Max and the others were unsure as of what they should be doing right now.
They were no where near getting Zan/Seth's memory back to him and they felt that their time at New Haven was being wasted.
Max, however, felt they owed this to Ava; who has been there for them before.
Seth was filled with fear and reluctance about being around these newcomers; fear that being around them has turned him into some kind of a freak.
He was drawn to them though. For some unknown reason he felt that being with them was like being with some long lost relatives.
He didn't know why, but he decided to take them to his parent's house and have them meet them.
Harold and Cynthia Bishop two years ago adopted Seth Bishop after being taken in by NYPD to a hospital and being labeled as a John Doe.
At the time, he had no memory. The way he was dressed and how he looked even brought more questions to him. Strange symbols tattooed on his arms and weird facial piercings; he looked like one of those drunken low-life, fallen from fame, hard rockers that he had seen on VH1's "behind the music".
Cynthia had came to Seth at the police station convinced that he was a long lost relative of hers; that her father, John Hensworth, had an illegitimate child and that Seth was it.
The Bishop's lived fairly well. Harold Bishop was in the stock market trade and was very successful at it. So much in fact, that the NYSE had named a sector within their building after him.
Harold was reluctant about adopting Seth, yet he loved his wife so much that he decided to yield.
They had their own son, Josh.
Josh liked the idea of having an older brother and welcomed Seth with open arms. Being an only child and having to spend a lot of time in an empty house wore down on him considerably.
Josh was the one who answered the door when Seth and the others had arrived.
"Seth, my man, how was class?" He answered joyfully when Seth came.
"Boring as always. Is Cynthia home?" Seth replied, looking about. He never felt comfortable calling her "mom" and with Josh being there it seemed all the more important that he refrained from doing so.
"Nope. You missed her. She's off to some snobbish charity thing. Why?"
Seth sighed, "Ok, I need you not to freak out about something, but, I found someone who looks exactly like me."
"Really?" Josh said, folding his arms and leaning against the doorway.
Seth then motioned with a hand behind him and the others came into Josh's view.
At first, Josh was surprised to see the number of people that Seth had with him, and then his eyes came upon Max.
Surprise hit Josh, but then it was replaced by humor.
"So, you're evil twin has emerged, huh? What's your name?"
Max was shocked by how all of this didn't put Josh into a panic, something Max was used to by now.
"Max Evans."
Josh nodded, "Well, don't all of you stand out there, come on in. Seth, you know you're going to have to spill about this later, right?"
Seth grinned, "X-Box?"
Josh grinned in return, "X-Box."
Chapter 10: Three days of Alien life
Three days.
Michael went over that in his head over and over again. Three days until he would become a father.
Something as monumentous as this would normally have his head spinning, but with all that's happened and the weird yet sage advice that was given to him by that wacko fortune teller, to "believe in the love"; Michael felt happy rather than scared of all that was happening.
To Maria, though, she thought Michael was just keeping his insecurities about the whole thing buried deep inside.
Neither had much time to spend with eachother as both were detained with Larek and his scientists taking samples and helping Maria through the final stages of the growth and Michael being escorted and introduced to a lot of people by Lira and some others.
Michael felt a little weirded out that Lira insisted on calling him "General Rath" and introduced him as so to many of the people they came in contact with.
Her questions also made him feel uneasy. She had all of these specific questions regarding, not only Michael, but Max, Isabel, and Tess, as well.
Michael tried his best to answer them.
Not wanting to be impolite but at the same time to get them over with so he'd be able to see Maria a lot sooner.
Then, in the late afternoon, Lira took him to a room that had even more photos, yet it seemed to be more feminine as the room had lighter colors and photos contained Lira in all of them.
"This is my room." She said.
"You don't say." Michael said, looking at the pictures.
Touching one had Michael's mind warping and coming to this very room. Standing there, he looked around and saw the Antarian version of himself slow dancing with Lira.
"We can't do this any more, you and I." He said in a gruff voice.
Lira seemed to be tearing up, "Why must you get married to Vilandra, Rath?"
Michael watched himself smile, "You know why. We're in love."
Lira shook her head; "We were once in love. What happened?"
They stopped dancing.
"Nicholas happened. You know that. We're against his politics and his disreputable record makes him a dangerous man. You knew that, yet you choose him over me, Lira."
"Rath? General?"
Michael opened his eyes and found himself lying on the floor of Lira's room.
"Are you alright?" She asked.
Michael picked himself up and shook his head, wearily.
"I think I'm just tired."
Lira nodded and escorted him back to his room, which was downstairs.
Michael thought along the way about what he had seen and how desperately he wished Max were here to talk about it with him.
Agent Barns was in a foul mood today. Not only did the roadblocks prove to be useless, but he was getting no information from any of the Agents in Roswell as to the status of the parents.
"Well, what are they doing, Agent Clemens?"
"Nothing much, sir. They're just going about their daily routine." Clemens said, over the radio.
Agent Barns threw the handset into fireplace, "Damn!"
Where are those kids!
Agent Kern watched Barns pacing back and forth, musing to herself how the man could get so warped up over these things.
Truth be told, she couldn't care less if they were to be captured or not, only on how her record looked whether the job had been finished or just fully exhausted.
Her previous superior had told her that Henry Barns' recommendations were the ones that got you places. Follow him and make sure you do your job accordingly and you'll reap the benefits.
Looking over the schematics of all purchases made by these kids were heavily analyzed, as well as those who aided them.
A smile crept on to Veronica Kern's face.
"Agent Barns, sir." She called out to him.
Barns stomped his way over to her. "Yes, Agent." He replied.
She showed him the paper, "It looks as though Jesse Rameriz, Isabel Evans-Rameriz's husband, has been making a few purchases in New Haven, Connecticut."
Agent Barns smiled, "Wonderful, good job, Agent Kern."
Yes, those steps to becoming assistant director were going to be fewer and fewer for Agent Veronica Kern.
As Josh and Seth played away as Master Chief, Max and Liz took a stroll around the house looking at the various photos and came upon one that had them both staring.
The man, John Hensworth, was standing next to a locomotive in what appeared to be set during the depression. What had captivated both Max and Liz of this photograph was that John looked exactly like Max and Seth.
Just like Charles Dupree was the origin of Michael, John was that of Max.
"Oh, my God." Isabel said. She and Jesse had been following the two around, looking at the photos as well.
"Max…is that you?" Jesse asked.
Max touched the photo and closed his eyes, "It must be. John Hensworth must have been the donor for my human genetic make-up, as well as Seth's."
"Did someone say my name?" Said a voice ahead of them.
The group turned and saw an elderly man walk forward, limping on a cane.
Slouching in his bathrobe, the man came to the group and looked at Max.
"Oh, my. I see another one of me." He said, smiling.
Max had no idea of what to say. Standing before him was John Hensworth.
"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hensworth. I'm Liz Evans and this is my husband, Max." Liz said, extending her hand.
Mr. Hensworth shook it.
Liz then indicated to Jesse and Isabel, "These are my sister-in-law and her husband; Jesse and Isabel Rameriz."
Both nodded to John.
Max still had not spoken yet, still staring at the man whose appearance suggested to Max that this was how HE was going to look in his older years.
Max hadn't spoken; fore he did not know what to say.
John led them into his study where there were a great deal more of old photographs and also, to the surprise of the group, framed sketchings done of aliens.
John Hensworth sat down in a large armchair and poured himself some scotch; he offered some to the group, to only Jesse gratefully excepted.
"Now then, where do YOU come from, Mr. Evans?" He asked Max.
"Where do you think I come from, sir?" Max asked.
John smiled, "Well, if you're like my daughter, you'll be telling me that you come from my illicit affair with one Abigail Truman back in the late seventies. However, if you are me, I believe you come from up north…far north."
"How far?" Asked Isabel.
Mr. Hensworth pointed his finger directly at the ceiling. "Very far."
"Why do you think that, Mr. Hensworth?" Liz asked.
"My dear, I'm old, but am not a fool. I remember, quite vividly, what had happened on August 14th of 1939. As do the others…"
"The others?" Max asked.
John nodded, "Charles Dupree, Rachel June, and Lillian Cross. All of whom, remember that night when we became airborne and "guests"."
Sitting with Maria, Michael told her of the flash that he had and how it was making him nervous of Lira.
"She cheated on me with Nicholas, Nicholas! That puny little terror that works for Khivar. What is Larek thinking employing someone who's associated with people who murdered his friends?"
Maria didn't know what to think. Quite frankly, her mind was more on her large stomach and the two little things inside. She suddenly felt some movement and she grabbed Michael's hand.
"Michael, they're moving. Feel that? This is so weird, yet…"
Despite Michael's irritation that Maria hadn't been listening to him, he did agree, as he felt movements within her, that this was weird.
"Day after tomorrow." She said in a low voice.
Michael nodded, "Day after tomorrow. Nervous?"
Maria nodded, "Are you kidding? I'm going to be pushing these suckers out of me. From what my mother told me, it's going to hurt like hell."
Maria then grabbed Michael by his shirt, "You better be here."
Larek stepped in and Maria let go of her grasp.
"How are we today?" He asked.
As Maria laid her head down again, she shrugged, "Fine."
"Larek, can I speak with you for a minute?" Michael asked.
Larek nodded and Michael followed him outside.
Michael took a deep breath, "Larek, what can you tell me about Lira?"
Larek pushed up his glasses and smiled, "Well, General Rath, I mean, Michael; I'm surprised you haven't asked me that sooner. After all, you two have quite the history together."
Michael nodded, "When she showed me to her room, I had a flash, a waking dream, there I was as General Rath and she and I were dancing. I found out listening to the conversation that we had that she was involved with Nicholas, Khivar's second in command."
Larek nodded, "Yes, that is true. Lira and Nicholas, or Niico, as he is called here, was involved with Lira, which has actually been a blessing in disguise, really."
Michael didn't understand this. How could being in bed with the enemy be a 'blessing in disguise'?
"What do you mean?" Michael asked.
Larek looked around and then leaned over and whispered in Michael's ear.
"She's a double Agent. She's been spying on Khivar for us."
Sitting outside in the garden with Ava, Kyle was wondering to himself, why the hell was he so set on getting with Aliens?
Tess had become a mistake for him because having her in his household those years ago, caused him to look at her on a more brotherly level.
With Ava it was different. Nothing about her reminded him of Tess, with some exceptions concerning the face, but that was it. Ava was Ava; completely unique.
Now, the only problem that he saw was her depression that Zan, or Seth; didn't know her at all.
"Cheer up, he'll snap out of it." Kyle said as he brushed his hands over some daises turning them blue in the process. Max had told him to, every once in a while, to practice his abilities.
"And what if he doesn't?" She sighed and looked around, "I guess it wouldn't be so gruesome. He's been given a life better than the one he had before. Why the hell would he want to give this up to be with someone like me?"
Kyle put a hand on her shoulder, "Hey, don't be like that."
Ava sighed and rested her head against Kyle's hand, which made Kyle's hair on the back of his neck stand up.
"Why are you so nice?" she asked.
Kyle smiled, "C'mon, let's go see what the others are up to."
Ava smiled and allowed him to take her hand and help her up.
The two went back inside, to where Ava sighed, discouragingly again, upon seeing Seth playing Halo with Josh.
Meanwhile, back in John Hensworth's study, John held out a photo album for Max and the others to see.
"We eventually met again, in Roswell, New Mexico after hearing that an unidentified flying object landed there. There's the four of us standing in front of the newly opened Roswell UFO Center."
Max, Isabel, and Liz marveled on how old the place looked back then.
Isabel then looked at the woman who was her.
"Mr. Hensworth, this woman who looks like me, which one is it, Rachel or Lillian?"
"Lillian Cross. She was such a wonder back then. One of the top models for swimwear fashion, if I'm not mistaken." John said, smiling.
Jesse grinned, "Wow, I'm married to a supermodel."
Isabel ignored what he had said. Instead she looked to Mr. Hensworth.
"Is she still around?"
Mr. Hensworth shook his head, "I'm afraid not, dear. She died in a car accident back in the sixties."
"What about Rachel June?" Max asked.
Mr. Hensworth nodded, "Oh, she's still around, though not all there, I'm afraid."
"Why do you say that?" Liz asked.
"She's been afflicted with altzheimers disease. Had been diagnosed with it only recently. She lives in Augustus, Maine with her two daughters."
Max sighed, "So, I guess you two are the only ones left."
John looked at Max with surprise. "You haven't asked about Charlie, though."
Max nodded, "He died about seven years ago. We know. Our friend Michael is a version of him."
John sighed, "It was a shame that I couldn't go down there for his funeral. After our experience, we had become good friends, Charlie and I."
Liz watched Mr. Hensworth looked longingly out the window and to her surprise, so did Max. It then struck her how these two shared a bond with their friend that were of Charles and Michael.
Liz knew that Max was thinking about Michael right now.
"Agent Kern, have we located our suspects yet?" Agent Barns asked.
Agent Kern brought forward a paper. "A group of students at Yale University have stated that they've seen some weird individuals coming into contact with another and then they got onto a short school bus and drove off. Apparently, they were picking up someone from on campus."
Agent Barns took out a clove cigarette and lit it, "Call Yale, give them a story that we're tracking a few known fugitives and that we'll be needing to look at their campus security cameras, and do it fast, Agent."
Agent Kern nodded and left immediately.
Agent Barns leaned back inside of the surveillance van that he was in and looked down at the photographs of the six teenagers and smiled.
Daddy's coming to get you.
Michael hadn't been completely convinced by Larek's assurance that Lira was on their side. Something about it made him feel uneasy.
He knew that if Maxwell were here he would tell him to trust Larek's words and leave the matter alone.
Michael knew that he would not be doing that.
Creeping into Lira's room, Michael locked the door behind him and then went to work to see if there was anything to support Larek's words or discourage them.
So far he hadn't come up with anything. Feeling pissed off, Michael slammed his fist against the table and a silver disk fell to the floor in the process.
When it hit the ground, an image came into contact with the wall.
There was a man or being in there and he was dressed rather in a royal ensemble, what with the gown and all.
He seemed to be in mid sentence.
"…Remember, Lira, it is vital that we attack the royal four separately. Together they are strong, but alone they will be vulnerable. While Rath is there, you must eliminate him and the woman carrying his offspring. I'll do my part along with Niico and carry out our plans on Earth with the remaining four. Do your part and you shall be heavily rewarded. Khivar out." The image then disappeared.
Michael suddenly heard someone unlocking the door to the room and he quickly hid.
From underneath the bed, he saw Lira come in and then pause. There was a sudden flash of light and the bed Michael was under was lifted off the ground.
Lira had a look of surprise on her.
"General? What are you doing here?"
Michael walked over and picked up the disk, he then handed it to her.
"What does this mean?" He asked.
Lira groaned and sat down at her desk, looking at the disk and then putting it away.
"So, I guess you've heard." She said.
Michael nodded, "Larek tells me that you're working on both sides. Which side do you want to help out the most, though?"
Lira looked at him in shock, "Why, your side, of course! I would never dream of helping out Khivar!"
Michael sighed, "Lira, when you brought me in here I had a flash, a vision, of you and I dancing just before my marriage to Vilandra."
Lira blushed and looked away, "You remember that?"
Michael nodded, "Did you really have a thing going with Niico?"
Lira closed her eyes and nodded.
"Are you still?" Michael asked.
Lira shook her head, "No. I'm not. He wasn't the man he used to be. He had become full of hunger for power that Khivar was promising him." She then looked at Michael, "Why do you want to know this, General?"
Michael sighed as he sat down on the bed, "Let's just say, it takes me a while to trust people I just meet."
Lira nodded and got up and sat down next to him and took his hand.
"You needn't fear anything from me. I was crushed when I had heard of your death, along with the others, and vowed to help Larek and his team to do whatever was necessary to get back at Khivar and Niico."
Michael really wanted to believe that, he really did. But when it came to people who were in bed with the enemy either then or now, he wasn't going to give his trust that easily. Remembering fully on how Alex had ended up, Michael had promised himself he'd be more wary of the company that he kept.
Looking at his watch and seeing how late it was, he told Lira goodbye and went back to Maria, finding her already asleep.
This was all that mattered to him now, on this planet. That and what lay inside Maria.
Doing his best not to wake her, Michael slid into the covers and next to Maria and quickly fell asleep.
Mr. Hensworth graciously allowed them to spend the night in the huge house.
The following day, Mrs. Bishop had come home. Seth tried his best to come up for the reason as to why there were so many people in her house. Luckily, Mr. Hensworth backed him up.
Upon meeting Max, Cynthia sighed, "Jeez, Dad, learn to keep it in your pants from now on, okay?"
With Harold away on business meetings, however, she felt happy that she'd be entertaining some new people in her home.
"So, Max, what do you do?"
Max fumbled for an answer.
Jesse had one in store; "He's a legal consultant of mine for the firm I'm working for."
Cynthia seemed to be satisfied, "How long will you be in town for?"
For this, Max needed to talk with the others, but he answered, "For a short while."
As soon as they had finished breakfast, Seth decided that he would give them a tour around his campus.
Upon arrival, with him pointing out various locations and giving brief histories about the buildings he was indicating; Kyle had an unsettling feeling that they were being watched.
At first, he thought it was just the students, who cast them suspicious and questioning looks. But then, Kyle had looked out and into the parking lot and saw three unmarked black suvs.
One of them had a man leaning out with a long scoped lensed camera and was snapping photos.
Ava seemed to pick up on Kyle's look and looked to where he was staring.
Kyle grabbed Max's arm.
"We've been spotted." He said in a low voice.
Seth looked at them curiously. "Is something the matter?"
Max walked up to Seth, "We've been discovered. Go to a classroom and stay there. They may not know about you yet, stay with us and all of that will change. Go and go quickly."
Ava was about to voice her argument towards that, when Kyle grabbed her arm, and said, "Hurry! They're coming out!"
The group then hurriedly walked at a face past, which then turned into running back to the bus as men in suits came at them from side to side.
A loud commotion came from the other students on campus as the six were being chased to the bus.
Jesse and Isabel were the first ones to reach the bus and Jesse had just got it started as Max and Liz had gotten closer.
Getting on, Max held out a hand to Ava and grabbed her in time.
Jesse suddenly froze as a man stood in front of the bus pointing a gun at him.
Kyle managed to knock the gun away from him, he then shouted at Jesse.
"Jesse, pull out now!"
As Jesse pulled back and away, Kyle found himself surrounded by three Agents.
Just as he managed to knock the weapon from one, two of the others brought out tazer-guns and they both fired upon Kyle.
The darts penetrating his flesh and releasing the high voltage causing Kyle to fall to his knees.
Ava watched with horror as the men then put a black hood over Kyle's head and then drag his body away from the scene.
"Max! They've got Kyle!" She shouted.
Isabel looked at Max, "Max?"
Max shook his head; "We're going to have to get to him later. We can't risk all of us being captured again."
Ava couldn't believe what she was hearing. Not only were they abandoning him they were giving the enemy that advantage of getting away without them ever knowing where they might be taking Kyle.
"Are you serious!" She shouted at Max.
When Max didn't answer, Ava got up and walked to the back of the bus and held out her hand against the lock of the bus, causing it to open.
"Ava what are you doing!" Shouted Liz.
"I'm going after him." Ava replied. "I'll meet you all back at Seth's when I have him." With that being said, she jumped off the bus and ran back to the scene.
Maria threw down her magazine that she had read for the gazillionth time and took out her iPod and listened to Holly Brook's Like Blood Like Honey, mouthing the lyrics as she closed her eyes; caressing her belly as she did.
Feeling the little kicks and movements of those who would be coming out of her tomorrow she felt a little sad that this entire experience would be over the next day.
Michael, who was softly snoring beside her, shifted slightly.
Maria smiled. With all that's happened in their relationship leading up to this, never had she imagined that they've gone to such feats.
Maria, at one time, had been jealous of the progression that Liz had gone with Max while Maria was struggling with Michael's reluctance to go into a relationship in the first place.
There had been moments where she felt that it had been all a mistake to take on the 'Spaceboy' challenge to begin with.
Yet, that wonderful moment where he had told her that not only he loved her but that, at the time he was planning on splitting, that he would never want to love another person. That she meant that much to him.
Looking at the ring on her finger, Maria was still unsure as to what motives Michael had to wanting to propose to her; probably her mother's influence.
Or was it this pregnancy? Maria knew that she would never get a straight answer from the guy, yet she was curious all the same.
The kicking with inside her came back and Maria made low shushing sounds as she lovingly rubbed her stomach.
It wouldn't be much longer. Not much longer till these little things would be brought into the world and into her arms.
Agent Barns, along with Agent Kern, went to the suv that Agents Lowell and McNally.
Agent McNally opened the back door where the bound individual, masked, and sedated lay slumped against the seat.
"Where are the others?" Agent Barns inquired.
Agent McNally sighed, "Sorry, sir. They spotted us before we were able to detain them. We were only able to secure one of them."
Agent Kern removed the black mask, revealing Kyle Valenti.
Normally, Henry Barns would have yelled at the Agent for grabbing someone who had little or no purpose to the entire operation. But not this time.
No, Kyle Valenti was a mystery. Something Agent Barns was eager to unravel.
"Good job, Agent." He said.
Both Agent Kern and Agent McNally looked at eachother and at Agent Barns in surprise.
"Go and locate the others. They should be somewhere in the vacinity, planning on rescuing him. Secure them immediately."
Agent McNally stood up straight, "Sir." He said and then went and, with another Agent, went into another vehicle and drove off.
Barns turned to Agent Kern.
"Bring him inside and have him prepared for questioning."
Agent Kern nodded.
"Oh, and Agent…" Barns said, "Make sure he's heavily sedated."
Ava watched as that sick degenerate bastard walked away and the woman, along with two other men, brought out Kyle and dragged him inside to the storage building they were in.
Following closely to the building, Ava walked around the corner and came to the door they had went into.
Seeing it was locked by digital hand print and DNA recognition, Ava swore loudly and then looked around for another means of entry.
Back at the Bishop's, sitting with Seth, who had recently returned, Isabel looked at Max with disbelief.
"Max, remind me again why we deserted Kyle back there, because I'm having a hard time understanding it."
Max sighed, "We can't let them have all of us again, Isabel."
"But you do plan on getting him back, right?" She asked.
Max nodded, "Of course. Kyle is not going to be left behind."
Jesse shook his head, "So, how do we go in and rescue him?"
Liz looked to Isabel, "Can you go into his head and see where he's at?"
She sighed, she felt that she had covered this so many times before in these types of situations.
"I can try." She said.
Liz handed her a photo of all of them together at her's and Max's wedding. Isabel touched Kyle causing him to ripple in the photo; she then closed her eyes.
Standing in a room with an overhanging light, Isabel found Kyle strapped in a straight jacket, which was strapped to a gurney. He was tilted up and a man in a suit came and injected him with some sort of liquid.
"Kyle!" Isabel shouted at him.
Kyle made no response.
Then the door opened and Isabel found herself going completely numb from horror as she saw the man who walked in.
"No." She whispered.
The man who had mutilated Michael, the man she had prayed that would leave their life forever was standing before Kyle, leering over him.
"No! Kyle!" Isabel shouted. She then found herself being hurtled from the area and back to the Bishop's house.
Lying on the floor, sweating profusely, with Jesse holding her.
Isabel looked to Max, "Max, he's back. That sick bastard has Kyle."
When Michael had awakened, he had found that Maria was taken to the medical bay for the final preparations for her birth that was tomorrow.
One thing that Michael hated about being on another world that there wasn't any Snapple or tobasco sauce.
Lira had come to take him to breakfast in the courtyard outside.
Michael still had his doubts about her integrity and whether or not she was telling the truth, but he decided he'd not say anything until he was sure.
Peeling away at some strange fruit, Michael watched Lira without blinking, only to divert his eyes when they came into contact with her's.
Looking over the landscape, Michael had yet another flash and found himself, as General Rath, walking along with Lira, holding hands, and gazing out ward at the purple-strewn sky.
They seemed happy, yet there was something that Michael couldn't identify with, something that seemed odd about the relationship between the two.
Michael watched as he got down on one knee and held out a blue-diamond.
General Rath was purposing to Lira.
Lira in turn shook her head and closed General Rath's hands over the diamond and pushed his hand away.
She then walked away, leaving a confused and thoroughly hurt General behind in her wake.
The flash had ended and Michael still felt that Lira was someone he couldn't trust. Despite that these flashes were showing that the two of them had a life together, in a past life; Michael wasn't fully convinced, however.
Another flash took over Michael and he found himself, as General Rath, walking towards Lira.
"Why Niico? I'm a General of Antar and he is but a petty thug; Why him, Lira?" He asked.
Lira's eyes clouded over, "There some answers I cannot give to you, my dear General. But know this, it's for your safety that I do this."
General Rath waved a hand, dismissivly, "Safety? What are you talking about? All that loathsome, little, creature has is empty threats; that and a master who is a coward. What threat could he possibly have towards me?"
Lira looked at him in alarm; "Khivar is hardly a coward. You know what he did to Juur and how he made good his promise of killing the entire family. Now I hear he plans to take over Antar. He means to annihilate both you and the royal family. Don't you see, General? By being with you I'm allowing them to destroy you, I couldn't bear that. Being with Niico allows me to influence both him and his master to let go of this murderous ambition."
General Rath laughed, "Murder us? Lira you're a fool if you think that I'd allow that man anywhere near King Zan and the others. Trust me, Khivar will never get the better of Antar. Never."
The flash ended and Michael found himself putting his hand onto Lira's.
"What is it, General?" She asked.
"I'm sorry." Michael said.
Kyle's vision was blurred when he opened his eyes and he found himself really groggy.
"Welcome back to the world, Kyle Valenti."
That voice. Kyle, despite his condition found himself feeling incredibly numb and terrified.
Agent Barns walked over to him and sat on a stool looking directly into his eyes.
Even though his vision was impaired, that and how he couldn't even move any part of his body; Kyle could swear that he saw the horrendous teeth of the man smiling down on him.
"Kyle, before we were so rudely interrupted, we didn't get a chance to finish our conversation. But, before we get into that, I must say that I'm amazed by what you have gained by being with these creatures. They've made you into one of them. A freak. A murderer, with all of the tools to cast himself out of society; a pure incarnation of evil."
Kyle laughed at this to himself.
Evil? What's evil is your breath.
Kyle could faintly make out some sort of object in Agent Barns' hand.
"I guess since you're alien now, you tolerance for pain will be like Mr. Guerin's."
Kyle could feel the object being placed at his left hand, and then nothing. Kyle couldn't move his head to see what was exactly being done to him, yet he knew what this man was capable of so, it wasn't anything pretty.
When Agent Barns brought the object up again, it was dark red.
He smiled, "When the drug wears off we'll see how cooperative you'll be this time and then see what you'll be willing to tell us. In the meantime, let me make a few more improvements to you."
Ava found herself running out of options as of means of getting entry to the building.
"Have you found a way in yet?"
Ava turned around and found Max and the others standing behind her.
She shook her head, "No, I haven't. The only entrance requires a hand print recognition and DNA identifying access."
Max looked around and then an idea came to him.
"Have you tried manipulating anyone inside to come out?"
Ava shrugged, if I could see anyone in there, then yeah, I could try."
Seeing the nearest window, Max looked to Jesse, who was the tallest of the group.
"Can she stand on your shoulders?"
Jesse nodded.
Hoisting her up, Ava peered through the bar windows and saw tow men standing near the entrance of the main door.
Closing her eyes she had them imagine that Kyle had escaped and went through the main door.
Max, Isabel, and Liz stood waiting and within earshot they heard the shouting of the two men.
Coming out, Liz threw her bookbag to catch the quickly closing door, while Max and Isabel had the men thrown and sprawled against the wall, knocking them out cold.
"We'd better hurry. No telling what that butcher is doing to Kyle." Said Max.
As Agent Barns had said, the drug had worn off and Kyle was feeling the immense pain of what had been done to him.
His vision clearing, he saw that, from the corner of his eye, that pieces of glass had been shoved through the webbing of skin between his middle and ring finger all the way to the middle of his hand.
Violent sparks of pain and suffering went through his mind as his nerves in his hand tried in desperate to have the muscles in his hand contract to get rid of the pain.
This in turn caused more pain. All Kyle could do was bite down on his lower lip and try to go to the back of his mind and find some place peaceful.
"That won't do you any good, Kyle."
Kyle opened his eyes for a moment to see Agent Barns sitting in the corner of the room smoking.
He then walked forward and extinguished his cigarette on Kyle's open wound.
Kyle found the pressure on his lip being harder and a little bit of blood was extracted in the process.
Agent Barns was smiling all the while. "Feel like talking, Mr. Valenti?"
In Kyle's mind his found that same dark area that felt like comfort, a place that would shield him from the horror around him.
Kyle's eyes, in the process of going to this haven in his mind, clouded over and became completely black.
Agent Barns smiled, "That's it, try to shield yourself from what's going on around you." He then picked up a scalpel.
Heat started to build up in Kyle's body, and smoke arose from him as his body's temperature went up to an alarming rate. Burning through the sleeve of the straight jacket, he was about to get through the restraints of the gurney he was in, when Agent Barns slammed the scalpel into Kyle's left eye, causing Kyle's body to go into shock and then went completely still. Having Kyle Valenti completely rigid.
"There, there, no need to get worked up, Mr. Valenti. This day is just beginning."
Walking through the hallways, the group ran into a very confused Agent Veronica Kern.
At first no one moved, and then she lifted up her handset.
Isabel knocked it out of her hand.
Liz, in turn, had her flying across the room and up against the wall.
Jesse had his pistol out and had it pointed at her.
Max squatted down next to her.
"Where's our friend Kyle?" He asked.
Agent Kern thought for a moment and then said, "In the boiler room."
Max nodded and prepared to leave, when he noticed Ava leaning down next to her.
"Is that the truth?" She asked.
Agent Kern didn't reply.
Ava then put her hand on Veronica's head and closed her eyes.
After a minute, she opened them and then punched the woman, knocking her out.
"Why did you do that?" Asked Isabel.
Ava smiled, "She lied. Kyle's actually in the loading area's manager's office, with Agent Barns."
Max was curious, "Are you telling me that you read her memories?"
Ava nodded, "I'm surprised you guys can't. I learned it by the others."
Max and Isabel looked at eachother, feeling a little embarrassed.
They soon left and found a map of the structure crewed to the wall.
Taking over half a dozen left and rights turns they found themselves in the loading area.
Dusty boxes and rusting forklifts suggested this place hadn't been in use for awhile.
Going through the maze of boxes did they find the manager's office. This time it was locked with an electronic key card lock.
This was easy for them. Max waived his hand over the mechanism and the lights went from red to green. A loud click meant that it was now opened.
Going inside, Max came to a complete stop.
Ava pushed past him and found herself trembling as she saw Kyle's form on the gurney. A scalpel protruding from his left eye and his right hand split in half by a shard of glass.
Max quickly went over and placed two fingers to Kyle's neck.
"He has a weak pulse." Max stated.
Jesse quickly walked over and assisted Max removing the straps, while the three women stood there in shock and horror.
"Glad you could make it."
The five of them turned to see Agent Barns, along with three other Agents standing in the opened doorway.
Looking at the twisted smile on this man, and how horrific his own appearance looked, didn't stop Ava from lunging after him; even regardless to the other men who were there carrying tazer-guns.
Causing one of the men to go flying out, the other aimed his weapon art Ava.
Never got the chance to, as Isabel and Liz followed in Ava's outrage and attacked the two standing men.
Agent Barns brought out his magnum and fired at Ava.
It caught her in the leg, but it was nothing to her as she continued her lunge after Barns.
Agent Barns decided to retreat into the maze of boxes as the three followed him in.
Max and Jesse had just removed the final leather strap and Max had begun to work on healing Kyle.
Jesse carefully extracted the scalpel from the eye and Max put his hand over it, hoping he could heal it.
Jesse then left Max to go and protect Isabel and the others.
Inside the maze of boxes, Ava finally found her pulse steadying and also felt the pain of the bullet buried within her thigh. She decided to sit down and take out the bullet.
Using her powers, she still found the process painful and when it finally came out, she tore a piece of her shirt and tied it around to cover the wound.
Behind her, Agent Barns held his gun out and pointed it directly at her.
Liz had it flying away from him and Isabel send a blow to him that had him jetting up and over Ava and making contact with the raised teeth of the forklift. It didn't go through him but the loud cracking sound was enough to suggest what it had done damage to his back.
Ava looked above and saw a front-end loader holding several large boxes that weighed over a hundred pounds each. She pointed her hand to the loader and had the boxes fall down on the still smiling Agent Henry Barns.
At first, Isabel and Liz said nothing and then both nodded to the fact that this whole experience was now over.
Isabel and Liz helped Ava up and brought her back to the Manager's office where Max was finishing up healing Kyle's hand.
Liz could tell by Max's face that something didn't go as planned with healing Kyle.
"Max? What is it?" She asked.
Max stepped aside and the group saw, to their astonishment, that Kyle's left eye was milky and the iris was mis-preportioned, while the other was natural.
"How bad is it, Max?" Kyle asked.
Upon hearing his voice, Ava limped over and hugged him, crying softly.
As Dawn broke, Michael went back to Maria, holding in his hands some pictures of him, as General Rath, that were given to him by Lira.
Both Michael and Maria sat together looking over the various photographs; Maria making remarks like "Why can't you have a bod like that?" while they went through them.
Michael smirked as he ignored these comments and showed the last picture of the pile to Maria, that of General Rath and the royal family.
"Wow," she said, "So that's what you guys look all together."
Michael nodded.
Maria looked at the sullen but proud features of Max's King Zan and Marveled on how elegant the two royal females of Isabel and Tess looked.
A thought came across Maria's mind and she sighed thinking about it.
"Michael…Is Larek going to let us return home?"
Michael was surprised, "I would think he would, why?"
Maria touched the photo of the royal four; "Having you here must be some reassurance. That things will get better on Antar for those who've been struggling with that jerk, Khivar. Having us leave would be a problem, wouldn't it?"
Michael couldn't believe that he hadn't thought to ask of this first.
"Maybe." He replied, "But we have friends and family on Earth that need us more. Like Max said, he's not a King, I'm not his second in command, and Isabel and Ava are not Queen and Princess. We're not the people we were meant to be. We're…ourselves." He bent his head down and kissed Maria on the forehead, "We're going back to Earth the moment you're ready. I promise."
Kyle's eye had become increasingly sensitive to the sunlight the following morning. Josh had managed to find his mother's old eye patch that she had to wear after her lasik eye surgery. Putting it on, however, made Kyle feel ridiculous.
"I look like a pirate." He said, looking at himself in the mirror.
"What's wrong with pirates?" Max asked, standing next to him.
Kyle laughed, "I don't want to be a pirate."
"Well, you didn't want to be around aliens either, look how that went." Isabel said, standing outside of the doorway.
All three laughed at this.
Coming out into the living room the three met with Jesse, who then saw Kyle.
Jesse grinned, "Avast me hearty!"
Kyle then took it off and blinked, "That's it."
But as soon as he opened it he quickly put his hand over his eye.
Jesse stood up apologetically, "Look, its not that bad. Sorry for making a crack at it."
Kyle shook his head, "Nah, you're right it does make me look like that."
Ava came in and saw Kyle, she immediately walked up to him and saw the eye patch in his hand.
"Aren't you going to put that on?"
Kyle laughed, "Are you kidding? This thing makes me look like an idiot."
"You don't need any help in that department." Liz said, grinning.
Ava shook her head; "I want to see it. Please?"
Kyle sighed and put it back on. He waited for Ava's ridicule of the thing.
She didn't, she simply smiled.
"Not bad."
Kyle grinned, "Well, I guess I'll keep it then."
Liz and Isabel exchanged looks.
Later in the day, Seth had came in from class and didn't look all that happy to see them.
Max decided to go and see what the matter was.
Parked in front of the TV set turning on the X-Box, Seth avoided Max's inquiring look as he played through a level of Halo.
"What's the matter Seth? I feel like you're avoiding us."
Seth closed his eyes, "I was called into the Dean's office for that little disturbance yesterday. He's holding me responsible for it."
Max nodded, understanding what might have gone through the mind of the dean.
Ava stood in the doorway watching the both of them and was about to come in when Max held out a hand, telling her to stay back.
The last thing Max wanted was to have Seth feel that they were ganging up on him.
"How much trouble are you in?" Max asked.
Seth put down the controller and looked into Max's eyes.
"Let me put it this way, I want you guys out of here by tomorrow."
Max nodded. This had made them overstay their welcome.
"I understand. I'll go tell the others." Max said.
"Tell that creepy Ava to stop looking at me, while you're at it." Seth said, grudgingly.
Max didn't see Ava near the door anymore.
As Kyle was walking outside getting used to the new peripheral vision, he saw from his right eye, Ava running from the house and into the bus.
Following after her, he found her at the back of the bus, crying.
Kyle walked back and at next to her.
"What happened?" He asked.
He couldn't understand her as she responded in blurbs through her sobbing.
She then brought her head down ho his lad and laid the side of her head in his lap.
Again, Kyle had one of his various sexual scenarios go playing through his head on how this might turn out. He shaked it off, knowing to be the better person and just let her lay there crying and sobbing.
Kyle put his hand out and stroked her head, trying to shush her.
A little while later, she managed to get a grip and she sat upright.
"Sorry about that." She said.
Kyle nodded, "Looks like you needed it, though."
Ava laughed, "Everyone needs a broken heart once in a while, right?"
Knowing how stupid this was for him to lusting after someone who had her heart set on someone else; this wasn't unfamiliar territory for Kyle Valenti.
He knew fully well that unrequited love was a pain in the ass.
"Sorry Seth hasn't snapped to his senses."
Ava smiled and slugged him on the shoulder, "Again, you're too good to me? Why is that?"
Kyle smirked, "Do you really want the answer to that?"
Ava smiled and then, to Kyle's surprise leaned over and kissed him.
Kyle found it hard to explain what the kiss felt like. It was far different than when he used to kiss Liz, this was more explosive.
Ava drew her head back and smiled, "So?"
Kyle shook his head, "Now, that was…was…wait, why did you stop?"
She grinned all the more, "Just wanted to make sure."
Kyle grinned too and the two resumed.
"Well, Maria DeLuca, this is it; it's time." Larek said. Both him and Mar'di stood in the doorway along with a few others.
Maria nodded and Michael helped her up and on to the rolling bed. He was then replaced by two of Mar'di's assistants.
Michael squeezed her hand.
"I'll see you in there." He told her.
Maria gave him the look saying "You better be or your ass is grass."
As he made his way to the area Larek had told him to dress up for the birthing, Michael found himself halting as he heard a noise.
It sounded like Lira. More than that, it sounded like Lira screaming.
Running at full speed, Michael found himself outside in the courtyard and looking to the left of him, he found a man hovering over Lira with a jagged crimson blade.
Michael noticed that she had a wound near her abdomen.
Taking out his hand and knocking the blade away, the assailant then looked at Michael with piercing eyes.
He then turned back to Lira and Michael could hear him breathe, "This isn't over Lira. You're treachery will bring the end of Dior, soon." He then held up his palm and revealed a portal to which he jumped into and then vanished.
The guards came behind Michael and took notice of Lira, "What happened General Rath?" One asked him.
Michael shook his head, not fully understanding what occurred either.
"I'll find out later. Get Lira to a doctor, quickly."
Both guards nodded and went over to assist Lira.
Michael watched them take her away.
Michael tried to think what all of this could mean when he then remembered.
"Maria!"
Maria, amidst her heavy breathing and closing her eyes, looked up and saw Michael stumble in, his birthing garments hanging loosely to him.
"Aw, the Father's here." Mar'di said.
"My children have no father." Fumed Maria.
"Love you too." Michael said, giving his cocky grin.
Maria sighed, "Cut the crap, 'Spaceboy' and get over here!"
Michael did as he was commanded and knelt down beside Maria and let her crush his hand with hers.
Mar'di explained the process of what they were about to do.
"Here's how we'll begin, Maria will give birth like a normal human female does, after both offspring are out of her, then we'll being the second stage. This part is why you were needed here because Earth doesn't have the tools for this kind of labor. The cervix will keep on expanding long after the children have been jettisoned from the uterus. At the same time, Maria will be losing a great deal of amount of blood. We'll be able to control this. Now, Maria, are you ready?"
Maria took a deep breath and nodded.
"Alright then, push!" Mar'di instructed.
Through the hour, Maria had managed to give birth to their son and daughter.
During that time, Michael could have sworn that he had lost his hand in the process.
As Mar'di had said, Maria's cervix was expanding at an alarming rate.
Mar'di along with his others assistants put blue powder on top of Maria's belly just as her vital signs seemed to drop.
Then, two of the assistants put their hands on her stomach and a both were humming.
A light appeared, and gradually, the cervix was starting to become smaller and smaller.
Maria looked into Michael's eyes; her grip still tight against his hands.
The light disappeared and Mar'di stood back.
"It is finished, congratulations to you both."
"Thanks, Mar'di." Michael said, nodding to him.
"You're quite welcome, General. For her pain, we will give her this sap from one of our Hangu trees, though mind you, take just enough for the pain."
Michael grinned, "Don't want you to be a druggie now do we?"
Maria slugged him, "Get me the damn sap!"
Later on, cradled in their arms, Michael and Maria looked down at the tiny people that they had brought into the universe.
Michael was unclear on what to think of the little person nestled in his arms.
"This is so weird." He said.
Maria nodded, "Isn't it wonderful, though?"
Michael shrugged.
"So, names…" Maria said.
Michael looked at her, surprise, "I was sure you had them picked out already."
Maria shook her head, "Guess again, 'Spaceboy'. I thought we should decide them together."
Michael nodded he then looked at the one he had in his arms, "Is this the boy or the girl?"
Maria smiled, "That's your daughter, Michael Guerin."
"Right." He said, "How about Madden?"
Maria sighed, "You're seriously going to name our daughter after a video game?"
Michael grinned, " "Madden" can be a girl's name. It can be short for Madeline."
Maria rolled her eyes, "Alright, if you say so."
"How about him?" Michael asked.
Maria smiled. She knew all along what she wanted to name the boy.
"Alex."
To be continued…
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A/N: Phew! Man that took awhile and I apologize. Got writer's block a couple of times in there.
A/N II: Comments! Reviews! Cries for my head to be mounted on a pike! All of these are welcomed, so please REVIEW!!!
Q-n-P