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Sunday,
27 February 2000 At the Crashdown, Michael, working as a short-order cook, asks the girls to "push the special" because he is "tired of flipping burgers". Max and Isabel come in, Liz goes to Max and they kiss. Maria, envious of their relationship, says to Michael "Is that so hard? Acting like a real couple, kissing, arms around each other, actually excited to see one another". Michael replies "Overrated". Liz and Max make plans to see a movie and Liz asks Maria if she minds if she leaves early. When she steps away, Michael comments that they are just looking for a place to make-out and that he and Maria have his apartment for that. Maria and Michael exchange knowing looks and when Isabel says she would like to order the special, they simultaneously say "We're closing early". Liz and Max have decided to forego the movie and are making-out in the jeep. Agent Topolsky bangs on the window. She is obviously distressed and says "You're in danger, all of you. Best way to protect yourself is to just act like normal kids. I think I was followed. Don't trust anyone. I'll find you again". Max and Liz are stunned that she is back and by her behaviour. At Michael's apartment, he and Maria are making-out on the couch, moaning each other's name, when Maria says "Max". Michael stops, looks at her and says "What!" She indicates that Max is standing over them. Michael is not pleased by the interruption. Max, Liz, Isabel and Alex are there. Max tells them about Topolsky. Liz says she thinks Topolsky was truly frightened and they should listen to what she has to say. Michael thinks it is just a trap to get them to admit to who they really are. That they should not trust her. Max says whether they trust her or not they should still take her advice and act normal. They should refrain from talking about being aliens in public. He gives Michael the orb and says he should keep it there because it will be safer. Maria says she can't believe Topolsky is back and it is all starting again. Michael puts his arm around her to comfort her. Max comforts Liz. Monday, 28 February 2000 At school the next day, Alex and Isabel are having lunch together and see Max and Liz being affectionate. Alex comments about Max and Liz and Michael and Maria having relationships and, all the kissing aside, it would be nice to have someone to hang out with that you share common bonds with. Tess Harding, a very attractive, new girl in school, asks if she can join them. Alex is not happy with the interruption but Isabel tells her to sit. Tess comments on how hard the first day at a new school is, that she has been through it many times before, that the boys usually just want to jump her bones and the girls are afraid she will go after their boyfriends. She indicates that Isabel probably has the same problem and they compare notes. Isabel notices Tess adding sugar to her yoghurt and Isabel says she does that too. They are obviously bonding over their similarities. At Max's, Michael tells Max that Maria wants more romance and he wants to make her happy so he asks for advice on what to do. Max suggests that he treat her like she is the only girl in the room, leave her little surprises like notes in her locker, or give her a rose in the middle of the day, take her someplace nice. Tess walks in and asks Max how he knows women so well. Isabel comes in, introduces them, gets a couple of drinks for her and Tess and tells Tess she will meet her back in her room. Max and Michael are upset that she brought a stranger home. Michael points out she could be a plant. Isabel brushes off their concerns and says not to worry, she is not going to "fall in love with her, tell her our secret and compromise our very existence". She reminds them they are supposed to be acting normal. At the Crashdown, Liz receives a delivery of flowers with a note saying "Meet me at Senor Chow's in one hour. Alone". Liz and Maria assume they are from Max. Liz says "He's so romantic. He wants me to meet him at the restaurant where we had our first date. He just keeps on getting more and more wonderful everyday". Liz enters the restaurant, sits and waits for Max. Topolsky, wearing a wig as a disguise, sits across from her. She is just as agitated as the previous night. She tells Liz that she has been to Hell and has learned and seen things no one would believe. She is there to warn them that there is an alien hunter working with the FBI, who answers to no one, that he will stop at nothing to get what he is looking for and he is looking for Max and everyone involved with him. All six of their names are on his list. She tells Liz "You have to believe me" and Liz replies that she does. Topolsky feels as if she was followed so she tells Liz she will meet her tomorrow night behind the theatre at 8. She will know more by then. Tuesday, 29 February 2000 At school the next day, Liz tells Max about Topolsky and that all their names are on the list. At the quarry, all six discuss what to do. There is dissension in the ranks. Liz and Alex think they should meet Topolsky. Michael does not believe there is an alien hunter and thinks that it is a trap. Isabel believes there is an alien hunter but does not trust Topolsky and does not think their human friends have as much to risk as they do. Maria suggests they put it to a vote. Max sides with Michael and Isabel. Michael assumes Maria will side with Liz and Alex and is pleased and surprised when she sides with him. That night, when no one shows, Topolsky goes to Sheriff Valenti's home. She tells him she knows he killed Hubble to protect Max, that she spent four weeks being debriefed by Agent Pierce, head of the special unit of alien hunters and, after what they did to her, she would hate to think what they would do to an enemy. She was told that now that she knew about the unit, she was in it for life. But she does not want to be a part of it, she did not join the FBI to kill people. She warns Valenti that he is on their list too and he could be destroyed. She says if he does not believe her, he should try to ask Agent Stevens what happened to him when he tried to get out. "Pierce made an example out of him for the rest of us, piece by piece". She tells him he has to get the kids to trust her, "it's the only way". She leaves and Valenti tries calling the Bureau to talk to Stevens and is told that he no longer works there. He calls Stevens' home number and his distraught wife tells him he is dead. Valenti visits Max at the UFO Centre. He reminds Max that he protected him against Hubble. He wants him to know he is there to help and that he can be trusted. He tells Max that if anyone bothers him or any of his friends to let him know. At the Crashdown, Michael suggests to Liz that he and Maria double date with her and Max tonight. Later, Liz and Maria are getting ready for their dates when Alex shows up with a video for their evening together. They explain they are going out with Max and Michael, so when the guys arrive with Isabel, Alex goes to talk to her. Max gives Liz a gift of bubble bath in a gift bag, Michael gives Maria a gift of an economy size bottle of shampoo and conditioner in a paper bag. Maria tries to act pleased. They leave for their date. Alex and Isabel talk about what is going on and Isabel is surprised but pleased that Alex wants to protect her. He says "I'd do anything" and Isabel says no one, besides Max and Michael, ever said that to her before. Alex tries to convince Isabel that it is easier to deal with things when you have someone to talk to. Tess, once again, interrupts. Isabel and Tess have plans so Alex leaves. While he is walking home, a car with black tinted windows pulls up beside him. The passenger in the back rolls down his window a crack, just enough to talk. He says Topolsky sent him and tells Alex to get in the car. Valenti pulls up and the car drives away. Valenti offers to drive him home, "No questions asked". At dinner, Michael's table manners are not the best and the others are visibly uncomfortable. When the checks arrive, Michael hands his to Maria and tells her she will have to get this one because he does not get paid till Tuesday. Maria leaves the table and walks to the other side of the room. Max kicks Michael under the table. Michael goes over to Maria and asks what he did wrong, so she gives him a list of things, including thinking only of himself. He replies "What I want to know is, if I'm such a loser, then why do you want to be with me?" She does not have an answer and he walks away. Michael comes home to find his apartment has been ransacked. Topolsky is there, she has found the orb. She tells him she knows what it is because there is another one that she took from the special unit evidence vault. It is a communicator but it will only work with the other one. She asks if he will believe her if she risks her life to bring him the other one and she also wants him to promise that he will take her with him when his people come to get him. He tells her she is crazy. She says "Michael, we are all going to die and it's not going to be pleasant. We only have one chance. I will meet you tomorrow night at Buckley Point with the other communicator. If you ignore me this time, there won't be a next time". Wednesday, 1 March 2000 The next day, the six of them meet at the quarry. Alex tells them about they guy in the car and Valenti helping him. Max says there are five people in the world that he trusts and they are all standing right there. They can not afford to let anyone else in, not Valenti, not Topolsky and not the new girl at school, no matter how tempting. They all agree to not talk to anyone. The others walk off, leaving Michael and Maria alone. Maria apologises for trying to make him be the perfect boyfriend. Alex's close call made her realise what was important to her and that he should go back to being himself. He hugs her then says "If anything happens, I mean to me, I just want you to know that…" She interrupts and says "I know" and they kiss. Later that night at the Crashdown, Maria catches Michael going through her locker. He tells her he is borrowing her car. She tries to get her keys back and discovers the orb in his pocket. She realises he is going to meet Topolsky. He tells her not to tell the others. She insists on going with him and asks where the meeting point is. Saying she needs to get her jacket, she leaves a note telling where they have gone. Liz, looking for Maria, finds the note. In the car, Maria tries to convince Michael that it is a bad idea and when that does not work she switches tactics and tells him she has changed her mind, she is afraid and does not want to go and he should not be putting her in danger. She tells him to let her out and he says he is not going to leave her in the middle of nowhere. The others are following in the jeep. Alex does not understand how Michael could do this after they all agreed. Isabel says "Because he's Michael". Max, who is very angry, says "Well, that's no excuse this time". Maria opens the car door, forcing Michael to stop the car. She gets out and he follows her. She says "Michael, it's a mistake and if you're too stupid not to protect yourself, I'm gonna have to do if for you". He replies "It's not your decision to make, this is mine". Crying, she responds "It's not just about you. What you do effects me, that's how a relationship works and, whether you like it or not, we are in a relationship. OK, so go ahead and just hate me but I'm not gonna let you get hurt, all right. I care about you too much". The jeep pulls up behind them and Max storms up to Michael demanding he give back the orb. Michael holds it out of reach and says Topolsky told him it was a communicator. Max punches Michael in the face, knocking him to the ground and causing him to drop the orb. Michael, shocked that Max hit him, gets up and advances towards Max ready for a fight. Isabel steps in between them and two cars approach. A distinguished gentleman gets out of the first car and tells them that Topolsky will not be meeting with them tonight or any other night. Valenti gets out of his car and tells them this is Dr Malcolm Marcolin and that he has been treating Topolsky at a mental hospital in Maryland for 6 weeks. Marcolin tells them Topolsky is paranoid delusional, desperately afraid of things that do not exist. Valenti tells them he verified the doctor's story and it is probably safe to disregard everything she told them. Marcolin says that Topolsky is on her way back to Maryland. Valenti and Marcolin head back to their cars. Michael starts to look for the orb but Max says they will get it later. Valenti sees it and picks it up. Max says "Nice job Michael" and walks off. Marcolin pulls into a gated area, shapeshifts into a hiker/prospector and leaves the car, carrying his gear. Topolsky is at the meeting point and is abducted by the ones she had been trying to avoid. |
