"No, it's 227," Max replied, "did you count the guy whose head was in the basket?"

"Oh! Maybe you're right! Let's watch it again!" Michael said eagerly while looking around for the remote to start the Braveheart DVD over again and resume the body count.

"No, Michael we have to catch our plane remember?" Max stood up and stretched looking around the opulent hotel room. He wouldn't be forgetting this trip anytime soon. His eyes automatically searched out Liz, who was laughing with Maria, Alex, and Isabel as they finished off ice cream sundaes across the suite. She glanced up and caught him staring-again. He gave a slight wave and turned quickly back to Michael.

"Let's get our gear together and head out!" He stated loud enough for everyone to hear.

He hid a half smile at the general grumbling that filled the suite at his announcement. He didn't mind, he was used to being the voice of responsibility, the reminder of reality. He also couldn't blame them, they were headed back to certain trouble. After Sheriff Valenti got done telling all of their parents that they had given themselves a vacation in Vegas and skipped 6th period last Friday they probably wouldn't be allowed out of their respective houses again for weeks-except for school or work, of course. Oh well, thought Max, that won't be so different from my life right now anyway!

He shook off the mood and grabbed his backpack, sweeping it onto his shoulder and scanning the room to make sure they had not left anything behind. His gaze collided with Liz's once more before skittering away quickly.

Was it too much to wish that she might still have feelings for him, or was it just a coincidence that she seemed to be looking at him as much as he did at her?

He remembered the amazing way she felt in his arms during their dance earlier and the happy camaraderie they shared until they came back to their suite and found the sheriff waiting.

"Our plane leaves in an hour and a half Maxwell-let's hit the road!" Michael slapped him on the shoulder and opened the door, sweeping his arm grandly to usher out the gang.

"Let's go! Let's go! No loitering in the halls, not trips to the boutique, and you better not have any of that money left, because it's all staying in Vegas!" As Michael made this declaration all the girls filed past and then Max and Alex. He took one last look around and closed the door.

He felt that maybe he had purged the nightmares and he certainly felt he had reconnected with Max. That had really been the most important point of the trip for Michael. Maxwell was his beacon of sanity, his reality check, and kept him on course. Not that he'd admit that out loud! He knew he was rough around the edges, he liked it even, in a way he felt just as necessary as Max to the group because he thought outside the box, acted impulsively, and sometimes that was the only answer.

They'd almost made it to the lobby when Maria stated she had to pee and grabbed Liz's arm to steer her off to the lavatory.

Michael rolled his eyes and asked, "Is, what is up with girls pairing off in bathrooms?"

"Hey, don't ask me! I am not solving that mystery for a man and breaking my oath as a woman to never reveal our secrets!"

"Uh huh, so you don't know either?" Max asked.

"Nope. I have no clue." Isabel shook her head with a wide smile.

"What is taking them so long?" Michael asked in frustration a couple minutes later, "Liz has the room keys and we need them to check out!"

"I'll go in to check." Isabel volunteered.

"Oh no you don't!" Michael grabbed her back. "Maria will just suck you into the make-up, gabfest and we'll miss our plane!"

Michael strode to the bathroom door and shoved it open just as Maria came careening out.

"Michael! Is Liz out here?" she asked, clearly in a panic.

"What? No, she came in with you!"

Max swept past Maria and scanned the bathroom. "Liz! Are you in here?" His gaze fell to the floor under the sinks and landed on Liz's purse. He strode forward and picked it up. She would never leave that behind, she was just as responsible as he was. A sick feeling of dread washed through him.

His eyes roamed the room as he tried to slow his heartbeat. He spotted another door across the bathroom and ran to it. It was locked tight so he used his powers to pop it open and stood looking down a Staff Only hallway.

Michael, Isabel, Maria, and Alex crowded in behind Max. Max held up Liz's purse as silent testimony that something was very wrong and took off down the hall yelling "Liz! Liz! Where are you?" They all searched frantically for several moments knocking on doors and eliciting surprised reactions from various employee's, several of whom eventually escorted them back to the public areas forcibly.

Max began to pace muttering under his breath about needing a plan.

"OK stop!" Alex held up his hands. "Here's what we need to do: Isabel, try your dreamwalking thing, you've connected with her before when Max was in New York right?"

Isabel nodded her agreement. All the friends crowded around as she closed her eyes and tried to focus.

All of a sudden a vision of Liz appeared in front of Max and showed him the number 134. Her face was streaked with tears and she was trying to tell him something, but he couldn't make out the words.

She disappeared suddenly after looking quickly over her shoulder.

"Liz!" Max and Maria cried in unison.

"We've got to find her!" Max ground out.

"What does 134 mean?" Isabel asked the group. "It looked really familiar..."

"It's a room number!" Max burst out, suddenly certain that's where they would find her as he took off running down the hall.

******************************************************************************

******************* Liz trembled in fear as she cowered down in a heap where her kidnapper had left her. It was the man who had turned Tess and her away from the casino for being under age.

"I am sick and tired of you young girls flaunting yourselves and thinking you can deceive me!" he ranted.

Liz could see his powerful fists clenching and unclenching. Her mind screamed out for Max to save her and she tried to reach out, suddenly finding herself standing in front of him.

"I'm in room 134!!" She yelled waving her arms and visualizing to him the number plaque from the door that she'd glimpsed when she was dragged in.

The man came up behind her then and grabbed her around the neck.

"Please don't!" She pleaded with the small amount of breath she had left.

"You want to be all grown up?" he asked, "I'll teach you how to be a grown up!"

He forced her onto her back on the floor and ripped her skirt up with one hand as he pressed her throat closed with the other. Liz struggled for air and freedom, but the room was getting fuzzy as she felt him rip off her hose and underwear and force her legs apart.

"Max!" her mind screamed out her last thought before giving in to the darkness.

******************************************************************************

*******************

"She's here!" Max yelled out as he felt Liz's frenzied panic in his mind.

He kicked the door open, all of his adrenaline screaming for physical action.

The scene before him shocked him to the core. A large man with his hand around Liz's throat was obviously in the act of attempting to rape her. In a blind rage Max leaped forward with superhuman speed and ripped the attacker away from Liz. His fists flew at the mans face with cruel force before the surprised criminal knew what was happening and collected himself enough to retaliate. He threw a couple of ineffective punches at Max before succumbing to unconsciousness.

Max continued to pummel his face into the ground until Michael and Alex dragged him away forcibly. "He's out Max! He can't hurt her anymore!" Alex shouted.

Max's gaze flew back to Liz and he crawled over to her and gathered her into his arms.

"Liz? Liz? Please be OK!" He pleaded, his hands running over her body, using his power to ascertain the damage.

Just then the hotel security burst in and demanded to know what had happened.

Alex explained quickly while Michael went up to Max. "You can't heal her in front of them!" he whispered, glancing back at the guards. He moved to block their view and gestured to Max to do it quickly. Max started Liz's breathing again, but did not have time to fix her bruises before a security officer kneeled down by them.

"Is she OK?" he asked. "Does she need an ambulance?"

"No," Max held her closer as her eyes fluttered open. "She's going to be fine."

He lowered his head into her hair and whispered, "I'll never let anyone hurt you again!"

Liz looked up into the most beautiful amber eyes she had ever seen. "Max, is it really you?"

Suddenly she flew into his chest in fright, huddling as close as was physically possible. "There's a man! The one that wouldn't let Tess and me into..."

"Shhh... I know, he can't hurt you anymore," he promised, stroking her hair back and turning her to look at him. "I'll keep you safe -always." He promised solemnly.

"Ma'am, can I ask you a few questions?" The security man asked as he reached out for her arm to get her attention away from the young man holding her. She flinched violently further back into Max's arms.

"Max! Get me out of here!" she whispered frantically.

Max gathered her up and stood effortlessly. He smoothed her skirt down over her legs and began walking to the door. As he left the room he could hear sirens outside getting closer and hoped it was the police and not the ambulance the attacker probably needed.

One of the hotel security officers followed them out, "We're going to need a statement!"

Max shot him a fierce look over his shoulder. "Give her a few minutes to pull herself together!" He continued striding down the hall. "We'll be in the Presidential Suite."

The friends crowded with them into the elevator, closing in a protective circle around Max and Liz. Michael held his hand over the controls and the elevator glided uninterrupted to the top floor.

They swept into the room and Max took Liz directly to the largest bedroom and laid her tenderly on the bed, sliding in quickly behind her. She leaned back on him gratefully, he always seemed to know exactly what she needed.

Maria jumped on the bed and gave her a fierce hug. "I was so worried! What happened??! I heard a noise and then you stopped answering and when I came out you were gone! What can I do? Are you OK?" Maria's questions ceased abruptly when Michael pulled her back and whispered "Give her a break! She looks like she's in shock."

He directed his gaze to Max. "What can we do?"

Max looked up into the faces of his four worried friends. "Get Liz some water -and an extra blanket," he added when he felt her shivering, "and then I want you guys to fly home."

That was a very unpopular suggestion and elicited immediate protests from all the friends.

"No arguments!" Max glared at them meaningfully, "We can't get you all tangled up with the police here! I want you all to catch that flight, you need to explain to Mom and Dad that I had to stay longer, OK Isabel?" Isabel nodded. "And Maria, take Alex and cover with Liz's parents for another day OK?" They nodded also.

Michael came back just then with blanket and an entire pitcher of water. Liz favored him with a small grateful smile and huddled under the blanket against Max's warm chest.

"Does anyone have Tess's cell number?" Max looked at the faces surrounding them.

"Yeah, I know it." Isabel volunteered.

"OK, call her and tell her to put the sheriff on the phone and explain to him what went down here so he can help cover the situation with our parents, that way we won't be expected back for another day anyway. Michael, this room was paid for one more night anyway, right?" Michael nodded. "Good! Now does everyone know what to do?" They all agreed silently.

"OK Maxwell, call if you need anything OK?" Michael said.

"Yeah I will," Max cuddled Liz closer and gently kissed the top of her head, running his hands up and down her arms to stop her shaking. "Now get out of here before the police start knocking!"

The group left together with many worried looks cast back over their shoulders. It just didn't feel right to leave a friend in that situation.

"I want to heal your bruises OK?" Max gently moved his hand up toward her neck.

"No Max!" Liz exclaimed, flinching away. When she saw the hurt look in his eyes she turned into his arms and hugged him hard. "The hotel security already saw them remember?" she sighed when she saw comprehension dawn over Max's face. "Besides, it's like evidence against him right? He needs to be put away or life!" She trembled at her memories.

"Yeah, if he makes it out of the hospital," Max agreed.

Liz looked back at him anxiously, "Max, what did you...?"

"I didn't use my powers," he reassured her quickly, "but I beat him up pretty bad -he wasn't moving when we left."

Just then a loud knocking rang out.