THE UNKNOWN

CHAPTER 4

"How can you be completely alien?" Michael shouted.

"Michael, it makes sense. If my son can be completely human, why can't she be completely alien?" Max said. Max's mind was in complete confusion. How could this girl be a total alien? And why would Lonnie and Rath just leave her?

"No. She's lying!" Isabel said. "She can't be totally alien, because she has human form!"

Max knew she was right. There was no possible way.

"I don't know why I have human form. I think it's some kind of defect, like the bleeding."

"The bleeding?" Isabel questioned her.

"Every time I shift or use my powers, I bleed. It just happens, I can't control it. And it's getting worse." Rie said.

"Then why not just heal yourself?" Michael said scathingly.

"I would heal myself but that's one of the powers I don't have" she replied. She turned to Max. "I know that I don't deserve you're trust after trying to... well anyway, the fact is there is something wrong with my brain that is getting worse, and you're the only one that can help."

Max just looked at her. What was he to do? Help her? Or let his sort of niece die? She could do anything to him while they were connected. The question was, could she be trusted.

"Please"

Max steeped toward her.

"Maxwell, you're going to trust her?" Michael exploded.

"I think we have to."

Max touched her. The images started immediately. He saw Rie as a baby, whilst Rath and Lonnie where hitting her. He saw Zan trying to be kind to her, telling her a story about Antar and Ava sitting in the corner not happy about the baby. He saw Rie left by herself. He saw Rath and Lonnie say that Zan was dead. And then he saw her as 11, her running, wanting to find Rath and Lonnie, and actually tracking down Isabel and Michael. When the images slowed, he found the problem in her brain, there was some kind of lump. He healed it and disconnected.

Max slumped to the floor, shocked by the images and tired from the healing.

"MAX!" Isabel cried. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?"

"She's...telling the truth Iz." Max whispered.

Isabel and Michael looked shocked. They had a niece. Well sort of Isabel thought. I'm going to be a much better to her than Lonnie ever was she vowed to herself.

There was a knock at the window. Max turned to see Liz standing outside. She looked shocked and worried that Max was on the floor. He got up shakily and opened the window.

"Max are you ok?" She said.

"I'm fine" he said kissing her softly.

"Who's that?" She said pointing to Rie.

"It's Rath's and Lonnie's daughter." Max said. He looked at Izzy and Michael but they were still too shocked to speak.

"Do you think you can untie me now?" Rie asked.

Max nodded at Michael who released her from her bonds.

"Wait, if this girl's who she says she is doesn't that mean that Lonnie and Rath had to be seven years old? It doesn't make sense!" Liz realised.

"It's a defect in my chromosomes. I age really fast and at odd times too. I seem to age in four years at a time for no apparent reason." Rie replied.

"Convenient excuse!" Liz said.

"Well it isn't convenient by any means!" Rie snapped.

The room fell into an awkward silence.

"Well I'd better go, got to try and find a good spot to sleep in" Rie said.

"A good spot?" Max asked.

"You know somewhere on the street" Rie replied.

"You can't sleep on the street!" Isabel said shocked.

"Why ever not? It's not like any of you guys trust me!" The others looked at her guiltily. "I'm not stupid. I can see the way you're all looking at me. See ya." She said as she stormed towards the door.

"Wait. You can stay with me." Michael said.

Rie stopped and turned towards him.

"You're right. I don't trust you; which is all the more reason why you should stay where I can keep my eye on you." Michael said deliberately.

"Thanks" Rie said quietly.

"Well we'll be off then. Isabel can you give us a ride?" Michael asked.

"Sure."

"Or we could just shift." Rie said.

"I can't shift" Michael said deliberately.

"I might be able to shift us both."

"How?" Michael said not sure what he was hearing.

"Easy we connect and I make our particles go somewhere else."

Michael looked around the room, he wasn't sure about this. But he knew he had to try it. He was Michael after all.

"Let's do it" he said taking her hand.

Rie raised her arms lifting Michaels with her, and they vanished.

"Well I guess I'll be going then. Bye." Isabel said as left leaving Max and Liz alone.

Liz kissed Max on the cheek.

"I guess you have a lot to catch me up on." Liz said not moving her lips more than an inch away from Max.

"I guess." Max said kissing her back. They both stopped talking and forgot all about Rie for the time being.