“So tell us Maria…which one of you is the warrior?” Necedo's voice was light and friendly, his eyes however revealed the anger and determination to find out the truth. In them, she saw something dark, terrible and…and vaguely familiar. “It was you…You killed my parents!” The laughter that erupted from him was wholehearted and evil. “And the pin finally drops does it? Your father was a fool, he gave up the old ways with no understanding of the consequences. So yes…. I took great delight in sucking dry the person you called mother, she was pathetic, a snivelling human who couldn’t even save herself. She died to save you. Looks like it was in vain. Tonight I shall finish the job I started ten years ago.” He stepped forward towards her, brushing a hand over her cheek, she tried to pull free, but his fingers grasped her chin forcing her to stare directly in his eyes. “You’re an abomination Maria, a freak. You were never meant to be born and you can be damn sure I’m going to correct that mistake.” Maria stared straight into his eyes. She could feel the truth of his words, she was a freak, maybe it was better this way. Liz and Alex would have to save themselves now, there was no way she could do it. “No!” Maria was suddenly pulled away from Necedo, strong arms gripping her own. “She’s every bit as alien as any of us. If you want Maria, you’ll have to take all of us.” Maria stared at Michael her mouth gapping. Was he really saying what she thought? No…he was in denial. He didn’t know what he was saying. Finding her voice, she felt it was only fair to stop him from making a heroic stance under false pretences. “Michael, I don’t think you get it. My mother was a human. Liz here, is my cousin. I’ve been living with her and her family for over a year as a human. Michael I am a human.” Looking directly into his eyes as she uttered the last sentence, she waited for the shutters to close over them as the truth behind her words hit. Instead they shining down at her, a little sad, a little amused, but completely Michael. Behind them someone laughed. Turning to find Max behind her, Maria braced herself for the verbal onslaught. “I don’t think you get it! We don’t care! We know you…We love you, we’d never betray you. Especially not to this sadistic bastard.” Max crooked his thumb at Necedo who was practically foaming at the mouth in light of this development. Then Isabel was beside her. Taking Maria’s hand in her own she almost whispered. “You Silly Girl! You’ll always be one of us!” Kyle and Tess were behind Isabel. Tess was crying between relieved laughter, using Kyle’s sleeve as a tissue, Kyle was looking decidedly misty eyed himself. From the corner of her eye she could see Liz and Alex. Alex’s eyes were also shining and Liz was wearing the first sincere smile Maria had ever seen on her face. Turning back to Michael, Maria still felt a little trepidation as she stared up into his eyes. Taking her hands in his, Michael just stared back, the warmth and love she saw made her draw breath, once again she was at a loss for words. “Enough!” Nicholas was off the floor and standing in front of Liz and Alex. In his hand he held a long bladed knife and slashed it playfully in the air. “Perhaps a little blood might make this party move along faster. Yes?” In an instant, Maria knew what to do. Stepping away from Michael and towards Necedo she grabbed the Orb from his out stretched hand. But the instant her skin touched it, time slowed down. As she had planned, Maria felt herself throw the Orb in Liz’s direction, screaming as she did it: “Liz!... Catch!” As she watched the Orb glide smoothly through the air, she didn’t see Nicholas twist, didn’t see the blade of the knife as he thrust it forward, but she sure as hell felt the cold metal as it pierced through her shirt and into her stomach. Powerless to do anything about it, she doubled over in shock and pain. Maria glanced at Liz, her face was contorted with fear at the sight of Maria’s bloodied hands and shirt, but to Maria’s horror Liz’s own hand were empty. Were had it gone? Looking up, Maria saw the shining light above them, suspended mid-air was the glowing Orb. Staring into the light, Maria felt memories stir. Her knees buckled beneath her, but strong arms were there to guide her down to the floor. *Flash* She was back in the forest, to her surprise she was watching these flashes rather than experiencing them. Meters away, Maria saw herself standing over the gang leader. She watched in awe as her other self knelt beside him, her fingers brushing against something hard and round in the ground before she ran off. She watched the rest of the scene play out, the part she hadn’t seen at the time. The gang leader getting up, crawling away, hurt and slowly, just missing Michael’s own entrance as he called out Maria’s name. Then Michael bending down to pick up the now glowing object she had touched, staring in her direction, but then slowly retreating slowly back to the rest of the gang. *Flash* The park the previous day; Maria saw Alex hand her other self the orb. The difference was this time, Maria caught sight of the soft glowing that began before Liz snatched it from her hand. *Flash* Now she was back in Necedo’s house. Disembodied, she seemed to be floating above everyone else. She could see herself huddled on the ground in Michael’s arms. Alex holding Liz up as racking sobs shook her body. She could see Isabel and Max, bending down next to Michael and herself, Tess and Kyle holding each other. Necedo looking on with wry amusement and Nicholas smugly wiped the blood off the blade still in his hand. But most of all she could see the glowing orb below her, bathing everyone in a soft light. Maria watched with horror as Necedo gestured for the two bodyguards to take Liz and Alex. She could see the power reeling of him as he sent out a telepathic mind blow to the other aliens in the room. Tess and Kyle keeled over like rag dolls, Isabel and Max were slower to be affected but soon followed them in a pile on the floor. The only exception was Michael, he still sat on the floor next to her lifeless body, stroking her hair and whispering words she could not hear. Necedo looked amused by Michael’s stubbornness to comply but his smile faded as he nodded grimly to Nicholas. Unable to do anything, Maria could only watch as Nicholas walked up slowly behind Michael, his knife ready by his side. “MICHAEL!” It was hopeless, he couldn’t hear her and as she had no eye lids to shield her from what was about to play out, Maria knew she was going to have to watch as they killed her soulmate. A hum started to sound from the Orb, growing louder as the light grew stronger. And then Maria felt herself being sucked back into her body, the humming and light from the Orb continued growing stronger as she was pulled down. The strength of the glow and the now unbearable noise sent Maria’s mind spinning. Violently she was thrown into the dark abyss of unconsciousness. TBC

Part 17