~Chapter 15~
Max sat straight up in bed in a light and cold slick sweat covering his body, wiping away the warm visions of a moment ago. He had been making love to Victoria. He hadn't seen anything erotic, but the feelings he felt defied description. An experience that was so transcendental and intense that it couldn't have been anything but sexual. He longed for her. A connection. Or at least the Zan part of him did.
When he got out of bed, took a quick shower and threw on his clothes - the only thing he could think that would stop these feelings - was to get Victoria to tell him something that wasn't ideal - so he could see or feel some vision of her that didn't seem so instinctually right. .. something that would stop this madness before it got out of hand. He was thinking this as he left.
Max didn't expect to find Victoria up when he entered her apartment - but she was sitting there on the black leather couch, her form illuminated only by moonlight from the sliding glass doors to the balcony.
"I knew you were going to come, Max. But I won't do what you want me to." -Victoria.
Max didn't bother to turn on the lights (he could see her enough in the dark) - as he went quickly over to kneel on the floor in front of the couch where she was.
"My life is not my own anymore. Zan is taking over and disturbing my life! I can't concentrate - not even on Liz anymore. When I'm around her I feel guilty, even though we've never done anything wrong. It's just these damned feelings and these 'sessions'." -Max.
"Max, Zan's not taking over. you are Zan - it is the real you. The first you and the integral part of who you are. The sessions are just connecting you with the real you and your spirit. It's bringing out you as you were and really still are." -Victoria.
"But I don't want it to bring anything out. Yes, I need answers. I expected to get it and evaluate it at least semi-clinically. I don't really want to be Zan." -Max.
"We can only run so long from who we really are." -Victoria.
"So let me 'run' longer. I'm not ready for this - to feel like this is not what I expected." -Max.
Victoria didn't have to ask how he felt exactly - she kind of knew because she was feeling it too - their past feelings for one another.
"Max-" Victoria started to say.
"No. No more rationalizations. I just need relief from this craziness." He gripped her arms and Victoria could see desperation in his eyes in the dark.
Victoria started to get up and away from his beseeching, demanding eyes - but he started to throw her back down to the couch. Before she was back on the couch - Victoria let loose a connection that rippled through their skin in a wave of energy.
Flashes burnt behind Max's eyelids.
He was in a doorway. Max couldn't see what Zan saw, but he saw and FELT Zan's shock and hurt and anger flash across his face and his soul--- at what he did not know. But then just as soon, he was in another place. A room with two thrones - an extremely large room. Ceilings countless feet high. Zan and Zenovia were arguing. He couldn't hear noise, but they were both very upset, very intense. Zan hit Zenovia. He looked appalled at hitting his wife - like it was something he never had done or thought he could. She was crying, but the tears were falling silently it seemed and she still sat there on the floor in all her regal finery and just looked up at him.
"You disgust me. I can not bear your presence." Max finally heard words from Zan.
Zan turned away.
And then another flash - another time - same room.
Zan sat on his throne - looking to the empty one beside his and an absolute flood of longing washed over the King - stronger than anger and pain and all else. Max felt it and it resonated with him.
Then Max was back in the present feeling the longing of Zan, having fallen on the couch beside Victoria while having the visions.
"What did you see exactly?" Victoria asked quietly.
Max looked at Victoria then and saw a sparkling tear on her cheek, maybe one she didn't even know she had shed - but sadness and a bit of fear was there.
She expected him to look at her differently now and he did, but in a different way than she had expected.
Max didn't understand the visions, but one thing he had learned that was an irrefutable fact: Zan had loved Zenovia despite anything. His love and longing for her had been so palpable. Max felt some of it. No, more than he wanted to.
"Max." Victoria started.
Max shook his head as he leaned to her and surprise of all surprises - Max kissed Victoria. In only a second the kiss became intense and as they held each other, flashes of their past assailed their visions as flashes of feeling assailed their bodies. The telepathic link was unbearable as was the strength of their apparent subconscious longing for reunited closeness. Of course none of this really made complete sense to them, but they were beyond anything but feeling in that moment. They felt helpless.
When Michael let himself in and flipped on the lights - he couldn't believe what he saw in that instant. A flower fell from his hand.
Max's shirt was off and Victoria lay on the couch. His best friend and girlfriend were bound in a kissing embrace.
Dazed, Max and Victoria looked at Michael standing inside the doorway.
His face was one of horror and confusion.
Max threw his shirt on. Both he and Victoria were stunned at their disheveled appearance. They saw themselves then the way Michael saw them.
"Michael." Max stood up quickly and headed to Michael. "It's not what you think."
Victoria looked at Michael and shook her head.
When Max approached Michael, Michael punched him in the jaw hard - knocking him down and against the wall.
Victoria screamed and leaped up. Michael's temper was raging now.
She jumped in between Michael and Max. "Like Max said, it's not---!"
Michael pushed her aside when Max stood up and took a step to Michael.
"No!" Victoria yelled and stood between them again.
"You're no longer anything to me." Michael spit at Max, his eyes blazing. "Up until somewhat recently you were acting as if you couldn't stand Victoria. Telling me to stay away from her. Just because you wanted her for yourself! I wonder how Liz Parker will react to this."
"Liz has nothing to do with this." Max said, angrily.
"Oh the people betrayed have everything to do with this." Michael said. "You're dead to me Maxwell Evans. Dead."
"And you-"Michael then directed his intense raging eyes on Victoria. "How long have you been screwing him?"
Tears burned beneath Victoria's eyelids. But indignation welled in her as well.
"She doesn't deserve that." Max put a hand on Victoria's shoulder and pushed her back a little.
"Get the hell out of here!" Michael raged at Max. Michael stormed towards the kitchen area.
"Go, Max." Max heard in his mind. The telepathic link?
He looked at Victoria's eyes and she nodded.
"I'll be okay," She said and pushed Max towards the door.
Max left, albeit reluctantly.
Michael was slamming doors in his anger and punching his hand against the wall.
"Michael, please!" -Victoria.
"I knew you could be a liar, but I honestly didn't know you were a faithless slut!" -Michael.
Before she thought, Victoria slapped Michael. She covered her mouth immediately sorry. "Michael." she whispered.
Michael's face flared and his expression went from shock to flat, dead anger. He strode to the back of the apartment and in Victoria's room - the one they'd been sharing, he started flinging his stuff in his bag.
"If you'll just listen to me, I'll explain." Victoria pleaded, crying now.
"I don't want to hear your petty excuses. Do you hear me?" He shouted at her, as he slammed the dresser drawer. Michael started out of the room and Victoria followed him. She grabbed his shoulder, but he shook her off.
"Michael, don't go. It's a misunderstanding. I love you!" -Victoria.
He turned to her violently. "Am I supposed to laugh?" "Ha. Ha." He spat scornfully.
Michael continued, "I hope it was worth it."
At the door, Victoria tried to stop him but he pushed her back and off of him.
"I think I'll be sick if you touch me right now." He railed and slammed the door.
"Michael!" Victoria called after him as she watched him leave. He never turned.
Victoria screamed and fell against the closed door.
She tore at her hair, items on the shelves and in the cabinets rattled precariously and she beat the floor with her fists, tears scalding her cheeks. But Michael didn't come back.
Max walked the late night streets, his mind occupied fully with the events of the night and frustration and anger resonated in him as well.
His feet pounded the pavement, but he wasn't even aware that he was now walking in an old deserted part of town. The quiet though, left him to his occupied thoughts. He was thus so occupied with his thoughts that he wasn't even aware that he was being followed or watched.
Similarly, he didn't even have much of a chance at all of getting away when a dark gray van came up behind him quietly and when he did become aware of it as the side door was thrown open, it was too late when a small crowd descended quickly upon him.
After the shock of being attacked - dragged to the van's door, he did give up a fight. People were thrown back by the force of his power, but there were too many of them and when they forced an injection in him, it actually worked and it was futile. He blacked out.
When Victoria was awakened from the sleep that had occurred after crying herself into exhaustion - it was not a pleasant awakening.
People came at her from all sides - dressed in black, masks on - a whir of indistinguishable menace. A hand came over her mouth and 4, no . 5 people subdued her. A needle jammed into her and she flung it out by her struggles - but not before some of it was injected in her.
The next she was aware enough to understand - was at the van when they pushed her in and got in after her. Another injection and she was dead to the world.
Max sat straight up in bed in a light and cold slick sweat covering his body, wiping away the warm visions of a moment ago. He had been making love to Victoria. He hadn't seen anything erotic, but the feelings he felt defied description. An experience that was so transcendental and intense that it couldn't have been anything but sexual. He longed for her. A connection. Or at least the Zan part of him did.
When he got out of bed, took a quick shower and threw on his clothes - the only thing he could think that would stop these feelings - was to get Victoria to tell him something that wasn't ideal - so he could see or feel some vision of her that didn't seem so instinctually right. .. something that would stop this madness before it got out of hand. He was thinking this as he left.
Max didn't expect to find Victoria up when he entered her apartment - but she was sitting there on the black leather couch, her form illuminated only by moonlight from the sliding glass doors to the balcony.
"I knew you were going to come, Max. But I won't do what you want me to." -Victoria.
Max didn't bother to turn on the lights (he could see her enough in the dark) - as he went quickly over to kneel on the floor in front of the couch where she was.
"My life is not my own anymore. Zan is taking over and disturbing my life! I can't concentrate - not even on Liz anymore. When I'm around her I feel guilty, even though we've never done anything wrong. It's just these damned feelings and these 'sessions'." -Max.
"Max, Zan's not taking over. you are Zan - it is the real you. The first you and the integral part of who you are. The sessions are just connecting you with the real you and your spirit. It's bringing out you as you were and really still are." -Victoria.
"But I don't want it to bring anything out. Yes, I need answers. I expected to get it and evaluate it at least semi-clinically. I don't really want to be Zan." -Max.
"We can only run so long from who we really are." -Victoria.
"So let me 'run' longer. I'm not ready for this - to feel like this is not what I expected." -Max.
Victoria didn't have to ask how he felt exactly - she kind of knew because she was feeling it too - their past feelings for one another.
"Max-" Victoria started to say.
"No. No more rationalizations. I just need relief from this craziness." He gripped her arms and Victoria could see desperation in his eyes in the dark.
Victoria started to get up and away from his beseeching, demanding eyes - but he started to throw her back down to the couch. Before she was back on the couch - Victoria let loose a connection that rippled through their skin in a wave of energy.
Flashes burnt behind Max's eyelids.
He was in a doorway. Max couldn't see what Zan saw, but he saw and FELT Zan's shock and hurt and anger flash across his face and his soul--- at what he did not know. But then just as soon, he was in another place. A room with two thrones - an extremely large room. Ceilings countless feet high. Zan and Zenovia were arguing. He couldn't hear noise, but they were both very upset, very intense. Zan hit Zenovia. He looked appalled at hitting his wife - like it was something he never had done or thought he could. She was crying, but the tears were falling silently it seemed and she still sat there on the floor in all her regal finery and just looked up at him.
"You disgust me. I can not bear your presence." Max finally heard words from Zan.
Zan turned away.
And then another flash - another time - same room.
Zan sat on his throne - looking to the empty one beside his and an absolute flood of longing washed over the King - stronger than anger and pain and all else. Max felt it and it resonated with him.
Then Max was back in the present feeling the longing of Zan, having fallen on the couch beside Victoria while having the visions.
"What did you see exactly?" Victoria asked quietly.
Max looked at Victoria then and saw a sparkling tear on her cheek, maybe one she didn't even know she had shed - but sadness and a bit of fear was there.
She expected him to look at her differently now and he did, but in a different way than she had expected.
Max didn't understand the visions, but one thing he had learned that was an irrefutable fact: Zan had loved Zenovia despite anything. His love and longing for her had been so palpable. Max felt some of it. No, more than he wanted to.
"Max." Victoria started.
Max shook his head as he leaned to her and surprise of all surprises - Max kissed Victoria. In only a second the kiss became intense and as they held each other, flashes of their past assailed their visions as flashes of feeling assailed their bodies. The telepathic link was unbearable as was the strength of their apparent subconscious longing for reunited closeness. Of course none of this really made complete sense to them, but they were beyond anything but feeling in that moment. They felt helpless.
When Michael let himself in and flipped on the lights - he couldn't believe what he saw in that instant. A flower fell from his hand.
Max's shirt was off and Victoria lay on the couch. His best friend and girlfriend were bound in a kissing embrace.
Dazed, Max and Victoria looked at Michael standing inside the doorway.
His face was one of horror and confusion.
Max threw his shirt on. Both he and Victoria were stunned at their disheveled appearance. They saw themselves then the way Michael saw them.
"Michael." Max stood up quickly and headed to Michael. "It's not what you think."
Victoria looked at Michael and shook her head.
When Max approached Michael, Michael punched him in the jaw hard - knocking him down and against the wall.
Victoria screamed and leaped up. Michael's temper was raging now.
She jumped in between Michael and Max. "Like Max said, it's not---!"
Michael pushed her aside when Max stood up and took a step to Michael.
"No!" Victoria yelled and stood between them again.
"You're no longer anything to me." Michael spit at Max, his eyes blazing. "Up until somewhat recently you were acting as if you couldn't stand Victoria. Telling me to stay away from her. Just because you wanted her for yourself! I wonder how Liz Parker will react to this."
"Liz has nothing to do with this." Max said, angrily.
"Oh the people betrayed have everything to do with this." Michael said. "You're dead to me Maxwell Evans. Dead."
"And you-"Michael then directed his intense raging eyes on Victoria. "How long have you been screwing him?"
Tears burned beneath Victoria's eyelids. But indignation welled in her as well.
"She doesn't deserve that." Max put a hand on Victoria's shoulder and pushed her back a little.
"Get the hell out of here!" Michael raged at Max. Michael stormed towards the kitchen area.
"Go, Max." Max heard in his mind. The telepathic link?
He looked at Victoria's eyes and she nodded.
"I'll be okay," She said and pushed Max towards the door.
Max left, albeit reluctantly.
Michael was slamming doors in his anger and punching his hand against the wall.
"Michael, please!" -Victoria.
"I knew you could be a liar, but I honestly didn't know you were a faithless slut!" -Michael.
Before she thought, Victoria slapped Michael. She covered her mouth immediately sorry. "Michael." she whispered.
Michael's face flared and his expression went from shock to flat, dead anger. He strode to the back of the apartment and in Victoria's room - the one they'd been sharing, he started flinging his stuff in his bag.
"If you'll just listen to me, I'll explain." Victoria pleaded, crying now.
"I don't want to hear your petty excuses. Do you hear me?" He shouted at her, as he slammed the dresser drawer. Michael started out of the room and Victoria followed him. She grabbed his shoulder, but he shook her off.
"Michael, don't go. It's a misunderstanding. I love you!" -Victoria.
He turned to her violently. "Am I supposed to laugh?" "Ha. Ha." He spat scornfully.
Michael continued, "I hope it was worth it."
At the door, Victoria tried to stop him but he pushed her back and off of him.
"I think I'll be sick if you touch me right now." He railed and slammed the door.
"Michael!" Victoria called after him as she watched him leave. He never turned.
Victoria screamed and fell against the closed door.
She tore at her hair, items on the shelves and in the cabinets rattled precariously and she beat the floor with her fists, tears scalding her cheeks. But Michael didn't come back.
Max walked the late night streets, his mind occupied fully with the events of the night and frustration and anger resonated in him as well.
His feet pounded the pavement, but he wasn't even aware that he was now walking in an old deserted part of town. The quiet though, left him to his occupied thoughts. He was thus so occupied with his thoughts that he wasn't even aware that he was being followed or watched.
Similarly, he didn't even have much of a chance at all of getting away when a dark gray van came up behind him quietly and when he did become aware of it as the side door was thrown open, it was too late when a small crowd descended quickly upon him.
After the shock of being attacked - dragged to the van's door, he did give up a fight. People were thrown back by the force of his power, but there were too many of them and when they forced an injection in him, it actually worked and it was futile. He blacked out.
When Victoria was awakened from the sleep that had occurred after crying herself into exhaustion - it was not a pleasant awakening.
People came at her from all sides - dressed in black, masks on - a whir of indistinguishable menace. A hand came over her mouth and 4, no . 5 people subdued her. A needle jammed into her and she flung it out by her struggles - but not before some of it was injected in her.
The next she was aware enough to understand - was at the van when they pushed her in and got in after her. Another injection and she was dead to the world.