Max had dropped Tess off at her house. She wanted to stay at Chez Evans, but Max was very clear that it wasn’t going to happen. Michael asked if he could stay on his floor though, and he said sure. He just needed to pick up a few things from his apartment. While they were at Michael’s, he called Valenti. He wasn’t there or wasn’t answering, so he left a message (at his office) basically saying that what they spoke about was going to happen at 12:00 tomorrow, and that they needed him to be there. He didn’t want to take any chances with Kyle overhearing an answering machine message. He wanted to be the one to break it to him. As soon as he woke up and saw the handprints, he was going to need some questions answered. He just hoped that they could all make it to lunch. By the time that they had gotten home, both of their parents were asleep, passed out on the couch and the recliner waiting for them. They tiptoed upstairs and went to bed. Max thought that this last few days was pretty much the longest of his life. No one could have disagreed with him.

The next morning, Max rose early. He hadn’t been able to sleep very much. So much to do, so much on his mind. He hadn’t gotten much of an opportunity to think about the events of the last few weeks. Things had moved pretty fast, and he had had to react to events instead of plan responses. The meeting last night had been an aberration. He was surprised that he was ready to go to school and something else hadn’t popped up to deal with. Well…there was still school. Eventually Liz had to talk to him again. Finals were coming up. The summer beckoned. His parents always had summer family trips in mind. He thought he was getting a little old for a long family car trip, but after this year, he might even be looking forward to it. Although he hadn’t heard anything from his parents, about much of anything. He suddenly realized that it had been weeks since they had a conversation longer than 30 seconds. How long could he keep this up? Any of them? Could he continue leading the double life, or would he have to choose? It was this choice that he didn’t want to make. He just wanted to be a normal kid; had always wanted that, even after the events of the past school year. But the mission they were on, the four of them; it was important, more important than anything. That didn’t mean he wanted his life to change. But he didn’t have any choice now. The choice had been made for them.

There might only be a few weeks left, Max thought. A few weeks before the next big thing, the start of the next iteration. He couldn’t get Nasedo’s words out of his mind for a second, about the consequences of playing that message. What did he mean? Would others be after them, even more powerful then the FBI Special Unit? That much seemed obvious, but when? And how long would Nasedo be able to be Pierce before he was discovered? It was at best a temporary solution, and he knew it. Liz might be right. His destiny could lie outside of Roswell, no scratch that did lie outside of Roswell. He wanted so badly to make her a part of that, if only for his own sanity. But she knew…when she was faced with it, she knew. He was never going to get her back. Max refused to believe the thought that entered his head. He had to find a way to convince her that their destinies were together, no matter of the empirical evidence to the contrary. That was his curse.

A quick tap on the shoulder snapped him out of his thoughts. Isabel.

ISABEL: Time for school…we’ve got to get going.

MAX: Uh…yeah.

They hurried out, saying a quick goodbye to their mother, who was busy with the dishes. They got into the Jeep and started the short drive to West Roswell High.

ISABEL: You’ve been so quiet. We haven’t really had a chance to talk since…

MAX: I know. I’ve been…sorting some things out.

ISABEL: Any progress?

MAX: I really don’t want to talk about it, OK.

ISABEL: We have to talk about it. Our futures depend on what we do next.

MAX: Well…we’re talking to Kyle today.

ISABEL: I don’t mean that, you know that.

MAX: What about you? What do you want?

ISABEL: I don’t know. I mean, Max, our mother spoke to us. We have to do whatever we can, as soon as we can.

MAX: But what? We’re fighting against ghosts, Isabel. It could be anyone, at any time. How can we prepare for that?

ISABEL: We just have to prepare, that’s all. Organize a plan of attack. But there are just so many questions. I wish we could just stop everything and get some one who can tell us the complete story.

MAX: We haven’t been that fortunate, and I doubt it’s going to get any easier.

ISABEL: (pauses) So…what about the dance this Friday? I know that you and Liz were going to go. You can actually get a chance to see Alex and Maria’s band without being under the influence.

MAX: Very funny. I think I am going to just stay home though. Or work.

ISABEL: You can’t do that. I need someone to go with me.

MAX: Someone who’s not Alex?

ISABEL: Yeah, you might say that. I mean, I want to go, and I want to go with him. But, we decided not to be together right now.

Her refusal to close that door spoke volumes. Max wondered if she really was starting to understand how important Liz was to him by her experience with Alex. Though she would never admit it to him, even if she was.

ISABEL: It might get…you know…uncomfortable.

MAX: Yeah. (pauses) So you are still going to go?

ISABEL: I just have to have a chat with Alex…lay out the ground rules. Maybe I’ll be able to just watch him on stage and be conveniently absent when the other bands are on.

MAX: You know he’ll find you. He’s good at that. Even if he doesn’t really want to.

ISABEL: I know. But I don’t know what else to do.

And with that, they lapsed back into silence. They had gotten to the light right before the entrance to the school parking lot when they realized that Kyle’s car was right behind them.

ISABEL: Maybe he won’t see us.

MAX: We’re in an open-topped Jeep. Of course he’s going to see us.

But he didn’t seem to, and if he was, he was ignoring them as he made the turn following them into the school parking lot, and found a parking spot right near the entrance of the lot. Max and Isabel parked closer to the other end. Max turned to get out of the Jeep, and he found Kyle, with a smug expression standing right in front of him, blocking his exit from the driver’s door.

KYLE: I need to talk to you. Now.

MAX: I have to go to class. Can’t this wait until later?

KYLE: I know your little secret.

Max stopped in his tracks. He was so focused with figuring out the proper way of telling him that he had given no thought to the concept that he already knew.

ISABEL: What secret?

Just like Isabel. Quick and sly to the end.

KYLE: What you did to me yesterday. The same thing you did to Liz that day at the Crashdown. Where you, Michael, and Isabel here really come from.

MAX: How did you find out?

KYLE: What, you think I’m stupid? That I can’t put two and two together. I woke up this morning, and suddenly it all made sense. Everything that you had been doing, all year. The visit to my house yesterday morning, all of it. And then my father. He went missing, and you were involved. You were involved in everything, and you tried to cover it up. Anything to trick Kyle. You took Liz from me, and now you have my father protecting you. Lying for you. Lying to me. But not anymore. I know now. I always knew that you were an odd boy, Max Evans, and now I know why.

With that, Kyle stomped off. After a long pause, which seemed like days, but probably lasted for no more than ten seconds, Isabel recovered.

ISABEL: You’d think he’d be more friendly and understanding. After all, you did take a bullet out of him.

MAX: I don’t even know if he realizes that…I mean really gets it. Remember, even Liz was frightened when she first found out. But we have to do something. This could be very bad.

ISABEL: No telling what he might do today. We have to get him under control.

MAX: But how? What should we do?

ISABEL: You’d think this get easier. After all, we have had to trust so many more people since the beginning of this year. We should write a handbook or something.

This was starting to get out of hand. Starting…Max thought. It had been out of hand for a very long time. Maybe they should just call a school assembly. Get the whole hidden thing over with. Maybe they should get the hell out of Roswell. But he knew that they couldn’t do any of those things. They had to get this under control. Prevail on Kyle to see things their way, and they would save themselves in the process. Here we go again, he thought.

MAX: We have to talk to Kyle as soon as possible. (a beat) Let’s get to class…we’re late enough as it is.

Max and Isabel got out of the car, and they saw something that made them even more nervous. Tess. Sitting with Kyle at one of the outside tables. They couldn’t hear what they were saying, but it made both of them very nervous. Isabel moved toward them, but Max stopped her.

MAX: She can’t make it any worse.

ISABEL: Somehow that doesn’t make me feel any better.

They headed inside. Hopefully, Tess hadn’t seen them. Somehow I doubt that, Max thought.

TESS: Kyle…Kyle…what’s wrong with you?

KYLE: Look…I really don’t want to talk about it right now.

TESS: What could be so bad that you are missing first period for?

KYLE: (a slight smile) Just about anything.

Tess smiled a little at that. She wasn’t sure what to make of Kyle anyway. She had been walking toward her class when Kyle came practically running at her in the opposite direction. Kyle seemed to be a bit of a pig, but she had led him on during that whole library ‘date’ thing. Damn this human compassion, she thought. Nasedo had no console for anyone human. They were unimportant. All that was important to him was the four of them. That was his mission, and he would give all he had to prevent them from failing theirs, even if he had an unusual way of doing it. But she lately found herself actually caring about others, even someone like Kyle. Maybe it was all of this exposure to Max, Isabel, and Michael, who would stop at nothing to act human, because that was all they knew. But Kyle was clearly upset, and she just couldn’t let him storm off. Especially after yesterday. He could jeopardize everything and he didn’t even know it.

TESS: Let’s sit down. Now what’s going on?

KYLE: You were there…you tell me.

TESS: What do you mean?

Kyle thought about it. He didn’t really want to talk to anyone, especially her, after she had ended their date and split without a second thought. But with her showing up with the others yesterday when he…he didn’t know what happened, but he knew that she was somehow involved in all of this. Maybe he could talk to her and get some answers. That’s what he needed now. He blew it with Max this morning, lost his cool. He was always doing it, but he liked to think that it was justified now.

KYLE: Yesterday at the UFO center. I was shot, remember.

TESS: Well…yeah. How are you?

A dumb thing to say, but what else was there?

KYLE: I feel fine, except for these handprints on my stomach.

TESS: Handprints?

KYLE: Don’t play dumb. I know you’re in on it too.

TESS: What?

KYLE: Max, Michael, Isabel…otherworldly powers, killing Deputy Fisher, working with my father. You know…all in a day’s work.

So he did know. Unexpected, but not completely surprising. She hadn’t taken Kyle for being too swift, but with all of the evidence and the sneaking around, it would not be hard to start to catch on.

TESS: How did you find out?

KYLE: So you do admit it. That’s actually somewhat of a relief. Maybe you’ ll answer some of my questions. For starters, who are you, really?

TESS: Tess Harding, sophomore. I’m in your Math class.

KYLE: Nice try.

TESS: What did you think? That I was going to morph into a green slimy monster.

This took Kyle aback a bit. He had no clue what was going to happen, about any of this.

TESS: No. Sorry to disappoint you. The four of us are what you see. We are just starting to understand who we are ourselves. We aren’t going to hurt you, if that’s what you’re thinking.

KYLE: (pausing) I don’t know what to think anymore.

TESS: We need your help, all of us. We have to count on you now…to trust you. We need to keep this as quiet as we can. It’s as important as anything can be.

KYLE: Why did it take you so long to tell me this? To trust me. I have spent this whole year one step behind the rest of them, and they have cast me aside again and again. A year ago, I wanted nothing more than to be with Liz, enjoy being in high school, and lead a normal life. Now…this brings all of that into so much focus. I can’t believe I was so stupid not to see it.

TESS: Would you have believed it if they had told you before?

KYLE: I don’t think so. But I could have been given a chance. No one even cared about poor old Kyle. I had to confront my father this morning, practically beg him to talk. I mean, my own father. I mean, my grandfather went away for believing stuff like this. It’s a lot to take in.

Kyle couldn’t believe he was talking like this. Opening up this much to a girl that was basically a stranger. No…make that really a stranger. But no one was talking to him, except for some reason, this strange alien girl that just got to school a month before. I must be nuts, he thought. It’s like a completely different world than just last week.

TESS: Well…we better get to class. Can’t draw too much more attention to any of this, can we? But, can we trust you?

KYLE: Well…yeah…I guess.

But he said it less than convincingly.

PART 2

Max got through his morning in one piece. Tess and Kyle, why were they speaking? Why did she even offer to talk to him last night? After seeing her with him today, he wasn’t sure anymore. He had thought it was simply because she wanted to show up the rest of them, or maybe, just maybe, try to earn some level of trust. But what was going on now? It was obviously that she had been using him to grab his and Liz’s attention. He was confused. Really confused. And that side thought had got him thinking about Liz again. He had made it a whole thirty seconds. Thankfully, they didn’t have the two classes that they had together, Chemistry and History, until the afternoon. He had spoken to Alex briefly before PE, but hadn’t told him about what had happened that morning. Hopefully they could get to Kyle and talk some sense into him as planned anyway. How did he figure it out, anyway? Granted, it’s not like he didn’t have a reason to be suspicious, but making the alien leap was another matter entirely. What got him to that point? Hopefully he would find out the answer then.

Isabel settled into her English class, the last period before lunch. Just as the bell rung, Alex ran in, just beating the teacher to his seat. Basically, the class actually went by kind of fast, which was surprising. After it was over, Isabel went to go get some lunch, with Alex right behind her.

ALEX: So?

ISABEL: So what?

ALEX: You said you were going to talk to me after English class…or at least it was someone who looked like you.

ISABEL: (cracking a smile) Yeah…ok…I am still going to the dance.

ALEX: Cool…we’re a good band. It was too bad you missed us the last time we played.

ISABEL: Just try not to embarrass yourself too much now.

ALEX: Oooh…that hurt. Anyway, we have to get to the band room. Let me just grab my lunch out of my locker.

ISABEL: Alex…

But he was already gone. Oh well, no matter. At least she and Alex could still talk. She would miss that the most if circumstances changed any further. She got to the band room and walked in. She didn’t know what was going on, but she was going to find out, she guessed.

Liz and Maria were there, chatting away. Liz looked OK. She was probably just putting on a brave front for public consumption, Isabel thought, but she looked like nothing had happened. But then again, Max wasn’t there yet. Alex was only a few steps behind Isabel, and Michael sauntered in just about a half a minute later. No one was talking. It was really creepy. The silence lasted for about a minute when Alex tried to lighten the mood a little.

ALEX: So, how is everyone today?

MARIA: Oh…just hunky dory…I got yelled at in Math class for not turning in my assignment, which I had no time to do, and then got smacked with more work from Mrs. Jamison because of it. You know, school is hitting me with a strong, strong thud.

Max had study hall the last class before lunch, and it was a good thing, because it gave him time to take care of something important. He had decided to sneak off campus and go see Valenti. He needed some answers. Kyle’s tirade this morning made it critical that he find out what the Sheriff had told his son to set him off. He had to have done something. When he got there, he was even more surprised to find Sheriff Valenti in another meeting. He had gotten the deputy to disturb him, and then was ushered in. He was surprised to find Tess and Kyle there. Well…he was going to get an explanation, at least he knew that.

KYLE: Max…nice to see you.

TESS: The Sheriff and I were just talking to Kyle, trying to get all of the facts on the table.

KYLE: Yeah…Tess is helping me straighten things out.

Now Max was really confused. Maybe Tess was doing a good thing here. Granted, she hadn’t listened to him, but Kyle seemed to be a lot calmer now.

SHERIFF: Hey Max, sorry about this… but I have to get back to work soon. We just got a call over the CB…looks like a small fire on the outskirts of town, near Route 285.

MAX: It’s OK. I’m sorry, Kyle, for all of this.

KYLE: No Max, I should apologize…after all I have you to thank for being able to walk around today anyway. My Dad and I had a little chat, and I am starting to understand all of this a little better. Tess was able to get through my thick skull as well.

Tess shot Max a look as he was saying this.

MAX: That’s good. (a beat) Well, we better get back to school. The others will be waiting for us.

Max wasn’t quite ready to thank Tess for her help on this one, but he did appreciate it. As the three of them left for their cars, he had to ask Tess why she felt compelled to talk to Kyle.

MAX: So…you and Kyle…what brought this on?

TESS: You needed my help. I tried to solve the problem. Don’t thank me all at once there, Max.

Tess had a very unique pacing to her voice, Max thought, different than anyone he had ever heard. It was one of the things that made her unique in his mind. Well…other then the destiny alien thing, that was. Wait, Max, there you go again. Squash it. She’s just getting into your head. Remember Liz, and what you really want.

PART 3

The three of them headed for their separate cars and started the drive back to the school. When they got there, they met up with the rest of the group in the band room. Max thought that the rest of the group probably would be doing everything short of playing charades waiting for them, but they were just really engaging in small talk.

MARIA: Max…where have you been?

Just then, Tess and Kyle came in.

MAX: It’s OK…we talked it out.

TESS: Yeah…everything’s going to be OK.

KYLE: I’m unhappy that all of you went to such lengths to keep this from me. But…I can see why you did it.

LIZ: I’m so sorry, Kyle.

KYLE: Yeah…whatever.

Kyle took off right after that, making up some excuse about being late for a meeting or something.

ALEX: Well, that was less than encouraging.

MAX: It’ll be OK. Don’t worry.

ALEX: Who’s worried? (A faux smile) With everything that’s been going on, why should I be worried?

Alex’s sarcasm notwithstanding, the others seemed to be OK with this latest development. All of them had been preparing for yet another all-out “tell me everything” type session, and when they didn’t have to go through with it it was a kind of relief.

MICHAEL: Well, I better get going…have to start studying sometime.

MARIA: You?

MICHAEL: Yeah, well…I need to keep a low profile.

Even Maria didn’t have a witty rejoinder for that one.

All of them slowly filed out and split up. All that is except for Max. He stopped Liz from leaving.

MAX: I need to talk to you.

LIZ: Yeah. We do need to talk.

MAX: About the dance on Friday night. We were going to go.

LIZ: I don’t think that’s such a good idea, Max.

MAX: Liz, please. We can’t be like this for the rest of time. I told you what I felt, and you know I meant it, and I know you feel the same way.

LIZ: Yeah, but Max…what about your destiny? I saw it, just like you did. Your whole life. Your future. I can’t be a part of that.

MAX: Don’t say that.

LIZ: But you know it’s true.

Max thought on this for a moment. He had run through this conversation a hundred times in the last few days, and Liz was right. But that didn’t matter. He had to say something, anything that could convince Liz otherwise.

MAX: I don’t care about that. I want to be with you. Even if I have to throw all of that away.

LIZ: I can’t ask you do to that. Not for me. It’s too important. A whole planet is counting on the four of you. Your planet.

Liz was truly devastated. Her feelings, which she had been able to restrain for all day, came back to her in a rush. She was fighting back tears as she spoke.

LIZ: And even if we try to leave our destinies behind, what about the next time? It’s going to happen, and I can’t keep living like that. I can’t. It’s way too hard.

With that, Liz turned to leave. She couldn’t even bear to look back at him anymore. Why did this have to happen to me she thought, like she had a million times before? Life would be so much easier had they never met, or especially if he hadn’t saved her life that day back in September.

MAX: You are my whole life, Liz. The only thing that matters. Please…please…I’m begging you…don’t do this.