CHAPTER 16
When they got to Maria's house they went to the living room and sat down. Michael noticed that Maria started to look scared. 'She must really not want us to know' he thought.
"Ok, before we tell you anything you need to promise that this information will not leave this room. You do not talk about it amongst yourselves and you definitely do not let anyone else know. Got it? " Sean said forcefully.
Both Michael and Alex agreed and Sean signalled to Maria that she could start.
"Ok, I suppose it started when my father left. I was 6 and he had just left my mother and me. He never told us why or where he was going he just took off. Anyway 3 years ago he came back. God I was so happy yet mad at the same time. I mean he left me" Maria said remembering the first time she had seen him since he left.
"It turned out that he had no choice but to leave my mom and me. You see, my dad got into some bad stuff, illegal stuff when he was working with a guy named Frankie Bono. Anyway my dad decided to have a look at the stuff Frankie was making him ship and my dad found all these files."
"What was on the files?" Alex asked.
"Stuff that could put Frankie and his crew in jail." Sean explained
"Then why didn't your father use them?" asked Michael
Maria continued her story. "Frankie found out that my dad had looked at the files and fired him and told him that if he told anyone he'd kill me and my mom. So dad said he'd never say anything but Frankie then told him to leave and never try and contact us ever again. Anyway it turned out that before my father left he took some of the files with him and Frankie had been looking for him from then on. Then 3 years ago he came back with the stolen files. My mom tried to convince him to go to the police with them but he said he couldn't coz Frankie had said that he'd kill us. About 1 month later my father died from cancer." Maria started to cry and Sean went to comfort her.
Maria sniffed then continued." When he died My mother and I got a message from Frankie saying if we didn't hand over the files he'd kill us so my mother gave them back without realising that my father had left one in my bedroom inside the cover of a book. Frankie left and I found the paper. On the back my dad had written a note saying that I must never let this get into the hands of anyone. So I kept it a secret. But 6 months later when I got home from school my mother and I found the house ransacked. I knew Frankie had been there looking but I carry that piece of paper with me wherever I go."
"What's on this paper?" Asked Michael
"We don't know it's encrypted and we can't work it out." Sean said
"Anyway" Maria continued "My mother and I decided to leave. My mother was always rich so we always had money but when my father died he had $37 million to his name and left it all to me so that's where that came from and the reason I work at the Crashdown is because I cannot use a bankcard or leave my signature on anything so I need cash. Anyway so we moved to Chicago. When I was living there I met up with Sean and told him to try and see if he could help me. So we broke into every government facility that would have any files on me and erased them so that Frankie could not find me. While living there I fell in love with a boy named Steven. He, like you-" She looked pointedly at Michael.
"---Wanted to know what I was hiding. So I told him and he began to help me to. But a year ago Frankie found us and asked for the paper but I wouldn't give it to him. I had promised my father. So Frankie pulled out a gun and shot Steven in the chest and told me it was a warning. He died in my arms"
Maria started sobbing and this time Michael went to her. He held her to his chest while whispering that it's gonna be alright in her ear to try to calm her down. Maria finally calmed down a little and pulled out of Michaels arms much to his disappointment.
"Steven died because I let him know this. I let him get involved. And that's the reason I didn't want you knowing" Maria told Michael.
"Anyway, after that we moved to New York but then we got word that Frankie had tracked me down so I convinced my mother I needed a fresh start, a new life and she agreed so we moved here while Sean stayed there to try and throw them off my trail. So that's my secret. And the reason I didn't want you knowing is because I don't want to see you hurt or worse dead. Being involved with me is dangerous and it's just best if you stay away from me." Maria cried.
Michael went over to her and tried to pull her to him, she tried to get away but Michael wasn't having that. "Maria I'm glad I know. Now I can help you. We'll find out what's on the paper and why Frankie wants it so bad."
"No Michael, weren't you listening to me. I don't want you involved. I don't want to see you dead. I love you to much." Maria yelled.
Michael looked at her shocked then hugged her. "I love you Maria and I'm staying. I'm not going to leave you or this situation coz it might endanger me. You are what matters here Maria. I'm helping whether you like it or not."
"Me to" came Alex who had taken that opportunity to speak up. "Where your friends Maria and we don't turn our backs on friends." He smiled at her.
"Thank you." Maria said then buried her head further into Michael's chest.
Sean looked at Maria's friends and was happy. This had been the first time he'd seen Maria even the tiniest bit happy. The four of them then sat down to come up with a plan to try and get Maria back her life. Alex started buy removing her files from the Police mainframe and then scanned the paper into Maria's computer to try and see if he could crack it. While he and Sean were doing this, Maria and Michael were in the kitchen getting something to eat.
"Maria can we talk?" Maria turned to Michael and put down the knife she was holding to cut the cheese with.
"Yeah"
"Look, I'm sorry I went behind your back but you got to understand Maria I love you and I just wanted to know what was going on, then I saw Sean and thought he was you boyfriend and got mad so I needed to know. Please don't be mad." Michael pleaded.
"I'm not mad Michael" Maria said.
"Your not?" Michael asked confused.
"No, I was but I'm not anymore. I'm just so tired of running and of trying to keep these feeling I have for you away. I don't want to do that anymore but I also don't want to see you get hurt" Maria said while starting to cry again.
Michael got up and stood in front of her. He lifted her chin with his fingers and kissed her gently. Maria kissed him back then they both pulled away. "Maria, I told you I'm not going anywhere and if I get hurt it won't be your fault ok. I'm in this for the long haul. I love you."
"I love you too" Maria said before crushing her lips to his in a passionate kiss.
"Hey guys----, whoops" Alex said when he had once again interrupted them in an intimate moment.
"Great timing as always Alex" Michael growled sarcastically at his friend. Maria playfully slapped his chest.
"What were you saying Alex" Maria smiled at him.
Alex blushed and said "I think we cracked it."
Maria looked at Michael and kissed him softly on the lips before following Alex to her room. As Michael went to follow he was stopped by Sean.
"If you hurt her I will kill you." He said and the look in his eyes ment it.
"If I hurt her I'd do it myself" Michael said calmly. "But don't worry, I have no intention of hurting her. She's the best thing to happen to me."
Sean looked at him and nodded. "Your ok man. She's lucky to have you. Most of the guys she's tried to date usually give up. But you didn't. Why is that?"
"Dunno, there's just something about her man. But now that I have her I'm not going to let her go!" Michael answered confidently.
Sean seemed pleased with his answer and so he and Michael went upstairs to find out what's on this important piece of paper.
******************
"She's in Roswell, New Mexico."
"Where the Aliens are?"
"Yep. We found her, Oh and it turns out that annoying cousin of hers is with her. And a new boyfriend."
"Great we leave in 3 days. I want that letter."
CHAPTER 17
Alex printed out the formally encoded piece of paper. When he looked at it he gasped.
"What?" Maria asked
Alex handed her the paper and Maria gasped as well.
"What the hell does it say?" Sean yelled getting frustrated.
"It's a letter. Well more of a message" said Maria still enchanted by what ever was on it
"Well hell woman read it out" Sean said still frustrated that he wasn't receiving answers.
Maria glared at him then started to read it aloud.
Dear Frankie,
We have acquired what you wanted. Don't worry it's all clean and no one but us know where it is. By the time you will have received this we will have long gone. Probably even dead, but because we owe you we did this last thing for you. We are even now and no longer do you have the right to call upon us. Our favour to you has been repaid in full.
The location in which we buried the stuff is in Roswell, New Mexico. Alien capital of the world. My partner here thought it was funny. Anyway it's buried out near the 'rock that points to the sky' or so the Indians call it. Don't worry you can't miss it. Once you get to the rock go directly beneath the top of the point so when you look up you see the point and walk 23 steps south west. It is buried there and waiting to be collected.
I know this will help you out of the trouble you have gotten yourself into. Tell no one of where you found it or how you got it. If by chance this letter doesn't reach you then my sympathies are with you and I pray for you. But our end of the deal is up. We have fulfilled our duty and the rest is up to you.
Goodbye old friend.
Maria finished reading the letter.
"Whatever it is it's illegal" Alex stated.
"Thankyou Captain Obvious." Sean said sarcastically.
Alex glared at him. "I know where the rock is, it's not far from here." He said to Maria.
Maria however wasn't listening but was still staring at the letter. Michael walked up to her and put his arms around her waist. Maria melted at his touch and pressed her back further into his chest, taking in his strength and comfort. "Don't worry babe." He whispered into her ear. "We'll find whatever's out there and see what we can do about it. It's going to be ok." Maria shivered at Michaels conviction. She believed him. She had to, it was all she had left to go on.
Maria looked into his eyes and kissed his jaw gently and said "Thankyou."
Michael looked down at his angel and asked "What for?"
"For sticking by me. Not running away. But you still can I mean, your not in it that far and you can still---" Maria's babbling was silenced with a kiss.
"I thought we already went through this. I'm not leaving so get used to it." Michael ended his statement with a passionate kiss but before it got to heavy they were interrupted by a cough.
Michael glared at Alex who walked to the other side of the room damning Sean for making him be the one to, once again, interrupt a private moment. Maria laughed and kissed Michael on the cheek.
"So should we go to this rock and see what's out there.?" Maria asked.
"Hell yeah." Sean yelled. "I wanna know what is so god damn important that this Frankie guy thinks it's ok to kill Ria for."
It was then decided by all that they were going to go to the rock tomorrow night and dig up whatever is there. Alex left as it was getting late once again promising that he was not going to tell a living soul due to Sean's Threat of death. Sean also left as he was catching up with an old friend and staying over there place tonight, And as this friend was female Sean claimed he wanted one last hoorah before he went out and looked for something that could potentially lead to his death.
"Oh we wouldn't want you to die of Sexual frustration now do we Sean" Maria smirked.
"Bite me Deluca" Sean yelled as he walked to his car, then before he left he yelled out to Michael "Remember what it said."
Michael nodded once ignoring the looks he was receiving from Maria and Sean pulled out of the driveway. "What was that all about?" Maria asked
"Nothing important" Michael answered innocently while shutting the front door. Maria rolled her eyes and Michael tickled her.
"No Michael stop please" Maria pleaded but it all came out in laughs as Michael had pinned her to the floor.
"Not until you say Michael is a god and you will serve him for eternity." Michael said while still tickling her. 'Hmmm now that could work'
"Not on you life Guerin" Maria said but then was assaulted with more tickles. She was laughing so hard tears were running down her face. She gave up.
"Ok ok, Michael is a god" She said hoping he'd forget the rest but unfortunately didn't.
"Nu uh, Michael is a god aaaannd" Michael said enjoying the fell of her squirming under him
"And I will serve him for eternity." Maria said then hit Michael when he stopped. "You're a jerk"
"I may be a jerk but I'm gonna hold you to that." He said while brushing a piece of hair from her face.
Maria looked at him and was about to retort but then thought better of it thinking it probably wouldn't be to bad. She looked into his eyes and saw nothing but desire, lust and love.
"Maria" Michael whispered huskily
"Michael" Maria whispered back just as his lips descended onto hers.
The kiss started off slow and gentle but turned more needy and passionate. They pulled away out of breath and Michael thought she looked so incredibly beautiful with tousled hair and swollen lips.
"Let's take this upstairs" Maria said seductively in Michaels ear before latching her mouth on his neck.
Michael was stunned then looked at her and asked her if she was sure. Maria nodded and Michael picked her up from the floor and carried her up to her awaiting bed.
"I love you Maria" Michael said as he gently lowered her.
"I love you too Michael" Maria responded then kissed Michael with all the love she could. Michael hungrily accepted the kiss and proceeded in removing her of her clothes.
When they got to Maria's house they went to the living room and sat down. Michael noticed that Maria started to look scared. 'She must really not want us to know' he thought.
"Ok, before we tell you anything you need to promise that this information will not leave this room. You do not talk about it amongst yourselves and you definitely do not let anyone else know. Got it? " Sean said forcefully.
Both Michael and Alex agreed and Sean signalled to Maria that she could start.
"Ok, I suppose it started when my father left. I was 6 and he had just left my mother and me. He never told us why or where he was going he just took off. Anyway 3 years ago he came back. God I was so happy yet mad at the same time. I mean he left me" Maria said remembering the first time she had seen him since he left.
"It turned out that he had no choice but to leave my mom and me. You see, my dad got into some bad stuff, illegal stuff when he was working with a guy named Frankie Bono. Anyway my dad decided to have a look at the stuff Frankie was making him ship and my dad found all these files."
"What was on the files?" Alex asked.
"Stuff that could put Frankie and his crew in jail." Sean explained
"Then why didn't your father use them?" asked Michael
Maria continued her story. "Frankie found out that my dad had looked at the files and fired him and told him that if he told anyone he'd kill me and my mom. So dad said he'd never say anything but Frankie then told him to leave and never try and contact us ever again. Anyway it turned out that before my father left he took some of the files with him and Frankie had been looking for him from then on. Then 3 years ago he came back with the stolen files. My mom tried to convince him to go to the police with them but he said he couldn't coz Frankie had said that he'd kill us. About 1 month later my father died from cancer." Maria started to cry and Sean went to comfort her.
Maria sniffed then continued." When he died My mother and I got a message from Frankie saying if we didn't hand over the files he'd kill us so my mother gave them back without realising that my father had left one in my bedroom inside the cover of a book. Frankie left and I found the paper. On the back my dad had written a note saying that I must never let this get into the hands of anyone. So I kept it a secret. But 6 months later when I got home from school my mother and I found the house ransacked. I knew Frankie had been there looking but I carry that piece of paper with me wherever I go."
"What's on this paper?" Asked Michael
"We don't know it's encrypted and we can't work it out." Sean said
"Anyway" Maria continued "My mother and I decided to leave. My mother was always rich so we always had money but when my father died he had $37 million to his name and left it all to me so that's where that came from and the reason I work at the Crashdown is because I cannot use a bankcard or leave my signature on anything so I need cash. Anyway so we moved to Chicago. When I was living there I met up with Sean and told him to try and see if he could help me. So we broke into every government facility that would have any files on me and erased them so that Frankie could not find me. While living there I fell in love with a boy named Steven. He, like you-" She looked pointedly at Michael.
"---Wanted to know what I was hiding. So I told him and he began to help me to. But a year ago Frankie found us and asked for the paper but I wouldn't give it to him. I had promised my father. So Frankie pulled out a gun and shot Steven in the chest and told me it was a warning. He died in my arms"
Maria started sobbing and this time Michael went to her. He held her to his chest while whispering that it's gonna be alright in her ear to try to calm her down. Maria finally calmed down a little and pulled out of Michaels arms much to his disappointment.
"Steven died because I let him know this. I let him get involved. And that's the reason I didn't want you knowing" Maria told Michael.
"Anyway, after that we moved to New York but then we got word that Frankie had tracked me down so I convinced my mother I needed a fresh start, a new life and she agreed so we moved here while Sean stayed there to try and throw them off my trail. So that's my secret. And the reason I didn't want you knowing is because I don't want to see you hurt or worse dead. Being involved with me is dangerous and it's just best if you stay away from me." Maria cried.
Michael went over to her and tried to pull her to him, she tried to get away but Michael wasn't having that. "Maria I'm glad I know. Now I can help you. We'll find out what's on the paper and why Frankie wants it so bad."
"No Michael, weren't you listening to me. I don't want you involved. I don't want to see you dead. I love you to much." Maria yelled.
Michael looked at her shocked then hugged her. "I love you Maria and I'm staying. I'm not going to leave you or this situation coz it might endanger me. You are what matters here Maria. I'm helping whether you like it or not."
"Me to" came Alex who had taken that opportunity to speak up. "Where your friends Maria and we don't turn our backs on friends." He smiled at her.
"Thank you." Maria said then buried her head further into Michael's chest.
Sean looked at Maria's friends and was happy. This had been the first time he'd seen Maria even the tiniest bit happy. The four of them then sat down to come up with a plan to try and get Maria back her life. Alex started buy removing her files from the Police mainframe and then scanned the paper into Maria's computer to try and see if he could crack it. While he and Sean were doing this, Maria and Michael were in the kitchen getting something to eat.
"Maria can we talk?" Maria turned to Michael and put down the knife she was holding to cut the cheese with.
"Yeah"
"Look, I'm sorry I went behind your back but you got to understand Maria I love you and I just wanted to know what was going on, then I saw Sean and thought he was you boyfriend and got mad so I needed to know. Please don't be mad." Michael pleaded.
"I'm not mad Michael" Maria said.
"Your not?" Michael asked confused.
"No, I was but I'm not anymore. I'm just so tired of running and of trying to keep these feeling I have for you away. I don't want to do that anymore but I also don't want to see you get hurt" Maria said while starting to cry again.
Michael got up and stood in front of her. He lifted her chin with his fingers and kissed her gently. Maria kissed him back then they both pulled away. "Maria, I told you I'm not going anywhere and if I get hurt it won't be your fault ok. I'm in this for the long haul. I love you."
"I love you too" Maria said before crushing her lips to his in a passionate kiss.
"Hey guys----, whoops" Alex said when he had once again interrupted them in an intimate moment.
"Great timing as always Alex" Michael growled sarcastically at his friend. Maria playfully slapped his chest.
"What were you saying Alex" Maria smiled at him.
Alex blushed and said "I think we cracked it."
Maria looked at Michael and kissed him softly on the lips before following Alex to her room. As Michael went to follow he was stopped by Sean.
"If you hurt her I will kill you." He said and the look in his eyes ment it.
"If I hurt her I'd do it myself" Michael said calmly. "But don't worry, I have no intention of hurting her. She's the best thing to happen to me."
Sean looked at him and nodded. "Your ok man. She's lucky to have you. Most of the guys she's tried to date usually give up. But you didn't. Why is that?"
"Dunno, there's just something about her man. But now that I have her I'm not going to let her go!" Michael answered confidently.
Sean seemed pleased with his answer and so he and Michael went upstairs to find out what's on this important piece of paper.
******************
"She's in Roswell, New Mexico."
"Where the Aliens are?"
"Yep. We found her, Oh and it turns out that annoying cousin of hers is with her. And a new boyfriend."
"Great we leave in 3 days. I want that letter."
CHAPTER 17
Alex printed out the formally encoded piece of paper. When he looked at it he gasped.
"What?" Maria asked
Alex handed her the paper and Maria gasped as well.
"What the hell does it say?" Sean yelled getting frustrated.
"It's a letter. Well more of a message" said Maria still enchanted by what ever was on it
"Well hell woman read it out" Sean said still frustrated that he wasn't receiving answers.
Maria glared at him then started to read it aloud.
Dear Frankie,
We have acquired what you wanted. Don't worry it's all clean and no one but us know where it is. By the time you will have received this we will have long gone. Probably even dead, but because we owe you we did this last thing for you. We are even now and no longer do you have the right to call upon us. Our favour to you has been repaid in full.
The location in which we buried the stuff is in Roswell, New Mexico. Alien capital of the world. My partner here thought it was funny. Anyway it's buried out near the 'rock that points to the sky' or so the Indians call it. Don't worry you can't miss it. Once you get to the rock go directly beneath the top of the point so when you look up you see the point and walk 23 steps south west. It is buried there and waiting to be collected.
I know this will help you out of the trouble you have gotten yourself into. Tell no one of where you found it or how you got it. If by chance this letter doesn't reach you then my sympathies are with you and I pray for you. But our end of the deal is up. We have fulfilled our duty and the rest is up to you.
Goodbye old friend.
Maria finished reading the letter.
"Whatever it is it's illegal" Alex stated.
"Thankyou Captain Obvious." Sean said sarcastically.
Alex glared at him. "I know where the rock is, it's not far from here." He said to Maria.
Maria however wasn't listening but was still staring at the letter. Michael walked up to her and put his arms around her waist. Maria melted at his touch and pressed her back further into his chest, taking in his strength and comfort. "Don't worry babe." He whispered into her ear. "We'll find whatever's out there and see what we can do about it. It's going to be ok." Maria shivered at Michaels conviction. She believed him. She had to, it was all she had left to go on.
Maria looked into his eyes and kissed his jaw gently and said "Thankyou."
Michael looked down at his angel and asked "What for?"
"For sticking by me. Not running away. But you still can I mean, your not in it that far and you can still---" Maria's babbling was silenced with a kiss.
"I thought we already went through this. I'm not leaving so get used to it." Michael ended his statement with a passionate kiss but before it got to heavy they were interrupted by a cough.
Michael glared at Alex who walked to the other side of the room damning Sean for making him be the one to, once again, interrupt a private moment. Maria laughed and kissed Michael on the cheek.
"So should we go to this rock and see what's out there.?" Maria asked.
"Hell yeah." Sean yelled. "I wanna know what is so god damn important that this Frankie guy thinks it's ok to kill Ria for."
It was then decided by all that they were going to go to the rock tomorrow night and dig up whatever is there. Alex left as it was getting late once again promising that he was not going to tell a living soul due to Sean's Threat of death. Sean also left as he was catching up with an old friend and staying over there place tonight, And as this friend was female Sean claimed he wanted one last hoorah before he went out and looked for something that could potentially lead to his death.
"Oh we wouldn't want you to die of Sexual frustration now do we Sean" Maria smirked.
"Bite me Deluca" Sean yelled as he walked to his car, then before he left he yelled out to Michael "Remember what it said."
Michael nodded once ignoring the looks he was receiving from Maria and Sean pulled out of the driveway. "What was that all about?" Maria asked
"Nothing important" Michael answered innocently while shutting the front door. Maria rolled her eyes and Michael tickled her.
"No Michael stop please" Maria pleaded but it all came out in laughs as Michael had pinned her to the floor.
"Not until you say Michael is a god and you will serve him for eternity." Michael said while still tickling her. 'Hmmm now that could work'
"Not on you life Guerin" Maria said but then was assaulted with more tickles. She was laughing so hard tears were running down her face. She gave up.
"Ok ok, Michael is a god" She said hoping he'd forget the rest but unfortunately didn't.
"Nu uh, Michael is a god aaaannd" Michael said enjoying the fell of her squirming under him
"And I will serve him for eternity." Maria said then hit Michael when he stopped. "You're a jerk"
"I may be a jerk but I'm gonna hold you to that." He said while brushing a piece of hair from her face.
Maria looked at him and was about to retort but then thought better of it thinking it probably wouldn't be to bad. She looked into his eyes and saw nothing but desire, lust and love.
"Maria" Michael whispered huskily
"Michael" Maria whispered back just as his lips descended onto hers.
The kiss started off slow and gentle but turned more needy and passionate. They pulled away out of breath and Michael thought she looked so incredibly beautiful with tousled hair and swollen lips.
"Let's take this upstairs" Maria said seductively in Michaels ear before latching her mouth on his neck.
Michael was stunned then looked at her and asked her if she was sure. Maria nodded and Michael picked her up from the floor and carried her up to her awaiting bed.
"I love you Maria" Michael said as he gently lowered her.
"I love you too Michael" Maria responded then kissed Michael with all the love she could. Michael hungrily accepted the kiss and proceeded in removing her of her clothes.