Chapter Twenty-Six

Max woke up with a start as the phone beside his bed screamed for attention.

He groaned as he glanced at the time, 4:30 am, who would be calling so early in the morning? and it was Monday as well, which meant that school. God he was king of an entire empire, of different races sharing the same land, and here he was on earth getting ready to go to school. He jumbed as the phone rang again, and grabbed the phone.

"What?" Max asked more calmly than he felt, he was really starting to get the hang of his emotions now wasn't he? Like a true king, or rather politician.

"Max" A voice that sounded vagely familiar wished to know if this was really Max.

"Kyle" Max sat up trying not to be angry, there had to be a reason that his friend was calling him early in the morning, Granted he would have woken up at 5:00 but 30 minutes really was a lot of time for a teenage boy who had spent the entire night fully awake and aware of the changes in his life, "You better have a good reason to be calling me so early in the morning"

Kyle was taken back by the sound of Max's voice, the guy sounded very different, okay so Max has always had this voice filled with authority since the time he found out about the alien thing but this was really nerveraking, "Ah...I thought you might want to know that...huh...the army is in town"

"What?" Max sat up even straighter, trying not to go overboard with his thinking, "How do you know this?"

"Well, I was taking a walk"

"This early?" Max asked and almost kicked himself, Kyle had reasons to act strangely and weird if he wanted, after everything that had happened te night before.

"I had to think" Kyle said, trying not to feel the chill of the night.

Max was already up and about as Kyle told him this news. He told Kyle to call everyone and have them meet at Michael's in 30 minutes, right before school. His mind racing foward in time, Max had this feeling that this had to do with Tess. He had an incling before that she was hiding something, and now the army was here, in Roswell one day later after Tess. God he hoped that this was just coincidence. That the army where in Roswell for another reason, though he couldn't understand what the reason was.

Max rushed outside and got in his car making his way to Michael's, Isabel was at a friends house so he didn't have to wake her up and that was a good thing. He needed some time to think before he let Isabel in the same room as Tess. He knew she was hanging on by a thin string, and no matter how he tried to see it, he felt like an ass. Nothing he was going to do was right. Even more now that he remembered Valendra, the most innocent, optimistic person on Antar before...

He wasn't going to think about that and he also had to address the issue about her supposed betrayal. Max slowed his car on the way to Michael's as he glanced at an Army jeep on one side of the road, serveral marines getting out. Then sped coming to a full stop just as Maria and Liz showed up in front of the building. Getting out, he slowed his pace throwing a glance at Liz, who quickly averted her eyes. Opened the door, allowing the ladies to go in first while thinking of a battle plan to deal with Tess, he remembered that before he would annoy the hell out of her with his orders. He was a prince used to people not questioning him.

Liz and Maria weren't stupid to know what this was about. Even though they had been half asleep as they walked to Michael's they had noticed the army officers and also the hectic way the marines moved. This was a problem that needed to be addressed. So Liz had no time to be selffish in this moment in time.

Max didn't even knock, just opened the door with his powers, pushing the door in and as it slammed against the wall, Michael dropping from the couch to the floor. Full awake and going into defence position once again. Of course as soon as he saw that it was just Max, Maria and Liz, he relaxed slightly.

"Hey guys, aren't you here early?" Michael asked still standing, trying not to fall back asleep after realizing that there was no danger, "I thought we were suppose to meet after school"

"Yeah, well somethings have come up" Max said trying to kill the urge to go crazier.

Max said nothing, while struggling with an inner battle, while a part of him wanted to rush into Michael's room and ripe Tess into pieces until she talked and another remembered that a baby was in that room and about the connection Antarian mothers and their children had.
Tess, get out of here now!

It was a command, Max knew just how much Tess hated commands. He remembered that most aguements that Zan and Ava had where about Zan's and his kingship statues that made him belief that he could order people around. Especially her, because she was his lifemate. How she was always pissed at him?

"Max.." Michael fell silent as Max brought his hand up in indication that he wanted quiet.

Tess, don't make me come in there

While the silent conversation between Max and Tess however onesided going on, noone elsewas aware of it. Liz and Maria went forward to make themselves comfortable, Maria sitting on the counter and Liz going as far from Michael's door as possible to prevent the reaction she had last time. Hateful thoughts of Tess still lingered, but that was not going to go over very well with Max to attack the mother of his child, she didn't want to relive yesterday.

Michael's door opened a dew minutes and Tess got out wearing the same outfit as the night before. Max sucked his breath, watching her lean against the door, hair all over the place. Shriveled beyong sight, the light glittered around her body.

"Yes, oh lord and master" Tess said sacarstically, looking at Max, hands foldered across her chest.

Max supressed a laugh, serveral memories forming in his mind with just those few words. He had to remind himself that he wanted answers from her and dammit he was going to get them.

"Close the door" Max said calmly walking towards her, a voice with complete authority as if he had been raised to give orders and expected those orders to be followed. Tess caught up to this and realized in that instant that this was Zan's personality coming out and if she knew what was good for her she should close the door, but she was hesitant...

"Why?" Tess asked, her quivering tone surprising the two women in the room.

"Because we wouldn't want the baby to pick up on the bad vibes now would we ?" Zan asked calmly, Tess stared at Max's eyes for a moment worried about the expressionless eyes set on her. Slowly but surely she did as she was told, "Come here"

Tess glanced at Liz, but apparantly the girl wasn't even paying attention. With forebording sensebility, Tess walked to Max who grabbed when she was close enough and draged her to the couch.

"Hey!" She and Michael both exclaimed when Tess was roughly pushed on the sofa.

Liz straighten up at the scene, a little confused but largely glad, a sip of joy filling up in her body. Maria was shocked by Michael's reaction to Tess, as if he actually cared about the little slut, she glanced up at Michael but his attention was on Max and Tess. Indeed Michael was glaring at Max but was not sure he should get involved, beside Max would never hurt Tess. Nor would he have reason to be cruel unless it was warranted.

"Tess, what happened when you landed on earth?" Max asked with a calmness he really didn't feel, arms across chest, a boy in the midst of becoming a man looking at his mate for the unanswered question, "Tell me, now!"

Everyone in the room watched as Tess's face paled, turning into the color white. She looked at everyone, Michael, Maria, heck even Liz, all had an aquiring look, wanting to know what was going on.

Tess stood up, her rose cheeks back in form not sure what to say but had a feeling that the truth however horrid would be best, "Okay, I come down with the spaceship and I put up the invisibility sheilds...so noone would see the ship, soft of blend in with nature, I suppose...I left that ship for only a few minutes to find some food, I thought Zan would be safe..."

"Wait a minute here" Max interupted not sure he liked what he was hearing, "You left our son in that ship alone, god, what were you thinking? Do you have any idea how dangerious that decision was?"
"Well I do now" Tess said silently, feeling a peak of shame, sitting down slowly once again, "When I come back, well lets just say the invisibility sheilds where a little wrecked"

"What do you mean?" Max asked snapping up in attention.

"The government agents were there, with other government specialists...I thought that even though the invisibility sheilds where disabled, I figured that there was noway for them to get through, I waited and watched for days, they all wore white as if he was some kind of desease...ah...then finally they were able open the ship and there was my baby...I thought I could stand there forever and see what happens or I could end it..."

What did you do Tess, Max whispered the question in her mind, he didn't have to be a genious to realize where her information was going to take him. The cold expression she wore on her face said as clear as day the actions she had undertook.

"I saved my son from being the next government experiment" Tess answered the question head raised high, daring him to attack her for her actions.

"How many where there?" Max asked silently, while the others wondered what was going on between the two of them.

"I don't know" Tess answered quietly

"How many?" Max asked again, his voice harsh all the sudden

"I didn't stop to count" Tess said finally snapped, grabbing a pillow and putting it in front of her, as if that would protect her, feeling Max's eyes on her she sighed and shrugged her shoulders, "Fifty, maybe a hundred,I don't know"

There was an uncomfortable silence as Max and Tess stared at each other. Liz who had been silent the entire time was trying to put the pieces together, the bantering back and forth between Max and Tess was tiring and fastrauting. Tess seems to be at easy in Max's presence and the two had a kind of closeness that was really staring to piss her off. But right now, there was a reason the army was in Roswell and it had to do with Tess but What...

"Oh my god" Liz shouted causing all to attention to shift to her but she was staring at Tess in astoundishment, before Liz started laughing, hysterically in a way, "You bitch, you killed them, you killed them all..."

"Liz" Max called out softly, knowing that the poor girl had lost all senses

"Just like you killed Alex" Liz turned to Max, wanting him to see the truth about Tess as she did, "Don't you see, this is who she is, a murder. What is it going to take Max, how many people have to die for you to understand that she isn't Ava, not anymore...How can you just let her get away with murders? She should pay, they want her, the government, let them have her"

Maria and Michael were silent through out Liz's rampage and they both knew that Liz had every right to be angry. Max and Tess were silent as well, both watching Liz as tears fell down her cheeks. It was a completely vacant moment.

"Everyone would be better for it" Liz said not yet finished with her speech, "Especially her son, Tess doesn't deserve him, infact..."

"That's enough Liz" Tess interupted in a soft manner, enough not to sound harsh but enough to get Liz to quiet down, Tess stood up then looked at everyone, "Let's make things clear here, I did kill those agents, specialist, whatever you want to call them, the truth is that they are dead, I would make the same decision again if I have to, they is nothing I won't do to protect my son...in fact, I would sacrifice every single person in this room and then some if that will ensure the safety of my son"

Maria shook her head, even through she could understand some of what Tess had stated, Maria felt battle lines being drawn once again and felt herself taking sides, "Are you even sorry?" She asked silently, she wasn't accusing Tess of anything, but she really wanted to know. However, Liz was the one who answered...

"She isn't sorry" Liz was looking straight at Tess, apparantly she wasn't touched by the mother's pespective of things at that point, Tess's words had done nothing for her, "That's what worries me"

"Enough" Max snapped, commanding silence. Liz and Tess were staring at one another, the contempt on Liz's face was enough to distress anyone. Looking at the two loves of his two lives, Max shook his head in fastraution, could the two just forget their petty little jealous over one another for a feel minutes and realize the gravity of the situation. He needed to think, what in the world was he suppose to do, how was he going to defeat the united states army. After all he was just a boy far away from his world and his own army afterall.

"Whats the plan?" Michael asked deaming that it was now safe to speak. Maria was right beside him and the two held each other tightly hoping that would keep them from the voilatile vibes coming from their friends. At this point Michael hoped that Max wouldn't go back to his 'lets act normal' plan that never seem to work that well.

"I am thinking" Max said quietly, looking between Liz and Tess, could this situation get any worse.

"I know what we could do" Liz said finally meeting Max's eyes, her expression was unreadable and if anything just cold. She crossed her arms to her chest then turned back to Tess feeling the hatred travel inside her soul, "Like I said before the army is here for one reason, for Tess...let them have what they are here for. She is a murder, she derserves to pay for what she did..."

"I can't do that Liz" Max said interupting her silently, shaking his head, he had been captured by the government before and he would not wish that kind of pain on anyone, not even his worst enemy.

"Why not?" Liz asked wearing a frown eyes still on Tess, she was calm now and everything made sense. "Because she is your preacious Ava"

"No, that not the reason...I am actually thinking about my son" Max said before letting out a sign once more. Liz looked more confussed that ever and Max couldn't really blame her. The guilt once again eating at him thinking of how selffish he was being, even if with his line of thoughts, giving Tess to the enermy was not an option. "I'll explain later Liz, Okay...please just trust that I know what I am doing and I know it's too much to ask..."

"It is" Liz said quietly interupting Max's explaination, she didn't understand what in the world he was trying to say but she agreed with him wholeheartedly about that statement. He was asking too much from her, asking her to allow Alex's murder to go unpunnished. How was she suppose to do that, Liz thought to herself closing her eyes tightly. Liz had never befor considered her self to be strong, but this whole crazy crazy 'I know an Alien' club was going to be the death of her. She was sure of that fact, look what happened to Alex. Liz opened her eyes as she felt someone place a hand on her shoulder, she gave a small smile looking at Maria.

"Look, we have school in less than two hours" Maria spoke softly looking at Liz then turned to Max, "We will discuss this after school okay."

Maria moved in to give Michael a small kiss before leading Liz from the apartment. As soon as Liz was away from Max and Tess, the kiss come out like rain feeling Maria hold her close. Maria was struggling to hold back her temper, Max was such an SOB, and this wasn't over yet.

"Wow, that was interesting" Tess said outloud wearing a small smile, looking between Michael and Max, "And the day hasn't even began yet"

Michael hid his smile, shaking his head in fastraution before turning to Max who was shooting daggers at Tess, "Well, Kind Zan, do we have a plan?"
Max left Tess's gaze turning to Michael, then nodded his head, "Yeah, I have a plan."