Chapter 3: Danger Zone

Maria woke up first and thought that there was a large animal growling in the chamber, when she realized it was Michael's stomach she began to laugh. This caused Michael to wake up, and he started to grumble. This only afforded Maria more pleasure,

"You laughin' at me Earthgirl?" he asked her smiling.

"You better believe it Spaceboy," she replied still giggling.

"Well are you going to let me in on the joke?"

"Michael, you need to tell your tummy to quiet down, it was growling when I woke up and at first I thought a larger hairy animal was in here with us till I realized it was you," she teased.

Michael smiled at Maria as he tousled her hair, glancing at his watch he realized that the others would soon be on their way. Standing up and giving Maria a hand the walked over to his pod.

"You know, even though I couldn't be there when you recovered your memories, I came here because being close to your pod meant being close to you. When I was curled up in there I felt completely safe for the first time in my life, and when you put your arms around me I knew nothing bad could ever happen, Thank-you," Maria said quietly.

"Listen Maria, I know how hard that was for you to admit, the thing is I am less like Rath in the openness department. Things have happened in my life that I am not ready to share with anyone, not Max, not Isabel. I am not even sure I can tell them to you. I want you to understand that I don't need to rush into a connection. Truth be told I know I am not emotional mature enough to handle that, yet."

Maria looked at Michael realizing just how much this was costing him. So offering the same words as he had to her last night she to said, "Michael, I can wait forever if you need me to."

Michael turned to Maria after she said those words. "Maria, I just want you to know that I am not like Max. I don't go for the whole sensitive guy thing. I'll probably end up pissing you off more than you think."

Maria just looked at him and smiled, "Michael we haven't been friends, not really good friends anyway. But I've watched how you act and I know exactly what you're going to be like. Besides you pissed me off plenty of times on Antar."

He grinned, "Yea I just don't want to hurt you and I am afraid we will start to fight."

"But that's the best part about fighting, you get to make up," laughed Maria.

"Oh, really?"

"Mmmha," she said flirtatiously as she looked into his eyes. When she saw the hungry look in them it stole her breath away. She knew if she didn't say something to break the spell that she and he would get in some trouble. "Michael I...I...I think we should probably go wait for them outside next to the cars."

"Good idea," he said. They walked hand in hand down to the cars. As they neared the jeep Michaels stomach started to growl again. Laughing Maria made her way to the jetta and grabbed some granola bars and tabasco sauce.

Taking one bar for her self she grabbed two more for Michael and handed him the small bottle of sauce. "You know you're a life savor, Maria."

Maria grinned at Michael, "I know, you had just better remember that."

As the sat there munching away on the bars each had the eerie sensation of being watched. To Maria it felt like being hunted, she and Michael were the prey and some where out there was the predator. They started to wonder what was going on. Michael checked his watch and realized that the other should be here by now. He turned to Maria just as she grabbed his arm. "Michael, I don't like this feeling. Can we go back to the chamber and wait for the others?" she asked.

Michael nodded his head and they climbed back up to the chamber and entered it. Michael turned to the door way and sealed it and lock it. As Maria watched him lock them into the chamber she still couldn't shake the feeling of being hunted. Michael grabbed her hand and they moved closer to the pods. The closer they got the more at ease they felt. Michael crawled into the pod and leaned against the back, when he got settled Maria crawled in and sat on his lap. Michael wrapped his arms around Maria and they stared out into the dimly lit chamber. Everything went into slow motion. Michael saw the shadow move. It raised its hand a second before him and fired a second be for him. Michael knew he had gotten the shadow when it burst into dust. He also felt the power of the shadow hit Maria. The next thing Michael knew was that he tumbled back into another cave. He picked up Maria and gently moved her into the new chamber. His breath caught as he saw the blood at the corner of her mouth and felt the blood that soaked through her clothing on to him.

Meanwhile Max, Liz, Kyle, Isabel and Alex had just arrived at the bottom of the mountain. Parking the cars next to the other ones they began to hike up to the chamber. Out of nowhere came this blinding light. Max looked around wildly and saw that Alex had thrown Isabel to the ground and fell on top of her trying to protect her with his body. Another blast went off, exploding the rock next to Max's head.

Everything went into slow motion as he heard Liz scream his name. He swiveled his head and saw his attacker rise up from behind a boulder. He watched as the power hurtled his way, closing his eyes he waited for the inevitable. When nothing happened he looked down to see Kyle holding his side unconscious from the pain. Looking up Max raised his hand not quiet sure of what he was doing and suddenly a blue light flashed toward the attacker causing him or her to burst into dust. Max turned to Kyle kneeling next to him Max began to heal him. Kyle's eyes fluttered open and Max slumped back in relief, he felt completely drained.

"Alex...Alex... Alexxx," cried Isabel.

Max crawled over to Alex and gathered the last of his power. Unfortunately he didn't think he had enough power to heal him. Max was filled with despair until a new wild current of energy coursed through his body. Looking up at Liz he smiled. Liz continued to touch his shoulder and concentrated on giving him ever ounce of power she had. Liz began to tremble; she started to feel weak and she wondered how much longer. Just as she collapsed Alex opened his eyes. Isabel threw her arms around his neck. Kyle did not want to interrupt the moment but he did.

"Listen I think we should get moving. We don't know how many others are out here." Alex and Isabel nodded. Isabel walked over to Liz and helped her to her feet, as Alex and Kyle hoisted Max between the two of them.

Michael looked at Maria the tears running down his cheek and on to hers. He watched her eyes flutter open. "Michael," she whispered softly, "I want you to link minds with me."

"No I told you I would wait," he cried.

"Please," she whispered "You said you'd wait for ever, but I don't think I'll get to for ever, please Michael I need you."

Michael nodded his head and gently linked his mind with her, he saw what Nasedo had done to her and it infuriated him. However as their minds began to merge he could feel the dirtiness, the horribleness slip away, and he knew that it was because of him. Maria too could see things. She saw his loneliness and she saw what Hank was doing to him. At that moment she swore to her self that if she lived through this she would kill Hank. At last they pulled out of the merge. Michael looked at Maria and was about to say something when he saw that her attention was caught by a glowing object in the center of the cavern.

"Michael take me to the light," Maria commanded. He got to his feet and carried her towards the object. When she could reach out and touch it she turned to him and said, "I love you." She then placed her hand on the object. All the colors in the world shot out in ribbons wrapping themselves around Maria until she was cocooned in a glowing sphere. Lifting up out of his arms Maria was raised above the object and light began to spread out from her lighting the darkest corners of the cavern. It only lasted a few moments then she was returned to his arms. The ribbons unwound themselves from her body and returned to the object. Michael looked down at Maria and watched in wonder as her eyes meet his. She smiled at him and he knew she was alright.

"Michael put me down, the others are here."

When Michael heard this he looked through the pod out into the chamber but couldn't see them. All of a sudden he was blind as the sealed door opened to admit the others.

"We are in here," called Maria as she waved to them.

They crawled through Michael's pod and into the chamber. "We were attacked," said Liz as she crawled through.

"So were we, Maria got hit before I could stop that thing that hitting us. Then we fell in here and that glowing thing healed Maria," replied Michael.

As Liz looked at the object she realized that they had found the Granolith. Liz turned to help Max and then they both approached the Granolith. Liz reached out and touched it before Max could stop her and a single bell tone filled the room. Suddenly all seven of them were touching the Granolith.

Greetings young ones. I will be here to help you and guide you. But right now we are not complete. Until the royal eight appears I need you to return to your homes and not come here again. Not unless it is an emergence. Do not worry, the attackers were only two. You will be safe for now. Go

With that the Granolith returned to a glowing object, it was no longer pulling them towards it. The group crawled from the cave and made there way back to their normal ordinary human lives.