“Geez, somebody’s in a bad mood.” She said picking up the book and mouthing the title “MacBeth” with a confused look on her face.

Max snatched the book from her hand and put it back on the bed. “Well if you weren’t so wrapped up in Alex then you’d also be upset that there’s a killer out there looking for us.”

Isabel sat on his bed and looked at him sympathetically. “I’m sorry Max. I know this is hard on you. But we have time. He doesn’t suspect us just yet.”

Max stared at her as if to say, “Are you that stupid?”

“Max, he doesn’t suspect us…”Isabel repeated with fear in her eyes.

Max didn’t know what to say, where to begin.

“Oh my God…” she whispered. “How?”

Max sat up a bit. “He had a flash. With me, in PE the last week. We didn’t tell you. I guess if you were around more often—“

"Max, don’t change the subject! I have absolutely nothing to do with this!” Isabel lashed out at him. “Who knows what the hell he’ll do to us! What are we going to do Max?”

“It’s covered. Tomorrow night is our plan. Valenti said he’d help.”

“Help what? What are you doing? Tomorrow night’s the homecoming dance.”

“Exactly. Nobody will be around. Michael, Valenti, and I are going to take him to the old soap factory and get some answers out of him.”

“And how do you expect to get him?”

Max looked down at the bed. “I think it’s pretty obvious that he’ll be there tomorrow night with Liz.”

Isabel put her hand on her brother’s shoulder. “Max, you don’t know that—“

“Isabel,” he cut her off, “they were kissing at the Crashdown today. I tried to tell Liz about Jason. About Tess. She didn’t believe me though. God Isabel, she doesn’t know what kind of danger she could be in. I do and I can’t do anything about it.”

“Max, you can’t worry about Liz right now. Getting rid of Jason and whoever else he’s here with is what’s important. As for tomorrow night, you won’t nee me will you because I’m not very strong and I’d only hold you back because—“

“Yes, Isabel, you can go to the dance with Alex. It’s covered.”

Isabel got up and flashed her brother a smile. Before she left, she turned around and said, “Max, everything’s going to be ok. It’ll all work out for the best. Jason will be gone soon and Liz will understand. I know she’ll come to terms with Tess’ death anyway.”

Max tried to smile but failed. He wanted for so long for Tess to be gone so him and Liz could be together but he wasn’t so sure that it would make much of a difference now.

-----------------------------

Liz and Maria were out on the highway in Maria’s mom’s new car, a blue ’98 Monte Carlo, which she bought to replace her “stolen” red Jetta. They were coming home from school and on their way to the Crashdown but not to work. They had decided to get ready at Liz’s for the dance. As usual, Maria had the radio blaring as Liz was trying to tell her the story about the day before.

“So he just like decided that Jason is like this evil alien who killed Tess and wants to kill the other three?” Maria said, summarizing what Max had said, then returning to her humming.

“Well, yea, basically.” Liz frowned at the thought of Max trying to tell her a lie, not to mention such a ridiculous one.

“Well that just can’t be true. I mean HELLO!” Maria rolled her eyes and let out a loud sigh. “Men!”

“Liz couldn’t help but giggle a bit. “Space men.”

Maria looked at Liz’s sudden burst of positively. “You got that right babe!”

Liz looked out the window for a while. “Maria, where has Tess been the past few weeks? I mean everybody knows she’s missing but what if…”

Maria sighed. “Liz, look what space boy’s got you thinking now. He’s got you paranoid. Look, I’ll be honest here, I don’t know where she is and really, I don’t care. Anyway, she probably just went on some alien trip thing or something. You know how they are – always disappearing.”

“Maria, what if someone did kidnap her? She could be dead.” Liz shivered at the thought of Tess being murdered. It seemed like trouble always followed that girl wherever she went.

“Liz…” Maria laughed in her throat. “Don’t be crazy.” Maria herself was staring to question exactly what did happen to Tess, though she denied these thoughts.

Liz knew that what Max had said was a lie, but now it just didn’t seem as ridiculous as it did before.

------------------------------

Liz and Maria were almost ready as the clock flashed 7:30. A half hour left. Both had their dresses on and make-up done. Now came the hair. Liz’s dress was a strapless, baby blue satin gown that simply fell to the floor, straight. There was a slit on either side of the dress that ran up her thighs. Liz found it a bit revealing but Maria had already had it rung up before she could object. Maria’s was a turquoise, sleeveless, floor length dress with an extremely low v-neck that Maria described as a “PG-13 Jennifer Lopez”. Before they went into Liz’s bathroom to do their hair, there was a knock on Liz’s door.

“Come in,” she yelled, stepping in the bathroom. It was Alex. He was wearing a black tux like any guy would. Maria looked out and yelled, “Long time no see!”

Liz ran out and hugged him. It had been a long time. He was always out with Isabel these days.

“Hey, what a nice welcome. You should do this more often.” He said laughing. He backed up and looked at Liz and at Maria. “You guys look great.”

Maria pulled on his bow tie. “You ain’t so shabby yourself.”

“Well this is the Alex Whitman.” He replied. “So, aren’t you supposed o be getting ready to get Isabel?” Liz asked walking back into the bathroom.

“Yes, but I had to see my other two favorite women before we left.”

“Well,” Maria said also walking into the bathroom, “then you can stay awhile and help judge our hairdo’s”