I've been writing fanfic for a short while, but this is my first fanfic that I've actually posted. Please let me know what you think.

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Takes place after the first attempt to get Tess and Zan out of the city. Max, Michael, Tess and Zan have gotten back to Jesse and Isabel's apartment.

Deuteronomy 24:16 Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children nor shall the children be put to death because of their fathers. Each shall be put to death for his own sin.

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Outside the helicopter blades beat out slow, lazy circles; inside nine people and one small baby sat in complete silence. The electric clock made no noise as it cranked the minutes away, but from the kitchen, the gentle purr of the fridge came strong and clear.

"What now?"

Everyone jumped at the sudden, foreign sound.

"Well, we can't leave," Michael said grimly. "They know Max's car now, and Max and me too, for that matter."

"And we can't stay here," Isabel answered. "They're bound to find us sooner or later."

Silence fell over the melancholy group for moment, until Jesse spoke up, "Isabelle, someone needs to be with your parents. They must still be pretty confused."

Michael agreed, "It needs to be family. So either you, Isabel, or Max needs to go."

Max spoke first, "We couldn't take Tess and the baby and I won't leave them."

Isabelle refused to be separated from Max, "Do you mind, Jesse?"

"No, I think I can fill them in on what's going on."

Valenti said he and Kyle better get home before they fell under suspicion. "We're only a phone call away, so call if you need anything and we'll be right back."

After they all left Tess spoke up, "What now, Max?"

"I don't know." He sounded tired and defeated with just an edge of irritation in his voice.

"Well, we need a plan." She looked at Zan, sleeping peacefully on the couch. "Are you just going to let them come and take your son?"

"No," he snapped. "Do you have any ideas?"

"Come on, now," Isabelle broke in. "It does no good to fight."

"I guess you're right," Max agreed. "Let's try to get some rest. It's late."

Michael volunteered to keep first watch and everyone lay down and pretended to sleep. No one got much rest before they heard quick footsteps outside. Michael peeked out the window and said to Max, "It's your Dad. Something must have happened at your place."

Max went to the door and opened it for his dad. After he was safely inside, Max asked, "What's wrong, Dad?"

Philip Evans through back his head and gave a maniacal laugh. "Come on, Max. Don't you remember me? I know it's been a year since the summit meeting in that filthy, rat-infested hellhole you call New York, but I was sure you'd remember your old pal, Nicholas. Isabelle, nice to see you again. Kivar sends his greetings."

Isabelle glowered at him, but Nicholas just laughed again.

"What do you want, Nicholas?"

"Ah, Max. Always coming right to the point. Well, you see, Kivar has some unfinished business with Tess."

"What unfinished business?"

"Well, Kivar and Tess had a deal, and then she backed out on the deal. Kivar doesn't take kindly to welchers."

Tess jumped toward the couch where the baby lay. "He's here to kill Zan!" she cried.

Max and Michael threw their hands up to try to stop Nicholas, but as fast as they were, Nicholas was even faster. With the swiftness of a striking cobra, he drew from behind his back a pentagonal device, identical to Brody's and his fingers spun the top of it. The effect was immediate. Max, Tess, Michael, and Isabel were thrown off their feet to the floor where they lay helpless.

Nicholas laughed at the grimaces on their faces as they fought the effect of the blast. "I know you are somewhat familiar with the tritium amplification generator. We've made a few modifications so that it cripples your human abilities as well as your alien ones." He turned to where Liz and Maria were holding on to each other. "Of course it still doesn't work on humans, but if you're good girls, I won't hurt you. You weren't made to be brave. Let's just keep it that way. I have no intention of hurting you two, I just don't want you to get in the way."

Michael was struggling futilely to sit up. "That's bull. You want to kill us."

Nicholas snickered. "Of course I do, but Kivar won't have Vilandra killed, and he's not sure about Tess yet, but he wants Max to live with this."

"This?" Max's voice was sharp.

For his answer, Nicholas backed up to the front door and reached outside to get Max's baseball bat. "He wants you to see your son die. As a man, it's gonna kill you inside to watch and not be able to do anything about it. Then you'll have to live with the defeat of having been unable to protect your family."

Liz stood up, out of Maria's grasp. She was struck by the scene, but did nothing to stop it.

As the bat hovered in the air, Tess, Max, Michael, and Isabelle screamed, begging Nicholas to stop. He grinned at them, obviously enjoying the drama and pleading. Then the fun and games were over, and the bat started to descend.

A new scream broke through the air. "Noooo." Liz jumped for the couch and threw herself between Zan and the bat. The bat came down with a crashing force across her shoulder.

Nicholas withheld the next blow, "What do you think you're doing? This has nothing to do with you. Kivar only wants him. Now move, or I'll kill you too."

Liz's only response was to curl her body protectively around the baby. Zan woke up and struggled in her tight grip. When she didn't release him, his cries filled the room.

Nicholas snorted in disgust. "Great. A hero. Just what we need. One last time, move or you'll get it too."

Liz's only tightened her grip on Zan and try to soothe his cries. A numbing pain shot through her shoulder and back as the next blow struck. Her world grew fuzzy and distant. She was losing her hold on the world. The sounds of the room grew more distant and distorted, until, with a small gasp, Liz resigned her hold on consciousness.

Horrified, Isabel watched Nicholas as he wielded the bat. She couldn't tell how Liz was because any sounds she might be making would have been drowned out by the infant's shrieks. Her heart was caught in the grip of agony as she watched her almost sister-in-law and her nephew in their pain.

As Nicholas raised the bat for another blow, he gasped and the bat fell from his lifeless fingers. Mr. Evans' body slowly crumpled to the floor. Zan, seemingly aware of the change of events, stopped crying and the room fell into a shocked silence.

Max was the first to recover. "Maria," he croaked. "The device … please." Liz wasn't moving and they couldn't even tell if she was still breathing.

Maria picked up the generator and slowly turned the top back to its original position. The royal four got to their feet and rushed to the bed. Max and Michael carefully pulled back Liz's stiff arms, still protective in their grasp. Tess grabbed the baby and held him close to her. Max checked Liz. "She's still breathing," he said in relief.

Isabel was looking over her father. "Max, something's wrong with Dad. Do something."

"I need to see if Liz has any broken bones or anything," he snapped.

"But Dad's bad off. He needs you more."

"No one needs me more than Liz."

Michael grabbed his arm and pulled him off Liz. "Your dad's not breathing. It may be his heart. Liz can wait a few minutes."

The sense of those words filtered into Max's fevered brain and he turned his attention to his father. The shock of the ordeal had paid a heavy toll on his body, his heart was beating erratically and he seemed in distress. In a moment, Max had his heart beating regularly again and his breathing started on it's own. When Max was sure his dad was stable, he returned to Liz. She did have a broken rib, but not for long. No internal bleeding, just some hematoma that would result in a big, nasty bruise. Once that was taken care of, he lifted her gently and carried her to Jesse and Isabel's bed and laid her out on her back. Isabel and Michael then carried Mr. Evans to the couch. The crisis seemed to be over for now.

Light was starting to come back to her eyes. The first thing she saw was the clock radio. 01:16. She groaned as she tried to sit up and her muscles objected. What had happened? Then she remembered. Quiet, muffled sounds came through the two inches of open door. She slowly got out of bed and went through to the living room.

As soon as she appeared, Max came to her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Sore, but okay."
She looked around. Isabel and Michael were asleep. Tess, sitting off to the side, holding Zan, watched Liz carefully. Her expression was unreadable, but it lacked its normal hostility. Mr. Evans was lying on the couch still unconscious. "What happened to him?"

"Nicholas lost his hold on him. Maybe because he's older. Most of the people they posses are younger than him."

"But why him?"

"Nicholas probably chose him because it was the only way to get to us."

"I need to sit down. I still feel shaky."

Max helped her to a chair. "Liz," he whispered gently," Thank you. You saved Zan's life."

She smiled and touched his cheek.

"Liz." An urgent whisper broke through her sleep. "Liz, wake up."

Liz dragged her eyes open. Tess was next to the couch where she was sleeping. "What, Tess."

"Why did you do it? Why did you put yourself on the line?"

"I don't know."

"I mean, I thought you don't even like Zan."

"Yeah. Every time Max mentioned him, I felt sick. I couldn't stand it, but I handled it for Max's sake."

"So why would you give your life for this baby."

"Well, he's basically an unwelcome intruder and a distasteful reminder. But ..." Liz hesitated and then she spoke slowly as if she was selecting each work carefully, "When I saw Nicholas there and Zan there, it was like I didn't see you, and I didn't see Max, and I didn't see you and Max together. I just saw ... Zan."

Tess was silent for a minute while she thought something over. Finally she spoke, "Liz, I need you to drive me somewhere."