Luckily she wouldn't have to do that again today. Today they would be 'settled in' as the others liked to call it. Yea right. But Maria rarely had any input, even though her title gave her much authority. She was looked down upon as a little girl, with to much power for her own good. And who got what she wanted without doing a thing. That was hardly the case. Maria gave up a normal childhood without any choice, and was forced to live over six months befriending these three aliens, knowing that they would be taken in at some point. She gave up a lot. Maria entered a familiar room, that had two guards on either side. They did not move to stop her.

"Did you visit each one?"

"Yes," Maria said as she took a seat on the bed. They weren't very comfortable. She had found that out through experience as a little girl. This was her mother's quarters. But hers differed little. The people in this facility wouldn't take well to any of her attempts to brighten up the place. They would most likely suspect her. Everyone around here was paranoid.

"And?" Amy DeLuca asked her daughter as she turned in her desk chair to face Maria.

"I don't know. Isabelle said I was a traitor and called me a bitch, but I didn't say to much to her. She seemed to hate me on her own. I scared the hell out of Max. He told me I couldn't get away with this. So I made references to being experimented on, and told him everything he feared had come true. Michael was shocked at first, but overcame the initial fear and became angry with me. So I-" Maria started to explain her and Michael's conversation but was cut off by her mother.

"No need to explain. I saw the whole thing on the monitors. I must admit, you did use your knowledge of how they felt, and their beliefs, very well. No one else would have had the ability to do that." Amy stood up from her chair and sat on the bed next to Maria, lowering her voice. "Although I would advise you to control your initial reactions, regarding some of the aliens."

Maria nodded. She knew what her mother was talking about. Had it been that obvious? Maria stood up, "It won't happen again."

Amy smiled and stood up in front of her daughter. "I know it won't." She responded then looked at the clock on her wall. "I think you should go home now. Most likely the disappearance of the three of them has been brought to the attention of others. And your disappearance will only add to any suspicions they have."

Maria nodded and left the room. Now she had to lie to Liz. She had to watch as her best friend broke down, and at the same time she knew what was going on with the three of them. If Liz knew what was going on right now she would have a fit. Maria's only comfort was now, for this part she could cry. Because she so needed it right now. Even if it wasn't for the same reason Liz was.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Maria wasn't sure whether to be relieved of scared at Liz's seclusion. This way she wouldn't have to face Liz, and feel all the guilt that was building up. But at the same time she was worried for her. But Maria had to push that out of her mind. Liz was safe. Even if she was hurting. Her priorities right now were not Liz's feelings. It was taking control of this situation. And getting what she wanted done, accomplished.

Maria walked to her room at a quickened pace. She had slept late. But sitting through hours of the sheriff's questions would cause anyone to be tired. She went through her usual daily tasks, of changing clothes, applying the right amount of make-up, and pulling her hair back neatly. Maria pulled on the white labcoat, then clipped her nametag on. Then she stood in front of the mirror for the longest time, despising the image in front of her, hating herself, and what she had become. But she had always been that. Just when she had been friends with them it hadn't been evident. Now she had to use that side of her. The side built into her by her parents.

Maria's heels clicked on the clean tiled halls, and echoed off the walls. She hated that. She almost felt like she was the death march. She entered the meeting room, with all of the doctors, and guards in charge of security, and she cringed. Her mother was not here.

"Ms. DeLuca, your mother was called away in the middle of the night. You will be in charge of this meeting." Someone told her. She didn't even know who they were.

Maria nodded stiffly, and took the seat that usually belonged to her mother.

"How did everything go last night?"

Dr. Bernard answered. He after all oversaw everything that went on with the three aliens. "Although it took longer then we expected the sedative that they were given did finally take affect. After, they where scrubbed to remove anything unnatural from their bodies that they had been exposed to outside of this facility. We took skin samples, and blood samples, but have yet to receive any of the results."

"Are those the only experiments that you have done since they have been brought in?" Maria asked him. She did not want anything going on without her knowing.

"Yes, Ma'am." Dr. Bernard forced out.

Maria glared at him for a moment. She did not like him, or trust him. She of course trusted no one there. But he deserved her suspicions. And he seemed to have his own agenda. As did she. Meaning they would conflict sooner or later.

"Have they been prepared for what is to take place today?"

"That is taking place right now, Ms. DeLuca." One of the doctors responded.

This one seemed a little high strung. Worried of failure. Good.

Maria sighed and looked at Dr. Bernard. He made no move to speak. "Dr. Bernard, where is the list? If you want to find out anything about these aliens, you need my signature. Or else you'll be sitting at your neat little desk watching them on monitors."

Dr. Bernard glared at the young girl hatefully, but slid a clipboard over the table with ease.

Maria grabbed the clipboard, and began to review what was to take place that day. It was exactly what her mother had said. And she felt disgusted.

Ligament structure. She didn't want to imagine what they did to look at that.

Her eyes began to water and she felt herself began to shiver. Her vision became blurry, and she immediately reached for a pen and signed on the bottom line, next to the one that Dr. Bernard had signed. She unclipped the paper and tore off the top copy and handed it to him. "Everyone is dismissed." Maria said, her voice strained, but stern.

They all filed out of the room quietly, and she continued to keep her face down. Once the last one had left the room she let out a shuddering sigh. She hated herself so much. Even if everything did go right, there was no way they would ever forgive her. She could have easily just told them what was to happen. But would they have gotten far? Most likely not.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maria walked slowly down the halls, with the signed copy at her side. She now had to go to the file room, to leave one copy there. But she kept one for herself. She would never forgive herself.

Now they would be experimented on, cut open, for the barbarians of science. Her only comfort was that they would feel none of it, and would be passed out.