It was a nice sunny morning when Liz’s alarm went off, waking her from her man’s strong arms. “Good morning, this is Sarah and Vinnie from Alice at 97.3,” Liz’s radio alarm blared. Liz gave out a stretch and sat up in bed. “I hate Fridays Max, but Saturday will be here soon.” She got up from bed and walked to the bathroom to shower and get ready for work. Max opened his eyes and looked up at the ceiling; he couldn’t help but smile. Max had opened his on law firm, which was amazing in and of itself because in only a year, Max whizzed by his law courses and passed the bar. He had top law firms in San Francisco begging him to join, but he decided to open his own practice.

Max heard sliding door open and shut in the bathroom, shortly after, the sound of running water could be heard. Max threw the bed sheet off of him and walked towards the bathroom. An evil grin spread across his face because of what he was about to do. He opened the door to the bathroom and walked in. The steam from the shower made his figure invisible to Liz’s stare. Before she knew what happened, Max opened the shower door and jumped in. Liz flung herself around to look at the intruder, but she could attack her intruder. Max wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him. “What are you doing Max?” Liz asked, but there was no answer, because Max’s lips were pressed against hers in a deep kiss.

It was afternoon already and Max couldn’t wait for Liz to get home from work. He had big plans for her tonight. All of the sudden, the phone rang. “Hello,” Max said.

“Max, have you asked her yet?” Isabel asked him. She was so happy that Max had decided to ask Liz to marry him.

“I’m going to ask her tonight after dinner. Why are you home? Shouldn’t you be out shopping? Spending all of Alex’s money? You know, he could have retired by now if you didn’t have all these shopping sprees.” Max laughed.

“Very funny Max, I actually thought I would stay home today and see what was on the TV.” Isabel stuffed another handful of popcorn in her mouth. “After you ask her Max, we all have to get together for dinner.” Max almost didn’t understand what she said.

“I know we will, but Liz is so busy with work and all, that getting to see everyone at once is hard.” Max tried to remember the last time they were all together.

“Max,” Isabel stayed quite for a few minutes. “I’ve been thinking about telling Alex about our home planet and why we came back.”

“You can’t Isabel, they aren’t ready for the truth. If they knew now, it would break everything apart,” Max said frantically.

“I know Max, but they are entitled to the truth because they are a part of this no matter how you look at it,” Isabel warned Max.

“I know Isabel, I know.” Max sighed because he new she was right. “It’s just not the right time right now. We are still getting used to this world, and we don’t need to bring that up now.”

“Well, I’m just going to say that we better tell them before it’s too late and they won’t forgive us,” Isabel warned Max again. It hurt Isabel beyond words not to tell Alex why they came back. She almost told him the day after they arrived, but Max told her that she couldn’t tell them. It was now a year later and they still hadn’t told them.

“Well, I have to be going Isabel, if I’m going to have everything ready when she gets home tonight.”

“Okay Max. Well, call me tomorrow and let me know how everything went,” Isabel replied, then said good-bye and hung up the phone.

Max hung up the phone and walked into the kitchen. He got all the ingredients he needed for that night’s dinner and started cooking it. Max looked at the clock and realized Liz would be home in two hours.

“Here are the new calculations for the device,” Liz said handing them to Mr. Walker, her boss.

“Thank you, Liz. I don’t know what we would do if you were not with us,” Mr. Walker smiled.

“Sometimes I don’t know what you would do either, sir.” Liz smiled back and walked out of the office. She walked down the hallway and into her office, where Teresa was waiting for her.

“You know, sometimes I don’t know why they don’t fire you. You’re never working and you’re always in my office. Maybe we should just change offices,” Liz laughed. She sat down at her desk and looked the picture of Max and her that had spent ten years in her desk drawer. The picture was displayed so that everyone knew it was there.

“They can’t resist my smile, Liz. Men have been known to have heart attacks when they see my smile,” Teresa laughed back.

Liz looked at her clock and almost jumped out of her seat. “Oh my God!” She yelled. “Max is making dinner for us tonight and I was supposed to be home like now.” Liz grabbed her jacket and purse and ran out the door. “See you tomorrow, Teresa.” Teresa didn’t have time to wave. Liz had already disappeared into the hallway.

Max sat on the couch with Ford sitting on his lap. He was watching Evening Magazine and wondering where Liz was. Max no sooner thought about Liz than he heard a key slip into the keyhole at the front door. Ford jumped off of Max’s lap and ran to the door. Liz walked in and Ford gave out a meow to let her know he was there. “Hi Ford. Did you miss me?” Ford rubbed himself against her leg and purred. “Max, are you home?”

“I’m in the dining room, Liz,” Max replied.

Liz put down her jacket and purse and walked into the dining room. Max sat at the table with candles lighting the whole room. He was dressed in a black silk shirt and black khakis. He looked like his usual handsome self. Max got up when he saw her come into the room. “I missed you today Liz.” He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her.

“I missed you too.” Liz walked back to the table and they started to eat. She talked about her day and how everything went. “You know, Teresa never works, but always seems to keep her job. So, how was your day today?”

“It was fine. I just relaxed around the house with Ford. Isabel called today. She wants us to get together sometime this week. I was thinking about Saturday. We could get Alex to barbecue steak and stuff. We can have Michael and Maria come also.” Max smiled about seeing everyone again.

“That would be nice. I miss them all so much, but you and I don’t have the time anymore.” Liz pushed out. Thinking about not seeing everyone in so long caused a lump in her throat. They sat at the table eating the rest of their dinner in silence. Max couldn’t speak if he wanted to. He was too nervous about what he was going to ask her and someday tell her about him. They finished dinner and they both helped clean up the table and wash the dishes.

“You want to go star gazing tonight?” Max asked, “It’s nice out and clear,” he added.

“Sure, let me go get the blanket and I’ll meet you outside.” Liz kissed Max on the cheek and walked out of the room. Max waved his hand over the dishes and they were clean. With another wave of his hand the dishes flew into the cupboard. This made Max smile, but then remembered that he had forgotten something in the other room. Max ran into the living room and grabbed the object off the counter. “Thank goodness she didn’t see this.”

Max walked outside and sat on the porch swing. “Tonight is the perfect night to ask her.” He looked up at the clear night sky. The stars shined so bright and clear that it looked like someone had painted them. The moon shone, making the backyard light up. A warm breeze blew across Max’s face making him smile. He closed his eyes so that he could absorb the perfect night into memory.

Liz walked outside and saw Max sitting on the porch swing; he looked so peaceful she hated to bother him. “What are you thinking about, Max?” She asked him.

Max opened his eyes and looked at the beautiful person in front of him. “I was thinking about us.” Max motioned for her to sit next to him, which she gladly accepted. “How do you really feel about our relationship, Liz?” He already knew the answer, but he needed to hear her say it.

“You’re my soul mate Max. I couldn’t imagine my life without you. Those ten years that you were gone, it was as if I were living in hell or something. Please don’t tell me you’re going back home. I don’t think I could bear losing you again.” A tear ran down Liz’s face as she thought about Max leaving again.

“I’m not leaving you, Liz. I told you that I would never leave you again. There was something missing when I left and I found it again when I hugged you that night. That is why I have to ask you this.” Max pulled out the small box from his pocket and stood up. He lifted Liz’s head so that he could look her in the eyes. “I have loved you since the first time I saw you Liz Parker. I can’t imagine my life without you in it; you complete me in so many ways. I love you, Liz.” Max knelt on one knee and opened the box. Inside the box was a diamond ring with a gold band. “Will you marry me, Liz Parker?”

Tears ran down her face freely now. They were not tears of sadness but tears of over whelming joy. “I will marry you, Max Evans.” Max slipped the ring on her finger and looked at it.

“The ring does not even compare to your beauty, Liz.” Max pulled her face to join his in a kiss. Liz fell off the swing and wrapped her arms around Max’s neck.

“Will you hurry up Alex, they will be here any minute!” Isabel screamed to Alex. Isabel was in the kitchen separating the hamburger patties and putting them on a plate for Alex to BBQ.

“I almost have the barbecue lit, Iz.” Alex struck a match and lit the coals. A flame shot up and missed him by inches. “I used too much lighter fluid.” Alex laughed remembering a scene he saw on a Simpson’s episode. The sound of the doorbell being rung echoed throughout the house. Isabel looked towards the door and saw Liz standing with Max. Liz had a smile that would blind anyone that looked straight at it. When Isabel saw that, she couldn’t help but smile and run to the door to open it.

“Hi, you two,” Isabel smiled. “Okay, let me see it Liz, I’ve been dying to see it since he told me what he was going to do.” Isabel grabbed her hand and looked at the ring. She hoped that one day she would be wearing a ring like the one Liz was wearing. “You’re lucky, Liz, all Max gave me are those prizes from Cracker Jack boxes for my birthday.” Isabel smiled again and invited them in.

“Where are Michael and Maria?” Max asked.

“They’re not here yet. Maria called a little while ago and said that they would be a little late. Traffic is terrible today, 880 and junction 238 both had accidents on them.” Isabel walked over to Max and continued, “Max can I talk to you for a minute, please? Liz, Alex is outside lighting the barbecue. You better go supervise before he blows himself up.”

Isabel led Max into the den and shut the door behind her. “Max, I’ve been thinking about why we came back. Do you think we made the right decision? We put them all in danger when we landed and stepped back into our old lives.” Isabel sat down in a chair. “I saw the ring on Liz’s finger and she looked so happy. I want to be that happy one day with Alex. I don’t want to hurt them and that is what’s going to happen in the end.”

Max had thought long and hard about asking Liz to marry him. He knew that everything would change if he did it. Asking Liz to marry him sent a big red flag up that the end was coming for all of them. If they found out, how would they react to it? Would they ever be able to forgive them? “I know how you feel, Iz, but I don’t care anymore. It’s been a year and if they were coming they would have done it by now. You are right. They do deserve to know the truth about why we are back. After dinner tonight we’ll tell them and see what happens after that.”

Isabel smiled and looked at Max. She knew he didn’t want to tell anyone about why they had come back. She, along with Michael and Max, knew if Alex and the other two ever found out why they came home, nothing would ever be the same. “I’m scared Max. What if they leave us? I don’t think I could take that from them. It was torture enough being away from Alex for ten years,” Isabel started to cry.

Max walked over to her and put his hand on her shoulder. “I’m scared too, Isabel, but they do deserve to know why we came back.” The doorbell rang and broke Isabel away form her tears. “Well, Michael is here. I guess we should tell him about what we want to do.” They walked out of the den and towards the door where Michael’s spiky hair could be seen through the door window.

Isabel opened the door to welcome them. “Hi Michael, Maria. Come on in and relax.” Isabel hugged Maria, then Michael and continued, “Maria, Liz is outside with Alex. She has something to show you.”

Maria’s eyes grew big and she shrieked, “I want to see it since I’m not getting one for a while.” Maria hit Michael and smiled.

“Michael, we need to talk,” Max said and all three of them walked into the den. Isabel shut the door and told Michael what they planned to do after dinner that night.

“Are you two crazy?” Michael questioned, “They don’t need to know right now, because we don’t even know if they will come for all of us.”

“They are entitled to know, Michael. It includes them too,” Max interrupted.

“I know, but I also thought that it would just blow over and everything would be forgotten. I mean, look, you asked Liz to marry you and Isabel is the happiest I have ever seen her. For the first time in my life I have felt happy Max. I don’t want to hurt them anymore than they already have been.” Michael’s heart started to break at what he was faced with telling Maria. “But I guess you are right, Max. We do need to tell them. After dinner we’ll sit them all down and tell them together, okay?” Max and Isabel shook their heads in agreement and then walked out of the den and outside to Maria, Liz and Alex.

“Hamburgers are almost done everyone,” Alex announced to everyone. Alex handed Isabel a plate of hamburgers to place on the table. When Alex had cooked the last one he joined the rest of them. He sat down next to Isabel and raised his glass. “Here are to good times past, present, and future.” Everyone raised there glasses and said, “Here, here.” During dinner they talked about high school and the good times before they left to go home. After an enjoyable dinner everyone helped clean up and do the dishes. Isabel basically used her powers to clean the dishes and put them away.

“I knew that they would come in handy one day,” she smiled to Liz who was helping her. When she was done, she looked at Liz and then at everyone else. “Max, Michael, it’s time we tell them.” Isabel walked over to Max and Michael to join them on the couch. “Alex, Liz, Maria, have a seat. We have something to tell you three.” Isabel didn’t know it would be this hard to tell them and she didn’t know what they would do when they told them. Questions clouded her mind: Will Alex still love me? Will he hate me for keeping this a secret? What will the other two think?

Before Isabel could open her mouth Max started to speak, “Michael, Isabel, and I have not been totally honest about why we came back here. I guess I should start from the beginning and go from there. It was about a year after we left to go home when our planet was attack by a warrior species called the Yaz. They murdered and destroyed city after city on our planet.” A light shone off of Isabel, Michael and Max and collided in mid air. In the middle of the huge bright light, images were being shown. The images were of cities burning and people running for their lives. The next image made Liz, Maria, and Alex gasp. It was of Max, Isabel, and Michael chained together walking to a castle.

Max continued speaking after the image of them captured was shown. “We decided to fight and help save out planet, but we got captured and were enslaved for five years, meanwhile, our people regained their hope and strength. We put up a resistance after two years of fighting for our planet. We forced the Yaz out into space one more time.” Images of people fighting were shown and space ships flying away. “The victory was short lived because the next year the Yaz returned with more aliens and ships and easily took our planet over again. Everyone I knew on my planet was killed; my parents were killed. They did not spare anyone this time. They killed everyone, but us three. We were told that we had to go back to earth and find three mates, so that when they came looking for us they could take us, our mates, and children back for study. The Yaz only care about spreading their species through the universe and they don’t care what it takes to do it.” Max couldn’t look at Liz or even at Maria or Alex. Isabel and Michael looked straight down to the ground not daring looking at them.

Liz stood up and put the ring on the coffee table. “How dare you lie to me, Max Evans.” She turned and walked out into the backyard. She sat down at the table and put her head in her hands. How could he have gone this long without telling me this, and he asked me to marry him. He knew this whole time about what he had to do, and he didn’t tell me. Liz thought to herself. Max looked at the ring and then out at her, he picked the ring up and walked towards the door.

“Liz, I need to tell you everything,” Max said stepping out into the backyard and shutting the door behind him. “I wasn’t done telling you the story.” Max walked over to the table and sat down next to her.

“Liz, please look me,” Max said. “The Yaz gave us a year to find mates and have children, but it has been a year since we have been back. The Yaz have not come for us and we don’t think they will be back for us. I didn’t want you as my wife until I was sure they were not coming back. That is why I waited so long and why I didn’t tell you. Isabel, Michael and I thought that it would just blow over and it would be forgotten.”

“Max, you still lied to me and I don’t know how to take it. I’m glad you told me because I have always wanted to know what you did those ten years. Then you tell me that you were really sent back to Earth to find a mate and procreate so the species that enslaved your planet could study our children and us. You told me that you came back because you missed me and that you couldn’t be away from me. Was that a lie also?” A tear ran down Liz’s cheek and splashed on the table. She looked away because she couldn’t take looking at him. He had hurt her twice now and if she looked at him again she would not be able to hold anything back.

“That wasn’t a lie, Liz. I love you with all my heart. Don’t ever think anything else, for my feelings for you will never change. I hope you understand that, Liz. The five years I was enslaved you were everything I thought about. The thought of you was what kept me from going insane. The hope of one day holding you, smelling your hair, and looking at your beautiful smile was what I thought of all the time. What I said earlier was not the only reason I came back. I had to come back to my other half, so that I could be a complete person.” Max put his hand on hers, intertwined their fingers and lifted her head so that she was looked at him now. “I’m sorry for lying to you Liz. You have to believe me. It was killing me to not tell you. I wanted to tell you, but I was scared that if I told you that it would put your life in danger. I wouldn’t know what to do if you got caught up in this and something happened to you.”

“That is not for you to decide for me, Max. You still should have told me and not waited so long. I realize that you were trying to keep me safe and I’m thankful for that, but it still hurts, Max. It hurts that you lied to me, and it hurts that my best friends were also hurt. It’s going to be some time before I can forgive you Max, and until that day, I don’t know if you should come.” Liz stood up from the table and walked inside. She looked around the living room but didn’t see anyone. Then she heard Maria yelling at Michael from one of the rooms. She figured that Isabel and Alex were in another room talking. Liz found her purse and walked out the door to the car. She opened the car and sped off towards home. The images of what Max had told her played in her head all the way home.

Max sat outside at the table running through everything that had happened. He looked down at the ring that Liz returned to him and a tear ran down his cheek. It splashed on the ring making it sparkle in the moonlight.

“You are the biggest asshole I have ever met Michael Guerin. How could you do this to me? I mean, I thought everything was going well between us, but then I find out that I’m some sort of test subject for alien freaks. Don’t you think I should have had a say in this? I mean, I’m the one you chose to be your mate, right?” Maria yelled so loud that the dog next door started to howl in the night.

“Maria, please calm down, please. See, this is why I didn’t want to tell you. I knew you would overreact. You overreact to everything I tell you. They said that they would return in a year and it’s been a little more then a year,” Michael said trying to smack some sense into Maria.

“Me, overreact!” Maria was yelling so loud now that Michael and to cover his ears. “I have a right to overreact Michael. I don’t care how long they said it would be before they would be back. That doesn’t hide the fact that you lied about everything and the reason you came back. You lied about not loving me and have lived that lie with me for a year. Look at me.” Michael couldn’t look at her because it hurt him too much to look at her. “LOOK at me Michael!” Michael shot his head up this time and saw Maria standing there with tears freely running down her face and her body shaking uncontrollably. “If I don’t have your love then I’m just a total wreck.”

Michael walked over to her and put his hands on her shoulders. “Maria, please calm down. I love you and that never changed, even when I broke your heart and you slept with Devon. My feelings have never changed, but I was too stubborn to tell you.” Michael lifted her chin so he could look at the face he had dreamt about every night. “I won’t make that mistake again. I was stupid for not telling you when I came back, and I’m sorry for having you think about this lie. I’m sorry for every time I have caused you to cry. I’m sorry for those ten years that you didn’t know how I felt. I’m just sorry for everything that I’ve done to you.” Michael lifted her head so he could look into her eyes. He lowered his head and met his lips with hers.

As soon as their lips connected Maria stopped shaking and relaxed. Her breathing slowed and her heartbeat slowed to a normal pace, too. Michael had that effect on her: for her to completely lose sense of herself and her surroundings. Maria wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her body. When they could no longer breathe they pulled away from each other. “This doesn’t mean I forgive you for this, Michael. This just means that I forgive you for everything else,” a gasping Maria managed to say. Michael smiled back at her and started kissing her again.

“Maria stopped yelling. I guess they made up or she ran out of the room,” Isabel said while Alex paced back and forth in the room.

“So, let me get this straight, Isabel,” Alex nervously said. “The reason you came back to Earth was because the alien species, Yaz, told you to?”

“Yes, they said that we needed to find a mate and procreate so that they could study us. They want to study our mates, children, and us so when they come to conquer Earth they’ll know how to beat the humans,” Isabel said almost crying at what she was going to do with Alex. She was going to make him a test subject, their children, too. An image of Alex and their child on an operating table flashed before her eyes. The image of that made her flesh crawl. “Are you going to leave me, Alex?” Isabel needed to know that.

“Of course I’m not going to leave you. I know that you came back and that what you said to me when you came back was true. I don’t doubt that for a minute. What I’m hurt about is that it took you so long to tell me,” Alex blurted out.

“I’m sorry, but Max, Michael and I agreed that we would keep this a secret just in case they did come back for us. They would only get us and not Liz, Maria, or you. I don’t know if I could watch you go through the things that I went through back home. I wouldn’t wish that on my enemies, well, yes I would, knowing that my enemies are the ones the did that.” Isabel smiled as a flash of the Yaz experiencing what they did to her went through her mind. Alex stopped pacing and sat next to Isabel on their bed.

He put his arm around her and said, “I’m sorry, Isabel.”

“Why are you sorry? I should be the one that is on the floor begging you not to leave me.” Isabel looked at him confusingly.

“I’m sorry for not being there to kick their asses for touching you,” Alex smiled. He knew how she felt about him and of course it hurt finding out why she really came back to him. Alex looked at her and got lost because no matter what happened to either one of them, they would always now how much they loved each other. That was all that mattered to Alex, and if the Yaz came back for them he would die before he let them touch her again.

Isabel couldn’t believe how well Alex was taking this. She thought that he would be packing his bag and calling for a hotel room. Instead, he was sitting next to her with his arm around her. She looked at back him and was instantly lost because the love that was flowing off of him was like a drug and she couldn’t get enough of him. She just needed to say it again so she could hear it for herself, “I’m sorry Alex.”

Alex put his finger on her lips and said, “You’re forgiven Isabel, but if you have anymore secrets please let me know instead of hiding them for years to come.” Alex leaned forward and kissed her. He stroked her neck and she ran her hands up and down his back. Alex turned Isabel around and laid her on the bed so that he was laying on top of her now.

“Alex, what if they walk in on us,” Isabel said looking at the door.

“Let them walk in. I don’t care.” Alex smiled and returned to kissing her.

A man stood outside the house across the street. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette. The man lit the cigarette and blew out the smoke. “Any day now and they will all be mine, and this planet will be ours.” The man took another drag of his cigarette and laughed. The man’s cell phone rang.

“Hello?” The man questioned. “Yes everything is going very well. They have their mates with them as we speak. One left, but we can take care of her later.” The person on the other end of the phone mumbled something back to him.

“I understand completely. I will call when the job is finished.” The man hung up the phone and started walking down the street.

Liz opened the door and threw her jacket on the floor. She automatically went into the bedroom and got under the covers. She pulled the covers up to her eyes and looked out the window at the night sky. Liz closed her tear stained eyes and fell asleep quickly. The night had been emotionally draining for her and she couldn’t keep her eyes open anymore.

“Help me!!” A voice cried. Liz opened her eyes and she was standing in a darkly lit room with people chained to the walls. The people were human looking but at the same time, seemed otherworldly. Screams of fear and torture could be heard outside the room. The room was hot, making Liz’s mouth dry. The heat was so bad that Liz had to squint to look around the room.

“Liz,” a tired voice said behind her. Liz turned around and saw Max chained to the wall with Isabel and Michael next to him.

“Max,” she screamed. Liz ran up to him and lifted his chin. Max stood there, dirty and completely helpless. It was as if someone drained the life out of him and standing in front of her was a black hole of misery. Liz reached for the chains and tried to open them.

“Get out of here Liz or they’ll get you too,” each word was a struggle for Max to get out.

“I’m not leaving you here to die Max!” She yelled at him while trying to release him from the chains. A hand reached for Liz, rested on her shoulder and tightened its grasp on her. The hand twirled her around and she was face to face with a man.

“You don’t belong here human,” the man’s voice was dark and emotionless. “Is this what you came her for? This useless reason for a species?” The man started to laugh then pushed Liz away and to the ground. The man pulled an object from his jacket, “We have a way to deal with useless species.” The man laughed and plunged the object into Max’s stomach. Max gave out a yell of pain and blood started spilling out of the wound.

“NO!!” Liz yelled and the man’s appearance disappeared. Liz ran over to Max and put her hand over the wound. “Heal yourself Max, please.”

“I can’t Liz,” Max’s voice was low and tired. “I love you Liz.” Max’s head lowered, hanging there lifeless. His body hung there while his energy slowly escaped through the wound. Liz’s legs felt weak and she fell to the ground. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. She lifted her bloodstained hands and looked at them. She cried even harder. Screams of pain filled the room and Liz jumped to her feet. She twirled around the room and saw that everyone who was chained to the walls was dead. The blood that drained out of them gathered in one big puddle in the middle of the room. An object started to rise from the blood puddle, and when it finished taking form, standing there was the man who killed Max. The man was muscular, and his face was one of pure evil, his eyes were a vortex of terror that if you looked into them, you were driven insane.

“See how we deal with useless things Liz?” The man took the same object that killed Max from his jacket and started to walk towards Liz. The man’s eyes glowed a bright green and the sound of evil laughter was heard all around her. Liz looked around her and the corpses were looking at her with the same glowing green eyes. She was grabbed by two hands and was turned around to face the person. Max stood there with his blue eyes now glowing green.

“Come join us Liz,” Max leaned down and kissed her, but the kiss started to drain Liz of her breath and life.

Liz jumped up in bed and couldn’t breathe for a moment. She sat there in bed catching her breath, but was disturbed by a smell. “Did you have a nightmare Liz?” A voice said from the corner of the room. Liz heard the voice exhale and a cloud of smoke was seen from the window. The person stepped into the light of the moon that was shining through. Bright green eyes glowed at her and she screamed while the man walked towards her. The man raised his hand and a white light shined from it. Liz’s world went black.

Alex was sitting in bed holding Isabel to him while she slept. Alex stayed up the whole night and ran the night through his head. “Liz!” a voice from the living room screamed. Alex jumped out of bed, put his boxers on and opened the door. Isabel opened her eyes and said, “What was that Alex?”

“I don’t know, but stay there,” Alex told her. He slowly walked into the living room where Max was sitting on the couch with fear in his eyes. “Max? Max what’s the matter?”

“It’s Liz. Something has happened to her,” a shaky Max responded. Isabel came walking in to the room wearing a robe.

“Something happened to Liz, Max?” She asked.

“I don’t know if something bad has happened to her. I don’t know what happened, but something awfully wrong is going on.” Max picked up the phone and dialed his home number. The phone rang and rang but no one answered. Max hung up the phone. “I’m going over there. I have a really bad feeling.”

“You’re scaring me Max.” Isabel sat down on the couch because if she stood any longer she would have collapsed.

“I’m going with you Max,” Alex said to him. “You call Maria and Michael and get them over here to stay with Isabel.”

“You don’t have to call us because we are already here.” Maria and Michael stepped out from the spare bedroom.

“Something happened, we were awakened by screaming?” Michael questioned.

“Something has happened to Liz,” Max said frantically. “Maria you stay here with Isabel please. Michael, Alex, and I will go over my house to check things out.” They all shook their heads in agreement. Max waited a few minutes while Alex and Michael put their clothes on. When they were ready, they got into Alex’s car and sped off towards Max’s house. Luckily there weren’t any cops on the freeway because Alex surely would have gotten a ticket. Twenty minutes later they were at Max’s house.

Max opened the front door and stepped in, “Liz? Liz are you here?” There was no answer. The house had an eerie feeling to it. Alex, Michael, and Max separated so they could cover the whole house. They all called for her but they did not get a response. Max walked into the bedroom and saw a site he wished he hadn’t. Everything was turned upside down, the lamp was laying on the floor and was on, paintings were laid on the ground broken, and the beds sheets were thrown all over the room. Max bent down and grabbed one of the sheets that were on the ground. He brought it to his nose and inhaled deeply. The sent of Liz filled his nose and head calming him down for a moment. Max’s eyes caught something in the corner of the room. Max saw a cigarette butt on the ground. He picked it up and smelled it; the fresh smell of burnt tobacco was smelled and also a faint smell of something he hadn’t smelled for a long time. Michael and Alex walked into the bedroom and looked around in shock.

“What happened in here?” Michael asked.

“The Yaz were here,” Max responded, giving the cigarette butt to Michael so he could smell it. Michael put the butt up to his nose and inhaled. The smell of the Yaz filled his head. “They have Liz now. They’ll be coming for us any time now. Isabel, Maria!” Max yelled. Max picked the phone up and dialed Isabel’s number. The phone rang and rang but no one answered.

Max, Michael, and Alex drove as fast as they could back to Alex’s house. Max sat in the back seat and called out Liz’s name in his mind. Where are you Liz? Where are you Liz? Max thought over and over, but every time he thought her name, he saw nothing but black.

“She has to be asleep or knocked out because I’m not getting anything from her,” Max told Alex and Michael.

“How can you tell Max?” Alex asked while driving down the freeway.

“When we were home we learned more powers than we could have ever imagined,” Max replied. Alex looked in his review mirror and saw Max close his eyes again and try to contact Liz. Alex drove for about ten more minutes until he pulled up in his drive way and opened the door. The three men separated, looking in every room hoping to find Maria or Isabel.

Alex ran straight to his bedroom and looked around. Everything was thrown everywhere and turned upside down. “Isabel, are you here?” Alex yelled. A faint sound of mumbling came from their closet. Alex ran over to the closet, threw the doors open, and saw a bound and gagged Isabel in the corner. “Isabel,” Alex cried while he untied the ropes and handkerchief that was covering her mouth.

Isabel threw her arms around Alex and cried into his chest. “I thought they were going to kill me.” Alex hugged her back comforting her while she cried. Max and Michael ran into the room and a sigh of relief swept over them at the sight of Isabel.

“Where is Maria?” Michael asked looking in the closet hoping to find her.

“They took her and they were talking about doing experiments on her and Liz.” Isabel looked at Max.

“We were too late to help Liz. When we got there they had already taken her,” Max told Isabel. “Do you have any idea where they took them?”

“No, I have no idea. They didn’t say anything about where they were taking them.” Isabel looked at Alex then at Max and Michael, “We need to find them. There is no telling what they are doing to them as we speak.” Max paced the room back and forth trying to think of where they could be.

“I have it, I know how we’ll find out where they are.” Max’s face lightened some, and then he looked at Isabel.

Liz slowly opened her eyes and was welcomed by a face if evil. “Did you have a nice rest, human?” The figure said to her.

“Let me go!!” Liz cried.

“I’m afraid we can’t do that human. We need you so that we can better understand you. So when we come to take over your planet we can beat you with one blast,” the man smiled at her.

“You’re not going to get away with this, who ever you are,” Liz responded fighting against the chains that held her to the wall.

“I think I will, Liz.” The man raised his hand and he started to change appearances. The man’s face grew thinner, his hair started to disappear, and his eyes started to change also. When the man finished shape-shifting Nasedo stood in front of her. “Don’t I look better, Liz?”

“It can’t be! You’re a Yaz?” Liz asked still in shock. “You helped us out and told Max, Isabel, and Michael about their home planet. How can you be a traitor?”

“I’m not a traitor, Liz I’ve always been a Yaz. I knew about these three aliens on earth so my planet sent me to find them and get them home. We would study them and in the process get information about your planet. I told them I would get them home and tell them about their planet. I just didn’t tell them that is was going to be destroyed.” Nasedo smiled his evil smile.

“So, what are you going to do to me?” Liz asked. She caught something in the corner of her eye. Liz turned her head and saw Maria chained to the wall also.

“Don’t you mean, what am I going to do to the both of you?” Nasedo walked over to Liz until he was breathing on top of her.

“I’m going to re-invent the word pain that you humans understand. Tomorrow the tests begin so rest tonight. You’ll need it.” Nasedo laughed and walked out the door. As soon as he left Liz turned to Maria.

“Maria wake up!” Liz yelled at her. Maria lifted her head slowly and opened her eyes.

“What happened?” Maria was still groggy from Nasedo knocking her out at Isabel’s house.

“The Yaz captured us Maria. Nasedo is one of them. He lied to Michael, Max, and Isabel. He lied to all of us about everything.” Liz started to sob.

“Nasedo is a Yaz? I knew there was something not right about him.” Maria looked at Liz. “What are they going to do to us?”

“He said that they were going to do tests on us tomorrow morning.” Liz’s imagination ran away with her and the thought of what they could do made her flesh crawl. Liz cleared her mind and started to think of Max.

“What are you doing Liz?” Maria asked.

“I’m trying to reach Max. I don’t know if it will work, but just maybe,” Liz said closing her eyes tighter. Maria closed her eyes and started to think about Michael.

“What is it Max?” Isabel questioned.

“Isabel, you can dream walk into Liz or Maria’s dream and ask them where they are,” Max told her.

“I don’t know Max. I don’t have anything to help me connect with them, and what if they aren’t asleep?” Isabel responded. Max reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring that Liz returned to him. The thought of Liz being captured built up anger in him about why he had kept this a big secret.

“Try this, Isabel.” Max handed her the ring.

“I can’t do this with all of you around me. I need to be alone, Go wait in the living room and I’ll dream walk in here so I can lay on the bed.” Michael, Max, and Alex shook their heads and started to walk towards the living room. Isabel followed them to the door and started to close it. Her eyes started to change color into a glowing bright green while a smile spread across her face as she shut the door.

A tall man with green eyes stood outside a door with the words prisoner 3 written above it. Nasedo walked up to the solider and asked, “How is she?”

The man looked away from the observation room. “She has just paced back and forth in the room all night mumbling something to herself.”

“Okay, I’ll go talk to her,” Nasedo replied. Nasedo opened the door and walked in to the pacing Isabel.

“So, how is my favorite alien in the whole galaxy?” Nasedo smiled.

“Go to hell you bastard,” Isabel stopped pacing to face him.

“Now, now, is that anyway to treat a friend?”

“You are not my friend, Nasedo. You tricked Michael, Max, and I into thinking that you were our friend. When all you had in plan was to study us on earth and report it to your home planet.” Isabel walked over to the other side of the room, because being that close to Nasedo made her want to kill him. He was too powerful for her to kill by herself, but his time would come soon.

“Didn’t I take you home?”

“I didn’t thank you for that? I guess it must have slipped my mind when your people took over my planet and enslaved us.” Isabel spoke with as much hate as she could build up.

“It’s survival of the fitness and well, your planet was not fit to exist anymore. We are always better than our opponent. You should have seen the things I did to your mother, Isabel. She cried for me to kill her, but I just kept on having fun with her. Your father put up a fight but we beat him so badly that he couldn’t even stand up. When we were done with your planet there was nothing left of your pathetic species.” Nasedo spat on the floor in front of Isabel.

Isabel couldn’t hold back her anger anymore. She jumped at him and tackled him to the ground. “Bastard, I’m going to kill you!” She screamed. Nasedo did nothing but laugh at her while she was beating him. He raised his hand and pushed Isabel against the wall.

“I thought you would have learned that you can’t beat me. I’m much too strong for you, your brother, and your friend.” Nasedo stood up and dusted off his jacket. “But, nice try though.” Nasedo laughed some more and left the room. “Keep and eye on her. If she does anything out of the ordinary, call me.” Nasedo walked down the hall when his cell phone rang.

“Hello?” Nasedo answered.

“What do you think they are doing to them?” Michael asked.

“I don’t know Michael, but we are going to get them back even if I have to kill every last Yaz to do it,” Max responded. Max got up and paced back and forth for a while looking at the pictures of the gang on the mantle. “Isabel should have found something out by now.” Max looked at Michael and Alex and they shook their heads in agreement. They all walked towards the room. “Be quiet, I hear something coming from the room,” Max shot at Michael and Alex.

“Yes sir, I will get them to the warehouse in an hour,” Isabel said. “How are the other three, sir?” There was silence for a while. “Yes sir, I don’t think they suspect that I’m not her. The stupid human, Alex, thinks I’m her and so do Max and Michael.” The door swung open and Max was standing in the room joined by Alex and Michael.

“Well, I think we know how do find them now, guys.” Max raised his hand and the phone swung away from the Yaz. It broke on the floor.

A light started to radiate from Michael. “Stand back, Alex,” Michael warned. The light then focused in Michael’s hands then shot out towards the Yaz. The Yaz gave out a scream and fell to the ground. “Hurry, I just stunned it for a while. Get something to tie its hands down. That is the only way they can use their powers, by waving their hands. Alex, do not look into its eyes either, that is how they capture you and make you their slave.”

Isabel sat looking at the guard standing outside the room. She looked at him for a good ten minutes and then got an idea about getting out of the room. Isabel screamed at the top of her lungs causing the guard to rush into the room.

The guard looked at Isabel lying on the floor with her hand over her head. “What is it?”

“I don’t know. I got his sudden pain in my head. It was blinding, like someone was trying to enter it without permission,” Isabel said in a sweet voice. The guard stepped closer to her and bent down, pushing his gung to the side of him.

“Let me see your head, prisoner,” he commanded. Isabel lowered her hand so the guard could see her head. “There is nothing there, you’re fine.” The guard stood up and started walking out of the room. Isabel stood up behind him and walked after him.

“How am I ever going to thank you for checking up on me?” Isabel batted her eyes at him. The guard turned around and looked at her strangely.

“Just go back to your bed and don’t worry about me,” he said, motioning for her to lie on the bed.

“I must have something you want,” Isabel played with her hair then slid a finger between her breasts. The guard took a step forward to her and said, “Nice try, now go back to your bed.”

Isabel frowned in disappointment, but when the guard turned back around to walk out of the room, that was when she attacked him. She put her hand on his head and concentrated on a blood vessel or whatever she could find to knock him out. She found a vessel and squeezed the vessel together. The guard gave out a scream and fell to the ground passed out. Isabel looked down the hallway and then towards the two swinging doors to the right of her. She could feel that Liz and Maria were on the other side. She ran through the doors and saw Liz and Maria chained to the wall.

“Liz, Maria,” Isabel whispered as she concentrated on separating the molecules in the chains. “Come on girls, we need to get out of here.” Isabel got Liz free first and then started on Maria.

“They got you too, Isabel?” Liz asked,

“Yeah and there is a Yaz disguised as me to lead Michael, Max, and Alex here. We have to contact them somehow to let them know that is not me.” Isabel finally got Maria released from the chains. “Okay, come on and stay quiet. I don’t want to alert any of the Yaz.” Liz and Maria followed Isabel towards the door. Isabel looked through the door and when it was clear, they ran through it to the next set of them.

“Do you know where you’re going Isabel?” Liz asked looking around at everything.

“I’m pretty sure, because when I knocked out the guard that was watching me I got a vision of the out line of this place.” Isabel opened the door slightly to look around and when the site was clear, they made their way to the entrance.

“This is way to easy, Isabel,” Maria said looking for anything that resembled a trap. “Maybe Nasedo is trying to trap us or something.”

“I don’t know and I really don’t care. All I really care about is getting to Alex and the guys to warn them before they get harmed.” Isabel walked through the doors. The two girls followed through the doors and immediately stopped in their tracks. Nasedo stood in front of them and about the soldiers were behind him.

“Now, do you think I would let my friends do anything without me knowing about it?” Nasedo held up a mini TV, which showed Isabel escaping and freeing Liz and Maria.

The Yaz disguised at Isabel sat on the couch in the living room bound and gagged. “Michael, take its gag off. It’s time.” Michael closed his eyes and felt around for the gag. When he found it, he tore it off.

“That hurt, you slime,” the Yaz spit out. Michael raised his hands and smacked it across the face. “You would hit your friend like that, Michael?” The Yaz smiled at him. Michael turned around and walked back to join Alex and Max.

“Where are they, Yaz?” Max asked calmly.

“Who? I have no idea what you are talking about,” the Yaz responded.

“We can do this the easy way, where you tell me where they are, or we can do it the hard way, where I get it my way. To tell you the truth I want to do it my way, so, I hope you choose the hard way.” Max’s voice was calm and filled with anger at the same time.

“I have no idea what you are talking about, slave,” the Yaz shot back at him.

Max smiled and went over to the Yaz. “I was hoping you would choose the hard way. Scream as loud as you want, but no one will help you.”

“I’m shaking in my boots,” the Yaz smiled at him. Max put one hand on each side of the Yaz’s face and closed his eyes. He concentrated on the part of the brain that held the Yaz’s memories. Images started to flash before him in matter of seconds. Memories of the Yaz taking over other planets, taking over his planet, enslaving them, and enjoying killing everyone one by one, flew by. Max concentrated a little harder and broke the barrier of its mind; he was in. He could access any memory he wanted now, and went right for the recent memories of that night. He saw Nasedo giving the Yaz his orders on what to do. He saw Maria and Isabel sitting on the couch talking and watching TV, and then he saw their terrified faces when they took them away. He then saw the Yaz calling Nasedo to let him know they were back. A few more memories flew by Max until he found what he needed to know: where Isabel, Liz, and Maria were being held captive.

The Yaz gave out a scream and then fainted. “I know where they are so lets go, guys,” Max said to Michael and Alex. The Yaz regained its consciousness and yelled and screamed at them. The Yaz’s eyes were glowing bright green and he started to use their powers on the ropes. In no time, the Yaz was free and attacking them. The Yaz waved its hand tossing Alex across the room knocking him out. Max and Michael both turned and faced the Yaz ready to fight it. “I’ve been waiting a long time to kick one of your asses,” Michael smiled.

“You can’t kick anything when you are dead, slave.” The Yaz smiled and waved its hand. A vase from the table flew towards Michael, but he just knocked it away. Max raised his hand and a bright white light radiated from it. The light got bigger and bigger until it was blinding. Michael joined Max so Max’s power would increase. The Yaz put its hands together charging its energy up for an attack. The Yaz gave out a scream and released its energy towards Max and Michael. Max and Michael released their energy at the same time. The two energy balls collided into each other causing Max and Michael to fly backwards. When the light disappeared the Yaz was gone.

Alex stood up and walked towards where the Yaz was standing. “Where did it go?” Max and Michael stood up and looked around. Alex started to walk towards them but then suddenly stopped in his tracks. “I think I found where the Yaz went,” Alex told them.

Michael and Max joined Alex and looked down at the ground. On the ground was a puddle of ash and bone. The power of Max and Michael was too much for the Yaz to handle, killing the Yaz as soon as it was hit. Max looked at Michael then at Alex. “I know where they are and it’s time to get our lives and our women back.”

Liz was lying on an operating table looking up into a blinding light. “What are you going to do to me?”

“We need to know how you work, don’t we?” Nasedo walked over to Liz, blocking out the light. “We have to slice and dice you to see your insides, human.” Nasedo picked up a scalpel and ran it over Liz’s shirt. The feeling of the scalpel made Liz’s body twitch in fear. “I’m glad you’re afraid because you should be.” Nasedo put the scalpel down and walked over to Isabel who was chained to the wall with Maria. He motioned for the doctors to begin the tests on Liz.

The doctors blocked the light from Liz’s eyes, but she wished they wouldn’t have because now she could see everything they were going to do to her. One doctor unbuttoned her shirt and opened it, exposing her stomach and bra. Another doctor unbutton her pants and slipped them down to her legs. The doctors stood there staring at Liz but then one spoke up, “How can humans think something this ugly is cute?” They both laughed, then they went over to their surgery tools.

Nasedo lifted Isabel’s chin and said, “I want you to look at your friend over there because in a few hours the same thing will be happening to you.” Isabel looked at the Yaz who was having too much fun with all that was going on.

“Go to hell, bastard,” Isabel spat in his face. Nasedo wiped off the spit and slapped her across the face.

“Don’t be growing any balls now, Isabel, because your attempt at being a hero is over. I’m going to enjoy seeing you sliced in two.” Nasedo smiled and walk out of the room.

“Isabel, we have to do something to save her,” Maria cried. She didn’t want to see Liz being treated like some kind of animal you dissect.

“I know Maria, I’m trying to think of something to do,” Isabel responded, looking at the doctors starting their work on Liz. Liz gave out a scream of pain when the scalpel touched her skin and jabbed into it. Isabel closed her eyes and concentrated on thinking of Max.

Alex drove down the freeway some and then turned off onto a dirt road. “So, what are we going to do when we get there and they don’t find their Yaz with us?”

“Don’t worry about that because before they have a chance to report anything, they’ll be dead,” Michael said, looking out the window. Max shot his head back as the message from Isabel hit him. “What is it Max?”

“It’s Isabel. She’s trying to contact me,” Max responded. Closing his eyes, he sent her a message back.

Max opened his eyes and was no longer in the car. He was standing in a black room with a light shining down in the middle of it. “Isabel, are you here?” Max asked. The sound of his voice echoed in the room.

“Yes, I’m here Max, we need your help.” Isabel walked into the light. “Liz needs your help Max.” Max joined Isabel in the light and looked at her. “Nasedo is behind all of this and he’s doing experiments on Liz right now.” Max heard Liz’s scream of pain and turned his head in the direction of the screaming. He saw the doctors hovering over Liz with their tools in their hands.

“NO!!!” Max screamed at the doctors. Max ran over to the image but he ran right through it. Max couldn’t do anything; he was helpless in every meaning of the word. “I know where you are Isabel. Alex. Michael, and I are on our way. Do something to stop them from hurting Liz.” Isabel shook her head and her image disappeared. Max closed his eyes and opened them again.

He was back in the car with Michael and Alex. “Hurry up Alex, we don’t have a lot of time. They are doing things to Liz, hurry up Alex.” Alex stepped on the gas pedal until it was all the way on the floor.

The car engine roared for a second. “Come on!” Alex shouted. The car hit the next gear causing it to strike forward. The scenery was nothing but a blur while Alex drove down the dirt road. “There it is guys.”

Michael and Max shot their eyes forward as a warehouse rose in front of them. Alex saw a side street and he turned down it, then he stopped the car. “Well it’s now or never guys.” The three men got out of the car and started walking towards the gate of the warehouse.

“Remember the plan or we are all screwed,” Michael told them. Max stumbled backwards in pain and his eyes clutched shut. “Max?”

“I’m fine. It’s Liz, she is in so much pain,” Max managed to say between the bursts of pain. They continued walking towards the gate when the Yaz that they had killed appeared next to Alex and grabbed him.

“Keep walking, dip shit,” the Yaz snapped at them. Michael and Max looked at each other in disbelief and then at Alex who now had a gun pointed to his back. The four began walking to the gate where a guard was waiting for them.

“I thought you would never get here.” The guard walked over to Alex and looked at him, “So this is a male of their species? What a scrawny thing it is.” The guard looked at Alex some more then punched him in the stomach. Alex fell to the ground in pain, holding his stomach. “I barely touched him and look at what he’s doing. He’s on the ground like the rest of their species will be doing.”

Alex looked at the guard with hate and shouted, “NOW!” Max jumped at the guard, tackling him to the ground. He managed to get on top of the guard and with one hit, started beating the guard up. Michael grabbed the gun that had fallen to the ground and pointed it at the guard.

“Get up now!” Michael shouted. Another guard came running out of the guardhouse shooting at the men. Michael turned to face the guard and shot a round off, hitting the guard in the head. Alex stood up and joined Michael, but before Alex could say anything, the Yaz that had held a gun to Alex grabbed him and hit him in the face. Michael turned his head in the direction of the Yaz and closed his eyes. The Yaz disappeared leaving Alex to swing at nothing but air.

“Sorry, I forgot about him,” Michael laughed.

“Well, did you have to make the hologram hit me?” Alex rubbed his face.

“Sorry.” Michael heard Max shout at him, snapping himself out of it. Michael pointed the gun at the Yaz that Max had managed to wrestle to the ground. “Get up now!!!” Michael shot the gun, barely missing the Yaz’s face. Max stood the Yaz up putting his arm behind his back. “Where are they being held?”

“I have no idea of what you’re talking about?” The Yaz responded, then winced at the pain Max was inflicting.

“Is that the answer everyone gives when they are asked that?” Michael looked down at the Yaz’s knee and fired. “Where are they? I’m not going to ask again.” Michael pointed the gun to his head.

“Maria, I have an idea on how to make them stop,” Isabel told her. Isabel closed her eyes making a hologram of Nasedo appear behind the doctors.

“I thought I told you to call me when Isabel was to be operated on!” Nasedo yelled.

“Yes sir, but she is still over…” The doctors stopped when they saw Liz where Isabel should have been. The doctor looked down at the operating table and saw Isabel lying there.

“Get her off the table and get Liz back on there NOW!” Nasedo yelled again. The doctors untied Isabel and helped her off the table. They carried her over to another table and tied her up again. They walked over to Liz and unlocked the chains that held her. Nasedo’s figure disappeared into mid air and Liz was now Isabel again. The doctors didn’t know what was going on, but before they could act, Isabel placed her hands on their heads and squeezed on any vein she could find. The doctors screamed in pain and collapsed to the ground. Isabel turned her attention to Maria and dissolved the chain with her powers.

Maria automatically ran over to Liz who had fainted from the pain she was experiencing. “Liz, wake up girl. Liz! Liz! Wake up, hon!” Maria started to cry while Liz lay there unconscious.

Isabel hurried over to her and looked at her. “Max is the only one that can help her. Michael and I were not able to learn how to heal on our planet.” A gunshot was heard in the hallway making Isabel and Maria turn in fear. Questions ran through Isabel’s head: Was it the guys? Was it Nasedo? Did he kill them? The door opened slowly, then faster with every second that went by. Maria’s heartbeat raced as to whom was opening the door, because if it was Nasedo they were dead for sure.

Alex came running through the door with a gun in his hand followed by Max and Michael. It was like second nature for Alex because as soon as he sensed Isabel, his eyes found her. “Isabel,” he said running over to her. She met him half way in the room and they starting kissing each other. “I thought I would never see you again,” Alex continued between kisses.

Michael saw Maria and ran over to her putting the gun behind him. “You had me so worried, Maria. So many things ran through my head of what they could have been doing to you.” Michael kissed her and moved her out of Max’s view of Liz.

Max’s heart stopped when he saw Liz on the operating table not breathing. Blood was running down her stomach, and the color of her skin was a pale white. A tear ran down his cheek as he ran over to her. He put his hand on her head and started looking for something. “She’s still alive, but barely,” Max told everyone as they joined him at his side. He put his hand on the cut the doctors had made and closed his eyes. He concentrated on healing her. Images started flashing before him: Liz and Ford sitting on the couch watching TV, Teresa and Liz at a bar drinking, Liz crying while she looked at the picture of her and him, the night he had returned to her, and the night he asked her to marry him. Liz took in a giant breath, making her body arch upward. Her body relaxed and lowered itself back onto the table. Liz opened her eyes and saw Max staring back at her.

Max leaned down and placed his lips on her in a kiss. He broke the kiss and said, “I thought I lost you for the second time, Liz Parker.”

“With you around, I won’t have to worry, will I Max?” Liz tried to smile but she was so weak and tired she couldn’t. Max untied her then helped her off the table, but looked up when they heard someone yell from the hall.

“I think we better hurry up and get out of here guys,” Alex suggested to everyone.

“Sir!” a guard said while opening the door to Nasedo’s office. “We are under attack, sir!” Nasedo jumped out of his chair and ran over to the soldier.

“Get everyone together and find the intruders!” Nasedo ordered. The soldier ran down the hallway and through the doors to the entrance. Nasedo knew who the intruders were and where they would be going, so all he had to do was walk in and kill them all. An evil grin ran across his face at the enjoyment he would have torturing all of them, especially Max. He grabbed a few soldiers and they ran to the room holding the three girls. He ran into the room to find the doctors laying on the floor and the three girls gone. “Find them and destroy them all,” Nasedo ordered.

Liz was slumped over Max as everyone made his or her way outside of the warehouse. The sound of sirens going off made everyone freeze in their place. “They know we have escaped,” Isabel said, finally breaking the silence of the group. They all looked at each other and started moving again.

“Put me down Max, I can walk on my own,” Liz kicked and punched Max for him to put her down. After taking several punches and kicks, he put her down. Liz’s legs were still weak and her body was still not at full strength. Max hooked Liz’s arm around his neck and helped her towards the gate. Michael and Alex were ahead looking out for danger.

“I didn’t know you knew how to shoot a gun.” Michael stated.

“My father was in the military and I was supposed to follow in his footsteps, but I followed a different path.” A man shouted to the right of them making Alex turn his head towards the yelling. A bullet whizzed between Alex and Michael as a Yaz ran towards them. Alex lifted the gun, aimed, and fired it. The Yaz stumbled backwards then fell to the ground.

“I’m glad you decided not to join the military,” Michael smiled, looking at the dead Yaz. Michael ran into the guardhouse to open the gate while everyone joined them. “I’ve almost got it, everyone.” An eerie silence fell over everything making only the sound of crickets fill Michael’s ears. “I’ve got it!” Michael ran out of the house and stopped in his steps.

“Join the others Michael,” Nasedo barked at him. “I’m tired of playing these games with you. I try and try to be nice and what do I get in return? I get people escaping. Is that any way to treat someone who took care of you?” Nasedo looked at the group, grabbed Maria by the arm, and pulled her to him. Maria gave out a scream. “Now, what should I do to her?” Nasedo smiled his evil smile.

Nasedo put his hand behind his back returning it with a gun. “Lets see, there are so many possibilities here.” Nasedo put the gun to her head making Maria close her eyes in fear of what he would do.

“NO!” Michael jumped at him but was stopped by some kind of force field that was around them. Michael punched the force field and looked at Nasedo with hate filled eyes.

“Last time anyone or anything looked at me like that, Michael, I tortured them for a year before I killed them.” Nasedo ran the gun down Maria’s face and around her chest making Maria cringe at the feel of him. “Guards!” Nasedo yelled. About 20 guards filed out of the nearest building, surrounding Michael and the gang. The force field disappeared freeing Michael to strike at him. Michael was stopped by a hit to the head from one of the guard’s guns. “I don’t want her anyway. I want her,” Nasedo’s hands glowed as he pointed at Liz. Maria disappeared and was replaced by Liz. Maria was now standing next to Max with her hand around his neck.

“I want you Max, just you and me one on one.” Nasedo put the gun to Liz’s head. One of the guards tore Maria from Max, threw her to the ground and pushed Max over to Nasedo. Michael ran over to her and swept her up in his arms. “I thought I had lost you,” Michael said as he kissed her forehead.

The guard pushed Max so hard that he fell to the ground in front of Nasedo. “See, you are learning to bow in front of us.” The sound of Nasedo and the guards laughing echoed. “Stand up, slave,” Nasedo ordered. Max stood up, looked at the frightened Liz then at Nasedo. The hatred between the two was very strong. If emotions could kill, they both would have been dead in a second.

“You were my best student, Max. You had a huge future with us and all you had to do was say yes. But no, you decided to align yourself with their home planet,” Nasedo said.

“I thought of you as a father before you betrayed us and killed everyone I loved back home. Why would I have allied myself with a species that thinks nothing of others, just what they want?” Max returned.

“Don’t you feel it inside of you Max? You’re a Yaz too; we put you with Isabel’s family so that we could see how one of us would act on their planet. Then Isabel, and Michael’s families sent you three to Earth to see if maybe humans and you could live together. The Yaz people told me to come and watch you to see how you acted around humans and Isabel. Everything everyone told you about being Zenon was a lie.” Nasedo let go of Liz, making one of the guards take her.

Nasedo walked towards Max. “STOP right there, Nasedo. I’m not one of you. I’m a Zenon and always will be.” Max couldn’t believe what Nasedo was telling him.

“You know it’s true Max. That part of you just hasn’t been unlocked.” Nasedo started walking towards Max again. “Let me help you unlock that part of you and join us in taking over this world.” Nasedo’s hand started to glow.

“MAX, watch out!” Michael yelled. Max looked at Michael, but it was too late. Nasedo shot a beam of light at Max throwing him backwards. Max slowly rose his head to look at Nasedo, who at this point, was walking over to him ready to attack him again. Max jumped out of the way of another beam of light. He stood up and faced Nasedo, ready to fight him.

“You know you can’t beat me Max. I’m too powerful for you,” Nasedo laughed, looking at Max who was about to fight him.

“I don’t care, but you’re not going to leave here, no matter what,” Max shouted at him. Max’s hands glowed with power, and then it was released towards Nasedo. Nasedo dodged the beam of power, which hit and shattered a rock formation behind him. Nasedo grabbed Liz and held her in front of him.

“Now what are you going to do Max? I have your only love and can kill her at any moment.” Nasedo smiled at Max then put his hand on Liz’s forehead. Liz gave out a scream of pain and fell to the ground lifeless.

“No!!” Max yelled running towards Nasedo and Liz. Max tackled Nasedo before he could do anything and started pummeling Nasedo with blows to the head. The more hatred that built up the more powerful the blow to Nasedo was, but Nasedo managed to put his hand on Max’s stomach and use his powers to throw Max off of him.

“See, you are learning how to use some of your Yaz power. Use the hate that is building inside of you,” Nasedo instructed him. Nasedo grabbed Max and pushed him towards a building. Max turned around as Nasedo was about to blast him with another energy blast but stopped. The hatred that had been building up in Max finally exploded causing Max to give into his Yaz powers.

Max stood there with glowing bright green eyes. “I maybe one of you, but that doesn’t mean that I have to act like one of you.” Max grabbed Nasedo by the neck and squeezed until he couldn’t breathe anymore. “You killed the only family I’ve ever loved and knew, hurt my friends, and killed my true love.” Max’s other hand started to glow and surge with power. Max put his hand on Nasedo’s stomach and released the power into him. Nasedo started to scream in pain when Max’s power surged over them. A blinding light surrounded them making everyone turn their heads. The only sound that was heard was of Nasedo, but as he started screaming, he stopped. The bright light vanished and Max was the only one left standing there. All the soldiers gathered around each other and fired at the person that had just killed Nasedo. Max’s eyes glowed green again as the bullets flew towards him. The bullets slowed then finally stopped in mid air, and with one wave of Max’s hand, the bullets returned to the soldiers, hitting them all.

The soldiers all fell over dead leaving only the group standing around to process what had just happened. Maria’s eyes fell on Liz who was lying on the ground. ‘Liz!” she screamed. Maria ran over to Liz, fell to the ground, and searched for a heartbeat.

“Is she dead?” Alex asked as everyone ran over to join her.

A tear ran down Maria face. “Yes.” Maria started to cry fully now. Michael lifted Maria up and enveloped her in his arms as she cried. Isabel turned towards Alex and cried into his chest.

Max knelt by her and pulled her to him. “Come on Liz, you can’t die on me. I need you more than ever now.” A tear ran down his check and splashed on her face. “Okay, everyone stand around Liz and me because I need to try something to help her.” Maria and Isabel turned their faces towards Max with confusion. “Trust me, I know how to bring her back.” They all slowly surrounded him and waited for Max to speak again.

“Now close your eyes and think of Liz. Think about anything that you have done with her,” Max ordered them. They all closed their eyes and started concentrating on Liz. Max put his hands over Liz and closed his eyes also. A light shined from Isabel as she thought about the time she and Liz were talking about boys while doing their nails. The light shot over to Alex who was thinking about Liz and how she always laughed at his stupid jokes. Maria started thinking about the time they ate ice cream all night while talking about school. Michael thought about the time he gave Liz her journal back after he had stolen it from her. A bright light was now radiating from all of them and combined into one ball of light over Max. The light shot into Max making his body jerk with power. Max’s hands glowed with the light, and then the power was released over Liz’s body. Liz’s body started to hover in air while her body absorbed the light. When it was over, Liz’s body lowered to the ground but remained motionless. The group opened there eyes and looked at Liz.

“Did it work?” Maria asked.

“I don’t know Maria, it might have been too late,” Max said, looking at Liz. Liz’s chest started to move up and down making everyone let out a sigh of relief. Liz slowly opened her eyes that were filled with the image of a smiling Max. Everyone had a smile on their face at seeing their friend alive again.

“What happened?” She whispered.

“Shh, I’ll tell you everything later Liz.” Max picked her up in his arms and they all started walking towards Alex’s car. Max stopped, turned around and looked at everything that was around him.

“It’s over, it’s finally over everyone.” A smile ran across his face because for the first time in 10 years, Max felt free.

Isabel walked over to Max. “Lets go home, brother.” Even though Max was not her real brother he would always be a brother to her.

A week has passed since the death of Nasedo and Max finding out who he truly was. Alex and Isabel went away for the week to their cabin in the hills, Michael and Maria bombarded themselves in their house, and Max and Liz have been acting like nothing happened that night. Everyone just wanted everything to go back to normal, before the trio told them of their little lie.

Liz went shopping at Stoneridge Mall to get some clothes for herself. Max just handed over his credit card and said go for it. Liz had been in such a depressed mood lately that he wanted her to do something that made her feel a little better. The whole day, Max sat on the couch thinking about the whole experience. He had come to only one conclusion: it was his fault. All of it was his fault. If he hadn’t lied to Liz, she wouldn’t have left that night, Nasedo wouldn’t have killed her, and Isabel and Maria would have been fine. Max had been thinking about this all day that he hadn’t noticed the sunset and the house being engulfed in darkness. Max heard Ford run to the door when the sound of a key being entered into the keyhole was heard.

Liz walked into the dark house and didn’t hear Max. “Max, are you here?”

“I’m in the living room Liz,” Max replied. Liz walked into the living carrying about ten shopping bags filled with clothes.

“I think you might have maxed out my credit card,” Max laughed. Liz put down the bags and let out of a breath.

“My arms feel like they have been carrying bricks,” she smiled at him.

“Sit down for a minute Liz, please,” Max asked her. Liz looked Max’s serious face and sat down on the couch.

“What is the matter, Max?”

Max stood up, looked into her eyes and got lost for a minute. He managed to pull himself back together and said, “I’m sorry Liz. I’m sorry for what happened to you because it was all my fault. Nothing you can say will ever make me think other wise Liz. I sat on the couch all day thinking about that night and that was what I came up with. Maybe if we had told Alex, Maria, and you earlier then none of this would have happened.” Max sat down next to her and looked at the wall because he felt that if he looked at her he couldn’t finish speaking. “I love you Liz, and seeing you have this kind of life is unfair to you. What happens if the Yaz come back looking for us because there are others out there? I don’t think I could bear seeing you go through that again. I…. I….I’m just sorry for everything, it’s all my fault.” Max was over run with so much guilt that as soon as his head hit his cupped hands, he started to cry.

Liz looked at this man who was handsome, and strong, but always took the blame for everything that happened around him. “Max, stop torturing yourself over this. It happened and everyone is fine. If the Yaz came back then we’ll deal with them again like we did the first time. Max, look at me please. Max?”

Max lifted his head and looked at her with tear filled eyes. “Promise me that you’ll stop blaming yourself for something you couldn’t imagine would happen,” Liz said, looking into his brown eyes.

“I caused you to be hurt and you died on me. I can’t go through that again. I think that it might be wise if I just left. Then you’ll be safe from anything that has to do with me,” Max blurted out.

Liz couldn’t believe what she just heard. “I don’t think so Max Evans. You are not going to leave me again. I went through ten years of hell while you were gone. I can’t go through that again. Do you think Alex is going to let Isabel leave him or Michael is going to let Maria go either? I don’t think so Max, because everything that we have been through has brought us closer. You have to see that, Max. Look at Michael and Maria, they couldn’t stand being by each other but when something always happened Michael was there for Maria, Alex is there for Isabel, and you here for me.” Liz stood up and ran to the bedroom throwing herself onto the bed crying.

Max sat on the couch running what she had just said to him through his head then it hit him like lightening. He is meant to be with Liz, Michael is meant to be with Maria, and Alex is supposed to be with Isabel. He didn’t know how he knew that, but he just knew. Max walked to the bedroom and opened the door. “Liz, hon. I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking clearly in there. I know what you are saying to me, and it makes perfect sense. I don’t know how or why, but we are meant to be together.” Max sat on the edge of the bed.

Liz picked her head up and looked at Max. Was he her destiny? She didn’t know but deep inside her she felt like it was right. “Max,” she whispered.

Max turned his body to face hers. “Yeah?”

“I love you.” She looked into his eyes.

“I love you too, Liz.” Max leaned over to her and met her lips with his. Liz hooked her hands around his neck and pulled him to her. Their lips both tasted like salt from the tears they had shed earlier. Max pulled away and pulled something out of his pocket. “I was going to keep this so I would have something to remind me of you, but since I won’t be needing it anymore, Liz will you marry me again?” Max brought the ring in front of him and showed it to her.

Liz looked at the ring and then back at him. “What did I say the first time, Max? Of course I’ll marry you.” Max slid the ring on her finger, and then went in for another kiss.