Some Semblance of Order

A shaky breath passed Marias lips as she watched the tv monitors, and heard

the screams coming over the speaker. Some where angry, and some where worried

yells. But either way they pained her.

"Maria."

"What?" Maria answered, her voice pained.

Her mother moved close to Maria and whispered. "You cannot do this. It will

be of no help. If you want to get something accomplished here, you need to

start acting. Just like they have cameras on them, they most likely have

cameras on us."

Maria nodded. "I know." she whispered, and dropped the hand that had been

gripping the side of the table.

"You knew this was going to happen. And you have been prepared for it. And

you have an advantage. You know there weaknesses. Make them believe." Amy

told her daughter trying to give her the strength she needed.

Maria stood up. "I know. Just get them strapped down first."

Amy nodded to her daughter and left the room to make the preparations she

needed to for her daughter. Right now they had two things to accomplish, and

both would stress her daughter to an extent. Maria would have to replace any

feelings their newly acquired subjects felt towards her, with hateful ones.

And in the mean time convince the people working around them that Maria

hadn't grown soft towards them. By doing one, the other could be taken care

of. But that didn't make it any more easy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maria struggled with her conscious for the next couple of hours. Sure, she

had been raised for this. Not specifically this, but she had been raised to

push all feelings aside and put up whatever facade would be needed. But she

had known every minute, of every day, that she would be driven to this point

of having to face this. And she had been prepared for it. Her mother had,

everyday, went over everything. From what they would be put through, to what

they would eat. And half of the time she went to bed crying. Of course her

mother wasn't much help at comforting. That women was teflon. But soon Maria

had found herself becoming immune to the things her mother told her. Maybe

that had been her mothers plan. To imprint the things that would happen in

Marias mind so that when she saw them they wouldn't take her with so much

shock, and hurt her as much as they would have. Now instead of letting her

emotions go at home, here she had to keep them in. Not letting a thing slip.

"Ms. DeLuca?"

Maria turned. She hadn't even heard the door open. "Yes?"

"Their ready for you."

Maria nodded a dismissal, and the door shut leaving her alone once again.

Maria stood up, grabbing the white lab coat that had been laying on the

chair. She slipped it on slowly, hoping maybe it could help to keep all of

her emotions in, and keep whatever they shot at her out. She moved over to

the long mirror, and watched herself as she buttoned up the lab coat. Her

hand slipped into the pocket of her coat, pulling out a pictured ID. She

clipped it onto her jacket, and she became the person she knew they feared.

The ones that where secretive, with there clean white coats, and crisp voice.

That's how she would have to sound now. Her voice would have to lack any

emotion. And her eyes would have to be stone hard, no reflection any

emotions. Because emotions, where the root of all problems. To stay safe, you

keep everything on the inside, and show nothing. If you do show something,

then they have something to use against you. And by keeping all emotions on

the inside, you are safe, they have nothing to use against you, and they fear

the fact that nothing affects you. Maria continued to repeat the things that

she had been told to prepare her for this. And mentally began to hide all

emotions.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maria walked slowly down the clean white tiled hallways. She hated this

place. When she arrived at the first door, that one of them would be in she

stopped and listened. The crying, and pleas, for her brother gave away who

was behind that door. But she asked anyway. She would not let them know that

she noted any of those things. "Who is behind this door?" Maria asked the

man, who was at least in his 30's.

"Isabelle Evans, Ma'am."

Maria nodded. She noted the tone of his voice, and the sarcasm when he said

Ma'am. He obviously didn't like having to show respect to a 16 year old. She

would take care of that later. She just nodded at the guard and began typing

in her access code. She leaned forward and let a small ray of light pass over

her eye.

"Welcome, Maria DeLuca."

Maria rolled her eyes at the crisp tone of the computer voice, and waited for

the door to open. A sound of air release could be heard from inside the door,

and she stepped forward and pushed open the door. Calm, that is how she would

have to remain. Calm and unattached. But when she saw the almighty Isabelle

Evans, wearing a papery, white, material, and strapped down to a bed with

restraints, Maria felt her inside begin to come up. Her chest clenched around

her heart, and she couldn't breathe. Why had she went to Isabelle first?

"Report?" Maria said as she entered the room and walked towards the doctor in

charge.

"Isabelle Evans, all vital signs normal, except for her being excited from

being brought in. But she is safe. We have injected her with something to

calm her down. But the dosage did not take affect. So we used a stronger one,

and it seems to be working." The doctor reported.

"And did you take all of this down in your notes?" Maria asked him superiorly.

"Yes." The doctor glared at her. "We take everything down."

Maria let him have a small smile. "Good."

"Maria?"

Maria felt shivers run through her body, at the patheticness of the voice.

And the only question inside of her now, was when she would be able to be in

the safeness of her own bedroom and cry. She turned to Isabelle. "Yes?" She

noted the confused look that came over Isabelle's face as she surveyed

Maria's attire. Maria no longer wore the crazy outfits she normally wore.

Instead she wore a tan knee length skirt, and a tight fitting white shirt. It

allowed easier movement in the jacket. Her hair was pulled up neatly out of

her face, and any make-up she wore was minimal, and so was the jewelry. But

the labcoat and name tag threw Isabelle off. Maria walked forward for

Isabelle to get a better look. "Did you need anything?" Maria asked in a

blatant tone.

"Maria what-?" Isabelle asked but couldn't finish the sentence as she read

Maria's name tag.

Maria backed up away from Isabelle slowly and turned to the doctor. "Mr.

Bernard," Maria said in a mocking tone. "If you would please." Maria said and

motioned towards Isabelle. "I have other things to attend to." Maria told him

and walked out of the white room quickly.

"I was right in the beginning! You where a traitor, you bi-!"

Maria closed the door on the last word, but she knew what had been coming

out. Maria turned to the guard and smiled, now she needed to recover any kind

of emotions that may have shown. "She's a little upset." Maria told him and

shrugged. He didn't respond. He wasn't supposed to respond. Maria walked down

the hall at a slow steady pace. Although she was putting it off, she was also

giving the impression of not caring about what laid ahead of her. Once she

reached the next door she stopped in front of the guard. "Who is in here?"

"Max Evans, Ma'am."

Maria nodded. Maybe this one would be easier. She began typing in the numbers

again and going through the same process as last time. And the same computer

voice responded to her. She pushed the door open to Max's own personnel white

room. Unlike Isabelle, Max noticed her right away.

"Maria? What are you-"

"You will not refer to me as Maria. You may call me Ms. DeLuca." Maria told

him sharply and walked towards the doctor. "What is Mr. Evans status?" Maria

barely heard what the doctor relayed to her. She was drawn away from him but

Max's voice. She would have to put a stop to this. Because if he continued to

talk she would break. Maria spun around in the middle of the doctors boring

speech. "Mr. Evans," Maria advanced on him, "it would be kind of you if you

would allow me to confer with the doctor. Because it would not be nice if

they mistakenly cut off your finger or something in an experiment, because of

some miscommunication between he and I." Maria smiled sweetly. "Now would it?"

"You lied to us." Max said with realization, as he surveyed her appearance.

"No, I did not lie. You never asked, 'Maria are you working for the

government with a secret plan of taking us hostage and learning about or

insides?' No, I do not remember that conversation." Maria turned towards the

doctor. "I would advise you to keep your subject under control. Mr. Bernard

was not doing much better." Maria told him sharply and walked towards the

door.

"You can't get away with this!" Max yelled after her.

Maria stopped and turned to him slowly. "Look around Maximillion," Maria

added the name for touch. And she noticed the flinch. "Your strapped down, in

a white room, with doctors in white lab coats, and knives all around you.

This is everything nightmares are made of. Except this one came true." Maria

smiled at him. One that at an earlier time could have been taken as a kind

smile, but now it was sickeningly sweet. Maria began backing away to the door

slowly. "You tell me Mr. Evans. Who got away with what here?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maria shut the door behind her. So far so good. But this was just the

beginning.

She liked to look at Max and Isabelle as preparation. What good luck for her

that they had been lined up this way. Maria began another walk down the

halls. This one maybe even slower. Her insides where so nervous she wanted to

throw up. Her throat began constricting and for a moment she was scared she

would lose the ability to breath. Once in front of the guard she stopped.

"Who is in this room?"

"Michael Guerin, Ma'm."

Maria didn't even nod. She went through the whole process slowly and evenly.

And cringed inwardly at the crisp sound of the computer. Maria turned to the

guard. She didn't know this one to well. He seemed to be in his late 20's.

Why did she feel so old compared to him. "Mr. Swanson?" Maria said as she

eyed his name tag. The guard nodded. "Do you know what lay behind this door?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Aliens. Are you afraid of them. Scared that while you are asleep they will

come into your dreams and kill you, or through some invisible force cut off

your air supply, or maybe their mother ship will come down and take you up

and perform the same tests we are performing on them here?" Maria asked him.

And she so much wanted an answer.

"No, Ma'am." Swanson answered quickly.

Maria smiled. "Of course not."

Swanson watched as the young girl entered the white room. Her smile almost

seemed sad. He had heard about her. And you had to show her respect. You

don't fool with the daughter of the parents who have the ability to get rid

of you, not leaving a trace behind. He thought she was exceedingly young to

be dragged into this facility. The rumors going around the lower half of the

compound where that she was only 16, and that she had went undercover with

these aliens, befriending them. How could a girl that young so easily become

friends with them, then so easily turn her backs on them?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maria walked strait towards the doctor, with no words passing her mouth. But

she couldn't help but glance at him. Was it possible for you to feel total

despair. Because she felt it now. Michael lay strapped to a bed, and

continued to fight against the restraints. But it was obvious his resolve was

weakening. Either from trying to hard, or from something they shot him up

with. She let the doctors words pass her by. And she didn't hear a thing

until her name was heard coming from Michael's mouth. And she jumped. She

couldn't help it. And she hoped to god that no one noticed. Maria turned and

prepared herself to regain her control in front of them. Which would mean

practically killing everything Michael believed in. "I would appreciate it

Mr. Guerin if you would refer to me as Ms. DeLuca. In this facility we show

respect to those above us."

"Maria, what the hell are you talking about?" Michael asked getting angry and

confused at once.

"Look Mr. Guerin it is as simple as this," Maria advanced upon him and

stopped when she was about a foot away from his restrained body. "Read this."

Maria pointed towards her name tag. "Supervisor Specialist of Operations.

Meaning I am in charge here, and out of all of these idiots hoping to get

somewhere in this operation, I know more about you then they ever will."

Maria stepped back away from Michael. She knew he was to shocked to speak,

but his face showed the opposite. He was angry, the deep glare that he was

giving her conveyed that. Maria backed away towards the door then stopped. "I

know everything. I know what your hopes are, and I know how to break them.

Give up now. Because through all of your negative remarks, and angry

thoughts, you wanted something, and hoped for something, and feared

something. Whatever you wanted and hoped for has been destroyed, and what you

feared has come true."

"Give me a break Maria, your to emotional to be able to hurt anyone, much

less try to break them. Do you really think what you have to say is going to

have any affect on us?" Michael responded back to her hatefully.

And Maria was glad. Because out of all of them, he had done what she wanted.

Made it easier for her to be cruel to him, by arguing with him. Maria smiled

at him. "Emotions aren't real. Whatever you thought I felt, it would be wise

for you to dismiss it, if you want to survive. Because it will only confuse

you, and help me." Maria turned and walked towards the door, but didn't leave

before adding one last thing, for personal measure. "I'm a stone wall Mr.

Guerin. Nothing you say or do has any affect on me."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maria walked briskly down the white halls. She hated white. But what she

hated more was facing the three of them. Luckily she wouldn't have to do that

again today. Today they would be 'settled in' as the others liked to call it.

Yea right. But Maria rarely had any input. Even though her title gave her

much authority. She was looked down upon as a little girl, with to much power

for her own good. And who got what she wanted without doing a thing. That was

hardly the case. Maria gave up a normal childhood without any choice, and was

forced to live over six months befriending these three aliens, knowing that

they would be taken in at some point. She gave up a lot. Maria entered a

familiar room, that had two guards on either side. They did not move to stop

her.

"Did you visit each one?"

"Yes," Maria said as she took a seat on the bed. They weren't very

comfortable. She had found that out through experience as a little girl. This

was her mothers quarters. But hers differed little. The people in this

facility wouldn't take well to any of her attempts to brighten up the place.

They would most likely suspect her. Everyone around here was paranoid.

"And?" Amy DeLuca asked her daughter as she turned in her desk chair to face

Maria.

"I don't know. Isabelle said I was a traitor and called me a bitch, but I

didn't say to much to her. She seemed to hate me on her own. I scared the

hell out of Max. He told me I couldn't get away with this. So I made

references to being experimented on, and told him everything he feared had

come true. Michael was shocked at first, but overcame the initial fear and

became angry with me. So I-" Maria started to explain her and Michael's

conversation but was cut off by her mother.

"No need to explain. I saw the whole thing on the monitors. I must admit, you

did use your knowledge of how they felt, and their beliefs, very well. No one

else would have had the ability to do that." Amy stood up from her chair and

sat on the bed next to Maria, lowering her voice. "Although I would advise

you to control your initial reactions, regarding some of the aliens."

Maria nodded. She knew what her mother was talking about. Had it been that

obvious? Maria stood up, "It won't happen again."

Amy smiled and stood up in front of her daughter. "I know it won't." She

responded then looked at the clock on her wall. "I think you should go home

now. Most likely the disappearance of the three of them has been brought to

the attention of others. And your disappearance will only add to any

suspicions they have."

Maria nodded and left the room. Now she had to lie to Liz. She had to watch

as her best friend broke down, and at the same time she knew what was going

on with the three of them. If Liz knew what was going on right now she would

have a fit. Marias only comfort was now, for this part she could cry. Because

she so needed it right now. Even if it wasn't for the same reason Liz was.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Maria wasn't sure whether to be relieved of scared at Liz's seclusion. This

way she wouldn't have to face Liz, and feel all the guilt that was building

up. But at the same time she was worried for her. But Maria had to push that

out of her mind. Liz was safe. Even if she was hurting. Her priorities right

now where not Liz's feelings. It was taking control of this situation. And

getting what she wanted done, accomplished.

Maria walked to her room at a quickened pace. She had slept late. But sitting

through hours of the sheriffs questions would cause anyone to be tired. She

went through her usual daily tasks, of changing clothes, applying the right

amount of make-up, and pulling her hair back neatly. Maria pulled on the

white labcoat, then clipped her nametag on. Then she stood in front of the

mirror for the longest time, despising the image in front of her, hating

herself, and what she had become. But she had always been that. Just when she

had been friends with them it hadn't been evident. Now she had to use that

side of her. The side built into her by her parents.

Maria's heels clicked on the clean tiled halls, and echoed off the walls. She

hated that. She almost felt like she was the death march. She entered the

meeting room, with all of the doctors, and guards in charge of security, and

she cringed. Her mother was not here.

"Ms. DeLuca, your mother was called away in the middle of the night. You will

be in charge of this meeting." Someone told her. She didn't even know who

they where.

Maria nodded stiffly, and took the seat that usually belonged to her mother.

"How did everything go last night."

Dr. Bernard answered. He after all oversaw everything that went on with the

three of the aliens. "Although it took longer then we expected the sedative

that they where given did finally take affect. After, they where scrubbed to

remove anything unnatural from there bodies that they had been exposed to

outside of this facility. We took skin samples, and blood samples, but have

yet to receive any of the results."

"Are those the only experiments that you have done since they have been

brought in?" Maria asked him. She did not want anything going on without her

knowing.

"Yes, Ma'am." Dr. Bernard forced out.

Maria glared at him for a moment. She did not like him, or trust him. She of

course trusted no one there. But he deserved her suspicions. And he seemed to

have his own agenda. As did she. Meaning they would conflict sooner or later.

"Have they been prepared for what is to take place today?"

"That is taking place right now, Ms. DeLuca." One of the doctors responded.

This one seemed a little high strung. Worried of failure. Good.

Maria sighed and looked at Dr. Bernard. He made no move to speak. "Dr.

Bernard, where is the list? If you want to find out anything about these

aliens, you need my signature. Or else you'll be sitting at your neat little

desk watching them on monitors."

Dr. Bernard glared at the young girl hatefully, but slid a clipboard over the

table with ease.

Maria grabbed the clipboard, and began to review what was to take place that

day. It was exactly what her mother had said. And she felt disgusted.

Ligament structure. She didn't want to imagine what they did to look at that.

Her eyes began to water and she felt herself began to shiver. Her vision

became blurry, and she immediately reached for a pen and signed on the bottom

line, next to the one that Dr. Bernard had signed. She unclipped the paper

and tore off the top copy and handed it to him. "Everyone is dismissed."

Maria said, her voice strained, but stern. They all filed out of the room

quietly, and she continued to keep her face down. Once the last one had left

the room she let out a shuddering sigh. She hated herself so much. Even if

everything did go right, there was no way they would ever forgive her. She

could have easily just told them what was to happen. But would they have

gotten far? Most likely not.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maria walked slowly down the halls, with the signed copy at her side. She now

had to go to the file room, to leave one copy there. But she kept one for

herself. She would never forgive herself. Now they would be experimented on,

cut open, for the barbarians of science. Her only comfort was that they would

feel none of it, and would be passed out. Maria stopped in the hallway as a

thought hit her. She lifted the clipboard up and quickly reviewed everything

that was to take place, and what would happen, and in what order. But no

where did it say that the three of them would receive anesthesia. Maria

gasped and she held back a sob. All semblance that she had gained had been

lost. And she ran towards the hallways that held her three friends.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maria came to a halt once she reached the hallway. "Where is Dr. Bernard!"

Maria yelled to each guard standing in front of the three doors.

"In here, Ms. DeLuca."

Maria looked where the voice had come from. It was the one guarding Isabelles

white room. Maria ran down the hallway, and she lifted her shaking hand to

the keypad and punched in her code, then waited impatiently for her eye to be

scanned, and the release of air. Then she forced open the door. "What the

hell is this!" Maria yelled as she lifted up the clipboard.

"It is what is to happen today, just as you know Ms. DeLuca." Dr. Bernard,

told her as he moved towards a table.

Maria glared at his cool demeanor. Maria walked over to him as he snapped on

the latex gloves. "Oh no. I don't think so. A little more then this should be

happening. No where in here is mentioned that anesthesia will be used."

"What?"

Maria turned to the scared cry. It had come from Isabelle. She had never

known Isabelle to look so drained before. It was sad.

"You can't do that!" Isabelle screamed and pulled at her restraints.

Maria turned her head, as to not see the tears streaming down Isabelles face.

"It could be because anesthesia had never been planned. It would pollute

their system. We cannot have that. You signed it. You should have read it."

"Listen to me." Maria grounded out. "You make any attempt not to use

anesthesia, you are going to disappear for good."

"Ms. DeLuca, don't threaten me. You know nothing about the doctoral field.

You knew what was to happen when you read that." Dr. Bernard told her

snottily.

Maria grabbed a scalpel from the nearest table and pushed him roughly,

holding it in front of his face. "How about I look at your ligament

structure? If you do not use anesthesia, then when you are taken away, for

not doing as I say, I will be sure that you are strapped down in a white

room, and someone looks at your ligament structure, without anesthesia."

"You wouldn't do it." Dr. Bernard told her stubbornly.

Maria reached into her labcoat pocket and pulled out a cellphone. She pressed

her familiar number then lifted the phone to her ear. "Connect me to Brian

DeLuca." Maria noticed Dr. Bernard stand up strait and his back stiffen. But

she didn't move, and continued to hold the scalpel in front of him. She

hadn't won yet. "Maria DeLuca." Maria told the women on the other end of the

phone.

"Maria?"

"We have a problem." Maria told her father.

"Fine, you want anesthesia, we'll use it." the doctor spat out.

"What happened?" her father asked her in a stiff concerned voice.

Maria placed the knife on the table. "On all three of them. And if you do not

ever single one of you will experience everything these subjects go through."

Maria backed up slowly towards the door.

"Maria what the hell is going on?"

Maria didn't respond and stepped out of the door way. "Close it." Maria

ordered the guard. Maria waited a moment then began walking down the hall.

"Who is this Dr. Bernard?"

"He is a specialist. He was there when the dead alien bodies where

discovered. Why? Are there problems?"

"Not right now. But he is trying to get over on me. And I don't trust him."

Maria told him.

"You have no reason to. He may be the best, but he does have his own agenda.

With your mother gone, I am concerned about what is going on there. Check in

with me every five hours. If you don't then I will personally make a visit."

her father instructed her. "Your mother will be gone for a a little while,

she is dealing with the political front of this right now. I need you there

to oversee everything."

Maria sighed. She felt so alone right now. The only people she did trust, she

had to protect. "All right. Every five hours." Maria agreed, and hung up with

him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marias visitations to them had been halted for the day, considering the

experiments that would be going on. She had sent in some of the more

vulnerable and trusting doctors to each room, to oversee the process. The

reported back to her that anesthesia had been used on the three of them. And

they had experienced none of what had went on. So for the day she had busied

herself with making an appearance in the outside world. Because that night,

and the next day she would have to remain in the facility. She had spoken to

Liz only once. And it was her who contacted Liz.

Her coat had been left in her room, and the name tag was shoved into her

pants pocket. She had planned on making a surprise appearance. Hopefully at

this time of night, Dr. Bernard, and his pets would be asleep, and the three

of them would only be checked on every so often. The halls where quiet, and

the lights where dimmed. She passed a guard every so often. But for the most

part, everyone was asleep, or gone, if they had to keep up the appearance of

the outside life they had, like her. She had made the decision before she had

arrived that Michael would the first she would visit. Once in front of his

door, she stopped and looked at the guard. "Swanson right?" she asked softly,

in a tired voice.

"Yes, Ma'am" he responded but looked strait ahead.

Maria liked him. He didn't have a personal agenda, or judge anything. He just

did as he was told. He hadn't lived with a life of this.

"Did anything happen today. Like did you hear anything unnatural from behind

these doors?" Maria inquired.

"No, Ma'am."

Maria sighed. She hated that. He sounded like a robot. "What is your first

name?"

"Robert." he responded, almost confused.

Maria let the corners of her lips turn up at the confused tone of his voice

at her question. "Well, Robert, I want your true opinion on something. And

don't try to spare my feelings. It won't get you in trouble. The aliens, are

not like us, but do you think they should be treated with the same respect as

we treat humans?" Maria watched as his face twisted in thought.

"I have no idea."

Maria smiled. This time he didn't add the Ma'am. And he almost seemed

confused by his own response. "Okay, fair enough. One more question. And for

this one I want a yes or no. Do you think that if these aliens are to be

experimented on, that we should at least spare them the pain, and administer

anesthesia. And I want your personal opinion. This isn't going down on

record. And I won't tell anyone." Maria watched as he gave it some thought,

and after a moment he turned his head just a little and looked at her.

"Yes, Ma'am"

"Yes that you think they should be spared the pain?" Maria asked him wanting

to be reassured.

"Yes." Robert forced out, worried about her repeating her question. Maybe it

was the wrong answer.

"Why?" Maria asked him curiously.

"Because, it would be inhuman of us to treat any being like that." Robert

told her.

Maria smiled, and let the warm feeling take over her. It was nice to here

something positive for a change. "Thank you." Maria told him sincerely.

"Your welcome, Ma'am." Robert said and continued to stare ahead.

Maria sighed and turned towards the door, and went through the whole process.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maria walked into the darkened room and pushed the door shut behind her. She

reached out for the keypad on the wall, and brightened the room just enough

so that she could see where she was going. She walked slowly towards Michael,

glad that he was asleep. But as she advanced slowly, she noticed his left arm

to be pulled away from his body, and strapped down to a table. Maria walked

closer towards the table, and a choked sob escaped her mouth. Michael had a

gash about four inches long running down the inside of his fore arm. Blood

pooled around his arm onto the table, and she knew that there had been no

attempt to bandage the wound. Maria flew through the room, and into the wash

room on the side. And then through that into Max's room, where she found one

of the nurses monitoring Max. Maria rushed forward to find the same sort of

gash on Max's left arm. "What is this?" Maria asked unbelievably.

"Dr. Bernard is testing the amount of blood flow, and the time it takes them

to heal." the nurse replied and continued to check the monitors.

Maria eyes widened. Control. She had to have control. "That was not in the

report." Maria grounded out. Maria ran over to the control for the lights,

and brightened the room. "Bandage that up now."

"Ma'am I don't have perm-"

Maria grabbed her ID out of her pocket and held it in front of the nurses

face. "Can you read the word Supervisor? Can you read my last name? If you do

not bandage up all of the subject, you have no idea what amount of trouble

you will be in."

The nurse nodded and hurried into the washroom.

Maria didn't waste anytime, and hurried back into the wash room that

connected Max and Michaels rooms. She grabbed the needed supplies to bandage

Michael and ran into his room. She had been taught since she was little how

to bandage a bullet wound. She could easily handle a gash. She ran to the

light switch and brightened the room, then hurried towards Michael. She undid

the restraint on his wrist, but left the one on his elbow alone. She brought

a towel up to his arm, and put pressure on the gash. His body responded to

the pressure, which most likely gave him some pain. Enough that his eyes

opened.

"Get away from me." Michael told her weakly, but his anger was apparent.

"Like your in a position to order me around. Everyone around here is going to

have to learn that before anything happens it goes through me." Maria said

angrily.

"Give me a break? Do you think anyone would show you any respect? And for

someone who feels nothing, you are in an awful rush to fix this."

"This was not done with my permission. So don't flatter yourself. I would

have allowed them to do it anyway. But not leaving the three of you here, to

almost bleed to death, without supervision." Maria told him. She was doing

her best to remain calm, and keep the tone of her voice flat. After wiping

away the blood, she went on to bandage his arm.

"You're a liar. You are way to emotional, and it is obvious." Michael told

her, sure of himself.

"What do you think I am secretly wanting to help you? I don't think so."

Maria told him, and hurriedly bandaged him. She had to get away from his as

soon as possible.

"I find it hard to believe that you could have fooled us all that time, that

every emotion you showed towards everyone, including me had been a lie. I

don't think your that good." Michael told her.

Maria put the last piece of tape over the gauze and stepped back, her hands

covered with his blood. She looked at him pointedly and decided it would be

wise at this point, to lay it on him hard. "Mr. Guerin, your clinging to

something that isn't there. If I wasn't acting then, they I must be doing a

pretty good job of acting now. It must be killing you then, not knowing which

is the real me. Well, let me clear it up for you now. All emotions I felt

towards all of you where a lie." Maria paused and mentally apologized for her

next comment. "And so was everything I felt towards you. All the times that I

let you touch me, and kiss me, and the times when you needed me and I was

there, where all lies." Maria told him and turned to exit the room. She

flipped of the lights as to not see his face as she laid on the last comment.

"Seriously Mr. Guerin, from all that you are hoping for, I would think that

you might have loved me. Let me assure you right now, that my feelings in

this case are the total opposite, I never have and never will, need you, want

you, miss you, or love you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Michael stared into the darkness, as the door shut behind Maria. He let his

head rest against the hard table, and let the haziness of the drugs overtake

him. But his mind was still full with thoughts. To many to allow him rest. He

had had a life, although crapy as it was, it was his. Now he no longer had

anything. All he had had where friends. Now they where either strapped down

to a table, or turned against him. He had caught a glimpse of Max earlier

that day, when both sides of the room connecting them had been open. Max had

called out to him, and just as Michael turned to get a glimpse of Max the

doors had been closed. Michael only guess, was that Isabelle was on the other

side of Max. Michael had tried using his powers, but they had discovered

easily, with a certain amount of sedative, the ability to use his powers

where halted. It took a certain amount of strength, and he lacked that being

pumped full of drugs, and losing all of the blood. Sure his mind had filled

with the possibilities of what could happen to them, and what would be done.

And it scared him. But the thought of what Maria really was scared him more.

That Maria had had the ability that whole time, to be so cruel and unfeeling.

And even when he did tell her he didn't believe this whole bit about her not

feeling, he wasn't even sure of it himself. All he could do was hope that it

was true, and she would break down from having to keep up the facade. But

from what he had seen, she had remained untouched by any emotions. And she

held little concern for his feelings.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Come in." Maria responded to the knock on the door. She turned in her chair

as the door opened and the guard stepped in.

"Ms. DeLuca, Dr. Bernard is here to see you."

Maria sighed. "Let him in." Maria watched as Dr. Bernard walked in, in a

huff, obviously upset. "Is there something I can do for you Dr. Bernard?"

"You can explain to me why you ruined my testing. You had no knowledge of

what was involved here, and you had no autho-."

Maria jumped up. "I had plenty authority. Much more then you do. You went

ahead with testing I gave no approval of. And you had one nurse monitoring

three subjects, who where bleeding from open wounds. When testing is going

on, all subjects are to be monitored, all of the time. And there will be no

testing without my knowledge and approval. This is the second time Dr.

Bernard, I would advise you to not do it again."

"Listen to me," Dr. Bernard advanced upon her, "You have no knowledge, of the

amount of blood that they can lose, and how fast they can heal. They would

have been just fine in the morning. I have a job to do, and I cannot do it if

you keep coming in trying to control something you know nothing about."

"I have a job to do to. And that job is to oversee what goes on here. And was

I oversaw was a doctor performing tests that he had no business doing. And

when that happens those tests will be put to a halt. There will be no more

discussion of this subject. All three of the subjects better be bandaged. You

will not do anymore testing until tomorrow, after I give my approval. Now

leave my quarters, before I have you removed." Maria ordered him. Dr. Bernard

stood there for a moment. She knew he was debating on whether to challenge

her any further or not. But he turned and left her room at a quick pace.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You're late."

"I slept over." Maria said into the phone as she walked quickly down the

halls to the meeting. "My night was rather busy."

"Did something go wrong?"

"You could say that. Dr. Bernard, did some testing without my knowledge. He

was bleeding the subjects, to see how fast they could heal, and their amount

of blood flow. Only one nurse was monitoring the three of them. And he

confronted me after, telling me I had no business interrupting the testing."

Maria said angrily.

"Did you sign for any of that testing?"

"No. It was unauthorized." Maria repeated. But of course he always liked to

be sure of everything.

"I want you to continue keeping in touch with me. I also want a full report

on Dr. Bernard's actions. He will have to be dealt with."

"And what about now?" Maria came to a halt in front of the meeting room.

"For now, let him precede with his testing, just keep a close eye on him"

"All right. When am I going to be relieved?" Maria asked. Being pulled from

the public eye was not going to help the situation any, and she was receiving

no respect.

"We're not sure yet, your mother is still making negotiations. Why? Do you

think you cannot handle it?"

Maria straitened her back at his question. "Of course I can handle it. I just

don't like not having any one to trust."

"It won't be much longer. Just keep a close eye on Dr. Bernard. He is the

root of your problem."

"Okay, I've got to go, we have a meeting."

"All right. Remember every five hours."

"I know." Maria said and hung up the phone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What is this?" Maria asked and held up the clipboard.

"It is the schedule for today." Dr. Bernard answered to her.

"I find it hard to believe that you are finished all physical testing. You

like it to much." Maria told him harshly. He was so not on her good side.

"I have conferred with the doctors, and we have decided that it would be best

to allow the subjects periods of time of rest. And in their rest time we will

start the psychological part of the testing, headed by Dr. Phillips."

Maria looked at the man that Dr. Bernard motioned to. She didn't like him

either. He was stick thin, tall, rather quiet, his face was thin, and his

hair was parted to neatly on the side. And he was to clean. He reminded her

of the white rooms. The thin metal frame glasses just added to the freakish

doctor look he was sporting. He spelled psycho. "Dr. Phillips, where is your

schedule?" Maria asked him.

"Here, Ms. DeLuca." he answered and handed the clipboard to her.

Maria watched him for a moment then looked down at the clipboard. And his

voice was to cool. Very unlike Dr. Bernard's uptight, angry one. Maria read

through the schedule carefully, she didn't trust him already. But his

schedule seemed pretty routine, nothing that would cause any harm. Maria

signed it and handed him his copy. "I want time with the three of them this

morning, then you can go on with your schedule."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maria chose Max to visit first. She wasn't in the mood to face Michael's

cruel remarks, or Isabelle sad looks. She could most likely handle Max

better. She entered the room slowly, her steps even. She felt more prepared

this time, and she felt like her words would flow easily, and her thoughts.

And that's what she needed to get through this. "Mr. Evans, I hope that your

stay here as been comfortable."

"Hardly." Max said flatly.

Maria smiled sweetly. She turned away from him to the two women cleaning.

"Leave." Maria ordered them. They filed out quickly and went through the

washing room, to Isabelle's room. Once she heard all doors closed she turned

to Max. "I decided to make a visit this morning. We didn't get to much

quality time in the other day, with all the excitement and all."

"Yea it was fun." Max responded flatly and looked strait ahead to the wall.

Maria frowned for a moment. Her goading was not working. And she needed him

angry at her, not just distant. Maria smiled, when she realized his pressure

point. She walked slowly on the tiled floor, making sure her heels clicked

loudly. She rounded around his table until she was standing behind him on his

right side. She leaned over, ever so slightly, so that she was only a few

inches away from him. "I talked to Liz the other day." she noticed the

flinch. "She is kind of upset." Maria said and stood strait again. She

traveled slowly around his bed until she was standing at the end of it

looking strait ahead at him. "Why wouldn't she be though? She thinks the

three of you picked up and left." Maria clicked her tongue and shook her

head. "And you didn't even tell her good-bye. Not even a note. And here she

thought you loved her. What a shame." Maria said and smiled.

"You where never her friend." Max said spitefully.

Maria smiled. "Lets review that fact. You Max Evans, saved her life, but

dragged her into something that she had no right knowing about, and

continuously put her life in danger. You put her life in danger by allowing

her to know about the three of you. Now she is safe, from the ones trying to

hunt you. And she can go on with her life, because she would never have been

able to have had one with you. Face it Maxwell, you are weird and unusual,

and you do not fit in here. She deserves someone from her own race, not,"

Maria shrugged and held out her hand motioning towards him, "some alien. So

who is a real friend?" Maria asked him. She watching him for a moment, and he

faltered. He lost it. His body slumped, and he closed him eyes in defeat.

Maria sighed in the glory of her win. "Now on to break Isabelle." Maria

added.

"Leave her alone!" Mac yelled as Maria moved towards the door.

Maria turned to Max, smiling. "Mr. Evans, are you in the position to tell me

what to do? If you even had any hope of surviving this ordeal, and not

breaking down, you may not want to show your weaknesses."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Where is Max?"

Maria took a seat and crossed her legs. She easily pushed the wrinkles out of

her labcoat. "Mr. Evans is at this moment strapped down, wallowing in his own

self pity. I guess his cool demeanor wasn't as hard to break as we all

thought." Maria had given some thought as to what would hurt Isabelle. And

she had come up with three people. Max, Michael, and her mother. She quickly

continued. "But you can imagine the fun I have been having with dear old

Michael. I mean it must do something to him, seeing me shoot down everything

he has hoped and dreamed of. Me, the person, who was hurt when he wanted to

stay away from, the same person who he cried to." Maria laughed. "It's been

very easy with him."

"You can't keep us here. Someone will find out." Isabelle told her. But her

voice was not so sure.

"Give me a break." Maria said and rolled her eyes. "You didn't know about me.

Do you think anyone knows about this? Those pathetic FBI agents running

around like chickens with their heads cut off, where just puppets. No one

suspects anything like this. Infact they all think you ran away. And for the

life of them they cannot figure out why. You should see your mother Ms.

Evans. Her whole life has just been crushed."

"Leave my mother out of this." Isabelle said angrily.

Maria felt relief inside of her. She had found the soft spot in Isabelle.

"Why? I would have thought you would have wanted to know how she was doing?

Well I'll be blunt with you. She's on her last nerve, and I'm predicting any

day now, she'll lose it and just," Maria made a choking noise and a slicing

motion across her neck.

"Shut up!" Isabelle screamed and began to cry.

"But you should be happy for her. This way, if she doesn't off herself, she

may never have to find out what her children really where. And maybe now, she

can adopt some normal kids to take the two weirdos place. No one wants kids

that aren't normal."

"That isn't true! She loves us!" Isabelle screamed towards Maria, she knew

her mother did.

"And maybe if you keep telling yourself that, you can pull through this."

Maria told her positively as she stood up. "Well I'm off. Time to go break

Mr. Guerins heart."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Where is he?" Maria asked as she walked into Michaels room.

"Mr. Guerin has been cleaned up and taken to Dr. Phillips, the others are

being prepared as we speak." Dr. Bernard told her as he skimmed a chart.

"I said I wanted time, with all three of them first." Maria grounded out

angrily.

"Well I thought you had already been in with Mr. Guerin. I didn't think you

had skipped him." Dr. Bernard said with fake misunderstanding.

Maria frowned. The little shit was trying to get over on her again. Maria

turned towards the door. "Dr. Bernard, you are pushing it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maria waited patiently as she was connected to her father.

"Maria?"

"Yea. It's been five hours."

"And?"

"He is doing it again!" Maria yelled out of anger and frustration.

"Maria calm down. You have been taught how to control emotions."

"Look I know I told you I could handle this, but at this point he is getting

empty threats. And he knows it. And he knows I have no real power to have

anything done with him." Maria felt herself becoming frustrated. Her plans

where becoming ruined by a pain in the ass doctor.

"Maria, I do not care what steps you take, but if you allow him to gain

control over you, everything will be ruined."

"I know that!" Maria exclaimed. "The idiot has driven me to the point of

threatening him with a scalpel!"

"Did you do that?" her father asked a little curious.

"Yes I did that. I know I obviously wasn't showing control. But he was

beginning to refuse my orders."

"Then you know what you must do, use any means necessary. Even if that means

calling on someone that isn't in the ranks to handle him."

Maria closed her eyes and slumped. She was not in the habit of hiring a

killer. It wasn't her thing. "Fine."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Dr. Bernard?"

"Yes?" Dr. Bernard asked and turned in his chair to find Dr. Phillips

standing in the door way.

"I have found out something quite interesting, and I think will be of much

use to you and me in gaining control of this situation." Dr. Phillips said in

a flat tone.

Dr. Bernard watched looked at him curiously for a moment. "Close the door."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Ms. DeLuca, we are finished with the subject at this time, before performing

any tests, it would be wise if you'd did whatever you needed to with Mr.

Guerin now." Dr. Bernard said to Maria.

Maria looked at him cautiously. He had startled her, and the guard hadn't

even announced his arrival. "All right." Maria said and walked passed him out

of her quarters. She mind as well get it done now. She needed to be back out

in public.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maria stepped into Michaels room, with Dr. Bernard close behind her. Michael

looked at her angrily, but she avoided his gaze and turned to Dr. Bernard.

"Is there something you needed? Because I would prefer to do my work without

an audience."

"Actually yes. I wanted to show you the results of Mr. Guerins psychological

testing. It was quiet interesting." Dr. Bernard said calmly and walked over

to a counter.

"And you couldn't have showed this to me in my quarters?" Maria asked him as

she followed him to the counter.

"Well I mistakenly left all of the information in here." Dr. Bernard said and

grabbed the clipboard

Maria looked at him suspiciously. "And what was so interesting?"

"Well during Mr. Guerins testing, we administered a drug, that in laments

terms could be called a truth drug, which works best under hypnosis. So that

is what Dr. Phillips did." Dr. Bernard said and motioned to the other side of

the room.

Maria looked and found Dr. Phillips standing against the other wall calmly.

Something wasn't right here.

"I think I'll skip all the boring stuff, and get to the more interesting

moments in Mr. Guerins life. Which surprisingly at some point involved rather

intimate moments with you." Dr. Bernard said in a fake shocked voice.

Maria didn't speak, she couldn't speak. But the little rat continued anyway.

"Well actually very intimate moments if I am correct. As it says here," Dr.

Bernard flipped through a couple of pages, "About two months ago you and Mr.

Guerin performed intercourse. And not only once but according to this report,

four more times after that over the past two months."

Maria felt her chest once again constrict, and she couldn't breath or speak.

"Either you went really out there over a sense of duty, or you Maria DeLuca

are not all you appear to be. And it is my belief that with this new found

knowledge, you are not fit for duty in this facility. You are liable to make

the wrong decisions. Guards!" Dr. Bernard yelled as three guards entered the

white room. "And it is also my belief, that considering the circumstances,

and that Mr. Guerin has been the only one that he have been this intimate

with, that you would also prove very valuable in some of our experiments."

"What?!" Maria exclaimed. "You can't do this!" She yelled, and turned her

head as her arms where grabbed by the guards.

"Then how do you think I am doing it now? You are not as valuable as you

think you are. Strap her down in room four, and prepare her for testing." Dr.

Bernard ordered the guards and doctors.

"You bastard!" Maria screamed as she was dragged out of the room. "You are

going to die! I swear! If you fucken touch me, you are going to wish you

never entered this place!"

"Empty threats Ms. DeLuca! Empty threats!" Dr. Bernard yelled after her. Once

the door had been closed and she was to far for her screams to be heard he

turned to Michael. "So Mr. Guerin I'm curious. Are you upset about this new

situation, or are you glad that she is going to receive testing just as you

have?"

Michael didn't answer, he only stared angrily at the doctor.

Dr. Bernard shrugged. "It is of little matter to me. I now have control, and

don't have to worry about the little girl stopping my actions. And I have a

new subject to test." Dr. Bernard walked towards the door and opened it. "To

bad you didn't get her pregnant. Now that would have been interesting." he

stopped and turned to Michael with a smirk. "But that could always be

arranged."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Robert Swanson spun around as the door opened and screams echoed throughout

the hall.

"You fucken idiots! You have no idea what you are doing!" Maria screamed as

they drug her down the hall. She continued to struggle against them, but it

was no use. She was tiny and they where huge. The door was opened, and her

eyes landed on the vacant table in the white room that awaited her. Fear

filled her gut. Was this how they had felt?

Robert watched in confusion as she was dragged into the empty white room.

Something had went wrong here. And he had his suspicions that it wasn't

right. He watched as Dr. Bernard walked out of the white room he guarded. The

doctors face was pleasant. Something it usually wasn't. Soon the halls

quieted down and he was left to guard white room #3. Time passed and soon the

guards that dragged Ms. DeLuca in exited. One remained at the door and the

other to began walking in his direction. "Hey." he whispered. They luckily

stopped in front of him. And he knew these two. So they where bound to give

up something. "What happened?" he asked softly. One of them laughed, and the

other spoke up with a smile on his face.

"It turns out the daughter of the almighty DeLucas, had screwed the alien in

your room a few times over the past couple of months. The doctor found that

out, and he jumped at the advantage to strap her down, and have her out of

the way."

They made a couple of other crude jokes and went on there way sharing the

news with the other two guards. Who joked with them for a moment. He knew

something was wrong here. Maria DeLuca was obviously more then she appeared

to be.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Ever been to the gynecologists before Ms. DeLuca?" Dr. Bernard asked her if

he was making everyday conversation.

Maria glared at him and tried not to jump as he snapped on the latex gloves.

"No."

"No?" The doctor faked surprise. "I would think a girl having as much sexual

activity as you have been, you would have been smart enough to." he moved

forward towards the end of Marias table that she was strapped down to. "Well

I am asking because what you are about to experience is very close to an

exam."

"No!" Maria screamed and pulled at the restraints.

"Give her a sedative!" Dr. Bernard yelled to the nurses. "And make it strong.

I don't feel like dealing with her big mouth."

Maria continued to struggle, even after the stuck her with the needle. But

soon she fund herself become weak. And all she could do was turn her head to

the side so that she couldn't look at him. And when he started his 'exam' she

tried her best to control her emotions. But she could do little to control

the silent tears running down her face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Dr. Bernard, I do not think this is a wise idea. You put them together, you

give them hope." Dr. Phillips instructed the high strung man.

"They can have as much hope as they want. They are getting no where. My

interest at this point is breaking her. And I think the best was to do this

would be to put her in the same room as them. I don't think they will take

well to that. They don't seem to like her to much anymore." Dr. Bernard said

as he signed the authorization to have them placed in a room together.

"Our priority here is not to break the daughter of a very powerful man, it is

to do what we can to learn about these aliens. And to do that she had to be

removed." Dr. Phillips tried to persuade him.

"We have time. Her mother will still be gone for the next couple of days. By

placing her in the same room as them for a couple of hours, it will not hurt

her." Dr. Bernard said. His resolve was not going to weaken.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Michael sat down on the floor against the wall silently. Something was up.

Well of course something was up. They took Maria. But now he was being placed

in this empty room. He wasn't sure of anything now. Before he had been

positive Maria had lied to them, that she really just thought of them as

aliens. But now she was being strapped down to a white table by the people

that should be working for her. Michael looked up as the door opened and a

figure was shoved in. "Max?" Michael jumped up and ran to his friend.

"Michael!" Max exclaimed. But no other words left his mouth as the door

opened again, and another figure was shoved in.

"Max!" Isabelle screamed and launched herself into her brothers arms. "I

didn't thing I would ever see you again. And I was so scared." Isabelle cried

into his shoulder. She immediately caught sight of another figure. "Michael?"

Isabelle said and pulled away from her brother slowly. Then a moment later

she had her arms around him. After a moment of crying she finally pulled

away. "We're all here." Isabelle said and for a moment she was happy.

"It appears that way." Michael said and looked around the room. "And alone."

"What is going on then?" Isabelle asked, the fear evident in her voice. Her

eyes traveled down to her brother arms then to Michael's arms. "They

dissected you all to." Isabelle said softly.

"Obviously." Michael said as he looked at his arms. One had a gash in it that

was beginning to heal, but the other, the other they went scalpel free with.

Luckily they used anesthesia.

"I tried to heal myself, but it wouldn't work." Isabelle said to her brother.

"I know." Max reassured her. "They have us so full of sedatives, we can't use

our powers." Max looked around the room just as Michael had. But he saw

nothing.

Isabelle sunk down to the ground and wrapped her arms around her knees."God

Max. I don't know what to do. We're never going to get out of here. There

just going to take us back and strap us down. Performing more experiments on

us."

"It will be okay Isabelle. We're here with you." Max said as he kneeled down

next to her.

"And god. I can't face Maria again." Isabelle said her voice strained.

Max eyes shut at the thought of the girl.

Michael turned toward Isabelle. "When did you see her last?"

"This morning." Isabelle informed him.

"Me to." Max said. "She saw me before Isabelle. She even brought it to my

attention that she was going in to hurt Isabelle."

"She said she had broken you." Isabelle said to her brother.

Max looked at his sister silently. He was almost broken. But he couldn't

admit it. Max turned to Michael. "When did you see her last?"

"About an hour ago. They took her away." Michael told them.

"What?" Max said and stood up and was soon followed by Isabelle.

"When that freaky doctor put me under, he found out about me and Maria."

Michael told them. It was no use hiding it now. "We slept together, a few

times." he revealed. They seemed a little shocked, but said nothing. It was

the least of their problems. "When she came into my white room, that stupid

Dr. Bernard told her about what he found out. I think he wanted me to see it.

They dragged her out, and he ordered them to strap her down and prepare her

for testing."

"Do you think it was just an act to get to you?" Max asked Michael.

"I don't know. Max, I don't know anything anymore about Maria." Michael told

him defeatedly. No one spoke, and a moment later the door opened once again.

At the sight of Dr. Bernard, Isabelle grabbed ahold of her brother and stood

behind him.

"Oh don't worry, I'm not here for you. Not yet. I decided to give the three

of you some time, with a friend." Dr. Bernard said with a smile. He stepped

out of the way and aloud the two guards to come through.

Michael watched the two guards step in the door, holding a small girl by the

arms, her head hung low, and dressed in the same papery white outfit that

Isabelle was decked out in. They dropped her onto the tiled floor and left.

"Have fun." Dr. Bernard said with a smiled and exited the room, closing the

door behind him.

"It's Maria." Isabelle said, but still remained behind Max.

Michael stepped forward slowly to the girl curled up into a ball shivering on

the floor.

"No, Michael." Max said, trying not to let his friend believe in something

that wasn't there.

Michael ignore him and knelt down next to Maria. He turned her head to face

him. Her eyes where shut. Michael grabbed her right arm, the one they had

repeatedly stuck him in. He easily discovered more then one hole in her arm.

And a slight bruising, from where they had drawn blood. Michael stood up.

"She's out cold."

"Michael look, leave her alone." Isabelle said in a persuasive voice and

pulled him away from Maria.

"Something isn't right. I saw what went on. That doctor wanted her out of the

way. They both conflicted." Michael said assured of himself.

"Michael have you seen Maria! Have you seen how she acts!" Max exclaimed.

"Your hanging on to something that isn't there!"

Michael cringed at the words that Maria had used to him not to long ago.

"Look Max, they would have no reason to orchestrate this whole thing just to

trick us. They had us exactly where they wanted us. Except for whatever

reason, they where working under Maria, and they didn't like that."

"Alright fine. Lets say they didn't like working under Maria, and they wanted

her out of the way. That still doesn't mean anything. She could still be

working against us, she was just deceived by the people who she was working

with!" Max argued back with Michael.

Isabelle ignored the two of them as the fought. Instead she watched Maria.

And she glared angrily at the form. She stepped forward slowly towards Maria.

She may not have enough energy to heal herself, but she did have some. She

kneeled down and reached out placing her hand on Maria head, and let Maria

feel what she felt. But she was thrown backwards but a rush of fierce

emotions. A strangled cry escaped Maria, and she started shaking furiously.

Her body curled up and she began sobbing.

"Isabelle! What did you do!" Max yelled and pulled his shocked sister away.

"I wanted her to feel what I felt. I didn't even let her feel it all. Just

some of it." Isabelle said and shook her head confused. "I pulled something

out of her that I didn't mean to."

"What did you pull out of her?" Michael asked hurriedly and stepped in front

of Isabelle. But she didn't respond. She stood there shocked. "Isabelle!"

"I-I don't know. But it hurt." Isabelle's chin began to quiver and tears ran

down her face. "That wasn't what I felt, that was what she felt."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maria senses where awakened and she was aware of immense pain running through

her body. But it was nothing physical. She was hurt emotionally. Everything

that she had hidden and pushed back was pulled forward. All the guilt, shame,

hurt, and the loneliness she felt overtook her. She cried without any hope of

it stopping. Once she could control the gasps of air she was taking, her

cries began to lessen and she was aware of voices. Familiar voices.

"I know you love her Max, but I wish to god that you never would have healed

Liz. Maybe then we could have been sitting at home right now." Isabelle said

softly to Max.

"I know Isabelle, but I had to, she would have died." Max responded to her.

"I wouldn't count on it." Maria croaked out. She pushed herself up of off the

cold floor, into a sitting position, and turned to face them. They didn't

respond so she went on. "Liz getting shot was planned."

Isabelle sat shocked for a few moments, but began to recover, when she

realized Maria had no control in here. "There is no way you can be human. And

whatever they do to you, you deserve it." Isabelle said spitefully.

Maria's chin quivered for a moment, then she regained control. If there was

any chance her plan would get back on track, she could not allow herself to

falter in front of them.

"I didn't know about it. I found out later. But we knew about what you were

and where you came from, before you did. And we knew Max's fixation on Liz.

She was shot, out of hopes that he would heal her. And he played right into

their hands. And if he wouldn't have healed her, there where units standing

by." Maria revealed. Why was she telling them that? "And don't for a minute

think that if you wouldn't have healed her you wouldn't be here right now.

All that would mean is that I wouldn't know to much about you. Any more

questions to add to your hopeless situation?"

"Don't you ever stop?" Isabelle asked her. "You're in here just like us. You

have nothing to hold over us anymore."

"I was raised and bread to be a bitch, and to deceive people. It comes as a

habit now." Maria informed them. But it wasn't true. She was raised and bread

to deceive when she had to. No matter what the costs. Even if it meant

hurting the ones around you to get something accomplished. "Don't think

because I am locked in here that your situation has improved, if anything is

has worsened."

"What do you mean?" Max asked her suspiciously.

"Dr. Bernard couldn't care less about what he puts you through. He has his

own agenda. And he will do anything to accomplish it." Maria informed them.

"And wouldn't you?" Max asked her.

Maria glared at him. "Yes, But when I was in charge you had a better chance.

Now you have none."

"That is a lie. You didn't care about us." Isabelle spat out.

"That is all true. But your situation was better when I was in charge. Let me

refresh your memory Ms. Evans. Did you or did you not, get administered

anesthesia?" Maria challenged Isabelle.

Isabelle didn't respond.

"And as I recall," Maria turned to Michael, "who ordered the immediate

bandaging of the wound on your arm, to test for healing and blood flow?" Yet

he still remained quiet. "Now I want you to imagine the past couple of days

without any of that. Then you can judge who you would rather have in charge."

Michael glared at her. He jumped up and pulled her up by her arms. "Your

lying." he grounded out.

Maria swallowed and felt her resolve began to weaken.

"Well, it seems that there is much more interaction then I had hoped for.

Feel free to procreate Mr. Guerin, if you must." Dr. Bernard said as he

entered the room.

Maria let out and angry scream and launched herself toward Dr. Bernard. She

dug her nails into the sides of his face, wanting to cause him as much pain

as possible before she was pulled off of him. "I am going to kill you." Maria

screamed and was finally pulled off of him. She tried to launch herself

towards him again, but it was no use. She wasn't giving up, though. She

continued to kick and scream and twist in the guards arms.

"Give her a sedative!" Dr. Bernard yelled as he held the sides of his face.

Maria tried to pull away as the injected her, but it was of no use.

Michael found himself unable to budge as they handled Maria so brutally. This

was no acting. Even with all the things Maria had said to him, he found

himself angry inside as they held her forcefully. He cringed as she continued

to scream. He noticed Isabelle crying, and burying her head in Max's chest,

who watched the whole thing before him with shock.

Maria allowed herself to slump to the ground, and as they left the room, she

began to cry. When was the last time someone had comforted her? Held her and

assured her that everything would be okay. Now the only people that had cared

for her, she had pushed away, in an effort to accomplish something. Couldn't

she tell them? Maybe it would help. Because at this point she saw now hope.

But the door opened again and fear overcame her. Where they going to take her

away, or take them away to perform tests on? She curled up tightly and placed

her hands over her head.

Michael backed up and watched as a tall, muscular man, clean cut, and with

decent looks, stepped in, with three guards following behind him. He almost

emanated fear. Isabelle gasped and backed up into both him and Max. Michael

watched as the man looked down at Maria. And Michael at that moment wanted to

rush forward and keep her away from him. The mans jaw grounded together and

he leaned over scooping Maria into his arms. Maria pulled her hands away from

her face to look. Her eyes widened and a moment later she threw her arms

around the man and began crying hysterically into his shoulder. The man

backed glanced at them for only a moment before walking out of the room, with

the three guards traveling behind him. The door closed with a loud thud, and

silence filled the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maria concentrated on her breathing. That was easiest. She barely heard the

words of her father as he gave orders through a telephone. And for the first

time in a while, Maria finally felt at ease. But her in charge father always

gave her that feeling. He always sent off these vibes, that conveyed to her

that when around him, nothing could hurt her, or touch her. And the fear that

had been building up in her over the past couple of days had finally

dissipated. Now all she felt was concern for others then herself.

"Maria?"

Maria turned her head to face her father.

"I need someone around here that your trust." Brian DeLuca said as he kneeled

down in front of Maria.

"I don't trust anyone." Maria said and stared strait ahead past him.

"You trust those three aliens." he said abruptly.

"Don't call them that." Maria said softly.

"Maria...."

"Alright." Maria agreed. She let her thoughts run for a moment trying to come

up with someone around the facility that she trusted. "Robert Swanson." Maria

told him.

"Alright." Brian said and stood up. "I have my guards outside of your room.

No one is to come in here or leave this room. Understand?"

"Yea I get it. I can't leave." Maria watched as he left the room and she felt

a familiar fear. "Where are you going?" Maria asked hurriedly.

Brian turned to look at his scared daughter. That doctor had broken her

easily. She had always been very emotional. She had been trained well though,

but she was not supposed to be up again things of this sort. Everything was

supposed to go smoothly. "I am going to find out what exactly happened." He

paused for a moment. "You will not be seeing Dr. Bernard or Dr. Phillips,

anytime soon." he reassured her.

Maria nodded, but as he turned she called out one more time. "How did you

know?"

"Ever five hours remember?" he said as he turned again.

Maria nodded and allowed him to leave this time. It was nice having someone

there to protect you and get rid of everything that harmed you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Isabelle had watched intently as Maria clinged to the man that carried her

out. And the more she thought about it, the more she decided her suspicions

where true. "That was Maria's father." Isabelle bursted out, interrupting

Michael and Max's conversation.

"What?" Michael asked taken aback my Isabelle's comment.

"The day when they cut into our arms, looking at our ligaments or whatever.

Maria ran into my room, screaming her head off, about the doctor not planning

on using anesthesia. That's what she referred to earlier. And he kept

refusing to. So she grabbed a scalpel, and pushed him, and threatened that if

he didn't then she would be sure that he was strapped down and had his

ligament structure looked at without anesthesia." Isabelle repeated. She

remembered the whole ordeal very well.

"So what Isabelle. That doesn't make that guy her father." Michael snapped.

Isabelle frowned at him. "I'm getting to that. Well he refused to. So she

pulled out her cell phone, pressed a number, and held it to her ear. A moment

later she said Brian DeLuca into the phone. Then she gave her name. The next

thing I knew, the doctor got all tense, and hurriedly told her he would use

anesthesia." Isabelle explained. "Look her father obviously instills some

fear around this place. And he looked a little high and mighty when he walked

in. And, if you think about it, he kind of looks like her. Sure Maria is

petite like her mother. But where does the blond hair come from?"

"I don't know Isabelle...." Max started.

"Max, you saw how she reacted to him, Isabelle might be right. She showed no

fear of him, and she hung on to him as if he was the only thing keeping her

alive. If you saw your parents right now, you would be hanging onto them for

dear life." Michael said. He was partially convinced. Except for the fact,

that Maria said her father left her. But it seems a lot of things Maria said,

weren't true.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Mr. Swanson, my daughter tells me that I can trust you, is that true?" Brian

DeLuca asked as the young man took a seat.

"Yes, sir." Robert said quickly. Why she would choose him he had no idea.

"Good. Mr. Swanson, I would like you to explain to me, in detail, everything

that has gone on here the past couple of days. And names would be very

preferable." Brian said gravely.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brian DeLuca walked briskly down the hall, with his new found information. He

motioned towards the guards guarding the room and entered. "Get up. It's time

to go." he ordered them.

"Go where?" Isabelle said worriedly.

"We are leaving." Brian said to them, he turned to Swanson, and spoke again.

"Go get my daughter and bring her up top." he turned to his guards, "Bring

them to. And do it quietly, I do not want this whole facility alerted to our

disappearance. Hold them up top, I have something to take care of." Brian

DeLuca said and walked out of the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Dr. Bernard, Dr. Phillips, I believe that we have had a misunderstanding."

Brian DeLuca said smoothly as he faced the two men tied to chairs. "Somehow

you got the impression that my daughter was to be experimented on. Let me

assure you, when I had you two brought here, there was no such deal. Our

deal, was to perform testing on these aliens. And in that deal, you where to

follow the instructions of either Amy DeLuca or Maria DeLuca. You did not

follow that part in our deal, either." Brian DeLuca smiled. "I really am glad

your mouths are tapped shut." He noticed the fear in there eyes, as thoughts

of what he would do occurred to them. "Unfortunately I do not have the time

to perform dissection without anesthesia. I have other matters to attend to.

But believe me when I say you are not going to leave this facility alive."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Where are we going?" Maria asked groggily as she was led through small,

darker halls. She hadn't been through these halls before.

"Your father said to bring you to the top." Robert said as he helped Mr.

DeLuca's guard help Maria through the halls.

Maria eyes opened wide. "Wait! What about Michael, and the others!" Maria

exclaimed and tried to pull away.

"Their being brought up top to." Robert said as he pulled her along. He

turned her comment over in his head a few times. She seemed very concerned

about the aliens. And he didn't miss that fact that she had said, MICHAEL and

the others.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maria winced as the bright sun enveloped her. She opened her eyes enough to

see a small group of people standing next to a small jet plane.

"What's wrong with her?"

Maria looked up to see her father standing in front of her.

"They had given me a sedative." Maria forced out. "I don't think it was meant

for me, it was to strong." Maria said softly over the roar of the jet. She

let her eyes shut as her vision became blurry.

"Maria." Brian said firmly and lifted Marias head up. "Wake up, now."

Maria's eyes opened at the forceful tone of her fathers voice.

"You are going on that jet. I am going on another." He told her firmly.

"Where am I going?" Maria croaked out.

"Away from here. At least for a little while." Brian DeLuca turned towards

the two guards. "Get her on there now."

Maria allowed them to lead her to the jet, she wouldn't have been able to do

anything to stop them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Michael watched the guards standing on the small plane carefully. There was

no way of getting out of this situation. They had been forced on the plane,

and given there clothes back that they had been taken in, and oddly enough

they where clean. Then they where told to sit down and strap themselves in.

And they had been sitting her for about the past twenty minutes. Quiet. The

door opened to the jet, as it had done a few times already, and two guards

stepped helping Maria, through the door.

"Ms. Rando!" a guard called out as they entered.

Michael turned his head as he heard a door open from the back, and a middle

aged women stepped out. Her face was kind, and her light brown hair had light

streaks of gray in it. She stepped out hurriedly, with concern etched on her

face and she rushed forward.

"What happened to her?!" Ms. Rando exclaimed.

Brian DeLucas guard holding Maria up answered. "She may have been given a

stronger sedative, not meant for her."

"Bring her to the back." Ms. Rando ordered.

Michael watched as the women stepped out of the way and allowed them to pass.

Before she followed she gave them a curious gaze then followed them into the

back. The door shut, then moments later the two guards came out, and shut the

door again. Then the quietness that had enveloped the room halted. Guards

began leaving, and the jet began to get louder. Reports where given, and soon

Michael became well aware to the fact that they where lifting off of the

ground.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Morning sunshine."

Maria turned towards the familiar voice. "Is it morning?"

"Actually, yes. It's close to three in the morning." Ms. Rando said as she

sat on the bed next to Maria.

"Are we on a plane?" Maria asked hoarsely.

Ms. Rando stood up and walked to a table to retrieve a glass of water.

"Actually one of your fathers personal jets." she responded and walked back

over to Maria. "Drink." she said as she tilted the glass against Marias mouth.

Maria winced as the cool liquid left a trail down her dry throat. Her eyes

widened as the last day jumped at her. "Where are they?" she asked alarmed.

"I'm guessing you mean your little alien friends?" Ms. Rando asked as she

tilted the glass again, allowing Maria to sip the water.

Maria nodded.

"There up front, being guarded rather heavily." she revealed to Maria.

Maria let out a sigh of relief. Then fell back onto the small single bed.

"Their not my friends."

"Then what was all this trouble for?" Ms. Rando asked curiously, as she

placed the glass of water on the side.

"Why are you here and my mother isn't?" Maria asked avoiding the question.

"You're mother is busy. So she sent me." Ms. Rando explained.

"Wow, she actually was able to give up her personal aid. She must be worried.

Figures. The mother who I am around my whole life, doesn't come back when I

am in danger, but the father who I see only a few times a month, rushes here.

Isn't that odd Janelle?" Maria asked cockily.

Janelle frowned. "Yes, maybe, but not as odd as you avoiding my previous

question. No give."

Maria let out an annoyed sigh and let her eyes travel to some other object in

the room.

"Maria...." Janelle warned.

Maria let out a defeated sigh. "Fine, they where my friends. But after the

way I treated them I doubt it."

"Wasn't there a reason for the way you acted?" Janelle asked Maria, trying to

bring the fact to her attention.

"Yes, but that doesn't make it right." Maria said, easily condemning herself.

"I'm sure they will understand." Janelle reassured Maria.

"I doubt it. They've seen a side of me that I never wanted anyone to see.

They know the truth about me now. Sure they liked the other Maria, but she

isn't what she appeared to be."

Janelle sighed. "What you have shown them the past couple of days is not you.

I know you. Whenever your mother brought you along with her on business I

watched over you. You a a ditzy blond, who dresses wildly, and talks to much."

"Maybe! But I am not just that! I am also a girl who was raised it what seems

like a boot camp. And I was taught how to hurt, and deceive people, and that

by any means necessary, you will get what you planned accomplished." Maria

exclaimed. She felt as if she had two separate personalities. And at this

point they where clashing terribly.

"Maria, you are more then that. Just because you where raised like that,

doesn't mean you are that. Sure you know how to hurt and deceive people. And

you have the ability to do it. But that doesn't make you bad. You don't bask

in the joy of hurting anyone. I know how you have felt. You've told me. Over

these past few months, you have been hanging onto to practically nothing.

Guilt surrounded you night and day, because you knew what would have to be

accomplished. You where lonely every minute of everyday, because you parents

told you to hide emotions, and the people who you trusted, you couldn't

reveal the truth to. You where left alone. And you sacrificed yourself. You

sacrificed everything good inside of you, to the point where you are hating

and degrading yourself, when you did your best to help your friends." When

Janelle had finished her rant, she took a couple of deep breaths before she

continued. "Maria you've done all you've can, you cannot expect anymore else

of yourself. You are a bright girl, who loves everything, and who sniffs

oils. Except you are trapped inside of mold that your parents have formed

around you. In a way you are like them, your friends. They look like humans,

but on the inside they are different, not from here. People have all kinda of

facades. Some just very different from the real person living inside of them.

Now you have to decide Maria, if you are going to allow the mold your parents

have made around you hold, or if you are going to break through it."

Maria let out a small laugh, and smiled sadly. "I'm not very good at breaking

down stone walls."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Isabelle sat silently eating the bland food. It didn't taste very good. She

looked to one side of her then the other and noticed Max and Michael not

appreciating it much either. But it was more then they had gotten over the

past couple of days. Isabelle turned her head when she heard the sound of a

door opening. The door in the back hadn't opened in a while. Maria emerged

from the back. Her eyes where slightly hooded, and dark circles laid under.

But besides that she seemed fine. But her face still looked cruel. Isabelle

kept her eyes on her as she walked passed them, and began to feel encouraged.

"Nothing to say this time?"

"Isabelle." Max warned softly.

"No. Now that we aren't strapped down and have knives laying around us, she

isn't as mean as she thought she was. But I thought she was a specialists?"

Isabelle asked snottily.

Maria stopped filling up the glass of water and shut off the faucet. She

turned to Isabelle, and felt instinct take over, and did everything she could

to swallow her comment. She had always had this ability. Why did it come

forwards so forcefully now? Because she was miserable. That's why. Maria

reached up into the cabinet, and yanked out a bottle. She walked towards them

and slammed the Tabasco sauce down in front of Isabelle. "You might like that

better." Maria grounded out. Maria stood up, and began moving towards the

back.

"Oh no you don't." Michael said and quickly jumped up from his seat, and

practically leaped over Max and Isabelle, to block Maria's path. "Explain

now." he ordered.

Maria looked at him through slittled eyes, and as the guards became aware of

Michaels confrontation with Brian DeLucas daughter, and moved forward to pull

him away, a silent debate went on in Marias head. And she finally made a

decision. "Leave him, he's going to get his answers."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So you want to know? Ask." Maria told him. For some reason she couldn't find

the ability to just explain.

"What the hell happened to you?" Michael asked, his angry voice laced with

confusion.

"Nothing happened. I'm the same person I was three months ago, or a year ago.

You've just never see all of me." Maria told him. If only that was the case.

That something had 'just happened' to her. And she could turn away from it.

But she had been like that her whole life.

"My turn." Isabelle said and stood up to confront Maria. Her fear of Maria

had began to lessen. "How could you do this to us? Betray us like this?"

Maria eyes widened in anger. "Hardly." she spat out. "If anything I saved

your lives."

"Maria that is a little hypocritical of you to say." Max said as he stood up

and joined Michael and Isabelle.

"Hypocritical? Do you have any idea what you are talking about? I sacrificed

everything to save you all." Maria revealed. But she soon got the impression

that they didn't think so.

"Sacrificed?!" Isabelle exclaimed in disbelief. "For six months you acted as

our friend, you knew that they where after us, you knew they would take us,

and you didn't warn us! You didn't sacrifice anything!"

Maria stood there feeling like the prey. And even as the words began to form,

they still wouldn't come out. And she continued to tell herself to fight back

against them. But Maria felt that it was true. There had to have been more

that she could have done. But her situation worsened when she found Michael

in front of her staring down at her.

"You made no attempt to help us, and you knew that they where going to take

us, and you didn't even warn us, and you still think you helped us. Well if

you think that, then you don't know a thing about us." Michael said evenly

and glared at her.

Maria clenched her jaw together, maybe she was regaining her courage, or

maybe old habits die hard, and she just couldn't turn away form an argument

with Michael. "I know more about all of you, then you know about yourself. I

know where your ship is, I know how many of your kind where on it, I know why

it crashed, I know how many are dead, and I know how many are still out there

walking around. I know more about what goes on inside of your body, what you

need, and what you want, then you do. And I'd bet right now each one of you

would just love to get a good look inside of my brain to find out what else I

know. But I wouldn't go in there." Maria said and smirked. "You don't know

what you'll find."

Isabelle clenched her hands into fists in anger. "You are such a bitch! You

continue to hurt us over and over again, but continue to say that you helped

us! You let them bring us in, and strap us down, and do testing on us! You

are so selfish there is no way in this world you could do any good."

Maria felt her whole body began to shake with fear and anger, and Isabelle

voiced her own fears. That she would never do any good anywhere, or be any

good. And deep down inside of Maria, she didn't want to believe that there

was no hope for her. "You say I don't know you?!" Maria screamed. "You don't

know anything about me! While you," Maria looked at Isabelle, "where finding

a home with a nice adoptive family, my father was leaving. Why? Because

someone came into our house and tried killing me and my mother, just because

we where connected to my father. And he shot the man as I watched from a

crack in my doorway! So of course he picked up and left to avoid getting us

killed! At ten I was brought to a military base over the summer, and forced

to learn about the insides of aliens! And my whole life I was taught how to

keep your emotions hidden, how to deceive everyone, and get things done by

any means necessary. What you saw back there, do you think that was easy!"

Maria paused for a moment, her chest heaving, and her throat hurting from the

screaming. "Then six months ago, Max's fetish with Liz was discovered, and

per chance I was Liz's best friend. So the powers that be decided to shoot

Liz in the hopes that Max would heal her and I would get on the inside! I had

to deal with my own best friends near death experience! How do you think I

lived with that!" Maria screamed, and ignored the tears that traveled down

her cheek. She noticed the looks on their faces. Max seemed a tad shocked,

like Isabelle, but she seemed to be almost scared, and didn't want to hear

it. Michael's jaw was clenched shut and he looked at her with a strait face.

"And over the past six months I had to live with the knowledge of what would

eventually happen! And every night my mother would explain to me, in detail,

what would happen, and what tests would be performed. And I went to bed

crying every night, because I felt so alone and no one could know about what

I knew. My whole life has revolved around the discovery of you three! So

don't you dare call me selfish! I have sacrificed my whole entire life!"

Maria cried out. And then it was over. All of what she had been holding

inside of her had been released.

"No." Isabelle said softly and shook her head.

"What do you mean no?" Maria asked cruelly as she tried to stop her crying.

"You could have just told us, and been done with us easily, instead of

sacrificing your whole life, unwilling." Isabelle said firmly, bent on

finding a reason.

Maria let out and angry scream and knocked over a glass sitting on a near by

table. "No I couldn't have!" Maria screamed. "Don't you even realize what is

going on here! Everything that has been done, you being brought in here, me

trying to find out about you, it was all for a reason!" Maria yelled to them.

"Of course it was for a reason!" Michael yelled at her. "Like you said,

trained your whole life. Your reason was to find out as much about us, bring

us in, then find out more."

Maria clenched her fist together and pulled when back and punched him. He

stumbled back into Max, but quickly regained his balance, and stared at her

like she had lost her mind. "Stop condemning me! Do you think for one minute

if I where to have told you about you being known about that you could have

gotten away! And like you said, I have been trained my whole life, not only

did I deceive you over the past few months, but I decided you over the past

couple of days. I didn't tell you because to finally set you free from the

people following you we had to bring you in! If we really wanted to know

about you, I would not have been in charge. You would have been dissected

immediately. I have had to live with the guilt of knowing that I would have

to hurt every single one of you, but I couldn't tell you. You hated me right!

That was the plan! To make them believe." Maria turned to Max. "Remember what

I told you about Liz? It was a lie. A letter was forged by you to Liz,

telling her that you had to leave." Maria turned to Isabelle. "And about your

mother, of course she is hanging on by hardly nothing, she loves you. I know

how to hurt every single one of you, and if I needed to I could do it again."

"You're lying." Isabelle said and shook her head. "And if you weren't, how

would you expect us to believe you?"

"Because you're free now!" Maria yelled to them out of frustration.

"Then why are we on this plane?" Max asked her reproachfully.

Maria frowned, knowing her answer wouldn't do anything to gain their trust.

"Because you can't go back yet."

Michael looked at her disbelievingly and shook his head. "Oh that's

convincing."

"Look you can't go back yet. Not right away." Maria said solemnly.

"Then when?" Isabelle asked her.

"I don't know." Maria admitted.

"Then how are you helping us?" Isabelle yelled to Maria.

"Look I'm sorry!" Maria screamed back. "I am doing the best I can! I have

practically ruined my life to save yours!"

"So, what, do you want our pity and thanks?" Isabelle asked incredulously.

Maria glared at Isabelle. "I do not want or need your pity." Maria said

angrily. "I just wanted to make you understand. But if you don't believe me,

fine. When you're back home in Roswell, without anyone following you, maybe

then you'll believe me." Maria said firmly, and for a moment there was

silence. Maria regained her composure, and let her muscles relax, and she

smiled. "But I suppose," Maria began slowly, and calmly, "that until then you

can sit here with the worry of never getting home."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Look you two may not want to hear this, but what if she is telling the

truth?" Max noticed the looks Michael and Isabelle gave him. Max rested his

head against the seat, and stared into the dimness of the plane. "And don't

act like the thought hasn't occurred to you two." Max paused and looked at

Isabelle. "Isabelle, remember when you felt Maria's emotions? You said they

hurt. Maria already must have had underlying emotions, which where obviously

very strong, and very painful for her. You also said how Maria freaked out

about the doctors almost not using anesthesia." He paused for a moment, but

Isabelle remained silent, as did Michael. "Michael, you told me, that when

she found out they where bleeding us she had a fit, and ordered us to be

bandaged up. She was obviously trying to, to some extent, to cause us as

little pain as possible. And the doctors did not like that. And when they

found out about they two of you, it was an easy way to remove her. They

removed her because she was not allowing them to follow through with what

they planned. Which comes to one point. Why was she not allowing them to

follow through?" Max asked and waited.

Isabelle spoke up first. "Max, not everyone can be good. Do you find it so

hard to believe someone could deceive you?"

"Do you find it so hard to believe she is telling the truth?" Max asked back.

"Yes." Michael said suddenly. He turned and looked at both Max and Isabelle.

"I do. And my reasons for not trusting her, are more then your reasons to

believe her."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Michael took in every detail of the surroundings that they passed as they

came to a halt. Was this where they where getting off at? He didn't even know

where it was. It looked just like the other facility they where in, and he

began to fear. Guard milled around the plan, preparing things, but no one

made any mention as to what was going on. The door to the jet finally opened.

But no one told them to get up. He noticed the worried look and both Max and

Isabelle's face, and he knew his mirrored that image. He heard the door open

in the back, but he didn't turn to look. The older women that had helped

Maria before, walked past them carrying to small bags. She walked towards the

door and paused, she turned to look at them and sighed, with a frown on her

face. It didn't last long, and she soon exited the jet. Still they where not

told to get up. He heard soft footsteps behind him, and the same figure he

had been used to over the past few days walked passed him. Knee length tan

skirt, white shirt, nametag, and neatly done hair. And she stopped in front

of them. Her tag didn't read the same thing as before though. It just read

Maria DeLuca.

"This is where I get off." Maria said, her voice laced with a small amount of

tension. She had hoped, beyond hope, that they would understand. And she had

been aware of the result, of what would happen if they didn't but she still

risked everything. "You go back to Roswell. Things where taken care of rather

quickly, and you will not being staring here." Maria wanted to apologize

again. But it would have done no amount of good. She turned and began to walk

out of the plane.

"And you're not going to be there, things are getting better and better."

Isabelle said loudly to Maria.

Maria stopped and turned to Isabelle. She let out a small laugh and shook her

head. "You won't be seeing me anytime soon."

"We couldn't be so lucky." Isabelle said angrily, and ignored the nudge her

brother gave her.

"I think you could be, you get to go back to Roswell." Maria told her evenly.

She felt herself becoming angry, for the simple fact that they where able to

return, and she wasn't.

"And you don't?" Isabelle asked confrontationaly.

Maria didn't answer her question. "If you want to survive, I would recommend,

do everything you are told to do. And lie, very efficiently. Because, you

can't trust anyone with your secret. Because if you do, and they don't except

it, you can't return to what you where." Maria told them flatly, her voice

empty of emotion. She turned away quickly and walked down the steps into the

bright sunlight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"They're gone." Maria said into the phone.

"How long ago?"

"About twenty minutes." Maria answered.

"I'm guessing since you aren't the plane, everything didn't go smoothly."

"No, it didn't." Maria said softly.

"I'm sorry Maria."

"Don't worry about it. I knew the consequences, and it was my choice. I

wouldn't redo it." Maria said truthfully.

"Do you think you'll come back?"

Maria sighed. "I don't know. Everything in Roswell is going to be kept an eye

on. I was told that I may be able to. But if the situation isn't resolved to

a point, then I won't be safe. The last thing I would need is for something

to blow over, and they reveal everything, because of the simple fact that

they didn't believe me."

"I'm sure they will once they notice how things have quieted down, and that

they are no longer being followed."

"But I don't think my parens trust me to either. They insisted on my

returning back to the base. My behavior back at the facility was not exactly

controlled, as you'll read in the report. Now they will hold the belief, that

if I cannot hold up under pressure, I will not be able to hold up in

Roswell." Maria explained. She knew her parents didn't trust her to return to

Roswell. It could cause more problems.

"I need to go, I have some lying to practice. And this is going to be hard."

"I wish I could be there to help you." Maria said.

"I'll do fine. And I'll make the situation improve if I have to. You will

return to Roswell."

"Where you worried about him?" Maria asked quickly.

"Yea. I was scared to death that everything wouldn't carry out. Where you?"

"I don't know. The scary thing is, is that I was so into the part, that when

they did come back at me with something, I responded easily, and hatefully."

Maria said softly, condemning herself once again.

"Because you where trained to. If you had felt terrible when you said those

things, none of this would have worked. I couldn't have done it. I didn't

have years of it like you. I also didn't have parents like yours either."

"You better go." Maria said, her throat tightening. Her emotions where

running high lately.

"You'll be back, I know you will."

"Okay." Maria said softly.

"Bye Maria."

"Bye Liz."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The End