The Fall - Part 6

__________________________________________________________

"Where are they?" asks Nicholas. "You said they would be here!"

"They WERE here," returns Tess. She's very annoyed. She hadn't considered that Liz and Max would leave.

They are inside the cave.

"Why would they come here in the first place," says Lonnie. "I mean, look at this place. There's nothing here."

"They must have had a reason to be here," says Tess, looking at the walls which are covered with Native American cave paintings. "This is the cave where the healing stones were found. There's supposed to be a map. I know it's on reservation land."

"Obviously, you got in wrong. There are probably many caves in the area. Kivar will not be pleased."

"I'll handle Kivar," says Tess. "You just be there. I don't want that bitch to get away." Tess still burns from seeing Liz and Max together earlier. "We'd all be home by now if it wasn't for her."

"Chickie's obviously got something you don't have," says Lonnie.

Rath laughs. Tess shoots him a venomous look.

"I got the translation, didn't I?"

"So did they," says Lonnie, "and they have the key."

"YOU didn't protect it very well, did you?" says Tess.

"This is getting us nowhere," says Nicholas.

"So we do we do now?" asks Rath.

"Kill the bitch," says Tess.

Michael, Isabel, Maria and Kyle sneak away from the mouth of the cave towards the deep cover of Frazier Woods.

"We just got there in time," says Isabel.

"I know," says Michael. "We have to be better about this."

"Michael, there's no way we could have known ..." says Maria.

"Why does Tess want to kill Liz?" asks Kyle.

"I don't know," says Michael.

"We have to warn them," says Isabel.

"They know," says Michael.

"I don't like this, Michael," says Maria. "Tess killed Alex. She's not going to think twice about killing Liz."

"I don't understand why Tess wants to kill Liz," says Kyle.

"She wants Max," says Isabel, "and we know she'll do anything to get him. Liz is in the way."

"We won't let that happen," assures Michael.

"I can't lose Liz," says Maria.

"I know," says Michael, wrapping his arms around Maria, "and you won't. I promise."

"So what do we do?" asks Isabel.

"Riverdog," says Michael. "We need his help."

"Max, how can I possibly wear this?" asks Liz as she begins to take off the pendant. Max brings his hand up to stop her.

"Because you are the only person to wear it," says Max.

"This belongs to Tess," says Liz.

"No," he says, "it doesn't. It belongs to me. I choose who wears it."

"That was before you knew what it meant," says Liz.

"I know what it means now," says Max, "and I want you to wear it. It's you I love."

"If I wear this ..." begins Liz.

"Your life changes forever," says Max.

"It already has," says Liz, a wry smile on her lips.

"You become my mate, my wife, my queen ... on my world," Max continues. "It means nothing here, but it means everything on my world ... and you do mean everything to me."

Liz smiles and touches Max's cheek as Max cradles her head in his hands.

"I have never loved anyone the way I love you," continues Max.

Liz begins to speak, but Max stops her as he places his thumb over her lips.

"Not even Tess," states Max. "I can't take away those memories that Tess left, but I know everything I feel for you is real and good. I love you, Liz, and only you."

"Riverdog," says Tess. "We need to find Riverdog."

"Who's Riverdog?" asks Rath.

"Max, Michael and Isabel ... they got the stones from Riverdog. He must know something."

"This is a freakin' side show," says Lonnie. "How do all these humans know this stuff? The whole friggin' state knows our business."

"Liz Parker," says Tess.

"My," says Nicholas, "you are in a dither over her, aren't you?"

"So what's deal with this chick?" asks Lonnie.

"Well, she's obviously very hot," says Rath.

"Well, that's really sticking it," says Nicholas.

"Can we get back to what we need to do," says Tess, changing the subject.

"That's what I love about you, my petulant one," says Nicholas.

"I'm not yours," says Tess. "I'm not anybody's."

"And that's why Liz Parker is doing what you're supposed to be doing. ... Too bad about Alex."

"I don't get it," says Rath.

"She's smart," says Nicholas, "in case your feeble brain didn't notice. She figured out Tess killed Alex, then told Max."

"So now Max knows what's going on?" asks Lonnie.

"So what's the plan?" says Rath.

"I need the key," says Tess.

"And I need Liz," says Nicholas. "Alive," he says directly to Tess.

When Michael and the rest of the gang arrive at Mesaliko Reservation, Riverdog is there to greet them.

"I had a feeling you would come," he says to Michael. "Another visitor?"

"No," says Michael. "This is Kyle. He's a friend and he's here to help. You remember Isabel and Maria."

"Your friends are safe."

"We know," he says, "But not for long."

Michael explains about the dupes and Nicholas. Riverdog listens with intent.

"Your enemies will come here," he says. "You must not be here when they arrive."

"What are you going to do?" asks Isabel.

Liz listens to Max's easy breathing as he sleeps. She hates the waiting; not knowing what's happening. She worries about Maria, Michael, Isabel, and Kyle. She worries about her parents, all their parents at risk. She feels helpless in the dark and so in the dark. She shifts position and feels Max move beneath her.

"I'm sorry," she says. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's okay," he assures her. "When I wake and I see you ... it feels so right. I'm so lucky ... I almost lost you. ... I almost LEFT you."

"We both got lucky," returns Liz.

"No, it wasn't luck," says Max. "You searched for the truth and found it ... when I didn't believe. ... You followed your heart"

"I've made so many bad mistakes. ... You saved me from making so many others. ..."

"Max, we both made mistakes," says Liz. "I just want us to start fresh."

Max kisses the top of her head.

"You thought about it?"

"I'll wear the pendant, for you, because I love you more than anything in the world ... not for position, for power, for the king ... just for you, because I love you more than I thought was possible. I never want to loose you."

"I want to marry you, here in your world. I want that for you ... so there are no questions, no doubts.

"Well, I'm afraid we'll have to wait for that one," Liz says, smiling.

Max looks perplexed.

"I'm still 17, Max," Liz reminds him playfully.

Max grins sheepishly. He HAD forgotten.

"Then, as soon as it IS possible."

At the Mesaliko Reservation, Nicholas asks for Riverdog while Lonnie eyes the jewelry. Rath distracts attention from Lonnie while she lifts a necklace with a petroglyph design from the table. Tess regards them with some disdain.

Eddie appears behind Tess.

"He's not available," says Eddie.

"Really," says Nicholas, "then perhaps he'd better make himself available."

"We really need Riverdog," says Tess.

"He's participating in a sacred ritual," says Eddie. "It's by invitation only."

"Then invite us," says Rath.

"Really?" asks Lonnie, as if she didn't believe him.

"You may have visions," says Eddie, not the least bit afraid.

Tess regards Eddie carefully.

"Take us to your leader," says Rath.

Nicholas rolls his eyes.

"Follow me," says Eddie, leading them to the sweat house.

"What the hell is that?" asks Lonnie.

"It's the sweat. It's a sacred ritual, a ritual of purification," says Eddie.

Eddie pulls back the flap and waves Nicholas, Tess, Lonnie and Rath in.

"Yo," says Rath to Eddie before he enters, "You coming or what?"

"After you," says Eddie.

After they settle and sit, Eddie gives them instructions.

"Don't talk," he says. "Just follow the chant. It's intense, so you may experience some burning in the eyes or a cough from the smoke because you are not used to it. The elders will pass a bowl of water. Drink from it. Remember, stay with the chant. When the ritual concludes, Riverdog will speak with you."

"How long does this ritual last?" asks Tess.

"It varies, but probably another 15 minutes or so."

"We don't have a lot of time," says Tess.

"If you wish to speak to Riverdog, then you must make time."

"We don't have 15 minutes," says Nicholas impatiently.

"You are free to leave anytime," says Eddie.

Rath fidgets, but remains seated. Tess touches Nicholas' arm.

As the chant takes possession, Tess begins to feel the sweat house fade. She looks to her left and there is darkness; to her right, light and a shadowy figure. There is something familiar about it. She proceeds closer until the figure is clear. It's Liz. She wears the pendant which glows brightly. Her eyes are closed. Tess reaches for the pendant but it's out of her grasp. Liz's dark eyes open. In her eyes, Tess sees Max; in his eyes, Tess sees Liz. She sees them as they jump from the bridge, then through portals of time and space into a white light which blinds Tess.

"Liz," says Max, "when we come together this time, there is no turning back. There are changes that happen. ..."

"When the pendant begins to glow, the change begins. There may be physical changes that take place, but I can't tell you what they are. I just don't know, I can't remember" says Max. "... but I would understand if you change your mind."

"Max, I'm not going to change my mind," says Liz. "I'm not afraid."

"No," screams Tess as she snaps out of the vision. Her eyes burn; she gasps for breath. Tess flees the sweat house. Lonnie, Rath, and Nicholas are already outside. They are all coughing.

Eddie comes out of the sweat house.

"I told you, it's intense."

"What did you do to us?" asks Tess. Her eyes are white.

""You had a vision," says Riverdog.

"Tell me what it means."

"The vision is for you alone."

A shudder runs through Tess' body."

"There's something wrong," she says.

Lonnie and Rath look at each other. They feel sick. Only Nicholas seems unaffected.

"You poisoned us!" exclaims Rath.

"It is a mere purification ceremony which cleanses the body of impurities," says Riverdog.

"The healing stones," Tess says.

"I have no healing stones," he says.

"Then who has them," says Nicholas.

Riverdog remains silent.

"Max, Max has the healing stones," says Tess. "In the pod chamber."

"There's time," he says. "We still have time."

Maria, Michael, Isabel and Kyle are back in Roswell. He drops Maria off at her house. Sean's car is out front.

"Kyle and I will take the car," says Michael. "You and Isabel check the house."

"Okay, it shouldn't take too long," says Maria. "He doesn't have that much imagination."

Isabel and Maria go inside. It's early morning. Sean is asleep on the sofa.

"Where do we start?" says Isabel.

"Well, he's been trying to fix the garbage disposal again, so check the cupboards."

"Isn't that too obvious? Anyone could find it there," she says.

"Anybody who gets busted for breaking into school is not too smart," says Maria.

"Okay, what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to appeal to his base side," says Maria.

"I'm gonna wake him up and offer him a one-way bus ticket out of town or kick his balls in," says Maria.

Isabel is slightly amused.

"That ought to do it," she says.

In the pod chamber, Tess frantically searches for the bag in which Max has the healing stones, the book, and other items from home. He's moved it, but she already knows that, because Liz now has the pendant. Finally, after five long minutes, she finds it and desperately tips it all on the floor. The Destiny Book is gone with the translation, too! But the key is there! And the stones. They pass the stones and try to focus. It doesn't work.

"We have to get home," says Tess, feeling her strength waning. "It's the only way."

"Not yet," says Nicholas.

"We don't have a choice. Look," she says, "See what's happening to us." She holds up her hand. The web has begun to spin around her fingers."

"She's right," says Lonnie. "We stay here, we die. I ain't ready to do that."

"I want Max Evans," says Nicholas. "and the girl."

"We'll get him, her too" said Tess thinking of the pleasure she would have in killing Liz, "but not now. We're too weak. We need to regroup and I need to talk with my brother."

"24 hours. We wait 24 hours."

"It's too late," says Tess. "We're into The Fall."

"What do you mean, "The Fall"?" asks Rath.

"The Fall, stupid," says Lonnie, cuffing Rath's head, "from the Prophecy."

"How do you know that," says Nicholas.

"The vision," says Tess.

Tess inserts the key into the Granilith.

"What are you doing?" says Nicholas.

"You can stay here or you can go home," says Tess.

"It takes time for the Granilith to prepare itself."

"Well, I'm giving it a little boost because we don't have 24 hours," says Tess. She uses the last of her strength to accelerate the Granilith's countdown."

"Won't that make it unstable?" asks Nicholas.

"We don't have a choice here. You can stay and die. I'm going home."

Tess places her hand on the Granilith.

"Me, too," says Lonnie, and follows Tess' lead.

Nicholas and Rath also place their hands on the Granilith upper cone. In seconds, the four are transported inside. The ground begins to shake and there is a sudden burst of explosive power.

Kyle and Michael are searching Sean's VW Beetle. They've checked behind in the seats, the glove box, the engine. They're still searching all the likely places to hide contraband when Maria and Isabel come out.

"Did you check under the driver's seat?"

Kyle and Michael exchange glances. No, they hadn't checked that. They feel silly.

Kyle scrambles into the front seat and pulls the diary from underneath the seat.

"I've got it!" he exclaims, waving it as Maria hurries over and rips it from his hands.

"Thank you," says Maria.

We ground shakes with great violence, not unlike the underground bomb testings that occurred in the '50s, but it had to be an earthquake, thought Brody as he watched the monitors go crazy in the UFO center. It's coming from where he picked up the signals in May. Could it be something else?

At the Crashdown, the gang gathers to celebrate the successful recovery of Liz's diary. When the ground begins to shake, glasses fall off their shelves and break, the windows rattle, and the customers look nervously about. The gang exchange looks and walk outside, just in time to see a large fireball shoot across the sky.

"What the hell?" says Michael.

"OMG, Michael," says Isabel, "that's coming from the direction of the Pod Chamber!"

"We'd better get out there."

As the ground shakes, Liz feels every molecule in her body vibrate, split apart, join with Max's, then reassemble. She has no words for it. It's so like being at one with the universe. She wonders if this is what freefallin' feels like. It takes her breath away, just for an instant it seems before reality begins to take hold. She feels Max's arm slip beneath her arched back, hears their heavy breathing intermingled as they pass "the point of culmination" together, feel their hot bodies still glistening with sweat, slide back into the bedroll; Max's tongue licking the base of her throat, her own head thrown back to let him take full advantage of his tasting. Max calls it "The Fall" but she's not sure that's it all it. It's that point where motion hits inertia, that split moment of floating that lasts forever in suspension, that seems so freeing. She knows, as Max warned her, that she's changed forever. But at that moment, she couldn't think of anything more wonderful.

When Michael, Isabel, Maria and Kyle arrive at the pod chamber, there are many people standing around the area, all drawn by what they had seen.

"I don't like this," says Isabel, "It's a media nightmare. We shouldn't be here."

"Why?" says Maria, "Nobody's gonna think anything about it. We just saw what they saw. ... OMG, Brody's here."

Brody spots them and comes right over.

"Did you see it?" he asks excitedly.

"Yea," says Maria. "We were just hanging at the Crashdown when the shaking started."

"It felt like an earthquake," he says. "My computers went crazy. I've been waiting for something like this for seven years! ... Where's Max? He should be here."

"He went camping with Liz."

"Liz, your friend, right?" Brody says to Maria.

"I thought he was dating Tess."

"That's so over," says Maria.

Maria's mom and Sheriff Valenti come over.

"Maria, what are you doing here?" asks her mom.