The Sheriff was only half telling the truth when he had told Mrs. Evans that he needed a few hours to round up his staff. In actuality, he wanted to stop by Michael’s apartment, and see if what he found there could tell him anything. Since they had come back from Eagle Rock on Friday, he hadn’t heard from the group either, and that was starting to worry him. He thought that he was going to be in the loop on these things now. He needed to know what they were up to, if only to make sure that nothing would happen. He was tasked to protect them, but he couldn’t do that if they weren’t going to let him in all the way. He was a part of this now. After what they had seen at Eagle Rock both times they had been there, they couldn’t deny him that anymore.

He was in a pickle, that much was sure. Even if he found out where they were, he probably wasn’t going to be able to tell their parents much of anything. He found it impossible to believe that Max and Isabel had gone all of this time without ever telling their parents the truth about themselves. But they had. He pulled up to the front of Michael’s building. They had said that they were going there to work on decoding that piece of paper that Alex said that he had found in the main hallway. I guess their absence meant that they had found something. He walked up to the door, and knocked.

SHERIFF: Michael! Are you in there? Max, Isabel, Liz…anyone?

There was no answer, so after about a minute, the Sheriff decided to try to break in. He took out a knife kit he had in his pocket, and set to work to try to force the lock. It took him a few seconds, but the door swung open. The place was a mess. Papers were strewn everywhere, food was left all over the tables and floors, and the TV was still on. He walked over and turned it off, keeping his eyes out for anything. In the kitchenette area, he found a piece of paper lying by itself on the counter. He turned it around to look at it. It said: LANL 132. It looked obviously quickly scrawled in one of their handwritings’. He thought to himself, what does that mean? He decided to pick up the scrap and stick it in his pocket. Maybe it was important. Who knew? It could have been the password to a Playstation game. He searched everything else pretty closely. He didn’t see anything else that looked the least bit revealing, other than that Michael was not the neatest person in the world, but then again, he could have guessed that.

He turned out the light that he had turned on upon entering the apartment, and closed the door. He went back to his SUV and left to go back to the station. This was just getting weirder and weirder, he thought. What could happen next?

SCENE 2

LIZ: Max! Are you OK? What did they do to you? Talk to me, talk to me, talk to me…

MAX: Liz, I’m fine. Relax; it’s going to be OK.

Max had found himself thrown back into the same cell he left. Literally as soon as the guards left and closed the door, Liz ran to Max in the center of the room.

LIZ: What did they do to you?

MAX: Liz, I know what you’re thinking. It wasn’t that. It was just one guy. He asked me some questions, that was all.

LIZ: Don’t tell me that. Remember the last time?

MAX: No…no torture, no drugs…Liz, I swear.

LIZ: Well then what did he ask you?

MAX: He thinks that I’m the leader of some massive plot to take over the earth.

Despite herself, Liz started to chuckle. It was just so far from the truth, and yet so near it at the same time. At that moment, it was just weird for her to hear it put that way. She quickly fought to suppress it.

LIZ: Are you serious? That’s what they think?

MAX: Yeah. Unfortunately, I didn’t find it so funny.

LIZ: I’m sorry. It’s just so, so, odd. What are we going to do, Max?

MAX: We’re going to get out of this, Liz, I promise.

LIZ: So what did you say?

MAX: What could I say? I told him that I had no idea what he was talking about.

LIZ: Did he believe you?

MAX: What do you think?

LIZ: What is he going to do now?

MAX: I don’t know. It’s not like he’s going to let us go, and…

He let his words trail off.

LIZ: And what? What did he say to you?

MAX: It’s Nasedo.

LIZ: What about him?

MAX: The agent said that he had gone crazy.

LIZ: What do you mean?

MAX: I’m not sure. But…that agent knew things about us that only he could have told him. It’s like he’s helping them or something. I mean, when we first got taken, he was right there, and it was like he was giving us up.

LIZ: But isn’t he sworn to protect you? I mean, that’s why he was there in the first place.

MAX: We know that something’s not right about him.

LIZ: But you didn’t see him while you were in there?

MAX: I have no idea where he is.

LIZ: Did they say they were going to come back for you?

MAX: Yeah…

LIZ: But what?

MAX: Nothing.

LIZ: Come on, Max…you can’t do this to me.

MAX: No really, nothing. Nothing else…

Liz gave Max one of her patented looks. Max wasn’t going anywhere. He had to spill what was on his mind.

MAX: Well, the agent may have said something else.

LIZ: Yes…

MAX: One of things Nasedo must have told him. Why we’re in this cell together.

LIZ: They want to use me to get to you, don’t they?

MAX: Now they didn’t say that…not in so many words anyway.

LIZ: Well then what did they say?

MAX: Just that they know about us. Know how we feel about each other.

LIZ: And they think that if they take me away that you’ll crack.

MAX: Something like that. But that’s not going to happen.

LIZ: How can you say that? We’re stuck here. They can do whatever they want.

MAX: It’s just not. That’s why.

LIZ: Don’t worry Max. I’ll be fine. We’ll going to get through this. All of us. It’s just going to take some time and some doing. We’re on the right side.

Liz stood up on her tiptoes, and kissed Max. For the longest time after that, they just stood there holding each other, not wanting to let each other go.

SCENE 3

By the time that Sheriff Valenti got back to his office, many people were waiting for him. The deputy on duty pointed to the full compliment of parents that were assembled in the lobby. The Evans, the Parkers, the Whitmans, and Amy DeLuca were all there.

SHERIFF: Well, this seems like as good as place as any to start.

MR. WHITMAN: So what are you doing to find our kids, Sheriff?

SHERIFF: Well, we don’t have much to go on yet. I don’t know where they went. When was the last time you saw Alex, Mr. Whitman?

MR. WHITMAN: Friday afternoon. He told Jennifer that he was going to the Crashdown. Neither of us have seen or heard from him since.

MR. PARKER: I saw him there, with Isabel, at lunchtime, I believe. He took off about five minutes after he got there though. Isabel didn’t go with him.

MRS. EVANS: That was the last time I heard from Isabel either.

MRS. PARKER: Liz came up to the apartment about 8:30, I think. She had just gotten off work, remember, honey?

MR. PARKER: Yeah. I let her off early. She said that her and Max had plans.

MR. EVANS: Max was at work until 8. I think he mentioned that.

MRS. DELUCA: I saw Maria right about then too. She just stopped at home for a minute. I was busy doing some baking. I had a bunch of pies to send out Saturday morning. She was supposed to help me, but I didn’t see or hear from her. She is always usually out. I think she was with that Michael boy.

SHERIFF: Everyone, just relax. I have something to tell you.

The whole group quieted down.

SHERIFF: OK. On Friday night, I saw all of them. They said that they were going to Michael’s apartment. I just went over there to check it, see if they were around. None of them were there. The place was deserted.

Sheriff Valenti was really between a rock and a hard place here. He had no idea what to say. He had to tell at least part of the truth, but at the same time, he couldn’t let on what he knew. Both for their parents and himself. He had given his word that he would keep all of this to himself. Also, it wasn’t like their parents were going to believe that they had spent the day trying to crack a top-secret government code after receiving death threats on their lives. He wondered to himself if their parents knew what kind of trouble all of them were in just by being here. If they knew that, they’d probably be panicking even more, if that were possible.

SHERIFF: OK. Let’s start with what we do know. I think that we can all agree that I was the last one to see any of them, Michael and Tess included. Unfortunately, I don’t know where they would go.

MRS. EVANS: What if they were kidnapped?

SHERIFF: I don’t think that happened. When I went to Michael’s, it didn’t look like the apartment had been ransacked, any more than usual anyway. In order to take all seven of them, they would have had to do something relatively blatant.

MRS. EVANS: I don’t know Sheriff, it seems like something is going on here. After all we’ve seen this year, this takes the cake. I mean, with Max and Isabel missing a few months ago like that, all of the sudden becoming total strangers to us.

MR. WHITMAN: Diane, they’re teenagers. I’ve had to go through this with Alex’s two sisters. As soon as they get to be sixteen-seventeen, everything changes.

MRS. EVANS: Remember when you came to the house after that grease fire, Sheriff? I spoke to my son after that, and he said for me not to ask about him. I’ve tried to accept that there’s something he’s not telling me, can’t tell me for some reason. Not knowing about my kids, that’s a frightening thought. Maybe Max and Isabel, and the others too are all going through this, but something tells me this isn’t normal. I just can’t get away from that.

SHERIFF: Believe me, Mrs. Evans, I have a 17-year old of my own at home too. I know a little something about that.

MR. PARKER: Sheriff, I see Kyle hanging around with them sometimes too. Is he OK?

SHERIFF: Yeah, I saw him this morning before I came to work.

MRS. PARKER: Well, does Kyle know anything about this?

SHERIFF: I called him after I heard from you, Mrs. Evans. He hadn’t seen any of them since Friday either.

There was a short silence throughout the room. It was like everyone had just run out of things to say. Sheriff Valenti tried to fill the void, and finish their discussion.

SHERIFF: Well, I put out an APB for all of them. I think that I have pictures of all of your kids on file somewhere. We’ll keep looking, and hopefully we’ll find them soon. All of you, I know this is going to be difficult, but I ask you to go home, and try to understand that the whole police department will be at my disposal to find your kids and bring them back safe and sound.

The group of parents filed out slowly; chatting amongst themselves about the worry they were all experiencing. Sheriff Valenti went back to his office and closed the door. He took out the note in his pocket with the jotted code.

SHERIFF: Max, I hope to God you know what you’re doing.

SCENE 4

Michael and Maria were still endeavoring to find a way out, just the like the rest of them were. Michael was attempting the scale the walls of the cell to try to reach the ceiling.

MARIA: You’ll never get out that way.

MICHAEL: With that attitude, we’re never going to get out of here.

MARIA: Michael…I’m amazed you’ve been able to get up that high; the wall is completely sheer.

MICHAEL: All the more reason to keep on trying.

MARIA: But seriously, don’t you think that they would have thought of that?

Michael fell back down to the floor, falling back onto his backside. He quickly got up, and went across the room to get immediately in front of Maria, with his back to the door.

MARIA: See?

MICHAEL: Look…I don’t see you doing anything.

MARIA: I’m thinking about it. It’s just when I do something, it happens.

MICHAEL: Yeah, whatever.

MARIA: What’s that supposed to mean?

As she finished asking that question, she let out an involuntary scream. The next thing Michael knew, he was in the main room, strapped to a table. It appeared to be deserted.

MICHAEL: Where the hell am I?

The room remained completely silent. Not even the air conditioning was running. However, within seconds, the room began to spin.

VOICE: I see you’ve started feeling the effects of the little potion we gave you. That’s good, that’s good…now we can begin.

MICHAEL: Wha…Whuz happening?

VOICE: All in good time, Mr. Guerin, all in good time.

Michael felt himself starting to close his eyes.

VOICE: Now don’t you go blacking out on me…

He felt a splash of something on his face. He had no idea what it was, where he was, practically who he was. It was like he wasn’t here at all. He could hear the voice, but it was like the whole scene was being played out on TV or something, and he had nothing to do with it.

VOICE: So, Michael Guerin…I understand that you are important in this as well…Max Evans’s second in command, his right hand man, as it were. Well, welcome. I’d introduce myself, but I think it best if I remained anonymous for a while. We don’t want to show all of our cards right away, do we, Michael. I mean, those are the words you live by, aren’t they?

Michael was just listening, understanding, but completely unable to respond.

VOICE: Anyway, this is just the beginning. I have all the time in the world, Michael. You can be our guest here for a good long time if you wish. This little soiree is just to let you know that we are very serious. But I assume that you already knew that. We made a mistake the first time with Max, allowed him to get away; that won’t be happening this time. That’s why I have you, my security policy. If Max doesn’t want to tell me about him, I can just cut you open and still have him. Don’t you see the beauty of that, Michael? Now, if you want to save yourself the time, torture, or whatever you call it, I suggest you tell me what I want to know.

MICHAEL: uhhhh…

VOICE: Oh, Michael, you aren’t going to be able to tell me anything now. See, that’s another added bonus. While you are unable to speak or move or anything, you have the time to think. That’s the great thing about my newest concoction. I hope you make the right choice. Just remember what I can do to you if you don’t. Think about what I can do to that pretty little thing you have with you.

Michael made a move, such as he could, to try to find where the voice was coming from. He couldn’t believe how sadistic this guy was being.

VOICE: Now…I’m sure that she’ll be able to tell me what I want to know. But, surprisingly enough, I do have some standards. I really don’t want to have to bring her into this. I mean, it’s just so unnecessary, and besides, I wouldn’t enjoy it very much. But make no mistake, we will find out the answers by any means necessary. If I have to go after all of your friends, including Maria DeLuca, I will. Don’t make me do that, Michael.

SCENE 5

MARIA: Michael! Michael!

Michael awoke slowly. He didn’t know how he got back here, or what had happened since his interrogation (or whatever it had been), but he was coming to. As he was waking up, he was aware of Maria’s voice, and more importantly to him, aware of the fact that she was lying next to him, just holding on to him for dear life.

MICHAEL: Maria…hey.

MARIA: Oh my god, what happened? I mean, you got back here twenty minutes ago. You were out like a light. Where did they take you? What did they do to you?

MICHAEL: I’m fine. It was nothing.

MARIA: Nothing? What are you talking about? Nothing? Armed guards took you away, and you came back drugged up and passed out. Don’t play those games with me, I know you far too well for that.

MICHAEL: They just tried to rattle me a little bit, that’s all.

MARIA: If that’s all, why are you shaking like a leaf?

Michael sat back a second, and realized he was shaking, and even with Maria with him, he was freezing cold. He tried to stop, but it just wasn’t coming.

MICHAEL: Just cold, I guess.

MARIA: Whatever.

The two of them lied like that for a couple of minutes in absolute silence. Michael tried to analyze what had just happened to him. The Special Unit drugged him up, and threatened him and all of his friends. He knew that they could and would make good on all of their threats if necessary. He was scared. He wouldn’t admit that to anyone, but he was. The gravity of their predicament was really beginning to hit home for him, right there. They had to move soon. If they didn’t, he knew what was going to happen. He simply couldn’t allow that to be.

Maria propped herself up onto her elbow, and just looked at him. She had this look that just cut through him, like a breeze of cold air. She had always had the effect on him, even when he was trying hard to ignore her. Michael could feel the fear welling up inside him. She was bringing his emotions out of him, and she wasn’t even doing anything. It was just her.

MICHAEL: What?