Summary: (AU) Liz meets another alien while trying to escape from Roswell and the events of the end of Season 1 (the cave - you all know what I mean!)

Could this stranger, friend or foe, hold the key to Liz's own destiny?

Disclaimer: I don't own Roswell so I'm not taking any of the credit from the creators for this fantastic show. Pity: I'd soo love to be mega-rich by now - and better yet, hold creative license over Tess' head (behave, vixen!) :D The OC's are mine, and I will fight viciously to keep them!

Reviews: Thanks for the reviews (ok, review single!); so to Just Me: thanks for the loyal review and for not forgetting about me! I'm glad you really liked the showdown between Liz and Max, but now here's the showdown between Akela and Max … (don't worry – nobody dies in this chapter!)

Previously:

Taking it all in, but not understanding any of it as his own mind raced over the words he and Liz had used as arsenal against each other even as he shook his head in an effort to clear it of the dizzying aftershocks of getting thrown across a room, his hands lifted up to his temples so that he could use the tips of his fingers to place pressure against the pounding in his skull and he asked the question that couldn't be avoided.

"What the hell just happened?"

No one he trusted could meet his gaze, and even as Tess placed a heavy hand on his shoulder, her lips parting to spout her own opinion as she used their programmed ability to connect to heal the pain in his head, a faint chuckle could be heard bouncing off the walls in the small apartment before an amused voice answered him.

"I told you I would destroy the bond the two of you shared – but did you listen? Although, I never expected you would make it so easy for me, Zan, and I must thank you for that. But I assume you have some questions … hmmm, and maybe it is my turn to answer a few of them. It seems only fair that you know a little more about me before you decide I am an enemy you want to have."

Max shook off Tess' hand, ignoring her impatient sigh as he spun around trying to find the owner of the voice, wondering why it was so familiar; and as the shadows from the darkening kitchen merged to reveal a small figure of a teenage girl a little taller than Tess with loose black curls and glinting sea-green eyes that hardened with a distaste that defied the amusement in her voice, he knew why.

And now on to the next chapter …

Chapter Thirteen: Knowing Thine Enemy.

For a brief moment that seemed to freeze time, the only movement besides the twitching of furious muscles was the crackling tension that filled the air between the two would-be rivals as Max glared with barely concealed distrust at the petite figure lounging against the kitchen counter in a feigned show of relaxed ease before the small apartment exploded into action. No spoken words were needed to implement the plan both thought of in the same instant; Max raised his hand, calling up a shimmering green shield that flickered between his family and the enemy as Michael raised his own palm and a let go a wave of white-hot energy towards his own kitchen, blinding them all for an instant. A sudden scream was heard, but it did not come from where Akela had stood; and Max spun to face the source of the terrified sound so quickly his head spun with the vestiges of vertigo. Shaking his head once to settle his sight, the scene that met his eyes made him wish he had not fought so hard to clear the edges of his vision.

Maria's upper body was bent backwards at an uncomfortable angle and held there by bunches of her own short strawberry blonde tresses held firmly in a vice-like grip by the small left hand of Akela. In her right hand she held a vicious dagger that seemed almost ceremonial in design, and its sharp pointed end was pushed firmly up against Maria's neck as it meandered a slow calm path up her exposed throat. Alex let loose a hoarse cry that broke the stalemate at the whimper ripped from Maria's throat as his fingers gripped a tight hold of the fabric of the couch arm unconsciously; and Isabel leapt forward to grip both hands around Michael's arm to stall him even as his fiery temper caused him to raise his palm up once more with intent, her whispered warning heard by all.

"No, Michael – you'll hit Maria."

Tess took a quiet step backwards so that her slight frame was almost hidden behind Max as Michael lowered his hand reluctantly and her eyes glazed over as she tapped into her own power in an effort to end the battle. She could feel the tendrils of her illusion reach through the air to lap at Akela's tightly bound mind, but the images snapped back like a taut elastic band as it encountered a force like a brick wall that threw them back. Akela's features were pinched into a sarcastic grimace as she raised her arctic gaze to Tess, and her response rippled through all their minds with a commanding quality as her suddenly deep voice echoed unwaveringly around the room, her pupils seeming to widen as their colour deepened to a forest green and glowed with a powerful inner light.

"Don't!"

Tess felt the waves as if they had a physical force, and her body swayed with the energy as she raised her hands to press her palms against the sudden fierce pain that stabbed through her temples. Max's shield dropped of it's own volition, and as Michael reached his left hand around to hold Isabel upright as the power behind Akela's stare knocked her off balance, Akela's eyes lost their glow as they faded back to a sea green and she lowered the point of the deadly knife away from Maria's throat.

"Let's put down the weapons, boys and girls. I only came here to talk."

Even if she wasn't speaking truth, Max realised that there were no other options open to them if they wanted to save Maria, and he nodded to everyone with an almost imperceptible slide of his head even as he took a slight step forward. Michael got the message instantly, and pushed Isabel backwards so that she stood in between himself and her brother, and Max moved forward another step so that his body was ahead of hers. Alex released his death grip of the couch and slinked off sideways to stand by their side, but Tess pushed him down and away as she matched Max's steps forward so that he sat awkwardly between the wall and the furthest arm of the couch from Akela, keeping him out of the line of fire if the battle had to start up again as quickly as it had before.

Watching their actions with a visible disinterest, Akela pulled the knife away from a terrified Maria with one hand as she released her hold of her hostage's hair long enough to direct a forceful enough shove to send Maria stumbling forward into Michael's waiting arms, their length tightening around her without thought as Maria clung to her boyfriend with fingers that never wanted to let go, weeping silently as her voice failed her. Max kept his gaze on the girl still standing before him, watching his enemy carefully as she spun the blade around her fingers with ease, slipping the dagger into the belt that hugged her black leather pants to her hips before she crossed her arms and observed the open display of emotion with something akin to malevolent amusement shining out from her eyes.

"How did you get in here, anyway?" Max jumped faintly as his sister's voice broke through the wary silence from behind his left ear, and Michael looked over Maria's trembling form as he glared at the small alien girl before them with unconcealed resentment that matched the barely restrained emotion behind Isabel's words. Her loose black curls bounced as Akela cocked her head to one side as if she was considering the question with a serious focus, her hands dropping to rest on the bare patch of skin above her hips that her corset styled leather vest left uncovered but her eyes gleamed with a light that belied her pose as she answered.

"Like this." As suddenly as she had materialized in the kitchen, she disappeared from before them, and Max paced forward into the space where Akela had stood seconds before as panic forced his heart into a faster tempo and Isabel turned her head to follow her brother's restless path as her forehead creased in a frown of alarm. Her peripheral vision picked up Michael's movements as he reacted to push Maria behind him, leaving him free to take up a protective stance, but a light warm breeze that blew against Isabel's cheek and a voice that whispered quietly in her ear distracted all her chaotic thoughts. "Boo!"

With a sudden gasp, Isabel tripped forward as her body spun around to face the owner of the voice, and her startled gaze came to rest upon Akela's openly amused expression. She stood in a relaxed pose exactly behind where Isabel had stood only a moment before, and the taller blonde realised with a sense of dread that they really had no idea of the extent of Akela's powers if she could so easily teleport herself silently around the room. Michael growled out a vicious curse as he stepped around Maria, who slumped to the ground boneless behind him as her legs gave out in her fear, and raised both palms up as an uncontrollable rage filled his very being. Max yelled out a warning that was ignored as the air around his friend and brother seemed to waver with heat, and as Tess rolled cautiously out of the way, Michael sent out another wave of power.

Akela didn't even bother to move out of the line of fire this time; a shield of inky violet energy raised itself as a solid opaque wall around her, easily deflecting Michael's firepower without flickering. Max pushed himself in front of Michael as his panic bled into the emotion of disbelief, and a small voice in the back of his mind raised itself above the others to rail that maybe he should have listened when Liz had tried to warn him from picking a fight with Akela. As Michael's power faded away Akela dropped her shield, and her face broke into a wide grin even as she raised her hands in the classic form of surrender.

"Look, would you stop, already – if I had wanted you dead, you would be! I just came to even the field a little. It seemed to me only fair that you know what I'm doing here, since I happen to know so much about you."

Her words had the desired effect of a bucket of iced water as they washed over those assembled in battle mode before her, and she composed her grin into a satisfied smile as their faces reflected the myriad of emotions they tried to keep hidden inside. Isabel was the first to take a tentative step forward as her curiosity won over her suspicions.

"What do you mean?"

Determined to use that interest to her own advantage, Akela's smile turned almost predatory, and Isabel instinctively shrunk back into the solid form of her brother as he took a step forward to stand protectively behind her. Akela bit down the urge to grin openly as she realised it was still so much fun intimidating this group of supposed royalty, but almost as a drawback was the following conclusion that it never used to be this ridiculously easy. Drawing herself up regally, she prepared to plant a few seeds of doubt that, with nurture, would grow into discord.

"I am not your enemy, but then, I suppose if you had actually managed to retain any of your past memories, you would already know this!"

Michael shifted his centre of balance in dissatisfaction as his growl cut the smaller girl off. "Not our enemy! You attacked Maria!"

Akela swivelled her head as she met his accusing glare with cold emotionless eyes as she noticed without acknowledgement how Maria flinched from her dispassionate gaze before sighing in annoyance.

"You attacked me, remember! I was merely trying to get your attention. She'll be fine, as however traumatised she is now, your Maria wasn't physically harmed by me; I wouldn't be doing myself any favours if I did hurt her. Try to focus, Rath, … I am not after you!" Turning back to pin Isabel and Max with her intent gaze, she continued. "I was like you! Betrayed by those we trusted; forced out of our own homes. Unlike you, however, I managed to survive the process!"

"Wait, what do you mean? I … uh, how is that even possible? I mean, you look, … well, our age!"

Releasing a snort of amusement, her eyes shimmering with barely concealed mirth, Akela fixed Alex with a silent stare until he swallowed uncomfortably at the attention and began shifting nervously on his feet.

"Time is relative, boy. I don't age like humans, because mainly, I am not human."

"Then what are you?" Akela met Tess' cold suspicion with a mocking grin.

"I am not Antarian; I hope by now you lot have worked out that's what you are! No, I was born a princess in a kingdom far older than Antar's; a golden empire that was the centre of our galaxy for millennia or more. But as you learnt first hand, real power breeds envy. Those who really want the power bad enough will do anything to get it."

Impatient, Max stepped around his sister to draw Akela's full attention. "Great story, but what has any of this got to do with us?"

Raising an eyebrow, Akela's eyes widened with incredulity before her musical laughter erupted to reveal how amused his question had made her. "With you? Absolutely nothing! It wasn't you who betrayed and murdered my father, my brothers. You died too, remember! " Her laughter couldn't hide how her eyes darkened with a cold emotion at her words, and Max felt himself take a surreptitious step away from her as a sliver of fear trickled down his spine at the obvious contradiction of emotion displayed across her features. " I didn't come here to engender your pity. I came to set a few things straight."

"Such as?"

"Well, Maxwell, you seem to be under the strange delusion that I came here for you and your kind, but that's the wrong idea. I have no interest in you. I came for one thing, and only one … and thanks to you, now I have it!"

Michael's disgruntled sneer wrinkled his nose as he snorted his distrust. "What are you talking about?"

"Liz …" Max's visage paled significantly, the bemused word spilt quietly from his lips as images and thoughts from previous conversations clicked into place, and the part of the puzzle that became suddenly clear formed a fearful conclusion that filled his mind.

"Exactly! And you pushed her right into my hands, Zan. You made it so easy for me! She is within my power now, and there is not a thing you can do to change that!" With a little giggle, Akela turned her amused gaze from Max's horrified brown orbs to meet the Tess' confused blue ones, her hand stretched out to include the blonde girl. "Of course, I cannot forget to thank little Ava for the part she played to perfection. Without her contribution, I doubt this would have been over so quickly." As five pairs of eyes swivelled to pin Tess with accusing stares, Akela continued while ignoring Tess' gasp as the other girl began shaking her head in denial; the smile she wore like a facade fading into a cold emotionless mask that matched the deep derisive fire burning in her green eyes. "But we have reached the end of this little game. You made her choose a side, Zan; something I would never have out rightly asked her to do. You pushed her across the line – a line you yourself drew! You made me your enemy; and now you have made her your enemy."

"No, no …," With an impatient wave of her hand, Akela cut off Max's weak protestations, and as she stalked forward to plant a finger on his chest that pushed all of her accusations through to his aching heart, he couldn't find the strength to push her away.

"But you were working with Senator Whitaker – I heard her say your name when she held me prisoner. You were even the one who helped them take me prisoner!"

Akela's laugh held no humour this time; it's mocking quality seemed to echo through Tess' mind, and when Isabel nodded her head in fierce agreement, Akela gave Max's chest one hard shove. Tumbling backwards over the table that sat directly behind his knees, he missed the vicious gleam that caused Akela's eyes to shimmer over with a dangerous light.

"You ignorant fool! You left yourself wide open for that one, Tessie – your focus was so intent on finding fault with me, you weren't even aware of the danger around you. And because I was there, you blame me? I am NOT your babysitter, girl! You are all acting like mindless children who refuse to face the clear fact that you are still at war!" Max scrambled to his feet as he pushed himself away from the offending piece of furniture that had caused his fall, and Alex moved forward to help him up while keeping both eyes fixed on the flickering scorn that flittered across Akela's face with apprehension as she continued with her tirade. "Have you learnt nothing from your past? There are enemies all around you, yes, but have you still not learnt the ability to tell the difference?" Shaking her loose curls in aggravation, she turned her head to fix on Tess a glare filled with a strong hate so familiar it caused the blonde girls knees to tremble with a fear she recognised.

"I have never worked with Valora, and I never would! Khivar would not dare ask anything of me! He may be an ambitious simpleton, but even he is aware of that limit!" Isabel gasped aloud at the mentioned name, but Akela kept her glare fixed on Tess a moment longer before turning to meet Max's uncertain one. Drawing in a deep breath, she visibly forced her tensed shoulders to relax, clenching her fists as she closed her eyes before shaking them out. The silence that filled the room was a wary one, but Max had an uneasy feeling that Akela hadn't finished with them.

"You know, you want to make me an enemy – that's fine. But don't forget you have enemies that have followed you here from your home. And maybe you should be focused on them, rather than on trying to single out fights with me. They have almost fifty years of a head start on you on this planet. A little imagination on your part, and maybe you'll figure out exactly how organised they are!"

With a return of her sarcastic smirk, Akela flicked her wrist, and the television sitting silently in the darkened corner behind Michael burst into noisy life. The screen filled with images of a car wreckage, burnt and twisted beyond recognition, and a smaller box in the right corner flashed a familiar picture as the channel displayed a breaking news story in full technicolour; a story that everyone in the room knew instantly to be a lie.

"We have this story just in. A controversial New Mexico congresswoman is dead. We'll have that story in just a minute."

Max's gaze was transfixed on the screen, but Akela's voice broke through his jumbled and confused thoughts. "You're right in thinking Valora wasn't working alone, but don't think for an instant that you were the only ones to witness her death! Stop thinking about the minute details and start worrying about the bigger picture! You were a king, a leader – it's time you remembered that is still your role. I may have got what I came for, but they didn't. Wake up; the Senator may be dead, but the threat that she represented has only just begun its work!"

A rough hand whirled him away from the shifting images on the television screen, and he stared into a pair of cold green eyes. "My suggestion: stay away from Liz, and start working on keeping yourselves alive. You already have one enemy out there. Don't add me to your list."

The pressure around his bicep strengthened before it disappeared as the small figure of the alien girl that had so easy defeated his only defences departed as silently as she had appeared, leaving behind a trail of emotional devastation in her wake and a realisation that everything that he had held sacred for so long was about to change. Because even though he wasn't ready to admit it, the truth was that she was right. They were at war; a war for their very survival. And the battle lines had just been redrawn.

Next Chapter:

Chapter Fourteen: Remnants of a Past:

Senator Whitaker died in a display of alien power that left nothing of her behind but a pile of ash. But if that's true, then how is it possible her body was found in a wreckage of a car accident. Someone's playing games with Max and his fellow Pod Squad members – but are they only after Max, or are they also trying to get Liz's attention too … ?

AN: Hmmm, so what do you all think of Akela now? Do you think she's still playing the game, or is she for real this time? I hope I still have you attention, and that I haven't lost it with the late arrival of the last couple of chapters, but I'm still here if you have any questions. Next chapter should be up soon! (I hope … :D)

Ciao ciao

Anianka xx