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 "I saw it and I still don't know what to believe," says Nancy Parker to Diane Evans. They are sitting at an improvised luncheon area set up for them so they call could have dinner together.
The Parkers, the Evans, Amy DeLuca, and Jim Valenti are sitting at a large round table, dining on take-out food from Señor Chow's. Diane Evans watches her son as she listens to Nancy Parker describe how he healed Liz. She remembers the file the sheriff had shown her after the kitchen fire in their home ... especially the part where this couple claimed to have seen Max lay his hand over a waitress who had been shot at the Crashdown and healed her -- Liz Parker. What they saw she now knows is true. Mrs. Evans looks at her son as he puts his hand on Liz's shoulder.
"Do you think it's safe to eat this?" says Kyle.
"Safer than having something prepared here," says Michael as he takes a bite. "This is really cold."
"Well, I wasn't hungry anyway," says Isabel pushing the Szechwan enchiladas away.
"Me neither," says Liz, leaning closer to Max. She feels Max's discomfort and knows that Isabel is the only other person who knows the extent of Max's torture. Liz feels violated just by what they had done to her and she knows it was worse for Max. She slips her arm around Max's waist.
"This is disgusting," says Maria, holding up a soggy sweet and sour tortilla, then dropping it back on the Styrofoam plate.
Diane Evans looks from Max to Isabel. Less than 24 hours ago, they had come to her and Phillip with a secret, something about their past. Her children were different, that she had always known. But how different was something else. She knows she doesn't know the whole story, but she hopes. Their friends know. She sees the knowledge in their eyes, these children, no, these adults. She fears for them and she remains in awe of them.
"How long are they going to keep us here?" asks Jeff Parker.
"Well, I suppose we can go anytime we want," says Phillip Evans. Valenti bows his head. He knows better, but he remains silent.
"And our kids?"
"I suppose that depends on what the FBI discovers about the bomb."
"I still don't understand about Max," says Nancy.
"Max has certain gifts," says Valenti, "that has brought him some unwanted attention."
"His ability to heal," says Diane.
"Yes," says Valenti.
Well, how long do we have to wait before we know if this is contagious?" says Amy. "I want to take my daughter home. And I have a business to run so I can support her."
"Maybe we should just ask," says Jeff.
"Good idea," says Phillip.
"I think we'd all be happier if we could take our children home," says Nancy.
"But they're not going to let us, are they?" asks Diane.
"No," says Valenti.
"Why?" says Nancy.
"I think you need to ask them," he says, nodding in the direction of the gang.
"It's time," says Max, rising from the table. He extends a hand to Liz. She takes it and stands.
"Are you sure?" asks Max.
"Yes," says Liz.
"Okay, let's find a quiet place," says Max.
Max looks at Isabel who looks at Michael.
"Are you okay?" asks Isabel "You're sweating."
"I'm okay," says Michael.
"Michael, you're not," says Maria, "You look pale. What's wrong?"
"I'm fine, okay!"
"Hey dude, just chill," says Kyle. "They're just concerned."
"You're shaking," says Max.
"It's just a reaction to the drugs," says Michael. "Maybe it's withdrawal."
"Maybe you ought to lie down," says Isabel.
"Yeah, maybe," says Michael. He gets up and exits.
Max follows Michael with his eyes.
"Can you check on him?" asks Max (to Isabel).
"Of course," says Isabel.
"I can check on him, too," says Maria.
Max nods.
"We'll see you later," says Max.
Maria looks at Liz with a wary eye.
"Don't worry," says Liz. "We'll all be fine."
Maria watches as Max and Liz leave.
Nancy Parker and Diane Evans also note Max and Liz's departure. They both show concern, but neither attempts to stop them. Nancy Parker knows it's too late. The attending ER physician has already briefed the Parkers on Liz's health, including sexual activity. Nancy, to a certain extent, had been surprised. While she always felt the Liz entertained strong feelings for Max, she thought it had cooled since she had been seeing Sean the past few months. So it came as a surprise to learn that Max and Liz were an item again and just how serious their relationship is. She exchanges looks with Diane Evans.
Michael does not want anyone to see him. He knows it's not the drugs; he knows he's not ill. He wraps his shaking hands under his arms. He slips behind the door and leans against it as he closes it. It's getting worse, he thinks. The memories. They come not just in dreams; they come at anytime. Memories of the soldier -- the tackiness of drying blood against the skin, the incredible roar of battle, the ringing in the ears, the silence, bodies exploding into nothingness, the smell of death. What he feels is fear and what he fears most now is panic, that when he's really needed, he will freeze. Like that fateful day, knee deep in bodies and blood, he froze ... and he died, died in the arms of his friend, the king he failed.
Max and Liz slip outside. There's no privacy here, they know, only the semblance of it, but here under the open sky, there's a certain measure of peace. In the distance, there's a storm brewing. Heat lightening flashes across the sky.
"When this is over," says Max, holding Liz close to him, "I want us to go somewhere, just you and me, no one else."
"Max," returns Liz, burying her head in his chest, "it'll never be over."
"I know," he says, running his hands through her soft, dark hair, "but, this here and now."
She nods.
"Are you ready?" he asks.
"I have no idea," she says. Liz feels the hair on her skin rise. She feels the electricity in her continuing to build and she realizes that Max feels it too. She watches as Max takes her hands and guides them to his head. He holds them there, one on each side of his head behind the ears. When she looks into his eyes, she sees trust in them. Slowly, her fingers slip through his hair until she feels the scalp beneath as he slides his hands down her arms and around her waist. To anyone watching them, they are lovers experiencing the intimacy of touch. But for Max and Liz, it's very much a choreographed and dangerous dance. The special unit monitors everything they do. Max walks Liz backward against the building's wall, directly beneath the camera. Somewhere inside Max thinks there is some agent swearing as he tries to adjust the camera downward and can't quite see what's going on. He smiles.
"What," says Liz, distracted by Max's hands which roam underneath her scrubs.
"Nothing," he says and steals a kiss.
A storm rages inside Liz's body, more intense as the thunderstorm moves closer to Eagle Rock. There's real lightening now and the smell of rain hangs in the air.
"I can't concentrate, Max," she says.
"You can do it, Liz," says Max, nipping at her lip. "Just think about me and ..."
"I AM thinking of you," she says, pressing her lips against his own, "That's the problem."
"Okay, we're going to do this ... now," says Max.
Liz pulls Max's head closer as he buries his head in her neck. She closes her eyes and focuses and envisions his cerebral cortex. She feels a rhythm of electrical impulses push out from her body into Max's head and create a rhythm that matches hers, like the rhythm of the heart pushing blood through the circulatory system
Max feels like his head is going to explode. Measured surges of energy pulse through his brain stem and spread throughout his body through his nerve endings. Every part of his body feels raw, but alive. He strength returns; he feels charged, renewed.
Neither one of them feel the torrents of rain as the dark skies open, periodically lit by straight line lightening. It's only when a bolt strikes the building's water tank that their union breaks and they drop to the ground.
"OMG," says Liz, "Did I do that?"
"I don't think so," says Max.
"Did it work?" asks Liz.
"I don't know," says Max.
"Try it?"
"On what?"
"I don't know.
"Are they causing this?" asks the dark-suited man.
"How could they be creating this?" asks the technician. "The weatherman predicted these storms. There's doing what all teenagers do -- making out."
"They're not just any teenagers."
"You guys ... you're all alike. He can't do anything."
"What about her?"
The lights flicker.
"I don't like this." says the dark-suited man.
"Relax, there's a back-up generator. If the power goes down, we'll be back up in 30 sec."
"That's a long time."
The smell of sulphur fills the air and the whole sky crackles like over amplified radio static. The rain comes down in sheets and rivulets form where drainage is impossible.
"Max, we have to get inside," says Liz.
The storm seems to have settled over Eagle Rock and lightening bolts surgically cut telephone poles and fry the electric fences and powerhouse. The outside lights go out.
"This is it," says Max. "We can make a break for it now."
"Max, we can't get everyone out."
"Yes, we can, if we hurry."
"They'll have a backup system."
"We can disable it."
"What are you going to do?"
"Come on," says Max, grabbing Liz's hand as they make a run for the door.
"What's going on?" says Amy DeLuca as the lights flicker. "Why are the lights flickering?"
"It's just the storm," says a Special Unit agent who comes in to check on everyone.
"Storm," says Nancy, "there's a storm?"
"We're just going to get anybody back together here just in case ..."
"Just in case what?" asks Amy.
"The power goes out."
"Surely you have a back-up system?" says Valenti.
"Yes, sir, we do," he says.
"Well, then, there's nothing to worry about, then, is there?" says Phillip Evans as the lights go out.
Maria enters Michael's room. He's on the bed, sleeping, but it's not a quiet sleep. He dreams fitfully. He thrashes as if he's fighting some demon. Maria doesn't know whether to wake him or not. She's heard that it's not good to wake people from nightmares. She goes over to the bed and quietly slips into the bed, next to Michael. She curls up against his back and wraps her arms around him, just so he feels he's not alone, that there's someone with him, someone who cares.
"No! Zan!" Michael screams and sits bolt upright. It takes a minute for Michael to realize where he is.
"Michael, are you okay?" asks Maria.
"It's only a dream," says Michael.
"More like a nightmare," says Maria.
"I'm okay," says Michael.
"You're not having dreams, are you?" asks Maria. "You remember what happened."
He looks at Maria, panic written in his face.
"It's okay," says Maria. "It's okay. I'm here."
Michael jumps as the lights go out.
When Max and Liz get inside, the lights are out. They freeze and wait. Seconds later, the lights flicker on as emergency power kicks in. It's no longer glaring white lights everywhere, but eery soft white lights that cast long shadows.
Max and Liz leave a trail of water as they cautiously walk down the hall. Their wet clothes cling stubbornly to their bodies.
"Do you think you can dry out our clothes?" asks Liz, looking at the small puddles. "They're going to find us."
"I can't use my powers," says Max, putting his fingers up to her lip. "Remember?"
"Yeah, right," says Liz, "I forgot."
"If they're nervous, they'll try to get everybody together in one room," says Max.
"Then what?" whispers Liz.
"We get everybody out," he says as the lights go out.
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