*Chapter 1*
~*~*~*~*~*~
*Departure*
~*~*~*~*~*~
"She killed him. Tess killed Alex." Kyle's voice was full of grief and loathing. Liz raced to the pod chamber hoping she wasn't too late. She had discovered the truth. The truth about Alex. The truth about Tess. The truth about everything. It was not suicide that claimed the life of her friend but a certain blonde that the whole group had come to trust. After everything Tess had done to prove her allegiance to the group, one act of clarity on Liz' part had allowed her to see the true nature of this demonic blonde. Unfeeling. That's the only word she could come up with to describe her. She had killed him in cold blood. She had sucked him dry of his life and murdered him. Alex was the sweetest boy she had ever known and now he was dead because Tess wanted to go home. It made Liz very angry when she thought about it. From the moment Tess came to town she hadn't trusted her. She had learned to push those feelings aside when Tess came through for the group when they were in tough situations. It was all in vain though. Liz' first impression had been correct. Tess had to be pure evil to do something like this to her. To do something like this to Alex. Liz had never wanted anything more than to have five minutes alone with her. The rage built up inside of the petite brunette until she could feel her whole face turn red.
"Hurry!" Liz screamed from the passenger's seat as Maria sped through the the deserted road. It was freezing but Liz didn't notice. Her mind was set on one thing and one thing alone...the truth. She was going to snap Max out of his trance and make him realize the kind of person he had trusted. She was going to make them all realize that Tess was the sole cause of their pain. Over the hill Liz could see the cave where the aliens would be. No doubt they were together and happy with the realization that they would be going home.
Maria stopped the car and Liz immediately opened the door and made her way quickly through the cool desert air. Though the shouts of her friends to slow down were loud in her ears, they didn't register. She was on a mission.
"Liz!" she heard Maria scream, but she did not stop. She did not turn around. She couldn't stop. She couldn't slow down. She was too close now. Before she knew it, she was there. She was standing right in front of the cave. She ran up to the entrance at such a fast pace that she had to throw her hands in front of herself to cushion the impact. She hit the rock wall with a thud before collecting herself and banging her fists against the jagged rock. She was soon joined by an out-of-breath Maria and an equally tired Kyle. They continued to bang on the rough surface and scream at the top of their lungs.
"Michael!" Maria shouted, "open the door! Michael!" Liz' desperate voice followed.
"Max! Open up! Max! Max!" she pleaded.
From the inside, their screams seemed non-existent. The aliens stood around the large base contemplating their journey home oblivious to the cries of the humans outside their very walls. The silence was deafening. The mood was somber. Their eyes focused briefly on each other and flickered back and forth. The lights of the granolith whirled around them. Heavenly shades of blue and violet lit up the inside of the compact chamber. Michael stood deep in thought as Max touched the basin on the transport. Michael's eyes tore away from the ground at a sudden realization. "Max, I can't go," he whispered in a soft voice. Isabel stepped to him knowing full well that Michael had thought this out.
"Ever since we came out of those pods I've been on some quest to figure out where I belong. I finally found home. The weird thing is it's here. It's on earth."
Max had known that Michael had been thinking about it and he had finally made up his mind. Max looked at him as several moments passed. He walked steadily up to Michael and pulled him into a tight embrace. He was leaving him behind. His friend. His brother. He may never see him again. Max held in the tears from falling so that he wouldn't seem like a wimp. Inside he was dying.
"Take care of yourself," Max said in a low voice. "I love you."
They held on to each other tightly and exchanged their silent love and respect for each other. They didn't need words. They had been together since they were children and it was finally time to part.
"You're a great brother," Michael admonished with a pat on the back.
He stepped away from Max while his voice tightened in his throat. "Take care of the others," Max told him. Michael nodded knowing the intention of Max's words. Isabel watched the scene unfold in front of her and tried not to break down. She looked at Max, her tears now flowing freely.
"I would understand," he said in a soothing voice.
Isabel couldn't believe what she was hearing. She couldn't leave him. As much as she wanted to stay, she couldn't. "What you said before...you're my home too," she said with tears escaping the corners of her moist eyes. She hastily pulled Michael into an embrace only to be then interrupted by Tess.
"Well, whoever is coming, we have to go...now," she said looking towards the origin of the swirling lights.
Isabel reluctantly let go of Michael. Michael took one last look at the pod chamber and the loved ones he was leaving and made his way toward the exit.
Outside Maria and Liz leaned against a rock exhausted from their failed attempts to get the attention of their alien friends. They felt so lost. In a few minutes they'd be leaving with someone who could end up turning on them. There had to be some way to let them know. Liz felt like she had that day in the Crashdown. She felt hurt and scared. What they needed was a miracle much like the one bestowed onto her. On that note, a noise erupted from the cave.
"Liz!" Maria exclaimed tapping her friend as the entrance to the cave rolled away.
Michael soon exited the cave. Michael's face was full of shock as he saw Maria and Liz standing there. Before he had a chance to get a word out, Maria stepped up to him and in a shaky but determined voice told him what she had been waiting to say.
"Tess killed Alex," she said a little calmer than she had thought. It finally registered with him.
"What?" Michael said, his face shocked with this realization.
There was no time. He quickly turned around and ran back into the pod chamber with Maria, Liz, and Kyle in tow. Max was finalizing his trip with the readying of the granolith when Michael and Liz emerged from the entrance.
"Max don't!" she cried running in with strength she didn't know she had. "It was Tess. Tess killed Alex. She mindwarped him into going to Las Cruces to decode the book and when he broke out of the mindwarp she killed him." It came out in one long breath.
Liz shook from the inside out as Kyle took his cue to confirm her story. "It's true. I was there. I witnessed it," he told him. A sickening thought emerged in Max's mind about Alex's true last moments.
"Why didn't you ever say anything?" Max burst out in a fit of rage. He was interrupted by Kyle who stepped closer to Max in order to see the crouching blonde behind him.
"Because she mindwarped me. You lived in my home! You were like my sister!" he shouted unable to control his rage. Max turned to look at her.
"How long?" Max asked not taking his eyes off of her.
"Three minutes," Michael said looking at the orb lighting up quickly on the wall.
"Everyone out," he said keeping a steady voice and piercing eyes. They all filed out leaving them alone. It was just Tess, Max, and his anger.
"Did you kill Alex?" he said in a voice so cold it sent shivers up her spine.
"I didn't want to. I wish I hadn't, but I did." Max began stepping closer to her making her back up farther and farther.
"Why?" he burst out.
"Look Max, the clock's ticking. We don't really have time..." she was interrupted.
"TELL ME WHY!!!" he said losing all control that he had left.
"He would have told you what I did and I couldn't let that happen," she said believing it was justified.
"So you just...you just killed him?"
"I didn't mean to," she went on. "His brain was just so weakened by the mindwarps and... Look! None of this matters now," she stopped.
"Life matters, Tess. My life...your life...his." She stopped him.
"What matters is getting home. But you could never understand that, could you? I might have been able to teach you but that stupid bitch had you wrapped around her..."
"Don't you ever call her that," Max shouted in a fit of rage. He continued backing up on her and they continued this way around the granolith floor words of hatred flying out of each others mouths.
"See? Look how fast you run to her defense," she screamed. "Why couldn't you ever feel that way about me?" tears were running down her face in slow streams. "I'm your wife, Max," she said gathering up her strength. "I'm carrying your child."
The realization hit Max instantly. "This was all some kind of plan to get pregnant and go home, wasn't it? Home to what, Tess? To Kivar? To our enemies?" Max stared at her as the impact of her words his him.
"They're not my enemies, Max" she said turning away from him.
"You made a deal with them. With Kivar." Max stopped for a second. Max didn't know how he had ever trusted her.
"No! Nasedo made the deal 40 years ago." He once again began to come closer.
"What was the deal? Tell me!"
"To return home with your child and to deliver the three of you to Kivar," she said afraid Max would go off on her again.
"And what would happen to us once you delivered us?" Max asked knowing exactly what would happen. The tears flooded her face now as Max told her exactly what he was thinking.
"How could I ever fall in love with someone like you? How could I ever marry you?" Max was now standing over her and looking down.
Tess stepped up to him and looked him in the eyes. "You were different then. You were a king. Now you're just a boy." Max raised his hand to her and she glared at it angrily. "You kill me, Max, you kill our son."
Max relented and balled his fists tightly. The colors swirled brighter than ever through the chamber and the clock met its final countdown.
"Go. This isn't over, Tess," he said backing up through the doorway. Tess scrunched her face letting tears fall freely and moved toward the base of the granolith.
She carefully stretched her hand up to the spiraling vortex forming in the center. In an instant, she was transported to the center of the vortex with the colors of the granolith surrounding her. Violet, blue, orange. Every color imaginable permeated the cave walls and met in the middle of the chamber giving off a white, pure light. It was blinding and breathtaking. Max gave one more look around as he made his way out. As he did, the cave was filled with black smoke and it began to shake. Each quake caused more debris to plummet from the ceiling. He was met by Isabel screaming his name and they both climbed out of the cave shaken by the destruction happening around them.
As soon as Max was out of the cave, he was met by the group. Liz was in front gazing intently at him. He took no time but grabbed her hand and pulled her along leading them all to safety. "Let's go," he told them still squeezing her hand.
The granolith had finally hit it's mark as the friends made their way down the rocks and hills of the desert led by Max. The ground shook beneath their feet as they saw the smoke rise from the tip of their cave. The ship whirred from the inside of the cave and lit up the inside of the rock. Max led them to a trench behind a rock as they watched the top of the cave break away and a spaceship barrel out the tip and through the clouds. Max grabbed Liz and held her close to shield and comfort her. Michael did the same for Maria. In an instant it was gone. They all gazed up at the clear blue sky that had been pierced by the craft. They were in awe. Max was the first to turn away. He looked down at the shaken brunette he held in his arms.
"I've been really wrong about a lot of things, but I've been right about one thing. To get you into my life. To be around you. To love you." Max gently caressed her cheek and ran his fingers through her silky hair before pulling her to his chest.
Maria pulled Michael's collar to get his attention. "You opened the door and you came out. Why?" she asked rubbing up and down his neck. "You stayed for me," she said resting her head against his throat.
Max took Liz' hand and led her down the rock towards the group. Isabel stopped him. "What happens now, Max?"
He didn't look at her. He didn't turn around. "I have to save my son."
They stood there, the six of them on a large rock. The wind blew through their hair and echoed off the rocks. It was still and silent. Nobody moved. They just stood there. They were all together again except for Alex. There was a new battle to fight and a new day to do it.
~*~*~*~*~*~
*Departure*
~*~*~*~*~*~
"She killed him. Tess killed Alex." Kyle's voice was full of grief and loathing. Liz raced to the pod chamber hoping she wasn't too late. She had discovered the truth. The truth about Alex. The truth about Tess. The truth about everything. It was not suicide that claimed the life of her friend but a certain blonde that the whole group had come to trust. After everything Tess had done to prove her allegiance to the group, one act of clarity on Liz' part had allowed her to see the true nature of this demonic blonde. Unfeeling. That's the only word she could come up with to describe her. She had killed him in cold blood. She had sucked him dry of his life and murdered him. Alex was the sweetest boy she had ever known and now he was dead because Tess wanted to go home. It made Liz very angry when she thought about it. From the moment Tess came to town she hadn't trusted her. She had learned to push those feelings aside when Tess came through for the group when they were in tough situations. It was all in vain though. Liz' first impression had been correct. Tess had to be pure evil to do something like this to her. To do something like this to Alex. Liz had never wanted anything more than to have five minutes alone with her. The rage built up inside of the petite brunette until she could feel her whole face turn red.
"Hurry!" Liz screamed from the passenger's seat as Maria sped through the the deserted road. It was freezing but Liz didn't notice. Her mind was set on one thing and one thing alone...the truth. She was going to snap Max out of his trance and make him realize the kind of person he had trusted. She was going to make them all realize that Tess was the sole cause of their pain. Over the hill Liz could see the cave where the aliens would be. No doubt they were together and happy with the realization that they would be going home.
Maria stopped the car and Liz immediately opened the door and made her way quickly through the cool desert air. Though the shouts of her friends to slow down were loud in her ears, they didn't register. She was on a mission.
"Liz!" she heard Maria scream, but she did not stop. She did not turn around. She couldn't stop. She couldn't slow down. She was too close now. Before she knew it, she was there. She was standing right in front of the cave. She ran up to the entrance at such a fast pace that she had to throw her hands in front of herself to cushion the impact. She hit the rock wall with a thud before collecting herself and banging her fists against the jagged rock. She was soon joined by an out-of-breath Maria and an equally tired Kyle. They continued to bang on the rough surface and scream at the top of their lungs.
"Michael!" Maria shouted, "open the door! Michael!" Liz' desperate voice followed.
"Max! Open up! Max! Max!" she pleaded.
From the inside, their screams seemed non-existent. The aliens stood around the large base contemplating their journey home oblivious to the cries of the humans outside their very walls. The silence was deafening. The mood was somber. Their eyes focused briefly on each other and flickered back and forth. The lights of the granolith whirled around them. Heavenly shades of blue and violet lit up the inside of the compact chamber. Michael stood deep in thought as Max touched the basin on the transport. Michael's eyes tore away from the ground at a sudden realization. "Max, I can't go," he whispered in a soft voice. Isabel stepped to him knowing full well that Michael had thought this out.
"Ever since we came out of those pods I've been on some quest to figure out where I belong. I finally found home. The weird thing is it's here. It's on earth."
Max had known that Michael had been thinking about it and he had finally made up his mind. Max looked at him as several moments passed. He walked steadily up to Michael and pulled him into a tight embrace. He was leaving him behind. His friend. His brother. He may never see him again. Max held in the tears from falling so that he wouldn't seem like a wimp. Inside he was dying.
"Take care of yourself," Max said in a low voice. "I love you."
They held on to each other tightly and exchanged their silent love and respect for each other. They didn't need words. They had been together since they were children and it was finally time to part.
"You're a great brother," Michael admonished with a pat on the back.
He stepped away from Max while his voice tightened in his throat. "Take care of the others," Max told him. Michael nodded knowing the intention of Max's words. Isabel watched the scene unfold in front of her and tried not to break down. She looked at Max, her tears now flowing freely.
"I would understand," he said in a soothing voice.
Isabel couldn't believe what she was hearing. She couldn't leave him. As much as she wanted to stay, she couldn't. "What you said before...you're my home too," she said with tears escaping the corners of her moist eyes. She hastily pulled Michael into an embrace only to be then interrupted by Tess.
"Well, whoever is coming, we have to go...now," she said looking towards the origin of the swirling lights.
Isabel reluctantly let go of Michael. Michael took one last look at the pod chamber and the loved ones he was leaving and made his way toward the exit.
Outside Maria and Liz leaned against a rock exhausted from their failed attempts to get the attention of their alien friends. They felt so lost. In a few minutes they'd be leaving with someone who could end up turning on them. There had to be some way to let them know. Liz felt like she had that day in the Crashdown. She felt hurt and scared. What they needed was a miracle much like the one bestowed onto her. On that note, a noise erupted from the cave.
"Liz!" Maria exclaimed tapping her friend as the entrance to the cave rolled away.
Michael soon exited the cave. Michael's face was full of shock as he saw Maria and Liz standing there. Before he had a chance to get a word out, Maria stepped up to him and in a shaky but determined voice told him what she had been waiting to say.
"Tess killed Alex," she said a little calmer than she had thought. It finally registered with him.
"What?" Michael said, his face shocked with this realization.
There was no time. He quickly turned around and ran back into the pod chamber with Maria, Liz, and Kyle in tow. Max was finalizing his trip with the readying of the granolith when Michael and Liz emerged from the entrance.
"Max don't!" she cried running in with strength she didn't know she had. "It was Tess. Tess killed Alex. She mindwarped him into going to Las Cruces to decode the book and when he broke out of the mindwarp she killed him." It came out in one long breath.
Liz shook from the inside out as Kyle took his cue to confirm her story. "It's true. I was there. I witnessed it," he told him. A sickening thought emerged in Max's mind about Alex's true last moments.
"Why didn't you ever say anything?" Max burst out in a fit of rage. He was interrupted by Kyle who stepped closer to Max in order to see the crouching blonde behind him.
"Because she mindwarped me. You lived in my home! You were like my sister!" he shouted unable to control his rage. Max turned to look at her.
"How long?" Max asked not taking his eyes off of her.
"Three minutes," Michael said looking at the orb lighting up quickly on the wall.
"Everyone out," he said keeping a steady voice and piercing eyes. They all filed out leaving them alone. It was just Tess, Max, and his anger.
"Did you kill Alex?" he said in a voice so cold it sent shivers up her spine.
"I didn't want to. I wish I hadn't, but I did." Max began stepping closer to her making her back up farther and farther.
"Why?" he burst out.
"Look Max, the clock's ticking. We don't really have time..." she was interrupted.
"TELL ME WHY!!!" he said losing all control that he had left.
"He would have told you what I did and I couldn't let that happen," she said believing it was justified.
"So you just...you just killed him?"
"I didn't mean to," she went on. "His brain was just so weakened by the mindwarps and... Look! None of this matters now," she stopped.
"Life matters, Tess. My life...your life...his." She stopped him.
"What matters is getting home. But you could never understand that, could you? I might have been able to teach you but that stupid bitch had you wrapped around her..."
"Don't you ever call her that," Max shouted in a fit of rage. He continued backing up on her and they continued this way around the granolith floor words of hatred flying out of each others mouths.
"See? Look how fast you run to her defense," she screamed. "Why couldn't you ever feel that way about me?" tears were running down her face in slow streams. "I'm your wife, Max," she said gathering up her strength. "I'm carrying your child."
The realization hit Max instantly. "This was all some kind of plan to get pregnant and go home, wasn't it? Home to what, Tess? To Kivar? To our enemies?" Max stared at her as the impact of her words his him.
"They're not my enemies, Max" she said turning away from him.
"You made a deal with them. With Kivar." Max stopped for a second. Max didn't know how he had ever trusted her.
"No! Nasedo made the deal 40 years ago." He once again began to come closer.
"What was the deal? Tell me!"
"To return home with your child and to deliver the three of you to Kivar," she said afraid Max would go off on her again.
"And what would happen to us once you delivered us?" Max asked knowing exactly what would happen. The tears flooded her face now as Max told her exactly what he was thinking.
"How could I ever fall in love with someone like you? How could I ever marry you?" Max was now standing over her and looking down.
Tess stepped up to him and looked him in the eyes. "You were different then. You were a king. Now you're just a boy." Max raised his hand to her and she glared at it angrily. "You kill me, Max, you kill our son."
Max relented and balled his fists tightly. The colors swirled brighter than ever through the chamber and the clock met its final countdown.
"Go. This isn't over, Tess," he said backing up through the doorway. Tess scrunched her face letting tears fall freely and moved toward the base of the granolith.
She carefully stretched her hand up to the spiraling vortex forming in the center. In an instant, she was transported to the center of the vortex with the colors of the granolith surrounding her. Violet, blue, orange. Every color imaginable permeated the cave walls and met in the middle of the chamber giving off a white, pure light. It was blinding and breathtaking. Max gave one more look around as he made his way out. As he did, the cave was filled with black smoke and it began to shake. Each quake caused more debris to plummet from the ceiling. He was met by Isabel screaming his name and they both climbed out of the cave shaken by the destruction happening around them.
As soon as Max was out of the cave, he was met by the group. Liz was in front gazing intently at him. He took no time but grabbed her hand and pulled her along leading them all to safety. "Let's go," he told them still squeezing her hand.
The granolith had finally hit it's mark as the friends made their way down the rocks and hills of the desert led by Max. The ground shook beneath their feet as they saw the smoke rise from the tip of their cave. The ship whirred from the inside of the cave and lit up the inside of the rock. Max led them to a trench behind a rock as they watched the top of the cave break away and a spaceship barrel out the tip and through the clouds. Max grabbed Liz and held her close to shield and comfort her. Michael did the same for Maria. In an instant it was gone. They all gazed up at the clear blue sky that had been pierced by the craft. They were in awe. Max was the first to turn away. He looked down at the shaken brunette he held in his arms.
"I've been really wrong about a lot of things, but I've been right about one thing. To get you into my life. To be around you. To love you." Max gently caressed her cheek and ran his fingers through her silky hair before pulling her to his chest.
Maria pulled Michael's collar to get his attention. "You opened the door and you came out. Why?" she asked rubbing up and down his neck. "You stayed for me," she said resting her head against his throat.
Max took Liz' hand and led her down the rock towards the group. Isabel stopped him. "What happens now, Max?"
He didn't look at her. He didn't turn around. "I have to save my son."
They stood there, the six of them on a large rock. The wind blew through their hair and echoed off the rocks. It was still and silent. Nobody moved. They just stood there. They were all together again except for Alex. There was a new battle to fight and a new day to do it.
