Michael, still trying to recover from his injuries, and Max, worn from the
battle he'd just fought to save Michael, inched their way across the floor
to lean against the wall of the hallway. They clung to each other for
support and prayed the approaching company was Isabel and Maria.
"Liz," Max breathed.
Liz stood entranced staring down the hallway at the visitor. She turned briefly to look at Max and Michael and knew they were in no condition to help. Somehow, Liz wasn't terribly disappointed by their exhaustion. In fact, ever since she'd learned Jackson was the kidnapper, she'd had an aching need to deal with him personally. Finally, being of sound mind without his emotional or physical abuse, Liz had the opportunity to take him on.
She grinned at Max's tired eyes and whispered, "I've got this one."
Liz thought quickly and knew she must establish control of the situation before Jackson. She quickly looked around and found a wooden plank used to second-lock the exit doors. Liz took the plank and positioned herself out of view.
Max and Michael both realized the cause for Liz's state as Jackson rounded the corner and joined them in the hallway.
Instinct, self-defense, or perhaps pure hatred took over and Liz swung the plank with every ounce of strength she could muster. She shrieked once as the board came into contact with the back of Jackson's skull.
Jackson grabbed his head and fell forward. The blow had been painful, but not strong enough to knock him unconscious.
Liz continued to hold the plank high in the air, poised and ready to swing again if Jackson presented any kind of threat to her or her friends.
"Liz?" Jackson muttered as he looked up at his attacker.
Liz spoke no words, but her eyes said enough. She glared at Jackson and nonverbally expressed her disappointment, her feeling of betrayal, her utter disgust for him and his doings, and her need for revenge.
Jackson smirked at Liz and backed up to lean against the wall. "Well, well. Little Liz Parker. Long time no see."
"I'm not here to make small talk," Liz growled.
"Then why are you here?" Jackson countered.
Liz knew him all too well. She knew his tactics. And she recognized his reversal technique. She knew that Jackson would try to turn the tables. Still, Liz refused to allow him even the briefest moment of control.
"I will ask the questions," Liz said still holding the plank in the air.
"Fire away," Jackson said grinning.
Liz did not like Jackson's response. She felt as thought he were still trying to be in charge. as if giving her permission to ask questions. Liz chose to move forward with the interrogation anyway.
"Why are you doing this?" Liz asked.
Jackson, rubbing his aching head, answered, "Because you hit me in the head with that freaking board."
From across the hallway, Michael snarled, "Answer her question."
"Or what?" Jackson countered. "Or else you'll blast me the way you did the guards?" He met Michael's eyes. "The way I figure, if you were going to do that, you would have done it by now. You wouldn't have let this girl here swing on me knowing I could take her any second." Jackson looked back at Liz and finished his thought. "Either that, or you could simply care less about her."
Choosing to ignore Jackson's attempted jab, Liz asked another question. "Why did you take Hope?"
Jackson sighed and shook his head. "Liz, doll, there's way more complication here than your pretty little head could possibly understand."
Liz immediately recognized Jackson's new tactic. He was trying to belittle her the way he did when they were together. He was trying to make her feel unintelligent and unworthy of sharing in his intellect.
"You know," Liz smiled. "Five years ago, I may have taken you at your word and believed your brainwashing. But, I am well past that point now. So, when you say foolish things like that, all I see is a tiny man - a tiny man knocking others down to build up himself. It's a real shame your self- confidence is so minuscule that you have to resort to such immature methods in a lowly attempt to restore your self-worth. But then, you would have needed some inkling of self-worth to begin with in order to."
"I see your new friends own a dictionary," Jackson interrupted Liz's rant. "Come now, Liz. You don't really mean the things your saying."
"Yes, I do." Liz spoke. "I mean every word and then some. But this isn't about your lack of faith in me. This is about Hope, Maria and Michael."
Jackson looked at Liz completely stunned. After a moment, he chuckled and began to speak. "What did you think I did all those years, Liz? You actually believed I sat behind a desk in some boring office?" Jackson rubbed his aching head and laughed. "I've been with the FBI since before we even met. I couldn't tell you. That was just part of my job. But finding out your little friend had a few tricks up her sleeve. now that was interesting. That little bit of information moved me up the ladder in a hurry. And who's Maria?"
"What tricks?" Liz asked.
"Don't play dumb, Liz. You proved the ignorant theory wrong with your little tirade earlier. Besides, I like this Liz," Jackson smiled. "It's kinda sexy." Jackson reached out to touch Liz's ankle.
On impulse, Liz swung the board in her hands and successfully knocked Jackson's hand away before he could touch her.
"Damn, Liz!" Jackson shouted and cradled his throbbing wrist. "You could have broken my wrist!"
"I owe you more," Liz said. "Now - I asked you what tricks?"
Max leaned closer to Michael and whispered, "He's right."
Michael looked inquisitively at his friend not understanding how Max could agree with anything Jackson might have to say.
Max continued, "She is sexy when she goes off."
Michael raised his eyebrows at Max and chocked back his surprise. "This is not the time, Max."
"The tricks," Jackson spoke angrily while still holding his wrist, "were the little acts Hope did while she thought no one was watching. She put on quite a show when looking for cartoons on the hospital television."
"Why were you at the hospital?" Liz asked.
"What is this? Twenty questions?" Jackson smirked.
From across the hallway, Max shouted, "Swing again!"
Liz, Jackson and Michael all looked at Max with wide eyes.
Max slumped and apologized. "Sorry. I got caught up in the moment."
Jackson laughed. "I like him." He stopped laughing and looked back at Liz. "Okay. So, why was I at the hospital? Actually, it was completely coincidental that I was there. I was meeting an informant to follow up on a lead, completely unrelated, when I looked up and saw you bust out of a stairwell and into the hall. Imagine my surprise."
"So you followed me," Liz said.
"That sounds so. spy-like. I prefer to say that I investigated your arrival. Anyway, yeah, I followed you. And I discovered the tricks of which your little friend was capable."
"So?" Liz prodded for more information.
"So, what?" Jackson asked. "So, I knew what that kind of discovery could do for my career. There were rumors of a so-called E.T. team a while back. But they were disbanded after never finding hard evidence. I figured little Hope was my hard evidence and my ticket to leading up such a team."
"And Maria?" Liz asked.
"I never took anyone named Maria," Jackson said shaking his head.
"Hope's mother, Jackson," Liz pushed. "Why did you take her?"
Jackson explained. "Because I figured Hope was just the lucky recipient of someone else's powers. Mama, of course, had to be doubly as talented. But when I got her here, she never did anything. Not one thing. And we gave her plenty of opportunity and plenty of reason."
"What did you do to her?" Michael asked from across the hallway. "I swear, I'll."
Jackson interrupted. "Oh. How sweet. Even though Dad is a deadbeat father, he apparently loves Mommy."
Liz couldn't control herself. She swung her foot and kicked Jackson in the knee.
"What the.?" Jackson shouted. "Liz! Such violence! And that one wasn't even directed toward you." Using his good hand, Jackson rubbed his pounding knee. "We. well, we. inconvenienced her several times in a number of different ways to try to make her use her powers to better her situation. She never did anything. So I concluded one of two things was happening. One - she was being even more stubborn than the little brat she spawned. Or two - she had no powers to use."
"And that's when you wanted Michael." Liz deduced.
"You are much smarter than you look, Liz," Jackson chucked.
"Maria," Michael whispered.
Liz turned to look at Michael and found him staring down the hallway. Liz looked down and saw Isabel bringing Maria towards them. Maria had one arm wrapped over Isabel's shoulder and was straining to take even the smallest steps.
"Max," Isabel said. "You've got to help her."
Max immediately began to stand. He pushed against the wall and struggled to gain balance as his head rushed and spun. He dropped back down to the floor.
Isabel recognized Max's state right away and nodded to Michael to help her carry Maria to Max. Michael found unknown strength and made his way over to Isabel who was spent from fighting Mildred and supporting Maria in their trek back to the exit door.
Isabel and Michael carefully placed Maria on the floor next to Max. Liz, keeping a steady eye on Jackson, knelt next to Max and held Maria's head off the floor.
Max laid one hand on Maria's stomach and said, "Maria. Open your eyes and look at me."
Across the room, Jackson sat in awe of what he was about to witness. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped as he realized he was about to have more proof than he'd ever imagined. "How many of you are there?" Jackson breathed.
Remaining focused on the task at hand, everyone ignored Jackson, with the exception of Liz who kept checking his position to be sure he did not become a threat. However, she worried that if he did try anything that he may be successful. Max and Michael were both only at half strength. Isabel was clearly physically weak from her own battles. Alex was in the car protecting Hope. Liz worried that she was the only one who may be able to defend her friends. She breathed steadily and focused on maintaining her mental preparation to fight if the need presented itself.
Maria blinked her eyes a few times and looked at Max. At each opening of her eyes, Max tried to make a connection. His strength was still weak from healing Michael. Max looked sadly at Michael.
"I can't," he said tearing up and feeling defeated.
"You have to," Michael replied.
Max slowly reached out and took Michael's hand. He laid Michael's hand on Maria's stomach.
Michael's eyes widened with fright when he realized what Max was suggesting. He shook his head and nervously said, "I don't know how."
"I'll help you," Max said. "Ask her to look at you."
Michael was terrified, but he was even more terrified of losing Maria. She needed him and he would give anything for her. He nodded at Max and leaned down to whisper into Maria's ear, "Maria. Please look at me. I need you to look at me."
Maria's eyes lazily fluttered open and finally she locked them with Michael's eyes. Max placed his hand over Michael's hand on Maria's stomach. Michael focused on opening his strength to Max. Max drew from Michael and quickly made a connection with Maria through Michael. The two hands on Maria's stomach began to glow and almost instantly the color in Maria's cheeks began to return.
After a few moments, Michael and Max withdrew their hands and Maria began to sit up. She kept her eyes directed on Michael's. Her brow furrowed and she fought to understand the collage of images that flooded her mind. "You were there," she whispered never looking away from Michael's eyes. "I saw you."
Michael could only smile knowing Maria had returned to him.
"Maria," Liz muttered and threw her arms around Maria's neck. Using her sternest voice, Liz said "Don't ever do that to me again."
"Awww," Jackson spoke sarcastically as he stood. "Sorry to break up your special moment ladies, gents, and aliens. But what you've just allowed me to witness leaves no doubt that I was on the right trail, just barking up the wrong tree. But now that I know."
"Back off, Jackson," Liz spoke standing to face him.
"Honey, I'm not interested in you. It's those three I want. Get out of my way," Jackson said reaching to push Liz out of his way.
When Max realized Jackson was about to touch Liz, he instantly lifted his hand and released a blast of energy that sent Jackson flying backwards and landing against the hard wall on the opposite side of the hallway. Max said, "Thought by now you would have learned your lesson about laying a hand on her."
Michael grinned and patted Max's shoulder. "Nice one."
"Where's Alex?" Isabel asked.
"In the car with Hope," Liz answered.
"Thank God," Maria whispered.
Michael pulled Maria closer to him and they held each other reveling in knowing Hope was finally safe.
"So, what are we waiting on?" Isabel asked. "Let's get out of here."
"Yeah, I don't think so," Jackson said once again lifting himself to his feet. "You didn't really think I'd tell you all that stuff and then let you go now, did you? Come on, Liz, I thought you were smarter than that these days. And as for what I just saw. there's no way you're going anywhere."
"Wrong," a voice boomed from the exit door.
Everyone turned to see Alex holding the gun that was used to shoot Michael.
"Go. Now," Alex spoke firmly pointing the weapon at Jackson.
Everyone began making their way towards the door. One by one, everyone exited through the door until only Isabel and Alex remained.
"Go on," Alex said.
"No," Isabel said shaking her head. "I'll go when you go."
"Liz," Max breathed.
Liz stood entranced staring down the hallway at the visitor. She turned briefly to look at Max and Michael and knew they were in no condition to help. Somehow, Liz wasn't terribly disappointed by their exhaustion. In fact, ever since she'd learned Jackson was the kidnapper, she'd had an aching need to deal with him personally. Finally, being of sound mind without his emotional or physical abuse, Liz had the opportunity to take him on.
She grinned at Max's tired eyes and whispered, "I've got this one."
Liz thought quickly and knew she must establish control of the situation before Jackson. She quickly looked around and found a wooden plank used to second-lock the exit doors. Liz took the plank and positioned herself out of view.
Max and Michael both realized the cause for Liz's state as Jackson rounded the corner and joined them in the hallway.
Instinct, self-defense, or perhaps pure hatred took over and Liz swung the plank with every ounce of strength she could muster. She shrieked once as the board came into contact with the back of Jackson's skull.
Jackson grabbed his head and fell forward. The blow had been painful, but not strong enough to knock him unconscious.
Liz continued to hold the plank high in the air, poised and ready to swing again if Jackson presented any kind of threat to her or her friends.
"Liz?" Jackson muttered as he looked up at his attacker.
Liz spoke no words, but her eyes said enough. She glared at Jackson and nonverbally expressed her disappointment, her feeling of betrayal, her utter disgust for him and his doings, and her need for revenge.
Jackson smirked at Liz and backed up to lean against the wall. "Well, well. Little Liz Parker. Long time no see."
"I'm not here to make small talk," Liz growled.
"Then why are you here?" Jackson countered.
Liz knew him all too well. She knew his tactics. And she recognized his reversal technique. She knew that Jackson would try to turn the tables. Still, Liz refused to allow him even the briefest moment of control.
"I will ask the questions," Liz said still holding the plank in the air.
"Fire away," Jackson said grinning.
Liz did not like Jackson's response. She felt as thought he were still trying to be in charge. as if giving her permission to ask questions. Liz chose to move forward with the interrogation anyway.
"Why are you doing this?" Liz asked.
Jackson, rubbing his aching head, answered, "Because you hit me in the head with that freaking board."
From across the hallway, Michael snarled, "Answer her question."
"Or what?" Jackson countered. "Or else you'll blast me the way you did the guards?" He met Michael's eyes. "The way I figure, if you were going to do that, you would have done it by now. You wouldn't have let this girl here swing on me knowing I could take her any second." Jackson looked back at Liz and finished his thought. "Either that, or you could simply care less about her."
Choosing to ignore Jackson's attempted jab, Liz asked another question. "Why did you take Hope?"
Jackson sighed and shook his head. "Liz, doll, there's way more complication here than your pretty little head could possibly understand."
Liz immediately recognized Jackson's new tactic. He was trying to belittle her the way he did when they were together. He was trying to make her feel unintelligent and unworthy of sharing in his intellect.
"You know," Liz smiled. "Five years ago, I may have taken you at your word and believed your brainwashing. But, I am well past that point now. So, when you say foolish things like that, all I see is a tiny man - a tiny man knocking others down to build up himself. It's a real shame your self- confidence is so minuscule that you have to resort to such immature methods in a lowly attempt to restore your self-worth. But then, you would have needed some inkling of self-worth to begin with in order to."
"I see your new friends own a dictionary," Jackson interrupted Liz's rant. "Come now, Liz. You don't really mean the things your saying."
"Yes, I do." Liz spoke. "I mean every word and then some. But this isn't about your lack of faith in me. This is about Hope, Maria and Michael."
Jackson looked at Liz completely stunned. After a moment, he chuckled and began to speak. "What did you think I did all those years, Liz? You actually believed I sat behind a desk in some boring office?" Jackson rubbed his aching head and laughed. "I've been with the FBI since before we even met. I couldn't tell you. That was just part of my job. But finding out your little friend had a few tricks up her sleeve. now that was interesting. That little bit of information moved me up the ladder in a hurry. And who's Maria?"
"What tricks?" Liz asked.
"Don't play dumb, Liz. You proved the ignorant theory wrong with your little tirade earlier. Besides, I like this Liz," Jackson smiled. "It's kinda sexy." Jackson reached out to touch Liz's ankle.
On impulse, Liz swung the board in her hands and successfully knocked Jackson's hand away before he could touch her.
"Damn, Liz!" Jackson shouted and cradled his throbbing wrist. "You could have broken my wrist!"
"I owe you more," Liz said. "Now - I asked you what tricks?"
Max leaned closer to Michael and whispered, "He's right."
Michael looked inquisitively at his friend not understanding how Max could agree with anything Jackson might have to say.
Max continued, "She is sexy when she goes off."
Michael raised his eyebrows at Max and chocked back his surprise. "This is not the time, Max."
"The tricks," Jackson spoke angrily while still holding his wrist, "were the little acts Hope did while she thought no one was watching. She put on quite a show when looking for cartoons on the hospital television."
"Why were you at the hospital?" Liz asked.
"What is this? Twenty questions?" Jackson smirked.
From across the hallway, Max shouted, "Swing again!"
Liz, Jackson and Michael all looked at Max with wide eyes.
Max slumped and apologized. "Sorry. I got caught up in the moment."
Jackson laughed. "I like him." He stopped laughing and looked back at Liz. "Okay. So, why was I at the hospital? Actually, it was completely coincidental that I was there. I was meeting an informant to follow up on a lead, completely unrelated, when I looked up and saw you bust out of a stairwell and into the hall. Imagine my surprise."
"So you followed me," Liz said.
"That sounds so. spy-like. I prefer to say that I investigated your arrival. Anyway, yeah, I followed you. And I discovered the tricks of which your little friend was capable."
"So?" Liz prodded for more information.
"So, what?" Jackson asked. "So, I knew what that kind of discovery could do for my career. There were rumors of a so-called E.T. team a while back. But they were disbanded after never finding hard evidence. I figured little Hope was my hard evidence and my ticket to leading up such a team."
"And Maria?" Liz asked.
"I never took anyone named Maria," Jackson said shaking his head.
"Hope's mother, Jackson," Liz pushed. "Why did you take her?"
Jackson explained. "Because I figured Hope was just the lucky recipient of someone else's powers. Mama, of course, had to be doubly as talented. But when I got her here, she never did anything. Not one thing. And we gave her plenty of opportunity and plenty of reason."
"What did you do to her?" Michael asked from across the hallway. "I swear, I'll."
Jackson interrupted. "Oh. How sweet. Even though Dad is a deadbeat father, he apparently loves Mommy."
Liz couldn't control herself. She swung her foot and kicked Jackson in the knee.
"What the.?" Jackson shouted. "Liz! Such violence! And that one wasn't even directed toward you." Using his good hand, Jackson rubbed his pounding knee. "We. well, we. inconvenienced her several times in a number of different ways to try to make her use her powers to better her situation. She never did anything. So I concluded one of two things was happening. One - she was being even more stubborn than the little brat she spawned. Or two - she had no powers to use."
"And that's when you wanted Michael." Liz deduced.
"You are much smarter than you look, Liz," Jackson chucked.
"Maria," Michael whispered.
Liz turned to look at Michael and found him staring down the hallway. Liz looked down and saw Isabel bringing Maria towards them. Maria had one arm wrapped over Isabel's shoulder and was straining to take even the smallest steps.
"Max," Isabel said. "You've got to help her."
Max immediately began to stand. He pushed against the wall and struggled to gain balance as his head rushed and spun. He dropped back down to the floor.
Isabel recognized Max's state right away and nodded to Michael to help her carry Maria to Max. Michael found unknown strength and made his way over to Isabel who was spent from fighting Mildred and supporting Maria in their trek back to the exit door.
Isabel and Michael carefully placed Maria on the floor next to Max. Liz, keeping a steady eye on Jackson, knelt next to Max and held Maria's head off the floor.
Max laid one hand on Maria's stomach and said, "Maria. Open your eyes and look at me."
Across the room, Jackson sat in awe of what he was about to witness. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped as he realized he was about to have more proof than he'd ever imagined. "How many of you are there?" Jackson breathed.
Remaining focused on the task at hand, everyone ignored Jackson, with the exception of Liz who kept checking his position to be sure he did not become a threat. However, she worried that if he did try anything that he may be successful. Max and Michael were both only at half strength. Isabel was clearly physically weak from her own battles. Alex was in the car protecting Hope. Liz worried that she was the only one who may be able to defend her friends. She breathed steadily and focused on maintaining her mental preparation to fight if the need presented itself.
Maria blinked her eyes a few times and looked at Max. At each opening of her eyes, Max tried to make a connection. His strength was still weak from healing Michael. Max looked sadly at Michael.
"I can't," he said tearing up and feeling defeated.
"You have to," Michael replied.
Max slowly reached out and took Michael's hand. He laid Michael's hand on Maria's stomach.
Michael's eyes widened with fright when he realized what Max was suggesting. He shook his head and nervously said, "I don't know how."
"I'll help you," Max said. "Ask her to look at you."
Michael was terrified, but he was even more terrified of losing Maria. She needed him and he would give anything for her. He nodded at Max and leaned down to whisper into Maria's ear, "Maria. Please look at me. I need you to look at me."
Maria's eyes lazily fluttered open and finally she locked them with Michael's eyes. Max placed his hand over Michael's hand on Maria's stomach. Michael focused on opening his strength to Max. Max drew from Michael and quickly made a connection with Maria through Michael. The two hands on Maria's stomach began to glow and almost instantly the color in Maria's cheeks began to return.
After a few moments, Michael and Max withdrew their hands and Maria began to sit up. She kept her eyes directed on Michael's. Her brow furrowed and she fought to understand the collage of images that flooded her mind. "You were there," she whispered never looking away from Michael's eyes. "I saw you."
Michael could only smile knowing Maria had returned to him.
"Maria," Liz muttered and threw her arms around Maria's neck. Using her sternest voice, Liz said "Don't ever do that to me again."
"Awww," Jackson spoke sarcastically as he stood. "Sorry to break up your special moment ladies, gents, and aliens. But what you've just allowed me to witness leaves no doubt that I was on the right trail, just barking up the wrong tree. But now that I know."
"Back off, Jackson," Liz spoke standing to face him.
"Honey, I'm not interested in you. It's those three I want. Get out of my way," Jackson said reaching to push Liz out of his way.
When Max realized Jackson was about to touch Liz, he instantly lifted his hand and released a blast of energy that sent Jackson flying backwards and landing against the hard wall on the opposite side of the hallway. Max said, "Thought by now you would have learned your lesson about laying a hand on her."
Michael grinned and patted Max's shoulder. "Nice one."
"Where's Alex?" Isabel asked.
"In the car with Hope," Liz answered.
"Thank God," Maria whispered.
Michael pulled Maria closer to him and they held each other reveling in knowing Hope was finally safe.
"So, what are we waiting on?" Isabel asked. "Let's get out of here."
"Yeah, I don't think so," Jackson said once again lifting himself to his feet. "You didn't really think I'd tell you all that stuff and then let you go now, did you? Come on, Liz, I thought you were smarter than that these days. And as for what I just saw. there's no way you're going anywhere."
"Wrong," a voice boomed from the exit door.
Everyone turned to see Alex holding the gun that was used to shoot Michael.
"Go. Now," Alex spoke firmly pointing the weapon at Jackson.
Everyone began making their way towards the door. One by one, everyone exited through the door until only Isabel and Alex remained.
"Go on," Alex said.
"No," Isabel said shaking her head. "I'll go when you go."