Into
the Woods…..
Maria proceeded through the school corridor, attracting
more than a little attention along the way. Liz turned at her locker and waited
for her insane friend to catch up.
“Hey, Maria!”
“Whoa!”
“Whoa, check it out, man!”
“Hey hey, Maria!”
Maria smiled at the guys as she passed by, stopping
dramatically in front of Liz, gesturing grandly to her new improved and enhanced
cleavage. “It's an aqua bra. You know, all the fun of implants except without
the invasive surgery part.”
Liz laughed at her friend’s outlandish behavior. “You
have officially lost it.”
“No, I have found it, babe, ok? I've already picked up
three phone number, and it's only second period!”
“What?”
“Yes.” Maria said smiling smugly. “Think, Liz, this
could be you. It will be like a pick me up, after the whole Max thing! I test
piloted it for you. It works wonders.”
“Hey, Maria.”
“Hey, Neil.” Smiling sweetly, Maria looked at Liz with
a twinkle in her eye. “Do you see what I'm saying? Ok, do you want to try this
thing on? See? See? This could be you, a whole new Liz!”
Liz looked at Maria’s expanded bosom. “Oh, that would
definitely be a whole new me! Like two of me, my next door neighbor, and the
girl down the lane.” Liz made a face. “I don't know, I...,” Liz looked
over at Max entering the eraser room, “...who's Max meeting in the eraser
room?”
“Ixnay on the ining-pay, remember?” Maria forced Liz to
look at her.
“No, I am not pining. I'm just...,” Liz stretched to
see around Maria who planted herself in front of Liz, purposely blocking the
eraser room, “...I’m just curious, that's all. I hate not knowing what's
going on with Max.”
“His decision, if I recall.” They watched as Michael
entered the eraser room after Max. “No wonder he couldn't make a
commitment.” Maria said, seeing Liz’s look, she winced. “I mean Max, of
course. As far as Spaceboy? I think he has some explaining to do. I don’t
remember him answering question thirty-seven on the questionnaire correctly. You
know the ‘What would you rather do’ one? Rearrange your room and coordinate,
or eat cheese fries, throw-up, piss on the floor while making armpit noises.”
Alex came up behind them. “Ok, I give up. What are we
staring at?”
Liz quickly covered, dramatically representing Maria’s
new improved hooters. Alex did a physical double take when Maria swung around,
his eyebrow going up in question. “This is an aqua bra. Would you like to try
it on, Alex?”
“Yeah, maybe later. Here, have a flier.” He passed on
to Liz and one to Maria. “If I pass out enough of them, then I could raise my
P.E. grade from a "C" to a "B-".”
Liz quickly read it, grimacing. “Oh. Ooh, father camping
weekend? I don't suppose either of you would be...”
Alex quickly deflected the request. “Did I mention that
I'm not very athletic, except for dodgeball?”
“No dad!” Maria reminded Liz happily. For once in her
life, the absence of her male parental unit was a blessing.
Sighing, Liz tucked the flier away. “I hope mine has
finally outgrown it.”
Alex spied Isabel by herself at her locker. He quickly
ditched his ‘girl-friends’. “Oh, gee, look at the time. I gotta go. I'll
see you guys.”
“Oh,” said Liz seeing him bounce off in a fast pace.
“Like a puppy in heat.” Maria made a face.
“I know.”
Maria sighed. “He’s my next project.”
Liz lifted an eyebrow. “Really? What was your first
project?”
Maria made a sour face. “Unfortunately, I’m thinking I
might have to give up on that one. The boy refuses to bathe regularly.” Liz
snickered knowing perfectly well who she was talking about. “He told me that
he would if I would toss the lipgloss.”
“Cruel calculating beast!”
Maria threw her hands dramatically. “I know! How did I
know that he’d find my lips so distracting?”
~~~
Isabel entered the eraser room closing the door quickly
before anyone saw her with them.
“Can't believe I'm in the eraser room with you
two.”
“We need a safe place to talk.” He reached over and
locked the door. “So I found out a lot about the sighting from
“Told you that place would get to you,” Michael said,
making a face at the mention of
“Five people saw a big flash in Frazier Woods.”
Isabel made a rude noise. “Five basket cases.”
Max looked at his companions. “Then why has Valenti
already closed off a 4-square-mile area of the forest near the Indian
reservation?”
Michael suddenly became more attentive. “You mean near
the cave?”
“Max, you don't think this sighting...”
Max nodded at Isabel. “It was no coincidence. We need to
get there before Valenti does in case there's something to find.”
“Yeah, but we don't know how many guys he has
patrolling,” Isabel said, looking at her two brothers, hoping to stress the
point and keep them from doing something rash. “If anybody saw us, then it
would just make him more curious.”
Max looked at Michael. “What do you do in Frazier
Woods?”
Michael shrugged. Hell if he knew. Hide out? Avoid annoying
people?
Isabel handed Max the flier Alex had given her. “You
hike, you fish…you camp out.”
Quickly reading the flier, Max looked at Isabel. “I can't
believe I'm actually gonna suggest this, but we could go on that camping trip
this weekend.”
“You're kidding me, right?” Michael said, he looked at
both Isabel and Max in shock. Camping…that was so…normal.
Isabel smiled lifting a brow at Max. “If anybody found
us, we would just be kids missing from our school group.”
“There's only one problem. It's a...,” he looked at
Michael, “...it's a fathers' weekend. Get to know your dad kind of thing.”
“Guess that lets me out, huh?” Michael sat back
dejectedly. Oh yeah, left out again on his quest.
~~~
“So let me get this straight,” Maria said. “You
wanted to go camping?”
“No!” Michael rolled his eyes. “I’ve spent half my
life sleeping on floors. I prefer the bed if possible.”
“Then count yourself lucky not be sleeping on a rock in
the national forest.”
“You’re purposely missing the point.”
“No, you are.” Maria waved dramatically. “Michael,
they want you to sing songs around the campfire.”
“What!” Michael grabbed the flier rereading it. He
looked at Maria suspiciously. “It doesn’t say that anywhere on here.”
“Kum-bi-yah,
buddy. It’s not a pretty sight.” Maria nodded as Michael paled. “Listen,
is this about the quest thing, or the father thing?”
“Does it matter? Pick one.” Michael stopped, finally
registering Maria’s chest. He was afraid to ask, but he had to know.
“Steroids?”
“Oh! No, aqua bra. Shaping without the surgery.”
Michael made a face. “Interesting.” He kept checking
her out, until she hit him over the head with her notebook. “You’ve been
busy.” Michael said smirking.
“Sure I have. Want me to hum a few lines of Kum-bi-yah,
just in case?”
“Stop it!”
~~~
Michael slammed out of the trailer to sit at the picnic
table in the front “yard”. “There's no milk!”
Hank, his foster father, followed him outside. “Use beer!
I thought I told you to wash the dishes.”
“Hey, I'm eating dinner.”
Hank looked at the bowl of cereal. “Oh, that's what you
call dinner?”
“Yeah, like you care.”
The man stood over him menacing. “What did you say?”
Michael moved away from him quickly, kicking over some
garbage cans in anger. He could hear other residents in the trailer park
yelling, “Keep it down!”
“Hey, you, shut
up!” Michael yelled back. Suddenly out of the darkness, River Dog emerged.
Michael quickly looked around, checking for Hank, before going over to the old
man.
“Hey, wait! What are you doing here?”
“Did you see it?”
“What are you talking about?” Michael asked.
“Did any of you see it?”
“See what?” Michael looked over his shoulder again,
hoping Hank had stayed in the trailer.
“It was real.”
“Would you quit talking in riddles? What was?” Michael
paused for a moment, when he suddenly understood, “...the sighting. How do you
know?”
“I've seen it before.”
~~~
Liz trudged down the stairs carrying camping gear.
“Running away from home?” Maria asked pleasantly.
“Maria, I’m begging you for mercy. Please come with
me!” Liz pleaded desperately, glancing around for her father.
“Dude, I told you, my idea of the great outdoors is
rolling the windows down in my car on the way to the mall.” Maria stared at
the camping gear in fear. “Come on, I love your dad. You love your dad.”
“Yes, I do. I love him, but, like, in the normal father
role. Which is like 5 minutes at a time, just a few times a day,” Liz said
emphasizing the point, “...not for an entire weekend with no TV.”
“Yeah. I've always found fathers grossly overrated,
myself.” Maria smiled a tight smile, hiding more than she cared to admit. It
was easier to gloss over the truth, than to wallow in it.
“And, you know, he’s been getting so nosy lately. It's
like he wants to know like every single detail of my life. He even asked me
about Max and Michael and Isabel.”
“Mmm, no!” Maria made a face. God save them. “That's
why me and my mom have the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy.”
“I'll pay you.”
That stopped Maria in her tracks. Cocking her head, she
looked at Liz with interest. “How much?”
“25 bucks.”
Maria appeared to be thinking it over. “$100.”
“Uh, $50.”
Maria shook her head. “$75.”
“$62.50.”
“How do you do that math so quickly?!” Maria conceded,
suitably impressed.
“Ok, $62.50 and then I'll do your math homework for an
entire week.”
Maria smiled. Damn, she hated math. That could cinch the
deal. “You're good.” Liz sneezed, reminding Maria of something other than
bartering and camping. “Ooh. Hey, I brought you some more Echinacea and threw
in a little Goldenseal, too.” Maria passes over a small bag of the herbals as
Liz handed her the cash.
“The bus leaves at
“Yeah, yeah. I just need to pack. You’ll have to take
care of my shifts over the weekend.”
Liz peered in at another bag of herbals. “What’s that
one for?”
Maria looks down at another baggy full of choice herbal
essentials. “Oh, that’s for Spaceboy. He’s been looking a little green to
me. For a Czechoslovakian, that could be very revealing.”
Liz laughed shaking her head. “Oh, I’m sure.” This
Maria and Michael friendship was a confusing thing.
~~~
Michael, Max, and Isabel sat in the Crashdown discussing
the light, and Michael was enthusiastic.
Max, for once, was completely attentive, and not searching
for Liz. “So River Dog saw the light?”
“The dog himself.” Michael confirmed. It had done a lot
for him having the elder man come to find him first, and not the others.
And he said it was real?” Isabel asked, looking at Max
when Michael nodded. “You know what this could mean?”
Max knew, as did the others. “Our first real proof. Could
even lead to actual contact.”
“If we haven't had it already.” Michael suggested.
Max glanced around quickly. “What do you mean?”
“Why is River Dog following me?” Michael asked them.
“Why does he care?”
“Because he knew the fourth alien.” Isabel suggested.
Looking was one thing, but she didn’t know if she was prepared to actually
know.
Michael shrugged. “Yeah, that's what he said.”
Max’s eyes narrowed. “And you don't believe him?”
“How does he know so much? I mean, how did he know to
heal me when I was sick?” Michael leaned in his excitement in his voice. “I
mean, that's some memory from when he was a kid. And where did he get those
stones from?
“The fourth alien?” Max asked. He frowned. Why would
River Dog tell them about the ‘visitor’ Nasedo, if Nasedo was actually
himself?
“I think he's our father, Maxwell.” Michael said
sitting back.
Isabel bit her lip. “Michael, I don't think so.”
Michael looked at her, unhappy with her reaction. “Why,
because you and Max already have one?”
Isabel hated this, hated seeing him getting his hopes up on
something that might never happen. “No, that's not what I'm trying to
say...”
“River Dog knows more about us than Philip Evans ever
will, no matter how many camping trips you guys take.” Michael said sitting
back, his eyes angry as he moved away from them a little. He was used to being
on the outside, even when it was the three of them.
~~~
Maria and Liz were at the cash register when Max and
Michael were leaving. Handing over the receipt and cash, Max moved on his feet
uncomfortably. Michael made a face of disgust. Maria bit her lip and looked
away.
“Hey.” Max said.
“Hey.” Liz said.
Liz handed him the change. “Um, thanks.” Max ignored
both Michael and Maria. “Haven't seen you in a couple of days.”
“I...uh, it's been kind of busy.”
“Actually, we've both been kind of busy.” Maria added,
pointedly looking at Michael.
He looked at her aqua bra endowed chest and smirked,
“Yeah, I can see that.”
“You know, getting ready for the big weekend and all.”
Maria said staring at Michael.
“You have a big weekend?” Max asked still looking at
Liz.
Maria chose to talk to Michael. “Yeah, looks like Liz and
I are going to the camping trip with her dad.” Maria lifted an eyebrow at
Michael. He wanted to go. If she could go with Liz, then why couldn’t he go
with the Evans?
Max smiled slightly. “Iz and I are going too with our
dad.”
“Really?” Liz’s voice took a nice high squeak. Maria
finally isolated it. It was her surprised and excited sound. Frowning, Maria
looked at her friend. Great. This was never going to be over. Liz was gone…far
gone.
Max moved around shyly. “Guess I’ll see you there.”
“Sure.” They watched Max and Michael leave. Maria
frowned at the silent Michael. She thought of following him to talk to him for a
moment privately, but Alex moving towards Isabel’s booth distracted her.
“Oh, great.” Maria said dramatically.
Alex stood at Isabel’s table eager. “So, Isabel...”
Maria lifted a brow. His smile was charming at the very least.
“Another one being sucked into the alien abyss.” Maria
pointed at Liz. “What is with you two? Do I have to tie life lines around both
of you?”
“Maria, it’s not that bad. You’re a fine one to talk.
I think you spend more time with Michael than me lately. Tell me you almost
didn’t follow them to talk to him.”
“That’s very different, Liz. What Michael and I
have…it’s hard to explain, but I promise you there is nothing there…or at
least nothing romantic. We just understand each other, or we’re learning
to.”
“I don’t get it. I thought you were afraid of him.”
Maria shrugged. Times changed, and so did she. Every person
had a right to rethink a first impression. “Why is this friendship thing so
important to you?”
Liz didn’t say it, but she felt ill at ease. Maria had
always been her best friend, and lately, it was like she was in a time share of
Maria with Michael Guerin, and he was taking the bulk of the time.
“I didn’t say it was important to me.” Maria denied.
Sighing, she looked at her friend. “Okay, maybe it is. I don’t know. Maybe
it’s because every moment of every day you’re thinking of Max Evans, and
Alex is busy stalking Isabel. Michael is alone, and I find I suddenly have a lot
of time on my hands, so since we’re fifth wheels, we do things.”
Liz frowned at her friend. It was true. She was preoccupied
with Max, and all the time she used to spend with Maria was severely cut down.
“Well, how about this weekend, we make it about us spending time?”
“Sure.” Maria smiled, but her eyes held no amusement.
Max Evans would be there, so the chances of her and Liz spending undivided time
were next to nil. She would bet her savings account on it.
~~~
Michael lay in his bed, not really even thinking. He
didn’t want to think. Maria was going on the father’s weekend camp trip.
Hell, she didn’t have a father either, but she was going. Covering his eyes,
he swallowed hard. They could’ve invited him along.
His quest…
The door to his room suddenly opened, and River Dog stood
there. “It's time.”
~~~
Liz watched Max and Isabel taking off into the woods. She
looked around quickly, and followed. Unseen by her and the others, Sheriff
Valenti followed as well. The camp trip only served to increase his suspicions
of Max Evans.
Liz jumped when Isabel and Max stepped out from behind a
tree. “You almost scared me to death.”
“How do you think you made us feel?” Isabel asked.
Max looked at Liz, he was serious. “Go back right now.”
“Max, this matters to me, too.”
Isabel made a disgusted sound. “What matters is that we
find out what this sighting is all about before anyone else can.”
“Don't leave me out of this, Max...please.” Liz pleaded
uncaring how it made her sound.
“This is a mistake, Max.” Isabel told her brother.
“Getting everyone involved like this is just...”
Maria suddenly appeared with a flashlight in hand.
Isabel groaned. “Oh, great. That's great. Why don't we
just send out a flare?”
Maria joined them. “I figured you guys would be having a
little woodsy tryst. I hope you're trying to talk her out of this, too.”
“Maria, they're here because of the sighting.” Liz
said.
Maria looked at the others. “I know.”
Liz looked at Maria in shock. “You know?”
Maria looked at Max and Isabel. “Michael should be here
too, and taking Liz and not him is wrong.”
“We weren’t taking Liz,” said Isabel. “She was
bringing herself uninvited.”
Maria looked around. “It’s getting late, you need to go
and find out whatever it is.” If they missed the opportunity, it would make
Michael even more upset.
Max agreed. Time was wasting. “That's what we have to
find out.”
Isabel looked at the two girls in disgust. “Look, you can
stand there explaining it to them all night. I'm going, ok?” Isabel took off
and Max followed her without hesitation.
Liz looked at where they disappeared. “Well, are you
staying here or are you gonna come with?” Liz asked.
“You're going with them?”
Liz nodded. “Make up your mind, Maria. I've made up
mine.”
Maria looked at her friend with something akin to pity.
Pity that Liz felt the need to be involved in every aspect of Max’s life, to
feel part of it. Sympathy that what Liz wanted was something she may never get.
“You can't let go of him, can you?”
“I don't want to.” Liz took off before the others got
too far ahead.
Maria hesitated for a moment, but she couldn’t leave Liz
out there alone. “Wait!” She quickly followed as well.
~~~
“Ok. We've been, like, hiking for over an hour.” Maria
complained.
“We're getting close.” Max reassured her.
“It is officially freezing out here.” Maria hunched
even more into her jacket.
Liz frowned, not wanting the others to become upset at
Maria’s complaining. “Maria, it's not that cold.”
“Really?” Maria said dramatically. “Really, 'cause
I’m now wearing an ice bra! Whatever it is, it's uncomfortable!”
The hiked for a while longer, and in the distance they
could hear the ever increasing sounds of dogs getting closer to their position.
Liz looked behind them. “Is that coyotes?”
Max increased his pace. “Search dogs. Come on, we're
close. Come on!”
They continued, but the sounds of the dogs kept getting
closer.
Max bent over breathing hard as the other stopped to rest.
“Can't outrun them. They're too fast.”
Isabel looked around at the dark woods, worry deepening her
voice. “What are we gonna do?”
Max shook his head. “I don't know.” Maria looked at
him, biting her lip. She didn’t want to mention it, but if they failed,
Michael’s disappointment would be hard to live with.
Liz made a decision. “You guys just keep going.”
Max stared at her as if she was crazy. “What?”
“Maria and I'll stay here and just let them catch us.”
Max shook his head. “Liz, no.” He was not going to
leave anyone in the woods.
“No, Max, it's all right. We'll just say that we got lost
in the woods.” Liz looked at Maria who nodded her agreement. “This is too
important. Keep going.”
Max looked at Isabel who nodded. He asked Liz once more to
be certain. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah. The important thing is you just find what you're
looking for.”
Max squeezed her hand before leaving with Isabel. “I
will.”
“All right.” Liz smiled at Max and gestured to Isabel
to follow him. “Go. Isabel, go. Go!”
The waited until the two disappeared into the dark, and Liz
looked at Maria.
“Are you ready?”
“Yeah, let’s do it.”
They both stood up and began to yell to attract the
searchers. “We're here! We're over here! Help! Come find us! Help us! We're
over here! We're here! We're right here.”
As the dogs and sound of men shouting came closer, Maria
sighed. “My mom's gonna love this, really.”
Liz laughed, continuing to yell. She looked at Maria.
“Want to tell me how you knew about the sighting before me, and why you
conveniently forgot to mention it?”
Maria gulped seeing lights in woods fast approaching. Saved
in the nick of time! “We're here! We're over here! Help!”
Liz snorted recognizing Maria’s diversion technique.
“No amount of help is going to save you, Maria. You and me, we’re going to
have a long talk.”
Maria glanced at her friend and nodded. That damn spaceboy
better appreciate what she did for him, because it was far beyond the normal
call of duty between human alien relationships.
~~~
Michael and River Dog moved through the woods searching.
The old man stopped for a second, gesturing for them to follow a barely visible
trail.
“Just over there.” The path was overgrown, and the
elderly man tripped while stepping over a felled limb. Grimacing in pain, he sat
down holding his leg.
“Hey, are you all right?” Michael asked in concern.
Stopping he knelt down next to the old man.
“Gimme your hand.”
“Here.” Michael offered him help to stand.
River Dog stood for a moment, and quickly sat down again.
“Whoa!”
“What, what, what, what, what?” Michael asked anxious,
looking around.
“I...I think I broke my ankle. It's...it's about a mile
north of here. You keep going.” River Dog held his ankle. “Ah...”
“Why don't you fix it?” Michael asked, suspicious still
that River Dog was the fourth alien.
“What?”
“Your ankle.” Michael said gesturing to the broken
foot.
River Dog looked at the young boy. “What are you talkin'
about?”
“Why don't you tell me the truth?”
“The truth about what?” River Dog could see that it was
important to the youth.
“About who you are.”
Understanding filled the man’s eyes. “You think I'm
Nasedo.”
“You knew everything about us. You knew what was wrong
with me when I was sick, and you knew exactly how to fix it. How did you know
all those things? And why would you wanna help us if you weren't...” Michael
reasoned.
“I'm sorry, Michael,” River Dog said, truly feeling
regret for the young man, “...but I'm not your father.”
“Just had to make sure.” Michael shrugged trying to
appear as if it hadn’t mattered to him. He reached down and healed River
Dog’s ankle, happy that for once, his powers didn’t fail him. For some
reason, it was important that to River Dog that he didn’t appear to be a
failure. “You can walk now.”
River Dog stood, testing out his ankle smiling when it held
and the pain was gone. “Thank you. Now we're even.”
Michael shook his head. “I don't think we'll ever be
even.”
River Dog clapped Michael on the back, gesturing to the
path they had been taking. “Better go. Let's go.”
~~~
River Dog and Michael reached a small clearing to find Max
and Isabel there as well. River Dog paused.
“Wait, what are they doing here?”
“They came on their own.” Michael said, secretly
pleased the River Dog only thought to seek him out and not the others. His
journey, his search, his quest, it was nice that someone other than Maria,
understood that.
River Dog looked around on the ground. “All right. This
is where it'll be.”
Max stared at Michael, surprised to see him, but he
didn’t have time to question his friend. River Dog was searching for
something. “What are we looking for?”
River Dog gestured to a place on the ground. The three
aliens looked at each other, when they saw the burned symbol in the ground.
Isabel stared in amazement. “Oh, my God. It's the symbol
from the cave.”
“The white light, or whatever the hell that was, caused
this?” Michael asked River Dog.
The old man nodded at Michael. “Yes. It's a sign.”
Turning off their flashlights, the three aliens held out
their palms to the symbol, causing it to light up with a light blue glow.
Staring at it, they could not move. What it meant was a mystery.
“It was meant for you.” River Dog said.
Max looked at the old man. “What does this mean?”
“That he's back.” Michael said. “Nasedo's here.”
Max moved his head to the side as he heard a noise in the
woods moving out of the brush. “Someone's here.” Max and the other quickly
stood facing the noise.
“What do you want?” Michael asked placing himself
between the Sheriff and the ground.
Valenti stared Michael down. “Step outta my way.”
River Dog places a restraining hand on Michael. “Do as he
asks.”
Max waved a hand over the light blue glowing symbol making
it disappear while Michael blocked the Sheriff. They all moved aside as Valenti
searched the ground, the burnt mark gone as well.
“Something was here.” Sheriff Valenti said. “What
were you looking at?”
“We've been lost for hours here.” Max said ignoring the
question. “Thank you for finding us.”
~~~
Maria put a piece of pie in front of Michael and a bottle
of
“Valenti?” Michael asked. He liberally added the
“Kyle is a stalker that can’t get over Liz dumping
him.” Maria leaned back in the booth biting on a nail. “This isn’t good.
He’s suspicious, and his father is too. They’re like this self-feeding unit
of paranoia. You think it’s hereditary from Valenti’s crazy old father?”
“I think that it’s dangerous, that’s what I think.
Having Sheriff Valenti watching our every move is not good, anyway you look at
it.”
“Agreed.” Maria smiled slightly. “So you got to go
anyway.”
“Yeah. River Dog came for me.”
Maria pursed her lips thoughtfully. “He came for you, and
not the others. Why do you think that is?”
Michael shrugged and continued to wolf down his pie, a
little disconcerted that she picked up on something that meant something to him.
Maybe they were spending too much time together. Michael chewed through another
bite, and put that thought away. Who the hell else was he going to break into
the movie theatre with? He opened the door, and she provided the snacks. It was
a good partnership.
Maria squinted her eyes in thought. “Maybe it’s because
of the balance?” Michael frowned at her. Maria shrugged. “I just mean that
so many of us, especially Alex and me, people who had no real connection to you,
put ourselves out there for you, and that had to tell him something. Maybe it
told him that you were trustworthy…you know...okay?”
“Maybe.” Michael looked around lowering his voice. “I
thought he might be Nasedo, my father.”
“But he’s not?” Michael shook his head. “I’m
sorry.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Maria looked away, knowing that it did matter, but it
wasn’t something Michael would want to talk about. “So the symbol…any
ideas?”
“Nah. I think it’s a message to us. I think Nasedo is
back, and he wanted us to know.”
“Then why doesn’t he just appear?”
“Maybe we have to respond, so he knows we are who we
are.”
“Okay, that makes some sense. So how do you respond? Can
you make a white light like the one he used?”
Michael snorted. “Hardly. Today I accidentally locked
myself inside the damn bathroom. I couldn’t get my powers to open the damn
lock.”
“Let me guess. You were agitated.” Michael shrugged. He
didn’t want to mention the fight with Hank, or why he originally used his
powers to lock himself in. Maria let it go. “Well, you’ll figure it out.
I’m sure.”
Michael scratched his brow. “You sound confident. You
mean I’ll find out, or Max and Isabel will…you know, the three of us?”
“You.”
Michael sat back in the booth, staring at her face, his
eyes holding hers. She was serious, openly honest, and she really believed.
“Why do you think that?”
Maria laughed a little. “Because you want it. The
others…” Maria shrugged. “You’ll figure it out, because you won’t stop
until you do.”
Michael took a deep breath, gazing across the Crashdown,
unable to make a comment. She had a way of disarming him at times. The diner was
almost empty. Maria was working the late shift, and the place was almost dead,
the other waitress seeing to the only other customers.
Michael looked at Maria’s chest. “So what happened to
the cleavage?”
“Gone.”
“I noticed. Too bad, I was enjoying the scenery.”
Maria snorted. “Yeah, just like a guy! You would’ve
enjoyed the huge wet spot on my clothing too when one of cups decided to
burst.” She made a face. “Yeah, nothing like walking around like a nursing
mother, with one boob inflated and the other flat and wet.”
Michael smirked. “Well it could’ve happened at a more
inappropriate time.”
“Such as?”
“While someone was feeling you up.” Maria glared at
him, and Michael held up his hands. “I’m just saying!”
“Yeah, sure. Just say it to yourself.” Maria looked
around the place. “Pete Wilkins asked me out on a date.”
“Don’t do it.”
“Why?”
Michael shrugged searching for a good reason. “First, it
breaks your rule of dating sweaty high school boys, and second, he has a
reputation. He has a list he’s hoping to fill before he graduates.”
“A list?”
“Yep, and you’re on it.”
“You better tell me about this wish list of his, sparing
no details, and I’ll think of what needs to be done about Pete Wilkins.”
Michael shrugged. “It’s this list of ‘women’ he’d
like to score with before graduation, and…”
“I’m on this list?” Michael scratched his brow.
“Oh! See? This reaffirms my belief that high school boys are dogs! You better
tell me everything.”
Michael sat back happily painting the other boy in the
worst possible light. Another disaster averted. If only Valenti was as easy to
sway as Maria. Of course, Michael was only warning her off for her own good.
After all, Maria had some very good, sound goals in life, namely to avoid mixing
it up with high school boys, and being a sort of friend, Michael was happy to
keep her on that path.
