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Royal Alliances
~:|:Prologue:|:Chapter 1:|:Chapter 2:|:Chapter 3:|:Chapter 4:|:Chapter 5:|:Chapter 6:|:Chapter 7:|:~
~:|:Chapter 8:|:Chapter 9:|:Chapter 10:|:Chapter 11:|:Chapter 12:|:Chapter 13:|:Chapter 14:|:~
In the Earth year, 1949, two years after the Antarian Royal Four were sent to Earth, the Ikaydian Royal family, (feeling the oppressive shadow of the Prexoran menace, Kivar, stretch ever closer to Ikaydia [E-Kay-De-Uh]) decided to implement a similar method of preserving the Royal line. However, instead of using the spirit or essence of the Queen or her consort, they decided to create a hybridized heir. Queen Kadiya [cAh-dE-Uh] and the Royal Consort Orgustus [OR-gOO-st-Us] , gave of their flesh, twice, once for the Heir and then for a sibling. The decision was made to send along four other embryos, making six embryos in all, (The Heir, her Consort, two siblings, and two embryos from the most trusted Bodyguard family).
In 1950, (Earth Year) the ship containing the, as yet, un-hybridized embryos, was sent through a local wormhole, to Earth, with Kabo [Caw-bow] , the Queen's most trusted Doctor, to facilitate the hybridization. Unbeknownst to everyone, the wormhole acted not only as a passage through space, but through time, sending the ship to Earth year 1981. Unable to return, as the ship was running low on fuel, and unable to find a way to resupply or to contact Ikaydia, Kabo decided to implement the plan anyway.
Landing in a mostly unpopulated region of Colorado, the San Luis Valley, Kabo moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico and began the process of finding families for his charges. Using the cover of being a fertility doctor, Kabo found six potential families, each in need of help to conceive, the Gregorvich's, the Whitman's, the Badrian's, the Parker's, the Valenti's and the DeLuca-Gossman's. So using the fertilized embryo of the Consort, and a fertilized embryo from the Gregorvich's, Kabo created a perfect hybrid, which he then implanted in Ana Gregorvich.
Seven months later, Sergei Gregorvich was born, and Kabo knew that he could complete his mission. The Heir, was next, using the same methods and was implanted in Safati Badrian, with Beronika Badrian as the happy result. However, Kabo decided that he should wait two years before attempting with the other four embryos. So in 1984, the Heir's two siblings, and the embryos of the Bodyguard, were implanted.
In 1984, the Gregorvich family had to return to the Soviet Union, but Kabo maintained close contact with them. The other families formed close bonds, some having known each other for years, and some they had just met, but all shared the desire for children. At nearly two years old, Beronika viewed the children of her 'Aunts' with joy and excitement. First was Kyle Valenti, followed by Maria DeLuca-Gossman, then Alexander Whitman, and lastly Elizabeth Parker.
Over the years the five children came to view each other as family, forming tight-knit bonds similar to their parents. However, with the divorce of Anthony Gossman from Amy DeLuca, things shifted, then in 1988, when Beronika was 6 yrs. old, the Badrian family moved to Denver, Colorado. All the families maintained a close friendship with the man who helped them, Dr. Kabo.
Doctor Kabo's true identity was found out in 1991, by Andrea Valenti, when, while visiting him at his lab, she accidentally happened upon him, healing a cut on his right arm. Kabo told Andrea the entire truth, and begged that she would not inform anyone else. Andrea agreed, on the condition that she be allowed to assist him. Kabo consented to her request, but warned her that it would mean leaving her husband and child behind, for the work they would do could put them in danger. Andrea acquiesced, for she knew in her heart that without help, Kabo's hard work and sacrifice, including the creation of the six children would all be destroyed and she could not let that happen. Andrea divorced Jim Valenti, and left Roswell and her young son, Kyle, behind.
The Badrian family, despite distance, (they moved frequently), maintained close ties to the four Roswell families. At age 10, in 1992, Beronika was the first to discover her powers, and made it known to Dr. Kabo, who took it upon himself (at the urging of his assistant, Andrea) to tell the Badrian's the entire truth. They in turn told the Parker's whom they viewed as family, (Beronika even called Nancy and Jeff, Aunt and Uncle). Jeff and Nancy made the decision not to tell any of the others, unless the children began showing signs of their 'otherworldly' heritage.
Now, nearly 22 years after first arriving upon Earth, Kabo has decided that it is time for the children to know the truth of their origins. Nearing her 21st birthday, Beronika is anxiously awaiting the time when the six children Kabo 'created' are together.
~:|:Prologue:|:Chapter 1:|:Chapter 2:|:Chapter 3:|:Chapter 4:|:Chapter 5:|:Chapter 6:|:Chapter 7:|:~
~:|:Chapter 8:|:Chapter 9:|:Chapter 10:|:Chapter 11:|:Chapter 12:|:Chapter 13:|:Chapter 14:|:~
Nancy and Jeff Parker moved swiftly through the motions of preparing for the Sunday brunch crowd, as they had for the past 15 yrs. The Crashdown Café wasn't yet opened and the place was calm and quiet, the complete anti-thesis of what it would look like in a scant hour and a half. The quiet was disturbed by the sudden shrill ringing of the telephone, out in the dining area. Jeff glanced up from his prep work, smiling at Nancy as she moved through the swinging doors to answer the phone, before turning back to his work.
In the dining area, Nancy rushed to answer the phone before the noise reached up the stairs to Liz's room, knowing the troubles her daughter had been having sleeping lately, Nancy wanted her to be able to sleep awhile longer.
"Crashdown Café, how may I help you?"
"Aunt Nancy?"
"Nika? Is that you?" Nancy was thrilled to hear from the young woman she thought of as her niece. It had been nearly four months since they had last spoken, and that had been brief, as Beronika was rushing from plane to plane on a trip to the Mediterranean.
"Yes. . .it's me." Beronika hesitated, her voice unsure.
"Well, it's wonderful to hear from you honey!! How was your trip? Did you enjoy Greece?" Nancy didn't wait to hear Beronika's answer, she turned to the swinging doors, calling out loudly. "Jeff, Jeff!! Nika is on the phone!!"
Jeff exited the kitchen, wiping his hands on a small white rag, his face wreathed in smiles.
"AUNT NANCY!" The loud bellow from the phone drew Nancy's attention back to the phone, her eyes smiling.
"What dear?"
"Aunt Nancy, it's time."
Nancy looked at the phone in confusion. Jeff cocked his head at her questioningly, wondering what was going on.
"What do you mean, Nika?"
Beronika took a deep breath, exhaling it slowly, knowing that what she said next, it would hurt the woman she thought of as an Aunt. But she knew she had no other choice.
"It is time. I will be in Roswell today, and I have to take Liz with me when I leave."
Nancy's face whitened, her grip nearly crushing the old-fashioned phone, as her terror filled eyes sought out her husbands.
"NO! No! Nika, she can't! YOU CAN'T!!" Nancy's eyes filled with tears as her worst fears and dreams came true.
Jeff responded to the panic in his wife's face and voice by reaching for the phone and removing it, bringing it to his ear, he grasped Nancy's hand within his own.
"Nika? What happened?" Jeff asked in a calm voice, though he felt anything but.
"Oh, goddess, Uncle Jeff!! I am so sorry. But, but. . .it is time. I am on my way to Roswell now, and I have to take Liz with me, when I leave."
Jeff's eyes closed painfully, understanding his wife's anguish. Pulling Nancy into a quick, hard embrace, he kissed the top of her head briefly, letting himself feel the anger and helplessness of the situation for a moment. Taking a deep breath, in that instant he knew there was nothing he could do to stop the hand of time, that was determined to take his young daughter from him.
"Well," Jeff breathed out the word on a choked sob. "Well, then we. . .we will be expecting you."
"Uncle Jeff, I am so, so sorry. I know that it's sudden, but Kabo has told me that it is now or never." Beronika could feel the force of the couple's sadness seep through the phone.
Jeff fervently wished that it could be never, but also knew that was one wish that would never come true.
"I know, sweetie, I know. It's just, well, your Aunt Nancy, and I, we never, well we never told Liz. And we worked pretty hard to ignore the fact that this was going to happen." Jeff said softly, running his hand softly down the back of his weeping spouse.
"You, you mean, Liz has no idea?" Beronika was shocked. While it had been years since she had last seen the man and woman she called Aunt and Uncle, she had kept in close contact through those years, and she had always assumed that they had told Liz the truth. This was going to be harder than she originally thought.
"No, no Liz doesn't know. But, if you're going to be here, later, I guess it's time for the truth to come out." Jeff said sadly.
"What truth?" asked a wary Liz. She stood on the stairs, leading from the upstairs apartment. Her head was cocked curiously, though her face remained oddly blank of expression.
Nancy's head shot up, her eyes streaming with tears, her body wracked with the force of her contained sobs. Jeff jumped, his heart in his throat, tears leaping to his eyes as he turned to confront his daughter.
On the other end of the line, Beronika heard Liz's voice, her eyes closing as she said a soft prayer for her surrogate family.
~:|:Prologue:|:Chapter 1:|:Chapter 2:|:Chapter 3:|:Chapter 4:|:Chapter 5:|:Chapter 6:|:Chapter 7:|:~
~:|:Chapter 8:|:Chapter 9:|:Chapter 10:|:Chapter 11:|:Chapter 12:|:Chapter 13:|:Chapter 14:|:~
Without saying goodbye to Nika, Jeff placed the telephone receiver down into its cradle, knowing that she wouldn't blame him at all. His heart twisted at the blank expression on his precious daughters face, something he was seeing more and more often, but which never failed to send chills down his spine. Something bad had happened to change Liz from a cheerful, outgoing and cooperative teenager, of last year, to this secretive and empty, young woman, who stood before him.
Nancy desperately tried to stem her tears, but it was no use. Her utter despair at the thought of losing her only child, to an unknown future, was tearing her apart. Knowing she would at one point be taken from them, and having it actually happen, were two totally separate things.
Liz simply stood silently. She was curious, but couldn't help the listless pose, her patience for the never-ending lies in her life had long since run out, and the knowledge that her parents had kept some "TRUTH" from her, no longer held as much significance as she would have once thought.
"Liz, I think we should all sit down." Jeff said, trying for calm, though it wasn't working well, his voice cracking and his hand shaking as he ran it through his hair.
Liz walked up the stairs into the small apartment that her family shared, followed by Jeff. Nancy took a quick moment to gather herself together, as well as write a hasty note, simply stating that the Crashdown would not be open today, due to a family emergency, before trailing after her family.
Liz sat, her body somewhat slumped in the overlarge easy chair, she had chosen. Jeff chose to sit upon the couch, Nancy sitting beside him, her hand reaching out blindly to clasp his.
Jeff took a deep breath, steeling himself for whatever Liz's reaction might be.
"Liz, I don't think we, have ever told you about the hard time we had, conceiving you."
Liz's eyes sharpened as her head shot up. "What, you gonna tell me I'm adopted?" She asked in a razor-edged tone.
"NO! No, you are our child. I gave birth to you, Liz." Nancy said, her gaze searching Liz's.
"Yes, you are our child, Liz. But before you were conceived, your mom and I, we had to visit a fertility clinic, in Albuquerque. The doctor there, Dr. Kabo, was supposedly an expert in helping the hard to conceive. And he did help us, tremendously, for you were born in 1984, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, just like we always told you."
"During the time we spent at the clinic, we met some interesting folks, and made some friends. We even renewed some old friendships."
Liz met her father's gaze, then. Curiosity finally being shown on her face, she asked him, "What does that mean?"
Jeff hesitated, but seeing his daughters face show more animation than it had for weeks, urged him to continue.
"Well, it appeared that we weren't the only one's having problems conceiving. Sheriff Valenti and his wife, ex-wife, Andrea, had sought out the clinic, so had Amy DeLuca and her husband Anthony Gossman. It was nice seeing faces of old friends, since your mom and I had moved to Albuquerque, we hadn't seen them in years." Jeff paused, remembering the surprise they had all felt at seeing each other in the clinic so many years ago.
"We also made friends with two other couples, the Whitman's, Charles and Felicia, and the Badrian's, Muttahar and Safati. When we weren't at the clinic or working, us and the other 4 couples, would go out to dinner together or dancing, or maybe to a movie. We talked of our anxiousness to see and hold our children, names we liked, and about the frustration we all had. When in 1982, Safati got pregnant, we all were so happy, one of our own was gonna have a child, which meant that we still had hope."
Liz looked intrigued. She knew Safati, having called the woman Aunt for all her nearly 18 yrs. Last year, when she had left for the summer, she had gone to Safati's home in Florida, and spent time hanging out with Safati's two teenaged children.
"In the winter of 1982, December 31st to be exact, Beronika was born. Muttahar and Safati were thrilled, and they asked your mother and I to act as her godparents. We both agreed." Jeff sighed, his eyes misting slightly as he thought of how honored he had felt.
Nancy took over the telling, then, seeing her husband caught in his memories. "Soon after, Andrea became pregnant, and then Felicia. They were followed by me and Amy. And in 1983 and '84, Kyle, Alex, Maria and you, Liz were all born."
Jeff shook off his pensiveness, and retook the telling of the story. "We asked Muttahar and Safati to be your godparents, and they agreed as well. The next year, Grandma Claudia gave us the Crashdown, and we moved back to Roswell. Charles and Felicia moved out here shortly after, when Charlie decided to start his own accounting firm. Amy and Tony were already living here, as was Jim and Andrea. Muttahar and Safati, however, were obligated to stay in Albuquerque, for his job, but they both visited often."
Nancy again took over. "In 1987, Tony left Amy, and then Muttahar and Safati were transferred overseas. Then in 1991, Andrea and Jim divorced. The next year, we learned a dangerous secret."
Liz had been listening in fascination as her parents told the story, but her eyes narrowed at the revelation of a dangerous secret.
"In 1992, we were approached by Dr. Kabo, the miracle doctor that had helped us have you. He had been in contact with the Badrian's, who had told him of some unusual things, that Beronika was able to do. Dr. Kabo felt that he should warn us, and tell us the truth about you."
"About me?" asked Liz, her first words since Jeff had started.
Jeff ignored the interruption, knowing that if he didn't get this out soon, he would never be able to. "He told us an incredible story, one that seemed to come straight from the pages of a sci-fi novel." Liz's heart nearly stopped at her fathers words.
"He told of us a people, called the Ikaydians, who lived on a planet, in a distant star system. He told us how they were threatened by a terrible man, who sought to control everything. Kabo explained to us that the Royal Family, of Ikaydia, the Queen Kadiya, and her consort, Orgustus, decided to send him, Kabo, to a distant planet, Earth. Along with him, came 6 fertilized embryos, to be hybridized with humans. One of which was the Heir to the throne, one destined to be her consort, 2 of which were the Heir's siblings, and 2 that came from a respected family, who acted as the Royal bodyguards."
Liz was in total shock. Her hands were trembling, so she clenched them tightly in her lap, hiding them from view.
"Kabo, was sent through a wormhole, one that catapulted him not only through space, but apparently time as well. For when he left Ikaydia, it was around 1950, and when he arrived on Earth it was 1977. He set to work immediately, and in 1980, he succeeded in hybridizing one embryo, that of the Heir's Consort, by using a human woman's fertilized embryo, and his alien technology. That woman, Ana Gregorvich, gave birth to a son, Sergei."
Nancy again took over the telling, "The Gregorvich's, Ana and Stefan, returned to the Soviet Union, the next year. In 1982, Kabo, did it again, this time with the Heir, using Safati's embryo. Beronika is the Heir to the throne of Ikaydia. But Kabo didn't stop there, he decided that since the 10 of us were so close, he would use us. Having impregnated me, through in vitro fertilization, he used one of the Heir's sibling embryos and one of my own, and you were the result. He did the same to Andrea, Felicia and Amy."
"He told us that Andrea had been the first to find out, she had gone to work with him. She knew that when the time came, her son would leave, and she wanted him to be safe to do that, but also knew that in order for him to be safe, Kabo needed more help. When Beronika's powers manifested early, Andrea was the one to insist that the Badrian's know as well. We found out about Nika's powers, when we were on vacation with the Badrian's, which is why Kabo told us. We, your mom and I, decided that we wouldn't tell the other families, unless one of you kids started sprouting powers too."
"We had to tell you, now, because Beronika is on her way here. She says that it is time. We're not sure for what, but we made a promise to Kabo, when he came to us, years ago, that we would let you go. Once he explained how important you were, and we saw the proof of Beronika's powers, we knew you would leave us, for your destiny.
Together Nancy and Jeff turned their gazes from the floor to look at their daughter. What they saw surprised and worried them. Instead of shell-shock, Liz was laughing, silently, and so hard that tears were rolling down her face. She abruptly stopped, as she saw that they were regarding her seriously.
"YOU HAVE TO BE FUCKING KIDDING ME!!" Liz shouted. Before Nancy or Jeff could respond, Liz leapt from her seat, running down the stairs.
"Well, that went well." Jeff stated sardonically, his sad gaze meeting his wife's, before looking after Liz's retreating form.
~:|:Prologue:|:Chapter 1:|:Chapter 2:|:Chapter 3:|:Chapter 4:|:Chapter 5:|:Chapter 6:|:Chapter 7:|:~
~:|:Chapter 8:|:Chapter 9:|:Chapter 10:|:Chapter 11:|:Chapter 12:|:Chapter 13:|:Chapter 14:|:~
Liz ran, her hair flying behind her, like a flag waving in the wind. Tears streamed down her face as she replayed the entire conversation in her head. Replayed the events of the past two years. She paid no attention to the fact that she was clad only in a pair of baby blue sleep shorts and matching tank, or that she wasn't wearing any shoes, she simply ran.
The early Sunday morning was breezy and cool, and it appeared everyone was either in church or in bed, so the streets were empty. Her breath came out in harsh labored pants, that echoed in the silent streets. Her arms pumped, and her legs blurred as she attempted to outrun her own mind.
~@~@~@~
Jeff and Nancy stood at the door of the Crashdown Cafe, their home and workplace for nearly 16 yrs. They watched as their only child, their daughter ran from them and the truth. And together they prayed, to any and all the Higher Powers, that Liz would someday forgive them, and that she would be kept safe.
~@~@~@~
Liz rounded the corner, her eyes blurring with unshed tears, she darted into the street, trying to put as much distance as possible between herself and her parents. Unheeding of the fact that she was crossing the street, she looked up at the blare of a horn.
~@~@~@~
Beronika had driven the last 20 miles into Roswell at nearly 90mph. Her senses were screaming, and she knew it had something to do with Liz. Sergei, her fiance, sat beside her, quietly, he could also sense the turmoil that was Liz's mind, and was just as anxious to arrive. Beronika slowed considerably as she reached the small town, following the posted speed limit, but just barely.
All of a sudden, as she was rounding the street corner, a small body darted out into the street, and Beronika leaned heavily on the horn as she nearly stood on the brake. Her eyes were drawn to the person who she had come so close to running over, they widened at the sight of Liz's panting, and grief-stricken face, which stared unseeingly back at her.
~@~@~@~
Liz panted with exertion, and then with fear as she came to the realization that she could have died. Looking up at the driver, she recognized the face, Beronika. Before she could take off running again, strong hands closed around her wrist. She tried desperately to remove them, but they were too strong. Turning to look at who was holding her, she spun too fast and combined with her earlier shock and then exertion, she fell into a dead faint.
~@~@~@~
Across the street, headed to the Crashdown Cafe for an early breakfast, Isabel Evans, paused to take in the bizarre scene taking place in the middle of the street. Watching as Liz Parker, the love of her brother's life, ran as if the hounds of hell were chasing her, then almost seeing her get run over, to her fainting in the arms of some stranger, Iz dug out her cell phone and placed a call. The person on the other end picked up on the first ring.
"Hey, Max? Something just happened. . . Meet me at Michael's." Without waiting for Max to respond, she hung up and made her way, cautiously, to Michael's apartment.
~@~@~@~
Sergei's strong arms closed around Liz's limp body, preventing her from crashing to the hard ground. Without breaking his hold on her, he lifted her into his arms, carrying her pliant body to the backseat of the 1999 Chevy Blazer, and placing her on the seat. Sliding her over, he sat down beside her and pulled her back into his arms, protecting her as Beronika started the car again.
Beronika was instantly on the phone, her gaze torn between the road before her, and the rearview mirror, where she watched her fiance cradle the younger woman. The other end of the phone was picked up instantly, the voice anxious.
"Aunt Nancy-" Before she could complete her sentence, Nancy was telling Beronika what had so recently transpired. Ending with Liz's disbelief and then her panicked flight from the diner.
"Aunt Nancy, I found her. In fact I nearly ran her over! NO! She's fine, a bit out of it, " Understating things a bit, Beronika managed to calm her aunt down, before continuing. "I think it would be best if we head over to the Sleepytime Inn, and bring Liz back to the Crashdown later on. Maybe she will listen to Sergei
and I. . .""Sergei's with you?"
"Yeah, he felt it was imperative that he come along."
"Good, I'm glad. Can, can you tell Liz, how very much we love her? And that, we're, we are very sorry?" Nancy's voice broke with the effort to contain her tears.
"Yes, of course. I will do that as soon as she calms down, okay? I just have a quick question, though. . . Has anyone told the other families, the whole truth?"
Nancy was silent for a moment. "No, we haven't. Oh, God! How can we possibly tell them, and not sound like raving maniacs?"
"Aunt Nancy! Calm down, Sergei and I discussed this on the way down, we thought it might be best if we got everyone together, for dinner and tell them then. We even thought we would demonstrate our 'differences' for them."
"Really? You would do that?"
"Aunt Nancy, these kids are my family too. I want them safe, and they will be safer if we can get them trained and prepared for the possibility of a Prexoran invasion. You know that, and I know that, and we also know that the other families will too."
"I hope you're right. Okay then I will invite everyone to the diner, we're closed for the day, anyway. And you can explain it all, okay?"
"Okay, and Auntie? It WILL be okay." And then both women said goodbye and hung up. By then the Blazer was parked in the Sleepytime Inn's parking lot, so Beronika got out and paid for a room for the night, while Sergei sat with Liz, who was still out like a light.
~@~@~@~
Fifteen minutes later, Sergei laid Liz upon one of the two queen-sized beds, her body curling into a protective fetal position immediately. Beronika sighed in exhaustion, she had started out from Denver, Colorado at 4am and here it was 9am and she was ready to fall asleep! Sergei obviously felt the same, so in unspoken agreement, they laid upon the other bed and fell into a light slumber, Nika's mind linked with that of Liz's so that she was instantly awakened once Liz began to stir.
~@~@~@~
Over at Michael's apartment, Iz was relating to her increasingly alarmed brother and Michael the events she had witnessed.
"--and then this really big guy, picked her up and put her into the Blazer. He got in after her, and then the car drove away, and they weren't headed to the Crashdown. Plus when I drove by the diner, there was a sign up saying that they were closed due to a family emergency." She said, finishing up quickly, seeing the first signs of panic cross Max's face, surprisingly she also saw it mirrored on Michael's as well.
Before she could say anything to attempt to calm them down, the phone began ringing shrilly. Michael moved quickly to answer it.
"Hello? Mr. Parker? Yes, I was just getting ready for work now." Michael wasn't lying, much, before Isabel had arrived, he had been about to head into work for the day. "What? A family emergency? Well, uhm, I hope everything will be okay, sir. . . Okay, thank you, sir, goodbye."
Max simply waited for Michael to explain, and for once Michael didn't make him wait for it.
"Mr. Parker, said that I wouldn't need to come in today, he wouldn't say much about the family emergency, and I understand, but he did say that it was about some bad news they had received. Then he said that it would be about 2 to 3 days, before they would open again, but that I would be paid for it, cause he knows my sitch."
Max cocked his head, his eyes half closed as he processed all the information he had received. Turning to Isabel, he asked, "Can you show me, us, their faces, the people you saw today, the man who picked up Liz and the woman, driving the car?"
Isabel thought about it, it had been awhile since she connected with her brother, but they had done it before, and her vantage point from across the street had afforded her a good look at both the driver and the male passenger. Nodding her head once, she moved to sit across from him, Michael sitting beside her, forming an almost equilateral triangle, as their arms grasped each other.
**FLASH**
Max and Michael stood beside Isabel as she watched Liz run straight into the street. They watched as the dark blue Blazer nearly mowed her down, and saw the panic on both the drivers face and the passenger. They saw the panic on Liz's face as she saw the driver, and watched as she fainted in the arms of the man.
**FLASH**
In an instant they were standing closer, right next to Liz, as the man scooped her into his arms. Time seemed to slow down, as they watched, they had time to take in details. They saw that the man carrying Liz was close to 6'6" tall, with short sandy blonde hair, and hazel eyes, and was tanned. That he was well muscled as he picked up Liz with ease.
Michael was taking in the finer details, checking to see if he wore rings, or a watch that was easily distinguishable, but saw nothing, until he saw the man's upper bicep as he lowered Liz into the car. There an armband tattoo was emblazoned, what looked like two words, and a larger symbol, in the center. The symbol was in deep red, the words in orange and yellow, outlined in black, each seemed familiar to him in some way, surrounded by a tribal design.
**FLASH**
Suddenly they stood on the driver's side of the car, looking at the woman driver, as she nearly stood on the brake to prevent ramming into Liz as she darted unseeingly into the street. Isabel took in the woman's shocked recognition of Liz, and then began to categorize the woman's features. Not able to tell her height as she was sitting, Isabel paid close attention to the woman's other features.
The woman was dusky skinned, not all of it coming from a tan, her eyes were a deep brown color, as was her hair, except two bright purple streaks that framed her face. She had a small silver hoop in her left nostril, and several rings in either ear, the hoops in the left side a literal rainbow, descending to a large purple hoop, the other side in silver. Her hands were devoid of any adornment, even polish, but as the woman raised a shaking hand to her face, Isabel noticed a tattoo on her inner right hand wrist. It was a small fetish-style bear surrounded by a tribal-style sun, with Asian symbols surrounding that. Isabel took a mental snapshot of it.
Max, on the other hand, wasn't noticing the small details, he was memorizing her face. For some reason, it seemed familiar, in more than one way. All of a sudden the woman turned towards them, and looked straight at him.
**FLASH**
And they were sitting back in Michael's apartment, looking at each other in shock. The woman had seemed to see them!
Michael stood, pacing frantically for a moment, running an agitated hand through his already tousled hair, before turning back to the others. "What the HELL was that?! I mean, she SAW US!"
Isabel wasn't paying attention to Michael, instead focusing on Max, who sat upon the couch, silently. His gaze met Isabel's for a moment, his eyes reflecting his puzzlement as well as something she couldn't put her finger on. Before Michael could continue his rant, Max stood, and said, quietly, "I don't know about her seeing us, but I recognize her. There's a picture of her on Liz's dresser, as well as in the Parker's living room."
Both Isabel and Michael looked at Max in shock.
~:|:Prologue:|:Chapter 1:|:Chapter 2:|:Chapter 3:|:Chapter 4:|:Chapter 5:|:Chapter 6:|:Chapter 7:|:~
~:|:Chapter 8:|:Chapter 9:|:Chapter 10:|:Chapter 11:|:Chapter 12:|:Chapter 13:|:Chapter 14:|:~
"What?!" Michael and Isabel spoke, well, screamed in unison. Max waited for them both to sit back down, before he spoke again. It didn't take too long, since they were very curious.
"Yeah, her name's Beronika, and she's Liz's cousin. Remember when she went away last summer?" At the other's nods, Max continued. "Well, Liz went to stay with Beronika's mom, in Florida. Beronika was in France or something, she travels a lot. Anyway, Liz said that Safati, her aunt, has two other kids, Beline and Yusef, who she sees all the time. I asked Liz once about her, cause in the picture Liz has of Beronika, they look about 10 or so, and Liz said that she hasn't seen her in over 8yrs. But the picture in the living room, is of Beronika at about our age."
"Liz told me that whenever she's gone to visit her aunt, that Beronika's been outta the country, in some crazy places even. Like two years ago she was in Siberia. I don't know why she seemed to see us, but I remember her face, it's definitely Beronika." Max said, his voice calm despite the confusion he felt.
"Well, I for one wanna know why she could see us!" Michael spat.
"Okay, okay! I gotta say that I wanna know too. But what do we have to go on?" Max asked.
"Not much, but was it just me, or were the flashes kinda monochromatic, except where Beronika, Liz and that guy were?" Isabel wondered aloud.
Michael nodded his head, "Yeah I noticed that too. And even then, their clothes were kinda washed out, just a couple of things stood out."
"Alright, then let's go over what did stand out." Max said, his mind going over what he remembered. Isabel and Michael thought for a moment.
"I remember a tattoo. . . on the guy. It seemed kinda familiar, but I'm not sure why." Michael said, thoughtfully.
"I saw a tattoo on Beronika, too. And I remember her earrings, they were all different colors and she had like 10 in one ear. But that's about it."
"Okay, so the tattoo's. If you both remember them, they must mean something." Max stated.
"Yeah, but the one I saw, it looked like some real weird writing, but I have no idea what language." Michael said, getting riled again.
"Wait, before you get impatient again, think about it for a moment, you said it looked familiar to you," Max looked at Michael for confirmation, and at his nod, continued. "Well, if it looked familiar, you have to have seen it recently. Why don't you try sketching it out, and we can look it up on a tattoo website or something?"
Michael nodded his head, impressed. "Sounds like a good idea! Way to go, Maximillion!"
"What about the tattoo you saw, Iz?"
"Well, it was some kinda bear, in a sun, and then it was surrounded by some Asian symbols." Isabel stated vaguely. "I don't think I could draw it, I suck at that kinda stuff."
Max sighed heavily for a moment, before turning to look at Michael, who had gathered his art supplies together at the table. "Well, could you show Michael?"
Isabel and Michael looked at him quizzically so Max clarified. "Could you connect with him, and show him that way?"
Isabel looked at Max in surprise. He was taking charge, something he had avoided like the plague, for the past year, and for once, instead of sounding hesitant, he sounded like a LEADER. She nodded her head as she glanced at Michael, seeing a thoughtful expression on his face as well, when he looked at Max.
"Okay, then, I'm gonna grab Dad's laptop, and bring it over here, I'll tell him we're working on homework. Then we can look up the images on the Internet." Max got up from his seat on the couch and made his way to the door, waving a quick goodbye to the other two.
"That, was my brother, wasn't it?" Isabel asked in a daze.
"Yeah, yeah, THAT was Max." Michael said with an unusual emphasis, his tone thoughtful. Then his thoughts turned to their tasks, and he began to sketch the tattoo he had seen, he would puzzle over Max's transformation later.
~@~@~@~
At the Sleepytime Inn:
Liz struggled against the cloth that confined her, her body twisting and turning restlessly. Finally her struggles awoke one of the other occupants, not just her physical struggles, as it was really the turmoil in her mind that made Beronika stir. Beronika angled herself out from under Sergei's heavy arm, and went to the bed in which Liz lay.
"Liz?" Beronika shook the other girl, whispering for her to wake. "Liz, wake up hon."
Liz woke with a start, sitting straight up in bed, causing Beronika to lean back suddenly to avoid bonking heads with her. Liz leapt from the bed, going into a defensive posture immediately, moving to the corner of the room, as far from Beronika as she could get.
Beronika was shocked, but moved slowly toward Liz, her gestures as unthreateningly as possible. "Liz? You were having a nightmare. . .you're okay, I promise."
Liz shook the sleep from her system, trying to focus on the soothing voice of Beronika. Her nightmare was still playing in her mind's eye. She had been in the White Room, the one Max had been held in, and someone kept asking her questions she couldn't understand, and they would hurt her every time she didn't answer. She could see Max out of the corner of her eye, lying on a cot like hers, screaming something to her, but she couldn't hear him.
Beronika could see the terror recede from Liz's eyes, and breathed a sigh of relief. Though the expression that took over wasn't much better, anger sparked from Liz's eyes, and it was all aimed at HER!
"Liz, are you okay?" Beronika nearly kicked herself for asking such a stupid question, of course she wasn't okay!
"NO! Dammit, I'm not!!" Liz nearly screamed, causing Sergei to awaken. Sergei stayed laying on the bed, taking in the scene with interest, quickly figuring out what was wrong.
"I know, and Liz I am so sorry." Beronika apologized, not sure if it was for asking the question or for Liz being an alien or for what exactly but Liz's face relaxed a bit.
"I know your angry, Liz. At me, at your parents. But please will you listen for awhile, and I can explain a bit more than your parents could. . ." Beronika offered.
Liz nodded slowly, taking in the room for the first time, and noticing Sergei. Beronika smiled slightly, and introduced them. "Liz, this is Sergei, he's my fiance."
"Sergei. . .Gregorvich? The Con-Consort?" Liz asked, hesitantly. Beronika looked surprised, but nodded. Sergei smiled, and held out his hand, which Liz took.
"Pleased to meet you finally, Liz." Sergei said, his voice deep and melodious, with a hint of an accent. Liz supposed it was Russian, but it was pretty faint.
"Yeah, I guess." Liz shook his hand.
"Okay, I guess you've heard about how we were created?"
Liz nodded, her eyes starting to fill with anger again.
"Hey! Liz, your parents, they weren't given any choice, okay? They weren't asked, if they wanted to have a half-alien child, that was all Kabo's doing. Kabo asked that they not tell you the truth, either. They were scared, so they listened. It wasn't some grand conspiracy, it was one man, who thought it would be better, FOR YOU, to grow up as a human. To have the benefits of that, and not have to live in fear of your 'secret'!" Beronika said in a rush, hoping to stem some of that anger in the other girls face.
Liz deflated slightly as she really listened to Beronika's explanation. Her anger simply left, as she realized the truth in all of that, and compared her experience growing up, with what she knew of Max's childhood. His constant fear, of being discovered, of being hated, or reviled. . .she hadn't had that. She'd had a normal childhood, full of joy and safety. Sighing, she nodded.
"I think I understand what everyone was doing. I will listen to you both, but I think I should call my. . .mom and dad." Liz hesitated before calling them her parents, but knew that that was what they were. She moved to pick up the phone, not seeing the confused expressions on Beronika and Sergei's faces as she calmly accepted what not so long before she had been running so desperately from.
~:|:Prologue:|:Chapter 1:|:Chapter 2:|:Chapter 3:|:Chapter 4:|:Chapter 5:|:Chapter 6:|:Chapter 7:|:~
~:|:Chapter 8:|:Chapter 9:|:Chapter 10:|:Chapter 11:|:Chapter 12:|:Chapter 13:|:Chapter 14:|:~
Part 1:
Max returned quickly to Michael's apartment, laptop in hand, and with the pictures Michael had drawn of the tattoos, they started the search. Their first search, 'Tattoos', however, pulled up over 500,000 hits! Looking at each other in both confusion and a sense of the unreal, they decided to try to narrow down the search.
"Well, then let's focus on the parts of the tattoos. We know that the background of the guys tattoo is tribal, but what about the writing? Michael you said it looked familiar to you, in what way?" Max asked.
Michael looked over the detailed sketch he had done of the man's tattoo, trying to remember where he had seen the writing before, but coming up blank. Shaking his head in anger and disappointment, he glanced up at Max's face, surprised to see a faint smile upon it.
"What are you laughing at, Maxwell?"
"Nothing. Michael, I didn't expect you to remember right away, I wanted you to think about it for awhile, and Iz and I will search for the Asian writing on Beronika's tattoo."
Iz and Michael shared a glance, before sighing lightly in puzzlement, and then following Max's plan.
Max typed in the words, 'Asian tattoos', which brought up only 72 hits, but instead of being about Asian writing, it focused on full body tattoos of the East. Iz and Max shared shocked looks as they viewed a couple of pages devoted to this form of tattoo, which while it looked kinda neat, also looked very painful.
Michael began doodling, the way he found it easiest to think, starting to draw a random picture, while his mind focused on the mystery of the writing on the guys tattoo.
Iz and Max's next search, 'Asian symbols tattoos', brought only 2 hits, the first about temporary tattoos, but with pictures of Asian writing similar to the type they were looking for, as well as a name to go on. Kanji. Kanji apparently being a type of Japanese cuneiform, that was used often in tattoos.
Their search becoming narrower, they looked up 'Kanji Tattoos', which got them 97 hits. However it was at the very first site, www.kanjitattoos.com, that surprisingly held the answers to what they were searching for. Seeing that the sight had over 1,000 Kanji symbols, all in alphabetical order, they set to work.
The A's produced only one possibility and one that alarmed them. Alien. But they shook it off quickly, moving down the list, finding another, in the B's, Brother. The variant that meant Younger Brother, to be exact. Getting excited now, they continued their search. C's, D's and E's brought no results, but in the F's they had another hit. Family. G's through L's left them empty handed, but then one in M's brought results, Mixed Blood, making their eyebrows raise again. As they passed through N's through R's their frustration grew, hours had passed. Taking a break, they decided to see if Michael had gotten anywhere.
"Not really, I just kinda started drawing, while I tried to remember, but nothing really stuck out at me." Michael replied, while he worked on his sketch. Max glanced down at it questioningly, doing a double-take when he saw it was a portrait of Maria, surrounded by the symbols! Ripping Michael's hand away from it, he ignored Michael's angry cry, looking at it more closely.
"WHAT THE HELL?! Maxwell! Why did. . ." But Michael trailed off as he really looked at what he had drawn and was at once reminded of where he had seen the symbols before. One week ago, on Maria's desk! She had been fooling around with a set of rocks, all inscribed with different symbols, and when he had asked what they were she had called them RUNES! She said that they were pretty old, and used in ancient times for divination and protection. Her mom was considering making them an item to sell at the shop, so Maria had wanted to try them out first. Maria had held up the book, that went with the rock set, and pointed to one on the cover, and that's where he remembered seeing the symbols before!
"MAX! I remember! I must have drawn Maria, cause my mind was trying to tell me! When I was over at her house last week, she was showing me this weird divination technique - -" Michael was cut off at the semi-incredulous looks Max and Iz were sending him. "What? So I pay attention to what interests my girlfriend, so sue me! Anyway, its called Runes, I think. and it involves stones, but she showed me this book, and it had some of those symbols on it!"
Max smiled at Michael's enthusiasm and his true devotion to Maria. It made him happy that his best friend, his brother, was so content at last. "Wonderful, now we have a place to start from! That helps a bunch!"
Michael preened under Max's praise. It wasn't often that Max did it, but when he did, it meant a lot.
"Okay, so come and check out what Iz and I found. . ." Max showed Michael the list of words and the corresponding symbols. Michael's reaction was not unexpected when he saw the words alien and mixed blood, he freaked out. Max was quick to calm him down though.
"Look, Michael, don't freak, ok? Let's figure the rest of these symbols out, it's only a few more. Then we will work on the guys tattoo, then you can freak." Max said, authoritatively. Michael calmed down, but his eyes still blazed with fear.
"Okay so we stopped at the S's, so lets finish that." And the three turned to the computer. Half way down they hit upon another translation, sister. Specifically younger sister.
"Okay, so what do we have so far? Alien, Younger Brother, Family, Mixed Blood, and Younger Sister. They all circle around a sun, with a bear in the center." Iz listed off.
"The bear is called a fetish-bear, it's Hopi, and Navajo." Max interjected. "When we were looking into the Mescalero reservation, I looked up some of the hieroglyphs. That one showed up a lot."
"And the sun symbol is a sign for a leader, in a lot of cultures." Michael said.
"Huh?" Iz asked, confused.
"Well, it seems to me that the tattoo has a lot of symbolism, in it. And I remember Mr. Heller, the art teacher, once said that most of the famous painters used symbols within their paintings to make a point. He told us that the sun stood for power, and leadership."
"Wow! Okay, but what does the bear stand for? And what about the tiny kanji symbols underneath Younger Brother and Younger Sister?" Isabel asked.
"Well, let's look up bear on the Internet, specifically fetish-bears." Max said, turning back to the computer. But their search brought up over 800 hits, most of which were about hand-carved objects d'art. Not very helpful.
"Okay so that didn't help. Where did you go to look up the hieroglyphs, Max?" Michael said, frustration evident in his voice.
"No, wait a moment. . .I found something!" Iz said, triumphantly, pointing to a website that described some American Indians' beliefs.
"The American Indians believe that everything in the universe, be it the wind and rain, the stone on the ground, the smoke from our fires, has a spirit life, since through recognition we give it life, therefore existence. A fetish is made from any material its maker chooses, whether it is a rock, a shell or an antler, and, carved into the form of a living being, it is believed to contain certain energies. For example: the fetish bear - which many tribes believe brings good fortune, healing, strength, courage and wisdom - will not only contain the spirit of the bear, but also of the rock or whatever material used, and of the person who carved the fetish." Isabel read aloud, from the www.american-indian-review.co.uk website.
"So maybe the aspects were what she was wanting. Good fortune, health, strength, courage and wisdom. All admirable qualities, and paired with leadership. . ." Max said, his tone soft as he thoughtfully contemplated the drawing sitting on Michael's small dinette.
"Okay, so the only things we couldn't find were the small symbols underneath the brother and sister symbols?" At the others nods, Max continued. "Alright, then let's start working on the runes thing. We can look up the rest later, sound good?"
"Yeah."
"Sure."
And as they bent over the computer, they were filled with a renewed sense of purpose. For some reason they were compelled to find the meanings of these tattoos, and as the search proved fruitful and interesting they found themselves drawn further into a mystery they felt connected to.
~@~@~@~
Part 2:
At the same time, across town, at the Sleepytime Inn:
"Uhm, Mom?" Liz asked hesitantly.
On the other end of the phone, Nancy sighed with relief. Hearing her daughters voice filled her with hope.
"Oh, honey! I was so worried. Nika said you were kind of out of it. I am so, so sorry."
"Mom, I was a bit 'out of it'. But I'm fine, now, and don't be sorry, okay? Nika made me realize something. That you didn't exactly have any choice about me being half, uhm, you know."
"Still, honey, we should have told you sooner. But, Dr. Kabo, said. . ." Liz cut her mom off.
"I know, he said it would be best if I grew up, normal, not having to fear. And I can't thank you enough, for loving me, for giving me safety." Liz was sniffling slightly.
"Liz, you are our child. Of course we love you!" Nancy said, sniffing back tears as well.
Nika and Sergei watched as Liz hung up the phone, having finished speaking with her mother. They had ended things well, it seemed, for Liz had a slight smile on her face. Suddenly the quiet of the room was broken as Liz's stomach growled loudly, followed quickly by both Nika and Sergei's as well. Three sets of eyes widened, and each of them colored in embarrassment, before they all burst out laughing.
"Oh my goodness, that was CLASSIC!! I'm guessing we're all hungry?" Nika asked, in between bouts of laughter.
Sergei and Liz both managed nods, nearly doubled over with laughter.
"I nominate Sergei to go out and grab some lunch!" Nika giggled breathlessly.
"And I second that nomination!" Liz said panting, her breath gone from laughing so hard. The situation might not have been all that funny, but coupled with the stress of the morning, they had all needed the tension-breaker.
Sergei sighed pitifully, making puppy dog eyes at the two girls, which only made them laugh harder. Heaving himself from the bed he had fallen onto, he made his way to the door, accompanied by the musical sound of their hilarity. Pulling out his keys, jingling them slightly, he turned to them, "So what do we wanna eat, ladies?"
"Senor Chows!!" Liz answered immediately, licking her lips in anticipation.
Sergei and Nika looked puzzled, until Nika remembered the Mexican-themed Chinese restaurant, and her expression turned just as greedy. "It's a great Chinese place, on the main street, Sergei. Easy to find. And you know what I want, General Tso's Chicken! With pork fried rice, and no egg rolls!! Oh and can you get me some extra hot mustard and sweet and sour sauce? What do you want, Liz?"
Liz looked at Nika, thinking to herself, 'A sweet and hot addict? Just like Max, Iz and Michael. . . Wonder why I don't like it, not that I've ever tried it. . .'
"Liz?"
"Oh, uhm, I'll have the same, I guess. But I want egg rolls!" Liz answered..
"Okies! I'll be back in a few." Sergei left to get their lunch.
There was a short awkward silence, but Nika was determined to break it.
"Liz, I gotta ask you something. . ."
"Huh? What is it?"
"Are you mad? With me?"
"Why would I be?" Liz was puzzled.
"Well, no one told you. And now, I just show up, disrupt your life, and have to take you away."
"I'm sorta used to this kind of disruptions in my life. . ." Liz muttered, softly to herself. Nika looked confused, but didn't mention what she heard. "No, I'm not angry. I'm just confused. Why now?"
Nika went to stand by the window, trying to collect her thoughts. Liz took the moment to really look at her, taking in the changes in the other girl. When they had last seen each other, Nika was long- haired, 12 yr. old, a little pudgy with baby-fat, and only had one set of holes in her ears. Now she stood 5'4" tall, not much taller than she was at 12, really, but her hair was cut short in the back with long strands framing her face, dark brown in the low light of the room, the purple streaks getting into her eyes. (A/N: Think Akima in Titan AE) Her ears were full of holes, Liz counted 8 in one ear, and 7 in the other.
Her body had become sleek, and she held herself with a certain grace that had been missing from the pre-teen Liz had known. Her clothing sense had certainly changed as well, 'cause 12yr. old Nika only wore jeans and a t-shirt. The clothes Nika was wearing now, were tight, lace-up faded black denim pants, and a crop top, sleeves ripped off, black t-shirt with Clash printed on the front in silver, with a pair of black Doc Martin boots, with silver flames painted on them.
Liz was shaken out of her inspection of Nika by the other girl's next words.
"Liz, when you were, created, I guess. . . Kabo put inside each of you a small micro-chip. It acted as a tag, it kept track of you, made sure you were safe. But it also inhibited your powers. But you see, it only would work until you were 18, after that it would degrade to the point that your body would flush it from it's system. But that would also mean that your powers would become active. Liz, you and Kyle, Maria and Alex will be turning 18 soon. Kabo was going to come and get you, but I thought all of this would sound better coming from me."
Liz stood in shock for a moment. Her mind was still stuck on Nika's sentence mentioning Alex. 'Nika doesn't know that Alex is dead! Oh GOD!'
Nika took in Liz's expression and misinterpreted it as her being overwhelmed. "I'm sorry - -" Nika started to apologize again, but was cut off by Liz's sobs.
"He's dead. He's dead!"
Nika became instantly alarmed, not knowing of who Liz was talking about. "Who is dead Liz? Who's dead?"
"ALEX!" Liz shouted, her heart tearing once again as she thought of her best friend.
Nika could do nothing but stand in shock, watching Liz sob.
~@~@~@~
Part 3:
Back at Michael's Apartment:
After a quick lunch of sandwiches and Snapple, the three set to work again. Pulling up the search engine once again, Max stopped, before putting anything into the search box.
"You know, we're going about this the wrong way." Iz and Michael looked at him, confused.
"We could always ask Maria, you know. I bet she's at loose ends as well, with the Crashdown closed. And I think she should know about this anyway." Max stated.
Michael bowed his head, chuckling ruefully as he realized how right Max was. "I'll call her now, can I borrow your cell phone, Maxwell?"
Max handed off to Michael, who moved out to the front porch to place his call. Iz took the opportunity to grill her brother on his strange behavior.
"Max, what's up with you, today?" Iz asked, getting straight to the point.
Max looked confused, "What do you mean?"
"You're going all leader-like, and it's in the best way. Your not hesitating, you're taking charge, and making great decisions. This is such a switch from past King Max. Before you were always looking for someone else to make the decisions, always so scared of it."
Max looked at his sister, his expression serious. "Iz, I can't explain it. It's not just because it's about Liz, either. It's like before, I was playing a part, a role everyone expected of me. And now, now I am that person, not just playing a role, anymore. I think, I finally accepted the inevitability of being King, and all that it meant. And you know, it's not bad, because I have you, Michael, Liz and the others."
"Well, I'm glad. Cause this you, is a lot better than the old one. I like confident Max."
"So do I, Iz. SO DO I!"
~@~@~@~
Outside:
Michael: "Maria?"
Maria: "Michael? What's wrong?"
Michael: "WHY do you always think something is wrong?"
Maria: "Because you only call me when something is wrong?"
Michael: "Oh, yeah. Well, this time I just need your help with something."
Maria, warily: "With what? Is the Czechoslovakian related?"
Michael, sighing: "Yeah, sorta. But it also has to do with Liz."
Maria, urgent: "Liz? Is she okay? What's going on?"
Michael: "Look, I can't talk about this over the phone, okay? I have to show you. . ."
Maria: "Okay. Hey did Mr. Parker call you as well?"
Michael: "Yeah, it has something to do with that actually."
Maria: "OH! Okay then I'm on my way now."
Michael: "Thanks, Maria. Oh, can you bring that book you have on runes, as well?"
Maria: "Huh?"
Michael: "Just do it, alright?"
Maria, getting angry: "Whatever!" Hangs up phone.
Michael, just sighs, before heading back inside.
~@~@~@~
"Okay, Maria's on her way over. Should we call Kyle too?" Michael asked.
Iz answered. "Nah, he's gotta work today, I'll tell him everything later."
Michael and Max exchanged glances, each wondering about the true nature of Isabel and Kyle's friendship, but knew that Isabel wasn't gonna tell them anything.
"Okay then. We just wait."
15 minutes later:
Maria had been worried ever since Mr. Parker had called earlier that day. First he had said that the diner was closed for the day, cause of some family issue, then he asked to talk to her mom. When she had gotten off the phone, she had said that they were gonna be having dinner over at the Parkers, and then went out to her studio. Maria had gotten concerned cause her mom's face looked so drawn, after the conversation she had had with Mr. Parker, but knew better than interrupting her mom when she went into her studio.
When Michael had called she was on the verge of going in search of Liz, and finding out exactly what was happening that the Crashdown was closed. Now instead she was heading over to Spaceboy's apartment, with her Runic Workbook of all things!
Without knocking, Maria walked right into the apartment, having been given a key to the place earlier in the month. She and Michael might fight like nobody's business, but she knew without a doubt that he loved her, after all, he was gonna stay not matter what. And even when she was furious with him, she couldn't deny that she loved him with all her heart.
"Okay, so why did I need to bring my Runic Workbook, and what does this have to do with Liz, and why the Crashdown is closed today?" Maria asked in a rush, going to stand by Michael, giving him a loving shove, before kissing him softly.
"Actually, we're not sure, but I guess we should show you what we do know so far."
And so the three placed a hand on Maria's shoulder and SHOWED her, what Iz had seen originally, then the flashes. Maria came out of the flashes gasping. What a RUSH!
"Okay, so what the FUCK was that?!"
"We're not sure, actually. But I remembered Beronika's face, from some pictures Liz has at her house. So we weren't too worried." Max said, calmly.
"Okay, I know Beronika and that WAS her. But who was that guy, and why did Liz look so upset, and why did she faint?" Maria was very worried.
"Maria, we're just not sure, but we figure that the flashes have something to do with it, also the way Beronika looked AT us. So we've been researching the symbols in the tattoos. We found most of the symbols in Beronika's tattoo. Here look," Max held up the paper holding the translations, and watched as her eyes widened as she read a few of the words.
"Alien? Do you think. . .?" Maria was becoming agitated.
"Maria, like I said, we're not sure. But now we need your help, okay? We want to figure out what the guy's tattoo means. But it looks like runes, at least according to Michael. He remembered having seen them before, at your house."
Maria nodded, she would do whatever it took to help her best friend.
"So then show us the book." Max said, holding out a hand for it. Maria handed it to him.
He placed it on the dinette, opening it. "Maria do you understand this at all?"
"Yeah, a little. But lemme see the tattoo, first okay?" Maria took the drawing from Isabel, sharing a smile with the normally aloof girl.
"It looks like two different words. Okay, one of the symbols is repeated, but the rest are singles. Let's just go to the index. . ." Michael was used to Maria's tendency to talk out loud as she worked, but Iz and Max were amused.
"Alright, see this index has pictures of each of the runes, and then it tells you where in the book to flip to, to get the information on them. Ok, here, look - -" Maria shows everyone the picture of one of the runes, called Ansuz, the only rune repeated in the tattoo. She flipped to the page which told about it.
"Ansuz, stands for the letter A, makes the sound: "aa" as in "aah". It stands for: Mouth (or Divine Breath). Colors related to the rune: Purple. Casting it can mean: Ansuz is a rune of divine force, a breath that powers life as well as existence. It is also a rune of intellectual activities. Ansuz is a symbol of stability and represents order no matter what problems may come to be." Read Maria, straight from the page.
"Okay, so it stands for the letter A. We already figured that the tattoo spells something out." Stated Michael, writing down the letter A under the two symbols on the page.
"Hey the next rune on this page, it's in the tattoo as well." Isabel pointed to the one that looked a lot like an R.
"Raidho, stands for the letter R, makes the sound: "r". It stands for: Wheel, Cartwheel (or Riding). Colors related to the rune: Blue (Black). Casting it can mean: This rune represents the "vehicle" (or method) that we use in order for us to achieve an object or goal. Raidho allows us to channel our energies in an effective way so that these energies flow in a manner that will help us obtain our goal. However to use this rune to it's full power we must know how to place ourselves in the "right place" at the "right time." Maria read.
"R." Michael wrote it down.
"Next one." Maria doesn't even have to turn back to the index, cause as the page turns she finds one.
"Kenaz, stands for the letter and sound "k". It stands for: Torch. Colors related to the rune: Yellow. Casting it can mean: Kenaz is the rune of knowledge, teaching and learning. It represents a torch, which provides us with the Inner Light that can help us see things clearly." Isabel read from over Maria's shoulder.
"K."
Again the opposite page held the picture of one of the runes that they were searching for. This time they all read it silently.
~~Isa, stands for the letter I, makes the sound "ee" as in "east." It stands for Ice. Colors related to the rune: Brown or Black. Casting it can mean: This is the third rune that is associated with winter. It represents an icicle and symbolizes static existence, the present. Isa is a rune that halts all activity and puts a delay in the progress of something. We can do nothing but wait for the transformation of this icicle to turn to water, or the delay to turn into a new starting point.~~
"So, I." Max said, taking a pen and writing it down.
"That one is kinda obvious!" Maria joked. Everyone laughed.
"NEXT!" Maria said enthusiastically. And instead of bothering with the index she just flipped through the pages.
"Wait, stop, go back a page." Isabel pointed at one of the pictures. "There's another one."
"Jera, stands for the letter y, like in "year". Stands for: Harvest, or Year or Season. Colors related to the rune: Brown. Casting meaning: Jera refers to the cycles of existence. It is the rune of completion. We cannot use this rune against the natural order of things. In order to yield great results we must use this rune properly and go with the natural order to get to the goal we want." Isabel read.
"So, Y?" Asked Max. Isabel and Maria nodded.
Michael was staring silently down at the next page, which held the last two runes, his expression frozen. Max turned to look at his friend, puzzled at his lack of response. Before Max could say anything however, Michael took the pen in his hand and wrote the last three letters in under the tattoo. An M, L and an E.
Isabel, Max and Maria followed his gaze down to the picture and stared in shocked silence.
The longer word, in yellow, spelt out, quite clearly, M-A-R-I-A, while the other, in orange, spelt out, K-Y-L-E. Turning to each other they felt fear.
~@~@~@~
Part 4:
At the Sleepytime Inn:
"Wha-What, what do you mean?!" Nika asked the sobbing girl. "That's, that's not possible!"
Liz looked up at the stricken girl, her eyes filled with tears, her breath hitching in her chest. "Well, it's true. Alex, he died, in a car . . .accident." Liz hoped that Nika wouldn't question the hesitation in her voice over how Alex had died. Max, Michael and Isabel's secret wasn't hers to tell, and despite having told Maria and Alex, she wasn't exactly sure how to tell the truth about this.
"But, you're wrong! Liz! If he was dead, I would KNOW!"
Liz was getting angry, she had seen Alex's body, had seen the vehicle he had been in. Even if Tess hadn't killed him before the crash, he would have died.
"NO! You're wrong! I saw him! I saw the twisted, mangled, body of my best friend. HE IS DEAD!"
"Liz! Listen to me, okay! I meant it, when I said the chip's monitored you. Kabo sent me here, and told me that all of the chips were still active. ALL of them. Liz, if he was dead, his chip would be inactive! Alex, he's alive!" Nika said triumphantly, grabbing hold of the shocked girl, shaking her slightly to emphasize her point.
~@~@~@~
Unknown Location, a darkened cell:
Alex stirred, his body aching from the daily beating he received. Turning to his side, he looked into the eyes of his cell mate. Her face was as blood-streaked as his, though she had no bruises or marks on the rest of her body. He had done his best to protect her from their captors, but it didn't always help. All of a sudden, he heard footsteps nearing.
"Wake up. I think they're coming back!"
The girl turned slightly, trying to get comfortable, but between the pain from being beaten and a stomach swollen with pregnancy, it was impossible. Her blue eyes opened, pain shining through, her blond hair hanging in limp, dirty curls.
"Huh? Alex, it hurts!" The young woman whimpered.
"I know, Tess, I know. And I promise, we will get out of here. I'm not sure how, yet, but I won't let you or your baby die." Alex vowed.
"Alex, if I don't. . .make it. . ." Alex tried to cut her off, but she silenced him with a look. "If I don't get out of here, I want you to take my baby, and make sure that Kyle, that all of them, know the truth. About what happened to me, and to you. I heard what they did to us. What they made them all believe."
"I know. Tess, he will know the truth. I promise. They will know that you didn't kill me, that it wasn't you." Alex promised the delirious girl, stroking her hand gently.
"Thank you. Alex, I'm so sorry, I got you involved in this. I thought if I had you translate that book, that I could fight him, that I could protect them all, and all I did was get you taken, and they are in danger."
"I get that, Tess, which is why I helped you in the first place. But quiet now, okay, they're coming back."
And their darkened cell was bathed in light as the door was flung open, to reveal Nasedo and Nicholas.
~:|:Prologue:|:Chapter 1:|:Chapter 2:|:Chapter 3:|:Chapter 4:|:Chapter 5:|:Chapter 6:|:Chapter 7:|:~
~:|:Chapter 8:|:Chapter 9:|:Chapter 10:|:Chapter 11:|:Chapter 12:|:Chapter 13:|:Chapter 14:|:~
Part 1:
Sergei pulled up to the Sleepytime Inn, feeling the tension and despair radiating from his love, even from the parking lot. Gathering up all the containers of food, he made his way quickly to the room, he could sense Nika's fear and anger. Opening the door, he found Nika and Liz in a silent face-off, their bodies and faces frozen in defensive postures.
Placing the food on a small table near the door, Sergei moved to stand beside Nika. Clearing his throat loudly, he broke the tense tableau. "Uhm, anyone care to explain, this?" Moving his hand between the two girls, to indicate the strained atmosphere.
Nika broke eye-contact with Liz, sighing loudly, and shaking her head with a mixture of anger and sorrow. Liz humphed softly, but said nothing, just turned to stare out the window.
"Anyone. . ." Sergei asked, his voice concerned.
"Liz told me something, distressing." Nika understated. Her statement was met with another humph from Liz, but Sergei's concern shone from his features.
"Now, she won't say how, but she insists that Alex is dead." Nika said baldly. Sergei jerked his gaze to Liz, his eyes widening with disbelief.
"But, but?" Sergei questioned incoherently.
"I know. Sweetie, I explained about the micro-chips, but Liz contends that she saw Alex's body. I tried showing her the readout on the palm-pilot that shows that Alex's chip is still in working order, but she won't look at it, nothing can convince her." Nika said tiredly.
"Liz? Liz, can you at least tell us how Alex died?" Sergei asked the sullen teenager.
Liz wasn't sure how to describe Alex's death without revealing Max's secret. And with all the talk of Alex being alive, she was forced to relive his death all over again. Unable to say anything at all, Liz became wracked with sobs.
Nika knelt beside the distraught girl, wrapping her long arms around her, glancing helplessly at Sergei. Letting Liz's anguish wash over her special senses, Nika wasn't even aware of establishing a **connection** with Liz.
**FLASH**
I'm Liz Parker and five days ago I died. After that, things got really weird....
**FLASH**
MARIA: Max Evans is staring at you again.
**FLASH**
MAX: Well I'm not from around here.
LIZ: Where you from?
[Max points up with his index finger]
LIZ: Up north?
[Max points higher]
**FLASH**
MAX: Sometimes you have to take a step back to see what's really going on. Maybe that's what we both really need to do right now...find our balance again.
**FLASH**
You will know them only by the evil within. Learn enough to use your skills, your knowledge, and your leadership to combat the enemy so that you can come back and free us.
**FLASH**
LIZ: So everything Nasedo told me was true. You and Tess were meant to be together.
MAX: Liz.
LIZ: I mean, it's your destiny, right?
MAX: I wish I could go back Liz. Back to when things were normal.
LIZ: Me, too. I just wish that I could have stopped you from saving my life that day in the Crashdown.
MAX: Don't say that.
LIZ: Max, the day that you saved my life, your life just ended.
MAX: No, that was the day my life began. Liz, when I was in that room, and they did what they did to me. You're what kept me alive. The thought of you. The way your eyes look into mine. Your smile. The touch of your skin. Your lips. Knowing you has made me human. Whether I die tomorrow or fifty years from now, my destiny is the same: it's you. I want to be with you, Liz. I love you.
LIZ: I love you. (They kiss.)
**FLASH**
LIZ: Max, you do have a destiny. You just heard it. I can't stand in the way of it.
MAX: But you mean everything to me.
(They kiss.)
LIZ: Goodbye, Max.
(She leaves.)
**FLASH**
MAX: I felt that...and I know you did, too, and I know you think that...that I need to let you go...for the sake of Michael, and Isabel, and my race...so you went to Tess. But she can't be you. Tess can never be you.
**FLASH**
LIZ: Don't say anything, ok? Um, because I...I came in here with this whole speech, and once you start talking, my speech doesn't apply, and everything gets changed, and I just want to make sure that I say everything to you, so just don't say anything. Just don't say anything. Ok, I...I just re-read "Romeo and Juliet", and you know, the first thing that I realized is that isn't even the title. It's called "The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet". They die. You know, she's this young girl, she...she's younger than me, and she dies. Look, I think the reason why people think that it's such a romantic play is they don't know what it's like to be put in that position...but when your life and...and other people's lives are...are put at risk, there isn't anything romantic about it. Max, you can't stop what's happening to you. I mean, your life will always be dangerous, but my life, it doesn't have to be. My life is only in danger if I am with you. I...I want to be in love with boys...normal boys. I...I want to see my 21st birthday. I...I want to have a wedding day. I...I...I want to have children...and I want my children to be safe. You know, Max, if...if you truly love me, you'll let me go. I may love you, but I...I don't want to die for you.
**FLASH**
FUTURE MAX: Just 25 minutes before I came here, I held Michael in my arms...dead. Isabel died 2 weeks before that. Now you have to do this. You have to find a way. All of our lives depend on it.
**FLASH**
LIZ: Don't you realize what you are to me...and you're always gonna be? You're the love of my life. Everyone else is gonna be second best. There'll never be another you.
**FLASH**
(Liz sees Max kissing Tess at the Prom, and leaves.)
**FLASH**
VALENTI: There's been an accident. Alex is dead.
**FLASH**
LIZ: You don't want to think that Alex was killed by an alien because that would mean you are responsible.
**FLASH**
JERRY: I thought about what you said. You know -- if I remembered anything? Look -- (shows something from his pocket) I got his credit card receipt. The company kicked it back 'cause of the way he signed it.
LIZ: (reads the signature line: instead of a name it's a string of binary digits) 11100100100111011001
JERRY: Does that mean anything to you?
LIZ: It means I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep....
**FLASH**
MR. STOCKMAN: Ms. Parker? Mr. Stockman from the embassy. We found your building. There's just one curiosity-- that structure was torn down in 1994. 3 people in my office have confirmed it. That building is gone.
LIZ: to herself: He never went to Sweden.
**FLASH**
Max: Liz... Tess is pregnant.
**FLASH**
Liz: (yelling) I-I trusted you, I gave you everything. I jumped off bridges for you, I broke laws for you, I risked getting shot for you, I trusted you! And you go off-- God, with Tess-- God, I saved myself for you!
Max: Saved yourself? You slept with Kyle!
**FLASH**
Max: Liz, you never slept with Kyle, did you?
(Liz shakes her head no)
**FLASH**
Kyle (to Liz and Maria): I carried his body. She made me think it was luggage. She killed him. Tess killed Alex!
**FLASH**
Nika pulled away from Liz, both girls gasping with the intensity of the flashes. Sergei looked on, anxiousness evident in his features. Tears streamed down Liz's face as Nika processed all she had seen.
"Liz, I never. . .I would never have been able to do, all of that! Goddess! Oh Liz, I'm so sorry! All this time, Kabo, Andrea, Sergei and I, we thought, we thought that we were protecting you! But you had to suffer through ALL of THAT, alone!" Nika had tears in her eyes as well.
Liz shook her head, sadly. "No, Nika, I wasn't alone. I had Maria and Kyle and. . .Alex. And I had Max. Even if it was only for a little while. He has a destiny, one which I can't compete with, and now, it seems I have one of my own."
"Liz, honey, they don't have to be mutually exclusive. And I intend to prove that, okay? But first things first, I guess I need to prove to you, that Alex really is alive, huh?" Nika stood, moving to her small duffel bag on the floor.
All this time, Sergei had remained silent, but now he cleared his throat, "Liz, I'm not sure exactly what happened, but you will always have us, now as well. No matter what."
Liz was touched, she moved to give Sergei a big hug, which he returned, with tears in his eyes. "I know that, I do."
"Okay, here it is. My proof." Liz turned to Nika, who held up a small palm-pilot like computer thingy. (A/N: Okay, so it's not a technical term, but I couldn't think of how else to describe it. LOL)
Nika moved to stand next to the other girl, holding it out to Liz to inspect. As she gave it to Liz, she wrapped her arms around Sergei's waist, nuzzling him softly, needing desperately his comfort. Sergei's arms wrapped around her in return, readily providing his love. Nika knew he was dying of curiosity, over what had just happened so she opened her connection with him and SHOWED him. Within seconds he understood, and tears once again sprang to his eyes.
Liz held the object, looking to Nika for more of an explanation.
"It's a hand-held monitor. See, there, " Nika points to a blue line. "That's you. It shows that your chip is still active. The yellow line is Maria, the orange one is Kyle."
Liz silently looks at the display, her eyes glued to the last line. It glows a brightly in the dim light of the motel room. "And the green one?" She asks hesitantly.
Nika's voice is soft, as she confirms Liz's assumption. "That's Alex."
Liz's eyes fly over Nika's features, searching for any sign of deception, knowing that she will find none.
"So, so. . .Alex, he's really, really ALIVE?" Liz asks, wonder and hope in her voice.
It is Sergei who answers, his eyes smiling softly at the happiness blooming on the formerly sullen girl's face. "Yes, Liz. Your brother is alive."
~@~@~@~
Unknown Location:
Alex groaned in pain, his nerve endings screaming, his gaze locked with that of his tormentor. Nicholas merely grinned, sadistically, his pleasure evident.
Tess watched in silence, her arms still cradled around her swollen stomach. Not wanting to watch the young man she considered a friend, being tortured, yet unable to look away for fear of losing him, Tess lost herself in thought.
'When did I become so human?' She thought to herself. 'When did I start to care so much?' In an instant a memory showed her the answer.
**FLASH**
Tess was cleaning up after the two Valenti men, chuckling to herself at home much of a pig Kyle was. Her arms full of magazines, she was suddenly spun around, causing her to drop the magazines.
Kyle's arms went around her waist, pulling her tightly to him. Laughing at his silliness, Tess made to move away but was stopped by a look in his eyes, and the sensual feel of his hands massaging her lower back. Kyle's eyes were smoldering, and she felt her cheeks heat with awareness. Pulling away hesitantly, she blushed further as she felt his awareness of her.
"Wha- what was th-th-that all about?" Tess stuttered.
Kyle had the grace to look a bit abashed, but answered without hesitation. "Me, and my realization that I acted like an ass."
Tess looked confused.
"All this time, that I've pushed you away, instead of telling you how I really felt. . . I was just so scared."
Tess now looked angry, her cheeks flushing with her ire, rather than lust. "Of what? Of me?"
"No. . .yes, a little. Oh it's hard to explain. It just felt so strange, I knew that I was falling in love with you, but at the same time, I was resisting it, cause of. . ." Kyle trailed off.
"Cause I'm an alien?" Tess said quietly.
"Uhm, yeah."
"Well then your right, you are an ass!" Tess practically growled.
Kyle looked up at Tess from his seat on the couch, nodding at her. "Yeah, I WAS. But you know what, I am in love with you. And I intend to prove it, too. " Kyle stood, grabbing hold of Tess' arm, and pulling her to him.
At first Tess resisted his kiss, but soon the feel of Kyle's lips against her own was making her melt. She had known she was in love with him for awhile now, but hadn't had the heart to tell him, when he had seemed so against all things "alien". Kyle's hands roamed over her body, grasping her to him. She reveled in the feel of his body against her own, and in that moment knew she would give up DESTINY for this man.
**FLASH**
Tess shook herself from her memories, forcing herself to recall that it was only 2 months later that she watched "herself" kill Alex, and make Kyle carry the body to the car. She felt the punch of sadness as she realized that Kyle, no doubt hated her now.
'It won't matter, that it wasn't me, that it was Nasedo. It won't matter that I actually saved Alex from the wreck. All that will matter is that in the end. . .Alex still died.' Tess thought, pessimistically. She figured that Nicholas and Nasedo were getting bored with Alex, who had fought so bravely against both Nasedo's mindwarps and Nicholas's torture, to the point of confronting his supposed torturer, HER.
Now, with Nicholas' boredom looming, Tess knew they had to either find a way out or all three of them would perish. And there would be no one left to tell the truth.
She recalled her capture by Nasedo, shortly after Kyle and she had first slept together. She remembered Nasedo putting on her face, and each night torturing her with stories of how he had placed doubt, or mindwarped someone else in her life. He told of how he had mindwarped the KING, into believing that he and Tess had slept together. She recalled her escape, only to be captured again, when she had tried to save Alex's life.
Alex and Tess had listened in horror as Nasedo told of the various ways he had destroyed the Royal Four. From 'Congresswoman' Whitaker's tale of Vilandra's betrayal, to convincing everyone that Tess was pregnant, and that the baby would die if they stayed on Earth. Nasedo hadn't left it at that, he had even mindwarped Kyle into seeing Tess kill Alex, and then placed a faulty mindwarp over that, so that when it fell. . .
Tess placed her hand once again on the swell of her stomach, thinking that it had only been 4 months since Alex's death, and her supposed journey to Antar. Tess knew that in about a month she would be ready to give birth. She could only pray as she heard Alex groan again, that her child, her daughter, would live to see her father's face. Kyle's face.
~@~@~@~ Part 2::
The four teenagers stared silently at the piece of paper, looking at the translation.
"How? Why?" Maria stammered. Michael saw the signs of imminent freak out and despite being nearly there himself, moved to comfort his girlfriend.
Max's eyes narrowed in thought, and Isabel went to the bathroom, grabbing a damp cloth that she brought back to Maria. Michael smiled in thanks, and cradling Maria, he wiped the tears from her face, as she cried in fear.
"Okay, I think it's time we found Liz. And found out what is going on." Max stated, his tone calm and collected.
"What are we going to ask her? 'Hey Liz, do you know why your burly friend, you know the one that caught you when you fainted, has your best friend and ex-boyfriends name's tattooed on his bicep?' " Isabel asked sardonically.
"If we have to." Max said, his tone held a warning. "We have to know, because for some reason those tattoo's, they are important. And it may not be our names, Izzy, but it's the names of our friends. So we ask, and hopefully we get answers." Max looked at Maria's terror struck face, then back to Isabel.
Isabel nodded, her face softening as she too witnessed Maria's fear. She knew the fear that could follow you through everything, and wouldn't wish it on her worst enemy, let alone a friend.
"Alright, then. How do we find Liz?" Isabel questioned.
Maria shook off her fear, snuggling into Michael's loving embrace, knowing that he would protect her it made her feel strong. "How about dreamwalking her?" She suggested.
Max and Isabel brightened at the suggestion, immediately moving to sit on the couch, Max pulling out his only picture of Liz and handing it to his sister. Michael and Maria watched from their seat on the large, tattered armchair.
Isabel got comfortable, and placing her hand on the picture, she watched as the wave distortion that signaled a successful dreamwalk moved across Liz's face.
**DREAMWALK**
Isabel stood in a motel room, quickly recognizing it as the Sleepytime Inn on the outskirts of town. In front of her stood Liz, her body held rigidly, as she stared at the face of the girl Max and Maria had named Beronika. Her arms were wrapped tightly around her own waist, as Isabel watched. Isabel could feel the tension grow in the room.
Suddenly she looked into the eyes of the strange man, who seemed to recognize her. Isabel took a step back, shock coloring her face. Liz turned, her eyes widening.
"Iz, you have to leave!"
Isabel shook herself, before answering the other girl. "Liz I can't. We are worried about you. . . and we have to show you what we found out about your. . .friends. . .please Liz!"
The woman, Beronika, stood. Liz moved between her and Isabel, though Isabel wasn't sure who she was protecting, Isabel or Beronika.
"Nika! I. . .I, I can't do this! They deserve the truth, I know that, but. . ."
"Liz, you must tell them! We need their help, and they need ours!" Beronika seemed to plead with Liz.
"Liz! What's going on!" Isabel saw the fear on Liz's face.
"I can't, IZ! Everything has been about protecting you, and I will always do that, but I can't tell you this. . .it will hurt too much, if it's not true. . ."
"Come to us, Vilandra. Bring Zan, Rath, Kyle and Maria. We have much to discuss." The man said, his tone soft.
Isabel stepped back, horror clear on her face. Isabel had enough time to see Liz's imploring face, before she was booted out of the dreamscape.
**END DREAMWALK**
"OH GOD!" Isabel sat up with this cry on her lips. Everyone jumped, Max pulling Isabel into his arms, as tears streamed down her face.
"What did you see, Izzy?"
"Liz is afraid, so afraid." Isabel said, tears falling.
"Of what?" Max said, trying to remain calm.
"I don't know! She said it was always about protecting us, but that it would hurt too much if IT wasn't true. I have no clue what she meant, but the man! He called me Vilandra, and he said, he said that I should bring Zan and Rath, and Kyle and Maria to them." Isabel was hysterical.
This time it was Maria who remained calm, moving to pull the other girl into a hard hug.
"Isabel, calm down. . .you said that they knew your Antarian names?" At Isabel's nod, Maria continued. "Well then, we already figured it was alien-related, now we know. SO we go to them, but we take precautions."
Max nodded in agreement. Michael gave Isabel an awkward hug, and then moved to help Max gather together what protection they could muster.
"It will be okay. But I think you need to call Kyle, and see if he can't get the rest of the day off, say it's a family emergency. He'll understand. I'll call the Sheriff." Maria said, rubbing the girl's back, soothingly.
Isabel nodded, pulling out her cell phone, and dialing the local auto shop that Kyle worked at. Maria moved to make her phone call.
"Kyle?"
"Isabel? What's going on?" Kyle sounded concerned.
"Uhm, well, can you get off? There's a, uh, family emergency. . ."
"Family, as in, of the Czech persuasion?"
"Yeah, and it looks like it involves you, Maria and Liz too."
There was a short pause, before Isabel heard Kyle clearing his throat. "I'll be there in five minutes." And he hung up.
On the other end of the room Maria was making her phone call.
"Valenti residence."
"Sheriff?"
"Maria? Is something wrong?"
"Uhm, can you come over to Michael's?"
With no hesitation, he answered. "I'll be there in a minute. Just tell me one thing. . ."
Knowing what he was asking, Maria answered with confidence. "Everyone's okay, right now. But this is big, okay?"
"Okay! On my way!"
And the phone was slammed down.
No more than five minutes later, both Valenti's were being filled in on the events of the morning. They were shown the flashes, then the research that the others had done. At that point, Isabel told them what had happened in her dreamwalk, ending with the strange man telling them to come, and bring the others.
Making a quick decision, they all moved to Jim Valenti's SUV, and piling in, they were on their way to the Sleepytime Inn within moments.
~@~@~@~
Part 3:
Crashdown:
Nancy still had yet to reach the Whitmans', knowing that despite Alex's passing, that they deserved to know the full truth of his conception. And Jim hadn't answered the phone either. Amy had promised to come to the dinner, but Nancy sensed some hesitation, figuring it had to do with telling Maria about everything. Suddenly the phone rang, startling her.
"Hello?"
"Nancy? It's Felicia Whitman. . .I'm returning your call."
"Oh Felicia! I'm so glad you returned my call. I was wondering if you and Charles could come by the diner, tonight? I have something I need you to hear."
There was a hesitation on the other end of the phone, "Uhm, okay. I think we can do that. I've been meaning to thank Liz, for her help, after. . ."
Nancy felt tears rise to her own eyes, as she heard the sadness in her friend's voice. She could only hope that her news wouldn't hurt her further. Clearing her throat she addressed the other woman. "Felicia, he was like Liz's brother. They loved one another, and his passing. . .it hurt her worse than we know. And I can tell you, she misses not only him, she misses you, and Chuck too. You were like an extra set of parents. She loves you."
"I know, and we love her as well. Maria too. When Alex was born, Chuck and I knew that we wouldn't have any other children, but we had friends, whose children would grow up with our son. And now. . .now I have those children, to remind me, of how wonderful my son was."
The two women talked for awhile longer, their tears mingling with laughter as they cherished the memory of a child who had gone.
~@~@~@~
Sleepytime Inn:
Liz was in tears once again, as she recalled her confrontation with the ghostly image of her love's sister. One part of her mind was thinking that she had wept more today than she had her entire life, while another part wasn't sure she could explain all that had occurred that day, and then bring up the possibility that Alex may still be alive. Especially to Isabel, who while seeming cool and collected most of the time, Liz knew that she was a mass of insecurities. Liz had no wish to hurt the other girl, at all, having seen how she had suffered after Alex had died. Now as she heard the sound of a car parking, Liz knew it was them, and she couldn't help but wish that this day was nothing more than a dream.
Nika said nothing as she prepared herself to face who she now knew to be the Royal family of Antar. The ones Kabo had told her had arrived on Earth in the 1940's, her counterparts. She wasn't sure how to feel about the fact that they were years younger than she was, but she knew, instinctively that she was much more prepared and more completely trained than they were.
Sergei's thoughts mirrored that of his love. And as he moved to open the door, he couldn't help but wonder what it was that drew two of the most powerful families in the galaxy to Roswell, New Mexico, and to each other.
Liz practically flew into Max's arms. He caught her and drew her close to him. In that instant it was as if the calm that Max had held onto so dearly, evaporated, and relief replaced it. Everyone felt the joy they exuded at the site of one another.
Isabel gazed at the man who had called her by her Antarian name, watching him as he watched Liz and Max. Maria was also watching the man, wondering about his tattoo, and why he seemed so familiar to her. Kyle was taking in the scene with a detachment he had learned as part of his Buddhist training, while his father stared at Beronika in astonishment. Michael took everything in, his guard high, and his body tensed for attack.
Finally, Beronika took it upon herself to break the uneasy silence that had descended on the room. Moving to Liz and Max, her eyes full to overflowing with tears of happiness, she moved her hands and arms in a complex manner, ending in a short bow, to Max. Max stood, confused by the girl's manner, his arms still wrapped around Liz.
"Kumayo, Lein Zan, damao lat." Beronika said, the words flowing melodiously from her lips. Max simply continued to stare at her in confusion.
Maria raised her hand, and shook it slightly as if to gain attention, which she did as everyone turned to her. "Uh, excuse me, yeah, uhm, Nika? Question, uh, WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?! Who is that guy, what are you guys doing here, why did Liz faint, why does that guy have mine and Kyle's name tattooed on his arm, for that matter why do you have Alien tattooed on your arm, and what the hell did you just say?!" Maria ranted, not even stopping for breath.
Beronika laughed, her joy ringing out in the room full of confused people. "How about I start off with what I said?" Nika answered, her voice still full of laughter. Max nodded, he too had been wondering what she had said.
"I spoke in the tongue of my people, and I said, 'Greetings, King Zan, blessed be.' Which is the traditional greeting of my people."
"Your people? And you still haven't answered the rest of my questions. . ." Maria asked.
"No I haven't, but you see, I was going to explain all of this, or rather most of it tonight, at the dinner, Nancy is holding. I guess I should just do it now, instead. All of you should sit." Each of the teens, and Jim did so, except for Michael, who stayed standing, his body still tense. "Rath, please, I will not harm you, nor your kin. I swear it on . . .on the Ushari Damae. The Blessed Spirits."
Michael glanced at everyone else's faces then reluctantly took a seat, though he remained with his back in the corner, and tensed, prepared for attack.
Then Nika, Sergei and Liz took turns explaining the events leading to them all sitting in this room. Isabel interrupted once to tell of what she had seen this morning, then Max and Michael told of their search for information on the tattoos. Maria's face became ashen at the thought of her being in any way alien, but as Michael's hands stroked her back, soothingly, she thought to herself that if he was by her side, she could handle anything.
Jim remained silent, his heart constricting tightly at the knowledge of what his ex-wife had given up in order to protect their son and him. Kyle's stoicism was breaking as he thought of all the anger he still felt at his mom, and reconciling that with the sacrifice she had made for him and the others. Iz, Max and Michael all felt similar degrees of relief and wonder at the thought that they weren't alone in the world, and that their journey could be shared by their loved ones in this room.
Everything stopped however, when Nika mentioned Alex, and his being alive. Isabel's face went pale, while Max and Michael nearly erupted in anger.
"WAIT! Please, let me finish, I beg of you." Nika held her hands up imploringly. Slowly everyone subsided, allowing her to finish. "Like I told Liz, the device that monitors Liz, Kyle, Maria and Alex, it merely shows that your chips are active, nothing more. I have no tools in which to find Alex with, I only know that he remains among the living."
"But I promise, I will do everything in my power to return Liz's brother to her." Nika finished.
"Her BROTHER?" Maria sputtered, while everyone else reflected their surprise.
"Yes, I did tell you that besides the Heir, myself, and my consort, Sergei, that two of my siblings, and two children of the most respected family of Bodyguards on Ikaydia were sent to Earth. Liz and Alex are my siblings."
"I'm your sister?" Liz asked hesitantly, raising her eyes to Nika. "Why didn't you tell me that?"
Nika hesitated, before replying, her voice soft, and her tone reflecting her insecurity. "I, I didn't, didn't want you to hate, me."
Liz rose, from her position on Max's lap, moving to stand in front of the other girl. Without warning Liz pulled Nika into a bone-crushing hug. "I could never hate you, Nika. You've given me hope, that Alex may still be alive, that I may have a future with my love. I love you."
Nika hugged Liz back, crying softly.
"Okay, okay, enough with the mushy stuff! I still wanna know why Sergei has mine and Kyle's name tattooed on his bicep!" Maria interrupted the moment, knowing that if it continued she would end up in tears herself.
"I want to know too." Kyle and Jim said simultaneously.
Sergei stepped forward to answer this question. "That would be because, you are my kin. What Nika failed to mention was that while you and Kyle come from the most respected family of Bodyguards on the planet of Ikaydia, was that I do as well."
"You're my. . . brother? Kyle, too?" Maria asked, her voice shaky.
Kyle looked at his father, the idea of him having more family exciting to him. Jim looked stunned, unable to comprehend all the information that had been thrown at him today. He could almost accept the fact that his only child was a half alien, but with everything else it was too much, Jim was on overload. Maria wasn't sure what she felt, but when she looked at Sergei, she knew what he said was true.
Instead of putting pressure on Kyle or Maria to say or do anything, Sergei turned the conversation to other matters. "In a matter of a couple of hours, we have to explain this situation, to Ms. DeLuca, and the Whitmans, I think its time we started planning that."
Max, Isabel and Michael looked shocked at the very idea of telling anyone. Sergei caught their looks of surprise, and fought back a laugh. "You did not think we would simply take Liz, Kyle, Maria and Alex without consulting their families, did you?"
"Well, uhm, yeah." Michael felt compelled to answer.
"No way! I don't want Aunt Nancy or Uncle Jeff to kill me, thank you very much. Not to mention what my mom, Andrea or Kabo would do to me if I did that!" Nika said shuddering lightly, before laughing.
Slowly one by one the entire room was engulfed in laughter as they released the built up tension of the day. Liz, Isabel and Maria were giggling uncontrollably, while Michael worked so desperately to maintain his stonewall façade. Max was helplessly laughing as he ping-ponged back and forth in watching the girls and Michael's struggles. Jim and Kyle were in the same position, but had the further enjoyment of watching Max as well. Nika and Sergei held each other, giggling softly, as they watched the teens mirth.
As the laughter faded, Isabel brought up a point that had puzzled everyone. "Nika, I understand that you say Alex is alive, which honestly, I am ecstatic about. . . but when you said that you had a device that monitored them, but couldn't tell you where he was, only that he was alive, how do you propose to save him?"
Nika smiled faintly, before shrugging. "I don't know, Vilandra, I am sorry."
Isabel looked disheartened. "Okay, I understand. But could you please call me Isabel. . .I don't much care for Vilandra."
Nika nodded. "I must call Kabo, and see if he has a device to search out Alex with."
Liz's head leapt from Max's shoulder, as she had a sudden inspiration. "Wait, Nika. . .I have an idea of how we can find Alex, right now!"
"HOW?" Nika was just as anxious to find Alex as everyone else, he was her brother, and she hadn't seen him in over 10 yrs!
"Isabel can dreamwalk him!" And as Liz said it, everyone realized what they had been missing. Isabel smiled brilliantly at Liz.
"Wait, but why didn't we . . ." Maria started to ask, but was quickly interrupted by Isabel.
"Because we believed that he was dead. There was no reason to dreamwalk a dead person." Isabel said softly.
Nika and Sergei looked confused, "What is a dreamwalk?" asked Sergei.
Isabel smiled, "If I have a picture of somebody, I can form a connection with their unconscious selves, either in sleep or sometimes when they are awake. That's how you saw me, earlier, I was dreamwalking Liz."
Sergei and Nika nodded thoughtfully, they had thought that it was merely an illusion sent to them.
"Huh, that makes me wonder, if I'm an alien, or part alien, why don't I have powers?" Maria asked.
"How about we answer the rest of your questions tonight?" Nika said, smiling at Maria.
"Sounds good to me, I never ate the lunch Sergei brought and cold Chinese doesn't sound good, maybe we should all head over to the diner, and get this over with. Then we can come back here and try to dreamwalk Alex." Liz stated, her stomach growling softly again.
Nika and Sergei laughed at the reminder of their earlier giggle fit, but agreed. Soon the entire group was headed to the Crashdown.
~@~@~@~
Part 4:
On the way over to the Crashdown, Isabel turned to Max, her wishes plain to see. "Max, uhm. . .can we, uh, I mean. . ."
Max knew exactly what she was asking, but wasn't sure how to respond. He desperately wished to tell their parents, but could he risk it? It seemed to him that Nika and Sergei weren't worried, so maybe. . .
"Call 'em, tell them they gotta meet us at the Crashdown, we can tell everyone at once. It makes sense, we can protect each other better now, with Sergei and Nika, and all the parents on our side." Max said decisively, after glancing around at the expectant faces in the SUV, knowing that everyone wanted this as well.
Isabel had tears in her eyes, as she leaned forward and kissed her brother on the cheek, before using her cell phone. Michael looked uncomfortable, but when Maria leaned into him, kissing him softly on the mouth and whispered to him, "They will accept you too," he relaxed. Max backed her up by squeezing his shoulder and nodding.
The large SUV arrived at the diner, and everyone piled out, heading inside quickly. Inside all of the parents, except the Evans' had arrived.
Felicia and Charles Whitman greeted the teens with hugs, and smiles. The teens returned them, but said nothing about Alex, they left that to Sergei and Nika to explain. Amy and Nancy left the kitchen carry massive platters of food, followed by Jeff with a tray of drinks. Kyle, Sergei, Michael and Max all moved to help the ladies, and Jeff, earning much gratitude.
Everyone avoided talking about why they were here, until the Evans' arrived, having been told by Nika and Isabel that they were coming. A scant 10mins. later the Evans' arrived, they had become worried when Isabel had called, Diane thought Isabel might have been crying, so they had rushed right over.
Once everyone was seated, Jeff had pulled together 5 tables for everyone to sit at, and had food on their plates, Nika stood and introduced herself.
"Hello, uhm my name is Nika, uhmm Beronika Badrian, I'm a friend of Jeff and Nancy's. Though I know a few of you, the Whitman's and Amy, uh I don't know the Evans'. So Hi!" The teens laughed at how awkward Nika had become, but everyone thought it was adorable.
Amy and the Whitman's tossed hello's back and so did the Evans'.
"I guess I should explain why I'm here, and why you're here. . . No, first I should give you a bit of a history lesson. Please don't ask questions, and don't interrupt, and while this may sound incredible and unreal, I will be able to prove it all to you, in the end. . .Okay?" Nika received nods in return, from all, so she began her story.
"Now as I said this may sound unreal, but please hear me out. In 1950, a planet approximately 20 parsecs from Earth or 65 light years away, called Ikaydia, was facing invasion, from a man everyone called the Prexoran Menace. Prexor was where he came from, and he was as evil and as power mad as any dictator on Earth, worse perhaps since he had entire solar systems to conquer. The ruler of the planet of Ikaydia, Queen Kadiya and her husband, Consort Orgustus, were frantic to find a way to preserve the Royal line, in the hopes that someday there would be a way to overthrow the dictator."
Everyone sat in silence as Nika recited her tale, the parents, save for Jim, Jeff and Nancy listened in bemused disbelief, until they saw their children listening raptly. It wasn't something they could explain, but in that moment they began to believe Nika's tale.
"The Menace had taken over five systems, Biri, Koiru Prime, Rixu-Tlai, Kao'Vazu, and Antar." Nika looked over at Max, Michael and Isabel. "It was the last systems' capture, that set Kadiya to worrying, for they were allies of Ikaydia. The King of Antar, Zan, his sister, Vilandra, Second-in-Command, Rath, and his betrothed, Ava, were all killed."
This time the parents noticed that Nika was staring directly at Max, Michael and Isabel. Their gaze was torn between watching the teens reactions, and Nika's face as she told the story.
"With their deaths, the seven systems, known as the Galactic Empire, run by the Royal Alliance Council, dissolved. Soon the Empire was overrun by the Prexoran. The mother of the Royal Family of Antar saw this and decided to send the essences of her slain children, to Earth in hybrid bodies. Two years later, Ikaydia was the Prexoran's next target, and Kadiya and Orgustus turned to their friend and confidant, a respected doctor. This doctor came up with a plan to send three of the Queen's fertilized embryos to Earth."
Everyone listened attentively, leaning forward to catch every word.
"The doctor was sent along with the embryos, of the Queen, as well as embryos of the second most powerful family on Ikaydia. The six embryos, and the doctor traveled through a local wormhole, which would take them most of the way to Earth in a matter of hours, however it also took them 27 yrs. into the future as well." Nika paused, taking a deep breath before continuing.
"The ship with the doctor and the six embryos landed in a deserted area of the San Luis Valley in Colorado, in the year 1977. The doctor set up shop, as it were, in Albuquerque, masquerading as a fertility doctor."
Amy and the Whitman's gasped, knowing in that instant that what was said next, it would forever change their lives.
"Dr. Kabo, was the man you knew, who helped the families in this room, save the Evans', to conceive. I am Beronika Valencia Badrian, daughter of Muttahar and Safati Badrian, but I am also the Heir to the Throne of Ikaydia, daughter of Kadiya and Orgustus of Ikaydia."
Turning to Liz, she held the other girl's hand tightly as she told the last of her story. "Liz, is my sister, a daughter of Kadiya and Orgustus, while Alex is my brother. Sergei, my fiance, is from the other family, and he will become my consort. Kyle is his brother, and Maria his sister."
"Your children, they are important. And right now they are becoming dangerous. Kabo implanted all of the children, except myself and Sergei, with small micro-chips, that monitored them, as well as inhibiting any powers they may develop. However the chips only had a life of 18yrs, and that is almost up. When they stop working, your children's powers will explode, unless we, Kabo, myself and Sergei, can train them. I must leave, tomorrow afternoon at the latest, and I must take them with me."
Jim, Jeff and Nancy were prepared for this, but Amy was in shock. The Whitman's were in tears, having to relive the loss of their only child with talk of his conception, but were also puzzled, with Alex gone, why were they there in the first place? Diane and Phillip Evans were also puzzled at why they were there for what was obviously a private meeting, one that involved alien's no less. . .
~:|:Prologue:|:Chapter 1:|:Chapter 2:|:Chapter 3:|:Chapter 4:|:Chapter 5:|:Chapter 6:|:Chapter 7:|:~
~:|:Chapter 8:|:Chapter 9:|:Chapter 10:|:Chapter 11:|:Chapter 12:|:Chapter 13:|:Chapter 14:|:~
Charles Whitman stood, his hand resting in his wife's, as he faced the young woman called Nika. Tears glistened in his eyes, but he was calm and composed. "Young lady, if what you say is true, why are my wife and I here? Alex has. . .p-p-passed on. What use do you have for telling us?"
Nika saw the anguish in his face, and couldn't help but catch a sob in her throat. They had lived with the knowledge of their son's death for 2months, what if she couldn't get him back? Sergei saw her indecision, and gave her an encouraging smile, silently urging her to continue.
"Sir, I-I-I, uhm, it was only two hours ago that I found out that Alex had passed away. Liz told me, letting me know some of her secrets in the process. She and the other teens here, and your son, lived through more in the last year, than any of you know. But as I told them, I have proof that Alex is still alive." Nika kept her eyes on Charles Whitman's face, saw him gray and gasp, and watched as he sought out his wife's face for confirmation of what he had just heard. Felicia was just as stunned, tears coming to her eyes, though they also filled with anger.
"HOW COULD YOU?! Why would you lie, lie about my boy like that? He's gone! He has to be, otherwise he would be here with us!" Felicia screamed, before collapsing back into her chair.
All of the parents looked shocked, except for Jim, (of course). Eyes wide, they were watching the faces of the teens, who all smiled and nodded at them, telling them silently that they believed Nika.
"Can I show you something?" Nika asked the distraught parents of her brother. She pulled out the hand-held monitor. She turned it so everyone could read the display. Pointing to the first line, she said, "This line, the yellow one, shows the status of Maria's chip, do you see the way it is slowly shrinking? That indicates that the chip is slowly degrading, and will be ineffective within a matter of days. The orange line is Kyle's. The blue one, is Liz's. And here," she points to the last line, glowing bright green. "this is Alex. The green one. His chip is still active, still monitoring him. And his is degrading faster than the others. I'm not sure why, and I'm still unsure how he is alive."
Felicia and Charles' eyes were glued to the monitor, looking hesitantly at Nika when she gave it to them to hold. Whispering softly to each other they took in the fact that their only child may still be among the living.
Nancy and Jeff held each other, praying for their friends. Amy turned to the comfort of Jim, who hugged her close. Kyle and Maria exchanged glances filled with a strange mixture of mirth and fear. Diane and Phillip were stunned by this turn of events.
Taking matters into his own hands, Phillip stood, he wanted to know why he and his family were there at all. Nika saw this, but was unsure what to say, if anything. Max closed his eyes briefly, gripping tightly to Liz's hand on one side, and Isabel's on the other, he stood to confront his father.
"I demand to know why we, my family-" He was cut-off by Max's stare. His son stood level with him, and the fear he saw gleaming from his eyes was overwhelming. "Max?"
"Dad, sit down, I promise I will explain, okay?" Max waited as his father sank slowly into his chair.
"Uhm, there's a lot I could say. I'm just not sure where to start." Max said, shakily. Liz gripped his hand tighter.
"Nika spoke of the Royal family of Antar, the King, Zan, his betrothed, Ava, his sister, Vilandra, and his second-in-command, Rath. She told you how their essences were contained in hybrid bodies, and sent to Earth." Max took a deep breath, keeping his gaze on the hand that was entwined with Liz's, seeking the comfort of her touch.
"In 1947, there WAS a UFO crash outside of Roswell. The government even knew that aliens' survived the crash. Among the survivors was a set of eight pods, each containing a hybrid baby. The pods were taken by one of the other survivors, a shape-shifting alien, and hidden. Four were hidden in a cave not far from Roswell. The others were hidden elsewhere." Max was hesitant to mention the Dupes, but felt the need to at least include them a little. "It took many years, over 40, for the babies within the pods to mature. In 1989, three of them opened, and two little boys and a little girl emerged."
Diane's eyes widened, the implications of what Max was saying stunning her. Phillip merely watched his son, closely.
"Those three children. . .it was us. Me, Isabel and Michael." Max stated calmly.
"Y-you're, al-al-aliens?" Diane stuttered.
"Yes."
"Well, that explains a lot." Phillip stated. Everyone's eyes swung to him, incredulously.
Max finally looked up at his father, his gaze stunned.
"W-what?"
"Well, we find two 5yr. olds wandering in the desert, they don't understand nor speak any known language, though they certainly seem to communicate between the two of them. You learnt to speak and read within days. Max, when you were younger, you could heal, with a touch. We even videotaped you doing it once. You both were so closed off, except with Michael."
Diane was nodding thoughtfully, her head cocked to the side, as she gazed at her silent son.
"Why didn't tell us?" She asked, then shook her head ruefully. "Of course, you were afraid, of our reactions."
Isabel stood, her arms crossed defensively in front of her. Max held her arm, comfortingly, as he watched his parents watch them. Michael simply sat silently, Maria's arm wrapped around him.
"Yes, we were afraid. Not just of you, but for you. You raised us, gave us love, and a home, but if we were discovered, we feared that you would be harmed. We thought that we were protecting you." Isabel finally spoke.
"Two years ago, I've was forced to reveal our secret to Liz, after she was shot, cause I healed her. Slowly we let her and the others in, but still we were afraid. We had a determined Sheriff on our cases," Max shared a rueful look with Jim, who grinned lightly. "As well as others. But last summer, we gained an adult ally, in Jim. We also found out about our destinies, and we again made the decision to keep it from you. I lived through torture, all to protect my family, and I'm not gonna regret that decision."
"T-t-t-torture?" Diane and Phillip stuttered together.
Liz took up the story, she could tell that Max was struggling not to relive his time in the White Room. "Yes, and not just physical. But it's not the point. . .the point is, will you accept Max, your son, and Isabel, your daughter, despite the fact that they are not human. Can you accept the fact that your son, is King, of an entire race of beings? Will you accept his powers and not revile him? His greatest fear, it's not the FBI or alien head-hunters, but whether or not you will be afraid of him."
Diane stood, followed by Phillip. She stood before her son, though she may not have given birth to him or her daughter, and unhesitatingly embraced him tightly. Phillip grabbed Isabel and the four gave meaning to 'group hug'. Max pulled away slightly, enough so that everyone could witness the joy and tears on his face, and yanked Michael into the hug as well. Diane and Phillip enveloped him as well, Diane showering his face with kisses, and Phillip gazing warmly on the wayward young man. Michael surrendered himself to the sensation of being within a loving family, his teary eyes locked with those of Maria, who smiled happily despite the tears streaming down her face.
Not a soul in the room was without tears in their eyes, as they felt hope fill them. The Whitman's had listened to the entire exchange, but their eye's had yet to waver from the screen. The Parker's were stunned by the revelation, of Max and Isabel, but saw Liz's obvious love for him and knew in that instant that their little girl was no more, in her place stood a woman, one of enduring strength. Amy and Jim watched the others, Jim stroking Amy's arm softly, as she watched her daughter gaze into the eyes of the Guerin boy, love shining from every pore. The Evans' felt a tension that held their son and daughter from them, break. Michael felt for the first time a part of the family he had so envied.
Nika and Sergei witnessed the scene with a sense that this was simply the beginning.
~@~@~@~
Unknown Location:
Alex shifted his aching body, trying to be silent so not to wake Tess from an already fitful sleep. In the months that had passed where they had been kept in this small dank cell, he had gotten to know and admire the girl, having seen the courage with which she protected her child. He could only wish in the silent moments before they came for him again, that someone would hear his silent pleas, and rescue them soon.
~:|:Prologue:|:Chapter 1:|:Chapter 2:|:Chapter 3:|:Chapter 4:|:Chapter 5:|:Chapter 6:|:Chapter 7:|:~
~:|:Chapter 8:|:Chapter 9:|:Chapter 10:|:Chapter 11:|:Chapter 12:|:Chapter 13:|:Chapter 14:|:~
Small Clinic in Crestone, Colorado:
"Take this two times a day, Eli, okay? That should clear up the ear infection, and it won't interfere with the cough medication."
The older man, looked down at his patient, who smiled gratefully.
"Thanks, Dr. Kabo. Joanna was getting sick of hearing me complain."
"Well, tell her it should only take a few days, we can't have the Principal sick, can we?" Kabo laughed, slapping Eli on his back, companionably.
"I think the students would disagree, but . . . Hey are you and Andrea gonna come to the stables for dinner next week?"
Kabo looked uncertain, but he saw Andrea shaking her head 'YES' and nodded in response, then waved the smaller man out the door.
A tall man, towering over 6'7", he wore his salt-n-pepper hair long in a braid, his distinguished features, offset by the mischievous gleam he had in his green eyes. He never wore a suit or tie, both of which were entirely inappropriate in the small town in which he lived, preferring jeans and a white tee-shirt with a plaid button-up on, over it.
His work roughened hands had seen many of the children born in this town into the world, and he could honestly say that he loved the town in which he lived, the community was small but kind, having welcomed him nearly 15yrs before. He had made many a friend here, and when he was joined 8yrs ago by Andrea, they had welcomed her as well.
A small, (small) town, located in the San Luis Valley, in Colorado, Crestone was a former silver mining town. Now it was known more for the 'kooks' that lived there. Many UFO enthusiasts and hippies called the town and outlying county home, (The San Luis Valley has had over 5,000 sightings of UFO's in the past 15yrs, possibly more,) though the towns official population barely crested at 1,000. The local school was only 200 students, and it was Kindergarten thru 12th grade, and covered two counties!!
The nearest 'big' town, was Alamosa, nearly 50miles away, and its population was 7,000. This all suited Kabo, perfectly. He could continue practicing medicine, keep a low profile, and be in touch with the 'UFO' community which was based out of the small town. Andrea and he had made a small mark for themselves with a community clinic, which they ran, and were well liked by the community as a whole.
When Beronika was 12, and her powers had become more out of control, he had insisted that Muttahar and Safati send her here, to him, so she could be trained. For the next 6yrs he had the charge of the young Heir, and with Andrea's help had raised her well. She had gone to the local school, and been an exceptional student both in regular school, and in the studies he had set for her. She had seen her parents at every opportunity, but everyone, Beronika included, thought it would be safer for her to remain with the other Ikaydian.
Those 6yrs. had been wonderful, training the Heir as he had trained Kadiya before her. It was no small task, but he took so much joy from it, for Nika, was talented and powerful, and so much Kadiya's child that he became hopeful for the future of his people. With Andrea's help, and the love of her parents, he had raised the Heir, and he couldn't be more proud of her.
Now the other children were coming, and his duty would be to train them as best he could, in whatever talents they displayed, and if he could not. . .he would bind those powers, and send them home to their parents. They would not survive in a war against the Prexoran Menace, if they were untrained, or un-trainable.
Shaking these uncomfortable thoughts from his head he turned to Andrea, who he found watching him in bemusement.
"Heavy thoughts?" she asked teasingly.
"Aye, two tons or more!" Came his reply.
Andrea gazed back at her friend, the man whose cause she had given her life to.
"Well, shove 'em off, cause you have another patient coming in. It's Mrs. Shellabarger, her hip is hurtin' again."
"If she'd stop and let her boys do the heavy haulin' around that big ole place of hers, it might not hurt her so often. . .but that's like asking the sun not to rise. She wouldn't know what to do with herself!" Kabo shook his head ruefully at the thought of the 60+ yr. old woman who still insisted on doing some of the hardest chores around her ranch, despite having had a hip replacement.
Andrea laughed, agreeing with Kabo's assessment. Kabo took that moment to appreciate the view. Andrea was short, only about 5'5" tall, barely reaching his collar-bone. Her hair still the golden-blonde from when he had met her, though now lightly streaked with gray, was tied up with a strip of leather, though wisps had escaped to frame her tanned face. Wide green eyes, outlined by long lashes and a delicate brow. Her lips were perpetually bowed into a smile, her sunny nature shining through her grins. She was dressed as simply as he was, trading his plaid button-ups and white tee, for a long-sleeved thermal with the sleeves pushed up, or in hot weather, a tank-top. Her body fit from life out in the back of nowhere, she exuded a grace that captivated everyone around her.
"Well, send her in. And Andy," calling her by his pet name, "If Nika calls. . ."
"I'll interrupt ya, doncha worry!"
"Thanks."
~@~@~@~
The Crashdown:
Slowly everyone sat down again, and as their tears dried, their smiles grew. Finally the parents and children were sharing in each other's lives. Sergei and Nika sat to the side, observing it all, but time was limited and they both knew that there was still more to be said.
Sergei stood, a bit uncomfortable, and cleared his throat loudly, drawing everyone's attention to him.
"Look I know, really I know, how emotional this is for you all, I had to go through this myself. But as Nika explained, we are running out of time. Liz, Kyle, Maria and Alex's chips are degrading, we have reason to believe Liz's may have malfunctioned, and Alex is still missing. We have to resolve some of these issues quickly." Sergei sat down.
Jeff and Nancy looked alarmed at the thought of Liz's chip was malfunctioning. "What exactly do you mean about Liz's chip?"
Nika fielded that question. "Well, the chip's are designed to inhibit their natural powers, Kabo decided to do this so that they could live normal lives, among humans. It was so they could blend in. However, when Liz and I. . .connected, earlier, so that I could see what had happened to her and her friends, I also witnessed her **flashes**. Which highly resemble some of the powers Ikaydians possess. My thought is that when Max healed Liz, he scrambled the chips signals. Which could cause the chip to degrade faster."
Jim now looked alarmed, "Nika, he also healed Kyle."
Kyle nodded, but said, "Yeah, but I haven't had flashes or anything. No otherworldly powers. . .yet."
"I think I should call Kabo, inform him of what is going on." Nika pulled out her cell phone, and began dialing numbers, but soon felt a hand stopping her.
"Should you call, over a cell phone? Isn't it dangerous?" Max asked, removing his hand.
"Not really, it's not exactly a normal cell phone." Nika shows the crowd. While it resembles a cell phone, and even has the same capabilities of one, it also has a series of brightly colored buttons along the bottom and the display is much larger than a normal cell phone.
Nika points to one of the buttons, a bright yellow. "This one scrambles the message, making it impossible for anyone to understand what is being said," pointing to a violet colored button, "This one masks the signal, making it seem like normal radio waves. The others have various functions, but all are designed to in some way mask the phone's existence."
"Bet that cuts your phone bills down, but how do you get coverage?" Joked Michael.
Everyone laughs lightly.
"Oh you know, those interstellar phone plans!" Nika responded.
"AT&T has those now? I better get signed up!"
"Oh not AT&T, but Qwest, afterall they wanna take over the world anyway!" Replied Sergei laughing."
Nika giggles as she dials the last two numbers, waiting for someone to pick up.
"Crestone County Free Clinic."
"Andy?"
"Nika? Is that you?"
"Yeah, Andy, is Kabo around?"
"Sure sweetie, he's been really anxious, to hear from you! Is everything okay?" Andy could hear the tension in the girl's voice.
"It's hard to explain. . .could ya get Kabo, and then I can tell you both at once."
"Of course, he's with Mrs. Shellabarger right now, but he should be finishing up soon, gimme a minute okay?"
Nika waited patiently for Kabo to get to the phone. Less than a minute later, the man she thought of as a second father, picked up the phone.
"Nika? I'm so glad to hear from you, I've been getting worried."
"I can't explain, now, over the phone, but it's important that you send me a way to locate one of the kids."
"Nika. . .what's going on? What's happened?" Kabo sounded very concerned, 'What did she mean, find one of the kids?'
"I can't explain. I'm just not sure how to."
"Try."
"Onkayle, sha'bot ik sune kai. Alex lorv ze daivos. Ro lidan dromos zhe' icklan zanfeam gamos landorsh'n. Daz van lumor questo ik ze sant daivos, lumorl van?" Nika once again spoke in the language of the Ikaydians, which sounded like a mixture of Spanish, Japanese, and a bit like Native American, with some glottal stops and a weird lispy way of saying words.
Sergei wrote down what she had said, so that everyone would understand.
::Uncle, there is bad news. Alex may be dead. The police claim that he was in a car accident. But you would know if he were dead, wouldn't you?::
The other end of the line was silent for a few moments as Kabo attempted to comprehend all that she had said. Nika became worried however, and gave voice to one of her fears.
"Onkayle, Ve lumor questa ik Alex san daivos, roda?"
::Uncle, I would know if Alex was dead, right?":: Sergei translated once again. Everyone breathlessly awaited the answer, Nika holding the phone in such a way that everyone could hear Kabo when he spoke, yet still being able to speak clearly into the phone herself.
"Za Kinshe! Van der azadai, van der zet wasoli! Van lumor questo, xixiosticoliko!"
Everyone again turned to Sergei for translation. Nika was unable to say anything.
::Of Course! You are family, you are his sister. You would know, instinctively!::
There were shouts of joy as everyone in the room embraced, crying out in happiness.
"Nika, what's going on! I need to know!" Kabo shouted, Andy murmuring in the background.
"Onkayle, you and Andy should come down here. I'm not sure, but I think that the, Prexorans are here on Earth, and they may or may not know who we ALL are."
"We will be there in a few hours." Kabo said so simply, and then hung up.
~:|:Prologue:|:Chapter 1:|:Chapter 2:|:Chapter 3:|:Chapter 4:|:Chapter 5:|:Chapter 6:|:Chapter 7:|:~
~:|:Chapter 8:|:Chapter 9:|:Chapter 10:|:Chapter 11:|:Chapter 12:|:Chapter 13:|:Chapter 14:|:~
Part 1:
It took mere moments for Kabo and Andrea to close up the clinic and prepare themselves for their journey. Andrea wrote a hasty sign, proclaiming a family emergency, and posted it in the front window. As they were pulling out of the driveway, she pulled out her cell phone and made arrangements for Dr. Keller from the Moffat County Clinic to cover any emergencies and changed the message service to note that they would be out of town for a few days.
Kabo threw their emergency bags into the back seat of the quad-cab Ford F150. They had had them prepared for the past 6yrs, only taking them out of the front closet to update them every so often. Kabo and Andrea shared a simple philosophy, one in common with a very old American institution, "Always Be Prepared." And they always were, usually over-prepared.
As they sped down HWY 285 South, their thoughts mimicked one another, 'Don't let us be too late.'
~@~@~@~
Crashdown:
Liz and Max sat in a booth, arms wrapped tightly around each other, quietly listening to the discussion happening around them.
Charles and Felicia were still enthralled with the small monitor. Amy took a deep breath, speaking for the first time since the night had begun, interrupting the ongoing discussion of how best to prepare for the arrival of the Prexorans.
"Nika, can you tell us more about your powers, about everyone's powers?"
Nika smiled, at least one topic that she enjoyed talking about.
"Ikaydian powers aren't that different than those of the Antarians. Most Ikaydians have basic healing abilities, the ability to create shields and such. The Royal family is a bit different though."
"In what ways?" Max asked.
"Well, hmmm, how do I explain this. . ." Nika thought for a moment. "When I went to live with Kabo, I asked him to explain our powers to me, and he actually came up with names for a few of them himself, using human terminology."
"I have the abilities of Telempathy, which is the ability to sense thoughts and emotions of others, and something that Kabo called Pure Absorption, which allows me to absorb memories and data from people. Kinda like a built in lie detector, cause where a person may be able to mask their thoughts and emotions, from my mind, with a touch, I can get it from them."
Sergei spoke next. "My powers are Empathy, the ability to sense emotions from others. I also am a Pyrokinetic, which means I can create and control fire."
The adults in the room seemed taken aback by the idea of such powerful gifts. The teens however were impressed, this far surpassed Max, Michael, Isabel and Tess's gifts.
"What about me? What gifts do I have?" Maria asked eagerly.
"And me?" Kyle seemed hesitant, not sure if he really wanted any gifts at all.
Liz looked up as well, eager to know exactly what her gifts were.
"Well, Maria, one of your powers is unique, even to the Ikaydians. Kabo calls it, Conviskinesis, (Nika pronounced it Con-vee-kin-E-sis), and it's the ability to use energy, your own or gathered, as a force to strike another person or an object, or as a shield to protect from outside attacks. Your other gift is one that runs in your family. Empathy."
Sergei turned to Kyle. "Your gifts are Empathy, and Telekinesis, the ability to move objects with your mind."
Kyle sat back in his chair, nodding his head slightly, thoughtfully.
"Liz you also have unique gifts. The first is one only found in the Royal Family. Post and Pre-Cognition. The ability to see future and past events, usually through touch." Nika stared directly at Liz with a slight grin.
Liz's mouth formed a slight 'OH', before she burst out laughing. Max soon joined in, as everyone else looked on in puzzlement.
"Oh, oh! OH Good GRIEF!! All this time! We thought, **Laugh**, that, that, it was Max! It was ME!" Liz was giggling so hard she couldn't sit still.
Slowly Michael's gaze cleared as he caught on. And catching sight of Max, he mouthed a quick "Sorry", before bursting out laughing as well, which caught everyone off guard.
Max caught his breath and started to explain. "When I healed Liz, I caught flashes, and so did she, of the others lives. They showed us more then we had ever known about our alien roots, but we also began to notice that whenever, Liz and I, **cough** kissed **cough**, the flashes became more frequent."
Jeff and Nancy exchanged mildly alarmed, though amused looks, with the Evans'. "SO you're telling me, that you made out with my daughter. . . to get these flashes?"
Max and Liz had the grace to look embarrassed, while everyone else in the room stifled their giggles.
"I'll take that as a yes! Liz!" Nancy started to laugh at Jeff's shocked tone. He turned to look at his wife, who simply giggled louder.
"What better excuse, Jeff. . .then 'it's gonna help me find my home planet'."
Michael choked, and turned bright red, as he heard that, causing everyone in the room to look at him, which was just as well, cause Max was trying not to sink into the booth's upholstery. Liz was giggling loudly, 'cause when Max and she had made out, in the desert, she had caught that small tidbit, and had been waiting to make good use of it for ages, but her mother had beat her to it! Soon everyone was laughing, the release of tension doing wonders.
As everyone got over the laughter, Liz looked to Nika, "What's my other power?"
Nika smiled, and decided to tease her sister a bit. "What makes you think you have another?"
Liz caught the look in Nika's eyes and smiled. "Cause you said powers, but you mentioned Post and Pre-Cognition as one power. SO what's my other power?"
"Kabo calls it Eliquiopathy, (e-leak-e-oh-pathy), which is the ability to gather energy from what and who surrounds you, and act as a well, from which others can pull from. It's another unique power, and one that seems exclusive to our father's side of the family."
"Gather energy? A well? What does that mean?"
"Well, you can pull energy from people, like me for instance, and hold that energy inside yourself, it becomes like a storage place. And should we ever need extra energy, for a large battle or to heal someone who is near death, you would have it at your finger tips, then you would connect with whomever needed the energy and they could pull it from you."
Felicia and Charles had sat silently as the kids powers were described, but soon were wondering. . . "What about Alex?"
"Alex's powers? He has the power of Data Absorption, similar to my Pure Absorption, he can absorb data from computers and all forms of technology. He also has a power Kabo took to calling Illusiopathy. Which is the ability to sense and create illusions within the minds of others."
That stopped all the teens, and Jim, in their tracks. Those who weren't facing Nika already, turned slowly to her and made their way to stand beside the others. The parents all noticed how deathly quiet it had become, and looked at their silent children in confusion. Charles and Felicia even tore their gazes from the monitor. Nika became aware of the combined stares of the teens and looked into the eyes of Liz, knowingly.
Liz struggled to speak over the seemingly ever-present tears. "S-s-s-sense th-th-them?"
Isabel was the one who voiced it best then. "Then why the hell couldn't he sense the mindwarp that Tess had placed on him?"
Everyone turned back to Nika, who stood, shoulders bowed, head hanging low.
"Because, his chip worked. That's what it was supposed to do, suppress his powers. He was supposed to be a normal, average teen, he wasn't supposed to get involved with the Antarian Royal Family!" Nika said softly yet emphatically, tears running down her face as well.
Everyone acknowledged the truth in that statement. Liz burrowed her head into Max's shoulder, as he wrapped his arms around her tightly. Maria leaned against Michael's strong chest, his arms moving to enfold her. Isabel looked and felt lost, her body aching to be held, craving the touch of someone who she had believed dead for months. Kyle, felt a similar pull, yet knew his would be the most forbidden of all, so suppressed it. Moving to his best friend within the group, Kyle grabbed hold of Isabel's hand and they drew comfort from each other.
In moments Isabel straightened, and turned to Nika. Looking the other girl firmly in the eyes, she said aloud, "Well then, I guess it's time to find him then."
"Yes, I guess it is." Nika smiled brightly in response to the younger girl's determined air.
"But how?" Cried Felicia plaintively, Charles moved to comfort his wife, but his eyes were crying out for a response as well.
Isabel raised her hand, shyly. Once again the parents looked on in askance.
Max saw how confused everyone looked and moved to answer. "Isabel's power, or her strongest one, is something we call Dreamwalking. She can use a photo to create a "connection" with a person's unconscious mind, usually only when a person is sleeping, which is why we call it Dreamwalking. However, with someone she is emotionally connected to, Izzy can connect even when they are awake, but that's a newer skill."
Diane and Phillip moved to stand next to Isabel, looking at her proudly. "What skills do you have? And Michael?"
"Well, I can heal, and create force fields, and Michael. . ." Max answered, trailing off.
"I can blow shit up!" Michael said with a grin.
Everyone laughed, lightly, though Diane gave Michael a scolding grin for his language. Michael looked surprised by this, which Maria saw. Whispering into his ear, so that no one else could hear, she said, "Hey, Spaceboy, don't you get it? She loves you. She also feels a bit guilty, cause they didn't get to adopt you as well."
Without turning, Michael whispered back, "How do you know that, pixie?"
"I can see it in her eyes. My love, you are far more loveable than you think." Maria said, hugging him tightly.
Diane witnessed their soft exchange, feeling every bit as guilty as Maria had guessed. Phillip watched as well, and felt a great surge of pride, for all of the kids, they had done so much, with so little help.
Charles was the first to speak, "Well, can you try this Dreamwalking on Alex?"
"That's our plan, Mr. Whitman." Isabel said softly, to her loves' father.
Charles took in Isabel's determined face, remembering how grief-stricken she had been at Alex's funeral. He remembered as well, how often she visited their house, looking for a chance to talk with someone who missed Alex as much as she did, or just to sit in his room.
"And I think we should get started now." Liz stated, everyone nodded in agreement.
"Uncle Jeff, can we use the couch in the back room?" Nika asked, Jeff nodded. "Isabel, do you have a picture?" Isabel held up a well worn picture of Alex, from Prom Night, something she kept on herself almost all of the time.
"Then let's do this," Nika said brightly, "Aunt Nancy if Kabo arrives before we're done, send him back?"
Nancy nodded. All was silent as the teens moved to the backroom.
Part 2:
In the backroom, Isabel headed straight to the couch. She removed the light coat she had been wearing, balling it up into a makeshift pillow. Turning around, she saw everyone staring at her, expectantly.
"Guys!" Isabel said with exasperation. "GO AWAY! I can't do this with you here, I'll get performance anxiety or something. When I wake up, you'll all know. Go have some pie or something."
Max looked ready to object, and Michael was practically pouting. Maria and Liz nearly giggled at the fierce expression that crossed Izzy's face, as the other girl glared at her brother and friend. Her arms were crossed over her chest and she was tapping her foot in impatience. Kyle recognized the warning signals, and pulled on the guys to get them to exit the room, followed closely behind by Liz and Maria who by that point couldn't contain their giggles. Sergei smiled in indulgence at the teens, while Nika gave Isabel a bolstering grin, and they both left the room.
Isabel took out the picture of Alex. It had been taken at the before Prom party they had had at the diner, and he stood with his arms wrapped around her waist, his cheek resting against her own. (Unlike with other guys, Isabel was still shorter than Alex, even in heels.) Their smiles were wide and carefree, and it made Isabel's heart hurt to see the man she loved in that picture, and have it be the only place she could see him.
Laying down on the comfy, and battered couch, Isabel gazed longingly at the picture. Soon her eye's grew heavy, and the instant before sleep claimed her she saw the familiar 'wave distortion' race across the picture.
~@~@~@~
Unknown Location:
The late evening sun shone through the bars of the damp, dank cell in which Alex had spent the last few months of his life. He lay upon the thin prison-style mattress that rested on a bare dirt floor, his eyes glued to the elusive sight of the sun. Sighing gustily, he finally tore his eyes from the sight, to glance at his cellmate.
Her body was heavy with the child she carried, her hair dirty and matted, her clothing torn and crusted with blood. Her small hands ran in continuous circles over her gravid belly, soothing the undoubtedly rambunctious child within. He smiled at the sight and it was this sight that soothed him to sleep.
**DREAMWALK**
Alex looked down at himself, gone were the tattered remnants of clothing he had been wearing, to replaced by the tuxedo he had worn at Prom. As he looked up he saw that he stood in the darkened interior of the Crashdown, lights twinkling overhead, from some unknown source. Across from him, stood a shadowed silhouette. He ventured closer to it, and saw at once that it was Isabel.
Forgetting for the moment what and where he would soon wake, he lost himself in memories and dreams.
Isabel saw the powerful figure of Alex standing underneath a disco ball, which was somehow suspended in the middle of the Crashdown. For the first time since his supposed death, Isabel felt his presence.
"Alex" Her voice was a whisper.
"Isabel, you look. . .amazing." He responded, a small half grin on his face.
"Oh, OH! Alex, it's really you!" And Isabel launched herself into his arms.
Alex responded by drawing his arms around Isabel. And in that instant KNEW that Isabel was really dreamwalking him.
Pulling back, he looked into the tear-filled face of the one woman he had ever loved.
"Isabel, it's REALLY, really you?" He asked shakily.
"YES! Oh, Alex, we were so sure you were dead, and I couldn't feel you anymore! And it was Tess, she hurt you, and she took you away from me!" Isabel was babbling by now, touching Alex's face and running her hands gently over his arms and shoulders, knowing that despite being in a dream, it was HIM she was speaking with.
"NO! Isabel! Listen to me, okay?" Alex had almost forgotten that they believed that Tess had killed him.
"What's wrong Alex, where are you?" Isabel was frantic.
"Izzy, I don't know exactly where I am, but you have to listen to me, and listen carefully okay?"
"Of course, Alex, just tell me what's wrong."
"Tess didn't kill me! It wasn't her!"
"NO! Alex, she admitted to it, she told Max that she had been mind-warping you so much that your brains couldn't take it any more and you died. She made Kyle carry your body, made him think it was LUGGAGE!"
Alex took a deep breath, and looked straight into Isabel's eyes, and said with such forcefulness that Isabel was taken aback, "ISABEL, Tess did NOT kill me!"
"Well, obviously since your not dead, but it had to be Tess - -" Isabel started, but was cut off.
"No, it was Nasedo, and Nicholas. Tess was kidnapped right after the Harvest, it was Nasedo that made Max think that Tess and he had slept together. It was a mindwarp, Tess is NOT pregnant with Max's child. Nicholas and Nasedo had found a way to do long distance mindwarps, using Tess as a conduit, she didn't even remember doing it, she was being used. When Nasedo was looking for a way to gain access to the Granolith, he had me kidnapped and it was him, not Tess that nearly killed me by mind-warping me."
Alex took a deep breath, Isabel looked stunned.
"When 'Tess' supposedly left Earth in the Granolith, it was really Nasedo. And he didn't leave Earth, he just took the main part of the Granolith and brought it to Nicholas. You and the others were being played, in more ways than one. What Nasedo said was true, he had made a deal with Kivar, however he had also made a deal with Nicholas. They were going to wrest control from Kivar AND from the Royal Family."
"H-ho-how?" Isabel stammered.
"Not important right now, what is important is that you find us quickly, our time is running out!"
"U-U-Us?"
"Yes, Tess and I have been held prisoner, together, for the last few months. And Isabel, you have to realize, that it wasn't just Max, Tess and me who were being mind-warped, it was everyone! Somehow you and the other's are going to have to find a way to break the warps!"
It was Isabel's turn to take a deep breath. She closed her eyes, collecting herself.
"Okay, I will tell everyone. But there is some stuff you have to know. . .about yourself."
"I know, I'm an alien."
"What?! How did you know?"
"When Nasedo and Nicholas began their form of information gathering, in their case that means torture, I overheard them say how they had to adjust the machines, because of my Ik-uhdeen, or something DNA. I didn't understand much, just that I wasn't fully human. Tess thinks that's why I kept resisting the mindwarps, too."
"Ikaydian DNA. And tell Tess she was right." Isabel said, dumbfounded. Shaking it off, she continued. "Now we have to figure out where you are. . ."
"Well I don't know, exactly. I do know that we aren't in New Mexico, that the cell we are in is dank, damp, lots of moisture outside too. That the window in our cell is facing a river, and that I can see the sun in the evenings. I've seen some really military looking ships, and some cruise ships on the river, but from where we are I can't tell if they are American or not, but I don't think we left the country. On our way to wherever we are now, we made a short stop at a gas station, and I could hear a really heavy accent, and it sounded vaguely like French, but not. I don't know how else to explain it. I do know that our time is getting shorter by the minute, Isabel, and if you don't find us soon, Nicholas and Nasedo may just find that we aren't useful to him anymore."
Isabel took in the small details that Alex gave her and stored them in her brain, she knew she wouldn't be able to forget anything of this meeting, but just in case. All of a sudden Alex's last words registered and her face became panicked.
"NO! Alex, NO! Please, we will find you, I have so much to tell you. There are so many things you don't know. Alex you're in more danger than you know! And not from Nicholas or Nasedo! From YOU!" Isabel had just remembered his chip. "Alex, the reason you didn't know you were alien, is cause you have some weird chip in your brain! It keeps your powers from working, which is both good and bad. With your powers in working order, you would have had NO problem fighting off the mindwarps, but since you don't know how to use your powers, and with the fact that the chip is days away from degrading, your powers are gonna EXPLODE!"
Alex didn't understand completely, so Isabel broke down some of the details for him. Including the fact that he had two sisters.
"Liz. . .is my sister?" He said in a daze.
Isabel nodded, just then she noticed that the dream world around them was fading. One of them was waking up. Pulling Alex into an intense lip-lock, Isabel poured her love into him. As the dream world disappeared around them, she whispered into his ear, "I love you, and I will be back!"
**END DREAMWALK**
Isabel woke with tears streaming down her face, and a whisper in her ears. She had distinctly heard Alex whisper back to her, "I love you too Izzy, and I will wait forever for you."
~:|:Prologue:|:Chapter 1:|:Chapter 2:|:Chapter 3:|:Chapter 4:|:Chapter 5:|:Chapter 6:|:Chapter 7:|:~
~:|:Chapter 8:|:Chapter 9:|:Chapter 10:|:Chapter 11:|:Chapter 12:|:Chapter 13:|:Chapter 14:|:~
Alex's words still echoing in her ears, Isabel sat straight up, dashing the tears from her eyes with a violent motion, and raced to the dining area. Bursting through the doors, her appearance startling everyone from their quiet conversations.
Isabel never took her eyes from Felicia Whitman's face, as she moved to stand in front of the woman who had given birth to the man she had fallen in love with. Kneeling in front of her, Isabel took Felicia's hands into her own.
"He's alive!"
~@~@~@~
"I love you, and I will be back!" Alex awoke with Isabel's words still ringing in his heart and mind. Tears poured down his face as he whispered softly to himself, "I love you Izzy, I love you!"
Tess woke, hearing Alex's tearful whisperings.
"Alex? ALEX? What's wrong?" Tess maneuvered her pregnancy heavy body off the thin mattress and over to her semi-sleeping friend.
"Tess?" Alex looked into the worried eyes of his cellmate and friend.
"What happened Alex? What's wrong?" Tess could see something had changed in his eyes, something profound.
"I saw her, Tess. She knows we're alive! They all do, and their gonna come for us!"
Tess sat down on the edge of Alex's narrow mattress, her mouth moving soundlessly, her eyes locked with his.
"Y-y-you're s-s-sure?" Tess stuttered.
Alex sat up, and pulled the distraught girl into his arms, and held her tightly. She could feel him nod his head in affirmation, which made her try and pull away, but he continued to hold on, rubbing a hand down her back soothingly.
"Tess, it's okay. I told Izzy, about what Nasedo did to us, to them. She believed me, I know it. I won't let them hurt you, I promise. I will always protect you, and my goddaughter." Alex said forcefully.
Tess pulled away, looking up into Alex's determined eyes. Since their imprisonment and torture at the hands of the man who had raised her, their trust in one another had grown. Often times, at night, when one or the other was in too much pain, (either mentally or physically) they would talk of their lives, and their hopes and dreams for the future. Alex worked hard to prevent Tess from being taken, and more often than not it, she was spared. Something he thanked the Powers for, he would never have forgiven himself if something happened to Tess or the baby girl she carried within her frail body.
"I believe you, Alex, I just -"
"I know Tess, I know. We will have to show them, everything." Alex said, referring to what Nasedo and Nicholas had done to Tess and himself.
Suddenly Tess' eyes widened and her hand went to circle her belly, causing Alex to start in fear. "Is it the baby? Are you okay? What's wrong?!"
"Alex! Feel this!" And Tess grabbed her best friend's hand, pulling it toward her bulging stomach. And then Alex felt it. The baby was kicking, HARD.
"Oh my GOD!! Wow! Tess, she's kicking! She's okay!" Despite Alex's continued reassurances to the contrary, neither one had been sure that the baby was fully healthy, because of the torture, malnutrition, and neglect.
Tess nodded happily, tears running down her dirt streaked face. As they embraced, both of their thoughts turning to the loves of their lives, and the hope that came from finally being found.
~@~@~@~
Crashdown:
Isabel and Felicia embraced, tears running down their faces, as Charles placed an unsteady hand on each of the woman's backs. His eyes were suspiciously wet as well.
Max hated to break up the tender moment, but knew that everyone needed to know what had happened in the dreamwalk, so he hesitantly cleared his throat. The Whitman's and Isabel turned to look at him, smiles wreathing their faces.
"Iz, can you tell us what happened in the dreamwalk?" Max requested, though it was more of an order.
Isabel nodded, taking a deep breath. She stood up, starting to pace, as she began to tell of her dreamwalk with Alex.
"We were standing here, in the Crashdown, and it looked as if it was Prom Night all over again. Alex was standing in his tux, and he looked so handsome!" Isabel said absently, mentioning things as she remembered them. Felicia and Charles smiled happily at Isabel.
"At first all we did was hold each other. We were too stunned to do much else. He looked thinner, and older somehow, but it was definitely Alex. And then when I told him how Tess had been the one to kill him. . .he told me I was wrong." Everyone in the room gasped, Kyle even paled.
"I was in shock, but he was shaking me, telling me that Tess wasn't the one who had killed him, that she was very, very innocent. He was adamant that I understand that." Isabel turned to face her enraptured audience. "He told me that Tess had been abducted, right after the Copper Summit thing, and was replaced by Nasedo."
"What?! Nasedo is dead, we all saw his body disintegrate, Isabel!" Michael shouted.
"Michael, calm down! Okay, lemme tell you what Alex told me, first, then you can yell as much as you like!" Isabel admonished, though she understood Michael's feelings.
Michael nodded curtly and gestured for her to continue.
"I pointed those facts out to Alex, and he said that it was a complex mindwarp. And that we ALL have been mindwarped extensively. Going back to BEFORE the Harvest." Isabel paused, going over Alex's words in her head. "Max you did NOT sleep with Tess, again it was a mindwarp. Nasedo was the one who kidnapped and brainwashed Alex, and he used Tess again, or at least her image, to do it. But not for Kivar, but for himself. He and Nicholas were, are, in league together, trying to overthrow Kivar, and destroy us, all of us."
Everyone was in shock, mouths gaping open, unable to believe this turn of events. Isabel continued with her story.
"When I started to tell Alex about him being Ikaydian, he cut me off, and said he already knew. That when Nasedo and Nicholas were preparing him for. . .torture. . .they let slip that they had to adjust the. . .machines. . .due to his Ikaydian DNA." Isabel had tears running down her face, once again, as she told everyone of Alex's ordeals. She kept her gaze locked with that of the Whitman's, and saw how her words affected the couple. They both seemed to fold in on themselves.
Before anyone could say anything in response to Isabel's words, she continued, knowing that she had to finish and finish soon or she would be folding, herself.
"He doesn't really know where he and Tess are being kept, just a few things he's noticed. One, he KNOWS that they aren't being held in New Mexico, that they are on or near a river, cause he can see ships from the window of their. . .cell. The ships are both cruise ships and military ships, but he can't tell if their American or not, and he can see the sun set every evening. Also he doesn't think they left the US, but that on the way to wherever they are, he remembers hearing someone talk in a heavy accent that resembled French, but not really. He says that wherever they are has a ton of moisture in the air cause it's dank and damp."
The room was quiet as everyone processed the information Isabel had revealed. Then the room seemed to explode into action. Soon small groups dotted the Crashdown as everyone began brainstorming.
Kyle, Jim, Amy, Maria and Michael were discussing various ways and means of travel, and places in the US where French was spoken. The list was short.
"Well, what if it wasn't in the US, exactly. What if they are in Quebec, they speak French there, but it has a very different accent then it does in France." Amy offered. She was still in a sort of shock, though her brain seemed to be functioning again. Her arms were wrapped tightly around Maria, holding her only child as she fought to process all that happened this day.
Michael and Kyle shared a thoughtful look, Jim had just come back in from his car, where he kept a book of US maps. He made sure to lock the doors behind him.
Spreading the largest map out on the table, he and the others leaned over it and began marking off possible locations.
Liz, Max, and their parents discussed the location, Philip mentioned that for some reason it felt familiar.
"I'm not sure why, but it seems familiar. Hey Jim, remember that Isabel said that Alex mentioned they were on or near a river, so you have to take that into account too." Philip and Jeff moved to stand over the table as well.
An irreverent thought passed through most of the women's heads as they watched the men gather around the map. **Men actually looking at a map!** Nancy and Diane shared a conspiratorial smile.
"But it would have to be a river large enough for cruise ships AND military ships. Which would mean a large port, right?" Offered Liz.
"Yeah, and Iz, you mentioned that Alex said his. . .cell. . .faced the setting sun?" Max asked. Isabel nodded. "Okay so the river or part of it, faces the west. And lot's of moisture in the air, making everything damp, right?" Isabel nodded again.
Charles moved over to the map as well, leaning over it with a focused look upon his face.
"Alex seemed sure that they hadn't left the US?" He asked.
"Yeah, he said that he wasn't sure why, but he's pretty sure about that." Isabel answered.
Suddenly Sergei was pointing, jabbing his finger into the poor map with enthusiasm. Under his finger, a city.
"A large port, with both military and cruise ships, tons of moisture, in the US and quite a lot of French speakers." Sergei listed off. "New Orleans, Louisiana."
The room was silent for a moment until it erupted with a joyful cry. Everyone's ebullience, however, was stopped abruptly as the doors to the Crashdown, which had been locked, opened.
~:|:Prologue:|:Chapter 1:|:Chapter 2:|:Chapter 3:|:Chapter 4:|:Chapter 5:|:Chapter 6:|:Chapter 7:|:~
~:|:Chapter 8:|:Chapter 9:|:Chapter 10:|:Chapter 11:|:Chapter 12:|:Chapter 13:|:Chapter 14:|:~
It had taken, the normally speed conscious Kabo, only 2 hours to reach Roswell, which was a trip of almost 4 hours on a regular basis. And now as he stood outside the doors of the Crashdown Café, he was wondering why he had sped here. Pushing open the doors seemed a monumental task, looking the children he had helped create, in the eye, seemed a task of Herculean proportions. How could he possibly seek to explain his motives to these people when even he was unsure of them?
Andrea seemed to sense his hesitation, and combined with her own, was nearly trembling with fear. Kabo may have created these children, but she had left her child behind, to face an unknown future, without her. How can she seek forgiveness from her nearly grown son, when she wasn't sure she had forgiven herself?
Each locked into their own thoughts of regret and recrimination, neither noticed that they were holding the other's hand tightly. Unconsciously mimicking each other, they took deep, cleansing breaths and reached out to the door. Kabo realized that it was locked and using a smidgen of his powers nudged the lock open. The door swung inward.
And with everyone's gaze fixed upon them, Kabo and Andrea bravely entered the small diner.
~@~@~@~
Ever since Nika had placed the phone call to Kabo, Jim had felt the very thought of seeing his ex-wife again ricochet within his brain uncontrollably. He thought back through the years, watching his young son grow up without a mother, and become a man. For years he had hated and despised the woman who had walked out on him and Kyle, and yet after hearing Nika talk of the woman who had helped raise her, he couldn't help but understand the reasons she had left.
She had left to protect her son, knowing that her knowledge was dangerous, was a hazard. She hadn't wanted to stay away, but in doing so, she had ensured their child a normal childhood, one he would treasure, not one filled with fear. And as he saw Andrea standing in the doorway of the Crashdown, he smiled widely at her, reassuringly.
Kyle had watched his father closely for the past hour, his own thoughts fixated on the two women who had defined his life, both by leaving him. He watched his father as he smiled widely at the door, and turned to see his mother standing there, and understood in that minute the sacrifice she had made. For him. Tess' beautiful face flashed before his eyes, and what Isabel had been told by Alex echoed in his ears. And he knew that another woman had sacrificed for him as well. He found himself echoing his father's expression, smiling widely at Andrea, his mom.
~@~@~@~
Andrea kept her eyes focused on the floor of the diner, not looking at the people before her. Suddenly she found herself engulfed in welcoming embraces. Astonished, she did not resist the hugs, but pulled back slightly when she saw her son approach her.
Her hands shaking and tears now streaming down her face, Andrea looked fully into the face of her son. No reports, no pictures from Jeff and Nancy could ever replace the feeling of actually SEEING her son. Afraid of his reaction, she still could not help holding out her hand to his handsome face, tracing a single finger over his features, lightly.
Kyle dared not move, afraid of scaring his silent and teary-eyed mother. His eyes closed in a sort of bliss, as he felt for the first time in years her motherly touch upon his face. Without much warning he darted forward and pulled Andrea into a crushing hug. He dwarfed his mother by several inches, so he had lifted her clean off her feet.
Everyone who stood silently watching this tender and touching reunion held their breath as Andrea broke out into sobs.
"H-h-h-how c-c-can you even-n-n l-l-look at me?" Came her tortured voice.
Kneeling down in front of her, and trying to get her to look him in the eye, Kyle said simply to her, "I love you, and I know, NOW, that you were protecting me. I forgive you, mom."
The depth of Andrea's anguish stunned Kabo. Knowing what she had given up, and seeing it face to face were two separate issues. But as his hand brushed her back, urging her in his silent way, to hold her son, he was forced to see what he had wrought on so many people. Whether his intentions had been pure or not, he had still caused so much hurt. Once again he hoped that he could gain these wonderful people's forgiveness.
Andrea embraced her son, feeling her guilt and grief drop away from her like a weight. Soon she was happily hugging everyone around her, feeling joyful for the first time in many years.
Amy watched in silence as Jim went to hug his ex-wife, knowing in her heart that no matter what she and Jim may share now, Jim and Andrea had much to work out, before anything could really happen between Jim and Amy.
Jim silently embraced Andrea, holding her in that moment, not as a former lover, or wife, but as a friend. While he had and did love Andrea, he knew, with that hug, that he was no longer IN love with her, and that made all the difference. His hug was that of a friend or sibling, and he knew Andrea felt the same too, when he saw her brief glance at Dr. Kabo. In that instant, he knew how Andrea had made it through the past 10 years. She had fallen in love.
Soon everyone had given and received hugs, welcoming the duo into the diner.
Nika was the first to say anything, once again in the liquid-y tongue of the Ikaydians. "Kumayo, Onkayle ef Andy. Hao ve zinton Lein Zan za Antar, zet wasoli Li Vilondra ef zet Kremson, Rath." She gestured to Max, Isabel and Michael, calling them by their alien names, though that was all anyone could decipher.
Once again the others in the room looked to Sergei to translate the alien language, which he did with a smile.
"Greetings, Uncle and Andy. May I present King Zan of Antar, his sister Princess Vilondra and his commander, Rath."
Kabo and Andy returned the traditional greeting of Ikaydia, then both bowed deeply, and replied in unison, "Kumayo, Lein Zan, Li Vilondra, Kremson Rath, damao lat."
Max replied hesitantly, "Kumayo, Kabo, Andrea. Damao lat." Turning to present the rest of the group he was stopped by Kabo's hand on his arm.
"Lein Zan, I already know the rest of the people in this room, save for the older gentleman standing behind you and the woman beside him." Kabo said softly, apologetically.
Max smiled at the older man. "Dr. Kabo, please call me Max. These," And Max gestured to his parents, who Kabo had indicated. "Are my parents, Diane and Philip Evans."
Kabo shook their hands solemnly, bowing lowly at everyone.
"I find myself at a loss for words, save for these. I am so sorry." Kabo remained bowed, his body stiff with regret.
Nancy and Jeff were the first to move to the distraught man. "Kabo, please do not do this!"
Liz watched silently for a moment, before moving to stand in front of Kabo.
"I should maybe hate you. I should hate you for making me different, for making my life a dangerous one, for depriving me of my sister and brother by making them unknown to me." Liz paused, before placing one hand on Kabo's right shoulder, and the other under his chin, forcing him to look into her eyes. But I cannot hate a man who gave a childless couple a child, and in doing so, gave life to me. I will not regret my safe childhood, nor will I condemn a man for protecting me, by making me ignorant."
Kabo's face crumpled as he gazed upon the child he had created, as she forgave him. Soon three children of Ikadiya and six human parents surrounded him. And he knew a small measure of peace. Kabo hugged each in turn and then made a motion to sit.
Closely followed by the others, Kabo took a seat at a table, the one covered in maps. Signaling to Nika to explain, he gestured to the maps.
"Onkayle, shortly after our call to you, Vilondra, uhm, err, Isabel, made the decision to connect with Alex, through something they call dream-walking. In a short amount of time we gained clues to where Alex is being held."
"Held? Explain. . . your comments on the phone were cryptic enough. You mentioned the possibility that the Prexoran's may know who and where we are, as well as the fact that Liz believed Alex to be dead. You, didn't however, mention much else, and frankly, I am completely confused." Kabo said briskly.
Quickly, Nika explained. From hearing that Alex had 'died' in a supposedly suicidal car crash, to how Liz, and Kyle had been healed by Max, as well as the Antarians contact with the Prexorans, whom they called 'skins'. She ended with Isabel's dreamwalk, and the clues they had put together from it. All the while, Kabo and Andrea listened intently, their gazes never wavering from Nika's face.
Once Nika was done, the entire group looked to the older alien man, awaiting his thoughts on their conclusions. Glancing at Andrea, he quirked a brow at her, as if asking a question, to which she nodded her head, as if agreeing with him. Turning to the group, he smiled widely, and stated calmly, "Well, then I guess we're going on a road trip!"
~:|:Prologue:|:Chapter 1:|:Chapter 2:|:Chapter 3:|:Chapter 4:|:Chapter 5:|:Chapter 6:|:Chapter 7:|:~
~:|:Chapter 8:|:Chapter 9:|:Chapter 10:|:Chapter 11:|:Chapter 12:|:Chapter 13:|:Chapter 14:|:~
Everyone began talking at once. On one side of the room, the teens gathered together, their gleeful chatter a sharp contrast to their parents worried tone and looks. Soon the din grew so loud, Max became fearful of what someone walking past might think. Giving Nika a significant look, which she instantly understood, Max gave a shrill whistle, which combined with Nika's loud mental 'shout', left several people wincing. However the room quieted down quickly after that.
Liz was the first to speak. "Look I can understand that you," and she pointed vaguely at the parents ranged in a line across from them, "Are unsure about all of this. However, we," and this time she pointed to all of the teens, "Have done this before. Several times. The things we did to protect our families, and ourselves weren't exactly safe. So get over it! WE ARE GOING, and soon. SO if you can't handle what it takes to be the parent of an Antarian or an Ikaydian, and all that that entails. . .you should leave."
Everyone seemed taken aback by her fierce tone, and demands, but realized quickly that she had a point. Nothing was safe anymore, and the quicker they got used to it, the better off they all were.
"Liz, you made your point." Nika stated softly, trying to get the younger girl to soften her glare. "Liz is right, what happens now is voluntary. None of you have to help, Kabo, myself and Sergei could go recover Alex and Tess. It would be significantly easier with you as back-up and such, but it's not impossible."
"It is, actually." Isabel stated firmly. "I will not be excluded. And besides with my dreamwalking capability, I can obtain more information from Alex and even Tess. I also can heal, and change people's appearances. So you will NOT be leaving me behind."
"The same goes for me." Liz said, her voice soft, yet determined.
"And me." Max said, grabbing hold of Liz's hand. "I can create shields, I heal better than Iz, and I have no intention of staying behind."
"I'm going." Everyone turned to look at Kyle. He shrugged, "I love Tess. Before when I thought she had betrayed us all and killed Alex, I tried desperately to shut off those feelings, but I couldn&'t. And now, knowing that that isn't true, I have no intention of being left out of her rescue."
Liz smiled at the young man she had once called her boyfriend, he grinned back.
"Well, I'm staying." Everyone was surprised to hear that coming from Maria. "What? I love Alex, but my skills, powers, whatever, aren't in my control, and I would get in the way more than help."
Max smiled. "I don't think that's quite true, but if you wanna stay that's good too. We gotta think about this carefully folks, we can't all go, that would raise too many suspicions, I'm not completely convinced that Nasedo and Nicholas didn't leave behind spies. As it is, if even half of us go, it's gonna raise some eyebrows."
"Well, I'm staying, but Kabo is going. And I can safely say that Nika and Sergei are going as well." Andrea stated.
Sergei nodded at the older woman, wrapping his arm about Nika. "We're going."
"I'm going." Michael said mulishly.
Max looked over at Michael, surprised. He thought for sure, if Maria was staying, so would Michael.
"No, you're not." The entire group's eyes swung to look at Amy. "You are going to stay, and protect us. You said your powers ran to the destructive, and if all the kids leave, as well as Kabo, who's gonna stay and make sure that those of us without any powers are safe?"
Michael glared at the diminutive woman, who so resembled his pixie-like girlfriend, and tried to think of an appropriate argument. Max rolled his eyes at his friend's stubbornness.
"You're staying, Michael. Don't argue with your future mother-in-law, she might figure out a way of zapping you, or maybe she'll ask me to, and you know me, I never could resist a pretty face." Max said humorously. Everyone gaped at him, Maria and Amy's faces closely resembling fish at the mention of mother-in-law, and Michael's turning a bright red, before everyone burst into laughter.
Michael mulled it over for a bit, alternately glaring at Max and Amy, before giving in to the laughter and nodding his head reluctantly. Maria steps to his side and plants a big kiss on his cheek, before reaching for his hand to hold it tightly.
"Nancy and I are staying, of course, we should go about business as usual, and open the diner tomorrow." Jeff stated.
"And I have a brief, tomorrow, so I'll stay. Diane?" Philip asked his wife.
"I should stay, if only to present an image of normalacy."
"Well then, that's seven people going." Liz said, having done a quick count. "Then I think that- -" But her words were cut off from another voice.
"I'm going." Charles stood to look at the faces of everyone. Liz opened her mouth to object, fear for him plain on her face. "No, Liz, he's my son, I NEED to be there."
The group was surprised to hear his sentiment echoed, by Isabel. "He does need to go, and he will." No one dared to argue.
Liz recovered her composure. "Okay, then that's eight people. We have other things to figure out, now. Like money."
Jeff spoke up then. "Your mom and I have a bit saved. It can go to the trip. By the way, how are you gonna get there? I know you said road trip, but wouldn't a plane be faster?"
"It may be faster but it's less practical, if Alex or Tess is injured, we can't exactly take them to the nearest hospital, can we? Plus, two cars or even one van are a lot less conspicuous than eight people of various ages, getting on a plane as a group. It would raise too many questions." Kabo answered.
"Okay, makes sense."
"Uncle Jeff, we can't take your money. Between Sergei, myself and Kabo, we have plenty of money that won't arouse suspicion, if it's withdrawn quickly." Nika voiced firmly. Jeff looked rebellious at the idea but saw her point quickly.
"I have a van. It seats nine." Charles spoke. Liz and Maria smiled, before they shrieked loudly, "THE MYSTERY MACHINE!"
Surprised giggles were caught in throats at the cheerful sounds the girls made. Charles quickly explained to the confused how the old van had gotten it's name, after Alex and the girls had watched a marathon of Scooby-Doo cartoons on the Cartoon Network, when they were all 11 years old. The old green van was their favorite play space with all the seats removed and the funky old piece of orange shag carpet, Charles had put down in it. Charles had reassured the alarmed Kabo that the seats could be replaced and the carpet removed.
"And I can change the color and the plates." Max stated. Both girls looked mildly put out by the idea of changing the color on their old playhouse, but merely pouted slightly.
"Okay, that's transportation, money and people. That's the big stuff people, everyone who's going had better get a bag together." Liz said in a no-nonsense tone, before pulling Charles and Felicia aside to speak with them privately. Everyone else quickly disbursed to prepare.
"What's wrong, Liz? You're not angry that I insisted on coming are you?"
"No! Charles, you're like a second dad to me, I love you and Felicia. I understand your need to come along. I just thought that one or both of you should get a bag together for Alex as well."
Felicia brought a hand to her mouth, tears filling her reddened eyes. "I-I-I w-w-will d-d-d-do that-t." She stuttered out.
Liz pulled the distraught woman to her. "It's okay, honest. We ARE going to bring him back. I promise." Felicia melted into the young girl's embrace, nodding slightly.
"Okay. Now get to it. I think I heard Kabo say we were leaving within the hour."
An Hour Later:
Everyone gathered around the newly tan colored, formerly named Mystery Machine, van, hugging and saying goodbye. Nancy and Jeff hugged Liz and Max tightly, knowing in their hearts that the young man who stood so close to their daughter was the only man she would ever see. Philip and Diane, who had come to the same conclusion about Liz and Max, repeated the hugs. Felicia and Isabel were having a quick intense discussion, before Iz climbed into the van.
Soon everyone was loaded up, and the door closed. Liz looked at the faces of the other seven people and said brightly, "Let's ROLL!"
~:|:Prologue:|:Chapter 1:|:Chapter 2:|:Chapter 3:|:Chapter 4:|:Chapter 5:|:Chapter 6:|:Chapter 7:|:~
~:|:Chapter 8:|:Chapter 9:|:Chapter 10:|:Chapter 11:|:Chapter 12:|:Chapter 13:|:Chapter 14:|:~
They were on the road quickly, everyone except for Kabo, who was driving, turned to wave to those left behind. Soon though they grew to far away to see more than specks. Huge sighs were heard throughout the van, which had Kabo smothering a laugh. Looking into the rearview mirror, he caught Nika's eye.
"Nika, you should call your mother. I'm positive that Safati would like to know what's happening, since she couldn't be here. Also how long since you've talked to Yusef or Beline?" Kabo asked.
"Ugh, too long to count. They're always out when I call mom. I really miss them. . . okay, I'll call. It's late enough on a school night, everyone should be home." Nika pulled out her special cell phone and began dialing.
Safati: "Hello?"
Nika:"Mama?"
Safati: "Nika? Baby?"
Nika:"Yeah, it's me."
Safati: "Oh honey! It's wonderful to hear from you! Where are you? Is Sergei with you?"
Nika:"I'm on the road now, but I was just in Roswell. And yes, Sergei is with me."
Safati: "Does this mean that you're on your way to Crestone? You have the other children?"
Nika:"Uhm, not exactly."
Safati: "What do you mean?"
Nika:"Well, there's been some new developments." Nika explained to her mother, all that had occurred in the last 24 hours, including the road trip they were now on. Safati listened quietly with a growing sense of worry.
Safati: "Nika, are you properly equipped to handle this kind of rescue mission? I realize that you have no choice in this, but please, please, don't take unnecessary risks. It will do you, nor your brother, Alex, any good if you are harmed. He needs you whole, as do I."
Nika:"Mama, Kabo is with us, and he has always made it a rule that you can never be over-prepared. And I promise none of us shall take any unnecessary risks. Now tell me something wonderful."
Safati: "Well, your brother, Yusef, has been accepted to the Arts and Sciences Academy, for the summer term, in St. Petersburg."
Nika:"Please say that that is in Florida."
Safati: "Nope, Russia." Safati grinned broadly at the sound of her eldest daughter's groan.
Nika:"Yusef will be unbearably smug, for the rest of the year!" But Nika couldn't be more proud of her 13-yr. old, younger brother. He was a brilliant young man, the baby of the family, born only 3 yrs. before their father had died. Yusef was also undeniably the spitting image of the man who had been so joyous at his birth that he had taken out a full-page ad in the Orlando Times, to thank his wife for giving him a son.
Safati: "Yes that is true. But I have good news as well about Beline. She has been accepted into the early graduation track at her high school, and has been sent an acceptance letter from Harvard AND Oxford."
Nika:"That is amazing! Mama! Your children do you proud!" Beline, born five years after her older sister, was a charming mix of her mother's golden beauty and her father's dark-skinned elegance. She had the classic look of an Arabian princess and played it up highly, always surrounded by a bevy of eligible young men, but her somewhat shallow facade, hid her keen intellectual mind and fierce determination.
Safati: "Yes you do. Now, my darling, you have much to prepare for, as do I. I will be joining you in Crestone, as soon as I am able. I wish to see these young Royals, so as soon as Yusef is bound for Russia, Beline and I will be on a flight to Denver, and shortly on our way to Crestone." Nika sighed, hearing the stubborn note in her mother's voice, knowing nothing could change her mind.
Nika:"If you insist."
Safati: "I do. Now I must go, my princess, but be careful. Be safe, and take care of one another."
Nika:"We will, goodbye mama. I love you."
Safati: "And I you, my sweet. Until I see you."
The two women hung up their respective phones, both feeling relief at having heard the others voice, and the love in it.
"Kabo? My mother is coming to Crestone, in a few weeks, after she puts Yusef on a plane for St. Petersburg, she's bringing Beline."
Kabo smiled at his young queen, laughing silently to himself at how confident she sounded. As if there was no question whatsoever that they would all be there to greet her mother, in a few short weeks.
"Well, it has been awhile since I last saw Safati. It will be nice. Now, don't you think you and the others should try to rest? It's a long trip, and you all have been up for hours."
Nika glanced around the van, noting the exhaustion marking the faces of those around her, and agreed with Kabo. Soon the van was filled with the soft sounds of 5 sleeping young people as well as the soft snores of Charles.
~@~@~@~
Elsewhere:
Soft snoring also filled the cell which Alex and Tess were being held, Alex long since fallen asleep, hoping that he would once again be contacted by his beloved Isabel. Tess merely lay quietly, concentrating on the slight movements in her enlarged abdomen. Slowly but surely the soothing motion of her hand rubbing softly over the encased child, lulled her to sleep as well.
**DREAMWALK**
Tess couldn't imagine why she was dreaming about the Crashdown, usually she dreamt of the Valenti house, more specifically her and Kyle in her bed AT the Valenti house. It seemed that dreams were no longer her refuge. And she had a feeling she knew why . . . Isabel.
And there standing in the shadows, near the kitchen doors, stands Isabel. Tess can make out the glitter of tears, and then she and Isabel are standing next to the pod chamber, each holding one of the orbs.
"What are we doing here, Tess?"
Tess looks up at the other woman, shaking her head slightly."I don't know. I thought you had changed the dream."
"I can't do that, I can only really observe and interact, not change anything. I don't have that kind of power." Isabel pauses."Do you know what's happening? That I've spoken to Alex?"
Tess nods tensely."Yes, he told me. Did he tell you what . . . happened to both of us?"
Isabel looked deep into the other girl's eyes, and gave a half-shrug, half-nod.
"But you don't know whether or not to believe him, right? Cause of my powers, I could be mind warping him, right?"
Isabel glared at the other girl, before giving a curt nod."Yeah, that's right. But in here, you can't mind-warp, in here it's my powers that rule. SO I want you to tell me the truth, tell me what happened."
Tess agreed, knowing it was the only way to convince the other girl."Right after Copper Summit, I was taken from my room at the Valenti's. It was Nasedo, he was alive and very angry with me, he said that I had ruined everything he had been working on. He said that all his plans were destroyed, by what I had done to the Skins. He beat me to within an inch of my life; the only thing preventing him from killing me was the fact that without me, he had no back-up plan. What he told Max, when he was masquerading as me in the Granilith chamber, was true. He had bargained the life of any child of mine and Max's to return to Antar. What he didn't count on was me."
"What do you mean?" Isabel was confused.
"Nasedo didn't count on me forgetting about his plans, forgetting about Max. He expected that the indoctrination he had done on me as a child would hold true. That I would make it my mission to seduce Max, and make myself pregnant. However, I had other plans. Once I saw how in love Max and Liz were, I slowly found myself moving away from him, and finding a new place. With Kyle. I saw how you and Max and Michael had all fallen in love with humans, and at first I thought you were insane. You were exposing yourselves, all of us really, to great danger. But as time wore on, and I spent my days side by side with Kyle, I finally understood the attraction. Not just because they were humans, nor that it felt a bit forbidden, but that here were people, who did not share our heritage, merely our secret and were still by our side." Tess paused, her mind conjuring up images of Kyle, Maria, Liz and Alex. "Each one was loyal and true, faithful to us, kind and generous, and each stood by us without much in return. What's not to love?"
"Then why did you mind-warp us? I thought we were friends."
"Isabel, I can't stress enough, that it was NOT me. For months my body and mind were used against me, by Nasedo and by Nicholas. I fought against them, so did Alex, but nothing worked. We were helpless to stop them. And in the end, when Nasedo double warped Kyle, first with the image of me killing Alex, and then the faulty warp over that, I wasn't even in New Mexico, neither was Alex. We had been gone for close to a week at that point."
Isabel was stunned, as Tess showed her the events as she had seen them take place. Using her dreamscape as a canvas Tess was painting a picture of evil, evil perpetuated by a man, no a creature, who had been programmed to protect them. Isabel suddenly became aware that one or both of them was slowly waking.
"Tess, if what you're saying is true, then how can we defeat Nasedo and Nicholas? IF they have the power to use your own powers against you, then what can we do?"
"I have no clue, honestly. I only know that you should hurry. Cause Alex and I, we don't have much more time."
"Alex said the same thing. What do you mean, by that?"
Tess stood slowly from her chair behind a Crashdown table. Turning slightly, she rested a hand over her gravid belly, stroking it softly."Because in less than a week, Kyle is going to be a daddy."
**END DREAMWALK**
Isabel sat up from her lounging position in the van, gasping desperately for air. Ignoring the tears flowing freely from her eyes, she looked around at her startled friends.
"Kabo, I think you better speed a bit. It looks like we're on a definite time table."
~:|:Prologue:|:Chapter 1:|:Chapter 2:|:Chapter 3:|:Chapter 4:|:Chapter 5:|:Chapter 6:|:Chapter 7:|:~
~:|:Chapter 8:|:Chapter 9:|:Chapter 10:|:Chapter 11:|:Chapter 12:|:Chapter 13:|:Chapter 14:|:~
Everyone looked at Isabel's spooked face in askance. The tears continued to flow down her face, unheeded, and it was such a startling contrast from her usual uber-groomed self, that it was sincerely disturbing her family. Kabo sensed the concern and pulled to the side of the road so he could pay closer attention.
"What happened Is?" Liz asked, pulling the other girl into a quick hard hug, sensing that Is really needed it. Isabel hugged her back fiercely, wiping her eyes with a quick swipe, taking a deep breath as she faced the group.
"Uhm, well, I decided to try and dreamwalk Tess. To get the whole story. It's not that I don't trust what Alex told me, but he even admitted to being tortured, and I just . . .well I had to be sure." Isabel glanced around the car, taking in everyone's expressions.
Liz nodded, smiling reassuringly at Isabel. "It's okay Iz, I think we were all wondering about the same thing."
Max nodded too, taking his sisters hand, and looking her dead in the eye. "Iz, don't worry about that, we understand, completely. What we&'re worried about is what has you so anxious and crying."
Isabel took another deep breath and exhaled with a soft huff of sound. "Okay so I put my idea to work, and dreamwalked Tess. I entered her dream, as she sat alone in the Crashdown, she knew right away that I was in her dream. She had talked with Alex, so she knew that we are coming, and knew that I had my doubts about her, because of her powers. It was kinda odd really."
"What?" Asked Kyle, his body seemed extremely tense, as he held himself from shaking Isabel, to get her to hurry with her story.
"Well, she seemed real resigned, not in the least upset with me. Or any of us. Said she understood why I was concerned." Isabel looked at Kyle, knowing she need to address most of what happened in the 'walk, to him. He merely held her gaze, never leaving her face. "She told me that right after Copper Summit, she had been taken from her room at the Valenti's, by Nasedo. He apparently was furious with her, told her she had ruined his plans, then he . . ." Isabel stopped, hesitant to continue her eyes turning down, unable to look at Kyle further. Kyle wouldn't have any of it, and pulled her face up, making her eyes connect with his, and silently ordered her to resume. She did without question.
"He beat her, badly." Isabel stated, baldly. Everyone gasped slightly. "She said that he only stopped short of killing her, because his back up plan required her. He need her mindwarping powers, he had to convince Max and all of us to access the Granilith. Which he did by using Tess' abilities and mindwarping Max into thinking he had slept with Tess, and that she had gotten pregnant, and that the baby would die here on earth."
"But in reality, he was merely stealing the Granilith. The rest of what Nasedo as Tess said, at the chamber, before he took off was true. He had brokered a deal with Kivar, but he was double-crossing him as well, with Nicholas, just like Alex told me before."
"How do you know she isn't lying?" Sergei asked quietly.
"One of the benefits of dreamwalking is that my powers are dominant in that environment. I can see things about a person that they would never admit even to themselves. It's how we," And Isabel points to herself and Max. "Knew we could trust people. I could go into a dream and find out a person really felt. What they really were, too."
"It's one of our best defenses. Preemptive strike and all that." Max said. "Isabel continue."
"She said she wasn't even in New Mexico, neither was Alex, when Kyle was supposedly carrying Alex's body to his car. They had been gone for over a week. Nasedo double warped Kyle, the first, of Kyle carrying Alex, believing he was a piece of luggage, was a deep warp, as Tess explained to me, something that's almost impossible to break, unless the person warping does it. Over that, Nasedo placed a temporary and faulty warp, one that would break down quickly. She said that this way it would further break apart the already fragile group. He apparently wanted to make sure she had nothing left, sever all ties."
"What aren't you telling us, cause none of this would make you cry the way you were." Max questioned, his tone concerned.
"You're right. In fact if anything I was relieved. But give me a minute, there's more, just be patient." Isabel scolded her brother lightly. Max smiled, knowing that if Iz was in a scolding mood, she had recovered from whatever it was that had spooked her.
"Okay where was I? Oh, yeah. Well with Nasedo having severed all ties to us, Nicholas had taken Tess and Alex to the location they're at now." Isabel paused, gathering her thoughts. "It was interesting. She wasn't what I expected, after months of hating her. She seemed resigned, sad even. She told me something I wasn't expecting, she told me how at first she was angry with us, cause of our ties to humans. That she had been, what was the word, uhm, indoctrinated, that we were supposed to be together, and seeing us with humans, well was like sinful or something. But as she watched us, how strong we were, without full-strength powers, but with the support of the humans around us, she felt her resolve weaken. And gradually she gave in."
"What does that mean? Gave in?" Liz was staring at Isabel, aware that Kyle had started fiercely, but unwilling to tear her gaze from the other girl.
Isabel looked slightly uncomfortable. "Uhm, well, she. . ."
"She and I slept together. More than that, though, I think we were, almost, in love." Kyle blurted out.
"WHAT?!" Screeched Max and Liz.
"Whoa, guys, calm down! Let me explain okay?"
Isabel cut off Kyle, knowing she had to get what she had seen in her dream out first. "Kyle, let me finish, first." Kyle nodded, not really knowing how he would have explained anyway.
"As I was saying, she, uhm connected with Kyle. And she began to treasure that, which is why Nasedo was so upset. What threw me for a loop, wasn't that, since I had had a feeling that Kyle was feeling some less than brotherly feelings for Tess, it was what happened right before I woke up."
"What happened?" It was Nika's turn to interrupt.
"Tess stood up." At everyone's puzzled expressions, Isabel hastened to explain. Pinning Kyle with her gaze, she spoke softly. "When Tess stood, I could clearly see she was very pregnant."
~@~@~@~
Elsewhere:
Tess sat up with difficulty, heaving herself to the side, and upright, with fierce determination. She stood and walked to the small window, her thoughts caught up in the dream she had just awoke from.
Choosing to let Alex continue sleeping, Tess was caught up in her contemplation of the moon, scarcely remembering what it felt like to have a clear view of it and the stars. Or the feel of the wind or sun on her face . . .
Not sure why she did it, Tess bowed her head, clasping her hands to herself, and began praying for the first time in her life. Not aloud but with quiet intensity, she prayed for the safety of her unborn child and for her heart friend, Alex. She didn't notice but never once did she include herself in those prayers.
With a frightening suddenness the door to the cell swung open, sickly yellow light pouring in through the open doorway. Alex jolted awake, as Tess swung her ungainly body around. There in the corridor stood Nicholas, smirking evilly.
"Well well, Your Highness, you're looking remarkably . . .disgusting, today." Nicholas smarmed.
"Nicholas, what do you want? Haven't you done enough, to us both?" Alex demanded, his hands clenched tightly to hide their trembling.
Nicholas glared at the filthy human before him, raising his hand and striking the insolent creature with a sharp blast of power. Alex went down in a heap, severely stunned. Tess could only shudder in fear at the look in Nicholas' eyes, cold and dead. She clutched her belly in defense, sending up another prayer in defense of her child and Alex.
"Not nearly enough, you piece of scum! Now stand up." Nicholas demanded. Once Alex stood shakily, reaching out a hand to grasp onto Tess, Nicholas took a strange object out of his pants pocket. Grinning at the puzzled look on his two captives' faces, he twirled the object from hand to hand.
"Wondering what it is I could possibly want with you? So am I. But Nasedo and I discussed it, and figured that you're worth far more alive than dead. But since you've decided to risk your families and yourselves by communicating with them, we also decided that measures should be taken to prevent its continuance." Nicholas revealed the object, a small syringe filled with a strange silvery liquid.
Tess blanched in fear, her grip on Alexs' hand tightening, not that Alex noticed, for he too trembled in fear.
"Not to worry, Highness, I've been assured the serum will not harm that precious bundle of yours, my physicians tell me it is specifically for Antarians." Nicholas smirked evilly then, "Oh, of course! You're not a REAL Antarian, merely a hybrid. And your child, a human . . . Who knows what could happen?"
Alex made a move as if to rush the diminutive Skin, but was struck unconscious by a swift wave of Nicholas' hand. Tess backed herself slowly into the far corner, as Nicholas advanced on her, but it was of no use. As the syringe plunged into her arm, releasing a portion of the vile substance, Tess cried out, her voice and mind echoing only one thought.
"KYLE!"
~@~@~@~
Kyle looked like he had been hit in the back of the head with a 2x4. Isabel reached out to grab his hand with her own. "Kyle, Tess had a message for us. She said that we had to hurry, that in a week you're gonna be a dad."
Max looked away from Kyle, feeling a sense of loss at Isabel's words. Liz saw his expression and simply pulled him into a hug, knowing that despite the circumstances, and who the mother was supposed to be, he had cared a great deal for his supposed child. Max held onto Liz, whispering softly into her ear. "It&'s okay, Liz. I'm okay. I'm not upset, not really, cause knowing that it was all a mindwarp, means that I never betrayed you. I didn't sleep with someone else."
Liz simply hugged him tighter, wishing that the stigma of betrayal did not taint their relationship, on either side.
Sergei and Nika exchanged glances, before turning to glare at Liz. Knowing what had happened with her and Future Max, they both felt it was time for her to explain herself. Liz tried to ignore their silent interrogation, but soon everyone noticed their intense stares, and turned questioningly to her.
To Be Continued. . .