their respective thoughts – theories, accusations, alibis, repercussions. No one wanted to be the one to break the silence.
“Gentlemen.”
The nasal twang belonged to Congressman Davis. For the last few days he’d been having nightmares on a regular basis. He’d sought answers that only one man could give him. And that man was now sitting across the table from him. He studied Max Evans. The latter seemed withdrawn and damnably composed. It looked like he’d been waiting for this. I’ll just fucking bet he has!
“Gentlemen,” he repeated, addressing the room. “We’re here for one very specific purpose.” His gaze landed on Max’s motionless face. “About what happened to Agent Pierce.”
Max’s face gave absolutely nothing away.
“And we’ve got proof that you, Max Evans, know more than you’ve let on.”
“Oh really?” Max’s first words and the insolence behind them set Davis’ tic pulsing.
“Yes, Mr. Evans. We’ve got enough evidence to lock you away for life.” Davis glowered back.
“Please, Congressman. In this day and age…it really doesn’t befit someone to talk like it’s the Château D’If.”
“Enough of that!” Sorenson broke through the fast-growing battle of words. “We’re here to find out what happened! We don’t have time for juvenile games. So, can it with the cute stuff.”
Everyone shut up.
Sorenson continued. “Where were you on the 1st of January, around 8:00 clock?”
Max didn’t answer. Memories assailed him. All he could think about was Pierce, all that hatred and how the bugger had actually given him an out.
“I have a few things to say to you, Max.” Sorenson spoke without comment.
“I’m sure you do.” Max replied arrogantly.
Burns fairly bristled but refrained from saying anything.
“First off, I’d just like to say that you’re not getting out of this place. Ever.”
If anyone else had made that ludicrous threat, Max would’ve laughed. But he didn’t; Sorenson didn’t inspire laughter and comedy. The fear that everything was about to fall apart came full force.
“And?” Max gave a passably bored look.
Davis glared at Max. “I’d really appreciate it if you’d take this seriously, Evans! What do you say in your defense?”
It starts. Max took a deep breath, trying to fight off paranoia. “Defense? What am I supposed to defend myself against?”
“Against the very formal, and very REAL charges. Charges of murder in the first degree, of a conspiracy against the Government of the United States, of ANYTHING we chose to pin you with. Are we clear?” Sorenson spoke slowly, making sure each word sunk in.
If he expected Max to look shocked or scared, he was wrong. Max stared back at them laconically. Then he gave an almost regretful sigh.
“In that case, gentlemen, do your worst. If you’re formally charging me with murder, then I’d say you guys get yourselves a legal defense ready.”
“Excuse me?” queried Burns silkily, “If you happen to remember, it’s you who needs the legal help.”
“Why? I’m not the only one who’s going to be charged with murder in the first.” With that, he got up.
“You’ll receive the paperwork by 3, 4 days, maximum. I assume I’m to go?”
Sorenson waved him back to his seat, wondering if Max was high or not. “What’re you talking about? Who among us is going to face murder charges?”
“The entire Intel agency, the government, the congressman here, and Agent Burns there, on behalf of the Special Unit.” Max said quietly, dangerously. They could all tell he was not kidding.
“Say what?” Burns said, astounded. “How’re you planning to pull that one off?”
“It’s not a trick, Burns.” Max said calmly. “This agency sanctioned the capture and the subsequent research on Alex Whitman, did it not?”
“What’re you, the defense counsel?” Burns jeered and then fell quiet at Sorenson’s malevolence.
“So? He was an alien, but that’s beside the point. I want answers out of you, Max and I want them without undue hostility.” Davis said with equanimity.
“Are you suggesting that I have no bargaining chip? Is that why you think I’ll cower and submit to whatever interrogation you’ve planned for me? You’re very wrong. I do have what you'd call a bargaining chip. And I will not submit to an interrogation where I don’t even know how I’m involved!” Max bit out with the right degree of anger and bravado.
Inside, he was a quivering mass of nerves. Oh please, please, God, let this work.
“You were the last contact Pierce before he disappeared. We know that much. We can prove that much. After all, that’s all that matters, right?”
Max stayed quiet for a second.
Sorenson continued. “What do you know, Max? We can do this two ways. You know how it goes. We can frame you for Pierce’s murder, which is probably not even true, giving you the full benefit of the doubt here. Then we can ruin your reputation. We can keep you in jail for the rest of your life. We could even ask for the death penalty. Or we could just kill you right now because you’re also another witness to aliens.”
Sorenson paused. His words hadn’t had their desired effect on Max. Again.
“Or, we could just compromise. You tell us everything that happened with pierce, tell us what you know, and we’ll let your life remain the way it is.”
“You haven’t given me much choice. How do I know I’m not heading for a fast execution as soon as I step put the door? You just told me, in no uncertain terms, that I’m witness.”
Sorenson smiled grimly. “Your choice, Max. And please don’t go down the whole ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about’ phase. Very time consuming. If you hadn’t been involved, why the hell didn’t you turn yourself in? Why didn’t you heed the thousand APBs we had on you, huh? If you want to play games, I can tell you right now, you’re going to regret it.”
Max flexed his hands underneath the table to keep them from trembling. He’d found the opening he’d been looking for. All that mattered now was to make sure they bought it.
“You folks are going awfully crazy over something quite insignificant. Try and look at the bigger picture a bit more.” He said coolly.
The men around the table gaped at him, his effrontery unbelievable.
“Excuse me?”
“Why don’t you ask yourselves if Pierce is really the main agenda?”
“Oh, for god’s sake, like we have the time for this?” Burns barked out.
Max fixed him with an icy stare. “You, of all people, should.”
Burns subsided. He didn’t believe Max’s hidden threats for a moment, but the guy had a scary way of making you believe.
Davis had had enough.
“Get to the point Evans! What’re you talking about? Of course, Pierce is the top priority! For someone who’s had ex Intel experience, you sure talk like a buffoon at times.”
Max let the insult slide. “I wouldn’t be too hasty in that Congressman, if I were you. Even more than the Intel agencies, sir, you have more to lose than any of them.”
“Come again?” Clearly, Davis was now fed up. “Make yourself clear please. We wouldn’t want to misinterpret your very cryptic clues.” The sarcasm stung.
“You’re a politician. Your career is based on image.” Max explained, as if it explained anything.
Davis swelled up. “For the last time, Max. MAKE yourself CLEAR.”
Max pounced on that one. “Oh but why?” He proclaimed dramatically, making Sorenson’s blood pressure rise. “You stupid pricks are so fucking convoluted that you can’t think straight; why’re you looking for simplicity in so complex a matter?”
Only Sorenson’s glare across the table kept the outraged comments down. He spoke patiently. “Now that we’ve exchanged pleasantries, can we get down to business, please?”
“You,” he said pointing at Max. “Please make this clear. What extra priority are you talking about? If there’s something else to this Godforsaken, god-awful business, then we have to know NOW! I think we’ve all established we’re all on the same side, threats not withstanding.”
Max quietened, knowing that the moment of truth was here. He braced himself, knowing full well that even the slightest hesitation, the slightest break in his speech and manner would guarantee the total failure of his plan. Maria and Alex would go unavenged and Liz would be their next target. And he himself would be pushing up daisies. Not a pleasant thought. It was time for him to do what he’d always done best.
“I understand that I’ve pissed all of you off, but give me a moment. It’s a long story and it certainly is not pretty. Especially when you hear what really happened in Nevada, the night we captured Alex Whitman, the bombing of the safe-house and....” he looked into their faces, each by turn, ending on Sorenson, the one man who could see through the ploy “…and the conclusions I’ve reached.”
“Which is?” Davis barked out, agitated. There was a national catastrophe in the making and this stupid fool was sitting there and wasting time! He was almost catatonic.
“Is Pierce dead?” The FBI Director burst out, unable to control himself.
“Alex Whitman escaped!!” Burns’ voice rang out sharper than the rest.
“He escaped!” It was more of a statement than an actual question.
All heads swung over at him in shock and then it landed on Max. All of the heads terrified over the consequences of an alien loose.
Max stared at Burns, his eyes literally burning with hatred. Then he realized what he was about to do. Praying for strength, his mind sparked for one second with an image of a rosy-cheeked, sparkling-eyed Liz from the adrenaline and the cold Washington wind. An ache from the deepest part of him answered. Oh Liz, this is for you.
He snorted derisively. All sounds ceased. Max stood up to his full height, his rage and cloaked fear lending him an aura he hadn’t possessed before. He couldn’t look more believable if he tried.
“Alex Whitman didn’t get a chance to escape.” The collective relief in the room didn’t detract the venom in his tone.
Burns sat down weakly, his deepest fears at rest. “Thank God!”
“Don’t thank God yet!” Max’s voice burned into him.
“Evans?” Davis asked, noticing that the white-faced man was far from done talking. “What else can you tell us?”
Max stared into the older man’s face. “What I can tell you, Congressman, is that Alex Whitman was a human being.”
END.
Sorry for the delay, guys! My midterms were up adn i didn't get a chance to post a part. Lemme know. love all you guys for your never-ending patience.
Mar - I hope this part made it clearer.
Frenchkiss, mrsjbehr, Frances, Ner - Hugs and kisses
Love,
Sarah
Epilogue
Bangkok, 2015
31st Dec
Max stood in a familiar place. He’d spent the last two years here, seeing it over and over again in his mind, till he could smell the frying seafood without anything there, till a red-clad woman was almost beside him even though there was nothing.
It was still the same Bangkok, full of sounds, smells and sights. Same Thai girls, same shoppers, same screaming music and the same emptiness. Max sighed and turned away. He’d waited for so long for even one word from Liz. There had been nothing. He’d thought she would wait. She would stay back for some time and give him a chance. Think again, loser! YOU are the brainiac who told her to go. You’re the jackass who didn’t have the balls to ask her to wait! YOU. You’re the cause of the misery that you’re feeling!
Max scowled at a fruit-stall. The fruits looked ripe, delicious and inviting. Anything to take away the taste of defeat in his mouth, Max hurriedly shoved out bahts from his wallet and handed it over, pointing at the fuzzy-looking strawberries. Lichees or rambutan as they were called locally, looked prickly enough to shock him back to reality.
The old man smiled toothily and packed it up for him.
Max started walking away. The place was all too depressingly familiar. For the umpteenth time, he thought of reaching out to her. And then promptly gave it up.
Why don’t you go ahead and actually DO it, you cowardly, miserable bastard? You don’t even have the guts to let her know that you’ve been out of jail for TWO years! Two freakin’ years! You could’ve tried! How the hell was she supposed to know you when you’d get out? You rotten SOB; you can’t even handle a ROMANCE properly! You should’ve been locked away for life!
Max’s conscience growled out, stinging under his heart’s barbs. How the hell was I suppose to know that Sorenson and the rest would freakin’ believe me, huh? HUH? I didn’t know anything, if they were going to kill me or test me or what!? I did the only thing I could. I let her go! The feds had nothing on me to connect to her!
Max’s heart remained quiet. Encouraged by the drop in backlash, his conscience unfurled. You tell me what I could’ve done! I tried to pass on a message through Michael! It’s not my fault that she hadn’t been anywhere NEAR the reservation for nearly 8 months! What the fuck am I supposed to do? She never tried ONCE to reach out to me. Not even once! What sort of a sign am I supposed to take THAT as? She’s gone. Deal with it! Be a man! She’s better off by herself. You were no good for her. If nothing, this silence from her should make it crystal to you!
Max’s heart rallied back. You never gave her a chance! You told her to leave. You should’ve told her, if there was some possibility, EVER of meeting her again! I suppose she was to try and read your warped mind, eh? Well guess what ‘cuz you didn’t fucking let her!! And then you have the gall to mope and wail as to WHY she’s not here! Die, Max! Just die!!
Max threw the fruits in the nearest trash and raced off to find the nearest bar. The smoky lights stung his eyes and made his nostrils itch. The pounding beat took the pounding off his heart. Relief. Yet the inner ramblings were beginning to plague him now. His mind was tired by the times he’d recounted his last meeting with Liz. Had he ever told her how to get in touch? No. Had he ever thought to tell her to that it might be possible? No, again, dumbass. Max ignored the barb and went on with his thoughts. I should’ve connected with her. He concluded miserably. I should’ve tried that the instant I sensed that things were going my way. And I should’ve kept trying. DAMN me.
He remembered the congressional meeting. There had been an aghast silence for a long, long time. No one had spoken, each man suffering from the biggest kind of shock imaginable. Alex Charles Whitman. Human. Hunted on the biggest scale worldwide. Killed by the Intelligence communities. Funded by the government. Lied to by Agent Pierce. The outcome hadn’t been a pretty thought.
Max grinned to himself thinking about their catatonic reactions. Each man had remained deep in thought, each to himself, unable to form coherent sentences. They’d sputtered, not even able to start wrapping their heads around the particular thought. Then of course, the wild rants, the outraged shouts and finally the threats and the demands for proof. Their worlds had literally crumbed around their feet.
Davis had looked shell-shocked and none too pleased. Sorenson had gone deathly pale and then assigned a black drape team to find proof and find it NOW! as he’d yelled. The FBI director and Agent Burns had sat, stunned into silence and the possible outcomes that could result from this disaster. And then of course, Agent Burns, standing up, glaring at Max, asking, no, demanding irrefutable proof.
Max had given them all that. He’d given the name of the locker where he’d stored all the findings. There had been pages and pages of affidavits, photos, forensic reports, millions of financial spreadsheets, accounts that showed exactly how the and where the funding had gone.
It had all gone to portray Pierce as a raving lunatic with his calm psychobabble on the front and the inner workings of a devil. And it had worked to perfection. And then some. If the Special unit is ever re-born again, it won’t be until after Doomsday.
Max snorted derisively to none in particular. It had been too easy to convince them Pierce had been a head-case. Too damned easy. The evidence had been there, combined with the document Max had gotten signed from Pierce that god-awful night in the vaults. It had been a clean single sheet of paper declaring what Agent Pierce was – a certified nutcase. More theories had been pondered over and answered. More witnesses hunted down and court-martialled.
Max remembered showing them the videotapes of things that had gone on in the white room. What had in reality happened to a human being instead of an alien.
Sorenson had been beside himself with rage that they’d ever even agreed to the Special Unit’s request to keep things bottled up until absolute proof had been obtained. He’d raged at the congressman, that if it hadn’t been for the rest of them plying to Pierce’s delusions, such a horrific thing would never have taken place. And after that, they’d all bought it.
Every single piece of scrap paper that Liz had meticulously changed to real drafts, real photos, real blood samples of Alex Whitman. Everything had been real, undeniable and since Alex Whitman had been indisposed off, they hadn’t questioned his word.
Of course, there had been queries made, investigations conducted, answers found. Conclusions reached, the same conclusions Max had agonized over ever since he’d heard what had really happened to Maria Evans. Agent Pierce had been judged on every conceivable charge the government could find and finally been handed a lifer in absenti. Boohoo. He deserved the electric chair.
It had all come out. Game over. There was a brief court session and two days later, the handed him a clean suit, his personal belonging and the best thing, his freedom. Of course, he’d chased off a million agents after that, popping out while he was in the mall, or in the garage. They’d been there, just like he’d predicted, for the better part of 2 years. Only after he’d gone back to Sorenson, waving a worn copy of Among Us and threatening to call a reporter, had the goons backed off. Oh, he knew they were still there. They were still skulking around in the shadows, reporting his every move. And THAT his conscience roared is why I never tired to contact her. HAPPY now?
Stupid excuse. And Michael had dittoed that when they’d talked. Max sighed, feeling tired. He and Michael had done their level best to locate her, as much as they could try without their bodyguards figuring it out. Hadn’t exactly been instant pudding. Finally, last year, after Michael had raged again why Max wouldn’t contact her, he’d thrown in the towel.
“You do whatever the hell you want. I’m done with you!” he’d ranted.
Max remembered his own bitter response with a lot of ill feeling. “I don’t want her in any more of this shit! She hasn’t tried, once, to reach out for me! What does that tell you? Either she can’t or she’d rather not! Either case, it says, no, screams that she’s moved on and I’m not such a selfish pig that I’m going to screw up her life!”
Michael had had another of his conniption fits.
“Oh you stupid jackass, what part of “she’s hurting and feeling scared of what it may do to you” do you NOT get??? And you used to come in first in class! Jesus Christ, Max! I used to think you were a bright sort but generally emotionally challenged but you’re like the next freakin’… BLOB!”
“Blob?” Max had stared at him, not seeing the humor in the situation. Now, he did. Jesus, I was a doozy of a BLOB!
Michael had reacted the way Maria would’ve, had she been alive. Of course, instead of the mindless shrill screams of exasperation, Michael had stared at him dumbly then hit him across the jaw and stomped out. Only to spoil the magnificent retreat by calling out “If you ever find her, let me know and I’ll take her off your useless, spineless ass!”
Max smiled ruefully, the memory painfully clear. That little spat had finally moved him into high gear again, searching high and low. He’d asked around every imaginable place he could remember, from the its and bits of Liz’s life she’d reluctantly divulged. He went back over all the places Alex had gone to but couldn’t search too thoroughly because the feds had impeded him. Wary of getting into red lights again, he’d backed off but kept a discreet lookout. He’d milked all his contacts for every bit of information they were worth but still nothing, In fact, if he didn’t know better, he could say Elizabeth Parker, regal, beautiful, stubborn, alien, had never existed.
But you do know better! And if it hadn’t been for your retarded line of thinking, you could’ve been WITH her right now!
Max’s conscience snarled back. And you think I don’t know that? You think I don’t miss her with every part that is me? You think I haven’t regretted walking away from her, that every cell within me had been screaming out against this very plot right from the day I killed Pierce? In case you STILL haven’t got it, I fucking DO! I’ve done my damnedest to try and find her. But I can’t! But even though I know what I’m missing, what I already have missed, I wouldn’t trade this knowledge that she is safe from the FBI for anything in the world. If this is the price I have to pay, so be it. Now SHUT UP, damn you!
His heart quailed but retaliated bravely. And maybe why you’ve not heard from her is because she’s been hurt? Sick? DEAD? Ever thought of THAT? Oh no, not you! The jeer bit.
Max stood up, having had enough. It’s not enough I’ve lost the one person I truly cared about, but no, now I’m having a dual way debate between heart, body and mind. Oh yeah, the conscience. Can’t forget that.
Scratch that. She’s not someone I mundanely care about! I LOVE her. Right now, the only reason why I’m not jacking this whole shit and walking away IS because of her!
Getting real far, Max! his conscience taunted. Sitting around here, eating fruits. Yeah, real progress.
Max started walking off, his entire being tired. He wondered why he wasn’t tired of this never-ending chase. Why didn’t it stop hurting? The lights winked back at him but unfortunately, if they knew, they kept mum.
He stopped suddenly, a weird sense of premonition driving him to a halt. Max whirled around, surer than ever. The thought was gone before it was formed. There was no lovely, doe-eyed woman standing behind him her eyes alight with love. Nope, not there. Then it hit him. He was standing in front of the disco where he’d first met her.
Images came flooding back, vivid, exciting. He moved forward, something tugging at his heart.
The bar was as crowded as it had been the last 3 times he’d been here. Every 31st, he’d post his ass on a barstool, stare at a glass of water and pray that she’d show up. She never had before and today didn’t look anything exceptional. Max sighed into his glass sullenly, for one second damning Liz to the high moons. Knowing your luck, that’s probably where she is right now.
The bartender moved in his direction, but Max waved him off, feeling utterly spent. How many more years was he going to stay this way? Tired, desperate, lonely. He pushed himself off the stool and trudged out of there.
Outside, the wind whipped his hair, making his skin tingle after the blast of heat inside. He hailed a cab and made for the airport. She wasn’t there. She wasn’t coming back. It was over. For the umpteenth time, Max wondered where the hell she was.
The queues at the airport were minimal, given that it was new year’s eve. As the clock donged with the magic hour and cheers went up, max walked through the Jetway, fighting the anguish. What I wouldn’t give to see her again. Just once. Safe.
“Your seat, sir.” The pretty hostess gestured to the seat. Damn, he wasn’t on a single one.
He frowned, looking back at the airhostess.
“Are all the seats booked? I was kind of looking for a single one.” He grinned good-naturedly at her, praying she’d be able to do that for him. He had no wish to seat next to a total stranger ad make inane chitchat. Not tonight, anyway.
The airhostess grinned back, signaling to another seat. “No one’s showed up yet, so, you can have a seat there. I’m afraid if they do come, you’ll have to move.”
Max sighed with relief. It was late enough already; takeoff 5 minutes away. He doubted very much someone would come around. He thanked her extravagantly and true enough, no one came.
The huge Boeing started cruising down the runway. Max stared back at the lights, bidding farewell to Bangkok, knowing full well that he was going to come back next December.
Roswell, New Mexico
Days later
Max entered his parents’ house. It was early February, the cold all but gone. He was busy renovating the place, making sure he could come back here at a moment’s notice. He was still stationed in Washington, but this time as a teacher than an agent. Of course, he’d have been a natural for forensics and bio, but he’d declined, not wishing to even look at an uncommon cell. It brought back too many memories. Memories he kept hoarded up during the days and let lose in the middle of the night, when his mind was too tired to resist. He’d replayed every instant so thoroughly, that it felt like it happened every day.
Michael had kidded him about it.
“If you don’t stop that Max, one day I’ll come over and you’ll be like ‘ sit down, Mike, Liz’s cooking pot roast tonight.’” He’d said, not trying to make it too hard. But it had stung Max deeply. After that, he refrained from talking about Liz when Michael came by.
Michael had realized his mistake and done his best to snap him out of his funk, but it had never worked. Max was in full brood mode and nothing anyone said had made it any better.
‘Yo, Max!” A shout came from his new neighbor, Kyle sth-or-the-other. Max waved back and kept bringing stuff in.
“Need help?” the wiry brunette asked, flexing his muscles.
Max was inclined to tell him to beat it, but thought better of it. “Naw, I can do it.”
“You moving in here for good?” The shorter man asked casually, hoisting another end of the sofa and pushing it in.
Max smiled gratefully. He’d seen two little kids next door. So cute. His smile turned sad. Where the hell IS Liz? We should’ve been having kids by now! One cute, baby girl with eyes like her and that gorgeous skin.
Max was rudely awakened from his daydreams by Kyle’s laughter.
“You gonna adopt my kids or what?” he smiled, gesturing towards where Max had been staring intently.
“No, he’s not. He’s waiting for his own.” Another voice sounded from the entrance.
Max and Kyle turned.
Kyle smiled brightly, “Is he now?”
Max blinked. For one crazy moment the world spun off its axis. He knew that excited, secret tone. And he knew that voice.
He just handed Kyle the key and walked forward without so much as a ‘Bye!’ backward.
Max stopped at the end of the drive, his hands literally shaking with emotion as he gazed at the person standing a few feet away, an answering twinkle meeting his dazed eyes.
“Where?” It was just one word but it encompassed everything he was feeling.
Michael breathed in deeply, the triumph written in every part of him. “LA.” He replied, handing Max a cutout from the paper. It was a picture of the same person that had haunted Max’s dreams for so long.
Max took it reverently, hand shaking like a drunk's, just drinking up the sight of her. It was plain black and white, 3x 3 fuzzy picture but it gave him more purpose than he’d had the last two years.
“She looks good.” Michael commented quietly, unnerved by Max’s silence.
Max finally glanced up, his eyes wary, desperate. “How did you find out?”
Micahel hummed and hawed. "Let’s see, it was my superior intelligence. Ok, ok” he cut it out, seeing Max’s eyes narrow to slits. “A colleague of mine found it.”
Max stopped breathing.
“Why?” he asked, his voice low and terrified. To think that all this time was wasted was too much to bear.
Michael frowned at him. "Don’t be such a drama queen, Max!" he laughed seeing the scowl on Max’s ashen face, “It’s not like that. My colleague, Amy Russell, met her on this WHO campaign they had last year. She recognized her in the paper, asked me if I wanted a date with her. Well, you know my response. I said yeah, set it up. So she did. And I have a flight in two hours.”
Max pushed himself up to Michael, his eyes deadly.
"It’s such a pity you’re going to have to cancel the flight, then, isn’t it?”
Michael agreed amiably. “I agree, terrible pity.” Then he lowered his voice. “I have a ticket for you. Pan Am flight, 6 pm, tonight. Take it and go. I’ll see what I can do about the Fed situation.”
Max stepped away, the color returning to his face, eyes sparkling. He looked like a Klieg light. "Thanks, Mike, I owe you.”
"My pleasure, Professor. Remember what I said about the kids.” Mike stepped back too.
Both men remained quiet for a second, each letting the implication drown in.
Max swayed for a second, fear mixing with love. Should he go? What if something happens again? What do I want more, Liz or her safety? There was no decision there. He wanted her to be safe.
At that moment, Max felt his jaw sting. He stumbled backward and nearly fell over. Michael stood over him, wheezing.
“You sonofabitch! After everything if you so much as dare!!!”
Max lurched to his feet, the world was spinning crazily but in a sudden rush of clarity, he didn’t care anymore. He’d wasted enough time worrying. Now it was time to let go of the past.
Michael eyed him carefully. Max was still smiling like an idiot. Then he made his way indoors. All of a sudden, Kyle was swept outside the house by Max’s rapid movements.
"Whoa!” he exclaimed, stepping away. “Boyo got a hot date?”
"Very!” Michael agreed, watching Max tear around the house, trying to pack and lock things up all at once.
Finally, Max threw things down and glanced beseechingly over at Michael.
"Mike, please?” he wheezed, indicating towards the ransacked house. Things were a whopping mess.
“Go ahead” Michael laughed, seeing the relieved expression. Dumbass actually thought I’d say no! Then again, he’s probably hesitating since I’m the one he’s leaving in charge. Why, the SOB! I can live in a clean atmosphere!
Max was already out the door. He raced for his car, pretty much oblivious to every one else around him. At the last moment, he remembered.
“Call me, if something comes up.” he added to Michael. Worried, exhilarated, frantic with need.
Michael nodded. "I will.”
Max threw the car back in reverse. Tires screeching, he sped out of there like a bat out of hell.
Had you fooled, eh?
Cristine - I'm so sorry! I got it miexed up. And wow, your site is outta this world!!
ALL of you guys - thanks for the loevely, lovely words. As you can see, it's still not done quite yet. Lol.
Sarah
Bangkok, 2015
31st Dec
Max stood in a familiar place. He’d spent the last two years here, seeing it over and over again in his mind, till he could smell the frying seafood without anything there, till a red-clad woman was almost beside him even though there was nothing.
It was still the same Bangkok, full of sounds, smells and sights. Same Thai girls, same shoppers, same screaming music and the same emptiness. Max sighed and turned away. He’d waited for so long for even one word from Liz. There had been nothing. He’d thought she would wait. She would stay back for some time and give him a chance. Think again, loser! YOU are the brainiac who told her to go. You’re the jackass who didn’t have the balls to ask her to wait! YOU. You’re the cause of the misery that you’re feeling!
Max scowled at a fruit-stall. The fruits looked ripe, delicious and inviting. Anything to take away the taste of defeat in his mouth, Max hurriedly shoved out bahts from his wallet and handed it over, pointing at the fuzzy-looking strawberries. Lichees or rambutan as they were called locally, looked prickly enough to shock him back to reality.
The old man smiled toothily and packed it up for him.
Max started walking away. The place was all too depressingly familiar. For the umpteenth time, he thought of reaching out to her. And then promptly gave it up.
Why don’t you go ahead and actually DO it, you cowardly, miserable bastard? You don’t even have the guts to let her know that you’ve been out of jail for TWO years! Two freakin’ years! You could’ve tried! How the hell was she supposed to know you when you’d get out? You rotten SOB; you can’t even handle a ROMANCE properly! You should’ve been locked away for life!
Max’s conscience growled out, stinging under his heart’s barbs. How the hell was I suppose to know that Sorenson and the rest would freakin’ believe me, huh? HUH? I didn’t know anything, if they were going to kill me or test me or what!? I did the only thing I could. I let her go! The feds had nothing on me to connect to her!
Max’s heart remained quiet. Encouraged by the drop in backlash, his conscience unfurled. You tell me what I could’ve done! I tried to pass on a message through Michael! It’s not my fault that she hadn’t been anywhere NEAR the reservation for nearly 8 months! What the fuck am I supposed to do? She never tried ONCE to reach out to me. Not even once! What sort of a sign am I supposed to take THAT as? She’s gone. Deal with it! Be a man! She’s better off by herself. You were no good for her. If nothing, this silence from her should make it crystal to you!
Max’s heart rallied back. You never gave her a chance! You told her to leave. You should’ve told her, if there was some possibility, EVER of meeting her again! I suppose she was to try and read your warped mind, eh? Well guess what ‘cuz you didn’t fucking let her!! And then you have the gall to mope and wail as to WHY she’s not here! Die, Max! Just die!!
Max threw the fruits in the nearest trash and raced off to find the nearest bar. The smoky lights stung his eyes and made his nostrils itch. The pounding beat took the pounding off his heart. Relief. Yet the inner ramblings were beginning to plague him now. His mind was tired by the times he’d recounted his last meeting with Liz. Had he ever told her how to get in touch? No. Had he ever thought to tell her to that it might be possible? No, again, dumbass. Max ignored the barb and went on with his thoughts. I should’ve connected with her. He concluded miserably. I should’ve tried that the instant I sensed that things were going my way. And I should’ve kept trying. DAMN me.
He remembered the congressional meeting. There had been an aghast silence for a long, long time. No one had spoken, each man suffering from the biggest kind of shock imaginable. Alex Charles Whitman. Human. Hunted on the biggest scale worldwide. Killed by the Intelligence communities. Funded by the government. Lied to by Agent Pierce. The outcome hadn’t been a pretty thought.
Max grinned to himself thinking about their catatonic reactions. Each man had remained deep in thought, each to himself, unable to form coherent sentences. They’d sputtered, not even able to start wrapping their heads around the particular thought. Then of course, the wild rants, the outraged shouts and finally the threats and the demands for proof. Their worlds had literally crumbed around their feet.
Davis had looked shell-shocked and none too pleased. Sorenson had gone deathly pale and then assigned a black drape team to find proof and find it NOW! as he’d yelled. The FBI director and Agent Burns had sat, stunned into silence and the possible outcomes that could result from this disaster. And then of course, Agent Burns, standing up, glaring at Max, asking, no, demanding irrefutable proof.
Max had given them all that. He’d given the name of the locker where he’d stored all the findings. There had been pages and pages of affidavits, photos, forensic reports, millions of financial spreadsheets, accounts that showed exactly how the and where the funding had gone.
It had all gone to portray Pierce as a raving lunatic with his calm psychobabble on the front and the inner workings of a devil. And it had worked to perfection. And then some. If the Special unit is ever re-born again, it won’t be until after Doomsday.
Max snorted derisively to none in particular. It had been too easy to convince them Pierce had been a head-case. Too damned easy. The evidence had been there, combined with the document Max had gotten signed from Pierce that god-awful night in the vaults. It had been a clean single sheet of paper declaring what Agent Pierce was – a certified nutcase. More theories had been pondered over and answered. More witnesses hunted down and court-martialled.
Max remembered showing them the videotapes of things that had gone on in the white room. What had in reality happened to a human being instead of an alien.
Sorenson had been beside himself with rage that they’d ever even agreed to the Special Unit’s request to keep things bottled up until absolute proof had been obtained. He’d raged at the congressman, that if it hadn’t been for the rest of them plying to Pierce’s delusions, such a horrific thing would never have taken place. And after that, they’d all bought it.
Every single piece of scrap paper that Liz had meticulously changed to real drafts, real photos, real blood samples of Alex Whitman. Everything had been real, undeniable and since Alex Whitman had been indisposed off, they hadn’t questioned his word.
Of course, there had been queries made, investigations conducted, answers found. Conclusions reached, the same conclusions Max had agonized over ever since he’d heard what had really happened to Maria Evans. Agent Pierce had been judged on every conceivable charge the government could find and finally been handed a lifer in absenti. Boohoo. He deserved the electric chair.
It had all come out. Game over. There was a brief court session and two days later, the handed him a clean suit, his personal belonging and the best thing, his freedom. Of course, he’d chased off a million agents after that, popping out while he was in the mall, or in the garage. They’d been there, just like he’d predicted, for the better part of 2 years. Only after he’d gone back to Sorenson, waving a worn copy of Among Us and threatening to call a reporter, had the goons backed off. Oh, he knew they were still there. They were still skulking around in the shadows, reporting his every move. And THAT his conscience roared is why I never tired to contact her. HAPPY now?
Stupid excuse. And Michael had dittoed that when they’d talked. Max sighed, feeling tired. He and Michael had done their level best to locate her, as much as they could try without their bodyguards figuring it out. Hadn’t exactly been instant pudding. Finally, last year, after Michael had raged again why Max wouldn’t contact her, he’d thrown in the towel.
“You do whatever the hell you want. I’m done with you!” he’d ranted.
Max remembered his own bitter response with a lot of ill feeling. “I don’t want her in any more of this shit! She hasn’t tried, once, to reach out for me! What does that tell you? Either she can’t or she’d rather not! Either case, it says, no, screams that she’s moved on and I’m not such a selfish pig that I’m going to screw up her life!”
Michael had had another of his conniption fits.
“Oh you stupid jackass, what part of “she’s hurting and feeling scared of what it may do to you” do you NOT get??? And you used to come in first in class! Jesus Christ, Max! I used to think you were a bright sort but generally emotionally challenged but you’re like the next freakin’… BLOB!”
“Blob?” Max had stared at him, not seeing the humor in the situation. Now, he did. Jesus, I was a doozy of a BLOB!
Michael had reacted the way Maria would’ve, had she been alive. Of course, instead of the mindless shrill screams of exasperation, Michael had stared at him dumbly then hit him across the jaw and stomped out. Only to spoil the magnificent retreat by calling out “If you ever find her, let me know and I’ll take her off your useless, spineless ass!”
Max smiled ruefully, the memory painfully clear. That little spat had finally moved him into high gear again, searching high and low. He’d asked around every imaginable place he could remember, from the its and bits of Liz’s life she’d reluctantly divulged. He went back over all the places Alex had gone to but couldn’t search too thoroughly because the feds had impeded him. Wary of getting into red lights again, he’d backed off but kept a discreet lookout. He’d milked all his contacts for every bit of information they were worth but still nothing, In fact, if he didn’t know better, he could say Elizabeth Parker, regal, beautiful, stubborn, alien, had never existed.
But you do know better! And if it hadn’t been for your retarded line of thinking, you could’ve been WITH her right now!
Max’s conscience snarled back. And you think I don’t know that? You think I don’t miss her with every part that is me? You think I haven’t regretted walking away from her, that every cell within me had been screaming out against this very plot right from the day I killed Pierce? In case you STILL haven’t got it, I fucking DO! I’ve done my damnedest to try and find her. But I can’t! But even though I know what I’m missing, what I already have missed, I wouldn’t trade this knowledge that she is safe from the FBI for anything in the world. If this is the price I have to pay, so be it. Now SHUT UP, damn you!
His heart quailed but retaliated bravely. And maybe why you’ve not heard from her is because she’s been hurt? Sick? DEAD? Ever thought of THAT? Oh no, not you! The jeer bit.
Max stood up, having had enough. It’s not enough I’ve lost the one person I truly cared about, but no, now I’m having a dual way debate between heart, body and mind. Oh yeah, the conscience. Can’t forget that.
Scratch that. She’s not someone I mundanely care about! I LOVE her. Right now, the only reason why I’m not jacking this whole shit and walking away IS because of her!
Getting real far, Max! his conscience taunted. Sitting around here, eating fruits. Yeah, real progress.
Max started walking off, his entire being tired. He wondered why he wasn’t tired of this never-ending chase. Why didn’t it stop hurting? The lights winked back at him but unfortunately, if they knew, they kept mum.
He stopped suddenly, a weird sense of premonition driving him to a halt. Max whirled around, surer than ever. The thought was gone before it was formed. There was no lovely, doe-eyed woman standing behind him her eyes alight with love. Nope, not there. Then it hit him. He was standing in front of the disco where he’d first met her.
Images came flooding back, vivid, exciting. He moved forward, something tugging at his heart.
The bar was as crowded as it had been the last 3 times he’d been here. Every 31st, he’d post his ass on a barstool, stare at a glass of water and pray that she’d show up. She never had before and today didn’t look anything exceptional. Max sighed into his glass sullenly, for one second damning Liz to the high moons. Knowing your luck, that’s probably where she is right now.
The bartender moved in his direction, but Max waved him off, feeling utterly spent. How many more years was he going to stay this way? Tired, desperate, lonely. He pushed himself off the stool and trudged out of there.
Outside, the wind whipped his hair, making his skin tingle after the blast of heat inside. He hailed a cab and made for the airport. She wasn’t there. She wasn’t coming back. It was over. For the umpteenth time, Max wondered where the hell she was.
The queues at the airport were minimal, given that it was new year’s eve. As the clock donged with the magic hour and cheers went up, max walked through the Jetway, fighting the anguish. What I wouldn’t give to see her again. Just once. Safe.
“Your seat, sir.” The pretty hostess gestured to the seat. Damn, he wasn’t on a single one.
He frowned, looking back at the airhostess.
“Are all the seats booked? I was kind of looking for a single one.” He grinned good-naturedly at her, praying she’d be able to do that for him. He had no wish to seat next to a total stranger ad make inane chitchat. Not tonight, anyway.
The airhostess grinned back, signaling to another seat. “No one’s showed up yet, so, you can have a seat there. I’m afraid if they do come, you’ll have to move.”
Max sighed with relief. It was late enough already; takeoff 5 minutes away. He doubted very much someone would come around. He thanked her extravagantly and true enough, no one came.
The huge Boeing started cruising down the runway. Max stared back at the lights, bidding farewell to Bangkok, knowing full well that he was going to come back next December.
Roswell, New Mexico
Days later
Max entered his parents’ house. It was early February, the cold all but gone. He was busy renovating the place, making sure he could come back here at a moment’s notice. He was still stationed in Washington, but this time as a teacher than an agent. Of course, he’d have been a natural for forensics and bio, but he’d declined, not wishing to even look at an uncommon cell. It brought back too many memories. Memories he kept hoarded up during the days and let lose in the middle of the night, when his mind was too tired to resist. He’d replayed every instant so thoroughly, that it felt like it happened every day.
Michael had kidded him about it.
“If you don’t stop that Max, one day I’ll come over and you’ll be like ‘ sit down, Mike, Liz’s cooking pot roast tonight.’” He’d said, not trying to make it too hard. But it had stung Max deeply. After that, he refrained from talking about Liz when Michael came by.
Michael had realized his mistake and done his best to snap him out of his funk, but it had never worked. Max was in full brood mode and nothing anyone said had made it any better.
‘Yo, Max!” A shout came from his new neighbor, Kyle sth-or-the-other. Max waved back and kept bringing stuff in.
“Need help?” the wiry brunette asked, flexing his muscles.
Max was inclined to tell him to beat it, but thought better of it. “Naw, I can do it.”
“You moving in here for good?” The shorter man asked casually, hoisting another end of the sofa and pushing it in.
Max smiled gratefully. He’d seen two little kids next door. So cute. His smile turned sad. Where the hell IS Liz? We should’ve been having kids by now! One cute, baby girl with eyes like her and that gorgeous skin.
Max was rudely awakened from his daydreams by Kyle’s laughter.
“You gonna adopt my kids or what?” he smiled, gesturing towards where Max had been staring intently.
“No, he’s not. He’s waiting for his own.” Another voice sounded from the entrance.
Max and Kyle turned.
Kyle smiled brightly, “Is he now?”
Max blinked. For one crazy moment the world spun off its axis. He knew that excited, secret tone. And he knew that voice.
He just handed Kyle the key and walked forward without so much as a ‘Bye!’ backward.
Max stopped at the end of the drive, his hands literally shaking with emotion as he gazed at the person standing a few feet away, an answering twinkle meeting his dazed eyes.
“Where?” It was just one word but it encompassed everything he was feeling.
Michael breathed in deeply, the triumph written in every part of him. “LA.” He replied, handing Max a cutout from the paper. It was a picture of the same person that had haunted Max’s dreams for so long.
Max took it reverently, hand shaking like a drunk's, just drinking up the sight of her. It was plain black and white, 3x 3 fuzzy picture but it gave him more purpose than he’d had the last two years.
“She looks good.” Michael commented quietly, unnerved by Max’s silence.
Max finally glanced up, his eyes wary, desperate. “How did you find out?”
Micahel hummed and hawed. "Let’s see, it was my superior intelligence. Ok, ok” he cut it out, seeing Max’s eyes narrow to slits. “A colleague of mine found it.”
Max stopped breathing.
“Why?” he asked, his voice low and terrified. To think that all this time was wasted was too much to bear.
Michael frowned at him. "Don’t be such a drama queen, Max!" he laughed seeing the scowl on Max’s ashen face, “It’s not like that. My colleague, Amy Russell, met her on this WHO campaign they had last year. She recognized her in the paper, asked me if I wanted a date with her. Well, you know my response. I said yeah, set it up. So she did. And I have a flight in two hours.”
Max pushed himself up to Michael, his eyes deadly.
"It’s such a pity you’re going to have to cancel the flight, then, isn’t it?”
Michael agreed amiably. “I agree, terrible pity.” Then he lowered his voice. “I have a ticket for you. Pan Am flight, 6 pm, tonight. Take it and go. I’ll see what I can do about the Fed situation.”
Max stepped away, the color returning to his face, eyes sparkling. He looked like a Klieg light. "Thanks, Mike, I owe you.”
"My pleasure, Professor. Remember what I said about the kids.” Mike stepped back too.
Both men remained quiet for a second, each letting the implication drown in.
Max swayed for a second, fear mixing with love. Should he go? What if something happens again? What do I want more, Liz or her safety? There was no decision there. He wanted her to be safe.
At that moment, Max felt his jaw sting. He stumbled backward and nearly fell over. Michael stood over him, wheezing.
“You sonofabitch! After everything if you so much as dare!!!”
Max lurched to his feet, the world was spinning crazily but in a sudden rush of clarity, he didn’t care anymore. He’d wasted enough time worrying. Now it was time to let go of the past.
Michael eyed him carefully. Max was still smiling like an idiot. Then he made his way indoors. All of a sudden, Kyle was swept outside the house by Max’s rapid movements.
"Whoa!” he exclaimed, stepping away. “Boyo got a hot date?”
"Very!” Michael agreed, watching Max tear around the house, trying to pack and lock things up all at once.
Finally, Max threw things down and glanced beseechingly over at Michael.
"Mike, please?” he wheezed, indicating towards the ransacked house. Things were a whopping mess.
“Go ahead” Michael laughed, seeing the relieved expression. Dumbass actually thought I’d say no! Then again, he’s probably hesitating since I’m the one he’s leaving in charge. Why, the SOB! I can live in a clean atmosphere!
Max was already out the door. He raced for his car, pretty much oblivious to every one else around him. At the last moment, he remembered.
“Call me, if something comes up.” he added to Michael. Worried, exhilarated, frantic with need.
Michael nodded. "I will.”
Max threw the car back in reverse. Tires screeching, he sped out of there like a bat out of hell.
Had you fooled, eh?
Cristine - I'm so sorry! I got it miexed up.
And wow, your site is outta this world!!ALL of you guys - thanks for the loevely, lovely words. As you can see, it's still not done quite yet. Lol.
Sarah
Los Angeles
20th February, 2016
Liz made her way to the 30th floor of the Four Seasons resort she’d been staying in for the duration of the conference. Days had dragged by endlessly. After that last meeting with Michael on the reservation, she’d let her control go.
She’d been a wreck, literally speaking. Lurching herself out of New Mexico, she’d made her way to Washington with the full intention of busting Max out of the facility. She hadn’t made it that far. Through extensive research, she’d found out that Max was indeed still a captive and as of yet, the jury was still out. After that, she hadn’t heard anything more. She’d clung to the faint hope that he would try and connect with her as soon as it was all clear. He hadn’t. So it had been safe to presume that he couldn’t or he wouldn’t.
As unbearable both alternatives had been, Liz firmly believed that he wouldn’t. At least that kept the probability of him being warm and ambulatory alive.
2 miserable years, now a third. Where the hell ARE you, Max? How am I supposed to know when it’s safe to contact you? Goddamn you, leave me with some thing!
There was a growing awareness in her, she could feel it. For months on end, she’d fought the calling but it had gotten stronger every second she’d let herself think Max wasn’t coming back. There was something almost larger-than-life inside her, luring her back and yet, she wouldn’t make that commitment, not unless she knew it was over. Not just in my head, when he TELLS me to my face! Or, if I see his dead body.
That thought sent her spiraling off in another direction. Max may be dead. Since he’d let so much time go by, she’d been assuming the worst. Maybe it was time to go. There was nothing holding her back anymore.
Wrong! Liz kicked her door in frustration. She turned back for the stairs, needing to let loose some steam. If he’s dead, I’ll blow this shitty place up and THEN leave. No one touches him, NO ONE!
Very romantic, Liz, but face facts. You’re currently in LA, probably the last place on Earth where he’d be. Did you try his home? Did you try Roswell? No, you just got yourself in a place where there are MILLIONS of freaks just like you and now…now he’ll never know where the fucking hell you are!
“Fuck off!” Liz bit out loud. An Asian couple in the elevator looked at her in disgust.
“Excuse me?” The man glowered at her.
“Oh! I’m so sorry. I wasn’t talking to you…” Great going, Liz! Piss off more people, why don’t you? Liz slumped back aginst the door and prayed for a miracle.
The lobby was cool and it relieved the headache that was beginning to form.
“Ms. Parker?” the receptionist called, as she chucked her key at him.
“Yes?”
“You have a message. Says urgent.” The portly man held out a pink slip.
For an instant, her breathing short-circuited. No one even knew who she was. For a second, her heart screamed MAX!! Then, she forced herself to be logical. Max doesn’t know where I am. If he did, he’d have connected with me first. We’d have done it privately. There’s no WAY it’s him!
She took the paper and held it away from herself. It read Amy Russell.
Surrendering herself to the disappointment, she opened it. It said something about a blind date and Liz balled it up and threw it away with a resounding growl.
People looked up and then went back to their jobs.
“Jesus!” She muttered under her breath and left the place. If she saw another pink slip, it’d be too soon.
The night air was not cooler. February in LA was not frigid Washington and against her will, she remembered that time.
Biting air. Frosted breaths. Rosy faces. Amber eyes.
“Taxi!" she hollered. One pulled up. Liz was in it before it had even stopped. “Take me to the airport! NOW!”
She settled herself back, knowing that she’d left everything back in the hotel. All she had was her wallet and a purse. No clothes, no nothing. What are you THINKING? You can’t go to Roswell now!
Liz snorted out loud. “Try me!”
The cabbie turned back. “You said something?”
“Yeah! Hurry UP!” she snarled.
The cab shot forward.
By the time she was in front of the domestic terminal, she’d started having second thoughts. What was this going to accomplish? Nothing, stupid!
She made her way to the ticket counters, wondering if she was mad to take a flight at 12:30 am. The counter was dark. Closed! FUCK!
“Excuse me, is there any available flights to New Mexico? Soonest flight, please?” She asked over to the next open one.
The man behind the counter shook his head. “Sorry ma’am, next flight at 9:00 am. Shall I book you one?”
Liz sighed with relief. That still allowed her time to think. “Yeah. Thanks.”
The man punched up her ticket and she left gratefully.
The air outside was balmier than the recycled one inside. Liz inhaled, gathering courage. In her heart, she knew that if this trip failed, it was somehow all over. It’d be the third time now and she wasn’t sure she was prepared to see another empty house out for rent in Murray Lane.
An empty cab came forward at the same time the shuttle left. Liz glared at it’s huge, retreating back and then got into the cab.
She was halfway back to her hotel when they stopped at a red light. Her face scrunched with worry, she looked up at her surroundings and went back to scrutinizing her options. There was something blinking at the corner of her eye and irritated, Liz looked up.
Just sitting a few feet away and his face away from her and talking frustratedly on his cell, looking haggard, was Max.
For a few seconds, Liz forgot to breathe. It’s not him. My eyes are playing tricks on me! it can’t be!!! Vertigo swirled around her, making it hard to think rationally. After a few seconds of gazing at the bent head, Liz realised that it was Max. Her head was making it hard to think straight, but her body screamed out for him.
Unsteadily, she grasped the cabby’s collar from the back. Instantly, a gun appeared.
“Tyke yer hand off, lady, before you’re dust!” the man snarled out at her.
“You don’t do as I say, I’m going to make sure your last remains aren’t even powder!” Liz snarled back, discreetly blowing a hole near his head. A small piece of the windshield blew away in the wind.
The cabbie settled back, convinced.
At that instant, Max glanced sideways, to see what the commotion was. Shock froze him. Just sitting beside him, read-face and frantic, was Liz Parker.
Max nearly broke through the glass in his surprise.
“Liz!!!” He thought he’d screamed, but no one had turned aournd. LIZ!!!!!
At that second, the light changed and the vehicles swarmed forward.
“NOOO!” Max shouted, making the rest of the passengers shrink away from him, sure he was some sort of hi-jacker.
“Excuse me!” Max shoved a man away from him, who looked like he’d bene chosen among the rest to defend themselves.
“Not so fast, mate!”
And he swung. Max ducked but the edge of the seat caught him and shock had done the rest. He slumped down.
“MAX!!!” Liz shouted, pounding her fist against the glass. I can’t believe this is happening!!!
“Follow that bus. Go where it goes!”
“It’s interstate, lady.”
“Well, then think dollar signs!” She howled back, ready to rip the dingy cab to shreds. “I don’t CARE! Just keep it in your sights!”
“Stops?” the man asked, negotiating the traffic like a demon.
She kept her eyes trained on the bus exit. “EVERY where it stops, you do the same!”
“yes, ma’am.” The oldie smiled happily and floored the pedal.
“I need to know where it stops!!” Liz talked out loud in a panic.
“You tryin’ to kill someone, honey?” he leered at her.
“Yes.” She got out through gritted teeth. "It’ll be you if you lose them.”
At that instant, the bus veered into the emergency lanes and shot forward.
“WHAT?” Liz shrieked, aghast. What the hell??
“Nope, can’t do that. I’ll get arrested.” With that, the cabby resumed his normal pace and stalled in the bogged traffic.
Liz was too desperate to talk. “Please!” She begged, unable to do anything else.
The guy shrugged. “Sorry, ma’am, rules are rules. I ain’t going to jail for a customer. Keep your cash.”
Liz fought back tears. To have been this close and still getting nothing was enough to make her insane.
“Just take me back to the hotel.” She replied after a while, after her emotions had settled back down. Already a list was ready in her head.
Newspapers. That’s it. Oh, damn it, NO. It can’t be newspapers cuz then they’ll KNOW it’s about Max. Damn! Michael? She chewed her lip for a second, trying to find out alternatives. Ok, last option. Don’t want him to get in any trouble again. Third, the UFO nutty thing. Maybe that forum is still alive. Or… or I could just get down here somewhere and get a route for that bus and keep tracking it!
She turned to the cabby. “Any idea why it took off like that?”
“Dunno. Maybe someone had a heart-attack. Or a hi-jacking.”
Liz quailed. What if Max’s heart failed at the shock? It had certainly been one. Or maybe there was a real hijacker and Max was lying there, dead or wounded, hostage!! The possibilities ran through her head till she felt faint. No! i'm not going down that one!
Breathing deeply, she prayed that it wasn’t a mistake and then let go of her control. She closed her eys, concentrated, and soon enough, she knew she was close to bonding with Max.
Max!!!
It went out to a void. There was no answer.
Liz sat back, stunned. Never, ever, not even in her wildest dreams had she thought Max wouldn’t answer. That had been unthinkable. Or maybe it had really been severed back in Roswell. Maybe I’d been able to do it. Her mind grasped at probabilities.
“No, I did it then.” She said out loud, not caring who heard. There were a lot of weirdos out here anyways.
“What’s the matter you, lady? Need to go to a hospital or what?”
“NO!” Liz said icily but inside she was scared witless. She couldn’t get through to Max and the last avenues had just gone up in smoke. For the second time in her life, she felt herself close to hysteria.
“Just take me back to the hotel.”
Fighting the traffic, Liz made her way back. Her entire body ached from the jarring drive and all she wanted to do was sleep.
Correction, I’m going to find out what happened to him. And then I shall sleep!
“Madam, a message for you.” The receptionist held out.
Liz stared at it for a while, heart brimming with hope. Maybe, he knew where she was. After all, it’s Max. He always knew. Somehow.
The pink slip contained a few details of he presentation in the morning. Liz tore at her hair, wondering why she hadn’t followed through with her promises and not looked back. On top of everything, there was now a presentation looming her way. Next job, she thought decidedly, yanking her key out, I’m gonna take in freakin’ Pizza Hut.
The door opened under her malicious jerk. She sighed and ran for the phone. It was stupid and dangerous, calling him in Roswell, but Liz had run out of patience.
Dialing as quickly as she could, she started praying that someone on the other end would answer. Maybe he’s living with Michael. Maybe that’s why no one got the phone.
The phone rang for hours. No one answered. Defeated, Liz hung up and buried her face in her hands.
“Max, where ARE you?” she wondered out loud.
The question died halfway out of her throat as she found herself trapped. Under the same amber eyes she’d been dreaming about for three years now.
“I…” Liz got out, staring at him, disbelieving. It can’t be!!!
“What can’t be?” he asked. Liz closed her eyes, letting his voice wash over her. It felt like a dream. Maybe, that’s all it was.
Warm hands cupped her face. Suddenly, it was no longer a void. She could feel the universe. She could feel him.
Her eyes flew open, startling both of them. Max was there, bending down and his hands were resting on the side of her face. They were white with strain and the fingers that rested so gently on her skin were leaving trail marks of flames down her body.
“Max.” She gripped his hands, anchoring them with her own, holding him to her with ferocious need.
“Liz Parker.” He saluted her casually but his eyes were raw.
“How did you…?” She tried again, moistening her mouth, trying to form coherent sentences but the words just wouldn’t come.
“I just did.” He replied, strained.
Suddenly, the hidden strength behind his fingers uncorded and she gave herself up rapturously. She felt his hands sliding around her, trying to get her in as close as the time and the situation would allow. Hiccupping, she buried herself in his arms feeling like the end of the world had come and gone.
After the initial storm, they stepped back awkwardly. After seemingly forever, they were together and the feeling didn’t sit too well for two people who’d’ spent their lives being alone.
Max felt himself drowning in her and felt ashamed at his lack of control. There was so much to say and all he wanted to do was skip that part and leave for Vegas.
He felt her eyes on him, soaking up the sight. They were like two orbs, ravaging, desperate, out of control. Max shivered.
Liz moved away from him, seeing the heat emanating from his eyes. “Max, no.” Her voice dared him to disobey.
“Liz, I’ve waited two years for this. Those two years have been an eternity, okay? Don’t make me wait anymore.” His words were jesting but there was more in his eyes.
“I’ve been doing the same thing. Why didn’t you ever….?” She trailed off, eyes filling up.
After the first few seconds of scorching relief, she felt herself turning to anger. Relief was giving way to uncontrolled rage, something she knew was going to come.
“I tried, Liz. You never came to the reservation!” There was an accusation in his tone and Liz swelled up magnificently.
“I was too busy wondering what happened to you! And Michael told me that it was over! I still went to Washington, I went all over the place, trying to figure out what happened to you! I waited for YOU to be the one to connect with me! Why the hell didn’t you?!!!”
Max exhaled. It was almost like a reincarnation of the time he’d come back after killing Pierce. He knew that it was just talk; that underneath the anger, there was unbounded relief.
“Come here.”
“No! You tell me what took you so long!” she hurled back, knowing that he was hurting, too.
“Liz.” He said, his voice gentle, “I know you’re hurting and you can tell that I’m feeling the same way. I can’t change the past. I can’t even begin to describe the hell the last two years have been. So, can we please save it for the times we get old and crotchety? Please?”
She breathed in with her mouth open, trying to damn the tears but a couple seeped out and Max felt his heart constrict.
“There’ll be other issues to fight out then. I’ll have to do all the cleaning up and you’ll be too busy snoring in front of the TV.” There was happiness blooming in her tone and Max smiled sappily.
“Yep.”
She hesitated. “Is it safe? For you?”
“Did I tell you that I don’t care anymore?” He smiled and moved closer, like a lion stalking its prey. Instinctively, Liz moved back a notch. Max smiled like a shark.
“Scared?” he asked softly.
“Yeah.” She resisted the urge to flee because the look in his eyes frightened her. It wasn’t possible to feel that way.
He frowned and Liz’s heart resumed beating. This was the old Max - caring, concerned, sweet.
“No, Liz. I left those back in Roswell. I don’t want to be your sweet, caring, concerned guy anymore. Not if it means staying away from you.”
Her snort made him cringe. “Glad to hear it.”
His eyes were sincere. “I told you. Leaving you like that was the biggest mistake of my life. If we’d never met today, God knows how long it would’ve took.”
The defense around her heart melted. “Max,” she smiled, closing the gap between them and loving the way his eyes lit up. “Even if you hadn’t, I would. I would’ve hunted you down to the end of this planet. You weren’t getting away from me.” She leaned her forehead against his and rested.
Max grinned back, falling in love all over again. “May I?” he asked, moving the hair off her face and touching his lips to her smooth temple. Bliss.
“I’m not complaining.” She smiled against his neck, feeling giddy.
He lifted silken strands off her neck and lowered his drooling mouth to it. He could feel her tremble in his arms and his eyes glazed over. She was so fucking beautiful that it took all his control not to ravage her just there.
“I know, I know.” She murmured, hungry for him. Buttons came undone like magic. Max caught her hand before she could wreak total havoc.
“Wait!” he gasped, tearing his mouth off hers with supreme effort.
“I saw things,” she whispered agisnt his cheek, savoring the scratchy sensations of his unshaven jaw.
“I know.” He moaned, as her lips trailed over his chest. “Liz, please!”
“What?” she huffed, having endured enough. She wanted him now!
“Liz, give me 15 minutes and then you can do whatever the hell you want to me. I just need some time.”
“For what?” Liz sniffed, hurt. "2 years weren't good enough?"
“For this.” He covered her lips with his once more and started leading her out. "And, yeah, it was good enough. Prep time."
“Where’re we going?” She asked, startled.
“Nowhere.” Max replied, putting his hands over her eyes. “Or would you prefer a silk blindfold?”
“No. I like your hands just fine.” She whispered, enjoying just being with him.
“This way.” He smiled into the hair and led the way out.
~\/~
The air hit her. She felt the breeze lift her hair and soothe her over-heated senses.
“Where are we?”
His arms felt rather stiff. “You’ll see.”
“Yeah?” She touched his palms, tickling him.
“Right over…here.” The palms left her and Liz blinked into the night sky.
“Max.” She stumbled, her voice breathy.
“What?” he smirked, loving her reaction. Her eyes were huge and there was a happiness that was almost luminous, staining her face.
“Oh my God!”
“Ya like?”
“What the hell did you do?” she whispered faintly, feeling like her world was spinning off its axis.
His smile was fighting pride. “I just wanted to lay the world at your feet.”
They were somewhere on the highways, where the road fell away and the sea came rushing in, melding with the horizon. Waves rolled in, crashing against the rocks and ebbing away slowly, languidly, reminding Liz of every time they’d reached a climax. The city lights twinkled beneath them in tens and millions. The night had a dangerous, jaded air about it that set their pulses racing. The sky was a canopy of black velvet shot through with stars that glittered like Max’s eyes and Liz felt herself falling headlong into them.
She was there above it all, claiming it as her own and there was a V formation from the heavens, reminding her of the nether. For a poignant second, Liz felt herself defying the gods, her untold destiny and no victory had been sweeter. There was no taste of déjà vu in her mind. It was, undoubtedly, her first. She shook out her hair from her jacket collar and wished she had the words to describe what she was feeling.
All she got out was pathetic “Oh…!”
He glowed. “Is that good or bad?”
“I…” she looked up at him but like a magnet; her eyes were drawn down to the midnight panorama he’d created for her, dazed and giddy.
“Liz, look at me.” he urged She did. Neither of them had thought it was even remotely possible to love someone this way, that much.
He handed her a small, black box. Liz caught her breath and it stayed trapped. She turned to him, eyes huge.
“Go on.” His hands remained steady, mesmerized by the sheer, unadulterated love on her face.
Resigning herself to the enchantment of the night, she opened it. It was one, perfect ring with the diamond glinting dangerously, polished to a shine. It caught the moonlight and shimmered, reflecting her rosy face. For a second, in its pristine facets, Liz glimpsed the joy in her face and marveled that this was happening to her.
“Liz Parker.” He started, his voice trembling with a million emotions, gazing upon her translucent face, windswept hair, the smile on her face and the reflection of the tears on the stone. He savored it, drowned in it.
“Will you marry me?”
The End.
20th February, 2016
Liz made her way to the 30th floor of the Four Seasons resort she’d been staying in for the duration of the conference. Days had dragged by endlessly. After that last meeting with Michael on the reservation, she’d let her control go.
She’d been a wreck, literally speaking. Lurching herself out of New Mexico, she’d made her way to Washington with the full intention of busting Max out of the facility. She hadn’t made it that far. Through extensive research, she’d found out that Max was indeed still a captive and as of yet, the jury was still out. After that, she hadn’t heard anything more. She’d clung to the faint hope that he would try and connect with her as soon as it was all clear. He hadn’t. So it had been safe to presume that he couldn’t or he wouldn’t.
As unbearable both alternatives had been, Liz firmly believed that he wouldn’t. At least that kept the probability of him being warm and ambulatory alive.
2 miserable years, now a third. Where the hell ARE you, Max? How am I supposed to know when it’s safe to contact you? Goddamn you, leave me with some thing!
There was a growing awareness in her, she could feel it. For months on end, she’d fought the calling but it had gotten stronger every second she’d let herself think Max wasn’t coming back. There was something almost larger-than-life inside her, luring her back and yet, she wouldn’t make that commitment, not unless she knew it was over. Not just in my head, when he TELLS me to my face! Or, if I see his dead body.
That thought sent her spiraling off in another direction. Max may be dead. Since he’d let so much time go by, she’d been assuming the worst. Maybe it was time to go. There was nothing holding her back anymore.
Wrong! Liz kicked her door in frustration. She turned back for the stairs, needing to let loose some steam. If he’s dead, I’ll blow this shitty place up and THEN leave. No one touches him, NO ONE!
Very romantic, Liz, but face facts. You’re currently in LA, probably the last place on Earth where he’d be. Did you try his home? Did you try Roswell? No, you just got yourself in a place where there are MILLIONS of freaks just like you and now…now he’ll never know where the fucking hell you are!
“Fuck off!” Liz bit out loud. An Asian couple in the elevator looked at her in disgust.
“Excuse me?” The man glowered at her.
“Oh! I’m so sorry. I wasn’t talking to you…” Great going, Liz! Piss off more people, why don’t you? Liz slumped back aginst the door and prayed for a miracle.
The lobby was cool and it relieved the headache that was beginning to form.
“Ms. Parker?” the receptionist called, as she chucked her key at him.
“Yes?”
“You have a message. Says urgent.” The portly man held out a pink slip.
For an instant, her breathing short-circuited. No one even knew who she was. For a second, her heart screamed MAX!! Then, she forced herself to be logical. Max doesn’t know where I am. If he did, he’d have connected with me first. We’d have done it privately. There’s no WAY it’s him!
She took the paper and held it away from herself. It read Amy Russell.
Surrendering herself to the disappointment, she opened it. It said something about a blind date and Liz balled it up and threw it away with a resounding growl.
People looked up and then went back to their jobs.
“Jesus!” She muttered under her breath and left the place. If she saw another pink slip, it’d be too soon.
The night air was not cooler. February in LA was not frigid Washington and against her will, she remembered that time.
Biting air. Frosted breaths. Rosy faces. Amber eyes.
“Taxi!" she hollered. One pulled up. Liz was in it before it had even stopped. “Take me to the airport! NOW!”
She settled herself back, knowing that she’d left everything back in the hotel. All she had was her wallet and a purse. No clothes, no nothing. What are you THINKING? You can’t go to Roswell now!
Liz snorted out loud. “Try me!”
The cabbie turned back. “You said something?”
“Yeah! Hurry UP!” she snarled.
The cab shot forward.
By the time she was in front of the domestic terminal, she’d started having second thoughts. What was this going to accomplish? Nothing, stupid!
She made her way to the ticket counters, wondering if she was mad to take a flight at 12:30 am. The counter was dark. Closed! FUCK!
“Excuse me, is there any available flights to New Mexico? Soonest flight, please?” She asked over to the next open one.
The man behind the counter shook his head. “Sorry ma’am, next flight at 9:00 am. Shall I book you one?”
Liz sighed with relief. That still allowed her time to think. “Yeah. Thanks.”
The man punched up her ticket and she left gratefully.
The air outside was balmier than the recycled one inside. Liz inhaled, gathering courage. In her heart, she knew that if this trip failed, it was somehow all over. It’d be the third time now and she wasn’t sure she was prepared to see another empty house out for rent in Murray Lane.
An empty cab came forward at the same time the shuttle left. Liz glared at it’s huge, retreating back and then got into the cab.
She was halfway back to her hotel when they stopped at a red light. Her face scrunched with worry, she looked up at her surroundings and went back to scrutinizing her options. There was something blinking at the corner of her eye and irritated, Liz looked up.
Just sitting a few feet away and his face away from her and talking frustratedly on his cell, looking haggard, was Max.
For a few seconds, Liz forgot to breathe. It’s not him. My eyes are playing tricks on me! it can’t be!!! Vertigo swirled around her, making it hard to think rationally. After a few seconds of gazing at the bent head, Liz realised that it was Max. Her head was making it hard to think straight, but her body screamed out for him.
Unsteadily, she grasped the cabby’s collar from the back. Instantly, a gun appeared.
“Tyke yer hand off, lady, before you’re dust!” the man snarled out at her.
“You don’t do as I say, I’m going to make sure your last remains aren’t even powder!” Liz snarled back, discreetly blowing a hole near his head. A small piece of the windshield blew away in the wind.
The cabbie settled back, convinced.
At that instant, Max glanced sideways, to see what the commotion was. Shock froze him. Just sitting beside him, read-face and frantic, was Liz Parker.
Max nearly broke through the glass in his surprise.
“Liz!!!” He thought he’d screamed, but no one had turned aournd. LIZ!!!!!
At that second, the light changed and the vehicles swarmed forward.
“NOOO!” Max shouted, making the rest of the passengers shrink away from him, sure he was some sort of hi-jacker.
“Excuse me!” Max shoved a man away from him, who looked like he’d bene chosen among the rest to defend themselves.
“Not so fast, mate!”
And he swung. Max ducked but the edge of the seat caught him and shock had done the rest. He slumped down.
“MAX!!!” Liz shouted, pounding her fist against the glass. I can’t believe this is happening!!!
“Follow that bus. Go where it goes!”
“It’s interstate, lady.”
“Well, then think dollar signs!” She howled back, ready to rip the dingy cab to shreds. “I don’t CARE! Just keep it in your sights!”
“Stops?” the man asked, negotiating the traffic like a demon.
She kept her eyes trained on the bus exit. “EVERY where it stops, you do the same!”
“yes, ma’am.” The oldie smiled happily and floored the pedal.
“I need to know where it stops!!” Liz talked out loud in a panic.
“You tryin’ to kill someone, honey?” he leered at her.
“Yes.” She got out through gritted teeth. "It’ll be you if you lose them.”
At that instant, the bus veered into the emergency lanes and shot forward.
“WHAT?” Liz shrieked, aghast. What the hell??
“Nope, can’t do that. I’ll get arrested.” With that, the cabby resumed his normal pace and stalled in the bogged traffic.
Liz was too desperate to talk. “Please!” She begged, unable to do anything else.
The guy shrugged. “Sorry, ma’am, rules are rules. I ain’t going to jail for a customer. Keep your cash.”
Liz fought back tears. To have been this close and still getting nothing was enough to make her insane.
“Just take me back to the hotel.” She replied after a while, after her emotions had settled back down. Already a list was ready in her head.
Newspapers. That’s it. Oh, damn it, NO. It can’t be newspapers cuz then they’ll KNOW it’s about Max. Damn! Michael? She chewed her lip for a second, trying to find out alternatives. Ok, last option. Don’t want him to get in any trouble again. Third, the UFO nutty thing. Maybe that forum is still alive. Or… or I could just get down here somewhere and get a route for that bus and keep tracking it!
She turned to the cabby. “Any idea why it took off like that?”
“Dunno. Maybe someone had a heart-attack. Or a hi-jacking.”
Liz quailed. What if Max’s heart failed at the shock? It had certainly been one. Or maybe there was a real hijacker and Max was lying there, dead or wounded, hostage!! The possibilities ran through her head till she felt faint. No! i'm not going down that one!
Breathing deeply, she prayed that it wasn’t a mistake and then let go of her control. She closed her eys, concentrated, and soon enough, she knew she was close to bonding with Max.
Max!!!
It went out to a void. There was no answer.
Liz sat back, stunned. Never, ever, not even in her wildest dreams had she thought Max wouldn’t answer. That had been unthinkable. Or maybe it had really been severed back in Roswell. Maybe I’d been able to do it. Her mind grasped at probabilities.
“No, I did it then.” She said out loud, not caring who heard. There were a lot of weirdos out here anyways.
“What’s the matter you, lady? Need to go to a hospital or what?”
“NO!” Liz said icily but inside she was scared witless. She couldn’t get through to Max and the last avenues had just gone up in smoke. For the second time in her life, she felt herself close to hysteria.
“Just take me back to the hotel.”
Fighting the traffic, Liz made her way back. Her entire body ached from the jarring drive and all she wanted to do was sleep.
Correction, I’m going to find out what happened to him. And then I shall sleep!
“Madam, a message for you.” The receptionist held out.
Liz stared at it for a while, heart brimming with hope. Maybe, he knew where she was. After all, it’s Max. He always knew. Somehow.
The pink slip contained a few details of he presentation in the morning. Liz tore at her hair, wondering why she hadn’t followed through with her promises and not looked back. On top of everything, there was now a presentation looming her way. Next job, she thought decidedly, yanking her key out, I’m gonna take in freakin’ Pizza Hut.
The door opened under her malicious jerk. She sighed and ran for the phone. It was stupid and dangerous, calling him in Roswell, but Liz had run out of patience.
Dialing as quickly as she could, she started praying that someone on the other end would answer. Maybe he’s living with Michael. Maybe that’s why no one got the phone.
The phone rang for hours. No one answered. Defeated, Liz hung up and buried her face in her hands.
“Max, where ARE you?” she wondered out loud.
The question died halfway out of her throat as she found herself trapped. Under the same amber eyes she’d been dreaming about for three years now.
“I…” Liz got out, staring at him, disbelieving. It can’t be!!!
“What can’t be?” he asked. Liz closed her eyes, letting his voice wash over her. It felt like a dream. Maybe, that’s all it was.
Warm hands cupped her face. Suddenly, it was no longer a void. She could feel the universe. She could feel him.
Her eyes flew open, startling both of them. Max was there, bending down and his hands were resting on the side of her face. They were white with strain and the fingers that rested so gently on her skin were leaving trail marks of flames down her body.
“Max.” She gripped his hands, anchoring them with her own, holding him to her with ferocious need.
“Liz Parker.” He saluted her casually but his eyes were raw.
“How did you…?” She tried again, moistening her mouth, trying to form coherent sentences but the words just wouldn’t come.
“I just did.” He replied, strained.
Suddenly, the hidden strength behind his fingers uncorded and she gave herself up rapturously. She felt his hands sliding around her, trying to get her in as close as the time and the situation would allow. Hiccupping, she buried herself in his arms feeling like the end of the world had come and gone.
After the initial storm, they stepped back awkwardly. After seemingly forever, they were together and the feeling didn’t sit too well for two people who’d’ spent their lives being alone.
Max felt himself drowning in her and felt ashamed at his lack of control. There was so much to say and all he wanted to do was skip that part and leave for Vegas.
He felt her eyes on him, soaking up the sight. They were like two orbs, ravaging, desperate, out of control. Max shivered.
Liz moved away from him, seeing the heat emanating from his eyes. “Max, no.” Her voice dared him to disobey.
“Liz, I’ve waited two years for this. Those two years have been an eternity, okay? Don’t make me wait anymore.” His words were jesting but there was more in his eyes.
“I’ve been doing the same thing. Why didn’t you ever….?” She trailed off, eyes filling up.
After the first few seconds of scorching relief, she felt herself turning to anger. Relief was giving way to uncontrolled rage, something she knew was going to come.
“I tried, Liz. You never came to the reservation!” There was an accusation in his tone and Liz swelled up magnificently.
“I was too busy wondering what happened to you! And Michael told me that it was over! I still went to Washington, I went all over the place, trying to figure out what happened to you! I waited for YOU to be the one to connect with me! Why the hell didn’t you?!!!”
Max exhaled. It was almost like a reincarnation of the time he’d come back after killing Pierce. He knew that it was just talk; that underneath the anger, there was unbounded relief.
“Come here.”
“No! You tell me what took you so long!” she hurled back, knowing that he was hurting, too.
“Liz.” He said, his voice gentle, “I know you’re hurting and you can tell that I’m feeling the same way. I can’t change the past. I can’t even begin to describe the hell the last two years have been. So, can we please save it for the times we get old and crotchety? Please?”
She breathed in with her mouth open, trying to damn the tears but a couple seeped out and Max felt his heart constrict.
“There’ll be other issues to fight out then. I’ll have to do all the cleaning up and you’ll be too busy snoring in front of the TV.” There was happiness blooming in her tone and Max smiled sappily.
“Yep.”
She hesitated. “Is it safe? For you?”
“Did I tell you that I don’t care anymore?” He smiled and moved closer, like a lion stalking its prey. Instinctively, Liz moved back a notch. Max smiled like a shark.
“Scared?” he asked softly.
“Yeah.” She resisted the urge to flee because the look in his eyes frightened her. It wasn’t possible to feel that way.
He frowned and Liz’s heart resumed beating. This was the old Max - caring, concerned, sweet.
“No, Liz. I left those back in Roswell. I don’t want to be your sweet, caring, concerned guy anymore. Not if it means staying away from you.”
Her snort made him cringe. “Glad to hear it.”
His eyes were sincere. “I told you. Leaving you like that was the biggest mistake of my life. If we’d never met today, God knows how long it would’ve took.”
The defense around her heart melted. “Max,” she smiled, closing the gap between them and loving the way his eyes lit up. “Even if you hadn’t, I would. I would’ve hunted you down to the end of this planet. You weren’t getting away from me.” She leaned her forehead against his and rested.
Max grinned back, falling in love all over again. “May I?” he asked, moving the hair off her face and touching his lips to her smooth temple. Bliss.
“I’m not complaining.” She smiled against his neck, feeling giddy.
He lifted silken strands off her neck and lowered his drooling mouth to it. He could feel her tremble in his arms and his eyes glazed over. She was so fucking beautiful that it took all his control not to ravage her just there.
“I know, I know.” She murmured, hungry for him. Buttons came undone like magic. Max caught her hand before she could wreak total havoc.
“Wait!” he gasped, tearing his mouth off hers with supreme effort.
“I saw things,” she whispered agisnt his cheek, savoring the scratchy sensations of his unshaven jaw.
“I know.” He moaned, as her lips trailed over his chest. “Liz, please!”
“What?” she huffed, having endured enough. She wanted him now!
“Liz, give me 15 minutes and then you can do whatever the hell you want to me. I just need some time.”
“For what?” Liz sniffed, hurt. "2 years weren't good enough?"
“For this.” He covered her lips with his once more and started leading her out. "And, yeah, it was good enough. Prep time."
“Where’re we going?” She asked, startled.
“Nowhere.” Max replied, putting his hands over her eyes. “Or would you prefer a silk blindfold?”
“No. I like your hands just fine.” She whispered, enjoying just being with him.
“This way.” He smiled into the hair and led the way out.
~\/~
The air hit her. She felt the breeze lift her hair and soothe her over-heated senses.
“Where are we?”
His arms felt rather stiff. “You’ll see.”
“Yeah?” She touched his palms, tickling him.
“Right over…here.” The palms left her and Liz blinked into the night sky.
“Max.” She stumbled, her voice breathy.
“What?” he smirked, loving her reaction. Her eyes were huge and there was a happiness that was almost luminous, staining her face.
“Oh my God!”
“Ya like?”
“What the hell did you do?” she whispered faintly, feeling like her world was spinning off its axis.
His smile was fighting pride. “I just wanted to lay the world at your feet.”
They were somewhere on the highways, where the road fell away and the sea came rushing in, melding with the horizon. Waves rolled in, crashing against the rocks and ebbing away slowly, languidly, reminding Liz of every time they’d reached a climax. The city lights twinkled beneath them in tens and millions. The night had a dangerous, jaded air about it that set their pulses racing. The sky was a canopy of black velvet shot through with stars that glittered like Max’s eyes and Liz felt herself falling headlong into them.
She was there above it all, claiming it as her own and there was a V formation from the heavens, reminding her of the nether. For a poignant second, Liz felt herself defying the gods, her untold destiny and no victory had been sweeter. There was no taste of déjà vu in her mind. It was, undoubtedly, her first. She shook out her hair from her jacket collar and wished she had the words to describe what she was feeling.
All she got out was pathetic “Oh…!”
He glowed. “Is that good or bad?”
“I…” she looked up at him but like a magnet; her eyes were drawn down to the midnight panorama he’d created for her, dazed and giddy.
“Liz, look at me.” he urged She did. Neither of them had thought it was even remotely possible to love someone this way, that much.
He handed her a small, black box. Liz caught her breath and it stayed trapped. She turned to him, eyes huge.
“Go on.” His hands remained steady, mesmerized by the sheer, unadulterated love on her face.
Resigning herself to the enchantment of the night, she opened it. It was one, perfect ring with the diamond glinting dangerously, polished to a shine. It caught the moonlight and shimmered, reflecting her rosy face. For a second, in its pristine facets, Liz glimpsed the joy in her face and marveled that this was happening to her.
“Liz Parker.” He started, his voice trembling with a million emotions, gazing upon her translucent face, windswept hair, the smile on her face and the reflection of the tears on the stone. He savored it, drowned in it.
“Will you marry me?”
The End.