A/N – this is a few months later.
Chapter 30
"Have you guys heard?" Kyle asked as he made his way over to the table. Everyone, except Isabel, who was at college, and James, who was at a class, were sitting at the table in the quad, eating their lunch.
"Heard what?" Max asked from where he was straddling the bench next to Liz as they both shared their food. Kyle sat down in between Michael and Maria.
"Dad found a bunch of killing over in LA and get this, all dead victims have a sliver hand print on them," Kyle told them.
Max and Liz shared at a look.
"LA, didn't Milton say that there was a shape shifter in LA?" Liz asked and Max nodded.
"Yeah, maybe he's the one who doing this," He told Liz.
"Why?" Kyle asked. It just seem random, none of the victims are connected to each other. One of the witness said it was like a flash lightening," Kyle told them and Michael frowned.
"Do you think he's doing what Naesco did?" Michael asked and Max shrugged.
"I can't see what it could be though? Naesco hated humans because of the FBI; Milton said that the protector was more than happy with his life in LA. I'll contact him and see if I can get a answer from him," Max told them and Michael nodded.
"You better let Isabel know so that she can keep a look out too," Kyle told them and he nodded.
"This isn't a good thing," Maria spoke up and Kyle agreed.
"Dad is worried that this might stir the FBI back into chasing you lot again," Kyle told them and Max sighed as he rubbed his forehead.
"And he's right to be worried. We don't know what Naesco got rid off while he was working there – considering the fact that he had been working with our enemies the whole time," Max told them.
"You don't think he would put you guys back in danger from the FBI again do you?" Liz asked as she looked up at her boyfriend with worried eyes. "I mean; he's been through what you went through, he wouldn't want you to go through that again, would he?" Liz finished.
"I don't know babe, I honestly don't know," Max told her and Liz sighed as she rested her head on Max's chest, hoping that everything was going to turn out to be one big nightmare that she could wake up from. "If I get a hold of Milton, we'll meet up at his apartment later today, maybe he could give us some more answers." They all nodded as the bell went, signalling the end of lunch and they all went off to their respective classes, eager to get the day over and done with.
Max and Liz showed up in front of a house, Max knocked on the door and Milton answered it.
"Hey, come on in," he told them as he opened the door wider and stepped to the side to let them through.
"So how is your relationship going with your parents?" Milton asked as they all made their way through Milton's house.
"My dad and I are talking more. He's been telling me lots of things about my biological mom – it's nice to hear about her but mom is making it hard. She's still frosty with me," Liz told him.
They all sat down on the couch, Max and Liz on one side with Milton on the other side.
"That's understandable," Milton told her. "Your biological mother wasn't exactly liked by many women," Milton told her and Liz nodded.
"We actually came by here for a reason," Max told him and Milton looked at him, curious. "Kyle came to us, there has been reported killings in LA – with silver handprints."
"Oh hell, what is Cal doing now?" Milton muttered under his breath.
"Jim is a little worried it might bring the FBI back down on us again, he was wondering if you knew what Cal could be up to," Liz told him and Milton shook his head.
"I haven't been in contact with Cal for a while. Things have been kinda busy around here," He reminded and they nodded. "Is everyone coming over here later?" Milton asked.
"Yeah, they have some questions about us and all that you know, considering we never could get a chance just to sit down and talk to you," Max told him. "Do you think that Cal could bring the FBI down back on us? We're kinda worried considering we don't know how much evidence that Naesco managed to destroy."
"If I knew Naesco, he would have destroyed all of it but it depends on the contacts that Pierce had, I mean, a man like that to who able to fund everything – you bet he had some contacts behind his back and Naesco probably couldn't find every single one of them. All I can say to you is watch your back. If you think someone wishes you harm – don't let them, find out everything you can about them before they find out about you," Milton warned them and they nodded, as there was a knock at the door.
Milton stood up and headed toward the door, he opened it and saw that the gang was standing there.
"Hey," he greeted before he stood to the side and let them through.
"Hey Milton," Maria greeted with a warm smile. She liked Milton and was even happier that it turned out he was one of the protectors – he never tried to risk Max's life so that kept him in her good books.
"Hey Maria, is your mom still having the alien take-down?" Milton asked as he led the gang into the living room and Maria shook her head.
"Not at the moment," Maria told him and Milton nodded.
"That's a shame, I liked the alien take-down, it was rather impressive and amusing," Milton told her and Maria laughed.
"Yeah, I think a lot of people does," she told him as they headed into the living room and settled themselves around the place.
Once Milton had gotten them drinks, he settled back down on his chair and looked at them all.
"What is Cal trying to hide?" Max asked. "I mean; there has to be a reason why he is killing all those people." Milton nodded.
"Cal had a spaceship hidden in one of his hangers – I don't know where it is because Cal is very protective of it considering it's basically the last one we have," Milton explained. Michael sat up, holding up hand.
"Wait, are you saying that Cal has a spaceship?" Michael asked and Milton nodded.
"Yeah, we all did – but most of them were taken by the FBI," Milton explained and Michael nodded. Everyone else started asking Milton some questions while Michael tuned them out and thought out a plan in his head. He needed to get to LA and he needed to get there soon.
Max and Liz made their way into Liz's bedroom and sat down on her bed. They both were trying to digest everything that they had been told. Another alien was killing people and he had a spaceship hidden away.
"We sure seem to get more answers this year than we did last year," Liz muttered and Max laughed as he wrapped Liz up in his arms, just holding her as they both settled back on the headboard.
"Tell me about it, did you see how quiet Michael was after he found out that Cal had a spaceship?" Max asked and Liz looked up at him.
"What, do you think that Michael might want to go up to LA?" Liz asked and Max shrugged.
"I don't know, maybe I'm just being paranoid," Max told her and Liz laughed.
"You, paranoid? You don't even know the word," Liz informed him, teasingly and giggled when Max tickled her side in revenge.
Kyle made his way into Michael's apartment. His dad had asked him to go and see if Michael wanted to spend dinner with them, as he was worried about Michael since the whole Tess thing. Kyle had knocked on the door but there was no answer.
He used his key and stepped in only to see that the apartment was empty. He looked around and saw a note on the counter. He walked over and picked it up only to sigh as he pulled out his cell phone and pressed a speed dial number, hoping that he wasn't going to get turned into a toad.
Max and Liz were having a lot of fun together. Their tickle fight had ended up with the two of them making out. Max had Liz pressed up against him, her soft curves melding against his body as she had a leg thrown over his as he rested between her legs. They were both grinding against each other, trying to seek pleasure when the phone went off, causing Max to groan in annoyance.
He separated his lips from Liz before reaching over her and grabbed his phone while Liz just kissed his neck, refusing to give up their play pleasure.
"Yeah?" Max bit out as he held the phone to his ear as Liz continued to pleasure herself against him when Kyle's voice came through the phone.
"Max, we have a problem," Kyle spoke into the phone. Liz just nipped the sensitive spot at Max's collarbone, causing him to bite his bottom lip. "Michael's gone to LA." Max bolted up in bed, causing Liz to be jerked up with her.
She looked up at her boyfriend, curious to what had caused the reaction.
"He WHAT?" Max shouted, furious rage pulsing through his veins. Liz couldn't help the fear that shot through her body, the last time she had seen him this very angry was when Michael met up with Toloposky and that had ended in Max throwing a punch. She had seen a side to Max she had never noticed existed before and it scared her.
Max pinched the bridge of his nose as Liz's fear ran through his body. "Thank you for telling me, I'll sort it out," Max told him before he shut the phone and turned back to face Liz. He reached over and kissed Liz hard on the mouth, eliciting pleasure from her as she moaned, arching her body into his as her fear was forgotten. "Sorry for scaring you," Max whispered.
"What happened?" Liz asked as she looked up into Max's eyes.
"Michael went off to LA," Max informed her and Liz sighed.
"The spaceship?" she asked and Max nodded.
"I'm sorry baby, but I have to go up and stop him," he told her and Liz nodded before she looked down. "Liz?" Max asked and Liz sighed as she looked up at him.
"I'm just wondering how long are you going to keep paying for Michael's mistakes?" she whispered and Max looked at her, shocked at hearing the words again as Maria had asked him that question when they were in Las Vegas. "It's just – Max, I love you for wanting to protect Michael and Isabel but at the same time I resent it because you're my boyfriend yet you're paying for their mistakes – you're the one who has to face the consequences of their actions and I hate it when I see you like this, all angry. It scares me that one day they will push you too far that I will lose you," she admitted and Max felt his heart break for his girlfriend.
He didn't have a clue how everything was affecting her and he made a metal note to speak to her about everything that was happening and to sort out some compromise with her.
"Why have you never told me this before?" Max asked and Liz smiled softly.
"Because it made you who you are at the time, it was one of the things that made me fall in love you with you but now, it seems like its pushing you toward the edge and I'm terrified for what would happen if you do go over the edge," Liz told him.
Max just reached out and pulled her into a hug. Liz buried her face into his neck, inhaling the scent that made him Max.
"You won't lose me – not while we're still together. You keep me grounded," Max pulled away from her and looked deeply into her eyes. "Your love keeps me grounded. When I'm with you, I feel I can take anything on and that I'm not afraid of anything."
He reached into her top and pulled out the necklace that he had given her before the summer, when he thought he was going to leave her forever. "This necklace is my symbol of my love – this mean you'll never lose me, not while you still love me."
"I love you so much," Liz whispered as she reached up and kissed him as hard as she could. Max kissed her back just as hard before he pulled away.
"I love you too, now, I have to get to LA and stop Michael from using someone else to get what he wants," he told her and she nodded as he kissed her forehead and got of the bed. "I'm just a phone call away, call me on my cell if you need me." Liz nodded once more as she watched as Max left the bedroom so he could get to LA in time to stop Michael.
Maria made her way into the Crashdown; she looked around before she smiled when she saw Liz in the backroom of the Crashdown. She headed through and saw Liz in the kitchen. She wore a black t-shirt that shows off a small sliver of skin and her black joggers and trainers. Her hair was in low plaits. Maria couldn't help but smile when she saw Liz; she always looked younger than she was.
"So, where's Maxie?" Maria asked as she looked around the kitchen before looking at Liz, who was pulling out the M&M cookies out of the oven and sat them on the counter before she closed the oven door.
"He's in LA, Michael decided to head up there after hearing about Cal and wanted to know if there was a chance that Cal could take him home," Liz explained.
"What?" Maria demanded and Liz nodded.
"I know," Liz agreed when there was a loud clatter. They turned to see Isabel barging her way into the backroom of the Crashdown before she turned to see Liz and Maria in the kitchen, just looking at her.
"I want you guys to be my bridesmaids!" she informed them, causing them just to stare at her. "Jesse asked me to marry him and I said yes so you and Maria are my bridesmaid and I need to find Max to let him know that he's one of the best men." She looked around.
"Max is in LA at the moment," Liz told her before shaking her head as Isabel looked at her, curiously. "Long story involving Michael." Isabel nodded.
"Well, when you call him, let him know. I gotta go and see my parents, I need to break the news to them then I need to have a long with Michael to let him know that I plan on telling Jesse the truth about me because I'm not getting married to someone I love without him knowing the full truth." With that, Isabel walked out of the Crashdown, leaving Maria and Liz standing there, shocked.
"Did she just…" Liz trailed off.
"Huh uh," Maria confirmed.
"We are in for hell, aren't we?" Liz asked.
"Oh yeah," Maria agreed before they turned around and faced the cookies. Maria watched Liz slid the cookies off the tray and slipped them into the box before closing the Liz and placing it in the basket. "Someone is getting lucky," Maria noticed and Liz smiled.
"Nah, I have a feeling Max will need sugar to get over his shock when I tell him what's been happening since he left," Liz told her.
"Yep. I wonder what Jesse will say when he finds out the truth," Maria murmured thoughtfully and Liz shrugged.
"I don't know. Are you thinking about James?" Liz asked and Maria sighed.
"That obvious huh?" Maria asked and Liz smiled slightly.
"Max is terrified. Sarah was killed and she didn't have a clue about them. He terrified that we would lose James if he was to know – I mean, Maria, we were chased by the FBI then by the Skins – Max just wants to keep us all protected but he scared. I think it's most to do with me," Liz told her and Maria titled her head slightly. "Telling James is like telling my parents, I think he's scared that if James find out, he would try and keep me and Max away from each other." Maria rolled her eyes.
"James knows how much the pair of you love each other, I hardly think he would try and separate you at all," Maria told her. Liz shook her head.
"His fear may seem irrational to the rest of us but it's real to him, not to mention the whole thing about Pierce," she trailed off and Maria sighed as she reached over and slipped an arm around Liz's shoulders.
She knew that Liz knew what Pierce had done to Max but none of them had talked about it.
"Is it that horrible?" Maria asked and Liz looked up at Maria with teary eyes.
"God Maria, if you even knew a 1/3 of what that bastard had done to Max, you could still never comprehend what he did," Liz told her and Maria was taken aback at Liz's curse word of Pierce.
"Jesus Liz, what did he do?" Maria asked. She was concerned for Liz holding this in and Liz let out a shuddering breath.
"He tortured Max, pure and simple. Treated him like he was an alien, like he didn't have any feelings or emotions. He actually seemed amused that Max had feelings. He showed Max pictures of you guys and me then showed Max a photo shopped picture of me dead," Liz whispered and Maria felt the blood drain from her face. She knew how much Max loved Liz and to see a picture of Liz like that without knowing if it was true or not must have been devastating for Max.
"God Liz…" Maria whispered and Liz nodded.
"I know – I just wish I could go back in time and destroy that bastard with my own hands for what he did to Max. He made Max feel like he wasn't worthy to be human, that he was only good as a lab rat!" Liz burst out and a glass bowl shattered, causing them both to look at it and Maria laughed slightly.
"Looks like your anger at Pierce is the answer to your powers," Maria told her and Liz sighed.
"Tell me about it – Max is a little worried about me coming into powers because I haven't exactly had any powers," Liz told her and Maria nodded.
"I'm sure it'll be fine," Maria told her and Liz sighed.
"This is turning out to be a great day, doesn't it?" Liz asked and Maria laughed.
"Yeah." She looked at her watch and sighed. "Look, I gotta go, my mom wants me under constant supervision all day thanks to Michael's little stunt," Maria told her and Liz nodded.
"Call me later," Liz told her and Maria nodded as she hugged Liz before she walked out of the Crashdown. Liz was in the middle of finishing off the basket when the backdoor opened, startling Liz. She turned around and saw Milton looking around.
"Milton?" Liz asked, startled.
"Where's Max?" Milton demanded and she frowned.
"He went to LA, Michael shot off when he found out that Cal had a spaceship," Liz explained and Milton cursed. "What's going on?"
"Cal has been killing these people because they were his enemies, if he think Michael is an enemy…" he trailed off and Liz sighed.
"You better get down to LA, Max and Michael are both down there," she told him and Milton nodded. "I call Max and let him know that you're heading down." Milton ran out of the Crashdown and back into his car.
Liz packed up the rest of the place before she locked the Crashdown door and made her way up the stairs to call Max and let him know what was going on.
Max hurried into the garage only to see Cal lying on the ground under a spaceship while Michael was looking furious. Michael turned when he heard Max making his way into the large compartment.
"Oh my," Max whispered. "What have you done Michael?" Max asked as he looked at Langley.
TBC