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CHAPTER FIVE:
"So now Isabel is gone, too!" said Max, with frustration. He was sitting in Michael's apartment with Michael, Kyle, and Maria, after having arrived from L.A. The others briefed him on what Isabel had said over the phone.
"Both Isabel and Liz take off to parts unknown within a 24 hour period," said Kyle. "And apparently, of their own free will."
"Its weird," said Maria. "Why would Liz come and get Isabel and tell her about where she has been, when she won't even tell me or Max?"
"All Isabel said was that Liz was taking her to see someone," said Michael. "And that it had to be her alone."
"And Liz seemed to indicate there was no danger?" asked Max.
"Yeah," said Michael. "Though, Liz could be under someone's manipulation. Its been known to happen."
"Don't remind me," said Kyle.
Maria's cell phone rang at that moment. She pulled it out of her pocket and answered it.
"Hello," she said. "No, Mr. Parker, I still haven't heard anything from Liz. But, really, I think she just needed some time to herself. No, Max is not with her. He's here in Michael's apartment with me, Michael, and Kyle. Yes, if I see her, I will tell her to get home. Yes, sir. Goodbye."
She hung up the phone. "He's pissed," Maria added, as she put the phone in her pocket.
"So am I," said Max. "I can't believe Liz and Isabel would do this to us! They've got to know we're worried about them."
Maria's cell phone rang again. "Ugh, what now?" she asked, answering the phone. "Hello. LIZ! My God, where ARE YOU?! Look, Max is here, and...alright, we'll be there. Fine. Bye."
She hung up the phone once again.
"Kyle, you know where that abandoned mining camp is?" asked Maria.
"Yeah, its on a dirt road off of Putnam, just past the junction with 285," said Kyle. "Why?"
"Liz and Isabel are there," said Maria. "Liz said we need to come out there, that they have someone there who we are going to want to see."
"Who?" asked Michael.
"She didn't say," said Maria.
"Come on," said Max.
**
They arrived at the mining camp, and just like Liz and Isabel, were shocked and overjoyed to see Alex alive. Michael just stood there with a dumb look on his face. Maria grabbed him, cried in his arms, and made him hold her for a half hour before letting her go. Kyle even gave him a hug, as did Max. They sat down and talked about how Alex came to be alive, and Ava's role in it. Now, they were turning to other important topics of discussion.
"Now we just have to figure out an explanation for Alex's return from the dead," said Max.
"Pretty tall order, even for us," said Liz.
"Whatever solution it is, it has to be one that doesn't expose you guys," said Alex. "I won't put you at risk."
"Yeah, well, I don't see how that's going to be possible," said Michael.
"We have to MAKE it possible," said Maria. "Alex has every right to get his life back, in every way!"
Isabel winced a little bit, thinking about her conundrum with Alex and Jesse.
"Look, I know you guys have a lot to think about," said Ava. "But, I wonder if you could put that little question on hold for a while. There is somethin else we need to talk about, now that you're all here and I know I can trust you."
"Right," said Alex. "You have never told us what you expect in exchange for helping me. You said there was some help you needed."
"Yeah," said Ava. "It has to do with Rath and Val."
"Rath and Val?" asked Kyle.
"Mine and Isabel's doubles from New York," said Michael.
"What about them?" asked Max.
"Well, you see I went back to New York," said Ava. "About five months after I left Roswell. I know I shouldn't have gone, but...New York was the only home I know. I lived my whole life there before Rath and Val took me here. Anyhow, I went back to my old crib. There was something there that belonged to Zahn I wanted to get, so I could have it to remember him by. I thought I got lucky because Rath and Val weren't there when I went. But as I started to jet out of there, they showed up and found me. They tried to kill me, but I escaped."
"Why did they try and kill you?" asked Maria.
"They think I was the one who tipped off Max that they might try and kill him if he didn't play their game," said Ava. "Anyhow, I took off, stole a car. I didn't know where else to go, so I came back here. I thought maybe you guys could help me, but then I stumble up on Alex here getting mind warped by my twin, and I got caught up in that."
"I wonder why Rath and Val haven't shown up in Roswell before now," said Isabel. "I mean, if they are pissed enough with Ava to want to kill her, imagine how mad they are at Max. They already tried to kill him once in New York."
"Look, they are going to come eventually, with me in town or not," said Ava. "I know Rath. He don't give up a grudge easy. I figured we could join forces or somethin, but when I found Tess trying to kill Alex, I just didn't know who to trust in town. That was one of the reasons why I healed him, so he could tell me who all could be trusted."
"And so we would owe you something," said Michael.
"Damned right," said Ava. "I'm no dummy."
"I still don't see why they haven't showed up yet," said Liz.
"As far as we know they haven't shown up," said Max. "Remember when Val and Rath impersonated Isabel and Michael. They don't necessarily have to look like they stand out."
"He's got a point," said Michael. "They may have been going around town at different times, impersonating us."
"I don't think so," said Ava. "Like I said before, I know Rath. He aint that patient. Somethin else must be holdin him up. Or maybe they aint figured out I came here."
"Well, for whatever reason they haven't come yet, most likely they will," said Max. "And Ava is right about one thing-we stand a better chance against them if she is teamed up with us."
***
He sat in the car and waited while she was in the house. Impatient, he slammed his fist on the steering wheel, as if he could will her to be quicker about what she's doing. Finally, he heard her approach his car. When he turned to look at her, he had to do a double-take.
"Yo, what the frick did you do to your hair?!" said Rath. "You go in blonde, come out brown!"
"Chill, I caught a glimpse of a recent picture of the Princess while I was in the house," said Val. "Lucky it was before daddy and mommy dearest saw me. I changed it real quick."
She got in the car. Both Val and Rath had changed themselves to look like their doubles that lived in Roswell when they came into town that afternoon.
"So, any luck with your double's little squeeze?" asked Val.
"She wasn't home," said Rath. "Her Mom thought she was out with me, well, the other me. I was quick with the answer, though, tellin her that I mixed up where we were supposed to meet up. She's a ditz! Bought it totally!"
"Yeah, well, get this," said Val. "Looks like King Max aint livin with the Cleavers anymore. He's bunkin with your double in his crib. I looked through Princess' address book, got the address. Maybe we should go check it out."
"Too risky," said Rath. "I might run into my double there."
"I'll go in first, check out the place, and if he sees me, I'll just play the Princess," said Val. "With the right hair color this time. Dude, I don't know what she's thinkin going with this hairdo. She looks like that chick from Star Wars."
"Yeah," said Rath. "But with bigger tits, baby!"
He grabbed one of her breasts, but she slapped his hand away. "Later, stud. Let's get movin. He wants us to report back by morning."
They went to Michael's apartment. Val checked it out, and came back to the car.
"No Michael," said Val, as she got in. "But, get this. Your double is workin as a rent-a-cop!"
"No FRIGGIN WAY!" said Rath, laughing hysterically. "DUDE, WHAT A LOOSER!!"
"Anyhow, I guess we check that diner they're at a lot," said Val. "The alien café, I think its called."
They went to the Crashdown, and peaked in the front window. Finding none of the people they were looking for there, they decided to go in and ask around. Pretending to be Michael and Isabel, they sat at the counter and ordered food. A few minutes later, an irate man came out of the back room that they did not recognize, and headed straight for them.
"Michael!" said the man. "Have you heard from Liz yet?!"
"Um, no...sir," said Rath. "Nothin."
"Damned, where could she be?!" asked the man. "Look, Michael, if you see her, you tell her that her Father is going to drag her to boarding school himself is she doesn't get home, pronto!"
"Will do, sir," said Rath.
The man went back into the kitchen, and Rath and Val looked at each other.
"Max's squeeze is missing," said Val. "That must have been her Father."
"That explains where the others are," said Rath. "Out lookin for her."
"Looks like we have to go back to him and tell him they aint around," said Val.
"I knew we shouldn't have waited!" said Rath. "We should have hit this berg months ago. That's what we get for listening to that little weasel!"
"Baby, you know why," said Val. "He is our ticket to getting home. But we've got to find our doubles, first. They tell us where the granolith is, the three of us jet."
"Yeah, after we deal with Ava, King Max, and his whole friggin posse," said Rath.
"Come one," said Val. "I've got another idea we could try."
End of Chapter Five. Chapter Six coming soon.
Things are heating up now. Plenty more A/I stuff, and action, coming in the next chapter, so don't miss it. In the meantime, please do provide feedback for this chapter by posting a review. Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated.
CHAPTER FIVE:
"So now Isabel is gone, too!" said Max, with frustration. He was sitting in Michael's apartment with Michael, Kyle, and Maria, after having arrived from L.A. The others briefed him on what Isabel had said over the phone.
"Both Isabel and Liz take off to parts unknown within a 24 hour period," said Kyle. "And apparently, of their own free will."
"Its weird," said Maria. "Why would Liz come and get Isabel and tell her about where she has been, when she won't even tell me or Max?"
"All Isabel said was that Liz was taking her to see someone," said Michael. "And that it had to be her alone."
"And Liz seemed to indicate there was no danger?" asked Max.
"Yeah," said Michael. "Though, Liz could be under someone's manipulation. Its been known to happen."
"Don't remind me," said Kyle.
Maria's cell phone rang at that moment. She pulled it out of her pocket and answered it.
"Hello," she said. "No, Mr. Parker, I still haven't heard anything from Liz. But, really, I think she just needed some time to herself. No, Max is not with her. He's here in Michael's apartment with me, Michael, and Kyle. Yes, if I see her, I will tell her to get home. Yes, sir. Goodbye."
She hung up the phone. "He's pissed," Maria added, as she put the phone in her pocket.
"So am I," said Max. "I can't believe Liz and Isabel would do this to us! They've got to know we're worried about them."
Maria's cell phone rang again. "Ugh, what now?" she asked, answering the phone. "Hello. LIZ! My God, where ARE YOU?! Look, Max is here, and...alright, we'll be there. Fine. Bye."
She hung up the phone once again.
"Kyle, you know where that abandoned mining camp is?" asked Maria.
"Yeah, its on a dirt road off of Putnam, just past the junction with 285," said Kyle. "Why?"
"Liz and Isabel are there," said Maria. "Liz said we need to come out there, that they have someone there who we are going to want to see."
"Who?" asked Michael.
"She didn't say," said Maria.
"Come on," said Max.
**
They arrived at the mining camp, and just like Liz and Isabel, were shocked and overjoyed to see Alex alive. Michael just stood there with a dumb look on his face. Maria grabbed him, cried in his arms, and made him hold her for a half hour before letting her go. Kyle even gave him a hug, as did Max. They sat down and talked about how Alex came to be alive, and Ava's role in it. Now, they were turning to other important topics of discussion.
"Now we just have to figure out an explanation for Alex's return from the dead," said Max.
"Pretty tall order, even for us," said Liz.
"Whatever solution it is, it has to be one that doesn't expose you guys," said Alex. "I won't put you at risk."
"Yeah, well, I don't see how that's going to be possible," said Michael.
"We have to MAKE it possible," said Maria. "Alex has every right to get his life back, in every way!"
Isabel winced a little bit, thinking about her conundrum with Alex and Jesse.
"Look, I know you guys have a lot to think about," said Ava. "But, I wonder if you could put that little question on hold for a while. There is somethin else we need to talk about, now that you're all here and I know I can trust you."
"Right," said Alex. "You have never told us what you expect in exchange for helping me. You said there was some help you needed."
"Yeah," said Ava. "It has to do with Rath and Val."
"Rath and Val?" asked Kyle.
"Mine and Isabel's doubles from New York," said Michael.
"What about them?" asked Max.
"Well, you see I went back to New York," said Ava. "About five months after I left Roswell. I know I shouldn't have gone, but...New York was the only home I know. I lived my whole life there before Rath and Val took me here. Anyhow, I went back to my old crib. There was something there that belonged to Zahn I wanted to get, so I could have it to remember him by. I thought I got lucky because Rath and Val weren't there when I went. But as I started to jet out of there, they showed up and found me. They tried to kill me, but I escaped."
"Why did they try and kill you?" asked Maria.
"They think I was the one who tipped off Max that they might try and kill him if he didn't play their game," said Ava. "Anyhow, I took off, stole a car. I didn't know where else to go, so I came back here. I thought maybe you guys could help me, but then I stumble up on Alex here getting mind warped by my twin, and I got caught up in that."
"I wonder why Rath and Val haven't shown up in Roswell before now," said Isabel. "I mean, if they are pissed enough with Ava to want to kill her, imagine how mad they are at Max. They already tried to kill him once in New York."
"Look, they are going to come eventually, with me in town or not," said Ava. "I know Rath. He don't give up a grudge easy. I figured we could join forces or somethin, but when I found Tess trying to kill Alex, I just didn't know who to trust in town. That was one of the reasons why I healed him, so he could tell me who all could be trusted."
"And so we would owe you something," said Michael.
"Damned right," said Ava. "I'm no dummy."
"I still don't see why they haven't showed up yet," said Liz.
"As far as we know they haven't shown up," said Max. "Remember when Val and Rath impersonated Isabel and Michael. They don't necessarily have to look like they stand out."
"He's got a point," said Michael. "They may have been going around town at different times, impersonating us."
"I don't think so," said Ava. "Like I said before, I know Rath. He aint that patient. Somethin else must be holdin him up. Or maybe they aint figured out I came here."
"Well, for whatever reason they haven't come yet, most likely they will," said Max. "And Ava is right about one thing-we stand a better chance against them if she is teamed up with us."
***
He sat in the car and waited while she was in the house. Impatient, he slammed his fist on the steering wheel, as if he could will her to be quicker about what she's doing. Finally, he heard her approach his car. When he turned to look at her, he had to do a double-take.
"Yo, what the frick did you do to your hair?!" said Rath. "You go in blonde, come out brown!"
"Chill, I caught a glimpse of a recent picture of the Princess while I was in the house," said Val. "Lucky it was before daddy and mommy dearest saw me. I changed it real quick."
She got in the car. Both Val and Rath had changed themselves to look like their doubles that lived in Roswell when they came into town that afternoon.
"So, any luck with your double's little squeeze?" asked Val.
"She wasn't home," said Rath. "Her Mom thought she was out with me, well, the other me. I was quick with the answer, though, tellin her that I mixed up where we were supposed to meet up. She's a ditz! Bought it totally!"
"Yeah, well, get this," said Val. "Looks like King Max aint livin with the Cleavers anymore. He's bunkin with your double in his crib. I looked through Princess' address book, got the address. Maybe we should go check it out."
"Too risky," said Rath. "I might run into my double there."
"I'll go in first, check out the place, and if he sees me, I'll just play the Princess," said Val. "With the right hair color this time. Dude, I don't know what she's thinkin going with this hairdo. She looks like that chick from Star Wars."
"Yeah," said Rath. "But with bigger tits, baby!"
He grabbed one of her breasts, but she slapped his hand away. "Later, stud. Let's get movin. He wants us to report back by morning."
They went to Michael's apartment. Val checked it out, and came back to the car.
"No Michael," said Val, as she got in. "But, get this. Your double is workin as a rent-a-cop!"
"No FRIGGIN WAY!" said Rath, laughing hysterically. "DUDE, WHAT A LOOSER!!"
"Anyhow, I guess we check that diner they're at a lot," said Val. "The alien café, I think its called."
They went to the Crashdown, and peaked in the front window. Finding none of the people they were looking for there, they decided to go in and ask around. Pretending to be Michael and Isabel, they sat at the counter and ordered food. A few minutes later, an irate man came out of the back room that they did not recognize, and headed straight for them.
"Michael!" said the man. "Have you heard from Liz yet?!"
"Um, no...sir," said Rath. "Nothin."
"Damned, where could she be?!" asked the man. "Look, Michael, if you see her, you tell her that her Father is going to drag her to boarding school himself is she doesn't get home, pronto!"
"Will do, sir," said Rath.
The man went back into the kitchen, and Rath and Val looked at each other.
"Max's squeeze is missing," said Val. "That must have been her Father."
"That explains where the others are," said Rath. "Out lookin for her."
"Looks like we have to go back to him and tell him they aint around," said Val.
"I knew we shouldn't have waited!" said Rath. "We should have hit this berg months ago. That's what we get for listening to that little weasel!"
"Baby, you know why," said Val. "He is our ticket to getting home. But we've got to find our doubles, first. They tell us where the granolith is, the three of us jet."
"Yeah, after we deal with Ava, King Max, and his whole friggin posse," said Rath.
"Come one," said Val. "I've got another idea we could try."
End of Chapter Five. Chapter Six coming soon.
Things are heating up now. Plenty more A/I stuff, and action, coming in the next chapter, so don't miss it. In the meantime, please do provide feedback for this chapter by posting a review. Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated.
