by Melinda Metz
He slid out the window and hopped into the backyard. He trotted to the low side gate and vaulted over it. As he headed to the driveway he heard his Jeep driving down the street. He'd spent so much time working on the engine, he knew the sound by heart.
Max spun toward the sound. He felt some of the tension drain out of him when he saw that Isabel and Michael were both in the Jeep-until they pulled into the driveway and he saw their faces. All Isabel's lipstick and stuff had worn off-she never let that happen. And Michael's mouth was set in a hard line.
"What?" Max demanded.
"Valenti picked us up," Isabel answered.
"What?" Max exploded.
"He was just doing his usual harass-anyone-under-twenty crap," Michael explained. "But it scared the hell out of both of us."
Michael shot a glance at Isabel. Max gave a small nod, signaling that he had picked up on the fact that Isabel was seriously flipped out.
"I think… I think he could tell there was something wrong," Isabel stammered. "I was acting way too scared for someone… who got stopped for speeding, especially because I wasn't even driving."
Max could see the muscles in Isabel's throat working as she struggled to keep from crying.
"You were fine," Michael told her. He took off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. That's when Max realized she was trembling.
Isabel shook her head. "I made him suspicious. I messed up."
"He probably just thought you were worried you'd get grounded for showing up at home so late," Max said. He didn't really believe it. No one looking at Isabel right now would believe it. But he had to say something. The haunted expression on his sister's face was tearing him up.
Isabel wrapped her arms around herself. "Maybe, maybe you're right," she mumbled. "But we aren't safe for long. Valenti's going to find out about us, I know it. We have to leave town tonight, and we can't ever come back."
"If we bolt, then he'll really be suspicious. We'd end up with every Project Clean Slate agent out there searching for us," Max argued. "Besides, Mom and Dad would be devastated. They'd never get over it."
And I would never see Liz again, he thought. Something was building between them, and he wanted to be around to see what it was.
"Mr. Hughes would probably have a party if I took off," Michael muttered. "But Max is right. It wouldn't be smart."
"If we stay, we have to do something about Maria. She's going to tell Valenti everything-you saw the way she looked at us. And Liz won't be able to stop her," Isabel insisted. "We're not going to be safe as long as any human knows our secret."
Safe. Max knew how important it was to Isabel to feel safe. He wasn't sure if she ever really had. But he couldn't let her hurt Liz or Maria.
"Liz is Maria's best friend," he said. He tried to keep his voice emotionless. He didn't want Isabel to think he was about to go off on her again. "They've known each other since they were little girls. I'm sure she'll be able to convince Maria to keep quiet."
"You have a lot of confidence in Liz," Isabel said. She didn't sound happy about it.
"So should you. Valenti came down on her hard, but she didn't tell him a thing," Max reminded her. "I want us all to agree that we leave Liz and Maria alone."
Isabel didn't answer. Michael was looking anywhere but at Max.
"Come on," Max urged.
"Okay," Michael said finally.
"For now," Isabel added.
***
I don't believe it. Maria told Alex. Liz could tell just by looking at his face.
Maria and Alex were waiting for Liz by her locker, and it was clear they weren't just hanging out, killing time before the first bell. They obviously had something important to say to her. "Hi, guys." Liz just wasn't ready to have this conversation. She acted really caught up in dialing her locker combination. When she pulled down the lock, it wouldn't open. She'd screwed up the combination somehow.
"We need to talk to you," Maria said. "I told Alex everything. I know I promised you I wouldn't, but I was wrong. This whole situation is too big and too dangerous for the two of us to handle alone."
She sounded so stiff and formal, like she'd stayed fit up all night rehearsing. Liz stopped fiddling with her lock and studied her friend. Maria definitely spent last night doing something besides sleeping. Her eyes had dark smudges under them, and her complexion had a grayish tint.
"I wish you had at least called me first," Liz answered. "I left you about a hundred messages. I even stopped by your house, but no one was home."
"I know. I'm sorry. I… I'm sorry," Maria said again. "That's all I can say. But I don't think I did the wrong thing."
At least she's not making a speech anymore, Liz thought. Liz usually would have felt totally angry and hurt if Maria told a secret they agreed to keep. But she'd seen how scared Maria was yesterday. And Isabel did threaten to kill her. That was enough to make anybody break a promise.
"It's okay," Liz said. She turned to Alex. It was so weird to have him standing there all quiet and serious. He usually talked practically nonstop. "So now that you know, what do you think?" she asked.
"I think none of us really knows what we're dealing with-and that's dangerous. We don't know what powers they have. We don't know what their agenda is. I don't think we can just assume they are exactly what they appear to be. I think the three of us have to go to Valenti and tell him what's going on."
"No!" Liz cried. "You sound like your father, you know that? Talking about agendas and powers. We don't know what they are-so let's kill them. Maybe you should go into the military. I think you'd be great at it."
Alex winced. Liz knew she'd said pretty much the most hurtful thing possible. But it was true. "Look, you're both forgetting that you do know Max, and Michael, and Isabel. Maria, you especially. You've known all of them since we were little. They're still the same people they were-"
"They aren't people," Maria interrupted. "And Isabel never threatened to kill me in elementary school."
"And we can't be sure that they haven't just been playing us, showing us only what they want to show us," Alex added.
Liz felt like screaming at them both. She couldn't believe how stupid, and prejudiced, and horrible they were being. You felt practically the same way after Valenti got through with you yesterday, she reminded herself.
"I understand how you feel. I do," Liz told them. "Yesterday I was half convinced I should tell Valenti everything, more than half convinced. But then I saw Max heal one of the mice in the bio lab. No one was around. He didn't know I was watching. If Max has been playing us, why would he bother to save some stupid little mouse?"
"The mouse wasn't in his way. You and Maria are," Alex answered.
"What are you talking about?" Liz demanded.
"The mouse wasn't any threat to him," Alex explained. "Why not heal it? But that doesn't mean that if he felt in danger-or even if his mission was being jeopardized-that he would have any problem killing. We just don't know, that's the problem."
"Mission? What mission? Did we just enter the paranoia zone or what?" Liz demanded. "I know Max. I trust him. I am not going to do anything that might hurt him. And neither are you."
"It's not just your decision," Maria cried. "I'm the one they don't trust-you heard Isabel say it. She's going to come after me. Why don't you care about protecting me as much as you care about protecting Max?"
Liz heard Maria's voice crack. What am I supposed to do? she thought. She was stuck in the middle between her best friend and-and what? What was Max to her, exactly? Two weeks ago she would have just said he was her lab partner and kind of a casual friend. Someone who had been in her life for years but who wasn't really a big part of it. Everything had changed so much, so fast. "Of course I care about what happens to you," Liz answered. "But you're totally overreacting. No one is going to hurt you. I promise."
"You can't promise," Maria insisted. "You don't know. After school I'm going to Valenti's office-whether you come with me or not."
&
nbsp; "I'll go with you," Alex said quietly. "Sony, Liz. I have to."
There's no way I can stop them, Liz realized. Nothing I can say. What am I going to do? If I tell Max that Maria and Alex are planning to go to Valenti, I don't know what will happen. Michael and Isabel really might go after them, and I'm not sure Max could stop them.
But if I don't say anything, Valenti will come after Max, Isabel, and Michael. And he'll probably kill them.
I don't want to choose, Liz thought. How can I?
What am I going to do?
*** 13 ***
"Max, come sit with us," Liz called.
Max turned and saw Liz, Maria, and Alex eating lunch on the grass in the center of the quad. He could tell by Maria's aura that she was just as upset as she had been yesterday-maybe more. A deep gray was mixed in with the churning murky green of her aura.
But it was Liz's aura his eyes were drawn to as he walked toward them. It was filled with so many colors, it hurt to look at it. There were the sickly yellow streaks of fear and the crimson splotches her aura got when she was angry. There were gray swirls of worry and confusion. And across everything was a spiderweb of dark purple. His mother's aura had a spiderweb like that after his grandfather died. It was a sign of a deep sadness. Liz slid over, and Max sat down next to her. He didn't know what to say. Was he supposed to do the usual lunchtime talk thing-someone heard Johanne Oakley throwing up in the bathroom that morning, and now everyone thought she was pregnant; there was supposed to be a raid on Guffman High that night to steal the Olsen High mascot back; Doug Highsinger got sent home for showing up at school dressed like Marilyn Manson. He didn't know if he could pull it off.
"Uh, so, what do you guys think my next list should be?" Alex asked. "I was thinking maybe alternate uses for pennies, you know, because they're pretty much worthless, and…" His voice trailed off.
Alex feels the tension between Maria and Liz, Max realized. You didn't have to be able to see auras to know something was wrong with both of them. Alex's aura didn't look too great itself. It had an oily, greasy cast to it.
"How about really bad dog names?" Liz jumped in. "Names you would never want to have to yell at the top of your lungs if your dog gets lost." She sounded hypercheerful and phony, kind of like Stacey Scheinin.
Something is really wrong here, Max thought.
Liz glanced between Alex and Maria, and her toothpaste commercial smile faded. "I can't do this," she said. "I can't just sit here and-Max, Alex knows."
Max felt as if he'd been sucker punched. There was no way he'd be able to control Isabel and Michael now. No possible way.
Liz reached over and grabbed his hand, lacing her fingers with his. "I want you guys to look at Max," she told her friends. "Really look at him. He saved my life. He-"
"Hey, Max, congratulations. I didn't think you'd be able to keep Liz interested in you for a whole day."
Max tensed and felt Liz's grip tighten on his hand at the sound of Kyle Valenti's voice. Kyle circled the group and positioned himself behind Alex.
You can't get into it with him right now, Max thought. It wouldn't be smart.
"Don't get too used to spending time with her, though." He smirked down at Max.
Kyle seemed like an attention deficient type. Max figured if he didn't answer, Kyle would get bored and leave.
But Kyle kept staring him. He looked a little confused, as if he couldn't figure out why Max wasn't saying anything.
"Well, I guess you could still see Liz if you don't mind visiting her in prison," Kyle continued. "Accessories to murder don't go to juvie." He turned to Liz. "You know lying to my dad makes you an accessory, right?"
"Your problem is with me. Leave her out of it," Max ordered.
"As long as she keeps lying to my father she's in it," Kyle shot back. "I don't know what my dad thinks, but I figure the murderer she's protecting is you, Evans. It's not too cool hiding behind a girl."
"Kyle, you're pathetic," Maria burst out. "You came up with this ridiculous theory because you can't deal with the fact that Liz would rather hang with Max than you. Just grow up already."
A dark flush colored Kyle's face. "I bet your sister would be impressed, Liz," Kyle said. "I mean, she got arrested once, too, but it was only a little drug bust. You're going to be hitting the big time."
Max leaped to his feet and launched himself at Kyle in one fluid motion. Kyle fell to the ground with a satisfying thud. Max straddled him and slammed his fist into Kyle's nose. He heard it crack and felt warm blood spurt across his fingers.
"Max, no!" Liz screamed.
But he wasn't stopping now. Kyle was going to pay for every word he'd said to Liz. Max drew back his fist and brought it down on Kyle's mouth. Then he felt hands on the back of his shirt, yanking him away.
Alex hauled him off Kyle. He grabbed Max by the shoulders and pinned him to the ground.
Max jerked his head to the side and saw Kyle wiping the blood off his face with his sleeve. "This isn't over," Kyle said. Then he turned and started to walk away.
"You're right," Max shouted. "It's not over." He tried to shove Alex away. He was going after Kyle. He was going to pound the guy into the ground.
Alex jabbed his knee into Max's chest. "You're staying here. If you go after him, you're going to end up in the principal's office and both your parents are going to get called in. Do you really want to be sitting in a room with Sheriff Valenti right now? Don't you think he'd be a little curious what this fight was about?"
Max still wanted to go after Kyle, but Alex was making sense.
"Can I let you up now? Have you regrown a brain?" Alex asked. He stared down at Max, waiting for an answer.
"Yeah, okay," Max muttered. Alex let him sit up. Max rubbed his arm and studied Alex's face. "Man, how did you do that? I didn't even see you coming-then I was on the ground."
"Three older brothers," Alex answered. "Big ones."
"About what you said? You were right," Max told him. "Thanks."
"We have to stand together against the Kyles of the world," Alex answered.
***
I need some cedar, Maria thought. She opened her purse and rooted around until she felt one of the tiny vials. She pulled it out. Eucalyptus. She tossed it back inside. Eucalyptus was for invigoration, and Maria already felt ready to jump out of her skin.
Where was Max? The last bell had rung more than half an hour ago, and he still hadn't come out. She could see his Jeep from here, so she knew she hadn't missed him.
Maria peered into her purse, searching for the vial of cedar. Ah, there it was. She jerked it out and twisted off the tiny top. She brought the vial to her nose and closed her eyes. Think of a forest filled with ancient cedar trees, she told herself. See yourself in the forest and feel at peace.
It wasn't working. Maybe Liz was right about aromatherapy. Or maybe some problems were just way too big for the smell of cedar and an imaginary forest. Maria opened her eyes-and saw Max climbing into his Jeep.
"Max, wait," she called. She trotted over. "Um, can I talk to you?" She climbed into the Jeep next to him before he could answer. She didn't want him to say no.
"What's up?" Max did a little drum solo on the steering wheel. It was totally obvious he wanted to get out of there, out of there and away from her.
"Are guys, like, born with the ability to play those drum riffs?" she asked. "Because whenever I try it, it just sounds like an elephant stampede or something. And air guitar? Forget about it."
Max glanced over at her, his lips curving in a crooked smile. "I'm living proof that it's not genetic."
"I forgot. Duh. For one second I forgot," Maria said. "And you know why? It's because you're not this creature out of a bad movie."
"That's a relief," Max answered.
"I'm sorry. I'm making it worse," Maria cried. "What I came out here to say was that I've been afraid of you ever since I found out… you know. I just kept thinking that you must see me as a gnat or a pea pod or something."
&n
bsp; "Wait. A pea pod?" Max stared at her.
"Something-other," Maria explained. "Something that wouldn't seem like a life-form in the same, what do you call it, genus or species. You know how people eat animals and plants? They can do that because they see them as something-other. If they didn't-"
"Wait. You were afraid I was going to eat you?" Max cracked up.
Maria stared at him-his shoulders were shaking, his mouth was stretched open, his face was turning red.
"Well, not really, but sort of, yeah, I was sort of afraid you'd eat me." Maria broke into giggles. She giggled until her stomach hurt and tears filled her eyes. When they both started to get a grip, Max snorted, and that set them both off again.
"Okay, we have to stop," Maria gasped. She squeezed her lips shut with her fingers until she got control of herself. "Okay, okay, I'm okay. What I wanted to tell you-"
Max gave a choked laugh. Maria pointed her finger at him. "No, we're not doing that again. I just wanted to tell you that it became totally clear to me at lunch how much you care about Liz. I realized I was wrong about you, and I'm sorry."
"It's okay," Max answered. "I was totally flipped out when I first found out… what I was. I felt like a monster, like I should stay away from everyone but Michael and Isabel."
Maria felt a rush of tenderness and protectiveness. "You're not a monster." She reached out and brushed his hair away from his forehead, then she looked away. She felt embarrassed suddenly. She and Max had never had a single conversation that wasn't totally lightweight, and now they'd both sort of spilled their guts.
"We need to figure out what to do about Valenti," she said briskly. "Kyle's going to make him even more suspicious of you and Liz. And he won't give up until he finds out the truth-about all of us."
"I think I have an idea about what to do first," Max said. "Let me give you a ride home, and I'll tell you about it. Okay, pea pod?"