Chapter 4:
"WHAT were you doing on the NEWS!? I saw you Liz! I saw you and you had that same patch on your neck! WHAT happened!??"
"Maria, calm down. It's not that big a deal."
"Actually, from what I read in the paper this morning, you were an accomplice in apprehending a very wanted SERIAL killer who was after you." Alex sat staring down at his planner, as Elizabeth gave him the evil eye.
"Alex, shut up! You are NOT helping!"
"Just stating what was printed here in black and white." Elizabeth opened her mouth to say something else but Alex's cell phone rang.
"Hello?"
"I can't believe you Liz! Acting like nothing happened. I've seen the reports! I've heard the rumors! Who the heck put you up to that?"
"And now for our special report. The man who's been threatening the nation's women, also known as Mr. Right, was finally caught and arrested early this morning at Judis Hospital. Detective Maxwell Evans was present, at this moment for unknown reasons, and saved Dr. Elizabeth Parker from Sylvester Adams' wrath."
"No, no! You have to upload the program first, then make sure you register it to our company." Elizabeth looked around the room. She was getting a headache. Maria was yelling at her, the TV was on with her looking an absolute mess, and Alex was talking business. She sighed loudly and almost jumped up when the phone rang. Maria reached over and picked it up.
"Hello?" Elizabeth rubbed her head, willing the headache to go away.
"Yes, she is." The curiosity in Maria's voice caught her attention.
"Who's speaking?" Elizabeth could see Maria's wide eyes.
"One second please." Maria pressed the mute button on the phone and her look was almost frightening. "Oh we are so gonna have a LONG talk."
Elizabeth grabbed the phone and held her breath.
"Elizabeth?" The deep voice on the other line warmed her blood in almost seconds.
"Yes?"
"Hey, this is Max. Max Evans. Remember me?"
"Ah yes. How could I forget?" Elizabeth could feel everyone's eyes on her. She looked up to see an angry Maria and a very curious Alex.
"Excuse me for a second." She looked at her friends and with a finger motioned that she'd leave with the cordless for some privacy. Neither looked happy about it. Once she reached the privacy of her room she sighed.
"How did you get this number?"
"I work for the Federal Bureau of Investigation... or did we forget?"
"I thought people like you were supposed to use your powers for good."
"This is for good. For the good of us."
"Isn't it kind of early to be using 'us'?"
"Actually... I couldn't stop thinking about you."
"Really?" She could feel the blush reach her cheeks.
"Really."
"I bet you say that to all the girls." She smiled assuming she'd begun to to understand the mystery that was Max Evans.
"You'd be surprised."
"Oh really? I'd think you were the regular ladies man." She could hear his hearty chuckle. He had the most adorable laugh.
"I'm actually quite shy."
"Well, sneaking around to find my number and then calling me is pretty gutsy."
"Well, you seem to bring out that side of me." They sat in silence for a few seconds and Elizabeth realized she was smiling like an idiot.
"I never got a chance to thank you. For saving my life."
"Thank you."
"I sure hope you get some big shot promotion."
"Even if I don't... it was worth it. I have to go. I'm having lunch with my sister. I'll see you tonight."
"Ok. Bye." Elizabeth clicked off the phone and smiled.
"Sooooo... Max Evans huh? DETECTIVE Max Evans?" She looked up and could see Maria's silhouette at the door.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Let me get this straight." Max laughed as Isabel picked the cucumbers out of her salad. "You saved some doctor's life and caught an infamous serial killer and somehow managed to snag a date? Is that even possible?"
"All in a day's work."
"That's pretty cocky from a guy who didn't even go to prom cause he didn't have a date."
"Let's not bring up the past ok?"
"Just saying." Isabel put down her fork and looked up into her brother's sad hazel eyes. "Look... I don't want you to get into something you won't be able to finish. You may be going back to Washington in a few days, a week tops. Do you really want to form an attachment here? Besides, it's never worked before... what makes you think it will work now."
"She's different Isabel."
"She's a pretty face Max. You've seen a ton of them."
"Then why did I get some sort of flash when I touched her." He could see he peaked his sister's interest when she shot her head up and stared at him.
"What are you talking about?"
"I touched her shoulder. It was a few seconds, at the most, but I felt this current. This feeling almost like a jolt of electricity and then I saw things. I saw what seemed to be... I don't know a memory."
"That's impossible."
"I'm telling you what I saw."
"Why are you acting this way?"
"What way?!" He knew there was a reason he seldom visited New York.
"Strange! You're acting all weird. You are my brother! You could barely look a girl in the eyes! And you're asking her out! To DINNER! It's a bad idea Max. Bad. You are letting your... your, your hormones do all the thinking in that body of yours! I don't like her. She's a doctor. That is bad news for us. Do you want to get us exposed?" By now she's leaning in and whispering in fury of anger. And he was listening to none of it. It was always like Isabel to make a big deal out of everything.
"Isabel... everything that I've ever done has been for you and Michael. I was always on watch as children. I was always making sure that any mistake any of us made was covered up. That we were never exposed. I gave up so much because I always felt like I needed to take care of you two. I joined the bureau in order to protect us. I never ever went out with anyone, not because I was a huge nerd... but because I never wanted to expose our secret. In fear that you two would come along with me if someone would find out. I let you date as you pleased, go out as you pleased, and I never asked for anything in return. But it is my turn now Isabel. Let me do this... for me. I deserve a shot at happiness too... don't I?" He held her hands in his and his honesty made her eyes water.
"I don't want you to get hurt. I know you Max. You are... sensitive. You were always the softer of the two of us. And if she breaks your heart...."
"That's my choice to make. So don't worry yourself about it. If it doesn't work out, then I'll give up searching forever."
"Don't be obnoxious. You know that's not what I mean."
"Haven't you ever wondered what it would be like to fall in love?" He noticed how quickly she removed her hands from his and how her eyes suddenly looked down at her plate.
"No. I don't need love. It's a pitiful human emotion. Besides... I have everything I've ever wanted. I've got my clothing line, which is taking off really well. I've got a great apartment. I've got Michael if I ever want to go for a drink and just forget the world. And I've got you... if I ever need to stay grounded. What else could I ask for?"
"Someone to come home to at night. Someone who will wrap his arms around you as you sleep. Who will shower you with love and affection. It's normal Isabel."
"No! It's human Max. And we are NOT human." Max dropped his head in despair and returned to his chicken parmesan. Isabel was always so cold. So afraid to feel. No one had ever broken through that barrier and he found himself wondering if anyone ever would.
"WHAT were you doing on the NEWS!? I saw you Liz! I saw you and you had that same patch on your neck! WHAT happened!??"
"Maria, calm down. It's not that big a deal."
"Actually, from what I read in the paper this morning, you were an accomplice in apprehending a very wanted SERIAL killer who was after you." Alex sat staring down at his planner, as Elizabeth gave him the evil eye.
"Alex, shut up! You are NOT helping!"
"Just stating what was printed here in black and white." Elizabeth opened her mouth to say something else but Alex's cell phone rang.
"Hello?"
"I can't believe you Liz! Acting like nothing happened. I've seen the reports! I've heard the rumors! Who the heck put you up to that?"
"And now for our special report. The man who's been threatening the nation's women, also known as Mr. Right, was finally caught and arrested early this morning at Judis Hospital. Detective Maxwell Evans was present, at this moment for unknown reasons, and saved Dr. Elizabeth Parker from Sylvester Adams' wrath."
"No, no! You have to upload the program first, then make sure you register it to our company." Elizabeth looked around the room. She was getting a headache. Maria was yelling at her, the TV was on with her looking an absolute mess, and Alex was talking business. She sighed loudly and almost jumped up when the phone rang. Maria reached over and picked it up.
"Hello?" Elizabeth rubbed her head, willing the headache to go away.
"Yes, she is." The curiosity in Maria's voice caught her attention.
"Who's speaking?" Elizabeth could see Maria's wide eyes.
"One second please." Maria pressed the mute button on the phone and her look was almost frightening. "Oh we are so gonna have a LONG talk."
Elizabeth grabbed the phone and held her breath.
"Elizabeth?" The deep voice on the other line warmed her blood in almost seconds.
"Yes?"
"Hey, this is Max. Max Evans. Remember me?"
"Ah yes. How could I forget?" Elizabeth could feel everyone's eyes on her. She looked up to see an angry Maria and a very curious Alex.
"Excuse me for a second." She looked at her friends and with a finger motioned that she'd leave with the cordless for some privacy. Neither looked happy about it. Once she reached the privacy of her room she sighed.
"How did you get this number?"
"I work for the Federal Bureau of Investigation... or did we forget?"
"I thought people like you were supposed to use your powers for good."
"This is for good. For the good of us."
"Isn't it kind of early to be using 'us'?"
"Actually... I couldn't stop thinking about you."
"Really?" She could feel the blush reach her cheeks.
"Really."
"I bet you say that to all the girls." She smiled assuming she'd begun to to understand the mystery that was Max Evans.
"You'd be surprised."
"Oh really? I'd think you were the regular ladies man." She could hear his hearty chuckle. He had the most adorable laugh.
"I'm actually quite shy."
"Well, sneaking around to find my number and then calling me is pretty gutsy."
"Well, you seem to bring out that side of me." They sat in silence for a few seconds and Elizabeth realized she was smiling like an idiot.
"I never got a chance to thank you. For saving my life."
"Thank you."
"I sure hope you get some big shot promotion."
"Even if I don't... it was worth it. I have to go. I'm having lunch with my sister. I'll see you tonight."
"Ok. Bye." Elizabeth clicked off the phone and smiled.
"Sooooo... Max Evans huh? DETECTIVE Max Evans?" She looked up and could see Maria's silhouette at the door.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Let me get this straight." Max laughed as Isabel picked the cucumbers out of her salad. "You saved some doctor's life and caught an infamous serial killer and somehow managed to snag a date? Is that even possible?"
"All in a day's work."
"That's pretty cocky from a guy who didn't even go to prom cause he didn't have a date."
"Let's not bring up the past ok?"
"Just saying." Isabel put down her fork and looked up into her brother's sad hazel eyes. "Look... I don't want you to get into something you won't be able to finish. You may be going back to Washington in a few days, a week tops. Do you really want to form an attachment here? Besides, it's never worked before... what makes you think it will work now."
"She's different Isabel."
"She's a pretty face Max. You've seen a ton of them."
"Then why did I get some sort of flash when I touched her." He could see he peaked his sister's interest when she shot her head up and stared at him.
"What are you talking about?"
"I touched her shoulder. It was a few seconds, at the most, but I felt this current. This feeling almost like a jolt of electricity and then I saw things. I saw what seemed to be... I don't know a memory."
"That's impossible."
"I'm telling you what I saw."
"Why are you acting this way?"
"What way?!" He knew there was a reason he seldom visited New York.
"Strange! You're acting all weird. You are my brother! You could barely look a girl in the eyes! And you're asking her out! To DINNER! It's a bad idea Max. Bad. You are letting your... your, your hormones do all the thinking in that body of yours! I don't like her. She's a doctor. That is bad news for us. Do you want to get us exposed?" By now she's leaning in and whispering in fury of anger. And he was listening to none of it. It was always like Isabel to make a big deal out of everything.
"Isabel... everything that I've ever done has been for you and Michael. I was always on watch as children. I was always making sure that any mistake any of us made was covered up. That we were never exposed. I gave up so much because I always felt like I needed to take care of you two. I joined the bureau in order to protect us. I never ever went out with anyone, not because I was a huge nerd... but because I never wanted to expose our secret. In fear that you two would come along with me if someone would find out. I let you date as you pleased, go out as you pleased, and I never asked for anything in return. But it is my turn now Isabel. Let me do this... for me. I deserve a shot at happiness too... don't I?" He held her hands in his and his honesty made her eyes water.
"I don't want you to get hurt. I know you Max. You are... sensitive. You were always the softer of the two of us. And if she breaks your heart...."
"That's my choice to make. So don't worry yourself about it. If it doesn't work out, then I'll give up searching forever."
"Don't be obnoxious. You know that's not what I mean."
"Haven't you ever wondered what it would be like to fall in love?" He noticed how quickly she removed her hands from his and how her eyes suddenly looked down at her plate.
"No. I don't need love. It's a pitiful human emotion. Besides... I have everything I've ever wanted. I've got my clothing line, which is taking off really well. I've got a great apartment. I've got Michael if I ever want to go for a drink and just forget the world. And I've got you... if I ever need to stay grounded. What else could I ask for?"
"Someone to come home to at night. Someone who will wrap his arms around you as you sleep. Who will shower you with love and affection. It's normal Isabel."
"No! It's human Max. And we are NOT human." Max dropped his head in despair and returned to his chicken parmesan. Isabel was always so cold. So afraid to feel. No one had ever broken through that barrier and he found himself wondering if anyone ever would.