CHAPTER 13

For the first time in weeks, Max & Liz's apartment was bustling with activity. Rohan and Serena arrived shortly after Max connected with Josh and found Max and Liz on the living room floor locked in a tearful embrace. Tess and Kyle had arrived five minutes later, soon followed by Michael, Maria, Alex, Isabel and various council members.

"So what do we have so far?" Alex stood and addressed the large group.

"Josh said one of the kidnappers names was Jez. He said that they were taking him to Antar. I want answers, Mekhi. If they want to kill him then why the hell bring him all the way across the galaxy?" Max was now pacing the room, he was buzzing with energy - he was filled with anticipation, but most of all hope.

"Did you say Jez?" Rohan stepped forward, a frown on his face. Max nodded. "It can't be! How could he get here without us knowing?" Rohan looked to Mekhi who just shrugged his shoulders.

"Who is he?" Tess approached her father.

"What does he want?" Liz spoke up now.

Mekhi wavered under the gaze of both women; it was time to tell the truth. He found a spare seat and slowly eased himself into it.

"Jez is my son. Well, my estranged, illegitimate son. He is your brother, Tess."

"Mekhi? What are you talking about?" Serena stepped forward, surprise and confusion was written all over her face. "But Jez is Khivar's brother, how can he be your son?"

Mekhi sighed and looked to the ground, unable to look his daughter in eye. He took a deep breath and began.

"Jez and Khivar are half-brothers. I fell in love with a married woman when I was just a young man. She bore me a son, but very few people knew the truth so her husband raised him as his own. He was an evil, sadistic bastard - a trait that both Jez and Khivar inherited from him. Then I married Ava's mother and Jez became obsessed with Ava as they grew up. It was an extremely unhealthy obsession - he became completely psychotic when Ava married Zan. He murdered three Royal soldiers outside the palace the night of their wedding. Zan sentenced him to death but he was rescued by Khivar.the rebellion soon followed. Khivar made it his sole purpose to overthrow the King and formed an army. That is how it was started." Mekhi finally looked up and met the tearful eyes of his daughter.

"This all started because of my marriage to Max?" Tess was stunned. Ever since she could remember, Nasedo had always told her that she and Max were meant to be together, that their union would save their planet.

"Oh Tess, that wasn't the only issue. Jez was obsessed with you. He knew you were his sister and he would try to spend as much time with you as possible. At first you didn't mind - you thought it was nice to have a big brother - but then it started to disturb you. He would tell you he loved you and bring you dead animals, claiming he sacrificed them for you. One time, before you and Zan married, he turned up at our home and challenged Zan to a duel - a fight to the death. Zan laughed at him and turned away so Jez stabbed him. Our King almost died because of him."

The living room was eerily quiet as the gang listened to Mekhi. Kyle broke the silence. "So how do we find this son of a bitch and kick his alien ass, cos I already know at least 5 guys in this room who are ready to snap some necks." Of course Kyle was talking about himself, Max, Michael, Alex and Rohan. Rohan had become pretty tight with the guys over the last few weeks.

Michael, who had remained quiet until now, punched his right fist into his left hand. "I hear that. We find this psycho, take him out, get Josh back, all's good again." He shrugged and looked to everyone else for approval.

"As good as that sounds Michael, we have to be logical. We don't even know where Jez is and he has a partner remember?" Max tried to sound rational but his insides were screaming at the thought of coming face to face with the bastard who took his son.

"His partner is most likely a guy called Quentin." Serena offered. The gang looked at her expectantly when she didn't continue. "He was always Jez's sidekick, followed him around like a lost puppy. He's weak, we could probably take him if we find them."

"Ok. So we use our contacts and see what we can find, see if anybody knows anything. It's better now that we know who we're looking for." Rohan began to gather himself and prepared to leave.

"Where are you going?" Serena asked, her voice full of concern. Everybody else began to go about their business, each thinking of ways they could help.

"I'm doing my job. I'll see you later." Rohan snapped and then left the apartment, Paulos and Etta close behind him.

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Later that evening, Liz and Max were getting some air on the balcony of their apartment. Everybody was busy either inside the apartment or visiting contacts who might know something about Jez and Quentin's whereabouts.

Leaning on the railings, Max stared out at the city lights.

"Talk to me, Max" Liz nudged his elbow affectionately.

"What do you want me to say?" Max turned to look at his beautiful wife. It was strange, twenty years ago when he had first met Liz Parker, he knew right then that he would be with her for the rest of his life. It was amazing that he knew that when he was only 6 years old. Max wondered if Josh had met his soul mate yet.

"We'll find him Max." Liz smiled at him but it soon turned into a frown when she saw that Max was once again on the verge of tears.

"It's all my fault, Liz. Everything. If it wasn't for me, then you, Maria, Alex and Kyle would all have a normal life. You never would have had to run away from sadistic FBI Agents, alien hunters, skins.if I had done things differently that day at the Crashdown - "

" - Max, that was the day that changed my life for the better! In 10 years, I have never once regretted that day Max. That day brought us together. And besides, if you hadn't healed me, I wouldn't have any kind of life, alien or otherwise."

Max smiled. God he loved her so much. Maybe things would have been less complicated if it had just been him, Isabel, Michael and Tess - if they had followed their 'destiny' - but Max couldn't imagine a single day without Liz in his life.

"Max, I have something to tell you." Liz's gaze faltered for a second.

"What is it Liz?" Max asked, concerned for his wife.

"You remember the night before Alex and Isabel's wedding? Going out to the desert with a bottle of champagne to watch the stars?"

"Of course I remember, honey. It was a special night. Our anniversary?"

"Well now it's even more special.I'm pregnant." Liz waited for Max's reaction and was relieved when he smiled.

"Really? That's like 5 weeks, right?" Max gushed.

"Yeah really. I was afraid to tell you these last few days because you've had so much to deal with. I wanted to wait until we got Josh back, but I figured you'd get flashes from me when we kissed and I didn't want you to find out that way." Liz took a deep breath and exhaled.

"Liz, this is great. We can be a proper family.you, me, Josh and the baby. Josh will be so happy." Max pulled his other half into a tight hug and buried his face into her neck. Liz could feel his hot tears against her skin. She smiled - at least this time she knew they were tears of joy.

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Ten blocks away, Michael was at Amy and Jim's house, checking on the children. He sat in the rocking chair, Ella in his arms as he fed her a bottle of milk before she went to sleep. For five weeks he's barely seen his daughter and had other people running his and Kyle's company. He couldn't remember the last time he had made love to Maria. He bent his head and kissed Ella's cheek. She smelled beautiful, just like she always did. Ella's big green eyes stared up at him as she contentedly drank away, the only sound in the room was their breathing.

Michael had decided to come by to put her to bed because he had started to feel a dull ache in his chest at the thought of not seeing her.

"I can't stand not seeing you, princess." Michael whispered to the strawberry blonde baby. He had missed her terribly these past few weeks - already she looked so different. Michael prided himself on being a good father so that he could give Ella what he never had. He had been there when she had first uttered the word 'Dada' in a fit of rage when he wouldn't pick her up, which was soon followed by her first steps. He also intended to be there when she started school, when she had her first date, when she graduated high school and when she went to college.

"Nobody is ever going to hurt you, sweetheart. Daddy loves you and won't ever let anyone hurt his princess."

Michael loved this time alone with her, it gave him a chance to think about everything going on in his life. Michael briefly thought about Serena and how he felt about their past. After that day in the motel, he didn't know how to act around her. He had gone home after that and wondered whether or not he should tell Maria. As they sat eating dinner, he found himself telling her about everything, including the kiss. Maria went crazy for a couple of minutes, but he calmed her down and told her that she was the only woman on earth - and any other planet - that he wanted.

He glanced over at the twins who were sleeping in the spare bed, their arms wrapped around each other. Everyday they asked where their brother was and when he was coming home, but nobody knew what to say to them.

Michael now placed his now sleeping daughter into the crib that Amy and Jim kept at their house. He prayed that this would all be over soon; that they would get Josh back and they could get back to their relatively normal life. He also prayed that he would survive so he could watch his little girl grow up.