En-garde
Driving out of the desert into Roswell Isabelle noticed a black sedan trailing close behind, "Turn left here" she said. "But deep sky's headquarters?..." Maria began to say, "I know but I think we're being followed." Maria made a sharp left turn and sure enough the black sedan followed, "Ugh it's Mayor Wilson," Isabelle said recognising the number plate. "Pull over," she said, "Isabelle we have to get to Deep sky" Maria argued. "Go ahead without me I don't want Wilson tracking us to headquarters," she said. Maria let Isabelle out of the car, "don't hold back" she said cheekily before driving off.
Isabelle still in her workout gear, walked up to the black sedan to tap on the window. Parked on the narrow street the car couldn't reverse out, the driver rolled down the window. " Seriously Wilson stalking the competition is a little desperate don't you think?" Isabelle said, peering into the car where a plump older man sat in a white cowboy hat. "Ain't nothin' wrong with taking a leisurely drive to admire my town," the old man drawled in his southern accent. "You mean suss out the competition…haven't won the election yet," Isabelle said. "I don't have any competition, just a townie who fancies herself a politician," Mayor Wilson said, dressed in a pristine white suit with a signature ascot tied around his neck. The man was dripping with an arrogant superiority that had Isabelle grating her teeth as he turned his cold stare onto her. Isabelle tried not to visibly recoil as she felt those eyes glance over her body,
"Why are you following me, Wilson?" Isabelle asked, interrupting his lingering gaze.
"Now what were you doing so far out in the desert?" Wilson said, deflecting her question. "Cardio. Now, what do you want?" Wilson's head rolled on his thick neck giving her a sly smirk, "Thought the two of us could have a little chat" he said. Isabelle huffed, crossing her arms, "about?" "Your delusional fantasy about running against me in this election, a pretty girl like yourself surely could find more suitable extracurricular activities." Isabelle scoffed, "like what yarn spinning? This isn't the eighteenth-century Wilson." It took every ounce of restraint that Isabelle possessed not to flip Wilson's car with her mind as he chuckled at her. "No, see now we're livin in a time where all y'all Instagram influencers think you have what it takes to run for office," Wilson said. "As opposed to the corrupt businessmen who feel entitled to the office?" Wilson immediately sobered, shifting back into the ruthless predator that was always hidden beneath the southern charm. "Now little lady you're gonna make yourself whole lotta enemies throwing around accusations like that" Wilson said, although his voice remained to calm the threat couldn't have been clearer. "I may not have the same level of experience when it comes to politics, but I have been involved in the governing of this town for years," Isabelle said. "All you've done as mayor is invest in ridiculous tourist ventures that have bankrupted small businesses and bought up all land rights." Wilson didn't respond, instead twisting the insignia ring on his stubby finger.
"That's real touchin that you got so much love for Roswell considering your history," Isabelle felt her heart stop. "Now you know I don't like any kind of outsiders in my town so tell me how three kids end up stranded naked in the desert?" Wilson asked. Isabelle's eyes darted to the large folder tucked next to the mayor, "those records are sealed," Isabelle said, recognising Sheriff Valenti's previous investigation folder from when she worked her family's case. She thought Max had destroyed all the evidence linking them to the UFO crash. If Wilson knew about that police report could he find out more? Wilson smirked, "The more I look into your family's past the more concerned I am for the safety of our community. I mean a dirty cop, petty crook and murderess all in the same family doesn't exactly say good family values now does it?" Isabelle wasn't quite sure she was breathing. "I'd certainly hate for another upstanding citizen such as Noah Bracken to fall victim to your family."
Isabelle had had enough. Closing her eyes she tried forging a mindscape to infiltrate Wilson's mind, but there was a barrier. He'd locked her out, Isabelle tried again to break through the psychic barricade, but Wilson's mind was completely impenetrable. Isabelle faded out to see Wilson staring at her with a sinister curiosity in his eyes. "That's not true," she said, denying all of it was her only form of self-preservation. "Sweetheart don't piss on my leg and tell me it's raining" Wilson exclaimed. Isabelle scrunched her nose in disgust, "now there's no reason for any of these concerns to become public knowledge if you were to withdraw from the election race.""You're afraid that if it was a fair race I might actually beat you" Isabelle snarled, her restraint slipping away. "Don't go havin a hissy fit, you can still have a career in politics just as my secretary," Wilson said, rolling up the window but stopping so there was only a small crack. "Your families been hidin somethin for a long time, and you can be damned sure that I'm gonna find whatever it is you're keeping out in the desert," Wilson said before driving off. Isabelle watched as the flashy car drove off, unable to hold back her anger, the Sudan's tires burst in the middle of the narrow street. The loud noise startled nearby walkers. Wilson's disgruntled cries from inside the car alleviated some of Isabelle's anger as she turned away from the car vanishing down a nearby alley. She pressed her back against the old stone wall, her mind spiralling into a frenzy with all her questions.
Why couldn't she use her mindscape on Wilson?
How long has Wilson been investigating her?
Who were his sources?
Was she putting her family in more danger by running for Mayor?
She couldn't deal with this right now, she needed to save Max and Dallas. Isabelle took out her phone and began scrolling through her contacts until she found the contact, BAE. There was only one person who'd be able to calm her, "hey babe," Kyle's voice said through the phone. "Hey, you'll never believe the day I've been having…" Isabelle was a warrior, and she'd promised herself after Noah that she'd never back down from a fight.
But maybe there were some battles that weren't worth fighting.