Chapter 2
As Liz sees the taillights disappearing behind them, she glances over at Max...he is struggling to pull on the shirt that Isabel gave him. All he had on was the surgical scrub pants those monsters put on him. He was shivering uncontrollably. He is a chalking white, and soaked to the bone. She can't believe that mere minutes ago she wasn't sure if she would ever see him again, get to hold him or kiss him again. Now all she could do was watch and try to get them as far away from the compound as possible. She was still terrified that they would be caught before she could get him away. She wanted to feel his arms around her but she had to drive. So she reaches over and touches the back of his head, that's all she can do for now.
"Max, are you with me? What did they do to you?" Liz says.
"It's over. You all got me out. I don't know...how was that even possible?"
"It doesn't matter how. We couldn't leave you, we couldn't lose you. I couldn't lose you." Liz says as she keeps her hand on his face, and her eyes on the road.
"Listen, Liz, if we get out of this..." Max starts to say as the back glass explodes.
Liz screams and ducks her head down. She glances back up just as two headlights immediately shine on them.
"It's them" Max chokes on the words, sounding absolutely terrified.
Liz tries to control the car, but then more shots ring out and she loses control of the car. They must have shot out the tires, she thinks as the car slides and spins off the side of the road. As the car comes to a stop, she shoves open the driver's door.
"Let's go, come on" Liz cries and she runs around the front of the car. Max is trying to climb out. As Liz reaches his door, Max falls out of the car hitting the ground hard. Liz reaches down and starts trying to left him up. The car of Special agents isn't far off.
"Can you run?" Liz asks
"Yeah Ill make it." Max says already winded.
"Come on Max we gotta run!" Liz cries as the car full of agents pull off the road a short distance away. Max and Liz run for the trees that line the road. They crawl through a fence and over an embankment just as the agents reach her car. As Liz is running down the steep hill, Max loses his footing and rolls all the way to the bottom, landing hard on his side. Liz reaches him and helps him back up. She grabs his hands and starts running, dragging Max along behind her. He stumbles and struggles to stay on his feet. He can't fall and he can't give up. Max pulls strength he didn't know he had to keep going. They have to keep going. Liz is sure the agents can't see them but is also sure that this won't last for long. They cross a small stream as the agent hit the bottom of the hill.
Liz and Max make their way around some brush and the small hill to find the road. Liz drags Max and they start running down the road. Within a few feet as they cross a bridge, a car appears blocking their path. They turn around in time to see the agents that had been following them come out of the bushes. Liz pulls Max up closes to her as she turns first one way and then the next. They are trapped. They are standing on a bridge and can't run. Then she realizes the only option they have.
"Max, we have to jump. It is the only way. Can you make it?" Liz pleads.
"Yeah, just never let me go." Max answers.
"That will never happen ever again!" Liz vows.
As the agents approach, Liz and Max walk the few steps to the side of the bridge. Liz helps Max climb up on to the railing as she does the same. Liz can hear the sound of rushing water, but she can't see anything as she looks down. The bridge disappears amid a vast black void. She prays there is nothing that will kill them, except the water. As their hands are clutching on to one another, Max looks into Liz's eyes and touches her face.
"I love you." Max says, at the same time that Liz says, "I love you too"
With their words that each of them needed the other to say spoken, Max leans in and kisses Liz with everything he has. They turn and jump into the darkness. Agents reach the edge of the bridge just as Liz and Max hit the water. When the agents lean over, they see nothing.
