After Isabel had left her, Michael had grabbed her, hauling her up against his front, his expression as blank as it had been for the past few months. She had known that her life was about to end. She had served her purpose. Isabel and the others would find them now. He didn't need her anymore. He had them in his clutches...

And then their eyes had met.

Michael had stared at her for what had seemed like an eternity to Maria. His eyes seemed to be devouring her face. She had seen a flash of recognition cross his face.

He had dropped her gently to the ground and untied her. "Leave." He had said abruptly, his tone brooking no opposition.

Maria had stared at him in astonishment, glanced at the gun still in his hand. "What?"

"You heard me... I said leave." He had turned away from her, his face blank again, heading towards the far side of the pool that graced the middle of the cave. Steam was rising, shielding his disapearing form from her sight.

Maria had blinked, unclear as to what this meant.

"Michael?" She had whispered to herself.

She followed him.

Maria was now seated on a natural shelf in the cave wall, her legs crossed up under her, watching Michael intently. It was hot in the cave, a result of the steam, so she had removed her jacket and her fuzzy boots. She knew that her friends were on their way, but she also knew that she was no longer in danger.

She was positive that she had seen HER Michael in the moment before he had turned away from her.

She would not leave him.

She knew that he had seen her join him, but he had not looked at her again. In fact, it was as if she HAD left. He ignored her completely.

Michael was fiddling with something about ten feet to her right. It looked like one of the blue communicator orbs that Max and Liz had found during their passionate make-out sessions the spring before.

"What are you doing?" She asked him suddenly, her voice loud in the silence of the cave.

Michael raised his head, stared at her momentarily, went back to what he was doing.

"Hmmmm...no "it's none of your business?" Maria continued talking. She wanted a reaction out of him. Anything would be better then the expressionless mask he was wearing. She wanted him to get frustrated, to run his hands through his hair in annoyance, to yell at her. "I mean, c'mon Michael...I know it has something to do with your home planet....you used to love talking about that stuff...why don't you just tell me? We can kill some time until the others get here."

The Michael zombie tilted his head slightly, did not take his eyes off the orb. "Why do you talk to me when I clearly do not want to answer you?" He asked in a peculiar monotone, as though he TRULY did not understand - like her needling was completely foreign to him.

"Because humans like to talk Michael." Maria replied. "You used to shoot off your mouth about everything."

Michael looked mildly interested. "You mean I spoke when I had nothing to say?"

Maria snorted. "All the time. You NEVER knew what you were talking about." She smiled sadly. "That was one of the things I liked about you. You were so passionate about everything."

"I do not understand this." Michael said dismissively. "The human ability to communicate orally is substandard, but it is clearly overused. Why speak when you have nothing of importance to communicate?"

"I don't know." Maria shrugged. "We just like to hear ourselves I guess."

"Well, I no longer speak when it is unecessary." Michael replied. "If you will cease this useless chatter, I will be able to concentrate on what I am doing."

"What ARE you doing?" Maria asked again, desperately. Even when Michael spoke in that dead monotone, it was better then the silence she had been forced to endure for the last few hours.

Michael did not reply. He had stopped moving, was clearly listening to something. "He is here. The time of rebirth is almost upon us."

Maria shook her head in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

And then she heard footsteps, someone fumbling in the dark.

"Michael!" It was Max. "Where are you?"

Michael did not reply. He turned back to the orb, placing it gently on the ground. He picked up a stick, started to carve symbols into the dirt around it. Maria recognized the same picture from Isabel's pendant...and some others from the cave on the Reservation.

"Max! We're over here!" Maria called out.

Max appeared through the steam, as if by magic. He did not look pleased. Maria realized that she had no idea whether Liz's plan had worked or not. Was this Mr. Meanie still or had the real Max Evans, Mr. Perfect, decided to rejoin them?

Her question was not immediately answered, but his tone of voice was all Mr. Meanie. "What the hell do you think you're doing Michael?" Max demanded, glaring at his friend. So far he had ignored Maria completely. Maria wondered where the others were. Somehow she could not believe that Liz, Alex and Isabel were sitting back at the campsite twiddling their thumbs waiting for Max to rescue her.

She carefully began to pull on her boots and her jacket. Max glanced in her direction briefly but quickly turned back to Michael. "Answer me!" He snapped, making Maria flinch. When Max decided to play galactic leader, he really went for it, she thought wryly.

Michael looked up from where he was crouched on the ground. "I'm glad that you decided to join me Jax....er Max...it is time."

Maria was confused. She had climbed down from her perch and had been gradually inching her way away from the two Czechs, hoping to run across Liz or one of the others. She had no idea what was up with Max at the moment and she actually didn't KNOW if he was there to rescue her or not...

She paused at Michael's last words though. Time for what? She wondered to herself. She glanced at Max, bit her lip.

Max had blanched. Maria saw him swallow convulsively. "I'm not ready yet." He told Michael in a choked voice.

"Too bad." Michael paused, tilted his head in that weird way that terrified Maria. It was like whoever he was addressing was completely beneath him, but strangely interesting at the same time. "You have weakened the bonds enough...the cleansing can take place."

Max nodded stiffly, turned to stare meaningfully at Maria. "Get out of here Maria." He said in a hard tone. His eyes did not match his voice though. They were pleading with her, trying to tell her something. And she knew then...

It was the real Max...

Where the heck are the others? Maria wondered desperately. She couldn't abandon Max. Something terrible was about to occur here.

ISABEL! She called out with her mind. WHERE ARE YOU GUYS?