Liz Parker put on her patchwork skirt and a white peasant blouse,
and grabbed her book bag. She ran her brush through her shoulder length
mahogany tresses, then slipped downstairs into the cafe. "Morning,
Dad," she greeted, watching her father go over yesterday's receipts.
"Morning, Angel." Jeff Parker leaned over,
kissing his daughter's cheek. Liz grinned.
"The gang is going to hang out at Max and
Isabel's after school today. We're going to get started on that history project
Mr. Jenson assigned." Jeff nodded. "Oh, and Max and I might take in a
movie if we finish early enough." Jeff chuckled softly as his daughter
bounded out of the cafe on her way to school. She looked around slowly, feeling
eyes on her back, but she saw nothing suspicious.
Two blocks from the Crashdown, Liz caught
up with her long time pal, Alex Whitman. "Hey, Liz." He slid his arm
across her shoulders as they continued on their way. They were still four
blocks from school when Max Evans's jeep pulled up along side them. Liz
grinned, leaning in for a good morning kiss from her gorgeous boyfriend, before
she climbed up and sat in back, next to Isabel. Once Alex had climbed aboard as
well and was scrunched in, Max drove them the rest of the way.
"We're all on for tonight?" Isabel
asked, leaning over to kiss Alex softly. Catching a grinning Liz eyeing her,
she quickly slid into her ice queen mask, gazing at the passing scenery.
"Yeah, Maria and I are both off tonight so we'll
be there. Um, what time do you want us?" Liz asked.
Isabel shrugged. "4:00 I guess.
Michael has detention until 3:30 and there's not much point starting til he
arrives, so....." Izzy scowled toward the guy in question, Michael Guerin,
fellow alien and Maria DeLuca's on again, off again boyfriend.
Liz laid her hand gently on Max's
shoulder. He grinned as he pulled into the school and quickly parked the jeep.
Max jumped out and offered Liz a hand down. She grinned, hopping down into his
arms, sighing softly as Max's lips claimed hers. As Maria walked up, Michael
slid his arm across her shoulders, guiding her toward the door. Max's hand slid
around Liz's slim waist, holding her close as they followed, Isabel and Alex
bringing up the rear.
Liz and Max had chemistry first period and
they wandered into the classroom, holding hands, and took their seats, smiling
lovingly at each other.
At
lunch, the Pod Squad, as they called themselves, met up at their usual spot in
the quad. Max and Liz shared kisses in between bites of the sandwich Max had
brought. Liz leaned back against Max's chest, her head resting lightly on his
shoulder. He smiled down at her, dropping a feathersoft kiss on the tip of her
nose. Isabel scrunched her nose at the action. She never understood why her
brother had to be so.......public.......about his feelings for Liz. Maria and
Alex were discussing some movie they had both seen the night before.
Liz stiffened slightly as a prickly sensation
traveled up her spine. She gazed slowly around the quad, an intense feeling of
being watched coming over her. Max's hand slid around her waist. "What's
wrong, Liz?" he asked.
Liz shook her head slightly and smiled down at
him. "It's nothing, Max. Just my imagination." Max eyed her silently.
"It just......I just felt like I was being watched or something." She
tried to shrug it off as unimportant. Max tugged her back against him, holding
her close as they finished up their lunch period.
Liz was glad
when the final bell rang and she headed down the hallway to her locker. She
took the books she would need, placing them in her back pack, then headed
toward the girl's bathroom. She grinned at Maria as she moved to the sinks,
washing her hands and running her brush quickly through her hair, before tying
it back in a ponytail. When the two girls were ready, they headed for the
parking lot. Alex was already waiting by Maria's car when the girls arrived,
and the three human members of the Pod Squad drove to the Crashdown for a
burger before they had to get to the Evans'.
As the three friends left the Cafe a short while
later, a familiar feeling swept over Liz and she shivered involuntarily. She
scanned the sidewalks and buildings but saw nothing unusual. Yet she still
couldn't shake the nagging feeling. Somebody was watching her.
Suddenly, images started flashing through her mind.
Disturbing images. Frightening. Liz saw herself in a room with four white
walls.She was strapped to an examination table in the middle of this room. And
there was a man there. She couldn't see his face, but she could feel his malice
washing over her. As the images abruptly faded, Liz fell to her knees on the
sidewalk. "Liz!" Maria cried, moving quickly to her side and helping
her up and into the car. "Liz what happened?"
Liz shuddered. "Get us out of here, Maria.
Please, just get us to Max." Maria sped to Max's as quickly as she could.
She kept glancing in her rearview mirror, scared by the haunted expression on
Liz's face. Whatever had happened to Liz had scared her. When they arrived, Liz
jumped out of the car and practically sprinted up to the front door. She didn't
even bother to knock, yanking the door open and throwing herself into Max's
arms instead, her body shuddering in her boyfriend's embrace.
"Liz?" Max said slowly. "Liz, what's
wrong?" He looked to Maria and Alex, worry flashing brightly in his eyes.
"I think.......I think someone's following me,
Max," Liz said softly, just barely above a whisper. She looked up at him
through the tears pooling in her eyes. "I felt it again.....at the
Crashdown. And then......then I had some kind of.....vision or
something....."
Max held her tightly, trying to calm her shaking body.
"What do you mean, vision, Liz? What did you see?"
"I saw a room........a room with white
walls....and some kind of exam table." Liz gave him a haunted look.
"I.....was.......strapped to the table, Max......and there was someone
else there.....I couldn't see him, but I could feel him......he was evil, Max."
Everyone in the room had gone pale at her description.
"Who would want to hurt Liz, Max?" Michael asked. "It doesn't
make any sense."
Liz glanced Michael's way. "I
think......no, I know.......somehow I know it was him."
"Him, who, Liz?" Michael asked.
"It was Pierce......" Max blanched,
holding Liz even tighter, his white knuckles matching his suddenly pale face.
"I will not let Pierce, or anyone else,
hurt you, Liz." Max stroked her hair softly, trying to soothe her. The
others added their agreement, crowding around to comfort Liz.
It was another hour before the group had calmed
sufficiently to start work on their assignment. Max kept Liz close to him at
all times, seeming to need her close to assure himself she was safe. When Liz went
to the kitchen for a drink, Max was right beside her. And Liz had to admit that
she was comforted by Max's overprotectiveness.
The group finally called it a night at
10:30 and Max insisted on driving Liz home himself. When Liz got up to her room,
she smiled to see Max waiting on her balcony. "It's ok, Max. You can go
home now," she whispered softly. Max leaned in and kissed her
passionately. He tugged her close, his hands sliding along her back as he
deepened the kiss. Liz clung to him, her hands wrapping around his neck. Max
carried her to her bed and settled her in.
"Sweet dreams, Liz. I'll be here in the morning
to drive you to school. Wait for me, Angel." Max kissed her one last time
and climbed back out of her room, heading home.
