And the pain seemed to disappear.

She began to move her arms in a slight swimming motion, wondering vaguely if her faint motions could actually be pulling her upwards.

A sound was growing louder and she opened her eyes in curiosity.

And she saw the most amazing thing.

Michael. Above her, swimming and pulling her languid body towards the surface.

He was saying something... no yelling something... but his lips weren't moving.

What?

*Fight it, Liz! Come on, dammit!*

Liz suddenly felt a rush of coherency.

Michael?

And she began to swim with fervor, energized by a sudden grip on what was happening. He was trying to save her life.

They broke through the surface of the chalky water and gasped for air.

Then she awoke and looked around the dark house in surprise.

******

Michael sat up too quickly, the adrenaline pumping through his body. He could remember everything from the dream, but was Liz really okay?

He shook his fuzzy head and looked around the dim house. She was gone. They were all gone. Sh*t!

A burning pain in his chest suddenly forced him to lie back again. He was still bleeding from five small wounds where Doug had punctured his skin. That connection had been so painful, so intense. If Michael hadn't been under the orbıs control at the time, he was certain that he never would have survived it.

But because of it, he knew the truth about Doug and his mission here on earth.

He was one of many sent from their home planet, and his only purpose for being on this earth was to kill Max Evans.

It was suddenly very hard to breathe. Doug could very easily find out where Max was from connecting with Liz. Then.. oh god.

Michael pushed aside the rest of the information he had pulled out and tried to focus on healing himself.

Emotions were clouding his mind. Got to save Max. Have to find Liz. He thought she was okay, but... where had Doug taken her? And where is Maria? Is she okay? God, he wished Maria were here...

He took a deep breath, feeling the weight of Max's life on him.

Breathe in, out... in, out...

Slowly, the pain began to fade and Michael had to stop himself from getting too excited. Focus, Michael.

Breathe in, out...

Almost done.

******

Alex dialed his home phone and punched in the number to retrieve his messages reflexively.

As he listened and watched Maria's erratic driving, he felt oddly like a driver's ed. teacher.

"Stop light, Maria. There. Stop light! Maria!"

Maria put her foot on the brake, but the car was still going waaaay too fast...

And an eighteen-wheeler was pulling out of the gas station on the corner, right in front of them...

A yell erupted from Alex's throat and he threw his long leg over the console, slamming his foot down on Maria's.

With the pedal to the floor, the wheels screeeeeched and the car turned until it was completely sideways in the traffic lane.

Then silence.

Alex blinked a few times, listening to his heart try to burst out of his chest.

Then he looked over at Maria slowly, his mind trying to form words.

"So, what are you, licensed to kill?"

She was staring straight ahead at the truck pulling away, her hands white-knuckled on the steering wheel.

Suddenly, Alex realized that his phone was talking to him and he put the reciever up to his ear. Oh yeah, he had been checking for messages.

It was Kyle's voice.

"...following them to see where they go. I'll call back when we get there."

Alex breathed just a little easier knowing that Kyle was following Liz.

Then another beep and ...Max's voice.

"We're boarding right now and we'll probably be home at around one-thirty or so. Call me then and let me know what in the hell is going on. I can't get Liz or Michael on the phone."

Alex punched the flash button to hang up and checked his watch: 1:29 a.m.

He took a deep breath as he looked over at Maria.

"Okay, Thelma, change in plans. Max's house first for Czech back-up, then on to Doug's unless Kyle calls and tells us they're somewhere else."

Maria nodded, taking in all of his words. But it was taking too long.

Alex shook his head impatiently.

"Go, go, Maria. Just run the light!"

She stared at him in surprise and he suddenly remembered his foot squashing hers.

"Sorry," he mumbled, folding his leg back over on his side.

She glared at him.

"OUCH! But- thank you."

Then she slammed her foot on the gas and they peeled out.

******

Max's first thought at the sight of Kyle's car sitting in front of his house was annoyance. He had to go to Liz, had been fighting himself to stay with his folks and Isabel on the ride home instead of insisting they drop him off at the Crashdown like his instincts told him to do.

He didn't want to raise suspicions any more than he had to, coming home early in the middle of the night was bad enough. At least Isabel had thrown herself into the part with gusto and very little was required of him except to look annoyed-but-understanding at her emotional hysteria.

And he counted down the seconds until they would be home and he could ditch them, go find Michael and ... question him about what the hell he thought he was doing.

Max's eyes flashed and he shook his head grimly.

Then the sight of Kyle's car jerked him from his thoughts.

It was... one-thirty according to his watch, and Kyle was at their house?

Not good.

Definitely not good.

Max jumped out of the car and hurriedly explained that he would take care of Kyle. His parents looked at him strangely, but Isabel quickly jumped in with her patented tired whine and they quickly went to her aid.

Max walked over to the car slowly, trying to be ready for anything. His mind told him that Kyle was no one to be worried about, but his instincts told him that something wasn't right here. The tinted windows made it difficult to see inside, but he could make out the shape of Kyle sitting back in his seat.

Was he asleep?

Max heard the automatic door unlock and waited for a moment. When the door didn't open, he knocked softly, checking over his shoulder to make sure his parents hadn't wandered out after him.

"Kyle," he asked quietly, then grasped the door handle and pulled it open.

His eyes opened in shock at the sight before him.

Kyle was staring straight ahead, his face covered in sweat. He was obviously working hard to fight back pain, and as Max's eyes moved to Kyle's chest, he understood why.

A glowing handprint was burned into his chest.

Burned, literally. The skin around it was blackened and encrusted with blood.

"Don't kill the messenger, man," Kyle mumbled slowly, finally forcing his glazed eyes to Max. Then he grabbed Max's hand and jerked it to his chest, wincing at the pain from the slight contact.

Max tried to pull away, but an instant connection was formed.

He saw flashes that horrified him.

Liz tied up to a chair... Michael fighting with someone powerful, blood streaming down his chest...

The connection Max was feeling wasn't with Kyle... it was with someone else. Someone who was threatening harm to Liz if Max didn't come and turn himself in. But not an FBI agent... another alien.

The flashes ended and Max stared at Kyle in shock.

Liz was in danger, but only because of who Max was... and Michael... was he in danger, too? But the dreams... the kissing...?

Max's mind was reeling.

And poor Kyle- the guilt began to consume Max and he fought through it to keep his hand on Kyle's chest. This time he connected with Kyle and saw the same images, but through his point-of-view and felt his terror, fear for Liz and rage at the threats against her.

Max blocked out the feelings and concentrated on sending his energy pulsating through Kyle's body, finding the damaged tissue and regenerating it. Doubts assailed him, but it was too late to take it back now. Kyle had seen too much.

Finally the wound was healed, leaving a different kind of silver handprint.

Kyle slumped over in a dead faint.

Max pushed him back against the seat and shook his head. He'd just have to leave him. The flashes were still running through his head. There had been Liz... the threat somehow made... and a location given. It was dark in the flash, but familiar...

Then it hit him and he suddenly felt nauseous.

Oh my god.

He turned around to face his house and took a deep breath.