Zan and Charlie nocked on the door of an old house that was most probably once white, but now had that battered look about it. They waited for some time but there was no answer. They knocked again, but still there was no answer. Zan reached up to knock again, but Charlie stopped him.
"If they didn't answer the first two times, what makes you think they'll answer this time? You knocking at their door won't suddenly bring them home!"
"Charlie, I know what your saying but, I need this. I need to know what I am. They are the only people who I know have any link to my parents. Please?"
"Zan, I get what your saying but that still doesn't change the fact that no-ones home! We can come back later, tonight even! Okay?"
"Yeah, sure."
Zan retreated to the car with a disappointed look on his face. Charlie knew how much this meant to him, but what could she do? She followed him back to the car, and stopped his hand as he was reaching for the handle. She kissed his lips, and right then, Zan knew what she was thinking.
"Do you two know anything about this?" Phillip asked the couple sitting on the couch watching television.
"Anything about what?"
"This letter that was under the door when we got home? It says, 'He is here, looking for the truth. Please don't disappoint him.'"
A confused Max reached up his hand for the note and read it. "Not a clue. What about Mum?"
"She doesn't know anything about it either. It's strange, don't you think? Who is this "him" that the person who wrote it is talking about?"
"If it's important, who ever wrote it will be back!"
"Yeah, I guess. So, what are you two doing tonight?"
"Nothing really. Why?"
"Well, your mother and I had plans to go out tonight with some friends, but since you're here we should probably cancel."
"No, not on account of us! I was thinking about going to the Crashdown anyway and having dinner with my parents."
"Dad, Liz is right. Go, have fun. Don't do anything stupid!"
"Are you sure? We can cancel, no hassle at all?"
"You really don't want to go out do you?"
"Wow, its good to have the kids home again!"
Charlie remembered the moment like it was yesterday. She was working at her parent's restaurant and he was sitting by himself eating dinner. Zan was a loner. He had friends but preferred to keep to himself. Charlie could understand this. Two men walked in with stockings over their heads and held up Charlie as she was giving a customer their change. Her dad tried to stop them but a gun went off, and Charlie was lying on the floor with blood coming out of her chest. Zan ran over and healed her. Suddenly realising what he had done, he ran. From then on, her life had been less than normal.
She looked across at the boy sitting on the other side of the table. He seemed so still, like he had no life. He was tall, with brown hair and dark eyes. He had a seriousness about him, a stern look that only she could make turn into a smile. Charlie often wondered who his parents were, and what they looked like. She hated seeing him hurt like this.
"You okay?"
"What? Oh, yeah, fine."
"We can go if you want?"
"No, its okay."
"Zan?"
"I'm fine, really! Did you call your parents?"
"Don't change the subject!"
"Well, did you?"
"Yeah…"
"And?"
"I told them that was staying with a friend in Seattle for a few days. Mick and Lisa are looking for you."
"They didn't care when I was there, so what's the point caring now?"
"Zan!"
"Sorry. Can we go, I'm not really in the mood for a stupid alien café?"
"Sure."
As they were walking out of the front door, Max and Liz walked in from the kitchen. Charlie turned around and noticed Max. He looked so much like Zan it wasn't funny. He noticed the girl who was holding his hand. She was gazing at Zan with a look of disbelief on her face. Her eyes met with Charlies and they held their gaze till Zan pulled on her arm as if to say hurry up. Who were those two?