Loose ends r-1

by Greg Cox

  "What are you talking about?" Michael challenged Max. Water dripped somewhere nearby, each steady drop echoing through the subterranean grotto. "Haven't you heard a word we've said? It's too dangerous, Max!"The dark-haired alien teen was undaunted by his friend's fervent outburst. "I told you all before," Max said. The once and future king of a distant alien world, he had seldom sounded more resolute. "I'm not going to let him get away."Isabel approached her brother, laying a concerned hand upon his shoulder. "But you don't have to follow him now," she pointed out. "You heard what Alex said. We know where he's going to be tonight. At that place, Slaughter Canyon."Slaughter…The name sent a chill through Liz, rattling her already jangled nerves. She knew she ought to have some opinion about Max's reckless plan, but she was still too stressed-out to think straight. Every time she tried to concentrate, she kept flashing back to that day at the Crashdown. Angry voices exploding. A noisy scuffle at the booth. Watch out! He's got a gun! "I don't care," Max said. "What if he gets spooked and doesn't show up at midnight?" He paced restlessly across the floor of the grotto. "I'm not going to take that chance."Okay, okay," Maria conceded, knowing as well as any of them how stubborn Max could be when he felt strongly about something. Like when he tried to get me back, Liz thought, after that whole scene with Tess. "But don't you at least want to know what Morton's up to before you do something stupid?"It felt strange, Liz thought, to actually have a name for the man who had once nearly killed her, and even stranger that she had gone all this time without knowing it. Morton. It was a surprisingly mundane label for such a malignant presence in her life. Is that his first name or his last name, she wondered, and did that really matter? Meanwhile, Maria was still reading the riot act to Max. "Use your super-powered, Czechoslovakian brain, Max!" She threw up her hands in sheer exasperation. "Right now you have no idea what you'd be getting yourself mixed up widi."Her cautionary words must have gotten through to Max, because he paused and mulled them over before replying. "All right," he said, sounding slightly less combative. "I won't do anything rash until we know more. But I am going to follow him and find out where he's going now."Okay," Michael grudgingly agreed. "But I'm going with you, just to make sure you don't get carried away on this whole avenging boyfriend kick."Was that what was driving Max? Liz asked silently. Even in her own distracted state, she was aware that Max was acting more recklessly than usual. Does he feel he has to pay Morton back for hurting me? Or does he blame Morton for making him reveal his powers, putting them all in danger from the Special Unit and the Skins? "Fine," Max told Michael. "Let's go." He marched briskly toward the grotto's exit, then paused right underneath the natural limestone archway. "The rest of you, look after Liz. Make sure she gets out of here okay." He slowed long enough to look back at Liz with concern. "We'll hook up with you again later."A sudden fear that Max was going to get himself hurt, or worse, over some misguided chivalric impulse flashed through Liz's brain. She saw the murderous gunman firing his weapon again, this time at her boyfriend and soulmate. "Please, Max," she urged him. "Be careful!"Yeah," Maria seconded that anguished emotion. "Both of you, play it safe, will you?" Worry radiated from her naked, openly emotional face. "Remember, we know this guy is armed and dangerous."So are we," Max reminded them before disappearing into the tunnel outside the grotto. Liz listened as his and Michael's footsteps swiftly receded into the distance.

  "Boy," Alex commented, shaking his head in disbelief. "When did Max turn into such a hard-ass? He was starting to sound like Dirty Harry there."He's just worried about Liz…I think," Maria said doubtfully "The scary part is, we're expecting Michael to be the sensible one?" She gave Liz another encouraging hug, perhaps to reassure herself as much as her shell-shocked best friend. "Well, what do you say, girlfriend? Are you up to blowing this underground popsicle stand? I don't know about you, but I'm ready to see the sun again." She toyed with the silver pendant around her neck. "If cool chicks like us were meant to live underground, then we wouldn't look so great with a tan."Okay, I guess," Liz said. Her legs still felt a little rubbery, but she supposed she could manage to make her way back to the surface again. Maybe III feel less trapped, less frightened, once I get out of these endless caves. A pang of regret stabbed her heart as she wondered whether her upsetting run-in with Morton had ruined the caves for her forever. Only this morning, Carlsbad had represented carefree childhood memories to her; now she just wanted to get as far away from these gloomy caverns as possible.

  Her arm around Liz's shoulders, Maria guided Liz out of the grotto, into the press of foot traffic surging through the Big Room. Alex stuck close to Liz as well, so that she was bracketed protectively between her friends as they slowly made their way back toward the rest area. "Isabel?" he called out after a moment or two. "You coming with us?"The glamorous alien teenager shook her head. "Not right away. There's something else I have to do first."Huh?" Alex said, mystified. He lingered upon the trail, blocking traffic somewhat, torn between keeping up with Liz and Maria and finding out what his frequently enigmatic dream girl was planning. "Why? What-?"No questions, Alex," she instructed him decisively. Like her brother, Isabel could seldom be dissuaded once she'd made up her mind. They were royalty, after all, Liz remembered, albeit not from this planet. "Help Maria get Liz to the surface. I'll join you there later."But-?" Alex began, completely disoriented by this baffling turn of events. Liz had to admit that she didn't understand either.

  "Just do it, Alex," Isabel insisted, turning her back and heading the other way. Alex strained his neck to keep hei in view, but, within moments, she had disappeared into the milling mob of amateur spelunkers.

  "Come on, Alex," Maria said, calling him back to the task at hand; namely, ferrying Liz back to the world above. "I'm sure our friend, the space princess, will find us once she's finished her mysterious alien business." Lowering her voice, she whispered clandestinely into Liz's ear. "What oni earth is that all about?"I have no idea, Liz thought.

  Lieutenant David Ramirez, currently assigned to White Sands Missile Range, was wishing he'd never heard of Joe Morton. How the hell did I get mixed up in this mess? he asked himself gloomily, but he already knew the answer. Morton had plenty of dirt on him-the drugs, the gambling, the whole thing-plus connections with enough cash to let Ramirez pay off his debts and start a new life somewhere else if he had to. Blackmail and bribery were a potent combination, one that he had been unable to resist. I should have never opened my mouth about that damn UFO! He leaned against the metal guardrail, staring morosely into the unplumbed depths of the Bottomless Pit, which seemed about as black and abysmal as his current prospects. He had no illusions what would happen to him if his superiors found out about his dealings with Morton. At best, he'd be talking court- martial; at worst, he'd just quietly "disappear" without any fuss, as though he had never existed at all. This was high treason, after all, involving some of the government's most closely-guarded secrets.

  Maybe it won't turn out that way, he thought desperately.

  Maybe the entire operation will go off as planned. He had to think so, otherwise he might just as well hurl himself into the Pit right now. Think of the money, he told himself, trying hard to look on the bright side. If I don't get caught, if Mor ton comes through with his side of the bargain, III be set for life.

  He could just serve out his term of duty, exit the air force with an honorable discharge, then settle down to live a life of luxury someplace very far from here, where no one has ever heard of Roswell or the Crash "Yeah," he murmured wistfully. That was the ticket. Someplace nice and warm, on a beach, maybe, with a big house, big cars, and a sexy babe or two, with long blond hair and built like- "Excuse me, do you have the time?"Startled, he looked up from the Pit to find his fantasy standing right next to him, only inches away. He blinked behind his sunglasses, taken aback by the breathtaking vision that seemed to have stepped right out of his steamier daydreams.

  She was young-eighteen, nineteen, probably-and quite simply gorgeous. Lustrous, sandy-blond hair falling down over
her shoulders. Glossy, pouting lips. Smooth, flawless skin. Even bundled up against the coolness of the caverns, wearing a partly opened tan suede jacket over a blue cashmere sweater, she obviously possessed the enticing curves of a good, old-fashioned pinup girl. Seductive brown eyes locked onto his, and Ramirez felt his heart skip a beat.

  "The time?" she asked again. She had a diroaty, sultry voice that pushed his buttons in all the right ways. He was over six feet tall, but she was tall enough to look him directly in the eyes. Talk about hot! he thought eagerly.

  "Oh, yeah, right. No problem," he burbled. Somehow he managed to tear his eyes away from hers long enough to peek at his wristwatch. "It's about 12:45," he told her helpfully.

  "Thanks," she said with a smile. Encouragingly, she didn't seem to be in any hurry to move on now that he'd answered her query. "Sorry to bother you, but there's just no way to tell what time it is down here, away from the sky and all." She unzipped her jacket the rest of the way, revealing more of the amply- filled blue sweater underneath. "It's like we've stepped outside of time, you know? Into a whole new world, with completely different rules."I'd like to break a few rules with you, he thought lewdly. Part of him knew he had more important things to worry about than trying to make time with some chick, no matter how sensational she was. Another part of him, however, welcomed the distraction. God knows this babe was easy on the eyes, and a hell of a lot more appealing than Joe Morton. "Yeah," he agreed readily. "This place is pretty impressive, isn't it."I'll say!" she breathed huskily. She leaned over the guardrail, gazing down into the Pit. "Wow, that's a long way down," she exclaimed, then stumbled backward, tottering unsteadily upon her shapely, denim-clad legs while placing a hand over her forehead. "Ooh, I feel dizzy…," she whispered, swooning so dramatically that he had to rush forward to keep her from collapsing onto the floor of the cavern. His arms slid deftly beneath hers as her weight sagged against his chest.

  "Hey, there!" he said, feeling her taut body press against his. The heady scent of her hair rilled his nostrils, while his hands gently stroked her back through, in his opinion, far too many layers of clothing. "Are you okay?" he asked, marveling inwardly at his luck. This keeps getting better and better! "I'm fine, I think," she murmured, her head rested on his shoulder. She clung to him for support, perhaps waiting for the dizziness to pass. He was perfectly happy to hold onto her for as long as necessary, and then some. "Just a touch of vertigo." She shivered delectably. "You must think I'm terribly weak."No, not at all," he assured her. As far as he was concerned, her sudden vulnerability just made her sexier. "That's a pretty steep drop-off." He laughed in what he hoped was an irresistibly debonair fashion. "They don't call it the Bottomless Pit for nothing."She lifted her head to look up at him with grateful brown eyes. A devastating smile melted away the worries of the day, at least for the moment. "That's sweet of you to say so," she declared, "but I'll bet you're never afraid of heights."How could he resist a cue like that? "Actually, I'm a test pilot," he volunteered, "for the air force."Really!" Her awestruck tone was a tonic to his ego, which had been seriously battered by recent events. Never jails, he thought smugly Chicks love the whole Top Gun thing.

  Blushing, she seemed to realize that she was still snugly clasped in his arms. He repressed a frustrated sigh as she (reluctantly?) extricated herself from his grasp and took a few steps backward. She was still close enough, though, that he could smell her hair and savor the contours of her voluptuous figure. "My name's Isabel," she said. "Isabel…DeLuca." She looked him over flirtatiously. "What's yours?"He hesitated, uncertain whether to divulge his real name. There was a lot at stake here, and he didn't want to make a fatal mistake just because this girl was a knockout. Then again, he thought, scoping her out from top to bottom, where's the harm? He wasn't violating any regulations by spending the weekend at Carlsbad; as far as anyone knew, he was just checking out the local tourist attractions-and talent. Behind his shades, his eyes greedily devoured Isabel as, fanning herself with one hand, she slowly slipped out of her jacket, which she folded over the metal guardrail. She leaned back languidly against the rail, coyly watching him watching her. In fact, he rationalized, mouth watering, he might get himself into more trouble if he started fabricating things unnecessarily. What was that old saying about lies and tangled webs? "Lieutenant David Ramirez at your service," he said confidently. Throwing caution to the winds, he removed his sunglasses and tucked them into one of the inner pockets of his flight jacket. "Currently stationed at White Sands Missile Range."Her eyes widened just like he hoped they would. "Isn't that where they're testing the 'Star Wars' missile defense system?" she asked, displaying rather more knowledge of current events than he expected. "Are you involved with all that?"Conveniently, he had a perfectly legitimate excuse for being evasive. "I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to discuss my specific duties," he said ominously A little intrigue and mystery could only enhance his image, he figured. "Matters of national security, you understand. Strictly classified, on a need-to-know basis."Oh, right. Of course," she said, nodding. "I should have realized." Her baby- doll pout deepened, and she peered up at him through thick, curling lashes. "Can't you give me just a hint, though?"Sure," he said lightly, "but then I'd have to kill you." He laughed again, to make it clear he was joking, sort of, while hastily pondering his next move. Should he try to lure her back to his motel room in Whites City, or just try to get her phone number? A red-hot afternoon fling would sure take his mind off his midnight meeting with Morton, and everything that could go wrong there, but what if she accidentally stumbled onto the merchandise? Then he might have to kill her for real.

  "So, are you from around here?" he asked curiously. If she was a tourist, visiting from God knows where, then he'd have to move quickly if he wanted to score with her. Even with the whole Morton mess hanging over his head, it would be a crying shame to let an opportunity-and a hottie-like this go to waste.

  "Oh, sure," Isabel replied. "I was born and raised in…Artesia."That's south of Roswell, right?" Until today, he hadn't gotten off the base much.

  "By about fifty miles or so," she confirmed. "Midway between Carlsbad and Roswell, actually." Sultry, brown eyes probed his. "You ever been to Roswell?" she asked innocently.

  He mentally kicked himself for even mentioning the R-word, just when he was finally succeeding in getting his mind off classified government secrets and their sale. "Say you got any plans for this afternoon?" he inquired impulsively, changing the subject. "Maybe we could go for drinks, or something?"This isn't too smart, he realized, even as he stepped closer to the alluring young woman, flashing his most ingratiating smile. Now that he knew she was local, he should just play it cool and look her up after his business with Morton was wrapped up. I can't help it, though, he thought, unable to resist the almost magnetic attraction drawing him onward. I mean, look at her! Unfortunately, her immediate response to his invitation was an embarrassed wince. "Gee, that sounds great, but I promised my friends I'd hook up with them uptop." She glanced at the paved walkway leading away from the Bottomless Pit. "In fact, I'm probably running late already."Damn! He knew a brush-off when he heard one. So much for a world outside of time, he thought irritably. His restored spirits, and mounting excitement, went into a nosedive. Time-wasting little tease! Don't tell me she wasn't flirting with me shamelessly this whole time.

  Then, after he had already written her off, Isabel smiled slyly and said, "You know, Mr. Lieutenant, I'd love to see you in uniform sometime. I'll bet you look just like Tom Cruise." She reached over and adjusted the lapel of his flight jacket. "Maybe you can give me your phone number?"Maybe his lurid fantasies weren't quite dead after all. "Sure," he said, "if you'll give me yours."Another sheepish wince, followed by an inviting gaze. "I'd rather give you a call, if that's all right." She shrugged her shoulders, tossing her flowing blond hair at the same time. "It's complicated," she explained vaguely.

  A jealous boyfriend? he speculated. Overprotective parents? Frankly, he didn't need those kinds of hassles,
either. Seeing nothing to lose, and plenty to gain, he scribbled down his cell phone number on a scrap of paper he found in his wallet. "Here," he said cheerfully, handing her the improvised note. "You can reach me there most of the time, except when I'm on duty, of course."Naturally," she replied. She folded the slip of paper carefully and placed it in her back pocket. "I've got to run," she said, retrieving her jacket and slipping it back on. "But I'll be in touch, I promise!"I sure hope so, Ramirez thought, eyeing her hungrily as she hurried onto the trail back to the rest area and the elevator. Chances were, he might never hear from her again, but even still, his accidental meeting with this hot little number was the luckiest break he'd had in a long, long time.

  Now he just had to get through this weekend without ending up behind bars.

  Or worse.

  Men! Isabel Evans thought with disdain. Human or alien, they were all the same; flirt with them a little, bat your big brown eyes adoringly, and you could get them to do almost anything. Lieutenant Ramirez hadn't even put up a fight. Whatever his full story was, he'd been just as easy to manipulate as the high school boys she was used to wrapping around her little finger.

  As she rushed back toward the elevator, she worried briefly about whether she had maybe laid the vamp act on a little too thick. Had that whole dizzy spell routine been too much? What if she'd tipped her hand when she fell into his arms, raising his suspicions instead of lowering his defenses? Naah, she decided promptly. He'd fallen for it hook, line, and sinker, she could tell. Another woman would have seen through that transparent ploy right away, but, as she'd learned repeatedly since sixth grade at the latest, subtlety was lost on most members of the male gender. Sometimes you couldn't be too obvious, especially where men were concerned.