Disclaimer: i do not own any of the character although the plot is mine.

Summary: Future Max turned to himself to help instead of Liz to tell the future. Max had broken up with Liz and spending more time with Tess so Liz would hate him. Max had told Tess that he couldn't be with Liz because if he did it'll be the end of the world but that's all. Tess is trying to work out how he knows this and why it'll be the end of the world. Michael lives by himself in an apartment since Hank is dead. Alex is also still alive.

Author's Note: i jst want 2 say i luv the character ava! she's so cute! and zan is like the hottest thing on the planet! he shud'v stayed longer:'(

Chapter Twelve

Liz was staring at Max wide-eyed.

"What's going on?" she breathed, reaching for him.

"We had another set of dupes and you had died. Then Zan, my dupe, helped me heal you. The rest, Lonnie, Rath and…Tess they're looking for the Granilith. Zan left for something else but I don't know why," Max said half-dragging her to the door.

"Wh-what are we going to do?" she asked.

"I'm going to impersonate Zan and try and slow them down. I need you to tell the others to hide the Granilith," Max said.

"Others?" Liz echoed as Max scanned the street. Maria's car. They were all in a rush, they forgot to take it.

"Michael, Iz, and the rest. I know a short cut, plus, we got a car," Max said and they hopped in.

No keys. No problem. Max pressed his palm firmly and the engine roared to life.

"So…who's Lonnie and Rath?" Liz asked.

"Lonnie is Isabel's dupe and Rath is Michael's," Max said as he sped through the dark night. There was no time about worrying about speed limits now.

"What about Tess's?" Liz asked.

"There was an accident, she didn't come, I don't know why," Max said then he halted to a stop.

"What is it, Max?" Liz gasped. Max winced as he realised Liz had her head on the side.

"You okay?" he asked cupping her face.

"Yeah, yeah," she said nodding her head and placing her hands over his. "Why did you stop?"

"I can see Michael. I need you to get them in this car and get to the Granilith first. Then hide it," Max said staring deep into her eyes.

"They sound dangerous," Liz said looking away.

"They are, that's why I have to do this," Max said.

"What if something happens to you?" Liz asked.

"I could never leave you," Max said.

They stared into each other's eyes before Max crushed her against his chest. God, he hoped he could make it.

"I love you, Liz," Max said as he released her.

"I love you too," Liz said her eyes filling with tears.

Max nodded, ignoring the way her tears cut his heart, and sped the car so he was near Lonnie, Rath and Tess.

"Okay, take over," Max said getting out.

"Max," Liz whispered grabbing his hand.

Max turned back and kissed her hand.

"I love you," he said.

Then he ran towards the other Royal Four, changing his looks to Zan's as he did so. It was a shame that his clothes didn't look the same.

………………………Isabel, Michael, Maria and Alex, running……………………………

"Oh look, Zan's caught up with them," Isabel panted as they continued to sprint.

"He looks different," Michael said barely out of breath. He was also in the lead.

Maria knew that she was going to pull out soon. Her lungs felt rusted and she was already behind.

"Maria!"

Maria froze. Because that voice was suppose to be dead. She turned and saw LIZ.

"Oh my God," Maria said falling. She was hallucinating. She had gone crazy.

"Maria!" Alex yelled, who was the closest to her. When Michael heard her name get called out, he turned.

"Maria, what the hell are you doing! Get up, or we'll have to—Liz!" Michael broke off.

Maria looked up again, wiping at her tears. Michael wouldn't hallucinate. Which meant Liz was real, right?

"It's okay," Liz comforted. "I'm alive. Zan and Max bought me back to life. But we're running out of time."

No one said anything. Maria felt someone pull her up. Michael. Of course.

"But Zan's evil, he's back with them," Isabel said pointing into the distance.

"No, no," Liz said shaking her head. "That's Max, he's impersonating Zan."

"You're alive?" Maria croaked.

Liz nodded, her tears trailing down her cheek. Maria let out a shriek and hugged her best friend.

"Can we cry later?" Isabel asked impatiently. "We have to do something!"

"Yes," Liz said pulling away from the sobbing Maria. "I have Maria's Jetta, Max is trying to slow them down. We have to hide the Granilith."

"Then what are standing here for?" Michael growled. "Lets go!"

…………………………Max, impersonating Zan…………………………

"Where'd you go?" Rath asked slapping him hard on the shoulder. Max nearly buckled.

"I had to see Max," Max said. Great. What a great excuse.

"Why?" Tess asked.

It was so hard for Max to look at Tess and not strangle her on the spot. Liz had died!

Even if he did kill her now, he knew he couldn't keep off Rath and Lonnie. The way the dressed and the way they acted, Max could tell they know more about the powers than he did.

"Earth to Zan the man," Lonnie said waving her hand in front of his face. "Where were you? And what's with your clothes?"

Max was beginning to sweat. This was harder than he thought.

"No idea what your talking 'bout, Tess will you hurry to the bloody Granilith?" Max said trying to preoccupy them. "The twerps are running after us, I saw them."

"He's right, yo, Tess hurry the hell up," Lonnie said.

"Of course," Tess said looking a little nervous. Since when did Tess look nervous?

Seeking his chance, Max flickered his hand so a branch hit Tess hard on the leg. She fell.

"This has to be a joke!" Rath yelled. "Get up!"

"I…can't," Tess said. "I think I broke my ankle."

"Jesus wept!" Rath raged. "Zan, fix her!"

Holy crap. Max had forgotten about that. Max nervously knelt in front of Tess.

"Which one?" he asked.

"My left," Tess said rocking back and forth.

"Right," Max said placing her hand over her left ankle. Time was running out. If he healed her, she would see into his soul. He couldn't let that happen.

Max reached up as if to stroke her cheek but at the last moment he punched her square in the jaw. Tess let out a cry and fell onto the ground. Blood trickled down her chin.

"What the hell are you doing!" Rath bellowed. "Are you insane?"

Lonnie was eerily calm.

"He's not Zan, he's Max," she murmured.

"WHAT!" Rath growled.

Max prayed silently. They now knew. As long as Tess was dead, or unconscious, they wouldn't have a damn clue where the Granilith was. So it really didn't matter what happened to him.

"Good bye, sweet bro," Lonnie said, placing her hand with Rath's ready to blast him together.

Max's body, by instinct, raised the green shield. He made sure Tess was behind him. He couldn't let them get her or they'll know where the Granilith is.

"Wait!" he said.

Lonnie looked at Rath and raised an eyebrow.

"Make your last words quick," Rath snarled.

"If you kill me you can never get home," Max said trying to keep his voice even.

"What the fuk are you talking about?" Rath leered.

"I am here instead of Zan because Zan left. If you kill me there is no Zan. No Royal Four," Max said.

"I told you!" Lonnie said shaking Rath on the arm. "He healed Ava. He probably is running for her now!"

Rath growled.

"I'll track him down," Rath said. "We don't need this tosser."

He threw a blast at him but Max repelled it with his green shield. But it was strong. Max knew he wouldn't be able to keep this up.

"I wouldn't do that it I was you."

Max turned and saw…Zan!

"Zan, what are you doing here?" Max asked.

Zan simply smirked and stood behind the green shield. On Max's side.

"I went to find Ava," Zan said his voice bitter and cold. His eyes were staring dangerously into Lonnie's and Rath's. "But she found me first."

Max looked around and instantly saw another version of Tess. But unlike Tes's cold eyes, hers were frightened and innocent.

Ava looked at Tess and jumped about a mile.

"It's okay," Zan said soothingly wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

"She's like them, isn't she?" Ava whimpered.

"Like who, Queenie?" Lonnie growled.

"You guys!" Zan yelled. "Murderers! Heartless beings, only caring about your fuking selves!"

"Lets have a match, Your Majesty," Rath snarled. "Who's stronger."

Zan raised his hand and his green shield blended with Max's. Stronger.

"Go," Zan hissed at Max. "Take Tess and go."

"I can't just leave you two," Max said bewildered. Ava's eyes searched his when he said 'two'.

"Go!" Zan said and slightly winced when Rath started attacking.

"You saved Liz's life, the least I could do is repay the favour," Max said.

"Tess could be conscious now," Zan growled.

Max looked at Tess. Carefully crouching so he still kept his guard, he touched her pulse. Getting stronger.

"Ava," Max said gently and she jumped again. "Could you erase her memory?"

"I…I…d-don't t…think I can when she's…u-unconscious," she whispered, her eyes large with fright.

"I have to kill her," Max said. Now as he said the words, he realised he would be a murderer too. Back when he was going to, it was different. Now Liz was alive and his head had cleared. He'd be a murderer.

Ava was crying, grabbing onto Zan's arm.

"It's okay, Ava," Zan soothed. "Max is doing it for the best."

"Bye Tess," Max said through gritted teeth and then blasted her like he hadn't blasted anything before.

There was a huge explosion. It sent Zan, Ava, Rath and Lonnie tumbling back. It shook trees. Thunder started. And Tess let out a cry of agony. Then she evaporated.

"Argh!" Ava screamed grabbing Zan for support.

"What is it?" Zan asked, his eyes wide.

"It hurts," she gasped.

"Did…I hurt you?" Max asked. He only intended on Tess not Ava. Ava was different.

"My counterpart's death hurts," she panted.

Rath made another attack but Zan easily repelled.

"All is lost," Zan said calmly. "Ava and I are going to go. You follow us, we kill you. You will now never find the Granilith."

"You!" Rath said pointing at Max. "Tell!"

"Never," Max said. He walked over to Zan who had his arms around a crying Ava.

"What do we tell the summit?" Lonnie asked.

"You couldn't find the Granilith?" Max suggested.

"And that Ava and I are dead," Zan added.

Rath scowled cracking his knuckles but never attacking.

"Could you mindfreak Rath and Lonnie to forget about all this and thinking we're dead?" Zan murmured in a low voice only Max and Ava heard.

Ava nodded.

"I'll try," she whispered.

Max was surprised that when Ava mindwarped she didn't close her eyes. She was staring straight at Rath and Lonnie's direction. Those dupes were way stronger.

Then Ava collapsed in Zan's arms.

"Did it work?" Zan asked frowning. She nodded.

"I just feel beaten," she murmured.

"We should go," Zan said looking at Max. "If Rath and Lonnie see us, they may go crazy. You should go too."

Max nodded.

"Thanks," Max said. "For everything."

Zan smirked.

"Just doing my job as king," he said airily. "You know, looking after Antar."

"Antar?" Max asked.

"The name of our planet," Zan answered.

Max hovered for a second feeling like he should give him a bigger thanks or something.

"Good luck," Max said.

"You too, yo, catch you," Zan said. Then he lifted Ava into his arms and walked off. Casually but quickly.

Max walked in his own direction. Hopefully, it was all over.