Max sat back in his chair listening to the entire counting crows album for a third time. The ritual in itself had always had a calming effect on him. But he was anything but calmed at the moment. Max sat in the chair thinking about all the situations that had happened and then reflecting upon each one.

Michael was unusually passive these days.

'Yeah but for how long?'

His sister was dating a man that could be a kidnapper or possibly an evil alien.

'I never liked Grant anyway.'

Kyle blamed him for ruining his life as well as his fathers.

'I didn't mean for anything bad to happen.'

Tess seemed to be acting more human everyday.

'She's not so bad, At least she hasn't been bothering me about destiny.'

Jim Valenti had lost his position as Sheriff, was now facing a class-action lawsuit, and had taken up carving bats in his home.

'He was only trying to help.'

Maria was still being supportive of him.

'At least someone still has faith in me.'

Alex was back.

'Alex is back'

And then there was Liz.

'Does Liz still love me?'

"Well why don't you try asking her?" came a voice from behind him.

Max quickly jumped out of his chair and whirled around to find a strange young man standing in the middle of his bedroom.

"Who are you?" Max asked.

"The name's Marcus," he said taking a step towards Max. "And we my friend have to talk."

"Stay back," Max warned.

Marcus continued moving towards Max.

Max raised his hand causing the green force field to appear.

"Clever", Marcus said. "Forcing the molecules in the space between you and me to fuse together forming an impenetrable shield."

Marcus casually stepped through the emerald barrier and stood before Max. Max quickly backed away from away from him to stunned to know what to do.

"Max listen I'm not here to hurt you," Marcus said. "On the contrary I'm here to help you. Right now you probably have a hundred questions racing through your mind. Actually you only have 5.2 questions in your head at the moment and the number is growing. But that's not important, what is important is that I will do my best to answer whatever questions you have and all I ask in return is that you listen to what I have to say."

Max nodded his head in acceptance.

"Are you a skin," Max asked. "Who sent you? Was it the Nicholas? Was it the FBI? Was it Larek?"

"Truth be told Max I am neither alien nor human," Marcus said. "And as for who sent me? Well let's just say it was someone who decided you need a little push in the right direction."

"What are you?" Max asked.