After several attempts to reach Liz and Tess on their cell phones had failed, the group had split up and were now systematically searching the most logical places they might have taken Jennetta.

No one had been able to figure out why either Liz OR Tess would have taken off with the little girl.

And yet somehow they all knew that they had to find all three girls as soon as possible.

No one had dared voice the thought that Jennetta might not be with either Liz or Tess at all.

Max and Kyle were headed for the Reservation, had decided to stop at the Crashdown, the Hardings and the Evans’ on their way through town. Isabel and Alex were going to the Pod Chamber.

Michael and Maria had drawn the short end of the straw and were headed out to the Santa Anna Hot Springs, via Fraser Woods.

Michael wasn’t really sure why Maria had suggested they go to the spot where they had entered the portal to Illyria nine Earth months ago. It was also the spot where they had returned. Strangely, while a year and a half had passed on Illyria, only an hour had gone by on Earth.

But when Maria had suggested it, somehow he had known that it was right.

Unfortunately the Woods were a good two hour drive from Roswell. It had been agreed that the three cars would stay in close contact through their cellular phones. In fact, Maria had just spoken to Isabel, who had been calling from the Pod Chamber. There had been no sign of the three missing girls there. It had been decided that Isabel and Alex would go join Kyle and Max at the Reservation and that they would then all head out to the Woods if the two boys had not found anything.

Maria had been silent ever since.

Michael could not figure out what was up with her. He had tried to convince her that she should stay at the hospital…after all, she HAD just come out of a coma.

Maria had adamantly refused. She had threatened to just follow them all anyway, so they had let it go.

The way she was freaking about Jennetta…it was weird.

Michael could understand Maria feeling a connection to her because the little girl had saved her life - but the way she was behaving…there was something else going on.

This was leaving out entirely the level of anxiety that had claimed him as soon as he realized that Jennetta was gone. Sure he had bonded with her, attributed it to the fact that she was from his home planet and was a lost and scared little kid…

And yet he KNEW that he had to find her…at all costs.

"We’re here." Michael said into the tense silence several long minutes later.

Maria was out of the car before he had even pulled to a complete halt. "Jennetta!" She called. "Baby! Are you out there?"

Michael felt a shiver run down his spine at the sight of the pile of rubble Maria was climbing.

It had once been a cave - a cave housing the hot spring where he and Maria had entered the portal to Illyria…

The cave that Isabel had destroyed when she had reopened the portal from this side, bringing them back.

Michael didn’t remember much about that day…

He remembered Isabel practically strangling him with her hug after she had realized that he had returned to his normal personality - that he was no longer Mr. Zombie-Man…

He remembered having to tell Liz that Max wasn’t coming back…even though he couldn’t remember why…remembered the way her entire spirit had seemed to shut down for the protection of her sanity…

He remembered the fact that he had been wearing tights…which was something he would rather forget (although Alex refused to let him).

He remembered seeing Maria so weak that day…and remembered the rush of love that had filled him at the sight of her. He had not wanted to be parted from her ever again after that day.

Michael shook his head, began picking his way through the rubble. He wondered why he thought they were going to find anything out here…There was no way anyone could possibly have managed to get through the debris to enter the cave that likely still existed underneath.

Maria was still yelling. "Jennetta! Please! Liz! Can you hear me?"

Michael watched her for a minute, a perplexed frown on his face. "Maria?"

She whirled to stare at him. Her blue eyes were wide, panicked. "They’re not here Michael!" He could see that she was starting to shake. "I was so sure that they would be here!"

Michael hurried forward, pulled her into his embrace. "It’s okay. We’re going to find them." He stroked her back awkwardly.

Maria was muttering to herself. "How could I have lost her again so soon? What kind of mo…" She cut herself off abruptly, wrenched herself out of his arms. "I’m calling Kyle." She said, turning away from him, pulling a cell phone out of the pocket of her coat.

Michael stared at the back of her head, blinked. She was being SO weird.

He moved away from her slightly, began to rummage through the debris, decided to keep busy physically, since his brain was largely running on fumes at this point.

No sleep in three days, jet lag, a girlfriend in a coma and then not, the return of your so-called leader without his memories, and now the complete disappearance of a little girl that you had mysteriously bonded with tended to do that to a guy.

And that was when he heard it.

Michael raised his head, listened. He tried to ignore Maria, who was blathering to Kyle on the cell, something about knowing that Tess was responsible for this whole mess…

The sound continued, becoming more and more pronounced.

It was a beeping noise.

"Maria!" Michael barked her name. She whirled and stared at him.

"Kyle, I’ll call you back." She hurried over to him. "What?"

"Listen."

Michael hurried off across the clearing and into the nearby foliage. He was pushing aside a bush when Maria suddenly called out to him. "Over here!"

She was staring down at the ground, a fearful expression on her face.

Michael was beside her a moment later, looking at the same thing she was.

It was a green orb…and it was glowing. *************************************************************************************

Liz awoke with a splitting headache.

She tried to open her eyes, but found that the world remained strangely dark, even when she was SURE she had done so.

It took her fuzzy mind a moment to realize that she was blindfolded.

It took another minute to realize that she was bound hand and foot.

And suddenly a strange flash claimed her…

Liz was breathing shallowly when she came back to herself a moment later.

What on Earth had Pam Troy been doing at the side of the road in the middle of the desert?

It wasn’t until she heard a little girl’s voice that she remembered exactly what had happened.

"I don’t understand why I have to go in here! I’ve already been podded."

It was Jennetta…she had been hiding in the back of Tess’ SUV when Pam had suddenly been there. Liz still felt the absolute flabbergasted shock that had struck her at the sight of Pam Troy raising her hand and blasting Jennetta until the little girl was unconscious. She, Liz, had joined Maria and Michael’s daughter in that state a moment later…

It was unbelievable.

Pam Troy was an alien!

And yet it all somehow made a strange amount of sense…at least there was now an explanation for Pam’s appalling fashion sense…Liz snorted, started to laugh hysterically.

She realized that she was losing it…she forced herself to take deep breaths, to calm down.

Jennetta needed her.

"To protect you sweetie." Liz recognized Pam’s squeaky voice right away, flinched. "You’re still too little to look after yourself."

"I don’t know." Jennetta sounded unconvinced and a lot younger than Liz had ever heard her sound before. "I don’t think Jaxon would like this."

"Jaxon was the one who asked me to do this for you." Pam replied sweetly. "He and I are close friends you know."

"Why isn’t he here?" Jennetta demanded.

"He will be." It was a new voice but Liz recognized it right away.

Tess!

Tess had betrayed them.

Liz couldn’t quite grasp it.

She had come to trust Tess, had been sure that the girl had given up on her so-called destiny with Max, that they were friends…

How dumb could she have been?

And yet, a niggling little voice in the back of her head told her she had NOT been wrong about Tess.

Something was wrong with this whole situation.

Liz shifted uncomfortably on the hard surface on which she was lying.

She heard movement to her right. "I think she’s awake." Tess said, sounding relieved.

"Liz!" Jennetta’s voice came closer. "Can’t I untie her?"

Liz could feel the child nearby. "Not yet." Pam replied serenely. "But you can take her blindfold off."

She felt small hands reaching around behind her head. "Liz! Are you okay?" Jennetta whispered into her ear.

Liz blinked at the bright light that suddenly streamed into her face. It took a moment for the figures around her to come into focus. Jennetta was kneeling in front of her, Tess and Pam standing nearby staring at her.

The room was huge.

It was composed completely of stone - polished stone.

The walls were covered with symbols exactly like those in the cave at the Reservation where she and her friends had returned Michael’s balance almost two years before.

Liz’s eyes widened at the sight that greeted her directly to her right…

Five pods.

Four were dark, as though the light within had burned out long ago…

And one was glowing…

"What’s going on?" She managed to choke out, feeling helpless, bound as she was. Her eyes automatically sought out Tess. The other girl looked away. Liz was sure that she had seen a flash of guilt cross her face before she lost sight of it though. "Tess! Please!"

"Why can’t I untie her?" Jennetta demanded, turning to glare at Pam.

"Because I told you you couldn’t." Pam snapped. Her tone became softer when she saw, as Liz did, Jennetta’s spine stiffen. "She’ll be okay sweetie. Jaxon will take care of her when he gets here. Now come here. We’ve got work to do."

Jennetta glanced once more at Liz, sighed and climbed to her feet.

"Jennetta!" Liz called after her. "Whatever she wants you to do…don’t do it!"

It was as though Jennetta did not hear her though. She didn’t even turn around.

Pam eyed her for a moment, turned to Tess. "Deal with her. I know you want to. You deserve the right Sabrya. She almost stole your destiny from you."

Liz’s eyes widened. She felt a chill run down her side when Tess’ face darkened. The strange glow that Liz had noticed when she and Max had run into Tess at the Pod Chamber appeared in her blue eyes.

She was crazy.

Tess was walking towards her. Liz struggled against her bonds. It was useless…

She could barely even move.

"TESS!" Liz shrieked at her. "Has she brainwashed you?" Tess did not blink. Liz was sure that was what was going on here.

She just KNEW somehow that Tess had not betrayed them. Max, Michael and Maria had all been brainwashed…why not Tess too?

"Tess!" Liz tried again. "Snap out of it!"

A momentary spark of remorse appeared in the blonde girl’s eyes…but then it was gone, like a light had been turned out.

Liz watched in horror as Tess raised her hand and it began to glow.

Liz’s last thought was: when did she learn to do that?