ROSWELL on PLANET-SF

CHAPTER TEN

Kyle watched the door to room 285, occasionally checking the parking lot for Max and the others. He didn't want to do anything alone; he didn't know what he might be up against. Waiting was hard for him. His hands gripped the dormant steering wheel, knuckles turning white. It seemed like hours had passed before he saw Max's jeep pull into the lot and into the spot next to him. Max, Michael and Isabel got out and Kyle met them, nodding towards the motel.

"Which room?" Max couldn't control his shaking hands.

"285, upstairs." Kyle motioned to the room.

"Okay." Max turned away from the group, but was turned back around by the arm by Michael. "What are you doing?"

"We can't go barging in there. Do you have a plan?" Michael asked. His thoughts were drifting back to Maria and Leia.

"To get back Liz." Max stared at him. "I think it's pretty simple."

"It's not that simple." Kyle stood closer to Michael. "Do you know how many people are in there? Are they really people? Any idea what you're up against?"

"They're right," Isabel agreed. "Nothing stupid. I don't want any of us to get hurt."

Max took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "We might not have much time," he said between clenched teeth.

"Settle down Max or you're staying down here." Michael stood up straight. "I'll kick your ass if you try to do this on your own."

"Fine." He shook his head. "Michael, can I talk to you alone for a minute?" He motioned to a line of trees to the side of the lot and walked that way. Michael followed.

"What's up?" Michael asked once they were out of earshot from Kyle and Isabel.

"You're not going."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you're staying down here in the parking lot."

"Why?" Michael asked cautiously as a wave of unknown relief swept through him.

"You have a family now. You have to be there to take care of Maria and Leia. Nothing is going to happen to you. Nothing can happen to you."

"I can take care of myself," Michael said.

"I know, but Maria and Leia can't. You're not going up there. No way. Under no circumstances. I could never look at either of them again if I let something happen to you."

"Thank you." Michael hung his head.

Max clasped his arms around Michael's back and hugged him. "Keep watch down here. If it looks like we need help...call Valenti."

"Okay," Michael agreed as they rejoined the group.

"This is the plan," Kyle said when Max and Michael got back.

"Did someone leave you in charge?" Max asked.

"Shut up and listen, Evans." Kyle looked at Isabel who nodded back at him. "You and Iz are going to go to the door and do your alien shit. See if you can figure out who's in there. We figure it out and bust in the door. You two take care of the bad guys and I get Liz and get her out. Michael, you wait here at the cars. You're not risking your neck. Maria would kick my ass if I got you killed."

"Thank you," Michael said softly.

"No thanks are necessary," Isabel smiled warmly at him. "Just take care of your daughter."

"Okay." Max clapped his hands together. "Have you seen anyone else? You know, like looking through the curtains or anything?"

"Nothing. I've barely taken my eyes off the room. No movement. A light came on, but that's it."

* * * *

"So, are you surprised to see me here?"

Liz shook her head.

"Not at all? You seem like you'd be surprised. I wasn't just some little, what did your stupid friend call me? Skanky thing? Something like that." Jade Zamoras lay down next to Liz on the bed and pushed fallen strands of her hair from her face. "Do you want me to take that gag off?" Liz nodded, eyes pleading. "Tough shit. I've already listened to enough of your little girl whining to last me a lifetime."

"Are you hungry?" Bret asked from across the room.

"Shut the fuck up. Can't you see I'm busy?" Jade glared at him. "So, little Lizzie. I think I know just about everything there is to know about you. My Queen was very thorough and what Sean filled me in on was better than I imagined."

Liz eyebrows were knitted together.

"You didn't really think I was fucking some loser like Sean DeLuca for fun, did you?" She laughed throwing her head back. "Please! All for the love of my planet and my Queen. By the way, you might want to mention to Michael that letting Maria keep the translated book under is mattress is not a good idea. Wait, you won't be able to talk to him. Can't talk without a head, can you? You want to talk now, don't you?"

Liz nodded slowly.

"For a minute, while you still can." Jade slid the gag down to Liz's chin and grinned while you gasped for fresh air. "So, what do you want to talk about?"

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why are you doing this?"

Jade smiled and withdrew a serrated knife from a sheath on her calf. She drew a line across Liz's neck, criss-crossing several others, blood filling in the path of the metal. Liz screamed until Jade clamped her hand over her mouth. With her free hand she made another line across her abdomen alongside the other eight from the night before.

"I'm doing this because I can. I have no use for your body."

Fighting the pain, Liz quietened down and bit back her fear. This was it. This was how Liz Parker was going to die. Some crazy chick was going to cut off her head and leave her body to rot in a dive.

"Ready to speak without screaming?" Jade asked as she sliced through the centre of Liz's bra, the cups snapping back to either side. Liz nodded. "Okay, speak, girl. Speak!"

"I want to know why you're doing this to me. Was it because I was mean to you? Because I embarrassed you?" Liz asked steadily while ignoring the chuckle from Bret. "Tell me why."

"Why?" Jade smiled. "This is a mission. Me and Bret here were sent to this hellhole for two things. One: your head. Two: Max. Our fallen King Zan."

"For Tess?"

"For Queen Ava."

"Tess," Liz smiled. "This is her way of getting even?"

"Get even? She doesn't need to get even. She needs to deliver Max to Kivar. Part of the deal. He'll be tortured for ten long years and then he'll be put out of his misery. The best part? His son will order the execution!" Jade was almost giddy with excitement.

"Why?"

"See, I guess I can fill you in on a few things. Kivar is our ruler, Ava at his side. Her son, Lantham, the Prince. Lantham is being groomed by Kivar and Ava, or I guess I'll call her Tess for you. See, Zan was a kind ruler, let people get away with everything. Too much in some people's opinions, like mine. So now we have Kivar and Tess. All is good; except there's always the worry that Zan will come back and change things. That's why he's going home now, under Kivar's rule, to be executed." Jade smiled. "Your head is just a fringe benefit for my Queen."

"Why do you think that Lantham will execute Max?" Liz asked. Keep her talking Parker. Keep her talking.

"Because he'll only know him as a traitor. Kivar is his father now!" Jade slid the gag back in her mouth before Liz could ask any more questions. She looked over at Bret who was absorbed in the television. She rolled her eyes at him and then looked back at Liz. "You're fun! You're so easy. You really think you're going to get out of here? Still waiting for your White Knight? Got news for you baby, he ain't comin'!"

Jade unbuttoned Liz's shorts and pulled them apart at the zipper. She trailed her knife along the top of her panties and grinned. "What I could do to you. If it wasn't almost as much fun knowing that Max is out there worrying and going to screw up somehow, I would make you beg for me to kill you."

Liz fought back tears. Never let them see you cry.

Jade slashed through the cotton fabric in between Liz's legs, her green eyes were wide with excitement. She ripped the shorts and pulled them down as far as she could.

The skin of Liz's upper thigh was too inviting, Jade knew she had to tarnish it. She cut into her skin, a thin line followed by several more. Liz screamed with each cut. After a few minutes she admired her work.

"Wanna see?" Jade asked as if she were asking to show her a new haircut. Jade stood up and went into the bathroom returning minutes later with a pocket mirror. She lay back down next to Liz and positioned the mirror over her thigh. Liz closed her eyes.

"Look, Lizzie!" Jade grabbed her hair and pulled her head up. "Open your fucking eyes and see my creation!" Jade placed her free hand over Liz's eyes and pried them open with her fingers. When she saw the glimmer of iris, she smiled. "What do you think?"

Liz reluctantly looked in the small mirror and saw what was throbbing on her thigh. Four letters had been carved into her skin. T-E-S-S in inch high letters. She struggled, fighting back the urge to vomit. Tears she had been fighting to hold back streamed down her face.

"Oooh!" Jade squealed. "You like it!" She slammed Liz's head back on the bed. "I knew you would."

"When can we go home?" Bret asked, not looking away from the TV.

"Two days, you fucking moron. How often do I have to tell you that? I'm taking a bath. Don't bother me. I don't think little Lizzie will be a problem for you." She looked back over at a near naked and bleeding Liz. "Nah, she won't be a problem at all." Jade walked to the bathroom, casting one final look over her shoulder at Liz before she closed the door.

Liz lay still, pain searing through her neck, abdomen and thigh. She squeezed together her eyes, tears barely able to get through. Tess. It's always Tess.

* * * *

Michael watched as his friends walked up the steps to the second floor. His head ached. His heart ached. Thoughts of Maria and Leia kept floating back into his mind. He missed them. He ached for them. His guilt at not going up was almost unbearable. His admiration for Max, Kyle and Isabel for making him stay behind was extraordinary. He knelt down in between the cars and said a silent prayer to keep them safe and to get Liz out, if it wasn't too late.

The trio walked cautiously down the walk and stopped on the side of the door to room 285. The window was on the other side of the door, curtains still closed. Max motioned to Iz and they both put their hands on the door and closed their eyes.

Max felt her. He felt Liz. She was alive and she was inside. He reached for the doorknob and Kyle knocked his hand away.

"No!" Kyle whispered harshly at him. He took a deep breath and looked to Isabel for help. Isabel placed her hand on Max's shoulder and shook her head.

"I'm sorry," Max mouthed to Kyle.

Isabel closed her eyes again briefly. When she opened them she held up one finger. She motioned them away from the door; they followed her back to the stairwell.

"I can only feel one inside, besides Liz." She was breathing heavy. "It's Bret."

"Are you sure?" Kyle asked.

"I think so. If there's more, I can't feel them."

"We have to get her out." Max looked back down the open hallway.

"We have to be smart," Kyle nodded. "Don't be a cowboy."

"I want Bret," Isabel stated. "He's mine. You two, get Liz out. I'll deal with Bret."

"No Iz, we'll deal with Bret." Max took her hand. "Kyle, you're in charge of getting Liz out. I don't care what it looks like; your only purpose is to get him out. You can't fight him."

"I'll get her out, or die trying." Kyle looked Max in the eyes. "You have my word."

Max nodded and they walked back down the hall. Max placed his hand on the knob and heard a slight click, he wondered if anyone had heard it inside.

Liz heard a slight click. Was it the door? she wondered. She opened one eye and saw Bret lounging back in the chair, eyes glued to the television. In a flash of neon light and semi-darkness, the door and Liz watched in horror, then relief as Max, Isabel and Kyle stood in the doorway. Bret jumped up and stared at the intruders.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he asked, still surprised.

Kyle pushed his way past him and went to Liz. He began untying her as Isabel stepped in front of Bret.

"Iz, babe. What's going on?" He held out his hands in front of him. Sweat had broken out on his upper lip. "Do we have a date tonight?"

"You son of a bitch! No one takes advantage of me like you did and gets away with it!"

"C'mon, you were so easy! I mean the Queen knew exactly what you would go for. She is so right on about everything. Was I dorky enough for you? Did I remind you of anyone?"

"Die." She had tears in her eyes as a line of electric fire ripped from her hands. It forced Bret into the TV causing it to fall to the floor. His face was contorted. "Die." She flipped her hand in the air and lives wires from the toppled television set leapt towards Bret. He didn't have time to scream. He was gone.

"Liz." Max took a step towards her and Kyle. The bathroom door swung open and Jade stepped out. She had put her clothes back on, her hair was wet.

"No so fast, hot shot." She pushed Max away with a glance. She looked at Isabel and her raised hand. "You too, sweetheart." Isabel seemed to be frozen where she was. Her panicked eyes met Max's. "So, decided to join the party a little early, huh?" She looked to Bret on the floor then to Isabel. "You?" Isabel narrowed her eyes at her. "I would have done the same thing if I were you."

Jade seemed to momentarily forget about Liz. She was much more interested in Max. Kyle had managed to get her hands free and was working on one ankle. Blood was still steaming down her body; pain was replaced with adrenaline. She knew that if she made it out of there alive it was going to hurt like hell.

"Who are you?" Max uttered. He was feeling her rolling power as it sank into him. "What do you want?"

"Why, you of course. You're going home!" Jade clapped. "Are you not so excited?"

"Why?" Max kept his gaze off Liz. He didn't want to draw any attention to her.

"Well, to be tortured and killed of course," Jade said like he should have known all along.

"By whom?"

"By whom?" Jade repeated and laughed. "By the Court. The new Court."

"Tess?"

"Queen Ava and Kivar and Lantham." Her eyes sparkled. "Oh, I guess you didn't know. Lantham? That's your son."

Isabel felt the glue loosening in her. She looked to Max and saw his expression. Jade knew what she was doing. She knew what buttons to push.

"Don't listen to her," Isabel warned. "She knows how to get to you."

"Shut up." Jade looked back to Isabel. She didn't notice that Kyle had gotten Liz free. They were crouched on the side of the bed away from the door. Isabel noticed and knew she had to keep Jade's attention on her in order for them to get out. "So, what are you? Some kind of Tess groupie?"

"I am a guard of the Throne." Jade was losing her cool.

"Oh, so you guard a chair?" Isabel laughed. Her laugh brought Max back to the situation. "Wow. They must think so highly of you. They actually let you guard a chair!"

"Listen you little bitch!" Jade pointed at her. "I am the best guard the Throne ever had."

Liz had her arm over Kyle's shoulder and he stood up. He rolled across the bed with Liz and carried her in his arms out the door before Jade could comprehend what was happening.

Michael saw Kyle carrying Liz and ran up the steps to meet them halfway. He took Liz from him and carried to Kyle's car, laying her in the back seat. The blood was real and it was scary.

"Liz?" Michael took off his button down shirt and laid it over her bare chest. "Liz?"

"Max? Help Max and Isabel." Liz cowered under the shirt, shaking.

"What's going on in there?" Michael turned to Kyle.

"Jade. The chick Sean was dating? It's her. Bret's dead."

"Iz?"

"Yeah, I think so." Kyle looked back to the halfway open door of room 285. "I have to go back. Get her to a hospital."

"No," Liz called from the back seat, "I'm not leaving without Max."

"I'm going up." Michael gazed the second floor and bit his lip. "They need me." He took a step and Kyle grabbed his arm. "They need me Kyle, I have to go."

Kyle took a deep breath and then punched Michael in the stomach, he doubled over and Kyle bolted for the stairs. Michael looked after him as he made his way to the room and crouched next to the door. He heard Liz moan and crawled in the car, he sat on the floorboards next to her and took her in his arms. He found the source of all the blood and kissed her hair.

"You're going to be okay, Liz. I promise," he murmured and held her tight.

"Great, there goes the bitch!" Jade threw her hands in the air and took a step towards the door after Kyle had carried Liz through it. "I was going to get a bonus for bringing her head home." Jade put her hands on her hips. "Maybe I'll just take you both, then."

"We're not going anywhere with you." Max found his voice and his conviction once he knew Liz was safely out of the room. "Two people are walking out of this room and you're not one of them."

"A threat?" Jade laughed. "Do you know how powerful I am?"

"Do you know how powerful we are?" Max asked and reached out for his sister's hand. She clasped it and smiled.

Black swam over the green in Jade's eyes until there was no visual difference between pupil and iris. Her stare bore into Max. He felt heat swell up from his legs, she was trying to burn him from the inside. He waved his hand in front of him; shiny blue light built a wall around him and Isabel. Jade swore and stepped back a few feet.

"Don't forget, bitch, I am the King." The force in front of Max lunged forward and knocked Jade to the floor. She was up on her feet instantly; eyes like fire, nostrils flared.

"You are so not better than me," Jade laughed and threw back her own power at the Evanses. Max and Isabel were rocked off their feet. Max reached out and grabbed for Isabel's hand again. She grabbed it and he helped her up. "Wanna go?"

Isabel looked at Bret lying dead against the wall. Pain. Anger. She closed her eyes. She led Max with her hand and stood close to him, a flash of purple filled the room and Jade was thrown into the wall. She slid down and looked at Isabel and smiled.

"Sweetheart, I'm not that easy." She flipped her hand in Isabel's direction. She flew against the wall and slid down close to Bret, her eyes closed.

"Iz!" Max yelled and went to her side and felt for her heartbeat, it was there. "Iz, wake up!"

"She's taking a nap," Jade laughed.

Max turned to her, his eyes bore holes through her. Jade caught her breath, her eyes fading back to normal. She stepped away from him and Max saw for the first time a glimmer of something new - fear. He smiled ruthlessly and continued his walk towards her. She backed herself against the door leading to the backroom; Max stood inches from her.

Kyle saw Isabel fall and waited a beat before peeking around the door. He saw Max and Jade across the room and bolted inside. He grabbed Isabel by the shoulders and stood her up. Her eyes fluttered open and closed as he led her out the door and down the hall. He helped her to the ground and leaned her against the wall.

"Isabel? Can you hear me?" he whispered in her ear and she nodded. "Good, I need to ask you something. Is Max going to walk out of that room?"

"Yes." She opened her eyes and he saw the same determination he had seen in Max's. "Oh, yes."

He nodded, promised he'd be back and went back to his position by the door.

"So, what now?" Jade laughed nervously. "I know everything about you from my Queen. I know you can't kill."

"Tess didn't know everything about me."

"Don't you want to know about Lantham? I'm the only one who can tell you." Jade raised her eyebrows at him. "Don't you care about your son?"

Max hesitated. "No. I don't want to hear anything from you except one thing. Why Liz? Why take her if you wanted me?"

"Didn't you hear what I said? I was taking her head home. The Queen wanted it as a souvenir."

Max heard the words and every bit of his being was filled with rage. He stared into her eyes; his energy focused on hurting her. On killing her.

"I can help you..." Her futile attempt at salvaging her life was ignored. She felt the first burst of pain run through her abdomen, the second through her neck. She fell to the floor on all fours and let out an animalistic scream. Max raised his hands to her; her skin began to melt. She was silenced. She was gone. Max fell to his knees and tried to catch his breath. When he felt hands on his shoulders, he jumped.

"C'mon." It was Kyle. He helped Max up onto shaking legs. He looked at Jade and grimaced. "Let's go. Liz needs help."

"Liz? Isabel?" Max looked at him confused.

"They're okay. Let's get out of here."

Max nodded numbly. He didn't look back as Kyle led him from the room. He saw Isabel as she stood up about twenty feet in front of him. She saw him and ran to him, her head swimming. She threw herself into her arms and hugged him. Max hugged her tight.

"Max, we have to get to the..." He looked into the parking lot below and saw both cars still there. "Damn it! She's hurt, I told Michael to take her to the hospital."

"Liz." Max broke away from his sister and leaned on the handrail. He shook off Kyle's help and made his way down the steps, staggering to the cars. His arms clutching his stomach. He got to Kyle's car and leaned in the open door peering in at Michael and Liz. "Liz?"

"She needs help. She's cut pretty bad." Michael let go of her and climbed out of the car, his place taken by Max. "She's lost a lot of blood."

"Liz, can you hear me?" He cradled her in his arms. "I'm going to help you."

Kyle and Isabel joined Michael outside the car and waited.

"He's so weak." Michael ran his hands through his hair.

Liz's eyelids fluttered open. "Max," she whispered before they closed again.

He placed his hand near the same place he had years earlier and saved Liz Parker's life for the second time. The cuts on her neck and abdomen healed in front of him. Blood stained her skin and Michael's shirt.

"Max?" Liz opened her eyes again. "Are you here?"

"I'm here and I'm never leaving." Max hugged her tight and she cried on him. His own tears falling into her hair.

"This has been a most interesting day." Kyle shoved his hands into his pockets. He handed Michael his cell phone. "Call the wife, she'll be worried."

Michael smiled and took the phone from him. He stepped a few feet away and called Maria.

* * * *

After stopping at Michael's for a shower, Liz and Max went to her parents' house together after a quick phone call to Valenti.

Convincing the Parkers that Liz had left of her own free will was difficult. She tried to explain that she needed time to think by herself and she hadn't meant for anyone to worry. She was also very careful to keep her shirt tucked in covering the silver handprint. After promises to never do anything like that again, she went to her new home with Max and promised a long discussion with her parents the following day.

"I can't believe all that actually happened," Max said as they got ready for bed that night. "I'm so tired."

"Thank you," Liz smiled at him from across the bed.

"Don't thank me." Max watched as she took off a pair of borrowed boxer shorts. He stared too long at her legs. "Liz?" He pointed to her thigh.

"What?" She looked down: T-E-S-S was still carved in her leg. "Why is that still there? Everything else...is gone."

"I don't know. I was weak when I-"

"Damn it!" Liz yelled. "She's gone, but she made damn sure she'd never be forgotten!"

BACK TO THE TOP / EPILOGUE

STORY OF LINES:
3 - CURVED PATH

CHAPTER TEN

WRITTEN BY BECKY W

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