Maria squeaked and spun around. "Max!"

Alex and Max shushed her. The two friends 'casually' sat down at Max's bench.

"When we get somewhere private you are getting a swat and a hug, Max Evans. You scared me out of at least three years growth!" Maria informed him. Max smiled affectionately at her. It was really good to see both of them again.

Alex smiled a somewhat nervous 'hello.' and then kept a lookout, watching to see if anyone besides Maria was acting suspicious. "I don't mind admitting that this whole situation really freaks me," Alex confided to Max. "It reminds me too much of the close calls we had in high school. Evading the FBI was bad enough, but now…" he paused for a breath. "…getting mixed up with these future Al'Centrans. I have doubts, Max, serious doubts."

Maria continued, "So what's next, Max. Until this thing is settled, we really can't return to Roswell." Maria took a small vial of cedar oil from her purse and took a mighty sniff.

Max hid his smile behind his newspaper. No matter how chaotic his life had been since the arrival of the future Al'Centrans, these two old friends hadn't changed. When he had his face under control, Max folded his newspaper up and turned to face his friends. "Keep watch, Alex, when we're sure you weren't followed, I can take us some place safe."

Maria looked keenly at Max. "What happened to your mission to stop the dissidents. Where are Isabel and Michael? Why are you here and not there with them? I sense that something momentous has happened to you, Max. All my 'Maria-sensors' are vibrating. Come on, spill."

Max said, "Well, if you'll be quiet for a moment I'll try to update you." Max hesitated, stalling for time. He was not looking forward to relating certain parts of his story. Maria crossed her arms and looked sternly at him and Alex just shot him an amused glance before resuming his watch.

Max turned on the bench and looked out at the lake as he gave them the bare bones of his story. When he was done they sat there in silence, absorbing the astounding events.

Alex said, "So, let me get this straight. During the course of the mission you personally kidnapped a helpless woman, Isabel— that headstrong woman that I’m married to— got herself captured, you sprained your ankle and almost fell to your death into a deep ravine, and had to be rescued by the woman you kidnapped, leaving Michael to complete the mission and then this woman you kidnapped took you home like an abandoned puppy." Alex looked at Max in wonder. "Have I got it all straight?"

Maria had been shocked speechless, but recovered and blurted, "You kidnapped some woman?? Max! You couldn't just ask her out like a normal guy? Oops, that's the problem, I guess. And while you were polishing your dating skills, Isabel got captured and Michael is left to do everything. What were you thinking, Max?"

Max groaned and hid his face in his hands. Alex looked at Max sympathetically and said sternly to Maria. "Sniff some cedar oil, Maria. Life doesn't always go to plan. Michael and Isabel will take care of each other. We're all worried about them, don't take it out on Max. We'll find some way to fix this. We just have to stick together. Haven't our escapades with the FBI taught you that?"

Maria put her arm around Max and hugged him. "I'm so sorry, Max. I just spazzed out there for a moment. I know Michael and Isabel will be okay. Who is this woman that has got you so… so…"

Face still hidden, Max said, "Her name is Liz Parker. She has a house up on the mountain and she has offered to let us stay with her. I think we'll be safe there." Max raised his head and looked at his friends. "She thinks the dissidents are terrorists and I haven't told her differently; she wants to help stop them. She doesn't know about the future Al'Centrans or about my Al'Centran heritage. She knows I have secrets I can't tell her; and for the life of me I can't figure out why she trusts me." Max shook his head slowly. "But there's more: I think she is a full Al'Centran like Isabel, Michael and myself. What she has told me of her past points so clearly to that. And she has some of the strongest mental shields that I have ever encountered. I can't read anything from her.

Maria asked, "Why haven't you told her about where you come from? I mean, if she's Czechoslovakian, too, what's to stop you?"

"It's not that simple, Maria. She's had serious troubles beside me kidnapping her. She had a son and he died recently."

"Oohhh," Maria made a sympathetic noise, looking concerned. "She's married? What about her husband?"

"No ring visible and no husband mentioned. There's more," Max said. "She told me her son was in college, but she's the same age as we all are. You can do the math yourself, but when I do it, things don't add up."

"Could he have been adopted?" Maria wanted to know.

"I saw his photograph. He looked too much like her; he had to be her natural son," Max answered.

Alex added in a thoughtful voice, "So, you think she might be one of the dissidents?"

"Absolutely not," Max stated emphatically. Ignoring the looks Maria and Alex gave him, he continued. "I admit that I can't read anything through her shields, but I can see her aura and it clearly indicates that she is telling the truth." He looked back out at the lake. "And most importantly, my heart tells me she's telling the truth." Alex and Maria exchanged a significant look.

Max looked back at his friends. "She is an innocent, caught up in events beyond her control." He turned to Maria. "I'm glad you're here, both because I want to keep you safe— Michael would never forgive me if I let anything happen to you— and because maybe you can help Liz." When Maria looked quizzically at him, he continued, "She has nightmares. Really bad ones." He sighed. "And she cries in her sleep."

Max looked so sad thinking about this that Maria put her hand on his arm to comfort him.

Alex said, "Well, let's get going. I'm as positive as I can be in this situation that no one followed us."