PART 5

PART 5

After explaining to Professor Evans about Pierce, Max gave me an answering machine as a present. Leaving my house he said he 'could stay' if I wanted him to but I declined saying superman wasn't needed. He had smirked and said if I wanted him to be superman that I'd have to spend the night with him.

Mentally blushing while I felt my stomach drop six inches I had played with my jumper sleeve. 'Cute' He had said before some eye narrowing from me.

Max was a good guy. You could feel the loyalty and humanity rolling off him in waves. As thanks for the answering machine I had given him a Crashdown voucher for a free lunch. I such an angel.

Hoping he would use the voucher and run into a certain friend while there, I watched him scan my apartment with his eyes, checking out possible problems. He had left soon after and I decided that in the morning I'd go for a run, by way of giving myself a pep talk.

I really hated running. It was the worst kind of torture. I could out-walk anyone in say a Mall, but make me run for no purpose other then shedding fat and you've got a tough case in front of you.

In the morning I slogged through the first mile then realised I wasn't really designed to run.

When I got back to my apartment and waited for my vision to clear, feeling so bloody healthy I could hardly stand myself I noticed Alex Whitman pulling up to the curb in his patrol car. "Jesus, you look like shit." He said by way of a hello getting out of his car and wandering over to me.

"I've been running."

"Maybe you should check with a doctor." He grinned.

"It's my fair skin. It flushes easily." I replied annoyed.

Alex's face then turned serious and I asked what was wrong. "Fire in Betty Osorio's apartment." I did some heavy swallowing as I waited for more. "Happened Friday. Well actually Saturday really, two in the morning. Thank God no one was home. Betty was at her sister's."

"Anybody know how it started?"

"Could have started a million ways Ria." Alex replied carefully.

He was holding out on me. I can always tell when he's holding out. "What else Alex?"

"I was looking over Guerin's case file and I just wanted you to know that that night a refrigerator truck… like from a food store was reported to have been in Isabel Harding's alleyway." Sighing he gestured with his hands, displaying Alex-confusion. "It might not mean much, just wanted you to know, it sounded odd is all."

"Thanks Alex."

Not knowing what to do with my day, seeing as though Michael wasn't going to be found unless he tapped on my shoulder and said 'Here I am.' A wandered around my apartment.

It was still messy from the searching Michael had done so I decided to clean up a bit, while doing so I hoped for fresh inspiration. I gave up cleaning 5 minutes into the job and returned to Michael's sketchbook, which I had hidden under my mattress.

I had no reason to hide it, but jeez I'm glad I did. If Michael had found it, it would have been more embarrassing then I could possibly imagine that night being. He would have probably became more pissed off as well.

Flipping the pages I returned again and again to the green eyes. I hoped they were mine, yet strangely enough that little thought scared the hell out of me. Had Michael thought about me as much as I had thought about him? Oh boy. I girl could go mad.

Thinking I shouldn't dwell on the past or Betty's life for that matter I decided to go visit Ed Necedo. Because, quite honestly I liked annoying him. I also thought that if I applied the right amount of pressure the guy would pass something interesting from his slimy, skinning lips.

Barrelling past his secretary I threw the door open. "Got a phone call from Pierce last night."

Necedo jumped out of his chair and continued to pace as I gave him grief. Not one juicy fact would slip past his mouth though. His assurances that it wouldn't happen again did more damage then good and after I had left his office with my skin crawling to the car ahead of me I called Liz for some quality assurance.

"Why didn't you call the police when you got roughed up in the gym?" Liz asked.

I played with some of Michael's interior car buttons and sighed. "Would Max have done that?"

"Sweetie, you're not Cagier." She sighed.

"Cagier?" I grinned and felt Liz blush over the phone.

"He came in here for a free lunch…"

"Oh. Did he get anything else for free?"

"Maria!"

"Sorry, sorry, it's just you know how that Crashdown can be hazardous for human/alien relations."

"I wouldn't know anything about that…" Ignoring my huff she went on more seriously. "Why are you only now telling me about Pierce?"

"Just incase I suddenly disappear…"

"That's not funny Maria! I bet Alex knew all about this." She huffed, outdoing my huff by adding guilt to it. "You should get a restraining order."

"What I'm I gonna say? Pierce threatened to send me a present?"

Waking the next morning I felt good. Liz had reassured me, I had a new answering machine, hadn't been humiliated by Michael, hadn't located him either… but hell I was starting this day with a more positive outlook!

I threw my curtains open to glory in the day that would be and froze at the sight of Tess tied to my fire escape.

She was naked and blood-smeared.

A sheet had been draped behind her to hide her from view of the parking lot.

I shouted her name and clawed at the lock, my vision blurred from tears and the hammering in my chest.

Tess didn't move, didn't utter a sound and I couldn't collect myself enough to tell if she was breathing.

I vividly remember cutting her down and calling the ambulance and police, in what order I couldn't tell you.

My instincts were to hide and protect her so before anyone arrived I dragged her inside.

I heard sirens getting closer and the police pounding on my door, but I don't remember letting them in, obviously I did though.

A uniformed cop took me aside, into the kitchen and asked questions I couldn't register. Their were many faces in the room but they all seemed to blur with the blood that was everywhere and only after a while could I make someone out – Kyle.

"What happened?" He asked folding me in his arms.

I told him everything through chattering teeth and a still racing heart. Afterwards people were beginning to focus into identities and I noticed Alex beside me writing everything down.

The phone rang and I automatically reached for it.

Pierce's voice whispered from the handset. "Did you get my present Maria?"

The world snapped into focus. I pushed the record button on the machine and turned the volume up so Kyle, Alex and everyone else in a 5 mile radius could hear.

"What present are you talking about?" I asked.

"I saw you find her. I've been watching you. I wanted you to see what I can do, so you know what to expect. I want you to think about how it's gonna hurt, how you're going to beg."

"You like to hurt women?"

"Women need to be hurt."

I took a winger. "How about Isabel Harding? Did you hurt her?"

"Not as good as I'm going to hurt you."

The connection was broken.

"Jesus Christ," Kyle said. "He's crazy."

"Do you know who that was?" I asked Alex.

"I'm afraid I do." Alex popped the tape out of the machine and wrote my name and date on the label.

Kyle and Alex then exchanged glances and I realised I was covered in Tess' blood.

"How about we get you to take a shower real fast." Alex said guiding me up from the chair.

I looked in at Tess on my way to the bathroom. They were getting ready to move her out.

"How is she?" I asked.

"Alive," Kyle answered. "I'll go with her and make sure she gets the best. You can come by the hospital later…"

Three hours later I was at the hospital. After having an hour shower I had fallen asleep from the anguish of it all. Alex had woken me up to sign a report about my history with Pierce.

Having signed a report (leaving the police to believe the identity of my rescuer at the gym was unknown) Alex had stared at me for a couple of beats. I was inclined to believe he knew the identity of my rescuer but choose to stay silent for now.

"How's Tess?" I asked Kyle upon seeing him slouched on a chair giving the passing doctors hell. "Any news?"

"She's in surgery, they say because she's a… an alien it's more complicated. They don't really know what should be left to heal by itself and what… it shouldn't bloody matter though!" He snapped suddenly angry. "She's hurt, and she needs help to heal!"

It was four before we were allowed to see Tess. Kyle had calmed down slightly, but upon seeing her unconscious and in ICU I believe he had quietly lost it again.

Kyle Valenti was humane and good. If others weren't humane and good I could tell Kyle had trouble dealing with them, because he couldn't comprehend the choice of evilness.

I left the hospital with a sunken heart and decided to ring Alex to see if they had picked up Pierce yet.

They hadn't. "We've been through this with him before."

"Yes, but you've never had a tape."

"True. Hopefully the tape might make some difference."

Next I rang Liz. "I heard from Alex," She said. "Sorry I couldn't get to the hospital…"

"Tess is doing okay." I said, my voice cracking.

"Alex said you were cool. He said you switched on the recorder when Pierce came on the line."

"You should have seen me five minutes before."

There were some background noises and Max came on the line. "I don't suppose you'd consider taking a vacation?"

"It's crossed my mind."

After declining Liz's offer for a bed at her place I drove home. 'Pierce was not going to ruin my life!' I chanted all the way home.

I really dreaded facing the blood at my apartment. But I felt this urge to be there.

Taking a tentative step into my foyer I realised someone was in my apartment. Someone was making cozy cooking sounds. I could hear food sizzling in a frying pan.

Michael Guerin sauntered out of the kitchen. "Just me. We need to talk."

"Jesus! You are so fucking arrogant!" He moved behind me and locked the door. "What are you doing in my apartment?"

"I'm cooking dinner." He went back to his sauteing. "Rumour has it you've had a tough day."

My mind was spinning – Michael 'The Alien Fugitive' Guerin was in my apartment… and he had his back to me…

"You don't want to shoot an unarmed man." He said, reading my thoughts.

All right so I wouldn't shoot him. I'd zap him though; his neurotransmitters wouldn't know what hit them.

I found myself rationalising a decision to hold off on the butt zapping as he added sliced mushrooms, sending heavenly food smells my way. Consequently my killer instincts were weakened by the amount of saliva pooling in my mouth.

I needed to hear him out I told myself, forget that, my motives weren't nearly so worthy. Truth is I'm more frightened of Pierce then Michael Guerin, and in a bizarre way I felt safe with Michael in my apartment.

One crisis at a time I'd deal with. Have dinner. Zap him for dessert.

Michael turned and looked at me. "You want to talk about it?"

"Pierce almost killed Tess, hung her on my fire escape."

"Pierce is a fungus that feeds on fear. Loves to punish… got a reputation for it. With women he likes to see them squirm in fear…"

"Yeah, I know. He's very big on mutilation and begging," I replied uninhibited. "In fact, you could say he's obsessed with it."

Michael turned the heat down. "I'm trying to scare you, but I don't think it's working."

"I'm all scared out, try again tomorrow." I looked around at my clean apartment. "Did you clean?" He looked embarrassed, almost annoyed, like he didn't like the idea of helping me. "Thank you." I said wanting him to squirm more.

"Was it as bad as the blood indicated?"

"Yeah." I replied softly. Remembering Tess' battered face. My throat began to burn and I looked down at the floor.

"I have wine, why don't you trade in that gun for a couple of glasses?"

I eyed him. "Why are you being so nice?"

"I need you."

"Oh boy."

"Not that way."

"I wasn't thinking that way. All I said was 'oh boy'."

I eyed the steak then him again. "I put it on when you pulled into the lot." He poured the wine and handed me a glass. "You're living rather Spartan." He observed.

"Lost my job, sold off my furniture to keep going."

"So you're after me for the money. It's nothing personal?"

"In the beginning it wasn't."

"Why is it personal now?"

"Well let's see," I sighed with as much sarcasm as possible. "Chaining me to a shower rod. Making me get into a Dumpster to get my keys-"

"Wait a minute, they weren't your keys, and you stole my car!"

"I had a plan."

"Snag me when I came to collect my car?"

Smug Bastard. "Something like that."

The grin spread on his face. "I hear the button factory has openings."

"You sound like my mother."

Michael started moving around my kitchen like he'd lived here all his life. It should have seemed invasive and pushy, but it was actually very comfortable.

He set plates, pulled a freshly made salad from the refrigerator, flipped a rib steak onto each plate, covered them with a mushroom, peppers and onion sauce, and then added a foil-wrapped baked potato. Noticing me watching him with a mouth agape his current grin widened for maximum effect.

The phone rang and we locked eyes. His grin disappearing.

Truth be known I didn't want to be alone and I wasn't all that miserable that spaceboy here was the company.

His mouth softened and he picked up the phone and handed it to me.

Oh God! What if it was Pierce? Liz? Or even worse my mother! All I had to do was act normal and pretend Michael, the fugitive alien, wasn't in my kitchen…

"Hey." I answered cool as ice.

"Babe." Max replied, I could hear him grinning.

"What's up?" I asked all cheerful-like watching Michael eat his steak far too calmly in my books.

"He's there now isn't he?" Max said after a beat.

Damn him! No point lying. "Yeah."

"You naked?"

"No."

"Still early." I heard the disconnect and I narrowed my eyes at the phone before hanging up. Damn smug alien guys!

Ignoring Michael's inquiring eyes I dug into my steak. We sat eating at the table like an old married couple. Sitting across from each other, absorbed in the meal.

After I cleaned my plate I pushed back in my chair and eyed the alien at my table. "What do you need from me?"

"Cooperation, in return I'll see that you collect your bounty money."

"You've got my attention."

"Isabel Harding was an informant. One night I'm at home drawing," He shook his head and was about to glare at me, but decided against it, carry on in a hurried manner. "I got a call from her asking for help. She said she had been raped and beaten." My stomach rolled – Pierce. "Isabel said she needed money and a safe place to stay, I said I'd be right over and she said that in return she was going to give me something big.

"When I got to her apartment Kathleen Topolsky answered the door, and Isabel is no where in sight. A guy, better known as the missing witness comes out of the bedroom and recognises me from who-knows-where and panics. 'This guy's a fucking alien,' he yells at Topolsky. 'I can't believe you opened the door to a goddamn alien!'

"Topolsky draws a huge government-issue-alien-killer and I return fire. Next thing I know, I'm staring at the ceiling. The guy is gone and so is Topolsky's gun."

"Where'd the bullet go? Seeing as though she fired."

"The only explanation I can come up with is that the thing misfired."

"And now you want me to find Isabel, so she can back up your story…"

"No." We locked eyes and I understood.

"You don't think Isabel's going to be backing up anyone's story…"I didn't know Isabel, but I prayed we were wrong.

"My guess is she was beaten and raped by Pierce and Topolsky and her pal were sent to finish the job. Topolsky did Pierce's dirty work, sometimes women last seen in his company are known to disappear to keep things quiet. The body vanishes, so no body, no crime. I think Isabel was dead in the bedroom when I arrived. That's why Topolsky freaked."

I didn't want to talk about Isabel anymore; it was going to make me cry, because in my heart I knew Michael was right. "I want to hear the part about getting me the $10,000."

"You help me prove I blasted Topolsky in self-defence and I'll let you bring me in."

"Can't wait to hear how I'm gonna do this…"

"You're the one person no one would suspect of helping me, I need to watch the link to all this so I can find the missing witness and lately I've been spending more hours hiding than observing."

"Who's the link?" As if I didn't know.

"Pierce." God I hate being right!

"Why would I want to help you?"

"Because I'm innocent." Innocent - interesting choice of words… but in this Topolsky-case it was true. Damn him! "I'll up the ante for you." I mentally grinned; hoping it involved the Crashdown and me being naked. "While you're helping me find my witness, I'll be protecting you from Pierce." Hey, that'll do.

"And how is that going to work?"

"I'm going to guard your body Sweet Cakes."

Jeez, naked me just got incredibly scared. "You're not sleeping in my apartment."

"I'll sleep in the van. Tomorrow I'll wire you up for sound."

"Listen, I don't even know where to begin looking," I said. "What could I do that you haven't already done? The witness might be in Australia already."

"The guy's not in Australia. He's out killing everyone who can place him at the scene. He's killed two people from Isabel's apartment," Milton Ross and Hal. "and failed in his attempt to murder a third." Betty. "I'm also on the list."

The light bulb went on. "You're going to use me as bait. You're going to dangle me in front of Pierce and expect me to extract information from him while he's coaching me on his torture techniques. Jesus Guerin, I know you're pissed because I scored you with the Jetta, but don't you think this is carrying revenge a little far?"

"It's not revenge. The truth is… I like you." His mouth softened into a seductive smile. "If circumstances were different, I might even try to right some past wrongs."

"Oh boy."

"I can see when this is all over, we're going to have to do something about that streak of cynicism you've acquired." His mouth softened some more and he came close, obviously between a rock and a hard place while he still doubted my participation. "You're being stalked by a very nasty man. If we can find my witness, we can link him to Pierce and put them both away for the rest of their unnatural lives."

He had a point, I knew it, he knew it, and his doubt left the building.

"I'll put a bug in your foyer and bedroom," Michael said. "And I'll be able to hear throughout your apartment, with the exception of the bathroom. If you close the bathroom door – I won't be able to hear you. When you go out we'll hide a wire or transmitter under your shirt and I'll follow at a distance."

The thought of Michael hiding anything under my shirt made my uterus drop a couple inches. Obviously it hit some cord in him as well because he backed off a bit. "And you'll let me collect the 10 grand?"

"Absolutely."

"You said Isabel was an informant. What sort of stuff was she informing about?"

"She sold whatever scraps came her way. Mostly low-level alien/human relations stuff. I don't know what she had for me when she called. I never got it."

"Alien/human relations stuff?" I backtracked confused.

"There's been a few rumours that some aliens are remembering why they came here and aren't talking to the government to help with things…"Oh… the friction.

"You think Isabel had information about why you guys are refugees? What happened to make you start arriving in 47 and stuff?"

Michael stared at me for a few beats. "No." He replied finally. "I think she had something to tell me about Pierce."

Tbc…