Title: Homecoming: the Mexican Tango. Part 4g 1/2
Author: Chris Kenworthy
E-mail: chris@chriskweb.net
Home archive: http://www.fanficarchive.net/
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own the Roswell characters, though if I did I'd treat them better than Jason Katims.
Category: Sci-fi drama. Canon couples romance leading to UC pairings in later part.
Spoilers: Up to 'ask not'
Part 4g: The hell outta Dodge.
(Somewhere around 3:30 am, December 30th 2000)
"Okay, so let me get this straight," Maria asked as Jim Valenti's footsteps echoed down the street outside the front door. "This bodyguard rounded up the perimeter guard handily, brought everybody in here, tried to interrogate you, and accidentally shot the guy he was supposed to protect?"
"His nerves were pretty frayed by that point," Alex mentioned, nodding. "He thought it was Max, making a threatening move or something."
"And then Tess and Liz made a break for it, the bodyguard chased after him, and now Max, Isabel, and Michael are chasing after HIM? Without their powers??"
"You heard what Alex said," Kyle put in. "They're not gonna go up against this guy until their abilities return. But they have to be nearby when that happens to save Liz. And Tess."
"And your dad is trying to catch up with all of them, Kyle," Maria finished. "With his gun."
"Come on, guys." Alex sighed. "We've got our own job to do. Michael told me to make sure we get this air-sled thingee or whatever back to the hotel without anyone noticing."
"And what about him?" Maria asked, pointing into the bedroom."
Alex spared a glance at the professor's body. It killed him to say this, but "He's not our responsibility."
"Isn't he?" Kyle queried. "If you hadn't come here tonight, he might be waking up about now."
Alex stifled a groan. He didn't want to get into philosophies of accountability with Kyle. All he knew was that it was the other guy who pulled the trigger. "C'mon, give me a hand, it's in the cupboard here," he indicated to the other teenaged boy.
Kyle didn't push it - he opened the cupboard door and helped heft the impressive-looking airsled out.
* * * *
Max hurried through the dark as fast as he could, straining hard just to see what was around him in the moonlight. Straining just as hard, inside, to feel that sensation of his powers coming back to life inside of him. Nothing unmistakeable yet.
"Hey," Michael gasped, coming to a stop and pointing ahead of him. "Hey, KILLER!!"
A flash swung out of nowhere to shine around all three of them, and more gunshots rang out. Michael and Isabel quickly jumped for cover, and Max scrambled to join them. This is good, as long as none of us get shot, he thought. Keep the heat off Liz and Tess, make him realize that he's caught between us now.
Soon the flash spun away again, and Max crept closer, not stepping into the inviting emptiness of the path immediately, but making his way through the thin brush around it. Michael and Iz were doing the same.
How long could they keep this up? How long would they have to?? And if disaster struck suddenly, would there be any way to keep that gun from claiming another life tonight??
* * * *
"TESS!!" Liz called out, then kicked herself mentally. All you need is to draw the bodyguard right to you now. But where had she gone?? Was she lying down at the foot of that cliff, dead or dying?
Liz's first reaction to that thought was immediately censored. She had started a clean slate with Therese Harding, and to take pleasure in the thought of her death for things that had happened months ago was beneath her anyway. Also, if Tess was killed, then Max and the others had no chance to complete their challenge successfully, and she knew how important that was to all of them.
"Liz!!" The voice was hoarse, filled with fear and tension and also trying not to be loud enough to draw unwelcome attention. Liz crept closer to the edge and saw a lock of curly pale hair gleaming in the moonlight, A foot kicking vainly in mid-air.
She crawled yet closer, on her hands and knees now to get nearer to the cliff edge - and for the sake of stability. Tess was holding onto an exposed tree root, her other hand and one foot scrabbling for additional support on the rough cliff face, and not finding it. She wouldn't be able to hang on long.
There was no way that Liz could reach that far down by herself. But maybe... she quickly shucked off the jean jacket that she had been wearing on watch against the brisk Mexican night, knotted the arms together and tossed it down, waist first, bracing herself as best she could. "Grab hold!!"
She couldn't see Tess from this position, but there was no mistaking the sensation as something a hundred-ten odd pounds or so started pulling on the fabric. It took all of Liz's wearied strength not to go flying from the first sudden jolt, but she held firm, and could hear the faint sounds of progress from over the cliff.
And then it happened. The effort to keep the material between her fingers was challenging, but Liz didn't let herself even think about losing her grip. Until it happened. The jacket flew away and over the edge. with Tess screaming in surprise.
There wasn't a fraction of a second to spare on rational thought. Liz catapulted herself over the edge, arms first. And then smooth hands were grabbing her arms, seeking a firm grip on the top of the cliff. As logical evaluation returned to Liz's brain, she realized that Tess had managed to make some progress upward with the jacket, and found another handhold when it slipped away.
Liz's own position was starting to become precarious, but Tess was crawling up onto the solid ground at the top of the cliff and pulling Liz back away from the edge. For an instant the only thing Liz could think about was how Max had given her that jacket, and both she and Tess had let it go, now almost certainly fallen to the bottom of the cliff. Well, better it than either of them, she supposed.
"Liz... you saved my life." Tess' voice seemed overcome with amazement at that fact.
Liz cocked her ear, listening for any sound of the bodyguard. There were footsteps through the woods surrounding them from two corners, and she knew she couldn't assume that anyone else had taken care of the enemy. "Not yet I haven't." And she helped Tess to her feet and they were running again, carefully following the edge of the cliff, but not too closely.
* * * *
"Ssh." Michael put a finger to his lips, and as Max and Isabel froze motionless and completely silent, he listened in the dark woods for a moment. As he pointed out a bearing somewhat to the left of the way that they had been heading, he couldn't escape the thought that he was acting like a stereotypical native american guide in an old movie or something.
They moved on without speaking for a few minutes, the only sounds the inevitable quiet crunches and thumps of their own movement, and louder footfalls ahead of them - someone who was not taking as much care about staying quiet, but too far ahead. Michael was weighing the pros and cons of putting on more speed at the expense of stealth when it happened.
As the three of them stepped into a clearing that none of them had quite realized was there, the dreaded flashlight sprung to life all around them. Too late Michael realized that their enemy had been lying in wait for them.
"Did you think I wouldn't realize that you were following me??" he snarled, practically a disembodied voice from behind the light. "You thought I would be so focused on your little friends that I wouldn't take you on, huh?? Well, they'll still be here once you're done for. Ain't nobody leaving these woods tonight but me." He chuckled awefully.
"Somehow I beg to differ," Max called out loudly, to Michael's surprise. What kind of bluff was Maxwell Evans playing at?
But it was no bluff. Suddenly, a wall of rippling green energy materialized out of the night between the three of them and the shooter. Somehow it blocked the flashlight, or diffracted it, but cast its own soft light all over the forest clearing.
Max reached out and grabbed Michael's hand, and something sparked between them. Max's balance, somehow having recovered from the weapon's disruptive effects slightly more quickly, was putting Michael's powers back in order too. Michael reached out with his other hand to catch Isabel's. He could tell that the effect was carrying on to her as well, and he smiled.
"Rock and roll."
* * * *
"Wait." Tess' hand grabbed Liz, and when Liz turned back, she saw that the hybrid girl was staring the way that they had come.
"What is it??" Liz whispered. She could hear some sort of sound from behind them - not footsteps or talking, and a faint light that was NOT the shooter's flashlight.
"I felt a nudge of power," Tess breathed back almost silently. "At least one of them has their powers back already. Maybe..." She waved a hand, and a tree branch visibly bent down towards her.
Liz couldn't help but smile. "'Bout damn time."
Tess grinned back. "Come on. They may need our help."
* * * *
Max smiled over at Michael and Isabel, and then realized he wasn't sure what to do next. Through the distorting translucence of the barrier, he could tell that the shooter still had his weapon at the ready, as irresolute as he was.
Apparently a decision, since three bullets suddenly rocketed into the shield - each one obviously targeted at one of the three of them. The one that had been meant for Michael must have bouced back perilously close to the shooter, because he adjusted his position, but didn't fire the rifle again immediately. He was pondering his next move.
The bodyguard fired again, but this time it was apparently the power-draining beam, and Max staggered as it made contact with the shield. "You okay, man??" Michael asked.
"Yeah, but I won't be if too many more of those connect," Max explained hurriedly. "I guess that beam affects our powers, and the shield is an extension of my powers. I'm not sure if it would bring down the shield itself first, or crash my balance totally again, but it'd do one or the other soon enough." Another impact rocketed in.
"Lemme try something." Michael brought something out of his pocket and fiddled with it, Something happaned beyond the shield that Max couldn't immediately identify. "You can let it down now."
Max let his force field collapse, and realized that Michael had set the heat shield to a protective arc around the shooter. He fired the energy sucking ray again, but this time it had no effect on the new shield or on Michael's abilities.
And then a bullet rocketed easily through the heat field, and Isabel dropped to the ground reflexively. "Didn't think of that," Michael muttered, taking cover himself.
Once again, something happened beyond the protective wall - something to do with the bodyguard's weapon. "Michael, take it out," Max ordered. He had to see what was going on.
It made quite a tableau once his eyes adjusted to the sudden decrease of light - the bodyguard turned and staring off to the side, where Liz and Tess had suddenly appeared from another path into the clearing, near the shooter's position. Tess still holding a dramatic and impressive gesture at him. Liz holding the weapon in both arms, and obviously not at all sure what to do with it beyond keep it out of the bodyguard's hands at all costs.
Obviously they had come in, and Tess had used kinesis to throw the gun to Liz. That was the final break they needed. Tess had her powers now too, which made sense, since hers had been taken away before anybody else's.
"Tess, come here," he called out. They needed to capitalize on this break as quickly as they could, and Max thought he knew how.
* * * *
Liz almost fainted with relief when the heat shield dropped and she saw for sure that Max was there - even though she'd guessed he would be one of the ones to come after them. And her knees felt weak for an entirely different reason again when the first thing out of his mouth was to call for Tess.
**This isn't personal, it's tactics. You know that Max is even happier to see you alive than you are him, but his first priority is making sure we all STAY alive and healthy. Whatever his plan is, Tess plays a part in it. It's that simple.**
As Tess ran over to join the other three hybrids, Liz followed carefully, catching a snatch or two of their conversation, though they were obviously trying to keep their voices low.
"...to see you okay. Do you guys think you can pull off the..." -- Max
"Well, it's not something we..." -- Tess
"He knows that." -- Isabel
"We gotta give it... ---- ... isn't even worth thinking about." -- Michael
"Need anything else from..." -- Max
During all of this, Max was using kinesis to keep the bodyguard from making a break from it, without even seeming to pay too much attention to him. Michael whispered something to Max that Liz couldn't make out, and Max stopped it. Suspecting something, the bad guy stopped trying to run away, standing his ground stoically.
Isabel groaned. "Get rid of him, Tess."
Tess concentrated, and although Liz couldn't see the mindwarp she was weaving directly -- (she suspected none of them could, since it would be crafted for the special unit agent alone,) the results were instant and dramatic. Shooter-boy turned and ran off like a shot.
Isabel, Michael, and Tess gathered where they could see the bodyguard booting it down a forest trail, and just as he was about to move out of a line of sight they all seemed to be making an incredible metaphysical effort and each of the three pointed at him. (Michael and Isabel had joined their free hands and Tess had hers on Isabel's opposite shoulder.)
Then the bodyguard was gone, and the three of them were in various stages of keeling over. Max and Liz hurried over to assist. "What was all that about," Liz couldn't help but ask.
"How did you do?" Max asked at almost the same time.
"Well, we learned a lot, I think," Tess croaked. "First, not to do it exactly that way next time." Max's face looked concerned in the moonlight.
"You can't erase someone's memories long-term with this trick, and that's what we were trying to do at first," Isabel explained. "I think the trick is to REWRITE the memories, replace them with something else, not remove them entirely."
"Don't worry, Maxwell," Michael put in. "We were able to cover the worst of our tracks."
"How much??" Max asked again.
"He'll remember pretty much what went down," Tess said, "but nothing correct about any of our identities, or that could be used to track us down, like the Roswell connection."
"I think he'll actually recall that one of the guys who broke into the professor's house was Chandler Bing," Isabel added. "I didn't mean to do that, it just kinda slipped from my subconscious into his brain."
"It's good enough," Max told her warmly. "Come on, we've got to go meet everybody else back at the motel. Oh, hi Jim. Sorry, you showed up too late for the fun." Sure enough, the sheriff had just puffed up to them in the darkness.
"Glad to hear it," the older man muttered wryly. "You all okay."
"Yeah," Tess said, slipping her arms around her de-facto foster father in a comfort hug. Somewhat belatedly Max dropped an arm around Liz's shoulders and Liz wrapped an arm around his waist.
As they headed back towards the town streets, Liz thought of something else. "What about the memory transfer, anyway?? Did you get anything??"
Isabel and Max stared at each other. "We'll have to worry about that later," Isabel decided. "Once we've had a chance to relax. I know I got a lot into Max's brain, but whether it's still there and whether anyone can get it back out, those may be tougher questions."
"Like we really *need* any more of those," Tess complained softly as she brought up the rear.
* * * *
"The question is, how do you work it??" Michael wondered. There had been an emotional reunion scene back at the hotel, especially for Michael and Maria, to a slightly lesser extent Isabel and Alex with much hugging and some smoochage. Since pretty much everyone was still wired from the events of the night, it was quickly decided to sneak the airsled up to the roof of the motel and experiment with it.
"Maybe just by willing what you want it to do, and through your powers, like the gun," Max suggested. He climbed into the seat, mumbling about the lack of legroom, and closed his eyes. Almost immediately the device started to levitate slowly up until it was floating perhaps two feet above the roof.
"Alright, way to go Max!" Isabel cheered. He opened his eyes, and they immediately focused on a glass square that hadn't been there in front of him before. It must have somehow extended out of the airsled when he gave the activation command. He stared at it in confusion for a moment, trying to understand what the heck it was for. And then -- something started to happen.
"Are you okay, Max??" Liz asked. He waved her silent with a tender gesture, still focusing on the square. Colors and shapes were starting to appear in it, though they didn't make any sense. And then...
To anyone looking with the unaided eye, Max knew that the picture would still be scrambled. But somehow, a second component was being transmitted directly to his mind. The two components, mental and visual, complimented each other and resolved the picture. He could see the pool in the motel courtyard below, where he and Liz had shared that magical night. He could see it perfectly clearly, in incredible detail.
"This thing has a surveillance device," he managed to say out loud. "I wonder how far it can go..."
And as soon as he thought it, the image was across town - at the professor's house. The bodyguard was there, he was just leaving it, again. Max explained this as he followed the man through the dark town streets, to another house, which he entered. Presumably the bodyguard's own residence.
"I can't get inside - it must not work on enclosed spaces. But still..."
"This is amazing," Tess said. "Any idea what else it can do??"
Max explored the connection he had with the sled, and when everything around him became dim and his friends gasped in astonishment, he knew what had happened and reversed it. "Cloaking device." He set the sled down. "I'm pretty sure that there's some kind of energy cannon weapon too, but I'm not gonna experiment with that tonight." He climbed awkwardly out of the seat and wrapped Liz up in his arms. "Got better things to do."
Michael clearly wanted to try the sled out too, but decided that it was probably a little too risky at the moment. They found an old storage cubbyhole up on the roof that was big enough to hold it and clearly hadn't been used in years, and Michael used his powers to seal it up tightly before they headed back down the stairs.
"By the way," Max breathed into Liz's ear, "Did I thank you for saving all of our butts - again??"
Liz grinned. "No -- did I thank you for bringing me back out of the woods safely??"
"No. Looks like we've got a lot of gratitude to pass back and forth. Any idea how we might work that out??"
Liz's passionate kiss, right there in the motel hallway, answered the question nicely.
* * * *
Isabel rushed in to bar Valenti's way before he could open his room door.
"I'm sorry to have to do this, Chaperone Valenti," she intoned slowly. "But this is a mutiny."
Valenti considered her words slowly. In the hallway behind him Alex, Liz, Max, Michael, and Maria were arrayed in a loose circle. Kyle was just behind and to the side of Valenti, also encircled within the loop and looking as confused as Valenti felt. Ditto for Tess, who was standing outside.
"A mutiny," the Sheriff repeated slowly. He was still wearing his gun, and fingered it slowly for effect, though everybody knew that THAT was a bluff. "Are you sure that you want to do this? Miss DeLuca??"
Maria gulped, but nodded. "After all that's happened tonight we want to be with-- with the people that we love, Mister Valenti. Not locked up in parentally approved same-sex couples. You can understand that, can't you??"
"It's nothing prurient we have planned," Liz put in, then looked sidelong at Max and had to qualify, "Well, not particularly. It's just..."
"Enough," Jim groaned. "You want to rearrange the rooming assignments for today? How, specifically??"
"Alex in with me," Isabel announced. "Max with Liz. Maria in Michael's room. And Tess and Kyle in with you in the big room." She held his stare for a long moment.
Jim shook his head slightly, opened his mouth -- and was immediately cut off by Kyle. "Dad!! I mean, Michael's not my ideal roommate, but I get enough of the two of you at home!!"
"I'm sorry, Kyle." Jim smirked slightly. "We can't stand up against alien abilities, after all. This is a straight power play, and we don't have any cards to play." He turned to Tess expectantly, to see what her reaction should be.
Tess looked at the tableau for what seemed a long time, then groaned. "Okay, whatever. Just let me get changed for bed in Isabel's room, and I'll be right in."
* * * *
"I have to admit, this was a really good idea," Alex whispered, loving the feeling of Isabel Evans lying in his arms. "We should mutiny more often."
Iz laughed softly. "Yeah, I guess we should at that."
Alex picked up something in her voice. "Is something wrong??"
"I, uh, I dunno." Isabel breathed deeply, in and out, as she organized her thoughts. "It's just, what is this, the fifth, sixth really close shave, in not as many months?? Forget winning the challenge for a moment - are we even going to survive the year??"
"Of course we are," Alex assured her. "Things have been... crazy, I'll admit. But look for a moment what we've accomplished, what we've survived so far. Neither Kivar's aliens nor the special unit have been able to press an attack home yet. Liz seems to be developing an uncanny knack for getting us out of even the stickiest situations. Your control of your powers seems to be getting more amazing day by day - and I mean all for of you, though especially *you*, Isabel Evans."
Isabel giggled. "And you have the key to what we're up against and what we have to do - right there." She poked the washer playfully where it lay beneath his undershirt.
"I do what I can."
Iz craned her neck and kissed him, softly and firmly on the lips. "Alex Charles Whitman, what would I ever do without you??"
They lay in each other's arms without speaking, and by the time the sunbeam started streaming through the window, they were both soundly asleep.
* * * *
By the time Liz woke up, the afternoon was starting to turn towards evening. The window was open, and a slightly fresh, slightly spicy smell was drifting in.
And Max had gone.
She rembered every part of that morning, after they had come into her room... the talking, the kissing, the experimenting with slightly heavier petting and foreplay than ever since the night they'd found the pod, and then falling asleep together in her bed. But now Liz was here alone.
She got up somewhat listlessly, feeling his absence like it was weighing down on her, cleaned up quickly in the empty shared bathroom, and pulled some clothes out of her suitcase to wear. She had dressed and was staring at a fresh journal page, wondering what on earth to say, when a knock sounded on the door.
"Mutineer wanting to come back and visit my old digs. Is there a lovebird warning??"
"Maria?" Liz called out, running to the door. Sure enough, it was Maria on the other side, dressed in a saucy latin-themed dress that she must have bought somewhere in Puerto Penasco, probably yesterday, and carrying a large paper bag and a cup-holder with two beverages in it. "Sure, sure, come on in. Max isn't here."
"Huh. I wonder if he's off with Michael somewhere." Maria handed Liz a large coffee, sat cross-legged on her bed, brought a large pastry for herself out of the coffee shop takeout bag, and tossed the rest across the room to her best friend. "Isabel and Alex are playing 'Mastermind', Tess and Kyle are down at the coffee shop, and Mister Valenti's listening to the local news."
"I didn't know mister Valenti knew Spanish," Liz commented, though it made sense now that she thought about it. "So... how was your morning with Michael??"
"Oooh!!" Maria grinned and blushed. "No complaints."
Liz was intrigued. "Maria, do we have something to share??"
"I, uh... we..." Maria sighed. "I, I, I'll tell you later, okay??"
"C'mon - no one's here but us chickens, girlfriend." No response. "Do I at least get a hint??"
"Maybe you have to go first," Maria countered. "Nice room alone, no chaperone -- how far did you and Max go last night??"
"Um..." Liz felt herself blushing too. "Well, not *too* far. There... there was licking involved, that's all I'll say." It made her feel a little gooey inside just thinking about it.
"Oooh, us too!!"
Somehow Liz now felt compelled to add a qualification. "*Above* the waist."
"Well, then, that would be the difference, I guess." Maria giggled.
"Ohh... oh, oh my gawd!! You're telling me you..."
"No, no, come on now Liz," Maria insisted. "I keep expecting Max to burst through that door and I'd really rather not talk about it until later, okay?? Breakfast now."
"Okay." Liz looked at the half-eaten croissant that she didn't even remember getting out of the bag, let alone biting out of, and had to fight back the urge to sniff at it suspiciously. Laughing inside at her own sillyness, she helped herself to another bite. Quite tasty.
"So -- any clue what we'll be doing tonight??" Maria asked after a moment had passed.
"Not sure - probably stick in town, try to pretend we're normal tou--" she broke off when suddenly, sure enough, Max Evans opened the door to the room and stepped inside without warning or preamble.
"Big room - now. We gotta problem."
They all crowded into Valenti's motel room. In a clipped hush, Max told them how Michael had woken him up earlier this afternoon to come with him while Michael learned how to use the airsled. Michael had used the surveillance screen to monitor the bodyguard's house, according to Max's directions, and had seen him receive an unexpected visitor.
"Congresswoman Vanessa Whittaker." The surprise at the dropping of this name was considerable, but Jim Valenti quickly motioned for quiet.
"It does make sense. When she got Michael arrested, Whittaker said that she had friends in the FBI. She knew exactly who to take the bones to so they could be scanned for Cadmium-X. And we all know that she was a close associate of Daniel Pierce."
"The bodyguard's presence here in Puerto Penasco - with a weapon that could supress alien powers no less - is clear evidence that at least some former members of the Special Unit have banded together in a conspiracy after the Unit was formally disbanded by congress and the FBI. Whittaker might play a role in that coalition - a liason, maybe, or even a leader."
"So what do we do now??" Kyle asked.
"We get the hell outta town before Whittaker has any chance to find out that we were here and start putting two and two together," Tess suggested.
"And where would we go?" Isabel asked. "We aren't supposed to be back in Roswell until the day after New Year's. Arriving home earlier would seem suspicious."
"Then we find some other place in Mexico to lie low in until then," Max suggested. "Somewhere closer to the American border."
A few looks were exchanged, but nobody disagreed. "Start packing," Jim advised. "I'll check us out at the front desk."
* * * *
Title: Homecoming: the Mexican Tango. Part 4g 2/2
Author: Chris Kenworthy
E-mail: chris@chriskweb.net
Home archive: http://www.fanficarchive.net/
Rating: Reader discretion is advised for sexual language and situations. This part rated M for mature. ;)
Disclaimer: I don't own the Roswell characters, though if I did I'd treat them better than Jason Katims.
Category: Sci-fi drama. Canon couples romance leading to UC pairings in later part.
Spoilers: Up to 'ask not'
(A little after 7:30 pm, December 30th 2000)
"So, um..." Kyle muttered, trying to break the awkward silence that filled the Jeep. It didn't work.
Max was finally back and driving his own wheels, mostly because Liz had asked for some 'alone time' with Maria, so they were riding in Liz's new car. And Valenti had commanded the presence of Michael and Alex, so that left Max, Kyle, Isabel, and Tess riding in the Jeep.
"So, do we have any idea where we're actually going, or just getting as far away from Puerto Penasco as we can?" Tess asked.
"More the latter," Isabel opined. "It shouldn't be too hard to find some place to stop once we're far enough."
"Well, there's one question I want to ask before we get to that point," Kyle said. "Should we stay in Mexico until the time arrives to go back to Roswell, or get back into the US as soon as we can?"
There was a short pause. "That's a good point to raise," Max allowed. "I was thinking that crossing the border too soon would just call attention to ourselves, but it might be better to do it sooner, before Whittaker has a chance to get any more organized."
"We can bring it up when Sheriff Valenti leads the way to a rest stop," Isabel suggested.
"Okay," Tess agreed after a moment when nobody else did.
There was another long silence. "Umm... gravy," Kyle suddenly blurted out.
"What the hell?" Isabel snapped.
"License plate game - that blue compact up there?" Kyle pointed out the car in question, and sure enough, the letters on the license plate read out G-R-V. "Hell, it's not like we have anything better to do."
"Okay, er, um..." Tess scanned her side of the road, trying to pick out a plate. "Slave." The rusty station wagon was SLA 493
"Umm... FSJ," Isabel announced from the front seat. "Can anyone think of something for that??"
* * * *
(Ten minutes after nine...)
"Okay, so we got back to his room," Maria said, already starting to blush a little. "And there's the usual sappy small talk - I was so scared for you, I love you so much and I was scared for you too, I thought I'd never see you again -- you know how it goes, right??"
"Pretty much," Liz agreed with a small smile. "Then what??" She was carefully keeping her eyes on the highway.
"Well, things started to get pretty hot and heavy right away. We've... well, Michael and I have been getting the frequent visitor discount at second base ever since the tunnel of love ride at the Dexter Carnival, if you know what I mean."
"I do now!!" Liz took a few deep breaths. "I, I didn't realize that you and Michael were... well, were doing *that* so often."
"You and my mom both - hopefully," Maria giggled.
"Yeah. So, erm... back in our room, you'd mentioned something about... ehh--"
"Oh, right. THAT. So, yeah, we'd been making out for a bit - not sure how long exactly."
"Of course."
"Full open mouth kissing, hands everywhere, the usual. All of a sudden, he stops, and he like - he picks me up and lays me down flat on the bed..." Liz realized her mouth was hanging open, and she closed it most of the way. "And he goes to undo the snap to my skirt, and I mumble something about I really do love him, but I'm not ready to go all the way, yet. But that wasn't what he had in mind. Quite."
Liz just made a 'go-on' gesture with one hand, hanging on every word by this point, and practically having to kick herself to keep both eyes on the road.
"He gets the skirt unfastened and takes it away, and pulls my thong down and off, and I'm *dying* by this point, and then Michael dives in. Face-first, as it were." Liz made a sound that could not possibly have been mistaken for talking by anyone that was familiar with the english language, though it was also somehow more complex than a mere groan. "Yeah. Michael Guerin going downtown - who'd have thunk it. Though he really isn't as selfish as he likes to pretend, I'll give him that much."
Liz shook her head slightly and tried to organize her churning thoughts into some kind of words. "How did -- what was it like??"
"No complaints," Maria chirped vehemently. "Well - I didn't exactly make a landing on planet X, if you catch my drift - I was nervous, he was nervous, we were both tired. He -- didn't really know what he was doing down there and I could tell it was *not* the right occasion for instruction. But it was cool, and really sweet, and in the end I faked it just to satisfy his pride, you know??"
"I guess," Liz mumbled. "And did you... uhh..." she grinned slyly at her friend. "Didja return the favor??"
"Uh, no," Maria replied. "Might have been the considerate thing to do, but I didn't think I was quite ready for delivering my first BJ, and I don't think Michael was looking for one anyway. We messed around a little more - I stuck my hand down his pants and rubbed his thang through his boxers, but everything after IT was definitely an 'anticlimax.'" She turned to look at Liz. "Well, I've shared - what happened between you and Maxxie in our room?"
"Oh, nothing as dramatic as that, definitely."
"C'mon, girlfriend, you gotta give me at least the cliff notes version!!"
"Okay, let's see..." Liz paused just a second. "Started off pretty much like yours. Max and I aren't regulars at second base, exactly, but we DEFINITELY made ourselves at home there last night."
"Oooh," Maria made a show of fanning herself with a hand.
"Shirts - and one bra - tossed away with all due ceremony. A lot of tongue work to the upper torso, both ways. Some inventive use of the cool-whip you'd stuck in the minifridge - I'll pay you back for that, of course."
"Naw, that would just feel weird," Maria said, laughing. "Consider it a gift."
"Anyway, that was about it. Shorts stayed on, both of us - much fun was had. Later, cuddling and talking until I fell asleep in his arms."
"Awwww..." Maria sighed, and a mile slipped by without either of them speaking.
"It goes without saying that this was just between the two of us, right??" Maria said suddenly. "You tell no-one, not Alex, not Max, not a soul. Right??"
"Of course," Liz agreed. "And vice versa." She looked around them on the highway a bit. "I wonder how Michael and Alex are doing with the Sheriff."
"What d'you mean??"
"Well, it's conceivable that I'm mistaken, but I got the definite impression that he wanted to have 'a talk' with the boys about their role in instigating the mutiny last night," Liz explained. "Max probably only got off because the Jeep is his, and the back seat of the cruiser is a little crowded for two people anyway. I'm not sure that excuse is going to save him for long, though."
"Oh, my god," Maria mumbled. "I didn't even think of that." She stared ahead of them, where the car that held her Spaceboy captive could just barely be seen.
"Don't worry," Liz assured her. "Valenti's bark is worse than his bite. He'll try to put the fear of god into them, but they know there isn't anything he can really do."
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Maria mumbled. She stared disconsolately out the window for about a minute, then brightened.
"Wanna put on some tunes??"
* * * *
It was about eleven thirty at night when they finally stopped - and in the U.S.A. after all, a not-too small town in Arizona called Sierra Vista. It wasn't too far out of the way, far enough from both Puerto Penasco and Roswell to be inconspicuous, and nobody really wanted to stay on the road any longer.
They ended up staying at a small hotel where the owner was willing to give them a bit of a break on the bill - he didn't have much business this close to New Year's, and Valenti quickly brokered 'an arrangement.' They got two rooms for the guys and a suite for the girls (possibly so that a recurrence of the mutiny would be a little harder to arrange logistically - Valenti certainly didn't want to lose control of his charges again, and nobody would put changing the rooming accomodations to stack the deck in his favor past the Roswell sheriff.)
What exactly to do with the air-sled caused some furtive debate. Keeping it safe was one of their highest priorities now, but no-one was quite certain of the best way to do that until they got back to Roswell and could lock the thing up within the pod chamber. Leaving it in one of the cars was quickly ruled out (it had made the trip to Arizona in the back seat of the sedan, with Liz and Maria,) as was checking it into any kind of insured storage.
In the end, they had carried it through the hotel lobby covered up, so that it might conceivably resemble some kind of watercraft, put it in the living room of the suite, and agreed that one of the hybrids was to remain on the premises at all times to guard it. Nobody was completely satisfied with that, but it was the best that could be come up with.
Speaking of the 'spoils of battle' from their latest dangerous escapade, there had been a flurry of panic over what to do with the bodyguard's weapon at the customs checkin. The automatic rifle and power-draining device were easily seperated.
The firearm they were about to just throw away, when Max suggested melting it down with molecular manipulation so no-one could recognize, get anybody's fingerprints off it, or match it to the bullet that had killed the Professor. Then Isabel had a better idea - she rearranged the rifle into an Aztec-looking metal sculpture, a striking but harmless-looking souvenir. She wasn't sure that she would be able to restore it as a working weapon, but nothing really was lost if not, compared to throwing it away as a puddle of molten metal.
They couldn't try any such tricks with the power-draining attachment, though - not at least until they had a much better notion of how it did what it did. Liz and Maria managed to dress it up so that it looked like simply a toy gun, including most importantly a second trigger that would not actually activate the mechanism when pushed. It was then put inside one of the suitcases, just to leverage the odds a bit further.
There was some discussion about doing something fun once everyone was settled into the hotel, but nobody could come to any agreement, and everybody got tired, so they just went to bed.
* * * *
(8:30 am, Dec 31 2000.)
Michael rose and walked softly across the hall. He didn't have a key card for the suite, but he always enjoyed a challenge.
It was indeed tricky to rearrange the various electrons in the door circuitry into the proper pattern to allow him entry - and without setting off the alarm, yet. But the little light flashed green after about ten seconds of effort and he slipped into the living room. As Michael closed the door behind him he saw a familiar tangle of light curly hair, almost hidden by the blanket that the girl lying on the couch had wrapped herself in.
As he crept closer, she stirred and looked up at him. "Wrong room, Michael," Tess mumbled softly. "Maria gets to sleep on an actual bed, remember??"
"I know," Michael said softly, squatting down beside her. "I'm offering to relieve you as guardian of this thing." He tapped the air-sled, shoved underneath the couch, meaningfully. "You can take my bed if you want."
"I'm sure Jim would just love..."
"Alex is up already, he's taking a walk around town, seeing the sights. Under those circumstances, I don't think the Fuhrer could object. Whatdya say??"
"Nah." But Tess sat up anyway. "I don't think I could get back to sleep now anyway. But I won't say no to a little company."
"Sure." Michael pulled up a chair to face the couch and waited as Tess got herself untangled from the blanket. He didn't really feel any awkwardness at the sight of her long smooth legs in the shorts she had been wearing as pajama bottoms. Michael had never really had much of a problem with Tess, and now that the tension was largely resolved between her and his friends, he was starting to feel as if Miss Harding were his long-lost sister. A hot little sister.
"So, heck of a plan I came up with, bringing everybody down to Mehico, huh??" he laughed softly.
"Didn't turn out too badly," Tess reminded him, "except for the Professor's sad fate, and that really wasn't our fault. We've got the air-sled and the drain gun -- and the second one is gonna be really handy the next time Steve Banks and the skins try to mess with us."
"If it works on them, and if Steve doesn't find some way to steal it and use it on us," Michael muttered. Something hit him then. The drain gun supressed their powers. So did those Skin devices - the trithium amplifiers or whatever. Did they work on the same principle? Had the special unit been able to get their hands on a trithium unit, discover its active principle and figured out a way to refine and direct it?? But the trithium units were proximity charged - they didn't actually go off unless an Antarian life form was nearby. The unit wouldn't have been able to get one to perform - unless they had a captive alien stowed away somewhere. Or would they have been able to figure out how to bypass the proximity activator?
"...know that some Special Unit personnel are still banded together, looking for us," Tess continued, startling Michael out of his own thoughts. "Oh, and as far as our original mission objective goes, Isabel was able to steal a few quiet moments last night to scan Max's brain."
"Oh?" Michael asked, interested. "What's the word?"
"The info is in there - almost all of what she wanted, ayway. The shock of both of them getting zapped during the process has driven it deeper into Max's subconscious than she expected, but she says she'll be able to retrieve it. Will just take longer."
"Hmm..." Michael mulled over that update. While he didn't like to hear the words 'just take longer' on general principle, it seemed that time was something that they had in reasonable measure. "Good."
There was a short pause. "So, whatcha wanna do today?"
Tess laughed. "You mean I'm not gonna be stuck in here babysitting the Czechoslovakian boogie board all day?"
"Nah, not more than a few hours or so," Michael shot back. "We should find something to do. I saw some kind of amusement park as we were driving in."
"Is there any chance you guys will shut up and let a girl get back to sleep??" The voice was a tired groan from the cot that had been set up across the room.
"Whoops, sorry Liz," Michael muttered, chastened. "I forgot you were here too."
There was no answer from the cot but a kind of weary thump.
"Actually, I think I'll take you up on your offer, Michael," Tess whispered, rising to her feet and wrapping the blanket around herself as a cloak. "Enjoy your shift on walk, spaceboy."
Michael jumped a little as Tess called him by Maria's pet name, and then she was gone. Looking around for something to do, he reached out and picked up a book from the small end table. It was unmarked. Carefully, looking one way and the other instinctively to make sure that he wasn't observed, he opened the small volume and began to read.
* * * *
(A little after two in the afternoon.)
"I mean, it's cool. I'm excited about it. But on the other hand, it's a lot of pressure," Isabel said.
"Oh, of course," Liz agreed.
"I mean, there's all this stuff that *nobody* else can do, that the whole gang is counting on me for. And I'm just... well, for one thing, I'm stunned that I've made it this far. There's nobody to teach me, there's no instruction manual except for that freaky old book that we can only translate a little bit at a time. And bit by bit the stakes are getting higher. Do you have any idea what that's like??"
"I'd have to say that yes I do."
"Really?" For a second, there was silence behind the door that seperated the two girls. "Mind if I ask how??"
"Well, er, um..." Liz tried to figure out how to put this. "I'm not sure if you put together, how I seemed to be making bold moves at dangerous moments lately..."
"Yeah, I have, and by the way you can speak freely," Isabel interrupted softly. "There's nobody in the whole building but the saleslady, and she's listening to headphones up by the cash register. No-one will overhear us, and if they do, I'll sense them first and give you the word of warning."
"Okay," Liz shook her head, absorbing this new development. "First off, that's pretty cool." If Isabel could sense the minds around her that well, had she also telepathically read Liz's nervousness about someone eavesdropping on their conversation?? "So yeah, tripping the platform out in the New Mexico desert when you guys were being held prisoner in the tunnel, getting myself and Tess out of the cottage in Mexico."
"What about them??" Isabel prompted.
"I had dreams, before, each time. Really spooky dreams, where I touched what I had to do more than anything. Felt how my body would move as I went through the actions, you know, that kind of thing. The dreams didn't warn me about the danger, really, they just showed me the way out. Each time, by luck as much as anything else, I recognized the right moment to make my move."
"Wow," Isabel breathed. "Good thing, too - or I'd probably be dead twice by now. Any idea what's causing these dreams??"
"Not really. Max said he thinks it's my human power starting to manifest itself. But in a way it's like what you said. If Max is counting on this little trick to get him out of trouble - well, I don't know how to do it. I can't make the dreams happen on cue, and I wouldn't know when to have them even if I could. All I can do is sit here and hope that when he really needs me, I'll be able to come through for him. It's the scariest thing I've ever felt."
"Wow." The dressing room door opened and Isabel stepped out.
"Wow," Liz repeated absently. Iz Evans had a knack for making the most unattractive clothes look beautiful, and the most conservative outfits a bit sexy. But this effect was impressive even given her track record.
Isabel was modeling a green short-sleeved sweater -- possibly chartreuse or something, Liz wasn't sure. Trace of yellow in it, anyway. A touch of skin was revealed by the teasingly demure v-neck and the fact that the top was cut a little too short to reach the hem of her skirt. Said skirt was a contrast to the sweater; its color was a deep violet, and long enough to reach two thirds of the way from knee to ankle, but the material was thin and silky, hinting at the contours of Isabel's legs.
"Shall I take that as a good sign," Isabel quipped, twirling around playfully. The sweater had a widely scooped back as well, showing soft skin and part of her elegant shoulder blades.
"Depends on the kind of effect you're going for," Liz relied with a trace of a smile.
"To stun Alex speechless."
"That'll do it," Liz agreed. "Any particular reason why??"
Isabel thought about that a moment. "I dunno - it's our first new year's together, our first romantic holiday as a couple, really. I just really want it to be special."
"Hmm." Liz considered. "Exactly which are the 'romantic holidays'??"
"Uh, well..." Isabel thought. "New year's eve - Valentine's day." A long moment's more furious consideration. "That might be it, come to think of it. Birthdays kinda, I guess. Oh, and Columbus Day."
"Columbus day??" Liz repeated wonderingly.
But Isabel didn't clarify. "What was new year's like for you and Max last year, anyway?? You were... oh, you were on a break during the winter holidays, weren't you??"
"Ohh." Liz sighed in despair. It was an uncomfortable memory. "Actually, I, uh... I got into a very melodramatic mood on New Year's Eve and went over to your place to see Max, and pleaded with him to take me back."
"Oh my god, I remember that," Isabel agreed. "We were stuck there for the New Year's party for my dad's practice, and he was missing for about fifteen minutes after eleven." She sighed and looked at Liz. "Didn't go well, I take it??"
"No, actually, he shot me down pretty hard," Liz sighed. "That one night was most of why I was so upset with him that spring."
"Aww." Isabel looked at herself in the mirror, and hmmed softly. "Do you think I should pin my hair up??" She attempted to gather the flowing blond locks in her hands and stuff them on top of her head, and stared, trying to figure how well that look worked with the outfit. Then she let her hair fall back down and turned to Liz. "You should get something special to wear for Max, too."
Liz blinked. "Umm... any particular reason why??"
"Because it's a special new year's for you guys too - and just because it's fun." Isabel giggled.
"Um, okay..." Liz looked through the items that she had felt some faint interest in while browsing through the store's displays, picked up the two most daring, and went into the dressing room.
"Should we form a support group??" Isabel asked idly while Liz pulled her top off. "The indispensable women??"
"I dunno, somehow I suspect it isn't only girls that are feeling that particular pressure," Liz mentioned. "I know Alex does, probably more than I do. That washer of his, you know -- that's critical. And Max too, maybe even Michael."
"That's a good point," Isabel added. "But what the hell, let 'em form their own support group."
Liz laughed. "Works for me." She unsnapped her jeans and let them fall around her feet. "So, where should our group meet??"
"Aww, we can worry about that once we get back to Roswell or something," Isabel laughed. "By the way -- I wanted to remember to say thanks. For saving all of our butts back in Mexico."
"Hey, you saved my ass too," Liz replied. "So did Tess, come to think of it."
"Really??" Isabel's voice showed her surprise. "She didn't mention anything about it - then again, she hasn't really talked about what happened to you guys in the woods."
"I got my foot caught in a crevice next to a fallen tree," Liz explained. "I couldn't get out by myself, and the bodyguard was catching up. Tess managed to shove the log aside just far enough for me to slip out." She decided not to mention the cliff incident - it would be too much like blowing her own horn. She pulled a zipper up and opened up the door.
"What do you think - will Max like it??"
Isabel's jaw dropped open, and then she worked it back up. "Yeah, yeah, I have to say he will."
* * * *
(Twenty to five in the afternoon.)
"Whoooo!!" Maria yelled as the roller coaster car started turn upside down. At the crest of the loop it levelled out, completely inverted, and shot across the track at full speed. As the apparent centrifugal force eased away to nothing, gravity reasserted itself, but she was strapped into her seat tightly enough that practically no part of her could fall, except for her hair, which slipped out bit by bit to trail below and behind her. And the blood started settling down to her head, increasing the dizzy feeling she was experiencing.
"Michael..." she muttered under her breath. But Michael wasn't next to her -- he had sat down next to Tess, leaving Maria with Alex. Kyle, of course, was sitting by himself and loving it.
"Hang on, it's only a little longer," Alex muttered reassuringly. Sure enough, after a few seconds they flew into two and a half dizzying corkscrews, after which, of course, Maria and everyone else were right-side up again. (Because of the last half-turn.) And then came the drop-off.
Once the ride had come to a full and complete stop and all patrons had disembarked, Michael jogged ahead of them, absolutely on an adrenalin high. "Okay, what do we do next??"
"I wanna keep my feet flat on the ground for a little," Tess decided, and Maria made an agreeing noise. "Maybe we head over to..." she considered the map of the park, and Maria somehow could tell that the other girl was looking for a spot as far away from their current area. "...Outlaw junction, and see if we wanna grab a smoothy or something?"
Maria could tell that Michael was a little disappointed, but he nodded agreement without a pause. "Sure." Then, belatedly, he looked around to the rest of them. "Any objections??"
Maria had none, and apparently neither did the other boys, though Maria couldn't help but wonder if there was some reason that Michael seemed so attentive to Tess today. She wasn't jealous - at least, she didn't think she had any reason to be. Whatever was going on then, there was nothing romantic about it - or psysical, or anything like that. Was he just trying to make Tess feel more like one of the gang?? And did it have anything to do with the fact that Michael had been in Liz and Tess' room, guarding the air-sled, when Maria got up this morning?? (He'd relieved Tess and offered her his bed, instead of the awkward living room sofa.)
The fruit smoothies at Outlaw Junction were unarguably great, and the five of them sat on a picnic table in the sun to enjoy. Not many people had come out to this amusement park either, though they saw families with little kids or yuppie couples here and there.
"I wonder if this place will be open again tomorrow," Maria said absently.
"I doubt it, on new year's day," Kyle replied.
"I wonder what we *are* going to do tomorrow," Alex said in turn.
There was a moment of silence, and Michael took a drink from his cranberry orange refreshment. "I feel sorry for Max and Mister Valenti, cooped up in the suite on guard."
* * * *
(Meanwhile...)
"Ha-ha!!" Max jumped a red counter over a hapless black one, diagonally, and so arrived at the final rank. "King me."
Jim Valenti looked up at Max for a moment without expression, added one of his captured red pieces on top of the one that Max had just moved, and then slid one of his own kings so that it pinned Max's newly formed one against the side of the board. "Your turn, Max," he drawled with self-satisfaction.
Max jumped a little in surprise, and then rallied in another part of the board. The series was tied at three games all, so far.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Author: Chris Kenworthy
E-mail: chris@chriskweb.net
Home archive: http://www.fanficarchive.net/
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own the Roswell characters, though if I did I'd treat them better than Jason Katims.
Category: Sci-fi drama. Canon couples romance leading to UC pairings in later part.
Spoilers: Up to 'ask not'
Part 4g: The hell outta Dodge.
(Somewhere around 3:30 am, December 30th 2000)
"Okay, so let me get this straight," Maria asked as Jim Valenti's footsteps echoed down the street outside the front door. "This bodyguard rounded up the perimeter guard handily, brought everybody in here, tried to interrogate you, and accidentally shot the guy he was supposed to protect?"
"His nerves were pretty frayed by that point," Alex mentioned, nodding. "He thought it was Max, making a threatening move or something."
"And then Tess and Liz made a break for it, the bodyguard chased after him, and now Max, Isabel, and Michael are chasing after HIM? Without their powers??"
"You heard what Alex said," Kyle put in. "They're not gonna go up against this guy until their abilities return. But they have to be nearby when that happens to save Liz. And Tess."
"And your dad is trying to catch up with all of them, Kyle," Maria finished. "With his gun."
"Come on, guys." Alex sighed. "We've got our own job to do. Michael told me to make sure we get this air-sled thingee or whatever back to the hotel without anyone noticing."
"And what about him?" Maria asked, pointing into the bedroom."
Alex spared a glance at the professor's body. It killed him to say this, but "He's not our responsibility."
"Isn't he?" Kyle queried. "If you hadn't come here tonight, he might be waking up about now."
Alex stifled a groan. He didn't want to get into philosophies of accountability with Kyle. All he knew was that it was the other guy who pulled the trigger. "C'mon, give me a hand, it's in the cupboard here," he indicated to the other teenaged boy.
Kyle didn't push it - he opened the cupboard door and helped heft the impressive-looking airsled out.
* * * *
Max hurried through the dark as fast as he could, straining hard just to see what was around him in the moonlight. Straining just as hard, inside, to feel that sensation of his powers coming back to life inside of him. Nothing unmistakeable yet.
"Hey," Michael gasped, coming to a stop and pointing ahead of him. "Hey, KILLER!!"
A flash swung out of nowhere to shine around all three of them, and more gunshots rang out. Michael and Isabel quickly jumped for cover, and Max scrambled to join them. This is good, as long as none of us get shot, he thought. Keep the heat off Liz and Tess, make him realize that he's caught between us now.
Soon the flash spun away again, and Max crept closer, not stepping into the inviting emptiness of the path immediately, but making his way through the thin brush around it. Michael and Iz were doing the same.
How long could they keep this up? How long would they have to?? And if disaster struck suddenly, would there be any way to keep that gun from claiming another life tonight??
* * * *
"TESS!!" Liz called out, then kicked herself mentally. All you need is to draw the bodyguard right to you now. But where had she gone?? Was she lying down at the foot of that cliff, dead or dying?
Liz's first reaction to that thought was immediately censored. She had started a clean slate with Therese Harding, and to take pleasure in the thought of her death for things that had happened months ago was beneath her anyway. Also, if Tess was killed, then Max and the others had no chance to complete their challenge successfully, and she knew how important that was to all of them.
"Liz!!" The voice was hoarse, filled with fear and tension and also trying not to be loud enough to draw unwelcome attention. Liz crept closer to the edge and saw a lock of curly pale hair gleaming in the moonlight, A foot kicking vainly in mid-air.
She crawled yet closer, on her hands and knees now to get nearer to the cliff edge - and for the sake of stability. Tess was holding onto an exposed tree root, her other hand and one foot scrabbling for additional support on the rough cliff face, and not finding it. She wouldn't be able to hang on long.
There was no way that Liz could reach that far down by herself. But maybe... she quickly shucked off the jean jacket that she had been wearing on watch against the brisk Mexican night, knotted the arms together and tossed it down, waist first, bracing herself as best she could. "Grab hold!!"
She couldn't see Tess from this position, but there was no mistaking the sensation as something a hundred-ten odd pounds or so started pulling on the fabric. It took all of Liz's wearied strength not to go flying from the first sudden jolt, but she held firm, and could hear the faint sounds of progress from over the cliff.
And then it happened. The effort to keep the material between her fingers was challenging, but Liz didn't let herself even think about losing her grip. Until it happened. The jacket flew away and over the edge. with Tess screaming in surprise.
There wasn't a fraction of a second to spare on rational thought. Liz catapulted herself over the edge, arms first. And then smooth hands were grabbing her arms, seeking a firm grip on the top of the cliff. As logical evaluation returned to Liz's brain, she realized that Tess had managed to make some progress upward with the jacket, and found another handhold when it slipped away.
Liz's own position was starting to become precarious, but Tess was crawling up onto the solid ground at the top of the cliff and pulling Liz back away from the edge. For an instant the only thing Liz could think about was how Max had given her that jacket, and both she and Tess had let it go, now almost certainly fallen to the bottom of the cliff. Well, better it than either of them, she supposed.
"Liz... you saved my life." Tess' voice seemed overcome with amazement at that fact.
Liz cocked her ear, listening for any sound of the bodyguard. There were footsteps through the woods surrounding them from two corners, and she knew she couldn't assume that anyone else had taken care of the enemy. "Not yet I haven't." And she helped Tess to her feet and they were running again, carefully following the edge of the cliff, but not too closely.
* * * *
"Ssh." Michael put a finger to his lips, and as Max and Isabel froze motionless and completely silent, he listened in the dark woods for a moment. As he pointed out a bearing somewhat to the left of the way that they had been heading, he couldn't escape the thought that he was acting like a stereotypical native american guide in an old movie or something.
They moved on without speaking for a few minutes, the only sounds the inevitable quiet crunches and thumps of their own movement, and louder footfalls ahead of them - someone who was not taking as much care about staying quiet, but too far ahead. Michael was weighing the pros and cons of putting on more speed at the expense of stealth when it happened.
As the three of them stepped into a clearing that none of them had quite realized was there, the dreaded flashlight sprung to life all around them. Too late Michael realized that their enemy had been lying in wait for them.
"Did you think I wouldn't realize that you were following me??" he snarled, practically a disembodied voice from behind the light. "You thought I would be so focused on your little friends that I wouldn't take you on, huh?? Well, they'll still be here once you're done for. Ain't nobody leaving these woods tonight but me." He chuckled awefully.
"Somehow I beg to differ," Max called out loudly, to Michael's surprise. What kind of bluff was Maxwell Evans playing at?
But it was no bluff. Suddenly, a wall of rippling green energy materialized out of the night between the three of them and the shooter. Somehow it blocked the flashlight, or diffracted it, but cast its own soft light all over the forest clearing.
Max reached out and grabbed Michael's hand, and something sparked between them. Max's balance, somehow having recovered from the weapon's disruptive effects slightly more quickly, was putting Michael's powers back in order too. Michael reached out with his other hand to catch Isabel's. He could tell that the effect was carrying on to her as well, and he smiled.
"Rock and roll."
* * * *
"Wait." Tess' hand grabbed Liz, and when Liz turned back, she saw that the hybrid girl was staring the way that they had come.
"What is it??" Liz whispered. She could hear some sort of sound from behind them - not footsteps or talking, and a faint light that was NOT the shooter's flashlight.
"I felt a nudge of power," Tess breathed back almost silently. "At least one of them has their powers back already. Maybe..." She waved a hand, and a tree branch visibly bent down towards her.
Liz couldn't help but smile. "'Bout damn time."
Tess grinned back. "Come on. They may need our help."
* * * *
Max smiled over at Michael and Isabel, and then realized he wasn't sure what to do next. Through the distorting translucence of the barrier, he could tell that the shooter still had his weapon at the ready, as irresolute as he was.
Apparently a decision, since three bullets suddenly rocketed into the shield - each one obviously targeted at one of the three of them. The one that had been meant for Michael must have bouced back perilously close to the shooter, because he adjusted his position, but didn't fire the rifle again immediately. He was pondering his next move.
The bodyguard fired again, but this time it was apparently the power-draining beam, and Max staggered as it made contact with the shield. "You okay, man??" Michael asked.
"Yeah, but I won't be if too many more of those connect," Max explained hurriedly. "I guess that beam affects our powers, and the shield is an extension of my powers. I'm not sure if it would bring down the shield itself first, or crash my balance totally again, but it'd do one or the other soon enough." Another impact rocketed in.
"Lemme try something." Michael brought something out of his pocket and fiddled with it, Something happaned beyond the shield that Max couldn't immediately identify. "You can let it down now."
Max let his force field collapse, and realized that Michael had set the heat shield to a protective arc around the shooter. He fired the energy sucking ray again, but this time it had no effect on the new shield or on Michael's abilities.
And then a bullet rocketed easily through the heat field, and Isabel dropped to the ground reflexively. "Didn't think of that," Michael muttered, taking cover himself.
Once again, something happened beyond the protective wall - something to do with the bodyguard's weapon. "Michael, take it out," Max ordered. He had to see what was going on.
It made quite a tableau once his eyes adjusted to the sudden decrease of light - the bodyguard turned and staring off to the side, where Liz and Tess had suddenly appeared from another path into the clearing, near the shooter's position. Tess still holding a dramatic and impressive gesture at him. Liz holding the weapon in both arms, and obviously not at all sure what to do with it beyond keep it out of the bodyguard's hands at all costs.
Obviously they had come in, and Tess had used kinesis to throw the gun to Liz. That was the final break they needed. Tess had her powers now too, which made sense, since hers had been taken away before anybody else's.
"Tess, come here," he called out. They needed to capitalize on this break as quickly as they could, and Max thought he knew how.
* * * *
Liz almost fainted with relief when the heat shield dropped and she saw for sure that Max was there - even though she'd guessed he would be one of the ones to come after them. And her knees felt weak for an entirely different reason again when the first thing out of his mouth was to call for Tess.
**This isn't personal, it's tactics. You know that Max is even happier to see you alive than you are him, but his first priority is making sure we all STAY alive and healthy. Whatever his plan is, Tess plays a part in it. It's that simple.**
As Tess ran over to join the other three hybrids, Liz followed carefully, catching a snatch or two of their conversation, though they were obviously trying to keep their voices low.
"...to see you okay. Do you guys think you can pull off the..." -- Max
"Well, it's not something we..." -- Tess
"He knows that." -- Isabel
"We gotta give it... ---- ... isn't even worth thinking about." -- Michael
"Need anything else from..." -- Max
During all of this, Max was using kinesis to keep the bodyguard from making a break from it, without even seeming to pay too much attention to him. Michael whispered something to Max that Liz couldn't make out, and Max stopped it. Suspecting something, the bad guy stopped trying to run away, standing his ground stoically.
Isabel groaned. "Get rid of him, Tess."
Tess concentrated, and although Liz couldn't see the mindwarp she was weaving directly -- (she suspected none of them could, since it would be crafted for the special unit agent alone,) the results were instant and dramatic. Shooter-boy turned and ran off like a shot.
Isabel, Michael, and Tess gathered where they could see the bodyguard booting it down a forest trail, and just as he was about to move out of a line of sight they all seemed to be making an incredible metaphysical effort and each of the three pointed at him. (Michael and Isabel had joined their free hands and Tess had hers on Isabel's opposite shoulder.)
Then the bodyguard was gone, and the three of them were in various stages of keeling over. Max and Liz hurried over to assist. "What was all that about," Liz couldn't help but ask.
"How did you do?" Max asked at almost the same time.
"Well, we learned a lot, I think," Tess croaked. "First, not to do it exactly that way next time." Max's face looked concerned in the moonlight.
"You can't erase someone's memories long-term with this trick, and that's what we were trying to do at first," Isabel explained. "I think the trick is to REWRITE the memories, replace them with something else, not remove them entirely."
"Don't worry, Maxwell," Michael put in. "We were able to cover the worst of our tracks."
"How much??" Max asked again.
"He'll remember pretty much what went down," Tess said, "but nothing correct about any of our identities, or that could be used to track us down, like the Roswell connection."
"I think he'll actually recall that one of the guys who broke into the professor's house was Chandler Bing," Isabel added. "I didn't mean to do that, it just kinda slipped from my subconscious into his brain."
"It's good enough," Max told her warmly. "Come on, we've got to go meet everybody else back at the motel. Oh, hi Jim. Sorry, you showed up too late for the fun." Sure enough, the sheriff had just puffed up to them in the darkness.
"Glad to hear it," the older man muttered wryly. "You all okay."
"Yeah," Tess said, slipping her arms around her de-facto foster father in a comfort hug. Somewhat belatedly Max dropped an arm around Liz's shoulders and Liz wrapped an arm around his waist.
As they headed back towards the town streets, Liz thought of something else. "What about the memory transfer, anyway?? Did you get anything??"
Isabel and Max stared at each other. "We'll have to worry about that later," Isabel decided. "Once we've had a chance to relax. I know I got a lot into Max's brain, but whether it's still there and whether anyone can get it back out, those may be tougher questions."
"Like we really *need* any more of those," Tess complained softly as she brought up the rear.
* * * *
"The question is, how do you work it??" Michael wondered. There had been an emotional reunion scene back at the hotel, especially for Michael and Maria, to a slightly lesser extent Isabel and Alex with much hugging and some smoochage. Since pretty much everyone was still wired from the events of the night, it was quickly decided to sneak the airsled up to the roof of the motel and experiment with it.
"Maybe just by willing what you want it to do, and through your powers, like the gun," Max suggested. He climbed into the seat, mumbling about the lack of legroom, and closed his eyes. Almost immediately the device started to levitate slowly up until it was floating perhaps two feet above the roof.
"Alright, way to go Max!" Isabel cheered. He opened his eyes, and they immediately focused on a glass square that hadn't been there in front of him before. It must have somehow extended out of the airsled when he gave the activation command. He stared at it in confusion for a moment, trying to understand what the heck it was for. And then -- something started to happen.
"Are you okay, Max??" Liz asked. He waved her silent with a tender gesture, still focusing on the square. Colors and shapes were starting to appear in it, though they didn't make any sense. And then...
To anyone looking with the unaided eye, Max knew that the picture would still be scrambled. But somehow, a second component was being transmitted directly to his mind. The two components, mental and visual, complimented each other and resolved the picture. He could see the pool in the motel courtyard below, where he and Liz had shared that magical night. He could see it perfectly clearly, in incredible detail.
"This thing has a surveillance device," he managed to say out loud. "I wonder how far it can go..."
And as soon as he thought it, the image was across town - at the professor's house. The bodyguard was there, he was just leaving it, again. Max explained this as he followed the man through the dark town streets, to another house, which he entered. Presumably the bodyguard's own residence.
"I can't get inside - it must not work on enclosed spaces. But still..."
"This is amazing," Tess said. "Any idea what else it can do??"
Max explored the connection he had with the sled, and when everything around him became dim and his friends gasped in astonishment, he knew what had happened and reversed it. "Cloaking device." He set the sled down. "I'm pretty sure that there's some kind of energy cannon weapon too, but I'm not gonna experiment with that tonight." He climbed awkwardly out of the seat and wrapped Liz up in his arms. "Got better things to do."
Michael clearly wanted to try the sled out too, but decided that it was probably a little too risky at the moment. They found an old storage cubbyhole up on the roof that was big enough to hold it and clearly hadn't been used in years, and Michael used his powers to seal it up tightly before they headed back down the stairs.
"By the way," Max breathed into Liz's ear, "Did I thank you for saving all of our butts - again??"
Liz grinned. "No -- did I thank you for bringing me back out of the woods safely??"
"No. Looks like we've got a lot of gratitude to pass back and forth. Any idea how we might work that out??"
Liz's passionate kiss, right there in the motel hallway, answered the question nicely.
* * * *
Isabel rushed in to bar Valenti's way before he could open his room door.
"I'm sorry to have to do this, Chaperone Valenti," she intoned slowly. "But this is a mutiny."
Valenti considered her words slowly. In the hallway behind him Alex, Liz, Max, Michael, and Maria were arrayed in a loose circle. Kyle was just behind and to the side of Valenti, also encircled within the loop and looking as confused as Valenti felt. Ditto for Tess, who was standing outside.
"A mutiny," the Sheriff repeated slowly. He was still wearing his gun, and fingered it slowly for effect, though everybody knew that THAT was a bluff. "Are you sure that you want to do this? Miss DeLuca??"
Maria gulped, but nodded. "After all that's happened tonight we want to be with-- with the people that we love, Mister Valenti. Not locked up in parentally approved same-sex couples. You can understand that, can't you??"
"It's nothing prurient we have planned," Liz put in, then looked sidelong at Max and had to qualify, "Well, not particularly. It's just..."
"Enough," Jim groaned. "You want to rearrange the rooming assignments for today? How, specifically??"
"Alex in with me," Isabel announced. "Max with Liz. Maria in Michael's room. And Tess and Kyle in with you in the big room." She held his stare for a long moment.
Jim shook his head slightly, opened his mouth -- and was immediately cut off by Kyle. "Dad!! I mean, Michael's not my ideal roommate, but I get enough of the two of you at home!!"
"I'm sorry, Kyle." Jim smirked slightly. "We can't stand up against alien abilities, after all. This is a straight power play, and we don't have any cards to play." He turned to Tess expectantly, to see what her reaction should be.
Tess looked at the tableau for what seemed a long time, then groaned. "Okay, whatever. Just let me get changed for bed in Isabel's room, and I'll be right in."
* * * *
"I have to admit, this was a really good idea," Alex whispered, loving the feeling of Isabel Evans lying in his arms. "We should mutiny more often."
Iz laughed softly. "Yeah, I guess we should at that."
Alex picked up something in her voice. "Is something wrong??"
"I, uh, I dunno." Isabel breathed deeply, in and out, as she organized her thoughts. "It's just, what is this, the fifth, sixth really close shave, in not as many months?? Forget winning the challenge for a moment - are we even going to survive the year??"
"Of course we are," Alex assured her. "Things have been... crazy, I'll admit. But look for a moment what we've accomplished, what we've survived so far. Neither Kivar's aliens nor the special unit have been able to press an attack home yet. Liz seems to be developing an uncanny knack for getting us out of even the stickiest situations. Your control of your powers seems to be getting more amazing day by day - and I mean all for of you, though especially *you*, Isabel Evans."
Isabel giggled. "And you have the key to what we're up against and what we have to do - right there." She poked the washer playfully where it lay beneath his undershirt.
"I do what I can."
Iz craned her neck and kissed him, softly and firmly on the lips. "Alex Charles Whitman, what would I ever do without you??"
They lay in each other's arms without speaking, and by the time the sunbeam started streaming through the window, they were both soundly asleep.
* * * *
By the time Liz woke up, the afternoon was starting to turn towards evening. The window was open, and a slightly fresh, slightly spicy smell was drifting in.
And Max had gone.
She rembered every part of that morning, after they had come into her room... the talking, the kissing, the experimenting with slightly heavier petting and foreplay than ever since the night they'd found the pod, and then falling asleep together in her bed. But now Liz was here alone.
She got up somewhat listlessly, feeling his absence like it was weighing down on her, cleaned up quickly in the empty shared bathroom, and pulled some clothes out of her suitcase to wear. She had dressed and was staring at a fresh journal page, wondering what on earth to say, when a knock sounded on the door.
"Mutineer wanting to come back and visit my old digs. Is there a lovebird warning??"
"Maria?" Liz called out, running to the door. Sure enough, it was Maria on the other side, dressed in a saucy latin-themed dress that she must have bought somewhere in Puerto Penasco, probably yesterday, and carrying a large paper bag and a cup-holder with two beverages in it. "Sure, sure, come on in. Max isn't here."
"Huh. I wonder if he's off with Michael somewhere." Maria handed Liz a large coffee, sat cross-legged on her bed, brought a large pastry for herself out of the coffee shop takeout bag, and tossed the rest across the room to her best friend. "Isabel and Alex are playing 'Mastermind', Tess and Kyle are down at the coffee shop, and Mister Valenti's listening to the local news."
"I didn't know mister Valenti knew Spanish," Liz commented, though it made sense now that she thought about it. "So... how was your morning with Michael??"
"Oooh!!" Maria grinned and blushed. "No complaints."
Liz was intrigued. "Maria, do we have something to share??"
"I, uh... we..." Maria sighed. "I, I, I'll tell you later, okay??"
"C'mon - no one's here but us chickens, girlfriend." No response. "Do I at least get a hint??"
"Maybe you have to go first," Maria countered. "Nice room alone, no chaperone -- how far did you and Max go last night??"
"Um..." Liz felt herself blushing too. "Well, not *too* far. There... there was licking involved, that's all I'll say." It made her feel a little gooey inside just thinking about it.
"Oooh, us too!!"
Somehow Liz now felt compelled to add a qualification. "*Above* the waist."
"Well, then, that would be the difference, I guess." Maria giggled.
"Ohh... oh, oh my gawd!! You're telling me you..."
"No, no, come on now Liz," Maria insisted. "I keep expecting Max to burst through that door and I'd really rather not talk about it until later, okay?? Breakfast now."
"Okay." Liz looked at the half-eaten croissant that she didn't even remember getting out of the bag, let alone biting out of, and had to fight back the urge to sniff at it suspiciously. Laughing inside at her own sillyness, she helped herself to another bite. Quite tasty.
"So -- any clue what we'll be doing tonight??" Maria asked after a moment had passed.
"Not sure - probably stick in town, try to pretend we're normal tou--" she broke off when suddenly, sure enough, Max Evans opened the door to the room and stepped inside without warning or preamble.
"Big room - now. We gotta problem."
They all crowded into Valenti's motel room. In a clipped hush, Max told them how Michael had woken him up earlier this afternoon to come with him while Michael learned how to use the airsled. Michael had used the surveillance screen to monitor the bodyguard's house, according to Max's directions, and had seen him receive an unexpected visitor.
"Congresswoman Vanessa Whittaker." The surprise at the dropping of this name was considerable, but Jim Valenti quickly motioned for quiet.
"It does make sense. When she got Michael arrested, Whittaker said that she had friends in the FBI. She knew exactly who to take the bones to so they could be scanned for Cadmium-X. And we all know that she was a close associate of Daniel Pierce."
"The bodyguard's presence here in Puerto Penasco - with a weapon that could supress alien powers no less - is clear evidence that at least some former members of the Special Unit have banded together in a conspiracy after the Unit was formally disbanded by congress and the FBI. Whittaker might play a role in that coalition - a liason, maybe, or even a leader."
"So what do we do now??" Kyle asked.
"We get the hell outta town before Whittaker has any chance to find out that we were here and start putting two and two together," Tess suggested.
"And where would we go?" Isabel asked. "We aren't supposed to be back in Roswell until the day after New Year's. Arriving home earlier would seem suspicious."
"Then we find some other place in Mexico to lie low in until then," Max suggested. "Somewhere closer to the American border."
A few looks were exchanged, but nobody disagreed. "Start packing," Jim advised. "I'll check us out at the front desk."
* * * *
Title: Homecoming: the Mexican Tango. Part 4g 2/2
Author: Chris Kenworthy
E-mail: chris@chriskweb.net
Home archive: http://www.fanficarchive.net/
Rating: Reader discretion is advised for sexual language and situations. This part rated M for mature. ;)
Disclaimer: I don't own the Roswell characters, though if I did I'd treat them better than Jason Katims.
Category: Sci-fi drama. Canon couples romance leading to UC pairings in later part.
Spoilers: Up to 'ask not'
(A little after 7:30 pm, December 30th 2000)
"So, um..." Kyle muttered, trying to break the awkward silence that filled the Jeep. It didn't work.
Max was finally back and driving his own wheels, mostly because Liz had asked for some 'alone time' with Maria, so they were riding in Liz's new car. And Valenti had commanded the presence of Michael and Alex, so that left Max, Kyle, Isabel, and Tess riding in the Jeep.
"So, do we have any idea where we're actually going, or just getting as far away from Puerto Penasco as we can?" Tess asked.
"More the latter," Isabel opined. "It shouldn't be too hard to find some place to stop once we're far enough."
"Well, there's one question I want to ask before we get to that point," Kyle said. "Should we stay in Mexico until the time arrives to go back to Roswell, or get back into the US as soon as we can?"
There was a short pause. "That's a good point to raise," Max allowed. "I was thinking that crossing the border too soon would just call attention to ourselves, but it might be better to do it sooner, before Whittaker has a chance to get any more organized."
"We can bring it up when Sheriff Valenti leads the way to a rest stop," Isabel suggested.
"Okay," Tess agreed after a moment when nobody else did.
There was another long silence. "Umm... gravy," Kyle suddenly blurted out.
"What the hell?" Isabel snapped.
"License plate game - that blue compact up there?" Kyle pointed out the car in question, and sure enough, the letters on the license plate read out G-R-V. "Hell, it's not like we have anything better to do."
"Okay, er, um..." Tess scanned her side of the road, trying to pick out a plate. "Slave." The rusty station wagon was SLA 493
"Umm... FSJ," Isabel announced from the front seat. "Can anyone think of something for that??"
* * * *
(Ten minutes after nine...)
"Okay, so we got back to his room," Maria said, already starting to blush a little. "And there's the usual sappy small talk - I was so scared for you, I love you so much and I was scared for you too, I thought I'd never see you again -- you know how it goes, right??"
"Pretty much," Liz agreed with a small smile. "Then what??" She was carefully keeping her eyes on the highway.
"Well, things started to get pretty hot and heavy right away. We've... well, Michael and I have been getting the frequent visitor discount at second base ever since the tunnel of love ride at the Dexter Carnival, if you know what I mean."
"I do now!!" Liz took a few deep breaths. "I, I didn't realize that you and Michael were... well, were doing *that* so often."
"You and my mom both - hopefully," Maria giggled.
"Yeah. So, erm... back in our room, you'd mentioned something about... ehh--"
"Oh, right. THAT. So, yeah, we'd been making out for a bit - not sure how long exactly."
"Of course."
"Full open mouth kissing, hands everywhere, the usual. All of a sudden, he stops, and he like - he picks me up and lays me down flat on the bed..." Liz realized her mouth was hanging open, and she closed it most of the way. "And he goes to undo the snap to my skirt, and I mumble something about I really do love him, but I'm not ready to go all the way, yet. But that wasn't what he had in mind. Quite."
Liz just made a 'go-on' gesture with one hand, hanging on every word by this point, and practically having to kick herself to keep both eyes on the road.
"He gets the skirt unfastened and takes it away, and pulls my thong down and off, and I'm *dying* by this point, and then Michael dives in. Face-first, as it were." Liz made a sound that could not possibly have been mistaken for talking by anyone that was familiar with the english language, though it was also somehow more complex than a mere groan. "Yeah. Michael Guerin going downtown - who'd have thunk it. Though he really isn't as selfish as he likes to pretend, I'll give him that much."
Liz shook her head slightly and tried to organize her churning thoughts into some kind of words. "How did -- what was it like??"
"No complaints," Maria chirped vehemently. "Well - I didn't exactly make a landing on planet X, if you catch my drift - I was nervous, he was nervous, we were both tired. He -- didn't really know what he was doing down there and I could tell it was *not* the right occasion for instruction. But it was cool, and really sweet, and in the end I faked it just to satisfy his pride, you know??"
"I guess," Liz mumbled. "And did you... uhh..." she grinned slyly at her friend. "Didja return the favor??"
"Uh, no," Maria replied. "Might have been the considerate thing to do, but I didn't think I was quite ready for delivering my first BJ, and I don't think Michael was looking for one anyway. We messed around a little more - I stuck my hand down his pants and rubbed his thang through his boxers, but everything after IT was definitely an 'anticlimax.'" She turned to look at Liz. "Well, I've shared - what happened between you and Maxxie in our room?"
"Oh, nothing as dramatic as that, definitely."
"C'mon, girlfriend, you gotta give me at least the cliff notes version!!"
"Okay, let's see..." Liz paused just a second. "Started off pretty much like yours. Max and I aren't regulars at second base, exactly, but we DEFINITELY made ourselves at home there last night."
"Oooh," Maria made a show of fanning herself with a hand.
"Shirts - and one bra - tossed away with all due ceremony. A lot of tongue work to the upper torso, both ways. Some inventive use of the cool-whip you'd stuck in the minifridge - I'll pay you back for that, of course."
"Naw, that would just feel weird," Maria said, laughing. "Consider it a gift."
"Anyway, that was about it. Shorts stayed on, both of us - much fun was had. Later, cuddling and talking until I fell asleep in his arms."
"Awwww..." Maria sighed, and a mile slipped by without either of them speaking.
"It goes without saying that this was just between the two of us, right??" Maria said suddenly. "You tell no-one, not Alex, not Max, not a soul. Right??"
"Of course," Liz agreed. "And vice versa." She looked around them on the highway a bit. "I wonder how Michael and Alex are doing with the Sheriff."
"What d'you mean??"
"Well, it's conceivable that I'm mistaken, but I got the definite impression that he wanted to have 'a talk' with the boys about their role in instigating the mutiny last night," Liz explained. "Max probably only got off because the Jeep is his, and the back seat of the cruiser is a little crowded for two people anyway. I'm not sure that excuse is going to save him for long, though."
"Oh, my god," Maria mumbled. "I didn't even think of that." She stared ahead of them, where the car that held her Spaceboy captive could just barely be seen.
"Don't worry," Liz assured her. "Valenti's bark is worse than his bite. He'll try to put the fear of god into them, but they know there isn't anything he can really do."
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Maria mumbled. She stared disconsolately out the window for about a minute, then brightened.
"Wanna put on some tunes??"
* * * *
It was about eleven thirty at night when they finally stopped - and in the U.S.A. after all, a not-too small town in Arizona called Sierra Vista. It wasn't too far out of the way, far enough from both Puerto Penasco and Roswell to be inconspicuous, and nobody really wanted to stay on the road any longer.
They ended up staying at a small hotel where the owner was willing to give them a bit of a break on the bill - he didn't have much business this close to New Year's, and Valenti quickly brokered 'an arrangement.' They got two rooms for the guys and a suite for the girls (possibly so that a recurrence of the mutiny would be a little harder to arrange logistically - Valenti certainly didn't want to lose control of his charges again, and nobody would put changing the rooming accomodations to stack the deck in his favor past the Roswell sheriff.)
What exactly to do with the air-sled caused some furtive debate. Keeping it safe was one of their highest priorities now, but no-one was quite certain of the best way to do that until they got back to Roswell and could lock the thing up within the pod chamber. Leaving it in one of the cars was quickly ruled out (it had made the trip to Arizona in the back seat of the sedan, with Liz and Maria,) as was checking it into any kind of insured storage.
In the end, they had carried it through the hotel lobby covered up, so that it might conceivably resemble some kind of watercraft, put it in the living room of the suite, and agreed that one of the hybrids was to remain on the premises at all times to guard it. Nobody was completely satisfied with that, but it was the best that could be come up with.
Speaking of the 'spoils of battle' from their latest dangerous escapade, there had been a flurry of panic over what to do with the bodyguard's weapon at the customs checkin. The automatic rifle and power-draining device were easily seperated.
The firearm they were about to just throw away, when Max suggested melting it down with molecular manipulation so no-one could recognize, get anybody's fingerprints off it, or match it to the bullet that had killed the Professor. Then Isabel had a better idea - she rearranged the rifle into an Aztec-looking metal sculpture, a striking but harmless-looking souvenir. She wasn't sure that she would be able to restore it as a working weapon, but nothing really was lost if not, compared to throwing it away as a puddle of molten metal.
They couldn't try any such tricks with the power-draining attachment, though - not at least until they had a much better notion of how it did what it did. Liz and Maria managed to dress it up so that it looked like simply a toy gun, including most importantly a second trigger that would not actually activate the mechanism when pushed. It was then put inside one of the suitcases, just to leverage the odds a bit further.
There was some discussion about doing something fun once everyone was settled into the hotel, but nobody could come to any agreement, and everybody got tired, so they just went to bed.
* * * *
(8:30 am, Dec 31 2000.)
Michael rose and walked softly across the hall. He didn't have a key card for the suite, but he always enjoyed a challenge.
It was indeed tricky to rearrange the various electrons in the door circuitry into the proper pattern to allow him entry - and without setting off the alarm, yet. But the little light flashed green after about ten seconds of effort and he slipped into the living room. As Michael closed the door behind him he saw a familiar tangle of light curly hair, almost hidden by the blanket that the girl lying on the couch had wrapped herself in.
As he crept closer, she stirred and looked up at him. "Wrong room, Michael," Tess mumbled softly. "Maria gets to sleep on an actual bed, remember??"
"I know," Michael said softly, squatting down beside her. "I'm offering to relieve you as guardian of this thing." He tapped the air-sled, shoved underneath the couch, meaningfully. "You can take my bed if you want."
"I'm sure Jim would just love..."
"Alex is up already, he's taking a walk around town, seeing the sights. Under those circumstances, I don't think the Fuhrer could object. Whatdya say??"
"Nah." But Tess sat up anyway. "I don't think I could get back to sleep now anyway. But I won't say no to a little company."
"Sure." Michael pulled up a chair to face the couch and waited as Tess got herself untangled from the blanket. He didn't really feel any awkwardness at the sight of her long smooth legs in the shorts she had been wearing as pajama bottoms. Michael had never really had much of a problem with Tess, and now that the tension was largely resolved between her and his friends, he was starting to feel as if Miss Harding were his long-lost sister. A hot little sister.
"So, heck of a plan I came up with, bringing everybody down to Mehico, huh??" he laughed softly.
"Didn't turn out too badly," Tess reminded him, "except for the Professor's sad fate, and that really wasn't our fault. We've got the air-sled and the drain gun -- and the second one is gonna be really handy the next time Steve Banks and the skins try to mess with us."
"If it works on them, and if Steve doesn't find some way to steal it and use it on us," Michael muttered. Something hit him then. The drain gun supressed their powers. So did those Skin devices - the trithium amplifiers or whatever. Did they work on the same principle? Had the special unit been able to get their hands on a trithium unit, discover its active principle and figured out a way to refine and direct it?? But the trithium units were proximity charged - they didn't actually go off unless an Antarian life form was nearby. The unit wouldn't have been able to get one to perform - unless they had a captive alien stowed away somewhere. Or would they have been able to figure out how to bypass the proximity activator?
"...know that some Special Unit personnel are still banded together, looking for us," Tess continued, startling Michael out of his own thoughts. "Oh, and as far as our original mission objective goes, Isabel was able to steal a few quiet moments last night to scan Max's brain."
"Oh?" Michael asked, interested. "What's the word?"
"The info is in there - almost all of what she wanted, ayway. The shock of both of them getting zapped during the process has driven it deeper into Max's subconscious than she expected, but she says she'll be able to retrieve it. Will just take longer."
"Hmm..." Michael mulled over that update. While he didn't like to hear the words 'just take longer' on general principle, it seemed that time was something that they had in reasonable measure. "Good."
There was a short pause. "So, whatcha wanna do today?"
Tess laughed. "You mean I'm not gonna be stuck in here babysitting the Czechoslovakian boogie board all day?"
"Nah, not more than a few hours or so," Michael shot back. "We should find something to do. I saw some kind of amusement park as we were driving in."
"Is there any chance you guys will shut up and let a girl get back to sleep??" The voice was a tired groan from the cot that had been set up across the room.
"Whoops, sorry Liz," Michael muttered, chastened. "I forgot you were here too."
There was no answer from the cot but a kind of weary thump.
"Actually, I think I'll take you up on your offer, Michael," Tess whispered, rising to her feet and wrapping the blanket around herself as a cloak. "Enjoy your shift on walk, spaceboy."
Michael jumped a little as Tess called him by Maria's pet name, and then she was gone. Looking around for something to do, he reached out and picked up a book from the small end table. It was unmarked. Carefully, looking one way and the other instinctively to make sure that he wasn't observed, he opened the small volume and began to read.
* * * *
(A little after two in the afternoon.)
"I mean, it's cool. I'm excited about it. But on the other hand, it's a lot of pressure," Isabel said.
"Oh, of course," Liz agreed.
"I mean, there's all this stuff that *nobody* else can do, that the whole gang is counting on me for. And I'm just... well, for one thing, I'm stunned that I've made it this far. There's nobody to teach me, there's no instruction manual except for that freaky old book that we can only translate a little bit at a time. And bit by bit the stakes are getting higher. Do you have any idea what that's like??"
"I'd have to say that yes I do."
"Really?" For a second, there was silence behind the door that seperated the two girls. "Mind if I ask how??"
"Well, er, um..." Liz tried to figure out how to put this. "I'm not sure if you put together, how I seemed to be making bold moves at dangerous moments lately..."
"Yeah, I have, and by the way you can speak freely," Isabel interrupted softly. "There's nobody in the whole building but the saleslady, and she's listening to headphones up by the cash register. No-one will overhear us, and if they do, I'll sense them first and give you the word of warning."
"Okay," Liz shook her head, absorbing this new development. "First off, that's pretty cool." If Isabel could sense the minds around her that well, had she also telepathically read Liz's nervousness about someone eavesdropping on their conversation?? "So yeah, tripping the platform out in the New Mexico desert when you guys were being held prisoner in the tunnel, getting myself and Tess out of the cottage in Mexico."
"What about them??" Isabel prompted.
"I had dreams, before, each time. Really spooky dreams, where I touched what I had to do more than anything. Felt how my body would move as I went through the actions, you know, that kind of thing. The dreams didn't warn me about the danger, really, they just showed me the way out. Each time, by luck as much as anything else, I recognized the right moment to make my move."
"Wow," Isabel breathed. "Good thing, too - or I'd probably be dead twice by now. Any idea what's causing these dreams??"
"Not really. Max said he thinks it's my human power starting to manifest itself. But in a way it's like what you said. If Max is counting on this little trick to get him out of trouble - well, I don't know how to do it. I can't make the dreams happen on cue, and I wouldn't know when to have them even if I could. All I can do is sit here and hope that when he really needs me, I'll be able to come through for him. It's the scariest thing I've ever felt."
"Wow." The dressing room door opened and Isabel stepped out.
"Wow," Liz repeated absently. Iz Evans had a knack for making the most unattractive clothes look beautiful, and the most conservative outfits a bit sexy. But this effect was impressive even given her track record.
Isabel was modeling a green short-sleeved sweater -- possibly chartreuse or something, Liz wasn't sure. Trace of yellow in it, anyway. A touch of skin was revealed by the teasingly demure v-neck and the fact that the top was cut a little too short to reach the hem of her skirt. Said skirt was a contrast to the sweater; its color was a deep violet, and long enough to reach two thirds of the way from knee to ankle, but the material was thin and silky, hinting at the contours of Isabel's legs.
"Shall I take that as a good sign," Isabel quipped, twirling around playfully. The sweater had a widely scooped back as well, showing soft skin and part of her elegant shoulder blades.
"Depends on the kind of effect you're going for," Liz relied with a trace of a smile.
"To stun Alex speechless."
"That'll do it," Liz agreed. "Any particular reason why??"
Isabel thought about that a moment. "I dunno - it's our first new year's together, our first romantic holiday as a couple, really. I just really want it to be special."
"Hmm." Liz considered. "Exactly which are the 'romantic holidays'??"
"Uh, well..." Isabel thought. "New year's eve - Valentine's day." A long moment's more furious consideration. "That might be it, come to think of it. Birthdays kinda, I guess. Oh, and Columbus Day."
"Columbus day??" Liz repeated wonderingly.
But Isabel didn't clarify. "What was new year's like for you and Max last year, anyway?? You were... oh, you were on a break during the winter holidays, weren't you??"
"Ohh." Liz sighed in despair. It was an uncomfortable memory. "Actually, I, uh... I got into a very melodramatic mood on New Year's Eve and went over to your place to see Max, and pleaded with him to take me back."
"Oh my god, I remember that," Isabel agreed. "We were stuck there for the New Year's party for my dad's practice, and he was missing for about fifteen minutes after eleven." She sighed and looked at Liz. "Didn't go well, I take it??"
"No, actually, he shot me down pretty hard," Liz sighed. "That one night was most of why I was so upset with him that spring."
"Aww." Isabel looked at herself in the mirror, and hmmed softly. "Do you think I should pin my hair up??" She attempted to gather the flowing blond locks in her hands and stuff them on top of her head, and stared, trying to figure how well that look worked with the outfit. Then she let her hair fall back down and turned to Liz. "You should get something special to wear for Max, too."
Liz blinked. "Umm... any particular reason why??"
"Because it's a special new year's for you guys too - and just because it's fun." Isabel giggled.
"Um, okay..." Liz looked through the items that she had felt some faint interest in while browsing through the store's displays, picked up the two most daring, and went into the dressing room.
"Should we form a support group??" Isabel asked idly while Liz pulled her top off. "The indispensable women??"
"I dunno, somehow I suspect it isn't only girls that are feeling that particular pressure," Liz mentioned. "I know Alex does, probably more than I do. That washer of his, you know -- that's critical. And Max too, maybe even Michael."
"That's a good point," Isabel added. "But what the hell, let 'em form their own support group."
Liz laughed. "Works for me." She unsnapped her jeans and let them fall around her feet. "So, where should our group meet??"
"Aww, we can worry about that once we get back to Roswell or something," Isabel laughed. "By the way -- I wanted to remember to say thanks. For saving all of our butts back in Mexico."
"Hey, you saved my ass too," Liz replied. "So did Tess, come to think of it."
"Really??" Isabel's voice showed her surprise. "She didn't mention anything about it - then again, she hasn't really talked about what happened to you guys in the woods."
"I got my foot caught in a crevice next to a fallen tree," Liz explained. "I couldn't get out by myself, and the bodyguard was catching up. Tess managed to shove the log aside just far enough for me to slip out." She decided not to mention the cliff incident - it would be too much like blowing her own horn. She pulled a zipper up and opened up the door.
"What do you think - will Max like it??"
Isabel's jaw dropped open, and then she worked it back up. "Yeah, yeah, I have to say he will."
* * * *
(Twenty to five in the afternoon.)
"Whoooo!!" Maria yelled as the roller coaster car started turn upside down. At the crest of the loop it levelled out, completely inverted, and shot across the track at full speed. As the apparent centrifugal force eased away to nothing, gravity reasserted itself, but she was strapped into her seat tightly enough that practically no part of her could fall, except for her hair, which slipped out bit by bit to trail below and behind her. And the blood started settling down to her head, increasing the dizzy feeling she was experiencing.
"Michael..." she muttered under her breath. But Michael wasn't next to her -- he had sat down next to Tess, leaving Maria with Alex. Kyle, of course, was sitting by himself and loving it.
"Hang on, it's only a little longer," Alex muttered reassuringly. Sure enough, after a few seconds they flew into two and a half dizzying corkscrews, after which, of course, Maria and everyone else were right-side up again. (Because of the last half-turn.) And then came the drop-off.
Once the ride had come to a full and complete stop and all patrons had disembarked, Michael jogged ahead of them, absolutely on an adrenalin high. "Okay, what do we do next??"
"I wanna keep my feet flat on the ground for a little," Tess decided, and Maria made an agreeing noise. "Maybe we head over to..." she considered the map of the park, and Maria somehow could tell that the other girl was looking for a spot as far away from their current area. "...Outlaw junction, and see if we wanna grab a smoothy or something?"
Maria could tell that Michael was a little disappointed, but he nodded agreement without a pause. "Sure." Then, belatedly, he looked around to the rest of them. "Any objections??"
Maria had none, and apparently neither did the other boys, though Maria couldn't help but wonder if there was some reason that Michael seemed so attentive to Tess today. She wasn't jealous - at least, she didn't think she had any reason to be. Whatever was going on then, there was nothing romantic about it - or psysical, or anything like that. Was he just trying to make Tess feel more like one of the gang?? And did it have anything to do with the fact that Michael had been in Liz and Tess' room, guarding the air-sled, when Maria got up this morning?? (He'd relieved Tess and offered her his bed, instead of the awkward living room sofa.)
The fruit smoothies at Outlaw Junction were unarguably great, and the five of them sat on a picnic table in the sun to enjoy. Not many people had come out to this amusement park either, though they saw families with little kids or yuppie couples here and there.
"I wonder if this place will be open again tomorrow," Maria said absently.
"I doubt it, on new year's day," Kyle replied.
"I wonder what we *are* going to do tomorrow," Alex said in turn.
There was a moment of silence, and Michael took a drink from his cranberry orange refreshment. "I feel sorry for Max and Mister Valenti, cooped up in the suite on guard."
* * * *
(Meanwhile...)
"Ha-ha!!" Max jumped a red counter over a hapless black one, diagonally, and so arrived at the final rank. "King me."
Jim Valenti looked up at Max for a moment without expression, added one of his captured red pieces on top of the one that Max had just moved, and then slid one of his own kings so that it pinned Max's newly formed one against the side of the board. "Your turn, Max," he drawled with self-satisfaction.
Max jumped a little in surprise, and then rallied in another part of the board. The series was tied at three games all, so far.
TO BE CONTINUED...