Max hugged Liz closer to him. They had slept in the front seat of the jeep, with Isabel and Alex in the back. The others had slept inside the pod chamber while they had decided to sleep outside so they could hear if any intruders were comming.

He could see the sunrise and figured it was probably around 6 o'clock. He was relieved it was Saturday, and they wouldn't cause anyone to be suspicous as to why they weren't in school.

He sighed lightly, making sure not to wake up the girl that had her head settled on his chest. He didn't want to get up. He didn't want to get up and prepare to break into someone's office and destroy things. He wanted to stay just like this.... forever. But he suddenly remembered why he was getting up. It was to save Liz.

He looked down at her and kissed her lightly on the head. She was so brave. She didn't have to be this brave. She could have just told him to leave her alone and go hide somewhere where no one would ever find her. But she stayed, because of him. Because she loved him. Max smiled at that thought. He still couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe that his dream girl, Liz Parker, was in love with him. Sure, he'd dreamed about it, but nothing compared to the actual feeling of it.

Max heard the pod chamber door slide open and he lifted Liz off of him and leaned her against the other side of the jeep. He finally looked up and saw Katie walking out of the cave and into the sunlight. As he got out of the jeep he heard Liz mumble something, as if she were aware that he wasn't beside her anymore. Max smiled to himself and quietly shut the jeep door, trying not to wake her.

He walked close to Katie, who was now sitting down on the dirt with her backpack open in front of her.

"Hey." Max greeted as he sat down beside her.

She looked up and gave him a slight smile. "Hi. So... any unwanted visitors last night?"

Max shook his head. "No, everything was pretty quiet." He saw her nod her head, then she continued to look at a picture she held in her hand. "What's that?"

Katie looked at him, then at the picture. "It's a picture of me, you, and mom." She told him, and saw his eyes widen. "It was taken last month on my birthday."

Max nodded his head slowly and she looked at him, as if she were battling an inner conflict. "I'm not sure if I'm supposed to do this or not but... well I guess it wouldn't hurt. Do you... want to see it?"

She held the picture out to him and he slowly brought his hand out to take it. He could see writing on the back of it, which he immediately identified as Liz's. It read: Kaitlyn's 16th Birthday Party. He slowly turned the picture around and he blinked a few times. He looked at Katie, who was sitting at a table with a birthday cake in front of her, behind her was him and Liz. They had one arm around each other and the biggest smiles on their faces. He couldn't believe it. They looked so much older. They looked..... like they were in their middle-thirties, which they were, in this picture.

He hadn't realized it but Liz had knelt down behind him and he didn't realize it until she gasped. She positioned herself right beside him and he handed her the picture. He saw her eyes glow and a brilliant smile appear on her face.

"This is... us!" She whispered incredulously. "It's amazing."

The three of them sat like that for awhile, thinking about their lives and how they'd ended up where they were now.

---------------

"Are they on their way yet?" Kivar asked as Tess stepped through the door.

She shrugged and rolled her eyes. "No, they're getting everyone together for some sort of meeting."

Kivar turned to her and crossed his arms. "And you didn't feel there was any need to stay and listen to what they were planning to do?"

"One of them would have found me anyways!" Tess argued. "Me and Max are like.... genetically entwined for crying out loud!"

Kivar brought his hands to his temples and massaged them. "Would you stop whining you sound like an annoying gerbil..."

Tess gasped, and put her hands on her hips. "Look, I don't care who you are. No one talks to me, Queen Ava, like that!"

"I think this clean oxygen air is getting to your brain." Kivar told her amusingly. "You're kind doesn't rule anymore, sweetie. I do."

Tess shook her head. It was useless fighting with him.

"Let's go." He suddenly said and walked over to the door.

Tess gave him a confused look. "I thought we were waiting for them to show up."

"Oh don't worry." Kivar said with a wicked smile. "Someone will be waiting for them when they arrive, rest assured."

---------------

"Alright, so what's the plan?" Michael asked loudly, crossing his arms. "Wait don't tell me. You and Max go off and do the dirty work, get caught, and use a bomb to escape."

Mags rolled her eyes. "Oh shut up."

Michael grumpled something incoherent and Katie interrupted before any disgruntled banter could be started. "Everyone is going. We all need to stick together from now on."

Max looked over at Liz, who was standing by him. "Even Liz?"

Katie turned and glanced from Max, to Liz. She nodded her head and turned to face the rest of the group. "Dad told me before I left that after we got rid of the base we all needed to stick together. He said we were stronger that way."

"Smart man." Gabriel comments and sees Katie roll her eyes and smile.

"Yeah. Okay, so it's agreed. We all stick together." She states and everyone in the group nodded their head.

"So how exactly are we going to get the Special Unit files?" Michael interrupted, hoping they'll get to the point very soon.

"We're just kinda gonna go in there and get them." Stan said simply.

Michael looked at the four future teens and shook his head. "You have got to be kidding me."

Katie shot him an odd glance. "Ummm.... yeah that's the plan."

Michael rolled his eyes and walked around, kicking the jeep tire frustratingly. "This is ridiculous. And people say my plans are reckless." He shook his head again then brought up his hand, motioning towards the future teens. "You guys are crazy."

Katie sighed. "Look--"

"And don't try that Uncle Michael thing with me again!" He butted in quickly. "It won't work this time."

"We're doing it her way, Michael." Max said, his tone calm and even.

Michael sighed and leaned against the jeep. "We're gonna be just like those guys on 'Home Alone'."

Maria looked at him awkwardly. "What?"

"Ya know those guys. They expect everything to be fine and just go into the house but when they get in there there's all kinds of traps set." He explained, then turned to Katie. "I'm tellin' ya, there'll be traps."

Maria rolled her eyes and giggled. "Uh, yeah Michael okay. Like the government is gonna put micro-machines on the floor to trip us."

Everyone laughed and Michael just shrugged. "I didn't mean it literally."

"Look guys, I don't know what to expect." Katie said honestly. "All I know is that we have two days left here and we aren't even half way done with the things we have to do."

They were all silent a few moments until Liz cleared her throat.

"Well then...." She said, looking around the group. "What are we waiting for?"

---------------

"Are you sure this isn't too....." Max voice trailed off.

"Noticeable?" Liz finished for him and smiled. "I think our daughter knows what she's doing."

Max instinctively tightened his grip on her hand at the word 'daughter'. He couldn't imagine having a child with Liz, and yet... he couldn't wait.

Katie stood in front of the door and moved her hand over the lock. Hearing a slight 'click' she turned the knob and the door opened easily. "Let's go."

They all followed her inside, except for Michael and Maria who stayed outside as watchers.

Liz looked around the room and didn't see any evidence of traps. Maria's micro-machine comment echoed in her mind and she had to stiffle a giggle.

She saw Katie move into Congressman Whitakers office and she quickly ran over to her old desk, opening drawers.

*I don't remember having any Special Unit files in my desk....* Liz thought to herself then her eyes traveled to her little red computer that sat on her old desk. *Computer files......*

"Hey Max," She whispered. "Do you think we should take the computers, too? I mean, who knows what kind of information can be found on them."

When Max didn't reply, she whispered again. "Max?"

She stood up straight and looked around the room. She was alone. She decided to go into Congressman Whitakers office to join everyone else.

As she walked over to the door she felt her stomach twist and when she opened the door she found out why.

A man.... or atleast she assumed he was a man, with what looked like a very high powered gun held to his chest was facing her. Liz gasped at the sight. She looked into his eyes but noticed one was covered by some sort of computer type device.