Jo! Look at all the (non-hidden) information you posted!! My little heart almost stopped.
Okay, so maybe it didn't stop but I definitely re-read it a dozen times looking for anything else you might have hidden in amongst the obvious. (On that point I've decided that you're an expert in "diversion."
)
I'm glad that Max is insisting on them not going to school today. Even without all the potential consequences of their new/stronger bond they really can't deal with everything given their lack of sleep. Of course, regardless of the cover, it's going to make Sean chomp at the bit even more since it'll have been 24 hours since he last saw Liz and their last encounter in the cafeteria wasn't exactly a success.
And Maria may not be a loose cannon yet but she's getting more and more suspicious that Liz (and possibly Alex) has been keeping things from her. It'll be interesting to see what her part in all of this will be. She can either be a help or a liability. Either way it's good that Max is aware of how difficult it is on Liz. They're like sisters and having his support as her relationship with Maria changes is going to be really important.
I think the scene where Liz was checking out Max's bedroom was adorable. But it also gave an insight to who Max is (or at least has been) up until this point. He exudes control over everything but I think that's as much to deal with the things he
can't control. He could never fully control his reaction/attraction to Liz, he couldn't control his heritage, etc. etc. But it also shows that he's able to calculate and create a plan. That will be helpful if the "rebellion group" actually exists. (And even if it doesn't, it's still a good trait for him to have given the circumstances.) I'm sure that Liz, even being organized herself, almost looks scatterbrained by comparison.
And Liz is right - they
both need sleep. If it comes down to Max having to protect her (which he will at some point) he'll need all the energy he can get. Even if he doesn't have to protect her at the meeting tonight he still can't appear weak in front of the council.
I'm actually very interested in the council. The political structure of their society intrigues me. So I'm looking forward (even if Liz isn't) to learning about who's on it, what their positions are, etc. Also interested in how Max intended to plead their case and just how the laws go about being waived or changed. I don't think they've got a good chance at it but there's always the possibility. (Of course I have another theory about the meeting but I'll keep that to myself for now.
)
The training that Sgt. Carter was doing had to be extremely extensive for him to continually use Nancy so much. But that's also partly because he knew that they'd have to "dispose" of her at some point (sooner than they'd like) so he was getting as much "use" out of her before then. And it would also serve the purpose of keeping her from being able to poison Liz. It also explains why they've been so harsh with Max's punishments. Not only has he broken the laws but he's choosing the exact wrong moment (even if he's not fully aware of how much) to do so. Plus it means that to Sean it's more than just a competition and a territory/rights thing with Max. In his mind he's basically trying to help uphold the alien society - the superior society - which he views as his rightful "inheritance" and Max is threatening all of that. The fact Max trying to take away
Sean's gaea just adds insult to injury. He's liable to snap once he realizes that Max and Liz are fully bonded. So the question is how much training Sean has undergone lately as well. His father would want him to learn everything as well if there is something coming. He may not be able to do as well without a gaea but the knowledge would still be imparted. That makes it dangerous if there
is a rebel group and that knowledge is imparted to Liz without her being able to protect her thoughts. There's evidence the bond would protect her but we don't fully know that yet.
The closeness that the two of them crave was beautifully written. It was funny and sweet while provocative at the same time. But underneath all that was a current of something deeper, something neither of them have fully learned how to handle yet. I can't imagine Max leaving Liz alone for long periods of time - especially at night. I'm seeing a lot of sneaking around Jeff in their immediate future. Not only to keep each other safe and watch out for one another but to not drown in the strength of their emotions. They have to have that closeness (at least for a little while) so they can learn how to handle separations - as oxymoronic as that sounds.
Okay, I'm posting this before I spill out my theories and post all the hints/questions I've been accumulating.
Ahem... So... Tomorrow's Halloween. Technically a Halloween party is what started all this. What kind of chapter will you be posting?
Or are you just going to post the next twenty chapters to keep us all inside so you can collect all the candy yourself?
Hmmm... That sounds like a good plan actually.
ETA: Mezzi! Your turn! Let's see what that brain of yours has come up with in your bunker.
