Max was looking through a collection of magazine articles on UFO sitings in the library when he felt Liz was near by. Max turned in his seat and there she was standing near the entrance of the library. 'She is so beautiful,' he thought.

Liz froze when she saw Max turn to see her. Did he feel that she was near or was that just Liz's imagination? Trying to regain her composure Liz took a deep breath and said, "Milton said it was okay to come up here."

Max was so glad to see her. He'd seen her in class all week, but never really got a chance to say anything. "Of course it's all right. I've been wanting to talk to you all week, but I figured you needed some time," Max said as he stood up and started walking toward Liz.

"I do need time, Max," Liz said to stop his approach. Liz didn't want him to touch her, because she didn't think she'd be able to pull away.

After finding the box at Tess', Liz was very excited about seeing Max and giving it to him. Now that she can see Max, she isn't sure she can handle it. What is in that box will not necessarily bring them back together and seeing him only reminds her that she couldn't be a part of his life, his destiny. Liz, Alex, and Maria's original theory that Tess had planted the image of Max and Isabel's mother in their head is not very likely now. While Tess was drunk, she said that Max was her husband. But Tess also revealed she was hiding something from Max. Liz wasn't about to let Tess get away with lying to Max.

Max stopped. He wanted so much to go to her, to hold her, and tell her that they could be together, but he couldn't. What he had to face, she didn't. She had made the right decision that day in the desert and he would honor that decision no matter how much it hurt.

"Why are you here, Liz?"

"I came here to give you something," Liz said as she took her backpack off her shoulder and placed it on a table near by.

Liz opened her backpack to reveal a small metal box. When Max stepped closer he noticed that the box had a symbol on it. A symbol that looked very familiar to him.

"Where did you get that?" Max asked reaching out for the box.

"I found it at Tess' house."

Max looked at Liz, surprised and asked, "What do you mean?"

"It's a long story, but basically what it comes down to is that Tess and Nasedo were hiding this from you, Michael, and Isabel. Kyle, Maria, Alex, and the Sheriff helped me get it, so we could show it to you."

"But how did you find out about it," Max said confused about what all of this meant.

Liz didn't think she could handle this anymore. It was too familiar. She was talking to Max like she used to before she found out about his destiny. "I can't explain now, Max. I just wanted to get this to you so you can find out why they would want to keep this from you."

Liz picked up her backpack and tried to leave, but Max gently grabbed her arm. When he touched her, she felt her heart jump and her skin started to tingle. She turned to him and it took every ounce of will power for her not to throw herself into his arms.

Max felt a sudden warmth when he touched Liz. For the first time in a week, he felt alive. "Liz," Max whispered.

Liz felt tears come to eyes. She couldn't stop them. "Max, I need to go."

"Thank you," Max said smiling at Liz. After a moment he let go of Liz's arm and when he did, he lost the warmth she gave him.

Max watched Liz leave wishing he could go after her. But he had a responsibility to Isabel, Michael, and his home planet. He didn't remember his previous life, but he felt he couldn't turn away from it.

After Liz left, Max turned his attention to the small metal box. He picked it up and noticed it wasn't cold like he expected, but it was actually warm. What could be in here that Tess and Nasedo didn't want him to know about? He decided to wait to open it. He didn't want to be alone when he found out.

Max put the box in a bag and went downstairs to see if Milton would let him leave early.

"She did look upset when she left," Milton said assuming that Max was going to go after Liz. "Yeah, you can leave early, but I expect you to put in some extra time this weekend."

Max agreed and then left in a hurry. He stopped at a pay phone outside to call Isabel to have her meet him over at Michael's.

"What's up?" Isabel asked.

"I can't tell you over the phone. Just hurry!"

Max drove quickly over to Michael's apartment. When he got there, music was blasting. He knocked on the door, but the music was so loud, Michael didn't hear him. So Max went ahead and opened the door.

Michael was laying on his couch staring at the ceiling. He didn't notice Max until he walked over to him.

"Damn, doesn't anyone knock anymore?" Michael yelled over the music. He then got up from the couch and went over to his stereo.

"What's up?" Michael asked after he turned down the music.

"Isabel is on her way. There is something I need to show the two of you."

"What about Tess?" Michael asked knowing that this must what Tess was worried about.

"This is for just you and Isabel. I'll tell you when she gets here," Max said taking a seat in the kitchen. "So what's up, Michael. Have you had another visitor today? You seem a bit out of sorts. Did Maria stop by?"

Michael didn't want Max to know that he had talked to Tess. Max obviously didn't trust Tess, but Michael knew that what Tess told him was true. She was his sister. That meant he had family and he didn't want to lose her.

Michael's front door opened and Isabel walked in. "Hey Max, what's so urgent?" Isabel asked.

"The two of you need to learn to knock," grumbled Michael as he walked over to the kitchen and took a seat across from Max. "Isabel is here, so what's the big secret?"

"Liz stopped by the museum today to give me something," Max started opening the bag and pulling out the metal box.

Right away Isabel and Michael noticed the symbol on the lid of the box. "Where the hell did she find that?" Michael asked reaching to pick it up.

"She said Tess was hiding it from us. She wouldn't give me any details on how she got a hold of it, but looking at it you can tell it is from our home planet. For some reason Tess and Nasedo didn't want us to see it."

"No details. What does that mean? Are you sure she got this from Tess?" Michael asked wanting to defend Tess.

"Liz has no reason to lie," Max said not liking that Michael was trying to protect Tess'. "I'm sure it wasn't easy for her, Maria, and Alex to get a hold of this."

"Maria knows?" Michael question unsure how to feel about that.

"Alex kept this from me?" Isabel asked. She was touched that he wanted to help her, Max, and Michael out, but hurt that he would keep anything from her.

"That doesn't matter now," Max said trying to direct the conversation back to what was important. "We need to find out what this is."

"Well that's easy enough," Michael said and tried to open the box. But he couldn't it seem to be sealed somehow.

"Use your powers, Michael," instructed Isabel.

Michael used his powers and opened the box. Inside were several small orbs similar to the communication orbs that they had. Each orb had a different symbol on it. Michael reached for the one that seemed most familiar to him.

When Michael touched the orb, he got a flash of his previous life. He saw his mom and dad and saw how they died. He remembered how he promised them that he would raise and take care of Tess. She was so young when they died. But he failed to be there for her. His job took him away so much. Max was the youngest leader his people ever had, and he needed help so Michael couldn't desert him. Michael's father had served Max's father and therefore Michael felt he should serve Max. Max was born a leader, but it was hard for someone so young to stay strong with war on the horizon.

Michael remembered his joy when Tess and Max got married. He felt that maybe he had succeeded in raising Tess. She seemed so happy with Max. Michael also remembered Isabel. He remembered how he felt about her. They were to be married, but then came war. It was horrible. The enemy attacked so suddenly and without provocation. Max knew it was inevitable. The alien race showed up a few years before with a promise of peace, but Max had his doubts. He didn't trust them from the beginning, but what could he do. They were stronger with better technology. During the years of peace Max, Michael, and Isabel gathered up as much information about the aliens as possible, including technology, but it wasn't enough. When war came there was nothing they could do.

"Michael," Isabel said grabbing Michael's arm. "What is it? Michael, can you hear me?"

Michael came out of the trance to see Max and Isabel staring at him. He blinked, shook his head and looked at the orb. He couldn't believe what he just saw and felt. Was it real? Was that his life?

"What happened, Michael? You were in some kind of trance," Max said looking at the orb Michael was holding.

"It." Michael hesitated. Tess was his sister, but what mistakes was she talking about? Michael wasn't there for her when she was growing up and she was somewhat of a wild child, but he didn't remember anything that she did which he couldn't forgive her for. Michael looked up at Max and then Isabel and said, "It contains our memories."

"What?" Max questioned again looking at the orb Michael was holding.

"It's the memories from our previous lives, Max," Michael said starting to get excited. "And, Max, in my previous life I had a mother and a father who loved me.and a sister. Tess was my sister."

"Tess?"

"Yeah," Michael said reaching for the box. "Look, there are three more orbs shaped just like this one. There must be one for each of us."

"But why would Tess hide this from us?" asked Max reaching for the box. He looked inside and saw two orbs that were slightly bigger than the others. "What are these, do you think?" Max said reaching for them.

"Those contain messages," Michael said.

"How do you know that, Michael?" asked Isabel. She was starting to feel a little overwhelmed at the thought of finding out about her previous life.

"It's from the memories," Michael explained.

"But, how?"

"Isabel, try it. You want to know where you came from, don't you?"

Isabel stepped over to where the box was and slowly reached in to grab the orb she thought was hers. When she picked up the orb, she instantly remembered everything, about her mother, her father's death, Max taking her father's place as leader. She remembered Michael and how wonderful he was to her and Max. She also remembered Tess. She didn't agree with Max's decision to marry her, but she accepted it and accepted Tess as her sister. Then there was the war. She had watched her brother and Michael die in that conflict. She volunteered to die so she could join them on this mission to a new planet where they could possibly find a way to defeat the enemy.

"Isabel. Isabel," Max said trying to bring her out of the trance. She looked so sad.

Isabel looked up to see Max and Michael staring at her. She started crying, she couldn't help it. The sadness she felt when she lost them came back to her.

Max reached out for Isabel and took her into his arms. "It will be okay," he whispered.

"I saw you and Michael die. I remember everything, our father, our mother," Isabel explained while holding onto Max. "But they looked human. Does that make any sense?"

"Maybe the orbs are using images we have gotten from our life here on earth and implanting them into our memories," Max guessed.

Isabel pulled away. "You are probably right," she said wiping her eyes. She had to pull herself together and be strong for Max. "Max, you try," Isabel said indicating to Max that he should get the orb that contained his memories.

Max reached in the box for the orb he felt was most familiar. When Max touched the orb, he saw his former life as a son, a brother, a husband, and a leader. When his father died, he took over as the leader for his people with Michael and Isabel by his side. He married Tess, even though she was ten years younger then him, because she was so energetic and full of life. She distracted him from his duties and made him laugh. Max also remembered the war. From the moment the alien race showed up, he doubted what they said. Tess didn't doubt them. In fact she welcomed them with open arms. They claimed to have peaceful intentions, but he mistrusted them, and he was right in doing so. They were conquerors and they came with only one intention, to take over. He tried to defeat them, and he almost had a solution when they attacked.

Max awoke from his trance to see Michael and Isabel staring at him expectantly. "So," Isabel asked.

"I remember," Max declared unsure what this meant for them now. The memories were strong, but somehow unreal. His life here on earth was much more real to him. But the love he felt for his mother was real and his people. Max hoped he would someday be able to help them.

"But I still don't see why Tess and Nasedo kept this from us. These memories would only assist us in defeating our enemy," Max said looking into the box once again. "It must be these other two orbs."

Max reached in the box and grabbed the other two orbs. "These contain messages from our home planet."

Max held out one of the orbs and concentrated to make the message appear. In a moment an image of a man appeared.

"I am Kolos, one of the scientists that designed the bodies you now use. This message along with your memories and another message were sent some time after the original ship which contained your incubation pods. This message is to inform you that there has been some concern on the affect your presence will have on humanity. You were genetically engineered to be human, so that you could blend in, but you are a more advanced version of human so you would better be able to fight our enemies. What we have not addressed is the affect that your presence will have on the people of earth or how the humans will react if they know the truth. Protectors were sent with you to help you hide and blend in. The enemy came to our planet to defeat us and take our natural resources. They are on earth for the same reason. It is possible that someday you will work with the people of earth to find a solution to the threat."

Max looked at Isabel and realized she must be right. His interaction with Liz may have somehow changed her. "Do you think this is what Tess and Nasedo wanted to keep from us?" Max asked.

"I can't see why," Michael said.

Max nodded and picked up the other orb and held it out and concentrated. An image of Max and Isabel's Mother appeared.

"I am standing here before you because we have discovered something shocking about the enemy that has enslaved us. I hate to tell you this, my son, but your bride has betrayed you and her people. I hope that you don't receive this message before it is too late. You cannot trust her. She informed the enemy that you had a plan to remove them from our planet and that is why they attacked when they did. Protect yourselves, my son and daughter. Do not let her fool you again."

The image disappeared. Max stared at where the image had been. He didn't know what to feel. In the memories of his life, he remembered Tess not wanting to be a part of Max's quiet struggle against the enemy. How could she have helped them?