"NO!"

Isabel gave a short scream, covering her ears instinctively. She nearly fell over from the sheer volume and hate in Liz's voice.

"Get out of my mind!" Liz seemed to be everywhere and yet nowhere to be seen.

"Liz, it's me, Isabel. You have to listen to me, I'm here to - "

"No, it's a trick, I know it is. Get out of my mind, damn you!" Crying, Liz suddenly appeared. She flew at Isabel, trying to strike her face. Isabel, shocked, just managed to avoid her.

"Liz, please, we're trying to help you. Listen to me! Where are you? It's me, just me, this isn't a trick." Isabel pulled Liz close, pinning her arms to her side. They struggled, then Liz sagged, defeated, the mental strain too much on her. She sobbed, her whole body shaking, as Isabel gently pulled her down to a sitting position. "Liz, what happened to you?"

"Oh, God, Isabel, he's been in my mind..."

Isabel's eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "Oh, my God, I…"

"You have to warn Max, he's the fourth alien. He's gone through my head, he knows everything about you that I know. I don't know what he wants, but, Isabel, he's evil." Liz pulled herself up and stared intently at Isabel, still shaking.

"Do you have any idea where you are? Max is about to call the police, and - "

"I think I'm at one of the cheap motels at the edge of town. I can hear the freeway from the room. I - I think we're near a Mcdonald's. He went out for food earlier and was only gone, like, 5 minutes. Don't let Max call the police. If they get involved, they'll find out about you. And Adam, he wouldn't care who got in his way, he'll kill them."

"Okay, just hold on Liz, we're coming for you." Isabel hugged Liz with all her strength.

"Isabel, be careful. He's very strong, his powers. I don't know what he could do. Liz, shuddered, then turned. "Just go, tell Max, tell him to hurry. I don't know how much more I can take."

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

Isabel jerked awake. Drawing a shuddering breath, she looked up at the circle of worried faces around her. "We have to hurry. The alien has her at a motel somewhere. Near a McDonalds at the edge of town." She wiped at her cheeks. They were wet with tears.

"Alien? Another alien? What is he doing to her??" Maria grabbed Isabel's arm.

"There's no time, we have to go!" Isabel pushed Maria away, jumping up and running toward the door. Max was right behind her.

The four of them jumped in the Jeep. "Which way?" Max demanded.

"I don't know! Liz didn't know!"

Michael spoke up quickly. "Max, go south. Remember that McDonalds where we talked to the trucker the other day?" Gravel spun up from under the tires as Max took off.

As they drove, each was lost in their own private thoughts. Maria kept twisting the chain of her necklace around her fingers, while Michael sat next to her with his head down. Isabel kept her eyes glued to the road as Max shot looks her way as he drove. "I know you're wanting to ask what he's done to her." Isabel finally said softly.

"I need to know, Iz,…" From the backseat Max could feel their attention focus on their conversation.

"He, he's done something with her mind, Max. She said he was in her head…"

Max was rigid, staring at the road. A muscle worked in his jaw as he gripped the steering wheel so tightly Isabel wondered that he didn't break it. She couldn't speak any more. Her throat was burning. She looked up at his face. She had never seen Max so angry before, it frightened her with its intensity. Max seemed always so in control of himself, she couldn't even remember the last time she had seen him really angry. She knew that if Max caught up with this alien who had hurt Liz, then he would hurt him, possibly even kill him. Suddenly her brother was like another person, a dangerous one, someone she didn't even know. She started shaking again. No one said another word as Max drove to find Liz. Isabel had always secretly wished they could all just pretend that they were normal teenagers, and just forget about the questions of their heritage. Her life was ideal - pretty, popular, smart, and great parents. Why couldn't the others just live and be happy? Isabel would daydream sometimes about her future - get out of high school, get out of Roswell, become a model in New York City. Her pictures plastered in every magazine. Maybe she would find a nice guy, but kids were definitely not in the picture. She couldn't even fathom that. But even in her most ideal daydreams, she admitted to herself that they were very lonely. That she was very lonely. Max may have found his soulmate in Liz, but Isabel harbored no illusions in finding someone who could possibly love her true self. If guys couldn't even see past her face and body, how could they accept her as E.T.? At first, Isabel had resented Liz and Maria. They were butting in where they weren't wanted, as far as Isabel was concerned. She had also been terrified of the change in the status quo. She had always equated change as bad, being afraid of "what might happen". And, of course there was the change in Max's behavior. He was supposed to protect her, his sister, not make eyes at Liz. But Isabel soon found herself accepting them, and even welcomed them. It was just, nice, to have girls around she could talk to without having to maintain the distance she usually did. Now she felt her conscience screaming at her. Liz had done everything she could to protect them, and her reward for helping the aliens was torment from another alien.

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

Slowly, Liz awakened to the sound of a tv. She turned her head, searching for Adam. It sounded like he was in the shower. Her thoughts turned to her dream. Isabel? Was that real? She didn't realize that Isabel had that kind of power. The water in the shower abruptly stopped. "I have to stop him from getting into my mind again," Liz thought. If he did, he would know that Max was on his way {oh I hope}, and she had to do whatever possible to give Max the element of surprise.

"Good morning, Liz." Adam looked her over carefully. He toweled off his hair, smiling at her.

Liz tried to think, but the few hours of sleep she had had were still blurring her mind and thoughts.

"I suppose you're hungry, hmm? I know I am." He untied the gag over her mouth. "Now, don't scream. If you didn't like what I did last night, you would really hate what I would do if you scream."

"Could I go to the bathroom please?" she whispered. Untie me, she silently begged.

"Well, as long as you're civilized about this, then I suppose so." He started working on the knots at her feet. "Did you sleep well?"

Liz thought her heart was going to hammer out of her chest. Could he read her thoughts even now? "N-no, not really."

"That's too bad, you needed your rest. Today's going to be a busy day."

"Why, what are you planning to do with me?" Liz wiggled her now-free foot around, flexing the ankle carefully. Adam finished on her feet and came up to her hands. He paused, staring into her eyes. She stared back, willing him to untie her. "Don't get any bright ideas, now." He fingered the knots.

"I won't. I won't try to escape." Liz lied.

"Maybe I ought to just…" he reached for her head, hands flexed.

"No!" Liz jerked furiously on the rope, twisting her body as far away as she could. The rope cut deeply into her skin, but she hardly even noticed. She tucked her legs up to her chest and shoved with every ounce of strength at Adam. He hit the wall with a loud thud, surprised making him off-balance. "You little bitch!" he snarled. He grabbed her hair and pulled her face around to look into her eyes. "You're going to die, Liz. I can promise you that." Adam started to dress, angrily jerking on his clothes. Liz turned her head and stared fixedly at the wall. He packed what few items he had in the room, stuffed the gag back in her mouth, and left the room. Liz couldn't believe it. He had forgotten to tie her feet back down. She pulled her self up, managed to yank the gag out of her mouth with her tied hands, and started working on the knots with her teeth. The urgency of the situation made her clumsy and progress was slow. She kept expecting Adam to come walking through the door at any second.

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

"Max, look, that's him, that's the guy!" Michael pointed out a tall man striding out of the last motel room. They watched him get into a beat-up chevy and tear out of the parking lot. "Come on, let's go."

Max ran up to the door, using his powers to unlock it. "Please let her be okay," he prayed, and opened the door. "Liz!" he ran over and started yanking at the rope. Some common sense returned, and he used his power again to make the rope slither off. He pulled her close, his heart hammering in his chest. She was shaking hard and crying in his arms. She buried her head in his chest and held on. She felt other arms circling her, holding her, as Maria ran in. "Oh God, I can't believe you found me." Max's arms tightened even more around her body. She could barely breathe, but didn't care. Liz reared back suddenly, her eyes enormous in her pale face. "We have to get out of here, Adam may be back any second." Max hesitated, thoughts of vengeance suddenly flaming in his mind. "Max, please, I need to get out of here," she cried urgently. He looked down into her eyes and saw pure pain in them. All thoughts of staying vanished. He picked her up carefully in his arms and headed for the door. Liz kept her face buried in his chest. She had been kidnapped, mentally violated, threatened with death, and she simply could not handle any more.