Sheriff Valenti followed the man into the edges of the desert, finally jumping him and handcuffing him. The man struggled briefly, then settled down. As Sheriff Valenti was dragging the escapee back to his car, he stumbled over a silver object. Still holding the man, Sheriff Valenti bent down and picked up the metallic object. It glowed strangely in the hot desert sun, and was light-too light to be anything terrestrial. He dragged the man to the car, shoved him inside, and got in, still carrying the object.

Chapter Two -An interesting find…and a dangerous conclusion…

Max Evans stumbled out into the hall, rubbing his eyes sleepily as he wandered to the bathroom. Isabel’s door opened and she stumbled out too, both not seeing each other. Then Isabel collided with Max.

“Ouch!” Isabel yelped as she fell to the floor. Max’s eyes widened as the sleep slowly cleared from his eyes.

“Isabel…I’m sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going.” Max said sheepishly. Isabel grinned at her brother.

“Max, I’m ok, besides….” Isabel trailed off, not wanting to say we’re aliens remember? out loud because of Mr. and Mrs. Evans.

“Isabel…shit! We only have a half an hour to get ready!” Max said worriedly.

“Oh god!” Isabel gasped, then ran into her room. Max stared after her, wishing he hadn’t gotten her so worked up. Max strode back into his room, grabbed a T-shirt from his closet and a clean pair of jeans. He was in the middle of putting his jeans on when a knock on the door startled him.

“Isabel, I’m not ready yet!” Max called out; hoping the thick door didn’t muffle his words. Unfortunately, it did.

“Max?” Liz’s voice floated through the door. “I’m coming in…,” Liz said as she pushed the door in. Her jaw dropped as she found herself staring at Max’s bare chest. “Um, I’m really sorry…uh, I thought you said you were ready.” Liz stammered as she backed out the door, closing it behind her. Oh my god. She thought as she remembered the scene just moments before, her cheeks blushing crimson. The door opened and Max stepped out, completely clothed and almost as embarrassed as she was.

“Liz? What are you doing here?” Max inquired gently, noticing her red cheeks.

Regaining her composure, Liz spoke quietly, an ominous quiet. “Max, I don’t know how to say this, but I have to tell you. I over heard Sheriff Valenti saying it this morning~he was talking to Ms. Topolsky. There’s been a piece of ‘alien debris’ found in the desert, Sheriff Valenti found it yesterday afternoon.”

Max paled slightly. “Are you sure Liz? I mean, are you sure it’s ‘alien’?”

“It’s…they don’t know for sure, but I heard them say, ‘according to the lightness and the unfamiliarity of the object, it has to be’.”

Max was about to question her further when Isabel stepped out of her room, fully dressed and made up. Isabel took one look at Liz and Max, and noticed their pale faces and realized something was wrong.

“Max, what’s going on? Is Michael in jail or something?” Isabel asked cautiously.

“No,” Max sighed, “Isabel, Sheriff Valenti found something in the desert yesterday afternoon that he as reason to believe it’s extraterrestrial.”

Isabel took one step back. “And that’s why you’re here?” she asked Liz.

Liz looked at her feet. “I’m sorry I have to bring such bad news, but hey! You won’t kill the messenger with the bad news right?”

Max gave a small grin. “Of course not.” He said quite tenderly.

“Good.” Liz smiled.

“Hello? Can we get back to the problem here?” Isabel asked.

“Oh, sorry.” Liz blushed. “Um, Sheriff Valenti found an object, he doesn’t know what it is, but he seems to think it isn’t terrestrial.”

“How did you find this out?” Isabel asked, worried.

“I overheard Sheriff Valenti talking about it to Ms. Topolsky this morning.”

“Why would he tell Ms. Topolsky?” Max inquired.

“I don’t, know, but I know we can’t say anything to her, or act suspicious of her.” Liz said, staring straight into the depths of Max’s deep brown eyes, wishing that he would connect with her again, and all at the same time trying to tell him that she would try to keep him, Isabel and Michael out of harms way as much as she could.

Max grabbed his jacket off the back of a dining room chair. “Come on, we have to see if we can hear anything more about it.”

Isabel dashed back into her room and grabbed a jacket. “You’re driving right?” She called over her shoulder to Max.

“Yeah.” Max confirmed. Looking at Liz, he asked, “are you coming with us are you driving your own car?”

“I’ll…I’ll come with you.” Liz said, finally breaking the intense gaze they shared.

Max smiled. “Great…hey, Isabel, are you ready? We have to go!”

Isabel rushed out. “Yeah, yeah…let’s go!”

Max and Liz rushed out of the front door after Isabel, all of them jumping into the jeep. Max started the jeep and drove off, heading to the high school where Liz had heard Sheriff Valenti first.

“Are you sure that’s what he said?” Asked Isabel frantically, yelling over the loud sound wind rushing through the jeep as they sped towards the school.

“Yeah… He sounded all excited, like a little boy on Christmas morning!” Liz yelled back. Liz turned around and glanced at Isabel, and was surprised to see Isabel looked scared, no, terrified instead of the usual tough-as-nails attitude she usually exuded. Max suddenly took a sharp right turn onto a dusty road.

“Max-what are you doing?” Liz asked, but she didn’t need to ask as Max cut the engine, and twisted around in his seat. Undoing the seat belt, he turned around and put his hands on Liz’s face.

“Trust Me.” He whispered as he started moving his hands around on her face. Liz could feel for face changing shape, and for one moment, she caught a glimpse of what Max was doing in the Jeep’s rearview mirror. Her face had changed. Now a redhead, her eyes were blue instead of brown, and her eyes were smaller.

“Wow…”Liz uttered in complete disbelief. Even her voice was different, more, perky.

“Now you, Isabel.” Max was saying. Within moments, Isabel was a young man, with brown hair and blue eyes.

“Max, who’s going to do you? Actually, I will.” Isabel volunteered her voice deep and slightly husky.

“Max, why do we have to do this?” Liz asked curiously as she watched Isabel make Max a blond with green eyes, a la Sarah Michelle Gellar.

“So Valenti won’t question us, he knows us too well. With these disguises, he’ll think we’re just ordinary students that pose no threat.” Max said, examining Isabel’s work. “Good. Now we’ll have to have new names.” He pointed at Liz, “You’re um, Jessica Guliani,” he pointed at Isabel, “Izie, you’re…Nick Spearson.” And I’m Craig Guiliani-we’re brother and sister.” He informed Liz.

His sister, how wonderful, even if it’s just a disguise. Liz thought blissfully.

“Ok!” Max said, turning the Jeep on again. Pulling back onto the main road, they continued for West Roswell High.