February 15th 2000, Roswell, New Mexico

Jeff Parker absent-mindedly wiped the counter of the Crashdown café. It had been nearly ten months since his only daughter Liz had disappeared. He knew something wasn't right. Liz had promised she'd keep in contact, and he knew if everything was fine, she would have held her promise. The bell chimed as Liz's friends came in. Max, his sister Isabel, Michael Guerin, Tess Harding, Maria, Alex Whitman and Kyle Valenti, all 19.

"Anything?" he asked with a glimmer of hope.

"Sorry," said Max, as they sat down, all clearly disappointed.

"Well, at least you're trying, eventually, you'll find her.

"Yeah," said Maria, not really believing her own words.

"Okay," said Jeff as he went to serve some customers.


"Are you still trying to dreamwalk her, Isabel?" asked Alex.

"Yeah, but I still can't find her... it's like something is blocking me..." The fact that she hadn't been able to reach Liz with her powers had been really hard on her. Ever since Liz, Maria, Kyle and Alex had found out their secret, Max, Michael, Isabel and Tess had found them to be great friends and allies. And Isabel wanted so bad to help her friend.

"Well, you'll get it... maybe not today, but... someday..." said Michael, trying to comfort her.

*

2005, Manticore base

"Jace," said one of the X5's.

"That's nice," said another.

"Then it will be my name," she answered.

"Me next," said another of the girls, "Tinga." They had decided on picking names for themselves, rather than calling themselves by the barcodes on their necks. One by one, they announced their names... Brin... Zack... Ben... Eva... Jack... Krit... Syl... Zane...

"Max," said one of them.

"Why that?" asked Eva.

"I don't know... just feels right..." she answered.

"Oh..."

"So, you're last, have you picked a name?" Max asked the smallest one of them, the one she felt closest to.

"Yes. Jondy."

"Okay... that's nice... do we have everyone?" They all nodded.

"We better get back to bed before they come in to check on us," said Zack.

*

February 2009, Manticore base

The day had begun like any other. None knew this would be the day that would change their lives forever. When one of her fellow X5's fell into a seizure and was dragged away still seizing, Max felt this wouldn't be a normal day. That night, as she lay in bed, she observed the bed next to hers, which had been stripped of its mattress. And then she felt her hand start to shake... the beginning of a seizure. She hid her hand under the covers, hoping no one had seen. Soon after, when it had seemed to stop, she snuck out of bed and went through the halls, not sure of what she was searching for. And then it became crystal clear. She came across a room and looked in. Doctors were opening her friend up, like there was nothing weird about cutting open a small child. She knew he hadn't died from it. They had seizures often, it didn't kill them. She saw Lydecker, standing there, like everything was fine, sipping on his coffee.

And then she knew. She had to get out of there. Get her 'brothers and sisters' and run for it. She returned to the X5 quarters. She let out a very low whistle, a trick they'd learned. Since their hearing was stronger than everybody else's, they would hear it, but the guards wouldn't. The others immediately awakened.

"We have to get out of here. Now..." But before she could continue, she was hit by the seizure, stronger than before. She fell to the ground and the others approached her. A couple guards came in and they knew why they were there. They would take her away. Feeling the advantage, Zack took care of the guards as the others helped Max up. Eva picked up one of the guns they'd dropped and signaled to follow her.

*

June 2009, Seattle, Washington

Max looked around. Everything looked terrible. It was only a few days after the pulse. There were pieces of buildings and vehicles, just lying in the middle of the streets. People were too busy worrying about the situation that they wouldn't notice her. This was perfect. She would be almost impossible to find in this place. It had been a couple months since the escape. What worried her the most, was that she had no idea what had happened to the others, if they were okay, if they'd made it out... But she couldn't think about that. She needed to assure they wouldn't find her and bring her back there.


For a little while, she'd stayed with a young girl and her father. But her training from Manticore had thought her not to stay in one place too long. So she left. She didn't want to leave her, Lucy, but she didn't have a choice. She'd try to go back for her. She needed to find herself a place to stay. That would be her first priority. The rest could wait.

*

June 2009, Snowhill psychiatric institute

Liz looked outside the window in her room. She couldn't believe she'd been there for ten years. The experience had given her a new perspective on things. She wasn't quite as emotional as she was when she first woke up in her room. She still worried about her daughter, and she thought of her every day. She thought about her parents, her friends. She knew they were probably still very worried for her. She was supposed to call as soon as she'd settled down. But she never got the chance. And she wasn't allowed to contact the outside. If it wasn't for the nurses at Snowhill, she WOULD have gone insane.


A few people had died recently, crushed under the part of the building that had collapsed after the pulse. A few had fled the place. But Liz stayed. It was the only comfort she knew. And no matter how strong she had become in the time since she left home, she feared for her life now more than ever.

*

June 2009, Roswell, New Mexico

Alex Whitman, 29, observed his wife, Isabel Evans, 29 also, as she slept. By now he knew what that expression on her face was. She was trying to dreamwalk Liz again. It had been almost a decade and she still tried at least once a week. He tried to tell her to be more careful, or maybe to stop for a few months. She was carrying their child, and he didn't want it to be injured. And they had more important things to worry about at the moment. A few days before, the pulse happened. It was something he would never forget.


They were watching a movie with Michael and Maria, and then the television went off. And they heard... buildings collapsing, alarms... it was chaos. They looked outside, and their peaceful little town had become an image from a war movie.


Two days later, Kyle and Tess were home at last, as they were in Hawaii for their honeymoon, which they had to cut short. For the next week, they remained the six of them together in his house. They were too afraid to go out. Or at least, the women were and urged their husbands to stay with them. They made sure their families were okay. Max and his parents were home. So were the other parents. They decided it would be best not to go out if it wasn't necessary. People were losing it, and they certainly didn't need to put themselves in the crossfire.