UNDERCURRENTS - Part 11 (See Part 1 for disclaimers)
By Allega
Isabel had no idea how long she had been lying there but eventually tiredness had overcome her. Now, the foremost thing in her mind was the terrible aching in her neck from sleeping on a hard floor with no pillow under her head. Remembering where she was, she sat up and rubbed tiredness from her eyes. It was at that point that she caught sight of a man's face peering at her through a hatchway half way up the far wall. As soon as they made eye contact the hole closed and a moment later the man had stepped through a disappearing door in the wall. One moment Isabel could see out into a room beyond her own and then the wall had replaced itself seamlessly again.
She stood up shakily, trying to control the urge to scream or cry, to do anything which might make it obvious how scared she really was. The man was dressed smartly, just as Agent Pierce had been, but he had a lab coat on over his suit which immediately put him in the category of scientist or doctor - the most dangerous kind. He moved closer to her and, despite his fairly youthful years and dark blonde hair, Isabel could see the haggard lines of someone who has seen much stress and pressure over the years. Small wrinkles had already turned into deep grooves around his dark brown eyes and his cheek bones were gaunt, creating lines from his aquiline nose down to the chin.
"Isabel Evans. I am terribly sorry that you have been left alone all day like this and in such surroundings, too. I am afraid that your memories of places like this are far from pleasant."
Isabel resisted the urge to shrink back against the wall behind her. He must have known all about Max which meant that he must have been an ally of Agent Pierce before his death. "My memories?" The man reached out one hand in a friendly gesture and Isabel hesitated before accepting it. On the one hand she wanted to get out of there as soon as possible but until they started hurting her, there was no reason to create trouble for herself so she would oblige. The white panels shifted again at the far end of the room and the man stepped through into the next room where Isabel saw that they were surrounded by monitors and print outs providing data on geological readings and seismic waves.
"Ignore all of this, it is a geology experiment on the rock below us. Anyway, yes, your memories are of your brother, Max's, experience, aren't they?"
Isabel didn't answer, still somewhat rattled by what was going on. The man took her into a much more homely area with a sofa and small kitchenette. Sitting her down he produced lemonade and two glasses, constantly talking about the various different, irritating geography experts who showed up all the time and wrecked his print outs. Isabel sat in silence, taking in every word of what he said whilst casting a cursive look around the room to see what kind of escape routes were open to her. The man handed her the lemonade and sat down opposite her in a cosy armchair.
"I expect you are wondering where you are and how you got here?"
Isabel began to relax a bit; he wasn't talking like some one who wanted to kill her and, although she knew he might just be trying to extract information, she didn't see any harm in him so far. "Yes."
"Well, one of the soldiers found you in the desert. He brought you here because it was close and because I am a doctor. You see, this is a military base really. This compound is a fair few feet underground and has been the centre for a great deal of study into unidentified wave frequencies."
Isabel nodded, pretending to be totally uninterested, but she couldn't remember anything that had happened since the conversation with Michael and Max. How could she have got all the way out to some geological base so far away from any proper hospital?
"Anyway, working for the government has its perks and I had dug up some very interesting information concerning your lineage. It seems that your parents are unknown and that you and your brother have been a source of interest in relation to UFOlogy for quite some time."
Isabel stiffened. "What do you mean?"
The man's tone suddenly altered from the jovial and pleasantly bumbling scientist to a clinical, no nonsense attitude. "Oh, come on, Isabel. You don't have to play me for a fool. I know all about Agent Pierce and what he did to Max. The evidence of his blood samples are still in storage somewhere, but that is proof enough for us. You see, the interesting wave patterns which we have been recording down here seem to come from some kind of organic source but the waves are much too large and complex to be explained by any earthly, naturally occurring object. Now, it would seem logical considering all the stories about Roswell, that one should explore the avenue of possibility opened up by the word 'alien'. My research has shown that if replicated and tweaked to a certain frequency these waves can have an extraordinary effect on the alien race."
He watched Isabel's face while she tried to remain passive despite all the thoughts and questions which were running through her head. "I mean, I assume that Michael is like you, right? He did do us proud in our research."
Isabel couldn't fight the questions burning in her anymore, "That was you? But how..."
"We knew who you were and my colleagues spent many hours building that device which you so callously smashed to pieces. However, by that time we already knew its reaction. It is just a shame that the extent of its effects were cut short."
Isabel felt something inside her snap and she lunged for the man, but he threw her back against the sofa like a rag doll with bruising force. "Oh, Isabel! Don't forget what happened at school? Your powers are gone. I control them now."
Isabel fought back the anger and tears which she could feel prickling behind her eyes and she steadied her voice, "So you made me come out here? You did that to Michael?"
"On the contrary, Isabel Evans might feel that she has been forced into this, but Isabel is also Lab Rat Number One who will volunteer her expertise. Recent research in Roswell and the experiments on your brother provided invaluable insight into your structure and, although you all appear to be different, somehow we found a way to control you but not your two friends. Still, one is better than nothing and you will help us do the rest."
Isabel balled her fists, pressing her fingernails into the soft flesh of her palms, "Help you do what?"
"Help me control Max and Michael."
"Never."
Settling back into the armchair, a sly smile began to creep across Dr. Palmano's face and Isabel began to feel her stomach churning round and round. She was completely outnumbered and vulnerable, but worst of all, whatever Michael and Max had dreamed was about to come true. That was the last thought Isabel was capable of having before she blacked out.
**********
"Michael, what is this place?"
Maria was silenced with a finger to her lips, then after checking the next bend he turned back to her.
"I don't know but there must be some fire escape plan somewhere around here."
They looked blankly around them at the numerous possible paths to take, none of which seemed particularly inviting. Maria wished that she had one of her vials of aromatherapy oil with her but she had to try and envisage the beautiful forest which went with her cedar oil. Every time she began to forget about the peril they were in, the clinical smell of cleaning fluid and polished metal filled her nose and drew her back to reality. Michael seemed unaware of her fear, despite her sweaty hand gripping onto his arm as he tugged her down first one corridor then backed up and went down another. He seemed so sure of where he was going until they came across yet another waste facility or empty office and Maria was become increasingly concerned about the number of near misses they must have had. Considering how top secret this compound must be, they hadn't even hidden from a single guard and while she was pleased it was also somewhat unnerving.
Whatever psychic powers she thought that she might have, Maria was suddenly paralysed when two soldiers appeared around the corner and spotted them immediately. Michael grabbed her arm and made a run for it but he heard the familiar and deadly sound of a gun's safety catch being disarmed behind them, "Stop!"
Michael could feel his heart pounding in his chest and hear it resounding in his ears as he cast an urgent look in Maria's direction and they both raised their hands slowly above their heads. The heavy footsteps moved closer and Michael felt his arms pulled roughly behind his back and the cold steel handcuffs tightly bound against the bones in his wrist. The second soldier did not handcuff Maria but grabbed her arm tightly above the elbow and the pair were marched away down a corridor which they had already explored and knew full well led directly to some kind of holding cell.
**********
Max and Liz had found the floor plan by one of the exit doors and had hidden themselves in a disused generator room where they could try and figure out where someone would choose to take Isabel. It was while they were deeply engrossed in conversation over one particularly vague corner of the map which Liz felt certain was a risky place to enter alone when they heard the door creak open. They remained completely silent and motionless for a moment and Max was about to poke his head up above the pile of boxes which shielded them from view when a voice whispered, "Max? Michael?"
Liz stared at Max in disbelief and mouthed 'Isabel' at him. He pushed himself into a crouching position, about to stand up but Liz pulled him down, "What if it is a trick, Max?"
Shrugging her off, he peered around the boxes and saw the familiar blonde hair and frightened brown eyes then stood up, "Isabel, thank God!"
Her face lit up when she saw him and Liz followed Max, all of them hugging each other in turn. Max pulled away, "How did you know we were here?"
Isabel glanced frantically towards the door and pulled them towards their hiding place, "I could feel you, then I followed it here. I was so scared, Max. I'm so glad you're here."
"So am I. Now we've just got to find Michael and Maria and get out of here before someone sees us."
Liz nodded and pulled out her cell phone, "What if someone hears the tone?"
Max and Isabel looked at one another in a moment of doubt, then Isabel said, "I can feel his presence, too. I know my way round here well enough. Come with me."
Beckoning them into the hallway, Isabel led them away from the entrance they had used and deeper into the compound. Liz held Max's hand tightly, afraid to let him go for a moment. They were so close to escaping that the fear of being discovered was growing with every step that she took. Pushing open a door, Max and Liz found them in the room which Isabel had first seen with all the electrical instruments.
As the door swung shut behind them, Dr. Palmano stepped into view, "Good job, Miss Evans. You are a very diligent worker."
Max started for the door with Liz but stopped when he realised that Isabel had made no attempt to move. She was simply standing mute, staring just over Dr. Palmano's shoulder at the wall with a vacant expression in her eyes.
Max tried to pull her with him, "Come on, Isabel!" but she remained stock still. Within moments two armed guards had appeared outside the door and Max had to admit defeat.
Liz stared at Isabel, unable to digest what was going on while Max made a lunge for the doctor, pushing him up against the far wall, "What the hell did you do to her?! What did you do to my sister?!"
Dr. Palmano did not seem the slightest bit phased by Max's aggression and he was quickly pulled off by one of the guards. "Take them to the cells. I'll be along shortly. Isabel and I have something to discuss first."
Max tried to wriggle free of the soldier's grasp but he was too strong and he had to give in when Liz was marched out of the door, allowing himself to be led tacitly to the holding cells.
**********
Maria was relieved when Michael was released into the same cell as her, making the prospect of staying there for any period of time less awful to contemplate. Waiting until the two soldiers had left them alone, he rattled the door of the cell then focused on trying to dissolve the lock inside. It was an impossible task and after a few moments his concentration wavered and Michael kicked the door hard, hurting his foot and making himself angrier in the process. "Damn it!"
Maria jumped at the sound it made and felt even more frightened by Michael's sudden aggression. "What?"
He slumped down on the makeshift bed beside her, "It is some kind of reinforced metal, I can't shift it."
"What are we going to do?"
"I don't know. Just wait I guess."
Maria moved closer to Michael and he wrapped one arm around her, "Do you think Max and Liz have found Isabel?"
Michael let out a long breath and scuffed his trainer against the concrete floor. "Who knows. I hope so. God knows what they might do to her in here."
The sound of a key in the lock brought Michael to his feet while Maria wasn't too sure that her legs were strong enough to support her right now. Fighting momentary shock, Michael felt his heart sink as Max and Liz were deposited into the cell opposite, unceremoniously. "What happened?"
Max's voice was barely controlled but even as he retorted, "I could ask the same of you."
Liz moved towards the bars and focused her attention on Maria, "Maria, are you okay?"
Suppressing the panic in her head, she smiled at her friend's concern, "Yeah, I guess. Did you see Isabel?"
Liz glanced at Max, questioningly and with an element of guilt. Michael caught the exchange and pounced on it, "What happened? Where is she?"
Max sat down on the bed and put his head in his hands. "Max! What happened?"
Rubbing his eyes wearily, Max looked across at Michael, "I don't know."
Liz quietly added, "They did something to her."
"What do you mean 'something'? Come on, Liz."
Liz looked at Max again, knowing that he was holding in everything that he felt, that he hated not knowing but felt responsible for what had happened. Finally, he spoke, "He's controlling her, making her do things that she doesn't have any control over."
Michael started pacing the cell, "Who is?"
Max's voice grew increasingly fatigued, "I don't know, some doctor." Liz snapped her fingers in the air and Max asked, "What is it?"
"I know I've seen him somewhere before. He is so familiar." She stopped and searched her mind to place the face until it finally clicked, "He was the guy in the newspaper, the doctor who was in charge of controlling the flu epidemic. He gave a statement, Pamalo, Palamo."
Max took a deep breath, "Dr. Palmano."
"Yeah, that's it."
Maria could tell that Michael was getting pretty agitated, which was never a good thing, while Max was seriously flagging and evidently beating himself up over everything that was happening. It was only when silence had fallen between them all and they were sitting around pathetically on the floor and beds that it hit Maria. "Oh my God!"
Michael turned to her, his mind alert and racing with adrenaline, "What?"
Maria swallowed, trying to relieve her increasingly dry throat, "Your dreams. Is that what's going to happen?"
Michael had almost forgotten the entire conversation he and Max had shared with Isabel the previous day. Now it all came flooding back and he didn't like the feeling it gave him. As he looked over at Max, it was obvious that he was feeling exactly the same way. Liz tried hard to suppress the tears which had been trying to push their way to the surface all afternoon as she looked at the shell of her boyfriend. It was hard to imagine a time when Max was carefree and smiling, "Max?"
She didn't really know why she called his name. After all, what could he say to reassure her when it was his own life on the line and Liz knew perfectly well that he didn't understand what was going on any more than she did. "In your dream...Isabel killed you."
Maria moved over to Michael and hugged him tightly, not sure what she should say but knowing that she just needed to be close to him.
After trying to contact Alex on the mobile unsuccessfully because of their underground location, the four of them sat in silence for what seemed like years. It was just when they had all reached a point of utter despair that the door was unlocked and Dr. Palmano entered together with two heavy set guards.
"It is good to see that you are rested."
Max gestured to Michael, trying to prevent his hot headed friend from doing anything rash but when the doctor moved close to the bars, Michael grabbed him by the collar, "You bastard! What did you do to Isabel?!"
It didn't take much for Dr. Palmano to extricate himself from the boy's grip and he backed away with a half smile but Maria could tell that he was still afraid. He may think that he had the measure of these aliens but it was obvious that he was still wary of what they might do next. Nodding to the two guards, Palmano watched them open Max and Liz's cell, "You want to know what I did to your sister, Max? Come with me and I'll show you."
Liz wouldn't let go of his arm but she was shoved back into the cell followed by Maria. Michael spared a glance back at his frightened girlfriend, suddenly aware that he might never see her again or smell the heady scent of her oils and her soft blonde hair. It wasn't like him to get sentimental, but as the cell doors divided them, he took in every curve and freckle - just in case.
**********
Isabel sat huddled in the corner of the comfy room which Palmano had left her in earlier. Her mind felt numb, like she wouldn't be able to form a coherent thought if her life depended on it - and maybe it did. She felt certain that something had happened which she couldn't quite put her finger on, that she had done something but she couldn't remember. The feeling of losing control, of madness clung to her and Isabel couldn't shake it off no matter what she did. Every now and again her mind wandered back to the conversation with Max and Michael, to the dream they had been having. Was it possible that it had been a vision? Maybe she was sitting here with their blood on her hands and she didn't know what she had done.
A moment later Dr. Palmano knocked on the door as if it were her private space but Isabel knew it had been locked, "Isabel, your friends are here. Come and see them."
Not knowing if it were a trick or not, Isabel meekly followed him down the corridor, her brain beyond functioning to try and escape.
So it was with blunt surprise that she saw Michael and Max in the same cell that she had found herself in when she arrived. Max's face was pale, no doubt because the room was too much of a reminder of how he was tortured by Pierce. Palmano closed the door and watched the three of them from the other side of the glass, enjoying the stand-off which ensued. Nobody spoke, Michael and Max safely maintaining their distance while Isabel tried to see where the door had gone, almost wishing that Palmano would return. At least Michael and Max were alive which meant that she hadn't done anything to them.
Her voice was hoarse when she spoke, "Max? Is it really you?"
His stony expression melted in a moment and he ran to her, hugging her, "Isabel, I wasn't sure if it was you or..."
Isabel pulled away, "Or what?"
Michael stared menacingly at the walls, knowing full well that they were being monitored and watched somehow, just as Max had been with Pierce, then he whispered, "He did something to you, Issy."
Max tried not to frighten his sister as he filled her in on what had happened to him and Liz. Michael put a protective arm around her shoulder when the tears started to well up in her soulful eyes, "Don't cry, Issy. We'll beat this, okay. It'll be all right."
She shook her head, weakly, "No it won't. What about your dreams? I can't..."
Max took her hands in his own, forgetting that Palmano was probably watching and listening to their every word outside the room, "No, Isabel. You have to fight it. When you feel him moving in, fight it."
Isabel's body was wracked with sobs, "I can't Max. It's like I'm not even there anymore. I'm not there and I can't control it."
Michael felt the uncontrollable anger rising inside him, knowing that Palmano was doing this to them and he was helpless to stop him. Max thought hard of everything that had happened to them over the past months, trying to imagine a way that they could conquer Palmano and destroy this sadistic experiment. "We'll fight it together, Is. All of our energy put together must be able to do it."
"But look what happened to Michael..."
Michael looked at Max, frowning, "Palmano made me sick?"
Isabel nodded, wiping errant tears from her eyes. A whirring sound directed their attention to where the door appeared and the panels moved apart to allow Palmano entrance. "So, you see Max, there is very little that any of you can do to prevent my Isabel from doing her job."
The three got to their feet, Michael keeping his arm draped around Isabel's waist. "And I am sorry for what happened to you, Michael. It was a simple experiment which needed to be performed. I'm sure you understand."
Controlling his rising temper, Michael tightened his grip around Isabel. Then, he felt Max's strength coming through him in waves, uniting them against Palmano. Together they focused all their energy on his body, trying to find some way of penetrating his mind and destroying him. For a moment, Max was sure they had him, but a second later a third power joined them and Max began to feel Isabel turning his concentration away from the doctor. It was like she was bending his mind, mirroring the images he sent out and throwing them back to him. She sent back twisted pictures of their childhood together, all the times that they had argued and times when she had won. Max tried to fight her but the images were coming too fast and his mind couldn't keep up.
The throbbing in his head suddenly altered to a sharp pain in his chest and he dimly realised that Isabel was trying to hurt him, trying to destroy him from the inside out.
Michael was still concentrating on Palmano and just when Max was weakening, the throbbing mutating into a tingling, light headed sensation, Isabel turned in a flurried motion to their friend and stretched her arm out towards him. In a split second, Michael was hurled across the room and crumpled to the floor in a heap. Max was still recovering his strength and when he looked at his friend he could see the blood trickling down his forehead onto the white floor. Okay, he thought, I'm on my own. Realising that Palmano had retreated into the adjacent room in order to watch Isabel in the smug comfort of his doctor's chair, Max prepared to focus all his efforts on her, to help her fight whatever Palmano was doing to her.
It was disconcerting at first, looking into the eyes of his own sister but seeing only passive blankness in response. Her eyes were cold and hard, piercing Max's brain with negative images. He fought them off with pictures of their childhood, of their parents and their first day at school. Still, Isabel did not waver and it wasn't long before Max's energy was flagging. Where was her strength coming from? None of them had been able to control their powers with such precision before and Max could feel her homing in on specific parts of his brain, distorting the information stored there and breaking him down.
Gritting his teeth, Max tried to remind himself that this was no longer his sister anymore, Isabel had been replaced with a thing devoid of emotion. If he was going to crush Palmano's scheme Max knew that he had to treat Isabel like an enemy, play it her way - without love or filial affection. Throwing himself into it, he homed in on her, trying to find a weakness in her attack but it was not easy. Every time he thought that he had found a target, Isabel would change her strategy and knock him off. Max could feel the sweat trickling down his cheek but kept his focus on his sister. The intense energy pouring out of them both short-circuited the lighting in the building, plunging them into darkness before the low red glow of emergency lights came on. Crackles and sparks of electrical surges burst from the walls and panels in the next door room.
The two aliens held each other off for what seemed like years but was only about ten minutes until Max suddenly felt a paralysing pain his chest. Somehow Isabel had divided her strength into two, one part of it messing with his head while the other was squeezing tighter around his heart muscle. The breath was caught from his lungs and he fell back against the wall, struggling to keep from blacking out. His lungs felt like they were bursting and his heart beat came in strained thuds and Max couldn't keep up with anything Isabel was doing. Isabel moved closer to him, leaning down over his convulsing body and that was the last thing he saw as she loomed above him before the room began to fade and a veil of blackness claimed him.
From behind the safety of the glass, Palmano watched Max's head loll to one side and his clenched fist fall limply to his side. On the adjacent wall, Michael's crumpled form lay inert, a pool of blood forming around his head and one hand still outstretched towards where Isabel had been standing. Stepping into the room, Palmano relished the idea of showing Isabel the damage that she had done to her best friend and her brother. He tapped her lightly on the shoulder and her eyelids flickered for a second before focusing back on the room and her 'mentor'. "Isabel. You did well."
For a moment she looked confused and then followed Palmano's gaze to the motionless form of Max, her hand flying to her mouth in a gesture of utter disbelief, "Oh my God, Max!"
She knelt beside him, taking his head in her hands and willing him back to life. He gave no response and Isabel placed one hand over his chest, closing her eyes against the horror of the room and everything it represented. Yet, there was nothing that she could do, her powers were gone except when Palmano chose to activate them. It was just like the dream, she had killed Max without even knowing it.
The doctor leaned down beside and gently pulled her hand away from her brother, adopting a soothing tone, "It's all right, Isabel. I know it is difficult to accept now, but in time to come you will understand my motives. Your kind are a threat to us and we need to protect ourselves."
For a moment, Isabel thought she was going to rip his throat out but she knew that there was no point. Besides, she had killed Max, there was nothing left for her to do now. She might as well admit defeat and let them torture her or kill her, anything would be better than this horrific burden.
As she turned towards the door, Isabel saw Michael lying on the floor and her heart lurched in her chest, "Michael!"
Palmano allowed her to go to him, watching her with a degree of curiosity as to how aliens responded to emotional stimuli. Pierce's tests had proven that they had feelings, but to what extent these functioned was still somewhat of a mystery. Clearly, they went all the way. Isabel moved towards her friend in slow motion, afraid but certain of what she would find. She rolled him over gently, tentatively touching his face, covering her hands with his blood in the process. She placed two shaking fingers over his wrist, vainly hoping to find a pulse and a wave of relief washed over her when she felt a strong pulse.
Pushing herself to her feet, Isabel glanced at Palmano, hoping that he hadn't seen the look of faint happiness in her eyes, but he seemed unaware of anything unusual and led her away from the scene.
**********
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By Allega
Isabel had no idea how long she had been lying there but eventually tiredness had overcome her. Now, the foremost thing in her mind was the terrible aching in her neck from sleeping on a hard floor with no pillow under her head. Remembering where she was, she sat up and rubbed tiredness from her eyes. It was at that point that she caught sight of a man's face peering at her through a hatchway half way up the far wall. As soon as they made eye contact the hole closed and a moment later the man had stepped through a disappearing door in the wall. One moment Isabel could see out into a room beyond her own and then the wall had replaced itself seamlessly again.
She stood up shakily, trying to control the urge to scream or cry, to do anything which might make it obvious how scared she really was. The man was dressed smartly, just as Agent Pierce had been, but he had a lab coat on over his suit which immediately put him in the category of scientist or doctor - the most dangerous kind. He moved closer to her and, despite his fairly youthful years and dark blonde hair, Isabel could see the haggard lines of someone who has seen much stress and pressure over the years. Small wrinkles had already turned into deep grooves around his dark brown eyes and his cheek bones were gaunt, creating lines from his aquiline nose down to the chin.
"Isabel Evans. I am terribly sorry that you have been left alone all day like this and in such surroundings, too. I am afraid that your memories of places like this are far from pleasant."
Isabel resisted the urge to shrink back against the wall behind her. He must have known all about Max which meant that he must have been an ally of Agent Pierce before his death. "My memories?" The man reached out one hand in a friendly gesture and Isabel hesitated before accepting it. On the one hand she wanted to get out of there as soon as possible but until they started hurting her, there was no reason to create trouble for herself so she would oblige. The white panels shifted again at the far end of the room and the man stepped through into the next room where Isabel saw that they were surrounded by monitors and print outs providing data on geological readings and seismic waves.
"Ignore all of this, it is a geology experiment on the rock below us. Anyway, yes, your memories are of your brother, Max's, experience, aren't they?"
Isabel didn't answer, still somewhat rattled by what was going on. The man took her into a much more homely area with a sofa and small kitchenette. Sitting her down he produced lemonade and two glasses, constantly talking about the various different, irritating geography experts who showed up all the time and wrecked his print outs. Isabel sat in silence, taking in every word of what he said whilst casting a cursive look around the room to see what kind of escape routes were open to her. The man handed her the lemonade and sat down opposite her in a cosy armchair.
"I expect you are wondering where you are and how you got here?"
Isabel began to relax a bit; he wasn't talking like some one who wanted to kill her and, although she knew he might just be trying to extract information, she didn't see any harm in him so far. "Yes."
"Well, one of the soldiers found you in the desert. He brought you here because it was close and because I am a doctor. You see, this is a military base really. This compound is a fair few feet underground and has been the centre for a great deal of study into unidentified wave frequencies."
Isabel nodded, pretending to be totally uninterested, but she couldn't remember anything that had happened since the conversation with Michael and Max. How could she have got all the way out to some geological base so far away from any proper hospital?
"Anyway, working for the government has its perks and I had dug up some very interesting information concerning your lineage. It seems that your parents are unknown and that you and your brother have been a source of interest in relation to UFOlogy for quite some time."
Isabel stiffened. "What do you mean?"
The man's tone suddenly altered from the jovial and pleasantly bumbling scientist to a clinical, no nonsense attitude. "Oh, come on, Isabel. You don't have to play me for a fool. I know all about Agent Pierce and what he did to Max. The evidence of his blood samples are still in storage somewhere, but that is proof enough for us. You see, the interesting wave patterns which we have been recording down here seem to come from some kind of organic source but the waves are much too large and complex to be explained by any earthly, naturally occurring object. Now, it would seem logical considering all the stories about Roswell, that one should explore the avenue of possibility opened up by the word 'alien'. My research has shown that if replicated and tweaked to a certain frequency these waves can have an extraordinary effect on the alien race."
He watched Isabel's face while she tried to remain passive despite all the thoughts and questions which were running through her head. "I mean, I assume that Michael is like you, right? He did do us proud in our research."
Isabel couldn't fight the questions burning in her anymore, "That was you? But how..."
"We knew who you were and my colleagues spent many hours building that device which you so callously smashed to pieces. However, by that time we already knew its reaction. It is just a shame that the extent of its effects were cut short."
Isabel felt something inside her snap and she lunged for the man, but he threw her back against the sofa like a rag doll with bruising force. "Oh, Isabel! Don't forget what happened at school? Your powers are gone. I control them now."
Isabel fought back the anger and tears which she could feel prickling behind her eyes and she steadied her voice, "So you made me come out here? You did that to Michael?"
"On the contrary, Isabel Evans might feel that she has been forced into this, but Isabel is also Lab Rat Number One who will volunteer her expertise. Recent research in Roswell and the experiments on your brother provided invaluable insight into your structure and, although you all appear to be different, somehow we found a way to control you but not your two friends. Still, one is better than nothing and you will help us do the rest."
Isabel balled her fists, pressing her fingernails into the soft flesh of her palms, "Help you do what?"
"Help me control Max and Michael."
"Never."
Settling back into the armchair, a sly smile began to creep across Dr. Palmano's face and Isabel began to feel her stomach churning round and round. She was completely outnumbered and vulnerable, but worst of all, whatever Michael and Max had dreamed was about to come true. That was the last thought Isabel was capable of having before she blacked out.
**********
"Michael, what is this place?"
Maria was silenced with a finger to her lips, then after checking the next bend he turned back to her.
"I don't know but there must be some fire escape plan somewhere around here."
They looked blankly around them at the numerous possible paths to take, none of which seemed particularly inviting. Maria wished that she had one of her vials of aromatherapy oil with her but she had to try and envisage the beautiful forest which went with her cedar oil. Every time she began to forget about the peril they were in, the clinical smell of cleaning fluid and polished metal filled her nose and drew her back to reality. Michael seemed unaware of her fear, despite her sweaty hand gripping onto his arm as he tugged her down first one corridor then backed up and went down another. He seemed so sure of where he was going until they came across yet another waste facility or empty office and Maria was become increasingly concerned about the number of near misses they must have had. Considering how top secret this compound must be, they hadn't even hidden from a single guard and while she was pleased it was also somewhat unnerving.
Whatever psychic powers she thought that she might have, Maria was suddenly paralysed when two soldiers appeared around the corner and spotted them immediately. Michael grabbed her arm and made a run for it but he heard the familiar and deadly sound of a gun's safety catch being disarmed behind them, "Stop!"
Michael could feel his heart pounding in his chest and hear it resounding in his ears as he cast an urgent look in Maria's direction and they both raised their hands slowly above their heads. The heavy footsteps moved closer and Michael felt his arms pulled roughly behind his back and the cold steel handcuffs tightly bound against the bones in his wrist. The second soldier did not handcuff Maria but grabbed her arm tightly above the elbow and the pair were marched away down a corridor which they had already explored and knew full well led directly to some kind of holding cell.
**********
Max and Liz had found the floor plan by one of the exit doors and had hidden themselves in a disused generator room where they could try and figure out where someone would choose to take Isabel. It was while they were deeply engrossed in conversation over one particularly vague corner of the map which Liz felt certain was a risky place to enter alone when they heard the door creak open. They remained completely silent and motionless for a moment and Max was about to poke his head up above the pile of boxes which shielded them from view when a voice whispered, "Max? Michael?"
Liz stared at Max in disbelief and mouthed 'Isabel' at him. He pushed himself into a crouching position, about to stand up but Liz pulled him down, "What if it is a trick, Max?"
Shrugging her off, he peered around the boxes and saw the familiar blonde hair and frightened brown eyes then stood up, "Isabel, thank God!"
Her face lit up when she saw him and Liz followed Max, all of them hugging each other in turn. Max pulled away, "How did you know we were here?"
Isabel glanced frantically towards the door and pulled them towards their hiding place, "I could feel you, then I followed it here. I was so scared, Max. I'm so glad you're here."
"So am I. Now we've just got to find Michael and Maria and get out of here before someone sees us."
Liz nodded and pulled out her cell phone, "What if someone hears the tone?"
Max and Isabel looked at one another in a moment of doubt, then Isabel said, "I can feel his presence, too. I know my way round here well enough. Come with me."
Beckoning them into the hallway, Isabel led them away from the entrance they had used and deeper into the compound. Liz held Max's hand tightly, afraid to let him go for a moment. They were so close to escaping that the fear of being discovered was growing with every step that she took. Pushing open a door, Max and Liz found them in the room which Isabel had first seen with all the electrical instruments.
As the door swung shut behind them, Dr. Palmano stepped into view, "Good job, Miss Evans. You are a very diligent worker."
Max started for the door with Liz but stopped when he realised that Isabel had made no attempt to move. She was simply standing mute, staring just over Dr. Palmano's shoulder at the wall with a vacant expression in her eyes.
Max tried to pull her with him, "Come on, Isabel!" but she remained stock still. Within moments two armed guards had appeared outside the door and Max had to admit defeat.
Liz stared at Isabel, unable to digest what was going on while Max made a lunge for the doctor, pushing him up against the far wall, "What the hell did you do to her?! What did you do to my sister?!"
Dr. Palmano did not seem the slightest bit phased by Max's aggression and he was quickly pulled off by one of the guards. "Take them to the cells. I'll be along shortly. Isabel and I have something to discuss first."
Max tried to wriggle free of the soldier's grasp but he was too strong and he had to give in when Liz was marched out of the door, allowing himself to be led tacitly to the holding cells.
**********
Maria was relieved when Michael was released into the same cell as her, making the prospect of staying there for any period of time less awful to contemplate. Waiting until the two soldiers had left them alone, he rattled the door of the cell then focused on trying to dissolve the lock inside. It was an impossible task and after a few moments his concentration wavered and Michael kicked the door hard, hurting his foot and making himself angrier in the process. "Damn it!"
Maria jumped at the sound it made and felt even more frightened by Michael's sudden aggression. "What?"
He slumped down on the makeshift bed beside her, "It is some kind of reinforced metal, I can't shift it."
"What are we going to do?"
"I don't know. Just wait I guess."
Maria moved closer to Michael and he wrapped one arm around her, "Do you think Max and Liz have found Isabel?"
Michael let out a long breath and scuffed his trainer against the concrete floor. "Who knows. I hope so. God knows what they might do to her in here."
The sound of a key in the lock brought Michael to his feet while Maria wasn't too sure that her legs were strong enough to support her right now. Fighting momentary shock, Michael felt his heart sink as Max and Liz were deposited into the cell opposite, unceremoniously. "What happened?"
Max's voice was barely controlled but even as he retorted, "I could ask the same of you."
Liz moved towards the bars and focused her attention on Maria, "Maria, are you okay?"
Suppressing the panic in her head, she smiled at her friend's concern, "Yeah, I guess. Did you see Isabel?"
Liz glanced at Max, questioningly and with an element of guilt. Michael caught the exchange and pounced on it, "What happened? Where is she?"
Max sat down on the bed and put his head in his hands. "Max! What happened?"
Rubbing his eyes wearily, Max looked across at Michael, "I don't know."
Liz quietly added, "They did something to her."
"What do you mean 'something'? Come on, Liz."
Liz looked at Max again, knowing that he was holding in everything that he felt, that he hated not knowing but felt responsible for what had happened. Finally, he spoke, "He's controlling her, making her do things that she doesn't have any control over."
Michael started pacing the cell, "Who is?"
Max's voice grew increasingly fatigued, "I don't know, some doctor." Liz snapped her fingers in the air and Max asked, "What is it?"
"I know I've seen him somewhere before. He is so familiar." She stopped and searched her mind to place the face until it finally clicked, "He was the guy in the newspaper, the doctor who was in charge of controlling the flu epidemic. He gave a statement, Pamalo, Palamo."
Max took a deep breath, "Dr. Palmano."
"Yeah, that's it."
Maria could tell that Michael was getting pretty agitated, which was never a good thing, while Max was seriously flagging and evidently beating himself up over everything that was happening. It was only when silence had fallen between them all and they were sitting around pathetically on the floor and beds that it hit Maria. "Oh my God!"
Michael turned to her, his mind alert and racing with adrenaline, "What?"
Maria swallowed, trying to relieve her increasingly dry throat, "Your dreams. Is that what's going to happen?"
Michael had almost forgotten the entire conversation he and Max had shared with Isabel the previous day. Now it all came flooding back and he didn't like the feeling it gave him. As he looked over at Max, it was obvious that he was feeling exactly the same way. Liz tried hard to suppress the tears which had been trying to push their way to the surface all afternoon as she looked at the shell of her boyfriend. It was hard to imagine a time when Max was carefree and smiling, "Max?"
She didn't really know why she called his name. After all, what could he say to reassure her when it was his own life on the line and Liz knew perfectly well that he didn't understand what was going on any more than she did. "In your dream...Isabel killed you."
Maria moved over to Michael and hugged him tightly, not sure what she should say but knowing that she just needed to be close to him.
After trying to contact Alex on the mobile unsuccessfully because of their underground location, the four of them sat in silence for what seemed like years. It was just when they had all reached a point of utter despair that the door was unlocked and Dr. Palmano entered together with two heavy set guards.
"It is good to see that you are rested."
Max gestured to Michael, trying to prevent his hot headed friend from doing anything rash but when the doctor moved close to the bars, Michael grabbed him by the collar, "You bastard! What did you do to Isabel?!"
It didn't take much for Dr. Palmano to extricate himself from the boy's grip and he backed away with a half smile but Maria could tell that he was still afraid. He may think that he had the measure of these aliens but it was obvious that he was still wary of what they might do next. Nodding to the two guards, Palmano watched them open Max and Liz's cell, "You want to know what I did to your sister, Max? Come with me and I'll show you."
Liz wouldn't let go of his arm but she was shoved back into the cell followed by Maria. Michael spared a glance back at his frightened girlfriend, suddenly aware that he might never see her again or smell the heady scent of her oils and her soft blonde hair. It wasn't like him to get sentimental, but as the cell doors divided them, he took in every curve and freckle - just in case.
**********
Isabel sat huddled in the corner of the comfy room which Palmano had left her in earlier. Her mind felt numb, like she wouldn't be able to form a coherent thought if her life depended on it - and maybe it did. She felt certain that something had happened which she couldn't quite put her finger on, that she had done something but she couldn't remember. The feeling of losing control, of madness clung to her and Isabel couldn't shake it off no matter what she did. Every now and again her mind wandered back to the conversation with Max and Michael, to the dream they had been having. Was it possible that it had been a vision? Maybe she was sitting here with their blood on her hands and she didn't know what she had done.
A moment later Dr. Palmano knocked on the door as if it were her private space but Isabel knew it had been locked, "Isabel, your friends are here. Come and see them."
Not knowing if it were a trick or not, Isabel meekly followed him down the corridor, her brain beyond functioning to try and escape.
So it was with blunt surprise that she saw Michael and Max in the same cell that she had found herself in when she arrived. Max's face was pale, no doubt because the room was too much of a reminder of how he was tortured by Pierce. Palmano closed the door and watched the three of them from the other side of the glass, enjoying the stand-off which ensued. Nobody spoke, Michael and Max safely maintaining their distance while Isabel tried to see where the door had gone, almost wishing that Palmano would return. At least Michael and Max were alive which meant that she hadn't done anything to them.
Her voice was hoarse when she spoke, "Max? Is it really you?"
His stony expression melted in a moment and he ran to her, hugging her, "Isabel, I wasn't sure if it was you or..."
Isabel pulled away, "Or what?"
Michael stared menacingly at the walls, knowing full well that they were being monitored and watched somehow, just as Max had been with Pierce, then he whispered, "He did something to you, Issy."
Max tried not to frighten his sister as he filled her in on what had happened to him and Liz. Michael put a protective arm around her shoulder when the tears started to well up in her soulful eyes, "Don't cry, Issy. We'll beat this, okay. It'll be all right."
She shook her head, weakly, "No it won't. What about your dreams? I can't..."
Max took her hands in his own, forgetting that Palmano was probably watching and listening to their every word outside the room, "No, Isabel. You have to fight it. When you feel him moving in, fight it."
Isabel's body was wracked with sobs, "I can't Max. It's like I'm not even there anymore. I'm not there and I can't control it."
Michael felt the uncontrollable anger rising inside him, knowing that Palmano was doing this to them and he was helpless to stop him. Max thought hard of everything that had happened to them over the past months, trying to imagine a way that they could conquer Palmano and destroy this sadistic experiment. "We'll fight it together, Is. All of our energy put together must be able to do it."
"But look what happened to Michael..."
Michael looked at Max, frowning, "Palmano made me sick?"
Isabel nodded, wiping errant tears from her eyes. A whirring sound directed their attention to where the door appeared and the panels moved apart to allow Palmano entrance. "So, you see Max, there is very little that any of you can do to prevent my Isabel from doing her job."
The three got to their feet, Michael keeping his arm draped around Isabel's waist. "And I am sorry for what happened to you, Michael. It was a simple experiment which needed to be performed. I'm sure you understand."
Controlling his rising temper, Michael tightened his grip around Isabel. Then, he felt Max's strength coming through him in waves, uniting them against Palmano. Together they focused all their energy on his body, trying to find some way of penetrating his mind and destroying him. For a moment, Max was sure they had him, but a second later a third power joined them and Max began to feel Isabel turning his concentration away from the doctor. It was like she was bending his mind, mirroring the images he sent out and throwing them back to him. She sent back twisted pictures of their childhood together, all the times that they had argued and times when she had won. Max tried to fight her but the images were coming too fast and his mind couldn't keep up.
The throbbing in his head suddenly altered to a sharp pain in his chest and he dimly realised that Isabel was trying to hurt him, trying to destroy him from the inside out.
Michael was still concentrating on Palmano and just when Max was weakening, the throbbing mutating into a tingling, light headed sensation, Isabel turned in a flurried motion to their friend and stretched her arm out towards him. In a split second, Michael was hurled across the room and crumpled to the floor in a heap. Max was still recovering his strength and when he looked at his friend he could see the blood trickling down his forehead onto the white floor. Okay, he thought, I'm on my own. Realising that Palmano had retreated into the adjacent room in order to watch Isabel in the smug comfort of his doctor's chair, Max prepared to focus all his efforts on her, to help her fight whatever Palmano was doing to her.
It was disconcerting at first, looking into the eyes of his own sister but seeing only passive blankness in response. Her eyes were cold and hard, piercing Max's brain with negative images. He fought them off with pictures of their childhood, of their parents and their first day at school. Still, Isabel did not waver and it wasn't long before Max's energy was flagging. Where was her strength coming from? None of them had been able to control their powers with such precision before and Max could feel her homing in on specific parts of his brain, distorting the information stored there and breaking him down.
Gritting his teeth, Max tried to remind himself that this was no longer his sister anymore, Isabel had been replaced with a thing devoid of emotion. If he was going to crush Palmano's scheme Max knew that he had to treat Isabel like an enemy, play it her way - without love or filial affection. Throwing himself into it, he homed in on her, trying to find a weakness in her attack but it was not easy. Every time he thought that he had found a target, Isabel would change her strategy and knock him off. Max could feel the sweat trickling down his cheek but kept his focus on his sister. The intense energy pouring out of them both short-circuited the lighting in the building, plunging them into darkness before the low red glow of emergency lights came on. Crackles and sparks of electrical surges burst from the walls and panels in the next door room.
The two aliens held each other off for what seemed like years but was only about ten minutes until Max suddenly felt a paralysing pain his chest. Somehow Isabel had divided her strength into two, one part of it messing with his head while the other was squeezing tighter around his heart muscle. The breath was caught from his lungs and he fell back against the wall, struggling to keep from blacking out. His lungs felt like they were bursting and his heart beat came in strained thuds and Max couldn't keep up with anything Isabel was doing. Isabel moved closer to him, leaning down over his convulsing body and that was the last thing he saw as she loomed above him before the room began to fade and a veil of blackness claimed him.
From behind the safety of the glass, Palmano watched Max's head loll to one side and his clenched fist fall limply to his side. On the adjacent wall, Michael's crumpled form lay inert, a pool of blood forming around his head and one hand still outstretched towards where Isabel had been standing. Stepping into the room, Palmano relished the idea of showing Isabel the damage that she had done to her best friend and her brother. He tapped her lightly on the shoulder and her eyelids flickered for a second before focusing back on the room and her 'mentor'. "Isabel. You did well."
For a moment she looked confused and then followed Palmano's gaze to the motionless form of Max, her hand flying to her mouth in a gesture of utter disbelief, "Oh my God, Max!"
She knelt beside him, taking his head in her hands and willing him back to life. He gave no response and Isabel placed one hand over his chest, closing her eyes against the horror of the room and everything it represented. Yet, there was nothing that she could do, her powers were gone except when Palmano chose to activate them. It was just like the dream, she had killed Max without even knowing it.
The doctor leaned down beside and gently pulled her hand away from her brother, adopting a soothing tone, "It's all right, Isabel. I know it is difficult to accept now, but in time to come you will understand my motives. Your kind are a threat to us and we need to protect ourselves."
For a moment, Isabel thought she was going to rip his throat out but she knew that there was no point. Besides, she had killed Max, there was nothing left for her to do now. She might as well admit defeat and let them torture her or kill her, anything would be better than this horrific burden.
As she turned towards the door, Isabel saw Michael lying on the floor and her heart lurched in her chest, "Michael!"
Palmano allowed her to go to him, watching her with a degree of curiosity as to how aliens responded to emotional stimuli. Pierce's tests had proven that they had feelings, but to what extent these functioned was still somewhat of a mystery. Clearly, they went all the way. Isabel moved towards her friend in slow motion, afraid but certain of what she would find. She rolled him over gently, tentatively touching his face, covering her hands with his blood in the process. She placed two shaking fingers over his wrist, vainly hoping to find a pulse and a wave of relief washed over her when she felt a strong pulse.
Pushing herself to her feet, Isabel glanced at Palmano, hoping that he hadn't seen the look of faint happiness in her eyes, but he seemed unaware of anything unusual and led her away from the scene.
**********
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