Max went back to watching TV. He didn’t know what to think. If he wasn’t confused before, he definitely was now. Tess was simply making no sense. This had to be part of some plan to get him to see her as the one. It just had to be. His mind went back to the vision that he had a few days before. Did Tess plant that in his head too? He hadn’t thought so, but now, he wasn’t so sure. He thought about asking her about it, but knew that she’d just deny it again. He had to believe that it was legitimate, whatever that meant. A couple of hours later, he got another knock at his window. This evening kept getting more interesting by the minute.

MAX: Liz.

LIZ: Hey. Max, can we talk?

MAX: Sure…come in.

She climbed into his room.

MAX: So…what’s up?

LIZ: Uhh…how’s it going?

MAX: Good…just watching some TV. You?

LIZ: OK…

MAX: So what did you want to talk about?

LIZ: I wanted to apologize.

MAX: Apologize for what?

LIZ: What do you think? Running away from you like that the other day.

MAX: Yeah, what was that about?

LIZ: I’m sorry…it’s just…this whole thing, you know.

MAX: Yeah…it’s been crazy.

LIZ: I’ve given what you said to me a lot of thought.

MAX: You have?

LIZ: Yeah, I mean…that day at the cave, it all seemed so clear to me what I had to do. And now…it’s not so clear anymore. I mean, nothing’s really changed, but at the same time…

MAX: I know, but at the same time, I know what I’m hoping for, what I want to be, what’s true for me.

LIZ: I know, me too.

MAX: What I told you that day in that bus, the other day out in town, it’s all true to me. I don’t care about Tess, you have to know that.

LIZ: Yeah…but what about reality? What about the next time? I don’t know if I could do that again.

MAX: Can’t you see, none of that matters. We can get through this. Without you…I can’t be the person I need to be.

LIZ: Max, I hate you. You can’t keep doing this to me.

MAX: Well, then where are we? I can’t just walk away from you, from this. No matter what.

With that, he leaned in to kiss her. All the resistance that she had built up in the past few weeks came completely out of her. She wrapped her arms around him, and they fell back onto the bed.

SCENE 2

Kyle had picked up Tess in his Mustang and went off to dinner. They decided to hit that Mexican restaurant that was in town. Kyle didn’t really like Mexican food, but what the heck, it was worth a try.

KYLE: Tess, are you OK? You’ve been staring at your food for the last five minutes.

TESS: Oh, yeah…sorry about that, just tired I guess.

KYLE: No, something’s definitely bothering you.

TESS: No…I’m fine, so what movie are we going to see?

KYLE: I hear that “The Perfect Storm” is pretty good…there, it’s playing at 9. Come on, George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg…

TESS: Yeah, and 2 ½ hours of endless storming on the high seas. I saw “Titanic” already, thank you.

KYLE: Come on, “Titanic” was a total chick flick until the ship started to sink. That at least was pretty cool.

TESS: Yeah…well…what about “Chicken Run”?

KYLE: Chickens?

TESS: Yeah, why not? Come on, it’ll be fun. It’s an ‘achievement in animation’.

KYLE: What? Come on, it sounds like an achievement in cute boredom to me.

TESS: So, it got four stars…you’ll be surprised, I’m sure.

KYLE: OK…but I’ll get you for this one.

Kyle surprised himself by caving pretty easily for this girl. She had burned him once before, and didn’t know what to think when she was so quick to give him another chance. He didn’t even know why he was doing this in the first place. In the back of his mind, he wanted to get back at Max for taking Liz from him, and this seemed to be the best way to do it. But at the same time, he found himself really liking this girl. She was hot, and he enjoyed spending time with her, even if she didn’t seem to want to go any further, at least not yet. He would have to turn on some of his famous Valenti charm.

SCENE 3

Isabel was exhausted. She had been out all day with Alex. They were supposed to go after dinner and play pool, but she had had enough for one day. Alex drove her back home, and she walked into the house and back into her room, barely murmuring a hello to Max from the hallway. His door was closed. She thought about talking to him, but she didn’t feel like going through another dissertation of their current problems. Not tonight. She went back to her room and closed the door. Maybe she would read one of those books on her summer reading list. What an activity for a summer night, but that was what she felt like doing. She took a shower, and then put on some sweats, and lied down.

She had read maybe about ten pages when she had this odd sense, feeling, of being watched. Over the past year, she had become so paranoid that any little thing could set her off, but this was even more unusual than normal. She glanced up onto her bookshelf to the light that they had gotten from Javier’s house. Max had one in his room, she had one in hers. If there were any more signs coming from that thing, they weren’t going to miss them. It was off; it had been since Javier left town. Then she heard something…

VOICE: Isabel…

ISABEL: Who is that, who’s there?

But the voice fell silent. She was getting really scared. She was about to run out the door, go find Max, when…

VOICE: Isabel…we know who you are…

ISABEL: Who’s that?

VOICE: We’re everywhere…or we’re nowhere…

The voice sounded like it was coming from all around her. She tore apart her room, looking out the window, trying to find something that would tell her something.

VOICE: We’re coming for you…you can’t win…

ISABEL: What are you talking about?

VOICE: You will only know when it’s too late…and…it’s too late, Isabel…it’s too late.

ISABEL: Too late for what…for who?

VOICE: Too late for you, Max, Michael, Tess…all of you…you have no chance against us.

ISABEL: What do you want from me?

VOICE: Only to fail in your ‘mission’, only to die. And you will die, Isabel, all of you will. Your planet is doomed.

With that, Isabel tore out of her room, and slammed on Max’s door. No answer. She tried to open it. The door was locked. She forced the lock, and opened to door. Max wasn’t there. She saw the window wide open. She went over to it, and saw Max, with Liz, leaving in the Jeep. She called out to him, but they didn’t hear her, didn’t stop. She reached over to his phone, and dialed quickly.

ALEX: Hello.

ISABEL: Alex, what are you doing right now?

ALEX: Playing pool, what’s up, Isabel? You sound tense.

ISABEL: Can you come over and pick me up? Max took the car.

ALEX: What’s wrong? Is everything OK?

ISABEL: No…it most definitely is not. Just get here…

ALEX: I’ll be over as fast as I can.

ISABEL: Alex, please hurry…