|
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ PART 19 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ (EARTH) (Roswell, NM) (July 4th, 1999) Song Playing: Still Remains by The Offspring Liz felt grass beneath her feet and fell to her knees, looking around quickly. It was night just as she had planned and she was near the West Roswell High football field. An explosion sounded in the distance and Liz whirled around to see fireworks high in the sky. She sighed in satisfaction hopeful that she had been sent to the correct time. She sank to the ground and let out all of the tears she had suppressed when Max had died, her soul-deep grief coming out in great gasping sobs. When she had killed Max the connection between them had been severed and Liz hadn’t realized how much it had become a part of her life. Feeling Max’s emotions, sharing his thoughts had been a beautiful consequence of their relationship. It had made her feel so close to him, so loved, and now that it was gone she could literally feel herself dying. But she’d had to kill Max, there was no other choice. She had to do it just in case future Max had been wrong and the reality she’d come from didn’t disappear. She had also set the Granolith to overload and explode minutes after it had hurled her across time and space. The explosion would destroy the palace and the majority of the supporters of Max’s regime who had been locked in the palace, just as she’d planned. No matter what, the legacy of the Zha’ans was finally over for that Antar. And she had come back in time to save them all. She and future Max may have made things worse with their interference, but she wouldn’t make that same mistake. She had allowed him to dictate her actions when she had practically no understanding of what had happened. But this time she was the one with the answers and she would be the one to change things. She would make sure that it was done right. Liz forced the pain of Max’s loss to the back of her mind and wiped the tears from her face. There was work to do and she had to harden her heart to accomplish it. There would be time for sorrow and mourning when she was finished. The hardest part was behind her. She’d had to be stronger than she had ever been before to kill Max, stronger than she thought she could be. And the only thing that had given her the strength to do it was Max himself. Many times she had vowed that she would do anything for him, and she was determined to prove it once again. She climbed to her feet, hurrying to the parking lot. There were always a few cars in the lot and Liz chose one, quickly changing the color and the license plate before climbing inside and using her powers to start it. Feeling the press of time she drove quickly. Liz had come back before she had been shot to give herself enough time to finish her work, and even though she had more than two months, there was a lot to do and she was desperately afraid of failing. From experience, Liz knew the Sheriff’s office was practically deserted after hours and since it was a holiday she suspected it would be manned by only a single deputy. She followed the route Max had told her Michael had used to break into Valenti’s office, climbing up to his window and easily opening the lock with her powers. Silently she crossed to Valenti’s files and thumbed through them until she found the file about the unknown body with the silver handprint on his chest, that they had later discovered to be Atherton. Leaving it in the drawer, she used her powers to turn the entire file into to ash, and melted the key beyond recognition. With a swipe of her hand, she disabled the sprinklers above her. Then she turned to a lamp on top of the file cabinet and caused a fray in the cord, making it spark. The flying sparks set the papers under the lamp on fire and Liz used her powers to ignite the papers inside the drawers. The smoke would set off the fire alarms but by the time the fire department arrived, all of the papers in the filing cabinet would be destroyed and the whole thing would be declared an accident. She let herself out the window and closed and locked it behind her with a feeling of relief that her first task was done. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Liz drove straight to the Mesiliko reservation and hiked to the cave where Nasedo had lived. And with a single swipe of her hand, she removed the map he had drawn on the wall. Then she went to River Dog’s small house. She knocked on the door several times before the familiar white-haired man answered. “Who are you?” he asked belligerently. Liz didn’t waste any words. “Nasedo sent me.” A look of uncertainty crossed River Dog’s face but after a moment he stood aside to let her enter. When he shut the door, she ignited a small ball of light in her hand, as Max had done years ago. She looked to River Dog over the light. “I was told to expect a test.” River Dog nodded. “What do you want? And why didn’t Nasedo come?” “Nasedo is dead,” Liz said. “But I need the healing stones and the piece of the necklace Nasedo wore.” River Dog nodded again and turned to a corner of the room. He moved a small table aside and took up the board under it, removing a leather saddlebag that he handed to Liz. “It’s all inside.” Liz opened the bag noting the stones and the small medicine pouch were there. She withdrew the pouch and shook the fragment of necklace into her hand nodding. “No one else will come,” Liz said. “It would be better for you to forget this whole thing.” “You’re leaving,” River Dog realized. “Cleaning up.” Liz though she saw a trace of fear in his eyes. She turned to the door. “You’ve kept your promise. Live in peace.” ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ From the reservation Liz drove the short distance to the pod chamber. She went directly to the radio tower and unearthed the orb. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Her next stop was the Roswell Public Library. It was now well after midnight and she easily let herself inside and removed the alien book in under five minutes. And using the library’s internet connection, she looked up an address for Everett Hubble. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Liz let herself quietly into Hubble’s Bitter Creek home. Another fire might be suspicious and she had planned to make his death look like robbery gone bad, but when she saw the numerous empty bottles of whisky around his house, a new idea came to her. She entered his bedroom and passed her hand over his chest, sending a shock through him, stopping his heart. Then she carefully searched his entire house and destroyed every photograph he had accumulated of corpses with silver handprints. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ By morning Liz was in Marathon, Texas, standing in Atherton’s secret basement. She turned his files to dust and put the necklace in her pocket. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ (Washington, DC) (July 7th, 1999) Liz hid in the shadows in the garage of Congresswoman Vanessa Whitaker’s apartment. She closely observed each car that arrived, waiting for the Skin soldier to get home. Finally she saw her former employer’s familiar face in the passenger seat of a gray BMW but Liz was also pleasantly surprised to see the driver. She had known that Whitaker was having an affair with Agent Pierce before they had come to Roswell but she hadn’t expected to see them together in Washington. Liz watched as they kissed in the car, and waited patiently for them to emerge. She hadn’t intended on killing Pierce because she was unsure where to find him, but she felt that his presence was an omen telling her she was doing the right thing. Finally Pierce and Whitaker exited the car and walked toward the elevator, obliviously groping one another. Liz used her powers to throw a brick hard into Whitaker’s back, bursting her husk, and Whitaker dissolved into a shower of flakes. Pierce was paralyzed for handful of moments, horrified by what had happened to Vanessa. Liz laughed, causing him to whirl toward her. “You’re such an idiot Agent Pierce,” Liz said. “You were having an affair with an alien.” Pierce’s eyes flicked over the small woman before him unbelievingly. “An alien?” he gasped. “But why…” “Why didn’t she kill you?” Liz cut him off, finishing his question. “She was only using you to get information. You think they’re here to conquer the Earth, but that was never their plan. There are much bigger things at stake than that.” “Like what?” he asked curiously. “Many civilizations on many planets, billions upon billions of people,” she said simply. “The aliens are here looking for one of their own, a King, a tyrant who slaughtered millions, to bring him to justice.” Pierce’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Who are you? How do you know this?” Liz smiled. “I am the tyrant’s wife.” Pierce reached for his gun, but before he could aim it at her, Liz froze him in place with a flick of her powers. She advanced on him slowly. “But you’re just as much of a tyrant and killer as he ever was. You torture, maim and kill without a second thought.” Pierce struggled against her powers holding him, trying desperately to shoot her. “I’m trying to save my planet,” he bellowed in frustration. “No,” Liz said softly. “You enjoy it, the killing, the pain you cause. I’ll be doing the world a favor by getting rid of you.” Pierce laughed. “If you kill me I’ll only be replaced.” Liz nodded. “Maybe. But after they find your body here, an obvious suicide, along with a rambling handwritten note explaining that you belong to a secret branch of the FBI called the Special Unit that hunts aliens and answers to no one, there will probably be an extensive investigation.” “No one will believe that,” Pierce said. Liz shrugged as she stopped before him. She reached into his jacket pocket removing a small notebook, quickly scanning the contents. “Even if the note details the deterioration of your mind over the years because of your lack of progress, the hoaxes the Unit has perpetuated to keep running, and your guilt about the humans you’ve tortured and killed, including Congresswoman Vanessa Whitaker, your lover, who was going to expose your operation.” She looked him in the eye. “At the very least, it will cause the Unit to go back deep into the shadows where it belongs, like the bunch of scurrying cockroaches you are.” She pulled a page from the book and with a sweep of her hand created a suicide note. “But we have proof,” Pierce argued. Liz smiled. “The orb, Cadmium X, blurry black-and-white photos of corpses with silver handprints?” She shrugged again. “All easily accounted for by human means, especially by a government who’s official policy is that aliens don’t exist.” She placed the notebook and the note into his pocket, and with a sweep of her hand over his jacket, removed her fingerprints from them. Then she used her powers to force Pierce to turn his gun so it pointed at his head, the barrel resting under his chin. “You’re just proving me right,” Pierce groaned as he struggled against her. “Aliens are the killers I’ve always thought you were.” Liz’s smile grew larger. “There’s only one problem with your theory,” she said stepping back. “I am a human just like you.” Pierce’s eyes widened. Liz made him pull the trigger, and turned her back on him before his body hit the ground. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ (Boston, MA) (July 8th, 1999) Liz waited until after dark to knock on Brody’s door. She had been in his house that morning and searched carefully for the chevron-shaped amplifier but she couldn’t find it, and she decided to reveal herself to him. Brody opened the door a crack and glanced at her dismissively. “Whatever you’re selling I don’t want any.” Liz shook her head and held up her hand. She pushed a small amount of power into it, causing it to glow. “I am who you have been looking for, Brody.” Opening the door wide, Brody glanced furtively around and motioned her inside. He looked at her with wide eyes. “Who are you?” “My kind healed your cancer,” she said simply. “Why?” he asked. “Why did you save me?” “A group of us has been forced to hide on Earth from our enemies. Your brain has an abnormality that allows us to use you to contact our home,” Liz explained. “But it has come to our attention that you have obtained an alien device that could help us.” Brody nodded enthusiastically. “The black chevron-shaped device.” He crossed to a paneled wall, Liz had thought solid, and pressed a series of places. The panel slid back to reveal a keypad locked safe. Brody punched in the numbers and removed a small box, handing it to Liz. “What is it anyway?” Liz opened the box and took the device in her hand. “It is called a trithium amplification generator.” She pushed a small amount of power into it and the symbols glowed. “With this we can safely send our allies our exact coordinates so they can rescue us.” “So you’re leaving? Just like that?” Brody asked disappointed. Liz nodded. She had considered killing him, but with no proof to back up his story she knew he would simply be dismissed as just another crazy UFO nut. “Thank you for your help. You won’t be bothered again.” Brody followed her to the door. “But I have so many questions about you, and where you come from.” Liz turned to him. “I’m sorry Brody, but it’s better if you don’t know anything more. That way our enemies can’t take the information from you mind.” Brody nodded. “Can you at least tell me your name?” Liz considered him briefly. “My name is Zha’antet,” she said using the feminine variation of Zan’s real name, knowing it was true. To save Max she had become Zha’an, the Angel of Death.” ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Liz stopped at a small town in Connecticut and broke into a gun shop, taking a 9mm handgun, a silencer, and several bricks of ammunition. In the last few years she had learned to be an excellent shot and that talent was about to come in handy. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ (New York, NY) (July 25th, 1999) Song Playing: Waiting by Pennywise It had been relatively easy for Liz to kill Lonnie, Rath, Ava, and their protector. She’d simply waited until she got them each alone, and a couple of dozen or so well-placed shots from her 9mm had been enough to take them all out. Granted she did feel a bit of regret, knowing that Ava was a good person, but with the others there had been no problem. She had shot Lonni and Rath like the dogs they were, and she’d do it a hundred times more for the part they’d played in ruining Max. She had left Zan until last on purpose, knowing he would be the most difficult. Liz had watched them all for a couple of weeks, getting to know their routines. Typically Zan was out late at clubs listening to bands play. He slept through the morning and the early afternoon, coming out each day around two o’clock. And finally ready to confront him, Liz placed herself where Zan would be sure to see her when he emerged from the subway tunnel that led to his underground home. And as two o’clock approached, Liz watched as Zan climbed the steps up into the daylight. Her breath caught, when she saw him up close for the first time. He was so like Max, but so different. Ava had described Zan to her when she’d been in Roswell, and of course Liz had seen him from afar as she followed him the last two weeks, but she wasn’t prepared for the real thing. Zan was muscular like Max, possibly even more so; his arms bulging, his solid torso barely concealed by a skin-tight sleeveless t-shirt. He wore his hair in spikes and sported several tattoos and piercing. And as Liz watched him, she felt a rush of desire. He took a couple of swaggering steps in her direction before he noticed her, but suddenly his eyes were drawn to her as if he knew she was there. Liz held his gaze for a handful of moments before she turned and walked down a nearby alley. She had worn a short black skirt, knowing how much Max loved her legs, and she had a feeling that the trait was present in Zan as well. A form-fitting red tank and sandals completed her outfit and she’d left her hair loose, so it’s shiny mass cascaded down her back. She stopped at the end of the alley, waiting patiently, knowing he would follow. And after a moment she heard him behind her. “You are so fine,” he growled as he approached her. Liz fingered the gun in her bag as she turned toward him, but when she met his beautiful amber eyes she froze, all of her intensions leaving her. It was simply shock she told herself, the unexpected impact of being so close to Max’s exact copy. But she felt like she was in a trance of some kind and she was unable to move or look away from him. Zan smiled crookedly and stalked around her like a predator circling his prey, taking in every inch of her body with his gaze. He stopped before her, meeting her eyes again, “What’s your name, angel?” She shivered as his voice, Max’s voice, washed over and through her, and she answered automatically. “Liz.” She and Max had made love at least once every day that they had been together, and she missed the overwhelming love they had shared through their bond. She also missed the physical contact, Max’s hands and mouth on her body, the incredible pleasure they had given one another, and because Max was dead Liz had never thought she would feel that yearning for anyone again. But as her eyes skimmed over Zan’s solid upper body, a wave of desire tore through her, causing her nipples to harden and jut out under her thin shirt. Zan noticed immediately, and with a cocky smile moved closer to her. “And you like what you see too.” Liz nodded, feeling the situation spinning out of her control as he stepped into her, pressing his body against hers and backing her into the wall. His eyes never left hers as he placed his hands against the bricks on either side of her head and leaned in slowly. “I’m Zan,” he whispered. He brushed her lips with his, just a feather’s touch, and leaned back enough to look into her eyes. “Zan,” Liz gasped, instantly aroused, and she couldn’t stop her gaze flicking between his lips and eyes. Zan smiled as he watched her eyes darken with need. His hands remained on the bricks behind her and slowly he leaned into her, pressing his body completely against her so she could feel his erection. He lowered his head, burying it in the curve of her neck, deeply inhaling her scent as he nuzzled her soft skin. Liz could feel every inch of Zan’s warm, solid body and she shivered against him as his facial hair and hot breath tickled her neck. Her knees felt like they might give out and she put her hands on his chest for support. Zan brushed his lips across her neck, slowly moving up and across her chin. He paused once again, gauging her reaction, searching her eyes. But he saw no hesitation just pure desire, and he smiled with satisfaction before taking her lips in a searing kiss. Liz kissed him back hungrily, winding her arms around his neck. She stood on tiptoes to get even closer, pressing her body against him. Suddenly she felt the rush of the connection as it sprung to life, and carefully controlled the images she sent to him. His hand tangled in her hair as he devoured her mouth and she opened to him, inviting him inside with a flick of her tongue. Zan’s tongue dueled with hers, thrusting into her mouth as he ground his erection against her. He continued the kiss, and his hands reached between them, skimming over her breasts, rubbing her hard peaks with his thumbs. Finally he broke away, looking into her eyes unsurprised. “You’re one of us,” he said with a ragged breath. Liz nodded, trying to catch her own breath. “I’m here to find you, Zan,” she said. “I’m your true wife, your soul mate.” Zan held her eyes, nodding as he reached up to touch her face. “Yes,” he growled triumphantly. “It was never right with Ava. I’ve been waiting for you all my life.” “I know,” Liz said with a nod. “How did you get here?” he asked. “It’s a long story,” Liz started. Zan shook his head decisively. “Later then,” he said, sliding his hands up her bare arms, his eyes holding hers. “Right now I want to be inside you.” Zan’s words stoked the flames of her desire even more. Liz had intended to kill him without even speaking to him, but the urge to have him kiss her, touch her, thrust his hard cock deep inside her was overwhelming. He wasn’t Max and she knew that intellectually, but he sounded the same, smelled the same, tasted the same, and felt the same under her hands. She could feel his power radiating out around him, Max’s power, and it flowed across her skin and into her. It called to her, seeking out her own power, silently seducing her. She was helpless to resist, even if she wanted to, and simply nodded. Without a word Zan took her hand and together they walked back through the alley and down the subway stairs into the dark tunnels below. Zan navigated the passageways easily and neither of them spoke, and in a matter of moments they were in his home. He led her through the main room and into his bedroom in the back. It was a small room with only a bed, a table, a lamp, a CD player, and a large collection of CDs. The walls were black and gray, covered with flyers advertising bands, and dark impressionistic drawings. Song Playing: With You by Linkin Park As Liz examined the contents of the walls, Zan shut the door and locked it. He flipped on the CD player and a song started that she didn’t recognize, but the hard, fast beat made her breath catch as she imagined Zan pistoning into her in time with the music. He embraced her from behind, pressing his rock hard erection into her ass, grinding against her. Pushing her long hair to one side, he kissed her exposed neck. One arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her back into him. The other skimmed down her hip and slipped under her short skirt and into her panties to stroke her clit. Desire shot through Liz and she gasped as her knees nearly went out from under her. Zan held her easily and growled into her neck, “You’re so hot.” He kissed and bit her neck as his fingers slid across her already wet lower lips. Liz grasped Zan’s arm around her waist and parted her legs, giving him more access. “That it, baby,” he rasped into her neck. His feather-light touch brushed over her clit again and parted her folds to slide two long fingers into her damp core. Liz shivered under his touch and he withdrew his fingers only to plunge them back inside. He pumped them into her again and again, automatically brushing the sensitive spot inside her, causing Liz to gasp her pleasure. She ground her ass into his hard cock as she quickly approached the edge. Suddenly Zan plunged his fingers deep into her as he grazed her clit with his thumb. Liz came hard, shuddering against him, but Zan didn’t waste any time. He withdrew his hand from her and spun her around in his arms, his lips instantly finding hers. Devouring her mouth he reached for her breasts palming their weight as he traced ever-smaller circles around her peaks. Liz arched into his touch, obviously wanting more, and he broke their kiss to divest them both of their shirts. Zan tossed her shirt aside but paused as his eyes were drawn to the pendant swinging between her breasts. It had the symbol of his house but he wasn’t surprised. He looked up meeting her gaze and nodded once before taking her in his arms again. Liz’s hands went to his chest, caressing the hard muscles, as Zan discarded her bra. He took her breasts in his hands brushing her rigid nubs with his thumbs before lowering his head to pull one sensitive peak into his mouth. Liz moaned as his tongue swirled around her areola and stroked over her hard nub. “You like that don’t you baby?” Zan breathed against her breast before laving it again. He reached down and with a single yank pulled down her skirt and panties. His gaze slid over her as she stood naked before him. “And I like everything about you.” Liz smiled and reached for the fastening on his jeans, but he intercepted her hands. Zan shook his head with a smile. “Not yet, angel.” He backed her a few steps before lifting her out of her sandals and lowering her onto the bed. He leaned over her, pressing a knee between her legs, nudging them apart. “I’m gonna make you cum again and again until you’re screaming my name and begging me to fuck you.” Liz gasped and Zan’s cocky smile grew wider. “Yeah Liz, you like that too.” Zan crawled up the bed toward her, moving like a panther. He slid his hands up her legs, and Liz opened to him. With no warning he dipped his head and with a single swipe of his tongue, licked from her heated center up to her clit. Liz arched up into him and cried out, “Zan!” “I love how you are so hot and ready for me,” he growled. Zan gripped her thighs and pushed them wider as he leaned in for another taste. He swiped his tongue through her wet folds, moving ever closer to her throbbing clit. Then he reversed direction, and licked his way down to her core. Suddenly he flicked her clit several times and then returned to his slow exploration. Liz writhed beneath him, trying to encourage him to touch her where she needed him. But Zan held her firmly and continued to take his time tasting and teasing every inch of her. Liz’s soaking core throbbed with need. “Zan,” she gasped. She could feel his smile against her sensitive flesh and he dipped his tongue inside her briefly before licking back up to her clit. He lashed her clit several times and then pulled it into his mouth, swirling his tongue around it before grazing it gently with his teeth. Liz moaned with pleasure and then with disappointment as Zan released her clit. But she moaned again as he plunged his tongue inside her. He brushed her sensitized clit with his thumb, harder and faster as he tongue fucked her, and Liz felt herself quickly approaching a powerful release. Zan suddenly withdrew his tongue and plunged two fingers into her, grazing the sensitive spot inside. Liz came immediately, bucking against him as she cried out. Her velvety walls clamped down on his fingers, pulsing around them. Zan leaned down and placed a kiss on her clit. “You are so damn beautiful and sexy. I love watching you cum.” Leaving his fingers inside her, he kissed her clit again and trailed kisses up her flat stomach, the wiry hair of his beard tickling her skin. Zan paused to flick his tongue over both rigid nipples and he grazed her right nub with the stud in his chin, making her gasp with unexpected pleasure. Continuing, he kissed up her neck and chin and pressed a harder kiss to her lips. He withdrew his fingers partially from her core and plunged them back inside, causing her to gasp again. “I could watch you cum the rest of my life,” he growled. “You are definitely mine.” “Zan, I want you so much,” Liz gasped. He took possession of her lips again and reaching down with the other hand he quickly flicked his thumb over her rigid nipple as he brushed the spot inside her again and again. Liz felt like a live wire was attached to her and she jerked and writhed beneath him. Zan kissed her hard again as he continued with his clever fingers. “Yes baby,” he growled. “Let me see you cum again. Cum just for me, Liz.” His words sent her over the edge and she cried out. “Zan!” His fingers stilled within her and he let her ride out her orgasm before withdrawing them. He held her eyes as he put his fingers, wet with her juices, into his mouth and drew them out clean. Then he leaned down and kissed her hard, plunging his tongue into her mouth. Liz grasped his head stroking his tongue with hers, and tasting herself on him enflamed her desire even more. She broke the kiss. “Zan, I need you inside me,” she gasped. “Fuck me now.” Zan smiled crookedly. “Anytime you want, angel.” He drew back from her enough to remove his shoes, jeans and boxers, and Liz watched expectantly as he freed his rigid shaft. Zan settled between her legs again, but this time he didn’t tease, and with a powerful thrust he was inside. Liz sighed as the hard length of him filled her. Zan withdrew from her almost all the way and then plunged in deeply, again and again. A groan of pleasure was torn from Liz, her over sensitized flesh building quickly to orgasm even with Zan’s slow pace. He continued to stroke into her slow and deep and Liz could feel every inch of him inside her. Zan raised her hips changing the angle of his penetration, and with each thrust the head of his cock brushed the sensitive spot inside her. With a few more deep thrusts, Liz came again, but Zan didn’t stop. He increased his pace taking her hard and fast, and within moments Liz’s desire rose again and she was thrusting her hips up to meet him. “Yes, Zan,” she cried out. Her hands slid down his back and grasped his ass urging him to an even faster pace. Sweat covered his body as he pounded into her, and he shook with the effort not to explode. “Liz, love,” he groaned. He reached between them and rubbed her clit in circles with his thumb. She thrashed wildly beneath him and came again as he thrust deep within her, and her orgasm pushed him over the edge. Zan cried out as he emptied his seed into her, “Liz, baby.” He collapsed on top of her, breathing raggedly, and wrapped her in his arms as their spasms of release washed through their bodies. Liz caressed his back as their breathing slowly returned to normal. Zan placed a kiss on her forehead. “Fuck, that was good.” He pulled back enough to look into her eyes, a cocky grin lifting one corner of his mouth. “You’re mine Liz, and we’re gonna do this every damn day.” Liz smiled and pressed her lips to his. Zan pulled out of her body and passed his hand over them, cleaning them and dissolving his sperm within her. He met her eyes. “Don’t worry, angel. I won’t let you get knocked up. I’ll take care of you.” Liz held his gaze and nodded solemnly. “I know.” He reached to turn down the volume on the music, so it just audible, and then settled into bed next to her. Spooning her from behind he pulled a blanket over them before taking her in his arms again. So gently he brushed the back of her neck with his lips, as his hand wandered lazily over her stomach. “We’ll rest a while,” he rasped into her neck, “and then I’ll take you again long and hard.” His hand trailed lower, causing a shiver to go through Liz, and Zan pressed another kiss onto her neck. “I want to taste every inch of you and watch you cum again and again.” Cradling her in the curve of his body, he placed his chin on top of her head and cupped a possessive hand around one of her breasts. Within moments his breathing slowed becoming languorous. “I love you, Liz,” he said softly. “I knew it when I first saw you. Love at first fucking sight. I thought it was a fairytale.” Liz covered his hand with her own, glad that she didn’t have to meet his eyes. “I love you too.” He kissed the top of her head and murmured sleepily into her hair, “Mine.” A few silent tears escaped Liz’s eyes as she laid in his arms, listening to his slow, deep breathing. It had almost been like being with Max again and it made her even more determined to finish what she’d put in motion. It would be so easy to stay with Zan and be loved by him, but she couldn’t take the chance of leaving him alive. And more importantly, she couldn’t stay with him because he wasn’t Max. She was married to Max, she loved Max, she was destined to be with Max, not Zha’an. And when she finished her work, she had promised Max she would meet him in death. Liz waited until she was sure Zan was asleep, then she disengaged herself from his embrace, climbed out of bed and quietly withdrew the gun from her bag. But as she turned back to him, the words of the song playing suddenly leapt out at her. Father, into your hands I commend my spirit Father, into your hands Why have you forsaken me In your eyes forsaken me In your thoughts forsaken me In your heart forsaken, me oh Trust in my self-righteous suicide I cry when angels deserve to die In my self-righteous suicide I cry when angels deserve to die Liz sighted down the barrel, carefully aiming it at Zan’s beautiful head, and pulled the trigger three times. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ (Dallas, TX) (August 10th, 1999) Tess had once told Liz that she and Nasedo had moved from Dallas to Roswell. And while Liz didn’t know exactly where they lived, she did know a sure-fire way to draw Nasedo to her. She chose the spot carefully, a park that was easy to observe from several directions, and bordered or three sides by busy, apartment-lined streets. Liz rented a ground-level apartment, overlooking the park, and the next night she waited until after two a.m. before she ventured out. Quickly checking to make sure she was alone, she passed her hand over the ground and sent a signal identical to the one Nasedo sent the night he had kidnapped her, the swirling symbol of Zan’s regime. The next day Liz watched every person who examined the burnt earth, but she didn’t get really serious on her stakeout until it was dark. The park had been deserted for over an hour before a clean-cut man in his thirties strolled over to the symbol. He looked around furtively, just as she had, before passing his hand over the mark and re-starting the fire. He wasn’t wearing the Harding face, but Liz hadn’t been expecting him to. Tess had also told her that Nasedo hadn’t adopted the Harding persona until he came to Roswell. Silently she crept outside and got into her car, waiting to start it until Nasedo’s car pulled away from the curb. She followed him distantly as he pulled into the traffic, careful to keep his car in sight. Quickly she memorized the make, model, color and license plate and when he turned into a residential neighborhood, Liz drove past. Early the next morning she parked her car near where Nasedo had turned, and wearing jogging clothes, she systematically searched the neighborhood for his car. It took her less than an hour to find the house, and she watched from behind a nearby fence as he came out and got into the car and drove away. Liz jogged back to her own car, quickly changed her clothes and parked her car outside the house. She opened the hood, and using a wave of her hand over the engine block, caused it to smoke. She tried to act natural as she approached the door, but she was good at acting. Liz had been able to fool Max, the person closest to her in the world, she could fool Tess long enough to do what had to be done. Liz knocked on the door and it was opened almost immediately by the blonde she recognized so well. Liz pasted an exasperated look on her face, motioning behind her. “My car broke down. Do you think I could use your phone?” Tess didn’t even glance at her twice, before inviting her inside. “Sure,” she said closing the door behind them. “There’s one just through here. I’ll show you.” Liz waited until Tess turned away from her before she used her powers to throw Tess hard against the kitchen counter. Then she turned on the amplifier she had taken from Brody, blocking their powers. Tess hit the counter with a huff and then slumped to the floor. With wide eyes she looked at Liz. “You’re one of us?” Liz nodded and held up the amplifier. “It’s no good trying to use your powers, I’ve blocked them.” “What do you want?” Tess gasped. Liz knelt before her and withdrew the gun from her bag. “I can’t let you be reunited with your husband.” Tess shook her head. “I don’t even know where he is.” “You will soon,” Liz said, her voice rising in anger. “You may have had good intensions at first, but then you turned against him, against us all, conspired with our enemies. You used us, you threw away true love, and killed my two best friends. And it wasn’t because you were trying to do the right thing, to save Earth or Antar from a dictator, it was all for you. It was your selfish, petty revenge against a husband who never loved you. You manipulated him, planted feelings in him, made him think he had a son who was dying.” Liz lifted rage-filled eyes to Tess’ shocked face, the memories racing through her mind as she spoke the words. “For months you tortured him with your powers. You nearly drove him insane and it scarred him so badly that he never recovered. It started him down the path to his ruin.” Liz shook her head trying to reign in her anger. This Tess hadn’t done those things yet, but she would. Liz raised the gun, pointing it at Tess’ head. “So I’m going to stop you before it happens.” “Before it happens?” Tess gasped. “What are you talking about?” “I’m from the future,” Liz said simply. “And I’m here to save your husband.” “Who are you?” Tess asked incredulously. Liz smiled sadly. “I am his wife.” She pulled the trigger again and again, emptying the clip into Tess. Liz was covered with blood, but she didn’t bother to clean it off. She simply replaced the clip in the gun, went into the living room and took a seat where she had a perfect view of the front door. Liz knew the gun itself wouldn’t kill Nasedo but she would simply do what she had done to the dupe’s protector. She had used the amplifier to block the shape shifter’s powers and emptied the clip of the 9mm into her. Then Liz had turned off the amplifier and used her powers to start a fire within the shape shifter that had consumed her until nothing was left but a pile of ash. She’d used her powers to turn Lonni, Rath, Ava and Zan’s bodies to ash as well, not wanting to give the government any proof of alien life. Zan had been the hardest of course, but one thought of Max had hardened her heart and she’d used a single pass of her hand to erase all evidence that Zan had ever existed. After she had disposed of him, she had destroyed everything in his underground home, including their pods and another communication orb she hadn’t known existed. It was after six before Nasedo arrived and Liz turned on the amplifier when she saw him. He stepped into the living room, seeing her. With a smile he said, “You must be one of Tess’ friends. But we haven’t met, have we?” Liz shook her head as Nasedo came closer with an outstretched hand. “I’m Tess’ father…” he started, but trailed off as he got closer to her, seeing the blood covering her. “What happened? Was there an accident?” “It was no accident, Nasedo,” Liz said softly. He recoiled like she had slapped him and raised his hand before him. “You sent the signal. Are you a Skin?” Liz shook her head. “I’m Zan’s wife and I’m here to save him.” Nasedo shook his head. “Tess is his wife.” Liz motioned to the blood on her shirt. “Not any more.” She took the gun from behind her back and pointed it at him, noting his surprise when he couldn’t use his powers to knock it from her hand. “I’ve blocked your powers,” Liz said rising from the chair. “You see Nasedo, you and Tess were about to find Zan and I can’t let that happen.” Nasedo shook his head. “I don’t know who you are, or what you think you know...” Liz didn’t allow him to finish, shaking her head as she remembered. “You messed with his mind so much. Shoving that stupid destiny book in his face and pushing him to Tess when he didn’t love her. And letting them hear that message on the orbs.” Liz sighed wearily. “That’s what made me leave him in the first place. It ruins everything in the end, and leads to Zan’s death. And you were so obsessed with getting me out of his life that you kidnapped me and led Pierce right to him. Some protector you were, letting your King get taken and tortured by the Special Unit.” “What are you talking about?” Nasedo asked. “The orbs were lost and I’ve never kidnapped anyone. And how do you know about Pierce and the Special Unit?” He shook his head. “But if Zan is in danger I can help you.” “You don’t understand,” Liz said. “This is the only way to save him.” She started pulling the trigger and didn’t stop until the gun was empty. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ (September 19th, 1999) (Crashdown Café) Liz watched transfixed from outside the Crashdown as her younger self was shot and Max raced to heal her. Without hesitation he was next to her on the floor, pressing his hand to her wound. He’d loved her so much even back then, that he hadn’t even considered the consequences of his actions. All he’d thought about was saving her life. It was over more quickly than she’d thought and Liz turned away as first Michael and then Max raced out of the restaurant and they drove away. When they were gone, she turned back to the window. With a wave of her hand, she created a scorched wad of cotton, that was typical of a gun shooting blanks, on the floor near where the gunmen had been standing. Then she turned to table where Max and Michael had been sitting and changed the empty bottles of Tabasco into packets of jam. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ That night Liz stood over her younger self as she slept, remembering the nervousness and excitement she had felt that night. She had wanted to talk to Max so badly that she didn’t even remember sleeping at all. Tomorrow her younger self would look at Max’s cells under the microscope and confront him in the band room. But this time no one would suspect him of anything. She would make sure of it. Crossing to the backpack that contained the incriminating uniform, Liz removed it and used her powers to change the bloodstains into ketchup. Then she changed any trace of gunpowder into minute glass shards and made the bullet hole smaller, just a slash, like it could have been caused by the broken ketchup bottle. She stuffed the uniform back into the backpack knowing if anyone did examine it there was nothing to find. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ (September 20th, 1999) (Outside the Parker’s Back Door) From around the corner Liz watched her younger self with Kyle as they said goodnight. Liz felt a pang of regret that this Kyle would never know their secret, would never share in their lives. He had been such a good friend, an integral part of their group, that she couldn’t imagine her life without him. As her younger self and Kyle spoke, Liz could hear their words, but she didn’t need to. She remembered every word of the conversation as if it were yesterday. Her younger self looked at Kyle. “When you see me, do you, do you feel things.” Kyle was obviously surprised by her question. “Yes, of course. I feel things.” His brow creased in confusion. “Like what?” Liz opened her mouth and then closed it. “Forget it. I don't know what I was talking about. I'm just gonna go get some sleep.” “All right,” Kyle said. And as her younger self reached up to get the spare key, Liz used her powers to extinguish the light. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ (October 11th, 1999) Liz knelt on the floor of the Granolith chamber and turned on her laptop, pulling up the many views of the web cams she had set up to see the town of Copper Summit. All of the cameras were functioning perfectly and she watched, carefully searching the images. When she saw Nicholas, she turned and inserted a control crystal into the base of the Granolith and stood back as it instantly whirred to life. She could feel the power in the room building around her, and suddenly a bright shaft of light burst from the top of the machine, exploding through the rocks above, and shooting into the sky. She turned back to the laptop and watched the many views anxiously. After a moment a bright light flashed across the views obscuring the picture for a handful of moments, and when she could see again, she nodded in satisfaction. Copper Summit had been wiped off the Earth. Liz took the trithium amplification generator from her pocket and pushed a stream of power into it, activating a series of controls to get a secure frequency. She spoke into it with a shaky voice. “Put me through to Khivar. This is an emergency.” She only had to wait a moment until Khivar’s deep voice emitted from the device. “Who is this?” “Your Majesty,” Liz said, “I am simply a technician in your service but I am the only one left to report what has happened.” “What has happened?” Khivar asked. “We discovered where the Royal Four were hidden and Nicholas ordered all the troops in Copper Summit to attack. But one of our members was a traitor working with the Royal Four and betrayed us. Zan used the Granolith to destroy Copper Summit and the ship. Only a handful of us escaped, including Nicholas and we went to complete the mission.” “There was a terrible fight and Ava and Rath were killed. Zan and Vilondra escaped and we followed them to the Granolith. Zan tried to use it to kill the rest of us but something went wrong. The Granolith overloaded and exploded, killing Zan and Vilondra, and Nicholas, and the rest of our soldiers.” Khivar’s voice was incredulous. “Granolith is destroyed and everyone but you is dead?” Liz gasped, getting into her part. “I am dead too, your Majesty. My husk is damaged beyond repair and failing quickly. I won’t live another hour, but I wanted to report that the mission was successful. The tyrant is dead.” “Your honor to duty, and your sacrifice will be remembered,” Khivar said. “What is your name, soldier?” Liz stopped the flow of power into the amplifier. She knew that Khivar would try to contact someone to corroborate her account. It was possible that there were skin soldiers who weren’t in Copper Summit when she destroyed it. But they would soon discover that Copper Summit was really gone and Khivar would have no choice but to believe her. He would assume her report was true and he would leave the Earth in peace. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Liz stood over Max as he slept and watched the slow movement of his chest as he softly breathed in and out. He had kicked off the blankets and was wearing only boxers and a tight white tank that molded to his muscular form, and Liz couldn’t stop the rush of desire she felt. But this Max wasn’t hers, he belonged to her younger self who was sleeping just a few miles away. When the world ends Collect your things You’re coming with me When the world ends You tuckle up yourself with me Watch it as the stars disappear to nothing The day the world is over We’ll be lying in bed I’m gonna rock you like a baby when the cities fall We will rise as the building’s crumble Float there and watch it all Amidst the burning, we’ll be churning You know, love will be our wings The passion rises up from the ashes When the world ends She still couldn’t believe it had only been about three years since Max had healed her. With everything that had happened it had seemed like decades, lifetimes. But as she stood over this younger, innocent Max, she couldn’t help but see the differences the few years had made. But it wasn’t the time that had molded her Max, it was the experiences. Experiences this Max would never have. When the world ends You’re gonna come with me We’re going to be crazy Like a river bends We’re going to float Through the criss cross of the mountains Watch them fade to nothing When the world ends You know that’s what’s happening now I’m going to be there with you somehow, oh... Oh, but don’t you worry about a thing No, 'cause I got you here with me Don’t you worry about a Just you and me Floating through the empty, empty Just you and me Oh, graces Oh, grace Liz had gone to Michael first, then Isabel, saving Max for last. And with a final look at his handsome face, Liz put a hand to his head and pushed her power into him. Oh, when the world ends We’ll be burning one When the world ends We’ll be sweet makin love Oh, you know when the world ends I’m going to take you aside and say Let’s watch it fade away, fade away And the world’s done Ours just begun It's done Ours just begun We’re gonna dive into the emptiness We'll be swimming I’m going to walk you through the pathless roads I’m going to take you to the top of the mountain that’s no longer there I’m going to take you to bed and love you, I swear Like the end is here I’m going to take you up to I’m going to take you down on you I’m going to hold you like an angel, angel I’m going to love you I’m going to love you When the world ends I’m going to hold you When the world is over We’ll just be beginning... ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ TBC |
|
Soaring With Angels Main Part 18 - Part 20 | |||||
|
Fanfic Main | 
|
Back to Main|
|
Contact
|
| |