A/N: Okay, this sucks, this is the 3rd time I'm writing the beginning of this chapter. The first time, the power went out for about 10 seconds and came back on again, and the seocnd when I tried to save what I had written, it kicked me off AOL, with it unsaved. So, AOL sucks and I just needed to get that out.
Um, updating is going to go slower and slower. I'm working really hard on my Draco/Hermione fic, which is a mystery, and thus takes lots of thinking. I have so many fanfic beginnings on my computer, dying to be posted on fanfiction.net, but I don't have the time, but very soon, I'm going to be uploading a new story, so ya, s l o w. But don't worry, I have everything planned out. This story will be finished soon, and I'm going to try especially hard not to rush it, because I hate it when people do that.
I have shout-outs, I actually have shout-outs!
*ADARA*/Chrissy/Whatever You Want to be Called- Hi my kick-ass friend!
MagnusXXN- Thanks for always reading and reveiwing!
EraserHead- Thankyou for your compliments! Don't worry about Alex and Tess, there's just going to be a chapter without her! (This Chap) BUT there is A/T interaction! Just read to see what I mean!
Stardust Dreamer- Thanks! I'm glad you like!
A/N: Don't take the comment in the beginning seriously, I like Mormons. Mormons Rock! PMAP= Pro-Mormon, Anti-Polygamy!
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He thought his eye sight might be dwindling with how long he'd been staring out the window. 1 hour and 30 minutes, and they were still trynig to find their way out of this forest. Utah. Home of the Mormons, you should expect something weird like this. Alex thought. His forehead was squished flat against the window and he ignored Maria when she commented that if he didn't move it would stay like that forever. A flat square on his head. Did he really care? He already had aliens powers, why not top that off? Liz had tried to cheer him up. She desperately wanted Alex to beleive that Max was doing the right thing. Alex thought Liz was trying to convince herself that Max was doign the right thing. Well they'd been driving for an 1 hour and 30 minutes now, and Alex swore they'd pass the same group of trees for the 4th time.
"We're lost." He muttered, not shifting from looking out the window.
"No we're not." Max said, making another turn. "We're not lost, we're... stuck. Iz, hand me the map please." His sister handed him a map and Max studied it carefully while driving. "We're going the right way."
"Maybe it's a mind warp." Michael said, eating a little bag of fruit snacks.
"What?" Kyle arched an eyebrow, confused.
"Maybe someone doesn't want us out of the forest." Michael said slowly.
"Maybe it's Tess." Alex murmured. "She needs us, this is a signal."
"Her power isn't that strong, she couldn't reach us, and if she wanted to ther are simpler ways." Isabel replied, looking back at him from the passenger seat.
"Sorry." Alex said grumpily.
"Whoa." Michael arched his eyebrows. "Hey Maxwell turn on the radio before we all start jumping at each other's throats." Max flipped on the radio and Dido's "Here With Me" came on. (A/N: He he, I'm listening to that now, to get me in my "Roswell" mood.) "Change the station!" Michael complained.
"No, keep it!" Maria said. "I like this song."
"This is a chick song!"
"And the majority of us in here are chicks."
"Let's just turn the radio off before you two start jumping at each other's throats." Max said, flipping it off. He knew the damage control factor when it came to Michael and Maria bickering constantly at each other.
"Look, I found a way out of the circle." Max smiled, making a right turn instead of a left. They were on a smooth dirt road, cutting through the trees. The sun shone through the cluttered leaves, making a beautiful light spectacle through the windows.
"This is beautiful." Liz commented, looking outside.
"Heh." Michael chuckled.
"What?" Liz asked, taking his chuckle as an insult.
"Nothing, it's just, we're on the run from the FBI, Dead People, and Skins and all you can do is look out the window and say 'this is beautiful'. You're acting like Maria."
"Excuse me?" Maria arched an eyebrow, crossing her arms.
"Hey, cut it out." Max called from the driver's seat. "There's ntohign wrong with finding a little light in all this agony." He said softly, glancing back and smiling at Liz who smiled back.
"So Grams, where did you hang around up there?" Alex asked. "I never saw you."
"I stuck to the cirrus clouds. Nice surface for a game of poker." Grandma Claudia nodded.
"Oh, I see. Yeah, I was kind of up there in Cumulous (Spelling?)."
"I'm confused." Kyle blinked.
"Don't worry about. You'd have to have been there." Alex smiled.
"I'm not looking forward to it." Kyle said, crossing his legs, which caused Michael to chuckle again.
"So where are we headed?" Isabel asked Max, looking at the map.
"Well, I can see the highway up ahead, so we'll take that, go down those highways on the map and drive our way into Nevada."
"Right back into the desert." Michael muttered.
"Great, finally out of this forbidden forest." Maria leaned back, adjusting herself comfortably in the seat- when all of a sudden-
"SHIT!" Max swerved the steering wheekl, making the van do a 180, falling slightly off the road and causing Maria to bump her head on the window.
"What is it?" Liz asked, clinging onto her seat and her Grandma.
"You won't beleive it." Max said, looking over his shoulder at everyone. "Pierce."
"Good lord." Kyle muttered. Suddenly there was the clingity sound of bullets bouncing off the back of the van, causing him to jump up.
"Don't be a pussy Kyle." Michael muttered, standing up and sliding open the van window on his side. He stuck his head out and saw Pierce in a car, his hand sticking out an open window shooting at the back of the van. He raised his hand out the window quickly, using his alien powers to bust the tires of Pierce's car. A few moments later, they all heard a loud screech and peered out their windows as they saw Pierce's car swerve into a tree at the side of the road.
"Good work Michael." Max said, stepping hard on the gas pedal to get them as far away as possible. But, car trouble wouldn't stop Pierce and they heard more gunshots.
"Jesus." Kyle opened his window too. and looked out and saw Pierce running towards them, gun in the air, bang, bang, bang! "F--- you!" He yelled, sticking out his hand and giving Pierce the finger. Kyle had it up to here with the alien bull, especially the FBI. Looking back out the window, Kyle blinked. "Hey! Look! He's not moving!" Michael looked out and saw Pierce, standing there mid-run as if frozen. "Did you do that?" Kyle asked Michael.
"No..." Michael shook his head.
"Show me." Courtney said, from inbetween the two, peering out the window. Kyle pointed at the frozen Pierce again, and all of a sudden, he started running again, as if nothing had happened.
"What the-!?" Kyle ducked out of the way of a gunshot and looked at Michael.
"Holy shit." Michael shook his head. "I prayed this day would never come."
"What, what do you mean?" Kyle asked, perplexed.
"None of can do that... unless Liz and Alex can..."
"I can't." Liz replied quietly.
"I don't think I can. I didn't move a muscle except for jmuping at the sound of gunshots..." Alex trailed off.
"Are you saying... that I... Oh my god. I got my powers." Kyle stared at his hands looking at the green electric charges running through it. "Dude. This. Is. Awesome." He looked up, a big grin on his face. "I got my powers!" He jumped up excitedly. Liz and Alex grinned at him.
"Sit down, Jose." Michael used his powers to sit Kyle down. "We're being shot at, there's no time to complain about that."
"Shortcut." Max said, making another swift turn, causing the passangers in the back to sway back and forth slightly. "Whoa!" The van bounced up and down lightly as they found themsleves on a bumpy, rocky path. "It won't brake!" Max yelled. Michael got up and put his hand on the steering wheel, trying to make the van stop, but instead only accelerating further down the path until- Crash. Right into a tree. "Dammit." Max put his hand on the dashboard, using his powers and struggling to restart the car but it was no use.
"It's totaled." Michael said, walking to the door and opening it. "If we all run fast enough we can-" Bang! "Damn!" Michael clutched his arm which was bleeding badly. Max and Isabel quickly got out of the van and Max put his hand on Michael's wound, healing it quickly. There was another gun shot that nearly missed Isabel and the sound of someone running towards them.
"Pierce." Max grumbled, looking around.
"That's right." Pierce, panted, walking into view, his gun raised and pointed at Max's chest. "I don't know who granted me this chance... to do what I should've done along time ago, but I'm thanking them." He grinned madly.
"Use our powers, on three?" Isabel whispered.
"One..." Michael counted,
"Two..." Max raised his arm slightly.
"Ah!" The was a bang and Isabel dropped to the ground.
"Isabel!" Max and Michael shouted in unision, bending over her.
"Where is the wound?" Max asked, there was blood all over her shirt and he didn't know where the wound actually was. Isabel held up her hand, Pierce had tried to get her in the heart, but she had blocked it with her hand. Alex ran out quickly.
"Isabel!?" He cried, looking at her in fear. He ran forward followed by Liz, Kyle, and Courtney. Maria stayed inside with Grandma Claudia, trembling slightly.
"Bastard." Kyle held his hand up at Pierce who froze in place, in the middle of reloading hsi gun.
"Max, let me do it." Alex said, kneeling over Isabel. "You two should deal with Pierce."
"Allright. I'm trusting you know what you're doing." Max said, standing up. Michael followed and they walked over to Pierce. Alex took Isabel's bleeding hand into his own and a soft white light emmited from it, the wound was gone and the bullet inside disinigrated. Isabel had her eyes squeezed shut from the pain but now fluttered them open, looking up at Alex.
"Alex, did you heal me?" She said breathlessly. Alex nodded. "Thankyou." She hugged him quickly and Liz and Courtney helped her stand up, they watched Max and Michael approach Pierce who was still frozen.
"I did it once Maxwell, I'll do it again." Michael raised his hand towards Pierce.
"There doesn't seem to be any other way..."
"Exactly."
"We can't leave any clues behind this time, what if Pierce found a way to contact the remaining members of the special unit?"
"I won't leave anything behind. But it's going to be big. Get everyone away from here quickly..."
"Right." Max turned and ran towards anyone else, but there was a sound and Michael gasped loudly. Max turned around and saw Pierce finish reloading his gun. "Kyle! Do it again!"
"There's no time!" Michael yelled, backing away slowly from Pierce who aimed the gun at his chest. "Just run!"
"Liz, come on." Max took her hand with Maria's help they got Grandma Claudia out of the car and made their way up a sloping hill. They joined Isabel, Alex, Courtney and Kyle, waiting behind the hill as cover.
"I killed you once, I'm prepared to re-finish the job." Michael said slowly.
"Yes, you killed me. Now I'm seeking my revenge. Goodbye Michael Guerin." He pushed the lever on the gun slowly, and a bullet came speeding out. Michael felt his a popping crackily sound as he bent over backwards, falling down with a thud onto the leafy ground, with a defeaning silence... as the bullet whizzed overhead. Max stood up quickly from their hiding spot from the hills, extending his hand as a green forcefield protected everyone behind him. The bullet sped towards the forcefield and riccocheted (spelling?) off. Alex, still crouched on the ground, raised his hand and the bullet was pushed backwards and came hurtling towards Pierce again, over Michael who was still on the ground. The bullet hit Pierce's chest, and he clasped his heart, falling backwards, his white shirt was stained red. Max put down his hand and the forcefield faded, he jumped over the hill and ran over to Michael, helping him stand. Liz quickly followed her husband, and Courtney and Maria followed her, both running over to Michael and clinging to him. This left Alex trembling slightly, by himself, until Kyle walked over to him, giving him a hand and helping him stand up.
"Alex... you okay?" Kyle asked. Alex stared at Max.
"Max... did I... did I..." He couldn't choke out the words. Max turned to face him, an arm draped protectively around Liz.
"You... you killed him Alex." Max said softly. "But he was already dead."
"Yea, don't let it get on your concoince." Michael said, wriggling away from the two blondes next to him. Isabel, and Grandma Claudia also joined the group at the bottom of the hill.
"Max, what do we do now?" Isabel asked, glancing at Pierce's body. Max winced in annoyance at the question.
"First we get rid of that. Then..." He walked over to the van examining it. "It won't work. Not even if we use our powers. We'll all hike until we find a place to camp out. Michael and I will get rid of Pierce's body, everyone else, clean up the van." He let go of Liz and Michael joined him, they picked up Pierce's body and disappeared off into the woods.
"How much stuff do you have?" Kyle asked Maria, who had several mini backpacks on her arms.
"It's all clothes." Maria explained, hunching the 7 backpacks and walking after Michael who had some sleeping bags and mats under his arms.
"So what type of place are we looking for?" Kyle asked Max, who led the gang along with Liz.
"Somewhere far away from Pierce's body. More towards the center of the forest. Not a clearing, but big enough for everything. Somewhere no one will stumble upon us."
"And also somewhere, that skins could surround us at anytime." Michael cut in. Max paused for a moment.
"Liz was right though. We can't keep running. We have to go with what comes. They don't have a good chance of finding us anyway. They want us to come to them."
"Well, they might use Tess." Isabel said softly.
"How so?" Kyle joined in the alien's discussion. Finding himself, as 'one of them' now that his latent powers had arrived.
"She was able to sense us when we used our powers. Max, Michael, and I. That's how she found us."
"How did you know that?" Max asked over his shoulder.
"Because I sensed her earlier. She was using her powers. Maybe an attempt, a call for help, who knows..."
"Maybe she's using her powers to find us!" Michael cut in sharply. "Alex, is it true, can Tess track us?" He glanced back at the very end of their line, Alex walked along silently. "Alex."
"Yes." Alex snapped, practically glaring at Michael. "Yes." He softened his voice. "She can track you."
"Alot of power of ours was just used, Maxwell. They might be after us."
"Tess wouldn't sell us out!" Alex cut in angrily once again. Michael looked at Alex strangely. He felt like an accused criminal.
"We just won't use our powers for awhile." Max said, leading them on.
"Here." The alien king dropped all his cargo and placed his hands on his ghips, glancing around.
"Here? There's barely any room, there's a bunch of trees everywhere." Maria complained, looking around.
"That's because it's a forest." Michael cut in, throwing down his stuff and sitting down against a tree.
"And we need cover. These trees will come in handy in case of any surprises." Max glanced around at everyone and then upwards. "If a helicopter flew over us, presumely, an FBI helicopter, the trees give enough shading to block us. If skins approach on land, we have places to hide, places to run. If we found a clearing, we'd be visable to the whole world." Max sat down and began to unfold a sleeping mat. He glanced up. "The sun sets fast. We should get set in. Grandma Claudia and Maria will sleep in the center, because they can't defend themselves." Maria scoffed at this. "Liz, Isabel, and Courtney will be centered close to them, then Alex and Kyle, and Michael and I will take watch."
"Yes, Alien Commando- sir." Kyle said, creeping into a sleeping bag. Liz approached her husband.
"So, no sharing the sleeping bag?" She said playfully. Max smiled.
"Not tonight at least." He pulled her into a close hug and kissed her forehead and then her lips softly. "Sweet dreams."
"You too. Night." Liz walked back to her sleeping place and crept in. Max was right. The sun did set fast.
Alex sat up, awake in the moonlight hour. He couldn't get to sleep. He might rest for 5 minutes only to be awoken again, by, this clenching feeling in the pit of his stomache. He leaned against the tree behind him and propped the pillow up against it as well. Turning to his side, he picked up one of the bags he had been carrying earlier that day and had plopped down next to him. It was Liz's. He pulled out Tess's old clothing. Not wanting to seem like a creep, he checked to see where Max and Michael were. By bending over he could make the out. They could barely see him, let alone know he was awake. Alex brushed the worn fabric of her shirt against his cheek. It felt soft, against his growing stubble. And it smelled like her. Okay, Alex, put the clothing away before we up the creep factor another notch. He stuffed her clothing back into Liz's bag and kept digging. Past some of Liz's unmentionables, he pulled out a disposable camera. His disposable camera. From that day on the four corners. Alex stared at the camera, thinking for awhile. Without a warning, he waved his hand over it and he held a stack of developed pictures in his hands. Matte finish. He glanced at the first one, a very surprised picture of Tess Harding, holding another disposable camera in her hand. Still beautiful. He smiled to himself and flipped through the pictures, all of Tess. Tess running away, Tess trying to escape the evil camera flash, Tess actually giving up and smiling in one. He held the picture close to his heart. How things change... He went through the pictures a couple times more, never getting tired, staring at some pictures, for a good 5 minutes. Finally, about an hour later, sleep began to take over him. Alex let his eyelids close and then lazily placed his index finger on the stack of photos in his other hands. That's when it happened. Whoosh. He saw stars. No. They weren't stars. They were orbs. Many, many of them, and he was zooming right towards one. A romantic deep pink colored orb. He was afraid he would break it, the orbs were made of glass or something, but as he zoomed closer, he could see pictures moving around inside the orb, and just like... that! He was inside the orb. No, inside the pictures. No! Inside a dream.
"Alex!" His name was being called faintly. He barely heard it, but yearned to listen more to the musical voice. "Alex!" He was called again. He span around to take in his surrounds. He was in the forest. Still in the forest. Except now, he was on a hill. A hill, in the middle of a clearing of trees.
"Who is it!?" Alex called back.
"Alex!" It was a shrill scream again... someone was in pain. Or pleasure. Either one, Alex was curious to find out. There it came again, even more agonizing then before. We could ex out the pleasure, right about now. Alex's ears perked up. He recognized that voice.
"Tess!" He cried back, glancing around the empty hill. No one was there. He took a few steps down the slope, glancing southwards, holding his hand above his eyes, although it was nighttime, and there was no sun to block. Suddenly he heard a gasp from behind him and spun around quickly seeing a small framed girl with filthy blonde hair, panting heavily, on her knees.
"Tess!" He ran back towards her, picking her up in his arms. She coughed miserably. "Tess." He whispered, stroking her hair as she continued to cough.
"Alex..." She managed to choke out, clinging to him. He felt his shirt become wet and hot and realised she was crying into it. "I'm so sorry. For what I did." She whispered.
"It was Khivar, Tess." Alex said, continuing to stroke her hair. Once the coughing died down, he pushed her away slightly, placing his hands on her shoulder, trying to get a good look at her. She had so many scratches across her once beautiful face, and dry leaves scattered her hair, and her shirt was ripped and torn in many places. The shorts she was wearing was also ripped badly, quite high actually. Alex suddenly felt worried and angry. What if Khivar did something bad to her? If he even layed a finger on her... Alex would, he would have no choice, but to...
"I love you." It was the faintest whisper, and tears streamed down her cheeks as she looked up at him. Alex was immediately pulled out of his thoughts.
"What?"
"I love you." Tess cried, glancing around.
"I, I-" Alex began, looking at her awkwardly. "I-" Suddenly, Tess grabbed his collar and pushed him down onto the grassy slope where they rolled down together a little ways. She layed her head flat on his chest, listening to his heart beat quickly. Or listening to something else.
"Alex." She said seriously, trying to gain composure, but still lying ontop of him. "I love you and that's why I need to tell you, to get everyone away. It's a trap. If you come it's a trap. Max is right, just leave without me. I'll be fine, I know what to do." She whispered quickly. Alex furrowed his brow.
"No...what? No! Tess! No, I'm not letting you sacrifice yourself again!" Alex held her hand tightly. "You can't do that, I won't let you!"
"But you have to. It's a trap." She said, wiping her eyes quickly. "Khivar will kill you, and I can't live with that."
"And if you kill yourself, then there's no point in living." Alex whispered, looking directly into her eyes. A tear dropped from her cheek onto his face, he pulled her close to him, their faces inches apart.
"It's a trap." Tess whispered. She opened her mouth to speak again, when Alex wrapped an arm around her head pushing her lips onto his. "Mm." Tess half moaned, half cried. "No, Alex, you have to listen to me-"
"Shh." Alex kissed her again, this time softly and he even swore he could feel her melting right there. It was amazing the effect HE had on HER.
"Alex." Tess murmured before returning his kiss. She pulled away quickly, sitting up ontop of him. "He's coming." Alex heard the sky rumble as rain began to drop quickly from the Heavens. What... the heck? "Don't come." She whispered, crawling off him, and pickingh erself off and running quickly into the forest.
"No!" Alex called after her, sitting up, his hand outstretched. "I love you!"
"I love you!" Alex whispered hoarsely. His eyes jerked open and he looked at his surroundings. Still dark. He leaned forward while wiping the sweat off his forehead. So much for the night watch, Max and Michael were both asleep. Alex glanced around at all the sleeping bodies and spotting the one he was looking for, got himself untangled from his sleeping mat and slowly crept over to Kyle's sleeping bag. "Kyle." Alex said quietly, shaking him.
"Mmmm Buffy..." Kyle grunted. Alex furrowed his eyebrow. Oh sick!
"Kyle!" He whispered a bit louder.
"Oh yeaaaa." Kyle grinned. Alex hit him in the shoulder. "Ow! What the fu-" Alex covered Kyle's mouth with his hand, muffling his curses as beside him, Courtney began to stir. Alex lifted his hand away, wiping it on his jeans. "What the hell, Alex?" Kyle asked, running a hand through his hair.
"I... I had a vision. Sort of."
"A vision?"
"Actually... I think... I think I dreamwalked."
"Dreamwalked? Awesome, man, thanks for waking me up in the middle of the night to tell me that!"
"No, you don't understand... I think I could find where Tess is. But... I need you to come with me."
"Why!?"
"I can't go alone, and no one else will come with me. Not even Liz. Please Kyle for your sister..." Alex pleaded. Kyle glanced at him strangely, arching an eyebrow.
"What exactly are you planning...?"
"Got everything, enough food, salt, water, abercrombie shirts-" Alex said sarcastically, looking at Kyle's huge pack.
"I don't have that much crap." Kyle glanced at his watch. "I'm guessing...we'll be going now. They'll probably wake up in about an hour."
"Yea. Let's go." Alex glanced around at the group, promising silently, that he'd bring Tess back and they'd all be able to go run away from the FBI together. Like it should've been. He turned again and made his way through the winding trees with Kyle following at his heels... I'm coming Tess.
A/N: We're off to see the alien, the awesome alien called Tess! :P. Okay, the ending of this chapter makes me think of the ending of LOTR, with Frodo and Sam going off, but hoper-fully, I can get the next chapter up before a year! :)
-Sibby
Um, updating is going to go slower and slower. I'm working really hard on my Draco/Hermione fic, which is a mystery, and thus takes lots of thinking. I have so many fanfic beginnings on my computer, dying to be posted on fanfiction.net, but I don't have the time, but very soon, I'm going to be uploading a new story, so ya, s l o w. But don't worry, I have everything planned out. This story will be finished soon, and I'm going to try especially hard not to rush it, because I hate it when people do that.
I have shout-outs, I actually have shout-outs!
*ADARA*/Chrissy/Whatever You Want to be Called- Hi my kick-ass friend!
MagnusXXN- Thanks for always reading and reveiwing!
EraserHead- Thankyou for your compliments! Don't worry about Alex and Tess, there's just going to be a chapter without her! (This Chap) BUT there is A/T interaction! Just read to see what I mean!
Stardust Dreamer- Thanks! I'm glad you like!
A/N: Don't take the comment in the beginning seriously, I like Mormons. Mormons Rock! PMAP= Pro-Mormon, Anti-Polygamy!
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He thought his eye sight might be dwindling with how long he'd been staring out the window. 1 hour and 30 minutes, and they were still trynig to find their way out of this forest. Utah. Home of the Mormons, you should expect something weird like this. Alex thought. His forehead was squished flat against the window and he ignored Maria when she commented that if he didn't move it would stay like that forever. A flat square on his head. Did he really care? He already had aliens powers, why not top that off? Liz had tried to cheer him up. She desperately wanted Alex to beleive that Max was doing the right thing. Alex thought Liz was trying to convince herself that Max was doign the right thing. Well they'd been driving for an 1 hour and 30 minutes now, and Alex swore they'd pass the same group of trees for the 4th time.
"We're lost." He muttered, not shifting from looking out the window.
"No we're not." Max said, making another turn. "We're not lost, we're... stuck. Iz, hand me the map please." His sister handed him a map and Max studied it carefully while driving. "We're going the right way."
"Maybe it's a mind warp." Michael said, eating a little bag of fruit snacks.
"What?" Kyle arched an eyebrow, confused.
"Maybe someone doesn't want us out of the forest." Michael said slowly.
"Maybe it's Tess." Alex murmured. "She needs us, this is a signal."
"Her power isn't that strong, she couldn't reach us, and if she wanted to ther are simpler ways." Isabel replied, looking back at him from the passenger seat.
"Sorry." Alex said grumpily.
"Whoa." Michael arched his eyebrows. "Hey Maxwell turn on the radio before we all start jumping at each other's throats." Max flipped on the radio and Dido's "Here With Me" came on. (A/N: He he, I'm listening to that now, to get me in my "Roswell" mood.) "Change the station!" Michael complained.
"No, keep it!" Maria said. "I like this song."
"This is a chick song!"
"And the majority of us in here are chicks."
"Let's just turn the radio off before you two start jumping at each other's throats." Max said, flipping it off. He knew the damage control factor when it came to Michael and Maria bickering constantly at each other.
"Look, I found a way out of the circle." Max smiled, making a right turn instead of a left. They were on a smooth dirt road, cutting through the trees. The sun shone through the cluttered leaves, making a beautiful light spectacle through the windows.
"This is beautiful." Liz commented, looking outside.
"Heh." Michael chuckled.
"What?" Liz asked, taking his chuckle as an insult.
"Nothing, it's just, we're on the run from the FBI, Dead People, and Skins and all you can do is look out the window and say 'this is beautiful'. You're acting like Maria."
"Excuse me?" Maria arched an eyebrow, crossing her arms.
"Hey, cut it out." Max called from the driver's seat. "There's ntohign wrong with finding a little light in all this agony." He said softly, glancing back and smiling at Liz who smiled back.
"So Grams, where did you hang around up there?" Alex asked. "I never saw you."
"I stuck to the cirrus clouds. Nice surface for a game of poker." Grandma Claudia nodded.
"Oh, I see. Yeah, I was kind of up there in Cumulous (Spelling?)."
"I'm confused." Kyle blinked.
"Don't worry about. You'd have to have been there." Alex smiled.
"I'm not looking forward to it." Kyle said, crossing his legs, which caused Michael to chuckle again.
"So where are we headed?" Isabel asked Max, looking at the map.
"Well, I can see the highway up ahead, so we'll take that, go down those highways on the map and drive our way into Nevada."
"Right back into the desert." Michael muttered.
"Great, finally out of this forbidden forest." Maria leaned back, adjusting herself comfortably in the seat- when all of a sudden-
"SHIT!" Max swerved the steering wheekl, making the van do a 180, falling slightly off the road and causing Maria to bump her head on the window.
"What is it?" Liz asked, clinging onto her seat and her Grandma.
"You won't beleive it." Max said, looking over his shoulder at everyone. "Pierce."
"Good lord." Kyle muttered. Suddenly there was the clingity sound of bullets bouncing off the back of the van, causing him to jump up.
"Don't be a pussy Kyle." Michael muttered, standing up and sliding open the van window on his side. He stuck his head out and saw Pierce in a car, his hand sticking out an open window shooting at the back of the van. He raised his hand out the window quickly, using his alien powers to bust the tires of Pierce's car. A few moments later, they all heard a loud screech and peered out their windows as they saw Pierce's car swerve into a tree at the side of the road.
"Good work Michael." Max said, stepping hard on the gas pedal to get them as far away as possible. But, car trouble wouldn't stop Pierce and they heard more gunshots.
"Jesus." Kyle opened his window too. and looked out and saw Pierce running towards them, gun in the air, bang, bang, bang! "F--- you!" He yelled, sticking out his hand and giving Pierce the finger. Kyle had it up to here with the alien bull, especially the FBI. Looking back out the window, Kyle blinked. "Hey! Look! He's not moving!" Michael looked out and saw Pierce, standing there mid-run as if frozen. "Did you do that?" Kyle asked Michael.
"No..." Michael shook his head.
"Show me." Courtney said, from inbetween the two, peering out the window. Kyle pointed at the frozen Pierce again, and all of a sudden, he started running again, as if nothing had happened.
"What the-!?" Kyle ducked out of the way of a gunshot and looked at Michael.
"Holy shit." Michael shook his head. "I prayed this day would never come."
"What, what do you mean?" Kyle asked, perplexed.
"None of can do that... unless Liz and Alex can..."
"I can't." Liz replied quietly.
"I don't think I can. I didn't move a muscle except for jmuping at the sound of gunshots..." Alex trailed off.
"Are you saying... that I... Oh my god. I got my powers." Kyle stared at his hands looking at the green electric charges running through it. "Dude. This. Is. Awesome." He looked up, a big grin on his face. "I got my powers!" He jumped up excitedly. Liz and Alex grinned at him.
"Sit down, Jose." Michael used his powers to sit Kyle down. "We're being shot at, there's no time to complain about that."
"Shortcut." Max said, making another swift turn, causing the passangers in the back to sway back and forth slightly. "Whoa!" The van bounced up and down lightly as they found themsleves on a bumpy, rocky path. "It won't brake!" Max yelled. Michael got up and put his hand on the steering wheel, trying to make the van stop, but instead only accelerating further down the path until- Crash. Right into a tree. "Dammit." Max put his hand on the dashboard, using his powers and struggling to restart the car but it was no use.
"It's totaled." Michael said, walking to the door and opening it. "If we all run fast enough we can-" Bang! "Damn!" Michael clutched his arm which was bleeding badly. Max and Isabel quickly got out of the van and Max put his hand on Michael's wound, healing it quickly. There was another gun shot that nearly missed Isabel and the sound of someone running towards them.
"Pierce." Max grumbled, looking around.
"That's right." Pierce, panted, walking into view, his gun raised and pointed at Max's chest. "I don't know who granted me this chance... to do what I should've done along time ago, but I'm thanking them." He grinned madly.
"Use our powers, on three?" Isabel whispered.
"One..." Michael counted,
"Two..." Max raised his arm slightly.
"Ah!" The was a bang and Isabel dropped to the ground.
"Isabel!" Max and Michael shouted in unision, bending over her.
"Where is the wound?" Max asked, there was blood all over her shirt and he didn't know where the wound actually was. Isabel held up her hand, Pierce had tried to get her in the heart, but she had blocked it with her hand. Alex ran out quickly.
"Isabel!?" He cried, looking at her in fear. He ran forward followed by Liz, Kyle, and Courtney. Maria stayed inside with Grandma Claudia, trembling slightly.
"Bastard." Kyle held his hand up at Pierce who froze in place, in the middle of reloading hsi gun.
"Max, let me do it." Alex said, kneeling over Isabel. "You two should deal with Pierce."
"Allright. I'm trusting you know what you're doing." Max said, standing up. Michael followed and they walked over to Pierce. Alex took Isabel's bleeding hand into his own and a soft white light emmited from it, the wound was gone and the bullet inside disinigrated. Isabel had her eyes squeezed shut from the pain but now fluttered them open, looking up at Alex.
"Alex, did you heal me?" She said breathlessly. Alex nodded. "Thankyou." She hugged him quickly and Liz and Courtney helped her stand up, they watched Max and Michael approach Pierce who was still frozen.
"I did it once Maxwell, I'll do it again." Michael raised his hand towards Pierce.
"There doesn't seem to be any other way..."
"Exactly."
"We can't leave any clues behind this time, what if Pierce found a way to contact the remaining members of the special unit?"
"I won't leave anything behind. But it's going to be big. Get everyone away from here quickly..."
"Right." Max turned and ran towards anyone else, but there was a sound and Michael gasped loudly. Max turned around and saw Pierce finish reloading his gun. "Kyle! Do it again!"
"There's no time!" Michael yelled, backing away slowly from Pierce who aimed the gun at his chest. "Just run!"
"Liz, come on." Max took her hand with Maria's help they got Grandma Claudia out of the car and made their way up a sloping hill. They joined Isabel, Alex, Courtney and Kyle, waiting behind the hill as cover.
"I killed you once, I'm prepared to re-finish the job." Michael said slowly.
"Yes, you killed me. Now I'm seeking my revenge. Goodbye Michael Guerin." He pushed the lever on the gun slowly, and a bullet came speeding out. Michael felt his a popping crackily sound as he bent over backwards, falling down with a thud onto the leafy ground, with a defeaning silence... as the bullet whizzed overhead. Max stood up quickly from their hiding spot from the hills, extending his hand as a green forcefield protected everyone behind him. The bullet sped towards the forcefield and riccocheted (spelling?) off. Alex, still crouched on the ground, raised his hand and the bullet was pushed backwards and came hurtling towards Pierce again, over Michael who was still on the ground. The bullet hit Pierce's chest, and he clasped his heart, falling backwards, his white shirt was stained red. Max put down his hand and the forcefield faded, he jumped over the hill and ran over to Michael, helping him stand. Liz quickly followed her husband, and Courtney and Maria followed her, both running over to Michael and clinging to him. This left Alex trembling slightly, by himself, until Kyle walked over to him, giving him a hand and helping him stand up.
"Alex... you okay?" Kyle asked. Alex stared at Max.
"Max... did I... did I..." He couldn't choke out the words. Max turned to face him, an arm draped protectively around Liz.
"You... you killed him Alex." Max said softly. "But he was already dead."
"Yea, don't let it get on your concoince." Michael said, wriggling away from the two blondes next to him. Isabel, and Grandma Claudia also joined the group at the bottom of the hill.
"Max, what do we do now?" Isabel asked, glancing at Pierce's body. Max winced in annoyance at the question.
"First we get rid of that. Then..." He walked over to the van examining it. "It won't work. Not even if we use our powers. We'll all hike until we find a place to camp out. Michael and I will get rid of Pierce's body, everyone else, clean up the van." He let go of Liz and Michael joined him, they picked up Pierce's body and disappeared off into the woods.
"How much stuff do you have?" Kyle asked Maria, who had several mini backpacks on her arms.
"It's all clothes." Maria explained, hunching the 7 backpacks and walking after Michael who had some sleeping bags and mats under his arms.
"So what type of place are we looking for?" Kyle asked Max, who led the gang along with Liz.
"Somewhere far away from Pierce's body. More towards the center of the forest. Not a clearing, but big enough for everything. Somewhere no one will stumble upon us."
"And also somewhere, that skins could surround us at anytime." Michael cut in. Max paused for a moment.
"Liz was right though. We can't keep running. We have to go with what comes. They don't have a good chance of finding us anyway. They want us to come to them."
"Well, they might use Tess." Isabel said softly.
"How so?" Kyle joined in the alien's discussion. Finding himself, as 'one of them' now that his latent powers had arrived.
"She was able to sense us when we used our powers. Max, Michael, and I. That's how she found us."
"How did you know that?" Max asked over his shoulder.
"Because I sensed her earlier. She was using her powers. Maybe an attempt, a call for help, who knows..."
"Maybe she's using her powers to find us!" Michael cut in sharply. "Alex, is it true, can Tess track us?" He glanced back at the very end of their line, Alex walked along silently. "Alex."
"Yes." Alex snapped, practically glaring at Michael. "Yes." He softened his voice. "She can track you."
"Alot of power of ours was just used, Maxwell. They might be after us."
"Tess wouldn't sell us out!" Alex cut in angrily once again. Michael looked at Alex strangely. He felt like an accused criminal.
"We just won't use our powers for awhile." Max said, leading them on.
"Here." The alien king dropped all his cargo and placed his hands on his ghips, glancing around.
"Here? There's barely any room, there's a bunch of trees everywhere." Maria complained, looking around.
"That's because it's a forest." Michael cut in, throwing down his stuff and sitting down against a tree.
"And we need cover. These trees will come in handy in case of any surprises." Max glanced around at everyone and then upwards. "If a helicopter flew over us, presumely, an FBI helicopter, the trees give enough shading to block us. If skins approach on land, we have places to hide, places to run. If we found a clearing, we'd be visable to the whole world." Max sat down and began to unfold a sleeping mat. He glanced up. "The sun sets fast. We should get set in. Grandma Claudia and Maria will sleep in the center, because they can't defend themselves." Maria scoffed at this. "Liz, Isabel, and Courtney will be centered close to them, then Alex and Kyle, and Michael and I will take watch."
"Yes, Alien Commando- sir." Kyle said, creeping into a sleeping bag. Liz approached her husband.
"So, no sharing the sleeping bag?" She said playfully. Max smiled.
"Not tonight at least." He pulled her into a close hug and kissed her forehead and then her lips softly. "Sweet dreams."
"You too. Night." Liz walked back to her sleeping place and crept in. Max was right. The sun did set fast.
Alex sat up, awake in the moonlight hour. He couldn't get to sleep. He might rest for 5 minutes only to be awoken again, by, this clenching feeling in the pit of his stomache. He leaned against the tree behind him and propped the pillow up against it as well. Turning to his side, he picked up one of the bags he had been carrying earlier that day and had plopped down next to him. It was Liz's. He pulled out Tess's old clothing. Not wanting to seem like a creep, he checked to see where Max and Michael were. By bending over he could make the out. They could barely see him, let alone know he was awake. Alex brushed the worn fabric of her shirt against his cheek. It felt soft, against his growing stubble. And it smelled like her. Okay, Alex, put the clothing away before we up the creep factor another notch. He stuffed her clothing back into Liz's bag and kept digging. Past some of Liz's unmentionables, he pulled out a disposable camera. His disposable camera. From that day on the four corners. Alex stared at the camera, thinking for awhile. Without a warning, he waved his hand over it and he held a stack of developed pictures in his hands. Matte finish. He glanced at the first one, a very surprised picture of Tess Harding, holding another disposable camera in her hand. Still beautiful. He smiled to himself and flipped through the pictures, all of Tess. Tess running away, Tess trying to escape the evil camera flash, Tess actually giving up and smiling in one. He held the picture close to his heart. How things change... He went through the pictures a couple times more, never getting tired, staring at some pictures, for a good 5 minutes. Finally, about an hour later, sleep began to take over him. Alex let his eyelids close and then lazily placed his index finger on the stack of photos in his other hands. That's when it happened. Whoosh. He saw stars. No. They weren't stars. They were orbs. Many, many of them, and he was zooming right towards one. A romantic deep pink colored orb. He was afraid he would break it, the orbs were made of glass or something, but as he zoomed closer, he could see pictures moving around inside the orb, and just like... that! He was inside the orb. No, inside the pictures. No! Inside a dream.
"Alex!" His name was being called faintly. He barely heard it, but yearned to listen more to the musical voice. "Alex!" He was called again. He span around to take in his surrounds. He was in the forest. Still in the forest. Except now, he was on a hill. A hill, in the middle of a clearing of trees.
"Who is it!?" Alex called back.
"Alex!" It was a shrill scream again... someone was in pain. Or pleasure. Either one, Alex was curious to find out. There it came again, even more agonizing then before. We could ex out the pleasure, right about now. Alex's ears perked up. He recognized that voice.
"Tess!" He cried back, glancing around the empty hill. No one was there. He took a few steps down the slope, glancing southwards, holding his hand above his eyes, although it was nighttime, and there was no sun to block. Suddenly he heard a gasp from behind him and spun around quickly seeing a small framed girl with filthy blonde hair, panting heavily, on her knees.
"Tess!" He ran back towards her, picking her up in his arms. She coughed miserably. "Tess." He whispered, stroking her hair as she continued to cough.
"Alex..." She managed to choke out, clinging to him. He felt his shirt become wet and hot and realised she was crying into it. "I'm so sorry. For what I did." She whispered.
"It was Khivar, Tess." Alex said, continuing to stroke her hair. Once the coughing died down, he pushed her away slightly, placing his hands on her shoulder, trying to get a good look at her. She had so many scratches across her once beautiful face, and dry leaves scattered her hair, and her shirt was ripped and torn in many places. The shorts she was wearing was also ripped badly, quite high actually. Alex suddenly felt worried and angry. What if Khivar did something bad to her? If he even layed a finger on her... Alex would, he would have no choice, but to...
"I love you." It was the faintest whisper, and tears streamed down her cheeks as she looked up at him. Alex was immediately pulled out of his thoughts.
"What?"
"I love you." Tess cried, glancing around.
"I, I-" Alex began, looking at her awkwardly. "I-" Suddenly, Tess grabbed his collar and pushed him down onto the grassy slope where they rolled down together a little ways. She layed her head flat on his chest, listening to his heart beat quickly. Or listening to something else.
"Alex." She said seriously, trying to gain composure, but still lying ontop of him. "I love you and that's why I need to tell you, to get everyone away. It's a trap. If you come it's a trap. Max is right, just leave without me. I'll be fine, I know what to do." She whispered quickly. Alex furrowed his brow.
"No...what? No! Tess! No, I'm not letting you sacrifice yourself again!" Alex held her hand tightly. "You can't do that, I won't let you!"
"But you have to. It's a trap." She said, wiping her eyes quickly. "Khivar will kill you, and I can't live with that."
"And if you kill yourself, then there's no point in living." Alex whispered, looking directly into her eyes. A tear dropped from her cheek onto his face, he pulled her close to him, their faces inches apart.
"It's a trap." Tess whispered. She opened her mouth to speak again, when Alex wrapped an arm around her head pushing her lips onto his. "Mm." Tess half moaned, half cried. "No, Alex, you have to listen to me-"
"Shh." Alex kissed her again, this time softly and he even swore he could feel her melting right there. It was amazing the effect HE had on HER.
"Alex." Tess murmured before returning his kiss. She pulled away quickly, sitting up ontop of him. "He's coming." Alex heard the sky rumble as rain began to drop quickly from the Heavens. What... the heck? "Don't come." She whispered, crawling off him, and pickingh erself off and running quickly into the forest.
"No!" Alex called after her, sitting up, his hand outstretched. "I love you!"
"I love you!" Alex whispered hoarsely. His eyes jerked open and he looked at his surroundings. Still dark. He leaned forward while wiping the sweat off his forehead. So much for the night watch, Max and Michael were both asleep. Alex glanced around at all the sleeping bodies and spotting the one he was looking for, got himself untangled from his sleeping mat and slowly crept over to Kyle's sleeping bag. "Kyle." Alex said quietly, shaking him.
"Mmmm Buffy..." Kyle grunted. Alex furrowed his eyebrow. Oh sick!
"Kyle!" He whispered a bit louder.
"Oh yeaaaa." Kyle grinned. Alex hit him in the shoulder. "Ow! What the fu-" Alex covered Kyle's mouth with his hand, muffling his curses as beside him, Courtney began to stir. Alex lifted his hand away, wiping it on his jeans. "What the hell, Alex?" Kyle asked, running a hand through his hair.
"I... I had a vision. Sort of."
"A vision?"
"Actually... I think... I think I dreamwalked."
"Dreamwalked? Awesome, man, thanks for waking me up in the middle of the night to tell me that!"
"No, you don't understand... I think I could find where Tess is. But... I need you to come with me."
"Why!?"
"I can't go alone, and no one else will come with me. Not even Liz. Please Kyle for your sister..." Alex pleaded. Kyle glanced at him strangely, arching an eyebrow.
"What exactly are you planning...?"
"Got everything, enough food, salt, water, abercrombie shirts-" Alex said sarcastically, looking at Kyle's huge pack.
"I don't have that much crap." Kyle glanced at his watch. "I'm guessing...we'll be going now. They'll probably wake up in about an hour."
"Yea. Let's go." Alex glanced around at the group, promising silently, that he'd bring Tess back and they'd all be able to go run away from the FBI together. Like it should've been. He turned again and made his way through the winding trees with Kyle following at his heels... I'm coming Tess.
A/N: We're off to see the alien, the awesome alien called Tess! :P. Okay, the ending of this chapter makes me think of the ending of LOTR, with Frodo and Sam going off, but hoper-fully, I can get the next chapter up before a year! :)
-Sibby