They ran for the longest time, over ravines, through creeks, and over fields.
Finally each could go no more though, and they sat together on a damp log that was
strewn across the forest.
"Max," Liz said, still somewhat dazed…
"I fell different"
That sounded extremely dumb, even to her.
"What do you mean?" he asked as he scooted closer.
"I don't know, I just feel like I have been changed somehow….I don't feel like
the same Liz Parker," she said staring into his eyes.
Which was true because she felt completely all discombobulated, there were no
tangible words to describe her self-awareness at that moment. It was like she was merely
occupying a small portion of her body and that Liz Parker was looking out at the world
through wholly unfamiliar eyes.
"That sounds stupid doesn't it…?"
"Well, you have changed a bit" he admitted. She noticed that he couldn't tear his gaze
from her eyes.
"Max, what are you staring at" she demanded
"Well, Liz, I don't know how to tell you this, but your eyes…"
"Your eyes, they're blue," he stated with a confused look on his face.
"Ha, ha, funny:" she said mockingly
Max looked serious though, which brought her back to reality once again.
"How…?"
"I don't know," he replied. "It must have had something to do when I released your
powers."
"What else could happen Max?" she said, her voice trembling.
He pulled her close and answered her question by wrapping his arms around her and by
holding her close for what seemed like an eternity.
He whispered, "Nothing, I won't let anything happen," he said self-assuredly.
"Thank you"
"For what?"
"I needed that" as she turned to face him, giving him one of those smiles that she
reserved only for him.
"I hate to say this but we have to keep moving, I don't know how long your energy field
will keep them down…"
Liz stood up and brushed herself off, then took off with Max headed in the same
direction that Max had insisted they run in. With the sun to their right, they ran, hoping
they would eventually come into contact with any sign of civilization…
After a while their hopes were answered when they left the tree line and found
themselves gazing out over a highway. A few cars were on it, tearing down the asphalt.
"So we are hitchhiking I presume," Liz asked with a groan.
Max surveyed their surroundings and confirmed her suspicions. They proceeded
to stand on the breakdown lane, thumbs pointed outward. Inside Liz's head, everything
her parents had ever taught her were running through her mind, first and foremost to
never hitchhike, ever…Max, too, was hearing his parents lesson, and his dad's oft-used
phrase "because Max, you never know if the driver could be a disciple of Mother
Theresa, or an active serial killer." Max quickly said a small prayer praying for the
former.
Finally they heard a semi honking and saw its taillights pull over just ahead of
them. Each looked at the other in a mixture of apprehension, then Max took her hand and
they walked to the cab of the large vehicle. With a jump they both got in to see a large
black man in the driver's seat.
"Hello," the man said happily. "How are you today?"
Max and Liz looked at each other and then back at the man, "uh, fine" they responded in
unison.
"Where are you headed," Max asked the driver over the roar of the engine.
"Seattle…I can take you as far as there."
Liz nearly choked the second the words left the man's mouth. Max looked at her in
alarm.
"Max, Seattle…" she said, trying to restrain the emotions that were surging through her.
"What…?" Max confusedly replied.
"I lived just a hundred miles from Seattle, in River Stone…"
"Excuse me, sir, are we on highway 38?" she asked excitedly
"Yeah, I just passed through North Bend not 45 minutes ago."
Liz noticed the passing countryside with a sense of growing excitement. Max
could feel how happy she was, and couldn't stop the smile that appeared on his own
face…
"What are you smiling at son…?"
"Uh… your sticker…" he said pointing to the dashboard as Liz began laughing.
"Flying Saucers are real, the Air Force does not exist" it read
It was then that Max noticed the little green alien hanging from the roof of the cab and
the man was wearing an "I want to believe " shirt.
"So do you believe in aliens?" Max asked...
"Sure do, I believe that they walk the earth with us, son, and that there is this huge
government conspiracy to make us all think that the aliens are the problem, when you
know what it really is…."
"What?"
"The government boy, they manipulate every person on this earth to believe what they
want us to," he leaned close to max as if sharing an important fact. " I do believe that it is
in fact, aliens, that are running the country, possibly the world," he said, suspicion
clouding his eyes.
Liz couldn't believe their luck, that of all the crazy truck drivers they could get
they had to have the conspiracy theorist. And one who believed in aliens, to boot.
"I don't believe in aliens," Liz said resolutely…
Max whipped his head around, almost giving himself whiplash in the process.
What the hell? He thought. Complete and utter confusion overcame his senses…hadn't
they told her?
"I think it's all just a conspiracy to frighten everyone, like aliens would even want to visit
this lousy planet, of all the wonderful planets there are in the universe I doubt they would
choose Earth. We're the cosmic dump of the galaxy," she said with a hint of laughter.
Max was trying to control his breathing, his rapidly beating heart, and to appear
normal…Why hadn't they told her? He had thought that she knew as much as he did.
Obviously they wanted to keep her in the dark while he was told almost all the
information, but why? He didn't have much time to consider the reasons why because he
heard a happy squeal come from Liz
"Pull over," she said with a sense of urgency, "please"
The driver complied and moved to large semi to the side of the road…in a flash
Liz was out of the cab and on the grass beside the highway. Max's thanked the driver and
his eyes adjusted to the dark as he saw the beginnings of a small city: a few houses,
streetlights, and even a little convenience store.
Realization came to Max, "this is it, isn't it?"
Liz didn't answer; she just kept walking along the sidewalk straight onto a tree-
lined avenue, houses on both sides.
He looked at her and noticed tears running down her face as she ambled slowly down the
street. He went to her and wrapped her into his strong arms; the moment she was inside
she began sobbing. "Why" she asked, over and over again in his head…"why did they
take me?"
For a moment they stood there Max comforting Liz, what appeared to the outside world
as just two teenagers sharing affection…Liz looked up into his eyes and wiped the tears
from her cheeks…
"I've got to warn my parents, Max, they said that if I didn't cooperate with them that they
would come after my parents, what do you think will happen when they realize that we
pretty much destroyed the facility and escaped…."
"It's too dangerous Liz, I'm sure they have your house bugged or maybe there is even
surveillance on It. We'll be captured again," he said with concern.
Liz began to shake at the mere thought of re-capture and tried to figure out how to warn
her parents.
"Em" she cried out.
"Who?"
"My best friend, she'll help us, I know she will." Liz said with a determined look upon
her face. Max could only hope that she was correct as Liz lead him to the left and down
another street until they came in front of a yellow, Victorian styled two-storied house.
"Max, you can change appearances right?" she asked.
"Yeah" he said, not really understanding her plan.
"Change mine."
Max changed her into a redhead and manipulated her facial structure slightly. By the time
that he was done, she no longer looked anything like Liz Parker. She ran her hands over
her face and shivered…" Tres weird" she muttered under her breath.
Without any warning Liz opened the gate on the picket fence, walked up the steps to the
front door and rang the doorbell.
Mrs. Sullivan opened the door with a smiling face.
"Is Emma home?" she asked hopefully
"Sure, just a moment, dear."
"Emma," she yelled, "one of your friends is here." Then she walked back into the house.
When Liz heard the pounding of footsteps trailing down the stairs her heart began to beat
faster and faster. Suddenly Em's tousled brown head appeared and the girl looked at her
quizzically.
"Do I know you?" she asked.
Liz had to fight the instinct to hug her.
"Um no, not really, but I'm new and was told by Mr. Fisk that I could get tutored by you
since he said that you are so good at History," Liz lied.
" Okay, yeah, sure" Em said with a little bewilderment.
"One more thing," Liz added "my dad wants me back home, he doesn't trust me out too
late… fathers" she emphasized. "So could you come with me to my house? I live just two
blocks over."
"Sure," Em agreed, "I know what a pain dad's are"
Em ran upstairs to get her books and yelled at her mom that she would be home in an
hour, walked out the door, Liz leading.
When they got to the sidewalk they began to walk when suddenly two arms grabbed Em
and covered her mouth.
"God, Max I don't want to scare her," she said noting the terror in Em's eyes.
"Look, please don't scream, okay?" Liz bargained with her.
Max slowly lowered his hand as Em struggled to remain perfectly calm.
"Who are you and what do you want from me?" she demanded.
"Em, it's me, Liz"
Emma started to backpedal. "What in the hell kind of joke are you trying to play?" she
said angrily as tears began to form in her eyes.
"Max, change me back please…" Liz pleaded
Max walked over to Liz, obscuring Emma's line of vision. When he moved to the side,
Em gasped as the street lamp shed light on her best friend who everyone had thought was
dead.
"Oh my God, Liz…" she began as her chin began to tremble. She cried as she walked
over and hugged Liz tightly.
Liz on her part was trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to overflow.
"Where have you been?" Em started. "The police called it a home invasion. They looked
for you but after a few weeks you were given up for dead…" she said the last part softly.
"I went to your funeral…"
"I can't explain too much Em, just that I was captured by an awful organization that
should be trailing us right now so I don't have any time to give you details…." Liz said
apologetically.
Em heard the "we" and her head shot up as she spun around and gave Max the once-over
with her eyes. She looked at Liz and raised her eyebrows, "and who is he?" she asked.
"That's Max," Liz said as she found herself blushing, "we escaped together."
"All right" said Em, a grin creeping up on her face.
Max cleared his throat, which reminded Liz of the task at hand.
"Em, I need to get my parents to safety, can you help us?"
Emma looked crestfallen, "you don't know…"
"Know what?" Liz looked at her oddly.
Em didn't speak; she just stood their crying again…
"Your parents were killed just a few weeks after your funeral, in a car crash"
Liz felt all her air leave her lungs, and she found that she could not intake any more
…she felt as though she had been punched in the stomach. Her parent's…….dead? Her
mind began to shut down at this news .She did not know how to deal with it and could
not comprehend it; she couldn't even garner enough energy to shed a tear…. "This must
be what shock is" she thought scientifically, detached from reality.
The moment that the word of Liz's parents demise had left Emma's lips; Max had sidled
up next to Liz and was doing his best to comfort her. She couldn't shut down now, he
knew that if she did, there would be no hope and that they would surely be found and
dragged back by The Chamber.
"Liz, look at me" he ordered.
"You can't blame yourself for this, but if you give up now, we will never be free, do you
understand?"
"I need you in this Liz" he said softly looking into her eyes…
Max's words brought Liz back to Earth hard and fast. She couldn't be selfish and allow
their escape to go awry just because of her.
"Emma," Liz began, "can I borrow some money from you?"
"Sure"
And with that they had money, at least.
Just enough to purchase two bus tickets to Roswell. Emma hugged Liz tightly at the bus
depot, then walked over to Max, "You keep her safe" she ordered.
Then Max and Liz entered the greyhound bus and began the second part of their escape
plan………
TBC
9
Finally each could go no more though, and they sat together on a damp log that was
strewn across the forest.
"Max," Liz said, still somewhat dazed…
"I fell different"
That sounded extremely dumb, even to her.
"What do you mean?" he asked as he scooted closer.
"I don't know, I just feel like I have been changed somehow….I don't feel like
the same Liz Parker," she said staring into his eyes.
Which was true because she felt completely all discombobulated, there were no
tangible words to describe her self-awareness at that moment. It was like she was merely
occupying a small portion of her body and that Liz Parker was looking out at the world
through wholly unfamiliar eyes.
"That sounds stupid doesn't it…?"
"Well, you have changed a bit" he admitted. She noticed that he couldn't tear his gaze
from her eyes.
"Max, what are you staring at" she demanded
"Well, Liz, I don't know how to tell you this, but your eyes…"
"Your eyes, they're blue," he stated with a confused look on his face.
"Ha, ha, funny:" she said mockingly
Max looked serious though, which brought her back to reality once again.
"How…?"
"I don't know," he replied. "It must have had something to do when I released your
powers."
"What else could happen Max?" she said, her voice trembling.
He pulled her close and answered her question by wrapping his arms around her and by
holding her close for what seemed like an eternity.
He whispered, "Nothing, I won't let anything happen," he said self-assuredly.
"Thank you"
"For what?"
"I needed that" as she turned to face him, giving him one of those smiles that she
reserved only for him.
"I hate to say this but we have to keep moving, I don't know how long your energy field
will keep them down…"
Liz stood up and brushed herself off, then took off with Max headed in the same
direction that Max had insisted they run in. With the sun to their right, they ran, hoping
they would eventually come into contact with any sign of civilization…
After a while their hopes were answered when they left the tree line and found
themselves gazing out over a highway. A few cars were on it, tearing down the asphalt.
"So we are hitchhiking I presume," Liz asked with a groan.
Max surveyed their surroundings and confirmed her suspicions. They proceeded
to stand on the breakdown lane, thumbs pointed outward. Inside Liz's head, everything
her parents had ever taught her were running through her mind, first and foremost to
never hitchhike, ever…Max, too, was hearing his parents lesson, and his dad's oft-used
phrase "because Max, you never know if the driver could be a disciple of Mother
Theresa, or an active serial killer." Max quickly said a small prayer praying for the
former.
Finally they heard a semi honking and saw its taillights pull over just ahead of
them. Each looked at the other in a mixture of apprehension, then Max took her hand and
they walked to the cab of the large vehicle. With a jump they both got in to see a large
black man in the driver's seat.
"Hello," the man said happily. "How are you today?"
Max and Liz looked at each other and then back at the man, "uh, fine" they responded in
unison.
"Where are you headed," Max asked the driver over the roar of the engine.
"Seattle…I can take you as far as there."
Liz nearly choked the second the words left the man's mouth. Max looked at her in
alarm.
"Max, Seattle…" she said, trying to restrain the emotions that were surging through her.
"What…?" Max confusedly replied.
"I lived just a hundred miles from Seattle, in River Stone…"
"Excuse me, sir, are we on highway 38?" she asked excitedly
"Yeah, I just passed through North Bend not 45 minutes ago."
Liz noticed the passing countryside with a sense of growing excitement. Max
could feel how happy she was, and couldn't stop the smile that appeared on his own
face…
"What are you smiling at son…?"
"Uh… your sticker…" he said pointing to the dashboard as Liz began laughing.
"Flying Saucers are real, the Air Force does not exist" it read
It was then that Max noticed the little green alien hanging from the roof of the cab and
the man was wearing an "I want to believe " shirt.
"So do you believe in aliens?" Max asked...
"Sure do, I believe that they walk the earth with us, son, and that there is this huge
government conspiracy to make us all think that the aliens are the problem, when you
know what it really is…."
"What?"
"The government boy, they manipulate every person on this earth to believe what they
want us to," he leaned close to max as if sharing an important fact. " I do believe that it is
in fact, aliens, that are running the country, possibly the world," he said, suspicion
clouding his eyes.
Liz couldn't believe their luck, that of all the crazy truck drivers they could get
they had to have the conspiracy theorist. And one who believed in aliens, to boot.
"I don't believe in aliens," Liz said resolutely…
Max whipped his head around, almost giving himself whiplash in the process.
What the hell? He thought. Complete and utter confusion overcame his senses…hadn't
they told her?
"I think it's all just a conspiracy to frighten everyone, like aliens would even want to visit
this lousy planet, of all the wonderful planets there are in the universe I doubt they would
choose Earth. We're the cosmic dump of the galaxy," she said with a hint of laughter.
Max was trying to control his breathing, his rapidly beating heart, and to appear
normal…Why hadn't they told her? He had thought that she knew as much as he did.
Obviously they wanted to keep her in the dark while he was told almost all the
information, but why? He didn't have much time to consider the reasons why because he
heard a happy squeal come from Liz
"Pull over," she said with a sense of urgency, "please"
The driver complied and moved to large semi to the side of the road…in a flash
Liz was out of the cab and on the grass beside the highway. Max's thanked the driver and
his eyes adjusted to the dark as he saw the beginnings of a small city: a few houses,
streetlights, and even a little convenience store.
Realization came to Max, "this is it, isn't it?"
Liz didn't answer; she just kept walking along the sidewalk straight onto a tree-
lined avenue, houses on both sides.
He looked at her and noticed tears running down her face as she ambled slowly down the
street. He went to her and wrapped her into his strong arms; the moment she was inside
she began sobbing. "Why" she asked, over and over again in his head…"why did they
take me?"
For a moment they stood there Max comforting Liz, what appeared to the outside world
as just two teenagers sharing affection…Liz looked up into his eyes and wiped the tears
from her cheeks…
"I've got to warn my parents, Max, they said that if I didn't cooperate with them that they
would come after my parents, what do you think will happen when they realize that we
pretty much destroyed the facility and escaped…."
"It's too dangerous Liz, I'm sure they have your house bugged or maybe there is even
surveillance on It. We'll be captured again," he said with concern.
Liz began to shake at the mere thought of re-capture and tried to figure out how to warn
her parents.
"Em" she cried out.
"Who?"
"My best friend, she'll help us, I know she will." Liz said with a determined look upon
her face. Max could only hope that she was correct as Liz lead him to the left and down
another street until they came in front of a yellow, Victorian styled two-storied house.
"Max, you can change appearances right?" she asked.
"Yeah" he said, not really understanding her plan.
"Change mine."
Max changed her into a redhead and manipulated her facial structure slightly. By the time
that he was done, she no longer looked anything like Liz Parker. She ran her hands over
her face and shivered…" Tres weird" she muttered under her breath.
Without any warning Liz opened the gate on the picket fence, walked up the steps to the
front door and rang the doorbell.
Mrs. Sullivan opened the door with a smiling face.
"Is Emma home?" she asked hopefully
"Sure, just a moment, dear."
"Emma," she yelled, "one of your friends is here." Then she walked back into the house.
When Liz heard the pounding of footsteps trailing down the stairs her heart began to beat
faster and faster. Suddenly Em's tousled brown head appeared and the girl looked at her
quizzically.
"Do I know you?" she asked.
Liz had to fight the instinct to hug her.
"Um no, not really, but I'm new and was told by Mr. Fisk that I could get tutored by you
since he said that you are so good at History," Liz lied.
" Okay, yeah, sure" Em said with a little bewilderment.
"One more thing," Liz added "my dad wants me back home, he doesn't trust me out too
late… fathers" she emphasized. "So could you come with me to my house? I live just two
blocks over."
"Sure," Em agreed, "I know what a pain dad's are"
Em ran upstairs to get her books and yelled at her mom that she would be home in an
hour, walked out the door, Liz leading.
When they got to the sidewalk they began to walk when suddenly two arms grabbed Em
and covered her mouth.
"God, Max I don't want to scare her," she said noting the terror in Em's eyes.
"Look, please don't scream, okay?" Liz bargained with her.
Max slowly lowered his hand as Em struggled to remain perfectly calm.
"Who are you and what do you want from me?" she demanded.
"Em, it's me, Liz"
Emma started to backpedal. "What in the hell kind of joke are you trying to play?" she
said angrily as tears began to form in her eyes.
"Max, change me back please…" Liz pleaded
Max walked over to Liz, obscuring Emma's line of vision. When he moved to the side,
Em gasped as the street lamp shed light on her best friend who everyone had thought was
dead.
"Oh my God, Liz…" she began as her chin began to tremble. She cried as she walked
over and hugged Liz tightly.
Liz on her part was trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to overflow.
"Where have you been?" Em started. "The police called it a home invasion. They looked
for you but after a few weeks you were given up for dead…" she said the last part softly.
"I went to your funeral…"
"I can't explain too much Em, just that I was captured by an awful organization that
should be trailing us right now so I don't have any time to give you details…." Liz said
apologetically.
Em heard the "we" and her head shot up as she spun around and gave Max the once-over
with her eyes. She looked at Liz and raised her eyebrows, "and who is he?" she asked.
"That's Max," Liz said as she found herself blushing, "we escaped together."
"All right" said Em, a grin creeping up on her face.
Max cleared his throat, which reminded Liz of the task at hand.
"Em, I need to get my parents to safety, can you help us?"
Emma looked crestfallen, "you don't know…"
"Know what?" Liz looked at her oddly.
Em didn't speak; she just stood their crying again…
"Your parents were killed just a few weeks after your funeral, in a car crash"
Liz felt all her air leave her lungs, and she found that she could not intake any more
…she felt as though she had been punched in the stomach. Her parent's…….dead? Her
mind began to shut down at this news .She did not know how to deal with it and could
not comprehend it; she couldn't even garner enough energy to shed a tear…. "This must
be what shock is" she thought scientifically, detached from reality.
The moment that the word of Liz's parents demise had left Emma's lips; Max had sidled
up next to Liz and was doing his best to comfort her. She couldn't shut down now, he
knew that if she did, there would be no hope and that they would surely be found and
dragged back by The Chamber.
"Liz, look at me" he ordered.
"You can't blame yourself for this, but if you give up now, we will never be free, do you
understand?"
"I need you in this Liz" he said softly looking into her eyes…
Max's words brought Liz back to Earth hard and fast. She couldn't be selfish and allow
their escape to go awry just because of her.
"Emma," Liz began, "can I borrow some money from you?"
"Sure"
And with that they had money, at least.
Just enough to purchase two bus tickets to Roswell. Emma hugged Liz tightly at the bus
depot, then walked over to Max, "You keep her safe" she ordered.
Then Max and Liz entered the greyhound bus and began the second part of their escape
plan………
TBC
9
