Michael drew closer to Maria for support; "Isabel had a vision that she was in trouble."

"I felt it too, but I didn't say anything, because I was too busy with the party," Maria wrapped her arms around herself. "If I had been a better sister this wouldn't have happened."

Michael put his arm around her shoulder; "It's not your fault."

Maria buried her face in his chest when Max asked, "What is your problem?"

Liz informed them, "Whitaker has been taping my phone conversations at work. I found a CD, but the thing is how come she hasn't busted me yet?"

"Maybe because she hasn't given up alien-hunting after all," Michael pointed out.

Maria lifted her head up; "Do you think it is possible that she knows where Tess is?"

Liz considered the thought; "She's out there right now."

"At my party?" Isabel's eyes grew wide.

"Yeah…um," Liz said sheepishly. "She sort of invited herself."

Courtney picked the imperfect time to reenter the breakroom, "So, the real party's in here."

Maria regained her composure, "Could you, like, go refill the ketchups or something?"

"Done," Courtney announced with satisfaction.

Maria snapped, "Sugars, then." Courtney scowled as she once again disappeared.

Michael turned to Maria, "So you really think Whitaker's got something to do with this Tess thing?"

Maria shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know what to believe, but I just know that I want my sister back."

Max once again took control of the situation, "Michael, you go to her office…see what you can find. I'm going to get Valenti. We'll check out Sorenson. Maria you stay here and see if you can get a hold of Tess by cell phone."

"What should I do?" Isabel asked.

Max continued with his orders, "Make sure Whitaker stays here so Michael can search her office."

Isabel protested, "I can't just stay here knowing everything that's happening."

"We'll handle it," Max ordered. "Just…just try to enjoy your party."

"Like I can, Max. I'm the one who saw the visions. I'm going after her," Isabel said.

Max commanded in a serious tone, "Let me take care of it."

"Come on Isabel," Liz took her by the arm. "Let's get back to the party." Isabel reluctantly let Liz lead her back so she can keep an eye on Whitaker.

"Michael, you better go you don't have much time," Max informed him.

Michael nodded. "Be careful," Maria told him as they held each other for a second before he left.

"We'll find her, Maria," Max reassured her as he followed Michael out the door. Maria was left alone in the break room, so she was able to use the phone with no interruptions. She tried Tess's cell phone several times but it was useless. Maria was about to either scream at the top of her lungs or crumple to her knees and cry. However before she did any of those Isabel came storming in followed by Liz.

"Did you have another vision?" Liz questioned at Isabel's heels.

"Give me your keys," Isabel demanded from Maria.

Maria shook her head, "No way, you're not going anywhere by yourself."

"Then drive me," Isabel compromised besides she might need the extra manpower.

"Where?" she asked fishing for her keys out of her pocket.

Isabel stated the obvious, "To look for Tess. I saw a sign 'RED'S'."

"There's no 'RED'S' in Roswell," Liz said.

"I know Tess isn't your favorite person," Isabel told her. "We've all treated her pretty badly. I'm not proud of the way I've acted."

Liz shrugged her shoulders, "No offense, Maria I know she's your sister but I don't trust her."

"Then trust me," Isabel pleaded.

"OK, I think I know where it is," Maria pointed to her head. "Photographic memory. Let's go."

Liz stopped them, "No, Max said not to leave."

"Max isn't here," Isabel pointed out.

Liz gave in, "OK. Fine, I'll go with you."

Isabel shook her head, "No. No. You have to cover for me."

"What am I going to say to everyone?" Liz looked completely lost.

Isabel and Maria were headed out the door, "I don't know make something up!"

* * * Maria knew this highway really well, because it was the same one she traveled with Nasedo and Tess on their way to Roswell. She remembered staring out the window the entire time and that's why she remembered the sign.

"There's your RED'S," Maria said as she parked next to a sign that read FRED'S, but the F was no longer lit up.

Isabel recognized it from her vision, "That's it."

"Oh my God!" Maria quickly scrambled out of the car. "Tess!" Maria spotted Tess's white SUV only it was completely totaled. "Tess!"

Isabel caught up with her, "It's empty Maria, she's not here."

"Maybe she was thrown out of the car," Maria frantically began looking around.

"I don't think so," Isabel didn't see her anywhere.

"Um," Maria tried to hold it together. "Maybe the paramedics already came."

"No," Isabel went back to the SUV and found a piece of skin. She picked it up and it disintegrated in her hand. "No, she was taken."

"How can you be sure?" Maria felt like crying.

Isabel began to explain; "I see some tracks. Two sets of tires, see?" Isabel pointed to marks on the dirt. "But look here. They swerve near Tess's car…then go out in that direction."

"Straight into nowhere," Maria took a deep breath. "And that's where we are going."

Maria and Isabel went back to the Explorer and followed the tire tracks to Chavez County Electric Power Facility. Maria tried to get a hold of Michael or Max on her cell phone, "Ahh! I can't get a signal this far out."

"She's in there," Isabel announced.

"How do you know that?" Maria asked.

Isabel replied, "I can feel it."

"I think we should get Max and Michael, we might need more fire power," Maria didn't know what they were getting themselves into.

"Then go get them," Isabel wasn't leaving.

"No, no, no," Maria shook her head. "You're not going in there by yourself."

Isabel stood her ground, "I have to."

"No, I'm not gonna leave you," Maria wasn't going to jeopardize the life of another member of the Royal Four. "I'm not gonna leave you. Tess is my sister but I'm your protector and I can't let you do this."

Isabel could see that Maria was torn between decisions, "Look, go get Max and Michael, all right? Just go, but I can't wait. I have to go in."

"All right," Maria decided. "Here, take the flashlight and I'll come back as soon as I can."

"OK," Isabel took the flashlight from her hand.

Maria said one last thing, "Isabel, please be careful."

* * * Michael had the easy task of breaking into Congresswoman Whitaker's office and trying to find any dirt on her. He didn't know what to expect, but he definitely wasn't expecting a whole file on Courtney the waitress from the Crashdown. He was almost caught by Whitaker, but he managed to escape without being seen. On his way to the back door of the café he spotted Courtney lighting up a cigarette. Michael walked up to her and pulled the cigarette out of her mouth.

"Worried about my health?" Courtney reacted. Michael demanded, "Who are you?"

"What?" Courtney acted like she didn't know what he was talking about.

"You know what I'm talking about," Michael pressed on.

Courtney grew angry, "Are you, like, high or something?" Michael shoved Courtney a picture of herself that he found in Whitaker's office. "Where'd you get that?"

"From your file in Whitaker's office," Michael sneered.

"Get out of my face," Courtney tried to get away from him.

Michael grabbed her roughly by the arm, "You're gonna tell me exactly what's going on."

"No," Courtney resisted. "I don't have to tell you anything."

Michael interrogated her, "So, you working with her? You spying on us? Is that what you're doing?"

"You're a big man, aren't you?" Courtney wanted to show him that she wasn't intimidated.

"Don't jerk me around," Michael sneered again. "If you're not working with Whitaker, then why does she have photos of you…documents, huh? Why is she watching you? Why is a Congresswoman interested in a waitress from Roswell?"

Courtney confessed, "Because I was sleeping with her stepson, that's why!"

"Stepson," Michael was now confused.

"That's right. He screwed his life up with drugs, and I screwed my life up with him," Courtney didn't intend on blurting all of this out to Michael. "When we got busted, do you know who went down for that? I spent two years in Buckman, and the only reason why I got out of there is because I promised that bitch that I would never see him again. So I guess that she's just making sure I keep that promise."

Courtney apparently poured her heart out and all Michael could say was, "All right, thanks."

"Thanks?" Courtney wanted an apology but Michael was beginning to walk away. Out of anger Courtney slapped him across the face. "Jerk!"

Michael grabbed her by the shoulders just as Maria pulled up in her Explorer. Michael met her gaze and saw a glint of hurt in her eyes. "Michael, we got to go! Isabel's in trouble!"

Michael let his grasp on Courtney go as he retreated to the car. "I can explain," Michael said to her as she pulled out of the alley leaving Courtney all alone.

Maria kept on driving, "Now is not the time. Save Tess and Isabel first. Talk later." She used one hand to toss him her cell phone. "Call Valenti. Get him and Max to meet us at Chavez County Electric Power Facility." Maria pushed down the gas pedal harder so they could hurry to Tess and Isabel. They arrived the same time as Max and Valenti, so the four of them rushed in to find Tess and Isabel.

They found them in the power plant where shedded skin was floating in the air. Isabel was standing in the center with Tess lying at her feet.

Maria ran to her sister, "Tess!" Her sister looked almost lifeless lying there. "I'm so sorry Tessie." Maria let it all go and began to cry as she took one of Tess's hands. "This is all my fault."

Maria felt her hand being squeezed and she found that Tess had her eyes open. "It's not your fault," Tess managed to say in a weak voice.

Sheriff Valenti approached the two girls and he gently gathered Tess in his arms. Maria felt Michael's warm hand on her shoulder she looked over at him but they both said nothing.

"What happened?" Max was the first to question the situation.

Isabel looked even more disheveled with her messy hair and torn dress, "It was Whitaker, she killed Nasedo."

Everyone became aware that it was Isabel who stopped and killed Whitaker before she could kill them. "It's OK," Max tried to reassure her.

Isabel wasn't convinced, "No, it's not. It's not OK."

Max wanted to make his sister feel better, "I guess you were right about Grant. I'm gonna have to trust your instincts."

"I didn't know I was capable of this," Isabel was extremely shakened up.

Max told her, "You're getting stronger."

"We all are," Isabel said. "Nasedo said we would.

"It shouldn't be left on one person. We have to protect each other. What you did for Tess, I know you would do for me, and I would do for you. No one can come between us," they all heard Max tell Isabel.

Maria followed Sheriff Valenti as he placed Tess in the backseat of his suburban; "I'll take her you make sure everyone gets home safely."

Maria waited as Max healed Tess's physical injuries, but Maria knew that she was drained emotionally. Maria dropped Max and Isabel off at their house and Maria could tell that Isabel wanted to be alone. Hopefully Max would be able to come up with a good lie on why they never made it back to the party.

Michael was the last one to be dropped off. "Do you want to come inside?" he asked softly.

Maria shook her head; "I should really get back to Tess. She needs me."

"I don't want you blaming yourself for this because it's not your fault," Michael told her in a serious tone.

Maria looked away, "I can't help the way I feel."

"Look, I know this may not be the right time to tell you," Michael continued. "But this whole Courtney situation."

Maria silenced him by grabbing his face and pressing her lips against his, "I trust you completely Michael."

Michael was relieved to hear her say that. "I'll tell you everything."

"Tomorrow, it can wait until tomorrow," Maria told him in a tired voice.