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Atherton's Underground, Part 7 Banner

Mr. Seligman unloads geological samples. They are typical samples of geological rock normally found in New Mexico save one. It's a blue crystal. He studies it for a moment, pulls out a pair of tongs and a specimen container. Carefully, he picks out the crystal and deposits it in the jar and seals the jar, then places it on the table, next to his binoculars. These are no regular binoculars, but a fairly new pair, specially developed to carry a roll of film. Mr. Seligman retrieves the roll of film and heads into the darkroom.
Liz pours Max a Cherry Coke and around the Crashdown. There's hardly a soul in the restaurant, not that it mattered. It wasn't her turn to work today. So she was quite happy to get herself a Classic Coke and bring them over to "their booth". She looks over at Max who has been watching her and her eyes light up. He smiles as she walks over and sits opposite him.
"So?" asks Liz.
"Maybe we shouldn't be talking about it here," says Max warily.
"Max, there's nobody here yet and Dad's in the kitchen cleaning the grille."
"There's nothing here. And even if there was, wouldn't it have been found when the Crashdown was renovated?"
Liz frowns. She had forgotten about that.
"Maybe it's in the walls," she said, trying to convince herself.
"You mean, like the Destiny Book, was in the library."
Liz face brightens. That must be it, she thinks.
"Why not?" she says. "Nasedo might have hidden something in the walls the same way so that only one of you could retrieve it."
"I don't know ... "
"We could check tonight ... after closing."
"If you're right about the cave map, what possibly could be hidden here? The book in the library and the communicator by the radio tower makes sense. But the Crashdown? What could be hidden here that makes sense? Food?"
Liz doubts returned. Maybe she was off base. She sips her Coke.
Michael plops down next to Max. Maria is with Michael and slips in next to Liz and whispers in her ear.
"We have to go, Max."
"Liz and I ..."
"NOW! I need to talk to you and I can't do it here."
Max looks at Liz, whose mouth begins to drop open. She stares back at Max.
"Come on," says Maria, tugging at Liz's arm.
"Don't you have to work?"
"I switched with what's her name. Come on," she says, practically yanking Liz from the booth.
Liz half tumbles from the booth.
"Come on, Max," says Michael, impatiently, let's go."
Mr. Seligman drops an exposed photo paper into the developing pan. An image begins to show. It's Max and Liz exiting the cave. After a minute or so, he lifts the photo from the solution with tongs and drops it in the stop bath, then the fixer. He studies the photo for a moment, then he hangs it next to another photo. It's a picture of the cave map. Seligman touches that photo to see if it's dry, then removes it from the line of drying photos. He's seen the rocks before. From a drawer, he pulls out an ordinance map of Roswell and compares it to the cave map. He marks the location on his map with a permanent marker; then the radio tower until all the points are dotted on the map. He then connects points together to form "the V", the Royal Seal of Antar.
"I told you there was something more," says Michael, grabbing a peach Snapple from his refrigerator, then slamming the door shut.
"Nice of you to offer," says Maria in a not too subtle hint.
Michael ignores her. Maria throws up her hands in disgust.
"This is dangerous, Michael. We don't know who these people are."
"They're friends. They're coming for us, Max."
"Like Nasedo was a friend," chimes Maria.
"Hey, they can't be too dangerous is Liz's grandmother was involved."
Liz averts her eyes.
"We don't know that for sure," she says.
"You seemed pretty damned sure."
"Michael, Nasedo sold us out. And so did Tess," says Max, but looking at Liz to gauge her reaction. Did she bristle a little? "So could any one of these people ... aliens."
"Riverdog didn't."
"Michael, all Max is saying is that we should be cautious," backs Liz.
"We're being watched, Michael."
"Yeah, like the FBI, the Skins, Kivar ... basically, the whole galaxy," says Maria, "so hey, what's one more?"
There's a knock at the door.
Everyone freezes for a second. Max holds Michael back from opening the door.
"Michael!"
"I called Isabel."
Max lets Michael go.
Isabel enters the room and senses the tension.
"So what's going on?"
"Michael went back to the cave dwellings."
"Are you crazy?" says an alarmed Isabel. "My God, Michael, there's already enough attention on us with Max and Liz. Do you have to add to it?"
"I found another hologram."
Isabel stops short.
"What?...You mean from our mother?"
"No, from someone else. They're coming for us."
"You're joking."
"No, Isabel, I'm not. Why doesn't anyone take me seriously?"
"We are," says Max, "It's just that we need to move slow on this. We don't need another repeat of Nasedo."
"He's right, Michael," says Isabel.
"First thing we need to do is find out who these people are. Max hands everyone photocopies of the pictures Max and Liz found in the cave dwelling. We need to find out who these people are is with Nasedo, Atherton, and Liz's grandmother."
"They could be dead by now," says Maria offhandedly.
"Maybe," considers Max, but we won't know that until we start looking."
"We should ask Riverdog," says Liz.
Michael brightens. It's the first idea he's heard that makes sense.
"Yeah, Riverdog. Let's go, right now."
"Michael, you're not going," says Max.
Michael can't hide his disappointment.
"Liz and I are."
Liz turns, looks surprised. She steals a look at Michael whose anger simmers below the surface.
"Why don't you and Michael ..." she begins in an effort to smooth things over.
"No," Max affirms, then turns to Michael. "I need you to do something else ... tonight."
Maria pulls the Jetta to the side of the road. Opposite is a one-story house. There's a car in the driveway, but all the lights are out.
"This sucks," says Michael. "We should be talking to Riverdog."
"Max and Liz have that covered."
"Why can't they be doing this?" says Michael, pointing at the one-story house. "It's their problem."
"It may not be a problem at all."
"Exactly!"
Another car pulls into the driveway. From the passenger side, Mr. Seligman exits. From the driver's side, one of the man from the photograph ... looking exactly the same as he did when the photograph was taken with Liz's grandmother.
"What the hell?" says Michael, shocked.
"Or then again, maybe not," says Maria.
Max and Liz pick up an occasional piece of jewelry at the stand. The same woman watches them, more warily this time. She knows they wait for Riverdog. She knows it must be important because Eddie had quickly gone to find Riverdog.
The Mesalikos were all very protective of Riverdog. He had seen things ... knew things from long ago. He had visions, seen the Star People and these children were part of those visions, she sensed. From that night when the girl had visited her stand and Riverdog had recognized the symbol, she felt it and she feared for Riverdog and for her people. She had no idea who they were, only that these two people shaped the destiny of the future.
She notices Liz holds up a beautifully made turquoise necklace.
"It's exquisite, isn't it?" she says.
"Yes, it is," says Liz. "How much is it?"
"$6."
"No," says Liz, "it's worth more than that." She begins to fumble through her purse. Max sees her, pulls out his wallet and gives the woman a twenty.
"Max, you don't have to ..."
"I want to," he says.
The woman gives the necklace to Liz and begins to make change for Max.
"Keep the change," says Max.
She watches Max take the necklace and fasten it around Liz's neck. He loves her, she realizes.
Eddie returns and breaks the spell.
"Follow me," he says. Liz and Max look a little embarrassed, caught in their own emotions. They trail Eddie to a trailer at the edge of the encampment to one of the older trailers. He motions them inside, then leaves.
Max and Liz enter. It's sparsely furnished with simple, plain furniture, tribal art and furnishings. There's incense burning in a pot. Riverdog enters from the hall.
"Please, sit down."
Max and Liz sit on a small sofa covered with an Indian blanket.
"We need your help."
"It must be important if you come here."
Liz takes the photos from her purse and hands them to Riverdog.
"We found these photos in some cave dwellings to the North of town."
Riverdog slowly goes through the photos.
"We were hoping you could tell us who these men are" says Max, pointing to the picture with Atherton.
"The woman in the photo is my grandmother," says Liz.
Riverdog looks at Liz. He had not connected the two.
"She was an archeologist," adds Liz. "She died a couple of years ago"
"Nasedo and Atherton, you know."
He nods.
"Your grandmother," he said, "she was kind and trusting, like you."
"How did she know Atherton?"
"This man," says Riverdog, pointing to one of the men , "worked with Atherton. They were together often."
"Do you remember his name?" presses Max.
"I never heard his name but he was a photographer. He was always taking pictures."
"What happened to him?"
"After Atherton died, he just disappeared."
"Like Nasedo."
Riverdog nods.
"I never saw him again."
And my grandmother?"
"She visited the reservation many times ... "
Liz can't hide her disappointment. Riverdog senses this.
"Your grandmother," he says, "she was there."
"There?" asks Max.
"At the crash. ... in 1947."

Atherton's Underground, Part 8 Banner
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