Chapter Seventeen All the guns and anger around me and it turned into a moment of nothing but reflection. I hate reflection, but I'll be damned if it didn't sneak up on me and bite me in the ass. I don't even count the time in-between my dad dying and waking up in Section as part of my life anymore. My new life started the day I met Michael Guerin. Sure I hated him at the time, but he saved me in so many different ways. I remembered the training and exhaustion. The bitterness of deserting me and the happiness when we reunited. The battle that almost killed him in the parking lot of a bar. Getting married. The chocolate syrup. Oh God, the chocolate syrup. Running away to the beach and living happily for awhile. Dreams of a future that were about to be cut short without cotton candy… I saw the barrels of the guns pointed at me and then the lights went out. The fucking lights went out and I knew I was dead. I felt bare legs brush against my arms and knew it was Tess; her being the only one in nothing but a shirt. Broken glass sounds came from behind me. She was going to Michael! Oh God, could she get him free? Gunfire erupted over my head and I ducked. My body was broken and I honestly didn't think I could move another inch. What I said about being down and not out? A slight overstatement. I was as close to out as I could get. I felt arms around me and I fought. I was close, but it wasn't over yet. I bit at the offending arm and heard a familiar yelp. Kyle. "Damn it, stop biting me!" He whispered harshly in my ear. My body sank against him as he pulled me towards where he and Isabel were standing before. Well, I think it was there, but my orientation could be a little off because of the blinding pain I was in. I felt hands on my leg and I hoped it was Isabel. No, it wasn't Isabel, she didn't have manly hands. Why the hell was someone touching my leg and who the fuck was it? I kicked with my good leg and hit home. I heard a muffled shout and thought the tone sounded familiar. Max? Holy shit, I think it was Max. It's about fucking time. "Ma-" I started but felt a hand clamp over my mouth. "It's Max," Isabel whispered in my ear. Oh God, did that mean everything was going to be okay? She released her hand. I looked to where I thought her face was. "What's happening?" I didn't get a response so I took that for 'shut the fuck up.' See, I pay attention. "Maria, tell me!" Smythe bellowed and I swear I felt the walls vibrate. Gone was all the niceties, he meant business now. "Fuck you," I whispered against my own better judgement. I knew Kyle was rolling his eyes. "Tell me now!" Smythe boomed and I yelped. "I can hear you." The voice was directed over at us and I knew I blew it. I struggled to stand and with help from Kyle, I did. I leaned on him as a crutch. I wasn't going to let anyone hurt these people. This was my fault and I wouldn't let them take the fall for me. I'd never been one for honor or principle or any of that other crap, but now was my turn. I wondered how Max got in and found us and then I wondered about Michael and Tess. I was in the dark, literally, and things weren't adding up. I really thought I knew what was going on. Well, only one way to find out. "Why don't you know who you're trying to find?" I called out as a bullet whizzed by me. I fell to the ground and took Kyle along for the ride. "Quit shooting, you ass!" I screamed into the dark. We waited for a minute andwithut further gunshot, Kyle helped me stand again. If I could have seen Isabel, I would have told her to get the fuck out as fast as she could. I took a deep breath and wondered if I would ever be whole again. Hell, at this point I wondered if I'd ever see daylight. Period. "Tell me why you don't know." I said it quietly and looked over my shoulder into darkness. I squeezed Kyle's hand and leaned in close to him. "Tell Isabel and Max to get out anyway they can." He wavered and until I balanced on my one good leg he didn't leave me. He was only gone a few seconds before he returned as my crutch. "She can't." He whispered in my ear. "Why not?" I hated whispering. I was so not meant to whisper. "She won't leave you." Son-of-a-bitch! I turned around. "Isabel! Get the fuck out of here, now!" I yelled. I didn't even care about being all secrety. I wanted them out. I wanted Kyle out, but I knew he'd never leave me there. I wanted everyone out and safe, then I could take down Section. That was still my plan. They just don't know who they were fucking with. I heard scuffling and then running and then nothing. Oh God, I hope Isabel took her stupid brother and ran. Please! The lights came on and I was blinded, but only for a second. I forced my eyes open and looked around the room. Holy shit. Everyone was gone except for Kyle and me. The room was completely empty. My hear began to pound. I spun as fast as I could on one leg and looked through the broken window for Michael. The chair was empty, the restraints looked ripped off. He was gone. Tess was gone. Fuck me! I grabbed a gun from the floor and stuck it in the back of my totally ruined leather pants. Kyle did the same. Woo-hoo! We were so armed. "Maria?" Kyle's voice was shaky. Or maybe it was my ears. This pain thing was killing me. "I don't know Kyle. I have no fucking idea what's going on," I looked around the room again to make sure I didn't miss anyone. Nope. No one else was here. "What do we do now?" Good question. Didn't have an answer, but it was still a good question. I guess the first thing I wanted to do was cut off my leg and then take that Montana sized aspirin. "Maria?" "Damn it Kyle, I'm thinking!" I didn't mean to snap at him, but my body really did hurt. "I'm sorry." I shook my head and something caught my eye in the corner where Isabel and then Max had been. It was rectangular and holy smoke, it was the freaking little computer! I pointed to it. "The computer thing from Alex, can you get to it?" "If I drop you," he rolled his eyes. Gone was the shakiness, back was my brother-in-arms. We hobbled over to it together and Kyle picked it up. "Now what?" I shrugged and wished I would have paid more attention. Then again, what was Alex going to do? I've been over that before. "Just hold on to it. We have to find the others. We have to find them all." "Do you think they made it out?" I shrugged again. "I don't know. Everyone is just gone and here we are all alone." I looked around. "We're alone in the big bad Section and I feel like I'm dying." He kissed my forehead. "You'll live Maria, I'd bet my life on it." I wish he wouldn't have said that. Maybe letting Kyle come along had been a mistake. I could only make so many before I really ended up getting someone hurt. "Well Mr. Valenti, ready to do a little hunting?" "Wrascally Wrabbits?" He grinned and I laughed and that felt good. My confidence level just stepped up a few notches and I thought I could make it. No, fuck that. I was going to make it and so was everyone else. I wasn't lying when I told Smith or Smythe or whoever that I would tear down Section one brick at a time. "Rock on." We, okay, I decided to check out the room Michael was in first, maybe him and Tess were just hiding. Riiiight. Kyle helped me over the broken glass that was streaked with blood. I knew some of it was mine and I gathered some of it was Tess's. The room was empty. We walked to the chair, Michael's chair, and I could smell that wonderful Michael smell. I inhaled deeply and sighed. We walked around the room and now I knew I was going on pure adrenaline; there was no other way I could be doing this at all. Okay, adrenaline and the drive to see my husband again. We walked to a door in the back of the room and I tried the handle. It opened and we were in some other hallway. I glanced up at the cameras and it wasn't moving, that was probably a big good meaning they haven't been restored yet. We walked down the hall and eventually came to a stairway. I didn't know if I could do the stairs, but we had to, according to me, we were still below the first level. I tried and I failed. Kyle picked me up and carried me up the flight of stairs and I felt helpless. Things started to look familiar to me as we reached the top and then I saw another stairway. I pointed and Kyle feigned that I weighed too much. My turn to do the eye rolling. He carried me up the steps and I realized we were headed towards the glass-enclosed catwalk. Could this be the real deal? Kyle set me down and the computer thing he had shoved down the front of his pants beeped. I almost screamed. He handed it to me and I stared blankly at it. After five minutes of fiddling around I finally got the bastard open. There on the little screen it said incoming message. I read it and then handed it to Kyle who read it with worry lines. I hope you get this. Isabel and Max are out. She's pissed and wants back in. No sign of Michael or Tess. Be careful in there. Maria, I think you were right. Alex. Chapter Eighteen Kyle looked at me and I knew I was going to end up hurting him. "What were you right about?" I took a deep breath. "Liz. I was right about Liz." "Liz? No way. Why would she…?" "Look at it from my point of view Kyle," I leaned against the wall. "I don't know Liz. I didn't grow up with her and we're not friends. I have nothing to gain from this, okay?" "Maria-" "Listen to me, I don't know how much time we have." I lowered my voice. "Who else could it be? Who else would turn Tess and Michael in to Section? Why not Isabel and Max, too? I don't know what Section offered Liz or threatened her with; maybe it's against her will. I don't know. She didn't tell them about Max for obvious reasons and then she couldn't say anything about Isabel because she's Max's sister." "Liz wouldn't do something like that!" Kyle whispered in a not so quiet way. I couldn't blame him; I would be just as upset if I were him. "Rena's files had to have contained names. Rena knew that aliens were real and she was going to prove it. We might not ever know how Section got a hold of Liz." I ran a hand through my hair. "It might not be her fault, but out of the four, who are the two most likely in Liz's case? Michael, someone she barely knows and Tess, the one who follows them around all the time." "This is unbelievable. I can't believe it." He shook his head. "It doesn't make sense. She wouldn't let Max come here tonight if she thought Section might find out about him." "She's tight with her family, right? Maybe they're threatening them, I don't fucking know Kyle. Max was staying outside tonight. Even when Michael got taken, Max was the first one out. I'm not saying that he had anything to do with this, because I know he didn't." Okay I didn't know, but I thought. "Why is Liz here anyway? Didn't Max tell her to stay in Roswell?" I could see Kyle was trying to let his brain work like mine. If he succeeded then I felt sorry for him; my brain was a work of art. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. "How convenient was it for her to just show up with all the maps and informational shit about Section. How could she just hack into them? I'm sure she's good, but give me a fucking break." "This is bad," Kyle shook his head. "I can't believe it." "Alex might have found out something and that's why we got the tip off. Maybe she broke down and spilled, maybe she was scared something was going to happen to Max. Fuck! I don't know." I looked towards the glass catwalk. "All I know is Alex said I was right and that's all the confirmation I need." "How do you know that's what Alex was even talking about?" Yeah, he had me on that one. "I just do, okay. There's nothing else to plug in there. Alex was there when I went all girl-gang on her and accused her." I sighed. "Kyle, I have to know. Can you deal?" "Deal?" He laughed and it was very bitter. "I don't know what I can and can't deal with. I just can't…Liz. Fuck Maria, I don't know what's going on but I'm really freaking out." Didn't I know that feeling? "I know Kyle, me too. Here's the scoop; we'll deal with the Liz issue once we're out of here. Right now we have to find Michael and Tess and get the fuck out of Section." "We're just two people Maria, no special powers. Just two ordinary people." I saw him fall and it was crushing. Kyle wanted to give up. "The fuck we are," I grinned and hoped my little pep talk here was going to work. I couldn't have Kyle give up on me now. "We're two people who have people we love stuck inside of here somewhere. Two people who don't need magic to make Section cave. Two very strong people who are going to find out what's going on and fix it. We're together in this Kyle, okay? I wish it were some other way, I wish I was in here alone-" "No you don't." He looked at me through the tops of his eyes and I saw some of that Valenti charm seep out. "You'd miss me." I smiled. "I hope I'm wrong about Liz, but I don't think I am, okay? Right now we have to find Michael and Tess." I pointed towards the catwalk. "I want to start there. You're okay with computers, right?" I got the blank stare for an answer. "Kyle?" "I can play Doom." He took my arm and put it over his shoulder. "C'mon, we'll crack this place open and shake them out if we have too." That's what I was looking for. We'll deal with the Liz issue later. Okay, I'll kick the ass of the Liz issue later once I have feeling back in my leg. The pain didn't seem to be as bad and I wondered briefly if I was going into shock. That would seriously suck. We hobbled up a few small steps to the locked door. I didn't have time to fuck with it. I told Kyle to take off his shoe and turn around. He did as he was told and I smashed the glass door and handed him back his shoe. I shrugged and reached through the glass and opened the door. "You are seriously in need of mental help," Kyle smiled. "No shit," I shrugged. "C'mon." We walked through the catwalk and it was actually quite amazing. It very well could be the nerve center of Section. I couldn't see them from the floor, but there were walls of computers and monitors along side filing cabinets. Holy shit. I didn't even know where to start nor did I have a freaking clue what I was looking for. "What are we doing?" Kyle asked leading me to a chair. He helped me sit and the pain from my leg came back with a vengeance. "I don't know." I looked up into those soulful eyes and started crying. I covered my face with my hands. Kyle got on his knees in front of me and rubbed my thigh, the one that did not have a bullet lodged in it. "Maria, don't cry." "I don't know what else to do," I sobbed. "I don't know what the fuck else to do. I can't find Michael, we're stuck in here with all this information in front of us and I have no idea how to fucking access any of it! I've put everyone's lives in danger and it's all my fault!" "Maria," he sighed. "Don't say that. Nothing is your fault. Okay?" He stood and walked in back of me and draped his arms over my shoulders. "You are the strongest woman, hell, the strongest person I've ever met in my entire life. You got us further than I ever would have thought possible." I strained my neck to see him. "I would have gotten us killed by now. I would have gone in like a cowboy and we'd all be dead. I've listened to every word you've said and I've believed you. I put my total faith in you, as did Isabel. Even Max, to a certain extent. Tess is no longer trapped in that fucking glass cage and Michael…" "Right. Where are they? If Isabel and Max got out, where are Michael and Tess? Why didn't they get out too?" "Michael wouldn't leave here without you." Kyle said quietly. Oh. My. God. Of course he wouldn't! The fact of the matter was Michael and I were one. I wouldn't leave without him and he wouldn't leave without me. Once again, I love Kyle Valenti! "You're right! Come down here so I can kiss you." He grinned and lowered his face to mine and I planted a wet one on his lips. "Of course he wouldn't leave without me." "And Tess would stay with him," Kyle nodded. "She's loyal." "And she's going to find out very soon that she's lucky, too. To have a guy like you." Kyle blushed and I laughed. Beside the pain, I was giddy. Thing's were looking up again. Not greatly, but slightly. I didn't know where Smythe and his posse were at and I didn't know where Michael and Tess were. Section was like a giant fun house without the fun. I looked at blank computer screens in front of me. "Alex. Can we get a message back to Alex?" Kyle nodded and handed me the computer. "Remember, hamster cage? Isabel sent that to him." "Did you happen to notice how?" Kyle closed his eyes and took a deep breath before nodding slowly. "I think so." I handed him the gizmo back and promised myself I was going to take a computer class when, not if, I got out of here. See, things were a changing. "Ready?" Kyle nodded and squinted at the mini screen. "I think so…" "Ask him if Liz is being restrained." "Restrained?" He repeated as he typed. We waited and sure as hell, a little beep came back with a message: Liz is here, crying. Where are you? "Tell him we're in Section and we need to get their cameras working." "Are you serious?" Kyle looked at me. "Won't that…Wait, we're in control here, right?" "That's right Mr. Valenti. The new game of cat and mouse just started." * * * "We can get out, the two of us." Tess whispered into Michael's ear. "I won't go without Maria." He held her hand and led her down a hallway. Chapter Nineteen Kyle nodded. He understood where I was coming from. He looked around the catwalk office and set the little computer down. He rummaged around in a drawer and within seconds found what he was looking for. "A-ha!" Masking tape. He pulled a chair over and covered up the lenses of the two cameras that were in the office. All that and smarts too! "Good call." At least someone was thinking about the details. We had no idea if there was another camera-room anywhere. Hell, I was banking on some of these monitors in front of me to be camera screens but I didn't know for sure. I smiled but the pain was now excruciating and I winced. At this point I was quite sure my leg was going to have to be cut off. Kyle must have seen my wince because he was back at my side. I watched as he took off his belt. He looked at the bullet hole in my pants and I was thankful they were black. I knew I was bleeding heavily because I could feel the blood pooling in my boots. I groaned. He slid his belt under my thigh above the bullet hole and looped it around twice tightly before fastening it. "Tourniquet." He shrugged and placed his hands on my cheeks. "You okay Maria? You're hot." "I always said I was hot," I smiled feeling the sweat on my forehead. "Seriously, I'm fine. Tell Alex what we want and see if he can do it, or if he'll have to call Max to fix…" "Do you trust Max?" I looked at Kyle and couldn't answer right away. I thought I trusted him; it was Liz that I never trusted and apparently for good reason. I shrugged. "I have to." Kyle sat back down and typed up the message. We waited with bated breath; the few minutes seemed like an eternity before Alex wrote back: I can fix it, I think. I called Max's cell to help. What are you planning? "Tell him this: We're taking down Section and all of us are walking out of here." I smiled and wiped the sweat from my brow. "Ask him for the commands to start that." I pointed to a computer that’s only movement was a blinking cursor. Kyle did as he was told and I waited. I didn't know what the hell to expect from this little plan of mine since all of the other ones had gone so smoothly so far. All I know is that I had to get to Michael. I wish Michael would have just left with Isabel and Max if he'd been able to. I knew in my heart that he wouldn't leave me here. But shit! If he was out, then Tess would be out and Kyle and I could shoot our way out if need be. But now because of Michael's devotion, we were all still in Section. Hell, I wasn't chastising him; I did the same thing. I don't leave without Michael Guerin next to me. Kyle relayed messages back and forth between me and Alex and somehow, after giving him some port number and following explicit directions, the computer in front of me came to life and the cameras were on. I'd seen enough movies to know how to switch between cameras and I scanned the hell out of Section looking for any other signs of life. After twenty minutes there was nothing. Empty halls and rooms. No one I was looking for and no Smythe and posse. Fuck! I slammed my hand down on the desktop in disgust. Wonderful, now my hand hurt. Someone was going to have to shoot me soon. Again. "Look at this…" Kyle trailed off and pointed to the computer screen in front of him. He was still communicating with Alex via the little computer thing and apparently was much better at following directions than I was. I shrugged and tried to focus on what had Kyle so interested. It took me a minute, but then I saw it. He was in Rena's files. Holy shit! I looked to where he was tapping his finger and read out loud. "Subjects observed: Tess Harding, Kyle Valenti, Isabel Evans, Max Evans, Liz Parker, Operative DeLuca and Michael Guerin. Must talk to S&S about suspicions. They were right. Aliens are real." "That's what there was only half of from before. Here's the rest…" Kyle read from the screen and I closed my eyes. " 'Reason to believe that the aliens in question are as follows: Tess Harding, Kyle Valenti, Liz Parker and Michael Guerin.' Damn! You thought I was one too! Do I give off some type of alien vibe?" I rolled my eyes. "Keep reading." "Okay," he touched the screen. "'Operative DeLuca will be exterminated. The others will be brought in for testing.' She was really going to kill you." Kyle looked at me and I nodded numbly. It was one thing to think you know someone was trying to kill you, it was another thing all together to read it. I'm glad she's dead. "Anything else?" Kyle shook his head. "I think that about covers it, huh?" "I guess so," I sat up straighter. "Well, I guess I showed her, huh?" I smiled and it hurt. "What else did Alex tell you to look for or do or whatever?" "He said…" He trailed off and looked past me. I snapped my fingers in front of his face. "Look." He pointed to one of the monitors in front of me. Sure as hell, there was Smythe being well guarded by his depleted band of merry men walking down a hall. I had no fucking clue as to which hall it was. It could have been on the other side of Section or it could be right below us. The whole freakin' place looked the same. "Why did they get out of the room?" Kyle asked and my shoulders sank. "I mean, why? If Max did the lights, why did they bolt? Why not just stick around and keep shooting? What was the point of them leaving?" I let out a deep sigh. "I don't know Kyle, I have no fucking idea." I shook my head and wanted to slam it into a wall. If I thought I could make it over to one, I would have done it. I looked back to the monitor and saw the point man with something in his hand. Some electrical thingy. It looked like a GameBoy; we had those in the pokey, but why…? "Oh no…No!" "Maria!" Kyle grabbed my arm; I was trembling. "What? What?" "They're being tracked." I closed my eyes. "They're tracking Michael and Tess. They'll get to them before they ever know what hit them." Kyle followed my thinking and we both slumped back into our chairs. "They're not showing up on the monitors." Kyle tried to keep his voice upbeat but it wasn't working. "They could be…I don't know. How are they being tracked?" "I imagine some kind of homing device is imbedded in one or both of them." I shuddered and wondered if I'd ever get to see Michael again while he was still alive or in one piece. "Okay," Kyle spun around and started typing commands or something into the computer. I imagine he was going by what Alex had sent him. He clicked and henpecked away with two fingers while I switched from camera to camera. I followed Smythe and the posse but I never came across Michael or Tess. * * * Michael pulled Tess into a crevice in the wall she hadn't seen. He clamped his hand over her mouth. "I want you to get out of here." He whispered in her ear and took his hand off her mouth. "I told you I won't leave you," Tess narrowed her eyes at him. "You stay, I stay." "I won't leave until I find Maria." Michael stared into her startling blue eyes. "I won't leave until I find her either," Tess put her hands on her hips and stood as defiantly as she could in Kyle's button down shirt. "She risked her life to save me, I'll do the same for her." Michael closed his eyes and nodded. "Are you sure Max and Isabel are out?" Tess nodded. "I'm positive. But Maria and Kyle are still here, Maria…" "Maria what?" Michael asked his attention was tight on her. "She needs to get out of here," Tess peeked her head around the indentation in the hall. "We should go, they have to be here somewhere." "What happened to Maria?" He grabbed her arm. "Tell me right fucking now!" "She was shot in the leg, Isabel didn't have time to treat her." "Shot…" Michael ran a hand through his dirty, stringy hair and looked at the blond next to him. "Let's go." He took her by the hand and led her out back into the open. "Maria!" He screamed and heard the empty echo around him. * * * "Okay," Kyle said slowly and got my attention back from the emptiness of the hallways. "Alex took me into Michael's father's files. He said he unblocked some of them." Kyle scanned the screen in front of him. "Here we go. 'My son Michael has so many options for his life and yet he chooses to stay at Section. Maybe I should tell him the truth and then let him decide. I know I must do it soon, Section is falling apart and I fear it won't be too long before I am turned over to the extermination team. I know it won't be like that, but it might as well be. Smith and Smythe are fighting me on everything and I don't believe in their causes. They're not what Section is about. They are self-serving and I won't be a part of it.' Do you know about his father?" "A little," I nodded and waited for him to go on. "Okay," Kyle found his place and kept reading. "'I'm leaving this in my files with the hopes that one day my son, my pride and joy, will access it and set the record straight. I devoted my life to two things, my son and Section. One is being slowly taken away from me and the other one…I don't know what will happen; not when he learns the truth.' So his dad knew he was an alien?" I nodded. "I think so, but he never came out and said it to him. Go on." Kyle nodded. "'Smith and Smythe are working against me and thus means they will be working against my son. They think I don't know what's going on, but I do. I may be getting older, but I'm still as sharp as I've ever been. I have put in my request for my successor and it has been accepted and noted. Without complications arising from Smith and Smythe, my son, Michael Guerin will run Section the way it's supposed to be run. He has a long road ahead of him and I hope he chooses not to take it alone. Michael, if you ever read this, you'll already know the truth from my notes. I love you, son. Be careful.' " Kyle whistled. "Michael is supposed to be in charge of Section…" I whispered. Son-of-a-bitch! See, nothing ever turns out the way I think it's going to. I don't even know why I bother to speculate when I am always dead wrong. "Wow." Kyle looked around the room. "They won't study him, Maria, they'll kill him." "I know," I wanted to start crying again but I knew we were still slightly in control and that was a big good right now. Smythe decided that we were the lesser of two evils and decided to go after the big game instead. Kyle and I didn't count. That could be called mistake number fucking one. We did count. I smiled and either the pain really was going away or I was just dying. "What are you smiling about?" Kyle asked grinning back at me. "I'm smiling because we don't count." I glanced at the monitors and there he was! He was in a hallway with Tess; holding her hand. "Here." I pointed to the screen. To my husband in ripped leather pants and no shirt. To my husband covered with bruises. To my husband with dirty hair and streaks of blood on his face. To my husband, the one I was willing to die for; just not today. I watched them walk and had to change cameras twice. I watched as they passed something familiar. Oh God, I knew where they were and I knew how to get there from here. Woo-hoo! The Maria Calvary was on her way! I stood and promptly fell back in my chair. "Fuck!" "Where are you going?" Kyle asked. "I'm getting them out of here, but I need your help." I grinned as the new foolproof plan sauntered into my head. It's about fucking time! Chapter Twenty I watched the monitors and wondered if Michael had any clue where we were. All he had to do was follow the same hallway just a little further and he'd be below us. Of course Michael would do exactly opposite of what I thought. Okay, after my computer class I'm signing up for telepathy class. "So, you have a plan?" Kyle asked with trepidation. Hell, could I blame him? I was seriously sliding down on the 'I have a plan' scale. "Yeah, I got a plan." I rolled my eyes at him and glad he was there. "Tell Alex to make sure Isabel stays outside. We'll need her once we get out; I'll need her when we get out. And under no circumstances are her and Max to even attempt to come back in here. I can't worry about them, too." Kyle did as he was told and I added obedient to the list of things I loved about Kyle. My thoughts drifted back to the whole 'hoping I don't get him killed' dilemma. I watched as he typed on the tiny keyboard and tears came to my eyes. I remembered meeting Kyle when I moved in across the hall. I remember meeting his dad and thinking of my own. I remember the times he put me first and kept me there. I don't know if I'd ever find another friend like Kyle Valenti. I know I wouldn't be looking anytime soon. "What are you looking at?" He asked quietly. Busted. I shrugged. "Just admiring how damn smart and strong you are." He blushed and it made me smile. "Shut up. You're the smart and strong one around here, Maria, and everyone knows it." I shrugged again. "We're a team, Kyle." He out stretched his hand to me and I took it. "You got that right, now tell me about this plan of yours," he winced. "Did you just wince? I saw you." I narrowed my eyes at him. "Why did you do that?" "Because any plan that involves you moving from here means I'm going to have to carry you." He smiled. "Kiss my ass, Valenti. Nobody has to carry me. I'll walk out of here on my own two feet and…" I bowed my head. He was right, he might have to carry me. Damn! "Whatever. Look," I tapped the monitor of Michael and Tess. "I know where they're at. I can get there from here. I can get to them." "What about Smythe? How far away is he from them?" "That's what I can't figure out; I see him right there, but I can't tell where he's at." "They could be anywhere…"Kyle nodded. "Yeah, well, they're not worried about us so that's in our favor. Did Alex write back?" Kyle nodded and read from the screen. "'Isabel will be waiting.' That's it. I guess Liz is still there, huh?" I shrugged having momentarily forgotten about the little traitor. God, she was in for a major ass kicking when I got out of here. "Screw her." "I still can't believe…I know, we'll talk about it later." Kyle looked away from me but I caught the gleam of sadness before he did. "Kyle, we'll get to the bottom of it. Okay?" I reached to him and squeezed his arm. "First things first. I don't my plans don't hold much water right now, but here it is…" * * * "Was she okay?" Michael whispered down to Tess as they walked down a slight inclination. "I think so," Tess nodded and squeezed his hand. "She's strong Michael. She won't give up." "I know," he half smiled thinking about how strong his wife actually was. "Sshhh." Tess looked to him and froze. Voices. They heard voices and they were close. He pulled her quickly along the hall and into an office he used to be familiar with. * * * "Are you sure you can pull this off?" Kyle asked after taking a deep breath. "No. I mean, not alone. We can pull it off." I nodded entirely too enthusiastically. My face was beginning to hurt again. "Will you be okay down there alone?" He asked and I saw the worry in his eyes. "I'll be fine. But this is the most important part. If something goes wrong, get the fuck outta Dodge. Tell Alex to have Max and Isabel at the door, the way we came in. If something goes wrong, you haul ass and bang on the door until one of them opens it for you." "I can't leave you in here." "You won't have to unless something goes wrong." I sighed. "I know that is a huge possibility, but think positive. I can't be wrong all the time, right?" "Kyle Valenti: alien." He smiled. "Shut the hell up. Will you promise me that you'll get yourself out if something goes wrong?" "How will I know?" "Oh, you'll know. I'm sure of that." I smiled and hoped it was comforting, but with the pain in my cheek I bet I looked more like a lopsided jack-o-lantern. "So, promise?" He nodded reluctantly. "I promise." "Alrighty then," I forced myself up into a standing position. "Ready? You know what to do?" He nodded. "I hope I don't screw up." "Yeah, me too." I held out my arms to him. "Now come give me a hug." Kyle stood and hugged me holding me tight against him. He kissed the corner of my mouth. "You better come out of here Maria." "I plan on it, but do me a favor if I don't." I tried to make light of the grave situation with humor. "Kick Liz's ass for me." He laughed and maybe I succeeded. Or maybe he just wanted me to think that I had. That was probably it. I stepped away from him and felt giant ice picks stabbing my leg. Oh man, I don't know what the fuck I was getting myself into. I was actually afraid I was going to wipe out on the steps before I ever had a chance to put my plan into action. "Are they still on the monitor?" I asked limping towards the broken door we had come in. "No, no one is." Kyle said slowly. He walked over to me and I hoped my body wasn't sagging as much as it felt like it was. He handed me the pistol from the waistband of his jeans. "Take this, too." "I can't leave you unarmed, Kyle." "I'm up here in a glass box office. If need be I'm sure I can find something to fight with. I saw some pretty mean tape dispensers in there." I took the pistol from him and slid it down the front of my pants. Okay, leather? Not meant to have to two firearms shoved into it. I smiled and limped away from him. I was back on the stairs and they looked frightening. I took a deep breath and thought about all the reasons I was doing this. Michael. That was the reason that I'd be able to pull this off. I struggled on the first few steps and cursed Section for not installing elevators. Hell, they probably did have them, but I wasn't about to go hunting one down. I had enough hunting in front of me for now and elevators were not on the list. I hit the floor and hopped on one leg out far enough so Kyle could see me. I looked up and there he was, pressed against the glass in all his cuteness. I waved and then saluted. He saluted me back and I was on my way. I ambled against a corridor wall and tried to control my breathing. The last thing I needed was to get caught because I was breathing too loud. The lights in the hallway went out and if I hadn't been expecting it, I would have screamed and probably shot myself. Phase one of the plan was working. So far so good. I put all my faith in Kyle, as I know he had done the same with me. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Alien babies? All of them will be named Kyle. I tried to keep my mind focused on what I was doing but the environment was dragging me back down. I didn't know Section all that well. I was guessing on a lot of things. I did know for a fact where Michael and Tess had been minutes ago. Michael knew the place a hell of a lot better than I did and I prayed he didn't duck into some hidden tunnel or passageway like I suspected Smythe and posse had done. They were hiding. The thought hit me like a bullet train. Smythe was hiding out tracking the aliens. He was scared. No, maybe that wasn't the right word for it. He was not as sure as he was before. Not as blatant about his mission; his theory. He was losing and he knew it. Ha! He didn't quite know what he was up against anymore. He may be tracking them with his hit men, what three of them were left? I had taken out three all by myself and if the plan succeeded I'd be taking out the other three as well. The blinding pain was down to a minimum as I drew the gun out of the front of my pants and cocked it. Shoot first; ask questions later. Unless it was Michael or Tess I was going for the headshot. I attributed the momentary pain loss to adrenaline. I knew that was the only way I could do this. The only way that I could get them out. The only way that Michael would return to me. I smiled wickedly and felt stronger. I banged the pistol on the wall and waited. I didn't hear anything. It was too damn quiet in here! "Come out, come out wherever you are!" I yelled down the hallway and waited. Nothing. "Come on Smythe, you spineless bastard! There's a new Sheriff in town and she's pissed!" |
| PART 17-20 |