The two of them entered and as Kyle closed the door Michael noticed all the soda other junk food sitting on the table. "Party? Since when did this become a party?"

Kyle slapped Michael on the back, "Today was the last day of school, its summer break, of course we are going to party. The way I see it we can have a little fun and talk business too."

"I'm beginning to like the way you think Kyle." Replied Michael with a why not expression, and proceeds to lead Maria into the dinning room where the others were sitting around the table. Spread out on the table are between fifteen, twenty pamphlets and a New Mexico tour book. "What have we missed?" He asks as he pulls out a chair and pulls Maria down in his lap.

Max looks up from the pamphlets they were browsing through. "Yeah. Nothing to speak of at this point. Liz and I just got here a few minutes ago. We haven't started yet, besides we thought it best to wait till you two got here. So tell us, how did the hunt in the cemetery go?" He asked hopefully.

Wasting no words, Michael simply said, "No luck." Then he helped the meeting proceed by asking the next logical question, "What about you Alex? Did you and Isabel find anything on that computer of yours?"

*** Meanwhile, outside, Nesado had worked his way around the back of the house. He was sitting on the heal of his right foot trying to hear what was being said through the window in the dinning room. He could hear bits and pieces of the conversation, but not enough for any of it to make since. After a good twenty minutes he gave up and headed back to his car, where he plans to wait for their party to end. When it does, he intends to confront Tess, and find out everything that's been happening in his absence. ***

Alex and Isabel explain what they found out about Gregory Hall. How he was born and died in Elida, and how even though they couldn't be sure what cemetery he was buried in, it was a really good chance he was buried close by as well. Alex told them what his mother had said about Acme Cemetery being the most logic place to look first.

"That's great! What are we wasting time around here for? Let's go and see what we can find." By time he finished talking, Michael had already eased Maria off of his lap and was on his feet ready to go.

"Hold it right there buddy. You may have gotten me into a cemetery during the day, but there is no way I would risk it at night. Not even with you there to protect me."

"It's okay Maria, we're not going anywhere just yet."

"What Max, your kidding right? I figured you would be the first, no make that second one out the door. I know how much you want to prove to Tess that everything you have been saying is true."

"All in good time Michael. I mean come on, it's not going to hurt to wait until morning. We can get a good night rest and leave early in the morning. Besides we aren't done here." As much as Max wanted to get the other orb, there were a few things that had to take precedence. One of those things being keeping his promise to Liz about finding a way to be alone together. He looked to his right and met Liz's stare. He smiled to himself when she blushed slightly and adverted her eyes.

The look shared between Max and Liz hadn't gone unnoticed by Michael. After watching him moon over Liz for the last ten years, he knew that look well enough to know he was lost in the world of Liz Parker yet again. "Snap out of it Maxwell. This is time for action, but not that kind of action, so get your priorities straight." Everyone, with the exception of Liz, Max, and Tess burst out laughing. They had all caught the exchange between the two of them as well.

Tess shook her head from side to side as she bit down on her lip. She wanted to laugh too, but didn't think it was a wise idea. She never took her eyes off of Max and Liz and watched them, really watched them. Not like she had before, with a feeling that someone was stealing something that was rightfully hers, but with a new prospective.

During the hours she'd spent with Kyle, she'd felt something new. Something that caught her completely by surprise. When with him, he made her feel special. Not special because of where she came from, or what her destiny was meant to be, but as a person, and it felt good. As she sat there watching Max and Liz, she wondered if that was the way they made each other feel.

When the laughter settled down, she heard Isabel asking, "What else do we need to talk about Max? I thought all we had to cover was the story we're telling our parents about our plans for the summer, and what we discovered today on this Gregory Hall guy."

"There is something else. While the six of you were covering those, Liz and I went out to the chamber for an experiment of our own."

Tess looked back and forth between Max and Liz. She couldn't help it, she didn't like the how this sounded. "What kind of experiment?"

Liz looked Tess straight in the eye and answered her question, "Tess, our main purpose for going out there today was to see if we could activate the orbs."

"What? You and Max? But why would you think that the two of you would be able to do what Max and I couldn't, never mind. The visions right, you thought you could activate the orb because of what you saw in your so-called visions. Why didn't you check with us about this first? Did you forget about Nesado's warning? He did tell us that if we activated the orbs we could be sending out a signal our enemies would see."

"We all agreed it was worth the risk once before, nothing has changed since then, with the exception that we know we have to do this as couples. Not just any two people, but with the person we were meant to be with."

"For the sake of this discussion, lets say I accept that you and Liz are meant to be together. That everything you have told me is true. Did anything happen when you two tried to activate the orb?"

"Yes."

In unison, everyone in the room cried out in surprise, "What?"

"Liz and I activated the first orb. It's more powerful than we could have ever imagined, but for some reason the other orb, the one we sat in the center of the circle, didn't do anything. There was no reaction. We don't know if it was because there wasn't enough power or what."

"This is still good news. We now know that you and Liz and do this. That means the rest of should be able to do so as well once we get the other orbs." Michael

"There's more." Everyone sat in silence waiting to hear what else happened. "While we were there, someone opened the entrance to the chamber."

"Someone, do you mean Nesado?" ******

Olan stayed close to the chamber watching and waiting for anyone or anything that didn't seem quite right. He had to be sure, had to know if any of their enemies were able to trace the power signature to the chamber, or not.

As he waited, he once again found himself trying to understand why the seer was so adamant that he kept his distance from the group. *If only the seer would allow me to play a more active role in what is happening with the young people. To at least give them some of the answers they are looking for. Answers like why they're here, who they have to watch out for, who they are supposed to be with. Anything to lighten the burden they are carrying. Even information about where the other orbs are hidden would make it easier for them. Anything to counter act the damage their protector had succeeded in causing. Why is it so important they find these things out for themselves? *

*Protector? That doesn't even fit anymore. What is he trying to do? Everything he has done says he is no longer doing the job as he was instructed to do. Instead he is misdirecting them, but for what purpose? Is he working with or for their enemies, or has he just lost it and is simply using them for some agenda of his own concoction? *

*I have faith in the seer, but for the life of me I can't figure out why she pick him. Out of all those from our planet who would have willingly sacrificed their lives to protect the royal four, why was this guy picked? If I only knew which protector he was, maybe then I would understand why he is doing what he is doing. But I don't know anything more about him, than those he is supposed to protect. *

*I wonder, when the seer chose him, did she know he would be responsible for some of the obstacles the royal ones would have to over come, or was it only a mere possibility? One of those possible roads someone may or may not take in their lives? *

*I know, they need to make their own choices and learn from their own experiences. It's the only way they will learn to trust their own instincts and become strong enough to endure what is coming. And yet, why do I feel like I should be helping them somehow. Doing something more than I have been doing? *

Two hours after Max and Liz left, Olan climbed into his car. It was time for him to catch up with them. He pulled his car out of its hiding place and headed Tess's, the place he heard Max tell the others to meet. From this point on, he was going to have to be extra careful and keep a close eye on the eight teens, well as close as one alien can. Even though it was unlikely that their enemies knew exactly where they are, or what they look like, because they activated the orb, they are sure to have a general one. ****** "It's agreed then, we leave first thing in the morning, that way we have plenty of time to get back before Liz, Maria, and Michael has to be to work." They all agreed. "Kyle you call your dad first, ask him to cover for us."

"You got it." Kyle walked over to the phone and dialed his home number. "Hey dad. Max, Alex and I need a favor."

"What kind of favor Kyle? What's going on?"

"We have a clue to where we can find another one of those orbs. But the only way we can follow up on it is if we leave really early in the morning. Instead of having to explain to their parents why we are leaving so early in the morning, we were hoping we could just tell them they were staying at our place for the night."

"Sure, no problem. We can roll out the bags on the floor and. . . ."

Kyle interrupted what his dad was saying, when he realized he hadn't made himself clear, "No dad, I guess I didn't make myself clear. We're all planning on staying at Tess's place for the night. That way we are all leaving from one place instead of two or more."

"When you say, you're all leaving from one place, your talking about girls too. That all eight of you are staying there tonight and going in the morning?"

"Right."

"Kyle, I really don't like the idea of lying to their parents unnecessarily. Besides, I don't think it's such a good idea for you all of you to stay there together without any parental supervision."

"Come on dad, if we want to do something we wouldn't have to stay together all night to do it. You don't even have to worry about us partying all night and getting into trouble. It's just the eight of us, and you know how Evans is about drawing attention to himself. I'm sure we're all in good hands with him playing leader. Besides we're planning on getting up at 4:00, so we can get where we are going, and get back before anyone realizes that we have even gone."

"Where are you all planning on going?"

"Up close to Elida."

"All right Kyle, but all need to be extremely careful out there, and call me as soon as you get back."

"You got it, bye dad." Kyle hung up the phone and told everyone they were set. At that point they took turns calling home. The girls get permission to stay at Tess's for the night, and Max and Alex to stay at with Kyle at his place.