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Thanks to everyone following this story. I am flattered by all the positive reviews. Thank you all. Hopefully, I can keep the story interesting. If anyone has any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to ask or pm me.

xmag- Well you have read most of what I have written. So based on that, do you trust me? As always, thanks.

April- Thanks. You know, although I do not leave much feedback for your stories, you are one of the few AU without Aliens authors I read. (You, nibbles2, and orangesky.)

valentinebaby- Thanks.

madhaj01- well here is the next part. I hope you enjoy. Thanks.

emadaps- I hope you continue to enjoy. As to Maria, well, I can't tell you what I am doing quite yet. But this much I can tell you. She did not survive the explosion.

Marsis- Hope you continue to enjoy.

sarammlover- I hope you enjoy it. Maria's death, no matter what happens, will be crucial to how things in this story shape up. Thank you again.

Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.

Unfinished Business part 1

Michael-

Michael used every trick he knew. And some he invented on the spot in his one man march of doom.

Except his men were following him.

And trying to help him even as he did the impossible. What they thought as he flung barricades around with the flick of a finger, or killed with a gesture he did not no.

Nor to be honest did he care.

He was done.

Done with hiding.

Maybe Isabel had had the right idea all along. Maybe he was a fool for aiding these humans.

Twelve years. It had bought him twelve years with Maria. During those precious times when he was home. Twelve years and three beautiful children.

No. They had kept most of their bargain. He was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt in regards to Maria.

Three enemies rushed around the corridor, their ubiquitous AK-47's firing.

Hadn't they learned yet? He was unstoppable.

The corridor glowed with eldritch energies and their bodies were disrupted, leaving only dust.

In retrospect that should have warned him.

Warned him that the past was coming to light.

But he was so full of power. It had been years since he had actually really used his power at maximum. Years since he had been in the lab.

Years in which he had grown stronger.

Isabel was right. There was a … rush to really exercising his gifts like this. Letting the anger flow.

Michael didn't even realize that bits of the walls were melting under his assaults.

None of the enemy could hide from him. He could… sense their presence. And he was careful not to shoot his own men.

He was so into the groove…. Moving and killing every enemy he came across, that he totally missed the fact that some of his threats were blasting back at him.

Most of them harmlessly were deflected by his distortion screen, just as the bullets had been. (For the most part. He'd gotten hit a couple of times by spent bullets and ricochets. Thank goodness for modern body armor.)

But he was nearing what the brass considered the end of the cave, near the labs they thought were here.

The reason they couldn't just blast the hell out of the cave.

It was there he was thrown back. By a familiar adolescent.

Nicholas.

What the hell was Nicholas doing in Afghanistan?

He backed up, shoring up his defenses.

Nicholas smiled. "So I see you still don't have the balls to fight your own wars. Still working for the highest bidder. Some things never change. Your still the same stupid Rath you were all those years before on Antar."

"Speaking of balls, are your masters ever going to let you have a body where you'd be able to use them?"

Nicholas launched an attack, which Michael met with his own. There had been a time when an ally had said Nicholas was more than a thousand times stronger than any of the Roswellian hybrids.

Maybe so. That had been years ago. Time to see if that balance had changed.

And so the air shimmered between two of the strongest Antar had ever had to offer, strength matched to strength.

-------
It might have gone on quite a while had not a quick witted sergeant intervened.

Both of the combatants were consumed with their need to fight and fight off their enemy.

So the Sergeant fired a grenade, not at Nicholas, but beside him. He had been watching how nothing heading straight at Michael had made it through. They had wrapped around him.

This strange adolescent boy seemed to have a similar power.

No need to take any chances.

His only worry was that it might shock his Lieutenant, break his concentration. But then, it would be closer to the boy…..

The explosive blast did break Michael's concentration. Leaving him wide open to another attack.

It also broke Nicholas's seal. He burst into a sea of flakes.

The Sergeant walked over and checked on Michael.

One of the other men walked past and checked on the room that Nicholas had been guarding, moving with caution. What he saw….

"Uh, Sarge, Lieutenant. I, I think you should see this…..

Rows upon rows of glass vessels holding bodies.

Holding husks.

-------
Liz-

Liz had to act fast. Her powers to see the future did not always give her much time.

She concentrated on her sense of Maria, to warn her. And she reached into herself… and she was there.

Liz had been to Maria's house before. Never physically, but she would spend time with her friend from time to time.

Most people could not see her. Why that was the case, she wasn't sure. She had visited her mother, and as far as Liz could tell she had never seen her.

Maria could. All of the old gang could. And Ava. So she kept in contact with her friends.

But there were limits. Harsh limits. This form could not affect the environment in anyway. She couldn't feel, couldn't talk.

How she could see and hear boggled her scientific mind. She'd actually spent nights trying to pin exactly how she could do what she did.

No luck yet.

So she saw Maria talking with Stephanie. And she waved her hands vigorously trying to get attention.

But Maria closed her eyes.

Stephanie caught sight of her and halted.

It was the first time one of Maria's kids had seen her. But Maria had told Liz that she had talked about it to them.

Hopefully she'd taught them sign language, too. That was the only effective way for her to communicate.

She flashed a couple of quick signs to a startled Stephanie, warning her of her mother's danger.

There was a slight pause before she signed back. And ran back towards the car. To save her mother.

Liz could hear Stephanie's scream…. It like the explosion would haunt her dreams for years to come.

Liz felt as Maria died.

Another gift of Max's.

She knew it was futile but she ran to try to save Stephanie. Who was so very close.

Nothing touched her. Her upraised hands shimmered with force, her face a picture of terror.

It was the first use of power that Liz was aware of in the next generation. Both Liz and Maria had kept and compared close notes with each other on their kids.

Until now she had thought them completely normal. Certainly their cells had looked normal….

Liz's mind was whirling in a million directions. Slowly settling on implacable rage. She had felt this before.

Once.

When Alex had died.

Oh, when Max had died, she had felt crushed. Crushed totally flat. She had known that she'd have never recover from that. That part of her had died.

But she'd not been driven to avenge him.

Not like she had been with Alex.

Or like now.

She would storm Hell or overthrow Heaven if that was what it took to gain Justice.

But she was older now. More mature. She wouldn't make the same mistakes she had made all those years ago. She still had duties and responsibilities.

And her children.

She knew as well that Max would support her as well.

She had been so sure that fate would leave them be. That the alien madness was over. Even Maria's life had been mostly normal.

Maria's children. What would happen to her children?

Michael was still off in some far off war torn spot.

She knew he would know what had happened. But the details…..

Stephanie still stood there hands raised for a few moments before she attacked the still burning car.

What Liz would have done to be able to actually BE there, to actually comfort her….

"Well hello there. You must be Liz Parker. Excuse me, Liz Evans. Or whatever it is you are calling yourself these days."

It was a tall man, looking somewhat familiar.

And he could see her.

Stephanie was still trying to get her mother out of the car, heedless of the burns it was giving her.

Liz tried to sign her, to warn her of the man, but she wouldn't look at Liz.

"Don't worry, I will protect her. I will protect my niece and nephews until you get here. Bye Liz, say hi to the King." He touched her image.

And Liz was back in her room.

------
Max-

Max was enjoying a quiet afternoon with his kids. Claudia had long ago given up on building Legos with him and Jimmy. She was on the couch reading.

The youngest was sleeping quietly on a rolled up blanket.

But it was Jimmy he was spending time with today. He watched the intent look Jimmy had as he placed each type of Lego in its specific place.

So like his mother.

Max closed his eyes for a moment. Sometimes life could be so hard.

He opened his eyes suddenly. Something was wrong. Very, very wrong.

He got up, "I'll be right back champ."

Jimmy only nodded, still sorting the pieces from the item they had disassembled.

Claudia was more perceptive. She looked up, "Daddy?"

"One moment."

She bit her lip, looking so like Liz it hurt.

From the pain radiating from the bedroom he half expected to see the love of his life bleeding to death as she nearly had all those years before on the Crashdown floor.

Instead she was packing.

"Liz?"

She looked up at him, her mind obviously running at a million miles an hour. Her eyes were full of so much pain….

He walked over to her and held her.

She stiffened for a moment and then melted into his arms. But not with passion, but rather in need of comfort.

And he gave it, as much as she would allow him to. She was so tense.

He looked down at her soft hair. Even now, even when he knew that some horrible thing had either happened or would happen, he still could not get over the joy he felt at holding at her.

That sense of elation had not faded, even after all these years.

"Liz?"

She looked up at him. "Maria is dead."

"What?""

Liz kissed him and broke away. And just like that she was packing again. Just taking the essentials. "We are leaving. Going to Maryland and picking up her kids. I will try to get a hold of Kyle or Isabel so that Isabel can work her magic and get in touch with Michael. You know how I can never find him….."

Shock was still reverberating through him. Vibrant Maria was dead? He had not seen her in years, save through flashes from Liz….. But she had never lost that zest for life….

And now she was dead.

He looked at his wife. Read the signs.

Liz was on the warpath again.

"What about the kids?"

"We are taking them."

"No I meant ours."

"So did I. Something's not right Max. Her car exploded. Someone planted that bomb."

"Somehow I sense there is more."

"Stephanie used power to protect herself from being hurt or killed from the explosion."

"She was in the car?"

"No, look Max, I can give you a blow by blow on the way to the airport. But first you need to get the tickets. Screw the cost. First flight you can get for all of us. Rental cars for both of us."

"Hotel?"

"Just to be safe, yes."

There was so much he wanted to say. Things that he would say later, when her frenzy wore down. When she would need his support desperately.

But for now, she needed him to back her up.

Jimmy was putting up the Lego box into its storage space, the floor they had been playing clean of pieces.

He always wondered if Jimmy had inherited Liz's precognition.

But that simply wasn't possible.

And he made the necessary phone calls.

-------
Ava-

Ava shut the door and stared at the wall for a long time.

Was it some genetic curse? Some sort of karmic debt?

Was she like her sister forever doomed to love someone already taken?

No she wouldn't force the issue. She wasn't Tess.

The very name of her sister was bitter in her mouth. She'd had it all, had everything Ava would have killed for.

And wasted it. And more.

She had ruined her 'friends' lives too. Her actions forcing them to scurry around in the shadows.

She sighed softly. She wasn't fit company for anyone tonight. She got into some comfortable clothes and canceled her plans. A few good movies, some pizza, and some Ben and Jerry's should brighten her mood for tomorrow.

For tomorrow would always come.

And with it a glimmer of hope.

A glimmer of hope and a cup of despair.

-------
Kyle-

Kyle pulled into their apartment.

The truth was he did not like to watch Isabel interrogate their captives.

He worried about her. Worried what the hate might be turning her into.

What it might be turning himself into.

But he cared more for her. He had for years.

He loved her. He would follow her anywhere, do what ever she needed him to do…. But their actions would have consequences. He knew that, even if she would not admit to it.

They had strayed far from Justice. Revenge, yes, they would get their revenge.

But if by some miracle, they succeeded what would they do then?

Isabel did not love him. Not like he did her. Kyle was well aware of it.

He had never gotten one flash from her. Not one.

Mind you, the sex was amazing. And it was more than just the physical act. She did something to him. Something not normal.

Dharma knew that he used every trick he could think of to bring her pleasure.

It was like a taste of something wonderful, with the understanding that there was more. If she were only willing to share.

But she wasn't. Not with him.

But he loved her anyway.

He walked into their apartment.

Isabel was going over the notes, a perplexed frown on her pretty face.

"So, what did you find out? Do we have to move?'

"No. Actually we don't. They weren't even looking for us." She got up and handed him a note book. "This is what I got from him."

He looked over the report. And he did not like what it spoke of. He looked up at Isabel, "Their back."

"Huh?"

"The Skins. The Skins are back on Earth."

Thanks for everyone following along this story.

xmag- Thanks as always. The stranger claims to be Michael's brother. This will be explained in the next couple of parts. As for the Kyle/Isabel/Ava dynamic, well it is complicated. And is due to be even more complicated after not this part but the next. As for how I am going to save Maria, I have to admit there may be some metaphysical questions brought up. That will also be in next weeks part.

Marsis- Thank you. Yep, the Skins are not invulnerable, nor are the humans helpless. And at this point Michael is willing to give the government a certain amount of reasonable doubt. And aid if he can. He just wants to get back to protect his kids and to comfort them.

As for the Ava/Kyle/Isabel dynamic, well I have not fully resolved that issue firmly in my mind. What you have in mind is one of the possibilities I am playing with. And Ava does have a part to play outside of forming a love triangle. One that will become more complicated as the story wears on.

I hope you continue to enjoy.

April- Thanks. This story is not going to be nearly as long as IDS, but its not going to be short either. As for that comment, well it just seemed a very Michael thing to say.

emadaps- Michael actually made a deal with the army back at the end of 2002 because of Stephanie. The details of that deal, and why Michael isn't just in some lab somewhere will be discussed in future parts.

valentinebaby- Poor Liz. Poor Stephanie. Both got a front row seat to Maria's death. As to whether Nicholas is dead, well the answer to that will get more complicated in the part following this one. Is Nicholas dead? Maybe. Did he die. Yes. Under the best of circumstances Michael will need to be debriefed first. Under the worst.....

imaspacegirl23-Thanks. And no its a valid question. The answer is the same as I gave about Nicholas in the previous part. Did she die? Yes. Is she dead? Maybe. (But seriously, while I typically write ensemble pieces, I am known to be very candy friendly.)

And welcome aboard.

Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.

Unfinished Business part 2

Isabel-

Isabel sat down heavily on her cream colored couch.

She wanted to deny what Kyle had said. That whole period with the Skins…. That had been when her life had come totally off the wheels.

It had been the beginning of the end for her. When she had learned, finally learned who she had been.

Vilandra. Traitorous princess of Antar. A vicious bitch that had caused the death of all her loved ones and had overthrown the order she had been born into.

All for a man. Khivar.

The memories of that time, of that world, still were faint whispers. Only Tess had claimed to have known more.

The thought of Tess sent bursts of rage and despondency careening through her head.

Isabel closed her eyes.

Alex.

Even after all those years, she still remembered him. What could have been.

What should have been.

Those flashes she had seen, those dreams she had visited…. They should have told her, should have let her know how important he would have been to her. How important he should have been to her.

Kyle's voice seemed faint in her little well of memory, "Uh, Isabel….."

But her mind was on Alex. On memories of the past, of bitter regrets…..

She had run from them, had ruined the life of another upstanding man, one who had loved her.

All those she had brought herself to love died. Grant. Alex. Jesse.

Whispers of power swept from her, filling the room. Touching all the objects in her room. In the whole apartment she shared with Kyle.

A man she cared for. A man she liked. A man she would not let herself love.

She would not.

Because then he would die.

And she would be all alone.

To love her was to die. A part of her wanted to send Kyle away, to push him away as she had with Alex all those years ago.

But she couldn't. She just could not face the world alone. Not when she knew how close to the edge she was.

When she knew what she was capable of.

Kyle was her conscience. Isabel knew the lines were blurring for her. That her thirst for revenge was corroding her humanity.

Humanity! What a joke….. Like most of mankind would not happily consign her to a cage to be poked and prodded until she died….

Isabel began to weep. To sob for what had been. For what could have been.

Memories.

And the power began to flow from her.

---------
Kyle

Kyle stared at Isabel, his heart breaking. Isabel was remembering her loved ones.

Alex. Or Jesse. Kyle wasn't sure which she had loved more.

He thought it was Alex. But she never talked about it. And she had devoted her life to eliminate those who had killed her parents and husband.

And his father.

Kyle blinked his eyes, stopping the tears.

It would be too easy to slip into his own regrets. To let the pain overwhelm him.

Kyle shook his head.

Isabel. She had never been able to mind warp. Not like Tess could. But she could influence emotions.

If Kyle were to knock on their neighbors doors, and ask them what they were thinking about, he knew what he would find.

Grief. Regrets. Memories.

It would take everyone differently, based on their own life experiences. On their memories.

He glanced at the shelves. At all the small things Isabel had accumulated over their two year stay in Las Vegas.

They were beginning to dance. To move through the air.

They didn't really have time for this. There were things they needed to discuss. Plans that needed to be made.

Particularly how much information to share with El Presidente and Soldier Boy. They needed to know. But Max was living a normal life with Liz and three kids. And Michael had his own strangely pleasant life with Maria and the Army.

Isabel was still mad at Michael over that. Still jealous of Max.

Hell he agreed with both sentiments.

And then there was Ava….

How much were they going to share with their family? With what remained of their family?

Instead he could barely suppress his growing excitement and arousal.

Kyle knew what was going to come next. The air would fill with their possessions. Would form a vortex around Isabel.

Nothing would hit him. Nothing would break. And when she was done everything would be exactly where it was supposed to be. Exactly as she wanted it.

Isabel was precise.

And she would need him. Isabel would need him.

He would hold her. And she would come alive in his arms. She would seek to drown her pain in the pleasures of the flesh. She would use him.

Not that he minded. Nope. Not one bit.

Kyle couldn't help keep a half smile off of his face. Their relationship was pretty fucked up. But at the moment he didn't care.

He just wished he could remove some of the pain from Isabel. Take it from her or remove it somehow. This wouldn't really help, it would just bury it for her.

There had to be a way….

He walked over to her, the items whirling around her swerving to avoid him. And he held her.

The melancholy and bitterness radiating from her did not quite fade, but a new emotion began to dominate. Desire.

Kyle kissed her. She kissed him back like he was her savior.

After a few moments of kissing and roaming hands she pushed him back and looked at him. The air was filled with their possessions swirling about them. "It is you." She kissed him again.

And they made love. Or had sex.

Whatever. Kyle didn't really care at that moment.

------
Liz-

Liz stood there amidst the whirling items watching as her sister-in-law and her friend began their love making.

No way she could get their attention now.

Not that they would thank her if she could.

Wave after wave of passion swelled through her. Liz could feel her own distant body begin to respond.

She snapped back to her body. Could feel the ache and need.

Her mind ran through a list of things they needed to do. So much to do in such a little time. No real time for sex.

And then there were the kids. It wasn't like they were alone at the moment…..

She left her bed room and walked over to Claudia's room. "Claudia, are you ready? Have you packed everything you need?"

Claudia looked up at her, her head tilted as she took in her mother. "Yeah. Do you need me to help with the others?"

"No they are ready. I was wondering if you could take the others outside for a little. We are going to be cooped up in a plane for a while and…."

"You want to be alone with Dad."

"I, uh, yeah."

Claudia looked at her watch. "How long do you need me to keep them out there?"

"A half hour?"

"Right. It's not like I didn't see this coming. Just please be done, okay? Its bad enough that I know." Claudia left to fetch her brother and sister and take them outside.

Claudia was such a good kid. Both Liz and Maria had been lucky with their kids. Stephanie for instance…

Liz felt her eyes grow teary at the memory of Maria.

Her best friend was dead. Her last link to her happy childhood. One of the last links to her life pre-alien chaos.

Max came in the room behind her. "Liz? Claudia said she was going to take the others outside for a little bit. That you told them to. Aren't we a little pressed for time?"

Liz looked up at Max. At the brown eyes that sometimes seemed to flash golden.

And she kissed him.

Moments later, both gasping for breath. He raggedly asked, "How much time do we have?"

"I told her thirty, she'll likely give us a bit more than that. But you are right, we are pressed for time. It's just that…."

Max nodded. "Well, if we are on a time limit…." He picked her up and carried her to their room.

And they made the best use of their time.

-------
Michael-

Michael closed his eyes and tried to remain calm.

They had to debrief him. He knew that. They had to know what kind of threat their world was facing.

But he needed to get home to his kids.

They needed him.

Michael still didn't cry. There had only been two people he had ever felt safe enough to show such weakness.

One was his estranged sister Isabel.

The other was dead.

Oh, Maria…..

-----
Stephanie

Stephanie would have liked to do nothing more than to break down and sob her heart out.

That was not an option.

Mom was dead. Dad was off in Afghanistan for how long she didn't know.

She had to protect her brothers. From this man. Who was far from normal. He had carried her in, took her away from her mother's body.

And healed her burns. She still had to look at her hands to check. No blisters. No cuts.

Plain untouched skin. That simply was not normal.

She knew a little bit about her family. That her father had gifts, similar to this strangers. That he worked to help the government make the world a safe place.

That he had enemies.

And this stranger had sent Liz away. Oh, she knew about Liz. She had seen her talking with her mother before. She'd spied on them, eager to learn the secrets that her parents kept from her.

For she was different. Her brothers were different. They couldn't do anything yet, but then they were babies.

Stephanie was almost twelve. And she'd meant to talk with her mom about it. She really had meant to.

But she had never really felt comfortable about it. Maria had seemed happy that her daughter was normal. That the 'Abyss' would not consume their lives.

In truth she wanted to talk to her dad. She knew that he was like her. That he could do things. Make things move.

Make them explode.

Dad would understand.

But he was so far away, and, and the few times she could talk to him on the computer she knew others were listening. Even if her brothers or mother were out of the room. She just knew.

So she watched the man while her two brothers just held each other.

They had felt it too. Mom had always wondered how she could never sneak up on her kids.

It had taken years before Stephanie realized that not everyone could sense exactly where there parents were.

She closed her eyes and felt as her dad, who was so far away grew closer. Maybe he was coming home.

Until then she had to watch this stranger. Make sure he didn't hurt her brothers.

"Who are you?"

"Um, well that's an interesting question, now isn't it? Call me Trevor. I'm your father's brother, from his old home town so to speak. Surely he told you about me?"

Stephanie felt a bit of pressure, like something was trying to get into her head. She glared up at him. "Neither of my parents have any family left. Dad was an orphan. He didn't have any brothers."

Trevor looked at her. "My you are a precocious child. Look, the authorities will be here shortly. They will try to take you away. Your mother's friend Liz is on the way. I think you father would much prefer you were in her care than any other."

"What were you trying to do to me?"

"A harmless trick that would make you see my point of view. Make it so that when they question you, you will answer correctly."

"Stay out of my head."

"Sure thing. Just you really will be better if you just allow me to."

Stephanie glared up at him. She reached into herself, into that part of her that let her move things and got ready to use it.

"Now don't be hasty, my child. Very well. But you will have to lie. Of course, most of it is the truth."

"I don't trust you."

"And that is a good thing. But you will still have to do what I say when I say it. It is for your own good."

"You grown ups always say that…."

"Sometimes it is true. I don't plan to stay long. I am sorry about your mother. I simply could not get here in time. But that bomb was meant not just for her."

"What do you mean?"

"What do you normally do on nights like this?"

Stephanie didn't say anything. Her mother would usually take them to a restaurant of some type. It was their special night. All of them would pile into the car and…..

"All of you would have been there. And your father would have gone insane. Possibly might even co-opted."

Stephanie stared up at him, not quite understanding what was going on. But a tiny trace of fear trickled into her.

When she focused she could usually tell if someone was lying.

Trevor wasn't. He wasn't lying.

Whoever had killed their mom had meant to kill them, too.

"Why do you care?"

Trevor looked down at her fondly, "I really am your father's brother. It is just our hometown is a bit further than you might think……"

-------
Ava

Ava hurried down the walkway to Kyle and Isabel's apartment. She could still feel emotional residue all over the place.

Didn't Isabel even bother blocking herself? Didn't she care what it was probably doing to the neighbors?

Ava didn't know what Isabel would make of this news. She knew that Kyle would take it badly. He had liked the melodramatic member of their family.

Isabel, well it was hard to say. Sometimes it seemed like she missed them, others that she thought they had stolen Max and Michael from her.

Liz had told her the plan, had even asked for her help.

Against her better judgment, Ava had agreed.

Oh, well, life had been getting boring anyway. And there was the very real possibility that she would be drawn in anyways. Might as well get involved at the start.

She stopped.

Something was wrong. She could feel it.

She reached inside of herself and scanned the surrounding area.

Skins.

Kyle and Isabel were not alone in their apartment.

She could still walk away….

Ava kicked down the door and fired several distortion blasts at the Skins, killing them instantly.

One blasted back. She killed it quickly with a focused burst. She rushed into the room, still alert for possible enemies. Both Kyle and Isabel seemed unconscious and bruised, they naked bodies sprawled across the couch.

A bruised Kyle said wanly, "Its about time. Didn't they send you an invitation?"

"Only three? Kyle you are slipping."

"I was a little busy. They timed it perfectly. Both of us deep in the afterglow. Both of our guards down.

Ava stalked into their bedrooms and tossed Kyle a robe. She placed another around Isabel. "Yeah, well I could feel the residue all over the place. Lord knows what kind of mood swings the poor local humans were having, let along the family pets."

"Thanks, Ava."

"Yeah, well you can thank me after I deliver my bombshell."

Kyle stood up and surveyed the damage and the drifting flakes. Well you've already run into what I was going to tell you. The Skins are back."

"Huh, never would have guessed. Good thing I kept practicing. Kyle, never count an enemy dead until his corpse is lying at your feet. Then expect his brother."

Kyle grunted.

Ava hated this. She'd had enough death and chaos in her youth. She had gotten out of it. All the way out of it.

And now she was back in it again. Of course, this was a pretty open attack. The Skins must be pretty comfortable about possibly revealing themselves.

Kyle looked at her, like getting blasted across the room and beaten black and blue was an everyday occurrence. Of course knowing Kyle, it could be.

He said, "So what is your news."

"Maria is dead."

Kyle just nodded and walked over to hold Isabel. Isabel was still unconscious.

Ava watched as Kyle used the little healing powers he had to help his lover. The look on his face, the care and love as he gazed down on her….

When will it be my turn?

Ava walked over to help Kyle heal Isabel.

----
Max-

Max took the turn off to the parking garage at the airport. He looked over at Liz. Her eyes were still closed.

She was traveling, trying to get in touch with their friends.

How he wished they could just call each other on the phone like normal people. But it had seemed like such a risk. They had been so far off the radar to risk it. Even contact with Maria had been limited, lest the government get an idea that there was more to the Masons than normal.

Right now he didn't care. He just wanted to get Michael's kids and keep them safe. Hopefully Isabel would not raise a fuss and would be willing to help.

Liz opened her eyes, "I talked to Ava. She is willing to help. She is heading over to Kyle and Isabel's to break the news. I'll drop by later to talk with her."

Max reached over and handed her a bottle of water when they reached a stop.

Liz looked at him gratefully and began to talk with the kids animatedly about their trip.

Even normally quiet Jimmy seemed excited. His large brown eyes and his wavy blonde hair. He looked so much like his sister it made his heart clench. "Can I have a window seat Daddy?"

"Sure thing sport. Just be good as we go through all the crowds okay?"

Max felt good hearing the normal chatter amongst his family.

He would protect them. He had already failed Maria….

He would not fail her children.

They parked the car and got out the luggage.

Liz suddenly froze, her face turning white. She gestured to Claudia, "Get back in the car. We're not going."

"Why?"

"Claudia, just grab Abby and get in the car. Jimmy get back here!"

"But I was going to get a window seat!"

Max looked over at his wife, "Liz?"

"Max, I don't know how, but they've found us. We have to find a way to notify the authorities. That plane…. It is going to explode Max."

"Can we go home? Do they know where we live?"

Liz nodded. Her face looked blank, reading possibilities. "We should be safe if we go right now. We need to activate the Plan though. We have maybe five or six hours and then….."

Max closed his eyes. Their life as the Masons was over.

How had they found us?