Author: DMartinez
EMail: dmartinez070547
Disclaimer: Characters belong to Jason Katims, Melinda Metz, and the WB/UPN. No infringement is intended.
Rating: MA
Pairing: CC (For the most part, there are some UC in parts.)
Summary: AU-Max-to-the-Max. In spring 2000, the Special Unit, led by Agent Pierce, came for Max Evans but captured Nasedo instead. Thinking they had their alien, the search for Max was dropped. In 2004, the Special Unit has resumed its search for the alien who stirred interest in 1999, the Roswell four have to run.Notes: Because The White Room never happened, there was no orb activation and their enemies never came for them. This story will be explored in 3 books. Yes, another epic. I do not apologize for the hearts I smash in my fist but know there is Dreamer Insurance.
And yes, this is a rewritten story of mine.

Author's Note: Dreamer Insurance. Some UC activity. Serious drama of the triggery variety.

End Run

Book 1

Prologue

October 23, 2004 - Saturday - 3:32 A.M.

It was pitch black in the garage. It was difficult to see more than three feet in any direction. They were trying to keep the noise to a minimum as not to draw any attention to them. As not to redirect any passing searchers back toward them.

"Michael…" Maria DeLuca punched her boyfriend in the arm. "Michael."

"What?" Michael Guerin bit out.

"Are you sleeping? How can you sleep right now?" She hissed at him and punched in him the arm again.

"Ow. No. Not asleep." He examined his arm for bruising. He let her freak. It was the only way she was going to deal with the situation at hand.

She stood and paced. Her heels clicked an uneven pace the short distance she was willing to travel from his side. He frowned. That was some weird pacing. Had she been hurt in the race to safety?

"Maria, calm down." Elizabeth Parker pleaded with her best friend. They were all scared.

"We'll find a way out of this." Max Evans squeezed his girlfriend's hand but didn't move his head from her lap. He had such a headache and he'd only just caught his breath for the first time all night.

"Can someone please tell me what's going on?" Kyle Valenti said through his hands, his voice thick with tears and worry. The words came harsh and breathless.

"We don't really know." Alexander Whitman stroked Isabel Evans' hair as she rested beside him.

"Hey, um… Kyle?" Tess Harding cleared her throat. "Why… is the ground wet? Is that blood?"

"Did he get hit?" Michael remembered a shot coming close to them.

"I don't know. I can't see, it's too dark." She whispered.

"Max..." Liz leaned in to whisper to him. "Can you help him?"

"I'll try." Max moved as carefully as he could. He pulled himself over to the hunched form. He didn't know if he could connect if Kyle's eyes were closed. Max put his hand on the man's chest. Suddenly Kyle grabbed Max's shirt.

"Why are we here? What are you?" Kyle's fierce whisper was for Max's ears only.

"I don't know."

"What the hell?" Kyle caught his breath.

"Are you hurt?"

"Hard to breathe. Something got me." His voice hitched with a sob.

"Just let me look. Take a deep breath."

Saturday - 3:32 A.M. – Special Unit

"Eight? There were only four." Agent Pierce didn't let it show how angry he was.

"Yes, sir. Eight of them escaped."

"I repeat. There were only four." Pierce was more annoyed than anything else at that point. "Names, James. I need names."

"We found the four we were looking for; Max and Isabel Evans, Michael Guerin and Tess Harding. They are traveling with others; Elizabeth Parker, Maria DeLuca, Alexander Whitman and..." James fidgeted. "Those were the names I could get, sir."

"You told me eight and you give me seven names. Still. Four aliens, three humans and one unknown... what's the problem? Tell me the problem, James."

"We lost them, sir."

"Lost them?" Pierce let out a deep laugh and hung his head. "You lost them." He let his anger loose. "Eight people is a crowd! One or two... possibly. You don't lose eight people on the run!"

"Sir, you have to understand..."

"James. I don't need to understand anything. You're terminated, James." Pierce snapped his fingers and a door opened. Another agent pulled the protesting James from the room. Just before the door clicked shut, a muffled shot and a light thud were heard. Pierce's blue eyes danced. "I love that sound."

Saturday - 5:30 A.M.

"Anyone got a watch?" Michael whispered.

"5:30." Max hit the button on his watch. "What time do the doors open?"

"Seven o'clock." Michael rubbed his eyes and shifted carefully on the cold concrete. He tried not to wake up Maria. She was finally still.

"Guys, wake up," Max called out. His voice echoed in the empty parking garage. "When those doors open, we split."

"Duh, Max." Isabel scoffed.

"No. I mean we split up." Max clarified. "Kyle, you get out of here. This doesn't concern you."

"Doesn't concern me? We got shot at and I have no clue why." Kyle all but yelled. All the drama over the years but getting shot at was a first.

"I'm sorry, Kyle. You were just at the wrong place at the wrong time." Liz looked at her ex-boyfriend sympathetically. "They were looking for us."

"And why again?" Kyle pressed. "Why? Why the bullets? Why the running? Why?"

"Max." Michael cleared his throat. "They saw him. They saw him with us."

"Wait. What are we involved in?" Kyle had come to the end of his patience.

October 22, 2004 - Friday - 8:47 P.M.

Liz hopped up to look over the crowds at the carnival. Maria rolled her eyes. "You guys have been separated for what... three hours and already you're antsy?"

"I'm just looking for him. He's supposed to meet us over here... and don't tell me you aren't looking for Michael. They were both acting really weird all afternoon." Liz made a face at her best friend. Suddenly Alex appeared out of nowhere.

"Ladies." He nodded. "You've seen my girl?"

"She's with her groupies." Maria gestured to the prim princesses on the benches. "Sorority wenches."

Liz let out a scream as she was spun in the air. Alex laughed when she landed over Max's shoulders. "Put me down!"

"What'll you give me?" Max patted her butt.

"I swear that I'll make it worth your while." She pleaded, her face turning red from the blood rushing to her face.

"Last time you said that... you only gave me a cookie." Then he yelped when she pinched his butt. "Okay, I'm putting you down."

Maria shook her head at them but smiled when a heavy arm came to rest on her shoulders. "I hate carnivals."

"Me too. I mean the fortune tellers are always wrong." Maria complained.

"What did she tell you?" Michael prodded.

"That tonight would mark the beginning of a journey. Where the hell am I going?" She continued to rant until she spotted a blond head coming toward them. "Tess, at three o'clock."

Liz froze and turned in the opposite direction. "Oh no. Kyle at nine o'clock."

Max groaned and pulled his girlfriend close to him. Liz looked around frantically. She stopped and squinted. Max followed her gaze. "That's the dart throw, huh?"

"Yeah, look at that. You have to win me a bear." Liz dragged him to the booth, leaving the others to deal with their exes.

Isabel saw the train wreck and hurried to Alex's side. "Let's go." she hissed.

"Where? They've already seen us... and they'll just keep coming." Alex hung his head. "I think we're supposed to play decoy for Max and Liz."

"I don't want to deal with her," Maria told Michael before pushing him in the direction that Max and Liz had gone.

"Hey, Whitman." Kyle nodded and shoved his hands in his pockets. "I hear that people involved in dirty business don't get too far in life. What do you think?"

"I have no clue what you're talking about." Alex shook his head.

"Hey, Isabel." Tess smiled. "Where's Max? I really need to finish talking to him."

"He's over there with Liz... proposing, I think." Isabel smiled sweetly. "I'm gonna go watch, come on Alex."

They all gathered around Max and Liz at the dart throw. Kyle and Tess followed and stayed at a reasonable distance. They were talking about how the thing was rigged and didn't notice the crowds parting until it was almost too late.

Michael heard the gun cocking. He spun around and spotted the suits. "Guys... gotta get ready to run. MIBs."

"What? Already?" Max turned and followed his gaze. "Shit!"

The shot rang out and whizzed over their heads.

"Run!" Michael ordered over the screaming crowds. The group ran from the carnival and ran into a fence. The guys helped the girls over before jumping it themselves. They ran hard.

"Stay together!" Max called back. His lungs burned, his legs ached, but he never let go of Liz's hand. He spotted a group of buildings. "The warehouse! Everyone run for the warehouse!"

Isabel reached it first and looked around. It was a maze of stacks. She led the way with Alex, weaving their way into the back, searching for anything to keep them safe.

October 23, 2004 - Saturday - 6:08 A.M.

"Ok, Tess, you and Kyle take off first. We'll need to keep this an equal spreading. Isabel and Alex next. Then Michael and Maria. Then it's you and me, Liz." Max squeezed her hand. "Everyone has got to get out of the city. No contact."

"You mean, go into hiding?" Alex stammered, eyes wide.

"I can handle that." Michael took Maria's hand.

"How will we know if someone else is in danger and needs help?" Maria protested.

"I guess we'll need a central point of contact then. Someone they won't think to bug." Max closed his eyes to think.

"What about my dad? My dad knows people… people who can protect us." Kyle cleared his throat. He had just asked the one question that Max and Michael had been hoping he wouldn't.

"Kyle... I'm sorry... He's gone, Kyle." Max breathed out but his panic was starting to show.

Kyle felt like he'd just been punched in the gut. He sank back to the ground shaking his head. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah man... they shot him," Michael whispered. "It was dead to rights."

October 22, 2004 - Friday - 11:08 P.M

They were trapped in the warehouse. Agent James had his gun pointed at them. One pull of the trigger meant that one of them would die.

"My, my... so many to choose from... Now to remember which ones I need... Orders were… specific."

"I need all of them, Agent James." Sheriff Valenti came out from behind a stack. "I've only got one target. How many do you have?"

"Dad?" Kyle called out. James's gun moved to Valenti. The two men stared at each other.

"You kids get out of here!" Valenti called out. They ran to a vent. Michael held the grate open. Max did a quick head count as they jumped into the opening. Alex, Liz, Isabel, Maria, Tess.

"Dad!" Kyle screamed. Valenti kept his gun on James.

"Damn it, Kyle! Go!"

Kyle jumped into the vent. Bang! Bang! Two shots rang out making Max and Michael spin around. Both men had smoking guns. Then Valenti staggered and fell. Michael heaved the grate up. Kyle poked his head out. "Let's go!"

Bang! Kyle fell back into the vent. Max hopped in and shoved Kyle down the way the others had gone. Michael climbed in and held the grate while Max sealed it shut.

Alex had led them to an old parking garage. Max sealed that vent shut and removed the holds. They'd be safe until morning.

October 23, 2004 - Saturday - 6:37 A.M.

Liz and Maria tried to comfort Kyle. He needed to get a grip before they had to leave.

"I'll just go home," Kyle whispered clinging to Liz. "Come with me?"

"I can't, Kyle." Liz stroked his back. "You can't either."

"Sure we can, it's them they want." Kyle pulled back and looked into her eyes.

"No, Kyle. They know who I am and now... they know who you are." She gripped his hands, willing him to understand.

"How?"

"They knew your dad. He called you by name in there. Even though you really don't know what's going on... they know your name."

"Liz. What are these people into?"

"Ask Tess once you guys are safe."

"I'm not going with her until someone tells me what's going on." Kyle stepped back into his own. Liz knew he meant business.

"Aliens. Your dad and your granddad were right." Liz hoped he believed her. It was her last chance before they headed out.

"Aliens..." Kyle glanced over at the four now having a serious conversation.

Saturday – 6:40 A.M.

"Alex said we can get burner phones pretty much anywhere. We use throwaway email accounts. Check in every five days." Max said. "Gives you enough time to go from city to city. And it won't bring too much attention to anyone."

"So it's settled." Isabel's eyes teared up and her voice wavered. "We're never going to see each other again."

"Maybe we will." Michael touched her shoulder. "Gotta survive though."

"What the hell is she telling him?" Tess glared in Liz's direction.

"She's telling Kyle the truth." Max saw the pleading looks and Kyle's disbelief. "She's having trouble convincing him."

"Who told her that she could tell him?" Tess shrieked.

"He has to know. His dad just died because of us. The two of you are going to be spending a lot of time together... he has to trust you."

"I thought I was supposed to gain YOUR trust." Tess looked at each in turn.

"Gain Kyle's and you get mine." Michael crossed his arms.

"And mine." Isabel squeezed her hand.

"Kyle's a tough one. You get his trust and you deserve ours too." Max nodded.

Saturday - 6:43 A.M.

"You're serious?" Kyle croaked.

"Dead serious. Remember I almost died once." Liz saw the expression on his face. "It's almost time, Kyle. You can marvel later, you can ask Tess later. Right now... right now you need to be Kyle Valenti. You have to be Jim Valenti Jr.'s son. Before this is over, you will have your revenge... I promise."

"It's time to get organized." Max motioned for them to gather around. "We have to say most of our goodbyes here. None of us have much money on us so here's what we do... all of us with bank accounts go and close them out before they freeze them. Be discreet. Kyle... Liz and I are going to need your car."

"What?"

"Tess has a car. Alex has a car. Michael's taking the jeep. You have a car but neither I or Liz will."

"Fine. You take care of it, Evans." Kyle tossed him the keys.

"Okay. You have to be out of town by nightfall but be inconspicuous."

"Wait," Liz interjected. "Guys be normal. Close out your accounts and all that but be normal."

"What?" Max and Michael all but yelled.

"Agent Pierce isn't stupid, right? He's not going to come after us this soon, not after how long he's already waited to come for us. Valenti's dead. His death is going to raise eyebrows." Liz rushed through her explanation. "Get everything ready to take off tonight but be totally casual about it. Don't make anyone suspicious."

"I get it." Isabel nodded. "If we leave in a rush, too early... people start talking."

"Makes sense." Alex nodded.

"We're all adults… we live at home and maybe it's time to leave the nest." Liz breathed out, shakily.

October 22, 2004 – Friday – 5:34 pm – Roswell Community College

Tess ran up to Max as Liz was rolling off with Maria behind the wheel. Max blinked at her. "Hi."

"Max. I… I have to tell you something." Max turned to face her. She shrugged at him. "Nasedo's old phones started going off."

"You kept them?" Max frowned at her.

"I figured if any of his old contacts reached out, I'd have something… somewhere to start." She took a breath. "I know what we agreed."

"Yeah, I know, too. No contact unless it was…" Max set his books down. "So, a phone went off."

"I think it was him."

"Who?"

"Nasedo."

"After all this time?" Max started to panic. "How do you know?"

"I couldn't make it out. It was just now, a few minutes ago. I came right away." She nodded to his panic-stricken face.

"How did you know where I was?"

"I'm keeping to the promise but won't lose track of you. I can't." Tess whispered. "I don't know what this means. Maybe it's safe or maybe it's starting again."

"I have to go." Max grabbed his books and moved for the parking lot instead of his make-up lab.

"Max!" Tess called after him. "We have to be prepared!"

Friday – 6:17 pm – Roswell Police Department

Jim Valenti looked up when his door opened. He set down his pen and leaned back to take in what he was seeing. "Max. Surprised to see you here. I thought you didn't want anything to do with me."

"Things… came up." Max set the door closed gently as if he were afraid even a click would call too much attention to him. "I need to tell you something."

Jim sat up at the tone of the young man's voice. It was the thing that had made him let go all those years ago at the Crash Festival. The tone that made him cover for the young man when Hubble had taken things too far. "Why now, Max?"

"Because I don't know what's going to happen and you're the only one I know with the authority to look into it." Max stayed near the door.

Valenti set his hands on the desktop. "Max, what happened? That day we had that close call out in Marfa?"

"That's just it. I've never been entirely sure, and something happened today to make me think about it all over again."

"People go missing around here, Max. It's hard for me to deal with and whatever it is that you're mixed up in…"

"It's not just me. It's everyone I know and trust and love. If… If today goes right, I'll have bothered you for nothing. If today goes wrong, we'll need you."

"Is it the FBI again?"

"I don't know. My plans for tonight were to take my girlfriend to the carnival. Close to home. Where it's safe." Max took a breath. "If I'm right, that might not happen and I… I don't want to alarm anyone, but it may be prudent to have some extra eyes out there, looking out for us."

"If you think it's that serious, why don't you stick close to home, tonight? Rent a movie, eat at your girlfriend's diner."

"Everything has to be normal, Sheriff. Everything." Max took a deep breath. "It's exhausting but normal is the way. Always."

"Nothing about you is normal, kid."

"You asked me once… to trust you. It's been years, but I finally do. Please, don't let me regret that."

TBC