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 Maria's Jetta screams down the road, smoke pouring from the tailpipe.
"Hey, I just got this back from the shop!" shouts Maria.
Michael ignores her and pulls a sharp 45% right turn onto the desert floor.
"Michael!"
"I'll fix it," says Michael, slightly annoyed.
"Yea, right," says Maria. "You break it, I fix it."
"I fixed your bumper, didn't I?"
Maria sinks in the seat, pouting slightly. Yes, he did do that.
 Max can't hide his astonishment. He studies the cave map closely. It DOES fit. It's in a direct line between the library and the pod chamber.
"The Crashdown's been in the family for years," says Liz. "My grandfather ran a bar and restaurant here before the war. It was called Parker's. It was a military hangout. After the 1947 crash, he renamed it The Crashdown to attract the curiosity seekers."
"Why would something be hidden at the Crashdown?"
"Nasedo could have gone to the Crashdown looking for information, you know... like where to find the pods or something."
"He couldn't possibly have hidden something here. There were too many people around."
"Well, maybe he gave it to someone."
"Your grandmother?" says Max. It's possible, he thought. "But why?"
Liz cocks her head. That was her problem. She didn't know why ... well, ... not exactly. How was she going to explain it to Max without sounding ridiculous.
"We should go," says Max.
Liz nods.
The Jetta skids to a stop and Michael jumps out.
"This is it," says Michael (to himself more than Maria). "Just as Max described it."
Maria is just getting out from the Jetta as Michael breaks into a short run.
"Michael, wait!" shouts Maria as she grabs the emergency flashlight from the car and scrambles to catch up to him.
Michael stands at the base of the cliff when Maria catches up with him.
"Somewhere up there is a key to our existence."
Maria shades her eyes.
"More like not."
Michael frowns.
"Do you always have to be so sarcastic?"
"Takes one to know one."
You could be a little more supportive."
Maria whacks him with the flashlight.
"How's this?"
Michael kicks himself for not remembering. Why does always feel like such an idiot around Maria. He grabs the flashlight and begins to head up the barest trace of a track where the cliff dwellers had walked before them. Maria trails close behind him, muttering to herself.
"This is where they must have entered," says Michael, ducking into a hole which once would have been a more defined doorway.
Inside, the dirt floor is scattered by shards of pottery and rock.
"No place like home," says Maria, picking her way carefully through the debris.
"Here," says Michael, flashing the light on some rocks. "This is where Max and Liz must have been. These look like they been placed here recently."
"How can you tell? It doesn't look any like there has been anyone here for a very long time."
Michael shines the light on a sneaker footprint.
"Oh," says Maria.
"There's writing on the walls somewhere," says Michael. He shines the light and settles on the orb signal Max and Liz had found.
"This is it," he says. He touches the orb signal and it begins to glow. A fixed ray of light forms, then a hologram shapes near Maria who screams when the hologram begins to speak.
"If you are seeing me now ...."
As Liz and Max exit the cave, an unexpected visitor greets them.
"Ms. Parker, Mr. Evans ... a little out of the way for extra curricular activities, isn't it?"
Liz and Max stand in horror. Liz recovers first.
"Mr. Seligman!" Liz looks to Max for a cover story, but he is so shocked that he remains silent.
"Ummmm," says Liz, wheels spinning in her head, "we were just checking out the cave paintings." Max shoots Liz a fearful look. He's not sure where this is going.
"Cave paintings," says Seligman, with an expression that shows his utter disbelief.
"Cave paintings," agrees Max warily.
Liz remembers her grandmother's book and hurriedly pulls it from her book bag which Max is carrying.
She hands it to Mr. Seligman.
"My grandmother wrote this book," says Liz.
Seligman reads the title. "Lost Treasures of the Southwest Indians" by Claudia Parker.
"We were just visiting some of the places she had been for her research."
Max adds, now understanding what Liz is trying to do. "We have a friend at the reservation and he showed us the cave."
"Really?" Seligman thumbs through the book and asks, "And where is this friend now?"
"He had something else to do," says Liz, a little too quickly. It's not lost on Seligman.
"Your grandmother is an archeologist, isn't she?"
"Yes ...," she says, then awkwardly corrects herself. "Was. ... She died a couple of years ago."
"Archaeology is a worthwhile occupation," he says, stopping at Plate 9, handing the book back to Liz.
Max and Liz take a deep breath and exchange a furtive look.
"Are you interested in archeology, Mr. Seligman?" asks Max.
"Communicating with the dead tells us a great deal about our past," he says to Max, "... and our future" he adds to Liz.
Liz finds Mr. Seligman’s comment particularly disturbing and grows more uncomfortable.
"Why are you out here?” she asks.
"I'm collecting samples for class."
"Samples?" questions Max.
"Contrary to current thinking, a teacher's work doesn't end at the final bell. These samples will be used in the fall should you care to attend class, Mr. Evans."
The pointed reference to Max doesn't escape them. Max had several unexcused absences. Max feels a little guilty, but not as much as Liz ... who knows those absences had more to do with her than Max's lack of interest in school.
"Maybe we should just let you go back to work," says Liz.
"Yeah," says Max.
"Since both of you are here," says Mr. Seligman, "perhaps you can help an old and wizened teacher carry his samples back to his car."
Max and Liz exchange looks. They weren't getting off easy.
Max reluctantly takes the satchel Mr. Seligman hands him and the three of them begin walking towards the edge of Frazier Woods.
Michael and Maria stare at the hologram.
"Who is that!?!" exclaims Maria.
"Shut up and listen."
"... In June 1947 of the Earthen calendar, several ships fled from our home planet in an effort to save and protect the Royal Four. Many were pursued by Kivar's armada. Three ships, disabled by firepower in a thunderstorm, were forced to crash in the New Mexico desert, including the ship that bore the Royal Four and the cloned decoys which crashed outside of Roswell, New Mexico. Many of the crew died, leaving behind a small group to care and protect the Royal family. Yes, some of us still survive."
"Tell us something we don't know," says Maria.
"Because of our dwindling ranks, we have enlisted in the help of certain humans who have proven helpful in assisting us to ensure the survival of The Royal Four. These "friends" may be identified by a broken pendant which can be matched to its other half by a protector or member of the Royal household."
"That's new."
"We are all now hidden from plain sight."
"That's really helpful," says Maria.
"Since only the Royal Four are able to access this message, I must assume that you are still alive. Activation of the 'underground' now commences. We will find you." The hologram dissipates.
"I don't like the sound of that," says Maria.
"Hey, like he said, they're friends. Like Riverdog."
"And I suppose you consider Nasedo a friend, too, huh? Especially since he made a deal with Kivar."
"We don't know that. We only have Tess' word for that."
"Exactly. You can't trust these people any more than you can Nasedo or Tess. Fifty-something years is a long time, Michael. Trust no one, remember?"
Michael reluctantly nods.
Liz and Max help Mr. Seligman finish loading his samples in the car.
"Have you considered any particular colleges yet, Liz?" asks Mr. Seligman.
Liz nods.
Well, I had thought about Harvard. ..." her voice trailing off.
"I'm sure they will be pleased to have you," says Seligman.
"Thank you," says Liz, who right now, wanted to be as far away from Seligman as possible.
"Oh, and I think you'll really be interested in some of the material we'll be exploring next term."
"Really?"
"Yes, we'll be looking at genetic cloning."
Liz couldn't stifle the little gasp that rose in her throat.
"I thought that might excite you," he says, smiling.
Mr. Seligman climbs in his SUV and offers the pair a ride to their car.
Although it's now an even longer walk back, they both quickly decline and begin to retrace their steps."
"God, I thought he never was going to leave," says Liz. "Do you think he believed us?"
"No, but it's a teacher's nature to be suspicious."
"What do you mean?"
"I think he thinks we were making out in the cave."
"Really?" says Liz, somewhat relieved. "I had this awful feeling that he knew EXACTLY why we were there."
"I don't think he's ever forgiven me for distracting you sophomore year."
"Well," she says, "I've forgiven you."
"Really?"
She suddenly remembers Tess.
"Maybe."
Max takes Liz's hand. Neither hears the SUV rolling back. Mr. Seligman pulls out binoculars and trains them on Max and Liz.
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