But sadly, spring break was only a week for me and I caught a cold at the end of it, which persisted for two weeks after. Due to that I was pretty miserable and exhausted for awhile, just keeping up with work for school and activities I've been involved in. So this part remained untouched during all that. Then this past week (now recovered from the cold) was one last round of beta-ing on the part. Anyway as always I truly apologize to all of you for the wait and I do hope you find it worth that wait. Thank you for your patience and just for reading. 
Enjoy.Flamehair- Hey there-- thanks for all the bumps-- I did enjoy my spring break for the most part, though it certainly felt short when I got back from it! And yep, I'm good now. By the way thank you for all the wishes on my finals-- they ended up quite well!! and heh heh I won't be scared of the viking smiley then.
Man I really love those smileys you put in your post-- they always brighten my day! Thanks. 
Gnomie- Hey! Good to see a comment from you again.
That was an awesome connection to Buffy-- though I watched almost all episodes of that show I hadn't even thought of that (or at least consciously)! So anyway read on to see just how strong Max really is...jbangelo-
Thanks!! I wonder if I should warn you about this part... hmmmEllie- Thanks for the wishes on finals! Definitely worked for me.
Glad you found the last part sweet-- I thought all you dreamers needed a little moment before the story goes back to its craziness. And yet again, I am so sorry that it's been so long! Just when I feel confident enough to give a deadline... sigh. Anyway I'm going to just aim for less than a month of a gap! Misha- hi!! Sorry for making you wait so long with all this agony! I don't really mean to make you suffer so much! Honestly!! My muse just took a beating from the cold in terms of revising this part. But part 36 is now one part closer.
hee [and now that I've finally got THIS done... and well when my upcoming midterm is done I'm finally going to catch up to YOUR story! Can't wait to see all that happened with Liz's interview and the rest of them.]Thanks for the support about finals! I did!
alienmom- Thanks for the wishes and faith!!
About Max's sanity... well... this part may give a possible hint to how it is at the moment.clueless- Thanks for the bump!
Timelord31- Thanks for the bump-- sorry it's been so long! And also sorry I wasn't able to clear up the last part for you sooner! So basically what you saw is one of Max's dreams where parts of reality and memories are blended in some way to help him cope with what is really happening to him reality... and well technically the bulk of the memory used in this dream is from his flash he got in the Viva Las Vegas episode of him and Liz getting married in Vegas (her dress and the bouquet she was holding was based off what he saw when he was about to get in the cab). So as Scottie also pointed out-- Max and Liz have not married yet, since he 'died' before that happened.
Also in terms of timeframe... I just said it was the lost part just because the two parts before that were of events that took place two days after that dream scene of Max's.
Scottie- Thanks for trying to clear that up for Timelord31! And also for doing that last double check for that part.
Thanks for the wishes and the bumps! I'm so sorry for the wait.BDT- Hey there! Thanks for the comments-- and no that wasn't Cal. That would be Agent Hammers. You'll find out very soon if the dream was enough for him to hold out...
confusedfool- Thanks!
BETHANN- Welcome and thank you for commenting!
Glad to hear.Phew. I think that's all to reply to!
Thanks again for all the feedback everyone. I missed you guys too-- I felt so bad for making you all wait-- I hope subsequent parts won't take AS long. Anyway this part is nice and long and I know you've all been waiting for what is to happen here. So I won't prolong that any longer.Note: Timeframe for this part occurs from after the point we left the gang in Canada in Part 34. Also scenes overlap temporally.
Also words in violet, italics is a song, to differentiate from the 'voice'. You'll see.
Previously…
As Liz stooped down to lift her fallen scarf by the house’s steps, she saw the most peculiar sight. Images flashed rapidly in her mind, alternating between an image of some blueprint and an actual house’s interior.
~ ~
In the distance Max saw something flash. The occurrence was so brief that he could not process what had happened, but then it appeared again… and this time it stayed.
It was a light, building upon itself, its glow intensifying with every moment passed. Blue began to reach out towards him, ridding him of the darkness but not his fear. Caught between two hells of blinding light, he remained captive within his mind. He was unable to speak, to move, to awake from this nightmare.
And then a low voice spoke, filled with a lust for power, for vengeance. Kill them.
~ ~
Glancing sideways at the door Felding assured himself he was alone and finally allowed a flicker of emotion to appear on his face. Though he reminded himself how much he hated Max, he couldn’t take any pleasure in what he saw Max being put through. Finally, too sickened by the sight, he had to turn away.
Soon, he thought, soon his plan would be done.
~ ~
"Liz, are you okay? Can you tell us what you saw?" Kyle's concerned urgent words reached his ears as he saw him hold onto Liz's shaking head.
Her eyes wide she finally spoke, her voice trembling, "It's a trap… There was an explosion.”
~ ~
Maria read out, “In one week go here. Be careful. They’ll be expecting you.” Lowering the letter to gaze at the others she added, “It points to one location…”
~ ~
“What do we do when we get there?” Kyle questioned, his mind unable to move past the knowledge of how ruthless this Special Unit was.
“Use every ability we have.” She lifted a hand as she said this, steadily gazing at Kyle. She watched him observe her hand, his eyebrows rising, while she willfully ignored the tingling sensation of the green trails flowing to her fingertips.
She was determined to not let her fear of her powers stop her. And perhaps… her new power might help them stay one step ahead of the agents… for there was no way the agents could expect them to have blueprints to the place… and all with just a touch of her hand.
PART THIRTY-FIVE
Two days later
Langley, Virginia
Warehouse—Southeast corner
It looked liked the soap factory.
Having pulled over just down the road from the warehouse, Maria’s attention was captured by the dark, secluded building and the first thing that popped in her mind was that it looked like that dingy soap factory back home.
She stared at it, her mouth partially opened in shock to see no outward evidence to the evil residing within. In her nightmares she had expected numerous security fences around, electrified and topped with barbed wire—wire possibly retaining the residue of blood from attempted escapes.
She shivered at the reminder of the horrible images that had plagued her mind the past couple of nights—images of the fake body without a face, the funeral and the shaky footage of graduation catching Max falling, his red robe fluttering around him. Redness, death and destruction filled her mind once more, her eyes appearing vacant, lost to their sight. Her breaths became short, quiet gasps. When her ears finally registered the sounds, she pursed her lips into a tight line to quell the building hysteria.
Briefly closing her eyes, she silently counted to ten and released a deep breath. Not as instantly effective as her cyprus oil had been once long ago, but it was enough for that moment. Enough for her to clear her head to focus on her role in the plan.
When her eyes opened, she found her gaze trained on the rearview mirror spying a faint glow dissipating in the darkness of the car. Narrowing her eyes, she saw short auburn hair framing Isabel’s thoughtful face that stared out the window. Beside her sat Michael, long brown waves settled against his shoulders, while his intense gaze met hers in the mirror. She shot him a questioning look to the sudden decision to revert to their looks before graduation, but his attention was stolen by Isabel’s soft voice.
“This is the place?”
Michael cleared his throat before answering, “Yeah.”
“It’s a warehouse…” Isabel trailed off in confusion.
Maria understood the feeling, still unable to reconcile the ordinary and abandoned-looking building with her blood and torture-filled image of a secured government base. She half expected to hear the threatening growls of guard dogs and the clicks of machine guns being cocked, all ready to finally finish taking them out. At the thought she began to peer out in the surrounding area, for any lurkers in the trees.
“In a city filled with government facilities, a warehouse is the last place you’d think of,” Michael commented softly as he shook his head.
“Looks like most of it is underground… absolutely hidden,” Kyle softly murmured beside Maria, unable to take his eyes off the place.
A sudden movement caught Maria’s gaze; a quick glance in the rearview mirror showed Liz covering her hand as if to still an involuntary shiver.
Her best friend breathed deeply, her gaze averted from the dark, silent building. For a brief moment she saw Liz close her eyes, a silent prayer upon her lips. Then without pretense, her hand already opening the door, Liz stated: “Let’s go.”
It seemed to Maria that Isabel wanted to say something more, her dark eyes on Liz, but ultimately she only shrugged and exited the car. Maria watched tensely as all of them followed Liz, their forms slipping into the shadows of the surrounding trees. Michael lingered just behind the others, casting wary glances around the area.
Maria sat, twisted in the seat clinging to his image, desperately fighting the thoughts of panic crowding into her mind…thoughts of losing him. For those two days Isabel couldn’t reach him, she had begun to assume the worst—even while comforting Isabel she too had feared he had been caught by the Unit.
It was why when he finally returned, she couldn’t believe it. She had stood in the doorway for a long time just staring, her exhaustion and built up grief numbing her in place. Only when she touched him and he had kissed her could she feel again—her tears unstoppable. All that she had been struggling with for months just drained out of her. In those few hours that followed, of resting in the warmth of his strong arms, whispers and kisses passing between them, she almost felt at peace. And even just moments before, gazing into his dark, intense eyes, she felt she could breathe easier. But now, as she watched his tall form disappear into the dark leaves, the torrid emotions returned with a vengeance, catching in her throat.
Only when she registered the pain of her nails digging into her palms, did she calm enough to refocus on the plan—on their faith in that plan’s success. She was still worried about the strong reliance the group was placing upon their gifts, and was most wary of Liz’s enduring fear of using hers. Even with her ability to blast, Liz might panic and be left vulnerable.
Her only comfort was that the four of them had promised to not split up. If there was one thing they had learned over the years, it was that they were strongest together.
Only one question continued to grip her mind, causing her chest to constrict: were they already too late? Would another member be lost to a violent and lonely death?
Her eyes instantly shut at the reminder of what happened to her best friend—the photos of the absolute wreckage of his car, blood smeared in the shattered glass. She shook her head pushing the heel of her palms against her eyes—she had to stop this, she needed to focus. After a long moment, she released a slow, cleansing breath, her hands gradually leaving her face.
She blinked back into focus the ever still, dark trees around her. Lowering her eyes she was caught by the glow of the car clock, the digital numbers burning brightly as she stared at it. Only when the last digit shifted did she blink out of her stupor. One minute down… how many more to go?
She leaned back in her seat, darting glances out the tinted windows. She saw no one, but she couldn’t shake the disquieting feeling in her stomach. The night was far too still.
She felt small tremors in her body as her anxiety began to take over once again. Reaching out for support she held on to the steering wheel, her back tense. Though she tried to focus on being ready to leave at any moment, her mind continued to drift back to one lone thought—would any of them make it out of this?
~ ~ ~
Warehouse- Sub-basement Level- Containment Room
His eyelids rose slowly, tiredly accepting the eternal whiteness. Moments passed as he gradually became aware of the cold floor touching his cheek, of the dull throbbing in his knees, and the tight pull on his shoulders the constriction of being handcuffed caused.
His breathing was labored as he attempted to push himself up. Several grunts escaped him as he leaned against his elbow. Finally, he moved into a sitting position and saw the gurney looming above him. He stared at it in confusion as he searched his memory for how he had ended up on the floor. Had he fallen down?
The small shadow cast underneath the gurney blurred before him. For a moment its dark grey wavered into large shadowed forms hovering over him, a familiar voice, feigning softness, echoing derisively in his ears.
Shh… it’s all right, Mr. Evans.
He flinched as he heard the phantom clicks of the memory of handcuffs closing tightly on his wrists.
The sudden movement caused the shadowy image of the agent to disappear, but the agent’s voice continued softly, insidiously in Max’s mind.
It’s almost time. Someone will be by shortly.
He turned his head away from the tall metal table searching for that someone. Would it be a surgeon? Would it be one of the two agents he feared and loathed?
Just wait here…and it’ll be over soon.
Forcing a deep breath into his weakened system, he shifted across the floor until he hit a corner. He panted from the exertion, cool drops of sweat causing his shirt to cling to his back. He shivered from the prickly drops, but tried to focus on looking for whoever was coming. From his new position he could see beyond the emptied gurney. His eyes darted from wall to wall, silently begging for anyone to appear. He did not know how long he stared, but somehow the heaviness fell upon his eyelids again and they soon dropped closed.
~ ~ ~
Warehouse- Southeast corner
Car
Maria stared at her hands as her knuckles whitened with each passing moment. Her mind continued to repeat the plan, but it only increased her anxiety. As she went over her part of the rescue, her mind would form some scenario of it all going wrong and most of those scenarios ended with a horrible, tragic explosion.
She closed her eyes as she forced her hands to release the steering wheel. She took a deep, slow breath. She wouldn’t be able to pull this off if she wasn’t calm.
When her eyes opened again she glanced at the building just up ahead, where her friends were quietly advancing. Then she flinched, a small yell escaping her, at the sight of a fireball engulfing the entire area.
She yelled again at the music blasting through the car, her shaky hand lowering the volume with a yank. Her eyes still round, she breathed heavily through her shock. As she slowly turned her head from side to side, she saw that there had been no explosion…yet.
Her panic gradually began to dissipate, her shoulders drooping as some of her tension fell away. She pushed against the steering wheel, hanging her slightly shaking head, her eyes closed. She needed to get a grip.
Several moments later, her breaths were still erratic and harsh, her stomach clenching with anxiety. With effort she peeled a hand away from the steering wheel, blindly reaching for her bag. Once it was in her lap, she leaned back and started rifling through it. Pushing things out of the way she muttered, “There has to be one here… there has to be…”
Minutes later she realized she really had thrown all her jars of cyprus oil away. “Damn you Dominic!” she bit out in an angry whisper. “Like you ever really met J. Lo!” With the heel of her right palm, she hit the steering wheel in frustration. “Damn it…just… damn it…” her outbursts were dying as the urge to cry began to overwhelm her. She blinked several times to keep her tears at bay though, trying to focus on steadying her breaths.
She released each one slower and soon her heartbeat didn’t constantly thud in her ears. Instead, she could hear an extremely faint strain of… she looked all around her for the source of the unintelligible sound. Finally her eyes landed on the radio. Shifting the volume up ever so slightly, she heard, –ere’s Sarah McLachlan with one of her early classics, Out of the Shadows…
Needing the quiet reminder that she was still here, that she wasn’t being blown apart or engulfed in flames, she left the radio on. She leaned her head back against the headrest, hoping she would not fall apart again, that now she could focus on her task—wait to see the others coming out, drive up to get them and then get the hell out of there.
~ ~ ~
Crouching down the deep ravine
They gingerly picked their way through the trees that surrounded the warehouse. Though the letter had told them they were expected, they had arrived a day earlier, hoping for any possible advantage of surprise.
Their steady movements halted as they reached the border of the surrounding trees. Peering out at the silent, forbidding building, all they could focus on was the long stretch of open space before them. All cover had been stripped away for perhaps about fifty feet all around the perimeter, leaving any who would cross it utterly exposed.
Those angry cries pass quickly by, he can't be seen
So many ways spent hiding in so many undone plans
“Now what?”
Three of them jumped at the short whisper, their heads jerking towards Kyle. He, though, gazed back at them steadily and expectantly.
Still casting piercing glances around the area Michael responded, “I haven’t seen anyone. They really might not know we’re here yet. But…Isabel is there any chance of you being able to manipulate the security system from here?”
Isabel just gave him an incredulous look until she noticed him gesturing to something ahead. Following his hand she noticed the metal box protruding on the closest wall of the building, and just above it a security camera. “I… from here?” she still asked with disbelief. Sure she had taken a number of computer classes in college, initially out of tribute to Alex and then continuing from a growing personal interest, but it wasn’t like they specialized in security programs, and certainly not how to disable them from far distances with alien powers. And even though her powers were stronger, from her constant practicing and guiding Liz’s training over the past few months, she didn’t think she was that good.
“Worth a shot, right?” Kyle added, touching her arm in support.
With a curt nod, she closed her eyes and reached her hand out in the box’s general direction. She focused on the object, searching for the program coding to manipulate. She could see the box in her mind through a haze, just beyond her grasp. She could feel her energy flowing through her body to push closer towards it, but it still remained just out of reach.
She was vaguely aware that she now held her breath, her concentration solely on infiltrating the system. For a moment she believed she had succeeded, about to release her breath in relief at the soft beep echoing in her ears. But just as she opened her eyes the sight of the video camera, its light off, came into view.
Her eyes fluttered open in confusion, her arm shakily lowering.
“Did it work?” Liz asked softly, in an awed voice.
“I don’t think so,” Isabel replied brushing her hair out of her eyes. “But… well I think the security camera is off.”
“What?” Michael asked, his whisper harsh with surprise.
“I was focusing on the alarm system, but somehow I heard the camera turn off.” Isabel was absolutely confused on what happened as she explained what she had seen in her mind.
“Well if anyone was watching the video feed, they’d be checking it out by now, right?” Kyle questioned.
“Yeah…” Michael commented, his back tense with suspicion.
“Look, either way we’ll have to face them some time. So let’s just go for it. If what Isabel said really happened, then at least they won’t see us until we’re already inside,” Liz spoke, already leaning forward in preparation to dash across the open ground.
Forgetting what it's like to fight when no one understands
“All right. Isabel and I will go first to ensure the alarm system is shut down. When we signal, you two go there,” Michael pointed to the left as he continued, “and see about getting us inside.”
He looked at the others as they all nodded in acceptance of his plan. Then swiftly Michael and Isabel ran towards the building, casting glances over their shoulders. Once they had reached their wall, they slid up close to it, attempting to hide in its shadows.
Close call there in the shadows
Isabel narrowed her eyes as she peered up at the camera, breathing out her confirmation, “No light.”
There's a fear in the dark
“Wow,” Michael murmured.
“Yeah.” Her awe was short-lived though, apprehension soon overwhelming the feeling. She gently touched the box with her hand focusing once more on disabling the alarm system. After a few minutes, she opened her eyes, taking in an incredibly wary and impatient Michael. “We’re good.”
He turned towards the trees, signaling Liz and Kyle. Once done he turned back to Isabel. “We check the corners and then join them.” At her nod, he held on to her arm and spoke, “Come on.”
There's no one out there
Kyle gazed after Michael and Isabel wondering where they were going, but soon his attention was diverted by Liz.
He watched as Liz ran her hand lightly over the wall, her gaze seemingly unfocused. Knowing she needed her full concentration, Kyle stepped a little back from her, leaning his left side against the wall as he cast glances on either side of him.
The trees remained still, appearing like dark standing sentinels, but their sight only added to the foreboding feeling emanating from this place. The sooner they were in and out of this place, the better.
He slowly scanned the area, his eyes seeking to catch any movement. He became aware of the hairs behind his neck rising, a slight movement in the trees catching his notice. But before he could focus on the cause, he suddenly fell.
For the brief second he felt only cool air around him, the thick concrete wall seemingly disappeared. His hands flailed, but nothing was there to stop his fall. All that was there was a soft hum. But the feeling had left him as suddenly as it had occurred.
Still gathering his bearings he flattened his hands against the wall, pushing at it as if testing for its sturdiness… its solid form. He could have almost sworn it had disappeared. As he continued to touch the wall he patted his left arm every so often, his breaths turning shallow, unnerved by the sensation of falling. He hadn’t realized he had distracted Liz until he heard her irritated, urgent whisper, “Kyle.”
He jerked his head towards her at her hiss, his eyes filled with confusion. She however continued, biting out, “What are you doing?”
He glanced back at the wall that his palm still pushed against, before slowly lowering it to his side and sheepishly gazing back at Liz. “I…” he just shrugged his shoulders, unable to explain the brief feeling. It wasn’t like he had developed powers to walk through walls, right? He paused in his thoughts at the idea, but instantly dismissed it and finally just mouthed an apology to Liz.
She looked at him trying to figure out what had happened, but after a beat sighed and returned to searching for a connection to this…place.
All those memories, pain and anger, flood back one by one
They must be just around the bend, they always come
She closed her eyes trying to regain her focus, but her nerves were strung far too tightly. Just being here—so close to where Max was, she was barely keeping herself from tearing open the doors and storming in to get him. Even with the small doubt plaguing her mind that he might not be in there, her heart beat faster with the hope that maybe, if she concentrated hard enough she might feel his presence. And though no hint of her connection to her love had reawakened as she lightly touched the walls, she refused to give up.
At night as I lay sleeping they come to me in herds
Their lies remain, the dreams the same, it's only fleeting words
Yet in the night’s constant silence and coolness, her frustration grew.
No one calls there in the shadows
There's no end to the dark
Just as she was about to give in to her anger, a growl building in her throat, she felt a pull upon her entire body. For moments she was unaware of where she stood, images of white corridors, metal bars, security scanners and blueprints flashing before her eyes.
With a gasp, her eyes shot open, her hand flying away from the wall as if burned. Fortunately, Kyle steadied her before she could fall.
“Did it work?” She closed her eyes slowing her breaths, hearing her friend’s whisper in her ear.
She nodded still leaning against him. After a few moments she felt in control of her body again. She was about to ask where Michael and Isabel were, but before she could say a word, they were standing beside them.
“Ready?” Michael asked, his eyes still shifting to the far corners, despite having seen no one.
With a curt nod, she watched as Isabel moved towards the closest door, unlocking it. As soon as the door opened, Liz went through, Isabel closely behind—their hands ready to blast any agent to get in their way.
The boys followed them in, Michael bringing up the rear. Though the others took no notice, focused on their destination, Kyle’s eyes widened as he recognized the familiar hum surrounding them.
~ ~ ~
Nearby Warehouse- Upper Level- Main Office
But there's no one out there, no one but me....
Lines of black and white shook before him, irking him with every passing moment.
Felding stared at the screens before him, muttering soft curses. He should have expected their impulsiveness, and now the others were scrambling around to ensure everything went as planned.
He turned off the screen that had become only static, focusing on the one that was set up in the trees. He smiled with relief that they had not found that one.
A rattling buzz reached his ears and he glanced down at the table where he had placed his phone. With a sigh he picked it up.
They’ve entered.
Having seen that himself, he ignored the urge to roll his eyes and asked, “Is everything ready?”
Yes. He breathed out a sigh of relief, grateful at least that they were efficient.
“Good. When this is done, ensure nothing is left behind.”
Yes. He heard the abrupt click and this time rolled his eyes at the sound. No sense of culture. But quickly he returned his thoughts to the screens.
He saw Max trembling in a corner. Noting the time, he hoped it would not be long before Max’s friends and family appeared in the containment room.
The hours pass so slowly, the life's slipping out of me
No way's the right way. Is there a way out for me?
~ ~ ~
Warehouse- Ground Level- Southern Corridor
“Liz, where are we headed?” Isabel nervously whispered, her apprehension skyrocketing at not finding a single agent yet.
“One more turn and we should be there,” Liz answered, her eyes focused several feet ahead of them as if the blueprints still appeared in front of her.
Silently they continued on, staying close to the shadowed walls. The dimness inside the building had initially surprised them, and though it allowed them to hide a little more easily as they made their way along, it would also hide the agents from their sight.
My life's slipping out...
Rising up, the night is done, and now the bright lights come
Held back in my pitied world where everything's undone
Liz released a deep breath as she stopped by an Emergency Exit sign. She turned around to face the others to speak. “Two levels down there’s a separate generator for two rooms—and one of them is slightly bigger—that’s where he is. He has to be.”
They darted glances towards the door before facing Liz once again. She pointed down the hallway continuing, “There’s an elevator that opens right in front of them, but taking that would leave us vulnerable. Hopefully we’ll see them coming if we go this way.” Her hand pushed against the exit door at her last statement.
The others nodded and moments later they were steadily making their way down a staircase. Placing each step carefully to make no sound, they constantly glanced above and below them expecting agents to suddenly appear, but all they saw were the reddish glow upon the beige walls.
A cold wind blows right through me, I'm made a hollow shell
There's nothing left, just ash remains, enrich the soil, no soil, no soil...
Close call there in the shadows
Passing the basement level, Liz ceased her darting glances, her eyes staring straight ahead of her. With each step, her heartbeat quickened, but instead of the low thuds echoing in her ears, she heard herself silently call out *Max, Max, Max…*
There's an end to the dark
As she neared the floor below, the reddish haze of the emergency lights seemed to brighten to a blinding white. And for a moment she thought she saw him, huddled in a corner, his head violently shaking side to side. Unaware of her movements, her hand reached towards the quivering form and she heard herself whisper, *Hold on, Max. We’re coming.*
Only when her hand touched the door labeled with the letters ‘SB’ did she realize they were there.
'Cause there's someone out there
~ ~ ~
Warehouse- Sub-basement level- Containment Room
A strangled cry reached his ears as his eyes flew open. The sound had been faint, easily absorbed into the overbearing white walls, but the fear within it was palpable. The same fear that continually rushed through his curled up body, simultaneously urging and repressing his need to cry out again.
Max swallowed several times while his head jerked in various directions to search for the building blue light. But he only saw white.
Someone like me...
Relieved, he sighed and leaned his head back against the wall. His shoulders dropped slightly, relaxing as much as the tight cuffs allowed him. His eyes fluttered closed for a second before he forced them open, his fear once again causing his heart to race.
The hours pass so slowly, the life's slipping out of me
No way's the right way, is there a way out for me
His heart pounded within his chest, its loud beats echoing in his ears. His breaths were short and harsh. The gray lines began to swim before him as he felt more pressure building within his chest. Fortunately, the dull clink of metal snapped him out of his panic.
He blinked a few times focusing on his hands trembling in their cuffs. He linked his fingers to steady his hands and soon all he heard were the soft sounds of his slowing breaths and heartbeat.
The hours pass so slowly
He leaned forward, resting his head upon his knees. Though exhausted he willed himself to stay awake, his eyes remaining open in tiny slits.
Someone’s coming.
His head jerked up, his eyes wide with alarm. He gulped as he dreaded hearing the whispered voice again.
Sense them. They will be here soon.
Max could only shake his head, but so frantic in his denials he hadn’t realized his eyes had closed instinctively, until it was too late.
Blue light swirled around him, spinning faster and faster. It began to close in on him and he struggled to breathe.
The life's slipping out of me
He heard the low voice speak, but he could only focus on his desperate need for air. He was completely unaware of his body, the only sensation he knew was the pain of blinding blue light smothering all breath, energy, life, out of him. In what he believed to be his last breath, he clung to the thought that perhaps now he could be reunited with Liz.
The blue light continued to intensify, and just as it was about encompass him wholly, darkness seeped in. Black and blue swirled before him, the darkness overtaking more and more. His consciousness fading, the blue seemed far more distant, though still utterly brilliant. Even as the light moved farther from him, the surrounding pressure remained, seeming to strengthen as his own struggles weakened. Soon he conceded to the unyielding force, allowing the darkness to wash over him completely.
Is there a way out for me?
The growing darkness, however, shifted into a petite form. For a breathless moment the small shadow flickered into vivid color, accompanied by a soft, sweet whisper.
But the words and colors were swallowed up in silence and whiteness.
He blinked in confusion, his eyes slowly searching for what had called him back to reality. His heart pounded in his chest and his mind spun. He tried to grasp control of his thoughts, but his entire body began to tremble. He could feel energy rushing through his veins, energy that had not been released since graduation.
His skin burned and his muscles twitched under the relentless onslaught of flowing energy. A dull roar filled his ears as the energy surged.
His gut clenched as more and more energy rushed towards his head and he felt his eyes begin to close in pain. Suppressed for a year, the energy was slipping from his control, demanding to be released in any way. He could feel waves of pressure wavering around him, growing larger and larger. Already incredibly weakened and still fighting for control over his mind, let alone his body, he struggled against the weight of power suffocating him from all sides. He gritted his teeth in his efforts, while willing himself to not close his eyes, to not rest and give in to the monster within.
Feel the power. Use it.
He held his head, resting his elbows against his knees, as it continued to shake in meek protest and pain.
The hours pass so slowly
With what little concentration he had, he focused on suppressing the building power. No longer was he aware of the cold white walls and the gray tile borders.
The life's slipping out of me
He remained shivering in his corner, pressing his palms against his head as if to beat out the persistent voice. Only deep in his sub-conscious did he acknowledge one of the walls shifting.
Time for death.
Is there a way out for me?
There must be a way out for me.
kidding...
But ultimately the majority vote was exactly what worked with my schedule anyway! Thank you for checking up on the story so much. 
. And sorry I've gotten behind in your story, I'm hoping I'll have time to check your latest parts soon!
