The rest of the day the others kept a close eye on both Liz and Kyle. Maria and Alex were let in on most of what had been happening. One of the six of them had Kyle in every class so they could keep him sight. But there was nothing to see because he acted like a completely normal teenage guy. As a matter of fact that freaked Maria out more, she said that he was too normal. That he was the All-American boy.
During last period Max finally approached him about hanging out later that night. He was happy to accept even went as far as to say that Max had rescued him from a boring night in front of the TV since his dad was going to be working late. After setting up a time for Kyle to meet him at the Crashdown, Max relayed everything to Michael and the plan was set. Alex was even lending his technical knowledge by giving Michael a small camera that he had bought off of Ebay that would work as a surveillance camera. Alex and Maria were going to stay with Liz while everything was going on, they were going to hole up at Michael’s apartment.
A few hours later Kyle popped up on time and the two guys headed out for their tour. Michael and Isabel were also at the café giving the illusion that they were doing nothing more than enjoying dinner. But as soon as Max and Kyle left, Michael and Isabel headed to Kyle’s house.
Michael and Isabel hid across the street for five minutes to make sure that the large house was indeed empty as well as figure out the best way inside. When they did, the two slipped through the back yard and to the door. With a wave of Isabel’s hand, it clicked open and they were in.
The interior of the house looked completely normal. There was furniture, moving boxes scattered everywhere, and they were the first things the two looked through. They looked through box after box but there was nothing.
“Damn it.” Michael exclaimed.
“Michael if you were Kyle would you just leave evidence of who or what you are just laying around for anyone to find? Not everyone keeps their place like your apartment.” Isabel scolded him. “We need to check the walls as well to see if he’s hid anything like we do with our powers.”
“And to think you guys always thought I was being ridiculous when I said I wanted to develop X-ray vision.” Michael said snidely. Isabel only glared at him as they headed upstairs to look around. There were four bedrooms, one that looked like an office, one that looked like it was for storage, but the other two looked to like they were being used. One was obviously Kyle’s so they started on that one.
They had been at it for about five minutes when Isabel came across a box labeled personal. She pulled open the flaps and Michael heard her gasp in shock. “What?”
“Look at these.” Isabel exclaimed pulling him over to the box. Inside he could see that it was full of pictures. “There’s a ton of them, and they’re of us.”
“Correction, most of them are of Liz.” Michael said as he shifted through them, “At the Crashdown, at school, there’s even some on your balcony.”
“He’s been watching her for months.” Isabel said in disgust and horror for her sister. True there were several pictures of herself in the box but they were mostly of Liz.
“And now we’ll be watching him.” Michael said as he pulled the small camera out of his pocket.
He found a place to hide it on a bookcase and secured it. As he was doing it, Isabel kept looking around. She pulled out stack of magazines from under the bed but pulled back when she saw what they were. “Gross. It seems Kyle has a thing for porn magazines.”
“That’s not so strange.” Michael commented.
“Then you put them back. I’m not touching them.” Isabel said in revulsion.
“Fine.” Michael said rolling his eyes. He leaned down to shove them back under the bed when a flash of metal caught his eye. He pushed the magazines off of the top and saw a metal book stuck between them. And right in the middle of the cover on the book was a symbol, the one that was on the orb. “I don’t think there’s any question now, Kyle is an alien. This is our proof, and he’s using his powers on Liz.”
Before Isabel could say anything or they could look over the book, there was a noise downstairs. The two looked at each other with wide eyes before Michael saw the window was slightly open. He grabbed Isabel and pulled her over to it. He shoved it up as quietly as possible and said, “We’re going to have to jump.”
“Can’t we just wait and sneak out?” Isabel asked.
“Do you want to run the risk of getting caught? How do we know that the guy posing as his father isn’t an alien too?” Michael asked.
Isabel knew he had a point and climbed out the window. There was a small roof under Kyle’s window and she was able to scramble onto it. Michael followed her immediately but Isabel couldn’t go any farther, there was no ladder. “Michael how do we get down?”
“Jump.” Michael stated. He looked to the ground and saw nothing but yard underneath them. At least it wasn’t concrete. He saw that she was hesitant and said, “Come on. At the same time. 1…2…3.”
The two jumped to the ground and landed hard. They got up quickly and took off.
(*(*(*(*(*(*(*(**)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)
While Alex and Maria Liz-sat, Liz helped Maria with her homework. They were holed up in Michael’s apartment. While the girls worked on school stuff Alex tinkered with the monitor that would be hooked up to the camera Michael and Isabel were planting at Kyle’s. So far the image was crisp and clear. Nothing had happened since Isabel had almost given him a heart attack when she and Michael had almost gotten caught.
Maria watched Liz for a minute before her curiosity got the better of her and she couldn’t help but ask, “What was it like...um, you know, when you kissed him?”
Liz shifted uncomfortably. “It made me feel unbalanced.”
“But did you enjoy it?” Maria asked.
“It wasn’t a question of enjoying it. When he kissed me, I felt like I lost control of my body. It brought this whole part of me out that…I didn’t want to think about.” Liz answered truthfully.
“The alien side?” Maria asked. One thing that she learned in her brief time she had spent with the aliens was that when one of them acted strangely it was usually something alien. Kind of like a whole Jekyll and Hyde thing.
“Considering the symbols appeared in the flashes and vision, I guess so.” Liz said shrugging.
“I can’t even imagine how weird it must be for you.” Maria stated. “I mean I know how weird it was to feel out of control before. But at the time I still felt safe because I was with Michael. You don’t have that security blanket.”
“I have Max. He believes me that I don’t have any control around Kyle.” Liz answered. “And I have you guys.”
Maria smiled at her in understanding just as the door swung open. Both girls yelped in surprised and Liz brought up her hand to use her powers. But when she saw it was only Michael and Isabel she dropped it. “Did you two have to bust in here and scare the crap out of us?”
“Didn’t know I had to announce my presence in my own house.” Michael smirked.
“I didn’t mean it that way, I just meant that you frightened us.” Liz apologized. “Did you find out anything?’
“Yeah.” Michael stated as he pulled something out of his waistband. It looked like a metal notebook. He turned it around so she could see the symbol. “He’s definitely an alien, and he’s watching you.”
PART 36
Max did his part and showed Kyle around Roswell. They talked about inane things, nothing too personal. They were just approaching the UFO Museum when the subject of Liz came up. “I’m kind of surprised that you offered to show me around, I thought that you’d want to spend your off night with Liz.”
“I don’t think Liz was up to it tonight.” Max lied trying to play his role. “She’s been acting really strange the last couple of days. Kind of distant.”
“Look Max, there’s something I think you should know.” Kyle said looking uneasy. If Max didn’t know any better he would think that Kyle was being sincere but since he knew he was up to something, he could see through his elaborate ruse. “What Kyle?”
“Last night, I was taking a walk through the park and I saw Liz on the swings. I went over to talk to her because she looked upset and…she kissed me.” Kyle explained.
“She did?” Max asked trying to look surprised but was really seething with anger.
“Yeah.”
“Did you kiss her back?”
“Yeah, I mean she’s gorgeous, anyone would. I noticed that she had been paying attention to me and stuff like that but I just blew it off as being friendly. Then when she kissed me, I figured out that for her it was more. I know you don’t want to hear this but I thought since you and I were getting to be friends, I should tell you.” Kyle said.
Max was surprised to find out that the false look of sympathy and concern Kyle was giving him was more infuriating than if he had had a smug smile on his face. It took all of his strength to not grab him and throw him against the wall. The fact that it would blow their cover was the only thing that stopped him. But instead he said, “I’ll talk to Liz about it and see what she has to say, see if she wants to break us off and be with you.”
“I’m glad that we can still be friends through this.” Kyle said smiling.
“I should head for home.” Max said pointing across the street to the café. But he wasn’t planning on going home; he planned to meet up with the others. “Talk to you later, Kyle.”
“Bye Max.” Kyle said. As he left unbeknownst to Max was smiling mischievously. It was time to move ahead with his plot to claim what was his.
(*(*(*(*(*(*(*(**)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)
Liz stared at the book for a few minutes before she was able to react. As she looked at the book her right hand came up and started fingering the pendant that hung around her neck. Her fingertip traced the same symbol before she looked up at Michael and her sister and asked, “Where did you find it?”
“Under Kyle’s bed.” Michael answered.
“And you just took it?” Maria asked. “Did you not think that it might tip Kyle off that we’re on to him? I doubt he thought he just lost it.”
“I don’t care.” Michael snapped. “If he figures out then he’ll know that he doesn’t hold all of the cards. That we’re on to him and what he really is.”
“Stop it you two.” Liz ordered quieting the two of them. She looked over at Isabel and asked. “You mentioned that he was after me, why do think that?”
“The book isn’t the only thing we found.” Isabel said speaking up. “We found a box full of pictures, of you. Well some of them were of all of us but mostly of you. He’s been watching for months, there was some at the Crashdown, at school, even our balcony.”
Liz suddenly felt dirty at finding out the knowledge that someone had been watching her in her home. Her balcony had always been her sanctuary and it had been invaded. Kyle had been spying on her, possibly seeing intimate times between her and Max. She calmed herself down and asked, “These pictures, you said there were some of you too.”
“Yes, they were like surveillance photos. There were some with the three of us, some of you and Max or you and Iz, even the six of us at school.” Michael answered. “But it was obvious he’s focusing on you.”
“Now that you have me sufficiently freaked me out. What’s in the book?” Liz asked trying to keep herself calm. If she lost it then she knew the others might too.
“We didn’t get a chance to look at it. Someone came home and we had to leave. It took us awhile to get back here because we had to make sure that we weren’t being followed or anything.” Isabel said. Isabel and Michael moved to sit next to Liz. Michael was about to open the cover when the apartment door opened again and Max rushed in. He scanned the room until his gaze landed on Liz. He hurried over to her and gathered her up into his arms. She was about to ask what was going on with him but didn’t get a chance. Any attempt at speech was cut off by the passionate kiss he gave her.
Everyone else stared in shock at the couple who kept kissing as if they were the only ones in the room. Max and Liz only broke apart when the need for oxygen overwhelmed them. When they separated, they leaned their foreheads against each other. Liz gasped for breath as she asked, “Max, what’s gotten into you?”
“I’m sorry. I just needed to do that.”
“What happened? What did Kyle say to you?” Liz asked.
“He admitted to what happened in the park but he tried to put the blame off on you.” Max explained. “I think he told me in the attempt to drive a wedge between you and me.”
“Why?” Alex asked.
“Isn’t it obvious? He wants Liz and doesn’t want Max in the way.” Maria answered. “We just have to figure out why Liz. She’s not the only female alien in this group so why not Isabel?”
“I think I know.” Michael said interrupting. Liz looked down at him and saw that he had been glancing through the book. “Look at this.”
Liz and Max sat back down and joined the others as they crowded around Michael. When they did, they saw what he was talking about. Imprinted onto the metal pages were images of Isabel, Michael, and Liz, as they appeared to look when they came out of the pods. Along with their pictures was another one of a little boy who looked like a younger version of Kyle. Michael turned the page and there were more pictures, pictures of how they looked now and another page of how they’d look in another ten years not that there was much of a difference.
Isabel was the first one to speak about what they were looking at. “It’s us. How can that be?”
“Because that’s the way they wanted us to look.” Liz answered. “It’s why we look human. We must have been engineered so we’d blend in. It’s probably why we came out of pods rather than being born.”
“How can you be so calm about this?” Isabel exclaimed to her sister. “You’re talking like we’re something you read in one of you science text books.”
“No, it looks like we’re far more advanced that anything I’ve read before.” Liz commented before she saw that her words weren’t helping. “Isabel, I’m far from calm about this but it helps for me to understand it by looking at it from a scientific view. It doesn’t mean it doesn’t affect me either. After all I’m the one who’s having strange dreams about some guy who turns out to be another alien whose stalking me.”
“So that means it can’t effect Michael or me?” Isabel exclaimed.
“You two fighting isn’t helping us to understand what’s in this book.” Michael said trying to stop the two from arguing. It wasn’t often that they did but when they got started, it took a while to stop them.
“Well it looks like whoever wrote it was showing you as a group of four, but also as pairs.” Alex commented as he studied the layout of the book.
“You mean like couples?” Isabel asked.
“I don’t know. I don’t think so. Look, next to your pictures you, Michael, and Liz all have the same symbol that looks like the V constellation while Kyle’s looks different. So that probably means the three of you are linked differently somehow, maybe by family like you’re siblings.”
“Then where does Kyle fit into the picture?” Max asked.
Michael sat back as he flipped the pages again and came across a few pictures that looked like some form of language before he flipped to a picture that looked like Kyle and a very pregnant Liz. “Holy shit.”
“What?” Liz exclaimed.
“I think we now know who Kyle is, he’s your mate.” Michael answered as they looked at the picture.
Liz felt like someone punched her in the stomach as she took in the picture. She didn’t know what to think she looked over to Max and caught his eyes. He looked as lost as she did.
(*(*(*(*(*(*(*(**)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)
Over the next week the group kept up their strategy of making sure that Liz was not left alone with Kyle. Even when she was partnered with him in first period Biolab Max joined the two of them with the deception that he needed their help since the school year was ending and their final grades were coming up. Despite their conversation the night before, Kyle acted no different to either Liz or Max. He acted perfectly sociable and friendly. Max found it extremely irritating. He wished they could just find out what he was planning next, he didn’t like the thought of some male alien stalking his girlfriend who the alien thought was his.
During lunch the six of them sat out in the quad at a table off to the side of everyone. From their vantage point they could watch the other tables as well as talk freely without worrying about other people. To the casual observer they looked like six teens lazily enjoying their lunch but they were all sitting in a way that allowed them to see what was around them. That way they knew if Kyle was approaching.
Max was straddling one of the benches with Liz sitting between his legs when he noticed something odd. Kyle had just come out to the quad and had watched him as he walked through. But what was so surprising was when he saw him sit down next to and started talking to Tess.
Liz must have noticed he was preoccupied because she glanced up at him. She saw him staring off at something and followed his line of sight. When she saw what he was looking out she couldn’t help but voice her thoughts. “What is Kyle doing talking to Tess?”
The rest of the group all turned at once to stare at Kyle and Tess across the quad. Kyle must have said something funny because Tess started laughing. The two looked very friendly and that thought made everyone uncomfortable. If Kyle chose to, he could tell Tess quite a bit of damaging things about them. They continued to watch as Kyle and Tess continued to talk oblivious to the groups’ stares.
“God, could she be in more obvious?” Maria asked. “Look at her, she might as well straddle him. She’s practically pushing herself into his lap.”
“This can’t be good.” Isabel said. “We have to figure out a way to end this.”
“She’s right.” Liz agreed. “I’m going to talk to Kyle.”
They all stared at Liz for a minute, unbelieving of what she said. Michael picked his mouth up off the ground and said, “Have you gone completely crazy?”
“No, I haven’t. But I’m going to if I don’t get some answers soon.” Liz responded to his question. “And he’s the only one who might have them.”
“We don’t know that.” Max stated.
“No, we don’t. But we’ve got to find out something.” Liz stated. “If the pictures in the book are any indication, I’m the one he would talk to first. And I’m the only one out of the three of us who he’s made any kind of contact with. I’m talking to him, end of discussion.”
“Maybe I should talk to Tess.” Max suggested. “Find out what her and Kyle were talking about.”
“She wouldn’t tell you.” Maria stated. “She’d just see it as either you were interested again or just didn’t want her to date anyone while you can. If it was the latter then you would just push her to him.”
“I hate to admit it but she’s right. You can’t go to Tess.” Isabel said.
“Max won’t need to. I’ll just ask Kyle myself.” Liz stated. “As soon as I can.”
PART 37
Liz waited until after lunch before she approached Kyle. She decided that she was sick of games and decided to use the straightforward approach. She walked up to Kyle and said, “I know what you are and that you’ve been watching me. And I have questions for you. Can we go somewhere and talk?”
Kyle looked her up and down before saying, “I know of a place that will give you answers but I don’t know if you’re ready for it. Are you?”
“Yes. I want to know.” Liz stated. Today was the last day of school so if they disappeared, it wouldn’t be a big deal.
“Let’s go.” Kyle said as he led her over to his truck. The two climbed in and were off shortly.
Across the parking lot Michael sat in the jeep with Isabel and Max with Maria and Alex parked next to them in Alex’s car. Alex and Maria were going to cover for them all while they followed Kyle and Liz. They waited until the truck was a safe distance away and began to follow them. They wanted to make sure that Liz was safe but also wanted to give her a chance to get some answers out of Kyle.
Liz watched out the window as they drove out of town and towards the desert. They drove for at least twenty minutes. She didn’t ask where they were going, just waited to see where they’d end up. They pulled off the main road and started heading down a dirt road that led to a large grouping of rocks. As she studied them, she realized they looked familiar. Kyle pulled up in front of the largest peak and killed the engine. The two climbed out of the truck but Kyle made no move to go anywhere.
“Why are you here?” Liz asked. “Why did you come to Roswell?”
“I’m here for you, Liz. You know that.” Kyle stated.
“Why were you talking to Tess? She doesn’t know about us.” Liz asked.
“I was talking to Tess because she was friendly.” Kyle said shrugging. “It’s not like I got the warm greeting I was expecting from you or Isabel and Michael.”
“But why would you think we would? I mean I know why, I’ve seen the book but when you saw I was happy why not leave me alone instead of hurting me?” Liz asked.
“I didn’t come here to hurt you, I came here because we’re supposed to be together. You and me.” Kyle explained. “Nobody has to get hurt, Liz.”
“What about Max? Don’t you think what you’re doing to the two of us isn’t hurting him? Or me?” Liz demanded. “You’re the one who thinks we should be together. Not me.”
“It’s not a matter of just what I wish for, it’s what is supposed to be. Why do you think you’ve been drawn to me? You’re instincts tell you what is true.” Kyle stated.
“No, I don’t care what that stupid book says or these dreams I’ve been having.” Liz said shaking her head in denial. “I belong with Max, he is who my heart tells me to be with.”
“Max isn’t like us. He can’t understand what it’s like to be us. He doesn’t know what it’s like to be stranded so far from home with only each other.” Kyle rationalized.
“We are not alike.” Liz argued. “I’ve been raised human, it’s the only life I know, the only life I want to lead. I don’t know who or what you are.”
Once the words were out of her mouth she could tell Kyle was getting irritated. “No, you wouldn’t. I’m just the abandoned one that the three of you left behind. I thought if I found you again, maybe things would be okay. That you didn’t mean to leave me behind and things would be okay but I guess I was wrong.”
“What are you talking about?” Liz asked suddenly confused by his change in attitude.
“When you came out of the pods. You guys left me there.” Kyle stated. He studied her for a minute before saying, “You really don’t remember do you?”
“I don’t remember much of anything from that night, not until we were already outside of the chamber.” Liz said as she shook her head. She looked over at the rocks and she was hit with a flash of the night she emerged from her pod.
**Flash**
She saw herself coming out of her pod with Michael and Isabel’s help. As soon as she was out, Michael opened a hidden door in the wall and led them out of the chamber.
**Flash**
She continued to stare at the rocks and she realized why they looked so familiar. After all these years she was back. “That’s it isn’t? That’s the podchamber.”
“Yes, it is.”
“And we left you there?” Liz asked. Kyle nodded. “I didn’t know. As soon as I came out of my pod, Isabel, Michael, and me left. I didn’t get a chance to even look around. I didn’t know you were there.”
Kyle seemed to study her for a minute before his anger diminished. She saw it and decided it was safe to ask him some more questions. “What happened to you? When you came out of your pod?”
“When I came out, I looked at the other pods and saw they were empty. I felt really alone but that was when he made himself known.” Kyle explained. He saw the question in her eyes and elaborated. “The guy who says he’s my dad although he isn’t was waiting for me. He’s the farthest thing from a father you could imagine. He’s our protector, a shapeshifter, one of the ones who was on the ship with us. He’s taken care of me ever since and we’ve been looking for you.”
Liz couldn’t imagine what his life had been like. To feel like the three of them had abandoned him and to only have a protector with you. It must have been lonely. “All these years, you’ve been looking for us?”
“Yeah. He thought you were in the area and would come back often to try and contact you. He tried searching for you through adoption records but couldn’t find anything.”
“My dad is a lawyer. After the paperwork went through, he had it sealed and buried.” Liz explained. “Since you were raised by a protector you must know what we are, why we’re here.”
“I know something’s but others he said he wouldn’t tell me until the four of us were together again.” Kyle stated. “I know quite a bit about my powers and things like that.”
“What about us? Can we shapeshift too?”
“No, we have human bodies so we can’t do that.” Kyle explained.
Liz chewed on her lip for a moment before getting up the courage to ask a rather embarrassing question. “Not long ago Michael, Isabel, and I went through this thing where we couldn’t control some…urges. But then after a day or so later they went away. Do you know why?”
Kyle smiled brazenly at her for a minute before saying, “That’s what Ed called ‘Awakening’. He said it’s a symptom of sexual majority. It only happens like that at the very first. After that everything is normal.”
“What about the visions and dreams I’ve been having? They started when you came to town. They’re of me and you…” Liz asked. “Have you been having them? Or are you making me have them?”
“No, I’m not making you have them but yes, I am having them too.” Kyle stated. “From what he told me, it’s a type of programming we have to recognize each other if we got separated. Kind of like a fail-safe in case it was needed, which it was. They’ll fade away now that we’re together.”
“We are not together.” Liz said adamantly. “I don’t listen to what other people who are far away dictate for me. I live my life the way I want to.”
“But Liz…” Kyle said grabbing her arm. But suddenly he lost his grip as he went flying backwards. Liz looked behind her and saw Isabel, Michael, and Max behind her. Isabel had used her powers to toss Kyle backwards.
Michael stepped in between Liz and Kyle before the other male alien could get near her again. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”
Max came up to stand next to Liz as she said, “Michael stop it! He was just trying to make me believe in what he’s been told since he hatched. That he and I are supposed to be together. His protector, the guy who says he’s his dad, told him that. We were all almost raised like that.”
“What do you mean Liz?”
“Kyle was with us at the podchamber. But we left him behind.” Liz explained. She led them up the hill until she came to the spot she knew it was at. She waved her hand over the bare patch of wall and a silver handprint appeared. She placed her hand on it and the hidden door slid open. The four of them with Kyle following entered and was hit with the sight of four glowing pods. “There’s somethings we need to talk about.”
(*(*(*(*(*(*(*(**)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)
During the time it took to tell Isabel, Michael, and Max what Kyle had told her, they explored the podchamber. There wasn’t much there but it was still fascinating. To see once again the place that they were born in. Michael did his best to intimidate Kyle into giving them more answers but he didn’t seem to have them.
Max was calm during the whole deal, and Liz was grateful for it. When she noticed it was getting late, she told them that they should head back to school. They set things up with Kyle to meet up with him and the protector later before leaving. When they pulled up at school Isabel and Michael jumped out of the jeep to go inside but Liz held Max back. “Max, I just want you to know that no matter what Kyle told us, you’re who I want to be with. And I wanted to thank you for sticking by me through all of this. I know I tend to make our lives chaotic.”
“I want to be with you too, Liz.” Max ran his fingers down her cheek until they landed on her lips. “And as for sticking by you, it’s what we do as a couple.”
“I don’t know what I’d didn’t have you,” Liz said smiling.
“Well we better get inside before we’re caught.” Max said before adding a teasing bit. “Then we’d be forced to find out when our parents ground us.”
“Go on. I’ll catch up.” Liz said. Max nodded before he gave her a quick kiss and jumped out of the jeep. As he walked across the lawn she hopped out and started gathering her stuff. As she leaned over to pull her bag out from under the seat she felt someone come up behind her. She thought it was Max for a moment before she felt something solid poke her in the back. She stiffened as she heard someone, a male voice, speak to her. “Come along quietly. If you don’t, the gun pointed at your back as well as the one aimed at your boyfriend over there will be fired. Any use of your powers will also trigger the sniper to take him out.”
Liz didn’t trust her own voice so she just nodded in response. She didn’t know who was behind her but she knew they were serious and she wasn’t going to do anything to risk Max’s life. Especially if she too would be injured and probably unable to help him. And she didn’t want to die. The guy behind her pushed the gun deeper into back and to the side to tell her to get moving and she stepped forward.
As she was led she saw that their destination was a black SUV. She couldn’t help but glance back at in the direction of the school. When she did, she saw that Max had came back. He must have wondered what was taking her so long and came out to see. He looked dead at her and she saw the look of fear in his eyes. She knew they must mirror her own. He started to move towards her but she shook her head enough for him to get the message. Before she was pushed into the SUV she managed to mouth three little words; ‘I love you.’
Max watched in shock as Liz disappeared into the large SUV accompanied by a guy in a suit. He wanted to go after her but she had told him not to. He debated for a moment on whether to follow the vehicle or go grab the others. When he realized that he stood no chance against whoever took Liz, he went for the others.
He ran down the halls until he found Isabel, Michael, Maria, and Alex heading towards their class. He ran towards them but slipped at the last moment and would have collided with them if Michael and Alex hadn’t caught him. “Max, man where’s the fire?”
“Liz. She’s gone, they took her.” Max gasped out.
“Who took Liz?” Isabel asked frantically.
“I don’t know but I think it was the FBI.”
Warning: Pretty much the next 15 to 20 parts of this story is angsty I plan on showing a lot of the white room and it's after effects. Just wanted to warn you.
PART 38
Liz was barely inside the SUV before it jolted forward and sped away from the school. She was sitting in the middle of the back seat and was surrounded by men in suits. There was one on either side of her as well as one in the driver and passenger seat. The one who had brought her to the vehicle still had his gun trained on her while the one on her other side pulled out what looked like a large syringe. He tapped the side of it before ordering. “Hold her.”
The sight of the large needle was enough to spur Liz into action and she started to struggle. She didn’t want to be drugged. “No, please.”
The man who had been holding the gun grabbed a hold of her roughly and forced her arm out for the other man to follow through with his injection. Liz felt the needle as it was roughly shoved into her arm and things began to get fuzzy. She could still hear and see what was going on but it was like she was watching it from miles away. Her brain barely registered the feeling of another needle going into her arm just before everything went dark.
(*(*(*(*(*(*(*(**)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)
School was instantly forgotten for the group as they headed out to their vehicles to figure out what they should do. Isabel and Michael had been scared of something like this happening over the years but it was different with it actually happening. They were both terrified of what could be happening to Liz and what would happen if they couldn’t get her back. With the absences of the one who usually led them, Michael had taken over. They drove quickly to his apartment and when they got there, he started questioning Max more thoroughly. “You said you thought it was the FBI, why did you think that?”
“The way they were dressed. The guy Liz was with had on a dark suit and glasses. And the vehicle they were in looked like they didn’t want anyone to see what was inside.”
“Oh my God.” Maria whimpered. She felt Michael’s arm come up around her shoulders and she knew that she should be the one comforting him. “What are we going to do?”
“We’re going to find out where she is and go after her.” Michael stated firmly. “We’re not going to leave her there.”
“How are you going to find her?” Isabel asked hysterically. She hated the thought of someone having her sister. “We have no idea where they might have taken her.”
“What about the Sheriff?” Alex asked trying to think of any ideas that could help them. “He’s probably the one who tipped them off about you guys especially since we’re pretty sure he has Max’s shirt. I could hack into the offices’ computer and see if I can find anything.”
“He might not have anything there.” Max threw in. “When I was dating Tess, I went to her house a couple of times and I saw that he has a private office at home. I’m guessing that if he had anything, it might be there. I don’t think he’d want an alien investigation’s files at work.”
“Fine, we’ll start at his house and if we can’t find something there.” Michael ordered. The group quickly squeezed into the jeep, deciding to leave Alex’s car behind and drove over to the Valenti house. Michael, Isabel, and Max went inside while Alex and Maria stood watch.
The three of them had only been inside for ten minutes or so when Maria and Alex saw Tess’s SUV pull up at the house with the Sheriff’s vehicle following. Maria pulled out her cell phone and quickly dialed Isabel but it went to voice mail. “Damn it. They’re going to get busted and we’re never going to get Liz out.”
“They’ll get out of it. Start the jeep and keep it running just in case we have to get out of here in a hurry.” Alex ordered as the two continued to watch and see what would happen.
Max, Isabel, and Michael tried to hurry as they searched the office except they didn’t want to pass over anything. But time was of the essences, they didn’t want her to be in there for too long. Michael’s frustration overtook him, he slammed the desk drawer shut then punched a nearby cup. Luckily it was empty or they would have been covered in its contents. As it was, Isabel had to duck. “Michael, that’s not helping.”
“I can’t help it, I just feel so useless.” Michael argued.
“We’ll find her Michael.” Max stated. He was about to say more when another voice entered the conversation. “What the hell are you kids doing in here?”
Michael didn’t know what happened, maybe it was because his nerves were so strung out or what but his instincts kicked in and he knew he had to protect the other two. He jumped up to face the arrival, his hand raised. And when he did a strange bluish energy came up and created a wall between he, Max and Isabel and a very surprised Tess and Sheriff Valenti.
“Michael, when did you learn to do that?” Isabel gasped in shock.
“About five seconds ago.” He muttered to her. He felt himself start to panic. All the times he had told off Liz about using her powers in front of every one and he had just done the same thing.
Max watched the whole scene play out and like Michael tried to think of a way to do damage control. Before the whole alien thing had entered his life, Sheriff Valenti had been someone he knew did his best to protect the town and it’s occupants. Even to the point of isolating himself from his daughter. He hoped that he was right in thinking that he might help them and not work against them. Deciding to try, he put his hand on Michael’s arm. “I’ve got an idea, but first whatever you’re doing, stop.”
Michael still didn’t even know how he was creating the shield but when he pulled back his energy into himself, it dropped. The Sheriff and Tess had yet to move, they were frozen in shock. Max stepped forward then and tried to talk to them. “Sheriff, I know that right now, you have to be freaking out but you have to listen to me.”
The Sheriff tore his gaze away from Michael to look at Max. “What just happened here? ? It’s not just Liz it? What did Michael just do?”
“And why are you in our house?” Tess threw in, she looked completely terrified at what was going on.
Max looked at Michael and Isabel for help but saw that they had clamed up, not willing to talk. “Sheriff, I’m sure you know how Michael was able to do what he did because you’re right he is like Liz. We’re here because someone, we think the FBI, had kidnapped Liz and we’re trying to find her.”
“And you think I had something to do with it?” The Sheriff asked catching on.
“Why shouldn’t we, the way you’ve been hounding Liz?” Michael bellowed, finally speaking up. “Hell you probably just got back from seeing her. Where is she?”
“Son, I don’t know.” Valenti stated. “You can choose to believe me if you want to but I’m telling you the truth. The last contact with the FBI I had was when they took my files after I made several reports to them about the shooting.”
“What’s this all about Daddy?” Tess asked clearly confused.
“I’ll explain later Tess.” The Sheriff stated blowing her off. “They must have found something on the shirt of Max’s I had from the day at the café that’s why they picked up Liz.”
“We’re wasting time.” Isabel butted in.
Max knew she was right. He looked at the Sheriff and could tell that he was telling them the truth, he didn’t know where she was. Maybe he could help in some other way, he had contacts after all. If only they could persuade him, “Sheriff Valenti, I’ve heard my dad talk with different customers at the café about how good a sheriff they think you are. That you care about the people you’re paid to protect.”
“Where are you going with this Max?” Michael asked.
“Just give me a minute.” Max said holding up his hand to the aggravated alien. “Now I can see that you didn’t have anything to do with what is going on. And I’m hoping that you will help us.”
He watched as the Sheriff seemed to analyze him, as if to try and decide what to do so Max gave him another push. “Sheriff, Liz might not be like you and me, but she is more human than anyone I know. She has people who care about her, who want her back. Michael, Isabel, Maria, Alex and I all want her back and safe. You know what they are going to do to her. Imagine if it was Tess, you wouldn’t let them get there hands on her would you?”
Sheriff looked at Tess for a minute before asking, “What do you need?”
Warning: Raiting should be bumped up a little because of violence in next scene.
PART 39
As Liz started to wake up out of the deep void she was put in, she felt like her head weighed a tone and her body ached. Her wrists and ankles hurt and she knew that it was because of the agent’s rough treatment. But the pain in her limbs flew to the back of her mind when she realized that the faint sense of energy she always felt coursing through her body was gone. The energy that she knew had something to do with her powers. She had no powers. Her eyes snapped open and she was almost blinded by the harsh white light that attacked her eyes.
Once her eyes grew accustomed to the lighting, she was able to make out her surroundings not that there was much, just four white walls and a white floor. She also noticed that she was no longer in the clothes that she had worn to school but in a pair of hospital pants and tanktop. It made her sick to think that one or more of the agents had dressed her that strange men had seen her in the most private of ways. And as much as it disgusted her, it also scared her.
Despite the dizziness she felt, she rose from the floor. Her legs were wobbly and she guessed that it was some type of side effect from the drugs they had given her. Either that or they wanted her disoriented to keep her off balance so she couldn’t fight them. She was guessing it was the latter.
She started pacing the room, waiting for something to happen. Her thoughts instantly went to Max and the others. Were they safe? Once she was taken, had the FBI retracted the threat on him? She was pretty sure that it was the FBI or at least some other government agency. What were they going to do to her? A hundred ideas of the torture they could inflict on her if they did what she thought they would. Of course they wouldn’t see her as a person, just an experiment to work on, dissect her. Then a thought hit her, was she the only one who was picked up? Or could Isabel and Michael be in here as well? To try and distract herself she began to pace. She walked back and forth, from one wall of the cell to the other for what seemed like hours before a noise stopped her in her tracks.
She was in the middle of the room when a portion of the wall opened up and two large men who looked like orderlies appeared. Before she could react they rushed at her and tried to restrain her. She struggled and kicked with what strength she had, even landing a few blows but it didn’t do any good. Another man pushed an exam table or gurney into the room and the ones holding her flung her onto its surface. They didn’t release her, instead she felt tight restraints latched over her wrists and ankles as well as one fastened over her waist.
As soon as they were sure Liz was secure, they let go of her and disappeared the same way they had entered. She felt extremely vulnerable and it made her fear spike even more that it had already been at. At least before she was mobile and wasn’t helplessly strapped to a table. She didn’t have to wait long before more people walked in, also dressed as medical staff. They wheeled in several carts that looked to be full of medical equipment, needles, scalpels, syringes, as well as what looked like portable X-ray machine. She had seen one in an Anatomy book so she was sure that what it was.
The ‘doctors’ started coming towards her then and started doing their examination. They started with the simple stuff like her blood pressure, heartbeat, etc. Liz tried to fight them off even with her restraints digging into her and demanded. “Who are you? Why are you doing this to me?”
But they just ignored her and went about their work. It wasn’t long before the tests became more in depth. She felt a sharp pain and saw that they were drawing blood. As she watched vial after vial being taken, she knew that she was in trouble. As soon as they saw her blood, she wouldn’t be able to deny what she was.
They took every kind of sample possible. They ripped out pieces of her hair and cut off a few of her fingernails. She hissed in pain as her skin on her arm as well as her leg was scraped and cut with a scalpel. The only words that were exchanged between Liz and the men were when one of them demanded a urine sample. They said that she would either give it to them or they would insert a catheter. They laid a bedpan under her and she embarrassing gave them the sample they wanted. When they gathered everything they needed they positioned the X-ray machine over her and took X-rays of every bone in her body. At least it seemed like it to her. They finally finished up gathered their equipment and left. But when they left, none of them took Liz’s restraints off of her. She tried to pull herself free but gave up quickly.
She laid there for so long that her limbs started to ache and she was sure that her feet were asleep. But all she could do was lie on the gurney and study the plain white sterile walls. They were made of tiles that reflected the harsh halogen lights. The effect made the room appear to be more sterile among some things and Liz knew that the brightness of the walls had something to do with the psychological effect it would have on its occupant. She came to think of the walls as the instruments of her imprisonment rather than her restraints. Because even if they untied her, she would still be trapped inside those same four walls. And as much as she wanted to escape, she didn’t want Isabel or Michael to end up in the same place.
She knew several hours had passed as she studied the walls. She had almost fallen asleep when the hidden door opened, revealing one of the last people she expected to see. “Ms. Pierce?”
The woman who had made the group so paranoid at school stood in the doorway, staring at her with her cold blue eyes. Since she no longer had to keep up her disguise like she had at the school, her face also mirrored the coldness in her eyes. Her expression sent a chill down Liz’s spine. “Now Liz, you disappoint me. I would have thought that you would have figured it all out by now. You’re such a smart girl. And the last time we talked you seemed very suspicious of me. I guess I did better in my undercover work than I thought I did.”
“Why were you posing as a computer programmer?” Liz asked.
“To access your files of course. Not that there was much there but I didn’t want to alert you in anyway to the fact that we were looking into you.” She explained. “Plus it allowed me to watch you in more natural surroundings. And I must say I learned quite a bit. I was surprised to discover that your kind actually could care about others.”
“My kind? I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Liz lied. “I don’t know who you think I am but I’m just a normal sixteen year old girl.”
“Oh come now, Liz. Don’t insult my intelligence and I won’t insult yours. You’re a being that’s not of this world, of this planet. An alien to use a familiar term. But I must admit, you’ve got our scientists baffled. You are unlike any of the other specimens we’ve studied before.”
“Before?”
“The survivors of the crash in 1947.” Pierce stated in an annoyed tone. “There were four occupants of the ship, two of them died in the crash but the other two became test subjects. True, they both did manage to escape which I’m sure you know all about that but one of them we had for years before he escaped. That’s how we acquired the knowledge to block your powers. The experiments we conducted, in the autopsy of the two dead as well as the live testing, taught us that most of your powers stem from your brain, the cerebral cortex to be exact. After finding out this little bit of knowledge, our scientists quickly developed a drug that would anesthetize that section of the brain therefore cutting off you powers. Although I must admit we’re lucky that it has the same effect on you since the data we got from that one is entirely different than what we have acquired from you.”
Liz hadn’t even noticed that Ms. Pierce had brought a large envelope with her. From it she extracted several items that looked like X-ray films and other data sheets. “You see everything except for your blood appears to be human. The alien’s body we studied before was completely alien, not a speck of human in it.”
Liz studied the info but did not speak so Pierce went on. “Now you have some answers that I want. And I’m going to give you a choice, Liz. You give me the answers I want…”
“I don’t know anything. I don’t know anything about myself or others like me.” Liz spoke up. “So I can’t answer any of your questions.”
“If you won’t be cooperative, I’m just going to have to be more forceful with to get them.” Pierce stated in a cold voice as she approached the door. Liz heard her bark out some orders as she walked out of the room. She quickly reappeared with two men dressed in scrubs like the ones before. One of them pulled a cart along that held some kind of device with wires sticking out it. The two worked quickly and Liz soon realized what was going on and what the device was. It was what doctors used for Electro shock treatment.
Although she knew it was pointless she shook her head as hard as she could to try and stop them from attaching the electrodes to her head. Ms. Pierce just grabbed her head from behind her and steadied her head so that they could do their tasks. She looked behind her to glare at the offending woman.
Once everything was secure the two technicians moved away from her and she saw one of them touch a few dials on the panel of the machine. After that, all she could feel was pain.
It was like white fire was burning her from the inside out. The pain was so intense she couldn’t think or focus on anything but the burning. She felt her body convulsing and jump as the currents ran through her body. It felt like every cell in her body had just exploded. She wasn’t even aware of how loudly she was screaming. “Stop! Please! I don’t know anything! I swear I don’t know anything!”
When the pain finally stopped it took a while for her screams to die out. She started coughing because of the screaming, it had left her throat dry and coarse. She had difficulty trying to breathe, which was made harder because of the bindings across her chest that was holding her to the table. The residual pain left from the shocks and the lack of oxygen proved to much for her, Liz’s eyes rolled into the back of her head before she passed out.
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