Of Mice and Men
Part 7

By Prestor John

Disclaimer: All of the standard: Don't own 'em, just borrowing 'em.
Summary: Sequel to “Best Laid Plans”. My AU diverges when Max kisses Tess in Heart of Mine. Tess Left town, Liz told everyone about Future Max to explain why they have to find her, Liz and Max start reconciliation, and Isabelle dream walks Tess, but then can’t contact her causing the group to think Tess is dead.
Category: Other
Rating: R
Authors Note: The continuation of my first fiction. Today is 5/23/01. I started Best Laid Plans right after CYN. I started Of Mice and Men after OTM. Now that Departures has come and gone I’m rethinking the entire direction of this story. I’m going to try and tie the revelation from Departures into the story. Hope you like the way it flows. Many thanks to Fadre for reading and correcting my numerous grammatical mistakes.

The next day Max stopped at the Crashdown to pick up Michael and Liz and head over to the Valenti’s for the planning session with Jessie and Frank. As he was walking in he saw his sister and Alex sitting at the groups usual table and headed in that direction. “Hey.” Said Max as he slid in across from the two. “Alex, I just wanted to make sure you understand, that even thought we are rescuing Tess, I won’t let her get away with what she did to you.”

“I know.” replied Alex quietly. Looking up at Max he continued in a stronger voice “I trust you, Max. Is has already told me some of what you plan, and it’s fine with me. I’m glad that you understand why I can’t help you rescue her. I can’t help her. However, I can help you.” He pulled a bag off the seat next to him and handed it to Max. “My uncle is big into team paintball games. His team just bought new headphone radio’s that are smaller than these, and he gave me their old ones. Thought they might come in handy.” Looking in the bag Max saw a dozen little head sets that apparently clipped over the ear and had a small microphone that trailed down to where someone’s mouth would be.

“Thanks, man.” Max said with feeling. “These will be great!” Alex nodded and said “good luck” just as Michael and Liz came up.

At the Valenti’s house Jessie was the only one there, saying that Frank was busy keeping Summers from knowing anything was going on. Jessie and Jim had come up with a plan that sounded good to everyone involved. Frank and Jessie would enter the compound first and take control of the security office. Then Jim, Kyle, Max and Michael would enter and meet Jessie at the armory. No one went around the compound armed, but there were weapons available, including some very powerful tranquilizer guns. They would arm themselves with the trank guns, and then Max and Michael would disable the rest, and fuse the door shut. Jim and Kyle would then go to the White Room observation and tranquilize anyone there. Michael and Max would proceed to the White Room itself and get Tess. Then the four friends and Tess would head for the exit with Frank and Jessie providing warnings and directions from the security room. “The biggest problem is the gas.” Concluded Jessie. “It does two things, blocks the centers of the brain that your” nodding to Max and Michael, “powers come from. It also ‘hides’ normal brains from your powers. What Jim and I came up with was this.” Sitting a small tank, about the size of a large thermos, on the table and an attachable mask. “These contain approximately 30 minutes of oxygen. That should be enough. Any larger of a tank would be too unmanageable.”

After discussing a few more details it was decided that they would leave that afternoon. The compound was in a warehouse district on the outskirts of Albuquerque. They should arrive there early evening, when most of the workers had left the area. After making one special request, Max asked the question no one had yet. “This will get Tess out, but what are we going to do to keep them from coming after us again?”

Jim and Jessie exchanged glances. Jim said, “We talked about that before you got here Max. Frank is going to destroy the compounds computers, which will take of all the data. Don’t worry about it. We’ll handle that part.”

After the meeting, Michael had Max drop him off at his apartment, with promises that he would be at the Valenti’s in advance of the scheduled departure time. Max and Liz drove in silence to his house where they went inside and ended up in Max’s room. Liz sat on his bed and looked around the room, while Max leaned against the wall and looked at her. They were silent for several minutes before Max quietly said, “I still don’t want you to go.” As she looked up, Max raised his hand and moved forward till he was kneeling on the floor in front of Liz. “I said I don’t want you to go, I know you are, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

Reaching out and pulling him up and into a hug, Liz said “I don’t want you to risk yourself. No matter how easy the Sheriff and Jessie made it sound, it’s still going to be dangerous. I know you’re going to do this, and I don’t like it. But, I can’t stay here and do nothing. I have to come and help.” Pulling back just enough so she could rest her forehead on his she looked in his eyes and added. “Max, we just have a few hours. Let’s not spend them worrying about the future. Lets enjoy what we can.” With that she gently laid back on the bed, pulling Max down on top of her. There were no words for a while, until Liz broke loose with a giggle and said “Saint Max…”

Michael hadn’t been surprised to open the door to his apartment and see Maria sitting on the couch. “You’re not going.” He said before the door had shut behind him.

“Hello to you too, Michael” Maria said still sitting on his couch. “How was your day? And yes, I am going.”

Their conversation was a bit livelier that Max and Liz’s - but ended with the same results.