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BY
BECKY
W
Isabel
waited on the front porch until after one in the morning, waiting
for Michael to return home. Liz was still in the bedroom with
Maria and Isabel was left out to deal with her own actions.
She met the Tempo in the driveway and knew the news was bad
when Michael got out.
"Liz
is here and Maria's not speaking to me."
"Perfect
end to a perfect night." Michael walked past her. "Have
Liz take you home, okay? I need to be alone with Maria tonight."
He walked down the hall and pushed open the bedroom door. "Liz,
go home, Max is there. Please drop Iz off on your way. Thank
you for staying."
Liz
didn't question Michael, she hugged Maria and met Isabel on
the porch, she was smoking. "You can't smoke in the jeep."
"Why
not?"
"Because
Max doesn't like smoke."
"Whatever."
She flicked the butt into the street and climbed in. "How
is she? Does she hate me?"
"She's
pissed, but it'll pass."
*
* *
Michael
approached Maria and cupped her face in his hands crushing his
lips against hers. Cautious at first, she relented and kissed
him back. He wrapped his arms around her pulling her into him.
"I love you Maria."
"Are
you sure you can?" she whispered.
"Yes,
more than anything." He brought her hand to his mouth and
kissed it. "All I wanted was you to come back to me. I
missed you."
"You
know what happened."
"Yeah,
I know. Did you really think that I wouldn't love you anymore?"
"I
feel so dirty." She wiped away new tears. "So mortified."
"It
wasn't your fault, Angel."
"How
could I not tell? How could I ever think he was you?" she
berated herself. "I'm so stupid. I should have known."
"That's
what I keep saying. I should have known what happened. I was
blind to it."
"Do
you really still love me?" She looked up into his eyes.
The eyes that she knew. The eyes that she loved.
"Believe
me when I say yes." He kissed her again.
"Will
you stay in here with me tonight? Every night?"
"Until
the end of time."
"Just
hold me?"
Michael
put both guns in the dresser drawer and undressed. He pulled
a pair of boxers out and put them on. Maria rolled the bassinet
into the room and got into bed with Michael. He put his arm
round her while she laid her head on his chest.
*
* *
Max
had the night off and was disappointed when Liz told him she
had to work.
"I'm
closing tonight, I switched with Morgan, remember?"
"Can
you switch back, I'm off tonight."
"That's
like Indian giving, I can't do it," she said to his reflection
in the mirror as she finished getting ready for work. "We'll
have time this weekend. Okay? Besides, aren't you going out
with Michael tonight?"
"Oh,
yeah. Take the jeep, I don't need it."
"How
is he?"
"He's
stressing. Big time."
"Wouldn't
you be?"
"Yeah,
I would. I hope we find Rath tonight and this can end for everyone.
Once he's gone things can get back to normal."
"You
do realise you're talking about killing someone, don't you?
The taking of a life?" Liz spun around with her hands on
her hips.
"It
isn't a life worth saving."
"That's
not a valid argument."
"It's
the best one I have. Rath is nothing. He's a murderer and now
a rapist. Do you really care what happens to him? Remember what
he did to your best friend?"
"I
know damn well what he did and it makes him sick. Do I care
what happens to him personally? No, not really. I just wish
you wouldn't talk so casually about taking another life."
Max
apologised.
* * *
Liz
locked the door to the Crashdown and sighed. It had been a very
long night. Customers were hard to please and nothing was running
smooth. One of the new cooks didn't like to make the items on
the menu and was always trying new ideas. She was glad it was
over. Tomorrow was her late day for class and she was relieved.
She needed sleep. She walked the short distance to the jeep
and looked over her shoulder, convinced someone was there. She
got in and locked the doors before noticing an envelope taped
to the steering wheel. She looked at her name scrawled across
the front. The handwriting was familiar. She looked around and
once she deemed it safe she turned on the light underneath the
rearview mirror and opened the envelope. There were two pages
stapled together in the corner:
Liz,
This
is going to be strange, but I know you can handle it. Remember
when you told me about my future self coming back to talk to
you about changing the future?
"Oh
God," she said out loud. A sickening feeling was seeping
into her stomach.
Well,
in so many words, I'm back. It's not the same me that you told
me about. This is confusing. It's the me of the future that
I've shared with you. I have to tell you things. Things that
are so important now, in my time. I don't want to tell you everything
because I know you wouldn't want to know. I'll give you the
basics.
First
off, I'm here by way of the Granilith. You'll not believe how
much time I've spent over the years learning the secrets of
this machine. Anyway, I'll go back to my time in the morning,
that's why I have to get this to you tonight. I know the present
me is out with Michael and we are hunting Rath. You have time
to read this before you get home. If I remember correctly I
won't be home until almost two. I'm here for a reason that is
going to be so detrimental to everyone if you don't listen to
what I'm saying. I know you're busy with school and working
and planning our wedding. We had such big plans. There's something
that I'll keep bugging you about and you have to listen to me.
On
our wedding night, you get pregnant. I know you're not leaning
that way now. And that doesn't matter, all the precautions you
take won't matter. It is imperative that you get pregnant on
our wedding night. An entire planet depends on it. This planet.
Our planet. Earth. I'll try to explain without giving too much
of the future away.
You
get pregnant and we have a daughter. I won't tell you her name,
but she is vital. She won't know it and we certainly didn't.
As it turns out she is a great warrior. For years and years
there was nothing from my home planet. Not a vision, not a peep.
It was as if they were forgotten. Then one day, all hell breaks
loose. There is a war, but they brought it down here. They brought
the war to Earth to win. There are major plot holes I'm leaving
out, but I think you'll get the idea. Because we had a female
child, she is the actual heir to the throne of Antar. There
is kind of a loophole that Kivar didn't know about. The Elders,
once our daughter was born, told him. There can only be one
true ruler of the planet and it falls to the first born daughter,
not son.
I
know it sounds out there, trust me, it does eighteen years from
now, too. Kivar and Tess are here on Earth and they really know
how to hold a grudge. Lantham, my son, is here and we have met.
As troubling as it is to say, the only way to stop this war
before it escalates to massacres is for our daughter to kill
him. Blood kills blood. Once that happens, it's over, at least
that's what I've been told. You have to understand I don't know
how everything turns out yet, I left in the middle. I left the
battle when we - you and I - watched our daughter's image begin
to fade. It's like she's disappearing before our eyes. That's
why I'm here.
It's
known on Antar, almost like a legend, when she was conceived
and that is in a couple of months. Apparently there are many
stories about the Warrior. This has all been planned and there
are going to be forces working against the conception of her.
They've had years to think things up: you only have a couple
of months to get through this. They'll work hard and make things
difficult, but you have to conceive that night. Without the
conception of our daughter, Earth has no future. The fact of
the future is landing at your feet.
I
know this is a lot to take in, and I know that yo might not
believe what I'm saying. The handwriting is close to what it
used to be, but if you need physical proof, come to the parking
lot of the high school, closest to the bleachers. I'll be there
for the next couple of hours.
Forever
yours, Max.
"Oh
God," she said again as she got to the end of the letter.
"Not again. Why the fuck does the fate of the future always
fall into my lap? Can't anyone else take responsibility for
it?"
She
slapped the steering wheel and started the engine. Part of her
wanted to drive to the apartment and crawl under the blankets.
The investigative part of her knew she had to go to the high
school.
"Damn
it" she yelled and drove towards the school. She cruised
the parking lot and parked close to the bleachers. She rolled
down her window and waited. If this was a trick...
"Liz,"
the voice came from the bleachers. She knew the voice, although
it was somewhat different, move gravelly. A figure stepped out
from underneath the bleachers but avoided the light. "Don't
be afraid."
"Come
out into the light."
"No,
I don't want you to know everything the future holds."
He turned his head and Liz saw what she thought was a small
ponytail. "I guess you got my letter?"
"Yeah."
"Well,
do you believe me?"
"I
guess I have to. Can you tell me about this war?"
"I
know it's for the throne of Antar. I know they brought it to
Earth because of our daughter and us. The the one true way that
Kivar can dictate and remain in control is by Lantham. I don't
know everything about i. There are Edlers that are like the
all-knowing. They've sent us several messages telling us what
is happening."
"This
sounds insane." She strained her eyes, trying to see him
better. "I mean, I don't want to have a baby now. I'm on
the pill, too."
"I
know, the pill will fail."
"Then
why the great urgency if you already know that? If it's already
a done deal?"
"Like
I said in the letter. Our daughter's birth became legend; the
knowledge of her conception on our wedding night became readily
available. Kivar and Tess know this and can work against us.
They'll try everything they can to make sure we don't make love
on our wedding night. Without our daughter, the planet is theirs
and one's not enough. They and their armies will take over Earth,
destroying it."
"This
is crazy," Liz shook her head. "This doesn't make
any sense."
"I
know. The reason I'm here is because I know you, I know you're
strong enough to handle this."
"I
don't know if I can handle anything."
"You
can Liz. You're the strongest person I've ever known."
"Okay,
so let me get this straight." Liz shook her head. "We
have a daughter and she grows into this great warrior to defeat
Kivar. To keep Earth safe."
"Right.
See here's the part that no one knew about. Kivar and Tess always
believed that because they had Lantham, he would be the true
heir to the throne. They were wrong, though. It's not the first
born son, it's the first born daughter. If there is no daughter,
then is goes to the son. But there is a daughter - ours."
"And
she'll have to train to fight?"
"No,
everything she needs is within her. We won't even know this
is coming until it happens. The Elders sent us a message, like
a warning about the war to come."
"This
sounds like a movie."
"I
know," he smiled as the clouds shifted over the moon. He
stepped back in the shadows. "This is the only way I could
think to make sure our daughter is born."
"What
happens if they succeed in stopping us?"
"In
eighteen years they'll take over and eventually kill Earth."
"And
one little girl is going to stop it?"
"They
can't go against the rules, for lack of a better word."
"She
kills Lantham?"
"She'll
have to before he kills her. She's the warrior. The one from
your dreams."
"You
remember?" she smiled.
"I
remember everything, Liz."
"Can
you tell me anything else?"
"No,
that's all I know. I left in the middle."
"Can
you tell me something else? Are we happy? What do we do?"
"We
are happy, very happy. We have a wonderful marriage. I'm not
telling you anything else, you'll choose your own path."
"Our
parents?"
"Alive
and well."
"Maria?
Leia? Michael?"
"The
Guerin/DeLuca household is still intact and they are fine."
"Isabel?"
"Isabel
turns out good, she finds herself before she finds another true
love."
"The
Valentis? Kyle? Can you tell me if he and Morgan stay together?
She makes him so happy."
"Man,
you ask a lot of questions," he laughed. "Let's just
say she's still keeping him on his toes."
"Thank
you." Liz smiled, knowing that her friends and family were
going to be okay. "Things change if our daughter isn't
born, though. Right?"
"Right.
She's fading in front of us now, not as strong. They think they're
winning. They're going to make it hard on you, but you have
to. The fact of our world is riding on this."
"Is
she okay? Does she know what's going on?"
"She's
adapted, she knows what she has to do. You'll be so proud of
her."
Liz
nodded and wanted to ask about the other framed picture from
her dream, but decided against it. He was right, she didn't
need to know everything. "Should I tell you? I mean the
Max I'm getting ready to marry?"
"I
don't think so, knowing me, I'll freak out," he laughed.
"Can you keep this to yourself or will you have to unload
it on someone? Michael?"
"Why
do you say him first and not Maria?"
"Oh,
well, over the years you and Michael have acquired this unique
relationship that none of the rest of us understand." He
looked down and shook his head. "You'll go to Michael,
he'll get you through this. I think right now Maria has her
own issues to work out."
"Will
she recover?"
"You
know Maria, she'll recover. I should go, I'm going back as soon
as the sun begins to rise, back to my time."
"Thank
you." Liz wasn't sure why she was thanking him, but did
so nonetheless.
"Oh,
one thing, before I go. There's going to come a time when you
get a new car and you're going to love it. Try not to get too
mad when I crush the front bumper, I swear it was an accident."
Liz
opened her mouth to talk, but he was gone. She turned her headlights
on and backed up, scanning underneath the bleachers for Max:
it was like he had disappeared. "Why me?" she asked
the skies. "Why does everything always fall onto me?"
She
took a deep breath and drove to the apartment. She let herself
in and saw a note on the card table from Max. He was telling
her he'd be home late, not to worry.
"Yeah,
I bet you get home right around two." She clutched the
letter against her chest. She wanted to keep it, to read it
again and try to understand. She thought she'd also show it
to Michael. Michael. So they stay friends. She went to the bedroom
and hid the letter in between the pages of one of her old journals.
She lay on the bed and closed her eyes. "So, this is how
it turns out, huh? I'm going to get pregnant in a couple of
months and my baby is going to save the world."
*
* *
"Is
Maria alone tonight?" Max asked as Michael drove.
"No,
I don't want them alone until this is over. Morgan and Jim are
there."
"Do
they know what happened?"
"They
haven't been told directly, but I think they know. Jim said
Kyle wanted to come home and help kick ass, he told him to stay
put."
"That's
probably a good idea," Max nodded. "So, where to now?"
"Back
to the bars, he said he had friends who told him we were looking
for him." Michael nodded and pulled into a parking lot.
"We'll find him. I'll end this."
Max
got out of the car and followed Michael inside. They scanned
the darkened bar and Michael immediately picked out the one
man who turned away from them. He approached him and looked
in his face.
"Where
is he?" Michael breathed into his face.
"I...I
don't know what ou're talking about, man," the man stuttered.
"The
guy who looks like me, says he's my brother." Michael backed
away so the man could get a good look at his face. "I remember
you in here from the other night. Whre is he?"
"He
said he'd kill me if I told you," he whimpered.
"I'll
kill you if you don't."
"Michael."
Max put a hand on his friend's arm.
"Tell
me," Michael demanded.
"He
hasn't been here yet tonight, I swear. He's staying somewhere
on the strip, one of those motels. I don't know which one."
He shook his head. "I swear. He usually gets here after
midnight, oh God, don't tell him I told you. He'll kill me,
he scares me."
"You
should be scared." Michael stood up tall. "Get out
of here, don't come back." The man scurried away and was
out the front door within seconds.
"Little
harsh?"
"I
wasn't really going to kill him." Michael smiled out of
the corner of his mouth. "Let's wait."
"Inside?"
"No,
the next parking lot over. We can see both the front and the
back from there." Michael lead the way and Max followed.
Once they were in position for the stakeout Michael let out
a deep breath. "You don't have to be here for this, Max,
you know that. Right?"
"I
know. I'll stand with you Michael, always."
Michael
nodded his appreciation and they waited. At twenty after midnight
Michael saw Rath stroll across the street.
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