by Melinda Metz
And she would, too. If she could make Nikolas understand how it felt to see Liz lying there on the floor, with those little drops of blood on her face… He would never do anything like that again. She was sure he wouldn't.
And it's not as if he really hurt Liz. Not permanently or anything. He just knocked her out. She was fine.
"No, you aren't going to talk to him," Michael said, his voice cold. "You are not getting within ten feet of that guy ever again."
Isabel turned to Maria. She understood, didn't she? "Nikolas didn't mean-"
"I don't want to hear it," Maria snapped. "I can't believe you still want to hang out with a guy who would do that to Liz."
"And I can't believe you're both being so judgmental," Isabel answered. "You're not even giving Nikolas a chance."
She sprang off the bed and ran out of the room. She didn't want to hear one more word from either of them.
Isabel slammed out of the house and headed down the street. She walked fast, arms swinging. Then she started to run, pushing herself to go faster and faster. She focused on the feel of her feet slamming down on the pavement, the burning sensation building in her lungs, the pounding of her heart.
She tried to lose herself in the physical sensations. But she couldn't block out the memory of Liz lying motionless on the ground or Max yelling at her, ordering her never to see Nikolas again. Or Michael's cold voice insisting that she was going to stay away from Nikolas.
They were treating her like she was a little kid. They wouldn't even listen to her when she told them that she would talk to Nikolas about what he did. She would sit him down and tell him the whole story of how Liz, Maria, and Alex risked their lives to help fight Valenti. She would make Nikolas listen. She would make him understand. She knew she could do it.
But no, they didn't trust her enough to think that she could handle things on her own. They thought they had to step in and start issuing orders. They thought she was reckless and stupid-they'd always felt that way about her.
Well, Isabel wasn't going to take it anymore. They didn't trust her, even when she behaved exactly the way they wanted her to. So why bother trying to make them happy?
She turned onto her street and slowed to a jog. She heard a motorcycle roaring up behind her.
Nikolas. He wanted her to do just what she pleased. He didn't want to hold her back, or make her be careful, or tell her what to do.
She spun around and raced over to him. She hurled herself into his arms.
Isabel had always laughed at girls who climbed all over their boyfriends. She thought they looked desperate. Pathetic.
But now she understood how they felt. She needed Nikolas, like she needed air in her lungs. Waiting for even a minute left her gasping. She couldn't give him up. Not for anyone.
*** 10 ***
"I'm kicking you out, okay? I forgot there's something I've got to do." Michael practically pushed Maria out the front door. "Thanks for helping me pack and everything."
"Uh, okay. Bye," Maria said. He shut the door behind her, then headed straight for the phone. He was calling Max, and they were going to find Nikolas. Now. There was no way Michael would let Nikolas get away with what he did to Liz. It didn't matter that Liz wasn't hurt. No one touched a member of Michael's family and got away with it.
Michael punched in Max's number. It rang a couple of times, then the answering machine picked up. Michael slammed down the phone. He couldn't wait for Max to get home. He hesitated for a second, then dialed Alex's number.
Alex answered on the second ring. Michael quickly filled him in.
"I'm picking you up," Alex said. He hung up before Michael could say another word.
Michael grabbed his jacket from his room, then stationed himself in front of the picture window that looked out over the street. At least the Hugheses weren't home, so he wouldn't have to answer any questions about where he was going.
His foster parents hadn't been around much since Mr. Cuddihy gave Michael the news that he'd be moving to another foster home. One night they went to the movies; one night they went over to a friend's for dinner. But Michael thought those were really just excuses to get out of the house, to get away from him. It was totally obvious Mrs. Hughes was uncomfortable around him now. She almost looked embarrassed if she ran into him in the hall. Mr. Hughes basically ignored him. Which was fine with Michael. It was better than always being in the middle of some stupid power struggle with the guy.
Michael spotted Alex's Rabbit turn down the street. He bolted out the door. The second he stepped outside, he smelled it. The thick ozone-rich smell of power being used. A moment later he felt the familiar buzzing tingle in his body. All the hairs on his arms stood straight up.
Not good, he thought as he trotted over to Alex's car. This is not at all good. He climbed into the passenger seat and slammed the door. Alex peeled out, barely waiting for Michael to put on his seat belt.
"You know those signs that have little numbers on them? They're there to tell you how fast it's safe to drive," Michael told Alex.
It was a lame joke. He didn't even know why he told it. Maybe just because Alex looked ready to blow.
Alex didn't crack a smile. "Where do we start looking?" he asked.
"Good question," Michael answered. "I don't even know where he lives. Let's just check out the usual places." It's not like Roswell was a big city. There weren't that many spots you could go on a Saturday night.
"Even Nikolas and Isabel wouldn't be stupid enough to go back to the bowling alley. Let's try UFOnics," Alex suggested.
"Good idea. Isabel loves to dance," Michael said. Alex's hands tightened on the steering wheel. Oh, great, Michael thought. Why didn't I just offer to pour some salt into his wound? "Although they're probably not even together," he added.
Alex gave him an "oh-please" look. Michael decided shutting up would probably be a good idea. He stared out the window, watching the well-kept houses of the south side fly by.
When Alex turned onto Main Street, Michael started checking parking lots for Nikolas's motorcycle. He caught some flashing lights out of the corner of his eye. "Turn here," he ordered.
The Rabbit's tires squealed as Alex made a sharp turn onto Mescalero. "I want to see what's happening at the 7-Eleven," Michael muttered. Sheriff Valenti's cruiser and an ambulance were parked out front.
Alex parked the car across the street. "You know what's going on over there?" he asked a kid on a skateboard.
"Somebody trashed the place," the kid answered. "I think they were stoned and had the major munchies. All these bags of food were ripped open. Wish they'd invited me."
"What about the cashier?" Michael asked.
"Down for the count," the kid answered. "I don't know what they hit him with, but it must have been heavy."
Alex pulled back onto the street. "We don't want to be here. Eventually Valenti's going to start asking everybody what they saw."
"If it was Nikolas and Isabel that-" Michael began.
"If?" Alex asked.
"Yeah, you're right," Michael said. "I don't think they'd hang around town after pulling that stunt. Let's check the cave."
Alex nodded. He drove out of town and sped down the highway, heading farther and farther into the desert. He didn't talk at all, and it was giving Michael the creeps. Alex usually talked constantly. It was like some mutant Alex clone was in the car with him. Michael flipped on the radio just so there would be some kind of noise.
"The cave's off to the left a couple of miles," Michael said. "Do you think your car will make it?"
Alex didn't even slow down. He veered off into the desert. "The ground's pretty hard packed-we'll be okay. I don't want to waste any more time."
Michael heard a mesquite bush crunch under the Rabbit's tires. Alex hadn't even swerved to avoid hitting it. He was on a mission. Michael had always had a hard time believing Alex came from a long line of military men. But not anymore.
"I see Nikolas's motorcycle," Michael announced. "Park her
e. I want to surprise them."
Alex parked, and they quietly climbed out of the car. They crossed over to the mouth of the cave. Michael swung himself inside, Alex right behind him.
Isabel scrambled up from the sleeping bag in the corner. She quickly rebuttoned the top two buttons of her blouse. Nikolas stood up more slowly. He probably wanted to make sure Alex knew exactly what he had interrupted, Michael thought.
Michael and Alex walked straight over to Nikolas. Shoulder to shoulder, they faced him. Nikolas glanced back and forth between them, his lips curving into a small smile.
"What you did to Liz is not acceptable," Michael told Nikolas.
"I told you-" Isabel began.
"No one is talking to you," Michael shot back. He took a step closer to Nikolas. "From now on you stay away from us," he continued. "All of us. If you don't, there will be consequences."
"I want you two out of here now." Isabel grabbed the back of Michael's jacket and tried to pull him away. He shrugged her off.
"I'm supposed to be scared of you?" Nikolas asked.
"That's right," Alex answered. "You want proof? I'll be happy to give it to you."
Michael glanced at Alex. His aura was shot through with bolts of iron gray and deep crimson. Not a trace of fear. Alex wasn't just talking. He was more than ready to take Nikolas on.
"If this is supposed to impress me or something, Alex, it's not working," Isabel informed him.
"News flash. Everything is not about you, Isabel," Alex answered. "This is about Liz. I don't let anybody hurt my friends."
"While you're so busy protecting them, who's going to be protecting you?" Nikolas asked softly. Then, moving fast, he reached out and touched Alex's forehead. Alex's eyes rolled back in his head and he crashed to the cave floor.
With a little gasp Isabel rushed over and knelt beside him.
"That's it." Michael slammed Nikolas against the limestone wall. "That's the last time you-"
Michael suddenly felt himself flying through the air, flying across the cave. Then hitting the opposite wall with a thump. His teeth came down on his tongue, and blood filled his mouth.
What just happened? Michael thought. What did he do to me?
Nikolas strolled toward Michael, a satisfied smile spreading across his face. "You're not much stronger than a human. That's what happens when you're too careful with your powers."
Michael growled low in his throat. He started to hurl himself at Nikolas-but he was stuck to the cave wall. He couldn't move.
Nikolas laughed. "You must feel like a fly on flypaper right now." He stopped inches away from Michael and studied him. Then he reached out and lightly rested his fingers on Michael's forehead. Instantly a wave of dizziness swept through Michael.
"I think I'll do this slowly," Nikolas said. "I want to enjoy it."
Where was Isabel? Was she just going to watch this happen? Michael shot a glance at her. She was healing Alex, lost in the connection.
Michael struggled against the cave wall. Straining his muscles.
I'm doing this the wrong way, he realized. His thoughts felt slow, as if his brain wasn't working right. Nikolas is using power to hold me in place. That means I have to use power to break free.
Michael closed his eyes. He needed to focus on the power inside him, not what was going on around him. He let the taste of blood in his mouth and the pain in his head fade into the background. He let his fury at Nikolas fade.
Yes. Now he could concentrate on the force field. Now he could feel it against his skin. Slick, and oily, and thin. Very thin.
"Aarrgh!" Michael channeled his power and smashed a hole in the force field. He broke one hand free from the cave wall.
His eyes opened, and he shoved his fingers onto Nikolas's chest. Connect, he ordered himself. And that's all it took. The connection was instantaneous. Maybe because Nikolas was an alien, too.
Michael focused his attention on Nikolas's left lung. He used his mind to crush the cells together.
Nikolas gasped for breath. Michael kept shoving the cells together. He would collapse Nikolas's lung if he had to.
Nikolas kept his fingers locked on Michael's forehead. Michael's head began to pound. Jagged streaks of red light flashed in front of his eyes.
He struggled to keep his focus on Nikolas's lung tissue. Crush it, he thought. I have to crush it. His vision blurred. His hand began to slip off Nikolas's chest. He dug his fingernails into Nikolas's shirt, keeping the connection. And he smiled when he heard Nikolas wheeze as he struggled to pull air into his damaged lung.
Michael gathered his strength and bashed another hole in the force field. Now his head was free. He shook it back and forth, trying to knock Nikolas's fingers off. But Nikolas wouldn't let go.
Michael's vision dimmed. He was going to black out. Nikolas was going to win.
"Stop it!" Isabel screeched. Her voice sounded far away. Outside the connection.
Suddenly her face loomed in front of his. She pushed Nikolas back, away from Michael's fingers. Nikolas's hand slipped off Michael's head.
The connection was broken.
The force field disappeared, and Michael tumbled to the floor. He didn't try to stand up. He turned his healing powers on himself. Dissolving the two blood clots Nikolas had formed in his brain. Repairing the torn blood vessels.
"Okay, let's just call that a tie," Isabel said, her voice harsh. "I hope you've both figured out that there's no way one of us can kill the other-without ending up dead, too."
Michael grabbed Alex's arm and pulled him up off the floor. "Come on, Isabel," he said.
She didn't move.
"I said come on," he snarled.
"You can't tell me what to do," Isabel whispered.
"What the hell has happened to you?" Michael exploded. "This jerk just tried to kill me! He hurt Alex! I am not going to leave you alone with him. Now come on-we're going home."
Isabel's eyes blazed. "No."
Without another word, Michael turned his back and left her there.
***
Isabel gazed at herself in her dresser mirror on Sunday morning. She'd been staring for so long that her face didn't look like a face anymore-just a jumble of shapes and colors.
"We're going to the office for a few hours, honey. We'll be back around one," Mrs. Evans called through Isabel's closed bedroom door. "Max is already gone, so you're on your own."
"Okay," Isabel answered. "Bye."
The spell was broken. Her face looked like a face again. Isabel turned away from the mirror. She wondered if Nikolas would come by for her. Nikolas never made plans in advance. He just roared up on his motorcycle and she jumped on.
When he did show up, Isabel knew she had to have a talk with him. A long talk. Usually when she started to say something Nikolas didn't want to hear, he would kiss her. By the time she floated back to earth, she would pretty much have forgotten her point.
But she wasn't going to let him do that. Not this time. She had to make it very clear that if she was going to be with Nikolas, he had to promise never to use his powers against Alex, Max, Michael, Liz, or Maria. If he wouldn't do that, she would walk away. No matter how she felt about him. No matter how right it felt to be in his arms.
She had a few little things she wanted to say to the others, too. It's not like they'd been so totally perfect. Isabel pulled her hair back into a ponytail and frowned at her reflection.
Why did it have to be this way? Why couldn't they all see how incredible it was to have Nikolas around? For all their lives they'd thought they were alone here. Just the three of them. And now there was someone else, someone like them.
Michael and Max should be excited about Nikolas. They should have accepted him as part of their group. And Liz, Maria, and Alex-even Alex-should be happy that Isabel had found one of her own kind to be with. Someone who understood her. Someone who taught her not to be afraid…
Isabel's thoughts were interrupted by the doorbell. Nikolas! She rushed out of her room and d
own the stairs. She swung open the front door and saw Alex standing there.
Of course it wasn't Nikolas. Nikolas was not a doorbell kind of guy.
Looking at Alex, Isabel couldn't help thinking about what she saw when she healed him last night. The inside of Alex's mind was like an Isabel shrine. He remembered things about her that she didn't even remember.
Connecting with Alex convinced her that he was on her side. He was not happy with the whole Nikolas situation. But he would always be there for her.
Even after she let her boyfriend knock him out…
Isabel quickly pushed that thought aside. So Nikolas had a wild side. He was always nice to her. And that was all that mattered. Right?
***
Alex shifted his weight from one foot to the other. Was Isabel going to say anything?
"So are you here to see me or Max?" Isabel asked softly "I know everything isn't about me."
Was that supposed to be an apology? Alex wondered. "I'm here to see you," he answered.
Isabel stepped back and swung open the door. "Do you want some toast or something?"
"You're offering to cook for me? I'm touched," Alex answered. She does seem like she's trying to say she's sorry, in an Isabel kind of way, he thought.
"Come on." Isabel led the way into the kitchen. "My parents and Max already ate, but I think they might have left some muffins." She picked up a plate covered with crumbs. "Or maybe not."
"I'm not really hungry, anyway," Alex said. His stomach was in knots. He didn't want to have this conversation with Isabel. But he needed to.
"Are you feeling okay? Your head?" Isabel asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine. You do good work." He sat down in one of the kitchen chairs. Isabel sat across from him. Not next to him, across from him. So don't get too excited about the whole implied-apology thing, he thought. She's hardly throwing herself at your red-haired self.
"Uh, the reason I've called you all here…" Alex took a deep breath. "It's because I'm worried about you."
"You don't have-" she began to protest.
"Wait. Let me finish," Alex said. "I know you hate being told what to do. But sometimes what people are telling you to do is the right thing to do, you know?"
