Of Mice and Men
Part 9

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.

Max collapsed to the floor as pain exploded in his thigh. “I got you! You’re Mine!” Cried Sommers as he stood up and shifted his aim to Michael. Michael still had a hold of Tess and pulled her down on the floor as a second shot rang out. “You’re not getting away!” screamed Sommers, “Like I told that bitch! You’ll all be here FOREVER!!”

He rounded the corner of the table gun pointed down to the floor. Three things happened in rapid succession. A green bubbling wall formed between him and the three aliens on the floor. Summers fired his third shot and saw the bullet hang there, suspended in the green stuff just inches from the barrel of the gun. The last thing was he felt himself being struck in the chest by some unfathomable force and being picked up and slammed into the wall and ceiling. He never heard his neck snap from the force of the impact.

As he fell back to the floor unmoving, Max lost his concentration as a wave of dizziness overtook him. Kyle and Jim came rushing into the room. Jim, holding his gun to his shoulder, knelt down next to Sommers and felt his neck for a pulse. Finding none, he looked over at the teenagers. Looking Michael in the eye he lied “He’s fine. Just knocked out. How are you Max?” he said rushing over to where his son was putting pressure on Max’s bleeding leg.

Liz’s voice, laced with panic came over the headset “Max? Max, talk to me, what’s wrong?”

Grimacing, because he had forgotten that the girls had headsets too Max reached down to his leg and said in the steadiest voice he could muster, “I’m fine Liz, I just got scratched. We’re on our way out.” His hand began glowing slightly as he began to repair the damage Sommers bullet had done. Suddenly he groaned as a migraine started building. “Oxygen ran out.” He said.

Nodding, Jim reached out and tore off a strip of the bed sheet covering the table Tess had been on. Frank’s voice came over the headsets, “Get a move on it. People heard those shots.”

As he tied a quick tourniquet around Max’s thigh he said “Kyle, take point, Michael can you carry Tess?” with out waiting for an answer he continued, “Come on Max, lean on me.” The battered group quickly started heading for the exit. Frank’s voice came over the speakers in the complex crying “Intruders” and giving false directions as to where the intruders were heading.

They were 20 feet from the inside airlock door when Jessie’s voice came over the headsets directing Liz and Maria to bring the cars to the door. Frank managed to override the airlock forcing both doors to open at once just as the guys and Tess made it there to hear the cars screech up to the door.

“Max!” cried Liz seeing his blood soaked leg.

“He’s fine.” said Jim as he loaded Max into the passenger seat of the jeep. Making sure that Michael and Kyle had got Tess loaded in with Maria in the SUV, he climbed in the back of the jeep and yelled, “GO!” to Liz.

Max gave her a reassuring smile and nodded. That was enough for Liz to tear her eyes off of Max and follow Maria who was already heading for the street.

“Are you clear?” came Jessie’s demanding voice over the headsets.

“What?” said Michael not understanding.

“Are you clear!?” came the insistent question.

“We just turned on to the street.” Replied Jim. No more than thirty seconds had passed before Jessie was back, this time asking “Where are you now?”

“Why?” cut in Max before anyone could answer. “What’s going on?”

“There is no time majesty!” Jessie replied instantly.

“We just turned on the on ramp for I-40.” Said Jim into the headset.

There was no response through the headset. Instead there was sudden loud explosion behind them as a corresponding tower of flame and light filled the sky. Max turned and looked at the Sheriff in the back of the jeep. Jim stared back at Max with sad eyes. “Jessie and I discussed it. This was the only way to destroy all the evidence of you all… and” Jim voice dropped a notch, but was still picked up by the headset microphone “take care of everyone who knew.” He dropped his eyes suddenly and turned to look out the side of the jeep no longer able to meet Max’s gaze.

“My God” Maria’s soft exclamation coming over the headset was almost more than Jim could bear. He reached up and ripped the head set off. Without turning his head, he said in a gruff voice “No more Max. Lets just get home. You can condemn me then, and I’ll tell you everything.” Switching subjects he said “Shouldn’t you take care of your leg now?”

“What’s going on Max?” Michael asked through the headset.

“Nothing.” Replied Max turning around and reaching down to heal his leg. “How’s it back there? Gas on?”

“Yea, everything’s fine.” Came back Michael’s voice, “The gas is on and Tess is out. She came to briefly when the explosion happened. She was so relieved to see us, and not the room; she collapsed on Kyle and started weeping. She passed out right away. Don’t think she realized that she still couldn’t use her powers.” He didn’t bother telling Max about the look on Kyle’s face when Tess collapsed on him, or the way Kyle had moved Tess off his lap when she had passed out. Then in a disgruntled tone he changed the subject, “Wish you were back here and not me. This craps giving me a headache just breathing it!”

“Well, just bear with it.” Said Max fighting his own grimace as he fought the lingering effects to heal the gunshot wound to his leg. “We’ll be at the Pod chamber in about 4 hours. Just remember, the gas canister that Jessie gave us will only last about 3 hours. Don’t take any chances, if you think she’s trying something, knock her out.”

“Gottcha.” Replied Michael.

Being careful to move the microphone of the headset out of the way, He reached over and did the same for Liz. As his hand brushed her cheek, she reached up and held it there for a minute. Then quickly turned her head to kiss his palm, before returning her focus to driving. Seeing the tears in her eyes, he gave her hand a quick squeeze. “Hey,” he said softly “it’s alright.”

“Max you were shot.” Liz managed to choke out in a voice heavy with emotion. “You could have been killed.”

“I could be killed crossing the street. Liz, I’m here, I’m with you, and that’s all that matters.”

Glancing over at him, Liz saw the love in those wonderful eyes of his, and couldn’t help but think: Damn, I wish we were alone!