I don't own Roswell or Any of Its Franchise. Sadly though, 'cause then there'd be a fourth season.

Unbetaed, but please let me know if you find any glaring mistakes so I can correct them. Thanks.

A/N First off: Yay! I hit 4oo reviews. Thank you all so much for that! Choppy chapter this time, I'm sorry, especially given the long wait. But I hope it'll be liked at least a little bit. Some blood in this chapter, but it's not a lot. Also, I am aware that we only saw the Dupes briefly and Zan's character barely at all, so I'm putting my own twist to him and hopefully it won't turn you off of the story. Now enjoy, despite the usual cliffie at the end.

Last Time on TATT: Kyle tries working through his conflicting feelings towards Isabel and Tess. Michael unwillingly hurts Maria when Kyle is seemingly accepted into the group without any explanation. The guys all dig up information on their enemies and decide to head to New York with the female hybrids in tow to meet the Dupes. Liz tries to comfort Maria, telling her to relax since eventually they'll be told everything – even as she's making a detailed journal of all the things that she's discovered, signaling that she's just as impatient as her best friend. Liz has a creepy experience with Deputy Fisher. And Kathleen breaks…

CHAPTER TWENTYTHREE

Kyle's POV

Kyle was walking quietly behind the original time travelers and a confused looking Tess as they made their way away from the so called place of residence that the other four hybrids were supposed to be living in. Except they weren't there and according to the weary looking middle aged crow that ran the place; none of them had been present for over a month.

Kyle rolled his eyes as the memory of himself asking why the hell she hadn't alerted the police or something as soon as they went missing trickled through. The woman had just snorted and muttered something about being happy to be rid of those freaks before slamming the door in his face.

Since he was the only one that didn't look like one of the missing teens, Kyle had been selected to confront the woman, but he honestly thought that she wouldn't have looked twice even if Max or the others had asked for the missing dupes. She looked like she only waited for the day when she could burn the place down, Kyle thought sourly as he continued following the other three.

Max was leading the group, slowly making his way to the place where he remembered Rath and Lonnie having taken him in their earlier life. Considering the massive amount of more pressing memories that Max had been through since his brief visit in New York with Tess, Kyle was slightly impressed that he didn't seem to doubt where he was going even for a second. I shouldn't really be surprised, Kyle reasoned with a small shudder, Max always remembers stuff that the rest of us doesn't deem important anymore.

After another fifteen minutes walk in silence, Max finally stopped and led them through hidden places that were covered with signs that told the observant person to keep away if they valued their lives.

"Charming," Isabel muttered, ducking low as she followed a stony faced Max inside a dark subway tunnel that would eventually lead them all to the second set of hybrids. Tess nodded in fervent looking agreement, while Michael simply snorted.

Kyle swallowed a small smile, no matter what; I can always count on Isabel's sarcasm. It's weird that I never realized that she lost that in the last years of the war… He shook himself out of that particular train of thought a moment later, when he suddenly felt something pointy in the lower part of his back and a whispered voice ordering him to freeze.

"Eh, guys…" Kyle froze, lamenting yet again that his powers hadn't travelled through time with him or whatever it was he'd done. Max, Isabel, Michael and Tess immediately tensed at the cautious tone in his voice when he added in a mock calm tone, "we might have a little problem on our hands."

"You damn right you do," a hissing voice sounded in the sudden silence, a voice that sounded so much like Isabel's, and yet very different at the same time that it unnerved him a little. "Don't move a muscle if you want your friend here to live. I don't like ruining pretty things, and he's mighty fine. Now…Step into the light so I can see you."

Only then, Kyle realized that the hybrid he knew to be Lonnie, hadn't yet spotted the others and he couldn't help but smirk, even as whatever it was she was all but carving into his back, twisted a little more brutally.

"Oh, you've got no idea what's in store for you," he warned and watched as first Max, then Michael, then Tess and at last Isabel stepped into the artificially created light that Lonnie had procured while Kyle had been distracted.

The slight gasp in his ear brought another smirk onto Kyle's face and the moment where Lonnie's attention on him lessened, he sprung forward into the safety of his friends closed up ranks.

Lonnie immediately reacted by throwing the weapon in her hand; a homemade knife, after him; enhancing its flight with her powers, but Max simply raised a hand and his signature green glowing shield came up and Kyle breathed a small sigh of relief.

"We need to talk, Lonnie. Take me to the others before you realize that you're not the most dangerous one in New York City anymore."

Kyle smirked at the paleness that the Dupe had gotten ever since laying eyes on them; especially the ferociously glaring Isabel. "Lead the way," he said when she still hadn't moved a few minutes later. Lonnie sighed and after one last look at her look-a-like, she turned around with Max at her side and did as ordered.

Tess' POV

I don't know whether to be scared out of my mind, or fall to the ground laughing my head off, Tess pondered silently, as she followed Max and the others into a huge, cluttered room that once upon a time may have had a function, but it was only apparent to the Dupes.

At first, the sight of the very different looking Isabel had frightened Tess, she had to admit that; but when they all walked in and interrupted what seemed like a friendly hockey spar or something and caught sight of the other three Dupes, Tess had been hard pressed not to let a snort of amusement escape her.

The first one that Tess' eyes landed on was the one that looked like Michael. Albeit, a Michael with a severe lack in anything fashion or taste oriented, Tess decided as she took in the sight of the wild hair, the various piercings and the very non-new clothing that made Michael's style seem like he was a fashion model in comparison.

The sight of the Max look-a-like made Tess infinitely happy that Nasedo had come to Roswell to make her attempt a liaison with Max, because the abomination of a beard on the other Max's face could never have worked for her. No, not even close.

The last one that Tess' eyes found in her quick scan was the one who looked like herself. Maybe I'm a bit biased, she thought, running her eyes over the brightly colored hair and piercings, but she doesn't look nearly as bad as the others. I could pull off a look like that if I wanted to.

Tess didn't get more than a few seconds to take in the whole look and feel of the other hybrids, before the one, who looked like Michael seemed to have finished his own quick assessment of them. "Lonnie, what the hell?"

Lonnie shrugged, trying to seem a lot more casual than she really was, if her nervous glances towards Max every now and again were any indication. "It's cool Rath."

"Fuck no, it ain't 'cool'," the one called Rath growled and held up a hand in the signature motion that Tess recognized from when she needed to blast something really hard. She'd already begun her own countermove, when suddenly Rath was blasted off his feet, catapulting into the nearest wall with a bang.

The sound of his head smacking into the bricks, resonated in the sudden silence and Tess looked over at Michael, who was smirking ever so slightly. "I've been wanting to do that ever since I first saw you," she heard him mutter.

A moment later, Rath was being helped to his feet by the one that looked like Tess and she frowned a bit at seeing the much bigger male simply push her helping hands off roughly, hissing something no doubt offensive to her.

"Hey!" Tess called out, for some reason not really liking the dejected look on the look-a-like's slightly thinner face; it seemed like she was used to being called derogatory things and didn't have any real ability to fight it off any more. "Pick on someone your own size, Jerk."

The massive glare that he sent her way for her trouble instinctively made Tess fall back and go into the battle stance that her guardian had drilled into her from childhood. She needn't have bothered though, because a second later, her view was blocked by Max's muscular frame and his voice rang out like a whip, "Stand down."

From the look Tess managed to sneak as she looked out from behind Max, Rath didn't really seem to know how to react to the deceptively suburban teenage looking Max. Instead, he looked over at the one that looked like him and asked if he wasn't planning on showing these punks what he was made of.

The Max duplicate seemed a lot more capable of taking in the details about the unexpected arrivals than Rath. Like the fact that all of them, even Tess, looked extremely capable of hurting them. He just stood calmly, leaning on a hockey stick that had seen better days. "If you think I'm risking my ass for this before I've gotten some answers, you're dumber than you look," was all he ended up saying, scratching that horrible excuse of facial hair that made Tess want to hold him down and shave him as soon as possible.

"You're a fucking coward, Zan," Rath grumbled, causing Zan to straighten up and clench his fists.

"Don't start," he warned softly, and for a split second, Tess could see some of Max in him. Next to her, Lonnie sighed heavily and stepped forward.

"Guys, behave; we've got company and I don't know 'bout you, but I'd sure as hell like to know how they know 'bout us."

The two arguing hybrids stopped and looked at Lonnie, who was flanked by Isabel and Kyle. Tess decided to stay behind Max, since she wasn't really sure what the others skill set was yet and if she had to take cover behind someone, it would be the guy who'd already proven to be willing to save her life.

"Who's that?" Zan nodded with his chin at Kyle and Tess' self-preservation instinct immediately vanished when she suddenly felt the need to protect her human friend. Or…acquaintance, she lamented unhappily in her head, since he's still not completely forgiven me for mindwarping him. Not that I blame him…

"No one you need to know," Isabel answered icily and took one step forward, shielding the only human in the room. "Now quit stalling and let's get down to business. We came here to talk."

Zan's eyes widened at the sight of Isabel, but he just nodded once and gestured for them all to take a seat in the sad excuse of a couch. Briefly, Tess wondered why they didn't use their powers to spruce up their home, but let the matter lie as Max took up from where Isabel left off.

"We're here to talk and to give you a warning." His dark eyes glided over the others and he continued seriously, "Sometime in the future your sister and her lover will betray you. That's a fact and-"

Max was abruptly cut off by Lonnie, who ripped her arm out of Isabel's hand and stomped over to her brother. "What are you talking 'bout Zan 2.0? We're a family and we watch each other's back!"

Tess watched in silent confusion as Max just continued as though he hadn't been interrupted. "How I know this is irrelevant, but I will say that since I don't know that much about you, I've decided to give you the benefit of the doubt. Also," his eyes landed on Lonnie and Rath and the look in them sent a shiver of unease through Tess as she once again was reminded that Max was nothing like Nasedo had told her growing up. "I will not go to the Summit you two are letting take place next year; I warn you that should you go ahead as planned despite my warnings, I and my family will end you."

Rath sneered soundlessly, but didn't seem to want to take any chances of further injuring himself, while Lonnie seemed completely shocked that someone appeared to know everything about her and the very secret plans she'd slowly begun making only recently.

Honestly, she's not the only one confused right about now, Tess thought, but she'd come to accept that there were things going on with the other hybrids that she would probably never know and just take things as they came.

"W-what do you want from us?" Tess looked over at her clone and hated the sound of her slight hesitation. If I let my enemies know I was the weakest link like that, Nasedo would've killed me, she thought with annoyance.

Max's voice brought her back to the present with a start. "Leave this place and forget about your life. Change your identities and live your lives in peace. If you try to cross me or mine, like I said, that's going to be the last thing you ever do."

He sounds like he's used to killing without missing a beat, Tess realized with an internal shudder. How can he be the same guy as the one who Liz's got wrapped around her finger without even trying? He's dangerous. Tess' eyes briefly glanced at Isabel, Michael and Kyle and she amended silently, they all are…

Zan leaned back in the beat up couch, laying an arm around Tess' copy and smirked. "What makes you so sure you're the one who's calling the shots here?"

Isabel answered quietly, hands slightly raised in case of any altercations, "We're the originals and like it or not, our power is more than you four can handle even if you're united. Just do as my brother says and spare yourselves a lot of pain."

Rath's sneer hadn't lessened as he listened to the conversation, and he seemed like he couldn't stand much more talking. "I ain't gonna let some snobby looking Squares boss me around! We're meant for more than this crappy ass existence!" And with that, Rath launched an attack on the one closest to him, which just so happened to be Tess.

Tess was too shocked by the sudden movement to do much of anything in those first crucial seconds. After that, she didn't have to worry anymore since Rath was no longer advancing. In fact he was lying on the concrete floor with his hands wrapped around his throat, gurgling blood.

With wide eyes, Tess looked over at Isabel, whose pointy finger had elongated into something claw like and from the drops of blood dripping softly down on the cluttered coffee table; she'd used it to cut Rath's throat in a vicious show of brutal efficiency.

Tess was fighting back gasps of alarm; again feeling like she was a mere kid compared to her other Roswellian hybrids. Especially, when Max simply raised a brow and looked Zan straight in the eye. "Are you a healer? I would do it, but I think it'd be counterproductive to our point if I actually saved his life."

Lonnie was pale, already by her lover's side, her hands bloody as she took over from the desperate looking Rath in terms of stemming the blood flow from his ghastly wound. "Zan!" She screamed, never taking her wary eyes off of Isabel, who was now daintily wiping her normal looking appendage with one of the ratty blankets from the couch.

Zan held up Max's stare one last, long second before he moved quickly down to help his second in command. Before he planted his hands on Rath's bleeding throat, he looked into Lonnie's wide eyes and asked seriously, "Are you planning on betraying me, Sister?"

Lonnie swallowed visibly, but seemed to realize that lying wouldn't get Rath the help he needed fast enough. "I won't, I swear. Please save him, Zan." Her eyes travelled towards the Tess' dupe in a quick motion, "Ava, please make him help me!"

Zan shared one quick look with Ava before looking down at a desperate looking Rath, who grew paler by the second. "And you? Will you swear to not betray me too?"

Rath couldn't nod, but he must have let something shine through his glassy eyes, because a moment later, Zan bent down and finally started healing the injured hybrid with an intense look of concentration on his face.

Tess exhaled a sigh of relief when, a few minutes later, Rath sat back up on his own. He was a bloody mess, and way more pale than he should be, but he was alive. Tess looked at Isabel and caught a brief flash of similar relief and relaxed an inch. I guess she's not as hardcore as she acts. But she deserves major props for her acting skills, Tess thought even as the tiny hint of emotion fled Isabel's flawless face. She does what she needs to, just like Max and Michael, but takes no enjoyment in it. We're more alike than I ever realized.

"I trust you're all aware now, that we are not what we seem to be," Max spoke again, exuding nothing but cordial calmness that looked to be having the same effect on the Dupes as it did on Tess. The Dupes nodded with various degree of fervor, Rath while his hands were busy with cleaning the blood off of him.

"I'm not much of a fighter," Zan stated a few moments of awkward silence later, "I prefer just chillin' and relaxing. I like my life and I kinda thought my family felt the same way." They all acted like they didn't see the slight twitch in both Lonnie and Rath as he added with a heavy sigh, "I guess I'll have to grow up now. So since I don't really feel like being dead and all; I could use some help with what's gonna happen next."

Tess bit her lip in slight frustration when Max stepped forward and spoke, not having heard this little part of the plan during their roadtrip to New York. "We have two guardians in L.A. We have only met one of them, but after I give him a call, I can promise you that they'll both do their best to help you along. I just have one request and that's to lay low. We have more enemies than any of you can even being to realize and I agree with you Zan, that a peaceful life is much more appreciated than the opposite."

Zan smirked again, making Tess believe that that was his only facial setting, "At least we agree on that much. Now…" He looked at her with a raised brow and forced the curly haired hybrid to change her mind about him when his face lit up into a flirtatious leer, "why don't you introduce me to you all – especially that little beauty right there."

Tess felt a flare of something akin to annoyance bursting to life inside of her, which wasn't all that surprising given her feelings towards Max's dupe, but what surprised her was the feel of someone else's anger inside of her, but for the stony faced expressions around her, she really couldn't tell from whom.

I must be more tired then I thought, Tess decided and rolled her eyes when Zan eyed her up and down, taking no heed to the fuming Ava next to him. But if he keeps it up, I won't be too tired to knock him out.

Liz's POV

While Max and the others were in New York City, Liz was busy. So busy in fact, that she was beginning to show it by gaining dark, unattractive circles under her eyes and she didn't have a lot of appetite so her weight was decreasing as well, leaving her with a little too much bone and not enough flesh.

On the second day of Max and the others' absence, Liz groaned as she came into her room, just having finished her latest double shift at the Crashdown, and let herself fall into her deskchair. "I need to sleep," she muttered, absentmindedly removing her antennas.

If only I didn't feel so weighed down with everything that's been going on, when I finally do try to relax, Liz thought, getting ready to take a bath. She grabbed one of her fluffiest towels and got into the shower, already losing her battle to not think about anything alien related a few seconds later.

Maria kept bugging her with her own irritation and hurt from Michael's supposed betrayal whenever she could catch Liz in a spare moment; Alex was just a permanent guest in the diner these days, looking sad and worried and Liz's own concern for Max kept nagging at her. All of which were things that the intelligent brunette could usually handle without much effort, but then there was Deputy Fisher too. He'd taken to showing up in the Crashdown at all times of the day; she had even seen him at Maria's house, flirting with her mom the night before, so she had a sneaking suspicion that she wasn't the only one he was keeping tabs on.

He's not just stalking me, Liz thought, drying her hair on autopilot, but he is stalking those who aren't in New York. The memory of their brief conversation in his car ran through Liz's mind and she shuddered a bit before once again forcing the matter out of her head, promising herself to tell Max and the others as soon as they returned.

As Liz passed her desk, she noticed the clutter that had sprouted there, it was usually something she never allowed, and before she knew it, she was deeply engrossed in cleaning it as her insides kept twisting uncomfortably. Something that it had been doing ever since she'd let herself step inside of Deputy Fisher's vehicle.

The choking feeling of unnamed danger, the beat of cold sweat of fear that she'd felt mixing in with the raindrops still staining her skin, the- "No," Liz shook her head and threw her pencils into her drawer with a resounding bang. "Stop thinking about it."

She stood up and quickly donned her pajamas and crawled into bed, a moment later; she turned around and turned on her radio to chase away the echoing silence. Liz forced her eyes to close, wishing for sleep, but a couple of minutes later, the other reason for her lack of calm hit her like a freight train.

Tension, anger, concern, hope, fear, annoyance, desperation and caution hit her through the bond in one continuous cycle; the amount of each emotion told Liz that Max wasn't in any real danger and it was only his personal worries that he wasn't good enough in hiding from her. That or he's letting me in a little more, Liz thought, not for the first time, but it's really not that easy to block so I can sleep…

Liz had originally wanted to close off the connection so she didn't have to catch herself from spacing out or trembling ever so slightly with nerves, but the image of Max's horribly hurt face the last time she'd cut their bond had stopped her from going through with it. So, instead, the teenage girl simply rolled over and started doing multiplications in her head in an attempt to catch some much needed sleep.

0o0o0

The next day was Monday and the only reason that Liz blearily reached out and shut off her alarm clock when it'd been ringing for five minutes straight, was the fact that today was the day where Max was supposed to be back from his trip.

And then I may be able to relax a little again, Liz hoped as she tiredly prepared for a new week. As she walked down to force something in her empty stomach, despite its knots, Liz wondered just how it was that she'd gotten so weirded out by Max's absence from her in such a short period of time. It's like our bond wants to keep us in the same place as much as possible; at the very least in the same town, she thought, giving up on the waffles that her mom had put out for her and taking an apple instead.

She was still nibbling on said fruit unenthusiastically when there was a knock on the door. The moment Liz opened the door, all of her pent up emotions and all of the stress she'd been feeling flew from her mind to be replaced by an explosive burst of pure joy.

"Max!" She flew at him, startling him a little, but not caring as she latched on to him as though he was the sole purpose of remaining sane. A small part of Liz had an inkling of this to be the complete truth, but she pushed the possible ramifications of that to the side and just enjoyed Max's arms around her as she breathed in his special scent.

"When did you get back? I didn't feel anything," she muttered with her face buried in the crook of his neck.

Max's small chuckle resonated through his body and the movement jostled Liz a little, but she didn't care; she was just so happy to be back near him.

"About fifteen minutes ago; I wanted to surprise you and maybe give you a ride to school."

Liz whispered her agreement to that idea and just tightened her grip on the hybrid with a content sigh.

After what only felt like seconds, but was probably more along the lines of minutes, Liz slowly untangled herself from her sort of boyfriend. His smiling dark eyes sent pleasant shivers through her and she had to repress a sudden need to drag him upstairs to the more private setting of her room.

Then, as she stood staring at him, Max's eyes dimmed ever so slightly and he ran a hand through his hair. "Liz, don't take this the wrong way, but you don't look so good. You're still beautiful of course, but you look exhausted."

Liz appreciated that he found her beautiful, something she still hadn't really managed to find any rational explanation for and smiled. "I've just been busy. You know, school and the Crash and stuff…anyway," she quickly changed the subject; "I have to say I don't know whether to be happy that you let me feel you in your absence or slap you for the same thing. I was on pins and needles, let me tell you."

Max smiled ruefully, reaching out and caressing her cheek ever so slightly. It was always a bit perplexing to Liz when he did that, since it made her feel like he literally worshipped the ground she walked on. I'm by no means perfect, so having someone look at me like I am is a bit unsettling.

The moment the word filtered through her mind, Liz remembered another pretty unsettling thing and flinched. Deputy Fisher. She must have let something slip, because in the next second, Max was a lot closer and staring into her eyes with an intense look that told the human that he wasn't about to be distracted no matter what.

"Liz, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, Max. I just…It's nothing." Even as she said the words, Liz battled with herself. I keep asking him to trust me and let me in, so I should really do the same. But, she argued inwardly, I don't want to worry him with my paranoia; it's probably nothing.

Max's warm hands on her face gently pulled Liz out of her head and into the present and she blinked owlishly. "I won't push you to tell me," He murmured softly, "I have way too many secrets of my own for it to be justifiable. But," Max's tone turned excruciatingly soft as he gazed lovingly down into her eyes, "just promise me that you know that you can always come to me if you need to. Okay?"

Liz nodded and smiled when Max planted a brief kiss on her forehead before letting go of her. "Now, go get your stuff and let's get to school before you break that perfect record of yours."

Liz stuck her tongue out at his teasing, but turned to do as she was told. She quickly grabbed her book bag sitting on the counter next to her uneaten waffles and walked back outside. On the way to school though, Liz sat in Max's Jeep feeling more and more conflicted, even as a big part of her enjoyed just sitting next to him and holding his free hand as he drove.

Even if Deputy Fisher is more than he seems, I really shouldn't be keeping it to myself…He's not really after me. She cast a quick look at Max and smiled when he caught her, before she looked back out at the passing scenery. He's after Max, Michael, Isabel and Tess and something tells me he's utterly ruthless…Or might be after them.

Liz frowned as she suddenly felt something rush through her; a flash that wasn't hers but one that she barely recalled seeing from when she'd reopened her connection with Max in the cave with a searing kiss. A white room, pain, fear, needles, ice, Deputy Fisher's chilling smirk.

"Liz?"

Liz jumped in her seat and looked over at Max with a no doubt deer in the headlights look in her eyes. "What?"

Max looked slightly bemused, even as a hint of worry entered his eyes. "We're here."

Liz looked around, only just then realizing that Max had parked the car in the student parking lot at the high school and she felt rattled and embarrassed. But then, as soon as Max had opened his door and was about to exit the Jeep, she also suddenly felt resolute and held out a hand to stop him, having made her decision in that split second.

"I need to tell you something, Max, but it may sound completely crazy and…" Liz trailed off for a second, before continuing with a look of determination in her brown orbs, "I need you to hear me out and then you can either investigate on your own or ignore it, but at least I'll have done my part."

Max furrowed his brows, but silently closed the door again before turning to look at her fully. "I'm listening Liz. Whatever it is, I can handle it."

Liz really hoped he meant it and started her story. "Well, there's this new guy in town, who works for Kyle's dad, Deputy Fisher-" A bolt of anger and unease flew through the bond and Liz quickly continued with what had happened the other day and how she'd noticed the admittedly handsome Deputy around her increasingly more after that.

"…don't know why exactly, but I'm pretty sure he's not just a deputy and I know it sounds completely ludicrous, but I just have this feeling that he's bad news and…well, I thought that you should know even if this might make you think of me as some paranoid person with way too much time on her hands."

"Liz stop," the firm command immediately put a stop to Liz's babbling and she took her first real breath since launching into her quick explanation and finally looked closer at the boy next to her.

Max wasn't pale or showed any truly visible signs of discomfort, at least as long as one didn't look too closely in his dark brown eyes. Not even their shared bond told her as much about his current mood as his eyes did in that moment. He looks like I've just dealt him a deathly blow, Liz grimaced on the inside, it's like I've told him the worst news he's ever heard.

"I need to go find Iz and Michael," Max said after a long, tense silence. Liz didn't even get a chance to ask any questions, before Max added quietly, "Please don't ask right now. I don't want to have to lie to you."

Biting her lip in thought, Liz broke their locked gazes before whispering with a noticeable plea in her voice, "Just tell me if I was right when you've investigated it. I deserve that much."

"You deserve a lot more than that," Max muttered tenderly and slowly leaned forward and slanted his lips over hers in the gentlest kiss she'd ever received in her life. "Some day I'll tell you everything," Liz heard him whisper in her ear just before he exited the jeep and vanished with a speed that surprised her.

"I don't know if I can wait that long," Liz said in the sudden lonely space that she'd been left in. "But I'll try to be patient for now," she continued as if the boy she was speaking to could still hear her. Then she grabbed her bookbag and walked to her first class with a curious mix of happiness and sadness swelling up inside of her and this time it wasn't the bond acting up, because Max had muted their connection the instant she'd spoken Deputy Fisher's name.

Of course, Liz's promise fled her conscious later that day, when she noticed that not only was Michael and Isabel invited to some sort of secret meeting in the Eraser Room, but so was Kyle. Maria wasn't the only one smarting over the fact that he'd been let in so effortlessly and Liz snapped, deciding to take matters into her own hands.

Max's POV

It took three hours of appearing just as bored and unfocused as the other teenagers around him, but finally Max managed to get his fellow time jumpers and Kyle located in the Eraser Room just as the bell rang for the next class.

Michael, acting carefree and nonchalant as he was wont to do in such times, merely raised a brow as Isabel squeezed down into a seat between him and Kyle and looked up at the still standing Max by the door. "Not that I particularly care all that much, but if we keep these little rendezvous' up, we might attract attention from well meaning teachers that want to figure out why we're so unhappy that we can't show up in time for classes."

Kyle snorted, looking a little pained at sitting so close to Isabel, who in turn acted like nothing was wrong and simply rolled her eyes at her hybrid friend.

Max finished locking the door with his powers and put up a special kind of shield that Serena had painstakingly taught him once upon a time; it acted more like an anti listening ward than any real defensive shield and took a little time to set up. "We need to tie up another loose end before worrying about our scholastic achievements."

As he finished speaking, the others looked a lot more alert and a hell of a lot more serious, something that Max was very thankful for. At least we're way past the part of our lives where we debated endlessly about the most minor details before getting back to the matter at hand. Seeing the look of curiosity, Max shook off his thoughts and simply said Pierce's name.

"What about Pierce?" Kyle asked, at the same time as Michael, who said, "I thought you said you were taking care of him!"

Isabel merely looked cautious, seemingly recognizing the slight look of anxiousness that Max knew he hadn't quite wiped off his face yet. Sighing, he retold Liz's story, trying not to think about how much she'd changed since getting to know his alien secret. She looks so much more affected this time around; I hope we can have some peace and quiet after Pierce is taken care of. She needs it more than the other humans do, I think.

"Maxwell!"

Michael's voice interrupted Max's ponderings and he chastised himself mentally before refocusing completely on the current situation.

"I have a plan, but you're not going to like it," he slowly said, pretending not to hear his sister's muttered curse at his words. It's not like his lasts few plans didn't work, but it was true that they took a lot out of them and if nothing else, they all really needed some rest.

"Tell us everything," Kyle ordered, ignoring Isabel's words as best he could, considering she all but sat on his lap in the small room. "And don't even think about leaving anything out, Max, 'cause we'll find out the truth anyway and then there's gonna be shouting and anger and I'm just too tired for that right now. Now, spill it."

Max glanced at his long time friend and one time rival for Liz's affections and sighed. "Fine, but hear me out before you all object to it," here his eyes darted over to Isabel in particular and she frowned.

A couple of minutes later, the empty hallway outside of the Eraser Room echoed with a cry of outrage. "That's a stupid plan, Max! Absolutely not!"

0o0o0

Stupid plan or not, let's just hope it works, Max thought that same evening as he donned a pair of black pants and a tight fitting black shirt.

Isabel stood in the doorway watching him, scowling ever so slightly, but he could easily ignore that since he understood her feelings quite well.

At last grabbing a pre-prepared protein bar with Tabasco sauce drippled all over it, Max was good to go. He quickly walked past his sister, but then stopped when she spoke quietly as he passed her.

"Please don't risk your life for this plan of yours. I didn't come back here to loose you."

Max stopped dead and looked back at her with a small smile adjourning his lips; a movement that still felt foreign to him after so many years in battle. "I'll try my best." I'm surprised Iz, he thought to himself as Isabel nodded and left his side and walked into her own room and closed the room a bit harder than was necessary, here I thought we agreed that nothing matters more than to keep this peace we're living in now. Not even our lives. I'll be careful, but if it comes to it, I'm still willing to die for my beliefs, so you or anyone else doesn't have to; I can't live through that again without going insane.

It didn't take Max long to get to his destination after his first stop. He'd driven by the Sheriff's department just to scout and see if Pierce was really doing his so called job, then he drove into a deserted area just outside of town and changed the Jeep into a lot less noticeable vehicle and painted it black with one quick movement of his hand. It may not be as good as when Isabel does it, Max thought, assessing his work with a critical eye, but it'll have to do for what I need.

Not long after that, Max drove to the small apartment building that 'Deputy Fisher' supposedly lived. Kyle had remembered his dad's passwords and managed to find out the information after hacking Sheriff Valenti's private computer from one of the computer's in the school.

Max looked up at the dark windows in the apartment and began making his way stealthily to the door, only to dash to the side and hide behind another parked car as someone came out in the next second. Max chanced one look and smirked to himself.

Pierce wasn't wearing his deputy costume, but the usual suit that Max had always associated with the bloodthirsty operative. It would seem he's on his way to the base, Max thought and ran back towards his disguised Jeep as fast as he could to follow the F.B.I agent.

It hadn't been part of the plan to go to the base already, Max knew that the others would freak out if they knew what he was doing, but he had a chance to advance things before it got too out of hand and was going to take it.

Max soon found himself in the place that he had once thought was the worst he had ever experienced, but he was wiser now and definitely less naïve.
Compared to some of the other tortures he'd been subjected too, Pierce's hadn't been the worst one; to be honest, Max decided with a rueful twitch of his lips at the macabre thought, it hadn't even been in the top three.

But it had been the first one and therefore it would always be something he'd never forget.

Forcing the memories of those twenty-four hours out of his mind, Max snuck closer and tried remembering everything Isabel and Michael had shown him of the place after he'd finally convinced them that his plan to kidnap Pierce was sound. I'm just lucky that I thought of that idea considering what is currently happening, Max thought and he'd just reached the entrance when everything inside of him froze up in fear. Fear that did not belong to him and as soon as he realized that it was coming from Liz through the bond he'd already muted to the best of his abilities earlier in the day, he heard her scream in the distance and cursed with his own fear.

"Oh Maaax," a familiar voice rang out and caused the hybrid to freeze mid-movement. "I'm so happy you decided to join me tonight. I must admit that I was surprised when my men told me of your presence at the apartment, but…oh well, I couldn't very well let this golden opportunity slip by now, could I?"

Pierce's voice was overflowing with that false saccharine sweetness and polite tone that used to cause the hairs in the back of Max's neck to stand up – at least until Khivar's arrival had flushed that memory out.

What do I do? What do I do? The question was on repeat in Max's frantic mind, but then his insides twisted when Liz cried out in pain.

"I don't enjoy causing harm to innocent people, Max," Pierce said in the distance, "but I'm perfectly willing to do so if it means saving my planet from your type of vermin."

"You don't know anything about me," said Max and slowly stood up with his hands raised. His face was void of any and all emotion when he finally locked eyes with the Federal agent, trying to go into that soldier mode of his that he'd sworn never to return to. Liz kept saying she was sorry and the fear and pain in her voice nearly broke Max's resolve. "If you have any decency in you, you will let her leave here. She's innocent in all of this."

Pierce smiled his fake smile once more and gestured to the sunglass wearing agent, who was holding Liz in his arms. "Give her to me Agent Carlson." Then he turned his head a fraction in Max's direction. "I'm terribly sorry, but that's one request I can't grant - Especially since it seems that harming this little one, means so much to you. Aren't we lucky she decided to hide in your car? I did wonder why I saw her crawl into your Jeep just before school ended as I was leaving the principal's office to deliver some career pamphlets for the Senior Class. I'm a concerned citizen after all," at the end his voice took on that slight southern twang that Max had forgotten about until then.

Max swallowed a growl as Pierce ran his gun down Liz's trembling face, neck and cleavage and judging by the cringe on her face, his grip on her was by no means lighter than the one she'd been in before. Max noticed that her right arm was hanging loosely down and in an odd angle, recognizing a broken arm when he saw one and had to fight back his primal urge to just release all of his rage. If I do that, he calmed himself with a lot of effort, I'll hurt Liz; she hasn't developed any powers yet so I can't do it without hurting her. Relax, and wait for the perfect opportunity.

Max's quick assessment had barely taken five seconds, but it was long enough to hear Pierce call out for someone behind him. As he heard the steps drawing closer, Pierce's taunting voice sounded again, "Since you are willing to behave so nicely, I'll let an old friend take you down for questioning. I have no doubt that you'll enjoy seeing her again. She's talked a lot about you."

And just as Kathleen Topolsky placed her hand on his bicep to lead him inside of the base, Max watched in horror as Pierce simply knocked Liz unconscious and handed her back to one of his operatives. "We'll be taking Miss Parker as an insurance of your future good will and cooperation. I'll be down to see you in a few hours, so I hope you'll enjoy your time with Agent Topolsky while you wait."

It was only Max's former training and experience in these kinds of situations that saved him from crying out Liz's name, pleading for her safety despite knowing that Pierce would only enjoy such an act. Instead, he tightened his emotions and let his older, less emotional self take over fully.

"I guess my plan wasn't as good as I thought," Max coldly stated as Kathleen slowly led him down the hallways to that cursed White Room that he really hadn't missed.

Kathleen glanced over at the other agent that was flanking Max's other side and said just as coldly, "You have to really know who to trust. Have a nice time Max," and with that Kathleen shoved him inside the White Room and the door creaked as it slowly closed with an ominous bang.

Max closed his eyes and sent out the strongest pulse that he could, hoping that just maybe Isabel or Michael was close enough to feel that things hadn't gone as planned and then he sat down to meditate, ready to go back to that dark part of him that had survived never-ending torture, knowing that he'd need it more than ever…

TBC…

A/N I have finished one of my stories, so I hope I'll have more time for TATT now. *crosses fingers* That said, this chapter may not sit right with you, but now that they've taken care of the Dupes without much difficulty, it really couldn't be as easy to dispose of Daniel Pierce *whistles innocently*. I hope to hear from you, because it's always delightful to see what you liked, disliked or think I should've done differently.

Until Next Time

Ditte Mai