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 The Valentis and the gang (minus Max and Liz) arrive at the Crashdown. There are police cars everywhere and glass on the sidewalk where someone had broken in during the night. Mr. Parker is outside talking to one of the officers.
"Jeff," says Valenti, "what happened here?"
"The FBI broke in sometime early this morning, before we opened," he says. "But maybe, you need to tell me what's going on."
"What do you mean?" asks Valenti.
"Your deputy has a warrant out for Lizzie," he says.
"Well, there's been kind of a big misunderstanding here," says Valenti. "And it's only fair to tell you that I'm involved, too."
"I don't understand," says Jeff Parker.
"Michael and I have been arrested for the murder of Agent Pierce, an FBI agent who was posing as my deputy last year. There's not much of a case, and Michael and I are out on bail."
"But what has that to do with Lizzie?"
"At the murder scene, I chased off Michael and some of his buddies for drinking."
"Not Lizzie!"
"No, but they also suspect Max Evans."
Mr. Parker nods.
"And your daughter was working for Congresswoman Whitaker, who was dating Pierce when he disappeared."
"She just died in a car accident not to long ago, didn't she?"
"Yeah, well, some people don't think it was an accident now that Pierce's bones had been identified."
"But what does this have to do with Lizzie?"
"They think Liz used her position as Whitaker's aide to destroy evidence that may have indicated than Pierce was murdered."
"Why would she do that?"
"To protect Max."
Liz and Max stand in a large, lit crystalline room. It's very bright, but they can't determine from where the light source emanates. It shimmers like a roaring fire, licking up the walls, reflected in millions of prisms.
"It's so beautiful," says Liz.
Max looks back toward the opening from which the entered. He clearly sees the pods.
"Someone watched us from here," he said.
"Nasedo?" asks Liz.
"Maybe. I don't know."
"But if that were true, Max," she continues, "why would he ... or anyone else have let you and Isabel and Michael wander into the desert?"
"I don't know. Maybe Nasedo was captivity then. Or maybe some other protector died before we were born. ... I don't have the answers."
Liz touched his shoulder and rested her chin there. They stand in a moment of silence ... in awe ... until Max turns to Liz.
He sees the dark circles under her eyes, yet she is so beautiful, even now, still in her robe, which lay a little more open than what might be considered decent. She seems not to notice, but he feels his body stir. Liz watches as he takes his hands and gently pulls the robe together.
"You'll catch cold," he says.
"Thanks," she says. "Maybe I better change."
Max nods.
"Can you turn around?" she asks.
Mrs. Parker wanders around the restaurant while Maria brushes up some of the broken glass. Amy DeLuca is also there. The rest help straighten the mess the FBI agents made the night before.
"Max is a good boy," Amy reassures Nancy, who crosses one arm in front of the other, then brings her hand up to her face. "I'm sure Liz is fine."
"I just don't understand this," she despairs, with a wave of her hand. "And Liz's room ..."
Maria, Tess and Isabel watch from a distance. Mrs. Parker's distress touches them and they exchange looks, but Maria shakes her head. Mrs. Parker seems composed, but her eyes glass over. She's near to tears.
"She took some clothes and food ... and some of Jeff's things. Why would she do that if there wasn't some truth to it?"
"The police think someone tipped them off," returns Amy, but looking pointedly at her daughter.
Maria avoids her mother's stare.
"This isn't like Liz."
"You're right," says Amy. "It's more like something Maria would do.
"Mom!" says Maria, defensively.
"I'll talk to you later."
Nancy looks from Amy to Maria and back. Did they know something? At that moment, Mrs. Evans walks in.
Liz stuffs her robe in her book bag. She's on her knees.
"Are you hungry?" she asks Max while she zips up the compartment, then sits.
"A little."
"There's some donuts," she says. "I thought you might like that. And some water."
He sits beside her, opens the plastic bag and picks out a couple of donuts. He hands her a sugar-frosted donut with colored jimmies on it and loads his own with Tabasco sauce. Liz takes a bite of her and savors it. She hadn't realized just how hungry she was.
"OMG," she says. "This tastes so good!"
Max smiles and bites into his own.
"We need to develop a plan," says Liz.
"I know," agrees Max. "I just wish I knew what was happening ... to Michael ... and Valenti."
Liz nods.
"Yeah, so do I. And why now? It's been months."
"They must have something."
"It's odd they just didn't arrest all of us," Liz wonders. "Why?"
"I don't know."
Liz's attention drifts.
"And then there's this." she says. "There has to be something more."
"Yeah," agrees Max.
Liz turns to him, amazed by his apparent lack of interest.
"Aren't you at all curious?" she asks, feeling a bit better with food on her stomach.
"Well, there are some things ..." he trailed off with a little smile, remembering how badly he really wanted to disrobe Liz only a short time ago.
"What are you smiling about?" she returns, secretly pleased to see it. "We're in a lot of trouble, you know."
"Yes, we are," Max says, snatching the scrap of donut Liz holds before he kisses her. "But right now, I'm in trouble with just you," he continues as he wraps his body around hers and kisses her again.
Valenti pours himself a cup of fresh coffee. He watches Kyle and Tess in the kitchen from the table, whipping up breakfast, especially Kyle who seems to be more of a hindrance and smiles. Tess finally chases him out to set the table.
"Too bad what they did to the Crashdown," says Kyle.
"Yes, it is," says Jim.
"They didn't have to do that, did they?"
"No, they didn't."
Tess brings over some scrambled eggs and dishes them out.
"Do you think they'll find Liz and Max?" says Kyle. Tess listens. She notices the affection Kyle shows for Liz. She's a tad jealous.
"I don't know, son," says Jim. "I suppose it depends on where they're hiding."
"They're very safe," interjects Tess. "No one will find them."
"They can't hide indefinitely. They'll need supplies. They only had enough food for a few days from what Jeff told me. I'm afraid, sooner or later, they'll be found."
"Then what?"
"They'll be charged, I suspect."
There's a knock on the door. Kyle answers it. Dan walks in.
"Well, Jimbo," he says, "I missed you at the station."
"Dan."
"What's going on, Jimbo? First Hubble, then Grant, now this. What's going on?"
"Nothing."
"I told you I was going to find out. I mean it, Jimbo. You're hiding something and it has something to do with those kids. What is it?"
"They're just kids, for God's sake."
"My ass," says Dan.
Tess and Kyle watch Dan in silence. The eggs grow cold on the plates. No one takes a bite.
"Don't even think of leaving town," says Dan and exits out the kitchen door.
Valenti pushes the plate aside as the phone rings. He gets up from the table and picks up the receiver.
"Hello," says Valenti. "Okay, I'm heading out now."
He hangs up the phone and addresses Kyle and Tess.
"There's a big fire out by Frazier Woods heading toward Pohlman Ranch. I've got to go."
"Pohlman Ranch?" asks Tess, trying not to show any alarm.
"Something wrong?" asks Valenti.
"That's the crash site."
The gang had moved to the back room, waiting for the firing squad.
"This is so out of control, " said Isabel. "What are we going to tell them?"
"Nothing," says Michael.
"We have to tell them something," says Maria. "I know, we'll tell them they went to Vegas!"
Isabel turns and gives her a strange look.
"You've got to be kidding!" says Michael.
"We can them they eloped ... or something."
"Very funny," says Isabel.
"You don't believe they wouldn't believe that," says Maria, remembering what Liz told her about Fmax. "It's not like we haven't been to Vegas before."
"You're a regular laugh track," says Michael.
At that moment, Mrs. Evans, Mrs. Parker, and Amy DeLuca come through the door.
"It's the Spanish Inquisition," says Maria under her breath.
Max and Liz lie on the floor on the crystalline room, asleep. It is quiet except for the lone set of footsteps which stops directly in front of them. They hear nothing, finally overcome by exhaustion. The figure bends over, touches Max first, then Liz. Neither moves, but slowly, they both begin to disappear.
"Maria, give me your cell phone," says Amy.
"Mom!"
"Right now, we're all very upset. I know Liz will call you," she said. "Hand it over ... now!"
Maria looks at Isabel, then Michael, then rummages in her bag for her phone."
"Now, I don't know what all of you have been up to, but the lying stops here. And that includes all of you."
"Please, Maria," says Mrs. Parker, "if you know where Liz and Max are ..."
"Isabel?' questions Mrs. Evans.
Isabel looks at Maria.
"They went to Vegas," says Isabel.
"What?" says Mrs. Evans.
"Yes," agrees Maria. "That's where they went."
"I don't understand," says Mrs. Parker. "They went where?"
"They just wanted to get away," says Isabel.
"In the middle of the night?" says Amy in disbelief.
"Well, they asked us not to tell," says Isabel.
"OMG," says Amy, with a sudden realization. "They went to Vegas to get married!"
"Liz and Max?" says Mrs. Evans, turning to Isabel. "Did Max tell you that?"
"Mrs. Evans," says Michael, "They're looking for Max because of me, something I did, not Max."
"Max wouldn't hurt anyone," says Maria. "You know that."
"Yes, yes I do," says Mrs. Evans, remembering how Max healed the pigeon and Valenti's report of the Crashdown incident.
"And what did you do?" asks Mrs. Parker.
"I was out drinking one night ... with friends. Turns out I was in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"Meaning?" asks Mrs. Evans.
"It's where they found the bones."
"But Max wasn't there?"
"Max doesn't drink," said Michael.
Mrs. Evans nodded.
"But what about the clothes?' asks Mrs. Parker.
"Oh, that!" says Maria. "Well, we kind of were fooling around earlier and we pushed Max and Liz into some water. Liz was just drying his stuff out."
"Why didn't they just wait?"
"Young and in love," says Michael.
"We have to stop them," says Mrs. Parker.
"It may be too late," says Mrs. Evans.
Isabel gets up.
"And where are you going?" asks Amy.
"To the bathroom. Is that okay?'
Isabel waits impatiently for an answer.
"Go ahead, honey," says Mrs. Evans.
Isabel slips into the bathroom, locks the door, and whips out her cell phone and quickly dials Liz's number.
"Come on, come on," says Isabel under her breath. "Answer the phone!"
Topolsky shows Alex some files implicating Pierce in the death of Agent Stephens. There are files, too, on Congresswoman Whitaker, about her questionable past, her convenient marriage, her participation in the "Special Unit", etc. It makes for some hot reading.
"You really think this will get Michael and Max off the hook?'
"With my testimony."
"Yeah, if we live that long," says Alex.
"We will, but we also need some inside help. I need to reach Agent Duff," says Topolsky. "We can trust her."
"She was just here," says Alex.
"In Roswell?" she says, surprised.
"Yeah, ask Sheriff Valenti," says Alex. "He'll fill you in. A lot has happened, you know, since you left."
"Well, with these files, and a little help, they'll be such a firestorm that they'll have to drop all charges. This is leverage."
"When do we start?" asks Alex.
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