SCENE 1

Max got up late the next morning. He had struggled to fall asleep. The images that he had seen were just too real. The feelings that he had felt were too vivid to just simply block out. He had had visions before, and was always amazed by their power to control. He had tremendous difficulty staying away from Tess when they first met. Her trickery had completely sucked him in, to the point that he didn’t even trust himself anymore.

With Liz, it had been different though. The visions helped to make them even closer, cement their bond. They had been the sign that he had been waiting for his whole life. The sign that Liz was truly meant to be with him, and he with her. But now, he was confused. He didn’t want to be. He wanted to be with Liz more than anything. He wished he could ignore the conflicting message he was getting. But to deny them was to deny who he was. It was like he was split in two. The human side was fated to Liz. The alien side was fated to Tess. He wanted to be human now more than anything in the world.

Last night, he convinced himself that somehow Tess was up to her old tricks again, playing with his mind. But Tess didn’t know anything about their home planet that Nasedo hadn’t told her, and that was fairly obvious by now to be relatively little. Today, he would have to face each one of them again, and tomorrow, and the next day, and the one after that. How could he live with himself? It was a terrible spot to be in. He was used to having all the answers, or at least an answer to every question. What about now? There was no answer. Even Liz had realized that they couldn’t be together. He knew that Tess thought about little else. He thought about what it must be like for her. Knowing your whole life that you’re destined for some one, collecting thousands of photographs, waiting your whole life to meet him, and then find him with another. The whole scenario was weird.

But then he thought about Liz. She was the one he had wanted to be with for his whole life. Pining from afar, thinking about her every day. The irony of that was not very comforting for him. Since that day at the Crashdown, the bond that he and Liz had shared had grown more immeasurably than he had ever though possible. The one who he had thought he could never have suddenly became the only one. He had never been happier. He wished he could live in any one of those moments, the moments that he and Liz had shared together. He wished he could live in those moments forever.

He was finally able to get out of bed, having wallowed in his misery long enough. He had to go to work, had to confront Javier. What had happened to his life?

He went downstairs to grab some breakfast, and as he was eating, there was a knock at the door. Isabel was already out and about for the day, and his parents were nowhere to be found. He went to answer it.

MAX: Hey.

TESS: Hi Max.

MAX: I thought we were all going to meet at the Center later.

TESS: Yes, I know. But I thought we needed to talk.

MAX: What about?

TESS: About what happened yesterday?

MAX: I thought we discussed that. Nothing happened. We got the book back. What more is there to say?

TESS: I want to know where you went while we were in there. And don’t give me that story about it being nothing. You had a vision, didn’t you?

MAX: It was nothing.

TESS: No it wasn’t. You wouldn’t be like this if it was nothing. Tell me, Max. What was it?

MAX: I saw some things. Some things back on our planet.

TESS: Like what?

MAX: An invasion. We couldn’t stop them.

TESS: We?

MAX: Yeah (a long pause) you and me.

TESS: I knew it. I knew that you would start to see things the way they should be.

MAX: It means nothing.

TESS: But that’s just it. It means everything. You and me…it’s meant to be. That’s what your mother said, that’s what the book said. It’s a chronicle foretold, Max. It’s the story of our people and the story of their salvation; it’s the story of us, you and I, Michael and Isabel, and our people.

MAX: Just because of what we may have been in a past life doesn’t mean anything. I’m meant to be with Liz.

TESS: But, Max, if you and Liz were truly meant to be, why aren’t you together any more?

MAX: We just took a step back. There’s a lot going on.

TESS: Yeah…she left you at the cave, and walked away. That’s a lot more than a step back. She knows just as well as I do what has to be.

MAX: I don’t want to be with you. You have to know that I’m sincere when I say that.

Tess reached over and put herself into Max’s arms.

TESS: I know that you may not be ready today. But I know in my heart what is true…and this is true.

She went up to kiss him, and their lips touched briefly. But Max pulled away.

MAX: No…we can’t do this. It can’t be.

Tess pulled back to the other side of the table. Max took that opportunity to change the subject.

MAX: Come on…we have to get to the Center. Stop by your house on the way. Make sure he doesn’t stop there. We’ll see you there in an hour.

Tess gave him a soulful look, and then decided to listen to him. There would be plenty of time to convince him of their destiny. But the Javier matter needed her immediate attention. She left, watching him as she left the house.

Max watched her go. He wouldn’t admit it to another living soul, but he felt for the first time, really felt, that she might just be right.

SCENE 2

Javier had spent the night in the desert again. He had left the cave after about an hour, completely exhausted and distraught. He hadn’t driven five miles before he had to stop and sleep. He had spent many nights in his life like this, and hoped that this would be his last. But he was losing his faith, and he was scared. He had heard nothing from his people. Nothing. His cover was completely blown. It was only a matter of time before Max and the others would catch up to him. They already knew who he was, and they were probably just trying to figure out a way to kill him. He just wanted to be somewhere else, anywhere else.

He had thought that if he kept trying to contact his people, that they would come for him, send someone. He had completed his mission, led them right to them. He had contacted them, or so he thought. They would have to do something anyway, wouldn’t they? They had to eliminate the threat that the four others posed. What were they waiting for? Even a small force would be enough. Any force much bigger than one man would have a chance. But just him? He had no chance, not anymore. Then he could leave this place.

Maybe they don’t exist anymore, he thought. Maybe that was why no one was coming, because no one was listening. The enemy could have risen up against his people, drove them out. He would have no way of knowing. That left him more helpless, knowing that there was no way out.

Besides, he had read that book. If what was in there was correct, his entire life would be for nothing. Everything he believed in, a lie. His people, brutally oppressing another? As a child, it seemed like an impossible scenario. All of his years on Earth, and he had never once questioned it. But now…

He had to get out of Roswell. If necessary, he had to get out the country. Somewhere where he could never be found by anyone, and he had to do it quickly. If his people were still out there, let them finish the job; leave him out of it. If they wouldn’t bring him home, he would have to find a new one. He turned the key in his car, and went back to town. He had to pick up the book and some other things from his house, and then he had to drive as far away as he could.

SCENE 3

Max left and went to work. He needed to make sure he was there before Javier was. He arrived a few minutes early, about 11:30, and not seeing him, tried to go about his normal business. The rest of the group, except for Tess, showed up relatively soon after him, hanging out in somewhat of an obvious mass right in the middle of the exhibition floor. Everyone was nervous.

MICHAEL: OK…we have to be ready for anything? Max, is there somewhere else we can take this where all of these people aren’t around?

MAX: We’ll take him outside, in the back.

MARIA: What are you going to say to him?

MAX: We’re going to drop the charade…ask for the orbs back. Then…

LIZ: Then what…? You don’t have any idea, do you?

MAX: Well, I was going to hope that something would work its way out.

MICHAEL: We’ll see what he does, that we’ll do something.

ISABEL: We need to know what he knows. Prepare ourselves, somehow.

ALEX: I only hope that you can get it out of them. Remember, Isabel, I’m right here behind you.

ISABEL: (to Alex) I know.

MARIA: And so are we.

The group waited a few tense minutes. By 12:10, it was fairly obvious that Javier wasn’t going to show. Just then, Isabel’s cell phone rang.

ISABEL: Hello.

TESS: Isabel…he’s here. He just pulled in the driveway. It looks like he’s throwing stuff into his car. I think he’s going to leave. We better stop him now.

ISABEL: OK…we’ll be right there…make sure he goes nowhere.

She hung up.

ISABEL: That was Tess. He’s there. Let’s go. There isn’t much time.

The group ran out of the Center, with Max trying to avoid being seen by Milton in the office.

SCENE 4

The group, caravanning as usual, drove at breakneck speed for Javier’s. They made it in about 10 minutes flat, Isabel breaking several traffic laws and Maria struggling to keep up. They met Tess at the front walk, and made their way to the door.

TESS: He’s inside.

MAX: OK…everyone ready?

Max knocked on the door. He thought, why not? After about a few seconds, Javier was opening the door with a box in his hand.

JAVIER: Max…hi…to what do I owe this pleasure?

Javier was trying to play it cool until the end. If he could just get out of this one, he was home free.

MAX: Javier, we need to talk. Can we come in?

JAVIER: Oh…it’s the whole crowd. Uh…ok.

This wasn’t starting out well. Javier scanned for a way out. There wasn’t any. Everyone came in, and stood in the empty great room. Javier’s house was designed just like Tess’s, and so the middle room of the house had high ceilings and hardwood floors.

JAVIER: So what’s so important?

MAX: You took something that belonged to me…to all of us.

JAVIER: What are you talking about?

MAX: The orbs, Javier. You know exactly what I’m talking about.

JAVIER: They’re no good anyway, you know. I couldn’t get them to work.

Javier had no choice. He had to start telling the truth. Maybe he could beg for forgiveness or something. He had to think of something.

MAX: Why did you take them?

JAVIER: I needed them. I just want to go home.

MAX: Where is that? I thought you told me you were from New York. Those orbs aren’t going to help you get there.

JAVIER: I’m not from New York.

MICHAEL: Yeah, we figured that out.

Max, Michael, and the rest looked shocked. Javier was actually scared, or at least he was making them think he was.

JAVIER: Let me explain. I was sent here. We got the signal. I was told to find out where it came from.

ISABEL: And so you came here…?

JAVIER: Yes…it was easy to find.

MAX: So how did you get in…to the cave?

JAVIER: One of the devices I had. It just opened the door.

MICHAEL: OK…tell us everything you know. Who are you working for?

JAVIER: I was sent here…fifty years ago.

ISABEL: Right after the ship crashed…

MICHAEL: How many more of you are there?

JAVIER: Honestly, I don’t know. I don’t know anything anymore. I was supposed to go home, but I’m stuck here…just like you.

MAX: What do you know?

JAVIER: They sent me to find you. They needed to know where or what you were before they could send in others.

ALEX: 50 years ago…

JAVIER: Yeah…as soon as they left…who are you?

ALEX: Someone who doesn’t want to see these four harmed.

MAX: And now that you’ve found us?

JAVIER: I was supposed to be sent for…teleported home. I wasn’t sent here to hurt you, I promise you that.

TESS: Yeah, but others will come.

JAVIER: Yes. They will.

MICHAEL: So what are you going to do now?

JAVIER: Well, they betrayed me.

ISABEL: Who?

JAVIER: Who do you think? My people. They were supposed to come for me, and I’m still here. I was trying to get away, leave town.

MAX: And go where?

JAVIER: Anywhere where you or anyone else couldn’t find me.

MAX: Well…we need some information. If you help us, we’ll let you disappear.

JAVIER: Anything…

MAX: Well for starters…we need to know everything you know about your people. What strengths do they have, what weaknesses…anything you might know on what they might do next. We need to know what we’re up against.

Michael pulled Max aside.

MICHAEL: You’re actually thinking about letting him go?

MAX: What choice do we have? He’s obviously scared out of his mind. He’ s not an invasion force. We can use him, get some information. He can’t hurt us.

MICHAEL: Who’s to say that he isn’t acting now? There could be a whole force just nearby. He could have some secret power that he can call on that would kill us all. He could do or be anything. He’s only showing us what he wants us to see. Remember that.

MAX: Let’s give this a try. We don’t have to let him do anything.

MICHAEL: I hope you’re right, Maxwell, I hope you’re right.

MAX: So Javier, what’s it going to be?

JAVIER: Where should I start?

MAX: Anywhere…we have all the time in the world.

JAVIER: Well… My people are called the…

As he started to say the word, he simply vanished. Popped out of existence, like he wasn’t even there.

MICHAEL: Where did he go?

LIZ: Oh my god…Max, where is he?