Author's Notes:
Yes, technically, I am anti-Tess. I didn't hate her so much, I actually really enjoyed her relationship with the Valentis. I hated how she complicated things for Max and Liz. However I found it intriguing to try to figure out her motivations, and what she was thinking.
Thank you so much for the nice compliments about my writing. It makes me feel really good to know people are enjoying my work.
Remember how in "Busted" Max got that vision from his son, telling him he was in danger. Well, how did that happen if the baby is completely human? Here is my explanation.
Chapter Three: The Escape
"What's going to happen to my son?" I ask. The nurses glance at each other. I rest my head back and close my eyes. My son is in danger. The nurses leave the room and I try to think what to do. I have to get him. I have to get out of here. But then what? I'm all alone on this planet. There's nobody to help me.
Max! I'll contact Max. With our advanced mental powers, it is possible for the people of this planet to reach out with their minds and touch people on Earth, although millions of kilometers away. Max and I had a connection, so I should be able to reach him. But even if I can, why would he listen to me? Why would he want to help me, after how I betrayed him?
Then I remember the look in his eyes when I told him that if he killed me, he would kill his son, too. He cares about the child, even if he hates me.
I sit down on the bed and close my eyes to concentrate. I don't know if this is possible. The farthest distance I've ever done a mindwarp on someone is from Roswell to Las Cruces. I've never done a planet-to-planet mindwarp. I have to concentrate on Max, the mental essence of him. I've mindwarped him before, like the time I had to make him believe our baby couldn't survive on Earth.
There he is. Ugh, he's with Liz. And he's laughing. They're both happy. Well, sorry, Max old boy, your blissful little date is about to get interrupted.
I send him an image of the baby. I make him think that it is the baby that is contacting him. His son is in danger. He needs his help. I sense his shock, and I break contact.
Looking around to bring myself mentally back to Antar, I start thinking of ways to escape. Kivar's men are bound to have this whole wing blocked off.
I sit down and think.
About an hour passes. A nurse enters my room and begins tidying up, filling my water glass, replacing my pillows, things like that. As she slides a new pillow behind my head, she whispers, "Be ready to go in five minutes. There will be a disturbance on the level above us, and you should be able to make your way to the exit. Just go three levels down and turn to the right. There will be someone waiting for you there with your son. Go to Kensharra City and contact Torann. The Resistance doesn't want to see anything happen to Zan. He is the King's son." She starts to walk away.
"Wait! Where in Kensharra? How do I get there?"
"I have to go." The nurse slips out the door.
That was interesting. So it appears I may be able to find refuge with the Resistance. It's a dangerous course of action, but it seems to be the only option left to me. From the tone of that nurse's voice, it sounds like they don't have any interest in helping me (why would they--I betrayed their beloved King), but they do want to save Zan, because he is Max's rightful heir. Well, I will definitely use this opportunity to escape. Then I'll go to the Resistance. I have nowhere else to go. I'll have to gain their trust. Make myself useful to them. I did it with Max, Michael and Isabel. They sure didn't trust me when I first met them. Maybe I can do better this time.
********************
My escape went off without a hitch. When the alarms started blaring, I waited a minute and then followed the nurse's directions and found my way to the exit. When I got there, a male nurse was waiting for me. He passed me Zan, and for a minute I just stood there staring at him. It was the first time I'd gotten to hold my baby. He looks so much like Max, I almost started to cry. But there was no time for that.
It was difficult taking a week-long trip across the continent with a newborn, but in my disguise nobody recognized me. I was just an anonymous lower-class woman with a baby taking the train to Kensharra City. When I got there, I went to a lot of trouble trying to find this Torann person. By now, I am familiar with every seedy tavern, fleabag inn, and gaudy marketplace in this whole idiot city. Finally, I found his people. I arranged for a meeting, and now, here I am, sitting in this cafe, waiting for him. I hate waiting. It's all I've done, all my life. Waited for Nasedo to find Max, Michael and Isabel. Waited for Max to fall in love with me. Waited for Alex to decode that destiny book. I'm sick of waiting.
A middle-aged man approaches my table. "Ava?" he asks.
I nod and he sits down. "Do me a favor, though, will you? I ask him. "I go by Tess now."
He shrugs. "Whatever. Is that the heir?" he nods toward Zan.
"Yes." I look at him, sizing him up. "So, you're the leader of the resistance movement?"
"Of course not," he scoffs. "Do you think we trust you enough to let you know the identity of the leader? Let's speak frankly. You betrayed King Zan, the Second-in-Command, and the Princess. You were in league with Kivar. The only reason you're even approaching us is because you have nowhere else to go, is that correct?"
"Yes. But I am fully willing to help you. Obviously there's no love lost between me and Kivar. I'll help your cause in any way I can. All I ask is protection for me and my son."
"You can come stay in the compound. You'll be safe there. But get this straight. We're not doing this for you. We're doing this for the King's son."
I nod. "Fair enough."
Author's Note: There's lots more good stuff coming up---so press the blue button and review!
Yes, technically, I am anti-Tess. I didn't hate her so much, I actually really enjoyed her relationship with the Valentis. I hated how she complicated things for Max and Liz. However I found it intriguing to try to figure out her motivations, and what she was thinking.
Thank you so much for the nice compliments about my writing. It makes me feel really good to know people are enjoying my work.
Remember how in "Busted" Max got that vision from his son, telling him he was in danger. Well, how did that happen if the baby is completely human? Here is my explanation.
Chapter Three: The Escape
"What's going to happen to my son?" I ask. The nurses glance at each other. I rest my head back and close my eyes. My son is in danger. The nurses leave the room and I try to think what to do. I have to get him. I have to get out of here. But then what? I'm all alone on this planet. There's nobody to help me.
Max! I'll contact Max. With our advanced mental powers, it is possible for the people of this planet to reach out with their minds and touch people on Earth, although millions of kilometers away. Max and I had a connection, so I should be able to reach him. But even if I can, why would he listen to me? Why would he want to help me, after how I betrayed him?
Then I remember the look in his eyes when I told him that if he killed me, he would kill his son, too. He cares about the child, even if he hates me.
I sit down on the bed and close my eyes to concentrate. I don't know if this is possible. The farthest distance I've ever done a mindwarp on someone is from Roswell to Las Cruces. I've never done a planet-to-planet mindwarp. I have to concentrate on Max, the mental essence of him. I've mindwarped him before, like the time I had to make him believe our baby couldn't survive on Earth.
There he is. Ugh, he's with Liz. And he's laughing. They're both happy. Well, sorry, Max old boy, your blissful little date is about to get interrupted.
I send him an image of the baby. I make him think that it is the baby that is contacting him. His son is in danger. He needs his help. I sense his shock, and I break contact.
Looking around to bring myself mentally back to Antar, I start thinking of ways to escape. Kivar's men are bound to have this whole wing blocked off.
I sit down and think.
About an hour passes. A nurse enters my room and begins tidying up, filling my water glass, replacing my pillows, things like that. As she slides a new pillow behind my head, she whispers, "Be ready to go in five minutes. There will be a disturbance on the level above us, and you should be able to make your way to the exit. Just go three levels down and turn to the right. There will be someone waiting for you there with your son. Go to Kensharra City and contact Torann. The Resistance doesn't want to see anything happen to Zan. He is the King's son." She starts to walk away.
"Wait! Where in Kensharra? How do I get there?"
"I have to go." The nurse slips out the door.
That was interesting. So it appears I may be able to find refuge with the Resistance. It's a dangerous course of action, but it seems to be the only option left to me. From the tone of that nurse's voice, it sounds like they don't have any interest in helping me (why would they--I betrayed their beloved King), but they do want to save Zan, because he is Max's rightful heir. Well, I will definitely use this opportunity to escape. Then I'll go to the Resistance. I have nowhere else to go. I'll have to gain their trust. Make myself useful to them. I did it with Max, Michael and Isabel. They sure didn't trust me when I first met them. Maybe I can do better this time.
********************
My escape went off without a hitch. When the alarms started blaring, I waited a minute and then followed the nurse's directions and found my way to the exit. When I got there, a male nurse was waiting for me. He passed me Zan, and for a minute I just stood there staring at him. It was the first time I'd gotten to hold my baby. He looks so much like Max, I almost started to cry. But there was no time for that.
It was difficult taking a week-long trip across the continent with a newborn, but in my disguise nobody recognized me. I was just an anonymous lower-class woman with a baby taking the train to Kensharra City. When I got there, I went to a lot of trouble trying to find this Torann person. By now, I am familiar with every seedy tavern, fleabag inn, and gaudy marketplace in this whole idiot city. Finally, I found his people. I arranged for a meeting, and now, here I am, sitting in this cafe, waiting for him. I hate waiting. It's all I've done, all my life. Waited for Nasedo to find Max, Michael and Isabel. Waited for Max to fall in love with me. Waited for Alex to decode that destiny book. I'm sick of waiting.
A middle-aged man approaches my table. "Ava?" he asks.
I nod and he sits down. "Do me a favor, though, will you? I ask him. "I go by Tess now."
He shrugs. "Whatever. Is that the heir?" he nods toward Zan.
"Yes." I look at him, sizing him up. "So, you're the leader of the resistance movement?"
"Of course not," he scoffs. "Do you think we trust you enough to let you know the identity of the leader? Let's speak frankly. You betrayed King Zan, the Second-in-Command, and the Princess. You were in league with Kivar. The only reason you're even approaching us is because you have nowhere else to go, is that correct?"
"Yes. But I am fully willing to help you. Obviously there's no love lost between me and Kivar. I'll help your cause in any way I can. All I ask is protection for me and my son."
"You can come stay in the compound. You'll be safe there. But get this straight. We're not doing this for you. We're doing this for the King's son."
I nod. "Fair enough."
Author's Note: There's lots more good stuff coming up---so press the blue button and review!
