Chapter Five Isabel stood up and faced me. "You're a very strong person Maria and I trust you. I'll stand beside you. I'll be proud to stand with you." Oh boy. More confidence boosters. "C'mon," I looped my arm through hers. "We've got husbands in the other room and I bet you miss yours as much as I miss mine." And I did miss mine. There was nothing on this planet that I wanted more than to feel naked Michael skin next to me. To run my hands through his hair and whisper 'I love yous' in his ear and tell him everything was going to be okay. We walked into the dining room to find Michael and now Alex both hovered over the computers. They looked up and each smiled at their respective wife. Sweet. Isabel and I, we were very lucky women. "We're set to go tomorrow night, late." Michael said and looked at Alex. "He's good at this." Alex blushed. "He's just saying that." "No, I mean it." Michael looked at him and I thought I saw what could be the beginning of a new friendship. Life was good. "Flying out of Roswell?" I asked and Michael nodded. "Then what?" "Checking into a hotel in DC. We have three rooms," he added with a smile. Isabel and I looked at each other and grinned. Max and Kyle were going to have to share a room. Poor Kyle! "And then…?" I swear, sometimes getting a real answer out of a man was like pulling teeth. "And then we plan what to do," Michael ran his hands through his hair and I knew he'd probably get a haircut tomorrow before we left. I guess I could kiss the days of fun in the sun good-bye. No more restless nights on the beach getting sand where it had no business being. No more romps at noon when we got up. No more black swim trunks that rode low on his hips exposing that beautiful thin line of hair. Nope. Those days were over and I was going to have to accept it. My man in black was back. "Isabel, Alex, thank you for letting us set up all this tonight and for letting us stay here." Michael smiled at our hostess. "I offered too," Kyle stated walking up behind us. "But they didn't think it was a good idea you staying in the same building as before." I smiled at him. "Thank you and you're probably right. Has anyone moved in yet?" He nodded and then shook his head. "An intensely old woman who bakes me cookies. Every day. She keeps calling me Billy, too." He sighed. "I wish you guys were still there." "I wish we were too," I smiled at him and I know he knew I really meant it. "Okay," Kyle clapped his hands together in anticipation. "I'm gonna go home and pack and when do we leave?" "Tomorrow night," I answered and tried to suppress a grin. "What?" Kyle was on to me and Isabel and I laughed. "What's going on? What did I miss?" "You're sharing a room with Max!" Isabel blurted out and laughed. Sometimes I found it hard to believe they were related at all let alone brother and sister. Kyle shook his head and I felt incredibly sorry for him. "Man, what did I do…" He trailed off as Max entered the living room. "Did I miss something?" Max looked from Kyle to Michael. Well, at least he wasn't staring at my tits…Never mind. Damn! "No," Michael met the other male alien's eyes across the table and I felt a ripple of something. I heard Isabel gasp so I guess she did to. Man, I hope we weren't in for an intergalactic power struggle. I wouldn't want to have to call Liz and tell her Michael kicked Max's ass. I hadn't planned on really taking what Isabel had told me about their 'other lives' to heart, but now I can see where there might be a problem. Michael backed down and relayed the itinerary to Max and I guess the moment of authority passed. Max accepted the travel plans and promised he'd return the following evening; he said something about wanting to spend time with Liz before we left. I managed to ignore him and his leering; but I did get that crazy urge to lift my shirt up and scream at him to take a picture, but I resisted. For now. Kyle left right after Max and promised he'd be back in the morning. When I asked about the job he had just gotten back not all that long ago, his answer was simple: "Fuck'em". See, that's why I loved Kyle. Alex and Isabel said goodnight soon after that and promised their guestroom was always welcome to us. She also hinted about pancakes for breakfast and I wondered if these too would have antennas like last time. I walked around the table towards Michael and leaned over his shoulder letting my hair brush against his cheek. "So, what are you doing now?" "Trying to hack into Section. They changed a lot of the passwords and my backdoor in has been blocked." He tapped away on the keyboard. "I can get in part of the way, but it might take awhile to find out the rest." "Like all night?" I sighed and let my breasts rub against the back of his neck. I noticed he wasn't typing as fast now. "Maybe," he said quietly and I heard his voice catch. I could get him; I could always get him. "I want to see where they have Tess…" "Do they have her?" I whispered in his ear and ended it with a slick tongue dart along the lobe. He nodded. "There's an 'extraterrestrial' entry in a supplemental log, but that's as far as I can get." "That's as far as you can get, huh?" I unbuttoned my shirt and let it slide off my shoulders to the ground. "I bet you can get a little further." I leaned back into him and saw his shoulders relax. "What do you think Michael," I unzipped my jeans and slid them off. "Do you think you can get a little further?" I stepped in front of him and watched him look at me. I loved it when he looked at me. Look wasn't exactly the right word; it was more like admire. He smiled and slid his chair back from the table. I reached for his shirt and pulled it over his head and dropped it to the ground. I could look at that perfect chest until I was dizzy. The smoothness and lack of bullet holes always amazed me. I reached to that sun-kissed skin and my body ached. He stood and unzipped his pants, let them fall to the floor and stepped out of them after slipping off his black loafers. I went to him, as I always do and kissed him as our naked bodies mashed together. The perfection of our lines as the melted into each other, almost like we were made for each other. I gently pushed him back and subtly ordered him to sit back down. He did with out question. One thing Michael has learned is not to question me, especially in this kind of situation. I straddled him and felt his warm callousy hands on my breasts, my waiting nipples saluted his arrived. I leaned into him and brought my lips to his neck, I ran my tongue down the slope to his shoulder blade and saw the goosebumps I was leaving. I smiled. "Sweet Maria," he said somewhere between a whisper and a moan. I raised my eyebrow and looked at him. Our eyes met and I felt more in that one second of intimate gazing. His lips parted and he looked like he was going to say something but inside I got that wicked little grin. I lifted my body above him and guided him into me. The first sensation of having him inside of me was always the best. I rode him up and down while he ran his hands through my hair, then along my shoulders. "I love you Maria." He whispered and brought his head to my chest. "I know," I whispered and kissed the top of his head. I knew we shouldn't be having sex on Isabel's dining room chair but there were computers all over the table. "Let's go…" He raised his head and motioned towards the hallway leading to the guestroom. I nodded. I guess he was right. Without warning, he wrapped his arms around me and picked me up. I giggled, and I still hated that, as he walked carrying me, still inside of me, with my legs clamped around his waist. We stifled our laughter as we passed the Whitman's bedroom but I bet they heard us anyway. When you try to be quiet is when you end up being the loudest. He stifled a yelp when he stubbed his toe on the doorway and I had to cover my mouth to keep from laughing out loud. We finally made in inside the guestroom and I shut the door behind us. He carried me to the bed and laid me down breaking our bodily bond. I scooted back on the bed and gave him my best come hither look and crooked my finger at him. He gave me the sideways smile and licked his lips before he pounced on me. For the next hour we were nothing but a tangle of arms and legs and sweat. My hair was matted and his was slicked back. I curled up next to him and slung my leg over his while running my hand along his arm. I felt every muscle, every pore, and every hair. I knew his body as well I as knew my own. This was what life was all about. This was the good. "Are you ready to go back to Section?" He asked and pushed sweaty hair off my forehead. I gazed up at him and saw the nervousness he had been hiding. "Yeah, Michael, I'm ready to go back. Are you?" He didn't answer me but the look I got made my overheated blood run cold. Fuck. Chapter Six I woke up with my head on naked Michael-chest. His strong arms were holding me tight against him. From how I was laying, it actually felt like my neck might snap in half, but after all, it was naked Michael-chest and I didn't want to move from it. I tilted my head towards him and noticed he was awake. It was almost sunrise and I could see the purple/orange hue of a new day creeping underneath the blinds of the window. A new day all right, but it may be our last day in Roswell. Ever. I wonder if Michael had been thinking the same thing, I wonder if Michael had slept at all. He looked at me and our eyes locked. That was one of those moments where time stands still without the knowledge of the next step. Shit. "Good morning," he whispered. He released the grip on me and smoothed down my bed head hair with one hand. Those two words sent a thrill through me, but it was a good one. Maybe I was reading entirely too much into this sense of foreboding. Maybe everything was going to turn out real good and this whole Tess mission was going to be a snap. Riiiight. "Hi," so I'm not the best conversationalist in the morning. "I have a few things to do today…" he ran one hand through his hair. I nodded and was fairly confident that getting a haircut was probably high on that list of things to do. Damn! "Alex is good with computers," he sighed. "Not as good as Section, but still good. We might be able to break in and find out exactly where they have Tess. There's still a few routes we haven't tried yet." "Do you think she's alive?" He nodded with confidence. Okay, if Michael had confidence, then so help me God, I did too. "Good." I saw him fight that smile. "Can you amuse yourself today? I want to stay with Alex and try to get as much information as we can before we go." "Of course I can amuse myself," I smiled and wondered what Kyle was doing today. "What's going to happen?" I heard my voice catch and I know Michael heard it too. Damn! "We're going to find Tess, get her out and then kill all information related to her and Roswell in general." He broke his gaze away from me and I felt sick. "It's going to be hard, I mean we've got some serious alien abilities on our side but you know how Section is…" "No, see Michael, I don't know." I sat up and covered my nakedness with the sheet clasping it underneath my arms. "What little I saw of Section and what you've told me are the only things I have to go on. I don't know shit about Section." "Sweet Maria," he placed his hand on the small of my back which he knows always drives me crazy. "I think Section may have been holding information back. I can no longer access any of my father's files. They're locked. I have to assume that they know we're alive because that's the only reason I can think of that they would lock them. No one else knew his security codes besides me." Fuck. We were off playing house on the beach thinking we're in the clear and now to find out Section probably knew we were alive. I saw a movie once in the pokey, and I remember a line from it. Something like 'sometimes the shit comes down so heavy I have to wear a hat.' I felt like putting on a hat. A big fucking hat. "Would your father have kept anything you know," I waved my arms in the air and felt like an ass, "related there?" He smiled and I giggled. "I don't know anything anymore Maria. Anything's possible. My father was a brilliant man, but he was also devoted to Section. It was his other child." His other child. "So…I guess anything is possible is right." I lay back against him and felt his heartbeat. "Could it still be the Rena angle? I really want to blame all of this on her." "It could be. Her Roswell files were locked but we got through. There are gaps in her information, like some things have been taken out. We were working on hacking into her personal files last night." He sighed and I shivered. "The last entry we recovered was only half there. She said there was more to our mission that originally believed. She said aliens were real." I let that hang there. I knew I was right. It was Rena. The wicked bitch of the East was the reason Tess was gone and the others, myself included, were on Section's hit list. Damn, if she weren't already dead I'd kill her with my bare hands. How Michael could even be thinking there was any other reason was beyond me. I got out of bed and stood in front of him with my hands on my hips. "You know what your problem is?" I saw the corners of his mouth turn up towards a smile and I couldn't help reciprocating. "No Maria, what is my problem?" He sat up and let the sheet fall of him completely. I stared and I forgot what his problem was. I knew my problem. I was entirely too far away from him. I shrugged and pounced onto him. I went straight for his neck and wanted to leave the biggest freakin' hickey in the history of the world. I thought better of it knowing it wouldn't look too professional. Instead I lowered my head and hit the inside of his thigh. I smiled knowing he thought I was going somewhere else. When a girl has got to get a hickey out of her system, watch out. I suckled and then looked at my work of art smiling. "Did you just give me a hickey?" Michael asked and I gave him the 'duh' look. "I can't believe you, I've never had a hickey before." I wasn't at all shocked by that revelation. There have been a lot of things that Michael has never had or done until he met me. I was teaching him slowly with lots and lots of examples. I swear if that carnival would have come to the beach just a few days earlier… "C'mere," he drew me into his arms and I felt safe. "We're going to figure this out and we're all going to go home happy. Okay?" I nodded but it wasn't all that convincing. "Okay." "Do you trust me Maria?" He looked in my eyes and I knew I did. I always trusted Michael. If there was someone at my back, I prayed it would be him. "I trust you," I said and kissed his lips. "I trust you with my life, always." I sat up and sniffed. "Pancakes." I withdrew from him and slipped on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt from my suitcase. "Pancakes." "I can smell them," he nodded and laughed. "I love you Maria. Don't ever forget that. My life began the minute I met you and you've kept me on my toes ever since." I winked and walked out of the room. Not much can take me away from naked Michael; Isabel's pancakes were, however, one of them. I walked down the hall into the living room and was surprised to see Alex already at the computers. "Michael coming out?" He asked without looking up. "I think so, find something?" He grinned. "As a matter of fact I did. I restored some of Rena's files about a half hour ago." My eyes widened as I heard Michael behind me. "Alex restored files." Michael breezed past me and took the seat next to Alex while I meandered into the kitchen. Isabel stood at the counter with a plate of pancakes in front of her. We said good mornings and I ate. Halfway through breakfast the back door flew open and Kyle came in with a duffel bag. He set it on the floor and helped himself to breakfast. "Are you ready to go?" Isabel asked him and motioned towards the duffel. "Yes, as a matter of fact I am." Kyle smiled in-between bites of pancake. "I called my work and told them I was taking off for a few days and if they didn't like it, I didn't care." "What did they say?" Isabel smiled. "Oh, something about how I should feel lucky to have the job and yada, yada, yada." "Did you get fired?" Isabel struck the matronly pose with her arms crossed over her chest. "Nah, I quit." Kyle looked at me. "I took a lesson from Maria and said fuck'em." I laughed and eventually Isabel joined in. This was going to be a good day for me in Roswell. While Michael was hard at work with Alex being all computer dorked out, I was going to get to play with my friends. * * * Dusk rolled around and everyone's nerves were on edge. The fun day of playing I had with Isabel and Kyle seemed almost distant. The wrath of Section was upon us now and there was nowhere to run. We sat around the living room waiting for an answer to unasked question. I was happy that Michael hadn't left the house all day hence no haircut. He was running his hands through it constantly and I knew it was only a matter of time. Max and Liz showed up as the dying sun was all but gone. Liz clung to Max's hand when they walked in; but I could see there was something else there. I'd seen the look before on many other faces including my own. She was pissed. She gave me what seemed to be an obligatory hug but I was surprised when she leaned in to me and whispered in my ear. "I want to help but Max is being over protective, okay? I don't want you to think I'm being a sissy." We met eyes and I think we actually found an understanding. She was a lot stronger than I had given her credit for. Liz had come a long way from being 'that Liz'. I watched her walk over to Michael and Alex and pull up a chair next to Alex. I should have known she was a computer dork too. "You ready to go Maria?" That was Max standing behind me. I got shivers from the closeness and almost turned around and whacked him. Instead I just turned around. "Max, yeah, I'm ready to go. You?" I caught his gaze and held it. Something about Max really pushed my buttons. I held his eyes and almost dared him to look at my tits, which were standing at attention underneath my T-shirt. He didn't and he might have gained about an inch of respect back from me. No more though. "I'm ready," he glanced towards Michael. "He going to be able to do this?" "Yeah," I nodded. "If Michael says he an do it, then he can do it." He nodded and walked away to stand by himself in the corner. Isabel joined me shaking her head. "He's getting depressed, I think. He feels left out; I told you he was always the one in charge and now he's even ranking under Alex and Liz." I closed my eyes and sighed. I walked to Michael and whispered in his ear for a minute before I rejoined Isabel. She looked curiously at me but all I did was smile. "Max," Michael called across the room. "Can you come over here and join us? I'd like your input on a few things." We watched as Max scurried over to the others and pulled up a chair on the other side of Michael. The underlying smile behind the mask of authority made me all warm and fuzzy. "That was very nice of you," Isabel whispered in my ear. I shrugged. Sometimes, if you can and are willing, you have to make everyone feel included. I knew this and I needed to know that I could trust Max. Completely. If it was Max at our backs, I had to make damn sure he wasn't going to fuck up because his feelings got hurt. I eventually fell asleep on the couch as did Isabel. Kyle was stretched out on the floor in front of us. I woke up first with the bustle of activity, the other two followed. Bags were being moved and computer equipment packed up. This was it. We were going back to Section. It was fucking showtime. Chapter Seven The bags were packed and Max was kissing Liz good-bye. I watched them and could see she was worried to see him go, but she was still pissed. I would be too if I were her. I remembered what Isabel said about her and wondered if we'd see Liz show up in DC. I shrugged and waved to her as she walked away from the rest of us. We took two cars and somehow Michael and I ended up in different ones. I was in the backseat of my, I mean, Kyle's Mustang with Max beside me and Isabel and Kyle in the front seat. Michael ended up with Alex. I fought all urges to look over to Mr. Evans and see where his eyes were lingering. No doubt, they had at least glanced at my tits. I don't know if I even cared anymore. If all he was going to do was gape, fine, I could deal with that. We were on the same side after all. Right? "Maria," Max said quietly and in my ear. I turned to him and waited for the words of wisdom. "Is Tess okay?" Wow. I thought there was going to be something else instead of that. Maybe I read Max a little wrong, I mean I have been known to do that before a few times. He seemed genuinely concerned. I caught Kyle's eyes in the rearview mirror and wagered he was wondering the same thing. I knew there was something going on with Kyle. Even throughout our day of playing with Isabel he seemed distracted. What's that old saying, you don't know what you got until it's gone. Me thinks Kyle has much more affections for Tess than even he knew about it. Well, now there was another reason to make sure Tess came back home, for Kyle. "I hope so," I said and met Kyle's eyes in the mirror. "I really hope so. If she is, we'll get her back. I promise." Now I was making promises I prayed I could keep. Max accepted my answer and lounged back in the seat for the short little ride to the airport. No one else spoke the rest of the way, we were all nervous. I wasn't sure who topped the list, but I was a close second if I wasn't already in the lead. Kyle parked in long-term parking and I thought that hopefully we'd be able to come back in a day or two and he would have wasted the money. We waited for Alex and Michael and when they arrived I almost ran to Michael. I wrapped my arms around his waist and buried my face in his chest. I felt his hand on my back. "Maria," he lowered his head and whispered in my ear. I looked up at him and felt the first sting of a tear. Damn. "Why…?" He brushed my cheek with a finger. "I'm scared Michael," I whispered and led him away from the others. "I'm scared. I'm trying to be all big and brave but in reality I'm about ready to pee in my pants. I'm scared for Tess, but I'm really scared for you." "Don't be scared for me Maria," he leaned over and kissed the corner of my mouth. "I'll be fine. We'll all be fine. Section won't even know what hit them. Remember, we're the good guys and good guys always win, right?" I actually thought of a million 'good guys' that didn't win at that moment but didn't say anything to ruin his momentum. "Maria, we have brains and knowledge and alien gifts galore," he smiled and I had to smile back. "We have so much in our favor I don't see how we can lose. Besides, we've got something that should make even Section shiver in their boots. We have a secret weapon that Section couldn't control. We have an enigma who won't give up, who doesn't know how to give up. A power not to be reckoned with." I looked at him with complete puzzlement on my face. "We have you, Maria." I laughed through those stupid tears and made a horrible snorting noise. I laughed more at the noise and snorted again. I turned away from him and wiped my face. Enough of the snorting. When I faced him again he was smiling. He flashed the white gold wedding band on his finger and then kissed it. I stepped into him and took his hand and laid my own kiss on the band. "You're crazy my dearest husband." "I didn't used to be," he grinned and kissed my tear wet lips. "You made me what I am today Sweet Maria. And have I thanked you recently for it?" I shook my head and felt a new wave of confidence rush through me. My Michael was right. Section wouldn't know what hit them, they had no idea that a few aliens and one pissed off ex-Operative were on their way to kick some Section ass! Once again, Section? Fuck'em. "Let's roll, baby," I looped my arm through Michael's and we strode back to the others. I hoped my face didn't show the confused tears but instead the resolve. There was no backing down now and I was all for it. Section could bring it on, I was ready. I was not going down without a fight and no one; not one of those fucking Section characters better lay a hand on Michael. Then I was going to have to kick ass and take names later. We walked back to the others and stood in front of them. "You guys ready to get Tess out and all go home happy?" They nodded at me and I thought I might have to start cheering, too bad I left my pom-pons at home because I felt like the biggest cheerleader in the history of mankind. Or alienkind, whichever one came first. I smiled at each of them and I hope they all got some of my fighting vibes from me. I met Kyle's eyes last and it almost crushed me. I broke away from Michael and pulled Kyle aside. "You okay?" I asked and put my arm around him. He nodded but I could tell he was full of shit. "Don't lie to me Valenti." "Tess. Tess is gone." He looked at me and there was nothing friendshippy about the way he said Tess's name. "We'll get her back. Have confidence young man," I kissed his cheek. "Have I ever let you down before?" I grinned knowing that was not exactly the type of conversation you had with someone you've known not all that long. But it was different for Kyle and me. We counted all the years we should have known each other. "No Maria, you haven't." He finally smiled. Finally. "I didn't know that I…" "I know," I looped my arm through his the same way I had Michael's a few minutes earlier. "Some people spend their whole lives looking for something that's right in front of them the whole time." I shrugged. "It's all good, Kyle. It'll be good. But you have to make me a promise." He hesitated and eventually nodded. "Will I live to regret it?" "Don't be such a smart ass." I thwacked him on the back of the head. "When we all go home, tell her. Okay?" He smiled and nodded. See, all was going to be good. We rejoined the group and made our way to the gate. Isabel was uncharacteristically quiet, but at least she smiled at Alex's goofiness. Max was different. He wasn't acting like the reindeer who wasn't invited to play with the others anymore. He strode next to Michael and they actually seemed to be discussing tactical maneuvers. Okay, I don't know what they were talking about; it could have been a deep discussion about salt for all I knew. I just hoped it was the other. I hoped we were going to have a plan. I stayed with Kyle. His posture was straighter and all that sappy shit was gone. Kyle was going to fight for his woman. Okay, his soon to be woman. Woo-hoo! We didn't wait long at the gate and boarded easily. The flight to Dulles was near empty and we scattered about the plane in little groups. Kyle and Isabel were flipping through magazines and Alex was a few rows behind them on his laptop plugged into the skyphone. Michael and I were with Max and I eventually fell asleep listening to them bandy about strategies. Ha! I had been right after all. * * * The flight was uneventful as well as the picking up of rental cars. No waiting, no nothing. These boys know how to get their shit done ahead of time. We broke off into two groups and met at the hotel. It was nice; but not too nice where you had a hotel employee trying to do everything for you. We would blend. That was a good. Our rooms were on the second floor and in a row. I hid my smile as I watched Kyle roll his eyes before walking into his room after Max. "Did you and Max come up with something?" I asked as I plopped down on the king-sized bed. "Like, maybe, a plan?" "Of sorts." Michael sighed and sat down next to me. "I don't think they're waiting for us, so that's a good." He stopped and grinned. "You know I'm even beginning to talk like you? I would have never said anything was 'a good' before you. That's bad English." I rolled my eyes. "Just get on with it." "The element of surprise will always work in our favor. They don't know what they're up against." He smiled. "I never knew anything about surprises until you Maria, you know that, right?" Of course I knew that. Michael barely had a life at all before me and there was still so much to teach him. I laid back and propped myself up on my elbows. "Michael." "I think I can get to where they might have Tess, but I don't know for sure if she's there," he paused and I felt completely sick. "But I can't find a way in. You remember the security at Section." I nodded and remembered the retinal scan to get into the gym. Definitely not a good. "I guess they would have taken your eyeballs out of their system by now, huh?" He smiled and nodded. "Probably." "So, how are we going to get in? Break in? Melt the doors with alien vision?" "First, there is no 'we'. You're not going." He backed away from me when he said it and it was probably a damn good thing. I wasn't the violent type but right then I wanted to beat him. "The fuck you say?" I yelled and stood up. "Maria-" "Oh, no. Fuck. This." I started pacing in front of him. "I'm going. There is no way in hell you're going and I'm not. I'm the only other person here who has even been there before and you're not shutting me out of this." "I can't let you get hurt." "I won't get hurt Michael," I snapped. All this talk about me being a secret weapon had apparently been lies. He nodded and smiled. Damn, it was that wicked little grin. I narrowed my eyes at him. "What?" "Maria, do you honestly think I would do that? I just wanted to get a reaction out of you." Oh. My. God. A reaction? He wanted a reaction? I shook my head and pounced on him. I pulled that black shirt out of those black pants and attached my mouth to his chest. He was laughing and trying to push me away but I would not give up. The hickey on his thigh would be nothing to the mark on his stomach. I came up for air and we locked eyes. "Hi," I stammered and felt like a girl with a crush. I guess I still did have a crush on Michael. I'd always have a crush on Michael; it didn't matter that he was my husband. He was the love of my life. "Hi," he smiled and licked his lips. "Nothing's going to happen to us, right?" Sudden dread? Nah, just needed a little reassurance. He shook his head. "Nothing at all. We're here for a job, think of it like that. Remember how nervous you were when you were sent to Roswell? It was just a job. This is the same." "But the stakes are higher and I won't get another husband out of it…" I grinned and kissed him. The feel of those hot full lips on mine made me giggle. "Tonight? Do we go tonight?" I felt the fire in my eyes. I was so fucking ready. He nodded. "Tonight, Sweet Maria, tonight." I nodded as the phone rang. Michael answered and I could tell it was Max. When he hung up he had a strange look on his face. Fuck. "What?" "They're all coming in here," he sat up. "Max said they need to talk to me for a few minutes. There's more he has to tell me about the alien side of things." The alien side of things? What the hell? "He said there's a few things I don't know about and he wants to tell me now in case…" "Some of us don't come back." I finished the sentence for him. Shit. * * * Chapter Eight I paced while Michael lounged on the bed waiting for the others. I looked at him and blurted out a laugh when I saw that stupid Atlanta Braves hat on his head. My Michael. Sweetest man in the world. They came in a group and I immediately I hooked up with Kyle, if things got too alienesque I wanted to be around a human. God, I swear if anyone else could hear my ramblings they'd lock me up for good. Kyle and I pulled up chairs and sat across from Michael with Isabel and Alex on one bed and with Max alone on the other. Tension seemed a little heavy but I couldn't tell where it was coming from. I looked nervously at Kyle and he smiled and nodded. See, sometimes that's all it takes; just a smile and a nod. "Maria, can you handle this?" Max asked me. Okay, yeah, I married a freaking alien I think I can handle a little shoptalk. I nodded and smiled demurely. Okay, as demure as I could get without actually getting violently ill. "She can handle it," Kyle shrugged. "It's Maria, she can handle anything." God love Kyle Valenti; I knew I sure did. My life without Kyle just wouldn't be the same. I sent him an award-winning smile. I turned and faced Michael, Isabel and Alex; they each were smiling and I knew whatever Max had to dish out I could take. "Okay," Max nodded at me and turned to Michael. "I've told you some things about us, but not everything." Michael nodded and turned that baseball hat around backwards. Suddenly he looked younger and eager to learn and I was falling deeper and deeper. "The phone and even through email isn't exactly where I wanted to have these conversations. I guess in a way it was a good thing you came back to Roswell, even under these circumstances. We didn't get a lot of practical time together before." "Max," Isabel looked at her brother exasperatingly. "We don't have all day. We're going to Section tonight, right?" "We're going tonight. Late." Michael answered and glanced in my direction. Why? I couldn't tell for sure. "Okay, when we came out of the pods," Max looked at me and cringed. So my aversion of knowing anything about 'pods' was well known. "Sorry. When we came out we knew things, Isabel and me. Tess wasn't with us. But we knew we were brother and sister and we knew we weren't alone. After Tess there was an empty pod, yours. You told me before you didn't know anything, or don't remember." "Still don't." Michael nodded. I watched the intensity on his face and tried to put myself in his situation. He was getting ready to learn about his alien past. Man, I would be heaving. Big time. Max nodded and folded his hands on his lap. "I was in charge, I was supposed to be a leader," he glanced at Isabel who raised her eyebrow at him. "A male was the leader. At the time I was the only one, but now I know it could have been you. Probably it was you." I think I admired Max Evans at that moment. Knowing what I did about him and knowing that what he just said must have killed him; he jumped up a little in my book. He was now just directly over a slug. "I don't know…" Michael shook his head. "It could have been either of us." Max nodded but I don't think it was in agreement. "Tess knew things about our home planet, wherever the fuck it is." Max got a cigarette out and lit up. I inhaled the smoke and almost asked for one myself. "She was-" "She is," Kyle stressed the 'is'. "I'm sorry, Tess is very intuitive. She's quiet, but she knows a lot of what's going on past and present. There was a male leader and a female second. A back up." A female second. Like second in command? Cool. "I thought it was Tess for a long time," Max shrugged. "I always saw Isabel as just my sister." Michael looked at Isabel and nodded. I could feel the electricity ripple in the air. It was Isabel who stood behind Michael without a doubt. Even me, as a mere human, could tell that. "Then as we grew up I knew it was Isabel. She's so strong and her abilities are phenomenal." Max inhaled deeply and shook his head. "It's you and Isabel." "Don't make it sound like that, no one's pulling rank on anyone here Max." Michael said and I found myself nodding. "I don't want to be a leader of anything. I can't be. I haven't mastered these alien powers at all. I can do parlor tricks, not much else." "You'll learn." Max tapped ashes into a glass. "I need someone to teach me," Michael looked to Isabel then at Max. Max nodded and sat up straighter. "There's more." He glanced at me and I sat up straighter too. I knew I was so not going to like this. If it was more fucking pod-speak… "If you are, which I now believe so, the man in charge, the reason Tess came here with us was to be with you. We always thought it was me, but…" Tess? To 'be' with Michael? Alrighty then, that was a big fat wrong. I tried to catch Michael's eye but he was looking at Max. I turned to Kyle to see if he knew this or anything. He was waiting for me to look at him. He smiled slyly and shook his head. Okay, all was good. I think. "Then why you?" Michael asked and I think I actually saw the hair on Max's neck stand on end. It was an honest question, but still… "Max is my brother," Isabel jumped right in there to save this conversation from going into the crapper super fast. "I'm your right hand man, so to speak, and Max is mine." I thought Isabel might be doing some fancy reworking on this one but I let her slide. What else could I do? This was completely out of my league. Michael nodded. "Okay. So why tell me this now? I mean, this happened on another planet, right? It doesn't mean anything here, does it?" Max and Isabel exchanged a glance I didn't exactly like all that much. I saw Alex shake his head and even Kyle seemed to pick up on some of the awkwardness. "It might, Michael." Isabel said quietly. She didn't look at me and I wanted to know why. Right fucking now! "We think that we'd be able to be stronger and more protected if…" Now she looked at me and I really didn't want her too. "If what?" I shouted before I could stop myself. "If Michael had some type of bond with Tess,"' Isabel said to me and only me. "Not exactly like what you're thinking, really, Maria." "And what am I thinking?" I stood up and only sat back down only because Kyle grabbed my wrist. "Maria," that was Michael. I looked at him and waited for him to say something pertinent. "Isabel's right. I can feel the power now when the three of us are together, I think we're stronger together." "Okay, so, what are you going to do about it now?" I snapped. "You can't bond when she's in Section prison, can you?" "We have to stick together Maria," Max said and I wanted to hurt him. "There's four of us here on Earth. If the situation was now as it was before on our other-" "I don't want to fucking hear it, okay? You're talking about my husband and some fucking life he doesn't remember. I don't give a shit if he was supposed to be with Tess or not. He's not. Period. End of discussion." "You don't have a right to say-" Max started to stand. "Yes, she does." Michael came to my defense. Finally. "She's my wife. She has just as much at stake here as anyone else. There is no discussion about that." Max nodded and I could sense the power struggle again. Damn! I looked at Isabel and I if I was any good at reading people I'd say she agreed with Michael. "Michael's right." That was Alex. He was in the same position as I was, kind of, and he was standing up for me. I knew I liked that lanky man for a reason. "Fine," Max stubbed his cigarette out. "You had to know this and act on it accordingly." "I'll act on nothing like you're suggesting." Michael crossed his legs resting his ankle on his opposite knee. "I don't care what happened on another planet in another life. That wasn't me as far as I'm concerned. I know there's a lot I don't know or understand, but if it even remotely plays a factor in my life now it's not going to work. Maria is my wife, my life. I can bond with Tess and we can be stronger together, that's it. If you think I'm going to give up my life because of some ill-fated fairytale that you don't even know all the facts too. Forget it." "Okay." Max looked pissed. "Fine. You had to know especially since you're in charge-" "I don't want to be in charge Max." Michael shook his head and laughed. "Are you not listening? I don't care about any of that. Right now all I want to do is get Tess out of Section and go home with my wife and live happily ever after." "That's what we all want," Isabel said and sent the warning look from hell to her brother. "We just want to survive." "And you will survive!" I stood up and wondered what the hell I was going to say now. "All of you. All of us. Don't pull this 'other life' card out now. It's irrelevant. Sure, you guys are stronger together, but frankly who cares? We're here to find Tess and bring her home. You can be stronger together when we go home. I don't know what any of this has to do with the now." "Me either." Kyle cocked his head to one side. "Seriously. Who cares about all this alien fate shit? Does it help get Tess out?" There were those non-friendshippy feelings again. I wonder if anyone else knew. "No," Michael stood and faced down Max. "It doesn't. Is this all you had to tell me?" Max shook his head. "No. When we get inside none of us know what we're going to come up against. We have to be ready to use our powers to our advantage. Can we count on you Michael? Can we trust you that you'll come through with the powers you're still learning to use?" I saw the vein in Michael's neck begin to throb. That was not a pretty sight. He took the hat off his head and looked down at it. I wondered what he was thinking. I hoped it was about me but I doubt it was right then. "I will do everything I can to get her back. I'll lay down my life to help, I'm the reason we're all in this predicament and I will rectify it." I didn't like hearing Michael say that. No. I believed him and that's the part I hated. So help me God if Michael went down he wasn't going alone. "Good," Max stood and I wondered if this so important meeting was over. I didn't learn much and I didn't know how this trip tonight was going to pan out. I felt confidant going there with Michael and Isabel, but Max worried me. "What time do we leave?" "After eleven." Michael said evenly. "Are our powers really stronger together? I can feel the energy, but I don't know…" I knew Michael didn't like saying he didn't know anything; I hated the way Max got that cocky look again. Max nodded. "They are. The parlor tricks you can do will be amplified. Can you handle them?" "Can you handle hand to hand combat?" Michael shot back. "Boys," Isabel stood and chastised them both. "Michael, we all have confidence in you. We know you won't let us down on the alien side. Max, chill out. We're a little otherworldly family so get off your high horse and be constructive and tell Michael what he needs to know. Okay?" I saw the pride in Alex's face as he listened to his wife. I hoped I could look half as proud when I listened to Michael. I bet I did. "Michael will be fine, hopefully some of the instincts that we all share, he has them too." Max looked form Isabel to Michael. "You should know how to react in a situation and use your power. If you’re the true leader, you'll know." Me and Max were going to throw down. I stood and begged off Kyle's somewhat vocal pleas to stay seated. I could only take so much and Mr. Evans was pissing me off. "You know what Max." He looked and me. "What Maria?" "You have a problem. Your sister's right, get off your fucking high horse and be helpful. I don't think anyone cares who's in charge around here. Everyone is going to do everything they can to get Tess back." I caught a smile on Michael's face out of the corner of my eye. "So Max, keep your egomaniacal remarks to yourself until this is over. We're a team here, okay? If you can't play well with others then…Fuck you, get off my team!" I put my hands on my hips and heard Kyle trying not to laugh in back of me. My eyes were narrowed at Max and I waited for him to do something. Anything. I glanced to the other bed and saw the back of Michael's shaking head. Isabel was smiling and Alex was doing that silent Muttley laugh. "You've stated your case Maria and I'll try to play nice," Max walked towards the door. "You're right, we are on the same team. But I don't know if you're the captain or not." He walked out of the room. "Max is…" Isabel started as soon as the door closed. "He's not exactly sure where his place is in all of this." She sighed. "I am trying to defend him because he is my brother and this taking a back seat is killing him. He cares about Tess and I know he's worried about her. He's just being an ass." "Can we trust him?" I asked and wondered why Michael wasn't. Maybe he already knew through one of those alien type connections. "You can trust him." Isabel nodded with vigor. "I promise." If Isabel promises then I believe her. She did know him a hell of a lot better than I did. "Okay, so can you guys work on your powery thing before we go or what?" Michael raised his eyebrows at Isabel and I knew right then that they had been friends for many more years than either of them had been on this planet. This was cool. The two of them huddled together while Kyle, Alex and I stood and watched. It was actually kind of cool watching Isabel work with Michael. I mean he was getting better, but he wasn't anywhere near her expertise. I didn't feel the slightest bit of jealousy when she held his hand or when she whispered in his ear so we couldn't hear. I saw a teacher and a student. My friend and my love. Alex was soon bored with the show of shrouded powers and went back to his room to work on the hacking into Section thing. Kyle stayed and watched but I think it was for a different reason. Well, I knew he didn't want to go back to his room and deal with Max; but I also think he needed to be around me. I could understand that. I needed to be around him, too. I guess we were so much alike and the level of comfort together was beyond expectations. I think I calmed him down in his fear for Tess's safety and he calmed me in the fear of our own safety. We were good for each other. * * * Alex returned to our room around ten o'clock. Kyle and I were snoozing on one of the beds and the door opening nearly made me jump out of my skin. Michael and Isabel had left the hotel for a few hours and they walked in the room behind Alex. The mood was somber with the knowledge of the unknown and unexpected upon us. Damn! I slipped into the bathroom and changed into black leather pants and a black baby Tee. The pants had been a present from Michael and he loved it when I wore them. If we were going in all ninja-like, then damn it, I was going to look good. I pulled my hair up into a high ponytail and tied it off with a strip of black suede. I checked my eye makeup and leaned over the vanity. "It's all going to go as planned, Maria. We're going to bust in and get Tess and kill evidence about her and Roswell. It's a simple plan and nothing ever goes wrong with simple plans, right? Fuck." I walked back into the room and noticed Max had joined us. He didn't look in my direction and frankly, that was a good. Isabel was gone and I imagined she was at her room changing into her ninja clothes. Max was in dark blues, which was okay; it wasn't as cool as black, but he'd do. I checked out Michael and smiled. He had on his black leather pants too and they fit him so nicely. I swear if we weren't getting ready to go on a mission I would be peeling them off of him and licking his legs. His tailor cut black T-shirt outlined every muscle, every curve and I was getting severely turned on. I had to tear my eyes away from him before I jumped him right there. Isabel returned dressed in black jeans and a black button down shirt. She had on dressy black boots and just shrugged when she caught me looking at them. "Ready?" I asked and looked pointedly at Max. I'll show him who's fucking captain of this team. We said our good-byes to Kyle and Alex and promised updates ASAP. Alex gave me a little palm type computer and I almost laughed. "What is this?" "A direct link back here. Just in case." Alex tried to give me one of his happy smiles but it fell flat. He pointed out the essentials and I played along like I knew what he was talking about. "Be careful," Kyle hugged me after he hugged Isabel. He whispered in my ear and I got goosebumps. "Come back Maria, no matter what, promise you'll come back." I nodded and hugged him tight. Then we were off. We took one of the rental cars into downtown DC and nothing looked familiar to me at all. Of the whole twelve seconds I had seen of the city months ago I remembered nothing. Michael drove and I sat shotgun. He parked in a public lot that despite the late hour was still half full of cars. The four of us got out of the car and we followed Michael. I caught up and latched onto his hand as he led us through a maze of alleys and small side streets. I'd swear we'd been walking for hours when we arrived at a building that looked almost familiar. Then it was familiar. It was the exit Michael and I had gone through on my first night out away from Section. This was the way in and here we were right in front of it. I wondered if the doors were strong enough to withstand the crazy powers of the aliens. I watched as Michael walked to the door and looked to the side. He tapped a brick and it slid away revealing one of those retinal scanner things. I held my breath while Michael leaned in close to it. I jumped when I heard the buzzer and the door opened. Michael faced us and I think I could read his mind. We were wrong. They were waiting for us. They were welcoming us with open arms. Shit! |
| PARTS 5-8 |