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It had been about two hours since the men had taken over the Crashdown. The hostages were against the back wall of the front room where the men could see them and keep an eye on the door as well.

Max had his arm around Liz, who was trying to be calm. Next to Liz was Maria who held Liz's hand and who had Michael's arm around her as well. Then on the other side of Max was Cassie, who was being held by Kyle, and then Isabel and Alex who were also holding each other. Then, next to them were two older couples and another woman who was with one of the older couples. The two waitresses who were on duty when the men had taken over were still over by the men to keep everyone in else in line. All in all there were 15 hostages in the place. Max had gone over it a dozen times, and still couldn't come up with a way to get them out of this safely, and not risk their own alien identities or anyone's life in the process.

*I love you Max.* he heard Liz tell him but her lips didn't move. Max tightened his arm around her and met her gaze.

*We're going to be okay Liz. I promise. * Max answered Liz back without talking as well.

"*What the hell are we going to do?*" Michael's voice broke into their thoughts. He too was communicating without talking.

Max was surprised. They must have all heightened their powers with the crisis. *Is?* Max tried in his head.

*Yeah. I hear you guys too.* Isabel answered back in her head as well.

*Why the hell can I hear you guys!?* They heard Alex ask next.

*I can too.* Maria's added.

The six of them exchanged looks. *It must be because Michael and Isabel are touching Maria and Alex.* Max tried to explain.

* Liz too?* Michael asked.

Max gave him a look as if to say you have to ask!? With so many strange things happening to Liz, Michael had to smile at that as he nodded.

"What the hell is going on out there?" the guy named Jamie asked as he paced around behind the counter nervously.

"Calm down Jamie. When the police realize that we are not going to answer them by shouting like they are with those horns, they will call, and then we can deal with them." Will answered as he sat calmly next to Alice, with the gun still aimed at her.

*Max, that guys gives me the creeps!* Isabel said as she looked at Will.

*Yeah, he's too calm! * Alex added hugging Isabel tighter.

*The one called Jamie is the one I'm worried about.* Maria said looking him over as he paced.

*Ditto, he's too unstable, don't know what he'll do.* Michael agreed.

"Please, my wife needs to use the bathroom." One of the older men finally spoke up.

"Who cares? Shut up old man!" Jamie snapped and headed over to stand before them.

"Jamie. Let them take turns going to the bathroom. Do you want to clean up a mess?" Will said calmly, never taking his eyes off the four teen boys. He knew if anyone were to give him trouble, it would be one or all of them.

"Go check out the bathroom to see if it has a window, and then stand outside the door while they take turns." Will added.

Jamie grumbled but motioned with his gun for the old lady to stand up.

Kyle looked over at Max and Max read the fury and frustration in Kyle's eyes. Max only nodded his understanding. He could tell that Kyle wanted to do something too, but was afraid for the girls.

After they had all had their turn going to the bathroom, Jamie started to look over the young female hostages. He started grinning, and Max swore to himself.

He heard Kyle swear under his breath, and Michael and Alex start to swear colorfully in their thoughts as well.

Liz tightened her hand around Max's and swallowed. The group of hostages was all standing against the back wall now. They all needed to stretch their legs.

When Jamie came and stopped in front of Isabel, the swearing got louder in their heads.

"Hey pretty thing." Jamie smiled at her.

Isabel ignored him and squeezed Alex's hand telling him not to do anything.

But just then Jamie reached out and pulled Isabel's face back around to him. "I'm talking to you! You think you're too good to talk to me? Huh?" Jamie spat out.

Alex shoved Jamie's hand off of Isabel's face, and stood in front of her.

Jamie knocked Alex hard against the head and pushed him against the older couples and Alex fell back not expecting the blow.

"You Bastard!" Isabel screamed and ran to Alex. She grabbed a bunch of napkins on the counter near Alex and held it against the gash on his head.

*I'm okay, Isable.* Alex reassured her with his thoughts.

Jamie suddenly pulled up Isabel to her feet. Before the other guys could react, Isabel hauled back and slapped Jamie across the face and pulled away from him.

Max and Michael quickly pulled Isabel back as she tried to lunge after Jamie again.

Everything happened at once. Maria and Liz ran to Alex since Isabel was struggling with Max and Michael to get free of them. Max and Michael were too busy trying to calm Isabel down, and only Kyle and Cassie saw Jamie's shocked face after Isabel had slapped him, turn to rage and saw him point his gun at Isabel.

"No! Max, Michael?" Kyle yelled and tried to jump in front of Jamie as he heard the gun go off.

Cassie had known what Kyle was going to do and she too jumped in front of Kyle as he jumped in front of Isabel.

At first the shot quieted everyone immediately. Then Cassie looked up at Kyle, where she had stepped in front of him, and saw the blood on his arm. "Kyle your arm?" she whispered, and when she leaned forward to touch his arm, she winced and paled. Then she moaned and with a look of shock, met Kyle's eyes and then she passed out.

Kyle grabbed her thinking she had fainted from the sight of his blood, but when he caught her against him he felt the wetness against her lower back and side.

"Oh My God! Cassie's been shot!" Kyle's voice was hoarse as he slowly lowered himself and Cassie still in his arms, to the floor.

"DAMN YOU JAMIE! Now look what you've done!?" Will finally lost his cool.

"Me! You saw what that bitch did to me!" Jamie complained.

"WE HEARD A SHOT IN THERE. IS EVERYONE OKAY?" They heard the police over the megaphone outside.

Isabel, Michael and Max knelt down near Cassie and saw what looked like a bad gunshot wound. Cassie was bleeding pretty badly, and it looked like it had nicked an organ. Max put his hand over the bleeding to see if he could visualize where Cassie had been shot and how badly.

Michael and Isabel waited and then felt sick when they saw the frantic look on Max's face.

Alex pulled himself up with Liz and Maria's help, and they too knelt down next to Kyle and Cassie.

Liz put her hand on Cassie's pale face and pushed a strand of hair back from her already cold and clammy skin.

Cassie took her eyes off of Kyle's anguished ones, and met Liz's knowing look. "I'm dying Liz." Cassie said calmly. She could already feel the life leaving her body.

"NO! Damn it NO! Don't say that Cassie! Fight! Don't leave me." Kyle sobbed as he tried to hold his hand over her wound to keep pressure on it. But he could feel the pulsing blood that seeped around his hand and he too knew it was draining the life out of Cassie.

Max met Michael and Isabel's eyes and saw their agreement and resignation. He met Liz, Maria and Alex' teary eyes of anguish and knew they all agreed.

Max turned to Kyle. "Kyle. Move your hand." He whispered.

The gang looked to see what the two men were doing and saw them yelling at each other.

Then Liz looked over at the other hostages and saw that they were all busy trying to calm each other down.

"Kyle! Please, move your hand." Max whispered again.

Kyle met Max's eyes and something in Max's eyes told him to trust him. Kyle took his hand off of Cassie's wound and he watched as Max replaced it with his own.

Cassie was watching Max already, and so he just met her eyes and concentrated on finding the bullet and repairing it as much as he could to hold off the bleeding. He knew he couldn't dissolve it completely and heal her like he had Liz. That would be too obvious. But this way he could at least give her a chance to live. He would make the wound less serious.

Cassie was barely conscious, but something told her to keep looking into Max's intense eyes.

Kyle watched in shock, not moving, only holding Cassie and swallowing as he tried to understand what was going on.

Kyle saw the blood slow under Max's hand. It no longer was pumping out profusely. And Cassie looked a little less pale and a little more alert.

Max moved the bullet from her lower kidney and healed the kidney. He moved the bullet over to a non-vital organ, and let it do the little damage it could over there. He had to leave some trauma to Cassie since everyone knew she'd been shot.

"You're going to be okay now Cassie." Max said softly, as he removed his hand from her wound, which was now only bleeding a little."Hold this on the wound Kyle." Max said as he grabbed a napkin and handed it to Kyle.

Kyle did as Max said, but just stared at him as did Cassie.

Liz couldn't help but smile around her tears at hearing the same words Max had used on her so many months ago. And now he had risked his life again for another human being. She met his eyes and showed her appreciation and love.

Max nodded and then looked around at the others in the group around them. They all smiled, showing they were glad that Max had saved Cassie.