--Chapter 34-
The car chase goes on for a while, but is forced to a stop on the bare desert highway when Max's car is blocked in on all sides, and he is finally forced to pull over to the side. Max and Isabel, with Michael in the backseat- look at each other. In the background they hear the other cars squeal to a stop and the opening and slamming of car doors.
"One for all and all for one." Isabel says, putting her hand over her brother's. She glances back at Michael and he raises his head and looks at her, a wealth of conflicting emotions inside him, he puts his hand on top.
"Come out, come out, dear prey." They hear Adam shout in the near-distance behind their car.
They all three get out slowly and face Adam, Victoria and the few of Adam's men that were left. By this time, Saelar had joined them as well, from another car.
"You can't win this." Adam said to them.
Michael, ignoring him, his gaze focused on Victoria said, "You are like us?! No." He stopped and said, "Not like us really. You're evil. You're a part of this. And you're just like him." Victoria could not look up and face his accusing glare, full of loathing. She kept her head bowed, looking to the ground, silently.
"Why yes. 'Like father like daughter' you know. I am quite proud of her. She's helped me a great deal. In fact, without her help, I'm not so certain I could have gotten you three here, just here, today in the palm of my hands, nearly powerless in my grasp."
Victoria winced, wishing at that moment that the tiny cracks in the desert floor would open and swallow her whole.
"Surrender yourselves to me and you'll live and there will be very little pain in your future." -Adam.
"Never." Max said and he and Isabel and Michael started to use their powers on Adam and the others. Two more of Adam's men went down and Victoria was able to be seized by Max while Adam had taken cover on the back side of the biggest car.
"If you value her life at all, you'll let us go." Max said, holding Victoria against him. The gunfire stopped and Adam stood up from the side of the car."
"You'll not get away." -Adam.
"Then she dies." Michael announced. This shocked even Victoria.
Adam says, not completely sure now, "I think not. If *you* value *their* lives," As Adam says this, a struggling Maria and Liz are dragged from the furthest car.
Max looks up as do the other two, stunned, having not been aware that the two girls had even been abducted.
"A trade." Adam demanded. "My girl for these worthless ones."
Max let go of Victoria and Liz and Maria started to cross sides, with Victoria heading to the opposite, when Michael grabbed Victoria's arm and pulled her back roughly. She looked up at him.
"How could you play me like that?! You are a selfish, backstabbing whore who I thought I loved. It was all a lie." -Michael.
Victoria started to cry and Michael unleashed more anger. "Do you have any idea how much I hate you? If I die the next moment, so help me, I will die hating you."
Michael looks at her with utter contempt, pain in his eyes amidst the anger. He was about to strike her when she cries, "No, Michael!"
He slaps her to the ground anyway and holds his hand out over her, about to use his powers on her.
Everyone feels the moment, as it seems their reality is encased in a slow- motion moment.
Victoria senses something and she turns her head and sees Adam about to shoot Michael to stop him from killing her. Victoria was far too valuable a pawn to Adam for him to just let her be destroyed.
In that instant, Victoria jumps up and shields Michael with herself.
Pain engulfs her being when the bullet hits and she falls to the ground. Michael, Adam and everyone else on both sides are shocked into silence. A short eerie silence follows, during which Saelar is not even noticed as he takes a last glimpse of the fallen girl before leaving quietly.
Adam is left by himself now, the only one standing on his side at this point. Max, Michael and Isabel use their powers collectively on Adam and he is disintegrated. Barely a moment of stunned silence follows, while Adam Winthrop's ashes scatter about in the slight desert breeze, when Jim Valenti, Jesse and a weak Kyle pull up in the ex-sheriff's bronco.
Everyone gather around a bit as Michael kneels down to Victoria. She opens her eyes and focuses on him. "I." She wanted to say she loved him, she wanted to say she was sorry, she wanted to say so much, but she couldn't form the words.
"Michael, we need to get the girl to the hospital." Jim Valenti said, coming up behind him. "I'm pretty certain she's, uh, pregnant." Everyone was shocked all over again at his words. He cleared his throat and gave a hasty, quick explanation of why he thought so, about the time he'd seen her in the bookstore reading all those books on pregnancy.
"Is it. true?" Michael almost whispered his question to Victoria. She could only look into his eyes and nod. Michael just stares at her. Still dazed, he picks her up and heads to Max's car.
Max follows silently, getting into the driver's seat with Isabel beside him. Everyone else heads to Jim Valenti's bronco.
Maria starts to go after Michael, but Jim holds her back.
On the rest of the way home, Michael holds Victoria in the backseat, feeling helpless as they head back to Roswell.
- -End of "A Shadow of Fate"- - Sequel fiction to follow, beginning soon. Look for "One More Moment in Time." -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Thank you! I appreciate those who have reviewed and emailed me on this story throughout it's progress. I hope you follow the next one, as well.
The car chase goes on for a while, but is forced to a stop on the bare desert highway when Max's car is blocked in on all sides, and he is finally forced to pull over to the side. Max and Isabel, with Michael in the backseat- look at each other. In the background they hear the other cars squeal to a stop and the opening and slamming of car doors.
"One for all and all for one." Isabel says, putting her hand over her brother's. She glances back at Michael and he raises his head and looks at her, a wealth of conflicting emotions inside him, he puts his hand on top.
"Come out, come out, dear prey." They hear Adam shout in the near-distance behind their car.
They all three get out slowly and face Adam, Victoria and the few of Adam's men that were left. By this time, Saelar had joined them as well, from another car.
"You can't win this." Adam said to them.
Michael, ignoring him, his gaze focused on Victoria said, "You are like us?! No." He stopped and said, "Not like us really. You're evil. You're a part of this. And you're just like him." Victoria could not look up and face his accusing glare, full of loathing. She kept her head bowed, looking to the ground, silently.
"Why yes. 'Like father like daughter' you know. I am quite proud of her. She's helped me a great deal. In fact, without her help, I'm not so certain I could have gotten you three here, just here, today in the palm of my hands, nearly powerless in my grasp."
Victoria winced, wishing at that moment that the tiny cracks in the desert floor would open and swallow her whole.
"Surrender yourselves to me and you'll live and there will be very little pain in your future." -Adam.
"Never." Max said and he and Isabel and Michael started to use their powers on Adam and the others. Two more of Adam's men went down and Victoria was able to be seized by Max while Adam had taken cover on the back side of the biggest car.
"If you value her life at all, you'll let us go." Max said, holding Victoria against him. The gunfire stopped and Adam stood up from the side of the car."
"You'll not get away." -Adam.
"Then she dies." Michael announced. This shocked even Victoria.
Adam says, not completely sure now, "I think not. If *you* value *their* lives," As Adam says this, a struggling Maria and Liz are dragged from the furthest car.
Max looks up as do the other two, stunned, having not been aware that the two girls had even been abducted.
"A trade." Adam demanded. "My girl for these worthless ones."
Max let go of Victoria and Liz and Maria started to cross sides, with Victoria heading to the opposite, when Michael grabbed Victoria's arm and pulled her back roughly. She looked up at him.
"How could you play me like that?! You are a selfish, backstabbing whore who I thought I loved. It was all a lie." -Michael.
Victoria started to cry and Michael unleashed more anger. "Do you have any idea how much I hate you? If I die the next moment, so help me, I will die hating you."
Michael looks at her with utter contempt, pain in his eyes amidst the anger. He was about to strike her when she cries, "No, Michael!"
He slaps her to the ground anyway and holds his hand out over her, about to use his powers on her.
Everyone feels the moment, as it seems their reality is encased in a slow- motion moment.
Victoria senses something and she turns her head and sees Adam about to shoot Michael to stop him from killing her. Victoria was far too valuable a pawn to Adam for him to just let her be destroyed.
In that instant, Victoria jumps up and shields Michael with herself.
Pain engulfs her being when the bullet hits and she falls to the ground. Michael, Adam and everyone else on both sides are shocked into silence. A short eerie silence follows, during which Saelar is not even noticed as he takes a last glimpse of the fallen girl before leaving quietly.
Adam is left by himself now, the only one standing on his side at this point. Max, Michael and Isabel use their powers collectively on Adam and he is disintegrated. Barely a moment of stunned silence follows, while Adam Winthrop's ashes scatter about in the slight desert breeze, when Jim Valenti, Jesse and a weak Kyle pull up in the ex-sheriff's bronco.
Everyone gather around a bit as Michael kneels down to Victoria. She opens her eyes and focuses on him. "I." She wanted to say she loved him, she wanted to say she was sorry, she wanted to say so much, but she couldn't form the words.
"Michael, we need to get the girl to the hospital." Jim Valenti said, coming up behind him. "I'm pretty certain she's, uh, pregnant." Everyone was shocked all over again at his words. He cleared his throat and gave a hasty, quick explanation of why he thought so, about the time he'd seen her in the bookstore reading all those books on pregnancy.
"Is it. true?" Michael almost whispered his question to Victoria. She could only look into his eyes and nod. Michael just stares at her. Still dazed, he picks her up and heads to Max's car.
Max follows silently, getting into the driver's seat with Isabel beside him. Everyone else heads to Jim Valenti's bronco.
Maria starts to go after Michael, but Jim holds her back.
On the rest of the way home, Michael holds Victoria in the backseat, feeling helpless as they head back to Roswell.
- -End of "A Shadow of Fate"- - Sequel fiction to follow, beginning soon. Look for "One More Moment in Time." -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Thank you! I appreciate those who have reviewed and emailed me on this story throughout it's progress. I hope you follow the next one, as well.