"Majorie," Liz lied, using a name that seemed familiar.

"Margie, huh? What's a young girl like you doin' hitchhikin'?"

"Just need to get to New Mexico," she said.

"Well--I'm Nash. Andrew Nash." The driver held out the hand that wasn't turning the wheel. Liz held hers out and the man pumped it vigorously.

"Ummm...Mr. Nash..."

"Andy! Call me Andy!"

"Andy, do you mind if I take a little nap?"

"No problem, hon. Lord knows I'm used to the quiet." Liz settled back, closing her eyes. Her fatigue, which she assumed stemmed from her pregnancy, was totally surprising sometimes. Abruptly she was standing in the desert, in the same spot she found herself when they healed Michael. She looked around, but no one else was there. There was simply silence, dust and wind.

"Liz."

Liz whirled in surprise. "Michael?"

"Yes. I've been trying to reach you for weeks. I couldn't get through.You have to tell Max to stop looking for us."

"Wha--why?"

"They'll torture him. They can find out everything he knows. They did it to me."

"Who's 'they'?"

"The government! The CIA, FBI, NSA, they're all in on it! They've been studying our species since the forties. Now they have two young, fertile aliens and they couldn't be happier."

Liz choked. "Is Isabel..."

"Pregnant? Yes." Michael closed his eyes and Liz could feel his pain radiating through the atmosphere like heat from an oven. "When the human seed didn't work they used--they used--" He broke down.

"Ssshhh, Michael, it's okay," she lied, wrapping her arms around him.

He shuddered. "I've been trying to reach Maria for weeks, but she doesn't respond. It's like she's trying to shut me out. I don't even know where she is."

"What about Max?"

"I did reach him. I talk to him every night, but every night he doesn't remember the night before. He wants to come find us."

"I know. I know."

Michael looked up at her. "What? What did he do?"

"He left! He's gone to Roswell to find you guys."

"Oh, Jesus Christ..."

"Can you reach him? At all?"

Michael shrugged. "I can, but it doesn't do any good. You have to find him, Liz. As fast as you can."

Liz stared at the soft, gentle blue of the sky that was characteristic of the Southwest. A few wispy clouds floated across her field of vision. "I'll try. Can you do something for me, Michael?"

"What's that?"

"If you see Max before I do, tell him I'm having his baby."

Liz jumped into awareness, covered in sweat. The trucker looked at her, taking his eyes off the road for a little longer than he should have. "You okay, Margie?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." Liz closed her eyes and prayed that Michael could get her message across. "Well, you've been out awhile. We're coming up on Albuquerque."

Liz opened her eyes in shock. "No!"

"Yes, hon. I even stopped once and you didn't wake up. Like you were in a coma or somethin'."

"How long?"

"Oh, you were out about ten hours or so. In another hour we'll be to Albuquerque. I'm guessin' that's your stop?"

"Ummm...yeah." Liz figured she could hitchhike from there, anyway.

**** After a few days, Max was fed up with watching and waiting. The houses of all his former friends, everyone from Alex and Maria to schoolmates from the third grade, were empty. He didn't know where to start. His whole plan had been to hunt down Maria or Alex and ask what they had heard.

Considering all his options, Max decided to visit River Dog. He had to have some answers.

On the road to the reservation, Max's jeep broke down. So he got out and walked. There was a small roadside stand that looked familiar, probably from his last visit.

Max walked up the dusty driveway, the wind blowing every tiny speck of dirt up into the air. He squinted and looked onto the porch. No one was there. God, he hoped it wasn't empty like Roswell.

He stepped onto the porch and knocked on the door. The door opened a crack and Max could see only an eye. "What do you want?"

Max decided to be direct. "I'm looking for River Dog."

"River Dog is dead. Go away." And she slammed the door in his face.

Max swore under his breath. "God damnit..."

The door opened a crack again. "I've seen you before, haven't I? What do you need to know?"