Secrets and
Lies……
Joey Ferrini and his girlfriend, Bunny sat in his car on a
mountain above the city. They argued over her smoking, and while she took a walk
to smoke another stem, she turned to find something impossible. There was a
bright flash of light, and a glowing man walking away. Bunny ran back to the
car, and saw Joey's burned body on the front seat.
“So, how's a guy burn to death in his car without leaving
behind so much as a scorch mark?” A cop on the scene asked another. “A
female witness said she saw an otherworldly figure.”
“Any evidence of this guy?” the other investigating
officer asked.
“No footprints. No tire tracks. Nothin',” the cop
reported. “So what do you think it was … Lightning strike or spontaneous
human combustion?”
“The registration has the guy as Joseph Ferrini, Jr.
“Anything else?”
The investigator looked through the glove compartment.
“Got some repair bills-the tire gauge … this might be something... Looks
like a license plate number. N.M.
“Let's run it.”
~~~
Max and Michael were eating breakfast when the knock came
on the door. Michael kept eating, not interested in who it was. He was tired,
and he was going to sleep before trying to make his classes. Max went to answer
the door.
There was a
“Is something wrong?” Max asked as Michael stopped
eating for a moment.
“Deputy Brown, Roswell Sheriff's Department. I need to
ask you a few questions about a homicide investigation.” Max let the deputy
into the apartment. “You recognize this man?”
Max glanced at the picture of Joey Ferrini. Michael leaned
over and looked at the picture as well. He frowned. “No.” Max said shaking
his head.
“You sure?”
“Yeah.” Max handed the picture back. “Who is he?”
“His name is Joey Ferrini, and his death is being
investigated as a possible homicide. Your license plate number turned up in his
glove compartment in
Max shrugged. “I don't know. I mean, I've only had the
car for a couple of months. Maybe this has something to do with the previous
owner.”
“Yeah. Maybe. Since this isn't officially a homicide case
yet, I can’t take you in.” Michael lifted a brow. Take Max in? For some
reason that actually made him want to laugh. Ludicrous. “Of course the fact
that you were arrested for armed robbery in
“Those charges were dropped,” Max reminded the deputy
his jaw clenching from the obvious shakedown.
“Yeah, I know.” The deputy laughed sarcastically.
“Must be nice having a daddy who's a lawyer, huh?” Michael made a face. The
man was a doofus. “Just wanted you to know that I know. And I'll be watching
you.” The deputies left, but not before giving both Max and Michael a
penetrating stare.
“Great.” Max shut the door. “This is all I need.”
Michael remembered the man. “Max, I know the dead guy.”
“What?”
The door to the apartment opened and Maria entered. She
tossed her school bag on the sofa and took off her jacket. “There was a deputy
who almost knocked me over. Was he here?”
“Just left,” Michael told her frowning at her face. She
was pale, and there were dark rings under her eyes.
“Okay, so what did you do? And why did you do it without
me?”
“Me?” Michael made a face at her assumption that it had
been him the deputy visited. “Max.”
“Max?” Maria looked at the other boy. “Really! Max,
I’m proud of you. I knew Michael’s better qualities would finally rub off on
you.”
“Brat,” Michael said still concerned by her lack of
color. “Thought we were meeting for lunch at school.”
“Yeah, well I can’t go. I need sleep.” Maria pushed a
paper in his hand. “Could you drop this off for me? I can’t make it.”
Michael caught her around the waist searching her face.
“Are you sick?”
“I don’t know. I just woke up tired and my throat hurt,
and once you add in the fact I feel I’ve been tossed in a carpet roller, and I
really, really need to go lie down.”
Maria kissed his cheek. “You taking a nap?”
“Plan to.” Maria nodded and went into his bedroom. She
hit the mattress face down and then didn’t move.
Michael pushed his bowl away. “I need to go see what’s
up with Maria. You going to school?”
“Yeah.”
“Take her report, will you? Tell the office she’s
sick.”
“Sure.” Max picked up the paper. “Michael, you said
you knew that guy in the picture. Who was he?”
“The guy in
“Right,” Max seemed to be deep in thought. “He died
by a freak lightning strike. That’s the way Nasedo killed, Michael. What if he
worked for the other Shapeshifter?”
Michael stood stretching his back. He was tired. Tired of
betrayal among the aliens, tired of murderous Shapeshifters … just tired.
“There were two Shapeshifters on our ship.” Michael
rubbed his tired neck. “We know Nasedo is dead, if this is a Shapeshifter,
then he must be the other one.”
“I was getting close in
“Then he killed him?” Michael was skeptical.
“Sure. Nasedo killed anyone who learned the truth.
Perhaps this Ferrini guy during his employment learned too much about the
Shapeshifter, about us, aliens, and spaceships.”
Michael didn’t like the look in Max’s eyes. It looked
too familiar, and last time he saw anything that resembled it, he had had to go
to
“I’m thinking that I am still having visions from my
son. He is reaching out for my help, and I’m helpless to get to him. I need
that ship. The Shapeshifter apparently knew it was in
“Max …” Michael hated this. When the hell did he
become the voice of reason? “How do you know he won’t kill you?”
“I don’t, but I don’t have any other leads or even a
clue as to how to contact my son. Maybe this Shapeshifter does.”
Michael shook his head. He had no time for this. He had
jobs, school, and a sick Maria in the next room. “Where are you going to
start?”
“
“She’ll want to go.”
“She can’t. If she takes off to
“Good luck on talking her out of it.”
“Right,” Max grabbed his jacket and backpack. He waved
to Michael on his way out the door.
Great. Michael didn’t even want to tell Maria after her
reaction to Max and Liz’s convenience store robbery. Speaking of Maria, he
went into the bedroom and frowned at the sleeping girl taking up all the space
on the bed. Pushing her over, he joined her on the bed spooning up behind her.
Sleep came quickly.
~~~
Michael groaned at the knock on his door that woke him from
a sound sleep. He rubbed his face trying to remove the sleep. The room was hot.
It took a moment for him to realize it wasn’t the room, but rather, the
sleeping girl next to him. Touching her forehead, he worried. Maria had a fever.
The knock interrupted him again.
“Yeah.” Michael opened the door to Liz and Kyle.
“We wake you?” Kyle asked.
“Apparently. What’s up?” Michael reluctantly let the
two of them in.
“We got assigned a class project together,” Kyle
explained. “We have to take our cameras out into the world this week and
report the ‘truth’, so you want to be our real alien truth? You can speak
into the camera, tell the world how you come in peace, and would they please not
put you in a White Room.”
Michael made a face at Kyle. Liz quickly jumped in before
Michael made a comment. “Stop it, Kyle. You’re not funny.”
Michael chose to ignore Kyle. “So why are you and
Chuckles here exactly?”
“Max turned in Maria’s paper, and I informed the school
that she was sick.”
“Thanks.” Michael hadn’t thought to call the school,
and looking at the time, he swore. Missed his class too. “So that’s all?
Where is Max?”
“
“Hmm,” Michael was impressed. Max had shaken off the
Parker paperweight. “So he went to
Liz handed Michael a handful of books and papers. “I
picked up Maria’s assignments. I organized them and everything. Kyle and I
were just on the way to visit his grandfather in the rest home. Sheriff Valenti
asked us to go. So I thought I’d drop these off first.”
“Yeah,” Michael tossed the homework on the counter.
“Thanks. I’m sure Maria will appreciate it once she wakes up.”
“Wakes up?” Kyle glanced at the dark bedroom door and
the fact that Michael had been sleeping too. So the rumors were true. Wow. “So
is she okay? I mean you two are skipping school to …”
“Look, Bedpan Boy, don’t finish that statement. Why
don’t you go to the rest home? Sounds like a brilliant exposé.” Michael
opened the door, but then remembered something as they started to walk away.
“Hey, um … Liz, how do you tell if someone has a fever?”
“Take their temperature?” Liz said confused by the
simple question.
“Right,” said Michael as he shut the door. He knew
that. He quickly opened the door. “How?” The hallway was empty. Shutting the
door, he paced the room for a moment wondering what to do, until finally he
picked up the phone.
“Hello?”
“Hi, this is Michael.”
“Michael! I’m sorry, Steve is sleeping can I have him
call you back when he wakes up?”
“No. Actually Cheryl, I was thinking you could help
me.” Michael scratched his brow, taking a seat on the arm of the sofa.
“Maria, she feels hot. I think she has a fever, and she is sleeping pretty
deeply. How do I check her temperature?”
“With a thermometer. Do you have one?”
“Um, … actually, no. Where do I get one?”
“Drug store.”
“Okay. I can do that. Thanks.”
“Michael?” Cheryl stopped him from hanging up. “Do you want me
to come over and check on Maria? I can bring a thermometer.”
“I … I don’t want to interrupt anything, and I know
you have kids, so …”
“The kids are at my mom’s for the day. She’s taking
them through the weekend. Listen, when Steve gets up, we’ll come over and
bring a late lunch. Maybe Maria will be awake. It’s probably just a cold.”
“Right.”
“Okay, we’ll see you in about an hour.”
~~~
Michael was pacing his floor, occasionally picking up the
phone to hear the dial tone, just in case his phone had been disconnected. Sure,
he had paid his bill, or Maria had, but why the heck didn’t someone call? He
tried waking Maria a few times, but she just told him to stop bugging her and
rolled over to go back to sleep.
The knock on the door was a welcomed intrusion. Finally!
Steve and Cheryl. They took long enough to get there. Pulling the door open, he
stopped when he saw Isabel.
“Oh, it’s you.”
“Thanks, Michael. I’m glad to see you too.” Isabel
came into the apartment. “You need to clean. The place is a mess.”
“Is this a home inspection? What? You now a case worker
or something?”
“Cute. Where’s my brother?”
“Max?”
“Helloooo! Am I interrupting your sleep? Yes, Max! Where
is he?”
“
“What?”
“He’s tracking down the second Shapeshifter from our
ship, in hopes to call home and talk to his son. Otherwise, things are
peachy.” Michael made a face. “Did I mention the Shapeshifter is a killer
like Nasedo and just toasted a scary old man who was the actor that threatened
me in
“Oh, this is getting good! Don’t stop on my account.
Why don’t you tell me everything?”
“Sorry,” said Michael not in the least bit contrite.
“I don’t have time. I’m expecting company.”
“Maria?”
“No. She’s asleep in our room. No,” Michael missed
the slip, but Isabel caught it. Their
room? “Listen, I think this is a bad idea, but Max isn’t going to listen to
reason, so he’s in
“Why didn’t you go with him? I can’t believe you let
him go alone.”
“I’m not his keeper. Talk to Parker. She seems to want
the job. I’ve got work, school, and Maria’s sick.” Michael glanced at the
time. Where were they? “Listen is there something I can help you with?”
Isabel thought of her lunch with Jesse, and the engagement
ring he gave her. She promised to tell her mother the truth tonight, but she
needed Max’s help to decide how to do that. Isabel shook her head. She
wasn’t ready to share her engagement with Michael, or for that matter, even
Max. This was a mistake. Luckily Max being gone saved her from being impulsive.
“No. I’m fine.”
“Good.” Michael opened the door to invite her to leave.
Isabel seemed shocked by his abrupt manners, but she quickly left since Steve
and Cheryl were walking to the door. “Hey,” Michael called to his friends.
Isabel glanced back pausing. It was strange to see Michael socializing with
other people not them.
“Who was that?” Steve asked.
“No one. Social worker.” Michael let Steve and Cheryl
into the apartment. “Sorry about the mess. I’ve been told I should clean.”
Cheryl waved it off as Steve put lunch on the kitchen bar.
“Where is Maria? Is she awake?”
“Not yet. I tried to wake her, but she told me to stop
it.” Steve laughed under his breath. “She’s in the bedroom.”
“I’ll go see her and take her temperature.” Cheryl
told Michael kindly making a face at her husband. She told him to stop teasing
the sensitive youth. It was hard to find yourself in love for the first time.
She held up a thermometer. “Thermometer. You place it under the tongue until
it beeps.”
“Right.”
Steve waited until his wife went into the bedroom. “You
don’t know what a thermometer is?”
“Sure. I just didn’t own one. Never needed one.”
“You never been sick?”
“Nope.” Michael remembered the Balance. “Well, just
once. I went to this Indian steam thing on the Reservation and I got sick from
that. Otherwise, no.”
“Man, you’re lucky. I catch the flu almost every year,
even when I take the flu shot. My doctor said it was my late nights, and work
schedule. I get a little rundown, don’t sleep enough, and next thing I know
… bam! I’m one sick pup. Cheryl hates it. She said it’s like having an
extra kid to take care of.”
“You are.” Cheryl smiled at her husband coming back
from the bedroom. “She’s definitely sick.”
“Is she awake?”
“She went right back to sleep.” Cheryl showed Michael
the temperature.
“101.8. Is that bad?”
“
“Lower the temperature?”
Cheryl shook her head. “You know? Tylenol, two tabs every
four to six hours, plenty of fluids … water, juice,” she gave him a stern
look, “no Snapple!”
“Right!” Michael grabbed a piece of paper and took
notes. “Water or juice, rest, Tylenol. Anything else?”
“If she can eat … food. There’s a saying about
feeding a fever, starving a cold.”
“Right.” Michael copied that down too. Michael
scratched his brow. There was so much to know. “They don’t have this in a
book or something?”
Cheryl gave him a confused look, but Steve quickly
explained. “He’s never been sick.”
“Oh. No, you’ll do fine.” Cheryl went to find plates.
“Well, let’s eat.”
“Should I leave her alone tonight? Max is bunking here,
which explains the mess in my apartment, but he is out of town.” Michael was
more than happy to blame his crappy housekeeping skills on Max. “We’ve got
work, and …”
“She’ll probably be okay. It’s more than likely a
cold, and she’ll sleep it off.”
Michael wasn’t so convinced, but he trusted Cheryl. She
was a smart woman.
“Hey, Mike,” said Steve. “What will you do if she
stays sick?”
“Take her to the doctor and call her mom in
“Hmm.” Cheryl said between bites grabbing another piece
of chicken before the boys ate it all. “I think before you call her mom, you
better clean your place. You don’t want your future mother-in-law to see her
sick child in a place that looks to be incubating typhoid.”
Michael glanced around the place. Cheryl had a point. He
looked around and all he could see was germs. Germs and a sick Maria didn’t go
together. If he started now, covered the bathroom in a highly toxic industrial
cleaner like they used at his work place, he might have it sterilized in a day
or two.
~~~
Liz and Kyle arrived at the nursing home, and did as Jim
requested. Jim hadn’t been to the nursing home to see his father in over a
year. Liz looked around, and she remembered Michael’s comment about them
finding a story for their project there. All those stories trapped in the minds
of these forgotten people. It could be heartwarming.
Valenti, Sr. was a mess. It was horrible to see him so old
and confused searching for his son. Liz felt sorry for Kyle for having to do
what his father could not. They cleaned up the mess, and Kyle looked around.
Maybe Liz was right. Michael might have a point. They could do an exposé on the
rising cost of health care for the elderly, the decline in social services, and
the abuse of the rest home system.
Liz sat next to Valenti, Sr. to read to him while Kyle
cleaned and snooped. Kyle’s grandfather grabbed her arm and screamed, “They
are among us! They are among us!”
~~~
Michael came in the apartment door. He had to go shopping.
Stopping at the grocery store, he picked up juice and foods that were more
nutritional for someone sick including soup. The drug store took longer. There
were too many aisles of cold remedies and Tylenol brands for fevers. How the
heck did anyone decide what to buy? Giving up, he finally explained his plight
to the pharmacist assistant, and let them lead him to the right junk to shove
down Maria. He didn’t like her sick. She was too quiet.
The phone was ringing when Michael came through the door.
Swearing, he juggled the bags and answered the phone. “Yeah!”
“Michael?”
“Maxwell, look can you hold on just a second?” Michael
didn’t wait. He dropped the phone wincing at it hit the floor, but his
groceries were slipping. Putting them on the counter, he picked up the phone.
“Sorry. What?”
“Hey, just checking in.”
“So you’re really in
“Yeah.” Max swerved while driving receiving a few helpful gestures
from other motorist. “I went to the funeral of this Joey Ferrini guy.”
“And that is going to help, how?”
“I don’t know, but you know on the detective shows that
supposedly the killer always goes to the funeral to see their handiwork. Liz has
this theory that the Shapeshifter has a particular shape that they will always
return to, like, they can’t hold other shapes too long.”
“You mean being a slight short balding old man was
Nasedo’s shape of choice?” Michael asked as he began to put away the
groceries reading the back of the cold medicine.
“Yeah, the Ed Harding form.”
“Maxwell, I’m getting worried. The more I know about
aliens, the more convinced I am that they have no taste.”
“Well, it might work to my advantage. Someone I saw at
the funeral might be the Shapeshifter. I did meet Joey’s agent, and he offered
to represent me. I think I will start with him and see if I can get more
information on my ‘cousin’ Joey. If I met the Shapeshifter in his real form,
I might later be able to identify them.”
“Right. Sure, or maybe the Shapeshifter will be there and
just volunteer to introduce himself, or I don’t know … kill your ass with a
lightening bolt from Antar?”
Max was quiet for a moment. “Look, I know you think
I’m being stupid …”
“No. Impulsive and dangerous. Stupid would’ve been if
you had taken Liz with you. Mr. Parker would hunt you down like a dog and have
you neutered.”
“That’s a lovely picture you paint, Michael,”
said Max dryly.
“Yeah, well I am your second in command. It’s sort of
my job.” Michael smiled cruelly at the phone. “By the way, Isabel stopped by
and she knows.”
“Damn. Traitor.”
“Hey! You took off, and the Parker party of two showed up
on my doorstep. Neither Liz nor Kyle happened to mention that it was a secret.
I’d happily lie to Isabel for you, but you really have to ask so I know.”
“Liz was with Kyle?” Max asked, his voice suddenly low.
“Yeah, something about something. You know I don’t
really listen to Parker.”
“Oh.”
Michael ignored Max’s reaction to Liz being with Kyle.
“Listen, um … do you know that on the back of cold medicine when it says a
teaspoon, does that mean like one of the ones I use to eat cereal, or is it some
special measurement?”
~~~
Kyle and Liz were working with the camera at Kyle's house
preparing a shattering exposé on senior citizen rest home abuse.
Kyle was holding a stack of papers. “You're supposed to
say action.”
Liz stopped looking through the camera. “Kyle, just
start.” Kyle sighed, and waited. “Fine!” Liz shook her head in
exasperation. “Action.”
“In my hand, I hold a billing statement for the Sunrise
Retirement Facility, my grandfather's nursing home. The exorbitant cost, over
$1,200 a month …” Kyle shook the bills for effect. “Outrageous,
considering the sub-standard care he's receiving …”
Jim wandered into the room in the camera’s view. “Hey,
guys. Filming something?”
“Cut!” Kyle yelled. “Dad, you just ruined the shot.
You ruined the shot.”
Jim opened the refrigerator and took out a cold one.
“Just grabbin' a beer.”
“How was your gig?” Kyle asked his mind momentarily off
his school project and on their crippled finances, especially with the $1,200 a
month bill for grandpa.
“It was great. Kit Shickers are really comin'
together.” Jim seemed to remember something, and he casually asked, “Hey, um
… Listen, did you take care of that little thing we talked about?”
“Yeah.” He went to see his grandfather, as requested.
“Good.” Jim left the room. Liz came up to Kyle.
“That's it? Ask him about what your grandfather said.”
“He's not gonna talk about it.”
“Well, let's find out.” Liz went around Kyle and
followed Jim into the living room.
“Liz …” Kyle rushed after her.
Liz walked into the living room, and began filming Jim.
Kyle hot on her tail remembered how annoying Liz Parker could be when she was
investigating anything. She was obviously born to be a nosy pushy journalist
with a list of people wanting her dead.
Jim noticed the camera. “Hey. Am I supposed to smile or
wave or something?”
“Uh, well, actually, it's for a school project.” Liz
explained. “Our assignment's to get the truth about something.”
“Hey, if you want, you can come down and film the band.
We're musicians.” Jim suggested liking the idea of exposure and a special on
him and his band. “Musicians are always searching for the truth.”
“Well, actually, I was a little bit more interested in
you and your father.”
Jim’s face closed down. “Well … that's not really a
subject that, uh …”
Kyle dived in wanting answers from his father more than
Liz. “How come you haven't gone to see him for over a year?”
“It hasn't been that long.” Jim defended himself.
“Oh, yes, it has.
“Turn that thing off.” Jim said standing. He turned and
ordered Liz again. “Turn that off. Who the hell did that? It wasn't him--
someone at the nursing home interfering in our …”
“I marked it down, ok?”
Jim shook his head at his son unable to conceive what was
going on with him. “Why?”
“Because it makes him happy.”
Jim rubbed his forehead, tired and sick from grief.
“Kyle, I don't think he even knows who we are anymore.”
“He said something to me today,” said Liz.
That shocked Jim. “He spoke to you?”
“Actually, he grabbed me, and then he said something.”
“What?”
“They are among us.” Liz moved closer. “Do you have
any idea what that would …”
Jim sighed disappointed. He had hoped it was something more
coherent. “They Are Among Us,” he repeated. “They Are Among Us
is a "B" movie that was shot here in
“Why is that a painful memory?”
Jim shrugged not really interested in the past. “The
leading lady in the film was killed during the production. My father was the
sheriff at the time, so he headed up the investigation.” Jim glanced at his
son. “I told you about all this.”
“No.” Kyle said, shaking his head. “You never talk
about grandpa.”
Jim ignored that criticism. “Anyway, my father was
convinced that she was killed by an alien. But she wasn't. She died of a … a
freak lightning strike.”
~~~
Max returned to his car and found a note that said, “Go
Home Max!” Max took the threatening note and got into the car. He was driving
when his cell phone rang,
“Max, it's me.” Isabel said. She was upset. She tried to tell her mother
about the engagement, she promised Jesse, but when she started to do it, her
mother quizzed her over Max, his living arrangements, his money, and health. She
couldn’t find a way to slip in the important information about her life.
“Hey.” Damn Michael for telling. Max resigned himself
to a lecture.
“Hey, when are you coming home? You're ripping out your
mother's heart.”
“I don't know yet.”
“For the record, Michael and I disapprove of you
wandering around
Max tried to concentrate on driving. “You know how
important this is to me.”
“I know. I know, finding your son. I understand that.”
Isabel paused, too worried to be upset over her failure to tell her mother about
the engagement. She really hadn’t wanted to do it anyway. “But … Do you
even have a plan, Max?”
“Yes, I have a plan. Well, sort of a plan.” Max took a
deep breath. “I'm getting an agent.”
“What?”
~~~
Michael woke Maria again and took her temperature. It was
over 102. “C’mon, Maria. You have to take these.” He handed her two
tablets of Tylenol. Glancing at the bedside clock, he made a face. It was late.
He needed to go to work soon. “Look, I cleaned the bathroom and the apartment.
I’m going to move you to the sofa for a few minutes so I can change the
sheets, okay?”
Maria nodded. Her arms went around his neck, and he lifted
her easily. She seemed to weigh nothing, and he could feel the heat through his
uniform. Laying her on the sofa, he quickly covered her. “I should stay home.
Call a doctor, or your mother.”
“Don’t,” she said softly, her hand touching his face
moving his hair off it. “It’s just a cold. A little more sleep, and I’ll
be better.”
“I don’t know. Maria, I know nothing about being sick,
and your fever is over 102.”
“The Tylenol will take it down.” Michael wasn’t so
sure, but she knew more about being ill than he did.
“Okay, give me a few moments to straighten the bedroom,
and then I think you need a bath.”
“Am I stinky?”
“No. You’re hot. You’ve been sleeping in your
clothes.” Michael needed to find her something else to sleep in. “As much as
I hate to sacrifice another one of my t-shirts, since they all seem to get
confiscated by you, I think you’ll rest more comfortably.”
“’K”
Michael went to clean up, and Maria looked around the
apartment. It looked clean. It smelt … clean. Michael was quick and while
changing the bed, he went to run a bath, not too hot, and not too cold.
“C’mon.” When they got into the bathroom, he had a
problem. He needed to strip her, but he doubted that she could do it herself.
She was awful weak. “Um, … maybe you can just leave your bra and panties
on?”
Maria shook her head. She reached down and dropped her
panties with a simple gestured followed by her skirt. All she had on was a
blouse that just barely covered her. Michael averted his eyes, and quickly
dumped her into the bath. Maria grabbed the bottom of the blouse and kept it
from getting wet as she sat down and Michael leaned over and unbuttoned it. He
took the blouse as Maria gestured for him to turn around. Her bra hit the floor
as she slid into the water, which was opaque and milky from a bath foam she
liked to use. She reached up and twisted her hair.
“Michael can I have a …” He handed her a hair
fastener off the side of the sink. “Thanks.” Maria leaned back with her neck
against the cool porcelain tub, sighing at the nice cooling feel of the
porcelain and the water.
“Don’t fall all the way in and drown.” Michael
ordered her as he went out of the bathroom shutting the door partially to keep
her from a draft. Breathing deeply he rubbed his face with both hands wondering
if his state of arousal was an alien thing or did all men have this problem?
Finishing up in the bedroom, he took some cold water into the bathroom. “Here
… Maria? Hey. Don’t go to sleep. Drink this.”
Maria took the iced water and sipped it. It felt good …
tasted better. “Don’t you have to work?”
“In an hour.” Michael knelt down beside her. “I
should call your mom or take you to the doctor. You do have a doctor?”
“Yes. My medical card to the clinic is in my bag.”
Maria watched him over the rim of her glass. “Go to work. I’ll sleep, and
tomorrow I’ll be better.”
Michael looked her over. Her face had an ashen pallor, her
mouth was unnaturally red despite the lack of makeup, and the rings under her
eyes were disturbing. “I should call your mom.”
“Michael … for a cold?” Her hand rested on his cheek.
“I’m fine. Go to work. I’ll be asleep the entire time, hardly notice
you’re gone. You can look me over in the morning.”
~~~
“What’s wrong, Mike?” Steve asked.
“Maria’s not answering the phone.”
“Dude, it’s like almost five in the morning. She’s
asleep wondering why her psycho boyfriend keeps waking her up when she’s
sick.” Fly guessed.
George agreed. “You already called her twice. She
probably turned off the ringer.”
“She wouldn’t do that. I left her cell right next to
her, so all she has to do it answer it. She doesn’t have to get up or
anything.”
“Mike,” Steve said. “Go home. I’ll clock you out as
sick. Just go.” Michael didn’t need to be asked twice. He had his bag and
was gone.
Monk watched Michael on the monitor as he went outside and
his bike left the grounds. “So he and Maria are making progress, huh?”
“She was sleeping in his bed.” Steve said. “They seem
pretty tight.”
“Maria is really tight,” observed Fly.
George hit him upside his head. “
Fly made a face. Yeah, he was risking his life, but damn,
he’d love to have Maria just smile his way, even for a moment. “Maybe I
should ask him for relationship advice?”
The others just moaned.
~~~
When Michael got home, Maria was asleep holding her phone
next to her under the covers. Touching her skin, she was hot and dry. Her
temperature was just over 103.
“Maria?” He woke her.
“Stop calling! Let me sleep.” She closed her eyes.
“Maria! I’m not calling. C’mon on, honey. Wake up.”
Michael pulled her up making her drink water. “Maria, when did you take
Tylenol last? Maria?”
“When you told me. Go away. You … I want to sleep.”
Desperate, Michael took the phone and called for help.
“Yeah, hey Cheryl. Sorry to wake you …” Michael could hear a crying kid,
“and the kids. Listen, Maria’s fever is higher and she had medicine for it
under two hours ago.” Michael quickly told Cheryl everything. Following her
instructions, he ran a tepid bath. Picking Maria up, he stepped into the bath
with her, both of them clothed.
“Michael!” Maria protested.
“Shhh. It’s okay.” He pushed her wet hair to the side
off her face. “It’s okay.”
He stayed in the bath until both of them were shaking.
Getting her out, he wrapped her in a towel and took her to the bedroom. Leaving
her sleeping, he changed. He watched her sleep, and at eight, he rechecked her
temperature.
It was still high. Too high. Getting up from where he was
watching her, he quickly wrapped her in the bedding and picked her up. Taking
her outside, he put her in the passenger seat, and went back into his apartment
to find her bag. Ten minutes later, Michael walked into the clinic with Maria.
“Mr. Guerin?”
Michael stood when the doctor called his name. Tossing the
magazine about motor racing, he went to join the man. “Maria?”
“She’s fine. You can come back. The nurse is giving her
a run of IV fluids. She was dehydrated from the fever.” The man led the way.
“I’ve ordered an antibiotic for her. We’re going to give it to her
intravenously, then send her home on a regiment for ten days.”
Michael swallowed hard. “She’s really sick? I mean
…” Michael shook his head. Idiot. Of course she was sick. “I mean, should
I call her mother? I can …”
“No. She is going to perk up in the next twenty-four
hours. I promise you.”
“What about the body aches? She was complaining of pain
everywhere, and …”
“That was the fever. It makes your entire body hurt.
She’ll still feel weak, but the actual aching sensation will go with the
fever.” The doctor took out his prescription pad. “It’s Michael Guerin,
correct?”
“Yes.” Michael was confused.
“I’m writing you a prescription for the same antibiotic
that I’m sending Maria home on. She had a really severe case of strep throat.
It is highly responsive to antibiotics, but also highly contagious. We usually
treat an entire household since the rest will usually catch it. Maria said you
were the only one taking care of her. So you take the antibiotic, and you
won’t get sick.”
Michael took the prescription and nodded. “Thanks.”
“Do you need a school excuse?” The doctor asked.
“It would be nice.”
The doctor took a special pad and wrote a note on it. One
for Michael and one for Maria, handing them both over to Michael. “This
excuses you for yesterday, today, and two more school days. She is going to
remain contagious for the next twenty-four hours, but after that the strep will
pretty much be gone, and you’ll see a marked improvement. I’ve given her an
extra day beyond that since she was dehydrated. She might have a bit of weakness
and a headache, but otherwise she’ll be back to normal.”
“Good.” Michael scratched his brow. “Can I take her
home or …?”
“Yeah, as soon as the IV fluids finish. The nurse will
discharge you and give you everything for Maria.” The man nodded as he opened
the door where Maria was in a bed, and Michael noted the nurse in there handing
a bag of fluid. Michael smiled at the man.
“Thanks, doctor.” Michael went into the room and Maria
looked up.
“Hey.”
“Hey.” Michael took a chair next to her that was on the
other side of the nurse so he wouldn’t be in the way.
The nurse smiled at Michael. “Would you like something to
drink? Like coffee?”
“Yeah that would be great.”
“Okay, I’ll bring you some, and Maria some juice. This
is going to run in over an hour. I already put in the antibiotic. The saline is
cold, so it will immediately help to reduce the temperature.” The nurse told
the teens. “I’ll be back.”
Michael cleared his throat as he picked up Maria hand and
held it. She tightened it in his. “Thanks.”
“For what?”
“Just being there. Taking care of me … worrying.”
“Yeah,” Michael cleared his throat. “You know that
thing you do when you get sick?” Maria shook her head unsure what he meant.
“You know. When your nose runs, you sneeze, and you piss and moan nonstop
while taking all those crazy herbals and things like Echinacea?”
“Oh, that.”
“Yeah.” Michael was serious. “I prefer that to this.
You scared me.”
“I know.” Maria put a hand around his neck and pulled
him closer. She kissed him softly, her fever still high and her mouth dry.
Michael could feel the heat, and it reminded him of when he was sick, and how
afraid she had been for him. How helpless she had felt.
Maria pulled back when she got the flash. The dream plane.
The desert sun. Michael in the center, and her walking towards him … them
kissing … then the scene changed and they were kissing, and it was … She
blinked.
“What?” Michael saw the look she gave him.
Maria smiled sighing tiredly. “Nothing. I’m good.”
~~~
Michael answered his door. It was Liz. He barred her way.
“You can’t come in.”
“Michael, let me in. You called me, remember.”
“Contagious. Maria is contagious until tomorrow.”
“Contagious?” Liz squeaked. “What? Alien herpes?”
“Strep,” Michael was going to pass things to Liz, but
Maria’s voice stopped him.
“Michael, let Liz in.”
“The doctor said …”
Liz pushed past him. “I’ll take my chances.”
Michael gave up. “Fine, but you get sick, do not show up
on my doorstep. Someone else will have to take care of you.”
Liz looked around in amazement. “Hey, the place is
clean.”
“I don’t have to listen to this. Since you’re here,
I’m going to go fill the prescription for Maria, get some more juice and
stuff.” Michael looked at the school excuse and smiled. “And I think I’ll
stop at school and take this into the office. I’ve never been excused from
school before!” Michael said in wonder. Maria laughed softly as he kissed her
quickly. Michael straightened frowning at her as he looked around.
“Where is that thermometer?”
“Michael, no! Just go, be free!” Michael gave Liz a
glare, as if he was sizing up her ability to be able to take care of Maria, and
found her lacking. “Michael, can you bring back food? I’m actually getting
hungry.” Maria begged quickly distracting him before he took her temperature
again or started quizzing Liz on her ability to provide care. That worked.
“What do you feel like?”
“Crashdown cheeseburger and fries.”
“Done.” He kissed her forehead again and gave Liz a
stern look before he left.
“It’s official. He is unhinged.” Liz sat beside Maria
on the sofa looking at her sick friend. “You okay?”
“Yeah, the doctor said I would feel my old self tomorrow,
enough of my old self to cause Michael grief. So I got this week off from
school. Michael already called in sick at work tonight.”
“He’s going to stay home and take care of you.”
“He said until my fever is down. I think I scared him.”
Maria looked at the door. “ I got this …” Maria started to mention the
flash, but then stopped. Maybe she wasn’t ready to tell anyone about that.
“Nevermind, I’m woozy in the head. Tell me what you’re doing. We have an
hour until my mom calls and check in on me again. Michael called her when we got
home from the clinic. She’s threatening to come home.”
“And that is bad?”
“No. Just unnecessary. Not this weekend, but the next,
Michael and I were going to
“It’s been hard having her gone.”
“Yeah, it has. But in truth?” Liz nodded for Maria to
go on. “I talk to her more now than I did before. I guess I hadn’t realized
how much the past two years I spent with this alien thing, rushing around,
investigating, hiding things, and I avoided my mom just so I would have to lie
to her. Now I talk to her every day, sometimes more than that. It’s
strange.”
“Like moving away to go to college?”
“Yeah. Like that. I thought it would be harder.” Maria
lay back, resting on the sofa peacefully. “I think I can handle it when
Michael and I move away after graduation.”
“That’s still a plan?”
“Oh definitely. Now there’s no Granilith to hold them
trapped in the
Liz was taken aback by the thought of graduation. She
hadn’t even given it much thought or even applied to different schools. The
deadlines had almost passed, and she never thought of leaving Rowell, since Max
could not.
“Maria, do you think the future is changed? I mean I
wasn’t supposed to be with Max, but if the Granilith is gone, and …”
“Tess is gone.” Maria gave it some thought. “Liz,
whatever was going to happen, we don’t know. That possibility is over, just
like the whole marrying Max, wedding in Vegas thing. You need to let it go. This
is your life now. Our life. Without Alex. Tess is gone. Max is a father with a
missing child. All of this is now our lives, and we have to go on. You can’t
come between Max and Tess now, because there is no Tess. She’s the one that
destroyed that. Not you.
“What are you saying?”
Maria looked at her friend. “Time to take back the life
you want. Time to get your head straight on about Max.”
Liz smiled and squeezed Maria’s hand. She was still hot.
Liz frowned and looked for the thermometer. Maria caught the look.
“Oh no! You are not sticking that in my mouth! Michael
has gone plumb loco with the thermometer. It’s like this new toy or something.
Every time I open my mouth, the damn thing mysteriously appears in my mouth and
he hawks over me expecting me to combust or something.”
Liz laughed. “Speaking of combustion. I think Kyle and I
found another murder by the Shapeshifter here in
“Huh? Okay, Lizzie bean, I am out of this loop, so
you’re going to have to clue me in.”
“While Max is in
Maria sat up her mouth opening. “Whoa Nelly! Back up. Max
is in
“Wow, you are out of the loop!”
“Okay, sick girl here. Start at the beginning, and could
you be an angel and get me a Snapple?”
~~~
Max was having lunch with the agent he met at the funeral
trying to get more information about Joey Ferrini discretely.
“Hit man, thug, convict, tough guy. Joey Ferrini could
play 'em all.”
“So Ferrini wasn't really a hit man?” Max asked
stupidly asking a question a cousin should know.
“Oh, well-- not recently.” The agent wasn’t the
brightest light in the pack, so he missed that he was being interrogated.
“So what was Joey in prison for?” Max asked frowning at
his food.
“You know, you really don't know very much about your
cousin.”
Max caught his mistake and quickly covered. “He was my
second cousin. Twice removed.”
“Assault.” The agent explained munching on his
Atkin’s approved watercress salad with mung beans. “He was big on assault.
Loved assaulting people. Which was why he's so convincing on screen.”
“Uh, Joey called me a couple of weeks ago from
“Yeah?”
Max pushed half the unidentifiable stuff of his salad.
“Do you know what he was doing there?”
“You know, I didn't book that job. I gotta be straight
with you, and I don't mean to disrespect the dead, but your cousin Joey was not
a great actor.” The agent smiled at Max in a huge insincere grin that was
designed to create trust. “Now, you, on the other hand, you, my friend, you
are on a completely different path. Let's talk Tom Cruise. Let's talk Keanu
Reeves.”
“I'm not an actor.” Max said truthfully.
Joey’s agent made a face. “What, and Keanu Reeves
is?” The man made a face … as if. “All you need is exposure.”
“That's the last thing I need.” Max commenting meaning
it in a different way, but it was still true.
“Oh, ho! Look, look!” The agent pointed out a man and
his entourage entering the restaurant. “Look, look, look!”
Max was clueless. “Who's that?”
“Who's that?” The agent demanded shaking his head at
his newest client. “What, are you from
~~~
When Michael got back, Liz was still telling Maria the
story. Michael took the food to the counter and got a plate for Maria. Dumping
her cheeseburger and fries on it, he added the ketchup and sour cream Maria
liked to eat with her fries, before joining the girls.
“Sorry, Liz. I didn’t get you anything.”
“That’s okay. I already ate.” Liz went into the
kitchen and grabbed another Snapple. “So anyway, Kyle’s grandfather was
screaming about this “B” movie shot here in
Michael sat up in the chair that he was lounging in.
“Freak? Coincidence? I think not. They don’t happen in
“You could’ve. I am sure that Nasedo was responsible
for Atherton’s death, and he was the one that River Dog healed in the cave,
but there was another one in the
“What if it was Nasedo in the movie?” Maria suggested.
“It could’ve been, but we’ll never know unless we
track down the clues.”
“And you’re going to do that how?” Michael asked.
Liz shrugged. “I’m not sure.”
Maria pushed the plate away, hardly having eaten anything.
She drank her Snapple thoughtfully. “The internet.”
“What?” Liz took the plate off Maria’s lap and ate a
few of the fries.
“Look the movie up in the Internet Movie Database.
It’ll list the full crew. If they shot here in
“Right! I can get Kyle started on that.” Liz looked at
her watch. “I’ve gotta go. I have a shift.
Michael reached over to take Maria’s uneaten
cheeseburger. “You going to call Max?”
“Yeah. First I’m going to get Kyle to run the names. He
still has friends at the PD, and they might help him. Then I’ll call Max.”
Michael finished Maria’s lunch. He looked at her. She
still had a fever, but it was down and she was still pale. “What do you want
to do? Watch TV?”
“A nap.” Maria felt exhausted. She had been up too
long. “What I really want is to bathe and wash my hair, but I can’t sit up
any longer. Let’s take a nap.”
Michael carried her into the bedroom, more than happy to
nap too. He hadn’t slept last night, too busy keeping an eye on her.
“I can walk.”
“Yeah. Shut up and take your medicine.”
Maria chuckled sighing in relief as she hit the bed. Her
bones were still aching, but she definitely was feeling better. Michael closed
the drapes and took off his shoes. Moving her over, he joined her on the bed.
His hand went to her face to check how hot she felt. Maybe she should take more
Tylenol before they went to sleep. His eyes moved over her face and stopped on
her lips. He could resist the temptation.
Leaning down, his mouth touched her softly, nuzzling her
lips apart as she breathed his name into his mouth. Joining their mouths,
Michael deepened the kiss moaning in her mouth as his body heated up, moving
into her mouth, tasting her as his tongue explored her, his breath catching in
his throat as their tongues mated, and she called his name.
“Michael?”
“Michael?” Michael blinked as Maria stared at him with
confused eyes. “Hey, where did you go?”
Michael cleared his throat as he shook off the fantasy.
“I’m here. I was just checking to see if you have a fever.”
“Hmm? Am I hot?”
Michael’s eyes never left hers. “Definitely. You are
very hot.” Michael said honestly.
He had seemed off somewhere in his brain. “You in
“Yeah, that’s it.” Groaning, Michael tucked her
close. “Let’s get some sleep.”
~~~
Max broke into Joey’s apartment to search it. His cell
phone rang. He listened as Liz told him what she told Michael and Maria, and
that she would call him once she had more information. Hanging up, Max found a
tape of Joey shot by his girlfriend. It was of Joey practicing his part for
“It was all an act.” Max said to himself as he ejected
the tape. Suddenly Joey’s computer began to talk.
“You've got mail. You've got mail … Max.” Shocked,
Max walked over to the computer and the screen was a message for him. “I
warned you Max, stay away.” Before Max could react, Joey’s girlfriend, Bunny
walked in with a gun drawn on Max.
“What the hell are you doin' here? You've got about three
seconds to tell me what's going on!”
“Just relax. Take it easy.” Max held up his hands to
calm the woman and appear non-threatening.
Bunny waved the gun at him. “Talk!”
“I'm trying to figure out who killed Joey Ferrini.”
“The cops said he was hit by lightning.”
“Well, the cops are wrong. He was murdered.” Max saw
the woman’s face change. “You know I’m right, don't you?”
Bunny put the gun down. “I tried telling them but they
wouldn't believe me. They thought I was crazy.”
“You're not crazy.”
“I know Joey was no angel, but I cared about him. Someone
was out there that night. The cops said there were no footprints, but I saw
someone.”
“You were there when it happened? Can you show me?”
~~~
Michael answered the phone wincing at the time. They had
slept for six hours. “Yeah,” he said clearing his throat. Looking down at
his chest, Maria was still asleep. His free hand moved in her hair,
absentmindedly moving through the strands.
“It’s me.”
“Maxwell, so you still live. Did Parker call you?”
“About the serial killer Shapeshifter? Yeah. Twice.”
Max was eating a burger. “I got another threatening note to leave or else, was
held at gun point by Joey Ferrini’s girlfriend, Bunny, who by the way
propositioned me.”
“Yeah. So you with her now?”
“No. I was with her when Liz called though. She was
highly suspicious.”
“Yeah, well you know what they say … once a cheater
always a cheater.” Michael yawned.
“We were on a break!” Michael snickered. “You’re
not being helpful, Michael. You want to hear or should I hang up?”
Michael’s hand threaded through Maria’s hair. “Sure,
I’m listening. So you and Bunny did what?”
“Went up to Lookout point that overlooked the city.”
“Nice. A parking place. Did you tell Parker that?”
“No, and you won’t either. Shut up and listen.” Max
ordered Michael. “So she told me about the night Joey died. She had a fight
with him about her smoking, took a walk to light up, and when she turned back
there was a blinding light. She saw a man … and he was glowing.”
“Did she get a good look at him? Could she give a
description other than ‘glowing’?”
“No.” Max searched for another packet of ketchup.
“She just pointed to the direction he disappeared.”
“Any idea how Joey got the gig for
“No.” Max shoved three fries into his mouth munching
away. Lunch was crap. The
“Damn! He was blackmailing a serial killer Shapeshifter.
Not a smart move.”
“Obviously. He’s dead.”
“I’m saying. What fools these mortals be,” Michael
glanced down when Maria mumbled in irritation and turned into his body more.
“Not you, darling,” he said to her sleeping form.
“Did you call me darling?”
“Is that all, Maxwell?”
“Nope. I dropped off Bunny, told her to be careful, and
refused her kind offer to spend the night.”
“Spend the night? And you said no? What did she look
like?”
“Trouble if Liz finds out, so cut the horndog crap.”
Michael laughed softly. “Okay, so Parker called twice.
Once about the serial, and …”
“She and Kyle got a copy of the movie. It was bad …
really bad. About eighty-seven minutes too long.”
“So how long was the movie?”
“Eighty-seven minutes.” Michael laughed again.
“Anyway, they found an extra from the movie that was still living in
“Yeah, Maria is full of good suggestions even when
she’s sick.”
“How’s she doing?”
“Maria,” Michael looked down at the slight form
sleeping in his arms. “She’s almost back into form, driving me slowly out of
my mind.”
“Same-old, same-old, huh?”
“Yeah, it is nice to have things back to normal.”
Michael said his mouth brushing the top of Maria’s head. “So this Mrs.
Covendale...”
“Right. She did hair and makeup on They Are Among Us.”
Max paused taking a drink of soda, frowning, and pausing to put more
“Clapper loader?” Michael wasn’t sure. Did Max say
‘clapper loader’ or ‘crapper loader’? Both sounded … well stupid.
“According to Bunny …”
“She who shall not be named. Just tell me, was she
hot?”
“Michael.” Max shook his head. Poor Michael was
eternally horny with his Maria issues, sex was all that was on his brain. “The
clapper loader is the guy who bangs the thing and goes, ‘Take one, take
two,’ or something like that. Do they even do that today?”
“You’re asking me? I’m not the one with an agent. So
does this story have an end?”
“Hold your damn horses. So … oh yeah, so, anyway
according to Liz, Mrs. Covendale told her that Sheriff Valenti, being Kyle’s
grandfather Sheriff Valenti and not his dad, Sheriff Valenti …”
“Maxwell, I’m going to hang up on you.”
“Right. So anyway, Sheriff Valenti’s suspect was the
clapper loader.”
“So what does he look like? If you find out, then you
probably know what the Shapeshifter looks like.”
“That’s the plan.”
“So how do you find out what this guy looked like?”
“I have to look at the dailies.”
“What are dailies?”
“According to Bun … um, … dailies are all the footage
they shoot in one day. You know, like outtakes, bloopers, alternate angles. That
stuff.”
“And that stuff is just hanging around after fifty years,
right?”
“Well Liz did some research, and …” Michael
snickered. Max ignored him. “She found that the rights to They Are Among Us
was eventually sold to Paramount Pictures, so all of their dailies should be in
their film vaults.”
“So you need to be on the
“That is the plan.”
~~~
After an encouraging talk with Jesse, Isabel felt prepared
to finally tell her parents about the engagement. She had talked to Max and he
had an audition the next day for the series
“Oh, I used to love Halloween when you were a little
girl.” Diane told Isabel.
Isabel smiled politely not believing it was already late
October. “Remember the year you dressed up as Madonna?” her dad reminded
her.
“Oh, and Max was Adam Ant.” Diane reminisced.
“Remember he dragged you all over town looking for that one perfect shirt he
had to have.”
Philip smiled. “Yeah. Yeah.”
“And the next year was the Freddy Krueger glove that he
just had to have.”
It was obvious that the Evans missed their son. Philip
glanced at his daughter. “Have you heard from …”
“Philip.” Diane shook her head. They agreed not to put
Isabel in a spot between them and Max.
Isabel put down her fork and took a deep breath. “Ok,
look. There's something I need to tell you both …”
“About Max?” Diane said expectantly.
“No. Not about Max. It's about me.” Isabel laughed
nervously trying to strike an upbeat mood. “It's something I’ve been trying
to say for days, but there's just been this weight over everything, and I
thought maybe it wasn't the right time, you know, but then I thought, "it
is the right time," because it is really good news.” She was rambling,
and she knew it. “It's really, really … really good news, and if there's
anything that this family needs at this moment in time, it's a little joy,
right? A little happiness. So, um …”
Diane didn’t look so sure. Isabel’s uncharacteristic
nervousness was making her apprehensive. “This doesn't sound like really good
news.”
“Really it's … It’s …” Go for it. She promised
Jesse, and there was no easy way to tell them. “Mom. Dad. I'm getting married
to Jesse from your office, you know?” They sat there stunned. Isabel put a
hand to her chest, taking a deep breath in relief that it was out. Smiling big,
she said, “Ok, wow!” Isabel laughed a bit giddy. “I feel better. So
…What should we eat?” Her two stunned parents simply sat there in shock.
~~~
Liz and Kyle were finishing up their project at the Valenti
house. They ended up doing the revealing of a cold case murder in the
“Yep.” Kyle was cleaning up their report.
“That's it?” Liz shook her head. The Valenti men were
impossible. “Tell him what we found out!” Kyle remained silent. “Kyle,
your grandfather was right. You have to tell your father.”
“I don't think so.”
“Kyle, your family is a damn nightmare. Somebody has to
break the cycle of silence.”
Kyle had to agree. It was way past time. “Yeah, someone
should.”
“Yeah, someone should.” Liz looked pointedly at Kyle.
“Me? Why me?” Kyle squirmed uncomfortably. “Why
should I break the silence?”
“Who cares who breaks it?” Liz said looking into the
living room where Jim was watching TV. “Just do it!”
“Let me think about it.”
“No, no thinking. Just doing.” Liz barged into the
living room. “Mr. Valenti? Mr. Valenti, could you come in here please?”
Kyle tried to stop Liz from interfering in a dysfunctional
system that had served his family well for at least three generations. “Liz,
you have no right to intrude on my dysfunctional …” Kyle stopped in mid
sentence when Jim walked into the room. “Hey, Dad.”
“Hi, Mr. Valenti.” Liz pushed Kyle forward. “Kyle
here has something he'd like to talk to you about.”
“Oh, yeah? What's that?”
“I have to go.” Liz said rushing to get out of there,
leaving Kyle to his fate. “Have a really nice talk.”
Jim waited until Liz shut the door to quiz his son.
“Kyle?”
“It's nothin', nothin'.”
Jim shrugged and went to return to his show. “'K.”
Kyle made a face. “Dad?”
“Hmm?”
“I'd really hate for what's going on between you and
grandpa to happen to us.” Kyle told his father before walking out of the
kitchen to his bedroom quietly shutting the door.
~~~
Jim finally took the time to go visit his father. He sat
with him and forgot why it was so hard to be there. His father was holding a box
of old pictures and keepsakes. Jim glanced at a picture of his father, younger
and aware.
“Good lookin' son of a gun, weren't ya? I guess it runs
in the family.” Jim sighed, his eyes a study of sadness as he viewed his
father. “Hey, uh … Dad, I gotta take off, all right? I got some stuff to do
at home, so I’ll see ya in a few days or something, and I'll … I'll see ya.”
Valenti, Sr. stood up, and pointed to the date on the
calendar. “Hey. Come here. Come here. All right.” Jim suddenly understood
what his father wanted. “Come on. Come on. I got ya. I got ya.” He took the
marker that his father was trying to use. “Come on. Here we go. I know. It's
all right. Listen, I'll get a pen, all right?” Jim showed him the pen. “And
we'll, uh … And we'll mark today on your calendar … All right? then when I
come back tomorrow, we can mark … We can mark that day, too.” Jim marked his
visit and his father watched happy to see his son.
~~~
Michael looked over his card at Maria, frowning at all the
clothing she was wearing. “Are you cold?”
“A little. Now the fever is down, I seem to be a little
chilled.” Maria bit her lip thoughtfully before putting two cards down on the
table. “Give me two.”
Michael dealt her two cards off the top. “Want me to turn
up the heat?”
“Nah, I’m fine.”
Michael looked at her skeptically as he took in the shirt,
a t-shirt, a sweatshirt, a pair of sweats, two pairs of socks, and fuzzy
slippers. He tossed one card and took one from the top.
“Call,” Maria said.
Michael laid down a pair of Jacks over eights.”
“Sorry, Spanky, I’ve got you beat. Three of a kind.”
Maria spread out her sevens. She leered at him cruelly. “Strip.”
Michael paused in picking up the card. “Excuse me?”
“You lost! Lose an article of clothing.”
Michael’s mouth flew open as he took in her attire and
his which was nothing more than sweatpants, nothing underneath and a tank. There
was a knock on the door. He stripped off his tank dropping it on her head on his
way to answer the door. Pointing a finger at her, he said, “You are going
down!”
Maria laughed gathering up the cards and pocketing two
aces.
“Liz. Sorry, we gave at the office.”
“Move it, Michael. I come bearing gifts.”
“Michael! Is that Liz? Move your alien tush, she has my
extra thick vanilla milkshake.”
Liz elbowed Michael out of the way as she entered and his
phone rang. “I see she’s better.”
“Better than what?” Michael asked curtly.
Maria made a phishing noise. “Don’t mind him, he’s
just upset that he is losing at strip poker. You want to play?”
Liz seemed startled as she took in Michael in only a pair
of sweats, and Maria dressed as Quinn the Eskimo. She cleared her throat
nervously while Maria checked out the nice expanse of Michael’s naked back.
Sucking on her vanilla shake, she recognized the sensation of feeling hungry.
Her stomach had a fluttery feeling. Maybe she was really sick.
Michael walked over while talking on the phone. “No, Liz
is here. Yeah. Just a second.”
“It’s Max.” Michael handed over the phone and stole
the milkshake from Maria to take a drink while sitting on the arm of her car.
His back arched when her hand ran up the smooth skin of his back, and he met her
eyes in a quick glance. He gave her back her milkshake.
“Need
“Oh, it’s spicy enough for me,” he told her not
talking about the damn shake. Maria’s eyes dilated and darkened, and Liz’s
voice interrupted them.
“You met Jonathan Frakes. Did he remember you?” Liz
leaned against the wall. “Uh-huh. So they didn’t think you could play an
alien, huh?” Liz glanced at Michael and Maria in amusement.
Michael and Maria paid attention eavesdropping on Liz
conversation.
“Max, he's threatened you twice already. The Shapeshifter
obviously knows you're there and wants you out of
“Liz, I’m close. I'm in the vault now.”
Liz put her hand over the receiver. “He’s in the
“I found it.”
“Ok, well--hurry. Try to get a look at him and get out of
there.” Liz bit her lip, nervous that he was there alone with no backup. “It
doesn't matter where you look. You should be able to see him at the start of any
shot.”
“It's tough to make anything out.”
Max fast forward the film. “Hang on.”
“Max. Max?” Liz’s voice held a high squeak telling
Maria she was getting agitated.
“Oh, my god.”
“Max, what do you see?”
“He's a movie producer.” Max stared at the face of Kal Langley on the film. “Liz,
I know this guy. I saw him in a restaurant.”
The phone line went dead.
~~~
Max stared at the phone a moment. “Liz? Liz?”
“Congratulations, Max. You found me,”
said a voice from the door.
Max turned to see Kal Langley. “You're the Shapeshifter.
Why'd you kill Ferrini?”
“Well … He figured out what I am …” The man smiled
charmingly. “And that didn't work for me.” Kal raised his hand and Max flew
across the room hitting a wall hard.
“I told you to stop lookin' for me.” The Shapeshifter
lifted his hand over the dailies of the film and they ignited into flames
destroying evidence of his face.
