Chapter Nine "Oh my God," Isabel put her hand to her mouth and I searched Michael's eyes. "Michael, no." I stepped towards him and shook my head. "We were wrong. This is all wrong." "We have to, I have to…" He looked over his shoulder at the open door. "Tess." "Not like this. This is all fucking wrong. Okay? There is nothing right about this. We have to do something else. We can't break in and get her when they're inviting us in." "Maria's right," Isabel whispered. "It's a fucking set up Michael." I whispered harshly at him. "If we go in we're all dead." "Tess is in-" Max pointed towards the open door and I knocked his hand down. I pointed in his face as I spoke through clenched teeth. "Max, shut the fuck up! Do you really think Tess would want us all to get killed trying to save her? I know Tess is in there, but if we march in with their fucking welcome, then we all die. Do you want to die tonight Max? No, actually, you'll be cut open and examined. You want that for yourself and your sister?" I knew I was being mean, but I had to say it. I had to make him understand who he was dealing with. "Got it?" He relented and I think he understood what I was trying to say. This wasn't a brush with the local law, this was Section. "You're right." "Thank you," I smiled sarcastically. "And I just became captain of this team." Ha! I knew I'd win in the long run. I turned back to Michael and he was nodding. "Well?" "You're right," he said softly. "We're gone if we go in like this. They know I'm here but they can't know about the rest of you." In the middle of a crisis, he still smiles at me. "Well, they might know about you." I shook my head and smiled back. "We have to regroup. We have to rethink this and then go in, right?" I don't know why I was asking anyone anything. After all, I was the captain. "Is there another way in?" Max asked. "Several." Michael looked over his shoulder again. "This could just be a coincidence." The door shut as we watched. I rolled my eyes. "Yeah. Okay." He smiled at me. "I know. We're coming back tonight. In a few hours. I have to look at the floor plan again. Let's go." So here we go away from Section. They know Michael's here and we're walking away. This was not right either. We couldn't walk away and come back later. That was a stupid idea, although it was Michael's, it was still stupid. Us not going in was my idea, but that was stupid too. Damn! I stopped walking and stood still with my hands on my hips. Eventually the others stopped too and looked at me. "Maria?" Michael said slowly and I think he saw the gleam of adventure in my eyes. Either that or the sudden fear evident in my wet underarms. "Maria." "Fuck this." I shook my head and I think I might have smiled. "We're not going to back away now. So they know we're here? So what?" I stood my ground and actually rewrote everything I had said minutes before. That was the new Maria talking back there. The one who wanted safety and comfort. This was the old Maria now. The one who wanted to push it as far as it would go. Maybe it wasn't exactly the old me, but was the new and improved new me. "I think she's right." Max said quietly and oh God, walked over and stood next to me. See, I knew we were on the same team. But I was captain, damn it! "Me too," Isabel said without conviction. I sensed the fear in her and I couldn't blame her. I was scared too. Okay, I was more pissed than scared. She stepped towards Max and me. Michael shook his head and bit his lower lip. "I swear, sometimes…" I could only imagine what he was going to say next. "So, Michael. You in?" I cocked my hip to the side and pursed my lips. I winked and I knew I had him. I'd always be able to get him. He stepped towards us and then swung around, a previously unseen gun was now in his hand. It was pointed at a familiar face. Well, two familiar faces. "What the fuck are you doing here?" Max demanded looking at his fiancé standing next to Kyle Valenti. "Hi," Liz Parker waved and I laughed. I knew she'd show up here. Well, not exactly here here. Isabel had been right. "Max-" He walked to her and pulled her by the arm out of our earshot. I cringed knowing she was going to get a tongue lashing, and not the good kind either. I looked to Kyle and saw that face and wanted to hug him. Being someone who usually does what she wants, I did. "What are you doing here and how did you find us?" "Liz," he looked nervously at Michael. "She got into Sections mainframe." "How?" Michael asked slowly while putting the gun back into an undisclosed location. Gun? Where in the hell did he get a gun from? "From the other night, she paid attention and got in." He said slowly. "Well, that and Alex left her a copy of the files to work on while we were gone in case…You know." "She got in." Michael smiled and looked over at the couple who were arguing. I could tell that from all the hand gestures from both parties. Whew! Glad I wasn't over there. "Yeah," Kyle nodded. "I don't know what she knows exactly, but you're still in the computer." "I'm sorry?" "Still in their system? I don't know." Kyle fidgeted and I felt sorry for him. I looped my arm through his and gave him a smile. "She blocked you with some thing but the retina thing is good. Fuck! I don't know, you'll have to ask her." Michael nodded. "Liz, could you come here for a minute please?" Kyle and I watched as Liz came over with Max trailing behind her. He was fuming. I guess I would be too if I were him. Thank God I'm not. I stepped away from the group and was surprised when Kyle and Isabel joined me. "Are we going in or what?" Isabel asked. "I don't know." I shrugged. "I have no idea. If Michael finds out from Liz what she learned…Fuck! I don't know!" "I thought you were the captain," Isabel smiled and I laughed. The three of us watched as Liz talked animatedly to Michael. Max stood next to her and nodded occasionally. Michael smiled and I knew this was all a good. Liz Parker had come through for us. They walked over to us and Michael took my hand. "We're coming back tomorrow." He nodded. "Liz, wonderful Liz, has hacked into Section. What Section said couldn't be done, Liz did." "Alex started it for me. I just found a loophole…" Even in the dark I knew she was blushing. "I have to see what she has to show me before we go back." Michael led me towards the way we came. He bent and kissed my cheek. "You're still the captain, but this way we'll be more prepared. Okay?" "Sure," I shrugged. "One more night at a hotel with you, I can deal. I don't know if I'll be dressed as cool for a new adventure, but I'll probably be able to come up with something." "I'm sure you will." He looked down at my chest and I felt my nipples harden. Sometimes it only takes a look. We walked back through the maze of alleys and side streets to the public lot. Max and Liz opted for the other rental car. We piled in and went back to the hotel. I think each of us was thinking the same thing. A slight relief that we didn't have to deal with Section tonight. I hoped this delay wouldn't be harmful for Tess. When we got to the hotel, Isabel went to the room she shared with Alex and promised she'd meet up with us for breakfast. Everyone else came to our room. Michael and Liz huddled over her laptop and I could tell from the expression on Michael's face that he was excited. Max sat on one bed while Kyle and I sat on the other and flipped channels on the TV. Okay, he flipped and I watched like three seconds of everything that was on. I glanced over at Michael periodically and I saw Max doing the same. This went on until well after two in the morning. When Kyle, Liz and Max finally left our room I didn't even ask what Michael had learned. Maybe I could share my captain chair with him. We could be co-captains. Michael was almost giddy and I knew he would tell me everything, but there was no rush. The only rush I was concerned about was how fast I could get Michael out of those leather pants. He locked the room door and then turned my way. He un-tucked his shirt and pulled it over his head. I watched in amazement as always. That chest would always get me. I kicked off my shoes and took a step towards him. I slid my shirt over my head and tossed it at Michael and laughed. There we were standing in the middle of the hotel room both only clad in leather pants. Mine came off first and I stood in front of him letting him look at me. He had that wicked little smile on his face as he undid his black on black belt. The lights were on and I wanted to keep them on. I wasn't shy, at all, and I liked to look at Michael as much as he liked to look at me. Our relationship was perfect. He kicked off his shoes and slid those leather pants off. I still don't know where he was hiding the gun. I stepped towards him and our bodies melded together. Our lips met and his hands slid down my back resting on the small of it. His fingers traced imaginary lines and I felt the heat rising inside of me. There was no other place in the world I would rather be than in Michael's arms. It didn't matter to me if we were on a beach or not. As long as we had each other I was happy. I ran my hands through his hair and said a silent thank you for him not getting it cut. Our tongues coursed over each other's and when he broke away from me I almost screamed. I didn't but sighed instead when his lips found their way to my neck and the sensitive skin just above my shoulder blade. "I love you Sweet Maria," he whispered into the hollow of my neck. "God, I love you too, baby." I closed my eyes as he lifted me off the ground. I will never tire of him carrying me. That alone makes me feel like a princess in a fairy tale. Something I never felt like before. I was a princess to him. He carried me to the bed and laid me down. He stood in front of me drinking me in with his eyes. He seemed to be memorizing every inch of my body. That smile was still on his lips and I couldn't wait to suck it off. He lowered himself to me and I reached for him. I felt his body quiver when I touched him. Still so shy sometimes, my Michael. Still bashful with me on occasion. I let all of my inhibitions go when I'm with him; but sometimes I feel like he's holding back. There was still so much for him to learn from me. And I was so willing to teach. I guided him inside of me and felt the tingles. Each time was new for me. Each time he was inside of me I felt closer to him. He was mine. He really did belong to me and I to him. There was nothing in the world that could ever keep us apart and I went to sleep each night with that knowledge. I'm sure that was one of the reasons the nightmares never came back. He thrust so deep inside of me that I yelped. He smiled and rolled onto his side taking me with him. We laid on our sides face to face and the intimacy was so strong. This was where all my dreams came true. This was the place that storybook romances were born from. This was bliss. I held his hair off his forehead as our eyes never broke their gaze from each other. Our breathing became synchronized and we were one. Two people sharing the same heart. "Michael," I whispered. "Maria," he whispered back. He broke the gaze first and wrapped his arms around me pulling our bodies even closer. We quit all moving and laid together as one. Neither of us wanting to break away. Neither of us wanting to move from the place we loved. "I love you," we said it at the same time and smiled. A thought of this being our last night together hit me like a bullet train. * * * Chapter Ten When I woke up I was alone. The sun was up and I was literally alone. Michael was no where to be found. I sat up and noticed a note on his pillow: Sweet Maria. I'm downstairs with the others in the restaurant having breakfast. I couldn't wake you. You looked so peaceful. Join us. Always, Michael. Breakfast? Did he seriously go to breakfast and not wake me up? I got out of bed and grabbed a pair of shorts and one of Michael's long sleeved shirts from our suitcases. I got dressed and nearly screamed when I looked in the mirror at my hair. Sleeping in a ponytail? Not a good. I pulled the strip of suede out and saw Michael's Braves hat on the bureau. I put it on and felt like I was twelve again. After a quick brushing of my teeth I ventured downstairs and found my party as their food was being served. I looked at Michael's plate of pancakes and salivated. "I didn't want to wake you," he smiled and cut off a piece of pancake for me. I took it off the fork and took my seat next to him. I looked at Kyle and man, did he look tired. I wonder how his night with Max and Liz went. Poor Kyle. The woman he might be in love with was being held prisoner and he had to spend the night cooped up in a room with those too. "Maria," Isabel touched my hand across the table. "We were talking about tonight. Liz was telling the rest of us what she told Michael already. Pretty cool, huh?" I must have had the confused dog look again. "Didn't Michael tell you?" Alex asked and raised his eyebrows at me as a knowing smile came into view. "Ahhh… Never mind." "Would someone just fucking tell me?" I rolled my eyes and called a waitress over. Our waitress? I don't know. I ordered a big breakfast and sipped Michael's orange juice while I waited for it. "I got into Section's computer network," Liz said from across the table. "Michael's information is still there. It wasn't deactivated when he was presumed dead. Rena's files are still pretty much locked as well as Michael's fathers. But as for Michael himself? I think he could have walked into Section last night and had the same security clearance as before. He wasn't touched." Shit, did I really fuck up last night? First we don't go in then we do then we don't. "So, Michael could have found Tess last night?" I shook my head and felt guilty. I couldn't face any of them. "No, Maria." Michael put his hand on my arm. "It's not definite. Section could be making it look like they forgot about my security and then strike. We have no way of knowing that." "Was there a trigger effect of some kind that sent off warning bells when Michael did the eyeball thing?" "I blocked any recourse from the scan," Liz said all professionally and she was beginning to grow on me a little more. Plus she did have to put up with Mr. Egomaniacal Max all the time, gotta give the girl a little credit for that. I would have turned him into hat by now if I were her. "Good thing you showed up in DC, huh?" I smiled and raised my eyebrows in Max's direction. Either he wasn't paying attention or he was ignoring me. I was banking on the latter. She smiled demurely, she could do that, I couldn't. I listened to incessant computer babble for the next twenty minutes. I understood not even half of what she was saying. As long as the others got it, I was good. When I eventually asked if I was still in Sections network, or whatever, she didn't answer me right away and I got nervous. "Well?" I pressed and set my fork down. "Not exactly," she looked at Michael and I assume he nodded. Damn straight, he better not keep things from me. "You're deceased. Your profile ended when you left Section." When I left Section? "Fuck me! They were going to kill me regardless, weren't they?" I demanded and looked at Michael. I saw the answer in his eyes; I didn't need a verbal confirmation. Those fuckers were going to kill me no matter what happened in Roswell. See, now it was real fucking personal. I was done eating. Another bite of anything would have made me gag. My stomach was in knots and I was getting more and more pissed by the minute. I needed to relax, I needed to chill out or I was going to snap. After breakfast Isabel and I did a little shopping while the boys and Liz played computer hacker geeks. Isabel didn't get into the whole computer thing either. I guess the men were in charge of the planning for our raid on Section this evening. Hopefully it would go just a little bit better that the last time. A door opens and we all freak out. Yeah, I would be scared of us too. "Do you think this is going to work? Us just waltzing in, finding Tess and getting back out?" Isabel asked nervously while I tried on a pair of black boots. "I'm sure we'll be fine. They weren't waiting for us; they just never took Michael out of their network. Maybe they were waiting for the prodigal son to return." I shrugged. "You never know with these secret government places." I tried to make light of the situation and keep her slipping confidence up. That's what captains were for. I ended up buying the boots along with a cute little black shirt that would look awesome with my leather pants. So I was shopping for a little B&E and so I was going to wear the same pants as last night. So what. If I was getting arrested or worse I was going to look good. I talked Isabel into buying some lingerie promising Alex would go crazy for it. All men went crazy for lingerie. I didn't own much, but I still didn't wear much. We got back to the hotel around dinnertime and found the others in my room. There was a plan and we weren't backing down tonight. Tonight we really were going into Section. The plan was set in stone by nine o'clock. None of us ate dinner except Kyle who ordered room service; nerves were getting too rattled. I tried to remain the pillar, but it was damn hard looking at the faces of Alex, Liz and Kyle. They weren't going. They were going to have to wait it out and wonder. By ten we were ready to go. Isabel was back in black with those dressy boots on, Max got with the program and was in basic black. He didn't look nearly as good as Michael did in black, but hey, who did? Michael and I were the leather pants twins again. He had on a long sleeve shirt this time and I wore my new one along with my new boots. They were comfortable for now, I hoped they stayed that way. We said our good-byes and I saw the faraway look in Kyle's eyes. "Don't worry about us Kyle, we'll be fine." "I made you promise me you'd come back last night," he hugged me. "I'm making you promise it again." "I-" "Don't make a promise you can't keep," he whispered in my ear. I met his eyes and nodded. "I'm coming back, okay? We're all coming back and we're toting along that little blond thing you have the hots for, okay?" He blushed and I kissed his cheek. "I don't want to lose you Maria." "You think I'll give up without a fight?" I smiled but my heart ached. I didn't want to lose Kyle. "I know you'll fight," he motioned to the aliens going with me. "Take care of them, okay? If Max gives you hard time, kick him in the balls and take him out. Okay?" I smiled but I wasn't sure if he was joking or not. We said our good byes to the ones staying behind and we were off. We were going to try it again. Back to Section. I wanted to put more emphasis into it, but after last night I couldn't. Michael drove and we parked in the same parking lot as before. He snaked us through alleys and side streets. I held on to his hand with a grip so tight that I wondered why he wasn't saying anything. Isabel and Max stayed close on our heels. We arrived at the same nondescript door and Michael slid the same brick back. If I didn't know better I'd say I was having déjà vu. Everything was like it was last night. Nothing was out of place, nothing out of order. I didn't have a sinking feeling in my gut and that was a big good. Liz Parker really did come through for us and I was her biggest fan right now. I hoped she hadn't fucked up somewhere along the way and got us all killed. If she did, I swear I would come back and haunt the hell out of her. We stood behind Michael as he retinal scanned. I do believe I was the only one with my hand on that leather-clad ass though. The door clicked and the buzzer sounded. I hated the buzzer. Michael reached for my hand and the four of us went into Section. Liz had gotten a general idea where Tess might be, in something called the 'containment area'. If that didn't make her sound like a lab rat I don't know what would. We were on the other side of Section, probably as far away from the containment area as we could get. That meant going through the entire fucking place before we got to where we thought she was. It wasn't even positive that's where she was. But we had to start somewhere and Liz was pretty sure that's where we'd find her. Michael took the lead and I was at his back. Just like I told him, I'd always have his back. Isabel was behind me and Max behind her. We looked like a little parade of Zorro wannabes. Sad, but true. The steel gray hallways looked as I remembered them. Cold, oppressive and confining. I was fighting the urge to slide back into the state of frenzy I had been in when I was first here. I know I was breathing harder, but I couldn't help it. Being back inside of Section was surreal. We were getting close to my old hamster cage and I wondered if there was a new operative living, or being confined, in there. Michael squeezed my hand and looked over his shoulder at me. He winked and mouthed 'I love you'. I didn't have time to react, Fuck! I didn't see it coming. A bright light blinded us from all sides and I dropped Michael's hand to shield my eyes. I heard Isabel scream and Max swear. I tried to find Michael but the light was too fucking bright. "Michael!" I yelled but I didn't get an answer. I reached around for him but he was gone. Michael was just gone. "Michael!" That's the last thing I can remember. I felt something on the back of my head and I was out. Chapter Eleven I could feel the softness of pliable flesh under my head. I reached around for Michael and felt denim. Denim? I sat up and felt the nausea. I looked in back of me. It was Isabel and she was crying. I looked around the room and everything started to fall into place. Section. We were at Section and there was a bright light and Michael…Michael? "Where's Michael?" I demanded. Isabel shrugged. "Maria-" "What the fuck happened?" I felt light throbbing on the back of my skull. I looked around the small room and saw the door. I went to it and it was locked. Of course it was locked, there wasn't even a fucking handle on this side. Fuck! I looked to Isabel who was on the floor; her knees pulled up to her chest. "Isabel." I sat down and took a few deep breaths. "What happened?" "There was a light," she said in a voice much calmer than I expected. "A bright light. I couldn't see anything." Okay, I remembered the light. "Then the light was gone and you were on the floor and Max and Michael were gone." "Both of them are gone?" I stood up and paced the small confining room. Michael was gone. Section had their prodigal son back but God only knows what they were doing to him. I smelled a set-up and I was thinking if that Liz Parker was involved she was going to get her ass kicked. But Max was gone too. Fuck! "Tell me what happened?" "The light went out and I was trying to adjust my vision and I saw you on the floor. Max and Michael…" Isabel shook her head and I felt for her. "You were carried in here and I was led in, they shut the door and I patched you up. We've only been in here about ten minutes." "Who brought us in here?" I had to know what to do. This was all me now. This was all Maria. "Three men in black, I couldn't see them that well…" She stood and faced me. "What can we do Maria? Where are Max and Michael?" I didn't have a fucking clue what to do. Not a clue. I started to pace again and I think a light bulb popped over my head. If there wasn't one there literally, then there should have been because I was a damn genius. "Alien mojo, Isabel. Can you get us out of this room?" Isabel looked around and nodded hesitantly. "I think so. I can open the door but I can't knock down all the walls, well, not alone." She halfway smiled at me and I was glad it was her stuck in this prison with me. "Then what Maria? What do we do if we get the door open and there's a hundred armed men outside?" "Duck?" I shrugged. "I don't know Isabel but we can't stay in here and wait for them to come back. They know who I am, but maybe they don't know about you. Who knows what the fuck they know?" I threw my arms in the air and went back to pacing. "We have to get out of here, so go ahead and do your thing." Isabel nodded. I watched her with admiration. She walked to the door and placed her hand on it where the doorknob should be. A strange indigo light permeated through her hand and into the door. I stepped back and watched as the door slowly popped open. She stepped back and together we opened it the rest of the way. There was nothing waiting for us on the other side. That was a good. I think. I was having a hard time telling the difference between a good and a not good lately. "Maria?" She whispered and took my hand. I know we must have looked like two grade-school girls out in the dark for the first time. Holding hands and watching our step, scared of the bogeyman who was undoubtedly waiting for us around each and every corner. I led her slowly up a corridor I know I have never been through before. This was apparently a part of Section that I hadn't been privy to during my last stay here. "How far did we walk to the room?" I asked. "Only for a minute, maybe a few seconds more." "Any steps?" "No, a slight decline on the way there, though." She pointed to the inclining floor in front of us. "Like this." "So you think we're going back the way we came?" "I think so," she looked down the corridor in the other direction. "No. This is definitely it. I think after the next turn we should be where the lights went on." "Any idea what that light was?" "Something to blind us I assume," she shrugged. "It worked, didn't it?" "Sure as hell did," I stopped walking and faced her. "Thanks for doing your thing on me, Isabel." "No problem, I needed my captain back." She smiled. I shook my head. "I'm not really captain material…" "Bullshit." She whispered harshly. "You're a hell of a good leader, look how easily you got all that important information from me. If were up to me I would have been sitting in that stupid room until they came for me. You're it Maria. I'd tell you that you were the man, but it would be oddly inappropriate." I wanted to burst out laughing but figured that would probably give us away. I was kind of surprised that the alien mojo trick didn't do it. We walked a little further down the hall and heard voices. "Shit," I said under my breath as we froze. The voices were close but seemed to be getting further away. I picked up a little car racing talk and sighed. "Getting any vibes where they be holding Michael and Max?" "I can't feel them," she shook her head. "I never can, really. I wish I could be more help Maria, but…" "Whatever," I smiled at her and led her forward. She had been right. This was the place the lights came on. I shielded my eyes just in case, but there was nothing. Just an empty hallway. The sterile steely walls were just as we had left them minutes ago. I looked around and wanted to cry. This was where I had last seen Michael. I was holding his hand and then he was gone. "Now what?" Isabel leaned into me and whispered. "Do we go in further or try the door to get out?" Options? I hadn't thought about options before. I wasn't all that familiar with the term. Stay and look for Michael or get the fuck out and run like hell. "We stay." I saw the worried look on her face and was quite sure it matched mine. "For a few minutes at least." She nodded and I knew she'd back me up on whatever came our way. She may have been Michael's back-up in some otherworldly alien-type life but today, she was mine. We walked down the main hall and I tried to remember the maps. Michael had all the information on him so I was going at it from memory. I remember we were as far away from the 'containment area' as humanly, or alienly, possible. I didn't want to go in much further without having some type of clue as to where we were going. If only we had… "Holy shit!" I stopped walking and I think scared Isabel. "Last night Alex gave me a little computer thingy," I looked at her and the blank stare I got back was not exactly what I was looking for. "I guess you don't have it?" She shook her head and I wanted to cry. I didn't have it either. So either Michael or Max did and they were gone or it was back at the hotel. Okay, my money was on that it was back at the hotel. "Fuck." I couldn't even come up with anything better to say. "I don't know what to do." I shook my head. "I can't leave Michael in here." "I know," she looked around the hallway. "We need help Maria, I don't know if we can do this alone or not. We need the others." The others? No way. I was not going to put Kyle in the thick of this. Not a chance. Alex? I didn't know him all that well, if Isabel thought he could do it…Liz? I was back to not being all that sure about Liz. I didn't know if I trusted her or not. "Not Alex, though…" Isabel trailed off. Damn! We were on the same page. "Kyle I don't know...And Liz? Does it, never mind." "Seem too convenient that she just showed up and told us what we had to do to get in and then we walk right into a fucking ambush?" I finished the thought for her. Trust me, that had crossed my mind about a billion times in the last few minutes. "I can't even imagine that Liz could have…Any of this. Plus Max is gone, too." Isabel shook her head. "I mean, I've known Liz forever and I don't think she's got it in her to be like this." "You know her better than I do, so I back you on this." And I did. I trusted Isabel's judgement. Hell, she picked me for a friend didn't she? I glanced down the hallway and saw a camera. It was scanning the area slowly and facing away from us, for the moment. Damn! I pointed to it. "Can you do that? You know," I waved my hands in the air. Isabel smiled and walked underneath the camera staying close to the wall. She stood on her tippy-toes and touched the bottom of the moving lens. In about a second it wasn't moving anymore. Rock on! She grinned and walked back to me, an air of confidence was all around her. I hope she'd share it. We stared at each for a few seconds and then I cocked my head in the opposite direction of the door. "A few minutes? See if we come up with anything; if not, we try to leave." "Sure," Isabel nodded and took my arm. When I looked at her she smiled. "You go down, I go with you." Now that's what I liked to hear. "How are the boots? Still comfortable?" "Yeah, soft leather I guess." I nodded as we walked down the scary corridor. Things became almost familiar to me as we neared where my hamster cage was. I knew the way to there from where we were, but not much else. I could get us to Rena's office, but why in the hell we would want to go there? And I could get us to the gym. "I don't know where we're going." "Okay." "I need the map, damn it I need the map!" I looked around the corridor and felt like screaming the same way I had when I woke up in this dreadful place. It had seemed like years ago, but now, being inside again, it seemed like yesterday. "Fuck it." "Fuck what?" I looked at her and giggled. Hearing something so vulgar coming out of her mouth was just plain funny. "We have to get out of here." As I said it, I hated myself. I didn't want to leave Michael here by himself. I knew he was alive, I could feel he was alive. But we weren't equipped to deal with this. We didn't even have a gun. Sure, we had Isabel and me but…Yeah, fuck it. "Are we coming back?" "Of course," I wanted to thwack her on the forehead for that stupid question. "I need to know where we're going. I need Alex's help, and Liz's I suppose. I have to know what they know about Section," I cursed at myself and my stupidity of not paying attention, letting Michael know all of the information while I lounged around the room. Now I needed that information to get him back. Fuck! And he was coming back to me. He was going to return to me. So help me God, there was nothing that was going to keep me from finding him, but I couldn't go off all half-cocked either. I needed to know about Section and their security. I needed help. "Can we get back in if we can get out?" "Maria, I've been opening doors since I was six. There isn't a door made that I can't get through." Isabel put her hands on her hips. "So we go, we learn and we come back and get them all out?" I nodded. We walked back the way we came and at the door, Isabel did her thing and we were out into the DC air in a few seconds. No alarms, bells or whistles went off so I assumed we made the great escape. I didn't know if we were doing the right thing or not. They'd know we were gone when they came for us. Maybe they would think we just left and don't plan on returning. Well, I guess Section has another thing coming if they think that. We're coming back as soon as I know what to do. We're coming back and we're going to kick some serious ass to get to Michael. I was all high-strung and the adrenaline from my personal pep talk was pumping, but you could have knocked me over with a fucking feather when we got outside and I saw what was waiting for us. * * * Michael's head hung, his chin on his chest. His shirtsleeves were ripped and he was siting upright in a chair, his arms and legs were bound to the chair with metal strips making him immobile. He didn't flinch as a needle punctured his skin. Chapter Twelve "Max!" Isabel cried and ran to her brother. I stared at Max Evans and wanted to punch someone. I swear if Michael was set up I was killing everyone. "What the fuck are you doing out here?" I asked and tried to keep my voice even. So I was clenching my fists at the same time, so what? He walked towards me and I got even more pissed. "The light, the bright light…" "Yeah, yeah, we all saw the light. What are you doing out here and more importantly, do you have any of the maps?" No," he shook his head and I could see the sweat on his forehead glistening in the streetlight's beam. "Michael had everything." "So how are you out here?" I watched as Isabel stood in-between us. I knew her loyalties would lay with her brother, okay I thought that, I wasn't really sure about anything anymore. The only thing I knew for a fact was that Michael was still inside Section with Tess and we were outside. Not a good. "When the light went on I stumbled back down the hall and made it to the door. I got out here the same way as you did, I suppose." He looked to his sister and she nodded. "So, you just ran away and left us in there?" I knew my blood pressure was rising and if Max started smoking I was probably going to rip that nicotine goodie right out of his mouth and smoke it myself. "I didn't know what was going on." He was trying to defend himself now. "I just acted on what I thought was right. I was hoping you all were behind me." "Yeah, well we weren't." I kicked at imaginary rocks. "Michael's still in there." I stepped away from them and tried to collect my thoughts. A) I didn't trust Max very much right now and B) that Liz Parker better have a damn excuse for everything otherwise she was going to meet my new boots up close and personal. I stepped back to them. "We have to go." "Go?" Max looked at me and it took every bit of self-control I've ever had not to smack him. "Yeah, we have to go back to the hotel and look at the damn maps and I have to know what Liz and Alex know. I have to know everything so I can get Michael out." "And Tess?" Max asked and I actually raised my hand. Okay, I put it back at my side but I was very close to the edge and Mr. Evans was going to push me right over it. "Yes, and Tess." I took a deep breath. "Let's go." I walked a few feet before I heard them behind me. I was relieved when Isabel took my side then I stopped abruptly. "Damn it to hell! Keys. Michael has the fucking keys to the car!" "It's okay Maria," Max stood in back of me. "We can start it without keys." I nodded and kept walking hoping I was taking the right way through the alley's and side streets. Of course they could start the car. I should have known that. Traveling with aliens was like having your very own locksmith. I continued walking with Isabel at my side and Max at my back. I didn't trust him there, but on the street it should be okay. However, I did not want him to return with us to Section. I took long deep breaths and eventually we stumbled upon the car. I let Max do his thing and we got in. I let him do his thing again and we were mobile. Not all that comfortable with driving without keys, but it was an emergency. I kept my hands on the wheel as tight as I could while I cruised through the semi-busy streets of DC. I didn't care that we were in the capital of our nation. I didn't care that the White House was only a few miles away. I didn't care about that big phallic symbol in the park. I cared about getting my husband back one way or another. We drove in silence and I was thankful. If Max would have said anything I might have pulled over and beat him just for fun. I stopped the car in front of the hotel and then thought better about using the valet service. I parked the rental and we went inside and straight to my room. I knew that's where'd they be; the mobile command unit had been set up in there. I opened the door with my card key, see, I could open doors too, and walked in followed by Isabel and then Max. Kyle, Alex and Liz all looked at us, but I only had eyes for one of them. I walked to that Liz and saw the fear in her eyes. Good. I pushed her against the wall and crossed my arm over her throat. "Maria!" That was Isabel. "Stop!" That was Max. Frankly I didn't care what anyone else had to say right then. "What the fuck did you do?" I asked with my face less than an inch away from hers. "Tell me." I felt a hand on my shoulder and knew it was Kyle. I flashed him a look he read quite nicely and he backed off. I heard some quiet shit going on in back of me and chose to ignore it. I figured it was Max trying to get to Liz and Kyle keeping him where he was. See, that's why I love Kyle Valenti. "What are you talking about?" She asked but she didn't look in my eyes. "I didn't do anything!" "Then why is everything so fucking convenient as soon as you show up?" My breath was hot on her cheek. "You suddenly hack into Section and tell us we have the all clear when your bony ass should have been back in Roswell." "Maria-" "Shut up, I'm not done." I interrupted her. "You tell Michael he can get us in by using the retinal scan and that there are no alarms on it. You tell us everything is good. You send us to look for the 'containment area' which is about a million miles away from where we went in. And then we get ambushed almost as soon as we walk in the damn door? But miraculously Max walks away completely unharmed." I didn't hear anything behind me now. I think I had everyone's full attention. "So, how did you do it? Was it Rena, did she get to you?" "No…" I saw the tears well up in her eyes and yet I just couldn't seem to care. "What was the deal, you turn in Michael and they get Tess as a bonus? Tess who follows your fiancé around like a puppy. What else Liz, what else did you get out of it? Money?" "I didn't do anything!" She cried out as big wet tears slid down her cheeks. "I don't believe you," I pushed her back into the wall. "I never did like you either. You better tell me right fucking now what's going on because I swear if one hair on my husbands head is touched I will kill you Liz." I stepped away and felt my arms quivering. I don't remember ever threatening anyone like that. Maybe in another life when I was high on something, but not someone I had trusted a few hours before. I took deep breaths and heard that Liz crying in back of me. "Maria," Kyle was in front of me and I didn't even see him move. He took me by the arm and led me out of the hotel room. He hugged me and I held on tight to him. "What the hell was that all about?" "Liz. I think she sold us out. I think she sold Michael and Tess out." I met his eyes and felt those stupid tears. Damn! Kyle rubbed my back and all that did was make me feel worse. "I have to go back, now. I have to find Michael." "What do you need?" "I need to know if Liz was telling the truth about anything. I need verification." "Her and Alex have been in front of the computer all night," he shook his head. "I don't know if Liz could do this…I mean, I've known her my entire life and she's not like that Maria. You barely know her at all and you've never liked her." "What are you saying? That it isn't her? That I can trust her?" I didn't want to hear this from Kyle. There were only two people in the world that I trusted implicitly. Kyle Valenti was one of them; the other was MIA. Isabel was a very close second in the running; if Max wasn't her brother she'd be…Fuck it. I did trust Isabel. He shrugged. "I don't think Liz has that much control over anything," he kissed my cheek. "I mean everything makes sense what you're saying, but I don't think Liz did anything on purpose." I shook my head. "But Kyle, I can't explain any other way about it. Section knew we were coming and we were ambushed. Liz was the one who showed up and told us what to do." "Maybe Liz was set up. Maybe Section knew they were trying to be hacked into and they set her up with information to trap you." Kyle cocked his head to the side. I think he was as surprised as I was to hear that plausible idea. Damn! Did I just choke that Liz for no reason? "Son of a bitch!" I broke away from him and paced the hall. The room door opened and Alex walked out, a laptop in hand. He looked nervously at me, I guess I couldn't blame him. "Hi, can I show you something?" He nodded at me and sat on the floor. I sat next to him and Kyle took his other side. "Something was altered in…Okay, I won't go all computer geek on you." "Thanks," I smiled but I could tell he was still nervous to be this close to me. "Liz's information was correct," he spared the glance to me. "She wasn't lying to you Maria. She did get into Section and here," he tapped the screen at what looked like a boatload of numbers to me, "it doesn't flow. There's a break and restart. Half of the information was correct. The second half after the break wasn't. I think that maybe they were on to her at that point and let her see what they wanted to." I looked across to Kyle and raised my eyebrows. Kyle might have hit the nail on the head and I might have thought about killing Liz Parker for no reason. Damn. This was so not my night. "What's the truth?" "The 'containment area' was the first thing she accessed. The retinal scan, but that's not relevant now. The maps are good." "So we can use the maps and get to the containment area?" I asked as my heart began to race. "It looks like it." Alex nodded. "That little computer thing…" I made a square with my fingers." "It's in the room," Alex almost smiled. "You left it here." "Whatever, can all this real information be downloaded or whatever into it?" "Yeah," Alex's eyes lit up. "I can do it right now." He stood up and tucked the laptop under his arm before looking back at me. "It wasn't Liz, Maria." I nodded and stood up. Now I had to go back in there and face Liz and the others after apparently making an ass of myself. Screw it. I strolled back into my room and looked at Isabel and nodded. "You in?" "I'm in," her eyes glimmered with excitement. "Me too," Max announced but I was already shaking my head. "Forget it. Even if I hadn't just tried to strangle your girlfriend, I'd still say no. I need someone I can trust to stay with me and not run away like a little girl." I saw him open his mouth to speak but I put my hand in the air. "I want you outside of Section. If something big and bad goes down in there I want someone on the outside. I can't have you in there Max." He nodded and I think he might have realized that running away and leaving us behind had not really been a good idea. I looked at Isabel and saw the agreement in her eyes. Okay, so a couple of chicks were going to bring down Section? Sounded like a kick ass plan to me. I didn't look in Liz's direction but I could hear that persistent tapping on her keyboard. I wondered if she was just typing 'I hate Maria' over and over. I would have been if I were her. God, I didn't even apologize. Maybe later. "Okay, yeah," Kyle stepped towards me and I knew the next words coming out of his mouth. "Yeah, I'm going to go ahead and go with you guys, okay?" I nodded and smiled. Okay, so a couple of chicks and Kyle Valenti were going to bring down Section? Even better. |
| PART 9-12 |