Chapter 3

A week had passed and nothing out of the ordinary occurred, but nobody would let down their guard. After 8 years of peaceful living, everyone was on edge after hearing about Liz' vision and the nightmare that had terrified Josh so much that he couldn't sleep in his own bed - he had begun to cling to Tess. Both Max and Tess had tried to reassure him that everything was going to be ok, but they weren't so sure themselves.

"But mom.I'm scared. I don't want him to hurt you!" Josh was crying for the third time that night. In his dream he had been forced to watch as his mother's throat was cut as his father lay on the floor cradling Liz's lifeless form.

"Josh, baby, nobody is gonna hurt me. Kyle has this place like a maximum- security prison. Nobody gets in or out unless we say so." Tess held her only son in her arms stroking his dark brown hair.

"Your mom is right, kiddo. You and Kyle are the men of this house, now who'd wanna mess with you guys?" Max looked at his son, still amazed that the perfect creature in front of him was produced by him.

"You remember how to do that energy shield I taught you right?" Josh nodded. Each weekend Max would take Josh out into the desert near the Pod chamber and teach him to control his powers - it was their father/son time.

"I put up my shield and I think real hard so that you can hear my voice in your head. Tel.tele.telep." Josh tried to think of the word that his Dad had taught him two weeks ago.

"Telepathy" Tess finished for him. She and Max kissed him goodnight and put him to sleep in her and Kyle's bed. They left the bedroom and went into the living room where Kyle was watching late night football, his two daughters asleep on each arm.

"Max, I don't know what to do.this happens every night." Tess sighed. She was exhausted. Every night Josh woke up in a cold sweat reaching for his mother to make sure she was still there. Last night she got up to get a glass of water but when she went back to her room, Josh was crying and shaking, desperately trying to wake Kyle.

"I know Tess, but what can we do? Maria is looking through all the old files we stole from Brody, Jim is scouring Roswell trying to find out if there is anyone new in town, Liz is calling all her scientist friends trying to find out if there's been any unusual activity in the sky.sightings, landings, everything." Max felt the way Tess looked. He had to resume the role of fearless leader once more, but he was terrified. Max always had to be the strong one, the decision-maker, the King. But right now, he felt helpless.

Max left the Valenti house and decided to walk back to his own apartment, unaware that he was being followed. A tall dark figure kept to the shadows, watching the supposed 'King' of his race. *Soon, my liege, very soon. * The shadow watched as the one known as Max arrived at his apartment, greeted by his human wife. * They are all so weak. So pathetic. * The shadow grinned. They won't even see it coming.