"No, not yet." Then Maria told her best friend about the box of condoms Michael had given her and what they had promised to each other.

"Now that sounds like a Michael thing to do." Liz confirmed. By now the guys had been gone for several hours. If the plan was going as planned they should be arriving at the old farm house by now. Up until this point the two friends had been nervous, but now they were beginning to become frightened with their own imaginations getting the best of them. Liz remembered the patch of wild strawberries they had found just inside the wooded area behind the house. "We are going to go crazy with worry sitting here doing nothing. Why don't we go pick some strawberries and you can teach me how to make a homemade strawberry pie for everyone when they get back home."

Liz had more reason than one to be concerned that Max was away. He had made love to her almost constantly all night and then again in the early morning before he had left. Just to make sure their baby's energy need was filled prior to him leaving her. She hoped Max would be home before the next feeding was needed. So instead of letting her imagination run wild she decided she needed something to keep her mind off things. Maria agreed and picked up the basket they had used the last time. The two friends headed out the back door and were just about to the woods when they heard the car pull up.

Maria started to run back to the house with the anticipation that Michael was home and everything had gone all right. But, before she had taken her first step Liz grabbed her arm. "It's not them Maria. I've got a bad feeling, let's keep hidden until we can see for sure who it is."

Maria didn't question Liz's instincts and both ducked into the wooded area and hid behind the bushes. Not wanting to give their location away they picked through the bush instead of raising up and looking over it. They could tell there were three people walking through the house, but from their distance they couldn't make out who it was. One thing was sure, both knew that the figures walking throughout the house wasn't Max and Michael. "Liz, I think we should head up to that cave we found." Liz nodded and very slowly both girls crept as quietly as they could from the house and further into the woods.

When they were sure they were far enough away from the house they broke out into a run to put more distance between themselves and the unknown intruders that were in their home. Both knew they were all alone out here and without any type of protection the fear started to come. They arrived at the cave after their long run, exhausted. "I knew I should have tried out for the track team years ago. See if they would just give me some incentives I can run very fast." Maria tried to joke off the seriousness of the situation.

Liz tried hard to smile at her friends joke, but her body was too tired from their excelerated run. "Why don't we see what supplies Max brought out here. We might be here awhile until the rest of them get back."

Michael had made it to Socorro in record time. He figured he had better get Isabelle and let the sheriff and Tess know what's going on, but when he arrived the sight of what he seen was horrible. The house that the agent had arrange for them to meet was a total wreck. It looked like it had been blown up. There were police cars and two fire trucks there. Michael wanted to ask what had happened, but his instincts already told him the answer. Their enemies had been there already. He slowed the car as he past by the house, but didn't stop completely. He was just about to the highway intersection when he spotted the sheriff outside the small gas station on the pay phone that was outside the building. He immediately whipped the car into the gas station, hopped out and ran over to the sheriff. "Where's Isabelle? Where's Tess? What the hell happened?"

Before the sheriff even had a chance to reply, Isabelle ran out of the gas station and into Michael's arms. "Oh God Michael, it was awful....Tess*snif snif*...She's gone." Isabelle was crying so hard Michael could barely figure out what she was saying.

He held onto Isabelle tightly, as he looked to the sheriff for a more detail explanation. "They knew Michael, they knew we were there. I'm sorry Michael, they killed Tess before we even knew what hit us."

Michael looked down at Isabelle who was still shaking hard in his arms. "Where's Alex?"

As soon as he asked the question Alex stepped out of the gas station holding a bag in hand. He quickly walked over to his friends and pulled out the small box of tissues he had just purchased. Isabelle left Michael's arms and went back to the safety she felt being held by Alex. Alex didn't hesitate wrapping his arms tightly around Isabelle. He pulled out one of the tissues from the box and handed one to her. "Why?" Was all she stated as she tried desperately to get a hold of her emotions. Then she looked back to Michael. "Where's Max?"

It was then that Michael remembered the urgency of time. "I don't have time to explain now. We need to get to the house and quick. Liz and Maria need us." Michael pushed Alex who held Isabelle toward the army jeep he had taken. "Sheriff, you better get back to Roswell. If it's true they know our every mood, they may also know about anyone who does know about us and try to get to them. Besides, I got a feeling Kyle may need you. We'll be in touch as soon as we can." With that Michael hopped into the jeep and pulled back onto the road.

He had left in such a hurry the sheriff didn't even get a chance to tell them what he had just found out on the phone when he had called to check in on everyone. "It's already too late Michael." The sheriff spoke out loud, but to himself as he watched their car drive quickly out of his view.

The sheriff turned back to his own vehicle that was parked on the side and headed back home. These kids have been through so much he had no idea how they were going to take the news he had just found out, he thought to himself.

As Michael drove down the highway he looked in his rearview mirror to see Alex still holding a very distraught Isabelle. "What the hell happened back there?" He questioned looking at Alex to respond.

Alex squeezed Isabelle slightly letting her know he would take care of the explanation. "We were all sitting at the kitchen table just waiting when there was a knock at the front door. Tess went to answer it and they killed her as soon as she opened the door. Sheriff Valenti screamed at me to get Isabelle out of there, while he started shooting back at them. We barely had made it to the back yard fence when Jim came flying out of the back door and shouted to get down. The next thing we seen the house literally exploded."

"They didn't come after you guys once you got out of the house." Michael questioned, remembering the relentless need for them to destroy Max earlier.

Isabelle sat up now thinking about the events that had happened earlier and getting her self control back. "No, it's weird, Michael. It seemed like once they killed Tess that was it. It was like they were only after her, now that I think about it."

"It makes sense in a way though Isabelle, Tess was supposed to be Max's mate. They kill her and they remove the possibility of Max siring a child. Maybe they don't know about Liz. Maybe when that other alien told Max about his mate being dead he was speaking about Tess and not Liz." Michael stated starting to feel relief that maybe Maria and Liz weren't in danger after all. He was truly sadden about losing Tess to them, but he couldn't deny the relief his body was beginning to feel.

"So where is Max anyway?" Isabelle inquired once again.

Michael told them the whole story about how they had all seemed to stalk only Max. How the plan seemed to go like clock work and then about how more of them had shown up. How Max had pleaded with him to leave to get to Liz and then he summed up the story by stating how he had done as requested and just left Max there to face their enemies alone. Both Isabelle and Alex could tell by the way he finished the story that Michael felt more guilt by leaving Max then anything else. "Michael, we all know how Max feels about Liz. He didn't give you a choice. I just hope that Max was just being his over protective self when it comes to Liz and that they are really okay." Alex stated referring to both of his friends.

Both Isabelle and Michael thought about the time Nasedo had taken Liz at the facility. They both knew that Max's instincts when it came to Liz's safety were more than likely correct. It didn't take Michael but a few seconds to think it over and put the pedal to the medal as he increased the speed of jeep once again.

Max was speeding down the highway and as he passed by the exit for Socorro he thought briefly about stopping. But the need to get to Liz was too great. "Sorry, Is." He spoke softly as he pushed down the excelerator of the jeep down that much further. With every minute that passed he could feel her fear growing. 'Hold on babe, I'm on my way.' Max thought to himself.

Liz was sitting in the cave scared out of her mind. Even though neither her or Maria had heard any thing close to the cave entrance the waiting was causing enough panic to do her in. Suddenly she heard, not really heard, but more like she felt Max. Her body stopped shaking immediately. At first she wasn't sure if it was just her mind playing tricks on her or not, but then she knew. "It's going to be okay Maria, Max is on his way now." She said as the feelings from Max kept running through her mind, her body calmed. 'Hurry Max, I need you. Hurry, please.' She didn't know if it would work, but she needed to try to reach him with her mind's feelings.

As Max sped down the highway toward Liz. The fear that was driving him full force began to subside and at first caused his own fear to begin, but then it was like he could feel her thoughts. She was pleading with him to hurry. God could this be possible. Can I really be able to feel her thoughts now? Max thought it must be just his imagination, but then thought how was it possible that he could feel her feelings of fear. What ever was making it possible he wasn't going to question it any further. He concentrated on his feelings for her to stay safe until he got there. 'Stay safe please, stay safe, I'm coming, stay safe.'

This time she could feel Max's feelings for her to stay safe in her mind. It wasn't like she could actually hear him, but she could feel what his thoughts were just the same. She thought about it for a second and then reached over and ran her hand over the cave wall. She reached out her feelings of the cave with her mind and thought, 'the cave, I'm in the cave.'

This time Max could feel a hard, cold like rock with his mind. It was the weirdest thing he had every felt. It was like his mind was feeling a rock that he wasn't touching. A cold, hard rock, the cave. She's in the cave that's what I'm feeling he realized. This was somewhat comforting to him as he knew the cave was pretty well hidden. In fact they had found it only by a twist of fate. He continued to speed down the highway full of relief, knowing that she was probably safe, but he didn't slow down his rate of speed just the same.

Michael, pulled the jeep off the side of the road right before they got to long driveway that led to the lake house. He didn't want to drive straight up to the house. Just in case something was wrong, he thought their best plan of action would be the surprise attack. Isabelle and Alex followed his lead as they quickly, but ever so cautiously made their way toward the house. When they saw the pick up truck parked right next to the house all three felt concern for their friends. Michael walked over to the house staying out of view of any of the windows as quietly as possible. When he looked inside he saw no sign of any one. No enemy aliens and no Maria or Liz.

Alex tapped Isabelle on the shoulder and pointed in the direction of the lake. When she turned she saw what Alex was looking at. Three young men were down by the lake, but from where they were standing she couldn't make out what they were doing. The one thing she could make out though from their distance was they were human. "Michael, look." She whispered to get his attention and then nodded at the direction of the three people down by the lake.

Michael could also tell immediately that the three were not aliens, but human. He no longer felt the need to hide his presences. He knew that if anything went down, his ability to take all three of them out would not be difficult. He began walking toward to three and shouted out. "Hey, who the hell are you?" His voice was alarmingly strong and by the startled way the three looked as he approached, he knew they were not there to cause any trouble.

"Uh..uh...We were just fishing man. Sorry, we didn't mean to disturb anything." One of the young men stated, obviously nervous about being caught there.

"Who are you?" Michael asked again in a very authority type voice.

The same one spoke again. "I'm Brian, I live in Omega. Mr. Walters the man who use to live here always let me and my friends come up to his lake and fish. We didn't know anybody had moved into the place until we got here." The young man tried to explain.

Alex and Isabelle almost wanted to laugh at the situation. Here these guys were just normal teenage boys out for a little fishing fun and Michael was scaring the poor guys to death with the way he was talking to them. The irony of the situation was, they were either all the same age or these guys were maybe a year older than Michael was. Then remembering their friends once again Alex spoke up. "Where are Maria and Liz?" Alex couldn't believe either of them would have allowed these guys to stay here fishing.

"Where's who? There was no one here when we got here. We knocked on the door, even went inside to see if any one was home, but we haven't seen any one since we got here." Brian responded.

Isabelle, Michael and Alex then looked upon each other and all once again began to feel concerned for their friends. Michael didn't want to take any chances though with the three teens that were in front of them. "My name is Michael." He stuck out is hand to shake. As Brian took his hand he made a quick connection and knew that they had spoken the truth. "Look, my friend and his wife own this home now. They probably wouldn't mind you guys fishing out here every now and then, but right now really isn't the best time. So, I don't want to sound rude, but I think it would be best if you guys get going." The three didn't hesitate and ran to their pick up truck and were quickly on their way.

"So, where the hell do you think they are?" Isabelle asked. Her voice full of concern. She had already lost someone she had thought of as a friend today, she didn't want to think of losing any one else she was close too. Michael shook his head, while Alex just shrugged his shoulders. Together they began to shout for they friends. "MARIA! LIZ!" No reply came. They all ran into the house. "LIZ! MARIA!" They all three shouted out together. Still no response. Then they all began searching around the house, both inside and out. Still no sign of either of them and all three were beginning to fear the worst. Michael was almost besides himself with the fear of losing Maria. First he left Max, still not knowing if his best friend was okay. They had already lost Tess and now to lose Liz and his Maria. Michael sat down on the couch, his head hung low in his hands and felt the tears begin to form in his eyes.

Alex knew how Michael felt, they were all feeling pretty down at this point. "Isabelle, why don't you try dream walking them. Maybe you can find out where they are?"

Isabelle's eyes seemed to brighten in an instant. "Alex, your a genus. You know that and that's why I love you so much."

Alex's eyes widen. Isabelle had just said she loved him. She had never said that before. "If I'm a genus, it's just because of you." He replied then added. "I love you too, you know that don't you?"

Isabelle gave him a wide smile, letting him know she already knew how he felt about her. But, it was still nice to hear it said out loud. She went over to the other couch opposite from where Michael was sitting to get comfortable and try to dream walk her friends when the front door opened with a loud bang.

All three of their heads turned to the front entrance to see who had just opened the door. When the figure came into view Isabelle screamed. "MAX! Are you okay?" As she ran to her brother.

Max caught his sister in his arms, glad to see she was still safe. "Did you guys get them yet?" He asked, but when he saw the solemn faces he knew they had know idea where Maria and Liz were. "Their at the cave. Their fine. Let's go get them."